# Prepping for real.



## Darren (May 10, 2002)

I was going to post in the "Massive Fire" thread. Rather than high jacking a useful thread I started this one to discuss priorities and prepping for real.

What improves the odds of surviving? What is the greatest threat? What should be the first and foremost concern?

As much as we talk about prepping, are we being rational about it?

For starters we can eliminate zombies. It might be fun to talk about or contemplate. Obviously it's not going to be something we'll have to face.

So how do we prioritize prepping?


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## thestartupman (Jul 25, 2010)

I think my rule of thumb is to try and prepare my self to live as closely as I do now, no matter what life throws at me. Am I 100% prepared for anything? Nope. Am I better off than if I just sit around and wait on someone else to take care of me, if things go bad for what ever reason? You bet I am. In the area I am in, the biggest threats I would probably face is, and the order of probability are. 1) Tornado damage, 2) Winter storm, 3) Local Personal Disturbance (Home / Property invasion) 4) Some kind of National disaster (Like attack of some sort like 9-11, EMP or civil unrest) This last item would not likely effect me and my property directly, but would effect the delivery of goods to stores, and my ability to travel as might be needed. 
I won't go on, because I am not sure if this is even the type of response you are looking for.


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## Laura Zone 5 (Jan 13, 2010)

I will be moving 'in town'. 
Houses close together, higher concentration of people.

Depends on what I am 'surviving'.

1. If it is a weather related event (my area; tornado, fire, flood, blizzard, ice storm, earthquake)
A. Tornado, Flash Flood and Fire; they are what they are.
B. Slow rising flood; move as much as you can to higher ground and evacuate.
C. Blizzard / Ice storm. Make sure you have an alternate heat and water source. 
I will need to get a free standing wood burning stove for my garage, and install the proper venting. Honestly, I didn't even think about alternate heat, as I am so used to having a fireplace, I forgot!!! Thank you for this thread!!!

I will come back


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## thestartupman (Jul 25, 2010)

Sorry Double post


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## Sourdough (Dec 28, 2011)

As much as we talk about prepping, are we being rational about it?

* NO......But, that will not change......Sadly.

*What is the greatest threat?

*Being stupid or being dysfunctional.......or being both. Then add in being lazy, and dependent on other humans or government. 

*What should be the first and foremost concern?

*That one is going down the correct road, and not drinking kool'aid.

*What improves the odds of surviving?

*Avoiding internet experts, Avoiding buying survival "CRAP". Avoiding mental masturbation about survival theory. Being in good physical and mental condition. Avoid thinking it all revolves around having the correct firearm and "Kit". But.....the single best thing for most humans to do to enhance survival is don't live where they now live.*


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## Darren (May 10, 2002)

What puts us at the most risk?


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## farmerDale (Jan 8, 2011)

Sourdough said:


> *But.....the single best thing for most humans to do to enhance survival is don't live where they now live.*[/B]


That right there. Is number 1.


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## Darren (May 10, 2002)

That's what I've been thinking about.


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## Sourdough (Dec 28, 2011)

Where people live, wanting everything to be "EASY". Laziness, Being FAT and soft, relying on things outside our skin, as opposed to relying on everything inside our skin. Being obsessed with living the safe, easy, gluttonous American lifestyle.



Darren said:


> What puts us at the most risk?


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## Darren (May 10, 2002)

Location is the greatest factor in your survival. You don't mess with Mother Nature. Mother Nature doesn't care one way or the other. Live in the wrong place and a natural disaster will kill you either directly or indirectly.

I'm reading Krakatoa. I didn't realize the dust spread from pole to pole.


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## Laura Zone 5 (Jan 13, 2010)

Darren said:


> What puts us at the most risk?


I'll bite.

1. Putting our "trust and faith" in 'man' (a general term for humans)

2. Where we live. If you live below Sea Level, it's gonna flood. 
If you live in Norman OK you are going to get smoked by a tornado.
If you live in Houston, you are going to get hit by a Hurricane.......

3. Emotionally and Mentally unprepared for exceedingly difficult times.

4. Relying on Walmart

5. Buying things from Walmart (cheap, plastic, garbage).

6. Being ignorant in the matters of soil, weather, etc. 

7. Arrogance.

8. Not having a plan B, C, D, or E

9. Under estimating human beings.

10. Last, but not least, doing anything w/o The Lord.


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## WoodsDweller (Jun 15, 2016)

Sourdough said:


> Avoiding buying survival "CRAP". [/B]



What exactly would you define as survival "crap"? Lol. That's hilarious.


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## WoodsDweller (Jun 15, 2016)

How do you prioritize prepping you ask Darren??

Only you can answer that for your current situation. One mans prep does not make another mans prep. Everyone's needs and situations are completely different.

In one word regardless of your situation.........Education. Start educating yourself.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

I think of it time based and issue based 

24 , 48 , 72 one week , two weeks , month

as you get farther out you need more things but at 2 weeks or a month the stuff isn't much different just more quantity 


water 
food 
shelter 
heat 
medicine falls some where in there depending on your individual needs

where I live besides medical the 2 major issues are cold and tornadoes 

the good thing is tornadoes are short lived very local events , even if they are very destructive they don't tend to come with TEOTWAWKI events following 
and in the last 110 years no tornadoes hit the house it still stands so probably not in the worst area

winter generally lasts from November to march with first snow and last snow in October and end of march even April or may snows although those are short lived even when you get 10 inches at once in April it is usually gone by the end of the week 

floods while they sometimes effect what roads we can take the house sits almost a half mile to the river and high enough that floods are a non issue or have been for more than 100 years 

so I prepare to have water for a week , food for a month maybe two if stretched and fire wood for this winter and next 

if the food distribution was down for longer than 2 months it would probably hard to hold onto it any way about 2 months anything around would be eaten and people would be desperate to eat or die this type of scenario is less likely any way I suppose since the county I live in people are outnumbered by cattle maybe that could change things 
then again unless work parties were organized to milk by hand that could get ugly quick if the power was out for very long most of the dairies have generators that would hold for a while

this would be a very unlikely event any way comparably to others


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## Darren (May 10, 2002)

WoodsDweller said:


> How do you prioritize prepping you ask Darren??
> 
> Only you can answer that for your current situation. One mans prep does not make another mans prep. Everyone's needs and situations are completely different.
> 
> In one word regardless of your situation.........Education. Start educating yourself.


That is true. Like Laura mentioned, look at the natural disasters that can affect your area. Will your preps make a difference when the big one hits whether that's an off the scale hurricane or earthquake and depending on where, a tsunami soon afterwards?

If not you're only prepping for short term events like a power outage.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

Laura Zone 5 said:


> I'll bite.
> 
> 1. Putting our "trust and faith" in 'man' (a general term for humans)
> 
> ...



I thought 9 needed a little help


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

I think you need to be prepared mentally. Study any given situation that could reasonably happen to you or your locale. When *this* happens (flood), I need to move to higher ground. When *this* happens (tornadoes), I need an underground shelter. When *this* happens (dam breaks and area floods instantly) I need to get to my roof with my kids and have a boat. In any situation, a good flashlight, extra batteries, a form of communication (cell phones, walkie talkies). Most of us can quickly move from flood- - - to - - - get to higher to higher ground. If we live where tornadoes are common, we need to know how to find shelter, such as a deep ditch at the side of the road.

Once we know how to conquer natural disasters, we can prepare for long term and man made problems. This might include easily accessed money. It might be in the form of having food stored. It is common sense to have enough stored to last for two weeks without shopping, but not everyone does this. It is common sense to store food that your family likes instead of what a prep guru tells you if your kids hate it. Learn to cook food that you can store for a long time (rice, lentils,&#8230. Think ahead of time. The problems facing you in the city might not face you in a rural environment. Not because only rural people will help each other (this is a fallacy), but because you live farther apart. The problems you face in a rural environment might not face you in a city environment (because people live close together, do not have livestock, have hospitals close by&#8230

Think ahead of time so that if a disaster should strike you can face it with a strategy and with a calmer mind.


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## farmerDale (Jan 8, 2011)

Natural disasters are a tiny issue in my view. Worst thing that could happen where I live is a cold January, or a one in 400 year tornado.

I have far more concern about and for people living in areas that are urban, and/or have a significant population density; places where the biggest game animal is a deer, and having no to little personal space to cut your own wood, to draw your own water, to hunt your own game, to glean from your own land, land to raise your own feed and food upon... To me at least, these things are very important. 

I assume this is more what sourdough and I are talking about. Being somewhere with space, wilds, and very, very few people.


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## Darren (May 10, 2002)

You can still pick a space with very, very few people and end up being one of the first casualties. The people of Java and Sumatra had no idea that 36,000 would die when Krakatoa erupted in 1883. It's hard to imagine something so disruptive that it would be heard almost 3,000 miles away.

We've been warned about coming natural mega disasters in this country. Do you consciously take those into consideration?


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## Sourdough (Dec 28, 2011)

Roughly 90++++% of the stuff in Bug'out Baggies. And 94+++% of the stuff in Get home Baggies. Most of the firearms, Gold, Silver, Cash and Military type gear (Which will be liberated at the first ROGUE Check point, Including all females that are not excessively ugly and/or fat). 100% of the crap people buy for survival and never practice with, or see if it is compatible with operating harmoniously with other load-out. 




WoodsDweller said:


> What exactly would you define as survival "crap"? Lol. That's hilarious.


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## WoodsDweller (Jun 15, 2016)

Sourdough said:


> Roughly 90++++% of the stuff in Bug'out Baggies. And 94+++% of the stuff in Get home Baggies. Most of the firearms, Gold, Silver, Cash and Military type gear (Which will be liberated at the first ROGUE Check point, Including all females that are not excessively ugly and/or fat). 100% of the crap people buy for survival and never practice with, or see if it is compatible with operating harmoniously with other load-out.



Please give me some examples of those bug out bags contents you refer to and why they are useless. Having a separate bag for 92 different scenarios is definitely stupid. Lol


What do you consider appropriate items for prepping?


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## farmerDale (Jan 8, 2011)

Darren said:


> We've been warned about coming natural mega disasters in this country. Do you consciously take those into consideration?


If I had to, I would, but because of where I live, I honestly do not have to think about it I guess. If I were on the west coast, or in a hurricane belt, tornado alley, ice storm heaven, or wherever, I would prioritize it more I suppose. worst thing that happened in this area in 100 years, has been too many cloud, and not enough sun. I guess if cold weather is scary, that would be a negative. lol


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## Sourdough (Dec 28, 2011)

EASY........If people are running tests, and practicing, and running drills, and training......it will be black and white what is useful, what is actually used, and what if useless survivor CRAP.




WoodsDweller said:


> *....What do you consider appropriate items for prepping?*


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## Sourdough (Dec 28, 2011)

YES........However I consider the clear and inevitable danger of Hackers, or Terrorist, or EMP, or solar flare, or even massive lightening strikes, taking down the grid and the resulting horror of the zero cooling of the Spent Fuel Rods, leading to a fatal fog of slowly leaking toxic radioactive poison, to be a matter of WHEN and not IF. Which is why I will never travel nearer than about 1,500 miles of a nuclear power plant. (Point: to anyone who says I am silly and they are totally safe......I ask you......If they are so safe.......then WHY in the hell are they NOT building several hundred new ones every year........????)

I would even put massive civil rebellion covering several states, as a reaction to governments.......inadequate or even excessive reaction to any human discomforts, above the probability of huge natural disaster.




Darren said:


> *.......We've been warned about coming natural mega disasters in this country. Do you consciously take those into consideration?*


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## Darren (May 10, 2002)

farmerDale said:


> If I had to, I would, but because of where I live, I honestly do not have to think about it I guess. If I were on the west coast, or in a hurricane belt, tornado alley, ice storm heaven, or wherever, I would prioritize it more I suppose. worst thing that happened in this area in 100 years, has been too many cloud, and not enough sun. I guess if cold weather is scary, that would be a negative. lol


I was hoping to start a rational discussion in this thread. It may be too far gone for that. Needless to say nature can and will trump anything. Other things that distract people like EMP and nuclear melt downs I see as an extremely low possibility.

Another Krakatoa like event would dramatically thin mankind world wide. Is there enough stored food to sustain populations for the periods when agricultural production would be slim? Those depending on solar power would be hurt.

I'm not sure what the affect on the grid would be. The grid didn't exist at the time of Krakatoa. It would be useful to research what affect Mt St. Helena had on the local grid.


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## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

Darren said:


> So how do we prioritize prepping?


its site specific and also the individuals ability. a person has to have critical thinking skills and know what is around them and asses from there.thats just for starters.


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## Sourdough (Dec 28, 2011)

I must respectfully disagree. The evidence is that we have had at least (3) Three massive nuclear plant accidents in the last 40 years. And that is only the ones that were so serious that they were compelled to inform the public.

We have had a few nuclear counter attacks, that have been well into the countdown to launch.......only to discover that it was incoming massive flock of black birds and not first strike nuclear weapons inbound.

While catastrophic natural disaster is a real probability, it is the insanity of human development that is most urgent and the only over which we could, but will NOT MITIGATE.




Darren said:


> I was hoping to start a rational discussion in this thread. It may be too far gone for that. Needless to say nature can and will trump anything. Other things that distract people like EMP and nuclear melt downs I see as an extremely low possibility.
> 
> Another Krakatoa like event would dramatically thin mankind world wide.


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## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

i am glad the 9/11 deal wasnt planes flying into reactors...we would still be glowing and getting sick from contamination.


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## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

water,food,shelter protection...rinse and repeat over and over. however one accomplishes this is up to them.be it stored goods or being a producer.farmerdale would be silly to store a bucket of grain when his farm has tons of stored goods. so he for example might need a bit more protection and/or a few friends to help work/secure his holdings and keep it all going.a prep item for him might be a bunkhouse for a few workers to live on site if only for spring planting and fall harvests.


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## Darren (May 10, 2002)

elkhound said:


> i am glad the 9/11 deal wasnt planes flying into reactors...we would still be glowing and getting sick from contamination.


Reactors in this country were designed to withstand airliners flying into them. Typically a reactor containment has a 3' wall of concrete with two layers of crisscrossed #16 rebar interlaced to form a grid with openings about the size of your head. The rebar for the containment was cadwelded so it was continuous. Inside that was a welded steel liner. The reactor sat within a round steel shield wall. The reactor itself was fabbed out of 4" steel plate. 

Unlike the old first gen plant at Fuikishima, the fuel building was almost as tough as the containment.

The containment withstood a hit by a tornado with no damage.


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## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

i hope its never tested...a plane going full bore with its mass ..to me..is far different than a tornado.

glad i am not near the things to be honest.


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## farmerDale (Jan 8, 2011)

I may have to protect myself from scavengers, but they would need to get here first somehow. It would not be easy, this is not Illinois or Missouri. I think we live in very probably, the safest area on the face of the planet for almost anything that could happen. Never ending water, more big game (not just little deer), than people, wood in abundance. Empty landscapes, no big city targets or pipeline targets, or reactors, or any targets I can fathom within many, many hours.

Live far from targets. Live like our great grandparents did, or at least be prepared to do so. If one does that, there is honestly very little to worry about. Low pop density, low natural disaster odds, know how to live like it is 1850 and you are golden. For me, it really is that simple.


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## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

farmerdale...do you think fire would be a potential problem if it got real dry. i assume you have buffers since you have so many crop acres to protect buildings etc.


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## farmerDale (Jan 8, 2011)

elkhound said:


> farmerdale...do you think fire would be a potential problem if it got real dry. i assume you have buffers since you have so many crop acres to protect buildings etc.


In 100 years, there has never been a drought. We are in a very, very wet region, so I do not think much about fire. BUT. If it were to happen, we have our driveway on the south, a dirt road on the west, our farmyard which is grazed down on our east and north. The fields at harvest can and do get dry. But the woods never has been dry, it is always damp. Outside the borders already mentioned, are large woodlands, which are a pretty good natural buffer.

Anything can happen, but playing percentages has us at an extremely low fire risk as an area overall. This is not wide open prairie like further south and west in our province. This is a mixed zone of lakes, streams, vast woodlands and farm fields. We also tend to have very little wind as well, which helps stymie fires, as we all know. 

I do have the machinery to whip up a fireguard quickly IF fire happened and I had reasonable warning. Interesting question, as I honestly had never taken it seriously that a fire would be a threat. Dry years will come I assume, but in my 25 year farming career, I have never, EVER wished or wanted for rain. We generally get too much rain. This has been the pattern since settlement 100 years ago, and has shown no sign of changing. 

Of course, with snow on the ground from end of October to mid April, fire risk for half the year is negligible! lol


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## Vahomesteaders (Jun 4, 2014)

We prep by canning and keeping good stock that can replenish quickly. Lots of game. No close neighbors and hundreds of thousands of acres of unaccessable park land surrounding us with a steep mountain on 3 sides. About the best set up you could ask for. But no matter what we do to prep, none of us know what to expect because we have never faced real global, national or even local disaster that can alter life forever. None of us know how we will truly act or what to expect of desperate people. So we just do the best we can. For people like me leaving would be disastrous. For those in towns it would be disastrous not to leave. But most won't have the chance or time as roads will be the first thing blocked in martial law times.


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## Darren (May 10, 2002)

Vahomesteaders said:


> We prep by canning and keeping good stock that can replenish quickly. Lots of game. No close neighbors and hundreds of thousands of acres of unaccessable park land surrounding us with a steep mountain on 3 sides. About the best set up you could ask for. But no matter what we do to prep, none of us know what to expect because we have never faced real global, national or even local disaster that can alter life forever. None of us know how we will truly act or what to expect of desperate people. So we just do the best we can. For people like me leaving would be disastrous. For those in towns it would be disastrous not to leave. But most won't have the chance or time as roads will be the first thing blocked in martial law times.


The Appalachians may be one of the safest places from a natural disaster stand point as long as you're well above any flood plain. We've seen extraordinary rain events hit small watersheds leading to extraordinary localized flooding. I saw rocks sitting on guard rail spacers once from one flood. The water had deposited the rocks as the flood receded.


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## Vahomesteaders (Jun 4, 2014)

Darren said:


> The Appalachians may be one of the safest places from a natural disaster stand point as long as you're well above any flood plain. We've seen extraordinary rain events hit small watersheds leading to extraordinary localized flooding. I saw rocks sitting on guard rail spacers once from one flood. The water had deposited the rocks as the flood receded.


Our house is on the side of the mountain. Well out of flood plane. But our bottom land does flood. But it's actually good because it completely blocks us from being accessible. Yet I have a trail cut over the mountain into the next county that only an atv can make it out off. So we can get to help should we need it.


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## Darren (May 10, 2002)

elkhound said:


> i hope its never tested...a plane going full bore with its mass ..to me..is far different than a tornado.
> 
> glad i am not near the things to be honest.


Planes quickly fragment when they hit a solid object, even water. They only have to be strong enough to resist flight forces. Solid objects are another matter. BTW #16 rebar is 2 1/8" diameter bar. There are four layers of them. 

Here's why containment buildings are designed to withstand not only planes but also tornadoes. Tornadoes do freaky things that planes cannot.


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## WoodsDweller (Jun 15, 2016)

Sourdough said:


> EASY........If people are running tests, and practicing, and running drills, and training......it will be black and white what is useful, what is actually used, and what if useless survivor CRAP.



Are you a prepper? If so, what are some specific items you use for that purpose?

Since everyone's methods of preparedness differ what you see as crap could be beneficial to another. What are some specific items you consider as crap?


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## thestartupman (Jul 25, 2010)

I think the greatest threat to most people is the morale decline of society. I know we have had a glimpse of this first hand with our front door being kicked in, in broad daylight. This took place in a nice rural community. More and more people think they deserve what they haven't earned. They will take what they want. Their is rioting, and theft going on daily. These things are no longer just big city problems. It is getting further, and further into the rural areas. You hear of places hit by flooding, tornadoes, wildfires, and then the people have to worry about looters. These are the problems that will be the hardest to face as things get worse, and worse. These people just get bolder and bolder with their morale decline. We can plan pretty well for disasters, it is much harder to plan for morale decline of society.


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## Darren (May 10, 2002)

thestartupman said:


> I think the greatest threat to most people is the morale decline of society. I know we have had a glimpse of this first hand with our front door being kicked in, in broad daylight. This took place in a nice rural community. More and more people think they deserve what they haven't earned. They will take what they want. Their is rioting, and theft going on daily. These things are no longer just big city problems. It is getting further, and further into the rural areas. You hear of places hit by flooding, tornadoes, wildfires, and then the people have to worry about looters. These are the problems that will be the hardest to face as things get worse, and worse. These people just get bolder and bolder with their morale decline. We can plan pretty well for disasters, it is much harder to plan for morale decline of society.


The looters will come after the natural disaster. If you're killed by a natural disaster you could have avoided, it won't matter what preps you made.


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## thestartupman (Jul 25, 2010)

Yes, but the way things are going, you can do all you want to put yourself in a place that you are not likely to have a natural disaster, and yet you can still be in harms way because of the morale decline of society. I know there are those that think they live so far out, that they don't have to worry about people reaching their place, but they under estimate the people that are willing to go out of their way to steal from others. These things are already taking place on a small scale. You hear about people going on vacation to find that someone has moved into their home while they are gone, and claims that they are renters, or owners of the home. You never think this type of thing will happen near you. (Its getting closer every day). We recently were taking care of two kids while their father was dying in the hospital. We later found out that someone had broken into their house, and was living there while they were gone. This is a small city in MO. You wouldn't think this could happen. But it does, and these people are getting bolder, and bolder. I believe they feed off of every news cast, and TV show that promotes it.


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## Darren (May 10, 2002)

That's a legitimate concern. It makes me wonder about the community and looking out for each other.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

since they shut down all the Nuc plants around me for more than 100 miles , my cousin moved out of state to follow her job as a Nuc plant operator it is low risk for me 


where my parents live people made a big stink about a medical recycling plant going in at the north end of town , this was at height of aids 
a friend was on the fire and rescue at the time , said don't worry about that it would all require direct contact and the temp they use kills everything 
but the real concern is the Anhydrous Ammonia tanks just outside of town are enough that if ruptured and the wind was right all of town would be smothered 

but people don't think of the dangers of agriculture much 

on of my concerns is a rail line near my house , we are far enough to be out of derailment danger yet close enough that a chemical spill or propane car explosion could be a problem , but since most of what they run on that line is corn and they are slow speed though that section and it is strait that risk is very minimal.

strait line winds and tornado are still the biggest concern , but besides tree damage the last run of 90mph strait line winds 2 years ago we were fine just without power for a while not a big deal. despite a tree down over every street making nothing passable for more than a few blocks , most of the roads were open by 9:30am someone on every one had a chainsaw and we just cut them up and the town sent around the big end loader to push them aside

most people cut them all up for fire wood any way


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## Sourdough (Dec 28, 2011)

Your post......is the entire point that I am attempting to make. If you were living it, training, running drills, practicing......you would figure this out. But what people want is to avoid any physical effort, and just purchase some "Wizz'bang-belch'fire wonder survival thingie".

If *you* train, *you* know what *your* body, *your* mind, *your* spirit, and *your* equipment is capable of performing.......and what it AIN'T..







WoodsDweller said:


> Are you a prepper? If so, what are some specific items you use for that purpose?
> 
> Since everyone's methods of preparedness differ what you see as crap could be beneficial to another. What are some specific items you consider as crap?


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## Darren (May 10, 2002)

elkhound said:


> i hope its never tested...a plane going full bore with its mass ..to me..is far different than a tornado.
> 
> glad i am not near the things to be honest.


The other aspect is that unlike other power plants, a nuclear power plant has black start capability. It does not require power from the grid to start up and go online. That means if the grid does go down, those people living near the grid fed by the plant may have power restored and available for many months afterwards when much of the country does not have power.


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## Vahomesteaders (Jun 4, 2014)

Sourdough said:


> Your post......is the entire point that I am attempting to make. If you were living it, training, running drills, practicing......you would figure this out. But what people want is to avoid any physical effort, and just purchase some "Wizz'bang-belch'fire wonder survival thingie".
> 
> If *you* train, *you* know what *your* body, *your* mind, *your* spirit, and *your* equipment is capable of performing.......and what it AIN'T..


If you live like us you already know. That's why now is the time to start. We if need be, could be 100% self sufficient. We only buy snacks and flours at the store and some fruits we can't grow here. But they are fringe non essential things. All our produce and meat we grow and raise. Looting in my area is almost a non concern. Most have no clue we are here. We show up on zero maps or gps. The folks that do know we are here live like we do and are in their 70s and 80s. Plus there is one way in and out. And I or one of my 5 dogs will see you long before you get within a 1000 yards. This mountain perch gives a great view of the bottom land. And it's even prettier through my nikon scope. Lol


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## Darren (May 10, 2002)

Vahomesteaders said:


> If you live like us you already know. That's why now is the time to start. We if need be, could be 100% self sufficient. We only buy snacks and flours at the store and some fruits we can't grow here. But they are fringe non essential things. All our produce and meat we grow and raise. Looting in my area is almost a non concern. Most have no clue we are here. We show up on zero maps or gps. The folks that do know we are here live like we do and are in their 70s and 80s. Plus there is one way in and out. And I or one of my 5 dogs will see you long before you get within a 1000 yards. This mountain perch gives a great view of the bottom land. And it's even prettier through my nikon scope. Lol


It might be worth your while to research remote sensing to detect those that use the smell of wood smoke to find you and come in over the mountain.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

if you have a good stove you can only see the heat waves and not smell or see smoke except for maybe a few minutes at start up and if you use good dry kindling that lights and burns clean right away then add larger wood 

my mail man handed me the mail while I was outside one day we had an inch of new snow , he said I see your wood pile and I see the chimney but I never see any smoke , don't you ever burn that thing , I said sure all the time there is a fire in it right now , look at the top of the chimney you can see the heat distortion of the light if you look close 

but if your to worrying about some one coming in over a mountain things have probably gotten very bad and we are way past things that are likely to be happening short of a really serious event 

after all this discussion was about concentrating on what is most likely to be your issue like storms and such


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## AngieM2 (May 10, 2002)

One thing I found out about "prepping" for real. When those April tornadoes went thru in 2011. 6 days without power, dead uncle, aunt in hospital, taking care of family issues. 

I learned a lot about what I can do thru that, and surprisingly enough, I wasn't all that thrown for a loop with it.

Of course, there were stores with generators pumping some gas, and grocery stores with all but refrigerated section open on low light with generators. Later with bigger generators. 

But it was a strong test for real day surviving.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

when the tornado tore through my home town it split luckily the smaller went through my parents yard but left the house and the larger just north of my grandparents house , it took the roof off the vfw and dropped it on my grandparents garden , had the big pine tree not been in the way it would have been on the house but the power pole that sheared off and another tree slowed down the roof , and it's 50 foot trusses and the big pine at the north end of the house stacked up the trusses at the bottom talking the branches off the north side of the tree

this was a late November tornado a very rare thing for Wisconsin , heck we had already had snow a week earlier and it was 20 degrees the day after the tornado 

my parents were out of town and had to park at the edge and walk in after showing ID to show they belonged in the zone , grandpa made it down the basement stairs just as the roof hit the tree next to the house 

weather radios and early warning are good and should not be overlooked 

be prepared to turn off the gas have a wrench or large pliers know how to do it the VFW burned as a result of the gas lines to the roof top hvac units being ripped from the building gas and sparking wires next to each other stated the fire there and at 2 other buildings 


I fixed my parents house roof then next day while it was 20 degrees , it only actually took about 6 shingles but in order to be able to work with them we had to put them in the sun in the house and heat the house up to almost 80 then I had a pliable shingle brought out one at a time , to replace one shingle at 20 degrees about 10 must be very carefully lifted and nails removed then the one can be replaced 

my dad had spare shingles in the shed 

there will be all sorts of people out taking advantage of the situation , they wanted 300 dollars to put a tarp over the damaged parts of the roof they expect you to say sure insurance will cover


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## ET1 SS (Oct 22, 2005)

Concerned about tornadoes? Move somewhere without tornadoes.

Concerned about hurricanes? Move somewhere without hurricanes.

Concerned about droughts? Nove somewhere without droughts.

These regions do exist. We found such a location.

Concerned about the grid going down? Get yourself off-grid. We did.

Store what you eat. Eat what you store. Produce what you eat.

There is a need to be armed. There is a need to be trained and proficient, but don't over do it. Some people over do it on this part.


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## Sourdough (Dec 28, 2011)

And I keep on saying run drills, run tests, see what really works........about that nikon....when you tested exactly how did that work at night ??? And after the test results, which NVG did you buy and test, and run drills and training with.........??? Did you find you needed to upgrade your NVD ??? Test, Test, Test, Drill, Drill, Train, Train.



Vahomesteaders said:


> And it's even prettier through my nikon scope. Lol


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## Vahomesteaders (Jun 4, 2014)

Sourdough said:


> And I keep on saying run drills, run tests, see what really works........about that nikon....when you tested exactly how did that work at night ??? And after the test results, which NVG did you buy and test, and run drills and training with.........??? Did you find you needed to upgrade your NVD ??? Test, Test, Test, Drill, Drill, Train, Train.


Works great at night with solar charged NV iscope. Can see out to about 400 yards. We are coyote hunters and I have a 1000 yard range. So my testing is done when I want to have fun.


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## Sourdough (Dec 28, 2011)

Good.........I am using the *FLIR RS64-35mm *(Hell on Wolves)



Vahomesteaders said:


> Works great at night with solar charged NV iscope. Can see out to about 400 yards. We are coyote hunters and I have a 1000 yard range. So my testing is done when I want to have fun.


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## WoodsDweller (Jun 15, 2016)

Sourdough said:


> Your post......is the entire point that I am attempting to make. If you were living it, training, running drills, practicing......you would figure this out. But what people want is to avoid any physical effort, and just purchase some "Wizz'bang-belch'fire wonder survival thingie".
> 
> If *you* train, *you* know what *your* body, *your* mind, *your* spirit, and *your* equipment is capable of performing.......and what it AIN'T..



I agree with all that but what items do YOU personally consider to be worthwhile prepping items for YOU and what to YOU is just more survival crap? 

Everyone's skillset and locations are not the same. What do YOU do to be prepared?


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## WoodsDweller (Jun 15, 2016)

Vahomesteaders said:


> If you live like us you already know. That's why now is the time to start. We if need be, could be 100% self sufficient. We only buy snacks and flours at the store and some fruits we can't grow here. But they are fringe non essential things. All our produce and meat we grow and raise. Looting in my area is almost a non concern. Most have no clue we are here. We show up on zero maps or gps. The folks that do know we are here live like we do and are in their 70s and 80s. Plus there is one way in and out. And I or one of my 5 dogs will see you long before you get within a 1000 yards. This mountain perch gives a great view of the bottom land. And it's even prettier through my nikon scope. Lol



Of course I already know and I likely live more rural,self sufficient and primitive than most others. I am asking what YOU folks do personally. Everyone's situations are different. What do YOU and sourdough personally do to be prepared?


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## Vahomesteaders (Jun 4, 2014)

WoodsDweller said:


> Of course I already know and I likely live more rural,self sufficient and primitive than most others. I am asking what YOU folks do personally. Everyone's situations are different. What do YOU and sourdough personally do to be prepared?


I grow 5 gardens worth of food. Raise cattle hogs goats chickens rabbits turkeys and ducks. Have wooded lots full of cultivated wild edibles. Have 24/7 365 pipped springs. Buy and store 100lb bags of rice monthly. Have been for years. Plenty of ammo. Over 100k acres of inaccessible mountain land that I know every inch of. Other than that. I just enjoy life and have fun with my family.


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## Sourdough (Dec 28, 2011)

Sourdough










*Body-Bags & Small Caskets for Firearms (that are UN-Dead)* 

Un-dead firearms cleaned and oiled, then laid to rest in a ZCORR Body Bag, Air removed, then sealed. Carefully laid into a custom built casket with 2X6 Walls and 16"X48" 3/4" CDX floor and lid. Included is everything it will ever need to return to peak performance. Everything.......lights, optics and batteries for the lights and optics, cleaning supplies and kit, spare parts and spare BCG, sling, tools, "Empty Magazines", Brake cleaner, etc.....But, NO AMMO.

Peacefully they wait for snow, and the long ride in the Otter Brand Sled, ever deeper into the quiet wilderness.
*________________________________________
_______________________________________

*


Sourdough said:


> *My CACHING Program ERRORS and Total re-design* About four or five years ago, I was feeling pretty ---- smug about being prepared for SHTF event. So.....I asked myself, "Is this place defensible". And I decided, that was an unknown, with too many variables. Best answer.......Yes, no, maybe.
> 
> I started working on improving security, but soon decided that the best thing is to not have all my supplies in one location, considering forest fire and homesteading in The National Forest, theft, looters, and so-called scavenging hoards of starving humans.
> 
> ...


 




WoodsDweller said:


> Of course I already know and I likely live more rural,self sufficient and primitive than most others. I am asking what YOU folks do personally. Everyone's situations are different. What do YOU and sourdough personally do to be prepared?


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## linda in se ny (Apr 14, 2005)

Darren said:


> Location is the greatest factor in your survival. You don't mess with Mother Nature. Mother Nature doesn't care one way or the other. Live in the wrong place and a natural disaster will kill you either directly or indirectly.
> 
> I'm reading Krakatoa. I didn't realize the dust spread from pole to pole.


I think I'm in pretty good shape as far as Mother Nature in my location. Weather wise the Hudson valley has issues but my actual house/farm doesn't flood easily, not much tornado, an indirect hurricane risk and minimal risk of fires, That said being in a suburb 75 miles outside of NYC with lots of clueless people around puts us at risk. If NYC were attacked with a dirty bomb or biological warfare it wouldn't take long to spread here.


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## WoodsDweller (Jun 15, 2016)

I would tell y'all what I do but I prefer complete opsec. I was just testing you two. Lmao


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## Darren (May 10, 2002)

I've posted before about an attack on NYC given our deal with Iran. Since we've released the brakes on Iran, I think it's only a matter of time.


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## Vickie44 (Jul 27, 2010)

linda in se ny said:


> I think I'm in pretty good shape as far as Mother Nature in my location. Weather wise the Hudson valley has issues but my actual house/farm doesn't flood easily, not much tornado, an indirect hurricane risk and minimal risk of fires, That said being in a suburb 75 miles outside of NYC with lots of clueless people around puts us at risk. If NYC were attacked with a dirty bomb or biological warfare it wouldn't take long to spread here.


The Zombie threat is real where we live!


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## Sanza (Sep 8, 2008)

farmerDale said:


> In 100 years, there has never been a drought. We are in a very, very wet region, so I do not think much about fire. BUT. If it were to happen, we have our driveway on the south, a dirt road on the west, our farmyard which is grazed down on our east and north. The fields at harvest can and do get dry. But the woods never has been dry, it is always damp. Outside the borders already mentioned, are large woodlands, which are a pretty good natural buffer.
> 
> Anything can happen, but playing percentages has us at an extremely low fire risk as an area overall. This is not wide open prairie like further south and west in our province. This is a mixed zone of lakes, streams, vast woodlands and farm fields. We also tend to have very little wind as well, which helps stymie fires, as we all know.
> 
> ...


Never say never! It's also great to live in a remote, low populated area up in the north but fire is our biggest threat. Think about the Ft Mac fire that spread east into Saskatchewan and was hard to get contained. Fire can happen anywhere and we had one here that destroyed a friends home and buildings, and would have destroyed more homes if not for a wind shift. My friends are prepared now all the time with their trailer hooked up to a truck and its pointed to the road, ready to leave in a few minutes, just open the gates for the livestock to fend for themselves and grab important papers etc. 
We're about as prepped as we can be here also, just need the rains to stop so haying can be finished and harvest started. Had a bad hail storm go through here beginning of July that set back the garden severely, but it's produced everything except for the tomatoes and squash.
I hope your harvest goes well!


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## ceresone (Oct 7, 2005)

i think any farmer knows enough to be prepped for natural problems--such as snow or ice. myself, I needent worry--because the biggest prep item lots of us cant get--medicine1 We are limited to what drs and insurance companies allow--which is one month--thereore-in the second month, I would die...


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