Nuclear warfare is not necessary to cause a breakdown of our society.
You take a large city like Los Angeles, New York, Chicago — their water supply comes
from hundreds of miles away and any interruption of that, or food, or power for any period
of time you're going to have riots in the streets.
Our society is so fragile, so dependent on the interworking of things to provide us with
the goods and services that you don't need nuclear warfare to fragment us anymore than
the Romans needed it to cause their eventual downfall.
— Gene Roddenberry
While some may consider such a discussion a waste of time, more and more people are
coming to the conclusion that preparations of some sort are warranted in our current
troubled environment — on many fronts.
How much preparation individuals are willing to do is usually in direct correlation to
their belief that something catastrophic could happen, making life as we know it a much more
difficult task.
It is a proven fact throughout history that when disruptions of any kind occur, those
who made even the smallest preparations typically fare much better than those who gave no thought
at all in this regard.
Today I want to share with you a list I have compiled of the things that could potentially
happen — and that threaten our way of life in a small or large degree.
There is no way to predict these things, but anyone with common sense can see that the
possibility is likely we could experience one or more of these events at some point
in the future...
Any single event or combination of events could cause terrible and debilitating circumstances
for a short or long period of time:
Natural disasters such as hurricanes, floods, tornados, volcanic eruptions, solar flares,
earthquakes, and other geophysical events Possibility of wars, nuclear wars, nuclear
reactor meltdowns, and radiation fallout Financial meltdown (derivative, debt crisis,
economic collapse and/or bond implosion) causing currencies to implode and governments to topple
Problems with the exploration, delivery, or production of oil, the lifeblood of modern
economies Spread of disease such as the Black Plague
or a bird flu pandemic Power grid failure
Political anarchy or revolution Racial strife or civil war
Electromagnetic pulse event
With any of these scenarios listed above (and there is a host of others I have probably
not even thought about), you could have localized, national, or global unrest and even war for
an indefinite period of time depending on the scope and duration of the event(s).
An item that is not on the list — but could be equally devastating to individual families
— is the loss of a job.
Losing a job can be a catastrophic event if one is not properly prepared.
Most families find themselves living paycheck to paycheck with little in the way of savings
and almost nothing in the way of preparations.
For years, I had brought up the issue of preparedness to a close friend of mine.
When I first started talking about it, my friend and his wife basically blew me off...
but I kept bringing the topic up.
Eventually they thought it prudent to at least get some sort of food storage together.
Their family was accustomed to an upper middle class income and living comfortably in suburbia
with their three children...
About a year after making their food preparations, the breadwinner of the family lost his job
and ended up working a series of almost minimum wage jobs trying to make ends meet.
He kept applying for better-paying jobs in his field of expertise — but no matter how
qualified he was nobody was interested in hiring someone at his previous salary level
or his age (late fifties).
The family's lifestyle was devastated and they eventually lost their home...
In a recent conversation with this friend, he told me that without their food storage,
things would have been immeasurably more difficult.
He thanked me for being a good friend and pushing the issue when he and his wife weren't
listening.
The family is now living a greatly reduced lifestyle, but keeping their heads above water
and continuing with their preparations.
I share this story because on an individual basis, there is a host of things that can
happen in which being prepared could make a huge difference.
We often, as a people in general, terms take things for granted and think 'this' or 'that'
will never happen to us.
In addition to a major job loss due to a myriad of reasons, you could lose your health or
the ability to do your job.
Unfortunately, things of this nature are happening to more and more people every day.
In fact, I'm certain all of us have been affected to some degree by similar stories of friends
and relatives.
Our Current State of Affairs
The world in general seems afflicted on so many different fronts.
When you look at the list above, any rational person could easily see one or more of these
scenarios occur within their lifetime.
Aside from the geophysical things that seem to be going haywire, and could be explained
simply as the planet's cycles, there are plenty of man-made catastrophes that loom
on the horizon...
Never has the planet had as many people as it does now.
With increased population numbers, there is increased pressure for resources.
This is a key point on why you want to stay invested in commodities of all kinds.
More countries seek nuclear devices than ever before and recent advancements in technology
make this much easier than any time before in history.
Biological and chemical weapons are also much easier to manufacture — and are being stored
by an increasing number of very scary countries.
Oil markets are tighter than ever as demand from countries like China and India increases,
but new supply cannot keep up with the increasing demand.
The financial debacle of the world economies needs no introduction to my readers.
In short, bad times — really bad times — for any number of reasons could and probably will
be coming to a location near you.
Unless you and your family take this possibility quite seriously, if and when something does
happen, you could very well find yourself in some extremely difficult circumstances.
Just look at the latest news coming out of Greece, as reported by Reuters, below...
This is happening right now — and it's only going to spread.
When the political and economic systems of entire nations collapse the consequences are
devastating.
Earlier this year pharmacies and hospitals in Greece were unable to provide life saving
medicines due to a shortages caused by a freeze in the flow of credit from manufacturers to
distributors to patients.
A collapse in the country's economy has forced many Greeks to turn to black market
barter economies and has left millions financially devastated, with no hope of finding an income
stream for the foreseeable future.
The credit system of the entire country is in shambles.
So much so that reports are emerging about food shortages and hunger within the Greek
prison system, suggesting that serious problems in the food delivery chain have begun to materialize.
As Nigel Farage warned recently, we are beginning to see the rise of extreme political parties
as a consequence of the total and utter desperation of the populace.
Today the news gets even worse.
Greece's Regulatory Authority for Energy (RAE) announced an emergency meeting to deal
with what can only be construed as a tell-tale sign that this crisis is very rapidly reaching
critical mass and may spiral out of control in the very near future:
Greece's power regulator RAE told Reuters on Friday it was calling an emergency meeting
next week to avert a collapse of the debt-stricken country's electricity and natural gas system.
"RAE is taking crisis initiatives throughout next week to avert the collapse of the natural
gas and electricity system," the regulator's chief Nikos Vasilakos told Reuters.
RAE took the decision after receiving a letter from Greece's natural gas company DEPA,
which threatened to cut supplies to electricity producers if they failed to settle their arrears
with the company.
You may have thought the financial collapse of 2008 was bad.
That was just a warm-up.
The main event is staring us in the face, and the whole of Europe has front-row seats.
What is happening in Europe is just a precursor for what will eventually be coming to the
United States...
I personally witnessed what can happen within a very short period of time when food is no
longer available to the public.
I was in my early twenties, living in Paris, France.
Because of an extended truckers' strike, the food stores were cleared out within 24 hours
of the announcement.
Within five days, normally law-abiding citizens took to the streets and began threatening
anyone who had food...
Those with no food quickly crossed the line of sanity and started desperately looking
to take food from those who had it by any means necessary.
These events were never properly covered by the news media (what a surprise!), but I saw
firsthand how uncivilized a so-called "modern country" can become within a matter of days
because of a lack of food.
If I had not witnessed this myself, I probably would not believe this could happen so easily.
And even as a strong young man, I found myself quite frightened at times before the trucks
started rolling again.
That particular truckers' strike lasted three weeks — but it left me with a lasting impression.
The following are Items to Consider that I feel are prudent as you make your own preparations
based on the problems that could potentially threaten our way of life.
Each of the items below could fill a book... but my intent is to at least get you thinking
about the most important things related to being prepared.
1.
Should I stay or should I go?
Many have already decided where they will go if and when any such disaster occurs.
One of the questions I get more than any other regarding this topic is: Should I stay in
the United States or leave to another country?
Personally, I know many who have already left the United States — and they have never
looked back.
I have been invited to their retreats in Costa Rica, Panama, Argentina, and the Caribbean
Islands, and they seem very happy with their decision to leave.
This is a huge decision.
My hope is that the following discussion may be of some help when thinking about this topic.
Because I travel internationally so much in my search for quality mining assets, I often
compare notes on my trips with other folks (geologists, newsletter writers, etc.) about
their travels...
One of the realizations you see firsthand as you travel extensively worldwide is the
extreme wealth, extreme poverty, and extreme corruption that exists in all of its world
flavors.
If you think the United States is corrupt, you should try going to Peru, or Bolivia,
or Panama.
And if you think those countries are corrupt, you haven't see anything compared to Russia,
Haiti, India, or some places in Africa...
The fact is corruption and the growing global police state is EVERYWHERE!
So while we certainly see much to complain about in the United States, which is definitely
going the wrong way fast, from what I have seen in most other places on the planet, the
U.S. is still less corrupt than most.
There are bad apples everywhere throughout politics, local police, FBI agents, and most
certainly the court system — but for every bad apple, there are probably three times
as many honorable people who are truly just trying to do their jobs.
Leaving the country is a decision you must make before the event takes place due to the
sheer amount of time and effort it takes to accomplish such a task.
You must also think about being away from family and friends who don't share your
enthusiasm to leave the country and what affect that could have on everyone over time.
For most, I think it's probably best to just hunker down in your own country (U.S.
or Canada) and prepare as much as you can.
If you can afford a retreat cabin somewhere far away from the big cities, that would probably
be best — but again, you still need to get there once the event occurs.
Studies have clearly shown that once a SHTF (Sh*t Hits The Fan) event occurs, you have
two to three days to get to where you ultimately want to hunker down.
After that, travel becomes extremely dangerous and it is unlikely you will reach your final
destination.
Highways will become kill zones targeted by the bad guys.
To a gang of armed looters who forgot to prepare or plan ahead before the event, there is not
a better target than an RV loaded down with stored food, ammo, and gold.
Don't be foolish and attempt travel once things have gone south: If you need to get
somewhere, plan to leave the moment the event happens and arrive where you want to be within
72 hours.
This may require several false starts (meaning the situation looked bad at first, but didn't
materialize, and you need to return home) on your part as events start to unfold.
But it's better to be safe than sorry if you are planning to get somewhere when an event
happens.
Military strategists know from historical accounts of what happens when governments
fail or when SHTF events affect a country: The rule of thumb is that roads are to be
avoided at all costs.
If you cannot afford a retreat cabin of some sort, there are things you can do to hunker
down in your own home...
First, you need to stock up and find a way to defend it.
Like-minded friends and neighbors can be a huge support network — as long as they have
prepared as well.
There is a great book (it's not well-edited, but has solid content) on how to live in your
home and defend it called Holding Your Ground: Preparing for Defense if it All Falls Apart
by Joe Nobody, which in itself is a lesson in laying low.
This book isn't about turning your home into a concrete bunker armed to the teeth;
it's more about using cosmetic deception to fool would-be marauders into thinking your
place has already been hit.
It includes plenty of clever techniques that go far beyond "shooting back."
Ultimately, everyone must decide for themselves based on finances, family concerns, and individual
preferences what he can or cannot do in his preparations.
Hopefully, this discussion will help you make the best choices for what is in your best
interest.
2.
Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.
This is a good motto to live by, despite how you think about things.
Individuals can still hope for the best (that things can and will eventually work out),
but what good is your prosperity going to do if you don't have anything to eat or
a safe place to hang out for an extended period of time?
Why not prepare while you still can — when things are readily available and can still
be purchased at cheap prices?
The coming hyper-inflation will make any such purchases beforehand look very intelligent...
To prepare for the worst, you need a plan.
Why are most people so against doing basic preparations that could be the difference
on how they survive — or whether they survive?
History shows time and again that those who prepare always fare better than those who
did not.
Having a plan and being determined to act on that plan will always be the best way to
handle any contingencies, should they occur.
After disaster strikes, your mind is going to be racing around like a car on a race track.
Pre-planning and having a written set of measures to take will make someone's life go much
smoother when the SHTF.
Your own personal plan is ONLY what best fits what you are going to do during and after
a disaster.
People should also have back-up plans — Plans B and C, at least — because nothing ever
seems to go as planned.
Haphazard approaches to the aftermaths of catastrophes are kind of like a chicken running
around without its head.
3.
Prepare 72-hour "bug-out" bags.
This is an easy, cost-effective preparation that makes a ton of sense — no matter what
happens.
Even a small preparation like this can have an enormous impact on how you survive the
first few days after any type of catastrophic event.
I'll bet there were a lot of people after Hurricane Katrina that would have loved to
have such a bag for each member of their family...
This could be a backpack or bag of some sort for each family member that contains all the
items that individual may need during the first 72 hours after a disaster strikes.
Items to include in such a bag would be toiletries, important papers (see below), change of underwear
and clothes, some bottled water, snacks, a few bags of freeze-dried food that only require
two cups of hot water to reconstitute within self-contained bag, water purification device,
metal cup and small pot for boiling water, backpacker mini-cook stove with fuel, sleeping
bag, towel, ability to make fire, flashlight with extra batteries, glow sticks, ground
cloth, tarp, rain gear, plastic forks, knives, spoons, parachute cord, personal cleaning
wipes, a first aid kit and medication, good sharp knife and a multi-tool, fishing line,
small fishing hooks, compass, cash, physical gold and silver, map of areas you may need,
and any other items that would make sense for you.
Special items required by the elderly, babies, and pets need to be considered as well.
Important paperwork you should bring with you includes: birth certificates, insurance
policies, passports, medical records, pet medical records, bank account information,
deeds and titles to cars, homes etc., computer backup.
Gather these and put them in a suitable container and wrap in plastic against the elements.
Having such preparations after a tornado, hurricane, or any calamity would allow you
to grab and go because it's already prepared.
Each member of my family has such a bag.
I keep each one of them in the basement of our house in a heavy-duty large trash bag
for protection against the elements.
4.
Understand what "just in time inventory" is — and how this can affect you.
Most Americans take for granted the intricate systems that make it possible for us to engage
in seemingly mundane day-to-day tasks like filling up our gas tanks, loading up our shopping
carts at the local grocery store, obtaining necessary medications, and even pouring ourselves
a clean glass of water...
When we wake up each morning, we just expect that all of these things will work today the
same way they worked yesterday.
What very few people have considered is the complexity involved in the underlying infrastructure
that allows goods, services, and commerce in America to flow.
Fewer still have ever spent the time to contemplate the fragility of these systems or the consequences
on food, water, health care, the financial system, and the economy if they are interrupted.
The truth is our "just in time" inventory and delivery systems leave us incredibly vulnerable
to a nationwide disaster.
You see, it is very expensive to hold and store inventory, so most manufacturers and
retailers rely on a continual flow of deliveries that are scheduled to arrive "just in time,"
which significantly reduces their operating expenses.
This is considered to be good business practice for manufacturers and retailers, but it also
means that if there was a major nationwide transportation disruption, our economic system
would grind to a halt almost immediately.
Once store shelves are picked clean, they would not be able to be replenished until
trucks could get back on the road.
In the event of a major nationwide disaster, that could be quite awhile.
A report prepared for legislators and business leaders by the American Trucking Associations
highlights just how critical our "just in time" inventory and delivery systems are,
and assesses the impact on the general population in the event of an emergency or incident of
national significance that disrupts the truck transportation systems responsible for carrying
some ten billion tons of commodities and supplies across the United States each year.
A shutdown of truck operations as a result of elevated threat levels, terrorist attacks,
or pandemics would, according to the report, have "a swift and devastating impact on the
food, health care, transportation, waste removal, retail, manufacturing, and financial sectors."
So too would events such as an EMP attack or a coordinated cyber-attack that could shut
down global positioning systems and the computers responsible for inventory control.
Another potential scenario that is more likely now than ever before is liquidity problems
within the financial system stemming from currency crisis or hyperinflation...
All of our "just in time" delivery systems are built upon the unhindered transfer of
money and credit, but when credit flow becomes restricted or money becomes worthless, no
one will be able to pay for their goods.
Likewise, no one will trust the credit worthiness of anyone else.
This is exactly the scenario playing out in Greece right now and the consequences on the
health care industry in that country have left many without life saving drugs.
When there's no money, no one will be transporting anything.
The effects of a transportation shutdown for any reason would be immediate (in some cases,
within hours) and absolutely catastrophic.
While an event that disrupts truck transportation systems may seem unlikely to many, recent
history suggests it is fully plausible — and the blowback can be devastating...
A day after Hurricane Katrina ravaged New Orleans, panicked government officials stopped
all transportation flow into the region, forcing hundreds of trucks loaded with emergency supplies
like food and water to wait for permission before they could enter the area.
As a result, thousands of residents of the city were left without items essential for
survival.
It took days before truck routes were re-opened and supplies were allowed to flow.
Government officials acting on limited information, lack of knowledge, and personal politics were
responsible for restricting the flow of goods into New Orleans, potentially killing hundreds
of people in the process.
What this incident demonstrated is that when the trucks in America stop, all commerce and
delivery stops with it.
5.
Educate yourself on and take measures to store food.
There is plenty of material available on the Internet about the best ways to store food.
I personally have read many books on the topic, and one of the most important features is
trying to gather materials that have a long shelf life and which keep their nutritional
value...
Most store-bought items have very short shelf lives and don't work well for long-term
food storage.
Canned goods can work, but these must be stored in a cool, dry environment well below room
temperature for increased shelf life (but not freezing).
Costco and Sam's Club are best for these types of purchases.
Freeze-dried food can also work, but can be rather expensive — and the taste can sometimes
be questionable.
(There are many different manufacturers, and you need to educate yourself before purchasing.
I like tasting the items first before making any major purchases.)
Better yet is to store staples such as wheat, rice, beans, sugar, oats, etc. — which,
if stored properly, can last up to 30 years.
I look at my food storage as an investment, and I want it to have a long life.
There are various methods of storing these staples, and each person should consider what
method would work best for their circumstances.
In my own search for getting food storage together, I have come across some great resources
that may be able to help you as well...
One company that has many of the products I ended up buying is Grandma's Country Foods
located in Salt Lake City.
They have a wide assortment of items related to preparedness and their pricing is excellent.
The product they are most famous for is their powdered milk.
I have tried at least a dozen different powdered milk products, and this is the only one my
kids and I can actually drink.
They also have 45-pound containers of white or red winter wheat, which is ideal for long-term
storage.
You then, of course, have to have a way of grinding this wheat to make flour, but you
get the idea...
Some other items that I have tried from Grandma's Country Foods that I really like are their
canned real butter (long shelf life) and dehydrated foods, which taste better than others I've
bought.
(Another good source for good tasting freeze-dried foods is Mountain House.
An Internet search will give you multiple sources for obtaining Mountain House products.)
6.
Obtain water and purify it.
In my search for "safe drinking water," I found what I consider the best available situation
on the planet...
The Lifesaver water bottle uses the latest technology to provide clean, pure drinking
water.
I have spent a lot of time searching the best way to purifying water, and in my opinion,
there's nothing better.
Also under the water category, it is wise to consider some form of water storage — whether
it's five-gallon containers, 55-gallon plastic drums, or some other form of storage, all
of which can be obtained from many different sources.
The bottom line in water preparedness is to always have a safe source(s) of clean drinking
water and a way to store it.
To most this may sound absurd, since you can get clean drinking water from the tap in your
home, but in times of emergency and/or civil unrest, the water may be shut off — or you
may be displaced from your home and will need a way to access clean water.
This leads to the discussion of having a stocked-up safe haven place with two sources of water
that is far away from a major city in case of a SHTF event.
This is one of the most rehashed subjects of survival, but probably the most important
one.
Most people just assume the taps will continue to flow and water will be there.
People need to know that unless water is from a spring, it will likely need to be purified
— and this means some reliable filters or boiling (which requires heat from a fire along
with pots to boil it in).
Aside from drinking, water is also needed to rehydrate food, make milk from powder,
and of course, for personal hygiene.
How much water will be needed and used is something that is often vastly underestimated.
7.
Know how to protect yourself.
This almost certainly means owning a firearm and knowing how to use it to protect yourself
or others.
Many TV survival documentaries show people who feel they can defend themselves with knives
or clubs, but in reality, they are going to lose 98% of the time against someone else
with a firearm.
Someone that has been specifically trained on how to use firearms in a defensive manner
will almost always win the day in a gun battle.
You can't just own a gun; you have to know how to use it at a very high level.
You also need to know how to clean your weapons and take care of them.
Access to a gunsmith may or may not be available to you during an emergency situation...
Some people think they cannot use a firearm against another person, but this feeling changes
abruptly when they see one of their family members at risk.
Some people still cannot use a firearm in any circumstance, and these people should
consider some form of self-defense such as the non-lethal devices (stun batons, pepper
sprays, TASERS, even baseball bats).
People can feel that everyone will come together and rebuild society, and many good people
will — but there are plenty of bad people in this world.
And it may come down to you or them.
Everyone needs to practice over and over with any self-defense armament they have so there
is no hesitation when it comes to saving one's life from someone that is willing to take
yours or your loved ones'.
For a handgun, I recommend a 45-caliber for men and a 9MM for women.
Most women find the kick of a 45-caliber handgun too much to handle when shooting and are more
comfortable with a 9 MM.
Colt, Smith and Wesson, H&K, Sig Sauer are some of the best name brands in handguns to
consider if you don't already own a handgun and need to purchase one.
A 45-caliber handgun has more stopping power than a 9 MM, but any well-placed shot with
any type of gun can mean game over for an intruder or attacker with malintent.
Some other types of guns to consider are a good defensive shotgun (12 gauge) with large-size
buckshot and a long-range rifle with a quality scope.
If you are not familiar with guns, it is best to find a friend who is who can help you through
the process of buying handguns, shotguns, or rifles.
Once you have the guns you want, it then becomes necessary to know how to safely use those
guns without hesitation if needed.
If you are not familiar with the handling of guns I highly recommend you find someone
that can properly train you in a safe environment.
I have sent my entire family to what I consider the best gun training that exists on planet
earth for civilians.
The name of the place is called Front Sight and is located an hour outside of Las Vegas,
Nevada.
More on them at www.frontsight.com.
If that is too far to travel, there are plenty of other training facilities around the country
you can find with a local search on the Internet.
For those who live in Canada...
From what I understand, it is illegal to own handguns in Canada — but not hunting rifles.
I recommend getting familiar with the process of obtaining any kind of weapons the Canadian
government will allow citizens to own for hunting purposes or self-defense.
Unfortunately, the "bad guys" always have illegal guns — even in Canada.
So it is in your best interest to go through whatever permitting or paperwork hassles necessary
to obtain legal weapons of any kind in your own country.
8.
Have a way to cook food in case the power is off.
A story below from someone who experienced an earthquake serves as a great reminder why
we want to have the ability to cook our own food during a crisis...
A few years ago, I remember people waiting in long food lines after the San Fernando
earthquake hit California.
Many of the people in the damage zone spent hours in breakfast lines, then long lines
for lunch, then a repeat for dinner.
They had to spend many hours a day in food lines because either they had no food reserves
or had no means of cooking their stored food.
A little preparation can go a long way in preparing for emergencies.
Had these good people stored a little food, fuel, and invested in a good quality Dutch
oven, they would be set for cooking in their backyard instead of relying on Federal troops
to supply their family's nutrition.
Good quality Dutch ovens are fun to use, the food always tastes great, and they're invaluable
in emergencies.
They require charcoal to prepare your food.
Another option is a Volcano cook stove, which also uses charcoal — but saves two-thirds
of the amount normally needed when cooking with Dutch ovens.
Charcoal is safe and easy to store, eliminating the need to store dangerous liquid fuels for
emergency cooking.
Most good Dutch oven cooks choose Kingsford brand charcoal because of the consistency
of the product.
If it takes 15 briquettes to cook a chicken once, it will likely take 15 the next time.
9.
Understand the psychology of desperate people.
This is a difficult one.
After a SHTF (Sh*t Hits The Fan) event, people will not behave normally.
That neighbor who was in control during many minor emergencies may be the one pounding
on your door with whacked-out eyes demanding what you have because they did not prepare
for anything.
Someone in your own survival group may just blank out in a zombie-like stare.
Unexpected times bring out the best and worst in people — and you need to prepare for
this possibility.
You yourself could lose it.
Again, preparing for this will help should it occur.
You always hope that disasters will bring out the best in your fellow human beings,
but often this is not the case.
10.
Maintain proper hygiene.
This is one of the top priorities within the armed forces because disease and sickness
can and do take down the toughest of soldiers.
People must realize that after a terrible disaster, it is not like someone going camping,
comes back dirty, and taking a nice long shower or a hot bath...
After a SHTF event the water to the faucets, as well the hot water heater, may not work.
Bathing on at least a semi-regular basis is necessary to avoid all sorts of bacteria from
building up on the skin and causing a variety of concerning ailments that will then have
to be treated.
People should plan on how they will keep themselves clean — think sponge baths or using personal
wipes as an option.
11.
How to dispose of waste and proper sanitation.
In third world countries and the pre-flush toilet era, one of the leading causes of illness
and death was (and still is) improperly discarded waste.
If the toilets won't flush because there is no water to make them work, human waste
is going to be a huge whopping problem for people trying to survive.
Even improperly burying human excrement can lead to disease.
Portable toilets, toilet paper, and disinfectant (bleach, for one) should be one of the top
items in any survival kit.
Disposal of other trash is an issue that can bring hungry dangerous animals around drawn
to the stench.
Burning of trash is one method; plastic trash bags and the means to find some place to dump
them is another alternative.
12.
Learn to control pests and other vermin.
This is a problem that led to about half of Europe dying several hundred years ago with
the Black Death.
Fleas and ticks carry some terrible diseases.
Even people that stay inside their own homes will have to deal with this problem.
People outside will have to contend with the fleas, ticks, flies, mosquitoes, mice, rats,
and so on...
There are many repellents in nature that can help: citronella, even the smell of garlic
will repel most vermin.
Stocking up on insect and other commercial repellents is always an excellent idea.
It only takes one bite to make a person deathly sick.
13.
Understand radiation fallout and how to protect yourself.
This is one of the least understood of the survival precautions taken.
There are hundreds of nuclear power plants that could fail after the world as we know
it goes down the tube.
There are still tens of thousands of nuclear weapons available for war should countries
decide to use them.
Fallout is something that you might not even see... and until you are sick, you might not
even know you have been contaminated.
The purchase of a radiation detector that is protected against EMP is a wise idea.
Understanding about radiation accumulation dosage (rad) and how to shield oneself from
exposure is paramount.
14.
Learn first aid.
Treating yourself and/or others will probably be the only thing someone can do, as medical
professionals are going to be few and far between.
Many places offer free classes on first aid because they want people in the community
to be prepared.
A good first aid book along with a first aid kit is something every household should have
before, during, and after a disaster.
Primitive conditions should be expected when anyone is helping someone after a catastrophe.
A stockpile of antibiotics is always a good idea.
Even acquiring the skill of making your own antibiotics can save lives as infection is
something that will become an epidemic, especially with minor cuts and abrasions.
My family has gone as far as being trained to stitch up wounds.
We decided as a family that we would learn this skill in case anyone we knew was in need.
We have purchased the sterile suture kits and could stitch small to medium size wounds
as good as any doctor at this point.
We have been trained by medical professionals on a whole assortment of skills — from putting
an IV in someone's arm to treating major trauma.
This also requires having the right supplies and equipment.
From my viewpoint, this is a skill set that is valuable in any circumstance — but particularly
in SHTF events when medical personnel may not be available in a convenient time frame.
15.
Learn about nutrition.
Vitamin and mineral deficiencies are nothing to fool around with.
Just consider what scurvy, the lack of Vitamin C, can do to someone...
Many survivalists and "preppers" make the critical mistake of only being concerned about
calories to keep them going.
Certain vitamins (A, B1-B12, C, D, E, K), minerals (Calcium, Copper, Iodine, Iron, Magnesium,
Manganese, Phosphorus, Potassium, Selenium, Zinc) and trace minerals are necessary to
keep a body going.
Each person needs different amounts and any survival food supply should take this need
as important as the food itself.
Many survival foods have some of what your body needs, but sadly lack in others...
Vitamin and mineral supplements should be stocked with food if someone is unsure about
what they are getting.
Trace mineral drops are a liquid that can solve this problem, and are a good addition
to any emergency supply.
16.
How to start and maintain a fire.
This is for everyone.
Having a fire and keeping it going when you need it has been the essence of survival for
thousands of years.
Fire cooks, heats water, keeps you warm, sterilizes items, and gives light.
Having a lighter, matches, and a starter is one thing; but actually keeping the fire going
is another...
Making sure the fire does not cause damage to your home or shelter is something not everyone
thinks about.
Burning of toxic wood or other material is something to remember as well.
While most everyone thinks that using a fire is rudimentary, there is much more to it.
As a matter of fact, a church group recently tested some of their members and gave them
matches to start a file.
Most of the people had trouble starting a basic fire even though they had matches.
This is a skill that you must acquire that allows you to consistently start a fire anywhere
at any time.
You should also learn to start a fire without matches.
There are several books listed at the end of this report that can show you how this
is done.
17.
Learn how to grow food and/or find it.
People's supplies will only last so long, and eventually self-sufficiency will mean
acquiring your own food — by either growing it or hunting for it.
Many people are into seed storing, and in many cases, growing your own food will feed
the family.
However, growing food has many drawbacks that people need to look at.
Water is an issue in dry areas as irrigation is very man- or animal-power intensive.
One of the gravest things to contemplate is actually guarding your yield, as two-legged
problems could be a bigger issue to your crops than some beetle infestation.
Hungry people will see food growing and take it, 24 hours a day.
No one can grow enough food to feed all those seeking food.
From a practical sense, it might be a better idea for some to go the hunter-gathering route.
There are many good survival shows on television today that are very informative on surviving
off the land.
Learning these skill sets can make a huge difference in any survival situation.
18.
Last-minute items to secure from a grocery store.
Hopefully you already have your long-term food storage and other preparations in place:
canned goods, grains, rice, pasta, paper products, and freeze-dried foods that store well over
time...
This should allow you to concentrate on these other items while most other people are trying
to secure what you already have.
Once a SHTF event occurs, you may want to quickly go to the grocery store to secure
these last-minute items before the shelves are empty.
These are typically items that don't store well for the long-term, but would be critical
to own once a breakdown occurs.
Studies have shown these short-term storage items go first when a crisis happens.
Most of these products have a shelf life of less than 18 months:
Bottled Water Powdered Milk
Pancake mix (never use beyond shelf life, as this has been known to cause toxic shock)
Ramen Noodles Popcorn
Cereal Beef Jerky
Cooking Oils Nuts
Dried Fruits Power Bars
Juice Powders Spices (salt, pepper, etc.)
Honey Crackers
Baking Essentials (flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder)
Coffee Alcohol for medicinal purposes or for bartering
Hard Candies Baby Food, Diapers, Wipes
Pet Food These are just some suggestions that people
need to address now — before trying to survive the aftermath of a horrible event.
People who prepare have to realize that when civilization stops functioning, so too does
everything that most of us depend on.
There may never be a safety net there for us WHEN our stocked-up survival supplies run
dry.
Much of survival is having supplies — as well as backups for when food, water, and
other necessities cannot be found.
The other part is being ready for everything our new situation could throw our way.
For this, we all need to learn survival skills.
When someone thinks about their personal needs, an individual can probably add many more survival
skills to the items we have talked about above.
You want to become quite proficient in these skills before the SHTF so you and your family
have a better chance of surviving.
Doomsday Prepper Shows
Lately I have been entertained by the recent "Doomsday Prepper" shows on television
that portray the preparations of people who are concerned about various potentially life-threatening
scenarios.
In most of these cases, while many have made some great preparations in some instances,
they are woefully unprepared in other key circumstances...
In one case, there was a lady who was obviously very prepared with food, but wanted nothing
to do with other important preparations such as protection.
Here she is on national television telling the world where she is and all about her food
preparations.
She has absolutely no protection and won't even consider it.
In my opinion, she clearly does not understand how many unwanted people are going to come
for her food when a major crisis hits.
Some of those people will probably not even think twice about killing her to obtain it.
If you have not yet watched any of these shows, they can give you some ideas for your own
preparations.
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