Any SHTF/Doomsday Preppers?
- Thread starter MartMayhem86
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rburg
Member
I like that quote. Consider it stolen.
It's very simple. I plan to get under my desk and put my head down between my knees. At this point I will click the heels of my red slippers together and proclaim," We aren't in Kansas anymore Toto" as I cling to my M1-A , Colt .45, and Mossberg nine shot 590. I Keed!, I Keed!I have taken a few precautions here and there and hope that they are never needed.
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Desert Dog
Member
If something did happen, having antibiotics on hand could literally be a lifesaver. With the caveat that you should find medical reference books to help you understand which antibiotic are best for which ailment, stocking up on a few courses of antibiotics is something worth considering.
I can buy Fish Mox Forte at my local feed & seed store for under $10 (30/250mg). The product is pharmaceutical grade ammoxicillin. They repackage pills stamped West-Ward Pharmaceutical 938. These pills are normally sold for human use. The company puts a disclaimer about human use, but that is little more than a CYA measure for selling that which would otherwise require a prescription for human use.
http://www.west-ward.com/images/files/package/Amoxicillin 250 & 500 mg O-9938 12-06.pdf
bpeddicord
Member
Back in 2002, we had a couple of tornados in our neighborhood. The big one went right in front of my house and in it's wake left my nearest neighbor's house and barn flattened. With all the trees and debris on the road, it was a week before we could get out of the valley. My neighbors slept in my spare bedroom. Although we didn't have electricity, we did have ample supplies of food, water, kerosene, propane for the grill, and gas for our chainsaws. Since then, we have kept about a 2 month supply of food in our bins and plenty of gas, kerosene, and ammo. I keep a few thousand rounds of every caliber I shoot stored in my ammo cabinets. We don't go crazy hoarding food, but we stay prepared for emergencies.
JJEH
Member
Thanks for the .pdf and for sharing this information. That is indeed really interesting.
I think this is the way to go...
Grayfox
US Veteran
Doomsday? Not necessarily. Prepper? Well I guess I do qualify.
I learned at lot of good lessons back in 2003 when Hurricane Elvis blew through here.
We were without power for 5 days. That made us some of the lucky ones. Many people around here were without electricity for two weeks or more.
Truthfully, we never expected it and weren't prepared.
Fortunately, I've been a camper my whole life. I broke out the candles, lanterns and stoves and dealt with it. I'd checked the freezer every day and whatever was thawing got thrown on the grill.
For my family it was an annoying inconvenience, but we got through it just fine.
OTOH, what was really telling was watching my neighbors. From their reactions you'd think it really was the end of the world! Totally clueless, no idea how to cope with the situation. I was amazed at how many didn't have so much as a hand operated can opener.
By the end of day two, about 75% of them had bugged out to stay with friends, relatives or the nearest hotel that had power. Many had to travel 100 miles or more to find a safe haven.
Now that was the scary part. What will these people do if there's no place to go? What will I do if I have to deal with them? I hope I never have to find out.
Needless to say, these days I'm much better prepared.
I learned at lot of good lessons back in 2003 when Hurricane Elvis blew through here.
We were without power for 5 days. That made us some of the lucky ones. Many people around here were without electricity for two weeks or more.
Truthfully, we never expected it and weren't prepared.
Fortunately, I've been a camper my whole life. I broke out the candles, lanterns and stoves and dealt with it. I'd checked the freezer every day and whatever was thawing got thrown on the grill.
For my family it was an annoying inconvenience, but we got through it just fine.
OTOH, what was really telling was watching my neighbors. From their reactions you'd think it really was the end of the world! Totally clueless, no idea how to cope with the situation. I was amazed at how many didn't have so much as a hand operated can opener.
By the end of day two, about 75% of them had bugged out to stay with friends, relatives or the nearest hotel that had power. Many had to travel 100 miles or more to find a safe haven.
Now that was the scary part. What will these people do if there's no place to go? What will I do if I have to deal with them? I hope I never have to find out.
Needless to say, these days I'm much better prepared.
otis24
Member
Remember Hurrican Katrina? It spurred a new round of "doomsdayers" if you want to call them that. Check out "American Prepper Society". These are you everyday housewife and suburbanites who discovered after Hurrican Katrina and the current economic state that in case of chaos, the government can not and will not protect you. They have awakened to the fact that the best person to take care of and protect you is YOU! These people are starting to plant small gardens, buy a few guns, stock up a little ammo and basically start to prepare themselves when the shtf. They are canning food and buying and storing a little extra food "just in case".
The one thing that we all should learn is that during an emergency, even like a natural disaster, you may not be able to just run to your local grocery store. Last year or the year before, there was severe flooding in North Dakota. There wasn't a motel to be had. Grocery stores and restaurants ran out of food fast because with no homes, more people relied on restaurants for food and trucks could not get through to resupply.
I was at my in-laws house in Colorado during Y2K. They had two well stocked freezers. My mother-in-law was convinced that nothing was going to happen. As news talk suggested that water plants could shut down, she quietly urged my to fill some water jugs as the clock ticked closer to midnight. I guess she wasnt as confident as she tried to pretend that "nothing is going to happen".
The one thing that we all should learn is that during an emergency, even like a natural disaster, you may not be able to just run to your local grocery store. Last year or the year before, there was severe flooding in North Dakota. There wasn't a motel to be had. Grocery stores and restaurants ran out of food fast because with no homes, more people relied on restaurants for food and trucks could not get through to resupply.
I was at my in-laws house in Colorado during Y2K. They had two well stocked freezers. My mother-in-law was convinced that nothing was going to happen. As news talk suggested that water plants could shut down, she quietly urged my to fill some water jugs as the clock ticked closer to midnight. I guess she wasnt as confident as she tried to pretend that "nothing is going to happen".
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One thing I don't beleive anyone mentioned is the requirement for maintenance medication and proceedures for some people. Food, water, ammo, guns, are all good, but, there may be some people or family members that need medication for things like high blood pressure, diabetes, blood thinner, asthma inhalers for breathing problems, pace makers, dialysis treatments etc. These types of medications are not easy to stock up long term, or treatments to plan for in a SHTF situation.
I do think harder times are coming. maybe not the walking dead, but I bet something bad that most would say "will never happen" will happen in the next 20 years, possibly this year. I wouldn't be a bit surprised if something involving the aftermath of the presidential election makes the 12/21/12 prophecy come true.
I have "more ammo than any reasonable man would ever use", and feel grossly under prepared.
I would like to stock up on more foods that will keep, but I think the plastic linings used in commercial canning and the high salt levels are just plain unhealthy, so canning is out. I imagine the freeze dried stuff and MREs are very similar, and are prohibitively expensive.
most importantly, I do buy toilet paper in bulk.
I'd love to go "off grid" but I don't think solar is a very viable option locally, and the start-up costs are more than I could manage.
As far as the medicine thing; I hope that SHTF living will result in me getting much fitter, and make those health problems brought about by me being a fat-*** no longer be a problem.
stuff like Advil and Tylenol on the other hand.....i crushed my finger in some machinery a few months back and thank anti-inflammatory medicine (I went through more than a bottle, pretty much everything that was on-hand) and having ice available for saving my finger.
I have "more ammo than any reasonable man would ever use", and feel grossly under prepared.
I would like to stock up on more foods that will keep, but I think the plastic linings used in commercial canning and the high salt levels are just plain unhealthy, so canning is out. I imagine the freeze dried stuff and MREs are very similar, and are prohibitively expensive.
most importantly, I do buy toilet paper in bulk.
I'd love to go "off grid" but I don't think solar is a very viable option locally, and the start-up costs are more than I could manage.
As far as the medicine thing; I hope that SHTF living will result in me getting much fitter, and make those health problems brought about by me being a fat-*** no longer be a problem.
stuff like Advil and Tylenol on the other hand.....i crushed my finger in some machinery a few months back and thank anti-inflammatory medicine (I went through more than a bottle, pretty much everything that was on-hand) and having ice available for saving my finger.
CAJUNLAWYER
Member
You may be correct, but it's a lot more fun stocking guns and ammo than asthma inhalers.
SpicyTunaRoll
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those shows are ridiculous. they interviewed the most obscene people to try and not only paint all preppers like lunatics, but gun owners as well. they knew that the average prepper isnt very interesting, so they found mentally unstable ones that think investing $500,000 in some 1980's GMC box truck outfitted to look like as a fake MRAP is a good idea. 
2005: Hurricane Katrina
self explanatory
2010: 4.5 feet of snow hit the area i was living in.
It shut down the area for almost 5 days. No power, insanely slow Police/EMS/Fire response due to impassable roadways. closed businesses. no heat. no power. etc.
2012: Hurricane Sandy.
business closed for the first 4-5 days. no power for 9-14 days. looting, slow to no police response, no cellphone signal, etc.
during sandy:
after all of these incidents, i realized how fragile our society is. just a few days of no power/heat/food = sent the locals into a frenzy. by the end of the first week; it became clear to everyone that they are on their own with no help in sight- and that takes normal people and turns them into angry scavengers. during hurricane Katrina it turned cops (the supposedly good guys) into criminals. many reports of cops using their badges to make entry and steal, rape, etc.
well i started to prep & fortify: i got a generator, gas containers, Wise Food buckets, car battery & power inverter, ammo, extra plywood, extra flashlights & batteries, extension chords, "bug out bags", plenty chafing fuel's, hiding spots(if needed), tactical gear for myself, walkie-talkies, and now working on water supply. things are diversified and movable. things are split amongst multiple locations. SUV's are also stocked with 1 day food/water.
believe it or not, but i sleep better knowing if something weather related(or any natural disaster) or government related(currency/policy/etc) were to go down, i am secure for a while. i sleep better knowing that i did and am doing everything in my power to secure my family's future. its very rewarding. and to be honest, i dont make a lot. i just save and buy on sale, and find good deals. its not hard to slowly begin to build up your cache, so dont think that it takes the amount of money you saw being spent on Dooms Day Preppers tv show.
saw this in the news afterwards from long island ny i think:
2005: Hurricane Katrina
self explanatory
2010: 4.5 feet of snow hit the area i was living in.
It shut down the area for almost 5 days. No power, insanely slow Police/EMS/Fire response due to impassable roadways. closed businesses. no heat. no power. etc.
2012: Hurricane Sandy.
business closed for the first 4-5 days. no power for 9-14 days. looting, slow to no police response, no cellphone signal, etc.
during sandy:
- looting happened almost as soon as the power went out.
- police were inundated with scenes to respond too(call stacking residents needing help)
- strange vehicles started to show up in neighborhoods(searching to steal)
- generators were stolen by the hundreds in just a few days
- no hot water
- no heat
- no power
- gas stations who did have back up power had 4-5hour wait. then came fuel rationing.
- gas containers were sold out everywhere
- scumbags were going around at night and drilling holes in peoples car fuel tanks and draining the fuel out.
after all of these incidents, i realized how fragile our society is. just a few days of no power/heat/food = sent the locals into a frenzy. by the end of the first week; it became clear to everyone that they are on their own with no help in sight- and that takes normal people and turns them into angry scavengers. during hurricane Katrina it turned cops (the supposedly good guys) into criminals. many reports of cops using their badges to make entry and steal, rape, etc.
well i started to prep & fortify: i got a generator, gas containers, Wise Food buckets, car battery & power inverter, ammo, extra plywood, extra flashlights & batteries, extension chords, "bug out bags", plenty chafing fuel's, hiding spots(if needed), tactical gear for myself, walkie-talkies, and now working on water supply. things are diversified and movable. things are split amongst multiple locations. SUV's are also stocked with 1 day food/water.
believe it or not, but i sleep better knowing if something weather related(or any natural disaster) or government related(currency/policy/etc) were to go down, i am secure for a while. i sleep better knowing that i did and am doing everything in my power to secure my family's future. its very rewarding. and to be honest, i dont make a lot. i just save and buy on sale, and find good deals. its not hard to slowly begin to build up your cache, so dont think that it takes the amount of money you saw being spent on Dooms Day Preppers tv show.
saw this in the news afterwards from long island ny i think:
I never took this stuff too seriously until fairly recently. Living in the country we are always prepaird for a few weeks without power but other than that not much preperation. Then a few months ago I mentioned to our two kids that I had started keeping a 22 rifle in the truck as part of a small "Get Me Home" kit. Both kids live in or around Columbus now. Thier comment was "Well you better get home quick because if there is civil unrest our plan is to join up and do what ever it takes to get home to you and mom."
So now we are adding bits an pieces to our pantry just in case. We have to at least hold the fort until the kids get home.
So now we are adding bits an pieces to our pantry just in case. We have to at least hold the fort until the kids get home.
SpicyTunaRoll
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aside from the typical generators & fuel cans, can i suggest:
wise food (long life, easy storage buckets that can be moved easily)
chafing fuel (buffet tray heaters)
walkie talkies (cellphones go out with the power)
wood (to burn for heating & cooking)
charcoal style grill (its easy to cook and use for heating)
propane (can be used for heaters & and cooking)
alcohol: for barter and disinfecting
lots of different fire making tools
PPE: helmets, gloves, knee pads, boots, goggles, bug out bags, 10,000lb tow straps & ropes(to move stuck cars or large trees),
wise food (long life, easy storage buckets that can be moved easily)
chafing fuel (buffet tray heaters)
walkie talkies (cellphones go out with the power)
wood (to burn for heating & cooking)
charcoal style grill (its easy to cook and use for heating)
propane (can be used for heaters & and cooking)
alcohol: for barter and disinfecting
lots of different fire making tools
PPE: helmets, gloves, knee pads, boots, goggles, bug out bags, 10,000lb tow straps & ropes(to move stuck cars or large trees),
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Mcwsky09
Member
Careful
While penicillin might be penicillin - the additives, preservatives, and strength (concentration) of veterinary products might not be the same as that intended for human use.
Aside from some liquids that might be more sensitive to storage conditions - the vast majority of medications, over the counter and prescription will last far longer than the expiration date. I read about a military study done that found the vast majority of medications were still perfectly safe and effective 10 or 20 years past the expiration date and that part of the reason for an expiration date at all was in case the dosage recommendations and warnings changed over time the maker would rather you don't have outdated information.
There are a very few substances that will chemically change over time and can become dangerous. so there is the old better safe than sorry attitude.
My wife tends to be overly cautious - thinking that the moment the expiration date or use by date hits that the product instantly becomes harmful if used. but then she never studied organic chemistry or genetic engineering like me.
While penicillin might be penicillin - the additives, preservatives, and strength (concentration) of veterinary products might not be the same as that intended for human use.
Aside from some liquids that might be more sensitive to storage conditions - the vast majority of medications, over the counter and prescription will last far longer than the expiration date. I read about a military study done that found the vast majority of medications were still perfectly safe and effective 10 or 20 years past the expiration date and that part of the reason for an expiration date at all was in case the dosage recommendations and warnings changed over time the maker would rather you don't have outdated information.
There are a very few substances that will chemically change over time and can become dangerous. so there is the old better safe than sorry attitude.
My wife tends to be overly cautious - thinking that the moment the expiration date or use by date hits that the product instantly becomes harmful if used. but then she never studied organic chemistry or genetic engineering like me.
Arik
Member
You can buy fairly inexpensive solar chargers for you small electronics like radios and cell phones. With a several day power outage you can still charge your phone and talk/txt/online.
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SpicyTunaRoll
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you know, you bring up an interesting point. i thought about solar technology, but currently like LED's the market is filled with sub-par and cheap quality products. (just ask the guys buying up LED lights and bulbs for their cars - and them dying in less than 6 months). currently things that are affordable are made in china, fade in the sun, and simply stop working. just look at those solar driveway lights. they are great for like 3-6 months; but after that they dim out, the plastic housing fogs up, etc. not even worth the money to be honest - unless you are spending a pretty penny on serious panels that are glass coated to prevent fading.
for now, until the quality of portable/small solar products increases - i will still rely upon car/motorcycle batteries and cheap power inverters or lawn mower engines belted to car alternators. these two alternatives have proven to be very reliable and able to supply power even in the dead of winter when there is not enough sun available to supply power to the solar panels.
Arik
Member
True, but thats also constant use. Those driveway lights are out there the who time. This would be a test run and then stored for when needed.
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SpicyTunaRoll
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certainly something to look into. i just want people to do more reviews before i spend my money LOL
Arik
Member
Ive been looking into Goal Zero and they seem durable and recommended.
I want to try to make my own nut i dont know about all the specs and when i start to do research i wanna bang my head against the wall
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I want to try to make my own nut i dont know about all the specs and when i start to do research i wanna bang my head against the wall
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shouldazagged
Absent Comrade
You're good to go...so to speak.
I could use a few more gallons of distilled water, and planned to take care of that this week. Other than that I'm okay except for a few Rx meds I can't stock up on.
But I respectfully decline to live what's left of my fairly lengthy life in a state of hyper-vigilance and anticipation of Armageddon. As for the prepper shows, they tend to bear out my belief that "reality TV" is (a) foisted on us because it's cheap to produce; (iii) the biggest oxymoron since "Aryan Brotherhood"; and (N) a load of pre-digested pasture grass.
Your mileage may vary quite a lot.
Alpo
Member
SpicyTunaRoll - chafing fuel is the same thing as Sterno - canned heat, jellied alcohol. I don't know whether the canned heat sold in sporting goods at Walmart will be cheaper or more expensive than the chafing fuel sold at the restaurant supply store, but it's nice to know there are other options (for example, chemlights sold in the sporting goods section at Walmart are about half the cost of the same chemlights sold in the Halloween Costume aisle at Walmart).
Unless your house has as many air leaks as mine (built in the 40s), using your charcoal grill for heat or for indoor cooking will probably end with a house full of people dead from carbon monoxide.
When you say "alcohol", I suppose you mean "booze"? Isopropyl will disinfect fine, but I don't see it having much bartering ability.
If you plan to buy the pre-packaged "long-term storage" foods, look closely at the labels. It might say that "this bucket contains four days worth of food", but when reading the label you see that a day's food is 1500 calories. Sitting on your butt watching TV burns more than 1500 calories. In any type of survival situation, you will likely need 3000 or more. That means "Two Weeks Worth of Food" won't last two weeks.
Unless your house has as many air leaks as mine (built in the 40s), using your charcoal grill for heat or for indoor cooking will probably end with a house full of people dead from carbon monoxide.
When you say "alcohol", I suppose you mean "booze"? Isopropyl will disinfect fine, but I don't see it having much bartering ability.
If you plan to buy the pre-packaged "long-term storage" foods, look closely at the labels. It might say that "this bucket contains four days worth of food", but when reading the label you see that a day's food is 1500 calories. Sitting on your butt watching TV burns more than 1500 calories. In any type of survival situation, you will likely need 3000 or more. That means "Two Weeks Worth of Food" won't last two weeks.
All that's needed is firearms and ammunition.
With them you can protect what you have and "take" what you need.
(by TAKE I mean killin' and grillin' --- not shootin' and lootin')
If you're not a prepper then you're already dead.
Jerry
With them you can protect what you have and "take" what you need.
(by TAKE I mean killin' and grillin' --- not shootin' and lootin')
If you're not a prepper then you're already dead.
Jerry
SpicyTunaRoll
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i didnt think i needed to warn people to not grill inside their homes LOL
i cooked on my grill during Sandy. I cooked on my grill many times the power went out. And there will be times when having an open fire either on a fire pit or grill can warm folks who have no heat. its not hard to warm up over a fire. furthermore you can boil water over a fire, and bring the pot indoors to warm the room
not true. vodka is great.
To avoid the uncomfortable reaction, immediately pour vodka on skin that has come into contact with poison ivy, and the alcohol will wash away the itchy culprit, urushiol oil.
vodka can be sprayed on clothing. Vodka kills odor-causing bacteria, but doesn't leave a scent when dry. (just dont do it to something expensive! lol)
Vodka can also disinfect and alleviate some of the bite of a jellyfish sting.
got mold? vodka kills many types of mold. spray, let sit, and brush away.
vodka makes a great mouth wash. it also helps with toothaches. and during a bad time - that could be a life saver.
the list can go on for various alcohols and their "other" uses.
yes very true. thats why my food is diversified. between canned, bucketed, etc.
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Arik
Member
Last spring when i got bit by a dog the first thing i did was open the bottle of Grey Goose I had in my trunk as a just-in-case and poured it over my hand (bite area). Dang that burned.
1500 calories is not optimal but its not bad, no where near starving. Most people are just used to eating a lot more then they should
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1500 calories is not optimal but its not bad, no where near starving. Most people are just used to eating a lot more then they should
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SpicyTunaRoll
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the lowest caloric levels i see on WISE's website is 2000/day
example:
7 Day Ultimate Emergency Meal Kit for Two People - Wise Food Storage
example:
7 Day Ultimate Emergency Meal Kit for Two People - Wise Food Storage
Arik
Member
Got me thinking. I could go for a Portuguese burger and Belgian Ale!!.
Mmmmm.....droool!
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Mmmmm.....droool!
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