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 BHW Resident Surgeon
Posts: 25351
  
Location: Bastrop, Texas | Some very good suggestions on this thread. You can go a long ways toward preparedness without breaking the bank. Start by imagining what you need in order to survive without access to electricity, fuel, and vehicles. If there ever is am EMP attack, almost everything electrical will be disabled. (Look up "faraday cages"). As far as preparation, if you are serious, sit down and start thinking of essential items. To begin with, Google is your friend. You have to assume you won't have Internet. There is a ton of information out there on survivalism and "How to...." books. Start printing it out. You can never have too much. Get your hands on books and manuals on everything from water purification, disease management, wound care, electricity, plumbing, you name it. You can create a library of vital information.
Start writing down a list, beginning with the most critical. Think of all the tools you need....carpentry, mechanical, building materials, nuts, bolts, nails, gardening tools, etc.... Explore options for water purification and storage. Then there's food......obviously livestock and chickens, but plan for a big garden. You should stockpile seed, and non perishable food. Learn how to prepare your own seed from the garden. Most of this is not complicated, if you sit down and think ahead. Obviously guns and ammo is vital.
As far as medicines and medical supplies, again start printing. You might have limited access to medications. My advice is to keep as much as possible on hand, obviously.
If you have a doctor living nearby......be extra nice to him. He might come in handy!  |
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 Brains Behind the Operation...
Posts: 4543
 
Location: Arizona | Totally agree with Bear. A couple other books that are excellent library editions are The Self Sufficient Life and The New Self Sufficient Gardener, both by John Seymour. A whole gotta info in those two books alone, I'm constantly rereading them. |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | Bear - 2015-12-11 10:22 PM Some very good suggestions on this thread. You can go a long ways toward preparedness without breaking the bank. Start by imagining what you need in order to survive without access to electricity, fuel, and vehicles. If there ever is am EMP attack, almost everything electrical will be disabled. (Look up "faraday cages" ). As far as preparation, if you are serious, sit down and start thinking of essential items. To begin with, Google is your friend. You have to assume you won't have Internet. There is a ton of information out there on survivalism and "How to...." books. Start printing it out. You can never have too much. Get your hands on books and manuals on everything from water purification, disease management, wound care, electricity, plumbing, you name it. You can create a library of vital information. Start writing down a list, beginning with the most critical. Think of all the tools you need....carpentry, mechanical, building materials, nuts, bolts, nails, gardening tools, etc.... Explore options for water purification and storage. Then there's food......obviously livestock and chickens, but plan for a big garden. You should stockpile seed, and non perishable food. Learn how to prepare your own seed from the garden. Most of this is not complicated, if you sit down and think ahead. Obviously guns and ammo is vital. As far as medicines and medical supplies, again start printing. You might have limited access to medications. My advice is to keep as much as possible on hand, obviously. If you have a doctor living nearby......be extra nice to him. He might come in handy!
True on the Doctor. .. Glad that we live out in the country and have our own well and livestock.  |
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  Keeper of the King Snake
Posts: 7619
Location: Dubach, LA | I have an unreasonable fear of being forced to kill my animals or watch them be killed by others. |
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Veteran
Posts: 154
| I think we can live pretty well - if things go south. We have a natural gas generator (1950's) - spare parts and a basic mechanical knowledge of how to repair it.
We have a gravity fed spring. Garden (seeds stockpiled), Canned goods from the garden - about 18 months worth. Raise beef, pigs, and chickens - can milk a cow - neighbors have dairy cows.
Working on getting horse drawn equipment to till the ground, and teaching the horses to work in harness is next on the list.
I am a nurse, so that helps a little- stockpiled the more simple things. Saline, IV sets, regular meds. No one, at this time has any major health problems. Except allergies - sure is hard to get enough decongestants for all of us LOL
Worried, but prepared |
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Expert
Posts: 1255
| I'm living off solar but worry about What could happen |
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Expert
Posts: 1314
Location: North Central Iowa Land of white frozen grass | The biggest thing to survive will be your ability to kill another human to preserve yourself and those around you. This is point blank. Our food supply in this country will shrink to 20% of what it is now. People in the big cities will become roving packs of animals and will kill anyone that gets in their way for food. This will go on until at least 80% of the population is gone. Only the healthy and the mentally strong will survive. |
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 BHW's Lance Armstrong 
Posts: 11134
Location: Somewhere between S@%&# stirrer and Saint | Food storage, water purifier, gun and ammo, extra money and clothes. |
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Expert
Posts: 1255
| I'm also wanting to get gas mask. |
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 Chicken Chick
Posts: 3562
Location: Texas | Douglas J Gordon - 2015-12-13 6:37 PM
Food storage, water purifier, gun and ammo, extra money and clothes.
money may be nothing but a fire starter if it gets bad lol. |
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A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | BS Hauler - 2015-12-13 6:03 PM The biggest thing to survive will be your ability to kill another human to preserve yourself and those around you. This is point blank. Our food supply in this country will shrink to 20% of what it is now. People in the big cities will become roving packs of animals and will kill anyone that gets in their way for food. This will go on until at least 80% of the population is gone. Only the healthy and the mentally strong will survive.
This is a very scary thought but lots of truth here. |
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 How freakish is that?
Posts: 3927
Location: Oregon | I may be old but I have a lot of ammo. |
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"Heck's Coming With Me"
Posts: 10795
Location: Kansas | Did anyone see the movie "The Road" with Viggo Mortenson. Deals with this scenario. Very depressing movie.
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Red Bull Agressive
Posts: 5981
Location: North Dakota | Well this thread has inspired me to fill up a sheet of notebook paper with survival stuff I need to get. At least I'm getting organized. The BF has 2 bug-out bags but I'm gathering a super complete list including emergency supplies for horses. The only things I see being a huge issues for long-term survival are 1. I need thyroid meds to function but can only get a month's worth at a time. 2. My horse is a pansy and requires shoes and back injections. Without those he is unlikely to stay sound. 3. Contacts and a flat iron. I know those seem really petty but wearing glasses is absolute torture for me and I really don't want to be a frizzy-haired freak again. |
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BHW Resident Surgeon
Posts: 25351
Location: Bastrop, Texas | It's not that an EMP scenario is the most likely, but an EMP scenario like the one in "One Second After" is probably the deadliest, so if you prepare for that, you are maximally prepared. There are other scenarios, like widespread anarchy, civil unrest, and chaos, total collapse of our monetary and banking system, nuclear war (I think it's just a matter of time)....basically anything one can imagine. It's not that hard to be prepared to survive for a few months, but having the necessary materiel and skills to sustain oneself beyond a couple months. Ask yourself if you could survive with 18th century technology. Food, water, clothing, shelter, medicine, weapons/protection, etc.... Also, know your neighbors. Groups of people banning together probably have a better chance. Do you have any special skills or resources? Money might very well be useless.....then all you can do is barter, the way they did 200-300 years ago. You can start by filling a notebook up....make that list of things you need. Start with the basics. At the same time, begin to hoard books. Use Google for "How to...." information and print it out. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 823
Location: East Texas | I hate to think this way, but it would not take much to send people into a panic. Just look at New Orleans a few years ago when the hurricane hit. People went nuts. They were shooting at the rescue helicopters coming to get them. Or look at the riots and looting in cities today when people do not get what they want.
If the economy crashes, currency will be worthless. I need tangible items that will maintain a world wide value. I am guessing gold, silver, etc. would be good choices.
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 Neat Freak
Posts: 11216
Location: Wonderful Wyoming | CrossDRanch - 2015-12-14 9:43 AM I hate to think this way, but it would not take much to send people into a panic. Just look at New Orleans a few years ago when the hurricane hit. People went nuts. They were shooting at the rescue helicopters coming to get them. Or look at the riots and looting in cities today when people do not get what they want. If the economy crashes, currency will be worthless. I need tangible items that will maintain a world wide value. I am guessing gold, silver, etc. would be good choices.
I agree with the currency but I think gold and silver will be just as worthless. If you can't eat it, shoot with it or wear it, I think it will be pretty useless. I have a neighbor that can make soap, cheese and all kinds of other things. She can barter those things. You will also need to know how to preserve meat. We have a pasture full of cows, but I really don't want to butcher one for a couple meals just for the rest to go to waste. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 823
Location: East Texas | wyoming barrel racer - 2015-12-14 10:50 AM
CrossDRanch - 2015-12-14 9:43 AM I hate to think this way, but it would not take much to send people into a panic. Just look at New Orleans a few years ago when the hurricane hit. People went nuts. They were shooting at the rescue helicopters coming to get them. Or look at the riots and looting in cities today when people do not get what they want. If the economy crashes, currency will be worthless. I need tangible items that will maintain a world wide value. I am guessing gold, silver, etc. would be good choices.
I agree with the currency but I think gold and silver will be just as worthless. If you can't eat it, shoot with it or wear it, I think it will be pretty useless. I have a neighbor that can make soap, cheese and all kinds of other things. She can barter those things. You will also need to know how to preserve meat. We have a pasture full of cows, but I really don't want to butcher one for a couple meals just for the rest to go to waste.
I agree, but I don't foresee a world wide collapse that will last forever. So when our country does come back or what ever new country would take it's place or I move to, I do not want to start over at zero. I am not too worried about surviving the in between time. It is almost a given the currency will be lost or value of currency decrease to almost nothing, and a pretty good bet that you could lose your home and property as well. |
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Neat Freak
Posts: 11216
Location: Wonderful Wyoming | Frodo - 2015-12-14 7:19 AM Did anyone see the movie "The Road" with Viggo Mortenson. Deals with this scenario. Very depressing movie.
I did. My dad wanted us to see it. HORRIBLE scary movie. It is amazing how fast humans can literally turn into monsters. |
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Expert
Posts: 1314
Location: North Central Iowa Land of white frozen grass | With the way livestock is raised mainly hogs and chickens in confinement buildings that need electricity. Which is problably 90% of them, without electricity for just a week they would all be dead. Stores will be empty within 2 days. The absolute best money will be bullits. You will be able to trade them for anything you want. |
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