SHTF: Minimum housing, Minimum wage, minimum life next

Couple of things ran across the radar this AM.

First, this article about this boarding house in Seattle with a new concept. Tiny apartment homes with shared kitchens and laundry facilities. The actual rooms are as small as fifty square feet. How cute.

Except when you realize how many of those in charge, (and who get paid lots of tax dollars and non-profit money), think this should be the ultimate destiny for all of us little ants and bees here in the U.S.. Everyone should embrace this small is better philosophy.

I can see their version of the future...

Imagine happy workers in their snug little one room homes with two sets of clothes, (two pairs of khaki pants and two blue shirts), a municipal bus pass and a secure job at the department of Coffee and Soy Burger Production.

Mandatory educational hours twice a week learning about subjects like "The Carbon Impact of Human Existence on Earth" and "The Progressive Values of Alternate Cultures Compared to the Failures of the Western World Belief System".

Good medical care provided by USCare and USPharm. Advocates praise the decrease in life expectancy among Americans to the "sustainable level" of 59 years of age. As their productivity drops, those seasoned members of society should be encouraged to Die With Dignity.

How about that big bump in the Minimum Wage today?

Yesterday the serfs earned $6.55 an hour. Today they can look forward to $7.55 and increased dollars to spend freely on big screen televisions, video games, new fuel efficient cars from GM and fast food. One economist praised this potential infusion of $5.5 billion into the economy as a "shot in the arm".

Forget that businesses are suffering and laying off employees, reducing hours and closing their doors. Mandatory government wage increases mean nothing if there are no jobs.

This minimum wage increase will definitely turn things around. It reminds me of those incredible crop predictions of the old Soviet Union. Prosperity for all!

Never forget that this is all part of the plan for us little people. 99% of the population going to our minimum wage government jobs moving park benches and painting the local Diversity Center. Living in crammed rabbit warrens eating soy mush and bean surprise. Children limited to one per couple once they pass their Child Licensing Test. Vast areas of suburbs, rural areas and wilderness off-limits to the masses and only available for the enjoyment of the Elders and Watchers assigned over us.

Peace and Tranquility upon you!

Bah. It won't work and it won't last. These brainiacs seem to forget we are human beings. Individuals with spirit, drive and determination. We refuse to climb into our pigeon holes and chase the cheese around the maze. We stubbornly cling to our antiquated religions and self preservation.

As individuals we want to make more money than we did last year. We want to live in the home of our own liking whether it be a two bedroom apartment downtown or five acres in rural Idaho. We may want to have no children or ten.

We may wish to pursue eight years of college, four years of technical school or simply avoid school and recycle discards found on the side of the road. Simply put, individuals fail to comply with Big Brothers Five Year Plan. And they hate us, but we have an advantage they don't.

We move faster. We are more nimble. Their bloated carcass can hardly get out of bed in the morning without a poll, focus group and consensus. We win in the end. They lose and go extinct.

In the meantime, you need to get ready. This is a marathon, not a race. We need to be prepared for the trying times over the next two years or so. The economy is not growing and cannot keep up with the spending. The collapse is inevitable. You must prepare for your family and friends. The usual; food, fuel, water, space.

We will persevere. We will overcome. We will survive.

Prepare: Suburban Survival Basics and Intro

Most people these days live in or around a city. Most of us can be classified as "suburban". Very few are completely rural or even part time rural. The reason being jobs, access (to school, health care, etc.), family and convenience.

The world right now is "out of whack". Here in the U.S. we are rapidly running out of time and options. Unemployment is spiraling out of control as all sectors of our economy are in trouble. Money is hard to get for businesses and individuals. Homes are foreclosing. Businesses are shutting their doors. There will be no more easy fixes and recovery will take decades.

With these two things in mind, you, Mr. or Mrs. Suburbia, better wake up and get ready. I truly believe we are about to be in for worse times, rather than better times.

The end will not happen at once.

There will NOT be a sudden "the government is broke" announcement followed by immediate rioting, looting and runs on grocery stores.

The end will come gradually. Another percentage uptick on the unemployment charts. Hiring and spending freezes by the government. Reduction in benefits to the unemployed, elderly and veteran. A mass migration of transient workers heading back to their home countries as jobs and money dry up.

Now is the time to stock your suburban lifeboat for the inevitable.

Money -

Starting now, take 10% of your paycheck, put it in cash and hide it at home.
Start selling (while there are buyers) all of your unneeded and unwanted junk. Hold a garage sale, post to Craigslist, etc. Sell off those compact disks and DVD's you never watch. Get rid of that old stereo forsaken for the IPod.

Stick all the extra money into two piles - Emergency cash and preparedness.

Food -

First, start laying out 4x3 planting areas in the back yard. Use bricks, wood, rocks, whatever to start building raised beds. A half dozen of those will raise a surprising amount of food. Plan on growing food which produces a lot from a little. Tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, beans. Melons and corn take up too much room and water.

Next, go to the warehouse store and start buying big bags of rice, beans, spices, flour, sugar, salt, etc. Long term stuff which can be made into meals and food to fill you up.

Buy lots of canned and dried foods. Fill the pantry now while its available with food you like to eat and which can feed you, your spouse and children this winter.

For instance, let's say you go through a pack of hot dogs a week. Buy four packs, freeze three and put the other in the fridge. As long as the power is on, you have one month's worth of hot dogs. Do the same for macaroni and cheese, cereal, etc.

Water -

You need to store water. Buy ten cases of bottle water so you know you have something. Stick it in the closet.

Next, get some storage containers. A couple of 55 gallon, food grade barrels are not that expensive. They can be filled, placed in the garage and treated with a bit of bleach. You now have several days worth of water on hand.

Put up some barrels to catch rain water from the down spouts.

Find a nearby water source. Stock up on bleach, filters and some way boil water.

Energy, heat, light -

Buy several packs of batteries from the dollar store. Get more from the warehouse club store if you can afford it.

Buy at least one deep cycle rechargeable battery. Pick up a solar panel kit, (even a small one will do) to charge it. Once charged, you can use it to power..

A single burner hotplate. You now have an appliance for heating water and cooking small meals.

Also purchase a two burner camp stove and as many gas cylinders as you feel comfortable storing.

The big propane tanks for the grill are handy, I have four. But remember, cooking outdoors alerts the neighbors that "Soups on!".

I don't care to store charcoal. It goes bad too soon.

For light, pick up battery powered lanterns over gas; they are safer to use indoors. Candles are handy, but they don't put out much light. If you do get them, believe me, get the non-scented variety.

LED lights are great for flashlights and head lamps.

A single space heater run from the deep cycle battery can warm a single room the family can use during cold nights without central heat.

A fireplace is good as is a wood stove, but you will need a lot (6 cords a season minimum) of wood.

Protection -

Go to the nearest sporting goods store and select a pump action 12 gauge shotgun. Pick up at least 500 rounds of ammunition mixed in slugs, buck, and bird shot. That is 20 boxes of shells.

Go to another sporting goods store and purchase a .22 rifle such as a Marlin or Ruger. Pick up at least 5000 rounds of ammunition. That is 10 bricks.

Find any friends or relatives who shoot and own guns. Ask what their plans are and what they will do if riots break out or there are food shortages. There is strength in numbers but only among those willing to defend themselves.

Measure plywood for the front windows and door of the home. Put up the highest fence allowed around your property. Install real locks on the front and rear doors and measure out a cross bar as well.

Get a number of fire extinguishers for the house as well as smoke alarms.

Start putting all vehicles in the garage or behind the house if possible.

Transportation -

Keep cars properly tuned and full of gas at all times.

Start storing the largest amount of gasoline you feel comfortable with.

Get a bike for each member of the family and at least one full size bike trailer. Make sure it matches the type of bike you have so that installation is quick and secure. (The bike can be used for short trips to save money and gasoline).

Stock the basics for the car: jumper cables, motor oil, coolant, filters and belts. There is a good chance you will have to keep your own vehicle running in the near future.

Medical/Health -

If you know a doctor or nurse, good for you. Get ready to treat yourself otherwise.

Stock a home medicine cabinet now. How many times has a child or spouse had a cold, fever or the flu and there you are running out to the drugstore or grocery for a box of NyQuil? Fix that now by stocking all of those products without excuse.

Build a real first aid kit. Not just those plastic band aids, but gauze, large compress and wrap bandages.

Have everyone blood type and allergies written down and handy.

Stock up now on soap, shampoo, cleaning products, baking soda, bleach, and lots of toilet paper.

Skills/Knowledge -

What can you do? Can you fix a car? Plant a garden? Home repair? What marketable skill do you have which others need and are willing to pay for?

Stock up on books on farming, small repairs, medicine and other useful subjects.

The bottom line is this. In a very short time, we will be forced to make do with what we have and what we are. You can get ready now, or you can be another statistic. It is totally up to you.

What are sitting there for? Get to work!

Prepare: Last Minute Emergency Preparedness Purchases

Preparing for an emergency, both long and short term is an ongoing process. It is not something we run to the mall or grocery store and complete in a single day. Food for months or even years cannot be obtained with one trip to Kroger for instance.

We know it, but here is something that bothers me when push comes to shove.

If you watch or read survival themed fiction, it seems the main characters never act fast enough. The dawdle on the phone or at work when time is precious and seconds count. They go home and set to work on some long term project like "I had better get the trailer out and make it still works in case my best pal and his family come over. Oh, and I better inventory my tools and make sure they are all in their places".

What is up with that?

So I am at work, or at home with the family. The TV is on and the news cuts in and announces "Big natural disaster/Nukes flying/aliens have landed!"

The last thing I am going to do is clean out the garage! For crying out loud, I have plenty of stuff on hand, but if you knew the supply of Charmin was about to get real low real fast and permanently, wouldn't you run down the street and get a few rolls?

So, the emergency crisis happens, I jump in the car and head to the nearest grocers first. Food is king. I am going to bet that most people are in "deer in headlights" mode and staring at CNN OR on the phone with Aunt Sally in Schenectady OR talking with their coworkers about how this will affect the quarterly budget. Unlike the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1961, most Americans don't think to stock up on canned goods like they used too.

At the grocers, I go for substance.
- Bulk food like flour, sugar, salt, oil.
- Lots of canned foods
- Protein bars, Slim Fast (canned protein source), protein and weight gain powder.
- Bulk pasta, rice and beans, all dried.
- Quick ready to eat convinience foods.
- Drinks like coffee, tea bags, powdered cocoa and Tang.
- Over the counter medicines, aspirin, cold, flu and stomach preparations are high on the list.
- Vitamins
- Toilet paper, paper towels, feminine products, diapers, wipes.
- Dog and cat food, dry in big bags
- Bottled water but more important, filters and bleach.
- Bottled gas if they have it, matches, batteries

Once that is done, I go to the gas station and fill up. Gasoline is one of the first things to go in a major emergency, but most people will be coming from work. The suburban stations, those not near a major road, highway or freeway will be the best bet. If there is a line, I take my chances on hitting another neighborhood station rather than the big discount chain.

Next, I get cash. Cash is the currency of choice in an emergency, but you can't eat it or run your car on it so get it last.
Depending upon how much I have in the bank, I may hit an ATM several times (at grocers, gas station and elsewhere) before they run out of cash.

Then I go the final destination for my emergency preparedness run, the gun or sporting goods store. Most people will be at the grocers at this time while I buy bricks of .22, boxes of 12 gauge and what little center fire they have available in my calibers.

Then I go home.

In a last minute emergency scenario, getting away may be the only option. But the concept that rioting and looting will happen in seconds is not realistic short of aliens landing en masse or the Rapture. But you have to think fast and get what you need in the right order. It sure beats sitting at home or the office fooling around with trivial projects which can be done after supplies have been obtained.

SHTF: Worse Case Scenarios - How things turned out

A final chapter to Worse Case Scenario.

Best Case Scenario - Case One - Part One here

Now that you know how things went in the civilized world, you go to your master drawing room and begin making plans for the rest of the world. You take out a map of the United States and start setting boundries for your new nation. Naturally, it will be named after you.

You then draw borders around other areas, smaller than yours of course, and name them for the men in your group. After all, they should get a piece of the pie. Your plan is to conquer one area, yours, before allowing your men to see what their territory holds.

Sitting down with a snifter of brandy from your stores, you imagine the world before you. Stores full of loot. Guns, booze, gold all waiting for your greedy hands. Surely a few people have survived besides your group. To them, you will seem like a savior. That is, until you announce that from henceforth they will be serving you as their master and leader.

It is then you hear the door to your drawing room open quietly. Without turning the large leather chair you are seated in, you shout "I thought I told you I was not to be disturbed!".

"Don't worry, I won't be long" says a cat like voice. You turn and see your wife standing beside the chair. In her hand, a three foot long katana, a samurai sword. As she plunges it into you she whispers "A woman can lead as well as a man."

As your life ebbs away, you watch as she sweeps your map aside to the floor and pulls out a new one and places it on the desk.

Worse case scenario - Case Two - Part one here

Within seconds the two objects fall to the earth. One of two objects, both manufactured over thirty years ago in an eastern land once ruled by the hammer and sickle, fails to detonate but merely lands in an open field and the impact buries it some thirty feet into the soft soil.

The other lands in the heart of downtown and explodes. Within one second, every structure within one half mile is utterly destroyed. Within two seconds, another half miles is heavily damaged and so it goes.

You are still on foot now a few miles from your home. You see your shadow momentarily on the sidewalk before you and stumble by the sight. Unfortunately, your shoes are very worn by this time and you trip over the flapping sole of your $150.00 loafers.

Fate smiled on you as your fall rolls you of the side of the road and into a ditch. Just then the shockwave, greatly diminished due to your distance, but still deadly, passes over your head. The thermal heat is still deadly and a house across the street smolders as the paint catches fire. You don't feel a thing with the exception of the shock as it passes overhead.

You pull your hands and arms over your head and pray for the destruction to end. Within seconds after it starts, the actual detonation is over. After what seems like years, you slowly life your head and look around you. The damage is not that much considering that you are more than 15 miles from ground zero, but it is clear that a bomb of some kind or another has gone off.

You get up from the ditch and quickly start heading towards your house. The loafer is still flapping on your foot, so you kick it off along with the other and run off in your stockinged feet.

Your wife meanwhile, has made it within a block of the children's school when the bomb goes off. She is shielded by a number of buildings and does not directly see the blast but feels the shockwave and heat. She manages to drop behind a retaining wall before any object can hit her though.

When she hits the ground, she hears a shriek nearby. Once the shockwave passes her by, she goes towards the sound and sees your daughter and son crouched behind a stone wall in front of a home.

She grabs both of them in an embrace and says a quick prayer of thanks for their safety. With no time to lose, three head quickly towards their home not knowing where else or what else to do.

In the street in front of their home, the family is reunited. You know you have no car and with nuclear destruction upon you, there is little you can do in your home. Suddenly, your neighbor, that cranky old man and his wife come out of their garage.

They wave you inside and tell you to get inside their old green camper top pickup truck. "There's no time to waste!" the old man implores. "If we get on the road right now we can get far enough away from the fallout!".

Fallout? Get away? It makes no sense but your wife and children are looking at you for guidance. You realize the errors of your ways and turn to your neighbor.

"Thank you. Let me grab some shoes and a change of clothes for everyone and let's get out of here".

In a few moments, you and your family are on the road away from the immediate destruction. Your destination is your neighbor's brother's farm one hundred miles away. He is described as a bit of a kook, having bought forty acres of "junk land" and lived there for the past twenty years. But he is self sufficient and would welcome the extra help.

Life comes at us at odd times and in strange ways. Worse case scenarios can turn into better solutions and vice versa. Get ready, get prepared and look out for those curve balls.

SHTF: Best You Can Do Scenario

Note: Michael - this one is for you!

Best Case You Can Do Scenario - Part 2 of yesterday's post.

For the past several months, you have been quietly purchasing extra food and storing water. The events of Hurricane Katrina, compounded with the gas and food shortages of 2008 have prompted you to make some real changes in you and your families' lifestyle. It just so happened that a new government, more terrorism and nukes in every other third world nation coincided with your decision.

Having kept a close eye on the news, you saw the writing on the wall. Clearly there was going to be a global war or as close to it as possible. With military forces spread so thin, it would most likely escalate to nuclear war and soon.

You called your boss and took advantage of that two weeks of unused vacation time a little bit earlier than usual. Rather than be stuck twenty plus miles away in downtown, you plan on staying close to home.

Your wife could not take time off, but is not going to work unprepared. Her car has a full tank of gas, or as near to it as possible, at all times. In the trunk is a "bug out bag" containing shoes, change of clothes including socks, food, water, flashlight, N95 masks, a first aid kit, a .22 semi pistol with 50 rounds spare, a multi tool and a folded tarp which can be made into a shelter or rain cover if needed.

In addition, the two of you have agreed upon alternate routes from her office to home. Along with her cellular, she has a FRS radio with a five mile range and spare batteries in the car as well. In the event of emergency, she is to head for the house without delay.

The kids are still in school, but with you nearby for the crisis, you plan on picking them up no matter what happens. The kids know to stay at the school until you arrive. Three other families have been given permission to pick up the children should you not be available. There are code words and procedures in place for the children to follow in the event of emergency.

The kids have their own mini emergency kits in their backpacks. They include extra food and water, but also a poncho, flashlight and another FRS radio in a plastic bag with extra radios. They know when to turn it on and not to play with it.

When the President's announcement goes out over the air, you go into action. Your first job is to get the kids from school. You phone your wife and tell her to head home directly. In the car, you speed dial the children's school. As expected, its busy, but you know how to get them out of there.

Once at the school, you get both kids and get them in the car. Heading home, you see the first lines forming at the gas station. Your car is full and there are five five gallon cans full at the house waiting.

Once in the door, you direct the children to start filling both bathtubs with water. You splash a bit of bleach into both tubs and get in the kitchen. You pull the contents of the pantry down to the basement. In the corner, you have a bricked off 10 x 10 section. Sure, its not NORAD, but it will provide more protection than 99% of the population has right now.

Besides the contents of the pantry, you move down stairs everything from the medicine cabinet, cleaning supplies, toilet paper, all the batteries and lighting you have carefully stored.

You already have "The Package" from Rad Meters so you are good to go there. But you supplemented by picking up extra KI online.

Your wife comes in and announces there is a line out the door at the Kroger grocery store down the street. No, she did not stop in. She has been tripping over the extra canned and packaged food in the house for weeks now.

You direct the family to continue bringing things downstairs while you mount the pre-cut plywood over the windows. You put both cars in the garage and lock the house down tight. You put out the solar panels you purchased at Harbor Freight in the back yard and make sure the line running to the basement is well hidden.

In the basement, the six 55 gallon drums are full of water. There is a basement faucet you will use until water pressure drops too low. The bathtub water is for when you come out.

Around dusk you here the sirens going off upstairs. Your turn off the main electric breaker and gas line to the house, secure the house one last time and get to the basement.

Outside you think about the poor souls still on foot trying to make it home. You did not have a fortune or a well stocked hidden retreat, you just did the best you could with what you had.

Maybe you will make it. Maybe not. But at least you tried.

SHTF: Worse Case Scenarios

Let's start this off with a bang..

Best Case Scenario SHTF -

You are at your remote retreat. You have over 200 acres of high producing tillable land currently growing a mixture of grain crops, vegetables, fruit trees and small scale livestock. You can grow and produce enough food to support you, your group and more than 100 other people should you decide too.

You have several large, fortified buildings for storing grain, hay and sheltering the animals. All are connected by an underground series of tunnels which can also provide protection from fallout and weather for the animals as well.

Your primary residence is a completely off the grid super house which can comfortably shelter up to forty people. Half of the structure is underground, has several hidden exit and escape routes and massive amounts of storage.

Inside is enough LTS (long term storage food), medicine, toilet paper and booze for five years without having to grow a thing or run down to 7-11. The home runs entirely off of solar and wind power, but you have a number of diesel generators with enough fuel to power them for twenty years. Water comes from wells drilled within the house and around the property.

Protection is handled with your enormous armory, some legal but most obtained through back channels. Of course you are former military and are well trained on numerous small arms weapons systems as is many of the members of your retreat; they were your core unit when you were with Delta Force. Your wife is also former Special Forces (combat doctor), can cook beef stew under fire and still looks great in camo.

Most of the rest of the world is dead from some strange illness that killed everyone within seconds and decomposed their bodies minutes afterward into a harmless dust which blows away with the first wind. Fortunately, the disease disappeared before it reached you and your group.

Since everyone else in the world died in just a few minutes, all the stuff left is in pristine condition at Walmart and all the other retail outlets waiting for you and your group to come get it. For some reason, this strange virus also preserved gasoline and diesel fuel in storage, kept all canned and packaged food from going bad and left all animals in perfect health.

In short, the entire world is waiting for you and yours to show up and claim it.

Back to reality...

Worse case scenario - SHTF

The President comes on the radio and announces that global thermonuclear war is about to break out and diplomacy has failed. You would have known problems were coming to a head, but you had not kept up on the news lately. Since nuclear war is inevitable, everyone begins to panic.

You try and phone your wife but you keep getting the "all circuits are busy" message on your phone. Thinking it may be your office phone, you try your cell but get the same message. "I am sure my wife knows what to do" you think and head out to your car.

Too late. The parking garage is backed up as everyone tries to leave at the same time. There are no fewer than a half dozen fender benders and that is in the garage. Imagine what the streets look like.

You think you will try that mass transportation everyone is talking about and head to street level and look for a bus. Too late again. The only bus driving by is packed to the rafters and doesn't even slow down in front of your office.

It is early afternoon and you are twenty plus miles from your home in downtown. Surely your city is a grade A target for a bomb, so you start hoofing it home. Maybe you can catch a cab along the way.

About twenty minutes into your walk you mentally kick yourself for not grabbing at least a bottle of water from the office. Maybe you can grab something from the mini-mart at the corner.

Big mistake there. The owner and his wife have barricaded themselves in the store and are trying to preserve their stock for themselves. Already a mob is out front trying to get gasoline and what snack foods and water are available inside. You play it safe and go the other direction towards home. Now you are thirsty and your feet are beginning to hurt. Should have packed some other shoes in that Bug Out Bag you also never got around to putting together.

Two hours later and several phone calls, you finally reach your wife. She was at work as well and has been stuck in traffic since hearing the news as well. Unfortunately, she works in the other direction that you do and cannot swing by and get you. Besides, she is mad you left the other car at the office.

Your wife wants to get the kids from their school which is about to let out around now. Sadly, she is five or more miles away, stuck in traffic and about to run out of gas. You meant to fill up her car last night, but your favorite program was on. Besides, the quarter of a tank she had in her car should have been enough.

The kids are still at their school and have been placed in the gymnasium with all the other children whose parents had not picked them up yet. Only a few nervous teachers are left at the school. Most left when the news alerts went out. No idea how much longer they are planning on staying and watching your kids when their own families may need them right now.

Your kids have no idea where their parents are nor how to reach you. There was never a plan put in place so they have no idea what to do. Your oldest daughter has suggested that to her little brother that they sneak out and try and walk home. After all, it is only a few miles and they think they know the way home. Too bad another parent was not notified to get them in an emergency.

By the time darkness begins to fall, you are only three quarters of the way home. Your wife's car ran out of gas and she is walking to the children's school. The kids, now left unsupervised, have left the school on their own and are trying to remember the way home on foot in the dark.

Overhead, a couple of dull metal objects break apart over your city and being their slow decent of death...

Best case and worse case scenarios. Where do you want to be? Sure the first is over the top extreme, but the second scenario probably covers 90% of America right now. I think I know what my plan is. Do you?

Prepare: How To Prepare and Survive The End Of the World

First up, if you are serious about preparing for the end of the world and need a good reference to get started with  check this book out.

Friday question round up. Nearly everything and anything will be answered here.

How do I prepare for swine flu?

http://survivalism.blogspot.com/2009/04/prepare-how-to-prepare-for-swine-flu.html

How do I stock food on a budget?

http://survivalism.blogspot.com/2009/03/prepare-budget-survival-food-list.html

How do I prepare for the end of the world?

http://survivalism.blogspot.com/2008/10/tips-to-survive-end-of-world.html

What vitamins are good to fight the swine flu?

Or the common cold or bird flu. I take lots of vitamin A,C,E, selenium, zinc, elderberry extract, echinacea and golden seal. Also, drink lots of clean water, green tea and orange juice.

How much food should I store?

A good rule of thumb is at least three months worth of food (and water) and it gets better with the more you store. Most people who "prep" have one to three months of "normal food" (what they eat daily) backed by several months of survival food - rice, dried beans, honey, sugar, flour, yeast, cooking oil, wheat, dried corn, etc. Further, they augment their stored food with a garden, fruit trees, domestic animals and local game.

Which gun is best post-SHTF?

The gun you have and know how to use. With lots of ammunition and plenty of ongoing practice. If you are new to guns or have not fired one in a while, talk to a gun shop or sporting goods store as well as regular shooters before you buy a firearm of any type. My personal opinion and that of others is the following in order of importance:
1) Shotgun
2) .22 rifle
3) Bolt action medium to large caliber (.243 to 308) rifle
4) Revolver in medium caliber (.38, .357)
5) Common sporter semi auto rifle (.223 caliber) i.e. AR15 or Mini 14

Remember, lots of ammunition and practice.

I need a list of survival foods. What should I get?

- Rice
- Dried beans
- Powdered milk
- oil and cooking lard
- canned vegetables and fruit
- canned meats like tuna and salmon.
- Sugar, syrup and honey.
- spices
- salt
- canned soups
- flour, baking powder and baking soda
- pasta
- dried meats, fruits and vegetables
- peanut butter

Where and how should I build a survival retreat? How do I start?

http://survivalism.blogspot.com/2008/07/shtf-where-is-your-survival-retreat.html

I just read "One Second After", how can I prepare for an EMP attack?

An EMP attack will take out modern electronics. To what size and scope, nobody knows but if something depends upon electricity or electronics to operate, you can be rest assured it will probably have problems. So that means have all important papers reading material (like those how guides on the internet) printed on paper. Get a tube radio such as the kinds everyone had in the 1940's. If you can afford it, a running pre-electronic ignition vehicle (pre-1970 to make it easy) will make you the king of the neighborhood (and the target of thieves and government goons). Have something to heat water and food on which runs on wood, coal, charcoal, or gas. And if you really want to hang on to that laptop, cell phone or modern radio, build a Farraday cage which may protect at risk electronics.

Can anyone survive a nuclear war?

They did in Japan and that is the only one we have to research. However, after the atomic bomb as invented, several countries including the U.S. spent lots of time and money to figure out the answer to the same questions: How to survive a nuclear bomb?
It can be done; check out Nuclear War Survival Skills for more in depth information. The real trick is after all is over: Having enough food and the ability to produce more.

Why would you want to survive the end of the world?

The world will not truly end short of a major astronomical event such as Earth being obliterated by another object in space or the atmosphere being completely ripped away from the planet. Otherwise, what we are really talking about is the end of our society as we know it. It may mean a total global war, financial or government collapse, or a pandemic. All have happened before and will happen again unfortunately.
Why do it? I take a look at my children and think what an irresponsible parent I would be to not provide for them in any way possible and that includes being prepared for worse case scenarios.

Swine Flu Guide Available Online

Prepare: Dealing with Swine Flu and Pandemics

Yikes! This time its not Avian (bird) flu, its the pig version - swine flu.

Swine flu is a virus which pigs get and is like the flu humans get. One very big problem - it can be transferred to other pigs and humans. That's not very nice.

What's worse, is humans can transfer it to other humans and it is very contagious.

The final note; Swine is flu is potentially fatal and has proven so in several cases in Mexico.

Apparently, the flu broke out in Mexico, infected at the very least several hundred people before moving across the border into the United States. [Note: some sources are saying the real estimate is thousands of cases in Mexico where it is overwhelming the health care system and being hushed up by the government].

Swine flu has some of the typical symptoms of other flu bugs. From the CDC website:

The symptoms of swine flu in people are expected to be similar to the symptoms of regular human seasonal influenza and include fever, lethargy, lack of appetite and coughing. Some people with swine flu also have reported runny nose, sore throat, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.


Let's get serious: The swine flu could get out of control just like any other pandemic could. Unlike raiders or looters or riots, viruses can't be stopped with firepower and threats. Only with quarantines, personal protection equipment and dillegence can we avoid catching a bug.

First, avoid sick people. It sounds easy, but is harder than we think. For instance, avoid places with potential sick people like mega stores, sports events, school, work and travel. Airplanes are my particular nemesis during an outbreak. Sick people have a tendancy to think everyone else wants their bug and they board up stuffy nose, fever and all.

The same type of person sends their child to school with a runny nose, mile fever and aches so Mom can have her "time off". If the flu comes to your kids school, pull them as soon as possible. By the way, ask your school what the policy is regarding outbreaks. What do they do about sick children? Do they let them stay?

Next, do you have personal protection equipment? Go to the hardware store and pick up a big ole box of N95 masks. I did some time ago and keep them in my work bag, in the car and in my kids backpacks. In other countries people routinely wear masks to avoid sickness in public places. We might want to start doing the same thing in the U.S. before long.

Also get some hand sanitizer. Get the big size and some of the smaller hand sizes too. You can make hand sanitizer out of alcohol, aloe vera gel and vegetable glycerin. Wash hands frequently with soap and water especially when out in public.

It would be nice to have a doctor friend and stock up on Tamiflu, but some viruses are not affected by Tamiflu or other drugs. It is better to get some elderberry extract and supplements from the health food store. I picked up Sambucol, vitamins C, D, E and other antioxidants, echinacea and zinc. I nave been dosing myself regularly since this whole thing broke out.

Keep your home clean too. Routinely use disinfectant and bleach on all surfaces to kill viruses if they get in the house. We also strip the beds at least twice a week, wash bedding in hot water and detergent and spray the mattresses with Lysol. My wife has covers and pads for all the pillows and mattresses as well.

My kids have been trained to blow their nose with tissues and wash immediately afterward. We never use handkerchiefs but tissues which can be thrown away and disposed of. We also have the kids change their clothes and wash school clothing after they come home from school. No reason to bring anything home and into the house.

This morning before school, we told the kids to do what we do; avoid anyone with cold symptoms. Don't play with them or sit next to them in the cafeteria. Sounds harsh but its not my problem that some thoughtless mom sent her kids to school sick.

Finally, there is quarantine. If its swine flu or bird flu or whatever, are you ready to quarantine at home? What is the government declares a state of emergency and puts in place a curfew. Schools closed, non-essential businesses shut down, workers told to stay home.. Do you have cash on hand? The ability to pay bills for an extended time? What about a stockpile of food and water? Better get stocked up now if you have not already.

Here are a few great resources I found online during the avian flu scare. They are still pertinent for swine flu.

http://www.getpandemicready.org/
http://www.fluwikie.com/
http://www.fluwikie.com/index.php?n=Consequences.PandemicPreparednessGuides
Swine Flu Guide Online

Prepare: Nuclear War

I watched this clip on You Tube this morning. There are several others related and like it on their so there is plenty of depressing footage available if you are so inclined.

What struck me are the people either standing around with their mouths open or panicking like morons. Yes, I have never been in a nuclear war, but these are actors and the directors/producers obviously wanted to create an image of how people would react in this scenario.

I know a bunch of people who would go into "ready mode"; that never gets portrayed in films though.

For instance, I have my computer up most of the time. The TV is almost always on and I carry a Blackberry 20 hours a day. If something happens news wise, I am usually on it. Example: During Sunday's Easter Egg hunt, I was the one who informed the other party goers of the rescue of the Maersk Alabama's captain moments after it was announced.

So, I find out that nuclear missiles are being launched. The internal clock in my head says "twenty minutes max" until something lands nearby. Let's get started!

Where is everyone?
Locate the wife and kids. If kids are at school, my butt is on the way to get them now. School is on speed dial. Call school, get my kids into the front office now.
Kids at home? Good. Get them in the house and get ready to go.
Wife not at home? Call her cell, tell her to get her butt home now.

Start loading water
Water is the most important product we will need. Start filling the bathtubs after throwing a splash of bleach in the bottom. Two tubs in the house, both will get filled.
Next, grab the jugs and bottles kept in the kitchen and put the kids to filling them up. Do the same with any and all tupperware and other type containers in the cabinets as well.

Start getting the food together
We keep food all over the house. Canned goods, pasta, buckets, you know like the rest of you. I am going to be stock piling all of it in my shelter in place (we will address that in a second).
Most will come as it is in plastic covered cartons, but loose cans and other stuff will be thrown into laundry baskets and storage containers.
And the contents of the fridge will be put into that giant ice chest sitting under the shelf in the kitchen along with all the ice and some of the frozen foods too.

Get the cars into the garage
And disconnect the batteries and ground the vehicle. I want this thing to start afterward if possible.

Close the windows and shutters. Lock up the house.

Get the family into the home shelter. Pile as much additional stuff around us as possible for mass. You can never have enough mass protection from fallout.

Get radios, gloves, masks, tools and other stuff. Most of it is already pre-positioned inside the home shelter, but I have a tendency to borrow stuff and use elsewhere.

Bring in the phone. Call anyone one last time.
This is crucial. Let's say you have friends or family away from the zone of damage, but close enough to drive too. If they know you are prepared and sheltered, they may be in a position to come to you afterward or expect you once the radiation levels have tapered off.

Now, what is the home shelter and shelter in place? It would be swell if we all had a swanky underground shelter with twelve months of supplies, blast door, filtration systems and multi entrance/exit hatches and room for forty. But let's face it - who has a couple of million around to buy one of those?

However, any of us can build an expedient fallout shelter in our home with enough time. The best bet is to have it laid out now and have the necessary materials on hand. First, google Nuclear War Survival Skills. Second, go to RadMeters4U and read this whole piece on What To When Nuclear War Is Imminent.

Our home shelter is in the center of the house where the most mass is located (We do not have a basement). The attic above the space has several large full storage containers. The surrounding walls comprise with bathrooms, closets or other inner walls.

Heavy materials such as storage containers, full drawers, boxes and other stuff will be put along the walls. I have several doors and pieces of plywood for the over head. These will be layered with additional storage containers, clothing and other stuff for mass protection.

The hallway has a right angle which will serve as the air flow port. Another is designed on one side.

I have already purchased dosimeters and KI for additional protection and detection. After the radiation levels have dropped off a couple of things will happen. We will leave and go to friend away from here or we will try and make a go of it here.

Is this plan fool proof? Of course not. If it were up to me I would have 15 acres one hundred miles from the nearest 7-11 complete with an underground shelter and storeroom. I would also have wings, could read minds and could shoot like Alvin York. Wishes and fishes. I have to work with what I have and where I am. Adapt and overcome.

A few more things...

The chances of an onslaught of nuclear warheads raining down from Russia are far slimmer than they were in 1982. Times have changed. So have our adversaries. Those nuclear weapons may arrive in rented u-Hauls or shipping containers today.

Why did I not mention running to the grocery store? You have to do that now. All of us should have food and water stored. Last minute water can and should be obtained because you can never have enough.

What will the world look like after a nuclear attack? Who knows. It will stink come to think of it. But I would rather prepare for my kids than sit at home watching them starve and wishing I had done something now.

Good luck and get off your computer and get some fresh air.

SHTF: EMP, One Second After, Gingrich

Newt Gingrich on the Dangers of EMP Attacks and a new book, One Second After by William Forstchen.


Checking the news this AM, I see that Newt Gingrich, former speaker of the House from Georgia, has raised the alarm about the dangers of rogue nuclear states and the threat of an EMP (Electro Magnetic Pulse) attack.

An EMP attack takes advantage of the massive amount of electro magnetic energy released by a nuclear device. Theoretically, an EMP blast would render inoperable sensitive digital circuits such as those found in computers, cars, telephones and other pieces of our nation's infrastructure.

Like the nuclear blast, the higher in the altitude the pulse takes place, the further it reaches. Again, in theory, a single EMP explosion, or chain of similar releases using nuclear weapons, could knock out most post 1950's technology in its path.

An EMP attack would give an enemy a decisive advantage. Their target would have no modern communications or weapons systems available to prepare and counterattack. Further, the damage to the civilian infrastructure would tax and possibly destroy a country's ability to recover. Moreover, because an EMP attack does not leave radiation or widespread damage often associated with a nuclear weapon, the land and much of its facilities would be ready and waiting for an invading army to take advantage of.

The affect on our society would be irreversible and unimaginable. Planes would drop from the sky. Automobiles, immobile, would clog the highways and streets. Communication, energy and food production would ground to a halt. All modern medicine would revert to the Dark Ages as diagnostic equipment goes offline. Law enforcement would be overwhelmed and quickly non-existent.

The question is could we survive?

First, anyone dependent upon technology or modern medicine for their daily survival is a near goner. I hate to sound gloomy, but if there is no power than all those machines aren't going to be functioning. Further, modern medicines will no longer be produced or available at the local Walmart any longer.

Next, my opinion is that the cities are the worse place to be simply because of the concentration of people, the sheer numbers of mouths to feed and the lack of space to grow anything to eat more than a Chia pet. However, most souls in the U.S. are clustered in and around cities.

So there is a good chance that a die off around 90% of the population would not be too far off. Quite frankly, between starvation, resurgent illnesses, crime and lawlessness, most of us don't stand a chance.

Preppers, however, have long prepared for an "post-EMP America" scenario. Unlike the uphill difficulties of radiation or pandemic, being ready means focusing on low tech solutions and storing enough basics for survival.

Because the ground and air are not contaminated and people are not walking pestilence carriers, a working survival community can be designed and prepared in most locations.

Having a remote location such as a farm or ranch is ideal. Food means having several acres of land for grain and vegetable crops, an orchard for fruit and enough space for chickens, goats, rabbits and cattle for meat, dairy and egg production. As important, is the knowledge and ability to produce food without modern machinery and having enough fuel on hand for a pre-1950's tractor and truck.

Stocking medical supplies helps, but having a trained doctor, dentist and nurse would do wonders. Also having skilled mechanics, carpenters and electricians around to build and repair older, pre-computer equipment would go a long way.

Finally, being in the best location and having the tools to defend the community would be the final piece determing whether or not we survived or not.

I think Gingrich speaking out on this subject comes in relation to his part of the release of One Second After by William Forstchen. One Second After is a new book written in the same style as the classic Alas Babylon (and Lights Out for us online fans!).

A father with two small daughters living in rural North Carolina faces a new, dark future after an EMP device is exploded of the U.S. sending the country and most of the world back to the dark ages.

This sounds like a great book as it deals with the aftermath of the attack for some months afterwards and tackles, as the review says, "some obvious and some not so obvious questions"

I love stories like these and am happy to see them in published form and with the press attention to go with it. I hope it wakes some people up and unlike zombies or lizard men from Mars, nuclear attacks are a very real end of the world scenario. I can't wait to get this book either online or at the store.

I don't know if I agree with Mr. Gingrich that one nuclear bomb could destroy the U.S. - at least not in the situation described in his article and built upon in the related book.

However, I do know that one nuclear weapon exploded in a major American city would cause a long term shock to the American people and a short term wave of panic like none of us have scene since 1962.

Best case is to be prepared for any eventuality and you know what that means.

Good luck,

Prepare: Business Travel Preparedness

I travel frequently, (1-2 trips per month) and as such, like to travel ready for anything. By car, I can carry anything I may need. But most business trips are by airplane, which raises questions as to what I can legally and safely carry while on trips away from home.

To start, most of my trips are to urban and developed locations and all are in the continental U.S. (CONUS). I have colleagues who travel outside of the U.S. to Africa and Asia for instance; I could not imagine what I would do in those circumstances so I am thankful for what I have to work with.

When I travel, I carry a roller board suitcase and a backpack. I have always preferred backpacks over over-the-shoulder computer bags. Besides the fact they can be carried on two shoulders (I use this more frequently than you would think), they are designed to be carried for longer periods of time and have more features than a standard laptop bag.

While I would like to say I carry some expensive Kelty business ready backpack, all of my backpacks are generic, rugged bags which I replace annually.

There are a few things I prepare for while on business trips. They include:

Low risk:
Flight delays or reroutes due to weather, repairs, etc.
Getting bumped from my hotel or losing reservation
Change in travel plans, i.e. extra night or day travel

High risk:
Plane crash landing
Weather disaster such as hurricane
National emergency which grounds flights, i.e. such as 9/11
Other national emergency, like the kind we talk about here...

Here is how I pack:

My roller board contains my spare shoes (generally a pair of sneakers for workouts), workout clothes (sweatpants, t-shirt, hoodie and socks), and another set of business clothes.

Depending upon the time of year, I will carry gloves, thermals, a hat and a heavy pair of pants such as jeans and a pair of boots when traveling in the winter. I always bring along a hat regardless of the season.

The outer pockets of the roller board contain nearly always food. I pack foods which are approved for air travel and can be brought onboard. Almost always they consist of:

Packets of oatmeal
Boxes of raisins
Ramen noodles
Protein bars

You cannot carry bottled water through security; TSA will throw it away. So I sometimes purchase two overpriced bottles of water at the airport store once inside the gate area. Sometimes, the airline will give you a bottle if you ask on the plane, but not usually.

In my roller board, I also carry a portable water filter and bottle contraption I purchased at REI.

In my backpack I carry more food and other supplies. Besides protein bars and hard candy, I also have the following:

flashlight - 2. One small standard and another a clip on carabiner type.
3 heavy duty plastic bags. These are large enough to hold a laptop and are especially sturdy. When my company moved our office, the office manager gave me some of these.
2 standard black trash bags - for shelter, to carry
2 ziplock bags - pack small items, carry water, etc.
Tools and knives are no-nos on the plane.
I usually have a small first aid kit.
1 pair of nitrile gloves
2 N95 masks
(nope, I have never received a funny look or had a problem with these in my bag).
1 compass
1 road map for the area I am visiting.
1 spare pair of socks.
Sanitizing gel (actually, I stick this in my pocket in case it is taken by security).
1 pack of kleenex - those little packages. Guess what - toilet paper!
1 pack of matches. I manage to put those in my suit jacket and they are never taken by security.
1 lightweight wind/rain coat.

If the plane goes down in the middle of the wilderness and I survive, I have the makings of a shelter, light, and something to eat.

I know it is not likely I will survive an aircrash, but what if I am stranded at my destination city? Say there is a nuclear attack or other SHTF event? I will have the start of my pack to get from Point A to Point B (home).

Wish list:

We all wish we could travel "packed".
I wish I could bring along a multi tool.
I wish I could bring along another form of communication besides a cell phone.
I wish I could pack a car, trailer fully stocked in my roller board too.

SHTF Movies: Panic in Year Zero

When I was eight years old, a freak ice storm hit our area. The roads were nearly impassable, traffic was tied up and naturally, my school called a late start that morning.

My sister and I carpooled with another girl nearby and were able to make it to her house before we found out school was delayed. Her mother parked us on the couch, put on the television and went about her morning chores. (this was in the old days when mothers drove station wagons, wore their hair in curlers until 4:45 PM and cleaned house daily).

In those days, there was only 5 channels in our fair town; CBS, ABC, NBC, one local channel and a single UHF station broadcasting religious programming. At that time, national and local channels pretty much had free reign as to what they wanted to broadcast during non-prime time hours.

We had swell shows like Dialing for Dollars (watch a movie and during the commercials an announcer would call viewers and have them guess the jackpot), local cooking shows, farm reports (the show sets looked like they cost $10.00 in scrap lumber to build) and of course "women's programming" like fashions, household tips and exotic travel documentaries to places like New York City or New Orleans!

In the morning hours, there was usually a movie on to kill two hours. These films were all "B" movies which were cheap for local broadcasters to run unlimited numbers of times in the morning and late at night.

It was that icy morning I saw my first survival themed film.. "Panic In Year Zero".

Released in 1962 in full black and white splendor, "Panic" starred Academy award winner Ray Milland along with Jean Hagen and teen heart throb, Frankie Avalon.

The story follows a Los Angeles family as they head out early one morning for a camping and fishing vacation. Two hours after they leave home, they notice a flash in the sky far behind them. They ignore it until a few events take place (a car crash, a Conelrad radio alert and a crowded diner) reveal to them that a nuclear war has taken place.

Their home, Los Angeles has been hit and phone service to the area is out. Mom wants to return home to check on her mother, but dad Milland says nothing doing.

First, the family hits a small town and buys a few hundred dollars worth of groceries. In those days, that was enough to stuff their trailer full of canned goods and other things. The best scene here is the daughter picking up some sodas and her father saying, "No, leave that and get chocolate bars and honey". (Dad remembers WWII and knows what will be needed and what is junk!). On the way out, Dad advises the owner to lock up and hoard is stock as a mob will be coming soon from nuked Los Angeles to clean him out.




Next, they go to the hardware store and have their first problem. After they stock up on gasoline cans, rope, axes, and other hardware, Dad picks out a shotgun, lever action rifle and a fine .45 automatic (Ah, old school hardware stores). When the time to pay comes, Dad is short on cash and offers to write a check. The owner laughs and says "fat chance". Dad pulls his recently acquired .45 on the owner, leaves a check and clears out. The hardware store owner vows revenge.

Gasoline is next on the list and by now, the service station jockey knows about the war. He wants $3.00 a gallon for thirty cent gas. Dad belts him and throws a handful of rapidly devaluing cash on the sprawled unconscious body of the attendant. (Dad is fine with taking stuff, but nobody better try that business on him!).

The family plans on heading to their campground and holing up until things get better. More problems ahead..

Traffic from LA stalling their path.. Dad burns his way through that..

A road block in a small town.. Dad blows through it.

A carload of hoodlums ("Cops kinda busy, daddio"). Son chases the off with shotgun, but after Mom blocks his killing shot..

Finally, they arrive at their campsite. They tear down the bridge to the camp (good) and dump their trailer (dumb) and move into a cave (interesting).

Things get rough soon after..

The daughter is assaulted by the same carload of hoodlums..

The hardware store owner arrives and moves into their abandoned trailer!

The hoodlums have to be eradicated, but soon after, Son is shot!

And more adventures happen soon after.

Happy ending however and all turns out well. As the final line of the movie goes "Good, another healthy family to rebuild America". Happy times.

Get this movie from your local vendor or of course on Amazon.

Panic in Year Zero

I loved this movie as a kid and laughed at the crazy loud music in every scene. Apparently, Milland directed this classic as well as starring in it and had a hand in picking the score. This was the film the subconsciously got me into the whole prepper mentality, I just didn't realize it until twenty five years later.

A great watch for a somewhat corny, but hard to find film. "Panic in Year Zero" gets one thumb up from me (the other is holding my .30-30).

SHTF: Some fun skills to have post-SHTF

Today:

Workout
60 military press with 40 lbs
35 squats with bar bell - 80 lbs
90 sit ups
45 curls - half 40 lbs, half 20 lbs

Breakfast
two eggs
half can salmon
two tortillas
two cups tea

Here's the deal folks.. better get in shape now for manual labor, both at home, and at the next job. Hopefully, it won't be forced, but like the Great Depression, many of us may end up digging ditches for the new Stimulus Infrastructure Project in the near future.

Also, better start eating right and out of stored foods. What? Stored foods? I thought those were for when the SHTF? Guess what? It has hit the fan.

In the meantime, I am looking at the big picture and working on long term plans.

For instance, a list of things which are worth knowing now (bad economy across the country) and later (when things get even worse).

They are practical little tidbits which I hope to flesh out as time allows. They are also activities I am working on learning myself.

Making home made wine, cider or beer. Google hobo wine for some great answers.

Give myself and son haircuts with the neat barber set I picked up from Harbor Freight.

Dehydrating food without the dehydrator. I like my dehydrator, but doing it outside with an old window screen is better.

Routine auto maintenance. I have been able to do this sort of stuff since I could drive, but many cannot. One should know how to change oil, tires, windshield wipers, lights, hoses and belts. And how to use the tools required. It is not a hard skill to learn and most of us can do it with time.

Also, be available to fix things at your neighbor's home for barter. Say a dozen eggs or some of that canned chili they were saving. Mmmmm..

Sew. I can do buttons and hems, but I have never sewn something from start to finish. A good Singer, some patterns and material and I can make some simple clothes for my kids.

Card games. Cards are cheap and games are numerous. I can play go fish and poker, but knowing how to play things like Hearts, Spades, Bridge and so forth will kill some time when the TV is a distant memory.

Butcher something other than a bird. I have dressed a couple of rabbits, but never anything bigger. Time to learn and get good. Dog may be on the menu soon.

Scavenging 101. This means dumpster diving, clearing foreclosed homes and businesses, refurbishing dumped furnishings and stuff left on the side of the street.

Cook for 20 or more at one time. Can you say "neighborhood potlucks"? I knew you could. This will be the new past time in most subdivisions before long.

Washing clothes by hand and hang drying outside. Sure we know HOW, but we also know its HARD to do. Be ready for rolling brownouts as home electricity usage is determined by available carbon credits.

Like I said, it's here now and like I told a customer yesterday, it's going to get worse before it gets better. And a note to the uber-rich out there.. with the announcement from FedGov on Swiss bank accounts and Stanford's arrest, there is nowhere safe offshore any more. Might want to look at a nice hidey hole in Idaho or Montana about now..

Good luck!

SHTF: Post SHTF employment, jobs, skills and work

In light of my past post about surviving layoffs and today's economy. One of the SHTF forums I frequent brought up this topic for discussion.

Let me preface with an explaination what I mean by post-SHTF. I am not talking about the current economic or employment scenario we have today. Loading up a yard cart and going door to door in your neighborhood offering to sharpen saw blades might get you a bunch of odd looks and the possibility of a confrontation with the law.

Rather, post-SHTF employment and jobs means work after the economy has collapsed; i.e. no welfare, no SS, no Medicare, no paycheck or job to go to. The government is gone or limping along at the federal level with few if any employees and only a token head of state hiding in a bunker somewhere. The streets are either deserted and home to looters and thieves.

You and yours are living in a rural or suburban enclave and have to do business or trade with others to items you need.

So, that being the case, here are my list of realistic post-shtf jobs and employment.

- medical and dental work.
No, nothing complex, but basic medical treatment and advice. Doctors, nurses and dentists will have plenty to do, but will have to do their work without benefit of most drugs or electricity. However, having a doctor check a child and determine that indeed the appendix is in danger of rupture and surgery is required, will be a must have skill.
In addition, knowledge and skills with natural remedies will be priceless. But these homemade potions and herbs have to work to some degree, so don't plan on figuring out this skill after the SHTF.
Finally, any sort of related health skill will be useful such as massage therapy, accupuncture, chiropracters, midwife, etc. Those folks will have their "hands" full as hospitals and doctor's offices close.
A reminder, there will be no advanced medicine available or will be severly limited. That means high blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, depression, etc will either run their natural course or the patient will have to adjust. Quickly.

- personal care
How often do you get a haircut? Once a month or every six weeks? What happens when Supercuts is a distant memory? Who wants to have head lice or scabies? People with hair skills will have their work "cut" out for them. Sure, Sonny can get a crew cut or butch with the home barber kit, but what about Mom or daughter?

- food production and preparation
Most people have brown thumbs and cannot produce a thing to eat from dirt. Those with gardening know how, or better, the ability to produce extra will have work out the wazzoo. That also applies also to those with canning, preservation, butchering and drying skills.
The hunter will have work, but with 300 million mouths in the US, wild animals will be overhunted and domestics will be the new food source. Take it as you will.
Raising chickens, rabbits and goats will be a cash industry post-shtf.

- labor of all types
Like it or not, most of America is soft and weak and used to having others do for them. Family men who cannot change a lightbulb or mow their own lawn. Mothers who cannot clean their home or do the laundry.
These are opportunities, as basic as they are, for the hardy do it yourselfer to offer services and training to these lost souls.
More advanced skills like sewing will be highly in demand. Basic work like taking in laundry will provide work for families.

- Mechanical, electrical, carpentry
If gasoline runs out, fixing the Escalade will not be in demand. However, keeping a generator or rototiller working will be.
Same with installing a basic power generation system using salvaged solar panels or an excersize bike and car batteries.
How about having those shot out windows fixed or the roof leak repaired?
Yes, having real fix it skills, not some shade tree service, will be in demand from skilled professionals. Having the tools, non-powered to do it, will also be mandatory. So stock up on hand saws and drills.

- security
The soldier of fortune, former police officer or even the black belt, former nightclub bouncer will have plenty of work.
Think of all the folks who are afraid of guns right now. Or have never handled one. Or the number of people who do not know how to defend themselves. Or know how to set up a defensive perimeter around a home, town or farm.
These skills and the mindset which accompany them will be priceless as your town goes to war between the haves and havenots, the raider and producer and the looter and survivor. Remember the TV show Jericho? The neighboring town attacked Jericho for farm land and food. Having a man like the Mayor who had combat experience made the difference when the town was under attack.

- scavenger
The ability to find hard to get products will be.. interesting. And potentially profitable.

Tell me. What skill do you see as needed and worthwhile to pursue after the SHTF? Remember, think what others will pay for, not what your dream job will be.

SHTF: Raiders

The house was well off the beaten path, but with things being the way they were, it was only a matter of time until the vermin fleeing the cities found their way here. There were 7 of them and only one was injured from their last raid. That was another remote farm a few miles away. When the food ran out, the raiders moved on. The raiders spread out and moved in quietly. The evolution of their occupation taught them hard lessons and they adapted quickly. The family dog was first to go. Then the front door kicked in while other attackers moved in simultaneously against the back door and through two windows. A man, the father no doubt, barely had time to lift his shotgun before he was gunned down. A boy no more than 12 went for a .22. rifle on the wall, but he was overpowered before it could be put to use. The mother and a teen aged daughter clung to each other in the corner. Benefits of the job thought the raiders as they closed in...

In the post-SHTF world, raiders will be as common as roaches in many place. They will prowl the torn cities, patrol the highways and roads and sweep through small communities and farm towns in their quest for food, supplies, weapons and victims.

Authorities will be non-existent, only found in certain locations or for hire as mercenaries. I would not be surprised to see some authority groups break down into raiders themselves justifying their actions as necessary.

The post SHTF raider
Early raiders will evolve from a few demographics.

- City dwellers while escaping starvation in their former urban homes see the country side, suburbs and small towns as refuges and supply stations while they move from one location to another. Groups will form, break up and reform as authority figures establish themselves over others.

- Convicts, criminals, and gangs which continue their activities unabated.

- As noted above, authorities cut off from a central command or realizing the futility of their original mission will raid and establish territories to "protect" the local populations. Also, some governments, local and otherwise, may find their raids as "resource allocation and procurement".

Emergency Preparedness and Ambushes
The only defense is to wipe them out before they do the same to you and yours. A good defense is the first priority.

Location is everything

Don't give raiders a chance to attack you if they cannot find you first.
You can hide almost anywhere, but remote and rural is the best bet. Your retreat should be hidden from main roads with nothing (a big gate with Barnes Ranch on top is not advised) alerting passerby's to its identity. A dirt road can be made to look unused and less traveled.
Keep vehicles hidden and off the roads. When traveling from and returning to the retreat, take roundabout ways and alter them frequently.
Keep trees and brush heavy nearest the road to your retreat. Don't let them see a cozy house on top of a bare hillside 100 yards from the road.

Use natural landmarks to your advantage


A nearby hill should be modified with a hidden and camouflaged observation post with views 360 degrees available. The best and most able marksmen should occupy this spot with emergency communications equipment 24/7.
Rocks and trees should be marked around the retreat with ranges and setup as defensive positions. Remember, a raider will be using defensive positions facing the retreat - don't allow them any assistance.
Movement outside of the defensive parameter should be done through below ground or ground level paths (tunnels or ditches) and travelers should be in full camouflage or "gilly" suits.
Distances from the retreat in all directions should be measured and appropriate weapons assigned to the measurements. A shotgun is useless on a target at 400 yards.

Home preparation

The home should have stout doors with cross bars.
All windows should have shutters (metal preferred) and bars.
There should be at least three means of leaving and entering the home.
An escape route (a tunnel is best) for retreat should be in place with a meet up place nearby assigned.
Bug out bags should be maintained in the event some or all of the retreat residents have to escape.
Caches of supplies should be stored off site as well.
Call signals will be in effect for all communications even for the youngest members of the retreat.
Firearms will be worn by all adults and responsible teens at all times. The worse situation is to have guns locked up or in a central location. Needless to say, firearm training is mandatory and ongoing for all.
Have a 6 inch painted PVC pipe running along the ridge of the roof. Put 1 inch holes spaced a few inches apart in the pipe and connect a hose to each end. In the event of firebombs, the water can be run through the pipe to water the roof. Keep extinguishers, sand and buckets handy inside for the same purpose.
Obviously keep plenty of water and food inside the home in the event of a siege.

Attackers will use distance and stealth

Attack doctrine calls for one or two long distance shooters to "pin the defenders down" while others move in close.
Spread out your defenders using your Observation Post and hidden travel paths to work behind the attackers. Attack them and put their plans off.
Be prepared to use less than orthodox means to repel an attack. Historically defenders have used mines, booby traps, chemicals, fumes, flames and liquids against attackers successfully.
Have an early warning system in place of the observation post, communications with other nearby residents, trip wires and noise alarms.

Safety in numbers

Our scenario above might have been different if the family had joined up with two or three other families and shared resources and defense. Raiders are like any other predator; they look for weak and lone victims to attack. Give them a target which is more than they can chew off.

Tell me what you think!

Leave a comment or click below!

SHTF: Harbor Freight

If you read a bunch of preparedeness and survivial forums, posters will frequently alert other readers to a big sale at "Aldis" or "Fred Meyer" on canned beef or Wylers drink powders.

Unfortunately, most readers are nowhere near the retail outlets identified (think the closest one is 1600 miles away). The well meaning forget the internet is global and readership is reflective.

However, I carefully study the maps which show where visitors to this blog come from. And when I combined that with a circular which came to my house yesterday I had to put this notice out.

Harbor Freight is a discount hardware store found in most states. The day after Thanksgiving they are holding a huge sale (like most retailers that day).

The prices were unbelievable and HF makes a great place to pick up some survival equipment deals..

A gasoline siphon - 3.99
7 function pocket knives (great trade item) - .99 each.
Survival knife - 7.99
Electric hair clipper set (post SHTF income stream!) - 5.99
Headlamp with swivel - 2.99
6 pairs of knit work gloves - 1.99
5 pack of particle masks - .59 (add these two items to your JIC or BOB bag).
and lots more.

HF is on the web at http://www.harborfreight.com/ and worth checking out. Wait for the sale though for extra savings!

SHTF: "I am coming to your house!"

You cut back on expenses, clip coupons, make lists, budget, plan and carefully put aside emergency supplies for your family (and maybe a few others) to last a year or so if and when things get bad.

While at work one day, you find yourself in a discussion with a co-worker about the economy or maybe recent world problems. Your friend remarks that preparing for an end of the world scenario is hopeless to which you counter, "Oh no. I have been putting aside food and water for my family for some time. It is not that hard to do..".

Before you know it, you hear those horrible words from the grinning co-worker, "Well, if things get bad, I am coming to your house!".

Great. Expect locusts for house guests the day after.

Where do these people come from? Why do they think they will be welcome, empty handed and wanting anywhere? Why did you open your big fat mouth?

Forget about the arguments about entitlement mentality or the laziness of the herd, if you don't want visitors, bring in the welcome mat.

First, shut up. Being blunt here, but nobody is going to show up with hand out (or gun drawn) if they don't know what preparedness supplies you have. Quit advertising what a great "prepper" you are and how many cases of beef stew you have put back in the basement, etc.

The problem with many preppers is they crave the attention and the approval of the crowd and can't wait to open their yaps and pontificate about their water well, dried food supply, canners, wood stove, grain mills and solar panels. In doing so, they essentially advertise the End of the World Holiday Inn is accepting reservations when the balloon goes up, come one and all.

So keep your mouth shut about what your plans are and the specifics therein.

Keep the emergency food and supplies hidden and out of sight. Nothing says "Come on over!" like a stack of Mountain House foods in plain view for all to see or a pantry floor covered in white buckets marked "Beans", "Rice" and "Wheat".

If someone questions the wheat grinder or dehydrator on the kitchen counter, just shrug and say "Why? Don't you have one?" and make the questioner feel stupid for asking.

Stop coming up with the elaborate stories and tales preppers come up with like "Oh, that stack of number 10 cans of textured vegetable protein? Oh, um, um, we are going on a church mission to open a vegetarian cafeteria in another country. Yeah that's it!" or
"All those bags of flour and sugar? We make cookies and cakes for the holidays. Would you like to order something?" (what do you do when they then ask for a dozen pies, Einstein?).

Ridiculous. Keep your stuff hidden. And if someone comes across a case of MRE's in the house or back of your car, just say. "Man, I gotta clean this place up. I don't know why I still have this junk..". and leave it at that.

Finally, practice saying the magic word - "No".

"No, I have no food or gasoline or a gun to spare for you. Run along and don't come back".

That's it, end of discussion. Otherwise, start working harder and buying more stuff for the deadbeats you will be directly supporting the day after.

SHTF: Banking meltdown - What to do?

So many of the investment banks and financial companies are melting down. Many of us saw it coming years ago and stopped putting money into overpriced, venture capitalist run, non-producing companies years ago.

So what does a pre-apocalypse investor do with their savings, investments and carefully hoarded pennies do?

Disclaimer: I am not an investment adviser or professional. If you routinely take financial found on a blog, you should really turn over control of the purse to someone else.

What do I do with my money?

I like cash.
I pay for almost all of my every day expenses, (groceries, gas, etc) with cash.

I like precious metals. Nope, I am not an obsessed gold bug or silver bug, rather, I like having a cash equivalent denomination I can spend literally anywhere in the world. Drop a hat and I can cash in a roll of pre-1965 silver U.S. quarters at a jewelry or coin store and instantly have cash to pay bills with.

I like tangibles. I like having my house paid for. I like having a full pantry, a full gas tank and a working garden out the back door. I would rather have something real I can eat or consume right now then a something I hope will be around in the next 20 years.

It works for me. You do what works for you and yours. But let me say this. Having worked in business my entire adult life, there is a glut of dishonest people who have wormed thier way into the business world whose only skill is the ability to appraise and gut a perfectly good company in an astonishing amount of time.

Consider working for yourself if possible. At least you will like your boss.

Prepare SHTF: School Emergency Kits

With August drawing to a close, the "back to school" sales begin in earnest around the country. While the wife and kids hit the big box retailers for clothes, lunch boxes and three-ring binders, you and I are going shopping too. Just for some other back to school stuff..

Your child needs a school emergency kit. Why? Very likely, you have a imagined a scenario where you are at work or home and the children are miles away at school waiting for you to come get them. It is best to have them prepared with a few supplies which might help them out during the interim.

First, your child already has a bag for their school emergency kit; their backpack. Yes, they already have books, lunch and what not in their backpack, but there is always room for a few more things.

Food -

Your child will need food for their school emergency kit. Add a few protein bars, Ramen noodle packets or spam singles. Combined, they will be part of a three day/800 calorie a day food supplement. Tuck some hard candy into an outer pocket as well. Don't forget, your child will have their lunch and there may be additional food sources available from the school cafeteria. Train your kids now to know where to track down food sources for them and their friends in the event of an emergency.

Water -

Water is invaluable in the school emergency kit. Two things - At least one bottle of water in the backpack for emergencies only and an additional water storage container. My kids have half liter water bottles they take to school. They know to refill them from the water fountains when they run low. If possible, add a low cost reusable water filter to the school emergency kit. Make sure kids know where water can be found at school; the water fountains, cafeteria, bathroom fountains, etc. Drink tap water first and save sealed water bottles for last.

Lighting -

An emergency kit should always take lighting into consideration. Include a sturdy AA flashlight and two light sticks. Put those light sticks in an outer pocket or in the bottom of the backpack wrapped in foil or in a sealed ziplock bag.

Communication -

Emergency kits mean emergency communications. Most kids older than 10 have cell phones. Even if you need to pick up a "pay as you go" pre-paid phone for emergencies, do it. Always make sure kids know which number to reach you and other trusted adults.

Am option might be a two way family radio service radio. If you choose this route, make sure it runs on AA batteries like the flashlight.

Warmth/Bedding -

If your child is stuck at school or in the bus overnight, staying warm might be important. Pick up at least one folding rain poncho. They cost less than a dollar at the sporting goods store. Get one of those reflective blankets. Add at least one spare pair of socks as well.

Work gloves are useful as well.

Additional -

The school emergency kit should include one bottle of hand sanitizer (travel sized of course), an N95 face mask, and a pair of nitrile gloves. All of these things are invaluable, "when used correctly" during a potential pandemic or to even to avoid nuclear fallout.

Protection -

You know the zero tolerance policy so avoid adding anything to your school emergency kit which might be considered a weapon. Instead, make sure your child's kit includes a small first aid kit and a good whistle.

Most of all, include in your school emergency kit the one thing which cannot be bought in a store - knowledge. Prepare and train your child for a variety of short term and long term emergencies. Knowing what to do when the time comes up saves lives.

Back to school is a busy time. Don't forget to make emergency preparedness plans for your child which includes their school emergency kit.

SHTF: Where is your survival retreat?

I had a dream the other night that the end had finally come (What else do we dream about? :)). The family across the street went to grandfather's ranch. The couple next door went to their lake house. Wife's friend and family went to family farm.

We had no where to go.

All relatives were either long gone or lived in urban areas. Nobody to go to and no one who could take us in.

I have always believed in "bugging in" first as part of my survival preparedness plans. Why? Because this is where my supplies are. I know the area, where supplies may be available, what plants and food grows best here and the people around me.

However, all of us in the preparedness world need to consider a fall back, well out of town retreat should the big one happen.

For instance, if there is a nuclear, chemical or biological attack.
If there is a pandemic.
If there is wide spread social breakdown, rioting, looting and unleashed crime.

Staying in an urban area would be the worse idea in those situations.

How to get out of town is one thing which i will not cover here.

But where to go, your survival retreat is the first problem needed to be solved.

A survival retreat can be a few acres of land a couple of hours out of town. It may be a hunting lease or fishing camp. Perhaps the corner of some family property someone still has mineral rights for.

To prepare for your survival retreat, check local listings within two hours of your town for rural properties for sale. A house, farm or shelter is not neccessary if money is tight. Rather, find five or more acres with access to running water for starters.

When checking the property, count the number of ways in. Is there a farm to market road? Dirt road? Uphill or downhill? Trails? Rocky or difficult terrain? After all, when you go to your retreat might be in bad whether or in the winter.

How about that water supply? Is it a running stream, river or creek? Or a dried up stock tank? Access to a river is ideal as it can supply drinking, bathing, washing water and a potential food source.

So your survival retreat has all these things? What next? Well where would you live?

Consider a portable travel trailer for starters. Or maybe a used mobile home. Or a do it your self cabin kit.

Any of these cost affective options are good, but the priority should be on inexpensive and portable. Why?

Because you may only visit your survival retreat a few times a year. Rural properties left unattended are often the targets of vandalism, crime and potentially squaters. Wouldn't it stink to find a family of meth heads camped out in your 250,000.00 dollar retreat shelter?

Also, consider finding a storage space in a nearby town to pre-place supplies. Things like water filters, camp furniture, sleeping gear, cooking equipment including a stove and fuel, long term storage food, "defensive equipment" and other necessities which will not go bad or expire.

I don't think anyone should place needed supplies at their retreat unless they are well hidden in caches onsite. But that is my opinion.

The catch is how to pay for something like a survival retreat. Consider a rural home or property loan. Or use part of your retirement savings. Remember, land nearly always increases and maintains its value. It might be a good financial investment.

Finally, know how long it takes to get to your survival retreat and how much fuel will be needed. Maintain that stock at all times. Keep supplies close at hand and ready to load should you have to leave home with little notice. And always have more than one route to your retreat. Preferably off the main roads and beaten track.