SHTF. Are you ready?

[meketrefe]

Hi forum friends.
It seems there is enough people already that we can start something educational and fun.
At least it will be fun for me because I do learn every day, sometimes from the most
unexpected person and I would like to find out if there are some things I can improve.

You see, I walk every day. Some days I take my backpack just to carry the extra weight but
normally just walk as much as I can and take my dog with me who is great company.

I want to propose a set of simple directives to help those with a plan, a BOB and/or any other
contingencies for an emergency SHTF situation.
But before I do that I would like to gather some ideas about what people's plans are and
how they are managing the potential scenarios.

I want this to be the foundation for something more profound and fundamental than simply
a list of items and brands that one might or might not use according to their specific cirumnstances.

I am going to propose a multiple choice above that covers several areas. You do have multiple
choices but please do not choose the choices that do not really apply to you.

A) First what means SHTF to you? what kind of scenarios do you see as possible
in your area?
B) Do you have an emergency kit or BOB and/or a place you are going with supplies?

IMPORTANT (Cut and paste and answer the questions below)

I ran out of options for the multiple choice above but if you don't mind
please also tell me about the following. No need for long answers. If you have a BOB but don't know the answers yet just say
don't know yet or something like that. It is important to be honest here.

1) Do you carry some form of shelter or protection against the elements?


2) Is your plan to drive somewhere, walk, or what else? you can list them in the priority you plan them.


3) How far is where you are going?


4) If you are not going anywhere is your plan to go into hiding to come back ?


5) How much water and food do you carry and for how many days?


6) Do you think you have a good plan for a short term situation?


7) Do you have a plan for a long term situation?


Thanks for the feedback guys. It looks there are a few areas that will bring a lot of interest.
Based on the survey I see some urgency and I would suggest some of you that have not done anything yet
to do something very simple and inexpensive. We can put a thread to talk about the bare minimum emergency package
to keep handy at the house, work and/or the car. I see no excuse to disregard some bare minimum items
and study in the house or car that might be life savers.

Also pay attention to other threads like this one opened by @Celt ...

Survival videos

 

[Celt]

Imo, a shtf scenario starts at option A3, and can be anything worse.

As for level of prepardness. Well, i dont have a bunker, but i have storage or food, water, weapons, and clothing at a couple of locations. I need more medical supplies (antibiotics).

And i really need to setup an official network, but i dont really want to post more about that at this time.

 

[meketrefe]

I ran out of options for the multiple choice above but if you don't mind
please also tell me about the following. No need for long answers. If you have a BOB but don't know the answers yet just say
don't know yet or something like that. It is important to be honest here.

1) Do you carry some form of shelter or protection against the elements?


2) Is your plan to drive somewhere, walk, or what else? you can list them in the priority you plan them.


3) How far is where you are going?


4) If you are not going anywhere is your plan to go into hiding to come back ?


5) How much water and food do you carry and for how many days?


6) Do you think you have a good plan for a short term situation?


7) Do you have a plan for a long term situation?

 

[meketrefe]

Imo, a shtf scenario starts at option A3, and can be anything worse.

As for level of prepardness. Well, i dont have a bunker, but i have storage or food, water, weapons, and clothing at a couple of locations. I need more medical supplies (antibiotics).

And i really need to setup an official network, but i dont really want to post more about that at this time.

Lets see what others say. Just answer your questions.
After this I am going to analyze and propose a series of exercises to see how each one of us do in relation to our goals.
Any suggestions are welcome.
Who knows, perhaps this will be the begining of a NYGF preppers network!

 

[Celt]

1) Do you carry some form of shelter or protection against the elements?

In my get home bag i keep a rolled up poncho, and some black contractor bags. Along with paracord, zipties, and duct tape.


2) Is your plan to drive somewhere, walk, or what else? you can list them in the priority you plan them.

Im prepared to walk home from work in nyc, about 50-60 miles if the shtf happens while at work. Ultimate plan is to drive upstate, or walk/bike if needed.


3) How far is where you are going?

See above. And destination is 110 north from my home.


4) If you are not going anywhere is your plan to go into hiding to come back ?

We could bug in if needed in our area. if it were an emp and we couldnt drive its not feasible to walk 110 miles, in winter with kids.


5) How much water and food do you carry and for how many days?
In my ghb i have enough for 2 days, but i can get home in 2, and have means to purify water. At home is much more.


6) Do you think you have a good plan for a short term situation? Absolutely


7) Do you have a plan for a long term situation?
Meh, it needs work, but i have a rough plan.

I responded in red in your quoted text. Expand the quote to view answers.

 

[Uzi]

I think I'd plan to react based not of what I think may happen specifically, but more for whatever does end up happening. What's important to me is having food that I can carry and a way to protect myself. Also to not be stuck relying for the same things as everyone else would be in a panic situation. To have only a specific plan of bugging out somewhere may bite you in the ass when for whatever reason, you're not able to get to that location or bring an X amount of items etc. I believe it's more of a reaction, and not a set plan. I guess I would plan to react, because for me it make more sense when I don't know for certainty of anything. I also want to invest in things that I can use anyways with or without a civil unrest. I don't have money to buy novelty useless prepper junk.

 

[holdover]

I have a BOB at home. Some of which include 4 2 qt canteens with 100 iodine tabs and a life straw for water . I have a planned route of travel to egress out of the area , I carry nothing in my car. ( I should)

 

[Criticalt]

Im not going to leave unless it becomes impossible to stay. If air quality , fire, chemical agents are at play we will be forced to leave. That part of my plan is still being worked on.
Sraying put in our home is very well planned out and we will be comfortable for quite awhile. We have a small network of very competent people that will stay here with us. We have good defenses, great food and water, great electricity and a well stocked medical kit, antibiotics, defibrillators, prednisone and many other trauma type gear. One of our group is a doctor and his wife is an RN, both have experience in trauma.
If we must leave we are going on horseback. We are very experienced horse people and are far more comfortable on horses than in a car if SHTF.

 

[meketrefe]

Wise words uzi. Never undertstimate the power of a nice knife and a simple plastic bag if you can too.

 

[Drinkthekoolaid]

I don't worry about weather too much. For me shtf is more or less "doomsday" type events. Martial law, emp, extended grid down, pandemic, nuclear attack, ww3 Etc...

I think anyone with a reasonable amount of intelligence and planning can prepare for a weather event. Even up to 2 weeks etc.. I'm worried about breakdown in society events.

At this point I don't have a realistic bug out plan/ Bob/ bol. I have young children. At this point it's not realistic to take then to bug out to an unknown location. For the time being on limited funds I think my efforts are best spent on increasing my odds of survival of bugging in.

In the future I fully plan on buying a bol in the southern tier of ny or northern tier of PA in the Allegany plateau. This would be a reasonably close, low population density, resource rich enviornment to big out to for an extended crisis. But I hope nothing crazy happens until I can financially line up the resources.

In my situation since I don't have anywhere realistic to go, I think I would only leave my house as a last resort if no other reasonable choice is available. If you leave your house without somewhere to go, you are a refugee.


However I do have enough gear to make it home from work and a backpack. I keep in my trunk to make sure I have resources available at all times to be able to make it home and have multiple routes (even specific railroad rights of way) committed to memory if regular roads are not an option.

 

[MikeyCNY]

I'll never be fully ready. I need more training, more gear, 'Bug Out Location' etc...

 

[Drinkthekoolaid]

I'll never be fully ready. I need more training, more gear, 'Bug Out Location' etc...

Don't we all....

I just hope we have enough time. I wish I would have woken up and been more observant sooner.

 

[Eddie Gunks]

Ha ha ha. No plan. No kit. No shelter.

Maybe i die 1st day. Maybe i live for years.

Ad lib has been my method in life (and maybe death)

I figure A3. My plan is to hide out and not move for 7 days (yes, i will be hungy. Plenty of water to collect on the way. Enough food in my house to last.....or i will be hungry.

I figure most chaos will be in the 1st week. Then it will settle down (people will die). Look at how fast the jerks in NJ fell apart during sandy. Like 3 days. And that only affected a small area.... Not all the usa or the entire east coast. And they flew in supplies from the west coast. And peple still fell apart at yje gas stations.

 

[Jem45472]

Completely unprepared other than obviously being armed. Do have some land we would gather at.

 

[Marine Cpl]

In my SHTF world, my plan is on hunkering in and keeping low. That's where my supplies are and I can stay home for quite a while without going into town. Water excluded.

If I'm at work, my mission is to get home and walk home 60 miles if I have to. I have a 3 day pack with my poncho, 3 liter hydration bladder, 1 canteen with canteen cup, spaceblanket survival sleeping bag, hammock with mosquito netting, 1 MRE, a few power bars, survival straw, bribe money for cabs, first aid kit, knife, flashlight, Baofeng radio for monitoring police frequencies, and a few other things.

At home, I have a bigger pack containing the same items along with additional food, water, ammo, carbine, cold weather gear, sleeping bag with gortex cover, matt, ect. It's designed to sustain me for about a week if I have to head into the woods and avoid contact from people.

 

[Jem45472]

It's threads like this that remind me of how completely unprepared I am for such a situation.

 

[Marine Cpl]

It's threads like this that remind me of how completely unprepared I am for such a situation.

You can start now. It's never too late.

My food stores consist of 1 bag of dry beans and 1 box of wheat pasta at a cost of 3 bucks everythime I go to the store. I've been doing it for about over half a year now. It adds up quickly.

 

[Jem45472]

You can start now. It's never too late.

My food stores consist of 1 bag of dry beans and 1 box of wheat pasta at a cost of 3 bucks everythime I go to the store. I've been doing out for about over half a year now. It adds up quickly.

Sadly, if I have a spare few bucks laying around, it usually goes to a new gun or ammo. I don't know, never really gave the "what ifs" a thought.

 

[Marine Cpl]

Sadly, if I have a spare few bucks laying around, it usually goes to a new gun or ammo. I don't know, never really gave the "what ifs" a thought.

You can't eat ammo man!

 

[Jem45472]

Good point. My only real plan would be to hopefully hookup with some like minded people.

 

[Marine Cpl]

I put the beans and pasta in bags with oxygen absorbers. It's cheap at 3 bucks everytime you go to the store. If I go for a gallon of milk, I get a bag of each. I have 2 large Walmart plastic storage bins under the bed already.

It's not very diverse but you can live off of it and it last many years and costs nothing.

 

[Jackalope]

Better pack some vitamins along with those beans and pasta. A lot of "experts" advise storing the foods that you regularly eat, which means the food should be rotated on a regular basis. And don't forget to store food for your animals too.

 

[meketrefe]

It's threads like this that remind me of how completely unprepared I am for such a situation.

The idea here is to realize this is not about a huge list of things but most obvious things many take for granted and easy to overlook and might
not be doing. So stay connected. We rather to focus in the how before we even understand what we have to do and why. The how comes later.
There are many places with BOB, BOL ideas and shooping lists and other tips but I want to get to the bottom of some pretty fundamental things.
This will be fun.

 

[meketrefe]

Good point. My only real plan would be to hopefully hookup with some like minded people.

If there is paypal there could be a PrepPal, right?

 

[Eddie Gunks]

You can't eat ammo man!

You are right. But it can be traded at zero fps, or if needed, at 1100fps.

 

[Drinkthekoolaid]

I started buying beans rice and pasta and storing them in Mylar bags with oxygen absorbers. Should stay good for 10 years.

Its a very cheap and easy way to stock up on food.

 

[shoot2much]

I actually bought a .22 pellet rifle for a SHTF scenario as I plan on bugging in and staying low. Would use that for shooting small game in the woods near us, and keeping quiet since we're relatively in the "middle" of town, so blasting off powdered guns would give us away quickly. We currently live in a townhouse style home, so if a defending situation came up, I'd have the non-existent AR and my wife with the shotgun. Her pointed at the front door, me upstairs out the windows. Hopefully it doesn't come anywhere close to that. Food wise, I have some mountain house buckets downstairs, we always have about four cases of bottled water constantly being rotated out. There is a stream about 50 yards away from the garage door, in the woods, and I have filtration methods on hand. Hygiene wise, we always buy in bulk so we typically have some supplies on hand for that. We have two vehicles, one of which is a Jeep with a V8 so we're pretty capable if we had to move.

My real worry is the fact that my first child will be born in a few months. So far, it's only been trying to prep for a shorter term situation (a month or two) with my wife and dog. Now, there's another ball of wax to worry about that requires its own independent supplies (food, hygiene, etc).

I think, if we're comfortable enough eventually, we should map out our "network" with houses as a first step. That'd provide people like Celt who work in NYC, with a waypoint to get to on the way home. I know my house is about 20-25 miles closer to NYC than his is, so being able to get somewhere where you know you have friendlies around would be comforting for both yourself and your family. A communication network is pretty important too--HAM radio?

 

[Criticalt]

Funny thing is that we started "prepping" 15 years ago without even knowing it.
The raising and growing our own food, security,solar power, wind power, natural gas generator, animal husbandry, medical supplies, were all just the way we wanted to live. It was more about weather emergencies than EMP, Red Dawn, super eruption, grid outage....etc.
About 5 years ago when we did start thinking about end of the world events, we were already pretty good.
Just had to get some like minded friends and more security plans.
Then I worked on preparing the horses and mule. Fire, fireworks, crowds, dogs, physical assault, its alot of work to prepare a naturally fearfull animal to take abuse.
The mule however is tough as nails and will do great.

(No animals were injured in this post, I love my animals more than most guys love their wives.)

 

[eagleridge357]

I will be 71 in 2 months. I am more afraid of SHTF than at any other time in my life. My instincts and my wisdom are screaming at me that SHTF will happen very soon, given the state of affairs in this society and this world. I am a procrastinator, and have not done much practical prepping, although I do feel that preppers will have the edge and most will survive, at least for a "time uncertain". It scares me to know I am NOT prepared for longer than a few weeks, maybe 2-3 months at most, and that would be in my own home. NO BOB, no place to go, no plans. I am afraid of that picture. My lady and I will most likely hold the fort here along with like-minded retirees in our community. When people get together, great things happen. Remember to include in your plans to be in a network of like-minded people. If you perish, you will be among friends.

 

[Drinkthekoolaid]

I will be 71 in 2 months. I am more afraid of SHTF than at any other time in my life. My instincts and my wisdom are screaming at me that SHTF will happen very soon, given the state of affairs in this society and this world. I am a procrastinator, and have not done much practical prepping, although I do feel that preppers will have the edge and most will survive, at least for a "time uncertain". It scares me to know I am NOT prepared for longer than a few weeks, maybe 2-3 months at most, and that would be in my own home. NO BOB, no place to go, no plans. I am afraid of that picture. My lady and I will most likely hold the fort here along with like-minded retirees in our community. When people get together, great things happen. Remember to include in your plans to be in a network of like-minded people. If you perish, you will be among friends.

I appreciate your wisdom to keep things in perspective. I haven't lived half as long as you but I also feel it is a very ominous time. I wish I was more alert earlier in life to prepare sooner.


As far as shtf duration timelines go, this is all strictly my opinion and gut feeling.

My own personal experience the closest to a shtf situation was literally being totally snowed in, impassable roads for 6 days. The worst that happens was bored and a little cabin fever.

A 2 week crisis 97% of the population would be fine with the exception of whinning and inconvenience. Maybe 3% would really struggle or lose their minds.

A 1 month crisis maybe 85% would be ok, 15% would suffer, hunger, thirst get sick, engage in violence, be victims of violence, lose their minds, panic is setting in etc...

3 month crisis is in my opinion is the tipping point. I would say Maybe only 30-40% are ok. The other 60-70% are suffering, committing violence, losing their minds, getting sick, being victims and I think this is the first time people who have no strength, preparations, skills, supplies, resources start getting too weak to go on. By this point people realize help isn't around the corner.

6 months 10% are ok, the rest are struggling, spiraling out of control or giving up.

At 1 year, whoever is left alive has skills, abilities, strength and mental toughness. Maybe 2% are ok, 50% of the "survivors" to this point are holding their own and the other 48% are on borrowed time.