Posted on 12/08/2010 7:33:31 AM PST by Doctor Prepper
1. Guns! Shotgun – most commonly a simple 12-gauge pump (20-gauge if weaker-statured people will be using it.) Pistol – If you live in a state where it’s legal to own/carry a pistol for self defense, then you should be doing it. Battle Rifle – We’re talking those mean, state-of-the art, misnamed “assault” rifles. Mine’s in .223 caliber, and I make no excuses for it. It’s accurate out to long distances, accepts a 30-round magazine, and puts out a high rate of suppressive fire. And make sure you have plenty of ammo. (We’re talking thousands of rounds. No one ever came out of a firefight saying “Darn, I wish I’d had fewer bullets!) 2. Water 3. Heat 4. Food 5. Medical supplies 6. Power and Lights 7. Communications 8. Transportation 9. Entertainment 10. God
(Excerpt) Read more at humanevents.com ...
How about a chainsaw, maul and axe?
Multi-use tools for building and breaking.
Less solid state devices back then.
Ammo should already be in good supply on the homestead. Also, layering clothing and keeping the hand sanitizers in supply will allow for personal cleanliness which helps reduce illness over the long haul.
The suggestion for storing grain alcohol is an excellent one. Learning to 'cut the proof' is a good idea also.
One last note: a house usually has an internal water shut off. If the water mains are not flowing due to loss of power to the holding tanks. Shutting off the water supply into the house and draining existing water from the pipes will save the piping system in the home if heat stops. The average 1500 ft2 home has two to three gallons of water in the pipes which can be 'harvested' in emergency needs. But if there is time, fill the bathtubs and take a nice bath, then leave the water int he tub for use in flushing toilets ... the sewer system is primarily a gravity system, and if you have a septic tank and filed lines, you're not at the mercy of those 'up stream' from you should power fail for any length of time. Keeping liquid in the drains and toilets prevents sewer gasses from polluting the home air.
>>I have an EMP question. Why didn’t the above ground tests in the 1950s and 60s fry everything in Arizona, NM, Utah and Nevada?
It wasn’t detonated 100 miles above the earth.
The Foxfire series; US Army FM 21-76, The SAS survival guide. Country Wisdom & Know-How; The Bootlegger’s Bible; Plants that Heal; Primitive Living I & II....
The list can be nearly endless.
None of those land based tests were large, over-the-horizon tests. Any tests that big were over the ocean, well away from civilization.
Gasoline is not for long term storage. With additives you can get a couple years at the most.
If you are using for a short-term emergency, like hurricane damage. Cycle your stores through your vehile and keep replacing with fresh. Ethanol makes storage worse with its chemical affinity to water.
Oh yeah, and buy a few pounds of sea salt. It is an excellent anti-germ andanti-freeze source. As normal food intake falls to rationing, getting sufficient sea salt into the diet is helpful for a variety of preventatives, like GI irritation.
The epicenter . com
> I have an EMP question. Why didn’t the above ground tests in the 1950s and 60s fry everything in Arizona, NM, Utah and Nevada?
Bomb generated EMP works best in a vacuum. If those tests had been at high altitude, just at the edge of space, it would have fried lots of stuff. Also, back in the 50s and early 60s, most electronics were tube and vehicles were still using points and condenser ignition.
http://thesurvivalmom.com/2010/09/09/20-things-theparanoiddad-learned-from-one-second-after/
You cannot totally prepare for every possible disaster. There are too many variables: weather, where you are at the time it occurs, who you are with. You never know how those around you have prepared or how they will react – where will they be mentally, emotionally, and physically. Being prepared, at whatever level, just gives you better odds of survival.
1.Eventually you will have to kill somebody.
2.Eventually someone will find you no matter where you are. All you can do is pick the most strategic location possible.
3.Disease will become a part of life.
4.You’re going to run out of bullets, eventually.
5.If or when the government comes to help, they may not be very helpful, and you won’t be anywhere near their top priority.
6.Any gun is better than no gun as long as you have ammo.
7.Having an understanding of military battle tactics would be a good idea.
8.Children need to learn how to shoot and defend themselves early on.
9.Some medical training and knowledge would be beneficial, even if it’s just first aid.
10.Big cities will become kill zones.
11.Build a privy in your yard and use it for a week. See how bad it can get!
12.Buy an extra dose of medication whenever you can.
13.Evil people without any fear of authority or restraint will become more evil.
14.If you have more food than everyone else, stay on near-starvation rations so you don’t appear to be more healthy and become a target.
15.Be one of the first ‘looters’, but pay for what you can, however you can.
16.Having to move from one safe location to another safe location, remember you’ll be in danger the entire way. Movement is dangerous.
17.White collar skills will be worthless. Blue collar skills will be more valuable.
18.People who rarely or never do any strenuous work will be in big trouble.
19.Survival will become a fulltime job.
b
BTTT
I loved reading my grandfather’s Foxfire books.
The SAS or US Army Survival guides are both great it that they teach you to trap, they have a basic explanation of edible plants, they teach you to build a basic shelter, and they teach fire making, cooking, and how to keep a low profile.
Re the water:
I have a good selection of Katadyn Filtering units.
However, I will be buying one of these for our home:
http://www.cabelas.com/aid-water-purification-sawyer-water-filter-2.shtml
We have several neighbors with swimming pools, and I will work out a deal to filter their drinking water for our water needs with the Sawyers.
Great article!
Would add that things like Celox-A or Quikclot are some of the most important items to have on hand.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YM_S6o9mUBc
Let me mention Potassium Iodine in case of a nuclear incident.
#11) Bullet proof vests.....any long-term disaster will have people roaming the streets. Owning a gun is not enough. A Level 3 ballistic vest is important.
(one of the only important things I do not have but it is on my long-term prepping list)
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