The task of prepping whether it is food or training or both is is an individual choice. Now I am by no means an expert in any of these and will never claim to be. I have gathered and stored food as I’m sure everyone else has and have trained with some people of like mind. My wife and I were doing this before the word prepper was ever coined because in the case of food, well it just made sense.
As for the training part, I see it as an individual choice as to what someone considers that training to be. Some like to train as a group and others alone or maybe with a couple people of their choosing. Whatever or however you do this is your choice. Over the last four years I have trained with others and with just a few as well as alone. I have come to the conclusion that, for me, I may have overlooked some critical points of all of the scenarios that could happen. I call them my “what if “ scenarios. There is no one that can tell you to the second what, where or when the shtf .
I doubt anyone without some kind of notice will be with their group around the camp fire ready to go. Most likely you will be at work, in the car, in a store, in your garage or in bed at three am getting your last good nights sleep before you wake to a WTF moment. This is where my “what if” scenarios come in, and I go through these almost every day. There are a few that come to mind, a EMP, nuclear attack, economic collapse, parachutes in mass coming out of the sky and the rest of the possible scenarios that are talked about to death.
As I’m in one of the places mentioned above I think of, say, an EMP attack and then work out what I’m going to do, how am I going to do it and am I prepared right now at this very second to survive. I do this because as we all know what ever happens will more than likely happen when you least expect it. Trust me, Murphy is alive and well. Many of us carry a bob (bug out bag) and in it is enough to get us through at least a couple of days. If you don’t then I would at least consider getting one. What you pack in it is your business but what ever it is should be enough for last at least two days. Going through all the scenarios and places will take time and what plan you initially come up with later down the line when you go through it again may change.
I practice on these what if’s because for a lot of the day it’s just me. I’m dependent on me surviving what ever happens so I can get to my family and help protect them. We don’t know what will happen and can’t predict the outcome of any scenario but you can use your imagination and your intellect to work out a survival plan that at least will give you a fighting chance. Short of a nuke landing on your gourd most or all of these can be survived. This will begin to get boring after awhile if you run through these all the time so have some fun with it once in awhile. Just to spice things up a bit I sometimes think about what I would do if an alien craft landed on the road in front of me. Well unfortunately the only solution I’ve come up with is why I carry extra undies in my bob.
But all kidding aside think of the times of the day that it’s just you. In that very second are you ready for what might happen,do you have a plan for what just happened and can you survive for two days that very second. If your not at home do you have a plan on how you are going to get home and a route? What are you going to do when you get home and no one is there and there is no way to contact anyone? I feel that a grid down scenario will be the most challenging one because if I have to walk it could take up to a full day to get home as walking alone with a bob on my back would make me a target. Most scenarios won’t cause mediate pandemonium and ciaos in the streets but an EMP or Russians and Chinese falling out of the sky probably would. I don’t know if either of these will happen but I practice for them as well as all the other ones.
Redhorse,good read and reminder for folks.I personally when not actually hunting have my hunting pack always in car,some basic quick food/flashlights/basic first aid kit including serious bleed out materials(quick clot ect.)mylar blankets.This along with what I have in my car well hidden will hopefully get me home/somewhere safe and could be useful as a first responder to a accident till qualified help comes.When traveling/ visiting ect. have my full Molle bug out with cloths appropriate for season along with all the other goods it is set with year round,tis my suitcase at that point.I also always when visiting bring my bow and at least one rifle as friends also into same hobbies,yep,too much stuff if on foot,tough decisions then!The old Popiel pocket fisherman starts to seem a good idea!I would assume then a attractive target for thieves,hope can get into whatever passes for woods at that point and formulate a plan.As you said,a natural or man made disaster can hit at any time(would prefer if happens in comfort of home and surroundings!)but is one of those things we have no say in excepting being ready as reasonably possible.
Very good points and I totally agree, it is very useful to briefly run through scenarios at various settings and times throughout your day. To visualize what you would do, to get to safety, to family, etc. because you just never know. I find this type of exercise calming, rather than fear-provoking. If you make a habit of doing it, it helps heighten your level of awareness without increasing your anxiety level. Being prepared actually decreases your anxiety.
But at the same time, I know there is power in our visualizations, so I also always visualize a “good outcome.” 😉
Unfortunately or fortunately depends on how you look at it I’ll probably be in a semi driving somewhere WTSHTF. I not only have to worry about the everyday bug out items , but have to pray I’m good on fuel as my semi has a complete auxiliary power set up, a reefer unit and of course a big horsepower motor. I just pray I’m fully loaded with food items when it hits. LOL…
Full fuel is good for about 5 days on the reefer unit continuous run, or about twice that when in start stop mode.Aux Power unit will run for 10 days with full fuel, and of course when the engine is running at idle, well needless to say not very damn long there.
The aux power unit will give air conditioning and or heat as required as well as 110 and A/C power. EMP will fry everything though, not good, but only if said units are running at the time, I think… Not sure
Problem is I’m a f$%king target. No guns allowed in truck, yada yada yada…. LOL……. I’ll be praying I’m close to friendly’s as things progress :). With any luck I might even be carrying 45,000 pounds of food items.
I am going to have to make some hard decisions when all of this goes down. This truck is basically my home for crying out load. And I don’t own it, my company does. They might not be seeing me, or it, for awhile if you know what I mean. 🙂
Mark,you can have one hell of a bug out bag with you,a good crossbow would not hurt either,hell,would have a gun broken down spread thruout cab with ammo but that is just me.I would though carry a gas grill,you have a trailer loaded with food could throw one hell of a final barbecue/party on side of the road,especially if rig killed by a emp!
James ,
Good points! Gas grill is a damn good idea as well. Gun parts is also good idea. I’ve got to get to it that’s for damn sure. I just can’t trust my company as the truck goes in for routine maintenance. That is a bag of worms there… but doable.
Great Article Redhorse.
We have bags for different situations. Each of our vehicles has what we call “Get Home Bags” They are specifically packed for a one to two day walk home from TSHTF. Right now I am working out of town a lot, so I carry my Get out of dodge bag and a few “accessories” in my truck. I packed it with enough stuff (I hope) for me to be able to walk home from 200+ miles and survive. Did I pack enough? Probably not, but I cant carry 150 pounds.
and depending where you are working/living, learn to identify some common, wild edibles in your area. Such as dandelion greens and chickweed, but there are lots of edibles we have been taught to think of as “weeds” which are nutritious and this knowledge could be a part of anyone’s shtf “get home” plan. The knowledge in your head is what is going to get you through.
EE,
I definitely need to work on my skills when it comes to edible greens in the woods. There is no way my bag can carry enough chow to get me home and pine straw tea will get old real quick. My bag also has a fishing reel and a couple of lures in it. I want to get a survival fishing rod soon. Everyone should add one to their bag.
Bulldog, one thing to keep in mind when you are learning to identify beneficial herbs in the wild is that poisonous (and deadly) lookalikes are frequently found nearby. Now is a good time to begin going on hikes along the routes you might be taking, seeing what’s there and getting to know your area really well. Some basic medicinal herbal knowledge may also come in handy, for example a plantain poultice to remove poisons from insects or animal bites.
Bulldog and EE,agree on knowing wild edibles,I am going to try some of those 3600 calorie bars,will really just live off them and water a few days,they work do not take up a lot of room and the calories will keep you charged up,will drop a line when I finish this experiment.On a side note Bull,gotta love the “accessories”!
The accessories are the best part. Missy and I carry pistols with us, but I started thinking a .45/.38 isn’t gonna cut it with a long walk like that.
As far as chow in my bags, I got a few boxes of real MREs. They can last a day each if you ration and eat everything and they are way lighter than beanie weenies and salmon. We finally broke down and got some life straws also. I recommend my Patriot supply. Henry has a link at the top of his page.