Since 2020 the nation has gone through some radical changes. There are more people prepping now than ever before. That should tell you just how much has changed in such a short time in our nation. While the federal government is working to figure out this moment in history, state level governance is stepping in, too.
Along with mother nature, each state is starting to get a clearer picture of its threat profile. The first step in eliminating all this fear is to understand what it is that threatens you. Then you can prepare for it.
Below you are going to find all fifty states and a threat profile for each state. This should help you decide what to prepare for depending on your state:
Alabama
Natural Disaster: Severe Storms, Flooding, Hurricanes, Tornadoes
Civil Threats: Alabama has a contentious history with a massive constitution that has been amended over nine hundred times. Most areas are not densely populated but there is a high poverty rate.
Poverty Rate: 15.5
Alabama is home to two nuclear power plants and several military installations. This makes them a target in warfare. Their natural disaster profile is no laughing matter either.
Alaska
Natural Disaster: Blizzards, Floods, Wildfires, Landslides
Civil Threats: Low population but high crime rates
Crime Per 100,000: 4185.5 (2nd Highest)
Poverty Rate: 10.1
Alaska is a massive state that requires a special kind of person to live and enjoy the place. It has the second highest crime per capita.
Arizona
Natural Disaster: Wildfires, Drought, Flooding, Extreme Heat
Civil Threats: Arizona is a border state and the crime and chaos that comes along with that.
Crime Per 100,000: 3151.7
Poverty Rate: 13.5%
Arizona is home to multiple military bases and two nuclear power plants. The issues with the border and serious issues with drought and heat give people lots to prepare for in Arizona.
Arkansas
Natural Disaster: Floods, Hurricanes, Tornadoes, Droughts, Ice Storms
Civil Threats: Crime and political corruption along with poverty are big concerns in the state of Arkansas.
Crime Per 100,000: 3456.6
Poverty Rate: 16.2%
Arkansas has a four military bases, a nuclear power plant, high crime, and poverty with serious threats like hurricanes and tornadoes.
California
Natural Disaster: Wildfires and Earthquakes
Civil Threats: Densely populated areas are overrun with homelessness
Related: 11 Survival Tricks Learned from Homeless People
Political: Political corruption is at an all-time high in California
Crime Rate Per 100,000: 2827.8
Poverty Rate: 11.8%
During the year 2020 many people left the state because of stringent COVID-19 restrictions and unfathomable tax rates and the natural disaster threats.
Colorado
Natural Disaster: Wildfires, Flooding, Winter Storms and Tornadoes
Civil Threats: Colorado has major cities and suburbs that can rough for preppers.
Crime Per 100,000 3068.8
Poverty Rate: 9.3%
Colorado is a very diverse state that has some really great places and then some places where you will have to prepare for civil threats and natural disasters.
Connecticut
Natural Disaster: Hurricanes, Floods, Winter Storms
Civil Threats: Old state with lots of political corruption and high population
Crime Per 100,000: 1888.4
Poverty Rate: 10%
Connecticut is a state of political prowess, wealth, and corruption. There are lots of people, a nuclear powerplant and some serious natural disasters to deal with.
Delaware
Natural Disaster: Severe Storms, Snowstorms, Flooding, Drought
Civil Threats: The proximity to large cities can make places in Delaware prime for civil unrest and
Crime Per 100,000: 2748
Poverty Rate: 11.3%
With a nuclear power plant and major air force base there are significant targets in warfare. The highly populated east coast is also dependent on civility and supply chain to survive.
Related: The SHTF Diet: Minimum Food And Water Supply For 3 Months
Florida
Natural Disaster: Hurricanes, Floods, Landslides, Severe Storms, Wildfires
Civil Threats: Florida is one of the most diverse states in the union and has a serious population density in large cities like Miami.
Crime Per 100,000: 2666.7
Poverty Rate: 12.7%
Southern Florida has a serious set of natural disasters and conditions to deal with. It also has a tremendous number of military installations in the state and two nuclear power plants that are in the path of hurricanes.
Georgia
Natural Disaster: Tornadoes, Hurricanes, Floods, Ice Storms
Civil Threats: Georgia’s population has grown rapidly an in densely populated areas you must prepare for civil unrest
Crime Per 100,000: 2900.3
Poverty Rate: 13.3%
Georgia is a southern city that is facing the reckoning of the past, like many places in our nation. It is also fighting to keep its economy afloat in hard times. The leadership is questionable, and Georgia deals with its share of disasters.
Also, there are many military installations in this state including Fort Benning. They draw power from two separate nuclear facilities.
Hawaii
Natural Disaster: Volcanoes, Tsunamis, Wildfires, Earthquakes
Civil Threats: There is a lot of police corruption and even some echoes of racism towards white people that is rarely talked about. Tourism is key to the island’s survival
Crime Per 100,000: 3118.9
Poverty Rate: 9.3%
Everything has to be shipped into Hawaii. In times of calamity, it is very bad place to be. Not to mention it is a volcanic island in the Pacific which comes with many threats. Cost of living is also very high and taxes, too.
Idaho
Natural Disaster: Wildfires, Floods, Winter Storms. Wildfires are very common in Idaho
Civil Threats: Sparse population density means there is very little by way of civil threats
Political: Recent considerable rising tax rates
Poverty Rate: 11.2%
Related: Looming Economic Crisis Threatens To Push Millions Of Americans Into Starvation
Idaho is another top location for preppers. Wildfires are a concern in some locations, but it is a very liberty minded state. Cost of living is increasing in Idaho.
Illinois
Natural Disaster: Severe Storms, Floods, Winter Storms
Politics: Mayor Lightfoot told reports that she would only be doing interviews with black reporters. The city’s gun crime and violent crime stats are massive despite thorough gun control laws.
Civil Threats: Chicago and the surrounding areas are dangerous and civil unrest is highly likely in a long term disaster.
Crime Per 100,000: 2336.9
Poverty Rate: 11.5%
Home to one of the America’s most dangerous cities for gun violence, Illinois is a highly populated location with highly suspect political leaders. They utilize the nation’s highest six nuclear power plants and have four military installations in state.
Indiana
Natural Disaster: Severe Storms, Floods, Winter Storms, Tornadoes
Civil Threats: Low population density and good leadership in many places.
Crime per 100,000: 2561.6
Poverty Rate: 11.9%
Sparse military bases and no operating nuclear power plants make Indiana less of a target for war. However, they face their share of natural disasters.
Iowa
Natural Disaster: Floods, Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Winter Storms
Civil Threats: Low population density in most places.
Crime Per 100,000:1941.6
Poverty Rate: 11.2%
Prepare to deal with the potential for serious flooding. There are no military bases and one nuclear power plant.
Kansas
Natural Disaster: Tornadoes, Severe Storms, Winter Storms, Flooding
Civil Threats: Low population density in most towns and cities makes civil unrest less of a threat.
Crime Per 100,000: 3072.9
Poverty Rate: 11.4%
Furthermore, Kansas faces its share of serious natural disasters. With few military installations and one nuclear power plant it is less of a target. Its location helps.
Kentucky
Natural Disaster: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Wildfires, Winter Storms
Civil Threats: Louisville and Lexington maintain decent populations for civil unrest
Crime Per 100,000: 2174.5
Poverty Rate 16.4% (4th Highest)
No nuclear power plants and sparse military bases make it less of an inland target. However, large populations centers and high poverty raise the potential for civil unrest.
Louisiana
Natural Disaster: Floods, Hurricanes, Severe Storms, Tornadoes
Civil Threats: Lots of decent sized southern cities and potential for serious natural disaster.
Crime Per 100,000: 3813.5 (3rd Highest)
Poverty Rate: 19% (2nd Highest)
Louisiana has a serious history with natural disaster. It has the second highest poverty rate and third highest crime rate per 100,000 in the nation. There are two nuclear power plants and five military bases.
Maine
Natural Disaster: Severe Storms, Floods, Winter Storms
Civil Threats: Low population density
Crime Per 100,000: 1469.9 (3rd Lowest)
Poverty Rate: 10.9%
Maine’s tough winters have to be prepared for, but population is low, crime is low and there are only two military bases on the coast. No nuclear power plants.
Maryland
Natural Disaster: Floods, Hurricanes, Winter Storms
Civil Threats: There are many highly populated areas and some very dangerous like Baltimore and the Surrounding DC area.
Crime Per 100,000: 2502
Poverty Rate: 9% (3rd Lowest)
Maryland has some terrible gun laws, dangerous cities and can be wacked by severe disasters. It has one active nuclear power plant and many military installations.
Massachusetts
Natural Disaster: Tropical Storms, Hurricanes, Flooding, Winter Storms
Civil Threats: A highly populated state with horrible traffic problems so you need to be prepared for population density issues.
Crime Per 100,000: 1061.4
Poverty Rate: 9.4%
An old state that is rife with political corruption, Massachusetts is a highly populated state that can be affected many types of natural disasters and civil unrest.
Related: What To Do If The Biggest Civil Unrest Of Our Time Hits Your Town
Michigan
Natural Disaster: Floods, Severe Storms, Winter Storms
Civil Threats: Some densely populated areas pose a serious threat
Crime Per 100,000: 2102.9
Poverty Rate: 13%
Michigan has a few densely populated cities besides Detroit. Winters are harsh. There are four nuclear power plants and a handful of military installations.
Minnesota
Natural Disaster: Winter Storms, Floods, Severe Storms
Civil Threats: Radical leadership and high populations in cities has created serious potential for civil unrest in Minneapolis
Crime Per 100,000: 2214.2
Poverty Rate: 9% (2nd Lowest)
It’s cold and they get snow all the time. You have to be prepared for winter weather and cold. There are two active nuclear power plants and no military bases.
Mississippi
Natural Disaster: Hurricanes, Floods, Tornadoes, Severe Storms
Civil Threats: Low population density in most towns and cities
Crime Per 100,000: 2637.4
Poverty Rate: 19.6% (HIGHEST)
With the highest poverty rate in the nation and huge potential for natural disasters there are threats in Mississippi. There are many military installations and one large three unit nuclear power plant.
Missouri
Natural Disaster: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Floods
Civil Threats: A couple larger cities pose civil unrest threats
Crime Per 100,000: 3149.2
Poverty Rate: 12.9%
Serious threats from mother nature and a creeping crime rate are things to prepare for. The cities are getting more dangerous.
Also, there is one nuclear power plant and three military bases.
Montana
Natural Disaster: Wildfires, Winter Storms, Floods and Severe Storms
Civil Threats: Low population density means little or no civil unrest threats
Poverty Rate: 2870
Montana is home to the largest Minute Man missile base in the US which makes it a significant target in war. There are some natural disasters to worry about.
Nebraska
Natural Disaster: Floods, Tornadoes, Severe Storms, Winter Storms
Civil Threats: Low population density and low threats
Crime Per 100,000: 2364.7
Poverty Rate: 9.9%
If you can weather the storms of mother nature you will be safe. There is one nuclear plant and one military base.
Nevada
Natural Disaster: Droughts, Extreme Heat, Wildfires
Civil Threats: There are some large cities in Nevada with potential for civil unrest.
Crime Per 100,000: 2979.3
Poverty Rate: 12.5%
Nevada is a desert and there are serious concerns with that. Areas like Las Vegas are big with lots of people and potential for chaos.
There are four military bases in Nevada and no nuclear power plants.
New Hampshire
Natural Disaster: Floods, Severe Storms, Winter Storms
Civil Threats: Low population density
Crime Per 100,000: 1421.7 (LOWEST)
Poverty Rate: 7.3% (LOWEST)
New Hampshire is not a place that faces a lot of threats and with the lowest crime and poverty rates in the nation, you are not dealing with civil threats.
New Jersey
Natural Disaster: Hurricanes, Winter Storms, Tornadoes, Floods
Civil Threats: Home to some massive populations and surrounded by other giant American cities you are going to have to prepare to bugout in a long term disaster.
Politics: There is a lot of corruption and strong arm politics and law enforcement in New Jersey
Crime Per 100,000: 1613
Poverty Rate: 9.2%
New Jersey has some crime ridden areas, high population, and corrupt government. Natural disasters befall them from time to time and there are military targets and nuclear power plants.
New Mexico
Natural Disaster: Wildfires, Severe Storms, Drought, Severe Heat, Flooding
Civil Threats: Highly populated areas and proximity to the border create threats of crime and civil unrest.
Crime Per 100,000: 4276.3 (HIGHEST)
Poverty Rate: 18.2% (3rd Highest)
New Mexico boasts a collection of military bases, no nuclear power plants but high incidences of poverty and the highest crime rate in the nation.
New York
Natural Disaster: Severe Storms, Floods, Hurricanes, Winter Storms
Civil Threats: Areas with dense populations are a serious concern
Crime Per 100,000: 1791
Poverty Rate: 13%
New York is a diverse state both in its population and geography. NYC is obviously a prepper’s worst nightmare but there are very remote locations in the state of New York.
There are five military bases and four active nuclear power plants in New York.
North Carolina
Natural Disaster: Severe Storms, Floods, Hurricanes
Civil Threats: Growing cities make for increased civil unrest threats.
Crime Per 100,000: 2871.7
Poverty Rate: 13.6%
North Carolina faces all the threats of any coastal southern state. Their growing cities are a concern for preppers. There are three active nuclear power plants and extensive military presence in North Carolina.
North Dakota
Natural Disaster: Floods, Severe Storms, Winter Storms
Civil Threats: Low population density
Crime Per 100,000: 2320.8
Poverty Rate: 10.6%
North Dakotans battle with Mother Nature as its true threat. There are two military bases in ND.
Ohio
Natural Disaster: Floods, Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Winter Storms
Civil Threats: The cities of Ohio like Columbus and Cleveland are suffering from the outbreak in crime that most big cities in the nation are suffering.
Crime Per 100,000: 2,348.85
Poverty Rate: 15.9%
Ohio faces its share of natural disasters but if you live outside of the city you won’t have to contend with the agendas and the crime that go along with those places.
Related: 5 Strategies To Survive In The City When SHTF
Oklahoma
Natural Disaster Tornadoes, Floods, Wildfires, Winter Storms
Civil Threats: Crime rates and civil threats are actually on the decline in 2021. That is saying a lot as many states and major cities are setting records for violent crime.
Crime Per 100,000: 3277.08
Poverty Rate: 15.7%
Oklahoma ranks #3 in the nation for the most natural disasters per year. It’s a big deal because #2 and #1 are California and Texas. Which are states that are much larger than Oklahoma.
Oregon
Natural Disaster: Wildfires, Floods, Coastal Erosion, Landslides, Tsunamis
Civil Threats: Portland has been the epicenter for Antifa violence and civil unrest.
Crime Per 100,000: 3179.5
Poverty Rate: 11.4%
Oregon is a beautiful place that can be affected by a variety of natural disasters. The cities and politics seem to invite the current environment of civil unrest.
Pennsylvania
Natural Disaster: Floods, Severe Storms, Winter Storms, Hurricanes
Civil Threats: High population cities and surroundings suburbs are a threat.
Crime Per 100,000: 1795.9
Poverty Rate: 12%
Pennsylvania is a big state but there are densely populated areas that pose a serious threat. There are four nuclear power plants and five military bases in PA.
Rhode Island
Natural Disaster: Hurricanes, Winter Storms, Floods
Civil Threats: You are dealing with densely populated areas and that is always something to prepare for, COVID cases are pretty high and there are issues with homelessness.
Crime Per 100,000: 1880
Poverty Rate: 10.8%
Its costs a lot to live in Rhode Island, taxes are high and restrictions on guns and homeschooling make it a place that is tough preppers. You need to be prepared to deal with a place that is opposed to much of what you believe.
They also have a two unit nuclear power plant.
South Carolina
Natural Disaster: Severe Storms, Floods, Hurricanes
Civil Threats: Low population except in major cities
Crime Per 100,000: 3505.9
Poverty Rate: 13.6%
South Carolina faces coastal state issues on the East Coast and has smaller southern cities that could face small pockets of unrest.
Related: How to Avoid Being Targeted by Looters During a Period of Civil Unrest
There are five military bases and four nuclear power plants in SC.
South Dakota
Natural Disaster: Floods, Severe Storms, Winter Storms
Civil Threats: Low Population Density
Crime Per 100,000: 2133.4
Poverty Rate: 11.9%
Like North Dakota the battle here is with Mother Nature. There is just one military base in South Dakota.
Tennessee
Natural Disaster: Severe Storms, Flooding, Wildfires
Civil Threats: Low population except in major cities
Crime Per 100,000: 3449.1
Poverty Rate: 13.9%
Tennessee has a surprisingly high crime rate. It faces typical threats from Mother Nature. It has two nuclear power plants and four military bases.
Texas
Natural Disaster: Hurricanes, Tornadoes, Flooding and Wildfires are the most common natural disasters in Texas.
Civil Threats: The greatest civil threat in Texas is the open US border
Political: Texas is experiencing rapid political change in its biggest cities
Crime Per 100,000: 2778.1
Poverty:13.6%
Texas is a massive state and there is a lot of space. The threats at the border, the changing political climate bleeding out from cities due to an influx of people moving from others states and a decent profile of natural disasters offers up plenty to prepare for!
Utah
Natural Disaster: Wildfires are one the major natural disaster in Utah. The residents also face things like flash floods that are the most damaging. Winter storms and landslides are also things to prepare for.
Civil Threats: Civil threats are low in Utah as the state has very low population density even in Salt Lake City.
Crime Per 100,000:2610.6
Poverty Rate: 8.9% (LOWEST)
Utah is one of the most favorable places for preppers.
Related: Best States to Buy Your Prepping Property
However, there are some serious natural disasters that you need to be prepared for. You should be equipped to deal with snow, particularly if you are moving there from a place where you don’t get lots of snow.
Vermont
Natural Disaster: Flooding, Severe Storms, Winter Storms
Civil Threats: Low Population Density
Crime Per 100,000: 1455.1 (2nd Lowest)
Poverty Rate: 10.2%
There are no military bases in Vermont or nuclear power plants.
Virginia
Natural Disaster: Hurricanes, Floods, Severe Storms, Earthquakes
Civil Threats: Home to the nation’s Capital Virginia has tremendous corruption and civil unrest potential
Crime Per 100,000: 1865.8
Poverty Rate: 9.2%
Virginia is a state with moderate natural disaster threats, political corruption, two power plants, a major naval base, and significant targets in warfare. Potential for serious civil unrest in some location, too.
Washington
Natural Disaster: Flooding is the most common disaster in Washington. There are about one thousand wildfires a year and you could also prepare for winter storms, landslides and possible earthquakes.
Civil Threats: Seattle is a west coast hub for civil unrest and major political upheaval
Crime Per 100,000: 3257.7
Poverty Rate: 9.8%
The west coast crime and homeless waves are pervasive in the major cities. Being prepared for floods and wildfires would be important if you plan to live outside the cities in Washington.
West Virginia
Natural Disaster: Floods, Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Drought
Civil Threats: Low Population Density
Crime Per 100,000: 1775.5
Poverty Rate: 16%
There are no nuclear power plants in West Virginia and just two military bases.
Wisconsin
Natural Disaster: Severe Storms, Floods, Tornadoes, Winter Storms
Civil Threats: Low Population Density
Crime Per 100,000: 1855.3
Poverty Rate: 10.4%
Wisconsin’s greatest threat comes from Mother Nature.
Wyoming
Natural Disaster: Wildfires, Winter Storms, Landslides, Droughts, Severe Storms
Civil Threats: Low population density and low threats
Crime Per 100,000: 1997.3
Poverty Rate: 10.1%
Wyoming has to face off with nature but has low population and concerns if civil unrest.
Final Words
Which of these states surprised you? Did you know as much about your state as you thought?
A strong base level preparedness will allow you to react and survive many of the disasters and threats in your state. Then you can begin to tailor your preparedness plans to the particular threats of your state.
Then again, it might be time for you to move on to greener pastures!
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They left out Wisconsin has a huge military base and several airforce base’s (refueling wings and fighter base) Hell last year one of the “Air wings got “shot down at the Canadian border… Or oddly they had a mechanical issues near the border where the Chinese are staged.
Pfft . . . the worst threat to ALL 50 States is GOVERNMENT. Following in a very close second place is the Media. Together, they pose the most frightening threat to the entire world. Natural disasters may fall in the top 5.
We are human beings.
We have brains ( well, at least half of us do ).
USE them !
Common sense stuff will help you survive . . . longer anyway.
God Bless !
All of the western states have a high percentage of federal lands. Those federal employees on those lands are not always on the side of the public and they are all well armed. If you plan on leaving the unrest in the cities, be aware that how some of our ranchers have been treated in recent years by federal employees.
Well said. You correctly identified the “Major Threats” that we face today. Let’s work to keep the influence of poison thought coming from many who relocate here to NC from blue states to zero. The Research Triangle, Charlotte and to a lesser degree Asheville are areas we need to watch as you well know. Pretty solid in the vast rural areas however.Cooper sure has to go !
If you consider National guard air wings and Air Force reserve units at commercial airports big bases I would eliminate you from being any kind of an expert and actually nothing more than an idiot who should change his moniker. You think Volk air field or Fort McCoy are large installations? What branch of the services did you serve in?
Didn’t mention “Earthquake” for any of the Upper Midwest states that will be affected by the Madrid Fault >>> without a doubt the single most natural disaster to prep in advance ….
watch the Mississippi run backwards…. and all the bridges to collaspe cutting off the country in half.
Illini,
My relatives were in the 2010 Chile earthquake. They woke to their home being lifted up and down several times. By the Grace of God, their home didn’t collapse nor were they physically harmed. What helped them was they loved to go camping so they had the tent and all the other accessories to set up camp in their backyard. They had an extensive vegetable garden. In fact, they had such an abundance of tomatoes that the little grade school age boys of the family filled up their wagon and sold them to the neighbors. The roads were impassable so no one could get to the store so the neighbors were happy to get the tomatoes. They also lived far enough away from population centers so the rioter types couldn’t make their way out there.
Actually, I agree with the first two posters. But most often the value of an article is the discussion it generates
For example, I didn’t notice Fire as a #1 hazard in most every state due to folks in emergency situations trying to replace their “Modern Heating Systems-Cooking Stoves and such with alternatives AND NO EMS or Fire Department to respond.
A close #2 is CIVIL Disturbance, where angry-scared mobs led by the unscrupulous to rob folks when there is a perceived LACK of Police Protection. AKA Most Blue Cities seem to have some level of this RIGHT NOW, Flash Mobs anybody?
What I’d like to point out is that being from a blue state doesn’t make you a socialist. That being a democrat doesn’t make you a leftist antifa thug..or anti-police. There are plenty of us that despise the live and let live government officials letting our cities turn into trash piles. I voted against legalizing pot and against the hard street drugs. I want harsher enforcement against thieves, rapists and murderers Not all Of us are bleeding heart liberals. I want safety. I want a livable city. I want honest, responsible government official la that will work ROGETHER FOR THE GOOD OF THE PEOPLE, not THEIR Wallets and TRUST FUNDS. I want peace between “all sides”. I want my kids to have safe schools and an educational experience that gets them somewhere in life. I also want to see the Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk types pay their fair share. All the billionaires are using infrastructure paid for by the e American people…yet they have so many tax loopholes…thanks to you know who and all the other sticky fingers in government that they pay a pittance (ZERO$$$$) in taxes…meanwhile we’re struggling to pay JUST the property taxes on our homes.
I want Zuckerberg to shut his corporation down and ban any social media that uses algorithms to warp peoples’ sense of reality. He’s making BILLIONS from the worldwide destruction of civilized society. China, Russia, Korea, the Saudis are all watching and loving the fact that we the people are tearing our country apart for them. (Of course, I know they all are Major players in the disinformation wars thrust upon us all.)
More than anything I want an end to the constant threat from within…fueled by the media at every turn…to cease and desist. We need a return to truth and decency, morals and fair play. It’s just not “there” any more in today’s society.
Add earthquakes to Alaska too and supply disruptions to Alaska and Hawaii – we have to have everything shipped in
I, too, noticed that ‘Earthquakes’ were not listed. I’ve been here since ’75 and we developed our preps around one scenario that covered a lot of issues.
“It’s January 1, 0 degrees, with a foot of snow; an earthquake just blocked the road from Anchorage with damage to at least one bridge on the Seward highway and no electric power”. One question we asked; what do I need to supply my family’s needs for at least 4 to 6 weeks? The scenario was well within reasonable expectations. Low on the snow and high on the temperature and no out-of-the-ordinary events. Shelter, heat, food, and water.
The ”Needs List” sort of filled itself in under category.
When it comes down to it, any state with a fairly good size population will be screwed when the crap hits the fan.
Don’t live in cities and go live in the country….. its simple math
Raven how far do you think trouble could travel? It’s probably a given if you have internet service your well within driving distance of a large population.
Thus my Disinformation of going dark. Doesn’t blare line of sight that I have a generator and stuff worth searching for.
After a week plus I think about lights if trouble is not near.
If you’re planning on Blackout with a generator PLEASE test your ideas before it’s critical. I’ve tested several of friends Blackout plans just over a two day weekend and they really don’t work well. You have to Train your family and pets to really do the Blackout.
During the Blitz of London people Painted the windows as too many Blackout Curtains failed to be effective.
EXCEPT when the necessary resources are urban located >>> you hearing about any Covid patients heading to the remote rural hospitals that USED to exist? – patients requiring emergency care and life sustaining med care are NOW traveling 100s of miles to a hospital still operating – emergency air lift is being utilized across the country more than anytime in history ….
and med resources are only one – manufacturing & warehousing are still urban based – even without GOV intervention of confiscation & allotment >>> don’t expect distribution to be regular & extended distances – the urban areas are first in-line for resources now and into the future ….
if you think you’re self sufficient and don’t need urban resources >>> you’re currently using one by using the internet – the connection isn’t coming from the apple tree down the road …..
how far i could travel ? on foot 12 to 18 miles a day depending on the load. Car everything can do about 300 miles on avg, i’am aware of the the ability for people to travel. however the people will rip apart the urban places before they head out to the country. plus the perks of living out in the country is we can shut off our routes of access because everyone owns heavy machinery .
Covid and sickness ? well i guess if you live in fear of a fake pandemic then go ahead you might as well live in town. You’re on your own for the most part and you should have medical skills and be able to treat most things on your own. Going in to the Urgent Care should be the last resort and you don’t call 911. You get driven in by your family or group.
I am not saying you don’t use the resources from the city because why not help bleed them dry and collapse the system.
TSN I can’t stop the rain but I help my trusted friends. Sorry to say family isn’t always trusted nor on the team.
I think Large Circles vs Small Circles. The Large ones I cannot affect BUT They affect me and mine. So I plan around them. Small Circles are things I can affect. Like OPSEC, Food storage and production. I can do firebreaks to protect my home. Layers of trust as not everybody needs to know what I’m doing or storing away.
Personally if mass civil troubles erupt I am going Dark as lights attract too much unwanted attention.
I tend to agree but “going dark” is not always a good thing. A lot of looters will think the property is abandoned and come see what was left behind that they could use.
Joe unwelcome visitors will not like my responses.
Not defenseless just not inclined to encourage unwelcome visitors.
Weak article. Earthquakes are a major natural disaster event in Alaska. Even more so than the PDRK. Alaska is also home to several large bases and our northern early warning defense set up.
When there is an earthquake in Alaska the northern coast of the PDRK is subject to tsunami. Quit reading after PDRK.
2012 was the 20th anniversary of the New Madrid earthquake. Arguably the largest earthquake the continental U.S. has seen in modern geological times. If the U.S. experienced a similar quake today it would be as devastating to the country as any apocalyptic event we can imagine. The Mississippi River flowed upstream for hundreds of miles causing extreme damage in a land barely settled. Today the devastation from such an event would tear the heart out of what is left of U.S. industry.
I assume you meant 2012 was the 200th anniversary of the New Madrid earthquake. Otherwise, you are correct that this would be severe to the US and world economy, not to mention the effects on the local area.
That said, I remember in 1997 when they were predicting a 90% probability of another New Madrid earthquake before the year 2000…along with all the other Y2K hype. Obviously, that didn’t happen and still hasn’t. Probably it will, but at this point, it might be this year or next century. Or it may happen first someplace where we wouldn’t expect.
Gotta be prepared for the local and otherwise. One thing that COVID has taught us is that everything is local. Hard to buy a new car because of parts shortages, which makes the cost of used cars go up. Small things like the unflavored Fritos shortage that’s been going on for a couple of months now. How can I make my Frito pie without Fritos 🙂
Yes. Hard to proofread on the tiny iPhone screen. It was the 200th anniversary. I had 200 and decided to add the “th” as I was proofreading. I think I got “predictiivized” once again.
Trouble with earthquakes is the first clue is when it’s already there. The PDRK now has an early warning system that gives a three (3) second —that’s right 3 second warning before the “Big One” strikes. Maybe I am just slow on the uptake, but in three seconds I may not yet have figured out what that noise is and in all the earthquakes I have actually felt there was no question in my mind what was happening. I don’t need a warning to tell me it’s an earthquake.
When I consider how much tax payer money was spent on developing the 3-second warning the state could have upgraded several hundred homes to meet current earthquake standards — which only protect against a level 6 earthquake. Over 6 you are on your own against nature again.
LCC,
IT’s my understanding that you pay attention to animals…something our country brethren can probably do better than us city-folk…they’ll give you longer warning than those 3 seconds by their actions.
I’ve been in 2 earthquakes…neither in Cali. The first one I realized was an earthquake. The second both sounded and felt like a large truck hit the building at the other end. Just a single jolt, and where I worked at the time, earthquakes didn’t happen.
Hawaii – This is one place where you can litterally live off the fat of the land and off grid with ease.
Pretty much anything you throw in your back yard grows. There are farmers markets where you can get super cheap produce because supply is plentiful. You can go down to the ocean and fish,, or cheaply buy fish from fishermen there. In parts if the islands it rains daily, making collection of fresh water easy. You don’t need air conditioning nor heat. When it gets warm you can open the windows and let the trade winds blow through.
minus the crime and everything needed has to get imported in like fuel and supplies.
Raven, You’re right. “Reasonable” is a difficult term these days. Reasonable is one where normal everyday people can get and use the tools they need. Those who harm innocents are not in that group.
Until a tsunami, hurricane or a sounder of feral pigs wreaks havoc on your garden. A sounder of feral pigs can make your garden a garbage pit before you can get your shotgun— that is if you have gotten permission of your masters to have a shotgun. We don’t talk about Hawaii and gun control much but they are in the top ten states with the crumbiest gun laws.
With feral pigs running rampant across the planet, having reasonable gun laws is vital. The feral pigs are a danger to our domestic pigs by being a vector for diseases. Hawaii will continue to have problems with the feral pigs until they fix their gun phobias.
If some Native Hawaiians do not like white people much, it might not be the best place to be for those who aren’t tanned.
what is a reasonable gun law ?
If only I could afford to live there!
There is that too.
Folks just my humble opinion but within 72 hours, people will be fighting for food. In about 6 days 9 out of every 10 will be dead. If you can bug in and go dark. Until the 1st week is over. Afterwards check in on those who pre-planned to work together with you. Be wary of people who no one knows, especially women. If you have a pregnant woman who approaches you it’s best to tell her nothing and tell her to move on. If you have a pregnant woman in your group she’s responsible for stockpiling babies needs. Also she’s going to have to learn to work with her baby constantly at her breasts. Crying babies can be a trap or tragedy depending upon who discovers you. Also testing and improving muffler systems on your generator is a must. Or go wind/solar farming. During the first week, you will need to pull as many good batteries and alternators as possible. For when the power goes out.
More reasons to not live in the cities and town’s . When your plans include killing babies and cowardly hiding from aggressors then yeah…… you really have no reason to live.
9 out of 10 in six days lol no …. but people once they figured out law and order doesn’t exist not that they really do any real crime solving. Things will go up in flames and don’t count on the “farms to have the food” most of them are prepared like they used to be in the old days.
I said nothing about killing babies! I said that if, let’s say your wife is pregnant, then it becomes your responsibility to stockpile for the child! Pregnant woman who approaches your group are being used by the Mobs to get information on what you have! Say nothing and tell them to move on! You don’t understand psyops do you? Most people will willingly assist a pregnant woman. That will get you killed! Stick with the group you made arrangements with, never tell all, to the group trust yourself only and watch for Traitors! Yes sometimes family members, you don’t want in your group. But if you have a baby that is nursing its cry can give you away to predators! Now show me where I said kill off babies?
Additionally you don’t know me! I have a lot to live for. Yet you seem to be the clueless one. You might choose a different course of action but having a radio that doesn’t rely on electricity either crank or solar powered will tell you what is going on in your area. Digging in if you can, during the 1st 6 days is going to be safer than being in the open. Also if you are carrying more than 30 lbs on your back and walking you are not going to make 18 to 20 miles a day. Driving will be dependent upon the vehicle and how much extra fuel you are carrying. Eventually you will have to stop because you ran out of fuel or someone took out your tires! After 6 days a horse and mule or donkey will be your best bet!.
robert 12 to 18 miles with 50lbs on my pack in a winter SERE course was the standard… That wasn’t even on blacktop and you still had to build shelters once you reached the next rest stop. so yes the 6 mile gap gives you a little bit more room for weather and what road coditions you’re on.
i do love you’re misguided wording changing what i said but its ok liars are everywhere around us and some of us pride in actually getting off the couch and not shoving fast food down our throats eatting posion.
you would be killing babies if you think every prego chick is trying to get your information….. Maybe you might need better security if you allowed someone to walk up that close to you.
secondly why are you moving around so much. Bugging out with the bug out bag is some of the dumbest prepper dreams of all time. If you haven’t moved to a rural area or …. made a group with someone that is…. you’re not going to just head to the woods.
Great Article : especially in todays wrongly trained society
always have the listed :
back up plans for escape
dont put all you assets in on place , separate and keep track so as to have alternative means
plan, prepare, prevent , keep silent about what, where , how
dont show others your plan
keep your avenues open
being a boyscout and trained by the military
we learned how , why , what , and keep track of the when
dont trust or believe the news, social networks, media
they just feel good , and tell everyone what they are told to , like a parrot , no truth , just a lot of lies
be accountable for your self and to you family 1st
the list above does not give all the answers , look , seek , research out each state as they all have different laws which prevent you from hoarding, stocking up, and your enemy the state has made laws so they can take everything in an emergency
remember what you can carry is what you can protect
everything else can be stolen in the name of FEMA the good of the nation , s and the invaders who will control you
Since power will eventually be cut learning how to make alternative fuels to run your vehicle or generator will be an absolute necessity. Also learning how to pipe the excess heat during cold weather into your home without bringing in smoke or other emissions is another good idea. If you are producing alternative fuels you might as well use that heat twice. Also skillsets are a tradeable assets. Plus having tradeable items stockpiled will help your group. This is the point Alt fuels aid you twice. Ethanol is a good fuel, plus it is a tradeable asset and disinfectant if you have wounded. Women you must stock up on feminine products for that time of the month and tampons and pads are used for wound care and cleaning firearms. Listerine mouthwash and Potassium Permagenate are also great for wound care. The more multi purpose items the less costs for preps.
Just buy a woodstove…
And smoke in the 1st 6 days will give away your position! Unless you are so far back in the mountains that you see what is coming before it arrives. I have seen many stupid suggestions on here. In addition I have also read stupid assumptions that were made by my commentary! Unless you survived the great depression or in my case had 2 great Uncles that taught me how to survive and thrive off the land you don’t have a clue until the SHTF scenario plays out! The New Madrid fault line is not going to be a SHTF situation. A SHTF situation is when the only law that can be enforced is at the point of a firearm! As it has been said in the past you have got to know your limitations! Some of the comments here have no bearing on survival after an EMP or SHTF scenario. Earthquakes only affects certain areas. My suggestion for all you people see if you can survive a month before something happens without access to food, grocery stores and fuel stations! If you can, then you are ahead by 50% of everyone else! If not then you need to rethink your entire survival strategy!
lol smoke ? everyone here has either a wood boiler or wood stove or both… . You don’t standout in the country with heating with wood. But be my guest enjoy freezing to death because you live to close to the population
South Carolina is also prone to have earthquakes. The last big one was in1886 at an estimated 7. But we have several small ones ever year.
Robert: The urban legend that a cooking fire will give away where you are is at best only partially true. I submit that early on in either an EMP or CME there will be so much smoke in the air unless you are frying bacon outdoors or barbecuing ribs, there will be so much smoke in the air it will be impossible to trace its source.
Having gone through a wildfire that burned extensive portions of the town where I live I can attest that pinpointing a smoke source when the air is so smokey that an N95 mask doesn’t need to be mandated. One can not breathe outdoors without some kind of mask protection. Pinpointing a single source of smoke is impossible. There are certain atmospheric condition that make smoke hug the ground, but even then, unless you are burning green wood with motor oil as an accelerant the smoke from an ordinary wood fire will mingle with the other smoke in the air and become indistinguishable.
As Michael pointed out, no fire services, no EMT services, no police services fires will rage until they either burn out st some natural break or there is snow or rain to extinguish the flames.
You may have seen how CA burns when a fire starts and that is with massive fire suppression efforts. You will typically hear that the fire is contained. That means that there is a significant fire break built around the body of the fire that the firefighting folks think there is little chance of the fire jumping it.
That said, I have seen fire jump eight lanes of interstate with a center divider at least three lanes in width. Driving past a newly started fire beside the I-5 interstate, with the flames only 1O – 12 feet high and only about 100 yards long, even though I was in the #1 lane and as far from the flames as I could get, the heat was so intense I thought the paint on the side of my car closest to the flames was going to be damaged. It wasn’t. I can’t imagine what it must be like when every house on both sides of your street are fully engulfed in flame. I hope for the time I have left that I will remain ignorant of the particular bit of information.
LLC, You are right about it being difficult to pinpoint the source of the smoke aroma. I live in an area where there aren’t four seasons, there are five. There is Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer and Fire Season. It is next to impossible to figure where that smoke is coming from. Sometimes a pocket of smoke will just settle in a low area that has nothing to do with the original fire. I have driven by larger fires, of course nothing near to the horrible size of fire you have dealt with. I was driving a van with minimal seats in it so it had a lot of open area in it and I kept a spritz bottle of water in the vehicle to spray the air inside to knock down some of the smoke that got inside. It seemed to help.
By the way, I was a little kid in Southern Calif. and remember those wing windows. They were absolutely wonderful. I was disappointed when cars quit having them.
LCC and Sagebrush Lin:
I remember those magical little windows as well – if I see a vintage car with them now, they make me smile and long for the days when cars were designed to be distinctive.
Sigh…
If worried about smoke checkout Dakota fire pit.
It is an interesting article. I’ve lived in 9 states and concur with those who have posted that the list is incomplete. I suspect that no list would satisfy everyone. Also, some of the information from the larger states should be broken out into regions. Texas for example has the potential for major flooding and hurricanes near Huston and massive droughts near El Paso. Tornadoes in the central and northern region and open borders in the south. I’m not suggesting that these issues are restricted to just those regions just that some threats for regions are more likely than others. Northern and southern California are vastly different, eastern and western Pennsylvanian are different. Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, have different issues specific to the east and west regions. etc.
Since the article is “What to prepare for depending on the state you live in,” I would add a section evaluating the ease or difficulty of growing your own food in that state or state region.
I suggest that a better copulation of information could obtained from preppers currently living in those states.
All in all I can say this is a decent article and I appreciate James Watson for not trying to be politically correct and just stating it pretty much how it is.
Vermont does have an Air Guard unit, F35’s and all, based out of Burlington Int. Airport. We also have Camp Johnson, National Guard and the training grounds for winter maneuvers. Oh, and we’re still being “Invaded” by “refuges” fleeing New York and Boston.
well the F35 are mostly grounded due to the stupid maintenance cost issues.
Just a comment about Kentucky and the statement “sparse military bases”. Louisville has Fort Knox and at least two major military contractors. Lexington also has at least two major military contractors and two training facilities for Government “alphabet” and military.
lol its only Fort Knox….. i mean besides the lie of our Gold stored on the post….. they have other issues like tanker school
One thing not mentioned is loss of quality/correct information. Radio and television reports will be broadcasting the accepted narrative; the HAM operators may or may not be supplying accurate information; Carrier pigeons and smoke signals are a lost art; and you may not be able to get all of the relevant information with your own reconnaissance.
Locally, you may be prepared, but when you start adding distance to events, you will need to have a reliable way for information exchange.
they already do…… Ham operators don’t seem to push news…. they mostly are crugey old dudes upset if some new guy wants to learn or “they suspect someone of broadcasting without a gov registration
HAM operators should already be logging who they are talking with, their call sign location and other pertinent information. If you established your QRC before a problem even arises. You are already ahead of the game. And yes there will be people who will use HAM radio that don’t have licenses after a SHTF situation. However if you already have a HAM operator or 3 in your group having those QRC cards will be an aid in the long run. Nobody usually gives out their exact location. But unscrupulous people can use HAM to triangulate your location. It’s better to listen and keep passive unless you need direct information. Also the list of things that was discussed didn’t cover every scenario. That will be up to you depending upon your Bug in/out location. If Yellowstone caldera blows up. Although localized it’s effects will be worldwide. My advice is to play what if games in your mind or with the heads of the other families in your group. It will cause you or another in your group to come up with solutions. Again be careful about who you allow into your group. Skillsets, and other things they can bring into the group. Example I have a 90lb full ER without specialized equipment. And I have the ability to do minor surgeries. But if I had to walk to Bugout I would have to leave it behind. You can only carry roughly 30 lbs in a backpack unless you are extremely fit. What you put into your Bugout bag and on your belts, more weight loss of mobility.
robert the rule of thumb with a ruck is 1/3 of your body weight … For rucking now if you need to carry more you woud be taking longer breaks and a much slower time. Hell why not just build a drag sled if you got that much and for whatever reason your walking to nowhere.
Michael and others 1 I have other sources of water. 2 even in the driest desert you can squeeze water from the air if necessary. It may not be much but it can be done until you get to a good water source. The suggestions that I made were just options to think about. However, if you are staying inside of a bug out shelter, the 55 degree temperatures will cause condensation inside. Plus as you breathe you allow moisture to leave your body along with using filtered urine to replenish your water supplies. Then you have incidental water such as dew or tying a bag around a tree branch or bush. Humidifiers is just one idea. Being able to make alternative fuels to power your generator solves your power problems. YouTube is full of articles that can assist you. 1 item you will need is a 10 Amp solar charger to keep the information you download to your phone accessible. I can’t keep everything on “How to” in my head. So I keep downloading information to 3 places my phone, my laptop and a hard copy. I own 3 10 Amp solar chargers 1 keeps my phone and all the other phones charged. The other 2 keeps my laptop up and running if I need it. Plus backing up your phone and computer on a thumb drive or a Disc and having a hard copy means that I will be able to retrieve the files when I need them. There were many things that were mentioned on ask a prepper that were for localized events, Hurricanes, Tornadoes, earthquakes floods. Preppers are looking at both short-term and long-term issues and there is some cross over. Repurposing things to make fuels or having things to barter with like Salt Alcohol and other things is helpful in the long run. On here someone confused me not allowing a pregnant woman who NO ONE knows inside your group as killing babies. Sorry Mobs will use the fact that she’s pregnant as a spy tool. In the first year, unless a woman in your group is already pregnant. Taking care not to get pregnant is best. If you have someone in your group who is pregnant She and her husband are responsible for prepping for the expected child. Plus mom will need to breastfeed. But tying a blanket or sheet into a carrier for the baby to have constant access to the breast milk minimizes the baby crying. In Asia and Africa and other 3rd world countries this is to keep baby and your group safe. For the person who accused me of trying to kill babies, if that was what I meant then why did I learn how to make JUKE? Look it up, eventually your group will start having pregnant woman and you will need to know that information. However, asking those in your group to be careful, trying to prevent a pregnancy within the 1st year should not be a hard request? Once the SHTF getting established in your bug out/in location has to be priority. Once established with enough food water shelter after the 1st year. Then you can think about creating more dependents. All children by the age of 3 under normal circumstances, should be able to help the group with simple tasks. Additionally they need to be taught to never leave your bug in/out location without you or another adult and every adult needs their battle buddy. 10% is still roughly 40 million people. Some will be thugs others will band together for protection and additional assistance. I had the luxury of having 2 great Uncles that survived the Great Depression. They passed their knowledge to me. When you allow new people into your group, you need to do so based upon their skill sets. You don’t need people who are not willing to work! Survival without some of the luxuries we have today is not easy. 1 final note in Survival modesty is one of the 1st things that goes out the window. Although your group will try to accommodate for Modesty, situations sometimes dictate that you and others in your group will have to be able to change clothes quickly especially if you are in winter and you just got soaked. Remember the rule of 3’s.
well, after typing in a half dozen ‘duck’ searches and scrolling through a ton of ‘results’.. most of which are limited to ‘juke’boxes, cars, football, and music.. I’m still at a loss of what you learned to make that pertains to childbearing/raising?? could I entice you to give a bit more info??? tia
Drought needs to be added to the disaster list, especially for PDRK and Texas because of large populations and extensive industry that depend on year to year rainfall for water. The 1949-57 drought in Texas affected the entire state. New reservoirs were built but the population has outgrown the water supply. We had a 4 year drought starting in 2010 and it ended just as severe residential restrictions were becoming widespread and construction and agriculture close to shutting down. A repeat of the 49-57 drought would be a disaster affecting 30 million mostly urban residents. Prepping for a disaster always starts with insuring a water supply. Prepping for long term water scarcity is going to require a lot of thought.
Judge Holden if water is the shortage, then the population will shrivel to less than the water system will support pretty darn quick.
3 days without water your dead (or near enough).
Hmmm have you ever owned a Dehumidifier? If you can run it constantly you will make a gallon and a half in 24 hours straight from the air. Just filter and Drink. Israel uses very large Dehumidifiers for their troops. Don’t count on getting one of those units though but 4 Dehumidifiers along with you prestocked water should keep you going. In addition there’s other ways to get water.
Robert a couple of thoughts here. How much POWER do you need for your drinking water dehumidifier? The military verson I saw ate up the power produced by a good-sized military diesel generator. Your trading Diesel for water here.
The water produced has a LOT to do with ambient humidity. Cannot squeeze blood out of a stone and no water in the air no water produced. Israel uses a few of them, but they live in a desert NEXT to Oceans, so humidity is much higher than you expect.
There might be a reason the California folks are thinking hard about ocean desalination instead of this dehumidifier idea?
Also in the thread the discussion is about what is here and now IF the grid fails and water shortages become the new Reality. Might be hard to gin up such alternatives in short order as in the 3 days before lack of water kills you.
Thus, I have three wells, a cistern, two hand pumps and a solar driven well pump. Water is that critical IMHO.
My friends and allies will not be without water if I can do anything about that.
Rule of Threes Applies here. Does Ask a Prepper have a rule of threes article?
Sorry Robert I posted too quick, I HAVE a home dehumidifier and have run a Kill-o-watt measuring its power needs. I forget off hand how much, but it was well past my Solar Array’s capacity unless I wanted to ignore my other electrical needs.
All for maybe a gallon of water a day? I’m grateful I have other sources of water.
Robert: A dehumidifier only works when there is moisture in the air for the dehumidifier to extract. On dry days here in SoCal it is not unusual for the humidity to be in the single digits. I might add that I am only about 2 air miles from the ocean. I suspect about 20 miles further inland the humidity may be below 5%. It is impossible for a dehumidifier to work in such conditions.
In the days before ubiquitous air conditioning it was not unusual to see humidifiers on roof tops and stuck in windows in the southwest and SoCal. They were called swamp coolers and they pumped cool air, cooled by evaporation of water from fiber mats that a fan blew hot dry air over.
I remember riding shotgun one August from San Bernardino to El Centro. My job during the ride was to feed ice from an ice chest to the window swamp cooler as this was in the days before every car had a/c and ours didn’t. I don’t think we made it past Indio before the ice chest was empty and the mat in the swamp cooler was bone dry.
We then turned to the much older method of cooling a car, the 4/65 unit. One rolled down all four windows, turned the wind wings to direct the oven hot air directly on oneself and drove 65 mph.
Wind wings. How many readers of this post even remember when cars had wind wings?
i doubt it…. much like when the us deploys they just bottle water or use the dreaded water bladders which normally gets everyone sick
Good Grief people please think before you post! Some of the information herein is irrelevant to survival! In the 1st 6 days 90% of the people will be gone. Because they had the mindset of it could never happen or I will just steal what I need! For those who haven’t prepped you are already behind. For those like Gates and other rich people they think that they are safe in their bankers. Lol we know the locations of most of them.
robert if your belief is that in 6 days 90 percent would be dead….. is from what data ?? Every area that is hit with massive isuses like the collaspe of Vensusla and other nations. Where law and order has failed…. and they are starving in the streets. I don’t see a 90 percent kill off…. its mostly people doing what they need to do to make and that might mean team up with a different family to provide for eachother in farming or protection.
LCC
I remember wind wings only we called them wing windows or wing glasses…lol
Our family made a trip from Oklahoma to California in1959 in a 1959 Chevy station wagon with no a/c. We were going to visit my dad’s family who had left Oklahoma during the great depression and the dust bowl.
We traveled US Hwy 66. That was before I-40 was built. We traveled at night because it was my parents & grandmother’s opinion it was cooler. They would wet bath towels and roll the window up to hold them inside the car and turn the wing glasses in to blow air across the towels to try to cool us. I suppose that was better than nothing but I don’t remember it calling very good…lol
Judge, Texas has had serious visible drought situations but up here, I am not so sure. This area depends upon it’s winter snow pack to supply the reservoirs and main rivers which then supply the irrigation canals plus the domestic supply. It has been snowing in the mountains so much this year that one of the ski resorts had to shut down as it was coming down so hard. I was sent photos today of another mountain in the area where the garage has at least 5 feet of snow on it. But, several times today, the radio announcer kept telling his listeners that the drought is still ongoing. He sounded a little like Bagdad Bob to me. Last summer my irrigation water was turned off by the ditch riders a month early because they said that the water was low but I saw that the “special” entities in town still had irrigation water to keep their lawns lovely until the first freeze.
I agree that we, ourselves, need to prepare for water shortages but I do question if all the current announced shortages are valid.
I just ran across an article that noted that one of former presidents has enough cash to purchase 100,000 acres of land over one of the biggest aquifers on the planet. Many of us our preparing, it’s just that some have deeper pockets than the others.
Good article. Lots of good information for analysis and discussion.
Of course it’s incomplete to people within the individual state who know about certain conditions, but it’s a good overview and it serves as a jumping off point for further research.
One point that so far has not been brought up is that the denser the population is, the less farming goes on and the more food has to be brought in. With truckers in short supply and “shortages” abounding, we also need to examine whether or not we can grow enough food in our immediate area to replace the goods that WON’T be available in a major or long term situation.
Those of us who are rural and have experience with growing large truck gardens and possibly commercial size growing of some sort will be in a better position for food, but may have trouble accessing medicine or emergency services. Appendicitis, infected wounds, snakebite, and untreated mental health issues are just a few things that can’t be easily treated at home, so we need to take that into consideration.
The governor of my state has already set up to activate ‘her’ right to confiscate any and all ‘necessary’ items, most definitely including food.. supposedly for better ’emergency’ distribution.. none of the commercial farmers or livestock raisers I know or have heard from have any doubts they’ll be the primary targets. Experience is invaluable, but it might be prudent to have somethings less conspicuous to tide one over until one can harvest the fruits of any recovery/regeneration of production anywheres close to ‘commercial’/what is confiscated.. by which harvest time we’d be in a whole different set of scenarios.. ???
if there is any extension of ‘government’ after SHTF, they’ll most likely be your first ‘looters’.. they most likely already have such producers mapped out….. the city hordes and rural tweekers who make it through the first few days well enough TO actually get out here to loot will have much slimmer pickings and will probably be the ones most of us will need to defend against.. or try to avoid..
I am not sure who figured this crap out ! You missed the snow storm in Hawaii and the flooding along with DOZENS of others things. We all live in states and have a good idea of normal, but you never cover all the odd things that happen. What a joke.
Yeah nowhere did they mention the ongoing invasion of Texas by Clarius batrachus out of Louisiana.
Good Grief people please think before you post! Some of the information herein is irrelevant to survival! In the 1st 6 days 90% of the people will be gone. Because they had the mindset of it could never happen or I will just steal what I need! For those who haven’t prepped you are already behind. For those like Gates and other rich people they think that they are safe in their bankers. Lol we know the locations of most of them.
Robert please relax. Telling folks their thoughts are “irrelevant “” doesn’t make for a good discussion.
I’ve read several of your posts on this thread and if you’re getting riled up over mere words and probable misunderstandings of Your words, WHAT are you going to Do when things get Really Wierd-Bad?
While I am happy you’re gathering useful survival information on your electronic devices a thought to ponder. Ever hear of Murphy? As in Murphys Law?
The more complicated things are the more likely a critical failure. Critical things are best kept simple.
If you happen to drop your solid state memory device on its recharge port and it cannot be recharged Then what?
I have critical information in 2+ loose leaf binders. In two secure places so a home fire doesn’t get them both. My group cross trains critical tasks so WHEN Not IF we have sickness, injuries or death critical tasks can be done.
Some of what you posted here is interesting, so stick around.
God gave us 2 eyes, 2 ears, and one mouth. Good to see (or attempt to see) other peoples viewpoint, listen carefully and maybe ask for clarification and pause a bit before responding. The Bible says the tongue is a tiny thing that can set fires.
Georgia is a southern city…………..actually its not
I believe that you meant southern state if you are in the mountains of Georgia you have less people. Some people that Ihave chatted with say they can just go to a state or national park and eat the animals. The only problem with this is that about 75% of non preppers have this thought. So unless you already own property on the edge of said park, that you have hidden preps you still have the same problem in the 1st 6 days. As for Ham radio the operators that I know keep contact cards are those that they have already talked with so checking for news in other areas is not as hard as most think.
All of your comments make me think. And change my plans. You all do this to me often. Thank you. I compare the way you all alter my plans to me earning another degree. Right now I am paying $2400 (including books) per class. LUCKILY, I do get reimbursed.
I do not know where most of you live, well I do know which states LCC, red, Miss Kitty, and Sagebrush live. I think I know anyway. But I often do not recall who lives in NM versus Arizona. My point is I wish we all lived closer. We would make a great team. I know some of you are closer. I would guess City Chick and I are just a little over an hour by train. @Michael, I can be at the New Hampshire border in less than three hours.
I don’t mean to seem like a stalker. I just have come to depend on the group of you for moral support. Yup. I sound like a nut job.
Tee LOL, a REAL nutjob thinks they are sane 🙂
Reality is we have to make do with what we have and where we are when things go bad.
You’ve mentioned you had ample food production. That’s nothing to walk away from unless you’re a truck garden for NYC. Having assets that are hidden in case you get robbed even by “Legal Robbery” is a very good thing.
Trusted friends are a real blessing during Hard Times.
Peace of mind is knowing even if I was driven out of my flaming house in a snowstorm, me and mine could find shelter and the ability to rebuild a reasonable distance from my home.
But that takes work and spending a little cash for the materials for the caches and allied friends. After all who really wants a threadbare set of Beggers (even Friends) showing up during SHTF. Proverbs speaks to this so it’s nothing new.
Proverbs 14:20
The poor is hated even of his own neighbor: but the rich hath many friends.
If you doubt that look at how we treat homeless, yes, we may give them a 20 but how many are invited into your homes and lives?
I suggest each of us look to what they HAVE and stop dreaming of the Lottery Castle off in the woods. Look to your weaknesses and do something even a tiny SOMETHING TODAY to solve that. A Brick House is built of MANY Small Bricks, ONE at a time.
Tee stop changing your plans, some of us only sound like we have it together. You KNOW yourself and who you trust in real life. Work with that.
I take what you all say and I think about my (husband and my) situation. Then I compare our plans. You all have had us make some very good improvements. The back and forth is golden. The moral support that you all provide is priceless.
One example of a plan change, I mean improvement, came from your suggestion Michael. Rabbits for food. I notice one of our neighbors a few hundred yards down the road had rabbit hutches. I knocked on his door and we chatted for 40 minutes. Turns out he is a prepper. He is coming to our house on Saturday for lunch and further conversation. He said the bears, foxes, and coyotes have taken all his rabbits so we are going to fence in and fortify our hutches.
Food plan improved thanks to your suggestion.
Tee the time is coming when like the shepherds of Christ’s birth we will have to be with our critters to keep them safe.
What did Einstein say about Insanity doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result? If fencing didn’t stop the predators before??
And that’s before dealing with human predators.
When you can have a pizza delivered its not that critical, when the grocery stores are smoking ruins from hungry angry people we have to decide between a soft bed or food.
Cherokee children used to stand guard at night in their 3 sisters gardens because that food supply was that Important. They were praised for the extra meat they killed when they got a garden pest.
A garden house used to be where the gardeners Lived , back in the pre-electric Era.
Post Soviet Era the gardens of the country homes (Datchas) kept many from starvation and malnutrition. Again with pre-electric style methods. You can BET that marauding woodchuck was an HONORED Guest at dinner.
Yet somehow our forefathers survived, enjoyed living and thus were born.
Cheap bananas 365 days a year are not critical for survival.
Tee, I have had the same thought. I really wish that we could just get together and share conversation. There are some really bright and interesting people who post on here.
I so agree!!!
Indiana is home to one of the very most and largest combo navy/army bases in the US. It is indeed a military target.
Great Lakes Naval Training Base? I knew what state that was located in at one time, I think. Maybe not.
Illinois has great lakes
Hi everyone,
Thank you for the article.
I’ve been reading these articles and new to commenting and new to any kind of prepping. I had been living in east coast cities for more than a decade. I was tired of the crowdedness and crime anyway and finally moved to a smaller place but still in a blue state.
I’ve reached the point where I can move and I want to move especially from a blue state. Maybe thats not important or possible for some but its important for me.
I’m definitely in the bottom rung of both prepping and learning but I fully believe in what’s happening right now and I’m doing my best. I really appreciate the advice from those more experienced.
My biggest priority at this first point in time is to move further west and a little further south and away from the biggest potential areas of civil unrest to a state that is predominantly red. Not that have faith in any of it but i want to be in a state that at least in terms of the majority of its residents values freedom and the constitution.
Pre 2020 I had really wanted to move to New Mexico first choice then Arizona second but I’m assuming with proximity to the border and drought risk/water shortage/desert in general that is a really bad idea. I also thought they were somewhat red states but i think I was mistaken.
There’s natural disasters everywhere but I’m definitely really concerned about wildfires. I’ve also really struggled with the winters in the Northern States so I’d really prefer not to be closer to the Canadian border or the great lakes. I can handle winter if necessary but I probably prefer heat.
I know nowhere is perfect. I know nowhere is without threats. I’m not even sure anywhere is great any more but I’d like to find somewhere with more potential than where I am – freezing cold, crowded, expensive blue state.
If anyone feels inclined to share even their random thoughts on New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado I would be so incredibly grateful. Maybe South Dakota? Oklahoma? Arkansas? Anywhere I’m not thinking of in the middle-west of the country. I lived in the Pacific NW before and i didn’t really like it.
I’m not at advanced enough stage yet to be thinking of nuclear threats and so on though i know some people would say i should think of this first. I’d like to start by getting to a red state, not over populated state with the possibility of a lower crime area outside the cities, maybe the possibility of a little beginner’s gardening. Preferably not in the pathway of home-destroying natural disasters like tornado alley.
It’s all pretty overwhelming but any thoughts for a beginner are deeply appreciated.
Thank you everybody!
Utah? Idaho? I’m in the PNW and love it…but I’m in a VERY rural area. There are areas of the PNW that doesn’t get the “constant rain”….like out in Sequim.
Thank you LehualLady – I’m doing some more research and obviously traveling around to visit too, and I’m starting to really learn about places rather than going on my preconceived notions like “too cold”.
I do think the cities are the hotbed of the far left activity in pretty much every area, even in red states. But the same seems to apply – the smaller and more rural areas are more red even in typical blue states. I really didn’t used to overly concern myself with the majority vote in my state but with thel very life-impacting policy overreach that’s become the norm it’s a problem. I truly appreciate those two recommendations. I’m finding good info in older related posts/comments too.
I think someone needs to review the information on Idaho and New Mexico… It seems as though they left out several strtigic targets in both states.
Those who perpetuate evil end up with a reprobate mind. Their followers might have started out life bright enough but the longer they follow their evil leaders, their minds become more and more reprobate. Bottom line is that those who might target certain strategic sites with evil intent will be making serious mistakes. Their minds will get more and more stupid as time goes on. I see this in my own family. Those who follow all of the elitist media story line are just not thinking as clearly as they did earlier in their lives in contrast to their siblings who are capable of looking past the media elite propaganda.
All of the article’s information and some that could have been added, is not set-in-stone as a danger. Just as our gardens have micro-climates, there are micro-political climate oasis’.
I don’t want to suggest that there can be a PollyAnna style hope but I am suggesting that with prayer and listening, amazing safety can be found.
Yeah, the research for this was quick-n-dirty, using only one or two secondary or tertiary sources rather than going to original sources (DoD, DoE, etc). As someone else said, it does cause a good bit of discussion as the readers sort everything out.
I live in Oklahoma.
Drug trafficking is off the chart. Pot grow houses are being built EVERYWHERE! Meth and fentanyl are being moved across the state on the interstate highways and traffickers are being busted almost daily.
The Russians and Chinese are buying rural land any where they can because land is cheap, but land prices are going up by the day.
Petitions are being circulated and signed to get recreational pot voted on. It will happen!
If I was looking for a place to relocate to it would not be Oklahoma.
The state is trying to get control but I doubt it will happen any time soon if ever.
If I’d have been told 50 years ago this could happen I’d have said no way could it happen.
I can’t believe what has happened to our country and the moral decay. God help us!
Legalize weed
Mail,
Oregon has legalized pot but the illegal element still is a huge part of the production. A big barn in central Oregon was found with 300 illegals locked inside this past summer. They were kept inside to process the product. Of course, with such criminal type growers, they’re going to be just fine using whatever chemicals they find most efficient on the plants and polluting the area.
I have a relative over in Tennessee – a beautiful area but, sadly, the drug use is rampant there too. It is really difficult for me to understand the mind set.
Everything just described about Oklahoma and Tennessee applies to Pennsylvania and upstate NY too. It’s really sad and beyond insane how rampant hard drug use is, and as much so how acceptable it is to society at large and how so many people just shrug their shoulders. It’s a tricky one for sure because I’m all for small government, but at the same time, seeing so much of this country’s once beautiful, historic cities turned into crime and zombie filled wastelands is actually horrifying. If you are lucky enough to have not seen it in person just look up drug epidemic in Philadelphia or San Francisco or New York or Baltimore or Memphis. The death rate is horrifying too, particularly amongst teens and young people.
And it’s not even just the big cities, I live in a small city in the beautiful mountains and I’m lucky if I can go two days walking my dog in the morning without seeing some complete nutcase or zombie high on meth or fentanyl.
But thank you because I’m not convinced a lot of the places I’m thinking about moving to are much better!
@Evie,
I cannot remember a time in my life where I lived somewhere that was drug free (I am in my 50s). I do not see the users so much anymore, but I know where they are. Being that I was born into a family of users (my mother to this day claims she was not an addict because the drugs are prescribed), I have some insight into the lives of drug users (I have NEVER USED). My BEST drug story… There was an issue with one of my college scholarships. The company from which I earned a scholarship went out of business so they did not pay my tuition as promised. I had to take a year off and work. I did not tell anyone in my family, but I got a job on the security team in a private residence a town over from where I grew up. The job included housing so I was all set. One day the master called the servants quarters and said he needed three armed guards to take a delivery at the gate. Three of us suited up and went to the gate. The delivery people arrive and one of them was… my sister. So the most wealthy man in our state was using drugs. As were my siblings and my parents and some of the staff at the house I worked at. No matter how hard I try, drugs are always around the corner.
Tee:
How sad…but I don’t think it’s necessarily a question of proximity, or an increase in numbers, but rather a question of awareness.
Drug and alcohol abuse has been around literally since people figured out eating, drinking or smoking certain things would change the way they feel, for good (medicine) or bad.
You have life experience with seeing the effects of drug use, so you can spot someone who’s high or who is a habitual user faster and more accurately than a person who doesn’t have that knowledge. This acute awareness extends to anyone who has experienced the effects of living with a substance abuser, or to other behaviors that are usually kept hidden from others such as physical or sexual abuse, alcohol abuse, and psychiatric illness. In other words, you recognize the “tells” that these individuals unconsciously exhibit.
That is actually an advantage both in normal life and in a shtf situation. These people can be unreliable, unpredictable, or downright dangerous to be around, and being able to recognize this even in strangers is a useful survival skill.
This type of family history can be traumatic, though, and you should take whatever actions you feel you need (if you have not already done so) to get your mind in a healthy place before the s truly htf for your own benefit.
That which doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger.
Miss Kitty,
Thank you for what you said. I DO believe my mind is in the right place USUALLY :). I have achieved and maintained an amazing marriage. Our 25th wedding anniversary is this year!!!!!!! I will graduate with another master’s degree in May. I have a great church to attend. I have a successful career that provides the health insurance that we need. Plus I recently received an email in which the boss said, “Thanks for keeping the world safe”. I have given a home to one of the children my family has discarded
(the most trying of all my work). I am happy, healthy (mostly), AND I pay my taxes.
One of my things is that I use this comment section as therapy. I whine to you all more than I should (my security clearance PROHIBITS me from social media). You all are my social media. THANK YOU FOR that.
Hopefully my brain is in the right place (I really think it is) for what is to come.
OHHHHH – helpful pepper information – Husband is a gunsmith. Customer loaded incorrect caliber in rifle. Customer left the rifle with my husband for some upgrades and to fix. Then the customer went to his winter home. Husband calls the customer with how much it will cost and the customer said that is too much. Just keep the rifle (there was more to it as customer had a tab). They completed the paperwork. I shot the rifle at 1200 yards yesterday and I was threading needles. It lacks a muzzle brake, but I know a gunsmith. This Mauser M18 is FANTASTIC and only cost the customer $400. And I was sighting in the same customer’s $8,000 PROOF rifle. Both my husband and I were VERY impressed with the Mauser. In other gunsmitthing reports: my husband has had to repair NUMEROUS Savage rifle bolts in the last six months. It seems that after a few hundred rounds the extractor (I know NOTHING about this) fails. Then the bolt jams and the shooter tries to get the bolt out and… The Savages are crazy accurate. Just don’t depend on it shooting a second round.
Thank you for the warning abut Savage rifles. I was planning to buy one. Or two. A rimfire and a centerfire. I have a really tight budget, so I can’t afford to be constantly replacing parts like that!
savage rifles are just fine…. read between the lines of someone who isnt telling the truth. The Fact is they make a excellent product that varies in what you can afford. Here in wisconsin its a the common rifle and works excellent out this way.
Hell my 110 tactical is a beast and you’re getting a hell of a rifle for what it costs. Plus they run a under a minute from the factory.
@ Tee and @Misskitty
Thank you so much for sharing your insights. I completely agree that drug use of all kinds is something that applies to all demographics and often the least expected. I also know you are right in terms of it having been around since the beginning of civilized society. I really don’t know what the point or measure of it becoming more dominant in previously unaffected areas versus contained areas.
Here is where I am coming from in terms of wanting to move is two things mainly.
First of all as @misskitty said there are certain types of drugs particularly meth that make users more susceptible to erratic, unpredictable behavior.
Just a few weeks ago about 45 minutes away from me in a nice, semi-rural area a half naked man on meth carried out a home invasion on a couple in their 70’s violently assaulting both of them, attempting to sexually assault the 75 year old woman and leaving both in critical condition.
This is the kind of thing that breaks my heart and makes me want to move somewhere that the meth business particularly will be run out of town in a second by the zero tolerance residents and local police. I want these people to get help because it’s no way to live – hard drug use mostly has devastating consequences on both the user and those around them. I just don’t see the soft on crime and addiction approach having any positive outcomes where I am I really don’t and the volume is just increasing by the month.
Obviously you can stay in your home and car and avoid contact and “live and let live” but I am really tired of not being able to go walk my dog again in a semi-rural area in the mountains without having to keep my head down and my dog’s head pulled up, the entire time for syringes, drug bags, broken glass, discarded clothes and trash literally everywhere.
So there really is a point where I think it bleeds over and starts impacting the quality of life but I’m not confident that what I feel is a clear increase of it (reversal of war on drugs ethos and border situation) hasn’t spread to every state at this point. It sure sounds like it!
But I agree – these are definitely not the people I want to be around in a shtf situation.
Evie,
I can totally see why you want to leave. I am so sorry that you have to go through that. One would hope that decent people living decent lives could avoid the trash. I wish I had a place to suggest. I think of a place that might be just right. But two or three towns over have that garbage.
Everyone who is worried about other people’s drug use is laughable. Prepping is about survival, drug users within 72 hours of a full blown event SHTF scenario will succumb to the effects of their drug use. Plus in a scenario where the only law that can be enforced is at the point of a firearm, these addicts will not be thinking about survival their minds will be on getting their next fix. This conversation started out great but now you’re way off topic. Worry less about others and look to your own to take care of. Those other things about different people’s problems will be sorted out within the 1st 6 days. As for the approximately 40 million left who want to be thugs and take something from another will go the way of the 1st 90%. It will eventually come down to either be the ant and survive or the grasshopper and goodbye!
the major crime gangs will become a pretty decent issue.. they have training the numbers and they are used to volience which most of the people here are not.
they will find a way to make a buck in this new world.
Raven for a second time this year I have to agree with your posting. 🙂
Robert has little to no real-world knowledge how effective gangs are but sadly he and his will find out. Gangs have Organization, Ruthlessness, Firepower and Teamwork. Most have SENT their Members into the US Military FOR TRAINING in the Sand Box.
BUT,BUT, BUT, We have GUNS…. Bullets go both ways when the range is hot. You only have to get careless or unlucky and YOUR DOWN with a high velocity slug.
Post-Soviet Union collapse the Gangs indeed ran the street activities and even today are still there.
They ARE a Post Rule of Law CONCERN. And thus, QUITE a decent subject to discuss.
@RobertR I don’t disagree with your ultimate sentiment and you are obviously way more advanced and experienced than me.
But people are where they are in terms of preparation – some people don’t have a firearms permit or training as of yet, some people are elderly, disabled, sick, a single parent with young children, pregnant, whatever it may be. Not everyone is an ex-Marine with a high level of op-sec skills and 3 decades of prepping under their belt.
For some people relocation is a factor, rather than only just preparing where you are if you can move, especially if like me you are in a blue state and area with strict gun laws, soft on crime policies and a relatively high and increasing level of muggings, home invasions , rapes, car jackings and so on. Most of the crime is connected to the drug trade on both sides so it can also be about quality of life issues, mitigating external threats and obstacles not just the ultimate shtf.
I jumped on to this comments section when I normally just read because the article was about threats in different states.
We’re not worried about junkies and alkies AFTER the disaster. We’re worried about them BEFORE. Yeah, they’ll be a serious threat for only a few weeks, post-SHTF. But they’re ALL serious threats all day, all night, right now. Unless you live in a VERY remote area, or a VERY nice one. In that case, congrats.
I couldn’t agree more. It’s easy not to be worried about anything until you are actually experiencing it but when you are you realize how easily it can be pushed over the edge.
You forgot what was said. When law enforcement is what YOU can enforce at the point of a firearm, most of these gangs will go after each other in the 1st 72 hours of a SHTF scenario. What remains if prepping is done correctly, Will not be that big of an issue. Most gangs will be grasshoppers not ants. They will be looking for the easy way. Survival is work, and brains, usually not a gangbangers Forte! Violence and intimidation which is cured by a simple application of things that go boom.
Know any gang members, Robert? I do. Rival gangs (and rival sets within gangs) do indeed kill and maim each other. But they ALSO do business. They have peace agreements and treaties. They have MANY rules. Individuals who break rules face anything from beatings to death (it’s called “getting violated). And yeah, there are active duty military AND cops who are gang members. Some members live in nice suburbs. White-collar families.
The average citizen lives life caught between criminals and gov’t. That’s only going to worsen post-crisis.
Congrats to Western Society for letting garbage schools and TV raise your kids for 60+ years. That free daycare cost us everything in the end.
Hey, y’all-do not forget about the Great Chicago Fire. Accidentally set by one dumb dude. Now you have a few million nascent arsonists among you, in addition to 100’s of thousands of gang members. Best of luck!
You got that right! I worked with gangs in the system for 25 years. Some “sets” are rag tag but usually have an alliance with a stronger gang. Yes they fight among themselves but can on occasion unite. It really depends on the gang. Some are solid top to bottom these gangs enforce their rules and are adept at using a variety of weaponry. Many have served in the military and some are still active. They know tactics and certainly how to use their weapons and they will use them no doubt. The Law Enforcement agencies have their fair share of members for certain. We had quite a few members where I worked. Oh and you are spot on about the fact that the leadership at least are plenty smart. We had gang members with an impressive amount of formal education too. Some were attorneys. There was one doctor. People who have never been near this culture have no idea of certain gangs capabilities….Gangs like MS-13 are very organized… And brutal. I remember talking to some of the leaders and thinking for a hot second that they were OK. They know how to handle themselves in society in and out of prison. Reading their sheets quickly sobers one up. These are some bad people.When the SHTF they will gear up and be formidable…That’s why I moved to the country when I retired. It will take a while for them to find their way out here. They will come however.
Good plan to think you;re smarter then the gangs…… sigh well good luck with that you have been wrong on nearly everything so far you mentioned. six days and 90 perecent wil die off is a joke….. too
they been surviving most of the life they understand family ….. and its a rank struture and very well armed plus a lot of them have military training and hardware.
Raven, with respect the majority (some 80%) of the US Population is in the Cities and Urban areas. Without SAFE Water and Lack of Sewage systems, both require weekly trucking supplies for needed chemicals and such AND Trained Workers (Who are Unlikely to Show Up if the Streets are Dangerous) in 3+ days a lot of folks will be dead or badly sickened.
Food supplies, what city has more than a few days’ worth? Shows up EVERYTIME we have a Major Snowstorm. AND Thats when we have National Guard and such to force critical supplies INTO those cities.
Both of these factors bode Poorly for the survival of city folks over a week or three. THUS, My Concerns they will stagger out of their cities (Or at least the MOST RUTHLESS of them who survived better BECAUSE they are Ruthless) to seek clean water, shelter and Food.
Those are the Mobs-Gangs I am very concerned about. Yes, they know how to USE Children and such to sneak in a “Door UNLOCKER” into your camp. Would suck to awaken to your alarm systems shut off and doors unlocked, eh?
Your Comment earlier about Venezuela NOT suffering a 90% die off, was NOT a full on SHTF collapse but a Slow-Motion Socialist Collapse WITH Critical City Services SLOWLY Failing.
That and folks from Venezuela have never had the “Safety Net” keeping elderly and unhealthy folks alive like WE DO. Their Diabetics in general simply died before they had children. Thus, lack of Insulin (for example) a lot of our Diabetics are going to pass as the lack of refrigeration ruins their meds. Heart meds same issues as stress and supplies of critical meds dwindle.
During the collapse of the Soviet Union a LOT of folks simply drank themselves to death, spending their limited funds and trading stuff for cheap booze instead of trying to survive and make do. Around here we call that the “Smart Phone Zombies” when things fall apart.
So, the 90% die off with a massive grid down SHTF isn’t unlikely sad to say. The survivors are apt to be hard people. Not all with good morals.
The largest Gangs are the Police (law enforcement and you better believe they will stick together and crush you . ) They do it with the law on the their side now. Imagine taking the ROL away and they will do it faster and harder.
Trying to reply to Rocky74 here but having technical issues.
But yes agreed anywhere there is a power vacuum that is who steps in and before you know it you have the rule-by-violence corruption anatomy of any developing country. And with the current border situation it’s clear nobody at the highest levels of power wants to prevent it from happening. As for MS-13 and Mexican/South American cartels they probably already own a healthy supply of the U.S. military weapons left in Afghanistan. It’s not just about having guns either there’s a reason they rule by torture – they have zero problem with violent murder whether beheadings, mass graves, bodies strung up on main street. You only have to cross the border directly adjacent to El Paso for that to be daily reality. And civilians are absolutely not exempt, nobody is. And this is what drives the violence in places like Chicago, Los Angeles, and it’s infiltrating places like Philly and even suburban Long Island. Theres a lot to be said getting as far away from that as possible before it gets any worse. Just my own opinion as I see substantially increasing crime and drug trade in my own area.
I think we can all agree that there are several excellent points that have been brought up in this thread.
Die off in case of a full blown global or national shtf situation.
Given the circumstances, up to 90% die off could very well be possible in urban areas. However, there are mitigating factors that might keep that figure much lower, or stretch the die rate out over months or years rather than days or weeks. These include outside help from the government, (don’t laugh…they actually do show up with food, water and medicine… eventually. And some of it actually does get to people in real need, not just the politicians and wealthy.) people being better able to subsist than one would normally expect, weather conditions (that’s a huge issue, timing), and what’s going on in the rest of the world. If your shtf is something restricted to say, the Yellowstone Caldera blowing up from the “big one”, damage would be restricted to the lower 48 of the US and possibly parts of Canada. Europe, Russia, China, etc would not be affected by this. So would our European allies come to our aid, or would they use the opportunity of chaos to strengthen their own positions through looting our resources at home and abroad, knowing we could do little but shake our fists? Same goes for our frenemies, like China, with whom we have strong economic ties but not much else. Would they use the opportunity to invade adjacent countries for political reasons, or to invade us thinking of exploiting what’s left of our natural resources? Or would they be forced to give us aid, knowing that if our economy is destroyed it effectively invalidates our debts? How much money would they stand to lose if the US went belly up? Or Australia, Britain, Brazil, etc? Never underestimate the motivation to save a person’s life if that person owes you a lot of money!
Again, a lot depends on how widespread the shtf situation IS and WHAT exactly it is. Covid can be considered a shtf situation, but one that has spread out from being a medical one into an economic and political one as well. It’s been a relatively slow moving shtf too – the massive die offs and widespread depopulation foretold at the beginning haven’t materialized. But it has definitely changed everyone’s life for the worse, and the full cost won’t be known for years.
Are we likely even going to recognize the shtf situation when we are in the midst of it, or would it be more like what we are experiencing now…a slow moving, sprawled out blob of s**t oozing it’s way across all aspects of our lives, eating up normalcy bit by bit until nothing recognizable is left?
Prep as best as you can for as many things as you think might be helpful for you and your particular situation and keep your ear to the ground and be aware of other things that might be waiting in the bushes to bite your butt when you least expect it.
Ultimately, that’s all anyone can reasonably expect to do.
Miss Kitty,
A very comprehensive list of possibilities. The only aspect that we have the biggest issue is information. The news that I hear, even on conservative radio stations, is no longer useful. The lead story is always something to do with health care. Of course, the stories regularly contradict each other so accuracy is non-existent. In fact, my local “news” sources have been so full of excrement lately that I hardly even believe those sources with something as mundane as the weather.
Well said Miss Kitty, well said.
If FEMA shows up after a SHTF scenario you might as well bend over and kiss your butt goodbye. You don’t want to be in a FEMA camp if you are a woman or have young children with you. I read what hbeen posted recently and most have missed the point. The biggest lie in the world is: “I am from the government and I am here to help ” You need to be able to be self sufficient. As a mentor used to say a word to the wise should be sufficient. You want your preps spread out. So if FEMA comes to your door you won’t have things you bought taken along with your firearms. If you read the over reaching powers of FEMA you will not want to be found by them. Also what FEMA can’t see through weeds keeps you fed. As for animals Irish Spring bar soap is a great deterrent for critters in your garden. Additionally it is Fertilizer for the soil. Scout out areas where food is being announced to be delivered. You don’t want to show up and be trucked off to a FEMA camp. There’s really only 2 people who YOU can trust, God and yourself. In questionares from ask a prepper in the past people have said that they could always hide in state or national parks. You and several million other people have the same idea. As for radio stations. In a SHTF scenario you will find certain stations more reliable in the area you are in. Remember FEMA will take over all media sources including HAM. That’s why it is important to get your QRC information now. Remaining a passive listener and fact check information that is put out for your area FEMA has already stated that they are broke. So they will come take what you paid for and redistribute it to those who didn’t take personal responsibility for themselves or their families.
Robert R:
FEMA still has to know who to shake down, so keep strict opsec and don’t flaunt your stuff. There will be a rat/reward system for Intel, same as in any other war if it comes down to it, but they won’t have enough people to do door to door searches, even if they pressgang the local PD. Locals are likely to resent helping the Feds, especially since FEMA will take the goodies away to the elites and leave local Leo’s to answer to a royally pissed off and desperate community.
Rather than FEMA, I would worry more about neighbors, friends and workmen who have been inside your home and have seen the big closet off your kitchen, or who have seen you bringing in a generator or the big garden you planted. Or even local PD’s – look at the looting being done by NOPD during Katrina. There are bums on every PD who are in the job for the power trip or the illegal perks, just as there are those good cops who have a genuine calling to “protect and serve”.
Bottom line comes down to being discreet and keeping your mouth shut. Don’t waste time worrying about FEMA, they still have a massive level of incompetence, as it is a crony reward job, rather than putting someone in who actually can find their asses without needing both hands and a map.
Exactly! Thank you Miss Kitty. There’s a bright side to my beat-up, second-hand furniture and run-down 1985 kitchen. Anyone who’s been in my house will hopefully assume there’s slim pickings. There is-no jewelry, cheap, minimal electronics. Preps are hidden. Guests are rare, for better or worse…
The writer might want to do a little research before posting misinformation. Georgia’s economy is diverse, robust and strong. The state has a large surplus set away for a Rainey day. The Governor is a strong competent leader that I would match up with any of the other 49 governors. Having lived in Al, Ca, Fla, Illinois and W by god Va I can tell you that Brian Kemp is as good as they get.