Author Topic: What are you going to need to survive?  (Read 55401 times)

0 Members and 2 Guests are viewing this topic.

Offline Rpregs

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 12
What are you going to need to survive?
« on: December 13, 2013, 08:20:39 AM »
It is always fun to talk about what kind of heat you will be backing if everything around you collapses and you find your self in total disarray.   But what are you really going to have ready for 3 days, 3, weeks, or 3 months or longer.  I agree some sort of firearm is needed for either defense or hunting purposes.  Water is a given, but a water filtering system would be a great addition for a long term event.  Location plays a big part also.  I'm from northern Wisconsin and it has been in the negative degrees for sometime now so a good house with backup heat would be on the top of my priorities.  As for food we all would be ok for a week or so, but after that things would get interesting.  I could be wrong, but I don't think many people could either find/kill/produce their own food.  Those that would be left after a month I would figure would have some sort of system of food/water/shelter adapted and would be fine for the duration. 

This topic has been on my mind for the last year or so with the feeling that things are going to get worse before they get better. (Hopefully I'm wrong on that point)  Just wondering if any one else has the same thought or ideas?

Offline armoredman

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 19903
Re: What are you going to need to survive?
« Reply #1 on: December 14, 2013, 12:32:16 AM »
Well, we normally avoid the zombie apocalypse type threads here, and I do try to see we stay on track with what actually had happened in disasters in America so far. Having said that, some disasters could be far worse than others, with longer consequences.
I agree water filtration is a major must - I have a few kits here and there for that purpose, as out here in the desert, water is a wee bit hard to find - that scummy pool water might be all that is left.
I think everyone should start with a basic 72 hour kit, for minor disasters, (what a contradiction THAT is), and then try to move up.

Offline Rpregs

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 12
Re: What are you going to need to survive?
« Reply #2 on: December 14, 2013, 12:51:53 PM »
I didn't mean to make it sound like some sort of zombie apocalypse scenario.  I was thinking more of the idea of the small things that are overlooked when preparing for the worst.  And also what the survival plan would be.
when
I definitely agree that a 72 hour pack/plan should be thought of and continually updated.

Offline jameslovesjammie

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4608
  • The Last Best Place
Re: What are you going to need to survive?
« Reply #3 on: December 14, 2013, 01:26:20 PM »
I think a big part of being prepared is just being self-reliant.  My parents and grandparents have a well on their property that has clean water without purification all the time.  If the power goes out, the well is only 25 feet deep, and can easily be pumped by hand. 

They also have wood/coal burning stoves.  We get coal from a friend of the family who gets it from Wyoming by the semi load.  It costs ~$50 for a pickup load, which lasts about half the winter.  We typically burn wood during the day and throw a bag of coal in before heading to bed.  Wood and coal burning stoves are great to have, especially when the power goes out and your furnace doesn't work.

We always have had kerosene lanterns in the house as well.  Power goes out from time to time in the winter, and getting dark early can make for some LOOOONG nights.

In the summer, we grow a garden.  It isn't huge but provides a little extra food.  My Grandma still cans quite a bit.  She also makes jams and jellies.

We have two generators and are in the process of converting them to propane.  Gas generators work well, but gas doesn't have near the shelf life of propane.

From a defensive standpoint, they are in the middle of a flat field.  There is a small creek with steep embankment on one side.  You can see for over a mile in the other three directions.  If SHTF, this is our bug-in location.  This would be a place to make a "last stand" if need be, but the community we live in is also mostly an elderly population and I'm not too terribly worried about marauders from town.  Infact, I would expect my family to do more "humanitarian aide" to folks in town than having "firefights" over resources.  It's a different culture up here.

Offline Striper Sniper

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 784
  • Have fun, Be Prepared, Stay Safe.
Re: What are you going to need to survive?
« Reply #4 on: December 17, 2013, 06:17:47 PM »
Some sort of gasoline/oil crisis would be pretty devastating considering almost all of our food is shipped by truck. No gas = no trucks = no food. It's always good to have some extra food, water, ammo around. My big fear is if the shtf when I'm at Disney with the kids. No food, no ammo, no water and a long way from home. Unfortunately I wouldn't last long without my medication. What a terrible feeling just knowing that. If the kids were older and I was in a different part of my life maybe it wouldn't be so bad.

Offline 1SOW

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 15006
  • GO GREEN - Recycle 9MM
Re: What are you going to need to survive?
« Reply #5 on: December 19, 2013, 09:17:51 PM »
Quote
No food, no ammo, no water and a long way from home. Unfortunately I wouldn't last long without my medication. What a terrible feeling just knowing that. If the kids were older and I was in a different part of my life maybe it wouldn't be so bad

Considering/planning for possible bad news  scenarios is not a bad thing.   I'm sure you carry double meds in two separate locations when you travel away from home and also have copies of the prescriptions that might be needed.   I've done the same for 33 years with one of the two places being on my person.    "Worrying" about it is NOT a good thing because there a million different "potential" scenarios that "might" happen.  Plan ahead and know you are doing all that's reasonable to keep yourself and your family safe from harm---life is good.  Enjoy the ride(s)!  (pun) ::) ;)



Offline bang bang

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2797
Re: What are you going to need to survive?
« Reply #6 on: December 27, 2013, 09:27:21 PM »
doent matter what scenerio.  you need 3 things.  Food, water & Shelter.  and first aid supplies.

how much is up to you, your wallet and your free space.


Offline Czeetah

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 384
Re: What are you going to need to survive?
« Reply #7 on: December 28, 2013, 12:01:25 AM »
you need 3 things.  Food, water & Shelter.  and first aid supplies

4 if you count your CZ
FOX News/MSNBC/CNN/CBS/ABC: "Brought to you by the generous support of corporations who have everything to sell you and nothing to tell you"

Offline Skookum

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2543
  • Truth is the new hate speech.
Re: What are you going to need to survive?
« Reply #8 on: December 28, 2013, 05:23:23 AM »
I find it helpful to modularize an outfit into subcomponent kits:

 ? navigation kit
 ? illumination kit
 ? tools and repair kit
 ? hygiene kit
 ? communications kit
 ? first-aid kit
 ? clothing kit
 ? shelter kit
 ? fire kit
 ? hydration kit
 ? pantry kit
 ? kitchen kit
 ? packing kit.


Skookum
Browning Challenger III, .22 Long Rifle, Glossy Blue
CZ 83, 9 Browning Court, Satin Nickel
CZ 75 Compact, 9 Luger, Dual Tone — Satin Nickel/Matte Blue
CZ 82, 9 Makarov, Czechoslovak People's Army Black
CZ 83, 7.65 Browning, Glossy Blue
Beretta 3032 Tomcat, .32 Auto, Inox

Offline Ada Lovelace

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 21
Re: What are you going to need to survive?
« Reply #9 on: December 28, 2013, 08:48:56 PM »
? pantry kit
 ? kitchen kit

What is the difference?

I really like the way you separate it all, though. I'm trying to decide now how much replication is needed between members of the family. (ie We all should have means to start a fire, but we don't all need to carry a jetboil)
Proud owner of a CZ 75 BD, CZ 2075 BD (Rami), Walther PPQ M2 and a LCR .38.

Offline Wolf1066

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 23
  • Kiwi Bloke
Re: What are you going to need to survive?
« Reply #10 on: December 28, 2013, 11:40:45 PM »
I find it helpful to modularize an outfit into subcomponent kits:

I fully agree.  Depending on what happens, there will be overlaps in needs so having modules that can be readily accessed means you don't have to have key things replicated in all emergency kits.

Just grab the appropriate modules as dictated by the situation, whether you're bugging in or bugging out.

Of course, there will be some replication due to the need for multiple redundancy or multiple family members.

For us (me and my four school-age children) the biggest concerns are earthquakes, power outages and, to a lesser degree, floods).  Things can get rather soggy hereabouts with enough rain but we've felt numerous shocks that were centred in Taranaki and Wellington and we live close enough to Hawkes Bay to be affected if there's another Big One there.  We've also had numerous power outages through one thing and another.

The big problem with power outages for us is that we have a water tank and rely on an electric pump to get any water.  To rectify that, I'm thinking in terms of buying a 12VDC-to-240VAC converter box that I can plug the pump into (it uses a standard household electrical plug) and hook it up to the car battery.  If the worst came to the worst, I could run the car's engine to keep the battery charged.

We have gas cookers and canisters as part of our camping gear and a gas barbecue as well as a free-standing wood-burning fire with a flat top on which we could put pots etc, so that's water-heating and cooking sorted for quite a while.

There are also candles in the cupboard and plenty of flashlights about the house and in our camping gear.

For earthquakes and floods, it's just a matter of determining whether or not we have to evacuate.

If evacuating, we have our camping gear - which has sleeping bags, warm clothes, wet weather gear etc - and a "documents bag" which contains all the important documents that CD recommends you take with you in an emergency evacuation.

The camping gear is modular - divided into clothes to wear while travelling, survival equipment (focused on survival in the wilderness but would have other applications), and sustainment gear (spare clothes, mess kits, toiletries, cooking stuff, tents, sleeping bags etc).

Not everything would be required if evacuating to a CD shelter or a family member's house, but a lot would (and if anything goes wrong getting to the shelter/house, at least we've got the means to survive).

The camping gear is designed to be carried while walking (this is backpacker camping stuff, not "fill up the stationwagon and drive to the site" camping stuff), so if we had to abandon our vehicle and walk with all our stuff to our destination, we could.  The "documents bag" adds little encumbrance.

The CZs (452 ZKM and ZKK 601) would not be needed in most forseeable emergencies - not unless food lines were so badly disrupted that we had to hunt for food - but they're there if needed.
« Last Edit: December 29, 2013, 12:14:08 AM by Wolf1066 »

Offline Skookum

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2543
  • Truth is the new hate speech.
Re: What are you going to need to survive?
« Reply #11 on: December 29, 2013, 02:32:47 AM »
? pantry kit
 ? kitchen kit

What is the difference?

Pantry kit ? food (i.e., consumables).
Kitchen kit ? stuff to prepare, cook, and eat food (i.e., mostly non-consumables ? perhaps all if stove fuel and matches are only in the fire kit).

I like to keep each kit packed, to the extent practicable, in seperate stuff sacks that are of various sizes and colors, so I know at a glance what's in each.  I then like to keep the stuff sacks in a backpack.  If I go on a brief day hike, for example, I can a few appropriate items from relevant stuff sacks, place them in my fanny pack, and hit the trail.  I can then easily return them to their dedicated stuff sacks.

For car camping, automotive bugging out, or surviving in place, I have a couple of small RubberMaid boxes ? one my pantry, the other my kitchen kit.


Skookum
Browning Challenger III, .22 Long Rifle, Glossy Blue
CZ 83, 9 Browning Court, Satin Nickel
CZ 75 Compact, 9 Luger, Dual Tone — Satin Nickel/Matte Blue
CZ 82, 9 Makarov, Czechoslovak People's Army Black
CZ 83, 7.65 Browning, Glossy Blue
Beretta 3032 Tomcat, .32 Auto, Inox

Offline motosapiens

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 418
Re: What are you going to need to survive?
« Reply #12 on: January 06, 2014, 04:53:15 PM »
I try to make sure we have enough beer and wine to weather any temporary disruption of supply lines. We bought 12 cases of wine just before xmas, and have brewed about 25 gallons of beer since the first of december.

I always keep at least 4 bullets (one each for us and the dogs) in case we run out of beer and wine before order is restored post-apocalypse.

Offline Wolf1066

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 23
  • Kiwi Bloke
Re: What are you going to need to survive?
« Reply #13 on: January 06, 2014, 06:39:58 PM »
I try to make sure we have enough beer and wine to weather any temporary disruption of supply lines. We bought 12 cases of wine just before xmas, and have brewed about 25 gallons of beer since the first of december.
Good priorities.

I always keep at least 4 bullets (one each for us and the dogs) in case we run out of beer and wine before order is restored post-apocalypse.
A.k.a. "The French Foreign Legion method".

Offline rlavallee

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 217
Re: What are you going to need to survive?
« Reply #14 on: January 06, 2014, 06:58:50 PM »
The bug-out bag is something I keep telling myself I should prepare but somehow never do. I guess a lot of it is due to me knowing that in a SHTF scenario I won't last long in any event but even so I don't wanna roll over TOO quickly. Since I am single and childless, to my thinking my BOB should be limited to what I can carry on my back.

2 sets of durable clothes (long sleeved shirts)
2 survival knives
2 hunting knives
2 pair boots
extra socks
three 100-ft coils of paracord
tarpaulin
half a dozen LifeStraws
2 canteens
charcoal
flint
matches
.22 rifle
12 gauge shotgun
handgun
ammo
blankets
saucepan
first aid kit
fishing line and tackle

I figure those are the basics. Even if I go down quickly at least the person who robs my corpse should be able to put it all to good use.



Rick

CZ 75 B Polished Stainless 9mm w/ CGW Pro Pkg.
CZ 75 B .40 S&W