What event are you Prepping for?

[kennethdnunn]

Being new to forums I have what I think is a legitimate question…..what are you Prepping for …by this I mean what specific event……on the EMP thread Kyratshooter bought up a point…recently we have already survived a Tsunami that killed over 250 thousand ….an earthquake that devastated Japan….two large hurricanes that hit major population areas….all of this with hardly any National effect…..So I am curious as to what event everyone is Prepping for…For myself I am Prepping for some type Apocalyptic event…..this would be a pandemic or an event that destroys the power grid……there are any number of events that would do this….HEMP. Madrid earthquake, Terrorist, Yellowstone Volcano, and of course nuclear war……I would like to know what everyone else thinks……..

[crashdive123]

The threats I prepare for are (this is not a ranking):

Weather related threats
Terrorist related threats
Drug/meth lab
Economic downturn
Regulatory overburden


That list keeps me prepared for a lot of "things" - fire, flood, civil unrest, food shortages, fuel shortages, and on, and on.

[intothenew]

4 seasons, in Appalachia.

[Stiffy]

Two things: Short term evacuation due to forest fire (that's about it for our natural disasters in my locale). Long term collapse of civility.

[Geek]

I personally have experienced hurricanes, both requiring evacuation and weathered in place, earthquakes (minor, but I wasn't right at the center), blizzards that caused traffic tieups for many miles stranding people in their cars, blackouts, and I was inside the World Trade Center when it was hit on 9/11/01. (63rd Floor South Tower for those who are curious.) I'm probably overlooking some events, as those are just front of the brain. I don't think I can predict what sort of disaster will come my way next, but most preparations are useful under multiple scenarios, so I try to be prepared, not be prepared for (fill in your favorite concern) while not worrying about other events.

[Sparky93]

The threats I prepare for are (this is not a ranking):

Weather related threats
Terrorist related threats
Drug/meth lab
Economic downturn
Regulatory overburden


That list keeps me prepared for a lot of "things" - fire, flood, civil unrest, food shortages, fuel shortages, and on, and on.

In my town the list goes:

Crazy meth head breaking in your house
Meth lab explosion
Guy on bath salts that lives just down the road
Then everything else on your list lol

FIY there really is a guy on bath salts that lives down the road but that is another story for another time...

[hunter63]

Zombies!......

Seriously;
Main concerns are family's personnel safety, and ability to "get by' .....basic: shelter, water, food, meds for:
Fire (personnel property/area)
Weather related concerns
Economic concerns.
Pandemics/health
Civil Unrest/terrorist threat
Long term climate changes

Personnel protection, ability to Bug in/bug out...including back up positions/ locations/armament/gear.....May be induced by any/all of the above.

Don't specifically plan for earth quake, flooding, EMP, asteroids, Yellow Stone eruption.....As if survival of an event this catastrophic, regular preparations would come into play.

[BENESSE]

I personally have experienced hurricanes, both requiring evacuation and weathered in place, earthquakes (minor, but I wasn't right at the center), blizzards that caused traffic tieups for many miles stranding people in their cars, blackouts, and I was inside the World Trade Center when it was hit on 9/11/01. (63rd Floor South Tower for those who are curious.) I'm probably overlooking some events, as those are just front of the brain. I don't think I can predict what sort of disaster will come my way next, but most preparations are useful under multiple scenarios, so I try to be prepared, not be prepared for (fill in your favorite concern) while not worrying about other events.

That's Morgan Stanley.
You were lucky.

[Chris]

Contagion was on Showtime last night, one scary movie.

[Winter]

I do not prepare for a specific event. I would find that too limiting.

[jfeatherjohn]

Wildfire evacuation is number one.
Since AZ's grid is in better shape than most, grid failures that cause us to shut down until we can isolate (could be weeks).
That nuclear reactor 135 miles from here.
Getting snowed in for a week or better (it has happened here in my lifetime).
BTW, these are not in order.

If something off the list happens, I go as long as I can go.

[kyratshooter]

Old age.

Almost there and not even close to ready!

[WolfVanZandt]

Retirement.

O.o

Hey, I'm dead serious!

[cwi555]

Whatever may come.

[JPGreco]

I'm lost on your point about "we survived.... with hardly any national impact". Well, the events listed didn't happen here. The wildfires out west and hurricane sandy definitely had a national impact.

From what I've learned on this site there are really two things to prepare for, evacuating and staying put. The specifics of the events that lead to those aren't the defining characteristics of your prepping. Special considerations do need to be accounted for based on a few things.

[kyratshooter]

I'm lost on your point about "we survived.... with hardly any national impact". Well, the events listed didn't happen here. The wildfires out west and hurricane sandy definitely had a national impact.

If you were in the middle of them they seemed like national events but believe me, if it had not been for the media coverage most of the nation would not have known they occurred. Might as well have been a thunderstorm in China for all the effect either event had 700-800 miles away.

I am not trying to make less of the tragedies in their own area. I had a tornado event in my own neighborhood in March and each event is important to every individual involved. Any event that disrupts lives and takes life is an important event, but it does not shake the whole nation.

That is one of the aspects of disasters in our nation. We are big enough to absorb an impact like Sandy, send help from unaffected areas, and get things rebuilt in a reasonable amount of time.

Having the gear and provisions to last until the help arrives is the basic motivation behind all prepping. The more you have the longer you can last before the cavalry arrives.

In some cases you get out ahead of the event, in some cases you have no warning. If you live in an area where the events have no warning time you better haver plenty of gear.

[Sarge47]

Like Crash said. I don't sweat TEOTWAWKI, I think we're already there and most people haven't noticed it yet as it moves slowly. I can't say anymore or I'll be violating the "no politics" rule on this site. There are some things I can do something about, but long term ain't one of them. If that happens I'll just bunker in and let 'em come! :cool2:

[Geek]

That's Morgan Stanley.
You were lucky.

Depends on how you look at it. I was unlucky to have been there at all, but lucky to get out unscathed.

I don't think you can predict what is going to happen next. I sure didn't predict somebody trying to run over me with a 757. You prepare for a wide assortment of events, and with a bit of luck the preparations you make carry you through the events that actually occur.

[deafdave3]

I am always preparing for a hurricane. Always. Many years experiences gives me enough confidence to properly prepare, then to make life comfortable afterwards (not just merely survive).

[JPGreco]

I hear ya Kyrat, I wasn't dismissing any of the recent insanity in the world. I just didn't see the point in the mention of the affect on our nation by any of them because of exactly your point.

[WolfVanZandt]

Yeah, Sarge, we're well past "there". The tricky part is that it's hard to tell when to duck. We can keep "prepping" up to a certain point and, past that, you'd better be where you're going to stay. The problem is that things are moving so gradually that it's hard to tell when the tipping point is.

[BENESSE]

The tipping point is when you're dead and buried. Everything up to that point is the ups and downs of life.

[Geek]

Like Crash said. I don't sweat TEOTWAWKI, I think we're already there and most people haven't noticed it yet as it moves slowly. I can't say anymore or I'll be violating the "no politics" rule on this site. There are some things I can do something about, but long term ain't one of them. If that happens I'll just bunker in and let 'em come! :cool2:

That doesn't sound political to me. I don't think you get there until you start taking sides in the public policy debate that is underway. I have long maintained that economic collapse occurred in 2008. If I take a partisan position on what to do about it, then I feel I am crossing the line. If I make comments about personal actions to cope, e.g. Lower your debt levels, then I think I am still okay.

Do I have the line right or have I got it wrong?

[kyratshooter]

Here's a thought.

As long as you are prepping for an apocoliptical type event, crash of society, failure of the economy, y2k, 2012 or such, you will always be viewed as part of the lunitic fringe group. you will have no creditability to anyone except a small scattered segment that gather only on the internet and pat each other on the back.

If you view your activities from a realistic perspective you have the good will of your neighbors, community and various institutions up the chain of knowledge to draw from. You have local SAR groups, CERT groups an their free training, American Red Cross training ans assistance, local PD and Fire Departments. One of my friends is Chief Medical Officer for the regional FEMA response team. The goodies and info he has access too are amazing.

And all that crap will be available to you if the event turns EOTW on you. Besides meeting with this crew once each year, I also belong to several local groups that meet once a month, once a week or every two weeks and sometimes more often. One of the groups is organizing a CERT certification class for my 4 county region to add to the certifications already in the group. another group I will meet with tomorrow night for a food preservation session.

Because of the way we present outselves we are welcome at the local facicities like he AG center, County Agent's Office and such and we can meet right out in the open without drawing attention to ourselves as "survivalists". That is as much "OPSEC" as hiding in a bunker and pretending you are not there.

At my last place of residence I had the entire neighborhood and the extended family fully prepped for natural disasters. They were not doing anything but suffering through any discomfort when I arrived and 5 years latter we could have held out as an independent neighborhood unit for minimun of 6 months. We had everything from food to trained medical people, IT specialists, backyard gardens, fish farming and the neighborhood deer and rabbit population to poach. It was all done innocently as blizzard/storm prep and every bit of it had crossover uses in case of major event occurrance.

[Knight of Disorder]

I would rather have and not need then need and not have.

That sums it up for me. My views have changed the last couple weeks but it doesn't change my want to be ready.

[crashdive123]

That doesn't sound political to me. I don't think you get there until you start taking sides in the public policy debate that is underway. I have long maintained that economic collapse occurred in 2008. If I take a partisan position on what to do about it, then I feel I am crossing the line. If I make comments about personal actions to cope, e.g. Lower your debt levels, then I think I am still okay.

Do I have the line right or have I got it wrong?

You have the right line.

[Geek]

I'm glad to hear you agree. I've seen a couple Internet forums go completely haywire over politics. The moderators often view their views as non-political, so when someone posts a dissenting view the forum goes haywire.

After being on this forum awhile I think the moderators have done a pretty good job of keeping things truly non-political, despite the fact that survival topics can easily migrate into politcal opinions.

I also think the forum has been pretty open to new members, especially if they can get through their first few posts without going too far astray. Let's cut the OP some slack here. I wasn't bothered by his post.

[crashdive123]

To be completely honest - most of the political posts that I edit or remove and admonish the poster........I agree with. I think there are a few that might disagree with that, but whatcha gonna do?

[Geek]

That's the tough part, recognizing that something is political when you agree with it. I think you're doing a good job.

BTW: the other thing I have seen on othe forums is moderators who think their posts are correct and opposing views are wrong, on any random topic. I haven't seen that here, which I think keeps things comfortable as well. Probably the minimum of political topics makes that a bit easier.

[deafdave3]

As for 12-21-2012, I do believe something will happen, but IN MY OPINION, the worse that will happen is an economic collapse, or maybe just a stock market crash.

I'm a "glass half-full" kinda person.

[finallyME]

BTW: the other thing I have seen on othe forums is moderators who think their posts are correct and opposing views are wrong, on any random topic.

Oh NOOOOO, that NEEEVVVVER happens here. :whistling: :whistling: :whistling: :whistling: :whistling:

[BENESSE]

As for 12-21-2012, I do believe something will happen, but IN MY OPINION, the worse that will happen is an economic collapse, or maybe just a stock market crash.


I'll be in Utah on that day. If something happens, I'll be trudging over to finallyME's.

[crashdive123]

I'll be packing the lawn chair for the big party at H63's front yard.

[WolfVanZandt]

The tipping point is when you're dead and buried. Everything up to that point is the ups and downs of life.

But there are tipping points for societies and other complex systems. I feel quite confident that I can get in with my friends and we can deal with just about whatever live throws us, but I'm also concerned about the other people around me.

[hunter63]

That's what I'm prepped for.......12/21/12....Lawn chairs and brewskies.

[kennethdnunn]

First off let me say I have never been laughed at or ridiculed for what I believe and talk about. Before moving my office was in a State office building where I had, most of the time, the only non-government office in the building. My Office was just next door to the Gentleman who among other thing helped ran the County Emergency Response Team. He was actually the one who got me interested in long term survival. I was constantly talking with the local Wild Life Resources, DOT, State Police, Sheriff and Sheriff Duties.
I don’t understand the reasoning behind how a Survivalist should present them self and not to talk about an apocalyptic event. There are not many conversations I get into that the subject does not come up. Personally, and not meaning to insult anyone, I think to be otherwise would be hypocritical. That’s who and what I am.
Why not talk about it, after all that’s all you see or here anymore on the radio T.V. and Newspapers. How often have you turned on the T.V. radio or read the paper when one of the leads was not, economic collapse, civil war, race war, geomagnetic storm, Polar ice cap melting, nuclear proliferation, newly developed Biological war fare agents, pandemic dangers, super storms, asteroids, and so on and so on. If you don’t talk about these subjects then you may find yourself alone at your next cocktail party.
The Governments, federal and State Governments are and have been preparing for a apocalyptic event for years. I don’t mean just talking about but also physically preparing for such an event. While it’s not been public it certainly is not a secret. There are any number of Federal as well as State mandated programs for such event. Most of these are classified for obvious reasons.

Since I become interested in this, after 9/11, there have been hundreds of Congressional, meets and hearings where an apocalyptic was part of the discussion. You can look them up; they are public records. Kentucky must be different but the three states I have lived in since 9/11 an apocalyptic has certainly been talked about. Not only that, but look at National Geographic, Discovery, History and etc
.
When I and most people talk about an apocalyptic event we are not talking about a theory, or a fantasy, this is fact. Take for instance the Madrid earthquake, which according to the Federal and State people, scientist and engineers, in the event of a 6.0 are better it will be the biggest single cataclysmic event in U.S. history. This is due to a number of geological features in the area, population, plus being in the center of the U.S. Ground zero is the bottle neck for the U.S. power grid, oil and gas pipelines and highway system. All you have to do to understand this is look at a map. Madrid earthquake is not a theory or fantasy; it will happen the only question is when. According to the people who study this we are now fifty years overdue.

Then there is the Yellowstone volcano another fact that will happen. Then there are always earthquakes, meteors, asteroids, and etc. These are just the natural events that will at some point happen. They have occurred before and they will occur again.

What concerns me are the man made events, now I ask you have there ever been a weapon of mass destruction that has not been used? The U.S. has already used an small EMP device in Iraq during Desert Storm, our Military just recently demonstrated they have a much more effective weapon now. The Biological agents are what concern me, you can’t run from them. According to the Government there are now more WMD’s in the hand of rouge nations than ever before. I have spent many an hour working along the Rio Grande, I believe there is no problem bringing in a WMD.
As far as being ridiculed I don’t think so I know there will be more apocalyptic events. I of course don’t know when. I know we can prepare for it. There are an awful lot of people that are doing just that.

[Winter]

Biological stuff is really short lived and the contagion rate is low. Look at the Saren gas in Tokyo? Didn't work. A guy with a handgun could have killed many more.
Bio agents are short lived. Medical expertise is not at black plague levels.

A simple N-95 mask is plenty.

[Winter]

Our (USA) military is extraordinarily effective if it has a target. < read that again and again.

[WolfVanZandt]

The problem is that not all apocalyptic events are catastrophic. And what I'm expecting is an accelerating slide into darkness. Humanity itself is progressively getting dumber and meaner. The logical end to that is plenty apocalyptic. The way to prep against that is to maintain your own integrity and be a role model for people around you. The other key is networking. The modern cult of individuality is going to kill us. The idea of complete self-sufficiency and "watch out for number one" is death. As things become less and less certain, we're going to need to rely on our relations more and more and most people won't know how to do that. We need to recover the concepts of neighborliness and extended families.

[Bushman]

Downunder the main 'issues' are#1 Bushfire and #2 Major Flooding.

Australia is the most bushfire prone country in the world, particularly in the Southern and Eastern States. Black Saturday 2009 killed 173 people and destroyed 1000's of homes and business's burnt out millions of acres, and wiped a number of small towns off the map.

Up in Queensland and New South Wales major floods devastate basically the same areas almost annually. Yet people continue to live there. The same as with my neck of the woods. 'Every-body-gotta-be-somewhere'............ We prepare as best we can for either event, such as fuel reduction burns and reinforcing levee banks, but ol Ma Nature will do her own thing regardless.........

A good mate lives on top of the Great Divide surrounded by heavy forest. A couple of years back a large bushfire came within a couple of miles from his back door. The only access Road also runs through the forest. A death trap waiting to happen. The fella was seriously concerned and worried for his family. I suggested he do what we used to do when felling in the bush..put in a dugout. Explained the principles of a long deep narrow trench in the ground, covered with logs and sheet iron and mounded with dirt. Even felled some trees of my own and donated the tin....but being a Civil Engineer, he re-thunk the issue, bought a 20' shipping container, hired a backhoe and buried the critter on a grassy slope about 12' down and covered the whole shebang with earth !! Its now a few years on and a lot more elaborate, but he's basically got it sorted and accepted that given another 'Black Saturday' event, he'll likely lose his house and other property (despite sprinkler system etc) but the family should be pretty much ok in the dugout.

So, we 'do what we can'...........and hope that it will be 'enough'. I'm a Volunteer Firefighter, and in the case of another major Fire Season will more than likely be away on a Strike Team elsewhere. I've trained No2 son to put into action the Fire Plan if I'm away. My wife has chosen NOT to stay and head into the Village a couple of mile away. Fortunately, our neck of the woods is only lightly timbered, and a fast running grass fire is likely our only major threat.

I was a Boy Scout back in the 50's, and learnt to 'Be Prepared'........in the 70's I was an S/F Operator, and learnt about 'plan A.........plan B.............plan C.........etcetera etcetera..........and to 'CHECCCCCKKKK EEEQUIP-MUNT' and 'STAAAAND-INNADOOR !!' all very good ' instructions-for-life !!'

My take is; not to 'stress' about these things, but to carefully assess the probabilities, and decide 'which way' you want to go ?? A 'prepared' citizen will likely survive (whatever may come)...the 'un-prepared' likely will not. Yet even with Black Saturday there were many stories of 'miracle escapes, and often blind luck plays a part. However, a Good dose of 'being prepared' seems the better course.

[kennethdnunn]

The problem is that not all apocalyptic events are catastrophic. And what I'm expecting is an accelerating slide into darkness. Humanity itself is progressively getting dumber and meaner. The logical end to that is plenty apocalyptic. The way to prep against that is to maintain your own integrity and be a role model for people around you. The other key is networking. The modern cult of individuality is going to kill us. The idea of complete self-sufficiency and "watch out for number one" is death. As things become less and less certain, we're going to need to rely on our relations more and more and most people won't know how to do that. We need to recover the concepts of neighborliness and extended families.

Couldn't agree with you more....not many would deny we are living an apocalyptic event....in the last fifty years or so we have progressed to far to fast....society is consuming our selves......

[kennethdnunn]

Biological stuff is really short lived and the contagion rate is low. Look at the Saren gas in Tokyo? Didn't work. A guy with a handgun could have killed many more.
Bio agents are short lived. Medical expertise is not at black plague levels.

A simple N-95 mask is plenty.

The new resistant strain of Vest Nile Virus, the bird flu...the drug resistance diseases hantavirus ...all give the medical people all they can handle...the plague will be the most destructive in a apocalyptic event there will be no doctors or very few......

[kennethdnunn]

Downunder the main 'issues' are#1 Bushfire and #2 Major Flooding.

Australia is the most bushfire prone country in the world, particularly in the Southern and Eastern States. Black Saturday 2009 killed 173 people and destroyed 1000's of homes and business's burnt out millions of acres, and wiped a number of small towns off the map.

Up in Queensland and New South Wales major floods devastate basically the same areas almost annually. Yet people continue to live there. The same as with my neck of the woods. 'Every-body-gotta-be-somewhere'............ We prepare as best we can for either event, such as fuel reduction burns and reinforcing levee banks, but ol Ma Nature will do her own thing regardless.........

A good mate lives on top of the Great Divide surrounded by heavy forest. A couple of years back a large bushfire came within a couple of miles from his back door. The only access Road also runs through the forest. A death trap waiting to happen. The fella was seriously concerned and worried for his family. I suggested he do what we used to do when felling in the bush..put in a dugout. Explained the principles of a long deep narrow trench in the ground, covered with logs and sheet iron and mounded with dirt. Even felled some trees of my own and donated the tin....but being a Civil Engineer, he re-thunk the issue, bought a 20' shipping container, hired a backhoe and buried the critter on a grassy slope about 12' down and covered the whole shebang with earth !! Its now a few years on and a lot more elaborate, but he's basically got it sorted and accepted that given another 'Black Saturday' event, he'll likely lose his house and other property (despite sprinkler system etc) but the family should be pretty much ok in the dugout.

So, we 'do what we can'...........and hope that it will be 'enough'. I'm a Volunteer Firefighter, and in the case of another major Fire Season will more than likely be away on a Strike Team elsewhere. I've trained No2 son to put into action the Fire Plan if I'm away. My wife has chosen NOT to stay and head into the Village a couple of mile away. Fortunately, our neck of the woods is only lightly timbered, and a fast running grass fire is likely our only major threat.

I was a Boy Scout back in the 50's, and learnt to 'Be Prepared'........in the 70's I was an S/F Operator, and learnt about 'plan A.........plan B.............plan C.........etcetera etcetera..........and to 'CHECCCCCKKKK EEEQUIP-MUNT' and 'STAAAAND-INNADOOR !!' all very good ' instructions-for-life !!'

My take is; not to 'stress' about these things, but to carefully assess the probabilities, and decide 'which way' you want to go ?? A 'prepared' citizen will likely survive (whatever may come)...the 'un-prepared' likely will not. Yet even with Black Saturday there were many stories of 'miracle escapes, and often blind luck plays a part. However, a Good dose of 'being prepared' seems the better course.

one of my favorite quotes is .....be mindful of the future but not at the expense of the moment.... I would be embarrassed to tell you who said that.....

[hunter63]

Yoda is wise, I'm thinking......

[kennethdnunn]

Yoda is wise, I'm thinking......

I was hoping know one new....