Survival Techniques

[PDXGuy]

With the cost of everything going up (gas, food, AMMO & Guns, etc...), I think it's wise to start preparing before its too late. Don't forget to get some MREs.

 

[treemanx]

A Common misconception about the survival topic is that you would get all this fancy gear and water, guns and ammo, non perishable foodstuffs, to prepair for some unforseen "SHTF" scenerio, then when it happens, throw your BOB on and either drive or hike to the safety of a predetermined location, where you will hide out in total self suffiencey until the whole thing blows over. Am I right???

Well unfortunately that isnt how it would happen. You have to remember that if there was some "SHTF" incident, everyone and there redheaded stepbrother would be trying to get out as well. Maybe those people of your area didnt realize they should have prepaired for it like you did.

SO, not only do you have COMPLETE gridlock of all roadways in your area, from everybody else trying to drive to safety, but you have people that are on foot as well, trying to run to safety. And you also have the majority of these people, realizing that they SHOULD have prepaired for this situation.

So are you going to be loading up your minivan full of your collected resourses, while waiving at the hundreds of scared people running by your house? Are you going to be the only one who can make it through the packed roadways of cars trying to get out as well? Probably not.

First, as your loading the mass of stuff you have spent the last few years gathering into your vehicle, you'll likely have freaked out passers by, thinking HEY, WE SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN THAT STUFF TOGETHER ALSO, LETS GO TAKE IT FROM THAT GUY!

Alot of people forget how close to the surface, human beings primal urge for survival is to the surface. Just scratch the surface and it is there. Just look at Katrina, people were killing eachother and looting stores, pretty much immeadiately.

Your absolute best bet is to try to live in a small community, outside big cities. And when the SHTF, you stay in your home, with all the supplies you have gathered, and contingency plans for everything, and when that time comes, then you have yourself, and your small community to rely on if you included them into your plan.

 

[PDXGuy]

Get a 4 wheel drive bug out vehicle (bov) with run-flat tires and ballistic grade windows and you are set . Don't forget a bug out horse (boh), in case you run out of gas. If people see you carrying an AR/AK, will they try to steal your stuff? It's always better to be ready than not.

 

[timbernet]

I think it is best to be prepared for multiple scenarios...

I live close to Mount Hood, possible eruption scenario...

I live close to Highway 26, parts of Highway 26 is on a fault line, earthquake scenario...


Then there is terrorism, other natural disasters, political issues, etc, etc. There is not one solution for all of them.

For some things, I am bugging-IN but for others, I am getting out of dodge. Bugging-in does give me a situational advantage. I know my property, I know the surrounding area, I can have larger amounts of gear, food, water, power stored up. It is great. But depending on the SHTF event, I might be able to use it.



Another important item is a GHB - get home bag, say you are at work when something happens or starts to happen, do you have the gear to get you safely home?

 

[treemanx]

Get a bug out vehicle with run-flat tires and ballistic grade windows and you are set . If people see you carrying an AR/AK, will they try to steal your stuff? It's always better to be ready than not.

Im not saying that you shouldnt be prepaired. Gathering anything and everything you can think of for such a scenerio is a really good idea. In fact I have, right now, about half the stuff I think I would need for it. But the idea that your going to load all that stuff up, and drive to some pre determined place, in the middle of said scenerio, isnt going to likely work.

Lets say that you WERE able to get loaded up, without being mobbed upon by other panicky people, and then use your four wheel drive outfitted with run flat tires and ballistic windows to navigate through all the other gridlocked traffic to your survival location.

You likely chose that location, based upon available resourses at, and around that place to sustain you through that period of displacement in the SHTF scenerio. Dont you think that other people would likely think of those same resources in the same location? So are you going to take in and care for masses of other displaced people and then likely not have enough for you and your family, or would you defend your resources against them? IF you defend, did you bring enough ammo? People will come and try to take what you have so carefully planned and gathered.

I read an article about this online, and it made alot of sense to me. I'll try to find it and post the link.

 

[treemanx]

Another good book to have is the SAS Survival Guide. It outlines how to get through just about any situation, including NBC scenerios, and alot more.

 

[PDXGuy]

Another good book to have is the SAS Survival Guide. It outlines how to get through just about any situation, including NBC scenerios, and alot more.

I have the pocket size SAS book. It's going to be tricky with everyone running about in the woods. Going at it alone would be tough. I would get together with a small group of trusted friends and families, then find a good location to chill out.

 

[PeakResources]

I think the key is to think through the scenarios, have plans in place, and make an early call to determine what must be done. If something bad does happen, many people will be in such shock as to not act / react in time. That gives those who are prepared some time to act on their plans before everyone else tries to do the same thing.

For some situations, bugging "in" is probably the right scenario. For some, it could be bugging out. Need plans and ability to quickly decide what is happening, and what to do. Yes, everyone else could be thinking the same thing, and trying to go to the same place. Maybe that's the situation where you bug in? If so, it's pretty good to have a plan and preparedness to allow that to happen with a reasonable degree of safety.

I agree completely that survival is a strong instinct in people, even if it means taking what isn't theirs. It's one thing to protect from one or two hooligans, but a completely different thing to try to protect a wife & baby from a mob.

I do agree that living in a small self-sufficient community is probably the best way to go. Unfortunately, I'm a city dweller. Until / unless that changes, I need my plans to include both leaving and staying.

 

[s12tactical]

An important thing to do is to practice/use your gear. Take time to familiarize yourself on how to use your survival gear properly. By using your gear you will know if it can withstand regular use or fall apart.

 

[PDXGuy]

Make sure to have your BOV full of gas (at all times) to get out of Dodge quickly. You wouldn't want to wait in line to fill up and then get stuck in gridlock. I remember the gridlock in Houston, TX when Katrina hit. Lots of people ran out of gas while stuck in traffic. If the gov't (FEMA) tells you to evacuate to a certain location...go the opposite way.

 

[s12tactical]

Make sure to have your BOV full of gas (at all times) to get out of Dodge quickly. You wouldn't want to wait in line to fill up and then get stuck in gridlock. I remember the gridlock in Houston, TX when Katrina hit. Lots of people ran out of gas while stuck in traffic. If the gov't (FEMA) tells you to evacuate to a certain location...go the opposite way.

wasn't there also a bus load of senior citizens that blew up on the freeway while stuck in gridlock?

 

[coctailer]

On a completely serious note: Read The Zombie Survival Guide by Max Brooks http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Zombie_Survival_Guide

I read that book. It was waaaaay better than I expected.

 

[Leif Runenritzer]

Are there people here interested in starting a preparedness group? If you have read Patriots: Surviving the Coming Collapse, you know what I'm thinking of. There could be a group of like minded individuals that contribute key skills or resources toward a common goal of having a plan & place to go to should the SHTF. I live in Portland, and think a group of us who live within reasonable driving distance from a common "center" could do much better together than apart. I would be willing to help coordinate; PM me if interested.

Great book, but i've always wondered what happened to the characters unmentioned parents and or siblings throughout the whole ordeal. It just seems like in real life there'd be more of a conflict between wanting to help your blood-ties or leaving them to their own wyrds and sticking to the plan.

 

[MacBookProAR]

I read that book. It was waaaaay better than I expected.

If you haven't read his other book "World War Z" I highly recommend it as well. It is due to be a movie soon and I must say I'm very excited to see some zombie battle scenes.

I will view it more as an instructional video on a Z type SHTF situation.

 

[coctailer]

If you haven't read his other book "World War Z" I highly recommend it as well. It is due to be a movie soon and I must say I'm very excited to see some zombie battle scenes.

I will view it more as an instructional video on a Z type SHTF situation.

I didn't like WWZ nearly as much as the ZSG.

I'm going to buy a few more Zed books from different authors to check them out.

 

[MountainBear]

The key with any of the situations that could likely happen in our corner of the country (earthquake, wildfire, terrorism, volcanic eruption, zombies , etc.) is simply to think. That will put you way ahead of the panicking masses.

A little preparation never hurt either.

 

[CastleFox]

What's going to happen when your UPS runs out of juice?

The electric would come back on and all would be safe.

 

[CastleFox]

The key with any of the situations that could likely happen in our corner of the country (earthquake, wildfire, terrorism, volcanic eruption, zombies , etc.) is simply to think. That will put you way ahead of the panicking masses.

A little preparation never hurt either.

True, but what happens if the POLICE come busting into our homes and take all our guns away like they did in Katrina? Then what?

 

[MountainBear]

Buy a waterproof tube and bury something in the desert. And on another note it was "Katrina", not "Catrina."

 

[CastleFox]

Don't worry! OBAMA will save us all! Just sit back, collect your government check, and relax people! Obama has it all under control!