The potential ugliness of people after a SHTF

[tkdguy]

Aero Above is not far off. When Cedar Hills lost power a few weeks ago and telephone lines, many people abandoned their homes for several nights. Really tough folks here. Just left their homes.

 

[CoastRange57]

Mmmm, nothing like putting rotting corpses in your nearest water source.

I guess if you got your water from upstream, it would be an easy way to get rid of that pesky neighbor problem.

The public water distribution I am most familiar with is the City of Hillsboro water system. They have their main impoundment Barney Reservoir on the north fork of the Trask River. That water shed is fairly open to public travel. They utilize a siphon system to bring the water over a couple ridges and dump it into the Tualatin River in the Cherry Grove area. The water then flows down the Tualatin River about 15 miles to their water treatment plant where they pump it out, treat it and then pump it into various reservoirs around the metro area.

Now you can bet your azz that over the years there has been a fair amount of dead animals of all kinds thrown in that river, people shi8ing in it, more than one or two deer and elk carcasses thrown in there every fall. Any water coming out of any river around here needs to be treated , boiled, boiled again, boiled again.

There are some pretty impressive bone piles in the river in the summer time, they sediment in pretty quick each fall.

 

[bigezfosheez]

yeah the Bull Run water system for Portland and Tigard area is always having boil notices because all of the reservoirs are open to the air, open for any birds to poop in or animals to roll down the embankment and die in the water.

 

[Burt Gummer]

Or teens to pee in.

 

[Burt Gummer]

People will be generous and helpful in the immediate aftermath of any SHTF. It's when the food runs out...or, more accurately, when people realize its GOING TO run out...that all bets are off...

I still remember the manager at Albertsons telling me that in a national emergency they are instructed to immediately close down and block the entrances with anything they can including trucks.

When/if it comes to food/water/power being gone I see the worst case scenario and the worst of humanity out there. Hope it never happens, but at least make contingencies for it. Portland is full of Millennial, entitled, texting babies that will lose their minds if their mobile phone cannot access Facebook for an hour let alone facing starvation.

 

[Connor Murphy]

My favorite, "The veneer of civilization is thin".

Thinner in some than others - the less prepared maybe.

 

[The Heretic]

The public water distribution I am most familiar with is the City of Hillsboro water system. They have their main impoundment Barney Reservoir on the north fork of the Trask River. That water shed is fairly open to public travel. They utilize a siphon system to bring the water over a couple ridges and dump it into the Tualatin River in the Cherry Grove area. The water then flows down the Tualatin River about 15 miles to their water treatment plant where they pump it out, treat it and then pump it into various reservoirs around the metro area.

Now you can bet your azz that over the years there has been a fair amount of dead animals of all kinds thrown in that river, people shi8ing in it, more than one or two deer and elk carcasses thrown in there every fall. Any water coming out of any river around here needs to be treated , boiled, boiled again, boiled again.

There are some pretty impressive bone piles in the river in the summer time, they sediment in pretty quick each fall.

Yeah. Lived off and on near the Tualatin near Scholls much of my life. Cross it there every workday now. Not the cleanest river - I never would swim in it as a kid and fishing it only got us mud fish. Then there is all the farm and dairy drainage. I am glad to live up on the mountain and have a clean well that has been tested. On the farm we got our water from a well too.

 

[The Heretic]

People will be generous and helpful in the immediate aftermath of any SHTF. It's when the food runs out...or, more accurately, when people realize its GOING TO run out...that all bets are off...

The more dense the population the faster that supplies will run out, and the faster that some will start to get ugly and then the rest will follow. Then the 80% of the populace that lives in urban areas will move out into suburban and then rural areas. Ten years ago only 50% of people lived in urban/suburban areas, now 80% do. Five years ago I moved up here onto the mountain. My kids live on the edge of the growth boundary - I worry about them if there is a long term SHTF event.

 

[11Charlie]

I think we all worry about our kids no matter where they live. Its a parent thing. I have taken the time to sit down with my SIL and go over game plans for different scenario's.

I think it was a big eye opener for him.

 

[Bushman]

People are dishonest and awful enough as it is now, I can easily see them becoming much worse when they haven't eaten in three days...

 

[Lazyfaire]

So the lesson here is to plan on shooting everyone.

I hope I can get to Cabela's in time!!

 

[Lazyfaire]

This has always been my "plan". I figure it it turns into a full scale war we are not going to be able to keep our home. To me the real world thing is natural disaster. Here for me it's quake. So as long as the house does not fall down we have shelter. It may take days, maybe a week for order to be restored. In that time The freaks will prey on the weak. Those unprepared for what happens when there is no 911 are out of luck. I think of it as it was during the LA riots. They were burning Korean stores because of that old lady who shot that kid. The owners who were armed and showed it were left alone. The packs of animals left to go look for easier targets. Figure my house will be like that. They will look for easier targets.

If there is a full on quake with the power outages, overpasses collapsing and grocery store not being able to be resupplied you and your neighborhood may be on your own for 2-4 weeks at least. If the emergency equipment can even get around they will be going out to try and help the most people possible at one time, and you aren't it. They may even let a house burn down because they have 'more important' places to be and things to do. You know that seconds and minutes away saying? This could be days to weeks and maybe even a month. If it is less, yea God, but if its more thats why we are prepping.

 

[Lazyfaire]

If there is a full on quake with the power outages, overpasses collapsing and grocery store not being able to be resupplied you and your neighborhood may be on your own for 2-4 weeks at least. If the emergency equipment can even get around they will be going out to try and help the most people possible at one time, and you aren't it. They may even let a house burn down because they have 'more important' places to be and things to do. You know that seconds and minutes away saying? This could be days to weeks and maybe even a month. If it is less, yea God, but if its more thats why we are prepping.

Read some where that the US economy only has about 30 days of wheat available at any one time. Used in lots of things, power outages would mean most water service, gas pumps(fuel), cooking equipment(food), TVs & cell towers(communications), computers and phone service would all come to a stop. All of those people who are doing nothing to prepare themselves would become our worst neighbors. You can help some but not all. Question is: how do you make that choice and still protect your family?
If overpasses drop all over the city you may not know what has happened to some of your family for some time.

 

[mrblond]

Read some where that the US economy only has about 30 days of wheat available at any one time. Used in lots of things, power outages would mean most water service, gas pumps(fuel), cooking equipment(food), TVs & cell towers(communications), computers and phone service would all come to a stop. All of those people who are doing nothing to prepare themselves would become our worst neighbors. You can help some but not all. Question is: how do you make that choice and still protect your family?
If overpasses drop all over the city you may not know what has happened to some of your family for some time.

Forget about the quake damage! just think about millions of millennials that won't have access to farcebook, tweety or whatever it is these damn kids use these days

 

[Hayshaker]

Most preppers have not included waste ~~~ S__T disposal. AS all sewer systems will be down {clogged ] It will be a HUGE problem for city dwellers. Imagine a week W/O sewer in your neighborhood.
Solution ~~ buy a porta potty and store your yard tools in it ~~ if someone asks. Cheap tool storage shed

 

[Medic!]

Just thinking how some in my family think I'm paranoid.
When I just feel I'm being prepared.

Maybe we can split the difference, and just call me preparanoid?

 

[11Charlie]

Just thinking how some in my family think I'm paranoid.
When I just feel I'm being prepared.

Maybe we can just split the difference, and call me preparanoid H?

hahaha there is cure for that!

 

[Camelfilter]

Most preppers have not included waste ~~~ S__T disposal. AS all sewer systems will be down {clogged ] It will be a HUGE problem for city dwellers. Imagine a week W/O sewer in your neighborhood.
Solution ~~ buy a porta potty and store your yard tools in it ~~ if someone asks. Cheap tool storage shed

Until/if you can dig a latrine:

Garbage bag in the toilet for the ladies, and solids from guys. Guys can pee in a container. Can also buy a travel type funnel so ladies can pee standing up/without completely uncovering. Wife's not a fan, tried it traveling. Could have merit in a SHTF type situation though.

Rather than a porta potti, consider a "bag it" type can system. You can buy a toilet lid that clips onto a standard 5gallon bucket. Works ok.

Better is a specific bag it type plastic can specifically made for camping. Has a smaller sized bucket inside which the bags go in, the whole thing just about seals up when not in use & allows storage for TP, sanitizer, bags and such when stowed.

This is the one we use in our off-road camper: Reliance Hassock Portable Toilet

You can buy commercial "WAG" bags by the case pretty cheap. Or make your own with cat litter and kitchen trash bags. The cat litter kitchen trash bag can be stowed in gallon ziplock bags, which also serves as disposal unit for the trash bag, if not over filled.

Can also dump your waste strategically around your property to help prevent uninvited guests.

Further, if loss of your house is of real concern, and you think you might have to tent in the yard, you can buy a pop-up shower enclosure which does triple duty pretty cheap. Like under $100.

Great for changing, cleaning up, and as a porta potty enclosure.

Perfect for a shower too, if you have a setup (various ways to do it), we have a Coleman portable hot water on demand that doubles as a shower. Runs off 12V or rechargeable, and a 1 lb propane tank. Great for camping, but too much water use for SHTF, would make for a nice treat once in a while for a hot shower though...

 

[albin25]

no water?
-line empty toilet bowl with double trash bags
-lower seat
-tear covers on 2 disposable diapers (gel type) and place in bottom of bag
-good for 1 or 2 days
-remove and tie-off inner bag(contents will be solid) and dispose.

used this for many years on my 30ft sailboat rather than foul up the holding tank.
(recommend guys pee like a girl to eliminate the cleanup associated with "missing")

 

[HB of CJ]

We have a nicer heavy duty 6 gallon round plastic bucket with an air tight lid. Thirteen gallon trash basket plastic bags. A sack of cat litter. A cheap wood toilet seat lid from the hardware store. A bundle of HD zip ties.

Triple line the bucket with bags. Place some cat litter in the bottom. Insert stool lid on top. Employ as needed. When the triple bags get full enough remove, tie and dispose of properly or just store on site as toxic waste.

With no utility power most of the sewer lines MAY back up. Depends upon your location. Most sewer systems require pumps to work. No electricity. Just another cheap expedient way of handling the shiety jobs of life during SHTF.

Pee someplace else. Actually not a bad set up or sit up as we used this ensemble years ago while building the cabin. No shiet!