Are you prepared for a Catastrophe?

Wife and I were discussing the same thing looking at the reports of Japan this week.

And I'd have to say No, not if the worst case SHTF dropped right on top of us.

That said, I think we have picked a pretty good location to avoid things like earthquakes ( though who REALLY knows ), tsunami, (500 miles and several mountain chains away from the ocean ), tornado ( never had one here ), and so on. We even picked a more remote valley that only has two easy ways in/out that could be blocked easily to slow down the mutant zombie bunch should that come to pass. In short, we've done about all we can do.

Now, if a mile wide hunk of space rock chooses us as the bulls eye, then guess what.....we're all gonna die sometime

 

With that level of total catastrophe, I too would be wormfood. Don't expect I'd really want to 'survive' in that state. Lord, take me home.......

Ultra-survival will be a "young man's game" - this old fat dog would not be able to compete.......

 

I think the best thing you can do for an event like that is learn, learn, learn, and I'm not prepared, trying though. Also I think it would be relatively realistic to be able to carry a BOB, if you can't even do that then you might be dead anyways. You just have to keep one with you or very close at all times.

Although it may help it won't do anything for long term survival.

 

I think this depends much on your location. But like a previous poster said, if we get hit with a giant space ball, we won't feel a thing! When your number's up....

 

You would have to build up a small like minded, [and we are talking heavy profiled] community of people and utilize each ones specific talents to try to rebuild.
You have to be in shape for that, and mine is more round than lean, but It's spring, and I'm back on my mountain bike every day now.
The only hitch is radiation or a rock. That would be the worst case scenario. I'm almost sixty, and the lack of meds would probably get to me if I couldn't find the herbs I need.
You keep going until you fall, teaching the young ones who to rise out of it. When you can't do you teach. I'm very fond of breathing, and everyone I know loves it too.

 

I woke up one morning and realized the sum of my worldly processions were in a knapsack under my head. I was wrapped in a blanket inside a trash-bag, sleeping in a depression alongside an interstate highway at an old rock quarry. I had spent the last of the money I had gotten for a pint of plasma the day before, on a can of beans and loaf of white bread. A raccoon had gotten into the remnants of my food and devoured it, so there would be no left over breakfast. It was raining slowly and threatening to turn into ice and I was cold and the fire I had gone to sleep beside was now a puddle of wet ashes.
I cannot blame anyone or any particular event on the sorry state of affairs my life had become; just a lot of bad choices, too much pride, and a stubborn streak that quelled logic and reason.
I managed to get a fire going again and to construct a small shelter from plastic trash bags and limbs. I covered this shelter with pine needles for insulation and managed a reasonably dry and warm little nest. I had a can of water on to boil and made some tea from sassfrass root that I had found but it made me nauseous and I threw up. When the rain slowed, I went to the quarry to wash my shirt and found a length of fishing line complete with bobber, weights and hook, fouled on a tree limb. I cut the limb with my knife and managed to find some beetle larvae inside a rotten log that I used for bait and caught a pair of hand-sized shell-crackers. There were some cattails near the edge of the quarry, so I had roots for starch and some tender young stalks. They are pretty bland but will fill the void. I used the entrails from the shell-crackers and caught a catfish that weighed about two pounds. I baked the sunfish beside the fire and they were pretty good. I boiled the catfish into a broth with cattail and it totally sucked, but I managed to keep it down.
It snowed the next night but I had found an old barn to shelter in and there were bales of hay for warmth and pigeons roosting inside. I managed to catch two of them, I don't remember how but I do remember how good they tasted. I managed to find a job helping cut firewood the next day and made enough money to hitch into Knoxville and work for a rent-a-wino service for a few weeks. A roofing contractor asked that I travel to Tulsa with them for another project and few more years go by and I am writing this from my home in Mobile.

 

Have been in several disaster areas over the years. The Southern Baptist Disaster Relief teams sometimes go way before electricity, reliable water, and food suppliers arrive. Shelter of some form is uaually available but even without standing housing scattered building materials are usually there. Clean water and food procurement is paramont so snares/ traps/ and water purification comes first. I rely heavily on my BOB as it has even such things as a collapsible water bucket and a supply of dry chlorine(to make "Clorox"). No one wants to think of having to go "naked into the wilderness" but it may happen. Head knowledge and attitude will make you more than just a survivor. At our gatherings(April 15-17 next one) we often teach foraging and other pioneering skills. BOBs are often displayed and we learn from each other how to prepare for our families safety and well being.

 

Do I have a plan...

I'm gonna say no... not yet...

That being said, in that particular situation, I would have to rely on what's left between my ears. Never stop learning and acquiring new skills and perspective....

I believe, that learning is basis of all the preparations we do.
That ability to read, listen, understand, interpret, adapt etc...

And then do it, practice, try it, build it, taste it etc... succeed and fail. And try again... never give up.

There are great reads, stories and vids on all these things... Two books that I found fascinating and learned greatly from... "Deep Survival" and "The Unthinkable". Both are about the mental aspects of survival as it relates to the physical and preparations.

Analysis and thought on why some of the most prepared, well equipped experts have died in environments where they should have survived. And why some with no prior training, proper equipment etc... managed to make it out alive.

That's the kind of preparation and mental exercise that I believe may make the difference between life or death, surviving well or barely surviving... and even living well or struggling to live....

After that its all about "Mental Muscle Memory"...

That old saying about your best survival tool being your brain... I subscribe to that...

Keep your wits about you... when everyone else around you are losing theirs... or worse... don't even have a clue...

That's the difference between being prepared for what you are proposing and not even having a fighting chance....

Gene Pool stuff....

Total destruction of my environment?...

Still learning so I'm not totally prepared... lots to learn and do. But....

I'm gonna say I'll make it... never give up...

How's that for a positive mental attitude?... 1st rule of Living/Surviving Well...

It's not just about physical preps and location... There is already a lot of good stuff written in this thread to prove that....

JMHO...

Bear

P.S. Thanks for the thought provoking scenario... I learned a few things... and already making a plan :0)

 

My Same Thoughts + Little More

I have the very same mind set ...... being prepped materially & physically fit only take you so far ........ minor SHTF or a major TEOTWAWKI ..... mentally prepped to provide the basic essentials and being able to adapt most critical ....... Is your objective to only survive or does it entail more? .......I prep to also help rebuild society and give the younger generations a future.

 

I don't know if anyone can be totally prepared for a "lose everything" disaster. I prepare (the best that I can) for infrastructure disruptions. I've experienced several different types of natural disasters, in each of these locals.

(I freely admit a lack of knowledge about being in the desert, or similar dry environment.)

I'm fairly good at knowing what events can happen where. Like others here my wife and I are getting up in years, and have several different infirmities each. That said, we will make it the best we can no matter what happens.

 

I try to prepare for what I can imagine. I prepare for no grid, no comms, no supermarket food, no gov't security (police,fire,ems), overloaded health care providers, no fuel and the the roving hoard.

Natural disasters like tornado are typically localized (Michigan), Nearly 1000 ft above sea level on multiple hills. too far from ocean for tsunami. seismic activity hasn't been a concern as of yet.

So barring a disaster like nuke plant going super critical or a big azz falling sky rock; I'll probably be ok.

Direct hit from tornado will get a chunk of the preps above ground level but having a basement does have an advantage. We can always rebuild the house.

And the brain is the best tool,weapon,guide out there as long as you don't let panic set it. Anyway, I plan on being the leader of SE Michigan after our population reaches a sustainable level after the disaster anyway.

I can always count on my minions to provide me with all i need, want and desire.

Muahahahahahahaha

oops, did i say that out loud. Damn inner censor thingy is stuck again.

 

Ready To Lose It All?

Not ready to lose it all--all of our preps, that is.

If we did take a major hit of some kind, I am absolutely counting on retaining at least a core of our preps.

Some of those core preps I hope to retain are: a variety of means to start fires; a first aid kit; water filtration; tarps, etc. for improvised shelter; a .22LR pistol (Ruger Mk III) for small game.

At all times, I consider anything you could describe as a "core" for preppers to be so essential that you need to use the prepper rule "3 is 2, 2 is 1, and 1 is none."