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Survival of the – Well… Luckiest?

When the SHTF – what do I do? Part 1

Ric Black

April 2, 2015

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If you are lucky and are not vaporized, blown away by the hurricane/tornado, washed away by a wave and you find yourself unhurt.

Too often prepper’s do some very way out stuff in preparation for what they consider will be the Apocalypse or End Times.

In military scenarios what are strategic needs for survival of the population?

You’ll be surprised to find that life will get unsustainable for those who decide to bug in their homes.

• The electrical power grid will cease to operate so no microwave dinners.
• The electric goes out no water is pumped through the water mains.
• The electric goes out no sewerage is pumped out through your waste system and it accumulates and backs up into your home.
• The electric goes out and you have no lighting or ways to recharge your cell telephone which by the way won’t work because the cell towers need power too. What will work for a time are land lines which require minimal power sustained somehow and you can call momma and say goodbye.
• Your left in the dark, maybe the cold, you have no way to get water except to venture out to a water source and risk some nut job taking a pot shot at you because they have laid claim to the local pond.

The other need besides clean water is sanitation and hygiene. Staying clean and brushing your teeth are essential as well. Body and mouth bacteria can make you sick really fast and spread infection you cannot stop from a simple scratch.

The next is food. I didn’t mention it earlier because you can go quite a while without it if you need to or ration out what you have to sustain your life. An average 175 pound adult male can go 2-weeks without food before his internal system begins to fail but only 3-days without water.

About food, people all over the internet are selling long-term freeze dried and dehydrated foods which are dam expensive and when you’re talking about buying a year’s supply require space and a place to fix them. They often taste like crap when they are cold or do not mix well unless the water is heated first.

What do I do for prepping suggestions regarding foods?

1. Canned foods – yes they are heavy and require being opened, require space and would be difficult to transport but… they have full nutrition and liquid in the cans. This liquid is always water based and can also sustain you. The foods you pick – simple – ones you like and normally eat. Soups but larger cans like Progresso and Campbell’s Hungry Man one can substitute for a full day’s meal. Canned meats like tuna and chicken and canned vegetables like corn, beans and potatoes can supplement and sustain your vitamin needs.

For about $200 you can get yourself a 3-month Survival Kit you can eat decently with foods you like and won’t be so bulky it cannot be transported about 75#:

• Canned meats:
• Tuna – 40 cans – $0.75 per can
• Chicken – 40 cans – $1.78 per can
• Corn (whole kernel) – 36 cans – $0.68 per can
• Beans (green beans & kidney beans) – 36 cans – $0.68 per can
• Carrots – 24 cans – $0.68 per can
• Potatoes – 24 cans – $0.68 per can
• Soups – (18-ounce) 40 cans – $1.60 per can
• Pasta (dry) – 10# – $10
• Rice (dry) – 10# – $8
• Salt – 10# – $5
• Sugar – 10# – $5
• Coffee (freeze dried) – 5# – $15
• Dried fruits – 10# – $25
• Toilet paper – 30 rolls Jumbo size – multiple uses

What about sanitation? – dig a hole = do your business and bury it – away from your water source by 100 feet.

Hygiene – brush your teeth and wash your body stay as free of unwanted bacteria as you can it can and will kill you if you’re not careful.

People worry too much about personal protection and I assure you the nut jobs who have 50 weapons and thousands of rounds of ammo have it all wrong – have the basics:

• Shotgun – Here bigger is better, buy that 12-guage and in a pump holding at least 6 shots. A shotgun is a multipurpose weapon for protection and hunting. Ammo is cheap and you should have 500 rounds stored.
• Assault Rifle – An assault rifle if you plan on holding back the marauding hordes which truth be told will be highly unlikely but small groups who may be out foraging is a fact you’ll have to face. Have at least 10 loaded high capacity magazines and an additional 500 rounds for later.
• Air Rifle – This is a cheap way to get small game a GAMO or Daisy at least 950 fps and 1,000 rounds of ammo both under $150
• Handgun – here remains a personal choice between a revolver and a semi-auto:
• Revolver – The pros of a revolver are it doesn’t jamb and you have a purpose to make every shot count instead of spraying the room. The cons are a smaller supply of bullets. Have at least 500 rounds
• Semi – Auto – The pros of the semi-auto advantage is you can put a lot of lead to the needed target the cons are maintenance issues and a huge supply of ammo. At least 500 rounds
• People are going to read this and say why so few rounds? The answer is weight and storage if you have to bug out.

Exactly how much weight can you comfortably carry?

I’ll answer that question from a proven fact from Uncle Sam’s military:

An average citizen can carry comfortably approximately one fifth – 1/5 of their body weight for a distance of 10 miles before they fatigue and require rest, hydration and nourishment.

This means YOU – average citizen. What is average? It’s you partially sedentary couch potato who has a little more than 10-15 extra pounds which isn’t a negative because this extra stored fat will allow your body to feed off of it when hunger issues and food stores are scarce.

Take me for example: a 200# man, senior citizen in average health and physical condition. I can carry a 40# load comfortably and sustain myself.

The next question you ask are what do I have in that 40# pack?

First off, I wouldn’t carry just a comfortable load when and if I HAD TO bug out. I’d take an extra 10# and it would be in food and ammo.

The contents: This should comprise about 40# – 50# total for the average man

Sleeping bag – very light and compact

Clothing – jeans, shirts, light windbreaker, warm top, socks, underwear and extra shoes

Medical kit– MEGA IMPORTANT!!!

Food – enough supplies for a month – 25#

Water – Now this is heavy water weighs 8.8# per gallon and that’s an issue but between 64 – 84 ounces per day is minimal – I use a 100-ounce hydro pack personally and carry 8 – 16.9 ounce bottles of water.

Water purifier – Katadyne – do not cheap out here

Fire starter – enough to light 30-campfires

Light blanket and large towel

Two rolls toilet paper – wiping your ass with leaves isn’t fun

Hat & skull cap – heat escapes through your head

Sunglasses – protect your eyes

100’ of paracord

Grundig M400 AM-FM-SW radio – don’t cheap out here either

Flashlight – small – 200 lumens

Small notebook and writing instruments

Batteries – AA

The balance of your load should be your rifle or shotgun, a handgun and at least 200 rounds for each.

Stay off main roads walk through wooded areas when you can to avoid contact with people who may wish to kill you. If contact is made you’ll need to determine the level of hostility.

Don’t get all decked out in your camo gear or you’ll be taken as a hostile by everyone and become a target.