New to the Forum

[Tantrumfly]

Hi folks

New here.

I am an active prepper working on the rule of three.

I have always have three days worth of food, water and meds accessible, in the car or if I’m travelling out of area in a specially prepped lightweight bag.

My home always has three weeks worth of fresh food, water and medicines, inside the house, as well as batteries, lamps, water filters and immediate disaster supplies.

I also have a safe store of three months worth of prepped food supplies, (dried, canned,bottled, tins and water as well as filters, batteries and survival items such as tools, solar battery chargers etc)

This store is progressively being built up to 12 months supplies, including items that can be bartered.

I have a significant seed store and grow a lot of my own food already.

I have a tool store and keep additional fuel supplies used on a rotational basis. My diesel vehicle is old enough to run on home made bio diesel, which I’ve made before with very little mechanical change needed except to the fuel pump.

I already live in a rural area, so know where to hide if the bad guys come from out of town.

The rule of three works well. It enables us to hunker down and basically become invisible for three months.

If the shtf, and society really breaks down, a large swathe of the population will no longer be with us after three months. Either from starvation or from elimination on survival of the fittest terms This leaves us to deal with outside roomers coming in ( We already know a few peppers local to us so can provide support to each other).

I reckon about 80 to 90 percent of the people in the immediate area, where we live would not get through the first three months. And of them, those that do would not make it in a year.

Would love to receive advice on filling the prepping gaps.

[jennyjj01]

3 can-openers

Hi and welcome.
You are off to a good start. Lots of advice on this forum, which is worth a good mooch.

One observation. You seem to anticipate our non-prepping peers to not survive long. Probably true, but expect them to go out fighting and looting and forming gangs. We will all need to organise into gangs to survive and there is a discussion somewhere about the lone wolf/community aspect.

Other observation is that we tend to not be big on the idea of bugging out except for certain local exceptions.

As to your stores..... Augment, expand, augment. We want to do better than survive.

Are you a townie? urbanite, or sub-urbanite?

[Tantrumfly]

I live on the edge of a rural town in Wales. No Mcdonalds, or other branded fast food, no hotels, a fuel station when the owner can be bothered to open it, a few cafes for passers by and a pub or two locally, literally the arse end of nowhere.

And the average age is ….. well let’s just say I wouldn’t be surprised if we hold the average highest age demographic in the country. Where I live you’re either a farmer or a carer or remote worker.

In an apocalyptic scenario, yes people will form gangs and yes those physically strong enough will last longer than others - but those that do will also kill off those that have no idea how to defend themselves and/or to deter attackers.

I know my local area well, strangers who enter the local woodland are at a distinct disadvantage.

One strength we tend to forget as preppers is the space between our ears. The capacity to out think those that may harm us is very important. Also don’t presume that just because someone else is a prepper that they’re your friend.

People will do whatever they can to provide for those they love.

As preppers we are better placed if we already have food, rather than have to expend energy looting it. Another key to preserving what you have is to not look out of place.

Remember that in a small community if food is suddenly scarce, the neighbours will notice if you’re not losing weight!

I agree, lone wolves make themselves vulnerable, one of the reasons, I’m on the forum, to connect. I have real life contact with two other prepper families within walking distance of our home.

It’s not something I will discuss in detail online, lest the Anti terrorism guys come knocking on my door, but I do have the means to fend off violent attackers. Permanently. There is nothing illegal in my home. However there are ways to make/alter current items into very effective self defence tools.

Of course survival isn’t just eating, it’s shelter, comfort, and progression. My tool shed looks very average, but I have the capacity to build a small wind or water turbine (solar panels will eventually degrade, after a generation), I know how to make water filters (and have some ready in case) and I have intentionally built a resource library of paper based books.

As I come from farming families on both parents sides, I know how to hunt small animals to eat.

Where we are, we have a two way radio system in place and the radio kit is kept in a grounded faraday cage.

I think bugging out is the absolute last resort. If people decide to leave the area, they don’t realise what resources they are leaving for the rest of us to use.

The only time I’d move is if an occupying army presented a threat. Or my home was targeted and burnt down. You are better off in a place that you know well as long as you can keep it relatively safe.

I don’t believe prepping is just for apocalyptic scenarios. What happens if there is no power or heating to your home for two weeks.? Or if the farming protests that are coming in the next weeks completely disrupt the supply chain?

And a final thought …… how many preppers have been storing supplies for their pets? My dog has enough food/meds/dewormers/basic meds to get him by for three months at the bare minimum.

And my first Aid kit is more than just germolene and plasters

I really feel that the biggest hole in my current plan is connection with other preppers. Sensible preppers don’t tell people what they have. I don’t think it is obvious in any way to my neighbours what I have stashed away. That’s how it should be. But by the very nature of that approach it’s hard to find real life people close to you that you can build a community with.

Prepper communities will have mechanics, radio technicians, medical professionals, gardeners, farmers, all people with skills that can help each other, but if we can’t identify each other - it’s a bit of a maze.

This year I’ll be going to Prepper meets specifically to network with others and cover that base.

[Yorkshire Andy]

Welcome just a pointer we dont discuss self defense/weapons for obvious legal / negative stereotypical image reasons if picked up by the press etc

Other than that prep on

[Tantrumfly]

Yes, I agree, simply stating I believe I have that covered, no further discussion required.

Lots of projects coming this summer, so will be looking for advice.

[GillyBee]

Don't forget that in a rural community there may be lots of self sufficent types who do not identify as "preppers" but who would be an asset in an SHTF scenario -irrespective of the size of their "hoard". Do you know who is who among your current community - both as potential assets and potential liabilities?

[jennyjj01]

Great intro, Thanks. Ar5e end of nowhere sounds the ideal place to be a prepper, and you are seriously on the case.
Prepping serves us well with minor hiccups like pandemics, floods and outages etc. They were good rehearsals too.
If TSHTF, then time to pick your gang(s). And gang could be anything from a neighbourhood watch/ home guard / foodshare committee right through to a hoard of looting marauders. My gang allegiance would likely be fluid and transactional.
Not every prepper is aligned to be our friend and not every non-prepper is useless. Keep opsec even if you do find like minds.

[pseudonym]

Hello and welcome to the Forum

[Frnc]

Hi, sounds like you are very well prepared, more than me. Interesting thread.