De-Lurk from Devon

[headforthehills]

I managed to join here a few weeks back, I must admit as a result of seeing ‘Domsday Preppers’ on TV and googling prepping but my I suppose what used to be called survivalist interests go all the way back to my teenage years and the first screening of Terry Nation’s ‘Survivors’ on the BBC. Ever since then I have been interested in SHTF scenarios and although not actively stashing stores and collecting weapons I have always had an eye open for safe locations and potential resources in times of need.

I work in the IT business and whilst at times am impressed with the levels of security and resilience in the industry, I am also all too well aware how fragile it all really is.

Joining this group, and actually reading some of the books recommended here has lead me to re-think quite a few of my ideas in that I have always taken Survivors as the template where a very large proportion of the population is gone in an instant and the fortunate remainder having to manage in that new world. The more I think about this now I realise that things are fairly unlikely to happen like that, with it being much more likely that there will be some breakdown of civilisation before the die off. This also takes us from the random chance of being one of the less than 1% immune to the pandemic, or otherwise protected from the coming catastrophe to that fact that it is going to take active measures to be in the group that can survive the initial downfall and die off that will follow.

Now I’m sure at this point it sounds like an all too familiar story, but this is where I need to question the orthodoxy: the more I read books like ‘After Light’ the more I wonder whether having prepared stores etc. will actually be of much use in many SHTF situations. It would seem that preppers and planners very soon become the target of those who have not planned but are ready to take whatever they need from those that have it. To my mind the most important aspect of prepping is keeping up to date with all the things going on the world and the potential consequences (This is where parts of this forum are really useful) and being flexible enough to recognise the coming storm and be able to react to that in the most appropriate way. As an example of this, I work away from home a lot and as I live in a rural area most scenarios I can imagine mean that home is going to be the best place to be - if not actually in my own home, but hopefully in the area I know. So a lot of my thinking time is spent ensuring that I always have a plan to get home before things go too far.

Anyway, so that’s me, I am not always a huge contributor to forums although I will make an effort here as I feel this is an important resource and it would be unfair to be all take.

[preppingsu]

Hi and welcome to the forum.
Great intro.

Now I’m sure at this point it sounds like an all too familiar story, but this is where I need to question the orthodoxy: the more I read books like ‘After Light’ the more I wonder whether having prepared stores etc. will actually be of much use in many SHTF situations. It would seem that preppers and planners very soon become the target of those who have not planned but are ready to take whatever they need from those that have it. To my mind the most important aspect of prepping is keeping up to date with all the things going on the world and the potential consequences (This is where parts of this forum are really useful) and being flexible enough to recognise the coming storm and be able to react to that in the most appropriate way.

In part I agree with what you have said and this could formulate another huge discussion. Our preps will sustain through the initial problems whether that be bad weather, unemployment etc but for longer term we need to be learning skills and gaining knowledge now. We need to consider basic ways of doing things and not being reliant on modern power etc. Growing and perserving your own food is such an important skill to be practising now.
And yes, keeping uptodate with what is happening around us, planning and being able to adapt is something we should be doing all the time.

[Arzosah]

Great intro, and great post, thanks for that.

Totally agree - I work from home, but even I have made detailed surveys for about 30 miles around if I had to get home, and if I go out in that direction, I take the printouts with me - no point in having them sitting on my laptop, after all

Staying safe during a die-off, no matter what causes it, and having the skills and a *few* basic implements, or knowing where to get them, is what I see as the correct response to any civilisation-ending catastrophe. Of course, *how* you stay safe is another matter - random chance will probably still have an effect - lots of the floods of recent years have been in areas with no floods in living memory, for instance. Lightning strikes do cause fires. If you go through your footgear with your gardening spade you *might* get tetanus. Stuff like that. But being skilled, and having a few resources, changes the odds in your favour, hugely.

Looking forward to what you post!

[The Ace of Spades]

Hello, and welcome to the forum.

Ace.

[junmist]

Hi and welcome

[pseudonym]

Hello and welcome to the Forum.

[icrcc]

Welcome to the forum.

[tigs]

hello and welcome

[PreppingPingu]

Hello and welcome Sounds like you've done some serious thinking. Hopefully you'll find a mine of information on this forum.