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Today’s post opens a discussion into the naysayers that Preppers are often confronted with.  The following are some of the issues I’ve personally dealt with, and I would be surprised if you haven’t  faced something similar:

  • As a Prepper, do you feel you’re swimming against the tide of family members, friends, co-workers and your community with regards to the conviction to get prepared?
  • Have you found yourself frustrated that otherwise well-meaning, intelligent people you come in contact with don’t see the necessity or the wisdom of becoming more self-sufficient, self-reliant, or at least creating a living situation that is somewhat sustainable?
  • Have you ever wondered why news of drought, changing weather patterns, saber-rattling and dire economic warnings hasn’t spurred more people to get prepared?
  • Have you experienced the eye-roll, or general negative remarks over your commitment to prepping from significant others?  (“You aren’t one of those crazy Doomsday Preppers, are you?”)
  • Have you ever heard, “It’s as if you want something bad to happen.”
  • Have you heard from these self-same eye-rollers the infamous words, “I’m coming to your place if things ever get bad!”

If any of these apply to your experience, then you’re a Prepper!  You didn’t drink the kool-aid of the illusion that the economy is healthy and that the world situation is stable (or if you did, it may have only been sip or two that brought temporary amnesia).

You can think for yourself, and have determined that getting prepared is worth doing, even if it means doing without some things that you might have otherwise.  Maybe you’ve resolved to give up random shopping trips and purchases in exchange for planned purchase, or have given up 5-star vacations in exchange for 2-4 star vacations, or put a halt to trading in your car or truck for a new one every few years–the point is, you have prioritized prepping over unnecessary luxuries.

We may never be able to understand how some can can read about the current droughts and understand that it means higher food prices while others don’t realize how much it will soon impact their daily lives.  Where we may be making a list of what remains to be filled on food storage shelves before food prices skyrocket, friends and family members may be moaning over not being able to purchase that 80-inch flat screen TV.  It sets us apart from the crowd while we’re researching how to convert a generator to bi or tri-fuel while those close to us  are gushing over replacing their carpeting with hand-scrapped hard wood floors or planning a trip to white, sandy beaches and drinks with festive umbrellas adorning them.

(Ox’s note:  That being said, if you are going to go to a white sandy beach and drink drinks with festive umbrellas in them, Carpe Diem, enjoy yourself, unplug, rest, recharge, and get back to business when you get home.  Just because you’re getting prepared doesn’t mean that you can run at a fast pace forever…take time to rest and recuperate so that you stay healthy.)

But that isn’t where the differences end.

How can people not realize that the U.S. economy is in peril?  Already, there have been demonstrations and riots in Europe in reaction to high unemployment, higher taxes and cuts to entitlements and retirement benefits.   What makes American’s feel that as a nation we will remain unscathed?  Somehow, decades of entitlements have shifted people’s interest in self-reliance into an improbable belief that should the economy tank, or an unforeseen disaster strike, meals on wheels will be at their doorstep to deliver food and drinkable water.  What they fail to consider is that to supply only two meals a day to each man, woman and child in the U.S. would require handing out 622 million meals a day!  Where would those meals and potable water come from, not to mention the manpower it would require to deliver them?

It can be extremely difficult to understand how we can all watch what transpires during disasters, the looting, empty grocers shelves, power outages and sometimes grid-locked roadways, and yet only a small portion of the populace heed these warnings and turn it into something pro-active–like putting aside food, water and preparedness goods.

Personally, I’ve pondered this issue for most of my life, and the closest I’ve come to an answer may be found in the works of Dr. John Leach and other pioneers whose research concludes that the majority of the population are followers, and as such can only be pointed in the right direction through sound leadership.

What Does it Really Take To Be A Survivor?  

Possibly, the first step to understand a survivor’s mind-set would be to read the real life stories of those who survived impossible odds and lived to tell about it.  Studies on what sets survivors apart from victims point to a common thread: a positive, can-do  mental attitude carried survivors to the other side of extreme adversity.

Dr. John Leach, who wrote the book Survival Physiology,  coined what is known as the 10-80-10 Theory that divides peoples survival mindset into three camps. His studies revealed that 10 to 15 percent of people faced with a life-threatening emergency are able to maintain a calm, rational state of mind. This group tends to be leaders and often during a full-blown crisis, are credited with helping  others to survive.

(Note: This is made easier with practice.  In other words, do you regularly practice skills such as marksmanship, hand-to-hand combat, and medical responses…whether by actually doing them or through mental rehearsal?  Have you taken a CPR course recently and studied any emergency medical books you have on hand?)

The second group, which makes up approximately 70 to 80 percent of people, react to a crisis in a ‘stunned and bewildered’ manner, where reasoning is significantly impaired to the point that their ability to make decisions becomes difficult.  Often, this lack of action is attributed to either depressed or elevated chemical levels in the brain that make critical thinking difficult.

The final 10 percent of people are those who panic, and many times their knee-jerk reaction makes an already life-threatening situation even more dangerous.

The following is an excerpt of Dr. Leach’s warnings published in Newsweek, January 23, 2009 article, What It Takes to Survive a Crisis, written by Ben Sherwood;

“The blunt reality of survival is this: too many people perish when they shouldn’t. They morph into marble instead of taking decisive action. Exploring this phenomenon is the main focus of Dr. John Leach, one of the world’s leading experts on survival psychology. He has lived for more than 20 years in England’s Lake District, where he teaches an advanced course in survival psychology at Lancaster University.

In November 1987, Leach was changing trains one night in London at the King’s Cross Underground station, a sprawling hub that throbs with more than 30,000 passengers during rush hour. He noticed the “thickest, greasiest, most cloying smoke I’ve ever seen.” At first, it didn’t make sense. There were no flames—just acrid smoke like the kind that belches from a ship’s funnel. Almost without thinking, he found his way up to ground level and hurried to the exit.

Today, more than 21 years later, most of the memories have faded, but Leach can still smell the foul smoke and hear the wail of a uniformed railway worker: “There are people dying down there.” For some inexplicable reason, as the fire spread, trains kept on arriving in the station. Meanwhile, above ground, officials unwittingly directed passengers onto escalators that carried them straight into the flames. Many commuters followed their routines despite the smoke and fire. They marched right into the disaster, almost oblivious to the crush of people trying to escape—some actually in flames. Thirty-one people perished in the King’s Cross fire, and incredibly, the Underground staff never sprayed a single fire extinguisher or spilled a drop of water on the fire”

~ ~ ~

My guess is that you fall into the 10 to 15 percent of people who, when faced with a life-threatening emergency, will remain calm, maintain a rational state of mind, and will help lead others to the other side of safety as much as is humanly possible.  It’s what we do.  Many posts on this board has upheld the belief I hold that Preppers are not only free-thinkers, able and willing to go against the tide of convention, but we are also helpers.  What else can explain giving up a spoiled existence in exchange  for providing ongoing security for our loved ones?

(Ox’s note:  I love y’all, but don’t share Barbara’s guess that everyone reading this will remain calm.  A rational desire to be prepared for disasters doesn’t necessarily translate into an ability to remain calm any more than a desire to become a soldier translates into being able to remain calm under fire.

The only way to know is to experience extremely stressful situations, see how you respond, and adjust accordingly.

This gets a little complicated because the stressful situations that you experience will occur somewhere in the spectrum between events that you are completely prepared for and events that you are not prepared for.

As an example, an EMT is technically prepared for a patient who’s having a seizure, who is bleeding and going into shock, or who is drowning and has stopped breathing.

Someone with no medical training, on the other hand, may not have a clue what to do.

You will be more likely to stay calm in a situation where you already know what to do, but it’s not a guarantee.  It’s also not a guarantee that someone who has no clue what to do won’t stay calm enough to cause a successful outcome.

The good news is that there are 2 tools that you can use to improve your performance under extreme stress.

First, practice (physically and with mental rehearsal) the skills that you think you have a high likelyhood of needing when you’re under extreme stress to a point where you can do them in your sleep.  When you do the same skill over and over again in the same way, you create mylein sheaths around the neural pathways that help insulate it from the effects of adrenaline dumps and extremely high heart rates.

Second, to the extent that you can and want to do so, expose yourself to stressful situations and practice calming yourself down.  This could be through a short series of deep breaths, praying quickly, blocking out what’s going on and focusing exclusively on what you can control, going to your “happy place” for a few seconds, doing progressive relaxation, or even focusing on counting to 10.  The situation may dictate which of these are possible and applicable.  Don’t stop and count to 10 if a truck is crossing the centerline and coming straight at you.

These 2 tools, or classes of tools, can help everyone perform better under stress and move you closer to the level of a seasoned professional who has ice running through their veins and who is able to make solid, non-emotional decisions under stress.

Want to know something neat?  If you have the opportunity to master your response to stress in one part of your life, you can use that same control in other parts of your life.  As an example, someone who works in customer support in a call center, in law enforcement, in EMS, in the military and other professions either doesn’t last long or figures out how to remove their emotions from the situation and get their job done.  That skill of removing emotions from stressful situations can also be used with arguments with children, arguments with spouses, and with other stresses in life and it can help de-escalate situations on a regular basis.)

This is definitely a case where skills beat gears and where the changes that you make inside your own head will give you the most leverage and have the ability to affect every area of your life in a positive way.

Have you received the eye roll over your conviction to prepare, or heard those bone-chilling words, “I’m coming to your place if things ever get bad!”  And if you have heard those dreaded words, will your door be open to them?  On a personal note, I would love to hear readers feedback on how in the world so many see the same warnings as preppers do, yet still choose not to prepare.

Have you taken any deliberate actions to help improve your ability to respond to stress?  Have you applied them in other areas of your life?  If so, please share them by commenting below.

And, if you haven’t checked out Former Force Recon Marine, Chris Graham’s at-home 30-10 pistol training, please do so now by clicking >HERE<  If you missed Chris nailing a 200 yard shot with a Glock 17 on his first shot, check out the article and video by going >HERE<!

God bless and stay safe,

David Morris and Survival Diva

 

 

 


    29 replies to "What Does It Take To Be A Survivor?"

    • Nancy from Missouri

      A few times I have heard people say “I’m going to so-and-so’s house it shtf happens”, and my answer is, “Well, you sure wouldn’t want to come to my house unless you like pinto beans as that’s about all I have been able to afford – and not all that many of them”.

      I really don’t have nearly all I would like to have, but what I have is mostly dehydrated as it is lighter in weight and takes up less room. I vacuum seal it with my Food Saver, and don’t have to worry about the grid going down and losing everything in my freezer. I have even “scrambled”, drained and dehydrated ground chuck, then vacuum sealed it in half-gallon jars. I make sure it is well dried before sealing it and have used some that was 8 months old that tasted like “just cooked” when it was rehydrated. I also cook up my pinto, northern and navy beans with garlic, onions and pepper. Then I dehydrate and vacuum seal them. I buy gallon cans of tomato sauce, dehydrate the sauce, then run it through the blender to powder it. After dehydrating it, a gallon of sauce powdered can be stored in a pint jar. With the above I can make chili for two using 3/4 cup hamburger, 1 1/2 cups dried pinto beans, a rounded TBSP of powdered tomato sauce and a heaping tsp of Williams Chili Seasoning in 5 cups of water. Simmer all together until the consistency you like. Dried hamburger is also good in soup, spaghetti sauce, pizza, Manwich, etc, when rehydrated and drained (if needed, as for pizza).

      I know that dehydrated meat won’t last 20 years, but I hope this gives others some new ideas.

      • Survival Diva

        Nancy,
        You’ve inspired me to get back to dehydrating! I’ve never tried to dehydrate tomato sauce–have always purchased it. That’s now the next thing on my list of to-do’s : )

        By the way, I like your rebuttal to those who plan to free-load. It always amazes me how comfortable some people are about inviting themselves when they could get ready themselves, and not jeopardize friends or family.

    • schillie

      tell your friends and family to get 3weeks of caned/dryed goods point out
      offical emergency guidelines point out the one most likely to happen in your/thier
      location. Major fire-flood-tornados and earth-quakes have all happen in a pretty short
      time frame. if you cant get them to make minor logical preps now when there is pleaty
      there not going to put in the hard work if major shif happens. this also imply you only
      have a little. stock up on beans. inform anyone who says “im coming to your house”
      that they’ll need to bring food.

    • Beth in TX

      Friends in Texas and elsewhere, be aware of the current influx of thousands of unattended minors along our Southern border. I apologize for bringing this up in this forum, but I am stunned by the lack of media coverage. The White House has forbidden Border Agents to discuss this crisis, and it has forbidden media members from access to overcrowded detention centers, where kids are being loaded on buses to be shipped to other states, without benefit of health checks. Many of them are sick.

      If you have property near the Southern border, a tidal wave of humanity is headed in your direction, courtesy of powerful cartels. Reportedly, entire villages are in route from Central America to Texas. Cartels benefit in three ways: 1) Coyotes charging for the trip. 2) Human trafficking into slavery situations. 3) Overwhelming our Border Control agents with so many children that they are not available to patrol the border for drug and other cartel activities. Teen gangs are also taking advantage, to cross the border.

      Number of Unattended Minors crossing TX border in 2011: 6,000+
      Number in 2014: Estimated at 90,000 – 150,000 (some as young as 3 years old)
      Number in 2015: Estimated 150,000+

      The numbers are truly staggering when you consider that only 1 out of 3 illegals of any age crossing the border are found by Border Patrol. Our Border Guards are literally too busy warming formula and changing diapers to patrol the border now, thus you may want to tighten security on your property. Sadly, brace yourself for finding the bodies of children too weak to go on, being abandoned by the coyotes.

      Please, share this information. Main stream media is not covering it at all. Breitbart-Texas and Fox News have uncovered the very disturbing situation.

      With apologies for finger-pointing in this piece; my main concern is that you get the information on the human tidal wave headed your way, which is also covered:
      http://foxnewsinsider.com/2014/06/09/judge-nap-obama-directly-caused-surge-illegal-immigrant-children-borders

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fg710pbRBRc

      http://www.breitbart.com/Breitbart-Texas/2014/06/05/Leaked-Images-Reveal-Children-Warehoused-in-Crowded-US-Cells-Border-Patrol-Overwhelmed#.U5pJaJfAXXg.facebook

      So far as prepping, I do live in hurricane territory that offers some coverage for getting extra supplies, and having Go-bags at the ready. Still, the better-half is slow to come around. All good wishes.

      Beth

    • Ray Jarrad

      Training is the path to being ready in an emergency. The way you train is the way you fight or in this case react. A military guy my self, we found that everyone in an emergency would react just as we trained them.
      An example, home invasion occur once every 10 seconds in the US, I think that is correct. One would be wise to anticipate and train yourself to react. If you do you are prepared.
      Expand that concept out to whatever you think might happen and do a drill. Good Luck!

    • Sue the Frugal Survivalist

      I believe that I will be able to handle crisis situations because I’ve spent much time over my life doing just that. I have a brother with paranoid schizophrenia. I’m his caregiver. Have you ever had to deal with someone who is hearing voices, seeing things that aren’t there, yet refuses to take his medication ? I became my brother’s support person at age 21, because no one else in the family really knew what to do. I’m 64 now, my brother’s 70, and it’s still a daily responsibility to make sure he’s doing okay and to catch any developing problems before they escalate.

      My daughter and husband have both teased me about my preparedness supplies. My daughter, in particular, has laughed that I am too old to wear a backpack if we need to escape to the foothills. ” You know you’re probably going to be lame after two miles, Mom”. I always just smile and tell her, “I know. But you won’t be. And that’s who I’m really preparing for. You, Dad, your husband and the baby. You guys will make it. But you can only do that if I prepare.”

      My husband teased me about the emergency medical books and supplies, saying ” You can’t stand to see a pet suffer, how are you going to handle hurting someone who needs a wound stitched?” I told him I probably couldn’t do it, but I know he can, if he has the instructions and supplies I’ve stocked for such an emergency.

      My best survival skill is being able to anticipate what we’ll need to survive, buying it at a good price, and making sure my family has it when it’s needed. After a while they stopped teasing me, and have offered suggestions about what else we should add to our supplies or skills.

      • Survival Diva

        Sue the Frugal Survivalist,
        I don’t personally know anyone who has had to face the daily challenges you must face with your brother’s illness. It makes prepping pale in comparison. I’m with you on stitching people up–it could be done, and the supplies are there–but I’m passing that baton to my daughter who has worked as a surgery vet-tech and worked on cadavers for advanced college courses. Nothing seems to phase her and it sounds as if your husband will be equal to the task : )

        It’s a testament to your stick-to-it attitude, that you continue prepping. It really is for our loved ones many of us prepare for, more than ourselves.

    • cindy

      I have used these, and it has been in first aid situations as well as when I witnessed a accident that took a life and injured others. I acted to keep my young daughter safe. (priority one) then I was quick to save the lives and equipment of the others. I knew no one survived in the other vehicle so that was last on my priority list. Oddly enough I had had no major first aid training at this time. It was not till ten or more years later that I got into first aid and now have professional levels as well as alternative therapies and natural treatments. I suggest everyone learn what wild plants and weeds can be eaten as well as used for injuries. I make salves and other things out of common weeds as poly sporn and other medical ointments often dont work as we bacteria are becoming immune to these. Make your own and do learn what weeds you can eat. eating your lawn may save your life or that of others. (watch for pesticides)
      cheers

      • Survival Diva

        Cindy,
        You’ve already been tested with that terrible accident, and instead of folding, your took decisive action! Wild foods will be a life-saver, especially for those who must flee their homes with little. If you have any favorite sites or recipes for ointments, it would be greatly appreciated if you could share them on the site wen you have the time.

    • Joseph-Lee Morehouse

      Hello
      I found your article very entertaining and helpful – my family has already told me they will be at my door if the shtf , there is 68 people in my family brothers , sisters their spouses and children . I have preach to them about prepping for years with no one listening and behind my back they would call me a hoarder, a penny pincher , a crazy old man , with strange friends .
      I have found that most of my family will survive a disaster not by prepping for it but preying on weak and defenseless of our community .I have already told them I will only help if they start prepping , so far nobody to my knowledge has done any prepping .
      My group is about 20 now we added 2 and lost 1 due to death but the new members are semi-retired nurses which is a plus for us.
      I can’t explain the blindness in the general populations of Americans , most people have seen the food prices jump this pass year haven’t they, gasoline is hovering around $4.00 a gallon now , Chicken on sell is $1.00 to $1.68 a pound , Beef is to the point I only buy when it on sell if I buy it , corn is 5 ears for $3.00 , milk is on sell this week at $3.89 at martins and this just a example of prices in northern Indiana. I tell anybody that will listen plant gardens , raise chickens or rabbits be self sustaining , the usual answer is I don’t have time and I am not a doomsday prepper. I am worried that this economic recovery is a fraud and our government is aware of it and so are the elite , I know they are prepping but the common man is train with there weak minds standing like sheep buying material crape at Wall-mart to feel good or the cheap alcohol that on sell.
      Happy note my group has canned nearly a 100 quarts of wild spinach with pepper bacon and onions. Waiting for the strawberry , raspberry next to canned and dehydrate.
      Please keep the articles coming I been printing and sharing with my crazy prepping friends.

      • Survival Diva

        Joseph,
        68 people! I hope they will come around and decide to prepare. It would be impossible to house and feed 68 people, especially for those who have chosen not to prepare–and they will be unhappy to learn that when times are at their worst, people will protect what they need to survive with extreme predigest. On the bright side, it looks like your group is dedicated, and I applaud your good fortune in including nurses to your group!

    • 99Apache64

      The real answer is to not talk about preparedness. The more people you talk to about it with, the more people that will come knocking on your door if and when an event occurs because they did little or nothing to get ready. You should do what is needed for your family and do it as quietly as possible. If others are too blind to see the writing on the wall then they are deserving of what comes their way. OPSEC is critical during your prepping and the only people you should trust are people you are 100% sure of and that are going to contribute to your survival after an event. You will need to have a group to help you survive if an event is really serious ie financial collapse or EMP and having people with varied skills will be critical but you better be absolutely sure they can be trusted because people change under a crisis. Trying to build a team of preppers is way harder than just buying supplies but in my opinion is just as important if not more. People that come knocking on my door that have done nothing to prepare will get sent away thinking we have nothing because if they think you have supplies they can link up and come back with others to try and take yours which can force a violent confrontation. I would be prepared to kill to defend my family but I would rather use subterfuge to make people think we are just as out of luck as they are. If I had to defend the property with force then I would, but first I would try to make it look like there was nothing there.

      • Survival Diva

        99Apache64,
        I’ve talked to so many who shared their preparedness, only to regret it later. It seems that some who “starred” on Doomsday Preppers moved soon after the airing. Not the best idea to show your face and preps on national T.V. and expect anonymity. You’re spot-on about the need for a group at the height of looting and unrest, and just as correct about the people chosen needing to be the right kind of people. The economic crisis you mention looks as if it’s looming closer with China and Russia threatening to move away from the dollar. I’m praying not, but it’s looking as if 2014, 2015 may be the tipping point.

    • Paul

      As a teenager, I was 15 in 1970, I watched those around me sampling drugs and alcohol. I did try some but found that I wasn’t in control which I hated. One day I did something really stupid and discovered adrenalin and was hooked! As an adrenalin junkie I kept searching for the next thrill and the more I got the more it took. I found it to be a double edge sword; adrenalin is intended for survival and as you become almost immune to it you become more reckless. I wanted to be more in control so one day I joined a local Jiu-jitsu dojo because they were tough and they promised to teach me how to better focus. One night at a drive-in theater concession stand I watched one guy take on four and he was the only one to walk away and he only took a couple of hits. I wanted to be like that!

      The Sensei wouldn’t teach me anything about fighting without first learning to fall, breath, and start mind control techniques. The purpose of mind control was to clear the mind of all active thoughts and emotions. By clearing the mind you controlled breathing down to a slow shallow rate, focus on your opponent’s movements so you could anticipate their moves and counter/block. It also helped isolate and contain pain so it didn’t consume you. Later as an adult I became a cop and then worked in corrections and later joined the Army which I stayed with for 21 years. Overall I found the mind control to be the greatest asset. When everyone else was running around freaked out my mind would automatically switch off and I could do whatever job I had to do without the situation and others getting in the way.

      The reason I wanted to mention all of this is because I was able to teach my wife and son this technique but I was unable to teach it to my daughter and now my granddaughter. I did enroll my granddaughter in a couple of different dojos because they assured me that was what they teach but then found they didn’t have a clue. I’m not sure any current dojo teaches this anymore, but it’s a great skill and well worth the effort to learn if you can find an instructor who knows what they are doing.

    • Caribou

      Remaining calm in a stressful situation is a skill and can be developed. Join a volunteer fire or EMS squad. This will not only help you develop your ability to remain calm but you will learn medical and other skills as well.

    • hubert

      From a christien point of view the scripters war that in the ËND TIME”” wich we live in {Read”Luke 21-Mathew Chp 24
      its clearly out line that this sick world comes to an End.When wich day no one knows only by the signs one can tell.
      If one is honest without be called a “DOOMSDAIER”” has to amit man kind has reached a stages wich is abel to desroy this Planet 10x over,The book also says “”A PRUDENT MAN FORESEE EVEL &THE FOOLISCH WILL PERRISCH”_AMEN
      There is also the advice to get not only prepared Physicel but also spirituly as well.Its amazing when non beliefers suddenly start praying when the SHTF hit the fan,its quite interresting,For my self here in Australia I have seen this comming 33yrs ago left the big city went to a sort of wildernes area,get my self set up to be as much independent as much as possibel,in any way,prividing one has “HEALTH”” that I leave to Godss sustainability also one has to live a live as much healthy as possibel.
      I wich all of you out there who share like wise our trend Gods Blessing and v “””GET READY””

    • Soylent Green

      Kind of like what my brother, who was the local police departments firearms armorer and instructor (And on the states’ official best top 20 law enforcement shooters list) told me once. There was this self proclaimed expert shooter on the department who resisted training (probably because he didn’t want anyone to see how he actually shot). The guy told my brother that he’d read about a lot of other shootings where ‘target’ shooters panicked and missed every shot when they were confronted with an armed human attacker. My brother tried to convince him that just because even trained shooters can panic in a life of death situation, it didn’t mean that an untrained person was suddenly going to calmly and rationally think to do every thing right if THEY were confronted with a homicidal maniac bent on destroying them.

    • Bill T

      Dave,
      I wanted to leave a comment to help your readers. I’m 61 yrs old and have seen what’s coming for many years. I have a 25 yr old son who is a college grad and a very well prepared person both mentally and physically, I have a married daughter 29 with no children, who is one who buries her head in the sand because she can’t believe how our world is crumbling around us and then my wife a retired intensive care nurse who sees what’s coming and is mentally prepared but not physically, due to being born with a heart disease that has gotten worse over the years.
      I’ve come to the point that as a good father and provider I need to prepare for each differently, My son , I encouragement and practice ranching and hunting skills, back packing ammo loading etc…my daughter , I prepared bugout bags food and a weapon which my son has taught her how to use if needed and my wife by stocking up on meds, a back pack with absolute necessary requirements and then me carrying the bulk .

      Example each men’s backpack each have a RMS 3 person tent .
      Water filter by Katadyn 13,000 gal water filter system , 1 gal pouch to carry H2o
      One sleeping bag to -30 degrees
      2 different fire starting systems
      And a months supply of Mountain House for their back packs
      And their hand guns and a rifle with needed Ammo and cleaning system
      A map of four surrounding counties with water sources revealed.
      Passports and cash if they need to escape the country.
      There are many other things I’ve done, but one thing is I’ve prepared enough food supplies to help at least 30 people for a year,
      How did I do that, I researched and sourced supplies that most suppliers keep quite and to themselves.
      Example . freeze dried and dehydrated vegetables .
      This source I’ll share with you so you can share with everyone else.
      http://Www.Silva-Intl.com. Silva International is a seller in bulk of dried fruits and vegetables or freeze dried fruits and vegtables
      Dirt cheap compared to all the other people who buy their products and repackage it under their name and sell it to you at a higher price.
      Contact person is Dave Agema 815-472-3535. Ext 29 Remember they sell In bulk , like 20-30 boxes.

      Another person is
      IMPAK Corporation
      Brian Knoll
      Quality Assurance/Vendor Development
      13700 S Broadway | Los Angeles, CA 90061
      P: 310.715.6600 x201| F: 323.389.2200
      [email protected]
      sorbentsystems.com

      They sell Mylar bags to package the food produces you can buy from Silva International

      People need to get ready. Work together to buy what you need co-op style to reduce your cost.

      If you need a way to truck it to yourself this is one of the least expensive companies to ship that I’ve come across.

      To be shippped by Truck
      – call Lucas Turner at Freight Pros/Meridan Logistics
      512-617-9335

      Email [email protected]

      Check them out and see for yourself

      I really like your news letter
      Bill

      • Survival Diva

        Bill,
        Thank you for sharing these sites and about how you helped your son and daughter–different personalities do need to be “guided” differently.

      • Hieronyma

        Hi Bill,
        I’ve had a look at the site – do you have to buy under a business name (with an EIN), or can it also be a buying club?

    • Alex Novak

      Do the techniques you suggest work for all ages? I’m retirement age now and find that I deliberate over things that have potential negative consequences that I once just did without thinking about it other than the requisite planning. A common situation is starting an around the home/car project with a fear of not completing it in time or screwing it up. Once I get started I’m usually okay, but it takes longer to get into action. I think some of it is deferring to reduced physical capability and stamina rather than just getting going. Some of it may also be an increased sense of avoidance.

      • Survival Diva

        Alex,
        Practicing your skills will make a world of difference–where you won’t have to deliberate, but will automatically take correct action. It could be avoidance of tasks is simply because you have the time to put things off. Reacting to a medical emergency or a dangerous situation will require practice, practice, and more practice so when the time comes, you won’t be doubting yourself.

    • LBJ

      RE: “I’ll come to your place”, I tell them, flat out “NO, you won’t. Prep for yourself or starve. I may not have enough to save myself, and I certainly won’t have enough to feed someone who isn’t concerned enough to stock food for themselves before a crisis. FORGET IT! You’re on your own in a crisis, because I won’t endanger myself for your lack of sense here.” Courtesy and compassion can get preppers killed during a crunch, so use extreme care. The teen boyfriend giving food away in the movie “American Blackout” was a perfect example. I know many people who would have quickly shot him for it, too, and hung him on the fence as a warning.

      As to those who are in denial of the impending crisis, remember, most are Left-bent and never did see things correctly. People see what they want to see. Dr. Leach’s “followers” are blind, deaf, and dumb, David & Diva.

      Luckily, my sister, living in the extremely-Left Bay Area, is starting to see the light. She already has some food storage (though she’s a raw-food purist (which I told her might kill her during a crisis if she didn’t eat any valuable calories at every chance) and has home and auto BOBs now.

      When the crisis hits, I’ll physically (but gently) slap the faces of my naysaying friends and neighbors, then -order- them to the store to stock up before it’s too late, with the warning to take their credit card and not worrying about paying for it. Survival comes first. Once you survive, you can think about paying your credit card bills.

      I’ve been spending my last 3 vacation funds on hunting courses, prepper info, BOBs, solar backup systems, and food storage. Now it’s time to start building myelin sheaths around handgun skills, learning climbing skills, and taking medical courses while building my SHTF library.

    • Mark

      Most the people that live around me are financially strapped. I am retired and life is good. Trying to find a support group from my neighbors seems almost impossible. They will all want help if the s.h.t.f.. I know people have different skills and you can use those skills to maintain a productive group working to survive. I just don’t trust most of them to have the proper mind set to handle the situation. There will be firearms involved, and teaching proper firearms handling is not what I want to do in a crisis. We will have lots of “TIME” though. 24 hour security should also be a “FUN” thing to set up in a crisis. They will be lost for a while with out their smart phones.

      • Survival Diva

        Mark,

        Good points. Playing solider may seem like fun to some of your neighbors, but when SHTF the wake-up call they’ll be facing won’t include texting the action or face-booking comments or twittering. . .anything.

        • Judith

          Hi, Just how do you get neighbors to pay attention with out letting them know how prepared we are? They don’t seem to understand or grasp–the SHTF crisis is closer than they think—! I would hate to turn away the neighbors but will be an ugly scene out side our door when it happens. Their are no friends when it happens is the best we can do. Would love to get some insight on how to handle this problem.

          • Survival Diva

            Judith,
            You’re right about telling clueless neighbors that you’re prepared–they’ll be on your doorstep the minute trouble strikes. On the other hand it’s possible others near you may be getting prepared quietly, as you are. If your gut instinct is telling you that your neighbors are completely clueless, it’s wise to remain silent. BUT if you see a glimmer of hope, you can always open a conversation up about your “thinking” about getting a few days worth of emergency food and water together for an emergency that is likely in your area; an earthquake, flooding, tornado, hurricane. Acting clueless while opening up the subject doesn’t tip your hand and it MIGHT plant the seed for your neighbors to start preparing. It also opens the door for neighbors who have already begun to prepare to open up.

            Many times we can get clues about a person by knowing their interests. Hunters and fishermen, military, ex-military, and those in law enforcement tend to be more self-sufficient. Gardeners, those who home-can, and people who live simply or live in rural settings are also more likely to have a self-sufficient mindset. These lifestyle choices don’t automatically mean a person is a prepper, or may be open to prepping, but it’s a little more likely.

            I wished there was an easy answer to approaching neighbors. Sadly, it needs to be approached on an as-case basis and needs to be approached carefully, because once the subject has been opened, you take the chance of becoming a target in a SHTF scenario.

            • Judith

              Thank-you for your help will pick a time at it and feel it out :>)

    • deanbob

      “Act. Don’t react. Count to 10.” is what I have implemented as my response to situations that require immediate measured action. While I have much work to do, your suggestion to practice is spot on. For me, the more I do this, the more natural it becomes.

      Many in my family do roll their eyes when I talk about preparedness; but, my response is I rather be prepared and not need any of those preps than the other way around. Why do so many buy so many different insurances, but neglect one that may be more important?

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