Preparedness for when

grandma247

Did anyone see the people evacuating their homes in China after the earthquakes in the last few days? Did you notice the majority were carry bags. I like to think they were go bags or bobs.

HariboJunkie

GreyQueen wrote: »

And I agree with whomever it was who pointed out that you don't have to read the thread if you don't want to, much less feel the need to point and jeer.

Just to clarify: I have already said that I will no longer read the thread and at no point have I pointed and/or jeered at anyone, merely expressed surprise and to some extent distaste at some of the posts. As long as I am not breaking any MSE rules, I believe it is my right to do so. In the same vein perhaps some posters should take their own advice and ignore posts they dislike, such as mine and not accuse others of lacking a sense of humour or being intolerant.

Oops. I just read it again didn't I? :rotfl: (Somehow knew that I would have to defend myself ) Enjoy your prepping everyone. :beer:

GreyQueen

Peace, HJ.

I didn't name names, but there has been some jeering. Although I know it wasn't you because I've read enough of your posts over the last nearly-two years to know that it isn't your way.

I'm off to eat supper now. GQ xx

Sassia

I didn't see it as anyone jeering and pointing. There are people here that live in rural areas and winter can and does bring problems such as being snowed in or power cuts, no one would say being prepared for that is wrong. It was what went beyond that I found concerning!

suburbanwifey

HariboJunkie wrote: »

Do you seriously think you need a crossbow? :eek:
Wow, this thread has really stepped up a gear today! Serious end of the world stuff being talked about now. I had no idea there were so many impending natural disasters to whip ourselves into a fenzy about.

What I am going to write now is just my opinion, I may be right, I may be wrong, but nevertheless, I shall share my opinion.

I personally do not think we are ever at risk of zombie apocalypse (that's the stuff of movies and fiction writers and anyway, psycho thrillers are my genre, not fantasy) however, I like many others watched in horror as the Twin Towers collapsed killing and maiming thousands of innocent people, watched as a Tsunami destroyed thousands of lives and even watched a lower grade of incident such as the Carlisle floods that destroyed lives and homes for many years. Mother Nature is a powerful beast (I believe in the power of Mother Nature, not a God such as some of you may believe, to me the seasons, fire, water, earth etc ... and Mother Nature is where its at. Mother Nature is fed up of the destruction man has caused on our earth and sadly, aside from Mother Nature man's worst enemy is man - wars caused by religion, by poverty, by control etc. Man has been killing himself in many forms for many thousands of years and will continue to do so, why? because man is stupid.

There is great unrest in both the United Kingdom and in the USA specifically. Great poverty, great injustice, great fear for the future and the unknown. Most of us are not in the top 4% - those that are stinking rich and control us all one way or another.

I'm not directly affected by any benefit cuts or changes caused by the Govt's austerity plans (never had to claim a benefit in my life thankfully, I'm fortunate for that) but millions of people are. The poorest and the most vulnerable in society. Did you see how angry people are getting? unemployed teens with no future, high on drugs, carrying guns and knives as a way of life (its illegal, yeah, doesn't stop them!)

The riots - innocent people were terrorized, almost burnt out of their homes, fleeing for their lives, I saw it all on TV, it horrified me. It wasn't that bad that time, isolated to a few major cities, what about next time if there is a next time? Do you think they would not hurt or kill? I know they could and would. I study psychology and my specialist interest is the dark side of the human psyche - you would be surprised what humankind truly is capable of in a desperate situation. I don't think anyone on here who is thinking about the possible risk of *things kicking off* is either stupid, paranoid or ridiculous, they are sensible. To be prepared is to be forearmed as such.

A crossbow to me is no big deal, I've spent a good deal of time in the USA shooting both rifles and handguns with the Police over there. I'm a crack shot, but of course over here we cannot shoot to defend ourselves, neither can the majority of our Police and in some ways that makes us all safer, but in the event of a breakdown of society, we would all need to be able and willing to defend ourselves and our families. I would, without hesitation do what I needed to do to protect me and mine, so yes, looking at the way things are heading in the Western World I do think I would feel safer in the event of a breakdown of society having a crossbow by my side - I'm not allowed a 9mm I own 2 Air Rifles and enjoy mountain climbing, hill-walking and hiking. All the items I have bought in preparedness will serve me well when out in the country, playing in the wilds of Scotland - none of it is a wasted purchase, I've always spent my money wisely. What price life? if a crossbow meant I lived rather than died if a nutcase was at my door, then in a him or me situation, I know who would be wiping their hands clean and it wouldn't be him Me and mine have worked very hard for anything we have got, no one would have an easy task taking whats mine. I've been a sharing and a kind person all my life, but no one steals from me.

I personally don't think any major disaster will happen in my lifetime but I do feel there is a high risk of the poor revolting against the rich, riots breaking out and the army being called in to restore order. I would say to all doubters out there - if you prepare and nothing happens, then you have stuff to back you up during a lean time (food stocks etc. and that is sensible) if you encounter trouble, you live rather than die.

I'm no fool and I do think we are all sensible to at least consider the risks that are brewing in this country. Austerity is hurting us all, and it will hurt a lot more. To defend yourself against attack and plan for such an eventuality is a good idea but don't spend your life worrying about what might not ever happen but for goodness sake, think about what you would do if it did. That's all I have done and I know that I would have a high chance of survival because of the things I have prepared for Just my thoughts.

RAS

A friend's folks in Minnesota have two years' worth of grain vacumn-packed, some in the house and some in a bunker somewhere along with enough else to survive that period without outside contact. They think that is normal and appear to be less concerned than some folk in their area.

I walk with a lot more gear than most people. One Easter a local man went on a frequently used tourist walk on a nice day. He may have been a bit late as he was still heading towards the end of the vallley when others were walking back. it got dark, it rained. he was found the next morning under a caravan where he had crawled for shelter, dead.

So my walking daypack always contains a spare set of clothes, basic shelter (bag), heat blanket, water, high calorie eats and a small insulatng mat. As well as the expected first aid kit, whistle and small torch. If I am off track and back-packing it contains a couple of days survival rations as it could take that long to find me.

As a single person, if I am ill I need to be able to look after myself without going out for several days; my store cupboard reflects that and I have a small stash of nibble upstairs which I rarely touch otherwise.

I do not have snares or bows though.

D&DD

Wow you lot have been very busy bees
I,too remember the bread strikes and thats when my mum started teaching me to bake bread so theres always a good thing comes out of hardships..I also remember being sent through the till when they had a sugar strike so mum could get 1 extra bag of sugar to preserve the garden fruit.

Nuatha thanks very much for the info on the coolbox its been really useful

Grandma you'll be pleased to know my stash of baking powder is looking much healthier now thanks to you and the Asda tip

re fitness I was superfit in my younger days and although I'm still skinny I have dodgy knees,a dodgy spine and smoke far too much for my lungs to outrun even a shambling zombie
I really need to concentrate on this more but have enough trouble finding time to brush my hair somedays let alone do a workout I'd probably put my back out if I did too much :rotfl:

2tonsils

suburbanwifey I love your post and thank you for it. That is a very sensible thought out commentary on what you plan to do.

I thought the day would never come when I had to install alarms in my mountain village home and I certainly never thought the day would come when I had to put barbed wire up on my roof to stop thieves running across it to get away.... but it has come to this and more. Crime rates have rocketed in Greece and there is trouble in the main cities with the Gol*en Daw*n group....a group of fascists who have been attacking immigrants. Several people have died as a result of the attacks in Greece.
With more severe austerity expected this winter there is going to be more crime and more attacks. Thinking of personal and household safety and security is something we are going to have to do if we want to stay safe. I never, ever , thought it would come to this in Greece. But it has and sadly we now have to deal with it.

suburbanwifey

GreyQueen wrote: »

Suburbanwifey, I had a very interesting conversation with a cop's sister in New Zealand a few years ago. Despite its bucolic reputation, NZ has some ghastly drug problems, particularly people crazed by a synthetic drug called P.

She told me how she'd walk home at night holding the largest Maglite torch resting against her shoulder (she mimed how you'd hold a rifle at parade rest) ready to hammer down with it if necessary. She'd already had some close squeaks and this was the cop-brother's advice btw.

I know someone who was living in a block of flats where one caught fire. Was extinguished with no loss of life but the whole block had to do emergency evac with no notice. Water went down thru block's electrics and rendered it so hazardous that it had to be disconnected from the grid and stayed disconnected for weeks, until it dried out and every inch of the electrics examined and tested.

With no power, no lights, no lifts, it was uninhabitable. People were spread all over the place in emergency digs. The council put security guards on the outside (no power for the security doors) and residents were allowed back on chaperoned access for 15 mins the next day to grab what they could. Then they were locked out of their own homes.

That was their reality for WEEKS.

Bad things happen. I live in a tower block. Several of my neighbours are mentally-ill. They do dangerous things sometimes. My block one had a gas explosion which took out several flats and caused a midnight evac.

It could have easily been my block rendered uninahbitable for weeks. Going forward, it could still be my block, one of these days.

As to being concerned about natural disasters, why not?

Volcanic explosions cause a reduction in solar radiation reaching the ground which causes crops to photosynthesise less and yields to decline, sometimes into famine range. Any big blow will impact harvests for several years and the trade winds will circulate the dust around the planet. It isn't a question of the end of the world, it's a question of less food for a lot of people for a few years, and that's not a good thing by anybody's reckoning.

I had a friend in Thailand when the tsunami hit. She was up in the mountains on the Laotian boarder when it hit, but had been right in the danger zone days before, and I didn't know she'd gone upcountry.

You can bet next week's housekeeping money that I was trifle stressed until I heard from her via email. And I made sure that my Xmas pressie money that year went to the disaster relief fund, out of compassion and out of a sense of thankfulness that it wasn't me or mine in the middle of all that.

And I agree with whomever it was who pointed out that you don't have to read the thread if you don't want to, much less feel the need to point and jeer.

The Cops sister was right. I personally think a full sized Maglite is the best *defence* item you can legally carry. Our Forces carry them and our Police do for very good reasons. It also legal to own one and they are incredibly powerful torches as well I own several and have them all over the house and one in my glove box in car, never know when you might need one.

suburbanwifey

2tonsils wrote: »

suburbanwifey I love your post and thank you for it. That is a very sensible thought out commentary on what you plan to do.

I thought the day would never come when I had to install alarms in my mountain village home and I certainly never thought the day would come when I had to put barbed wire up on my roof to stop thieves running across it to get away.... but it has come to this and more. Crime rates have rocketed in Greece and there is trouble in the main cities with the Gol*en Daw*n group....a group of fascists who have been attacking immigrants. Several people have died as a result of the attacks in Greece.
With more severe austerity expected this winter there is going to be more crime and more attacks. Thinking of personal and household safety and security is something we are going to have to do if we want to stay safe. I never, ever , thought it would come to this in Greece. But it has and sadly we now have to deal with it.

I've read all your posts with a mixture of sadness and deep interest, I didn't realise things were so bad for you out there but having recently watched a documentary on the brewing crisis and escalating violence in Greece, I think you above all people need to take what precautions you can to stay safe. People will do horrible things when hungry and desperate, right and wrong go out of the window, morality no longer exists. A good book for anyone to read who doubts the cruelty man can inflict upon his fellow man should take a look at the book The Lucifer Effect by the great psychologist Phillip Zimbardo (here) scientific evidence of man's inhumanity to man. Staying safe is paramount to us all and doing the best we can should the worst ever happen. Food, Water and Defence are your weapons against the SHTF. Its nice to meet you, you have my greatest respect and I wish you well in your life, I hope you stay safe xx