Most of the books and preparedness literature available seem to assume that our post-TEOTWAWKI lives will be in a place where we can expect cold winters and the four traditional seasons. I understand the attraction of relocating to a mountain retreat in a lightly populated northern or western state, but like many others my current preparedness plan is for in-place survival. I just so happen to live in tropical Florida. I believe that many of these same considerations apply for those living in southern Louisiana, Alabama, and Texas.
There are both challenges and advantages to choosing a tropical location like Florida when considering long-term survival. Generally accepted approaches to water storage, food storage, food sources, shelter, power, health issues, tools, clothing, and security issues must all be re-examined in light of the environmental differences between Florida and the mountainous northern states. The plans presented in most preparedness books must be adjusted to account for these differences.
The humid subtropical zone that contains Florida and much of the southeastern United States requires different tactics and equipment than those used for the semi-arid west and continental northern regions. In Florida, the debate rages on where to draw the ‘freeze’ line. This is the imaginary line south of which, usually, it will not freeze. Some put this at about 80 miles north of Orlando; others as far south as Lake Okeechobee. In any case, the winters are very mild in Florida. Temperatures in much of Florida are rarely below 60 for more than a few weeks. The humidity, however, is often extreme. This means that we need to be less concerned about storing cold weather gear like sleeping bags, warm clothes, and fuel for heating and more concerned about protection from sun, insects, mold, fungus, and heat. On the plus side, the climate here also means an extended growing season.
Everyone knows that the weather in Florida can be volatile. Those that live in Florida must be prepared for hurricanes. If you don’t already own hurricane shutters or screens, this should be one of your first priorities to protect your residence over the long term. Depending on the materials selected for these shutters, they could also provide additional protection for your family from other threats – such as gunfire. A home generator is also almost a requirement for residents of tropical climates. In many tropical areas like Florida, most of the power lines are still above ground and the utility power is frequently out when these lines are blown down. These utility lines are gradually being moved below ground, but it is a massive undertaking that will take years. If you choose to live near the ocean, make sure that your home is elevated above sea level as far as possible so that you are less susceptible to flooding associated with a storm surge. Or, at the very least, store a good supply of sand bags. Florida is known as the ‘Sunshine State’ and it does get a lot of sun. Arizona, California, New Mexico, and Texas get more sun, but Florida is still eminently suitable for using the sun for power. If you are near the beach, you can also count on being able to consistently generate power from the wind.
The location of your home or retreat in Florida or any other tropical area may be critical. As of 2008, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated the population of Florida at over 18 million. As many as 11 million of these people live in the largest population centers like Miami, Tampa/St. Petersburg, Orlando, Ft. Lauderdale, Jacksonville, and West Palm Beach. I probably don’t have to tell you – but, I will anyway. Avoid these large cities. Check the web site FloridaDisaster.org for the published evacuation routes. These will likely be the same routes used for population migration out of Florida in the event of a major disaster or societal collapse. Much of the traffic will have to go up the major north-south interstate highways like 4, 75, and 95. Those living in close proximity to these routes will be at higher risk of looting, theft, and assault. When looking for a retreat or place to live, look for the less populated areas that might be somewhat insulated from these migration routes. You might consider living in one of the rural locations in central Florida or north Florida that are lightly populated. I have chosen to live on a lightly populated stretch of the barrier island that runs the entire length of the state. There are a limited number of causeways that control access to the barrier island from the mainland. The island is narrow enough in many places to be defensible. And, if necessary, evacuation by boat is possible using either the inter-coastal waterway or the ocean.
A sailboat can provide some additional benefits besides the option of escape or evacuation. It can be used to store additional supplies. It can be used for transportation and fishing long after a fuel shortage renders power boats useless or uneconomical. It can be a self-contained mobile survival retreat when equipped with a desalination unit to provide fresh water from salt water and with solar PV and wind generator to charge onboard batteries that operate lights, radios, satellite GPS, fish finders, and other useful gear. When anchored in a calm river or bay, it can offer a degree of security.
One of the unique things about Florida is that the water table is very high – especially near the beach. This makes it fairly simple to drill a water well, but it also means that very few Florida homes that have basements or cellars – it’s just too wet. That means limited access to storage space for food and equipment. It also means that very few Floridians have access to below-ground shelter that would provide any decent level of protection from nuclear or radiological attack. A garage can be used for storage, but this is often not a good choice either due to the high heat and humidity. Near the beach, the high salt content in the air causes any exposed metal to corrode relatively quickly. This means that the options for food and equipment storage are more limited. One option is to set aside areas of the home that can be used for storage where the temperature and humidity are controlled. Or, rent a climate controlled storage unit that is easily accessible to your home. Another option is to build a climate controlled storage area in your garage or utility outbuilding. This could also be useful as a fallout shelter if designed with enough shielding and HEPA air filtration.
Access to drinking water must be a primary concern of any preparedness plan. However, in most tropical locations like Florida there is a lot of water available – fresh, brackish, and salt. Many homes in Florida and other tropical locations have a large reservoir of fresh water at hand – the swimming pool. But, care must be taken to ensure that this water source is protected from evaporation and contamination in the event that utility water is not available. Make sure that you have a pool cover or a sufficient quantity of large plastic sheeting to cover the pool. Head to the swimming pool supply store and stock up on the granular calcium hypochlorite that is used to treat your pool water. This form of chlorine can be corrosive and reactive, so be careful to store it in a dry, secure place and rotate it as you would your food supply. The same chemicals that are used to keep your pool clear and algae-free will allow you to disinfect your pool water for drinking purposes. Filtering the water through an activated charcoal filter will remove the chlorine taste of the water. A high-volume gravity-fed water filtration unit like those sold by Berkey, Katadyn, or AquaRain should be a key component in your long-term water plan. Desalination units, such as those installed in some sail and power boats can provide a critical advantage in securing access to clean water.
As mentioned above, food storage can be a challenge. Use plastic and glass to store and preserve your food supplies rather than metal cans. Even stainless steel rusts eventually in the salt air. Silica gel desiccant is your friend in a humid environment. Use it to control moisture in stored ammunition, food, electronic equipment, and anything else that you don’t want to rust or corrode. Batteries left in electronics or flashlights corrode quickly, so check and change them regularly or else store them without the batteries installed. If you seal your electronics in Mylar bags with desiccant packs, you’ll protect them from moisture as well as protecting them from the effects of electromagnetic pulse (EMP).
Plan to establish a sustainable food supply. Even if you don’t already keep a garden, learn what grows and doesn’t grow in your soil and climate. There is a wide range of soil types in Florida. In sandy soil and humid environments near the beach, dietary staples might include the cassava, yams, sweet potatoes, bananas, plantains, coconut, date, heart of palm, citrus, peppers, and rice. Other inland areas of Florida with richer, drier soil might better sustain traditional vegetables like potatoes, carrots, peas, beans, squash, and others. Fishing opportunities abound in Florida and may provide one of the most easily acquired sources of protein. Salt water fish can be taken from a boat, by snorkeling with a spear gun, or by surf fishing from the beach. Traps can be set for crab and spiny lobster. Rock shrimp can be netted from the river. Bass, catfish, and many other species of fish are abundant in the rivers, lakes, and ponds. Anyone that intends to remain in place in Florida should acquire the equipment and practice the techniques using cast nets, surf fishing and fresh water fishing with rod and reel. Wild pigs are a real pest in Florida and can provide fat and protein in a diet. Deer, turkey, duck, and goose are also available as are a variety of other water birds. Alligator might be another source of protein for those near rivers or lakes where they live.
When choosing clothing for a tropical environment like Florida, give preference to lightweight, breathable, manmade fibers that will keep you cool and still wick sweat from your skin. Avoid cotton and wool fabrics that will deteriorate and mold in a hot and humid environment. When working or hunting outside, long sleeves and long pants should be worn to protect from sun and insects. Be sure to have wide brim hats for protection from the sun and rain. Good rain gear is a must for each member of the family along with good, high-top, waterproof boots. Consider a set of rubber waders for those that might be fishing or hunting in the wetlands and swamps. Mosquito face nets will become more and more necessary when the commercial spraying currently used to keep down the mosquito population is no longer available.
There are some unique health issues to consider in Florida and other subtropical or tropical regions when man-made pesticides and fungicides are no longer available. Malaria and other mosquito borne diseases are not currently a concern in Florida. But, they could become a factor again when the means currently used to control them no longer is employed. In other parts of the world, mosquitoes spread encephalitis, dengue fever, yellow fever, West Nile virus, and other diseases. Anti-malarial medications should be stocked. Screens for doors and windows should be installed or repaired. Standing sources of water where mosquitoes breed should be eliminated as far as possible. Mosquito nets should be purchased and used to protect sleepers in bed during the night. Be certain to stock mosquito and insect repellant with a high percentage of DEET. Ticks, fire ants, cockroaches, termites, and other insects are currently controlled only by extreme efforts using chemicals in many subtropical areas of the U.S. Ticks carry Lyme disease, tularemia, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever among other diseases. Fire ant bites can produce fatal anaphylaxis in those allergic. They destroy small ground nesting animals and birds and have had a very negative effect on the wild populations of dove and quail in Florida. These pests and others could all become significant hazards to our health, food sources and possessions when the current suppression methods are no longer available. Molds and fungus are also causes for health concerns for those in tropical areas. Mold or fungus infections can be serious in humans and difficult to eradicate. They can poison or destroy food and make our home unlivable. To combat mold, keep fabrics clean and dry. Avoid cotton and natural fibers in favor or man-made fibers that are more resistant. Use a dilute solution of bleach (sodium hypochlorite) or quaternary ammonium compounds to kill or clean up mold or fungus. Be sure to wear a filter or gas mask when cleaning up mold. Breathing mold spores can have long term health consequences. You may want to stock mold and mildew inhibiting products like paradicholorobenzene or paraformaldehyde powder from the drugstore. Be careful to store these chemicals and all pesticides away from food and access by children. Be sure to have a supply of sunscreen available for additional protection from the sun. This is an area that you should research carefully as many of the chemicals and additives in sunscreen are harmful.
In a tropical environment, there are tools and equipment that can be very useful that may not be needed in other environments. Each adult should have a good quality machete or woodsman’s blade. Cold Steel produces a variety of heavy machetes that are suitable for the brush and growth in the Florida wetlands and swamps. Cutting is done with the end of the blade, so get one that is long enough provide the leverage to cut relatively thick branches and vines without multiple cuts. Besides clearing brush, they are also good general purpose tools for defense against snakes (or men), cutting wood, butchering, and many other tasks. Monofilament cast nets are great for catching small fish that can be used for bait or just dried for food. Crab or lobster traps and long-handled shrimp nets can provide an additional source of protein if you have a boat that can be used to drop them. If you are near the ocean, snorkeling gear and a spear gun can allow you to harvest fish and turtles even if compressed air isn’t available for diving. Fishing equipment – hook, lines, leaders, etc. – will probably take the place of some of the hunting equipment that those in other climates might acquire. Consider stocking naval jelly for rust removal and plenty of paint for protecting exposed metal. Firearms may be the most important tools to Florida residents in the event of TEOTWAWKI. Florida has a large population and, at some point, a lot of them may be looking for food. Prepare to be charitable. Prepare to defend your family, life, and property, as well.
These are just some of the considerations for surviving in a humid, subtropical zone like Florida in the event of a collapse, but I hope that it will provide food for thought and a starting point for modifying the plans and recommendations published elsewhere to be more effective for this environment.