Category: G. O. O. D.

Prepping With Limited Funds, by L. Burton

I am a beginning Prepper. I am broke.  This combination is presenting a lot of challenges that I am determined to overcome. When I started on this new stage in life I did what many people do, when starting something new, I began researching as much as I could on the subject.  The first layer of research came up with a wonderful array of web sites that were willing to sell me a years supply of food, pre-packaged and ready to go.  The problem was the price tag.  I could buy food or pay the rest of my bills. My …


Getting Home and Getting Away, by D.L.

My life has become a series of bags. I’ve written before about how ill-prepared my family and I were for the Japanese earthquake and tsunami on March 11th. Although we were very lucky, and to this day have experienced only minor inconveniences, we nonetheless dove head-first into something resembling prepping. Unfortunately, prepping with neither a plan nor a little forethought is a bit like diving head-first into a strange lake without first surveying the depth and the bottom. The best that can happen is nothing; the worst that can happen is permanent damage. Our attitude when we went shopping was …


Prepping From the Ground Up, by N.V.

As a newcomer to the survivalist game (and by newcomer, I mean that I haven’t planned for anything bad to happen in the future except for my daughter reaching dating age), I thought it would be interesting to detail how I came to be reading this web site at this point in my life and the steps I have taken so far as a “virgin” survivalist.   I became interested in it recently due to several factors. The first is I have always found literature regarding end of the world scenarios to be fascinating.  I have read everything from On the Beach …


Emergency Prep for Travelers, by O.P.

In March I was traveling on business when the earthquake/tsunami struck Japan.  My brother was in Japan at the time on business travel.  My brother finally made it home five days after the earthquake struck.  Meanwhile I was in Israel when the rockets from Gaza started up again, and a bombing occurred at the Jerusalem bus stop.  We both travel considerably throughout the world, and have often discussed preparations during travel for emergencies.  My brother is less concerned about preparations at home, but our experiences have convinced him over time on the need for backup options when away from home.  …


Aircraft and Aviation, Post-TEOTWAWKI, by G.R. in Texas

I read JWR’s books “Patriots“ and“How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It” with interest and have been thinking and acting on them since. In particular, I was struck by the concept of using aircraft post-TEOTWAWKI for various purposes as illustrated in Patriots. I’d like to submit the following for your review, and for posting on Survivalblog if you feel it worthy. Background  I’ve been a commercial pilot (not airline) for about six years and have amassed flight time in aircraft as light and simple as a Van’s RV-7 (experimental) up to Beechcraft King Air-sized airplanes in …


The Art of Getting Home, by Shattered

So you have successfully prepped for every possible SHTF or TEOTWAWKI situation, your house is completely off grid, you’ve stockpiled enough chow to feed you and everyone you know for three full years and you have amassed a huge arsenal of assault weapons and ammunition that is sufficient to put even your toddler in tactical gear, body armor and small arms for the next ten years of sustained combat operations. Everything should be good to go right? So you’re sitting at work in your suit and tie and TEOTWAWKI just pops off, maybe it’s a rain of ICBMs hitting major …


Bug In, or Bug Out?, by H.C.

I am a double transplant recipient who is 50 years old and in fairly good health but with restrictions as to what I am physically able to do.  My household consist of myself, my wife, and our 8 year old son. I also have a grown daughter that lives three hours drive to the west but she is not a major factor in emergency plans. I don’t say this to be heartless or imply I love my daughter less but,  from my standpoint, she is now on the periphery of my planning as is any other family member who is …


An Urban Camouflage Get Home Bag, by K.S.

As I live and work in a small city, and do not have a survival retreat to bail out to, over the years I have been giving much thought into how I would get home should an EMP or CME strand me away from home. I have looked at others suggestions such as small backpacks or laptop cases. I have read the debates as to what to wear to blend in while making your way home. I have had a few get home bags (GHBs) that held the things I needed, but I felt that they would look out of …


Bug Out and Strategic Planning Aids Using Freeware and Open Source Software, by Josh M.

The following is intended to introduce some free computer resources to use for disaster planning. Topics covered are Bug Out Route planning, neighborhood  resource identification, and offline data back up. My background includes growing up in the Arizona desert. Living forty miles from town and two miles to the nearest neighbors encourages one to be self reliant. Later in life I moved to and still live in the Pacific Northwest. During most of this period I was in complacent consumer mode. After the birth of my two children I began to question my abilities to provide for my family in …


Two Letters Re: Bugging Out Via Boat

Dear Jim, I disagree with [SurvivalBlog Editor at Large] Mike Williamson’s opinion on boats as a bugging out survival alternative. With proper planning, thought and equipment selection; as well as the appropriate “ships stores”, and with all the knowledge necessary to any other solution to the problem, the right boat will allow you to avoid many of the perceived problems associated with a complete breakdown of society. It’s no easier or harder than any other subject, just different and less common. Just look at the volumes of material on your site, the problem is never solved and there is never …


Letter From Mike Williamson Re: Bugging Out Via Boat

Dear Jim, My in laws had a 46-foot Dolphin Catamaran for a while.  This is in current dollars a near $1 million state of the art boat, with sails, diesel engines, GPS, auto-pilot, radios, staterooms, the works. I’ve got moderate experience in several types of boats, from pocket fishing types to speed boats and small sport sailboats. They were constantly having to replace “canvas” (usually nylon, fiberglass or Kevlar on boats these days), lines, electronics and do engine work.  Nearly every letter from aboard was about the latest round of maintenance, the need for safety lines while at sea (including …


Two Letters Re: Bugging Out Via Boat

JWR, I just wanted to share one note on the recent boat bug-out letter. There is actually one company I know of that makes fast pontoon boats (more of a combination speed/pontoon boat). Check out Manitou Pontoon Boats. I’ve seen some amazing video footage of these boats turning on a dime, and they have very high J.D. Power ratings. Note that I work for a company that does work for them, but don’t gain anything from recommending them. – V.T.   JWR: After reading the articles on watercraft and some of the great insight put forth, I need to throw out …


Surviving TEOTWAWKI with Infants and Toddlers, by M.A.

As parents of twin infants, we recognize that our situation is far less defensible, far less mobile, and far more vulnerable in general in the event of a societal breakdown. However, we love our boys and they will be extremely useful on the farm one day, so we’ve decided to keep them around anyway. Below are some steps we have taken to prepare ourselves as parents of infants, with their future state as toddlers and children in mind.  Avoiding Separation Being able to sufficiently care for your children is a requirement even in a Great Depression or hyperinflation period. Social …


Letter Re: Bugging Out Via Boat

Jim, In reference to the article about using boats to bug out I have a few thoughts. The writer was very thorough about his facts and accurate as far as it goes.However, I have a few thoughts. As a former Officer of the U S Merchant Marine (12 years, ending as a 1st Mate, Unlimited Tonnage, Motor and Steam, Any Waters) I have had experience in most marine environments. The biggest drawbacks to using a boat as a primary means of escaping are visibility, fuel consumption, and low speed. The writer covered a lot of this and this reply is …


Bugging Out Via Boat, by The Odd Questioner

Let’s look into the near future, when the Schumer has just hit the fan, or is just about to. You have no doubts that things are going to go heinously wrong, and not get better. Now what? The roads are likely jammed, even the rarely-used rural ones. Maybe rains have rendered the dirt roads impassable. You might be able to make it to your sanctuary/bug-out location/palace/bunker, but it will take more gasoline than you have to get there. So – do you give up and resign yourself to be a walking refugee? Not necessarily. What about that big fishing rig …