Will you REALLY survive SHTF? Unlikely.

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  • 360

    Shooter
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    Feb 7, 2009
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    After watching The History Channel tonight and the SHTF show, it raised a valid question...

    Think about the conditions in that show...

    How many of you think you would REALLY survive the first wave of a SHTF situation? Leave your pride and ego behind on this one and just think about it. Especially those married with children.

    How could you survive with no food or water? How could you fend off the gangs? How could you survive without medicine? The chances are very slim you would make it past the first two weeks. Those of you who have survival stock in food, water, ammo, and anything else you think is necessary will be challenged day in and day out for your merchandise. To make things worse, you are responsible for 2-3 children, and a wife who couldn't fight her way out of a wet paper bag. Face it, most men don't have mountain women for wives.

    While I cannot possibly list them all, there are FAR too many scenarios that can take place that greatly limits ones ability to survive for any length of time.

    It would truly become an every man for himself event.

    Granted there are folks who are super skilled and more apt to make it further along, but many people are out of shape, and could easily be overpowered.
     
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Oct 29, 2009
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    Not being married (yet), nor having children, nor owning a home yet, I have less to lose. Granted, this doesn't mean I stand a greater (or even great) chance at survival, but it does mean I have fewer Earthly concerns. Two people: move out, go, go, go.

    As for surviving without medicine, I sure as hell don't plan on surviving without it: hence a stockpile. Way back I went over stockpiling medicines, so by now everyone on this board should have at least a week's supply of chronic medication stored up (that is, medicine taken on a daily basis and not just for acute conditions).

    It will be difficult when SHTF, but not impossible. Just how difficult, I don't think any of us, especially myself, will understand until that day hits. Then the only goal is survival and to hit the ground, running. Silently.
     

    ar15junkie

    Sharpshooter
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Jul 26, 2008
    338
    16
    Behind enemy lines
    After watching The History Channel tonight and the SHTF show, it raised a valid question...

    Think about the conditions in that show...

    How many of you think you would REALLY survive the first wave of a SHTF situation? Leave your pride and ego behind on this one and just think about it. Especially those married with children.

    How could you survive with no food or water? How could you fend off the gangs? How could you survive without medicine? The chances are very slim you would make it past the first two weeks. Those of you who have survival stock in food, water, ammo, and anything else you think is necessary will be challenged day in and day out for your merchandise. To make things worse, you are responsible for 2-3 children, and a wife who couldn't fight her way out of a wet paper bag. Face it, most men don't have mountain women for wives.

    While I cannot possibly list them all, there are FAR too many scenarios that can take place that greatly limits ones ability to survive for any length of time.

    It would truly become an every man for himself event.

    Granted there are folks who are super skilled and more apt to make it further along, but many people are out of shape, and could easily be overpowered.

    Yeah, you're right. I'm dumping all my preparations on trash day. Thanks for opening my eyes.
     

    RelicHound

    Grandmaster
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    Apr 30, 2009
    10,961
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    SW IN
    chances are 80%+ of us on this forum wont make it in that sort of situation. some will make it further than others but your supply of spam and case of water will only go so far. I know Im sure as heck not going to stay in my house where that supply is...why sit around and wait for someone to come in and loot your house or some gubbament agency to come in and yank your arse out...youd have to grab what you could and get the heck out of dodge.
     

    varasha

    Sharpshooter
    Rating - 100%
    8   0   0
    Oct 5, 2009
    335
    16
    Indy East Side
    Lets make a rally point for ingo...somewhere in Hoosier national or something..the old caved in two story build off of grube ridge? Next to Monroe... Bring guns, food, women, and booze...in that order..:P
     

    jeremy

    Grandmaster
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    7   0   0
    Feb 18, 2008
    16,482
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    Fiddler's Green
    Lets make a rally point for ingo...somewhere in Hoosier national or something..the old caved in two story build off of grube ridge? Next to Monroe... Bring guns, food, women, and booze...in that order..:P

    Hmmm...

    I was thinking something close to that... But mine was Guns, Booze, Women, and Food... :D
     

    360

    Shooter
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    0   0   0
    Feb 7, 2009
    3,626
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    Yeah, you're right. I'm dumping all my preparations on trash day. Thanks for opening my eyes.
    You should at least give your preparations to a shelter or charity. It would be difficult for the birds and other four-legged scavengers to try to open the cans.
     

    Sailor

    Master
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    19   0   0
    May 5, 2008
    3,716
    48
    Fort Wayne
    Alone without the aid and support of your mutual aid group you are probably right.

    A group of trained, motivated, supplied guys though is a force multiplier. Get it done.
     

    360

    Shooter
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    0   0   0
    Feb 7, 2009
    3,626
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    Your watchin too much TV. Train, prepare, react. I for one am planning on doing O.K.
    You don't know how funny that sounds. Ex. - I am one of the people who wishes television would go away. I don't believe anything I see or hear from it, unless it's live. And sometimes I have a hard time believing that.

    I just happened to watch the show, and it got me thinking. The odds are NOT in your favor in a situation of that magnitude. I like to think that I am prepared to take care of myself and the ones around me, but it would be a far bigger challenge than I can ever imagine.
     

    shibumiseeker

    Grandmaster
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    49   0   0
    Nov 11, 2009
    10,706
    113
    near Bedford on a whole lot of land.
    SHTF is not only about major collapse of society. You may be thinking of the concept of TEOTWAWKI, The End of the World As We Know It.

    SHTF can be a loss of a job, a medical emergency, a regional disaster, divorce, home invasion, and so on and so on and so on. SHTF can affect one person or many.

    I have survived several SHTFs in my life. House burned to the ground in February a few years back, no insurance, and I was camped out on my property for several months while rebuilding and taking showers outside in 20f weather. A lotta years ago my wife just walked out one day with no warning at all, seems she found a better deal. Had me walking around in a daze for a couple months and took a few more to get back to a semblence of normality. I do disaster response and Search and Rescue and have responded to numerous disasters. I get flooded in for several days every year or so, once was three weeks. Have to hike half an hour to get to the vehicle.

    So yeah, I can survive SHTF. If we do have TEOTWAWKI, I will probably survive longer and more comfortably than most, but how long is something no one can know. I could also get struck by a meteor tomorrow and all my preps would be for naught.

    Being prepared benefits a person on all levels, not just the end of the world or collapse of society. Survivalism is not about food, gold and guns, it's about a mindset of handling problems and moving on.
     

    Joe Williams

    Shooter
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    0   0   0
    Jun 26, 2008
    10,431
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    Yes. Any other mindset means certain death.

    Wife and kids don't have to be a weight around your neck. In our case, it means three people to carry supplies, which means more supplies, a couple luxuries, and more redundancy in vital items. Of course, we don't plan to leave our humble abode (which is minimally defensible) to go far, but we do have to go a few miles, assuming we are talking about a long term event. More people mean more eyes looking in more directions. It means more rounds going down range. It means it's harder for someone to sneak up behind us. It means more people to share guard duty, whether we stay at home or hit the road, which means less fatigue.

    If only 20% are going to survive, the three of us will be part of that number.
     

    schapm

    Sharpshooter
    Rating - 100%
    42   0   0
    Feb 26, 2009
    586
    18
    Lafayette
    360- you're not necessarily wrong. I and my family may die in a really bad crisis. But even low odds like 10-20% survival rate is still a chance. I don't try to prepare for a direct nuclear bomb strike inside my home because in that case I am hosed and there would be no chance to survive. If there is a chance though, I want to play it out rather than cash in early.
     

    2ADMNLOVER

    Grandmaster
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    15   0   0
    May 13, 2009
    5,122
    63
    West side Indy
    How could you survive with no food or water? How could you fend off the gangs? How could you survive without medicine? The chances are very slim you would make it past the first two weeks. Those of you who have survival stock in food, water, ammo, and anything else you think is necessary will be challenged day in and day out for your merchandise. To make things worse, you are responsible for 2-3 children, and a wife who couldn't fight her way out of a wet paper bag. Face it, most men don't have mountain women for wives..

    I don't have the wife and kids so that part just got way easier for me .

    Food , water and medicine is everywhere around us . We just have to be a little more creative about looking for it .

    Gangs ? My first choice is to try not be seen .

    S: Size up your situation
    U: Use all your senses
    R: Remember where you're at
    V: Vanquish fear and panic
    I: Improvise
    V: Value living
    A: Act like the natives
    L: Live by your wits .

    It's all about the proper mindset .
     
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