Let me be frank about a few things up front. First off in no way, shape, or form am I an expert on survival or “end of the world” type scenarios however there are a couple things that I’d consider common sense that many others wouldn’t that I think every man should know that if one of these SHTF scenarios ever happened they’d have a better chance of making it through with their family and themselves safe and intact.
First off, I’d say that most “prepper” type stuff is bull crap, at least most people’s common perception of all of it. The whole electronic grid going down or nuclear war or things of that nature. I’m not saying collapses can’t happen and can’t happen fast. They can. But most empires and places have a sort of slow fall that picks up speed as it moves. What I’m saying is that these things can usually be seen down the road.
And because of this the most important work you can do is the work before the disaster/collapse or whatever else strikes. But we’ll also cover some things if that’s not possible. Again I am no expert when it comes to this field, however there are some insights that I’d like to share that I gleaned from those smarter than me, common sense, and just general how the world works.
Ounce Of Prevention & A Pound Of Cure
We’ve all heard the old saying an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. So let’s look at this from a “SHTF” perspective, and I use that term loosely. First off when places collapse most of the chaos starts in the city and then spreads from there. If you live in a high population center you’re already at least part way screwed, not that farms and the like are safe if they’re close or if its a military deal, but that’s another topic. Regardless if you live in a low trust high population density area the short answer is move.
AKA don’t be there. But that’s not possible for most people. Say you can’t move then form alliances with people who are geographically close. Just basic contingency plans if shit did hit the fan. You could still be screwed because well in a SHTF scenario anyone can be screwed but it’ll give a little bit of a leg up and make a big difference. I think there’s value in bug out bags but where are you going?
Are you going to survive in the woods? Hunt for food? Is there even water, game, and the like around you? When you come out of the city how do you know those in the suburbs and rural areas aren’t going to blast you on sight? You need to think beyond just escape. Do you have a place to get too? A rural more self-sustaining place? Whether friends or family or whatever? Maybe you all go in with people in your group and get a small place.
This is just the bare basics but again a ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
Do You Have Any Training At All…In Anything?
Do you know anything about urban survival? Bushcraft? Small unit tactics? Basic wound treatment? Hunting? Fishing? Sanitation? And all of that? The more hands on experience you can get with that the better off that you’ll be. Don’t have to be GI Joe but if you and a couple of people in your building or block can work together to develop some of these much needed skills you’ll be in a hell of a lot better place.
Stocking legal weapons and food is also important but if you don’t know how to use those weapons you could just be a good target for a lucky thief and nothing more. Better to have a simple weapon you are very familiar with using than an arsenal that you don’t have a clue how to use. Understand that having weapons and the such will also make you a target, so you might want to be hush hush about it except for people in your group.
There is strength in numbers, the more people you can get together to have some sort of plan the better off you’ll be. Even if it’s just you and that family across the hall, whatever, something is better than nothing. The more people you can have to work together at the start, the better. Leave the lone wolf BS where it belongs, in the movies. Form a community and connections.
Oh, I Live On The Farm, I’ll Be Fine
Now let’s head to the other side of the spectrum. Let’s say you live out in a rural area and lets even say you have a garden and animals, let’s say goats. You say “Oh, I’m fine out here. I have my food and guns they’ll never get to me.” this is not a realistic way of looking at things. Eventually things spread beyond the population centers. For example say its a military fight and they have tanks and such. Are you going to stop a tank from plowing into your farm and the soldiers taking whatever they want from you?
Understand that isolation is not as isolated as you think. Again you need to form connections and be realistic about this stuff. You say you have a garden and therefore you have good. Let’s be honest vegetables aren’t really food, they’r what food eats. You need access to animals and their meat and fat to live a healthy life and not succumb to all sorts of strange diseases and the like.
Where are you going to get your animals from? How many people do you need to feed? How will you protect your animals when they come from the city? What if its a military incursion and the soldiers get hungry. What’s the first place they’re going to go? What will you do? Do you have a place to hide, escape too? And so on and so forth. Just taking some time to think about these things make a world of difference.
Don’t Get Into The Situation In The First Place
Is the best advice I can give you. Sort of like self-defense we can talk about the finer details of eye gouging and ball tweaking but awareness and avoidance are what you really need to understand and get down. Just don’t get in the damn situation in the first place. If you have to use your self-defense skills you’ve already lost, especially with the legal system being the way it is. Same with SHTF skills. Better to work now and do everything you possibly can to get out of the situation.
Even if that means leaving the country you’re in. That might sound crazy at first and is not something you can do with a year or two or prep but with five years to plan? That becomes doable. Gives you time to look for work, to learn about the laws, and to make other preparations that are needed. Because one thing you do not want is to ever be in a SHTF situation.
Much is changing in our world, collapsing, growing, expanding, and a whole lot more. Try to stay a top of how certain trends are going to play out in the long haul. Recognize patterns and adapt accordingly. Understand that things that “could never happen here” can always happen here, regardless of where “here” is. Don’t be a fool or naive. Think about these things and benefit from it.
If anything I said here interests you I’d highly recommend you check out The Ultimate Alpha Collection which is a compilation of 16 of my books for the price of 5. It covers everything from being a man to making money to getting the right mindset to getting girls to fighting and more and is a resource no man should be without. Pick up your copy today!
-Charles Sledge
