[rootsquasher]

I'm not a prepper, but I did just purchase a Honda EU2200i Inverter Generator. The reason: even though the power lines in my suburban neighborhood are underground, as soon as you get outside my neighborhood the power returns above ground, and surrounding the above ground power lines are thousands of trees. It seems like every time a thunderstorm moves through we lose power for several hours. I finally got tired of this scenario so $1,162.19 later I have a Honda generator.

[vishnu]

I live in a somewhat large city (Minneapolis) that has, over the past year and half, become for the most part, lawless. The chief of the Minneapolis police department has stated publicly that he is 500 officers short of the force he needs to effectively patrol the city. There are multiple break-ins, car jackings and armed robberies in my neighborhood every day. Okay, so there's that. Now when it comes to prepping, according to military studies, every 250,000 people require 500 tons of sustenance every day. In the United States at least that sustenance is trucked, trained, or flown in to cities every day. If that system breaks down, for whatever reason, the phrase has always been "three days to animal." So let's say the power grid goes down. Maybe a massive EMP attack. If you're a grid worker, and your wife and children are starving, how long do you stay on the job? Carl Sagan wrote very effectively about this in his book "The Demon Haunted World." People living in cites are 100 percent dependent on the work of a much smaller group who are doing things that most city residents cannot do and for the most part aren't even aware of. Anyway I highly recommend everyone to read that book...

[Raion]

I live in a somewhat large city (Minneapolis) that has, over the past year and half, become for the most part, lawless. The chief of the Minneapolis police department has stated publicly that he is 500 officers short of the force he needs to effectively patrol the city. There are multiple break-ins, car jackings and armed robberies in my neighborhood every day. Okay, so there's that. Now when it comes to prepping, according to military studies, every 250,000 people require 500 tons of sustenance every day. In the United States at least that sustenance is trucked, trained, or flown in to cities every day. If that system breaks down, for whatever reason, the phrase has always been "three days to animal." So let's say the power grid goes down. Maybe a massive EMP attack. If you're a grid worker, and your wife and children are starving, how long do you stay on the job? Carl Sagan wrote very effectively about this in his book "The Demon Haunted World." People living in cites are 100 percent dependent on the work of a much smaller group who are doing things that most city residents cannot do and for the most part aren't even aware of. Anyway I highly recommend everyone to read that book...

I'm not turning this into a gun discussion, but the important question is: Are you armed? Do you have a bug out bag? Do you have flares, or other signaling devices?

[vishnu]

By a coincidence that may seem strange, I work on guns for a living, for one of the largest military contractors in the world. I have five patents for gun technology. I personally own 3 handguns and three AR type rifles. I have close to a thousand rounds of ammunition. I've had a concealed carry permit for, well, since whenever concealed carry became "shall issue" in Minnesota 20 or so years ago. I have enough food stashed to last at least three months at regular use, much longer if I go to "starvation rations." I have a backpacking pump and several camp stoves with enough fuel and filters to last at least a couple of years. I live on a creek, kind of a famous one (think The Song of Hiawatha by Longfellow) that always has water. I have a Champion Power Equipment 6250-Watt gas and propane (dual fuel) generator. I live in the last house on a small cul-de-sac that can't even be seen from the street. So if once that all runs out and it's still apocalyptic out there, I have enough nembutal for a peaceful self-directed exit.

[Irinikus]

It will be interesting to see how this all turns out, as no single person has enough ammunition or the ability reload their weapon fast enough to deal with a swarming mob of people intent on taking them out. Lets hope it doesn't come to that!

My plan is rather simple! If the shit hits the fan I'll just go to work and arm myself and get in the air as soon as possible!

In the South African context, there is a secluded town in our country, separated from the masses by desert (Vast natural barrier), which very, very few people consider as a potential bug-out position, which has perennial river, fertile farmland and a massive source of solar power. Thats where I'll be headed! (I'll fly there myself!)

The Masses won't be able to get there on a single tank of fuel, so if the grid goes down, they'll have no way of getting there and will probably die before they do!

The masses are your problem and you'll need to be able to escape them!

[Raion]

It will be interesting to see how this all turns out, as no single person has enough ammunition or the ability reload their weapon fast enough to deal with a swarming mob of people intent on taking them out. Lets hope it doesn't come to that!

My plan is rather simple! If the shit hits the fan I'll just go to work and arm myself and get in the air as soon as possible!

People are cowards, and in the US at least, the fact that we're so big and spread out helps. Outside of cities like NY or Los Angeles, it's just not possible to funnel thousands of people on the narrow, winding roads to loot and riot everyone. In my town in the Carolinas, I have 300 people to worry about, and 99% of them are gun owners. I'm not worried.

[Irinikus]

I live in a City so I need an escape plan! Luckily I have the means to escape from a secure runway! I'll just have to make it to work though!

Digging in, in a city will more than likely mean death if the grid goes down completely!

LET'S HOPE THIS NEVER HAPPENS!!!

It's just important to at least have a logical plan, to ensure your survival should things go to hell! (I don't think that digging in is the answer! Unless you're already in a defendable secluded location!)

Another very important thing that you need is transportable wealth! (Small items that have huge value.)

[vishnu]

In Minneapolis last year, when the riots started and thousands of people were swarming the streets, burning cars and buildings (including Minneapolis police precinct number 4, the officers inside abandoned it), the police and fire didn't respond. The rioters had card blanche to do whatever they wanted. Now imagine the whole nation has had nothing to eat for days. There won't be thousands of people swarming, there will be hundreds of millions. One hundred forty Minneapolis police officers have resigned in the last eighteen months. And this is from a force that the Minneapolis police chief said was 400 officers short BEFORE the George Floyd riots. Today, Minneapolis police only respond when someone has been seriously injured or killed. You've been carjacked? Too bad. You've been robbed, even at gun point? Too bad. Someone burglarized your house? You should have had better locks. The veneer of civil society is thin, when it comes to the crunch you are afforded the rights you are physically capable of defending for yourself. This happens every day in Minneapolis, they carjack somebody and go joyriding like they've won the pole at Daytona, it's completely disgusting but there's no stopping it.
   

[Irinikus]

In reality if the grid goes down completely, up to 80% of the urban population will be dead within three months! (No electricity, food, fuel, running water, sewerage or MEDICAL SERVICES for an indefinite period of time!!!) HENCE THE INSANE THREAT ASSOCIATED WITH AN EMP ATTACK!!!!

This means that you potentially only need to be able to bug-out for tree to four months in a secure, secluded location, with a natural barrier separating you from the masses!

After three to four months you'll have a better fighting chance when returning to the urban areas, as the population, and therefore the threat will have reduced considerably!

These are things you need to think about! (AGAIN, LET'S HOPE IT NEVER COMES TO THIS!)

[jan-jaap]

In reality if the grid goes down completely, up to 80% of the urban population will be dead within three months! (No electricity, food, fuel, running water,  sewerage or MEDICAL SERVICES for an indefinite period of time!!!) HENCE THE INSANE THREAT ASSOCIATED WITH AN EMP ATTACK!!!!

This means that you potentially only need to be able to bug-out for tree to four months in a secure, secluded location, with a natural barrier separating you from the masses!

After three to four months you'll have a better fighting chance when returning to the urban areas, as the population, and therefore the threat will have reduced considerably!

What's the point of returning to returning to a city where everybody died because the food ran out? You would die like the rest of them, except a few months later.

The reality is that vast majority of the population is not capable of producing enough food to survive. Even if you grew your own crops, you wouldn't be able to guard them 24/7 so they would be stolen. In the case of a total collapse of civilization you're screwed, one way or another.