The last article I posted dealt very specifically with the fact that in the event of a major crisis, it’s not realistic that folks can just stay 
put in their urban environment and be safe, secure, and healthy. Instead I made several suggestions as to when it would be prudent to leave one’s urban home and head further out in order to have access to sustainable food resources, more water for long-term needs, proper sanitation, less crime, and a few other important reasons. The responses that I got from the article were mixed, as I fully expected them to be. After all, over 50% of the people on this earth live in a urban setting. However the various comments I read on this story actually brought up some great questions or at the very least a great opportunity to further teach about this topic. I decided to do a part II t this because I am concerned that some of our readers are stymied in addressing the possible solutions that exist for them which will enable them to prepare AND thrive in peace in spite of some more serious circumstances becoming a real part of their life.
Comment: I can’t afford to move due to my job, health care, etc.
To be clear, I do not broadly suggest that folks pack up and move to a more rural environment today. Again, with over 50% of the people living in an urban environment, that’s simply not a realistic recommendation. Yes, such a move is indeed my next step, presuming I get to make that step when finances allow, but that’s not for everyone. the article addressed getting out WHEN specifically necessary, not necessarily moving out of the cement jungle.
Comment:” not in a position to move to a rural area. There are presently no jobs there for the line of work we are in. “Catch 22.”
This is exactly why I keep pushing folks toward self-employment. Thanks to modern technology, there are countless opportunities for people to work from any place in the world that they choose. I firmly believe that given the small numbers of folks who actually care about preparedness and their own state of self-reliance, that there are plenty of lucrative self-employment opportunities for anyone who will fearlessly move forward in faith. So while there may be other reasons why a person doesn’t move out of their city surroundings, please don’t allow employment to be that one remaining obstacle. You can start where you are now, and then move it elsewhere in comfort rather than trying to survive in chaos.
Comment: “Even if you have warning, say, a half hour in advance, how far out can you realistically get in that time? The city doesn’t just end. the sprawl slowly peters out into suburbs which have their own issues. It isn’t like if you leave right this second that you won’t hit traffic in a mile.”
Part of being self-reliant is not needing to rely on the mainstream information which has historically proven to be dramatically delayed and woefully inadequate. I’m certain that there are many morning commuters that can attest to the fact that 10 minutes can make all the difference in the world. I know that I’ve personally experienced it. If I left the house at 6:50 I was at work in 20 minutes. If I left a 7:00, then I was at work in 45 minutes. This is why I always recommend that YOU establish under what conditions you will take action and move, not wait for the so called “powers that be” to tell you when.
Comment: “the worst crimes are committed in the countryside, where law enforcement can’t get out there in time to stop gangs of marauders from breaking in and even torturing residents to find out where they have more food stashed away, and killing them.”
Bull-Pucky! There are so many flaws in this thought process. For starters, law enforcement rarely prevents a crime no matter where the crime is committed. People like you and me are the true “first responders” and WE prevent crimes, thus the people should always be prepared to prevent crimes from happening in their own home regardless of where it is located. Secondly, if there is a disaster, any claim to assistance from law enforcement is over. These men and women will be dealing with their own families—and that’s been proven time and time again even in more recent events in our nation. Now, about those gangs and marauders…Over 80% of all gangs live deep in the urban environment. By nature 
such vile men and women are lazy. They will stay in the city to loot and live the high life for as long as they possibly can prior to heading out; and then like a swarm of flies they will go from place to place, confronted with every aspect of survival necessary. Yes, their hearts are highly committed to performing evil, but I doubt that they ever took the time to prepare against a disaster other than one that they think can be addressed with more guns and more ammo. I hear this unfounded concern a lot. And I always respond by pointing out the fact that these kinds of people are made of flesh and blood too. They will have the ill physical effects of coming off of drug addictions, alcohol withdrawals, etc. If there is a pandemic, they will proportionately suffer from such a pandemic just like the rest of us will. They are not superhuman. They are not preparing for something like this. (Are you kidding? I can’t even get people who read this blog to prepare for something like this!) Thus it will take them a long time to make their way out to the more rural settings and by then the smart people will have already set up appropriate defenses against such persons with the willing hearts to employ such methods.
Comment: “if it were a pandemic situation, do you really want to be out there with all the potentially infected people?”
I think the article spoke for itself on this matter for the most part. As noted in the article, a pandemic spreads faster in an urban 
setting. So the further out you can get, and the sooner you can go, along with appropriate precautions so as not to spread or to be infected, the better. Again, remember that the majority of all humans live IN the city. Just leaving without a plan is no way to leave though. So yes, absolutely, a plan needs to be put in place and it needs to have back ups (as I stated in the article) and everyone in the family needs to be on the same page with that plan.
Comment: (We own) property in a very small rural town out of state. We’d like to build on it, but can’t seem to sell our house.”
I would still consider this to be an asset by all means. Of course it means that what you take with you will need to include tools and tents and such. My father raised 7 kids in a little tiny camper where we kids slept at night next to a very simple 14×14 square room that he built while he worked on developing his land. We ate, prayed, washed dishes, and entertained out of this simple 14 x 14 square room with a roof every day. But we “played” outside when there were no chores to be done. We made it just fine. Land is a great start and rather than look at what you can’t do, I strongly suggest that you get the Lord involved in what He wants you to do and petition Him for help in this matter.
Comment: “many “farmers” are not self reliant and must rely on products from the city. I absolutely agree with your article’s content and suggestions about preparedness but do not agree that survival in place is hopeless.”
Sigh. Yup, you’re right. Many farmers are not self-reliant. (And it really chaffs me that so many are that way—taking government subsidies like their life depends on it and then allowing themselves to die without them.) But I’m not saying that folks should become 
“farmers”, I’m advocating folks should become self-reliant, period. Unfortunately the city, with all of its concrete landscapes, makes sustainable, long-term survival very difficult for the reasons I outlined. Self-Reliance is vital no matter where a person resides and every bit of preparedness will help them to this end. Surviving in a city environment for long-term would require the gut and fortitude of a “true Salty Dawg,” and a lot of his friends and such persons are indeed the exception to the rule. However, given that so many of our friends and family are living in the city, I think it would be wise to get training on urban survival–for those instances in which a person wasn’t able to get out fast enough or before being shuttled to an unknown and unfamiliar area as took place with Hurricane Katrina.
Comment: “I live in a town of about 60,000 residents, with a total county population of about 100,000, but we’re surrounded on all sides by farmland and we have many friends in the farming communities. Is there a population threshold at which a city becomes a greater danger?”
Sounds to me like you live in what I would call a suburban area, not an urban one. We’re talking about major concentration of people, services, cement, etc. But as I shared in the article, even suburban areas may find themselves faced with the reality of needing to 
move out for safety and sustainable living. The entire city I live in is considered suburban. There is no “city center” per se, however, because of that setting my place is not easily defendable against marauders, looters, and it’s not likely to become that way through the cooperation of the neighbors. If you had a suburban neighborhood who were all on the same page and willing to create a stronghold community, then you’d be much better off; otherwise, even suburbanites may find that they need to move out as well.
Ok. Last comment to address here. You might notice that the comment is actually not on the blog, mostly because it was so full of misinformation—and misinformation asserted as fact is something that I just can’t abide on this blog. I welcome facts, opinion of facts, questions of facts, but I refuse to be a platform for the typical ramblings of misinformation as found in the mainstream media, perpetuated by those who are naïve and too comfortable and angry in their naivete to be taught. While one might innocently be playing the devils advocate, I personally believe he already has plenty of advocates and thus I’m not intent upon giving him another leg up. So here goes…
Comment: “I agree with your article. However, I do not think there will ever be a national crisis where people will have to all leave LA, New York, Dallas, Salt Lake City, Orem, Payson, Houston, Detroit all at the same time.
Sure local disasters happen like Katrina, but the rest of the country comes to their rescue and things are eventually restored to order. We have never had a national disaster, only local problems, and sometimes regional problems like the flooding on the Mississippi and the recent tornadoes. But when it is all over with, the rest of the nation comes to
their aid and things are slowly put back together again. Relief food, medicine, and clothing are brought in and people are able to survive to fight again another day.
Your article assumes a NATIONAL disaster like World War 3, or an asteroid strike, or a pandemic disease that kills 50 percent of the population. Yes, in those events it would make sense to leave the city. But, the likelihood of those things ever happening are way too far remote for people to leave their jobs now, and go find a place in the countryside and start prepping for doomsday, because doomsday never happens.”
For starters, let’s remember one vital thing here and that is that this is a Christian based website. I founded it as such because I do not consider it possible for folks to be properly prepared without the acceptance of the word of God to be a guide in such efforts. And the fact of the matter is, the scriptures make it perfectly clear that a scenario which would uproot our everyday lives as we now know them is indeed realistic. I’ve also written in the past that I believe that all of these “little disasters” i.e. Katrina, 9/11, Teton Dam, San Francisco Fire, Swine Flu, etc. are all just little dress rehearsals for the real problems that will come. I consider it extremely naïve for a person to say that a massive problem will not happen here because it never has. 9/11 was the first time that our nation has been attacked on the mainland. Hurricane Katrina was the first time that our levees failed to that extent. The most recent gas prices are the highest they’ve ever been in history. Being in a multi-trillion dollar deficit has never happened before, but we sure are there now, 
aren’t we? And by the way, World War II was not a national disaster—but the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression which took place at the same time certainly were—and they did indeed affect the nation as a whole in which there was a great migration of folks from the city to the country in hopes that sustainable food and water could be had.
Secondly, actually planning on someone else to come along and bring supplies or rescue you goes against every tenet of self-reliance, not to mention that it’s completely unrealistic. Ask a few of my friends from New Orleans or perhaps the gal who was beat to a pulp while “security officers” watched and did absolutely nothing, or the woman who was violently raped while New York City police officers did nothing but act as spectators. Yup, expecting someone else to bail a person out not only defies any notion of self-reliance, but it’s the epitome of naivete and in my opinion, such expectations are at the core of what’s wrong with our nation as a whole at present.
A financial collapse would actually be a national disaster and we are more than primed to experience such a fiasco. As noted in previous articles, the ripple effects of such an event would be similar to an EMP attack on our nation, which is also a remotely viable 
occurrence here. Biological warfare, or an accidental poisoning of one of our larger food distributors (See the dress rehearsal in Mar of last year which was the largest food recall in the history of America which followed one in Jan. of last year that was, at that time, the largest food recall ever) would indeed bring with it a national disaster in which my suggestions would be unfortunately appropriate. If we are to believe scientists’ predictions, then the well overdue earthquake along the New Madrid Fault would shut down America as you now know her; as it will kill millions of people and wreak hundreds of billions of dollars of damage in the heart of our farmland. In this instance you actually have science supporting what the scriptures promise.
So, there are the facts, folks. Let’s try to tackle the solutions to this potential problem with passion and purpose and as always, with a prayerful heart so that we can be ready, even for that which we don’t know. As always, here’s to peace in your preparedness.
Get out of Dodge Urban Survival
36 Comments
Patric · May 24, 2011 at 7:44 pm
I agree with most of your comment here. However, the one security issue in the country is that gangs are more likely to attack a lone retreat, with no one else around, than a well armed group of home owners in the subs. All in all though, I would rather be in the country a la Patriots by Rawles.
Kellene · May 24, 2011 at 8:09 pm
Then don’t BE in the country all by yourself–Rawles certainly does not teach that. If you recall, The Patriots had a location where many gathered for protection.
ToughTimes · May 24, 2011 at 10:06 pm
I hope there is a part 3 to this GOOD series in which you show that families that think they have few options – can’t sell the house,can’t buy and find a job or don’t want to be all alone out in the country wondering aimlessly – should reconnect with their country cousins and make some arrangements. Preposition an old RV and store goods so you aren’t a burden and be prepared to work and defend. Now would be the time to spend working weekends getting your family assimilated and becoming a ‘team’ with your future hosts. We own a big ranch and we will not take in those unprepared, lazy or unskilled, including family. We have complete strangers who come into our area every hunting season. Some make an effort to get to know us and offer to pitch in and do some ranch activity – those are the people who will be welcome before some wandering refugee. Become a friend, it doesn’t take much and get a plan in place – don’t just GOOD thinking you will be welcomed out in the country.
Janet · May 24, 2011 at 10:20 pm
A read a book by a guy who survived the Argentina economic collapse and his opinion was that people in rural areas were far, far better off than those trapped in urban environments. One of the best survival items for rural folks was — a big barky dog! At any rate, I live in a hyper-rural state where by far the majority of communities have fewer than 5,000 residents, and I always thought that a town with only a few hundred or a few thousand citizens would stand a far better chance of survival, simply because everyone knows everyone else, and would therefore (presumably) be more likely to help each other out, and less likely to murder each other.
Kellene · May 24, 2011 at 11:16 pm
Big Barky Dog–yes, another “essential” for so many reasons!
John · May 24, 2011 at 10:34 pm
Again, this is a well written article, and your rebuttal to my comments was excellent, and thought provoking. I have been prepping since 1998, so I have looked at all the different ideas concerning prepping. The one idea that no prepper ever addresses is the fact that a NATIONAL disaster such as the eruption of Yellow Stone Park, or a huge earthquake in the New Madrid fault line could easily take out the North American electrical grid. If the grid ever goes down, and there are many, many ways that the grid can go down, then all 104 nuclear power plants in the United States will go into melt down. Not only the reactors themselves, but all the thousands of spent fuel rods that are stored in pools of water. If there is no electricity to keep those spent fuel rods cooled down and to keep the actual active rods in the reactor cooled down, there will be enough radiation release to make life uninhabitable on the earth for thousands of years.
You see, when you realize this fact, it makes prepping seem like a futile response to such a horrific event. I prep, but only for small emergencies. I used to prep for the BIG ONE. But, I have come to realize that if the BIG ONE ever hits, every nuclear reactor in the United States along with its thousands and thousands of spent fuel rods will all go into melt down….and when that happens, all the prepping in the world will not help you, because nobody is going to survive. So, my philosophy is to eat, drink, and be merry today, because it is impossible to survive the BIG ONE.
Meanwhile, I am no longer buying up boxes of #10 can from the cannery or buying boxes of Mountain House freezed dried food. I just keep enough stuff around for in case I am out of a job or some friends need some help. That is the basic teaching in the church today, which is try to have at least 3 months supply of food. Back in the 60’s the church taught to have 2 years supply of food, but now it is down to 3 months supply of food.
John
Kellene · May 24, 2011 at 11:14 pm
Your response is disheartening and just plain sad, indeed. It is also categorically incorrect in both the nuclear ripple effect, its causes and lack of safe guards, the futility of being self-reliant, and in your assertion as to “the church’s” present counsel on this matter.
For today I will only address one such bit of misinformation. When you say “the church” I presume you mean the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints which is one of the many churches in the world that is well-known for their counsel to all of their members in an effort to encourage self-reliance. Never, at any time, has “the church” repealed any of their previous counsel that all members should be prepared with food, water, and other essentials for several years nor have they reduced such counsel down to a mere three months. While there is encouragement that one be sure to have on hand 90 days supplies of familiar foods for that period of time, it has never been counsel which was to stand as replacement of previous counsel. Additionally, never has “the church” ever suggested that anyone’s preparedness efforts are for the sole purpose of surviving “the big one” rather that such efforts are to combat many possible scenarios which are quite realistic in today’s world.
Indeed you are a puzzle. First you assert that a national disaster is unfathomable and then you assert that a national disaster is so gargantuan that it’s futile to counteract. It is because of this exact kind of misguided flow of beliefs that I have endeavored for the last 12 years to educate my fellowmen on the practical and peaceful applications of everyday self-reliance. It is also why Spiritual Preparedness is the first and foremost important Principle of Preparedness. There is much that we simply cannot know ahead of time, nor fathom, nor solve, but with the assistance of prayer and the guidance of the Holy Ghost we can endure anything that we are asked to.
Bottom line for me is that it doesn’t matter what the scientists and lofty men of the world say. I personally believe that the scriptures command me to be prepared and that’s enough for me. Such commands do not say “prepare only for that which you think is reasonable or for that which is supported by the knowledge of lay men.” What would have happened if the crowd of 5,000 thought it was useless to even try to feed the masses with 5 loaves and fishes? The entire world would have perished once again if Joseph of Egypt had decided that dreams were nonsense and surely the Lord would never clue him in to what the next 14 years would be like. What would have happened if the House of Israel decided that they’d be better off making bricks for the Egyptians the rest of their life simply because they couldn’t see the wisdom in the Lord’s blessing? We already know what happened when they used their own limited understanding and refused to conquer the Land of Canaan which the Lord commanded them to to do. “It’s impossible to conquer them. They are giants and we are only grasshoppers” they said sadly. (author’s ad lib) There is much good to be done in our own lives and in the lives of others by passionately practicing a self-reliant life. Sadly, to many such as yourself, such a practice is diluted solely to the acquisition of temporal things rather than a way of life and a faith filled belief system.
Most sad of all is you have publicly aligned yourself with a known philosophy of the adversary in your embracing of the phrase “eat, drink and be merry.” I hope that your consideration of a self-reliant life has not come to its end and that you and others like you can still be educated and enlightened in this matter.
Nick · May 24, 2011 at 11:43 pm
Kellene, do you have any links to the incidents you mentioned in which cops just stood around and watched crimes happen? Of course there are the videos on YouTube showing cops looting stores in New Orleans after Katrina, but I just can’t imagine cops standing there while thugs attack people.
Kellene · May 24, 2011 at 11:46 pm
Unfortunately, Nick, I do, and the courts even upheld such behavior. Here’s the link. http://kellenebishop.wordpress.com/2009/04/10/apparently-rape-is-a-spectator-sport-in-new-york/
Matthew Wilson · June 3, 2011 at 6:42 pm
Another recent example is the drowning of a man in Alameda. He was committing suicide and Fire/Rescue crew stood on the shore and watched him drown claiming they were following orders:
http://www.npr.org/2011/06/01/136864398/after-suicide-calif-town-reviews-emergency-policies
There are dozens, and dozens of examples of this. And these are examples under fairly “peaceful” times. Imagine how bad it would be in a major disaster. You think people are selfish and callused now…wait until their own lives are in jeopardy and then see what happens.
Kellene · June 3, 2011 at 6:44 pm
Yeah, I posted this article on my Facebook page. It was quite disturbing to see the “hearts wax cold”.
Red Rock Rancher · May 25, 2011 at 12:35 am
Thank you Kellene for further clarification and encouragement to continue our preparations in peace and consistency. I check your site & Facebook page daily for updates and guidance. Just today I included more rice in my purchases at the Bishop’s Storehouse because of your blog reporting on the coming shortages.
MikeyDee · May 25, 2011 at 1:14 am
To me this has been one of your most thought provoking articles. Thank you very much Kellene.
Karen · May 25, 2011 at 11:59 am
John, if your motto is ‘eat,drink and be merry’, why are you reading Preparedness Pro? Hmmmmm…
GaeDean · May 25, 2011 at 3:42 pm
Kellene,
I applaud your response to John. When I tried to share the contents on the
first segment of “Get Out of Dodge” with some family members and friends, I
was absolutely appalled at the responses I got from them. Much like John, it’s
as though they are blinded as to the situations taking place in the world today, as well as past history, and also what has been written in the scriptures.
I for one, can’t even imagine why any one wouldn’t want to be prepared in
case of any type of emergency that could possible happen in this life. What’s to loose by being prepared to face any of life’s situations? If nothing happens that’s ok, you can still use up whatever items you’ve put aside for preparation. It just becomes a life style you prepare for your needs and replace what you use, always having enough to cover you for when it might not be available. Even lower animal life have this one figured out, think of the SQUIRREL.
G.D.
Amy @ThoughtsofTHATmom · May 25, 2011 at 5:29 pm
I agree with you. Here’s what I think would be necessary to address.
How? Plain and simple…how do you leave?
There are some areas of the country where the weather isn’t so bad. However, I’m in Vegas. The logistics of leaving in the middle of summer AND surviving are very tricky. One would have to know when to travel, where to stay, and what predators to look out for…and how to protect oneself against them. I think that’s where a lot of people feel frozen. How. My husband & I have thought about it. We’ve been out in the desert. He’s hunted some of the predators. However, most aren’t prepared. That one thing…how to leave.
What do you do when you’re in the middle of nowhere? What do you take? (3 days food likely isn’t enough in this case so you must know what predators you will encounter not only for protection, but for food…and have the means to obtain & cook said food.) When do you travel. Where do you sleep. How do you make it happen?
I think a lot of people start to think about the logistics of leaving, feel overwhelmed, and stop thinking about it. (Which as you know is NOT the best approach. I can not think about my taxes, but they’re still due on April 15th whether I’ve thought about them or not.)
Julie K. · May 25, 2011 at 8:02 pm
This post was powerful and thought-provoking! Thank you for your willingness to listen, correct, and inform.
countrygirl_alaska · May 26, 2011 at 9:15 pm
Liked your second post even better then your first. I’m not of the LDS religion but very much admire the teachings concerning prepardness, etc. Great response in the comments too.
Pat · May 27, 2011 at 7:06 pm
Wonderful article. You have got some people to start thinking about what they would do. Just like shopping start making lists. Unfortunatly many people think they will just go to farming areas. Well folks I live in a farming area and all they grow is hay. I am the only one in my area that has a vegetable garden. THE ONLY ONE I KNOW OF!!! I worry about the starving zombie hordes of farmers! Get a plan and listen to Kellene!
Laurie · May 28, 2011 at 2:55 am
Thank you for this. It is starting to clear my head on stay or go a bit. I’d still love to hear more on this for sure. We live in a smaller town of about 3600. I’m guessing that’s much safer. I still am unsure of if we should get out or stay, but of course it depends on the situation. We’ve got some food storage started here and just built some planter beds, etc. It seems it would be hard to leave what we’ve stored up because I’m sure we can’t take it all… very thought provoking.
Laurie · May 28, 2011 at 2:57 am
I should add where we’d like to end up in an emergency is about 6 hours AWAY from where we live now. I think it would be too hard to figure which roads are open, etc.
Kathleen · May 29, 2011 at 5:30 am
Kelleen, I see you used my statement about “do you really want to be out there with all the potentially infected people/”, Have you read John M. Barry’s book “The great Influenza”? It really is a terrific book, I was inspired by the people who put their lives on the line in order to fight this. However as a nurse I can tell you a flu bug can move thru a place at lighting speed. Several years ago someone came through my unit on a Thursday, spread the flu (visitor, staff??)by Saturday between noon and midnight one half of the staff was terribly sick with a awful painful flu. It was so bizarre the hospital almost brought in the CDC. In a epidemic situation, virus can be anywhere, you stop to use a bathroom, pump gas, get groceries, anything. You could pick it up. However if you stay home, lock up and don’t let anyone in, you have your preparedness supplies to get you through. You may have a chance of out lasting the epidemic. Also if you are thinking of going to a hospital, don’t, just don’t. It will be to dangerous, you’ll just die there.
There won’t be staff or medicine enough to take care of you, and your loved ones who go with you will likely get sick to.
Virus’s can make it to Dodge before you can. And people who are carrying the virus may not look sick, yet.
Just something to think about. And if the H1N1 every evolves enough to become the primary virus we are all in deep doo-doo. My plan is to lock my family up, and ride it out. My grandfather did that on his farm in Minnesota during the 1918 epidemic, back when people on farms were self sufficient and could do that. No one came on the farm and no one left to come back again.
Janet · May 29, 2011 at 9:38 pm
In response to the guy who is worried about meltdowns at nuclear power plants, I fear he is entirely correct in his assessment of the danger, at least according to an episode of “Life After People” which I watched recently. They said there were 50 nuclear power plants east of the Mississippi, and that any event that disrupted the power grid would shut those plants down just as soon as their back up supply of diesel ran out. Ironic indeed that a nuclear power plant which manufactures electricity cannot operate without electricity. That’s the one issue I had with the book “One Second After” because this threat was never addressed. Still, there are a lot of things you can prep for that don’t involve nuclear catastrophe — and I’m pretty happy I live in the western US hundreds of miles from the nearest nuclear power plant.
Jason · June 2, 2011 at 11:11 pm
Great post, great responses to the comments. Thank you for all the advice.
Deborah · June 4, 2011 at 12:24 am
I live in a small town about 2 hrs NW of Atlanta GA. I have read in Preparedness Guides that this is a good distance from a main city. The town where we go grocery shopping has 13,000 people and our town has 800. We are planning to buy a 7 acre farm and wanting our daughter and family to move with us. If not soon but in the near future. If not then, then when something does happen. And before it really does. Thanks for the advice.
peter blandings · June 4, 2011 at 9:17 am
somebody referenced the guy in argentina who lived through the 2001 economic collapse (and still ongoing). his name is fernando aguirre, and in his book he says the rural areas proved to be the MOST dangerous because criminals could lay siege to a home and then torture and rape the inhabitants for days before killing them and stealing everything. so this previous poster has it backwards. i’ve read the book twice and post on his forum regularly so i’m very familiar with his first hand experiences during periods of economic crises. inner cities are, of course, very dangerous, but suburban and community based neighborhood watches and security teams are the best you are going to get if you can’t afford to live in gated enclaves with private security. as you have mentioned, the police become worse than useless because they end up arresting people who were defending their own homes if criminals were shot during an invasion attempt.
Becker · June 5, 2011 at 10:08 pm
Im probably one of the few in scandinavia that prep. I guess this is because of my profession as a photojournalist and the horrors I have seen visiting hotspots all over the world.
I prep because I have seen firsthand what can happen if society break down but I have to ask you this one question, and please dont be insulted:
If everyone did like many preppers advocate, move from urban areas, start farming, being self sufficient etc etc. What ever would happen to the industrialised world that actually NEED people to stay in the cities to work?
Have you guys ever thought of the consequences if “everyone” lived the way that you ( and i ) preach?
Im thinking that a total economical collapse would come ( or come sooner ) if all of us prepped…
Kellene · June 6, 2011 at 6:07 pm
I can’t possibly say it strongly enough–there is no downside to self-sufficient living. None whatsoever.
There were actually several studies done in the the mid 1800’s that showed how important it was to our economy to have just enough folks living “urban” to run the necessary manufacturing plants and to have the rest pursue other fields of expertise outside of the urban setting.
In terms of everyone having at least a year’s supply of essentials, if this was a regular practice then there certainly wouldn’t be a shortage because production would produce and plan accordingly.
Additionally, economic collapses aren’t triggered because people buy things. They happen because of an drastic imbalance between the currency that’s printed and what’s backing it, the amount of foreign debt that’s issued, and the faith of the domestic and international markets in a particular currency. Makes a lot more sense, doesn’t it, that purchasing our way out of an economic collapse is far better than trying to borrow our way out. 🙂
Beuna Tomalino · March 26, 2013 at 5:55 pm
I cannot imagine how I would feel (for myself and my children) if I did not do everything I could to prepare. That includes food and other necessities, tools, knowledge, and skills, etc.
Hurricane Sandy was a recent good example of how you can expect help when there is a disaster.
My question: How do I determine the best route to take when leaving?
Kellene Bishop · March 26, 2013 at 6:14 pm
I’d suggest that you do some research and trial runs now. I’d ask some city employees who handle the traffic flow to start with.
Melissa · March 26, 2013 at 6:19 pm
While I do understand some peoples concerns on here, I would like to also point out to those who think lack of money is a reason not to prep or that it prevents them from prepping. Prepping actually saves you money! Oh My, let me repeat that, prepping saves you money! I am on disability and raising 2 of my grandchildren. We thankfully was prepping before our income dropped to under 1/3 of what it had been. I used coupons, sales and clearances to stock up. Now I rarely have to buy anything that isn’t a really good deal.
I don’t see most of the examples as being an excuse. I see it more as being lazy or not having the knowledge to continue….. the good news is both of those can be corrected. Start simple if need be, but get off your butt and start.
Even something as simple as $2 in seeds will produce a good amount of food with very little work. The money saved from that can be used for another saving project. Make a batch of homemade laundry soap and save 25-50 cents per load of laundry, hang your clothes on a line, save the same there also. Stop going out to restaurants and buying starbucks. Cut your own grass, better yet replace it with a garden or edible landscape.
Like I said I am disabled, I scooted and crawled around to plant a garden for 3 years in a row, I’m so sick of “I can’t”. Don’t say you can’t when it’s really you won’t.
For everyone out there that is preparing… WAY TO GO!!! Keep up the great work. For every step we make forward, prevents us from falling back 2 steps when the needs arise.
And one more thing to those doubters out there….. Kellene is awesome! You will never find someone else as well diversified and knowledgeable as her and should thank your lucky stars she cares enough about others to share her knowledge.
Thank you Kellene, God has a special place for you!
PrepperGirl · March 26, 2013 at 9:52 pm
Let me preface this by saying my husband is NOT a prepper and we are both Christians. My husband had an interesting thought re widespread media/power outages. He said “in the end the anti-christ HAS to have away to broadcast his message widely to get so many to believe he is THE ONE” therefore he didn’t believe a widespread EMP was probable before the AC comes. It was an interesting thought obviously he doesnt claim to know for sure, just was a logical thought to him. However i am lucky he does believe believers will have to run and hide in the hills (via Rev). Just a matter now of getting him to prep in case that day comes in our lifetime. I appreciate your blog and your perspective. God Bless.
Kellene Bishop · March 27, 2013 at 5:28 am
shortwave radios will be mostly unaffected by an EMP. Just food for thought. Not intended to be definitive. *grin*
PrepperGirl · March 27, 2013 at 6:11 am
😉 i understand my biggest concern has been centered around the idea i have a pacemaker- as far as i understand it if there’s an EMP i’m toast (granted it means i die fairly quick and mostly painless–but it means i leave sweet hubbs here alone :/ ). i’ve tried to ask other places if anyone knew that to be true: EMP= no me, but no response really which i kinda take as “yea sorry ur toast” i’d welcome ur thoughts on it…
Kellene Bishop · March 28, 2013 at 4:45 am
Actually, I’ve been studying this recently and it’s my understanding that IF you’re lucky enough to be in a basement or underground then you have a chance that the pacemaker will continue to function. That’s obviously a sobering reality, unfortunately, and as such the ONLY thing that I can think of is you utilizing an essential oil blend proactively to strengthen the heart dramatically in hopes that it does so sufficiently prior to an EMP hit. It’s not like the pacemaker will explode inside you; it will merely stop working and if your heart can continue to function without it, then you have a chance. The other problem with that being the case though is reliant upon HOW the pacemaker was installed because sometimes it’s so intrusive that if it’s not functioning the heart will indeed stop. 🙁 I do applaud your willingness to prepare though in spite of this serious bit of reality. So many people would focus on just this ONE possible scenario and simply say “why bother” in spite of the fact that there are a litany of other scenarios in which the pacemaker would be a non-issue in a crises.
PrepperGirl · March 28, 2013 at 6:47 am
thank you for your applause but not needed. i know SOOO many other thing COULD happen instead of just an EMP. would be interested if you happen upon any further info on it. my hubbs and i just talked about it tonight we think (in the case of my battery dying) i will prob just drift off to sleep and die in my sleep (bout the best way you could go eh?) since they have run many tests and constantly find i rely on it 100% (quite literally the electrical impulses in one of my ventricles is nonexistent) so ill have to look into the oil never thought of that before…. hummm more research LOL <3 it!! i only have the unit itself in my shoulder and leads (screws) in my heart so i don't think the unit would prevent my heart from attempting to function (which is rare but does do it when i'm really active. i think the benefit of passing from pacer not working is generally painless (probably) and since i have had a malfunctioning unit before i know some of the symptoms i show- so i could say goodbye or run and get my heart workin as long as i can LOL. any thoughts on what kind of oil blend may help the heart? thank you for all your thought and time on the matter. your the first one who listened- i can express my thanks enough. if your ever in IL stop by and we'll grill out some fresh steaks. 😀
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