jbow
Does it take a faraday shield to protect or would a lead lined box protect some chips and thumb drives.
I didn't think about the electricity and water... that's what I meant. What am I not thinking about. I have water purification tabs and know where a spring is within walking distance. I have plenty of .22, .40, 00 buck,
I don't really want offensive weapons but defensive. I'd love to know how to make a sort of Claymore... just in case.
Like I said, I am not a prepper, .....I know how to keep a low profile. I keep a little rice and beans, not a lot but enough for a week. I know to fill the tubs and all bottles, to keep the water in the toilet tanks and water heater.
Thanks, I hope it doesn't happen but it is SUCH an easy thing to do. A low orbit, low yield nuclear device is all it takes. Three or four in the right places and we, if we are right... are in trouble.
I wonder how long it would take to get the food and water going again.. and electricity.
Good points
A microwave oven is a faraday cage of sorts. Lead lined isn't necessary. Google it and there's a bunch of info on how to make them. It's not hard or expensive. I've seen them made from metal garbage cans.
just a few more things to consider.
So.... in a survival situation, your first concern is to have a positive mental attitude...PMA. Next, you need shelter of some sort if you're bugging out (more on that later). Your next priority is water. Food is way down the list.
remember the rules of 3.
you can survive.....
3 minutes without air
3 hours without shelter (under adverse conditions.... think wet cold rain in the woods without shelter)
3 days without water
3 weeks without food
Clean water is critical. You die quickly without it and if you're drinking dirty water with parasites and bacteria, it's a painful, unpleasant way to expire. Use rain water to flush the toilet... you can even bathe in rain water. Don't drink it unless it's treated. And make water do double duty.... after washing clothes, use it to flush the toilet or water the garden.
Guns..... critical to have them and plenty of ammo for each. minimum of 3k rounds for each. A small firefight will burn through the ammo quickly. More importantly, during this sort of scenario, you will need stealth. Firing any gun, let alone the big calibers, is something that anyone within a mile can easily hear. Even the sound of a 22 shot carries a long way in the country and especially at night. Whether it's the govt or the bad guys and they might be one and the same if martial law is declared which is very likely during grid down. You need some silent forms of defense and a means to take game silently. Bow and arrow or even a crossbow with bolts gives you a much smaller sonic footprint. I prefer a crossbow. It shoots and functions like a rifle and is unbelievably accurate, but slightly louder than a bow, but certainly much quieter than any gun except suppressed rifles of small caliber. I stopped firing 2 bolts at my target since I split more than my share of bolts... they are that accurate. Also, consider getting a suppressor for the firearms. Smaller caliber rifles and pistols when suppressed are as quiet as a Crossman BB rifle. Also consider one of the "adult" pellet air rifles with the factory suppressors built in. Those things will blow your mind. Supersonic muzzle velocity and whisper quiet. A strong sword is a nice quiet weapon but does require some prior training.
On Claymores and other assorted booby traps.... have the knowledge but do not implement it until it's absolutely necessary. Trip wires with shotgun shells are nice early warning devices, but all those trip wires and booby traps are dangerous and some are illegal currently. A really good source of information on this sort of thing is available in book form at almost any military surplus store. I prefer books over the internet for this sort of research. No grid, no internet.
You may not consider yourself to be a prepper or even want to be one, but that was a way of life for our grandparents. It simply means being prepared and being self sufficient. Remember your grandmother's pantry and root cellar? Unless they were city folk, they didn't have a drug store on the corner or a super market around the block. Medical supplies were stored until needed and a general store visit was a once a month thing. We have gotten used to having everything available in the store when we need it. Everyone reading this should have a minimum of 3 months worth of canned and dry goods on the shelves for each member of the family. More is better because you know some of your relatives and friends won't have any. Try learning a few of the old time skills. Learn how to cure meat to preserve it without refrigeration. And don't forget about toilet paper.
Start slowly.... don't panic. The first goal is to stock up on enough food to last for 2 or 3 weeks for everyone in the house. When you hit that.... work on something else for a time, buy ammo or build some things, then start back stocking up for 3 months....taking it in steps. Don't let it overwhelm you but do keep on track. Will it happen this yeah? Hopefully not. Perhaps next, or in 5 years? Who knows. It may never happen. Here's how I look at prepping. I do it as an insurance policy of sorts. We all buy insurance that will likely never be money we recoup. But it's there in case we need that help. So, the food we store up..... if it's canned goods, rotate through the stock. In other words, use it but replace it so it doesn't expire. The dry goods will last decades. So, in 10 or 15 years if the zombie apocalypse hasn't started yet, eat the beans and replace them at that time.
Bug in or bug out? I hear lots of folks talking about bugging out. My first thought is that they are clueless. If I lived in a city, that would likely be my choice too.... BUT.... you have to have somewhere to go. You can't just wander up on someone's land out in the country and decide you're gonna stay there. There are very few publicly owned lands in the east. Out west maybe, but that is generally some serious wilderness and unless you know how to live off the land, you will die quickly out there. Wandering onto someones land is a good way to die. They will think you're there as an intruder or marauder intent on taking their food and water and shelter/home. So if you're gonna bug out, have a plan and a place to go. Bugging in is the better idea, but that entails being ready, willing, and able to defend it and those there with you. There is power in numbers. You can not defend your position by yourself because you have to sleep. You need help and preferably some of those people will have the skill set needed.... think ex military and LEO. Keep a low profile. Don't be dumping empty food cans in the back yard. That's a big sign telling everyone you have food.
Whether you bug in or out is a decision you must make and remember that nothing is ever written in stone.... be flexible. You might have an overwhelming force come against you and the only decision is to grab what you can and run.
As far as the question...When will things get back to normal after such an event? Perhaps never. But most certainly, at least not until the electrical grid is back up and running.
Here in NC we have hurricanes and most recently, an ice storm. We were without power for 66 hrs in that ice storm. We have been close to 7 days without power after hurricanes in the summer. I have a generator and can keep the lights on and the refrigerator running and with the like minded folks, we make it through. The man who runs the gas station had the tanks filled the day before and the day after, he was pumping gas using a generator to run one or two pumps.
Cash only.... something else to consider.... money and a means to barter. If the economy is in collapse.... banks are closed.... grid down the bank computers are not working nor are the ATM's... you better have a plan and some cash. And there's also the possibility that the US dollar is worthless.... so the only thing the paper money is good for is burning to keep warm.... how are you going to be able to get the things you need? Solve this and plan accordingly.
Our local 911 emergency center has a motto.... The first 72 is on you. It will take them a bit of time to get things organized so you have to be able to survive for 3 days on your own. Use common sense and you'll likely be OK.