Posted on 06/15/2012 10:11:23 AM PDT by Kartographer
If Europe collapses, the United States is sure to follow. This makes me nervous. And when I get nervous, I make lists. This is my best shot at formulating a comprehensive supply list for prepping. Sure, there are other lists on the Internet that claim to be comprehensive. And I have learned much from the lists that I have read. But I wanted to come up with my own list and present it to the Pack. And now for the 50 million dollar question: what have I missed?
If your debit card stopped working tomorrow, would you be ready? Let’s put our minds together and see if we can come up with a comprehensive list of items needed for survival. (I am assuming in what follows that I will not be bugging out. Hence, I have omitted discussion of my BOB.) Assuming you are staying put, what items would you definitely want on hand? Remember the motto: plan today because tomorrow your debit card may not work.
(Excerpt) Read more at thesurvivalistblog.net ...
Thanks.
Very good list, one of the best I’ve seen.
I was going to add “Remember your pets” but I see you’ve added it at the end.
Dogs can be a first line of defense — and don’t discount the little dogs!! My 17-lb. shih-tzu is 100X more aware than my police dog/pit bull mix. One is the sentry, the other is the guard/defense. My large dog fends off coyotes and has fought several, incurring only a few bites once.
Cats too, mine is fond of catching rats and mice — rats and mice that will eat up stored grains and plants garden. The feral cat population was rounded up at my school and we had an immediate rat/mouse infestation — one even jumped out of a file cabinet (almost had a heart attack), they became brazen once the cats were gone, thankfully the cats are returning.
>>Cats too, mine is fond of catching rats and mice — rats and mice that will eat up stored grains and plants garden. The feral cat population was rounded up at my school and we had an immediate rat/mouse infestation — one even jumped out of a file cabinet (almost had a heart attack), they became brazen once the cats were gone, thankfully the cats are returning.<<
IIRC (unless it is a fable) that when witch hunting was at its highest points, cats were slaughtered wholesale, which led to the increase of the rodent population which carried the Black Plague that all but destroyed Europe...
Bm
Pretty good list except for no booze or smokes - needed for the barter/morale support categories.
I realize these items conflict with some peoples personal ethics which is fine. But they will be in demand after TSHTF.
I think we’re all wise to be prepared, whether or not the STHF or not. I need to get started, thank you for posting.
Tanning leather, cleaning a deer/rabbit/squirrel/mouse, smoking meat, and similar skills may be a little rusty for some preppers, and it might be neighborly to share a book/pamphlet/handout with those who are mostly prepared but with knowledge gaps.
Somebody made a REAL good point, about getting your own medical house in order. Vaccinations up to date, dental work completed, any outstanding health issues resolved.
Also the comment about NOT doing trades with ammo. The bullet you trade away today might be turned against you tonight.
I’ve added small animal traps.
Why? 1) they work 24 hrs a day, so even when you are sleeping, they can be trapping animals. 2) They don’t call attention to you like shooting does. 3) You aren’t using up ammo. 4) They provide both a source of meat and can rid yourself of vermin.
No Twinkies? List FAIL.
Also if you use a live animal trap, you can capture breeding stock (eg, rabbits) that can be transferred to cages.
10 Morale Boosters for Any Worst Case Scenario
This is in my Manual, but it was also posted here:
http://thesurvivalmom.com/2011/11/20/8-morale-boosters-for-any-worst-case-scenario/
If you are rural and have a pond or other source of water. You should stock it with fish, turtles, frogs, etc. Even small ponds can support a surprising number of fish if it is deep enough.
I butcher our own meat. I cure and smoke our own bacon and ham. We can as much meat as we will need for the next year and freeze the rest. This year we didn’t even use all of the corn from last year before we started canning and freezing this year. We have about half of what we need for vegetables canned already this year. It’s just a life style for us. I think it would be wise for all to consider given what could happen. It sure is comforting seeing all those canned goods without having to go to the store. If it gets to a point where I think we need to hide the canned goods they won’t be easily found.
Great list, thanks.
You provide an invaluable service to FR.
Living in a desert, I frequently was introduced to any number of survival strategies. However, there are axioms which must underlay any plan and without which you are little more than a hoarder with piles of useless trash.
To start with, you must have and use the five paragraph planning format. Innovated by Sun Tzu around 500 BC, it survives today almost unchanged, and is used by every modern military for the purposes of planning, from squad sized unit to theater Armies. The five paragraphs are:
1. What is the situation? This includes weather, terrain, who is on your side, who is not, and your timetable.
2. What is your mission? The most important paragraph and philosophically very deep. It must be clear, concise and to the point, and everyone with you must know what it is.
3) Execution. How are you planning to carry out what you intend to do? This includes your essential timetable, routes of travel, actions and reactions to changing situations, times to act, times to prepare, times to maintain, times to inventory, times to rest.
4) Logistics. All your stuff, where you can get it, who will provide it, what is in shortage that must be rationed, and what is in abundance that can be exploited; who has knowledge to fix and repair, health care, construction. Transportation.
5) Command and communications. Task assignments and supervision, map and compass, coordination with other groups, signals, codes, security and records.
If you can successfully compose such a plan, you will take into account most of the most dangerous variables that can trip you up.
Some military units, like the US Army Rangers, take this planning format so seriously that they use it constantly in training. Every Ranger is expected to make such orders for every mission. They call it the Patrol Order. The regular Army calls it an Operations Order.
I would include 2 more items to the list.
1) Bicycle. Much better than walking when there is no more fuel for cars. You can go faster and farther than walking. A bike will greatly expand your area for foraging and hunting. You can also get out and assess local conditions. Bicycle charging kit can be attached to charge up personal electronic devices as your travel. It also provides you with excercise and entertainment and give you a sense of freedom compared to those walking or confined to one spot. You will need some supplies on hand to service the bike such as an air pump and patch kit.
2) Backpack. Lets you keep your hands free to carry other things. Useful when hunting, fishing, or foraging.
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