Free Republic

There are those in America who have absolutely no clue as to what is going on behind closed doors. They are ignorant to the fact that over 22% of Americans are unemployed, nearly 50 million depend on nutritional assistance to put food on the table, 100 million are living in or on the edge of poverty, and that as a nation we have borrowed more money than we can ever hope to pay back to our creditors. These people, with their heads buried in the sand, whether by habit or choice, go about their day as if nothing has changed....

Ok I've been asked by a few members of the Preppers Ping list to start a weekly thread to post things like good preparedness supply buys, small discoveries and helpful hints which possible by themselves would make a interesting thread, but would be of interest to fellow preppers. So here goes. I'll try and do this every Friday and see how it goes.

A recent conversation prompted this article. It seems that friends in urban and suburban homes feel that there may be little hope for them in case of disaster, since they have no “retreat” set up in a rural area as a destination. This article points out similarities in all disaster preparedness, as well as possible differences in strategies and tactics to make surviving in urban and suburban locations more likely. None of these are new ideas, just slanted toward those who are urban/ suburban dwellers and that do not have a rural retreat location. While not detailed in scope, below...

Thanks to FReeper who knows what evil? for calling this to my attention!

Something again about power of media and human stupidity, or i can call it human lazyness to check some simple facts. Right now in my region we have something like two weeks of very bad weather, snow, -15 or -20 C temperatures (getting finally better now), roads are blocked by snow, whole cities are completely cut off, infrastructure in some regions is falling apart, ambulance services can not reach patients, stores are mostly closed in worst hit cities, electrical power is off. Deaths from cold temperatures are more than 600 now. Now this all is temporary, maybe few more days,...

The article has been generously contributed by Tess Pennington of Ready Nutrition. After joining the Dallas chapter of the American Red Cross in 1999 Tess worked as an Armed Forces Emergency Services Center specialist and is well versed in emergency and disaster management & response. You can follow her regular updates on Preparedness, Homesteading, and a host of other topics at www.readynutrition.com .

In Defense of David Sarti, the Doomsday Prepper Who Was Declared Mentally Incompetent and Had His Guns Seized By Government We often ask, “What would be the last straw? What would make us take up arms and defend ourselves against the Powers That Be?” Usually, that answer is guns. For most preppers and constitutional activists, losing our weapons would be an affront that would cause us to stand up and take action. That particular insult has happened to one of our community. David Sarti, of Lebanon, TN, recently appeared on National Geographic’s program Doomsday Preppers.

Well I've finally finished my latests update of my Preparedness Manual. I hope everyone likes the changes! At 492 pages now it's a real labor of love, but worth it. As I have said repeatedly if my manual helps one family, even one person survive SHTF then it was well worth it. Now I want to say a special Thank You to FReeper Eaker for hosting the file. Eaker you are a scholar and a gentleman and a FReeper in need. Thank you so much for your help and may God Bless you.

In the first installment of this two part series, we examine the factors that are influencing how individuals, major corporations, and other countries, are rethinking the most basic, yet vital resource all, water. In part two, we take a detailed look at an increasingly popular alternative to the municipal water system, Rainwater Harvesting. Part two further explores the pros and cons, basic components, and key factors to consider in designing a rain water harvesting system...

It was not about “they are old and they are not strong, so we do not need them”. Not in my case. Everyone was needed. The question “how older and very young people did during SHTF?” is to wide. Easiest answer would be that they did like everybody else. Not well, life was hard. During my trip out of the town, over that mountain, to get some stuff, one of the most important persons in the group was men in his 70ies, he was not strong, he was not powerful, he was old grumpy dude. But his value was in...

The first two episodes of the new series were broadcast Tuesday night, and a total of seven “prepper” individuals/groups were assessed, including (in order of appearance): Paul and Gloria Range, the “Retiree Preppers,” outside of Floresville, Texas “We’re preparing for a polar shift that will cause a sudden climate change and change life as we know it forever.” Christopher Nyerges, the “Street Survivor,” Los Angeles, California “I’m prepping for a killer earthquake that could completely flatten the city of L.A.” Megan Hurwitt, the “Young Urban Prepper,” Houston, Texas “I’m prepping to survive a catastrophic oil crisis.” David Sarti, the “Hillbilly...

Time for the monthly rotation checklist. I’ve adapted this from alpharubicon’s site (they have more info than I can ever read). Usually do this the first Friday of every month (you pick best time for you). Some of these actions may only pertain to those living in a moist (and in my case salty) environment. If you have a suggestion of what to add…let me know!

I live on the edges of one of the biggest cities on Earth. Unlike many, my prep priorities are not to bug out. Those plans are there, as always, the vehicles are always fully fueled and there are 12 different routes to each bug out location all not just planned but repeatedly practiced, but the chances are that in a real serious scenario my family will not to be able to get out of the city. So why prep at all then? Because I live on the edge of one of the biggest cities on Earth. Once read the idea...

It's better to be safe than sorry, which is why FEMA guidelines recommend stockpiling your pantry with three days worth of food in case of a natural disaster. Meanwhile, Paul Range and Gloria Haswell have enough in store to feed 22 people for 15 years — as well as enough guns, bullets and bug-out vehicles to wage a small war. The couple occupies nine steel shipping containers arranged in a castle formation outside Floresville, Texas. A system of windmills and solar panels powers the compound, and human body waste is used to generate methane, which serves as their cooking fuel....

NEW-SERIES PREMIERE TUES FEB 7 9P et/pt Doomsday Preppers explores the lives of otherwise ordinary Americans who are preparing for the end of the world as we know it. Unique in their beliefs, motivations, and strategies, preppers will go to whatever lengths they can to make sure they are prepared for any of life’s uncertainties. And with our expert’s assessment, they will find out their chances of survival if their worst fears become a reality.

From the somewhat guilt filled comforts of Greece, I have been thinking about what I learned from the recent Cairo SHTF experience. I am not putting myself forth as an expert of any sort and, frankly, many or even most items on the list below might be flat out wrong….who the hell knows. We were in Cairo from Jan 25th until late Feb 3rd when the neighborhood gunfire became full-auto and regularly occurring. At that point, we decided that Friday prayers (the next day) might not yield a pleasant experience. We had no way of knowing that we had already...

If you're in the market for a new set of wheels, you might be surprised to find out that your spiffy new car may not have spare tire - and instead be equipped with a sealant kit. In 2010 the U.S. Department of Transportation required new vehicles to meet certain fuel efficiency standards. In order to meet the new mandate, some car makers are doing away with traditional spare tires and the corresponding tools to bring the car's overall weight down. Tara Hanley of AAA MountainWest noted, "Our first concern was that motorists were aware of it and that they...

When Patty Tegeler looks out the window of her home overlooking the Appalachian Mountains in southwestern Virginia, she sees trouble on the horizon. 'In an instant, anything can happen,' she told Reuters. 'And I firmly believe that you have to be prepared.' Ms Tegeler is among a growing subculture of Americans who refer to themselves informally as 'preppers.' Ready for anything: Chuck Izzo, a "prepper" sits in his basement where he stores wood pellets to fuel his woodstove, an alternative heat source in his home Some are driven by a fear of imminent societal collapse, others are worried about terrorism,...

One of the most common questions that I am asked from prospective survival medics is “What antibiotics should I stockpile and how do I use them?” There isn’t a 60 second answer to this. Actually, there isn’t a 60 MINUTE answer to this, but anyone that is interested in preserving the health of their loved ones in a collapse will have to learn what antibiotics will work in a particular situation. It’s important to start off by saying that you will not want to indiscriminately use antibiotics for every minor ailment that comes along. In a collapse, the medic is...

When Patty Tegeler looks out the window of her home overlooking the Appalachian Mountains in southwestern Virginia, she sees trouble on the horizon. "In an instant, anything can happen," she told Reuters. "And I firmly believe that you have to be prepared." Tegeler is among a growing subculture of Americans who refer to themselves informally as "preppers." Some are driven by a fear of imminent societal collapse, others are worried about terrorism, and many have a vague concern that an escalating series of natural disasters is leading to some type of environmental cataclysm. They are following in the footsteps of...

Anyway, point is, to buy today full set for treating wounds, does not cost too much, sterile gloves, compress, forceps, butterfly closures, antibiotic treatment, povidone, hydrogen peroxide, anti tetanus shots, sutures… everything, it can be found for maybe 100$ here. Is it worth 100$? Yes, it can worth 1000$ or 10000$ it can be priceless actually. When it comes to you or your family member it is priceless, if you helping someone else, you can say a price.

... and that pretty colored thing you're about to stick in your mouth, which came from the back side of the alleged unicorn, is not candy. How many times do we have to go over this? How long will you, dear reader, continue to suspend disbelief and basic logic along with 5th grade mathematics? Take a personal inventory on this MLK day. Let us presume that today, at 12:00 Noon local time, you are fired and discover that all of your credit (visa/mc/discover/amex/store cards/etc) have been revoked. The Federal Government comes up on the TV and radio, telling you that...

Nearly four years on, we’re hearing the same warnings, and governments in Europe and the United States are actively preparing for such a possibility. In testimony before Congress late last year, Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke warned that a “disorderly default” in Europe would be a recovery ending event that may include runs on the banks and a “very, very bad outcome” for the U.S. economy. As we approach yet another debt ceiling in the U.S. and require an additional $1 trillion just to keep the system afloat, we urge our readers to consider the distinct possibility that we remain on...

Four years ago, Larry Hall purchased an abandoned Atlas F missile silo in central Kansas. Today he is turning it into a doomsday survival condominium complex.

When things get bad – and they will – the most essential items necessary for survival will disappear first. As currencies collapse, financial market destabilize and economies come to a standstill, critical supplies like food and medicine will become difficult to acquire at any price. This is exactly what is now taking place in Greece, where access to life-saving drugs and even common over-the-counter medicines like aspirin is becoming a tragedy where the losses will be measured not in Dollars or Euros, but lives.

How To Prepare For The Difficult Years AheadMichael SnyderJanuary10, 2012 How should people prepare for the difficult years that are coming? I get asked about that a lot. Once people really examine the facts, it is not too hard to convince them that an economic collapse is coming. But once they accept that reality, most of them want to know what they can do to prepare themselves and their families for the hard times that are ahead. Well, the truth is that it does not have to be complicated. Many of the things discussed throughout this article are things that...

Percy Schmeiser, a Canadian farmer, works on farming and developing his own seeds for 50 years. When his fields were contaminated, Monsanto threatened him, intimidated him, and tried to take his land away. He took them to court.

Who could have accurately predicted that governments would undertake the largest tax-payer funded bailout in history after the collapse of the financial system in 2008, further expanding the multi-trillion dollar global debt bubble, instead of letting it correct itself naturally? How many actually believed, amid protests from millions of Americans, that Congress would follow through with the passage of socialized health care in what it supposed to be the world’s bastion of free market capitalism? Who truly believed that American citizens would be, in one sweeping broad stroke, marked as persons-of-interest and domestic extremists for seemingly innocent behavior that can...

ow that we’ve done our cheery “Happy New Year” greetings, it’s time to get more serious. I’m a boomer. In my lifetime, I can’t remember a new year beginning with such dire warnings and grim outlook. This morning, the UK’s The Telegraph reports that Americans bought record numbers of guns last month amid an apparent surge in popularity for weapons as Christmas presents. Another UK paper, Daily Mail, is grimmer still. Dominic Sandbrook writes that a “loss of faith in politicians and democracy could make 2012 the most frightening year in living memory.” Sandbrook goes as far as to compare...

Noticing the First Signs (Excerpt): Revolutions don’t just happen instantly over night, they develop over long periods of struggle. So keep your eyes and ears open for signs of a coming uprising, such as: Civil unrest prior to riots in the major cities. Politicians and media blatantly lying about the most obvious developments. Censorship of social networks such as Twitter or Facebook. This may not be entirely obvious at first but when the sites are blocked completely the warnings are clear (with excuses like child pornography). Censorship of old media such as newspapers and television (non-regime critical press). Arrests of...

Of all the rumors flying around on the internet, one just refuses to die, and it concerns America's FEMA camps. In a nutshell, there seems to be a solicitation of bids occurring for the staffing of FEMA camps within 72 hours of implementation by an order from either Homeland Security or the president. This situation begs to be investigated, with special consideration paid to the motives of the present administration. I went to the source, the FedBizOpps.gov, and searched for the solicitation number HSFEHQ-10-R-0027, titled National Responder Support Camp. A search of the history of the amendments to this Solicitation...

A lot of preppers are talking about Ham radio as a communications system during and after an SHTF event. The ability to listen and even talk with people vast distances away in real time is powerful tool. For a very long time I’ve wanted to get an Amateur Radio license (“Ham”). For one reason or another I never undertook the study and the test. Until now. I have just passed my Technician’s license exam! (as of writing this) While it will still be a couple of weeks before I get my official station call sign, I’m very excited and already...

Obviously if you are reading this article you already have a modicum of common sense about the impending changes to our capitalist system or the prophesy about the collapse thereof. Some people who have been out of work and have given up on ever finding another job are no longer counted in the unemployment figures since the change in how they are counted so politicians can justify their piss poor job performance…..the rate currently in reality is something akin to 20% not below 10% as touted. Almost 50 million persons receive food stamps and on the rise. Less than 50%...

After 10 days trapped alone in her Toyota Corolla in freezing temperatures deep in a secluded mountain range, an Arizona woman is recovering at a Flagstaff Medical Center after being rescued from her ordeal. Lauren Weinberg, an Arizona State University student, survived on two candy bars and melted snow for water after her car became stuck in snow outside a forest gate near a line of cliffs with no one around for miles. The 23-year-old sat in the car without a heavy coat or blanket for nearly a week and a half as another snow storm dumped more than two...

As the economic crisis has worsened over the last several years we have made it a point to inform our readers about the possibility of a system collapse so severe that the regular flow of commerce comes to a screeching halt. Planning for such a far-from-equilibrium scenario, which may very well involve the collapse of a nation’s currency, requires that we consider alternative monetary vehicles to help us get through tough times. In What is Money When The System Collapses? we outlined several supplies that would become essential in a post-collapse world. Thing like food, water, gas, and clothing would...

Picture the scene: It’s the end of January 2012 and already it is clear the year to come will make that which has just passed seem something of a picnic. The last strains of Auld Lang Syne had barely faded before Greece defaulted on its debts. Over the next few weeks, Italy and Spain will follow. Across Britain and the Continent, bank after bank goes down, a domino effect exacerbated by panicking customers desperately withdrawing their savings. Where three years ago the giants of High Street banking were seen as too big too fail, now they are too big and...

I get this question often so I answer it here. “I would like to be part of a community or family larger than 2 or 3, but my extended family is worthless. My husband’s family is 1000 miles away, and don’t get the advantages of family either. My hope is to stick to our suburban home with a few good neighbors on our block. Is that a fantasy?”

The door to door assessment will take place from 3:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Thursday and from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday. It will be in 30 neighborhoods in Davidson County that have been randomly selected to be the target of a door to door assessment. Saturday will be used as a backup day if the assessments are not completed by Friday. Participants will be asked a list of 22 questions. They may include: What is your primary way of getting information during a disaster or emergency? What special assistance might you need from emergency responders during an emergency?...

Oath Keepers has learned that federal agents recently visited a Later Day Saints (Mormon) Church food storage cannery in Tennessee, demanding customer lists, wanting to know the identity of Americans who are purchasing food storage from the Mormons. This incident was confirmed, in person, by Oath Keepers Tennessee Chapter President, Rand Cardwell. Here is Rand’s report: “A fellow veteran contacted me concerning a new and disturbing development. He had been utilizing a Mormon cannery near his home to purchase bulk food supplies. The man that manages the facility related to him that federal agents had visited the facility and demanded...

No, gold and silver was not like second money, or second value during SHTF, it was not even worth like in normal times, and in most of the cases it was dangerous to have it a lot (actually it was too dangerous to have anything in great amounts and let other people to know that) If you had for example 1000 gold coins, and let s say that one coin worth 150 USD in normal times, you could think that you are rich in shtf. But in reality it was hard to find someone who give you some food or...

The FDA has issued a proposed mandate that represents the greatest threat to dietary supplements since 1994. Back in the early 1990s, consumers were so alarmed by FDA bullying that they staged a massive revolt. The result was that Congress passed a law prohibiting the FDA from banning popular nutrients (as the agency had threatened to do). There was, however, a loophole in the 1994 law. The FDA was given authority to regulate ingredients introduced after October 15, 1994. It has been 17 years, but the FDA just issued draconian proposals as to how it intends to regulate what it...

James Madison, father of the Constitution, warned, "The means of defense against foreign danger historically have become instruments of tyranny at home." Abraham Lincoln had similar thoughts, saying "America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter, and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves." During war there has always been a struggle to preserve Constitutional liberties. During the Civil War the right of habeas corpus was suspended. Newspapers were closed down. Fortunately, these rights were restored after the war. The discussion now to suspend certain rights to due process is especially worrisome given that...

The writing is on the wall. If you can’t read it, then you’re going to have a problem – very soon. It was in early 2009 that we first warned our readers of the coming wave of riots and social unrest that would envelop the globe. Nearly three years on we’re seeing a progressive increase in tension among those affected by deteriorating economic conditions and the trend towards social unrest seems to be accelerating. Absolutely nothing has been resolved in terms of the economic and financial woes facing the world, despite the literally trillions of dollars of wealth in the...

As every major developed economy hits Bass's Keynesian Endgame, the status quo is set to change dramatically. Nowhere is this climax playing out louder than in Europe and the implicit solution of Germany-uber-alles (while seemingly inevitable though nevertheless lengthy in execution) is likely to not sit well with many of the EMU nations. To wit, The Telegraph today reports that Britain's Foreign Office is advising its overseas embassies to draw up plans to help expats should the collapse of the Euro turn explosive. Almost incredibly, a senior minister has revealed that Britain is now planning on the basis that a...

But one thing is for sure, whenever i hear these days somebody says: “I will not do that if SHTF“ or „I ll do only that if SHTF“ whenever i hear that i feel sick. Wait and see… Truth is: You never know how far you are going to go with some things in order to survive, there is no chance to know that before SHTF, everything else is only talking and discussing in front of PC, in nice and warm room, safe, not hungry or thirsty and not under fire or chance of losing life or that loved ones...

A chain of three stores that sells survival food and gear reports a jump in sales to people who are getting prepared for the “possible collapse” of society. “We had to order fifty cases of the meals ready to eat to keep up with the demand in the past three months,” said manager Steve Dorsey at Uncle Sam’s Safari Outfitters Inc. in Webster Groves. “That’s not normal. Usually we sell 20 to 30 cases in a whole year.”

What may be new to most Americans is nothing out of the ordinary for our readers. As the economic, financial and political situation around us becomes more dire by the day, people are realizing that if it hits the fan there will be no safety net to assist them. The government is already overwhelmed with nearly 50 million people on nutritional assistance and an estimated 100 million Americans living in or right on the edge of poverty. In a true emergency, be it economic in nature or an unforeseen outlier, there will simply be no way local or federal officials...

As the U.S. economy tanks and the Mid-East appears poised for war, a chain of survival gear stores in Missouri has reported a jump in sales due to people getting ready for the possible ‘collapse’ of society. Steve Dorsey, a manager at one of the Uncle Sam’s Safari Outfitters stores in Webster Groves told KMOX-Radio that: “We had to order fifty cases of the meals ready to eat to keep up with the demand in the past three months. That’s not normal. Usually we sell 20 to 30 cases in a whole year.” When local stores start running out of...

WEBSTER GROVES, MO (KMOX) - A chain of three stores that sells survival food and gear reports a jump in sales to people who are getting prepared for the “possible collapse” of society. “We had to order fifty cases of the meals ready to eat to keep up with the demand in the past three months,” said manager Steve Dorsey at Uncle Sam’s Safari Outfitters Inc. in Webster Groves. “That’s not normal. Usually we sell 20 to 30 cases in a whole year.” Dorsey says business has been brisk since the spring uprisings in the middle east, as customers share...

First I am in no way connected to Comfort Creek Foods or Crider Corp the Parent company. http://www.cridercorp.com/home.cfm/page/products/product/Canned_Meats.html This is just a personal review of one of their products. I just finish having lunch of a baked potato cover with a can of Comfort Creek Foods Gravy and Roast Beef. I found this product at the local Dollar Tree for you guessed it a dollar. It is a 5 oz. can and though I am not a big buy of food from the Dollar Tree I thought I give this a shot and brought one can. It is made in...