Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Being debt free may or may not be good depending on the individual situation. However, emergency savings are important for those who don't have much. People with more money just refer to investment funds. The desired end is always to turn economic dislocation into opportunity.
Why not have a supply of food? You're not planning to stop eating, are you?
Land is the great insulator that keeps outsiders out. It's impossible to have too much.
I have a enough food for two people to last at least a year. But, I did not accumulate this food before being out of debt and having emergency savings first. This is why I suggested 1 months food and water. After achieving real world goals, there is nothing wrong with additional preps.
I do get why guns are important, but like the zombie movies, shooting one tends to bring swarms of unwanted attention in a city. Still, it's necessary.
Beretta, Glock...any I should keep on the short list? Santa's coming to town.
Financial survival is as easy in a city as it is in the country. This is important as money does buy security. To use a rather obvious example, Donald Trump can be as safe in a city as he can in the country. However, even he may need to evacuate. He can presumably afford it, but there are still questions of physical security so he may need to hire competent people without delay. He has their phone numbers. You cannot defend the average home from determined criminals for more than a few minutes without outside aid.
These are easy. Store food and water. I don't see water thieves as much of a problem. No one will know that you have supplies unless you tell them. Many people have real real problems keeping their mouths shut, however. Nix the neighbors with walkie-talkies.You'll need to get out before your neighborhood is affected. The effects on individuals from an earthquake are impossible to predict. The idea of hackers destroying the infrastructure for more than a short period is the stuff of fantasy. The same applies to nuclear weapons destroying the infrastructure because of EMP.
Store food, water, and guns. Then hope for the best because you can't prepare for the worst.
First off, thanks for addressing the scenarios. I agree Trump, sitting in Trump Tower, will be just fine. Someone's going to need some pretty sophisticated firepower to bring down that building and it's really easy to just not let people come up in a skyscraper.
Rioters would be an issue to contend with, though I doubt they would be near my home. If they are, they'll see all of my neighbors would be easier to get at as is. I am worried that they might attack my wife's store, or where I'm working.
I've often wondered how many screw-ups pinned on hackers are actually an opps nobody wanted to own up to.
Are you employed? Are you going to call in sick every day for 6 months? Or are you going to voluntarily resign? Or...are you figuring that your emplyer will "understand" why you are not there, due to crisis?
If the reason you wish to remain in the city is due to employment, this presents quite the dilemma, no?
We here encourage all who are serious about survival to get out of the cities and either move to a low-population density rural area, or set up a retreat. In your case, the retreat might make more sense. If the balloon goes up, you will not be safe in the cities, even for a week, let alone for 6 months!
If you truly have $40-50K to spend on your survival, a far better alternative is to purchase a used, late-model travel trailer big enough for you and your family to be fairly comfortable. You should be able to get one for $10-12K, maybe less. Then, search for a remote sliver of land just big enough for the trailer, plus walk-around room and space to park your truck/SUV. You should be able to find something for $20-30K. If you can't, look into a 10-year lease on some land, which is available in most places.
IMO, blowing $40-50K on "stuff" is a waste of money. A year's supply of food can be had for $200+/- per person. Don't fool yourself that you need to spend $15K on designer "lifetime storage food".
It's a good thought process. For me, I have a few homes here, and rent them out. My wife has a location specific business. If we leave we lose a lot more than $50K. Not sure the food at $200 a year, but keeping a freezer full of ribeyes, with a stockpile of charcoal sounds and solar energy sounds more enjoyable.
Plan B was to learn how to fly a Cessna...but that seems too expensive too.
Some great answers. Looked through the routes. Despite all the people, CA has relatively few roads running through it. There's one highway running out of town that doesn't go into other towns, and it will be jammed. It is normally jammed everyday as is. Did take the advice though an found a surprising route of town near the home. It doesn't really take me anywhere, but does get me gone for a bit.
That said, between what I've got to lose, I'd rather outlast others and be in position. If I go wondering out into the wilderness I'll be shot for sure.
I do get why guns are important, but like the zombie movies, shooting one tends to bring swarms of unwanted attention in a city. Still, it's necessary.
Beretta, Glock...any I should keep on the short list? Santa's coming to town.
Common ones. I'd personally go with a glock and that's it. Get a 17 or 19.
Another option would be a 22 or 23.
As much as I hate city living, staying out might be the best option.
Throughout history look at the damage a city can take in urban warfare, yet people are still kicking it in these cities. Once that initial wave of people die and leave, there will be plenty of plundering opportunities. Even a gun shot can get lost in a city. There are so many places to hide that a shot wouldn't necessarily draw attention to you. Who is going to go through the hundreds of apartments to look for you.
Have an escape plan. Your shed idea isn't that bad, just make sure it is secured. Like better than your house.
Going back to guns...you don't need a bunch. Just enough. Guns start to get heavy. My advise:
Handgun: common sidearm used by military or Law
Enforcement so that parts could always be found. Same calibers so that only one type of
Ammo is needed. Concealable is preferred, but make sure you can shoot it. Make sure that it has a little bit of range. My glock 43 is great for EDC, but not my preferred SHTF sidearm.
Rifle: something that can double as good getter and human stopper. Your region will determine. However ARs are hard to beat. Simple. Light weight. Ammo isn't to bulky. Almost every big game in America can be taken with the .223 round.
Shotgun: might not be needed, but I prefer having one. Lots of migratory birds where I live. Easy to shoot with shotgun vs rifle.
.
I've often wondered how many screw-ups pinned on hackers are actually an opps nobody wanted to own up to.
I suspect at least 99.99%
Quote:
Originally Posted by artillery77
Some great answers. Looked through the routes. Despite all the people, CA has relatively few roads running through it. There's one highway running out of town that doesn't go into other towns, and it will be jammed. It is normally jammed everyday as is. Did take the advice though an found a surprising route of town near the home. It doesn't really take me anywhere, but does get me gone for a bit.
There's a road that runs east from San Jose that will take you across the hills and into the Central Valley.
Quote:
That said, between what I've got to lose, I'd rather outlast others and be in position. If I go wondering out into the wilderness I'll be shot for sure.
There are far fewer people in the wilderness if you mean real wilderness. They're likely to avoid you, not shoot you. People shoot if they see you as a threat. That means you should stay away from dwellings and anything that looks like private property.
Quote:
Originally Posted by artillery77
I do get why guns are important, but like the zombie movies, shooting one tends to bring swarms of unwanted attention in a city. Still, it's necessary.
Stop in a gun store. Tell them that you're interested in buying a gun, but you wish to take basic classes first and try different guns. They should know about NRA courses in your area. If they don't or if they immediately try to push a particular gun on you, go somewhere else. Liking or disliking a certain gun or certain type of gun is subjective. Find one that you like and find comfortable. The best first gun is a .22 revolver. You and your wife will shoot it far more because it's a pleasant gun to shoot. You can buy the heavy recoiling gun later. In the mean time, be aware that many, many people have defended themselves with a .22. Also be aware that 90% of the time criminals go away when they see a gun. No shots are fired.
California prohibits the sale of many fine guns. You'll need to buy guns on the approved list from a dealer if you wish to stay legal.
I don't care if you're in the Trump Tower or a 3 decker in the Bronx......everybody is equal when the toilets don't work.You can have food and water for a lifetime but sanitation is most critical.
Within two weeks in the city there would be no one left but gangs of violent predators and they would be going door to door for food and water.
My advice.......line up a bug out location in the country
... I'm hoping to get some decent comments on how to prep in the city. History tells me that while many cities have been invaded, relatively few were wiped from the face of the planet.
The scenarios I think are most likely/would want to prep for:
1. Disease/Terrorist attack where one wants to stay inside. (i.e. Ebola outbreak)
2. Water contamination (i.e. Flint, MI)
3. Spurts of increased crime (Riots/Looters)
4. Earthquake/Hackers knocking out infrastructure (in California)
In other words, I'd like to be prepped to shut-in for 6 months.
If you are focusing on bugging-in and staying inside for 6 months. Then you would need that much food and water, without utilities.
Your shelter would need to be 'hardened' against all natural disasters hurricanes, earthquakes, spreading fires, etc, and secure from raider/looters.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
