What do you think could/will happen?

[302w 83]

At the beginning of that stupid prepper show, each featured person talks about what they believe will/may happen. Be it storms or government or zombies. Don't say you prep for 'anything and everything', I'm more curious to see what you think may happen.

 

Me? Sandy 2.0

 

My house wasn't destroyed during the storm. You can't prep much for that.

 

I think it's possible in my lifetime that some event will disrupt the power grid. Storms or some catastrophic failure. In my old area, we didn't have power for weeks and I feel that we were a few gasoline and food deliveries from people getting desperate. I don't believe that we anywhere near society breaking down, but if there weren't supermarkets running on gas and deliveries I think looting from easy targets would have increased significantly.

 

I don't think things will ever get bad enough that I need to shoot someone or eat squirrels. I just think it's wise to stock food, have a backup water supply, have stored fuel, and own a generator. I also make sure to keep a respectable amount of ammo, because it doesn't make sense not to.

 

Is it possible for worse things to happen? Sure. I don't consider myself a prepper though. I just work within my means to make sure that if common luxuries become unobtainable for a small amount of time I won't be up a creek.

[CMJeepster 2,077]

That show is entertaining as it shows the extreme side of things. Realistically, I feel that "prepping" should be about being able to sustain myself and my family for a short amount of time during and after an event (natural disaster like Sandy, power grid going down, etc.). We were fine for the week after Sandy and had a few days worth of supplies left over. I'm aiming for two weeks plus. After that, the neighbors would start to roam around and then we'd have to leave. Am I prepared to stay? Yes, but probably wouldn't be able to sustain the family and myself.

[seamusSU 0]

Realistically, preparing for a natural disaster is the only real issue. Every year for at last the past 3-4 we have had some weather event that knocked out power for a chunk of the state for about a week (Sandy, Snowmageddon, Irene, etc.). The likelihood of any of the other doomsday scenarios cited on the prepper shows is about even with getting hit by lightning while also being run over by a bus.

Just make sure that if your generator is not permanently installed you have a means of securing it. The $20 spent on a heavy chain and lock is a lot better than having a generator go missing when someone decides they want yours.

[CMJeepster 2,077]

Definitely chained up, even when in storage... Especially in light of the rash of thefts in my area lat week.

[Banka871 0]

Also remember that by "prepping" now, you are hedging against later inflation. Look at ammo prices over the last 2 decades.

[CPRPE 4]

My main reason is natural disaster.  My wake up call was Irene.  I had a 6 month old at the time and a JCP&L friend of my wife said to prepare for 30 days of power outage.  What?!  We lost power for only a few hours but since then I have taken care of business.  As I am on a well for drinking water, the well pump is vital.  So in went the manual transfer switch for the generator.  Now water and heat (gas) are taken care of.  Also have a heatilator on the fire place.  In a pinch it will heat three to four rooms of the house.  Also, several means of water storage.  Stabilized gas supply that gets transferred to the truck every 6 months or so.  Etc. Etc.  When Sandy hit and we lost power, I was able to remain calm and just take care of the house and my family.  It was reassuring knowing that I really didn't need to leave the house for weeks if needed.  If I can avoind standing in line at a gas station or super market and potentially avoid a sticky situation with stressed out people, then it all makes perfect sense.

 

My goal at this point is to be totally self sufficient for 30 days.  That should cover it.

[CPRPE 4]

Oh.  So how many of you have heard from friends or family that they'll "just come to your house..." ??   My sister commented to me that I was serious about taking care of my family when I responded to her comment by saying "Just don't come empty handed..."  A lot of people like to keep their head in the sand and feel reaasured that there are those of us doing the work.

[mipafox 438]

I think Disco is going to come back with a vengeance. Like everywhere.

[mipafox 438]

Also remember that by "prepping" now, you are hedging against later inflation. Look at ammo prices over the last 2 decades.

Ammo prices over the last two decades have nothing to do with predicting ammo prices over the next two decades.

 

Ammo prices over the last two decades were moderated by cheap surplus ammo. First Clinton outlawed Chinese ammo, then he outlawed all US Military surplus ammo, and now all surplus ammo is gone except 7.62x54R and 5.45. And soon that will either be gone or Obama will simply outlaw it.

 

But your larger point is correct, ammo prices are going to go up over time.

[nitrospaz9 10]

I've Been lucky the last few storms. I only lost power during that freak snowstorm in October a few years ago and that was only for 2 days. A few friends lost power for a few days so they would come here to charge there phones and such. I am not prepared at all for any major storm but do feel that's what is gonna mess everyone up. No nuclear strike or other such nonsense. I want to start stacking up on canned goods and more cases and jugs of water. As far as defensive situations I am secured. Would love to get a generator but money is a big issue.

[karlkurtz32 0]

Solar Flares (CME's) and Super Storms.  Anyone here follow Haarp Status Frequency Detection Project on Facebook? 

[Hooligan 0]

Storms, or terror attack on a large city or power plant.  

 

Sandy taught me that you're on your own when everything goes to crap.  All the power companies were working at the shore while northwestern communities were left isolated with blocked roads, downed wires, no power, no gasoline, no anything.   Our infrastructure is so fragile that "normal life" is held suspended by a fine thread of delivery trucks bringing food/fuel/etc.   When those trucks don't arrive, people change.  Stock enough of everything to last yourself a month, and have the means to defend it from others who didn't plan ahead.

 

A major disaster/attack in a city could send those desperate city-dwellers out our way.  

[maintenanceguy 444]

I prep simply.  We buy a little extra each week and we typically cook meals from our stock and shop to restock.  It's not real organized, we just have a pantry that's fuller than most.

 

I live in a rural area so there won't be any infrastructure to collapse around me, I don't have infrastructure now.  I keep enough gasoline on hand to fuel both vehicles and that gets used and restocked for my mower all summer.  I have an acre and a half so my mower gets a workout and my gasoline supply gets refreshed regularly.   We would really miss electric but could survive without it.  I have a generator and my gas supply would keep that going several hours a day for a week or more on my gas supply.  We have a well and could get water with a hand pump I picked up used and could install on the top of the well head in a few hours with misc. plumbing parts I have in the shop. 

 

The only thing that would really hurt us is if we ran out of heating oil in the winter and couldn't get any more.  I have a wood stove in my workshop and could move that into the house.  The old chimney still has the thimble where a wood stove was installed once.  but I don't have enough wood to last more than a couple of days.  I've cut plenty of firewood in my life but I don't own any woods now.  I've only done a couple of simple things to prepare and I'm comfortable that we could survive in relative comfort for a couple of weeks with no resources from outside - except for fuel oil or wood to burn.

[HavocMan 13]

Storms, or terror attack on a large city or power plant.

These are the same things I plan for.

 

I work at one of the large power plants that butt up against the Turnpike in the Elizabeth/Linden/Newark area. Some of the power plants are mixed in with the refineries and storage tank facilities.

 

The entire region is barely above sea level. The salt water tide that Sandy brought in wrecked so much equipment. It was a real eye opener to see how vulnerable the plants are. The plant I work at is nearly back to 100%, but we are still working out little kinks here and there. We're in good shape actually. Believe it or not, some of the PSE&G plants are still struggling with recovery efforts, more than a year after the storm.

 

In addition, we commonly get alerts from Homeland Security and the FBI to BOLO for suspicious activity. The concern is that a scummer will stop his vehicle on the Turnpike shoulder, hop out with an RPG and take a few shots at one of the power plants or refineries...easy-peezy instant disaster.

 

Also, many of the facilities are in Newark International's flight path, so that has also been a concern. The thought is that someone will stop on the Turnpike and shoot down a jet, causing it to crash into either a power plant, a refinery or a tank field...or hijack a jet on approach and kamikaze it into one of the facilities.

 

I live near a river, so water is not a real concern. I picked up a filtration & purification system from REI. It's something a camper or hiker would use. In addition, have a number of full Jerry Cans set aside already. I've got plenty of dry and canned food set aside too - enough to last a month or so.

 

If things go beyond that (I doubt it ever would) my families plan is to head to our place up in New Hampshire. Hopefully the bridges are still in place, lol...

[vladtepes 1,060]

whats going to happen? its already happening... people are getting poorer... people are getting more desperate... and crime becomes more problematic... 

look at what happened when peoples food stamp cards stopped working.. they happily stripped walmart bare.. 

 

we have built an endless army that sits home and collects a check... our money seems to be worth less and less per day... there will come a point where all those useless immoral people will no longer be able to be supported.. what do you think they will do then to get what they "deserve"... they will come to your home.. and try to take it... 

[raz-0 1,183]

whats going to happen? its already happening... people are getting poorer... people are getting more desperate... and crime becomes more problematic... 

look at what happened when peoples food stamp cards stopped working.. they happily stripped walmart bare.. 

 

we have built an endless army that sits home and collects a check... our money seems to be worth less and less per day... there will come a point where all those useless immoral people will no longer be able to be supported.. what do you think they will do then to get what they "deserve"... they will come to your home.. and try to take it... 

 

Sorry, but the walmart thing wasn't becuase the cards gave them nothing, it was because the cards were not registering a limit. I also thing you ahve a greatly distorted view about the nature of people on some form of assistance. I can tell you there are plenty of people willing to work on unemployment that might have to suck it up and work for minimum wage. They will still have to go on SNAP and their kids will be on medicaid if they do though. Not sure if it'll be before or after the bankruptcy, loss of housing, etc. 

 

Although I do agree the big risk is really the economic slide vs. the increasing population. 

 

I guarantee you the mantra of do more with less informs the degree of maintenance and infrastructure upgrades constantly. Occasionally something like sandy squeezes out some capital, but if you are applying it too little too late it probably doesn't matter. If you aren't paying to operate right, it DEFINITELY doesn't matter. Take for example the bound brook flood control. They got a big storm, the capital go shaken loose to put in some flood control, then they failed to staff it at the next big storm. Fat lot of good it did. Locally, Sandy took out a LOT of power. Mostly because they couldn't be bothered to send someone to shut down the local transfer station. Was it because they didn't want to hear complaints, or was it because they didn't want to pay to field all the support calls, OT, etc, and thought they'd get lucky. Even if the eocnomy improves, don't exepect a return to better standards on anything that has already been degraded without massive revenue loss. 

 

If I ever get to leave NJ, I can tell you it won't be to anywhere that your choices for water are aquifer or colorado river water. Heck, with the rate of water use to get gas, oil, etc out of the ground, nowhere may be safe. 

 

Then there's the roads. Look at how we have not been spending money on them regardless of revenue allocated for such. Locally and nationally. 

 

Look at the state of anti batrial research. No more antibiotics are being invented. Nobody is putting money and minds back into that. There will be a price paid for that. It'd probably do all of us some good to have knowledge on how to limit infection spread via behavior rather than pills, we'll probably be needing it more than we'd like. 

[vladtepes 1,060]

Sorry, but the walmart thing wasn't becuase the cards gave them nothing, it was because the cards were not registering a limit. I also thing you ahve a greatly distorted view about the nature of people on some form of assistance. I can tell you there are plenty of people willing to work on unemployment that might have to suck it up and work for minimum wage. They will still have to go on SNAP and their kids will be on medicaid if they do though. Not sure if it'll be before or after the bankruptcy, loss of housing, etc. 

 

Although I do agree the big risk is really the economic slide vs. the increasing population. 

 

I guarantee you the mantra of do more with less informs the degree of maintenance and infrastructure upgrades constantly. Occasionally something like sandy squeezes out some capital, but if you are applying it too little too late it probably doesn't matter. If you aren't paying to operate right, it DEFINITELY doesn't matter. Take for example the bound brook flood control. They got a big storm, the capital go shaken loose to put in some flood control, then they failed to staff it at the next big storm. Fat lot of good it did. Locally, Sandy took out a LOT of power. Mostly because they couldn't be bothered to send someone to shut down the local transfer station. Was it because they didn't want to hear complaints, or was it because they didn't want to pay to field all the support calls, OT, etc, and thought they'd get lucky. Even if the eocnomy improves, don't exepect a return to better standards on anything that has already been degraded without massive revenue loss. 

 

If I ever get to leave NJ, I can tell you it won't be to anywhere that your choices for water are aquifer or colorado river water. Heck, with the rate of water use to get gas, oil, etc out of the ground, nowhere may be safe. 

 

Then there's the roads. Look at how we have not been spending money on them regardless of revenue allocated for such. Locally and nationally. 

 

Look at the state of anti batrial research. No more antibiotics are being invented. Nobody is putting money and minds back into that. There will be a price paid for that. It'd probably do all of us some good to have knowledge on how to limit infection spread via behavior rather than pills, we'll probably be needing it more than we'd like.

 

The cards were not showing a limit so they were allowed whatever... And immediately abused it..

The second any kind of check or control goes out the window... They swarm like locust ripping all resources away till there is nothing left...

 

There are plenty of good people in the world... Unfortunately there are more bad ones....

 

People are on unemployment while posting on Facebook from their iPhones about the new COD game they just picked up for their playstation 4... People get what they feel they are owed... And unfortunately it is far more than just what is needed to get through a bad time... How many years do you need unemployment extended before you realize that maybe you are not going to find another $75k a year job... And you need to suck it up and get something different...

[ElmerFudd 0]

The cards were not showing a limit so they were allowed whatever... And immediately abused it..

The second any kind of check or control goes out the window... They swarm like locust ripping all resources away till there is nothing left...

 

There are plenty of good people in the world... Unfortunately there are more bad ones....

 

People are on unemployment while posting on Facebook from their iPhones about the new COD game they just picked up for their playstation 4... People get what they feel they are owed... And unfortunately it is far more than just what is needed to get through a bad time... How many years do you need unemployment extended before you realize that maybe you are not going to find another $75k a year job... And you need to suck it up and get something different...

 

While I agree that collecting unemployment when you have the capacity to work can be immoral, you're forgetting that a lot of people who attempt to work in a position of underemployment get turned away because they are over-qualified or it seems as though they will just leave as soon as something else comes along.  There isn't some huge surplus of jobs for every person and is unemployed so employers do have their "pick of the litter" in times of economic downturn.  Which means that those people may be unable to find a 75k position, and all the 30k positions refuse them, knowing that these people will feel under-compensated.  At my last job, when my supervisor was hiring for a new person to fill an entry or mid-level position, I watched him literally glance at and throw out resumes of people who had been in the field for 15 to 30 years for only that reason.  That's just anecdotal and does not prove anything but I just wanted to highlight the way that I've personally observed it.  

 

Also, it may be a bit harder to explain to another employer that you went to work at Burger King after leaving your position as a Software Analyst and that you're ready to back into your field.  Couple the prospect of long term minimum-wage with increasing amounts of student loan debt (and terrible interest rates in general) and you end up with people who may have a real predicament on their hands....

[vladtepes 1,060]

I was a retail manager for 13 years.... When the company went out I lost my job.... I picked up manual construction labor for a little bit while it was available... That ended and I went on unemployment... There was nothing promising in NJ so I used it as a chance to get out... I moved to PA and found a new management position which I am in now.... I probably stayed on unemployment longer than I actually had to... But my concern is not the guy who takes 4 months longer than he needs to to find work.... Or the family that is in food stamps for 6 months because the primary bread winner dies or something.... These are reasonable situations that happen... My concern is those individuals that milk the system as a lifestyle....

 

I get that not all people are naturally evil... I get that people fall on hard times and need help.... But as a whole i see a ton of gross abuse...

[ElmerFudd 0]

I was a retail manager for 13 years.... When the company went out I lost my job.... I picked up manual construction labor for a little bit while it was available... That ended and I went on unemployment... There was nothing promising in NJ so I used it as a chance to get out... I moved to PA and found a new management position which I am in now.... I probably stayed on unemployment longer than I actually had to... But my concern is not the guy who takes 4 months longer than he needs to to find work.... Or the family that is in food stamps for 6 months because the primary bread winner dies or something.... These are reasonable situations that happen... My concern is those individuals that milk the system as a lifestyle....

 

I get that not all people are naturally evil... I get that people fall on hard times and need help.... But as a whole i see a ton of gross abuse...

 

I can get behind that.  And at the end of the day, the responsibility falls on those people to do whatever they can and to change that situation.  

 

That being said, I'd like to see what could happen if all of these people were properly educated.  I believe fall education standards has created most, if not all of this country's problems.  While I absolutely believe that many of those abusers would continue to do so under any circumstances, I also believe that many of them have never been taught another way.  I taught in Philly for a little while and saw kid and their parents regarding food stamps as if it was regular currency that everyone just used.  These kids would then go to school where they had this reinforced by their friends, while their teachers expressed little faith that they would have a different fate.  With a cycle that screwed up, many of these people don't see the other side as they haven't been exposed to the value of hard work as some of us more fortunate individuals have. 

 

For that reason, I think almost all government aid programs should be paired with some form of educational/skills-based training, or some contact with a social worker who can actually make sure that the person is able to turn themselves around or push through and move forward as you have.  Otherwise we just wait for droves to inevitably abuse the system or burden society by joining our ever-growing, extremely-flawed prison system.  

[Newtonian 446]

In this country, power outages and storms, which often occur together, are the most prevalent form of "disaster." Having a week's worth of food on hand will probably serve your disaster needs 99% of the time.

 

You might need 2 or 3 weeks' worth if the guys who deliver groceries to ShopRite go on strike, or if the power goes out for that length of time, but those are remote scenarios.

 

If you're talking third world, then yeah you have to worry about assholes breaking in and trying to eat you. It's happening in Argentina as I write this. Africa, fuggedaboudid.

 

You can make up all sorts of scenarios where things get a lot worse, especially in cities. You can avoid them by not living in cities. Remember, if the SHTF the human zombies will not reach you if you live 10-15 miles from major population areas. The roads will be clogged and they'll have no way to reach you. The population density and buildings where they live, which they can see, will be much more attractive to them than a **possible** place 20 miles away that they have to walk to.

 

I was in Mastodon Ammo a week and a half ago. An attractive woman walked in with a pistol permit and asked to look at guns. Joe was his usual gracious self. At one point the lady said, "I wouldn't want to live through some of the survival stuff that people talk about." 

 

I have to agree with her. If you have to board up your first floor windows and doors, and shoot anyone who comes onto your property, you're probably [original word, deleted by the board, past perfect participle of a common slang word for "copulate"].

[ElmerFudd 0]

If you have to board up your first floor windows and doors, and shoot anyone who comes onto your property, you're probably [original word, deleted by the board, past perfect participle of a common slang word for "copulate"].

 

This.

 

While you're going to fight back and try to survive for as long as possible just because it's a natural instinct, if things get to that point, the prospect of living will be pretty bleak anyway.  

[Norseman 2]

I can get behind that. And at the end of the day, the responsibility falls on those people to do whatever they can and to change that situation.

 

That being said, I'd like to see what could happen if all of these people were properly educated. I believe fall education standards has created most, if not all of this country's problems. While I absolutely believe that many of those abusers would continue to do so under any circumstances, I also believe that many of them have never been taught another way. I taught in Philly for a little while and saw kid and their parents regarding food stamps as if it was regular currency that everyone just used. These kids would then go to school where they had this reinforced by their friends, while their teachers expressed little faith that they would have a different fate. With a cycle that screwed up, many of these people don't see the other side as they haven't been exposed to the value of hard work as some of us more fortunate individuals have.

 

For that reason, I think almost all government aid programs should be paired with some form of educational/skills-based training, or some contact with a social worker who can actually make sure that the person is able to turn themselves around or push through and move forward as you have. Otherwise we just wait for droves to inevitably abuse the system or burden society by joining our ever-growing, extremely-flawed prison system.

Furthermore they view it as something that's OWED to them. They're not embarrassed and trying to get off ...to them it's a right and if it gets reduced or something when a kid turns 18 or something they get pissed. And these same people sit around and share ideas on how to bilk the system for more. I heard of one story where they reported that the grandmother was raising the granddaughter so that she could claim some kind of social security or something. And then when they said the child was old enough they're taking away the social security they said the grandmother needed special care and then claimed benefits in the grand daughters name! How do you like that??? (And I apologize for posting something so completely different from the OP)

 

 

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[johnott 5]

I consider prepping more than stockpiling or hoarding. I think it puts you on the path to self-sufficiency. There are a lot of skill sets that are virtually unknown to most people today; skills that were common knowledge in our parents and grandparents day. Some of these skills you may never have to use, but knowing them can give you a peace of mind that is priceless.

 

Today, everything we want or need comes from a store. If the economy would fail tomorrow what would you do? If hyper-inflation were to happen what would you do?

 

I know we cannot prepare for every scenario, but along with the physical necessities we put aside for emergencies, we should also consider skills that will help us be as self sufficient as possible.

[Njbanshee 9]

I'm not sure what event will happen, but I believe in my lifetime we will see a time of total devastation. I'm going to guess economical collapse, and/or natural disaster. I think the outcome will be similar. Food and fuel will not be available. Utilities may be out as well. They most likely will be. When people run out of supplies it will be complete chaos.

[Sota 1,174]

I see annual(ish) storm type events coming through now for the foreseeable future, doing as others have said damage to the infrastructure causing multi-day to multi-week loss of services. I try to look at as the rule of 3s...

3 minutes without air

3 days without food

3 weeks without water

 

If the issue is air, well we're all done for anyways.

When people start running out of food and hitting that 3 day time frame of NOT being able to obtain it from normal sources (grocery stores) that's when they'll start resorting to obtaining it via other avenues (theft.)

Same goes for a long term problem with the water supply. People will only put up with water bowsers coming in for so long before things start getting ugly.

 

Plan for what you can, and deal with as best as possible. When it gets too bad though you gotta go.

[Newtonian 446]

I see annual(ish) storm type events coming through now for the foreseeable future, doing as others have said damage to the infrastructure causing multi-day to multi-week loss of services. I try to look at as the rule of 3s...

3 minutes without air

 

You can hold your breath for 3 minutes? Hmmm.

[Banka871 0]

You have water and food backwards.

[Newtonian 446]

You have water and food backwards.

If I'm without food for 3 minutes I begin to panic.

[Norseman 2]

If I'm without food for 3 minutes I begin to panic.

Lmfao

 

 

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