This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I'll earn a small fee at no extra cost to you.*
When preparing for a disaster, preppers set aside all the basics: food, water, firearms, medical supplies, bug out bags, and so forth. They do this with the goal of being ready for almost every type of life threatening situation they can think of. But what about all the life threatening situations they don’t think of?
In any disaster, you’re likely to face unusual situations that never occurred to you before. And when that happens, you might find out you’re not as prepared as you thought you were. Even diehard survivalists can be caught off guard. So in this article, we’re going to look at a few examples of unexpected things that could happen after the SHTF.
1. Looters Imitate The Police – This is a bigger threat than most people realize. All preppers are aware that looters, burglars, and mobs will be out in full force, searching (and killing) for supplies in urban and suburban areas. That’s one reason preppers invest in guns, ammo, and other defensive measures. But many preppers don’t realize that these looters will have a few tricks up their sleeves… and one of those tricks will be to pose as law enforcement while wearing convincing uniforms. Doing this makes it easier for them to prey on the weak and vulnerable. Never let your guard down, even around the police.
2. The Government Confiscates Your Guns – If you really don’t think the state or local government will try to take your guns during a disaster, tell it to the poor folks who endured Hurricane Katrina. Thousands of guns were forcefully confiscated from citizens without due process when Katrina hit, effectively converting those citizens into victims for the dangerous looters who terrorized them. Fortunately, there’s a chance the government won’t know about any guns you have that were privately purchased or handed down to you from a family member. You could also try to hide them.
3. You Get Sick From All The Garbage – Today, we take sanitation services such as garbage disposal, soap, hand sanitizer, toilet paper, and running water for granted. However, an arguably greater threat than looters will be the lack of sanitation after the SHTF. Rotting garbage will be covering the ground and spreading disease to anyone who handles it (such as people who are desperately searching for supplies). Soap and sanitizer will become precious commodities, and the water either won’t be running or won’t be clean. So make sure you have plenty of sanitation supplies on hand along with two gallons of water per person per day (in addition to a water filter).
4. You Get Hit By a Stray Bullet – Urban and suburban neighborhoods stand a good chance of becoming war zones in an SHTF situation, and yet the overwhelming majority of those homes will be poorly fortified. In fact, you might not even be in the middle of a shootout and still be struck by a stray bullet even in your own home. Most bullets, including the little .22 LR, can still punch through walls and kill somebody. Avert this danger by investing in sandbags so you can barricade your windows, and consider replacing your wooden doors with steel ones.
5. You Bug Out to the Wild and Can’t Find Any Food – Many newbie preppers think that if a disaster happens, they can bug out the wild and live off the land by foraging for edible plants, fishing in streams, and hunting small game. But here’s the reality: There will be a LOT of people doing the exact same thing. There simply aren’t enough animals and natural resources to sustain all those people for so long, which is why you need to stockpile and grow your own food. Don’t forget that all of those people will be highly competitive as well.
6. You Get Shot By a Landowner – Let’s say you haven’t grown or stockpiled your own food, so you’re forced to hunt or forage in the wood. As I said in the last example, this probably won’t go well since the land will likely be picked clean. But another reason it won’t go well is because of whoever owns the land. Armed farmers, ranchers, and landowners alike will all be working hard to keep people off their property, including you. Make sure you know where you are and whose land you’re on. If you do have to bug out, here are some places you can go.
7. You End Up Alone – If you have a family of your own, this one may not apply to you. But it’s still important to talk about. Many preppers figure they can survive as a crafty loner. After all, surviving alone requires less food and supplies than a group. But here’s the truth: In the earliest days of human history, even the most primitive people banded together to survive. If you’re by yourself, it’s impossible to do everything on your own–finding food, preparing it, patrolling the area, sleeping, maintaining heat sources, among other priorities. With a group, you may have more mouths to feed, but you can still keep 24/7 operations up and running.
8. Your Neighbors Turn On You – Wait a minute, your neighbors will be a threat in a disaster? Hopefully they won’t, but it’s a very real possibility. Regardless of whether you live in an urban or rural environment, if word spreads that you’re a prepper with a goldmine of supplies, there’s the risk that your desperate neighbors will turn on you and take everything you have. You can avoid this by keeping your prepping activities a secret, or by coordinating with your neighbors to voluntarily share resources and manpower. Here’s what to do if your neighbors find out you’re a prepper.
9. You Have a Mental Breakdown – You might think you’re tough now, but if you’re facing the end of the world as we know it, you might find out you’re not as tough as you thought. Most people don’t realize just how unraveled they can become when disaster strikes. The more insecure you become, the more likely you are to make dangerous mistakes that could get you killed. So while things are still okay, learn how to stay calm during a disaster.
Looking at the above statements I find much useful information. Having just taken my pain meds I will try to make use of my time as I may. To prefecice I want to say I was born and raised in Detroit Michigan. I am a product of the Government school system that started its downward slide just after the war. Ok enough about my history and on to the subject. In an event that will take many lives the one thing insured in an area as large as Wayne county is we will be guaranteed many. During and after the event we will have about two million who are used going to the market for food. This alone will be the single cause of death. We will see many try to exit. The roadways jammed and with two million trying to find food and shelter they will destroy as much as would be consumed. To be sure the people who have prepared will be armed and will protect what they have. More death. With the rule of three we will need water. In Michigan this isn’t too hard to come by. the other is food and in about four weeks the people who haven’t eaten will be dead. Now comes the pestilence for what water we have will be corrupted and foul. Disease will kill even more. Now that I have barely touched on the bad news I may have some good news. If I can get people to listen. I call it plan “B” Unfortunately it would require cooperation from government. That is the bad part of the good news. The citizen needs to realize that the answer to their problems are not out in the country. Movement outward will as I have said destroy much, and to the point that will make the land useless to produce the food to sustain us. An immediate shift into a mode of conservation and ration. We have all seen the stories of the fema camps. They will work if one they have food for the people they house, and if they can get them there. I ask why spend the resources to transport people for a temporary solution. If the event is indeed temporary It would work but as we say in New Orleans not well at all. My answer is to use the resources at hand, the ones you know and the people you know.
Fire or flood will be the only exception. This will force you to move. How much do we need to prepare? Again the rule of three guides us. Water and the way to find and clean it. Food is necessary. the amount will vary greatly according the calorie count of the food and the amount expended every day. Having a box of MRE’s are not enough. Many will find their children will not eat them. This will weaken them and provide more problems. Better off with crackers and peanut butter.
Again planning will be valued and an understanding of how long food will last. Other than government involvement the major problem will be to convince the people to stay put and plan for the events, I would show them that it is easier to stay within a group of organized people that has water, food and protection than to venture out with no destination ans risk the competition you would face with others for the same food and water. Now I must end this for now for I feel Myself slowing down with the meds kicking in. I need to find a regular forum to explain plan “B” Thanks for reading.
Grampa