Our panel of experts answers the age-old question ‘If you could only grab one gun when SHTF, what would it be?’

The question is pretty commonly heard at gun shops, barbecues and shooting ranges. Every shooter knows it, and every shooter thinks about it. What gun would you choose if you could only have one gun? It seems simple, but experts and enthusiasts alike know how difficult it can be.

The question gets a little trickier when we add a caveat: What if it’s during the apocalypse? Now you have to consider ammunition; if you run out of ammo, will you be able to scrounge some up? What about hunting and self-defense?

Answering this question can be difficult, but that’s why we’ve assembled an assortment of industry experts to offer their opinions. On top of learning more about each of these gurus, these answers can also help you formulate your own.

Nick Collier

• Affiliation: DoubleStar Corp.
• Position: Senior Executive, DoubleStar, Training Academy Instructor
• SHTF Gun: AR-15

I’d choose an AR-15 for a SHTF situation. That’s an easy choice. I have had this conversation many times with industry associates as well as family members and friends. With the thousands of variations available, the AR-15 is the best choice. My decision is based on the following: training, reliability, ease of use, size and ammunition.

I have spent ample time training on this firearm. I feel like I would be able to handle the weapon in a variety of situations. Whether I am in a rural setting taking distant shots or a densely populated area, the AR-15 is capable of kill shots in excess of 300 yards, and it’s short enough to maneuver in urban terrain.

The reliability of the AR-15 is only as good as the sum of its parts. When built with quality components, the AR-15 will perform in most any condition, as proven by our military and law enforcement over the years. I adhere to the “buy once, cry once” principal when buying gear. Go ahead and pay for the good stuff and you won’t have to buy it again.

Ease of use is another big factor. Not everyone is a trained firearms enthusiast, so you may encounter situations where you are unable to fire and need to teach someone in your group to return fire or hunt for food. The AR is very basic and easy to use. My 9-year-old son has been shooting one since he was big enough to hold it up, and in my training experience, it doesn’t take much to get the average person up to speed safely.

The size of the AR-15 makes it easy to carry. If you have ever covered a long distance on foot, you know every ounce you are carrying counts. Moving through obstacles also requires a small, compact firearm. Any hunter can tell you that climbing over fallen trees and rough terrain is easier with a smaller, shorter rifle, and the AR-15 can be made short to carry and adjusted for the correct length of pull with collapsible stocks.

The last and maybe biggest factor is ammunition. The AR-15’s standard 5.56mm cartridge is big enough to put down small- to medium-sized targets with well-placed shots. Whether it’s a zombie horde or a whitetail dinner that comes into the scope, the 5.56mm cartridge can handle it. Carrying six to ten 30-round magazines on your plate carrier or in your backpack still leaves room for things like water, food and medical supplies on your trek without adding too much bulk or weight. Other factors include caliber conversions for larger ammunition and parts availability. The AR-15 is the most popular rifle in America, and it should be easy to find ammunition and parts while scavenging. For these reasons, the AR-15 is the ideal SHTF firearm.

Mike Detty

• Affiliation: Mad Dawg Global Marketing, Inc.
• Position:President
• SHTF Gun: AR-15 carbine

Guns are tools, and each of them has been designed to perform a certain job. Unfortunately, an event of apocalyptic proportions can limit our choices, so the selection of just one gun is extremely critical. To me, this means choosing a gun that has a great degree of versatility. My pick would be an AR-15 carbine.

For many years I competed in USPSA competition and considered myself an above- average shooter, and I own many nice, custom 1911 pistols. But I have enough experience behind a carbine to know that no matter how much I practice with my pistol, I will never be able to shoot one as accurately as one of my AR-15 carbines. AR-15s are accurate while the 5.56mm cartridge is light on recoil, making this combination especially effective and easy to shoot for all family members.

Besides the precision of a carbine, there is also the capacity factor. Thirty-round AR magazines are abundantly available at bargain prices. My own home-defense guns all use 40-round Magpul 5.56mm magazines.

Flattop carbines are especially versatile and offer the shooter the ability to use folding backup sights, reflex sights or a scope depending on the task at hand. Free-floating handguards make it easy to attach lights, lasers and other accessories to aid the shooter.

The AR’s modular design also makes it easy to switch uppers—i.e., convert the gun from a short M4-style carbine to a long-range precision rifle with ease. Guns can even be converted to hard-hitting calibers like the .458 SOCOM or inexpensive .22 LR.

The ubiquitous of the AR-15 makes its choice a logical one in a doomsday scenario. Parts, magazines and ammunition should be easier to find with such a popular gun. Unwanted parts or accessories should also make for good trading fodder.

My own choice for home defense is an AR-15 SBR with a 7-inch barrel, a flash suppressor and a red dot reflex sight. In the event of an unimaginable catastrophe where I can only grab one gun before I leave my home, I would feel very well protected with my AR-15!

Mykel Hawke

• Affiliation: U.S. Army Special Forces veteran, survival instructor, author, star of the Travel Channel’s “Lost Survivors”
• Position: Founder and Director of SpecOps Adventures and Training
• SHTF Gun: Scavenger 6 by Ralston Arms

Like any skilled person, I prefer to use the right tool for the task. However, sometimes you have to make do and improvise. As a survival guy, I live with a long machete, large, medium and small knives and a backup. The same principles apply for my weapons; I have sniper rifles, shotguns, AR-15s, pistols. But if I must choose just one weapon, I want the one that will give me the biggest bang for the buck, which means it has the most utility and versatility.

So, for me, the best all-around weapon to carry in a bug-out situation would be the Scavenger 6 by Ralston Arms. Designed by one of the most creative survival inventor/designer guys I’ve ever met, Tim Ralston, it’s a weapon that can shoot 21 different calibers. In a survival situation, you never know what kind of ammo will be available. It’s very likely you’ll sooner or later expend whatever ammo you have stored and you can’t always carry all the ammo with you, but if your weapon will shoot whatever is around, you’re well ahead of the power curve, and in a crisis, that could be the difference between surviving and pushing up daisies.

Jared Hinton

• Affiliation: Vista Outdoor
• Position: Communications Coordinator for Firearms & Ammunition
• SHTF Gun: Savage 11 Hog Hunter

I’m a bolt-action fanatic, and a gunsmith first. Somewhere deep down inside me, I still believe that the autoloading firearm is a passing fad; lever actions, bolts and revolvers are simple mechanical mechanisms that still rise to the top of my list if SHTF. Don’t get me wrong—I play with the AR platform, and I’ve assembled more ARs than I can count. The AR-15 is a great option if you expect a firefight. My primary concern is a simple rifle that anyone can operate and maintain should I become immobilized. Backup iron sights are mandatory. If anything happens to the optic, I can’t be stuck guessing where I am shooting. I need to be able to harvest game while having the ability to stop two-legged varmints. No excess hanging off the gun, waiting to get caught on brush while moving. Simplicity.

I value the ability to make one shot matter, and believe the Savage 11 Hog Hunter rifle in .223 Remington would be tough to beat if things got bad in a hurry. The Model 11 Hog Hunter comes in at 7.25 pounds, so it’s no flyweight, but I’ll take the extra weight of the medium-contour barrel for better off-hand control on target. Pre-threaded for a suppressor, the medium-contour barrel won’t submit to point-of-impact shifts that a sporter-weight barrel will with a suppressor out front. I’d top the rifle with a Weaver Classic 1-3x24mm optic in Weaver rings. Light, simple, reliable and the adjustable LPA sights ensure I can hit what I’m aiming at no matter the situation. With an optic, I can keep the entire package under 10 pounds, which is a reasonable threshold for days on the move.

Moving parts and reciprocating mass are more likely to wear, raising concerns over long-term maintenance. Autoloaders have a tendency to make a person waste ammo with extra trigger pulls. The Hog Hunter is compact, made to be hauled through the stuff no one wants to move through, precisely where I’ll be lurking. The Savage action is extremely strong, and should I come across ammo that is questionable, I know that the chances of the action failing are all but nonexistent. The zero-headspace system of the Savage barrel nut and floating bolt head give me a 100-percent reliable lockup that guarantees maximum accuracy and safety.

By choosing the .223 Remington as my caliber, I can carry a high volume of ammo. I need to pack as much ammo on my person as possible. While we’re at it, make it 69-grain Federal Gold Medal rounds; I need to know I’m hitting exactly where I’m aiming. Federal’s Gold Medal Match ammunition is sufficient to engage targets out to 600 yards while I make evasive maneuvers. It also doesn’t hurt that I have a large stockpile of it cached at the farm. It’s not designed for expansion, so it doesn’t excessively damage rabbits, pheasants and vermin that I may need to eat. I also have a decent supply of Fusion ammo stashed around; the 62-grain bonded bullet is more than sufficient for the biggest Minnesota deer I’ll encounter.

If SHTF, my goal is to avoid a close-range confrontation. I don’t need to eliminate most threats—I just need to slow them down long enough for me to get out of the area. Being discreet is my go-to plan, and getting to and holding our farm ground would be my top priority. The Model 11 Hog Hunter is versatile enough that I could trust my life with it when the going gets tough.

Jason Morton

• Affiliation: CZ-USA
• Position: Vice President of Marketing
• SHTF Gun: CZ Scorpion EVO

If SHTF, I can assume that I’m not expecting a typical self-defense scenario, which our daily-carry pocket dump anticipates in these pre-apocalypse times. Instead I have to assume that we can expect multiple encounters with multiple targets. Since my first choice, air support, isn’t an option, I’m reduced to choosing only one gun.

Whatever I choose has to accomplish three goals: have adequate stopping power against multiple targets, be easy to carry with lots of ammo and, given the likelihood of a target rich environment, be common enough in caliber to have a reasonable expectation of finding more ammo when necessary. The multiple-target expectation means that for me, I need semi-auto capability. It also needs to be maneuverable both indoors and out. I think an SBR is just the ticket here. Assuming there is no government at this point, an SBR won’t require a tax stamp—just a hacksaw.

Caliber-wise, I like the .22 LR because I can carry lots of ammunition with me. Unfortunately, I have to find that ammo first and haven’t had very good luck doing that for several years. I know bunches of people are hoarding it in their basements, but if I try to scavenge it from there, I’m very likely to become one of their targets. Let’s say that the .22 LR won’t work due to ammo availability, and we don’t even need to consider stopping power for this one. The 5.56mm and 9mm calibers are going to be the most commonly encountered rounds. They are close enough to the same overall bullet weight that we can call choosing one over the other a draw. For stopping power though, the 5.56mm  NATO has to get the nod, assuming I can come up with something other than FMJs, but that’s not a guarantee.

The 5.56mm gives me more range over the 9mm, but I’m more concerned with multiple close targets, so a 9mm carbine or submachine gun is probably going to be my go-to gun in this scenario. It’s got plenty of magazine capacity, good stopping power with the defensive loads most commonly found in the caliber, and it generates low recoil. The 9mm is lighter in weight than a 5.56mm carbine and with a folding stock, and it’s easily concealed. Some might accuse me of being a little biased here, but my top pick has to be the CZ Scorpion EVO for my SHTF gear bag. The Scorpion is fast and reliable. Add a red dot and a suppressor and it’s even better.

Sean Murphy

• Affiliation: Nightforce Optics
• Position: Marketing Communications Manager
• SHTF Gun: DEVGRU “RECCE” carbine

In the event of a true SHTF situation, we must accept that our “normal” day isn’t so normal. If I am limited to taking just one firearm to help me solve problems in a SHTF environment, it’s going to be a rifle.

In my eyes, it is hard to beat the all-around qualities of a good AR-15 carbine. My personal favorite for “the one” is a modern interpretation of the DEVGRU “RECCE” carbine. This upgraded AR-15 has a medium-contour, 16-inch, stainless steel, match barrel; a slim, 15-inch handguard; a muzzle device to accept a suppressor; a collapsible buttstock; and a match trigger. When paired with a good optic/ammo combination, you now have a very effective platform to deliver rounds accurately on target at any practical distance.

Topping off the carbine would be a Nightforce 2.5-10X riflescope, attached in a Nightforce Ultralite Unimount. This piece of glass is a perfect all-around optic that enables close/fast firing at low power, and up to 10X power for target indentification and shooting at longer-range targets. Quality ammo with heavy 69- to 77-grain projectiles or a premium- bonded bullet would be fed through the rifle for the best balance of accuracy and maximum terminal effect downrange.

The moderate weight and overall handiness of this package makes it easy for such a combination to accompany me on many trips hunting for deer, ridding fields of prairie dogs, competing in field/action rifle matches and countless trips to the range. The carbine is not too heavy to carry in hand or on a sling and is a good size to stash in a vehicle. I can deliver precision fire out to 600 yards with reliability (and a little farther on good days), but also engage targets at CQB ranges with ease. Other qualities to like about this setup are the plethora of magazines available, light recoil, ease of operation and perhaps most importantly, reliable operation. As higher-level maintenance or repairs became necessary; the parts availability and limited tools required make it an easy task for a competent person to handle.

Additionally, lights, lasers, bipods, night-vision devices and a whole range of other accessories can be added or removed to suit a particular use or environment. Chambered in 5.56mm NATO, this setup can also accommodate nearly any .223/5.56mm ammo one had stashed or had to scrounge.

If things go seriously wrong in my part of the world, my anticipated threat levels are going to go up, and my armament levels will go up to match. While a handgun provides an easy solution to carry all day, the energy on target, effective range, ammunition capacity and modularity of an AR-15 rifle cannot be ignored. My preference for an “accurized” carbine provides a balanced set of features for nearly any use, from hunting to defense or even limited offense if needed. I like having options to deal with problems, and my “RECCE” gun would be the one to grab.

Robin Sharpless

• Affiliation: Redding Reloading
• Position: Executive Vice President
• SHTF Gun: Marlin 1894C

This is a very fun question to answer. It gives insight into both professional and personal preferences. Many will look at personal interest and or a favorite cartridge. Others will think about the sexiest gun to have during this time. For me, I’ll be driven by practicality.

As an avid handloader, my decision will be driven by something that is effective on wild game for food and predators, be they two- or four-legged. But it also must conducive to being handloaded and offer real versatility. Therefore, my choice is a .357 Magnum lever-action rifle, the Marlin 1894C. With its 18-inch barrel, it can generate enough energy to kill a deer, disable an attacker and handle coyotes but is also compact and convenient enough for easy carrying. Mine would sport a peep sight that works very well for my eyes, and the rifle’s overall handling characteristics make it a good choice for instinctive or point shooting when necessary.

From the reloading front, the choice of the .357 Magnum allows for the use of a variety of powders and, most importantly, the ability to simply and easily cast bullets for future use. Hopefully I’ll have a large stock of good projectiles on hand, but if that’s not the case, this caliber is a simple one to cast bullets for, regardless of what that dark future may hold.

Since the .357 Magnum has a straight-walled case, I won’t need to have lube for sizing. It is extremely easy to load for, and long case life is a positive. Additionally, in a future where we may have to scrounge for components. With that in mind, .357 Magnum and .38 Special brass is going to be relatively easy to find. Through creative loading we can create a range of offerings from quiet, low-velocity, low-flash defense loads to heavy-bullet loads capable of taking deer-sized North American game for food. While I would not tackle a grizzly bear, I would have confidence with this rifle on a black bear, which, by the way, could produce lube for my cast bullets if needed, with a heavy bullet and slower powder.

Bill Wilson

• Affiliation: Wilson Combat
• Position: President and Founder
• SHTF Gun: Wilson Combat Tactical Lightweight .308 (rural), Wilson Combat AR9B(urban)

I think there are two different answers to this question based on where I am geographically. If I’m living on my ranch in rural Texas when SHTF and I can only have one firearm for the foreseeable future, my pick would be a lightweight .308 Winchester AR with a 14.7-inch barrel. I’d hopefully also have two additional upper receivers—in 6.5 Creedmoor and .338 Federal—with 18-inch, crowned-muzzle barrels for longer-range defense and more killing power for hunting. I’d really feel pretty naked without a handgun on my side since I carry one 24/7, but the question was one gun, and a .308 Winchester AR would handle most any defensive situation I would likely encounter in rural Texas and still put meat on the table as needed. Also .308 ammunition is pretty common in this neck of the woods—not that I don’t always have plenty on hand!

My setup would be as follows: I’d choose a Wilson Combat Tactical Lightweight .308 with a 14.7-inch barrel and a permanently attached Q-Comp flash suppressor. I’d add a top-quality optic like a Leupold 2-12x42mm VX-6 riflescope as well as a Streamlight TLR-1 HL weapon light and a sturdy Blue Force Gear Vickers two-point sling.

If allowed, my extra 6.5 Creedmoor upper would have a mid-weight, 18-inch, crowned-muzzle barrel and a Leupold 2-12x42mm VX-6 scope. The .338 Federal upper would have a light “Hunter” 18-inch, crowned-muzzle barrel and the same scope.

If I am in a large city on business (I would never live in a city!) when SHTF and I can only have one firearm for the foreseeable future, my answer changes. For this one I’m assuming total society breakdown and chaos in the city. For that, the need for concealed carry is a thing of the past. That being said, I’d go with one of our new AR9B 9mm carbines that uses Beretta 92/M9 magazines, which I normally take with me when I travel. In a true SHTF situation in an urban area, I want to be prepared for multiple assailants at relatively short ranges.

A light and short carbine that is easy to carry and deploy in tight places would be very handy. A 9mm carbine would also allow me to carry a lot of ammunition, and using subsonic loads, it would be almost as quiet as a suppressed 5.56mm. An additional plus would be the very likely chance that eventually I would be able to acquire a 9mm pistol, and ammunition compatibility would be a good thing.

For this setup I’d choose a Wilson Combat AR9B with a fluted, 14.7-inch barrel and a permanently attached Q-Comp flash suppressor. I’d use a Leupold 1-6x24mm VX-6 scope and an Aimpoint CompM4s, both in QD mounts, as well as a Streamlight TLR-1 HL weapon light and a Blue Force Gear Vickers two-point sling.

A good stockpile of food will go a long way toward helping you survive the aftermath of any disaster or life crisis, especially when grocery stores are emptied.

In fact, I’d go so far as to say that there are people who are not preppers who nevertheless instinctively know to stockpile food. This really isn’t surprising when you consider that through most of mankind’s history, stockpiling food was essential to survival — specifically surviving the winter months. During those months, wildlife is bedded down trying to stay warm and plants are dormant. If one didn’t have a good stockpile of food, their chances of survival were pretty darn slim.

But knowing to stockpile food and knowing what to stockpile are two different things. The vast majority of what the average American family eats is unsuitable for stockpiling, because it falls into one of three categories:

• Junk food – Lots of carbs, lots of sugar, lots of salt and lots of chemicals, but not much nutrition.
• Fresh food – Foods that won’t keep without refrigeration.
• Frozen food – It will begin to spoil within two days of losing electrical power.

So we need to come up with other foods — foods that will give us a lot of nutrition and also have the ability to be stored for a prolonged period of time. Here are what we consider the 19 most important ones:

1. Beans – This is one of the more common survival foods. Not only are beans plentiful and cheap, but they provide a lot of protein — something that’s hard to find without meat.

2. White rice – The perfect companion to beans. An excellent source of carbohydrates, and it stores well. [Note: Don’t store brown rice, which contains oils and will spoil.]

3. Canned vegetables – A good way of adding micro-nutrients to your survival diet. Canned goods keep well, long past the expiration date on the label.

4. Canned fruit – For something sweet, adding canned fruit allows you a nice change of diet. Being canned, they keep as well as the vegetables do.

5. Canned meats – Of all the ways of preserving meat, canning is the most secure in protecting the meat from decomposition. While it doesn’t typically have as good a flavor as fresh meat, it still provides animal protein at the most reasonable price you’ll find.

6. Honey – As long as you can keep the ants out of it, honey keeps forever. Plus, it is beneficial during cold season.

7. Salt – Nature’s preservative. Most means of preserving foods require the use of salt. In addition, our bodies need to consume salt for survival.

8. Pasta products – Pasta is a great source of carbohydrates, allowing you a lot of variety in your cooing. Besides that, it’s a great comfort food for kids. Who doesn’t like spaghetti?

9. Spaghetti sauce – Obviously, you need this to go with the pasta. But it is also great for hiding the flavor of things your family doesn’t like to eat. Pretty much anything, with spaghetti sauce on it, tastes like Italian food — whether you’re talking about some sort of unusual vegetable or a raccoon that you caught pilfering from your garden.

10. Jerky – While expensive to buy, jerky is pure meat, with only the addition of spices. Its high salt content allows it to store well, making it a great survival food. It can be reconstituted by adding it to soups and allowing it to cook.

11. Peanut butter – Another great source of protein and another great comfort food, especially for the kiddies. It might be a good idea to stockpile some jelly to go with it.

12. Wheat flour – For baking, especially baking bread. Bread is an important source of carbohydrates for most Americans. Flour also allows you to shake up the diet with the occasional batch of cookies or a cake.

13. Baking powder & baking soda – Also for making the bread, cookies or cakes.

14. Bouillon – Otherwise known as “soup starter,” this allows you to make the broth without having to boil bones on the stove for hours. Soups will probably be an important part of anyone’s diet in a survival situation, as they allow you to eat almost anything. Just throw it together in a pot and you’ve got soup.

15. Water – We don’t want to forget to stockpile a good supply of water. You’ll go through much more than you expect. Experts recommend a minimum of one gallon per person per day, but remember: That’s just for drinking.

16. Whole-wheat –Crackers are a good replacement for bread and make a fine substitute when making sandwiches. Due to their higher fat content, whole-wheat or whole-grain crackers have a shorter shelf life than their plain counterparts (check the box for expiration dates), but the extra fiber pays off when you’re particularly hungry. Consider vacuum-packing your crackers to prolong their freshness.

17. Nuts and trail mixes – Stock up on these high-energy foods—they’re healthful and convenient for snacking. Look for vacuum-packed containers, which prevent the nuts from oxidizing and losing their freshness.

18. Powdered milk –Almost all dairy products require refrigeration, so stock this substitute for an excellent source of calcium and vitamin D when fresh milk isn’t an option.

19.Multivitamins –Supplements will help replace the nutrients you would have consumed on a normal diet.

While this doesn’t constitute a complete list of every type of food that you should stockpile, it’s a good starting point. You’ll want more variety than this, but in reality, your family can survive for quite a while with just the 15 things on this list.

As your stockpile grows, add variety to it. One way of doing that is to create a three-week menu, with the idea of repeating that menu over and over. If you have everything you need to cook everything on that menu, you’ll have a fair assortment of food, and enough so that your family shouldn’t grow tired of it.

A good stockpile of food will go a long way toward helping you survive the aftermath of any disaster or life crisis, especially when grocery stores are emptied.

In fact, I’d go so far as to say that there are people who are not preppers who nevertheless instinctively know to stockpile food. This really isn’t surprising when you consider that through most of mankind’s history, stockpiling food was essential to survival — specifically surviving the winter months. During those months, wildlife is bedded down trying to stay warm and plants are dormant. If one didn’t have a good stockpile of food, their chances of survival were pretty darn slim.

Preparedness Hacks: Once a nuke is heading your way, you might think that there isn’t much left to do, but you would be wrong!

Because we will show you America’s natural nuclear bunkers that are also EMP proof. When the sirens start wailing, all you need to do is pick the closest one to your home, where you can take cover before it hits.

But knowing to stockpile food and knowing what to stockpile are two different things. The vast majority of what the average American family eats is unsuitable for stockpiling, because it falls into one of three categories:

• Junk food – Lots of carbs, lots of sugar, lots of salt and lots of chemicals, but not much nutrition.
• Fresh food – Foods that won’t keep without refrigeration.
• Frozen food – It will begin to spoil within two days of losing electrical power.

So we need to come up with other foods — foods that will give us a lot of nutrition and also have the ability to be stored for a prolonged period of time. Here are what we consider the 19 most important ones:

1. Beans – This is one of the more common survival foods. Not only are beans plentiful and cheap, but they provide a lot of protein — something that’s hard to find without meat.

Here are 23 survival uses for honey that you didn’t knowabout.

2. White rice – The perfect companion to beans. An excellent source of carbohydrates, and it stores well. [Note: Don’t store brown rice, which contains oils and will spoil.]

3. Canned vegetables – A good way of adding micro-nutrients to your survival diet. Canned goods keep well, long past the expiration date on the label.

4. Canned fruit – For something sweet, adding canned fruit allows you a nice change of diet. Being canned, they keep as well as the vegetables do.

5. Canned meats – Of all the ways of preserving meat, canning is the most secure in protecting the meat from decomposition. While it doesn’t typically have as good a flavor as fresh meat, it still provides animal protein at the most reasonable price you’ll find.

6. Honey – As long as you can keep the ants out of it, honey keeps forever. Plus, it is beneficial during cold season.

7. Salt – Nature’s preservative. Most means of preserving foods require the use of salt. In addition, our bodies need to consume salt for survival.

8. Pasta products – Pasta is a great source of carbohydrates, allowing you a lot of variety in your cooing. Besides that, it’s a great comfort food for kids. Who doesn’t like spaghetti?

9. Spaghetti sauce – Obviously, you need this to go with the pasta. But it is also great for hiding the flavor of things your family doesn’t like to eat. Pretty much anything, with spaghetti sauce on it, tastes like Italian food — whether you’re talking about some sort of unusual vegetable or a raccoon that you caught pilfering from your garden.

New Survival Energy Product Makes Every Window A Powerful Solar Charger

10. Jerky – While expensive to buy, jerky is pure meat, with only the addition of spices. Its high salt content allows it to store well, making it a great survival food. It can be reconstituted by adding it to soups and allowing it to cook.

11. Peanut butter – Another great source of protein and another great comfort food, especially for the kiddies. It might be a good idea to stockpile some jelly to go with it.

12. Wheat flour – For baking, especially baking bread. Bread is an important source of carbohydrates for most Americans. Flour also allows you to shake up the diet with the occasional batch of cookies or a cake.

13. Baking powder & baking soda – Also for making the bread, cookies or cakes.

14. Bouillon – Otherwise known as “soup starter,” this allows you to make the broth without having to boil bones on the stove for hours. Soups will probably be an important part of anyone’s diet in a survival situation, as they allow you to eat almost anything. Just throw it together in a pot and you’ve got soup.

15. Water – We don’t want to forget to stockpile a good supply of water. You’ll go through much more than you expect. Experts recommend a minimum of one gallon per person per day, but remember: That’s just for drinking.

16. Whole-wheat –Crackers are a good replacement for bread and make a fine substitute when making sandwiches. Due to their higher fat content, whole-wheat or whole-grain crackers have a shorter shelf life than their plain counterparts (check the box for expiration dates), but the extra fiber pays off when you’re particularly hungry. Consider vacuum-packing your crackers to prolong their freshness.

17. Nuts and trail mixes – Stock up on these high-energy foods—they’re healthful and convenient for snacking. Look for vacuum-packed containers, which prevent the nuts from oxidizing and losing their freshness.

18. Powdered milk –Almost all dairy products require refrigeration, so stock this substitute for an excellent source of calcium and vitamin D when fresh milk isn’t an option.

19.Multivitamins –Supplements will help replace the nutrients you would have consumed on a normal diet.

While this doesn’t constitute a complete list of every type of food that you should stockpile, it’s a good starting point. You’ll want more variety than this, but in reality, your family can survive for quite a while with just the 15 things on this list.

As your stockpile grows, add variety to it. One way of doing that is to create a three-week menu, with the idea of repeating that menu over and over. If you have everything you need to cook everything on that menu, you’ll have a fair assortment of food, and enough so that your family shouldn’t grow tired of it.

During a SHTF situation, pain could become an annoyance for some, but unbearable for others.

If doctors are scarce and medicine becomes even scarcer, this one little weed, found all over North America and similar to morphine, could be a saving grace.

Dealing with this subject has been quite difficult for me. Both the concept of the state stripping you of everything and the SHTF concept have as many backgrounds as diverse interpretations, so trying to approach this from a single point of view is a complicated task.

In my country, Venezuela, after 20 years of “revolution,” we have bottomed out and learned to live in situations we never imagined (so much so that I was able to write an article on survival techniques I never imagined myself using on daily basis).

It’s not that the governments before Hugo Chavez were much better. But there was a much more stable political and economic situation with access to the international market.In 1999, when Chávez’s government was instated, oil prices were the highest in Venezuela’s history. The newly born Communist policy in the country was hardly felt and had very few repercussions on the professional citizens who lived on a monthly salary.

During a SHTF situation, pain could become an annoyance for some, but unbearable for others.

If doctors are scarce and medicine becomes even scarcer, this one little weed, found all over North America and similar to morphine, could be a saving grace.

That’s probably why those first few years didn’t really feel like something was taken away from us. In addition, the newly elected president had a 60% popular approval rating and promised endless opportunities for the neediest people.

One of the first economic policies was the implementation of exchange control, currently in effect. Any operation with foreign currency was managed by the state. Later came the control of the prices of basic products, which caused the disappearance of those items and initiated a black market that is also very much in force to this day.The real problem began in 2004 with the accelerated decrease in oil prices that translated into a lower income for the government. Remember that we are talking about an oil-reliant country.

The decay was soon seen in many aspects. There was no longer maintenance on public roads, and public services failed often until reaching the point of constant failures of electric service, even for days.

The public health situation is also getting worse and worse. As a health professional, I have seen this deterioration for the last 10 years.

I am an oncologic breast surgeon. In Venezuela, breast cancer is the main cause of death from cancer in women. However, in the hospital where I work, the most important hospital in Caracas, there are no basic services for this issue. No chemotherapy, the radiotherapy equipment has been inoperative since 2015, and surgical procedures are suspended every week.

Experts predict that an EMP strike that wipes out electricity across the nation would ultimately lead to the demise of up to 90% of the population. However, this figure begs an important question: if we were able to live thousands of years without even the concept of electricity, why would we suddenly all die without it?

For me, as a doctor, it is frustrating not to be able to help my patients in any way. Just last week two breast cancer patients who were going to the operating room were suspended for the fourth time in a row. This time the anesthesia machine was failing.

The purchasing power of the Venezuelan citizen also decreased. It seemed to have happened from one day to the next, but if you look at the political situation since 1988, the decline took a long time; all that was left was to hit rock bottom.

Finding ourselves in extreme situations makes our defense system act in a primitive way. This means activating the fight or flight response at any time within any context—and yes, the state takes advantage of that.

The state will rip you off, but it doesn’t happen all of a sudden. There are a lot of logistics; it takes a long time to develop the kind of policy that makes citizens totally dependent on the state.

You start by losing something unimportant, like some kind of monetary bonus now given to you as government-run grocery store credits, and you end up losing your freedom and all kinds of rights, including freedom of speech and protest, but these issues are so extensive that they require an article of their own to explain them properly.

The state has taken charge, with great success I must say, and you are now living in fear of the so-called public authorities, meaning police and military police, since they serve as pro-government forces of repression.

Many of us have lost the incentive to go out and protest. We did it for more than 10 years. However, I have seen the evolution of the manifestations before and now.

I remember 2003 when repression was minimal, almost non-existent. Today many friends who still have the strength to continue have gotten gas masks in order to defend themselves from the hundreds of tear gas grenades used by the authorities that should be defending people.

In any public protest, savage repression is a constant. That violence is what we Venezuelans have become used to.When there is no public or social security, when the devaluation of the currency is occurring on a daily basis, and when you don’t know if the bakery on the corner is going to be broken into tomorrow, at that moment, the debacle has already occurred.

Defending oneself from these kinds of problems is as difficult as trying to explain them. Many have chosen to leave and seek a future in other countries. That way the state even strips you of your own country by causing you to become self-exiled.

I don’t blame them. We all have more than one family member or close friend who has been kidnapped or stolen from violently, and sadly, all we can say is “You should be thankful you weren’t killed”.

Personal security becomes a problem of epic proportions, to the extent that going out on the street is considered a risky activity—a risk to which, unfortunately, you have to get used to in order to live a normal life.Living in that state of continuous stress in which your rights are violated, in cities where, despite paying high taxes, everything seems to be in ruins, is part of that hopelessness that the state achieves in the individual.

Living in a place where a good monthly salary fora top executive, for example, does not reach $100 a month, is not easy, especially taking into consideration that a basic shopping list for a family of four can cost up to $140 monthly.

So the mismanagement of incompetent and corrupt civil servants results in the deep separation of three social classes: extreme poverty, which represents more than 80% of the population and is totally dependent on the government; the working middle class, which manages to subsist through one or two basic incomes plus the economic help of family members abroad; and those who do business with the government and can live in a very comfortable, ideal world that has nothing to do with reality.

Of course, there are exceptions to this, and some people have high incomes without being involved in dubious businesses.

It is sad to see how fourth-level professionals, trained in the country, must leave in order to provide for their families.

I know it is not a unique situation in the world—it has happened and will continue to happen—but it is very different to read about it than to see it sitting in the front row or even being the leading character.

Nowadays it is the common denominator, and more and more qualified professionals and technicians step into the international airport in search of a better quality of life.That’s why there is a whole generation that has no kind of roots in their country and only waits for the opportunity to leave.

I think the worst part of all this is the desolation sown in all of us. It seems to be an endless story, with the political disqualification of opposition leaders, political prisoners, and many more vexations.

Writing all this is not easy, but it makes me reflect. It is an exercise in introspection. Without a doubt, the state strips you of everything in its eagerness to stay in charge. That’s the way they do it.

There comes a point at which the only thing in your mind is to know if you will return home alive. Everything else is secondary. At that point, the state has already massacred you internally. You can never be the same again. I’m sure I am not.

Even if you are a person who is not involved in politics, an “apolitical” citizen, in this state of anarchy, you have to fix your position.

As Desmond Tutu said, “If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor.”

Preparedness Hacks: Once a nuke is heading your way, you might think that there isn’t much left to do, but you would be wrong!

Because we will show you America’s natural nuclear bunkers that are also EMP proof. When the sirens start wailing, all you need to do is pick the closest one to your home, where you can take cover before it hits.

You may have already read or seen a variety of articles about what would happen if the grid went down or how 90% of people would die. You may also think that many of those articles are far-fetched and designed to instill fear in readers rather than seriously discuss the issue.

If that’s the case for you, then you may think the same about this article based on the title alone. But the purpose of this article is not to scare you or to spread so-called ‘doom and gloom,’ but rather to educate you on what very well could happen if the grid really went down and stayed down.

If and when the grid goes down, it’s not going to be like a normal power outage. Not even close. A true grid-down situation would last much longer, perhaps weeks or months, and during that time, a lot of things are going to happen that you never would have imagined.

Here are ten scary things that would happen if the grid went down. Hopefully, this will remind you of how fragile our society actually is and inspire you to start preparing if you haven’t already.

1. No More Supply Trucks

When the supply trucks stop, no stores and restaurants are going to get resupplied. It’s not that it matters much anyway, because those stores are going to be looted and then abandoned afterward anyway.

This will guarantee that within a few short hours of the grid going down, life will already change dramatically because you will no longer be able to resupply yourself with the things that you need. Suddenly, you’ll be wondering why you hadn’t stocked up like you knew you should have been doing all along.

If you haven’t already, consider reading our beginner’s guide to emergency food storage.

2. All The Stores Would Close

As was just mentioned, without the resupply trucks, stores and restaurants are most certainly going to be shut down. The only real question is, when will looting occur?

In some places, you can fully expect looting and rioting to occur within just a few hours of the grid going down, and perhaps even sooner than that. People are going to freak out, and everyone will recognize that it may be their last chance to get resupplied.

Once some people start looting, many more will join in just for the heck of it, and that’s not an exaggeration. Mobs and looters and raiding parties will form quickly and the general breakdown of society around you will be rapid. One moment things will be as they always were, and in the next everything will be a war zone.

If this happens, you’ll need to avoid the riots and get home fast.

3. Schools Would Be Shut Down

Schools will be shut down, even though you can also guarantee they will hold onto any students in session during the early stages of the grid down situation. It’s incredibly unlikely that school administrators and educators will simply release children into the chaos, making it the responsibility of the parents to show up and retrieve their kids in schools.

4. Commerce Would Cease

This is one that you’re going to want to think about. A grid down situation is seriously going to lead to a complete and utter breakdown of commerce as we know it. Banks will no longer be open, ATM’s won’t work, and debit and credit cards will no longer be of any use.

Will you still be able to use cash? Possibly. At the very least, you’ll be able to use it in the early hours of the disaster before things get really bad. You can head on down to your local store and buy as much stuff as you can get if you know things are about to head south.

Beyond that though, it’s difficult seeing cash being of much use for anything. The reason is simple: it has no value other than what people attach to it, and it’s not something we can use to stay alive. In the event of hyperinflation, where the individual dollar will lose value rapidly, it will be of literally no use at all other than as an alternative to Kleenex or toilet paper.

The only type of real commerce that will be going on after then will be bartering, or where people exchange certain goods that we need to survive for other goods. For example, you may be able to trade a box of ammo for several rolls of toilet paper (both of those things are going to be in very high demand following a major disaster).

5. Gasoline Would Be Gone

This is a big one. Gasoline is going to become one of the most precious commodities once people are unable to get any more of it at gas stations.

Everything from cars to motorcycles to ATVs to generators all run on gasoline. We’ve all seen post-apocalyptic movies and TV shows where literally thousands of cars are lying uselessly abandoned by the side of the road. Well, that really won’t be all too far from reality.

In short, once the gasoline supply runs out, we’ll lose everything that runs on gasoline. The only gasoline we’ll have left is what you have stored and what you will be able to barter from other people (and you can guarantee that it’s going to command a very high price).

6. Cell Service Would Stop

Your phone may still work after a grid down, but it’s honestly not going to do you much good if you aren’t able to use it to access cell service or the internet.

It’s one reason why investing in other communication devices will be so important, such as a HAM radio or a CB radio.

Once the Internet and cell service goes down, communication, as we know it in general, is going to get very different (and not at all easier).

7. Post Offices Would Close

You can say goodbye to ordering products from Amazon or sending or receiving mail from people when the grid goes down. This will greatly impact the way that we communicate with people long distance as well.

8. Air Conditioning Won’t Work

Is a lack of air conditioning life-threatening by any means? It depends. In the middle of summer, it very well could be if you don’t take steps to keep yourself cool without AC. At the very least it will be very uncomfortable. And it’s not just air conditioning you won’t have anymore…

9. Heaters Wouldn’t Work

Just as the summer months are going to get really uncomfortable due to the lack of air conditioning, so will the freezing cold winter months due to the lack of heat.

In fact, the lack of heat is going to be a far worse problem than the lack of air conditioning and really could be life-threatening if it ever gets particularly cold outside.

This is why you’re going to want to stock up on as much firewood, propane bottles for heaters, and candles as you can. The firewood will be good if you have a firewood stove inside your home, but even if you lack the stove, you can still use it for getting a small and controllable fire outside.

Meanwhile, propane-run heaters will also be good to stock up on and cost less than five dollars each on average, and you can even use candles for warmth and light as well. Finally, be sure to invest in plenty of warm blankets and sleeping bags to go with it.

10. No More Running Water

This is another big one. You won’t be able to run the dishwasher or the washing machine anymore, nor would you be able to take a shower, run the bath, water your plants, or even fill up a sink.

This is why when you stockpile water, you need to stockpile both drinking and cleaning/personal hygiene water. The recommended amount will be at least one gallon of water per person per day. One half of that gallon will be for drinking, and the other half will be for cleaning and personal hygiene.

Water filters and purification tablets will also be immensely important because when you do manage to procure more water for drinking purposes from other sources, it may not be safe to drink. Drinking unsafe water can oftentimes be more unsafe than not drinking any water at all, which will make a water filter device even more important and critical to own.

There are plenty of threats that people associate with a major disaster. Infection, however, is rarely one of the first threats to come to mind. Nevertheless, it is one of the most dangerous. In the absence of modern medicine and modern conveniences, deadly infections will run rampant, potentially killing millions of people.

Below is a list of the most common deadly infections you are likely to contend with after the SHTF, as well as how to treat them. If you are squeamish, then be warned that the lists of symptoms below could put some disgusting images in your head, but this information is very important considering how many people are likely to die from infections in an SHTF scenario.

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1. Dysentery

Dysentery is a colon infection that can be caused by a number of things including bacteria, parasites, viruses, and even protozoa.

Symptoms of dysentery include severe diarrhea, bloody stool, abdominal pain, and fever. The infection is spread mostly through the consumption of contaminated food or water, though it can also be spread by coming into contact with someone who has the infection.

If you come down with dysentery, your first and foremost goal should be to stay hydrated. Diarrhea alone kills countless people each year because of the dehydration it causes, meaning it’s essential that you drink plenty of fluids, not only to flush out the infection but also to avoid dehydration.

You’ll also want to take antibiotics and/or diarrhea pills if you have them. To prevent coming down with dysentery, be sure to boil your drinking water and only eat food from trusted sources.

2. Cholera

Like dysentery, cholera is a gastral infection that is contracted by drinking contaminated water. Rather than infecting the colon, though, cholera is an infection of the small intestine.

The symptoms of cholera include severe diarrhea that is clear/white in color and vomiting clear fluid. As with dysentery, the biggest threat of cholera is the dehydration and electrolyte imbalance caused by fluid loss through vomiting and diarrhea. If left untreated, about half of individuals who come down with cholera will die from the infection.

If you are experiencing the symptoms of cholera, be sure to stay hydrated and take antibiotics and diarrhea pills. To avoid cholera, boil or otherwise purify all the water you drink and only eat from food sources that you trust.

3. Norovirus

Norovirus is a highly contagious gastral infection that can be spread through the air as well as through the consumption of contaminated food and water.

Symptoms of norovirus include nausea, vomiting, watery diarrhea, and abdominal pain. There is no vaccine or proven treatment for norovirus, and the recommended treatment is simply supportive care such as resting and drinking plenty of fluids.

To avoid norovirus, be sure to purify your water and eat only trusted food sources, though given how contagious this infection is, it can be difficult to avoid even if these measures are taken.

4. Pneumonia

Pneumonia is a respiratory infection that can be brought on by a number of bacteria, viruses, and fungi. In most cases, the diseases that could lead to pneumonia are treated and eliminated before pneumonia ever has a chance to take hold. If left untreated, though, non-fatal colds and cases of flu can quickly turn into fatal pneumonia.

Symptoms of pneumonia include sharp chest pain, wheezing, difficulty breathing, fever, and chills. If the lungs fill up with too much fluid due to pneumonia, the infection could be fatal.

If you come down with pneumonia, it is best treated with a combination of antibiotics as well as oxygen in order to make up for the reduced amount of air you are able to inhale. The best treatment for pneumonia, however, is prevention.

Treat every cold and flu seriously no matter how minor it may seem and do your best to knock it out before it is able to transition into a case of pneumonia.

Preparedness Hacks: Once a nuke is heading your way, you might think that there isn’t much left to do, but you would be wrong!

Because we will show you America’s natural nuclear bunkers that are also EMP proof. When the sirens start wailing, all you need to do is pick the closest one to your home, where you can take cover before it hits.

5. Tetanus

In the developed world, tetanus is quite uncommon. Being punctured by a rusty metal object certainly isn’t an everyday occurrence, and even if you do suffer an injury that makes tetanus a concern, tetanus vaccines are readily available.

However, in a disaster scenario where the likelihood of an unsanitary injury is much higher and access to the vaccine is no longer an option, tetanus becomes a much more serious concern.

Symptoms of tetanus include difficulty swallowing, stiffness in the neck and jaw, fever, high blood pressure, and sweating. If untreated, tetanus can make it extremely difficult to breathe, eventually leading to death.

In the absence of a tetanus vaccine, antibiotics can be used to treat tetanus with varying degrees of effectiveness. The best way to treat tetanus, though, in the absence of a vaccine is to try and prevent it by thoroughly cleaning any wound with alcohol or another antiseptic and covering it with a bandage.

6. Tuberculosis

Thanks to modern medicine, tuberculosis cases are extraordinarily rare in developed countries. In the developing world, though, tuberculosis is still a common and dangerous killer. Should a major disaster set the country back to a third-world state, tuberculosis could make a frightening comeback.

Symptoms of tuberculosis include blood-tinged coughing, night sweats, fever, and weight loss. Compared to most deadly diseases, though, the symptoms of tuberculosis can appear minor at first, making them hard to spot. Tuberculosis is a slow killer, but it is an efficient one nevertheless.

In the absence of modern medicine, there is no proven treatment for tuberculosis. Unless the right antibiotics are administered at the right times on the right schedule, the infection will develop an antibiotic resistance and become impossible to cure. This makes avoiding tuberculosis the best course of action in an SHTF scenario.

Take precautions when you’re around other people, especially if they are exhibiting signs of tuberculosis such as a bloody cough.

7. E.Coli

Many efforts have been taken within the agricultural industry and water sanitation industry to prevent the spread of the deadly bacteria E.coli. In a scenario where people begin to get their food and water from less trustworthy sources, though, E.coli infection becomes a major concern.

Symptoms of E.coli infection include nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, bloody diarrhea, and a fever in excess of 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Thankfully, E.coli infections can often be treated with only home care, making this one of the more survivable diseases that you are likely to encounter in a disaster scenario. Plenty of fluids and bed rest is most likely all it will take to ride out the infection.

To prevent coming down with an E.coli infection in the first place, boil or otherwise purify your water and try to only eat food from trusted sources.

8. Measles

Modern medicine has almost wiped out the threat of measles entirely, and the World Health Organization projects that the disease could be eliminated completely by as early as 2020. Should a major setback come between now and then, measles would be poised for a deadly comeback.

Measles is highly contagious, meaning that all it would take for an outbreak is a few infected individuals in a world where measles vaccines are no longer prevalent.

Symptoms of measles include pain in the muscles, a skin rash, fever, sore throat, and a cough. Measles can also lead to blindness, encephalitis, and fatal respiratory infections. Short of preventing measles with a vaccine, there is no proven treatment for the infection. Fever reducers and vitamin A can be used to reduce its symptoms, though.

The best course of action for avoiding measles in the event of an outbreak is to follow good hygiene practices and avoid anyone with a skin rash resembling that caused by measles.

9. Flu

Even today and even in modern countries, the flu is incredibly common. What sets this infection apart and makes it so difficult to prevent is the rate at which it mutates. Every year, a new flu vaccine must be developed in order to prevent the latest mutation, and even then there is a lot of guesswork involved in regards to which form the virus will take.

There are two factors, however, that make the flu much more of a concern in an SHTF scenario: lack of vaccines and lack of treatment. In a scenario where the healthcare community is unable to develop a vaccine for the flu’s latest mutation, flu outbreaks are likely to become much more common. If left untreated, the flu can be fatal – especially in the elderly and the young.

Symptoms of the flu include aching muscles, chills, fever, sweating, and congestion.

All of this is bad enough, but it also assumes that the flu will take a form similar to the form it takes each year. The reality is, there are much more serious forms that the flu can take. In 1918, the Spanish flu infected an estimated 500 million people – one-third of the world’s population – and killed an estimated 50 million of those that it infected.

There is another strain of flu, though, that could dwarf the lethality of the Spanish flu – avian flu. The mortality rate of avian flu sits at a terrifying 60% – and that’s with modern medicine and appropriate treatment.

The only thing keeping avian flu from being a world-ending threat is the fact that it is very difficult to spread. However, a few mutations could change that in a matter of years.

Suffice it to say that the flu will be a major concern in an SHTF scenario, even if it is in its common, easily treatable form. If, however, we are hit with a pandemic of a flu strain such as avian flu in a world already crippled by another disaster, the results could easily be apocalyptic.

All of this should remind you how crucial it is to purify water and keep yourself clean when the SHTF. Here are some resources to help you:

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Experts predict that an EMP strike that wipes out electricity across the nation would ultimately lead to the demise of up to 90% of the population. However, this figure begs an important question: if we were able to live thousands of years without even the concept of electricity, why would we suddenly all die without it?

While it may seem as if going without electricity would be nothing but an unfortunate inconvenience, the truth is much more harrowing. To better understand why 90% of the population would die if the lights went out, consider the following ways in which losing electricity would impact our society.

No Electricity Means No Water

Almost no one in the United States still carries a bucket to a well to draw up water. What this means, though, is that our water sources are now dependent on electricity. If an EMP strikes, the vast majority of the population would lose access to fresh water as soon as the water towers run dry.

Some people would be able to find other sources, but many would not. For those without water, the length of their lifespan would be measured in days.

No Electricity Means No Food

Those who are able to find water sources not dependent on electrical power now have another concern: food. Almost everyone who lives in an urban location is completely dependent on markets and grocery stores for their food supply. Even those who live in rural locations are largely, if not completely, dependent on buying food from outside sources.

However, if the electricity goes out, the supermarkets are going to be looted and possibly never restocked. From transportation to refrigeration, to even the growing of the food itself, our entire system of keeping the population fed is reliant on electricity.

Sure, there will be small farmers who are able to feed small amounts of people nearby, and there will be those who are able to adapt and grow their own food, but an alarming number of people would starve to death in a matter of months.

No Electricity Means No Climate Control

Some areas of the United States, such as Minnesota in the winter and Arizona in the summer, are only habitable because of climate control. If not for indoor heating and cooling, these places wouldn’t have been inhabited by so many people.

Once indoor heating and cooling disappear, surviving during the hottest and coldest times of the year will become a real problem. Some people would relocate or figure out a way to get by, but many who are unable would die of heat stroke or freeze to death.

No Electricity Means No Modern Medicine

Think of all the things that used to kill so many people before modern medicine. From polio to a ruptured appendix, there are countless things that once would have been fatal that are now either treatable or wiped out.

Modern medicine, however, is entirely dependent on electricity. Without it, all of these things would come roaring back with a vengeance. Hospitals that didn’t close their doors would lose a large majority of their effectiveness without all the machines they rely on.

Meanwhile, pharmaceutical companies would be unable to produce the wide array of prescription drugs that are keeping so many people alive.

To make matters worse, the fact that access to fresh water would be greatly diminished means sanitation would become a real problem. Without proper sanitation, diseases would spread at an exponential rate. Due to these factors, no electricity means far more sick people and fewer ways to treat them.

No Electricity Means More Murders

Within days of the electricity going out, our society is almost guaranteed to collapse into chaos. If you aren’t convinced that would happen, just look at what happens when a natural disaster devastates just a single area of the US, then multiply that by the entire country. Looters would quickly steal anything they could get their hands on, and armed gangs would roam the streets.

Law enforcement would clash with them at first, but they would almost certainly be overwhelmed in little time at all. The chaos would cause people who were once law-abiding citizens to turn to crime, and the number of criminals law enforcement would have to deal with would go through the roof.

In addition, effective law enforcement is largely dependent on good communication and teamwork – both things that become a lot more difficult in a world without electricity.

All of this is to say that, without electricity, going outside your home would suddenly become a much more dangerous endeavor. Those who are able to avoid starvation, dehydration, disease, and death by the elements would constantly have to look over their shoulders to avoid being killed. It’s not a pretty picture of human nature, but it’s a grim reality.

How to Avoid Being One of the 90%

As you’re probably well aware by now, surviving in a world without electricity would be a very tall order. The fact that a single detonation could devastate us so completely is disconcerting, to say the least, which is why many of the nation’s top defense experts agree that an EMP is the most troubling threat we would face if we ever went to war with a country that was able to hit us with one.

That said, 90% of the population dying without electricity means that 10% will make it, and a little preparation will go a long way toward ensuring you and your family are one of the 10%. Start by making sure you have access to food and water supplies that are not dependent on electricity, and stockpile all the medical supplies you can.

If you live in an area where climate control is necessary for survival, either plan for an alternative way to heat or cool your home or put together a bug out bag and be prepared to leave fast. Lastly, make sure to lay low and avoid going out unless absolutely necessary.

Surviving without electricity certainly wouldn’t be easy, and the threat of an EMP is one that should not be taken lightly. However, it can be done.

Dr. Peter Pry (Executive Director of the Task Force on National and Homeland Security) warns that the consequences – of not being prepared for this event – are much more severe than one may think:

“within a year of an EMP event at least 2 thirds or the us population will perish from starvation, disease and social collapse”

Former CIA double agent (Reza Kahlili) who spent time in the Iranian Army confirmed that the Iranian have conducted missile tests of ships in the Caspian See that are consistent with an EMP attack:

“They are going to get to the Gulf of Mexico with ballistic missiles and they can launch one at a moment’s notice and they wouldn’t care about the repercussions”

Mostly because they can sink the vessel leaving no traces and because the US won’t be able to retaliate!

Preparedness Hacks: Once a nuke is heading your way, you might think that there isn’t much left to do, but you would be wrong!

Because we will show you America’s natural nuclear bunkers that are also EMP proof. When the sirens start wailing, all you need to do is pick the closest one to your home, where you can take cover before it hits.

What if you woke up one morning and nothing worked? What if there was no electricity? What if all transportation came to a halt?

An EMP event would instantly destroy any means of telecommunication, bank account would disappear, planes would fall from the skies, nuclear plants would not be able to cool down the reactors, we would have no running water (water pumps) and every piece of electronics we use from pacemakers to phones to gasoline pumps would stop!

Your refrigerator will stop working and all your food will spoil in a matter of days! If you and your family are not together, you won’t be able to contact or see them.

This is a catastrophic threat and North Korea, China, Russia and even ISIS… they all understand it and they are all working on it. And if they’ll ever wage war on us, they would be stupid not to strike America’s Achilles heel!

If one of the nuclear powers blasts a nuclear weapon 275 miles above the US it will produce an EMP that will basically send us, the Canadian and the Mexicans back to the Dark Ages.

Will we be able to fight back in case of a nuclear war?

I don’t think so! Probably most of our ICBM’s will turn into a pile of junk (although some are EMP hardened). The communication lines and mobiles will become useless. And on top of that, I don’t think that our ballistic missile defense (BMD) system will work at all after a powerful HEMP.

I have something you need to watch. It’s much better than I am at explaining the threat. Watch it and learn what you should fear most, what an EMP effects and how you can protect your electronics, car, mobile phones, etc.

Years ago the US Army indeed straightened some military equipment against an EMP attack. The congressional study EMP Report (back in 2004) indicated potential casualty rates of 90%. The result: the commission was disband! What the US does to prevent an EMP attack right now? NOTHING!

Experts predict that an EMP strike that wipes out electricity across the nation would ultimately lead to the demise of up to 90% of the population. However, this figure begs an important question: if we were able to live thousands of years without even the concept of electricity, why would we suddenly all die without it?

So here are some useful things to protect yourself from an EMP:

1. Build a Faraday Cage

A Faraday cage is a sealed enclosure that has an electrically conductive outer layer and a non-conductive inner layer. The purpose of this box is to protect any electronics inside it in case of an EMP. There are basically two simple ways of building a Faraday cage:

• by wrapping a non-conductive box (such as cardboard or wood) in a conductive material (such as aluminum foil)
• by using a conductive box (like an ammo can) and isolate the inner walls of the box with foam (polystyrene) or a cheap Yoga mat or maybe window insulating foam

2. Store in your Faraday Cage the most important survival electronics like:

• A radio (for communication and gathering information);
• An old laptop computer with downloads of ebooks and stored personal information or at least a manual on how to make a generator using materials you can find in your home;
• A set of walkie-talkies that run on rechargeable batteries;
• A small generator;
• A manually rechargeable flashlight (most flashlights have electronics in them so they will also fry);
• Electronic parts for cars;
• Any electronic equipment you don’t use on a regular basis buy may need when SHTF like: night vision and other electronic optics, solar battery chargers, drills;

3. Store fuel

This does not mean you have to store tons of fuel. You won’t want to be seen driving around. Just a few gallons in a small tank that will allow you to conduct a few basic unpredictable operations like: bringing your family home safe or an emergency getaway car in case things get really bad in your town. (That only if you manage to protect your car against the EMP)

4. Save your car!

Basically you have 3 good options:

• Place in the Faraday cage the vital electronics your car needs (doubles) and replace them after the EMP (PCM – Powertrain Control Module, Electronic Fuel Injection, Electronic Ignition and possibly even other parts depending on the vehicle)
• Buy a cheap old back-up car that does not have vital electronic parts (like a 1984 Toyota Hilux 4×4 – around $1200).
• Harden your car against EMP’s and park it in a sheet metal shed or steel building. You can also buy EMP shielding devices that zip or wrap around your car’s wiring.

(Here are 23 survival uses for honey that you didn’t know about.)

5. Plan on living self-sustained

This means fulfilling all our 3 basic needs: water, food and shelter!

Have in mind a place where to procure water when there will be no running water. Have in mind a place where you can plant and harvest crops. Buying at least one acre in the countryside would give you at least something to plan with.

One of the best ways to do that is by building a system totally independent from the environment. I have something you need to watch. It’s much better than I am at explaining the threat.

6. Stockpile essentials like:

• Food – for at least 5 months (winter plus two more months) – if you have a plan to go “self-sustained” and a 12 months if you don’t plan to do that. Remember that there will be no refrigeration.
• Water – This is actually the most important event for which you need to store water! Even in case of droughts people don’t die because of the lack of water. But this is not the case. In case of an EMP there will be no running water, and if you are not close to a river or a fountain you may die. You need to know your location and set in your mind a walking route to a local fountain or a nearby river. If it is 3 days away (walking) it is not good. Store water for at least 10 days and head to the water source to get more water reserves starting day one.
• Tools like an axe, a knife first aid kit and antibiotics (you won’t be able to call 911)

7. Some things you should have in the car

We all spend a lot of time driving and you should not be totally surprise if an EMP gets you stuck many miles away from home on a deadly cold winter or in a desert miles away from water. Whatever the case, it doesn’t cost you anything to keep some of your equipment ready in your car:

• warm clothing
• long term food (some emergency food ration bars) and water (at least 1-3 gallons)
• a fire starter
• a knife
• maybe a fold up bike
• and whatever you think – depending on the distance and time of your journey;

Also… if you plan on a remote and long journey you may want to consider throwing your bug out bag into the trunk.

8. Secure Your Home against Looters

OCOKA is a military term that stands for:

• Observation and fields of fire
• Cover and Concealment
• Obstacles
• Key Terrain
• Avenues of Approach

When setting up home defenses OCOKA should always be kept in mind and each principle addressed. Following these five key principles, you will greatly improve your security and survivability. This is one of the things that I’ve learned from a well-known army officer vet Steve Walker, for whom I have all the respect in the world.

9. Some things you need to have at home

These things will become important valuables after an EMP:

• When your bank account will disappear or you won’t be able to withdraw your money, you’ll be in trouble. Keep some cash and some gold (doesn’t lose value as normal currency does) at home.
• Charcoal – you can make a lot of things with it (from water filters to gun powder)
• Duct tape, Cable Ties and Super Glue (if you want to build or improvise something, like a simple wind generator you’ll need these)
• Lamp oil, Candle Wax and Wicks
• Vaseline
• Paracord
• Alcohol
• Soaps

Anything you know it will be useful for you – depending on your bug out plan.

10. Consider buying, making or learn how to make a simple Survival Generator

This generator has to be small enough to fit in your Faraday Cage. Some generators can be really expensive, but if you know where to look and what to buy you can get a small one for $200-$300 (1200 Watts). An electric generator using wood as fuel would be perfect. Otherwise, you should also consider storing more fuel.

In this video, i will unearth a long-forgotten secret that helped our ancestors survive famines, wars, economic crisis, diseases, droughts and anything else life trew at them.
So pay chose attention because this video will change your life forever for the good!

First it was Iran. They were launching “satellites” and firing rockets high into the atmosphere. Many said it was prep for an EMP attack. Then, during the Obama years, they started patrolling off our coast. This is what one EMP expert had to say about these navy patrols:

“I think the Iranian Navy patrols off our coasts may be intended to lull us into complacency, to get the U.S. Navy accustomed to an Iranian naval presence in our hemisphere, so eventually they could contribute to ‘Zero Hour’ and the great day when the Mullahs decide to drop the nuclear hammer on America,” said Pry, who staffed a former congressional EMP commission.

Now we face a true threat from North Korea. To the casual onlooker it would seem America is simply waiting to be hit by an EMP. The enemies of our nation know they cannot stand up to our military might and they have figured out the EMP is their hail Mary.

Are you preparing for an EMP disaster? Its about more than just the Faraday cage. How many threats and voices will our nation shun before the lights go out and America starts to eat itself?

Preparedness Hacks: Once a nuke is heading your way, you might think that there isn’t much left to do, but you would be wrong!

Because we will show you America’s natural nuclear bunkers that are also EMP proof. When the sirens start wailing, all you need to do is pick the closest one to your home, where you can take cover before it hits.

Here are 10 items to hoard before an EMP attack:

LIGHTERS

A successful EMP attack is the end for modern heating and cooling systems. We will be thrust back hundreds of years and outside of our ingenuity, wood will be how the average man stays warm. Fire will be a massive part of your life. You will use it to purify water, cook food, heat your home and preserve food.

Forget the bow drill or the fire plane and just hoard tons of lighters so that starting a fire is something you never have to worry about. Lighters are one piece of modern tech that we can take into a post EMP setting.

CASH

Americans are just terrible when it comes to saving money. The good news is there is no better time to start. Don’t throw all  your money in the bank. When the EMP runs through your neighborhood it will shut off those ATMs permanently. How will you get your money?

Keep a healthy store of cash either in your home, in a safe or hidden somewhere that is easily accessible without electronics.

Ideally, a months’ worth of cash makes for a great disaster fund. Your EMP goal should start there.

BULLETS

Whether you plan to barter or besiege your way through the post EMP landscape you will need ammo. Ammo makes every list of best bartering items and for good reason. Here is a great method to get cheap and reliable ammo for SHTF to start your stockpile today.

Store ammo for your weapons and popular rounds for weapons you may not own.

.22, .22LR, 9mm, .45apc, 5.56 are all great options to store and buy in bulk.

TOOLS

Right now, tools are cheap. Dirt cheap. High quality tools are being produced on a massive scale and waiting to be gobbled up. What’s the harm in storing multiple sets of wrenches, hammers, axes and sockets?

Beyond just the tools themselves, now is the time to stock up on things like mineral oil to protect our metal blades and tools from rusting. Also hoard some linseed oil for treating those wooden handles. Tool maintenance will be a huge part of surviving an EMP.

Also, stock up on sharpeners. If you are out of electronics you will at least want the sharpest axes and knives and saw blades to make the demanding work a little less taxing.

COOKING OIL

The process of creating commercial cooking oil will take a huge hit following an EMP. The large harvesting machinery and the manufacturing machinery that produces the oil will all be off line following an EMP. Cooking oil is one of those items that most preppers forget about. Right now, you can buy basic cooking oil for less than $3 a bottle.

BOOKS

While we all have access to the oracle through our phones or computers it won’t be there after an EMP. Some experts think that the effects of an EMP will not be completely felt by all electronics, I can promise you that our intricate network of information will fall apart after a EMP, even if they are right.

Suddenly you will be left with only the hard copy information that exists on your book shelves.

• First Aid
• Gardening
• Repairs
• Home Maintenance
• Self Defense
• Philosophy
• Prepping (of course)
• Homesteading

These are all great options for the average person to have on their shelves.

WATER IN MANY WAYS

After an EMP water will become a gamble. While taps may work for a limited time, there is no assurance that we will have clean and safe water coming out of them. In order to prepare for this, you must start hording water today.

Do not depend on one source for your post EMP water. Instead, take a tiered approach to water storage and maximize your methods for water procurement.

You should have access to plenty of the water that comes from the sky. Rainwater collection is a crucial method for hoarding water. While the 55-gallon barrels work well, you may just want to make the investment in a massive 1200 gallon cistern.

Retail water can be purchased and stored as well, or you can use tap water to fill things like waterbricks for the future. If you do store retail water just be sure it gets cycled through because the cheap plastics will no doubt leech toxins into your water over time.

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So pay chose attention because this video will change your life forever for the good!

MEDICINES

Medicines are tricky. You gotta have em and you should most definitely hoard them but you should also be careful when it comes to cycling them out. Unlike food you can’t just pull and older bottle of Tylenol out of the cabinet and have it for dinner. That is, unless you don’t want to worry about the EMP anymore.

After a medicine expires its effectiveness will begin to decrease and this will make it harder to dose properly.

When it comes to hoarding meds, I think you have to take a loss on some items. It’s a bet. When meds get close to expiration start asking around. Someone will need them. Buy a fresh stock and start the process again.

Spend a little extra and buy things like children’s medications even if you don’t have kids. These will be gold in a collapse.

FIRST AID

Filth. That is what comes to mind when I think of a post EMP world.

Filth, pests and the diseases they harbor. Remember, waste will sit around, trash will sit around. You will be working and moving more than usual to survive. You are going to get cut and you are going to get sick.

Along with basic first aid you should also hoard the materials needed to setup a simple quarantine. Our scientists will not be working around the clock to create vaccines for illnesses anymore. It will be up to good hygiene, immunity and the ability to quarantine the sick.

• Rolls of plastic
• N95 Masks
• Rubber Gloves
• Plenty of Soap
• Feet Covers
• Coveralls
  

TRASH BAGS

Trash trucks are broken down, the water system is compromised but all your trash and excrement must go somewhere. Do you have a plan for that? Trash bags will give you options when it comes to how you handle your waste.

This will affect your general health exponentially. It will keep pests away from your home and you will limit your exposure to the harmful bacteria both in pests and in waste. Sickness will be one of the biggest killers in a post EMP world.

Starting a Stockpile

I subscribe to three hard and fast methods of stockpiling or hoarding items for a collapse. These methods will give you options based on where you are financially as well as where you are on the rungs of preparedness.

SUPERMARKET HOARD

The supermarket hoard is a slow and plodding process that involves buying a handful of small extra items each trip to the supermarket. This is how you build a strong first aid haul or how you slowly gather your lighters and trash bags.

Think about it this way. You hit the supermarket about 52 times a year. If you grab an extra box of trash bags half the time imagine what you could have by the end of one year!

BULK PURCHASE

If you are in a hurry and have the means you can also bulk purchase items. This will work best if you can get neighbors or other preppers to join in on the purchase. When it comes to things like ammo this is your only option.

The bulk purchase will consistently get you more for your money, but you must have a chunk of money to make the purchase. Do not make bulk purchases on credit unless you are paying them off quickly.

DISCOUNT EXPLORER

If you have the time and the inclination you can also hunt for hoarding deals. Mastering the world of coupons and discounts will allow you to build your stockpile fast and at a great price. The world of discount can offer you incredible benefits.

Of course, the only problem with discounts is they are inconsistent.

Use a combination of all three methods to assure you are hoarding all the items you need to survive an EMP.