# what can you do Now to improve your chances of survival???



## jadm (Aug 9, 2013)

1. get a physical! don't wait till you are coughing up blood to see the doctor

2. address your medical problems, do the diet, loose some weight, lower your cholesterol, these problems will lay you to rest ( literally ) if unattended. 

3. keep dental work current! an impacted tooth can cause the infection to spread through the mouth or to spread into the cranium (you won't like this...trust me)

4.keep in shape! don't wait till the war starts to think about getting in gear!


I will give the floor to anyone else who might have something they might want to add...


----------



## jadm (Aug 9, 2013)

one more thing.

get the training you need NOW...if you snooze you loose 
you should have multiple lessons & projects going. the more you can do the better off you are!


----------



## pastornator (Apr 5, 2013)

Eat from stores...


----------



## roy (May 25, 2013)

It is easy to buy something. Stayin' fit is a different story. Watch reality shows like Doomsday Prepper, what a hoot!


----------



## pastornator (Apr 5, 2013)

By that, I mean from the stock that you are storing away, NOT from shopping centers. The best way to know that you will continue to eat well after whatever happens. Also helps to rotate your stock so fresh is always coming in to replace the stuff you use. 

How long can you go without a shopping trip?


----------



## Jim (Jul 9, 2013)

My opinion for what it's worth.....

Get in shape and stay in shape (I know it's already been said but it's worth repeating)

Research - learn what life might be like when the SHTF and how to deal with it

Start a library - printed not digital

Get some training - firearms & hand to hand

Start stockpiling supplies, food, ammo, medical ect.

Have a plan...how are you going to get to your bugout location? What are you going to do once you get there?

There are a lot of things you can do it increase your chance of survival...you just have to do them.

ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ


----------



## Mic (Jul 19, 2012)

Jim said:


> Start a library - printed not digital


I really like this idea. 
- Medical/first aid "how to's".
- "Country living/how to do everything in the world from scratch" type books.
- Gardening (including controlling pests/diseases)

And a ton more. Cause all these great ideas on the net will be gone.


----------



## BigCheeseStick (Aug 7, 2013)

Get a subscription and start reading! SERIOUSLY it's good stuff! And NO, I'm not associated & they don't pay me for plugs. LOL! Best magazine I've ever seen though.

self-reliance | homesteading | canning | backwoods | magazine


----------



## Nathan Jefferson (May 11, 2013)

jadm said:


> 1. get a physical! don't wait till you are coughing up blood to see the doctor
> 
> 2. address your medical problems, do the diet, loose some weight, lower your cholesterol, these problems will lay you to rest ( literally ) if unattended.
> 
> ...


I let #3 go for a few years, cost me probably 3x what it should have to get everything fixed...

All great points!


----------



## Nathan Jefferson (May 11, 2013)

BigCheeseStick said:


> Get a subscription and start reading! SERIOUSLY it's good stuff! And NO, I'm not associated & they don't pay me for plugs. LOL! Best magazine I've ever seen though.
> 
> self-reliance | homesteading | canning | backwoods | magazine


Just ordered my subscription!

Hopefully sometime before Christmas you'll see a fullpage add in there with my avatar...(freaking expensive though!)

Was thinking of getting mother earth news too, I used to read those at the library all the time... Need to find a cheap/easy way to get a lot of the back issues of both.


----------



## Nathan Jefferson (May 11, 2013)

And a little over $400 dollars later I have everything BHM has put out on its way to me. Alright, so, hopefully it will make a nice bed for me to sleep on when the wife sees it :-D.


----------



## Go2ndAmend (Apr 5, 2013)

On a Friday night, go outside your home and shut off the main electrical breaker to your house and the water supply. See how fun it is to go without either for just two days. If you have a family, it is even more exciting. Nothing like a little practice to improve your skills.


----------



## jadm (Aug 9, 2013)

Go2ndAmend said:


> On a Friday night, go outside your home and shut off the main electrical breaker to your house and the water supply. See how fun it is to go without either for just two days. If you have a family, it is even more exciting. Nothing like a little practice to improve your skills.


yes, I am still looking for a good light system, gave up on candles, and oil lamps ( most are cheap) I have tries a lantern but having to keep a window open for ventilation might not be effective in winter.


----------



## jadm (Aug 9, 2013)

pastornator said:


> By that, I mean from the stock that you are storing away, NOT from shopping centers. The best way to know that you will continue to eat well after whatever happens. Also helps to rotate your stock so fresh is always coming in to replace the stuff you use.
> 
> How long can you go without a shopping trip?


I am still working on stock rotation. I stock real food not MRE's 
I plan to bug in. 
once you bug out you have to have some place to go or you become "that other guy that every one is getting ready for"


----------



## PaulS (Mar 11, 2013)

I just got two Aladdin lamps at a garage sale for $1! Both need mantels and one needs a chimney but that is a fantastic price.
I use them with alcohol and liquid paraffin because I am sensitive to kerosine and diesel oil fumes. All I have to do now is locate a parts source and get the replacement parts and I will have a total of four Aladdin lamps, Two Coleman type multi-fuel lamps, and a host of "hurricane" lamps that run on liquid paraffin.


----------



## Lucky Jim (Sep 2, 2012)

jadm said:


> I plan to bug in.
> once you bug out you have to have some place to go or you become "that other guy that every one is getting ready for"


Good thinking.. Bugging out is fine if we absolutely MUST get out of the cities (depending on what kind of disaster hits us) but it could be rough out there-
*"It's a dangerous business going out your door"- Bilbo Baggins*
so it might be better to stand our ground at home.


----------



## Lazerus2000 (Jun 15, 2013)

MOVE some where with fewer people, and buy a bicycle to get around on!!!!

I currently live on a small island in the Pacific North West, and this is about as good a location as it gets for surviving most of the usual apocalyptic scenarios ... barring a catastrophic continent changing earthquake with accompanying tsunami. 

And since I moved to this small island, I do most of my travel BY BICYCLE!!
Don't really need a car here for my local shoppinbg or whatever.

I lose about 2 lbs, and gain in muscle mass and cardio fitness every time I go around my island on my bike.
YPMMV
LAZ 1


----------



## tango (Apr 12, 2013)

Living on one of the San Juan islands, though very nice, poses some unique problems.
How do you resupply if the ferry system is down?
Do you have a proper boat to get where you need to go?
Do you have sufficient ground to grow what you need?

I have visited a few of those islands. There are some issues there---
Friday used to have a lot of Hares but---


----------



## downtoearthprepper (Sep 8, 2013)

Go to my site Emergency water filtration all manner of excellent info on preparedness from an expert . 11 pages of excellent topics to get you tuned up and fit both in body and mind ! Also see my post in 100 pushups


----------



## Prepadoodle (May 28, 2013)

Nathan Jefferson said:


> Just ordered my subscription! Was thinking of getting mother earth news too...


You might also want to take a look at Home Power magazine.


----------



## rickkyw1720pf (Nov 17, 2012)

jadm said:


> yes, I am still looking for a good light system, gave up on candles, and oil lamps ( most are cheap) I have tries a lantern but having to keep a window open for ventilation might not be effective in winter.


I have a lot of lanterns including some petromax that will burn a multitude of fuels. But in a SHTF situation I believe the LED lights have just about made them obselete. Get a good led head lamp and you are good to go, what good does it do to light an area that you aren't looking at. Most will run a couple of days on three aaa rechargeable batteries and there are a multitude of ways to keep them charged. I turned all the lights off in the house and after using a head lamp for awhile I found my self reaching for the light switch to turn the light off as I walked out.


----------



## Go2ndAmend (Apr 5, 2013)

One thing that would improve your survival chances that has yet to be mentioned is alliances. By that I mean form alliances/friendships now with like-mined people with skills. Get to really know an electrician, mechanic, plumber, contractor, security expert etc. You may make a life-long friend and you will be sure to add to your own skills by learning the basics of their trade.


----------



## PaulS (Mar 11, 2013)

I would also suggest getting any "elective" surgery taken care of.
It may be difficult to find someone to remove tonsils or an appendix after the SHTF.
Learn about how to keep clean in the wilderness - after that anything around your BOL will be "comfortable.
Practice with all your gear - not just your guns. when practicing with your guns I would suggest that you practice through "dry fire" practice in your home twice as much as you do at the range firing live rounds. That will build the correct "muscle memory" and prevent flinching, pulling and cheeking of you rifles and pistols under stress.


----------



## Will2 (Mar 20, 2013)

1. live homeless for a bit even if it is just a weekend. Leave your house with the shirt on your back and see how long you go before you need to go home again.
If you are worried about the police or otherwise, just remember it may be much more militarized if all hell breaks loose and you will still have the same issues you have in doing this little experiment. You can also practice your prep, if it is for a short term.. live it. Live it like it is.. if you can live it ongoing you are already prepped. If you are waiting for SHTF, it is too late. While you can't prep for every SHTF in terms of dress rehearsals... you should be actually living it.

2. Learn survivalist skills, such as researching local wildlife, and flora, determine if any water sources are safe in your locality, and what industries or sewage operation dump in your locality. Determine where major infrastructure points are such as transformers, municipal facilities like garbage and utility services, pipelines, nuclear facilities, military bases, hospitals, etc.. all are, knowing where this infrastructure exists will allow you to determine the scale of problems, if local media is not available, and knowing where their offices are may help also because if anyone knows exactly what is ongoing they might, and with the government really busy you may be able to get info from them. Up until recently places like TV stations were part of the emergency broadcast system which is now converted and somewhat optional in most of north america.

Having access to media will be helpful. Know your local infrastructure resources, water treatment facilities, parks and community gardens --- certain groups such as Mennonites, farmers, community capacity organizations, etc.. will all be better prepared to respond in the event of a SHTF.

Get involved before the problem happens, if you wait to link up after the fall, it may be too late, better late than never.

Also be aware there are both governmental and private interests that target and profile preppers, even to the point of terrorism association, realize being capable and not dependent on the system can make you a target of people who want to control you, be aware of this, and realize that whether occupied or nationalized if its not government sponsered activity it is potential resistance and counter culture, you will need to be diplomatic and conscious of your activities because they could be dangerous for social and political reasons.

oh and 

3. I always recommend people to get involved in their local reserve militaries or police organizations if you don't have familial priorities.


----------



## MtnPapa (Oct 12, 2013)

I would suggest mental fitness as well. Survival is a head game, if your head isn't in the game, you lose. It is hard overcome someone that is physically fit, and mentally sharp. Not just reading up on things, but practice mental and physical discipline in areas that you know you are weak in. Prove yourself now, survive later....


----------

