We have talked about creating a survival food stash and providing water for oursleves and our families. We haven't talked specifically about making provisions for our four legged family members - and we should.
Pets can be a valuable asset to the prepper. A dog can provide security in the form of protection (German Shepard, Rottweiler, Mastiff, etc), but they can be invaluable as an early alert system. Early alert is a force multiplier. Their bark can also intimidate any would-be intruders into second guessing their decision to victimize you. They can also be the source of additional body heat in case everyone should have to huddle together to stay warm. Dogs have been an asset to civilization since the beginning of recorded history. Cat's......well they're still part of the family and they are excellent at rodent control. Either way, planning ahead for them is about as important as preparing for yourself.
Canned animal food contains fats and oils which will turn rancid if opened. They are also heavy. Dry animal food can be stored for bugging in or bugging out in 5 gallon buckets with handles and air tight lids. You can put oxygen absorbing material in the buckets before sealing the lids to keep the food from forming mold. Sealed plastic buckets will also protect it from rodents. Keep it close to your bug out supplies and cycle it in and out in the same manner you cycle out your own canned goods. FIFO - first in first out.
Water is also a consideration. Although dogs and cats will seemingly drink from nasty puddles before they will drink clean water you provide, it's important to assure that they have water that isn't contaminated with anything harmful. Get to know your pet. Take note of how much they eat and drink a day and stock up accordingly. The last thing you want to have to do is feed them the provisions you set aside for your family because you forgot to plan for your pets.
Also a consideration is your bug out destination. If you plan to take your pet, you need to make sure the location to which your headed accepts pets. Some hotels do accept pets. Most do not. Make sure it is ok with friends or family members with whom you plan to stay that you bring your pets. Some people aren't ok with animals in their homes. Plan well in advance for this. Also, if your home is in someone elses bug out plan, have open communication about their pets, if any, and how they will interact with your pets.
Whether or not you elect to take your pet along with you in a bug out scenario is a very personal decision. I will not be the one to criticize anyone for any decision they make for themselves in this regard because a situation that brings about the need to make the decision is extreme. People need to make the decisions on survival that suit themselves and their families. I may have my opinion but I will not criticize. I would advise everyone to give the matter careful consideration and plan accordingly. Failing to plan is like planning to fail.
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Wow, someone is listening to a little too much Glen Beck ;) And if this ever becomes necessary, who would want to live in a world like that?
ReplyDeleteanonymous 12:31, while I can see and respect your point, there are more people than you realize that love the outdoors and survival. Hunters are a prime example and the Eastern Shore is loaded with them.
ReplyDeleteRespectfully, you are probably a person who goes to work every week day, goes to the grocery store, doesn't own a gun, a 4 wheeler, a motor home/camper, I think you get my drift.
There are MANY people that would defend what they have earned and worked so hard for. There are many that know and understand the history of America and how their families may have lost their homes to soldiers who just came along and took them for whatever reason they wanted.
I highly doubt that would happen again, especially here on the Eastern Shore. Not without a deadly fight, anyway and you certainly wouldn't take mine.
For me personally, I would rather die defending what's mine than live in a country I've supported and followed their laws my entire life. You won't see Joe Albero walking the streets with a back pack and all my belongings, I'd rather be dead.
So, some people have chosen to at least be prepared and you have to respect that. They are not fanatics, as if the world is going to end tomorrow.
As we are witnessing day after day, law enforcement abusing their powers. I'm not making these things up and certainly my law enforcement friends are probably not very happy with my exposing such information. However, my true friends in law enforcement are the ones who are just as pissed off as I am that these things are going on. That being said, don't you believe for a second that there are a lot of police officers who behave like what we've been seeing lately.
I'll add, look at PG County and all the crooked cops there. It was the same way years ago in the Bronx. We are fortunate to have some really solid law enforcment officers here on the Shore. I may not like some of their actions and I'll even take the liberty at times to expose such when I feel it's necessary. However, we should feel comforted that things are a LOT better here than on the other side of the Bridge.
Preppers are not hurting any one. They are not radicals. Some of them are Police Officers.
I'm a retired officer , I'm also a prepper. Listen up people , the country is in turmoil and to survive you must prepare. Obama has changed this country to the point of no return. Study and educate yourself in these methods of survival. If it's a weather issue or a combat issue , it makes NO difference. Both in my opinion are an act of GOD , for a reason.
ReplyDeleteThanks for all this good info I'm am starting to get a few things going and it makes me feel good. The only problem is the money but I still find there are many things I can do. And Prepper2k12 what did you think of that show dooms day prepper?
ReplyDeleteThank you Joe. I would like to add this. Remember Katrina? Hardly anyone was prepared for that disaster. They begged and pleaded with the government for help. I don't want to have to beg anyone for anything. Fema recommends taking the actions I've been listing. In case 12:31 missed it, FEMA printed a publication entitled "Are You Ready? An In-depth Guide to Citizen Preparedness" Even the government recognizes the need to be prepared to take care of ourselves in the event of a disaster.
ReplyDeleteHere's the entire publication:
http://www.fhgov.com/Services/EmergencyPreparedness/AreYouReady.pdf
Doomsday prepper. Hmmm. Some of the preppers have good systems. Some are wack jobs. Either way there are a lot of good ideas that are thought provoking. I particularly like the thought put into the altenator used in making the wind turbine. I'm gonna try it. Also interesting was the inground pool used as a make shift bio-sphere. It goes to show that good old fashioned American ingenuity is alive and well.
ReplyDeleteOkay, but I'm against turning the family pool into the food fish/ algae farm. Make it a yard pond until it happens, then convert and expand. Until then, let the kids have a pool! C'mon, folks! prepping is great, and i do, but if the shtf and you have to "bug out", what have you done but to deprive yourselves of an enjoyable life that you could enjoy now. Sure, prep. Grow food, can and dry it, be a year ahead. Think, but don't over think.
ReplyDeleteStock your ponds, if you have them. We have been doing this for at least 5 years and now we have thousands of fish in two different ponds.
ReplyDeleteRight now on Channel 224 Comcast - they are running a special program on Preppers - all weekend long. They are showing the scenarios that could occur to cause an all out panic and clearing of the grocery shelves - all within a matter of hours.
ReplyDelete1. First and foremost - an all out oil embargo of the US would cause such panic - (Iran's plans don't sound so radical afterall).
2. Former Soviet Union still has over 2000 nuclear warheads - (more than enough to cause human extinction).
3. Magnetic pole shift from N to S. (When I was in physics class - all students were taught that the polar shift is overdue.)
4. Meteor strike - (could cause massive catastrope)
5. Massive earthquake.
6. Run on US & foreign banks or other economic collapse - (just this past Friday night - Moody's downgraded 34 Italian banks - after the market closed) And the US economy isn't anything to brag about either.
I am not saying that everyone should dig a hole and hide. But it would be prudent in the event of a national crisis - to at least be prepared to fight for what is yours. If you don't you can bet your ass that they'll take the shirts right off of your backs.
Agreed 5:18. Personally it's a little more than growing and canning, but we go to work everyday. The kids go to college. We go out to dinner. We shoot our rifles/handguns/shotguns. We collect our eggs and feed our livestock. We cut our grass. I'm saying we do all the things most everyone else does and we have a good time doing it. We make it fun. So we all have gas masks with NBC filters. So we have a lot of food, guns, and ammo. Other than some really small things we do almost everything that other people do.
ReplyDeleteBeezer I agree. I heard you may know a little about alternative energy sources. Is that something you'd be willing to share?
ReplyDeleteBeezer......7:35 is me. I accidentally hit the anonymous button as a scrolled down with this lame computer
ReplyDeleteJoe,
ReplyDeleteI am 12:31 (visiting family all day just had a chance to reply). I grew up on a farm, I own several guns, I have a 16K generator, stocked fish pond, and I live in the middle of a 200 acre woods. I am always the most prepared person around come hurricane or blizzard time. However, the obsessive fear of civil anarchy is just not me. I don't want to survive in that kind of world, but I don't put down those that want to go down fighting (I would probably will as well). But, there is not a necessity to prepare for years of bunker dwelling. To those folks, I think Bob Dylan said it best, "I think you take your paranoia a little too seriously".
you have to use a permanent magnet alternator with earth magnets instead of a regular car alternator. Search PMA alternator on ebay. Car alternators will not generate enough current at low wind/water turbine speeds like a PMA will
ReplyDelete