A Suggested Survival List
One does not have to be a prophet
to know that we are on the precipice of some potentially
catastrophic–or at the very least, challenging–days.
In fact, most of us are already in challenging days, and
some are already enduring catastrophic events. That is,
if one would call being out of work, losing one`s home,
facing life-threatening medical conditions without any
prospect of medical insurance, several families being
forced to live in one house due to homes being
foreclosed, etc., catastrophic.
The potential for an escalation of
cataclysmic events, however, is very real. Only a
"blooming idiot"
would call someone who attempts to prepare for
"the day of
adversity" a Chicken Little now. Anyone who does not
see the storm clouds on the horizon isn`t paying
attention.
For example, can one imagine what
would happen if terrorists
nuked a major American city or cities? (Once again,
I encourage readers to go get the
videos
of the
CBS TV series
"Jericho" to get an idea of how quickly life, and even civilization, could
change.) Imagine if there was another 9/11-type event.
What would happen if some form of Zimbabwe-style
inflation hit the US? What would happen if anything
disrupted the distribution of Welfare checks, or food to
local grocers? Imagine a
Hurricane Katrina-style natural disaster in your
town. I think people everywhere are beginning to awaken
to just how vulnerable we all really are.
As a result, people from virtually
every walk of life have recently been asking my thoughts
on how they should prepare. Therefore, I will attempt to
share with my readers some of the counsel I have given
these folks.
First, a disclaimer. I am not an
economist; I am not a survival expert; I am not a
firearms expert; I am not an attorney; I am not a
physician. In fact, I am not an expert in anything! For
several years, however, I have tried to learn from
others. I am an avid reader. My work has allowed me to
travel extensively. I have had the privilege of sitting
at the feet of–and learning from–many of America`s
most learned, most trained, and most qualified
"experts" in
a variety of fields. What I write today, I have learned
from others. I`ve formed my own opinions and priorities,
of course, but everything I`m sharing has been said, or
written about, before. But if I can share something in
today`s column that will help someone be better prepared
for the days to come, then my goal will have been
achieved.
Location:
First, analyze your living
conditions. Where do you live? Do you live in an urban
or rural environment? Is it a big city or small town? Do
you live in an apartment or condominium? How close are
your neighbors? Do you even know your neighbors? Would
you trust them if the electricity was off and they were
hungry? Could you grow your own food, if you had to? How
easily could you secure your home? If you live in a cold
weather environment, how long could you stay warm
without electricity? These are the kinds of questions
you need to ask yourself now.
Over the past several decades,
masses of people have migrated into large metropolitan
areas. More people live in urban areas than at any time
in American history. While this may be well and good for
times of prosperity, it is an absolute nightmare in any
kind of disaster. Does anyone remember what New Orleans
looked like after Hurricane Katrina came through? Can
anyone recall what happened in downtown Los Angeles
during the 1992 riots? Needless to say, any inner-city
environment could become a powder keg almost
instantaneously, given the right (or wrong)
circumstances. And the bigger the city, the bigger the
potential problems.
If you live in the inner city, I
suggest you consider moving to a more rural location.
Obviously, now is a very good time to buy property
(especially rural property), but the downside is,
selling property is not as favorable. If you can afford
it, now is a great time to buy a
"safe house"
outside the city. If you are fortunate enough to have
family or some true friends nearby, you might want to
put your heads–and some resources–together in
preparation for serious upheaval. Obviously, a team of
prepared people is much better than being alone.
If you must stay in your urban
location, have some commonsense plans in hand in the
event of a major disaster. Get to know your neighbors:
find out whom you can trust and whom you can`t. Keep
some extra gasoline on hand, in case you need to get in
your car quickly and leave. Have several exit routes
planned ahead of time, in case roads are blocked. Have a
"bug-out" bag
containing essential ingredients to live on for 3 or 4
days. If leaving is not an option, have a plan to secure
your home as best you can. You`ll need to think about
things such as food, water, medicine, warmth,
self-defense, etc. But at this point, to do nothing is
absolute lunacy!
Provisions:
During a major disaster, food will
quickly disappear. Living for over 3 decades on the Gulf
Coast, I can tell you with absolute certainty that
whenever disaster strikes (usually an approaching
hurricane, for us), food and provisions at the store
sell completely out in a matter of a few hours. People
panic, and within hours, you cannot find food, bottled
water, ice, generators, batteries, candles, etc. In a
matter of hours, every gas station in the area will be
completely out of gas. Not days. Hours!
Furthermore, almost all disasters
include a complete loss of electricity. The water supply
is compromised. Bottled water becomes more valuable than
bank accounts. Dehydration becomes a very real and
present danger. I remember witnessing a man offer an ice
vendor $100 for an extra bag of ice during Hurricane
Ivan. My wife and I went 2 weeks (14 days) without
electricity in the aftermath of that hurricane. Believe
me, I got a taste of just how precious bottled water,
ice, batteries, generators, fuel, etc., can become.
I suggest you have a supply of food
and water to last at least 2 weeks. A month would be
even better. Personally, I can live a long time on tuna
fish or peanut butter. You can purchase MREs from a
variety of sources, as well as
"camp-style"
packaged food from stores such as
Academy Sports &
Outdoors. Of course, bottled water is available
everywhere during normal times. Stock up! Plus, I
suggest you have some water purification tablets or a Katadyn water filter
your own food. Canning food is another very helpful
hedge against deprivation. If your parents were like
mine, this was standard operating procedure.
Get a generator
Keep a supply of fuel on hand. Stay stocked
up on batteries, candles, portable lights, first aid
supplies, and personal hygiene items–especially toilet
paper. Trust me, during times of intense and prolonged
disaster, toilet paper could become more valuable than
money. I also suggest you never run out of lighters or
matches. You never know when you`ll need to build a
fire, and during a prolonged survival situation, fire
could save your life. If you live in a cold weather
climate, you probably already have some sort of wood
stove or fireplace.
Obviously, you need to take stock
of your clothing. Do you have clothes suitable for
extended outdoor activity? What about boots? During a
disaster, you would trade your best suit from Neiman
Marcus for a good pair of boots. Do you have gloves?
Insulated underwear? What about camouflage clothing?
These could become essential outerwear in the right
conditions. Plus, any
"bug-out" bag
will need to include spare clothing.
And one more suggestion, while
we`re on this subject: the best resources in the world
are of little use if one is physically incapable of
making good use of them. In other words, GET IN SHAPE.
During any kind of emergency situation, physical
exertion and stamina become immensely important.
Commodities:
I suggest you have at least some
cash on hand. Just about any and all disasters will
result in banks being closed for extended periods of
time. That also means credit card purchases being
suspended. You need to have enough cash to be able to
purchase essential goods (if they are even available)
for an undetermined amount of time.
Of course, some survival gurus
insist that during any cataclysmic climate, precious
metals will become the only reliable currency. But when
most of us are trying to feed our families and pay our
bills, it is difficult to get excited about buying gold
and silver. Obviously, I would never recommend that
anyone jeopardize the present on the altar of the
future. My parents made it through the Great Depression
with canned goods and garden vegetables; gold and silver
were certainly not a priority with them. And maybe it
should not be with you, either?
In fact, in a disaster, what is
considered a valuable commodity can change rather
quickly, as the barter system takes a life of its own.
What is valuable is determined by what you need and how
badly you need it. In a prolonged disaster, simple
things such as toilet paper, canned goods, ammunition,
and clothing could become extremely valuable; while
cars, video games, televisions, etc., could be reduced
to junk status. In antiquity, wars were fought over
things such as salt.
Speaking of cars, remember that
during a prolonged
"national
emergency" that might involve some sort of nuclear
attack or widespread civil unrest, an Electromagnetic
Pulse (EMP) might be employed; in which case, most every
late model vehicle would be completely inoperable.
Accordingly, if one can keep an older, pre-computer-age
vehicle in good working order, he or she might be
driving the only non-government vehicle capable of going
anywhere.
Self-Defense:
Needless to say, during any kind of
disaster, your safety and protection will be completely
up to you. If you really think that the police are going
to be able to protect you during an upheaval, you are
living in a dreamworld.
In both the
New
Orleans and
Los Angeles disasters, police protection was
non-existent. Lawless gangs quickly took control of the
streets, and people were left to either defend
themselves or swiftly become the helpless prey of
violent marauders. In fact, in New Orleans, some of the
policemen actually abandoned their oaths to uphold the
law and joined with the criminals, turning their weapons
upon the public.
Face it, folks: in any kind of
disaster, you must be able to defend yourself, or you
and your family will be meat for these animals of
society that will quickly descend without mercy upon the
unprepared, unsuspecting souls around them. This
requires that you be armed! It also requires that you be
skilled enough to be able to efficiently use your arms.
Therefore, I strongly suggest that
you purchase firearms sufficient to keep you and your
family safe, and also that you practice sufficiently to
know how to proficiently use them.
Now, when it comes to a discussion
of which firearms are preferable for self-defense, the
suggestions are as varied as the people who proffer
them. These are my suggestions:
I believe every man (along with his
wife and children of adequate age) should be proficient
with the following weapons: a handgun in .38 caliber or
above, a .22 rifle, a center-fire hunting rifle, a
semi-automatic battle rifle, and a shotgun.
My personal preference for a
self-defense handgun is either a .45 ACP 1911 (either
Colt or Kimber) or a .40 S&W. In the .40 caliber, my
favorite is a Glock 23. In the 1911, I like the
Commander size configuration. I also like the Glock 30
and 36 in .45 caliber. My wife prefers to carry a Smith
& Wesson .38 caliber revolver in the snub-nose, J-frame
configuration. But this is primarily due to the reduced
weight of these weapons for carry purposes. If needed,
she could make a good accounting of herself with a Glock
19 in 9mm. If you are someone who has never owned and
seldom fired a handgun, I recommend you buy a Glock.
They are as simple as revolvers to operate, reliable,
and almost indestructible. Plus, they provide increased
magazine capacity, and are safe. They are also very easy
to disassemble and clean.
For a .22 rifle, I really like the
Ruger 10/22. For a hunting rifle, my suggestion is
either a .270 or .30-06 caliber bolt-action rifle. (If I
had to pick one, I`d pick the .30-06.) I prefer the
Remington Model 700 BDL, but there are several fine
weapons in this configuration and caliber by numerous
manufacturers. For a battle rifle, I suggest an
AR-15-style weapon in .223 caliber. Here I prefer a
Bushmaster. (Please, I don`t need to hear from all you
.308 lovers out there. I love the Springfield M1A, too.)
For a shotgun, I suggest a 12-gauge pump. Here I prefer
a Winchester Model 1300, which is not made anymore. So,
you`ll probably have to choose between Mossberg and
Remington.
Whatever you choose, practice with
it to the point that you are able to use it
proficiently. And be sure you stock up on ammunition. A
gun without ammo is reduced to being either an expensive
club or a cumbersome paperweight.
Spiritual Power:
I firmly believe that man is
created to have fellowship with his Creator-God. I
really don`t know how people can face the uncertain
future that we currently face without the spiritual
knowledge, wisdom, comfort, and power that is made
available through Jesus Christ. I believe the maxim is
true:
"Wise men still seek Him." I strongly suggest that you seek to
possess a personal relationship with God`s only begotten
Son.
That we are facing challenging days
is a certainty. Exactly what that means is yet to be
determined. I trust that some of my suggestions will
help you be better prepared for what lies before us.
Dr. Chuck Baldwin is the
pastor of Crossroad Baptist Church in Pensacola,
Florida. He hosts a
weekly radio show. His
website is
here.
