HereComesTheReignAgain Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 The Neanderthal vs modern man topic got me thinking...Could the average person today survive without electricity, clean tap water and the local Wegmans? I try to be prepared for a disaster, but certainly don't have a bunker and tinfoil hat ready to go. How long before panick and mass looting takes place? How long until people start starving or dying from drinking unclean water? I have a generator, portable water filter, a small supply of canned or dehydrated food, guns for hunting and/or protection and a little bit of hunting and outdoor experience. Along with all the cold weather gear and camping supplies, I would probably have a decent chance of surviving a while. I know most of my friends wouldn't have a clue how to kill and prepare wild game or search out edible plants and once their lighters ran out of fuel, starting a fire to boil water would become nearly impossible. Most people probably don't think we will ever have to worry about things like this, but how far fetched is a huge power outage? Weren't some people without power for weeks after the big snowstorm in Buffalo a couple years ago? With the success of shows like Survivorman, Man Vs Wild, and The Colony, it seems like people are a little more interested in being prepared. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrDawkinstein Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 looting? starts within 12 hours. people dying? immediately for the already sick people. a few days for starvation/dehydration. depending on the season, a couple days without heat or AC. i would be "ok" as long as i stuck with my best friend who has some guns and camping equipment. id like to think i could last outdoors, but i dont have the equipment on hand. living in a small, city apartment, i dont have the need or storage for that stuff. but as long as i got to my peeps, id definitely be able to contribute. although, ive never had to clean an animal for consumption before, i wouldnt be "grossed out" by it if it meant survival. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuckincincy Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 In 1992, Barns & Noble reprinted the US Army Survival Manual FM 21-76. A very nice book - wild plants for food, shelters, fire building, wildlife, directional finding, desert, tropical, sea and arctic survival and many other topics. Photos of poisonous snakes and plants and edible plants, how to read the clouds. Useful and interesting to read. It's about 10 bucks. ISBN 1-5661-9022-3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fezmid Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 A better question is would you WANT to survive? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SDS Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 A better question is would you WANT to survive? yes. Jessica Alba and I would need to re-populate the world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HBSS151 Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 yes. Jessica Alba and I would need to re-populate the world. It would get along faster if you had Heidi too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yall Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 This is too funny, because something got into my wife's head this morning that has her terrified over a possible EMP attack and she suggested that we live 'off the grid' as a preventative measure. Keep in mind this was the same person who threw a tantrum earlier in the week when she couldn't watch The Vampire Diaries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fezmid Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 yes. Jessica Alba and I would need to re-populate the world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HereComesTheReignAgain Posted October 15, 2009 Author Share Posted October 15, 2009 In 1992, Barns & Noble reprinted the US Army Survival Manual FM 21-76. A very nice book - wild plants for food, shelters, fire building, wildlife, directional finding, desert, tropical, sea and arctic survival and many other topics. Photos of poisonous snakes and plants and edible plants, how to read the clouds. Useful and interesting to read. It's about 10 bucks. ISBN 1-5661-9022-3 I have read a couple good survival books. Les Stroud (Survivorman) wrote an interesting survival book. http://www.amazon.com/Survive-Essential-Sk...e/dp/0061373516 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HereComesTheReignAgain Posted October 15, 2009 Author Share Posted October 15, 2009 This is too funny, because something got into my wife's head this morning that has her terrified over a possible EMP attack and she suggested that we live 'off the grid' as a preventative measure. Keep in mind this was the same person who threw a tantrum earlier in the week when she couldn't watch The Vampire Diaries. That is some serious preparation! It would be great to live off the grid, but from the little bit I have seen about it, the cost is outrageous to get started and you need to make some pretty big lifestyle changes to survive with the amount of electricity you can realistically produce. It would be nice to get a utility bill that read $0 though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Tom Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 I have no expectation of surviving something like that. My plan, in that case, would be to help as many other people as possible set themselves up to survive...seems a better use of my time than trying to save my own fat useless ass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricojes Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 i'd be screwed! Christ, I didn't think I'd make it when they cut CBS from the TW line up... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dib Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 I made it 2 weeks after Wilma. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erynthered Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 I made it 2 weeks after Wilma. .........and Fred is still pissed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wooderson Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 We're going to have to figure out something when the zombie apocalypse begins... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chalkie Gerzowski Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 In 1992, Barns & Noble reprinted the US Army Survival Manual FM 21-76. A very nice book - wild plants for food, shelters, fire building, wildlife, directional finding, desert, tropical, sea and arctic survival and many other topics. Photos of poisonous snakes and plants and edible plants, how to read the clouds. Useful and interesting to read. It's about 10 bucks. ISBN 1-5661-9022-3 Is that the book Chris McCandless used? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuckincincy Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 Is that the book Chris McCandless used? I don't know who that is... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wooderson Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 In 1992, Barns & Noble reprinted the US Army Survival Manual FM 21-76. A very nice book - wild plants for food, shelters, fire building, wildlife, directional finding, desert, tropical, sea and arctic survival and many other topics. Photos of poisonous snakes and plants and edible plants, how to read the clouds. Useful and interesting to read. It's about 10 bucks. ISBN 1-5661-9022-3 It's used on amazon for $0.01 plus 3.99 shipping. Not too shabby. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Tom Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 We're going to have to figure out something when the zombie apocalypse begins... Apparently, we just sign him to a 3-year coaching extension. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Jack Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 That is some serious preparation! It would be great to live off the grid, but from the little bit I have seen about it, the cost is outrageous to get started and you need to make some pretty big lifestyle changes to survive with the amount of electricity you can realistically produce. It would be nice to get a utility bill that read $0 though! My parents got a windmill a couple years ago (Bergey Windpower, installed by SED) and they've had months where their bill is just the normal "delivery charge" from National Grid, about $16. The bottom picture on the left side of this page is from theirs being installed. Pictures of the windmill being erected. Pictures from the top. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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