While some may consider such a discussion a waste of time, more and more people are coming to the conclusion that preparations of some sort are warranted in our current troubled environment — on many fronts.

Surviving Economic CollapseHow much preparation individuals are willing to do is usually in direct correlation to their belief that something catastrophic could happen, making life as we know it a much more difficult task.

It is a proven fact throughout history that when disruptions of any kind occur, those who made even the smallest preparations typically fare much better than those who gave no thought at all in this regard.

Today I want to share with you a list I have compiled of the things that could potentially happen — and that threaten our way of life in a small or large degree.

There is no way to predict these things, but anyone with common sense can see that the possibility is likely we could experience one or more of these events at some point in the future...

Any single event or combination of events could cause terrible and debilitating circumstances for a short or long period of time:
◾Natural disasters such as hurricanes, floods, tornados, volcanic eruptions, solar flares, earthquakes, and other geophysical events
◾Possibility of wars, nuclear wars, nuclear reactor meltdowns, and radiation fallout
◾Financial meltdown (derivative, debt crisis, economic collapse and/or bond implosion) causing currencies to implode and governments to topple
◾Problems with the exploration, delivery, or production of oil, the lifeblood of modern economies
◾Spread of disease such as the Black Plague or a bird flu pandemic
◾Power grid failure
◾Political anarchy or revolution
◾Racial strife or civil war
◾Electromagnetic pulse event



With any of these scenarios listed above (and there is a host of others I have probably not even thought about), you could have localized, national, or global unrest and even war for an indefinite period of time depending on the scope and duration of the event(s).

An item that is not on the list — but could be equally devastating to individual families — is the loss of a job.

Losing a job can be a catastrophic event if one is not properly prepared. Most families find themselves living paycheck to paycheck with little in the way of savings and almost nothing in the way of preparations.

For years, I had brought up the issue of preparedness to a close friend of mine.

When I first started talking about it, my friend and his wife basically blew me off... but I kept bringing the topic up.

Eventually they thought it prudent to at least get some sort of food storage together. Their family was accustomed to an upper middle class income and living comfortably in suburbia with their three children...

About a year after making their food preparations, the breadwinner of the family lost his job and ended up working a series of almost minimum wage jobs trying to make ends meet.

He kept applying for better-paying jobs in his field of expertise — but no matter how qualified he was nobody was interested in hiring someone at his previous salary level or his age (late fifties).

The family's lifestyle was devastated and they eventually lost their home...

In a recent conversation with this friend, he told me that without their food storage, things would have been immeasurably more difficult. He thanked me for being a good friend and pushing the issue when he and his wife weren’t listening.

The family is now living a greatly reduced lifestyle, but keeping their heads above water and continuing with their preparations.

I share this story because on an individual basis, there is a host of things that can happen in which being prepared could make a huge difference.

We often, as a people in general, terms take things for granted and think 'this' or 'that' will never happen to us. In addition to a major job loss due to a myriad of reasons, you could lose your health or the ability to do your job.

Unfortunately, things of this nature are happening to more and more people every day. In fact, I'm certain all of us have been affected to some degree by similar stories of friends and relatives.

Our Current State of Affairs

The world in general seems afflicted on so many different fronts.

When you look at the list above, any rational person could easily see one or more of these scenarios occur within their lifetime.

Aside from the geophysical things that seem to be going haywire, and could be explained simply as the planet’s cycles, there are plenty of man-made catastrophes that loom on the horizon...

Never has the planet had as many people as it does now. With increased population numbers, there is increased pressure for resources.

This is a key point on why you want to stay invested in commodities of all kinds.

More countries seek nuclear devices than ever before and recent advancements in technology make this much easier than any time before in history.

Biological and chemical weapons are also much easier to manufacture — and are being stored by an increasing number of very scary countries.

Oil markets are tighter than ever as demand from countries like China and India increases, but new supply cannot keep up with the increasing demand.

The financial debacle of the world economies needs no introduction to my readers. In short, bad times — really bad times — for any number of reasons could and probably will be coming to a location near you.

Unless you and your family take this possibility quite seriously, if and when something does happen, you could very well find yourself in some extremely difficult circumstances. Just look at the latest news coming out of Greece, as reported by Reuters, below...


This is happening right now — and it’s only going to spread.

When the political and economic systems of entire nations collapse the consequences are devastating.

Earlier this year pharmacies and hospitals in Greece were unable to provide life saving medicines due to a shortages caused by a freeze in the flow of credit from manufacturers to distributors to patients. A collapse in the country’s economy has forced many Greeks to turn to black market barter economies and has left millions financially devastated, with no hope of finding an income stream for the foreseeable future.

The credit system of the entire country is in shambles. So much so that reports are emerging about food shortages and hunger within the Greek prison system, suggesting that serious problems in the food delivery chain have begun to materialize.

As Nigel Farage warned recently, we are beginning to see the rise of extreme political parties as a consequence of the total and utter desperation of the populace.

Today the news gets even worse. Greece’s Regulatory Authority for Energy (RAE) announced an emergency meeting to deal with what can only be construed as a tell-tale sign that this crisis is very rapidly reaching critical mass and may spiral out of control in the very near future:

Greece’s power regulator RAE told Reuters on Friday it was calling an emergency meeting next week to avert a collapse of the debt-stricken country’s electricity and natural gas system.

“RAE is taking crisis initiatives throughout next week to avert the collapse of the natural gas and electricity system,” the regulator’s chief Nikos Vasilakos told Reuters.

RAE took the decision after receiving a letter from Greece’s natural gas company DEPA, which threatened to cut supplies to electricity producers if they failed to settle their arrears with the company.

You may have thought the financial collapse of 2008 was bad. That was just a warm-up.

The main event is staring us in the face, and the whole of Europe has front-row seats.

What is happening in Europe is just a precursor for what will eventually be coming to the United States...

I personally witnessed what can happen within a very short period of time when food is no longer available to the public.

I was in my early twenties, living in Paris, France.

Because of an extended truckers' strike, the food stores were cleared out within 24 hours of the announcement. Within five days, normally law-abiding citizens took to the streets and began threatening anyone who had food...

Those with no food quickly crossed the line of sanity and started desperately looking to take food from those who had it by any means necessary.

Economic CollapseThese events were never properly covered by the news media (what a surprise!), but I saw firsthand how uncivilized a so-called "modern country" can become within a matter of days because of a lack of food.

If I had not witnessed this myself, I probably would not believe this could happen so easily.

And even as a strong young man, I found myself quite frightened at times before the trucks started rolling again.

That particular truckers' strike lasted three weeks — but it left me with a lasting impression.

The following are Items to Consider that I feel are prudent as you make your own preparations based on the problems that could potentially threaten our way of life.

Each of the items below could fill a book... but my intent is to at least get you thinking about the most important things related to being prepared.

1. Should I stay or should I go?

Many have already decided where they will go if and when any such disaster occurs. One of the questions I get more than any other regarding this topic is: Should I stay in the United States or leave to another country?

Personally, I know many who have already left the United States — and they have never looked back. I have been invited to their retreats in Costa Rica, Panama, Argentina, and the Caribbean Islands, and they seem very happy with their decision to leave.

This is a huge decision. My hope is that the following discussion may be of some help when thinking about this topic.

Because I travel internationally so much in my search for quality mining assets, I often compare notes on my trips with other folks (geologists, newsletter writers, etc.) about their travels...

One of the realizations you see firsthand as you travel extensively worldwide is the extreme wealth, extreme poverty, and extreme corruption that exists in all of its world flavors.

If you think the United States is corrupt, you should try going to Peru, or Bolivia, or Panama. And if you think those countries are corrupt, you haven’t see anything compared to Russia, Haiti, India, or some places in Africa...

The fact is corruption and the growing global police state is EVERYWHERE!

So while we certainly see much to complain about in the United States, which is definitely going the wrong way fast, from what I have seen in most other places on the planet, the U.S. is still less corrupt than most. There are bad apples everywhere throughout politics, local police, FBI agents, and most certainly the court system — but for every bad apple, there are probably three times as many honorable people who are truly just trying to do their jobs.

Leaving the country is a decision you must make before the event takes place due to the sheer amount of time and effort it takes to accomplish such a task.

You must also think about being away from family and friends who don’t share your enthusiasm to leave the country and what affect that could have on everyone over time.

For most, I think it’s probably best to just hunker down in your own country (U.S. or Canada) and prepare as much as you can. If you can afford a retreat cabin somewhere far away from the big cities, that would probably be best — but again, you still need to get there once the event occurs.

Studies have clearly shown that once a SHTF (Sh*t Hits The Fan) event occurs, you have two to three days to get to where you ultimately want to hunker down. After that, travel becomes extremely dangerous and it is unlikely you will reach your final destination.

Highways will become kill zones targeted by the bad guys. To a gang of armed looters who forgot to prepare or plan ahead before the event, there is not a better target than an RV loaded down with stored food, ammo, and gold.

Don’t be foolish and attempt travel once things have gone south: If you need to get somewhere, plan to leave the moment the event happens and arrive where you want to be within 72 hours.

This may require several false starts (meaning the situation looked bad at first, but didn’t materialize, and you need to return home) on your part as events start to unfold. But it's better to be safe than sorry if you are planning to get somewhere when an event happens.

Military strategists know from historical accounts of what happens when governments fail or when SHTF events affect a country: The rule of thumb is that roads are to be avoided at all costs.

If you cannot afford a retreat cabin of some sort, there are things you can do to hunker down in your own home...

First, you need to stock up and find a way to defend it. Like-minded friends and neighbors can be a huge support network — as long as they have prepared as well.

There is a great book (it's not well-edited, but has solid content) on how to live in your home and defend it called Holding Your Ground: Preparing for Defense if it All Falls Apart by Joe Nobody, which in itself is a lesson in laying low.

This book isn’t about turning your home into a concrete bunker armed to the teeth; it's more about using cosmetic deception to fool would-be marauders into thinking your place has already been hit. It includes plenty of clever techniques that go far beyond "shooting back."

Ultimately, everyone must decide for themselves based on finances, family concerns, and individual preferences what he can or cannot do in his preparations.

Hopefully, this discussion will help you make the best choices for what is in your best interest.

2. Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.

This is a good motto to live by, despite how you think about things.

Individuals can still hope for the best (that things can and will eventually work out), but what good is your prosperity going to do if you don’t have anything to eat or a safe place to hang out for an extended period of time?

Why not prepare while you still can — when things are readily available and can still be purchased at cheap prices? The coming hyper-inflation will make any such purchases beforehand look very intelligent...

To prepare for the worst, you need a plan. Why are most people so against doing basic preparations that could be the difference on how they survive — or whether they survive?

History shows time and again that those who prepare always fare better than those who did not. Having a plan and being determined to act on that plan will always be the best way to handle any contingencies, should they occur.

After disaster strikes, your mind is going to be racing around like a car on a race track. Pre-planning and having a written set of measures to take will make someone’s life go much smoother when the SHTF.

Your own personal plan is ONLY what best fits what you are going to do during and after a disaster.

People should also have back-up plans — Plans B and C, at least — because nothing ever seems to go as planned. Haphazard approaches to the aftermaths of catastrophes are kind of like a chicken running around without its head.

3. Prepare 72-hour "bug-out" bags.

This is an easy, cost-effective preparation that makes a ton of sense — no matter what happens. Even a small preparation like this can have an enormous impact on how you survive the first few days after any type of catastrophic event.

I’ll bet there were a lot of people after Hurricane Katrina that would have loved to have such a bag for each member of their family...

This could be a backpack or bag of some sort for each family member that contains all the items that individual may need during the first 72 hours after a disaster strikes.

Items to include in such a bag would be toiletries, important papers (see below), change of underwear and clothes, some bottled water, snacks, a few bags of freeze-dried food that only require two cups of hot water to reconstitute within self-contained bag, water purification device, metal cup and small pot for boiling water, backpacker mini-cook stove with fuel, sleeping bag, towel, ability to make fire, flashlight with extra batteries, glow sticks, ground cloth, tarp, rain gear, plastic forks, knives, spoons, parachute cord, personal cleaning wipes, a first aid kit and medication, good sharp knife and a multi-tool, fishing line, small fishing hooks, compass, cash, physical gold and silver, map of areas you may need, and any other items that would make sense for you.

Special items required by the elderly, babies, and pets need to be considered as well.

Important paperwork you should bring with you includes: birth certificates, insurance policies, passports, medical records, pet medical records, bank account information, deeds and titles to cars, homes etc., computer backup.

Gather these and put them in a suitable container and wrap in plastic against the elements.

Having such preparations after a tornado, hurricane, or any calamity would allow you to grab and go because it’s already prepared.

Each member of my family has such a bag. I keep each one of them in the basement of our house in a heavy-duty large trash bag for protection against the elements.

4. Understand what “just in time inventory” is — and how this can affect you.

Most Americans take for granted the intricate systems that make it possible for us to engage in seemingly mundane day-to-day tasks like filling up our gas tanks, loading up our shopping carts at the local grocery store, obtaining necessary medications, and even pouring ourselves a clean glass of water...

When we wake up each morning, we just expect that all of these things will work today the same way they worked yesterday.

What very few people have considered is the complexity involved in the underlying infrastructure that allows goods, services, and commerce in America to flow. Fewer still have ever spent the time to contemplate the fragility of these systems or the consequences on food, water, health care, the financial system, and the economy if they are interrupted.

The truth is our "just in time" inventory and delivery systems leave us incredibly vulnerable to a nationwide disaster.

You see, it is very expensive to hold and store inventory, so most manufacturers and retailers rely on a continual flow of deliveries that are scheduled to arrive "just in time," which significantly reduces their operating expenses.

This is considered to be good business practice for manufacturers and retailers, but it also means that if there was a major nationwide transportation disruption, our economic system would grind to a halt almost immediately.

Once store shelves are picked clean, they would not be able to be replenished until trucks could get back on the road. In the event of a major nationwide disaster, that could be quite awhile.

A report prepared for legislators and business leaders by the American Trucking Associations highlights just how critical our "just in time" inventory and delivery systems are, and assesses the impact on the general population in the event of an emergency or incident of national significance that disrupts the truck transportation systems responsible for carrying some ten billion tons of commodities and supplies across the United States each year.

A shutdown of truck operations as a result of elevated threat levels, terrorist attacks, or pandemics would, according to the report, have "a swift and devastating impact on the food, health care, transportation, waste removal, retail, manufacturing, and financial sectors."

So too would events such as an EMP attack or a coordinated cyber-attack that could shut down global positioning systems and the computers responsible for inventory control.

Another potential scenario that is more likely now than ever before is liquidity problems within the financial system stemming from currency crisis or hyperinflation...

All of our "just in time" delivery systems are built upon the unhindered transfer of money and credit, but when credit flow becomes restricted or money becomes worthless, no one will be able to pay for their goods. Likewise, no one will trust the credit worthiness of anyone else.

This is exactly the scenario playing out in Greece right now and the consequences on the health care industry in that country have left many without life saving drugs. When there’s no money, no one will be transporting anything.

The effects of a transportation shutdown for any reason would be immediate (in some cases, within hours) and absolutely catastrophic.

While an event that disrupts truck transportation systems may seem unlikely to many, recent history suggests it is fully plausible — and the blowback can be devastating...

A day after Hurricane Katrina ravaged New Orleans, panicked government officials stopped all transportation flow into the region, forcing hundreds of trucks loaded with emergency supplies like food and water to wait for permission before they could enter the area.

As a result, thousands of residents of the city were left without items essential for survival. It took days before truck routes were re-opened and supplies were allowed to flow.

Government officials acting on limited information, lack of knowledge, and personal politics were responsible for restricting the flow of goods into New Orleans, potentially killing hundreds of people in the process.

What this incident demonstrated is that when the trucks in America stop, all commerce and delivery stops with it.

5. Educate yourself on and take measures to store food.

There is plenty of material available on the Internet about the best ways to store food. I personally have read many books on the topic, and one of the most important features is trying to gather materials that have a long shelf life and which keep their nutritional value...

Most store-bought items have very short shelf lives and don’t work well for long-term food storage. Canned goods can work, but these must be stored in a cool, dry environment well below room temperature for increased shelf life (but not freezing). Costco and Sam's Club are best for these types of purchases.

Freeze-dried food can also work, but can be rather expensive — and the taste can sometimes be questionable. (There are many different manufacturers, and you need to educate yourself before purchasing. I like tasting the items first before making any major purchases.)

Better yet is to store staples such as wheat, rice, beans, sugar, oats, etc. — which, if stored properly, can last up to 30 years.

I look at my food storage as an investment, and I want it to have a long life. There are various methods of storing these staples, and each person should consider what method would work best for their circumstances.

In my own search for getting food storage together, I have come across some great resources that may be able to help you as well...

One company that has many of the products I ended up buying is Grandma's Country Foods located in Salt Lake City. They have a wide assortment of items related to preparedness and their pricing is excellent. The product they are most famous for is their powdered milk. I have tried at least a dozen different powdered milk products, and this is the only one my kids and I can actually drink.

They also have 45-pound containers of white or red winter wheat, which is ideal for long-term storage. You then, of course, have to have a way of grinding this wheat to make flour, but you get the idea...

Some other items that I have tried from Grandma's Country Foods that I really like are their canned real butter (long shelf life) and dehydrated foods, which taste better than others I've bought.

(Another good source for good tasting freeze-dried foods is Mountain House. An Internet search will give you multiple sources for obtaining Mountain House products.)

6. Obtain water and purify it.

In my search for "safe drinking water," I found what I consider the best available situation on the planet...

The Lifesaver water bottle uses the latest technology to provide clean, pure drinking water. I have spent a lot of time searching the best way to purifying water, and in my opinion, there's nothing better.

Also under the water category, it is wise to consider some form of water storage — whether it's five-gallon containers, 55-gallon plastic drums, or some other form of storage, all of which can be obtained from many different sources.

The bottom line in water preparedness is to always have a safe source(s) of clean drinking water and a way to store it.

To most this may sound absurd, since you can get clean drinking water from the tap in your home, but in times of emergency and/or civil unrest, the water may be shut off — or you may be displaced from your home and will need a way to access clean water.

This leads to the discussion of having a stocked-up safe haven place with two sources of water that is far away from a major city in case of a SHTF event.

This is one of the most rehashed subjects of survival, but probably the most important one.

Most people just assume the taps will continue to flow and water will be there.

People need to know that unless water is from a spring, it will likely need to be purified — and this means some reliable filters or boiling (which requires heat from a fire along with pots to boil it in).

Aside from drinking, water is also needed to rehydrate food, make milk from powder, and of course, for personal hygiene.

How much water will be needed and used is something that is often vastly underestimated.

Economic Collapse
7. Know how to protect yourself. This almost certainly means owning a firearm and knowing how to use it to protect yourself or others.

Many TV survival documentaries show people who feel they can defend themselves with knives or clubs, but in reality, they are going to lose 98% of the time against someone else with a firearm. Someone that has been specifically trained on how to use firearms in a defensive manner will almost always win the day in a gun battle.

You can’t just own a gun; you have to know how to use it at a very high level. You also need to know how to clean your weapons and take care of them. Access to a gunsmith may or may not be available to you during an emergency situation...

Some people think they cannot use a firearm against another person, but this feeling changes abruptly when they see one of their family members at risk. Some people still cannot use a firearm in any circumstance, and these people should consider some form of self-defense such as the non-lethal devices (stun batons, pepper sprays, TASERS, even baseball bats).

People can feel that everyone will come together and rebuild society, and many good people will — but there are plenty of bad people in this world. And it may come down to you or them.

Everyone needs to practice over and over with any self-defense armament they have so there is no hesitation when it comes to saving one’s life from someone that is willing to take yours or your loved ones'.

For a handgun, I recommend a 45-caliber for men and a 9MM for women. Most women find the kick of a 45-caliber handgun too much to handle when shooting and are more comfortable with a 9 MM. Colt, Smith and Wesson, H&K, Sig Sauer are some of the best name brands in handguns to consider if you don’t already own a handgun and need to purchase one.

A 45-caliber handgun has more stopping power than a 9 MM, but any well-placed shot with any type of gun can mean game over for an intruder or attacker with malintent.

Some other types of guns to consider are a good defensive shotgun (12 gauge) with large-size buckshot and a long-range rifle with a quality scope.

If you are not familiar with guns, it is best to find a friend who is who can help you through the process of buying handguns, shotguns, or rifles.

Once you have the guns you want, it then becomes necessary to know how to safely use those guns without hesitation if needed. If you are not familiar with the handling of guns I highly recommend you find someone that can properly train you in a safe environment.

I have sent my entire family to what I consider the best gun training that exists on planet earth for civilians. The name of the place is called Front Sight and is located an hour outside of Las Vegas, Nevada. More on them at www.frontsight.com.

If that is too far to travel, there are plenty of other training facilities around the country you can find with a local search on the Internet.

For those who live in Canada...

From what I understand, it is illegal to own handguns in Canada — but not hunting rifles.

I recommend getting familiar with the process of obtaining any kind of weapons the Canadian government will allow citizens to own for hunting purposes or self-defense.

Unfortunately, the "bad guys" always have illegal guns — even in Canada. So it is in your best interest to go through whatever permitting or paperwork hassles necessary to obtain legal weapons of any kind in your own country.

8. Have a way to cook food in case the power is off. A story below from someone who experienced an earthquake serves as a great reminder why we want to have the ability to cook our own food during a crisis...

dutch oven cookA few years ago, I remember people waiting in long food lines after the San Fernando earthquake hit California. Many of the people in the damage zone spent hours in breakfast lines, then long lines for lunch, then a repeat for dinner.

They had to spend many hours a day in food lines because either they had no food reserves or had no means of cooking their stored food.

A little preparation can go a long way in preparing for emergencies. Had these good people stored a little food, fuel, and invested in a good quality Dutch oven, they would be set for cooking in their backyard instead of relying on Federal troops to supply their family's nutrition.

Good quality Dutch ovens are fun to use, the food always tastes great, and they're invaluable in emergencies. They require charcoal to prepare your food.

Another option is a Volcano cook stove, which also uses charcoal — but saves two-thirds of the amount normally needed when cooking with Dutch ovens. Charcoal is safe and easy to store, eliminating the need to store dangerous liquid fuels for emergency cooking.

Most good Dutch oven cooks choose Kingsford brand charcoal because of the consistency of the product. If it takes 15 briquettes to cook a chicken once, it will likely take 15 the next time.

9. Understand the psychology of desperate people. This is a difficult one.

After a SHTF (Sh*t Hits The Fan) event, people will not behave normally. That neighbor who was in control during many minor emergencies may be the one pounding on your door with whacked-out eyes demanding what you have because they did not prepare for anything. Someone in your own survival group may just blank out in a zombie-like stare.

Unexpected times bring out the best and worst in people — and you need to prepare for this possibility.

You yourself could lose it. Again, preparing for this will help should it occur. You always hope that disasters will bring out the best in your fellow human beings, but often this is not the case.

10. Maintain proper hygiene. This is one of the top priorities within the armed forces because disease and sickness can and do take down the toughest of soldiers.

People must realize that after a terrible disaster, it is not like someone going camping, comes back dirty, and taking a nice long shower or a hot bath...

After a SHTF event the water to the faucets, as well the hot water heater, may not work. Bathing on at least a semi-regular basis is necessary to avoid all sorts of bacteria from building up on the skin and causing a variety of concerning ailments that will then have to be treated.

People should plan on how they will keep themselves clean — think sponge baths or using personal wipes as an option.

11. How to dispose of waste and proper sanitation. In third world countries and the pre-flush toilet era, one of the leading causes of illness and death was (and still is) improperly discarded waste. If the toilets won’t flush because there is no water to make them work, human waste is going to be a huge whopping problem for people trying to survive. Even improperly burying human excrement can lead to disease. Portable toilets, toilet paper, and disinfectant (bleach, for one) should be one of the top items in any survival kit.

Disposal of other trash is an issue that can bring hungry dangerous animals around drawn to the stench. Burning of trash is one method; plastic trash bags and the means to find some place to dump them is another alternative.

12. Learn to control pests and other vermin. This is a problem that led to about half of Europe dying several hundred years ago with the Black Death. Fleas and ticks carry some terrible diseases. Even people that stay inside their own homes will have to deal with this problem. People outside will have to contend with the fleas, ticks, flies, mosquitoes, mice, rats, and so on...

There are many repellents in nature that can help: citronella, even the smell of garlic will repel most vermin. Stocking up on insect and other commercial repellents is always an excellent idea. It only takes one bite to make a person deathly sick.

13. Understand radiation fallout and how to protect yourself. This is one of the least understood of the survival precautions taken. There are hundreds of nuclear power plants that could fail after the world as we know it goes down the tube. There are still tens of thousands of nuclear weapons available for war should countries decide to use them. Fallout is something that you might not even see... and until you are sick, you might not even know you have been contaminated. The purchase of a radiation detector that is protected against EMP is a wise idea. Understanding about radiation accumulation dosage (rad) and how to shield oneself from exposure is paramount.

14. Learn first aid. Treating yourself and/or others will probably be the only thing someone can do, as medical professionals are going to be few and far between. Many places offer free classes on first aid because they want people in the community to be prepared. A good first aid book along with a first aid kit is something every household should have before, during, and after a disaster.

Primitive conditions should be expected when anyone is helping someone after a catastrophe. A stockpile of antibiotics is always a good idea. Even acquiring the skill of making your own antibiotics can save lives as infection is something that will become an epidemic, especially with minor cuts and abrasions.

My family has gone as far as being trained to stitch up wounds. We decided as a family that we would learn this skill in case anyone we knew was in need. We have purchased the sterile suture kits and could stitch small to medium size wounds as good as any doctor at this point. We have been trained by medical professionals on a whole assortment of skills — from putting an IV in someone’s arm to treating major trauma. This also requires having the right supplies and equipment.

From my viewpoint, this is a skill set that is valuable in any circumstance — but particularly in SHTF events when medical personnel may not be available in a convenient time frame.

15. Learn about nutrition. Vitamin and mineral deficiencies are nothing to fool around with. Just consider what scurvy, the lack of Vitamin C, can do to someone...

Many survivalists and "preppers" make the critical mistake of only being concerned about calories to keep them going. Certain vitamins (A, B1-B12, C, D, E, K), minerals (Calcium, Copper, Iodine, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, Phosphorus, Potassium, Selenium, Zinc) and trace minerals are necessary to keep a body going.

Each person needs different amounts and any survival food supply should take this need as important as the food itself. Many survival foods have some of what your body needs, but sadly lack in others...

Vitamin and mineral supplements should be stocked with food if someone is unsure about what they are getting. Trace mineral drops are a liquid that can solve this problem, and are a good addition to any emergency supply.

16. How to start and maintain a fire. This is for everyone. Having a fire and keeping it going when you need it has been the essence of survival for thousands of years.

Fire cooks, heats water, keeps you warm, sterilizes items, and gives light. Having a lighter, matches, and a starter is one thing; but actually keeping the fire going is another...

Making sure the fire does not cause damage to your home or shelter is something not everyone thinks about. Burning of toxic wood or other material is something to remember as well.

While most everyone thinks that using a fire is rudimentary, there is much more to it. As a matter of fact, a church group recently tested some of their members and gave them matches to start a file. Most of the people had trouble starting a basic fire even though they had matches. This is a skill that you must acquire that allows you to consistently start a fire anywhere at any time. You should also learn to start a fire without matches. There are several books listed at the end of this report that can show you how this is done.

17. Learn how to grow food and/or find it. People’s supplies will only last so long, and eventually self-sufficiency will mean acquiring your own food — by either growing it or hunting for it.

Many people are into seed storing, and in many cases, growing your own food will feed the family. However, growing food has many drawbacks that people need to look at. Water is an issue in dry areas as irrigation is very man- or animal-power intensive.

One of the gravest things to contemplate is actually guarding your yield, as two-legged problems could be a bigger issue to your crops than some beetle infestation. Hungry people will see food growing and take it, 24 hours a day. No one can grow enough food to feed all those seeking food.

From a practical sense, it might be a better idea for some to go the hunter-gathering route. There are many good survival shows on television today that are very informative on surviving off the land.

Learning these skill sets can make a huge difference in any survival situation.

18. Last-minute items to secure from a grocery store. Hopefully you already have your long-term food storage and other preparations in place: canned goods, grains, rice, pasta, paper products, and freeze-dried foods that store well over time...

This should allow you to concentrate on these other items while most other people are trying to secure what you already have.

Once a SHTF event occurs, you may want to quickly go to the grocery store to secure these last-minute items before the shelves are empty. These are typically items that don’t store well for the long-term, but would be critical to own once a breakdown occurs.

Studies have shown these short-term storage items go first when a crisis happens. Most of these products have a shelf life of less than 18 months:
◾Bottled Water
◾Powdered Milk
◾Pancake mix (never use beyond shelf life, as this has been known to cause toxic shock)
◾Ramen Noodles
◾Popcorn
◾Cereal
◾Beef Jerky
◾Cooking Oils
◾Nuts
◾Dried Fruits
◾Power Bars
◾Juice Powders
◾Spices (salt, pepper, etc.)
◾Honey
◾Crackers
◾Baking Essentials (flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder)
◾Coffee
◾Alcohol for medicinal purposes or for bartering
◾Hard Candies
◾Baby Food, Diapers, Wipes
◾Pet Food

These are just some suggestions that people need to address now — before trying to survive the aftermath of a horrible event.

People who prepare have to realize that when civilization stops functioning, so too does everything that most of us depend on.

There may never be a safety net there for us WHEN our stocked-up survival supplies run dry.

Much of survival is having supplies — as well as backups for when food, water, and other necessities cannot be found. The other part is being ready for everything our new situation could throw our way. For this, we all need to learn survival skills.

When someone thinks about their personal needs, an individual can probably add many more survival skills to the items we have talked about above. You want to become quite proficient in these skills before the SHTF so you and your family have a better chance of surviving.

Doomsday Prepper Shows

Lately I have been entertained by the recent “Doomsday Prepper” shows on television that portray the preparations of people who are concerned about various potentially life-threatening scenarios.

In most of these cases, while many have made some great preparations in some instances, they are woefully unprepared in other key circumstances...

In one case, there was a lady who was obviously very prepared with food, but wanted nothing to do with other important preparations such as protection. Here she is on national television telling the world where she is and all about her food preparations. She has absolutely no protection and won’t even consider it.

In my opinion, she clearly does not understand how many unwanted people are going to come for her food when a major crisis hits. Some of those people will probably not even think twice about killing her to obtain it.

If you have not yet watched any of these shows, they can give you some ideas for your own preparations.

Good Sources of Information or Books on these Topics

Strategic Relocation by Joel Skousen Swift | Learning Resources 1800 292-4746. This very informative book is a great guide in locating the safest places in North America. It takes into account many factors in evaluating why some places are better than others when trying to find the best safe havens closest to your current location.

Food Storage Guide by Survival Products, LLC | http://OnlineSupportSolutions.com. A very good guide for beginners on how to successfully build food storage.

Water Storage Guide by Survival Products, LLC | http://OnlineSupportSolutions.com. An informative guide on how to successfully store and treat water for safe drinking over the long term.

Survival Garden Guide by Survival Products, LLC | http://OnlineSupportSolutions.com. A comprehensive guide on how to start and maintain a survival garden.

Picking up the Pieces by Sorcha Faal and David Booth. This book is a practical guide for surviving economic crashes, internal unrest, and military suppression. The authors have experienced war, tyranny, and extremely dangerous situations, and live to tell about them in this book. They have compiled some great information that offers readers knowledge and insight into the best ways to prepare and survive:

How do you function in an underground economy?
What are the advantages of having multiple sets of identification papers for yourself and your family BEFORE the onset of events happens?

The Complete Worst Case Scenario Survival Handbook by Joshua Piven and David Borgenicht. The most essential scenarios from all eleven Worst Case Survival Handbooks are collected in this sturdy reference volume: a guide on how to survive all kinds of unusual circumstances.

The Complete Worst Case Scenario Survival Handbook – Man Skills. Being prepared is the key to mastering any situation, and this book offers over 500 pages of the most essential survival scenarios from the entire Worst Case Survival Handbook series.

Special Forces Survival Guide by Chris McNab. The book encompasses wilderness survival skills from the world’s most elite military units.

The Survivors Club by Ben Sherwood. This New York Times Bestseller offers readers the secrets of the world’s most successful survivors.

What do they know that you don’t? Each second of every day, one of us faces a crisis, whether it’s a car accident, violent crime, serious illness, or financial trouble... Who beats the odds and who surrenders? And how can we become the kind of people who survive and thrive?

Ominous Parallels by Leonard Peikoff with introduction by Ayn Rand. A brilliant study on America today and the “ominous parallels” with the chaos of pre-Hitler Germany. In this book, you'll learn why America has been detoured from its original path and led down the same road that Germany followed to Nazism.

Patriots, Surviving the Coming Collapse by James Wesley Rawles. U.S. Army Intelligence Officer James Wesley Rawles has written an intensely powerful novel that is more like a survival manual dressed in fiction. In his book, Rawles doesn’t just tell you what could happen; he explains exactly how to prepare for it. This book is a real page-turner because it is so grounded in what could happen.

Summary

I hope this discussion on being prepared has been of some value to you, no matter how you feel about the potential for problems in our future.

For me, it has become a way of life — as my beliefs are very strong that a catastrophic financial derivative event is looming in our near future.

Since our junior mining shares are suffering at the moment, I thought the timing would be good to focus on the topic of preparedness while we await the next run to higher ground...

When you start to see bank runs and long lines at the banks as we are seeing in multiple countries in Europe right now, this is a sign the endgame is near.

A recent article by a major fund manager from London who previously sold derivatives to Europe while working for Goldman Suks stated his opinion that the endgame for the derivatives is end of this year or early next year.

No matter how you slice it, things worldwide are getting very strange very quickly.

The time to prepare was yesterday, but you still have time to get whatever preparations you can in place while prices remain reasonable and availability exists. This can all change quite suddenly, however, as I hope I have amply demonstrated this week in my articles.

I end with a quote from one of my favorite authors, Ayn Rand: “Man's mind is his basic tool of survival.”