Prepping for the Long Emergency

 I would like to start here:

The Normalcy Bias. The assumption that since a disaster has never occurred- that it never will occur. It can result in the inability of people to cope with a disaster once it occurs.

People are creatures of habit and denial. We haven't had a real, bona fide, disaster since 1929. We haven't had a theft of elections and an idiot as corrupt or as bad as Joe Biden, either.

This week I read an article by a writer I have a lot of respect for. He is smart and credible. He writes "The Burning Platform." He thinks our country could see serious supply chain disruption and a currency devaluation the likes of which we have never seen. And soon.

https://www.theburningplatform.com/2022/04/06/crash-positions/

I have written many pieces on preparing for the inevitable disaster. I have struggled with even bothering to prepare because it takes a financial commitment for an event which most likely will not occur in my lifetime. I thought that- until I saw how people reacted when covid struck. Man, after seeing the pandemonium and wiped out store shelves- you don't need to convince me any further.

When Russia collapsed, it did so without warning. People woke up with a worthless currency that banks would not even allow them to withdraw. It was seized and vastly devalued. In fact, we have similar laws that allow banks to seize your deposits. Your money is not your money. It is theirs.

So what should you do? Should you ignore the possibilities? 

I wanted to tell you what I have done. If disaster never comes to pass, and I surely hope it does not, we will have the preparations to pass down to our kids and grandkids.

So everything I am telling you today is something I have done, accomplished, or will finish this week.

Money. I have withdrawn almost all of my cash except for an IRS payment next week. At least the bank can't seize my money- it's not like I was making any interest anyway.

I am upping my allotment of precious metals. I am taking a 20% stake. Gold, platinum and silver. I own 30 pounds of nickel. Another 80 pounds of copper. You will only see precious metals fall once, badly, as people liquidate in a crash. Getting them after that point- is not guaranteed. You will have to barter with something else if you don't prepare.

I have plenty of guns and ammo. I may add another heavy rifle soon. Probably .30.06 or 7mm. Savage rifles are accurate and reasonably priced.

Consider a large gun safe bolted to the floor for guns, ammo, valuables.

Generator. I bought a dual fuel generator that supplies 6000 watts. I have another smaller generator which generates 2000 watts. I bought storage for 100 pounds of propane in 30 lb bottles, 3 of those and I have four small 4.6 pound bottles. Fifty gallons of gas in 6 containers with a pump and siphon hose. I can use a transfer switch or run separate lines for the generators. I've looked at solar generators for the long haul but those things are expensive given the wattage they produce.

I am confident in a power emergency, I can supply power for 2 weeks with what I have on hand. The big generator is something I hope I never need. I also have a 7500 watt power cord with (4) 3 prong plugins at the end to handle freezers, fridges, routers, lights. I've been trying to find an electrician to install a transfer switch or a Generlink.

I saw a fascinating little piece the other night about the exploding costs of electricity in California. The author alluded to the fact that at current rates- charging your electric vehicle would soon approximate the cost at a gas pump. It dawned on me that I would not want to live in a state with electrical grid problems and a hostage population needing their car charged with exploding rates. It might make my 60k car unusable.

https://www.chooseenergy.com/electricity-rates-by-state/

Cameras. Motion detectors. My property will be under surveillance. Batteries. The cameras are web activated which means I need a router w power, phones, and a means to store energy.

Oil. Filters. Batteries. A years prescription of drugs. Detergent. Soap. Toothpaste. Toilet paper.

Food and water. You simply cannot have enough of either. I think 50 cases or 400 gallons of water is a minimum. I keep buying food in cases. Shelf stable almond milk will last a year. Anytime I see chili for a buck a can or soup for 1.50, I buy it- several cases worth. Everything I have can be rotated and used as it expires.

I have wanted to buy a defensible piece of ground in the middle of nowhere with some topsoil where I could grow food or raise small livestock. I haven't been able to find what I want.

I don't have any armored vehicles or mustard gas masks with dual filtration systems nor have I built any gun turrets at casa de Frankenstein.  

This is what I have done. I feel confident that I can survive awhile without too much help.