I'm planning on going to my local PD/FD to ask if they have any medical classes. My sister is also a veterinarian so she's been helpful. I'm learning sutures, know tourniquet's, identifiers of common illnesses, basic medication (Anti Nausea, Stomach Pain, Headaches, etc etc) Splints, Compression Bandages, Gauze Application, Field Sterilization, Disinfection, Debris Removal, Burn Treatment and am figuring out Chest Seals though I figure i'll never need that.

I ask the above question because I want to be as knowledgable as the average person and then some. I feel like most people probably know most of the above stuff so what else should I know?

Note: I am not a doctor nor really plan on being a doctor/surgeon. I don't really have an interest in medical stuff like that. Just want to be prepared for a variety of medical issues that are realistic and happen often.

I am looking for land to live on, and was wondering what to look for in a natural water source?

I’m needing either a folding briefcase panel or a larger fixed panel to charge an Anker 521, but on a smaller budget. Ideally used or refurbished. What am I looking for that can safely charger my Anker and possibly other devices? I already have a smaller folding one for my bag, this is for home or car use.

In the past few months I bought a few NRG-5 and Seven Oceans Rations (along with chlorine tablets for safe water).

Ive been keeping an excel spreadsheet for mananging the expire dates for each product.

Is it worth it buying like 1-3 rations each month, and just keeping them? The cost of those few rations is neglible during a month, and over time a sizeble storage will accumulate.

I store them in my cellar, far from sunlight and its like 17-24C there.

I was planning on selling them before they expire and replace them, but I dont know if there is a market for that.

On the same note, are NRG5s and SevOceans good after the expiry date? And would some people be willing to buy them expired?

Also, are MRE's good to store for long periods of time? Talking like 10-20 years. I am situated in Poland and dont have easy access to American MREs, but there are some Poland compains that make them.

The Polish MREs usually contain a few sweets, a can-like container (kinda like a plastic box but made out of thin metal) with some goulash inside, some crackers in a plastic container, and maybe a few miscellaneous stuff.

If anyone has some suggestions regarding my storage way, or choice of rations, please tell.

As I’m of the ‘prepping for doomsday’ mindset I’m constantly thinking about new scenarios and how I could prepare to cope with them. One of the things that most of us do as PFDs is have a store of food and supplies to get us through the initial phase of a grid-down/shtf. I expect that most of us then have seeds tucked away so we can start a more long term food garden (yes, I grow veg now for those that say I should have already started). But the climate now varies considerably from year to year. Where I am in the UK three years ago the local reservoir went down to 13%. This is completely unheard of in the relatively damp maritime climate where I am. Now, if things got that dry I’ve got options that I could walk to and I wouldn’t die of thirst. But I couldn’t carry enough water to water my veg garden. I’d probably lose most of my crops. Would I therefore starve through the winter? Maybe.

So I believe it’s worth preparing for a dry year every few years when planning your food garden. There are a group of plants called C4 plants - https://ripe.illinois.edu/blog/difference-between-c3-and-c4-plants . Without going into the technicals C4 plants can withstand drought a lot better than the C3 plants. The main C4 food plants are:

Corn / Maize Sorghum Millet

A lot of you in the warmer parts of the US will be growing maize anyway. But a lot of us in the more temperate zones normally grow it as more of a tasty treat as it takes quite a lot of land and fertility.

So, for those of us in the temperate or shorter growing season areas it would be worth considering keeping a patch of these three going for the next dry year.

As always, good luck.

P.s. - there are several distinct plants referred to as millets. I have Proso millet as my go to as it can cope with a much larger range of conditions and soil types.

Hey all, My puppy ate a grape yesterday. I knew that wasn't good for her, but had to spend some time online to figure out what I needed to do. (Make her puke with a size appropriate dose of hydrogen peroxide.) If I didn't have internet access or cell service, I would have been driving to the city for a 24-hour vet without knowing how urgent it really was.

So pet and other animal owners, do you have any offline recommendations for animal first aid? Do you have books, a folder of printouts, or a place that you've studied to learn the info ahead of time?

Thanks!

Can it also have enough modern amenities to keep people living there happy, as well as have people able to manage live stock, fields of crops, etc.

Maybe even have schools, a small medical/dental office, blacksmiths, etc.

Essentially living akin to 1800’s western USA.

Shit.

There's so many other options. You want freeze dried chicken that weirdly tastes like fish? How about that Biscuit and Gravy sludge? Did you "actually" think that one was good? Back in the day the Beef Stew was half decent....but Jesus. Not anymore.

How important do you think it is right now to buy land with running water on it? I am vacillating between buying a piece of land with a river or buying a piece with a terrific view.

The one with the river would mean, living with mosquitoes and mold. But I would have water!

I have purification tablets and I have life straws, and I have a 55 gal barrel (with spigot). Further tips on drinking water storage, including modifications to my current setup? Please and thank you in advance! 😀

One of my friends recently asked me and I didn't know any any yall recommend

I was looking to try some different Ready to Eat foods that I could store for a possible long term shelter in place situation (severe weather is the most likely issue), and I gave a Bridgeford Ready to Eat Apple Turnover a try. Is anything else from that brand worth trying? Because the turnover was weirdly salty and not good.

There's lots of talk about how climate change could see a rise of food and water issues. Crops could be made more difficult to grow and cultivate; fresh water is harder to obtain, etc. Because of this, I wonder how we could/would get by even if the dreaded scenario occurs.

Now, I have read some articles that we came up with technology to even turn sea water to be perfectly drinkable. We also may create food in a lab or something, even if it's not as good as organic. But my pessimistic instincts cast doubt in this (for thirst, we may resort to drinking other beverages like beer and ale).

What's your take on this, folks? How would living things get by should our bleak predictions about food and water become a reality?

recently got this massive water filter for free and i’ve always wanted one but never have heard of the company. do you guys know if it’s a good filter and if it’s worth it? cant attatch pics but it’s the $300 alexapure pro water filtration system. thanks.

Hello everyone!

I was a very casual prepped when I was younger (as much as a 17 year old with unsupportive parents can be) and didn’t continue on. I’ve recently taken it back up and worked on building a deep pantry. Part of that included building up my canned goods. I’m not usually a canned person but if I use it I go an buy and use right away so normally they don’t sit.

I’m reorganizing to incorporate new items bought today (I’m up to 1.5 months of food!!) and I noticed this. Are tiny bubbles on the bottom along one of the circles normal or a sign of spoilage? They’re on like 50% of my cans but they’re all a year old or less.

It’s all one single bubble on one sign and 3/4 on the opposite side. I can’t post pictures for context…

Found a picture someone else posted that’s very similar!

It has been explicitly stated in various writings from Russia and China that their first step in breaking the western world would be to demoralize the population.

And it makes sense. Why physically strike the most powerful country / military alliance on the planet if you are capable of breaking their citizens’ will, motivation, and desire to defend their country first?

This topic didn’t used to bother me as much. You know, just keep your head up and don’t fall for bullshit. Be positive. Etc.

But the reality is demoralization is a horrible thing. Negativity is infectious in any culture (think about a negative work culture, friend group culture, etc).

On an individual basis, a broken and demoralized mind is a weak mind. And a weak mind leads to a weak body.

I’m curious what you guys think of this topic? Do you have any good book recommendations about how to spot demoralization campaigns and/or prepare against them?

This book is in Kickstarter right now, any initial thoughts?

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/beyondthefall/thrive-in-a-post-apocalyptic-world

Beyond the Fall: Thrive In A Post-Apocalyptic World Master survival, sustainability, and resilience across 800+ pages of detailed fact sheets and illustrations.

Backpacker here, coming to get some info from folks I’d probably consider to be MRE experts.

Wife and I are going backpacking and taking freeze dried meals with us. Problem is that I need to fit them in my bear canister, so I want to take them out of their original packaging to save space in the confines of the bear canister to be able to haul more food.

So here’s my question on behalf of my squeamish wife—can these MREs go bad if I take them out of their original packaging? She’s understandably worried about getting food poisoning in the backcountry. I know that their shelf life is significantly reduced when opened, but I’m looking to open the packages so that I can prep the canister a month before we depart. Our trip will last four days on the trail.

If I open the MREs and store them ziplock bags, is that enough to protect them from the moisture in the air in the short term?

Thanks in advance for your replies. Any recommendations for a first fire arm purchase are welcome as well.

I have asthma and allergy, that requires medicine every day. I can take down the dosage to one per three days without big complications. But right now there's an outage of the medicine I'm taking and I realize: How can one stock up on prescribed medication? The doctor will only give me medication for three months and I cannot buy them without prescription. I can lower the dosage and get some excess, but these drugs usually last only a year before expiration. Edit: I'm from central Europe.

So I got a German Shepherd a month ago, for my protection, to train, to love and when shtf. I bought her a harness that has 3 Molle style attachments. There's room for more attachments and you can clip things onto it. I like that it has velcro down the back so I can put patches. The attachments are as big as my outstretched hand, I have big hands for a lady lmao. But what would you put in it? I already have a b.o.b. for all my animals that has food, water, poo bags, emergency kit, toys and treats. I know I need collapsible bowls for all my animals and I plan to get that asap. I just need help with what to put in those attachments. Thanks.

Hello, I'm looking for the best inexpensive way to charge small devices with solar power. I found this product on amazon and I like that it comes with a power bank and solar panel for only $60 but the reviews are mixed and it sounds cheap and not worth it. There are foldable solar panel chargers like this and this which seem like solid options but the downside is they don't come with a power bank. I already have a 20k mAh power bank so I'm leaning towards this option. There is this style which has solar panels and a power bank and seems reliable but very slow to charge. Does anyone have experience with these types of products and can offer recommendations? I'm just looking for something effective and reliable, ideally in the $60-80 price range. Thank you.

I just got the book as a gift and I'm gonna give it a look through. Wondering if anyone read it and if so what their opinions are

14 pine arrows with field tips in leather quiver 10 rat traps 1 tomahawk Feathers for fletching 4 tanged broadheads 2 Socket broadheads 1 Multitool 28m zink steel 28m green painted steel 1 Gas mask 1 55lbs folding bow with string and limb silencers 1 Foam sleeping mat 1 summer sleeping bag 1 stainless steel water bottle 1 tarp Poncho flecktarn 1 camo hood 1 pair of binoculars 1 multi-spice rack 1 1litre Billy can 1 spork 1 kg of trailmix 450cal/100g 1 austrian bayonet 3 bags of instant hot chocolate 5 bags of ramen 1 water Filter 1 sewing kit 1 torch 1 headlamp 1 Notebook and pen 1 Bar of soap 30m of survivorcord 1 handreel 1km of monofilament line 1 net needle and gauge 200 fishhooks, 2 lures and 1 swimmer 1 slingshot tube Rubber 2 pieces of sapwood 1 firesteel, 3 matchboxes and vaseline coated cottonballs 1 bible and local map 1 compass 1 bag of bean seeds and 1 bag of rosemary seeds 1 solarradio and charging cable for phone 1 shemagh 1 trouser, 2 pairs of socks, 1 pair of underwear 1 tshirt and 1 beanie 1 roll of ducttape 1 microfiber towel 2 trotlines 1 first and kit (15 wound coverings in various sizes, 1 roll of duct tape, 1 bottle of wound disinfectant, 1 clothes shear, 9 steri Strips, 1 artery clamp, 1 pair of gloves, 1 emergency blanket, 2 adhesive eyepads, 1 triangular bandage, 2 rolls of bandages, 4 antiseptic wipes

For one person to survive on 2000/cals a day… You will need 5, 5 gallon buckets full of rice and 5, 5 gallon buckets of beans that will feed you for 6 months. You can survive!
Of course one must think about others that do not prep, mainly children. As a kid I went hungry a little bit so it’s not a good feeling.

Hello all,

I’m a bit new to prepping and have just been recently woken up to how quick life could turn into a situation where I need to protect my loved ones.

Although I want to jump to the classic Red dawn and nuclear fallout situation I know it’ll be something much less crazy. I’m just not really sure what is most likely based on where I live, and what I should be doing to prep for it.

I’m leaving a rather urban area in the southwest US. I’m alright financially and I can certainly afford to invest in some prepping stuff. Nothing crazy but a few hundred to a thousand maybe. I know the US is much more likely to deal with crisis and unrest with the current state of the world and the whole tension between countries currently. What should I do to keep my loved ones safe?

I already own firearms and have a “reasonable” training with them for self defense and hunting. I’m far from the fittest person but I can run hike and walk without any major issues. I have enough surplus preserved food to last 6 people 1-3 months depending on excess pantry stockage. Medically no one I’m prepping for needs any medications and no has any life threatening conditions. Although it’s not ideal I have a medium hot tub with water aswell as multiple bathtubs for water storage if given time.

As of currently me and my significant other plan to get a little bit of medical experience with cpr and general first responder classes so that we will be better off in life and general survival situations, but besides that I’m not sure of where to start. I know there’s no one stop shop for all my prepper needs but I’m hoping for some good tips and the main thing I need to be ready or prepare for. Also I travel into a relatively large city multiple days a week for work that is about an hour away assuming no traffic but could easily be 3-4 hours of heavy traffic starts, what would be my best bet for ensuring safety if events unfold while I’m away?

Thank you all for information I am extremely thankful!

TLDR: new to prepping, somewhat prepared for life situations by default, but would like to know what to expect generally and what I should buy/do.

What are your go to pair of pants ?

I'm looking to buy 5 pairs of the best tactical pants out there (under 150$ a pair).

I stumbled on the following (no particular order):

• Propper Kinetic Men's Tactical Pant
• 5.11 Tactical Series Strike Pants
• Vertx Recon Pants
• 5.11 Apex Pant
• LA Police Gear Men's Urban Ops Tactical Pants

Are there better options than those ? Which one should I buy ? Is there one that I should avoid ?

Hi! We just put together a quick rundown of the best AR rounds on our site. We tried to avoid dwelling on the tried and true 5.56/223, and declared the 22 LR the all-time best (albeit not for bear hunting). We also got:

• 6.8 SPC
• 6.5 Grendel
• 6.5 CM
• 300 BLK
• 6mm ARC
• 22 Nosler
• 308 Win
• 450 BM
• 458 SOCOM
• 50 Beowulf

I guess all I'm asking is if we missed anything so obvious that we should feel ashamed of ourselves. Eager to learn the preppers' thoughts!

Food prices inflated like what? 26% during and after Covid? If you bought a pack of spaghetti and sealed it in 2019 for $1 (I know it’s not the real price I’m just using simple numbers) that spaghetti would be worth $1.26 now. So basically you are getting a little over 5% ROI on your food index, certain goods will be more and others less. Am I crazy in thinking I should drop like $10k on food now as food prices will likely continue to massively increase in price due to climate change and possibly bird flu? Is anyone else thinking like this?

I know there’s a hypothetical lack of scarcity problem in considering food an investment, but…let’s be serious here it’s going to be scarce.

i've seen constantly people saying BaoFeng, it seems like a legit radio, but i imagine that if things are bad enough for me to switch a radio on to listen to emergency broadcasting's that power is probably out, otherwise i'd turn on something i already own like tv, car radio, cell phone tuner thingy mabob. if i want it to last even a little while outside of power i want it to use non lithium batteries that i can replace. having the option to have two to communicate with someone wouldn't hurt either, but not my primary concern here as i am a solo birdy anyway.

Price is secondary but want the best product out there. Ideally low smoke but very sturdy & well made cooker. Thank you!!