Rodgers Family

Family Prep Plan

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Rodgers Family

FAMILY PREP PLAN

INTRO:

  • This resource is designed to be simple and useful, to equip you to streamline and maximize your preparation efforts for your family.
  • Each of the seven categories has many bullets and links. I recommend you start at the beginning of each category and work through the top few items, accomplishing more as time and finances allow. YOUR INITIAL ACTION is what is important right now; don’t get hung up on the scope of the whole plan.
  • Use this as the blueprint for your own customized plan, and remember that a plan is just a point from which you intelligently deviate according to real-world events. “Plans are useless, but planning is indispensable” (Eisenhower).
  • Don’t just click on the links, buy stuff, and stack it in the basement. Use it, practice, TRAIN. Because when the SHTF…“We don’t rise to the level of our expectations, we fall to the level of our training.” (Archilochus)
  • Two is one, and one is none. Things breaks and stuff happens. Buy multiples, get spare parts, know how to fix things, plan for redundancy, think of alternatives, always maintain margin.

Now get after it! Scroll down through all 7 categories, or click on the line in the table of contents to auto-scroll to it:

  1. PERSONAL Heart, Soul, Mind, Strength
  2. PROVISIONS Real Money, Water, Food
  3. SHELTER Primary & Fallback
  4. PHYSICAL Immune, Medical, Conditioning
  5. EQUIPMENT Individual & Team
  6. MOBILITY Transportation Assets
  7. TEAM Family, Friends, Neighbors

1

PERSONAL Heart, Soul, Mind, Strength

  • Preparation starts with you! Spiritual preparation of your heart and soul enables your mind to be able to see the truth in a world of lies ruled by the father of lies.
  • Proper preparation of your heart, soul, and mind will commit you to fulfill your Biblical role in your family, and also enable you to acknowledge and hold fast to the true source of your strength.
  • Develop a mindset of Extreme Ownership for all that God has called you to steward—your family and everything else for which you are accountable (time, talents, treasure).
  • “If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles” (Sun Tsu). The Bible is the key to knowing your Enemy, knowing yourself, and NOT FEARING (Joshua 1:9).
  • HEART AND SOUL—examine yourself in the light of Scripture:
  • MIND—feeding your mind truth in a world of lies requires discernment:
    • Bible—Do you see our country through a Biblical lens? Think about how these verses apply to the US in 2023:
      • Isaiah 8:12 “Do not call conspiracy all that this people calls conspiracy, and do not fear what they fear, nor be in dread.”
      • Isaiah 28:15 “…we have made lies our refuge, and in falsehood we have taken shelter.”
      • Isaiah 30:12 “Because you despise this word and trust in oppression and perverseness and rely on them…”
      • Psalm 12:8 “On every side the wicked prowl, as vileness is exalted among the children of man.”
      • Psalm 94:20-21 “Can wicked rulers be allied with you, those who frameinjustice by statute? They band together against the life of the righteous and condemn the innocent to death.”
      • Rev 3:17 “For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.”
    • Books—Our current situation was predicted over a half-century ago by Orwell, Huxley, and Rand. Their books help explain our predicament…but they don’t help your preps, so save them for after you’ve read a few “practical” books. The first two are novels that are also effective training manuals; the third and fourth are written as manuals.
  • MIND—Internet resources
  • Heart + Soul + Mind = STRENGTH
    • Proper preparation of your heart, soul, and mind will commit you to fulfill your Biblical role in your family, and also enable you to acknowledge and hold fast to the true source of your strength. Phil 4:13, Eph 6:10, Psalm 18:1-3

2

PROVISIONS Real Money, Water, Food

  • Think about the WHY—why prepare and stock up on essentials and the means to acquire them?
    • You will have things of real value, when everyone else’s pantries are bare, their BMW’s gas tanks are empty, stock portfolios are worthless, and electricity is off.
    • Your family will not perish from starvation, thirst, or preventable disease/sickness.
    • You will maintain strength to function and defend.
    • When the Government is handing out “free” food as your “savior” in exchange for your liberty, you can remain free.
    • You can outlast all the people who did not adequately plan. In suburban and urban areas, within 30 days of a real grid-down SHTF event, most people will be starved and very weak; 60 days, dead. Until then, they’ll also be desperate, which will why you need the “Shelter” and “Equipment” sections after “Provision.”
    • You will have something to give out as charity.
    • You will survive, thrive, and continue to fulfill Matthew 28:19-20.
  • Money and barter
    • If you have the right money, you can probably get what you need, even if you didn’t prep properly.
    • Consider the characteristics of true money: durability, portability, divisibility, uniformity, limited supply, and acceptability
      • US Federal Reserve Notes (FRN; US paper fiat “Dollars”) are a currency (“anything that is generally accepted to have value as a medium of exchange so that it can be traded for goods and services”). FRN’s are only backed by people’s faith in the Federal Reserve and US Govt. They have not been backed by gold—redeemable for gold—in over 50 years! So they may not be generally accepted once the US Govt’s insolvency is widely understood. Or it may take a million FRN to buy a loaf of bread (e.g., Weimar Germany).
      • “Durability” and “Acceptability”—FRN’s, BTC, and stocks may be worthless, depending on the SHTF scenario.
      • Real Money options = Pre-1964 US silver coins, precious metals, commodities (fuel, food, ammo).
    • Recommendation
      • Have some FRN fiat cash on hand
        • Make multiple small withdrawals ($1000 or less) to build your reserve
        • At least a few denominations (maybe 100’s, 20’s, 5’s)
        • Don’t store all in one place.
      • Get some precious metals
        • Buy precious metals local in cash if able (pawn/jewelry/coin shops)
        • Or get physical metal shipped to you (SDBullion is one option)
        • Pre-1964 coins (“junk silver”) are great, you can get them in bulk on eBay or from coin shops.
        • Silver and gold, coins or bars of various sizes.
        • Get a metals testing kit; if the grid goes down and most people don’t have precious metals, they’ll make fakes. Silver test kit; All metals.
  • Water
  • Food Acquisition
    • I’ll provide links for descriptions and possible purchases. TRY TO BUY LOCAL, especially with food. Avoid Amazon if able but don’t feel bad if it helps expedite your preps and maximize your purchases, for the good of your family. For most purchases there are higher-value online alternatives to Amazon for buying bulk food.
    • Match quantities to the number in your family. Bare subsistence diet—each person needs 2-3 cups (uncooked) of grains per day. Wheat has about 1,600 calories per pound; 1 lb per person per day for subsistence; 2.5 cups per pound; cooking doubles the volume; one cooked cup is about 300 cal.
    • Foods calories per pound
      • Rye 1,300 calories per pound
      • Groats/oatmeal 1000 calories per pound
      • Rice 1,600 calories per pound
      • Beans 750 calories per pound
      • Popcorn 1,600 calories per pound
      • Pasta, 1,600 cal per pound
      • Potatoes 1,700 cal/pound
    • Easy buttons—pre-packed food buckets/kits are probably 5x more expensive than accumulating items yourself, but can be obtained rapidly and stored easily.
      • Pre-packed emergency 1-person 1-month buckets, sample here
      • Pre-packed emergency food meal cans, sample here
      • Azure Standard is a natural health food distributor providing bulk and specialty health foods, shipped across a network of “drop sites.” We have a drop site within 5 miles of our house, facilitated by a homesteading Christian family. You can find your closest drop site on their website, or inquire with your local church and homeschooling groups.
      • MyPatriotSupply.com is a great online source for food and equipment.
      • ReadyMadeResources is another great online source for equipment, and they also offer emergency foods.
    • Buy bulk now
    • Grow it
    • Barter and Parallel Economy
      • We should all be pursuing a local, parallel economy, to extract ourselves as much as possible from the impending Federal/Global digital currency system.
      • Preserve business as a “voluntary transaction for mutual benefit between two parties” and don’t let the Govt insert themselves as a third party (only for its insatiable benefit).
      • Barter—your skills and things for theirs; your best value for their best value.
    • Hunting
      • Game animals
      • Alternative animals—think about a grid down situation…what would you eat to stay alive? Snakes, rodents, horses, dogs, bugs? If you have traveled aboard to “austere” locations, you know that all these items (and more) are food.
    • Fishing
    • Foraging
  • Essential Food items
    • Carbohydrates
      • Common/primary grains
        • Grains can be pre-ordered in mylar bags and/or buckets (extra cost), or just order in bulk bags (25-50 pounds) and partition/pack yourself.
        • All these grains can be cooked with water (e.g., oatmeal) or ground into flour (sample hand-powered mills, cheap here, premium here); some can be sprouted to eat (hull-less oats are outstanding!).
        • Wheat
        • Oats
          • Oat groats (Azure link)
          • Rolled oats (e.g., like Quaker instant) (Azure link)
          • Hull-less oats are sproutable; I get mine from a local homesteader for less than $1/lb; or get online here; can be eaten uncooked if sprouted (easy); Sprouting: soak 4 hours with 1 tsp sea salt per quart of oats; nylon strainer bags can be used (cheap/reusable); rinse, drain, sprout 16-30 hours (temp dependent); Eat raw or cooked; Cook by adding water to barely cover oats and simmer 15 min, then set 15-30 min. They also taste great cold, plain, with fruit/nuts, mixed with yogurt/oatmeal, stir-fry like rice.
      • Other grains/carbohydrates
    • Fats—you can get fat from meat, fish, nuts, eggs of course, but volume purchases will help with cooking too:
      • Coconut oil, 3-5 years storage (Costco) (Azure); one Costco plastic tub is 84 fluid oz, and I estimate it will last my family (4 people) about a month (subsistence diet). You can use coconut oil in same amounts as butter or olive oil.
      • Olive oil, 2 years storage (Costco)
      • Canned Butter
      • Lard bucket (Walmart)
    • Proteins
      • Powder
      • Canned (tuna, salmon, chicken, etc.)
      • Frozen meats
      • Dried/jerky/salted/brined/Pemmican
    • Fruits and Veggies
    • Eggs—God’s perfect food with protein, carb, fats
    • Supplemental
      • Grains porridge—sample “oatmeal/muesli” combination of grains: Mix 1 cup each einkorn, oat groats, buckwheat groats, rolled oats (sorghum is also good); add 5 cups water and put in Instant Pot on high for 10 minutes, or cook on stovetop; store extra in fridge (1 week) or freeze; mix warm with coconut oil, peanut butter, milk, nuts, flax, fruit; mix cold with yogurt or milk.
      • Peanut butter: Can keep for years (Costco’s Kirtland brand is great quality and price, plus I’ve eaten it 1+ years past expiration date)(another source is Azure bucket)
      • Canned pumpkin (great for mixing with grains, extra nutrients) (Azure link)
      • Seeds for sprouting (increased nutrition) broccoli, mung beans, radishes
      • Supplemental vitamins
        • Multi, probiotic, C, D, B, Zinc, Quercetin, iron (esp. women)
      • Powdered milk and buttermilk
      • Spices, sauces
      • Comfort food (syrup, coffee, chocolate, local honey, etc.)
  • Food Storage
    • Store in basement, closets, garage, attic. Consider rodent issues; place traps (sticky mouse trap pads are way easier than traditional traps). Get glass containers, plastic containers, plastic buckets, plastic stackable tubs.
    • Storage accessories:
      • Mylar bags (can be cut to size and sealed with a home iron)
      • Buckets—use food safe buckets or get food-safe plastic bags.
        • 5-gal FOOD SAFE buckets (about 35 pounds of grains per 5-gal bucket), plus 3.5-7gal bucket sealing lids; these should also be available at hardware stores.
        • Bakeries (esp. at chain grocery stores) are great sources of free buckets. You might have to clean the frosting or flour out. Also Craigslist of course.
      • O2 absorbers (put in food-safe buckets, mylar bags, food-safe plastic bags)
      • Food-safe plastic 5-gal bags
      • Packing list adhesive pouches
      • Can openers–each person should have one in their own equipment, plus store them in every food tub (Amazon 10-pack here)
      • Grains can keep for decades in this way! It’s a no-brainer…spend the money and time once, and be prepared for years.
    • Storage technique: use Large tubs 18-30gal volume w/1-month supply of food in each (grains, rice, oils, peanut butter, canned meats, can opener, coffee, honey, comfort food). Label contents with Packing list adhesive pouches. You’ll want to swap out some items (peanut butter, coconut oil) every 2-3 years). It will be organized, pre-sorted, and protected from rodents.
      • SEE PHOTOS BELOW FOR FOOD STORAGE TUB EXAMPLE (1-month supply, family of 4)
        • Good additions to this “load-out” would be vitamins/supplements, plus seeds for sprouting (get your greens!)
        • Alternate plan would be to assign one tub to each person, so they can customize to preferences (no Fruit Loops!). Then the tub could last 3-4 months. or that one person. f
    • Food volume: A 55-gallon food-quality drum will store about 400 pounds of wheat/rice, but it’s way more convenient to use 5-gal buckets. One 55-gal drum or eleven 5-gal buckets will keep one person barely alive for a year. This is about 1,750 calories per day. A 5-gallon bucket will hold about 35 pounds of wheat which will keep one average person barely alive for a month.
    • Eggs
    • Chest freezers
      • Buy a local half-cow once a year and store in a basement freezer.
      • Be prepared to salt or brine or dry meats for storage if power lost; see below.
    • Brined meat—do you have a large freezer full of meat? What happens when the power goes out and it is not freezing outside? The fastest way to preserve all that meat is to chuck it in food-grade 5-gal buckets in a salt brine. So keep buckets on hand, pre-loaded with printed directions and containers of salt. DIY video here.
      • Basic brining directions: Brining is a simple way of preserving meat. Properly brined meat will last for years. Downside is the high salt content of the meat. One thing that can be done to reduce the salt content is to soak the meat prior to cooking and pour the water off. Spices can be added to the salt to flavor the meat. Sugar was often added. The basic process of brining is to add approximately 8 lbs of salt to 5 gallons of water. A method of determining the correct concentration is with a raw egg. The ideal brine has enough salt to float a raw egg. You will need enough brine to submerge the meat or produce without any portion being exposed to air. Some meat products might require being weighed down to stay submerged. Leave the food in the brine until ready to consume. Use canning salt for brining.

3

SHELTER Primary & Fallback

  • First and simplest plan of action is to stay in place, in your current home. Stockpile prep items and have a plan to get to a more secure and sustainable secondary location.
  • Article here on optimizing a location as a survival retreat.
  • Consider changing your primary location (especially if you are in a blue state urban area) before the SHTF!
  • Political considerations
    • How fast will the “brown shirts” be empowered by your local politicians? How fast did they lock you down and mandate masks and jabs during Plandemic 1? Do they already love to restrict the Second Amendment? Did your Governor or Mayor abuse his/her recent “emergency” powers?
  • Population considerations, and distance from cities for your location.
    • When people gather in cities, wickedness increases (see Genesis 11!).
    • Most major cities are being re-made into “Smart Cities” with cameras, facial recognition, digital/cashless transactions…the exact opposite of Liberty.
    • Population centers could experience skyrocketing crime and lawlessness. People will probably flow quickly away from city centers to suburbs and adjacent rural areas foraging for food (and raping/pillaging). If fuel is scarce, refugees will not get farther that one average vehicle tank of gas range (maybe 300 miles) from major cities.
    • Best plan is to make your current home your primary long-term location, but if you are within 300 miles of a major city, then criminals and refugees must be major considerations.
    • If your primary home is within 300 miles of a major city, then you need a “fallback position” and a plan to get there (more later).
  • Weather considerations
    • Obviously important—typical storms, floods, temperatures, rainfall?
    • This will impact your chosen location, and also your equipment preps.
  • Neighbors
    • Do you know your neighbors? How close are family or friends? Or will the locals consider you an “outsider” and not trust you?
    • If you are crossing state lines to get to your primary location, buying a set of used licensed plates on eBay for that state may enable you to blend in a little better.
    • Strength in numbers will be critical, so get to know neighbors around your primary (and secondary) locations. A good plan is to bring a team with you (Category 7, “Team”).
  • Resources
    • Consider what sorts of food, water, wood, hunting, fishing, foraging are nearby your location?
  • Fallback position
    • You should have multiple fallback positions, even if your primary location is a fortified cabin in a remote area. Each could have a cache of emergency items (food, water, fuel, ammo, etc.).
    • You also need plans to get to these fallback positions, and pre-determined trigger events that cause you to “advance in a different direction” (that’s what Marines do…everyone else would call it a “retreat”).
    • Excellent options include a remote cabin or friend/family home. RV’ing or camping is an option, though not ideal.
    • You also need a plan to communicate intentions to your whole family/team, egress your primary location (possible separated from your group), rendezvous in a safe location, and get to your secondary location.
  • Heating and cooling
    • Cooling is probably not your primary concern. Heat should be, even in the US South it can get sub-freezing in the winter. Not often, but all it takes is once to create a survival situation.
    • Which room(s) do you heat, and how? A basement room in the core of the house would be optimal, for maximizing insulation (home and earth) on all sides. Consider ventilation, space available, emergency exits, location of stove, flooring (put down fire brick if able), nearby combustibles, smoke/pipes’ route to outside, and how to get wood to the room.
    • Consider a wood stove retrofit—you can likely get a used wood stove on Craigslist.
      • If it’s for routine use, city codes and permits are of course a consideration. If it’s only for emergency use, just think through the safety considerations.
      • Many fireplaces in US homes built in the past 30 years or so are only natural gas. Many conventional wood fireplaces in older homes have been modified for natural gas. They can probably be unmodified in a pinch, but it is not likely that a new-build natural gas fireplace can be modified for burning wood.
    • Fire-starters
      • Matches (lots)
      • Ferro rod tool
      • Bic and zippo lighters (lots)
      • Fire-starters (commercial, such as Blackbeards here)
      • Fire-starters (DIY, with dryer lint or cotton balls soaked in petroleum jelly)
    • Frugal option for emergency use, and camping use, is a rocket stove (example on Amazon here)
    • 55-gal barrel stove is a cheap option—either convert a 30/55-gal barrel to a stove with a parts kit yourself (another DIY site here), or get one on Craigslist (I got one for $50). Then get some ductwork at Lowes/H-Depot, and figure out a place in your home to install it if the SHTF. You could run the pipe through a new-cut hole in a glass door or window (get a glass cutter; easiest to replace after SHTF if able) or cut a hole in the side of your house. Get the vent out away from the exterior walls (probably don’t have to worry about city codes at this point, just be smart).
    • Propane heater
      • A few options are reviewed here, Mr. Heater Amazon link here
      • 20-lb propane bottles are available at most gas stations and hardware stores.
      • Excellent option for the short term; propane may become hard to get.
      • Good for getting by for a few days or weeks in the winter, if you can store enough propane.
      • Keep at least a couple 20-lb bottles full and ready to go. Cycle them through by using with your grill, or just store them (garage, garage attic; check periodically for leaks). If a crisis hits, the full bottles at stores will disappear.
  • Security and defense—hard targets are less inviting to scumbags
    • Articles here, here; Security System series on SurvivalBlog part 1 part 2 part 3 part 4 part 5
    • Rural/remote considerations
      • Topography—where is the high ground? Are there good locations for Observation Posts and Listening Posts (OP/LP), with good fields of observation and fire? Covered/concealed routes back to a fortified location?
      • Avenues of approach—are there good/paved roads all the way to your location? Near a highway or well-traveled road? Neither is optimal. Better to be at end of a dirt road, off the “beaten path.”
      • Is your home observable from long distance?
      • Ingress/egress routes
    • Suburban/urban considerations
      • Roads, egress routes
      • Adjacent and nearby buildings can be considered “high ground” for observation and firing positions.
    • Structural resilience to bullets and fire
      • Base structure materials—brick, cinderblock, masonry (good) or wood frame and sheetrock (notso good)?
      • Hardening—sandbags, earth, concrete, logs
      • Basement and lower levels
    • Cover and concealment
      • Foliage, winter vs. summer
      • Fortifications and firing positions
    • Lighting and backups
      • For normal use
        • Flashlights (as long as batteries/power available)
        • Candles—sticks and tea candles
        • Oil: You will need lamp oil or kerosene, or number 1 diesel fuel (smoky).
        • Kerosene lanterns: These only have at best 8-10 candle power with a ½-inch wide wick. They will burn between 1/2-ounce to 1-ounce of fuel per hour. Kerosene fuel or number 1 diesel fuel (smoky).
      • For defensive use
        • Spotlights can destroy aggressors’ night vision especially if they are on night vision devices (e.g., FBI, DHS, or UN stormtroopers).
        • Keep a spare 12v car battery (or marine deep cycle battery) charged and connected to some vehicle LED lights and maybe a hand-held spotlight.
    • Obstacles/traps/tripwires
    • Watchdogs
      • Got a German Shepherd or other watchful canine? My Labrador will be nearly worthless, unless her wagging tail alerts us to intruders.
    • Cameras and motion sensors
      • Great but need power. Advanced preps.
    • Drones
      • As with cameras/sensors, drones could be HUGE force multipliers, but require power.
      • Article part 1, part 2
    • Radiation and fallout—this is becoming more of a concern, with the idiocy playing out over Ukraine in DC and Brussels.
  • Electrical
    • Buy consumable and re-chargeable batteries in bulk; store in heated area of house; store in metal ammo cans if concerned about an EMP event.
    • Buy battery packs with USB and 110v options to give power to phones or small appliances for a short period, and spare deep-cycle 12v batteries and inverters for 110v plug use. Clearly, these will only get you through a few days of power requirements.
    • Including long-term electricity in a prep plan is a large and possibly expensive project for advanced preps. Solar, wind, and water power are fairly simple but can’t handle large power requirements.
    • Initially, just plan for no power; once the prep basics are handled, get cosmic.
  • Rendezvous/RTB/Lost-comm-lost-sight plan
    • What if away from home when SHTF? Kids at school? College? Work trip?
  • Bug-out
    • When and how do you egress to a fallback position?
    • Routes out of the house. Hidden exits or tunnel? Rope/collapsible ladders from upper floors?
    • Routes off the property
    • Rendezvous plan

4

PHYSICAL Immune, Medical, Conditioning

5

EQUIPMENT Individual & Team

  • Again—two is one, one is none
  • Much of the individual equipment information deals with self-defense. This is not the mindset of all people, and strong believers throughout history have chosen both combat and pacifism. If you as a husband or dad choose the path of non-resistance against evil, then that impacts those you are charged to protect. Might want to discuss it with them.
    • If you choose to stand against evil, using available self-defense tools, then prepare your mind first. Retired LtCol Dave Grossman has written expensively on the psychology of combat and killing, in his books ON COMBAT and ON KILLING, plus his online training academy.
  • Buy new or used—local gun stores, local gun shows, Craigslist, flea markets, pawn shops, eBay, Palmetto State Armory, Gunbroker.com (need an account), Cabela’s, Midway USA, Brownells.
  • Individual equipment
    • Weapons, mags, ammo, accessories (in priority order) (all ideally x2+)
    • Primary pistol
      • Why—A pistol is the most utilitarian defense weapon—affordable, small, and concealable. But unlike Hollywood depicts, it is actually very hard to hit anything with a pistol outside of 10 yards, especially if it’s a dynamic situation. So train with it!
      • Recommended caliber: 9mm unless you already have one or more pistols in other calibers. 9mm is affordable, available, and will be the most common post-SHTF. Recoil is low, so novice pistol shooters can handle it.
      • Recommended type: many excellent types exist; you can’t go wrong with a Smith & Wesson M&P full size or small M&P Shield.
      • Mags: Minimum 5 mags per pistol; don’t get cheap non-manufacturer mags unless they have great reviews.
      • Ammo: “duty” ammo (expanding, more deadly) is expensive, often $1 per round; full-metal-jacket ammo is more affordable. Start with 50 rounds duty ammo (example: Hornady Critical Defense) and 200 rounds FMJ, at least.
      • Spares—semi-auto pistols are every simple, and you are probably not putting very many rounds downrange, but get a spare set of springs for your type pistol at least. Vendor Wolff Gunsprings M&P pistol list here.
      • Accessories
        • Cleaning kit
        • Holster—many options exist; just get a basic holster with MOLLE straps so you can mount to a belt or load bearing vest, plus maybe an IWB (inside waist band/belt) holster for concealed carry. Blackhawk is a great brand, as is Crossbreed.
        • Night sights (if you are handy, you can install yourself with a pistol sight tool, but a gun smith is a good call). Need to be able to deliver aimed rounds at night.
        • Light (make sure your holster still fits!)
        • Laser (check holster)
        • Light/Laser one option here (check holster)
        • Mag extenders (these add 2 rounds per mag) are made for many types
    • Primary semi-auto rifle
      • Why—when SHTF many bad guys will likely have more than a pistol. A rifle gives you self-defense capability, as well as for hunting. Plus your intimidation factor goes up dramatically vs bad guys.
      • Recommended caliber: .223/5.56mm, most common.
      • Recommended type: AR-15—most common, simple to use, many options.
      • SBlog AR-15 article part 1, part 2 (AR for hunting article here)
      • Links: Palmetto State Armory PSA provides very affordable complete rifles as well as parts kits and accessories. There are HUNDREDS of manufacturers of AR’s and parts. Example PSA rifle here. This rifle can group 1-2” at 100m with military ammo, 16” barrel, and a scope.
      • Mags: minimum ten 30-roung mags per rifle, work up from there; MAGPUL PMAGs are great, 30 and 40-round sizes; link to Gen 2 with windows here (so you can see rounds remaining).
      • Ammo
        • Lots of options, PSA ammo page here
        • Hornady makes Frontier brand 55-grain FMJ and 55-grain HollowPoint. One method is to alternate the loading in each mag, so you are never more than one round away from what you need (FMJ for penetration, hollow-point against soft targets); both of these are 55-grains and I’ve tested their points of impact, they are similar. Both group 1-2” at 100m with an average PSA AR with 16” barrel.
      • Spares—bolt carrier group (“full auto” does not make it illegal, that’s just the military configuration of the bolt carrier), essential bits repair kit, trigger group; MAGPUL and other type pistol grips have a storage space in which you can keep critical small spare parts and batteries (red dot, laser, etc.).
      • Accessories—focus on the basics, in rough order of priority:
    • .22 rifle
      • Why—great for training and hunting small game; defensive value as well (no one wants to get shot, even by a .22).
        • Solid arguments can be made to make this your primary firearm, if finances or other considerations require it.
        • Article on a .22 even as primary firearm part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4
      • Recommended type: Ruger 10/22 semi-auto or basic pump-action or AR-15 version like this Smith& Wesson M&P15-22 enhances training.
      • Mags—if you get a mag-fed rifle, get at least 5 mags
      • Ammo—ammo for .22 is pretty cheap, so get at least 1000 rounds. 10K would not be too much, since post-SHTF .22 ammo will be traded like real money (remember: durability, portability, divisibility, uniformity, limited supply, and acceptability…it meets them all).
      • Spares
      • Accessories—cleaning kit, case, scope, red dot optic
    • .22 pistol
      • Why—most value is for training, since pistol shooting is a challenging skill and .22 ammo is cheap, plus recoil is low. A .22 pistol can also be used for hunting small game and self-defense.
      • Recommended type—many options; getting a .22 version of your primary pistol would enhance training; Smith & Wesson .22 M&P version here.
      • Mags
      • Ammo
      • Spares
      • Accessories—cleaning kit, holster, case
    • Shotgun 12gage
      • Why—hunting birds, deer, small game; self-defense. Main value is bird hunting, although having a shotgun adds one more weapon requirement to your list. Post-SHTF you don’t need to shoot birds out of the air, as with hunting season…shoot them on the ground with your .22 rifle. If you have one or more shotguns, great. If you have none, I recommend focusing on the items higher on this list.
      • Ammo—ensure you have a good selection of types; shot (sizes 2 through 8), buckshot, slugs.
      • Spares
      • Accessories—sling, case, cleaning kit.
    • Precision rifle
      • Why—the AR-15 is excellent, but the small bullet does not preserve energy over long distances, can’t penetrate hard targets/vehicles well, and also is more affected by wind. Being able to deliver well-aimed shots to longer ranges will be an advantage for hunting and etc. If you don’t already have a scoped bolt-action rifle with ammo, I recommend getting one in .308 Winchester/7.62mm NATO, since it is the most common larger caliber round, military and civilian.
      • Basic bolt gun here with scope; SigSauer tactical bolt gun here
      • Mags (if applicable—not all bolt guns use mags)—at least 5
      • Ammo—get good stuff with expanding bullets, Hornady example here
      • Spares
      • Accessories—cleaning kit, sling, scope, case, bipod
    • .308 semi-auto rifle
      • Why—again, the AR-15 is excellent, but the bullet is small, so the penetration effects against vehicles or cover may not be adequate. A semi-auto “battle rifle” could be an advantage. An AR-10 (.308.7.62 version of AR-15) would be best, if you already have AR-15’s in .223/5.56, since the basic operation is the same.
      • PSA AR-10 here and Ruger SFAR here
      • Mags—PMAG .308/7.62 version, 10 per rifle minimum
      • Ammo—military FMJ 500 rounds made by Winchester, plus at least 100 rounds with expanding bullets, Hornady example here.
      • Spares—trigger and fire control parts and springs, bolt carrier group
      • Accessories—same as for AR-15
      • Article on .308 rifles and marksmanship here
    • Archery
      • Compound bow, arrows, accessories
      • Advantages are clear (silence; ammo resupply) but it requires training, and is one more piece of equipment to acquire, store, train with, and maintain.
    • Additional thoughts on survival firearms at SurvivalBlog here
    • “Money” belt per person (cheap Amazon link here)
      • Critical items hidden under clothes, always on you
      • FRN dollar cash, real money (1-oz silver/gold coins), ID’s, copies of family ID’s, important prescription meds
      • Can openers–each person should have one in their own equipment (Amazon 10-pack here)
    • “Go” bags (esp if traveling)
      • Many online resources and opinions, search “Bug Out Bag”
      • Items to consider: LifeStraw, gold/silver, ID, pistol/ammo, headlamp/flashlight, can opener, rain coat, gloves, hat, fire starter, eye protection, food bars, electrolytes, water bottle or hydration bladder, phone battery pack, charger cords, radio, basic first aid (clot, Band-Aids, iodine, gauze, stitch kit, clamp), N95 mask, BOOST O2 bottle, Book of John.
      • Good choice for small shoulder bag Amazon link here; for greater capacity use a backpack.
      • SurvivalBlog article part 1, part 2, part 3
    • Belt
    • Comms
    • Load bearing modular vest
      • Mag carrier pouches, pistol holster, hydration bladder, etc. (with MOLLE straps).
      • Options from Rothco here.
      • I’ve found used military mag vests on eBay, USMC load bearing vest sample link here.
      • Or you can choose to carry mags in pouches on an armor plate carrier (below). Plate carrier can make you very hot, so it might be nice to have the option of carrying mags in a load bearing vest with/without the armor plate carrier. Personal choice.
    • Armor plate carrier vest
      • New option for carrier/vest from Rothco here
      • Armor plate options from SemperFiArmor (Marine)
      • MOLLE straps enable optional carriage of mag carrier pouches, pistol holsters, etc.
    • Clothes
      • Prepare one large duffle bag per family member (Amazon option here)
      • Boots, cold weather gear, camo, protection
      • Surplus stores
      • Surplus store in Billings, MT, has online sales too; I used to go here as a kid, and the same great guy runs the place now (Eddie)
      • Surplus items on Ebay
      • Goodwill
      • Garage sales
    • Back packs
      • Civilian backpacking equipment is of course great, but expensive.
      • Ample surplus options exist (again, Surplus store in Billings, MT) or eBay (search “USMC pack” and make sure you get straps too, sometimes they are sold without the structure/straps)
      • Get a large pack and a small/day pack per person
    • Tents, sleeping bags, pads, cots
    • Night Vision
      • Expensive but likely worth it in most SHTF scenarios. He who has NV owns the night; huge defensive advantage against bad guys; force multiplier.
      • ReadyMadeResources page here
  • General equipment
    • Food preparation
      • Can openers (Amazon 10-pack here)
      • Rocket stove (wood) (Amazon link here)
      • Backpacking stoves (kerosene, special fuel)
      • Camp stove (propane)
      • Coleman conversion to use 20-lb bottles
    • Food growing
    • Tools
    • Secure storage
      • Safes, lockable metal cabinets, ammo boxes modified with locks YouTube here
    • Ammo cans
    • Electrical (battery packs, generator, solar, chargeable batteries, stoves that charge)
  • INSPECTION SCHEDULE
    • Develop an inspection schedule–batteries, fuel, assets
    • Example annual schedule by month here on SurvivalBlog

6

MOBILITY Transportation Assets

  • You’ll need to move around, of course. Fuel may be expensive/scarce, so human power will be advantageous. Simplicity, reliability, and economy will be key.
  • Again—two is one, one is none
  • Buy new or used—eBay, Craigslist, flea markets, etc.
  • Mountain bike
    • Consider mid-grade bikes, maybe $750-2000 if new. High-end bikes are more fragile and need more maintenance. Same for e-bikees.
    • Many bikes will be available used as the economy slides–they are not “needs” for most people. Buy one for each member, new or used, plus spares
    • There are a zillion choices; if you are not a MTB’er and just need a basic off-road bike for SHTF, then get used bikes on Craigslist or PinkBike.
    • Spares (consult a local bike shops for which components to get, to make sure they fit your bike): Tubes and tires (proper size), valve stems, brake pads, derailleur hangars (match to bike), chain and chain master links (match to bike).
    • If your bike has carbon components, then a carbon repair kit would be smart to have
  • Additional options
    • Consider what you already have (hobbies)
    • Highly dependent upon your geography (desert, mountain, lakes, rivers)
    • Motorcycle, ATV, snowmobile, kayak, canoe, boats
    • Cross country “Nordic” skis; snowshoes
    • Spares and accessories
  • Trucks
    • Vehicle considerations
      • Utility—functional over different surfaces? 4WD/AWD? Mileage? Volume? Tow capable? Roof rack?
      • Dependability—reputation of manufacturer? How many electronic systems/sensors?
      • Simplicity—can you work on it? With a failure of one electronic system or sensor shutdown the engine (e.g., O2 sensor) and leave you stranded?
      • Availability—how many similar vehicles are on the road, as sources of spares (e.g., there are hundreds of thousands of
      • Great candidate: Chevy/GMC Suburban/Tahoe/Yukon/Denali/Escalade variants.
        • Mileage is low but value in the four categories above is very high
        • Hundreds of thousands of this family on the roads, and in salvage yards.
        • Sweet spot IMHO is 2000-2007, before most parts became Chinese-made, and electrical components were integrated everywhere.
        • Many common GM parts from other vehicles were used on these production lines for multiple model years.
    • Vehicle accessories and mods
      • Vehicle tool kit
      • Jumper cables
      • Vehicle repair manual Haynes Manuals here
      • First aid kit (IFAK)
      • Tire patch kit; tire inflation kit
      • Tow strap
      • Winch/“Come-along”
      • Snow, Sand, etc. traction boards
      • Chains
      • Fuel cans 5-gal with external mounting racks
      • Fuel tanks large capacity; on roof rack, trailer, or pickup bed; I got one via Craigslist for $100; new ones are pricey sample here
      • Battery#2
        • Lots of DIY second 12v battery installation videos on YouTube
        • Some trucks are equipped by manufacturer with a tray for a second battery; after-market trays are available for others (e.g., Suburban/Tahoe).
        • Sample video here; you can also add a battery selector to run the system on one or both, example here.
        • If you want a Battery #2 for extra starting assurance, then get a standard vehicle starter battery; if you want the ability to run electrical items (off-grid camping, etc.), then get a deep-cycle battery.
        • Better performance/longevity with Absorbed Glass Mat AGM 12-volt
    • Vehicle spares
      • Wiper blades, brake components, starter, alternator, water pump, O2 sensor (and other sensors without which the vehicle won’t run).
  • Trailer
    • A small flat-bed or enclosed trailer will dramatically increase the amount of gear you can transport, if you need to move positions, or for routine ops.
    • Sample store online site here
  • Airplanes, ultralights—being able to get airborne will be advantageous for observing threats, defending against threats, hunting, conducting trade, etc. Small “Light Sport Aircraft” or ultralights don’t require much fuel, and can operate from roads/fields/ponds.
  • Fuel storage
    • Propane, kerosene, diesel, gasoline
    • Considerations (blog)—types of fuels, how long they last, additives, etc.

7

TEAM Family, Friends, Neighbors

  • SuperHusband/SuperDad, even you can’t protect your family alone in a SHTF situation. You need a team! Start assembling a team now for mutual support ( 1+ 1 can be >> 2 as [er Eccl 4:9-12). Start with family members and close friends. If you plan to stay in place (i.e., your current home location is your SHTF location), then like-minded neighbors will be critical.
  • TEAM for Connecting, Training, Equipping, Activating–check out this new group, Refiners Army. They are establishing a nationwide network of men that will join together in action, to serve their communities and beyond.
  • Team size
    • Absolute minimum is one other competent shooter and watch stander. You need a wingman! Unless you have a very fortified location or a persistent SHTF security system that will sense a threat and wake you up, you can’t stay awake all night every night. Having someone on watch might literally make the difference between life and death, so you need to plan for it.
    • So what’s optimal? Easy answer is “it depends.” How many family members do you want filling “shooter” roles? Your wife and kids might have to do so in an extreme situation, but personally I’d like to have enough men on our team to protect the mothers and kids…old-fashioned, right?
    • 4-6 shooters would be a good number, especially if one or more are single young/strong men. If you have husbands/dads with moms/kids, then you may need more, since your team has a bigger “footprint.”
    • 4-6 shooters with AR-15’s can put a lot of lead downrange quickly, which would deter most thugs. But it might motivate others…because they want your AR’s…so being able to defend against larger groups will of course require more shooters. Force multipliers (terrain advantages, cover/concealment, precision rifles, night vision, fortifications, approach obstacles, booby traps, drones, etc.) will help offset numerical disadvantages.
    • Even if your team is only 4-6 shooters, get to know other people and teams nearby. Like in the old west or Middle Ages, when the threat showed up, people would fall back to the fort or castle for strength in numbers. This assumes you have aligned with other people, and have a fort/castle to which you can all fall back.
  • Praying and Bible study—opening up the Word brings believers closer together, more than anything else (even church potlucks!). Start now, as a small group.
  • Complementary skills—recruit people with valuable backgrounds and hobbies
    • Military, law enforcement, EMT, mechanic, machinist/welder, doctor, dentist, general contractor, farmer, electrician, seamstress, veterinarian, comms/radio, gunsmith, etc.
  • Responsibilities
    • Leadership—every team needs a leader, so figure out how to choose one. Patriarchy if you are all family? The member with military or business leadership experience? Vote? Beware of anyone that is a little too eager for the job…it might indicate an ego problem.
    • You need contributors, not consumers. Each team member/family should be responsible pre-SHTF for acquiring a minimum amount of provisions and equipment. Agree to a requirement and make sure everyone complies. How much food, real money, firearms, ammo, etc.?
  • Security—your preparations should be done in secret, and your team must agree and respect this. The last thing you need is a bunch of people showing up at your doorstep empty handed after the SHTF, because they know you stockpiled food.
  • Purchasing in bulk together
    • Food costs go WAY down when you order by the pallet
  • Expensive asset acquisitions
    • Specialty tools/equipment (e.g., welding gear, trailer)
    • Land and survival retreat partnerships
  • Training—Talk about your plans together. Execute the prep plans together (e.g., Costco runs). Practice with the firearms and other equipment together.

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