This article was originally published by Tracey Watson at Natural News
We live in an unstable world, where even countries that look financially and politically stable can suddenly descend into chaos. Venezuela is an excellent – albeit sad – example of this. Once the richest country in all of Latin America thanks to its huge oil reserves, Venezuela now resembles a war zone. Residents of this once thriving country are now forced to cope with crippling inflation, devastating food shortages, virtually non-existent healthcare, and most recently, electricity blackouts.
While we all hope that the United States will never have to face this type of devastating scenario, the reality is that nobody can predict what will happen in the future. Reflecting calmly on just what might happen in a catastrophic grid-down situation can help put things in perspective and provide the push needed to knuckle down and start preparing for any potential future “what-ifs.”
The 10 most likely grid-down scenarios
Urban Survival Site recently provided a list of the most likely things that would happen if some type of disaster should cause the national grid to go down.
No more supply trucks
Soon after a grid-down situation ensues, supply trucks will likely stop running, leaving store shelves empty and unable to supply the food and other goods that we would so urgently need in this type of situation. This is yet another reason why obtaining the right type of storable survival food now is so important.
No more stores
With stores and restaurants unable to source supplies, most will be forced to close their doors within days. Some people will very quickly realize this, and looting and rioting can be expected to ensue within hours.
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No more school
Unable to continue with normal schooling amid the chaos, schools will likely shut down quickly. Since school administrators are unlikely to allow children to leave unaccompanied, parents would need to make their way there through the chaos to collect their kids and take them home.
No more business
All commerce as we know it will shut down completely in a grid-down situation. While cash might still be used – at least for a while – banks would be closed and ATMs would not be operational. Most people will quickly switch from buying things for cash to trading (or bartering) with others to exchange goods they have in excess for those they need from other people.
No more fuel
No supply trucks also means no gasoline. And that doesn’t just mean we won’t be able to use our vehicles. The generators that many would hope to rely on for electricity will also need fuel.
No cell phone reception
Cellular phones and the internet will likely go out of service quickly after the grid goes down, making it even more important to invest in a HAM or CB radio now – while you still can. Bear in mind that no internet also means no email communication.
No functioning post offices
With no email communication available, old-fashioned letters may once more become a preferred method of communication. Unfortunately, however, post offices are likely to stop operating soon after the grid goes down, leaving people with absolutely no way to contact each other – especially those who live far apart.
No more air-conditioning
While keeping cool in summer might not be a life or death necessity, in some places it could really make life very uncomfortable, adding to the stress of an already traumatic situation.
No more heating
Now this one really can mean the difference between life and death. Insufficient heating during periods of extreme cold could result in serious loss of life. Urban Survival Siteurges people to prepare for this situation now by stockpiling firewood, propane bottles, candles, warm blankets and sleeping bags.
No more running water
Last, but certainly not least, is the likelihood that there will be no running water if the grid goes down. This means no drinking water, no way to water the plants you need for food, and no way to maintain personal hygiene or wash clothes.
Water is one of the most important items to stockpile right now, and remember to collect both drinking water and water for cleaning and personal hygiene.
It’s true that the future could be a scary place, but it will certainly be a lot less frightening if we take the time now to plan for the worst case scenario.
Learn more at Disaster.news.
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No more SHTF Plan?!!! Oh no Mr. Bill!
Doom porn has become a major sources of entertainment for me the last several years. Consequently, I am really focusing on other things for post SHTF entertainment.
“If the Grid goes down …. ” are the operative words here. You need to prep for OFF THE GRID using solar, wind, and batteries.
The new, Inergy Apex solar, inverter generator is a good way to go. If you have a stream available to you, there are new micro water turbines to generate electricity.
Electricity is the foundation of civilization. Make some !!! 🙂
” If you have a stream available to you, there are new micro water turbines to generate electricity.”
GPM X. Ft Hd
HP = ……………………………..
3960 X EfFiciency
Ft Hd = .433 X height in Ft
It’s doubtful that even a fast running stream can by it’s own velocity head push water up above 10 ft. If the water turbine had 5 GPS (Gallons Per Second) that is 300 GPM. Efficiency at best will be 70% or .70.
The question is how much power could be produced under the above conditions.
300 x 10
HP = ………………………
3960 x .70
3000
1 HP = ………………..
2772
Thats a lot of water (300 GPM) to produce 1 hp which equals .746 KW or 746 watts. Scale it from there.
The above is basic stationary engineering to pump water. The same power needed to pump it is identical to the power that can be theoretically made from it. Power = Force x distance / time.
Correction.
Ft Hd is the height in feet. To convert to PSI if using water x .433.
No cell phone reception
Communication equipment was one of the last categories of SHTF stuff I prepped. It was really expensive to get quality equipment. This last month I hope I finished comm’s prepping by getting:
1. 2 Uniden PRO505XL 40-Channel CB Radios PLUS
2. CUZEC (2-Pack 12V Cigarette Lighter Power Adapters
3. BESTEK 12V 24V Cigarette Lighter Battery Clip-on Car Cigarette Lighter Socket Adapter, 1.2m/3.9ft Length Cigarette Lighter Extension Cord
These small CB Radios can be used 1) as a base Station 2) Wired in a car and 3) portable field use. These accessories help make the CB unit more versatile. CB radio is my fall back commuciations that I need to put into a “Faraday Cage”.
I broke Communications down into 4 types:
1. HAM Radio
2. GMRS Radio
3. CB Radio
4. Non-Electronic Methods (e.g. Whistles)
The Uniden PRO505XL 40-Channel CB Radio’s are only $29.00 each! That’s pretty inexpensive!
Justice, good prepping job. Just remember the military saying , ” No plan survives contact with the enemy”, or in our case when the SHTF.
Be safe and watch out fur dem hogs!
No cell phone reception…..Hooray! SW, I thought about you as I placed that pork loin in that cooker and slid it into the oven for the nights supper with mashed taters, pork gravy, corn bread, and butter beans. Something always cooking here at Repr’s house.
Jeet Yet?
“Everyone has a plan, Until they get hit in the Face”. – – –Iron Mike Tyson
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Your plan is wonderful until you are hit in face with EMP and ?????????? Who knows? Beyond my pay grade. Ask the head shed. Of course they will just Playcate, Lie, Decieve. “All is fine, Nothing to see here folks.”
There is much $$$ money to be made selling Fear, Uncertanty, Doubt. How do you think those mega churches are built? $$$
Of course now churches also sell “prosperity” $$$.
But most of those types have forgotten the word of God.
God has told you the future. The future is the present, TODAY, NOW!!
AI-Robots-Drones-Facial Recognition-DNA Sniffers-5G kill grid-Smart City surviellance state-Holographic Projections-Voice to Skull Technology V2K.
All designed to control then Kill YOU.
Weather modification by government to cause famine, destruction, death.
You and your family are part of the herd being Culled.
How is that for Fear Porn? Except all that, and much more is here Now. Not in the future. Hell is upon your doorstep TODAY. The Beast is knocking.
Technology is NOT your friend. Your hot water heater, dishwaser, refrigerator, washer/dryer, cable TV box.
Will snitch and snoop on you. Your new car snoops, snitches, tracks, listens, and now video records you.
P,lease Do NOT allow High Tech in your life.
Your Mind-Body-Spirit, should be prepared and “prepped”. Now!! Get yourself and family into good physical and spiritual condition. Movement is life.
Walk-Run-Exercise-go to a Jesus teaching church-build good connections for difficult times and challenges ahead. Build your team ASAP.
So what is your plan?
Do you serve and follow the Beast System?
Do you follow Jesus Christ, Son of God?
You now have no other options. No fence sitters in near future. Submit to Beast. Or submit to God of Jesus Christ.
Who do you serve?
Hell is on your doorstep.
Brought to you by Google-DARPA-Shadow Government-The “Elite”-Defense Corporations “the military industrial complex”-Big Pharmacuetical companies.
TECH Mafia like Google, are Censoring, and helping enemies of America, like China.
Tech is a weapon
Data collection. WEAPON.
Lies by Media are a weapon
5g is a weapon to control and kill
Flu shot/vaccines are weapon
Flouride government puts in water is a weapon
Weather modification is a weapon. Destruction-Famine.
Food is a weapon.
Chaos is a weapon used by Elite.
Fear is a weapon used by Media-Politicians-some Churches
“Quite Weapons for Quite Wars.”
This war is Now. Not in future.
You are presently in a Quite War.
It is in your best interest to Pray. Turn to Jesus Christ, so as you are not sucker punched and decieved by the Tech Beast System.
Yours eyes will decieve you.
What you think you know will decieve you.
Politicians have ALWAYS decieved you.
Media controlled by foriegners Decieves/LIES.
Technology is tool of the BEAST. Tech is the Beast.
Jesus the son of God is your hope and salvation from deception.
Listen or don’t listen?
The choice has always been yours.
Who do you serve?
“May God Bless you and your family.”
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
That is you SITREP
–Over and Out–
People say CB radio is dead but I’m sure it will make a comeback post SHTF! The Uniden PRO505XL 40-Channel CB Radios is only $29.00 at Amazon. That’s pretty cheap!
Justice, good on the cb thing. Lots of truckers still use them and have info. I am so far out I have no cell either but I do have a couple of SSB cb’s. I like the ssb because it is like encryption and has 12 watt output. Kinda pricey but a good backup.
It all depends upon severity. Is the SHTF situation of full blown intensity that there will be no resumption in civility and rule of law or is it a bump, abet large but a bump none the less where civility will resume. The former comes with the probability of significant casualties directly from the event. That in itself is a variable. This is a “Mad Max” event that comes with it everything nightmares are fulled with.
The truly sad thing is hardly anyone has any decent manners or morals or anything like that now!! Good Lord, when the Septic blows, it will be truly out of control. I hope your index fingers are ready for a real workout of sorts guys,cause it is a coming. And also notice how they are destroying food and food growing, floods, droughts, they plan to starve our asses out is how I am seeing this mess play out. Just my 1.5 cents of opinion is all.
Even duding the Great Depression everyone was reasonably certain that it wouldn’t last forever and farm kids to city dwellers, many from poor immigrant stock had a society that was accustomed to doing without. Change that to zero rule of law and doing without on a scale like Stalingrad w/o any government any you have a version of indescribably ugly.
No more running water
Sawyer Products Mini Water Filtration System (2 Pack only 34.99$ … REG: $25.00 each or $50.00 for 2) Look at the Other Sellers Section of the web page for the good price.
h ttps://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01CWFR92M/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
and get some CANNED FOOD, with lots of water content. every time you have to drink water, you will be taking a chance on getting sick/dying…a lot of people are really into figuring out the water problem…..but most aren’t concerned ENOUGH, and have holes in their water plan.
I was super lucky, a few months ago I was able to pick up 2 blue ones for like $20, no idea how or why they were so cheap but it worked out damn well for me that day on the Amazon. And yes, brand new, completely sealed and all of that.
Just a little tidbit…If you got an old worn out pair of binoculars, remove the magnifying glass from them and keep them wrapped up and protected in a tin if you can. These can be used to start a fire for your dinner/warmth without having to use a Bic lighter, match or ferro rod. Use your head by using what is given to you and free. And that goes for what you use for a tinder bundle to get that fire going.
Yup and you can git a fire goin fer yer still too!
speakin’ of fire, go to local fire extinguisher service guy and buy all his giant extinguishers that are too old for businesses to use anymore. got 13 freshly serviced ones for 10 dollars each…..these are WAY bigger than the one you keep in your car….when they throw them fire-bombs, you’ll have sumthin’ to fight the fire with……’coarse, you better have a bulletproof vest (not plate carrier!) too!……and some lead, and a lead-delivery device…..
i like the giant magnifying glasses you can buy at harbor freight or flea markets…..they are very handy for looking at old photos, and other things.
Got my load of PM’s. But as they say, “You can’t eat gold /silver”. In Europe a person’s wealth was often measured by how much booze they had stored up. So I also keep a few cases of cheap brandy, rum, whiskey, vodka to trade.
Alcohol has many uses when the SHTF besides drinking it. Antiseptic, analgesic, burn in a lamp, preserve food, trade for needed items. An alcohol rub down is a way to control a fever too.
If the EMP takes out the grid and vehicles its likely that your home generator and electronics will be destroyed too. Thats neanderthal caveman time, an ABC through XYZ failure. I have no evidence to the contrary but cooking some sensitive chips I’ll buy, catastrophically melting windings in everything from motors, generators, transformers and reactors missing virtually none, across the nation seems far fetched.
Hi Kevin, on the subject of generators, would this generator fit the bill as being E.M.P. Proof
https://www.deucepower.com/
these are 70 year old generators & all cast iron parts, & not one bit of modern electronics.. 1,200 rpm 1 gallon an hour, 20,000KW generators.. look this item up, looks good to use forever..
Robbie41
That question is out of my knowledge base but w/o computer chips its reliability is certainly far greater. One GPH of diesel should produce about 9 KW @ 25% efficiency. Put a Faraday Cage around it and don’t have any breaker closed to you home at the time of the EMP and I think (once again outside of my realm of expertise) would act as an antenna if connected. Thats about the best defense a person of reasonably normal means can obtain. I think the old engines are more forgiving on diesel. My expertise was stream turbines and Gas Turbines. We has a few diesels for back up pumps and one for a “black start” generator.
How interesting that they claim these gennies will also use biofuel which only needs to be hot and clean.
Diesels by their design (older) devoid of the environmental crap are very forgiving with fuel. Vegetable oil works in them. Low speed (120 RPM) marine diesels used #6 fuel oil (bunker C) that is black and thick. Its heated to 200 deg F to liquify it adequately.
1 problem with a cb all you can do is talk if you meet up with that desperate stranger it may be 1 dude most likely it will be 20 dudes with guns
https://www.deucepower.com/
Been through all of that. Also, no doctors available, no hospitals, no dentists, no gas stations, nothing.
4 and a half months w/o power.
Almost a month w/o water.
Did get a little tired of helping those nearby with water and food.
Add a bottle or two of caffeine tablets to your preps.
Tried to interest the owner here about an article about it.
Also got nothing.
Ketchupondemand, you SHOULD write down your experiences and post a link in a post to an article. I know a lot of us would read it. Real life experience trump how we image a situation will be. That’s why Fer Fal and the Balkan guy are so popular. Let us know, we’ll keep an eye out.
Agree with Justice. Post it, we will follow and read (consume)!
X3!
I’d read your article.
Two weeks my tooth was hurting. The dentist took X-rays and said most of the tooth was decayed away. It was a crown so the top of the tooth looked OK.
He put me anti antibiotics for 10 days to clear up the infection which was spreading in my lower jaw. Then I spent 45 minutes in the dental chair while he not so gently dug out the roots of the tooth which were stilled anchored in the jaw bone. It was not fun.
He put me on another week of antibiotics as well as 800 mg pills of ibuprofen to ease the pain which there was lot of. I’m almost over all of it.
He said if I had waited another month or so the infection could have traveled up the main nerve that goes directly to the brain. He said this could have been a fatal infection.
It wouldn’t hurt for preppers to go get checked now and then. The dentist told me that dental problems with soldiers have killed almost as many men as combat throughout history. That’s why in WW II and onward dentists became very common in the America military.
One other thing. I first had pain around six weeks ago. It would come and go. The dentist said if the pain is a one time occurrence then that’s no big deal. Things hurt all over our bodies and then go away.
But the second time I had pain I should have come in and got an X-ray. He said there was a good chance the tooth was still solid enough for a simple extraction, which is 10 – 15 seconds once I was numbed up.
The point is don’t put off dental problems. They can spin out of control quickly. BTW, I have a good dental plan and so far I’m over $500 out of pocket with the dentist and meds. This whole thing has been one SOB.
This is what’s bad with a grid down situation. A minor infection anywhere can be fatal if not dealt with.
In my case I couldn’t have pulled my own tooth (or have a friend do it) since there was nothing much left to pull.
Severe dental problems may NOT make themselves known!
A relative of mine (by marriage) had a dental infection that caused NO pain and was totally unnoticed; despite the fact that he had recently seen his dentist (although had not had recent X-rays). Long story short, the infection caused a stroke and he ended up with permanent brain damage.
‘Lost karma’ is right: don’t ignore your teeth!
I am interested in writing your story!
Please email me – jane (at) survivaljack [dot] com
Jane, not sure if you’re talking to me or to lost karma..
I will post an updated version on a weekend soon..thx.
Ketch,
I agree with Justice. Although us Island dwellers have a very
different set of problems eg. we aren’t going to freeze to death
in our homes. We are much more remote than mainland preparers. We can’t just drive to another state without “borrowing” a sailboat.
KoD, your story would mean tons more than that fake Venezuelan José Martinez that Mac gets a cut of from pushing his scam articles here. Please do write your experiences and share them.
OK, give me a little time and I will re-write it and edit it down, make it shorter. I did post it here but it is in 6 parts…
In a permanent SHTF, you will run out of everything unless you have a warehouse full of stuff…or you and some friends (like Genius!) and others take over a costco/supermarket.
As mentioned here, (thanks Old Guy and others) it will be much like an 1880’s existence.
One thing we missed early on was no fresh fruit–did not have enough dried fruit stored and everything growing was wiped out or on the ground.
We picked up 5 5 gal. buckets of avocados from our grounds and, well, you can only eat so many…most got thrown back to the earth!
When the grid goes down, unless you live in Iceland, where it is sunlit at midnight; you will see, possibly for the first time, what a beautiful night sky there is without artificial light blindness.
Buy a few astronomical items that help you make sense of the night sky. Binoculars are nice, telescopes too. But really all you need is your own eyes, and a ten dollar cardboard constellation chart.
.
Get a good small tent. Good fart sack. Couple of throw rugs. Put them in the smallest room in your residence. Should be able to last longer than those that don’t have that stuff if the heat goes away for a long time. Also, ever see third world dark? You can not see your hand at the end of your nose. It’s like being blind. Now, throw in someone trying to kill you. Pucker up.
Him,
Unless you are in a cave there is always visual light.
get NV and you will see even then as IR is all over
the place.
Wrong. I was in the bush in Rhodesia. No f***ing light. None. Third world dark.
I was talking about naked eyeball. Not NVG.
HEAT SOME ROCKS
No meds. Adios diabetics. Diabetic supplies and insulin in particular are extremely expensive, so preping long tem is impossible unless you are wealthy, and have a means for cooling at 40 degrees. Insulin is good for a month at room temp. Longer if refrigerated. $250 per vial, and many vials per month. Not to mention the other meds an autoimmune person could suffer. Long term disaster would devastate the med dependent population of today. There are a ton of meds that you can’t just stop taking without adverse and deadly effects.
You forgot point 11…
A sudden, sharp rise of hyper-velocity “lead poisoning”.
Imagine Washington DC with no heating or air conditioning. Let no crisis go to waste.
Montana Guy,
You just cheered us up.
Thanks, and I do know 3d world dark.
10th SFG 69-70.
Been there, done that.
It happened back when Hurricane Isabel came through. Life sucked for a short time. Or a few years ago when we had 3 feet of snow after a two day snow storm.
My fridge went out and no way to get a repair done so used the snow banks in the back yard until repairing.
Or a few years ago when there seemed to be a train of tropical storms that flooded places that had not been flooded since who knew when. Bridges and roads were out for months. Power was hit-and-miss or off-and-on depending on your location. That was the year I learned how to ford a creek that flooded US Route 1 in my Ralliart at night while under supervision by the local fire department (they’d run out of policemen); they did not let everyone go through. It was like driving a boat.
Or last year in the spring when there was a nor’easter wind storm lasting several days that knocked out power over most of the region.
So, yeah. SHTF does hit here more often than one might think. While it usually only lasts a few days, most residents are totally unprepared which I find amazing. It doesn’t bother me much aside from having to switch from city hours to rise early for dawn so there’s light to do your work (always something to clean up LOL).
I’ve noticed that if it’s a short-term SHTF situation like a snow storm, people are out and prowling the streets for something to do despite authorities requesting people to stay home. But no power so no TV, phone, computer, etc. and people get bored. If it’s longer such as it was for the hurricane or the big snow storm, employers expect their staff to report to work as soon as the main streets and highways are clear or report in somehow that you are unable like if your street is yet unplowed. If you don’t, you are in trouble; found that out the hard way when I had no power so no phone to report in with.
If the big SHTF hit around here, I don’t think anyone would think it anything other than similar scenarios of times past. The astute prepper would be hightailing it out of town. Most of the populace would not figure it out for a good while.
The infrastructure in Northern Virginia is pretty good; Washington DC and Maryland are right behind us. It would take something rather devastating to wipe out the region. The regional governments know that the money from federal programs is their bread and butter.
I find it amusing that so many people measure their “preps” by how much of this or that they have stored. They banter about how much fuel they have for their generator, how long it will last, blah blah……Lots of people seem to believe they can “store” their way out of a bad situation. How about learning how to produce or procure food and water on your own? What is the plan when all that shit that is stored runs out??? Our grandparents lived without electricity or running water. It is not rocket science. It will separate the “haves” from the “have nots”, not by how much you store or the capacity of your solar array, but by what you KNOW. Become responsible for YOURSELF!
“Most people will quickly switch from buying things for cash to trading (or bartering) with others to exchange goods they have in excess for those they need from other people.” ——There’s the new economy. The one that makes no billionaires. The one that keeps everyone equal and mutually prosperous. The one that can’t be effectively taxed (as long as shakedown goons are dealt with on the spot by their would-be victims).
“With no email communication available, old-fashioned letters may once more become a preferred method of communication. Unfortunately, however, post offices are likely to stop operating soon after the grid goes down, leaving people with absolutely no way to contact each other – especially those who live far apart.” –Even ancient people communicated without any modern transportation. The Natives of these Indies (“America”, in Eurospeak) traveled these continents on foot all the time, and quite quickly, and thought nothing of it–a far cry from today’s car-and-plane-crippled transportation addicted dependents.
“Unable to continue with normal schooling amid the chaos,’ schools will likely shut down quickly. Since school administrators are unlikely to allow children to leave unaccompanied, parents would need to make their way there through the chaos to collect their kids and take them home.” –“Normal’ schooling”? “Amid the chaos” of being shot?
What, no more sitting ducks for gun-grabbers’ drugged misfits to massacre in the Deep State’s “gun-free zones” so the gun-control lobby can then wave their bloody shirts as the excuse for disarming their would-be defenders, the self-defensively-armed public?
“SHTF” sounds like Liberation Day!
Looked on Berky water site. Geez,even the dented up and scratched ones are expensive. Being here in Arizona,water is a big thing for me,so I rely on the big blue barrels. That is my number one priority, than food then the means to protect/defend the first two.