Prepper: Big Al from Nashville, Tennessee. A country music artist.
Scenario: Nuclear war with Russia.
There’s no trust for Vladimir Putin because he looks like “Stalin with a suit on.” There is a belief that he’s building more nuclear weapons. All hell will break loose, so he studies Russia and feels there’s a new nationalism afoot with their people. Maybe like Americans love for America?
Big Al has a location 1800 miles west for his bug out location. The warning signs that it’s time to bail?
- A run on the dollar
- Closing of the banks
- Closing of the stock markets.
That will be his clue to jet in his yellow early model mini-van and head to his 40 acres of land on a 5,800 foot mountaintop, 2,000 square feet, 2 stories tall and 5 feet below ground. It’s designed to survive the nuclear fall out from an explosion.
To further prepare, he lives in this bunker for three months at a time. Paranoia and hallucinations be damned. Big Al has a crap ton of canned food that will last him 300 days. ‘Bunker Stew’ he calls it. Who’s crazy? Him or us?
What about potable water? Covered. 1,000 gallons of water are under there with him. He’s not about drinking his own urine. Repeat, he is NOT drinking his urine. Other underground activities for him consist of chopping wood for the wood stove and studying his Russian nuclear program DVD’s. Changes have to be made because he’s now concerned about the detonation of a 50 mega ton bomb by the Russians. The largest nuke weapon ever tested. This information means he has to make some renovations to his bunker and go deeper underground. “The worst thing to be in this world is a man without any options.”
He purchases a fuel tank to plunge twice as deep as his bunker. 40 feet long and 8 feet wide, made of steel. He truly believes a Russian attack can happen at any moment. Getting this tank in the ground is priority one.
Experts Preppers Assessment: The annex is excellent but the food storage plan needs to be bumped up with a green house. On the point scale for the categories of food, water, shelter, security, X-factor, which are 20 points a piece, he earned 69 points out of 100 and they estimate he has 11 months of survival.
Experts believe that the threat is tangible, but the US and Russia are working towards a policy of nuclear disarmament.
Follow up: He wants to get in better shape. I wasn’t going to go there, but yes, he does. Big Al also wants to build his endurance. He’s bought a lot and needs to work on skills more than procurement.
Prepper: Jason Beacham, age 15, from Plato, Mo. Pop. 109 He has siblings and is a sophomore in high school.
Scenario: Anarchy following an economic collapse.
Jason doesn’t think he’s paranoid, but open-minded. Prepping makes him feel safe and he’s been doing it since the age of 11 after watching the banking and mortgage crisis. 51% of Americans believe an economic collapse is inevitable.
Jason tells his mom that he’s worried about people going rogue and wanting what others have. Violence, bedlam and that anarchy he mentioned. Mom worries about his worries, but Jason’s serious about this.
He has no allowance, but he knows how to scavenge for items. Prepping on a budget! He alluded to basically stealing items from his mom and possibly others. Nice. Maybe some of these preppers are worried about meeting themselves in a dark alley.
Jason has some food and water stored and thinks it’s a years worth. Just for him or all of his family? He’s prepared to pop caps in folks and kill to protect his family. Mom oversees his shooting practices. With his money troubles, he also makes homemade weapons. He shows us a bat with nails sticking out of it that he’s crafted. Ok…Jason’s not coming to play with my 15 year-old. Sorry.
Mom still doesn’t know what to think and I’m glad she’s supervising, but she’s not on board with his plans.
He has a Plan B! Bugging out without mom. Nice. Going on his own. Well, with 2 teen members of his Stand By Me/Get Out Of Dodge Team, but not with his family. Huh? Mom’s a little hurt about this fact. This is a change from the preppers I normally see on here. They are motivated to protect family and work in cooperation with close friends. I think an evaluation or assessment needs to be the next responsible thing that Jason’s mother does for him.
Tonight they are testing out Austin, a third prepper on the team. He’s new, unlike Dylan, who has been prepping with Jason for a year. Kids love to belong. First up on the test for Austin is finding shelter. He passes that part. Making fire is next..in the shelter..on the floor. This looks legit. Smoke inhalation kills, kids. Time to whip out the gas mask and put that bad boy out. Austin has passed for, I guess finding a shelter that’s probably been in their tiny town since before their parents were born.
Expert Preppers Assessment: Having a survival group is an excellent source of security, but communication needs to be beefed up with radios. Learn how to build a safe fire because that other one wasn’t working.
The scale rates him at food, water, shelter, security, X-factor-50 out of 100 with 4 months initial survival time. His age and being in shape is in his favor. Update: No money, more prepping problems.
Few experts believe that a total economic collapse is likely.
Prepper: Braxton Southwick, former professional bike and truck racer, currently a mechanic. Married father of 6 kids. Salt Lake City, Utah.
Scenario: Biological terrorist attack-Small Pox
He says he’s not crazy, his kids are normal and they hold jobs. Prepping happens at night.
His plan is to bug out to a cabin with his family. His wife, Kara, is more down to earth about it and not as concerned as he is. He tends to pick up ideas and projects for awhile and then move on. Braxton has a surprise for the doubters in his family. A surprise bug out exercise. Also their first. I’m going to raise the b.s. flag here.
Wife is all in since he promised her dinner at the restaurant of her choice. Everyone has their assigned items to grab. Food storage should last 1 year on the road for a family of 8. He’s also raised chickens. Pretty smart move. Chickens are immune to small pox. They have their own portable coop to hit the road in.
The family dons their bio-hazard suits and medical masks somewhat quickly and they hit the road. The goal is to beat the National Guard who will quarantine cities and shut down roads. Another surprise for his family awaits as they’re not all taking this as seriously as Braxton. He’ll learn ‘em.
They run into a military check-point run by a National Guard friend and his team. Men in gas masks and hazmat gear order the family out of the vehicles and question them on their cargo and run a detection gun over them. (No detector currently exists that can detect small pox). Kara is isolated and the family goes through the decontamination procedures. Stripping down, scrubbing up and getting re-checked. The National Guard guy gave them better equipment and suits to wear.
Now Kara’s eyes are opened. Really?
Expert Preppers Assessment: Food storage, chicken coop and water is adequate, but re-supply is an issue. No safe room at the residence can be a danger to the family.
Practical preppers assess food, water, shelter, security, X-factor score at 71 out of 100. 13 months initial survival time. Braxton’s not happy with that.
Update: They added 300 gallons of water and and a water filtration system to their arsenal. They are also researching a milking goat. Good measures. He’s against building an in home bunker. Or it’s against HOA or Kara put her foot down on that one. Prepping is not cheap!
Experts say the only known samples of the Small Pox virus are kept in the US and Russia. The US keeps enough vaccine for everyone who’d need it in the event of an outbreak.
So there’s that.
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