Prepper: Jay and Holly Blevins, former police officer in the Virginia suburbs, outside of Washington, D.C.
Scenario: The breakdown of social order caused by a global economic collapse.
People won’t be able to feed their families and there’s a thin fabric that keeps society civilized. Mob mentality can make it dangerous to survive. In their 4,000 sq. ft. home, they have 6 months of food and water. Jay believes in sheltering in place. He keeps 7,000 rounds of ammo in the bedroom. 
He uses ‘The Circle Of Force.’ Rifle, handgun, pepper spray, martial arts, edge weapons and verbal commands. He wants to avoid lethal force as a first option, so he created a nonviolent deterrent. Custom boards over the windows and doors to protect the first level which can be installed in 30 minutes. Jay doesn’t believe in prepping alone, so he has a neighborhood network of 20 families representing 75-100 people. They meet once a month to go over plans and practice and has doubled in size this year.
Expert Prepper’s Assessment: Jay is commended for using the policeman’s circle of force. A network is an excellent idea. More food storage is needed and a plan to heat the home needs to be figured out.
Scale rating: Food, shelter, water, security and X-factor score 50 out of 100. 8 months survival time.
Update: They’ve planted fruit trees, edible plants and started canning.
Most economists believe a global crash is remote.
Jay Blevins, his wife and his network seem like rational folks who aren’t living for a disaster, just being cautious to protect their neighborhood. I wouldn’t try to rob them on a good day. He’s knowledgeable and doesn’t advocate the ‘kill ‘em all and sort ‘em out’ route.
Prepper: Brian Murdoch, Sommerville, Mass. Real Estate broker. 
Scenario: Third world war is inevitable, he believes this with every fiber of his being. An attack by the US on Iran will result in a counter attack by Israel.
Brian lives 3 miles from Boston. He sold most of his belongings for a bug out motor home and 50 acres of land in upstate New York. His apartment is practically bare. He needs a partner in this to aid in survival, so he went to Colombian and a fiancee is on her way to America for the first time, leaving a daughter behind.
He believes she’ll make a perfect prepper wife because her culture is about gratitude and a traditional way of life. He hasn’t informed her that the apartment she just arrived in isn’t the final living area. She knows nothing about his plans. Why didn’t he tell her before? Her initial thought was that he was crazy, but she will support him as his wife. Before she rests from her flight, he wants her to repack a bug out bag from what she brought. Those high heels won’t cut it in her new life.
He goes into bug out mode and they jump in the RV and head to the land. There, she has to learn to use firearms. The bugs are biting her in her miniskirt. Brian says that bugs like lighter skin, so she’ll be fine with her olive complexion. “Go to work on the beans and rice.” He put a banana as her target. Those are close to plantains and “You like plantains, right?” 
Expert Prepper’s Assessment: Commended for making a plan and bug out location. Food is inadequate. Shelter is good, especially with it being mobile.
Scale rating: Food, shelter, water, security and X-factor score 43 out of 100. 8 weeks initial survival time.
Update: They married and are moving to the bug out location in 3 days since ‘things have heated up.’
The possibility of a limited nuclear exchange remains a concern.
I don’t believe in baiting and switching someone nor the stereotypical comments made to her. Why leave the apartment now to sit in an RV? Brian seems like the type who is wishing something would happen, in my opinion. Eight weeks of food storage is amateur from the other preppers I’ve seen. For some reason, I wouldn’t be surprised if Tatiana has fled back to Colombia.
Prepper: Brian and Lacey May, midwest, Own a car stereo shop. 
Scenario: New Madrid earthquake
Seven million people would be effected. They have no savings, so they barter. Brian converts money into silver and gold from 1 gram to 10 ounce bars. He got solar panels that way. They also have a solar wind turbine. He has 40 batteries to store the energy. Barter items also include alcohol and medications from the pet store that work on kidney infections and UTI’s.
For extra income, they breed and sell Bearded Dragons and run an adult website selling sex toys. They’ve spent $60,000 on the house. They want a shipping container to bury for additional safety. They are built to withstand an earthquake 100 times more than a house. Brian offers a barter for one. He has an SUV and gold to offer. Deal.
Expert Prepper’s Assessment: They have enough ammo for defense. It’s recommend that they add a HAM radio for communication. Great energy storage and power capabilities. They need a food resupply plan.
Scale rating: Food, shelter, water, security and X-factor score 71 out of 100. 13 months survival time.
Update: They bought more dragons, made a rain catchment system and started websites to sell preparation products.
Earthquakes on the new Madrid fault happen once every 500 years. Scientist believe another one could happen in 50 years.
Like Jay, Brian and Lacey seem practical and focused on their goals. They work well together and are self-reliant with their different modes of making income to improve their prep stores. I love that their house is self-sufficient and Brian is not afraid to go for the barter before the cash. Why not? That’s how things used to be.
This episode re-airs on Sat. November 24th on NatGeo. Regular air dates are Tuesday’s at 9:00 PM #DoomsdayPreppers
All Photos from NatGeo
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Brian, in particular, made me so uncomfortable watching his whole series of “prepping” play out. If you’re going to marry someone – for whatever reason – you should probably fill them in that you want to go move to the woods to prevent you exposure to an alleged nuclear attack. Especially if said person is going to move here from South America and give up her family for you. His attitude towards her concerns and shock about it made me cringe.
Like I said on Twitter, I almost wonder if National Geographic can’t find legitimate preppers much anymore. When I prep, people don’t know what my methods/techniques/etc are on purpose.
Melissa recently posted..You either live your dreams or you don’t
I totally agree. That really upset me and I felt bad for her. When he said they bailed to the trailer THREE DAYS later from the update, that was a head scratcher.
Yea, I don’t think real preppers tell the world about it. That license plate in the other recap actually is the Orthodox guy’s plate.
Like I said, I learn from the show and I’m not painting them all with one brush, I just find some of the methods and ‘scenarios’ suspect.
Thanks for the comment and the conversation. I like the feedback.