Dear Preppers and Survivalists,
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photograph, possibily, by
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Charlottesville
Several days ago, I highlighted an article titled "'Charlottesville': A Government-Commissioned Story About Nuclear War" from The Atlantic.
So, ... Go read it and come back.
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photograph by
Yosuke Yamahata
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100 Million
In 1979, when the fictional short story was written, the population of these United States was 221,719,000 people, give or take a few hundred thousand folks.
So, ...
The death of 100,000,000 people would have been just under half of the population, 45%.
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source
FEMA-196: Risks and Hazards: A State By State Guide
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More
According to one source, The American Civil Defense Association (TACDA), over 95% of these United States' population could become sick or die from an nuclear weapons attack, just from the fallout, in the mid '90s.
Think about that, ...
251,000,000 out of 265,000,000 people being sick or dying from radioactive fallout.
Something that could be easily preventable by building an adequate shelter.
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photograph by
Richardw
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Misconception
Most people think that a nuclear attack is unsurvivable, unless your family had a shelter similar to Cheyenne Mountain, VIVOS, or the ... Kardashians
Well, not really because you really need a fallout shelter with an adequate protection factor.
Link:
Survival Blog - Radiation Protection Factors for Dummies, by L.H.
https://survivalblog.com/radiation-protection-factors-f/
How Stuff Works: Home - How Fallout Shelters Work
https://home.howstuffworks.com/home-improvement/household-safety/tips/fallout-shelter2.htm
Infomercantile - Fallout Protection For Homes With Basements
http://www.infomercantile.com/-/Fallout_Protection_For_Homes_With_Basements
Alpha Rubicon - Nuclear Fallout Protection
http://www.alpharubicon.com/basicnbc/nukefalloutmechanic.htm
Preparedness Advice - Protection Factors in Nuclear Emergency’s
https://preparednessadvice.com/nuclear/protection-factors-in-nuclear-emergencys/
SciTech Connect - Determination of the Radiation Protection Factor Required for a Fallout Shelter
https://www.osti.gov/scitech/biblio/4818021-determination-radiation-protection-factor-required-fallout-shelter
Sorry
I apologize. I forgot what I was talking about.
Oh yeah, ...
Sanitation
Most people have a list. You know the one, ...
Two Weeks of Water - Check
Three Months of Food - Check
First Aid Kit - Check
Defensive Firearm (Handgun) - Check
Emergency Alert Radio - Check
Toilet Paper - What?
Feminine Hygiene Products - What??
Improvised Toilet - What???
Anti-diarrhea Medication - What????
That's right. The last four items may be as important as your stored water, especially the anti-diarrhea medication.
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photograph by
Steve Mann
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Triage
Speaking of medicine, do you and your family stock a three month supply of required medications, for your family, such a blood pressure medications? How about spare glasses or do you keep your family's old prescription glasses, just in case there is an accident with your family's current pair of glasses? Lastly, are you and your partner ready to let a friend or family member die because they are considered 'walking dead?'
Livestock and Pets
Just like your family, your animals require supplies and equipment to survive a nuclear attack or other event.
This means, you may have to bring your chickens into your home, store water and feed, and provide other life saving measures for the animals that you may have to eat, to survive. Yes, this includes your family's pet dogs and cats.
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illustration by
Calvert
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Dictatorship
I hate to say it, but the 'Government' might be your biggest enemy.
That's right. The local authorities may quickly take the stand that seizing your family's year supply of food to feed strangers will be better then letting those folks; that bought jet-skies, went on expensive vacations, or bought big houses with huge mortgages; starve to death.
And, ...
That won't be the only infringement of your rights that you will see during an event, such as the New Orleans' Police Department's firearm confiscations during Hurricane Katrine, restricting fuel purchases during the 1973 OPEC Embargo, or ...
Complexity
Yes, I know you and your family understand society's complexity, but do you really understand that bar soap, such as Dial, Ivory, Irish Spring, and many others may be unavailable at any price because the fat, for soap production, is being diverted into the food supply? Wood for home heating may be unavailable because every family will be using it to stay alive?
Or, ... Liquid fuels such a diesel, gasoline, and kerosene will be the life blood, not for your family, but the towns' and cities' stationary generators at the water treatment plants, the portable generators at sewer lift stations, or the burners at the hospitals' boiler plants.
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Photograph by
Ilgar Jafaroy
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Refugees
During a widespread event, families, defenseless women, helpless children, and others will need assistance. Assistance that will benefit you, if you are careful.
Like the story "Charlottesville: ...", government officials are going to quickly run out of options for taking care of refugees, so they may request volunteers to take in destitute families, an opportunity for you and your family.
First, ... As volunteers, you get first pick of the refugees. This might give you a chance to augment your family's skills. You might be able to claim expected and unexpected 'visiting' family members as 'refugees' under the local government's protection and care. Lastly, ...
Warm Coats, Shoes, and Socks
Have you visited your local charity store? What do they have? What don't they have?
Mine?
They rarely have warm, rugged coats in my size. The same goes for shoes.
Socks?
They never have socks in any size.
What do you think is going to be your options, during an event?
Food?
During a national crisis, like a nuclear attack, food will quickly become in short supply, so people will start to steal it.
Don't believe me?
All you have to do is look at Venezuela.
So, ... You and your family are going to have to protect your food supply with guards with guns.
You may also have to process whole foods because it is easier to dole out one pound of whole wheat then handout one pound of flour. Heck, most people won't know how to turn one pound of flour into an edible product.
Just think if the emergency food comes in the form of prepared Polenta.
What would you do?
Link:
The Kitchen - What's the Difference Between Cornmeal and Polenta?
https://www.thekitchn.com/whats-the-difference-between-cornmeal-and-polenta-word-of-mouth-211404
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source
Nationaal Archief of the Netherlands
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Transportation
Like any other technology, transportation is a complex issue.
For motorized vehicles, like cars, truck, motorcycles, they need gasoline, oil, and tires, and other items that are manufactured in far flung factories using chemicals, some from other countries. Newer cars, trucks, and motorcycles have complex electronics that may require specialized knowledge to repair, something most family will lack.
The situation is similar with bicycles.
For long-term events, such as recovering from a large scale nuclear war, your family will need to at least to store bicycle inner tubes. Other items, such as tires, cables, drive chains will, possibly, also need to be purchased and properly stored.
Needless to say, animals such as horses, mules, goats, and dogs can be used for transportation or pulling a cart. Just like your family, they will require proper shelter, water, food, and protection.
Yes, ...
This means your livestock will need a fallout shelter or at least some kind of improvised fallout protection. You will also have to deal with providing water and food for them during the sheltering period and after it is 'safe' to leave the shelter.
Link:
The Pirates Republic - Defense Against Radioactive Fallout on The Farm
http://www.thepiratesrepublic.com/fact-or-folly/defense-against-radioactive-fallout-on-the-farm-by-richard-a-fleetwood/
Oooh, ...
Don't forget, animals poop. Some of them poop a lot!
Oooh, ...
Sad to say, people will also look at your horse as food.
Money
During an event, your credit and debit cards might not work, so you need to have some cash on hand, just in case.
Well, ...
During an extreme event, you and your family won't be able to purchase anything required for survival, like food, fuel, or ... with cash.
However, ...You may be able to barter for certain items.
Of course, this will depend on the local situation and the local population.
In a place, with a lot of guns and ammo, say any town in the Midwest, these items will be valueless while a place with few firearms and ammunition, they will be valuable, like New York City.
Employment
A large scale nuclear attack could devastate our country, add the deaths of over 100 million people, and the event would effect our industries and businesses for decades.
Doctors, nurses, and other skilled medical professionals would be in short supply. Skilled tradesmen and skilled labor would also in short supply. Heck, every career field would be in short supply
This would cause wages to increase. Allowing people to move into new and profitable careers
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The only group of people that would be negatively affected would be the unemployed. They would be ostracized for failing to do their part ti put the country back on its feet.
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photograph by
Bill Branson
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Boredom
You have a paper copy of Nuclear War Survival Skills, right?
O.K., ... How about a free copy of Nuclear War Survival Skills?
O.K., ... How about the internet address for Nuclear War Survival Skills?
Either way, Cresson Kearny makes the point that you and your family will probably need to stay in you shelter for up to two weeks, at least. Two long weeks of nothing to do but wait, wait, and wait until radiation levels have dropped to survivable levels.
So, ...
You and your partner with your children will need to determine low energy activities for your family to do during this time in your shelter, like reading books, playing board games, and ...
Rebuilding
The devastation of 30, 50, 70, 90, 100 or more atomic bombs will be unfathomable, think Dresden, Tokyo, the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, or ... on a mass scale.
Well, ... These areas will need rebuilding, but there will be problems, such as shortage of material, skilled labor, adequate management.
Capitalism
As you can see in this story, the writer assumes the federal, state, and local governments will increase their controls on the country, controlling every aspect of the country. In other words, a dictatorship.
This doesn't bode well for you and your family, as we have seen in other countries that have seized control of the country and its citizens.
You know, countries like Zimbabwe, Venezuela, Russia, Iran, North Korea,
Lastly, ...
"Charlottesville: ..." is a fictional story, so basing your family's preps on this one story is a very poor idea.
However, ...
It gives you and your family one opportunity of many to look at your preps with a critical eye and ask, ... What If?
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