Three Preps Your SHTF Stockpile Cannot Do Without

In a recent article written by Tess Pennington regarding why we should continue to prepare when nothing seems to have happened.  My philosophy and hers are almost identical.  In the vein of her sound advice, who is to know exactly when something will or will not happen?  And then, if you prepare 99 times out of a hundred, do those 99 times count for anything if you did not prepare for the 1 time that something did happen?

Statistics and probability alone bespeak of the current situation here in the U.S. and in the world.

Michael Snyder posted an excellent piece, 27 nations where the stock markets have already crashed in 2015.  Britain, China, Saudi Arabia, and Canada, surprisingly, to name a few among the group.  The Euro is in deep trouble, as is the European Union, united only in the concept of introducing their own self-destruction with inane (unless you’re a globalist-oligarch) policies of “immigration” for the “refugees” of the Middle East.

The Credit Deferred Swaps, estimated at some 80-100 trillion dollars, actually exceeds the GDP of the planet Earth.  I mentioned it that way to draw significance to it.  The entire planet Earth does not earn the amount of CDS’s that are due.  In addition to this, we know the economies of the whole world are coming apart akin to an unraveling sweater.  The numbers in the U.S. are all “faux,” with actual unemployment being somewhere around 20%.

What is on the horizon?

War is coming in the Middle East between Russia and the United States.  War is coming in Europe (the flashpoint being Ukraine) between Russia and the United States.  The world situation is rapidly deteriorating, with flashpoints in the South China Sea, with the two Koreas, and an undefined, worldwide battlefield pitting Muslim extremists against anyone not a Muslim extremist.

The Three B’s

Understanding all of this, what we need now are basics.  When all else fails, return to your basics and your base.  Regroup is the term we used in the Service.  What is your base, prepper/survivalist family?  Your base is the Three B’s:  Bullets, Beans, and Band-Aids, in that order.  Let us go into them once again.

Bullets:

The category “bullets” is all-inclusive of weaponry, meaning the firearms themselves.  It also includes reloading equipment, and anything necessary to enable you to effectively employ the weapon technically and tactically.  There is a saying by Thomas Jefferson that I will mention.  I’m sure he will not mind, as he modified the words of the prophet Isaiah.  TJ said:

               “He who beats his rifles into plowshares will plow for he who does not.”

Sage wisdom, and completely applicable.  You must defend yourself, your family, and your property, or you will lose all three.  Let me give you some rules…rules you should not bend at all…regarding such.  It may help.

1. Firearms take precedence over food; if you have a firearm, you can hunt for food.
2. Never barter ammunition, as it will come back at you. The sole exception is blood family members.
3. Minimum 1,000 pieces of “Pez” per “Pez-dispenser,” if you catch my inference. Anything less (unless it is either specialty or rare), and you are shorting yourself.
4. You must be able to reload for every “Pez-dispenser” at your disposal; never trade or relinquish reloading equipment. Here is a great ammunition loader to consider. Make sure the loader is compatible with your firearm.
5. You need it all: muzzle-loaders, boxer, berdan…the whole kit for reloading. Berdan is tough, but it is worth it in the end.
6. Stagger your Pez-dispensers in terms of size/caliber…you need to be able to fire whatever ammo you can find
7. Be an expert with whatever you have. All the supplies in the world won’t do you a bit of good if you can’t employ them.
8. Shut up around others. Keep your amounts of candy and toys to yourself.  Today’s buddy is tomorrow’s burglar.
9. Whatever you fire, your spouse should also fire…this for handguns/pistols, and rifles. You want to be able to exchange magazines/speed loaders/ammo.
10. The golden rule: Never give up your weapon…ever, to anyone.

[Editor’s Note: Do not be solely dependent on a firearm for protection. As much as I value my firearm, I know that it can be taken out of my hands and used against me. Learning of other forms of personal protection such as hand-to-hand combat, krav maga, martial arts and other forms to self-defense for last resort measures will only make you more capable of protecting yourself, your loved ones and your preps.]

Beans:

Important, but secondary to a weapons, always is food.  Here is the proof.  You have a rifle and I have a hamburger.  Give it time.  You’ll have a hamburger and a rifle soon.  It is neither good or bad.  It just is.  I know, it doesn’t fall in line with “The Waltons” or “Bonanza,” but it is reality.

You can be the good, giving, guy; however, you better be able to beat the bad guy.

You need to set limits and goals for yourself for food for you and your family.  Now is the time.  Knowing how to layer your food sources in order to avoid malnutrition will keep your family thriving, Canned goods, freeze dried foods, vitamins, supplements, water supplies, water purification devices.  This preparedness calculator can save valuable time in helping you plan how much food your family needs. As well, consider these 25 food items.  All of these things, it would behoove you to reevaluate now while you have some time remaining.  One year’s food supply per person should be the absolute minimum you stock up.

Make allowances for seasonal and temperature changes.  Make allowances for hunting and foraging.  He who does not hunt and forage is forced to eat from his stores. If you feel compelled to have some items to donate to the needy, make sure you do so inconspicuously.

Band-Aids:

These are your medical supplies.  First-aid kits and supplies should be comprehensive and be able to deal with a wide range of injuries.  A thermonuclear device is not just dangerous due to radiation.  There are thermal burns, and the damage caused to structures by blast overpressure.  You better have a good supply of Potassium Iodine pills.  It might also behoove you to know there are naturopathic foods such as Chlorella and Spirulina that can rid your body of radiation.  Get ahold of some silver sulfadiazine cream for burns, as well as Aloe Vera gel for the same.

You can never have enough bandages, gauze, antibiotics, suturing kits, or IV bags.  Now is the window for you to stock up on as much as you can.  As well, consider creating trauma packs to have on standby in case a dire emergency occurs. You must also have any kind of supportive or life-saving medicine or medical equipment for your family members with special needs!  When the mushroom clouds sprout, it is too late to lay in supplies for the diabetic in your family.  You need (once again) to not just gather the supplies, but know how to use them and to administer them.  You also better have some good reference materials with plenty of photos and diagrams, if you’ve never done needle pericardiocentisis or run a chest tube (tube thoracostomy) on your own.

We have covered these areas to exhort you to return to basics, and build outward.  The time is short, and Yours Truly believes that there will be a war, a World War very soon.  Prepare now while you have the time and you’re not beset by a host of problems and “behind the power curve,” so to speak.  Keep those 3-B’s in mind, and “game” the possible scenarios day by day in your mind.  Fight the good fight!  JJ out.