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Survivalist Prepper

Where Survivalists And Preppers Prepare To Survive

Grid Down Cooking Options and Considerations for Preppers

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Being able to eat in a grid down or SHTF scenario is more complicated than just having your long-term food storage needs taken care of. There are quite a few other considerations preppers need to keep in mind.

How will you cook the food you have stored? How will you get rid of the trash in a disaster situation? And how will you avoid ringing the dinner bell for everyone in the neighborhood? Depending on the types of foods you have in your storage, these could all become issues.

While there are some aspects of prepping that are complicated, this can be easily remedied with a little foresight, planning and operational security. Most people would not give a second thought to firing up the BBQ in a disaster, but as preppers we know (or should know) the dangers that could bring.

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The Prepping Basics & Then Some With Ron Foster

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The Prepping Basics & Then Some With Ron Foster

Of all the prepper fiction authors out there, the few that catch my attention are the ones who actually live the lifestyle, and write because of their experiences. After reading a few chapters of any book, we can usually figure out if the author is the real deal, or if they’re just trying to make a buck.

Ron Foster is the perfect example of this type of author. Prepper first, prepper fiction author second. Ron has been an author for a number of years, but he’s lived the preparedness lifestyle long before the word “prepper” was coined. 

Ron has over 50 titles available on Amazon and Audible including his earlier books like The Longest Walk that we talked about today. We didn’t review the books so much, but rather talked about some of the incites we can gain from this book, as well as his others. 

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Prepper First Aid: Trauma and Large SHTF Injuries

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Prepper First Aid Trauma and Large SHTF Injuries

There are a number of scenarios we think about as preppers where trauma supplies and skills are important. However, as preppers we tend to head straight for “worst case scenario” when thinking about traumatic injuries and large SHTF injuries, and by doing this we tend to miss the other more likely disaster scenarios.

While there are some “getting home” scenarios, and bugging out scenarios, the odds are we will be in our homes in almost every disaster situation we can think about. Because of this we not only need the trauma supplies (and skills to use them) but we also need to protect ourselves and our homes in an effort to minimize the need for them.

Treating bullet wounds is a very popular topic in the preparedness community, but the truth is, few disaster scenarios involve battle lines and trench warfare. Now before I get a bunch of hate mail, I’m not saying there aren’t other scenarios that involve getting shot at, I’m saying there are other traumatic injuries that deserve the same attention. [Read more…]

SHTF Injuries and Prevention for Preppers

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SHTF Injuries and Prevention for Preppers

Last week at The Preparedness Experience we did a live video and talked about SHTF wound care, sanitation and cleanliness. This week we want to expand on that a bit and talk about SHTF injuries and prevention for preppers.

Some of you may know that I recently had emergency appendix surgery, and while it isn’t a “major” surgery compared to some others, it is life threatening if not taken care or. This led me to think about what I would do in a SHTF scenario when and if surgery was not an option.

The harsh truth is that there are a number of illness, injuries and preexisting conditions that could be game changers in any sort of disaster scenario. Because of advancements in medicine and technology the average lifespan has doubled in just 100 years. In a SHTF situation, all of that changes.

SPP264 SHTF Injuries and Prevention for Preppers

This weeks show isn’t a “how to survive this or that” type show. As preppers we are trying to find the answer to every question, but the truth is, sometimes there just isn’t an answer. These days when we get sick or injured it’s easy to get the help we need, in a SHTF situation we could find ourselves on our own.

Listener Questions

We started off this weeks show talking about the video about SHTF wound care, sanitation and hygiene we did last Sunday and answered a couple of good questions we didn’t get to that night.

  • Crystal: What are the items we should probably be stockpiling that we’re just not thinking of? I have soaps but for general sanitation, do we need cans of Lysol? Lots of bleach? What am I probably not buying??
  • John: Thank you both for all that you do. I look forward to your new podcasts each week and you’re both by far my favorite prep related podcasters out there. I appreciate your down to earth approach to prepping while still emphasizing it’s importance.  My question for Lisa is, if you could only grab one first aid / medical supply in an emergency, what would it be and why.

Avoiding Conflict…

We hear all the time about all these trauma supplies and how to stop major bleeding or treat major injuries. While all these supplies are important to have, our focus should be getting out (or away) before these supplies become necessary.

Don’t get me wrong, trauma supplies and skills are very valuable, but just like concealed carry, it’s something we need to have, but hope to never have to use. Our best chance to survive any situation is to stay out of it in the first place.

This is why getting critical intelligence, paying attention to how a situation is unfolding, and planning are so important. By avoiding dangerous situations we can “live to fight another day” as they say.

Unavoidable Injuries or Illness

Having my surgery led me to think about how I would have handled that situation if the S had hit the fan. The truth is, there isn’t an easy answer. How much medical help that would be available all depend on how bad the disaster scenario is, and some conditions require professional medical help.

In the show we talked about what some of the alternative might be, and most are less than desirable. If you are able to have a surgeon in your MAG group that would be ideal, but it doesn’t guarantee anything. Other options include having to travel into areas that you were trying to avoid to seek out medical help.

Unexpected Surprises

A broken rib or sprained ankle at home could be no big deal, but if you are bugging out could be a huge issue. While injuries do happen, and some are just unavoidable, most accidents are the result of over confidence or plain old not paying attention.

Unexpected injuries in a SHTF situation is another example of why the lone wolf approach is not a good idea. If we find ourselves with a broken are or broken leg we are going to need help from others.

Preexisting Conditions

Injuries or illnesses that require periodic medical attention will restrict your SHTF planning and execution. The rule of thumb is to get away from people when the S hits the fan, but with preexisting issues, you may need to stay around where the help is.

This is also why it’s important to go to the doctor and make sure there are no preexisting conditions you didn’t know about. The healthier we are going into any disaster scenario, the less likely we are to have unexpected surprises.

Preparing Your Home & Family With the Survival Mom

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Preparing Your Home and Family With the Survival Mom

Some of the biggest challenges with preparedness don’t involve bug out bags or long term food storage, sometimes preparing your home and family can be a huge challenge. This week we we’re honored to have Lisa Bedford (The Survival Mom) on with us to talk about some of these challenges at home.

For the few of you who don’t know much about Lisa, she runs the website TheSurvivalMom, has published a few books on preparedness, and is all over the place on social media. Her website is a treasure trove of information for preppers, and covers a wide range of topics.

While her website is focused on the female prepping perspective, there is something for everyone at her website. She also has an archive of shows from the Survival Mom Radio Network which is not active at the moment, but could be revived in the future.  [Read more…]

Long Term Preparedness With Sara Hathaway

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Long Term Preparedness With Sara Hathaway

A few times over the last couple of month’s we have talked about the future of prepping, and how things might look in the next few decades. While the basics of preparedness will always remain the same, how we do it, and what we prepare for may change.

This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. When you look back over the last 30 years our lives have become much easier, and we can be much more efficient with our time. We also have the ability to learn just about anything without even leaving our homes.

On the flip side of that coin we need to ask ourselves what is the cost of this advancement, and what will society look like here in the United States in the next 20 or 30 years?  [Read more…]

Prepping Medical Myths Part 2

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Medical Prepping Myths Part 2

This week Lisa and I have Kevin back on to finish off our list of 16 prepping medical myths. Last week in part 1 of this 2 part podcast we went over myths about dead bodies, suturing, and some snake bite myths.

As I mentioned last week, there is a lot of misinformation out there, and it’s our responsibility to figure out what is correct, and what is misleading. A survival situation is no place to find out the person in that video you watched was full of crap.

SPP261 Prepping Medical Myths Part 2

People Fainting: in the show Lisa and Kevin talked about how to treat someone who has fainted. Lisa talked about the Trendelenburg position which is basically elevating the feet, and Kevin talked about laying someone on their left side may be effective.

Cough When Having Heart Attack: I personally have never heard this myth, but the thought behind it is that is that is sort of “kick starts” the heart for lack of a better term. Always look for the signs of a heart attack, and know what to do.

Drinking Your Own Pee: This is a myth made popular by some of the survival shows on TV. The truth is, if you find yourself in the situation where this becomes an option, you are in dire straights. Drinking your own pee does nothing for hydration, and there is a reason your body is getting rid of it.

Tampons For Bullet Wounds: this is one that I see all over the place, and while some people are bound to disagree, it’s not a good idea. Read this thread on the SurvivalistBoards which explains why.

Be Cautious of Facebook Posts: This may very well go without saying, but I see it all the time, and I know you have too. People on social media post things they have no idea about. If they see something that “looks like it would work” they hit share button.

Something in Mouth For Seizure:  A popular myth about seizures is someone can choke on their tongue. Not only is this untrue, it’s a good way to lose a finger. Your main concern should be protect their head from being injured.

Poke the Finger for Stroke Victim: This seems like old school blood letting to me, but the theory behind this is reducing the blood pressure. The problem with this is that you are wasting valuable time, and it is completely ineffective.

Eating Snow for Hydration: This one isn’t so much a myth as a misconception. Eating snow can cause small cuts and lacerations in the mouth, and also decrease your core body temperature. While it’s a good idea to melt the snow if you can, the pro’s far outweigh the cons in a survival situation.

Lean Head Back to Stop a Nose Bleed: Because I was taught this as a child, it’s almost instinctual to tilt my head back when I get a nose bleed. A more effective method is to apply pressure just below the nose and above the top lip. This puts pressure on the part of your nose that’s bleeding and can make the blood stop flowing.

Medical Prepping Myths Part 1

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Medical Prepping Myths Part 1


People who didn’t live through the 80’s and 90’s probably look back and say “how did they ever survive”. Kids drank from garden hoses, we played cowboys and Indians, and when you needed to learn about something, you went to what was called a library and read a book.

These days because of YouTube University and Social Media you can “learn” just about anything. While it’s great that the answer to almost any question is right at our finger tips (don’t believe me? Google it) it’s our responsibility to make sure we are getting the correct answer.

loosen lug nut boltsIn the 90’s “going viral” meant something totally different than it does today. Today anything can go viral on social media, and how true it is becomes an afterthought. As the saying often attributed to Nazi Joseph Goebbels goes “Repeat a lie often enough and it becomes the truth”.

While Goebbels was talking about propaganda, the same holds true on a smaller level when people are passing on information that they just learned. It’s much easier to hit the share button and move on, than it is to do a little research on that topic.  [Read more…]

Getting the Family Onboard with Prepping

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Getting the Family Onboard with PreppingAt times it can be difficult to explain to your children of family members how important prepping and being prepared is. With the world the way it is today, and all the different potentially catastrophic scenarios we face, we know we can’t afford to sit around with our fingers crossed, but how do we convey that to our loved ones? How do you explain the importance of a situation to someone, so they understand it?

Prepping – Getting Your Loved Ones On BoardHave you ever gotten that condescending stare from your children when you try to explain why you have so much food and water stored? I have. Sometimes the looks you get from teenagers can drive you nuts because it feels like you are talking to a brick wall, or you get “the blank stare” which basically means they are only listening to you because they must, and they’re probably not listening at all.

The principals of getting someone’s buy in do not just apply to family and prepping, these principles can be applied in business or your personal life as well. It’s important to remember that not everyone thinks the same way we do, and we need to take that into account while speaking to them.

Basically, we need to take a look at ourselves and “teach ourselves” before we can effectively teach our loved ones to become more involved in prepping and preparing for their future. We need to try and understand “why we do what we do.” Why we get so frustrated when they don’t see things the way we see them, something that concerns us like our governments over spending might not be a concern for them. [Read more…]

Is There a “Right” Way to Be a Prepper?

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Is There a Right Way to Be a PrepperAs preppers, some of us have an uneasy feeling from time to time about how prepared we are, compared to how prepared we need to be. To me this seems completely natural, especially when you consider how things change daily, and how some of these disaster scenarios increase or decrease on our threat radar.

This leads to the age-old question “Is there really a right way to be prepared?” If you don’t have a years’ worth of food stored, if you don’t have a bug out location, or if you don’t have 10,000 rounds of ammunition and 20 guns, should you just give up?

We all hear stories about hardcore preppers online and on TV. Those people that seem to have everything figured out and are working on their next big prepping venture. There are even those that seem to have more money than sense and own fully stocked “luxury” doomsday bunkers just because they can.

While we should all strive to be as “hard core” as we can, it just isn’t possible for most people. That is to say, it isn’t possible short term. Most of us would love to buy a house in the middle of nowhere, with a complete “off the grid” setup, but that usually takes years’ worth of planning and saving.

Another problem with living in a rural area is driving to work. Companies tend to be in urban or suburban areas. Driving 2 hours to work each day would not only be a major hassle, it would be expensive. It also means that for 4 hours a day you on the roads and putting yourself at risk.

For some of us, becoming better prepared is a long process, and a series of small steps in the right direction. Just because we aren’t that “hardcore” prepper right now doesn’t mean we should just give up and stop prepping. Prepping should be a lifestyle choice, and an ongoing process. [Read more…]

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