One thing that is absolutely certain during any kind of unexpected SHTF disaster is that it will be unpredictable.
This is precisely why making unfounded assumptions in your personal response to a disaster can ultimately be what gets you killed due to poor judgment. Surviving a major disaster will require you to think clearly and decisively, with every decision you make being a deliberate one.
When you start making too many assumptions, you’ll start making less deliberate decisions that are not clearly thought through, and it won’t take long for your luck to run out.
This holds true regardless of whether it’s a natural disaster, societal unrest, economic collapse, an EMP attack, enemy invasion, and so on.
Regardless of what the specific scenario is, here are seven assumptions that can get you killed in an SHTF disaster:
Taking a Chance With Clean Water
Just because water is clean and clear looking does not mean that it is safe to drink. You must confirm that every source of water you have is safe to drink.
If you drink water out of an unopened bottle of water or out of your personal filtered water, then you know it’s safe to drink.
If you collect water from a natural source outside or drink it out of a running sink in an abandoned building, however, you can’t verify that the water is safe no matter how clear it is. And as the old saying does, it’s always better to be safe than sorry.
Invest in water purification and filtration methods, such as a family water filter and water purification tablets, and make it a rule that you will always filter or purify the water from an untested source before you drink it.
You can also learn here how to create an ingenious rainwater harvesting and purification system capable of storing 165 gallons of water. This could be the only step needed to prevent a serious case of waterborne illness setting in that can severely immobilize you if not kill you outright.
Being too Friendly With Other Survivors
It can be very tempting to willingly give up some of your food, water, or other provisions to those you see in need. But if you feed people once, you may find yourself feeding them again and again after.
And once you deny feeding them any further, they may turn violent in an attempt to get more out of you. It will be even worse if they inform other people that you’re ‘generous.’
In desperate times, once normal people will do desperate things to try and stay alive. This is true because most people are very ill-prepared for a major disaster scenario.
Adopting a Lone Wolf Mentality
At the same time, taking the direct opposite approach as the above and adopting a lone wolf mentality is another true recipe for disaster. This is true regardless of whether you’re surviving alone as an individual or alone with your family.
Related: Are you a Community Member or a Lone Wolf Survivalist?
To put it simply, you can’t possibly do everything on your own and there will be certain necessities that you need to fall back on other people for. This is why forming a community of survivors who band together and share their talents and resources is so important.
For example, if you sustain a serious medical injury in a disaster and can’t get to a hospital (and assuming you don’t have any significant medical or first aid experience yourself), you’ll be out of luck unless you have someone else in your group who has experience in the medical industry and can help.
At the same time, it’s important to avoid making another critical assumption in this regard…
Underestimating What Keeps Communities Together
The most important factor that will keep a community together following a major disaster is having shared values. Simply working together to share resources and skills with one another will not be enough.
This is why you should form or take part in a community of like-minded people in your area before a disaster strikes.
Make sure that everyone shares the same goals in preparing for a disaster, has a plan for assembling after a disaster strikes, gets along well, and shares the same values of working together and treating each other as members of the same clan.
Ignoring Small Injuries
Here’s another critical rule to follow: in any survival situation, every kind of open wound of injury needs to be treated with the utmost attention. Small cuts and scrapes are easy to ignore, but you shouldn’t.
All it takes is for a tiny cut on your finger or a scrape on your knee for an infection to set in.
Remember, the ability to address infections promptly can be a determining factor in your survival. As you assemble your survival kit, prioritize acquiring a supply of antibiotics, and educate yourself on their proper usage to enhance your resilience in the face of unforeseen health risks.
You can’t generally buy antibiotics over the counter, so here is how to stockpile antibiotics without a prescription.
Believing the Government Will Come Save You
This is the assumption that far too many people will make following a major disaster. Unfortunately, no one is going to come save you.
There will be far too few police officers and emergency first responders to come to your personal aid, hospitals will become flooded with patients, and things will get a whole lot worse if the military gets involved and shuts everything down as if martial law were declared.
That’s because in martial law, the authorities will start confiscating and rationing provision.
Again, this is why becoming part of a community of like-minded people before the disaster strikes is so important. The government and the authorities will not come to your aid, but your fellow members in your survival group might.
Believing Bugging Out of the Danger Zone Will Always Save you
To be clear, there are certain circumstances where bugging out will unfortunately be the only option.
You may be ordered to evacuate by the authorities, or death may be a near certainty if you stay such as in the case of a cataclysm natural disaster or in the case of literal combat breaking out in your town.
And if you are forced to bug out, it’s important to have somewhere to turn to and a plan for getting there, whether that’s the home of a friend or relative outside of town or a designated bug out location.
Just don’t have the mindset that when disaster strikes, you must bug out. That’s because bugging out is likely to be more dangerous than bugging in.
The roads will become clogged with endless traffic of other people trying to escape, meaning your progress to getting to ‘safety’ is likely to be painstakingly slow. Furthermore, you’ll be left exposed out in the open for raiders and looters who will attack anyone who appears vulnerable.
That’s also not to mention that bugging out means abandoning the stockpile of provisions you have left back home.
In short, bug in or bug out depending on what your circumstances are. Just don’t think that evacuating your area is a must regardless of what kind of disaster strikes.
The above assumptions will be among the most commonly made by those who are not prepared for when disaster strikes. Simply avoiding these assumptions alone will increase your chances of survival following the onset of a catastrophe.
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The Danger Zone may look normal on the outside.
What is Bioterrorism?
A bioterrorism attack is the deliberate release of viruses, bacteria, or other germs (agents) used to cause
illness or death in people, animals, or plants. These agents are typically found in nature, but it is possible
that they could be changed to increase their ability to cause disease, make them resistant to current
medicines, or to increase their ability to be spread into the environment. Biological agents can be spread
through the air, through water, or in food. Terrorists may use biological agents because they can be
extremely difficult to detect and do not cause illness for several hours to several days. Some bioterrorism
agents, like the smallpox virus, can be spread from person to person and some, like anthrax, can not. For
information on which bioterrorism agents can be spread from person to person.
Bioterrorism Agent Categories
Bioterrorism agents can be separated into three categories, depending on how easily they can be spread
and the severity of illness or death they cause. Category A agents are considered the highest risk and
Category C agents are those that are considered emerging threats for disease.
So recently there was an update on the Chinese Bio weapons lab found in California, One news reporter said where else are these labs located in America?
Why not look into those Chinese owned American Farm land acres located next to our CONUS bases.
Why do you think Biden let at least on Chinese unknown weather balloon track around our bases? Why did Biden wait until the Chinese balloon end up on the East Coast before doing anything?
Why did San Fransicko be the meeting place for both potentates, of China and Mexico this past week?
There is a high numbered population of Chinese that can harbor illegal Chinese nationals in China towns in California.
There is a high density of Muslim California population that can harbor Radical Muslim Terrorist. Next to Dearborn, Michigan that has a very high Muslim density population and one of the Washington DC congress female squad member is a pro-Palestinian defender. Posting on social media vial antisemitic rhetoric.
We have Biden’s administration, the border czar, Alejandro Mayorkas, Homeland Secretary, all saying the Southern Border is secure, yeah right!
Does the average American not see there are potential coincidences going?
The article was about making false assumptions, if all of your assumptions are false how could I count on you in a survival situr?
These coming daze will be interesting.
Fine example why community membership will never be the cohesion of safety for those seeking security. We will always have a difference of opinions that lead us to peace or negativity.
We Americans are for freedom not giving up our GOD giving rights to government or some peacenik groups who placates us giving up safety and security for hell and stupidity of the hive mind.
“Someone who publicly opposes armed conflict in general, or a particular conflict, or who publicly opposes the proliferation of weapons.”
Some groups maybe anti-gun, vegan like, war like, these communities will have a set of rules that might not be what we think of in the prepper mode we dream of.
So being a lone wolf doesn’t look so bad.
Know your true apponent , know the enemys tactics, know what to expect
and never take anything for granite
against one , you have a chance , against many yu might have a chance
but against a mob or morons , idiots, follows , vengence seekers you have not a chance to survive
Rememeber thier is always safety in numbers and an equalizer set s them back
Strenth opposes bullies, ego , opposition
we are already at war but they are fooling us …….to understand what they want you to believe just watch cnn.
xi was just coming over to check on his new palace location
what is amazing to me is the actual amount of people living among us in an alternate reality…….
How many more survivors can America take in?
Where is the next war at?
The new age of modern war with China, the middle yeast are truly different from the first two world wars, Korean War,Vietnam War. The sand box wars are the next level of fighting cowards in the shadows. The cowards use human shields, church, hospitals as base operating units. Then use the cover as propaganda means when innocent hostages are killed on the liberal news media.
Those radical Muslim terrorist groups make their women wear long stinky butt black clothing. The elitist radical Muslim men live in other countries living the high life. While their people live in bombed out rat hole existence in the name of their god.
The most vial heinous cowardly acts of fighting wars are mine warfare on land and chemical gas and biological weapons on ground forces.
As in ancient warfare tactics it is better to fight your opponent hand to hand, swords, knives. There would be less fighting, wars when we place the liberal politicians on the world’s battlefields first.
Let those elitist snobs duke it out. Most chaos is started by wealthy elitist of many skin colors, not just blame all white people for. It also is by minority privilege too.
Most people around the world don’t want total war and most soldiers around the world don’t want war. The exception is these tin pot dictators ramping up their indoctrinated hive mind soldiers in China, Korea, Iran. Iran is run by religious Mullahs, who would not last in a fair fight.
Wars are started by the political, religious elitist then the average citizen minding their own bee’s wax or business.
Knives? Swords? Clearly you have not a keen grasp on history.
You missed the sarcasm, those war hawks need to be placed on the battlefields. There are officials in all the countries, governments that profit from starting wars then actually fighting what they cause.
The ground forces are the ones that pay the price of life and limb taken in wars. Many wars are situations that can be avoided.
Yes we should put knives and swords into the hands of these people who like starting wars for profit.
Past wars have been fought with knives and swords. In modern wars sometimes the ammo is gone and you have to fight hand to hand.
Can we believe the church will save us better than the government will?
The Pope is a liberal socialist, is he the last pope before the second coming or SHTF?
“Pope Francis forcibly removes conservative Texas bishop
Strickland was appointed by Pope Benedict XVI in 2012.
Strickland, 65, was a leading critic of Pope Francis and often challenged his leadership over social media. According to the National Catholic Reporter, Strickland said the church was “weak” and “not clear” under Francis’ leadership. The outlet added that Strickland even dared Francis to “fire him.”
In May, Strickland wrote on the X social media platform, “I believe Pope Francis is the Pope but it is time for me to say that I reject his program of undermining the Deposit of Faith. Follow Jesus.”
Strickland – a self-described “red-pilled” bishop – once described President Joseph Biden as an “evil president.” The Blaze.
Catholics are pagans with a history of corruption of the church
We know who you are.
Agree, the Pope and the minions back in world war two, helped the Nazi’s escape to south America to avoid capture. We kind of wonder about the skinheads in the USA are remnants of the south American Nazi community.
Believing in God and Jesus Christ is one thing, believing in organized religions is another thing. The bible is a standalone book, belongs to no organized religion or politics, for the bible groupies to use on us.
make sure you do the research on the church and the hidden agendas and what they really own ,
Deception , hidden and under fake , false names so you cannot trace to the source
Do the research
At best a Globalist.
WMD,
Which one did you mean? The Pope or Biden?
Prepare for the worst, hope for the best outcome in 2024 or 2025.
In 2024 those Californians will pay more for low skilled workers in the food industry.
It is funny the people including the married military in California are going to these food donation centers, feed the poor stuff.
Quit voting for liberal bureaucrats that live off their salaries from taxpayers, stupid voters.
In 2024 CA gov Newsom raised the minimum wage for burger flippers to $20+ USD an hour. No wonder the average wage worker can’t afford to eat at cheap restaurants anymore.
CA gov Newsom and Michelle Obama most likely replacements as China Joe and laughing Harris step down because of Biden’s health problems.
TERM LIMITS for all bureaucrats elected and not elected to office or being promoted to your Peter Principle of competence of employment.
The Founding Fathers of America did not intend the local, State and Federal bureaucrats to retire from politics. They should have written in term limits to avoid things like Washington DC Deep State Swamp infection of political cancer.
The politicians of modern America go in dirt poor and come out millionaires, billionaires of Crooked politics. Term Limits will cut down a lot on corruption, but that is just for starters in repairing politics that work for us taxpaying Americans.
Build the border wall and drill for oil in America, repair America first, not the current globalist way, put the US dollar back on the gold standard pronto, Buba!
Term limits AND change staff. Term limits alone are not enough when staff are feeding the Congress members info.
No wonder a trip to McD,s for 2 meals cost $25-$30. They have to pay those wages.
Yup, unions are a cancer destroying, first jobs on the latter, jobs to get experience for a better job or income. The dopey people believed the lie of a first low wage job is to get experience first and some skill.
These people wanted to put the cart before the horse of union wages for a livable wage to support a family on.
The liberals have made a mess of our economy by mandating higher wages for first time jobs with no or little skills.
It is socialism than best business practices of 40 to 60 years ago.
Unions have place in history but protesting every few months for higher wage contracts.
No wonder too the healthcare industry is so expensive.
It gets ridiculous when these unionized workers go on strike for higher wages. No one gets taught basic economics of why unions protest for higher wages. The average consumer won’t go to get an over priced food product to pay for unskilled to semi-skilled worker who is not worth the money and less experienced.
These unions in every part of the economy is getting unsustainable in Bidenomics. We got higher taxes to support freeloader illegals getting better benefits than the average American does.
The retirees are hit hard to barely make property taxes on top of public utilities expenses.
The elites, unions, environmental groups don’t want us to own anything. While those group are above the rules they enforce on us daily.
Check why you still vote for the same political parties, there are better candidates in both parties and independents. Voting the straight party line is no good anymore. Political parties must earn our votes, they work for us, period. Like the idea of term limits, mentioned earlier in these posts.
The other night was hungry, not been to KFC in many years, this store wanted a minimum $40 USD bucket of chicken, 2 piece meal was $10 bucks not including drinks.
Thank goodness I cook at home. Movie theaters are totally too expensive for extras of food, only buy a ticket for movie only.
You go to professional sports, the food and beer is totally not worth it. I watch those sports on TV instead.
Going to festivals, beer tasting, food tasting has gotten way too expensive to attend.
Will the next president get the economy back to normal. When unions strike anymore, just replace them with nonunion employees at lower costs. There are skilled nonunion employees out there.
Its not about wages , it is about taxes , more gov, more taxes as yu make more the taxes increase
anything a liar tells you is a lie
anything a democrat does is and deception to gain and put you further down in the poverty line , not to give more , hidden agendas of the rich politicians who dont care about nothing but thier love of money , power , control , greed
You eat garbage
These days we have to be one of both worlds, the Lone Wolf and the Community Member, both are hyped myths, we need to be both to survive.
The Lone Wolf to travel between points of the unknown situations.
The Community Member for kinship and like minded people.
Both have pros and cons that can be used wisely.
Community associations may work well in the beginning until people have differences of opinions, male or female, one rotten apple can spoil the whole.
Those hippie communes have both positive and negative aspects of groups living together. Sharing or not sharing certain items can become a problem in a community eventually. Privacy or no privacy, nosy neighbors just like before the SHTF.
Let’s kid ourselves people in groups are not always the solution in dire consequences of life.
I “count on” NOONE else. And will assume You a Threat – Until shown otherwise. I keep many preps here – Home – Food, Water, Guns(13)(Mostly AR’s & Pistols, 1 Shotgun), Ammo(5K RDS), meds, gas(50gal), etc Also stocks in my daily Van I drive + Tools, More. No guaranty I will be able to get home if SHTF event. I can survive out of it for indefinite period. Defense & Training ? I shoot Combat Pistol/Rifle Matches every month for 10yr now, even Night Matches. They may get Me but they will have to “Earn It”. Wife was a Nurse in Vietnam – So meds are covered. I tell her – “I” will do the Shooting – “YOU” just patch me up.:) Bug-out Locations are about 5mi down the road – “OUT” of town. Preplanned with her friends living on farms out of town. We Live on the edge of town in that direction. But “Nothing” is guaranteed. Prepare but as always – Adapt and Overcome.
I totally agree with what you’re saying, with one major comment: you lay out your plan with food, weapons, miscellaneous supplies, etc. In this blog because you’re anonymous. But hopefully you don’t broadcast or let others, especially those around you and mention what you have, or your plan?
If you do or have done – you become a target for those unprepared.
Guns are the greatest equalizer when outnumbered by street thugs.
Guns: Great for those in red free states, those in blue regulated states don’t do the same. Low fixed income families and seniors are left behind in liberal dominated voting blocks of major cities that sway the elected to promote stupid gun restrictions.
While being bribe by the likes of Soros and son to bankroll socialist DA lawyers who prosecute the gun owner then the criminals released to the streets because of skin color or minority privilege diversity, inclusion and equity CRT Disney world indoctrinated mindset.
Also:
All those Ivy League universities campuses who doctor, lawyer, political science under/over graduates are the future indoctrinated future leaders.
Can we believe these people that have not studied history, the Constitution, the Declaration and the Bill of rights lead us to truth, justice and the American way?
Those Pro-Palestinian flags mixed with LGBT flags protesters don’t know the history, Hamas, Hezbollah and Houthi’s will kill those gays and lesbians
in a New York instant.
University students are still over educated but not very educated in commonsense and dyed hair, nose ring feminized gutless wonders. That is just the guys in school, females, well that is another story.
Time for the American non-union teaching staffs to energize the TRADE SCHOOLS back to the best alternative education.
Trade schools have better employment opportunities. Public unionized Grade schools, colleges and universities are melting pots of socialism and costly student loan debts, your decision for education.
Trade schools and work experience outshine a college educated liberal with no work experience any day. That way they don’t need people like CA gov Newsom making government wage handouts for liberal losers.
Trades educated can make it on their own, the true American spirit in life.
Yawn relax ramboi
I totally agree with what you’re saying, with one major comment: you lay out your plan with food, weapons, miscellaneous supplies, etc. In this blog because you’re anonymous. But hopefully you don’t broadcast or let others, especially those around you and mention what you have, or your plans?
If you do or have done – you may become a target for those unprepared and unscrupulous individuals.
Intense comment, repeat, recycle the same comment, then rinse or delete.
I can understand why some people might think being a lone wolf survivor is better or safer, because they can’t bring themselves to wholly trust others if the situation calls for it. All the cliches (there is safety in numbers, teamwork makes the dream work, etc.) are essentially true for good reasons!
Having like-minds, mores, and values are vital for a survivalist “clan” to make it work— and survive, even thrive! To have an all-star team of diversely talented individuals would be ideal (physical security, medical, engineering, creative, farming, and other equally important types) in a SHTF scenario. Those types of groups are out there, and probably more numerous than you think! Count yourself blessed if you are part of one!
Ever been married? Been divorced?
The Lone Wolf method is sometimes a better option. The Clan is not the surefire optimist rule to survival rule. There were in the Old West of small towns trading with Mountain Men who would be considered the Lone Wolf of their times.
Some of the old West towns of like minded grew and disbanded through out the history of old West America.
The Native Americans did not like their communities disrupted by the Eastern cities wanting fur trapping and decimating the Great Buffalo Herds that roamed America, which were a Native food source. The Eastern cuisine wanted the tongue for delicacy dinners. The hunters left the skinned buffalo meat to rot in the sun. Leaving the Native Americans with less meat for the cold Winters. Yes the like minded clans caused problems.
“Oh, East is East, and West is West, and never the twain shall meet.” by Rudyard Kipling 1892.
Dang Willard, I spelled out what a “good” clan needed to survive and thrive. Everything I said is true. Nothing I said describes any kind of criminal gang or group of poachers. Having like-minds, mores, and values means they are good guys and gals. They aren’t the types that’ll cut out buffalo tongues and leave rotting carcasses. Anyways, true God-fearing folk wouldn’t want to be part of a group like that because they have solid foundations of morals and values, which make up competent, cohesive, and committed (good guy/gals) teams.
Do the research on the French and the knights templer
and the times at hand , how they stole, killed, were killed , and when thru with them were discarded and disbanded
History shows time an time again the heart of mankind , the wickedness of a man with out Godly restraint , an just how evil the intent of mankind can be .
soo many examples , soo many pictures of the heart of man
absulute power , thinking themselves as a god, or god or power of god , just like god
no evil too much for the heart s satisfaction . no evil to great for thier lust , and pleasure .
Hi Rocky,
Yes I agree with you, we are looking the same idea just a little different view.
Been in a small community a time ago. Seen the behind the scenes talking about someone, the click or small group does to others.
It reminds me of when the first season “Survivor” TV series was more about surviving. Then either the producers tweak the format to become what it is less about survival and more about squabble, nitpicking, backstabbing jerks.
That is what I see that eventually happens to groups and the type of motivation people get for the outcome. The “Alone” series is more of what a Lone Wolf would look like currently.
The community group does get to be annoying when someone or a few start getting the depression attitudes. Been married, sometimes you find out latter this individual is a nutcase. You either live with it or dissolve the stress.
Hopefully that sheds a little more light on the subject.
Excellant Thought provoking article
Be sure of this : everyone looks after thier own interest
There are Leader 1% , Followers 90% , and cant figure out where they belong 9%
This is why people get screwed up , they cannot think for themselves , they follow Stupid , right off the cliff
also always remember , birds of a feather flock together ( think alike )
if your not in the club , your an outsider and that is a fact
LIKE Minds think in the same direction
and evil will always look for those who will support, follow to reinforce the conscience
YOU must learn to think alone , and for your self
NEVER show your hand , like poker , strategy is king , and you must always be on guard
Background every situation and every moment , try , test , verify
and the final , very important thing is never let other s see what you have , how much , and where you keep it .
every one is great until panic, trama , loss , or collapse , then character come s out
The heart is desparately wicked , who can know it , proverbs and sooooo true
The intent of every person is self , pride, ego and lust of thier own gain.
and this is very true , right to the core of the being
and finally , Chances are limited and so should be trust , limitations to see character
Your spelling and thinking processing sentences are deplorable as Hillary would tell you. Use spell check at least, makes your sentences readable, thank you.
The lone wolf will be driven insane, by that damned tick they can’t reach.
Trying to enlist the neighbors into a shtf preparedness group is like herding cats. They think you are crazy if you even talk about it. People in la la land are going to stay there until the day and trying to enlist people into the cause is just about useless. Sorry about the negativity