Continuing our discussion on our bug out location plans Lisa and I talk about OPSEC, building community and brainstorm a little bit about what our plans are…for now.

If you haven’t listened to part one of this 2-part series you can listen here. We also talked about why water is the most important aspect to think about when purchasing property. In this video there is a process to drill your own shallow well.

Important: We talked about burying a shipping container quite a bit in this podcast, but please remember, shipping containers are meant to carry things, not to be buried underground.

If we decide to bury a shipping container,we will need to fortify it somehow to withstand the weight of the dirt. If you are thinking about something like this, read this article first.

In This Week’s Show…

Set a Time Frame: Depending on what you purchase you need to have a realistic time frame in mind. We never know when disaster might strike, but rushing things is never a good idea.

Define Your Vision: Define how you plan to use the property, who is going to use it, and what do you have planned in general. Doing so will help throughout the building process.

Set Your Priority’s: Once you define your vision for the property, you can then begin setting your priorities. Because this will take some time, begin with the most critical aspects of the bug out property.

How Often Will You Visit: How frequently you visit the property will probably correlate with how much you invest in the property. Thsi week we talked about security from squatters and building below ground (OPSEC).

Community: Staying completely secret might backfire, people will wonder what your up to. how much info do you give out?Will you need help building or need supplies? And what about possible medical emergencies?

The Weekly Survival Tip:

This week’s survival tip is about water safety. Just because water looks clean or dirty is not a good indicator if it is or not. There are many microorganisms that can grow in water and make you sick and you won’t even see them. Here are a few articles that I found helpful.

More goes into picking the right water filter than cost. On most preparedness websites you will see the Sawyer Mini or the LifeStraw. While these are great in some situations, they are worthless in others.

* I wrote this article that goes into detail about water filters, along with this video on my YouTube channel. Check out both of these and you will have a much better understanding of water filtering. 

* Here is an article about different types of water filters and what they do from 

Even though bugging out would be the last resort for most preppers, it remains one of the most popular subjects in preparedness circles. This is because while none of us want to leave everything we own behind, it may become necessary.

Because there are so many variables when it comes to bugging in, bugging out and bug out bags in general, there is no end to the articles written on the subject. As you can see from the links above, I have quite a few as well.  

When it comes to purchasing a bug out location or survival retreat, there is no exact blueprint. While there are some best practices for picking a BOL, how you go about it depends on your personal situation. 

We all have ideas about our dream bug out location, but usually the realities of life make that unattainable…at least in the short term. This doesn’t mean however that we give up, it just means that some concessions may need to be made. 

Our Bug Out Location Thought Process

In the replay (click the player above) of a podcast Lisa and I did a few years ago, we went over what our thought process was for choosing our property. We also went over some of the concessions we were willing to make, as well as some of the things that were deal breakers.

While there are some things we can do to save money, there are some things that are an absolute necessity for it to qualify as a bug out location, rather than just a plot of land. Here are some of the topics we covered this week.

Location: Everything listed below goes into picking the location, but what you can afford plays just as big of a role. Purchasing our dream location may be out of the question, but there are viable alternatives. 

What’s Your Plan: Planning not only involves how you plan to use the location, but how you plan to build up the location. Some people have more time than money, and if that is you long term & short term goals will be needed.

Survival Skills: You’ve probably heard this 100 times, but skills are a very important part of prepping. Building and maintaining a  bug out location will require much more work. Not to mention

At one point or another in our preparedness journey we are bound to lose our motivation for prepping. Battling complacency and “prepper burnout” is something just about everyone goes through. Even though it’s completely natural, it’s important we don’t let it drag on for an extended period of time.

While the odds are we have plenty of time to prepare, we just never know when something that turns our lives upside down will happen. The danger of becoming complacent for too long is being caught off guard when disaster strikes. 

Why We Get Complacent

There are a number of different things that can lead us to becoming complacent, or just plain getting burned out. As with everything in life, too much of a good (or bad) thing can burn us out. 

Because preparedness is a lifetime shift and long term, it can seem at times that there is no light at the end of the tunnel. This can lead us to say “what’s the point?” or “I give up”. 

One common reason people become complacent about preparedness is because life happens. While prepping is very important, it’s only one part of the puzzle. Sometimes other issues take precedence over preparedness.

How to Avoid Burnout & Complacency

The 80/20 rule: This basically means 20% of what you do will get you 80% of the results. This rule applies to everything we do in life, and is surprisingly accurate.

If we can focus our attention on the 20% of people and the 20% of tasks that have the biggest impact, we can eliminate some headaches, stress and overwhelm. 

Avoid Long Stretches of Doing Nothing: It’s completely normal to need a little time to relax, but we need to be careful that preparedness doesn’t fall off our radar completely.

One week can turn into one month, and one month can turn into one year before we even know it. Even some of the smallest things we do in preparedness can have a big impact, just make sure you are doing something.

Stay Focused: I call this “just in time learning” and it means to start saying no. While there is no end to what we “need” to become better prepared, drinking from the fire hose will not help.

Focus on 1 or 2 things at a time and put some of the other things on the back burner. Don’t allow yourself get overwhelmed by focusing on too much all at once.

Stay organized: Being unorganized will lead you to say “I don’t want to deal with that right now, I’ll do something else”. Doing periodic inventory and rotation will help keep your prepping supplies organized. 

When we clean the house everyday it’s much more manageable than if we wait a month. After a few weeks of letting thins go, that small task turns into a large chore. 

If you had no other choice, could you make your own clothes? If you had to could you bake a cake from scratch? Or if you had to could you grow your own food to feed your family?

These are all skills  that just 100 years ago were necessary life skills and required for everyday life. Modern technology has made these skills obsolete, but what would happen if our society was set back 100 years? 

I personally believe we are becoming a more intelligent society and depending on our brains rather than our Brawn. Could this mean we will someday evolve into those little green men we see on T.V?

I don’t know about that but everything we do today requires more cognitive skill than was required less than 100 years ago. Everything we do today is computerized, or technology does the heavy lifting for us.

Sometimes as we look forward and plan our future we need to take a look back and remember where we came from. The same technology that affords us these luxuries today could be taken away by an EMP, our failing infrastructure or even cyber terror which is becoming a greater possibility as the days go on.

If you truly had to use them, do you know any of the lost skills listed below? What if your life or the survival of your family depended on it?

SPP282 Replay: Preparedness Skills for Long Term Disasters

This is a replay of episode 86 Lisa and I did a few years ago. In this episode we didn’t talk about the “most important” prepping skills, but rather why these skills are important. 

We did talk about some of the important skills (listed below) but there are any others that depending on the scenario would become useful in a post collapse society. 

DIY projects to Learn

New Skills

DIY projects are a great way to practice and learn new skills. In the past I have done a few projects just to learn the how and why. 

The food dehydrator I made isn’t the greatest, but it taught me how the process works.

Although most of us can’t go as much as we would like,taking vacations and traveling is something we are bound to do at one point or another. This could be for work, for family events, or just to take a break from the daily grind.

Whether for work or for play, it’s important we plan out our

trips and understand the dangers we may face. While going on vacation is a

great way to unwind, having your belongings stolen or being physically harmed

could turn your wonderful vacation into a nightmare.

This week Lisa and I talked to Kevin about travel planning

and some tips to insure things go as smoothly as possible. For those of you who

don’t know Kevin he runs The Wilderness

Safety Institute and has

been on the show several times in the past.

SPP281 Travel

Planning and Safety Tips

This week we covered some travel safety tips for traveling out of the country, as well as domestically. While some of these tips aren’t exclusive to prepping, they are suggestions everyone should employ. 

Pictures: Take pictures & upload to online storage, or email yourself. This way you can access them from anywhere with an internet connection. This includes pictures of kids and important documents like drivers licenses, passport, etc…

Hotel Peepholes: Because there are reverse viewing devices that can be used on peepholes it’s important to tape over them. This is important for personal privacy, as well as making sure someone can’t scout your room for valuables and come back when your out. 

Door Wedges: Some people may think this is weird, and some don’t leave home without one. A simple door wedge will make it very hard for someone to burst into your hotel room. Some even come with alarms that will alert you. 

Scams: When traveling outside the country it’s important to know what scams are prevalent in that area. Inside the U.S. we should do our research on where we are traveling and familiarize ourselves with that area. 

Your Itinerary: Make sure when you go on a trip or vacation that someone knows what your schedule is, and check in occasionally. If everything doesn’t go according to the plan you left they can alert the authorities. 

Carrying Cash: Like the saying goes “don’t put all your eggs in one basket”. If you have cash in several different places, it won’t be the end of the world if you get robbed. Travelers checks are also a good idea. 

You’ve Got Mail: At times there are items we want with us but don’t feel comfortable taking them to the airport. One method preppers use to Mail belongings to themselves. It’s much easier to mail your bug out bag than risk interrogation with the TSA. 

What’s in Your Wallet? Regardless where you go in the world, pickpockets are everywhere. You are less likely to get pick pocketed if you carry your cash & cards in front pocket rather than your wallet or purse. 

ATM’s: As preppers we are (or should be) more aware of our surrounding than others, but people at ATM’s can be an easy target for criminals. Always be aware of your surroundings, and aware of the situation. 

Public Wifi: These days you can get on the internet just about anywhere. Because these networks are unprotected, you can unwittingly give hackers access to your personal information. Avoid banking and anything else critical over public WiFi.

Depending on the circumstances, fish antibiotics could be a big part of your preparedness plans. It’s important to note though if you plan on having or using antibiotics, you need to understand when they will work, the damage they can do, and the correct dosage.

Some people think that antibiotics have no negative effects,

but this isn’t true. Using the wrong antibiotic or using an antibiotic when it

isn’t necessary can cause more problems down the line.

Antibiotics have played a major role in battling life threatening infections over the past century, but the over usage of antibiotics today or miss usage of antibiotics can cause them to be ineffective.

These days our doctors have the equipment and knowledge to figure out what the best possible antibiotic might be. In a SHTF scenario, fish antibiotics might be our only option. 

SPP280 Replay: Prepping and Fish Antibiotics (Part 2)

This week we have part 2 (listen to part 1 here) of the prepping and fish antibiotics series Lisa and I did a couple of years ago. In this episode we went over some scenarios that may occur, and what antibiotics may help. 

We also covered why it’s so important to understand why antibiotics work, and when they may not. If you plan on storing fish antibiotics it’s crucial that you understand as much as possible about how they work.

The Original Podcast Show Notes

Even though this podcast came out 3 years ago, the information we went over is still relevant. In the podcast show notes we explain what these different fish antibiotics are, someof the precautions, and what they could (should) be used for.

Links Mentioned in the Show

Study: The overuse of antibiotic ointments and MRSA

The expiration dates of fish antibiotics. This page explains when this company bought the antibiotics and when they expire. Most are between 1.5 and 3 years.

How to grow bacteria in a petri dish. Most of us will not have the equipment in our bug out bags to do a bacteria culture, but for the mad scientists out there here is how you do it.

I’ve received quite a few questions recently about doing a

podcast on fish antibiotics for preppers, and because Lisa and I did a couple

great podcasts a while back, I decided to revive them with this podcast replay.

This is part one of a two-part series on antibiotics in a

post collapse or an SHTF situation. In this show Lisa and I talk about

antibiotics and fish antibiotics for any sort of post collapse situation. In

any sort of SHTF situation getting our hands on a large amount of prescription

medications could be difficult if not impossible.

There are quite a few articles about fish antibiotics but

not many of them go through what some of these antibiotics do. For example,

it’s great that we know that fish – mocks is amoxicillin, but what does

amoxicillin do?

Fish antibiotics could possibly be a solution in this

situation, these antibiotics have the same properties as prescription

antibiotics. In this episode we go over some of the different types of fish

antibiotics which include…

The Original Podcast

Show Notes

Even though this podcast came out 3 years ago, the information we went over is still relevant. In the podcast show notes we explain what these different fish antibiotics are, someof the precautions, and what they could (should) be used for.

Links Mentioned in the Show

Study: The overuse of antibiotic ointments and MRSA

The expiration dates of fish

antibiotics. This page explains when this company bought the

antibiotics and when they expire. Most are between 1.5 and 3 years.

How to grow bacteria in a petri

dish. Most of us will not have the equipment in our bug out bags to do

a bacteria culture, but for the mad scientists out there here is how you do it.

Coming Up!

In this episode we also started to talk about the over usage

of antibiotics and how to use them in a post collapse situation and the dangers

of using the wrong antibiotic. In the next episode we go into further detail

about all of this and more.

Operational security, situational awareness and intelligence

gathering they not the subjects that you typically think about when you think

prepping, but they are just as important as any of the supplies or gear we buy.

We can have a large amount of food stored, water filters,

solar panels, bug out bags and first aid supplies, but if we can’t protect it,

we could end up with nothing. Protecting your supplies doesn’t necessarily mean

by force, it could mean staying out of situations that require force.

Things we do daily that we don’t give a second thought to, Not

paying attention to what’s going on locally and globally, and not holding our

cards close to our vest can all put us at risk.

SPP278 Operational

Security, Situational Awareness & Intelligence Gathering

In the context of what we are talking about in today’s show, which is keeping yourself safe and informed before during and after a disaster, all of these are subjects are intertwined. This is the stuff you can’t buy to become better prepared but is just as important…if not more.

Below are some of the topics we covered in this week’s show,

and how they differ depending on what stage of a disaster we are talking about.

Situational awareness means something completely different in a SHTF scenario

than it does when you’re driving to work.

Intelligence Gathering

The more we know about what is going on the better prepared we will be to handle it. Making sure we are getting good information is also important because getting the correct info is critical to making well informed decisions.

Before: Gathering intelligence before a SHTF event could be as simple as

watching the news (critically), searching online, and discussions with family

and friends. It’s important to keep operational security in mind while doing

this.

During: When the

S has hit the fan all the rules will change, and the consequences could be much

more severe. Depending on the disaster gathering information could include

shortwave radio, scouts, neighbors, and group members.

After: At some

point in any disaster scenario the most dangerous times will subside. Gathering

intelligence will still be important, but it will need to be done for different

reasons. Security will still be important, but gathering supplies, bartering

and rebuilding will also be important.

Operational Security

While the basics of operational security are the same, the way they are utilized change depending on the environment you are in. When times are good it means locking doors and security cameras, in a SHTF event it could mean protecting your life and livelihood.

A few of the topics we covered in the show are…

Trust No One, Question Everything: This goes for before, during, and after a disaster or SHTF event. To maintain operational security, we need to make sure our biases and our feeling aren’t influencing our decisions. We also need to question the validity of everything we hear.

Family and Friends: This is a bit of a double edges sward, but we need to be careful about what we say, and who we say it to. This goes for prepper groups, family, friends,

A well-stocked Pantry is not only an important part a preppers food storage, it also offers peace of mind when times get tough. When done properly, building and maintaining your food storage pantry can also save you money.

Pantry foods include not only the pantry, but cupboards, shelves, and anything you use on a regular basis that you would typically get from grocery shopping. When it comes to stocking your pantry the amount really depends on your storage space, but at least a months’ worth is a good rule of thumb.

This will get you through most disaster scenarios, help when you run into economic challenges, or just save money on your grocery bills in the long run. It’s also important to note that if neglected, your food storage can turn into a huge mess, and a money pit.

Lisa recently did an article and a cost comparison of pre-packaged long term food, and a DIY food storage bin. These bins are stackable, easy to store and food that gets eaten on a regular basis.

SPP277 Building & Maintaining Your Food Storage Pantry

In these weeks show Lisa and I covered everything you might

need to know about setting up and maintaining pantry foods for preppers. It

seems fairly simple on the surface but can get out of hand very quickly.

Pantry Food StorageBest Practices

Below are some ways to make life easier when planning your food storage pantry as well as a few articles I found that offer some great ideas. Each person’s living situation is different, so there isn’t a “one size fits all” method. The Important thing is maintaining and keeping control of your food storage.

The Prepper Bar &Grill

Think of your home as a restaurant, where your customers are

your family, and try to manage your food storage and meals like a restaurant

would. This may be a little easier said than done, but doing this will make

life much easier.

A Meal Plan: A

restaurant has a set menu which helps them keep track of what they have, and

what they need. Plan out between 10 and 15 meals to help to keep things from

getting boring, and help you plan out your shopping needs.

Inventory and

Organization: Successful restaurants keep a very close eye on their food

cost, and what they waste. To do this they do a monthly inventory and organize

everything using the FIFO (First In First Out) method.

I have this free worksheet that you can use to do inventory on your pantry food, and this custo...

When it comes to preparedness, our main concerns are usually

centered around how much we can stockpile, and how long we are prepared for.

Most preppers tend to fall short when it comes to long term self-sufficiency.

Having a years’ worth of food stored is great, but what do

you do when that runs out? And not many of us have the means or ability to

store a years’ worth of water, so what do you do when that runs out?

While most disaster scenarios will not require you to have a years’ worth of water stored, the larger less likely disasters will have far more devastating consequences. Even a depression type event that wouldn’t “devastate” the U.S. could last several years and require some life changes.

SPP276 Long Term Self Sufficiency For Preppers

This week Lisa and I talked about considerations for when the well runs dry so to speak. It’s easy to go out and buy all our preparedness supplies, but what do we do when that options disappears. 

Water: Without water, everything else we have done to prepare is worthless. Water storage is fairly simple, but storing the amount you would need long-term is not.

Regardless of how much water we have stored, we will eventually need a long-term sustainable supply. Lakes, rivers, and wells are all great options, but are they available to you? 

Gardening & Animals: As with our water storage, at some point our food storage will run out. Our food storage should be used as a buffer to get us by until we can produce our own food.

Gardening & raising animals are great ways to supplement your food storage, but both take time and practice. The time to learn these skills is now, and not in a SHTF scenario.

Bartering: After the dust settles and the most dangerous aspects of a disaster subside, people will begin forming communities and trading supplies and goods. Bartering can (and will) also include bartering your skills.

We may not be able to produce enough food to barter with, but if we teach, repair or lend a helping hand, payment would be in goods rather than paper money. 

Food Preservation: Along with the ability to produce your own food, knowing how to preserve it is also important. Some of your meat and your harvested fruits & vegetables will need to be saved for future use.

The most popular method with preppers is canning, but there are a number of options when it comes to preserving and food storage. Dehydrating, smoking, curing meat, and root cellars are other options. 

Cooking Options: Something we take for granted (just like running water) is the ability to cook. The first question is when the grid goes down what emergency cooking options do you have? The second question is what will you do when that fuel runs out?

There are not many cooking fuel options when you start talking about long-term situations. The first that comes to mind is wood, and the second is solar cooking. We have an All American Sun Oven and plenty of ...