[bennettvm]

Curious to find out what started everyone in prepping? Also, how long have you been prepping?

 

[Gman303]

That is a damn good question, and I am looking forward to seeing other peoples answers.

I started small, about 4 years ago. Winter can get pretty bad here and I work about 40 minutes away from my house. Back then I didn't know there was such a thing as a get home bag, but that's what I threw together to keep in my truck. I was a simple and cheap set up. I kept a coat, my boarding pants, a water bottle, and a package of pop-tarts in a backpack. I also put a blanket and emergency glass breaker in my truck. I often read about people being stranded for days after sliding off the road, and I wanted to make sure I had the essentials.

As the winter came to a close, I thought to myself- why should I only be doing this in the winter? Something could happen just as easily year round.. And that turned into a whole new set up. It started with a BOB filled with goodies.. I started reading up on prepping and what I should carry on a day to day basis.

Then, about a year ago, I came to yet another realization. Why the hell don't I start stocking up at my house. Yes I have several BOL, but I will need supplies on the way and before hand, if I have to bug in for a few. I did a quick inventory and realized I put all my efforts in a BOB, but if I were to make it home I wouldn't have anything here to support myself or my family, other then the groceries that we may have. This turned into a whole new list, one that I work on all the time. I have managed to build up a 6 month supply of food and essentials, and I have come to the point where I am able to rotate it with our meals. That's my story

 

[bennettvm]

Sounds very similar to my story. This area freaks out at the mention of 2 inches of snow, or a heavy rainstorm. For some reason the power companies have the hardest time getting the power back on after storms, and it has taken up to 6 weeks in some places to get reconnected. I decided that I wanted to have enough to cover these kinds of emergencies, etc. I don't expect a reason to bug out, but I do have a plan in place with a backup as well. i started raising rabbits recently for the meat, and it actually has picked up as a side business. I have sold the next three litters to a gourmet meat vendor at a local farmers market. I figure Ill use that $ to further prep. Rabbits are great, 1 female can produce a litter of 8-10 rabbits which are weaned and ready for slaughter in 10 weeks. I am looking into raising fish next. I think tilapia. We will see. I think i can setup a small outdoor pond for that. Anyway, thanks for your reply.

 

[hardcore]

i started prepping when the russians were coming

 

[Alpha-17]

I read World War Z by Max Brooks. Got me thinking how one would survive a collapse, and so I bought a gun and started buying ammo. Later I read Patriots by James Wesley, Rawles, and was shown a more likely collapse. I started buying more ammo. Shortly there after, I went to Haiti, and saw the destruction that their earthquake, and how virtually nobody there was self sufficient, and completely dependent on handouts. The rest, shall we say, is history.

 

[hayden]

I can't be cold, and I don't mean I hate to be cold or I can't stand being cold, I mean I can't be cold. If it gets the least bit chilly my fingers turn purple and white and I loose all feeling to them. You can't do much if you can't feel your fingers so about 7 years ago I bought a 6250 watt generator just in case an ice storm brought down the power lines. I have heated my small house with just 2 1500 watt oil filled heaters before so after I bought the ginnie first thing I did was fire it up and make sure the ginnie could handle the load and it hardly noticed the load. After that is was just hearing that everyone should have a few gallons of water and some flashlights and so forth. Then Katrina and seeing what those people went thru. It was probably about a year ago I started prepping in earnest with large supplies of food, water, firearms and ammo.

 

[lorie]

I started last summer when a friend mentioned she stocked up on wine to use as a bartering item in a SHTF scenario. Then she had to explain what that meant. My first thought was "A world without wine??????????"
Then I realized the implications and found these forums and am on my way to a good, varied stock of supplies.

I never, ever ever thought I would own a gun but I do now. I got a 20 gage shotgun and had my first lesson last week. It was sorta fun but if everything was sunshine and rainbows forever I would probably forget I even had it.

 

[hayden]

Lorie, I'm 56 years old and never owned a gun until about a year ago Like your friend I thought of things to barter and I stocked whiskey and wine even though I don't drink either, only beer. If shtf I would have to give up beer. No way I could stock that much beer to last any appriciable amount of time. I do enjoy shooting my new toys.

I started last summer when a friend mentioned she stocked up on wine to use as a bartering item in a SHTF scenario. Then she had to explain what that meant. My first thought was "A world without wine??????????"
Then I realized the implications and found these forums and am on my way to a good, varied stock of supplies.

I never, ever ever thought I would own a gun but I do now. I got a 20 gage shotgun and had my first lesson last week. It was sorta fun but if everything was sunshine and rainbows forever I would probably forget I even had it.

 

[Old Man]

I started when Obama become president. And still prepping because he is president. Look at our debt, and to me we can not keep going down this road.

 

[Condor]

Well, I spent my childhood being somewhat poor. We never had much, in the way a majority of kids have it today. We did have plenty to eat though and generally were happy with what we had. Gardening and hunting were a huge part of our daily staples. I also spent a lot of time with my Grandparents, who were Depression kids. They really taught me the value of being self sufficient, learning woodworking, keeping a pantry etc. My Grandfather gave me my first firearm, a Winchester pump .22. I still have it and many a small game have fallen to it. I believe this instilled a particular mindset on me from a very young age. Everywhere I have called home, I have planted a garden, hunted and made sure I had a little extra food in the cupboards as if some instinct told me this is what I needed to do.

As far as being a 'prepper'? I'd say sometime before Y2K. I saw many factors blossoming before my eyes and started putting 2+2 together. Have not stopped since.

 

[Lucky Jim]

Anybody here ever been hit by a power cut? Welcome to the Stone Age!
We don't get them often here, the last one was about 20 years ago in the evening after dark, it only lasted an hour but I've never forgot it because I was totally unprepared, all I had was my battery-operated bike lamp, and apart from that there was no power, no light, no heating, no radio or TV, no computer,no phone, no cooking, heck not even a cup of tea, that's how bad it was!
Outside everywhere was pitch black, not a glimmer of light anywhere. (I lived in a quiet area)
And I never even had a battery radio, so the sense of total isolation, loneliness and total silence was very strong, like being thrown back into the stone age in the blink of an eye!
Since then i've prepped enough to make sure that if it happens again I've got enough items to take the shock out of it, power cuts are a 'taste of Armageddon' and I learnt my lesson well..

 

[yzingerr]

technically cub scouts and then boy scouts got me into prepping. started cub scouts when I was in 5th grade

 

[Smitty901]

Socialist

 

[AsteroidX]

Cascadia Subduction Zone and the American depression that hit me hard in Oregon. Nothing above minimum wage jobs here.

 

[miho]

I come from a family of preppers.i was born and raised in puerto rico and we always have storms and hurricanes.for me prepping comes natural.now I started prepping big time bout 3 yrs ago when I saw economy went from bad to worst. I thought with inflation pretty soon im gonna work for bills. I also thought what if I cant afford otc for the kids,or pay a dr thats when I started stocking up on otc meds. I can do small surgeries,i know ton of home remedies and all that thanks to my mom.so I would say economy got me prepping.i can cook on rocks,i can make stoves outa aluminum tins,name it I prob know it,that I thank my dad for. So I think im ready,heck I dont have a gun cos im scared because of my kids but I have a homemade flamethrower lol I made enough fire crackers as a child I can make small kabooms. I honestly dont think zombies are coming but if they did I say just bring it

 

[BDylan]

Hugo...1989.

 

[miho]

Hugo...1989.

Yup,that was bad hurricane.we had no power and no water for about a month.

 

[srpumpkin]

Guess always was somewhere in the recesses of this aging brain. LOL. My parents went thru depression with 5 kids n a grandparents in a small house. Victory garden, bring back memories to any?, no food wasted, canned jellies, root cellar all on a property 200x200. U can do it easily, just plan it out n b resourceful. Thanks Mom/Dad.. then life happened. Good time turned into trying times n then the thrifty, Irish upbringing kicked in with a vengence. It all came back. Now with this economy, this pres., n the world situation, how can anyone not b.prepping unless u like pain n freezing/starving or paying the ultimate if, Infact, TSHTF.? Now I'm constantly thinking or doing something re. prepping while not at wrk. Now I'm getting stuff for kids since their not that into it as I n I want to mk sure they r going to b ok. Actually I enjoy it to me its fun with a very positive result.

 

[joec]

Lived in Homestead Florida when Hurricane Andrew hit, days with no food, little water, little help for 2 weeks before the first really showed up, couldn't leave, no electricity for 4 months and 6 for some, no water, phones tends to make you be prepared next time. We got through it by stripping what was left of a trailer I owed of its gas stove and propane tanks to cook, we had about 100 gallons of clean water and another 50 gals that needed to be boiled before drinking. Some canned goods and the first day or two of what was in the refrigerator/freezer but not enough for 6 people in my family and neighbors also for more than a week.

 

[srpumpkin]

Lived in Homestead Florida when Hurricane Andrew hit, days with no food, little water, little help for 2 weeks before the first really showed up, couldn't leave, no electricity for 4 months and 6 for some, no water, phones tends to make you be prepared next time. We got through it by stripping what was left of a trailer I owed of its gas stove and propane tanks to cook, we had about 100 gallons of clean water and another 50 gals that needed to be boiled before drinking. Some canned goods and the first day or two of what was in the refrigerator/freezer but not enough for 6 people in my family and neighbors also for more than a week.

God Bless u guys. So glad u made it thru. Ur a perfect example of why we should all prep. Hope u all made ur thru I'm n glad to c u here. Stay well.