TEOTWAWKI

One night a few weeks ago I couldn't sleep so I started listening to the radio show coast to coast which is on every night from about 1 am to 5 am. Since I have sleeping issues I often find myself listening to the show until I fall back asleep but this particular night the interview was fascinating. The host, George Noory, was interviewing a man named Jim Rawles who was answering questions regarding preparation for TEOTWAWKI, acronym for the end of the world as we know it. What struck me was how ill prepared I was for any potential interruption in my life. We have become so dependent and complacent. We assume the supermarket will always have stocked shelves, the electricity and gas/oil that power our homes and the police that provide security will always be there. But what if it's not? We have become so narrow in our fields of expertise that we have no clue how to provide the basic necessities for ourselves in case we need to. It may not be the extreme of TEOTWAWKI but it is certainly possible for interruptions in supply chains to be prolonged. Terrorists, who by the government's own admission, are already in this country, can cause enough damage to instigate a prolonged interruption of what we take for granted will always be present.

So many of our resources are completely dependent on technology for their production as well as delivery that if this was ever compromised food and fuel delivery would be cut off. What would we do then? Do I have any clue as to how to maintain warmth, obtain and purify water, get food once the pantry goes dry or how to defend my family against looters? Do I gave any of the skills necessary for survival in these circumstances? Now that I am in my fourth day of a blackout and forced to live in someone else's house I think I need to be more concerned about being self-sufficient. What if someone else's house wasn't available or the blackout was regional and not limited to several blocks.

How long would it take for people to loot, steal or worse to obtain food, water or shelter? Mr Rawles suggested we live in a society with a very thin veneer of civility. After missing two or three meals that veneer would disappear and it would be every man for themselves. It seems extremely scary but preparation could put one way ahead of the game. What seems simple and inexpensive to obtain now could be a commodity later. Skills that one could master now would go a long way at TEOTWAWKI. I try to talk to some neighbors about this and most think I'm nuts. If this make any sense to you I suggest you go to Mr Rawles web site at survivalblog.com and start doing the research. Start making the right purchases and obtain the appropriate skills. Plan ahead for a situation where you may need to protect yourself and your family. There is a ton of information on the web to get you started. I know after these several days with no power or warmth, forced to live in small room in a friend's house, I will be doing more to prepare for the next time. I believe this was a wake up call for me.