Admit it, are you a prepper?

[GPSGuided]

Have always been pretty amazed at the paranoia there in the US. Looks like the phenomenon of prepping is also taking hold here in Australia.

Are you one?

https://www.theguardian.com/society/201 ... ering-down

[Gadgetgeek]

Prepper, in that I have half a plan and we'll be fine on our own for a few days. Prepper like the fringe? nope. Most of those folks are so isolated that they are already off the deep end. Keep in mind, its not new at all, its just now they get their own tv and youtube shows, so it seems like there are more. There is always someone looking for the rules to go away so they can live how they want.

[taipan821]

Do I have enough supplies to deal with a cyclone, yes. Do I have the stuff to deal with the end of the world...no.
does that make me a prepper or just being prepared?

[michael_p]

Never understood the prepper mentality myself. In a country like ours where we have so many volunteer organisations like the SES and Rural fire Service, it is hard to see how we would not find a way to come together rather than fall apart. Or am I being naive. Discuss?

I did find the small amount of the US tv show that I saw very amusing. These people do seem to live in a bubble and it is getting worse as the internet makes finding like minded people (or nutters, you decide) easier that ever. Once in the echo chamber the descent can be rapid.

[Neo]

Well if there is a crisis then it'll be gridlock, so those who can walk, camp out, find their way and find water will survive best

I think a lot of people these days would struggle to just stroll a few km! One reason I got into bushwalking.

[GPSGuided]

Based on what I see on YouTube and websites, those US preppers seemed to be more gadget lovers than plain prepping. Their posts are full of gadgets that fill, hang on their packs/body. Big business there in supplying the preppers.

[trekker76]

Never understood the prepper mentality myself. In a country like ours where we have so many volunteer organisations like the SES and Rural fire Service, it is hard to see how we would not find a way to come together rather than fall apart. Or am I being naive. Discuss?

might find a bit of a difference between Sydney and places where the rural fire service is you with a hose and the flood rescue service is you with a boat, or where things aren't delivered by truck to supermarkets every day, it comes on barges

I'll put my hand up

'prepared' insofar as a couple weeks food, water, general goods, basic meds ready prior to the wet season. Also clearing the yard, tieing down, chopping suspect trees, servicing generators/ powerpacks. Its unlikely for their to be mass casualties in Australia as the Army would arrive for the worst incidents but its still responsible practice to be able to look after yourself for a period of time, to be comfortable, and place less drain on emergency services so they can assist vulnerable groups(poor, elderly, disabled etc)

I also learn primitive skills and homecrafts(currently doing fruit preserves and tanning) not so much expecting the alien overlords to descend and destroy our cities but more as I think they should be passed down as part of our heritage, and for the few % of kids interested in the forgotten art of 'making stuff' rather than stroking a smartphone/alladins lamp and have it materialise several days later.

Hopefully this doesn't put me in the category of nuclear bunker owners but if anyone does have a cheap one second hand let me know I believe they are good for storing wine

[GPSGuided]

might find a bit of a difference between Sydney and places where the rural fire service is you with a hose and the flood rescue service is you with a boat, or where things aren't delivered by truck to supermarkets every day, it comes on barges

I'll put my hand up

I think you are practicing sensible prepping, one that's best practice for when on the land and being prepared for natural disasters. This to me is quite different to those US urban preppers who are more worried of an invasion, nuclear war, radio wave mind control (foil hat) and social anarchy.

[Franco]

I used to watch a US T^V show about that.
To me the amusing part is that most preppers seem to specialise.
For example those that are worried about bird flu will be ready with the "right" gear to survive that but are not all that ready for a flood or fire or alien invasion.
On the other hand, those afraid of Extraterrestrials will not be at all prepared for bird flu.
Anyway, I wonder how they feel 20 years later, having lived every day expecting something to happen.

[Lamont]

Hey franco I love that TV show too! I found it fascinating.
I noticed an inordinate number of people fearful of solar flares whatever that was/is.
Don't bother telling me anyone I couldn't give a rats khyber.
My favourite bits were when they acted out the source of the whatever-(insert name) and some of them were pretty good actors!
Also the ending where they give them a score and the preppers always say we could last forever-"what a load of cobras" as Benny hill would say.
Those people seemed dedicated and genuine that's for certain, to what I don't know.

[Ms_Mudd]

Yep, think I am a prepper. Or at least my husband and kids think I am and tease me about it. I am not super crazy, but always have good dry food stash in my pantry and because I bushwalk frequently always have ways to purify water and cook/stay warm comfortable if on the move.

We actually did experience a natural disaster within the past few years. No mobiles, landlines, power or water or way out for close to 4 days. The government eventually funded a mobile phone tower to be flown into my town, so on Day 4 we could call family who were worried as there were deaths in town and fairly alarming news footage making its way out.

We got by ok. But the coordinated services you expect to get
In emergencies don't happen so smoothly in real life.
No phones, no internet. We went back to good old radio and to their credit, the littke rural radio station kept broadcasting and provided the only way to let residents know where clean water and safe shelter could be obtained etc.

We didn't need the PLB, our house did have flood water through, but not at a deep level. Certainly others could have used a PLB as communications were wiped out and services more or less had to visually see the need for rescue for it to happen.

We were ok for water and cooking meals independently and charging devices - not that they worked for communications but good for taking pics to later share with our insurance company!


Lengthy way to say that I will cop the good natured teasing from my family as experience has taught me being a little bit
on the prepper spectrum is wise.

[Neo]

Well if there is a crisis then it'll be gridlock, so those who can walk, camp out, find their way and find water will survive best

I think a lot of people these days would struggle to just stroll a few km! One reason I got into bushwalking.

I was also looking up wild dogs once, may have been a post on here too.

An interesting article stated that when the poop goes down, it will only be a couple of weeks until the backyard and abandoned pooches form packs and start roaming the streets, hungry!

[Franco]

[quote="Lamont"]Hey franco I love that TV show too! I found it fascinating.
I noticed an inordinate number of people fearful of solar flares whatever that was/is.

The funny bit about that is that there was a very active member on another forum that every couple of years would come up with another end of the world warning.( he had connection from intergalactic sources...) The last one had to do with solar flares (he called it solar max)

[Lamont]

Yes, take care Franco! It came up a lot on that show.
Avian flu as well.
I wish they would put that show back on. You got a really good insight into the minds of some very genuine people that lived on the fringe.
Some of those so called reality shows clearly had actors.
The preppers on that particular TV show seemed deeply committed (and not acting) and I wanted to know to what.
They were clearly spending a fortune on being in the cult given the arsenal they all seemed to amass.
Muddy, I reckon what you describe is being prepared. A "prepper" belongs to a "doomsday cult'.
Or are you?
Are you thinking a Zombie apocalypse is on the cards in Sydney perhaps? Solar max? Owls-S?

[Heremeahappy1]

"An interesting article stated that when the poop goes down, it will only be a couple of weeks until the backyard and abandoned pooches form packs and start roaming the streets, hungry!"
Good thing about roaming dogs - the food source comes to you. Just better learn to appreciate the taste of dog meat.

[Neo]

Now that's positive thinking!
I think you're prepped

[wildwanderer]

Wondering if this latest virus outbreak has caused any of us to rethink our precautions against potential shortages? or the need to stay indoors for a few weeks.

I'll admit I’ve now got a months’ worth of food.....actually I just brought more food that I'l use on trips

and I’m seriously thinking I will need a DCF tent, new backpack and sleeping mat to prepare for the upcoming apocalypse.

[Moondog55]

Well it just happens that as I never went away last winter I have 6 weeks supply of concentrated food packed in sealed boxes, hmmm 4 full LPGs of various sizes, heaps of gas canisters both Butane and cold weather mixed gas, 4 bushwalking stoves and at least 3 camping stoves, at least 7 tents of various sizes, tarps and shade sails and about 5 tonne of firewood in the backyard; but I can't possibly be a "Prepper" because all of the jerrycans are empty

[Moondog55]

Definitely NOT a prepper
If I was I would have lots of toilet paper in the pantry but at lease we still have newspaper

[Neo]

I still don't think the current virus is 'the big one' but those who can walk, find shelter, navigate and find water have the best chance.
Bushwalkers that is.

Bushtucker is seasonal so a huge depth of knowledge is needed to rely on that. Coastal fishing, eat birds cats dogs wallbies ants whatever.

[ChrisJHC]

I advised my wife that we’d be okay because I know how to catch (and clean) rabbits.

She responded that it would be more useful to know how to catch cats given we live in inner city Melbourne!

[Moondog55]

Not "Cats" Call them "Hairy chickens"

[CBee]

Cats are quite tasty. More or less like rabbits. I have recipes too...

[Moondog55]

Cats are quite tasty. More or less like rabbits. I have recipes too...

And if the medieval scholars are to be believed they also make good blankets and fur collars for jackets and of course excellent hats.
Pigeons can be caught easily using rat traps.
But it won't come to that, what we will run out of are hospital beds and ventilators

[Heremeahappy1]

Dovecotes may come back in fashion. A tower with many small nesting areas internally allowing pigeons to roost, straw on the floor. You take the eggs when needed, lift pigeon during the night for meat (rare breast with red wine reduction...) and use the straw covered in crap for gardens.

[Moondog55]

Feral pigeons and ring-neck doves are full of really bad diseases so they are a food of last resort; but squab are delicious. Some medieval dovecotes were huge; something like 2 to 3000 birds if I remember my food history correctly, ditto for caged rabbits

[ribuck]

Feral pigeons and ring-neck doves are full of really bad diseases

Any bugs will be zapped when you cook them.

I have eaten pigeon in European restaurants and it's wild pigeon. I found a piece of lead shot in mine, so definitely not farmed.

[andrewa]

Not a prepper, but I’d v happily sleep in any of my tents outside, and cook 2 min noodles if I needed to. Actually, I’d really love to do so...is that unusual??!!

A

[Moondog55]

It's the hygiene related to handling feral pigeons, if you forget to wash your hands and lick blood off your fingers [ yep seen it done] you can get infected. Wild birds perhaps less so but toxoplasmosis is quite nasty I am informed and that is only one of the things they carry.
I'm told the trick is not to pluck but quickly skin and simply rip off the breast meat chucking everything else away. Anyway probably no need but perhaps better than rat on a stick although I do like guinea pigs grilled with garlic and lime juice.
Anyway still not a prepper

[ofuros]

Just my opinion & not that they're going to, but if the government decided to close our supermarkets because of the risk of transmission...the $hi+ would really hit the fan.

Really goes to shows how we all take for granted that the power will come on when we flick a switch, water will flow when we turn the tap & supermarkets will always have shelves full of food... it's a wake up call for those that take notice.

Leaving all thoughts of doom & gloom behind... I'm off down the local supermart, fingers crossed, to source a packet of Jasmine rice...our coffers getting low.

Ps...future note to self, always have a couple of 20kg bags Thai Jasmine rice in storage. Happy wife Happy life...prepper in the making.