Post-Apocalypse Survival Pack?

[dangerprawn]

Watching The Road (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=134809) recently has gotten my brain on the post-apocalyptic. I went out and rented a movie called Ever Since The World Ended (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0283337/).

I've been thinking about what would be needed to survive in either of these worlds, or in any post-apocalyptic world. I think I want to put together an emergency backpack/hiking pack and keep it in my car. It'd be useful for things besides the end of the world...like emergencies where I need duct tape or a few days supplies of food/water or basic medical supplies.

Does anyone currently have a pack this already? What's in yours and where do you keep it?

[GreyVulpine]

Basically, google for "Bug out bag" for ideas on PAW items needed to get from where you are, to a safe place. It entirely depends on season (More water during summer, more heat/fire during winter, rotating out foods) as well as other factors.

[Jack Squat]

I'm in the middle of putting one back together, but I can list off some of the things that'd be good to have.

Mine's geared towards a 3-5 day deal rather than "end of the world". One that you'd be indefinitely living out of would be called an INCH (I'm Never Coming Home) bag and has a little more gear to get through all seasons and gather food, and the like.

In my bag:
Tent
Sleeping Bag
Sleeping Pad
Firestarter kit (matches, lighter, flint steel, vaseline soaked cotton balls for kindling, road flare)
6 MREs (compressed)
Mess kit/stove
Collapsible fishing rod & spare string,hooks, weights
Fixed blade knife
550 cord, 300 ft.
3 32 oz. water bottles
water filter
Flashlights

OK, so the MREs aren't actually compressed or sitting in my bag, since compressing them down (getting rid of all the cardboard and crap in the bags) cuts down their life significantly, but that's about a 5 minute job - and this doubles as my camping bag, which I don't need to carry more than a day's worth of food anyways.

For more/better ideas, check out Zombie Squad (http://zombiehunters.org/forum/viewforum.php?f=14), one of the more enjoyable survival-oriented sites out there.

[The Rose Dragon]

Your bag doesn't have sturdy sneakers and boots. I can't believe your bag doesn't have sturdy sneakers and boots.

[reorith]

If you like works about dudes carrying stuff in terrible conditions, I would suggest the things they carried

My bug out bag is pretty much the ten outdoor survival essentials plus a gun and an obscene amount of ammo. I can't imagine I'd expend 500 rounds of 7.62x39, but I'd rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it. In the event of an emergency, imma grab mah sks an' go inna woods.

[Jack Squat]

I'm always wearing sturdy boots, so it's not needed. Should probably toss in a pair of sandals for camp/wading shoes though, and I need to stick a spare change of clothes back in.

Like I said, I'm in the middle of putting it together, and actually need to get a new bag. My current one's pretty uncomfortable, but it'll do in the meantime.

[bosssmiley]

Google Dmitri Orlov.

[dangerprawn]

Wow. Thanks for the link. That's a really cool site. Do you have any favorite or recommended survival-type books?

[GreyVulpine]

I really liked Day by Day Armageddon (http://astore.amazon.com/zombiebooklist-20/detail/0978970772). His forum (http://tacticalunderground.us/forum/) is just chock full of good tips and reviews on equipment and gear.

I got this handy link (http://www.stevespages.com/page7c.htm) from there. All the US military manuals you can read.

[Jack Squat]

I own the SAS survival guide. It's a pretty good read, the Urban Survival guide is crap though. I also have some US military versions of the same thing. IMO, doesn't matter which one you get.

One I've been trying to get for awhile is 98.6 Degrees: The Art of Keeping Your Ass Alive, but it's never in stock when I check Borders. There's a book out by Les Stroud as well, so I'm sure that has good advice in it. Basically if you go into the hiking section of books in the outdoor section, you'll find survival books.

Really what you're going to want to read up on is edible wild plants, trapping, farming, and the like. I don't really have any specific books to recommend for these - bookstores should have a book on edible plants for your area, and the rest you can read online. I only recommend the book for plants because it's nice to have a reference when out and about.

[dangerprawn]

Yeah, there's a bunch of those wilderness survival books out there. I'd be interested in something a little more complex, something that compiles a lot of basic Science! knowledge in a how to guide.

Something like this poster (http://gadgets.boingboing.net/2009/04/15/time-travel-cheatshe.html), but with actual and useful instructions.

[Jack Squat]

Ash made due with a Chemistry Textbook :smallwink:

Knowing that stuff isn't essential to survival, and would only really come in handy when working to rebuild society. That being said, I normally carry around a Pocket Ref (http://www.pocketref.com/), which at the very least is handy for killing time, but also could come in handy when building things. I guess other books to look out for would be project books and some text books, which would teach you more about building/making things.

Though I'd absolutely hate carrying around a library. If I were to carry around books, it'd be a plant guide, the pocket SAS survival guide, and the Ranger Medical Handbook. The rest I'll either have learned on the way or can pick up when I get to where I'm going.

[Blas_de_Lezo]

My pack would have the following. No doubt:

Backpack.
Standard's Adventurer Kit.
1 tuna can (they last for years!)
1 towel (they have 42 uses, lol -some may get the reference-)
1 Monica Bellucci (just in case)

[Moff Chumley]

SOMEONE may get the reference? Just mentioning towels would've been enough. I think I speak for this entire forum when I say Hitchikers' is my bible.

[SurlySeraph]

Another good site is Survivalblog. (http://www.survivalblog.com/) Use their search function - they've got tons of useful information in the archives.

Jack Squat's list is excellent. I'd carry less 550 cord, but I'd add some first aid and hygiene supplies, chalk, pencils and paper (in a sealed plastic bag so they don't get wet), a folding knife (less reliable than fixed-blade, but it's always nice to have a backup), and a multitool (Gerber or Leatherman or such). Living in a city, I'd also grab a crowbar - being able to shift heavy objects or pry things open is likely to be very helpful. Granted, getting out of the city as fast as possible would be my top priority in most scenarios. Extra clothing in case yours gets wet is nice, especially in a cold climate; extra socks at very least are a good idea.

I'd also second reorith's recommendation to be armed, though (what with living on a college campus in a city with strict gun laws) I can't follow it myself.

[zeratul]

If I end up making one in the future it would probably be something to the effect of this

2 sets of clothes
2 pairs of reinforced or steel toed boots
sleeping bag
swedish firesteel
a zippo lighter
a pot
ka-bar knife
a hatchet
a bow
an accusharp
a multitool
a quiver of arrows
twine
a crank powered flashlight

I live in a city so there's a good chance I'd also be able to scavenge of the stuff in buildings here and we have a large amount of deer and rabbits that one could hunt.

[Bouregard]

A crowbar. The humble combination of melee weapon and tool.

[golentan]

Depending on where you live it will vary wildly. What I would suggest that hasn't been listed yet is seed packs: a variety of vegetables and grains.

It doesn't matter for a couple days. But when year 2 comes around if you're farming you have an edge over all the people who are *still* trying to scavenge supermarkets.

[Kurien]

Don't you sometimes wish Bags of Holding, Portable Holes, and Handy Haversacks existed fer real? A single BoH (or was it the PH?) contains a 10x10' cube of space. That's be enough for, maybe, a ton of food! A second bag would contain containers for water. A third, medical supplies. Think of the possibilities!

The thought of a INCH bag inspires feelings of sadness for some reason, probably because the represents a loss of a regular life due to TEOTWAWKI.

[dangerprawn]

This is the kind of thing I'm wanting. Gale Encyclopedia of Science. (http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?r=1&ISBN=9781414428772&ourl=Gale-Encyclopedia-of-Science/K-Lee&cm_mmc=Google%20Product%20Search-_-Q000000630-_-Gale%20Encyclopedia%20of%20Science-_-9781414428772)

Only 6 Volumes! And only over $500!

Not having actually looked at the inside, I'm uncertain if it gives how-to instructions. I want a book that is basically How To Rebuild Civilization.

Here's a good website. Online version of McGraw-Hill's Encyclopedia of Science & Technology. Accessscience.com (http://www.accessscience.com/)

I have other resources that mimic these to a certain degree. Problem is that they are big, heavy textbooks. Anatomy, Art, Biology, Chemistry, Geography, Literature, Logic, Math, Physics, Handyman Encyclopedias, Philosophical and Theology texts, the New York Public Library Desk Reference, and over 25 specialized dictionaries. I'm kind of a reference nerd.

Ideally I would have all that on some kind of electronic reader - but after the Fall getting reliable electricity would become a problem. I wouldn't want to just leave all those books behind me though, because they contain the information that will be necessary to rebuild. And we'll have to. If we are able to meet basic survival needs, then we will need to move beyond just surviving.

Best idea would be to actually know the required and essential information. Unfortunately I don't have a photographic memory and don't have a head for remembering that kind of scientific information. More the liberal arts type.

edit: Aha! Talk:Rebuilding Civilization from Scratch (http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Talk:Rebuilding_Civilization_from_Scratch)

[Krade]

My pack would have the following. No doubt:

Backpack.
Standard's Adventurer Kit.
1 tuna can (they last for years!)
1 towel (they have 42 uses, lol -some may get the reference-)
1 Monica Bellucci (just in case)
Finally! Someone besides me who understands the importance of Monica Bellucci.:smallwink:

SOMEONE may get the reference? Just mentioning towels would've been enough. I think I speak for this entire forum when I say Hitchikers' is my bible.
I happen to have the edition that actually looks like a bible.

[Solaris]

It'd pretty much just be a rucksack. You can live pretty much indefinitely with limited resupply on what I stick in a ruck.
6-in-1 seasoning shaker. Don't judge me.
Hygiene kit.
Coupla uniforms. If the situation was such that wearing a uniform would be a bad idea, I'd have to acquire more than a couple sets of civvies. Plenty of socks are also an overlooked must-have, as are skivvies.
No less than 3 simple and easy methods of starting a fire. Matches and lighters only last so long, but they're relatively easy to find. Fire pistons are the ones you want. Laundry lint makes great tinder.
A spare knife or two.
Flashlights w/ batteries. I gotta get around to purchasing the wind-up kind.
Arctic sleeping bag & PT mat.
Roll of duct tape. You'd be amazed at everything you can do with it.
Prob'bly some 550 cord, if I can find it. That stuff's like unicorns in my unit.
My CLS bag, even the IV stuff.

On my person, of course, would be a uniform (unless the situation is unfriendly for a man in uniform... but honestly, people almost instinctively trust us), my ACH, IOTV, LBE, magazine drop pouch, six magazines of of 28 rounds each, my M4, my lucky boots (dude, they saw me through minefields), and of course the tire iron. I don't use knives in combat, I crack heads with tire irons. It's more fun.

Most importantly of all, I would have a small group of individuals of similar training and proficiency as myself serving to protect a larger group of individuals whose skills lie in areas other than combat. The lone wolf image of post-apocalypse doesn't work once you realize that, eventually, you're going to have to stop and take a nap.

[Bonecrusher Doc]

I'm more of a 3-7 day kit guy than preparing for the INCH scenario. Though, since I moved into a smaller apartment that kit has not been very well organized. However, I do have having things that I carry with me or have in my car every day that come in handy all the time: multitool, flashlight, ibuprofen, extra clothing.

One preparation I've been meaning to do that I haven't done yet is downloading Wikipedia :smallbiggrin:

A few links:
www.ready.gov (supposed to help you prepare for the ~3 days it may take for government aid to reach you in an emergency such as a hurricane)
www.survivalblog.com (this is more for post-apocalyptic preparation)
www.theplacewithnoname.com/blogs/klessons/ (excellent and practical!)
www.zombiehunters.org (a forum that covers all aspects of preparedness)

One thing to remember is that, just as important as having a kit full of stuff, is having rehearsed plans, skills, a well-maintained vehicle, and good physical/mental/emotional/spiritual/social health. (Resilience is the new buzzword the U.S. Army is using for this multidimensional quality.)

I also recommend an NOAA alert radio or equivalent for non-USA people, and don't forget all your important documents: birth certificate, diplomas, resume, etc.

[Vizzerdrix]

Hmm... I should prepare one of these, but to be honest, I am a lazy, lazy fat man. How ever, I do have several Items that would be of use. A collapseable fishing pole, several ways to make fire, Knives of all kinds, proper cloths for all weather, household tools, duct tape, tarps, rope and canned food. I'd only take a moment to bundle that up properly and be hiking for the country side or coast.

I'm not too worried about injury in the short term (I'd be fine with bottle of peroxide and duct tape) and I wouldn't feel safe carrying a gun (I would be too reluctant to use one, so it'd do me no good) so those aren't 3 day concerns for me. What ever I wasn't able to bring I could just make as I went (I'm somewhat trained in survival thanks to the 8 years of Native American culture classes I took way back in school.We learned how to make everything from pack baskets and utensils to atl atls, traps and permanent shelters. Even dream catchers and bead work, for something to sell in the post apocalypse years)

[reorith]

I also recommend an NOAA alert radio or equivalent for non-USA people, and don't forget all your important documents: birth certificate, diplomas, resume, etc.

well Bonecrusher Doc, according to your resume you have seven years experience in personnel management. go put it to work by supervising the guys digging our post apocalyptic society's latrine.

[Bonecrusher Doc]

Heh heh. I guess I'm thinking post-MINI-apocalypse, such as getting your house destroyed in Hurricane Katrina and having to start over in a new city. :smallsmile:

[Hadessniper]

I'll add a few things I haven't seen yet. About 20 of those reusable handwarmers that you boil for 10 minutes to reset for when a fire is unavailable or inadvisable.

Most importantly a kindle with a solar charger loaded with books on survival, carpentry, hydropower, edible and medicinal wildlife, fletching, and other useful skills.

A portable library filled with useful information would be the most important tool you could possess. Remember kiddies knowledge is power.

[Vizzerdrix]

Heh heh. I guess I'm thinking post-MINI-apocalypse, such as getting your house destroyed in Hurricane Katrina and having to start over in a new city. :smallsmile:

Then the most important thing you'll need is a map to any city that isn't build in a basin on the coast.

[rewinn]

I'm more of a 3-7 day kit guy than preparing for the INCH scenario

A 3-day disaster kit is something that every family should have, since disasters happen.

Just remember to rotate the food and water in the course of normal use. For example, my backup 20 liters of water get poured on the garden during the dry season and refilled, so I always have water that is under a year old yet not wasted. Same with food; every couple of months yank half the emergency supply, eat and replace. If it's not food that you'd eat in the normal course of life, why are you storing it for an emergency except to make yourself even more miserable?

Rotation time is a good time to confirm the hand-cranked can opener is still there. If this had been a real emergency, I wouldn't want to discover I'd "borrowed" it for a trip and forgot to replace it ;-)

[Dewey]

Right now I just have a very basic kit that could maybe last two days or so. I need to expand it. Also, if you include a gun, you can't do much better in a survival situation than a .22LR.

[Bonecrusher Doc]

While there's no true substitute for experience, I've found that YouTube can be pretty helpful. For example, rather than fumbling my way through opening a can with the old P-38 style can opener, which I have never seen done before, I simply found a YouTube video that demonstrated how to do it. Same thing with building a fire, tying knots, first aid skills, etc... better than looking at pictures in a book.

As far as firearms go, I'd choose a 12-gauge shotgun if I could only have one, because of its versatility. Good luck shooting a bear or a bird on the wing with a .22LR.

[Jack Squat]

As far as firearms go, I'd choose a 12-gauge shotgun if I could only have one, because of its versatility. Good luck shooting a bear or a bird on the wing with a .22LR.

Shooting bear and other large game isn't really good for survival purposes - a lot of the meat goes to waste. I mean, If it's all there is, there's no reason to pass it up, but small game is normally easier to find, easier to catch (simpler traps) and you won't have 50 lbs of rotting meat because you couldn't preserve it all in time. Of course, if you're in a group, this doesn't apply, but I'd sure hope a group has a bigger selection than one gun.

If I could only have one gun, I'd probably go with an M6 - .22 rifle and .410 shotgun. Great for all manner of small game, and could be used in a pinch for other things. Sure, there's a lot to be desired from it in terms of power, but I personally think it would best fill the role for "survival rifle".

[Ilena]

I would probably take a 270 or some other large rifle if i had need of a single gun, id rather have something with long range and that can scare a person more then a 22 can :P though id like to have a shotgun too ... and probably a pistol ... and a knife ... and then a 50 lb pack of gear .... ya im weird

[golentan]

Shooting bear and other large game isn't really good for survival purposes - a lot of the meat goes to waste. I mean, If it's all there is, there's no reason to pass it up, but small game is normally easier to find, easier to catch (simpler traps) and you won't have 50 lbs of rotting meat because you couldn't preserve it all in time. Of course, if you're in a group, this doesn't apply, but I'd sure hope a group has a bigger selection than one gun.

If I could only have one gun, I'd probably go with an M6 - .22 rifle and .410 shotgun. Great for all manner of small game, and could be used in a pinch for other things. Sure, there's a lot to be desired from it in terms of power, but I personally think it would best fill the role for "survival rifle".

I'd personally select a bow or crossbow for long term situations. With proper care, and/or composite materials, they'll last ya. And when you fire a bullet: you lose a fraction of your power you can't replace very easily. With every survival nut squabbling over the remaining firearm stocks, that's going to go away pretty quick. Arrows or Quarrels are reusable, and you can make your own. And with hunting heads they can make an effective survival tool, even if they're not as immediately man on man lethal.

My plan involves a wagon, some donkeys (I can get 6 from the local SPCA), seed stocks, canned food, books, and tool materials. Year one, I take the wagon and materials away from the city, and keeping off of highways. If I can settle on a spot where not too many people come through, I settle down and start planting vegetables, supplemented by what I can potshot, and build crossbows and bolts as fast as I can manage. Anyone who comes through, I suggest a communal survival pact: They can have a crossbow and some of my extra seed, but they have to settle down and lay in some stocks, and start producing themselves. We've got a year round growing season, and with crop rotation I'd intend to take full advantage of that fact. Year 2 I should be breeding the donkeys, and have erected a small barrier around my land. I should have laid in stocks of meat and potted vegetables, and hopefully have some grain going. Year 3, if the land is fertile enough, I build the waterwheel power plant, and start collecting copper when the growing season is off to get some electricity going, and the camshafts for the autoballistas (yes, I have a design for a heavy crossbow that should manage 20 rounds a minute with an input of 4 horsepower) for the defenses, because by this point everyone but the diehard raiders should have died off or settled in, and I don't know what to expect from the diehards, but it must be nasty. Year 5, I get the neighbors together and try to settle on an agreeable common currency (assuming the government hasn't reasserted itself), and begin some honest trade in place of the bartering/charity I'd been performing.

Of course, the plan varies based on the type of apocalypse. Biological, I settle in with medical supplies, and grab a hazard suit. I wouldn't turn folks away, but I don't want to risk infection. If the mortality is under 10% untreated (5% threshold is enough to kick off a society ending urban flight apocalypse) I leave out the supplies as they just make me a target though. Nuclear, I settle on my location based on prevailing wind patterns, and lay in as much food by year two as I can in the event of nuclear winter. Grey Goo, I get out a bottle of bourbon and sing the KYAG song. Natural disaster or infrastructure failure is my default assumption.

[zeratul]

Shooting bear and other large game isn't really good for survival purposes - a lot of the meat goes to waste. I mean, If it's all there is, there's no reason to pass it up, but small game is normally easier to find, easier to catch (simpler traps) and you won't have 50 lbs of rotting meat because you couldn't preserve it all in time. Of course, if you're in a group, this doesn't apply, but I'd sure hope a group has a bigger selection than one gun.


Couldn't you dry or smoke the meat to preserve it?There's also the benefit of getting hide from the larger animals which could be beneficial in shelter making.

[Bonecrusher Doc]

Honestly I was thinking more about preventing the bear from eating me or my food rather than me eating the bear. But it all depends on a lot of factors: the wildlife in your area, how important weight is to you (backpacking versus driving a car), ammunition availability...

[reorith]

Doc, do you still have that M44? the 7.62x54r round is used for bear hunting in Russia. your results may vary.


My plan involves a wagon, some donkeys
you have died of dysentery.

[Bonecrusher Doc]

Ah yes. Rifle, club, canoe paddle, and spear - all in one! :smallbiggrin: Not sure it would be much good against birds though. If I managed to hit one, there wouldn't be anything left but a few feathers! But I suggest we keep further discussion of firearms in spoilers so it doesn't completely overwhelm the thread. :smallwink:


For those wondering what weapon they should choose, this helpful guide clearly shows how a Mosin-Nagant is superior to an AK-47 or AR-15: http://7.62x54r.net/MosinID/MosinHumor.htm

[golentan]

You have died of dysentery.

May I ask why you state that with such authority?

[SDF]

May I ask why you state that with such authority?

Because the rest of your party drowned when you forged the river.

I've got a fair amount of first aid training and equipment so I'd have that. Along with my BoB I'd probably take my climbing gear too, just because of my location. Not to mention it's light. MRE's, water filters, flint, compass, swiss knife, clothes, sleeping bag, and my remington 700.

[golentan]

Because the rest of your party drowned when you forged the river.

What river? The biggest waterway in my area meanders along at 5 mph, and is shallow enough to wade through. I'm more worried about finding water (but I have some good ideas, and could use a moisture capture until I find a good spot) than drowning. I know to boil the water before drinking it. I know enough first aid and local cures to get by. I know how to ford, and when and where to plant, and how to find good soil. I know what berries, mushrooms, and roots are edible, and which to wash out first.

I survived for 3 weeks on Acorn meal (which I know how to wash and prepare), boiled greens, and trapping squirrels, just to prove I could to a friend. And when in doubt, I have my references. I think I'd be fine, if I could keep the ravening hordes from shooting me and taking my stuff.

Which, admittedly, is a tossup.

[Vizzerdrix]

Always caulk your wagon and float across. Always >.>
I miss Oregon Trail :(

[Bonecrusher Doc]

No son of mine plays Oregon Trail like that. (http://www.mcsweeneys.net/links/monologues/6oregontrail.html)

[reorith]

I survived for 3 weeks on Acorn meal (which I know how to wash and prepare), boiled greens, and trapping squirrels, just to prove I could to a friend. And when in doubt, I have my references. I think I'd be fine, if I could keep the ravening hordes from shooting me and taking my stuff.

Which, admittedly, is a tossup.

hi. this is my strategy in a road/thunderdome/amnesia moon/judgment day (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skynet_%28Terminator%29) scenario. good luck to you. anything short of that will be handled by my well rehearsed protocols.

[golentan]

hi. this is my strategy in a road/thunderdome/amnesia moon/judgment day (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skynet_%28Terminator%29) scenario. good luck to you. anything short of that will be handled by my well rehearsed protocols.

If you never try growing or making new things, let me know how surviving solely off the non-renewable scraps of civilization works out for you. Don't worry, you can write me. We'll get a post office going, soon as possible. If you can find any paper, of course. We'll read off your story over a nice, hot, fresh dinner.

I'm thinking tomatoes, spinach. Maybe a baked artichoke. A loaf of bread, a roast chicken, and some sage seasoning. After all, it's story night. Time to pull out the stops and invite the neighbors in. I'm sure it will be very exciting reading your tales of adventure, violence, and eating expired twinkies.

[reorith]

note, resorting to banditry would only be in the worst case scenario when conditions are so severe that things like agriculture aren't options. i have mad caches of grains and beans that i'd gladly offer to a commune or something in exchange for the security of a group or company of other people.

[Vizzerdrix]

If you never try growing or making new things, let me know how surviving solely off the non-renewable scraps of civilization works out for you. Don't worry, you can write me. We'll get a post office going, soon as possible. If you can find any paper, of course. We'll read off your story over a nice, hot, fresh dinner.

I'm thinking tomatoes, spinach. Maybe a baked artichoke. A loaf of bread, a roast chicken, and some sage seasoning. After all, it's story night. Time to pull out the stops and invite the neighbors in. I'm sure it will be very exciting reading your tales of adventure, violence, and eating expired twinkies.

Trade ya a hot plate for some of the spices and other shinies I scave :smallbiggrin:

[Jack Squat]

Couldn't you dry or smoke the meat to preserve it?There's also the benefit of getting hide from the larger animals which could be beneficial in shelter making.

You can, but even those only last so long. For a single man, or a rather small group (3-4 people), small game should work well.

The problem with hide is that unless you know how to preserve it, it's not really useful - it'll decompose like everything else in a body. To make a shelter, you're just as good using local terrain and foliage as you are using hide. Of course, as long as I've got a tent or tarp, I'd use those over anything else.

I'm not saying big game isn't a viable option, it most certainly is, but you have to realize that unless you've got a decent group, a lot is more than likely going to go to waste.

[SurlySeraph]

note, resorting to banditry would only be in the worst case scenario when conditions are so severe that things like agriculture aren't options. i have mad caches of grains and beans that i'd gladly offer to a commune or something in exchange for the security of a group or company of other people.

Being a city kid with only about a month's worth of stored food and few marketable skills (I'm an EMT, I can teach your kids literature and history and Latin and math and biology, and... that's about it), in any particularly horrible scenario I'd probably have to resort to banditry.

Which, given I don't have a gun, isn't likely to work out too well.

[golentan]

Being a city kid with only about a month's worth of stored food and few marketable skills (I'm an EMT, I can teach your kids literature and history and Latin and math and biology, and... that's about it), in any particularly horrible scenario I'd probably have to resort to banditry.

Which, given I don't have a gun, isn't likely to work out too well.

You're an EMT? What do I have to do to sign you up as the village quack?

It's not like you're flipping burgers.

[Solaris]

hi. this is my strategy in a road/thunderdome/amnesia moon/judgment day (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skynet_%28Terminator%29) scenario. good luck to you. anything short of that will be handled by my well rehearsed protocols.

I'd like to back up your later post with stating how bad an idea banditry is. Sure, it works a little, but I'm thinking Joe Civilian's gonna have a rough time trying to rob an armed convoy/settlement. Not saying it couldn't work, just saying it'd be a ridiculously bad idea once other people move past the 'rob and rape' stage and back into rebuilding civilization.
But hey, I look forward to turning would-be bandits into greasy smears.