This post is by Bernie Carr, apartmentprepper.com
Today we are featuring the book, Prepper’s Long Term Survival Guide, the latest book by Jim Cobb, whom we have interviewed in the past.
Prepper’s Long Term Survival Guide gives vital information on how to survive long after a disaster has struck. It teaches readers practical tips on how to cope with problems and challenges that could last months or years in the aftermath of a large scale disaster.
In light of the subject, I sent Jim Cobb a few questions for an encore interview:
1. Hygiene would be a huge issue in a long term disaster especially in
the city – how should apartment and city dwellers approach this?
There are two basic facets to hygiene planning — cleanliness and waste
disposal.
Personal hygiene needs can be accomplished with minimal water, far less
than most people realize. Hands should be washed after toileting and hand
sanitizer can be used for this purpose, saving water that would normally
just run down the drain. Sponge bathing can be done with as little as two
cups of water, believe it or not. Use one cup for dampening a washcloth
and lathering a bit of soap. Then, use another washcloth, dampened with
the second cup, to rinse. Not nearly as refreshing as a hot shower, I’ll
grant you, but it’ll do the job.
As for waste disposal, burying or burning are really the only two viable
options. For either option, I suggest scoping out a nearby vacant lot, if
one is available, for this purpose.
2. Security would be even more difficult but crucial in a societal
collapse: at the minimum, what are some steps an apartment dweller can
take now?
The “gray man” approach is the first advisable course of action. Utilize
back doors to apartment buildings, if possible, so you aren’t advertising
your presence by going in and out through the main entrance. Keep lights
to a minimum at night and cover the windows with landscape fabric to
prevent that light from being seen from the outside. While your neighbors
will obviously know you are still around, of course, you want to do
whatever you can to keep casual observers from the “outside world” in the
dark, so to speak.
3. Finally, there may come a time you can no longer stay in the city but
need to bug out: what are some signs to watch for indicating it’s time
to leave? Where could one go?
Signs it is time to head for your bug out location:
1) Stores aren’t receiving shipments of any new product. This indicates a
disruption in the supply chains and is a clue that the disaster isn’t
going to be “fixed” overnight.
2) Reliable information indicating looting and rioting are happening on a
mass scale and possibly headed your way. By this, I mean you received the
information from a reputable source, rather than your neighbor telling you
her son’s girlfriend’s bestie heard from a guy on her block that a woman
told him she’d heard something about it last week.
3) Emergency services are overwhelmed. If calls to 911 aren’t being
answered, that’s a strong indicator that you are on your own, at least for
the immediate future.
As for where to go, I strongly advise all preppers, whether they are urban
dwellers or live out in the sticks, should have at least three separate
potential bug out locations planned out ahead of time. Ideally, these
locations will be in different directions from your home. For example, to
the north is Grandpa’s old hunting cabin, to the east is your college
roommate’s home, and to the southwest is Aunt Sally. This way, if the
routes to your primary bug out location aren’t feasible you have backups.
Bugging out is generally the least favorable option after a disaster but
it is important to plan ahead for that contingency.
After I finished reading Prepper’s Long Term Survival Guide I had a list of storage items and other aspects needing improvement in my own household. Read Prepper’s Long Term Survival Guide and you’ll learn some valuable insights.
Now for the Giveaway:
Please answer the following questions for a chance to win a copy of Prepper’s Long Term Survival Guide
What are your most pressing concerns regarding long term survival where you live? What are you doing to mitigate these worries?
The winner* will be chosen at a random “Pick a Giveaway Winner” drawing on Friday, June 27th at 8 pm Central. *Winner will be notified via email. Winner must reply to email notification within 48 hours or another winner will be drawn. THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED.
© Apartment Prepper 2016
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Long term survival concern: learning how to can meat for use during the winter months. and finding a safe dependable heating method for a modern home if the power goes out for an extended period of time. No power, no central heat. Most homes built in the last 35 to 50 years don’t have efficient fire places or fire places at all.
Water is a concern. Every week I am buying water, In addition, Civil Unrest is a major concern. I would use the grey man technique and prepare to bug out if the area got much worst.
My concern is security. Being a 71 year old female living alone in a rural area does make me vulnerable. So far I have purchased barbed wire to attach to the perimeter fence, have items available for also attaching a noise making trip wire to the fence, have purchased two security alarms, have two floodlights and two utility installed yard lights, have plywood sheets with nails in them, and two guns. I need more ideas as to what I can do.
I’ve lived in my van for a year and can attest to the strategy of using small amounts of water to wash people. In addition, you can cut your water requirements for dish washing down to practically nothing. I used a spray bottle with diluted dish washing soap and another with straight water to wash my dishes. If you use a soap like Dr. Bronner’s, the gray water can reused for other things.
Hand sanitizer, however, has been shown to not do much good. I don’t rely on this at all, because why would I want to kill off the weaker 99% of bacteria and leave behind the very strongest?
I’m surprised that he’s not aware of The Humanure Handbook, which describes in detail safe long term strategies for dealing with human waste. The book is available for free in PDF at https://humanurehandbook.com/. I used a bucket for my commode the whole time I was traveling and found it easy & effective. I could not compost solid waste then, and now that I’m in an apartment also have no place for a composting bin, but a small bag of poop is much easier to deal with than mixed pee-poop. If I needed it, I’d try to scavenge a lidded trash container to use for poop, and paper can be used for the carbon material described in the handbook. I have access to enough paper to last a good long time. If you’re doing it right, there’s practically no odor.
I forgot to say, while I was traveling I peed straight into my bucket but pooped into a plastic (reused 🙂 bag to keep the pee & poop separated.
My main concerns involve protecting my wife and property from those who would do us harm and try to take our hard to acquire provisions. With little or no response from police forces, how high of a pile of bodies do I have to amass before the idiots get the point and leave us alone? Plus I dread the clean up afterward.
I have many concerns, but I’ll just touch on one of the biggest.
One of the largest problems we are facing here is security. For instance, If you live in a mobile home park and your nearest neighbors are 15-20 feet in either direction; you might have a security/privacy issue. There is very little if anything that could be done here to mitigate this worry in a WROL situation, but improvements have been made that compliment the effects of having law and order.
Example, keeping a full list of serial numbers and receipts for all major appliances, tools, and electronic devices at a separate location. We have changed the older door locks with more modern & improved ones, and utilized heavier doors and windows where possible.
We have also learned to communicate with our neighbors instead of being anti-social. This has lead to a somewhat un-official community watch, where we keep an eye out for each other and each others property.
And lastly, we as a household are not only becoming more physically fit and active, but I’m working with the wife and kids on basic firearms training & safety. Before too long, each family member will be armed. They will have their concealed carry permit and know what to do if our home is ever invaded.
I think that this is the best we can do with what we have. If we were to move out to an area with more land and a basement; things would be much, much different. We are working on that though.
My biggest concerns are fresh water and protein in a long term situation. If I had to bug out, I would not be assured that there will be enough fresh water in the well at my BO location as it has gone dry several years in a row.If I stay I have enough water for 2-3 weeks and am adding to that every chance that I get.
Since I live in Alaska, probably the most glaring concern here is a combination of (at least) two things. A) the lack of supplies being shipped in from the outside — as we are much like an island, dependent upon shipping from ‘the outside.’ And B), the state of lawlessness that might develop due to authorities being stretched too thin, staying home to care for their own, and the significant number of persons who currently live on the line between good/evil behaviors — who would take advantage of the situation.
Second, I am preparing a place out in the boonies that is remotely accessible with only one entrance/exit. There are a number of likeminded persons on this road(s) who (I believe) would band together to keep ourselves in check, and to keep unwanted and non-law abiding persons out.
Fortunately, we’re also near enough a small community (five miles +/-) of about 2,500 people who are very conservative and we could assist if outside forces attempt to overwhelm the community.
I hope this helps. Blessings,
Son of Liberty
I probably have the worst of all circumstances for a prepper. I live within the limits of a major city, yet on an island.
Water is the primary concern, closely followed by security. For water, 100gals of stored, with Berkey filters. Have a freash water creek less than a mile away. Working on a catchment system too.
Security is limited right now to hunting bow’s due to local laws, and seeking ways to fortify entry points.
I live on island all water is pumped in, salt water all around.
A large still for turning salt water into fresh is safe in my
garage! Long pork for food.
My main concern for long term right now is ignorance. The wife and I live in an apartment right now, so the plan is to gather my mother and siblings, and then head to my in-laws. The in-laws are the only ones with a sturdy house and fenced in yard. Problem is that the family is refusing to listen to logic when it comes to preparedness, i.e. no one wants to stock up water or buy water filters. We will make due, but I worry that the ignorance and stubborness of certain family members will make things way more difficult than they would be. I’m working on educating the family, but it’s frustrating when no one wants to plan further than “lock the doors, open a beer, and let it all blow over”.
My main concern is people who aren’t prepared trying to take away what I have prepared. My husband and I aren’t young anymore and I don’t want to see survival of the fittest over survival of the prepared. We don’t have firearms to protect ourselves.
I am most concerned with security. I live in a rural area where neighbors have trouble keeping an eye on each other. We all have FRS radios that we can use to communicate in the event of a didaster.
My concern for long term is getting to a secure bug out location, with sparse population it’s a long way between places of rest and security. Have to carry large amounts of supplies if transportation is disrupted.
My primary concern is the ability to heat our home. We live in the North Country. Considering a wood stove for the basement. Having 6 months of winter does however provide us ample refrigeration.
My main concern at this time would be water and security. People worry me more then anything else because in a panic they won’t care who they hurt or steal from.
My biggest concern is family members who do not think this could happen. Right collecting food is highest on my list via seeds and canning.
My long term concern is sustainable food and water security while living in an apartment. I move every 2-3 years, so familiarity with the area – including egress routes – is another key concern. To mitigate these concerns I’m doing the following:
1.) Sustainable food security. I’m developing my food stores slowly but surely with each trip to the store. Storage space is limited, so I spent the last couple of weeks rearranging and organizing my home. I also started a balcony garden to develop my gardening skills and supplement my fresh food resources. I’m in a subtropic environment, so the grow season is long. For sustainable water security, I’m exploring the area to find fresh water options. I plan to test the salinity of the water in the sound outside my house. I learned today at a survival skills course that water in the area goes from ocean, to brackish and to clean very quickly.
2.) Learning the area. I am studying maps of the local area and comparing favorable areas by visiting them in person. I’m also exploring new routes to and from work to find multiple options to help me get home if needed. I’ve enlisted the help of my parents to help me determine the best egress routes should I need to leave the coast.
my bigest concern is security. We live in town. We have several bug out locations and are in the process of building up supplies at each.
major concern…i live in a small town..there is a major highway that goes thru it…to the north is a slightly larger town but north of that is a major city…too many people could head south in times of a disaster…i am learning the back roads away from here to less populated areas…only lived here 12 years and started learning about prepping last year…
Medications for long term. Diabetics, asthmatics, those with heart or blood pressure issues will be high risk once supplies run dry. Even if stockpiling scripts it only last so long. Herbal remedies seem less potent but offer ongoing treatment.
My biggest concern is the fact that I am smack dab in the middle of an urban jungle. I don’t like in a New York City like setting, but certainly not in a rural area at all!! The only thing I can do(because Bugging Out is a LAST DITCH plan, when all else fails, Plan B) is plan and prepare to defend my home as well as I can. I have an entire wood shop in my basement/garage so I figure I can use my carpentry skills and tools to help fortify the place as much as possible with wood. Another huge concern is food. I live forty feet from a constant flowing creek, and about 5 miles from the Ohio and the Licking Rivers, as well as rain catching and filters I’ve made myself(that are already tried and true methods for me) so my water, in my mind, is not so much a worry as the food. I have planted a small garden behind my home within the perimeter of an 8′ tall privacy fence. That and a small start to a stockpile in my home. When it happens, it happens. No matter what, I’ll have something. Might just be a little, but it beats a sharp stick in the eye!!! 😉
Long term survival considering where I live: I currently live in a gated community in the Pocono mountains of Pennsylvania. My concern is long term garbage disposal and wildlife. My locality is known to have bears, and we actually have a few that roam the terrain for food.
They’ve torn open cars and garage doors for even the oldest scents of food.
This issue could also create tense issues between neighbors, who are all in close proximity.
Long term concerns: Having food and water for my family. I have been reading from several sources for what is needed and working up a plan that will fit my family, as well as, learning to garden.
Long term concern would depend on the type of disaster or emergency situation that happens. Some concerns that I think overlap are having enough water or a source of clean water, proper security and adequate shelter. Communicating or not being able to communicate with others may be a concern too.
There will always be some type of concerns but I do think no matter how much water we have we will wish we had more. That is why you look around and look ahead and prepare with water, filters, etc. For us we look up to God as well because no matter how well you think you prepare you still have to trust God.