Journal Stargoat's Journal: World War Z - update 8
So I've been reading World War Z, and it got me to thinking. I'm an Eagle Scout. Would I be prepared for a crisis like in the book. I am forced to answer no. Sure, I have a few good knives around the house or at the safety deposit box, good sleeping bags, cheap air masks, and outdoor wear. But portable food? Water purification devices? Firearms? Trading supplies?
So, what would I want to have about the house or condo in this event? Nothing outrageously expensive or unusable. Let's assume a relatively healthy family of four. Husband, 180 pounds, Wife 130 pounds, Boy Child 75 pounds @ 10 years old, Girl Child 65 pounds @ 9 years old.
1. 4 bicycles of appropriate size
2. 3 good frame packs
3. 4 sleeping bags, good to -20 degrees
4. 1 portable water filtration
5. 6 firearms, 22 caliber revolver pistols (for use as trading, also revolvers are easier to maintain and not screw up firing)
6. 600 rounds, 22 caliber LR (for use as trading)
7. 80 MREs or similar freeze-dried food and
8. 8 water bottles, 1 liters
9. 2 water jugs, 8 liters
10. 4 dog training whistles
11. 400' nylon rope
12. 4 rolls duct tape
13. 6 packs of air filter masks
14. 2 small plastic holders of strike anywhere matches
15. 1 collapsible saw (hatchets are a bad idea)
16. 200 water resistant strike-anywhere matches
17. 4 short pieces of camping foam
18. 1 Ruyi Jingu Bang, preferably with 1 Sun Wukung
19. 2 3 man tents
20. 2 flashlights, crank powered (preferably w/ built in radios)
21. batteries, many
22. 1 flatbar
23. Plastic food baggies, multiple sizes
24. Comfortable and broken-in-boots for all family members. (Blisters suck)
25. 4 thermal blankets
26. 2 large durable plastic sheets, preferably at least one with eyelets
27. 2 pistol holsters
28. 1 large bottle of tobasco
29. 2 hunting knives
30. 1 hammer
31. 2 pound 16 penny nails
32. >10 1/10 ounce Krugerrands
33. 1 power generator (transfer switch unnecessary, just turn off the main breaker to your house and plug it in)
34. 20 liters petrol (most of the time, you should be able to get at least a little in the event of a regional disaster)
35. 2 empty 20 liter petrol cans
36. hurricane shutters on your house
37. 2 15 amp 30' extension cords
38. 50 pounds charcoal
39. 1 charcoal brazier
40. 1 charcoal grill
41. 2 bottles lighter fluid
42. 2 travelsize first aid kits
43. 4 rolls toilette paper, centers removed, packed in plastic baggies
44. Learn to poop while squatting (also useful for traveling to Afghanistan, southern France, and China
45. 2 portable travel game, such as Snakes and Ladders
46. 1 extensive first aid kit for home use
47. 4 appropriately sized rain gear suits (being wet sucks)
48. 2 tubes of plastic caulk
I'll need to put some more in later
So, what would I want to have about the house or condo in this event? Nothing outrageously expensive or unusable. Let's assume a relatively healthy family of four. Husband, 180 pounds, Wife 130 pounds, Boy Child 75 pounds @ 10 years old, Girl Child 65 pounds @ 9 years old.
1. 4 bicycles of appropriate size
2. 3 good frame packs
3. 4 sleeping bags, good to -20 degrees
4. 1 portable water filtration
5. 6 firearms, 22 caliber revolver pistols (for use as trading, also revolvers are easier to maintain and not screw up firing)
6. 600 rounds, 22 caliber LR (for use as trading)
7. 80 MREs or similar freeze-dried food and
8. 8 water bottles, 1 liters
9. 2 water jugs, 8 liters
10. 4 dog training whistles
11. 400' nylon rope
12. 4 rolls duct tape
13. 6 packs of air filter masks
14. 2 small plastic holders of strike anywhere matches
15. 1 collapsible saw (hatchets are a bad idea)
16. 200 water resistant strike-anywhere matches
17. 4 short pieces of camping foam
18. 1 Ruyi Jingu Bang, preferably with 1 Sun Wukung
19. 2 3 man tents
20. 2 flashlights, crank powered (preferably w/ built in radios)
21. batteries, many
22. 1 flatbar
23. Plastic food baggies, multiple sizes
24. Comfortable and broken-in-boots for all family members. (Blisters suck)
25. 4 thermal blankets
26. 2 large durable plastic sheets, preferably at least one with eyelets
27. 2 pistol holsters
28. 1 large bottle of tobasco
29. 2 hunting knives
30. 1 hammer
31. 2 pound 16 penny nails
32. >10 1/10 ounce Krugerrands
33. 1 power generator (transfer switch unnecessary, just turn off the main breaker to your house and plug it in)
34. 20 liters petrol (most of the time, you should be able to get at least a little in the event of a regional disaster)
35. 2 empty 20 liter petrol cans
36. hurricane shutters on your house
37. 2 15 amp 30' extension cords
38. 50 pounds charcoal
39. 1 charcoal brazier
40. 1 charcoal grill
41. 2 bottles lighter fluid
42. 2 travelsize first aid kits
43. 4 rolls toilette paper, centers removed, packed in plastic baggies
44. Learn to poop while squatting (also useful for traveling to Afghanistan, southern France, and China
45. 2 portable travel game, such as Snakes and Ladders
46. 1 extensive first aid kit for home use
47. 4 appropriately sized rain gear suits (being wet sucks)
48. 2 tubes of plastic caulk
I'll need to put some more in later
Heh (Score:1)
And you want a magic weapon preferably with the mythological figure to go with it?
Why dog whistles?
Tobasco? Do you just like hot sauce or is there some other purpose?
What's camping foam?
What about a couple of those bicycle trailers I've seen?
Some things I'd want (in addition to your list) and it would change depending on whether you're going for seige or travel
Crowbar
Crossbow
Machete
Either my mini=14, semi auto AK, or my mauser bolt-action
Bayonet for long arm if appr
Re: (Score:2)
Most people with hatchets tend to be stupid. Fingers and toes lost. In a bad place, there's no doctors. Gangrene sets in. People die.
And you want a magic weapon preferably with the mythological figure to go with it?
Sun Wukong got the monk to the west. He's very mighty. If I can get Sun Wukong, I'm set. He could beat up Superman.
Why dog whistles?
Dog training whistle. To locate kids if necessary, or to make myself easily found.
Tobasco? Do you just lik
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:1)
And the tobasco to keep eating fatigue at bay is important. Most of the medium to long term survival books indicate that luxury foods are pretty important to fight eating fatigue.
Re: (Score:2)
The MREs are actually not that bad, with 80 there would be at least 6 different meals. And I would imagine, depending on exactly what happens, there would be canned foods available, and probably fresh as well. 1200 calories in an MRE though means that 80 would last for less than two weeks for a family of four. Not good o
Re: (Score:2)
Most people with hatchets tend to be stupid. Fingers and toes lost. In a bad place, there's no doctors. Gangrene sets in. People die.
If you live in the northern part of the continent, Hatchets are more important than a good knife. A good hatchet can be used as a knife, it can also be used to chop boughs for shelter and fire wood. Collapsible saws are generally crap. They can't be sharpened on rocks, like a hatchet, and tend to fall apart.
One must treat a hatchet
Re: (Score:2)
Boots (Score:2)
Get freezer boots. They tend to be insulated to hell, which makes them great for cold and hot temps (tested this myself), and they usually come with steel toe, heel and shank. The sole is grippy as it has to contend with icy conditions.
Best part is, because of all the padding, they're the only kind of boots I've ever worn that didn't need breaking in.
And then of course, they also tend to be insanely waterproof, usually at least to halfway up the bo