The Bug-Out Plan

By Tim Gamble 

(please Subscribe by Email, and find me on Twitter and on Gab)

Do you have a bug-out plan (BOP)? Not a bug-out bag (BOB) or even a bug-out location (BOL), but an actual plan encompassing all aspects of bugging-out, not just your BOB or BOL. Well, you need one.

A good bug-out plan must include:

• When to Bug-Out
• Where to Bug-Out
• How To Bug-Out (Getting There)
• The Bug-Out Vehicle
• The Vehicle Emergency Kit
• The Bug-Out Bag
• The Bug-Out Kit 
• What If Scenarios

Let's take a quick look at these various parts of a BOP:

When To Bug-Out? This is the most crucial part - knowing when to bug-out. Wait too long, and it could be too late to bug-out, possibly with fatal consequences. Think this through ahead of time. 

My opinion: The best advice for most people in most situations is to stay put if possible. Hunker down where you are, unless and until it becomes too dangerous to do so. The goal is to bug-out when things are obviously going bad, but haven't yet spiraled completely out-of-control. Use situational awareness, the OODA loop and rational thinking (don't be overly emotional) to analyze what is going on in your area. 

Where To Bug-Out? For many of us, this is the hardest part to figure out. It would be nice if we already had a mountain cabin on a few acres, but most of us don't. Here are some ideas for BOL if you don't have one: 

• A Relative's Place
• A Friend's Place
• National or State Parks
• For-Profit Campgrounds
• A Church Retreat
• Join an Existing Survival Group (very difficult)
• Create Your Own Survival Group (difficult)

Check out my earlier article, Bug-Out Locations For People Without Bug-Out Locations.

 

It is probably a very good idea to have a second BOL, some distance away and in a different direction, in case the route to your primary  BOL is blocked for some reason. Or in case it too has become as compromised or too dangerous. 

Consider prepositioning food and other supplies at each of your BOLs, if possible. 

How To Bug-Out? This is the getting there portion of of your BOP. Do you know how to get to your BOLs without using GPS or Google Maps? Do you know alternative routes, since major routes may be blocked? Practice driving all routes before you actually need to bug-out for real. Keep written directions, maps and a road atlas in your vehicle.

You should also learn the potential danger spots in your local area, and along the routes to your BOLs. Some areas are more likely than others to be dangerous. Examples include heavily urban areas and college campuses which will likely see looting or rioting early on. Bad neighborhoods, already dangerous high crime areas, will only be worse during a crisis. Busy intersections and other areas where traffic already snarls during normal rush hours, will likely be impassable during a major crisis. Road construction is another potential hot spot, as one or more lanes may be blocked by equipment and materials. 

Listening to local radio stations along your route, as well as police & emergency bands, may provide information on road closings, police barricades, and areas experiencing looting and rioting.

Caravanning with others in your group is a good idea, if possible. Discuss routes, alternatives, and other aspects of the drive well before bugging-out. Use two-way radios or CB radios to stay in touch with each other on the drive.

The Bug-Out Vehicle - Make sure your vehicles are in good shape, and fueled up. You're bug-out plans will fail if your vehicles break down, or if you run out of gas. Keep your oil and other fluids changed on a regular basis, and quickly make any necessary repairs. Make sure your brakes and tires, including spares, are in good shape.

The Vehicle Emergency Kit - Put together a small emergency kit for your vehicle. Include things to keep your vehicle running (extra oil, transmission fluid, jumper cables, battery starter with air compressor, fix-a-flat, etc.). Include a good flashlight or headlamp with extra batteries. If you can do basic auto repairs (a great skill to learn), keep some useful tools and spare parts in vehicle. Also include things you might need in an emergency (a first aid kit, a warm blanket, bottles of water, power bars or other food, etc.) Make sure you have a spare tire, jack, and lug wrench in your vehicle.

The Bug-Out Bag - What must people think of when they hear the words "bugging out", each member of your family should have a BOB. Include a change of clothes, some food, water, personal hygiene supplies, individual first aid kit, flashlight and extra batteries, emergency poncho, and whistle in each bag. Adults and teens should have additional items such as a knife, multi-tool, matches or lighters, duct tape (wrap it around an old credit card to save space,), outdoor survival gear, etc. In the bags of children, be sure to include written information such as name & age of the child, family contact info, and lists of any allergies, medications & health conditions, should the child become separated from the rest of the family. Also include a favorite toy, coloring books, crayons, and/or a few other distractions for the young kids. In your bag, be sure to include copies of insurance policies, deeds, birth certificates, vaccination records, medical records, bank numbers, passports, and other personal records (keep in a waterproof bag). You might also want to keep this information on a USB stick, perhaps carried on your key chain (encrypt the info if you are nervous you'll lose it). 

See my recent article, Building An Emergency Kit For Your Pet, for what you might include in your pet's BOB. 

The Bug-Out Kit - What are you going to take with you? Your BOB of course, but what if you have some time to load up your vehicle with stuff before setting out? Are you going to take all your canned goods? Extra clothes? Extra shoes/boots? How about extra cleaning, hygiene, and sanitation supplies? All your guns & ammo? What about tools? Fishing equipment? Family heirlooms? Granny's old photo album and Bible with all the family history in it? Useful reference books? 

Figure out ahead of time what you will take, how you will load it in the vehicle, and how long it will take you to load it. Then practice, practice, practice... 

What If Scenarios - What if you need to bug-out, and everyone isn't at home together? What if the kids are in school? What if your spouse is at work, out shopping, or simply elsewhere when the bad event happens? Do you know where/how to rendezvous if you can't bug-out together? Do you have a family communications plan? 

Consider that you may need to resupply along the way (caching items in secret spots along the way might be one way to accomplish this). What if you need to hunker down somewhere before you reach your BOL (maybe keep a small tent in your vehicle)?. Or maybe you'll be forced to abandon your vehicle, and have to complete your journey on foot (good shoes, backpacks, maybe even take up hiking as a hobby to get you and your family ready physically for a long walk to the BOL). Think through all the possible what if scenarios now.

Final Steps To Your Bug Out Plan

Is your BOP written down on paper? Have you discussed it with all the members of your household, and anyone else who might be involved? Have you practiced it? Have you made adjustments to it based on your practice? Until you take these final steps, you don't really have a plan. All you have are some notions in your head. Notions you will likely forget or overlook during the chaos and stress of an actual emergency. 

Obviously, a good bug-out plan is a lot more complicated and detailed than most folks realize. It is certainly a lot more than just a BOB and a BOL. Plan for the worst, hope for the best.

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Ad: Survivalist Family: Prepared Americans for a Strong America, by Pastor Joe Fox (aka Viking Preparedness), is a great guide to beginner and intermediate preparedness and survival for both short-term disasters and long-term emergencies. Highly recommended!!!  

A Look at the Best Selling Books on Dystopian Survival

By Tim Gamble

Please Subscribe by Email, and find me on Gab (@TimGamble) and Twitter (@TimGambleSpeaks) 

Ever wonder what other preppers and survivalists are reading? Wondering if you missed any interesting or useful books? Looking for new books to add to your survivalist bookshelf? Here is a quick look at the top 16 bestselling books through my Amazon affiliate links over the last three years:

1) Nuclear War Survival Skills (Amazon link) - This classic by Cresson H Kearny has been by far my bestseller over the last three years, with good reason. Most sold after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, then another spike during the China spy balloon incident. 

2) Mini Farming: Self-Sufficiency on 1/4 Acre (Amazon link) 

3) The Mini Farming Bible: The Complete Guide to Self-Sufficiency on ¼ Acre (Amazon link) 

4) ACEP First Aid Manual 5th Edition: The Step-by-Step Guide for Everyone (Amazon link)

5) The Survival Medicine Handbook: The Essential Guide for When Help is NOT on the Way (Amazon link) - By Dr. Joseph Alton, MD, and Nurse Amy Alton, APRN.

A three-way tie for #6:

6) Personal Emergency Communications: Staying in Touch Post-Disaster: Technology, Gear and Planning (Amazon link) - Do you have a family communications plan? 

SAS Survival Handbook, Third Edition: The Ultimate Guide to Surviving Anywhere (Amazon link) - absolutely choke full of wilderness and urban survival information. 

The Scriptures (Amazon link) - Modern literal translation of the Old and New Testaments, restores the names of God and other major figures (examples: Jesus = Yeshua, Moses = Mosheh). EXCELLENT translation, although the ancient names take some getting used to by modern ears. 

9) Survivalist Family Prepared Americans for a Strong America (Amazon link) - By Pastor Joe Fox, also known as Viking Preparedness

10) Herbal Medic: A Green Beret's Guide to Emergency Medical Preparedness and Natural First Aid (Amazon link)

A three-way tie for #11:

11) How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It: Tactics, Techniques, and Technologies for Uncertain Times (Amazon link) - By James Wesley Rawles

Get Prepared Now!: Why A Great Crisis Is Coming & How You Can Survive It (Amazon link)

Resistance Operating Concept (ROC) (Amazon link) - By Otto C. Fiala and the Joint Special Operations University Press 

A two-way tie for #14

14) The American Patriot's Bible NKJV (Amazon link) - Subtitled "The Word of God and the Shaping of America" 

Total Resistance (Amazon link) - Legendary work by the famed Swiss expert on guerrilla warfare, Major H. von Dach.

16) Encyclopedia of Country Living, 50th Anniversary Edition: The Original Manual for Living off the Land & Doing It Yourself (Amazon link) - The classic country skills book crammed full of useful information.

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NEW book this year, so it hasn't had time to make my bestseller list yet: 

Ad: David Kobler (aka SouthernPrepper1) has a new book, entitled Nuclear War Survival: A One Hour Crash Course - Learn the basics fast, just in case. It is a short book that is exactly what it says it is - a crash course covering the basics for nuclear war survival. And, yes, nuclear war is survivable, as long as you are not at ground zero. Only $7.99 for the paperback or just 99 cents for the kindle edition at Amazon. 

Building An Emergency Kit For Your Pet

By Tim Gamble

Please Subscribe by Email, and find me on Gab (@TimGamble) and Twitter (@TimGambleSpeaks) 

Here are some ideas of what to include in your pets' bug out bag or emergency kit:

• Food and water bowls (there are collapsible/foldable ones that don't take up much room)
• Food and water (cans of food are heavy and bulky, consider dry instead)
• Leashes and harnesses (your pets will likely be excited, nervous, and/or scared, so you will need to be able to maintain control of them)
• Treats are a good idea to help keep your pets calm
• Poop Bags to collect their waste
• Medical Records, including proof of rabies vaccinations, and your veterinarian's name & phone number (keep paper records in a water-proof bag)
• Medications your pet may be on. 
• Favorite Toy or Chew Bone (helps to keep them calm)
• First Aid Kit for Pets (several are available on Amazon) 
• First Aid For Pets Handbook (several are available on Amazon)

A Few Other Considerations:

• Pets should wear their ID tags and collars/harness at all times 
• Have a current photo of your pets with you
• If practical, a portable kennel carrier for each pet might be useful
• If practical, bringing their beds may help keep them calm (familiar sight and smell)
• Sturdy paper towels or cloth towels will help clean up their messes

!! Remember: Emergency shelters and FEMA camps will most likely not accept pets. Plan on alternative bug-out locations (see my article Bug-Out Locations For People Without Bug-Out Locations). 

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Ad: The First-Aid Companion for Dogs & Cats (Prevention Pets) - Includes information such as:

* Basic first-aid techniques, such as cleaning a wound, making a splint, and performing CPR on your pet-- step-by-step!

* Treating bites from other animals, snakebites, gunshot wounds, heatstroke, etc.

* Which over-the-counter human medications can help-- or harm-- your dog or cat

* What to keep in your pet's medicine chest (many essential items are probably in your house already!)

* How to quickly pinpoint what's wrong with your pet, using the First-Aid Symptom Finder

Confidence Comes From Competence

By Tim Gamble

Please Subscribe by Email, and find me on Gab (@TimGamble) and Twitter (@TimGambleSpeaks) 

Thought of the Day: Confidence Comes From Competence

It happens all the time. People not doing what they want to do, or even worse, not doing what they know they should do, because they simply lack confidence. When it comes to the prepper and survivalist world, this lack of confidence may surface in various ways:

• The man who knows it would be safer for his family to move out of their mega city to a small town, but he doesn't because he doubts he can find a good job there.
• The woman who wants to quit her job to homeschool her children full time, but she doesn't because "what if I'm not a good teacher" or "what if we can't make it on just my husbands salary/"
• The couple who know they should get rid of their credit cards and pay off their debt, but worry that they may "need" their credit cards in a future emergency.
• The man who wants to learn to do his own car maintenance and repairs, but worries he will "screw it up" somehow.
• The woman who wants to learn canning, but is worried that she'll make her family sick if she makes a mistake, so she doesn't even try.
• The couple who want to become homesteaders, who don't because "we just don't know where to start."

I've heard all these excuses and more, many times over in my 20+ years in the prepper community. All these excuses come down to a simple lack of confidence. What if I can't? What if I screw up? What if I fail? 

The cure for any lack of confidence is competence. Competence comes from knowledge combined with experience. The more you learn, and especially the more you do, the more competence you will develop. The more competence you develop, the more confidence you will gain. Learn and do, and your confidence will soar.

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Ad: David Kobler (aka SouthernPrepper1) has a new book, entitled Nuclear War Survival: A One Hour Crash Course - Learn the basics fast, just in case. It is a short book that is exactly what it says it is - a crash course covering the basics for nuclear war survival. And, yes, nuclear war is survivable, as long as you are not at ground zero. Only $7.99 for the paperback or just 99 cents for the kindle edition at Amazon. 

Beware the Thucydides Trap (and the coming war with China)

By Tim Gamble

Please Subscribe by Email, and find me on Gab (@TimGamble) and Twitter (@TimGambleSpeaks) 

I've written on this topic a few times over the past 5 years+, but in light of current news and events, I wanted to tackle it again for the benefit of my new readers. We are already in a cold war with China, and there is a coming hot war with China. It is happening, and it is inevitable. No amount of denial will change this fact.

Who says? China's President Xi Jinping. The Chinese military. Various Chinese politicians. The US military. Most recently US Air Force four star General Mike Minihan. Various foreign policy experts. Geopolitical analysts. Even historians and scholars.*

In fact, most everyone except for Ice Cream Grandpa Joe Biden, who is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the CCP. 

*The Thucydides Trap

According to many historians and scholars, a hot war with China is inevitable as a natural function of history, due to a concept called the Thucydides Trap.

The Thucydides Trap isn't some conspiracy theory twaddle, but is a well-studied historical concept heavily discussed in academic and diplomatic circles. Very simply, the Thucydides Trap states that when a rising great power (China, in this instance) threatens to displace an existing great power (the USA), war that will likely lead to the destruction of one of the great powers is almost always inevitable.

The concept is articulated by Harvard University professor Graham Allison, based on a quote from the ancient Greek historian (and military general) Thucydides.

Thucydides stated that the Peloponnesian war, between Athens (the rising power) and Sparta (the existing dominant power), had been inevitable because of the resulting structural stress on the established order. Dr. Allison's research, published through Harvard's Belfor Center For Science and International Affairs, has identified sixteen cases over the last 500 years in which a major new power arose as a rival to an already existing dominant ruling power. Twelve of these sixteen rivalries (75%) resulted in a major war in which one of the two powers was destroyed. (See Dr. Allison's book, Destined for War: Can America and China Escape Thucydides's Trap?, for more information.)

Available on Amazon

Although some criticism of this theory exists in academic circles, the case laid out by Dr. Allison is compelling. And it certainly has gotten the attention of politicians, diplomats, and military leaders in the US and China, even at the highest levels. Even China's President Xi Jinping has publicly used the term on a number of occasions.  

The Chinese are very aware of the Thucydides Trap,, and are making policy based on it. It is the basis of their ongoing massive military build-up, as well as their interest in North Korea (the Chinese have always assisted North Korea with their nuclear and missile programs). It is also part of the reasoning behind their aggressiveness in the South China Sea (control over vital trade routes), their claims over several islands owned by Japan (Senkaku and Diaoyu), and their "Belt and Roads" push into South America and Africa (the later which includes a fast growing military presence), in order to obtain various resources. And we haven't even mentioned Taiwan yet. Chinese leaders, including Xi Jinping himself, have stated numerous times their intention to take Taiwan by military force.

The Cold War with China 

Though most Western politicians, business leaders, and even common folks have denied it, China has been successfully waging a Cold War against the USA and the West for decades now. 

Brig. Gen. Robert Spalding (USAF Ret.) has stated "The United States is in the midst of a 21st century cold war with China... The very system of globalization has been used by the Chinese Communist Party to advance its agenda. By slowly taking over the world’s trading system and monopolizing manufacturing, they have turned global supply chains into a national security liability."

For details on China's Cold War against America, and how they are winning, please read Spalding's books, Stealth War: How China Took Over While America's Elite Slept, and War Without Rules: China's Playbook for Global Domination, in which he exposes the decades long effort by China to successfully wage a six-front war on America's economy, military, diplomacy, technology, education, and infrastructure. 

Available on Amazon

When will the Hot War with China happen? 

An honest answer: I don't know. What I do know is that China is preparing for a hot war with the United States, whether we want to admit it or not. I assume they are waiting for the right moment to strike, a moment when they feel ready and believe the USA is at its weakest. General Mike Minihan says it will happen by 2025. Others give similar predictions. I think 2024 sounds good from a Chinese perspective - with the US in the middle of another chaotic presidential election, and having given us another year to drain our military stockpiles against Russia in Ukraine. Only time will tell for sure. 

Prepare for the coming war with China

Few of us are in a position to stop things on a national or international level. We can pray. Vote for the few politicians who are anti-CCP and pro-America. Buy less stuff made in China. But I don't believe we can stop the coming war from happening. 

As individuals, families, and communities, we can do some things to prepare for the inevitable coming war. We still have some time. Build self-reliance and resilience (keep working your preparedness plans). Expect the supply chain to be completely destroyed, so think about building your local supply chain, growing your own food, etc.

Any war with China could easily go nuclear, so move out of obvious nuclear targets, such as mega cities, strategically important (command and control) areas, and away from important military bases. 

Read my recent article, What If...? Nuclear War Preparations, for ideas on preparing for nuclear war. 

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Ad: David Kobler (aka SouthernPrepper1) has a new book, entitled Nuclear War Survival: A One Hour Crash Course - Learn the basics fast, just in case. It is a short book that is exactly what it says it is - a crash course covering the basics for nuclear war survival. And, yes, nuclear war is survivable, as long as you are not at ground zero. Only $7.99 for the paperback or just 99 cents for the kindle edition at Amazon. 

A Quick and Easy Outline of Preparedness

By Tim Gamble

Please Subscribe by Email, and find me on Gab (@TimGamble) and Twitter (@TimGambleSpeaks) 

This article is a quick and easy outline to what I consider beginner level preparedness. This is the level most people think of when they here the word "prepper." This level works well for many short-term disasters, but may leave a lot to be desired for longer-term emergencies. Sadly, most folks are not prepared even at the beginner level. Do these things, and I believe you will be more prepared than 90% of other folks. 

1) Food, Water, Supplies - Stock up on food, water, cleaning & hygiene supplies, first aid supplies, medicine & medical supplies, batteries for your flashlights & radios, etc. Don't forget any special needs your family may have, such as diapers & baby formula. 

A good goal for beginner level preparedness is three months worth of stuff. You can then build your storehouse from there as you move into intermediate and advanced preparedness. ProTip: Don't be discouraged by the sheer amount of stuff to stockpile. Work in concentric circles. Get a week's worth, then two week's worth, then a month's worth, and so forth.

1A) Gardening - Now is the time to take up gardening, even if you start out with only a few tomato and pepper plants. Gardening is something you have to learn to do through experience. 

2) Home and Personal Security - Learn about situational awareness and the OODA loop (link to my article), which is where security starts. Consider security upgrades to your home, such as heavier security doors, dead bolt locks, motion activated outdoor lights, getting a dog, etc. Every member of your family should take a good self-defense course. Buy a gun and learn how to use it. Stock up on ammo.

ProTip: Think about how your behaviors can enhance or hurt your personal security. Avoid bad neighborhoods and high crime areas. Avoid large crowds whenever possible. Park in well-light, highly visible spaces. Shop in groups. Let others know where you are going and when to expect you back. 

3) Vehicles - You may need to evacuate (bug out) at some point. Make sure your vehicles are maintained in good running condition, including tires. Make sure you have a good spare tire in your vehicle and the jack & tools needed to change a flat. Every driver needs to know how to change a flat tire. Keep the fuel tank topped off. Safely stock up on fuel to the extent you can. I also recommend you have a good first aid kit in each vehicle. ProTip: Money is tight and car maintenance adds up. But it is a lot cheaper to maintain your car in the first place, then it is to repair it after its broken down. 

4) Bug Out Plans - Do you know where you would go if you suddenly had to evacuate your home for a few days or longer. Maybe there is a nearby chemical spill or an approaching wildfire. Figure out now where you would go, how you would get there, and what you would take. Pack bags now for each family member, as you may not have time to calmly pack during the emergency. These are known as bug out bags. ProTip: Have maps and written directions, instead of relying on GPS or Google maps, which may not be working during an emergency. 

5) Family Communications Plan - More than just an address book or contact list with phone numbers, a communications plan let's everyone know how and when to get in touch with each other, and what to do if they cannot.  ProTip: An often overlooked area of preparedness, good communications is essential in an emergency. For a much more detailed look, please read my article Do you have a Family Communications Plan?.

6) No Electricity? - You may have no electricity for a period of time. Having alternative ways to cook (gas, propane, or charcoal grill, wood stove), stay warm (fireplace & firewood, heavy blankets, warm clothes), or light your home (flashlights, headlamps, oil lamps, candles) is a good idea. 

7) Personal Finance - Set up an emergency fund (savings account). Keep some cash at home in a safe, well hidden space. Get on a budget. Pay off debt. Collect important papers (deeds, titles, insurance information, birth certificates, etc.) together in a safe, fireproof place so you can get your hands on them quickly if needed.

8) Training - Practice your bug out plans. Practice what to do in case of a fire, especially if you have young children. Everyone in your family should take a good self-defense course (you can find age appropriate courses). Everyone should learn first aid. If there are firearms in the house, everyone should take a gun safety course (age appropriate ones are available). Teach your children to respect guns, not fear them. 

9) Your Body - Begin working on your health and fitness now. Eat healthy. Get plenty of exercise. Stop smoking and abusing drugs or alcohol. Take care of any medical, dental, or vision issues you may have, as soon as possible.  

10) Consider Your Location - I know this suggestion upsets many people, and even makes a few folks downright angry, so consider this only as a possible bonus step. If you are living in a major population area, consider moving to a safer small town or rural area. Preferably one not under woke liberal control. 

ProTip: I assure you there are jobs in small towns and rural areas. I assure you there are doctors, even specialists, in or near small towns and rural areas (and they went to the same medical schools and passed the same licensing exams your Big City doctors did). 

Feeling overwhelmed by this list? You might need to do the most basic stuff first. Please check out my recent article Preparedness - A Quick Start Guide for basic level preparedness.

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Ad: Survivalist Family: Prepared Americans for a Strong America, by Pastor Joe Fox (aka Viking Preparedness), is a great guide to beginner and intermediate preparedness and survival for both short-term disasters and long-term emergencies. Highly recommended!!!  

Good News and Motivation

By Tim Gamble 

(please Subscribe by Email, and find me on Twitter and on Gab)

First, the good news: The entire banking system didn't collapse this week, the stock market wasn't completely wiped out, and the financial system, such as it is, remains intact (at least for now). The world didn't end or even become a Mad Max version of itself (at least not yet). 

Second, the even better news: We have time to prepare for things to get worse. And they will get worse. As I said in Monday's article in which I urged folks not to panic, use this current situation as motivation to really get started in earnest to prepare for any future chaos that may (will) come our way.

Watching this current crisis unfold, we learned that our leaders, in both government and the corporate world, are corrupt, dishonest, and surprisingly incompetent. Don't expect them to be able to hold everything together for much longer, even if they want to (which they probably don't). 

I don't know how much longer it will be before we do face a total collapse at some point. It may be weeks, months, or even a few years. Or, it may be never. Instead, we may see a slow decline into a dystopian totalitarian nightmare that will last for generations. Actually, that last one seems like where we're actually headed. 

Use whatever time we have left to prepare for the worst. Be thankful that we do have some time left. Please, whatever you do, make the best use of that time. 

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Ad: Survivalist Family: Prepared Americans for a Strong America, by Pastor Joe Fox (aka Viking Preparedness), is a great guide to beginner and intermediate preparedness and survival for both short-term disasters and long-term emergencies. Highly recommended!!!  

Banking Crisis? Don't Panic!

By Tim Gamble 

(please Subscribe by Email, and find me on Twitter and on Gab)

By now everyone should know about the collapse and takeover of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) and Signature Bank of New York, as well as problems with several other banks. News outlets, as well as prepper and homesteading outlets, have been breathlessly screaming about this "banking crisis" for days now. I'm going to take a different tack to this situation: Don't Panic! Here are two reasons why you shouldn't.

Banks Fail All The Time

Did you know that since 2001, over 550 banks have failed in the United States? That is not a typo. Over 550. Somehow, we have survived. It is true that most of them were smaller than SVB and Signature Bank. But there have been a few bigger banks that have failed. And we survived. This is not the end of the world, or even the end of the US banking system. Those claiming otherwise are either getting caught up in the hype, or actually trying to create the hype themselves to boost their viewership. Negative headlines get attention. 

You Are Already Doing The Things

You are already doing the things you need to do to survive any economic problems, including a full-blown collapse if and when that ever happens. As preppers, survivalists, and homesteaders, you have been taking the steps you need to take to survive financial problems. Trust in your preparations. Readers of Dystopian Survival especially are ready, because I have been harping on financial preparedness for years. I've published many articles on personal money management, and made many recommendations, including:

• Living within your means
• Reducing your expenses
• Having a budget
• Avoiding debt
• Getting out of debt if you have any
• Monitoring the health of your bank and other financial institutions
• Having an emergency fund
• Having cash on hand, in a safe & hidden place
• Having junk silver, or other means of barter
• Stocking up on food and other supplies to ride out a crisis

If you have been following my recommendations, you are ready to ride out any financial disruptions that may occur. If a full-blown financial collapse occurs, and I don't think the current problems will trigger a full collapse, it won't be easy for anyone, but you will be more prepared for it than 95% of other folks. So, there is no need to panic. 

What If I Actually Haven't Prepared?

Some folks may have only recently discovered Dystopian Survival, so you haven't had time to put my recommendations into place yet. I am also aware that preparedness for many is little more than a hobby, and although you have been reading about it for years, you haven't done a lot to actually prepare, beyond buying a few neat pieces of gear and maybe a little extra food. You certainly haven't done much by way of financial preparedness since it is so boring and requires some degree of discipline and self sacrifice. That's actually okay. Use this current situation as motivation to really get started in earnest on all your preparedness, especially your financial preparedness.  

Be motivated to do the things you need to do, from this moment onward. What things? Well, earlier in this very article, I gave a brief list of my recommendations. Start there. Need more details? I have lots and lots of articles on money management and financial preparedness throughout this website. Take, for example, this article: The NEW Financial Tips for Preppers and Survivalists. Or this article: Financial Preparedness: Back to the Basics. Or this article: Foundational Advice: Eliminate Debt and Build Savings. Or this article: Prepper's Guide to Junk Silver. Or look through the archives section of this website for other articles that may interest you. 

A Final Word

Many folks are talking about this being a planned collapse by the WEF and global elites. It isn't. There are several things about the timing, sequence of events, and response to these bank failures that would be different if it was part of the planned collapse (the Great Reset). This tells me that this is a true Black Swan event, not a preplanned False Flag event. Still, use this situation as reason and motivation to prepare for a real preplanned collapse, which is almost certainly coming at some point, in my opinion. 

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Ad: Survivalist Family: Prepared Americans for a Strong America, by Pastor Joe Fox (aka Viking Preparedness), is a great guide to beginner and intermediate preparedness and survival for both short-term disasters and long-term emergencies. Highly recommended!!!  

5 Levels of Preparedness

By Tim Gamble

There are five levels of preparedness. We can be on any level, or working on several levels at the same time. But as I see it, we should always be working to increase our level of preparedness. And, no, we will never be totally prepared. And that's okay, as long as we keep doing the things we need to do. Think "constant improvement."

1) Basic - This is the most basic level of preparedness that everyone should strive for, prepper or not. This is the commonsense life stuff everyone should do, such as having a spare tire and knowing how change it, having few hundred dollars in savings "just in case," not letting the gas tank hit E before filling it up, having some basic first aid supplies, having several days worth of food and water in the pantry, having a flashlight and battery-powered radio in case the electricity goes out, making sure the smoke detector works, having a fire extinguisher in the kitchen... Sadly, I doubt that half of the people are actually prepared to even this most basic level. 

2) Beginner - This is the level most people think of when they here the word "prepper." Stockpiling a month or more worth of food and water, as well as other supplies. Having a robust first aid kit and knowing how to use it (which may even mean taking a course). Having a month's worth of expenses in a savings account, and a few hundred bucks hidden at home for when the ATMs are down. Maybe doing some gardening. Maybe even actually working on our health and fitness. At this level, many folks will start to think about possibly having to bug-out one day. They may even pack a bug-out bag and decide on a possible destination (Grandma's house? Cousin Eddie's farm? Uncle Frank's fishing cabin? A park campground?). This level works well for many short-term disasters, but may leave a lot to be desired for longer-term emergencies. 

       Article: Preparedness - A Quick Start Guide

       Article: A quick, no frills, down & dirty guide to preparing for the End

3) Intermediate - Now we get serious about preparedness and survival for both short-term disasters and long-term emergencies. Recognizing the possibility (probability) of longer-term problems, preparations at this level include expanding our stockpile of food and other supplies to last six-months or more. Developing the ability to collect and treat water. Expanding the garden. Maybe start keeping chickens, if we can. Increasing our emergency savings. Maybe adding some junk silver, just in case. We realize that in many potential scenarios, we will be responsible for our own security. Guns & ammo, training, and "hardening" our homes against bad guys become more important. Similarly, we also realize we may need to become responsible for our own medical needs, increasing our first aid and medical supplies, taking courses, maybe getting into herbal medicine. We also begin to recognize the need for other folks (MAGs, community) for our survival and start taking our first tentative steps in this direction. 

       Article: Intermediate Prepping - Your next steps after covering the basics.

4) Advanced - Advanced preparedness is about building alternative systems. At this level, we realize that no matter how much we store, we will need to eventually replace what we use up. We also realize that to truly protect ourselves and our loved ones, we need to get out of the worldly system as much as possible - to be independent from the world's agricultural, healthcare, financial, educational, entertainment, and other systems. For many, this may mean moving to a better location, homesteading, homeschooling, getting out of debt, self-employment, encouraging local agriculture, and building communities of like-minded folks. It may mean leaving progressive, liberal churches in favor of home churches or other groups of serious followers of our Creator and Messiah. It means becoming as self-reliant as possible as individuals, families, and communities. 

       Article: Dr. Robert W. Malone On The Need To Build Alternative Systems 

       Article: Get Out of Babylon, Now! Here's How...

5) Resistance - The Resistance level is not actually about protecting ourselves. Instead, it is about protecting the future of our children and grandchildren by fighting back against those who want to fundamentally change our world, permanently creating a tiny overclass of privileged elites, with a tightly-controlled underclass of state-owned slaves (us) that has no real power, freedom, or economic opportunity. Sadly, we are well on the way to this new reality. 

       Article: Ways to Resist the Global Elites 

What level are you on? What level do you want to achieve? What are you doing to increase your level of preparedness? 

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AD:  Total Resistance - The classic study on resistance & underground operations, by Swiss Major H. von Dach. Recommended by Pastor Joe Fox (aka Viking Preparedness). 

AD:  Resistance Operating Concept (ROC) - Another great resource for resistance & underground operations. Recommended by both Pastor Joe Fox (aka Viking Preparedness) and Bear of Bear Independent. 

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