To survive a true long term grid down scenario you need to look beyond stored food, water and guns. Do you have enough seed for several seasons, livestock, enough land that is already cleared and at least somewhat improved to raise crops on? A means to preserve the food you grow? Do you have spare boots and clothing and the means to repair and possibly produce your own? Medicinal herbs and the knowledge to use them? The list goes on and on.
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'Grid Down' Scenario: How Long Would You Last?
- Thread starter Loyalist
- Start date
The kind of long term sustainability you're talking about (mulit-year) is extremely difficult in the North East. Our weather pattern simply doesn't support a self-sustaining farm in the lot sizes generally available. But as you point out, if that is your ultimate goal, you need a lot more than stored supplies.
Personally, I'd love to have that available, but it's not in the budget right now.
In a grid down situtation, how long I could last would really depend on time of year. I have food and supplies to sustain me for a while, but in the winter it's heating fuel that's the limiting factor. I currently heat with Fuel Oil, and I generally only have 25-45 days on hand, depending on when the last refill was. Conservation will stretch that by allow the house to get cooler, but I'm likely still only looking at 60 days. Past that, I need to go supply hunting.
Oh, I would love to have 10-12 acres of mixed land (cultivated + woods) with water access and maybe a private pond that is close enough to civilization for comfortable living but secluded enough to remain mostly unnoticed if there is a total breakdown of services.
Add a mix of solar and wind to support power in "limp" mode without the grid, geo-thermal heat-up heating and cooling to minimize the energy needed to maintain comforable temperatures in the house. Two wells (one capped deep drilled and one open-top dug) for water options.
Propane oven/stove, emergency back-up generator. A fireplace and woodstove to have additional fuel options for heating & cooking.
Get some fruit trees growing, cultivate a personal garden able to sustain our family on its own plus a couple of horses for organic transportation.
I would LOVE to get all that set-up, unfortunately my finances don't quite support that yet. But it is the goal.
Add a mix of solar and wind to support power in "limp" mode without the grid, geo-thermal heat-up heating and cooling to minimize the energy needed to maintain comforable temperatures in the house. Two wells (one capped deep drilled and one open-top dug) for water options.
Propane oven/stove, emergency back-up generator. A fireplace and woodstove to have additional fuel options for heating & cooking.
Get some fruit trees growing, cultivate a personal garden able to sustain our family on its own plus a couple of horses for organic transportation.
I would LOVE to get all that set-up, unfortunately my finances don't quite support that yet. But it is the goal.
![[rofl]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/013.gif "ROFL [rofl]")
F
Finalygotabeltfed
Now thats funny![[laugh2]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/014.gif "Laugh at above [laugh2]")
Personally as of now for the 2 1/2 people in my house I don't think we have more than maybe 2 weeks provisions at any one time in the house. However as others have said I wouldn't want to solely rely on that. I would probably want some sort of foraging or hunting plan in place especially if the situation is going to be very long term. I have been trying to buy various non-electric dependant hand tools and also a new fishing rod and supplies. I figure things like that will definitely help in that kind of situation. I would like to start getting some water and maybe additional canned foods though to store in the basement for the potential that something bad did happen.
For just about everyone in the Northeast hunting is not a viable means of long term survival. Too many people with guns and too few large animals. THe smaller animals might last longer but not too much longer. Look at snaring and trapping instead of hunting as they hunt 24/7 until the game runs out. If you have a good place to forage chances are someone else knows aobut it too. And the key to using any wild forage, plant or animal is to not take too much. THe exception might be if you live on the coast. You might be able to forage then provided you can get out to the fish. I would be leary of any shellfish as once the power stops all the nasty crap going into the rivers will now be going in untreated.
2-4 weeks provisions is going to get you through almost anything that nature or man can throw at you. Most power is back within a week from a blizzard or ice storm for most of New England. You wont have enough food for the big one but it has been predicted for a very long time and it hasnt come true yet. But every year people lose power and still need to eat, drink and keep warm.
Look at Katrina, how many LE stuck around when everything went to poo? Besides, the government is great at slamming the barn door shut after the horses, cows, chickens, et al have already fled.
J
Jose
The fan will fling shit there too eventually. Where will you run to then?
P-14
NES Member
There's an awful lot of border in Maine. In a truly extreme situation, with a little patience you'll find your way across.
And the trip can be walked, my ancestors went from Boston to Nova Scotia via foot in 1762-63. Yes, it took about a year, but that was with a large group of all ages. They weren't necessarily well prepared for the trip, the opportunity to return to their homeland arose and they took it.
bfm
NES Member
Wish I could remember the name of the movie, but this man and woman were talking and telling personal secrets.
Woman "I was once trapped on a snow bound train in the Alps and had to eat another human being."
Man "My God, that's terrible! How long were you trapped?"
Woman "Oh, about 15 minutes."
Woman "I was once trapped on a snow bound train in the Alps and had to eat another human being."
Man "My God, that's terrible! How long were you trapped?"
Woman "Oh, about 15 minutes."
FrugalFannie
NES Member
Recently saw a special on EMP attack. Can't remember if it was on History or discovery channel. Very interesting. If there were an EMP or solar flare all communications as we know it would be down. Even those little emergency radios everyone has. Better to be able to build things "old school" like the professor did on season 1 of the Colony. After reading the article I am going to rethink my plans.
There's also a thing the sun does called Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) which will be like a nuke and EMP all in one.
That article seems to think that people are driven to prepare for the worst out of paranoia. I don't think that it's at all likely that I will even need my emergency food, water, or ammo, but I have it anyway. There are three factors that I consider for preparation.
How likely am I to need to utilize the preparation (stocks of ammo, food, water, etc)?
What would the consequences be if I needed it and didn't have it?
How much of a hassle is it to be prepared?
Everything that we're talking about (carrying a gun, storing food and water, storing ammo, etc) falls into the same set of answers to those questions. It's not likely that we'll need it, the consequences would be dire if we needed it and didn't have it, and it's not a hassle at all to be prepared. So why in the world wouldn't we do our best to be prepared, even if the even in question is unlikely? As the likelihood of needing it goes up (e.g. social turmoil) or the consequences of not having it go up (e.g. starting a family), the limit for how much of a hassle we're willing to tolerate goes up. It's all a formula. It has nothing to do with paranoia and everything to do with foresight and preparedness.
To answer the question, I wouldn't last long enough. I have food for a month, but not enough water to match that. I guess I should work on that.
How likely am I to need to utilize the preparation (stocks of ammo, food, water, etc)?
What would the consequences be if I needed it and didn't have it?
How much of a hassle is it to be prepared?
Everything that we're talking about (carrying a gun, storing food and water, storing ammo, etc) falls into the same set of answers to those questions. It's not likely that we'll need it, the consequences would be dire if we needed it and didn't have it, and it's not a hassle at all to be prepared. So why in the world wouldn't we do our best to be prepared, even if the even in question is unlikely? As the likelihood of needing it goes up (e.g. social turmoil) or the consequences of not having it go up (e.g. starting a family), the limit for how much of a hassle we're willing to tolerate goes up. It's all a formula. It has nothing to do with paranoia and everything to do with foresight and preparedness.
To answer the question, I wouldn't last long enough. I have food for a month, but not enough water to match that. I guess I should work on that.
cstockwell
NES Member
I don't think I would need home or auto insurance so why should I have it?!?!? I don't think I will ever need my ccw or need to use it so why should I have it?!?!? Better to have something for your family's safety than not if something ever does happen. Mother nature can be a bitch and too many Kim Jong-Il types in this world (mental illness can be a bitch too).
This is very true but there have been biggies in history that (if we had the tech we have now) would have brought the grid down with EMP.
cstockwell
NES Member
this
Who invited you guys to Maine?
I now know what my plan is. I am forming a small militia with some of my well armed friends and we will stake out the Southern border of Maine. You think the Tolls on the turnpike were high before. Wait till you get here for TEOTWAWKI.![[smile]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/001.gif "Smile [smile]")
Bring lots of beer and food. I got plenty of guns and ammo.
I now know what my plan is. I am forming a small militia with some of my well armed friends and we will stake out the Southern border of Maine. You think the Tolls on the turnpike were high before. Wait till you get here for TEOTWAWKI.
Bring lots of beer and food. I got plenty of guns and ammo.
Titan
Banned
Thanks for the link and I'll take a look, but I noticed...."The most chatters on line in one day ...41".
![[wink]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/002.gif "Wink [wink]")
