National Geographic: Doomsday Preppers!

[Matt In Oklahoma]

Think I found it

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMPepJpadbo

it looks like there are at least 3 parts

[protus]

ugg was that a kifaru pack i saw....

i saw some closemindedness from some of those when the "expert" didnt say " WOW guys your the best...you win." or agree with their set ups

but its TV who's to say.....

i love all the nice neat stacked unused gear and stuff in some of the scenes....

[Matt In Oklahoma]

THOUGHTS, QUESTIONS AND RAMBLINGS:

First off, I loved the show! I am happy to see what some are doing, however I would worry about OPSEC, cause everyone around them now knows everything. I applaud their efforts and approach to problems we all face.

Isn’t TP biodegradable?

How are candles gonna store PAW with the heat?

Having a BOB and no plan and not being in shape and not having your family in shape = disaster.

Having a bunch of stuff and little to no skills is not good.

I need to get busy! I’m way behind! OMG wait NO, I’m doing what I can at my pace.

If the soccer mom and pool guy live in the same place why don’t they hook up and join forces?

OPSEC but I have a semi come to my house in the middle of the night rather than when everyone else has their “furniture” delivered.

I saw a lot of new items, hopefully they have been used and practiced with and those are just the new ones in packages.

Where do you park the cars and how do you erase the road that ends at your bunker, in the middle of nowhere, so it is not detected?

My commo stinks, but I’m still in a position where I dunno who I’m gonna talk to anyway.

90 mile or so away from your nuke shelter so when the EMP hits and knocks out the cars hmm. Thats a long way to boogie in radiation.

Seemed like medical skills were somewhat ignored other than having a kit, bloodclot and some supplies on the shelf or maybe it was just skipped on tv editing, I dunno.

Dang, i'm to broke for this, so no tv episode for the redneck but I still feel like i'm on the right track, really need to find some more force multipliers in people though.

[Bill Spies]

Holy smokes! The guy with the poll/greenhouse has EXACTLY what I could have. I moved in with my father at his house which has an inground pool. I think that this pool will not be a pool in the not too distnt future and he has the same idea I had. Although I envisioned it a bit differently, he has cleared up many ideas. Thanks for posting that as it has solved and answered many of my questions!

[Lowdown3]

Alright, I'll try not to be too critical..... Most everyone has covered that stuff for me pretty well ;)

I have to watch these on youtube as we don't have regular TV service. At THIS point in time I only saw the first segment with the computer nerd with the aquaponics.

Obviously- location, location location. Just like real estate or putting in a McDonalds only you rarely can lose your life over a real estate deal....

Saw no weapons or ANY thought given to defense. Mass produced houses in a mass produced subdivision negates the chances of it being defensible in all likelihood.

Food setup was nice. Other than rainwater, where did their water come from?

The problem I see it with the food setup is not what he doing but what will circulate around the net for a while now... Just like when every knucklehead thought building a "wood gassifier" out of trash would power all their needs after watching the idjits on "The Colony" build one, you can expect people to stop showing interest in learning to garden (equals hard work) and think that their old swimming pool is going to be a garden of eatin for them.

Again, I've only fully watched the first section-

Also, on the computer nerd family. They kept throwing out "Coronal Mass Ejection" yet they had protective suits? This for the nearby NUCLEAR POWER PLANT (what did I say about location???LOL) ? Or did I miss something in the info about CME?

I had to laugh after seeing all the $$$ they put into the nice setup at an awful location when I saw the kids getting into the bargain basement 1960's Russian gas masks... Israeli kids masks would have only set them back $10-20. more bucks and would have offered much better protection. That's just a couple bucks not spent on some of that shiney new in the wrap never used so you don't know it's junk Rothco camping gear. Sorry but if your going to be that serious, protect your children!

Started watching the 2nd segment with the heavy set lady that has been doing it "3 years" but speaks like an expert. Oh well, THAT is the main problem with the "prepper" movement now a days.... LOL I'll have to load and watch some more.

[Patriot Prepper]

ugg was that a kifaru pack i saw....

i saw some closemindedness from some of those when the "expert" didnt say " WOW guys your the best...you win." or agree with their set ups

but its TV who's to say.....

i love all the nice neat stacked unused gear and stuff in some of the scenes....

Great observation. There were so many fatal flaws in all four of the preppers they showed. None of them are truly prepared. The only one who has a chance is the last one who had the underground bunker. And he was also willing to listen to advice. The others seemed to have a "know it all" mentality.

I offered advice to one of the people on the show, and they removed me as a youtube friend. There are a lot of prepper groupies who do not notice the details of a prepping retreat. Like I said "fatal flaws" in every retreat they showed. Even the experts missed some of the major flaws.

I taught survival skills and conducted Y2K seminars to help people prep. I currently consult with individuals to help them build a proper retreat. I have also been prepping for over 30 years and have numerous retreats around the country. The preppers in SC they showed, remind me of where I was 20 years ago. Man, I have really advanced since then.

OPSEC is so vital. You would have to pull my finger nails out to get the location of my retreats. Yet those people all exposed their locations (except the guy in Utah) to where they are sitting ducks.

[610Alpha]

@LD3 - Well the nuclear fallout guy has the drain pipe setup that you talk about...shows what it could look like if you set one up.

Interesting notion on the wood gassifier....not sure how practical it is or what? And how would it fuel the genny? Was it a LP or NG genny or tri fuel one?

They all get an F for OPSEC IMHO. Everyone that watches the show now knows their names and location (except for the SC people and nuke guy only approx. locations on them). They should have made sure that last name wasn't given as well as location. Something like in the Southwest this guy name George has this setup and a couple of families in the Southeast have this setup and only give first names.

There was some food for thought on aquaponics and hydroponics, the drain pipe setup would love to see some more details on that, the gassifier deal or if that is just a waste of time.

[tarheelsman71]

interesting stories...

As far as OPSEC is concerned, I agree with most of you, but then again I am sure we dont know all the facts. maybe the guys in SC arent in SC, but really in the mountains of NC surrounded by a vast National Park and the only way they would do the show, was to have the show lie about their location. Who says the nerd in phoenix doesnt have a BOL somewhere with a larger Aquaponics setup for his group, a large armory, etc. Thing that got me about the guy in Utah was his lack of water. Area did not look arid like a desert, and if you are going to take the time and EXPENSE to bury a bunker 25 ft down in the ground, why not spend another 4-6 grand for a well to be put in. Makes me wonder if everyone one of them left off things in their preps to make them not so attractive. Since people now know them, and can lookup their public holdings via GIS data, etc., via web the utah guy might have made a big deal about his water issue, so people would not think his setup was nice enough to bother after the SHTF.
Another thing that got me...Something just seemed a little fishy to me about the nerd in Phoenix. His house was really rundown looking, grass was more weeds than grass. I wonder if that wasnt staged for the show. You could grow that much duckweed in 6 weeks.....just saying....
NG did have there little spiel at the end about how "their (NG) experts said that these scenarios were very unlikely to occur." Making the preppers showcased for an hour look like tools. I would have been just fine without that.

[Patriot Prepper]

As far as OPSEC is concerned, I agree with most of you, but then again I am sure we dont know all the facts. maybe the guys in SC arent in SC, but really in the mountains of NC surrounded by a vast National Park and the only way they would do the show, was to have the show lie about their location. Who says the nerd in phoenix doesnt have a BOL somewhere with a larger Aquaponics setup for his group, a large armory, etc. Thing that got me about the guy in Utah was his lack of water. Area did not look arid like a desert, and if you are going to take the time and EXPENSE to bury a bunker 25 ft down in the ground, why not spend another 4-6 grand for a well to be put in. Makes me wonder if everyone one of them left off things in their preps to make them not so attractive. Since people now know them, and can lookup their public holdings via GIS data, etc., via web the utah guy might have made a big deal about his water issue, so people would not think his setup was nice enough to bother after the SHTF.
Another thing that got me...Something just seemed a little fishy to me about the nerd in Phoenix. His house was really rundown looking, grass was more weeds than grass. I wonder if that wasnt staged for the show. You could grow that much duckweed in 6 weeks.....just saying....
NG did have there little spiel at the end about how "their (NG) experts said that these scenarios were very unlikely to occur." Making the preppers showcased for an hour look like tools. I would have been just fine without that.

The guys in SC, stated that their retreat was something like 20 minute out of a Columbia, SC which they listed. They also gave their last names - David Kobler and Scott Hunt - duh - not too smart. The property can be located.

The guy in Phoenix, is indeed a little nerdy - OK - a lot nerdy. Feel sorry for him. They would not survive.

[protus]

There's a difference between survivalist and preppers. That show re enforced that.

That and how if you market yourself....you get your 5 mins of fame....but at what cost.

[1Admin]

Elittle- no I meant the computer nerd in the first segment.

I have to watch these via Youtube so I'm just starting the segment with the guy with the nuclear shelter.

The Phoenix area "mom" who really typified the new "prepper" mindset- i.e, hoard a few things, buy your way out of the problem and not really get out of your comfort zone AT ALL. Didn't care much for the segment with her in it.

Just finished the section with SouthernPrepper.

Well done. Good balanced setup. Keep in mind I haven't seen ALL of the program yet but so far this is the ONLY one I would truly call a survivalist.

Wife commented that this was the only one so far worth watching, I agree. Was VERY pleased to see some real food storage for a change.

Nice setup they have, without a doubt. And yes I would EXPECT some psy-ops in the way of false trails, etc. from someone like this. E.g. yes they probably are NOT near where it's stated they are, etc. More than a few "little things" that can be caught in their segment that shows they put some thought into keeping things on the down low since the media would be around....

Lots of "Pros" and few "cons" with those folks as far as their setup, etc. Big "pros" are that they seem to take food storage seriously- no three cans of beanie weenie BS. You didn't see a lot of grocery store pogee bait as you did with the others



The general " homestead to help survival" mindset is there and they seem to really get that. However it's balanced with the need for food storage not just "well I gots me some chickens so why do I need storage food?" mindset that a lot of homesteaders seem to carry now a days.

I'd say security could be better in many ways, but I literally think that about everyone's setup, including my own :)

Some of the gals videoed shooting were clearly either not used to shooting or had never had any real training. Not a gig, just an observation, comment actually came from my wife :)

It's clear they did some things to "tone down" their setup and threw some psy ops in there. They did more for their own OPSEC than it would appear at first glance. We talked about that at dinner tonight and my wife said "well you noticed the....." She's a smart cookie and I don't give her enough credit at times. 13 years with a survivalist and 11 years living the way we do gives her more actual experience with some of these things than some of the folks on that show...

Was really nice to see them pray before their meal. Glad to see at least one of the profiled people an actual survivalist. In short, I really liked the segment with SouthernPrepper.

I'll watch the last segment with the nuclear guy that lives away from his shelter when I have time this weekend and comment on that.

And FWIW, who gives a crap what the NG "expert" (who the hell was it anyways?) says. This was the same retard(s) that said the computer nerd needed to get his retarded yuppie neighbors involved in prepping (yeah right, let me know how that works out for you). Computer nerd needs to get outta dodge now while he can. Set up his tilapia tanks (old Kurt Saxon idea BTW, their literally IS nothing new under the survivalist's sun...) at a decent location he CAN survive at.

[1Admin]

There's a difference between survivalist and preppers. That show re enforced that.

Can I get an amen? +1,000,000,000,000 Euros/Kruggerands/Silver Ingots

[Patriot Prepper]

A few people commented that maybe the SC guys are not really in SC. From what I gathered, they held a conference and they really are in SC. OPSEC is violated.

And yes, the girls were not comfortable with guns. SouthernPrepper, stated that you need to practice everyday to keep up your skills - well it does not look like they do that.

What about the perimeter defense - a $10 home depot trip alarm painted green. Ya that will work. What about the LP/OP made out of aluminum? Doesn't look like it would even stop a handgun.

If you look close, there are fatal flaws in all the preppers they highlighted. Look at the food storage at the SC retreat. Notice anything? Like windows? That is not too smart. Thieves could have an easy score using a simple glass cutter. At our retreat, our food is in concrete reenforced structures and cached in multiple locations.

Also the food is in a wood frame structure - fire potential. All the food is located in one place - not too smart. I could go on and on with the various problems. They looked more like farmers and homesteaders than survivalists or preppers facing "doomsday."

I was not impressed with any of the preppers and do not believe this show will do anything to inform or help the public.

[protus]

well, a person would have to spend some time, researching those guys from SC to find exactly where. It could be done , but why?
Only the person willing to do ill will would do that. But that is what many of us try and protect ourselves from by sticking to basic opsec. Most new people it seems dont really care, as most opsec conversaions on newer "prepper" forums get balked at.

I dont like to bash anyones set up, but there was a ton of "new and shiney" , in all the segments. That either leads me to think that 1- they are new to it all..2- dont use their kit/set up 3- placed it there for camera purposes 4- tossed money at the problem.

we can all nit pick, a persons kit, plan etc. its easy to do.

Heck, i know right now if i filmed my set up, most would be like WTF protus, all that but there........and the issue is 90% of us all fall in to that same boat.
how many here have enough LTS to fill a 10x10 room? a garden over 500 sq ft? live stock? solar/AE systems?who lives outside the city onland vs suburbia......the list of what most dont have can go on and on....

in other words....its easy to complain from the couch and a/c ;)


use the shows like you do books. Take what you can to better your prep plan...leave what you think wont work on the wayside.....

[protus]

PP.......once folks tried to change the outlook people have by starting the label "prepper"..it opened it up to scruntinity by the media and non prepared types.The more and more it becomes mainstream the more and more we will see negative undertones in how it is reported. The drive to get away from the camo,bunker,guns and ammo sterotype of a survivalist is the same as cutting off your left arm only because its thumb points a different direction than your right arm.......needless to say , if you twist your left arm the thumbs do point the same..........hopefully a person trys and see's that before the axe comes out....;p