How much crossover do you have?

[Lowdown3]

Crossover in your preps.

You see certain individuals get way too focused on just ONE threat. In doing so they often leave themselves wide open to other potential problems.

I vividly remember the talk with a self professed "patriot" I used to see at all the gunshows in the early 90's. I worked shows then and you would run into a lot of the same people, usually talking a lot of smack.

We'll call him "dude" cause I don't remember his name and wouldn't tell you his real name anyway ;) (opsec and all).

He (thought) was all prepped up for a big fight against the gubmint. You know the type, got an SKS, $7. chinese bandoleer with 10 stripper clips, BDU's, maybe a canteen of water.

He would come and discuss things with me at my tables for hours sometimes. In his mind he was the man, he (thought he) had a plan for everything.

He would blather on about he and his buddy's plan to head to a remote patch of woods. With all the crap I had seen him purchase at shows (he regularly borrowed my dolly to drag stuff out of shows), I couldn't remember seeing him carry out a lick of food.

So I asked him what he was doing for food.

"I'm gonna hunt." He replies. To see this guy, you didn't get the impression of "hunter" at all.

"What if you don't get something?" I ask.

"I ALWAYS get a deer." He replies confidently.

(me) "So what happens when you take that shot, or two, and someone hears it? You suppose they would just take the deer or kill you and take the deer?"

(Him) Blank stare.

I went on "I think if it were me I would probably wait and watch you for a bit, let you get the deer gutted and cleaned for me before I shot you and took the deer. It would save me some time."

(Him) More blank stare.

I finally smiled to let him know I was not a threat.

He was focused on guns, ammo for what he THOUGHT was the threat- fighting "da gubmint" but the REALITY was the dude would have starved and probably turned his guns in for a meal long before he ever got the chance to play Francis Marion.

Since he was totally focused on just one thing, he missed the quote big picture of everything else going on.


Yet, true, well rounded preps WILL have a great crossover effect for many possible scenarios.

The cliche that when you are preparing for TEOTWAWKI you are covered for lesser events CAN be for the most part true, provided you are a good planner and have focused on a wide range of issues.

No matter what the cause or event, several truths will be universal- (in no particular order)

1. You will have to have clean water.
2. You will need to eat.
3. You must be in decent enough shape to: work, run, fight.
4. You must be able to defend yourself, your family and what you have.
5. You must be able to "repair" yourself, others around you and crucial machinery and infrastructure.
6. You must have a means of adequate shelter. This includes keeping warm or being able to cool down.
7. You must have clean air to breathe.

[Patriotic Sheepdog]

1. You will have to have clean water.
2. You will need to eat.
3. You must be in decent enough shape to: work, run, fight.
4. You must be able to defend yourself, your family and what you have.
5. You must be able to "repair" yourself, others around you and crucial machinery and infrastructure.
6. You must have a means of adequate shelter. This includes keeping warm or being able to cool down.
7. You must have clean air to breathe.

true...sounds like the rule of 3's an ole wise prepare said to me once...
you can survive 3 seconds in a gunfight
you can survive 3 minutes without oxygen
you can survive 3 hours without proper shelter
you can survive 3 days without water
you can survive 3 weeks without food

I've always remembered the rule of 3's when working on my preps.

[justanothergunnut]

I work very hard to not fall into scenario based preparation. As LD3 and PSD both stated there are several areas that have multi scenario crossover. Food, water,shelter, defense. I set top level goals in each area preparing by duration of time and teir or level. A basic simplified Example.
Food...
Time/duration goal 30 days supply
Level 1: basic food.beans,rice,pasta,flour,some canned goods,salt sugar.... THE BASICS(complete level 1 before moving to level 2)
Level 2: spices and comfort foods

set similar goals for longer durations of time. As the duration is pushed out you obviusly start to incorporate LTS, Food production, canning smoking, pickling etc etc

I simply apply the same time/duration goal or scenario and levels approach to all areas be it medical, tactical, water, solar/alt energy, whatever. As I hit duration and level goals in the key areas I then start on scenario specific stuff like NBC. Even here though several NBC preps have crossover into medical such as pandemics. Im sure this is no different from the way you guys approach the problem and I think that it gives you a better coverage of events.

[protus]

I just accessed threat levels and went from there and those preps took.priority. as my skill or threat levels changed so did my prepping.
Relocating threw it all for a loop. Where few years back money would have say been spent on armor its now spent on water tanks or a well pump.
As time went by its shown that balancing those prep goals made them.more beneficial for multi scenario preparations.
Still lacking in NBC IMHO. But I think sans specialized shelter I'm ahead of the game (full and secondary kits for all..meters...medical...etc..etc

[Lowdown3]

I just accessed threat levels and went from there and those preps took.priority. as my skill or threat levels changed so did my prepping.
Relocating threw it all for a loop. Where few years back money would have say been spent on armor its now spent on water tanks or a well pump.
As time went by its shown that balancing those prep goals made them.more beneficial for multi scenario preparations.
Still lacking in NBC IMHO. But I think sans specialized shelter I'm ahead of the game (full and secondary kits for all..meters...medical...etc..etc

But by getting away from the city, you negated or lessened a LOT of potential problems that no amount of "uber tacticool gucchi gear" would have solved for a single family.

What you made was a LIFESTYLE CHANGE, which is one of the hardest things for most people to do.

[Mannlicher]

as most of y 'all know, I'm old and worn out. I am 'medication dependent', due to my ticker. Things really go South, then I'm not going to be a survivor.
Sure makes it easier to figure out my preps. :)

[Rmplstlskn]

I try to have good "cross-over" in my preps... One of the reasons why I have a bit of every scenario, but no scenario is rock solid packed and ready. Jack of all scenarios, Master of none, I guess...

Still working on the health & fitness side, but as I cross the 50 line this year, things are a changing no matter what I do, so I am realistic about my "Ranger Rick" & "Snake-eater" capabilities. I have told those close to me, who know me, that I believe my "preps" may not be for ME, but for someone else, maybe my daughter and her future husband. Maybe someone else. It is in YHWH's hands. I am OK with meeting my Creator if it be that time...

I will continue to DIVERSIFY, but I am also building up my homestead for nice living as well... I don't want to have rooms of preps but live in a Sanford & Son dwelling. So I may not be "ready" for any ONE scenario, but I feel good about where I am at, and I know that I am far better off than almost everyone I know around me, except for some serious homesteaders I know. But they lack HARD STUFF, yet have plenty of SOFT stuff, like livestock (food producing), and they lack $$$, so other things you cannot "farm" must be bought, and they often cannot buy... So are they better? I don't know...

Rmpl

[protus]

But by getting away from the city, you negated or lessened a LOT of potential problems that no amount of "uber tacticool gucchi gear" would have solved for a single family.

What you made was a LIFESTYLE CHANGE, which is one of the hardest things for most people to do.

oh i agree its been a major change. but it also has brought on many challenges that have prodded me to change certain preps.. and of course my ROE when it comes to certain scenarios.
i kinda wish my funds could go to the gucci gear area..lol but honestly...my view has changed. doesnt mean i dont dream of looking like a 5:11 catalog blew up on me and then crye barf on me then roll me around in kifaru pooo.. lmao :P

but its been almost a re awaking hard and frustrating but rewarding as well.
i get more satisfaction when i can brag " yip those veggies on the thanksgiving table WE grew.." vs "man that pouch really matches my pants.." lmao.

i do see some obstacles ones you voiced concerns about long ago as your family grows and the social aspect of being out in "bfe"..but like most hurdles ya gotta jump them..or charge through ...but in the end its for the better.

[RobertJ]

I used to be that guy that LD3 was talking about. I also worked the gun shows listening to similar people working other booths spouting the same stuff I have xxxx rounds of ammo for this that and the other. I have xxxx uber tacticool weapon platform and guchiflage. I had a "small closet" "FULL" of MREs and canned goods. So I was prepped.
Wake up and smell coffee time 2004 hurricane season hmmm closet full of food didnt last the 3 weeks we were without power. My generator was LOUD!!!! so loud my neighbors wanted to plug in. Gasoline was non existant had to drive well over an hour to find a station that had gas and wait in line only allowed to fill tank no cans I had "4" 5 gallon cans.
Then I was talked to by a close friend who had been asking the same style questions as LD3. I didnt know he prepped and he opened my eyes. As well as starting to go to some prep forums learning...
Like it or not I try to cover food, water,health, more so... but am finding out commo is equally as important as well as heating/cooling and means of travel. Im very late in the game and wasted mucho dinero drinking and partying as a younger man and look back and shake my head in disgust.
My most lacking prep I must now think of is NBC and all its rabbit trails as well. Wish there were some seminars or training for civilians on this. Its one thing to own a gas mask and chem suits but another on how to properly donn and doff said gear... leak check and seperate the junk or tacticool.

Anyway the short of what Im trying to say is yes Im trying to cross over as best I can and mature in my skill sets.
Oh to be clear I was not the guy LD3 was talking about just similar to him

[rockriver]

rmpl,
are you a ranger?
if so... "a tip of the hat"

I have no military service...
so. an extra tip!

[Rmplstlskn]

rmpl,
are you a ranger?
if so... "a tip of the hat"

I have no military service...
so. an extra tip!

I'm with you, no service... Tried, but a drug-using ENT doctor was doing unnecessary surgeries to pay her habit and I was one of them at 16 years old. Destroyed my sinuses, took parts out, made holes where no holes should be. So when I had sinus troubles in Basic during early winter, the Doc took one look at my sinuses and the next thing I knew I was medically discharged... Two operations later, still messed up.

The comment was about my realization that I am NOT Ranger Rick...

Rmpl

[Lowdown3]

I used to be that guy that LD3 was talking about. I also worked the gun shows listening to similar people working other booths spouting the same stuff I have xxxx rounds of ammo for this that and the other. I have xxxx uber tacticool weapon platform and guchiflage. I had a "small closet" "FULL" of MREs and canned goods. So I was prepped.
Wake up and smell coffee time 2004 hurricane season hmmm closet full of food didnt last the 3 weeks we were without power. My generator was LOUD!!!! so loud my neighbors wanted to plug in. Gasoline was non existant had to drive well over an hour to find a station that had gas and wait in line only allowed to fill tank no cans I had "4" 5 gallon cans.
Then I was talked to by a close friend who had been asking the same style questions as LD3. I didnt know he prepped and he opened my eyes. As well as starting to go to some prep forums learning...
Like it or not I try to cover food, water,health, more so... but am finding out commo is equally as important as well as heating/cooling and means of travel. Im very late in the game and wasted mucho dinero drinking and partying as a younger man and look back and shake my head in disgust.
My most lacking prep I must now think of is NBC and all its rabbit trails as well. Wish there were some seminars or training for civilians on this. Its one thing to own a gas mask and chem suits but another on how to properly donn and doff said gear... leak check and seperate the junk or tacticool.

Anyway the short of what Im trying to say is yes Im trying to cross over as best I can and mature in my skill sets.
Oh to be clear I was not the guy LD3 was talking about just similar to him

DEFINITELY not the same guy :)

If I had to guess... "dude" is either in jail now or totally out of this sort of thing.

[cpt_sfc]

I also am med dependent old worn out fart,BUT I refuse to go into the dark night with out kick'n screaming and taken as many of the enemy with me as I'm able. Crossover? I only wish I could afford a fallout shelter, if I have a couple of days notice ? if not that is-- I think my only short fall !!, maybe this year. My kids are trained up and will not be caught unawares and my wife has always been on board. Money has never been a prime mover for me. So on a Army pension, small cop pension and SSN based on the small town / co. wages can't buy all I'd like. I have been prepping for years and renewing as needed. I even have a second home base , if I can get there. But I'll be da- double- mmd If I go with out taking some of those who prey on good honest people with me. Don't be fooled by fancy outfits there are bad people in most all occupations now, be carful out there.