This week's episode of "Doomsday Preppers" is entitled "Whatever It Takes".
- Segment one highlights Jason and his son Jacob who live in Alabama. I thought Jason had a lot of useful information. His "two is one and one is none" manta means you need a backup and THEN you need a backup for the backup. Never rely on one option only for water, fire, safety etc. This is VERY important. He bases his bug out bag on the 10 Cs-- cut, cover, cordage, combustible, cloth tape, cooking, carry, cloth signal, compass, candle light. I would have liked to seen an entire episode on him.
- Segment two follows Brian and Sheila Moffat and their seven children. They are teaching the kids a number of valuable skills-- shooting, hiding (with Ghillie suits etc.). When learned at an early age, all this will be second nature. I do have some concerns about homeschooling though (although my nephew was homeschooled and he turned out great). Part of the value is going to school is learning how to get along with people with very different backgrounds, opinions, etc. I'm concerned that homeschooled kids are less equipped in such situations.
- Segment three is about friends Gavin and Mike. They have a lot of resources they would need to survive due to living on a farm. They didn't seem to have a whole lot going on other than that.
Practical Prepper Assessments:
- Jason and Jacob- 64 points
- The Moffats- 67 points
- Mike and Gavin- 51 points
There has been a lot of comments about how Practical Preppers scores each group. It seems to be all over the place. This may provide some insight but it still seems inconsistent to me.
How the Prepper Report Card is tabulated (from the NatGeo website):
Water (maximum of 20 points): To get the optimum 10 points for stored water—the single most critical survival resource—Kobler says a prepper community should have enough water to last for 90 days, if a gallon of water is allotted to each resident per day. (That’s the bare minimum for survival.) Additionally, preppers get a point or two for each resupply source that they have, such as a creek, pond or well, up to five points. “If it’s close to their house, they get the full credit,” Kobler says. “Two miles away, not so much credit.” If a prepper has a well, Kobler will generally give it an additional point if it’s equipped with a method for moving the water—such as a hand pump or a solar-powered pump—that’s not dependent upon the electrical grid. Finally, preppers can earn up to five points for water purification systems. The capacity for boiling water, or good supply of chlorine bleach will earn a single point, while a good-quality ceramic filter may earn three points.
Food (maximum 20 points): Again, the most important preparation is having a lot of stored food on hand. To earn the optimum 10 points, a prepper community needs a year’s supply of food for each resident, based upon a minimum energy allotment of 2,200 calories per day. Additionally, preppers can earn up to five points for having a good resupply plan; each source, such as a large garden or a henhouse full of chickens, will earn a point, with redundancy earning the most points. They also can earn up to five points for having the means to preserve food. A smokehouse, the ability and supplies needed for canning, or even a freezer powered by solar power can earn them points. Again, it takes redundancy to earn the maximum score.
Shelter (maximum 20 points): This category is split into more items, with fewer points awarded for each. Having a remote location far away from city, where unrest is most likely to break out, can earn a prepper up to four points. “30 miles outside a city isn’t going to do you that much good,” Kobler says. “Being in rural Montana would be better.” Living in a small town with a strong sense of community, though, can make up for not being completely isolated. The physical shelter that preppers have can earn them up to four points as well. Having a full-fledged underground bunker or hardened “safe room” will get the optimum score, but at least having a basement is worth two points. Power generation capability can earn a prepper up to four points. Again, redundancy is rewarded; to get all four points, a prepper would need to have some combination of solar power, fuel-powered generators, wind, or hydro-power—or else plenty of stored fuel and a couple of generators, in case one breaks down. It’s much easier to earn the maximum of three points each for heating and cooking, simply by owning a wood cook stove with an oven, and also some sort of backup heat and cooking source available as well. Finally, preppers can earn three points by having a bug-out location where they can flee in the event of an attack or a disaster that destroys their main shelter. Simply having a piece of land merits a point, but to get the max, a shelter with backup supplies of food, water, fuel and medical supplies would be required.
Security (Maximum 20 points): Preppers can earn up to five points for having some sort of relevant experience or training, such as a stint in the military or a survival shooting course. The quality of the experience or training matters, though; a U.S. Army veteran with infantry experience is going to get more points than one who held a desk job. Another five points can be earned for having firearms; a pistol or a shotgun is worth a point or two, but to get the maximum score, a prepper needs serious weaponry, such as a military-style semiautomatic rifle and an ample supply of ammunition. Various types of security enhancements, ranging from fortifications to night-vision equipment, can earn preppers up to five points. Having a security network—such as a group of fellow preppers and a plan for meeting at a rally location in the event of a catastrophe—can earn a prepper up to five points.
X-Factor (Up to 20 points): Some of these items are ones that simply don’t fit into the other categories. Medical preparation is one example; a basic first aid kit earns a point, while having more elaborate emergency equipment can earn up to four points. For communications, a prepper could earn the maximum four points by having ham radio equipment and being skilled in its use, plus a few hand-held radios for local communication and security. Having a bug-out vehicle—ideally, a large truck or utility vehicle with off-road capabilities and plenty of storage space—can earn up to five points. Possessing items that can used for barter with neighbors—ranging from hens that can produce surplus eggs, to extra matches or soap, to commodities such as gold or silver—can earn preppers a maximum of four points. Finally, there’s the “miscellaneous” subcategory, which includes any sort of equipment, training or experience that gives a particular prepper a survival edge. A prepper with extensive wilderness experience or military Special Forces training would earn some points here.
Grade: no grade was assigned since this is a reality show.
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