Preparing for the worst...
 

Terrorism. Peak oil. Nuclear proliferation. What should you do to prepare for these scenarios? What would you stockpile? Where would you go?

Discuss!

I'd pray, and then quickly relocate to the White House. I figure I might as well die sooner rather than later.

Alcar...

I burrow in my SECRET HIDEOUT that is underneath the first pillar you see when you leave Amsterdam Central Station by train, when heading towards Rotterdam, then I play Xbox games all the time, while loading myself with beer, fries, burgers, and Ben&Jerry's, which I all got when I robbed the nearest McDonalds, Burger King, supermarket, and Ice-Cream Parlour.

Duc-Tape everything to my back.

I'd go up to heaven . You see in Scotland we have the BP . A huge power plant . If that blows up . So is Scotland

I'd do nothing and hope I, along with those around me (broadly speaking) are not affected.

Gah, its the zombies we should be scared of!

I'd barricade myself along with any survivors in the B-Block of our school, its very high, with good all round defence.

I would duck and cover so I won't die and then raise and army of super human people to blast other people to smitherines : evil laugh #9 muahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaahahahahahahahahahahahaha

Is that before or after you come and get me? :P

I dunno. I'd probably just be with my friends and be happy and feel loved. Because I'd rather die happy and loved, that cold and lonely in a barron wasteland.

What ever will happen will happen. There's nothing you can do but follow your gut and do what you thought was right at the time.

I'd fly!
no...wait
I'd run!
To A Bomb Shelter!

I would buy all the cheese in the world. That would solve the problem.

Probably the first serious post I agree with here. YEAH, adapt in the face of adversity. Be ready for anything.

But what would you need to prepare yourself for anything? In my opinion, you need to think of every single scenario in order to have provisions to survive adversity. An emergency supply of car fuel in case the oil runs out and you need to make an emergency journey somewhere. The provisions and knowhow to make your house safe from nuclear radiation. Hydroponics for growing your own food from seeds. If you live on a farm, then you should have a radiation-proofed barn, so that your animals (which are now your food stock) are exposed to as little radiation as possible. Guns, in case you run across looters. 2 way UHF or VHF radios, for obvious reasons. Enough lead cladding on your car so that you can avoid radiation without making the car weight too much. A wind generator, solar panel, waterwheel generator, whatever you can lay your hands on, so long as it's not a petrol generator. Lots of water, and knowledge of local underground water supplys and springs - underground water will not be contaminated. And of course, radiation-retardant suits, both makeshift and purpose made.

In case you're interested, The Straight Dope actually researched how long it would take for the Electricity Grid to fail after a zombie-style apocalypse. http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mzombiepower.html

Funny and informative, just the way I like it.

DAMNIT PEOPLE! :banghead: This thread is not about zombies! Only immature children and christians would take that shit seriously.

Yeah, I'd probably do the same thing. I would rather feel comforted and loved by my family and friends than to have to die alone with no one around me. I can say, however, that I feel that there could have been something done about 9/11. Homeland security could have protected us from what happened. What surprises me is how the heck the terrorists could have gotten on the planes. Plenty of people who were considered dangerous have been stopped by the people at the airports before-why not them?

Because they're too busy apprehending innocent people with the wrong ethnic background, or people wearing the wrong clothes?

Mawk, you are America's best friend-- paranoid and ready to consume like mad out of fear. If it ever gets to the point where one of our nations is to be bombed, you will have no control over whether you live or die. You can't survive an atom bomb.

I think the best way to prevent your death is to elect officials who will ensure that the job is done right so as to prevent tensions between countries from escalating, thereby causing a situation in which nukes might be used. As for preparing for the actual bombing. . . I don't think there's anything I would do besides get the hell out of the U.S. Other than that, I would really just want to be around people I feel comfortable with.

Duck and cover. . . as if.

Yeah, but at least the zombie stuff is interesting.

Sometimes, at one of our massive Xbox/Halo party things, my friends and I will jokingly talk about what we would do if we were put into a situation where the world really did become overrun by zombies. We seemed to come to the general consensus that if (and it's a large if) you could get a team of survivors together and board up the doors/windows of a grocery store, you would be pretty well set. Of course, there's always the factor of time and materials. Plus you have to take into account if these are the demonic, undying zombies like in Evil Dead or the more human zombies that will starve over time like in 28 Days Later.

Hehehe...

Sure, it will never happen, but it makes a hella more interesting conversation than what to do in case of a bio/ballistic attack. We live near a "retired" nuclear weapons facility. We'd all be dead, but at least we wouldn't suffer. End of conversation.

In a survival situation, you DO have a choice over whether you live or die. Survival IS a choice.

I'm not Americas' best friend because I don't live in America. I'm not paranoid either. I am not poised to consume like mad out of fear. And the fact that you've somehow come to the conclusion that I'm paranoid just because I stated how I would go about surviving in an imaginary for instance scenario, tells me that you aren't very perceptive to the reality of this discussion.

I was actually talking about hypothetical methods for surviving long enough through nuclear fallout to be able to form an escape plan. Obviously if I was within a 20 mile radius of the actual site of impact/detonation while the reaction was occuring, then I would die. But I don't live in a place which stands any chance of being considered a good target for a nuke. Nukes are expensive and nigh on impossible to detonate in a western nation due to intelligence and the like, thus it is more likely that I will only be effected if I am downwind of a nuclear explosion.

At no point did I say that I'm waiting and ready to hop out of my seat and panic buy army surplus NBC suits, rations and gasmasks at the slightest sign of terrorism. Don't take things so literally.

In the hypothetical situation that all order is lost, I would try to make a comfortable refuge with all possible means. Also making it in a location that doesn't stick out like a sore thumb. Then I'd loot some stores and such for supplies. Afterwards, I'd gather all the survivors I could to try and rebuild something close to normal.

-oddguy

I would get the hell out of the U.S. but I wonder what it would be like to get nuked if it hurts or if it is painless.

If you're in the blast zone, you wouldn't even know what hit you. Further out you would get horrible burns and/or die of radiation sickness. Further out still, you'd die many years later of cancer.

That said, the 'blast zone' is remarkably unpredictable. In Hiroshima there were some patches of the city completely levelled and others virtually untouched.

Okay, I pose a question: Why are people still making atomic bombs, when they say they aren't going to use them?

And SeaRex, the problem with zombies is that you'll run out of ammo before you run out of zombies.

Because they won't use atomic bombs. They'll use something twenty times as potent ;)

Alcar...

Hydrogen bombs! Neutron bombs! Those are even worse!

The rapid expansion of the hydrogen bombs' "mushroom cloud" explosion scares me. One minute it's just a bomb a few feet wide, and then within the space of about 2 seconds after impact there is this giant 10 mile wide mushroom. It baffles me how these weapons can be tested without blowing our planet to bits. Things are at a stage now where entire cities can be removed from the world map, regardless of size, with one missile.

Hopefully it will never come to that. Hopefully diplomacy and common sense will win the day. But the fact that there is even potential still makes this a scary world to live in if you consider the possibilities.

On our Island there's a Power plant across in england, if that was struck, Aswell as blowing up the area around, it would also blow are island to Davy Jone's Locker...

Lets talk about zombies:D

Flying out to live on an Oil Rig would be best. Good safe protection to wait untill they all starve or are nuked. Providing one of the survivors can fly a helicopter, we'd be quite safe, only flying out for supplies or random zombies killing:p

Not enough ammo for zombies? A zombie won't die from being shot! Just dismember them, by smacking them with a piece of wood will do!

The US is making bombs because Russia and China are making bombs. Russia is making bombs because the US and China are making bombs. China is making bombs because the US and Russia and making bombs. Does that make sense?

In any case, I thought they agreed not to make any new bombs, and just live off their old cache?

You should read Galapagos by Kurt Vonnegut. Its about a bunch of humans who get trapped on the Galapagos islands whilst, without them realising it, a virus is wiping out the entire human race so they are the only survivors. The story then covers the next million years as they evolve into weird seal-like things.

I doubt Norwich is at risk from terrorism. If it is, I'll just move to a rural community. Boo yeah.

I don't what you mean by peak oil, but as part of my ethical consumerism, I try to purchase as little oil-produced products as possible.

If by nuclear proliferation you mean lots of countries deciding a nuclear war would be a jolly good thing, then again I'd move to a rural community. Less chance of being targeted, though I imagine the effects would still reach me.

In case of zombie attack, I would run. Dang zombies can't run, foo's!

I don't know what I could actually do to save myself. Maybe I could just empower the human race by making sure stupid people get attacked more than me. I'm more worried about the environment. In case of Ice Age, I will move to Africa.

The reason that the earth has not already been destroyed by nukes is that when a nuclear bomb detonates it creates a vacuum around itself large enough to contain a good deal of the blast (as is my understanding of it). This would explain why the atmosphere hasn't ignited by now. Anyway, that's what I hear tell. I'll visit a website and confirm this information. Technical details to follow.

I feel fairly confident that we won't be experiencing nuclear war anytime soon. As stupid as the nuke-havers of the world are, they aren't crazy (as far as I know). They realize that a single nuke launched will doom the world. If one country launches a nuke at another country with a nuke, the latter will panic and fire nukes at the other countries with nukes, and everyone will start bombing each other, and the entire earth will be destroyed. And I don't think they want that.

The way I see it, there are two things that might happen if a nuke ever gets dropped on the U.S.: 1) I am taken by surprise and killed, and 2) I don't get affected and I flee the country. Thus, stockpiling supplies and whatnot is a moot point. I just really can't imagine sticking around in a country that's being bombed.

Running zombies are the wave of the future. Haven't you seen 28 Days Later or the new Dawn of the Dead?! Heh.

Yes...28 Days Later is an awesome movie. And with new and improved zombies, it's even better. They run. They climb. They puke massive amounts of blood.

-oddguy

So you don't really bother with plastic then? Or paint? Or rubber?

Actually there are three things that might happen if a nuke ever gets dropped on the U.S.: 1, you get killed. 2, you find yourself downwind of the rapidly approaching fallout radiation. And 3, you are far enough away from the bomb that the radiation won't reach you for months, and you have time to get away from the country.

Escaping the country is what hundreds of people will be doing all at once however, and it will require you to move permanently to another country. You simply cannot just hop on a plane and become a citizen of your destination. You've got to go through much more paperwork than that. Also, to begin with, the country may not be accepting incoming American aircraft. You may also have to start out by saying it's a "holiday", and I really doubt that anyone would believe you.

This is why it's a good idea to gather a stockpile of supplies, prepare yourself for the possible onset of nuclear radiation, and form a plan of how you're going to get out of the country without running in to the crowds of people and immigration/asylum seeker authorities.

If you are downwind of the explosion, you have to think a lot faster. You've only got time to get as many supplies as possible, get in your car, and run. You need to be prepared to be running for a long time, so petrol gas is important if you can get it. If you can, you should get out a map and circle the area where the radiation and explosion is, tracking the movement of the radiation accross the map as you go. This will allow you to first run away from the radiation, and then get out of its' path. The map will also help you navigate around any traffic.

Once you've escaped it, you'll find yourself in position 3. The radiation will reach you eventually, it's just a matter of time, so you need to stock up again, find somewhere safe to hide out, and form an escape plan so you can leave the country. Your best bet would be to get to the coast and find a marina or dock - since most people will be flying out of the country, there should be a lot of boats left for you to choose from. Take the biggest boat, load it with fuel and supplies, then take it to sea on a plotted course. Whatever you do, you're going to need supplies, unless you're lucky enough to make it onto a plane.

I'm thinking that most people aren't preparing...and those that do prepare will have the unprepared ones trying to take advantage of them.

Mawk...you seem to have put a lot of thought into this. I have a scenario for you.

So...let's say you've been preparing for some sort of disaster for a while and have a pretty cool underground or remote facility. And you have enough room to house about 300 or so people. Do you let people in? And if you do...how do you choose? Also, what if you're approached by freaky looking characters and you don't want them around you. Do you tell them to go away, or do you kill them on the spot so they don't cause problems later?

-oddguy

Mawk, the amount of thought you've put into this is absolutely terrifying.

I had completely forgotten about asylum. The U.S. has to let people seeking asylum stay in the U.S. Does Canada have a similar deal? I hope so.

Canadians are extremely nice. I can't imagine not being able to stay in Canada, at least for a short while, if my country had just been bombed. BTW, I live like a few hundred miles from the Canadian border. I guess Washington actually has one thing going for it.

I just don't consider the threat of a nuclear babomb probable enough that I feel the need to prepare like that. I know the world is in turmoil, but to me preparing for nuclear warfare is like preparing for a tornado in NYC or sleeping with a knife in your hand on the off chance that soldiers will invade your house while you sleep.

Has anyone else seen The Day After Tomorrow? The whole thing with a bunch of Americans fleeing into Mexico was one of the funniest things I have ever seen in my life. That movie kicked ass.

If I had an underground bunker, the first few people to get chosen would be family and friends, then a doctor, an engineer/mechanic, a nurse, a cook or chef, a gardener, and the rest of the space would be filled by anyone my friends need to take with them.

I would need the doctor to contain illness in the closed environment, the engineer to keep the facility running, the nurse to work as the doctors' assistant, the cook (obviously) for food preperation and correspondance with the gardener, and the gardener for growing, and looking after the vegetables and crops needed, as well as plants (for air), for the continued survival of the inhabitants.

LOL. I'm just a deep thinker I suppose. Believe me when I say I'm not preparing for any of this, I can just forsee the kind of things I would need to be doing to survive.

I doubt zombies feel pain, therefore I don't think they're going to stand there while you hit them with wood. They'll keep coming for you.
Maybe we should make a zombie topic, because it's a hell a lot more interesting than reading 1000 word posts on things that'll never happen. :p

Go make a zombie thread then, instead of being a whiney mcbitch tits about how naf this thread is.

EDIT: In fact, I will make a zombie thread for you.

Did you even see my smilie?
God dammit it, when I make a pleasant post I get backlash, and when I insult someone it's the same thing! Can't you people make up your minds?!