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Furthermore, you should discard any fantasies that you might have about strapping on a backpack and disappearing into a nearby national forest to “live off the land.” That is an invitation for disaster. Too many things can go wrong: You will lack sufficient shelter. You will not be able to carry enough food reserves. Once lost or broken, your one rifle, your one pistol, and your one ax will leave you vulnerable and unable to provide for your sustenance or self-defense. Any illness or injury could be life threatening. Even just a dunking in a stream in midwinter could cost your life. Also, consider how many thousands of urbanites will probably try to do the same thing. Even if you manage to avoid encounters with them, all those legions of people foraging at once will quickly deplete the available wild game in many regions. For countless reasons, playing “Batman in the Boondocks” just won’t work. So forget about the one-pack solution, other than as a last resort.

If you are planning a remote retreat, plan ahead to double up or even triple up with other families to provide the manpower needed for 24-hour, 7-day-a-week, 360-degree security if things go truly worst-case with a complete breakdown of law and order. One family on its own cannot both provide security and handle the many chores required to operate a self-sufficient retreat—particularly in summer and fall, with gardening and food-storage tasks. The physical and emotional toll of manning twelve-on/ twelve-off security shifts would bring most people to the breaking point in just a few weeks. As a former U.S. Army officer, I can attest to the terrible drain that continuous operations create—even upon physically fit, twentysomething soldiers. Lesser security will leave your retreat vulnerable to being overrun. Manning an isolated retreat will take a bare minimum of four adults, and ideally six. (Typically, three couples, plus their kids.) This will mean buying a five- or six-bedroom house with a full basement.

Most of us will have retreats on a recognizable road, and we will have neighbors. Having neighbors generally necessitates being neighborly. From the perspective of disaster preparedness, one of the positive aspects is the community-mindedness that can arise. I have long been an advocate of setting up small covenant communities inhabited by like-minded people, so when you’re preparing for disaster, spend time thinking about whom you want on your crisis-preparedness team.

Hunkering Down in the Big City?

I’ve been asked many times over the years if it would be possible to ride out a major societal collapse by keeping hidden in a major metropolitan area. Frankly, I do not think that it is realistic. Your chances of survival would probably be low—certainly much lower than Getting Out of Dodge to a lightly populated area at the onset of a crisis. Undoubtedly, in a total societal collapse there will be some stay-put urbanites who survive by their wits supplemented by plenty of providential fortune, but the vast majority would perish. I wouldn’t want to play those odds. Here are a few things to keep in mind if you’re considering hunkering down in an urban area:

Water

Even with extreme conservation measures you will need at least one gallon of water per day. That one gallon will provide just enough water for one adult for drinking and cooking, and none for washing. If you run out of water you will be forced to go out and forage for it, putting yourself at enormous risk. And even then, you will have to treat the water that you find with chlorine, iodine (such as Polar Pure—now very scarce), or a top-quality water filter such as a Katadyn Pocket.

Food

You will need a large amount of food in order to survive. Work out a daily menu and budget for an honest six-month supply of food with a decent variety and sufficient caloric intake. See Chapter 5 for more details. Don’t overlook vitamin supplements to make up for the lack of fresh fruit and vegetables. Sprouting is also a great option to provide vitamins