On TV
Glenn Beck, Food Insurance Emphasize Preparedness In These Uncertain Times
Monday night I got the chance to watch The Glenn Beck Program on TheBlaze TV. It was a terrific episode- as usual. Glenn Beck is a big believer in preparedness these days. And Monday, in the wake of the Cyprus “bail-in” announcement, he revealed that he recently instructed his adult children to have 30 days of cash on hand in case of an emergency/currency crisis. Not a bad idea. Glenn also pointed out two more things that evening that might be of particular interest to Survival And Prosperity readers.
First, on the web site of another affiliate program I belong to- Food Insurance (company reviewed here)- the emergency food supply company is making available a free download of their list of “Top 50” must-have emergency items along with access to exclusive preparedness tips and special offers.
There’s a free sign-up (the company says the information will be kept “strictly confidential”), which I just got done completing. Now, I’m just waiting to receive an e-mail to download that “Top 50” list so I can see what their experts recommend.
(UPDATE: I just downloaded the list (.pdf file). It’s not bad, with more detail than I expected. I will study it more in the coming days.)
And speaking of experts, Glenn noted that this Thursday’s show will focus on preparedness. As such, The Glenn Beck Program will be having a number of prepper “experts” from a nearby prepping summit sponsored by Food Insurance attending the show that day. I’d expect Thursday’s programming to be quite interesting and informative. Those who have access to TheBlaze TV (I have it on DISH Network) might want to mark their calendars.
More information on that free Food Insurance download can be found on their website here. And TheBlaze TV, here.
By Christopher E. Hill, Editor
Survival And Prosperity (www.survivalandprosperity.com)
Apocalypse 101: New TV Show Premieres Tonight After Doomsday Preppers
Last night I saw on my satellite TV schedule a new show that’s going to be aired on the National Geographic Channel after Doomsday Preppers this evening:
Apocalypse 101
From the Nat Geo Channel website:
Episode: Expect the Unexpected
Next Airing: TUE MAR 12 10PM ET
Meet four former Marines who believe that they have what it takes to survive any doomsday scenario. Joel, Mark, Mike and Jimmy own Forge Survival Supply; their mission, use what they have on hand to teach and test their clients’ skills. In a remote area of Colorado, Mike and Mark meet a couple who are serious preppers. They want to step up their game, but the guys worry their open land and young children could interfere. The Marines will put them to the ultimate test with a simulation attack.
“Homestead Fortification”
National Geographic Channel Video
Looks promising. And it’s not a one-off either. According to the Nat Geo Channel site, there are four more episodes on tap for the next couple of Tuesdays.
So, after watching Doomsday Preppers tonight, remember- don’t touch that dial.
By Christopher E. Hill, Editor
Survival And Prosperity (www.survivalandprosperity.com)
On TV: Doomsday Preppers ‘Solutions Not Problems’ Preview
Season 2 of National Geographic Channel’s Doomsday Preppers TV series continues tonight with a special Valentine’s Day episode, “Solutions Not Problems,” which airs at 9 PM ET.
I was lucky enough to be provided an advance-screening of the “Bachelor Prepper” episode. From a Nat Geo Channel press release I received at the end of last week:
Prepping for an economic collapse, Jeff is converting a decommissioned missile silo into the perfect bug-out getaway. But that’s not all Jeff is focused on. With an online dating profile, he is also searching for a special someone who can share his love for prepping. We’ll see Jeff, a bachelor on the lookout for love, not only work on his bunker, but also go on multiple dates to find his prepper mate. Will he select one to take to his secret bunker? We also meet Doug, who lives in the mountains of Tennessee. He currently runs his own stone quarry, and the locals call him “Rockman.” But what they may not know is that he is using rocks to prepare his underground bunker for the upcoming economic collapse. Will he build a safe haven out of his rock stockpiles?
Jeff Flaningam is a 37-year-old Wisconsin bachelor who owns 19-acres out in central Kansas- with a decommissioned Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) silo buried underneath it. Jeff is hard at work turning the abandoned missile base into a livable bug-out location. He told viewers:
I’m preparing for a catastrophic economic collapse.
According to the show:
The national debt currently totals more than $16 trillion. Jeff believes that if nothing is done to change this, the U.S. could go from becoming a global economic leader, to a nation struggling to provide food, water, and power. He worries that the consequences of such a collapsing economy could last indefinitely.
Flaningam added:
Transportation system falls apart, fuel costs go through the roof, people can’t get the goods that they need. The normal courtesy that we share with our fellow man is going to degrade and get thrown out of the window. Violence would be rampant. I don’t think anyone can know how long an event like that could last. I know I have to be prepared to stay off the grid for as long as it takes.
The Wisconsin-based prepper plans on bugging out 800 miles to the Kansas bunker when the first signs of a SHTF situation arise.
But before that happens, he’d like someone to share those “special times” with.
“Doug,” aka “Rockman,” owns a stone quarry in the Tennessee mountains. He told viewers:
I’m prepping for an economic collapse that will change the world forever.
Doug added later:
Our economy is in distress. And I don’t see it getting better. Can you imagine paying $17 trillion dollars back?
Along with his employee and best friend Inés, the two of them are shown building an underground shelter constructed out of a shipping container that their families will use as a bug-out location, and putting a 3-tiered defensive plan for the bunker into place.
It was a fun, informative, and not too overboard (reality TV-wise) episode to watch. And if you’re not into that lovey-dovey stuff, at least catch it for the “Rockman’s” segment, where he, with the help of a former U.S. President, shows you an easy way to make money from money.
Don’t worry. You’ll get what I’m talking about by watching tonight’s episode.
For more information about the TV series visit the Doomsday Preppers page on the National Geographic Channel website here.
By Christopher E. Hill, Editor
Survival And Prosperity (www.survivalandprosperity.com)
On TV: The Simpsons ‘Preppers’ Episode
So I finally got the chance Monday to watch season 24, episode 9 of The Simpsons, “Homer Goes to Prep School.” In this installment of the popular animated sitcom on FOX, Homer prepares for “doomsday.” Originally airing back on January 6, the show portrays preppers as extreme and relentlessly pokes fun of them, but should anyone really be surprised considering this is a cartoon we’re talking about here? Regardless, I was laughing my butt off a couple of times during the episode. The Simpsons creative staff really nailed some of the more humorous elements associated with the movement. For example, the outlandish “why we prep” movies found in droves on YouTube (not all are hogwash, mind you). Most modern survivalists I’ve encountered don’t come off anywhere near as goofy as the ones portrayed on the show. If preppers are willing to remember that The Simpsons is purely entertainment/humor, they might enjoy watching “Home Goes to Prep School,” which can be viewed in it entirety on the FOX website here for a limited time only.
By Christopher E. Hill, Editor
Survival And Prosperity (www.survivalandprosperity.com)
On TV: Doomsday Preppers ‘Escape From New York’ Preview
Season 2 of National Geographic Channel’s Doomsday Preppers TV series continues tonight with episode 6, “Escape from New York,” which airs at 9 PM ET. From the Nat Geo Channel webpage for the TV show:
With recent storms such as Sandy, New Yorkers now more than ever need to have escape plans in case they need to flee. NGC cameras follow three New Yorkers as they plot their routes out of the city, literally escaping the grid to reach safety.
Once again, the National Geographic Channel provided me with an advanced screening opportunity of the episode, and it didn’t disappoint. As a matter of fact, it really hit close to home as I too live in a large U.S. city (Chicago).
There were three preppers featured in “Escape from New York.” First up was Cameron Moore in Brooklyn, a college student studying for medical school. Cameron told viewers:
I’m preparing for a meltdown at the Indian Point Nuclear Facility.
Next up was Margaret Ling in Harlem, who told viewers:
I’m preparing for a catastrophic hurricane.
Finally, there’s Jay, a Wall Street bond trader, who explained:
I’m preparing for another terrorist attack.
All three preppers fear what might happen in New York City should TSHTF. From the show:
That’s why for these three New York preppers, at the first sign of trouble, survival comes down to one objective.
CAMERON: Get out of New York City.
JAY: Leaving Manhattan as soon as possible.
MARGARET: Grab my bag and just jet out.
They’ve also paired with a mentor to help them refine their plan. Krav Maga instructor Matan Gavish, preparedness expert Aton Edwards, and urban survivalist Shane Hobel. Now, over the course of one night, all three preppers will put their bug out plans into action for the first time and attempt to escape New York.
The first prepper introduced in the episode was Margaret Ling. In this segment, Margaret, who wears a backpack full of survival supplies every day, revealed that she was concerned about a major hurricane hitting the “Big Apple.” Ling told viewers:
I know I don’t want to be sent to a shelter. And I plan to get out of the city and make my way up to the mountains in upstate New York close to Canada. The last and worst case scenario is walking the entire distance to safety up in the mountains.
Margaret is paired with Krav Maga Academy founder and chief instructor Matan Gavish to help get her prepared.
“Doomsday Preppers: Lollipop Lolliprep”
Nat Geo Channel Video
The second prepper the show focused on was Cameron Moore. In this segment, Cameron shared his fears about an Indian Point Nuclear Facility meltdown and the potential for radiation escaping the facility. He informed viewers:
When TSHTF, I will bug out.
Cameron worked with International Preparedness Network executive director Aton Edwards to help him with his preps.
Finally, there’s Jay (no surname given). Jay was in Manhattan on September 11, 2001. And the Wall Street bond trader realizes New York City remains an attractive terrorist target. He told viewers:
I don’t think it’s going to end. I don’t think that we’re going to wake up all of a sudden one day and all of a sudden we’re not going to be a target to terrorists around the world. A dirty bomb is, without question, an option for terrorists out there.
From the show:
If terrorists detonate dirty bombs across Manhattan, as Jay fears, he’s instructed his wife Mindy and their 6-year-old daughter to get ready to flee the city.
Should TSHTF, Jay’s goal is to get out of the financial district and get back to his family as soon as possible. Jay paired up with Mountain Scout Survival School founder and instructor Shane Hobel to come up with a plan to make that happen.
With the three preppers coming from the same area of the country and attempting a simultaneous bug out, this particular episode was more like a TV special. A TV special for urban preppers. According to the U.S. Census earlier this year, more Americans are living in cities now than ever before. And perhaps it’s because I live in a major American city that I found “Escape from New York” particularly interesting. Although that bike “borrowing” bit was a little over the top. Still, good stuff overall.
And I applaud National Geographic Channel for not removing Doomsday Preppers from the air due to some in the press possibly trying to link preppers with last week’s school shooting.
Blamethrowers. Precisely what the world needs more of these days.
Enjoy tonight’s episode. For more information, please visit the Doomsday Preppers page on the National Geographic Channel website here.
On TV: Doomsday Preppers ‘Taking From The Haves’ Review
Sorry for getting this review of episode 5 (season 2) of National Geographic Channel’s Doomsday Preppers TV series out a little later than usual, but I’ve been tied up with other things. “Taking From the Haves,” which aired Tuesday night, December 4, featured four preppers- John Adrain, Jeff Bushaw, and neighbors Allen and Franco.
John Adrain
During the first part of the show viewers were introduced to John Adrain, an inventor living in the Pacific Northwest with his two dogs. According to John:
I am preparing for the unexpected.
From the show:
John’s not sure which “doomsday” scenario will play out first- a supervirus, biological terrorist attacks, natural disaster. But he’s certain something’s coming. And since travel is often restricted in states of emergency, “bugging out” is the absolute last resort in John’s survival plan.
As such, the episode focused on John and his large fortified home in which he plans to “bug in.” From the show:
His primary goal is to turn his home into a technological fortress, in which he can keep rampaging survivors at bay.
John told viewers:
It doesn’t matter how many preps you have if you can’t protect them from others. Because the “have nots” are going to be taking from the “haves.”
John is shown trying out a .50 caliber long-range rifle called the Beowulf, upgrading the internal/external security of his home, showing off some home security gadgets he invented such as the Burglar Blaster and BedBunker, and practicing some home invasion drills during the remainder of the segment.
Jeff Bushaw
In the second part of the show, viewers were introduced to Jeff Bushaw, a full-time prepper living in Vancouver, Washington. According to Jeff:
I’m preparing for the Yellowstone supervolcano that may end the world as we know it.
From the show:
Yellowstone National Park’s majestic vistas, diverse wildlife, and impressive geysers draw more than 3 million visitors each year. But underneath the seeming tranquility of the park lurks an active supervolcano, one so large that that should it ever blow, the force of the super eruption could be as if 1,000 Hiroshima-size atomic bombs were going off every second … The force of the blast is likely to annihilate everything in the immediate vicinity. Even though Jeff lives more than 800 miles away from Yellowstone, he still doesn’t feel safe. That’s because the supervolcano could spew enough smoldering ash into the atmosphere to bury half of the United States at least several inches deep.
Besides the immediate loss of life and property from such an eruption, the episode noted:
Scientists believe it could take a decade for vegetation in parts of the Midwest to recover from the damage done by the massive ash clouds. Jeff fears the volcano will devastate crops, leading to food shortages throughout the U.S.
Fearing the effects of a “volcanic winter,” Jeff, along with son Hayden, are shown preparing for such an event, socking away food, participating in storage unit auctions in the hope they’ll find valuable preps, practicing bug-out drills, and taking flying lessons to give them the option of bugging out via plane should it come to that.
Allen and Franco
In the last part of the episode, two “neighbors” in Southwest Missouri were introduced. First up, Allen is an electrical engineer and veteran prepper with more than thirty years of experience. Allen said:
I’m preparing for an economic decline of the U.S. economy.
From the show:
Allen worries that the economy is failing, and that as the dollar’s value declines, food prices will skyrocket out of control.
Next, there’s Franco, a master electrician and newer prepper. Franco told viewers:
I’m preparing for the rise of food costs, food shortages, and the corruption of the food supply through big business.
Both Allen and Franco plan on “bugging in” when the food shortages come, but not after they’ve taken charge of their own food production via aquaponics. From the show:
In aquaponic systems, fish and plants are grown together in a closed environment, where the fish waste is converted into food for the plants. The fish excrete waste and ammonia into the water. That water is pumped into the grow beds, where bacteria convert the waste into nitrogen, which the plants use as fertilizer. As the plants use the nitrates, they filter the water, which is then sent back to the fish tanks, completing the circle.
While a challenge to maintain, the results are impressive.
“Doomsday Preppers: Prepper Profile: Franco and Allen”
Nat Geo Channel Video
My thoughts about Doomsday Preppers “Taking From the Haves”:
• While John Adrain’s “technological fortress” is amazing, I wonder how effective it would be in a long-term, grid-down event. His security system is comprised of an electronically-controlled entry gate, a computerized command center, 12 high-definition surveillance cameras, and a front door with sophisticated recognition software, among other things. Does Adrain have enough back-up power to operate this technology should the utilities go down for an extended period of time? And what if a device malfunctions or breaks?
• “But if the attackers come in multiple vehicles and penetrate the gate, John wants to be able to engage them at a distance before they cover the 1,000 feet from the gate to his front door.” Enter the Beowulf, a .50 caliber rifle that Adrain’s weapons guy Bill Alexander brought to the party. Three words. I LIKE IT!
• Another security feature of John Adrain’s fortified home is that its windows are coated with something he called “embassy tint,” a strong film that holds glass together in case it shatters. I’ve done a little bit of research on window security film, and from what I’ve seen via the Internet, the technology is pretty impressive. So much so I’d consider using it on my future residence.
• Adrain busted out some of his inventions in the episode. The Burglar Blaster is a self-contained electronic OC (oleoresin capsicum) spray anti-burglar system. When the infrared detector is tripped, the Burglar Blaster releases OC pepper spray in the immediate area, chasing away the intruder. The BedBunker is a concealed safe that replaces a bed boxspring. Another of Adrain’s inventions shown but not really discussed was the ConsoleBunker, an all-aluminum vehicle center console for storing firearms. The ConsoleBunker is tied in with the vehicle’s factory door locks and has a timing mechanism that prevents unauthorized access. Really neat and useful stuff.
Now I see how John can afford the big house and nice toys.
• In the segment with Jeff Bushaw, the Vancouver, Washington-based prepper was shown taking flying lessons in the event he and his family needed to bug out from the effects of a Yellowstone National Park supervolcano eruption. However, from what I recall, the show never mentioned Bushaw owning a plane. If he doesn’t, and an eruption did take place with an ash cloud headed his way, it might be difficult- if not impossible- to rent a plane in that type of situation. From looking at a map of Vancouver, I can’t help but wonder if he shouldn’t plan on bugging out of the area via ean-going boat.
• Speaking of maps, here’s a link to a 2007 FOX News web article with one showing (right arrow to slide 2) where ash fell from previous Yellowstone National Park supervolcano eruptions.
• In the segment with neighbors Allen and Franco, both preppers were shown riding scooters. While attending the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign in the early nineties, these were cherished forms of transportation for many broke-ass college students such as myself (I didn’t own one, but could be seen riding on the back of one from time to time. That must have been a scary sight.) . I wouldn’t be surprised if some preppers/survivalists are including scooters/mopeds in their preps, especially if they anticipate an energy crunch and sky-high gasoline prices down the road.
• Like the preceding Doomsday Preppers episode, this one had its gross-out moment when Franco ingested one his red wigglers. Classic line by his young daughter though:
I’d rather drink pee.
• I found the following particular interesting in the “Assessment” portion of the final segment:
PRACTICAL PREPPERS LLC: You currently lack weapons, and have no tactical training. Without them, you will be unable to protect your home in a crisis.
FRANCO: Yeah, you’re right about the weapons. I do not possess them nor do I plan on possessing them. It’s not what I believe in.
To each their own. But considering what a juicy target he, his family, and his food could be in a real SHTF situation, I just hope Franco’s got something else up his sleeve to deal with those with weapons wanting what he has.
New episodes of Doomsday Preppers air on the National Geographic Channel on Tuesday nights at 9 PM Eastern Time.
On TV: Armageddon Arsenals
It was only a matter of time before a show like this popped up on TV. From a message I received yesterday from Kelly McLear, a producer over at Orion Entertainment:
Armageddon Arsenals to Premiere Dec. 13 on Discovery’s Destination America
Orion Entertainment production goes inside the fascinating world of weapons preppers
Denver, Colorado–Officials from Orion Entertainment have announced that ‘Armageddon Arsenals’ will debut Dec. 13 at 10pm Eastern on Discovery’s Destination America network. The series explores the weapons and security aspects of the massive new prepping movement, focusing on individuals and families across the country who are preparing for a variety of worst case scenarios–many of them more plausible now than ever.
“Once thought of as a fringe movement,” says Orion Entertainment President Chris Dorsey, “millions of Americans now call themselves doomsday preppers and are taking extraordinary measures to plan and prepare for catastrophic events. While some viewers might find weapons caching extreme, by the end of the episode many will be asking what they should be doing to prepare. There is a lot of uncertainty and fear in the country and preppers are a manifestation of the larger national movement toward self-reliance.”
The one-hour pilot features weapons preppers in Texas, Utah, and Colorado who have amassed significant arsenals but who have also created elaborate security strategies to stay safe should the unthinkable happen. As one of the featured preppers warns, “If things get really bad it won’t matter how much food and water you have stored if you can’t protect it.”
‘“Armageddon Arsenals’- Trailer”
YouTube Video
“If things get really bad it won’t matter how much food and water you have stored if you can’t protect it.”
Likewise, you can’t eat or drink bullets when TSHTF.
I’m guessing many preppers would say weapons are important, but so too is food, water, shelter, and other vital “preps.” As to the types and number of weapons? Individual circumstances play an important role in determining what’s “right.”
I have the Destination America channel on my satellite TV- and I happen to like it. I plan on watching Armageddon Arsenals, and it will be interesting to see what kind of “arsenals” the preppers featured on this show have (and if the term “battery” is used even once).
Here’s hoping preppers/modern survivalists aren’t portrayed as a bunch of nutters- for their sake.
Holding my breath.
Armageddon Arsenals. Discovery’s Destination America network. Thursday, December 13, at 10 PM Eastern Time.
Signs Of The Time, Part 58
“You’re talking 70 million people on an island, all competing for the same resources. The most likely catastrophic situations that we could experience are natural disasters. I think there will be a new Dark Age. And I want to prep so that my children have a good chance of survival.”
-Edward O’Toole, science fiction author and British prepper
American preppers- meet your cousins from across the pond. From the Off-Grid website on November 30:
NAtGeo TV had a show in the UK last night about the growing number of British preppers – men and women who are preparing against future catastrophes ranging from economic collapse to electro-magnetic flares that knock out all electric equipment.
What they have in common is they are ready for a world without food distribution, and with no law and order…
You can read the rest of this interesting article on Off-Grid.net here.
Doomsday Sunday
While watching Doomsday Preppers on National Geographic Channel the other day, the following commercial ran:
Two night event
National Geographic Channel
The Real Doomsday
Starts Sunday 8 PM
Interesting. From their TV schedule webpage for Sunday night, starting at 8 PM ET:
Omens of the Apocalypse: The End is Near
The year 2011 gets off to a disturbing start. On New Year’s Eve, blackbirds die in Beebe, Arkansas by the thousands. Nearby, fish and more birds perish. Then a wave of unsettling animal deaths seems to sweep the globe. Are the deaths connected?
2012: Countdown to Armageddon: The End is Near
Are we three years from the end of the world? It’s the premise of this fall’s feature film “2012,” starring John Cusack. Based on the end of a cycle of an actual ancient Maya calendar that will end on December 21, 2012, NGC asks, “What truths lie behind the fears?”
And on Monday evening, beginning at 8 PM ET:
Doomsday: Book of Revelation: The End Is Near
The most controversial book of the Bible: prophecy or ancient history? The answer lies in the book’s cryptic words. Are they a code waiting to be cracked? To some Christians, Revelation describes a doomsday scenario known as ‘the end times,’ and they believe it’s unfolding right before our very eyes. Most scholars argue that Revelation is a product of its time with a powerful message. Two thousand years after its appearance, the battle over what it means continues to rage.
The Mayan Apocalypse 2012
The countdown to the predicted Mayan apocalypse began several thousand years ago, and time is running out. In this one-hour special, historian and filmmaker Paul Murton travels to America to explore how the phenomenon now better known as 2012 has swept across the Internet, with hundreds of websites featuring frightening predictions.
Enjoy the shows, for what they’re worth.
On TV: Doomsday Preppers ‘The Time of Reckoning’ Review
I recently watched the latest installment of National Geographic Channel’s Doomsday Preppers TV series, “The Time of Reckoning,” which aired Tuesday night, November 27. Episode 4 of season 2 featured the prepping team of Dr. Tom Perez, a retired chiropractor, and Steven M. Vanasse, a radiation safety officer, both from Houston, Texas.
Dr. Tom Perez
The first part of the show focused on the Perez family. Dr. Perez is married to wife Monica and the couple have thee children, Katarina (17-years-old), Thomas (12), and Matthew (6). According to Tom:
I’m preparing for a terroristic attack.
From the show:
Tom fears the dirty bomb- an everyday explosive like dynamite or TNT packed with radioactive material. Once detonated, its blast can spread radiation anywhere from a city block to several square miles. But that radioactive debris could lodge in buildings, and chemically-bind with concrete and asphalt, making decontaminating a city difficult and possibly forcing affected neighborhoods to be abandoned… A single dirty bomb could contaminate an area 30 times the size of the initial blast site which could cover up to 20 city blocks. The radiation would not be detected by human senses, and the effect of exposure could be immediate.
In the event of a dirty bomb detonation in Houston, the family would bug out to their 700-acre compound- “The Alamo”- 300 miles away in Brackettville, Texas.
“Doomsday Preppers: Doomsday Alamo”
Nat Geo Channel Video
Steven M. Vanasse
Later on in the show viewers were introduced to Steven Vanasse, Tom’s prepping partner. Steven is married to Gobriella Gubimelli and they have a daughter, Victoria Vanasse. According to Steve:
I’m preparing for a dirty bomb blast in the city of Houston.
In the event of such an attack, the Vanasse family plans on bugging out of Houston and meeting up with the Perez family at “The Alamo.”
Tom is the firearms expert. Steve is the radiation expert. And both are training the members of their young families to be preppers.
My thoughts about Doomsday Preppers “The Time of Reckoning”:
• Both the Perez and Vanasse families plan on bugging out of Houston in the event of a dirty bomb explosion. A number of viewers probably wondered why they wouldn’t just bug in, seeing that this type of weapon is intended to cause fear more than casualties and fleeing Greater Houston and a good portion of its 6.08 million residents could be very difficult- if not impossible- in such a situation. From the show:
Tom’s bug-out route bypasses over 3,000 miles of Houston’s highways, and once on the open road, they travel due west to their safe house- 300 miles away in Brackettville, Texas… It’s normally a 6-hour drive to Tom’s compound.
I’m guessing that drive would take significantly longer with a lot of other Houstonians on the road after a dirty bomb attack, and that Tom and Steve would rather not shelter-in-place because of the perceived danger from civil strife and other sorts of chaos that could happen in Houston after such an event. Considering the extent these guys have planned and prepped, I’d be surprised if bugging in wasn’t a viable option for them.
• “The Alamo” is an impressive bug-out location. When I first heard that Tom Perez had stockpiled 46,000 rounds of ammunition, I was kind of surprised at the large number. However, upon thinking the situation through (the Perez family alone consists of 5 preppers and their firearms) and being familiar with a number of recommendations being circulated in prepper/survivalist circles as to how much ammo should be stored for a SHTF event, that amount didn’t seem so astronomical anymore.
• On the other hand, when it was revealed that the Perez family only had 9 months of food socked away at the retreat, I was somewhat shocked. Considering all the preps Dr. Perez had already taken care of, I would have thought he’d have at least a year’s worth of food stored- if not more- at “The Alamo.” I’d seriously-consider buying more food before an armored car, as Dr. Perez said they were looking into at the end of the episode.
• When I heard Tom say:
I also have taken the liberty of contaminating 10 percent of my food and water supply if it is ever compromised. I am the only one that knows which supplies are affected.
I was initially surprised (concerned?) here too. But once I thought the situation through yet again, should this prepper network ever get dislodged from “The Alamo” by raiders, it would probably just be a matter of time before the unwelcomed “guests” get sick, giving the Perez and Vanasse families the opportunity to retake their retreat.
• I have to believe there’s a certain amount of distrust among the law enforcement community when it comes to preppers/survivalists. I thought it was a good idea for the Perez family to coordinate their preparedness efforts with local law enforcement. By doing this, not only did they establish a relationship with them- perhaps decreasing the chance they might be seen as dangerous “kooks” by the police- but they even received some helpful advice during their combined drill with the off-duty officers from the local sheriff’s department. For example, Deputy Ramon Gutierrez pointed out that the Perez family are less vulnerable if they stay in the limestone structures during an attack, and Deputy Forrest Spence emphasized family members need to be real aggressive when confronting a threat.
• I was impressed that Tom taught 17-year-old Kat, 12-year-old Tommy, and 6-year-old Matthew how to shoot, among other things. From the show:
Matthew, who’s been shooting since the age of 4, can hit a target from 100 yards away with his child-size sniper rifle.
Cutest little sniper you ever did see.
• Question- What’s up with Matthew’s boots? They look gargantuan on him.
• Another question- Is it just me or does Steven Vanasse look a lot like a younger version of actor Randy Quaid?
• The way the relationship between Steve and daughter Victoria played out in the episode was funny. Steve would say something about how proud he was of Victoria and how she’s coming on board with the prepping, and the young lady would indicate otherwise. In one scene, Steve brought her shooting for the first time at an indoor gun range. Victoria gave it a try- and it looked like she was a natural at it. Steve was just beaming about Victoria’s performance. Victoria tells viewers she probably won’t go shooting again. I had to chuckle when I saw that. A lot of my friends were just like that at that age. I was an angel, of course.
• The National Geographic Channel definitely got their shock value’s worth from this installment. If the Molotov cocktails and slaying of the goat weren’t enough (or Steve’s munching on its cooked eye), Tom Perez almost suffering permanent injury to his hearing from Steve firing his rifle in the hunting blind really took the cake. Cuidado, Esteban!
“The Time of Reckoning” was really interesting to watch, especially as Tom Perez and Steve Vanasse appear to be way ahead of most of their prepping contemporaries. This was apparent in the score they received from Practical Preppers LLC right before the show wrapped-up. But the episode was also painful to watch at times. Even more painful to make by the looks of things.
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