Preppers: It Is Going To Take More than Guns and Ammo to Survive
The possibility that a highly contagious and deadly disease, once thought eradicated, is already in this country or will enter this country is high. The assessment also shows the threat of a dirty bomb being detonated somewhere in the country is medium at this point.
Assessment is based on recent activities at the Southern border and continual thefts of transport trucks containing deadly radioactive material in Mexico. The assessment also shows the reaction and handling of the situation by the authorities on both sides of the border has increased the risks.
On average, half dozen thefts of radioactive materials have been reported in Mexico each year. Reports from officials claim the thieves are targeting the transport trucks for the value of the trucks themselves and are not targeting the cargo or even aware of the cargo.
This alarming trend will likely have a direct impact on the people in the United States, so everyone needs to stay informed. What is not being disclosed by authorities on both sides of the border is something to think about as well.
Radioactive waste collected from obsolete radiation therapy equipment that is being replaced throughout Mexico’s public health system is routinely transported to waste facilities. Thieves are targeting the transport trucks because of the loading and unloading equipment in addition to the trucks themselves.
According to officials, the thieves are only after the vehicles. This may be true until the thieves are after the Cobalt-60. “Direct exposure to cobalt-60 could result in death within a few minutes” (FoxNews.com, 2013).
Cobalt-60 is deadly to anyone with 500 yards, and this is before it is loaded into a suitcase full of explosives and blown thousands of yards into the surrounding environment. This means that if someone has possession of Cobalt-60 and opens the container you can be exposed to deadly radiation if you are within 500 yards, 500 yards in any direction.
Next time a shipment is hijacked the thieves may be aware that while the truck itself is valuable the cargo itself is the real payload, and much more valuable. It does not take much imagination to realize that Cobalt-60 may soon be on the auction block and sold to the highest bidder. A bidder bent on the destruction of the United States.
All it takes is someone with some knowledge, and the proper protective equipment to pack the radioactive waste into suitcases with some explosives. Once detonated the so-called dirty bombs would rain death down in a city near you.
Your survival may hinge on your ability to react quickly to the situation. While a dirty bomb will not create an EMP, or spew radioactive fallout for 200 miles, it will cause almost certain death to thousands. There may be more than one dirty bomb detonated as well, in the same area or in cities across the country.
Combine this with the thousands of people streaming across the border while not bringing radioactive waste with them they may be bringing diseases with them once thought eradicated. You cannot fight this with guns and ammo. You survive it by planning, and being ready to react to protect yourself.
It is obvious that the Southern borders are relatively wide open, so how much effort would it take to smuggle a container of radioactive material into the United States. Of course, there may already be a container of stolen radioactive material in the United States. It is time to pay attention and step it up.
Maybe It is Time to Step up Your Preps
You cannot fight deadly bacteria, viruses and contaminated medical waste with firearms. You fight it by isolation. You need physical barriers, knowledge, materials and other vital supplies along with the ability to think calmly.
Unfortunately, like an iceberg we only see a portion of what is really going on. We see the tip and often times this is only what the government wants us to see. What is lurking underneath that we cannot see, if we cannot see the danger can we be prepared to react to it.
The government obviously keeps things from its citizens. They do this for various reasons, and one reason is to prevent panic that would lead to demonstrations and riots that would lead to mass chaos. None of us really knows the full extent of the dangers lurking out there.
Not many people can run out and afford to buy protective suits and masks. You would have to be in your protective posture before detonation or direct exposure to radiation however, so they may not do you much good in some cases. This would mean you would have to know when and where a dirty bomb would explode and of course, you will not have this information.
If you are too close to a dirty bomb when it goes off, you die, and if you are far enough away, you can react and put distance between you and the threat. You may need suits and other protective gear in some cases, but to survive you will have to create distance and/or barriers.
Some will not survive but those that do will have to react quickly once word of a pandemic or release or radioactive material is known.
Underground is probably the best protection, unless you have access to facilities specifically designed for protection against the specific threats. Not many will have access to secure facilities so underground is the only choice.
Bunkers with air scrubbers would be ideal but even your basement that is below ground level will help protect you against radiation, any barrier affords a certain level of protection.
Ten feet of earth will certainly protect you, even five feet if that is all you can manage, is better than not having any barrier at all. Airborne contaminates like viruses and bacteria must be dealt with as well, and once again underground is ideal.
You will of course need respirators that will stop or help to stop certain viruses and bacteria from entering your body. Protection is all about barriers between you and the threat.
Certain preppers imagine themselves roaming the area searching and foraging when the SHTF However, with the most likely threats at this moment being ones you cannot see then roaming the streets and lanes is not what you should be preparing to do.
You can expect to be isolated for long periods, so you must prepare accordingly. You may not be able to hunt or fish if deadly bacteria, viruses and radioactive material are present in your area. You will have to isolate yourself to the point where there may not be contact with others for an extended period.
You should assume that you could not collect, filter or purify a water source so you will need enough stockpiled. This means you up your preps on everything. Some preppers assume they can gather certain items such as food and water during a crisis. In some cases, during some threats, you may not be able to, so you have to prepare for this.
FoxNews.com. (2013). Retrieved 2014, from http://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/12/04/stolen-radioactive-material-found-in-mexico/