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kobewild99

New Member
Joined
Jan 12, 2015
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Location
Marenisco, Michigan
Let me start off by saying hi to everyone and I look forward to working with you in the near future. I am currently in 9th grade and I have always been fascinated by the work of doomsday preppers, so the other day I finally decided to look into some of the stuff preppers would buy and how they would survive. Looking at some of the sites I couldn't think anything else but how amazing all the stuff you guys do is. From this I decided to write a book. I am sure most of you have heard of the now abandoned town called Chernobyl. In the story I am writing I am having a similar experience, where my family and I live in a town, by two nuclear facilities. My dad being a prepper (in the book) has us always do trials, in case there was ever a explosion, or meltdown situation. In the book when a meltdown does happen, my family will spend the first few days in the bunker, after the radiation dies down, my family goes above ground to find that the meltdown started a zombie apocalypse. Here are a few questions I have, that I need to learn for survival and the story...and I thought to myself who better to ask then preppers themselves.

1. if there is a nuclear facility has a meltdown, how far down would your bunker have to be to be out of the reach of radiation?
2. is there certain materials that you use to make a bunker?
3. what kind of food/drinks would be best to have while in the bunker?
4.how much of this food/drink would you need?
5.would any electronics work once in the bunker?
6.what are the weapons to have?
7.What are some non-food items you should have stored in the bunker ahead of time?
8.would walkie talkies work?
9.what are some tricks if there is a medical emergency such as a burning a cut
10.how long would it take for the radiation to die down to a safe enough level to wear a suit and be in the outside world?
11. without a suit or gas mask how long would it take for you to get sick enough to die?
last but not least I want to ask if you can put anything you think that would be really important that I have listed above...me just beginning to look at becoming a prepper do not know anything yet.
 
Let me start off by saying hi to everyone and I look forward to working with you in the near future. I am currently in 9th grade and I have always been fascinated by the work of doomsday preppers, so the other day I finally decided to look into some of the stuff preppers would buy and how they would survive. Looking at some of the sites I couldn't think anything else but how amazing all the stuff you guys do is. From this I decided to write a book. I am sure most of you have heard of the now abandoned town called Chernobyl. In the story I am writing I am having a similar experience, where my family and I live in a town, by two nuclear facilities. My dad being a prepper (in the book) has us always do trials, in case there was ever a explosion, or meltdown situation. In the book when a meltdown does happen, my family will spend the first few days in the bunker, after the radiation dies down, my family goes above ground to find that the meltdown started a zombie apocalypse. Here are a few questions I have, that I need to learn for survival and the story...and I thought to myself who better to ask then preppers themselves.

1. if there is a nuclear facility has a meltdown, how far down would your bunker have to be to be out of the reach of radiation?
2. is there certain materials that you use to make a bunker?
3. what kind of food/drinks would be best to have while in the bunker?
4.how much of this food/drink would you need?
5.would any electronics work once in the bunker?
6.what are the weapons to have?
7.What are some non-food items you should have stored in the bunker ahead of time?
8.would walkie talkies work?
9.what are some tricks if there is a medical emergency such as a burning a cut
10.how long would it take for the radiation to die down to a safe enough level to wear a suit and be in the outside world?
11. without a suit or gas mask how long would it take for you to get sick enough to die?
last but not least I want to ask if you can put anything you think that would be really important that I have listed above...me just beginning to look at becoming a prepper do not know anything yet.
Welcome and thank you for taking time to join Doomsday Prepper Forums.com. Your presence here is much appreciated. We look forward to your posts, and hope you enjoy the community!

Please feel free to ask (post) and questions you may have in the proper area, as the members on here are extremely knowledgeable and more than willing to help!

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1. If there is a nuclear facility has a meltdown, how far down would your bunker have to be to be out of the reach of radiation?
Depends on the bunker material. Soil and concrete are great radiation barriers. Can easily look up thicknesses. Figure 2 feet of soil.

2. Is there certain materials that you use to make a bunker?
See above. Concrete and rebar are likely the cheapest if building your own, though corrugated metal may also be viable. Do NOT think about using Shipping Containers (they aren't made for it).

3. What kind of food/drinks would be best to have while in the bunker?
Water. Dehydrated food (needs only boiling water), ready to eat foods (don't need heating), ration bars, MREs, etc.

4. How much of this food/drink would you need?
Really depends on how intense the radiation is. Figure for at least two weeks at minimum

5. Would any electronics work once in the bunker?
Realistically should be fine, though not a bad idea to have any stored electronics in the bunker, in a makeshift Faraday cage (like an aluminum trash can lined with cardboard).

6. What are the weapons to have?
More of a personal choice. A rifle and pistol though. (per person that can shoot), and some kind of melee weapon (like a machete)

7. What are some non-food items you should have stored in the bunker ahead of time?
Medicine, sanitation needs, potassium iodine, entertainment, crank radio, batteries, flashlights, garbage bags, duct tape, etc.

8. Would walkie talkies work?
In the shelter, sure. Outside, sure, as long as they were down there during the EMP (if a nuclear blast). Note, wouldn't have the EMP in a meltdown scenario.

9. What are some tricks if there is a medical emergency such as a burning a cut?
No tricks, just basic first aid and medical know how and supplies.

10. How long would it take for the radiation to die down to a safe enough level to wear a suit and be in the outside world?
Depends on way too many factors. General recommendation is two weeks, but can be more or less time depending on a whole host of factors.

11. Without a suit or gas mask how long would it take for you to get sick enough to die?
Again, depends on exposure, could be minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years, depending.

Last but not least I want to ask if you can put anything you think that would be really important that I have listed above...me just beginning to look at becoming a prepper do not know anything yet.

See above.

Unless a nuclear threat is really the deal, you're better off just prepping to:

Have a renewable source of water
Have a renewable source of grown food
Have a renewable source of protein
Have a good shelter
Have good protection

Everything else is gravy.
 
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Welcome Kobewild99.

Wow, now that is a serious list of questions.

I agree with Gazrok on many of his answers.

Things to have:
  • Water in abundance or a way to purify water
  • Preserved food - either dehydrated or canned goods
  • Some weapons would be nice to have on hand (especially if there are zombies) with a stock pile of ammo. I would suggest having some weapons that don't run out of ammo as well like knives, baseball bats, machetes and the like
  • Potassium Iodide (IOSAT) pills for thyroid blocking in a radiation emergency
  • First aid supplies and someone that knows how to use them
  • Hygiene supplies and a means to remove waste from the bunker
  • Entertainment - I suggest books, especially the kind that can teach you a useful skill
As for tricks to use in a medical emergency, I will share the following but I do not endorse these as they may not be safe for everyone. I would only suggest these as to be used in your story:
  • super glue on deep cuts (so long as you could pinch the sides of the cut together)
  • using a stapler to bind large gashes like a using sutures (but I am sure this will hurt like crazy)
  • duct or electrical tape works great for splints, twisted ankles, and binding wounds in a pinch
That is all I can think of for now. I will check back and add more soon.
 
  • using a stapler to bind large gashes like a using sutures (but I am sure this will hurt like crazy)

It does. I did it once (but it did work). Having some butterfly bandages is much better.... Then again, stitching one up isn't exactly painless either.....

Q. What's the best firearm to have?
A. The one you're the best shot with. A weapon you know how to use, and care for, etc.
 
Ok this stuff alone has really helped me with some new ideas, and it has even changed some other ones such as me having books to read, I love that idea! Thanks for all the information so far guys, hope to see some new ones...and hey if you have some crazy idea let me know because like pioneer said those cheats he mentioned would not be good in real life, but his ideas are really cool and I am 100% going to use those along with all the others you guys have mentioned so far.
 
A little something else to consider coming from a women's outlook is different ways of cooking. In the given situation a stove or microwave are not probably going to be readily available. One would have to cook open fire with limited cooking utensils and in some situation one would not want the smell of smoke or food giving your position away. Learning other methods such as in ground oven, using big leaves to cook in (kinda like tamales), or flat surface stone or even one with a crevice. This also can be researched and give you more reading material..lol. Good luck!
 
if you have a chance,take your camping gear and go out for a weekend,limit your stuff to just basics and go for low-tech,might give you ideas
for your book,how to live ,cook,keep you warm,where to crap,last one just to maintain some hygiene in your camp,which is even more in need in a shtf situation
 
Being close to a nuclear desaster your book should be about getting out of the danger zone . One of the few times I would consider bugging out . Warning giving , highways and roads are packed and at a stand still , Communacations overloaded and shut down . Chernobyl is still dangerous if you stay to long or kick up dust and it gets on you or you breath it , its not a town but a whole city . Wild life there is stunted in growth rate . The reactor is buried under layers of concrete and is still melting down .
 
Doesn't make for a great story, but yeah, if you're within 100 miles of an operating reactor, and the SHTF, your best bet is bugging out....by water if at all possible. Land routes are going to be parking lots. If water isn't an option, off-road it.
 
not everyone wants a bunker or can afford one. as for nuclear don't be DOWNWIND of a power station, a nuclear war is another thing I don't think that is survivable especially on a small island like the UK, an air burst causing an EMP is another thing entirely. most preppers will bug IN unless their home becomes unhabitable due to fire or flood.
 
howdy from a texan .... and welcome to the forum and family...there's quiet a few knowledgeable folks here that'll gladly tell ya what you need to know,or at least point ya in the right direction and/or give ya a good idea or 2..and by all means jump right on in with any replies you have on a topic.and start new topics if/when needed....
 
a nuclear war is another thing I don't think that is survivable especially on a small island like the UK

You'd be surprised. Remember, the enemy isn't trying to necessarily kill the population centers. The targets are industry, communications, command, etc. And an initial blast is much easier to deal with (radiation wise) than a melting down reactor.

All during the Cold War, we were scared into thinking that a Nuclear War wasn't survivable. However, a LOT less nukes these day, and a lot less yields on them. A lot of advances have been made to increase destructive power, with less fallout. Simply put, you'd be surprised how much of the Earth would be rather untouched by nukes. In addition, the Nuclear Winter issue has always been hotly debated. After recent issues such as volcanic eruptions, other impacts, etc., a lot of the data point to it being MUCH less severe than we thought back in the 80's.....
 
Since a high altitude EMP nuke has the possibility of also taking out satellites too, I think it is safe to assume if we start seeing hostile nation(s) moving satellites out of it's normal orbit (away from targeted areas such as the US/UK) on a large scale we should be concern, I don't see low alt EMP nukes being use given the affects would be too localized.
 
An EMP attack would certainly set in motion a SHTF scenario. However, it wouldn't require any kind of bunker, and there are actually many ways to minimize one's vulnerability to it. All those preppers relying on solar power may be in for a rude awakening though (not the panels, but the other components)....

Next to economic collapse, an attack by an EMP superweapon is pretty much high on my list of "most plausible" SHTF scenarios. Even a piss-ant enemy like NK could likely pull this off if they were determined enough and put enough money into it. We've certainly had such weapons for a while, as have other advanced military nations. Heck, the biggest challenge for them would be getting it into position, (without being shot down), vs. actually making it.

The real crapper about an EMP attack, is that it is likely to happen without any warning, so only things that are protected all of the time would be safe. This requires some extra steps for a prepper to consider.
 
All it would take is a boomer setting close to US waters loaded with a EMP nuke, wouldn't give much time to react and it would be very difficult to determine the country involved, as of right now russia has that capability and possibly china I don't think NK golf II subs have the capability of nukes though it is designed for the scud's (r-11fm), tactical only. I don't think the r-11 can achieve the altitude to be affective given if it can even be capable to carry nuclear warhead to yield that kind of power.
 
back to my original comment then.

Though it depends on the altitude of the air burst, any nuclear explosion is going to cause a certain amount of EMP, depending on the yield and altitude is going to cause overpressure so hopefully it will be a high altitude explosion, hopefully the air burst is higher then 60 miles as not to get the affects of the overpressure, if it's a true EMP bomb then the airburst should be roughly higher then 100-200 miles up, a 10mt 250 miles up would take out the entire grid from coast to coast here in the states, starfish prime was 60 miles up and it was a 1.4mt look what that did ;) The overpressure was registered to the ground and the gamma ray equaled that of a 1.4kt on the ground. most of the russian EMP high altitude bombs are in the 25-300kt 8-10mt range with the air burst altitude between 150-330 miles (should be)
 
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