February 15, 2010
Exclusive: How Will You Survive the Collapse of Civilization?
Renee E. Taylor
The truck approached Chicago in the early morning light much like any of the thousands of big rigs that travel Interstate 80 on a daily basis. Hauling food, materials and life’s necessities and luxuries, it went unnoticed as it, and its load of potentially deadly chlorine, slowly headed into rush hour traffic.
The driver had his credentials in check when he picked up the load – he had gone through the hazardous materials training offered by the small company for which he drove. With no criminal record, he easily passed the Transportation Safety Administration’s background check to get the treasured “haz-mat” endorsement on his commercial driver’s license. His association with his local mosque was never disclosed; his real intent, a mission begun at the time of his application with the trucking company a year prior, known only to him. With unsuspecting commuters sat in the rush hour traffic going into the city and a quiet whisper of “Allahu Akbar,” the truck driver pushed the button on the detonator. The explosive rigged to the sleeper exploded in with a sharp, deafening roar, tearing open the back of the trailer. Fire raging, the chlorine spilled onto the roadway, toxic gas filling the air.
Hundreds die or are wounded from the initial blast and chlorine exposure. Thousands, maybe tens of thousands, will succumb in the days ahead as clean up, investigation and quarantine begin. Hospitals are filled to capacity, unable to care for the sick and dying. Supplies to the survivors are slow to arrive, as the bureaucracy struggles to find answers, excuses and blame. With no clear plan in place, a population in the world’s wealthiest nation is sick, dying and struggling to obtain life’s basic necessities.
The above is a hypothetical, but very real, scenario. Across the nation, people are coping with blizzard conditions, their world frozen under ice and snow. Power, water and even such small daily activities like driving to the grocery store, necessities we take for granted, are gone. Trapped, they wait – wait for the power company to restore service. Long lines form at the local convenience store for the last few cans of Spam, as trucks are unable to trek across the icy roads to deliver goods.
Whether it is a terrorist attack, natural disaster or complete meltdown of our nation’s economy as money for the national debt is printed before the ink on the last batch of $100 bills is dry, the possibility of a “doomsday” scenario is not outside the realm of possibility. Can a people so reliant upon computer technology, public transportation, the vast trucking industry to bring the stores goods and food from far away cities, live for days, possibly weeks, survive?
We live in a house of cards with no clear foundation. We rely too much upon unfriendly foreign nations to provide oil to heat our homes and put gas in our cars. We rely upon other nations to provide produce and other food items that fill our grocery store – food that can easily be contaminated with e-coli and other deadly, infectious disease – food that would not be available in the event of even a partial collapse of the transportation sector. Basic skills such as sewing and cooking are lost upon a generation raised on convenience foods and cheap, “throw away” goods. Could you or your child sew a button on a coat or mend a sock if clothing became scarce? Could you prepare a meal with flour, milk, eggs and canned meat and/or vegetables, or would you stare at the ingredients, wishing for last week’s prepared, frozen dinner?
The federal government cannot, over eight years after the terrorist attacks on 9/11, even effectively handle one terrorist with a bomb in his BVDs. With federal, state and local governments continually intruding upon our lives, from what kind of light bulb we can use in our homes to making more and more citizens dependent upon that government check to pay for basic housing, food and clothing, when those who are directing our lives are in vast disarray as first responders are overwhelmed and real tragedy, far beyond the grasp of politicians who cannot purchase a ream of copy paper without a week’s debate and discussion are unable to make quick, needed decisions, it is up to each individual to take charge of their situation and ensure their family will make it through.
Bob Livingston, founder of Personal Liberty Alerts and editor of The Bob Livingston Letter, has provided, in his book How to Survive the Collapse of Civilization, a good, basic outline on what you can do as an individual to prepare for any situation. While the title of the book and the cover itself – showing an unknown city being destroyed by a nuclear bomb while a citizen looks on from his gas mask – may turn off many, it is a book that should grace the emergency preparedness box of all.
While Livingston gives a selection of scenarios that face a world filled with war, radical Islamic jihadists and natural disaster, this is not a book on the how and why such disasters occur, but a foundation to motivate the reader toward preparedness, a lesson in back-to-the-basics that seem lost in a world of convenience.
Many Americans live in a bubble, so to speak. They do not know how to get out of their own neighborhoods, much less the city, in the event of evacuation for any reason. As we have seen in past natural disasters such as hurricanes and earthquakes, the marked evacuation routes are congested and dangerous. Not only does Livingston give suggestions on securing your home in the event of evacuation – such as turning off gas and water valves to your home – he also reminds the reader to obtain a map and have clear route marked out in the event major interstates and roadways are unsafe and unusable. Global Positioning Systems (GPS) are a nice convenience, but there is no substitute for a good paper map for accuracy and reliability.
Build your emergency kit with such items as needed prescription medications, copies of those prescriptions, birth and marriage certificates – as well as other documentation that will be necessary to prove your identity and that of your dependents. Proof of home and vehicle ownership is a must and, I will add, a complete list of all legally owned firearms with serial numbers and detailed descriptions. Livingston further suggests the following: candles, matches, extra clothing and items such as extra ammunition for your firearms, for hunting and self-defense, as well as pepper spray.
Each geographical situation is different and will be in the event of a major disaster. Those living in the major cities will not have the advantage those in rural areas will have in the way of hunting and foraging for food – for which Livingston provides an excellent guide. The reality of food riots in major cities will not be unheard of if supplies dwindle. Crime and basic savagery will skyrocket, as people – whether motivated by fear or greed – revert to looting and theft. The ends – obtaining some treasure whether it be your big screen television or your last can of soup – will, to those people, justify the means: assault and possibly death. With first responders stretched to the limit and “humanitarian aid” tied up in red tape, it will be up to the individual to reasonably and responsibly protect himself, his family and his life.
From the very basics, such as water sterilization and how to store extra water and food to get you through even the briefest of disasters, to guides to surviving long-term in the case of nuclear or biological attack, Livingston’s book does not tell you how to survive, but provides a foundation to build upon to ensure you and your family are self-sufficient and secure. It is a book for the self-motivated individual who realizes that, in the event of an emergency, it will be up to you – not the Federal government or some other entity holding your hand and handing out rice and beans in a near-riotous food line – to protect your family and property.
How to Survive the Collapse of Civilization by Bob Livingston is available here.
FamilySecurityMatters.org Contributing Editor Renee Taylor is a licensed private investigator with The Taylor Company, an investigations and research company based in Warren, Bradley County, Arkansas, as well as an Arkansas licensed bailbond agent for Bryce’s Bailbonding, Inc.
This is a great article, but why does Ms taylor refer derisively to the government's telling us what kind of light bulbs to use in our homes ?
Doesn't she want us to use low energy bulbs so we can reduce our dependence on the oil producing states who use our oil money to help fund the terrorism she warns us against ?
Lewis Regenstein
posted by: Lewis Regenstein
Monday, February 15, 2010 at 10:52 AM
I agree, a large majority of Americans would certainly find it quite difficult or impossible in many cases, surviving those days, weeks or even months without electricity.
Fact, the average citizen is not in any way shape or form a survivalist. No we all depend quite heavily on electricity too not only heat our homes in the winter. But, that all important storage of frozen foods is critical in some hot climates. Not to mention that fresh drinking water, sewerage and other modern-day luxuries that we sadly now take for granted. "myself included"
Your scenario was a bit mild compared to some others that would be far more devastating. I can't even imagine the dire consequences that would most certainly affect us all if some of these brainwashed suicidal Islamic creeps got their hands on some highly fissionable materials. It would be a hundred times worse, than the tragic events on 911.
Without question, with these over educated secular thinking idiots now running our government, "into the ground" We are long over-do for a major terrorist attack. One that will shift the balance of remaining power from the people (martial law) to a totalitarian socialistic regime with its nation seducing leader presently occupying the Oval Office.
posted by: Paul West
Monday, February 15, 2010 at 10:56 AM
Lewis, shouldn't the light bulb you use in YOUR home be YOUR choice as an American citizen? Rather than allowing oil companies to drill more here in America, Congress is busy making laws about light bulbs - forcing us to use bulbs that are not only more costly at the outset, but that also contain a hazardous material (mercury) that pose a danger should the bulb be broken. And please tell me how many people will pay attention to the fact that they cannot be tossed into the regular trash.
I think Congress's time would be better spent coming up with more sensible solutions to the energy problem than poking its nose into our personal affairs. Because it won't stop with light bulbs.
posted by: Jean
Monday, February 15, 2010 at 11:18 AM
Jean, you took the words right out of my mouth! I was about 30 seconds behind you, and was going to post what you said. Bravo!
posted by: Marge
Monday, February 15, 2010 at 11:20 AM
To Lewis Regenstein: Maybe she laughed at t Obamabulbs because they are filled with MERCURY and should you break one, a Hazmat team must be called out to your home and you must leave until one STUPID low energy light bulb is cleaned up. Liberalism always generates the OPPOSITE of what it is supposed to accomplish. You can sit around and wait to die, while the rest of us ARMED and ready, try to survive.
posted by: Navyman Norm
Tuesday, April 6, 2010 at 03:07 PM
I think people can survive, if they have food, water, a sleeping bag, a gun/ammo...and a Bible.
I do not think we'll a have bomb thrown upon us.
We have enough oil to last us for 100's of years, why aren't they exploring in our territory? Why not solar? Seawater? There are many ways for energy.
What I see is the One Worlders just wanting control.
I say let's shut our borders, STOP IMMIGRATION
posted by: Lois
Monday, August 30, 2010 at 04:18 PM
I am shocked by the opening paragraph. There is no reason such a disastrous and frightening scenario should be tacked onto a Muslim character. Why must we be fearful of and hateful towards Muslims? Jesus is love. Try it out.
posted by: New Mexico Sky
Wednesday, December 8, 2010 at 06:09 PM
This book sounds awesome as, at the very least, a basic primer. New Mexico Sky stated, "Why must we be fearful of and hateful towards Muslims?" Well, NM Sky, it's not the Christians all over the world who are blowing people up in the name of their religion and thier god, it's not the Christians who are beheading and raping men and woman and young girls in the name of their religion and their god. Perhaps you need to open up YOUR eyes. We, as Christians, would be happy to tell them about the love of Jesus Christ, but at the same time we would like to keep our head attached, right where the One True God put it, on our neck with our neck still attached to our body too.
With that said, I think it obvious after Katrina that you cannot and should not depend upon your local government to be there when you need them. They have proven that they cannot be depended upon just to help one small area of the country (ok it was a couple hundred miles wide, but the worst was about an 80 miles stretch). Look into a mirror and you will see the ONE person living on this earth that you will have to depend on. Don't let yourself down; be prepared.
posted by: Free Forever in Our Lord
Tuesday, December 14, 2010 at 06:17 PM
"What is human?" GOD's paradigm answer...
Keven J. Hasson, President of the Becket Fund, recently stated, "...the
American and Soviet systems...offered differing visions of freedom and human
nature." The missing element in every human 'solution' is an accurate
definition of the creature.
In the Bible, God's Word has accurately defined the human being as 'the
earth creature endowed with the ability to choose.' His natural Rights,
therefore, are merely an extension and application of natural human
endowments, which all humans - everywhere in the world - possess.
Even as goldfish, canaries, and puppy dogs require an environment based on
their natural features, so humans require external freedom to fulfill their
natural internal abilities of decision, choice, selection, election, and consent.
Uniquely, America was founded on this definitive paradigm in human nature.
All nations should reject foundational human opinion that teaches otherwise.
Further, God's gift of criteria for choosing between alternatives supplies
us with superior standards for successful visionary choice-making. Humans
cannot invent (or replace) criteria greater than self, ACLU to the contrary.
Defining 'human' accurately is the first step in establishing accurate and
successful environments, institutions, and creative relationships for
earth's Choicemaker. Middle East governments, and all leaders, would do well
to pay attention: nature and nature's Creator speak with an authoritative
voice. Psalms 25:12 119:30, 173 Joel 3:14 Selah
No one is smarter than their criteria.
Jim Baxter Sgt. USMC WWII & Korean War semper fidelis
posted by: Jim Baxter
Sunday, February 27, 2011 at 10:27 AM
I had got a desire to begin my own firm, however I didn't have got enough of money to do it. Thank God my colleague suggested to take the business loans. So I received the car loan and realized my old dream.
posted by: Strickland34Louise
Tuesday, December 27, 2011 at 02:37 PM
