You are absolutely right, just look at the computer sale just before the year 2000.
Its when NASA holds a symposium on the effects of Solar Storms (last June?) and was a sell out. You take on a bit more of a perspective of the possible dangers that may confront the 3rd Rock from the sun. Mostly in attendance to this symposium, was FEMA, City Emergency Teams, and National emergency councils of the world. 😯 :geek:

Its like the whole Fukushima thing. Radio active air/water etc. Sold a whack of iodine pills. It makes me wonder why the same people that worry about Fukushima hardly ever mention Radon in the home. I guess one is more in your face, while the other is a silent killer.

If you would have been at the Alberta meetings these Questions may have been answered with the plans we have discussed and agreed on....And yes I agree with you about the fear mongers, but any G.O.O.D. plan has the what ifs factored in to some degree..Our meetings in Alberta have been very productive and informative, and one thing that we have always verbally stressed, is to live a life dont let prepping consume your money, or your life, plan for a retirement after all retirement planning is a sort of prepping for the future...I believe when people think of 2012, they focus to much on hollywood and the so called prophets of doom. All i am saying is dont brush things a side just because it may seem far fetched, factor it in the what if's to a degree [" I bet noah and the folks around him thought this was a little far fetched but it turned out to be a G.O.O.D. plan "] and then look at the hole picture as we have doon time and time again with our meetings and very vibrant discussions...Now with that said no one at the group, that I know of, thinks that an Alien ship is coming to get us but we have factored in some, [ what we call low possibility high impact scenarios,

Alberta prepper wrote;

My plan has always been to prepare for the worst - asking myself, what is the worst case scenario for me and my family. How many months of food should I have, how about water as the first 72 hours are most critical (don't believe me, look at Katrina). Why and when would I leave my home to go to a safer location? Do "I" have what it takes to ensure survivability not only for me but my entire family? What am I going to do when I arrive at my safe location? Will other's be there with me? Am I prepared to do "anything" necessary to ensure my safety and survival of my family

All this that you have asked has been discussed in great detail, at our meetings and we have come up with very good plans...

Maybe the rest of the Alberta group can chime in here....

Before we started prepping we discussed how we were going to go about it. Very soon we decided that "doomsday scenarios" were fun to imagine but not very productive (unless they sparked your creativity or forced you to imagine a likely potential problem you had forgotten about). So we left the scenarios alone.

We based our prepping model on a number of factors:
1) Our limited money (How much were we willing to devote to this?)

2) Time. When we first started prepping MacLean's magazine had a cover story tited "World War 3?". There was sense that something big was going to happen soon. So the idea was to get SOMETHING in place first even if it was crude and improve on it over time so if events overtook us then
we would not find ourselves completely unprepared.. Like pioneer family living in a tent first, then a sod hut then a log cabin and finally a farmhouse.

3) Who were we preparing for? It would be nice to set away food, fuel and medicines for Uncle Bob and Auntie Jane, Gramma, Granpa, 3rd cousin Larry and his dog ect. ect. ect. but we realized there was no way we could do it. So we prepared for the three of us and used Christmas and birthdays as excuses to help others prep. My mom & brother got a six and three month supply of wheat for Christmas a couple of years ago. Others have gotten silver coins for their birthdays. The gifts were always appreciated and understood.

4) Provision of services and goods that we bought regularly now but MIGHT be unable to get in the future. Example Electricity - We weren't concerned about what might CAUSE a power failure. We concerned ourselves with how could we generate electricity. We weren't concerned about WHY we would lose access to clean water only in how we could get it.

Like Traveller stated earlier; at the meetings we have been trying to set up game plans for some specific scenarios and for some general slow-burn catastrophes but more so an idea of community. Each meeting we've added a bit more to the discussions and more specifics to the plans. As time passes and trust grows, I'm sure those specifics will become more tangible.

I like what was just posted above; you are preparing to generate your own electricity regardless of what caused the loss of the grid in the first place. I like the flexibility in that perspective. Whether we are knocked down by the flu, a cme or alien slave harvesters, the needs of a new society will remain the same; the ability to harvest food, harness energy, defend each other and care for each other (from medicine to teaching the 'lil ones), etc. The emergency you end up facing is more likely to be as needing a job or raising a barn or, just maybe, the high alien slave ships.

Get out to the meetings people and get to know each other as a first step. You also need to be fitted for the tinfoil hats we all wear when walking around Tim Horton's parking lots 😎 .

Yeah, my wife & daughter & I went to (I think) the 2nd meeting but that was the one that got moved at the last minute so we wound up waiting in the parking lot with a couple of other late comers. We've been meaning to make it to a meeting but things always come up. However, we are still going full speed ahead with out preps. Oops gotta go - daughter has prob.

A question, for you all, a well water pump, will it not also work on a fuel tank. Might be useful to carry one in the trunk with fuel grade hose when TSHTF. No electricity, no problem. 😉

Here a cool video but pay attention at 1:45 Min into the video then 1st world war and the spanish flu hits and the population drops. Something to think about.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbkSRLYSojo

Michael