The Biggest Killer When the SHTF

What is the Biggest Killer?

The biggest killer will not be the SHTF event. It will not be bands of thugs or roving gangs coming to take what you have. It will not announce he is coming. You will look him in the face and not know he is there. It’s a killer I have come face to face with and fight everyday. I have seen his brutal tactics. I have seen how he preys on the elderly and very young without mercy. The biggest killer after a SHTF scenario will be the one you have probably only given only a little thought to; water.

Let me explain why and how water is going to be the biggest killer. It’s easy really; it already is. 3.5 million people die each year due to water related illness from drinking unsafe water. That comes to just over 9500 people a day. I know water you’re thinking, “That is only over in countries in Africa, or only in third world countries.” And you would be partially right. A country like Liberia has been in the news as of late due to the Ebola outbreak. Ebola has killed just under 700 people in Liberia from March till the time I am writing this, and it is world news. The reality is the water related deaths in the same country were over 700 for just last week. There was nothing special about last week. That happens every week and it doesn’t make the news. There is something big we need to learn from those third world countries though, because it can happen here.

Take a look at the recent news of water related problems just here at home. Toxic algae making drinking water unsafe. Drought so bad out west that community wells are running dry and lakes are drying up. Still think it can’t happen here? It already is.

In a grid down situation, city water towers will be empty within a few days. They rely on power to pump water into the tower. Nothing will flow from your faucet. You will not be able to flush your toilet. Even people with wells will have difficulties getting water unless they have a back up generator or other source of making power to run the pump.

Our bodies need not just water, but safe water. Unsafe water is full of pathogens that will make you sick. It’s the pathogens that will kill you. Your body will do whatever it takes to fight the enemies in the unsafe water you just drank.

Vomiting, diarrhea, and high fever are common fairly quickly after you consume unsafe water. You will become severely dehydrated, which is what most often leads to death.

So right now you maybe thinking you are fine. You know that the water has to be made safe. You have water filters stockpiled, you know how to make a solar still, and we all know how to boil water to make it safe. But have you considered where this water is coming from? If the only water source close to you is a small pond or creek that you will be sharing with all of your neighbors it might quickly become a breeding ground for additional disease. You have no idea what someone may have done upstream or what kind of poisons someone may have put into the water. People do very stupid things now. Turn on the nightly news if you need more convincing. The stupidity of others will greatly increase when SHTF.

How can I defend against this great Killer?

You need to have a plan in place now for where you are going to get water. My family purchased a bug out location in the country that consisted of a house and a few outbuilding on 11 acres. The first thing I did was locate the natural watershed on the property and then I dug a pond. I dug deep because I wanted to make sure we would have enough water to supply not only our physical needs, but also be able to irrigate the garden if needed. This demand was put to the test the following summer when drought hit. It was one of the driest summers on record. Nothing was green, even the grass died. The pond level was low, but there was still water in it.

We sold that location this spring and have decided it would be better for our family to prepare to bunker down in place in suburbia. One of the first things we did this summer is put in an 18,000 gallon holding tank. It’s also known as a pool. We can divert rain water off of the house or shed to keep it filled. It will be our source for water if need be. We are confident we will be able to use this water through filtration methods we have already used and have standing by.

You can also install rain barrels to collect water. Some places have made it illegal to collect rain or run off which I think is insane in the land of the free. That doesn’t mean you can’t be ready to do so should the need arise.

You should also be practicing using less water. Try taking a bucket shower. Fill a one gallon bucket up with water. Use a cup to get yourself wet, wash everything at once, use the cup to rinse off. You should be able to do it with half a gallon. Use cold water; you’ll be very motivated to use as little as possible. Figure out other ways to really cut down on your water usage.

The key to beating this killer is knowing ahead of time how you are going to fight him. Know where several water sources are, even if it is a far walk. Know how you are going to transport that water and how to make it safe. Know the time involved and how much you will need. Don’t wait for it to happen to learn how you will survive. Practice now and practice often!

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