First if you haven’t seen this show, go out and watch it, it’s pretty amazing (Click here to view it on my website or check the top left to view links to The Colony and other videos). Anyways getting back on subject, The Colony is about a group of survivors trying to rebuild and survive after a pandemic collapse. This is a 10 week controlled experiment to get an idea of what to expect after the apocalypse. While the show offers some really great insight to possible post apocalypse life, and how creative people can be when forced to be, it does have one flaw. The flaw is this, those picked to be in the colonists.
I don’t care where you live or who you know, there is no way in hell unless you have a golden horseshoe up your ass that you will have a scientist, contractor, ex soldier, marital arts expert, handyman, and machinist all under one rusted roof. If you’re lucky you might have one of those mentioned, two if you’re really lucky. Chances are pretty good your group will consist of burger flippers with more zits then life skills, type A office workers and pencil pushers, and the most annoying idiots alive.
Take a look around at your neighbourhood of the city or town you live in, how many people you know have skills that would be an asset in the post apocalyptic future. Chances are good most of you won’t know more then a couple. Someone like me who is new to their city practically knows nobody; this will make organizing a group in the initial outset a little harder, which is okay for me because I like a challenge.
If you come across a group of strangers who decided to group up the first thing you should do is find out what their skill set is. Figure out immediately who knows what and who is the most useful. If no one wants to step up and be a leader be prepared to take control, just remember not to become a dictator they have a tendency of getting overthrown.
So I’m going to finish this post with a question, how many of you know people who can be of assistance to survive after the apocalypse and what skill set do they bring.
I know a few useful people. I work in a hospital and a doctor is very important in a postapocalyptic setting. Not as many as I could, however.
ReplyDeleteI live in a relatively small town. Basically, an agriculture community. Very few soldiers (vets) live here. We do have fair amount of mechanics. Doctors?...Hmmm, average amount for a town this size, I suppose. We live so close to a big city that manufactures parts for nuclear weapons, it would be one of the major cities to get hit first with a nuclear bomb or something else. In other words, we would likely get wiped off the map before having a chance to organize and survive.
ReplyDeleteGreat to see this post up. I thought this would be a great addition to your blog. I've given it some thought already many times actually.
ReplyDeleteFor someone like me who likes to fortify and stay put in a relatively safe out of the way locations I've put together a list of some of the people I would like to have on my side.
Given my location on eastern Canada there isn't much in the way of experts. Most of our money is generated out west by those working out there and sending it home but we have some industries available which are mostly labor related.
My list is mainly:
Carpenters/Wood workers: If your fortifying a building these guys are a must.
At least one mechanic: you'll need machinery of some sort and it needs up keeping.
Some people with hunting/trapping experience: Lots of game here, and additional meat in your diet won't hurt one bit.
Some people with agricultural/ gardening experience: Vegetables especially ones easily stored for winter and easily grown will also be great additions to the diet. Especially if your staying in one place far removed from society.
These are elite skills but for my basic planning a group of most of these types should be able to function quite happily.
Kelly: I think it depends on how close you are to that city and what kind of nuke they use to take it out. if you live over 50 miles away you should have enough distance to survive the blast and escape before the fallout comes. If you're under 50 miles or the nuke is over 1 megaton......you're screwed. Of course that goes right out the window if it's a pandemic then there is no real safe distance.
ReplyDeleteDark Slander: Looks like you have a plan going. That's the nice thing about back east is the amount of wild game and those who still trap and live off the land. I would try to hunker down near the ocean or to any major river as well to keep up a constant flow of fresh water (As long as it's not coming from the great lakes which will be pretty contaminated.
Jessica: Having a doctor is a major assest to survival in the post apocalypse. If you can't get a doctor a nurse or an emt are good choices.
Snake, funny that you brought this up. My new post is about this very subject. In my post I talk about using the time you have now; to learn some skills you can use later.
ReplyDeleteCool i shall check that out
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