For most of us getting food and supplies in the post apocalypse world will be no easy task. For starters most of us live in cities and urban centers, these places require a complex network of delivery systems to bring food, medicine, clean drinking water, and all the other things we take for granted everyday. A major disruption in services means that very quickly store shelves will become empty. Those affected in those areas will have to rely on other means of getting food, especially if those services aren’t coming back.
Like in any situation you need to know what’s in your local and immediate area. Where I live for example there are no less then 5 grocery stores that range from high end to discount bargain food. There are 4 convenient stores like 7-11 or clones like 7-11, 1 gas station minus the car wash, 5 café’s, and one pet food and supply store. All of these are excellent starting points to find food in the post apocalypse. Of these however I recommend starting at the pet supply store, why? Because all the major grocery stores will be looted first, followed by the convenient stores. Stores that sell dog or other pet food won’t be a first target for looters because they simply won’t have starved enough to realize that dog food is still food.
Depending on where you live in there world there are any number of resources you can use to acquire food to survive, here are few your location might have
1.Sea Containers in train yards or harbours
2.Rail cars since they transport supplies across land
3.Abandoned homes (make sure nobody is home first)
4.Boats in a harbour from fishing boats to luxury liners
5.Strip malls
6.Food courts in office buildings
7.Warehouses and distribution centers
Sea Containers
Everything that comes to one continent or another be it cars, computers, or food comes by the sea via a freighter. If you live in a city that is connected to the ocean and has a port these places make excellent locations to find food that many would miss. Try to find any kind of documents or lists that indicate what items are located in what container, otherwise you could be spending a very long time searching through them all.
Rail Cars
Those same supplies that are shipped out or in are usually transported over land by train. Finding abandoned rail yards is a great source of resources that are now available to you. Like sea containers in ports try to find some form of documentation to help cut down on your search time.
Abandoned Homes
This is a tricky one, while many in the event of a collapse will flee their homes, many others will simply board up the windows and doors and prepare to ride it out. As well other survivors may have squatted in previously abandoned homes, either way your not going to be sure of what to expect, so be cautious. When searching abandoned homes make sure to do your homework and check for signs of human activity before you take anything. Things such as lit candles, fresh unfinished food, and human waste are pretty good indicators that somebody has either just left, or is still around.
Boats
Many people will overlook the various fishing boats, pleasure yachts, or even ferries that will be docked at various ports. There is a very good chance that many of these vessels will have food and other supplies you can use to survive. Another overlooked resource that almost every boat will have is some form of radio equipment. If the boat still has power these radios can be used to try and make contact with other survivors.
Strip Malls
Many small malls may have generic clothing stores, dollar stores and other run of the mill type stores. Chances are also good that many of these stores will be ignored by many looters. While not a great source of supplies places such as dollars stores for example carry cheap canned soups, dehydrated noodles and other food packed full of MSG which in the event of the post apocalypse you won’t really care about.
Food Courts
In many cities that I’ve travelled to it’s been a common practice to see some form of food court at or near the base of an office tower for all the office types to grab a snake before returning to their work. Most of this food will be nothing more then fast food or really bad Chinese food. They will have several canned and packaged items that will be of use to you. Remember to avoid foods that were frozen as they will have thawed out and gone bad.
Warehouses
In every major town and city there are places where food is collected to be distributed to outlet stores, and again places like this will be overlooked by many survivors at first who will hit the grocery store instead of its distribution warehouse that supplies it. And like those grocery stores you will find everything you would there only in bulk. Expect to see things packaged in crates ready for delivery, so you’re going to have to spend some time reading what the items are inside.
Again it all depends on where you live in the world which will determine your resources that you get to choose from.
I've visited some 2012 sites and many of the folks at those sites believe that the world is ending Dec. 21, 2012. They've stock piled food for the event and even have shelters. What do you think? Should people start hoarding food now?
ReplyDeleteI'm honestly on the fence about the whole thing. I was in the military when we were expecting Y2k to be a big nuclear armageddon. We had generators, years of rations, extra ammo and everything we needed in case things did happen.
ReplyDeleteAs for 2012 I do know we are due to enter something called the Gallactic Rift or "Dark Rift" this is where the planet is drawn into the gravitational center of the galaxy. The fact that this is mentioned by ancient cultures and confirmed with modern science makes me wonder. But there's also evidence to dismiss it all as just a myth, and the ancient hyroglphics of the Mayan may not have been properly translated.
Either way I'm going to be ready just in case
The pet food store source is something I never would have thought of. You're absolutely right. No one would think of looting a place like that FIRST because, well, like you said, they're not hungry enough yet. Sure, eating dog food/cat food seems a little gross, but really, it all has basically the same stuff we eat on a regular basis (beef, chicken and so forth) except for horse meat. Little known secret about me... When I was a kid, I would eat dog biscuits every once in a while and look how I turned out. A fine, upstanding, wholesome American citizen. Hahaha.
ReplyDeleteIn regards to 2012, I do have a feeling something huge is going to happen on a worldwide scale. I have no idea, for sure, of course. I think everyone can agree that the climate is becoming more extreme. Then you have to consider the increase of flooding due to the polar ice caps melting away and that earthquakes have been more prevalent in the last few decades. Then there are the wars in the Middle East going on with unpredictable "leaders" at the helm of those countries. We can't dismiss North Korea, of course. In short, things are getting more f*cked up with each passing year.
Very good, informative post, as always. You should write a book, perhaps. You have a wealth of important advice in your noggin, dude. Later.