What’s your “trigger”?

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I was recently contacted by loyal reader AP. AP brought up the fact that his group meets a few times per year and develops guidelines as to what needs to occur to cause his group to drop everything and head to the groups site. Interesting.

This is a popular subject in many survival & preparedness forums (see here, here, and here). What qualifies as a TSHTF event is one of the main items of discussion in these forums and in my opinion very difficult to answer. There are certainly events that are obviously so cataclysmic that they almost go without saying – such as an asteroid impact, massive solar flare, and of course the ever present threat of evil alien invasion.

What is considered a SHTF or bugout/hunker-down trigger is no doubt highly personal. The area one lives can have a great impact in determining what a “trigger” point is. Live near a nuclear power station? How about a nuclear target? Down wind from a large chemical plant? These are questions that need to be answered when asking – “For you – what is your trigger point?”.

Well – I am asking and would like to hear from you.

What do you consider your “trigger point”? For you….How will you know TSHTF?

Please leave a comment here.

Rourke

Tags: Current Events, TSHTF

Current Events | Rourke December 4, 2010

25 Comments to “What’s your “trigger”?”

By CM, December 4, 2010 @ 5:34 am

A faster rate of bank foreclosures. That is one thing I am watching for.

Another is larger swings UP and DOWN in the market (Wall Street), with less tendency toward ‘stable’ days between swings. That happened just before the market crash in 2008, too. I do see that the market is somehow ignoring the bad news, and responding more to the FED’s interference in the markets – a bad sign in and of itself.

I do expect, and I am seeing, inflation in food and fuel, due to the money dumped into the markets. This is in spite of the governments stats showing low to no inflation. But a 3 to 4 month period of over 10% inflation, in the real world, not the BLS statistics, will keep me on my toes and verifying my supplies are in good order.

Another big one is that I watch for more crackdowns on the tent cities in the west. There are a lot, and they rarely are mentioned in the news. People that lost their homes, and have no job to be able to afford to rent anywhere. As more homes are foreclosed on, we will start to see cities pressuring the homeless to leave. That would be the last of my tipping points. Then we may start to see protests, becoming riots, then looting and ???
By GoneWithTheWind, December 4, 2010 @ 5:56 am

A nuclear device going off anywhere in the world
A bank holiday where all banks are closed.
3 or more cabinet members resigning “to spend more time with their family”.
one of our carrier fleets being hit/destroyed.
Obama on every channel at 6pm in the oval office with a long face saying “my fellow Americans…”
Jet liners flying into the White House or the capitol building.
China invading Taiwan.
Russia invading one or more of it’s former satellite countries
Presidential assassination.
A total collapse of Mexico with millions of Mexican citizens fleeing across our border
A major terror attack on one or more of our cities
A true pandemic
The government printing new money to replace all the old money.
By PFULMTL, December 4, 2010 @ 6:17 am

I would say an intense solar flare or EMP that would take out electronics and the power grid for a long period is one reason to keep my firearms nearby to prepare for the first day of looters and crazy people. I’m glad I dont live in the city, so I dont have to worry about riots.

The second would be…when they decide to omit the 2nd amendment and they come knocking on my door for my gear. I guess it would be a good time to have some back up firearms buried or hidden somewhere beforehand. Combat knives would have to suffice during this time.
By Leah, December 4, 2010 @ 8:14 am

Fortunately for us we do not live near fire, flood, hurricane, tornado, or nuclear potential disasters. If those happened as close as they naturally do, it really wouldn’t affect us. Those are really localized, albeit some are larger than others, but it wouldn’t cause an entire societal collapse, just a local collapse. Therefore for us, it would have to be one of the automatic SHTF situations such as aliens, or a civil unrest so great in the nearby city that the gang members are heading out of town to destroy all in sight. If this was the case, I’d expect notice as things would deteriorate in the city, it wouldn’t be a SHTF instantaneous scenario. But if it became TEOTWAWKI, I figure we’d have about a week of nearby unrest before we’d have to head to the bug-out.

I do expect the civil unrest at some point. The gang situation is getting worse and worse each year. I fully expect the gangs to start going out on more home invasions. They are well armed and even shooting little kids because they are in the way of their target. It’s a scary thought that our military is training these thugs. Gangs are painting their symbols throughout the world and even out in the countryside. Where I live there are now gang symbols on the side of the curbs down the main highway and along mile markers on very out of the way roads.
By mwp, December 4, 2010 @ 1:00 pm

For me, I stay here except for something that would directly affect my area(such as a gulf storm). Mine is a more serious quandry. I have to watch out for trouble that would be east of the mississippi. I have children and grandchildren that will be effected andthat I would need to asure that they could make it here. So I need to watch for such things as Martial Law, major social unest, riots, EMP,economic meltdown. Thats just a few things that I watch for. I personally look for this more than others, economic meltdown, stock market crash, major social collapse,riots, martial law and then I am not sure if there will be any way back to what we once had. Do I think it will happen? I am suprised we havent been there yet. Trigger? I guess you could say mine has been partially been pulled. I am either doing something to make life better for my family or thinking of what I can do. God Bless. mwp
By Rourke, December 4, 2010 @ 2:08 pm

Some scary stuf……thanks.

Rourke
By Rourke, December 4, 2010 @ 2:08 pm

EMP would not be good and I consider one of the worst cases.

Rourke
By Rourke, December 4, 2010 @ 2:09 pm

Thanks for the examples –

Rourke
By Rourke, December 4, 2010 @ 2:11 pm

Excellant info –

Thanks – Rourke
By Grill Sgt., December 4, 2010 @ 4:11 pm

Very good insight from readers! It shows they’re paying attention. Another equipment suggestion would be bow & arrows. This year, I chose to go bowhunting. I wanted to see if I could adapt…in the event guns were outlawed. Silent kill. Longbows are the least likely to need expert repairs, and crossbows are becoming legal for hunting in several states now. Practice is a blast! Be sure to stock up on arrows, extra strings, and string dressing!
By Kevin, December 4, 2010 @ 5:14 pm

We live in a small city between a larger city and the rural foothills leading into the Sierras. IMO troubles will increase over economic issues such as more business closures, job loss, price increases on everything and a subsequently angry racially mixed population. I don’t consider that last one a cause but an unfortunate and potential fuel. There will be difficulty getting out of town as local roads and highways will bottleneck. We have family nearby that will be hard to get to and move out if things get jammed up. Civil unrest, looters, home invasion, lack of supplies not already on hand and no egress are my concerns here. Hopefully this won’t go that far, but I can see some of it happening now to a small degree. For now we’re keeping our eyes open and stocking up.
By Adlocum, December 4, 2010 @ 5:36 pm

In Alaska we learn that neighbors are part of our survival net. There is no such thing as survival of a tiny group of people. The only survival is by working together, using each others strengths for the good of the whole. Together we survive, alone we perish.

Aknauta
By bjorn, December 4, 2010 @ 5:40 pm

Being in Ca-LOONEY-fornia an earthquake will be our Katrina. The collapse of our economy however seems eminent. As California goes, so goes the nation and we are on the brink. I am a state worker and I see how the sausage is made. The shite has been launched but the fan is not running because it is on a furlough. I’m already implementing my plans.
By Badvoodoodaddy, December 4, 2010 @ 5:50 pm

I think that everyone has a lot of good triggers, most of mine have already been covered by the other readers. This is off subject but I am looking for a prep group in my area if anyone knows of any please let me know.
By Jeff, December 4, 2010 @ 6:23 pm

We live near a number of military bases. One of our triggers is when a number of our co-workers or friends with military spouses need to suddenly leave work, or call in sick. That is a sure sign that something is going on.
By Chinasyndrome, December 4, 2010 @ 6:45 pm

Rourke,tough one there Bro! Martial law,civil unrest for sure! Anything else depends on how close to my a.o. EMP if we are merely talking electronics killing emp,no reason to leave I am better off at home.Probably several that aren’t coming to mind.

China
III
By Rourke, December 4, 2010 @ 10:27 pm

What is your area?

Rourke
By Rourke, December 4, 2010 @ 10:31 pm

I love the idea of crossbows. I have no experiance with them – but they seem like a decent idea.

Rourke
By Six, December 5, 2010 @ 12:18 am

In many ways I’ve already hit my Trigger moment. It’s why we left california for rural Utah. I witnessed the slide of the former golden state over 29 years. After the 08 elections I saw the rest of the nation following course. Perhaps the 10 elections presage a return to common sense politics but I’m not betting my family’s life on it.
By Badvoodoodaddy, December 5, 2010 @ 4:48 am

Sorry, didn’t put the area that I was looking for a prep group Rourke, I am located in Salt Lake City, Utah
By Rourke, December 5, 2010 @ 5:11 am

Shouldn’t be hard to find something in that area.

If I here anything I will pass it on.

Rourke
By mwp, December 5, 2010 @ 5:42 am

Just a late note. Crossbows are not only fun to shoot but are acurate and deadly. I found a site where I could buy a takedown recurve bow with extra limbs. I am thankful to pick up a recurve again after 30 or so years. Buy plenty of arrows and “fixens” as you will need to repare them and will go missing
mwp
By huggy bear, December 5, 2010 @ 9:29 pm

As I stated in other post, I am wanting to protect my family. I’m in NC. Are there groups out there that I can get with to help me out in situations such as these? How do I find these groups? Thanks for any help.
By CM, December 5, 2010 @ 11:28 pm

In response to ‘huggy bear’

I think the first thing you should think about is what you can offer to a group. Do you have needed skills? Do you have resources to contribute if TSHTF? Because the people you will come in contact with will be asking you these very questions.

On the other hand, if you have a lot to contribute, but they have nothing, would you want your resources to go to others while you get little to no benefit? It works both ways.

Most of my neighbors, as well as my wife and I, have worked out details concerning what we each are capable of doing. Each year we work with each other and, after the time we have been doing so, we know what to expect from everyone, and they, in turn, know what we can do for them. We have a loose association, with no real demands made on time or resources, but we also know we can depend on each other.

I think, when looking for a group, you may find it better to know what you need, what you can provide to a group, and what to look out for. Then again, you may find that people you already know have been thinking along the same lines, and you may have more in common with them. Rather than running the risk of losing what you have, or looking like people that say ‘If things look bad I am going to your house’ (Which I have heard, I am sure we all have), make the conversation more into learning peoples ideas and seeing if you have common ground to talk a little more in depth.

One way to meet people or find out what interest people have is to strike up a conversation with someone you know. Something along the lines of “What do you think will happen with food/fuel/banks/inflation?’ (anything to get a feel for a person’s thoughts. You can learn a lot from peoples comments, without revealing what you have done in prepping for bad times yourself.

Just some thoughts.
By huggy bear, December 6, 2010 @ 1:16 am

I really appreciate you taking the time to respond back to my post. Since I posted my question I have found several local groups/organizations as well as this site to put me on the right track. I do try to feel people out on their thoughts, as I also try not to express too many of my feelings, thoughts and ideas. I am a firefighter and interact with lots of people with the same views on the current state of the economy and declining state of the US.

Thanks again for your time and thoughts