This article is taken from American Survival Guide

July, 1993 volume 15 number 7 pages 56 thru 59

Also an article on What is Survivalism follows

Title:  One Effort, Multiple Results: Survival Homestead

By: Richard R Doucet

 
The author is a retired U.S. Army sergeant with a background in infantry, logistics and administrative and

security training. He currently heads his own security firm and is an adjunct faculty member with the

University of New Hampshire teaching seminars on home food production.

The editors.

Note: My comments are in green text.   Frank

WHAT is a survivalist homestead?

It is a home in which you can live in a real-world/present-time economy and social
order, yet at the same time practice on a regular basis the survival skills you may need later.


All of this is accomplished while still living a normal
life-style with access to work, schools, emergency services
and stores, etc. But most importantly, you will not be in
conflict with criminal, firearm or building codes, zoning
ordinances, EPA regulations or planning board requirements.

The survivalist homestead offers one more very important
option. That of helping you now to live a better quality
life at a cheaper price and allowing you to shift to more
severe survival plans only to the extent needed to meet
emergencies.

In planning a survivalist homestead there are three
concepts which must be incorporated into your thinking from
the start and which must be adhered to if the goals are to be met.

They are:

Plan A and Plan B

1.  Plan A

is that part of all planning of your homestead which has 

to do with dealing in the present/real world time frame.

2.  Plan B 

is the planning for whatever emergencies you feel could threaten 

you. Both plans must be such that they can co-exist in the same place

at the same time.

3.  One Effort with Multiple Results

This concept is simply
"working smarter, not harder," fine tuned to an almost
absolute. Every effort must result in more than just the
one primary result. It allows you to accomplish more goals
with less expenditure of time and money, to facilitate the
first concept.

Reduce, Re-use, Recycle- This concept is taken wholly
from the environmental movement. Re-using material and
recycling waste allows you to reduce expenses thus build
with less cash outlay. This is also a skill you will need
in any type of breakdown of social order, where normal
access to stores and services will not be available.

Applying these concepts in homestead planning is not the
first step. The first step is deciding what you are
planning for-what emergencies or crises you might have to
face.

This is subjective and no two people will feel that any one
set of possible emergencies will be what they have to be
ready for.

The process of thinking this through is called threat analysis.

Done correctly it can give you an accurate picture of what it is you should be getting ready for.

At the end of my threat analysis I decided that the following
were what I wanted to be ready for:

1.Short term cash flow problems.

2.Severe weather conditions.

3.Economic upheaval on a large scale.

4.Catastrophic world events.


5.  Access to vital fuel and energy sources

The first task in establishing a homestead is to find the
land. You can eliminate many present-time and cirsis-time
security problems with proper site location. At the same
time the property should be located so that you have
reasonable access to work, entertainment, schools and
emergency services.  Also energy sources. 

Other important considerations are taxes, community growth
plans, amount of land for your needs, zoning ordinances and
building codes in the area where you plan to buy.

I chose my property because it was large enough (15 acres),
had the right topography, available firewood, garden space,
animal space, hunting and potential for water. Also the
town has as part of its charter that the community will
remain rural with little growth, no heavy industry or
commerce and with farming as its main industry.

Crime, in normal times is a by product of growth and
population density in urban and suburban life, and
increased crime and civil disorder are the first results of
cultural breakdown. My location has been chosen to avoid
these to a great extent while still having reasonable
contact with the real world.

Finally my location allows me to use firearms, garden,
raise animals and build pretty much what I want for now and
the future because of the absence of myriad zoning
regulations and building codes that are found in so many
other communities today.

Security was at the top of my list of priorities in
planning my homestead on the land I acquired. A poorly laid
out homestead will result in one that is more difficult and
costly to secure in both normal and crisis times.

Just locating the house-compound on a hill went a long way
in avoiding problems with criminals now -Plan A-and in
possible lawless times-Plan B. The compound is hard to see
from the nearest road, especially in summer. It is
impossible to tell just what is on the hill unless you walk
or drive at least half way up the driveway. By this time a We use surveillance equipment and motion sensors
would-be intruder or gang finds that the entire front of
the compound area is blocked by a marshland to the east,
extending a few hundred yards beyond my property line,
and a deep dug pond connected to a series of beaver ponds
that run nearly a half mile to the west beyond my property
line.

This fine example of an engineer water barrier is the
result of hard working beavers that moved onto the
adjoining property the same year I bought my parcel. Within
a few years they had backed up enough water to flood all
the aforementioned area except my driveway. The total cost
to me for this barrier was $600 to have the deep pond dug.
This system serves as a second source of water for
emergencies, irrigation , swimming, and draws a wide
variety of waterfowl, mammals, reptiles and fish which can
be a food supply- One Effort with Multiple Results.

The water barrier freezes in winter. To deny access to the
main compound all year round I knew I would have to install
some type of fence, which could be expensive. Instead, I
stacked brush and tree limbs from land-clearng operations
around the top edge of the hill on which my home-compound
was located-Reduce, Re-use, Recycle. This created an
instant barricade called an abatis. In most places it was
around three feet high and as much as eight feet wide.

The next year native New Hampshire blackberries, that grow
in abundance in the area, made their appearance and soon
formed a living flesh-tearing barbed wire barrier where the
brush had been stacked. Unlike a fence that deteriorates
and has to be maintained every year, my barrier just gets
thicker and stronger without me lifting a finger except to
cut it back here and there it also provides a good amount
of fresh fruit and attracts animals which, on occasion, end
up on the dining room table-One Effort with Multiple

Results.

In building my home I wanted a strong dwelling which was
also aesthetically pleasing, practical for day-to-day
living and would meet all the zoning and building codes and
yet would meet the emergencies I plan for.

Solar Heating

I used a lot of rough-cut lumber, stucco and
stone inside the house I used one-inch lumber instead of
sheet rock for the walls and ceilings because of its OSB (Oriented Strand Board) for wall sheeting is a better idea.
structural strength.

The kitchen, living room, dining room and master bedroom
are on the south side of the house. This side has large
areas of glass windows to allow solar heating during the
colder months. The colder the season gets the lower the sun
is on the horizon. By Dec. 21, the sun floods almost
straight through the south windows, keeping the inside
temperature around 65 degrees F. By June21, the sun is now
high in the sky, adding little heat to the house during
warmer months.

Because solar gain heating can overheat a house in the day
time, there is a need for something to absorb the excess
heat during the day and radiate it back into the house
later on. This is called thermal mass. It is achieved by
having no basement and building instead on a concrete slab,
sometimes called a floating slab or a monolith slab.

For additional mass-and protection from gunfire if the need
should arise-I built a solid concrete block wall of
four-inch thick blocks almost the whole length of the
house.

This wall collects heat from the wood/coal stove to prevent
overheating of the north side rooms and then radiates it
back late at night. This stove except for the Ben Franklin
stove in the master bedroom which is used only
occasionally, is the only source of man-made heat we have
had for the past three winters

Plans for this year call for the addition of a propane gas
heating system. The gas system will be one that does not
rely on electricity to function. Once again if the heating
system is connected to house current the loss of
electricity means no heat. The wood/coal stove will be kept
for back-up, cooking and heating, and just for the pleasure
of a wood fire in the winter.

The north wall of the house is just the opposite, as far as
windows go, of the south wall. The smallest windows allowed
by code are placed here. These are the bathrooms, toilet
and bedrooms. These rooms remain empty most of the day and
do not need as much light. The smaller windows reduce heat
loss and restrict entry from the outside.

To further reduce heat loss the north wall is triple
insulated. Standard fiberglass was installed, then one-inch
rigid insulation over the studs, and 7/16-inch flake board
over the insulation there are no breaks in this barrier
except the windows, to allow heat to escape or cold wind to
infiltrate the house if desired.

Lastly, all closet space was built into the north wall to
create as much "dead space" as possible to further isolate
the heat in the house from radiational cooling.

Still Room, Root cellar, Work Shed-Once the main house was
up the still room, root cellar, and work shop/shed were
added.

A still room was the part of a colonial home where
fermentation of home made brews, "kraut" making and
pickling were conducted. It was also used to store smoked
foods, beverages and other preserved items. I use ours for
most of the same reasons and it is also where the water
pressure system, well, washer and drier are located.

The dryer is vented through the root cellar by way of a
four-inch PVC pipe Part of the system is underground in the
root cellar which has a sand floor. This section of pipe
has holes in it so condensed moisture can drain into the
sand and humidify the root cellar when the drier is used.
The end of the pipe has a fixture that allows me to vent
the air outside when it is too warm in the cellar or vent
into the cellar when it is too cold.

Root cellars are generally constructed underground or in
hillsides. Mine is above ground because, with modern
insulating materials, it was just cost effective and time
saving to do so. In the cellar I can store appropriate food
stuffs to last until late spring when the following year's
crops start to come in. This is also a good place to store
jugs of water in the event we lose electricity.

Have a self-contained well pump system that can be run by a generator. 

The wood storage area at the entrance of the still room
holds about a half cord of firewood. With this entrance
facing south the sun hits the wood pile every day in the
winter, melting snow left on it after it is brought in from
outside storage. This means we can bring wood into the
house night or day and any weather without making a mess
all over the place with melting snow.

The summer kitchen is where all the initial cleaning of
garden and animal products takes place. All waste can go
directly to the compost heap. Waste water from the sink
goes directly to garden irrigation after passing through a
grease trap. The contents of the grease trap also go to the
compost heap.

The Well-Most wells are outside the home and at some
distance. Mine is unusual as it is in the still room of the
main house.

Few people have the well in a building, other than a small
pump house, because when the pump and pipe have to be
brought up for service, equipment and often a truck have to
be used to get the 150 or 200 feet of pipe-full of water-
and the pump up.

My well is 700 feet deep and a truck with the proper
equipment will be needed to haul everything up. For this
reason, the door leading to the outside lines up with the
well so the truck needs only to back up and start working.

Having the well in the still room also means there is no
chance of freeze ups or busting pipes that are at least
four feet underground. The well is also constantly under  Ours is concealed in a closet
lock and key where it cannot be tampered with. All of this comes under Plan A

Should a disaster strike that is so far
reaching as to reduce our culture's technology to
pre-electrical days, I can remove the pump and pipe and  The Amish have done this for generations
still reach my water in comfort and safety any time of the
year-

Plan B

I would simply use a container just an inch or
so smaller in diameter than the 8 inch pipe well shaft. The
container has a flap valve on the bottom and is suspended
by a rope. As it is dropped through the water, the valve is
pushed open and the container fills. When pulled up the
force of the water pushes the valve back down and seats it
so the container stays full. Though the well is 700 feet
deep, the water level is only 35 feet from the top when it
is full. This gives me at 1 1/2 gallons per foot, about 800
gallons in reserve.

In New Hampshire, as in most states, you cannot get a
building permit with out a state approved septic system Not required in our area
plan. I applied Plan A by putting in a normal flush toilet
as the main one in the home and a composting toilet in the
master bedroom for back up-Plan B.

The composting toilet needs no special hook up except for a
vent through the roof. When you lose electricity that means A Generator is mandatory for survival
there is no well pump either, and thus no flush toilet. But
the composting one will still be functional for at least
three days.

Food-The only real answer to a reliable food supply during
bad times is to produce your own, or most of it, all the
time.

Producing your own food on a constant basis means you not
only have a constant source of reliable food, but you also
have the prepared land and facilities, tools and skills to We have an enclosed garden and greenhouse
keep going. You can do it all, from planting a garden bed
to sowing, raising, cleaning, butchering and preserving
your produce, meats and fish.

The most common argument against the whole process of home
food production is the time involved, followed by cost.
While this is a subject which merits an entire article in
itself and there isn't enough space in this article to go
into it in depth, suffice it to say that if you have the
resources and time to establish your own home food
production, you will find it well worth your while.

I have to admit that the initial efforts to set up garden
space and small animal facilities is time consuming though
not necessarily expensive. But, the set up time is a
one-shot effort.

I have used many techniques-too numerous to include here-
for saving time, energy, and money in producing food.
In growing tomatoes in the garden area for example,
newsprint and grass clippings have been put down in the
tomato bed to prevent weeds from growing and reduce the
need to water.

For a few hours work a week in home food production from
late April through October, you can raise prepare and put
up (store) most of your food for a year. And doing so
reduces your cost of purchasing the same amounts and types
of food by half or more.

I have written a workbook on home food production and I am
in the process of getting it published. Send $1 (cash,
check or money order) and a stamped self-addressed business
envelope and I will send an outline of the workbook and its
contents which will show you how to calculate food needs,
food costs and production costs and gives some techniques
for gardening, animal husbandry and food preservation.

Send
to R. Doucet, RR1, Box 3198, Wild Goose Pond Road,
Pittsfield, NH 03263

The lessons learned by early homesteaders still apply
today.

1. Analyze possible threats to you

2. Choose terrain that lends itself to defense.

3. Plan security around the principles of "Avoidance."
   "Deception" and "Denial."

4. Reduce costs and effort as well as help the environment,
   by following the concepts of "Plan A and Plan B, "One
   Effort with Multiple Results" and "Reduce, Re-use, Recycle."

5. Assure yourself good shelter, reliable water and
   constant food.

Think about this as you reflect on your own plans to survive... now and later.

Other important considerations taken from the Internet

Anozira

A survivalist prepares for shortages and troubles that may occur. They may not occur. In fact, they usually do NOT occur. A true survivalist hopes deep in their heart that the good life never ends for anybody. They just know that trouble sometimes does happen, and want to be as well situated as they can be if bad things do come to be. Since they prepare for shortages, they accumulate stocks of materials they believe may become unavailable. They also prepare for troubles like manmade or natural disaster, war, civil disorder, financial reversals, and, yes, government gone astray.

If a person has supplies that are in short supply, someone will want them for themselves. It may be the looter, the government confiscator, or simply a neighbor with a starving family. This explains two traits of the survivalist.

First they are closed mouthed about their situation. They do not tell people about their stock. They do not tell that they have it, where it is kept, what things it includes, or how much is in it. Even disclosing the interest allows the shrewd person to guess that they are likely to have stores. Many survivalists conceal that they even have the mindset. Most practice normal daily life and social interaction, just not mentioning their concern, but some withdraw from public aspects of life. This makes them a bit of a mystery and they can seem distant from others. It is easy then for the media to call these few "loners" and "outsiders" and suspect all sorts of sinister things being hidden. Heck, they probably want to bomb town hall.

The second trait is that the survivalist is able to protect their stocks. Charity and sharing are fine, and are simply a built-in part of most people, but one person's stockpile can not feed a community. Loosing it will do no more than momentary good, but it leaves the person who lost it as desperate as those around them. If trouble strikes, someone will likely try to "share" the supplies. The survivalist knows this and has learned how to defend their property and has the materials, knowledge, and skills to do it.

What is Survivalism? - By Meg Raven RMSG

The original file can be found at: What is Survivalism?

Survivalism is a philosophy - a way of life – and it is as varied in its methodology as the worlds’ religious or political theories. The primary goal of survivalism, by any method chosen, is to increase the odds for the continued existence of its followers, when faced with a threatening situation. Contrary to popular opinion, it is not an "activist" tautology. Most survivalists are reserved and quiet individuals who have lost faith in society’s ability to protect its own, and who have taken steps to lessen their dependence upon society for aid in an emergency situation.

Survivalists realize that modern society is a long and twisted chain of interdependency. Each link of this societal chain is dependent upon every other link to maintain its integrity. At various points within this chain are links that provide the rest of the chain with food, shelter, power, water, communications, transportation, and medical and physical protection. Should one or more links fail, those placed before and after the broken link(s) may find themselves without these necessary resources. Should enough of these links be suddenly broken, the entire chain may collapse.

Survivalists attempt to reinforce the chain of society by strengthening their own links. They do this by actively learning and practicing the necessary skills to provide or obtain the basic necessities of life for themselves, their families and their friends. They learn to build and maintain their own homes, provide their own clothes, find, store and purify their own water, establish and maintain their own communications and transportation. They learn to grow, hunt or gather their own food and how to process and store it. They learn to produce, maintain and distribute their own power. They learn to maintain their health through diet and exercise, and how to avoid or handle basic injuries and illnesses. And yes, they learn to defend themselves from aggressors when there is no one else there to protect them.

Survivalism does not necessarily concentrate on global catastrophe or the collapse of civilization. The profile of a "true" survivalist is someone who is concerned with planning for and avoiding the pitfalls and dangers of daily life and short-term emergencies and disasters of a local and temporary nature. In fact, since the frequency and likelihood of personal and local emergencies are more common, these situations are of primary concern.

Long term and widespread disasters are of concern to the survivalist, but they are extremely difficult to plan for. The individual (or single family) often does not possess the resources – either financially, materially, or intellectually – to efficiently plan for a long term, widespread disaster. This is where survival groups enter the picture.

Survival groups are formed to pool the resources of individual survivalists. They are generally formed of like minded individuals interested in a particular theory, or method, which they believe will be the most effective, in the event of an extended catastrophe. Survivalist theories can be broken down into several broad categories based upon a.) Primary survival techniques employed and, b.) Perceived threats. Each of these categories can be sub-classified by the members’ political beliefs, religious beliefs, environmental concerns, and even racial biases.

Broad Based Categories:
Primary survival techniques:

Low Impact, Back to Nature groups;
Primitive Skills Groups
Hi-Tech Groups
Paramilitary (Survive by Force) Groups
Positive Action/Combined Skills Groups

Low Impact, Back-To-Nature Groups:
These groups believe that living in harmony with their natural surroundings is the best method for survival. About half of them are peaceful, extremely friendly and unobtrusive folks willing to share their knowledge of "one-ness with the planet" without seeming the least bit pushy. Most, but not all, are vegetarian types, with a great deal of insight on plant cultivation & usage, veterinary skills, foraging, and the geology of the planet. They often include a surprising number of individuals who are highly skilled in botany, geology, organic & inorganic chemistry, meteorology, natural, holistic and homeopathic medicine, and other scientific disciplines.

The other half, however, can include extremist groups of the pseudo-survivalist label. Pseudo-survivalists are generally the only types mentioned by the media. They are not actually survivalists at all, and are only valuable to the media for their entertainment and shock value. These groups are usually ill-prepared for operations outside of modern society. They include the 60-70’s type "hippie communes," the polygamous partner (read: free sex) groups, the New Age religious retreats, and the more aggressive (and often militant) anti-technology "save the earth" groups. While they may be well organized as a group, the only thing they have in common with true survivalist groups is the label they’ve been given by the media.

These groups operate under a separate set of philosophies that have little to do with survival or survivalism. They wish to live outside the laws of society and/or seek to create their own. They are often concerned with building membership solely for the purpose of withdrawing from society, draining their members’ bank accounts, establishing new "profound" religions, or butting heads with the current political philosophies. They are usually anarchistic and nearly all have a flamboyant presentation. Most of them have established an "infallible" figurehead council or leader directing every aspect of their membership’s lives. They make for interesting news, but they are not survivalists.

Primitive Skills Groups:
These groups believe that developing non-technological (though often quite technical) skills are the only way to ensure survival in a prolonged catastrophe. They are often "purists" and sometimes of a particular religious sect, such as the Quakers and the Amish. Normally, they do not claim that the Primitive Skills method is the best, the preferable, or the only method, but that it is the only reliable method for survival. They believe that technology will be difficult to maintain or re-establish in an extended survival scenario. The primitive skills of generations past – using only their hands and what they can find or make for themselves from the surrounding countryside – they believe, will always be available to anyone with the drive to learn the skills. These groups are similar to the "Back to Nature" groups in their avoidance of technology and technological materials in their methods. Many of these groups have amassed centuries of valuable information and techniques for survival in the absence of technology, including natural mechanics (hydro & wind power using simple energy transfer devices), herbal medicine, and basic primitive chemistries.

The drawbacks of this survival theory stem primarily from the purist point of view. Many of them have romanticized their method without immersion in its reality. They often fail to realize that, while this method is undoubtedly valid and of great value, the pre-technological era was a nightmare of disease, shortened life spans, and constant hardship for the common man. The primitive lifestyle cannot efficiently support a large group of people and often requires a nomadic existence. Careful cultivation of the local flora and fauna must also be exercised at all times, and while one group may indeed practice this technique, those survivors who do not follow their philosophy can easily denude their environment in a matter of days or weeks.

The Amish, Pennsylvania Dutch, and Quakers have created long-lasting and highly successful primitive technology communities. This is an excellent example of proper management of resources for primitive living. Unfortunately, most folks do not have the desire or ability to "go primitive" every hour of every day of their lives. Nor do they have the discipline it takes. These religious communities survive because they are founded in their religious beliefs, and because they do not, at this time, face any direct threats from aggressive opposition. Since they do not have an organized defensive capability, I do not expect these communities will last long, on their own, in the event of a catastrophe severe enough to force the breakdown of civilization.

The Primitive Skills group also has their fringe elements of anti-technology activists and eco-terrorists.

Hi-Tech Groups:
These groups rely on advanced technological systems to sustain them in the event of catastrophe. They use computers and various independent energy generating systems, short-wave communications, mini-labs and medical facilities, microwaves and freezers, alternative fuel vehicles and production plants, and heavily constructed shelters with air filters and elaborate locking mechanisms. They stand an excellent chance (better than most) of surviving the immediate effects of a major catastrophe in a superior & relatively comfortable lifestyle.

The drawbacks of this mindset are many, beginning with the cost factor. This type of survival approach is unattainable to the common man. It takes an enormous financial contribution to set up, stock, and maintain this system. To do it correctly, all components must be available initially and immediately – for this system relies on the total integration of technological systems performing in harmony. Remove one or more system, and the entire system begins to self-destruct. This means you must begin with a basic, yet complete, system and continually upgrade as the project progresses.

Because of the initial financial requirements, this system is rarely used outside of governments, government officials, the military, the very wealthy - and large religious organizations. This system also requires either secrecy or a large security force/system capable of repelling all manner of aggressive and desperate opposition. Because of the integration of systems, this group must stockpile or have the capacity to manufacture every conceivable component of the systems they utilize. Unless civilization is restored in a fairly short period of time, this system is bound to eventually degrade until it is no longer a viable survival solution.

The weakest link in the system remains, however, the personnel involved. This technique is the most attractive to those least prepared to survive on their own. They are the technologically dependent. Whoever controls the technology will have the ability to control all others in the group. This is the perfect recipe for tyranny. You either perform exactly as demanded, or face certain death (by your lack of survival skills) upon banishment from the group. This is a pretty persuasive argument and could lead to some very unsavory situations.

These groups also contain the most arrogant, suspicious and paranoid members of any group save, perhaps, for the paramilitary groups. They also attract the laziest and least physically fit members who depend upon the technology to sustain them. Unfortunately, they have a great capacity to attract the most intelligent scientists and technologists, as well.

Lest anyone debase survivalism and survival groups automatically, they should know that this type of group is the very type your Senators, Congressmen, bureaucrats and officials belong to.

Paramilitary (Survive-By-Force) Groups:
These groups are not, in fact, survival groups at all. They are aggressive forces completely dependent upon each other - and on the ability of other survivors to sustain them. They are neither independent in thought nor in action, but rather a successive chain of "leaders" and "followers" who refuse to accept responsibility for their actions by the simple expedient of "following orders." Their leaders are completely dependent upon their followers commitment to carrying out their orders, and their followers are completely dependent on their leaders ability to track down and successfully implement a plan of attack against other, true, survivors.

Few of these groups have the ability or desire to survive on their own. They invest their efforts in little more than guns, bunkers, and military training. Oh, yes – and uniforms. They are fraught with egotistical, paranoid, antisocial individuals from all walks of life and often display deep seated hatreds for certain races, religions, or political theories. The majority of members are ill-trained, ill-educated, underachievers who can be satisfied with a meal, a uniform, and some semblance of rank conferring power over others.

These groups will be the greatest threat to the post-catastrophe world. I suspect that 20-50% of their initial followers will desert the group in the months immediately following a major catastrophe. These "deserters" will be the semi-independent hopeful few who were mislead (by themselves, of course) into joining the group for reasons of security through superior firepower. The dregs that remain, however, will be the most brutal, aggressive, and desperate bunch to ever roam the countryside – and they will be well armed. With powerful, persuasive and moderately intelligent leadership, this remaining group could wreak havoc among other survivors.

These groups are not survivalists, they are predators. Many of the groups actually hope for a catastrophe to take place – and some may even be actively involved in creating their own catastrophes. They are borderline terrorists held in check only by the civilized majority and current military and police forces. Given the chance, they will run rampantly and violently to their own extinction – taking anyone in their way with them. The are the absolute antithesis of survivalism and the survivalist theories.

Positive Action/Combined Skills Groups:
This type of group seeks to combine the best of all theories, and is the most difficult to form – not because of financial concerns or individual skills, but because of the inability of the members to accept the basic philosophies of the others. This type of group, once formed, probably stands the best chance of extended survival, as it covers the broadest range of circumstances and the skills needed to overcome them.

This group integrates primitive skills and back-to-nature members with those who have the knowledge and ability to build and sustain a more technologically advanced existence. It combines the pacifist elements with a protective corps of defense specialists, and requires a great (and difficult) degree of logical acceptance, integration, specialization and commitment among all its members. It demands that each member recognizes the value of the others to the group, and that each performs to the best of their abilities (in their specialized skills) while accepting the contribution of others to the security of the group as a whole.

The "positive action" aspect of this type of group refers to the individual members commitment to help out in whatever manner needed – regardless of their specialized skills. Survival is a labor-intensive endeavor, and each member must be willing to lend a hand - or a strong back and shoulder – wherever & whenever needed. In this day and age, these types of individuals are not easy to find.

However, having formed such a group and successfully integrated its members, this group stands the very best chance of surviving and rebuilding some semblance of civilization. They combine all of the elements necessary to forge on without having to relearn the basics of modern life and suffer through a "Dark Ages" progression to technology. If large enough, intelligent enough, and sufficiently motivated, they could conceivably build (in time) a far better world than the one we live in now. They could integrate the best of modern technology and science with the best of "natural" living – discarding the destructive and wasteful technologies & lifestyles for what they are.

Perceived Threats:
Daily threats: Power Outages, Medical emergencies, Lost individuals, Crashes & derailments, Mugging, robberies & car jacking, Gangs & drugs, Lost employment & disability recovery, etc.

Local/Widespread Natural Disaster
Famine & Disease
Terrorism & terrorist activities
Government/Economic Collapse & Civil Unrest
Global Warfare/Catastrophe
Class/Race/Religious War and/or Government Tyranny
The Apocalypse, Invasion from Outer Space, Etc.

The above list is not comprehensive or all-inclusive. These are simply the more visible threats and popular reasons for joining the survivalist movement. Granted, some of them are a bit far-fetched, but who are we to say what will or will not happen? Survivalists do not discount a threat simply because it is improbable, they access the level of probability and do what they can to plan accordingly.

Survivalists are a minority in a world that has accepted majority rule. That those who have a majority of dollars, pounds, rubles, francs, lire, shekels, etcetera, usually represent the "majority", is completely beside the point. Someone else controls the destiny of the world. We can only attempt to control our own destinies within our environment. Should civilization stumble and fall, the prepared survivalists will be the only ones capable of making Mankind’s last stand.

In my opinion, the amount of energy and vehement diatribe aimed at belittling and debasing survivalists and survivalism is directly proportionate to the need for survivalism to continue. Our current society appears to be in the throes of a delusional belief that, as long as we refuse to recognize a threat and act accordingly, the threat will refuse to impose itself upon us. Well I, for one, will not cross a street without looking both ways, and tend to dodge large falling objects. It seems pretty simple to me…

Meg.
4 May 1998