Ready For Scary Times?

As we get closer to November and Election Day, the time to prepare for our next SHTF is quickly fading.

Ready for some scares? From: The Last Exorcism Credit: Lionsgate Films

Today, I want to keep things a little more light-hearted than usual. The subject matter of this blog can get real heavy and sometimes you need a break from it all. Halloween is nigh, so I want to talk about ways to enjoy the holiday, including scary movie recommendations.

Before we get to the spooky stuff, however, let’s talk about some serious stuff. As we get closer to November and Election Day, the time to prepare for our next SHTF is quickly fading. At some point, it is too late to get ready, but as long as you have something to prepare for, it’s easier to focus your efforts.

I won’t discuss specific contingencies today, but instead speak more generally about how to comfortably manage living in a world where an SHTF can happen at any time. Remember: even without the election, even without the burgeoning political crisis, an SHTF can occur at any moment in your personal lives, so always be prepared!

Time To Increase Your Alert Status

The same way military forces increase their level of readiness depending on the situation, we as preppers need to do the same depending on personal or societal circumstances. Having an alert status is among the simplest ways to prep, since the most important form of preparedness is mental.

The simplest form of alert status system is to use colors to represent different states of readiness:

• White: You’re relaxed, in a state of unawareness. Danger could be present, but you’re not alert to it. This is the most comfortable state to be in, yet also the most vulnerable. You should only be on Condition White at home, in a relatively secure space, or somewhere it’s reasonable to be completely relaxed.

• Yellow: You’re still calm and relaxed, but you’re aware and constantly monitoring what’s going on around you. This isn’t being on edge, this is simply taking note of your surroundings and keeping watch. When you’re out and about, you need to be at Condition Yellow. When you’re sitting at a coffee shop or in a movie theater, you need to be at Yellow. In fact, you should be spending at least half your life in this state.

• Orange: You’ve detected a potential problem. You may not be in immediate danger, but you’ve sensed someone or something concerning and the alarm bells are going off. Your attention is now more focused, gathering information, analyzing, and formulating a plan just in case you need to take action.

• Red: An immediate threat exists. You may not be the one in danger, but your proximity to the threat alone necessitates some sort of action on your part. Whatever you do, do so calmly, but also decisively and with a sense of urgency. Literally “Red Alert.”

It may feel stupid to do something like tell yourself, “Time to go on Red Alert!”, but when starting out, consciously shifting your alert status is the best way to develop it into a habit. It’ll help you understand how each alert status “feels;” through feel, it’ll come more naturally and become second nature.

It’s also important to remember you need to have a “strategic” alert status alongside a situational one. Your strategic alert status refers to your overall posture, while the situational one, just like it sounds, is circumstantial. So while your strategic alert status ought to be Yellow come Election Day, your situational alert status ought to depend on what’s happening in the moment. There’s no need to be holding a gun with the safety off and a round chambered while watching the election results come in on television, for example.

Notice also that situational awareness is the central focus of each alert status. You cannot alter your level of alertness without knowing what’s going on around you, after all. It’s at the heart of preparedness, at the heart of personal safety, to be clued into what’s happening at all times. There aren’t many things in life a person can say they never truly saw coming. For the most part, they just weren’t paying enough attention.

What is situational awareness, exactly? There’s a bit more to it than just momentary glances away from your phone. It’s about being very conscious about who and what is around you and what your place in a particular setting is. The fact is, the environment is in constant motion, even if you’re not. Being situationally aware involves detecting those changes, followed by continuously processing and recalculating the data coming in. I know it sounds complicated, but it’s not. Your brain is more than up to the task, thanks to millions of years of evolution.

The OODA - Observe, Orient, Decide, Act - loop is probably the best way to conceptualize situational awareness:

• Observe: This is information-gathering mode. You’re looking, listening, smelling, as well as getting a general feel for the situation. We’re constantly in a state of observation, it’s just that we’re usually not conscious to it.

• Orient: Once something catches your attention, you proceed to “place” yourself within the situation. How near or far are you from what caught your eye? Do you have a way out? What courses of actions are available to you? You can consider the act of orienting as analyzing the situation.

• Decide: Based on your observations and analysis, you now choose what you’re going to do in response to the given scenario.

• Act: Exactly what it sounds like. You’re now executing your decision; the time for thinking is over, you must carry out your plan as you’ve chosen without hesitation.

It took you at least a minute or more to read everything I wrote there. In reality, the OODA loop is something you can go through in less than a second. The problem is that many people skip the middle steps of orienting and deciding, going straight from observing to acting. Without orienting yourself and consciously deciding upon a course of action, however, we instead act instinctively and impulsively. There are times when instinctive reactions are appropriate - for example, when we’re caught totally by surprise. However, if we’re caught totally by surprise, it often means, though not always, we weren’t sufficiently observant. Surprise is something we’re trying to avoid.

As we enter November, with the election and all it brings with it looming menacingly on the horizon, it’s time to go on Yellow Alert and be more conscious of what’s happening not just in the world, but where you live. Don’t allow the national political situation distract you too much from events close to home. You still need to be able to go about your business safely, make it to and from one place to another in one piece, and take care of your loved ones. Anything else is missing the point.

Check Your Preps

Prepping is an ongoing process. It’s not something you do one time, followed by waiting for the world to end. If you’re not practicing your skills, for example, you’re going to have a tough time reacting in response in an emergency. Something as simple as just putting your hands on your gear can re-awaken that muscle memory you lost from not practicing those skills.

Checking your stuff is also important because it tells you how reliable it’ll be in an emergency. I recently checked my emergency food supply - I was shocked, though I shouldn’t have been, to discover it’d been produced 10 years ago. Is it still trustworthy? I opened one up - it seemed fine, but eating a 10-year-old meal, even sealed inside air-tight packaging, felt risky, especially when we weren’t even in an emergency situation. Even if we were, the last thing you want to do is roll the dice and consume potentially spoiled food.

How long can emergency food supplies last? It’s an ongoing debate, but for now, it’s enough to say that you should consider replacing your supplies at least five years from purchase date. Most emergency food supplies packaged to be non-perishable can last at least that long. Anything beyond that is uncertain. My suggestion to you is to draw the line at five years for anything the manufacturer cannot guarantee beyond that point (which is uncommon). Replace your stocks and as for the old food? Pick a week to consume it all so it doesn’t go to waste. You can save money on eating that week since those meals were paid for years in advance. There’s no alternative; most food banks won’t accept anything past its best-by date, let alone food designed specifically for emergency consumption.

Own guns? Make sure they’re cleaned and functioning properly. The best way to find out is to hit the range and discharge rounds. Check your ammo stockpiles, too. Brass isn’t getting any cheaper and will become more valuable with time. Ensure you have sufficient quantities of magazines - six per firearm is ideal - and you have accessory items like holsters you’re comfortable with. Come November, I’d make those guns and ammo a little bit more easily accessed if they aren’t already. Safety comes first, however, so don’t let concerns over SHTF override keeping guns out of the reach of children, for example.

Finally, get out there any practice your skills. Fabian Ommar gives some good advice on how to train to “rough it,” along with the importance of not waiting until the SHTF hits to learn how to do or use something. He also emphasizes the importance of turning it into an enjoyable experience, especially when it comes to the kids. Preparedness is a lifestyle and the best way to turn it into one is to make it something that doesn’t feel like work.

Get Home. Stay Home.

Despite the tremendous political hostility throughout America, things are still quiet. Too quiet. You get the sense that no matter who wins on November 5, there’s going to be lots of angry people the following morning. Likewise, there’s going to be lots of jubilant people, and they too may choose to express their glee in unbecoming ways. Civil unrest is the greatest near-term threat in the wake of the election, so it should be at the top of your list of contingencies to prepare for.

Daisy Luther over at The Organic Prepper did the heavy-lifting, explaining how to prepare for post-election shenanigans. Her bottom line:

What it all boils down to is that we need to be prepared.

We need to be ready for any unrest that comes about as a direct result of the election – and I really believe that there will be some form of uprising against the result. I hope it will be nothing more than a few minor, isolated incidents, but I can’t get past the nagging feeling that all hell is just about to break loose.

November 4th could be the last day of relative normalcy for quite some time.

Luther gives nothing but great advice, so I hope you read the entire article, in lieu of me having to write up one of my own on specific preps to be making in advance of November 5. I’ll share this last section from her, because not only do I think it’s the single most important point she makes, but it applies to everyone, regardless of your competency as a prepper [bold mine]:

The thing that Selco and Toby said to us the most when we were in Croatia discussing different scenarios was, “Don’t be there.” And if it was a situation where you found yourself there, the advice was, “Don’t be there as soon as  possible.” Or in other words, get the heck out of there.

Don’t go to a “peaceful protest” in solidarity if you aren’t also prepared to be swept up into a riot. Mobs form quickly and do not think rationally. (More on mob mentality here) Stay as far away from large, angry groups of people as possible. You may feel a strong urge to counterprotest – you should squelch that urge if safety is key for you. I’ve written before about how survival is just about surviving and no place is that more true than in situations like this. Many readers call this cowardly and if they want to go down fighting, that’s certainly their prerogative. I plan to live to fight smarter when the odds are in my favor.

Don’t go out of curiosity to “see what’s going on.” Avoid volatile situations and people. Don’t try to confront a mob by yourself – your property is not worth the lives of you and your family. To learn more about surviving civil unrest and riots, go here and learn about surviving civil unrest from Selco.

My best advice is this: Get home. Stay home. Be ready in case trouble comes to you.

On that note, enough serious-talk. Let’s have some fun.

Urban Exploration: Thrills & Chills For Adults

If you want something to do this Halloween, why not consider urban exploration, or “urbex?” If you’re into hiking, consider urban exploration a twist on it, except you’re hiking in man-made structures. Consider that much of tourism entails exploring what humans have built. Urban exploration is specifically oriented towards abandoned structures or spaces not designed for human occupancy, like sewers (yes, people explore sewers!). Other popular urbex destinations include abandoned churches, factories, homes, hospitals, schools, and, in particular, shopping malls.

Urbex serves a historical purpose - it’s a walk down memory a lane, a look at what once was. Even in a country as young as the United States, there are many structures which have long since gone into disuse, a subtle sign of how many people have come and gone through this land, how much has happened in just a few centuries. A disproportionate number of abandoned properties are located in the Rust Belt, a reminder of how this region of the country was the nexus of activity that turned America into the economic powerhouse it is today, along with a more sobering reminder of how good times don’t last forever.

On a practical front, urbex also serves as useful prepper training! In an SHTF, you may need to hit the road on foot and take shelter inside an abandoned property, or just make your way through it. Navigating man-made structures safely is a survival skill, so you can get some free real-world SHTF schooling in how to handle yourself when beyond the confines of the familiar, friendly, and secure. It’s not as simple and straightforward as you think. You’re not just going to run through abandoned properties like you’re at a playground. There’s just no telling what or who you’re going to encounter out there, so learning to get through these places unscathed is vital.

Which leads to the most important aspect of urbex: safety. As you can imagine, urbex isn’t without its risks. Remember that abandoned properties are typically not maintained, so not only is cleanliness an issue, so is structural integrity. Many urbexers have died in the past and help is typically not forthcoming. Older structures also weren’t built according to today’s standards, so you may end up with exposure to asbestos, for example. Some buildings have become flooded due to exposure to the elements caused by structural failure, and you just never know when a ceiling or stairwell will give out.

There are legal issues associated with urbex as well. “Abandoned” doesn’t mean “not owned” not necessarily. Some abandoned properties reside on land that’s owned by somebody, so exploring said property can constitute trespassing. People have been arrested, charged, and even sued for being where they weren’t supposed to be. Some have even been killed. If you choose to risk it, treat every abandoned property as though it were owned by someone. Don’t take anything; leave everything in place to the extent possible. If nothing else, do so out of respect.

“Abandoned” also doesn’t mean “unoccupied.” There’s always someone - or something - lurking within. America is a land of homeless and squatters; many of them take up residence in abandoned properties. Criminals and others on the run from the law do so as well. You can encounter some truly dangerous people while exploring; are you prepared to deal with them? Remember that even those who aren’t criminals see the abandoned property as their home and would protect themselves the same way you and I would do so if someone entered our homes without invitation. You have no idea who or what you might run into during the course of your explorations.

If you’re going to go urban exploring, consider the following:

• Find out if anyone owns the property: If someone owns the property, including the land it sits on, consider exploring something else. There are certain abandoned properties which are truly unclaimed, but presume nothing. Begin urban exploration at well-known locations that have frequent visitors. Again: don’t take anything that isn’t yours!

• Have emergency supplies on you: The same way you wouldn’t go hiking without some sort of kit, don’t go exploring abandoned properties without flashlights, medical supplies, power bank, cutting tool, etc. There’s no need to go crazy - you don’t need to take your go-bag - but at the very least, you should have your everyday carry, or EDC, on you. Remember that if an emergency does occur while exploring, you are your only lifeline. Wear protective gear, i.e., eye protection, gloves, long pants and sleeves, etc. You just never know what you’re going to encounter.

• Don’t explore alone: Not at first, anyway. There are many urbexers who explore alone, but this isn’t recommended. There’s definitely safety in numbers and if you get into trouble, that group might be the only thing that gets you out of it. Stick together, stay close, and look out for one another. Remember that urban exploration is rising in popularity; find fellow urbexers and venture forth with them.

• Explore during the day: I get it, exploring at night is much cooler, but if you’re just starting out, it might not be the best idea. Once you have some daytime exploits under your belt, you can advance up to nighttime adventures. Remember: the day can be just as dangerous as the night under the wrong circumstances. Don’t let your guard down, ever.

• Let others know what you’re doing: Generally speaking, keep your family and friends appraised on your plans for the day. It’s not so they can be up in your business, it’s so they know where to look if something does happen to you. If you’re going somewhere cellular service is unreliable or non-existent, you should advise those close to you that you’ll be in a communications blackout for ‘X’ amount of time. If service is available, make a plan to check in with them at pre-determined intervals. It sounds overkill, but it at least gives everyone some peace of mind, doesn’t it?

Not ready to go exploring creepy places in person just yet? Then live vicariously through those who already do! On YouTube, there are many channels dedicated to urban exploration, some with a focus on capturing paranormal activity. One of my personal favorites is “Urbex Hill,” whose explorations are centered on Cleveland, a Rust Belt city that’s seen better days, something that’ll become instantly apparent when you begin watching his videos. Some of his explorations are truly frightening, so take caution when watching his videos if you don’t handle scares too well.

Another good channel belongs to “Jared Coker Urbex,” who explores abandoned properties throughout the Kansas City area and surrounding states. Though settled later in American history and much of the land remaining undeveloped compared to east of the Mississippi River, there are still many abandoned places in this part of the country. Coker is also notorious for being detained by a crazy gunman while exploring an abandoned factory in Wichita, Kansas. It’s an incident with tremendous prepper and SHTF application, something I may devote an entire essay towards if I ever hit writer’s block again. For now, it serves as a reminder of how dangerous urbex can be and to take necessary precautions. You need to have a plan in place in case you run into situations like Urbex (his first name is Christopher) Hill and Jared Coker confront in their explorations.

Despite its risks, urban exploration isn’t just fun, it’s great prepper training! In a worst-case scenario, having the bravery to navigate urban ruins and to do so safely is a survival skill. Finally, it’ll make you appreciate civilization, a wake-up call to how badly we take our safety for granted. Only when you’re out there in a seemingly abandoned, isolated location, with hidden dangers all around you, and nothing but you and your group for protection, do we realize how vulnerable we are.

What To Watch

I’m a horror movie buff. It’s probably my single favorite genre. Perhaps its related to being a prepper - what are horror movies if not stories of people dealing with SHTFs? That said, there’s not a whole lot useful you can learn about preparedness from watching horror flicks, but we watch them to be entertained not to be educated. So let the preps go for a moment and enjoy yourselves with a good scare!

Here’s a list of my recommendations for what to watch this Halloween. These titles may not be the best in the genre, but they’re what I consider to be among the most underrated. I’m going to let you look up the plot on your own to avoid risking spoilers:

• Alien Abduction: Incident In Lake County (1998): First on the list was never released in theaters. It was instead released as a “found footage” documentary which aired on the defunct television network UPN, which I saw as a kid. A longer, more complete version exists, though I don’t know if it ever aired in its entirety anywhere. Fortunately, it doesn’t matter, because it’s available online, along with the shorter version which aired on UPN. Reviews are mixed, but I enjoyed it when I first saw it and actually scares me more now as an adult. It’s also a nice period piece, a look at low-budget entertainment from the ‘90s. Speaking of which…

• The Blair Witch Project (1999): It’s hard to imagine calling this movie “underrated” because it was a low-budget sleeper hit and pop culture phenomenon when it hit theaters. I remember it very well and so do many of you. I also remember a lot of people, especially those my age, being disappointed due to its lack of traditional scares. But watching this movie with fresher, adult eyes 20 years later, it hits different and is actually terrifying in subtle ways. If you haven’t seen it since then or you’ve never seen it before, this Halloween is as good a time as any to watch it.

• Gone Girl (2014): This one’s the oddball of the list because it’s not a horror movie. It’s a thriller, but a very well-done one at that. It captures the zeitgeist of the early 2010s very well, a time when it felt like the country was aimless, drifting with no sense of where it was going to end up. As one would expect from a David Finch-directed film, it’s highly atmospheric and the strong performances strong from it’s high-caliber cast.

• The Last Exorcism (2010): This movie generated tremendous buzz when it was first released, but ended up with mixed reviews. I personally think it’s better than the critics gave it credit for, in part due to the convincing performances of the entire cast, the setting, and the creepy atmosphere the director managed to establish. I’ve watched this one almost every Halloween since it was released for home viewing. It’s the sort of movie I wish we could have more of.

• Let Me In (2010): This was one of the best movies of the year when released. It’s not the scariest movie ever, but it does have some graphic, shocking moments. It’s real appeal are the characters and story, however. Developing a personal connection with the characters is what gives the movie strength. Scares aside, the film is more of a drama many of us can relate to. It’s 1983 setting also gives it a nostalgic feel that’s also not overdone. If you want dramatic storytelling combined with scares, this one’s worth the watch.

• Longlegs (2024): If you want more creepiness, Longlegs is all that and more. It’s disturbing and unnerving, with visceral horror applied in just the right doses. The performance by Nicholas Cage alone was worth the price of admission. Already one of the best actors in history, Cage redefines what it means to be creepy and deserves to win awards for his performance. Don’t watch this one with the lights off!

• Jacob’s Ladder (1990): Starring Tim Robbins, this is one of the most underrated movies of all time, period. It’s definitely a horror film, but it’s also a psychological thriller. I guarantee you’re going to be thinking about this movie long afterwards and you might even want to watch it again to try to understand what’s going on. It’s an unforgettable story about being chased and trapped all at once.

• The Prince of Darkness (1987): Underrated being the theme of the list, this is by far the most underrated horror movie ever. It’s a work of John Carpenter, famous for his Halloween franchise. However, The Prince of Darkness was one of his less popular works, despite arguably being his single best film. There’s a constant feeling of dread and is more disturbing than any of the Halloween movies, which are just “slasher” films.

• Smile 2 (2024): I saw it when it was released two weeks ago and serves as an excellent sequel. It’s arguably the goriest of the offerings on this list, but it’s true horror comes in its atmosphere and jump-scares. If you want the classic scares, this one’s for you. Naomi Scott does a great job playing a Lady Gaga-like pop superstar in the grip of a supernatural force driving her insane, with there being no clarity as to which of her experiences are real and what’s all in her head. It’ll mess with your head too!

As you’re watching, ask yourself: are there any lessons you can draw related to preparedness? I caution against indulging in the “what-ifs?”, but it’s important to engage in thought experiments regularly to be able to think more critically about being ready. Aliens and monsters won’t be coming for you - at least, I hope not - but humans can be the deadliest and most frightening threats any of us can ever face. Do you have a plan to avoid or deal with them? Think about it. But above all else, have fun and enjoy the night!

What about you? What are you doing to prepare for the election and its aftermath? Any plans for Halloween? What are your favorite scary movies? Talk about it in the comments section.

Max Remington writes about armed conflict and prepping. Follow him on Twitter at @AgentMax90.

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