In an End Of The World As We Know It situation, there will be many places to find survival needs. Here are a few you probably didn’t think of.
The world as we know it, is a very fragile place. There is a myriad of situations that could unfold, and end the modern world in the blink of an eye. Individuals who realize this, are about as prepared as they can be. Where will you go to replenish your supplies 3 months, 6 months, or even a full year into that new world?
We’ve all seen the survival shows and movies on TV. Small bands of survivors hole up in places like the Monroeville Mall, and large, Government supplied, bunkers. They often find themselves on the road, scavenging for supplies. Sporting good stores, Wal-Marts, and gas-stations are on the list of places we see them stop to find hidden treasures. Let’s be realistic, it’s fiction for a reason.
Everyone knows that in the first days of crisis, super markets, sporting good stores, and large box chains are the first to get ransacked. Worried soccer moms who have spent a grand total of 0 seconds worrying about a collapse of the grid flock to these places.
They buy all of the bread, and milk they can get their hands on. These places will be empty. Since they’re the protagonist in their life story, they also purchase a brand new Mossberg Tactical, and as much ammo as they can carry. Obviously this is so they can lead their unprepared family into the scary new world. Gun control seemed like a great idea last week right?
So with these popular locations being decimated by the initial chaos of collapse, where do we turn?
Storage Facilities
If you’ve ever found yourself sitting through an episode of Storage Wars then you’ve probably already thought of this. Storage Facilities are under-guarded and barely secure in the current world, and full of strange goodies. In a post societal existence, these locations are going to be exactly the same as they are today, sans the guarded part.
This is one of the easiest locations you’ll find to replenish your supplies. Generally speaking these locations have minimal fencing, and every storage unit is easily opened with a pair of strong bolt cutters. There’s no telling what kind of amazing and useful things you’ll find inside of a storage facility.
Warehouses
During an initial storm for supplies, warehouses should primarily be left untouched. You can find warehouses pretty easily, a majority of them are going to look similar to what’s pictured above, and they’ll be near industrial areas.
Find out all of your major trade supply companies. General contractors often frequent these locations, and the warehouses are full of goods you may need later on. These untouched locations should be full of tools, and building materials that you may find valuable at bettering your current position.
Aside from general contracting warehouses, you can check the loading docks of big box chains. If there’s a trailer backed up the ramp, it’s probably worth a look.
Shipping Centers
When people think of UPS and FedEx they generally think of box trucks carrying packages. For the most part, these trucks would always be worth taking a look inside of if you came across one. The bigger objective however, would be locating your local shipping centers.
Larger hubs inside of cities are not the only location packages are shipped out of. I would wager that within your immediate vicinity there is at least two shipping centers for either UPS, FedEx, or the USPS. Know where these places are, because they are full of supplies that will be overlooked for a very long time.
Public or Private Schools
Schools should be one of the most obvious places on this list. Most towns and cities have more than a few of primary, junior, and high schools. They’re generally going to be one of the fastest abandoned areas as Cathy the soccer mom saves her children.
The reason schools make the list is because of their relative ease of access, and the amount of supplies inside. A majority of schools have a cafeteria, that cafeteria is usually full of canned foods, and ingredients. Aside from that, you will also be able to find an infinite amount of other useful things that should mostly go untouched.
Obscure Pawn Shops and Resale Stores
You know better than anyone in your area where these places are. A majority of them have clothes, books, furniture, guns, and mechanical parts. You name it, they probably have it.
Locate these places, and learn as much about the owners as you can. A pawn shop, or resale store could provide a treasure trove of untouched supplies that most people will pass over.
This is just a small list of places that I’ve thought of while doing my own prepping. Everyone who has given this some serious thought probably has a list of at least 20 other places. There is a serious need to know your area, and to get prepared to find supplies in a dangerous world.
When you’re getting ready to hit one of these places searching for supplies, there are a lot of tactical precautions you should take, but that’s a post for another day.
I really appreciate you taking the time to read this, let me know in the comments of some other places you’ve thought of.