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Thread: What is the Definition of SHTF?

  1. #1
    may be in trouble


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    What is the Definition of SHTF?

    The title is explicit.

  2. #2
    Wants you to "look at what he's holding tonight".


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    I believe shtf has a very narrow definition. I feel that if there is help coming, then it is not a SHTF situation. I have been through many hurricanes and have flooded, been without power for weeks and never considered that SHTF. IMO shtf means major things have went down on a national or world level and you are on your own with what you have.
    "When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes DUTY!" - Thomas Jefferson

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    Domeguy's Avatar
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    I agree with Mr. H above. SHTF to me means from now on, your on your own. There will not be any local police, national Guard, national military, and no working Government. It is a n entirely different event than a hurricane, tornados, fires, as all of these things are local and do not determine the outcome of our government.

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    I think of SHTF a bit differently than Helomech and Domeguy. Not to disparage what they say, this is just my personal thought on the definition.

    SHTF means something has happened that has upset the typical order of society as we currently know it. I believe it could be a hurricane, tornado, civil unrest or, my biggest concern, major earthquake. Many if not most utilities will be out for over a week to a few months. Due to no electricity the banks and ATMS can not dispense cash. Transportation has been disrupted and food store shelves are barren. Those who feel entitled may gather into larger groups or mobs and attempt to take from those they believe may have necessities like food and hygiene items. Due to transportation problems law enforcement can not help, perhaps many are unable even to get to work. When these events happen, we must be prepared to live on our own for up to several months. I believe that after 6 to 8 weeks we would see things begin to return to normal.

    In the early months of 2010 an area in the San Bernardino mountains where my family has a small vacation cabin experienced one of the heaviest snowfalls on record. Snowplows could not keep up with the snow and soon residential streets were impassable. Finally only the major roads within the valley were open. However due to the heavy snow and ice on the roads there was no access to the valley from any of the three roads. Store shelves were bare. Tourists trapped in hotels, motels and rental units were helped out a bit by the local residents but many were hungry. Fortunately gas, water and electricity stayed on. Finally after 12 days the first trucks were able to make it up the mountain and begin resupply to the markets. For some that was a small SHTF.

    By the way, my parents first bought a place there in the late '50's and we always kept about 10 days worth of food stocked just in case such a thing happened. When my wife and I got our place we do the same thing, food and water for about 2 weeks are there.

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Socalman View Post
    I think of SHTF a bit differently than Helomech and Domeguy. Not to disparage what they say, this is just my personal thought on the definition.

    SHTF means something has happened that has upset the typical order of society as we currently know it. I believe it could be a hurricane, tornado, civil unrest or, my biggest concern, major earthquake. Many if not most utilities will be out for over a week to a few months. Due to no electricity the banks and ATMS can not dispense cash. Transportation has been disrupted and food store shelves are barren. Those who feel entitled may gather into larger groups or mobs and attempt to take from those they believe may have necessities like food and hygiene items. Due to transportation problems law enforcement can not help, perhaps many are unable even to get to work. When these events happen, we must be prepared to live on our own for up to several months. I believe that after 6 to 8 weeks we would see things begin to return to normal.

    In the early months of 2010 an area in the San Bernardino mountains where my family has a small vacation cabin experienced one of the heaviest snowfalls on record. Snowplows could not keep up with the snow and soon residential streets were impassable. Finally only the major roads within the valley were open. However due to the heavy snow and ice on the roads there was no access to the valley from any of the three roads. Store shelves were bare. Tourists trapped in hotels, motels and rental units were helped out a bit by the local residents but many were hungry. Fortunately gas, water and electricity stayed on. Finally after 12 days the first trucks were able to make it up the mountain and begin resupply to the markets. For some that was a small SHTF.

    By the way, my parents first bought a place there in the late '50's and we always kept about 10 days worth of food stocked just in case such a thing happened. When my wife and I got our place we do the same thing, food and water for about 2 weeks are there.


    definitely a ditto with one exception .... a SHTF can also be on a personal level .... lose a job or have a accident/ailment for example .... having FEMA rolling in after 48 hours does not discount a natural disaster from being a SHTF

    now TEOTWAWKI - The End Of The World As We Know It - is a WROL and end of civilization with no recovery possible in your lifetime .... don't confuse the two

  6. #6
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    Im in there with SoCal and Warrior.. Could be isolated and temporary, or big and LONG term.

    Im of the mindset there are multiple levels.

    1) The shit kinda hit the fan
    2) The shit hit the fan
    3) Damn, the shit really hit the fan this time!

    EB
    "Takes .357 to the field... every time..."
    "AR - America's Rifle"
    "Bushido, an honourable way of life"

  7. #7
    Walking on Sunshine

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    Got to tell you all a story about my cousin. they live in the area that has tons of snow every winter and they get shut down(mini shtf's) at least once a winter for 2-4 days Well, last November my cousin and hubby were in the snowstorm that shut down their area of NY for about a week or so. Her hubby went to work that day before the storm hit that shut them down, local Home Depot about 25 miles away and got stranded there for a week. She was at home. Their home is an 1800's colonial, main house is totally heated by a wood stove and they have been canning, dehydrating,freezing most of the food they grow since 2009.They have a great root cellar and wood was stacked on a covered porch. Needless to say while he had to stay at the little motel across the street till he got dug out and could get home,she was home snug as a bug in a rug.She said she caught up on her reading (I loaned her One Second After that summer) got some things done in the house. Told me that they had decided to be as self sufficient as possible when the economy crashed and both of them lost their jobs in FL. He had an opportunity in NY and they decided to move. She told me since reading the book, they've decided to expand their garden more this summer and see about getting another wood stove for the addition. It was added in the 30's and has a natural gas stove for heat. She said she hadn't realized that they had been prepping, just that they needed to make sure they had enough to last them if things turned south again and have room for family if the parents and siblings had to go there to survive.They have a neighbor in his 70's that puts up sauerkraut for them in exchange for part of their crop of cabbage, I told her go pick his brains and learn all you both can from him. He was born and raised in the area and has helped them quite a bit.

  8. #8
    For the Love of Cats


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    Awesome Kat!

    I, too, believe in the difference between SHTF and TEOTWAKI. SHTF can be a minor inconvenience like Kat mentioned, which at the time may seem devastating, but are surmountable.

    SHTF is a pain in the ass inconvenience. it changes your lifestyle for a time.
    TEOTWAKI is the lifestyle changer. It changes your life forever!

    imo!
    Give a man fire, and he'll be warm for a day!
    Light a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life!

    Cat's are food... not friends!

    If you're going to fight, then fight like you're the third monkey on the ramp into Noah's arc... and brother, it's starting to rain.

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    Domeguy's Avatar
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    For me, TEOTWAWKI, Is just that...the end. No amount of prepping will help, as in an all out nuclear war. I am a clild of the Cold War, and grew up living among B-52's and nuclear bombs as an every day normal thing on the bases we lived at. We launch first was the goal I grew up with, with the realization they might launch first, but either way...no one wins. So I don't even count that in my prepping senerio. So for me, SHTF is the big one to plan for. It's the end of the government and all of our social plans such as running water, electricity, regular food deliveries, a retirement check arriving in the mail, ect. In other countries, their governments do collapse over night on a semi regular basis. Their electricity may be on today...maybe not. There is no safe drinking water. If their government failed overnight, so did your pension. So this is what I prep for and maybe this may help to explain why I think the way I do. I am not saying everyone else is wrong in their plans, but why I think mine are right for me.

  10. #10
    For the Love of Cats


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    I disagree DG... teotwAWKI... key words being, AS WE KNOW IT!!! just because you're thrown back into the 1800's doesn't mean an end... it means an end as you know it... or more appropriately... a change! A Harsh change!
    Give a man fire, and he'll be warm for a day!
    Light a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life!

    Cat's are food... not friends!

    If you're going to fight, then fight like you're the third monkey on the ramp into Noah's arc... and brother, it's starting to rain.

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