Crisis Spurs Spike In ‘Suburban Survivalists’
Six months ago, Jim Wiseman didn’t even have a spare nutrition bar in his kitchen cabinet.
Now, the 54-year-old businessman and father of five has a backup generator, a water filter, a grain mill and a 4-foot-tall pile of emergency food tucked in his home in the expensive San Diego suburb of La Jolla.
Wiseman isn’t alone. Emergency supply retailers and military surplus stores nationwide have seen business boom in the past few months as an increasing number of Americans spooked by the economy rush to stock up on gear that was once the domain of hardcore survivalists.
These people snapping up everything from water purification tablets to thermal blankets shatter the survivalist stereotype: they are mostly urban professionals with mortgages, SUVs, solid jobs and a twinge of embarrassment about their newfound hobby.
From teachers to real estate agents, these budding emergency gurus say the dismal economy has made them prepare for financial collapse as if it were an oncoming Category 5 hurricane. They worry about rampant inflation, runs on banks, bare grocery shelves and widespread power failures that could make taps run dry.
The surge in interest in emergency stockpiling has been a bonanza for camping supply companies and military surplus vendors, some of whom report sales spikes of up to 50 percent.
These companies usually cater to people preparing for earthquakes or hurricanes, but informal customer surveys now indicate the bump is from first-time shoppers who cite financial, not natural, disaster as their primary concern, they say.
Photo by Associated Press.
Jaclyn on June 9th, 2009 6:45 pm
My father has always since i can remember stocked up on things such as staple goods, food that doesn’t go bad like sugar, flour, rice, beans, medical supplies, etc. even today him and my mother still do this even with us kids out of the house. I have always thought this was a very wise and good thing to do. you never know when you will need these things and don’t have the money to buy them or can’t get out of your house to get them in some sort of an emergency such as being snowed in, etc.
Paul on June 18th, 2009 7:46 pm
It is just a good thing to do, if you can afford it. Disasters happen, natural and man made. A crisis can pop up very unexpectedly as well. It only makes sense to be prepaired for such things. If hurricanes Katrina & Rita taught us anything, its that you will suffer while waiting for help from the Government after any crisis or disaster. Between red-tape & logistics problems, your going to be waiting a while depending on how bad it is where you are… Now would you rather wait with some back up supplies? Or sit and suffer while “politicians” figure out what and who needs help first? Honestly, in the end, the only person you can count on in any crisis to look out for your best interest is yourself.
RedHotFranchises on June 19th, 2009 3:59 am
The reality is that if the country’s economy collapses to the extent that mass starvation is rampant, then anarchy will surely prevail. Those with guns will surely do better than those with $20k in survival gear. Firepower will be the new hard currency, this scenario is only viable in the mind of the most paranoid. Your money would be better spent on more likely threats to health and safety, such as safe cars, healthy food, smoking cessation, gym membership etc…
w.l.h. on July 17th, 2009 11:56 am
it is possible to have food stoorage without a lot of money just buy a lot of food when there are good offers and if u dont have money just buy everytime you go shoping 5%more for stockpiling, important to have in reserve and not very costly are is water, clorine(for waterpuifing), rice, pasta, cand foods, sugar, salt,some plastic dishes(u dont want to waste to clean water when u just have little), some basic meds and a way to cook the food in without electricity(small grill and wood for small budgets).
Fact is depending on the crisis even that wont help you very long alternativ move out of the city and get selfsufficent.
Leave a Reply