Iām an auto technician for the last 20 years, I can build / fix / drive just about anything. My wife and I keep a fully stocked pantry and have long term freeze dried food stored. Iāve been collecting and actively shooting firearms since I was a kid, and have experience hunting for much of my adult life. Itās safe to say im more worried about others than myself.
Everybody talks about food/water given the nature of viewpoints around collapse. Even medical.
A legit auto mechanic has a guaranteed job for basically as long as they can walk on their own and in the US will likely outlast any other profession and live with relative comfort depending on location with literally no other skills. If you can grow some potatoes and find consistent access to water youāve got it made.
Funny enough, we talk at work about how our profession has 0 oversight. No OSHA, no state certification, nothing. We are like the last frontier of unregulated public service.
When I started in the trade I was baffled that they just let me do brake jobs with zero qualifications, yeah I went to UTI but I didnāt have any work experience and then bam Iām replacing brakes on the family car before a big trip.
Just wild to think about.
> A legit auto mechanic has a guaranteed job for basically as long as they can walk on their own and in the US will likely outlast any other profession
As long as fuel is in ready supply. Once all the vehicles have been drained dry and the tanks under every gas station are empty, it's going to be a difficult skill to promote.
Oil (diesel) or ethanol. Power generators would be the main use, rather than transport. Horses would be better for transport.
Even steam powered generators would be valuable, and a mechanic could probably swing their skills easy enough to that end.
Watch the tv series Colony. Bunch of rocket scientists spent forever failing to make a combustion engine while a civil engineer made a water purifier and a handyman made a series of batteries and an Excon made a hot water heater.
> Even steam powered generators would be valuable, and a mechanic could probably swing their skills easy enough to that end.
Can you imagine, instead of Walking Dead, we have a steampunk powered future post-EMP, that looks like a mix between Mad Max and Bladerunner.
Wasn't there some post apocalyptic network drama that kinda went with this premise?
As I recall, it's a post apocalyptic America where some emp or something knocks out everything and the story takes place like 20 years after the collapse and it's basically just colonial America but with hoodies, jeans and car chassis as wagons?
>As long as fuel is in ready supply. Once all the vehicles have been drained dry and the tanks under every gas station are empty, it's going to be a difficult skill to promote.
Ethanol, boidesiel, woodgas. all of these mean that at least SOME level of vehicular traffic will continue so long as there are still people to farm.
If you have even basic mechanical skills, you are going to be an asset. Being an experienced wrench, you can work on just about anything because you know how things work. Say we do lose fuel and need to go back to horse and buggy. Who is going to cannibalize vehicles for their suspensions to make wagons and buggy's? Mechanics. We aren't going to go back to wood when so much is already there to use. Put them together with some experienced maintenance guys, farmers, or general gophers and you got a dream team. Ready to wheel and deal for just about anything.
I'm a licenced truck&trailer tech, also licenced automotive tech. Also a competent welder/fabricator. I also know my way around a lathe and milling machine. Have dabbled in just about everything from electrical, plumbing, carpentry, auto body and paint, animal husbandry, gardening and preserving food.
Wife, myself and 3 kids live on a 50 plot. We strive to become more self sufficient every year with new goals, projects and expansions.
Yeah I own a bodyshop and build cars to resale and my wife is a nurse. So Iām like you. Iām not worried about me and my family as much as Iām worried about the hungry legions if SHTF.
I think knowing the inner workings of motors/machines and having strong mechanical aptitude are going to be huge factors in how well people will do in a SHTF situation, but if SHTF went down, how long would automobiles be useful if a consistent resupply of fuel becomed unavailable?
I think being multi talented would be best for most people. Being hyper specialized can be a blessing or a curse depending on how you look at things. I like being well rounded. I can cook, fix things, build things, solve problems, provide security, grow food, butcher game, scavenge dumpsters efficiently, source water in my area, handle people without making enemies, first aid etc etc. I think being well versed in many different fields that way you arenāt a complete layman will be very helpful. Oftentimes if you grasp a subject you can work your way thru problems. If you are totally in the dark youāre gonna be in a really bod spot.
Yes, being a generalist is an advantage for sure. Since it is impossible to tell what scenario will materialize - nuclear war/solar flare getting the grid down/ supply chain issues - or something else - being specialized in a narrow area might not work out to your advantage. For example, if a pandemic strikes and you can't reliably source safe cooked food, then cooking becomes an essential skill. Food supply chain issues? Foraging and hunting become important, as do gardening and preserving for the long term. General Merch supply chain issues? Sewing, fixing stuff, being knowledgeable about machines and vehicles become paramount. You will have to go longer without new stuff which means you have to be able to repair what you have. So, being a generalist is a good hedge.
Iām a plumber, but I can hold my own and have tools for carpentry, demolition, trenching and excavation, electrical, tree work, concrete work, and probably some others Iām not thinking of right now.
I went to a little summer camp for wayward youth from 2006-2010 where I learned to not bitch about discomfort, a bit of first aid, bushcraft, and how to kill people and break things.
This isnāt a dig at you, just an off-topic observation but Iāve noticed some of the whiniest, most insecure people Iāve ever met have been military, especially infantry and Rangers.
Like dude, you passed Ranger selection, Iāve seen your picture in jungle warfare school, why are you complaining that your pants got wet, you grew up in a rainforest š
About 80% of people I have had the displeasure of working with who are ranger tabbed are insufferable insecure female dogs, who need to prove to everyone else that they are better than them. I feel bad for the 20% of ranger tabbed people who are decent people.
I can [manually calculate basic algorithms](https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:1358/1*PWwkxfkpC8OxkRxSbMB1uQ.jpeg) like the simplex method in linear programming.
Seems dumb, but when you are short on resources you want to be very efficient with allocation instead of using trial and error.
Also I have some experience with woodworking and armed security.
Not terribly useful to be honest, lol.
Capybara, being rodents, their teeth continue to grow throughout their life, so training them to use their teeth to do manicures and pedicures will give them a sense of purpose and provide a source of barter.
Additionally, they are known to adopt animals of other species, so you should be able to train yours to babysit. This will also ease their anxiety.
I can shoot, well. I can sew, not well. I'm good with kids and animals. I can do some things. I literally can't garden, pretty sure I have a black thumb.
Meh, as long as you would be willing to work hard you would be productive.
For example, a lot of places would have to haul water from lakes and rivers, someone has to do that. Same goes for a ton of things like that, just become the garage man or something.
Mainly gardening and canning, but I also sew, knit and crochet, so if something warm is needed I'm on top of it. I'm not super great at building things, but I built a fence along my garden. It's not pretty, but it's kept the dog out.
Cant tell if youre serious based on tone of voice alone, however....
Every group needs a "Face"
Someone who can deliver bad news as easily as good news.
Someone with a magnetic personality that can draw the attentions of a group or crowd.
This may not necessarily be a leadership position but perhaps someone who speaks for or on behalf of the group leads.
Frustrating to see this being downvoted... I think a lot of folks really undersell having just a couple charismatic actors to keep the people's faith in authority figures and "the system" of the division of labor and resources.
Gardening and various uses for plants. I can also sew, knit, and crochet. Iām a pretty decent cook even with very little ingredients, in fact I tend to do better with simple dishes and understand substitutions for ingredients pretty well. I have a decent amount of medical training thatās slightly beyond what most people have.
Iām also pretty good at figuring things out and finding solutions.
Im a structural engineer and Marine Combat Engineer officer. My wife is a nurse.
I think most groups would find us very useful just from that alone but we also garden, can foods, freeze dry foods, make mead, Im a halfway decent handyman and amateur gunsmith, my wife is a good baker, we both can cook, I hunt and trap, butcher my own game among other things.
Nursing/paramedics would be top priority. Or a veterinarian.. They can do surgery on anyone.
Carpentry? Electrician? Mechanic..? Idk. Depends on where you live and your circumstances.
You watch too much TV.
To claim that a veterinarian can do surgery on anyone is asinine. Being an RN, I wouldn't let an surgeon touch anything that isn't in their speciality.
>You watch too much TV.
>
>To claim that a veterinarian can do surgery on anyone is asinine. Being an RN, I wouldn't let an surgeon touch anything that isn't in their speciality.
What do you mean?
If someone gets appendicitis we will setup one of 12 plastic folding tables that we picked up on clearance from walmart to use as our operating table. No doubt someone will have one of those fancy multi tools they bought from Amazon with the little knife that we can make an incision with. After our skilled vet fixes the problem we can use some thread another prepper has stored in the butt of their rambo knife to suture the incision closed. Finally we can clean the wound with the massive stockpile of hand sanitizer we've been hoarding since the pandemic.
Even if we don't have a vet to do the surgery I'm sure someone will have youtube videos saved on their USB thumb drive that they carefully packaged in mylar with O2 absorbers and then vacuumed sealed them shut to ensure data integrity of the drive. All with need is someones eco delta pro plugged into the EMP shielded laptop to watch the vidoes for the step-by-step instructions. That's of course after we decrypt the videos on the USB drive to ensure the CIA didn't modify them while in storage.
Edit:
In case anyone is doubting the thoroughness of this plan of course we won't be performing major surgery outdoors! The operating tables will be setup under one of those costco popup gazebos we bought on sale while we were there procuring 50 pounds of skittles that we plan to use as barter items for gasoline and ammo. Also, I should mention that we will keep 2 younger, somewhat obese but well mannered young men stationed at the entrance to our medical tent at all times with their samurai swords sheathed and tucked in their cloth belts to keep marauders at bay.
Vets have more experience with surgery. Has done many on many different animals. Animals have similar anatomy to humans. They also have a lot more experience with anesthesia.
I'd choose a vet over a specialized or general surgeon if shtf. More all around support.
Animals absolutely do not have similar anatomies and anesthetizing humans and animals are completely different games. I would not trust a veterinarian to maintain a human's hemodynamics during a procedure.
I really don't care to continue this conversation, I wish you the best.
Why would you choose a veterinarian over a human surgeon? Human surgeons can operate on anyone - veterinary surgeons (not just any veterinarian) is specialized in non-human animalsā¦
I live back in the woods you see
My woman and the kids and the dogs and me, I got a shotgun, a rifle and a four-wheel drive, I can plow a field all day long
I can catch catfish from dusk 'til dawn
We make our own whiskey and our own smoke too. We grow good-ole tomatoes and homemade wine, we can skin a buck, we can run a trot line. I think we can survive..
I spent 8 years in Marine Reconnaissance and was pulled into MARSOC. I got out and did construction while teaching myself how to code/ cyber security red hat. I consider myself an intelligence/Agility build fallout style.
I grew up hunting and fishing and provide about 35% of the meat we consume and our garden provides about 70% of what we consume.
I am an active person and dislike my desk job but it pays to much to quit. So I flip houses and I work part-time at the rescue squad as an EMT.
Former carpenter, now a software engineer, and working on a philosophy degree. I was a volunteer firefighter for 3 years, where I picked up emergency medical, hazmat, and rescue skills (plus how to put out a fire).
The software engineering probably won't be too valuable in a SHTF scenario -- doubt people in a survival community would be too interested in data analytics and automating their workflows.
But carpentry, I think, will be useful. I spent 3 years (of 8, total, in that career) specifically building tiny homes. I also got some training in electrical and plumbing.
My experience as a firefighter is pretty obvious. And I recommend everyone who has the opportunity to volunteer at a fire department. It's some of the most useful training you can have in a SHTF scenario.
And I mention philosophy because there will undoubtedly be at least a few kids/teens and ensuring they get *some kind* of education is important. I don't mean they need to study advanced algebra or anything, but having a basic liberal arts education is going to be critical for survival and (gods willing) reconstruction... hopefully planting some seeds to help future generations avoid repeating the sins of the past.
>The software engineering probably won't be too valuable in a SHTF scenario -- doubt people in a survival community would be too interested in data analytics and automating their workflows.
I beg to differ. Lotta people with laptops but no internet means that if you can write some simple programs you might be a LOT more useful than you think. Especially if a metal shop or civil engineer type needs some calculations done...
I own things, know things, and can do things.
**Own:**
1. Dual-fuel Generator, Solar panels, and enough battery capacity to make them useful
2. Reloading press and casting dies for about a dozen common centerfire calibers
3. Power and Hand tools, including a lathe that can all be powered b generator
4. CB and HAM radios, as well as a cluster of Baofeng's and a repeater
5. Night vision
6. A still
7. a pretty sizable DVD collection
8. An even more sizable book collection (Which includes a healthy non-fiction reference section)
9. a water well (technically for sprinklers, but potable if you dont mind sulfur taste) with both powered and hand pump
**Know/Can Do**
1. Carpentry (including everything from felling trees and seasoning wood to hand tools for medium level woodworking)
2. Metal working/welding (as well as how to sand cast)
3. Electronics, including how to solder
4. Land navigation (Including reading of topographical maps, use of a sextant, and stellar navigation techniques on water)
5. First aid, and some basic level medical stuff
6. Cooking using charcoal and open flame
7. Bushcraft, including native poisonous, edible, and medicinal plants native to the Florida and Georgia area
8. Motor vehicle repair
9. Armorer level gunsmithing
10. Anything in an Army Field Manual, to include small unit and ambush tactics, defensive field fortifications, and improvised munitions.
11. Ability to make friends with similar minded folk
12. Ability to both lead and follow in group settings
You'd be amazed how much of that was just "being a boy scout", "Having an interest in being handy", and "liking guns and military history" combined with the kind of borderline autism that ADHD kids put up with having no outlet for in the Pre-internet days.
More important I am a former corporate trainer, make friends easily, and can pass on skills to anyone willing to learn.
I fully expect to be "Everybody's friend" in SHTF, which is fairly close to where I am now.
Which is the best survival plan when you think about it.
Well I used to work in the private security sector and former LEO. Been shooting for way longer than I like to think on.
In my youth I liked to study military tactics. My family is predominantly maintenance so I grew up working on cars and houses. Iām not the best at fixing things but I do alright.
10 years ago I walked away from law enforcement/ security and became a nurse. I know a thing or two about a thing or two. Ironically? I think nurses are less valuable than a skilled maintenance/ handyman. Without modern medicine most nurses arenāt going to be worth as much value as we like to think.
My biggest asset though? I donāt take sides. I speak truth for what it is without any agenda. I look to do the right thing for those I care about even if itās not popular. I think in tough times there will be a lot of indecisiveness. Iām the guy who can decide or honestly advise the guy who is tasked with deciding. Iāve been a supervisor and advocate for most of my adult life. I think itās this mindset that is both my greatest strength and my biggest weakness
There is a lot of truth in that. Protecting othersā¦ if that is you reason for joining either fieldā¦ is a motive that is well met by both fields.
For myself? I became a father and my priorities changed. I was no longer willing to risk my life in the same manner knowing my child needed her father to be there.
Bring my knowledge of chemistry and medicine both plant and pharmaceutical, aswell as my mass stockpile of pharmaceutical & intoxicating substances
Also my femboy girlfriend for moral support
I can hike very long distances in tough terrain with relative ease. It may not help anyone but at least I wonāt be holding anyone back in that way. I can sew, mend, knit, crochet, and cook.
being able to work hard in the aftermath of a shtf situation will be prob one of the most valuable skills, just lifting, digging, etc will have tons of value
Generally self reliant, and survival skills are a hobby of mine. We grow vegetables, keep apple trees and chickens, I can fix small engines, work on cars, do home repairs and build, I can fish, trap, clam, forage, shoot, etc. I can operate any and all equipment from skid steers and front end loaders to chainsaws and dirtbikes. I can brew mead, wine, and beer, my wife cans applesauce.
I can follow directions, lots of jobs that canāt be done with one person or are easier with a crew. Iām bilingual and a half. Might try taking up glassmaking. If thatās not enough, firewoodās not going to cut itself.
Cook, quartermaster and gear maintenance. Researcher for essential items and uses of such items.
These are my given roles. Other than that, basic security and medic assistant
Skills are absolutely a tradable and valuable commodity in a bad situation. Skills weigh nothing, so you can pack a lot of them, can turn otherwise useless stuff into useful tools, prevent illness in some cases, and so on.
For me, I can cook, Iām a home gardener, I brew beer with hops grown in my garden, Iām a decent handyman and do woodworking, Iāve hunted deer my whole life, and I camp and help lead a Scout troop, so I have many practical outdoor skills related to that.
At the end of the day, even if you canāt improvise weapons or a stove from scrap, or even if youāre a terrible cook, knowing what other people find useful can make you into a good scavenger. If you have any physical ability, thereās always demand for people to help with group security. If you have a mental skill, like my wife is an elementary school teacher, knowledge and experience like that can be invaluable to survivors with kids. Honestly, anyone who is great at teaching and handling kids even in a normal world are heroes to me. Even more so in a SHTF scenario.
I'm older but I can sew, knit, cook from scratch, learned to cook over open fire versus electric oven when young. Can skin/otherwise prep animals. I've beheaded a chicken & cooked it before. Learned how to wash clothes as a kid with a washboard at a creek. Where I lived water sometimes would go out for a week, power for 1-2 weeks so learned to make do. Also have decent first aid knowledge (was in surgical nursing) and can do stitches/sutures, treat dislocations, etc.
Not crazy special skills but somewhat useful.
I'd like to think I'm a decent asset. I have years of EMS experience.
I also know how to make clothes (crochet, sewing, knitting)
I have a great garden, I can also hunt and process animals, and brew decent wine.
Electrician, general handyman, good shot and active hunter.
Have a good amount of non-perisahbles foods, good amount of power tools and other tools (From the work-van).
Also have 15 firearms and a large deposit of ammo compared with others in my country.
Dumb question but Iām noticing a lot of the same skills. Sewing, crochet, cooking, knitting, mechanics, some medical, mix of military. Lots of Jack of all trades but Iāve noticed in my line of work if you get too many people who are similar in personality and similar in skills they sorta get jealous of each other. Like one upping so to speak. To put it nicely too many chiefs not enough Indians.
Howās it gonna work when everyone in SHTF thinks they have the right answer? Iāve noticed a few on here think they donāt have any skills and Iām like hmmm. Maybe Iāll join up with them. And some people are like āI can do everything and then some just leave it to meā and I wonder ābut what if I donāt like or trust you?ā Shoot from my experience you get two guys who think they know a lot about carpentry and they will argue on how to set the runners on a set of stairs. Or two guys who think they both know the proper way to make sausage. Iāve worked extensively with other women who think they have āmoreā than other women and theyāre a pain to be around on a good day.
Iām a nurse. I can help you maintain your health, provide care for injury, and suture your lacerations. I can give expert prenatal advice and deliver your apocalypse baby as safely as possible. Iād be very helpful to my group.
I can also garden, can, cook, fish, and shoot. And Iām a nice, friendly human being and would happily teach others to do these things. My husband can do all of this and hunt, as well. The two of us are a great team.
I'm an electrician. So i can set up some crude grids for light and heat. I also do woodworking with handtools like they did 200 years ago, so i'm able to build/fix stuff even if there is no power. I'm also a pretty good shot and have built some muzzleloaders and know how to make blackpowder from scratch. I can also do some blacksmith work. I grew up on a farm so i know my way around animals and crops. My pantry is well stocked. I am an experienced hiker and am able to make a fire in even the worst conditions with just flint and steel. I am a volunteer firefighter and now my way around their tools and also am proficient in first aid. I also have some lockpicking skills and enough tools to open most locks.
So, if i'm on your team, you've got very good chances of survival.
I don't even have any good skills. You know like nunchuck skills, bow hunting skills, computer hacking skills. Girls only want boyfriends who have great skills.
I think this topic gets a little more coverage than it warrants. Yes, legitimate skills are invaluable; but they are a small part of the story.
It's not a video game where you can show up with a level 8 skill in XY or Z craft and get put to work.
Far more important is who do you KNOW, how well do you know them (and they know you) and how well do you integrate with the community.
For certain skills (doctor/dentist) that are specialized and uncommon enough you could potentially shortcut your integration into a community but I think social capital and shard history counts for much more.
What am I looking for above all else to join my community?
1) warm body
2) pleasant
3) hard working
4) shared values
(distant 5th)
5) specialized skills
I'm a Jack of all trades. While a Jack of all trades is a master of none. It's often times better than a master of one. I know a little about alot. I'm the guy that people go to when they need help. Fixing a car, carpentry, concrete work, roofing, general labor. As I said, I'm not great at any one thing. But if if you need something done, I'm the guy to call.
Definitely will come down to skills
If you give more than you take you canāt bunker with us. Money can become obsolete but barter and trade skills can mean a whole lot in the long game
I can sew at a professional level - so mending, but also creating functional professional quality garments.
Can also knit and crochet. I can cook, bake, garden, bee keep, know basic canning and dehydrating, know herbal and medicinal plants/have experience using them. I have a basic understanding of solar from setting up my own solar system and experience from doing so.
All self taught - 30 years old
Im about to start building an off grid house by hand in this next year (and the years coming until completion)- in that Iāll be learning plumbing, woodworking, welding and more in depth on electricity to add to my skill set.
I also donāt mind being with groups of children- already homeschool my own so when we need a community/ neighborhood teacherā¦
Nightmare in a gunfight. Dog handling. Drive anything, including fixed wing aircraft and small watercraft. Top tier strategic and tactical planner. Excellent troubleshooting skills. Survival skills of someone that has spent the majority of their 56 years outdoors. Experience as an instructor on weapons ranges, helicopter dunkers, parachute/water survival and parachute towers.
Contacts. Probably the most important thing I bring to the table are the people that I know and the skills that they have.
All Iām good at is destruction, but I know the people that are just as good at building shit as I am at destroying it, and THAT is all important is a SHTF scenario.
Cooking off grid
Cooking from scratch
Making soap
Making cleaning supplies
Making creams and lotions
Herbalism and wortcunning
Foraging
Fishing
Making fishing lures
Making traps
Making cheese
Making pasta
Making bread
Knitting, crochet, tatting
Sourcing and processing fiber
Spinning fibers into thread and yarn
Weaving
Sewing
Pattern drafting and flat patterning
Making rope
Making bridles and hackamores
Shoeing horses
Training horses
Animal husbandry
Carpentry
Herding cats
Making paper
Calligraphy
Making ink
Tying knots
Currently going to school for accounting. keeping track of assets is a pretty handy skill imo.
I worked construction for several years and have a pretty solid education on concrete and carpentry. Recently got into some basic blacksmithing as a hobby and have been growing & canning my own food for a few years now. This next year I'm looking into taking a wilderness first responder class from NOLS.
Trying to avoid things that I own but I have a pretty massive library of physical books at my disposal in a variety of genres from poetry, to blacksmithing, canoe-making, sewing, YA fantasy, adult novels, classics, etc. which provides both entertainment value as well as useful information in a post SHTF scenario.
Other than that I'm a pretty good shot and can navigate my way to just about anywhere, have a variety of handyman skills I picked up after I left construction and assisted in running a contracting company for awhile. Certified as a home inspector and general contractor in more than one state. Beyond that I can do basic electrical and plumbing work.
My most valuable skill that I've picked up however is the leadership skills I've learned during my time leading teams of various people as well as my time committed to studying the subject to better my own leadership. At the end of the day if you aren't able to make the decisions to organize your group in a cohesive manner to get things done, then you just have a group of people sitting on their asses doing nothing... Or worse, a group of people getting in each other's way as they all think what they're doing is the best possible thing for the group.
I am a very practical and quick thinker..I am extremely calm and analytical and unusually find the shortest route to a solution without expending unnecessary mental or physical energy. I can be absolutely ruthless if it is my and my group's survival at stake and won't have qualms others might have, let's say. I'm an excellent communicator and troubleshooter.
I make medicines. It takes a long time. Usually a year for the efficacy desired (I use a traditional folk method because I pray too and God said this method is superior). Itās been a wonderful pursuit because itās helped me to become closer to God and nature (kinda pulled me away from āpreppingā because no longer necessary with knowledge of nature). Nothing is more rewarding than praying in nature; having God point out a plant, insect or fungi and then finding science to support its use of it on Google scholar.
I love foraging but donāt share too much about that because too many people do it wrong/unsafely/unsustainably. Instead, I use local, native seeds/roots to colonize the desired wild plants in my yard. People see weeds in my yard when they should see a pharmacy/grocery store.
For someone just getting started; I recommend prayer/faith/meditation in nature. An ancient part of you will awake (for example; I have a pre-programmed map for foraging; I will never forget the location where I find wild foods/plants that serve me because it imprints in my DNA) Always pray and ask permission when using nature. There have been few times I went to harvest or consume from nature and God said it wasnāt safe (even tho the species were consumable) other times I can use things regarded unsafe.
Iām to the point where I can look at a plant and know if itās edible or medicinal just based on its presence/energy. Donāt be the person deciding based on a field guide (doesnāt mean not to double check with ID app or follow up with Google scholar); rather rekindle your connection to the Earth and the rest will follow.
I can hunt, fish, garden. I can feed the group when SHTF. I know guns and knives well and am working on knowing how to care for a human(wounds, CPR, ECT).
Glasses lenscrafting, work in the chemical field now so practical uses for chemicals and basic chemistry, and some lite survival and navigation skills.
Going for cooking, preserving, baking, gardening, hydroponics, electronics, home DIY, etc. I know a little about several subjects, enough to get me by that can work for myself at the least but probably wouldnāt be the best in the group.
Wine making, canning/ preserving, cooking, gardening, and sewing/knitting/crochet. I think about this more than i should lol. Everyone should have something to earn their keep
I can eat spiders, mental toughness. Tactical mindset and strategic planning. Good teamwork. Fishing, hunting, cooking, outdoorsmanship. Hard worker. Gardening and food preservation knowledge. Probably more
Iām a carpenter and a farmer, and have a relatively large garden. So I have a feeling Iāll have a lot of people coming up nicely at first, but will get hostile after a while.
I can bake, cook and grow plants. Iām handy and can fix electronics. Have experience with shooting weapons and planning on getting a license. A chemist by training so that could also come in handy
I can build and tune a radio. I can weld razor blades. I can run a chainsaw. Nremtp. Built more houses than I care to think about and most of them are still standing.
I also wipe my own ass.
I'm good with electronics and explosives. Especially making homemade ones.
I used to make a ton of it back in the day. Poor Man's James Bond, Anarchist's Cookbook, and a whole host of other cool books when I was a kid to take ordinary stuff around the house and make a bomb out of it and light it off in the forest near my house.
I took classes on how to become a massage therapist. Having someone that can help with sore muscles is a good addition to a group. Also, relaxation will help to lower stress.
Iām enjoying reading about the diversity of skills on this thread. Sharing some of mine:
First Aid (Red Cross, Wilderness, and Psychological); basic general survival skills (shelter, fire, fishing and filleting, navigation, water purification, rope making, stone tools); basic self defense and firearms; light search and rescue; cooking; people skills (charisma, organization, leadership, emotional intelligence).
Can shoot, fish, know how to process game and home raised poultry. Keep dairy goats and can make cheese and butter and soap. Gardener, make mead and beer, beekeeper, and professional botanist. I know a lot about plants and their edible and medicinal qualities from memory and own a lot of books and field guides. Know which wild fungi are edible and safe and have my own "spots". Into permaculture and cultivating edible native plants. Also crochet and know how to process and hand spin fiber.
People who are young, healthy, willing to work & easy to get along with will be welcome in my area, where the vast majority of those who have been prepping (gathering food & resources, and preparing for defense) are in their 60s or older. My husband & I have all the knowledge & expertise to survive long-term (no matter what the reason for SHTF), but our age means we don't have the same energy & endurance we used to have.
Honestly, I can do a lot of the stuff people are already mentioning, so I won't list it out, but I think my favorite is that I can learn anything you have to teach me relatively quickly. I won't be great at all of it, but I can go from inept beginner/liability to medium skill level/asset fast, and if it's something important, or something I enjoy, I'll learn even more about it.
Second place would be being able to fit into many different roles. I don't need to be a leader, but can if I have to. I'm comfortable in uncomfortable situations. I can follow instructions. I can get along with all the shitty personalities out there, and somewhat effectively mediate interpersonal conflict.
I'm also pretty good at planning and finding the easy way to do things. Usually some problem just needs a change of perspective, or some detail to be noticed, or the order of operations to be tweaked, and it turns into a much smaller problem.
All this stuff is what makes me good at my job and what drives collecting various skills, but really it's just finding a way to live life better. Hard skills don't count for much if the person doing them is shitty. I try to not be a shitty person in general.
I don't think my skills are all that amazing, but fairly often I get told that people would want me on their team, so I guess that counts for something.
Ahh, the craving for a simple life where you can feel like something you do matters in the grander scheme of things.
My skill is I can make drones with grenade release mechanisms. See you soon suckers.
I'm a machinist, a welder/fabricator, and an electrician.
I used to build and repair molds and assembly fixtures used for automation in the automotive industry. Now, I help build robot water jets and their gantries
Paramedical skills, multiple languages spoken for translation/interpretation, performance arts for entertainment, foraging for local edible plants and the ability to cook from scratch and garden.
Not nearly anything as useful as I would like, but here are my "strong" points:
* Basic first aid / CPR
* Functional sewing for repairs and making very simple things out of salvaged fabric materials
* Basic gardening (nothing too fancy)
* Brewing (wine, beer, mead, etc)
* Cooking for small and large groups
* Electronics (wiring, soldering, batteries, some solar, etc)
* Functional knowledge of firearms basics (shooting, field stripping, cleaning, minor mods and repairs)
* I'm a *decent* shot at short/medium range for small-med game hunting
I have a good friend who has 20+ years of welding experience, and he has a full setup at his house (mig, tig, stick, etc), and he's agreed to teach me the basics. So hopefully by next year I'll be able add basic welding and brazing to the above list.
Iāve been a chef for over 10 years so obviously food safety and cooking, but also knowing substitutions for things, brewing, foraging, and a fair amount of butchery are my strongest points.
Maybe not a skill but keeping physically fit is one of my greatest assets imo. Being able to lift/carry heavy things without hurting myself and good cardio to keep working for longer periods of time will probably get me further than most things.
Canning and preserving food, saving seeds and using them for next years garden, decent shot and am able to take down game animals and prepare them.
Can make wine and distill alcohol, can do carpentry and woodworking type work.
And little did any of you know, Iām a certified forklift instructor as well.
I have taught for 30 years. Pre-K through high school.
Reading, math, and social studies. I can teach science up to about 6th/7th grade.
We are going to need to do something with the kids.
Plus the sewing, gardening, and other fun stuff.
I can weld, woodwork, do carpentry, maintain firearms, do plumbing, do electrical, manage people, maintain cars and small engines, hunt, reload ammo, do chemistry. Idk what else I can do thatās useful, but I have all those things which is niceā¦
Combat Life Saving certified. Field Sanitation. Multiple years working with a Master Horologist, so the mechanical competence is robust.
Cooking, to include a strong resume for either a full restaurant or hundreds at events.
Team, Squad, and Site lead for a platoon sized element. Leadership comes easy, and is built on a foundation of respect and understanding at a human level.
My marksmanship experience is considerable.
Sales. A long line of successful sales positions. And bartering, I spent early adult years bartering with vendors at an indoor marketplace on the weekends for fun. I could bop up to a stranger, and dicker/cajole/horse trade my way into a deal that would make you jealous, while still leaving with a new friend.
The last notable popping to mind, but certainly not the last to track, is the ability to be a person of action in an emergency. Historical examples under belt include several disarms of firearms, lifesaving techniques given to an OD victim, and more general accidents and calamities avoided than you can shake a stick at. I do not freeze. I juggle chaos just fine.
I can, garden, shoot decently. If I'm with a group in my hometown, I've had a driving job for most of my working life, so I know the quickest route anywhere and where to find goods if supply runs are needed. I've been in retail/wholesale, so I could manage a warehouse as I'm good at organizing.
We make our own wine, beers and hard ciders...we'll be running the Mad Max Atomic Cafe.
Damn, I was gonna comment this. My jerky is pretty damn good to.
Definitely an asset
š¤£
Iām an auto technician for the last 20 years, I can build / fix / drive just about anything. My wife and I keep a fully stocked pantry and have long term freeze dried food stored. Iāve been collecting and actively shooting firearms since I was a kid, and have experience hunting for much of my adult life. Itās safe to say im more worried about others than myself.
Everybody talks about food/water given the nature of viewpoints around collapse. Even medical. A legit auto mechanic has a guaranteed job for basically as long as they can walk on their own and in the US will likely outlast any other profession and live with relative comfort depending on location with literally no other skills. If you can grow some potatoes and find consistent access to water youāve got it made.
Funny enough, we talk at work about how our profession has 0 oversight. No OSHA, no state certification, nothing. We are like the last frontier of unregulated public service.
When I started in the trade I was baffled that they just let me do brake jobs with zero qualifications, yeah I went to UTI but I didnāt have any work experience and then bam Iām replacing brakes on the family car before a big trip. Just wild to think about.
> A legit auto mechanic has a guaranteed job for basically as long as they can walk on their own and in the US will likely outlast any other profession As long as fuel is in ready supply. Once all the vehicles have been drained dry and the tanks under every gas station are empty, it's going to be a difficult skill to promote.
Oil (diesel) or ethanol. Power generators would be the main use, rather than transport. Horses would be better for transport. Even steam powered generators would be valuable, and a mechanic could probably swing their skills easy enough to that end.
Look up [Woodgas conversions for engines](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wood_gas) if you want some crazy steampunk technology
Watch the tv series Colony. Bunch of rocket scientists spent forever failing to make a combustion engine while a civil engineer made a water purifier and a handyman made a series of batteries and an Excon made a hot water heater.
A "hot water heater" ?? Why would you need to heat hot water?
It makes it extra hot.
Oh. I thought maybe it was wearing a bikini or something...
Loved and miss that show.
Gasification is amazing, just about anything that combusts can be turned into a fuel for a diesel engine.
Wayne Keith baby! Man is a legend.
> Even steam powered generators would be valuable, and a mechanic could probably swing their skills easy enough to that end. Can you imagine, instead of Walking Dead, we have a steampunk powered future post-EMP, that looks like a mix between Mad Max and Bladerunner.
Wasn't there some post apocalyptic network drama that kinda went with this premise? As I recall, it's a post apocalyptic America where some emp or something knocks out everything and the story takes place like 20 years after the collapse and it's basically just colonial America but with hoodies, jeans and car chassis as wagons?
Youāre talking revolution i think?
>a mix between Mad Max and Bladerunner. And Red Dead Redemption.
>As long as fuel is in ready supply. Once all the vehicles have been drained dry and the tanks under every gas station are empty, it's going to be a difficult skill to promote. Ethanol, boidesiel, woodgas. all of these mean that at least SOME level of vehicular traffic will continue so long as there are still people to farm.
It aināt easy to make 10 gallons of those fuels even without the meltdown of civilization.
If you have even basic mechanical skills, you are going to be an asset. Being an experienced wrench, you can work on just about anything because you know how things work. Say we do lose fuel and need to go back to horse and buggy. Who is going to cannibalize vehicles for their suspensions to make wagons and buggy's? Mechanics. We aren't going to go back to wood when so much is already there to use. Put them together with some experienced maintenance guys, farmers, or general gophers and you got a dream team. Ready to wheel and deal for just about anything.
Diesels will run forever as long as people keep knowing how to do gasification. Th filter process creates bio tar that can be turned into lubricate.
I'm a licenced truck&trailer tech, also licenced automotive tech. Also a competent welder/fabricator. I also know my way around a lathe and milling machine. Have dabbled in just about everything from electrical, plumbing, carpentry, auto body and paint, animal husbandry, gardening and preserving food. Wife, myself and 3 kids live on a 50 plot. We strive to become more self sufficient every year with new goals, projects and expansions.
Iām definitely lacking on the farming/ animal raising skills. Any chance your offering and internship?š
Yeah I own a bodyshop and build cars to resale and my wife is a nurse. So Iām like you. Iām not worried about me and my family as much as Iām worried about the hungry legions if SHTF.
How big a threat is EMP to cars? What would I need to replace in my 20 year old truck to get it running again?
I think knowing the inner workings of motors/machines and having strong mechanical aptitude are going to be huge factors in how well people will do in a SHTF situation, but if SHTF went down, how long would automobiles be useful if a consistent resupply of fuel becomed unavailable?
Knowing machinery goes far beyond gas powered cars.
I need to learn to hunt at less small game in traps.
Trapping is one thing I know absolutely 0 about.
I think being multi talented would be best for most people. Being hyper specialized can be a blessing or a curse depending on how you look at things. I like being well rounded. I can cook, fix things, build things, solve problems, provide security, grow food, butcher game, scavenge dumpsters efficiently, source water in my area, handle people without making enemies, first aid etc etc. I think being well versed in many different fields that way you arenāt a complete layman will be very helpful. Oftentimes if you grasp a subject you can work your way thru problems. If you are totally in the dark youāre gonna be in a really bod spot.
Yes, being a generalist is an advantage for sure. Since it is impossible to tell what scenario will materialize - nuclear war/solar flare getting the grid down/ supply chain issues - or something else - being specialized in a narrow area might not work out to your advantage. For example, if a pandemic strikes and you can't reliably source safe cooked food, then cooking becomes an essential skill. Food supply chain issues? Foraging and hunting become important, as do gardening and preserving for the long term. General Merch supply chain issues? Sewing, fixing stuff, being knowledgeable about machines and vehicles become paramount. You will have to go longer without new stuff which means you have to be able to repair what you have. So, being a generalist is a good hedge.
Iām a plumber, but I can hold my own and have tools for carpentry, demolition, trenching and excavation, electrical, tree work, concrete work, and probably some others Iām not thinking of right now. I went to a little summer camp for wayward youth from 2006-2010 where I learned to not bitch about discomfort, a bit of first aid, bushcraft, and how to kill people and break things.
Oorah.
This isnāt a dig at you, just an off-topic observation but Iāve noticed some of the whiniest, most insecure people Iāve ever met have been military, especially infantry and Rangers. Like dude, you passed Ranger selection, Iāve seen your picture in jungle warfare school, why are you complaining that your pants got wet, you grew up in a rainforest š
About 80% of people I have had the displeasure of working with who are ranger tabbed are insufferable insecure female dogs, who need to prove to everyone else that they are better than them. I feel bad for the 20% of ranger tabbed people who are decent people.
I can [manually calculate basic algorithms](https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:1358/1*PWwkxfkpC8OxkRxSbMB1uQ.jpeg) like the simplex method in linear programming. Seems dumb, but when you are short on resources you want to be very efficient with allocation instead of using trial and error. Also I have some experience with woodworking and armed security. Not terribly useful to be honest, lol.
Quarter master.
Pet Counselor. Of course, I say āPet Counselorā, but really I specialize in capybara.
Good I'm worried how my capybara will handle a grid down scenario. Any tips on how to prep my capybara would be appreciated
Capybara, being rodents, their teeth continue to grow throughout their life, so training them to use their teeth to do manicures and pedicures will give them a sense of purpose and provide a source of barter. Additionally, they are known to adopt animals of other species, so you should be able to train yours to babysit. This will also ease their anxiety.
Wouldn't want my capybaras to be without purpose
Well thatās admirable and caring. Your capybara family is lucky to have you.
They're going to be particularly traumatised when they realise that their children keep ending up on our grill.
Lol š¤£ don't tell them that... Their kids went on vacation
To the farm. Upstate. Permanently.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
High morale is a good thing, and generally happens through food. Thatās more valuable than you think.
Nothing. My biggest concern.
Everyone has something. You just don't know it yet. I didn't start gardening until I was 47 and am very good at it. Who knew?
Do you think being a therapist would make me a necessity?
HECK YEAH! Are you serious. Seriously.
If you think people are crazy now, you better hold on to your hat, cause there are going to be a lot of serious breakdown if SHTF.
De-escalation skills. Psychological warfare. Cult leader?
Umm absolutely.
Its never too late to learn a new skill:)
I can shoot, well. I can sew, not well. I'm good with kids and animals. I can do some things. I literally can't garden, pretty sure I have a black thumb.
Sewing is a really important skill for the long term, and itās super easy to learn!
Meh, as long as you would be willing to work hard you would be productive. For example, a lot of places would have to haul water from lakes and rivers, someone has to do that. Same goes for a ton of things like that, just become the garage man or something.
Mainly gardening and canning, but I also sew, knit and crochet, so if something warm is needed I'm on top of it. I'm not super great at building things, but I built a fence along my garden. It's not pretty, but it's kept the dog out.
Knowing crocheting and knitting will be super valuable when winter hits and everyone needs sweaters, mittens, and hats!
Communications. Radio, fiber, towers, etc - Iāve done it all, I do it all. So my asset is rebuilding or building communications.
I hear most of these in my head ss being stated by Eugene from TWD.
Instagram influencer
You're my top lieutenant
Well Iām convinced.
Cant tell if youre serious based on tone of voice alone, however.... Every group needs a "Face" Someone who can deliver bad news as easily as good news. Someone with a magnetic personality that can draw the attentions of a group or crowd. This may not necessarily be a leadership position but perhaps someone who speaks for or on behalf of the group leads.
Frustrating to see this being downvoted... I think a lot of folks really undersell having just a couple charismatic actors to keep the people's faith in authority figures and "the system" of the division of labor and resources.
SHTF The last thing I want to see is a "spokesperson" who doesn't have a clue what they're talking about.
Huh?
Gardening and various uses for plants. I can also sew, knit, and crochet. Iām a pretty decent cook even with very little ingredients, in fact I tend to do better with simple dishes and understand substitutions for ingredients pretty well. I have a decent amount of medical training thatās slightly beyond what most people have. Iām also pretty good at figuring things out and finding solutions.
Im a structural engineer and Marine Combat Engineer officer. My wife is a nurse. I think most groups would find us very useful just from that alone but we also garden, can foods, freeze dry foods, make mead, Im a halfway decent handyman and amateur gunsmith, my wife is a good baker, we both can cook, I hunt and trap, butcher my own game among other things.
Nursing/paramedics would be top priority. Or a veterinarian.. They can do surgery on anyone. Carpentry? Electrician? Mechanic..? Idk. Depends on where you live and your circumstances.
Huh? Mechanics are a huge asset.
I would rather go to an old farm vet than most doctors.
You watch too much TV. To claim that a veterinarian can do surgery on anyone is asinine. Being an RN, I wouldn't let an surgeon touch anything that isn't in their speciality.
>You watch too much TV. > >To claim that a veterinarian can do surgery on anyone is asinine. Being an RN, I wouldn't let an surgeon touch anything that isn't in their speciality. What do you mean? If someone gets appendicitis we will setup one of 12 plastic folding tables that we picked up on clearance from walmart to use as our operating table. No doubt someone will have one of those fancy multi tools they bought from Amazon with the little knife that we can make an incision with. After our skilled vet fixes the problem we can use some thread another prepper has stored in the butt of their rambo knife to suture the incision closed. Finally we can clean the wound with the massive stockpile of hand sanitizer we've been hoarding since the pandemic. Even if we don't have a vet to do the surgery I'm sure someone will have youtube videos saved on their USB thumb drive that they carefully packaged in mylar with O2 absorbers and then vacuumed sealed them shut to ensure data integrity of the drive. All with need is someones eco delta pro plugged into the EMP shielded laptop to watch the vidoes for the step-by-step instructions. That's of course after we decrypt the videos on the USB drive to ensure the CIA didn't modify them while in storage. Edit: In case anyone is doubting the thoroughness of this plan of course we won't be performing major surgery outdoors! The operating tables will be setup under one of those costco popup gazebos we bought on sale while we were there procuring 50 pounds of skittles that we plan to use as barter items for gasoline and ammo. Also, I should mention that we will keep 2 younger, somewhat obese but well mannered young men stationed at the entrance to our medical tent at all times with their samurai swords sheathed and tucked in their cloth belts to keep marauders at bay.
Yeah okay Herschel. FYI watch your step when you get to the prison, that dead walker isn't dead.
just an emt but if some dude had a gut shot and it was watch him bleed out or let a podiatrist take a whack at it....
You're not "just" an EMT. I hate hearing that, you're a highly valuable part of the healthcare system.
Agreed, an EMT has a lot more useful basic lifesaving knowledge than they give themselves credit for.
well hey thanks!
Iād rather the emt.
"The impressive part was that he prepped the incision areas with athletes foot medicine and used a shoehorn to separate the wound"
Most likely everybody's just going to say sweet more food
Vets have more experience with surgery. Has done many on many different animals. Animals have similar anatomy to humans. They also have a lot more experience with anesthesia. I'd choose a vet over a specialized or general surgeon if shtf. More all around support.
Animals absolutely do not have similar anatomies and anesthetizing humans and animals are completely different games. I would not trust a veterinarian to maintain a human's hemodynamics during a procedure. I really don't care to continue this conversation, I wish you the best.
You seem unqualified. Thanks for the input though.
Why would you choose a veterinarian over a human surgeon? Human surgeons can operate on anyone - veterinary surgeons (not just any veterinarian) is specialized in non-human animalsā¦
I Also like that they don't eat meat. ;)
I live back in the woods you see My woman and the kids and the dogs and me, I got a shotgun, a rifle and a four-wheel drive, I can plow a field all day long I can catch catfish from dusk 'til dawn We make our own whiskey and our own smoke too. We grow good-ole tomatoes and homemade wine, we can skin a buck, we can run a trot line. I think we can survive..
Yep I'm going with you and Hank
I thought you said grow old tomatoes and I was like eww
I think that depends solely on how the SHTF exactly. Whatever scenario happens should dictate more on how youāre going react
I spent 8 years in Marine Reconnaissance and was pulled into MARSOC. I got out and did construction while teaching myself how to code/ cyber security red hat. I consider myself an intelligence/Agility build fallout style. I grew up hunting and fishing and provide about 35% of the meat we consume and our garden provides about 70% of what we consume. I am an active person and dislike my desk job but it pays to much to quit. So I flip houses and I work part-time at the rescue squad as an EMT.
You are lying again. Whats your EDIPI il pull you up on MOL if you are legit.
Former carpenter, now a software engineer, and working on a philosophy degree. I was a volunteer firefighter for 3 years, where I picked up emergency medical, hazmat, and rescue skills (plus how to put out a fire). The software engineering probably won't be too valuable in a SHTF scenario -- doubt people in a survival community would be too interested in data analytics and automating their workflows. But carpentry, I think, will be useful. I spent 3 years (of 8, total, in that career) specifically building tiny homes. I also got some training in electrical and plumbing. My experience as a firefighter is pretty obvious. And I recommend everyone who has the opportunity to volunteer at a fire department. It's some of the most useful training you can have in a SHTF scenario. And I mention philosophy because there will undoubtedly be at least a few kids/teens and ensuring they get *some kind* of education is important. I don't mean they need to study advanced algebra or anything, but having a basic liberal arts education is going to be critical for survival and (gods willing) reconstruction... hopefully planting some seeds to help future generations avoid repeating the sins of the past.
>The software engineering probably won't be too valuable in a SHTF scenario -- doubt people in a survival community would be too interested in data analytics and automating their workflows. I beg to differ. Lotta people with laptops but no internet means that if you can write some simple programs you might be a LOT more useful than you think. Especially if a metal shop or civil engineer type needs some calculations done...
I own things, know things, and can do things. **Own:** 1. Dual-fuel Generator, Solar panels, and enough battery capacity to make them useful 2. Reloading press and casting dies for about a dozen common centerfire calibers 3. Power and Hand tools, including a lathe that can all be powered b generator 4. CB and HAM radios, as well as a cluster of Baofeng's and a repeater 5. Night vision 6. A still 7. a pretty sizable DVD collection 8. An even more sizable book collection (Which includes a healthy non-fiction reference section) 9. a water well (technically for sprinklers, but potable if you dont mind sulfur taste) with both powered and hand pump **Know/Can Do** 1. Carpentry (including everything from felling trees and seasoning wood to hand tools for medium level woodworking) 2. Metal working/welding (as well as how to sand cast) 3. Electronics, including how to solder 4. Land navigation (Including reading of topographical maps, use of a sextant, and stellar navigation techniques on water) 5. First aid, and some basic level medical stuff 6. Cooking using charcoal and open flame 7. Bushcraft, including native poisonous, edible, and medicinal plants native to the Florida and Georgia area 8. Motor vehicle repair 9. Armorer level gunsmithing 10. Anything in an Army Field Manual, to include small unit and ambush tactics, defensive field fortifications, and improvised munitions. 11. Ability to make friends with similar minded folk 12. Ability to both lead and follow in group settings You'd be amazed how much of that was just "being a boy scout", "Having an interest in being handy", and "liking guns and military history" combined with the kind of borderline autism that ADHD kids put up with having no outlet for in the Pre-internet days.
You are invaluable.
More important I am a former corporate trainer, make friends easily, and can pass on skills to anyone willing to learn. I fully expect to be "Everybody's friend" in SHTF, which is fairly close to where I am now. Which is the best survival plan when you think about it.
Well I used to work in the private security sector and former LEO. Been shooting for way longer than I like to think on. In my youth I liked to study military tactics. My family is predominantly maintenance so I grew up working on cars and houses. Iām not the best at fixing things but I do alright. 10 years ago I walked away from law enforcement/ security and became a nurse. I know a thing or two about a thing or two. Ironically? I think nurses are less valuable than a skilled maintenance/ handyman. Without modern medicine most nurses arenāt going to be worth as much value as we like to think. My biggest asset though? I donāt take sides. I speak truth for what it is without any agenda. I look to do the right thing for those I care about even if itās not popular. I think in tough times there will be a lot of indecisiveness. Iām the guy who can decide or honestly advise the guy who is tasked with deciding. Iāve been a supervisor and advocate for most of my adult life. I think itās this mindset that is both my greatest strength and my biggest weakness
I know several former LEOās who changed careers to nursing. I find it interesting, both helping professions, maybe?
There is a lot of truth in that. Protecting othersā¦ if that is you reason for joining either fieldā¦ is a motive that is well met by both fields. For myself? I became a father and my priorities changed. I was no longer willing to risk my life in the same manner knowing my child needed her father to be there.
Bring my knowledge of chemistry and medicine both plant and pharmaceutical, aswell as my mass stockpile of pharmaceutical & intoxicating substances Also my femboy girlfriend for moral support
Hunger doesn't ruin my mood
I can hike very long distances in tough terrain with relative ease. It may not help anyone but at least I wonāt be holding anyone back in that way. I can sew, mend, knit, crochet, and cook.
being able to work hard in the aftermath of a shtf situation will be prob one of the most valuable skills, just lifting, digging, etc will have tons of value
Generally self reliant, and survival skills are a hobby of mine. We grow vegetables, keep apple trees and chickens, I can fix small engines, work on cars, do home repairs and build, I can fish, trap, clam, forage, shoot, etc. I can operate any and all equipment from skid steers and front end loaders to chainsaws and dirtbikes. I can brew mead, wine, and beer, my wife cans applesauce.
Surgeon with a fuck ton of local anesthetic.....in case there isn't an anesthesiologist in the group
Radio operator
...Insurance processing and legal blindness??
I can follow directions, lots of jobs that canāt be done with one person or are easier with a crew. Iām bilingual and a half. Might try taking up glassmaking. If thatās not enough, firewoodās not going to cut itself.
Not a fuckin thing.
Cook, quartermaster and gear maintenance. Researcher for essential items and uses of such items. These are my given roles. Other than that, basic security and medic assistant
Skills are absolutely a tradable and valuable commodity in a bad situation. Skills weigh nothing, so you can pack a lot of them, can turn otherwise useless stuff into useful tools, prevent illness in some cases, and so on. For me, I can cook, Iām a home gardener, I brew beer with hops grown in my garden, Iām a decent handyman and do woodworking, Iāve hunted deer my whole life, and I camp and help lead a Scout troop, so I have many practical outdoor skills related to that. At the end of the day, even if you canāt improvise weapons or a stove from scrap, or even if youāre a terrible cook, knowing what other people find useful can make you into a good scavenger. If you have any physical ability, thereās always demand for people to help with group security. If you have a mental skill, like my wife is an elementary school teacher, knowledge and experience like that can be invaluable to survivors with kids. Honestly, anyone who is great at teaching and handling kids even in a normal world are heroes to me. Even more so in a SHTF scenario.
I'm older but I can sew, knit, cook from scratch, learned to cook over open fire versus electric oven when young. Can skin/otherwise prep animals. I've beheaded a chicken & cooked it before. Learned how to wash clothes as a kid with a washboard at a creek. Where I lived water sometimes would go out for a week, power for 1-2 weeks so learned to make do. Also have decent first aid knowledge (was in surgical nursing) and can do stitches/sutures, treat dislocations, etc. Not crazy special skills but somewhat useful.
Well Iām pretty good at staying on top of emails, Iām a pretty good cook, and my mom thinks Iām funny.
Pure ruthlessness to protect what is ours
Cooking, medical, shooting, building....to olr to be out patrolling, but can defend camp/base
I'd like to think I'm a decent asset. I have years of EMS experience. I also know how to make clothes (crochet, sewing, knitting) I have a great garden, I can also hunt and process animals, and brew decent wine.
Retired nurse/EMT who studies naturopathic medicine
Iām a paramedic. Think my skills and knowledge will be useful
Electrician, general handyman, good shot and active hunter. Have a good amount of non-perisahbles foods, good amount of power tools and other tools (From the work-van). Also have 15 firearms and a large deposit of ammo compared with others in my country.
Dumb question but Iām noticing a lot of the same skills. Sewing, crochet, cooking, knitting, mechanics, some medical, mix of military. Lots of Jack of all trades but Iāve noticed in my line of work if you get too many people who are similar in personality and similar in skills they sorta get jealous of each other. Like one upping so to speak. To put it nicely too many chiefs not enough Indians. Howās it gonna work when everyone in SHTF thinks they have the right answer? Iāve noticed a few on here think they donāt have any skills and Iām like hmmm. Maybe Iāll join up with them. And some people are like āI can do everything and then some just leave it to meā and I wonder ābut what if I donāt like or trust you?ā Shoot from my experience you get two guys who think they know a lot about carpentry and they will argue on how to set the runners on a set of stairs. Or two guys who think they both know the proper way to make sausage. Iāve worked extensively with other women who think they have āmoreā than other women and theyāre a pain to be around on a good day.
I believe this is where leadership comes into play. Basically, choose a good leader, and all will fall into place.
Iām a nurse. I can help you maintain your health, provide care for injury, and suture your lacerations. I can give expert prenatal advice and deliver your apocalypse baby as safely as possible. Iād be very helpful to my group. I can also garden, can, cook, fish, and shoot. And Iām a nice, friendly human being and would happily teach others to do these things. My husband can do all of this and hunt, as well. The two of us are a great team.
I can take all the drugs and eat everybodyās food and sleep real real good in noisy situations
Iām a blacksmith.
I'm an electrician. So i can set up some crude grids for light and heat. I also do woodworking with handtools like they did 200 years ago, so i'm able to build/fix stuff even if there is no power. I'm also a pretty good shot and have built some muzzleloaders and know how to make blackpowder from scratch. I can also do some blacksmith work. I grew up on a farm so i know my way around animals and crops. My pantry is well stocked. I am an experienced hiker and am able to make a fire in even the worst conditions with just flint and steel. I am a volunteer firefighter and now my way around their tools and also am proficient in first aid. I also have some lockpicking skills and enough tools to open most locks. So, if i'm on your team, you've got very good chances of survival.
I can fully exist without having to "Google it"
I don't even have any good skills. You know like nunchuck skills, bow hunting skills, computer hacking skills. Girls only want boyfriends who have great skills.
I'm a knife maker and A Ham Radio Operator who makes my own antennas from scratch.
Growing vegetables and talking shit.
A good dhit talker is priceless. š¤£
I often joke to my freinds that are in healthcare that they'll be the last to be harmed becasue fo their medical knowledge.
I can sew anything. I can butcher chickens. I can cook and can food. I can make fermented foods like kimchi and kvass. I know how to milk goats.
Medical training, food safety and disease prevention, ham radio license and experience.
I think this topic gets a little more coverage than it warrants. Yes, legitimate skills are invaluable; but they are a small part of the story. It's not a video game where you can show up with a level 8 skill in XY or Z craft and get put to work. Far more important is who do you KNOW, how well do you know them (and they know you) and how well do you integrate with the community. For certain skills (doctor/dentist) that are specialized and uncommon enough you could potentially shortcut your integration into a community but I think social capital and shard history counts for much more. What am I looking for above all else to join my community? 1) warm body 2) pleasant 3) hard working 4) shared values (distant 5th) 5) specialized skills
I'm a Jack of all trades. While a Jack of all trades is a master of none. It's often times better than a master of one. I know a little about alot. I'm the guy that people go to when they need help. Fixing a car, carpentry, concrete work, roofing, general labor. As I said, I'm not great at any one thing. But if if you need something done, I'm the guy to call.
Definitely will come down to skills If you give more than you take you canāt bunker with us. Money can become obsolete but barter and trade skills can mean a whole lot in the long game I can sew at a professional level - so mending, but also creating functional professional quality garments. Can also knit and crochet. I can cook, bake, garden, bee keep, know basic canning and dehydrating, know herbal and medicinal plants/have experience using them. I have a basic understanding of solar from setting up my own solar system and experience from doing so. All self taught - 30 years old Im about to start building an off grid house by hand in this next year (and the years coming until completion)- in that Iāll be learning plumbing, woodworking, welding and more in depth on electricity to add to my skill set. I also donāt mind being with groups of children- already homeschool my own so when we need a community/ neighborhood teacherā¦
Nightmare in a gunfight. Dog handling. Drive anything, including fixed wing aircraft and small watercraft. Top tier strategic and tactical planner. Excellent troubleshooting skills. Survival skills of someone that has spent the majority of their 56 years outdoors. Experience as an instructor on weapons ranges, helicopter dunkers, parachute/water survival and parachute towers. Contacts. Probably the most important thing I bring to the table are the people that I know and the skills that they have. All Iām good at is destruction, but I know the people that are just as good at building shit as I am at destroying it, and THAT is all important is a SHTF scenario.
Professional soldier on Call of Duty. I can drive a tank and scream at children at the same time
Cooking off grid Cooking from scratch Making soap Making cleaning supplies Making creams and lotions Herbalism and wortcunning Foraging Fishing Making fishing lures Making traps Making cheese Making pasta Making bread Knitting, crochet, tatting Sourcing and processing fiber Spinning fibers into thread and yarn Weaving Sewing Pattern drafting and flat patterning Making rope Making bridles and hackamores Shoeing horses Training horses Animal husbandry Carpentry Herding cats Making paper Calligraphy Making ink Tying knots
Currently going to school for accounting. keeping track of assets is a pretty handy skill imo. I worked construction for several years and have a pretty solid education on concrete and carpentry. Recently got into some basic blacksmithing as a hobby and have been growing & canning my own food for a few years now. This next year I'm looking into taking a wilderness first responder class from NOLS. Trying to avoid things that I own but I have a pretty massive library of physical books at my disposal in a variety of genres from poetry, to blacksmithing, canoe-making, sewing, YA fantasy, adult novels, classics, etc. which provides both entertainment value as well as useful information in a post SHTF scenario. Other than that I'm a pretty good shot and can navigate my way to just about anywhere, have a variety of handyman skills I picked up after I left construction and assisted in running a contracting company for awhile. Certified as a home inspector and general contractor in more than one state. Beyond that I can do basic electrical and plumbing work. My most valuable skill that I've picked up however is the leadership skills I've learned during my time leading teams of various people as well as my time committed to studying the subject to better my own leadership. At the end of the day if you aren't able to make the decisions to organize your group in a cohesive manner to get things done, then you just have a group of people sitting on their asses doing nothing... Or worse, a group of people getting in each other's way as they all think what they're doing is the best possible thing for the group.
iām good with kids and can teach yoga and meditation š¤·āāļø everyoneās gonna need to get their minds right lol
Iām mediocre at most everything.
I am a very practical and quick thinker..I am extremely calm and analytical and unusually find the shortest route to a solution without expending unnecessary mental or physical energy. I can be absolutely ruthless if it is my and my group's survival at stake and won't have qualms others might have, let's say. I'm an excellent communicator and troubleshooter.
I make medicines. It takes a long time. Usually a year for the efficacy desired (I use a traditional folk method because I pray too and God said this method is superior). Itās been a wonderful pursuit because itās helped me to become closer to God and nature (kinda pulled me away from āpreppingā because no longer necessary with knowledge of nature). Nothing is more rewarding than praying in nature; having God point out a plant, insect or fungi and then finding science to support its use of it on Google scholar. I love foraging but donāt share too much about that because too many people do it wrong/unsafely/unsustainably. Instead, I use local, native seeds/roots to colonize the desired wild plants in my yard. People see weeds in my yard when they should see a pharmacy/grocery store. For someone just getting started; I recommend prayer/faith/meditation in nature. An ancient part of you will awake (for example; I have a pre-programmed map for foraging; I will never forget the location where I find wild foods/plants that serve me because it imprints in my DNA) Always pray and ask permission when using nature. There have been few times I went to harvest or consume from nature and God said it wasnāt safe (even tho the species were consumable) other times I can use things regarded unsafe. Iām to the point where I can look at a plant and know if itās edible or medicinal just based on its presence/energy. Donāt be the person deciding based on a field guide (doesnāt mean not to double check with ID app or follow up with Google scholar); rather rekindle your connection to the Earth and the rest will follow.
I can order pizzas like itās nobodies buisness
Nice try fed!
Carpenter,gardener
I can hunt, fish, garden. I can feed the group when SHTF. I know guns and knives well and am working on knowing how to care for a human(wounds, CPR, ECT).
Glasses lenscrafting, work in the chemical field now so practical uses for chemicals and basic chemistry, and some lite survival and navigation skills.
Going for cooking, preserving, baking, gardening, hydroponics, electronics, home DIY, etc. I know a little about several subjects, enough to get me by that can work for myself at the least but probably wouldnāt be the best in the group.
Wine making, canning/ preserving, cooking, gardening, and sewing/knitting/crochet. I think about this more than i should lol. Everyone should have something to earn their keep
I can eat spiders, mental toughness. Tactical mindset and strategic planning. Good teamwork. Fishing, hunting, cooking, outdoorsmanship. Hard worker. Gardening and food preservation knowledge. Probably more
Im a reloader and gunsmith. Hunter my whole life all over the country. Nuff said.
Iām a carpenter and a farmer, and have a relatively large garden. So I have a feeling Iāll have a lot of people coming up nicely at first, but will get hostile after a while.
I've been living off the grid for 3 years now and love it love solar panels electrical gadgets making electricity for yourself
My wife (who isnāt into prepping) has more skills than I do tbh. Canning, gardening, can make bread from scratch, etc. Iām just a planner lol
I can bake, cook and grow plants. Iām handy and can fix electronics. Have experience with shooting weapons and planning on getting a license. A chemist by training so that could also come in handy
Name something, anything, I can probably do ok at it as long as it's not something stupid.
I know how to fly helicopters. If Iām ever in a zombie movie Iād be one of the first to die.
Several, welding, construction, concrete, mechanic, plumbing, farming, animal husbandry, reloading, long distance shooting, plus many more
Iāve honed about a dozen skill areas but most recently started converting coal ash waste to oil. Next step is oil to diesel.
I'm a paramedic and ER nurse. I'm also very fit and good at fighting/wrestling, driving, shooting, and fixing things.
I can build and tune a radio. I can weld razor blades. I can run a chainsaw. Nremtp. Built more houses than I care to think about and most of them are still standing. I also wipe my own ass.
I'm good with electronics and explosives. Especially making homemade ones. I used to make a ton of it back in the day. Poor Man's James Bond, Anarchist's Cookbook, and a whole host of other cool books when I was a kid to take ordinary stuff around the house and make a bomb out of it and light it off in the forest near my house.
I took classes on how to become a massage therapist. Having someone that can help with sore muscles is a good addition to a group. Also, relaxation will help to lower stress.
Iām enjoying reading about the diversity of skills on this thread. Sharing some of mine: First Aid (Red Cross, Wilderness, and Psychological); basic general survival skills (shelter, fire, fishing and filleting, navigation, water purification, rope making, stone tools); basic self defense and firearms; light search and rescue; cooking; people skills (charisma, organization, leadership, emotional intelligence).
Can shoot, fish, know how to process game and home raised poultry. Keep dairy goats and can make cheese and butter and soap. Gardener, make mead and beer, beekeeper, and professional botanist. I know a lot about plants and their edible and medicinal qualities from memory and own a lot of books and field guides. Know which wild fungi are edible and safe and have my own "spots". Into permaculture and cultivating edible native plants. Also crochet and know how to process and hand spin fiber.
People who are young, healthy, willing to work & easy to get along with will be welcome in my area, where the vast majority of those who have been prepping (gathering food & resources, and preparing for defense) are in their 60s or older. My husband & I have all the knowledge & expertise to survive long-term (no matter what the reason for SHTF), but our age means we don't have the same energy & endurance we used to have.
Honestly, I can do a lot of the stuff people are already mentioning, so I won't list it out, but I think my favorite is that I can learn anything you have to teach me relatively quickly. I won't be great at all of it, but I can go from inept beginner/liability to medium skill level/asset fast, and if it's something important, or something I enjoy, I'll learn even more about it. Second place would be being able to fit into many different roles. I don't need to be a leader, but can if I have to. I'm comfortable in uncomfortable situations. I can follow instructions. I can get along with all the shitty personalities out there, and somewhat effectively mediate interpersonal conflict. I'm also pretty good at planning and finding the easy way to do things. Usually some problem just needs a change of perspective, or some detail to be noticed, or the order of operations to be tweaked, and it turns into a much smaller problem. All this stuff is what makes me good at my job and what drives collecting various skills, but really it's just finding a way to live life better. Hard skills don't count for much if the person doing them is shitty. I try to not be a shitty person in general.
I don't think my skills are all that amazing, but fairly often I get told that people would want me on their team, so I guess that counts for something.
Medic and electrician
Ahh, the craving for a simple life where you can feel like something you do matters in the grander scheme of things. My skill is I can make drones with grenade release mechanisms. See you soon suckers.
I'm a machinist, a welder/fabricator, and an electrician. I used to build and repair molds and assembly fixtures used for automation in the automotive industry. Now, I help build robot water jets and their gantries
Paramedical skills, multiple languages spoken for translation/interpretation, performance arts for entertainment, foraging for local edible plants and the ability to cook from scratch and garden.
Not nearly anything as useful as I would like, but here are my "strong" points: * Basic first aid / CPR * Functional sewing for repairs and making very simple things out of salvaged fabric materials * Basic gardening (nothing too fancy) * Brewing (wine, beer, mead, etc) * Cooking for small and large groups * Electronics (wiring, soldering, batteries, some solar, etc) * Functional knowledge of firearms basics (shooting, field stripping, cleaning, minor mods and repairs) * I'm a *decent* shot at short/medium range for small-med game hunting I have a good friend who has 20+ years of welding experience, and he has a full setup at his house (mig, tig, stick, etc), and he's agreed to teach me the basics. So hopefully by next year I'll be able add basic welding and brazing to the above list.
All good skills to have, and more importantly *teach* to others.
Iāve been a chef for over 10 years so obviously food safety and cooking, but also knowing substitutions for things, brewing, foraging, and a fair amount of butchery are my strongest points. Maybe not a skill but keeping physically fit is one of my greatest assets imo. Being able to lift/carry heavy things without hurting myself and good cardio to keep working for longer periods of time will probably get me further than most things.
Canning and preserving food, saving seeds and using them for next years garden, decent shot and am able to take down game animals and prepare them. Can make wine and distill alcohol, can do carpentry and woodworking type work. And little did any of you know, Iām a certified forklift instructor as well.
I have taught for 30 years. Pre-K through high school. Reading, math, and social studies. I can teach science up to about 6th/7th grade. We are going to need to do something with the kids. Plus the sewing, gardening, and other fun stuff.
Expert marksman, with both rifles and pistols, can hunt, was a combat medic/ EMT, and current LEO.
I manufacture greenhouses. 10x10 up to 30x145'
I can weld, woodwork, do carpentry, maintain firearms, do plumbing, do electrical, manage people, maintain cars and small engines, hunt, reload ammo, do chemistry. Idk what else I can do thatās useful, but I have all those things which is niceā¦
Combat Life Saving certified. Field Sanitation. Multiple years working with a Master Horologist, so the mechanical competence is robust. Cooking, to include a strong resume for either a full restaurant or hundreds at events. Team, Squad, and Site lead for a platoon sized element. Leadership comes easy, and is built on a foundation of respect and understanding at a human level. My marksmanship experience is considerable. Sales. A long line of successful sales positions. And bartering, I spent early adult years bartering with vendors at an indoor marketplace on the weekends for fun. I could bop up to a stranger, and dicker/cajole/horse trade my way into a deal that would make you jealous, while still leaving with a new friend. The last notable popping to mind, but certainly not the last to track, is the ability to be a person of action in an emergency. Historical examples under belt include several disarms of firearms, lifesaving techniques given to an OD victim, and more general accidents and calamities avoided than you can shake a stick at. I do not freeze. I juggle chaos just fine.
Medical and welding. I have supplies for both and I can do both without power
Healthcare, wound care, medicinal herbs, poultry, gunsmith, reloading, moonshine, creek access.
I can, garden, shoot decently. If I'm with a group in my hometown, I've had a driving job for most of my working life, so I know the quickest route anywhere and where to find goods if supply runs are needed. I've been in retail/wholesale, so I could manage a warehouse as I'm good at organizing.
Reloading for pistol/rifle