Immediately following a regional (or wider) disaster, when the realization sets in that the consequences are going to last for more than just a few days, there will be items disappearing from store shelves.
Preppers are already prepared to an extent. But what about non-preppers? What things will they consider to be priorities when they run down to the store to get what they can?
Have you ever wondered what those first items to disappear might be?
Non-preppers, and ordinary worker bees within the system will be thinking about what’s in their daily lives they can’t live without. They’re not survival oriented or thinking much beyond the here and now. They will think ‘basic’. Supplying their addictions and immediate needs. Their comforts.
These ten things, or categories, might be some of the first to disappear from store shelves by the hoards. In no particular order,
FOOD
Anything ‘food’ will go first. Subsets of this category deserve it’s own separate post, but I’ll lump it all together here. Milk, bread, eggs, coffee, etc.
WATER
Cases of bottled potable water will be quick to disappear from shelves.
FLASHLIGHTS, BATTERIES
Along with lanterns and candles, all flashlights will be a hot commodity in any post-disaster scenario. Batteries will fly off the shelves just as quickly as flashlights; also purchased to power portable radios.
GASOLINE
People will fill their gas tanks if the pumps are running, and some will fill gas cans. During hurricane Sandy for example, some gas stations were hand pumping gasoline out of their holding tank for customers. This was a very hot commodity.
ALCOHOL
Got to feed that addiction…
CIGARETTES
Got to feed that addiction…
ICE, COOLERS
With questionable electricity, coolers and ice will go quickly, despite the fact that this will buy them little time, so to speak, without making new ice.
CHARCOAL, PROPANE
Most people have a BBQ grill for cooking, and will think to buy charcoal or fill their grill’s propane tank if they can.
BABY SUPPLIES
Disposable diapers, baby formula, etc. will go very quickly for those with babies.
TOILET PAPER
Can’t imagine life without it…
It is an interesting exercise to imagine what non-preppers may think to buy when they first run to the store after a disaster. There are several factors which will affect their decisions, such as the season and time of year, whether or not they’ve lost electricity, the extent of the disaster, their thoughts as to how long it may last, etc.
What do you think they will buy first? Don’t think of it from a prepper mindset, but think what the ordinary folks will consider to be their initial priorities… what goes first?
SOURCE : modernsurvivalblog.com