Finding Supplies once Shit Hits the Fan

If you live in a major city, you're going to be competing with millions of other people for a very limited amount of supplies once the SHTF. There are too many people who aren't prepared, many don't even have 48 hours of the basics in their home, and you can expect even the grocery stores to be picked clean in a matter of days. When the grid goes down and new supplies are no longer coming in, you'll find you're going to be in a very precarious situation. Luckily, the team here at APE Survival have some tricks up their sleeve. Tricks that we're going to share with you today so you can find food, water and supplies once the SHTF. Learn these places, and keep an eye out for more in your local area. Skip the grocery store and the crowd of potentially dangerous people who are there fighting over whatever is left, and go for easier pickings. Having a decisive plan of attack when things go south, means you aren't risking your life wandering through empty supermarket aisles once a disaster strikes. Here's where the smart survivalists are going to be looking:

• Vending machines. All over town you'll find vending machines inside hotels, at your gym, at the train and bus stations, at universities and even at the airport.
• Local restaurants. These will be cleaned out fast, so get their first to take your pick. They'll usually have a cool room and food stored in bulk, as even just a couple of days worth to feed 50+ covers is going to be more than enough to keep your family going for a few weeks. Remember to grab canned and preserved food, that is going to be less likely to expire should you not have power to run your freezer.
• Your neighbors. If they're out of town and not impacted by the crisis, there's a chance they've got canned food or supplies in their freezer you can make use of in their absence.
• Local parks. There will be fish and ducks in the ponds, squirrels in the trees and while you may shudder at the thought of eating these now, after a couple of weeks with an empty stomach you're going to wish you started hunting these animals sooner.
• Schools. Once a crisis hits no one is going to be attending anymore, and most have vending machines, as well as a cafeteria that will be stocked full of canned goods, as well as general equipment. Check through the nurses office too and grab any first aid gear you may need, they often also have spare uniforms if you need clothes, and if it's a college they will have a variety of tools in their workshops.
• Marinas. On each boat is usually a supply of emergency food and water, as well as a basic first aid kit, flares, and often even a firearm. If you're lucky their communication equipment will be easy to take, and they will all have fishing gear which you can use to catch fresh food.
• Pawn shops. It can be very hit and miss, but your local pawn shop may have quality tools, weapons, and perhaps even gold and silver you can use for trading down the line.
• Warehouses. Distribution centers and trucking companies can have massive amounts of food in their storage, but make sure whatever you take is non-perishable.

Clean water is going to be one of the most critical items you need, and there are a few sources you're going to be able to tap when everywhere else is going dry.

• Offices. Nearly every office has a water cooler, and they're just going to be sitting unused until the crisis is over. If you're lucky you may even find an office that has stocked up on a number of spare water barrels, which can greatly boost your own stores in this time of need. Many also have staff canteens that provide another food source.
• Swimming pools. This could be from your neighbors house, the local swimming pool, or even the indoor pools at your gym. Just remember that you can only drink a little, if you're going to be consuming pool water in large quantities you're going to have to distill it to remove all of the chemicals.
• Abandoned cars. Look for those that have a messy owner as you may find a bottle or two loose in the back, or pop the hood and siphon out the water from the windshield wipers or the car's water tank.
• Garden hoses. These are notorious for trapping water inside, and should be able to get a couple of glasses out of a coiled up hose that is sitting unused.

Finally, just remember to stay agile with your thinking. Anywhere that people usually go, like an amusement park, the cinema, and even the zoo will have food and water stored to cater for the guests. When no one is using these facilities, you're going to be able to tap the supplies for yourself, and avoid the chaos that is happening at your local grocery store

Planning ahead

Before disaster strikes, run though your local area and mark all potential sources of food, water and equipment on your map and bug-out-plans. This means you'll have a clear path to follow once the SHTF, and you'll be able to get more of the gear you need in fewer trips. Consider making an itinerary of everything you need to grab, because you also need to weigh up the risk every time you venture out of your home in a crisis. Each step you take out on the streets when the rule of law is gone is a gamble, and you don't know who you're going to run into, or what their intentions will be. Getting your own home in order is also critical. No matter how small your house or yard is, you can grow a small survival garden to supplement your supplies, install a rain-collection system and water tanks to reduce your need to source fresh water, and even install solar panels and a battery system to keep your home powered once the grid goes down. Ultimately, it's going to be tough to survive in a city when the SHTF, but the more areas you know to supplement your supplies the better off you're going to be.