HomeMy WebLinkAboutPreparing for the Worst - A new growth industry �a a
k A survivalist emerges ,, , I, 3
„.4 ,,,, -4 - ,' ( \s* \\ ,.01,1. � � , � � � � from a bunker near
- , � ' � Baraboo, Ms" after mock nuclear attack.
�� a Ohio, sold recreational vehicles for 15
are years until "I became more concerned
°z , � ' with inflation as an economic rob -
i 1 lem. Eighteen months ago, McDaniel
�' ?, ` a converted some of his money into gold
Y and silver, stockpiled enough freeze-
dr food for a year and stored 400
a gallons of water. He is now turning his
is t
1; ,'',;,.... : 4 , ,-. , iii.,,, , ,,..N " � � ': father -in-law's farm into a retreat.
, Converting money into precious
�� „` gems and meta is the first step many
' ""Ptr'' ', ."-- 4 ' tir ' roe z t s urvivalists take. `They're running
+e : v , � , ,, away from the dollar," observes Mark
r Friedman,_ owner of Colorado Precious
1, Metal Excange Corporation in Den -
ver. Friedman estimates that 40 per -
� � � cent of his go ld cus tomers are "buying
� to put away, not to play the market." ,Ak To protect those valuables, many are
s buying a polyvinyl chloride plastic
DAMES pipe called the Midnight Gardener.
Gems or coins are placed n the pipe,
P r grin for W orst. which is sealed and bu
untrace ried at least 3
p fe et deep. It is advertised as
ab le by most metal detectors.
A New Growtb Undustr see a stockpile of food not only
a s a hedge against trouble but as a way
to fight inflation.
"If there is no emergency, you can
Freeze - dried ice cream, target segment fears collapse of the dollar still eat it five or 10 years down the
practice, gold buried in the and return of a barter economy. Oth road at a cost of one third of what food
garden — millions are taking ers predict that unchecked population prices will be then," argues Ronald
growth m ill overburden land, water Roberts of Tonawanda, N.Y., who has a
ste to s urvive what they and air to the po where the globe no year's supp of food in his cellar.
foresee a s im minent disaster. longer w ill support its billions. Still oth- A Denver business executive with
ers await a literal Biblical doomsday, 500 pounds of wheat in his basement
For Mother's Day, an Akron woman when corrupt social institutions will be admits that half of it is infested with
received an unusual gift from her four destroyed by divine retribution. weevils but says: "I'm saving that batch
children —a concealed underground Increasing numbers of Americans are anyway, for when my neighbors are
storage room linked to the basement of uprooting their lives with an eye to pou nding down the doors."
their family home. living through such an Armageddon— Typ survival stockpiles tend to
In Denver, food distributor Vivian moving into remote areas, abandoning feature such items as bulk grains, rice,
Schneider prepares her monthly tact careers to concentrate on building and honey, powdered milk, dried fruits —
ing party —a buffet of powdered stocking a personal fortress, pouring all with long
cheese, textured vegetable protein, de- their incomes into survival gear. "In a crisis, you can ea
hydrated biscuits and tomato crystals. Preparing for the worst is suddenly out," says Vivian Schneider, the Den -
About 50 adult Chicagoans armed blossoming into one of the nation's ver health -food agent. "If people get
with BB guns assemble in Baraboo, liveliest growth ndustries. Alert entre hungry, they will be offering gold for
Wis., split into sides and practice tr preneurs —many of them dedicated dehydrate mashed potatoes."
to take away each other's food supplies. survivalists themselves —are doubling Eleg a nt off erings. Some Offerings in-
survival
All these people and millions like and tripling business in a matter of foo is fairly elaborate .
them are part of a rapidly growing months b sellin free dried food, elude turkey Tetra_ at shrimp creole
"survival movement." They are intent wea remote acreage and nuclear- and chicken stew that can be stored for
ly preparing today for what they are fa shelters. years. For dessert: Freeze dried anice
sure will come some tomorrow —a hair "Besides feeling that the world is be- cream that resembles sugar cubes
raising menu of crises ranging from mi- coming a less secure place to live, the is served as a room - temperature snack.
nor military or economic disruptions to survivalist movement is a vote of no Water containers and purifiers are w
a total disintegration of societ that confidence to the federal, state and lo- musts. Survivalists calculate that a a
leaves asturdy few clawing for food cal governments' ability to protect the ter bed will store cy.
220 gallons of water
and shelter amid Stone Age chaos. citizenry," sa Paul Urquhart, a survi- for an emergen
The scenarios for disaster are nearly valist in Asheville, N.C. Other survivalists fear natural disas
as varied as the survivalists hemselves. Fear of economic bad times, includ ter or nuclear attack more than eco-
Some foresee a nuclear holocaust or ing collapse of the world's monetary
mimi disintegration.
Communists and starving Third World system, is one major driving force for Calvin Zehringr., of Mun
, Jcy Valley,
hordes overrunning a militarily and the survivalist movement. Pa., builds nuclear fallout shelters. He
morally declining America. Another Gary McDaniel, 39, of Miamisburg, sells a shelter for six with filters,
blow
-
U.S .NEWS & WORLD REPORT, Feb. 9, 1981 53
ers, carpeting, toilets and food for opers of the Utah project. "People from monthly survival newspaper in Harri-
$8,895. Most of his business comes all over the country want to know when son, Ark. "If you are alive in five years,
from overseas, but he fills orders all we're going to build in their area." you will be a survivalist."
across the U.S. —often in secret. In Florida, about 45 families fearing A dream home for many survivalists
"They tell their neighbors they're an economic collapse have built an is- would be in an isolated area, bulletproof
putting in a septic tank," reports Zehr- land retreat with its own sewer system and earthquakeproof, with a mu ti
ing. "Often, I deliver them in the mid- and underground telephone and pow- furnace, underground shelter, storage
dle of the night." er service. "I prayerfully and hopefully areas and elaborate alarm system.
Zehring takes a cheerful view of a wish that none of these events occur," Some such residences are being cus-
post- nuclear- disaster era. "It's going to says one member. "It is a fun place to tom - built. Kent Stowell, a research sci-
be a beautiful world to come out to," go and spend the weekends." entist for the Air Force, is selling his
he contends. "There'll be a lot less peo- Except for those who make a living at house in Dayton, Ohio, to build a home
ple. It'll be a nice place to start over." it, few survivalists will talk about their in the side of a hill 2 hours away.
Era of strife? Some in the movement beliefs. If they do, most don't want to Since packing up and moving are ex-
see the future as a time of foreign inva- be named. "Some are afraid of what pensive, however, the most many can
sion or class and racial warfare. Along their neighbors might say," explains do is to remodel the old homestead.
with the normal stockpiling, members Tom Blatsos, owner of a survival -food Popular equipment includes wood -
of these groups tend to stress military business in Chardon, Ohio. "Others burning stoves and refrigerators that
preparedness and guerrilla training. don't want people to know who they run on kerosene. Some parents even
The Ku Klux Klan is reported to be are and where their food is in storage." hoard books to educate their children.
running a survival camp near Cullman, Mitchell Marks, an expert in organi- A Pennsylvania firm sells an exercise
Ala., called "My Lai" where training zational behavior at the University of bicycle that is advertised to not only
includes target shooting with semiauto- Michigan, sees the most extreme of keep one fit in a bomb shelter but also
matic rifles, study of guerrilla tactics survivalists as persons who "develop to provide a source of electricity. One
and practice search - and - destroy mis- patterns of accepting things that au- hour's pedaling provides enough pow -
sions. In California, militant religious thority figures conceive." er for 24 hours of fluorescent light; 4
sects and groups such as the Jewish "It takes little to trigger them but hours' makes enough electricity to op-
Defense League have stockpiled weap- would take a lot to change their erate a short -wave radio.
ons and run training courses in how to minds," says Marks. "They have strong A survival newsletter published in
use them. ideas but try to segregate themselves Chicago —one of the many springing
Desert Publications, Inc., of Corn- from alternative beliefs." up around the country —warns not to
ville, Ariz., offers a "combat bookshelf Survivalists themselves contend that forget some sort of plastic covering to
of survival publications that includes they increasingly are representing the use as a "fallout suit" after nuclear at-
' such titles as How to Kill — Volumes I -V mainstream of 'America. "You don't tack. In an emergency, garbage bags
and How to Booby -Trap Your Home have to be neurotic to be concerned can be fitted over the body for protec-
From Liberals. about, -a Russian invasion of Poland, or tion, the publication suggests.
"You find all kinds, from people who our oil supply being cut off, or rising Dividing line. The chief issue that di-
want to be self- sufficient to raving lu- prices," says Kurt Saxon, author of a vides survivalists: Guns.
natics out in the boondocks prepared BILL HEATON One side refuses to stock firearms or
to stave off an army," says Mrs. Mel °,' ammunition, holding them dangerous
Tappan of Rogue River, Oreg., editor or seeing no need for weapons other
of a personal - survival newsletter 4 ` . than a crossbow or air gun to hunt
founded in 1977 by her late husband. game. Jannette Soden of La Mesa,
Survivalists prefer rural areas, away Calif., for example, says that she would
from the dangers of big cities. Favorite ,, , , share res peacefully with those
spots include Northern California, 4 not so well prepared.
Southern Oregon and parts of Idaho, "`� F "I'm not totally convinced it'll be
Utah, Oklahoma and Arkansas. man against man," muses Ohio's
A widely varied group of futurists McDaniel. "If it reaches that point, I'll
dedicated to learning how to live a - ,. , depend on God rather than fight like
near - primitive life without most mod „, an animal."
ern conveniences has established the 4, But more - militant survivalists want
Baca Grande project, a 250 - square - weapons for what they see as a major
mile community near Alamosa, Colo. threat from greedy neighbors.
The villages are built of stone and heat- A gun guide written by the late Mel
ed by the sun. Residents are learning y s * h Tappan offers a choice of 10 arsenals es*
ancient farming methods from the for all kinds of survival challenges. One
Hopi Indians. selection includes seven handguns,
A vastly different sort of refuge is nine rifles and two shotguns.
Terrene Ark I, a 240 -unit underground "The firearms are not a pretty side of
condominium in La Verkin, Utah, 300 - I ! i t," admits an Ohioan who belongs to a
miles south of Salt Lake City. The one- t - '" ; group that has stocked a retreat with
bedroom furnished apartments —com- £ an armory ranging from pistols to ma-
plete with enough food stuffed in the i , chine guns. "But if you follow the logic
ceilings, walls and furniture to last a to the conclusion, the scenario is not
person four years —sell for $39,000. ' very pretty, either."
"We've had 400 calls in the last three The survival movement has spawned
weeks," reports Ron Boutwell, presi- Ron Boutwell shows off model of under its own enterprises, and business is
dent of Survive Tomorrow, Inc., devel- ground condominiums being built in Utah. booming. William Pier of Carson, Calif.,
54 U.S.NEWS & WORLD REPORT, Feb. 9, 1981
began selling food and sup- f
plies out of his garage 12 \ home with a complex se-
years ago to his Mormon curity system. Last year,
neighbors, whose religion r he bought a shotgun for
teaches stockpiling a , protection.
year's supply of food as a ; Mrs. Chappell predicts:
prudent way of living. t. When things get tough,
Now, his retail and whole- ;, people will be stealing
sale firms boast monthl y °' •• z 4 f ., : • from us."
sales of $500,000. ' \'
� „ Her gloomy forecast:
"In the last two years, »t "Families will have to
the whole industry has " , double up like they did in
surged forward," reports i i Germany in the late
Vesper McDonald, who is 1930s. People will be kill -
vice president of Frontier �@ ` ° i ng for a loaf of bread."
Food Association, Inc., of a Food will be used for
Dallas. "Our sales have . : ° ` a barter if disaster strikes,
quadrupled." . *''� . the Chappells believe.
Survival books are sell- Q "w "Anyone with a store-
ing well, too. Howard w house of food could even -
Ruff's How to Prosper Dur- w ,, tually come out of chaos
ing the Coming Bad Years The Chappells display their emergency food sup quite well," she suggests,
sold 700,000 hardback copies in 1979 ply and a shotgun bought to guard it. "because people will be
and as a paperback in 1980 sold 2.5 trading gold for wheat."
million, including a Japanese edition. How One Couple Prepares Stored by the case in
Even the federal government has not- sealed containers, the
«
edtheincreasedinterest. Congress gave For "Coming Bad Times �� Chappells' food supply in-
120 million dollars this year to the Fed- eludes dehydrated fruits
eral Emergency Management Agency, ARVADA, Colo. and vegetables, 40 pounds of honey,
which has taken over civil defense. The For Walter and Betty Chappell, and powdered peanut butter as well
funding is a 10 percent increase from life is more than day -to -day routine. as cheeses, cases of dried milk and
the previous year, after allowing for The Chappells are methodically 30 pounds of high - protein yogurt
inflation. The agency has printed 30 readying for future emergencies powder.
million copies of its basic pamphlet, "In with food storage, long -range in- What originally sold the couple on
Times of Emergency," which stresses vestments and elaborate home -secu- the idea of food storage was their
relocation, and a spokesman reports de- rity precautions. concern over having a good life af-
mand for information is rising. Their philosophy: "A little para- ter retirement.
Cost factors. The monetary and so- noia is a good thing." "I realized that I couldn't rely on
cial costs of being a survivalist are high. The couple has stored a one -year Uncle Sam or my employer to look
Rural- property prices are skyrocket- supply of dehydrated food in their after me in my old age," says Chap-
ing. A package of dried food providing suburban home northwest of Den- pell, "so I'm looking after myself.
2,400 calories a day for one person for ver, along with a year's supply of Whatever security I have now, I
{ one year runs $1,725. wheat, a $65 hand - turned mill and have myself to thank for."
"Some of my friends think I'm a what Mrs. Chappell calls "enough Money management. Besides the
kook," says Donald Cook, a Chicago- books and games to keep us busy for one -year food supply, the Chappells
area survivalist. years." have set aside enough money to pay
"When you buy this stuff," notes a A wood- burning stove in the cen- their mortgage for a year and are
Denver woman of her year's stockpile ter of the living room can, in a converting their basement into a
of food, "they practically assure you pinch, be used for cooking. rental unit.
that they'll deliver it in a plain brown "You don't have to look very far A well on their property irrigates
wrapper after dark. Who wants to an- to find insecurity these days," ex- a summer vegetable garden and, in
nounce they've got a grocery in the plains Mrs. Chappell,`56, in talking emergencies, could be used to sup -
basement ?" about their preparedness efforts. ply drinking water. They are
In the end, will it all be worth it? "It's peeking over your shoulder all equipped to monitor any disaster
Says one Atlanta writer specializing the time. We're not too sure what's with the battery- operated police -
in the doomsday movement. "I don't going to happen to America. In scanner radio in their kitchen.
know if I'd want to survive sitting up in some ways, the coming bad times Their next survival purchase, the
the North Georgia mountains by my- are here." Chappells say, will be a small tram -
self eating banana chips. You have got Economic chaos is what the Chap- poline to provide exercise and re-
to think it's better to go on out of here, pells fear most. lieve stress.
especially when you consider the quali- "Inflation is making people des- Does preparing for a fortified fu-
ty of people you're left with." perate," he declares. "The trouble ture diminish the pleasures of daily
But hard -core believers insist that it after an economic collapse would life?
doesn't hurt to play safe. make the violence in Miami seem "Not at all," insists Mrs. Chappell.
"We're not in the business of selling mild." "We have a sense of security about
gloom and doom," explains Richard A technical- security specialist at our lives. We're ready to have a
Rye, director of Survival Associates in the Rocky Flats nuclear plant, good day today —and a good day 10
San Francisco. "We're preparing for Chappell, 58, has equipped his years from now."
the worst and hoping for the best." ❑
U.S.NEWS & WORLD REPORT, Feb. 9, 1981 55