An actual SHTF scenario is going to result in casualties regardless of what type of scenario it is. As preppers and survivalists, we stockpile supplies and gather the necessary skills and knowledge to survive emergencies and disasters.
Unfortunately, most of the population fails to prepare, and many of them will perish from preventable causes.
Here is a list of people who will be the first to die in an SHTF environment. This list is not presented in any specific order, nor is it an exhaustive list.
People Who Panic
One of the first things many will do when facing an emergency is panic. Unfortunately, in an SHTF scenario, we do not have the usual safety nets that modern life provides us.
Panic is also a path to bad decision-making, which increases the odds of those decisions bringing fatal consequences. Therefore, to survive an SHTF scenario, we all must stay calm and suppress the urge to panic.
People With No Survival Skills
In an SHTF scenario, every one of us will be responsible for securing the necessities of life for ourselves and our families. Building shelter, purifying water, making fire, securing food etc.
These are all basic survival skills our ancestors knew so well they were second nature.
But unfortunately, most people in first-world countries have never been taught these skills.
People who lack these skills will fail to secure the necessities of life and find themselves at the mercy of whatever disaster befalls them.
Pacifists
When the grid fails, looting and crime dominate, and civilized society breaks down; everyone is going to have to be willing to defend themselves, their families, and their supplies with force. In some cases, the use of deadly force may be required.
This is not the time for peaceful negotiations or to run away, leaving stockpiles of food and supplies to looters. It is imperative that everyone is ready and willing to defend themselves and their families.
People With No Supplies
When the store shelves are empty, the only food, water, and supplies we will have available are stockpiled in our homes. During an SHTF situation is not the time to pop out to the store to pick up a few things. Those who have failed to stockpile the necessary supplies to survive SHTF will be perishing quickly.
Many of these people will become looters or try tugging at the heartstrings of their more prepared neighbors.
Dehydration, exposure or disease will find these people first.
The Lone Wolf
Several survival movies have romanticized the idea of a lone wolf survivalist wandering through a post-apocalyptic wasteland.
However, those who decide to strike out on their own after SHTF will discover that there is strength in numbers, and the dirty business of survival is best shared amongst a group.
It is hard to gather all the necessities of life each day by yourself and travelling to new areas only brings with it new problems in an unknown environment.
Anyone wandering through an SHTF situation is also at the mercy of any larger groups. These people will either fail to gather the needed resources or fall victim to others.
Those Who Don’t Bug Out In Time
That carefully packed bug-out bag will not do anyone any good if they wait too long to bug out.
We see this during most natural disasters.
A lot of people fail to heed warnings and wait till the last minute to get out of town.
Most of the time, people who fail to bug out will be the unprepared members of our society, but I believe that in an actual SHTF scenario, many preppers and survivalists will be stuck in burning cities because they felt that they had a little more time.
People With Chronic Illness
Many people suffer from chronic illnesses requiring regular medication and treatment. Unfortunately, when the hospitals and pharmacies run dry and close, all these people will find themselves without the lifesaving treatments they need.
Even some forms of mental illness require medication to manage in some cases the only thing preventing some people from becoming dangerous to themselves and others is daily medication.
Suffering the full effects of chronic illness during an SHTF situation will put these people at such a massive disadvantage that the odds of their survival are almost non-existent.
The Indecisive
Every survival situation requires multiple decisions that we normally would not have to make while living in a civilized society.
Some of these decisions must be made quickly and are matters of life and death. Those who are indecisive will hesitate at critical moments, drastically reducing their survivability.
People Who Talk Too Much About Their Preps
I have seen many people give far too much detail about the scope of their SHTF preparations.
Preppers who are otherwise ready for any emergency or disaster but exercise poor operational security (OPSEC) are going to be in the crosshairs of unprepared individuals who are motivated to take what they need by force. The best way to avoid hungry mobs is to exercise good OPSEC.
People Who Lack The Will To Win
Survival is hard. Everyone who finds themselves in a disaster or emergency must have a strong will to win if they are going to see the other side of whatever calamity they are facing.
So many people in our society are unwilling to push themselves even a little to achieve their goals. These people will not push themselves to the limits to survive. Survival is a contest where the prize for second place is a casket, so we all need the will to win if we are going to survive.
There are many types of SHTF situations we could face in the future, and the best bet against falling victim to them is to prepare now and harden ourselves against these disasters.
The types of people on this list may be your friends, neighbors, and family. While it is essential to secure our survival, we should also reach out to others and encourage them to take the first steps on a path to preparedness.
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