E237: How To Choose the Best Survival Retreats for Bugging Out

In this episode, we’re joined by Jonathan Hollerman of Grid Down Consulting. We discuss the basics of survival retreats and bug out locations that may save your life in TEOTWAWKI.

Bug Out Locations (aka BOLs) is a tough subject to tackle. And for this reason, it’s not something we’ve covered too often.

First, there’s the expense. Researching, planning, purchasing, and stocking a survival retreat adds up quickly. Very quickly!

Then there are areas most preppers just can’t be sure of about their survival retreats. The how far away from a major city question comes up constantly.

And the amount of research to come up with answers is staggering. It’s easy to spend months reading about all the topics that go into building a remote place to take yourself and your family when the unthinkable happens.

But there are a few professionals in the industry who commit themselves to helping others plan, find, and develop a bug out location for the worst case scenarios. And today, we sit down with one to answer many, if not most, of your questions.

Survival Retreats and Bug Out Locations Topics Discussed:

• Who is Jonathan Hollerman
• What it’s like to become an Airforce S.E.R.E. instructor
• How he translates what he learned as an S.E.R.E. instructor into what civilians need to know about survival
• The darkness of human desperation
• Going long periods without food and the impact on society
• Hollerman’s thoughts on North Korea and EMPs
• The thing he believes will happen and cause the need for a bug out location
• The surprising types of people he has as clients
• Mental exercises and stories Hollerman shares with people to impress upon them the importance of bug out locations
• Understanding how far your BOL needs to be from major cities and small towns
• Selecting a property that isn’t too far away from your primary residence
• The biggest mistakes people make with BOLs
• How to determine when it’s time to bug out
• Dealing with security at your BOL
• What to do when you can’t afford a BOL of your own
• Mutual Aid Groups (aka MAGs)
• Convincing reluctant spouses of the need for a BOL

Episode Resources:

• Grid Down Consulting website
• Check out his books and DVDs here
• Book mentioned – The Lucifer Effect: Understanding How Good People Turn Evil by Philip Zimbardo
• Collaboration – Fiction book Jonathan and his Sister Wrote Alone: Beth Ann’s Story of Survival (Equipping Modern Patriots Book 0)
• Documentaries and TV Programs Mentioned
  • Zero Days
  • American Blackout
• Center for Security Policy President Frank Gaffney on EMP Attacks and how many people will die
• Wall Street Journal Article on how fragile our electric grid is to physical and EMP attacks
• Coverage of Admiral Michael Rogers testified on the possibility of a major cyber attack
• James Price on being secure while bugging out