Latest news with #prepping
Daily Mail
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Survivalist model who hunts her own food slams others who 'can't look after themselves'
A model and survivalist who hunts her own food and has a stash of 28 guns has slammed 'useless' women who rely on men and can't 'look after themselves'. Emily Rinaudo is on a mission to teach others how to become more self-sufficient. With the world 'teetering on the edge of catastrophe,' she believes everyone should be prepared for the worst and know how the 'basics' to surviving. She stressed the importance of learning 'basic things' like fishing, hunting, or finding shelter. 'Even most men today couldn't survive if something went down, they only know how to order UberEats,' she continued. 'These days, a lot of them have no idea how to do basic things like fish, hunt or find shelter. 'It's scary out there right now. If the Internet were to shut down today and all the grocery stores were closed, what would you do? 'I don't want to rely on anyone, least of all a man. I'm not the damsel in distress.' While speaking to the about it, Emily pointed out: 'During the Covid pandemic, most couldn't even handle a simple change in the pace of life. 'Imagine being quarantined for 30 years, which is the half-life of some radioactive isotopes.' She also shared the vital items that she believes everyone should have in their homes in case of an emergency. 'If you're prepping for an apocalypse or any kind of emergency, everyone should have a water filter straw and a large stainless steel knife,' she said. 'With just those two things, you can survive anywhere.' In addition, Emily said she personally has a 'collection of firearms' as well as a gas mask, a Geiger counter - which detects radiation - and adult toys tucked away. 'Let's be honest, I don't need a man to survive,' she joked. As for her biggest advice when it comes to what to do during an emergency situation, she recommended not trying to play the hero or helping other people - but instead, just focusing on yourself and your loved ones. 'One of my biggest survivalist tips is don't try to help anyone but yourself and your immediate family. At the end of the day, it's you versus the world,' she urged. Emily grew up on the outskirts of South Florida and would often go hunting with her dad and brother during her childhood. Now, she often gets up at the crack of dawn to track down a deer – which she shoots and skins herself – before enjoying a wild swim or fishing in the nude. She loves challenging herself – even in dangerous situations, such as when she 'wrestles' alligators. Emily, who owns 28 guns, regularly goes range shooting to top up her defense skills. She added: 'Knowing I'll be able to shoot down whatever is coming at me makes me feel very powerful and safe. 'I love learning these things, especially when it comes to things that a man would typically do. I like being dirty and sweaty.' She insisted to that despite her large following online, she could care less about social media or the fashion industry and only models to make money to put towards building her 'dream bunker.' 'Modeling was a means to an end. I used it to make money to build my dream bunker,' she explained. 'Society cares about superficiality - so making myself beautiful for resources was all part of the plan.' In the end, she hopes being so vocal about it will open other women's eyes to the importance of survival skills. 'I'm not hating on women - women are amazing and smarter than men when they really put their minds to something,' she concluded. 'I just wish more of them spent less time learning how to do their own nails and more time figuring out how to clean a gun or clean a fish.'
The Sun
29-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
I built £50k doomsday bunker after being inspired by iconic film – now I'm forking out another £10k in case of WW3
A DAD with a £50k underground bunker has splashed out an extra £10k on upgrades in case World War Three breaks out. Dave Billings, 44, began the bizarre project at his Derbyshire home more than a decade ago. 8 8 He was inspired to build the underground bunker by the iconic film The Great Escape. With rising global tensions Dave has since decided to spend an eye watering £10,000 to prep the shelter to become a "survival place." While the bonkers dad-of-one has admitted that the project will not be "nuclear proof" he has installed blast doors. Dave lives with his wife Beth, and seven-year-old son Oliver, his goal is to have a secure underground space for his family if things take a turn for the worse. He said: "With the way things are changing, I'm prepping it to be more of a survival place. It won't necessarily be nuclear-proof, but if you need to hide away, you'll be able to survive." Dave, an engineer and content creator, estimated that the bunker has so far cost him a whopping £50,000. Starting life as a disused well, the bunker now consists of a 35 ft tunnel leading into a room that measures 140 ft in total. The underground hideout features a handcrafted Great Escape tunnel, gym, toilet, sink - and even a beer lift disguised as a keg to carry drinks down to the bunker. Dave's latest upgrades to the bunker will see food supply, air filtration, water supply and blast doors installed. Dave said: "I'm going to have to have emergency supplies of food. I'm going to guarantee a source of water. I think the idea is to make a water filtration unit so we can safely use the well water. World's most luxurious apocalypse-proof bunkers "I want to make blast doors in the bunker so if a big explosion went off outside, it would hold the door shut better. "As long as you've got food, you can stay here indefinitely. "If it starts getting bad outside, you've got somewhere to hide away, kind of like what they used to have in World War Two with Anderson shelters. "People think we're going to get a direct hit, but I'm in the middle of nowhere, it's not really somewhere you get a bomb, is it?" 8 8 8 Dave doesn't claim to be a 'prepper' - people who stockpile in case of disasters or wars - but said the recent government warnings made him realise how far ahead he is in terms of readiness. He said: "When I saw it on the news and it said you've got to be prepared for war, I thought, 'what are you preparing for?' "Because having somewhere underground with a food supply where you can lock yourself in is quite prepared, really. "I don't think anyone could really be more prepared than I am." Despite the extensive and seemingly well planned work Dave has put into his bunker, he claims he is making it up as he goes. He said: "I'm winging it myself really. None of us have got a big plan here of what's going to happen. No one can see into the future." Adding: "You've got to keep some basic supplies around in your house. When things go wrong there isn't going to be a shop to go to for a start. "So people should at least get some basic foods and stuff that lasts a long time that will keep them going. Food and water supply, that's the main thing you need. "If people have got to stay in their houses, you've got to be prepared. Have enough stuff in your house to last you two or three weeks if you can't go out the door. It's always better to be a bit prepared." Offering advice to others Dave has suggested prepping a supply of food to keep in your house. Updates on Dave's progress can be found on his social media channels (@Tornado_Dave). 8 8 8
Daily Mail
29-06-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
Father who made £50,000 underground bunker makes £10,000 upgrade in case WWIII erupts
A father is splashing out £10,000 to upgrade his £50,000 underground bunker he built in his garden in case World War Three starts - but it won't be nuclear proof. Dave Billings, 44, wants to fit it with blast doors to make the hideout a 'survival place' for his wife, Beth, and their son, Oliver, 7. He built the shelter in the garden of his Derbyshire home more than ten years ago and has become spooked by government warnings following tensions in the Middle East. Mr Billings said the goal is to have a secure underground space for his family if things take a turn for the worse. He said: 'With the way things are changing, I'm prepping it to be more of a survival place. It won't necessarily be nuclear-proof, but if you need to hide away, you'll be able to survive.' The engineer and content creator first built the bunker when he was inspired by the Steve McQueen classic movie The Great Escape. He estimates he's so far spent around £50,000, which started as a disused well. A 35ft tunnel now leads into a multi-room facility, which measures 140ft in total. The underground hideout features a handcrafted Great Escape tunnel, gym, toilet, sink - and even a beer lift disguised as a keg to carry drinks down to the bunker. The upgrade will consist of food supply, air filtration, water supply and blast doors. Mr Billings said: 'I'm going to have to have emergency supplies of food. I'm going to guarantee a source of water. I think the idea is to make a water filtration unit so we can safely use the well water. 'I want to make blast doors in the bunker so if a big explosion went off outside, it would hold the door shut better.' 'As long as you've got food, you can stay here indefinitely. 'If it starts getting bad outside, you've got somewhere to hide away, kind of like what they used to have in World War Two with Anderson shelters. 'People think we're going to get a direct hit, but I'm in the middle of nowhere, it's not really somewhere you get a bomb, is it?' While he doesn't claim to be a 'prepper' - people who stockpile in case of disasters or wars - Mr Billings said the recent government warnings made him realise how far ahead he is in terms of readiness. He said: 'When I saw it on the news and it said "you've got to be prepared for war", I thought, "what are you preparing for?". 'Because having somewhere underground with a food supply where you can lock yourself in is quite prepared, really. 'I don't think anyone could really be more prepared than I am.' Despite the serious upgrades, Mr Billings says he's still figuring it out as he goes. 'I'm winging it myself really,' he said. 'None of us have got a big plan here of what's going to happen. No one can see into the future.' On his advice to others he suggested preparing a supply of food to keep in your house ready. He said: 'You've got to keep some basic supplies around in your house. When things go wrong there isn't going to be a shop to go to for a start. 'So people should at least get some basic foods and stuff that lasts a long time that will keep them going. Food and water supply, that's the main thing you need. 'If people have got to stay in their houses, you've got to be prepared. Have enough stuff in your house to last you two or three weeks if you can't go out the door. It's always better to be a bit prepared.'
Daily Mail
27-06-2025
- Climate
- Daily Mail
US Doomsday prepper reveals his fallout shelter stocked with survival gear amid fears of WWIII
A professional doomsday prepper has opened the door to his fallout shelter to share how he is preparing for World War III. Derrick James, who owns and operates his own doomsday prepping company in Maine, has been interested in prepping for a world-ending catastrophe since childhood and actively stockpiling food since 2007. He's prepared for a worst-case scenario in the US, filling his shelter with months of nonperishable food, giant water tanks, walkie-talkies, gasoline, solar panels, and blankets. James's shelter is even prepared to clean his own water, keep the lights on in a blackout, and receive updates from the US government without needing to rely on the internet. The doomsday prepper also shared several tips for those hoping to survive what he believes is an imminent war, including having an emergency go-bag, securing passports, and having cash on hand. As the conflict between Israel and Iran remains in flux amid ongoing peace talks, James warned that anyone who started preparing for a nuclear war shouldn't get complacent - a new crisis could break out at any moment. 'Every event that we have lived through - whether it is COVID, the Iraq war, or hurricanes - brings in a new wave of preppers,' James said. 'Then the threat will go away and most people forget about it until another event comes along,' the 50-year-old prepper continued. 'My advice is to take a deep breath, come up with a plan that you can stick to, and don't stress yourself out. We are living in a fragile society, and things could unravel very quickly,' James explained to SWNS. The doomsday prepper's shelter included multiple radios, power packs, and emergency equipment, as James warned that getting new gear could become virtually impossible in world war. However, he noted that stocking a shelter full of food is a bigger priority than finding drinking water in an emergency. His shelter included barrels of rice, beans, wheat, berries that could feed him for months. James also had shelves full of canned meats like tuna fish, jarred foods like peanut butter, and ready-to-eat meals that were full of calories and had long shelf lives. James put building a 90-day supply of food at the top of his list because, in his view, food will be hard to gather in large quantities if a global emergency strikes. 'Anytime you get a food crisis, food is harder to come by. If you have food for 30 to 90 days, you can weather any storm that comes your way,' James said. Although fellow doomsday preppers typically cite water as the top priority, since the human body can only go three days without water, James warned that global food supply chains will collapse quickly in a world war. 'The first thing for many people, honestly, could be having a week's worth of food in their home. Many people don't even have that,' James told the Are We F#ed? Podcast. Finding and purifying water was another top tip, but people would likely nee to take different steps in securing water depending on the city or town they're living in James said stocking up on clean water and water filters is still the second most important tip for doomsday preparations. He noted that this step would look different depending on where a person was living, explaining that people in cities may have to purify water that they find by emptying pipes or toilet tanks. Once you've secured food and water, James said it's important to invest in a hand-cranked radio, ham (amateur) radios, and walkie-talkies. The prepper explained that cell towers and the internet could very likely be knocked out in a world war, meaning people will need ways of communicating and receiving information that don't rely on network signals. 'Being able to have access to an evacuation order is important, whether it is a natural disaster or a war,' James said. 'Virtually every person has a cell phone, I still see cell phones as an important survival tool - I suggest people have the means to power those when the grid goes down,' he explained. As for your fuel and energy needs, having a supply of gasoline for a vehicle, propane for heat, portable generators if there's a blackout, and even solar panels to store reserve power can all help keep your shelter running if power goes out nationwide. If you can no longer stay in the shelter you've prepared for doomsday, James had three final tips on what you'll need while fleeing the destruction of World War III. The first is a go-bag, a backpack full of emergency supplies and vital documents that can be grabbed instantly as you evacuate your home or shelter. However, one of the major issues people have while creating a go-bag is finding out that critical forms of identification, like a passport. James urged everyone to make sure passports and other travel documents are up to date, should they need to evacuate on a moment's notice. 'More people are pursuing a second passport if it is available to them, a lot of countries now offer them in terms of heritage,' James added. 'This won't be an option for some people, but it is a growing topic in the prepping community. I'm in Maine, if something happens, I'm closer to Canada, it would be faster to go to Canada than to get to any other state,' he detailed. Lastly, as more and more people strictly use credit cards and digital payment apps, James recommended having multiple forms of currency available, including paper money for more than one country. 'You need to protect your finances and make sure you have cash on hand. You need to diversify into things like silver, gold, and even crypto can be good if it is stored offline,' James explained. 'If another country is part of your plan B, make sure you have currencies in those countries. A global war could mean that banks freeze, ATMs go dark, and the dollar collapses,' the doomsday prepper warned.
CNN
17-06-2025
- Politics
- CNN
These preppers have ‘bug-out' bags, guns and a fear of global disaster. They're also left-wing
Hurricanes Storms Climate changeFacebookTweetLink Follow The day after President Donald Trump was elected in 2016, Eric Shonkwiler looked at his hiking bag to figure out what supplies he had. 'I began to look at that as a resource for escape, should that need to happen,' he said. He didn't have the terminology for it at the time, but this backpack was his 'bug-out bag' — essential supplies for short-term survival. It marked the start of his journey into prepping. In his Ohio home, which he shares with his wife and a Pomeranian dog, Rosemary, he now has a six-month supply of food and water, a couple of firearms and a brood of chickens. 'Resources to bridge the gap across a disaster,' he said. Margaret Killjoy's entry point was a bleak warning in 2016 from a scientist friend, who told her climate change was pushing the global food system closer than ever to collapse. Killjoy started collecting food, water and generators. She bought a gun and learned how to use it. She started a prepping podcast, Live Like the World is Dying, and grew a community. Prepping has long been dominated by those on the political right. The classic stereotype, albeit not always accurate, is of the lone wolf with a basement full of Spam, a wall full of guns, and a mind full of conspiracy theories. Shonkwiler and Killjoy belong to a much smaller part of the subculture: They are left-wing preppers. This group is also preparing for a doom-filled future, and many also have guns, but they say their prepping emphasizes community and mutual aid over bunkers and isolationism. In an era of barreling crises — from wars to climate change — some say prepping is becoming increasingly appealing to those on the left. The roots of modern-day prepping in the United States go back to the 1950s, when fears of nuclear war reached a fever pitch. The 1970s saw the emergence of the survivalist movement, which dwindled in the 1990s as it became increasingly associated with an extreme-right subculture steeped in racist ideology. A third wave followed in the early 2000s, when the term 'prepper' began to be adopted more widely, said Michael Mills, a social scientist at Anglia Ruskin University, who specializes in survivalism and doomsday prepping cultures. Numbers swelled following big disasters such as 9/11, Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and the 2008 financial crisis. A watershed moment for right-wing preppers was the election of Barack Obama in 2008, Mills said. For those on the left, it was Trump's 2016 election. Preppers of all political stripes are usually motivated by a 'foggy cloud of fear' rather than a belief in one specific doomsday scenario playing out, Mills said. Broad anxieties tend to swirl around the possibility of economic crises, pandemics, natural disasters, war and terrorism. 'We've hit every one of those' since the start of this century, said Anna Maria Bounds, a sociology professor at Queens College, who has written a book about New York's prepper subculture. These events have solidified many preppers' fears that, in times of crisis, the government would be 'overwhelmed, under-prepared and unwilling to help,' she said. This fear is where Marlon Smith's interest in preparedness began. Growing up in Trinidad, he lived through an attempted coup in 1990 that sparked his concern the government would not be there in times of disaster. This only deepened after he moved to New York City and watched the aftermath of 9/11 and then Hurricane Katrina. 'You see the inability of the government to truly help their citizens,' he said. Smith, who now lives in New Jersey, runs a fashion company by day and spends his weekends teaching survival skills — including how to survive nuclear fallout. 'People find it funny that I work in women's evening wear and yet I do this hardcore prepping and survivalism in the woods,' he said. It's hard to pin down the exact number of preppers in the US. Mills says 5 million is a reasonable estimate; others would say much higher. Chris Ellis, a military officer and academic who researches disaster preparedness, puts the figure at around 20 to 23 million using data from FEMA household surveys. Figuring out the proportion of preppers on the left is perhaps even trickier. Mills, who has surveyed 2,500 preppers over the past decade, has consistently found about 80% identify as conservatives, libertarians or another right-wing ideology. He doesn't see any dramatic upswing in left-wing preppers. Anecdotal evidence, however, points to increased interest from this side of the political spectrum. Several left-wing preppers told CNN about the burgeoning popularity of their newsletters, social media channels and prepping courses. Shonkwiler says subscriber numbers to his newsletter When/If increase exponentially whenever right-wing views make headlines, especially elections. He saw a huge uptick when Trump was reelected. Smith has noticed more liberals among his growing client roster for prepping courses. He has an upcoming session teaching a group in the Hamptons — 'all Democrats,' he said. Smith is at pains to keep politics out of prepping, however, and makes his clients sign a waiver agreeing not to talk about it. 'You leave your politics and your religion at the door. … You come here to learn; I'll teach you,' he said. In some ways, there aren't huge differences in how preppers on the left and right prepare, Mills said. Both focus on long-term supplies of food and water, gathering equipment needed to 'bug in,' when they shelter in their homes, and 'bug out,' when they need to leave in a hurry. Many left-wing preppers also have guns. Killjoy is open about the fact she owns firearms but calls it one of the least important aspects of her prepping. She lives in rural Appalachia and, as a transgender woman, says the way she's treated has changed dramatically since Trump's first election. For those on the left, guns are 'for community and self-defense,' she said. Left-wing preppers consistently say the biggest difference between them and their right-wing peers is the rejection of 'bunker mentality' — the idea of filling a bunker with beans, rice, guns and ammo and expecting to be able to survive the apocalypse alone. Shonkwiler gives an example of a right-wing guy with a rifle on his back, who falls down the stairs and breaks a leg. If he doesn't have medical training and a community to help, 'he's going to die before he gets to enjoy all his freeze-dried food.' 'People are our greatest asset,' Killjoy said. When Hurricane Helene carved a path of destruction through Asheville, North Carolina in 2024, Killjoy, who used to live in the city, loaded her truck with food and generators and drove there to help. Inshirah Overton also subscribes to the idea of community. The attorney, who came to prepping after enduring Hurricane Irene in 2011, owns a half-acre plot of land in New Jersey where she grows food and has beehives. She stores fruit, vegetables and honey but also gives them to friends and neighbors. 'My plan is to create a community of people who have a vested interest in this garden,' she said. At one point, Overton toyed with the idea of buying a 'bug-out' property in Vermont, somewhere to escape to, but desire for community for her and her two daughters stopped her. In Vermont, 'no one knows me and I'm just a random Black lady, and they'll be like: 'Oh, OK, right, sure. You live here? Sure. Here's the barrel of my shotgun. Turn around.'' This focus on community may stem in part from left-wing preppers' growing fears around the climate crisis, predicted to usher in far-reaching ecological, social and economic breakdown. It cannot be escaped by retreating to a bunker for a few weeks. As Trump guts weather agencies, pledges to unwind the Federal Emergency Management Administration and slashes climate funding — all while promising to unleash the fossil fuel industry — climate concerns are only coming into sharper focus. They're top of mind for Brekke Wagoner, the creator and host of the Sustainable Prepping YouTube channel, who lives in North Carolina with her four children. She fears increasingly deadly summer heat and the 'once-in-a-lifetime' storms that keep coming. Climate change 'is just undeniable,' she said. Her prepping journey started during Trump's first term. She was living in California and filled with fear that in the event of a big natural disaster, the federal government would simply not be there. Her house now contains a week's worth of water, long-term food supplies, flashlights, backup batteries and a solar generator. 'My goal is for our family to have all of our needs cared for,' she said, so in an emergency, whatever help is available can go to others. 'You can have a preparedness plan that doesn't involve a bunker and giving up on civilization,' she said. Despite prepping's reputation as a form of doomerism, many left-wing preppers say they are not devoid of hope. Shonkwiler believes there will be an opportunity to create something new in the aftermath of a crisis. 'It begins with preparedness and it ends with a better world,' he said. Some also say there's less tension between left- and right-wing preppers than people might expect. Bounds, the sociology professor, said very conservative preppers she met during her research contacted her during the Covid-19 pandemic to offer help. There is a natural human solidarity that emerges amid disaster, Killjoy said. She recalls a cashier giving her a deep discount on supplies she was buying to take to Asheville post-Helene. 'I have every reason to believe that that man is right-wing, and I do think that there is a transcending of political differences that happens in times of crisis,' she said. As terrifying events pile up, from the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East to deadly extreme weather, it's hard to escape the sense we live in a time of rolling existential crises — often a hair's breadth from global disaster. People are increasingly beginning to wonder whether their views on preppers have been misconceived, Mills said. 'There is a bigger question floating in the air, which is: Are preppers crazy, or is everyone else?' Killjoy has seen a huge change over the last five years in people's openness to prepping. Those who used to make fun of her for her 'go bag' are now asking for advice. It's not necessarily the start of a prepping boom, she said. 'I think it is about more and more people adopting preparedness and prepper things into a normal life.' Evidence already points this way. Americans stockpiled goods in advance of Trump's tariffs and online sales of contraceptives skyrocketed in the wake of his election, amid concerns he would reduce access. Shows like 'The Walking Dead,' meanwhile, have thrust the idea of prepping into popular culture and big box stores now sell prepping equipment and meal kits. People are hungry to learn about preparedness, said Shonkwiler. 'They have the understanding that the world as we knew it, and counted on it, is beginning to cease to be. … What we need to be doing now is figuring out how we can survive in the world that we've created.'
