Armageddon “preppers” fuel multi-million dollar survival industry

Insight

The U.S. is seeing a growing number of “preppers” or survivalists who prepare to live for months at a time in the event of a disaster. CCTV America’s Sean Callebs reported this story from Atlanta.

There are those who believe you have to be prepared now, because the end will come in a flash. A pandemic flue nearly 100 years ago, for example, killed as much as five percent of the global population.

Preppers say they’re ready to survive in the worst scenaro.

“I had a friend who described it very well as — there’s those who prep because they know they need to and there’s those who prep because it’s a hobby. With me it’s a hobby,” James Knight, a decorated military vet, aircraft mechanic, and self-identified prepper said.

Rice, and other grains are frozen – vacuum sealed with oxygen to preserve it.

Catering to “preppers” or “survivalists” is big business that generated at least $600 million a year. There are even prepper conventions.

If it says survivalist on it, people want to buy it.

Some items are cheap while others are expensive. For example one can spend up to $290,000 for a 2,800-square-foot concrete-and-steel-reinforced underground home.

“Our structures have ten foot ceilings and 12 foot ceilings. We have all the amenities and the custom finishes of your traditional home. The only difference is we don’t have windows,” Bobby McLennan, founding partner of Safe Home Structures said.