Business
Business

Cobb survivalists gather to prep for semi-doomsday

By Matt Kempner
April 29, 2016

Survivalists and preppers gathered at the Cobb Galleria recently with this costly goal in mind: Be ready if the nation goes way bad.

“There’s more of us out there than you think,” said Dan O’Hara, who organized the Atlanta Preparedness Expo, part of a five-city national circuit.

Vendors at the for-profit event sold everything from body armor and riot helmets to fire starters, water filtration set ups and seeds. Some preppers also think about comfort and bartering: O'Hara said that's why his personal stock includes a year's supply of toilet paper.

Find out what it costs to prepare for six months off the grid and who would do such a thing, plus what federal officials say we really need, in my latest Unofficial Business column on myAJC.com.

About the Author

Matt Kempner is an award-winning journalist who seeks out intriguing twists about people and subjects beyond what the AJC might typically cover. A former columnist and editor, his past assignments have included business investigations, energy, the economy, entrepreneurs, big business, consumer spending, politics, government and the environment.

Follow Matt Kempner on facebookFollow Matt Kempner on twitter
More Stories

Keep Reading

(Illustration: Marcie LaCerte for the AJC)

Credit: Marcie LaCerte for the AJC

Have you thought about how AI will change cybersecurity? You should.

Some Atlantans and companies are dabbling in AI, while others have fully embraced it. But with any fast-changing technology promising opportunity, there’s a dark side.

6 ways AI can upgrade your holiday shopping this season

Shoppers are turning to AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude and Perplexity to research products, compare prices and more.

Hyundai suppliers fined after forklift death at Georgia EV factory site

Three companies affiliated with Hyundai’s Metaplant campus near Savannah have been fined for safety violations that allegedly contributed to a worker’s gruesome death.

The Latest

The 2025 Navigator is the flagship vehicle of the Lincoln brand. (Tyler Gourley/Lincoln/TNS)

Credit: TNS

In the market for a luxury vehicle? You might reconsider Lincoln.

Beyond the odometer: What matters most in a used car

Why your car’s safety tech needs maintenance, too

Featured

Atlanta art and antiques appraiser and auctioneer Allan Baitcher (right) takes bids during a 2020 auction. Baitcher and his company, Peachtree Antiques, are being sued by a Florida multimillionaire who says he paid them $20 million for fakes. (AJC 2020)

Credit: Phil Skinner / Staff

Atlanta antique appraiser made $20M selling fakes, lawsuit says

An Atlanta art and antique appraiser is being sued by a Florida multimillionaire, who says he spent about $20 million on thousands of fake works.

How an ex-Texan and a university helped change the face of a Georgia city

Mercer University President Bill Underwood is stepping down after two decades at the helm. He's credited with boosting enrollment, resurrecting football and reshaping Macon.

Thanksgiving to bring chilly, dry, overall delightful weather to metro Atlanta

A big drop in temperatures is coming overnight Wednesday, so go ahead and pull out those flannels and blankets.