Learning to survive: Arizona Survivalist Prepper Expo comes to Tucson
Reporter: Marcelino Benito
TUCSON (KGUN9-TV) - There's a lot of doomsday preppers in Tucson, but you wouldn't know it says prepper Cynthia Burrell.
"Do they admit it?" asked reporter 9OYS reporter Marcelino Benito. "No they don't," she answered. "They rather just keep it quiet."
"Is there a stigma against this sort of thing?" asked Benito. "There is," she said. "A lot of people look at us like we're nuts or that we're insane to think something might happen."
Saturday, the first ever Arizona Survivalist Show made its way to Tucson. Folks in attendance say just look around. They say economies are crumbling, droughts are shooting up food prices, wars are raging overseas. They tell 9OYS life can be unpredictable. They tell their critics, they're the crazy ones.
"I think people bury their heads in the sand because they're the ones that are scared versus actually educating themselves on this stuff," said prepper Stephanie Rohrer.
That's what the expo is all about. It helps the average person prepare for anything from the tiniest emergency to the end of days.
"You don't want anything to happen, but you're sure glad if something were to happen because you're ready," said Iris Rosado.
Rosado owns the only emergency preparedness shop in Tucson. She says the idea that preppers are bonkers is just wrong.
"It's not some extreme fringe group," Rosado said. "It's the average person that is starting to realize emergency preparedness is important for all of us."
Inside the expo, visitors could find it all. Things like self-heating meals, stoves in a can, first aid kits, freeze dried foods, even rabbits to use as food were all readily available. People could also look into building their own personal underground shelter. It comes at a price tag of about $60,000.
"They may come here not prepared," said organizer Lance Baker. "But they probably leave here prepared."
If you missed Saturday's expo, organizers plan another one in Mesa, Arizona on Oct. 6 and 7. Click here for more information.
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