NEW PALTZ- Local prepper Paul Riesling has been put to the test this year. After a quiet January, this New Paltz resident, who first began “prepping” for extended civilizational breakdown following the global financial crisis, weathered a week without municipal water in February due to petroleum contamination.
Now, following an outbreak of the novel coronavirus, Riesling is in week two of social isolation, living off his stash.
“So far, so good,” said the 34-year-old retail worker, whose place of work in the Hudson Valley Mall has closed “out of an abundance of caution,” although foot traffic has not noticeably diminished.
Riesling has already noticed a few issues with his prep he’d like to address if and when society comes back on line, such as sprouting seeds for fresh greens, spare glasses, face masks and extra kitty litter for his cat, Sassafras.
Riesling says he has enough food and supplies to last six months, and plenty of .22 and shotgun ammo, “just in case shit really hits the fan.”