Prepping the next generation: Inside the Florida survivalist group teaching children as young as nine how to fire AK-47s and prepare for the end of the world

• As many as three million Americans now regard themselves as 'preppers' - people preparing for the end of the world as we know it
• The North Florida Survival Group claims it can teach you and your family everything you need to know to survival
• Members include children as young as nine, who are taught to fire guns and go on training exercises
• The group's leader says it is open to everyone except 'Socialists, Marxists, Nazis or Progressives’

Growing fears that the end of the world is nigh due to either a natural disaster, terrorism strike or even a zombie apocalypse have sparked a sharp spike in interest in survivalism.
As many as three million Americans now fall into the category dubbed 'preppers' - people who are making detailed plans for the end of the world as we know it.
As their numbers grow so too does a booming industry of organizations ready to help teach wannabe survivalists the skills that could suddenly become very necessary in the event of a major catastrophic event.

Members of the North Florida Survival Group, including young children, wait with their rifles before heading out to perform enemy contact drills

Brianna, 9, of the North Florida Survival Group waits with her rifle as she prepares to join adults and other children in performing enemy contact drills

The North Florida Survival Group perform a land navigation drill during a field training exercise in Old Town, Florida

When's home time? A young boy sits on a child's toy and sulks because his sister got to carry the rifle that he wanted

Prepping the next generation: Leader Jim Foster teaches the younger members of the group how to survive in the wild

One such organization catering for the growing number of 'preppers' is the North Florida Survival Group, which claims it can teach you and your family everything you need to know to survive including how to live off the land, how to purify water and how to handle heavy duty firearms including AK-47s.

The group is the brainchild of Jim Foster, 57, a retired police officer, who claims he has experienced a significant increase in interest from the public since the horrific massacre at a school in Sandy Hook late last year.
According to the group’s website it now has over 200 members and that is growing with about one person signing up per day, says Foster.
As these photographs of a recent training exercise show, it isn’t just adult males taking part. Concerned parents are bringing along their children - such as 9-year-old Brianna - so they too can learn valuable skills such as how to fire an AK-47.

Brianna, 9, of the North Florida Survival Group carries an AK-47 rifle from the group leader's truck before heading out for a field training exercise

Survival of the fittest: Brianna, 9, hands an AK-47 rifle to Jim Foster, 57, the group's leader

The North Florida Survival Group is open to everyone except 'socialists, marxists, nazis or progressives'

Like father, like son: A member group puts a mask on his son as they gear up to perform enemy contact drills

The North Florida Survival Group teaches families everything they need to know to survive including how to live off the land, how to purify water and how to handle firearms

The group passionately supports the right of U.S. citizens to bear arms and on its website it states that it aims to teach ‘patriots to survive in order to protect and defend our Constitution against all enemy threats’.
‘I am an American who believes our freedoms are in jeapordy (sic),’ explains Foster on his website.
‘We want people to know that we cannot depend on our government to take care of us in a catastrophy (sic). In fact, if our government is intent on moving us to socialism, they may even cause the catastrophy! (sic).

A young boy wears the North Florida Survival Group's t-shirt which carries the message: 'I 'm willing to die to defend my 2nd amendment rights. Are you willing to die trying to take them from me?'

Family fun: An adult group member shows one of the younger members how to operate the magazine release of an SKS rifle

Group leader Jim Foster, center, critiques the performance of group members during an enemy contact drill

Growing fears that the end of the world is nigh due to either a natural disaster, terrorism strike or even a zombie apocalypse have sparked a sharp spike in interest in survivalism

A member of the North Florida Survival Group carries an AR-15 rifle as he takes the point position in performing enemy contact drills during a field training exercise

'People, your family needs you to be strong, be ready and be able to survive anything that comes our way. We're here to help teach you exactly that, how to survive!’
Foster says the group is open to everyone except ‘socialists, marxists, nazis or progressives’
Training is free, although members are asked to supply their own gear.
So if you fancy spending your  weekends conducting field training exercises in a tactical harness this might be the group for you. You never know when the training might come in handy.

A member of the North Florida Survival Group helps his daughter put on a tactical harness

Jim Foster, 57, a retired police officer and leader of the North Florida Survival Group, radios group members to check their status

Training is free but members of the North Florida Survival Group are asked to supply their own gear

A group of children, all members of the North Florida Survival Group, walk through a wooded area during a field training exercise

Stand your ground: A member of the group raises his AR-15 rifle as he takes part in an enemy contact drill