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The Meme of Crushroom: A Key Reterat Architecture Element
One bit of retreat architecture that I've often recommended to my consulting clients who are designing (or retrofitting) retreats is the inclusion of a protruding entryway foyer, that I call a crushroom. Passing this advice long to you gives me the chance to employ one of my horrible puns: The Meme of Crushroom. A crushroom is a controllable confined space, typically an entry foyer, that can be covered with small arms fire or subjected to irritant or obscurant smoke or sprays. The outer door (or barred gate) to the crushroom is normally left open, but has a spring loaded self -closure device, and an automatically-engaged remote-controlled lock release mechanism. Think of it as a box trap for Bad Guys. Have you ever visited a Big City apartment with a communal door where you need to get "buzzed in"? In this case, the Bad Guys will have to be buzzed out of your crushroom
The home invasion threat can only be expected to increase in coming years. I anticipate greater use of dynamic-entry tools by home invaders. For instance, they will soon use commercial or improvised door-entry battering rams and Hallagan tools—like those used by firemen and police entry teams. This means that standard solid-core doors by themselves will be insufficient. In a worst, case, thugs might even use vehicle-mounted battering rams. In such circumstances, it will be wise to have the extra layer of protection afforded by a crushroom.
You should position the outer door to your crushroom one of its side walls, rather than lined up with the entrance door to the house. Having this 90-degree turn and allowing just a four foot space in front of the house entrance door has several advantages: First. it makes it impossible to use a long battering ram--since it limits the length and "throw" of a battering ram. (Even a very stout door, hinges, and doorframe will not withstand the impact of a 10-foot-long battering ram that is manned by a team of thugs). Second, it removes direct line of sight into your house. This is useful for light discipline, in a grid-down situation. (When you are likely to have electric lights in your house interior, but your neighbors won't.) Lastly, the crushroom wall opposite your front door provides another layer of ballistic protection--it would have to be knocked down before your front door could be attacked.
Picture this: With your intrusion detection security system, you see one or more thugs approach your house. They are acting "hinkey", or outright aggressive--perhaps rushing in to conduct a home invasion robbery. Then they proceed to try to kick down your front door. But lo and behold, they don't succeed, because you've built your door and barred it to Rawles specifications. (Strong enough to resist even a small battering ram, and armored against small arms fire.) Using your intercom-loudspeaker, you sternly warn them away. But since they have bravado to spare and have never before encountered a door that they couldn't kick in, they persist with their futile leg exercises. At that point, you already have your telephone in hand, and have dialed 911. (That is assuming your are in pre-Schumeresque circumstances, when there still is a police or sheriff's department willing and able to respond.) You then flip the switch, releasing the crushroom's outer door. It slams shut, and locks. Now, the thugs feel trapped, crowded, or crushed in the close confines of the foyer. They will then almost sure turn their attention to kicking at the outer door (or barred gate). At this juncture, you have several "continuum of force" options:
A.) You shout a stern warning and then hit the switch releasing the outer door and "buzz them out." This is effectively just letting them go,, with a warning. Such a course of action is recommended only in current day "peaceful" circumstances.
B.) Using your exterior loudspeaker, you spend five minutes sharing the Gospel with the thugs, then you hit the switch to release the outer door.
C.) You pull a wire that is attached to the pin on a smoke grenade in the decorative "overhead light fixture" in the foyer, and simultaneously start playing your retreat's PSYOPS tape over your exterior loudspeaker, at around 60 decibels. This combination (especially a violet smoke grenade and a tape of Jimi Hendrix playing Purple Haze) is sure to make the thugs think twice about coming back.
D.) You pull a wire on that is attached to the pin on a CS tear gas grenade, and simultaneously start playing your retreat's PSYOPS tape at around 90 decibels. This, (especially a tape of Credence Clearwater Revival singing Bad Moon Rising) will probably make the goblins soil their trousers and reconsider their life of crime.
E.) You slide open an armored gun port, and protrude the muzzle of your favorite large-caliber lead dispenser.
F.) Any combination of options B, C, D, or E, in whichever sequence seems apropos, given the day's relative Schumer Index and the prevailing exigency of the circumstances.
Alternatively, your crushroom could normally be kept locked from the outside. This will provide a valuable delay for even the most ambitious dynamic entry by home invaders. It will also provide you a safe place for you take delivery of mail and packages with some "stand-off" distance.
Four Important Provisos:
1.) Only build a crushroom if you are also going to first upgrade your front door and doorframe to very stout specifications, and the surrounding wall is of similarly stout (i.e. masonry) construction. The last thing that you want to experience is a bunch of enraged bad guys actually entering your home.
2.) Do not mention the purpose of your crushroom to friends, neighbors, or even relatives. It should outwardly just look like either a "mud room", a "weather airlock", or perhaps a "Spanish style" foyer, with "decorative" heavy wrought iron bars. If you are indiscreet, word of it may get around, and then at best you'll get labeled as the local survivalist whacko. Or at worst, word will get as far as the local band of goblins, and whilst sharpening their knives they will deviously plan to bypass your crushroom entirely. They may decide to either bushwhack you while you are out splitting wood, or invade your house via your roof, with a chainsaw or a fireman's metal-cutting rescue saw.
3.) I most strongly encourage readers to use your crushroom's outer door as a mantrap (and any of the other active measures that I've mentioned) only in truly post-TEOTWAWKI circumstances. As I've noted many times before in SurvivalBlog, we live in an extremely litigious society. Displaying the audacity to actually hold bad guys in place until the gendarmes arrive could be grounds for civil lawsuits (for false arrest, excessive use of force, mental distress, etc.,) and possibly even criminal charges. In essence, if you hold someone in a citizen's arrest in excess of what a jury of your peers deems justifiable and reasonable, then you could conceivably be charged with felony kidnapping. Here, the "Reasonable Man" standard will probably be applied. (Black's Law Dictionary defines citizen's arrest as: "The apprehending or detaining of a person in order to be forthcoming to answer an alleged or suspected crime." See: ex parte Sherwood, (29 Tex. App. 334, 15 S.W. 812).
4.) Be sure to provide yourself a way out of your crushroom, in the event that the outer door closes unexpectedly when you don't have a door key in your pocket. Perhaps a spare key that is very well-hidden behind some molding.
For further background, see this letter in the SurvivalBlog archives on "man trap" architectural features.
Some Suggested Suppliers:
Door closing springs. Check your local Yellow Pages for "Fire Door" hardware suppliers. Your local locksmith probably knows of a supplier, or may have a pile of used one in his back room. For a man trap, the faster the action of the door closure, the better. Hence, a traditional coil spring action is preferable to the more modern, slower pneumatically-dampened springs. Think in terms of cattle chute hardware, rather than what you'd likely see on shopping mall doors.
Door release solenoids. (You've probably seen these on fire doors at hospitals and other public buildings.) Note that in circumstances where grid power is iffy, you can substitute a mechanical release, activated by a simple pull-cable and cotter pin.
Door lock & release solenoid ("buzzer lock") mechanisms. Search for local suppliers with a the web search phrases "mantrap" or "common door buzzer lock". To provide sufficient "hold the goblins in place" strength, you may have to use multiple locking solenoids--at the top, middle, and bottom of the door--that are engaged and disengaged simultaneously.
CS tear gas grenades. These are available from police supply houses. In most states it is not illegal for citizens to possess them. But by their company sales policy, most police supply houses will only sell these to orders placed on police department letterhead. But I've occasionally seen gas grenades sold at at gun shows, and they also come up from time to time on firearms auction sites like GunBroker.com and AuctionArms.com. For example, see this current GunBroker auction. Be sure to consult your state and local laws before buying these or similar pyrotechnic devices.
Gun Ports. You might luck into some of these at a scrap yard (from a retired bank armored car), but more likely you will have to fabricate these yourself, or have a welding shop make them for you. Remember: Gun ports work both ways, so you will want a thick, well-braced, sliding backing plate that latches securely. Specify everything for the ports very thick and very stout. Any exposed hardware should be large-diameter and welded in place, once assembled.
Exterior (weather resistant) loudspeakers. Rather than buying new (and expensive) speakers, try placing a "wanted" ad in Craigslist. It is amazing to see what people have salted away in their garages and attics.
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Letter Re: Societal Collapse: The Albanian Experience (Circa 1997)
Mr. Rawles,
I'm a new SurvivalBlog reader, and your blog goes along a lot with many of my own thoughts and precautions; things many people these days consider ridiculous, but that an old instructor of mine (from a gov't agency that shall go unnamed) would probably call "maintaining a healthy level of paranoia".
In browsing your blog and its archives, I have been surprised to find no mention of the Albanian crisis in 1997. I believe that it offers a strong example of how quickly and unexpectedly a (relatively) advanced society can descend into chaos, and how drastic the consequences can be.
For your readers (should you see fit to post this), I'll sum up. This is very basic information on the subject, and those readers who want to learn more can easily find more detailed info online.
Coming out from under the Iron Curtain, Albania was a fairly well-ordered nation. Obviously it was much less developed than the Western European nations, but it wasn't sub-Saharan Africa either. With the fall of communism, new ways of conducting business opened up, and new means of finance came about as well. Over a few years the economy became dominated by Ponzi schemes, and when these collapsed, the nation descended into complete chaos.
That's the quick and easy version. There are a few relevant things to learn here.
1. The people were taken in by a form of finance that they did not fully understand, or that had implications that they didn't grasp the magnitude of:
Ponzi schemes are a classic form of financial shenanigans, but don't dismiss the mistake of the Albanians as hopeless naivete. Ponzi schemes and related "investments" are alive and well today, and while we do have some safeguards against them now, many legal forms of investment can also have severely disruptive effects. Everyone knows about the problems stemming from failure among even the "experts" to grasp the problems in the American financial system, and anyone who thinks that the system is going to become significantly more stable and easily understood in the near future is deluding themselves.
2. The resulting collapse came quickly and was severe:
I believe that from the first indications of collapse to the complete breakdown of society took about a month. When society collapsed, it went really bad, really fast. The most vivid memory in my mind (from news broadcasts, I wasn't there myself) is of an 11 or 12 year old child leading his younger brother by the hand, with an AK type rifle over his shoulder for defense (or possibly predation). That's the kind of chaos we're talking about here. About 2,000 people out of a population of 3 million were killed in the chaos. That's a fairly small percentage, but it all happened over a month or two. Assuming two months, that's about a 0.4% fatality rate, if it were annualized (if I'm committing a mathematical or statistical fallacy here please feel free to correct me).
3. The chaos was for a limited time, and order was restored:
Those who survived the initial period of turmoil were able to rebuild. However, before someone looks at examples like these to plan how long they should prepare to hold out for, bear in mind that this was a relatively disarmed society, very small, located near many larger stable nations, and the recipient of an international (UN) stabilizing/peace keeping operation. In a nation like the US, a complete collapse could be more severe, harder for the world to halt or repair, and could in addition cause such severe economic disruption worldwide that no one would be able to help. The point I want to make here is, even if you can't move full time to the countryside and become self sufficient, you can still make preparations to survive a lot of situations in the short-term. And all things come to an end. There will be bad times to weather, and just as surely they will be followed by less bad times in which to prosper.
Hope this provides helpful food for thought.
May God bless you all, and keep you and yours, - JJ in North Carolina
JWR Replies: I appreciate you reminding our readers of the Albanian Crisis. This did, indeed come very close to a full-scale societal collapse death spiral. In my estimation, the reasons why it didn't get more prominent attention in the western media was because it took place in what could best be called a "backwater" region, and happened at the same time as the Kosovo crisis, which was considered the "bigger" story. (Read: The news camera crews were busy elsewhere, interviewing people that speak English. It is just human nature for journalists to prefer staying in a nice hotel in Belgrade, rather than some dump in Tirana.) Nor did journalists descend on Albania after the fact, to try to document what had happened. No, they were busy droning on and on about the death of Princess Diana, and the then-pending British handover of Hong Kong.
This timeline and these photos are indicative of what the media failed to properly cover.
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Letter Re: It Will Be Skills, Not Gear That Will Count in TEOTWAWKI
JWR,
Skill is critical, parts and tools can be improvised.
While I agree with C.A.Y.: "... the combination of skills plus tools plus parts is what's needed", there are important exceptions. In some south asia villages, a highly skilled artificer [with a few assistants] can create a self-loading pistol, per day, without parts, and only the most primitive tools of drills, belt sanders and files. The steel is recycled from wrecked cars and trucks. The skill is what makes this possible. This town near the Khyber Pass makes one thousand guns per day. Look at minute marks 3:33 and 3:46 for the ammo and gun fabrication.
During WW2, Allied POWs [in German Stammlagers and Oflags] fabricated metal cutting lathes, shortwave radio receivers, photographic darkroom developing equipment and offset printing for counterfeit documents - all without the appropriate tools or parts - it was all improvised. The skill with working with the original equipment back home showed the way to the objective.
Conversely, in my fully-equipped machine shop, I have seen freshly graduated mechanical technologists and machine tool operators wreck instruments and equipment, ruin dies, moulds and tooling - and occasionally remove necessary appendages from their bodies. It was the skill [and common sense] that was lacking.
Skill is critical, parts and tools can be improvised. - Richard S.
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Five Letters Re: Escape From (Fill in Your City Here), 2009
Jim,
I live in a rural farming area east of the Mississippi and can tell you that cutting a gate or fence would be a very bad choice (in this area). In 99% of the cases you would already be on private property, so cutting the fence or gate would be considered a “hostile” act. Most of the folks I know would shot first and ask questions later . . . these folks all hunt, so they are not likely to miss . . . and trust me they know when someone is on their property. When the police are called, you will find they are a relative or friend of the local (we are very rural) . . . and the “strangers” will be just “bagged and tagged”. If you must cross a gated or fenced area, stop, honk your horn, jump up and down, o anything to get the property owners attention, he is probably watching anyway . . . who knows you might turn out to be an asset to him instead of a liability.
I do not want to make this sound all negative. We all know that living at your retreat full-time is the best option, but circumstances may make that impossible for you; your job or just the finances to make that kind of a move. The real question is do you believe bad things can and will happen? If so what are you going to do that is practical and realistic? “Borrowing” a plane might be a cool idea, but it is far from realistic. Several have already commented on this point and I happen to be a retired Naval aviator with more hours and experience than I care to remember, and flying to my retreat would be the last option I’d consider (we live at our retreat full-time, but do travel). If “your” plan involves some exotic way of escaping the metropolis you live in then you are planning to stay too late (that includes having to take back roads)! You will have to establish “trigger events” that make the decision to execute “your” depart plan (what those trigger events are up to you, based on your analysis and understanding of events.) If you wait until it is obvious to everyone then you are “way too late”. And that is the rub: are you willing to give up your comfortable city life for a survival existence, on a “chance” that “this is it”? If the answer is “no” then best of luck to you, you will need it. If the answer is “yes” then you had better figure out a way to preposition your items, at a location that involves more than just your family . . . and then maybe you will have a fighting chance to survive the transition. None of this is easy, but if you really want to provide for and protect your family then what other options do you have. You can rely on the government to see to your basic needs (it’s called being a refugee), or you can do all within your power to provide realistic options for them yourself. The choice is yours. - RH in Virginia
Dear SurvivalBlog Readers:
I want to preface my comments by saying that I have the utmost respect for JWR, his work, and all the readers and contributors to this site. I understand and hold close the essential tenets of independence and preparedness, living as I have my whole life in the heart of Southern California earthquake country.
That said, the recent string of essays about escaping a city when TSHTF is complete nonsense. The thought that if you get out early you’ll leave everyone else behind is fantasy thinking. The fact is that in such a situation just about everyone will be thinking about getting out and many will act on that impulse. That means that EVERY freeway, EVERY back road, EVERY intersection, and EVERY town will soon be filled with hoards of roaming people, all of whom will be unprepared, scared, and desperate. You might – MIGHT – actually get a jump the situation and beat the hoards out of the city but a human tidal wave will be right behind you, spreading out in all directions, many thousands of which will be heading right to wherever it is you’re going.
Further, a good percentage of the roaming hoards will be street criminals and gang members. Many will be military vets who had advanced training in tactics and equipment and they’ll all be heavily armed – in many cases, better equipped than the local law enforcement. In the short-to-medium timeframe, these groups will be the most dangerous threat and sooner or later they’ll be coming to your hideout. I don’t care how many rounds of ammo you’re carrying on the way or how much you’ve got stashed if you actually make it to your refuge. No matter how much you’ve got it won’t be enough, especially if you get in a firefight with a group that’s shooting back with high caliber, armor-piercing ordnance. And let’s not forget about the really heavy stuff – RPGs or plain old dynamite that they’ll find along the way. If you look like you’ve got equipment and food, you’re going to be a target, simple as that.
JWR is right – the safest strategy is to move away now and get established long before the crisis hits, preferably far enough away that it’s just too difficult for city hordes to get to you. (A tip of my hat to Frank B – 15 miles from the nearest asphalt road.) You’ll still be in danger from unprepared locals and groups that do make it out to the frontier but the farther away and better prepared the better.
Meanwhile, what about the millions of us who can’t relocated and are stuck in the cities? After 30 years of survival thinking related to earthquake preparedness I determined that the only effective strategy is to stay put and lay low. Don’t fire up your generator, blast your radio, and light up your house will the oil lamps you so carefully stashed for just the very event. In fact, leave all your survival equipment stashed for a couple of days until the first big wave of refugees passes by. Camouflage your place and your family to look like you’re destitute – that you have nothing, just like everyone else. With a bit of luck, the hordes will pass you by and you can then join up with neighbors, pool your equipment and resources, and develop a defense strategy. Meanwhile, whatever governmental resources exist will be directed at the cities first so there’s a likelihood that some form of law enforcement will be imposed. It’s the rural areas that will be the most lawless and there won’t be anybody out there to help enforce the peace, at least not for a very long time. Once the peace is secured in your city you can implement your long-term strategies of off-grid living, food production, bartering, and practical skills - machinery repair, welding, auto and home maintenance - that will always be in demand.
One final thought – as mentioned so often on the site, survival skills have a very steep learning curve and there is no substitute for hands-on experience and training. Read the books but then go practice! Can you find, set up, and operate your equipment in the pitch dark at 3 AM? If you’ve had a beer of two? Can your spouse, if you’re hurt? Can your kids if you’re not home? Have you ever eaten freeze-dried food? Can you take down and repair the Coleman stove? Bake biscuits? Operate a chain saw? Jury-rig a DC power cable from the car battery to your living space? Successful preparedness means that you continually ask – and answer – such questions. - Patrick C. in Southern California
James,
I think using an aircraft as a bug-out vehicle would not be a good idea. If you look back at the emergency following the September 11, 2001 attack on the United States, you'll remember that all planes were grounded. I a 9-11 situation a small aircraft flying low or even flying at all would attract unwanted attention. Probably in a bug-out situation in a aircraft you would have to leave early before things got hot and and you risk being forced down in a strange location or being shot down. Both not good options. On 9-11-2001 my wife and I were scheduled to fly home on a commercial airline at 13:30 from half way across the country. Needless to say we found we were grounded before we finished breakfast. When I heard the news we headed to the nearest electronic teller and withdrew as much cash as was allowed. Since we were traveling by air we were traveling light and had little survival gear and virtually no weapons. First we checked the trains and found they were all stopped, same for busses. I next zipped over to the local truck rental and reserved a rental truck for a one-way trip home with a credit card. After the truck reservation was secured I went to a local car dealer and secured financing for the purchase of a late model used SUV and put a small deposit down for them to hold the vehicle. Had I had my own plane I may very well have considered hedge hopping home and would more than likely not been allowed to refuel reroute and maybe risked being arrested if I did manage to land of my own accord.
Because of the help afforded us as total strangers stranded in a strange town, far from home, we moved to the area the following year and have lived here on our small farm at the end of the gravel road ever since. - P.B.
Jim,
I knew my letter regarding escape in a light plane would end up attracting the criticism of one or more experts on the subject... I'd like to address Larry in Pennsylvania's response.
First I'd like to point out that I never suggested using a Cessna 172 for anything. I merely mentioned that my father-in-law recently purchased one and that's what got me thinking about it. There are any number of light planes available, from ultralights to Cessna Caravans, and some are better suited to the task than others, depending on how far you need to go. I, for example, have friends who own a 450 acre ranch 250 miles from here. I could easily make it to their ranch in virtually any airplane without having to refuel.
I addressed some of Larry's points in my original letter. Yes, fuel is an issue, that's why I mentioned it. I think Larry might have misunderstood what I was saying. I was not suggesting putting autogas into any random airplane. There are a ton of light planes that have been STCed (Supplemental Type Certificate qualified) for autogas and many more with the same engines that could burn autogas but whose owners haven't asked for an STC. In a 1998 letter to the Experimental Aircraft Association (of which I'm a member), the FAA said "Autogas use has been extensively compared, tested, and analyzed. Autogas has been shown to be an acceptable alternative to avgas for the airplanes and engines approved for such use. Airplanes and engines approved for autogas use have met the FAA certification requirements for engine detonation, engine cooling, fuel flow, hot fuel testing, fuel system compatibility, vapor lock, and performance." More information and a copy of the letter above can be found at AviationFuel.org. What I suggested and what I'm suggesting now is research. Know ahead of time what your airplane can burn and either have it on hand or have solid plans for how to obtain it.
I also addressed Larry's concerns about overloading so I won't rehash that here other than to say again that yes, payload is an issue but it can be planned out ahead of time. I thought I was very clear that leaving by airplane was for those who had pre-positioned supplies [at a retreat].
As for obstructed runways or runways cluttered by looting, etc., I seriously doubt it in any realistic situation that would require emergency evac by air. Here is a perfectly realistic situation: Terrorists bomb the nuclear power plant that sits 150 miles upwind of my (very large) city. A fallout cloud is approaching at 15 miles per hour. The authorities screw around for four hours and then declare an evacuation of the entire city. We've got at most six hours to evacuate a huge city and its suburbs - a feat that the Gulf Coast cities can't pull off in two days! Interstates immediately become parking lots and before long are totally stopped by broken down cars. A mere fraction (5%) of the population decides to take state highways and county roads - that's 315,000 people - and the same thing happens to those roads. Whatcha gonna do?
In this scenario, do you think looters are really going to head for the airports to steal gas and oil? I doubt it would even occur to them, especially in the hours immediately after a disaster. They'll be in Best Buy and Wal-Mart stealing televisions and beer - we've already seen it happen!
My airplane suggestion was laced with caveats and the weather was certainly one of them. During many parts of the year, large parts of the country enjoy nice weather with only isolated storms. You don't need forecasts and radar to avoid bad weather. God gave you eyes and the ability to make a 180-degree turn. Pilots did it for years before these services were widely available. Further, except over congested areas, there are few places where you'll have no options for an off-field landing. Have plans 'B' and 'C' constantly in your mind. When I was flying my solo cross-countries, there was never a moment when I hadn't identified somewhere I could land if the engine quit 'right now' - my instructor beat that into my head constantly. As Larry points out, an off-field landing could invite looters but remember, the emergency is only hours old and people aren't hungry yet, and probably aren't desperate enough that the normally law-abiding become a danger.
As for Navaids such as VOR, ADF, and even GPS... Ever heard of a chart, a pencil, a stopwatch and a compass? It ain't rocket science. If the weather is good you don't need any outside help to get from A to B. Again. pilots did it for years before these were available - and for many years after, since many couldn't afford to equip their aircraft with fancy gadgets and nav radios.
Finally, once again I'll say this is a very unlikely scenario. If it happens it depends on having good weather and solid pre-planning, at least to the extent possible. The wisest course in my hypothetical situation above would be to bug out by car at the first hint of a problem - before the full extent of the problem was revealed to the masses. But if for some reason the news was delayed or something (car problems, missing family member) delayed your departure for even a few hours, leaving by car would be impossible. At that point my "Plan B" starts looking better than radiation sickness, despite some well-identified problems and risks. It's all about options. I think keeping options open is important. - Matt R.
JWR,
An important note to remember if one plans to use an aircraft during some type of emergency is that the control of the National Airspace System may have been handed over to the military. If that is the case, and I think it would be as the government attempted to maintain control of things as the cascade of events progressed into TEOTWAWKI, something called SCATANA (Security Control of Air Traffic and Air Navigation Aids) could be implemented. This plan closes down all aircraft operations save a few fixed wing fighter interceptors under the direct control of the National Command Authority. Here’s the bottom line. Under SCATANA if you fly, without positive control from the right folks, you die. No warning, no identification passes. An example of how serious the blanket authority is enforced is illustrated by the instructions given to a USAF C-130 on 9-11-01. This aircraft, full of soldiers from one of America’s front line Divisions was over the Great Plains on an exercise. They were ordered to land at a small municipal airport immediately. These soldiers, and they weren’t just Privates, ended up renting a bus for the day long ride back to their unit. Agree desperate times may call for desperate measures but ensure you have adequate information to make the decisions. As always, planning is the key ingredient for success. Using an airplane is a possible Get Out of Dodge solution, especially if used early on in the event. Just know all the second and third order effects. Keep up the good work. Excellent site - Redcatcher21
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Two Letters Re: Escape From (Fill in Your City Here), 2009
Dear Jim:,
All this recent discussion by SurvivalBlog readers about hot-wiring airplanes, and cutting fences and locks is missing some basic, well, let's just say "applied ethics".
Recall the Golden Rule "Do unto others as they have done unto you". Flip the situation around and look at it from the property owner's view: How would you feel if you saw someone stealing your airplane? (Your life savings in an aircraft.)
How would you feel upon noticing someone cutting the fence or gate that keeps your cattle off the road?
Granted, in a life-threatening emergency you may morally take liberties with other folk's property that are not normally available. If a rancher saw someone drive through their fence because they were being hotly pursued by criminals - they would probably be understanding of the circumstances.
If a rancher or farmer saw someone with bolt cutters working on their fence - someone who has obviously premeditated trespassing - at the very least they are going to be confronted. In a really bad situation, perhaps after dark, it could easily end up in a situation where they will be shot.
The wise and honorable person will pre-plan ethical actions. The obvious macro solution is getting out of Dodge early. If you are going to pre-plan using an airplane, then preplan by becoming a trusted rental customer, know how to contact the owner on short notice and rent for cash, with a security deposit in gold coin.
The suggestion to cut a link and add a lock to a gate rather than cutting the lock makes sense so you have not destroyed the property owner's lock. But be extremely cautious about planning on trespassing on other folk's property... I wouldn't imagine country folk are going to take trespassing lightly in an emergency - I can't see how it could be done safely unless you can hail the farmhouse for permission. Any ranchers out there with an idea how this scenario could be handled ethically and safely? Regards, - OSOM
JWR Replies: I concur, wholeheartedly. It is just one small step from applied ethics to applied ballistics. It is of the utmost importance to respect the property of others. While utilizing BLM or or other public land in an emergency is a given, simply cutting across private farm or ranch land in the midst of a disaster is likely to get interlopers well-ventilated rather quickly. Put yourself in the position of a rancher. If in the midst of a societal collapse you saw someone breaking open your locked gate, what would you do? For many, the answer will be "shoot first and ask questions later."
As I have emphasized time and time again in my writings, the very best approach is to live at your retreat year-round. That is great for retirees and the self-employed. But for many folks that is impossible, because or work and family obligations. So the next best approach is to have a very well-stocked, very secure retreat, and maintaining your readiness to get there on very short notice. Nearly all of your key logistics should be pre-positioned at your retreat. Do not think in terms of finessing your gear into the cubic feet available in your vehicle. If you take the time to shoehorn things in, you are probably wasting precious time that should be spent on the road, getting out of town in advance of the Golden Horde. Just a one hour delay could mean the difference between smooth sail and ending up in a a monumental traffic jam that soon becomes a linear parking lot. You should simply keep one Bug Out Bag (typically a backpack) and a supplementary duffle bag ready at all times. Be ready to grab them and go. Pre-positioning your gear eliminates much of the worry and confusion of a Get Out of Dodge situation.
Needless to say, you'll need a Plan B and a Plan C. You may end up on a bicycle, or on foot.
Think things through, plan ahead, and act morally. If and when things fall apart, you want to be part of the solution, rather than contributing to the problem.
James,
In response to our reader's suggestion of using a Cessna172 for escaping. That is probably one of the poorest choices I could imagine. It has many faults and I'll list them FWIW.
First of all I have over 2,500+ hours flying Air Charter and Air Taxi under Part 135 FAA Regs. I took the same tests flying single and twin engine aircraft as any airline pilot did with the only exception was that I was not required to have a first class medical as they did. So I am twin engine, Commercial and Instrument rated.
Problems with a Cessna 172:
It does not have a big payload especially when fully-fueled and the tendency to overload it would be great and dangerous. Automotive fuel should not be used, i.e. I would not fly one filled with automotive fuel. Tests were done with using it years ago and many problems were found.
Aircraft weather [data] would most likely be unavailable.
VOR and other navigation aids would probably also be unavailable. Okay, If you had a GPS unit you might be able to navigate.
Our lifeblood, gasoline would most likely by unavailable, especially aviation gas since it can be used in automobiles and would be subject to being stolen if the electricity to pump it out was available. I used to run a tank of 100 low lead aviation gas through my motorcycle about once a month.
Runways could and most likely would be obstructed or otherwise cluttered from looting, fuel, oil theft, etc., etc..
Without weather information what would be your chances of finding a suitable landing strip or even an open highway strip if you found yourself approaching thunder storms, icing conditions fog, or a large [weather] front. If you could or did land, especially under power, would attract the looters for the fuel and whatever else you have in the plane.
ILS, VOR or even ADF stations could or would be off the air making a bad weather approach deadly.
You could, literally, be shot out of the air by angry looters thinking the plane may contain supplies they want or just by some idiot with sufficient ammo angry at their situation. I know of a glider pilot shot through the arm by a guy who lived by the airport.
The preceding is just a drop in the bucket. I could go on.
I did consider "borrowing" an aircraft to get home should the SHTF while I was far from home but it would be just to get home and all conditions would be carefully considered and near perfect. It would not be a bug-out option should I need to bug out.
IMHO an aircraft might be an option very early on in a SHTF situation but again conditions would have to be very favorable. - Larry in Pennsylvania
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Two Letters Re: Escape From (Fill in Your City Here), 2009
JWR:
I liked JC in Oklahoma's reply to Escape From (Fill in Your City Here), 2009 but with all due respect, I would not cut someone else's lock. Most gates that I have seen around where I live, have a chain with a lock. I would advise cutting a link out of the chain and attaching your lock, like a replacement link. This way you keep the owner somewhat happy and still accomplish the task of passing thru the gate as well as being able to cross back through.
Now I need to get out and check what routes I might use to leave in a hurry. - Jim B
Jim,
My father-in-law just bought a Cessna 172 [single engine light aircraft] and that got me thinking about this. An option folks might consider is getting out by air. Depending on the nature of the emergency, escape by light airplane might be a very viable option for those who learn to fly and stay current enough to be relatively safe (that is to say, maybe not totally legal but good enough to pull off a single long trip in good weather). I say relatively because in a SHTF scenario, some things just don't matter quite as much. I'd much rather risk my life flying while not totally current than wait in my single-story house for a fallout cloud to arrive.
It has been almost twenty years since I took the bulk of my flying lessons. (I had logged 45 hours total and needed only my last cross-country and a check ride when I ran out of [flight training] money) but I've flown a number of times since and have no doubt I could get from here to a thousand miles from here if the weather was good and I could carry or otherwise obtain enough fuel.
I figure a guy has two options for getting a plane if TSHTF. The first, and ideal, option is to have a cultivated relationship with the flight school owner or operator. If TSHTF, you call him at home and rent the plane. The second, and it is doubtless you (Jim) won't like it, is to "borrow" a plane using a key you cut the last time that you rented it. Cycle through renting all of the planes during your instruction and you'll have your choice of aircraft... Of course taking a plane without permission is theft, but the intention is to return the plane. If it's life or death I'll deal with the ethical questions later. Remember, these are flight school planes rented to students, not "another man's food" and if it really did hit the fan, people aren't going to be lining up for flying lessons today anyway. [JWR Adds: While I cannot condone theft, I should mention that is common practice, particularly with flight schools at small airports, to have all of the yoke or throttle locks keyed-alike, for the convenience of the instructor pilots. Also, most throttle shaft locks are not very robust. In an emergency, a pair of bolt cutters can be used to remove a lock. And furthermore, on many aircraft models, the throttle knob is held in place with one or two Allen head set screws, or made of molded plastic, and can therefore be cut, crushed, or otherwise removed, allowing a throttle shaft lock to then be slid off.]
There are a couple logistical considerations here. One is fuel. Some light planes can burn autogas (car gas) but many require leaded Avgas. In either case, you'll need to be prepared to carry enough fuel to get you where you need to go. It is doubtful that in any situation that requires that you 'borrow' a plane that fuel pumps will be operational at your intermediate stops. Even if the automated pumps work, the credit card networks could be down. You might be able to siphon gas (more theft) from other parked planes bring. a self-priming siphon!) but to be safe you're going to have to carry full gas cans. Research into lead substitutes might be useful, though I'm unsure if any suitable products exist. Better perhaps to concentrate on planes that can burn automotive gasoline.
[JWR Adds: Tetraethyl lead (TEL) is sold under the trade name Octane Supreme 130 (and other names, sold at some General Aviation flight centers, FBOs, and at automotive speed shops.) It can be used, but it must be carried in a container that has a perfect seal, even with pressure changes. Do NOT carry it in an aircraft passenger compartment. Parenthetically, there is "TEL Tale" in the biography of Charles Lindbergh. A leaky cap on a large can of TEL stowed behind his seat once almost killed him, while on a flying tour of South America. (He very nearly passed out and crashed.) Keep in mind that when used in ground vehicles, TEL will foul oxygen sensors very quickly, and of curse cannot be used in vehicles with catalytic converters. Its use would also violate Federal Clean Air standards, so it would not be legal for use on public highways. Keep in mind that TEL can be used to extend the useful life of "elderly" stored stabilized gasoline, as well as of course mixing your own high-octane blend from stored low-octane gas, so I recommend keeping a couple of bottles on hand.]
The second logistical problem is payload, and it is greatly affected by the fuel problem. Most light planes cannot safely carry a full load of passengers and bags plus a full load of fuel. If you're carrying jerry cans of gas, don't count on taking much in the way of baggage and there's no way you'll be able to fill every seat with a passenger. Most of the weight and balance calculations with regard to fuel, passengers and baggage can be worked out ahead of time though, so you'll know what you can pull off. In the end this will only work for someone who has pre-positioned their supplies [at their retreat.
This approach has advantages: Zero traffic jams. Zero river crossings. Zero chance of being looted on the highway. Again, I'm only suggesting this as a last-ditch SHTF way to get out of Dodge. I would not steal food if doing so could potentially cause someone else to starve. Same thing on a weapon, vehicle or any other item. But in my mind the the equation is simple here: My life is worth more than a flight school's airplane. In the end this is an extremely unlikely scenario, but it's an arrow in your quiver and a fun one to prepare for. - Matt R.
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Two Letters Re: It Will Be Skills, Not Gear That Will Count in TEOTWAWKI
Jim:
I would like to whole-heartedly second Chris M’s article that skills are more important than stuff. A wide basis of knowledge provides you and your family new options as you develop courses of action to solve a specific problem during a crisis. While I’ve been stuck as a suburbanite in the Washington area for the last two years, I’ve exploited my access to military and civilian training to more than make up for my vulnerability. I’ve joined local weapon/hunting ranges, significantly improving my pistol, rifle and bow skills. I’ve become certified as a Level I Combatives Instructor. I’m scheduled to attend EMT training and certification in September. I’m getting my first batch of vegetables out of my garden in a few weeks….and then I’ll start some canning. To top it all off, I’ve gotten a basic workshop set up and I’m doing my best to do all my own small repairs. In the last two weeks, I’ve fixed problems with my car, my lawn mower and then my house. Hunting, well, that will probably be next year.
Besides the obvious benefit of saving money, I want to emphasize the feeling of self-empowerment every time I solve a problem myself. Sure, nothing goes right the first time, but I learn a lot and I do get it done (my wife would add the work “eventually” here). I recommend re-reading Mr. Kilo's “Letter Re: Learning the Details of Self-Sufficiency” and his description of the “conscious competence learning model.” It’s all about working towards self-reliance as much as possible. After twenty-plus year in the Army as a leader and supervisor using “soft skills”, I am working hard to build up many of the practical “hard skills” that Chris already has. Hats off to you Chris! (OBTW everyone, don’t forget physical fitness!) - Conn
Sir,
A friend of mine reminds me that skills are important, but also are tools. Hard to dig a hole without a shovel.
As a practicing locksmith, I discovered during a service call, that the combination of skills plus tools plus parts is what's needed. I can go to a locksmith call, and leave my hole saw home. Can't install deadbolts. Or, I can have my van, but not the right lock. And many people have tools and locks, but can't do the job. - C.A.Y.
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It Will Be Skills, Not Gear That Will Count in TEOTWAWKI, by Chris M.
The topic I will cover is one I have not seen on SurvivalBlog. Everybody is caught up in the equipment side and not concentrating on the training. I have two examples several months back our dryer started squeaking & we had to stop using it. I am a trained air conditioning technician. At first I thought about going out and purchasing a new dryer and then I had a thought: I have fixed multi thousand dollar air conditioning units, how hard could it be? After two days it was back up drying clothes and for a lot less money than a new dryer would cost.
The other example was Saturday night a week ago I killed a feral hog and with some help from the friend that owns the land where I killed the pig, we quickly had it in the chest freezer. You ask, “how do these two examples apply to TEOTWAWKI preparedness?”
I am 50 years old; things I take for granted younger people do not understand or do not have the ability to do. Can you sharpen a knife? Can you tune a small engine? How about sharpen a chainsaw? I have been trained as an equipment mechanic and then trained as a HVAC tech. I have also taken first aid training, I am not an EMT but I know the basics. I have fixed several small appliances. My father was a carpenter. He taught me the basics of construction, such as how to build a wall and how to hang sheet rock. I had a small business that repaired rental properties in Texas.
Do you hunt? And are you planning on hunting to supplement your meat supply if not how do you expect to put meat in the freezer after TSHTF? By hunting you learn where to look for game. Small game hunting can teach you where to find rabbits and squirrels are at certain times of the year. Also when you make your first kill you will have a hands-on butchering class. You can not make a mistake that can not be repaired before it gets to the table. I remember the first feral pig a friend killed I was at my parents' house when a friend called and ask if I had butchered a hog? I said no but I have sure put enough deer in the ice chest that a pig could not be that hard.
I have also gar
dened quite a bit. When I was a child some of the first memories are of working in the garden. We did not raise all of our food but we raised a significant portion. We had a cow and chickens. I helped my mother can vegetables from the garden. I have caned tomatoes I have raised in my back yard. I can make my own soap. I also know where to get the lye with out going to the store. (Wood ashes).
What do you read? Back Home, Backwoods Home, and Mother Earth News magazines--although Mother Earth News is not as good as she once was. I keep all the Back Home and Backwoods Home that I pick up. I also found several books that will be passed on once I go to my final reward. I have books on a variety of topics from engine repair to gardening and other topics.
Do you reload the ammo you practice with? You can store more powder, primers and bullets in a given space than loaded ammo. Then when you shoot some you can reload to re-supply. Shotgun ammo is very economical when you reload. I would not suggest that you use reloaded ammo to defend yourself. Use store bought. I talked about the pig I killed a couple weeks back I used a Savage model 40 in 22 Hornet. The cartridge I used was reloaded and in fact was a case that had been reloaded several times. I have reloaded a variety of calibers and presently I can keep my guns shooting for awhile. I also cast lead bullets for a number of my guns and I am planning on getting a few more molds for different calibers. Also think about this I have in my gun safe a. 22 Hornet, .223 Remington and a .22-250. They all take 223 caliber bullets. I have bought a lot of .223 caliber bullets, mostly 55 grain weight. I can use the same bullet in all three. I also I am going to purchase a shot maker and will be able to produce shot for my own use and barter. I am stocking up on primers and bullets.
What do you watch on television? I watch Discovery and the Science channel. People talk about gas powdered tractors gasoline has a shorter shelf life than say diesel or propane for that matter. I have not seen propane discussed much on the blog for a motor fuel. Propane has a "forever" shelf life. Also, you can still find Ford Model 8 or 9N tractors that were powered by propane. As long as the propane did not leak out it was good and the tractors could sit idle for a long time and did not have to have the carburetor cleaned.
The reason I mentioned television shows is this one program I watched 2 to 3 years ago had a teams on an oceanic island. The team had to do some projects, one of which was they had a diesel powered go-cart. Both teams were given some sesames seeds and a machine that could make oil out of the seeds. The first team to start their go-cart and get it to run a course distance won the event. This got me to thinking that all trucks, generators, tractors should be diesel powered. You can make your own fuel!! The inventor of the Diesel engine was Dr. Rudolf Diesel, a German who envisioned a system where German farmers were not dependant on fuel sources that came from outside Germany! Remember the pig I killed? If it had been a survival situation. I would have rendered the fat to oil and could have used it in my truck and drove 20 or so miles or used it in a generator or plowed the garden with a tractor.
The upshot of the foregoing is that what you have in your hands is not as important as what you have between your ears. Learn all you can. Take classes at your local community college. Read all the preparedness’ magazine’s and books you can. Concentrate on survival skills. Learn to start fires without matches and to build a temporary shelters. Learn to maintain your car or truck, local community colleges are great places to learn vehicle repair and you can save money in the short run. Imagine if something broke and you needed it to survive. Could you fix it? Stockpile spare parts for the most important items. Ford 8 of 9n tractors are great and look simple. But if the clutch went out, could you replace it? I have done that and it’s not as easy as you might think. Repair manuals are not an option, in my thinking. They are a must.
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Letter Re: Three Abstracts on Public Health in Ghettos During the WWII Holocaust
James,
In light of the recent shooting by a Nazi whacko in Washington at the Holocaust Museum, I think it is important that we remember the victims and impact of a totalitarian government deliberately starving, looting, and otherwise dehumanizing its citizens. (The articles were published in Hebrew but the following abstracts are in English) - Yorrie in Pennsylvania (a retired physician)
Clinical Manifestations of "Hunger Disease" Among Children in the Ghettos During the Holocaust
Hercshlag-Elkayam O, Even L, Shasha SM.
Western Galilee Hospital, Nahariya, Israel.
The harsh life in the ghettos were characterized by overcrowding, shortage of supplies (e.g. money, sanitation, medications), poor personal hygiene, inclement weather and exhaustion. Under these conditions, morbidity was mainly due to infectious diseases, both endemic and epidemic outbreaks with a high mortality rate. The dominant feature was hunger. Daily caloric allowance was 300-800, and in extreme cases (i.e. Warsaw ghetto) it was only 200 calories. The food was lacking important nutrients (e.g. vitamins, trace elements) leading to protean clinical expression, starvation and death. The clinical manifestations of starvation were referred to as "the Hunger Disease", which became the subject of research by the medical doctors in the ghettos, mainly in the Warsaw ghetto in which a thorough documentation and research were performed. The first victims of hunger were children. First they failed to thrive physically and later mentally. Like their elders, they lost weight, but later growth stopped and their developmental milestones were lost with the loss of curiosity and motivation to play. The mortality rate among babies and infants was 100%, as was described by the ghetto doctors: "when the elder children got sick, the small ones were already dead...". In the last weeks of the ghettos there were no children seen in the streets. In this article the environmental conditions and daily life of children in the ghettos are reviewed, and the manifestations of "Hunger Disease" among them is scrutinized.
[Harefuah. 2003 May;142(5):345-9]
Morbidity in the Ghettos During the Holocaust
Shasha, SM.
Western Galilee Hospital, Nahariya.
The environmental conditions and daily life in the ghettos of Europe during the holocaust are reviewed, and their effect on morbidity in different ghettos is scrutinized in an attempt to construct a typical morbidity profile. The outstanding characteristics were: crowding, shortage of basic necessities (such as food, clothing and medications), harsh environmental and sanitary conditions, inclement weather, poor personal hygiene, chronic undernutrition and malnutrition, physical and mental exhaustion. Morbidity was mainly due to infectious diseases, both endemic and epidemic outbreaks with high mortality, and high infestation rates of lice and other parasites. The dominant feature was "hunger disease" with its protean clinical expressions, endocine pathology, growth and development retardation in children, and amenorrhea and infertility among women of child-bearing age. Polyuria, nocturia and increased frequency of bowel movement were common. The typical presentation of a ghetto dweller was of extreme emaciation (a loss of up to 50% body weight); muscle weakness and skeletal abnormalities; pale, dry skin with excoriations; pedal edema; anxiety and nervousness; often goiter in children. Most of the inhabitants had some, or all, of those signs and symptoms (there were times when more than half the population was sick). This syndrome complex was termed "Ghetto Sickness" or "Ghetto Fatigue" (ghetto schwachkeit).
[Harefuah. 2002 Apr;141(4):364-8, 409, 408]
Medicine in the Ghettos During the Holocaust
Shasha, SM.
Western Galilee Hospital, Nahariya.
The Health systems in several ghettos in Europe during the holocaust were studied in an attempt to construct a typical structural profile. The medical system in a typical ghetto consisted of a department of public health (sanitation) that belonged to the Yudenrat, several hospitals, outpatient clinics, first aid stations and physicians in the labor groups. The structure of the system in several ghettos is discussed and the functions of the various units in the prevention of epidemics, and health education are reviewed. Also described is the medical research that was carried out in the ghettos, emphasizing the work on "Hunger Disease" in the Warsaw ghetto, as well as the heroic endeavor to establish a clandestine medical school in the Warsaw ghetto during the holocaust
[Harefuah. 2002 Apr;141(4):318-23, 412]
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Letter Re: Advice For Older Preppers With Limited Mobility
Hi James,
Thanks for your many years of great work. While I was enjoying and learning
so much from your books and the web site, I was also growing older and have
physically "lost the edge". More accurately, I reaped the unintended
consequences of 55 years of smoking and now have a tough situation Chronic
Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).
This is [best described in layman's terms as] a combination of bronchitis
and emphysema. I have not smoked for
three years and my breathing
is now stable at 51% of normal. This ailment is not unusual in the senior community,
and COPD is the third largest killer in the USA. It severely restricts activity
and higher altitudes are deadly. Like most of us with COPD, I am on oxygen
20-to 24 hours a day, seven days a week, plus lots of varied and expensive
medications, to include my liquid oxygen, mostly supplied to me at low or zero
cost by the Veterans Administration.
Additionally, and this may apply to many of your readers, my wife and I are
the primary care givers, in our home, for her mentally disabled older brother.
He too is a vet, Korean War Era and age 79, and receiving 100% of his medical
care from the local Veterans Clinic, as I do. The Veterans Administration
(VA)
is a terrific source of excellent health care. All eligible vets should enroll
ASAP a the VA
web site. Go there and get in before the Obama National Health Carelessness
Agency gets to their house! I expect the VA will be forced to shut out all non
combat vets soon!
My wife and I, and a few friends, all sorta elderly fellow military vets, have been like minded about preparedness since well before the Y2K era. About 20 years of learning and prepping! We have the basic stocks of food, water, meds, clothing, and appropriate security items. We have learned to help one another and to be able to give to others in need. I have stocks of dvds to enjoy and to use to teach others. We have a 2,100 Watt solar system for power. We have devised a simple system to safely filter irrigation water for our local water needs, to include drinking, cooking, and laundry. We've worked together and planned together successfully. We are a team and care for each other as an extended family.
We live in small town in rural Utah. My wife and I are pleased to live in
a close knit town of about 500 good caring folks. This area is highly LDS,
about 50 - 60 %, and they are mostly "not very well-prepared" ....
surprise! surprise! The [majority of] Mormon people--and I can say this as
an active LDS--are not ready for any disaster. Less that 10% have a emergency
response
mindset.
The LDS Provident
Living web site is great, and while the LDS Church strongly
promotes and enables provident living, far too few members are prepared for
any emergency. Many have a little bit and very few have enough. As a people
we are not well prepared. [JWR Adds: But on average far better
prepared than most other Americans, and that is commendable.]
As a family, we've done all that preparation, and still I have a serious
problem with no answer. You see, I will be dependent on solar power to enable
my oxygen concentrator to produce O2, power the kitchen, and the computers,
and to recharge the batteries. I can't leave our home area for more than about
6-9 hours (maximum battery life for the portable concentrator). In an emergency
my darling wife of 43 years will not leave me. My Veterans Elderly "A" Team
/ Extended Family wants to "zip cuff, gag, and bag" me and take
me out of danger, but they too recognize the travel difficulty and are without
a solution. Moving the solar array and the necessary ancillary equipment is
a two day exercise.
We seniors are a large portion of the community and an even larger part of
the preparedness group. I have yet to see or hear any preparedness help for
folks like us. Many seniors are just like me; older, somewhat ""less abled
physically, somewhat less able to travel, and more dependent on local medical
services.
20% of us are raising our grand children... At the same time we are surely
more knowledgeable, more able to lead, more experienced, more secure financially,
more able to teach and to mentor, more equipped, and more likely to have lived
through hard times and to have serious military training. And very importantly,
many of us have real time combat experience. We have been to see the "Elephant
Country". The younger folks need what we have to offer because they will
die without it.
My problem is very simple. I have done all of the right preparedness chores and now I find that my family can not get in the truck and bug out. And I'll be 69, next birthday. What do I do now?
thanks again. - Old Bobbert in Utah
JWR Replies: My general recommendation for retirees is to
set yourself up as the retreat destination for the younger
members of your extended family. You can provide them with their bug-out location,
and storage for their supplies, and the benefits of your years of preparation.
They can provide you with the young and healthy hands, strong backs, sharp
eyes, and sensitive ears you will need after TEOTWAWKI.
I often stress the need to pre-position retreat logistics. By having your extended
family's supplies at your locale, it provides insurance that they
will be there to help out, when the balloon goes up.
OBTW, you mentioned oxygen. For anyone that heavily dependent on medical oxygen,
I strongly recommend buying a portable
oxygen concentrator. Many of the portable models are compatible with 12 VDC power.
This means that you can run them from your alternative power system battery
bank, without the need to run a DC-to-AC inverter. For much greater "range"
away from your retreat, you can keep a charged pair of deep cycle 6 VDC golf
cart
batteries in your vehicle.
« Economics and Investing: |Main| Note from JWR: »
It Matters Not Whether Inflation or Deflation--You Need to Protect Yourself, by Gentleman Jim from Colorado
No matter who you are, where you live, or whatever your political proclivities, economic trends such as inflation/hyper-inflation/deflation simply don’t care which party you belong to, who you voted for, or whether you’re believe in Keynesian “prime the pump” spending by the government, or not. The laws of economics may be somewhat fungible and give us surprises from time to time, but overall:
* They don’t care whether you love the earth, hate the earth, drive electric tiny-cars or huge Hummers or travel by foot or horse.
* They don’t care whether you’re in a blue state or a red state or a purple state or a pink state.
* They don’t care whether you rent a tiny apartment in the city or own 10,000-acres of ranch land with a huge mansion thereon.
Let me say it one more time: inflation, hyper-inflation and/or deflation don't care who you are! They’re like unwelcome guests who stop by uninvited and visit you and help themselves, no matter who you are or where you live or what you believe.
Did you know that in the modern history of our world, there are over 500 currencies (systems of money) that simply no longer exist? Yep, the only folks that even know about all those currencies are the coin collectors and a few historians.
* But almost universally, they all share one feature: they died due to hyper-inflation and subsequent devaluation.
* In nearly every one of those cases, the corresponding governments fell, and quite often the societies pretty well ceased to exist—they were subsumed by other nations with stronger currency.
Can’t happen here? Please, do some reading and allow yourself to be impartial.
* Check out the recent cases of [mass] inflation and hyperinflation in Zimbabwe and Argentina.
* Look back to Germany’s Weimar Republic in the 1920s—it is quite easy, via the Internet, to find pictures of everyday Germans taking a wheelbarrow full of money to the store to buy just a loaf of bread.
* Look back to the 1930s in the United States…when the devalued dollar led to such extreme measures that in 1933, FDR confiscated nearly all of the gold in the country—and reimbursed owners at a fraction of the value of their gold (absolutely true statement; I have a copy of the Executive Order, if you’d like to read it).
o Yes, households were allowed to keep a small fraction of their holdings, no more than $100 worth of gold, and also numismatic collector's coins were exempted.
o Yes, industrial concerns and business were allowed to continue storing “appropriate” amounts of gold for things like making jewelry, etc.
o The point here is—the government literally came and took people’s gold from them…at bargain basement prices.
o Today…what might they take? Your 401(k)? Your military retirement pay? Your teacher’s retirement pay? Your extra cars--and the government gets to define what constitutes “extra”. After all, it isn’t fair for some to have, and others not, right?
· Scary? Over-wrought?
· Again, read the 1933 FDR gold confiscation order. It is real, it happened, and you can even look it up on the Internet or any encyclopedia.
Now then…if you’ve read this far…you’re probably asking yourself the question: “Okay, so what should I be doing about all this? What should other people be doing about it?”
First and foremost…try to staunch (or at least quell) the storm. Contact your city, county, state and federal officials, representatives, senators, presidents, etc.
· Ask them…beg them…demand of them…that spending be reigned in.
· That our governments at all levels live within their means.
· That taxes be kept at lower levels.
Because if we don’t get our spending under control, all of us will suffer. From the top to the bottom, east to west, north to south, rich to poor, old to young.
* Do something…now…before it is too late. Reign in our governments’ spending before it is too late!
Second: You need to start considering the possibility that the looming storm will break right down on top of you…me…us…our children…our grand-parents…everyone we know.
* So, yes, you need to prepare yourself against that day. You don’t have to believe Armageddon is here, to read a couple of history books and understand what happens in a classic deflation—inflation—hyperinflation—government collapse type of situation. And, fortunately, there are some common-sense things you can do to at least reduce the eventual impact on yourself and your loved ones.
For example, pay off all debt. Immediately! Okay, if not immediately, pretty darn fast. Remember that during the Great Depression, many a farm was foreclosed upon because there was a mortgage on it, but sometimes for only a few hundred dollars. It’s just that no one had even that few hundred dollars with which to redeem that mortgage, and thus family homesteads were lost forever.
Understand that one day your bank may close or be closed. Your bank accounts may not be accessible for days…weeks…or even months. It doesn’t really matter if those accounts are FDIC-insured for up to $200,000. If you can’t get it out for six months…and inflation is running at 20% per month…your money will be worthless by the time you can get it out. So, buy a safe and keep a few thousand or few hundred dollars stashed away, just for emergencies. How much do you need to stash away? That is up to you and your particular circumstances. But you should break up the currency into mostly tens, fives and ones…and probably 30% of it should be in coins (quarters, dimes, nickels—but don’t bother with pennies). (BTW, don’t let the neighbors know that you’re doing this!)
If you have the resources, it would be exceedingly wise to store some silver and gold coin, preferably in coin form. Since most of us can’t afford that buy-in prices of gold (now well over $900 per ounce), that means buying silver. Survivalblog has some excellent recommendations in this area, and you should check that source. However, for most of us, you can break it down into two easy-to-remember areas:
1) Pre-1965 U.S. “junk silver” coins (back when U.S. coins were still mostly silver-based, at about 90%). These include quarters, dimes, half-dollar and dollar coins of the era. But check the silver content of half-dollars—those made from 1965 to 1970 are only 40% silver. Look at places like SurvivalBlog and Coinflation.com to understand why buying pre-1965 coinage is a good idea; for this article, suffice to say that these are a good idea. Your budget will of course determine how much of these you can buy. Potential sources include local coin dealers, local coin collectors (potentially the cheapest sources, if you can find an elderly couple who are liquidating their collections), eBay, Goldline.com and many others. You should be able to buy these junk silver coins for between 10 and 12 times the face value of the coins selected, depending on your source.
2) U.S. Silver Eagle coins. Now, many smart folks like Jim Rawles of Survivalblog are not fans of the Silver Eagle series of coins—check his web site for those opinions. On the other hand, I am personally of the opinion that Silver eagles represent a very strong option. They are obviously more valuable than the pre-1965 junk silver coins, and thus you can get a great store of value into fewer coins. After all, the space considerations of storing a zillion dimes and quarters is pretty significant. Plus, they get very heavy very fast. Silver Eagle coins, on the down side, may represent too large a store of value in one coin….you don’t want to be buying a loaf of bread with a U.S. Silver Eagle, when a 90%-silver Mercury Dime will do the job.
1. On the other hand, I can’t see anyone carrying thirty pounds of silver through what could be very dangerous streets, on their way to try to bribe some embassy official to provide a visa to a more stable country. Heck, even the Silver Eagles might be too big and heavy for that purpose, so you probably will need to have some gold coins, as well.
2. Don’t laugh too hard at that concept. Remember, gold & silver were how many Jews and other ethnic minorities bought their way out of Nazi Germany and occupied Europe, at least in the early years of the Hitler era. Today, a few of the minority farmers in the Zimbabwean countryside are using gold & silver to buy passage to safety, once they have been driven off their farms by the mobs.
If you can afford to buy some gold, as well as silver, be sure to include a lot of the smaller [fractional] gold coins. You don’t want to be getting out a hammer and chisel, trying to cut a gold coin in half, in the middle of a long immigration line. But never forget that U.S. government has confiscated gold once before (1933), and could well do so again. You might want to be discreet in how you purchase, store and transport your gold.
Finally, remember that such silver and gold purchases are not investments. They are insurance! Just as you pay “XXX “dollars a month for your auto, home or life insurance, yet count yourself lucky if you never have to make a claim for your policies’ benefits…you should look at Gold and Silver the same way. Try to buy consistently over time, and try to buy a little more whenever the prices drop some.
* But recognize that you are buying insurance against the partial or total devaluation of our nation’s currency. Don’t expect to make any money off of these purchases in an investment sense—but I’ll bet you sleep better at night, once you have stored a small amount of silver & gold in your home safe.
Third, you need to invest in commodities and hard assets—“things.” The good news is that you can do this without owning 50 guns or living on the Canadian border.
* If you think inflation/hyper-inflation is coming….having a few months of food in the pantry is a sure money-maker.
* If you believe deflation is coming…having some food on-hand is even more important—because in a deflationary environment, many farms will be going out of business and cease production…meaning that no more how little it might cost or how much money you might have…if the corn is never grown in the first place, it can’t find it’s way to your dinner table.
If you find the pantry & storage room getting cluttered with canned goods and boxes, invest in some shelving units. I recommend specialized food storage shelving units such as those sold at Rocky Mountain Home Solutions (Disclosure: my wife owns and operates this company.) Or, check out the various advertisers on SurvivalBlog
* Think about buying a four-wheel drive SUV or truck. If not, at least make sure your vehicles are in good repair, with excellent tires and brakes, recently tuned-up, and with new air filters.
* Buy some new/extra camping supplies…and then use them to take the kids camping this summer. You’ll save money over hitting places like Disney World or Six Flags, probably have more fun, get closer to your kids, create some lifelong memories, and then still have the camping equipment that could be used “just in case.”
* Think about a means of self-defense, keeping in mind local, state and federal laws.
1. How, How Much and What Kind are completely up to you, within the bounds of your budget and your good conscience.
2. One good rule of thumb is that for any means of self-defense to be useful, you must also invest in initial and ongoing training.
3. So, if you want to use judo or karate as your self-defense means, then you need to stay in shape and practice on a regular basis.
4. If you want some knives—you need to take a couple of courses on how to effectively defend yourself without risking harm to yourself or innocent bystanders.
5. And if you buy a firearm of some type, then you really need to know what you’re doing. Don’t put yourself in a bad situation by not knowing how to handle your weapons. This is not meant to discourage you from owning firearms—we own several—but to emphasize that they require an investment of your time and attention, as well as money. [JWR Adds: Get training from well-qualified instructors. Start with an NRA firearms safety class. Then take advantage of the inexpensive training offered by the RWVA (the Appleseed folks) and WRSA. Then move on to advanced training offered by schools like Gunsite and Thunder Ranch. As time and budget allow, move on to advanced force -on-force training.]
6. And of course, firearms require an investment in ammunition—or you risk having only large clubs to defend yourself with.
After taking these initial steps toward preparing for an uncertain future, consider other resources for further information and “next steps. Obviously, SurvivalBlog is an excellent source—very even-handed and stays on topic. We’ve also found the Mountain Steps Blog to be a great source of straightforward, honest advice—perfect for the beginning or “early” preparer. Stay away from any radical blogs that focus on conspiracy theories and potential violence—they simply spend too much time focusing on “why” things are happening, and you probably don’t have the time for that. Instead, focus on preparing for a broad spectrum of potential scenarios that will give you the widest scope of options in any real-world emergency.
Well, that’s probably enough advice for now. I hope some of you have found it useful, and perhaps even inspiring. As my old basketball coach used to say: “Don’t be caught watching the paint dry!!” Do something, because anything is going to be better than nothing.
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Welcome to the Savage World of the Year 2009
"Welcome to the savage world of the year 2009". That
was the tag line of the 1992 sci-fi film Freejack
, starring Emilio Estevez.
Do you remember it? The movie that featured Cadillac Gage V100 wheeled APCs painted in bright colors? My old
friend All-Grace-No-Slack-Really-Reformed Kris just reminded me about this movie.
Kris
noted: "It
was a bit corny but it had some good scenes and characters such as Amanda Plummer
as
the gun-toting
nun." This film provides an insight on what futurists then thought
2009
would be like, as well as a retrospective on life in 1992.
Let's look back at 1992: It is amazing how much the
world has changed since 1992. To me, it doesn't seem that long ago. In 1992
I was 32
years, old, and our first child was an infant. In 1992, .308 ball cost $180
per thousand rounds, a Colt M1911 cost around $350, and cases of MREs could
be bought at gun shows for around $30 each. Back in those days, I was running
a mail order business from home, selling magazines. I was buying M1 Carbine
15
round magazines
in cases of 100, for $90 per case, and re-selling them by the onesees
and twosees for $3 per magazine. (One of my "get rich slow" ventures.) In 1992, you could still buy a plane ticket for
cash, and stroll right up to the departure gate without a ticket in hand. Yes,
there was a metal detector, but you could board a commercial flight with a
pocketknife with a single-edge blade less than 2-1/2" long. (Remember when knife catalogs had "Airline approved" models?) In 1992, gasoline
was $1.05 per gallon ($1.09 for premium), and a good loaf of bread still cost
49
cents. In 1992 you
could take a car trip into Mexico or Canada, with a smile and the wave of your
state driver's license.
In 1992, I owned a small ranch near Orofino, Idaho.
House prices there ranged
from $39,000 to $155,000. (In 1989, we had paid $29,000 for an
unfinished
house on 40 acres.) Silver started that year at $4.20 per ounce, but drifted
down to under $3.70 in December. (It was still in the midst of a two-decade
long bear market.) A semi-auto AK-47 cost $179, an AR-15 was around $500,
and an M1A was $800.
Fast forward to 2009: The local gun shops are chronically
short of ammunition, and what little they do receive from their wholesalers sells out immediately, at an average of $1 per round. Today .308
ball costs
$900 per thousand rounds, a Colt M1911 costs around $1,200. A case of MREs
can cost
upwards of $90, and a loaf of bread is anywhere from 99 cents for the dreadful
"air bread" to $4.69 for the good stuff. Gas is back up to more than
$2.50 per gallon. A semi-auto AK-47 costs around $700, a low-end AR-15 is around $1,200,
and
a standard grade
M1A is $1,600 if you can find one. Today, people line up like sheep
and remove their shoes before boarding an airplane, and opening a checking
account requires umpteen pieces of identification. Now, thanks to "Homeland
Security" regulations, they will
turn you
down if
you don't have a physical street address. (BTW, that gets a bit sticky here
in The Unnamed Western State, where lots of my neighbors live so far back
in the
boonies
that
they don't have a street address. The bankers get all befuddled if you start
quoting the Township, Range, and Section numbers of your quarter-section.
In 2009, house
prices are still plummeting from their 2006 highs, but still quite "spendy." A
house around Orofino with a good spring now costs around $400,000. Who knows? In the current bear market, the price of houses may not bottom until they are close to their
1992 levels. Oh, and wait a minute! Firearms manufactuers are now working around the clock, and prices are expected to soon come back down. In 1992, a Steyr AUG cost $800, but then
they peaked in 2008 at around $4,000. But now new production AUGs
(made by Steyr in the US) have hit the market for under $1,800. You gotta love a free market economy. Maybe the more that things change, the
more they remain the same.
The "Freejack" script was loosely based on Robert Sheckley's novel "Immortality, Inc." The screenwriters had a few things right, but plenty of things wrong. For example, the "destroyed ozone layer" hasn't wrecked our health. And I don't feel at risk of my brain being hijacked. But, then again, I don't own a television.
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Creating a Crisis Decision Matrix, by Steve N.
It's been said, “It takes a village to raise a child”. While
I do not agree with much of anything else Hillary says, that was certainly
true in my case. My upbringing consisted of guidance and council from a rather
diverse group of individuals, a large segment of whom were 1970s-era survivalists,
(How many of you remember Mel
Tappan's “Personal Survival Letter”?).
These were self-sufficient, hard-money, common sense, salt-of-the-earth type
people.
A few even had underground bunkers, (I mean “root cellars”). Given
the mind set of my mentors, you might assume that I’m all stocked up
on beans, bullets, and band aids. Regrettably, I am not as well prepared as
I should be. As I analyzed why this is so, I was forced to admit that I had
fallen prey to a fault that could prove to be uncomfortable or even fatal,
if not corrected. Please bear with me as I illustrate with personal experience.
I was raised in rural America, and have hundreds of hours in canoes. One clear
October morning, my friend and I took a hankering for some fresh trout, and we
knew of a lake a couple of hours paddle downstream from his house. October is
nigh winter in the North, and we figured since the bugs had been frozen out for
a week or so, the trout would be ravenous.
We arrived at the lake after a leisurely downstream paddle, and were delighted
to find only half the lake's surface in winter's early grasp. Our strategy
was simple, we would cast our lures onto the edge of the ice, reel them back
ever
so slowly, until they slipped into the water with hardly a ripple. With such
a quiet entry, the unsuspecting trout were inhaling our spinners. We sure had
it our way; no bugs, no bears, no tourists, and the fishing was hot! In my
mind's eye, I could see my wife's beaming smile, she loves fresh trout.
Then, while netting another candidate for the skillet, my friend leaned over
a bit too far. The canoe tilted and several gallons of water poured over the
side. My fast-thinking (but clumsy) friend, realizing that he was going to
capsize us completely, rolled over the side, into the lake. The canoe righted
itself
but, all the water that had poured over the side seconds earlier, now ran to
my end of the canoe. The combination of my body weight plus several gallons
of water was enough to submerge my end, and water poured over the bow into
my lap.
Having no recourse, I (gracefully) floated out of the swamped canoe, into the
lake. We stayed with the canoe, and kicked our way towards shore, however,
the closest “shore” in this case was a raft of muskeg several yards
away. (Muskeg is a thick mat of vegetation so dense it floats, common in the
North
country).We clawed our way onto the muskeg, and it immediately started to sink
beneath our weight, so once again the water came pouring in. Everything reached
equilibrium and we stopped sinking at about knee deep, so we stripped down
and wrung out our clothes, dumped the canoe out and headed for home. The upstream
paddle was a blessing in disguise because the hard work kept us relatively
warm.
We made it back, and even managed to save the fish. And yes, my wife did beam
a brilliant smile; she loves fresh trout you know. But legend has it that, every
October, the animals gather at lakeside. They tell a tale of a couple of hapless
fisherman, who stood on the edge of the muskeg, naked to the waist, knee deep
in icy water, hyper-ventilating while they wrung the water out of their clothes,
and then disappeared upstream, never to be seen again.
My point is simply this, through no fault of my own; my situation had deteriorated
from relatively pleasant to a little chilly, and a lot life-threatening. Never
before, or since, have I been unintentionally thrown from a canoe. Just that
once... but that's all it takes, right? “Just that once”. I suspect
you and I are a lot alike. Despite our experience, (remember my “village”),
we keep living our lives as though the “canoe is never going to tip”.
It's called denial.
The people who study the psychology of survivors, tell us that the mental progression
in wilderness survival situations is similar to that of someone who has just
received some disastrous news. Countless situations have devolved from rescues
to recoveries because the participants refuse to acknowledge that they were
in a dangerous situation. The survivors are the ones who get through the denial
stage the fastest. The don't waste a lot of energy wondering “Why has this
happened to me?”. They get over it, and get on with the business of surviving.
The preparedness process can seem overwhelming at times. There are so many necessities
that, deciding where to commit time and/or resources can be disquieting. The
truth is, its way easier and cheaper to stay in denial, because after all, the
canoe is never going to tip, right? To help get you off high center, I'd like
to offer a decision making matrix; a method to help you decide where to expend
your time and resources to your best advantage.
Industry has developed a procedure called "Process Hazard Analysis".
If you’re
responsible for the safe operation of a facility of some kind, you gather your
engineers, technicians and operators together and discuss the risks involved
in running your plant. Big picture it works like this; you pick an event, and
rank how likely it is to happen, the severity of the consequences if it did,
and any safeguards in place to prevent that particular event from happening.
With this prioritized list you are able to see where to put your maximum effort.
If you’ve never had the joy of sitting through this procedure... I’d
suggest a mid-October swim instead. But, if you think of an “event” as
a condition that produces an undesirable result, then you can see how we can
apply this process to our preparedness efforts.
Make 6 columns down a piece of paper. Title the first "category/event",
the second "Likelihood", the third "Consequences". "Safeguards", "Total" and "Action" are
the titles for columns 4, 5, and 6.
The rankings for the “likelihood” and “severity” columns
will be 1 through 5, with 1 representing "highly unlikely" (for likelihood)
and "Insignificant" (for consequences), 3 representing "Probable" and "Serious
but Repairable", and 5 representing "Highly Probable" and "Financial
Ruin/Fatality". (I'll include a complete list of the rankings I use in
an appendix at the end of this article).
So, for example, if I picked a category of "Civil Unrest" and an event
of "Riots", my thought process would go like this: There has never
been a riot in my hometown and it's very unlikely there ever will be, so "Likelihood" would
get a rank of 1. I live a ways out of town so, even if there was a riot in town,
it's very doubtful that it would spread to my place, so "Consequences" gets
a 1. I have locks and an alarm system and a big dog, so I'm "Confident" in
my safeguards, I'll give them a 3. You can see that I don't need to spend a lot
of resources preparing for riots. On the other hand, you may live in a neighborhood
that has experienced nearby riots. You rankings would come out different and
perhaps indicate that you should spend some time thinking about how to mitigate
that risk. Note however, that a category of "Civil Unrest" with and
event of "Burglary" would rank higher in my situation, because that
particular event has happened in my area.
Had I chosen a category of "Natural Disasters" and an Event of “Forest
Fire", my likelihood rank would be 5 (because forest fires have occurred
in my area). The consequence rank would be 5, because the worst case consequence
is a fatality. My safeguards, (detectors, and extinguishers) are adequate but
could use improvement, so safeguards get a 2. Add column 2 (likelihood) and 3
(severity) and subtract column 4 (safeguards) and I have a total of 8 out of
a possible 10, a high priority. You can see through this extreme example that,
it makes more sense for me to focus my efforts on upgrading my fire plan, than
it does preparing for a riot. I should probably place a higher priority on fire
extinguishers than firearms, hard to do given the emotion of today’s
situation. Examination of your situation may well result in a different conclusion.
The
important thing is that emotion is removed from the decision making process.
We all have a tendency to “lock up” when faced with an intimidating
task. It is my hope that, by introducing this decision making process, you can
remove the paralyzing emotions from the decisions that must be made. By thoughtfully
following the process, you’ll create a touchstone that will anchor you
when self-doubt or well-meaning friends criticize your actions, and you are tempted
to procrastinate or worse. If your beliefs don't impact your actions then they're
just worthless mental baggage. How many times have you heard the word "unprecedented" lately?
That means that we have never been in this situation before, not in all of
mankind's history. So we really have no idea how this will end. There is still
time to
act, the canoe hasn't tipped yet. Use this matrix to assess where you are in
the preparedness process and, most importantly, act on your decisions.
Suggested Definitions of Rankings
Likelihood
1. Has not happened to you, or in your local area
2. Improbable, unlikely
3. Possible
4. Probable, likely
5. Has happened to you or in your local area.
Severity
1. No significant consequence
2. Disagreeable, minor physical/financial loss
3. Significant but repairable
4. Major injury, financial hardship
5. Financial ruin, fatality
Safeguards
1. None
2. Low confidence, needs improvement
3. Confident, has been adequate
4. Extremely confident
5. Absolute confidence
Add the Likelihood and Severity numbers, and subtract from that the safeguard
number for a personalized risk ranking of a specific event.
You can see that, events with high likelihood, severe consequences and low safeguards
are going to require action, say any event with a total risk ranking of 8 or
more. Total risk of 5-7 deserves some serious consideration. Total risks of less
than 4 are low priorities. If you decide an event requires action, it may be
possible to add safeguard points, and diminish the risk, with simple lifestyle
changes before committing resources that could be better used elsewhere.
The following is an example of a Crisis Decision Matrix. (Modify to fit your
particular situation.)
Crisis Decision Matrix |
Category |
Event Likelihood |
Consequences |
Safeguards |
Total |
Action |
| |
1. Has not happened to you or in your area
2. Improbable/unlikely
3. Possible
4. Probable, likely
5. Has happened to you / in your area. |
1. No significant consequence
2. Disagreeable, minor physical/financial loss
3. Significant but repairable
4. Major injury, financial hardship
5. Financial ruin, fatality |
1. None
2. Low confidence, needs improvement
3. Confident, has been adequate
4. Extremely confident
5. Absolute confidence |
Likelihood
+ Consequences
–Safeguards
= Total |
|
| Civil Unrest –Riot |
1 |
1 |
3 |
-1 |
None |
| Civil Unrest – Burglary |
5 |
3 |
4 |
4 |
Look into improving my security system with cameras and a DVR |
| Natural Disasters – Fire |
5 |
5 |
2 |
8 |
Need to improve fire detection ability and devise family contingency
plans for specific fire scenarios. Research “Firewise” principles
for structures in high risk areas. |
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Letter Re: Advice for Newcomers in a Community--Overcoming the We/They Paradigm
Good evening Mr. Rawles,
My name is Ignacio, I'm a Cuban-born American. The three best days in my life
were when I married my wife, when I became an American citizen and
when my daughter was born (in this country). I am an avid reader of your blog,
and working hard to get prepared, we bought a small place (1.5 acres in
southwest Florida, it's in the woods) it was the only thing we could afford to
get ready. But I am very concerned that my neighbors might not like us because
we are Hispanic (although my wife is blue-eyed and has blonde hair.). I can
assure you
that no one loves this country more than we do, but I understand that most of
the Hispanics do not like our country.
What would be a good way to approach my neighbors? Sincerely, - Ignacio R.
JWR Replies: I recommend that you do your very best to get
to know your neighbors, and make it clear that you are are part of the
community.
Get involved in
community
activities. For example: join the local volunteer fire department (they
offer great training, by the way!), make the effort to introduce yourself to
your
neighbors,
invite
them over for barbeques and other social events, join the local church, Rod
and Gun club, ham radio club, and so forth. I also recommend joining (or forming)
a local Community Watch organization.
It takes time, but with effort, you
can make yourself an insider in a community. I am confident that you
know in your heart that you are "an
okay guy", but you just need to demonstrate that to the
folks in your new community. If you work hard enough at it, they will consider
you not just a neighbor, but an indispensable neighbor and a
genuine "go to guy".
Several times in SurvivalBlog, I've
mentioned what sociologists call the We/They Paradigm. The bottom line
is that you need to immerse yourself into the collective "we" (insiders),
so that you aren't seen as part of the "they" (outsiders). In my
experience, race and even religion need not be barriers to becoming part
of the "we".
It
is clear from your letter that you love our Nation. Just make it clear to
your neighbors that you love your community, just as much.
Cementing your relationships with your neighbors can take years. Or, in the
case of South Florida, just one hurricane season. If a time
of deep trauma or deep drama comes up (such as severe weather or wildfires),
then jump in and help out with disaster relief, starting with your nearest
neighbors.
Check
on every
one of
them, and
ask if there is anything that you can do to help. Based on what you demonstrate
of your character, your neighbors will quickly learn that you are someone that
can be trusted when the Schumer Hits the Fan. And, BTW, it will give you a
chance
to size them up, as well.
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Unconventional Wisdom for CCW Permit Holders, by Mike U.
Personal Background:
I am 65, have never been active duty military, nor in law enforcement. I have,
however, legally (licensed CCW)
carried a concealed handgun on a regular, daily basis, for most of my adult life.
This includes CCW permits in Oregon, Washington,
Alaska, and Indiana. When specific circumstances justified doing so (in my personal
opinion at the time), I have also carried concealed in California "from
time to time" without a CCW. I helped teach a concealed weapons class when
living in Alaska by demonstrating how to carry effectively,
regardless of weapon size. I have also had no fewer than seven instances in the
last forty years when
I have had to legitimately use a concealed handgun for personal defense of self
or others. These include a home invasion attempt, an attempted "run my wife
and I off the road" on a dark, deserted stretch of highway one night, two
serious mugging attempts, two cases of effecting citizen's arrests at gun point
for attempted thefts while working as a late night cashier at a convenience store,
and (most recently), intervening in a domestic dispute gone bad where the male
half attempted grave bodily harm on his (ex)fiancee by taking a shot at
her in front of my house. Please note my use of "attempted" in all
of the above cases. Thanks to my being legally armed at the time, none of them
were successful. Equally fortunate, all were successfully resolved without my
actually having to fire a shot in any of them (although three were really, really
close). The above is just to support that my personal opinions below are based
on many years of actual street experience as a civilian carrier of a legally
carried concealed weapon.
Legal Considerations:
There was a recent post about an individual in Washington State who was pulled
over for a routine traffic stop. Said individual happened to have two loaded,
concealed weapons in his vehicle, one handgun and one rifle. What said individual
did not have was a CCW. In addition to whatever resulted from the traffic stop
itself, both weapons were confiscated and the individual ended up with a conviction
for carrying a concealed weapon without a license.
I too been pulled over for routine traffic stops while carrying concealed,
once in Anchorage, Alaska (failure to signal a lane change) and once in Seattle,
Washington (cracked windshield). In Anchorage, I immediately informed the officer
that I was licensed and carrying and asked if he wanted to secure the weapon.
His reply was "No. You have done what you are required by law to do -
inform me that you are carrying. It is safer for both of us if you just leave
it in
the holster."
The difference between Anchorage and Seattle is that the two officers in Seattle
did want to secure any weapons. By the time I was done divesting myself of
any questionable items, there were two J Frame S&W .38s (both with Crimson
Trace laser grips), a Colt Mustang Pocketlite .380, a Benchmade lock-back folder,
a
Leatherman Wave, a Swiss Champ knife, a canister of Pepper Spray, and an ASP
tactical baton on the hood of my car. Reaction to what the liberal media would
describe as a walking arsenal? One officer turned to the other and said "S***,
he's got better gear than we do."
In both cases, I drove away with nothing more than a verbal warning, one to watch
my lane changes and the other to get my windshield fixed. I have always suspected
that my being legally armed and cooperative was a factor in receiving verbal
warnings instead of written tickets.
I am a Life Member of the NRA, as pro Second Amendment as anyone reading SurvivalBlog,
and personally believe that the only two states that have "got it
right" are Vermont and Alaska, both of which allow concealed carry, with
no permit required [even inside city limits]. Having said that, I also recognize
that the remaining 48 states
DO
have restrictive laws governing the carrying of concealed weapons. I also recognize
that, at least for the time being and immediately foreseeable future, they
also have functioning law enforcement and judicial systems. While I may agree
with
the sentiment that no law abiding citizen should be required to have a license
to exercise rights guaranteed under the Constitution, I also have no sympathy
for anyone who assumes that position, gets caught, and ends up paying the legal
price.
The question I would ask anyone who is considering carrying concealed without the necessary legal permit is this: Is the exercise of your principles worth
the risk of losing the weapon(s) you are carrying, a criminal conviction that
will probably result in failed background checks for any future purchases requiring
Federal paperwork, and the distinct possibility in today's political environment
of the stop/conviction triggering a search warrant of your home (and subsequent
confiscation of any weapons found there) because DHS criteria suggests that
you are obviously a dangerous extremist, if not an outright terrorist? Let
your conscience
be your guide. Just be sure to very carefully think through the potential ramifications
of your actions.
CONVENTIONAL WISDOM:
The absolute Rule Number One of gunfights is simple and basic: Have a gun.
Not only do I totally agree with Rule Number One, but without
exception, all other considerations in the concealed carry
decision process are insignificant compared
to Rule Number One.
Rule Number Two generally involves weapon choice - revolver versus semi-auto.
Depending on who is on the soap box at the moment, myriad reasons will be
Rule Number Three generally involves the best caliber. As with the revolver
versus semi-automatic decision, one size does not fit all. While there is much
truth
to the old statement that a 9mm may expand but a .45 will never shrink, the
size of the hole is of far less importance than the location of the hole. Bore
diameter
is nowhere near as critical as shot placement.
Rule Number Four deals with the How and Where to carry. The vast majority of
gun writers/instructors teach/preach strong-side hip, preferably in an inside
the waist band (IWB) holster. This is an excellent choice. But as with Rules
Two and Three, one size does not fit all. There are numerous reasons why this
may be a less than optimum method of carry, depending on specific circumstances
at the time.
Rule Number Five is to always carry at least one reload of spare ammo in either
a spare magazine for a semi-auto or some kind of speed loader for a revolver.
I totally agree about carrying spare ammo. I just don't necessarily agree on
the best way to do it.
Rule Number Six is to always use "aimed" fire by
focusing on your front sight.
Rule Number Seven is the true weapon isn't the gun; it is the person holding
it.
UNCONVENTIONAL WISDOM:
Rule Number One: See above. No disagreement here at all.
Rule Number Two: See Rule Number One. Whether it is a revolver or semi-auto,
your first choice should be the biggest (in terms of both
caliber and capacity) that you will always have with you.
A $2,000 tricked-out custom [Model] 1911 with all the latest bells and whistles
is worthless if it is back
home in your
gun
safe
(you do have a gun safe, don't you?) when you need it on the
street. Having a carry gun that you don't carry all the time because
it is too big, too heavy,
interferes with your clothing style, or any other lame excuse you come up with,
makes no sense at all in my book. If you have made the decision to carry, then do so.
Period. No exceptions. It makes not one whit of difference if that choice is
a revolver or semi-auto as long as it is one you will always have
on/with you. It makes a whole lot of difference if it is at home and
you aren't, regardless
of type.
Rule Number Three: See Rule Number One. Years ago (before the days of high
performance JHP bullets) caliber choice did make a difference
in terms of proven street performance.
After many, many years of documented shootings, the 125 grain JHP .357
Magnum still holds the position of number one, one shot stop performance. It
is followed
very closely now by the .40 S&W, with the .45 ACP marginally behind the
.40. Today's high performance loads for .32 and .380, however, are vastly superior
to the old 148 grain lead round nose .38 Special police loads, which were notoriously
poor stoppers.
The point is that the caliber itself is not the key factor.
What is the most effective (note that I said effective and not largest) caliber
that you can
comfortably handle and reliably control? My daughter and a personal friend
of ours both have
a medical condition which makes it physically impossible for either of them
to control any semi-auto chambering more than a .380. "Muzzle flip" with
heavier loads will literally dislocate their wrists because most of the recoil
force is transferred directly to the wrist joint. Both of them, however, can
very easily and comfortably control full frame .45 revolvers. This is because
grip angle on the revolver transfers recoil into the web of the hand between
the thumb and pointer finger and then in a direct line through the
wrist and down the forearm. Not only is perceived recoil considerably reduced,
actual
recoil force applied to the wrist joint is in fact reduced.
Re-stating Rules Two and Three: See Rule Number One. What works best for you?
You need to stop caring about what works best for someone else. Concentrate
instead on what works best for you and in a type/caliber configuration
that you will always have with you. Front Sight's motto of "Any gun
will do, if you will do" is absolutely true.
Rule Number Four: Are you ready? Can you guess? See Rule Number One. There
is no question that a good IWB holster is one of the most effective ways to
carry
(and more importantly conceal) any handgun, especially
full frame revolvers or semi-autos. Because the holster and lower portion of
the
weapon
are inside
the
pants, nothing is visible below the level of the belt. Being inside the pants
also allows you to cinch your belt tight, pulling the entire gun frame into
your body instead of allowing it to flop outward, "printing" on your
shirt or jacket. This is especially important if you are carrying a small revolver
in a belt holster because they are "top heavy" with a tendency to
have the butt of the gun flop or sag away from the body. But unless the IWB
holster
is properly designed to stay open with the weapon removed, it is virtually
impossible to re-holster the gun one-handed.
But as effective as it might be, an IWB is not always your best choice. Do
you spend most of your working day behind the wheel of a vehicle? Try drawing
from
a strong-side hip IWB holster some time while you are sitting behind the wheel,
with your seat belt going over your jacket. Under these circumstances, a good
shoulder or cross-draw holster would be infinitely more practical. Or maybe
you work in an office that doesn't have air conditioning in the hot and humid
summer
months. I can guarantee you that your co-workers will find it odd or strange
that you are the only one in the office who never removes your coat. Been there.
Done
that. Switched to a different carry method.
Rule Number Five: Again, See Rule Number One. Given the proliferation
in recent years of high capacity semi-autos using double stack magazines capable
of holding 15 or more rounds, there is a tendency for the neophyte (and even
some with more experience who should know better) to assume that spare ammo
is
unnecessary. The logic runs "If I can't resolve the problem in 15, or
17 or 19 rounds, I won't need spare ammo anyway." I don't care who the
manufacturer is or how high the quality of the product, if it is mechanical,
it can break
or malfunction. Or, as I read recently, "Anyone who tells you they have
never experienced a breakage is either lying or they don't shoot enough." With
proper training, you can very quickly clear typical semi-auto jams or malfunctions.
But if the magazine itself fails (like having the floor plate come loose,
dumping all remaining rounds on the ground), the only way
to get back in action (short of picking up one round at a time from the ground
and hand feeding it
in the chamber), is having a spare reload.
In spite of the argument that revolvers are more "functionally reliable" than
semi-autos, they are not immune to problems. Older style firing pins can break.
Inadequate crimping can cause bullets to pull forward from the case, locking
up the cylinder. The early-production Model 586 L Frame S&W .357 Magnum
had a design flaw that would cause primers to back out of the primer pocket,
which
would
also lock the cylinder, preventing cylinder rotation. There is no "rack
and tap" clearance
drill for a locked up revolver cylinder. The only remedy is disassembly, which
is best left to a qualified gunsmith. I was fortunate that my 586 locked up
on me while testing it at the range and not in the middle of some serious social
interaction. Or I should say, the 586 that I used to own.
Where I personally differ from Conventional Wisdom is that I don't carry spare
ammo for my primary strong side hip holstered weapon (either a Browning Hi-Power
in .40 S&W or a Kimber Gold Match 1911 in .45 ACP). I carry a spare
gun (Taurus 605 .357 Magnum with a 2-1/2 inch barrel). What I give up in the
way of spare
rounds (5 rounds of. .357 vs 10 .40 or 8 rounds of .45) I more than gain in
speed and versatility. This is what is known as a "New York Reload" based on NYPD's
famed
Stake-Out
Squad. Simply put, the fastest reload in the world is a second gun.
That by itself is enough reason for me to carry a spare gun instead of spare
ammo for my primary. But there are other reasons that, again for me, are even
more important. If you are ever faced with multiple assailants and are with
someone, tossing them your spare magazine won't do either of you much good.
Tossing them
your spare gun might. What if you are out with your family some dark and rainy
night and your car breaks down in a questionable area, requiring you to walk
for help? (Yes, you should have a functioning cell phone for those situations.
Is it fully charged? Do you have a charger in the car just in case it isn't?
Are you in a dead zone with no phone reception?) If it is necessary for any
reason for you to leave them while you seek help, do you take your gun with
you (leaving
them defenseless), or do you leave your gun with them (leaving you defenseless)?
This becomes a non-issue with a spare gun.
What if you are assaulted (mugged) on the street and your assailant grabs your
gun hand/arm, preventing you from accessing your strong side weapon? This also
becomes a non-issue if you are carrying two guns, strong and weak side, allowing
you to quickly access a weapon with either hand. One of the two previously
mentioned mugging attempts involved two assailants who positioned themselves
in front and
behind me while I was walking down the street one night. The only reason
the lead assailant was unable to pin my gun hand/arm was that I had deliberately
positioned him to my left when passing him. When he suddenly lunged at me,
grabbing and pinning my left arm against my side, I was still able to access
my weapon
on the side away from him. Needless to say, he did a very quick "oopsy
two-step" while
disengaging from the encounter. That was forty years ago and when I first started
thinking through the wisdom of carrying a second gun.
Before anybody says/thinks that the other reason is that this acts as my back-up
gun, no, it does not. I refer to it as my secondary/spare, not my back-up.
I do so for a reason, that reason being that my true "back-up" is
either one of those previously mentioned J Frames or the Colt Mustang in my
left front
pants pocket. If you are beyond remedial math skills, you quickly realized
that 1+1+1 = 3. The small J Frames or the Mustang are my always guns.
I switch between
the J's and Colt based on the pants I'm wearing at the time. If the pockets
are deep enough, I carry one of the Smiths. If not, I carry the Colt. Either
way,
if I am wearing pants, I will always have one or the other
on me, even inside my house.
As an aside, legality of carrying multiple weapons (even with a CCW), varies
from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. In some states, the CCW allows the holder
to carry whatever make/model/caliber and number of guns that suits their individual
fancy. Not so in others. Some states are so restrictive that the CCW is weapon
specific, including right down to make, model, and serial number. You are allowed
to carry the exact weapon shown on your CCW and nothing else, period. Act according
to what is allowed in your jurisdiction. The best advice if you live
in one of the more restrictive jurisdictions is this: Move.
Rule Number Six: Once again, see Rule Number One. There are a number of very
good "pocket" (Always) guns that don't even have effective front
sights. Full size weapons that do have decent "standard" sights may
be very effective in well lit situations but become virtually worthless in
the dark.
Sorry, but you simply can't focus on your front sight if you can't even see
it in the first place.
There are three effective ways to address this potential problem: glow in
the dark "night sights," laser grips, and "pointer fire." Higher
end (read more expensive) guns may come already set-up with night sights, or
more recently, even Crimson Trace laser grips. Decent after-market night sights
can be picked up for between $70 and $100, depending on brand, plus installation
cost if you have it done by a gunsmith. Crimson Trace grips will run, on average,
plus or minus $300 depending on make and model of the gun. Of the two options,
there
is no question that laser grips are the more versatile choice. You have to
be
looking down the top strap of the gun to see and use your night sights. Not
so with lasers. Lasers are also an effective "force multiplier." Putting
that red dot on someone's chest will almost always immediately cause them to "reconsider" whatever
it is they are doing. End result is problem solved without your having to actually
pull the trigger. Believe me, you really don't want to have
to pull the trigger if you can avoid it. I am such a huge fan of Crimson Trace grips
that my Hi Power, Kimber, Taurus, and both J Frames are all equipped
with them (as do my son-in-law's three
and my daughter's two carry guns). My only carry gun that doesn't is my Mustang.
And the only reason it doesn't is that always doesn't make
grips for it.
Pointer fire doesn't work? Tell that to Bill Jordan, one of the fastest and
deadliest real gunfighters of the last century. Or Thell Reed and
Arvo Ojalla, both of
whom were almost unbelievably proficient at "hip shooting." Remember
the old Gunsmoke television program, which always started with Matt
Dillon having a classic "walk
and draw" face-off on Main street? His "opponent" in that clip
was Ojalla (who spent much of his career training Western actors). Ojalla's "trademark" trick
was to place a target 21 feet away. He would then, in one continuous motion,
throw a knife at the target, draw, and fire a single action Colt - from "the
hip." The bullet would hit the target first, followed almost immediately
by the point of the knife going into the bullet hole.
I personally "honed" my gun handling skills in the days before it
became common knowledge that "pointer fire doesn't work." My "test
fire" procedure
for any new carry gun is six full loads (magazines in a semi-auto or cylinders
in a revolver) at a standard silhouette target 21 feet down-range. I use 21
feet because contact to 21 feet is the distance at which the vast majority
of actual
gunfights take place. My first load is aimed fire, center of mass. My second
is aimed fire, head shots. My third is slow and deliberate strong hand pointer
fire. This is followed by the fourth load of rapid fire strong hand pointer.
The fifth and six loads are slow and rapid weak hand pointer fire. If I cannot
consistently keep all of my rounds on target at 21 feet, I
don't carry that gun. I do the same basic drill whenever I add laser grips
to a new carry gun,
with
two modifications. I eliminate the two rapid fire sequences and move the target
back to 25 yards. All "sighting" is then done using just that red
dot on target. It should be obvious, but I will say it anyway. Pointer fire
becomes
even more effective if you have the added visual benefit of a red dot on target.
In this regard, weapon choice can and does make a huge difference. Some guns
are "natural pointers" in that the grip angle naturally aligns the
bore with the shooter's hand, wrist and forearm. The gun "points" where
the shooter points. Probably the two best grip designs for "pointability" in
the history of firearms are the Colt Single Action Army and the High Standard
Sentinel. As a general rule, with some exceptions, most revolvers are reasonably
good natural pointers. This is not at all true for semi-autos. Some are excellent
while others are absolutely horrid. You test this by holding the gun naturally
in your hand, waist high, and point it at a target. Does the bore follow a
straight line through your hand, wrist, and forearm? Or does the muzzle point
up (or down)
from a line running down your arm? If it does, you would have to make an unnatural
compensation in your grip by "cocking your wrist" to bring the gun "on
target" with pointer fire. Learning to be able to consistently do that,
especially while under stress, isn't worth the time, trouble, or ammo expense.
Choose a different gun to carry.
When time and distance are appropriate, absolutely follow conventional wisdom.
Focus on your front sight and use sighted/aimed fire. But I would strongly suggest
that you have an effective, workable, fall-back option for those situations where
conventional wisdom might be found lacking in real life.
Rule Number Seven: Don't ever bluff with a loaded gun. Under the law,
you will be held to a higher standard of conduct just from the mere fact that
you are
armed. If you are not mentally and emotionally prepared to pull the trigger
if put in a situation that justifies doing so, then don't carry a
gun. And don't
ever make the mistake of thinking that someone is going to immediately comply
with your wishes just because you pull a gun on them, because an uncomfortable
percentage of the time they won't. What are you going to do after you draw
down on them and they then tell you "You don't have the (whatever) to
use that" and
keep on coming? You are either justified in using deadly force or you aren't.
If your immediate situation does not justify deadly force then keep
your gun in your holster.
Besides, it isn't the gun itself that compels compliance, it is how you present
yourself. Do you come across as confident or fearful? Resolute or timid? What
does your manner and attitude convey to the other person? And I don't mean
acting aggressively, either. Very often, the difference between having to actually
pull
the trigger or not hinges on the other person's perception of your willingness to
do so if necessary. Or stated differently, if they believe you will, you probably
won't have to.
One of the two late night convenience store incidents involved two very "mouthy" individuals
who proceeded to tell me "You think you're such hot stuff with that piece?
You better remember that there are two of us and just one of you." And this
was while they were being held at gun-point. Their attitude suddenly changed
when I held up the J frame in my hand and said "Two to one? No. I count
it five to two."
An even stronger example of the impact of "presentation" wasn't even
included in my list of seven incidents. That was the night I backed down seven
Gypsy Jokers (outlaw Biker gang) without ever giving the slightest
indication that I was even carrying. After a fairly tense few minutes that
included numerous
threats concerning what they planned to do to me (during which I never once
raised my voice or even flinched), one of them talked the rest into leaving
the store.
That particular individual came back to the store by himself a couple of nights
later. I thanked him for defusing the situation. That's when he told me "You
should have been making wet spots on the floor. You weren't. I didn't want
to find out why not."
Two weeks later, he came back in, by himself. Only this time, he cornered
me in the back room when I had both hands full of empty six packs of bottles.
He also pulled a knife on me with the comment "Now I've got you where
I want you." I simply said "Whenever you're ready, make your play.
All I'm going to do is open my right hand and then put two just above your
belt buckle
before the first bottle hits the floor." He responded with "You're
not that good." I answered with "You think not. I think I am. Whenever
you're ready to find out which of us is right, go for it." His parting
words before he left the store (after putting his knife away) were "You're
not worth it." I never saw him again. He may not have believed that I
was good enough to pull it off, but he knew I was sure going
to try. He also knew the
other side of the coin to Rule Number One: Never bring a knife to a gunfight. "Presentation
and Perception" were the keys that kept a bad situation from getting worse.
Oh, and this incident was also not included in the list of seven because I
didn't actually "use" the gun that I was in fact very mentally
prepared to.
ADDITIONAL UNCONVENTIONAL TIPS:
Since I have already pretty well belabored Rule One (it does not really matter
what you carry, as long as you carry something), I am not going to spend any
more time discussing weapon or caliber specifics. Instead, I am going to focus
strictly on Rule Number Four - the How and Where of carrying in a less than
conventional or textbook manner.
There are essentially just two basic ways to carry a handgun: With or Without
a holster. There are, however, numerous specific ways to do both.
True holster carry includes strong and weak side hip (inside and outside the
waist band), cross-draw, shoulder (vertical, horizontal, and upside down),
ankle, and pocket. There are also variations, such as groin and belly band,
that technically
fall within the "holster" category but which are not in fact actual
holsters in the traditional sense. There are also multiple different ways to
attach a holster to a belt (clips, snaps, slots, paddle), as well as many different
styles of belt holster. Depending on specific circumstances at the time, I
have experimented with every one of the above (and others) over the last 45
years.
Whichever type is used, however, the crucial factors are comfort, concealment,
and accessibility. All three are important. Which of these is most important,
however, depends entirely on individual circumstances. As with Rules Two and
Three,
there is no pat answer. It all depends on the individual and their reasons
for carrying
in the first place. For someone who would be fired on the spot if caught carrying,
absolute concealment is obviously more important than comfort or accessibility.
By the same token, if you work in a high risk environment, accessibility will
have the greatest importance. If neither of these circumstances is present,
you would probably be more likely to opt for comfort first.
If the carry method isn't comfortable, you will violate Rule Number One and
leave the gun at home when you should have it with you. You will also have
a tendency
to constantly readjust or reposition it, which is a classic "tell" that
you are carrying. If the carry method doesn't adequately conceal the weapon
(gun is visible because it is carried too far forward on the hip, allowing
it to be
seen if the covering outer garment is moved aside when retrieving something
from a pocket, it is worn such that the gun butt "prints," or the
barrel can be seen beneath the bottom edge of the covering garment, as examples,)
two less than desirable results occur. The first is that you immediately lose
any
surprise advantage should you be put in a position of actually needing to use
your weapon. The second, depending on jurisdiction, is that you very well may
also lose your CCW. My Indiana CCW allows either concealed or open
carry. With my CCW, I am still legal, even if my weapon should become visible
(such as
having my shirt catch on the back of the chair at the restaurant recently,
exposing
my weapon). This is not the case in all jurisdictions. Exposing your weapon
in public in some jurisdictions is grounds of and by itself for automatic cancellation
of your CCW. The third, accessibility, should be obvious. If you can't quickly
and easily get to it if you should need it, strict observance of Rule Number
One won't do you much good.
The two key determining factors in holster selection can be summed up as lifestyle
and dress code. What do you do to earn a living? Do you work in an office behind
a desk? Drive a truck or taxi for eight hours? Stand on your feet all day long
working retail behind a counter? Are you retired? Are you required to wear
a uniform at work (company logo type thing?) Suit and tie? Coveralls (mechanic
in a shop for example?) Casual attire? How can you best achieve the three critical
factors (comfort, concealment and accessibility) in your specific situation?
A holster that works extremely well in one scenario may not work at all in
another.
You may prefer a particular mode of carry but your job or required
dress may prevent it. What works best for you for your
specific circumstances at the time?
I have already mentioned the difficulty of drawing from a strong side hip
holster when buckled up behind the wheel of a vehicle. You can encounter similar
problems
when seated at a desk, even without a seat belt. If you are sitting close to
the desk (legs under the desk, hands and arms on the desk), the gun barrel
will come up under the front edge of the desk when you draw it, unless you
first push
yourself back from the desk to give yourself adequate clearance.
There are four realistic holster options for desk work: ankle, cross-draw,
shoulder, and Cavalry. The "best choice" depends on a number of factors.
Do you wear your suit/sport coat while working at your desk or do you take
it off? Do
you (for whatever reason) only carry one gun? How much of your working day
is spent at your desk versus out and around? What is your commute situation?
Do
you drive or take public transportation? Best choice? The reality is that answers
to these questions may determine your choice for you. As I said earlier, what
works extremely well in one scenario may not work at all in another. You need
to balance the totality of your carry requirements in making your
carry decisions.
If you work in shirt sleeves all day long at your desk, an ankle rig may be
your only truly practical choice for concealment and accessibility. Your desk
will
prevent anyone from the front or side seeing it and it will be instantly "at
hand" if you need it. It becomes increasingly less practical, however,
if you don't spend all day in the office and/or commute by driving.
Wearing a "covering garment" greatly expands your options, whether
that garment is a coat or sweater, preferably with front buttons. Either a cross-draw
or shoulder holster will put your gun very close "to hand" by allowing
you to sit with your elbow on your chair's arm rest, arms crossed in front of
you, and your hand inside your coat or sweater. A cross-draw holster lessens
the risk of catching the gun barrel on the front edge of the desk compared to
strong side hip, but it is still a potential if you are sitting too close. You
avoid this by simply "rocking back" in your chair as you draw. As
your upper body goes back, your gun easily clears the front edge of the desk
as you
draw.
The "type" of shoulder holster directly affects both accessibility
and draw. Horizontal rigs naturally position the gun above the desk edge. Simply
execute your draw. An upside down rig has the same potential for catching under
the front edge of the desk as strong side hip or cross-draw. You avoid the desk
edge by doing the same "rock back" as with a cross-draw. A typical
vertical shoulder holster, however, presents its own little twist to the draw
depending on how tall you are and your "torso length" relative to positioning
with the front edge of the desk. Draws from a vertical shoulder holster are executed
with a "forward and down" motion. Unless you sit high enough, the front
edge of the desk will also interfere and get in the way of your clearing the
holster and acquiring your target. If you are tall enough to clear, simply execute
the draw. If not, again do a "rock back" in your chair to gain the
needed extra clearance.
My personal preference if I am wearing a coat or sweater, however, is a Cavalry
draw. It is called this because that is the way Cavalry troops carried their
handguns in the 180os - strong side hip, gun butt forward. The classic picture
of Wild Bill Hickock also demonstrates this method of carry. He wore a sash
with a pair of Colt 1851 Navy Cap and Ball revolvers stuck butts forward in
the sash.
As a point of historical trivia, this method of carry is the fastest known
way to draw and fire a single action revolver while seated at a poker table.
With
modern weapons and holsters, use a left hand holster for a right hand draw
(and vice versa). The gun/holster is worn high, butt against your side (lower
rib
cage). You draw by simply reversing your hand (palm out, back of your hand
against your side). Grasp the butt of the gun and then snap your elbow back
in against
your body. This action brings the gun out of the holster in a horizontal sweep
above the edge of the desk. Pull the trigger when the muzzle goes "on
target." I
prefer this method because it works equally well for sitting at a desk, driving,
or walking down the street. [JWR Adds: From a safety standpoint,
be advised that this carry and presentation method also "muzzles" your legs
if you you use your strong side hand, which is a no-no.]
Ankle holsters can be a practical option, but other than for desk work as described
above, I personally feel they should be reserved strictly for deep cover back-up
guns and not for your primary gun. They may or may not be comfortable because
they have a tendency to chafe on your leg and ankle. To assure concealment,
you also need to pay strict and careful attention to the cut of your pant leg
for
both tightness and length. If your pant leg isn't long enough, it will ride
up and over the holster, exposing your weapon. If your cuff is too tight, accessibility
will be excessively (dangerously) restricted. My main objections to them, however,
are speed and vulnerability while drawing. Of all of the holster options, an
ankle rig is probably the slowest from initiating your draw until time on target.
And I really don't like the idea of having to either kneel or bend over to
get
at my weapon if I am in a literal face-to-face encounter with someone.
The only holster style that I have absolutely no use for is Small
of the Back (SOB). They are effective for concealment. They are also
just as accessible (for speed)
as a strong side hip holster, and probably faster than a shoulder or cross-draw
rig. The down-side is that they are not particularly comfortable when seated
because the gun rests right against the spine. And this is why I don't like
them. I don't dislike them because they are uncomfortable. I dislike them because
they
are dangerous. If you ever slip and fall flat on your back (or get pushed violently
against a wall in a physical confrontation) while using a Small of the Back
holster, you run an extremely high risk of having your back broken from the
impact of
hard steel directly against your spine.
There isn't much that needs to be said about shoulder holsters, except for
the upside down (old Berns-Martin) style. This is one of only two holster styles
I personally know of where you can access and draw your weapon just as easily
(and quickly) with either hand. In one sense, it is a vertical rig because
the
barrel points straight up, with the gun butt pointing toward the rear. If worn
on your left side, you simply reach across with your right hand, bringing it
up to grasp the gun in a natural grip. You access it with your left hand by
reaching up under the covering garment, curling your hand/wrist to also grab
the gun with
a natural grip. The draw itself is executed by "rolling" your hand
in a circular motion toward the rear, down, and then forward and up. Another
thing I like about this design is that you can stand with the gun already grasped
in your left hand (the outer garment drapes over your wrist and conceals your
gun hand) and no one facing you has the slightest clue that you are in fact
armed. They just think you are standing with your hand on your hip. At least
they did
when I "demonstrated" this very draw while working at the previously
mentioned late night convenience store. An upside down shoulder holster also
tends to conceal better than vertical or horizontal rigs because the top strap
of the gun is forward, reducing "printing" potential compared to
the butt making obvious bulges under the covering garment.
I mentioned that the upside down shoulder holster was one of only two styles
allowing quick and easy access with either hand. The other is a cross-draw
holster where
you
reach across with your strong side hand or use a Cavalry draw with your weak
hand. The problem with this approach (and cross draw in general) is that positioning
the holster far enough forward on the hip for easy access with your strong
hand too often places it in a position where the covering garment no longer
adequately
conceals the weapon.
Pants pocket carry can go under either category - with or without a holster.
Conventional wisdom is to always use a pocket holster because it keeps the
gun in a constant position, preventing it from shifting around in your pocket,
as well as breaking up the outline of the gun. The other aspect of conventional
wisdom is to never carry anything else in the same pocket at the same time
-
just the gun and holster. While I can understand the logic of both points,
and agree in principle, I personally don't care for and therefore do not use
a pocket
holster myself. I also carry a money clip and small change purse in the same
pocket, which I personally use to break up the outline.
Either way (with or without a holster), do not carry any gun with a standard "spur" hammer
in your pocket. There is excessive risk of the hammer spur snagging on fabric
when you draw the gun. The only way to avoid this is to place your thumb against
the back of the hammer and doing so prevents getting a proper grip while drawing.
You want either a round hammer like the Colt Mustang and some Browning models,
or a hammerless model (the correct technical terminology is internal hammer
but most people just call them hammerless) like the S&W 442 or 642 revolvers,
something with a hammer shroud like the S&W Bodyguard, or one of the smaller
double action only semi-autos that don't have an exposed hammer.
I mentioned earlier that a J Frame or Colt Mustang is my "true back-up" gun.
The reality is that it is actually my primary, in that it is the one I would
probably be most likely to draw first. The reason is that surprise equals (or
beats) speed. Most people stand around with a hand in their pocket, just looking
relaxed (or slovenly depending on how fastidious you are). Well, when I am
standing there with my hand in my pocket, there is a gun already in my
hand (which takes
care of any shifting around problem from not using a pocket holster.) Someone
might anticipate, and block, a sweeping motion to draw my strong side hip weapon.
They wouldn't even see it coming when I pulled the gun out of my pocket because
it would be totally unexpected. The surprise factor is also one of the reasons
why, contrary to conventional wisdom, that I personally keep my money clip
in the same pocket as my back-up gun. If I have been targeted for a strong-arm
or
mugging attempt because someone has observed me putting my folding green in
that pocket, then that is what they are going to expect to see when I remove
my hand from
the pocket - not their worst nightmare. At contact range (which is when this
scenario would go down), I feel just as adequately armed with a properly loaded
.380 as I would with a .45.
There are also two particularly effective ways to carry without using a holster
at all. One is if you are wearing a suit or sport coat and the other is if
you are wearing a vest or coat with flap front cargo pockets. When I used to
work
in an office where circumstances pretty much dictated taking my coat off during
the day (hanging it on the back of my chair), and I therefore could not use
belt or shoulder holsters, I carried the gun upside down in my strong side
inside
coat breast pocket. I would place my checkbook in the pocket and the gun in
behind it, using the checkbook to break up the outline. With the barrel pointing
up,
the butt would be toward the rear (same as an upside down shoulder holster).
To draw the gun, grasp the edge of the coat with your right hand, just above
the pocket opening. Then reach in with your left hand and pull the gun straight
up out of the pocket, using your right hand and the coat to shield the gun
from view. Once the gun clears the pocket, simply flip it out with your left
hand
into the palm of your right hand. If you are being mugged when doing this,
make your motions slow and deliberate while saying something like "Take it easy.
I'm just getting my wallet." That's the Teddy Roosevelt approach to Diplomacy
- saying "Nice doggie" while you reach for the big stick.
For cool and cold weather, my carry number (since I can) more often than not
goes from three to five. I still carry strong side, weak side, and pocket.
But I will add an outer garment with two flap front cargo pockets, into each
of which
will go one of the previously mentioned J Frame Smiths. Now when I am standing
around, keeping my hands warm in my pockets, I am hanging onto two guns,
not one. And I never carry anything other than hammerless J Frames this way.
The
reason I will only use hammerless revolvers is that, like the fastest reload
being a second gun, the fastest draw is no draw at all. It would definitely
ruin the vest or coat, but with the hammerless revolvers at arm's length distance,
I can shoot right through the pockets without needing to first draw the guns
from the pockets. And I can keep on shooting them until they run dry with no
fear of either a hammer or slide catching on fabric. If you try that with a
semi-auto,
you will get one shot before the gun jams with fabric in the action
[or short cycles]. You might not get any with a regular revolver if the fabric
gets between the hammer and
the frame. Like I said, you will definitely ruin the coat. In addition to bullet
holes, you might (probably will) also set the coat on fire. But if you ever
are in this situation, a ruined coat will be the least of your concerns.
The other mode of holster-less carry that needs to be mentioned dates back to
frontier days and is typically called the Mexican Carry: shove the gun in your
waistband. I only have one word of advice for this method: Don't. There simply
is no way the gun will stay in the same position. It will shift around, slide
down inside your pants (and maybe even down your pants leg), or simply fall out
onto the ground. And this is just with normal activity. Add running or wrestling
to the equation and it will go where it shouldn't even faster. The only guarantee
is that it won't be where you put it when you need it.
Movement:
One final aspect of carrying concealed needs to be discussed and that is how
movement affects concealment. Before you start carrying, you tend to not think
about how various movements affect the drape and fit of your clothes. That instantly
changes as soon as you strap on a gun. For discussion purposes, I am going to
assume a coat as the covering garment in all cases.
Example one is a strong-side belt holster. Assume you are in a store and have
to reach something on an upper shelf, such that you have to stretch to get
it. If you reach for it with the same hand/side as your gun, that stretching
action
will cause your coat on that side to "ride up," potentially exposing
your weapon. This is a perfect example of why an IWB is particularly effective
for concealment. But if you reach with the opposite hand, the same action will
cause your coat to ride even lower on the gun side, maintaining concealment.
Now you want to get something on the bottom shelf. If you simply bend over at
the waist to get it, your covering garment will pull tight over your weapon,
causing it to "print." You quickly learn to avoid bending over under
any circumstances. Instead, kneel down, keeping your back as straight as possible
while doing so.
Do you spend much time around people who like to "hug?" If you do,
it is important that you initiate the hug. If you hug them first, their arms
will be forced to go around, outside of, yours. This prevents them from feeling
your concealed weapon when they hug you first with their arms inside of yours.
Also protect your "personal space" when in crowds to minimize/avoid
detection from someone bumping into you.
Proper positioning of belt holsters just rearward of the body's mid-line greatly
reduces potential exposure from a frontal view. But it doesn't eliminate it.
Minimize the number of things you carry in your strong-side front pants pocket
to reduce potential for exposing your weapon when retrieving something from
the pocket. Also learn to "sweep" your covering garment into a blocking
position, locked in place with your arm, when you reach into the pocket. The
other high potential for frontal exposure is if your coat gets blown open by
the wind.
My personal approach is to carry something else on my belt in front of my weapon.
I use a .45 caliber double magazine pouch on my left side. I have a Streamlight
Stinger flashlight in one pouch and my Leatherman in the other. I wear a double
Swiss Army pouch with my Swiss Champ and miscellaneous small items on my right
side. Both are worn just to the rear edge of my front pants pockets, far enough
back to avoid blocking easy access to my car keys and wallet on the right and
my money clip and small noise maker on the left. The concealment advantage of
doing this is that both are thick enough to cause my coat to drape over them,
thereby reducing potential printing of the two holstered guns. They also shield
the guns from frontal view by being in front of the guns. Someone's eye will
be drawn to them first and not see the guns. You can further reduce potential
for the wind to blow your coat open by carrying a tube of fishing split-shot
weights in your outer pocket. The added weight greatly reduces, if not outright
eliminates, the wind from flipping your coat open when you least expect it.
As for actual "fit," there are some other things that need doing,
depending on your chosen carry method. If you choose a shoulder rig for use
with a suit
or sport coat, you need to have the carry side tailored for extra room to prevent
printing. If you choose an IWB belt holster, you need to wear pants one size
larger than normal to provide adequate room for the gun and holster. If you
don't, your pants will be uncomfortably tight. You also need to use a belt
one size
longer than normal. Speaking of belts, avoid fancy leather dress belts. They
are too thin and do not provide sufficient support. You want thick, reasonably
stiff leather, and preferably 1-1/2 inches wide in most cases. Narrower does
not provide enough load bearing support and wider may not fit your belt loops.
You also want the belt to fit as snugly in the belt loops as possible to reduce
shifting.
The preceding are just a few thoughts and ideas from an old Maverick with
close to half a century of walking heavy. Always remember Rule Number One -
and do
it
in
a
way that
works best for you and not what someone else who doesn't know your circumstances
tells
you is "the best" way to go.
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Letter Re: Prince of Wales Island, Alaska as a Retreat Locale?
Sir:
I understand your
comments on Alaska's [poor] potential for survival retreats .Your
logic is sound and I have to take seriously someone who has thought about these
issues longer than
I have. But
there is always a but...What about Prince of Wales Island, Alaska? Backwoods
Home magazine
published an article written by a Jon Stram that I have not got out of mind.
The article sold Prince of Wales Island very well, so [for counterbalance]
I need an unbiased, expert opinion Thank
you, - Russell:
JWR Replies: You aren't the first to suggest that locale
to me. it. I must admit, that as Alaska goes, it is captivating and has one
of the
best climates.
The island is bigger than Delaware!. In my estimation,
it would be a
fine
place
to be during an economic depression comparable to the 1930s, but not in
a full scale collapse where it would be isolated from transport--especially liquid
fuels.
(Chainsaws, power boats, generators, float planes, and snow machines "no
worky".)
There are 6,000+ people
on the island. That is a lot of people for an island with essentially no
large scale agriculture, especially when there is no gasoline,
diesel, propane, or kerosene available. The accessible four-legged wild game would
probably
be cleaned
out in short order. After that, things might get ugly. In an absolute worst
case, your neighbors might start hunting two-legged game.
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Letter Re: Food Storage--Will People Ever Learn?
Hello Jim,
Of [your oft-mention triad a of] Beans, Bullets, Band-Aids, I want to share
some thoughts about the "Beans" category
I read that a lot of folks prepping for the future. That's great, we all should. The
day after Hurricane Ike, I saw people in huge lines to get into grocery
stores, hours of waiting. The day after! They did not even have one day worth
of food in their homes.
Then I read lots of info and blogs about people getting their emergency supply
of food stored. There is a place for the MREs, beef jerky and all the dehydrated
food in cans. It is a very important part of food storage and preparation.
I personally don't want to live on it, and quite frankly I can't afford it.
I am a strong believer in the "store what you eat" concept. My family and I
have a supply of red and white wheat, but we eat some fresh made wheat bread
every
week.
Therefore it gets rotated. We are using it.
Does someone really want to wake up one day after the SHTF scenario, open a
bucket of wheat and ask, "now what"? The food that you store should
be a part of your regular diet. About five years ago we started home canning.
This
almost forgotten art. It is a wonderful way to store food you actually want to
eat. Stews, soups, meats, chicken, chili, spaghetti sauce with meat can all
be canned
in glass jars by
any average joe. And for a lot less money than the freeze
dried emergency foods. And it will be rotated regularly because it's good and
therefore you will eat
it.
I hope people don't have a false sense of security because they have a bunch
of boxed-up dehydrated food under their bed [that they have never used]. Store
what you eat, eat what you store, and continue to stock up! - T.
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Letter Re: Atheism and Choosing Your Neighborhood
James:
I am a new reader to
SurvivalBlog and a big fan of "Patriots"
.,
I have been reading all the archives and old posts, and I would just like to
clear one thing up. I am an
atheist. I don't believe that there is sufficient evidence to prove the existence
of a
supreme power. This does not make make me a bad person. There have
been some posts about choosing your neighbors that have said Christians and Jewish
people make best neighbors because they are "God fearing" etc.
Just because I don't believe in a god does not mean I am going to kill/steal/rape
in a TEOTWAWKI situation. It hurts me when I read such generalizations. Just
because I'm an atheist, I am not going to harm you. I believe in the rule of
law and mutual respect. I don't decide not to kill or steal because I fear a
punishment from god. I choose not to do these things because they are wrong,
I don't
need
a god or bible to tell me they are wrong.
Atheists are not barbarians, without morals. I help my neighbors, I work
hard and believe in self reliance and preparedness. I am trustworthy
and respectful. I have encountered many so called "God fearing" believers
who I cannot say the same for. God may not be a driving force in my life, but
I
still know the difference between right and wrong. I will not try to convert
you, I
am not one of those loud atheists who will try to tell you how wrong you are.
I believe in everyone's right to believe what they may, and I ask all to give
me the same courtesy.
Religion and morals are not the same thing. I don't need to believe in a
supreme power to have morals and know what is right and wrong. I just wanted
to clear up these misconceptions. I really hope you post this. Thank you for
your work, SurvivalBlog is a great knowledge source, - J. in Michigan
JWR Replies: The comment in my Precepts
page that you mentioned
is not a question of individuals, because there are indeed exceptional
individuals, and I'm
confident
that you
are one
of them. Rather,
this is
a question of averages. On average, people that have
the moral underpinning of the Judeo-Christian religious ethic are less
likely to commit property
crimes than those that don't, and statistics bear this out. For example, look
at the "Property"crime
rates for particular counties in California (The City and County of
San Francisco, for example, has one of the lowest church attendance rates
in the country). Compare that to the more religious
counties
of North Dakota (a "Bible
Belt" state). This
map is quite an interesting starting place. Sorry, but
facts are facts.
Property
crime rates are generally higher in communities with a low ratio of church
attendance. My
choice to live in a tight-knit religious community is not a reflection
on you as an individual. It is just a conscious
choice, based upon statistical correlation and my strong conviction
as a Christian, to do so. FWIW, please consider that
a religious community is also the safest
place for you--an atheist with morals--to live, too.
If
I hypothetically had to live in New York or New Jersey, then I'd probably pick
a small town with a
predominance of Christians or Orthodox
Jews for neighbors.
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Letter Re: Save Money, Get Prepared, and Eat Healthier with Intermediate Term Food Storage
Jim,
Thanks for posting Travis A.'s letter regarding food storage. He makes some
good points but I'd like to chime in with some thoughts of my own.
I see an emergency food storage program as having two conflicting goals: The
first is to allow you to eat "normally" after a disaster, because "different" food
will just add to the stress of the situation. The second is to provide basic
food that will merely keep you alive but will store long-term. I believe a
hybrid storage plan that meets both goals is best, at least for my lifestyle.
To meet the first goal of eating normally, Travis' plan works. Store the foods
you eat and rotate them. For the storage solutions available to most people,
that means rotating through everything every 4-6 months or so. Brown rice goes
funky. Beans left in open air become too dry to re-hydrate. Pasta gets stale
and acquires off tastes. Other foods like those Lipton pasta and rice pouches
go funky even faster - they're good for a couple months before they start tasting "off".
That 7 lb. container of garlic might store for two years, but not if it's opened
- and how are you going to rotate it without opening it and constantly using
it?
So buy what you like and rotate it - but other than canned food, there is little
you can buy that will still be particularly tasty after a year unless you go
through the hassle of sealing it up, canning it, or whatever - in portion sizes
that you can use up before it goes stale.
For long-term, "get you through two winters food," nothing beats
properly stored staples like wheat, white rice, beans, powdered milk, dehydrated
vegetables and potatoes. This is the stuff that will keep you alive while the
fallout decays in the grain belt, or scientists figure out how to prevent the
new blight that destroyed a year's worth of crops. These are buy-and-forget,
emergency-only, keep-you-alive staples - cheap sources of carbs and protein.
Add some oil and vitamins and you're set with something that will keep you
alive. The inconvenience of using this food will virtually guarantee you won't
use it unless you have to. It's like carrying a pouch of dog food in your backpack
to eat in an emergency. Ask Ethiopians who survived the 1970s and 1980s if
it's a good idea.
The LDS church
is arguably the authority on long-term storage of staples. After a recent study
at Brigham Young University (BYU) concluded that properly stored #10 cans
of most foods are good for at least thirty years, the church revised its recommendations
and now suggests that long-term storage foods not be rotated.
Why? Because nobody wants to grind wheat. It's easier to buy a bag-o-beans
at the grocery
store than it is to tap into your #10 cans and then have to replace them. If
you're worried about adjusting, then start working whole grains into your diet,
but don't do it by tapping into your storage supplies - go buy 5 lb. bags whole
wheat flour or better, buy some wheat and practice using your grain mill.
The biggest advantage to this is that with the exception of freeze-dried food,
long-term storage food is dirt cheap. A one year supply of staples for a small
family can be had for less than a couple thousand dollars. Amortized over the
thirty-year shelf life and it's like paying $5 per month for complete food
security.
Watch Craig's List and
similar sites! Last fall I was able to buy an electric tin can sealer worth
$1,350 plus $700 worth of cans in various sizes for just
$250. I actually found it first in Google's cache listed for $500 and was crestfallen
when my e-mail to their Craig's List address was rejected because the listing
had expired. I watched Craig's List for the next month and sure enough, they
re-listed at $250 because it didn't sell the first time. I'd have gladly given
them the $500! Now I have the ability to can anything wet or dry, including
Travis' 7 lbs. of garlic powder!
A final note on canned food (food that contains liquid): It lasts virtually
forever, expiration dates notwithstanding. As long as the can isn't bulged,
dented on a seam, leaking or spurts when opened, then it is probably safe to
eat. The fact is that bacteria don't "work their way into" a can
over time. They were either there when it was canned or they weren't. If they
were there,
they will do their damage long before the expiration date. Botulism contamination
is virtually unheard of in modern American [commercially] canned food. So while
taste and nutritional
value
may suffer over time, safety doesn't unless the can has a defect or is damaged.
The bottom line: Buy and rotate the foods you like. Buy and store food that
will keep you alive.- Matt R.
JWR Replies: Here at the Rawles
Ranch, we use a lot of our stored
wheat. We keep a Country
Living grain mill set up through about nine months
of the year.
(Our
summer
schedule is often too busy for bread
making.) I am actually a big proponent of eating what
you store.This has multiple benefits:
- You'll eat less expensively. (Buying in bulk can save up to 80%, versus
packaged foods from the grocery store.)
- Your diet will be more healthy. (Processed foods are generally less healthy
than bulk grains, rice, and legumes.)
- You'll continuously rotate your food stocks. (FIFO!)
- You'll more closely monitor the condition and age of all of your storage
food.
- You'll gain experience in preparing the same food that you store--with
the opportunity to develop some tasty recipes.
- You'll accustom your digestive system to a diet that is heavy on storage
food.
I must also point out that while many bulk storage foods retain remarkable
nutritive value for as much as 30 years, that at least beans lose palatability.
After about seven or eight years of storage, beans become so hard that they
will refuse to plump
up
and
soften,
even after days of soaking or simmering. Yes, you can either grind
them or cook them in a pressure cooker, but it is far easier to simply rotate
your stored beans continuously (on a FIFO basis), and use them up
when they are still less than five years old!
I often mention the book The
Encyclopedia of Country Living 
by
Carla Emery, but two other books that are important to have on your bookshelf
are Making
the Best of Basics
by
James Talmage
Stevens, and Cookin'
with Home Storage
by
Vicki Tate. Learning how to cook with stored food takes time and practice!
Living in a Schumeresque world
will be stressful. But it will be even more stressful if you needlessly take
on additional stresses,
in getting your digestive system used to storage food, and by having to learn
how to cook with storage food. If your storage food is presently just
sitting on the shelf un-used and un-tested, then you've made a mistake.
Get cooking!
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Letter Re: G.O.O.D. Advice for College Students
James,
Our family recently found your book and blog. We are working diligently to
prepare. One question I have not seen addressed: What do you think about
sending a child to college? We are a conservative, Christian, home schooling
family. Our daughter has been looking forward to attending a small Christian
college that is about 1-1/2 hours from our home. Now that we are awake we
are feeling that keeping her close to home as we prepare to relocate is best.
Any thoughts?
- S. in Southern California
JWR Replies: A college that is just a 1-1/2 hour drive is
probably close enough, especially if she has her own car. But living in Southern
California--with both earthquake risk and a high crime rate--be sure to identify
and practice driving several alternate routes on surface streets and back
roads, just in case she must "Get Out of Dodge" (G.O.O.D.)
As a backup, keeping a Montague folding bicycle--kept chained to the bed frame
in her dorm room--could get your daughter home, even in the event of a major
earthquake
that
causes road
closures. Montague
folding bikes are available from Safecastle, one of our loyal advertisers.
I also strongly recommend self defense training for your daughter--both
firearms and martial arts. (The latter is important for Californians, since
open carry of firearms is effectively banned, and concealed carry permits are
very difficult to obtain in most of the more populous counties.) She should
attend Front
Sight or Gunsite,
and one of the better full contact martial arts schools that teaches an art
with plenty of kicks and punches (such as Tae Kwon Do),
and then perhaps she might move on to one of the advanced grappling arts (such
as JuJitsu).
Oh, and as previously mentioned in the blog, I recommend that the first two
years of college credits be obtained by a combination of CLEP tests
and on-line courses. Not only is this less expensive than resident on-campus
classes, but it also will keep your child safely at home for a couple of extra
years.
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Preparing Your Family for "Interesting" Times: A Covenantal Christian Perspective, by Jim B.
Discerning believers have sensed a decisive change coming for several years.
If history truly repeats itself, we are heading into a season of judgment and
serious difficulty which may last beyond our current generation. Whether judgment
and difficulties are reflected in the current economic crisis, ongoing terrorist
attacks, unrighteous leaders or a host of other combined circumstances, many
believe we are on the threshold of very perilous times (II Timothy 3).
Our family ministry has done significant travel throughout the country over
the
past ten years, and we never fail to be in awe of the Great Shepherd’s
faithfulness toward His people, regardless of denominational labels or minor
doctrinal differences. As His people return to ancient paths, seeking truth rather
than traditions of men, He speaks faithfully to His sheep, warning them of coming
danger and teaching them to prepare. The same Almighty One who warned Joseph
precisely how much grain to store, gave Noah dimensions for the ark, and walked
through the fires of persecution with the three Hebrew children loves us passionately,
instructs us clearly, and warns us faithfully of impending danger. As He is our
perfect example of a prudent, loving Father, aren’t we also responsible
to equip our own children for the days ahead?
This responsibility is not one that can be swept under the rug or ignored in
ostrich-like fashion. Either our children will have strong spiritual foundations,
proficient life skills, and Rock solid character, or they will perish in the
days ahead. This is not a popular message. It is not being declared by most pulpits
or keynote speakers. But ignoring the urgency will not lessen the need. It only
wastes valuable time.
Many years ago, we revaluated the priorities in the education of our nine children.
Our emphasis stopped being compliance with national test standards. We actually
relocated to a state with few requirements and this allowed us to proceed with
great liberty. If you find yourself jumping through extensive hoops of state
oversight now, just wait a short while. I guarantee it will not improve in the
future. Relocation is not the worst thing that can happen to your family. Ask
the Father where He wants you to be. If He says stay, be content; if He says
go, trust Him to make a way.
Upon relocation, we left behind our small scale experiments in urban homesteading
and began a quest for rural self-sufficiency and a faith based on the simple
truths of Scripture. This is an ongoing journey for us, with more to learn each
day. Our adventures have helped us transition from two clueless young married
city novices to a family team that includes nine children who are proficient
in raising crops, building log homes, handling livestock, outdoorsmanship, ministry,
and discerning truth from error. Over the years we refined our priorities into
a form of education which will see our children, and hopefully many others, through
whatever comes in their future.
Our primary priority in education is Spiritual Preparedness. This is foundational
as we are told to “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness
and all these things (our daily needs) will be added unto us.” The very
first thing we do on a school day is to read and study Scripture. We are currently
working through the writings of the Old Covenant prophets. We read a few chapters
each day together, in addition to the personal reading and prayer we encourage
each person to do in the morning and evening. One thing that has revolutionized
our lives and doctrine has been the memorization of large passages and entire
chapters of Scripture, rather than “memory verses”. The Word warns
us of great apostasy and deception increasing in the last days; therefore we
find it imperative to teach children not to isolate verses from their surrounding
context. Verses are far too easily twisted and misapplied by dishonorable or
biblically ignorant leaders and teachers. Even Peter warned of the tendency in
his day to twist the words of Paul to justify lawlessness (II Peter 2, 3:14-17).
Even the littlest child can be taught to memorize by adding a line per day, using
rhythms, body motions, anything that makes it fresh for your children. And by
all means, use real Bibles with children! The verbal rhythms and vocabulary of
a KJV are not as hard for children to master as you might think. As they become
older, continue memorization and add word studies from the Hebrew and Greek.
Help them study and understand the Hebrew culture which places Scripture in its
context. The important thing is that His Word must be hidden in their hearts
to discern truth from error, right from wrong, and life from death. Our children
must possess spiritual weapons which are sharp and well practiced to avoid the
abundance of deception and confusion they will no doubt meet in the future.
The next priority under Spiritual Preparedness would be thorough instruction
in the doctrine followed by the apostles and the earliest believer in our Savior
(Acts 2:42). It has become increasingly clear to us that the roots of our faith
are not in Rome, Geneva, Tulsa, Azusa Street, Lancaster County, or Brownsville.
The roots of the faith go back to Jerusalem, and the Hebrew foundations of the
earliest believers, prior to the hybridization which occurred after Constantine.
We want our children to value and esteem truth above traditions of men or sensational
experiences (even “signs and wonders”) which may directly conflict
with Scripture; one of the warnings we have is that in the “last days” doctrines
of demons will be rampant and even the elect will be vulnerable to deception.
If our children are to be firmly grounded in truth, we must stop clinging to
the words of man as if they were Scripture. Calvin was a man, Luther was a man,
Menno Simons was a man, and Wesley was a man.
It is healthy for children to be familiar with the stories of heroes of the faith
and movements in church history. It is sad that we have applied so much attention
to the lives of the “Founding Fathers”, while neglecting to familiarize
our children with Tyndale, Jan Hus, the Waldensians and others who surround us
as “the great cloud of witnesses”. Preparedness for suffering for
the sake of the Gospel comes from seeing our Father’s faithfulness and
abundant grace toward those who have suffered before us. World history and geography
come together when viewed through biographies of great men and women of the faith.
However, while great men of the faith can challenge us and encourage us by their
example, our doctrine must be firmly founded on the whole Word of YHWH, Genesis
through Revelation, nothing added, nothing taken away.
Our second priority area in preparing our children for perilous times is mental/character
preparedness. This can only be a building block laid securely on the solid foundation
of spiritual preparedness. Developing attitudes conducive to sacrifice, rather
than “survival of the fittest” is in direct opposition to the tendency
of the flesh. A child who will not yield his favorite toy to his little sister
will not share half of his last piece of bread when he is truly hungry and she
cries for his mercy. These are not small issues of childishness to be ignored.
Our children must be confronted with the ugly selfishness of their flesh, be
led to full repentance, and taught to respond automatically with actions consistent
with Kingdom living. In perilous times the ungodly and the superficially religious
lose all courtesy and true believers become a candle in the darkness. Our children
must understand that our provision is not dependent on selfishness, but the One
who gave manna in the wilderness.
In addition to building relationship with the Almighty who provides manna, multiplies
loaves and fishes, and turns water into wine, our children must cultivate an
attitude of sober-mindedness, control of the tongue, and the ability to work
cheerfully. Joking, impulsive speech, gossip, laziness, and quick over-familiarity
are fleshly tendencies which may prove to be hazardous in the coming days if
not kept in check. Healthy humor is part of the nature of our Creator, but He
has no tolerance for mischief and foolishness and neither should we.
With the great increase in physical labor our children will likely face shortly,
it is to our benefit and theirs’ to spend a significant portion of six
work days in physically productive labor. However, without the ability to work
cheerfully, maintaining a steady attitude of joy and peace even under great pressure,
your home will become a breeding ground for resentment, rebellion, and outright
resistance. Children can either be positively included in our work, or driven
to exhaustion by manual drudgery. It’s all a matter of attitude, ours’ first,
then theirs’. If we see ongoing financial hardship or disruption of services
due to a change in the availability of fuel, our children will be needed to work
alongside of us, rather than spending a great deal of time on recreational reading,
running around to events, and other more self-oriented activities.
They will need to make fun out of real life accomplishments, rather than escaping
to fiction on the screen or between pages. This is a good habit to instill now.
Our children should be exposed to great and worthy books, given sparing time
to appreciate the privilege of reading, and expected to serve others during the
most productive hours of the day. By reading excellent literature, well written
biographies, and doctrinal works the development of communication skills (writing,
speech, etc.) will be a simple transition, rather than an artificial exercise
in sentence diagramming. These communications skills will be of multiplied importance
in the lives and futures of our children, as they will certainly be called upon
to defend the faith as it was once delivered to the saints.
Children should be given thought provoking, open ended discussion questions,
and then be challenged to defend their position from Scripture. They should not
learn to simply parrot what we or any denomination teaches with out question.
Their writing should become less like story-telling and more doctrinally apologetic,
to prepare them to live in an increasingly antagonistic, openly pagan society.
Surprisingly, most children of this generation have an inner sense that they
will need these skills and disciplines; instead of becoming bored or overwhelmed,
they rise beautifully to the challenge and shine as lights among their peers.
Our third and final emphasis in proactive preparedness education is upon life
skills vs. storage of massive quantities of “stuff”. We certainly
encourage all families to seek the Scriptures and His Voice of council in this
matter. We have determined that skills are far more important than material storage,
which can be lost to theft, impoundment (likely in a martial law scenario), or
spoilage. One of the loud lessons we exhibit by massive storage is that problems
are solved by throwing cash at them. It can be a false security, when not kept
in practical balance. We can avoid the hard work of life changes and character
improvement, by insulating ourselves from any imagined future discomfort. We
are not against storage for a short term solution, but life skills such as finding
food and water in wild places, making fishing equipment, gardening, or constructing
shelters will be of far greater long term benefit and they cannot be taken away
once learned.
Experience nature until it is a comfort zone. For special occasions, consider
the gift of tools rather than toys. Equip the individual gift and interest of
each child; take these interests seriously. Allow them to become very proficient
until their skill is marketable, even in a barter economy. They may experience
seasons in life where buying is not possible, but trading is.
This generation is the most likely to experience extreme hardship in our lifetime
and has the fewest skills to successfully cope, thanks to our full acceptance
of modernization and rejection of the simple agricultural and primitive life
skills that served each generation prior to WWII. We have much catching up to
do; our children need to be able to do simple things like start an outdoor fire
and cook on it, navigate accurately on foot in wild places, and avoid evil people
or deadly diseases. They have no time for paper plate puppet projects or baseball
unit studies.
For the health care needs of your family, help your children become proficient
in first aid procedures, natural and herbal remedies, and sound nutrition. Even
if there are no major disastrous events in the lifetime of your children (which
looks increasingly unlikely), the corruption of the current medical system is
widespread and ominous. We have seen a “Christian” (denominational)
hospital conduct workshops to teach medical professionals to “read auras,
channel healing energies, and use shamanism” without the permission of
their patients as part of treatment. This is occurring all around the world.
Even the immunization issue is in most cases a controversial violation of Scriptural
principles of separating the clean and unclean; there is no precedent in Scripture
for purposeful contamination of our blood. It is time for our children to seek
healing of their bodies by the Great Physician and learn how to practically use
resources He has clearly given for comfort, disinfection, and promotion of health.
After learning “front-line” top priority emergency skills, secondary
skills should become proficient. As in recent examples brought on by fuel price
escalations, transportation and shipping are not issues to take lightly in a
crisis. A failure in food supply transport can mean serious discomfort and even
total chaos. With the increase of imported foods from countries with low environmental
standards, antibiotic and hormone contamination of meat, and the rise in genetically
modified “Frankenfoods”, it is prudent to decrease dependency upon
the grocery store. Activities such as non-hybrid gardening, seed saving, hunting,
livestock care, butchering should include children as they have been included
throughout the history of mankind. These highly educational activities are far
more practical than textbook science. Ten years ago, our then ten year old naturalist
son learned anatomy by dissecting (butchering) a mammal specimen (deer). He checked
out butchering and anatomy books from the library; following the “dissection’ of
his second deer he was able to correctly identify most organs, muscles, bones,
and types of joints. All the while, we laughed and talked of pioneer history,
and the faithfulness of the Creator’s provision.
We have a limited and rare opportunity to focus on practical, significant, and
intensely indispensable education for the sake of our children and our families’ survival.
By fearlessly teaching these lessons to our children, we equip them to grasp
their future as overcomers and Kingdom citizens. Nothing frightens a child more
than uncertainty. By giving them tools to stand with us, we alleviate fear and
give them hope for tomorrow. It’s high time we stop home schooling, with
all its bells and whistles and game playing, and turn our focus toward home discipleship.
This model is what we are commanded to accomplish in Deuteronomy 6, and will
prepare our children to occupy until He comes. Our children’s physical
and eternal lives depend on it. - Jim B.
« Letter Re: Highly Productive Home Gardens |Main| Note from JWR: »
Cooper's Color Codes and Bugging Out Before the SHTF, by H.I.C.
Colonel Jeff Cooper once wrote that he was born in another country. Born and
raised in the US before the Great Depression, the country of his youth was
no longer.
It had been hijacked by pointy headed socialists with academic degrees and
not a trace of common sense. At 50 years of age I not only agree, but maintain
that the “New America” based upon a globalized economy, Federalized
powers, and an Urban-centered society is dying. Our great country is dying
and our great cities will burn in the funeral pyre.
Most Americans know that survival in our great cities, deserts, and marginal
climate areas of the US would not be possible without continued delivery of
basic Supplies (food and gasoline), Services (water, electrical power, natural
gas), and Civil Order (rule of law, generally accepted currency). What they
may not know is that these great cities have no great food warehouses, no great
fuel tank farms, few electrical power plants, few water storage reservoirs,
and they have disarmed the law abiding public at every turn. These supplies
are transported by thousands of semi trucks, ships, barges, and trains every
single day. If a sudden crisis disrupts transportation, if we lose the use
of our interstate highways or the diesel fuel to transport supplies, everyone
in these cities will either have to leave or they will die.
Recent hurricanes, recessions, and terrorist events are reminders that our
modern society is fragile and that critical supplies, services, and civil order
will likely be interrupted by any major event. Look at what happened to New
Orleans (population 480,000) during Hurricane Katrina. More than half the
population left early, but when the storm hit, tens of thousands either would
not or could
not leave. Now imagine these barbaric conditions in a city like Phoenix
(population 2 million) or Los Angeles (population 10 million). Now imagine
it happening all across
the US if our oil refineries are either destroyed or the world runs out of
crude oil.
Transportation in the US is totally dependent on crude oil and most of this
oil comes from folks who hate us. The supplies underground and our ability
to find new supplies are diminishing and no one knows how much is left. Even
without the potential for a renewed terrorist attack using WMDs, or the long
dreaded west coast mega-quake, our cities will not be sustainable without some
new technology. Renewable power sources such as solar, wind, and geothermal
can produce electricity but do not effectively power transportation. Hopefully
most Americans can be sufficiently motivated to move out the cities with their
families, but those who will not listen must feel.
Should I Stay or Should I Go?
I think it is a common belief by newly awaken survivalist that they can keep
living in a big city until the stuff actually hits the fan and then bug out
with their vehicle and all of the survival gear and prepared food. I am curious,
have any of you actually tried this? Have you taken the time and effort to
load your vehicle with thousands of pounds of guns, ammo, survival gear, and
freeze dried food? Have you then driven through a major city, a long distance
interstate trip, stopped for the night, or had car trouble? And what if you
are forced to bug out without shelter and a considerable amount of food, have
you really improved your chances for survival?
I have and the whole process was a pain in the . I hooked up my one ton
pickup to my 5th wheel trailer, filled it with the guns, ammo, tools, extra
fuel, and food storage, and the rig grossed at 18,000 lbs. Let me tell you
this was not bugging out, this was crawling out. Even powered by a Cummins
Diesel, nothing weighing 9 tons moves quickly or escapes over steep or narrow
roads. I also tried towing an open trailer filled with a tractor and tools
cross country and learned about road trash puncturing trailer tires and criminals
loitering at rest stops and RV parks.
Fortunately, these problems surfaced during normal times when the highways
are open, fuel is available, and I was
the only one freaking out. My experience is telling me that the best response
is to move away from the cities before an event. Move to a more secure area
now. Preposition your survival tools and food storage at a secure site before
the stuff really hits the fan. Then find a way to move there your self.
I have read all the government’s emergency preparedness books talking
about folks pulling together, one big nation singing Kumbaya. But I have
also read the postings from folks who were late evacuating New Orleans. Many
of them were threatened, robbed, and assaulted by their neighbors simply because
they were better prepared. I do not know if this entitlement mentality is really
that widespread, but experience suggests that Americans will get scared and
will act like animals.
Deciding When to Leave; Cooper’s Colors for a Social Crisis.
Jeff Cooper also devised a series of situational awareness colors to allow
his self defense students to make proper decisions and know when to use deadly
force
to protect
their lives and family. Borrowing Cooper’s Colors for a social crisis
I suggest the following:
Condition White) Circa 1981-1988: Following the Vietnam war, Watergate, and
the Iran hostage crisis, the US was ready for a positive change. During the
Reagan years we challenged the Soviet Union and emerged as the world’s
lone supper power. Despite some evidence to the contrary, we felt that we had
no reason to be concerned by terrorism. Paul Volcker tamed inflation by inducing
a severe recession. We all shared the economic pain, then we shared the rewards
of a growing and stable economy combined with low inflation. Social changes
were being made slowly and with participation from the general public. The
Government rarely took violent actions against protesters. Crime was random
and quickly dealt with by law enforcement.
Tough times, but the US government was working for the People.
Condition Yellow) Circa 1989-1998: The US is struck repeatedly by terrorists
at home and abroad. The Government treats this as a criminal manner. The economy
fluctuates but appears to correct itself rapidly and without visible government
interference. The US starts pursuing free trade and globalization treaties.
Manufacturing, agricultural, and finally high wage jobs are being outsourced.
High risk mortgages and investments are legalized and encouraged. Presidents
Bush (I) and Clinton start talking about and building a “New World Order”.
Social changes are being made to protect and benefit the people in power, without
participation from the general public. The Government begins to track, infiltrate,
and take deadly action against small religious groups and grass roots militias.
Law abiding citizens are blamed for violent crime and gun ownership is highly
regulated. The only bright spot during this decade is the results of the 1994
midterm election and the subsequent Contract with America.
A break of trust between the US Government and the People. Citizens should
store guns, ammo, food, and fuel. Prepare financially, physically, and mentally
for
change.
Condition Orange) Circa 1999-2006: The US is struck repeatedly by terrorists
at home and abroad. The Government responds by aggressive military action designed
to change the conditions in countries hosting terrorists. The economy fluctuates
between extremes of growth and recession, as if no one knows the true worth
of these commodities and major corporations. The Government begins to spend
massive amounts of money on the war and hides this spending off budget. Price
increases affect the availability of food and fuel. Social changes are being
made without participation of the citizens or even the US Congress. The most
offensive of these changes are rammed down the throat of a disbelieving public
by the courts and petty bureaucrats. The heavy handed tactics of the State
and Federal Government begin expanding the number and boldness of protest groups,
well ahead of their attempts to control them. Crime is increasingly organized
by gangs, carried out by minors and illegal aliens, and is funded by illegal
drugs. Law enforcement is not effective against this and many believe the problem
is intractable.
A second break of trust. Citizens should liquidate their financial assets,
purchase and store critical supplies and solar panels, and move to safer locations.
Condition Red) Circa 2007 – ????: High risk loans, derivatives, and credit
default swaps cause huge financial losses and trigger irrational stimulus spending.
The US Treasury and US Federal Reserve start taking up major ownership stakes
in US corporations, then use this position to control the means of production.
They announce plans to create a Federal domestic police force. This may be
used to enforce new requirements for domestic passports, travel restrictions,
and to deal with any visible protests. The Obama Administration is full of
folks committed to new laws regulating guns ownership and banning the sale
of effective defensive weapons, ammo, and reloading components. Large scale
energy, income, and sales tax increases are planned. I believe that Americans
will again be deprived from owning real [precious metals] money. Our currency
will be devalued by perhaps 80% to offset the massive Federal spending. Price
controls
and rationing
of food and fuel will be introduced by executive order. During the Great Depression,
FDR banned the private holding of gold and foreign currency. US dollars
(gold certificates) were replaced by Federal Reserve Notes. Many
banks were closed without returning deposits to account holders and what little
cash was left in the hands of the people was devalued by the Treasury by 40%.
Many folks are moving out of large cities. They are buying rural land and planting
a garden. They are buying and hoarding guns, ammo, food, fuel, and looking
to buy gold and silver. While economic conditions appear bad, the break of
trust
between the Government and the People is more reminiscent of the Civil War
than the Great Depression.
Can You Make an Orderly Transition?
a) Moving Out of the City but Keeping Your Job.
Many folks simply can not leave their big city job and feel trapped. For them,
moving your family out of the city and keeping your present job, and commuting
back and forth may be the best interim solution. You might look at public transportation
in your area and see if you could buy a home near this. Also consider owning
a Jeep or a pickup that can contain survival tools, food storage, hiking boots,
even a mountain bike and commute using that vehicle when you feel that a crisis
could be imminent. You need to practice for this occasionally to find out how
to drive home without using freeways, or clogged intersections, or having to
refill your gas tank. If you plan on biking home, why not try it once a month.
Find out now if it is a viable alternative.
b) Career Changes that Improve Your Preparedness.
Some friends of mine recently underwent a significant career change. They left
their research position at a US government lab in California to take a college
professorship in a small Midwestern town. There are many opportunities for
folks to change careers and significantly improving their preparedness level
without losing their career and every thing they have built. Creating a portable
small business, building a farm or ranch, taking a related job in small town
America are all good ways to improve your position without the big and scary
step of quitting and living off your savings.
c) Transfers and Early Retirement.
I moved out of Los Angeles 25 years ago, to a small desert town three hours
away. I soon plan to retire and move even further away from California and
its enormous
insatiable and unsustainable cities and their outrageous politics. Often times
these transitional changes take years of planning and savings to carry out
successfully. For me, the years of planning and savings are worth it. If you
are just a few years away from retirement, you might want to find out the rules
and calculate how to retire early and how much such a change would cost you
in the long run.
How Can You Bug Out Safely?
d) What are you Bugging Out From.
This may be the most important question. I believe that you must know what
you fear before you can plan what to do, and ultimately where to go. What could
convince you that you must leave your current home? Are you worried about a
natural disaster such as a hurricane, an earthquake, or a tsunami. Perhaps
you are concerned about a 1930s type depression, a renewed terrorist strike,
or a combination of events that teardown the rule of law and allow rioting
and conflict on a nationwide scale. If you are just worried about keep yourself
employed in our current economic mess, you might consider mobility and job
skills more important than bugging out. But if you have come to the conclusion
that the American society will fracture when subjected to enough stress and
that the inevitable reaction to almost any sudden crisis will be rioting and
nationwide loss of the rule of law, you might want to consider moving to an
area where you fit in and are accepted by the community.
e) Selecting the best route and location.
Leaving your “Big City” job and moving back to your home town is
a pretty popular idea right now, perhaps even smarter than trying to start
a new life in a new and strange part of the country. I grew up on a small farm
in the Midwest and am planning to move back to a small farm. When I talk to
my new neighbors I find that I actually have more in common with them culturally
that the folks I have worked with here in California for over 25 years. Truth
is I am still a farm boy who is more concerned with my farm and livestock than
I am with a Lexus or a wide screen entertainment system. No one seems to be
much impressed about my “Big City” job but every one is stoked
that I am a qualified gunsmith and can trap beaver out of the creek.
Some good friends of mine moved back to their home town of Sandpoint, Idaho
about 12 years ago. Northern Idaho seems like a nice enough place when I visited
a back then, but even a couple of local boys with engineering degrees had a
hard time landing a full time job. Perhaps moving where you can actually find
a job and where you can still afford some nice farm land would make more sense
than moving to someone else’s idea of an ideal location, (Sorry, James).
The same applies to your route selection. Staying away from the inner city
areas that always seem to be the flash points for social unrest seems obvious.
But perhaps moving out of the big city early is more important than planning
the best escape route and waiting too long. If you must wait until the last
minute you should consider finding a bug out location that is within a very
short drive, say only a few hours away. Another advantage of have a “local” bug
out location is using as a vacation spot on long weekends. Suddenly, taking
a week off and driving out of the city is more of a regular occurrence. If
you practice it often, it is more likely to work under the added stress of
a real crisis event. [JWR Adds: The drawback to this is that
if your retreat is in close proximity for you, then it is also in close proximity
for The
Golden Horde. A three hour drive out of Los Angeles, is just about where
most refugees will be running out of fuel. Choose your retreat locale wisely,
well-away from exit corridors and natural lines of drift.]
f) What to Carry, What to Pre-position.
Even if you have a very secure location to preposition or cache goods and equipment,
I believe that you need to store the primary means of survival at your home
and be prepared to carry it with you. I define the primary means of survival
as food, water, shelter, clothing, and protection from immediate harm. Secondary
stuff would be the means to sustain life beyond the immediate threat, i.e.
productive land to grow food, livestock, tractors and farm equipment, means
of producing
electrical power, reload ammunition, trade goods, gold and silver. I recommend
that you keep the primary stuff at home and have the means of transporting
it to safety at a moment's notice. You may choose to store the secondary stuff
at your retreat location (and take the risk of theft) or at home (depending
upon your ability to transport it). In practice, I would suggest that the heaviest
and most bulky secondary items should be pre-positioned or cached at the retreat
location.
g) Selecting a Bug Out Vehicle.
If you plan to--or fear you may have to--make a lengthy bug out trip with a
loaded vehicle during crisis conditions you might consider the fuel range and
load capacity as the most important considerations. While recently designed
gasoline vehicles tend to be very reliable and more fuel efficient than trucks
built in the 1970s, their fuel mileage is still much lower than an equivalent
turbo diesel with a manual transmission. Plus it is easier to add significant
auxiliary fuel storage tanks to a diesel. My number one recommendation for
a bug out vehicle is a 1994 thru 1997 Dodge Cummins one ton pickup with a 5
speed
manual transmission and 3.54 rear end. Add a 90 gal Aux. fuel/tool box combo
for 1,900 mile range without stopping to refuel.
What If You Leave Too Early?
h) Leaving When You Should.
Human nature is a funny thing. Through out history folks have remained in very
dangerous conditions, literally losing their own life, because they are afraid
of public ridicule for running away. This was particularly true with the Jews
in 1930s Germany. While leaving may have been difficult and even prohibited
by the Nazis, it was possible. So why did so many folks bow to social pressure
to remain. Who cares what the sheeple think, learn to run like a scared little
rabbit. If you can not move to a safe area permanently, then find a way to
move there temporarily. Look for an opportunity to take a sabbatical, or take
time off to care for an aging parent, or to work part time. Look for anything
that allows you to leave the most dangerous area at the first hint of a crisis.
Yes, your friends may harass you for bugging out too early and slinking back
a couple of weeks later. Just remember who they are and invite only those folks
who seem to understand the risks we appear to be facing.
i) Leaving Yourself a Way to Return.
Please do not plan to max out your credit cards, pull out of your retirement
accounts, or burn bridges with your boss. History is full of folks who thought
they knew the end of the world was coming, only to be forced to deal with reality
the next day. Did you ever hear of the 1840s religious group, the Millerites?
They gave away everything they owned because their leader knew that Christ
would
return
on a particular day. Leave yourself a safe way to return to your old life
if you decision to bug out is wrong. While I believe that it is a much better
plan to live in a safe area all the time than try to predict the event, I also
recognize that many people can not move quickly enough. I believe that the
Bible states that the end will arrive like a thief in the night. No notice,
no warning, one second every thing is fine and the next second the world has
changed radically.
j) Living with Your Mistakes.
It is possible that you will be caught up in a crisis in spite of all your
preparations. Perhaps you needed to travel to a big city hospital or take
a long range flight on just the wrong day. Perhaps a crisis develops while
you
are living your life and not really paying any attention. Life is not going
to send you any emails telling you that the stuff has hit the fan and you
are now on your own. I recommend that you always carry a bug out bag with
the basic
survival food and equipment, and bring along your knowledge, skills, experience
with you. Carry enough gold, silver, and cash to replace some of your preparations
and allow you to purchase the means to get home if you are caught taking
a long distance flight.
Summary.
There really is not any way to know what they future is going to look like.
We could experience a long degrading slide into the dust bin of history (France,
Spain, Japan) or in a blinding flash of cataclysm (1917 Russia, 1934 Germany,
2001 Argentina). We could be looking at a repeat of the Great Depression,
a World Was over the remaining oil supplies, or a second Civil War. What
I do know is that our Government has been corrupted and is responding to the
unbridled greed of an elite few and against the needs of the many.
Studying our own history and the history of other developed nations under
similar shows
two clear possible futures: Those that shared the pain recovered, those that
spared the elite at the expense of the many suffered from long debilitating
economic depressions that often decayed into Civil War, Fascism, or Communism.
I would rather face the future surrounded by like-minded people in an area
that can support both my life and a sustainable society. A society that is
not dependent on long distance transportation of critical goods, non-renewable
energy sources, centralized control and just in time deliveries, or intensive
industrialized agriculture. I was born on a small farm in the breadbasket
of the world, and I want my country back!
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Letter Re: Preparedness Mindset and Logistics Pay Dividends
Hi James,
I am 30 years old and began my survival mindset when I was about 25. I am a
single father of three and that is part of what motivated me to begin to
prepare years ago. 2008 was a real eye opener for me though as it all begin
to hit home. I began to sell off my possessions when times got tough. Eventually
I had to file bankruptcy and move my family into a smaller more affordable
place. Settled in our new place I began adjusting thinking the worst was
over, I was wrong within two months I was laid off. I had no money and no
job, with three mouths to feed I didn't know what I was going to do. Fortunately,
I had family who was kind enough to let us stay with them until I got back
on
my feet. We have been here several months and am working hard to remedy
our situation.
I must say when I started preparing I tried to place emphasis
on having a firearm and ammunition along with adding an occasional few cans
of food here and there as we could afford, and eventually we ate the food
I put back. At no time were we ever well off In fact I could have been on
welfare and food stamps all along but always thought I would make it. I
had to sell my off road/family vehicle which was our daily driver to buy
a four-door car because of gas, but we are still blessed and much more fortunate
than many. I always watched the news and it all seemed so distant and never
thought it could happen to me, but it did. This
along with your help has really strengthened my mindset. I really wanted
to send you this
e-mail
not just
to tell you my story, as there are so many who have similar ones. I sent
this to sincerely say thank you. You have opened my eyes to so much that
I had never even attempted to consider, I was and honestly still feel
like an infant with the sea of knowledge of preparedness.Your web site has
truly put me on track to preparing in so many areas right down to me saving
the lent from the dryer. Money is tight but with your help and that of your
subscribers we are still preparing.
I recently ordered your novel ["Patriots"]and
I haven't been able to put it down! Congratulations, James. It is a great
book! I have learned so much from the book as well and am still not finished.
I do
truly
believe hard times are upon us and because of you the children and I will
have a much greater chance of survival. You not only have affected my life
but also the life of my 10 year old son, and eight and two year-old daughters.
Rest well knowing you are truly making a difference and may God bless you and
your
family.
Sincerely, - Kyle
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Letter Re: That Leaking Body in Your Living Room
Sir,
There have been innumerable discussions on this web site, and others across
the internet, about the mindset, preparations, training and physical responses
to the use of deadly force. Every gun owner (or would be owner) has had to
ask themselves if they have what it takes to kill another human being. We
all know the argument. When it comes down to life or death, you or them,
could you pull the trigger? Let's assume, for the sake of this segment, that
your
answer is yes. Now let me present you with a hypothetical situation:
It's TEOTWAWKI. Infrastructure is nonexistent. Government collapsed. You've
bugged out to your retreat, or hunkered down in place. Late one night, an
intruder enters your home. He is armed, and threatens your family. You confront
him,
and shots ring out. When the smoke clears, you get a SITREP, just like you
practiced. You and your family are unhurt. The intruder is dead. What do
you do now? Normally, if no one had already done so, your first step would
be to
call the local police or sheriff's department. They would send out uniformed
officers who would interview your family, gather evidence, take photographs
of the scene, fill out an incident report, and then the coroner or ambulance
would cart off the intruder.
There's only one catch. It's TEOTWAWKI. Even if the phone would ring, there
are no police on the other end. No one is coming to help. There will be no
uniformed officer, no incident report, no photos, no evidence taken. It will
be completely up to you to discern how he gained entry, and repair any damaged
caused by his entry, and the ensuing firefight. Do you know how to fix the
door he kicked open? The window he shattered? The fencing or gate he drove
over? More importantly, do you have the parts and tools needed to repair
or replace them? Another door? Door frame? Door knob? Deadbolt? Strike face?
Spare
keys to new locks? Window pane? Window frame? Whole window? Fencing? Fence
posts? Gate? Do you have anything to just cover the hole where your window
to be?
Oh, and there's one more little detail you may have overlooked. There will
be no coroner to call. . There will be no trained, experienced,
seen-it-all-nothing-shocks-me-anymore medical examiner to rid you of your
recently deceased criminal mastermind.
So, what do you do with the dead guy in your living room?
Honestly, how many of us have ever actually gone so far as to consider the
possibility that one day we may find ourselves in a situation like this? An
intruder in the home, certainly. A firefight, probably. Taking a life, likely.
But who has actually come up with a plan for dealing with the aftermath, the
body growing cold between your comfy chair and coffee table? I highly doubt
your spouse and children would be keen to leave it where it is, playing the
role of "lumpy, rather morbid area rug/ottoman." And that would be
ignoring the fact that corpses have this annoying (and stomach-churning) habit
of, well, evacuating on themselves. And rotting. Never forget the rotting.
So what do you do with it?
Do you drag it outside and bury it? Burn it on a funeral pyre? Throw it in
the nearest body of water and hope it floats downstream? Stake it up on the
lawn like some macabre scarecrow, a warning to others? Feed it through your
wood chipper? What sort of treatment or rites (if any) do you give during the
internment of your would-be murderer? Does he get a pine box, a pit just deep
enough to
keep the wildlife from digging him up by morning, or unceremoniously dropped
in a heap next to your mailbox, waiting for a trash pickup that's never
coming?
Can you even stomach the idea of handling a dead body (and its various fluids)
for the length of time required to actually dispose of it? Including transport
to burial site, preparation of burial site, internment, and blood stain/brain
matter/bowel contents cleanup? Do you even have a cleaner that can get blood,
brain, and bowel contents out of your carpets, drapes, clothing, and upholstery?
Are you going to be reminded of the life you took every time you sit in your
favorite
chair? Will you spend hours staring out the back window at the patch of turned
earth that marks his final resting place?
Do you relocate? Has his presence (and subsequent death) revealed you to the
masses? Can you afford to take that chance? How many of his associates may
know of your whereabouts? Will they try to avenge him? Can you repeat this
whole process again? Do you have the materials to replace another door, window,
or fence? Can you bear the mental strain of taking more lives? Is your yard
big enough to bury them all?
I do not have the answers to these questions. I know my own self, and how
I react in a situation not all that dissimilar. This is one of those rare things
you really can't properly train for, unless you happen to be coroner or mortician
by trade. There are precious few opportunities to be near the recently deceased
for the rest of us (for which I am profoundly grateful), and I doubt you will
find a mortician willing to loan you a body to practice with. If you do, I
suggest you report them to the authorities. That's just not right.
I guess it boils down to a question of fortitude, much like the Deadly Force
issue that would precede it. Can you set aside your personal feelings about
the dead, the living, what he intended, what you did, and what that smell is,
long enough to do what needs to be done? If you think you can, I suggest you
figure out now what you're going to do when the need arises, rather than figuring
out what you're going to do once the need has risen. Like that old saying goes; "Forewarned
is Forearmed." Food for thought. - C.M., Maine
JWR Adds: While it is difficult to predict post-SHTF circumstances,
and even more difficult to predict how long they might last, it is
safe to assume that eventually things will get back to some semblance of normalcy--hopefully
within weeks or months. At that point, there will be some backtracking, to
account
for what crimes transpired during the emergency, and to insure that everyone
is living at property that is legally deeded to them. Therefore, in the sad
event
that you are forced to take
a life to
defend
your
own, or
to defend the lives
of
your
loved
ones, it is important to "cover yourself in paper" before you
go burying any bodies. It is crucial get an official--preferably a sworn law
enforcement officer--but failing that, any official to
sign an affidavit of the circumstances of the shooting. Even if the only "official"
that you
can
locate
is a retired police officer or a dog
catcher or the head of the local water district, get them to sign an
affidavit, and have it witnessed by by at least three or four neighbors who
will also be walked-through the scene--and be presented the "play
by play" after-action report. (Relying on just one or two witness signatures
might
be a mistake, since people are likely to relocate or assume room temperature
in
large numbers
during
a crisis.) Also, before touching anything in the room(s), be sure
to take pictures showing the location of the
body (or
bodies),
weapons,
spent
brass,
bullet holes in walls, et cetera. Also photograph the body in the grave,
before you back-fill it.
« Economics and Investing: |Main| Old Frontier Forts as Alternative Bug Out Locations?, by R.D. in Wyoming »
Three Letters Re: Some Practical Lessons with Daily Concealed Carry
Jim,
I thought your reader "D" in North Carolina had some very good observations
on daily carry. In particular the mindset advice was solid.
I would like to point out that despite the majority of his info being spot-on,
I have to take a different perspective on his "fifth lesson." First,
it's your choice who you choose to tell that you're carrying, I'm not trying
to tell your readers what to do specifically, but rather I'm trying to shed
more light on the topic. It's actually beneficial if some people know you carry
(that you trust) as they will likely have a better idea how to react in a situation
or can even back you up if they carry too if you have to present your weapon,
rather than just standing there thinking, "where the heck did he get that?" or "Oh
my gosh, he's got a gun!" Now, like "D" said, consider the possible
reaction of those you are with when presenting your weapon.
While most gun guys and most law enforcement know that a fanny pack and/or
a photographer's vest screams "gun," (and you should consider such
a thing if you don't want law enforcement to know you're carrying) the average
person and average crook do not. As a follow up to this point, while I will
not say it
has never happened, in years of searching and asking friends, law enforcement
and online forums for a story, I still have yet to hear of a single time where
a bad guy
walked in and shot the first person he saw with a photographer's vest or fanny
pack... or even shot a person openly carrying a handgun (other than law enforcement
in uniform). Again, "D's" advice on staying discreet if you need
to still applies, but don't think that you'll get shot just cause you dress
a certain way.
Kudos to "D" for the solid info!!! I suggest to SurvivalBlog readers
(particularly those new to carrying a firearm) who haven't done so already,
to read his post, and re-read it. Consider it, and chew it over and decide
now what
you
will do "when" trouble comes your way.
I know that you've promoted Front Sight, to which I say it fits very well with "D's" overall
view and combines teaching mindset with firearm skills and trains you in just
about everything "D" said. Train, train
often, and learn/decide the mindset now! Mindset first, tool second! - PPPP
Jim:
I got this
NYPD training image awhile back and gives great advice and common
pitfalls of people that conceal carry.
Quite a bit of it is common sense, but a great learning aid. - Jimmy McC
James:
Check out this interesting piece at the US Concealed Carry web site: A
Concise Primer on Concealment Holsters, by Dr. Bruce N. Eimer, Ph.D. Regards, - Chester
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Letter Re: A Short Term Home Evacuation Taught Some Lessons
Sir,
Thanks for SurvivalBlog and the efforts you put into it. I have read your
online information over the years, going back to just before Y2K.
Your insights, common sense and information diversity are great indicators of
what it means to prep, get prepped and maintain. I have a few of your books,
and have used your information and insights to help get my brother and his family
started on preps.
Recently, I experienced a situation that required evacuation and relocation on
a personal/ family level. In our utility area, where the washer and dryer are,
we had a fire. I was at work, my wife at home, with our pets (two cats), The
smoke
detector went off, My wife got out of the house with the pets and the strong
box, and the Fire Department showed up quickly, getting the fire out and reducing
damage on a very large scale. The smoke smell is not bad, but anything that burns
can have other chemical issues that are negative to your health, especially if
you already have allergies, or illnesses. Due to the smoke, however and a request
from our insurance company to not use any appliances until inspections could
be completed, we had to relocate to another place. Our policy covered a hotel,
and we had an alternate location for the pets. We are now all co located in the
alternate location, and the day to day living goes on, with minimal (fortunately)
changes. (The clean up cost around $6,000 in USD.)
This brings up the subject of rapid evacuation and not necessarily having any
load out time for kits, supplies or BOB/G.O.O.D. bags. For my wife, she got out
in
about three minutes, including the 911 call.
Fortunately we were able to get back into the house and secure things like additional
clothing and the bulk of our kit. This was after the fact and not able to do
so during the event. Again I was at work, my wife at home, my step daughter at
school for the day.
However, this brings to mind a few learning points.
A. It is not enough to have Smoke and CO detectors only in the main living quarters
of your home. Get them in your utility rooms and garage as well.
B. Take the time to add adequate fire extinguishers in those same locations (ABC
chemical and larger than the car trunk style about the size of a quart bottle)
C. Review your coverage before you need it. Car/Home/ Renters insurance. Like
other preps, this is something that needs review, just like inventories.
D. Maintain a solid contact list. Update the list and the contacts on your situation
asap.
E. Some add on suggestions to the strongbox, for your important papers, Stamps
and envelopes, both calling cards and a few rolls of quarters for immediate laundry
when possible.72 hours worth of clothing is quickly run through. (We had to mail
in our house payment, but I had to get stamps, "Doh" to me for that one.)
Thanks, - T. in the Pacific Northwest
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Is it Enough?, by Axman
I remember the Great Gas Crises of the 1950s. I filled several metal five-gallon
cans with gas and put them behind the seat of my 1941 Plymouth 6-cylinder Business
Coupe. I got 21 miles per gallon with that peppy little car!
When Kennedy’s
Cuban Missile Crises came about I dug a foxhole in my Mother’s
back yard -- which she later filled in and used as a flower bed.
Then the Cold
War with Russia, where we rattled ballistic missiles at each other. I actually
built an above-ground fallout shelter out of a retired metal
dumpster
and a piece of conduit big enough to crawl through. A hill of dirt left over
from a construction job finished it. My shelter looked like an earthen igloo,
built in the high desert above Phoenix, Arizona . It lasted about 7 years,
until the new owner of the property took it down.
One day at a gun store I met a man
who was high up in our regional electric company. I asked him what would happen
if the Russians nuked Phoenix. He replied
that
if we were lucky, our electricity would be out for a few weeks to a few months!
If
they scored a direct hit, then it could be years before the power could be
restored!
Convinced, I went right home and started assembling my own small solar
electric system! Several years later the Berlin Wall was taken down. But
I kept my 'Small
Electric Company' operational. I still use it every evening! In addition
I picked up a pitiful little generator some guy had taken out of his motor
home.
Eventually
Y2K came
on the scene. I sold my little noise maker
and replaced it with a new Coleman 3,000 watt, no frills, short run generator.
It is just big enough to run the wife’s washing machine and any of my
shop’s
tools one at a time. This machine was a great comfort as the year 2000 came
closer. I figured on running it just 2 to 3 hours per week during the crisis.
That way, I would
not have to store large amounts of expensive, flammable gasoline. I still maintain
this generator in good working order by using it to power my electric chainsaw
2 or 3 times each year as I cut wood for our stove.
During the pre-Y2K months
an old Baptist turned-Mormon school chum convinced me
to
start a food storage program. So I went out and bought 3 or 4 cases of Ramen
noodles. In time I learned to hate Ramen noodles! My thrifty wife insisted
on recycling or rotating them through my digestive tract! I think I have finally
got her convinced to save the last case for our neighbors who fail to prepare
for the big one! I now buy canned pinto beans, pork and beans, canned corn,
green peas, green beans, potted meat, Vienna sausages, stuff I like or can
at least
tolerate! I figure on keeping 6 weeks to 3 months supply of food and water
on hand and rotating it every 3 years, keeping it no longer then 5 years.
This is an ongoing thing and saves us a few dollars as the price of food continues
to rise. Uncle Sugar just keeps printing money and devaluating our Dollars,
thus higher prices!
Now along comes the Mega Depression of 2009, [minor rant snipped] so this
then is my biggest challenge, just to survive this coming period of economic
disaster,
political turmoil, and civil unrest.
I am in the process
of improving
the latches on my exterior doors and outfitting a designated bug out vehicle
capable of sustaining our lives for 30 days. I am teaching my wife to use a
battle rifle and
improving my rain water barrels. I instructed my financial advisor to prepare
my investments for the worst, plus taking some independent action of my own
in
the way of trade goods, reconstruction skills and a small investment in precious
metals. I have talked up the need to prepare with friends, loved ones, and
neighbors. Is it enough? Only time will tell.
« Retreat Owner Profile: Mr. & Mrs. India |Main| Notes from JWR: »
Disaster Preparedness--Of Lists and Preparation in Depth, by Ed C.
I would like to offer my own experiences in the hopes that they may provide
some small amount of practical advice to others. Here in Oklahoma, of course,
we face tornadoes, but many do not realize we have also suffered from paralyzing
ice storms - three within the past ten years. Lessons gleaned from practical
experience are:
- Have inventory lists;
- Have 'Oh-Schumer Lists' of items
and chores for each type of contingency situation
(tornado, flood, ice storm, etc.)
- Prepare 'in depth' for each major
need, such as heat and light, food, water, shelter, and protection
- Calmly
think
through scenarios on the before-hand, in terms of what would be needed,
how long one can survive, and what the deciding factors in your response
would be ('fight or flight')
- Most importantly, be prepared to take care of your own, whether family
or
friends or neighbors.
First things first. Just a week or so ago, Oklahoma
was ravaged by several tornadoes. While keeping an ear on the weather
report,
I calmly
gathered up medications,
identification papers, windup lights and radios. I made sure there
was at least one conventional telephone working. We have had experiences
with cell
phone
towers being down, or the cell phone networks being overloaded. I
placed a full face motorcycle helmet, winter gloves, and parka within reach
to put on (for some marginal protection against debris)
in case
the tornado swung in our direction, something they can and
have done before.
Thankfully, we were spared, though one tornado came within two miles
of
our home.
The purpose of relating the above is to illustrate the
importance of pre-planning for an event, having what we call an 'Oh-Schumer
List' of
items and tasks, so that one keeps panic at bay while calmly following
a pre-planned, prepared
list so that one keeps busy and feels somewhat in control of the
situation.
The second situation is one that we have experienced
several times; and yet I am still amazed that many neighbors still do not
prepare
for them; ice
storms. Again, we have items stored which were deemed necessary
to overcome the emergency
situation, as well as an 'Oh-Schumer List' of items and tasks
(chores) which we can calmly follow. In our case, we have winter clothing
cleaned, organized,
and stored;
various tools and outdoor items prepped (snow shovels, chain
saw (and spare chains, oil,
etc.), generator (and gasoline, oil, spark plugs, etc.), tarps,
lumber; food, water, and medicines stocked; Vehicles serviced and fueled;
and Call
Lists of Family,
Friends, and Neighbors so that we can be sure they are warm,
fed, and safe.
One thing I must stress is that we prepare 'in depth'
as much as we can.
Meaning that while we have a generator and gasoline, we also
have propane lights, heaters,
and stoves in case the generator fails. We also
have candles, Esbit stoves, windup lights and radios, and firewood.
Similarly, my wife
will cook up large batches of food if she knows we have an
incoming storm front, but we also have canned goods, MREs, and freeze-dried
goods.
For water, we
have bottled water, Katadyn water filters, bleach, water purification
tablets, collapsible
water containers, and a small 10,000 gallon swimming pool.
A
few years ago, Oklahoma City was paralyzed for about five
days by an ice storm. We had no
electricity from the grid, but we had our furnace and a few appliances
running
on a generator. We also had relatives and neighbors who stayed with us, as
they had not prepared. It was no matter, we had homemade chicken pot
pies, wine, card games,
lively conversation, and were all safe, snug, and warm. Sadly, while outside
cutting up fallen trees that blocked the roads, I encountered a neighbor that
needed
the cut-up wood to heat and cook for his elderly father and himself. I offered
him our propane lights, heater, and camp stove; but he did not take us up
on the
offer. I wanted to ask him, that since we had gone through this numerous
times, why he had not prepared for this. But, I knew it was hard enough for
him just
to ask for the firewood.
In closing, let me recap. Have inventory
lists. Have 'Oh-Schumer Lists' of items and tasks for each type of contingency
situation. Prepare 'in
depth' for each major need, such as heat and light, food, water, shelter,
and protection Calmly think through scenarios on the before-hand,
in terms of what would be needed, how long one can survive, and what the deciding
factors would
be. Most importantly, be prepared to take care of your own, whether
family
or friends or neighbors. Sadly, this last point is overlooked by many. Good
luck to all.
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My Initial Experiences with Concealed Carry, by AceHigh
As I started my journey into preparedness, one of the areas I pursued was getting
my Concealed Carry Weapons (CCW) license (sometimes called Concealed Handgun
License (CHL) or Concealed Carry License (CCL)). I thought it might be helpful
to Survival Blog readers to share my recent experiences related to obtaining
my CCW license and getting to a point where I felt comfortable carrying a
concealed weapon in public. I know there is some concern regarding obtaining
a license that puts you on record as a gun owner/carrier, but that is the
trade off of being able to legally defend yourself and is a decision each
of us must make.
In a full TEOTWAWKI situation, concealed carry is likely not much of an issue,
as most everyone will be carrying openly. However, it is possible, if not likely,
that a less than full TEOTWAWKI will occur where there is increasingly more
crime and yet some semblance of law enforcement is still in place. This limbo
between where we are today and complete lawlessness may last a long time. You
could be considered a criminal by illegally carrying a concealed weapon for
self protection.
First, a little background regarding CCW. Most states are either “shall
issue” or “may issue” in regard to CCW licenses (nice of
them to offer something already provided for by the Second Amendment). Both
Illinois and Wisconsin do not allow concealed carry at all and a few other “nanny” states
(California, New York, New Jersey, etc.) are “may issue” and only
provide licenses in very limited circumstances. There is a complicated set
of state reciprocity (which states will honor another states license), especially
considering that many states offer non-resident permits and a few states only
honor resident permits. The best source I have found to understand the laws
pertaining to individual states is the HandgunLaw.us
web site. Even though
there are sporadic attempts to nationalize concealed carry, I do not believe
this
will
happen which is probably a good thing (the federal government, especially the
current one, would likely make things much worse).
I applied for and subsequently received my CCW license about 18 months ago
in Idaho, my state of residence. My first several months of carrying a concealed
weapon was limited to having my gun in the car (in a somewhat hidden spot)
anytime
I left the house. My concern was that, even though I had some experience shooting
handguns and rifles, actually carrying a weapon in public carries a high level
of responsibility and I did not have enough confidence in my ability in handling
the weapon or in having the proper mindset as to how to respond to the variety
of situations that could present themselves.
I made one of the best decisions of my life when I attended the Four
Day Defensive Handgun class at Front Sight. Not only did those very intense four days enable
me to gain familiarity and confidence in handling my Glock 23 but started me
down the road to good marksmanship. The range work (about 75% of the class)
focused on gun handling safety, proper mechanics for drawing the gun and shooting,
and shooting accuracy. Just as important was the classroom work at Front Sight
where they discussed a wide range of topics related to self defense, including
the legal ramifications of even a justified shooting and the color codes of
awareness. The most important thing presented was that you should only present
your weapon if you are in fear for your life or grave bodily harm and, if you
do present your weapon, you should be prepared to shoot until the threat is
stopped. This may sound simple but there are many shades of gray here that
each individual must come to grips with.
One of these gray areas involves protecting others. Of course, there is no
question regarding protecting my family who would get a higher priority than
even myself. My personal decision is that I would also use deadly force to
protect my friends. Here is where it starts to get gray. Do you protect acquaintances
or strangers? While it would be very difficult to stand by and let someone
be harmed or killed when you could have done something to stop it, the real
issue is: Do you know enough of the circumstances about the event? How do you
know for sure who the bad guy is? Is the person holding the gun seeming to
threaten someone an off duty cop or even another CCW who is restraining a bad
guy? You certainly cannot count on presenting your weapon to get everyone to
stop until it can be sorted out. Chances are pretty good that the bad guy (or
the off duty cop) holding the gun will not surrender and you will either be
shot or have to shoot them.
Another gray area is: how far do you go to protect your stuff? You are only
legally able to shoot someone if you are in fear of your life or grave bodily
harm. In most states, you cannot legally shoot someone who is just taking your
stuff. For example, if someone pulls a gun (or knife) on you and demands your
wallet, you could shoot them if you were in fear for your life. However, if
you see someone stealing you car and you shoot them while they are driving
away; you are likely in deep trouble. An exception (in most states),
called the Castle Doctrine, is that you do not have to be in fear for your
life if
the bad guy is inside your house. Be sure to check your state
laws on use of force!
Prior to the class, I had begun to read the defensive handgun forums primarily
regarding hypothetical and actual defensive scenarios. I highly recommend these
forums. My favorites are: Defensive
Carry Forum, Concealed
Carry Forum,
and the Glock
Carry Forum. Even though there are many different
opinions expressed on these forums, hearing them helps to solidify your own
mindset
as to what you would do in a variety of situations. It is important to think
this through thoroughly prior to carrying a weapon because there will likely
not be time to do so when a situation arises.
The main point is that you need to go out of your way to avoid a gunfight.
This is illustrated by the fact that in a gunfight, you risk everything (including
your life) and don’t win anything. The ramifications to your life of
even a good shooting are such that it is something to be avoided if at all
possible. Those ramifications can include financial ruin, losing your job,
tarnishing your reputation (at least among the non-violent types), or even
incarceration. Now that I am armed, I am more able to resist the macho urge
to stand up to someone because I know that escalation could be deadly. It also
doesn’t hurt to have witnesses that say you tried to walk away or de-escalate
the situation in case the unavoidable does happen.
After attending the Front Sight class, I made the leap and started carrying
in public all of the time. This is where you start to figure out the type and
manufacturer of holster which is going to work best for you. Most people end
up with a drawer full of holsters since it is difficult to evaluate a holster
without wearing it with different clothing options and sometimes in different
positions for some period of time. Again, the defensive handgun forums can
provide a wealth of opinions regarding the variety of holsters available. Some
holsters are adjustable for height and/or cant, which make them more versatile
but also extend the time to figure out the most comfortable concealed position.
I could write many pages on all of the options and types of holsters available
since I did considerable research and tried many of them personally.
To simplify, the most common holsters are either OWB (outside the waistband)
or IWB (inside the waistband). They can be worn in various positions (usually
described but referencing the numbers on a clock with straight ahead being
12:00). Many people carry “behind the hip” at 4:00-5:00 (for right
handed people) or 7:00-8:00 (for left handed people) with some amount of forward
cant (grip of gun forward and barrel angled toward the rear). That cant (typically
10-20%) allows for a more natural grip on the gun for drawing from that position
as well as provides better concealment than a straight drop. I could never
get comfortable with this behind the hip position, maybe because I am not very
limber and I have bad shoulders making it difficult to reach behind my hip
both for getting the holster positioned initially and for access to the gun
when needed.
The 3:00 position allows for a straight draw and is the most comfortable, even
when sitting. Since it is on the apex of your hip/waist, it is a little more
difficult to conceal but is a good option in winter when jackets and coats
are common. You just need to make sure that you won’t be put into a position
where you will need to remove your cover garment. I have found that a fleece
vest works very well to conceal a handgun at 3:00 and you can still wear and
remove a heavier coat and keep your weapon concealed.
I have gravitated toward “appendix carry” at about 1:00-2:00 using
an IWB holster, especially in the summer. It allows for excellent concealability
and access and can be concealed with just a light shirt. This position also
allows you to be able to visually make sure you are not “printing” (outline
of the gun showing through your clothes). There are a large number of IWB holsters
available and some of them allow a shirt to be tucked in between the pants
and the top of the gun if you need to have your shirt tucked in. I did have
to go up one size in pants to accommodate the holster and gun being inside
the waistband.
Cross draw is another option and works well for people who spend a lot of time
driving. Other options that have drawbacks but may be useful for some people
include SOB (small
of back) holsters, shoulder holsters, and ankle holsters.[JWR Adds: As
previously mentioned in SurvivalBlog I consider SOB holsters too much of a
risk for back
injuries, particularly for anyone on horseback, or that is riding motorcycles
or ATVs.]
I use a fanny pack (worn in the front) sometimes, especially when hiking.
A
fanny
pack
in
public
tends
to scream “gun” to
most law enforcement and some bad guys. For women, carrying in a purse is an
obvious
choice. However,
you have to be very careful not to set it down anywhere where someone else
could get access to it. A purse can also be the target of someone trying to
snatch it, which not only deprives you of your means of self defense but gives
your weapon to your attacker. There are other options that each individual
should look into to meet their specific need.
To maintain and even improve the level of proficiency gained at Front
Sight, there are a few approaches. The obvious one is to do a lot of shooting.
With the cost of ammunition these days, this can be very expensive. A .22 conversion
kit for your carry gun will help to minimize the cost of putting a lot of rounds
down range. An alternative is to mix in dry practice. Personally, I like to
try to maintain 10%-20% of my practice time as live fire but sometimes that
is even difficult to achieve. Dry practice can help to maintain muscle memory
for drawing, sight acquisition, trigger pull, and even malfunction clearing.
An obvious important safety concern when dry practicing is to absolutely
insure that the gun is unloaded. I know that sounds pretty basic but a clear delineation
of
starting
and stopping
dry practice will help to eliminate a very bad experience of a
negligent discharge. Unload the gun and double check that it is unloaded. Then
remove all ammo from the dry practice area. Check again to make sure the gun
is unloaded. Even then, make sure you dry practice target has a good backstop
and make sure you never point the gun at anything you would not want to destroy.
At the end of the dry practice session, remove any dry practice targets, load
and holster the weapon, and go as far as to say out loud, “The weapon
is loaded and dry practice is over.”
I have applied for and am awaiting receipt of my Utah non-resident permit which
will make me legal in more states (33 states in total). I am also planning
to attend Front Sight again in a few weeks and take the Four Day Practical
Rifle class to gain more proficiency with my battle rifle. I even talked my
wife
into taking the Four
Day Defensive Handgun class at the same time. - AceHigh in Idaho
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Two Letters Re: Barnyard Junk: The Things that You Do and Don't Need for TEOTWAWKI
Jim:
Regarding post on junk: Right on! When I recommend the OAR system for preparedness
the O stands for organization. It does no good to have supplies you can't
find or access. I see an awful lot of farmers with yards that look like the
municipal
landfill. It isn't safe or healthy. True preparedness requires doing the
work of tracking supplies and useage so you don't find yourself short or waste
hours
looking for the tool that you know is here...someplace. One of the best features
of the "Rawles
Gets You Ready" preparedness course is the organized inventory
lists. For a beginner, this course is a must-have.- Kathy Harrison, author
of Just
In Case: How
to be self sufficient when the unexpected happens
James,
I
agree wholeheartedly with Jim Fry. Farms that are eyesores are a blight
on the land and on the farmer who created the eyesore.
When I was in the Army I used to drive for over an hour to spend weekends on
a friends parents' farm in Kansas. The farmer I "worked" for was
nicknamed "Tidy" because right from childhood, he had always been
fastidious in his habits. Tidy was a Marine and a veteran of almost the entire
Guadalcanal campaign. You know what they say - once a Marine, always a Marine!
His self-discipline, professionalism and pride showed in everything he did
- just as his inner strength showed through his quiet and self-effacing demeanor.
His farmstead was always standing tall, as was his equipment and shop. He had
one of each piece of equipment that he used on the farm - and they were all
in a fine state of repair, with spares on hand for the parts that were critical
and/or most likely to break. Going down to work on the farm for Tidy was always
a joy, because I knew that whatever jobs he had for me to do, the equipment
would be right where he'd shown me it would be, and it would be ready to go.
Everything got done in plenty of time for me to get cleaned up and dressed
for dinner (Yes, Tidy insisted that everyone be changed out of their work clothes
for dinner - never had to tell me that one, it was just obvious that it was
expected - just like at home.) with plenty of daylight left to go down to the
pond for a little fishing after dinner in the summertime. Keeping your place
clean and organized goes a long way toward efficiency and
a good outlook on life.
One thing that Jim forgot to mention is the defensive liability created by
having piles of junk scattered around the farmyard and the farm in general.
Those piles of junk interrupt your fields of vision - and fire - providing
concealment for approaching bad actors, and cover for them once they decide
it's time to strike. If the Golden
Horde comes pouring through your gate or
woodline, the last thing you want to have done is create pre-positioned fighting
positions for them. If you truly think you will need something "someday" maintain
it and store it under cover, so it will be of use when you need it
-- not "someday" after
the need occurs. In most areas, you can find a place to cut poles for structural
members, and you can usually take down old unused buildings for siding boards
and 2x4s -- so your total outlay will be for metal roofing. You will take your
farmstead's defensive layout into account when planning for the placement of
new equipment storage sheds, right?
If you don't need it - and don't have a plan to use it in planned-for contingencies,
then get rid of it! Don't be a slave to your stuff!
Just my de-valued two-bits worth. - Countrytek
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Letter Re: Barnyard Junk: The Things that You Do and Don't Need for TEOTWAWKI
Jim
Much has been written in all the various books, discussion groups and forums
about acquiring the best G.O.O.D. bag, BOVs and medical kits. Much has been
said about what garden seeds to get and the best lead delivery systems to have.
There's been endless discussions about setting up the most survivable retreat
and packing the maps to help get you there. ...But I recall very little talk
about what you don't need.
I've lived on the family farm all my life. I've also spent a great deal of
time delivering survival supplies to Indian Reservation all over the US. I'm
currently managing a Farm Museum. And I spend a good deal of time visiting
several Amish communities nearby. In all these endeavors, I've had occasion
to visit people living on the land. I look closely at how various folks and
cultures manage how they live.
On many of the Reservations, there's trash along the roads and cars up on blocks
in many fields. It's common for someone to take a tire off a vehicle because
they just need it until they get a new tire for a different car. Then they "borrow" the
battery, then maybe a headlight/radio/other tire/gas tank etc. Next thing you
know, there's a permanent memorial to G.M. sitting in the drive. It all contributes
to an environment of futility and hopelessness.
In Amish country, some farms are neat as a pin, and others are just falling
apart. I stopped by one yesterday that was just depressing. Not a blade of
grass, not a flower bed, dirt and chicken manure everywhere. The signs advertising
maple syrup for sale, were hanging akimbo. I stepped in the house to talk to
the family, and the clutter was an accident waiting to happen. The man of the
farm was as messy as his farm. I doubt he gets up in the morning thinking how
much he is looking forward to going out to the beauty of his place.
On the many "English", (Amish term term meaning anybody not Amish),
farms I visit while collecting for the museum, it's much the same. A friend
of mine lives on a diary farm not far from here. There's several falling down
buildings full of grand dad's rusty stuff, none of it useful any more. There's
discarded and rotting feed sacks inches deep in the milk house. And lots of
unused and unusable equipment scattered across the yard. He farms, he makes
a profit. He has pretty good hay for sale. But his working environment,...ughh
! Where he works and how he works holds him back. He can't get as much done
for all the junk in his way. Other farms are models of efficiency.
What I've learned over many years of "farming", is that farming gets
harder or easier depending on how organized you are. If all your tools are
well kept and organized in one place, every repair job is much easier, ..there's
no need to spend half your time searching for a misplaced wrench. If what you
look at, as you walk to the barn, is neat and cared for, it tends to help you
feel more like doing the next job. If your place is a mess, with lots of undone
chores to do, it can get so overwhelming that you to just want to say the heck
with it, there's too much to do.
Right now our society is still functioning fairly well. Most places, the government
does its second most important job fairly well. Once a week the trash gets
picked up. After the SHTF, getting rid of junk will be much more difficult.
When you are getting your retreat ready for what seems more likely every day,
consider
this.
If
the economy collapses, what you have is what you will have. The more helpful
stuff, the better. The less trash, the better. I suggest you be rigorous, right
now, about getting rid of the things that won't help you survive in tough times.
Right now, it's fairly easy to do.
If a dead washing machine is sitting out back, cut out the metal side panels
for use on some other project and maybe save the motor if it's working. But
get rid of the rest of it either thru a scrap yard or trash pick-up. If you
don't, it's just going to rot away and cause you trouble later on. If the power
goes off and there's no more gas, consider using the last half pint you have
to move your BOV to some out of the way place. Once it's parked, it's going
to be there a very long time. You'll be tempted to keep many things, thinking
that someday you'll need/fix them. But if you can't get them running now, it's
less likely you will when the electricity goes off. You might think of it like
inner city graffiti. The first day you see it, it might have some "artist
value". But as it deteriorates, it just drags the whole neighborhood down.
The environment you live in really does effect the way you feel and work. Right
now, get rid of what you don't need. Arrange your retreat as neat and clean
as you can. It will make all the thousand other jobs of self-sufficiency easier.
Give it a thought, what you don't clean up now, may be a real hindrance later
on. The neater you are now, the more efficient and happy you will be now, and...later. -
- Jim Fry, Curator, Museum
of Western Reserve Farms & Equipment, Ohio
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Letter Re: Jared Diamond Predicts the End of Cheap Oil and an 85% Global Population Decline
Mr. Rawles,
I
found this article informative. A quote: "Cheap, plentiful
fossil fuels discovered in the last hundred years (or so) spurred a food bubble,
which
led
to a population bubble. Cheap
oil, in other words, created the temporary conditions necessary to support
a runaway population explosion that is, without question, unsustainable without
cheap energy." Here is another quote: "complex civilizations are
quite fragile, and short-terming thinking can easily doom a society or civilization
to irreversible
collapse."
The author believes that world population
will be reduced to 1/7th of its current size in a post-oil economy. BTW, there
are lots of other links on that web site that are worth exploring. I enjoy
reading
your blog. Regards, - I.L.
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Emotional Stressors During Societal Collapse by Campcritter
As determined men and women of yesteryear made their way west to make for
a better life, pioneer women often kept journals of their life on the great
prairies or sent letters home to their sisters back East. In those letters
they described the silence as the most unwelcome guest. These brave women
wrote about being left for weeks on end alone, lost in an endless sea of
grass with only the wind for company while the men hunted or went for supplies.
In some cases the quiet was so severe that it became unbearable and the women
developed mental problems. One young mother in 1853 wrote, “Silence
is an evil creature, it stalks you by day, watching, waiting, ever vigilant.
By the dark of the moon it strangles your thoughts and slips away with your
sanity.”
Imagine now, that we are about six weeks into a societal collapse. You are
sure you have prepared yourself fairly well. You’ve made all the plans
and stocked all that needs to be stocked and you feel pretty confident that
you
and yours can weather whatever comes, right? After all, you have given lots
of time and energy to making sure that you have everything that you need. You
have provided for your physical well being, but have you taken the time to
consider what happens to the family’s emotional stability when life as
we know it suddenly takes a turn south?
In all the preparedness information out there, there seems to be an expectation
that ones emotional response to real world stressors are somehow less important
than the physical. Or maybe people are not wanting to deal with that which
is yet unknown and frankly, just too scary for most of us to comprehend. What
happens to the emotional intellect when forced to shoot another human being
for the first time or watch helplessly while a loved one dies of an illness
or a massive wound. How about dealing with feral pigs, dogs and any other typically
domesticated animals? Can you let your children out of your sight to play in
the yard or do you live with constant fear they may become a meal for a once
beloved family pet or the zoo animal that hasn’t eaten in a week? These
are real life situations that need to be discussed along with beans, bullets
and band aids. Even Tom Brown, “The Tracker“, writes of feral dogs
of his youth while living in New Jersey.
Now that the stores are not being stocked you have used up all that was in
the cupboard and freezer and have broken into your stored rice and beans. Everyone
in your household has been about four weeks without McDonald’s, potato
chips, Spaghetti-Os, wine, beer and cigarettes. The family complains of being
gassy and bloated and by now the cravings are so bad that even the neighbors
lawn ornament is beginning to look good. Tempers are just one spark away from
ignition within the family unit. Depression sets in as Sissy hysterically cries, “I’m
never ever going to use a flush toilet ever again!” It becomes apparent
that holding this unit together is going to be a real challenge. Isn’t
it is amazing how a change in diet can trash the family dynamics?
My field of study for the past 25 years has been in Holistic Nutritional Sciences.
This field is centered around the whole body and everything that goes into
it, air, water, plants, the soil plants are grown in and the health of animals
that are used for food. Current research indicates there are definite changes
in body chemistry when one gets off the processed and junk food hamster wheel.
As chemicals, heavy metals and other toxic particles leave the body there is
what has been described as a healing crisis and it can be all too real for
the ones that suffer through it. Think for a moment, you have suddenly been
forced to do without coffee or cigarettes, a real nightmare for some. What
will you feel like in a few days? Your children have been forced to do without
their favorite French fries or soft drinks. What will be their mood in a week
or so? If you have ever been witness to a loved ones kicking of the habit you
will appreciate that it is not always a pleasant happening. These are a few
of the more obvious, lets take a look at some lesser known problems with our
modern situation.
Currently there are about 3,000 substances added to food that are on the FDA’s
generally regarded as safe (GRAS) list but the GRAS can not guarantee that
an additive is 100%
safe for every human because not every human has the same biochemistry.
Food colors seem to be most problematic for young children in that they can
be toxic to the nervous system, kidneys or liver. And don’t get me started
on genetically modified foodstuffs, it makes me screaming mad. I can’t
say anything good about altering the perfection of the natural world. The fact
that this brand new life form was not studied long term and released into the
unsuspecting publics food supply makes me nuts. Were humans really meant
to eat a corn plant with say, a petunia's DNA? Of course, that’s a much
simplified version but I believe there are some things that we just weren’t
meant to ingest. Genetically modified ingredients in infant formula being number
one on my list to scream about. My list to scream about on the subject of GMOs
just scratches the surface here ,but that rant is for another day. ( hint:
get as many open pollinated seeds as you can ASAP. That means yesterday. If
you don’t have a garden get open pollinated vegetable seeds anyway, they
will make great barter in the near future. Most seeds are viable between 2
and 5 years.)
An application of malefic hydrazide is routinely sprayed on potatoes and onions
to keep them from sprouting but did you know that this potentially toxic chemical
is sprayed on tobacco products in the U.S., and some chemicals such as propylene
glycol, glycerin, or sorbitol are not always listed on a label. Aspartame as
in Nutrasweet and Equal has been shown to be a precursor to Alzheimer’s
and Parkinson’s diseases. What happens to the body when it doesn’t
get it’s daily dose of acrylamide (a carcinogenic chemical created when
potatoes and corn chips are baked or fried at high temperatures) or when the
body is deprived of high fructose corn syrup from soft drinks? For some people
they can have the same painful withdrawal symptoms as from coffee, cigarettes
or drugs. I have seen people become depressed, angry, foggy in the head, sluggish
and almost manic when taken off processed foods. Raw foods do an excellent
job of cleaning out lots of toxins that accumulate in our fat. (See Power
Foods by Stephanie Beling, M.D. and Rawsome by Brigitte Mars)
More and more young people are becoming diabetic, something very rare at the
turn of the century. My neighbors eight year old child has to be monitored
for high cholesterol, it’s just shocking! Students are under much more
stress these days than ever before which can result in emotional eating and
behavioral
problems. More cravings with less food available could be overwhelming to children
who aren‘t understanding why they can‘t have a second helping.
Even my own grandchildren are such fussy eaters, what happens when they no
longer have access to their junk foods and are forced to eat “real food”?
And by the way, their idea of what real food ( pull it out of the freezer and
pop it into the microwave) is and my knowledge of whole real food doesn’t
line up. Where as there lies the problem. When at Grams house you need to adapt
or go without. (wink, wink, I have been know to bend just a little, sometimes.)
Also, eating a constant diet of freeze dried storable foods and garden produce
can have an undesirable set of problems all it’s own. Much more water
needs to be taken in or the system seems to get painfully backed up.
What about those pioneer women? They didn’t have GMOs or cell
phones. They certainly didn’t need a good detox diet but many did keep
journals to help insure some sanity. Writing stuff down is almost like talking
to a friend. If our world does the "Patriots" thing,
we all will be pioneers in our own right. Picture a world of teens without
their
cell phones, blackberries, computers, music or anything else that makes them
tick. The withdrawal symptoms from the “NEED” to communicate alone
surely should scare even the hardiest amongst us. Taking care of the emotional
person is very personal and challenging. Learn what you can about the food
you have been eating and the world around your retreat and take charge now.
The mental health you save may be your own!
A note to Grandparents: You are hereby requested to help keep our history alive.
Talk to your Grandchildren about your history, our country’s history
and how we got to this point in the world. Write it down if needed. Teach them
all the skills that they will need in their future. Plant the seed early, grandchildren
seen to respond to grandparents easily. Their world will be inherently different
than the one we lived in. Teaching them how to garden, fix a roof, sew a shirt,
harvest and save seeds, cook a stew, etc., everything that you know. What you
don’t already know how it do, learn it together. They are going to need
all the advantages that we can give them.
Favorites from my library:
Cookin'
with Home Storage
by Vicki Tate (Excellent) [JWR Adds: Tate's book is also one of our favorites.]
Staying Healthy
with Nutrition by Elson M. Haas, M.D. There is a section in this book about
detoxification and fasting. (Excellent) This one is my
all
time favorite, it is so worn. 1,141 pages
Never Be Sick Again by Raymond Francis, M.Sc. He tells why disease happens
and how to avoid it.
Nutrition and Mental Illness by Carl C. Pfeiffer, Ph.D., M.D. Written
in layman language, very interesting, surprising causes of some symptoms.
The Ultimate Nutrition Guide for Women by Leslie Beck, R.D. (Very Good)
She tells women why they have health problems and how to deal with them.
Superpigs and Wondercorn by Dr. Michael W. Fox (About GMOs.)
« Letter Re: Storing Peanut Butter |Main| Emotional Stressors During Societal Collapse by Campcritter »
Letter Re: Our Hurricane Rita Evac Proved a Point--Timing is Everything!
Dear Mr. Rawles,
I was in Kingwood Texas, a suburb of Houston, and as keeping an eye on the
Hurricane Rita projected tracks. When the "yellow cone of death" was
centered squarely on Houston, I started to seriously access my situation.
That Tuesday evening, everything still seemed sort of normal. The wife came
home from work about 5 p.m. and we took the dog for a walk around 6 p.m.
When we passed the local gas station that normally has 0-1 cars in it and
there
was a line 10 cars deep, I knew it was "time." I told the wife
we were now implementing our "vacation" plans for Tennessee, and
would be leaving as soon as I had the trailer re-packed. I brought the essentials
and things I couldn't live without if there was no Houston to come back too.
For example, I brought the computers but left the monitors. (Monitors are
replaceable, the hard drives and info on them, were not.)
We were wheels rolling by 9 p.m. Tuesday night, straight up Highway 59, with
hardly another vehicle in sight. Just us and about 200-400 deer through the
night, all headed in the same direction, that was weird... By Wednesday morning
we were eating a lovely and peaceful Cracker Barrel breakfast about 20 miles
East of Nashville and the waitress told us that Houston was basically having
a riot on the freeways. Timing is EVERYTHING! We were 12 hours
ahead of four million people leaving on the same roads, headed in the same
direction.
I learned that deciding to bug out is like deciding to take in a reef in your
sails when sailing that is: if you're seriously considering it, then you should
actually be doing it.
All the best and God Bless, - Edward T.
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Life's Lessons and the Foundations of Preparedness, by A.B.
We may soon depend on all of what we have learned over the years. Putting
all of the threads of knowledge together into a tapestry of self-sufficiency,
and survival capabilities, is part of the lifelong quest for our family’s
security. We learn from many sources and experiences such as: family, church,
friends, teachers, teammates, co-workers, reading books and SurvivalBlog, and
hopefully from our mistakes.
Preparedness Skills from our Grandmas and Grandpas
The foundation for preparedness begins with my childhood in Michigan. We
lived in Lansing where my great-grandmother was next door and my grandmother
lived
next door to her. My father was born in great-grandma’s house after
the family moved to the city during the early 1900s. My sisters and I spent
weekends and summers alternately at my mom’s family dairy farm, which
was just outside of the city, and at my dad’s family cabin “up
north”. These were the richest times of my life. We knew all of our
grandparents and some of our great-grandparents very well. My great-great-grandfather
still
lived in the old log cabin when I was born in 1956. We have been fortunate
to have had five generations alive consistently from then until now. The
wealth of love and knowledge you gain from your extended family is irreplaceable.
The “old timers” told stories of hardship during the great depression
and the dust bowl era (we live an area that was the largest prairie east
of the Mississippi.) Memories of crop failures with tales of early and late
frosts
were passed down. There were also hunting and fishing stories passed down
as we learned to hunt and fish with older family members. There were bigger
than
life lumberjack stories and stories from Prohibition and the World Wars.
I learned to safely handle and accurately shoot a .22 rifle with peep sights
when I was six or seven years old. I walked the roads with my grandpa squirrel
hunting. We ice fished on local lakes and went to Tip-Up
Town USA every year.
All
of
this adds to ones persona and the early experience helps awaken the necessary “survivalist” traits.
On a working dairy farm you rapidly learn about life (and death). Animal
husbandry and caring for the land lead to sustainability. Animals do become
food and
harvesting the crops sometimes seems little reward for the hard work. The
milking must be done every day and chores do not wait. As a kid I learned
to drive
tractors and pick-ups to and from the fields. We mowed, bailed and then stacked
the hay in the mow. Alfalfa, oats and corn were the field crops. Pigs, chickens,
and sheep were raised along with the dairy cows and we cleaned the barns
and spread manure.
Knowledge is passed down from generation to generation such as when to plant,
where to plant, when to harvest, and how to raise the animals. There were
many topics of conversations at the Sunday breakfast table. Many things are
debated
and discussed after chores and before Church. Most times the conversations
continued outside the Church after the sermon. It was the only time you saw
the other farmers. When you are a little guy you tended to be quiet, pay
attention and learn.
Grandpa was a farmer and Grandma was a one room school teacher. Grandma also
taught vacation bible school during the summer break. Us kids learned how
to tend good gardens and helped preserve the food we raised. We took care
of the
barn animals while the uncles milked. We hauled water to the bull pen and
helped milk as we got older. Survival skill sets from the farm come from
being part
of a close knit community with a solid work ethic. There are strong religious
underpinnings with good people engaged in caring for one another as well
as the animals and the land.
Preparedness from "Roughing It”
The log cabin “up north” had a well-house for getting water and
an outhouse for getting rid of water. There was a wood fired cook stove for
heat and kerosene lamps to play cards under. There was a red checkered oilcloth
on the table with cane chairs around it. The place was originally homesteaded
by my great-great-grandfather in the late 1800s (a few electric lights
were added at some point.) We used to go up on Friday night after Dad or
Grandpa got out of work. The next morning started with an awakening trip to
the outhouse
and then fetching a bucket of water from the well house and kindling for
the wood stove. On a cold morning you stepped lively until the fire was going.
Once the stove was hot, Grandma would cook buttermilk pancakes on a griddle
that my great-grandmother had used in the lumber camp. Eggs and bacon sizzled
in a cast iron skillet. Clothes were washed on a washboard in a wash tub and
then
hung
out to dry. You took a bath in the river. During the summer we would fish
morning and evening and water ski on the nice days. The family summer vacation
was
spent camping in a tent along the river or at a state park. The old cabin
was also used for small game hunting in the early fall and deer camp in the
late
fall / winter. We would take walks in the woods and look for morels and other
edible things like may apples, hickory nuts or raspberries and huckleberries.
Animal tracks were learned and followed with hopes of a glimpse. Life was
considered sacred unless needed for food and being a part of nature became
obvious. A
leave no trace and waste nothing ethic was being born.
Opportunities for further wilderness and pioneering skill development were
provided by Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts. My mom and dad were actively involved
in Scouting when I was growing up. Teamwork and sharing responsibilities
for the group were learned. Outdoor cooking and keeping things sanitary were
heavily
emphasized. Food poisoning is no joke – we had one patrol that damn near
killed us with their meal. We learned to wash our hands and boil the crap out
of everything. Hiking and backpacking skills were beginning to be developed
in the Scouts. We day hiked a 20 miler once a year on the Johnny Appleseed
Trail - the Scouts version of the death march. You had to carry a full pack
if you wanted the patch. We also hiked the Pokagon Trail in northern Indiana
and learned to camp in the winter.
While living in Pennsylvania (later in life) I started winter backpacking with
a few of my buddies. We went in the winter both for the solitude it offered,
and
to learn the special skill sets required for survival in the cold. There
are beautiful views from Seven Springs and other spots along the Laurel Highlands
Trail during the winter. This experience then led to the development of technical
mountaineering skills. The books Basic Rockcraft, Advanced Rockcraft and
Knots
for Climbers were memorized along with study of the book Mountaineering:
The Freedom of the Hills. Skills were practiced and ingrained.
My first solo backpacking / climbing trip came in the summer of 1980 in the
Organ Mountains of southern New Mexico. I later solo climbed most of the
4,000 and 5,000
footers in New England (many in winter). I met a like minded climber on one
of those hikes and we made a summit bid on Mt. Rainier in June of 1998. I
also began
the solo circumnavigation on the Wonderland Trail that year. I set the first
tracks both that year and when I completed the circuit in June of 2001. Map
and compass skills were required. Primitive camping
while carrying everything you
need to survive for two weeks is a tough proposition. It was tough in my 30s
and 40s. It’s even harder now that I am in my 50s. G.O.O.D. to
the deep woods is doable but it would be a hard life.
Responsibility and Teamwork
We learned to be responsible and self-sufficient during our childhood. We learned
to play without other kids around and had chores to do for our allowance. I
learned to gather the wood and light a fire as soon as I was old enough. You
pumped the
water and filled the reservoir if you wanted warm water for washing up. You
learned to use guns and knives as tools while you learned hunting techniques
and cleaned
the game for the table. Being a responsible hunter meant taking ethical shots
and using what you kill. Catching and cleaning fish, then cooking or smoking
them were all part of being a good fisherman. To go along with these survival
skills you also need the ability to share knowledge and work as a team.
Most of the skills you learn will help you to fend for yourself one way or
another. The only problem is summed up with the statement “no man is an island”.
You will need others sooner or later. My sisters and I developed basic teamwork
skills while setting up camp. The girls helped mom and I helped dad. We had a “system”.
This was carried further in Scouting. Some Patrols set up tents while another
set up the kitchen. These valuable lessons were used later in life as I went
through boot camp and during service in the military. I served on small boats
as part of a search and rescue team in the USCG.
Teamwork helps to overcome the steep learning curve and high risk of being
a self-sufficient survivalist. You can do things as a team exponentially quicker
and safer than you can by yourself. Your bunkmate becomes your partner in boot
camp and later becomes your shipmate. You learn “one hand for yourself
and one hand for the boat”. As a team you can survive what would kill you
alone. In a bad storm someone has to steer while someone bails out the boat.
One person couldn’t do it. Avalanche in the back country is another perfect
example - by yourself you are probably dead. Doing things alone is great - but
it may cost you your life. Skill and knowledge can’t cover your a** like
a buddy. It’s nice to have someone else on the rope with you; they are
your only hope.
Teaching everyone at least something you know and learning from everyone something
you don’t know can only make the group stronger. If someone gets sick
or is tired someone else can step up. CPR is
a good example here. In the back country one person can’t help himself.
One person helping may bring back the life but it better happen quickly. Two
people allow you to send someone for
help while
rendering aid until you are too tired to continue. Three people allow almost
indefinite support. Two can alternate CPR while waiting for the one who left
for help to return with the defibrillator. If help is real far away, then it’s
done. There is a point of no return. Remote locations usually cross that point
which is a distinct disadvantage (unless the SHTF).
Without teamwork you will usually die if something bad happens. Everyone has
to be a good shot. Everyone needs to be able to render first aid. The group
is only as strong as the weakest link and precious resources are spent covering
someone’s a** that’s not up to speed. Teach and learn and cross train.
Remember what you did as a kid and don’t sell the kid’s of today
short. Teach them the skills they need and allow them to grow into the responsibility.
Being part of a team or extended family that functions like a team is fun. The
action of being responsible for one another is at the root of any team.
The
Prepared Family
The family is the primary source of knowledge. Some survival skills to learn
right along with reading, writing and arithmetic are: swimming, knot tying,
fire building under all conditions, where to get water and how to make it safe
to
drink, safe gun handling and accurate shooting, hunting in fields and the woods,
fishing in rivers and on lakes, first aid, camping, boating, gardening, making
things “homemade”. You can’t start learning or teaching these
things too soon.
10 years ago we moved back home to Michigan after living all over the USA.
I had come home for my Grandpa’s funeral and was returning to New England.
Something was wrong and I couldn’t put my finger on it. That’s when
the light came on and as I drove it became apparent that I was going the wrong
way – both figuratively and literally. We were chasing the so called “American
Dream”. Losing my grandfather and returning to the north woods had shown
me where home really is. It is with family and God and where your roots are.
I had drifted away from the true values I had learned early in life.
I resigned my position, cashed out the 401(k), and bought the homestead from
grandma. We planted 24 fruit trees and installed irrigation systems for the
gardens. We
pruned the grape vines back and tended to the asparagus beds. My wife renewed
the old flower beds and I have replaced the split rail fence. We re-roofed
everything. The folks put down another well up the field and had another septic
system installed
for their travel trailer. We had a 100 amp power drop installed and we also
buried a power cable from the field to the trailer for a 12 volt system (small
scale
solar and wind).
I once again could use guns after living in the tyranny of Massachusetts. (I
refused to get an Firearms ID card so my guns never left the house in 16 years.)
I taught a niece
and nephew to shoot with the same .22 that grandpa used to teach me with almost
50 years ago. My nephew, now an 8th grader, got his first deer this past year.
No one believed him when he came home and told them. He did it on his own.
Things have now come full circle in our life. My grandma lives with us in her
old house through the summer. My sisters are both Grandmas themselves now and
they are taking care of our mom and dad. The kids have great-grandparents and
a great-great grandmother. My understanding wife of thirty years and I live
here on the homestead as stewards of the family heritage. The whole family
gets together
up here once or twice a year. We know how to provide for and take care of each
other. If the SHTF my sisters and the rest of the family will head up here
to the homestead and once again adopt the ways of our Great-Great Grandpa and
Grandma.
Everything we have learned through our lives will serve us well. Skill sets
from the north woods and from the farm are derived from living simple, living
manual
and living with nature as part of nature.
We used to fall to sleep on a feather tick mattress while listening to rain
tapping over our heads in the loft of the old log cabin. Bedtime stories were
told as
we drifted to sleep and the whippoorwills sang into the night. We didn’t
think that the day would come that just about all of what we learned from our
family and from our life would come into play. Thank God for our tight family
and all of the distilled knowledge passed down to us. I now live in a home
built over the site of the original log cabin and now we have 7 generations
since my
great-great grandparents first cleared this piece of land. It looks like we
will be talking of another “Great Depression” soon and the complete
cycle renews. Do we learn from our mistakes?
Preparedness Skills and Materials
We’re preparing for the future and I hope to teach what I can to as many
people as I can before it’s over. We can survive well if we draw on one
another’s strengths and knowledge. It starts with the family and moves
out to the extended family then to the neighbors and on to town folk and into
the blogosphere. Many people have grown up in similar circumstances and have
similar experiences. We must practice our learned skills and trades all of
the time to stay fresh and perpetuate our way of life. We must keep acquiring
new
skills and more materials for survival. Preparedness is a constant quest.
Survival trades that I've learned:
ASE Certified Master Auto Technician
Journeyman Machinist and Apprentice Welder.
Experience with all aspects of house construction from framing to finish work,
including house wiring and plumbing for water, gas and DWV systems.
Professional ditch digger and home brewer of beer.
Survival tools, equipment, and material acquired over the years:
Comprehensive set of Snap-On hand tools, diagnostic equipment and garage.
Several redundant computers and complete wi-fi coverage with satellite internet.
All of the carpentry, plumbing and electrical tools needed to build a house.
All of the tools required to garden both manually and with gas engines.
Fence building tools and supplies.
5,500 watt gas generator.
Wood stove and saws, axes, mauls, wedges.
Stores of food, bits of gold and silver, books and manuals, and lots of lead.
Survival firearms battery:
Auto-Ordinance Model 1911A1 .45 ACP (I qualified Marksman in USCG)
Stag Arms AR-15 with 20” Bull barrel, 5.56 (I qualified Expert in USCG)
Marlin .22 WMR (squirrel / varmint gun)
Mossberg .22 LR (shot this since 1962)
Ruger M77 Mk II .270 Win. (my deer rifle)
Winchester Model 94 .32 Win. Special (got my first deer with Grandpa’s
gun)
Mossberg 12 ga. 3 -1/2” Ulti-Mag in Camo (turkey / duck / goose gun)
Winchester Model 1897 12 ga. 2-3/4” (I've shot this gun since 1969)
Reloading equipment and supplies (loads for Barnes Bullets)
Survival Quest 2009 (the final pieces I'll need for grid down and
"zombies"):
Ruger M77 Mk II .300 Win Mag with optics
A manual water pump (the old pump is
gone)
Wind turbine and photovoltaic panels for water pumping and power generation.
Battery bank and inverter
More kerosene lamps
Night Vision for the AR-15
Radios
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Cold and Dark--An Account of an Ice Storm, by Steve S.
Preparations
In January, 2008, the outlook for people in the United States appeared bleak.
I told my wife that we needed to stock-up on food because I felt that the supply
lines were thin and vulnerable. I began my preparations by Internet search.
I found JWR's SurvivalBlog and I bought a copy of his novel. In the meantime,
I started buying cases of canned goods. I bought food that we generally ate.
I looked at the expiration dates of every purchase. I tried to buy what would
last through 2011. Not much would, so I bought with the idea of buying more
later, looking for one year at a time.
The pantry was full. I had read Jim's book, and had found many links
on the SurvivalBlog that helped me know how much of what to buy to be balanced.
I bought a freezer at Sam’s Club and filled that also. I noticed that
food prices were increasing at an alarming rate in August. They were up 18%
on same item purchases, on average. Later that figure would reach 35%. I only
talked about this to a trusted few. My wife was starting to wonder about me.
Soon thereafter, a Harbor Freight store opened in Jonesboro, Arkansas, my home
base. There, I purchased several more items I saw as essential. I got a two
burner propane stove with a center grill feature. I bought some LED flashlights,
ropes, staple guns, and other miscellaneous items. Being a hunter and former
U.S. Army officer, I had a lot of camping (survival equipment) on hand. Sleeping
bags were there, polypropylene long johns, butane lighters, three 20 gallon
and one 100 gallon propane tanks were filled. I use them for my barbeque grill.
I told my wife that we should buy a generator. She said that if I thought we
should buy it, that I should. I didn’t.
I found some water barrels at a local food processing plant. I now have eight
55 gallon drums. I found 4 red 35 gallon chemical barrels that were set aside
for gasoline. I had about six 5 gallon gas cans to operate my 4 wheeler, fishing
boat, and sundry other small engines like lawn equipment and field water pumps.
Day to day, I am an NRA certified training counselor/instructor. Starting in
November 2008, my business started to boom. I had a 300% increase in Arkansas
concealed carry classes. That hasn’t stopped to this day. I have a 35
acre facility that is a former bean field, surrounded by thousands of farmland
acres and two liquor stores. I have a 1,200 square foot building for classroom
and office space, a 52 foot trailer for storage. My plan for survival guns
was simple. All guns were to be military calibers. Handguns would be .45 and
.38 calibers. Rifles would be .22 rimfire, 7.62x39, .308 and .30-06 calibers.
Shotguns would be 12 gauge. Stocks of ammunition were increased starting early
in 2008.
Shelter, food, security. What is left? Communications. I bought a set of 25
mile range pair of Motorola hand held communicators with recharger on sale
for $38. Stores of batteries were laid in. Cell phones. Transportation was
what we already had. 2001 Dodge Durango 4x4 and a 2005 Chevrolet 4x4 extended
cab pick-up.
The Storm
January 28, 2009. KAIT –TV weather in Jonesboro, Arkansas is forecasting
a wet winter storm cold front with frigid weather following out of the Northwest.
When it began, the outside temperature was about 27 degrees Fahrenheit. Freezing
rain collected on everything in near biblical quantity.
I was awakened in the early morning of January 29th and you could hear branches
starting to snap with a sound like gunshots. Outside, you could see flashes of
light as one by one, the transformers on the light poles blew out. The power
was off. It was time to go to work. First, open the flue and light the gas logs
in the fireplace. Inside the house, the temperature had quickly fallen to about
40 degrees. I thought to crack a window for ventilation draft to reduce the chances
of carbon monoxide poisoning. Then I set up a propane heater and went about blocking
off all rooms except the den and kitchen, which were adjoining. I used 4 mil
plastic to cover two entrances to the den. The temperature quickly found about
62 degrees. We placed a carbon monoxide detector in the room to keep us from
being statistics. The propane stove was set up over the electric range for cooking
and a 20 pound bottle of propane was connected to it. I started thinking about
how I should have bought a generator.
By morning, we felt isolated in our home. Very few vehicles were moving. The
world outside looked like a war zone with ice-laden limbs and the things they
crushed. With no electricity, the phones didn’t work. We ate breakfast
normally. The whole world became our refrigerator. No cable TV so we cranked
up the radio and began to listen to the results. Reports of some break-ins started
coming in as people abandoned all electric homes for the designated shelters
in town. Outlying areas quickly ran out of gasoline and propane. Stores emptied
out their goods and shelves became bare. Generators and flashlights were nonexistent.
Batteries and power supplies followed suit. Many businesses were unable to sell
anything as their computers were down and lights and heat were out. Sadly, no
one has a backup plan for how to sell anything without electricity. Gas cans
were a faint memory. I checked on our neighbors to make sure they were coping,
and to exchange cell phone numbers. The telephone system actually works without
outside electricity if the type of phone you use doesn’t need 110 volts
from the grid. We had one emergency phone for that reason, and it was operational.
I wondered how many people knew about that?
The day passed relatively uneventfully. We had everything we needed to exist
in a minor disaster. Some people didn’t. A few died for their lack of
preparedness.
After the passing of the first day of “survival,” tree limb removal
became the priority, while everyone fought what southerners call severe cold.
It was the 30th of January. The temperature was unrelenting with nighttime lows
of 9 degrees and daytime highs of 20. I was able to venture out for things that
would be nice to have, like a generator. You see, with a generator, our gas furnace
would work. All you need it for is the electric blower. It was the only hole
in the preparations. I went in to the local Lowe’s, after checking a couple
of other stores. In the back of the store there was a line of about 13 people.
I asked why they were there. There was a truck inbound with 75 generators. I
got in line. Twenty minutes later I was in the electric department buying the
necessary wire nuts and power cords needed to hook my [newly-purchased] generator
to
the
power
panel in my house.
When I got home, the first thing I did was to disconnect the house from the grid
by turning off the main breaker, outside the house. You must do this before attempting
to connect a generator to your power panel. Failure to do so could kill workmen
repairing downed power lines and connecting transformers. To get things operational
quickly, I used the cord provided with the generator, which used four grounded
plug outlets. To operate the [selected] areas to connect, I bought 10
gauge wire. We turned off all appliances and I pulled out the circuit breaker
for the
selected
rooms. I disconnected the wire from the circuit breaker and wired it directly
to each wire with a male plug on the other end to mate with the wire from the
generator. I did this for the heater circuit, the den wall circuit, the kitchen
wall circuit, and the master bedroom wall circuit. The heater kicked on.
I offer one final note about using a generator. The operation book has a chart
in it showing the watts used by each type of appliance. You must calculate the
[load] amount used by your appliances. It has to add up to less than your generators
running wattage rating.
We were on a main highway in town, and we had our electricity hooked to the grid
after spending only a few nights without. Many in town were without electricity
for three weeks. In outlying areas, some are still not connected. The line crews
working to restore power were fantastic. Limbs still line the highways and yards
a month after the event began.
Lessons Learned
It was nice to be confident in the preparations that we had made. It was also
easy to see the holes in the plan. I now have the generator that I knew I would
need when the grid goes down. After the fact, I also bought the connections necessary
to hook up the generator just by turning off the main breaker, plugging the generator
to an installed wall socket, and cranking it up. Cell phones go down after only
a few days without a charge. I bought a portable power battery for that purpose.
If we had been out of power long term, the generator would have had to have been
used on a part time basis, at night. That means that daytime operations would
have been using only one or two rooms, again. When power goes down, the best
fallback is natural gas, if you have it. I am in the process of planning where
to install additional natural gas stubs for appliances that can be added. The
natural gas hot water heater was a blessing. It was on from the start. The warmest
place in the house was the utility room where the water heater is located. Remember
to have books and games for those evening hours when you would have been watching
television. Make sure all of your gasoline cans stay filled and stabilized. Make
sure
all of your propane bottles stay charged. Make sure you have plenty of batteries
for radios and flashlights. Make sure you have enough essential medicines. Roger’s
Rangers rules #1 rule is "Don’t fergit nuthin!"
I may have missed a few issues, but I want to talk about future plans. I am going
to install photovoltaic panels to run an emergency LED lighting system. This
would
be
a small solar panel, probably 45-60 watts [and a deep cycle battery], as a precursor
to getting
a more comprehensive system. LED lights use very little electricity and they
are
very
long lasting.
More technology will be added as it becomes available. Reducing reliance on the
grid is the ultimate goal.
Final Words
You can war game and "what if" emergency situations as much as you
like. It is good to exercise your plan. The problem is that real situations
have a
way of
waking you up to the holes in your plans. Do not wait to begin planning for the
next disaster. People in tornado and earthquake zones know about being ready
for these things, but Mother Nature will have a surprise for you no matter
where
you are.
Prepare for the worst and pray to God that it doesn’t happen.
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My Tale of the Hurricane Rita Evacuation. August, 2005, by Dan G.
I was working in a pawnshop in Aransass Pass Texas, about 20 miles North of
Corpus Christi, Texas. Two days earlier my wife and I watched the destruction
of New
Orleans on National Television, the news coverage was continuing around the clock
as the drama unfolded.
Gasoline had shot up from $1.56 to $2.99 a gallon overnight and of course
I had to fill up that morning to get to my menial low paying job. Late that
afternoon
a rich looking couple driving a huge brand new pickup truck, came into the pawnshop.
They spoke very loudly about how their family members in New Orleans did not
have electricity and were relying on them for help. How they communicated [with
those in New Orleans], I did not know. The pawn shop owner had two used generators
and this couple was
desperate to buy them, even hundreds of miles away from Louisiana, generators
had become scarce. The couple bought both of them, at an extra high price, and
the owner asked how they were going to get them to New Orleans for their family
members to use. “Well” said the man, “we can’t drive
up there because the roads are closed, so we are going to take these to the UPS
office and have them shipped to New Orleans, no matter what it costs.” No
one revealed to this man the flaw in his thinking. My Wife and I had a good laugh
about that when I got home that day.
September 20, 2005.
We were very concerned about Rita’s progress that night, after Katrina
everyone was in near panic.
September 21, 2005
They called the evacuation that morning, we had no money and our car was hardly
running, there was no way it would make it inland several hundred miles, even
if we had money for gas. The storm looked like it was going to make a direct
hit where we lived in Rockport, Texas 30 miles North of Corpus, and right on
the coast. Our financial situation was dire, my Wife had lost her job, and after
an altercation with my manager at the pawnshop, I had quit mine. We were awaiting
an inheritance to come through, but it had not happened yet. The job prospects
in the small tourist town, in the off season, were grim. I thought about just
sitting tight, but the lives of my Wife and kids prompted me into action. With
reluctance and a feeling of failure as a man, I called my Father for help.
Jobs, money and status were the code that my father lived by, even though he
had never held a low wage job in his life. He agreed to help, and reservations
at a hotel in Wimberly Texas were made, before the golden horde set out from
Houston. We would leave in the morning in my father’s truck, heading roughly
two hundred miles inland. Wimberly is located between Austin and San Antonio
Texas. I spent the afternoon of that day boarding up my Father’s house
in the nearly 115 degree heat and humidity. After that was accomplished my Wife
and I needed to pick up a few things in town including a prescription. It was
completely surreal in Rockport late that afternoon. The streets were all but
abandoned, trash fluttered in the wind on the empty sidewalks, most business
were already closed. The schools had closed at noon that day, and the children
sent home. Even the sky had a peculiar orange brown cloud cover that was unnerving.
A hand painted cardboard sign adorned the windows at Super Wal-Mart stating that
the store would be closing at 6pm, less than an hour away. The parking lot contained
a handful of RVs and pick-ups with travel trailers, all of them were loading
up canned goods, bottled water, propane, charcoal, flashlights, batteries and
ammunition. We had about $6 at the local bank, but we also had a $300 overdraft
privilege, the decision was made to exercise it. The ATM machines had been limited
to dispensing only $80 at a time for only 3 transactions, to keep the machines
from running out of cash. The ATM’s were also adorned with crudely made
cardboard signs. We took our $80 out 3 times, with a $25 overdraft charge each
time, that we would owe the bank at a later date. Inside Wal-mart it looked as
if the hurricane had already struck, the store was a mess, and the employees
had a haggard appearance. We picked up the prescription, there were no more batteries
to be had, but I needed a box of .45 ACPs.
People had paid attention to the mayhem that followed hurricane Katrina, this
was evident at the ammunition counter. They were out of shotgun shells, all common
rifle rounds were gone, the same held true for common pistol rounds. All they
had were oddball cartridges, .357 SIG, .45 G.A.P. .17 Remington, .300 Weatherby
Magnum, et cetera. Even the .22 LR were gone. There would be no .45 ACPs for
me, so we headed home. We passed several gas stations, again with crude signs,
stating they had only premium fuel. We got home to get ourselves and our kids
ready to
evacuate in the morning. The television news reported that the hurricane was
gaining
strength, they still had no idea where it would make landfall, and residents
of Houston were “urged” to evacuate now in a few hours it would be “mandatory”.
I felt it was imperative for the members of my family to be equipped with proper
footwear, in case there was trouble and we wound up walking. My 11 year old fashion
aware daughter proved to be a problem, all she had was girly shoes that were
otherwise useless. We scrambled to find her some walking shoes, deep in the closet
we found a pair. Also in the closet we located a forgotten partial box of .45ACPs,
at least my magazines would all be loaded. I vowed to never be caught
without
essentials like walking shoes and ammo again.
We packed light, I backed up my family photos and writings onto a CD-ROM and
packed it, we included socks and a change of clothes for everyone, all of our
important paperwork and identification and full canteens. Into my backpack went
half of our cash, one 1911 Colt .45 Automatic with five magazines on a gun belt,
one large Ontario Razor sharp hunting knife, one Swiss Champ, my medications
including a good supply of aspirin, salt tablets and Dramamine. One compass,
a military poncho, foot powder, boonie hats and a copy of “Conan the Adventurer” By
Robert E. Howard. Everyone also had high energy snacks and a poncho. As we went
to bed that night the TV reported more bad news.
September, 22 2005
This would be the day that I would learn how truly fragile our complex modern
society is, I would also learn that by avoiding groupthink and with a little
forward planning most hazards could be easily bypassed.
After disconnecting the water, electricity and gas to our house my Dad arrived
and we loaded up by 9 a.m. . As I got into the truck my Father handed me a
Texas Roads map book and said, “I have picked out our own evacuation
route.” he
had traveled the roads of Texas his entire life and knew every back road there
was. The penciled in evacuation route would prove to be our saving grace. Many
lives were lost that day because people and bureaucrats could not or would
not read a simple road map; instead they relied on digital gimmickry and an
unswerving belief that the interstate highway system was the only roadway available
to them.
Urgency bordering on panic was wafting on the air, you could feel the tension,
and see the worry on other motorists faces. We headed out on the first of many
Farm to Market (FM) roads crisscrossing the state. Traffic on these back roads
was still heavier than I had ever seen it. Towns we went through appeared deserted
until you reached gas stations that were near riot conditions many were out
of gas. Luckily my father had filled up the previous night, if he hadn’t
we may have very well been stranded in the choking gasping heat that day. We
switched back and forth onto differing FM roads to avoid more and more traffic,
every town was congested, we had long waits at every stop light and four way
crossing. A three hour trip had turned to six hours and counting, we stopped
at small hamburger joint for lunch, it was jam packed, as we ordered we overheard
other folks talking. Rumors were flying about accidents, fires, turmoil and
gridlock on Interstate 10, they still had no idea where Rita was headed. We
got our order and headed back out eating in the truck, the little town was
swamped with cars and people, one person was driving on the sidewalk, there
were no police in sight.
Between towns on the FM roads it was easy going, but as you neared any community
there was chaos, as the afternoon progressed, many a crude sign could be seen
proclaiming “No more gas”, No more food”, this was repeated
again and again. We were coming up on Seguin Texas when traffic came to a halt,
we were about to cross over I-10 the main evacuation route out of Houston.
Out of the truck window along the horizon I could make out several columns
of black smoke. It took over an hour to travel the two miles to the overpass
and then I saw I-10. All the lanes had been re-routed to head west only, It
was like a scene from a movie, as far as I could see there were lines of cars,
both to the east and the west pointed in a single direction. There was no end,
none of them was moving, more columns of smoke could be seen in the distance
what caused them I did not know.
Heat rippled off the metal and in automobile exhaust, the evacuees could not
turn off their engines, if they did there would be no air conditioning and
heat prostration would quickly find them, especially the old and the very young.
Along the roads sides people could be seen walking, I guess they had abandoned
their vehicles in search of a respite from the heat. A fuel truck was also
traveling on the road side, it was not stopping for anyone, and a few police
cruisers traveled the road sides as well, the only vehicles in motion along
that nightmarish interstate.
Late in the afternoon we arrived in Wimberly and checked into the Motel, which
was completely booked and we were the last people with a reservation to arrive.
My father was staying with a friend in Wimberly and he left us his truck. We
headed to the grocery store to lay in our supplies it was crowded but not overrun
yet. We bought three days of food for a family of four and headed back to the
hotel. The storms heading was still uncertain, but at last we enjoyed some
peace and laughter. Later that night we decided to run back into town and get
some ice cream, there was chaos in Wimberly this time. The grocery store we
had been at just hours earlier was stripped bare. They had cleaning supplies
and some make-up but that was about it, there was no more food of any kind
to be had, no drinks, no water and no toilet paper. The streets were packed
stalled cars littered the roadways and every gas station was out of fuel. We
went back to the hotel, grateful that we had bought supplies earlier. We watched
the TV and heard horror stories of what was going on, events that we had witnessed
throughout the day. The night passed without incident.
September, 23 2005
We spent the day relaxing at the hotel late in the afternoon Hurricane Rita
made her turn to the North making the previous two days an exercise in futility.
She struck in the early morning hours on September, 24 between the Texas/Louisiana
border, while we were safely asleep at the hotel. We went home as the storm
moved inland.
Lessons Learned:
I believe that after Katrina officials overreacted to Rita in ordering the
evacuation of Houston, Many died needlessly. This is a danger we still face
today, not just the storms but the hysteria surrounding them.
After our experience we gave up on the coast and moved to Oklahoma, we live
a hundred miles from any major city and we keep stores of food, ammo, water
and medical supplies on hand in case we need them in a hurry. Never
again will we be caught unprepared!
« Economics and Investing: |Main| My Tale of the Hurricane Rita Evacuation. August, 2005, by Dan G. »
Letter Re: Selecting Retreat Properties--Pros and Cons of Buying Remote and Off Grid
Jim--
A note regarding my own experience with remote property ownership ...I
owned a wonderfully ideal 40-acre bug-out property in northern Minnesota for
many years. It was very remote. Some of the closest neighbors did not even
know there was a cabin back in those deep woods. It was backed up to a large,
forested DNR property that was itself bounded by swamp. My other bordering
neighbors were full-time residents who were kind of ornery (very protective
of their property and thus unintentionally served as guardians of my property)
and so that was a plus. We were a half-hour from the nearest towns. Several
dirt roads eventually took us to our driveway which crossed over the land of
a curmudgeonly Vietnam vet. The driveway was a mile long through his property
and then on through the DNR land where in parts it traversed swamp. We had
two locked gates on that drive, near and far.
I won't go on reminiscing about the cabin, the off-grid electrical system,
and all the rest of it here. (BTW, I bought this property shortly after first
reading "Patriots" , so you certainly had a role in my thinking.) What I thought
I could add to the current discussion is this:
1. If you are not a full-time resident of a property, even remote property--you will have
uninvited visitors, "legitimate" and otherwise. We had several
occasions of snowmobilers, ATV riders, and even a couple of burglary attempts.
We were well fortified, so they were only attempted. (However, if they had
been serious about getting some very valuable stuff on the premises, they could
have done so with the proper preparation. We also discovered that we had a
couple of visits while we were not there by the county tax assessor who hiked
the one mile in when he could not get past the first gate with his vehicle.
2. Owning and maintaining a second comprehensive property, if you are not living
there all the time, is an expensive and time-consuming proposition. In fact,
it requires a demanding lifestyle commitment that, if you have other things
going in your life, can get quite burdensome. Eventually, I made the decision
to put all my time and preparedness money into my primary homestead (and in
my preparedness business). I sold the property and all that went with it to
a very lucky and appreciative buyer and used the proceeds to install an NBC
shelter under a new addition on our home. We're on the outskirts of suburbia
and come hell or high water, we'll make our stand here. It was really quite
a relief to go this route, as I always worried about how and when we would
be able to make the decision to head for the hills and whether it would be
when everyone else was doing the same thing--making ourselves very vulnerable
on the roads until we got to the property.
Furthermore, I had to admit that I'm not the young lion I once was, which had
allowed me to think about dragging my family anywhere in a chaotic environment,
unless there is simply NO option to stay put.
Bottom line--when someone asks me about bugging out vs. hunkering down--I advise
that if at all possible, you live where your refuge is. There is an awful lot
you can do to make your home your castle--wherever it is located. And you can
do that for less money than buying, equipping, and stocking a second property.
It also eliminates having to put you and yours at risk on the road between
Points A and B (assuming you do have a secure Point B) at a time when there
are going to be a lot of panicked and desperate people out there.
Blessings, - Vic at Safecastle
« Letter Re: Pack a Property Tax Receipt in Your G.O.O.D. Kit, to Get Through Checkpoints |Main| Note from JWR: »
Selecting Retreat Properties--Pros and Cons of Buying Remote and Off Grid
I recently had a consulting client that hired me to do a search on his behalf
for a rural retreat property in southwestern Oregon. In the early stages of
the search, he asked about the pros and cons of buying undeveloped "off
grid"
properties that do not have utility power poles nearby. This summarizes my
reply:
From the standpoint of setting up a rural, self-sufficient retreat, an off-grid
parcel is actually advantageous, for two reasons:
1.) They are generally more remote and away from natural "lines of drift" and
hence are far less likely to be in the path of the Golden
Horde.
2.) Off-grid properties sell at up to a 30% discount versus comparable properties
that have grid power. On a large acreage, this savings is often enough to pay
for installing a photovoltaic power system
The downsides:
1.) Off-grid properties tend to be at higher elevation, since
it is just the "way out in the hills" properties that don't have
power poles nearby. Most of the low river valleys have long hence had grid
power. There are a few exception that I've encountered
2.) The property is unlikely to have line of sight to neighboring residences.
That can raise the risk of burglary if your retreat house is left unoccupied
for extended periods of time.
3.) There is remote (30+ minute drive to the nearest
town), and then there is very remote--a one hour+ drive to the nearest
town, part of which might be on either US Forest Service road or a road that
you have to maintain yourself. This could isolate you from commerce and social
interaction
especially in an era of fuel scarcity.
« Economics and Investing: |Main| Some Thoughts on the Survival Vehicle, by OddShot »
Letter Re: Advice on Silver or Gold Jewelry for Barter?
Hello Jim,
Been learning a lot from Survival Blog, thanks for the great work. I'm just
wondering if sterling silver and 14 karat [gold] jewelry (plain [rings or
chains], or gemstones would make good bartering items? Have been thinking
of selling them and using
the money for preparedness, etc but wondered about this.
Thanks very much for all the useful information. - Mrs. H.
JWR Replies: Although at first blush keeping jewelry on hand
might seem practical, in actuality its drawbacks outweigh its benefits. Perhaps
metals, but gemstones are a definite no. Gemstones--either diamonds or colored
stones--will not be trusted by 99% of your potential
bartering partners. Gold or silver chains might be
trusted by some trading partners, but only if they were clearly marked for
their purity, and if you
were to carry a compact
pennyweight scale, to establish the weight of the chain (or a chiseled-off
length of chain).
Parenthetically, I should mention that as first popularized by the "Flying
Tigers" (AVG) in China, early in World War II, some
military aviators, Special Forces soldiers, and mercenaries have habitually
worn heavy gold bracelets. They have worn these with the
intention of
being
able to
trade links
from
these
chains
for assistance
from villagers, if they should become stranded in Third World countries. This
is a sort of a "Get Me Home" insurance policy. These chains are often flaunted
at VFW halls
and have been touted by a few armchair survival writers, but I have my doubts
about
them working
well in post-TEOTWAWKI First
World countries. Ironically, your average First World urbanite or suburbanite
is actually far more ignorant about precious metals and testing their
purity
than the
average "ignorant" Third World peasant. (Many peasants know how to use a touchstone
and even and more sophisticated merchants would know how to do an acid test,
while the average American would be clueless about any of that!)
In my estimation the "precious metals chains" approach to barter will have
very limited utility in most anticipated post-collapse situations, The biggest
problem
will
be convincing
your bartering
partner that the gold or silver that you are offer is genuine, confirming
its purity to the nearest half-karat value, and establishing its weight and
hence its value. It is far far easier
to have
a
pocketful of widely recognizable pre-1965 mint date circulated "junk" 90%
silver US dimes, quarters
and half dollars. And of course there is always "Ballistic
Wampum." Someday soon, common caliber ammunition may become the
coin
of
the
realm.
My advice to anyone that has set aside any "extra" (non-heirloom)
jewelry, earmarked for barter: Sell it, and use the funds
generated
to buy pre-1965 90% silver US dimes, quarters and half dollars,.
« Letter Re: Hunkering Down or Storing Gear in a Commercial Building |Main| Note from JWR: »
The Incredible Disappearing Retreat in the Woods
Here is something that heretofore I have only shared with a few of my consulting clients:
an approach at rural retreat construction that can make a rural retreat of
10 acres or more essentially "disappear".
If there is a thick screen of trees or tall brush between the public road
and potential building sites at your undeveloped country retreat parcel, then
your
property
might be a good candidate for a "hidden
retreat house". This is accomplished by making as few changes as possible
when the parcel is viewed from the county road. No fancy entry gate, no mailbox,
basically
nothing new that is visible except a small diameter
drainage culvert by the side of the county road and a narrow semi-improved
road that will just look like a
disused
farm
machinery
access lane. It should be just lightly road-rocked for the first 100 feet,
to encourage grass to actually grow up in it. Design the roadway leading in
to the back end of the property narrow and in a serpentine path,
so that additional trees can be planted to block any view down the lane. You
will
of course need
to
brief and
oversee
the road contractors, so that they don't do the usual "wide road with
lots of rock."
Either have grid power run in underground, or skip it altogether and put in
a photovoltaic (PV)
power system. Thus, there are no power poles and visible lines to give away
the location.
I recommend building a masonry house with small windows and with either a rock
or an earth-tone brick facade. The roof should be green metal, all the better
to
blend in. Do not clear trees to "open up a view",
since that would likely provide line of sight from the county road, revealing
the house.
The aforementioned
measures might all seem a bit "Bat Cave", but I have seen this approach
used at a retreat on the Big Island of Hawaii. The owner--who has had the place
for 10 years--mentioned that a few of his neighbor's houses have
been burglarized, but his never has been. His house is invisible from
the road and from all of the neighboring houses, so opportunistic burglars
"just passing through" don't even know that
there is a house there. His lane just looks like something used by farm tractors,
not by a homeowner.
Granted, this approach will not protect your retreat from being known
by your neighbors. Twelve-year-old boys tend to hike around just about everywhere,
and pay little attention to "No Trespassing" signs. Ditto for a lot of hunters
and fishermen. But statistically, a hidden retreat will be much safer,
both before the Schumer hits the fan, and after.
An even more elaborate disappearing act is an underground house with an entrance
hidden in what appears to just be a utility building. But that gets much more expensive. I'll have
more on that in an upcoming post.
« Letter Re: The Risk to Reward Ratio in Getting Concealed Carry Permits |Main| Letter Re: Advice on Contact Lenses »
Letter Re: Some Preparedness Lessons Learned
James,
The need for usable skills in tough times, goes without need for embellishment.
The grand question is: which skills are the most valuable? In any situation
the basic needs are obvious – food, shelter, and clothing. Choosing what
I would concentrate on learning, became predicated on what I could do, and
what the community could provide in stressful times.
I moved some time ago from the gulf coast to Tennessee to retire and begin
preparing for the coming events. I moved into a community which is pretty much
self sufficient, mostly by religious choice. Livestock husbandry ranges from
cattle (mostly for milk), goats to chickens, hogs and horses.
I began to raise goats several years ago, starting with Boer cross. After several
discussions I have crossed them with a strain of milk goat to reduce the size
(and therefore the quantity of meat to be preserved) and gain the benefit of
milk products. I researched the process of cheese making and using products initially
supplied from New England Cheese Makers, learned the processes. It was very interesting
to discover that the rennin (for assisting in cheese making) actually comes from
the stomach of ruminators, another by product of the goats.
Preserving meats became my next concern. When talking to many folks, they believe
that they will just run out and kill fresh meat when needed. Not only will the
game be decimated in no time, but without a method of preservation it is wasteful.
Preferred methods around here are smoking, honey and salt boxes for curing and
preserving. The use of honey as a preservative turns out to be one of the very
best. Honey has a natural bacteria inhibitor, and curing smoked meats in honey
just makes life better. This in turn has determined the need for bees – My
neighbor already has a couple of hives which produces enough for now. The use
of honey reduces the dependence on obtaining sources of salt. In addition they
are many maple trees in the area which folks tap during the winter and early
spring. Many families have ponds a raise fish, which are canned by cold packing
or salting and drying.
Having fresh water is a paramount concern. Even with a spring the water quality
can change with the amount of rain causing algae blooms. These can range for
digestive distress to just foul taste. The stream water cannot be used without
treatment, as we have otters, beavers, coyote, foxes, and a whole range of other
critters, so amoeba type problems are probable. Boiling water is the surest,
but is often not the most practical. Any numbers of excellent water filters are
available, but the Big Berky is the most popular here. In any case the water
has to be pre-filtered to remove organic matter. This can be done by straining
through
a clean cloth, then passing through/over a disinfecting agent such as a silver
compound, or the addition of non-detergent bleach. The next best is a cistern
collecting rain fall, but even this can have issues as it tends to clean smoke
dust and pollen from the air on its way down.
As for the vegetable gardens the goats do help with the fertilizer which is composted
and added to the garden. The area I live in is pretty much a “rock farm” so
there is a constant need to remove the rocks from the garden areas and add in
soil from the hills behind us. This soil is usually pretty acidic with all of
the hardwood trees. Most folks use lime from the feed stores – haven’t
found a good substitute yet.
Clothing is one of the details that I have struggled with. The ability to produce
cloth is beyond most of us. Wool makes for great outer wear, but lousy underwear.
Goat hair can be made into quite durable garments, somewhat at the expense of
comfort. We have chose to use GI surplus wool socks, sweaters, BDUs
(because they are very durable) and purchase and store long and regular underwear.
We
do have a real cobbler in the community that does make very nice shoes/boots,
but I still have a back up pair. Many women here weave or quilt (using discarded
clothing as well as new cloth). I do keep some “unisex” clothing
on hand for whomever – mostly in the form of overalls. They are fairly
cheap and commonly worn in the area, and during the cold weather are an additional
layer. We have had most days at or below freezing and night down to zero. I have
looked into tanning leather – it is a noxious process and can be done.
I am choosing to have the hides tanned while I still can and store them against
the future need as clothing.
Our cabin is solid cedar timbers, and smells great! The downside is that there
is a constant need to stay on top of the chinking and calking, to reduce drafts – I’ve
used 22 tubes already this winter. We thought that pellet stove would be a great
idea – wrong. First it requires electricity. With the
power out you have to fire up the generator which is noisy and uses expensive
fuel. Second the stove
can burn corn or compressed hardwood pellets. Corn is food or the animals and
us, and tough enough to grow enough as is. Besides using the corn leaves the
odor of burned popcorn as exhaust. Compressed wood pellets are used on an average
of 80# per day at a cost of ~$9.00 / day. Pulling the stove this spring and going
to a straight quality wood burning stove that can be used to cook on. To back
up a wood burning stove an axe, buck saw, splitting wedges or a maul, and or
chain saw are required based on how much free time you can devote to it. Setting
aside wood requires a year round effort to keep from killing yourself. Although
we have electricity I do have a pitcher pump ready to install in the event it
is needed. And have simple kerosene lanterns for light. I prefer the straight
wick models, as the mantels have become very had to come by recently.
Health concerns in rural living also means, that you have to have a working knowledge
of first aid and basic medicine. The Red Cross has good courses on first aid
and the older Boy Scout manuals give an acceptable knowledge as well. Around
here there is a good deal of herbal medicine practiced. This is good for preventive
and minor issues. I have chosen to invest in some older college texts on anatomy,
physiology, and pharmacology, and a physician’s desk reference. These books
help in diagnosing, but will be of minimal help if/when the main line drugs are
not available. They are great for showing how to stitch and bandage wounds more
severe than the first aid books cover. We keep a well stocked medicine chest
with off the shelf medicines, and rotate them as needed. As we find local remedies
that are effective, we also include them (i.e. willow bark tea as a substitute
for aspirin).
I have learned rudimentary blacksmith skills, and collected some of the tools
as well as books on the subject. I can fashion horseshoes, wheel rims, forge
weld, make cut nails and a few other tasks as required. There are many better
skilled in this community and it will be more time efficient to trade/buy their
services.
I have a full time gunsmithing business which has been sorely needed in this
area – seems like everyone has one that they need fixed. So much for a
retirement business….
The acquisition of books, and how to reading material can spell the difference
between existence and some degree of comfort. In addition it is my considered
opinion the education of young people is severely unbalanced. The possession
of text books, classics, and recreational reading allows one to educate children
when contact is limited. The community has a long history of home schooling.
These kids routinely pass the high school exit exams (same tests as the state
requires for graduation) with higher scores, and at an earlier age. Most parents
seek out folks whom are well versed to teach the children. Oh yea, one by product
is that the kids are very respectful, and thoughtful.
In conclusion I thought that preparation for tougher times meant more beans,
bullets, and bullion. As it turns out, the retraining of my mind and attitudes
has presented the larger challenge. Understanding how you store food, is nearly
as important as what you store. What you can make is as important as what you
can do without (toilet paper?) Knowing that one person cannot do all that is
required, only means that you learn the skills to assist your community which
will supplement everyone’s survival/ quality of life. I thought that being
retired would allow me to kick back and enjoy some good libations. It has turned
out to be the greatest learning curve of my life – and I love it. Jim’s
preparedness course is a great place to start. But the real preparedness is in
the doing! - Dennis S.
« Economics and Investing: |Main| Letter Re: US Dollar Slide Versus Iraqi Dinars »
Letter Re: Deep Apprehension About Dangers in the Near Future
Mr. Rawles:
I, as well as possibly tens of thousands of my fellow Americans,
are extremely fearful that the United States Government is slowly becoming
like the former Soviet Union and that the day will come when the citizenry
is in serious trouble. I continue to prepare as best I can for my family in
the
event
it
all comes
crashing down but I cannot see where I will prevail long against American soldiers,
police, and gangs that might try to harm me and my family. I am further
afraid because I do not know Jesus Christ as my Savior and it seems that I
cannot
find a way in which to communicate with Him. Just know that
there are those of us who look up to you for advice and comfort and please
keep up the fine work that you do on our behalf. Respectfully, - John B. in
Colorado
JWR Replies: The wonderful thing about Christ's love is that
there is no intermediary required. He knows all of his elect by name. Salvation
is yours, if you merely ask
for it. Just open you heart in prayer. Ask first
for His forgiveness, recognize Christ's sacrificial death and resurrection.
That is salvation in a nutshell. Once saved, ask for guidance, providence,
and protection.
Please don't look to me as an authority for any advice on truly big survival
issues. I just know a few little nuts and bolts on preparedness. The
big, substantive issues are all matters for
prayer. Trust in God to put you in the right place, at the right time,
with the right people.
To start, I can offer a couple of pieces of encouragement, found in scripture:
In the New Testament, see Philippians
4:13, and in the Old Testament, see: Psalm
91.
My recommended initial reading for anyone not familiar with the Bible is the
book of John. All things are possible, through Christ, who gives us strength!
« Letter Re: Real World Observations on Fighting Crime and Criminals |Main| Note from JWR: »
Depression Proof Jobs for a 20 Year Depression - Part 2: Developing a Home-Based Business
Yesterday, in Part1, I discussed the "safe" and counter-cyclical occupations
for the unfolding economic depression. Today, I'd like to talk about one specific
approach:
self-employment
with a home-based business.
I posted most the following back in late 2005, but there are some important
points that are worth repeating:
The majority of SurvivalBlog readers that I talk with tell
me that they live in cities or suburbs, but they would like to live full
time at a retreat in a rural area. Their complaint is almost always the same: "...but
I'm not self-employed. I can't afford to live in the country because I can't
find work there, and the nature of my work doesn't allow telecommuting." They
feel stuck.
Over the years I've seen lots of people "pull the plug" and
move to the boonies with the hope that they'll find local work once
they get there. That usually doesn't work. Folks soon find that the most
rural jobs typically pay little more than minimum wage and they are often
informally
reserved for folks that were born and raised in the area. (Newcomers from
the big city certainly don't have hiring priority!)
My suggestion is to start a second income stream, with a
home-based business. Once you have that business started, then
start another one. There are numerous advantages to this
approach, namely:
You can get out of debt
You can generally build the businesses up gradually, so
that you don't need to quit your current occupation immediately
By working at home you will have the time to home school your children and
they will learn about how to operate a business.
You can live at your retreat full time. This will contribute to your self-sufficiency,
since you will be there to tend to your garden, fruit/nut trees, and livestock.
If one of your home-based businesses fails, then you can fall back on the
other.
Ideally, for someone that is preparedness-minded, a home-based business should
be something that is virtually recession proof, or possibly even depression
proof. Ask yourself: What are you good at? What knowledge or skills
do you have that you can utilize. Next, consider which businesses will flourish
during bad times. Some good examples might include:
Mail order/Internet sales/eBay Auctioning of preparedness-related products.
Locksmithing
Gunsmithing
Medical Transcription
Accounting
Repair/refurbishment businesses
Freelance writing
Blogging (with paid advertising) If you have knowledge about a niche industry
and there is currently no authoritative blog on the subject, then start your
own!
Mail order/Internet sales of entertainment items. (When times get bad, people
still set aside a sizable percentage of their income for "escape" from
their troubles. For example, video rental shops have done remarkably well
during recessions.)
Burglar Alarm Installation
Other home-based businesses that seem to do well only in
good economic times include:
Recruiting/Temporary Placement
Fine arts, crafts, and jewelry. Creating and marketing your own designs--not "assembly" for
some scammer. (See below.)
Mail order/Internet sales/eBay Auctions of luxury items, collectibles, or
other "discretionary spending" items
Personalized stationary and greeting cards (Freelance artwork)
Calligraphy
Web Design
Beware the scammers! The fine folks at www.scambusters.org have
compiled a "Top 10" list of common work-at-home and home based business scams
to beware of:
10. Craft Assembly
This scam encourages you to assemble toys, dolls, or other craft projects
at home with the promise of high per-piece rates. All you have to do is
pay
a fee up-front for the starter kit... which includes instructions and parts.
Sounds good? Well, once you finish assembling your first batch of crafts,
you'll be told by the company that they "don't meet our specifications."
In fact, even if you were a robot and did it perfectly, it would be impossible
for you to meet their specifications. The scammer company is making money selling
the starter kits -- not selling the assembled product. So, you're left with
a set of assembled crafts... and no one to sell them to.
9. Medical Billing
In this scam, you pay $300-$900 for everything (supposedly) you need to start
your own medical billing service at home. You're promised state-of-the-art
medical billing software, as well as a list of potential clients in your
area.
What you're not told is that most medical clinics process their own bills,
or outsource the processing to firms, not individuals. Your software may
not meet their specifications, and often the lists of "potential clients" are
outdated or just plain wrong.
As usual, trying to get a refund from the medical billing company is like trying
to get blood from a stone.
8. Email Processing
This is a twist on the classic "envelope stuffing scam" (see #1 below).
For a low price ($50?) you can become a "highly-paid" email processor
working "from the comfort of your own home."
Now... what do you suppose an email processor does? If you have visions of
forwarding or editing emails, forget it. What you get for your money are instructions
on spamming the same ad you responded to in newsgroups and Web forums!
Think about it -- they offer to pay you $25 per e-mail processed -- would any
legitimate company pay that?
7. "A List of Companies Looking for Homeworkers!"
In this one, you pay a small fee for a list of companies looking for homeworkers
just like you.
The only problem is that the list is usually a generic list of companies, companies
that don't take homeworkers, or companies that may have accepted homeworkers
long, long ago. Don't expect to get your money back with this one.
6. "Just Call This 1-900 Number For More Information..."
No need to spend too much time (or money) on this one. 1-900 numbers cost money
to call, and that's how the scammers make their profit. Save your money --
don't call a 1-900 number for more information about a supposed work-at-home
job.
5. Typing At Home
If you use the Internet a lot, then odds are that you're probably a good
typist. How better to capitalize on it than making money by typing at home?
Here's
how it works: After sending the fee to the scammer for "more information," you
receive a disk and printed information that tells you to place home typist
ads and sell copies of the disk to the suckers who reply to you. Like #8,
this scam tries to turn you into a scammer!
4. "Turn Your Computer Into a Money-Making Machine!"
Well, this one's at least half-true. To be completely true, it should read: "Turn
your computer into a money-making machine... for spammers!"
This is much the same spam as #5, above. Once you pay your money, you'll
be sent instructions on how to place ads and pull in suckers to "turn
their computers into money-making machines."
3. Multi-Level Marketing (MLM)
If you've heard of network marketing (like Amway), then you know that there
are legitimate MLM businesses based on agents selling products or services.
One big problem with MLMs, though, is when the pyramid and the ladder-climbing
become more important than selling the actual product or service. If the
MLM business opportunity is all about finding new recruits rather than selling
products or services, beware: The Federal Trade Commission may consider it
to be a pyramid scheme... and not only can you lose all your money, but you
can be charged with fraud, too!
We saw an interesting MLM scam recently: one MLM company advertised the
product they were selling as FREE. The fine print, however, states that
it is "free
in the sense that you could be earning commissions and bonuses in excess of
the cost of your monthly purchase of" the product. Does that sound like
free to you?
2. Chain Letters/Emails ("Make Money Fast")
If you've been on the Internet for any length of time, you've probably received
or at least seen these chain emails. They promise that all you have to
do is send the email along plus some money by mail to the top names on
the list,
then add your name to the bottom... and one day you'll be a millionaire.
Actually, the only thing you might be one day is prosecuted for fraud.
This is a classic pyramid scheme, and most times the names in the chain
emails
are manipulated to make sure only the people at the top of the list (the
true scammers) make any money. This scam should be called "Lose Money
Fast" -- and it's illegal.
1. Envelope Stuffing
This is the classic work-at-home scam. It's been around since the U.S. Depression
of the 1920s and 1930s, and it's moved onto the Internet like a cockroach
you just can't eliminate. There are several variations, but here's a sample:
Much like #5 and #4 above, you are promised to be paid $1-2 for every envelope
you stuff. All you have to do is send money and you're guaranteed "up
to 1,000 envelopes a week that you can stuff... with postage and address
already affixed!" When you send your money, you get a short manual
with flyer templates you're supposed to put up around town, advertising
yet another
harebrained work-from-home scheme. And the pre-addressed, pre-paid envelopes?
Well, when people see those flyers, all they have to do is send you $2.00
in a pre-addressed, pre-paid envelope. Then you stuff that envelope with
another flyer and send it to them. Ingenious perhaps... but certainly illegal
and unethical.
From all that I've heard, most franchises and multi-level marketing schemes
are not profitable unless you pick a great product or service, and you
already have a strong background in sales. Beware of any franchise where you
wouldn't have a protected territory. My general advice is this: You will probably
be better off starting your own business,
making, retailing, or consulting about something where you can leverage
your existing knowledge and/or experience.
---
In closing, I'd like to reemphasize that home security and locksmithing are
likely to provide steady and profitable employment for the next few years,
since hard
economic times are likely to trigger a substantial crime wave. After
all, someone has
to keep watch on the tens of thousands of foreclosed, vacant houses. (If not
watched, then crack cocaine addicts, Chicago syndicate politicians, or other
undesirables might move in!)
« Letter Re: Buying Kindle Reader for Accessing Survival References? |Main| Notes from JWR: »
Depression Proof Jobs for a 20 Year Depression - Part 1: The Counter-Cyclical Jobs
The current economic downward spiral has prompted several SurvivalBlog readers
to write me and ask: "My job is now at risk, so what are the safe jobs?"
I've actually addressed this topic fairly well since I started SurvivalBlog
in 2005. We ran a
"best recession-proof jobs" poll, back in May
of 2006. Then, in February, 2007, we ran a
poll on "Best Occupations for Both Before and After TEOTWAWKI".
Later, we even ran a
poll on the current occupations
of SurvivalBlog readers. In the past three years, we've also
posted a panoply of more detailed employment-related letters and articles on
subjects such as:
How
to set up a home-based second business,
Bartering
skills,
Home-based
mail order businesses,
Small
sawmills,
Gunsmithing,
Handloading
ammunition,
Horse
breeding,
Rabbit
breeding,
Small
machine shops,
Selling
and bartering through Freecycle,
Selling
and bartering through Craig's List, and
19th
Century Trades.
And those were just the ones that I found in a cursory 10-minute search of
the SurvivalBlog archives. There are many more. Just type a topic
into the "Search Posts on SurvivalBlog:" box at the top of the right -hand
bar.
(We now have
nearly 6,200 archived articles,
letters, and quotes!)
Which Jobs Were Safe in the 1930s?
One good insight on the near future can be found in the past. (As Mark Twain
said, "History doesn't repeat itself, but it does rhyme.")
According to statistics
published
some 20 years ago by Dr.Ravi
Batra, the safest businesses
and industries
during
the
worst
years
of the Great
Depression
(1929-1933) were:
Repair shops
Educational services (A lot of young men that couldn't find work borrowed money
to go to trade schools and college.)
Healthcare services
Bicycle shops
Bus transportation
Gasoline service stations
Second hand stores
Legal services
Drug or proprietary stores
To bring Batra's list up to date, I would speculatively add a few more
sectors and business that are likely to do well in the next
depression:
Home security and locksmithing (since a higher crime rate is inevitable
in bad economic times.)
Entertainment and diversions, such as DVD sales and rentals. People will
undoubtedly want to escape their
troubles!
Truck farming and large scale vegetable gardening (since just 2% of the population
now feeds the other 98%--whereas back in the 1930s the US was still a predominantly
agrarian society)
Export consumer goods. (Starting in late 2009 or early 2010, the US Dollar
is likely to resume its slide versus most other currencies)
Tomorrow, I'll post Part 2 of this article, in which I will focus
on home-based businesses.
« Letter Re: Navigating by the Stars |Main| Note from JWR: »
Making the Transition to Country Life, by Bois d'Arc
Many readers of Survival Blog are either in the process of moving to a lightly
populated area or actively planning to bugout to such an area when the balloon
goes up. Twenty years ago I moved from the edge of a large city to a fairly remote
property, and have been quietly setting up the doomstead and perfecting skills
ever since. In the process, I became part of the fabric of country life here
and have learned some valuable lessons which may benefit the rookie country dweller.
Most full-time country residents are descendents of frontiersmen who ventured
into the wilderness with little more than a rifle, axe, team of horses, and a
large supply of guts. Country people hold many of the same attributes as their
forebears; competence, toughness, perseverance, and a willingness to help their
neighbors, be it for common defense or a barn raising. Many of these traits are
at odds with modern city life supported by a specialized full-time job. Your
transition to country life will be smoother if you consider the following:
Country People are Closet Doomers:
They can do lots of useful things such as shoe a horse, grow corn, weld, back
a trailer, milk a goat, make tamales, catch a wild cow, troubleshoot an electrical
problem, can a tomato, and shoot lights out. And that's just the women.
People here are armed every day as a matter of course. Most have been shooting
all of their lives, so the level of firearms proficiency is way above average.
I see lots of casual ARs and scoped bolt actions, so if my neighbors and acquaintances
are any barometer, potential rampaging MZBs are in for some exceedingly
tough sledding.
On a related note, there are a few bad apples in the country, but most tend to
migrate to the anonymity of the cities. The outlaws who remain are generally
well known to both law enforcement and the population at large, and are easy
enough to avoid once you plug into the local grapevine.
Be Scrupulously Honest:
Country people don't care that much what you think or how you wear your hair
as long as they can trust you. Lie or stiff a merchant one time and in 45 minutes
everyone in the county will know it, guaranteed.
On the flip side, if you've been given too much change or an error is made in
your favor with a bank deposit or charge purchase at a merchant, politely point
out the mistake and insist on paying the correct amount. While such a gesture
will usually be met with stunned disbelief in a large city, in the country it
will be acknowledged with a nod and sincere appreciation. And never doubt for
an instant that the country grapevine will work in your favor as the word spreads.
When I first moved here, I was able to open an account with any business in town
simply by asking if I could charge a purchase. No references, no questions, no
credit check, just an address so they could send a statement at the end of the
month. Such an accommodating policy would most certainly not have been the case
had I been late in paying those first bills.
Money is Overrated:
Country people never forget a kindness; they also rarely forget a transgression
against good manners or honesty. The most valuable commerce in the country is
not conducted in dollars but in trading, gifts, being owed a favor, and goodwill.
Become Part of the Community:
Self-sufficiency is a worthy goal, but in truth perhaps the most useful survival
skill is contributing to a community which has a stake in your well being. To
my mind, being able to call upon neighbors for specialized assistance or trade
is just as important as beans, bullets, and Band-Aids.
Schools and churches are the glue which binds a country community. If you have
children in local schools or choose to attend church, tapping into country networks
will be greatly accelerated.
Also, small communities run largely on volunteers, so consider volunteering at
the library, as a fireman, at sports fund raisers, community cleanup, or meals
on wheels. JWR Adds: If you homeschool your kids, be sure to
join the local
homeschooling "co-op" group. You will be sure to meet the preparedness-minded
folks in your community.
The Country is a Time Warp:
Time passes slower here, as it's based more on the seasons than on a clock.
Fight the city urge to hurry everywhere. Tasks are completed when time, required
supplies, and any needed help are available, and not on an arbitrary schedule.
Parts are generally not readily available as they are in a city, you might have
to order a particular part and wait days or weeks for it to arrive, and perhaps
have to improvise in the meantime.
The two main time-related lessons you’ll learn is that weather can throw
a kink into any plan, and maintaining household water supply trumps almost every
other concern. You’ll soon adopt a mañana attitude about
most other projects, as there is always plenty more to be done while waiting
for specific parts or
supplies.
Slow down enough to take time to talk about the weather, trade recipes, talk
gardening, help a neighbor with a project, and to watch a sunset.
Seek Out Those with Useful Skills Now:
Country life requires a generalist rather than a specialist, so trading your
particular skills – whether carpentry, electrical expertise, or knowing
what’s wrong with a row of beans - with neighbors in exchange for their
skills just makes sense. In fact, there is even a term here, “neighboring”,
which refers to a group effort of working each landowner’s livestock in
turn without hiring outside help.
I have also become acquainted with various people who have huge gardens or dairy
goats or sheep or hogs or teams of horses and mules or a small band saw mill
for
making lumber. Such people often don’t advertise and they may be hard to
find, but the search is potentially of huge benefit to the astute survivalist.
As an example, there is a man here who has an old steam-powered grain mill. Another
has a tiny combine for harvesting wheat and oats in the scattered small plots
where it is grown in this area. Up until now, I haven’t used their unique
services, but still make it a point to give these men a quart of honey from our
hives every summer.
You will choose to help many of these people in time of trouble, just as they
will choose to help you, but in the meantime always exercise OPSEC about your
underlying motivations and preps. Country people have a wide independent streak
so your desire to be more self-sufficient will never seem out of place.
Country People are Provincial:
But largely by choice, which doesn't mean they are stupid or uninformed. The
vast majority are Internet savvy and many are exceptionally well-traveled and
well-read. More than a few have made the decision to leave a lucrative city existence
in exchange for country life. The level of overall awareness is high, so you'll
hear more commonsense over a cup of coffee than you'll ever hear from Washington.
A few recent quotes I’ve heard regarding our current economic meltdown:
“I was going to sell all of my calves last fall but held back four in case
my
freezers start to look empty.”
“We’re breaking some new garden ground this spring, going to plant
a lot
more potatoes than we usually do.”
"I bought two more cases of .223 ammo, just in case the rabbits go on the
warpath.” Listen and learn.
Never Underestimate the Amount of Work Involved:
Few farms or ranches here are entirely self-supporting, with one or both spouses
usually working a “regular” job. The pay scale is considerably lower
than in a city, so often people work two or even three jobs in order to live
well. This is in addition to farming and working livestock on their own places.
People work hard, and that’s in relatively good times.
If this economy continues to unravel, more subsistence-level farming and ranching
may well become the norm, and that’s when the work really begins. Growing
and processing most or all of your own food requires a tremendous amount of labor
and expertise, with constant effort from everyone involved. Have no illusions
about some idyllic country life of sitting on the porch all day, chewing on a
grass stem while contemplating the vista. The trick for making subsistence agriculture
work is for everyone to always be doing something constructive, whether it’s
hoeing weeds in the garden, building a chicken coop, shelling beans, cleaning
a firearm, playing with a toddler, or rereading one of your how-to books.
With that said, no family or survival group can possibly be competent at all
of the skills required. This is when being on good terms with neighbors becomes
essential; give them half of a fresh beef now for the cheese they can provide
later on; the pickles you made are a fair trade for his baskets of peaches; your
stash of supplies may well allow you to trade for a rooster and five hens (along
with some expert advice on getting started); if you can provide the diesel, your
neighbor might plow your garden plot after your tractor has thrown a rod. - Bois
d'Arc
« Economics and Investing: |Main| Letter Re: Navigating by the Stars »
A Know-Nothing Gun Buyer Illustrates a Fatally-Flawed Approach to Preparedness
Introductory Note from JWR: The following was posted at the
Mike's Madhouse forum, one of the Baen's
Bar Forums. (This is the forum moderated by SurvivalBlog's Editor at Large, Michael
Z. Williamson.) It
illustrates
how
incredibly
naive
some
newbie
gun
owners
can
be. It also underscores a couple of my oft-repeated mantras: Survival
is
not
about
gadgets.
It is about skills. And, tools without training are
almost
useless.
Owning a gun doesn't make someone a "shooter" any more than owning
a surfboard makes someone a surfer. Reading this letter made
me laugh hysterically, but it also made me sad to think that for each "rescued'
newbie
that
is successfully mentored by a skilled shooter,
there are probably one or two others that remain blissfully ignorant. Even worse,
some of these latter-day gun owners might think that merely buying several
thousand
dollars worth of guns and paraphernalia has somehow made them "prepared." Here
is the post:
"This last week I had a conversation with a associate at work. First let me
tell you about him, he's a little liberal and by that I am saying someone who
is left of Obama. He starts up the conversation with "you know about guns right, could you teach me how to shoot my guns," at
this point I am speechless, I mean this person is about the most liberal person
I know. First I have to pick up my jaw and my hamster fell out of his wheel
is laying on its back doing the kick'en chicken. Flabbergasted that I am I
ask what type he owns and he tells me that they are "those M16 machine
guns and a 45 cal automatic."
Having known him for about six years and he is a friend (we agreed to not talk
about politics and religion years ago) I asked, "What does your wife think
about the guns?" He answered: "Oh she knows we bought two of
each" (Jaw on floor, Hamster now in critical condition), you have to know
his wife more to the left than him, and the last time she visited [my home]
I had to swear that all the guns were locked up so the children were safe.
The first
thing I ask, do you have a gun safe, answer: "No and don't worry
we haven't bought bullets yet." I tell him sure, I will walk through weapon
safety and will teach him to shoot. By the way where did you buy the weapons?
His answer:
The local local "sporting
warehouse" . I told him to bring the weapons Friday and I will go over
range and weapon safety, and we'll go to the range on Saturday (today).
On Friday
afternoon he brings the weapons and accessories over. Now I won't say the salesman
saw them coming but, he sold him: two Pelican rifle cases with locks,two
Blackhawk drag bags, two Pelican pistol cases. The "M16 machine guns" turned
out to be a pair of S&W M&P
PSX [semi-auto only M4 clone
rifles] each with a Trijicon ACOG and with
a green laser and forward
pistol grip with flashlight and with bipod and only one magazine
[for each emphasis Mike's] about the only missing accessory is the
latté maker (a whole 'nother story)
Now I have seen decked out M4s before but this was ridiculous. With all [items]
mounted weight about 15 lbs unloaded. The .45 turned out to be a Kimber
SIS with 2 magazines and a shoulder holster and a belt holster with a gun belt,
magazine holder. Now he isn't hurting for money but this is taking him to the
cleaners. So first thing I start taking off cr*p, laser goes, pistol grip with
flashlight goes, I start to take off the Trijicon but did you know that the
M&P does not come with
iron sights?
I had to ask [facetiously] why they didn't get a laser for the Kimber. His
answer "It's
on order."
Next, I put all the excess stuff in the handy Pelican box and walk
through weapon safety. If you notice there were no eye or ear protection,
cleaning kits [included] with all this gear [that he was sold].
First thing, I show them how to disassemble and clean the M4 and Kimber.
I decided that we would start with the pistol and that I would bring a 22
for them to start with. The range went well we started with the targets at
5m then to 7m, 10m and so forth.it went flawlessly. No great groups but at
least they were hitting the targets. We shot about 500 rounds of . 22 and ended
with 200 rounds of .45.
They had fun and [I helped to create] another [enthusiastic] gun owner. I
got them to start using a my favorite gun shop for their future purchases.
(She liked my SIG P226
and wants one now).
We stopped at the warehouse [store] and returned some of the
excess equipment, about $1,500 worth. I told them to practice the basics,
and then if they wanted to they could get other accessories. I will be taking them to a different range tomorrow for the M4. Wish me luck. Now, if
I could only revive my hamster!"
« Letter Re: A Source for Potable Water Storage Tanks |Main| Product Review: Shelf Reliance Cansolidator - Addendum, by Michael Z. Williamson »
Letter Re: Christianity and Self-Defense
Mr. Rawles,
First of all, thank for providing the incredible resource of Survivalblog.
I have only been a reader for a few months, but it has been an eye-opening
experience. I was raised in a conservative, Christian home and my father
was only a "casual" gun owner. At first, when reading the opinions
on your blog, I was skeptical about owning firearms. I had never owned a
gun in my life and only shot one a couple times. In actuality, I had never
really thought too much about guns. However, after reading your reconciliation
of Christianity and self-defense and my own study of the Scriptures, I determined
that preparing to defend myself and my family is the right thing to do. I
recently purchased my first gun, a 12-gauge Remington 870 Express Synthetic
18" [barrel] shotgun, at a local gun show. I also attended the two-day
shotgun course at Front
Sight in
January. I now feel fairly confident in the handling and defensive use of
my shotgun.
I was hoping to get your opinion on something that still bothers me, however.
While I now believe it is prudent to provide for my own self-defense, I have
to wonder if there is a danger of putting more faith in guns than in God? For
example, see the following:
Psalms 20:7-8: "Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will
remember the name of the Lord our God. They are brought down and fallen: but
we are risen, and stand upright."
Psalms 44:5-7: "Through thee will we push down our enemies: through thy
name will we tread them under that rise up against us. For I will not trust
in my bow, neither shall my sword save me. But thou hast saved us from our
enemies, and hast put them to shame that hated us."
Isaiah 2:22: "Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils: for
wherein is he to be accounted of?"
Your blog seems to discuss guns, body armor, and hardened defensive structures
pretty extensively. Is this something you have considered before? What do you
think is the correct balance between guns and God? At what point does someone
cross the line where they begin to put all their faith and trust in their guns
and their own preparations? How do us Christian and otherwise religious Survivalblog
readers avoid crossing that line? Thanks again! - DR
JWR Replies: Thanks for re-opening this topic. First, you
mentioned Psalm 20,. It noteworthy that this psalm was an admonition to Israel's
kings to not raise
too large an army rather than saying the nation should not have an
army to defend itself. (That psalm ties it to several other verses that warn
against "multiplying chariots".)
Certainly, there must be a balance struck when preparing. It is foolish
to trust just in just your own preparations. We need to trust in
God's providence and
his protection for his Covenant people. But at the same time we need
to heed the prodding of the Holy Spirit to prepare for our family's safety, housing,
nourishment,
and security.
Trust in God is a wonderful and crucial aspect of preparedness (it is to me!)
but we should not expect manna to fall from heaven, nor walls of flame to spring
up
between
us
and
those
that would do us harm. Some Mennonites, for example, eschew all means
self defense and decry even the willingness to defend oneself or one's
loved ones. That, in my opinion is taking "turning the other cheek" (Luke
6:29) to an extreme that is not scripturally founded.
Exodus 22:2 provides Biblical justification for killing someone if he intends
to forcibly rob or kill another man: " If a thief be found breaking up,
and be smitten that he die, [there shall] no blood [be shed] for him." Exodus
22:2 (KJV)
And Jesus teaches that it is wise to be armed, in Luke 22:35-36 (KJV): "And
he said unto them, When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked
ye any thing? And they said, Nothing.
Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take [it], and
likewise [his] scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment,
and buy one."
In an article titled: What
Does The Bible Say About Gun Control? Larry Pratt keenly observed the
difference between self-defense and vengeance:
Resisting an attack is not to be confused with taking vengeance
which is the exclusive domain of God (Rom. 12:19). This has been delegated
to the civil magistrate, who, as we read in Romans 13:4, ". . . is
God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for
he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an
avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil."
Private vengeance means one would stalk down a criminal after one’s
life is no longer in danger as opposed to defending oneself during an attack.
It is this very point that has been confused by Christian pacifists who would
take the passage in the Sermon on the Mount about turning the other cheek
(which prohibits private vengeance) into a command to falter before the wicked.
Let us consider also that the Sixth Commandment tells us: "Thou shall
not murder." In the chapters following, God gave to Moses many of the
situations which require a death penalty. God clearly has not told us never
to kill. He has told us not to murder, which means we are not to take an
innocent life. Consider also that the civil magistrate is to be a terror
to those who practice evil. This passage does not in any way imply that the
role of law enforcement is to prevent crimes or to protect individuals from
criminals. The magistrate is a minister to serve as "an avenger to execute
wrath on him who practices evil" (Rom. 13:4).
Jesus taught both to turn the other cheek and to be well-armed
to defend oneself. The important factor is having the wisdom to know when to
employ either approach depending on the circumstances. I pray, for wisdom,
discernment, and discretion, daily. I don't seek out trouble, and
in fact I have moved my family to a remote, lightly populated region in good
part to avoid trouble. But if unavoidable trouble
comes my way, I want to have the option of resisting force with force.
And I only have that option if I am armed and trained.
Some critics of armed preparedness cite Matthew 26:52-54 (KJV), which descries
how Jesus responded when Peter cut off the ear of a high priest's servant,
using a sword: "Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into
his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. Thinkest
thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more
than twelve legions of angels? But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled,
that thus it must be?"
In context, Jesus is telling Peter that it would be suicidal to fight in that
particular situation, since they were quite outnumbered. And of course Jesus
knew it was in God's plan for him to be arrested, tried, crucified, and resurrected.
Jesus told Peter to put his sword in its place –which
was back in his belt. Jesus was telling Peter in effect that "there is
a time to fight, and this, my friend, isn't it." He didn't command him
to "throw that sword away", or "surrender it", or to "stop
carrying it". After all, according to Luke, Jesus had just recently ordered
the disciples to arm themselves. The reason for the arms was
obviously to protect their own lives when traveling--not to protect His
own life, which He intended to sacrifice, to pay for our sins, once and
for all.
The Old testament teaches both to be armed, and to be trained. We
read in Psalm 144:1:
Blessed [be] the LORD my strength,
which teacheth my hands to war,
[and] my fingers to fight:
Yes, as Christians our battles are mainly spiritual, but we must also be prepared
to defend our lives, and the lives of our loved ones, against evildoers.
« Letter Re: Kids and Home Security |Main| Note from JWR: »
Perspectives on Prepping on a Very Low Income, by Kuraly
I was raised in a missionary family, on nine different mission fields around
the world. At the age of nineteen, I went out to serve the Lord on my own in
the former Soviet Union. I had no formal Theological training, but was accepted
by the missionary societies of my denomination because of my experience under
my father and my willingness to go to dangerous areas.
I married, and my wife and I have now six children. A few years ago, due to
some changes in my theology, I fell out of favor with my denomination and had
to return home to the USA. I was faced with a situation of suddenly having
to feed and care for a large family with: 1. no formal education/training/skills
of any kind and 2. very little understanding of the southern American culture
that I found myself living in. I was forced to take very low-paying jobs and
survive on a low-income.
With our savings we were able to buy a small rural house and 7.5 acres in the
southeast. We were able to pay cash, I wanted it to be ours with no strings
attached, regardless of what the future held. I figured that at the very least
we would have a roof and some plantable land. I bought in the area my parents
lived in to help care for them as they progressed in years.
Our income is very limited. I work at just above minimum wage. I work a full-time
job and another part-time job. I am thankful that the Lord provides.
As I studied current events I became concerned about the possibility of a world-wide
economic and/or societal collapse of some kind, or a societal break-down here
in the USA resulting from any number of possible reasons. I had witnessed the
chaos of the nineties in the former Soviet Union, had watched doctors and physicists
sweep streets and live off of potatoes and bread for months on end, and I was
concerned about my responsibility to feed my family should a similar collapse
happen here.
What can you do when you have very limited means? Actually there is much you
can do. It amounts to setting goals and getting your family on board with you.
The first thing I did was (after my wife and I had many long talks and she
began to see things in a similar way), I gathered the family around and explained
everything to them. I explained about our limited means, exactly how much money
was coming in, how much went to utilities, fuel, etc. I explained what I believed
the dangers were. I explained what we needed to do as a family. Let me interject
here that after being born and growing up on a third-world mission field, they
were far from spoiled children! They were accustomed to living in tight quarters,
washing in cold water, eating cheap, and basically just "roughing it."
My first priority was for two weeks worth of provisions. We began to buy a
few extra cans of food when we went shopping. I set a goal of 20 dollars per
week for prepping. Some weeks ten dollars of canned goods and/or dried foods
like rice, beans or noodles, and ten dollars in ammo or medical supplies. Some
weeks just food, some weeks just extra gasoline. We bought gas cans at thrift
stores and garage sales for a dollar apiece, Large scented candles (better
than nothing) at closeout sales and garage sales for 30 and 50 cents, and just
about anything we could scrounge that might come in handy if the lights went
out. It did not take us long to build up enough supplies to last two weeks
in an emergency. We had enough gasoline to drive to work for two weeks (if
needed), enough food for our family plus a little extra, and candles, radios,
batteries and other odds and ends to get by.
I had also along the way added
to my ammunition stocks for my Winchester .30-30, and my bolt-action .22 LR.
After we reached the point where we felt we had enough for a two-week catastrophe,
we began to focus on the six-month time frame. This opened up many entirely
new possibilities. since the food required for this amount of time was such
a major expense, we had to make sure that it would last for several years.
This raised the issue of long-term storage in buckets, mylar bags and oxygen-absorbers.
We had to save for months to buy an order of oxygen-absorbers and mylar bags
on e-bay! We found low-cost buckets and began to fill them with rice, feed
corn, corn meal, noodles, beans etc. Anything that was inexpensive. We taught
the children to like corn-meal mush and grits since they might get quite a
bit of it one day!
Gradually we worked our way up to 30 buckets. At this point I made a strategic
decision. I decided that we needed to invest our extra funds in gardening.
Not entirely stopping the food storage, but reducing it in favor of procuring
means and experience in growing and canning our own food. We began to buy canning
jars and lids to put away in the attic for the future. My father gave us a
tiller with a blown engine which we were able to get fixed, and we began to
garden. The first garden was not very well thought-out. Some things grew, some
did not. But we learned. We learned first-hand what pollination means and about
soil fertility. We learned about bugs and blight. We gained valuable experience.
We also invested in chickens, and watched some of them die, some of them be
eaten by neighbor's dogs, some get eaten by our dogs, and the hardy survivors
begin to lay eggs. We watched them eat their own eggs and learned to give them
calcium. We let half of them free range and half range in portable pens that
we built which have an open floor that we could move each day to fresh grass.
We learned how to make them roost and lay where they were supposed to.
We bought some rabbits and learned a lot, real fast! We experimented with many
types of portable cages for rabbits which would allow us to move them from
one grassy spot to another without giving them time to dig a burrow. Sometimes
we would wake up and find rabbit carcases torn to shreds, because a neighborhood
cat had gotten to them. My kids handled most of this, and they learned things
the hard way.
If you haven't figured it out yet, We were totally green. I spent my life traveling
and overseeing the translation of Christian literature into foreign languages.
My wife is a musician. We had zero experience at any of this, and no one around
that we knew to advise us. We had to learn everything from scratch. We bought
a goat and promptly saw it attacked and killed by a stray dog. That hurt,
financially as well as emotionally. After sending the dog to join the
goat "on the other side", I bought another goat. and then another.
These have survived. We have learned to care for them.
Gradually I am seeing my children grow confident in their relationship to the
animals under their care. Gradually we are learning the needs of these animals
and how to make them produce for us. If we had had some kind of hands-on training,
it would have saved the lives of a lot of animals, but we didn't. I am happy
to announce a much higher survival rate for animals that we bring home now.
I felt like I needed a greater firearms capability (what man doesn't?). I thought
long and hard. At first I bought a Mosin-Nagant since they were so cheap ($75)
and the ammo was dirt-cheap as well. I then began to consider what type of
semi-automatic I could afford. I looked at the prices of ammo which was very
critical since I would have to train my entire family to shoot. At the time
the best deal for us appeared to be the SKS rifle.
It was cheap (a good quality Yugo[slavian SKS] was less than $200), dependable,
semi-auto and the ammo was
very cheap at the time. I later added a cheap 12 gauge pump, and last but not
least,
a
17 round Bersa Thunder 9mm. After purchasing these guns I began to pick up
ammo for them when I could find it on sale. I have gradually gotten up to about
500 rounds for each of them.
I then turned my attention to our home and it's defense. While we live in the
country, we are close to our neighbors 100 yards +/-, about five miles from
a small town, about 15 miles from a large town, and about 90 miles from Atlanta
(upwind fortunately). My greatest concern is our proximity to the road. The
house is only about 65 feet from the dirt road in front of our house. A looter
or burglar/rapist could be at the door or windows before the dog barked. In
response to this my next expenditure is to be fence posts, fencing, and barbed
wire, along with a row of thorny bushes in front of the wire next to the road.
Our house is a soft target, offering no ballistic protection. My remedy/forlorn
hope is to have plenty of sand and gravel on hand, and to start checking the
thrift stores for pillow cases to buy and store. perhaps we would have time
to bag up sand bags and at least harden up certain corners or rooms of the
house. We also have several large piles of sandstone (we live on top of a mountain)
which could be placed strategically and then perhaps sand bags on top of that.
We could also cut logs and add that to the mix.
Our water supply is a [grid-powered] electric well. This is one of my biggest
worries. We have made it a priority to buy a generator at least strong enough
to run
the
well and freezers for an hour or two a day. I know that this is only a temporary
solution but is about all we can handle right now. I am very thankful for the
non-fiction writing contribution about the siphon pumps for wells such as mine,
that offered up new possibilities which I have not had time to address yet.
We also have a neighbor 1/4 mile away which has an artesian spring on his property,
though it has extremely high iron content. I have purchased two 330 gallon
plastic livestock watering tanks and several drums which I can fill at the
first sign of trouble. I can also load them on my little trailer and pull them
down to the neighbor's to fill up from his well. I just need to check on the
ramifications of the high iron content.
I am also trying to fill up as many containers as possible with gasoline. I
add Sta-Bil and plan to use/rotate it yearly (as long as the price stays low).
I would like to keep at least 250 to 500 gallons on hand at all times. I buy
old gas cans at yard sales and just found a source for cheap 55 gallon drums
with sealed lids ($3). I may start using them instead.
Our immediate plans are to build more pens and raise more chickens and goats,
maybe a pig or two. We also look forward to planting a much bigger garden this
spring and maybe use some of our hard-won experience of last year. We also
want to involve the kids in martial arts classes if we can afford it, as well
as herb-collecting hikes from the local community college field school (which
are free and fun). We want to spend more time with them in the woods and in
the garden so that they feel comfortable there and begin to think about survival
from their own perspective. We also are beginning to exploit the library for
free resources for them to study on various topics.
The future of this country looks grim. As Christians we have "read the
back of the Book" and we know Who wins. Our responsibility is to be good
stewards of the talents we have, perform our duties as husbands and wives,
mothers and fathers, and ultimately, to trust Him for that which is beyond
our vision and power.
« The Winning Edge: Safe Dry Practice, by John Parker, Jr. |Main| Jim's Quote of the Day: »
Letter Re: The Risk to Reward Ratio in Getting Concealed Carry Permits
Jim,
Thank you for your excellent site. I'm here every day.
My wife and I are considering getting Concealed Weapons Permits. Do you recommend
getting a permit? Is it a good idea, or is it a red flag that would attract
the unwanted attention of our government officials? Do you have a permit? I
would appreciate your insight. - The Forester
JWR Replies: I do not have a CCW permit,
but I have the benefit of living in an open
carry state. I don't issue any blanket advice on concealed carry. Everyone
has to weigh the risks and benefits of licensure for themselves, in their
own particular circumstances. Since I live in a lightly-populated region
with low crime, I decided that the high profile that goes along with getting
a CCW permit wasn't justifiable. I am far more worried about being mauled
by a bear when out berry picking than I am getting mugged. Street crime is
virtually unheard of here in TUWS.
(Robert Heinlein was right: An armed society is a polite society.)
Again, the decision on whether or not to get a CCW permit is personal judgment
call. For many SurvivalBlog readers living in high crime areas, getting a permit
would probably be advisable.
BTW, I wouldn't be surprised to see Utah, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming and perhaps
the Dakotas all "going Alaska" in the next few years--dropping the
requirement for a CCW for carry inside city limits. This has been the case
in Vermont since time immemorial, and the
CCW permit requirement for inside city limits was recently dropped in Alaska.
(In many southern and western states it is already legal to carry conceal outside of
city limits.)
« Letter Re: Real World Observations on Fighting Crime and Criminals |Main| Notes from JWR: »
Survival Retreat vs. Neighborhood Survival -- Part Deux - Galt's Gulch vs. Idiocracy, by E.B.
Introduction
This is a response to a
previous article written by the esteemed
Dr.
Richard of the Virginia Prepper's Network. Dr. Richard and I agree completely
on a
great many issues but disagree on the issue of the Survival Retreat vs. Neighborhood
Survival. Here are my thoughts on the issue:
Dr. Richard makes some good points with respect to the desirability of an
informed and prepared neighborhood, but in the end it all depends on your particular
neighborhood and neighbors. Because I saw the collapse coming in 2005 I sold
my home in Northern Virginia at what the Washington Post called the
absolute peak of the market and put the proceeds into physical gold and silver
when
gold was trading around ~$400 an ounce and silver at ~$7. BTW, the guy who
bought my home tried to sell it less than a year later for significantly less
and could find no buyers. My goal was to move to low cost Austin, Texas where
I could be near my dad’s ranch which I could then get prepped to survive
the coming economic collapse. Unfortunately my wife thought I had gone completely
insane which along with other disagreements on the health of our children (She
believes in vaccination, sugar, aspartame, fluoride and AMA monopoly medicine
and I don’t) led to a divorce. Now I rent a single family home to be
near my ex-wife and kids where I can spirit them to safety when the SHTF. While
I have never been to Dr. Richard’s neighborhood the detailed description
(cul de sac, all single family homes on relatively large lots, high income/
high IQ neighbors in a development of less than 400 homes in a somewhat rural
area) sounds infinitely more survivable than mine.
My situation is much different. My neighborhood is a mix of single family
homes and townhouses with a much greater density than Dr. Richard describes.
The neighborhood is lower income / lower IQ as well. There is an apartment
complex about a mile away and I once found a cocaine baggie in the parking
lot while jogging through it one day. Unfortunately because I am so busy I
haven’t met as many of my neighbors as I would like and the ones that
I have met are essentially completely clueless to the realities of the world.
My neighbor with the most raw intellectual horsepower is a software architect
in IP security but he still hasn’t figured out that fire can’t
melt structural steel and giggled when I tried to explain the realities of
9-11. He is morbidly obese, addicted to sugar and nicotine, and completely
unarmed. Not exactly the guy you want to have your back fending off looters
and brigands. My second smartest neighbor is an engineer for an IP hosting
company. I spent 30 minutes one day taking him through the physics of WTC 7
and how 47 story modern steel framed skyscrapers don’t collapse completely
and symmetrically into their own footprints at freefall speed defying the laws
of physics. I thought I saw a glimmer of understanding but I never heard back
from him. I am assuming he went back to the TeeVee set. When I jog through
the neighborhood at night the street is lit up with the glow of flat screen
mental prisons.
Anyone that has ever unplugged someone from the matrix understands how difficult
and time consuming it can be to educate and free a single mind. I have a good
friend who is an entrepreneur/small business owner and has held VP level positions
at international networking companies. I have been working on him for years
and even after his son had a febrile seizure 24 hours after getting vaccinated
he is mad at me for trying to warn him and continues to see the same doctor
that potentially crippled his son. My ex-wife has P.hD and I can’t get
her to stop giving our kids fluoridated water even though the practice is opposed
by 14 Nobel Laureates, 2,100+ health professionals, and the EPA’s own
scientists through their union. If I can’t convince my own ex-wife to
quit giving her kids water “medicated” with a chemical used as
rat and roach poison which has been linked to lower IQ in 23 peer reviewed
studies from around the globe then how I am going to educate and convince dozens/hundreds
of acquaintances and strangers on the realities of the world.
So, since neighborhood survival is not an option for me then creating a survival
retreat with a self-selected group of individuals is my #1 strategy for survival
in an economic collapse. Compare some of the qualities and skill sets of our
group and those we are speaking with vs. the TeeVee bums in my neighborhood.
• A general contractor who is a firefighter / EMT in his community with
skills in general carpentry (framing, form, and trim), basic electrical, plumbing,
HVAC, masonry, roofing, and siding. Skilled in basic small engine repair, hand
tools, and appliances. He is taking classes in sustainable agriculture and
automotive repair.
• A retired naval Commander (helicopter pilot) with special operation experience
that has been working on his retreat for years.
• A world class software and information security architect.
• A C-level executive and former military intelligence officer.
All are completely aware, completely awake, completely armed, with good to
excellent preps and are already in high gear improving their skills and doing
what it takes to get ready for the coming collapse.
Now add the advantages that a remote survival retreat offers over attempting
to survive in an area populated with completely clueless starving TeeVee bums.
•
Security – Hidden from looters and brigands who would be more than willing
to kill for your stored food and supplies.
•
Rural Location – Self-sufficient agriculturally with farmers, dairymen,
and cattle ranchers. Plentiful wild game and plentiful wild edible plants.
•
Self-selected compatriots – Honest, trustworthy companions that are completely
prepped for the collapse and have a diverse blend of excellent skills to weather
the storm.
•
Designed for a collapse – Wood stove, solar power, well water, fruit
trees already planted, etc.
So while I wish Dr. Richard the best of luck I am headed to Galt’s Gulch
with other members of the intelligentsia. It doesn’t mean that I am not
willing and/or trying to help my neighbors, in fact I am having a large number
of them over next week to try to explain the realities of the coming collapse
but at the end of the day I must protect my family and myself and a self-selected
group of intelligent people awake to the realities of the world secure in a
remote retreat represents the best odds of survival.
Even if you are going to bug out here are some tips to help the folks who must
prepare for themselves:
Educate, Educate, Educate - Give DVDs, send links to web sites like this, Virginia
Prepper's Network, SurvivalBlog, WhatReallyHappened.com, InfoWars.com, and
SteveQuayle.com. When you pass along DVDs specify that the recipient must pass
it along to someone else and specify that the next recipient must pass it along
as well.
Share your Bounty and Improve Your Own Chances - I am sharing some of my storable
food with a neighbor with the caveat that we would share when the SHTF. If
I successfully bug out then they keep all the food for themselves. If I am
trapped in the neighborhood then I have improved my chances for survival with
diverse food stores.
Arm Them With Knowledge - Take your neighbor to the Appleseed Project and turn
a rifle owner into a Rifleman.
Plant an oversize or community garden - Share the costs of sod, seeds, and
the rental of a tiller.
Store Extra Preps for Friends and Charity - I have stored extra food for charity
and even stored items like diapers and wipes for a low income couple who live
in my neighborhood. I have cached food, money, and silver for the employees
of my business as well in a location they can access in an emergency.
« Letter Re: Gaining Situational Awareness and Old-Time Knowledge |Main| Note from JWR: »
Real World Observations on Fighting Crime and Criminals, by Eli
I sat down to see what I could offer to share with other SurvivalBlog readers.
Many topics have already been covered, so I will attempt to go somewhere new.
I am a law enforcement officer by trade, and hope to provide a unique perspective
as such. I have seen shootings, stabbing, burglaries, robberies, etc. I have
served both search and arrest warrants. I work in the southwest US, and have
worked in very affluent areas as well as very poor areas. What follows are
some observations of my time on the job, relating to a few different areas
and crimes that occur. Hopefully some people will get something out of this.
None of this is to be construed as legal advice, strictly observations. All
are very applicable to everyday life, and will be highly applicable at TEOTWAWKI .A good teacher once said “I am not showing you the way, only
A way.” I
apologize in advance if I jump around between topics:
1- SHOOTINGS-
Of all the shootings I have seen, whether officer involved or not, shot placement
has been the key to success (success being the death or incapacitation of attacker).
Regardless of bullet or weapon type, a solid hit will end a fight. I have seen
Black Talon .45 ACP ammo through the stomach fail to incapacitate someone, as
well as .223s with poor shot placement fail to stop an attacker. Both subjects
lost a lot of blood, but were able to continue to fight. A few recent shootings
involved 9mm FMJ ammo. All were fatal, and all were solid hits to the heart/lung
area. The take home lesson is that shot placement is key to survival, regardless
of caliber. Obviously, proper ammo choice with proper shot placement is best.
(I know it has been discussed before, but bird shot is not an effective defense
load)
So how can we improve our shot placement? Shoot more. Dry fire. Practice. Then
practice some more. If you do not shoot, learn. Whether you are a beginner or
advanced shooter, do not forget to work on the basics- sight alignment and trigger
control. There is no substitute for trigger time and fundamentals. 22 conversion
kits are widely available for many guns for practice at reduced cost. AR-style
sights are also available for 10/22s if you prefer that route over a conversion
kit. Shorter, more frequent practice sessions are more beneficial than infrequent
longer sessions, whether live or dry fire.
After improving static shooting skills, focus on stress shooting. Attend a training
course. Practice what you learn in the course. A 2-4 day course will expose you
to a lot of new ideas. It is up to you to reinforce them [with practice] when
you
return home. Only through repetition will these movements become second nature.
Join
a local
IDPA league.
The stress of competition will help. Become physically fit. Studies with police
and simmunition/judgmental shooting scenarios showed that the more
physically fit an individual, regardless of all other factors, the more likely
they were to succeed on the simmunition portion and the less mistakes they made
on the judgmental portion. (Think about how sports teams make more mental errors
late in a game when fatigue sets in) All subjects showed an immediate increase
in heart rate and blood pressure. The more fit individuals showed a more rapid
return to normal levels, often before the end of the scenario. Combine physical
exertion with shooting. Try doing sprints/pushups/jumping jacks, then shooting.
Use your imagination.
Learn to clear a malfunction on your weapon. All guns will jam at some point.
Ejected shells have bounced off walls and landed back in an open recoiling action.
Strange things happen. Know your chosen weapon’s action of arms. Learn
to do so with economy of movement. You can purchase dummy rounds or assemble
them from spent cases. Throw a few into your magazine next time you shoot, and
clear the malfunctions as they happen. It will also show any flinching problems.
Teach someone else to shoot. You will be amazed at how much you will learn teaching
someone else.
2-BURGLARIES
A-Points of entry-
Residential burglaries are an all too common occurrence. The most common points
of entry I have seen are door and open windows. For some reason, crooks have
an aversion to breaking windows on houses, though it will happen. (Perhaps
the Broken Window Theory is true…) “Smash and Grab” activity
does happen, but tends to be more vehicle related. (Practice good OPSEC in
your vehicle.
Do not leave valuables in plain view. Do not place gun stickers on your vehicle,
etc)
A few bad guys that have been willing to talk have mentioned that you
can shut a door after kicking it in, but a broken window is harder to hide
from neighbors.
Go and look at your front door. Find your lock plate. When a door is forced,
this is the part to give, with the plate coming loose and breaking the trim.
Get a screw driver, and remove one of the screws. Realize that this is what
is securing your front door. Now go buy longer screws, and replace them immediately.
A security door is also a huge plus, as it opens out and requires different
techniques
to remove. They are not fool proof, but do more to make someone choose another
house which is the ultimate goal.
Open windows are the other really common method of entry. Any time any work
is done on your house, check all of your windows. It is disturbingly common
for
workers or anyone in your home to leave a window open in a unused room, or
unlock a seldom used door and then return later. Follow workers when they are
in your
house (Side note on this… I recently had a water heater replaced. I would
have done it myself, but it was still under warranty and was free. While chit-chatting
with the worker, he asked if I was a cop. I told him no, then asked why. He
replied that the only people who watch him work tend to be cops. Just like
you are observing
others, do not forget that you are being watched as well.) Sterilize your house
prior to allowing workers in. Do not leave out firearm accessories, bank statements,
etc. Bars on windows are also effective in limiting possible points of entry.
They may be against fire code (check your jurisdiction), and reduce points
of exit as well. Roll shutters are another really good option here. Many newer
homes
have a window to the side of the front door. Consider a metal grate or something
similar inside to prevent breaking the window, then undoing the locks. These
windows, even when frosted, also provide a visible indicator about how many
people/when someone is coming to the door, eliminating surprise.
B- What is taken
Cash, firearms, jewelry, electronics, tools, credit cards, personal info, bank
statements. Anything that they can pawn or trade for drugs. If you go on vacation,
take your spare vehicle keys with you. A recent trend has been to load up the
second car parked in the cover of the garage, then drive it away with all of
your stuff. Buy a gun safe, preferably a heavy one. Don't forget to lock your
safe (No, I am not kidding about this.) Bolt your safe down. I have seen studs
cut
from
the
wall
to remove a safe. I personally have not seen one pried from the floor yet,
although I am sure it has happened. Bolt it to both floor and walls
and be safe. Write your serial numbers
down also, especially for firearms. (Be very careful with this list,
for obvious reasons, especially with private party gun sales. Keep a copy somewhere
other than your safe also) It is very hard to prove ownership or log an item
as stolen without the serial number.
3-ROBBERIES
Robberies occur all the time, everywhere. Situational awareness is the most
beneficial for preventing these. You are most vulnerable at times of preoccupation.
Fumbling
with keys, exiting/entering a car or residence, running with your headphones
on, etc Carry bags in a manner to leave your gun hand free, assuming you are
carrying concealed. Pay attention. Pause before entering exiting anywhere.
Stop, look, and listen. Take a few seconds to do this anytime you enter or
exit anything.
Make it a habit. You see all the time on surveillance footage of people walking
into a liquor store as it is being robbed. Try to stop, look and listen before
you enter the store. After you enter, step to one side and do it again. Park
in well lit areas. When in your vehicle, keep your doors locked. Do not pull
up directly behind the car in front of you and box yourself in. Know where
exits are in restaurants and businesses. Listen to your hunches. Home invasion
robberies
are increasingly common as well. Security doors pay huge dividends here. Even
a highly trained SWAT team
either has to pry or yank these with a vehicle, before dealing with the interior
door. This buys you time. Time equates to
distance
and options, which equate to safety. Have a dog, and lock all of your gates.
See above about window bars. A fenced yard helps. Most states have laws that
recognize fenced yards as having a higher expectation of privacy than a non-fenced
yard, and a corresponding reduced standard for lethal force action inside said
fence. (i.e. the "reasonable person" test, an intruder climbing over a locked
gate into a yard with a dog would be expected to be a greater threat than an
intruder
that
was at the front window of an unfenced yard.)
It is not unreasonable if the “police” come
to your door to ask to see a badge, preferably a commission card, as these
have an officer’s photo. Look though a different window and see if a
car is outside. Call the agency they say they are from and verify they are
who they
say they are. If in doubt, wait and verify. Keep your doors locked when you
are home, not just when you leave or before bed.
Police are not trained to look for "bad guys." They are trained to
analyze behavior and patterns. When something looks out of place, it is cause
for concern.
4-BUILDING CLEARANCE/HOME DEFENSE
A-Offensive
I work nights, so most of this section will be related to this. I have approached
many houses. Let me walk you through what is typical for my squad. Hopefully
it will grant some insight into the mind and method of potential attackers.It
starts outside of the residence, down the street. Turn off your vehicle lights
before you turn onto the street. Park your vehicle so it is not in plain view.
Take advantage of other parked cars, as well as the shadows in between street
lights to conceal your car. Exit the vehicle quietly. Do not slam your doors.
Turn of/disable your vehicle dome light prior to opening your door. Secure any
loose or rattling equipment. Stop, look, and listen while still at your car.
Let your eyes adjust. Identify the target residence. Depending on the threat
level of the suspect or call type we number anywhere from two to six. Approach
the house, again taking advantage of lighting and concealment. At the house,
stop, look and listen. Are there motion lights? Video cameras? Is there a fence?
Is the entire yard fenced? Is the gate locked? Are there cars in the driveway?
Are the hoods warm? Most residences have an exposed front and a fenced back yard,
so we will assume that is the case. Is there an alley? If so, send one or two
people to cover points of exit/look through rear windows. What do you hear? Television?
Fighting? Screaming? A shower? A racking shotgun? Whispering? Is there a barking
dog? (Pepper spray is effective and commonly used to silence barking dogs. Many
SWAT teams now carry suppressed weapons strictly for this purpose. Many cops
also carry dog treats.) Look at windows. Can you see through the blinds/curtains?
Do an experiment at your residence. Turn on an interior light in a room, and
go outside to the window. How much can you see in? Can you see through the corners?
What about where the curtains are supposed to come together at the bottom? Do
this for all the windows. What do you see inside? How many people? Men, women,
children? Are they calm? Are they armed? At the front door, we unscrew light
bulbs, adjust cameras, cover them with rubber gloves if they do not move. Spray
paint would be effective also at taking care of cameras that do not move. Consider
installing a light fixture with a completely surrounded bulb, one that takes
a screwdriver to change, or mounting it higher up.. When you knock on the door,
move away to a position of cover. Again, stop look and listen. Does the television go
off? Who yells to who to get the door? Corners of buildings provide more “cover” than
the middle of a wall, as most construction backs multiple 2x4 or 2x6’s
up at this location. Have someone watching through a window. Usually by shadow
or change in light you can tell when someone is coming to the door, and often
how many.
When entering a house
The most common mistakes when clearing a residence are noise discipline and speed.
Slow down. Do not move faster than you can take in important details. Be as
quiet as possible. The idea is to catch them before they catch you. They are
waiting
for
you. Do
not give them any advantage.
There is much debate about building clearance, and many schools of thought. Here
are some
universal points to all methods:
You need at least three people to be safe. Never search by yourself. More people
are better. Cover reflexive angles of one another. Smooth is the goal. Do not
stand near the walls. You do not want to risk giving away a position by running
your equipment against a wall. This also gives you more options should you engage
and have to move. Move slowly (one minute per hundred square
feet is not unreasonable).
When “pieing” [or "pie slicing"] a room, examine each new
degree
of
the
pie from top to bottom , and back again. Hunters will understand this better,
but
you
are
not looking for a whole person. You are looking for parts. A toe, an ear, an
elbow. Likewise, when clearing, have your upper body move before your lower body
(i.e., lean and clear, then move your feet underneath you….repeat….practice
with a friend/spouse or a mirror [with and absolutely cleared and double-checked
firearm])
and keep your elbow tucked under your weapon, so the first thing the bad guy
will
see
is half
the
barrel
of your
gun
and half
of that eye. (Notice I said “that” eye. Learn to shoot with
your off hand, and practice. It is impossible to safely clear a house with the
gun
in
one hand the entire time.) Practice house clearing. Get a friend, family member.
Go through your home. Go through theirs. Take turns being the good guy/bad guy.
Do it during the day. Do it at night. Repeat. People hide in all sorts of places.
Cupboards, washing machines, inside couches, between mattresses, etc. Do not
move past anything you have not cleared. You do not want to be worried about
something behind you while clearing. If a door is locked and you have to bypass
it, get creative. Lean something up against the door so you will know if it is
opened behind you. Tie it shut. Do not make more noise than you need to. Do not
be afraid to kneel or squat when pieing. People are expecting certain things.
Think outside the box.
As far as lights go, there are two schools of thought. The first, turn on lights
as you enter the room. You can see, but the enemy can also. The second, use a
weapon mounted or handheld light. You can illuminate an area, kill the light,
then move. Try both and see what you prefer.
B-Defensive Measures
Consider all of the proceeding section of what attackers do. Apply this to
your
home. Imagine you are at home, watching television. The neighbor’s dog
starts
barking, or your's does. The dog suddenly stops. You still get up to investigate,
wisely.
You go to turn on your outside light, and the bulb does not work. At this point
in time the hair on the back of your neck should be standing up. Pay attention
to all of the small things. You check your security camera, and suddenly it’s
looking at a view of the wall. If a security camera is not working, blocked,
etc, lights not working, dog stopped barking (or still barking like mad) these
are
clues
to put on your vest and load your weapon. (You do always put on your vest and
grab your weapon when you go to investigate bumps in the night, right? )
Look at your home. Put up a fence around your entire yard. Build a full size
fence, not a half one. Clear an area for 8-to-10 feet on either side of the fence,
the
entire way around. Do not take the time to put up a fence and then provide an
easy means over it. Lock the gate. Get two or three large dogs and let them have
free
roam of the yard. They make “shake” alarms for fences that will go
off when the fence is disturbed. They can be made to ring your cell phone (As
in your phone rings, you answer, a computer voice states "You have a fence
activation on the north side of your property."). Look at your outside lights
also. Where are the dark spots? Where are blind spots that you cannot see from
your windows? Consider discrete mirrors in strategic locations to check blind
spots. Mount your lights high so they cannot be unscrewed, and get fixtures that
protect
the light bulb. Install security cameras. Consider a few camera pointed towards
your house, possibly under eaves or overhangs that will be easy to miss. Where
are your children’s rooms in relationship to yours? Where are the bullets
that you may be shooting going to be flying? What walls can be made bullet resistant?
I have been in homes where the people literally filled the half walls
at the top of the stair case with sand/sand bags to provide a fortified fighting
position
for the family. Other ideas include surplus vests, Kevlar sheeting,
etc stuffed
in this area. Another option is to fortify your children’s rooms if they
are on the other end of the home, but this also provides an intruder with a potential
stronghold. Consider interior flood lights. The same people with the sand bagged
half walls had flood lights above the stairs, facing down. With the positioning
of the lights, it blinded everyone to the defenders at the top of the stairs.
Every home has ambush spots. When you are practicing clearing your house, think
about what spots give you problems. Blind corners or multiple doors in close
proximity are nightmares while clearing. Find a spot on the far side of the room
or down a hallway where you can view these problem areas. One where you can view
a problem area and fortify is an ideal location. Stairwells make good options.
While you are practicing clearing your house with someone else, take turns being
the “bad guy.” See where you want to hide, where you have the best
advantage.
I hope this helps. People often talk about hardware versus software. In these
tough economic times, hardware is not easy to come by. Software is cheap. Try
to still obtain what you can when you can, but focus on learning skills--any skills.
Plant a garden. Change your oil. Help someone with a construction project.
Read a book. Learn to bake bread. Learn to distill alcohol. Reload. Take a
first aid course. Cook with your food storage. Volunteer somewhere where you
can
learn something. Practice bartering your skills for goods or services. YouTube
is an amazing resource out there if you are unsure how to do something and
don’t know anyone that can teach you. If you already have skills, teach
them (while still learning new ones.) Spread the word to those that will listen.
Post a youtube video about preparation, or about any skill that you have. Teach
someone to shoot. You can pick up a surplus Mosin-Nagant rifle and 500 rounds
of ammunition for around $150, depending on where you live. Encourage everyone
you know to buy one or two.)
TheBoxOTruth.com is
a great resource also regarding questions about ammo ("I wonder what
happens if I shoot layers of sheet rock with
"X" caliber...") Show your friends SurvivalBlog. Sow the
seeds of preparation in all you come across. Continue to prepare, pray,
and be safe. - Eli
« Economics and Investing: |Main| Real World Observations on Fighting Crime and Criminals, by Eli »
Letter Re: Gaining Situational Awareness and Old-Time Knowledge
Jim,
Situational Awareness has a number of definitions, from the rather complex
to the "simple". They include:
- The process of recognizing a threat at an early stage and taking measures
to avoid it. (Being observant of one's surroundings and dangerous situations
is
more an attitude or mindset than it is a hard skill.)
- The ability to maintain
a constant, clear mental picture of relevant information and the tactical
situation including friendly and threat situations as well
as terrain.
- Knowing what is going on so you can figure out what to do.
- What you need to know not to be surprised.
This comes to mind because of my recent reading of your novel, "Patriots".
(An excellent book. A must have for any "prepper".) The book
is primarily about a group of people who joined together to survive in the "days
after". The daily requirements of surviving in times of roving bands of
criminals and martial law enforcers were covered rather forcefully. Many of the
challenges they faced required an armed response, and situational awareness was
often discussed. For the kinds of situations in which the "Patriot" folks
found themselves, the extremely helpful explanations of such matters as OPSEC and
LP/OPs are very helpful to anyone facing what is soon coming for many of
us.
As the book describes, situational awareness is absolutely vital to survival
and success in our near future.
But, while situational awareness is most commonly thought of as a conflict skill,
there are also other kinds of situational awareness. On Yahoo Groups, there is
a discussion group about surviving in the days after. One of the most prolific
writers has several times recently warned the readers to "Get out of the
cities now !". He's even suggested moving to very unpopulated areas and
using wood pallets to erect shacks. IMHO, this is a suggestion that will cause
many people great harm. Folks, with little or no preparations, suddenly moving
to the land to escape the "Golden
Horde", will likely fail or die.
Just reading the stories of the many pioneers who moved west, will quickly sober
you up from any "can do/don't know" thinking.
I have lived nearly all my life on a farm. I have developed a deep knowledge
of the land. It has come at the great expense of many missteps, failures, successes,
hard work and time. I call it having situational awareness of the environment.
I know what certain kinds of clouds mean when forecasting tomorrow's weather.
I know that the vine-like plants with three shiny leaves aren't so good to eat
or touch. I know a dead snake can still bite. People just coming to the land
for
the first
time will have little of that knowledge.
For untold years and many generations, the knowledge of how to live on the land
and be self-sufficient was passed down thru families. In farm country, school
was often found at the back fence. If you or your Grandfather didn't know something,
the farmer next door often did. I remember many times in my youth when I'd be
out working the land and the guy next door would be out on his. Often as not,
we'd stop and stand by the line fence and talk. ...And I learned lots. But, now,
much of this passing on of knowledge is lost. Farmers more commonly sit 12 feet
in the air, driving an air conditioned combine, following the turns suggested
by the GPS receiver
on the dash. Your parents most likely worked in a factory
or
a
shop, than on a farm. What was common family knowledge just a couple generations
ago,
such as maple syrup making, canning, gardening, butchering, animal husbandry,
etc., etc., is gone. The "chain" is broken. Without
this great deal of passed on knowledge and experience, nearly any farm endeavor
can, and often
will, lead to unexpected disaster.
This is where Situational Awareness comes in. "The need to know, so as not
to be surprised." The list is endless, but for starters:
- Knowing the good bugs from the bad in the garden
- Knowing fresh horse manure
will kill a garden, fresh chicken m. will help
- Knowing only 3 or 4 ounces
of yew leaves--a common landscape plant in much of
the US--can kill a horse
- Knowing how to split wood so that the axe won't
glance off and chop your leg
- Knowing that burning certain kinds of wood in
your wood stove means you need to clean the chimney twice a winter so you
don't burn down your house [with a chimney fire]
- Knowing the nice, fresh,
clean, free flowing, mountain stream may be full of giardia.
- Knowing that,
when plowing with a horse, you should never tie the reins together and put
them around behind your back so your hands are free to handle
the plow.
(This was the way it was done in the novel "Dies the Fire" [by
S.M. Stirling).
If your horse happens to shy and takes off running, you will be dragged along
the ground
and be seriously hurt. The proper way to plow is with the reins over one
shoulder and under the other. Then, if your horse runs, you just duck your
head and
the reins slide off.
- Knowing that crows in the garden are bad because they
eat the new planted seeds, but crows around your chicken coop are good
because they keep away
the hawks
that will eat your chickens.
- Knowing that if your tractor suddenly starts
making a new sound, this is not good. Stop immediately and figure out what's
going on, before something
breaks.
- Learning to look around you when walking, instead of only staring
at the ground for
your next step, (as most people do).
And on it goes. I have lived decades on the land. There's not a day goes by
that I don't learn something. But even with all my handed down knowledge and
hard-fought
experiences, I'm not even sure I could make a go of suddenly heading out
to the "country" to build a cabin and barn, till the soil, cut fire
wood, store food for man and beast, and more. It's just awful hard without lots
of prep's. And I can tell you, without an extensive knowledge of what the "environment" around
you is telling you, it's darn near impossible. ...(Taking a walk in the woods
can hurt just as much as a walk on certain inner city streets.)
So what are you to do ? Well, having a "G.O.O.D." bag
and great escape vehicle is a start. Having supplies, tools and seed already
in place really helps.
But once you get to your retreat site, have a plan, have some knowledge of how
to do, what to do. Practice now. If you think you're going to learn while living
in a wood pallet shack, you won't. You'll most likely die. If there's no more
Elders to ask, get to know the other "elders"--books.
Go to local farms and ask to spend time just helping, so you can learn something.
Go to a school to
learn skills; like tracking, orienteering and fire building without matches;
(one of the best, imo, is Midwest Native Skills Institute). Never take charcoal
or
lighter fluid on a picnic, learn to gather what burns. Go camping in winter,
instead of just when it is "pretty" outside. Find a "big animal" vet.
and ask to attend and help when birthing a calf. Most especially, turn off your
tv. Use your time to learn to sew, or knit, or make soap. Pick up (fresh) dead
animals on the road and practice skinning them and then tan the hide. [JWR
Adds: Needless to say, consult your state Fish and Game laws before
doings
so!]
Find
local crafts people
and
acquire
a
skill,
such
as
weaving,
or
candle
making,
or
tin
smithing, because having a survival trade in a cashless society may keep you
alive. Learn to listen. Throw away those darn ear plug music things. Learn situational
awareness. What is the wind telling you about the day ? What does the sudden
and not normal crowing of a rooster warn you of ? What does the setting of the
moon in a certain place on the horizon tell you about the season ?
Learn what it takes to live on the land, before you have to suddenly move there.
Learn what nature, the land, and new tasks are telling you, before you find yourself
in a difficult situation, ...(un)aware.
- Jim Fry, Curator, Museum of Western
Reserve Farms & Equipment, Ohio
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Letter Re: Getting the Right Training and Preparing Methodically
Dear Mr. Rawles,
I wanted to thank you for what you are doing and your work. I think that the
reality is that you are saving a lot of people's lives in addition to helping
people to continue to be "in" the world but less and less "of" the
world. I have been able, in turn, to pass along to other people a lot of
things that I have learned from you and your readers, and I hope help them
to focus and remain calm in their preparations. (I have also pointed them
all to your web site).
Now three things that I have done/learned that I would pass along to your
readers:
1) I did get some guns and ammunition recently following the information I
learned from your web site and novel. Then I found a man that would teach me
basic marksmanship - again as your advice suggested, learn the tools you could
be relying on. After just one day of proper training I was shooting better
than 90% of the yahoos at the range that had far better gear than I have. It
cost
me a little money But I am better equipped, more confident, and have a foundation
to build upon - add each day I am at the range I am better and better. So I
would tell your readers that if they just "think" they know what
they are doing, then spend a little money and really learn what
you are doing.
2) I bought and read "Patriots". It was a good read, but sobering.
At the same time, it helped me frame better the "problem" I am trying
to solve. And while I hope it never gets that bad, it sure allowed me to get
some perspective
and begin to work things out in a way that fits my scenario. My advice would
be for others to get your book and read it.
3) I purchased the "Rawles
Gets You Ready" preparedness course. When
I first started this process a few months ago, I was very overwhelmed. I noticed
your course and its price and I thought - "Too much." However, after
reading the blog for a month or so and after reading your your book, I felt
you could be trusted and that your course was not "hokey." I have
been very, very pleased. It is practical, well organized, and adaptable. There
is
a saying "How
do you eat an elephant? - One bite at a time." And your course helped
me to get things aligned so that I could eat things "One bite at a time."
I have been working on a one year preparedness program since the week after
Christmas. I am probably 75% of the way toward where I want to be. The remaining
25% is probably one-half just finishing purchasing and storing some things
and
one-half
understanding
if my retreat location can handle some of my "plans" and if not,
[then determining] what is Plan B.
My family and I would not be nearly so far along without your help. I wish
we had started this process long, long ago, but c'est la vie. We are
on our way now!
May God bless you and your family, Kind Regards, - Jay
« Economics and Investing: |Main| Letter Re: Gold and Silver Coins as an Investment »
Two Letters Re: Denominating in Time Versus Dollars
Sir:
I bought a cross cut saw on eBay and was wondering how one might sharpen
and care for it. I was directed to a USDA Forest Service web site that has
a
30 page downloadable document all about cross-cut saws, their use and care. And
it is free! Supposedly it is one of the best resources around on this particular
topic.
Kind Regards, - Jay
Jim,
The note from SF in Hawaii about the cost of barley versus the work to produce
it made me think of one of my favorite tales from Laura
Ingalls-Wilder's book, "Farmer
Boy", about the boyhood experiences of her husband Almanzo. In this
scene, Almanzo has been double-dared to ask his father for a nickel to buy
lemonade.
When he asks, his father gives him a lesson in the value of money that I have
tried hard to instill in my children:
Father looked at him a long time. Then he took out his wallet and opened
it, and slowly he took out a round, big silver half-dollar. He asked: "Almanzo,
do you know what this is?"
"Half a dollar," Almanzo answered.
"Yes. But do you know what half a dollar is?"
Almanzo didn't know it was anything but half a dollar.
"It's work, son," Father said. "That's what money is; it's hard
work. You know how to raise potatoes, Almanzo?"
"Yes," Almanzo said.
"Say you have a seed potato in the spring, what do you do with it?"
"You cut it up," Almanzo said.
"Go on, son."
"Then you harrow - first you manure the field, and plow it. Then you harrow,
and mark the ground. And plant the potatoes, and plow them, and hoe them.
You plow and hoe them twice."
"That's right son, and then?"
"Then you dig them and put them down cellar."
"Yes. Then you pick them over all winter; you throw out all the little
ones and the rotten ones. Come spring, you load them up and haul them here
to Malone,
and you sell them. And if you get a good price, son, how much do you show
for all that work? How much do you get for half a bushel of potatoes?"
"Half a dollar," Almanzo said.
"Yes," said Father. "That's what's in this half-dollar, Almanzo.
The work that raised half a bushel of potatoes is in it."
Almanzo looked at the round piece of money that Father held up. It looked small,
compared with all that work.
"You can have it, Almanzo," Father said. Almanzo could hardly believe
his ears. Father gave him the heavy half-dollar.
"It's yours," said Father. "You could buy a suckling pig with
it, if you want to. You could raise it and it would raise a litter of pigs, worth
four, five dollars apiece. Or you can trade that half-dollar for lemonade,
and drink it up. You do as you want, it's your money."
Regards, - Jason R.
« Sending "Patriots" as a Form of Protest |Main| Letter Re: Gold and Silver Coins as an Investment »
Letter Re: Denominating in Time Versus Dollars
James,
Today I picked up 200 pounds of pearled barley from my local health food
store that had ordered it for me. As I loaded it into my living room so I
could
mylar seal it, I flashed on what it would have represented in terms of time
(man hours) in an earlier age. To get that 200 pounds of barley, I would
have had to:
1) Have land
2) Have seed
3) Till, irrigate and plant the land
4) Protect the crop from birds and thieves
5) Harvest, thresh and transport the grain
The number of man hours required to get 200 pounds of grain would have been
enormous, compared to the amount of time I had to spend to make the money to
buy the grain.
As we witness the collapse of the current economic model, I have begun to ask
myself not just how much something costs, but if I had to make it or do it
myself, how much time would it take. From this perspective, the relative value
of things change. Wheelbarrows and horses aren't necessary, but they sure are
faster and easier than transporting things on my back. Water filters aren't
necessary, I can chop and carry wood and boil water, but this takes more time
then using a water filter. - SF in Hawaii
JWR Replies: The foregoing observation becomes even more
sobering when you consider the prospect of doing work with "the sweat of the
brow" versus diesel fuel
or
electricity. Engine-powered and electrically-powered equipment
is a tremendous labor saver. As my grandfather Ernest
E. Rawles was fond of
saying: "There's
nothin'
like power
tools!" That saying has been passed down to my children.
Woe be unto us, if
and when we live through an age with a significant disruption in the supply
of diesel fuel and gasoline. Presently, here at the Rawles
Ranch we burn about three
cords
of firewood each winter. We could
get by with
just two cords. But even that represents a tremendous amount of effort if
it must accomplished without the aid of a chainsaw. A four day job becomes
a four
week job. Nearly the same ratio applies to hand tilling and to hand scything.
Someday,
a pair of well-trained draft horses with pulling tack and tackle
might be worth a king's ransom.
Prepare for times of fuel scarcity. Start looking
for high-quality used hand tools. Here is a short list: Axes, timber jacks,
timber cross-cut saws, splitting mauls and wedges, scythes, wheeled-cultivator,
spading
fork,
a
hand-crank or treadle bench grinder, a brace and bits, carpentry hand saws
(cross-cut and rip) a pair of come-alongs, a hand
crank meat grinder, a hand
crank wheat grinder, a post hole digger, wheelbarrows, garden carts,
and so forth. A "WTB"
ad on Craig's
List is a great
place to begin gathering such tools inexpensively.
« Letter Re: Should You Invest in Real Estate? |Main| Note from JWR: »
Survival Retreat vs. Neighborhood Survival, by Dr. Richard
Earlier this month, I posted Etienne's guest post Seeking/Starting
a Survival Retreat in Virginia / Maryland / Pennsylvania / West Virginia.
Today, I had lunch with Etienne
de la Boetie and another prepper here in Loudoun County [, Virginia].
We had a long discussion about survival retreats vs neighborhood survival.
Etienne is a big fan of the survival retreat concept. He previously had a
retreat where he did not own the land but where he was able to store a travel
trailer recreational vehicle in which he pre-positioned various preps and
supplies. Unfortunately, his friend moved and sold the property. There are
four major flaws in the survival retreat separate from your home concept:
- There are significant liabilities and social problems with communal retreats
where one does not own the property - you are vulnerable to the actions of
the others, particularly the property owner.
- Property left at unattended retreats is vulnerable to theft and vandalism.
This is going to be a growing problem as the economic depression gets worse,
especially if we have economic collapse.
- Getting to the retreat would be problematic in the event that it is
actually needed - particularly in martial law scenarios where the military
and law
enforcement block traffic at key intersections or in cases where there are
fuel shortages.
- Relatively undeveloped retreats with a trailer and undeveloped
land may not be sufficiently developed for long-term survival and offer insufficient
space
for storage of the various preps and other items you need. Many of these
items would likely be at your day-to-day residence and you cannot assume
that you
can transport everything at the last minute.
My view is that survival retreats only work if you live there full-time. Furthermore,
although remote locations are further removed from the masses, they are also
further removed from jobs, markets, customers, hospitals, and many other useful
infrastructure and will be harder pressed to gather a sufficiently large group
to cover all of the tasks needed in a true long-term survival scenario. Even
the best special forces operator cannot defend his property 24 hours a day,
seven days a week. Unfortunately, we are rapidly running out of time and it
is probably already too late to relocate - especially if relocating means trying
to sell your existing home in this real estate environment -- in my neighborhood
we haven't had a sale in over eight months and anyone who bought in the last
four years and did the traditional 20% down payment fixed 30 year mortgage
now has negative equity.
I am a big proponent of the concept that your family, friends, neighbors, and
church are your survival group. Yes, I understand that many are unprepared
and clueless about both the threats and what they need to do to prepare for
them. However, your home is your survival retreat. Strengthen it to the extent
you can, but your odds improve exponentially if you can organize your neighborhood
and help everyone survive against the threat(s) you are facing in your survival
situation. You and those in the group who are better prepared or who have the
right skills are the cadre needed to get organized and do what is needed. The
rest of the neighborhood are your foot soldiers and do'ers. My philosophy is
to lead and organize but that charity starts with those who are willing to
help themselves and help the group in the survival situation. In a survival
situation, your first challenges are to assess the hazards/priorities/immediate
needs, organize the group, secure the neighborhood, and scrounge/barter/trade
for needed resources.
Be a leader. There are many things you can do to help develop your neighborhood
group of family, friends, neighbors, and fellow church members and increase
the odds of the neighborhood surviving:
- Get to know them.
- Have potluck dinners.
- Help them wake up and prepare.
- Start a garden club to help start victory
gardens.
- Start a community watch program for your neighborhood.
- Give them a copy
of Chris Martenson's
Crash Course on the economy DVD. I bought a case of
30 and gave them as 2008 Christmas gifts.
- Give copies of Holly Deyo's book
Dare to Prepare as gifts. I bought a case of 8 and gave them as 2008 Christmas
gifts to family and several neighbors
who got it and were starting to prep.
- Store extra preps for charity and be
prepared to give when it is needed for survival.
- Learn about their skills,
backgrounds, and interests - on my street we have a former Navy Corpsman/LEO/M16
Instructor/master scrounger/contractor/award
winning barbeque chef who "gets it" and is starting to prepare, two nurses,
a master gardener, an agricultural engineer / head of the 800-home neighborhood HOA,
a Mormon family that does food storage, and six members of the neighborhood
garden club run by our master gardener.
- Buy tools that would be useful that
could be shared like tillers.
- Buy extra seed such as a seven year supply of Survival
Seeds and be prepared to provide seeds for neighbors
- Build a survival library
of books and skills that you can use to train them when they need survival
skills.
- Buy several extra surplus rifles such as the Russian Mosin-Nagant
or SKS rifles and stock extra ammunition to equip your "community watch" patrols.
- Invite
them to go to a shooting range with you.
- Be prepared to give honest evaluations
of whether individuals should relocate once a survival situation begins
to relative's homes or even public shelters
if that is the best option for them.
You will be pleasantly surprised how many of your family, friends, neighbors,
and fellow church members that are starting to wake up and realize the reality
and danger of our current position. This number is increasing every week. Don't
simply assume that they are all clueless sheep - many simply need some education
and a leader to show them the way.
« Letter Re: Alaska as a Retreat Locale |Main| One View on the Ultimate Vehicular Bug Out by Jerry the Generator Guy »
Letter Re: My First Attempt at Forming a Retreat Group
Jim;
I prayed, reflected and then invited several families to work with me to form
a group. Here are my results:
- I formed an agenda, created a 'private' [password-protected] web site where
I posted articles (in PDF files), created links to web sites like SurvivalBlog,
and set a date
to gather
at my home
- I found near universal interest as folks are scared about the economy and
direction our country has taken
- People eagerly attended meetings (every two weeks), opined, and felt very
good about gathering
- Three months into gathering I printed up some rules and requests if a retreat
was to be formed on our property.
To sum:
Do your best to be prepared.
If your personal economy is tight sell your chatchkis [trinkets and collectibles]
and
invest
in
'beans,
bullets and blankets.'
If you wished to become part of a private retreat on our ranch there were minimum
levels of preparation a family would subscribe to.
If money was an issue, in order to prepare, meet with me and we'd find a way
to to reach their goals. (That is, I was willing to help them financially if
they
committed to help themselves)
The results following that meeting:
- One person stepped up and accepted my offer of mutually beneficial financial
help. We are getting a pole barn and they are getting much needed cash. They
are helping us
so
we can help them become better prepared. They want 'in' our retreat
- One family has been preparing for many years and wants 'in.'
- One lady e-mailed and told me there are not 'enough hours in the day' to become
prepared and she and her husband backed out. We never heard from the friends
that they brought one weekend either.
- We stopped hearing from three other families completely.
My conclusions (and I'd welcome some insights)
1. Many folks like to talk, few are willing to do the work and make the sacrifice
in current lifestyle to prepare.
2. Considering what it takes to truly prepare some are overwhelmed. Sadly, their
response is not to reach out for help, when feeling that way, but to 'do nothing.'
3. Forming a good group is tough. We all know the statistics of marriage and
divorce. Entering into a committed preparedness relationship may be as tough
or tougher. Forming a group to rely on one another in the most dire of circumstances
is daunting, indeed.
4. Finally, what Winston Churchill said applies: "Never, never, never quit." The
safety of my family may well rely upon my ability to form an effective retreat
group. I'll take the above lessons in and continue adding onto the two families
who have opted into our retreat. I'll make a plan B, and then a plan C, and so
on. I'll keep doing all I can to ensure we have the best provisions, location
and, most importantly, the best people we can find to survive what may come.
- D.S.
« Odds 'n Sods: |Main| Letter Re: Canned Food Storage Rack Alternatives »
Letter Re: Bloom Where You're Planted
Thank You Mr. Rawles,
My husband and I are new readers of SurvivalBlog; we have been so encouraged/convicted/moved/enlightened/blessed
by your wisdom.
Gertrude's
"Bloom Where You're Planted" article, for me, was amazing.
It's the "if
she can do it, anyone can do it' - I am encouraged. I don't really have words
for
what
I'm
trying
to say, just that I don't feel so overwhelmed now after reading her words.
We
are just in the baby beginning stages of preparedness. My amazing husband
is leading us in the most right direction, and is a very steady purposeful
man. I trust him and his ability completely.
I think to sum up this attempt at an email to you Mr. Rawles, is that hearing
Gertrude's calm direction and wisdom has changed my entire approach, or my
thinking....does that make sense?
Ultimately, my trust rests in my most Gracious God, and then, He knows my
fears and doubts and places folks like Gertrude in my path. I am grateful.
Blessings on you, - Kristy in Oregon
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Bloom Where You're Planted, by Gertrude
I write this to encourage everyone to begin preparing right now, whatever your
financial situation and physical location in life. We are one of the many
families that don’t live in a sparsely populated western state and
don’t
have a retreat that is fully stocked, off-grid and off-the beaten path. But
we are very aware of the precarious situation that our country is in and we are trying as best we can to be prepared. Doing a little
bit consistently every day will add up very quickly and you will be better
prepared every day as you go along. Doing this will also do wonders for your
mental outlook.
To give a little background: our household consists of my mother and myself,
along with four cats, three dogs and a flock of chickens. My mother is 79 years
old and I’m a retired 57-year old woman. My sister and brother-in-law live about a half-mile
away and our niece and her husband live next door. Both of my parents grew
up on farms and we always had a big garden and plenty of fruit trees when I
was a child. We live in a semi-rural area about three miles from a small town.
There are no interstate highways nearby.
The people here in our community are pretty self-reliant. Peo
