Author Archives: SurvivalBlog Contributor

Survival To Go, Revisited- Part 2, by JMD

  By | , , ,
15 Comments
Backpack

We are revisiting what I carry when I travel for comfort and survival. We are looking through my items, as they are organized by their location in my pack, which is a 28 liter Red Rock Outdoor Gear Assault Pack. We’ve gone through part of the pack. Let’s continue on, looking next at the pocket that considers our airport security requirements.

Top Front Pocket Pouch- Ready to Remove At Airport Security

The next pocket is the small top front pocket (the one with the American flag patch in the picture). This holds things that I’ll need to pull out and put in a separate bin when I go through airport security. It contains:

  • A ziplock bag with my “liquids and gels”. (Note: I also have some small single use packs of medical gels in other pouches in my bag, but I’ve never been asked to take any of them … Continue reading →

Survival To Go, Revisited- Part 1, by JMD

  By | , , ,
15 Comments
Backpack

Several years ago, I was fortunate to be able to share my experiences and recommendations on being prepared while traveling on SurvivalBlog (Survival To Go Part 1 and Part 2). However, as most of us know, being prepared is never a “one and done” situation. You have to constantly reassess the threats and risks you face. Adjust your preparations, approaches, and skills to stay aligned with your current situation. The goal of this article is to share how my approach to travel preparedness has adapted in the last three years. I based my approach  on how my personal situation and travel conditions have changed.

Significant Changes

Let’s start with what significant changes have occurred:

  • Travel in general, and air travel in particular, has become much more dangerous. Between airport bombings (Brussels, Paris, Istanbul), airport shootings (Florida, Paris), airport stabbings (Flint), airport … Continue reading →

Letter Re: Batteries and Chargers

  By |
7 Comments
Batteries and Chargers

HJL,

If rechargeable batteries aren’t charged regularly then they are useless during emergency. I keep about 2-3 dozens of AA and AAA in a battery organizer and rotate them. To rotate them, I use battery powered LED strips in bathrooms and in closets. I do that to save energy and to practice blackout situation. For gadgets that run on C or D cells, I use a 2 AA converter case. I have them on my 3D maglite and Coleman lantern and they work great.

For chargers, I use Nitecore brand that has different charging current and 12V car adapter. I try not to use quick charge mode because it tends to heat up batteries and that shortens the life. I also own an USB charger just in case power goes down and I can hook up a portable solar panel if needed. … Continue reading →



How I Stopped Worrying and Used P.M.C.T.- Part 2, by D.D.

  By | , , ,
17 Comments
Tenth man

Yesterday, I shared my background and how I retreated to my retreat cabin for 83 days.  I reemerged a changed person, maturing from “Doom Prepper” to someone with a greater appreciation for life and nature. I made some changes to accommodate my family and life situation. Still, I found contentment in living what would I would have considered a certain death trap years earlier. How did I do it?

My Answer: P.M.C.T.

P.M.C.T. stands for Prayer, Mindset, Confidence, and Training

Prayer

Without faith in something you are truly lost. Whether it is God, peace, humanity, or puppy dogs, you must find something positive and uplifting to motivate you. I allowed myself to be consumed in a sea of negativity and impending doom. Only by surrounding myself in the miracle of God’s glory in the woods was I able to swim out of the riptide that tried to drown me. I … Continue reading →


Recipe of the Week: Susie’s Creamy Pie Recipe

  By |
Leave a comment
Recipe of the Week

The heat of the summer and the busy times call for something fast, easy, and tasty. Try this creamy pie. I highly recommend it. We tried and really liked a mixture of 1 cup blueberries and 1 cup diced strawberries. We also used some fresh cherries from the store for another version, but be sure and remove the pits.

Ingredients

  • One pie crust, baked and cooled (empty)
  • 1 small tub of Cool Whip
  • 1 small package of “Fat free” cream cheese
  • 1/4 cup of powdered sugar
  • Packets of Stevia
  • 2 cups of fresh fruit (whole blueberries or pitted cherries, sliced strawberries or peaches, or some combination like blueberries and strawberries)

Situational Awareness Starts in the Home, by J.G.

  By | , ,
12 Comments
Situational Awareness

Most everyone tends to start life with very low levels of what is called situational or tactical awareness. These words are often mentioned in the same conversations along with the term OPSEC (Operational Security). These same men are wearing MOLLE covered gear talking about fields of fire. They might also include fatal funnels, eyeballs on targets, heads on swivels, and other tactical lingo. However, in case you didn’t know, situational awareness is for everyone.

So where do we begin with this discussion? I’m glad you asked. I believe that tactical awareness, just like kindness, should start in the home.

Mom and Dad’s Roles

My childhood in the 1970s and 80s may be seen as an unusual childhood by today’s standards. But growing up I felt like I had a very normal, stable childhood. I had parents who made a wonderful home life for me and my siblings. My mother was … Continue reading →


Letter Re: Getting Ready For The Long Walk

  By | ,
18 Comments
Lone Wolf and Cub

Good Day Sir,

I writing to you to make amends for an error that was included in a recently published article entitled “Getting Ready For The Long Walk, by Lone Wolf and Cub” on the blog. In the article we discussed a scenario, in which persons may have to walk at least partway to their retreat.

In the article, it was incorrectly stated that a tourniquet can be placed on for two days. The correct answer is tourniquet removal should be considered in two hours. My COC recently has informed me the upper limit should be of eight hours.

I apologize to the readers for this mistake. In the military we admit to our errors, accept any due punishment, and move on.


We’ve Been Doing Preparedness Wrong For A Long Time- Part 2, by Old Bobbert

  By | ,
24 Comments
Emergency

We’re continuing to take a look at how preppers have looked at “emergencies” versus crises. We must learn the “new old” mindset is that is required. We’ve read about the some of the issues and diseases that caused massive deaths in the mid nineteenth century. Now we are moving on to see what we can do better post-SHTF.

Preppers Must Do More To Prevent Sickness

Whooping cough, bad water, starvation, freezing, you name it, and they had it. They died from it. We who call ourselves thinkers and preppers must do better. We now know how important the washing of our hands can be. Now we know that prevention can be a life savior. Sicknesses like these have been returned to our lives, and now we will have to deal with them again. We can not simply re-establish the poor practices of corrupt government that have crept into our lives. … Continue reading →


Letter Re: Metal Building as a Faraday Cage

  By |
8 Comments
Metal Building as a Faraday Cage

HJL or JWR

I will be building a small building to house electronic equipment (batteries for off-grid) and want to protect it from any EMP type of conditions. If we use metal roofing and clad the outside in corrugated metal would that be satisfactory protection? There will have to be ventilation for it too. The equipment will have to be well grounded.

HJL’s Comment:

If the panels are bonded together well (meaning more than just the 1 screw every 4 feet) and you have some form of conductive flooring also bonded to the building, then yes, it would work. Most metal building will not work well because of those two deficiencies.


Letter: Sealing a #10 Can

  By | ,
23 Comments
Sealing #10 can

Hugh,

A friend recently acquired the capability to seal #10 cans. He’s bought a supply of new cans and is still playing around with the concept. He offered me the opportunity to do a few cans of my own. The concept has intrigued me. What would you pack in a #10 can if you could choose the contents?

My preliminary thoughts

My thoughts are a #10 can would be good for stuff that must stay one or more of these:

  • Oxygen free
  • Dry
  • Sterile
  • Clean

    • Lifetime Disaster Assessment, by M.B.

      By | , , ,
    5 Comments
    Life Changing Event

    Coming To Grips With a Life Changing Event

    If you live long enough, you will undoubtedly face a life changing event. These events are not easy to plan for. And even if you know one is on the horizon, they always seem to catch you by surprise. I refer to these life changing events as sentinel events, because once they happen your life will be forever changed.

    While I’ve practiced and taught strategic planning and business development in several different industries, including pharmaceutical sales and hospice/rehab/long-term care senior healthcare, I have survived several sentinel events in my own life. I generally feel as if I have come through them stronger and smarter because of my struggles. However, “no” that wasn’t a ringing endorsement of wanting to experience anymore of these type of events.

    Losing your spouse, a child, your parents, or your career are all typical sentinel events that most … Continue reading →


    Letter: Violence in Charlottesville

      By | ,
    24 Comments
    Charlottesville Violence

    HJL, JWR, Readers of SurvivalBlog,

    My current hometown of Charlottesville, VA suddenly found itself thrust into the headlines. My home is less than three miles from the site where the events occurred. From my 4th floor apartment balcony I watched the state police helicopter hover for hours. It eventually disappeared from view as some unknown event caused it to crash.

    Readers of SurvivalBlog are well informed; I will not rehash the events of the weekend of August 12, 2017 in Charlottesville. But I will add that all parties involved in this “rally” came prepared for a fight. What you probably won’t see in clips on the evening news is BOTH sides of the confrontation were heavily armed with clubs, bats, handguns, and rifles, and by the grace of God no shots were fired. It is my belief that, due to either a completely unhinged individual or actions of a group … Continue reading →


    If It Works Well, It Is Ours, by Old Bobbert

      By | , ,
    12 Comments
    non-prepper

    I’m so glad you asked about dealing with these non-preppers. This is a great topic. As a general rule, a non-prepper, most of the time and in most circumstances, simply does not see a need for “our” quality, variety, and/or style of preparing for some potentially serious problem that will, in turn, have an unexpected negative influence in their personal lives. It’s all just vague to them. Or to put it another way, they have heard that sermon before and they ain’t buying it, not then, not now, and not tomorrow.

    They are honest, generous, sincerely caring for others, like the ideal fellow prepper, with every aspect of good character and tremendous integrity. They are the great unwashed unprepared majority. Does their preparedness message radiate from every smile and twitch of their inquisitive observant eye and even their body language radiate their preparedness message to us? No! No! And again … Continue reading →


    Getting Ready For the Long Walk- Part 3, by Lone Wolf and Cub

      By | , , , ,
    27 Comments
    Lone Wolf and Cub

    Today, we are wrapping up this series. We’ve already discussed the importance of prayer and are looking at what we need to take with us, most recently discussing first aid and medical supplies. We’ll continue with a few health care notes and move on with other items that need to be prepared and ready to go when it’s time to head to your retreat.

    Preventive Measures Against The Triad of Death

    The “triad of death” is the condition were your patient has hypothermia, excessive blood loss, and acidosis, which is a condition where the body is unable to clot. This triad of death is a vicious cycle where one condition causes the other, with death as the final result. Yet two of these are easily preventable for those skilled in standard first aid.  A properly applied tourniquet applied two inches above … Continue reading →