Medical Preparedness – An After Action Failure Report, by WV Underground

The purpose of this article is to outline a series of medical events my family experienced in an three-month window from Christmas Day 2024 to March 1, 2025, followed by a frank evaluation of what gaps this event chain showed in my family’s preparedness supplies and plans. As a healthy, early middle-aged male who has been in the preparedness space for nearly 15 years and regularly follows prepping blogs and podcasts, I like to think of myself as being prepared for most of the events that could disrupt the lives of my immediate family. The typical “beans, bullets, and Band-Aids” …


The Baofeng DM32-UV DMR Radio: A Review, by Mike in Alaska

This review is from my own personal experience with this radio. I bought and paid for this radio from a website that I subscribe to and in no way do I represent that individual(s) or the Baofeng company. Baofeng has been building and selling inexpensive radios for quite a while now. I have, in the past, bought at least 20+ of the Baofeng UV-5 radios and some of the variants of that basic radio. All of them have been proven to be reliable for their limited use. They were very inexpensive, and to some extent, they still are. For a …


Another Look at Your BOB and INCH Preps, by Dr. Rick

In my most recent article which was posted on June 23, 2025, we looked at and evaluated your EDC and GHB equipment in the framework of survival priorities. Hopefully, you found that information useful. In the preceding article, the focus was on individual preparedness for drastic situations. Now we are going to look at two very different situations. In the two situations presented here, the focus is on family or group preparedness. Both involve evacuation. In this article, we will be looking at your BOB (Bug Out Bag) and your INCH (I’m Never Coming Home) kit using the same survival …


A Lesson in Price Versus Real Value, by Nurse Michele

I have a story to tell that I believe your readers will enjoy. And it serves as a perfect object lesson for any person that doesn’t understand the difference between money and currency and/or an excellent example of how the dollar (and all currencies) lose value. I’m including two pictures that I have taken and you are welcome to share on your blog along with the following short tale about a gift that has been passed down to me. My mother, recently gave me a gift that was originally given to her for her 25th wedding anniversary. Well, let me …


Another Look at Your EDC Gear and Your GHB, by Dr. Rick

There are two essential survival kits that deserve another look — both because of their importance and the confusion and misunderstandings that so often surround them. These kts are similar, but they are not the same. What sets them apart is their individuality and their applications. One size does not fit all. There’s no established list to bide by. To be successful, both bags/kits must be customized to meet each user’s individual needs. EDC stands for “every day carry.” In other words, with you all the time, always ready. The idea has been in the survival community for many years. …


Gold and the US Dollar are Moving Like the 1970s Gold Bull Market, by Hubert Moolman

Just like for silver, every major gold rally since 1971 has been during a time of US dollar decline (i.e., U.S. Dollar Index decline—that is, the US dollar as measured against a basket of major currencies.) From 1971, the DXY declined from about 120 to around 86 at the gold peak in 1980. From 2001 the DXY declined from about 117 to around 74 at the 2012 gold peak. During the current gold rally of the 2020s, it will likely be no different. It will likely go from the 2022 high of about 114 to a new all-time low, as …


Directional Antennas Improve COMSEC, by Tunnel Rabbit

Editor’s Introductory Note:   For those who are unfamiliar with the term “YagI”,  I’ll preface this article with a bit of history from the InfoGalactic wiki: “A Yagi–Uda antenna, or simply Yagi antenna, is a directional antenna consisting of two or more parallel resonant antenna elements in an end-fire array; these elements are most often metal rods (or discs) acting as half-wave dipoles. Yagi–Uda antennas consist of a single driven element connected to a radio transmitter or receiver (or both) through a transmission line, and additional passive radiators with no electrical connection, usually including one so-called reflector and any number of …


A Primer on Backup Power – Part 3, by R.H.

(Continued from Part 2. This concludes the article.) 6th Backup Option: A Permanent Mid-Size Solar System This system is advertised as an auto-transfer battery/inverter system that is designed for modular build, which provides the ability to add additional batteries and inverters as your system needs grow. It is a way to start with a solar backup and grow to a full power system in the future. [JWR Adds:  If you plan to eventually expand your system then choose modular, expandable components.  For example, select modular stacking inverters.] As with most systems, these systems are basically composed of a power generation …


A Primer on Backup Power – Part 2, by R.H.

(Continued from Part 1.) 1st Backup Option: The Portable Engine-driven Generator The portable engine-driven generator is the most common tool for power blackouts. It comes in a range of sizes and features with an accompanying range of prices. Often used on job sites where electric power is absent, these can be bought almost everywhere. It will make a very accessible backup for your fridge and freezer, even on a minimal budget. As is demonstrated by the news stories of generators being sold out, and of their theft during weather-related disasters, you’ll also need to think in terms of security for …


A Primer on Backup Power – Part 1, by R.H.

Introduction Our modern world has been built on the copious use of inexpensive energy. Along with motor vehicles, electricity is the major foundation of modern civilization. Because of electricity, our lives are easier and safer. We do things and live in ways that would amaze our ancestors. My father had told me stories of growing up on the farm without electricity, but it took my own experience to make it click and understand how crucial it is to have a stable source of electric power. It was in 1998, and the power had gone out, again. While our local grid …


Giving New Life to an Old Rifle Case, by Iowa Dave

Author’s Note: I have been a daily SurvivalBlog reader since 2005, but this is my first article submission. I sincerely appreciate the knowledge and wisdom provided by JWR and all of the other contributors over the years. I’ll start by stating that don’t know anyone associated with Magpul and I have not been compensated by the company in any way. I am simply a long-time customer who appreciates their consistent innovation in the firearms world. In reflecting while writing this article I was amazed by how many of their products I own and how satisfied I have been with those …


Urban Evacuation Planning: A Medic’s View, by Christian Bahr-Lopez

Urban evacuation is often treated as a logistics problem or a public safety exercise. But for those of us who’ve worked on the street, through blackouts, fires, multi-casualty incidents, and gridlock, the truth is more grim. Collapse in a city doesn’t start when the power goes out. It starts when the system stops answering. I’ve worked as a New York City EMT/paramedic across the boroughs of Bronx, Queens, Manhattan, and Long Island. What follows isn’t theory. It’s what I’ve learned about survival, triage, and movement when the infrastructure fails and panic takes over. The First Fail Point: Roads and Intersections …


An Amish Quantity Shopping Observation, by Richard T.

Recently, as I was waiting for our carts while parked outside of the pickup zone at the warehouse-style grocery store that we shop at our dashcam caught these Amish loading up their purchases. This was a very fascinating 10 minute episode that began before we arrived there. There was a large pickup truck with a hired “English” driver, a large rented cargo trailer and two Amish ladies and one Amish man who worked in a very energetic and organized fashion to load pallets of non-perishable goods into racks and shelving into the trailer. Since I only saw one Amish couple …


A Mobile Device Mounting System, by J.M.

In several previous articles on SurvivalBlog.com (Elements of a Security System, Field Intelligence Collection, etc.) several readers and I have discussed the use of various mobile electronic devices to support field operations in a post-disaster world. These can be anything from wireless cameras for security or surveillance to a simple flashlight to see what you’re doing. One common factor among all electronic mobile devices is that they need to be optimally positioned to provide the maximum benefit.


Beyond Band Aids, by K.G.

Author’s Introductory Note: I am not a licensed medical professional, I am simply recounting an event that happened to me, research I have done on the subject and how it made me think differently about my own preparations. I hope you find this article interesting and informative, but please also do your own research. Recently, I experienced my own personal Schumeresque event. I was competing in a sport I have done all my life when I felt something snap in the back of my heel. It happened as I took a hard step and I immediately knew something was wrong. …