Category: Contest

Battling Lice, Post-Disaster, by Aden Tate

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Throughout history, one of the most consistent problems that has faced soldiers, refugees, and homeless populations is lice. Read through the journals of soldiers throughout WW1 and WW2, and you’ll see countless references to lice. During the 1970s lice infestations (technically called pediculosis) reached pandemic levels. That was attributed to increases in poverty, sexual promiscuity, and international travel. Typically, social upheaval is where we find the greatest number of lice infestations. It is interesting to note that poverty and sexual promiscuity can probably be pretty safely correlated with social upheaval. Living life without all of the modern amenities seems to …


Quality Control Requires Ethics, by H.L.

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It seems to me that many Americans have gotten used to lack of quality control regarding many desired and needed items for use around the home. I have not! I had the good fortune to have a Father (born 1904 in Connecticut) who would not tolerate shoddy workmanship, either in running our 100-acre farm with the help of a hard working wife/mother of five children, or anything that he purchased after he had to medically retire from the Service Station that he built and ran. I am 76 years old, and have the same philosophy. Too many American companies have shifted …


Being Smart About Acetaminophen, by ShepherdFarmerGeek

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Editor’s Introductory Proviso: SurvivalBlog and its editors do not give medical advice. Mentions of any medicine or medical treatment is for informational purposes only and are in no way endorsed or accredited by SurvivalBlog.com, or its principals. SurvivalBlog.com is not responsible for the use or misuse of any product advertised or mentioned in SurvivalBlog. – JWR — A big thanks to SurvivalBlog contributor DSV for their link to “Acetaminophen – Not Worth the Risk, by the Children’s Health Defense Team” cited in part in SB “The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods” on July 30th. Yes, Acetaminophen (Tylenol / Paracetamol to the …


Common Summertime Medical Ailments, by Dr. J.

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I’m a board-certified family physician currently working as an urgent care provider in the southeastern United States. I really enjoy the work and split my time between a larger urban urgent care center and a small rural ‘fast-care’ facility about an hour outside the city. I grew up rurally and having always enjoyed country living and the self-sufficiency that comes with it, this also led to my interests in preparedness and survivalism. One of the most important aspects of preparedness is being comfortable in dealing with the variety of medical issues that will inevitably arise, ranging from inconveniences to emergencies. …


Methods of Attachment, by J.D.

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This article is all about attachment. But I don’t mean the girlie kind… In austere conditions there is often a great need to attach objects. Sewing, tying, gluing, and press fitment are always basic options. For more secure attachments man has developed more robust means of Chemical (various glues and epoxies), Physical (nuts and bolts, nails, rivets and pins) and heat-based attachment such as welding, forging, brazing, and soldering. This article will not go over the types of welding which require a forge or inert gasses, since those resource intensive topics are beyond the scope of even a single book. …


Family Winter Greenhouse, by T.M.P.

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We moved to the American Redoubt five years ago, from Northern California. We wanted something located away from any big cities, with some acreage, well water, a septic system, a big shop, and with wild game. While surfing the net for real estate which would be suitable for long term sustainability after a SHTF event, I found a listing of a property with a description of amenities that sounded ideal. In fact, on the way to see the property with our Realtor I commented to my wife that it really sounded too good to be true. Included in the description …


Creating a Survival Team Charter, by L.K.R.

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In the event of a SHTF event, my family and friends have long intended to co-locate and pool our skills and resources. While this was a great idea, we never documented how this group would be organized or how we would share responsibilities. Two things motivated us to formalize our arrangement: 1) A new family made it clear that they were committed to mutual support and started a more detailed discussion of how this would work. 2) We came across a new book, The Survival Group Handbook by Charley Hogwood. Hogwood does a great job of discussing the practical issues …


Dehydration and Rehydration, by Dr. Marc

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One of the great killers in the third world is dehydration from diarrhea and dysentery, due to contaminated water. This is particularly dangerous with respect to the elderly and children. As your readers are likely aware, having the ability to filter or purify drinking water is critical. Having a high volume and high-capacity water filter can go a long way toward preventing diarrhea and dysentery, with its associated dehydration. I very much recommend, based upon personal experience, water filters including the Katadyn endurance series and the Sawyer inline series.  Both of these vendors have extremely long lived, large volume and quality …


My Toolbox, by Richard T.

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I’m now 71 years old, and I have had a toolbox ever since my dad helped me build my first one when I was about 12. He cut all the parts on a homemade tablesaw that he had built out of an old washing machine motor and plywood. He showed me how to nail the parts together and paint it. It was a simple tray-style toolbox; one side had room for pliers, a hammer, screwdriver and the other side had partitions for hardware. My mother’s diary records that I liked to build things at an early age, I still do. …


The Latest Writing Contest Winners (Round 83)

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After a brief delay due to some gun show travel, we’ve completed the judging for Round 83 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. That round ended on Just 31st, 2019. The winners are: First Prize Winner: First Prize goes to Doctor Dan for Family Medical Preps Part 1 & Part 2 (posted July 17 &18, 2019).  He will receive the following prizes: A $3,000 gift certificate towards a Sol-Ark Solar Generator from Veteran owned Portable Solar LLC. The only EMP Hardened Solar Generator System available to the public. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for …


My Solar-Powered Dankoff Slow Pump System – Part 2, by Tunnel Rabbit

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(Continued from Part 1. This part concludes the article.) The #1303 model of Dankoff Slow pumps has the highest ‘gpm’ (gallon per minute) rating of the less expensive 1300 series. The #1303-24 pumps the most water for the money, and to a height that it will pump that is adequate for most situations. The advantage of a 24 volt system over a 12 volt pump, is that most surface water sources would likely be in a shaded environment, so the panels would need to be located some distance from the water source to obtain the needed amount of sunshine.  We …


My Solar-Powered Dankoff Slow Pump System – Part 1, by Tunnel Rabbit

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This article is essentially a poor prepper’s guide to the affordable solar-powered Dankoff Slow Pump. In my case, I put together a portable DIY solar water pump for only $1,500, including photovoltaic panels. Water is life and the more ways we can get it, the better. For surface water, the Dankoff Slow Pump is what I would use in many situations.  There are so many pumps to choose from, but to make a simple and easy choice; if I could only afford the least expensive, and most reliable solar pump for all surface water sources, it would be this pump. …


Predictors of Urban Riot Behavior, by E.M.

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Many behavioral psychologists and sociologists have a saying: The best predictor of future behavior is relevant past behavior. When politicians, particularly those on the Left, refer to “civil unrest,” they are referring to what the man on the street calls a riot. Civil unrest is simply a “politically correct” or a “Liberal-friendly” euphemism for a riot. Survival web sites also frequently mention the need for preparing for “civil unrest,” particularly in urban areas. While not civil unrest, as such, the identical behavior involved in civil unrest was seen in the streets of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, and every American …


Some IFAK Facts, Part 2 by MtnDoc in Washington

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(Continued from Part 1. This concludes the article.) Pressure points are areas where major arteries are closer to the surface of the skin than normal and utypically over hard/boney areas of the anatomy. Pressure points are areas of the body where arteries come close enough to the surface for pressure points to work. They are common areas where pulses are felt as well. You can practice locating them by feeling for the pulse on friends or family members, using your index and middle fingers together. I will be discussing the easiest points to identify and have labelled their general location …


Some IFAK Facts, Part 1 by MtnDoc in Washington

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Introductory Disclaimer: This article is about medical first aid care and should only be used in emergency situation. Apply them at your own risk. There is no substitute for hands-on training. — I am writing today to touch on a topic that I have seen some discussion in regards to related equipment but not the requisite training. I have heard it many places including on this page that without training, any equipment is useless. I would heartily agree with this sentiment. I would argue that this is particularly true when it comes to medical equipment, and especially with first aid …