Category: Emerging Threats

Preventing, Identifying and Managing Infectious Disease, by Nancy S.

It is of extreme importance in any TEOTWAWKI situation that precautions be taken to prevent contracting or spreading infectious disease. If infectious disease is contracted, it is important to be able to recognize and manage it. This article will present some infectious diseases to be aware of, how they are contracted, what measures to take to minimize the risk of infection, and what to do if you have been exposed.  Infectious or Communicable?  Infectious diseases are caused by microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, fungi or parasites that invade the body. Commonly confused with communicable diseases, infectious diseases, not surprisingly, cause …


A Hiccup in the Matrix, by R.W.S.

Southern California, September 8, 2011, 3:45 p.m.: Crud, my computer just shut down. It had been an uneventful day at the ranch studio to this point. I was finishing the day’s work on a project and looking forward to riding my horse before it got dark; now my computer flat-lines. Great…, what next? Hit the television power switch on the remote, nothing… Power light on the plotter is off too, Huh? Went to the main breaker to see if the circuit to the studio had tripped. Nope, the wheel-of-debt inside the meter was not turning so the solution was not …


A Financial Advisor Becomes a Prepper Convert, by Kent Mathis

Allow me to take a moment to introduce myself (at least the self that existed prior to November 2010, when I started becoming a “prepper”).  I am a successful financial planner, married to a CEO of a mid-size manufacturing company.  We love our dogs, give to charity, and believe in God and Country…in other words, I am just like your friends who can not understand why on earth you spend so much time and effort preparing for TEOTWAWKI or SHTF events.  I had a kind of naïve, blind faith that all Republicans were Good and most Democrats were Stupid.  I …


Signs of the Times: What are the SHTF Tipping Points?, by CentOre

One of the most crucial decisions a ‘prepper’ will ever have to make is deciding when to stop preparing, and instead, begin surviving.  This is especially difficult when the life one has still contains the last dregs of normality.  It is difficult to make the decision to G.O.O.D. or Bugout in the absence of actual chaos in one’s normal life.  One reason many preppers move to rural areas and isolated retreats is to exchange space and time for having to make the decision to act, or not act, within a very short time frame.  This essay is about whether the …


400 Chernobyls: Solar Flares, EMP, and Nuclear Armageddon, by Matthew Stein, P.E.

There are nearly 450 nuclear reactors in the world, with hundreds more either under construction or in the planning stages. There are 104 of these reactors in the USA and 195 in Europe. Imagine what havoc it would wreak on our civilization and the planet’s ecosystems if we were to suddenly witness not just one or two nuclear melt-downs but 400 or more! How likely is it that our world might experience an event that could ultimately cause hundreds of reactors to fail and melt down at approximately the same time?  I venture to say that, unless we take significant …


Two Letters Re: You Have to Shoot in TEOTWAWKI–Then What?

Mr. Rawles, During my train up for my deployment to Iraq, we were taught how to properly document evidence for prosecution of suspected insurgents. Formerly, this was known as Sensitive Site Exploitation (SSE), but was renamed to Tactical Site Exploitation (TSE) a few years ago. One of the biggest things drilled into us was they did not want any American soldiers in any of the pictures. There are probably a myriad of reasons for this, but it made sense. My suggestion with taking pictures to document anything would to not have any people in the pictures to begin with, if …


Letter Re: You Have to Shoot in TEOTWAWKI–Then What?

Mr. Rawles, I recently saw another preparedness site pose a question: “what happens after the crisis is over…???” The question was this: Once the SHTF and the world “resets itself” and the rule of law is re-established, certainly some form of government will start asking  who shot who, what crimes were committed, and generally start prosecuting the bad guys. I feel very certain that I can now keep my family and I safe and sound through your educational efforts. But I am not clear how I will defend my efforts weeks, months, or years after the fact. If possible, could …


The Drug Seeker Threat in Disasters, by Dr. Bob

People in the general public have little to no idea just how bad the drug abuse of prescriptions medications is here in the US.  Our recent discussion with our church small group spurred us to write this review for your thoughtful review.  Some fun facts to start us off, courtesy of one of my reliable medical reference sites, UpToDate:   6.2 million Americans in 2008 admitted to non-medical use of prescription drugs, 2.5 % of the population. The number of Americans who have abused prescription drugs exceeds those who have used cocaine, heroin, hallucinogens, ecstasy, and inhalants combined. A 2005 …


Letter Re: The Overnighters: Coming to a Neighborhood Near You

Hello Mr. Rawles,  I felt compelled to write in regarding Frank C’s recent article, The Overnighters: Coming to a Neighborhood Near You, and share my experiences working in the non-profit world over the last four years.  While my experience is significantly different from Frank’s, he is in my opinion right on the money.   I live and work in a northeastern state.  The state has a low population, is very rural, but has a massive “public assistance” community within its borders. In other words, lots of “social programs.”  I am a die hard capitalist, gun-owner, conservative, Christian.  Not the best prepper, …


Recession and Black Swan Events, by Don M.

Financial calamity can take many different forms.  The Brazilian saga of hyperinflation / depression / recovery from the 1980s leading to one of today’s most robust economies is a classic tale of overcoming adversity.  Argentina’s economic collapse in 2000-2001 followed by hyperinflation in 2002, debt repudiation and seizing foreign deposits is another story with a solid recovery afterwards.  The disastrous 20-year Japanese experiment with deflation and negative growth is at the other end of the spectrum. Which will the US experience first?  And, how quickly will we feel the scorching fire of hyperinflation or the freezing blast of deflation? The …


Letter Re: Solar Panel Restrictions are Another Reason to Hate HOAs

JWR: This television news segment was disturbing: Should HOAs restrict solar panel use? They cited “architectural standards.” The family made the mistake of challenging the authority of the homeowner association (HOA) to pre-approve all changes (including tone of roof shingles, type of planted grasses, whether or not RVs can be parked on your property, et cetera) and impose their notion of right and good on you and your house, at your expense. HOAs should reduce the market value of a house by 40% at least, IMHO, for anyone contemplating surviving a grid-down, phones-down, plumbing-down situation. Why would anyone subject their …


Letter Re: Alaska as a Retreat Locale

Dear Mr. Rawles, I just finished your novel novel “Survivors”. It was a good book and it spells out a lot of things that might happen. I have been an avid reader of your books and materials for some time. I would like to point out that Alaska is a better survivor island than many of the other Western States. First: Alaska does rely on products being imported but it has the capacity to manufacture its own fuel. Presently we have three refineries within our state but they concentrate on the manufacture of Aviation Gas because it has the highest …


Letter Re: 2012 National Agricultural Classification Survey

James: I got one of the USDA’s surveys, too, and had an interesting discussion with whoever responded to their “contact us” email address. I noted that my paper form claimed very clearly that response was required by law, but the web site version of the survey said it was voluntary. So I asked which was true, and was told that Public Law 105-113 “authorizes the [USDA] to conduct an agricultural census every five years,” and explained the form was to help them save time in some further census process. The response said nothing about whether my response was required or …


Letter Re: Driving, Post-TEOTWAWKI

James, After reading the recent article about Driving, Post-TEOTWAWKI: I believe there is some sound G.O.O.D. advice. However, assuming unhindered travels will allow rolling stores of survival gear to pass through any measurable distance unchallenged, is a dangerous assumption. The writer cites experience traveling in a military convoy with hardened, well armed vehicles. But for realistic, civilian style convoys, the dangers are multiplied by lack of experienced scout personnel and soft equipment. If one has sustained an extended bug in and has a supportive neighborhood, that may still remain the best option if bug out was not initiated within the …


Two Letters Re: Driving, Post-TEOTWAWKI

JWR, I have deployed twice to Afghanistan. [Details deleted, for OPSEC.] I am sure that you realize this and I hope you will share this with your readers. Waiting months after TEOTWAWKI to drive to your retreat is more than foolish, it is suicidal. Anyone driving post-event without an armored vehicle (or with one, just look at the ambush scenes from “Patriots“) will take casualties. Every day in Afghanistan uneducated people with limited training successfully ambush and kill highly trained military personnel driving heavily armed and armored vehicles. Now imagine an ambush that has had months to be perfected, probably …