Category: First Aid/Medical

Effects of an EMP Attack or Severe Solar Storm on Nuclear Power Plants, by B.Z.

It is with some trepidation that I write this article, since what I write will be controversial and will alarm some members of the public as well as your readers. Some of my colleagues have urged me not to bring this subject into the open or to even discuss it in public. However, I think the topic is important and needs to be brought to the attention of the public. The issue is the effect that an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) attack, or for that matter, even a great geomagnetic storm created by a coronal mass ejection (CME) from the sun, …


Letter Re: Prepping and Pregnancy

Good Morning Mr. Rawles, Last year my former boss–with whom we used to have a Bible study–and who is a former Marine, called me up on a Saturday morning, and inquired about a firearm that I would recommend for a semiautomatic sidearm that he and his wife would be able and to shoot comfortably. Without knowing much about what he had in mind, I told him about the top companies, and that a 9mm would be sufficient for his wife, as long as they used +P or +P+ defensive hollow-points with a heavy bullet weight, and if even this was …


Letter Re: Purslane: Portulaca Oleracea

Jim: Today, I’m writing about Purslane, also known by farm folk as “Pigweed”, (because pigs just love it). It’s one of the earlier wild herbs, (wild edible) found in springtime , but thrives throughout early and mid-summer. By most people, It’s considered a nuisance weed that pops up everywhere in late spring. It grows well in disturbed soils, and can be found mostly in old garden plots, meadows fields and along trails, stone walls and fence rows. It’s a small inconspicuous looking weed [see photos] that grows to about 6 inches to a foot tall, sometimes lying down to assume …


Letter Re: Returns on Investments

James: Being married to an accountant, former government financial inspector and a finance director for a company opened my eyes to the concept of getting a return for my investment. For large tangible items, that concept is important. Oh, I certainly could fill a wall with a 55 inch plasma television, but what do I get in return for that investment? A wannabe movie screen that has a limited lifespan and sucks a chunk of energy? Will it help my long term bottom line of being financially independent and ready? The idea of investing in tangibles in a serious downturn …


Little TEOTWAWKI – A Children’s Book, by Benny in Florida

This may sound like a children’s book that the tells the story a young native American girl, but don’t be fooled. TEOTWAWKI is very scary for mature adults, but is terrifying to children. When we TEOTWAWKI discuss related issues at our house, my wife and I always make sure that we have a private conversation between just the two of us. After we have sorted things out we will discuss it with our children in an appropriate tone and with as little alarmism as possible. Last week one of our conversations started out with my wife asking “What will the …


Medical Care in TEOTWAWKI, by GeorgiaDoc

JWR’s book “How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It” has motivated me to add a little more light for those who may be in a situation where a physician is not available, but caring for someone needing sophisticated medical care. I am an Internist, and have been working in an urgent care setting for 20 years. Before that, I had a number of years experience working in several Emergency Rooms (ERs), and a trauma center. Since I am not formally trained in ER work, I have concentrated more on stabilizing patients to get them to …


Letter Re: Gaining Pharmaceutical Knowledge

Dear Mr. Rawles: I recently read through the cluster of articles regarding preparation measures for antibiotic storage and use on your blog, starting with A Doctor’s Thoughts on Antibiotics, Expiration Dates, and TEOTWAWKI, by Dr. Bones. As the medic for my family resilient survival group and an EMT paramedic, I have learned of some resources relevant to this discussion that will be useful to your readers. The first is the Sanford Guide. This is a book used daily by physicians and other healthcare providers worldwide to assist with empiric antibiotic treatment of infectious diseases. Empiric therapy means that you’re not …


Letter Re: A Doctor’s Thoughts on Antibiotics, Expiration Dates, and TEOTWAWKI

James, Antibiotics can also be purchased on the internet. While I am no attorney, the Wikipedia article about online pharmacies provides some info on the legalities of ordering prescription grade antibiotics from Canada. While I’m certainly not advising anyone to break the law and order antibiotics or any other prescription grade drugs on line, it seems a like a real grey area for the Government to crack down on Americans that do order prescription drugs on line. Maybe another reader with some legal expertise can clarify what the Government enforces when it comes to ordering prescription drugs on line? Thanks, …


Letter Re: Medicinal Herb Gardening-Making Herbal Balms

After reading “Medicinal Herb Gardening” by Mrs. Celena J. I was prompted to write more about making medicinal herbal balms and ointments. They are easily made once you get the hang of it and different ingredients can be used for different applications. My two favorites are Healing Muscle Balm and Rose Balm for the lips and skin. My family and friends also love these two combinations and have found them very effective. Healing Muscle Balm is a combination of infused oils of Arnica, Meadowsweet, and Comfrey leaf. These particular herbs help with reducing the inflammation and alleviating the pain of …


Surreptitious Suburban Survival, by Suburban Survivor

I didn’t start out being a “prepper,” I was born into it…My father was a Command Sergeant Major in the US Army, we lived on many posts and in many cities, and had to travel at a moment’s notice. So, we were always prepared for the most part as a way of life. OPSEC was drilled into us at an early age, strangers asking questions about dad’s job, deployments, etc., were reported and we “army brats,” stuck together like glue on a hot summer day. Mom, kept the home front squared away, and we always had a nice place, warm …


Two Letters Re: Medicinal Herb Gardening

Hello, I’ve been using herbal remedies for over 20 years and wanted to add a few notes to Mrs. Celena J.’s Article: Spearmint and Peppermint are excellent for nausea and gas. Goldenseal is a natural source of insulin and should be used cautiously with hypoglcemics and insulin dependant diabetics. Its also one of the strongest natural antibiotics known to man, and the root is stronger than the plant. Garlic is also a very strong and versatile antibiotic when used fresh. It kills both bacterial and fungal infections and can be used internally and externally as needed. This was my herb …


Two Letters Re: Practice Night Hiking to Get Ready to Bug Out to Your Retreat

Mr. Rawles: Regarding Fitzy’s letter “Practice Night Hiking to Get Ready to Bug Out to Your Retreat”, he mentioned that he was worried about his dog’s being cut by broken glass on roads and trails. Here is a product that folks might want to keep in hand if they travel with a dog: Musher’s Secret. – Paulette Sir: Regarding the letter “Practice Night Hiking to Get Ready to Bug Out to Your Retreat”I would not recommend the use of Vaseline to prevent chafing. However, if you look online or drop in at a bike shop there are products specifically made …


Medicinal Herb Gardening by Mrs. Celena J.

Earlier this year, I received a free packet of Echinacea (Purple Coneflower) from wintersown.org (by the way, if you’re into gardening check them out; they’ll send you 10 packets of free seeds for the cost of a SASE).  When I saw the seed packet, I remembered that Echinacea is used to reduce the duration of colds and flu.  I began seriously considering and researching medicinal plant gardening.  Having such a garden would be so useful in surviving numerous catastrophes, not to mention the possible money saver it could be during a recession that’s going to last who-knows-how-long!  Of course, not …


Psychological Preparedness for TEOTWAWKI

We do not know what the future brings, though in the survival community there is no shortage of speculative events that may occur. This article is a brief primer on psychological techniques that can be used in a TEOTWAWKI scenario to help prepare for and stave off psychological fatigue until a time at which you can properly cope with the situation at hand. Also, it provides some coping techniques to help get you back on track after all has settled. Why are we so driven to preparation? The answer is death. It is inevitable, and we must all face it …


Three Letters Re: A Doctor’s Thoughts on Antibiotics, Expiration Dates, and TEOTWAWKI

Hello- I must first thank you, Mr. Rawles, for your advice. I truly believe it will one day save my life. Also, the amount of knowledge I have gained from all of the contributors to SurvivalBlog is astounding! My profession is in the animal industry, so I am familiar with antibiotics and other meds. At work, it is many times frustrating to pull out dosage instructions from a bottle of medicine, only to find that they’re all written for humans. Especially the antibiotics! I order only from veterinary pharmacies, but these drugs are manufactured and labeled for human consumption. Now …