Category: NBC

Letter Re: The S-250 Vehicle Shelter

Letter Re: The S-250 Vehicle Shelter Dear Editor: Now available from your local Federal Government through GovLiquidation.com is what is commonly known as the S-250 shelter. In essence, this is a highly sought after, well constructed, insulated truck shelter used by the military as a radio shack or electronics shelter.  [They were designed to be mounted in pickup beds, but more recently have been mounted on Humvees.] When looking online you’ll find most of those seeking these shelters at auction are either military vehicle collectors or those seeking a super heavy duty slide in truck camper.  Thirdly you’ll find some …


Letter Re: Infoworld’s Take on IT Doomsday Scenarios

James, The magazine Infoworld is a fairly trusted source in the information technology (IT) field. They recently posted an article titled, “Tech apocalypse: Five doomsday scenarios for IT”. Here is a quote: “What could happen [from a wide scale EMP attack]: Workstations? Dead. Data centers? Gone. Cell phones might still work, but the cell towers probably won’t, rendering them useless. Your car won’t start. A large enough attack will also shut down automated controls at power substations, leaving everyone in the dark. Think pre-industrial revolution days. In our scenario the New York Stock Exchange shuts down, causing shock waves to …


Letter Re: EMP Grounding Straps and Cables (Updated)

Good Morning Sir, My question pertains to a February 24, 2010 blog post, where there was mentioned an EMP ground for one’s vehicle. This is the first I have heard of a ground wire for today’s vehicles that would prevent electronics from being damaged. Is this true sir? Thanks for providing us all the education to survive. – Tim S. JWR Replies: A grounding strap offers only marginal EMP protection for a vehicle. The type that were mentioned are the sort that you can see used on many trucks, especially fuel delivery trucks, where the concern is a buildup of …


Letter Re: Are Decommissioned Missile Silos Still Potential Nuclear Targets?

Jim, I know your time is valuable,so I will get right to it. The recent post on buying [decommissioned underground US Air Force Intercontinental Ballistic] missile sites raises a question. Aren’t these sites vulnerable during nuclear attacks/exchange with a foreign country? Thanks for your site and your service. – John JWR Replies: They would only be pinpoint targets if the Soviets are still using ancient targeting data, and that is very unlikely. From all that I have read, they simply are no longer included in the “target structure” for any nation states that are potential combatants. (Like Russia, China, and …


Two Letters Re: Lessons From The Twilight Zone

Jim, Sean in Malibu mentioned watching the episode of The Twilight Zone called “The Shelter”. Your readers might like to know that the full episode is viewable online [free of charge] at the CBS web site. Best, – Matt R. James Wesley, That episode of of The Twilight Zone a reader mentioned was one of the reasons that prompted me to be very quiet about my preps. I (and my family) use the “need to know” rule. I’m all for charity, but I agree with your approach of doling it out anonymously, through our church. (We’re Baptists.) The characters in …


Three Letters Re: Vehicle Recommendations

Hi Jim, One of the most common failures which will cripple your G.O.O.D. (Get Out Of Dodge) vehicle is a broken fan/accessory belt. Granted, the newer [flat, grooved] serpentine belts last a lot longer than the old V-belts, but failure will mean overheating or the eventual loss of ignition due to battery discharge, especially at night if headlights are needed. So a spare belt and tension release tool (usually a 1/2″ ratchet or breaker bar, for a serpentine belt) is a must for your emergency parts kit. [JWR Adds: Whenever you change your vehicle’s serpentine as a part of a …


Two Letters Re: Survival Tools

Good day, Sir! What a pleasure it was to see that a like minded individual spoke out about this often neglected aspect of preparedness. It was gratifying to find that your “survival tool set” matches my own core tool collection almost exactly. However… I’m not certain how you get all of that into one toolbox! I have a two-tray box exactly as you describe with virtually identical dimensions…and there is no way you’re going to get all those tools in that one box. I presume you are referring to your “road box” with that description. In my own collection, the …


Letter Re: Once a Prepper, Always a Prepper

Mr. Rawles, The following describes my background and how it shaped me. My Parents’ Influences My parents were from the south (Eastern Tennessee) They were also children of the Great Depression, their families were farmers and it was normal to prepare for winter or hard times. Both my parents could can food, especially vegetables and fruit. My father was an avid hunter and trapper. I learned from a young age from my parents, never take anything for granted, prepare for good and bad times. My Childhood My parents moved to Ohio for work, where I was born. I spent my …


Getting Prepared for EMP or a Solar Storm, by David in Israel

Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) of the regional effect scale is a threat during times of potential crisis with a megaton class nuclear equipped foe who also has near-space launch capability for these weapons. An EMP-like event of greater strength and duration is also possible during extreme solar flare events. These types of event are caused by ionospheric excitation of the upper atmosphere by subatomic particles and plasma ejected from a massive solar discharge, this motion in the conductive plasma generates massive amounts of radio waves. An antenna is any conductor of electricity which inductively converts radio waves into voltage, usually grabbing …


Letter Re: Documentary Examines a Terrorist Nuke Scenario

Hello Jim, The History Channel has aired a two-hour long documentary titled ‘The Day After Disaster’. It is a very detailed look at what they describe as our government’s top terrorist concern – a 10 kiloton nuke being detonated at/near the Capitol Mall in Washington DC. [JWR Adds: A re-run of this show is scheduled for October 16th at 8 A.M. and 2 P.M.. Tape or Tivo it!] One of the things that became very clear for me is that, should this event occur in DC or any of the handful of other ‘primary target’ cities mentioned, our entire country …


Letter Re: Advice for a Post-Thyroidectomy — Potassium Iodide?

Mr. Rawles, I have read your blog for awhile, I would like to know if you about the following: I was diagnosed with Graves Disease over two years ago. They cured the Graves Disease and the way that was done was to completely remove my thyroid gland, If the main concern with radiation is thyroid cancer, without a thyroid what would radiation do are what organ would it damage the most. I would like to also know if there would be any need for myself to take Potassium Iodide (KI). JWR Replies: There would be no need for you to …


Letter Re: Viability of a Well-Stocked Suburban Retreat?

Good Morning! Thank you for the info you provide for all of us in your web site. I live in the Kansas City Area in a beautiful suburb which is one of the nicest cities in the country. till doing okay in the depression too. My work is secure and I do well and I own my own twp-story with basement frame home and have been making it a retreat for the past five years. I have no debt and am 60 days ahead with my mortgage and insurance and utilities. Am I absolutely crazy to try to stay here …


Underground Survival Shelter Construction and Security–Learn from My Mistakes, by B.B.

In the summer of 1995 I decided to build an underground multipurpose survival shelter. I purchased the book Nuclear War Survival Skills by Cresson H. Kearney and went to work. If you want to know about shelters and what it will be like living in one, then purchase his book. My brother helped me for a while with the construction, but I did the majority of the work alone and it took me two years to complete the project. Let me say up front that I’m an amateur who used a brilliant book to build a shelter. Along the way …


Letter Re: Power Failure Alarms

James; I need your advice. I am worried about power failures, and even EMP while I’m sleeping. This could take out my security system, and leave my family vulnerable. Is there any sort of device that’ll alert me if the power goes out? Thanks, – Nolan S. JWR Replies: There are fairly inexpensive commercially-made plug-in power failure alarms available via mail order for under $15. (Or under $20 each at larger home improvement stores.) I recommend buying one for each bedroom, and one for your generator house. (The 86 dB alarm is not loud enough to be heard from far …


Three Letters Re: The Simple Reality of EMP — Different Than You Might Expect

Dear JWR, I read the EMP article by Andru and thought it very well done with one minor correction in the power generation area (worked in the nuclear power industry for 20 years before changing careers). The EMP E3 pulse is very dangerous to the transformers in the transmission and distribution system, and hydro-electric and nuclear will also be severely affected. Commercial generators of any output run at 8,000-10,000 volts which is fed immediately to step up transformers to feed the transmission system. The most common voltage for the transmission system is 250,000 to 500,000 volts (3 phase) which reduces …