Category: NBC

Two Letters Re: Some Thoughts on the Survival Vehicle

Hi James, Regarding the article “Some Thoughts on the Survival Vehicle” – I couldn’t agree more with the choice of an older Ford truck. I love mine. The only part I take exception to is converting permanently from electronic ignition to a mechanical point type distributor. I understand the EMP and other concerns, but there is a caveat readers need to be informed of. Some/most Fords with 302 or 5.0 liter engines in the mid- to late-1980s and on were equipped from the factory with a hydraulic roller lifter camshaft. The roller cams are made of very hard steel, harder …


Letter Re: Home Invasion Robbery Countermeasures–Your Mindset and Architecture

Dear Mr. Rawles: First and foremost thank you for your novel “Patriots” which I am currently reading. I live in the Dallas-Ft. Worth metroplex. As of late there seems to be a rise in the number of “home invasion” type of crimes in this area. Every morning that I go to work I hear about a new incident in the metroplex. This has led me to put inside locks on my bedroom doors and purchase my first gun. I consider myself one of those “know enough to be dangerous” people, but am planning on taking a handgun safety course . …


Good Compsec Practices for Preppers, by T.

Compsec is a subset of OPSEC that is concerned with computer security. It can not be ignored if you plan to use computers now and after a SHTF situation. The personal computer is a powerful tool to help cope with any disaster or survival situation. The capacity for enormous data storage in a very small footprint makes it a valuable resource when the grid and net go down. You will have all the information you need at your finger tips; first aid and medical info, maps and topography, equipment and firearms manuals, personal records and pictures, and the list goes …


Two Letters Re: The EMP Threat May Be Worse Than We Had Thought

Hi Jim: I understand about an EMP attack and it’s possibilities to wreak havoc. But I can’t help but wonder when I hear about a possible future EMP attack if we are trying to convince the terrorists through disinformation to detonate their nuclear weapons at a safe altitude instead of over the capitol during the state of the union speech. I am thinking that for an EMP attack to be effective they would need at least 4 or 5 high yield nuclear weapons of at least 1 megaton each . These would have to be evenly spread over the US …


Letter Re: The EMP Threat May Be Worse Than We Had Thought

Mr Rawles, Your readers may benefit from the following current links regarding the electromagnetic pulse (EMP) threat: Full report of the EMP Commission to the House Armed Services Committee (July 10, 2008) This link has a concise summary of key points from the above report: I also recommend an interview with the Chairman of the EMP Commission. The interview includes the following statements that are very important: Asked just how many Americans would die if Iran were to launch the EMP attack it appears to be preparing, Graham gave a chilling reply: “You have to go back into the 1800s …


Two Letters Re: The Shenandoah Valley as a Retreat Locale?

Dear SurvivalBlog Readers: I currently live in Virginia and what Jim said about retreat locale selection is generally accurate. That’s not to say “all is lost!”. Hardly, there are some advantages you have in our area that I’ve only found in a couple other places in the US, and you can successfully find a retreat location. You just have to work harder at it. The simple fact that most people live where they do is because it’s easier. The more remote locations, and the more secure, tend to be more work to live in. It’s all balance and trade off. …


Letter Re: The Shenandoah Valley as a Retreat Locale?

Mr. Editor: I live 50 miles west of Washington, DC. How do you feel about the Shenandoah mountains area as a retreat location? I was thinking about building a cabin with a Safecastle underground [blast/fallout/security] shelter. I have not yet bought the land yet but it is a good time to do so. I look forward to talking with you soon. – Mike JWR Replies: I highly recommend Safecastle’s shelters, but a shelter by itself will not ensure our safety in truly desperate times. You will also need geographic isolation. I think that anywhere that is within one tank of …


Letter Re: Maintaining the Nuclear Survival Mindset

Hi, I won’t mention my name because of the privacy concerns you so eloquently pointed out in your blog, but here’s an example of what you were asking about in regards to preparations for a new cold/hot war. I was in the USAF in Security Police from 1980 to 1989, the height of the Cold War, when President Reagan was stepping up the pressure on the then Soviet Union. I served in ICBMs (Minuteman III’s and the Peacekeeper) at Warren AFB in Wyoming and overseas in Ground Launched Cruise Missiles (GLCMs) at Florennes Air Base, Belgium. One of the things …


Letter Re: A Reminder to Readers About Botulism

I think that the author of “Letter Re: A Reminder to Readers About Botulism” [posted on July 18th] is a little mistaken about the deadliness of “even a single small whiff of Botulinum toxin.” The video in the link he provided is a discussion of the effects of weaponized botulism toxin. In the video, it’s stated that botulism doesn’t make a very good open-air weapon, although it may have potential as a weapon in enclosed areas or by infecting food. According to the Botulism Handbook for Epidemiologists, Clinicians, and Laboratory Workers: …botulism can be picked up by (a) eating contaminated …


Letter Re: Novel Recommendation–“Solar Flare” by Larry Burkett

Mr. Rawles, I have read your novel Patriots and passed it along to several people that I know. Most of them now own their own copy as well and it has been a big boost in helping them see the need for making preparations for the times ahead. It is with great interest that I have read the recent discussions about solar flares on the blog. The novel that first piqued my interest in survival and preparedness was the book Solar Flare by Strategic Air Command veteran and former NASA employee Larry Burkett. The premise of the novel is an …


Letter Re: Solar Flare Spike in 2012?

Jim:Regarding your recent interview on Fox Business about the significance of 2012: When I was a teenager, it was the Mayan 2012 [calendar] event that got me interested in preparedness. I ran with a bit of an impromptu Boy Scout like crowd (we weren’t Boy Scouts but our parents encouraged us to hunt, fish and camp). It was fun imaginary scenario when we were kids. I grew out of my Mayan 2012 phase. As an adult, I am preparing for a solar 2012 event. Essentially, a couple of years ago, I came across some research by a guy who was …


Letter Re: Potassium Iodide Versus Potassium Iodate for Post-Nuke Thyroid Gland Protection

Dear Jim, I read with interest the posted letter on KIO3 versus KI. “Letter Re: Potassium Iodide Versus Potassium Iodate for Post-Nuke Thyroid Gland Protection”. As a manufacturer of both KI and KIO3 I would like to point out that KIO3 is FDA approved and inspected. All of the ingredients are FDA approved and inspected as is the facility where it is made. Even the tableting machines and mixers are registered with the FDA and the DEA. KIO3 as well as it’s ingredients are, by law, approved and inspected by the FDA. Here is an example where our KIO3 is …


Letter Re: Advice on NBC Air Filtration Systems for Home or Retreat Fallout Shelters

Hello, I’m in the process of building a gun vault / safe room and would like to hear your recommendations on a good NBC filter system. Thank you, – M.T. JWR Replies: By coincidence, SafeCastle (one of our most loyal advertisers) currently has a special sale in progress, for their fallout shelter HEPA air filtration and ventilation systems. They are priced at 30% off, and the sale ends at the end of June. I highly recommend their products.


After 10 Years–Some Observations and Lessons Learned by a Y2K-Era Prepper

It was June, 1998. Y2K was a salient topic of conversation. It got my attention. When the electricity went off and there would be no water to drink, and no fuel to move food to the JIT grocery stores, I could see things getting very ugly. I had been willing to fight for this nation as a member of the US Army. Now it was time to fight for my household. I bought a Springfield Armory M1A. I bought a safe to store it in. I bought another M1A (for the spousal unit of course!) I bought ammo. Lots of …


Letter Re: Potassium Iodide Versus Potassium Iodate for Post-Nuke Thyroid Gland Protection

Jim, I’m doing some preparation research now since I’ll be pretty close to Yucca Mountain when it comes online, which I ultimately expect it to. I recently saw a posting on your blog [from “Cody”] regarding the taking of the thyroid blockers Potassium Iodate [KI] and Potassium Iodide [KIO3] in case of a nuclear event. The person writing you said that Potassium Iodate was superior because it didn’t cause as much stomach irritation as Potassium Iodide. I did a web search on “potassium iodide versus potassium iodate” and came up with these links: Approved Brands Iodide Versus Iodate WHO Guide …