Guest Article: May In Precious Metals, by Steven Cochran

Welcome to SurvivalBlog’s Precious Metals Month in Review, where we take a look at “the month that was” in precious metals. Each month, we take an in-depth look at the “what” and “why” behind the price movements of gold and silver.

Precious Metals Market Drivers in May 2014

After trading in a tight range for more than two months on either side of $1,300 an ounce, gold broke down through key technical levels on the 27th. Reports of a single sale of $450 million in gold pushed prices down $13.00 an ounce through technical support, and triggered sell stops, which pushed prices lower.

GOLD PRICE MANIPULATION: The Smoking Gun

There was big news on the gold manipulation front! Barclays Bank was fined $44 MILLION over manipulating gold prices in what is the first documented, among many undocumented, instances of price rigging on the London Gold Fix. On June 28, 2012, a director of precious metals trading at Barclays made massive fake sales of gold, during the afternoon gold fix, to push the price below $1,588, in order to avoid making a $3.9 million payment to a client. The client smelled a rat and contacted Barclays management. The trader lied to his bosses, and then he lied to investigators from the Financial Conduct Authority. Barclays paid the client the $3.9 million and then fired the trader, who has been banned from the financial industry for life.

Because Barclays immediately went to the authorities when it found out about the manipulation and cooperated with authorities, it was only fined $44 million, BUT, there are some smoking guns still lying around: One, the trader had emailed “friends” working precious metals trading desks at other banks asking for help in pushing the afternoon gold fix down, and the head of precious metals trading at Barclays Bank suddenly resigned three days before this crime came to light.

In more manipulation news, Deutsche Bank has abandoned its seat on the London Gold Fix, because it could not find a buyer. All those giant banks that passed on the offer are probably thankful, since the Barclays conviction gives all the class action lawsuits over gold manipulation a smoking gun.

In related news, the London Silver Fix will be shutting down following an announcement made by the three major banks that run the operation. Since 1897, the benchmark price of silver has been set by a conference between three of the largest bullion banks in the world. With Deutsche Bank leaving, there was only HSBC and the Bank of Nova Scotia left, and that was deemed too few to set the daily price. An official statement from The London Silver Market Fixing Ltd. announced that the group will stop administering the fixing on Aug. 14, 2014.

CENTRAL BANK GOLD AGREEMENTS

Europe’s largest central banks renewed an agreement not to sell “significant” holdings of the precious metal for another five years. In a joint statement, the signatories to the Central Bank Gold Agreement said they “will continue to co-ordinate their gold transactions so as to avoid market disturbances” and pledged that “they do not have any plans to sell significant amounts of gold“.

Gold market watchers were quick to notice that the hard limit of selling no more than 400 tonnes a year has been removed, replaced by the mealy-mouthed quote above.

CIVIL WAR IN UKRAINE

Pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine held a snap referendum on May 11th, despite discouragement from Russian president Vladimir Putin, and proclaimed their independence. Rebels have in large part squandered the initial goodwill they had among the people of eastern Ukraine, by demanding “taxes” from businesses and the wealthy and seizing control of local governments.

On the 25th, national elections for Ukrainian president were held. Moderate candidate and billionaire businessman Petro Poroshenko won. Poroshenko, called “The Chocolate King” due to his candy empire, has pledged to work with both Russia and the West to keep Ukraine independent from both.

He also promptly launched a successful military offensive in eastern Ukraine, recovering some rebel-held areas. Russia did not actively intervene, to the dismay of the rebels, but did offer humanitarian aid.

Putin’s decision not to enter into open warfare in Ukraine was cited as a large reason for the “risk on” atmosphere in Western markets that removed safe haven support for gold in the last week of May.

CHINA AND RUSSIA

China and Russia finally hammered out a deal 15 years in the making, where Russia would sell Siberian natural gas to China. The price agreed to was not made public, sparking speculation that the Chinese had used their position of strength to force Putin to agree to a discount. Putin is very concerned over the EU’s new push to wean itself off Russian energy, since petroleum and natural gas exports are a major part of the Russian economy

Shipments are expected to begin in two years, and transactions are to be made in ruble and yuan, bypassing the dollar. Both the Chinese premier Xi and Putin stressed the need to exclude the U.S. dollar from as much international trade as possible. At the same meeting, Putin declared that Russia and China need to make sure that their gold and currency reserves are secure.

The president of Iran was in Beijing at the same time as Putin. After the gas deal was announced, China, Russia, and Iran signed an agreement to cooperate more closely in international affairs.

EU ELECTIONS/ECB POLICY

Elections for the EU European Parliament were held this month, giving a wake-up call to the status quo. The right-wing populist UK Independence Party (UKIP) won 27% of the vote in Britain, gaining ten seats in the European Parliament. The UKIP is a British version of the Tea Party, except that it is a party separate from any other. In France, Le Pen’s National Front won first place, getting 18 seats in the EU Parliament. Many of these Euroskeptic parties want to abolish the euro and return to their own national currencies. The ruling parties in Germany and Italy fended off similar threats in their own elections.

The election results, while not as dramatic as some had expected, put any new sovereign bailouts in doubt and weakened the euro to a four-month low. A weak euro means a strong dollar, which means lower gold prices (for now).

On The Retail Front

The Royal Canadian Mint has released their final sales figures for 2013, and report that both the Gold and Silver Maple Leaf bullion coin sales set new records. Gold Maple Leaf sales were up 47.7% to 1.14 million troy ounces, and Silver Maple Leaf sales were up 55.8% to 28.2 million troy ounces. 2014 looks to be another banner year for the historic bullion coins. Interest for the 2014 Silver Maple Leaf is even higher this year, with the introduction of the same micro-etched security mark as the Gold Maple, and a new field of precise radial lines that give a shimmering effect when viewed at an angle.

The 2014 American Silver Eagle bullion coin is on track for another all-time record, with 21.3 million sold through the third week of May.

Market Buzz

Peter Schiffsays the goal of gold manipulation is to prop up the U.S. dollar, not to kill the gold market: “If you’re skeptical of big banks and big government, gold manipulation shouldn’t put you off investing in sound money. Instead, consider it as you would a gift horse. Instead of looking it thoroughly in the mouth, smile and graciously accept your good fortune.”

Russia increased gold production by 8% last year, to overtake the United States as the world’s #3 gold producer. U.S. gold production slipped 2%, but even had it remained at 2012 levels, Russia would still have taken away the #3 spot.

Schiff also looks at the bewildering case of someone in Belgium buying trillions of dollars in U.S. debt and wonders, is the ECB bailing the Fed out after the Fed Helped with Euro Crisis? “Since August of 2013 entities in Belgium have purchased and held a stunning $215 billion of U.S. Treasuries. This figure is equivalent to about half the country’s annual GDP, and equates to almost $20,000 for every living Belgian.”

According to reports, the People’s Bank of China has given the Shanghai Gold Exchange permission to build an international gold-trading platform in Shanghai. The exchange has already contacted foreign banks, including HSBC, ANZ, Standard Bank, Standard Chartered Bank, and the Bank of Nova Scotia, and invited them to participate in a new international board. This is on top of plans announced earlier to offer a gold contract denominated in yuan.

James Rickards is warning of a massive financial collapse that will leave people scrambling for gold and no one willing to sell at any price. He says that it may all start with China, and start sooner than even he thought: “Now, over to China, this is one of the things that is happening faster than I originally thought. The credit collapse story is happening in real time… Defaults are piling up. We are seeing money rise. We’re seeing people march down to the banks . . . trying to get their money back. . . . So, if they can’t buy foreign stocks, domestic stocks, don’t want to put their money in the bank and are getting out of real estate, then what’s left? The answer is gold. . . . I see a demand shock coming from China. . . . You could see a scramble to buy gold.”

Russian palladium exports spiked in April, in an attempt to cash out before any sanctions. The 69,400 oz. was over 10 times the monthly average this year of 6,500 oz., but far below peak exports in the six-digit range from just a few years ago.

Looking Ahead

The break lower in gold after the expiration of June gold options may be the correction that some analysts have deemed necessary for gold to move above the $1300 mark.

Narandra Modi’s election as prime minister in India is good news for gold. The pro-business Modi promised to implement measures designed to boost the Indian economy and restore national pride, including relaxing the severe restriction on gold importation. How much of an increase is Modi willing to absorb in the CAD, or will he make easing gold restrictions contingent on an expanding economy?

The Indian government recently released a report that gold smuggling increased by six times in the last fiscal year, which ended March 31. Before the 10% import tax and import restrictions, India was the world’s largest buyer of gold.

PLATINUM AND PALLADIUM

China announces it will force 300,000 old cars off the road in Beijing, and six million nationwide by end of year. Auto exhaust causes 31% of the smog in Beijing, and low quality gas just makes matters worse. Smog levels can reach literally deadly levels in many Chinese cities, and the nation will need TONS of palladium and platinum for new cars and gasoline refineries. Platinum and palladium (Pd) are used in the catalytic converters of cars to reduce emissions. (Note: Russia and South Africa account for nearly 80% of the total global supply of these two metals.)

Johnson Matthey Plc said in a statement, “Supply shortages for platinum and palladium will be the largest in more than three decades.” The Bloomberg report also stated there would be a deficit this year of 1.22 million ounces of platinum and 1.61 million ounces palladium.

This might be a good reason to keep an eye on platinum and palladium prices in the coming months amid record deficits, increasing demand and restricted supply.

Scot’s Product Review: Officer Survival Initiative First Aid Materials

Officer Survival Initiative (OSI) says they are “a bunch of current and reformed medics, law enforcement, military, and general trigger puller types who want to help you come home at the end of the day.” That’s a great goal and one they are clearly advancing to. They have put a lot of energy into the law enforcement field, as the name implies, but they also make first aid stuff for outdoors folks and the prepping market. They were kind enough to let me look at some of their kits and modules.

The Advantage II Personal Vehicle Aid Kit

The first kit I looked at is, in my view, a brilliant package. It is in a 6.5″x5″x3″ pouch and comes with a harness that can be fixed to the headrest or visor in your car. The kit pouch attaches to the harness by Velcro. You can easily rip the kit from your headrest and run to an injury. This, to me, is the brilliant part. All too often first aid kits wind up at the bottom of the debris field found in most cars. This one won’t. It will be up high and in plain sight. There is a red cross on it to help it be seen. I found it a bit bulky for my sun visor. (I have an old Honda CRV, so the headrest would work better for me.)

This is not a “boo boo” kit. This is a kit for dealing with serious, life threatening injury, particularly bleeding. There is a Combat Applications Tourniquet (CAT), a four-inch Israeli bandage, gloves, compressed gauze for stuffing a wound, EMT shears, a HALO chest seal set, and a Laerdal face shield for doing CPR.

The CAT is one of the standards for tourniquets today. It is used by the U.S. military and has proven itself where it counts, on the battlefield. A key factor in its popularity is how easy it is to self-apply. It is also small and light. There are additional videos on its use that are worth watching, if you choose this tourniquet.

One interesting comment OSI made about tourniquets is that one should consider an orange tourniquet for non-deployed use where visibility is not a concern. In the chaos of treatment, the orange one will stand out to rescuers so they can deal with it. The black one could be missed more easily.

The Israeli bandage is another battlefield standard for serious wounds. It provides compression to stop the loss of blood.

You can add Quik-Clot hemostats to the kit. You get a choice of a pad to cover the injury or gauze for stuffing wounds. These contain an agent that speeds the clotting of blood. Either would be a good choice to add if you can afford them.

The components, other than the shears and tourniquet, are sealed in sturdy vacuum packed plastic bags. All have tear points so you can get them out in a hurry.

The chest seal pack actually has two seals so you can treat both entry and exit wounds.

The compressed gauze could also be used for wrapping a wound to hold on a bandage or even as an impromptu sling. It is quite strong. You could improvise and find a number of other uses such as tying or holding things together.

The pouch can also be used with a MOLLE adapter, so you can put it on a tactical vest. It is held on the adapter with a quick release buckle. It also has a clip so it can be hung most anyplace you might need it.

The kit is small enough to carry on a day hike or hunting trip. I found it bulky for cargo pant pockets, so it would need to be clipped on or stowed in something else. There is enough room left to slip in a few Band-Aids and a tube of antibiotic ointment for the inevitable boo boo.

It is priced at $139.82 without the MOLLE adapter or hemostats.

Some More OSI Products

All of the following items are contained in 5″x9″ zip closure clear plastic pouches. The plastic is quite sturdy and should hold up well. I’m not sure how UV resistant they are, so it might be good to keep them out of the sun. OSI agreed with that thought. I would rate them as moisture resistant and not waterproof. If you drop them wrong or carry them roughly, the zip could come undone. A number of the items in them, though, are in watertight packages. These pouches fit easily in BDU pant pockets.

The Eveready Pocket Kit

Like it says, this is a kit to keep in your pocket. It will fit nicely in most cargo pants. Like the Advantage II, this is not a boo boo kit. It is a kit that can handle major bleeding and chest penetrations.

It has gloves and compressed gauze. There is also a Quick-Clot pad, two packs of compressed gauze that could be used to pack a wound or wrap and hold on a dressing. A petrolatum gauze that can be used for a chest seal or as a non-adherent cover for other wounds is also included. Finally, there is a Dynarex 5″x9″ Combine dressing. Combine dressings are soft, absorbent pads held in a soft pouch-like thin fabric cover.

To save space while adding versatility, this kit uses the SWAT-T tourniquet. This is a wide elastic band that can be used in several ways: as a tourniquet, as a pressure wrap over a dressing, or as an elastic bandage. I found it interesting that it has indicators on it to show whether you are pulling it tight enough. The folks at OSI feel the SWAT-T, despite its smaller size and cost, is a fully capable tourniquet and showed me a study that supports that view. There are arguments that this type of tourniquet is actually better because it is wider, and by spreading the pressure over a larger area, it will cause less pain and damage to the victim. A doctor also told me he feels it will stop the flow of blood more effectively than a narrow one. Further, some experts say that muscles can contract under a tourniquet, and the elasticity of the SAWT-T will maintain pressure better, which keeps the wound from starting to bleed again. The only drawback I could see with it would be self-application on the arm. It can be done, but I’m not sure I could manage it as well as one of the web ones.

The components, save the gloves and Combine dressing, are packed in sturdy vacuum sealed plastic or foil pouches with easy tear points. The Combine dressing is in a paper package lined with some sort of plastic film on the inside. I was curious about how well it protected the dressing, so I soaked one in what started as very hot tap water. I gave up after more than three hours; the dressings stayed dry. The paper rubbed off, revealing a thin but sturdy plastic layer.

There is room in the pouch to slip in a few Band-Aids, antibiotic ointment packs, and antiseptic wipes to handle boo boos. With these added items, it would be a great kit to carry when I’m leading Cub Scouts on a hike. With the addition of a couple of pieces of candy, it should be possible to get them through most mishaps. A whistle might be good to put in too.

This one goes for $36.42.

Bleeding Control Module

The Bleeding Control Module offers a very cost effective and compact kit for bleeding. There are 2 8″ x 10″ Combine Dressings, 2 5″ x 9″ Combine Dressings, and 2 Primed Compressed Gauze Dressings along with a pair of Nitrile gloves. The compressed gauze is in rugged vacuum sealed pouches, while the Dynarex Combine dressings are in the same packages I couldn’t get to leak with a multi-hour soak.

This kit is a bargain at $8.46.

Bandage and Dressing Module

This package has four 2×2″ Curity gauze sponges, four 4×4″ Dynarex gauze pads, two 3″ Dynarex conforming gauze and six triple antibiotic ointment packets. This is finally getting pretty close to a boo boo kit, but it could still stop the bleeding from a nasty cut. Most boo boo kits would be running out of steam while this one would still do the job. The Dynarex dressings are in paper like the Combine dressings, so they could easily stand some moisture. The Curity ones, though, failed my impromptu soak test in less than an hour, so they need to be kept dry.

This goes for a very reasonable $6.46.

Conclusions

I’m impressed with what I’ve seen here. The components are high quality and chosen with care. A lot of times pre-packaged kits have useless or low quality stuff. These don’t. Worse, many first aid kits lack what you need for a serious problem. The Tylenol and small bandages you find in the drugstore kits aren’t enough for a real emergency. That’s not a problem with these. With OSI kits, you can save a life.

I’m also impressed by what I see on their website. Besides a wide range of first aid gear, there is a wealth of information and a number of instructional videos. They also quickly handled my requests for more information.

Do note that a number of items in any first aid kit will have expiration dates. You should keep tabs on them. While I think most first aid supplies will be good for a lot longer than the date says, I have had things go bad. Adhesives, elastic, and plastic items deteriorate, so plan on going through your kits every year or so to replace the old stuff. Also watch for any compromised packaging, especially on sterile goods. I would be especially concerned about items left in cars in hot climates, and I’d be sure to replace those items first. Use your old items for practice or training. Everything in the OSI kits, by the way, was current and fresh.

Some of these things can’t be re-used either. I wasn’t aware, for example, that most tourniquets are viewed as a one use item. So much force has to be applied to stop the flow of blood that they can’t be relied on in the future. They might be better than nothing, but don’t counted on them for a second use if you can avoid it.

Don’t forget to spend time learning how to use your equipment and supplies. Gear is worthless without skills. The Red Cross offers classes around the country. I particularly recommend their Wilderness First Aid class. It was developed with the Boy Scouts of America. It takes two days and helps you deal with things when out of range of immediate emergency response. It is, however, only an introduction and doesn’t deal with some of the issues a prepper might face.

OSI recommended a couple of organizations that offer various levels of wilderness first aid training. The first is the National Outdoor Leadership School, and the second is Remote Medicine International. The fellow who taught the Red Cross Wilderness class I took recommended Wilderness Medical Associates International for further training. Unfortunately, most of these classes will require travel.

I’ve also seen recommendations for Stonehearth Learning Opportunities and Advanced Wilderness Life Support.

This is, by no means, an exhaustive list of first aid training. These are just the few that I know about that have reputable recommendations. If you know of others, please drop me an email.

Your local college or university may have classes intended for EMTs and paramedics that could be useful, though they are usually based on the idea that there is a trauma center nearby.

You can find tons of videos on YouTube, but I’m leery of them unless I can verify the quality of the people posting the video. Vendors often post videos on how to use their products, and those are usually pretty good. A doctor friend highly recommended this one, 9mm vs .45 vs Rifle A Dr’s View of Gunshot Wounds. You have to register your age to view it, as it is graphic and restricted to adults. There isn’t as much about treatment as I would like, but it is still an interesting look at gunshot wounds. I say again that it is graphic in parts.

The bottom line is that you, or someone in your group, need to get some serious training along with some serious first aid supplies. Ideally, everyone would get a basic Red Cross class and, if possible, the Red Cross Wilderness one. Personally, I feel I need to go farther and intend to take more classes despite not really enjoying this stuff. I would rather be shooting or milling wheat. I need this though, and so do you. – SurvivalBlog Field Gear Editor Scot Frank Eire

Recipe of the Week: Wild Turkey Pho

I am a 5th generation Oklahoman. My wife is ethnically Vietnamese. Our children are happy little mongrels with Eurasian eyes and Oklahoma accents. We often produce fusion recipes consisting of local ingredients and traditional Vietnamese ideas.

Wild turkey spring season is almost upon us, and I would like to share one of our fusion recipes with the blog.

Pho (pronounced fuh-uh with two syllables NOT foe with a long O and one syllable) is a simple soup dish with numerous health benefits. In its simplest form it is broth made from bones and simple herbs. The bones provide minerals and collagen for bone and joint support. The herbs provide a medicinal element (anti-inflammatory, anti-parasitic, et cetera). The entire concoction can be considered as a prescription in traditional Chinese medicine, and ideally the herbs should be tailored to medical needs and not to palette preference.

I shoot my turkeys with a small cal rifle, because I’m not fond of eating bird shot or trying for a head shot. I do not pluck feathers or attempt to save skin. Gut it. Remove head and feet.

Drop the bird into a large Dutch oven or crock pot, along with a few carrots, celery, an onion, garlic, and maybe an apple. Salt well, and slow cook until meat becomes tender. You may have to separate the bird depending on its size. If so, use legs and wings and save the breast for Chia Gio (Viet Eggrolls, next time).

Remove most of the tender meat and veggies into a bowl and set aside. Place bones and drippings into a stock pot, along with a handful of coriander, one cinnamon stick, three star anise, a half handful of fennel seed, and a half handful of cloves. I do not really measure ingredients and neither do the Vietnamese grandmas who make this on Sunday afternoon in homes throughout OKC. Use what you have. Experiment.

Fill the remainder of the pot with fresh cold water and boil for at least an hour. Honestly, I think the longer it boils the better it is. You may have to add water to counter evaporation. Taste for saltiness.

Rice noodles, known as Banh Pho, can be purchased dried or fresh here in OKC and most any place with an Asian market. Be careful to follow directions. It’s very easy to turn these into mush. If you don’t have access to rice noodles, make your own egg noodles with wheat flour, egg, and water, just like grandma does. I use them frequently, as do many Vietnamese here.

Noodles go into your bowl. The broth goes on top. Add turkey and cooked veggies. Garnish with fresh onions and herbs. Commonly used are cilantro and basil, but I frequently make use of wild herbs, such as dandelion and curly dock (good stuff). Use what you like and what is available.

Finish with a squeeze of lime and some chili paste, too, if you can handle it. Love your neighbor and share! Say fuh-uh not foe; it’s excruciating to hear it incorrectly. Next time I will share Viet Spring Rolls/Eggrolls with wild turkey. Shalom y’all. – C.B.

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Do you have a favorite recipe that would be of interest to SurvivalBlogreaders? Please send it via e-mail. Thanks!

Letter Re: Grain Mills

Hugh,

We searched for the perfect grain mill for years. We wanted one that did not depend on electricity, because none of us can be guaranteed that we will always have electricity. If you have one that is totally electric then if the grid goes down you have a good door stop.

We wanted one that could be used by hand crank, but if we wanted we could attach it to an electric motor and one that would not heat up the grain.

We opted for the Grain Maker, which is made in Stevensville Montana. It is very heavy duty, does not heat the grain, and will grind any grain or legume which most mills will not. We can grind by turning the crank OR we can attach to an electric motor OR the option we chose is we purchased the optional bicycle attachment. We can attach the mill to a bicycle and pedal our flour. We laugh that we are going to be like those on Gilligan’s Island.

We used to grow field corn and grind our own cornmeal. We used to have to take turns turning the crank, because I could only do it for about 10 minutes, and my husband could go for about 15-20 minutes. It’s quite a workout.

The Grain Maker is not cheap. However, when SHTF, you don’t want cheap; you want what will do the job when it’s supposed to do it. There are just some things for which you don’t want the cheapest equipment. For your water filter, your grain mill, and your heating/cooking source, you want the best you can buy. – S.W.

Economics and Investing:

Nonworking America: Those not in the labor force up by 12,000,000 since recession ended, a growth rate of 15 percent while the overall population is up 4 percent.

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Three Red Flags in GDP Report. – G.P.

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Items from The Econocobas:

Video: Interview with John Williams of Shadowstats ‘Fed Will Prop Up System Until it Falls Apart’

Boom: Q1 GDP Revised Downward to -1.0%

Headlines Contradict the Reality of April Home Sales

World Bank Sounds Alarm on Rising Global Food Prices

Odds ‘n Sods:

Constitution is Just a Scrap of Paper. – J.W.

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The SurvivalBlog reader, GG in the South, who wrote in about the recent spectacular claim that United States automobile gas consumption has declined by 75%, suggestive of a collapsing economy, is mistaken. The original author was confused by labeling on a government graph, which reported retail sales by United States refiners, rather than total sales. It turns out that much of refiner’s output is wholesale. The United States total automobile gas consumption is some four times what was listed on the spectacular graph purporting to show an economic collapse.

United States automobile gas consumption is indeed declining, but nowhere near this rate. This reference gives more correct data.

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A 19 month old baby was burned badly during a SWAT raid in Georgia. The grenade landed in a play pen where the baby was sleeping. He is in critical condition in a medically-induced coma. – R.B.

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Indicted: Psychopathic cop stands on hood of suspects car, fires 15 rounds through window, kills two unarmed men . – S.T.

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N.S.A. Collecting Millions of Faces From Web Images. – G.G.

Notes for Sunday – June 01, 2014:

Round 52 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest is now over, and it is a tough one. We are going through the entries right now and hope to have the winners announced by Monday, June 2, 2014. Those of you who submitted articles for the contest but did not get published in round 52 will have your articles automatically entered into Round 53.

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SurvivalBlog has a few improvements this week that will help you navigate and print articles. The old “permalink” has been replaced. Now, the title of the article serves as the “permalink” to bookmark the article URL. If you click on the Title, it will take you to a page with just that one article and both sidebars. You will then notice two links under the post title: “Email this Post” and “Print this Post”. Clicking on “Print this Post” will reformat the article for printing and mark every link in the article followed by a footnote listing the URL of these links. If your eyes, like mine, are telling you that you are older than you feel, you can also play with the font scaling in your browsers “Print Preview” function if the font is too small for you.

You can also email the article link through the “Email this Post” function.

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The SurvivalBlog Amazon Store suffered a few setbacks during the move to the new server, but it is now up and functional. Help support the efforts of this blog by visiting our Amazon Store for your survival and prepping needs. The store is listed under the “Static Pages” in the left sidebar of the blog. You can also see a shortened version of the store under the sidebar link of “Gear Links”.

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Today we present the first entry for Round 53 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $11,000+ worth of prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three course (a $1,195 value),
  2. A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795,
  3. Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  4. A $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any of their military surplus gear,
  5. A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $300 value),
  6. A $300 gift certificate from Freeze Dry Guy,
  7. A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo,
  8. A roll of $10 face value in pre-1965 U.S. 90% silver quarters, courtesy of GoldAndSilverOnline.com, (currently valued at around $180 postpaid),
  9. Both VPN tunnel and DigitalSafe annual subscriptions from Privacy Abroad (a combined value of $195),
  10. KellyKettleUSA.com is donating both an AquaBrick water filtration kit and a Stainless Medium Scout Kelly Kettle Complete Kit with a combined retail value of $304,
  11. APEX Gun Parts is donating a $250 purchase credit, and
  12. TexasgiBrass.com is providing a $300 gift certificate.

Second Prize:

  1. A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training, which have a combined retail value of $589,
  2. A FloJak EarthStraw “Code Red” 100-foot well pump system (a $500 value), courtesy of FloJak.com,
  3. Acorn Supplies is donating a Deluxe Food Storage Survival Kit with a retail value of $350,
  4. The Ark Instituteis donating a non-GMO, non-hybrid vegetable seed package–enough for two families of four, seed storage materials, a CD-ROM of Geri Guidetti’s book “Build Your Ark! How to Prepare for Self Reliance in Uncertain Times”, and two bottles of Potassium Iodate– a $325 retail value,
  5. $300 worth of ammo from Patriot Firearms and Munitions. (They also offer a 10% discount for all SurvivalBlog readers with coupon code SVB10P),
  6. A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials,
  7. A full set of all 26 books published by PrepperPress.com (a $270 value),
  8. Two cases of meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value),
  9. Autrey’s Armory – specialists in AR-15, M4s, parts, and accessories is donating a $250 gift certificate,
  10. Dri-Harvestfoods.com in Bozeman, Montana is providing a prize bundle with Beans, Buttermilk Powder, Montana Hard Red Wheat, Drink Mixes, and White Rice, valued at $333,
  11. TexasgiBrass.com is providing a $150 gift certificate, and
  12. Organized Prepper is providing a $500 gift certificate.

Third Prize:

  1. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  2. A large handmade clothes drying rack, a washboard, and a Homesteading for Beginners DVD, all courtesy of The Homestead Store, with a combined value of $206,
  3. Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy (a $185 retail value),
  4. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security,
  5. A MURS Dakota Alert Base Station Kit with a retail value of $240 from JRH Enterprises,
  6. Mayflower Trading is donating a $200 gift certificate for homesteading appliances, and
  7. Ambra Le Roy Medical Products in North Carolina is donating a bundle of their traditional wound care and first aid supplies, with a value of $208.
  8. SurvivalBased.com is donating a $500 gift certificate to their store.

Round 53 ends on July 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Seven Years of Preparation, by CHG (Chicken Hating Grandma)

We work best when we have a deadline, so our preparation began in October 2008 with hopes of reaching our goal in seven years. Our son, who is a university professor, became convinced that we had seven years to “prepare”; we were not sure of exactly what we were to prepare for though. (We thought perhaps he had changed his name to Joseph, since the Biblical Joseph had seven years to prepare before the seven years of famine.) We decided to join him, because it couldn’t hurt to be ready for any calamity. Our half-hearted efforts took on urgency after we read Michael Cahn’s book, “The Harbinger”, and listened to his explanation of the warnings God is giving America in seven-year increments. The 2008 stock market crash was about the time our son started us on the preparation path. Only a little more than a year remains until the seven year stint is completed. We stand amazed at what we have learned and accomplished in the last five and half years! Our son keeps reminding us that we are “practicing” for the real event.

We live in a rural community and had five acres of land, but the opportunity came to purchase our neighbor’s house and land, so we now have 24 acres (and an extra home). Our son has planted fruit and nut trees, berry bushes, and gardens to harvest heirloom seeds. This required a diesel tractor, diesel storage, implements, and lots of reading to learn how to practice. The reading has led to an extensive library, both paper and DVD. Construction included a hardened storage room, a rabbit shed for 18 rabbits, a chicken coop for 16 hens and two roosters, and a goat building for the 11 pygmy goats. Animals were never a part of our life, so this is a huge venture for us. We have town water, but we had our own deep well drilled, and we collect rain water to be more self sufficient. New chain saws help cut wood for the wood stove, which is used for supplemental heat.

We have learned to recycle and re-purpose, until it is now an automatic response. Tearing off a neighbor’s deck for remodeling provided free lumber for some of our projects. Free wood pallets have been very useful. Shopping has become an adventure to stockpile items like white rice, beans, salt, paper products (we NEED toilet paper), candles, blackout curtains, and things we like with an expiration date beyond 2015. Store specials provide products to save for the future and sometimes give free gas. Canning, food dehydration, and grain grinding are some of the skills we have acquired. Food storage with plastic buckets, oxygen eaters, and Mylar bags is now second nature.

Father and son took a free course to achieve amateur radio licenses, so they purchased some suggested equipment. A fire/police scanner was added.

Grandsons took hunter safety courses and practice on the shooting range on our property; they kill some animals in the woods during hunting season. Permits to carry concealed weapons were obtained for adults. Some weapons were purchased, and reloading skills are continually refined. Our property is not very defensible, so hopefully our friendly neighbors will continue to be friendly. Our small community works together, and everyone knows everyone. Being actively involved in community organizations fosters trust, so we are now busier than ever and have made many new friends.

Extra medical supplies have been added to our storeroom, including current medications. Feminine hygiene supplies are necessary.

An old treadle sewing machine is now operational, and supplies of thread, needles, and material are stored.

In case travel will be restricted in the future, we invested in family vacations, which included Disney World, beach vacations, and Niagara Falls. Camping and local day trips have been fun. Memory-building and family cohesiveness is emotional security for hard times.

A game, puzzle, and fun reading library has been created for use, if electronic toys aren’t operational. Many of these items were purchased very cheaply at thrift shops or yard sales. An old manual typewriter may have to substitute for our computer. (We were able to still purchase new ribbons!) Our grandkids have learned to play many musical instruments and can make their own music on the ones we have purchased– some new and some used. An old free-standing wind-up record player and records were purchased at a yard sale for more musical entertainment. (It has only one volume—LOUD).

When the power is out we use a generator, but we realize that gas may not be available. It also makes so much noise that the whole neighborhood knows when we run it. We have invested in some quieter solar panels and storage batteries but haven’t “practiced” with them yet. Oil lamps and oil have become part of our inventory. We are impressed by the output of the mini-candle lantern by UCO so are scavenging yard sales for tea lights.

We are on a budget track to be debt free by September 2015, unless something big breaks! Budgeting is a must as some “fluff” has to be sacrificed in order to buy items for preparation. We had one “farmyard sale” last fall, so the grandkids could earn money from what they helped to grow, and we have sold eggs (including hatching eggs), but there is virtually no income from our endeavor thus far. The cost of animal feed has been a surprise, so we are learning how to find ways to grow our own animal feed. Clearance sales have yielded clothes, including warm gear for our cold winters and shoes, in various sizes, for future wear. Zote soap has become an economical base for the laundry detergent recipe.

Our grandsons have become excellent “silver spotters” and turn gift monies and money they earn into junk silver dating before 1964. They have alerted us to old silver, and we have joined them in their hunt. Paying with cash instead of credit cards is a transition in progress for us, as we are conditioned to paying with credit cards and had gotten used to NOT carrying cash. Our son has invested in “lead and brass”, as he believes .22 shells will be a bartering tool in a cashless society and even now, since they are scarce.

Preparation is a mindset that enables us to react with a plan rather than panic. It is also looking at problems in a solution mode, so that we can figure out novel/inventive answers for overwhelming situations. We can’t know exactly what problems we will face, so we can’t prepare for every imaginable emergency. “Mother Earth News” magazine, Survival Blog, and numerous books, such as J.W.R’s “How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It” and “Patriots” have been helpful to teach us new information and techniques. Preparation is an awareness of what is necessary to survive. We have lived with ease and luxury and didn’t get down to the basics of life. What do we truly NEED to live? Essentials are heat, water, food, medicines, clothing, safety, and protection.

Planning, building, planting, harvesting, preserving food, fencing, studying, caring for animals, and storing supplies takes a great deal of effort. Prepping is not for the lazy, as it requires energy and hard work. Our multi-generational family has cooperated and helped each other to lessen the stress on individuals. We would not have chickens if someone else didn’t take care of them! I hate chickens, so my effort with them is to clean and cook the eggs. I am a “chicken hating grandma” (CHG). I have learned to tolerate them on our property, because of their efficiency in converting raw material into food. All ideas are entertained as we “practice” new life styles. Our family has grown closer as we work together toward our goal. The hard work ethic has been adopted by our grandkids, and they are excelling in school. This training will guide them for the rest of their lives, and we are blessed to be a part of it. The wide range of useful knowledge they now possess surpasses most of their peers and many adults.

As our deadline approaches, we have many projects still on our “to do” list. We are planning a cheese cave to be able to preserve the goat’s milk, expanding pastures, experimenting with grains and beans well suited to our climate, continuing to work with storing and filtering water, and devising a plan to help our friends and relatives, who think we are crazy, without depleting our supplies in the case of an emergency.

Our faith has also been strengthened as we study the Bible for clues to how God prepares His people in times of peril. He is our ultimate protection, and we are learning to trust Him completely. He has orchestrated provisions in unique ways and led us to knowledgeable people for guidance. We don’t face the future with fear but with confidence that God will honor our sincere efforts to be wise servants who have used the skills and resources He has provided to prepare for the unknown.

Probably the most important reason for our continued preparation, practice, and increased study is to fulfill God’s purpose. How can we be servants of God if we are not prepared to do His work? If we are unable to take care of our own house, how can we help others right theirs? While this “retirement” is not what I had in mind all of the years I worked as a teacher, His work, through preparing my husband and myself, our homestead, children, and grandchildren to be witnesses for Him to the less prepared has become my mission. We are to use our God-given abilities to help others, so that we “might bring forth fruit unto God” Romans 7:4b ASV. We are planning and preparing to be His instruments in a post-crash world.

When we reach our deadline of September 2015, we will be able to better adjust to whatever our world gives us than we would have if we hadn’t spent seven years in preparation. If there is no abrupt change, we will be in a better place to serve Christ. Just as God helped Joseph in the Bible, He will help our family through and at the end of seven years.

Letter Re: A Simpleton’s Guide to Preps

Hugh,

Another letter in regards to A Simpleton’s Guide to Preps‘ overrated item #8 – NBC Equipment. BH appears to have forgotten the C in NBC. If you live near railroad tracks, chances are that a good deal of chemicals transit that line. A train derailment may be all that is between you and wishing that you had gotten some NBC gear for your family. In addition to a train line not too far off, there is a local fertilizer plant that could be an ammonia hazard. Not all NBC hazards mean that WWIII has broken out.

Odds ‘n Sods:

Refrigerator or Counter? Where to Store Some Produce May Surprise You. There are some foods that absolutely need refrigeration and some that are better off stored outside of your fridge. – H.L.

o o o

Why Colt Can’t Shoot Straight. An interesting read, but remember that the source magazine is owned by Bloomberg. – T.P.

o o o

Gun Seller Dropped By Bank Rejects Their Attempt ‘To Kiss And Make Up’. – G.P.

o o o

If the severe drought in the Southwest wasn’t enough to strain food growers, now they are dealing with a plague of grasshoppers: Grasshoppers cloud weather radar.

o o o

Now we know why Obama thinks a large standing army in a time of war is unnecessary: Obama at West Point: ‘Effort to Combat Climate Change…Will Help Shape Your Time in Uniform’ . – T.P.

Notes for Saturday – May 31, 2014:

May 31, 1895 is the birthday of George R. Stewart (novelist, university professor and toponymist) died: August 22, 1980. In the preparedness community, he is best remembered as the author of the classic post-pandemic novel Earth Abides.

o o o

Today we present another entry for Round 52 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $11,000+ worth of prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three course (a $1,195 value),
  2. A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795,
  3. Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  4. A $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any of their military surplus gear,
  5. A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $300 value),
  6. A $300 gift certificate from Freeze Dry Guy,
  7. A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo,
  8. A roll of $10 face value in pre-1965 U.S. 90% silver quarters, courtesy of GoldAndSilverOnline.com, (currently valued at around $180 postpaid),
  9. Both VPN tunnel and DigitalSafe annual subscriptions from Privacy Abroad (a combined value of $195),
  10. KellyKettleUSA.com is donating both an AquaBrick water filtration kit and a Stainless Medium Scout Kelly Kettle Complete Kit with a combined retail value of $304,
  11. APEX Gun Parts is donating a $250 purchase credit, and
  12. TexasgiBrass.com is providing a $300 gift certificate.

Second Prize:

  1. A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training, which have a combined retail value of $589,
  2. A FloJak EarthStraw “Code Red” 100-foot well pump system (a $500 value), courtesy of FloJak.com,
  3. Acorn Supplies is donating a Deluxe Food Storage Survival Kit with a retail value of $350,
  4. The Ark Instituteis donating a non-GMO, non-hybrid vegetable seed package–enough for two families of four, seed storage materials, a CD-ROM of Geri Guidetti’s book “Build Your Ark! How to Prepare for Self Reliance in Uncertain Times”, and two bottles of Potassium Iodate– a $325 retail value,
  5. $300 worth of ammo from Patriot Firearms and Munitions. (They also offer a 10% discount for all SurvivalBlog readers with coupon code SVB10P),
  6. A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials,
  7. A full set of all 26 books published by PrepperPress.com (a $270 value),
  8. Two cases of meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value),
  9. Autrey’s Armory – specialists in AR-15, M4s, parts, and accessories is donating a $250 gift certificate,
  10. Dri-Harvestfoods.com in Bozeman, Montana is providing a prize bundle with Beans, Buttermilk Powder, Montana Hard Red Wheat, Drink Mixes, and White Rice, valued at $333,
  11. TexasgiBrass.com is providing a $150 gift certificate, and
  12. Organized Prepper is providing a $500 gift certificate.

Third Prize:

  1. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  2. A large handmade clothes drying rack, a washboard, and a Homesteading for Beginners DVD, all courtesy of The Homestead Store, with a combined value of $206,
  3. Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy (a $185 retail value),
  4. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security,
  5. A MURS Dakota Alert Base Station Kit with a retail value of $240 from JRH Enterprises,
  6. Mayflower Trading is donating a $200 gift certificate for homesteading appliances, and
  7. Ambra Le Roy Medical Products in North Carolina is donating a bundle of their traditional wound care and first aid supplies, with a value of $208.
  8. SurvivalBased.com is donating a $500 gift certificate to their store.

Round 52 ends on May 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Proselytizing With Pandemics, by D.C.

Perhaps in the nature vs. nurture debate, it is going to turn out that people worried about emergency preparedness are just born that way. Certainly, I have tried for years to persuade many of my skeptical friends that having, say, some extra food on hand or some means of personal protection, or even a backup source of energy greater than an extra D battery, is just plain common sense. What I have experienced in response to my well-intentioned suggestions are rolled eyes, turned backs, and closed minds. I’ve pretty much despaired of ever making even the smallest dent in their evident disdain; I figure maybe it is just the way they are, like a law of nature or death and taxes. Maybe, but then again, maybe not. I’ve recently found that there just might be reason for the smallest sliver of hope on my part; for at least a select few, there may be a way to coax out some common sense. Let me explain.

An Opened Door

My youngest daughter lives in downtown Los Angeles and dates a boy who is predictably “left coast” in his attitudes– negative towards guns, prepping, and pretty much anything or anyone to the right of Hillary Clinton. I try to avoid talk of politics and religion when I’m around him, if only because, given the state of things, who needs more stress and conflict in his life? However, when I called her several months ago to see how her job search was going, I found them together and somewhat shaken by their most recent earth tremor. This particular one had not been terribly destructive, especially by California standards, but “it went on and on and on, and I thought it never would stop!” moaned my daughter. (I wanted to say, “If you live in downtown LA, earthquakes would seem to be the least of your worries”, but I was a good father and bit my tongue.) What bothered her boyfriend most was that in one particular area north of them, gas and electricity had been cut off for a rather long period of time. “If the ‘big one’ ever occurred, what would we do if that happened to us?” he exclaimed to my daughter. “No lights, no water. How would people react?” I thought I might be hearing one of those “mugged by reality” moments.

“How about putting a case of bottled water in your apartments, or maybe a case in each of your trunks,” I suggested. He agreed that sounded like a good idea. What I had not known was that his mother and her boyfriend had just recently been returning home to San Francisco from visiting one of his siblings. Their car had broken down at night in one of those “God-forsaken” parts of California that people back east don’t even know exist. They had not died of hypothermia because the man had left, by accident, some blankets in his trunk. Putting survival items in the trunk now seemed like the very definition of good sense to the boyfriend.

I knew I had to act fast. “When is your birthday?” I asked. It turned out to be just a couple of weeks off. (It was obvious to me at that moment that God was on my side.) “How about I send you something you can keep with you or in your car to help out if need be?” “That would be great!” he exclaimed, but honestly that might have been more a factor of someone caring enough to give him a present than any particular safety concerns. I rushed to Amazon, bought a good quality carabiner keychain, a compact whistle, the tiniest LED flashlight I have ever seen, and a small magnesium fire starter. I hooked them all together and threw in one of those credit card survival tools to boot. Now people online will argue back and forth ad infinitum about the pros and cons of the smallest piece of survival gear, as if the fate of mankind hung in the balance. Frankly my dear, in this particular case, I didn’t give a care if this was a particularly good set of tools to carry on a key chain or not. I had bigger fish to fry. The door had cracked open, and I needed to get an attractive-looking foot into it before it slammed shut.

What next? How do I exploit this opening?

Now when I am trying my best to convince acquaintances of the need to prepare by talking about electromagnetic pulses, biological and chemical weapons, or even attacks on the electrical grid, I am usually met with something akin to a yawn and “yeah, yeah, like that is ever going to happen”. Like the “black swan” metaphor of risk fame, if it hasn’t happened yet people find themselves incapable of even conceiving the possibility.

However, that response (or more properly, non-response) won’t do when the subject of pandemics is raised. Pandemics are real. They’ve happened in the remote past, the less distant past, and in the recent past. It is (almost) impossible to argue that they won’t happen again. Plus, unlike our hypothetical chemical attack, everyone has “seen” the flu– personally and up close. Mention a flu epidemic and the first thing people visualize is their pathetic and suffering selves, wrapped in blankets wishing they were dead. Influenza happens.

Then I realized, there it is. If we want to start people on the path to understanding the importance, not to mention the necessity, of emergency preparedness, you first must address a perceived need.

As an aside, it is interesting that this issue of convincing a “non-believer” has been addressed by Christian philosophers since almost the very beginning of the faith. “Believe, and the rationale will suddenly make sense,” the theologian says. “I’m not going to believe, until it makes sense,” replies the non-believer. As St. Augustine said, nobody ever believed what they didn’t first think was rational. Pandemics are rational.

The Pandemic Emergency Kit

So the remainder of this article discusses the Pandemic Emergency Kit I assembled for my daughter, and by extension, her boyfriend. It is designed to meet three (3) goals:

  1. Treat the infected individual,
  2. Keep the caregiver healthy and free of the infection, and
  3. Support both of them for a period of at least thirty days, while meeting and travel bans are in effect.

The kit is based in large part on a paper written by Dr. Grattan Woodson, MD, FACP for his own patients[1]. I included a paper copy of this article in the kit, since it contains a lot of diagnosis, treatment, and explanatory information. I added my own twist, based on a paper describing a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized study into the use of Elderberry syrup (Sambucol®) to treat flu patients.[2] The study specifically looked for immune system response to viral pathogens (cytokines). The conclusion of the researchers was that formulations of Sambucol® activate the immune system by increasing cytokine production. I’ve listed another study[3] below that can be referred to by anyone caring to do so.

Goal 1 – Treat the Infected individual

The treatment of influenza has progressed very little in the last hundred years. We do have anti-viral drugs, such as Tamiflu®, but it is a prescription medication and, if not administered within the first two days of the infection, is pretty much useless. As several Internet writers have noted, it usually takes one day just to realize you have the flu. So in a flu pandemic, are you realistically able to get an appointment, see your doctor, get to a well-stocked pharmacy, and administer the drug, all within the time limit? Not likely. Oh, and if that wasn’t enough to be concerned about with trusting to Tamiflu®, it turns out that it is not that effective, even when you do meet all of the above conditions.

So the treatment (and hence the kit’s contents) are going to be pretty much the standard things your mother used to use– keep the patient comfortable, push clear liquids, and don’t let them infect others.

The kit’s Goal 1 contents include:

A basic fluid solution to be mixed from the following:

  • Salt – 1 lb.
  • Sugar – 10 lbs.
  • A source of clean water (not included)

General items for comfort:

  • Baking soda – 6 oz.
  • Caffeinated tea – 1 lb.

Over-the-Counter items for treating symptoms:

  • Tums Ex: 500 tablets
  • Baking soda – 6 oz.
  • Ibuprofen 200mg. – 100 tablets
  • Benadryl 25mg – 60 capsules

Essential equipment for measuring and recording progress and mixing the basic fluid solution:

  • Kitchen measuring spoons and cups
  • Electronic thermometer
  • Blood pressure cuff
  • Notebook and pen or pencil

Dr. Woodson’s paper talks about using all of the above, including the protocols for making and administering the basic fluid solution. The suggested quantities are enough to treat one person. They could easily be scaled for larger groups. Again, the modest goals of the kit were based on willing adoption, not optimal quantities.

My particular addition for treating the viral infection was:

  • Sambucol® Black Elderberry Original Extract – 12 bottles, 7.8 oz. size

The Sambucol® website has a “Most Frequently Asked Questions” section that I also printed out and put in the kit. The suggested adult dose for periods of immune system stress is one tablespoon four times per day. Since we will want to treat both the patient and caregiver, we need enough for 30 days for two people. This was the most expensive item in the kit, but even then it was not unreasonable.

Goal 2 – Keep the Caregiver Healthy and Free of the Infection

The Sambucol® need for the caregiver was taken into account as part of the patient’s treatment kit. (The dose is lower– two teaspoons four times per day, for the caregiver.) The primary items needed now were to prevent the spread of the disease, which can be spread through both the respiratory and digestive tracts.

The kit’s Goal 2 contents:

  • Procedure Facemasks – 1 box of 50
  • Hand sanitizing gel – alcohol based

Non-alcohol-based hand sanitizers have not been shown to be effective against influenza virus strains. However, I did not include hand sanitizer in the kit, since they already use the stuff by the barrel.

Goal 3 – Support Both of Them For a Period of at Least Thirty Days

This was the most problematic, since the topic of food storage might potentially set off alarm bells of prepping. (Some have super-sensitive hearing in this area.) So instead, I relied upon expediency. Alright, they probably have enough in the house for two adults to eat for 5-7 days, so I went with seven days that they’d eat– not eat well, mind you, but eat. The sick person will definitely not be eating much during the illness, so taking these two points together we have already met the dietary needs of the patient. I went low again in figuring a one month’s supply of food for the caregiver, basing it as I did on 1200 calories per day. I thought survival bars, peanuts, and beef jerky would be adequate. Okay, it is not haute cuisine, but nobody’s going to die of starvation with that. Whenever I visit, I plan to drop a few items in the box.

I understand that my solution for Goal 3 probably was not sufficient, but my point here was not perfection; it was adoption. I only was trying to address pandemics, not other situations, which I hope they, one day on their own, will also recognize as representing threats.

I have discussed my pandemic kit with various friends, and I have found a surprising lack of push-back about the contents. “Not a bad idea” or “Would you write those down for me” are the most often heard responses. Some folks are never going to change, and I just have to accept this. They figure the government would never let a pandemic happen in the first place and, if somehow it did, that same government would take care of all of us. Unfortunately, I do not have a kit for that way of thinking.

So, where do things stand now? The kit has safely arrived and has been stored in the back recesses of the apartment’s hall closet. They seem genuinely appreciative. We’ve even discussed some alternative scenarios they might encounter. They’ve told several of their friends, a few of whom have asked for more information. So at least, at an implementation level, my idea seems to be bearing fruit, and I think it may also be starting to have another effect. The two of them are coming back east to visit with our extended family this summer. Her boyfriend has asked me take him to the pistol range.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. Always check the actual products for the most accurate ingredient information, due to product changes or research that may not be reflected above. The statements made in this article have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Nothing above is intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. If you believe that you may have any disease or illness, please seek treatment with your healthcare practitioner immediately.

References


[1]http://crofsblogs.typepad.com/h5n1/files/ComingPandemic.pdf

[2]http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11399518

[3]http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6882/11/16