Hugh’s Quote of the Day:

“Some of the biggest men in the United States, in the field of commerce and manufacture, are afraid of somebody, are afraid of something. They know that there is a power somewhere so organized, so subtle, so watchful, so interlocked, so complete, so pervasive, that they had better not speak above their breath when they speak in condemnation of it.” – President Woodrow Wilson, “The New Freedom”, p. 5.

Notes from HJL:

Don’t forget that JRH Enterprises is having a sale on their New PVS14 Gen 3+ Pinnacle Autogated ITT Night vision units with a 10 YEAR warranty for $2,595.00. In addition to the standard accessories, they are throwing in a weapons mount and a light Interference Filter (LIF) at no additional charge.

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Also, an announcement from Ready Made Resources. For the remainder of this week, they will honor the 15 dimes per $100 in Mountain House Foods. After this week, they will go to 13 dimes per $100 due to the rising silver prices. (15 dimes are equivalent to $26.40)

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Today we present another entry for Round 51 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $11,000+ worth of prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. 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 gift certificate worth $1,000, courtesy of Spec Ops Brand,
  2. A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training. Together, these have a retail value of $589.
  3. A FloJak EarthStraw “Code Red” 100 foot well pump system (a $500 value), courtesy of FloJak.com,
  4. $300 worth of ammo from Patriot Firearms and Munitions. (They also offer a 10% discount for all SurvivalBlog readers with coupon code SVB10P .),
  5. A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials,
  6. A full set of all 26 books published by PrepperPress.com (a $270 value),
  7. Two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value),
  8. EP Lowers, makers of 80% complete fiber composite polymer lowers for the AR-15 rifles, is donating a $250 gift certificate,
  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 Prepperis 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.

Round 51 ends on March 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.

Transmission, Prevention, and Treatment of the Flu Virus, by JJE

Viruses are hitchhikers, and they love us. They love everything about us. We provide the perfect environment for them; we are warm, cozy, and moist, and we transport them exactly where they want to be. As my mother would say, we are the “Hostess with the Mostest”. Some viruses even like the same foods and drinks (water) that we like. They are sneaky little buggers. We hardly know they are there. However, with the right precautions and awareness, we can protect ourselves and others by preventing transmission and treating an infection properly. I would love to talk about how to treat and avoid every viral and bacterial infection to prepare you for when the SHTF, but to honor this flu season I will mainly talk about transmission and treatment of Influenza A, B, and C (also known as the flu). I am a Registered Nurse, and every other patient I currently treat has the flu. I will talk about the chain of events that lead to virus transmission, routes of transmission, how to treat viruses (such as the flu for when the “what if” happens without modern day medicine), and the use of herbal teas for SHTF medical care.

Transmission of a virus is a very simple yet vigorous cycle. To stop the transmission, you simply break a link in the chain of events. The transmission of a virus, such as the flu involves the following stages:

  1. Escape from the host or reservoir of infection,
  2. Transport to the new host,
  3. Entry to the new host, and
  4. Escape from the new host.

On a typical day, you head into work. You open the door to your building, wave at coworkers as you pass by, and make your way to your office, where you will sit and enjoy your coffee and quick breakfast before your busy day begins. Today, you will be interviewing a few new potential employees, and the first should be arriving shortly. (At this point, enough has been said. You have had no physical contact with a person yet, and no one has sneezed or coughed directly in your face. That would be way too obvious. Is the chain of events obvious yet? Let’s continue.) Not much time passes before your first interviewee shows up early and prudent. You shake hands and offer them a seat.

  1. Escape from the host or reservoir of infection: The person who opened the door to your building right before you has mild cold/flu symptoms, a runny nose, and a sore throat. They will probably call in sick tomorrow.
  2. Transport to the new host: You grabbed that door handle.
  3. Entry to the new host: Without washing your hands, you ate your breakfast or maybe you simply rubbed your eyes, because you are still half asleep and let’s face it, it’s a Monday.
  4. Escape from the new host: You shook hands with your interviewee and gave them an offer they were not quite expecting.

A person who is infected with the flu can spread it up to six feet away. This is a significant distance. A droplet from a sneeze or cough must simply be inhaled into the lungs or land in the mouth or nose of its new host. The flu is most commonly transmitted via a droplet route (we will discuss shortly) and is less commonly transmitted via a vector (door knob).

The flu is a highly contagious disease. It can be spread when you inhale infected droplets (from an infected person sneezing or coughing) or have direct contact with an infected person’s secretions (kissing, touching, sharing utensils, and cups). You can also collect the flu virus with your hands by touching smooth surfaces, such as doorknobs, handles, TV remotes, computers, phones, et cetera. When you then touch your hands to your nose, eyes, or mouth the virus is absorbed, and it gets right where it wants to be. The flu virus can live on a hard surface (such as those mentioned above) for 2-8 hours. This is a significant amount of time for a virus to live without a host! Just think of all those doorknobs and shopping carts! So, here is my number one rule: Stop touching your face and use hand sanitizer.

A common misunderstanding is that the winter weather brings on the flu. This is in fact not true. The flu season does commonly occur in the winter, but this is due to other factors and not weather related. The flu virus will survive suspended in air longer when there is less humidity. In the winter months, there tends to be less humidity to indoor air (compared to outdoor air) this gives the virus a longer opportunity to complete its mission. A simple humidifier and circulating the air in your home may help. Secondly, in the winter people spend more time indoors and have closer contact with others, therefore, increasing the likelihood of spreading a virus such as the flu.

For the sake of being thorough, I will briefly discuss what viruses cause the flu. The flu is different than a cold. A cold can be caused by hundreds of different viruses, whereas the flu is caused by Influenza A, B, or C. Influenza A and B are responsible for most of the flu epidemics, whereas influenza C is usually more mild and causes minor respiratory symptoms. The flu vaccine is created based off of Influenza A and B, while there is no vaccine for influenza C. Influenza A can be circulated between animals and humans, whereas influenza B usually circulates only among humans. You are probably thinking, “Wait, isn’t there a new flu each year?” Yes, your thoughts are right. Based on the viruses’ chemical structures, they are then categorized into influenza A, B, or C.

So, let’s just say that you are standing in a line at the grocery store, and the person behind you is coughing and has a poor attempt to completely cover their cough. Or, maybe you are sitting on a bus, and your bus-neighbor sneezes without warning. You think that you can hold your breath or turn away, but most likely it’s too late. Flu symptoms will usually appear within one to four days of infection. This is a pretty decent incubation period. By this time, you’ve completely forgotten about the grocery line or bus stranger, BUT most people infected with the flu are contagious one day before their symptoms even appear. Those sneaky little viruses! They have begun plotting their way into their new host before you even have a clue and means to stop them. (This is why hand and respiratory hygiene is key even when there is no sign of infection.) Now you are infected, and you are probably experiencing the classic flu symptoms:

  • A fever 100 degrees or higher or simply feeling feverish (but NOT everyone with the flu gets a fever),
  • Runny/stuffy nose,
  • Sore throat,
  • Body aches/chills/headache, and
  • Nausea/vomiting/diarrhea. (These symptoms are most common in children and not a typical symptom of the flu among adults. Keep in mind that the flu is a respiratory disease, not a stomach or intestinal bug).

If you remember anything from reading this article, remember this: Once infected with the flu virus, you are contagious for up to seven days! It is a misconception that if you are no longer running a fever, then you must not be contagious. This is not true! So, forget what your mother, grandmother, or whoever told you about that. Children can be contagious with the flu for even longer than seven days. As a matter of fact, you can be contagious and carry the flu virus without any symptoms at all, and you can still transmit the virus to other people.

Those infected with the flu generally take 1-2 weeks to recover. Some people, such as the geriatric population, will develop complication such as pneumonia as a result of the flu. This could be a life-threatening condition. Pneumonia, bronchitis, and sinus and ear infections are examples of complications from flu. The flu can make chronic health problems worse. For example, people with asthma may experience asthma attacks while they have the flu, and people with chronic congestive heart failure may experience a worsening of this condition that is triggered by the flu.

Influenza viruses can be destroyed by heat (167-212°F [75-100°C]). In addition, several chemical germicides, including chlorine, hydrogen peroxide, detergents (soap), iodine-based antiseptics, and alcohols are effective against influenza viruses. For example, alcohol-based hand rubs can be used in the absence of soap and water for hand washing.

According to the CDC, between the years 2009-2010, the H1N1 (swine flu) virus hit the United States. The very first case was documented on April 15, 2009. Eleven days later it was declared a public health emergency, and vaccines were being created and then shortly distributed. Thereafter in the U.S., they estimated 8,000-18,000 deaths related to the H1N1. Imagine if they hadn’t created a vaccine? What if the “what if” happens, and there is no means of creating or distributing a vaccine for such a pandemic. We would be looking at a situation quite like the Spanish flu back in 1918, which was a worldwide pandemic that killed an estimated 50 million people. Our reliance on modern day medicine, vaccines, and antibiotics will be a pitfall once the SHTF and a worldwide pandemic strikes.

So how can we prevent and treat those infected with a flu virus, without hospitalization or vaccination? Simple, we resort back to the tried and true basic care– taking proper contact and airborne precautions to minimize exposure.

  1. Keep the person with the flu in a separate room. This will help keep the other family members from getting the flu. Try to give the sick person their own room. If there are two sick people, they can share a room and share a bathroom. Do not let the sick person share cups, towels, linens, et cetera. Keep a good air flow in the room. Occasionally open the window for fresh air to circulate. Things that you should keep in the sick room and not remove are:
    1. Tissues,
    2. A trashcan with a lid and a plastic bag,
    3. Plenty of water (possibly a squeezable bottle or a cup with a straw for those too weak to sit up),
    4. Thermometer,
    5. Humidifier (the extra moisture will make it easier for the person to breathe),
    6. Facemasks (when the sick person leaves the room, they should be wearing a mask to protect others),
    7. If the “What if” happens:
      1. It is especially crucial to keep the sick person isolated and separate from your group.
      2. Protect the sick person from outside elements by placing them in a separate tent, if housing is not available. Keep them warm, dry, and off of the ground.
      3. Remove bodily waste, and bury it far away from the rest of the group.
      4. Boil any items, that the sick person has used, for at least 20 minutes.
      5. If the sick person remains in a tent, it is still important to circulate air, by occasionally opening a tent window to let fresh air in.
      6. Keep the sick person warm using hot heavy rocks placed on a fire. Place the rocks into a Dutch oven to heat the tent. Create a humidifier by pouring water over the hot rocks.
  2. Treating symptoms of the sick person:
    1. Fever: If medications are available, such as Tylenol or Ibuprofen, or if using herbal remedies, keep a medication log for when doses were given. Always treat the fever. This will make the person feel better, and they may be able to get more rest. Bringing down a fever may also avoid febrile seizures, which are most common in children. Tylenol and Ibuprofen may not always bring a fever down, but should take effect within 30-45 minutes. In addition to using medications to treat a fever, there other steps to take:
      1. Put a cool damp washcloth over their forehead,
      2. Wash their arms and body with a cool damp cloth,
      3. Put the person in a slightly warm bath,
      4. Give them herbal tea– Lemon Balm tea and Yarrow tea promote sweating, which can break the fever,
      5. Give them Catnip and Ginger tea, which can relieve fever, and
      6. Treat chills that may be associated with a fever by:
        1. Providing the sick person with a light blanket,
        2. Bathing in warm water containing Epson salts (to sooth sore muscles),
        3. Providing willow bark, peppermint, ginger, and/or rosemary, which have pain-relieving properties,
        4. Serving Chamomile tea, which can help calm the body.
    2. A Sore throat:
      1. Tylenol or Ibuprofen for the pain,
      2. Ice chips or frozen popsicles,
      3. Salt water gargle then spit it out,
      4. Fennel tea will reduce fever and sooth a sore throat and upset stomach, and
      5. Ginger, Tilden flower, and sage teas will sooth sore throats. (Sage tea is also a natural antiseptic and antibacterial.)
    3. A cough: As a nurse I cannot stress enough that coughing will help break up mucus and congestion, and will make the sick person feel better. Encourage coughing. A dry cough (no mucus production, usually a hacking sound) will be irritating to the airway, throat, and chest. Treating a dry cough will make the person feel better, so provide the following:
      1. A humidifier,
      2. Hard candy to suck on, and
      3. Inhalation of chamomile, eucalyptus, or thyme, which will help loosen mucus and sooth the respiratory passageways.
    4. Congestion:
      1. A warm washcloth to the face for sinus pain,
      2. Peppermint tea can stimulate mucus flow,
      3. Cayenne pepper added to juices or soups can help break up mucus, and
      4. Licorice root is a natural expectorant and is also an anti-inflammatory.
    5. Upset stomach:
      1. Offer plain foods,
      2. Clear liquids,
      3. Valerian root tea and ginger tea, which will help sooth an upset stomach,
      4. Goldenseal tea, which boosts the immune system and treats diarrhea,
      5. Cinnamon tea, which may also stop vomiting and relieve nausea.
  3. Cleaning up after the sick person:
    1. If means of doing laundry in a washer and dryer are available, then wash laundry with soap on a hot setting. Remember to hold linen away from yourself and wash your hands! It is alright to wash the sick person’s laundry with the laundry of other family members.
    2. Cleaning dishes: Dishes can be washed with normal soap and water. To sterilize, again you must boil for at least 20 minutes.
    3. As mentioned above, alcohol is a good disinfectant to kill the flu virus. I recommend keeping an abundant supply of rubbing alcohol for sterilizing the sick room.
  4. It is crucial that the sick person remains hydrated. The person infected with the flu will be at an increased risk for fluid loss due to vomiting, diarrhea, sweating, fever, and mucus production. The individual must “push” more fluids than usual. In the case that the person becomes dehydrated, here is a simple electrolyte solution:
    1. 1 liter potable water
    2. ½ teaspoonp salt
    3. ¼ teaspoon salt substitute (KCL)
    4. ½ teaspoon baking soda, and
    5. 2-3 Tablespoon sugar or honey.
    6. Crushed vitamins can also be added.
    7. NOTE for treating kids: Cut the additives in half.
  5. Protect yourself while caring for a person with the flu. Wear a mask and wash hands often. For immune boosting and antiviral herbs, try taking:
    1. Echinacea,
    2. Elderberry,
    3. Garlic,
    4. Asian Ginseng, and/or
    5. Wild Indigo.

Remember, the best treatment for the flu is prevention. Cut a link in the chain of transmission and show those bugs who is boss. Most of the time common colds and flus are taken lightly, especially by those healthy young individuals. In a “What if” situation, prevention could be the key between life and death of those who you love. Protect yourself and your family, and start this flu season.

Four Letters Re: Rechargeable Batteries and a Solar Charger

Sir,

I have used Battery Junction for many years and am happy with their product and service. Below is what I use.

I use these batteries daily and have for over three years. I have no affiliation with this company. Thank you for the work you do. Respectfully, – L.G.

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Hugh,

Reading the Rechargeable Batteries and a Solar Charger, I was glad to see the Eneloop recommendation, as I’ve been using those since 2006 myself and plain old Sanyo NiMH since the 90’s. However, you then recommended the Energizer 15-minute battery cooker. Notice I don’t call it a charger, since charging seems to be a secondary goal behind cooking your batteries. Basically, it’s one of the worst chargers out there. The current selling version seems to not be as bad as earlier ones but is still too fast and harmful to the long life of your batteries. There are some who like to push the envelope and will monitor the charging batteries with expensive temperature sensors and fans to dissipate the heat, but that is not something you want to mess with for survival situations. If you want a good charger, you need to look at Maha or LaCross. Occasionally, other brands will put out decent chargers, but you have to research and look for the good models. – E.N.

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Hugh,

Just a thought on the really neat charger, Maha PowerEx MH-C800S. It’s really neat BUT…

Even though it can be used on worldwide voltage with a plug converter, it has a drawback. For right now, it’s great, but if we have upsets, it isn’t easily run on 12VDC. The power supply uses a DIN connector to power the unit; they’re not very convenient to convert or adapt. I looked at all the tech specs but couldn’t find out what the wall wartoutput voltage was.

As I said above, I ONLY use chargers that run off of 12VDC or use a wall wart power supply that provides 12 Volts DC. AC is not forever and is hard to make in uncivilized times/arenas. This is just my two cents worth. YMMV.

Best regards all – The Army Aviator

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Hugh,

I have personally owned and used the Powerex MH-C800S Eight Cell Smart Charger (for 2 years now) and can attest to its excellence. Once a month, over the course of 2-3 days, I rotate approximately 275 AA and AAA batteries through the charger to keep them fresh. Once I complete my modest solar array, I’ll add three more of these chargers to the mix. Standard night vision devices and, especially, thermal units go through batteries rather quickly. This charger removes the “guess work” regarding your batteries. – P.C.

Letter: Clorox Changed Formula

Hi Hugh,

Is the new Clorox Concentrated, splash-less bleach still recommended for purifying water? I can’t find the Clorox I bought for years. It seems all bleach is now concentrated. I am reading the blog this morning and people talking about bleaching their water (as we are taught to do). Well, it just occurred to me that the 3-pack Clorox that I bought from Sam’s Club awhile ago has not been doing the job it normally does. Yes, I know that they now have lemon and lavender, but I stay away from those. What I bought was the new “concentrated” splash-less regular bleach. I can’t smell the bleach in it. I cannot find the old Clorox that I bought before, not even in Walmart. Believe me when I tell you that the rags I wash do not come out clean the way they used to. I bleach my shower tile also, and that has not come out the way it did with the old Clorox. I called the company and talked to their service department. They said that people had complained about the smell, so they changed the formula but that it should still have the same cleaning power. I told them that with my repeated use of the old Clorox and now this new formula, there is a big difference and that I was not happy with the change. I went to Walmart and bought their “Great Value” brand. It says it is concentrated, but I can smell the bleach in it, and it works better than the new Clorox, concentrated version. Does anyone know what is going on in the bleach prepping world? Thanks for your time, – NM

Hugh Replies: A Google search reveals a dizzying array of information regarding the formula change but no definitive answers. It seems they changed the formula sometime in 2009 to contain a high percentage of sodium hypochlorite, in an effort to reduce the amount of chlorine shipped by rail (and the associated hazards and legalities). Clorox claims their new formula contains a higher percentage of Chlorine to reduce packaging costs. You are apparently not the only person who has noticed a reduction in its effectiveness as a cleaning product. However, I’m going to have to put this question to our readers.

News from the American Redoubt:

Idaho has a Privileged Poacher on the Police Payroll in another case of “those who are exempt from the laws they supposedly uphold”.

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Sent in by RBS – Magic Valley officer shoots family dog. This is an issue that seems to be getting out of control nationwide. In some cases, homeowners are not managing their dogs appropriately, and in others officers are too quick to kill the animals, knowing that they will be protected by procedures. As budgetary constraints continue to force municipalities to tighten up, expect to see more of the same.

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The Wyoming House passed a bill to allow guns in schools. This is not the only such bill on the table. Currently, this bill is only about school employees. We’ll see where this one goes. – F.B.

Economics and Investing:

Polar Vortex hits California housing market: California home sales fall over 10 percent on an annual basis. 2014 off to a drought in real estate.

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Comparing the inflated cost of living today from 1950 to 2014:How declining purchasing power has hurt the middle class since 1950.

Items from The Economatrix:

Return of Goldilocks Economy Means A Weaker USD, But Beware The 3 Bears

U.S. Economy Weather Impact Narrative Getting Confusing

Odds ‘n Sods:

Now the call of the media begins: State Can’t Let Gun Scofflaws Off Hook – B.B.

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If I Had a Hammer. . . ( Homemade Submachinegun Photos)

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RBS sent in this link to “The Blaze” on What You Need to Know About Filming, Photographing Police in Public. If you ever plan on using your cellphone to do this, you may want to read this article.

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K.B. sent in this 86-second video of Penn and Teller on the Second Amendment. It’s an older video, but it is spot on and easy to understand. They got this one right. Warning: To the surprise of no one who is familiar with these two, Penn drops a totally unnecessary f-bomb at the end. Stop the video before the 1:23 mark, if you can.

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This sentence leaves an editor cringing, but it’s hard to ignore the message: Dr Barbara Bellar sums up Obamacare in one sentence – M.B.

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As an engineer, I’ve always enjoyed mathematics. As a Christian, I love a good object lesson. This video sent in by D.A. doesn’t really “prove” anything mathematically, but it makes a really neat object lesson: Beauty of Mathematics

Hugh’s Quote of the Day:

“I keep feeling like I’m living in The Matrix. The Obama administration and liberal progressive media would like to force Americans to take the red pill and stay in fantasyland where everything is lovely. They will cover up the truth by draining our will and energy. Instead, we must wake up and see the ‘real world’ behind the smoke and mirrors, behind the Potemkin President, and understand the truth of this presidential cover-up.” – Retired Col. Allen West

Notes from HJL:

Ammunition and Government Contracts

Much ado has been made over government contracts for ammunition in the last two years (or since the ammunition shortages began). I really think the excitement stems from not understanding how government contracts work, so I’d like to explain to our readers how this process actually saves them money (tax dollars) and does not mean that the government is buying all of the product that has been reported as under contract.

I work in a small volunteer fire department. While we have excellent quality fire gear, it does eventually wear out and must be replaced. It is expensive– about $3500 to outfit a fireman in standard gear (not including breathing gear). Because of past concerns with “under the table” bids, no-bid contracts, and possible corruption, the government has established procedures for the purchase of any items of significant value. Normally, this is a three bid process. Our fire department must submit a Request for Quote (RFQ) publicly. At least three companies must bid on supplying the high value items, and the fire department is required to accept the lowest bid. During the bidding process, if any person or company believes they can provide the equipment, they have a right to submit a bid. With budget challenges and the fact that each individual fire set is relatively expensive, the most we can purchase is 12 units at a time. If our department attempts to purchase more, we have to justify it to the county. Just obtaining spares isn’t good enough, because each set is tailored specifically for the fire fighter wearing it. There is no guarantee that the spare jacket would even fit a new person.

It’s a real pain to go through this bidding process, which can take months to complete. The department may be willing to put the manpower in if it’s for the whole department, but if we are replacing just one set because of damage, it may not be worth the effort. That particular fire fighter may be sidelined unless he/she is willing to put the time in themselves to replace the damaged equipment. However, there is an answer for this problem.

The state itself has multiple fire departments that they run. Every year, they have to replace damaged equipment on a much larger scale than what our county needs. When the state puts out the RFQ, they will specify the equipment needed, estimate the needed amount of equipment (based upon the needs of the previous year), and then increase that number by a significant amount. If they are pretty sure they will need to replace 100 sets of gear for their own departments, they may place the RFQ for up to 1000 sets of gear. Notice that the RFQ does not specify they will actually buy that many; the RFQ indicates only that whatever they do buy, the bidder agrees to supply them at the bid price. Once the bid is accepted, it becomes a contract. Now, if my local fire department needs to replace only one set of gear, they no longer have to go through the entire bid process themselves. They can piggyback on this state contract to obtain the gear they need at the contracted volume pricing. Rather than go through that cumbersome process of getting a minimum of three bids and so forth, they simply need to ask the contracted company to supply them with the gear at the bid price under the state’s contract. Now they can easily and quickly purchase the same gear the state obtained. Rather than a multi-month process to obtain the replacement gear, we can now get it in just a few weeks.

What if the county doesn’t like the gear that is under contract with that bidder? No problem. Most states have a wide base of contracts. One large fire company may prefer gear from Company A and another may prefer gear from Company B. It’s a pretty good bet that both companies have contracts with the state. In fact, the state may pursue contracts with both companies because they know the individual fire departments may prefer different gear. If relatively similar contracts are procured between both companies, it saves the taxpayer money and the fire departments get their equipment easily and quickly. On paper, it looks like the state is getting ready to purchase 2000 sets of gear, but the reality is that only the gear necessary for the job will get purchased over the course of a year.

This same process works well and is in place at a national level. When the FBI needs to purchase ammunition, whether for practice, range qualification, or duty, they issue an RFQ for a much larger amount than what they need. They get a better price from the manufacturer because of the high quantity and the expectation is that other agencies will piggyback on their contract to fulfill the order. The bidding company under contract and the FBI (or other agency) are well aware that the maximum number specified in the contract may never be purchased. In fact, it probably won’t. When another agency gets ready to purchase ammo, they may not even like the particular ammo under contract by the FBI. They will then pursue an additional contract with another company or possibly a different ammo line with the same company. We may even see contracts with the same company and the same ammo line because the first agency to issue the RFQ may not have specified a number large enough to obtain the desired discounted price. On a state level, the process can be convoluted, but that complexity is magnified on a national level because of all the different companies, all the different agencies, and all the different product lines in the system. If you simply add up all the numbers expecting that a contract will be completely fulfilled, you end up with astronomical numbers of rounds of ammunition. That is an incredibly irresponsible way to report those numbers, because it puts a very positive, money-saving process in a very negative light. A much better reporting process would be to report the actual number of rounds delivered from the manufacturing companies.

So if the the ammunition manufacturing companies are running at capacity and the government isn’t actually buying all those rounds, who is responsible for the ammunition shortages? The answer is simple; you are, and I am. In days past, many gun owners only had a box or two of ammunition at home. If we were going to the range, we might stop off at the local sports store to get what we thought we would burn up on the way. Only those who were “radical” or shot competitively (or reloaded their own) dealt with bulk quantities of ammunition. Then along come the reports that ammunition may be scarce, and we all run out to the stores and buy a large supply. There is a small amount of buffer in the supply lines, but with everyone purchasing anything they can get their hands on for fear of it being unavailable, that supply is quickly depleted. It becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. You are afraid there soon may not be any ammunition, so you buy more ammunition than you normally would, thus making it scarce.

It is probably also true that Reid, Schumer, Feinstien, Obama, and others are the finest gun and ammunition salesmen that have ever lived. They have managed to motivate us to purchase weapons and ammunition that we simply wouldn’t purchase before. We moved on purchases that we had been questioning or in quantities that we never dreamed we would. Thus, the supply couldn’t keep up with the average gunowner’s extraordinary demand, rather than the government’s extraordinary demand.

The Practicality of Bartering Ammunition, from JWR

Some folks have suggested that in a post-collapse environment, bartering your extra ammunition, telegraphs that you have a stash of stuff that is worth looting. I disagree! I would not barter ammo if I lived somewhere like downtown Indianapolis or greater Dallas, but the benefits outweigh the risks for those of us who live out in the boonies. I will feel safer knowing that my neighbors have a couple of thousand rounds of ammo on hand.

Sid’s R.E.A.D.Y. Book Review

  CONTACT! A Tactical Manual for Post Collapse Survival
Revised and Expanded Second Edition
by Max Velocity

ISBN-13: 978-1478106692

Publisher: CreateSpace www.createspace.com
Publication date: 2012

Sid’s R.E.A.D.Y. SCALE 1=Low 5=High
Readability: Literary style and ease of assimilation
Educational : Utility of the information
Accuracy: Fact or conjecture, opinion or consensus.
Detail: Depth of information. Are the nuts & bolts of the concepts present?
Yes Factor: Overall rating

The author Max Velocity (not his real name) is an ex-U.S. and U.K. armed forces member. He served with British Special Operations Forces. Per the authors bio: The author served on six operational deployments, including to Afghanistan immediately post-9/11, and also a tour training and selecting recruits for the Regiment. In explaining what the Parachute Regiment is, it is easiest to compare it in role to the 75th Ranger Regiment, although it is of course its own unique and elite force. He retired from the British Army in 2003. Following retirement, the author spent five years serving as a security contractor in both Iraq and Afghanistan. This included working on contract for the U.S. government in Iraq– a year of which was based out of Fallujah, the rest variously based out of Baghdad and country-wide. He also spent two years working for the British government in Helmand Province and Kabul, Afghanistan. These roles were operational security roles that included exposure to multiple different training methods and operational schools of thought, as well as both high profile and low profile mobile operations across Iraq and Afghanistan. The author then joined the U.S. Army and trained as a Combat Medic and Civil Affairs Specialist. He is a U.S. citizen and lives in the United States.

CONTACT! Offers the novice both basic and advanced military-based strategies for enhancing survivability in a post-event or societal collapse environment. This book is not suitable for children, due to theme. This is the second edition, revised and expanded with numerous blog posts that embellish the material from the first edition. There is considerable discussion across the Internet, blogs, and forums as to the utility of these techniques, tactics, and procedures (TTP). There are those that firmly believe that all one needs to do for training is to attend and participate in an Appleseed Course or take a Tactical Firearm Training course to learn advanced firearm handling, target acquisition, shooting on the move, et cetera from Front Sight,  Thunder Ranch, Gunsite Academy, Vickers Tactical  or any of the hundreds of trainers around the U.S. Proponents of each are adamant in their defense of their chosen path. Others still will stand by their years of experience hunting and strongly feel that’s all they need come SHTF. My thoughts are that all of the above methods have their benefits, and one would be well-served to take advantage of them all. However, to discount the value of the TTP’s in Contact! would be, IMHO, a prime example of the Dunning-Kruger Effect  or as they say, “You don’t know what you don’t know”.

Now here’s the clincher, just reading this book in no way, shape, or form is enough. You actually need to get up out of your chair, step away from the computer, and take a Combat Rifle course from one of the fine instructors out there. Max Velocity and John Mosby  are couple of solid trainers who really care about getting you, the patriot/prepper/American, up to speed. So, read the book already and GitSum !

Readability= 5 A very well-written text with numerous illustrations, which greatly enhance the understanding of the concepts. If you have never served in the Armed Forces, I would suggest keeping a running list of the military acronyms used throughout the book, or refer to lists that have been compiled in the past, such as the Survival Blog Glossary I’d recommend creating your own to help in the memorizing process. “Recce” (pronounced: r?ki, as in Wreck – E) is British slang for reconnaissance and is used frequently in the book.

Educational= 4 The author has put together a well thought out text on military strategies, both offensive and defensive, that was palpable and concise. Realize that some of the material cannot truly be implemented, without having squad-level numbers of personnel available to you, as the average reader with a family to protect. However, having a basic introduction to all of the techniques described in this book may serve you well in the future. Initially, post-collapse, the more complex activities might not be on your list of “things to do today,” but as time passes and the situation evolves/devolves they very well could be important skills. Granted, much of this information is available in the U.S. Army’s Ranger Manual or Military Operations in Urban Terrain (M.O.U.T.) Manual and other military texts, the author has put together some excellent information for the amateur survivalist or the seasoned, quiet professional in a manner that is much more assessable to the average untrained person. Regardless of whether you and your family can implement these defensive and offensive maneuvers is not relevant. Knowledge of what types of offensive engagements you may be subjected to can help you prepare to defend your retreat/home and family/group. In medicine, doctors miss more by “not looking” than by “not knowing”. In conflict, failure comes by not looking AND not knowing. The knowledge in this book can prove instrumental to your survival.

Accuracy= 4 The strategies and techniques contained within this reference are based off of sound military concepts and have proven effective for decades. The author, having served in both the U.S. and U.K. armed forces brings a wider perspective to the subject manner.

Detail= 4 Both offensive and defensive maneuvers as well as techniques for hardening vehicles and buildings are discussed. Mounted and Unmounted (in a vehicle or on foot) operations are explained in detail with many illustrations that are very useful. Practicing these techniques with a team is catamount to the learning process, and the author reinforces this throughout the book. As it goes with “The best laid schemes o’ mice an’ men”, individual results will vary.

Yes Factor= 5 I would encourage adding this book to your library of essential texts. It was a very enjoyable read, and I realized many misconceptions I personally held relating to what I would do in many SHTF scenarios. I see now that many of my preparations are inadequate and, perhaps, were ill-conceived in the first place. When a book inspires me to take positive action, I feel it was money well spent and time properly invested. Time is short folks!

Take care and God Bless. – Sydney

Pat’s Product Review – Cold Steel’s Counter Point

There are many stupid knife (and gun) laws on the books, all over this country. Many are archaic in nature and aren’t enforced; however, they are still on the books just the same. There are some states, like Texas, that prohibit “daggers” or double edge knives. Believe it or not, some areas forbid the ownership of anything called a “Bowie” knife. Insane!

My late friend and mentor, Col. Rex Applegate, co-designed the Applegate/Fairbairn (A/F) double-edge fighting knife during WWII. It was a vastly improved Fairbairn/Sykes double edge knife. However, WWII came to a close before the A/F came into production. It wasn’t until the early 1990s, if I recall, that Applegate finally had the A/F produced commercially by Blackjack Knives. There were some serious problems with the first few production runs, and the center line of the knife didn’t meet at the tip of the blade. They were off-centered, to be sure. Since then, several companies have been licensed to produce the A/F double edge fighting knife. Gerber Legendary Blades also produced a folding version of the A/F fighting knife, and I had an early pre-production version. Gerber placed the pocket clip on the wrong side of the knife for right-handed use, with no option to move the clip. Stupid!

This is a review of the Cold Steel Counter Point Series line of folders that for all the world appear to be partially double-edged knives, dagger-esque, or spear point in design. However, the upper edge of the blade is NOT sharpened. The design allows for deeper penetration than many other folding knives, if the knife is used in a self-defense situation. I’ve said many times that most knife fights consists of slashing moves instead of stabbing moves, but if the opportunity presented itself, you can sure stab instead of slash. That’s for another article on self-defense with a knife.

We have three different-sized Counter Point folders in the series. The Counter Point I has a blade length of 4-inches; the Counter Point II has a 3-inch blade; and the Counter Point XL has a 6-inch blade. My test sample was the 4-inch blade version, and it was a good balance in size between the three folders. All are identical in that the blades are made out of AUS 8 stainless steel– one of my favorites, and the handle material is manufactured out of something called Griv-Ex– a super-strong polymer material pioneered by Cold Steel that is tough, very tough.

All three of the Counter Point folders have the famous Tri-Ad Lock, and it is one of the strongest, if not the strongest lock you can get on a folding knife. Cold Steel isn’t afraid to demonstrate the strength of the Tri-Ad Lock in their “Proof” video or on their website. There is also a reversible pocket clip for right or left pocket carry, with the tip up. (There is no option for tip down carry.) There is also a thumb stud on the blade for easy deployment, too.

The Counter Point I sample has an overall length of 9-inches, when opened. It weighs a mere 4.7-ounces and is 3.5mm thick. Seriously, you don’t even know you have the Counter Point clipped inside your pants pocket. Needless to say, but I’ll repeat it again: I believe Lynn Thompson, the owner of Cold Steel, set the gold standard when it comes to sharp knives. All of his knives come shaving sharp from the box. Everyone else has had to jump on-board with manufacturing sharp knives, or fall by the wayside. Thompson did us all a service, and it is a rare thing to find a major name knife company that doesn’t have hair-popping edges on their blades these days. Well, that’s just my take on it all.

The Griv-Ex black polymer handle scales have several holes on both sides of the handles, which lightens the weight of the knife as well as gives it a sleek appearance. The handle also has heat-treated aluminum liners to add more strength to the Counter Point’s Griv-Ex handle scales.

I did my usual testing of the Counter Point. It was used around the kitchen and out on my small homestead. I stabbed it into stacked cardboard, and I really abused the knife by throwing it a lot against trees. I got it to stick a few times, but this is not a throwing knife. I wanted to really abuse this folder. The Tri-Ad Lock never failed. It’s stout and, aside from a few small scratches, the Counter Point was good as new.

With many folding knives, I can draw them from my pocket and “flick” them open. It took some serious wrist-action to flick the Counter Point open, but I was able to do it. The Tri-Ad Lock really holds the blade closed, as well as locked open when deployed.

I recently had one SurvivalBlog reader take me to task on the Cold Steel AUS 8 blade steel and their serrated blades. This reader told me that he could bend the serrated portion of the blade he had with his finger nail. Uh, no!!! I tried this on several of my older Cold Steel folders, and I couldn’t bend the blade at the serrations. I’m not quite sure if this reader was taking me to task for serrated blades, AUS 8 stainless steel, or was against Cold Steel knives. I referred this reader to Lynn Thompson, if he felt he had a defective knife or whatever his complaint was. I have used AUS 8 stainless steel bladed knives for years, and I have never had it fail me. It’s a great compromise stainless steel that is affordable, holds an edge a good long time, and is easy to re-sharpen (and I’m not a wizard when it comes to sharpening knives).

Now, for the good news. The Counter Point I– the knife I tested– has a retail price of only $71.99. Additionally, it can be found discounted on many websites. The Counter Point II is retailing for $55.99, and the Counter Point XL is $99.99. All are made in Taiwan, where many high quality knives are being manufactured these days. You get as good as you want. If you want a 50-cent knife, you can have one made. If you want a thousand dollar knife made, you can get that too, and the quality will be exactly what you want. So, don’t let “Made In Taiwan” scare you away. You are getting a great deal. If you purchased the same knife made in the USA, you’d pay a lot more.

If you’re in the market for a new folder, check out the Counter Point Series. I bet you’ll find one that will fit you “just right,” as Goldilocks once said, and, it won’t drain your checkbook either. – SurvivalBlog Field Gear Editor Pat Cascio

Pat’s Product Review: Altai MF Tactical Boots

One thing I’ve learned over the years is that it doesn’t pay to purchase cheap shoes or boots. You only have one pair of feet, so treat them nicely by buying the best you can get!

In 1969, when we were on our first day of Basic Training in the U.S. Army, there was one thing the drill sergeants told us (and I’ve never forgotten it) was to “not wear your boots into the shower, get them wet, and wear them until they dry on your feet.” We were told we’d get an Article 15, which is a military reprimand/punishment. Now, we might have been young and dumb back in those days, but we all understood it to mean that we should get our boots nice and wet, and wear them until they dry so they will mold to our feet, but don’t get caught doing it. Back in the day, it sure worked with all-leather combat boots. A good soaking in the shower and allowing those boots to dry on your feet, actually molded them to your feet, thus bypassing a break-in period. Some soldiers didn’t do this, and they had blisters on their feet in short order. It took weeks to break-in those all-leather combat boots, otherwise.

With many of today’s artificial fabrics used in the manufacture of boots and shoes, it’s almost impossible to get your shoes or boots to mold to your feet by soaking them in water and wearing the footwear until they dried on your feet. If you have plans on bugging out on foot, for whatever reason, you must (and I repeat MUST) have a good-fitting and comfortable pair of boots or hikers. Shoes just don’t cut it, especially if you are in the boonies, on rocky or rough terrain. So, boots or hikers are the order of the day if you plan on bugging out on foot.

Sure, go ahead, and purchase that nice “looking” pair of boots or hikers from one of the big box stores. Then see how long they last, how comfortable they are, or what kind of material they are made out of. In the end, you’ll regret purchasing bargain basement boots or hikers. To be sure, I’ve done some research over the years and learned that approximately 90% – 95% of our footwear is made in China. Heaven help us if we ever go to war against China. Inside of a couple months, we’ll all be barefoot.

I have a couple pair of books and hikers that I’ve designated for hunting and bug out purposes, and they are well broken-in, too. Some took a few days, but most took a few weeks or a month to break-in properly, so they were comfortable on my feet and wouldn’t raise blisters. Some are made in the USA; some are made oversea. You get as good as you want when having products made overseas.

I recently received a pair of Altia MF Tactical Boots for testing for this article. They are made in Vietnam, if it matters to you. That war is long ago over with, and we weren’t allowed to win it. It’s not the fault of the military who fought and died there. It was the politicians who wouldn’t allow us to win, but that’s for another time. The very first thing I noticed about the Altai MF Tactical Boot is how super light-weight they are. We are talking about a 9″ high boot that weighs only about 23-ounces for the pair!

Some other specs on the Altair boots is that the upper is made out of something called “SuperFabric,” and I’m not privy to what the material is, other than I can tell it is light-weight and very strong. The SuperFabric is meant to withstand harsh environments and rough applications. If you look closely at the material, it is covered with evenly-placed “armor plates,” according to the Altai website. They are little tiny “nubs,” and they protect the SuperFabric. This SuperFabric allows for fast-drying; the boots are waterproof and breathable. In my neck of the woods, where it rains for eight months out of the year, I prefer waterproof footwear most of the time.

The SuperFabric is also stain-resistant, and the outer sole is made out of Vibram– one of my favorite materials for hiking and trekking. The laces are a figure 8 style for speed-lacing, which makes the boots easy to get on and off. The eyelets are metal rather than plastic, which breaks easily. The tongue is padded nylon, and the leather toe is waterproof and polishable.

I will readily admit that the Altai boots were comfortable right out of the box, and needed no break-in period at all. The one thing that “bothered” me more than anything was that the boots are light-weight. They might be the lightest boots I’ve ever worn; if they aren’t the lightest boots I’ve ever worn, they sure feel like it. I have light-weight hikers that aren’t this light-feeling, and I do a lot of walking, so I like boots and hikers that are light-weight and durable. I hike some of the logging roads in my area, and they can be rough with big rocks that are used for paving the roads for the log trucks. Those big rocks are really tough to walk on and tough on footwear. The Altai boots had no problems on the logging roads or the asphalt roads when I was wearing the boots. It just doesn’t seem right that boots this light-weight are so rugged. Go figure! In spite of their light weight, they are tough boots, to be sure!

I like the speed-lacing system, as I mentioned, that makes them easy on/easy off. In a bug out situation, you may not have all the time in the world to get properly dressed. You don’t want to waste time trying to lace-up a pair of boots. It can take time, especially with some other boots, to get them on and laced-up. Did I happen to mention, how light-weight these boots are? Yeah, I did. I wanted to mention it once again! I was totally blown away with how comfortable the boots were right out of the box and how nice they felt on my feet . I’ve had tennis shoes that weren’t this comfortable, seriously!

Right now, Altai is having a special on their boots. They are normally $180, but for a limited time, they are on-sale for $160. They are one heck of a bargain, in a light-weight, super-tough boot. One last word, the ONLY product that Altai sells are the Altai MF Tactical Boots. Altai has to have a LOT of faith in their product to make a living selling just one product. I can easily see these boots for law enforcement and security officers. I’m not sure what some of the regulations are in the militaries in other countries, but if troops are given some leeway in the types of boots they can wear, these Altai MF Tactical Boots would be a wise choice. One more note: I’m told the boots run a little bit on the big side, so order half a size smaller than you’d normally wear. I take a 10.5 in shoes and boots, and they sent me a size 10. It fit nicely, very nicely! So, if you’re in the market for a new pairs of boots for hiking, hunting, or bugging out, take a close look at the Altai MF Tactical Boots. You’ll be impressed, very impressed. — SurvivalBlog Field Gear Editor Pat Cascio

Recipe of the Week: Mrs. HJL’s Roast and Vegetables

This is a recipe for Comfort Food that is simple and yummy.

1 Rump or Chuck Roast

Lawry’s Seasoned Salt

2 Onions, sliced

1/2 cup water

Roasting pan

Aluminum foil

Place the roast in roasting pan. Sprinkle the seasoned sale heavily over the roast. Lay onion slices on top of roast. Pour water into the pan (not over the roast). Tight cover the roast and roasting pan with foil, sealing the edges around the pan. Place in an oven at 300 degree Fahrenheit. Cook all night (at least 8 hours).

Peeled potatoes, halved

Carrot pieces, large chunks

In the morning, add the potatoes and carrots into the broth/water that is beside the roast in the pan. Recover with foil. Cook at 350 degree Fahrenheit for another 1-2 hours, until potatoes and carrots are soft.

Pour broth off into a pan to make gravy (with flour and water). Enjoy!

o o o

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