Letter Re: Low Voltage DC LED Strip Lights for Disaster House Lighting

Dear JWR:
This might have been thought of before, but I just stumbled into something called LED strip lights. Here is a sample.

They come in 15 meter rolls, are about 1/2 inch wide and have 300 individual LED lights. They can be cut into segments between every third light. They run off of 12 volts DC and are actually rather bright while using little electricity. If you purchased one of those little strips the reloading companies sell to mount inside the press so you can see what’s going on, it is probably this stuff. There are several versions. Some have 150 light and some have larger LEDs that put out more light. There are several colors available including multi-color ones for holiday lighting.

I’m seeing a lot of possibilities for emergency use. A strip with six LEDs on it will light most of the rooms in my house well enough to get around in. It will also provide enough light to read by if placed close to the book. It isn’t the most pleasant light, though I haven’t sampled the other color variants, but it beats no light. I took a battery holder that holds 8 AA cells I got at Radio Shack and made a portable light for about $4 plus the cost of batteries. It isn’t elegant, but it sure is cheap. If I’m doing the math right, a strip of six LEDs are using .02 AH, so those eight AA batteries should provide several days of run time.

You could probably improve the quality of light with lens or diffusers.

I just checked it outside and if placed about seven feet in the air, a strip of six will light about a 20 foot in diameter circle reasonably well. It’s not a floodlight, but if you are in a darkened house looking out, you will be able to see what’s out there.

It also seems to run well on NiMH rechargeable batteries . A solar charger and some rechargeable batteries should be able to keep you in light for quite a while. I’m also sure the more innovative can come up with better ideas for implementation.

Should you want to post it, I trust, of course, that you won’t use my full name.

Thanks and God Bless. – T.M.G.

JWR Replies: Although LED light strips and tubes have been mentioned before in SurvivalBlog, this topic bears repeating.

If you buy either red or blue LEDs, then they won’t spoil your eyes’ natural night vision, for when you step outdoors.

My favorite suppliers for LED lights is Creative Lighting Solutions, a small company launched in February of 2007 and based near Cleveland, Ohio.

Economics and Investing:

Report: Government redistributes more than $2 trillion in one year

Marc Faber Exposes The Consequences Of A Dysfunctional Political System

Foreign Purchases Of US Securities Drop To New Post-Lehman Low

Items from The Economatrix:

The Red Queen’s Race And The Real Winners From Quantitative Easing: Celebrating The Five Year Anniversary Of Redistributing Wealth To The Top.

Bernanke Says Economy ‘Still Far’ From Ideal

Why Were Foreigners Large Net Sellers Of US Assets In September?

Odds ‘n Sods:

Radio Free Redoubt mentioned a useful report format: The Spot Report

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Here is another “made in USA” gear maker that bears mentioning: Vvego.

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H.L. sent this Nanny State news: The New Ban in Vancouver That Some People Just Won’t Be Able to ‘Handle’

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Looting and other crime prevalent in typhoon battered Philippines. (Thanks to Andre D. for the link.)

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A quite affordable option for bug out bags or get home bags: The Sawyer Mini Filter

Notes from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 49 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $8,500+ worth of prizes for this round include:

First Prize: A.) Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three course. (A $1,195 value.) B.) 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, and C.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $350 value.) D.) a $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any of their military surplus gear, E.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $300 value), F.) A $300 Gift Certificate from Freeze Dry Guy. G.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo. H.) A roll of $10 face value in pre-1965 U.S. 90% silver quarters, courtesy of GoldAndSilverOnline.com. The current value of this roll is at least $225, and I.) VPN tunnel, DigitalSafe and private e-mail annual subscriptions from Privacy Abroad. They have a combined value of $265.

Second Prize: A.) A gift certificate worth $1,000, courtesy of Spec Ops Brand, B.) 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. C.) A FloJak FP-50 stainless steel hand well pump (a $600 value), courtesy of FloJak.com. D.) $300 worth of ammo from Patriot Firearms and Munitions. (They also offer a 10% discount for all SurvivalBlog readers with coupon code SVB10P.), E.) A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials F.) A full set of all 23 of the books published by PrepperPress.com. This is more than a $210 value, and G.) Two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).

Third Prize: A.) A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21. (This filter system is a $275 value.), B.) 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, C.) Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy. This is a $185 retail value, D.) A Commence Fire! emergency stove with three tinder refill kits. (A $160 value.), E.) Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security., F.) A MURS Dakota Alert Base Station Kit with a retail value of $240 from JRH Enterprises , and G.) A Nesco / American Harvest Gardenmaster Dehydrator with an extra set of trays, and the book The Dehydrator Bible, from Mayflower Trading. (A $210 value.)

Round 49 ends on November 30th, 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.

An Objective Critique of “American Blackout” by J.A. in New Jersey

Last night I was able to sit down and watch the National Geographic channel’s “American Blackout” show on YouTube.com (without family interruption!)   I would like to offer an unbiased critique of the show.

The message of the show was very simple – to reach out to the average non-prepping American and illustrate how unprepared the general population is.  The producers of the show used very generic stereotypical characters in order to relate to the widest possible audience.  Every “type” of victim portrayed made simple but life threatening mistakes that were clearly illustrated to make a point about the importance of being prepared.

The format of the show, a series of video blog diaries in a reality show format, was a delivery tool chosen to reach the widest possible audience.  Most people today own “smart phones” and their daily lives are tied to sharing every aspect of their existence via social media.  Most people are so swept up in the drama of the moment and reporting it to their friends that they don’t have any common sense in a dangerous situation.

Of all possible TEOTWAWKI scenarios, the one that is the most easily believable to the masses is a hacker attack on the electrical grid – people understand hackers and computer viruses and we all have experienced the upheaval caused by going without electricity for a night due to an electrical storm or car accident at the pole on the corner.  The producers had to use a the most believable scenario that most people have experienced and could relate to.

Below are generalizations about the types of “sheeple” characters represented (we all know people like this, and we all know people who are not like this – please don’t hold these generalizations against me). 

“Gemma”.   This character represented the young, wealthy urbanites who can afford to have very nice things in their lives.  These people are concerned with living in the right places, knowing the right people, wearing the right clothes, and socializing at the right parties.  They live in the “now” with very little thought given to the future.   These “me me me” individuals generally possess a victim mentality (that when bad things happen it only happens to them), someone else is always responsible, and it is always up to someone else to help them.

Learning Point – Having all the latest and greatest techie gadgets will not keep you alive.  Always have a manual can opener and other manual kitchen gadgets on hand, and keep cash on you.  Each home should have a first aid kit.  The door to the apartment was sub-standard quality and not properly reinforced against break ins.    Venturing forth from a secure location can be dangerous.  Also, don’t eat food from a warm fridge as it can cause food poisoning.

“College Kids in Elevator”  These characters represented young people that can function without their parents watching their every move, but generally are still children mentally.  Young people give very little or no thought to “what if” scenarios as help (aka their parents) is only a phone call away.

Learning Point – the one student who kept saying “I can’t to this” actually became the one who used his head to solve problems and keep himself and a friend alive.  He illustrated the importance of keeping a clear head and using available resources for survival.  Ken, the first casualty, illustrated that there will be people who take unnecessary risks because that cannot think clearly in a stressful situation.

“Molly’s Family”.  Young suburban family living the middle class dream.  Probably living paycheck to paycheck, loaded with credit card, student loan and mortgage debt.  Obviously the family loved each other very much, but very little thought was given to the future, apparently it was just easier to run out to the store whenever they needed something.  Possibly their debt load did not allow putting away extra supplies.

Learning Point – ATMs will not work when there is no power.    The family bond is extremely important, and the ability to keep hope and faith alive and to stay close with each member of the family.  It wasn’t covered in the show, but I believe the mother of the newborn illustrated the need and importance for breast feeding versus bottles and formula.  Most formula requires water to mix, and water to clean and sanitize the bottles.  A mother’s breast is always ready for her baby in any situation.

“VJ Boy”.  Young teenager acting as though his mother is a bane to his existence, and yet is still totally dependent on his mother’s financial and emotional support.  This boy illustrated that the average 14 year old is still a child.  The foolish boy was very fortunate he was not shot when going out at night, and the fact that he managed not to shoot himself with his mother’s gun was a miracle.

Learning Point – Parents should have all guns secured.  The boy could easily have shot someone or himself as he did not have proper firearms training.  The mother should have had emergency contact information on the refrigerator (at the very least the name/location of her work).  The family did not have an evacuation plan in place where to meet in case of an emergency.  This scenario also touched briefly on the importance on preparing for pets.

“Prepper Family”.  I believe this is a depiction of the gun-ho armchair prepper.  He has read the books, stored the food, bought the beans, bullets and ammo, and yet has missed the point of preparing – testing your preps and being a part of  a prepping community and working with others outside of your family.

Learning Points – I have several points to cover here:
·         Although I can appreciate the charity of the father by taking the daughter’s boyfriend to the retreat and showing him the supplies, he risked his OPSEC and the life of each family member by bringing in a person he didn’t know he could trust.
·         The father should have taken the time and energy to befriend his neighbors at the retreat location.  By sharing some of his supplies with like-minded individuals, he could have had allies helping to protect the retreat, instead of making enemies that would raid the retreat.
·         The retreat itself seemed poorly planned.  The scenes of dry, arid scrub-type land appeared unlikely to have a natural water source or the ability to grow a garden in a long term grid-down situation. 
·         The gas/fuel was too easily accessible to thieves and should have been hidden better.
·         The father should have tried to blend in better – the camo outfit, obvious perimeter fencing, and gun on his belt all suggested that he was protecting something worth stealing
·         I question the mindset of a parent that would put a ten year old boy on guard duty.  Again, had he befriended his neighbors, the additional like-minded adults could have shared the protection of the retreat.

By following the trials and tribulations of the characters, the producers of the show repeatedly hammered home the reasons to prepare.   The following basic preparedness tips were covered:

  • Importance of storing at least 10 days of non-perishable food and clean drinking water
  • Keep cash on hand
  • Manual can openers
  • Importance of carrying supplies in your vehicles
  • Solar cell phone charges
  • Avoiding riots/mob scenes
  • Traveling, if possible, will be dangerous and slow
  • Government response will be slow
  • Emergency responders will be overwhelmed
  • Store baby supplies such as diapers and formula
  • Store batteries
  • Keep hand-crank radios to know what is going on

Important subjects that were not addressed include:

  • Preparing for handicapped people, special needs, the elderly, and pets (unless you count the thirsty cat). 
  • Barely touched upon was the fact that international aid is an invitation for rival countries to set foot on American soil.
  • Sanitation was briefly touched upon, but should have been elaborated on more.  At least one scene depicting a person taking a pail of pool water and pouring it into the back of their toilet to flush would have been educational
  • The entire show was filled with cell phones, but not one land line phone was used
  • The blackout occurred in the summer and people complained about not having air conditioning.  Had the blackout occurred in the winter, the initial casualty count would have been much higher.
  • Every person depicted was dependent upon the government for handouts (food and water) in a urban or suburban situation.  The program did not portray any farmers or homesteaders as examples of self sufficient people.  Not one person in the program was shown harvesting from a garden, fishing, or even collecting eggs from a back yard chicken coop.

Interesting to note, of course, was the point made from the clip of the ham radio operators that there will be government conspiracy groups trying to incite riot.

The overall story line of the show was unbelievable – a nationwide cyber attack on the electrical grid repaired and running in 10 days is unrealistic.  I agree with what others have said that the initial mass casualty count would be much higher, and that it would take months if not years to have the electrical grid operational. 

That being said, we have to remember that this was a television show, not real life.  One only has to look at the Philippines right now to see how bad it can really get.

I think we, as preppers, whether beginning or experienced, tend to forget that so many people out there do not think like we do.  We have trained ourselves to always have the mindset that disaster can strike at any time, and that we have to be ready.  What we sometimes forget is that all of us, at one time, did not prep.  We all had something happen in our lives that made us wake up one day and say yes, we need to start preparing.

The intended purpose of the show was not to teach people how to prep, only to make them realize that they should make basic preparations.  If even one person watched this show and said, “Wow, I should store some food and water”, then the show has been a success.  The wonderful thing about prepping is that it doesn’t matter when you start, as long as you do begin to prepare.

Let us hope that this show was an eye opener to some of the viewers, and that they too received the message that now is the time in their lives to start preparing for the future.

“Give a man a fish and he eats for a day.
Teach a man to fish and he eats for a lifetime.”

Letter Re: Light Blocking Suggestions for Windows

Mr. Rawles,
I’ve just listened to another interview you gave, and noted yet again that you consider light control of utmost importance.  I have several suggestions from the fabric store.  There is a material that really does work perfectly for light control at a reasonable cost (helped by the readily available Joann Fabric Store – also online – 50% off coupons): drapery lining material referred to as ‘blackout’ fabric.  A common brand of this fabric is Roc-Lon, if searching Joann.com online for it. 

Another fabric I’ve worked with is the Warm Window insulated shade system (www.warmcompany.com and also carried at most Joann Fabric stores).  This system uses multiple layers of fabric which not only produces a blackout effect but also provides a vapor barrier and a nice layer of insulation for windows.  This fabric can be used to make something like a balloon shade, which can be raised and lowered according to need without removing/disassembling anything.  They look great, as this fabric is covered with an attractive fabric of your choice.  I’ve made these myself and they do work incredibly well.  This system (check the web site) recommends sewing magnetic tape into the outer edges of the shade and putting magnetic tape onto the edge of the window where the fabric should meet to form a seal.  I’m trying to think of something other than magnets as they may not last as long as you need them or be ‘my-life-depends-on-it’ strong.  The fabric is kind of expensive, but it doesn’t scream ‘prepper’, looks good in any home, and adds insulation value to the window every single day.

Both these fabrics are ideal also for those who need total darkness to sleep or trying to sleep during daylight hours.  These fabrics are vastly superior to any other kind of blackout fabric attempts such as window quilts that just use multiple layers of heavy fabrics.

The Roc-Lon blackout fabric is light enough to be held up on the interior of a window casing by an el-cheapo tension cafe rod.  For those who would like to try this fabric but are not sewers I have used safety pins to fasten the top of the fabric to the tension rod (top and bottom rods can both be used – fold a bit of fabric around the rod then pin into place at roughly 3-5″ intervals) and then removed/replaced each morning/night.  This would be an inexpensive way to test this fabric for yourself.

For those who don’t sew, go to a fabric store to look at the fabric for yourself; then ask if the sales staff know of a local person who would make these up for you.  A local fabric shop likely has many, many business cards from local seamstresses who are experienced and looking for work.  Since it’s not obviously ‘prepper’, there’s no loss of OpSec.

Good luck to us all, – Lilia

Letter Re: AC Wiring Safety Warning

Hello Sir:
I suspect this may have gone unnoticed by most, but as a former electrician (12 years in the trade) this passage caught my attention:
 
"I saved some money by making my own connections and crimps. The 00 wire was too thick for my wire strippers, had to use a separating disk with my Dremel tool."
 
Let me cauthion readers that stripping wire this way is a bad idea. Likewise, taking a box cutter (razor knife) and scoring the insulation in a ring around the cable is also bad. Stripping wire this way tends to cut slightly into the copper making a weak point with increased resistance. Under heavy load, heat is induced which can cause failure or fire. The "scoring" of the wire cannot be seen, as it is usually hidden by the border of the insulation. Try it, then strip the wire again a couple inches back and you will usually see the copper has been damaged at your original cut.
 
The proper way to strip insulation is to use the proper sized wire strippers, or in the case of larger wiring you can use an electricians knife (or similar) to shave the end much like you would shave the bark off a stick or sharpen a pencil.
 
Thanks for keeping us all informed, and for all the hard work and research you put into your blog and interviews. – Mark V.

Odds ‘n Sods:

Reader Mark A. recommended a canning, freezing, drying and preserving site: PickYourOwn.org

   o o o

Florida city uproots couple’s 17-year-old garden, over new ordinance

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H.L. sent news of the latest link in the chains of tyranny: New Exit Portals at the Syracuse Airport. [JWR’s Comment: I’ve noticed that our local butcher has a similar arrangement for his cattle abattoir, back behind his shop. (Just not so sleek.) Form follows function.]

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The latest news from northern California: Separation movement makes case to North State

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Speaking of navigation, there is this charming news: NHTSA May Mandate That New Cars Broadcast Location, Direction and Speed. (Thanks to John E. for the link.)

Notes from JWR:

Last Day! Safecastle is completing their last Mountain House cans sale of the year, with maximum allowable discounts, free shipping, and some special loyalty reward bonuses for buyers club members. The sale ends at midnight on November 20, 2013.

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On November 20, 1903 (110 years ago, today,) in Cheyenne, Wyoming, “Range Detective” Tom Horn went to the newly-invented Julian Gallows for the murder of Willie Nickell, a 14-year-old son of a sheepherder. Horn was hanged just one day short of his 43rd birthday. One interesting detail: He braided his own noose rope.

Also on this day, in 1953 (60 years ago, today,) Operation Castor began in French Indochina. This was the airborne drop /landing of more than 9,000 troops into the Dien Bien Phu region. The full assault by the Viet Minh didn’t begin until 13 March 1954, after months of preparations. SurvivalBlog reader M.B. noted: “Dien Bien Phu showed that arrogance and resting on one’s laurels are dangerous when facing a patient, wily enemy.”

—

Today we present another entry for Round 49 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $8,500+ worth of prizes for this round include:

First Prize: A.) Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three course. (A $1,195 value.) B.) 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, and C.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $350 value.) D.) a $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any of their military surplus gear, E.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $300 value), F.) A $300 Gift Certificate from Freeze Dry Guy. G.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo. H.) A roll of $10 face value in pre-1965 U.S. 90% silver quarters, courtesy of GoldAndSilverOnline.com. The current value of this roll is at least $225, and I.) VPN tunnel, DigitalSafe and private e-mail annual subscriptions from Privacy Abroad. They have a combined value of $265.

Second Prize: A.) A gift certificate worth $1,000, courtesy of Spec Ops Brand, B.) 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. C.) A FloJak FP-50 stainless steel hand well pump (a $600 value), courtesy of FloJak.com. D.) $300 worth of ammo from Patriot Firearms and Munitions. (They also offer a 10% discount for all SurvivalBlog readers with coupon code SVB10P.), E.) A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials F.) A full set of all 23 of the books published by PrepperPress.com. This is more than a $210 value, and G.) Two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).

Third Prize: A.) A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21. (This filter system is a $275 value.), B.) 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, C.) Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy. This is a $185 retail value, D.) A Commence Fire! emergency stove with three tinder refill kits. (A $160 value.), E.) Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security., F.) A MURS Dakota Alert Base Station Kit with a retail value of $240 from JRH Enterprises , and G.) A Nesco / American Harvest Gardenmaster Dehydrator with an extra set of trays, and the book The Dehydrator Bible, from Mayflower Trading. (A $210 value.)

Round 49 ends on November 30th, 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.

So, You Bought Fish Antibiotics. Now What?, by TX ER DOC

1

First, the disclaimers:  Nothing in this article constitutes medical advice.  It is for information purposes only.  It is not meant to diagnose or treat any disease.  Fish antibiotics are not for human consumption.  Never take any medication that was not prescribed specifically for you by your physician.  Hopefully, this information can help you be a more informed and involved patient.  Short of a true post-SHTF scenario, I strongly advise you not to self-diagnose and treat.  (Health care professionals are especially notorious for doing this.)  I have seen significant harm come to many patients because of this.  Recently, someone killed off their kidneys because they took cow doses of antibiotics.  As long as doctors, nurses, and other providers exist, please use them!  I say this not to drum up business (believe me, if anything I want less business in my emergency department), but rather for concern for the significant harm that I have seen happen to patients time and again.

I have just received my order of fish antibiotics.  (For my fish, of course!)  As a physician, I could easily hit up one of my colleagues to write me a prescription for any number of medicines.  So, why order fish antibiotics from the internet?  I live in a state with a medical board who likes to go on witch hunts for “non-therapeutic prescribing,” and I would not want to cause one of my co-workers to be the target of an investigation.  (This is a common reason your physician might not be too willing to prescribe medications for your personal preparations.)  Also, I was curious to see if they would come as advertised.

When the bottles arrived, I dug out my photographic drug reference and found that these are indeed the same pills that are given to humans, right down to the tablet color and markings.  It makes business sense.  It costs less for drug manufacturers to have one production line for each drug, rather than to build a separate process exclusively for veterinary medicines.  These are the same generic antibiotics that can be found on many pharmacy formularies on the “4 dollar” list.  They cost more to purchase as veterinary antibiotics, but are not prohibitively expensive.  (Please remember SurvivalBlog advertisers when shopping around.)

After checking my order, I placed the bottles in airtight bags and put them in the fridge.  The general consensus is that antibiotics will still retain most of their potency for years after their expiration date, especially if kept cool and dry.  The notable exceptions are tetracycline antibiotics, including doxycycline.  These can cause kidney damage if taken after their expiration dates.

The antibiotics I ordered were (US brand name in parentheses, if in common usage):
Amoxicillin (Amoxil)
Cephalexin (Keflex)
Metronidazole (Flagyl)
Clindamycin (Cleocin)
Ciprofloxacin (Cipro)
Trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (Bactrim, Septra)
Doxycycline
Erythromycin

Judicious use of antibiotics

First, we must know when not to use antibiotics.  When they become a precious commodity they will need to be used very wisely.  Many of the patients I see in the adult emergency department, and most of the patients I see in the children’s Emergency Department for various types of infections do not need antibiotics.

There is also a growing and very real danger with antibiotic resistance.  It is a very legitimate fear that we may use antibiotics to the point that they are no longer effective, at which point it will be just like it was in the pre-antibiotic age.

Also, antibiotics are not completely innocuous.  They have the potential to cause harm.  (All medicines do, including the “safe, natural” remedies.)  Allergic reactions are common, and the only way to become allergic to a medication is to be exposed to it in the first place.  Drug reactions are also very prevalent, and range from the annoying (e.g. rash, diarrhea), to the life-threatening (e.g. skin sloughing off in sheets, causing the equivalent of a bad total body burn.)

Most infections involving the nose, sinuses, throat, and respiratory tract are viral and will not respond to antibiotics.  Even some presumptive bacterial infections like otitis media (the common middle ear infection) will usually do just fine without antibiotic usage.  If you have one of the following, think twice before using your precious antibiotic supply:

Cold, cough, runny nose
Sinus pain or pressure
Bronchitis (coughing up phlegm)
Ear pain or pressure
Sore throat (there is debate about whether even strep throat needs antibiotics)

Obviously, this list is oversimplified.  For example, a middle ear infection can spread to the bone around it and cause mastoiditis.  The difference between a viral bronchitis (not requiring antibiotics) and a bacterial pneumonia (requiring antibiotics) can be difficult to distinguish.  Doctors, lab tests, and x-rays frequently get this wrong.  If symptoms persist for an extended period, or if you are getting worse, it may be more complicated than a simple viral infection.

When and how to use antibiotics

Which antibiotics to use is always a big subject of debate.  A roomful of physicians will seldom agree on the proper treatment of any disease, much less antibiotic use.  In fact, there is a medical specialty (Infectious Disease) in which physicians train for 5 years after medical school so they can run around the hospital and tell other physicians what antibiotics they can and cannot use.

If you are going to use antibiotics, remember some guidelines.  (Again, for information purposes only.)  Dosages are given in milligrams (mg).  Pediatric doses are given in milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg).  All dosing notations here assume they are taken orally.

What follows is a list of common diseases and the antibiotics that treat them, limited to the list available above.  Remember that there are many antibiotics, most of which are not listed here.

Pneumonia/bronchitis—doxycycline 100 mg twice a day for 7-10 days, erythromycin 500 mg every 6 hours, amoxicillin (more often used in children) 45 mg/kg two times a day for 10 days.  Ciprofloxacin can be used in conjunction with another antibiotic, but it is not commonly considered a “respiratory drug.”  Its sister drugs, levofloxacin and moxifloxacin, are, but are not available without a prescription.

Ear infection—adult: amoxicillin 500 mg 3 times a day for 7-10 days, children: amoxicillin 30 mg/kg 3 times a day for 7-10 days

Sinusitis—amoxicillin 500 mg 3 times a day for 10-14 days, doxycycline 100 mg twice a day for 7 days

Sore (strep) throat—amoxicillin 500 mg 3 times a day for 10 days (child 25 mg/kg two times a day for 10 days), clindamycin 450 mg three times a day for 10 days (child 10 mg/kg three times a day for 10 days)

Intra-abdominal infections (diverticulitis, etc)— ciprofloxacin 500 mg twice a day PLUS metronidazole 500 mg three times a day for 10 days

Infectious diarrhea—ciprofloxacin 500 mg twice daily for 5-7 days

Urinary infection—child-bearing age females without a fever who are not pregnant: trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole 160/180 mg two times a day for 3 days, ciprofloxacin 250 mg twice a day for 3 days; pregnant female: cephalexin 500 mg twice a day for 7 days, amoxicillin 500 mg three times a day for 7 days; other adults: ciprofloxacin 500 mg twice a day for 7-10 days; children: trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole 5 mg/kg twice daily for 7 days (this dosing is based on the trimethoprim portion, which is usually 160 mg per tablet)

Bacterial vaginosis—metronidazole 500 mg twice daily for 7 days, clindamycin 300 mg twice daily for 7 days

Skin infections— trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole 160/180 mg (child 5 mg/kg) two times a day AND cephalexin 500 mg (child 6.25 mg/kg) four times a day for 7-10 days, clindamycin 300 mg (child 10 mg/kg) four times a day for 7-10 days, doxycycline 100 mg twice a day for 7-10 days. (Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus, aka MRSA, is a consideration in all skin infections nowadays.)

Not common household diseases, but possible biological weapons:

Plague (Yersinia pestis) post-exposure prevention—ciprofloxacin 500 mg twice a day for 7 days, doxycycline 100 mg twice a day for 7 days
Anthrax (Bacillus anthracis) post-exposure prevention—ciprofloxacin 500 mg twice a day for 60 days, doxycycline 100 mg twice a day for 60 days

Caution!  Do not cause harm to yourself or others.

Beware of allergies.  If you are allergic to a medication avoid any drugs in its same family.  Some of the families are related, such as penicillins and cephalosporins.  Depending on where you read, there is a 2-10% cross-reactivity.  However, as long as the reported reaction is not serious (e.g. a simple rash when someone takes penicillin), I will often give cephalosporins to penicillin allergic patients.

Antibiotic classes:

Please note that these lists are not comprehensive:
Penicillins (“-cillins”): amoxicillin, ampicillin, methicillin, dicloxacillin
Cephalosporins (“cef-”): cephalexin, cefaclor, cefuroxime, cefdinir, ceftriaxone, cefepime
Lincosamides: lincomycin, clindamycin
Fluoroquinolones (“-floxacins”): ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin, levofloxacin, moxifloxacin
Sulfa drugs (this is a very broad category, and includes many non-antibiotics): trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, sulfasalazine, dapsone
Tetracyclines (“-cyclines”): tetracycline, doxycycline, minocycline
Macrolides: erythromycin, azithromycin, clarithromycin

Not all antibiotics can be used across all patient populations.  Pregnant women, breastfeeding women, and children deserve special consideration.  Although some antibiotics should be avoided in certain patients, there is always a risk/benefit consideration.  For example, if my pregnant wife developed a life-threatening pneumonia, and all I had was doxycycline, I would give it to her and accept the risk to the baby.

Avoid in pregnancy:
Ciprofloxacin (Cipro)
Trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (Bactrim, Septra)
Doxycycline

Avoid in children and breastfeeding women:
Ciprofloxacin (Cipro)
Doxycycline

I recommend getting some good references, mostly in EMP-proof paper editions.  These can often be picked up for free, as local physicians shed their bulky paper medical libraries in favor of putting everything on a portable smartphone or tablet.  I picked up several copies of the Physicians’ Desk Reference this way.  I think it is aptly named because it is the size of a desk.  However, it sure is good fun to shoot with various pistol calibers to see how many pages they will penetrate.  For a more portable version, I like the Tarascon Pharmacopoeia and the EMRA Antibiotic Guide.  Many of the regimens listed in this article are referenced in these books.

Be wise, be safe.  Remember with all your preps, primum non nocere—“First do no harm.”

JWR Adds: Several or our advertisers sell veterinary and aquariast antibiotics. You will be amazed at the prices, versus the cost of human antibiotic doses.

Five Letters Re: Tips on Selecting and Operating a Generator

Sir:

Re: Gary D.’s piece on generator use. Good article; I’ve learned a few additional things over the years about generator usage which your readers may find helpful.

Power cords – usually, they’re undersized for the load. There are different American Wire Gauge (AWG) specifications for current carrying capacity:

16 gauge – 12 amp maximum for 25 ft, 3.4 amps for 100 ft.
14 gauge – 16 amp max at 25 ft, 5 amps at 100 ft..
12 gauge – 20 amps at 25 ft, 7 amps at 100 ft.
10 gauge – 30 amps at 25 ft, 10 amps at 100 ft.
 8 gauge  – 40 amps at 25 ft, 14 amps at 100 ft.
 6 gauge  – 65 amps at 25 ft, 22 amps at 100 ft.

The smaller the gauge number the larger the actual diameter of the wire and the greater its current carrying capacity.

Large AWG weather resistant copper-conductor cable (8 gauge, for example) will be expensive. 100 feet of 8-3 SO (three 8 gauge conductors, weather and oil resistant sheath) will cost between $200 and $250, but it will carry a lot more current safely than “home center” extension cords.

Twist lock connectors, especially female connectors, are expensive. Use them anyway – they won’t partially disconnect due to vibration or being bumped.

Use high capacity cable as a primary feed, and build a multi-outlet box on a short, lower capacity cable to connect to it. Mine is a 4-gang steel box with duplex receptacles on a 15 ft 10-3 cable with a male twist lock connector to connect to the 8-3 cable.

Do put a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) receptacle into your multi-outlet box, and wire it to provide protection for the outlets. My 4 gang box has the GFCI, which also protects 2 of the remaining 3 receptacles. One receptacle is not GFCI-protected for those instances where there may be equipment with internal circuitry that frequently trips the GFCI. That one duplex receptacle is red to identify it as non-GFCI protected, purchased in that color from an electrical supplier.

An earth anchor, designed to anchor garden sheds to the ground, permanently installed, provides a place to chain and padlock your generator. Your local utility can sell you one of the big ones they use to brace power poles if you need a bigger one. Dig a shallow hole with a post hole digger to install it, so when installed the loop is just below ground level. Put a lawn irrigation system valve box around it, flush with the ground. Your lawnmower will thank you.

Use the earth anchor as the ground connector for your generator. An inexpensive auto jumper cable with large clamps can be used to connect the generator frame to the anchor if there’s no ground lug provided on the generator. Remove the paint from the generator frame where you connect the cable clamp to get a good connection.

If you’re building, or doing major remodeling, put in one electrical circuit that feeds one outlet in each room. If possible, put each room’s ceiling fans on this circuit, too.  If you have, or are installing a transfer switch, put this circuit on it. This allows easy distribution of generator power to each room.

It’s handy to have one or two convenient outdoor receptacles on the transfer switch in case you need power outside.

Put in another dedicated circuit with 2×3 (duplex receptacle-sized) outlet boxes in the ceiling in strategic places (hallways, kitchen, bathrooms, etc.) Control this circuit with either the breaker in the transfer switch box and/or 3-way (or 4-way) wall switches in case you need complete dark. Install Pass & Seymour or Cooper Wiring LED night lights in those boxes; the night lights draw almost no power, and provide just enough light for navigating around the house and for target identification, and are safer than candles.

Even quiet generators make noise. Put sound absorbing foam on two pieces of plywood, 4 ft wide and long enough to extend past your generator a foot or so at each end. attach the long side of each to a 2X4 with hinges so they can be placed as an A frame over the generator. A 4ft x 4ft piece covered on one side with sound absorbent can be placed vertically several feet in front and behind the A frame. I attached pieces of 1/2″ EMT (Electrical Metallic Tubing) to mine, to act as stakes. Leave room for ventilation, and if more air flow is needed for cooling, plug a fan into the generator, set to blow air through the A frame cover.

If you’re using a generator to power your well pump, replace the small pressure tank the builder put in (probably about a 6 gallon draw down) with one or two larger tanks. I put two 46-gallon draw down tanks in parallel; when water is needed, turn off all circuits in the transfer switch except the well pump, then turn on the well pump. It will run for however long it takes to fill both tanks, and you’ll have 92 gallons to use before needing to turn the pump on again. In day-to-day use the pump won’t start/stop as frequently, making the pump motor last a lot longer.

Talk to your well driller or plumber who understand wells about a second, smaller well pump. It is possible to install a second pump with a check valve between it and the delivery pipe to the house. In day-to-day use the 1 HP or 3/4 HP pump supplies routine needs, in a SHTF situation the 1/8 HP – 1/4 HP  pump draws a lot less current, allowing a smaller generator. A smaller pump will need to be installed higher in the well and electrically on its own circuit, and it will deliver less volume, usually at a lower pressure, but 2 GPM at 25-30 PSI beats 0 GPM at 0 PSI. And, “two is one, one is none.” – Nosmo King

Hello,
I really enjoy reading the articles contained on your blog and wanted to mention a few items related to the subject above. As a person that lives on generator power 24/7 I wanted to contribute to the conversation.

Gary wrote a wonderful article and I wanted to add a few things. The first thing is that not all generators are rated for continuous use and most of the “off the shelf chinese models” are only rated occasional and should only be used in light duty situations. The small “suitcase” style generators definitely have their place and the quiet Yamaha and Honda powered ones are the cream of the crop but I wouldn’t want to depend on one for the long term.

If you are mechanically inclined, don’t rule out purchasing a used “take out” generator from an RV, some of these can be had for a real bargain and can be found in junkyards, on Craigslist as well as other places on the web. In addition to having multiple fuel options available, these units are 4KW and above and can be easily run from a gas can, propane tank or other external fuel source. The smaller units (4KW) can be easily mounted to a garden wagon for portability, the downside being having to have an electrician wire up a junction box.

When you purchase or even if you presently own a portable generator take a good hard look at the connections on the panel. Have adapter cords made for any twist lock or RV style outlets so that you can fully utilize the power from the equipment, RV style adapter cords and plugs can be purchased from most camping stores or even Wal-Mart.

Lastly and probably most important, make sure the generator is grounded whenever it is in operation. – B.I.

James,
That was a great article on generators by Gary D.

As he points out, noise is bad, but it can be mitigated. There is a good method described over at the Alpha-Rubicon site. Best Regards, – Don in Oregon

James,
I have no argument that accidentally “backfeeding” power from a generator (even a small one) through a house outlet-to the electrical box, and to the power grids can hurt or kill a utility worker, but it will also burn out, the portable generator in question within 10 seconds. The gas engine will be fine but the generator half of the machine becomes useless. This fact is not often reported. – Bob M.

JWR,
With two recent posts on operating a generator and alternative power systems, both of which mention transfer switches, I thought it might be valuable to again mention a device that might be of interest to your readers. The Generlink device is an alternative to a transfer switch at lesser cost and more versatility in operation.  Regards, – Keith