Three Letters Re: Hurricane Sandy After Action Reports

James Wesley,
By now you probably know that the mountains of West Virginia got snow generated by Superstorm Sandy so our local disaster looks somewhat different than other areas. 

In our case we got better than 3 feet of very heavy wet snow dumped on us in short order.  Trees came down over a couple of day period in numbers great enough to make walking outside hazardous. One of the local farm families I know had to cut their way to the barn to care for the live stock and then cut their way back home.  Over a week later we are still without electric power at the house.

A couple of thoughts on the storm from our perspective: 

You may not be well when Armageddon descends on you. Prepare to be able to do what needs to be done in a diminished physical capacity.  I was just coming down with some flu like bug when we where hit. Being sick really complicated the situation. I managed everything except getting the snow off of the various buildings roofs resulting in the loss of several roof vent pipes when the snow avalanched on its own.

Having back up plans are nice!  We just moved into a new office.  I designed a full kitchen and full bathroom into it the which was appreciated by all the staff that lived out in the country and are also without electric power.  The new office is on the same block as our local hospital so guess who got power back on sooner than just about anyone else.  The office also has a couple of other things that may seem strange do the unknowing that are use to JIT delivery or have never given much thought to this sort of thing.

Having the ability to lock various interior doors makes you feel a lot better if you have to run cords out the door to the generator instead of out the window you planed due to depth of snow and the fact I was too ill to wade through chest deep snow on that side of the house.  I have lost track of how many hurricanes I have been through having grown up in the Gulf Coast region, but this was my first natural disaster to have a generator available so surviving without one is very doable for any who care to think about it a bit.  Having a generator seems to have spoiled us a bit however and I expect to have one big enough to run my whole house before too long.

An All Wheel Drive (AWD) is not the same thing as a 4X4!  Having driven a 4X4 for years the wife talked me into a nice AWD van with the birth of our son a while back.  It is pretty good for lots of things, but bucking heavy wet snow appears to not be one of them.  I broke out my old diesel 4X4 for the duration with much better results.

Coal stoves are God’s gift to a cold wet world!  I burned wood for over a dozen years in several different quality wood stoves and would not trade the lot of them for my anthracite coal stove.

PALights which I thought where probably the most foolish flashlight design I had ever seen when I first saw them several years ago actually rock in a disaster situation.  Their Always-On (Off) position is enough light if pointed at the ceiling to not only always be able to find and lay hands on them, it is also enough light to light up the room enough to see kids, wife, dog, weapons, high powered lights etc as well as enough light to see if/when someone steps into the room who is unexpectedly.

I suppose lastly if you remodel your house do so with it being as functional as possible with no/minimal electric input.  I switched out an electric water heater for a pilot light gas fired instant unit and was able to run everything water wise as normal except the dishwasher/clothes-washer which was very well received by all who benefited by the endless hot water even if the bathroom was lit by a barn lantern at the time.

Still digging out!, – S.D. in West Virginia

 

Dear Mr. Rawles,
I believe that we are not hearing about the situation in the worst hit areas of New York and New Jersey and it may be weeks or months until we do.  Survival blog readers from this area are without power, phone, water, etc. and are struggling to just get through each day. Let me tell you briefly about my cousin on Staten Island.  I managed to contact him last weekend on his cell phone.  We spoke only a few minutes; with him doing most of the talking and me listening.  What follows are his words.
He was not in an evacuation area but was hit by what he called an 8 foot tsunami; it was storm surge.  He and his wife got out of their house when the water was waist high.  They ran for it and are lucky to be alive.  Everything in the basement is gone; circuit panel, oil burner (furnace), his home office with computers, printers, external hard drives, furniture.  There is 2 inches of silt in the basement.  He had three contractors there at the house, working to try to get it in some kind of shape.  Everything has been soaked in corrosive sea water and there is debris all over.  There may be a mold issue to deal with.  The contractors broke open the sewer pipe to allow water to drain backwards out of the basement.  He had another contractor coming in the afternoon to fix the sewer piper after the water drained.  He said, “You cannot believe the devastation” and I could hear sirens and general commotion behind him as he was talking.  He thinks it will take $30,000 minimum to get the house livable again.  He would like to borrow the money from his pension but banks are closed, it is a long process, forms need to be notarized; all of which is unavailable right now.  His wife is going to take a short term loan from her life insurance policy to get the house fixed, and then he will work through the pension loan and pay the life insurance loan back.  He was juggling multiple issues at once and very stressed (contractors, cleaning up, and work calling him if you can believe that).  They were staying at his stepson’s house that lives more inland and did not get flooded. People were waiting in line for 6 hours near him to get gas.  He cannot get up to Yonkers (north) to visit his elderly mother to check on her.  It is a disaster.  He cannot believe what happened.

Closing thoughts;
1.     My cousin and his wife are in their 50s.  They did not need this at this point in their lives.  It will be a huge financial hit.
2.     They have no internet, phone, power, water; couldn’t contribute a posting to something like the web site and having shelter, food, safety, etc. is their top priority now.  We will only hear from people like this weeks or months in the future.  Their stories will wait until then.
3.     Flooding like this could wipe out all or a good portion of your survival supplies.  Re-think where you put them if you live in a flood zone.  The basement may not be a good choice.
4.     Even if the power comes back on, if your circuit panel or furnace has been flooded, it probably is damaged and won’t work.  What will you do for heat?
5.     I watched people on television looking through what is left of their house.  They were looking for photos; only sentimental value but something that people value highly.  I have to re-think what I am going to do with the boxes of photos I have that I took before digital cameras and have not been organized in books. Maybe put them in one plastic container that I could grab and go or put in the car.
6.     I am going back to re-read all those posting on this web site about what to put in a grab and go bag.  I have supplies in the trunk of my car in case of an earthquake but what else would I want to grab?  Photos?
7.     My cousin was not told to evacuate.  The “authorities” don’t know any more than we do about what the effects of a storm or other natural disaster will be.  Use the brain that the Good Lord gave you, make your own assessment and follow it.  Better to be safe than sorry.  You do not want to be running for your life through waist deep flood waters/storm surge.
8.     The US has had floods, record tornado outbreaks, wildfires, drought, unprecedented hurricanes, etc.  I live in California.  I am expecting an earthquake next.  What else is left? I hope I am wrong but this is how all these disasters are making me think.
9.      It appears that disasters are no longer confined to California.  This is the new normal.  Prepare, prepare, prepare. – A.S. in California
 

Jim:
Here is Storm Update # 6, one week after Hurricane Sandy.
 
Margate City:  Not much to add… it’s a mess. Clean-up at the Shore continues, and incoming weather will exacerbate the problems. Mom is energized, edgy and emotional – can’t imagine why. I’ll drive down this weekend if she needs me.
 
Princeton: Power was finally restored on Sunday. I sent the promised Text messages to all those neighbors that had left for greener pastures. House by house, life returned. We are lucky. My understanding is that several hundred thousand PSEG New Jersey customers remain in the dark, including people in our township. This was also confirmed by an informal poll at school yesterday. The teachers had gathered the children to discuss storm experiences, and one of the questions related to how many were still without power. My wife reported about 25% raised their hands – the school had invited parents to stay for coffee and assurance that everything was safe. The estimate from PSEG is that everyone in our township should have power by Friday. For those counting, that would be twelve days from Hurricane Sandy’s landfall! Consider that reality next time someone mentions storm preparations.
 
The load of firewood that I requested on Saturday was delivered around noon Sunday. It was the largest “cord” of wood that I have ever seen…  I greeted the contractor warmly, offered coffee and overpaid for the emergency service. I then sorted and stacked for the next few hours. After that, I scooped the mounting ash from our fireplace (it went into our mulch pile), and then reloaded it with kindling and fresh logs – an old habit – I like it ready for the match after each use. During this time, my wife ferried the girls to quilting lessons and pottery. Gas lines at the local borough stations were fairly short – though we are still under the odd/even rationing order. As you travel to the main highways and north of here – gas remains an issue.
 
In the late afternoon, I serviced and filled the genny, and then stowed it in the garage. The five gallon safety cans will be topped off with gas today. That Nor’easter is coming, and I won’t lay odds on whether the shaken power systems in our area will hold.
 
On Monday, I finished returning the house systems to their pre-storm configuration. Cable is still down, but so what… we don’t watch much television anyway. Work – yes I do have a job – once the house Internet WiFi was operating as well as the office phone and my desktop computer… I began the process of catching-up on client communications and transactions. I also phoned my youngest brother at his office in New York City, and to my surprise, discovered that his entire team had procured a U-Haul, filled it with food, blankets, toiletries, etc., and had driven to Queens for direct distribution to folks. Well done little brother.
 
Halloween had been rescheduled for Monday night. My heart wasn’t into it, but our daughters were so looking forward to the costumes and fun. We all got dressed, and we were joined by another young girl who lives a few miles away – her dad was out of town. I took care of the shuttle service. I told the girls not to expect much and that we would only knock on houses with an obvious welcome mat. I also let them know that we would reverse the tradition in part – I was giving away light glow sticks (12-hour green chemical version) and a few bottles of wine for a handful of close neighbors. The night was abbreviated, but we had a nice time after all. I spoke with every family (renewing ties and asking as to status) and then gave them gifts. We all needed a break.
 
This morning, I have one eye focused on work, and the other on that Nor’easter. A penetrating rain with 50 mph wind gusts is not the prescription we were hoping to hear. Later today, we will take the girls to Vote as a family. They know about the Constitution and our voting system… we also discuss candidates and their parties – Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Tea, Green, Constitutional, etc., and even write-in possibilities. I make no prediction as to the Election outcome, and I truly wish for peace regardless of who wins.
 
The switch has been flipped – we have grid power – and yet, the events of this past week have made an indelible mark. Things aren’t normal. Folks are discussing house-wide generators, food supplies, solar energy systems, and water sources. Fireplaces that were either non-functional or which served as little more than interior decoration, are being inspected for duty. I don’t anticipate these sentiments will last… it’s so easy to fall into society’s Lotus-flower sleep… but for the moment, I’m encouraged.
 
Thank you for SurvivalBlog. I have gleaned much over the years. – Bill H.

Economics and Investing:

Turmoil in Greece escalates as unions strike. JWR Adds: The strike by doctors won’t mean any loss of income to them since most of them have been paid in several months, anyway.

Toilet Paper as currency, post Sandy.

Items from The Economatrix:

Mining, Ski Slopes and Condos: Buying Real Estate in the US with Silver in Mind

Why Thanksgiving Will Cost More This Year

What The Jobs Report Says About Housing

Why Economic Shock From Fiscal Cliff Will Last Over A Decade

Odds ‘n Sods:

SurvivalBlog reader W.J. wrote to remind me about letter in our blog archives that bears a new mention: Hurricane Preparedness Steps

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Northeastern Nuke Plants Came Close to Disaster, With Sandy. Reader Pierre M. sent some news that you might have missed: Storm Impact on Nuclear Plants – Oyster Creek, Salem, Indian Point, Peach Bottom, Nine Mile Point and Feds: “Atmospheric steam dump” at New Jersey nuclear plant — All 6 circulators lost at Salem due to debris, high river level.

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G.O. mentioned their editorial in a Utah newspaper that decries the funneling of news through PIOs: Stop The New American Censorship.

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Yes,”Part II” it is still showing in some theaters! Find an Atlas Shrugged Movie Theater Near You

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J. McC. spotted this: In the Gym: Clean Energy from Muscle Power. (See also: Green Microgym expands with franchise model.)

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"Fairy tales are more than true; not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten." – G.K. Chesterton

Notes from JWR:

Today (Tuesday, November 6, 2012) is Election Day in the United States Please vote for candidates who defend personal liberty and who favor smaller, less intrusive government.

—

Today we present another entry for Round 43 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize: A.) A gift certificate worth $1,000, courtesy of Spec Ops Brand, 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), and F.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo. and G.) A $200 gift certificate, donated by Shelf Reliance.

Second Prize: A.) 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. B.) A FloJak FP-50 stainless steel hand well pump (a $600 value), courtesy of FloJak.com. C.) A “grab bag” of preparedness gear and books from Jim’s Amazing Secret Bunker of Redundant Redundancy (JASBORR) with a retail value of at least $300, D.) A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials, E.) Two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value) and F.) A Tactical Trauma Bag #3 from JRH Enterprises (a $200 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.), and E.) Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security.

Round 43 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.

But first, some brief commentary from your Editor:

Hurricane Sandy Hits Home With The Eastern News Media

The preparedness movement in America just got a huge boost with Hurricane Sandy. In effect, the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy vindicated America’s once marginalized survivalists and preppers. It is one thing to talk about major disasters abstractly from a distance, but quite another to live through one yourself. Heretofore, mainstream media reporters have tended to ignore societal fragility and vulnerability issues. But now they’ve felt the impact personally. Our friend Tamara, over at the View From The Porch blog astutely observed that New York City is “the navel of the news media universe.” And the greater New York City region was hit hard by Sandy. So, unlike Hurricane Katrina on the Gulf Coast in 2005, I predict that the Hurricane Sandy experience will spur mass media reporters to cover preparedness topics with greater seriousness.

I was just interviewed by a USA Today reporter and I noticed a pleasant change. He showed no trace of the incredulity, snobbishness, and bemused detachment that I’d heard before from East Coast reporters when discussing preparedness. They have now seen the elephant.

In the coming weeks, I hope to see much more complete and earnest reporting on preparedness from news outlets like The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. (See, for example, this recent piece: Dining Through Disaster.) And if you thought that National Geographic’s Doomsday Preppers was popular before… Well, in my estimation they’ve just been handed assurance of a multi-season renewal.

While Hurricane Sandy didn’t turn everyone on the East Coast into preppers, it has most assuredly reduced the the teasing and taunting of preppers. And if nothing else, it will raise America’s preparedness quotient–at least for a little while. (There will probably be some bargains on “like new” backup generators in about a year, as Mr. and Mrs. Mundane lose interest in disaster readiness.)

Addenda: Just after writing this, a reader sent me a link to an editorial piece by Mike Adams of Natural News that echoes my observations: Liberal media, White House owes preppers and survivalists a massive apology in the aftermath of superstorm Sandy

A Veterinarian’s Perspective on Prepper Medicine, by D.A., DVM

First let me advise you that I am not an MD, nor am I qualified or authorized to give medical advice to humans.  Keep in mind, however, that we are all animals.  The information herein is for reference only, and I bear no liability for misuse or adverse effects (allergy) by using any of these antibiotics.  Essentially all of the antibiotics used in veterinary medicine are from human medicine, and most were tested on animals before being used in humans.  Although you may have used a particular antibiotic in the past, your body may have developed a sensitivity or allergy to the very same product since then, and you should discontinue any medication if you are exhibiting negative signs (usually a rash).

Everybody gets sick sooner or later.  It can be a mild “cold” or upper respiratory infection, or blood poisoning from an infected scratch.  In a post-disaster situation, the risk of infection likely will go way up, due to lack of medical care, contamination, stress, poor nutrition, exposure, and reduced hygiene.  Even gunshot wounds are possible, or lacerations and broken bones.  Having a stock assortment of common antibiotics ready now is a good idea.

Antibiotics don’t change to poison the day after they expire.  It has been proven that antibiotics are safe to use for at least five (5) years beyond their expiration date.  Don’t throw away expired antibiotics or other medications for that matter.  They may not be as effective as when they were “fresh,” but they are probably 90+% still active.  In a disaster situation they may not be available again for a long time, and you’ll be longing for the Amoxicillin you flushed down the toilet. [JWR Adds: The only exception might be cycline family antibiotics, which have been reported to cause Fanconi Syndrome when they break down. This has been previously discussed in SurvivalBlog.]

Try the “First Choice” medicines; if they aren’t working, try another First Choice, or go to the “Resistant/2nd Choice” column.  You won’t have the luxury of doing a culture and sensitivity test to see what is causing your infection and what the best antibiotic is to eliminate it.  This will all be trial and error.  You have to give an antibiotic at least a three-day try before deciding it’s not working, and even slight improvement is a sign to continue what you’re on.  Don’t jump from one antibiotic to another unless symptoms are worsening.  Checking body temperature is a good way to judge.  If your former fever of 103°F is coming down, it’s a good indicator that things are improving.  (Add a digital or “old fashioned” thermometer to your list.)

An abscess generally needs to be drained before it will heal.  That means lancing it at some point to “let the corruption out” of the body.  Your immune system is trying to throw out the bacteria by killing and consuming it, creating pus, but sometimes the bacteria reproduces faster than the white blood cells can work.  That’s where antibiotics help out by interfering with the bacteria’s reproduction or by actually killing the bugs.  Often the abscess will rupture by itself, when the skin over the infection breaks down, but you can also get pretty sick before that happens.  (Add a half-dozen scalpel blades to that list, too; #10 curved edge for slicing, #11 sharp point for lancing.)

There are various categories of antibiotics, such as the penicillins (-cillins), sulfas (sulfa-), tetracyclines (-cyclines), and fluoroquinolones (-oxacins).  If you have Ciprofloxacin and it isn’t working, then the other “-oxacins” probably won’t be any better.  This isn’t always a hard/fast rule.  Amoxicillin may not knock down a cat bite abscess, but amoxicillin-clavulinic acid combination usually will.  Survival medicine is a situation where you do what you can with what you have.  And add lots of prayer.

An antibiotic doesn’t do the job of wiping out infection all by itself; it basically gives your own immune system a “backup.”  You can optimize the effect of an antibiotic by keeping yourself well hydrated, warm, comfortable, well-fed, and by reducing stress as much as possible. 

If you are stocking up, it would be good to have something from each category, such as Amoxicillin, Cephalexin, Ciprofloxacin, Doxycycline, and Trimethoprim-sulfa.  Or substitute Amoxi-Clavulinic acid for plain Amoxi.  It’s a “bigger gun” for treating infection.  Also, you want to use the first line of antibiotics in nearly all cases (exception might be a bullet wound or deep laceration).  If you continually use the strongest/newest antibiotic, you risk developing resistance to that antibiotic.  And use the antibiotic until you are certain the infection is over, and add a few days treatment to be sure.  A wound would usually take two weeks’ treatment or more.

Cost can be an issue with some antibiotics.  I traveled to a very remote atoll in 1997, and I knew the place was a virtual cesspool.  I asked my doc for a prescription for a week’s worth of Ciprofloxacin, and the 14 tablets cost me $100.  Today you can get 30 for $4.  Generics in nearly all cases are just as effective as the original trade-named product.  Some in-store pharmacies (Wal-Mart, Sam’s Club, Giant Eagle) offer a 30-day supply or 30 doses of common antibiotics and other medicines for just $4, or sometimes free. 

Viral infections, such as flu, are not affected by antibiotics.  But my opinion always has been that if a virus is causing damage, there are secondary bacterial “opportunists” that are also present, and an antibiotic can’t hurt.  It may reduce the overall recovery time.

I’m not including injectable antibiotics for several reasons.  First, they require syringes and needles, which in today’s world are used only once and replaced.  Before plastic came along, syringes were made of metal and glass and were reused until worn out.  Needles were re-sharpened, sterilized, and reused as well.  Not nearly as sharp as today’s disposables.  Second, many injectable antibiotics require refrigeration and may have a shorter shelf-life overall.  Third, once you put it in, you can’t take it back out, but you can stop giving tablets if there is a reaction.  Lastly, injectable antibiotics are nearly always in glass vials or bottles, and subject to breakage.

 

Infection Site
Urinary Tract                        First Choice                                                            Resistant/2nd Choice
           
                                    Amoxicillin                                                            Ciprofloxacin
                                    Amoxi/Clavulinic acid (Augmentin®)           
                                    Ampicillin                                                           
                                    Cefadroxil                                                               Cephalexin (Keflex®)                                   
                                    Trimethoprim-sulfonamide

Upper Respiratory (sinus, throat)

                                    Amoxicillin                                                            Azithromycin
                                    Amoxi/Clav                                                           Ciprofloxacin
                                    Ampicillin                                                           
                                    Cephadroxil/Cephalexin                                       Tetracycline/Doxycycline                                   
                                    Trimethoprim-sulfonamide

Lower Respiratory (bronchitis, pneumonia)

                                    Amoxi/Clav                                                          Azithromycin
                                    Cefadroxil                                                            Cephalosporin 2nd/3d gen.                                               
                                    Cephalexin                                                            Tetracycline/Doxycycline
                                    Ciprofloxacin                                                       Combinations
                                    Trimethoprim-Sulfonamide

Skin/Soft Tissue (wounds, abscesses)

                                    Amoxi/Clav                                                          Clindamycin
                                    Cefadroxil                                                            Dicloxacillin
                                    Cephalexin                                                            Ciprofloxacin                                   
                                    Trimethoprim-Sulfonamide                                 Oxacillin
                                                                                                           

External Otitis (ear canal to the eardrum)

                                    Topical therapy:  Clotrimazole, Tresaderm, Ciprodex Otic
                                    (You want to use a liquid that will flow into the ear canal all the way to the ear drum.)

Internal Otitis (middle ear)

                                    Same as first-choice Lower Respiratory

Oral Infections

                                    Amoxi/Clav                                                            Metronidazole plus
                                    Clindamycin                                                            Amoxi/Clav

Bones
                                    Amoxi/Clav                                                            Clindamycin
                                    Cefadroxil                                                               Ciprofloxacin
                                    Cephalexin                                                              Metronidazole                                               
                                    Tetracycline/Doxycycline                                   

Human Dosages

     Amoxicillin:  500mg every 12 hours (severe 500mg every 8 hrs)
     Amoxicillin/Clavulinic acid:  500mg every 12 hours
     Ampicillin:  500mg every 12 hours
     Azithromycin:  500mg first day, then 250mg per day for 4 more days
     Cefadroxil:  500mg every 12 hours
     Cephalexin:  500mg every 12 hours
     Ciprofloxacin:  500, 750, or 1000mg once a day
     Clindamycin:  450mg every 6 hours
     Doxycycline:  100mg every 12 hours for 7-10 days
     Metronidazole:  500mg every 12 hours for 7 days
     Oxacillin/Cloxacillin/Dicloxacillin:  500mg every 6 hrs for 7-21 days
     Tetracycline:  500mg every 6 hours for 14-30 days
     Trimethoprim/Sulfonamide (Sulfamethoxazole/Trimethoprim):  800mg every 12 hrs
           
Notes:  The two most important things you can do to prevent infection are wash your hands with soap and clean water often, and dental care: both brush and floss your teeth daily or three times a day

There is a “Guide to Veterinary Drugs for Human Consumption, Post-SHTF” that covers readily-available veterinary medicines that we can use [in true disasters].

However, it is just as easy (and probably less expensive) to buy from All-Day Chemist at https://www.alldaychemist.com/.  These are generics that are very affordable.

            If you are on your own, I would recommend having a couple weeks’ or a month’s worth of the following in the largest sizes (mg):

            Amoxi/Clavulinic acid (Augmentin®)
            Azithromycin (Z-Pack®)
            Cephalexin (Keflex®)
            Ciprofloxacin
            Doxycycline
            Trimethoprim/Sulfamethoxazole

If you need a prescription, you might confide with your family doctor and tell him/her your concerns about preparing for all possibilities.  There are legal ramifications in the good old litigious USA, but if you’re lucky you’ll have a doc with common sense.  It would also be wise to read the antibiotic inserts (also available online at www.drugs.com ) and familiarize yourself with what they’re used for, side effects, and dosages for various problems.  The dosages listed above are “shotgun” amounts, or highest levels.

About The Author: D.A. has had a veterinary career in mixed practice (large and small animals)

Letter Re: Hurricane Sandy: An Outsider’s Perspective

JWR,
I don’t live anywhere near the affected area from Sandy, but now that we’ve had some firsthand accounts, I wanted to throw in my $.02 as an observer from afar:
When the storm hit, I defaulted to the main stream news channels and sites, which got old and repetitive quickly without being very informative.  To get a better feel for the local perspective, I resorted to my smart phone’s 5-0 police radio app.  By bouncing around and listening in on the various police, fire, and EMS dispatch feeds from Northeast counties and cities, I was able to get a better feel for the ground truth around the region and was also able to learn how “the authorities” prioritized their response to various incidents.  

The first thing I will mention is that government at all levels is better prepared than most citizens.  They have survival plans so that they can maintain operation, but that does not mean they will maintain services to citizens.  This is probably obvious to most readers here, but I thought it was important to mention that the government is heavily invested in the survival business.  They just won’t put it in those terms.

The second thing I noticed was that mobility was severely limited for everything but foot traffic.  Sometimes fire trucks could not respond to calls a few blocks away because of downed trees, water, and live power lines in the streets.  Later on, some response vehicles who were isolated from their stations were taken out of commission because they simply ran out of gas and could not get back to fill up the tank.

The third thing I noticed was that looters were the lowest priority during and immediately after the storm.  Responders called in suspicious characters from time to time, but most were too busy clearing roads, putting out fires, and fixing power line hazards to deal with looters.  This makes sense when you consider that loss of life from fires and downed power lines is more important than the theft of Mr. Jones’ big screen television.

I did hear one interesting call:  I don’t remember what city, but a fireman noticed three people walking in the storm wearing camouflage [uniforms].  I don’t know who they were, but they were immediately considered a threat.  If they were preppers, they need to learn to blend in.  If they were looters, God bless them for putting a big police target on their own backs.

One final observation.  This was not WWIII, and it would take something much bigger and of longer duration for things to degrade to that point.  Many amateur preppers put a disproportionate emphasis on armaments, and then when disaster strikes, they lack basic creature comforts and have to go primitive or bug out.  After Hurricane Sandy, which would you rather have had: a $2,000 tricked-out battle rifle or a decent generator and 50 gallons of gas?  From what I’ve seen and read from afar, thanks to the lack of roving mobs, security during Sandy could be as easily maintained with a .38 Special revolver or even a baseball bat.  After all, what’s the point of being prepared for the the zombie apocalypse if it means you suffer more during less severe disasters?
Thank you James for running a site where normal people can find and share reasonable, balanced information on preparedness.

God Bless, – Robert in Texas

Letter Re: Lessons From a Knife Attack

James,
A local surveillance camera [in Albuquerque, New Mexico] caught this stabbing incident.  There are lots of lessons here, but I’d point out three: 1–the attack was quick, with no warning and no known reason, and 2–the victim fought back as best as he could, probably saving his life as the attacker was trying to stab him again and 3–“smoke shops” should be avoided. – Scott B.

Two Letters Re: Hurricane Sandy After Action Reports

Hello,
I am a native New Yorker who has lived in the city for more than 30 years. As much as I would like to live elsewhere safer, I still very much love the city and have to remain here because of work and my mother. The recent devastation left by Sandy wreaked havoc in the city. You can read about plenty of details on the hurricane from the news and other posts so I’m just going to keep this post short based on some of the problems encountered that were unique to an urban environment. In addition to the basic necessities of being prepared, I would like to add some further precautions that can be utilized to help minimize some future problems that can occur in a highly populated city such as New York.

• Electronics/communications: Many people who were in downtown Manhattan had no power and these days, we are tied to our cell phones, laptops, etc. They had to travel uptown in desperation to charge their lifeline. Without a cell phone, there would be no way for many people to contact anyone. Having an extra external charger would’ve been handy along with another charger that utilizes AA batteries as part of their emergency kit will make a good last resort back up.
• Money: ATMs were down in certain places and because there was no power, restaurants and stores only accepted cash. If you had no cash and the ATM wasn’t working or was empty, you weren’t getting anything. Always have some cash on hand.
• Gas: This was a big problem since many people from surrounding areas had no gas due to power outages and so people from New Jersey, Long Island were driving to NYC to fill up. People waited more than 3 hours in line for gas. There was a lot of tension and anxiety caused by a gas shortage. Many gas stations were eventually closed when there was no gas left. My girlfriend had the foresight to remind me to fill up on gas before the storm hit so this should be a good lesson to fill up and stock up in advance of a possible disruption.
• Transportation: The lifeline of New York was cut off since trains were flooded along with extensive damage to the rails and tunnels. There was major traffic lasting hours since it created a bottleneck effect at the bridges that were open. There was also chaos at shuttle bus stops everywhere. Many buses were full and simply bypassed many passengers who were waiting for hours to get on and the city put restrictions by creating carpool lanes into Manhattan with a 3 passenger minimum. Any less and you would have been turned away. This turned what normally would have been a 30 minute commute into a three hour commute. Having a bike or being able to walk for long distances would eliminate the dependency on cars and public transportation.
• Of course, other typical events related to post disaster scenarios occurred (especially in poor neighborhoods like Coney Island) such as: food/water shortages and looting.

A great tragedy occurred in this great city. I hope that people here will start to wake up and become more self sufficient. Those who were spared have been given another chance to do better for themselves and their families in the future. For those who were directly affected, we all pray for your quick recovery. May peace be with you all – A.I.K.

Dear James,
Greetings from New Jersey and thank you for your fantastic blog. My power was not restored until Sunday after losing it one long week ago.

Survival preps, i.e. food, water definitely not a problem for me. Between frozen food,cans and home canned then long term food in Mylar and pails, I can go a year or more. This hurricane is a great “dry run” and those that endured devastation, my heart and prayers go out to them.

On the other hand, so many don’t even have the simple things a day or too. Simple things like filling the car or truck fuel tank before the storm, or getting a few more batteries. As the storm hit, I sat back, having gotten my sick elderly mom from the New Jersey shore, made contact with friends and relatives to try and get out of harm’s way. The power went out very early and within lays a comfort level knowing you can provide for you and your family.

Sitting around the table listening to the hand crank radio under the glow of the Coleman lantern. As the wind howled communications failed. Cell towers along the coast ceased. Roads closed throughout the state. Those with cell phones had no way to charge them if cell service was available.

As our procedure, the emergency two way radios were put into use. At midnight I heard the call signal and a brief verbal check in. We would monitor and contact every 8 hours. Communications are very important. Even someone’s a quarter mile away might as well be in Europe during an emergency, without communication, and a source of immediate back up or help if needed.

As the storm hit us harder, we lost contact with friends and family throughout the night. Communications can not be stressed enough.

The next morning, reports of devastation along the coast, of millions of people without power, without water and food. I’m sure not everyone believes in prepping for a year or more, but please, some cannot even feed themselves for two days without demanding that Uncle Sam must help them.

Within the day, people realized that without gas, you can’t drive or run generators. Without generators, no gas at the gas stations. Yes I personally saw lines at the few gas stations with gas and open over a mile long. Society was breaking down after just 24 hours.

Milk could not be delivered, no diesel for the trucks. Milk could not be picked up at the farms, again, no fuel. I ask, doesn’t anyone prepare?

During the day Tuesday, I get a radio message, rumor has it there is some looting, and its time to lock and load. So be it.

During the frost two days, you would hear generators running day and night. I thought to myself they must have huge amounts of fuel. In order to conserve, I would run it for few hours, shut it off and run it again. One by one, you heard the generators go silent. By conserving, 50 gallons would last for a month or more.

As for eating, oh my, we ate terrifically. Long slow cooked meals and knowing, it would be a long time before we ran out. And yes, there would be lots of rice and beans in the future, but not yet.

As of today, sunday, there still is no fuel available. Food distribution is at a stand still.

What have I learned. Fuel s critical. If you don’t have it, you won’t get it.

Cell phones become useless when the power s down. Alternate communications are a must. With that a thought. If the government became abusive, how would you spread the word? How would you get pictures out so others can see? Internet was not available locally and can be shut down at will by the government.

Have backups. My transistor radio stopped working. The crank up took its place.

Be ready to move fast. New York City was locked down. Tunnels and bridges closed. Have a way to travel and avoid check points.

People have lost everything and many more are suffering. Learn what you can from these warnings.

God bless America and pray for out country on Tuesday. – Rich S.

News From The American Redoubt:

Gun sales, concealed permits on rise in Wyoming before general election

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Wyoming’s wolf season is starting off slowly, but some zones have already closed, with the small quota numbers already reached. (FWIW, the standing joke in my region is that “wolf tags come 20 to a box.”)

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Mapping Migration: Who Moves To Idaho

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Sabotage in the Redoubt? Damage Reported At Sinclair Refinery Near Rawlins

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Man missing for a week came out of Idaho woods on his own

Economics and Investing:

Reader H.L. mentioned another good reason to keep plenty of greenback cash on hand, for emergencies: Sandy Price Gouging Probed: $7 Loaf of Bread, $10 Box of Matches. [JWR Adds: The truth is that in a free market there is no such thing as “gouging”–just willing sellers, willing buyers and a floating free market price. Large demand, short supply, and minimal opportunities to restock necessitate higher prices. The state Attorney General might just as well attempt to hand out speeding tickets at the Indy 500. But of course, be charitable in disasters.]

At Fierce Finance: New York’s Financial district creaks back to life

Cash-free Greek communities take off while economy collapses

Last Jobs Report Before Election Shows Economy In Virtual Standstill

Items from The Economatrix:

Consumer Spending Picks Up, But Savings A Worry

Why Germany Wants To See Its US Gold

News Not Revealing Real Reasons For Economic Collapse

Global Economic Crisis:  EU’s Jobless Rate Hits New High Of 11.6%

Chinese Financial System On The Brink Of Collapse

Odds ‘n Sods:

Avalanche Lily and I recently watched a movie (via Netflix streaming) that we can recommend: Sarah’s Key. Yes, it is the umpteenth movie about the WWII Holocaust, but its particular value is that it shows how obediently the Vichy French authorities became collaborators of Nazi mass murder, and how indifferent the general populace was to the Jewish roundup and deportation. A good companion piece is the documentary The Eye of Vichy. Is there a Velodrome or Drancy in our future? God forbid. Be vigilant for our cherished liberty.

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Some quite troubling news from Canada: Mask Avengers: Protesters To Show Faces Or Get 10 Years In Jail. (The Stasi would have loved this.)

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Poor Prior Planning: NY Man Charged in Gas Hoarding Case. Anyone who attempts to transport gasoline in non-DOT approved containers can expect to face arrest. (Thanks to Chris P. for the link.)

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Shaq’s New Shack: The mainstream media seems confused as to why multi-millionaire Shaquille O’Neal would buy a relatively modest $235,000 house in Mount Dora, Florida. (His other house is a70,000 square foot mansion.) Well, I suppose that those reporters have never read Alas, Babylon. (“Fort Repose” was a fictionalized Mount Dora.) Shaq probably reads SurvivalBlog, too.

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James K. spotted this: Drive On: Doomsday truck lets you survive in style. Also see: Multicat Video.

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"Our emphasis in times of economic dislocation is reflective of our general emphasis on the individual, on productivity and creativity and on elements of community and cooperation. If we have a bias, then, it will be toward growing food rather than just buying it; toward hunting and fishing; toward being able to build rather than buy housing; toward general competence that abides in the individual rather that to the familiar patterns of consumerism." – Karl Hess, Editor, A Common Sense Strategy for Survivalists, p. 5, 1981

Notes from JWR:

Our friend Patrice Lewis (of the very entertaining Rural Revolution blog) reminded me that November is National Novel Writing Month. And November will indeed be an intensive writing month for me as I wrap up writing the remaining key passages of Expatriates. In a lucid dream, I finally came up with a method by which the Indonesians could attempt an invasion of Australia. I don’t want to spoil it, so I won’t give you any details. You’ll just have to wait until November of 2013 to find out…

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This is the last day of the Ready Made Resources sale on Mountain House long term storage foods. They are offering 25% discounts and free shipping for Mountain House foods in #10 cans. The sale ends at midnight on November 5th.