Odds ‘n Sods:

Yet another data point, for selecting a retreat locale: How Many Illegal Immigrants Live in Your State?

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Reader Craig J. sent this: Popular gun range target blamed for forest fires, called potential bomb source. The “forest fires” claim is a red herring. Chainsaws and off-road motorcycles start dozens of fires on USFS and BLM land each year, yet nobody has suggested banning them. Our congresscritters tend toward free floating anxiety followed by spastic fits of legislation. So all that I can say is: stock up on Tannerite! (If there is an explosive target ban, then there will likely be a grandfather clause.)

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Circuit Court: ‘Unsettled’ if 2nd Amendment Applies Outside of Home. Note that this precedential decision comes from the “Third Circus” court. Here is the decision. A Constitutional Right is is not subject to he vagaries of “Only on Tuesdays”, or “Only Inside Your Home.” Hopefully the supremes will eventually overturn this travesty.

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Joey D. sent us this tale of California’s Political Correctness, run amok: Assembly approves bill on gender identity in schools.

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F.J. mentioned: FlameStower: Compact ThermoElectric Charging for Happy Campers

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"The history of fiat money is little more than a register of monetary follies and inflations. Our present age merely affords another entry in this dismal register." – Hans F. Sennholz

Notes from JWR:

Happy birthday to Jerry Pournelle (born 1933.) He, along with Larry Niven authored the survivalist classic Lucifer’s Hammer. He was also a contributing editor to Mel Tappan‘s P.S. Letter. Jerry is also noteworthy for writing a blog long before they were even called blogs.

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Today we present another entry for Round 48 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The 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.) Two BirkSun.com photovoltaic backpacks (one Level, and one Atlas, both black), with a combined value of $275, H.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo. and I.) 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.

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 22 of the books published by PrepperPress.com. This is more than a $200 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., E.) A Tactical Trauma Bag #3 from JRH Enterprises (a $200 value).

Round 48 ends on September 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.

Car-Mageddon: Getting Home in a Disaster, by Becky M.

I live in southern California, which means at any moment one of many earthquake faults could decide to slip, a fire could break out, the economy could finally bottom out, an EMP cleverly directed toward Hollywood would finally fix the bad movie plight, or…you get the point.  We all have to live with the annoying little feeling that at any moment TEOTWAWKI could begin.  Lots of preppers will spend thousands of dollars to adequately prepare their house or bugout location, which is awesome.  Some plan to hunker down and ride out the problem in the comfort of their own home, while others will converge on a bugout location and hide from the insanity of the world.  But what happens if all hell breaks loose while you are at work, or driving in your car?  How many of us have adequately prepared our vehicles?

When you look at the numbers, it is shocking how much time we spend in our beloved vehicles.  Americans are in their cars on average 48 minutes per day and 38 hours per year stuck in traffic.  If you were to calculate this it would lead to approximately 300 hours per year, or almost 13 days just behind the wheel.  And this is merely the average.  Some people spend a lot more time than this in their car.   According to statistics, nearly 128 million Americans commute to work with approximately 75% of them driving alone.  Thus, considering many people don’t work at home and have to travel to get groceries and other items, it could easily be argued that the likelihood that chaos ensues while you are out and about is high.  

So what would you do if a major event occurred while you were driving or at work?  Gridlock would likely be moments away followed by mass chaos, as an unprepared public begins to freak out.  There could be fires, looting, loss of power, no cell service.   What if you had to get your kids?  Could you get home quickly?

Most of us drive within fifteen to twenty miles of where we live, including myself.  If you consider the average person can walk 3 miles per hour uninjured, how long would it take to walk 10 miles?  20 miles? Consider these "best case" figures:

·         3 miles = 1 hour
·         6 miles = 2 hours
·         10 miles = 3 hours 20 minutes
·         15 miles = 5 hours
·         20 miles = 6 hours 40 minutes
·         25 miles = 8 hours 20 minutes
·         30 miles = 10 hours

Then you have to consider obstacles and rest breaks, weather, your physical condition, whether or not there are children with you, or if you or someone in your party is injured.  A 10 mile walk could turn into a 10 hour trek. 
If you are like me you don’t have tons of extra cash to outfit your vehicle with expensive gear.  But, I have listed 10 things that you can do so that you are better prepared in the event that all hells breaks lose while you are on the road.  If you take a bus or carpool to work, the items are things you can keep in your desk or locker.  Most of these items are already around your house, so you won’t have to spend any money, just a little bit of time.

1.       PLAN:  If you are in your car when a major TEOTWAWKI event occurs, you already need to have a game plan as to where you want to go.   Back home?  Bug out location?  Are there people you need to get first like your family or friends?  Pets?  Go ahead and assume that cell phones will not be available, in other words prepare for the worse.  There is a good chance that the roads will be in severe gridlock. 
You need to determine the average distance you drive from your house so you can stock your car accordingly.  For the next few weeks, keep a pen and paper in your car and every time you drive somewhere write down the distance and location.  Get a feel for how far you actually travel from your home on a daily basis.  Then, pull out a map or use many of the free map services on line to study your routes.
Situational awareness is critical while creating and executing your plan.  Are there any major obstacles you might have to overcome to get to your location?  Do you pass through a rough part of town?  Are there bridges or lakes?  I work on the other side of a lake from where I live.  If the bridge that spans that lake collapses, it is absolutely necessary that I know alternative routes to get to my kids. 
That plan needs to be laid out ahead of time and discussed with all parties involved.  It wouldn’t be too far fetch to even consider a time frame for arrival so a search party can come after you along your pre-determined route from work if you don’t show up within 24-48 hours.  Extreme?  Maybe, but I’d rather be safe than sorry.
 
2.       GASOLINE:  Get in the habit of making sure that your vehicle always has at least a quarter tank of gas.  Never let it drop below that line.  Yes.  I know gas is expensive, but allow me to share a story about a coworker to help you realize the importance of this little trick.  Two years ago she rolled in to work on fumes, knowing she would stop on the way home to get gas.  Unfortunately an unexpected city-wide black-out occurred at the end of the work day.  Not a single gas station could run their pumps.  Most of the traffic lights stopped working.  It was chaotic.  Luckily a coworker allowed the woman to crash on her couch for the night and the blackout only lasted for twelve hours, but had the grid gone down for a few days this woman would have been unable to get back home to her loved ones in a timely manner.
 
3.       CLOTHING:  Whether you have to dress up for work or not, it is a good habit to keep a spare set of clothes in your car.  Ladies, imagine walking ten miles in high heels?  No thank you.  Dig through your closet and find those old tennis shoes or hiking boots that you were going to donate and just shove them in your trunk.  Don’t forget the socks!  Toss in an old sweatshirt and if you have an extra hat you don’t wear anymore, add that to the mix.  Also consider a cheap rain poncho (usually $0.99), shorts or pants, and a towel or small blanket.  I know it seems like a lot, but consider this:  if your child is in the car during a chaotic event and you need to keep them warm, you’d be glad you had that little blanket.
 
4.       FIRST AID:  It’s always important to have a first aid kit in your vehicle, but these can sometimes be a bit pricey.  Last year I found this really cool web site that talked about making mini go-bag kits.  They are super simple to assemble and conveniently small.
Get an Altoid or Altoid-sized metal container and put in the following items:
·         Alcohol or other cleansing swabs
·         Gloves:  two latex or nitrile (in case you come across something bloody)
·         Band-Aids of various sizes
·         Ziploc bag with medications like pain relievers, antihistamines, any other meds specific to you (Not only are the pills useful but so is the plastic bag.)
·         Needle taped to inside lid, and consider about one foot of dental floss to add to this in case you have to suture something up really quick.
·         $20 cash (if the ATMs or credit card readers don’t work, you will need cash)
·         Book of matches
·         Sharpened pencil and piece of folded paper
·         I also include a whistle, a sealed razor blade and a small key chain light (yes, it all fits!!!!)
·         Rubber bands:  after you close the lid, put one or two rubber bands around the container to make sure the lid doesn’t pop off.  Rubber bands have numerous practical uses 
These are all things I already had around my house.  I put together a bunch of the little kits and put one in my car glove box, my purse, my desk at work and then I gave one to my husband.

5.       FOOD/WATER:  I keep a few bottles of water and some non perishable food next to my spare tire in the trunk.  It is suggested that a person carry upwards of 3 liters while hiking in the heat.  I currently keep 5 bottles in the trunk, but I live in a mild climate and there is shade available.  Consider your climate and distance when deciding how much water to keep in your car.  I know some people that keep a case of water in their trunk.   
 
Peanut butter crackers are great source of nutrition because of the carbs and protein and they are super cheap.  But any high calorie, easy to store food would work as long as it does not require cooking.  Don’t forget to rotate these items out every few months.
 
6.       BACK IN:  The other night I was at a training meeting for my girl scout troop and the teacher said the most profound thing:  always back into your parking spot.  She explained that in the event of an emergency, you can just whip on out quickly.  It is such a simple thing to do and most of us never do it.
 
7.       FLASHLIGHT:   This is probably something you already have in your car, but if you don’t, go put a flashlight in there now.  I found a hand crank light really cheap and keep that in my glove box next to my Altoid first aid kit.
 
8.       KNIFE:  I can’t afford to keep a gun in my car, and it is illegal in California to conceal and carry.  But, I always keep a legal sized knife either in my purse or in my pocket.  Pocket knives are relatively cheap and shoving an extra one in the glove box isn’t a bad idea.
 
9.       PARACORD:  This is an amazing tool that can be used for so many things.  You can easily ball up the cord and put it in your glove box, or even wrap the flashlight handle with the magical rope.
 
10.   BAG:  If you have to abandon your vehicle and go on foot, you are not going to want to carry your flashlight, first aid kit, water and food, blanket or towel, and other items in your hands.  You might have to carry a child or maneuver around obstacles.  Regardless you need to be light on your feet and not look like a walking grocery store. 
 
Dig around for an old backpack or gym bag that is collecting dust or pick one up at a thrift store or garage sale.  Put that bag in your trunk.  Heck, you can even put the emergency clothes in it.   If you don’t have a bag, you can shove everything in your blanket/towel then use the paracord to hold it all together and toss it over your shoulder.  Not comfortable, but doable.
 
I’m not hoping for some sort of horrific event to occur, but we live in a world of uncertainties and I want to be confident that I can get home to my children as quickly as possible.  If we spend hours upon hours preparing our homes for TEOTWAWKI, then we should spend just a little bit of time preparing the vehicles that will get us home.

Letter Re: Coping with Obstructive Sleep Apnea When There is No Grid Power

Mr. Rawles –
I have been living with a CPAP for many years now, and am one of the persons for whom it has worked very well. I also know how bad things can be after not having my CPAP for three days when an airline lost it. After three days I was almost totally non-functional and was ready to lay out the $2,000 out of my own pocket to get a replacement machine. Fortunately my machine was found by the airline.

More recently I had 3 nights in 2 months where power outages deprived me of the use of my machine. I determined that I needed to find a way to get my CPAP off the power grid.

The first step was to measure the actual power drawn by my machine. Using a Kill A Watt monitor I learned that my machine used 27 watts of power. This of course could vary with the pressure setting, and model used.

I then found a 55 watt solar charging system on sale at Costco for $200. The system came with 3 panels, mounting frame, charge controller, and 200 watt “modified sine wave” inverter. I added a 125 A/hr deep cycle battery,
battery case, and some 10 gauge wire. Since my CPAP did not have a DC power option, I could not run it directly from the battery. The AC input, however, was a “universal” design which can accept any AC voltage from 100
to 250 VAC without switching. Such a universal power input has no problem dealing with the less than ideal power from the “modified sine wave” inverter. If my CPAP had just a conventional 120 VAC power input then the
use of a “true sine wave” inverter might have been needed.

This system worked fine to run my CPAP all spring, summer, and fall, but come winter with shorter days and more clouds, it could not keep the battery charged. I needed to supplement the solar charging system with a AC powered battery charger.

The next year I purchased another identical system, and hooked two of the panels to the [batteries for the] CPAP system. The charge controller supplied with the systems could only support 5 panels for about 91 watts of power in peak sunlight. This expanded system worked great all this last winter.

After the success of my off-grid solar electric system, I now have a separate system for my ham radios, and am building a larger system to power our refrigerator.

It is quite possible and not that expensive to build an off-grid solar electric system to power relatively small loads like a CPAP machine. Like everything else in preparedness, it is better to build and try your preps now, while we still have the support infrastructure to allow you to make mistakes and correct them. – Suburban R.

JWR Replies: Many thanks for giving us the details on how you made your system work. Having separate system provides redundancy. And keeping them separate will help prevent an accidental deep discharge of your system. (This typically happens when an appliance is accidentally left turned on.) Having separate systems also gives you some redundancy because of equipment failure. You could fairly quickly reconfigure your ham radio power system into a power source for our CPAP. Something as simple as just a broken power cord could deadline a system, so buy spares for all of the crucial parts. Remember: “Two is one, and one is none!”

From what I have read, the motors inside most CPAP machines run on DC voltages. So for someone to run a DC to AC inverter, only to feed your machine’s 120 VAC input jack (or cord) which is then in turn transformed back into DC is grossly inefficient. So I recommend this to anyone who is dependent upon motorized medical equipment (such as a CPAP machine or an Oxygen Concentrator) with an AC input: Do your very best to replace them with a unit that has a 12 VDC power input. If you contract with a medical supply company, or a care facility, or there is a medical insurance company involved, then this might be more complex. DO NOT overly complicate the process by telling them all about your alternative power system (or your plans to get one.) That will just confuse the situation. Simply tell them that you need a system that is compatible with power available from a car cigarette lighter. THAT is something simple they will be able to understand!

Economics and Investing:

Special Note: For any SurvivalBlog readers with pending orders (already paid, but order not received) with Mulligan Mint (a former advertiser : Please e-mail me and let me know: Your name, your order number, the number of ounces ordered, your e-mail address, and the date that you placed your order. I will then do my best to get them to ship you order. (Mulligan Mint claims that they are presently shipping orders.)

Matt H. sent this: U.S. gasoline consumption takes a nosedive.

G.G. suggested: Pandemic of pension woes is plaguing the nation

Items from The Economatrix:

Paul Craig Roberts:  Hiding Economic Depression With Spin

Jim Willie:  Bullion Banks Have Pilfered 60,000 Tons Of Gold From Allocated Accounts

Theft By Deficit

“We Have Become a Nation of Hamburger Flippers”: Dan Alpert Breaks Down the Jobs Report

Odds ‘n Sods:

Todd M. suggested reading this troubling MIT Technology Review article on SCADA systems vulnerability: Hacking Industrial Systems Turns Out to Be Easy: New research from Black Hat shows it’s possible to trick water and energy infrastructure to cause physical damage—and securing these systems remains painfully slow. Meanwhile, G.G. suggested that we read: Chinese Hacking Team Caught Taking Over Decoy Water Plant. Oh, and coincidentally, my friend Bob G. just called and recommended this novel, based on a credible terrorist scenario: Gridlock.

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Some folks have put together a combined Calendar of Prepper, Survivalist and Self-Reliance Shows. I hope that they will keep this updated on a regular basis.

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What will really happen when the Yellowstone supervolcano erupts? (And BTW, most of the American Redoubt is upwind of Yellowstone. In contrast, the downwind Upper Midwest and Plains States will get most of the ash fall.)

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Feds Are Suspects in New Malware That Attacks Tor Anonymity.

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The power behind the throne: Benghazi Bombshell: Valerie Jarrett, Commander in Chief. (Reader F.G. mentioned that Rush Limbaugh read this compete article on the air on August 6th.) Since when does a White House staffer who wasn’t confirmed by the Senate get to issue a “Deny Tactical Support” order? BHO and his cronies must go. Time for impeachment.

Notes from JWR:

Mike Williamson’s latest book Tour of Duty: Stories and Provocations was just released! (Mike is SurvivalBlog’s Editor At Large.)

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Today we present another entry for Round 48 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The 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.) Two BirkSun.com photovoltaic backpacks (one Level, and one Atlas, both black), with a combined value of $275, H.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo. and I.) 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.

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 22 of the books published by PrepperPress.com. This is more than a $200 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., E.) A Tactical Trauma Bag #3 from JRH Enterprises (a $200 value).

Round 48 ends on September 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.

Coping with Obstructive Sleep Apnea When There is No Grid Power, by Chris X.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is a breathing disorder which is caused by the narrowing or total occlusion of the airway while sleeping.  The study of sleep using electroencephalogram electrodes, chest and abdominal effort belts, breathing sensors, and blood oxygenation sensors is called polysomnography.  The advent of Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machines in the 1980s started the home treatment revolution of OSA.  Studies have shown that untreated OSA can cause high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, depression, excessive daytime somnolence, fatigue, occupational accidents, and motor vehicle accidents.  More recent studies have shown that OSA is linked to adult-onset diabetes, fibromyalgia and attention deficit disorder.  OSA is just one of the disorders in the Sleep Disordered Breathing realm.  Depending on the diagnosis and appropriate treatment, a person may utilize a CPAP, Auto-PAP, BiLevel, Auto Servo Ventilation (AutoSV), or Variable Positive Airway Pressure (VPAP) machine.  For the rest of this article, I will refer only to OSA and CPAP for simplicity.

OSA is a common problem in our nation.  One study shows that about 1 in 5 men and 1 in 10 women in the United States have Obstructive Sleep Apnea (1).  While many people have been tested and treated for OSA in the past two or three decades, it is still suspected that more people have been undiagnosed than have been diagnosed.  One of the first things that will be seen without electricity is a die-off of people afflicted by many life-threatening ailments.  People sustained by ventilators will be gone in minutes after a large scale power failure.  People who require dialysis for kidney failure will be gone in a matter of days or weeks.  The vast majority of people with OSA will not expire in the short term without their CPAP machines.  However, they would likely become miserable, exhausted, and experience physical and mental breakdowns from not getting restful sleep.
I am a respiratory therapist and sleep technologist.  I also have OSA and use a CPAP machine.  I love and endorse it.  In a national crisis and utility collapse, I would miss running my CPAP on AC current.  However, here are some ways to cope.

Run your machine on DC power.
Most of the modern CPAP machines have a 12 VDC power input port.  Cords can be obtained from Home Medical Equipment (HME) providers but are not a prescription item and insurance does not cover them.  It is least expensive to find what you need on the internet.  I have a cable with a DC jack on one end and a male cigarette lighter plug on the other.  This cable alone could be used to power the machine in a vehicle from the cigarette lighter.  I have second cable which has a female cigarette lighter socket and splits into two jumper cable type battery connectors.  When connected to a fully charged deep cycle marine battery, I get at least two nights of power for my CPAP.  This is what I do when I go ice fishing in a sleeper house in the winter.  Hiking with a deep cycle marine battery is cumbersome to say the least and not practical when on the move.  A small number of CPAP machines have internal batteries but they usually only offer about 8 hours of power before being depleted.  Heated humidifiers really consume battery power.  If you use a humidifier, it is best to use the humidifier passively and just let the air pass over the water in the chamber.  You won’t get nearly as much humidification but it’s better than none at all.  Use saline to moisturize your nasal passages and drink water to stay hydrated.  The number of hours you get out of a deep cycle battery varies depending on the battery’s amp-hour rating, the ambient air temperature, and the pressure(s) that your ventilatory device operates at.  To recharge the battery, photovoltaic mat or panel can be used to trickle charge it.  I have looked into portable military grade solar mats and panels  They are expensive, running a few hundred to over $1,000.  However, they can also be used to recharge cell phones, GPS devices, and any other battery powered gear.  It may be worth it to you to invest in a good one.

[JWR Adds: Be sure to get a charge controller, to avoid over-charging your battery bank. For a typical CPAP machine, plan on a battery bank with at least 260 amp hours of capacity. Generally, this means buying four deep cycle (“marine” or “golf cart”) 6 volt batteries, and cabling them in a series-parallel arrangement, to provide 12 Volts, DC. I recommend using 6 gauge cables. Your local golf cart shop should have a 6 gauge cable terminal crimping tool available, and can fabricate the cables for you, for a nominal fee. These days, the copper in the cables will probably cost you much more than the terminals and the labor charge.]

Provent nasal valves.
Provent is made by Ventus Medical Inc., Belmont, California.  These nasal devices were introduced a couple years ago.  They look like a pair of penny-size adhesive bandages.  In the center, each contains a small valve.  Provents are peeled and adhered over each nasal opening.  The valves allow air to easily be inhaled through the nostrils, but when exhaling, the valves close, leaving only a small hole to exhale through.  This creates backpressure which props the airway open much like CPAP.  A chin strap is recommended to keep the mouth closed.  Studies have shown that they are quite effective in treating OSA and are used primarily for people who fail to tolerate CPAP (2).  They are also used by people with OSA who go on extended outdoor trips where there is no electricity.  It requires a doctor’s specific prescription for Provent Therapy and cost about $60 to $70 for a month supply.  Like prescription medications, it could be difficult to stockpile large quantities that would last you many months or years with no electricity. 
See Proventtherapy.com for more information.

Get fitted with an OSA dental appliance now.
This may be the best option, in my opinion.  No power needed.  These are very effective and portable.  I am not referring to the television infomercial “boil and bite” anti-snoring mouth pieces.  Those usually deteriorate within a matter of months.  There are several different styles of dental appliances used to treat OSA.  Very strong materials are used including high tech hard plastics, titanium, micro screws, and springs.  These are not cheap devices.  They can cost anywhere from $1,500 to $5,000 to have them custom molded, fitted, and tested by a dentist specializing in treating OSA with dental devices.  They advance the lower jaw, creating a mild under bite, advancing the tongue, and opening the airway.  Care must be taken to optimize the effectiveness of the appliance without causing temporal mandibular joint (TMJ) problems or pain.  If you wear dentures or have bridges, you will likely not be a candidate for a dental appliance like this. 

See www.abdsm.org for a list of dentists who specialize in this area.    

Positional sleep therapy.
When there are no other options, at least try to sleep on your side with upper body elevated.  A significant angle helps overcome gravity and prevents airway tissues and the tongue from drooping and blocking the airway.  Sleep at angle on a hillside if outdoors.  In your survival retreat, use a wedge or several pillows to significantly elevate your head.  45 to 60 degrees may be required for desired effect.  Many people note an improvement in sleep when in a reclining chair.  It can help.  However, I’ve rarely seen anyone sleep on their side in a recliner.  They are still essentially supine and still can exhibit obstructive apneas and flow-limited breathing.  Sleeping prone is no guarantee of a patent airway either.  I’ve seen many people snore and have respiratory events while sleeping on their stomach.  There are several pillows on the market which claim to treat OSA.  However, your head must stay in the correct position for it to work.  For anyone who has taken a CPR course, you know the head-tilt, chin lift method to opening the airway of an unconscious victim.  This head position would work great at treating obstructive sleep apnea, but who would ever stay in that perfect position while sleeping?  One positional method includes wearing a backpack with a soccer ball or basketball inside.  It prevents turning to supine position while sleeping.  If you are in the woods with a full backpack, wear it while you sleep to stay on your side.  There’s still the possibility of airway collapse when sleeping laterally and elevated but it’s less likely than totally supine.    

Lose weight now.
Obesity is a contributing factor in OSA.  That’s not to say that all obese people have OSA or that slender or fit people don’t have OSA.  People I see in the sleep lab come in all shapes, colors, and sizes.  One of the loudest snorers I’ve ever heard was a petite, middle-aged woman who was 5’ 4” and 125 lbs.  The longest obstructive apneas with the most severe oxygen desaturations I’ve ever seen were exhibited by a man who was 5’10” and 185 lbs.  People can be predisposed to having OSA due to the size of their tongue, tonsils, soft palate, and uvula.  They may have a small and / or recessed chin (micrognathia and retrognathia).  Their neck circumference, alcohol and tobacco use, age, and gender are all contributing risk factors.  However, weight gain is a major cause in developing OSA, especially during middle age.  In a survival situation, calories will be a commodity hard to come by and many will no longer have a choice in the matter.  Today while we still have all the modern conveniences, it’s a lot easier said than done to lose weight and keep it off.  If you are obese, significant weight loss is likely to reduce the severity or presence of OSA but is no guarantee that you will be “cured”.  Your goal should be to get your weight and Body Mass Index (BMI) into a normal range.  Refer to this National Institute of Health chart, to see where you are and where you should be.

Surgical treatments for OSA.
Surgeries are not always the best solution to treating OSA.  All too often, people arrive at the sleep lab and state, “If I have obstructive sleep apnea, I just want to have ‘the’ surgery and fix it once and for all”.  Unfortunately it’s just not that easy.  There are many different types of surgical procedures.  There are too many to go into in this article.  However, I will state that most surgical procedures focus on removing, shrinking or toning the tissues of the upper airway.  Depending on which surgeon is selling you their services and which procedures they specialize in, results vary greatly.  I see many people in the sleep lab who were diagnosed with OSA, disliked CPAP, had surgery, and still had OSA and had to continue with CPAP.  The surgeries are invasive, costly, painful, and require weeks of healing time with no guarantee of success.  The only surefire and drastic way to surgically treat OSA is with a tracheotomy, which people rarely agree to.  Proceed with caution and research the surgeon and the procedure they want to perform on you.

Use Breathe-Right nasal strips to decrease snoring. 
High nasal resistance is a contributing cause to snoring.  Narrow nasal passages, a deviated septum, history of nasal fractures, polyps, and congestion all contribute to increased nasal resistance.  Perform Cottle’s maneuver (3) by placing your index fingers on your cheekbones about an inch under your eyes.  Gently pull the skin on the cheekbones outwards toward your ears.  If you note your nasal passages open and you can move air easier, then you likely have some nasal resistance.  A Breathe-Right strip can help decrease nasal resistance and the likelihood of snoring from nasal issues.  Remember that snoring and OSA are two different things.  Often, Breathe-Right nasal strips do little to alleviate respiratory events caused by a compromised airway in OSA.  However, they are a great adjunct therapy in combination with wearing a CPAP mask or dental appliance to help a person exchange air nasally.  They are extremely small, portable, and light.  I feel that the treatment of snoring is also important as it could be a security risk.  Snoring while outdoors can give away your position, whether in the day or night.

In Summary:
In a world where there is a bed, bedroom, and electrical power, I will take my CPAP any day.  If there is no grid power or I’m out in the wilderness, my strategy would be to sleep laterally with my head elevated, using a dental appliance in conjunction with a chin strap and Breathe-Right nasal strip.  However you decide to manage your OSA in a world without electricity, it is my hope that you find a way to get some quiet, refreshing sleep, as it is imperative to your mental and physical acuities to be alert and sharp in order to survive.
God bless and keep you!

References
1.  Young T, Palta M, Dempsey J, Skatrud J, Weber S, Badr S. The occurrence of sleep-disordered breathing among middle-aged adults. New England Journal of Medicine.  1993;328:1230–1235.

2.  Walsh J, Griffin K, Forst E, Ahmed H, Eisenstein R., Curry D, Hall-Porter J, Schweitzer P.  A convenient expiratory positive airway pressure nasal device for the treatment of sleep apnea in patients non-adherent with continuous positive airway pressure.  Sleep Medicine. 2011;12: 147-152.

3.  Tikanto J, Pirila T.  Effect of the Cottle’s maneuver on the nasal valve as assessed by acoustic rhinometry.  American Journal of Rhinology.  2007 Jul-Aug;21(4):456-9.

About the Author: Chris X. is a Registered Respiratory Therapist, Registered Polysomnographic Technologist, and a Registered Sleep Technologist

Letter Re: Animal Food Sources in TEOTWAWKI, by Michael H.

JWR,
That was an excellent article By Michael H. about chickens. (Animal Food Sources in TEOTWAWKI.”) One thing to consider is that raccoons can reach though chicken wire and dismember the chickens. Small weasels can easily get through chicken wire. It’s better to use 1/4 or 1/2 inch (at the largest) metal hardware cloth for chicken coops and runs.

News From The American Redoubt:

America’s conservative heartland–a lot of it is in the Redoubt and Plains states. This map, courtesy of Nick Gillespie of the Hit & Run blog at Reason.com shows just how conservative the American Redoubt congressional districts are, compared to much of the rest of the nation. (The Republican-held congressional districts are shown in red.)

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The Free State Wyoming forum was “suspended” about six weeks ago, and the members were unable to contact Boston T. Party or discover any reason for the suspension. So they decided to go ahead and establish another forum, called “Wyoming Mavericks” that is independent of FSW. (Click here, for some background.)

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Part of the Monderno team has relocated to Montana.

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R.B.S. sent: 3,600 mink released by activists at Idaho mink farm.

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Montana State Representative Krayton Kerns warns Montanans need to be vigilant about preserving their state’s well-written Stand Your Ground law.

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Reader R.B.S. in Idaho sent: States respond to Idaho’s concealed weapons rules.

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Report from First annual “Northwest Patriot and Self-Reliance Rally”

Economics and Investing:

G.G. sent: The lame jobs report, in eight charts.

News from Spain: Bank bailout fund admits losses have reached 36 billion euros

Consulates and the Vatican in chaos as HSBC tells them to find another bank

Items from The Economatrix:

Full circle: Joblessness at 2008 level

Record Jobs For Old Workers; For Others – Not So Much

Ten Times More Waiter and Bartender Than Manufacturing Jobs Added in 2013

US Factory Orders Miss (Again); Biggest 4-Month Drop in a Year

Odds ‘n Sods:

F.J.R. sent this from MacLife: Eight Apps for Wilderness Survival. The piece begins: “It might seem counterintuitive to rely on a device so associated with the comforts of civilization for survival in the wilds, but a well-prepared iPhone could mean the difference between life and death when stranded in the great outdoors…”

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Let’s hear it for home schools: They are educating kids better than public schools. (Thanks to Bob G. for the link.)

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Mike Williamson’s latest book Tour of Duty: Stories and Provocations will be released tomorrow.

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A privacy-minded reader in Bend, Oregon wrote to mention that he was having trouble finding a .50 BMG bolt action rifle from a private party seller. In the same e-mail he mentioned that he was in the process of parting up several AR-15s. Well, here are a couple of solutions for him: The Ferret .50 or the Safety Harbor .50. Any adult can buy these .50 BMG upper halves by mail order with no FFL paper trail (Form 4473) and then complete it with a generic AR-15 lower.