Dealing with the Dying, by A Healthcare Couple

This essay is a joint effort from a healthcare couple.  My wife is a hospice nurse and I work at a long-term care facility.  Together, we have witnessed numerous patients die.  The purpose of this essay is to educate you in helping to take care of a dying group member (will use the term patient for this writing).  The first time that I experienced death up-close and personal was when my best friend B. died a few years ago.  We were both in our 20s and he had cancer.  Over the course of more than a year I was with him as he went through chemo, radiation and surgery.  At that time my experience with death was limited to my elderly grandfather and a few friends of my parents.  Death seemed pretty sterile and did not happen directly in front of my own eyes.  Now in my early 30s, I’ve experienced the death of more friends, their newborns/young children, more grandparents, and numerous patients of ours of all ages.  I’ve learned a lot since then and would like to share it with you.

In a TEOTWAWKI scenario, the reality is that people are going to die.  People you cared deeply for as well as people you never met.  Depending upon the scenario, the death-rate could be high and the possibility that you may have to help with the care of a dying person is likely.   
Take for example some of the current big killers for the U.S. population:

  • Heart disease
  • Cancer
  • Stroke
  • Diabetes
  • Respiratory Diseases
  • Influenza

Now add in potential TEOTWAWKI scenarios and the list could be expanded to also include these potential deadly killers:

  • Gunshot and other puncture wounds
  • Lack of availability for life-sustaining medication
  • Influenza epidemics
  • Worldwide diseases that are relatively low here in the U.S. but may increase do to unsanitary conditions and/or lack of access to quality health care (such as AIDS, Cholera, Hepatitis, Malaria, Meningitis, Rotavirus, Tuberculosis, Typhoid, etc.)
  • Labor complication
  • Drowning
  • Burns
  • And the list could go on and on…

Whatever the case, if you are called upon to help with the care of a dying person, it is best to know a little about the subject. 
In this essay I’m not going to write about emergency room procedures or survival medicine that you can use in the field to save lives, but rather, I want to focus on when medically you can do no more for your patient.  Depending upon the preparation of your group, the threshold could vary widely for when you can do no more.  It is my hope that you have taken necessary steps to prepare and practice lifesaving techniques for you and your group. 

For hospice patients, they usually are given six months life expectancy or less.  In your case, the patient may have those few months to live, but more likely they will have much less time than that.  Know that when the body is going through the dying process, many changes are happening.  I understand that each person and situation is different, but I am going to try and cover the dying process in general terms.    

In hospice, when a patient is getting close to dying, it is referred to it as active dying.  Leading up to this active dying stage, the patient may have reduced appetite and you may notice weight loss.  Don’t force the patient to eat food.  The body is dying and has not need for the nourishments.  I’ve seen all too often family members trying to get their loved one to eat, only causing that patient to become nauseous.  In addition to the reduced appetite, the patient my sleep more and be very tired.  They may become disoriented, have delusions, or hallucinations (speaking to people who aren’t there).  This is very common and may times if the patient is talking to someone that is not there, it is highly likely that they are speaking to someone who has already died.  These hallucinations are a very interesting phenomenon to me.  I usually try not to change the subject, but rather gather information from the patient such as who they are talking with, and what they are talking about.  Don’t miss this opportunity as the patient may be trying to tell you or a loved one something.

Currently in hospice, we have many methods to use to make patients more comfortable.  For patients suffering from pain, we have a whole host of drugs available.  Many of these stronger drugs are opiates which diminish the experience of pain by the patient.  Some of the more common drugs used are Oxycodone (Oxycontin), Morphine (Roxanol), Fentanyl (patch, Actiq), Methadone (Dolophine), or Hydromorphone (Dilaudid).  In a TEOTWAWKI scenario, it will likely be difficult to obtain these drugs and you may be left with more common household drugs such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or aspirin to help relieve pain.

For patients suffering from breathing problems, we currently have oxygen [concentrator] machines that we can hook-up directly to the patient [typically via a nasal cannula.]  In addition, many of the opiates also help relieve breathing problems.  Without either of these two resources, you can try to reposition the patient by placing more pillows under their head or having them sit at an incline.  You can also try creating a light breeze directed at the patient’s face to see if that helps.  If the patient’s lips become dry, try using a lip balm.  If the inside of their mouth become dry and they are conscious, try giving the patient ice chips if available (if not, you can wipe the inside of the mouth with a cotton swab, cotton ball or damp washcloth.  This dryness in the mouth can cause irritation to the patient, so make sure to provide ice or dab the inside of the mouth every two hours.  For patients lying in the same position for any length of time, they may develop pressure ulcers (sores).  Try to reposition the patient if possible every few hours.
When a person is actively dying, there are some signs you can look for to know that the person is close to death:

  • The body has a difficult time regulating its temperature, so you will notice the body temperature beings to gradually lower (normal body temp is 98.6 -98.2F if taken orally) or if an infection is present, the temperature may spike
  • The pulse begins to become irregular, sometime speeding up with other times slowing down (normal pulse is 60-100 beats per minute)
  • Blood pressure begins to lower (normal pressure is 120/80)
  • The patient may begin to perspire and feel cool to the touch
  • Skin beings to change color as blood circulating within the body begins to diminish (you will usually notice it in the lips or fingertips as they begin to turn a bluish/purplish color)
  • Breathing usually becomes more difficult, sometime rapid and shallow and others time gradually slowing to just a few breaths per minute (normal is 12-20 breaths per minute)
  • While not as noticeable, it is very common to have a surge of energy for a short period of time (the patient my want to get up out of bed, may want to talk to friends/family, eat after going days without eating, etc.)

When pulse, blood pressure and respirations cease, the patient has died.  The deceased should always be handled with the utmost care and respect.  We are all going to die someday, so treat the body as you would want someone else to treat your body.  It is appropriate to do a small ceremony at the bedside with all who are present.  I typical being with a prayer and then have those gathered say something about the deceased.  Due to infection control, I would recommend that the deceased be buried immediately.  If at all possible, have everyone coming into contact with the deceased, the bed, clothes, etc., wear rubber gloves.  If possible, wrap the body in a blanket or sheet.  You may then want to wrap the body in a plastic trap, as body fluids may begin to be excreted from the body.  You will want to wash bedding in hot soapy water and then use a bleach solution to wipe down any infected areas.  If you are in a location to bury the body, dig an area away from water sources.  The typical grave is 4 feet deep, 8 feet long and 3 feet wide.  Use whatever measurements fit for the deceased.  If you are unable to bury the body, the next best solution would be to burn the body.  Make sure to have plenty of your fire source, as you want to dispose of as much of the body as possible. 

On a final note, throughout this the dying process, don’t forget how powerful human interaction can be.  Especially for patients who are experiencing high levels of anxiety, human touch can do wonders to help calm a person.  Touch helps to convey care, solace, and comfort.  Even if the person is no longer conscious, talk to them.  Many times the patient can hear you even if they are not alert, awake and conscious.  Have people introduce themselves as they enter the room.  Have them talk directly to the patient.  Encourage visitors or those gathered to talk directly to the patient.  Lastly, take time to mourn the loss of life.  In a TEOTWAWKI scenario, you may not be able to have much time to mourn, but make it a priority when you have the time to remember all those that died.          

Letter Re: The Most Important Preparedness

Dear James,
Recently, a friend of mine just took his own life, leaving behind a wife and three young children.  He loved to talk about being prepared and would spend hours reading survival blog.  As far as “preparedness” goes, he seemed to be very prepared for TEOTWAWKI, having spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on guns, ammo, a bug out vehicle, all the medical and survival supplies you could think of, etc.  He also had military training, martial arts training, and was an excellent marksman, if anyone was prepared, he seemed to be ready.  However, in the end, he would take himself out, leaving his wife and three children, without a father, protector, or bread earner.  I believe that while he was so focused on preparing for TEOTWAWKI, that he forgot to take care of himself and his family.  I believe that instead of looking to God to be his protector and to take away his burdens, he looked to himself.  Disillusioned, he turned to alcohol and marijuana for comfort, which lead to marital problems, depression, anxiety, and ultimately he chose to take himself out, rather than face his problems.

Alcoholics have high rates of major depressive disorders, and the risk of suicide is 5 to 20 times higher.  Further, one out of every three suicides under the age of 35 is related to alcohol.  Alcohol works on the prefrontal cortex, inhibiting the areas of the brain related to self-control and judgment.   “Chronic alcohol misuse can cause psychotic type symptoms to develop, more so than with other drugs of abuse. Alcohol abuse has been shown to cause an 800% increased risk of psychotic disorders.”

Marijuana is also associated with worsening of paranoid symptoms, with its effect on the pre-frontal cortex and amygdala.  Thus, those under its influence are more likely so see patterns that don’t exist leading to schizophrenic like paranoid symptoms.

My friend often would talk about his faith in God, but trying to work out his own problems and turning to substance abuse, he forgot some of the Bible promises like Isaiah 26:3 “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.”  and Isaiah 54:17 “No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper.”  Thus, in preparing for TEOTWAWKI, he neglected the most important preparation, that of learning to trust in God, who will be our ultimate source of protection and salvation. –  S.I.

Notes of Clarification for SurvivalBlog Readers, by Pat Cascio

First of all, I want to clear-up a misconception: Jim Rawles and I are not one in the same person – we are two different people. I hear from SurvivalBlog readers all the time, asking me if I’m really Jim Rawles – I am NOT! Jim had his blog site up and running for several years before I came on board, as the Field Gear Editor. I know this won’t satisfy some of you, but you can believe what you want – Jim and I are not the same person. I live in Western Oregon, and Jim lives – well, I don’t actually know where he lives, and it’s none of my business. And, please stop asking me for his phone number!
 
I receive well over 200 e-mails each day, many are junk, however many are from SurvivalBlog readers with questions. Due to the number of e-mails I get, I have to keep my answers short. I hope I’m still helpful with my answers, though. So many of you ask me “what’s the best……” and I can’t give you a pat answer to that. The best handgun is the one I’m carrying at the time – ditto for knives. I can’t pick a firearm or knife for you – it’s a very subjective thing, I can only suggest what appeals to me. And, while I sincerely appreciate this, this is not the way I operate – many of you offer to pay me for my advice to you in your e-mails. If I can help, I’m happy to do so, so don’t offer to pay me for my advice – I’m not in that business. I just hope I have the right answers to your questions most of the time.
 
As to the many vendors who send me their products to test and write about. Once again, don’t offer to pay me to push your products ahead of someone else’s products. We make every attempt to test products in the order they are received by me. The only exception to this is knives – I received so many knives, that I spread my reviews out quite a bit – no one wants to read half a dozen knife reviews in a row on SurvivalBlog. As the Editor, Jim Rawles decides when an article will appear in print, and he is a very ethical person, so I’m sure he’s just as offended as I am by companies wanting us to push their products ahead of someone else’s products. Right now, I’m working on review articles that will run in November, and I have enough products to test and write about, clear through January of 2014. If you can’t wait for me to get to your products for testing and a review, then don’t send them to me. Sorry! I write one article each week for SurvivalBlog, and I’m also writing one article each week for another web site , so I keep extremely busy!
 
I’m not any sort of celebrity and there is nothing special about me. I’m just a hard-working stiff like everyone else is. Many readers write and ask me if they can stop by and meet me. I simply don’t have the time to do this, and I’m a very private person. I don’t readily welcome unannounced guests onto my little homestead.
 
Thanks to everyone who e-mails me, I do sincerely appreciate hearing from all of you. And, even those few who are critical, at times of my reviews on gear, I still appreciate your e-mails. However, those few who send threatening e-mails to me: they are turned over the authorities. I had one fellow who went so far as to even threaten me and former President George Bush – for whatever reason. His e-mails were turned over to the US Secret Service.
 
SurvivalBlog is not some radical right-wing web site, as many Liberals believe it to be, especially the likes of the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) who often target Jim Rawles, as some type of whacko survivalist who plans on taking over the country. This is not the case. Jim is running a very informative blog site, for those intelligent enough to realize that they need to prepare for disasters – many types of disasters. And, I have not seen any articles or suggestions on SurvivalBlog, that even come close to having the web site advocating over-throwing the government. And, for those agent provocateurs who e-mail me trying to get me to say I’m advocating over-throwing the government: Stop it – I can see right through your e-mails. Find someone else to set-up, neither myself nor Jim Rawles will fall for this.
 
Thanks again, to all the loyal and faithful readers SurvivalBlog has, Jim and I sincerely enjoy hearing from all of you. – SurvivalBlog Field Gear Editor Pat Cascio

Letter Re: Some Overlooked Risks

Jim;
In a recent post, Harry T. mentioned that “Fido” will be competing with humans for food should we return to a hunter-gatherer schema. He is absolutely correct in addressing the newly-wild domestic dog as a threat. I have been treed twice in my life by life-threatening critters. Once was by a huge wild hog while I was fly-fishing on the North Carolina-Tennessee line. Apparently I entered his domain and he felt I was a threat to be dealt with. I’ve encountered bears and rattlesnakes who were far less aggressive than that tusker. The other time I had to climb a tree to avoid being eaten (or at least bitten) was when a pack of feral dogs chased me in the mountains of eastern Tennessee.

These were dogs who had apparently been dropped in the mountains by their owners. Some of them still had collars. They were a mixed bag — one beagle, a few mutts, an Australian shepherd, and some sort of Doberman cross, among others. There were about 10 in the pack. They pulled a sneak attack, rushing me in mid-day while I was hiking. I was only a teenager, about 16 years old. I was carrying a pocket knife, but no other weapons. I went up a smallish Sassafras [tree], climbing about 15 feet up a tree that was only about four inches in diameter. Once there, I had no recourse until the dogs got tired of circling the tree and waiting for their dinner to fall. The only warning I had of the threat was the beagle: Fortunately, he bugled as the pack was approaching me. I love beagles — They’re single-minded and they make their intentions very clear.

After about 20 minutes, the dogs began fighting among themselves, then wandered off. The Australian shepherd was the last to leave. He was the only one that didn’t make any noise. Just patiently waited. I don’t know if he had been more recently abandoned than the others and wanted to make a friend, or if he was simply more patient. Herding instincts and whatnot. Long story short: I got out of the situation with nothing more than a scarred boot where the Doberman caught me while I was climbing. But that incident caused me to grow a new set of eyes (and ears) for potential threats. – J.D.C. in Mississippi

Economics and Investing:

From G.G.: Family goes bankrupt after blowing their $100,000 savings on Beanie Babies they thought would become valuable. JWR Adds: I recommend investing in tangibles, but not those sorts of tangibles!

Also from G.G.: Government Wastes More Money than You Think

Items from The Economatrix:

The Uneasiness Of Quantitative Easing: How QE Is Ineffective With Helping The Broader Economy In Favor Of Boosting Support For The Too-Big-To-Fail Banks

Borrowers Redefaulting In Obama’s Housing Program

Part-Time Nation: What Does It Say When A Vast Portion Of Our Society Is Now Working At Part-Time Jobs? 2013 scorecard: Minimum wage restaurant jobs added: 239,000. Manufacturing jobs added: 13,000

The Most Delinquent Loan Of Them All: Student Debt Delinquencies At Record Levels On The Eve Of Rates Doubling. Half Of College Graduates Working In Jobs Where Their Degree Is Not Required

Odds ‘n Sods:

Yes, America, sometime we do need more than just reduced-capacity (10-round) magazines: Houston woman in critical condition after pack of 15 dogs attack

   o o o

Of interest to archers: How to Tune Your Bow: 15 Steps to Perfect Arrow Flight. (Thanks to James W. for the link.)

   o o o

Yet another one of Bloomberg’s gun-grabbing mayors is thoroughly disgraced: Mayor Bob Filner taking time off for ‘intensive therapy’. (Apparently this one grabbed more than guns.) And, quite predictably, he refuses to resign from office. Bloomberg’s gang of petty tyrants is absolutely shameless, even when under felony indictment.

   o o o

B.B. spotted this: Hornady Suspends Production of 150 Ammo Types and 150 Bullet Types for Balance of 2013

   o o o

South Africa, Riots and the Price of Food

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“And as he sat upon the mount of Olives over against the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately,
Tell us, when shall these things be? and what [shall be] the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled?
And Jesus answering them began to say, Take heed lest any [man] deceive you:
For many shall come in my name, saying, I am [Christ]; and shall deceive many.
And when ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars, be ye not troubled: for [such things] must needs be; but the end [shall] not [be] yet.
For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these [are] the beginnings of sorrows.
But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them.
And the gospel must first be published among all nations.
But when they shall lead [you], and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost.” – Mark 13:3-11 (KJV)

Notes from JWR:

This is the birthday of Samuel Whittemore (born, July 27, 1694 – died February 3, 1793.) He was an English-born colonial American farmer and soldier. He was eighty years old when he became the oldest known colonial combatant in the American War of Independence. Take a few minutes to read his biographical sketch. It sounds almost too astounding even for Hollywood to invent. By the way, I recommend that in a few years Clint Eastwood ought to portray Whittemore. I believe that would be a fitting way for Clint to cap his acting career, and a great way for Americans to remember one of our forgotten heroes.

—

Today we present another entry for Round 47 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.) Two BirkSun.com photovoltaic backpacks (one Level, and one Atlas, both black), with a combined value of $275, G.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo. and 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.

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 and F.) 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.) A Tactical Trauma Bag #3 from JRH Enterprises (a $200 value), and F.) Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security.

Round 47 ends on July 31st and the queue is full, but you can e-mail us your entry for Round 48. 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.

The Bug Out Boat, by Lean Jimmy

Every Prepper needs at least one serious bug out plan in his repertoire. Most of us will need a plan to get to our retreat when the SHTF. Even those of us fortunate enough to live in their retreat right now will have to be ready to bug out if circumstances demand. Things like a fallout cloud or a pandemic, or an invading army of zombies can’t be ignored. You may be forced to leave and you’d better know where you are going and how you are going to get there.

Your bug out plan starts with an assessment of the conditions you may be facing when the time comes to leave. If, as most of us, you live in an urban environment, you will likely be looking at a hopelessly clogged transportation grid. Let’s say you live in a large Midwestern metropolitan area. If the SHTF in a sudden, dramatic fashion, everyone in town will have the same idea you do; get out fast. The difference between you and the rest of them will be that, because you are a Prepper, you will have acquired the wherewithal to support your withdrawal. On the other hand, you have the same immediate problem that the masses have. How will you get through the panicked mob and reach the relative safety of open country?

If you live in the eastern half of the country, more than likely, there will be a large river near your home. That river will connect to other rivers and waterways that will open nearly 5,000 miles of liquid highway to those with the means to use it! Most people will never think of the water and will limit themselves to land travel. Without a plan or supplies they will be bogged down and faced with looting to survive within a day or two of their departure. In fact, within hours of the start of the exodus, many of these people in stalled cars will be involved in their first deadly confrontation with other people in the line who took to the road with an empty gas tank and now are seeking “volunteers” to resupply them. The Prepper with a boat, even a pretty small boat and good prior planning may slip nearly unnoticed from the area.

If, on the other hand, you reside in the western half of the country, waterways may be a little less obvious, unless you live along the beach. Even if you have an ocean view from your deck, I wouldn’t recommend bugging out in a boat unless it is very seaworthy and you are prepared to go a long way to safety. California offers a few places of refuge in the Channel Islands, but they are so easy to reach that even on a summer weekend it’s a mob scene out there. Oregon offers nothing but cold, rough water offshore with very few places to return to land safely. Only Washington State offers a wide variety of islands to hop among. The Inside Passage and Alaska beckon if you have enough long underwear to survive.

Still, many metropolitan areas in the west have captive rivers or canals bringing water to the thirsty city. Perhaps they offer a quick means of egress if you are prepared. Large reservoirs are not uncommon and, if they are close enough to get to quickly, may give you a clear shot at getting to the other side and some semblance of isolation.

The boat option assumes that you have someplace to go when you bug out. That someplace has to be fairly close and it has to be near a body of water accessible to you from your retreat or home. In my case, for example, the Cumberland River forms a large bight around my home. The river is less than two miles from me on three different sides. There are several boat ramps within 15 minutes of my yard. That makes for ready access to the water. As far as access to a bug out location, the Cumberland River is tied into a network of waterways that makes most of the eastern half of the U.S. within reach. In fact, I can ultimately reach the Atlantic or the Gulf of Mexico from a boat ramp within minutes of home. All that is necessary to tap into this vast network is a boat suited to my aspirations.

If you don’t need to travel far to your retreat location, you can make do with just about anything that floats. It just has to be big enough to carry you and your 72-hour bag. The family ski boat or even enough kayaks to go around will fill the bill. If your destination is more than one tank of fuel away, then you need to plan for resupply. A hidden cache placed in happier times will do as long as it is safe from high water and marauding critters, whether they be of the two-legged or four-legged variety. Keep a detailed map to each cache aboard your boat or in your bug out bag so you won’t forget where they are. The maps need to be detailed enough so that anyone in your party can find them in case something happens to you along the way.

Security during such a move is always problematic. In a boat you will face some unique issues. Stealth will probably be your best friend during the escape. Traveling at night will provide more security but navigation in the dark can be tricky. GPS may still be working but extreme caution is required to avoid floating obstacles, sand bars, and meandering channels that lead nowhere. If you must slip down the river through the center of town, fires burning ashore may provide some welcome light but don’t get so close that you illuminate your own position.

Armed and active defense during a waterborne bug out is a horse of a different color. The inherent rocking in a boat will render long range firearms and marksmanship largely irrelevant. Receiving fire from people ashore is unlikely unless you are very close to the bank. They won’t want to waste ammo shooting at something they can’t reach anyway. Boat to boat confrontations will be more likely. Ranges will be short and encounters brief, ending in one boat floating and one boat sinking or disabled. Go with shotguns and 00 Buck. Aim for the engine, the control station and/or the waterline.

On land, caltrops are used to disable a pursuing vehicle. On the water you can quickly improvise a workable substitute. Tie lengths of polypropylene line into a rough net with squares about a foot on a side. Make the net about ten feet wide by five or six feet long and tie a couple of floating weights (such as short blocks of wood or plastic jugs) to the ten foot ends. This will allow it to deploy effectively when you toss it. Store it in a bucket in the stern of your boat. When a pursuing boat gets close, you toss the net over the stern so he runs over it and fouls his prop. End of pursuit. A word of caution is in order. Water-ski ropes are made of polypropylene and would fill the bill just fine except they are usually bright yellow to make them easy to see so boaters won’t run over them. Find some green or brown line to make your net more difficult to avoid when you deploy it. Make sure it floats before you actually need it.

In addition to the normal items you carry in your 72-hour bag, there are some essential extras you will want to pack along in your boat. A good pair of binoculars tops the list in my opinion. Few tools are more useful for finding your way on the water. Match the binoculars with a good set of charts for the waterways you expect to travel and finding your way will be a lot less stressful. A cautionary note: check your charts carefully for locks along the river. These are abundant on eastern rivers and the Corps of Engineers will probably not be on hand to operate them for you. You may need to portage around them. This is where smaller is better as far as the size of your boat is concerned.

Health and safety items should include mosquito repellent and netting. These pests are rampant and dangerous on the water in the warmer months. A good anti-itch cream might be nice in case the repellent doesn’t give 100% protection. Life vests will be more important in a bug out than on a normal boating outing. The risk of winding up in the water with debilitating wounds is high. The vest may keep you afloat long enough to get out of immediate danger and regain your group.

If you plan to lay low during the daylight hours, don’t forget a camouflage system big enough to hide the boat. If your boat is too small to support the weight and bulk of a net system such as the military styles, fresh cut greenery gathered from the area you are hiding in and tied in place will do nicely. In any event, you need something to cover anything in the boat that is brightly colored or reflects light.

A method of holding you in place, even in a current, will be crucial. Carry an anchor big enough for the job attached to enough line to hold you. Your line should be at least seven times as long as the depth of water you are anchoring in. In addition, carry plenty of line long enough and strong enough to tie off to trees or other solid objects if you are lying along the shore.

If the trip is more than a few miles, foraging items such as trot lines, gill nets and crayfish traps should be included. Don’t bother with your good ol’ bass rod and reel since sport fishing is not going to be productive enough to meet your needs. This kind of situation calls for meat fishing techniques. Some simple snare materials for small game would also be a plus.

Finally, a small spare parts kit appropriate to the boat should be included. If the vessel is powered, a spare spark plug, fuel filter, and shear pins might be in order. Two-cycle engine oil shouldn’t be overlooked if needed for your engine. With human-powered craft such as kayaks or rowboats, an extra paddle or two for the group might save the day. Inflatables need a repair kit and an air pump.

Clearly, the floating option can be taken to a whole new level. There is a group of people known as cruisers who are basically accidental Preppers.  They have forsaken life ashore and moved onto a boat permanently. Generally, this boat is a 40-50 foot sailboat set up for the husband and wife to sail without additional crew. These people spend a lot of time and effort to make their floating homes self-sufficient with solar and/or wind power, fresh water makers, etc. They enjoy all the amenities of home while riding to an anchor in some secluded cove somewhere south of somewhere. Bugging out is simply a matter of raising the anchor and sailing to a safer location. Most of these people tend to stay in salt water but there are freshwater live-aboards, too.

If you would like to join this group of far-flung floaters and you aren’t already an experienced boater, start now. You have much to learn before you can confidently and competently pilot your chosen vessel safely. There are lots of ways to get into trouble on a boat even without the added complication of people trying to waylay you. Whole libraries have been written on the subject of living aboard. It is far too big a subject to tackle in this essay. If you want to check out this life, try www.cruisingworld.com/ or the book section of the West Marine web site for information. You should find plenty of links to satisfy your curiosity and help you make a decision. A cruising home may just be the ultimate retreat.

Bugging out exposes you to the most danger you will likely encounter. You will be at the mercy of the crowd until you can clear the populated areas. Consider the water option for your bug out plan. It won’t work for everybody, but it might just work for you. Slipping out of the city under cover of darkness as you watch the fires burn and hear the random firefights sounds a whole lot better than being stuck on a divided highway somewhere trying to fend off the slugs who took off without anything.

Letter Re: How to Survive a Serious Burn

Hello,
Dr. Koelker presented some great information on surviving a serious burn. One significant issue that wasn’t fully discussed that is potentially more serious in the short term than fluid replacement. If you were to happen upon someone who suffered a serious burn and you determined it was safe for you to proceed and get your hands on the patient, you must verify that the patient has a good airway, i.e.: Can they or are they breathing? If they are making painful noises or yelling you know they do because otherwise they wouldn’t be able to use their voice. However, with burn patients, you can suddenly lose that good airway due to swelling in the mouth / throat [/bronchial tubes]/ lungs. Check the patient for burn marks, redness (or black) and swelling on the face, nose and mouth. Look for burned facial hair and eye lashes. Check the ears for the same. If indications are there, you have to be aware that swelling may close their airway. You won’t know if the patient inhaled whatever it was that was burning or just very hot air. If the airway suddenly closes, you will know it because they won’t be able to speak or breath. The patient will also change color. It will happen quickly.

If the patient is to survive, you have to intubate or get a nasopharyngeal airway, (NPA), aka nasal trumpet) inserted. The NPA may not work because it reaches only so far through the nasal cavity. If the swelling extends beyond the length of the NPA, then it won’t work. Most people don’t walk around with NPAs, intubation equipment or emergency cricotomy (aka crico-tracheotomychric) know how. Phoning 911 is your best option. Another option is to get some basic training. Not that basic training will have you doing cricotracheotomys in the street but at least you will know what’s happening; what to watch for in patients and the patient scene; and you will be a better rescuer.

Remember this also: When dealing with infants, toddlers, and children, everything happens faster and they can’t compensate and hang on like a mature adult. Training is available, just do an Internet search. If time and funds are an issue, buy yourself a book on trauma medicine that is meant for EMTs and paramedics. You will understand most of it. Good Luck. God Bless America. FL Pete

Letter Re: Faraday Caging a Bed?

Mr. Rawles,
My child is sick. I need to build a Faraday cage to surround my child’s bed. We are in a second floor apartment. Can I use wood and chicken wire?

To create a ground [for the cage], can I: Take an extension cord, tear out the double prong but leave the ground post, cut off the opposite end attach the wires to the wire cage. Would that work?

Thank You, – M.R.

JWR Replies: I will pray for you and your child.

Faraday cages have no positive health effects for humans unless for some very unlikely reason that you live in an area of extreme RF field strength. (Hypothetically, living directly under a 230,000 volt AC high tension power line or right next to a poorly-designed high power microwave broadcast tower with errant side lobes.) The fact is that low level RF (such as the field strengths found in a typical house or apartment residence) has no negative health effects. Because there was cancer one one side of our family, I did some fairly extensive research on this subject. There have been many very expensive and extensive studies conducted on low level RF and they have found essential NO correlation to incidents of cancer, or other diseases.  NONE! A variety of home electronics such as cordless phones, cellular phones, microwave ovens, CB radios, and wireless baby monitors have all been studied by reputable scientific and medical organizations. But the study results have all been negative of inconclusive. By the way, what used to be the biggest emitters in American homes–cathode ray tube (CRT) televisions and computer monitors–are rapidly becoming extinct, as they are being replaced by relatively low-mission flat panel displays. But even CRTs were fairly safe unless you sat within a few feet of them, and it is noteworthy that the greatest risk was for someone directly behind them.

Now, if it is electronics that you want to protect with a Faraday cage: Chicken wire will stop many radio waves but has has apertures that are far too large to stop microwaves.  (Look at the size of the fine mesh built into the transparent door of a microwave oven!) EMP is very high energy and has frequency components in a very broad range. So a solid metal structure is best. Copper is ideal, but expensive. Galvanized steel will suffice. A steel trash can works fine. You can supplement the seal of the lid by placing a thin fuzz of stainless steel wool all around the lip before you clamp down the lid.)

And BTW, grounding actually hurts the ability of a Faraday cage to stop EMP, because a grounding cable can itself form an unintentional antenna. The general rule is: For lightning protection, do use a grounding cable, but for EMP protection, do not.

If your child is sick, then take him or her to see a qualified medical doctor!

Economics and Investing:

WWII shipwreck off Ireland yields $38 million of silver for deep sea firm

Oil falls back to near $104 a barrel

IMF urges effective Fed communication on exit strategy. JWR’s Comment: It is all just talk until they actually taper, and I don’t think they can.

Items from The Economatrix:

Are Big Banks Driving Up Commodity Prices?

Trying To Stay Sane In An Insane World, Part I

A Tour Of The Post-Crisis World Economy In 10 Easy Charts

Cyprus Real Estate Prices Post Record Plunge

Odds ‘n Sods:

Several readers sent this: Feds tell Web firms to turn over user account passwords

   o o o

Bloomberg’s Anti-Gun Group Imploding as 50 Mayors Leave

   o o o

They say that “Men are from Mars, Women are From Venus,” but it seems that California’s Democrat Senators are from Zeta Reticuli: Pelosi: Congress Must Uphold Oath to ‘Protect and Defend’ Constitution… by Passing Gun Control. (Thanks to Jeff H. for the link.)

   o o o

Reader “Hushboy” sent a link to a key portion of the text of Canada’s Emergencies Act. (Enacted in 1985.)

   o o o

A new interactive map from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) should be of great interest to preparedness-minded families: Real time evacuation Planning Model (RtePM, or “Route –P-M”) estimates the time required for evacuating vehicles to clear a user defined area for a variety of evacuation types.  Using the GIS mapping data to highlight geographical areas, users can view:

Population both day and night;

Major and minor arteries, highways, and smaller roads;

The speed limits of those roads versus the actual average speed;

The likely evacuation times based on changes to the above criteria.

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God.
They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing;
To shew that the LORD [is] upright: [he is] my rock, and [there is] no unrighteousness in him.” – Psalm 92:12-15 (KJV)

Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 47 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.) Two BirkSun.com photovoltaic backpacks (one Level, and one Atlas, both black), with a combined value of $275, G.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo. and 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.

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 and F.) 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.) A Tactical Trauma Bag #3 from JRH Enterprises (a $200 value), and F.) Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security.

Round 47 ends on July 31st so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.