How to Survive a Serious Burn, by Cynthia J. Koelker, MD

How large must a burn be to kill you?  How is a burn fatal anyway?  Is there anything you can do to improve your odds?
Lacking an emergency response system, you’ll be on your own if you cook yourself on a heating pad, or catch your clothes on fire, or spill hot coffee down your pants while driving.  What would now be referred to a burn unit for specialized care may require home treatment when it’s the only option.
Without skin, you die.  The danger of burns is related to the function of the skin.  Normally the skin “keeps the insides in and the outside out.”  Skin protects against invading microorganisms which may cause infection.  It helps regulate the body temperature by preventing heat loss.  Skin acts as a barrier preventing excess water loss from the body.   

Death may occur related to interruption of any of these functions.  Dehydration, hypothermia, and/or infection are all potentially lethal.     

Skin burns are the most common type of thermal injury, and the most common burn for which patients seek treatment.  (Inhalation burns will not be addressed here.)  Most first-degree burns are treated at home, and cause only discomfort and reddening of the skin, but no blisters or significant fluid loss.  Third-degree burns are fortunately uncommon.  It is the second-degree burns which pose the greatest danger.  These burns cause blistering, pain, and fluid loss as the top layers of the skin are disrupted, exposing the tender inner layers to the outside environment.  Deeper, third-degree burns destroy the nerve endings as well, and scorch the skin into an unfeeling, leathery crust.  These deep burns are often surrounded by a zone of painful blistered second-degree burns.

As with all avoidable injures, at TEOTWAWKI , prevention is essential.  Will you allow your children to play in the kitchen while you’re boiling water?  Are you crazy enough to pour gasoline on a fire?  Is it necessary to open a hot radiator while it’s still steaming?  The great majority of the burns that I’ve seen were preventable:
Don’t lean on your curling iron as you apply make-up
Don’t wear shorts riding a motorcycle with a hot exhaust
Don’t set your water heater just below boiling
Don’t fall asleep on a heating pad
Don’t smoke in bed
Don’t let your toddler turn on the hot water
Don’t drink steaming hot coffee while driving
Don’t leave the stove on unattended
Don’t wear loose clothing around an open fire
Prevention is 90% – maybe 99% – of the battle.  Put some thought into how you might live differently if no fire truck is coming – not ever. 
Regarding treatment, the first rule of burn treatment is to protect yourself then STOP THE BURNING.  Cool the burned area with lukewarm water.  Remove clothing from the burned area.  Have the patient lie down if possible, especially if dizzy or light-headed.  Once the burned area is cooled off, heat loss will begin, so warm the patient with blankets or extra clothing.

Now for saving a life:  if adequate fluids are not given in the first 24 hours, the kidneys may shut down permanently, resulting in death.  You must estimate the extent of the burn and calculate needed fluids accordingly.  The Rule of Nines is used to estimate the total body surface area (TBSA) damaged by second- and third-degree burns.  In an adult, the body is divided as follows:
9% for the head
9% for each arm
18% for each leg
18% for front of trunk (chest plus abdomen)
18% for back of trunk
1% for genitalia
For smaller or scattered areas, the size of the patient’s palm including fingers is considered 1%. 

A burn of 10 to 15% of the body can be life-threatening.  Death occurs early on from fluid loss causing renal failure.  Normally these patients are referred to a burn center.  IF YOU DON’T REPLACE LOST FLUIDS ON DAY ONE THE PATIENT WILL DIE. 

The Parkland Formula estimates the amount of fluids required in the first 24 hours:
4 ml x patient weight in kg x % body surface area burned
(Or approximately 1.8 ml x patient weight in pounds x % body surface area burned)
Half the fluid is given in the first 8 hours immediately after the burn, and the second half given over the next 16 hours.
For example, a 150-pound man who has burned his chest and shoulders after opening a steaming radiator may well have 18% of his body surface area involved with 2nd and 3rd degree burns.  Using the above formula, he will require nearly 5 liters of fluid in the first 24 hours (1.8 ml x 150 pounds x 18% = 4,860 ml).  That’s 5 large bags of IV solution (Ringer’s Lactate is preferred). 
Normally fluids are given intravenously.  The first half of the fluids (2.5 liters, in this case) must be given in the first 8 hours after the burn, not after treatment begins.  If it’s already been 4 hours, then this amount must be given over the next 4 hours, not 8 (divided out per hour and per minute), and the second half given over the next 16 hours.  A nurse, EMT, or physician could accomplish this.  I know this is technical, but it’s only middle-school math.
What if you can’t provide an IV?  If the patient is sufficiently alert, oral fluids are the best option (Gatorade or Oral Rehydration Solution).  However burns are painful and patients often require sedation.  Then what?
If you have the IV fluids, they may be administered rectally (similar to an enema) or via hypodermoclysis (a needle placed under the skin, not in a vein – various protocols are available online). 

What if you don’t have IV fluids on hand?  If the patient cannot take fluids orally, then Oral Rehydration Solution given rectally is probably the best option.  The recipe for this is:
6 level teaspoons of sugar
½ level teaspoon of table salt
1 liter of water (5 cups)
It should be given at approximately the same rate as an IV would be given, but taking into account any fluid which leaks out.   
On subsequent days fluids should be given in the amount needed to balance that which is lost, by measuring urine output as well as by daily weights.  Enough fluid must be given to prevent weight loss and to keep urine output above 20–30 ml/hour.  That’s only a few teaspoons per hour.  Less than this and the kidneys shut down.  In an average adult, this equals at least 1.5 to 2 liters daily, and could well be more in a burn patient.

Again, don’t forget to keep the patient warm.  Since the patient may not be able to tell you he’s cold, measure their temperature periodically.  Aim to maintain body temperature in the normal range of 98–100o F.  The likelihood of death increases as body temperature drops below approximately 90 degrees F.

The next enemy is infection.  Thorough cleaning of the injured area is essential.  Any embedded dirt or foreign material such as scorched fabric must be removed.  Clean, soapy water is sufficient in most cases.  Vaseline may be applied gently to remove grease or tar.  A gentle water pik or baby hair brush may help. 
Systemic antibiotics (pills, shots, IVs) are not generally given unless signs of infection occur.  However, topical antibiotics such as Bacitracin and Silvadene can help prevent infection.  Topical honey has also been shown to improve burn healing and prevent infection.
Signs of infection include increasing redness, pus, fever, or overall deterioration of the patient’s condition.  Pus must not be confused with eschar, the white or yellowish-white membrane that forms to cover a burn, much like a soft scab.  In general, this soft eschar is preferable to hard eschar (like a hard scab), which may compromise circulation and impair healing. 

If infection is suspected, nowadays a culture would be taken and the bacteria identified.  Lacking that option, a broad-spectrum antibiotic should be given, such as Augmentin, cephalexin, or possibly erythromycin.  If these are ineffective after a few days of treatment, a resistant organism or gram-negative bacteria may be present, and the patient should be switched to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, doxycycline, ciprofloxacin, or similar drug.  If the infection enters the blood stream, it may cause sepsis, heart valve infection, or other fatal outcome.

Aside from potentially fatal problems, pain is a major concern with serious burns, and often requires narcotics and/or sedation.  Even exposing a burn to air may increase pain, so keeping wounds covered is essential not only for preventing infection, but also for comfort.  Your supply of narcotics and sedatives could easily be consumed with a single burn patient.  Over-the-counter sedating antihistamines (diphenhydramine, doxylamine) may be useful, but alcohol should be avoided unless the situation is hopeless, in which case easing a patient’s discomfort with any means available is reasonable. 

The current treatment of burns using early debridement and skin grafting is probably not a realistic goal without a team of medical providers. 
ReCell (spray-on skin) is a new technology that appears promising even for TEOTWAWKI.  Unfortunately it is not yet available in the US.  Perhaps the concept could be applied to grid-down medicine. 

About the Author: Dr. Cynthia Koelker serves as Medical Editor for SurvivalBlog, and hosts the survival medicine web site www.armageddonmedicine.net. She is the author of the book Armageddon Medicine and is the chief instructor for the Survival Medicine Workshops. Burn injuries are just one of numerous topics covered in her Survival Medicine Workshops. 

Pat’s Product Review: Ruger SR45

No mistake about it! The .45ACP is still one of America’s favorite cartridges, and there are many different handgun platforms that shoot this popular round, and for good reason, it is a proven man stopper. I recently reviewed the Ruger SR1911C hand, and I love the 1911 platform, however, it is not the only one that catches my attention these days. One problem I run across with .45 ACP handguns that carry a lot of rounds is that, they are too fat for my hand and trigger reach is a bit of a stretch for me – which means I can’t properly grip the pistol the way I want to.
 
Several years ago, Sturm, Ruger and Co., Inc. came out with their first striker-fired handguns, the SR9 and it was an immediate hit. Only problem was, there were a few glitches with the first ones. Ruger was very fast in issuing a recall, and made some upgrades to the SR9 and there have been no other problems. I had one of the first SR9 samples and I sent mine in and it was returned in less than two weeks. Ruger is to be applauded for doing the right thing – and doing it fast! However, the SR was “only” a 9mm and people wanted more – so Ruger came out with the SR40 – another great step, because it was in .40S&W caliber. But handgunners still were satisfied – they wanted an SR in .45 ACP and Ruger listened! I received the SR45 several months ago for testing and it is an outstanding pistol in all respects.
 
Let’s get the boring stuff out of the way, the SR45 is a full-sized service pistol, not a small concealed carry piece, although I’ve carried my sample undetected under light clothing – amazing what the right holster and cover garment can do. My SR45 sample has the stainless steel slide – and another model has a blackened alloy slide. I prefer the stainless slide because of the wet climate I live in, in Western Oregon. The frame is manufactured out of black, high performance, glass-filled Nylon, and is finely checkered for a good grip. The barrel is 4.50-inches long. Height is 5.75-inches and the gun weighs-in at slightly over 30-ounces empty with a 10 round magazine – and you get two with each gun. However, my sample was shipped with only one mag, and I contacted the Ruger Customer Service Department and a second mag was shipped right out to me. (Ruger has some of the best customer service staff around.) The overall length of the SR45 is 8-inches, and width is 1.27-inches. I compared the SR45 to a full-sized 1911 and a Commander-sized 1911 and it is closer in size to the Commander-sized 1911s. Three dot adjustable front/rear sights adorn the slide and they are fast to pick-up and pretty much snag-free, too. Sights were dead on for my shooting and needed no adjustments. There is also a Picatinny rail under the dust cover, for attaching lights or lasers to the SR45.
 
The SR45 has a massive extractor, and there is a loaded chamber indicator on the top of the slide, so you can tell if there is a round in the chamber. An ambidextrous safety lever is there, and the trigger has a little safety lever in the face. The magazine release is also ambidextrous as well – nice touch. Additionally, the checkered rubber backstrap can be reversed from the arched to the flat side – I changed mine to the flat side and it only takes a minute to do, simply push out the retaining pin, slide the backstrap off and reverse it and slide it back on and replace the retaining pin. The front sides of the grip frame are also dishes out, making it easier to get a proper grip on the SR45 – again, super-nice touch, Ruger!
 
I was fortunate in that, during this great ammo drought, I still had a good selection of various .45ACP loads on-hand, from Buffalo Bore Ammunition and Black Hills Ammunition for testing in the SR45. Still, I was a bit conservative with my ammo supply, as getting resupplied these days is tough – even for gun writers – ammo companies are making ammo as fast as they can, but they still can’t keep up with supply and demand. In many of my gun articles, I fire at least 500 rounds, and in some tests, I’ve fired more than a thousand rounds, however, for the time being, those days are over, until I can get a steady ammo supply coming in to replace the ammo I shoot-up in my articles. Still, I had a great selection of ammo on-hand for testing over several months and I fired-up more than 300 rounds in my testing – I wanted to give this SR45 a good work out.
 
From Black Hills, I had their outstanding, and almost match-grade 230-grain FMJ load, and this one has always been a fine performer for me. I also had their steel-cased 230-grain FMJ load. In the 185-grain bullet weight, I had their JHP brass-cased and steel-cased ammo. And, my favorite Black Hills .45 ACP load is their 185-grain Barnes all-copper hollow point, TAC-XP +P load. From Buffalo Bore, I had a wide assortment of .45ACP to run through the SR45. I had their brand-new 160-grain Barnes all-copper hollow point, TAC-XP low recoil, standard pressure load, their 185-grain FMJ FN low-recoil, standard pressure load. The 185-grain Barnes all-copper TAC-XP +P load – I like this one – a lot! A 200-grain JHP +P load, and this is fast becoming my favorite .45 ACP loading from Buffalo Bore. Their 230-grain FMJ FN +P load and their outstanding 255-grain Hard Cast +P load. So, as you can see, I had a wide assortment of .45 ACP ammo to test in my sample SR45.
 
First thing I noticed with the SR45 is how crisp the trigger pull was, and how short the pull was. And unlike the very first SR9 samples, there was no grittiness at all in the trigger pull – great job, Ruger! Accuracy – everyone wants to know about accuracy! First of all, I look at “combat” accuracy – this means, will a handgun, at least a full-sized service-style handgun, hold 5-rounds inside of 4-inches at 25-yards. The SR45 easily did this and better. All my accuracy testing was conducted at 25-yards, over the hood of my SUV with a padded rest. I will say, I was very surprised at how accurate the SR45 was – and it was consistently accurate with all loads. I could easily contain most of my 5 round groups in 3-inches if I did my part, on my various outings over several months. Was there a winner in the accuracy department? Well, sorta! The Black Hills 230-grain FMJ would give me groups just slightly under 3-inches and I mean, ever so slightly under 3-inches and the Buffalo Bore 230-grain FMJ FN +P load did the same for me – as did the 185-grain low recoil, standard pressure load. So, in reality, there wasn’t a clear winner in the accuracy department – the SR45 was a pretty consistent shooter in the accuracy department. I did have some bad days on the range, and some of my groups opened-up to more than 4-inches, but it was me, and not the gun and ammo – even gun writers have bad days!
 
I will admit, I had some misgivings with the new Buffalo Bore 160-grain low recoil, standard pressure TAC-XP all-copper hollow point Barnes load. It is, very low recoiling, and I didn’t think this load would give the slide enough “umph” to load the next round from the magazine into the chamber – but it never failed me. And, this is the load I keep in the SR45 as my bedside gun. And, there are no fears that this very light 160-grain bullet will over-penetrate, but it will still get the job down – even at velocities below 800 FPS – I was impressed with this load, and I also carry it in my Kahr CW45 and it is a pussycat to shoot…low recoil means low recoil with this round.
 
At the opposite end of my ammo was the Buffalo Bore 230-grain FMJ FN +P and their 255-grain Hard Cast +P loads, and both of those loads get your attention – no doubt about it. These are the loads you want if you are out hiking in the boonies – they can easily penetrate the skull of a black bear, and make other large dangerous game wish they had picked an easier meal.
 
Now for street carry with the SR45, I loaded it with the Black Hills 185-grain TAC-XP all copper Barnes hollow point +P load. I just like this load and like it a lot and have confidence in it – I’ve tested it extensively in water-filled milk jugs, and into wet newspaper and it reliably expands and stays together – I’ve tested this load more than any other Black Hills .45ACP loads. I’m sorry to say, at this writing, Black Hills is out of this loading, but I’m on the waiting list. I have half a box of this ammo left, and it won’t be used for any more handgun articles – it is being saved for my carry guns in .45ACP. I also like the Black Hills steel-cased loads, the steel cases come from Russia, but this is not dirty-shooting Russian ammo – it is made in the Black Hills factory. The reason Black Hills went to the steel-cased loads was because they couldn’t get enough once-fired .45 ACP brass – so they went with steel-cased loads to save the consumer some money, and there is nothing wrong with these loads. I’d carry the JHP load without hesitation.
 
So, how did the SR45 stack-up in my testing? There were no malfunctions of any sort to speak of. The only problem I encountered was one of the magazines wouldn’t consistently lock-open after the last round was fired, and it happened with a variety of loads, not just one particular load. The other magazine had no problems, and I suspect the problem magazine will work better after it gets broke-in – I’ve had this problem with other handgun magazines – sometimes they just need to get broken-in a bit. So, when I carry the SR45, that magazine is my spare. The SR45 was a pleasure to shoot, and the recoil wasn’t nearly as bad as you think it would be for a polymer-type framed handgun. The low bore to axis lets the gun sit low in your hand, and that helps tame the recoil.
 
As an aside, there is one thing worth note, and that is, the SR45 just grows on your. I can’t put my finger on any single thing about the SR45, but there is just “something” about the SR45 that makes you want to shoot, and shoot, and shoot it!!! The darn gun just kept calling out to me. Even when I was testing guns for other articles, I’d toss the SR45 in my bag and shoot a magazine or two through it – and I still do it. I think Ruger was smart to only go with a 10 round magazine, too. It gives you more rounds than a standard 1911 does, and it gives you a full grip you can get on the gun – it doesn’t feel like a larger capacity .45ACP handgun for some reason. Ruger did the SR45 up right if you ask me. The gun just keeps on perking along, and it keeps on calling out to me, to be shot more and more. There’s nothing not to like about the SR45, and full-retail is only $529.
 
Now for the “bad” news! As many SurvivalBlog readers may know, Ruger is backlogged about two million guns these days. (We have the crowd in DC to thank for this latest run on guns and ammo.) If you can find an SR45 in your local gun shop, don’t put it down, start the paperwork and take it home. – SurvivalBlog Field Gear Editor Pat Cascio

Letter Re: Query on Knife Recommendations

Mr. Rawles,
Could you recommend a style of survival knife? I’ve read several recommendations by various people — everything from a K-Bar to a parang. My wife and I are newcomers to the survival game, but as a hunter and outdoorsman I tend to favor a good, short, fixed-blade (drop point) Buck knife, augmented by a decent folding saw. Are these good choices, or should we really look for a versatile (if not “do-it-all”), long-bladed knife with a partially serrated edge? I’m a bit skeptical of hacking / sawing through things such as tree limbs with a knife, and equally skeptical of a tool which does all things “sort-of,” instead of one thing well.

Forgive me if I just haven’t searched through your archived material enough to find the answer. We read your book (Surviving the End of the World as We Know It), by the way, and consider it one of the best we’ve encountered — factual, informational, accessible. Thanks in advance for your kindness. – Michael L.

JWR Replies: Your daily carry knife is one of your most important survival tools.  Not only is it available for daily utility tasks, but it can be useful for hunting, outdoor survival, or self defense when you are in gun-deprived jurisdictions.

Sheath knifes are stronger than folders, but they have a few drawbacks:
1.)   They are more bulky, and therefore tend to get left at home, when you need them most.
2.)   They are more conspicuous.
3.)   They are restricted in some locales.  (In many cities and states, a blade that is perfectly legal in a pocketknife is a misdemeanor to carry in a fixed blade equivalent.  Yes, this flies in the face of logic. But the law is the law, and we can’t do much about it.) 

One other option is what is commonly called a neck knife—a small fixed blade sheath knife that is designed to be carried on a cord around your neck, concealed beneath your shirt. Typically, the cord is attached to the tip end of the sheath, so that the knife hangs with the handle pointing downward. These are normally drawn by reaching under your shirt and tugging the knife down and free from the sheath. Many folks find these uncomfortable, but others love them. (If you tend to wear loose-fitting shirts that are not tucked in, then this might be a good choice for you. Your mileage may vary.)  One neck knife model that is currently popular is he Crawford Triumph N.E.C.K., made by CRKT. This knife was designed by Pat and Wes Crawford. It is a compact recurve tanto. 
 
Note: Be advised that state and local laws vary widely, so a neck knife might be considered a concealed weapon in some jurisdictions.

Aside for some specialty filleting or skinning knives, I generally prefer half-serrated tanto style blades. I’ve found those to be the most versatile for everyday carry. But of course choose what suits you and your particular needs.
 
There is a dizzying array of folding knives available. Again, I generally prefer half-serrated tanto style blades, but choose what suits you. FWIW, I often carry a Cold Steel Voyager XL Tanto model. (Mine are mostly half-serrated (“Combo Edge”) tantos, and in the Extra Large (XL) size.) A smaller version (the “Large”) might suit some folks better. Regardless, you should first check your state and local knife laws for blade length restrictions.
 
My general advice is to carry the longest blade knife that you can and will carry every day, without fail. This is the Everyday Carry (EDC) approach. The knife that gets left at home because it is too bulky or heavy is almost worthless.

Without too much more weight and bulk, you can also carry a small combination tool (such as a mini Leatherman or a small Swiss Army knife), and/or a small flashlight in a belt pouch. But I recommend the big folding pocketknife be carried in a front trouser pocket using a belt clip, for very quick access. And pocket carry using a belt clip also leaves the knife partly exposed, an hence will shield you from a “concealed weapons” charge, in some jurisdictions.

Yes, you can buy a great big Ramboesque “survival” knife, but will you have it with you when you really need it? In my estimation the EDC knife and small tools concept is much more workable.

Recipe of the Week:

Martha S.’s Whole Wheat Bread

3 cups warm water
1/3 cup plus 1 Tbls. honey
1 packet of dry yeast
4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup applesauce
Approximately 10 cups whole wheat flour
(I think it’s best when it’s freshly ground.)
4 – 8 1/2" X 4 1/2" loaf pans (The smaller pan size is good because
it allows the bread to rise in the pan a little higher.)
Butter – to grease the pans.

Dissolve yeast in the warm water mixed w/1 Tbls. honey in a large pottery bowl.  
Let sit 5 minutes, yeast should foam up.  (Original recipe says to spend the 5 minutes 
praying for your family.)

Stir in 3 Cups of whole wheat flour, beat with a wooden spoon for 5 minutes to develop gluten.

Add rest of honey, salt, and applesauce.  Stir for another 5 minutes.

Stir in another 3 Cups of flour.

Add another 3 Cups flour.  Dump out onto floured board and knead until smooth and 
elastic.  You may need to add as much as one more cup of flour.  To know if the dough
has been kneaded enough, it should not stick to your hand.

Form dough into tight ball and place into a greased pottery bowl.  Let rise in a warm,
moist place for 40 minutes. (Hint:  I place a 9"x 13" cake pan in the bottom of my oven
and put boiling water in it.  Then place the bowl of dough on the rack above.)

Punch dough down and divide into 4 loaves.  Grease loaf pans.  To get maximum rise from
your dough, flatten each loaf section and roll it up, tucking the ends underneath the loaf.
This gives the yeast something to rise against.  Set loaf pans in warm, moist place to rise
again for 40 minutes.
 
If you’ve let the loaves rise in the oven, remove them (and your pan of water) 
and preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Bake loaves for 30 – 40 minutes.  Should be lightly browned 
(you’ll "smell" that it’s done) and the loaves will sound hollow when you thump them.

Chef’s Notes:

I’ve been making this recipe for over 30 years and it’s still the best and simplest one I know of.

If you will not eat the bread up in 2 or 3 days, freeze it.

Useful Recipe and Cooking Links:

No-Knead Bread and Whole-Grain Variations

The Best Whole Wheat bread Recipe and variations

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

Odds ‘n Sods:

Several interesting retreat properties have just been added to our SurvivalRealty.com listings. Three of them are in the Bradshaw Mountains, near the geographically-isolated small town of Crown King, Arizona. This is not far from the towns of Dewey and Humboldt, which were locales in my novel “Survivors”.  Another newly-listed SurvivalRealty property is located in Muddy Pond, Tennessee (on the Cumberland Plateau), which coincidentally was a locale in my novel “Founders”. When I last checked, there were 112 SurvivalRealty.com listings in the United States, and five that are offshore.

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For anyone who normally carries a Glock 20 or 21 but lives in bear country, the .50 GI conversion kit might be a viable option. These have been in full production from Guncrafter Industries since 2009, and they’ve perfected the design. The beauty of this design is that you can switch your pistol back to the pistol’s original chambering in less than a minute. I checked with the company (in Huntsville, Arkansas) and learned that the ammo runs from $23 for a box of 20 on up to $42.25 for a box of 20. (The latter is for their segmented hollow points, which are individually turned on a lathe.) I also asked about their 8-round and 9-round .50 GI Glock magazines. They said that they are a proprietary design and there are no plans to make any with a larger capacity. (Because of the great weight of the .50 cartridges, it might be more than the Glock magazine catch could support.) Also note that because the .50 GI slide is slightly wider that the standard .45 ACP slide, installing an extended slide release is recommended, and holster options are limited. I have read that they will fit in a Model 070 Safariland Glock Duty Holster. (Such as a the 070 SSIII Mid-Ride, Level III Retention.)

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I’ve just come up with a solution to Detroit, Michigan’s bankruptcy woes: Turn much of the city into a 24-hour-coverage ongoing survival-themed reality television show. Do you remember The Truman Show? In it, they they built the world’s largest sound stage, to follow just one child’s life, in a make-believe city? Okay, now imagine The Detroit Show: Whole sections of de-populated Detroit are rigged with cameras. Teams of otherwise unemployed volunteer participants are dropped into Detroit with only what they can carry on their backs. They are allowed to “homestead” abandoned houses and contiguous abandoned properties. They either improvise or barter for farming equipment. They are allowed to establish an autonomous government, with their own laws, their own sheriff(s), and their own courts, as they see fit. They are encouraged to barter with the locals. I would imagine that the show would start out a lot like The Colony. But then, after a couple of years, some of competing teams would graduate to running prosperous large scale farms and then end up running city states, in a situation much more like The Borgias. than The Waltons. I find this captivating, but it would probably require a special act of the Michigan legislature. And it would surely be deemed politically incorrect to show so much of the failed aftermath of deeply entrenched socialist politics in the hollow shell of the once the great city of Detroit.

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A Common Core informational meeting will be held Monday July 22nd from 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm at the Candlelight Christian Fellowship, 5725 N. Pioneer Drive, Coeur d’Alene Idaho (In front of the roller skating rink on Highway 95.)

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Commentator Jon Hall sums up the milieu of “post-apocalyptic” books and movies: The End of the World and Other Entertainments

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"No one can read our Constitution without concluding that the people who wrote it wanted their government severely limited; the words “no” and “not” employed in restraint of government power occur 24 times in the first seven articles of the Constitution and 22 more times in the Bill of Rights." – Edmund A. Opitz

Note from JWR:

July 21st is the birthday of Ernest Hemingway. He was born in 1899 in Oak Park, Illinois. He committed suicide in July 2, 1961 in Ketchum, Idaho, after being diagnosed with haemochromatosis, and after electroshock treatments failed to lift him from chronic alcoholic depression. He had a sad life, but he was a great writer.

—

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.

Tips From an Amateur on Getting Through a Disaster, by F.M.H.

Back in 1979 I found myself in facing a hurricane by the name of Frederic. It had Mobile, Alabama in its cross-hairs. The category three hurricane made landfall on September 12. I did not take the warnings seriously and unfortunately there was little to no preparation made on my part. I barely had a quarter of a tank of gas in my car. I did not have a battery operated radio or a flashlight. There was some non perishable food in my pantry and a small amount of food in the fridge. I was basically like most folks, ill prepared and not taking the warnings seriously.

When hurricane Frederic finally made landfall it did not take long for the power to go off. The winds were fierce and seemed relentless throughout the night. It was pretty eerie. There really wasn’t much you could do except wait for it to end. The winds were estimated to be anywhere from 111 to 130 mph. Power lines and trees were down all over the city making some roads impassable. Most of the stores had been emptied out prior to the storm. Then whatever food was left had become spoiled in the stores that did not have back up generators. Back in 1979 that was probably most of the stores. I personally had never experienced power outages on this scale. I did not anticipate the power at my home was going to be out for 22 days. The entire city looked as if a nuclear bomb had exploded. Trees were on cars and houses; debris was scattered everywhere. A curfew was imposed by  the national guard because of homes and businesses being broken into. It took several days for assistance to arrive with emergency items. And even then there were very long lines for ice and canned goods that was distributed by the national guard. Arguments broke out as people were feeling tired and frustrated. It was also hot and humid. So I avoided going because I did not want to stand in the hot sun for hours and then finding out the supplies ice or food items were exhausted.

Each night was the same in my house-dark, hot and humid. It was difficult to sleep. I did have a natural gas water heater and fortunately the gas service was never turned off. So I did not have to take cold showers although that may have helped cool me down. For a few days my neighbors shared what perishable food they had and there were several nightly cookouts until the food ran out. Afterwards I realized that I had made so many stupid mistakes. It was an extremely miserable time that I will never forget. I made a promise to myself to never get caught in that situation again. This could have been avoided with some minimal preparation. It takes a little effort  here and there to prepare.
Since Frederic I have gone through several hurricanes – most notably Ivan and Katrina. I feel I have learned some valuable lessons.

I consider myself more or less an amateur prepper. And I really mean an amateur. I don’t worry about the apocalypse but more about the possibility of lengthy power outages because of hurricanes.
My motto is “Hope for the best but prepare for the worst”. From what I have read over and over is that ordinary people can emotionally break down in just a matter of days. Within a week they can get desperate and then there are those who will take from you what they do not have and if necessary they will take it by force. It could even be your neighbor.

So don’t brag about how you are preparing or what you possess and the post it for all to see on the Internet. Don’t make your supplies common knowledge. Its best to maintain silence. The dangers are not only from ordinary people who under normal conditions are law abiding citizens. There is also the criminal element already established out there and they will become emboldened in a disaster. They will not hesitate to take with force what they want and will often gather together in small or large groups.

Most of you reading this are probably like me and have a budget to consider. All of my items have been purchased slowly and I have not gone on a frenzied shopping spree. I would love to but that is not economically feasible for me. So I just started with the basics and went slowly from there. Its amazing how quickly you can accumulate your emergency inventory.

The first thing I focus on  is having an adequate supply of water. I know that water is extremely important so I keep three six gallon water jugs along with five collapsible one gallon water jugs. One of the first things I do once there is the potential for a hurricane entering the gulf of Mexico is fill up my water containers. If the storm misses I water my plants so nothing is wasted. I try to keep a minimum of six cases of bottled water on hand and rotate them. Fortunately there have not been any issues in the past regarding water contamination but just too be on the safe side I keep several life-straw water filters and a couple of bottles of polar pure water treatment. I also fill up both bathtubs and all of my sinks. Recently I discovered a nearby water stream within easy walking distance from my home. That was a great find. Remember folks water is extremely important. You can go longer without eating than you can without drinking water.

Food is my next priority. I try to keep my pantry stocked with at least a month of food such as canned goods, peanut butter, crackers, rice, beans, granola bars and dehydrated foods. I also have several #10 cans of freeze dried foods. I have not had to use any of the freeze dried foods so far and I am glad they have a 25-30 year shelf life. They can be expensive to purchase so I always look for price drops and free shipping.
The next priority is obtaining fuel for my cars and generator. As a good practice measure I always keep my gas tank topped off especially when it is at the halfway mark. You never know when you are going to get stuck in a traffic jam. In my area it is extremely important the minute a storm gets close to the Gulf of Mexico to head to the nearest gas station and not only top off your car but also fill up your gas cans. If you wait to see if your area is in the five day cone it will be too late. When that happens everyone panics and heads to the gas station. Then the stations start running out of gas. Then there are some who will only accept cash. So its good to keep some cash on hand for the unforeseen emergencies. I keep several five gallon gas cans and fill them up at the early stages of a potential tropical storm.
If the storm doesn’t materialize I just put the gas back in my cars. Additionally I have a small generator to keep my refrigerator running for at least two to three days.

Its prudent to have a supply of AA, AAA, C, D, and 9 volt VDC batteries. I also have several battery/solar powered radios. I keep a wind up watch in my emergency prep pack. Recently I discovered a new product by a company called WakaWaka. Yes it is a funny name. The product is a solar powered light with a phone charger. It works well. You can  charge them with 8 hours of sunlight or with a micro USB charger. My kindle charger will charge it. The solar light has several settings of brightness and even includes an SOS flashing light. I have used this to fully charge my iPhone and in less than two hours with plenty of power left for a light you can use to read by. On the lowest light setting it is estimated to last 100+ hours.

I started making an inventory of my emergency items and this way you can see what you have or what you need to replenish. I keep my items in a backpack and a rolling canvas bag. The items are duct tape, Para-cord with various lengths, a snakebite kit, hatchet, 15″ knife, 18″ machete, hiking shoes, solar link radio, binoculars, first aid kit, machete, manual can opener, rain ponchos, tarp, wet fire starting tinder, blast match fire starter, soap, toilet paper, spork eating utensil, haululite ketalist tea kettle, outdoor 10″ fry pan, siphon pump, emergency tent, emergency blankets, nine volt battery with steel wool-you can easily start a fire with these two items, and various camping cookware. I have learned it takes some practice to master using the fire starters. I try to practice at least once a month starting a fire and either boiling water or cooking on my ember-lit stove. The ember-lit stove is really amazing. Its very light and packs up compactly. It only requires twigs and small branches for fuel.

I also have a charcoal grill as a back up to our gas stove. I have a camp stove coffee maker so I can start my mornings with my caffeine fix. It’s good to learn how to use your emergency equipment when there is no emergency rather than to wait until there is one. I keep a baggie by the dryer and put the dryer lint in it. Using a fire starter just place some dryer lint under the twigs and it doesn’t take much of a spark to get started. And on windy days I take a toilet tissue holder and put the lint inside and you can easily get a fire started this way.
All of my important papers are kept in a fireproof/ waterproof safe. I learned about storing items the hard way. I had a fireproof safe and discovered that you must also make sure is waterproof. I lost several documents because of this oversight.

I keep my ammunition stored in watertight ammo cans. I have collected a number of flashlights and lanterns over the years. I keep small flashlights and lanterns throughout my home and garage. That way there is always light easily within reach. I have a corded phone stored in my emergency kit as I have had problems with spotty cell phone usage during and after hurricanes. For some reason land-line phones have always worked.
An alarm company representative made some suggestions regarding safety in the home. He recommended hinging my doors so they open outward making it difficult for hurricane force  winds or humans to force the doors inward. Although my front door does open inward I brace it at night with a buddy bar. That prevents someone from kicking the door in with one swift kick. With the buddy bar it takes a number of kicks and of course a lot of noise so you are not caught so quickly off guard. I also have shutters on every inside window for privacy and it also helps keep cooling costs down and limits what outsiders can see at night if you have lights on.
Because of a recommendation from a local contractor I decided to use spray foam in my attic instead of the traditional cellulose insulation. Even in the hottest month my attic is never more than 84 degrees. When the power is out my home should not heat up like most houses.

I recently installed a battery-operated wireless detector alerting me if anyone walks up my driveway to the back of my home.
Anyway these are some steps I have taken and I hope this has been a helpful read for you. All of my purchases have taken me years to accumulate what I currently have. There is still much work to do. But instead of thinking of what I did not have and get overwhelmed I simply started with small steps.

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for [it is] time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.
Ye have plowed wickedness, ye have reaped iniquity; ye have eaten the fruit of lies: because thou didst trust in thy way, in the multitude of thy mighty men.” – Hosea 10:12-13 (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.

Different Prepping Approaches, by Marlene M.

It’s interesting to see the differences in the way people prepare for the future. We have been reading ‘SurvivalBlog’ daily now for over four  years, and here too, we find different types of people who prepare differently. (One reason why I love SurvivalBlog!) It is also interesting to read the difference between FEMA suggestions, Homeland Security (?) preparedness requirements, Weather Channel Preparedness tips, and different books written on the subject. Then there are the multitudes of survivor shows on television from Les Stroud in ‘Survivorman’ to the man of few words — Cody Lundin in ‘Dual Survivor’ and his new partner Joseph Teti. If you want drama there is always the ‘Doomsday Preppers’ or the older version that really taught useful tips; ‘The Colony’( Season 1 only.) All show different people with different ways of preparing for the future. Some seem genuine and some seem off the top. Some seem to know what they are doing, and other seem to be real nut cases.  Some show the difference between ‘preppers’ and ‘survivalists’, or between people riding the prepper wave and those who have lived a self-sustaining and prepared lifestyle, it’s all different people, different styles, different ways.

My husband and I grew up on neighboring farms in the same very rural farming community. In our day, we were taught to never let anyone else know exactly what we had, from food to money. Never, ever give full disclosure. As we watch shows on television, we cringe at the families who divulge everything to the entire world. We were always taught the surest way to lose what you have is to let others know all about it. We have tried to teach this to our children and our grandchildren, but society is so different these days, rules for living are different. Today’s society makes living so very social, yet survival is so very personal. It doesn’t make any difference how many facebook friends you have if SHTF and you don’t have any preparedness skills or plans.  We believe a society or community is only as strong as it’s weakest link. We don’t want any of our family to be that weak link.

While we grew up living a rural preparedness lifestyle, our children have grown up with a bit more urban lifestyle. Our grandchildren have a mix of urban, suburban and rural lifestyles and now all have different and interesting ways of preparedness. They all have been taught preparedness from their parents who learned from us, however; their various states of prepping are interesting to observe.  We have three grandsons and two granddaughters who are so different, it is hard to realize they are brothers/sisters, cousins or even related. Their prepping habits are equally as different. In our family tree, our ancestors were the roots, we have been the trunk and our children have been the branches and our little leaves of grandkids flutter in the turbulent winds of the present, family preparedness has run thru us all.

Humor me: as proud grandparents, let me tell you about our three grandsons. There is the oldest; whom we playfully call the ‘jelly-roll’ from a time when he was little and always had peanut butter and jelly on his face. He was secretly married right out of high school, however; when the great grandchildren started coming, it wasn’t so secret anymore. He dropped out of college and works in computer programming to support his ever growing family. We commend him, he works hard, he has a beautiful and strong family; owns his own home, has food storage, emergency supplies and a bug out bag ready. He has a home gym set that he used to use everyday, but now only uses two or three days a week. He is young and strong, so we don’t worry about him too much, he and his family are street-smart, bright and aware, true survivor personalities.   

Our second grandson whom we call the ‘Mr. Brains’ is seriously gifted and absolutely brilliant. He is so highly intelligent; we worry about his common sense. Working on his PhD in Nanotechnology Engineering, he is still a dedicated prepper in a community with some members of his research team. He or a member of his group, has every prepper tool known to mankind and have even created some of their own. They have spent thousands of dollars as a group and it literally takes trucks to move all their stuff. He tells us not to worry, as they will take care of ole’ grandma and grandpa, we chuckle and shake our heads. He takes his vacation around prepper training camps and conferences. Whenever he takes trips for his work, he checks out the local prepping community where ever he goes. When he’s overseas at conferences, he checks out preparedness supplies in that country. He exercises every weekend and practices his bug-out with the group once a month. Him we worry about, we are concerned he may be out of town or out of the country when SHTF. If that happens, we know he will at least have enough brains to keep himself safe.

Our youngest grandson is now finishing high school; we call him our ‘little eagle’. He has been in Boy Scouts since kindergarten where he started dreaming of getting his Eagle Scout Award, which he achieved just after his 14th birthday. He too believes in prepping but in a totally different way, he believes survival is in knowledge. He is self-confident and has learned to survive on nothing. His bag is a cord bag on his back, his knowledge of primitive survival skills (along with weapon training) is outstanding. When he heads off to college next fall, we are all confident he will survive both university life and some TEOTWAWKI event. He runs or walks everyday to excess; he started running everyday about a year before his Boy Scout troop went to Philmont Ranch in New Mexico, over three years ago and has never stopped his training. Some days after school and band practice he runs, some days he hikes a trail at the local Historical Park and some days he just walks circles around the house. Sometimes he does it in full pack, sometimes carrying two five gallon buckets full of something, sometimes he carries the huge family dog in a fireman’s carry over his shoulder and sometimes nothing. But he consistently does it every day. He will be physically able to handle any situation, however; he lacks supplies for long term survival. We know you can’t just live on nothing, oh, the gifted imagination of youth! We want to shake him and tell him to wake up, but in the meantime, we keep supplies for him. 

Three boys, three different ways, and our own prepping has been shaped by them to some extent. Our children are okay, they have supplies, training and knowledge. If SHTF our kids will be fine, we have added extra to our supplies specifically for the grandkids and great-grandkids, a whole hidden room in-fact. I’m most concerned about my two granddaughters. Unlike their brothers, they do not prep and think it is stupid. One, our oldest granddaughter, whom we call ‘Missy’ now a hairdresser in Miami has asked me to teach her to shoot while she was here over Christmas. That is a major breakthrough, as she usually doesn’t want to spoil her nail polish. She has now been on her own long enough to see the need for self-defense training. Both the girls just don’t want to be burdened with ‘stuff’ and they think prepping is hoarding and silly. Grandma has her work cut out on these girls.

Our youngest granddaughter whom we call ‘Pumpkin’ has the same attitude that we have seen portrayed by many of the participants on the television show ‘Doomsday Preppers’. ‘Pumpkin’ just wants to find a man who preps who will take care of her. Her; we worry about the most, like her sister, she can cook, home can food, sew, and make jelly but she cannot shoot a weapon. She is still at home with her parents and seems to be filing her time just trying to find the right man and updating her ‘status’. So many of the newer television shows and media represent the men of the family with weapon training, military or camping experience who use prepping as a form of male bonding. The women end up cooking, cleaning up the mess and taking care of the food. We are firm believers that women need to be trained just the same as the men. Each person, male and female need to know how to survive and how to defend themselves and their family, anything less is a neglect of one’s moral and ethical responsibility. A woman’s life is no less significant than a man’s. All of our family consider themselves ‘preppers’; yet it is amusing to note their extreme differences. One maxed out to the umpth degree with stuff, one with nothing but his own skill-set and confidence and one in-between, one with no desire to prep and one with an urge to start learning self-defense skills. What exactly is a prepper? A person who prepares for a future life-changing event, so in some way I guess all the grandkids qualify to be called a ‘preppers’.

Children have to find their own way in the world. Grandchildren (and great grandchildren too!) are bound do things differently from the ways we have, or that we taught. We wouldn’t want it to be any different, but we do want them to be safe. Sometimes, their ways are better ways and they teach us. We see preparing for the future as a way to keep them safe in unsure times, but we can’t be upset if they don’t agree. Each and every person has their own path to follow and their own way to do things. Diversity is key to survival, so we have all learned from each other in our family. Thank goodness they can all still come to Grandma and Grandpa’s anytime and sleep on air mattresses in the living room and pile up on the couches and in the extra bedrooms. Our home is the ‘final destination’ for family bug-outs. Family and loved ones are a key to the internal drive to survive.  Ask yourself, do you really want to be a sole survivor if there is no one left to laugh with? Maybe yes, but it will be a lonely, desolate life. It’s the same question older or disabled people often ask; “do I want quantity of years” or “do I want quality of life”.   We have decided on ‘quality’: we want family, friends and loved ones or not at all.

Two Letters Re: How Consumer Debt Collection Works

James,
Regarding the article on debt collection, I would recommend these web sites which give some advice on how to deal with debt collectors:
 
CreditInfoCenter.com
 
DebtorBoards.com
 
There are consumer protection laws that prohibit offensive behavior on the part of debt collectors.  These sites explain how to use them.
 
I recognize you may not agree with these site’s positions, but, just as the debt collector who wrote in says, good people sometimes get into bad situations.  And, sometimes, if your state’s exemptions are too low, bankruptcy is not an option.  So, yes, I consider fighting debt collectors part of survivalism. – N.B.M.

JWR Replies: Of course, avoiding all this from the start…

Mr. Rawles;
In response to N.B.M.’s response to the “How Consumer Debt Collection Works” articles, I must chime in and state that the sites he recommends all encourage the use of loopholes and quirks in the law to, essentially, steal from folks. You borrowed it, the right thing to do is pay it back. We cannot, as Christians and freedom loving people, complain about the national debt, massive bailouts, and the wholesale manipulation of the (no longer) free markets, whilst we all search to shirk our own obligations. That is hypocrisy. Stealing is stealing, whether it takes place on Wall Street or Your Street.

Regards, – Jason in Kansas