Preparedness as a Disabled Individual, by Barbara H.

Disability has many faces and people with disabilities come in all shapes and sizes. Whether you are born with a disability or become disabled at some point in your life, learning to survive “differently” than able bodied persons is a challenge. Life in general is geared for those who are strong in mind, body and spirit. Having a disability, whatever it is, does not mean that you are less of a person or unable to have a good life, or survive catastrophe should it occur. Our Disabled Veterans would surely agree since some of their injuries are visible and some are not, and this is true with all people. We must not judge a person’s value by how they appear.

 Growing up I learned a great deal from my parents from how to paint a wall to refinish furniture. I loved using tools and became confident about building and repairing things. Broken tile? Need a new light switch? Leaky water pipe? No problem. I learned to do things that were traditionally male type tasks and I enjoyed it as much as I did art, cooking, gardening and sewing. Suddenly, I found myself disabled at 40 years of age. I was physically unable to do many things that I once took for granted. Some days, just standing up was the victory of the day. I am 53 now, with good doctors and treatments and while I will never be able to do the things I once did, I am always looking for ways to do something useful, to be an asset rather than a burden. Even if the world wasn’t in a state of turmoil, and I was not compelled to make preparations for what could be radical, desperate and life altering changes, I would still want my life to have purpose. I like and need a reason to be.

I began to think, especially as the idea of survival preparedness loomed ever larger with the start of 2012. I live in the woods, on good defensible land, with an abundance of fresh spring water and resources. Even though I know what to do, have made some preparedness plans and continue to do so, what can I really do? As someone unable to run, get down on the ground, lift heavy objects or survive without medication, what am I going to do? How can I make sure that I am not one of those counted as a liability? The thought made me cringe.

By the way, did I mention that I am a woman? Sure, I can cook, and cook well but when the rubber hits the road I have to act to protect me and insure that I can handle myself with the trials that may come. However, with an uncooperative body there are extra steps that I want to take, and anyone with physical challenges may want to think about them as well. I need to be able to do what I have to do in order to stay alive, and this is where I started.

It helps to enjoy the outdoors and be comfortable with less. I think that surviving an apocalyptic shift depends on being able to adapt and make due. The richest man in the world, comfortable in his condominium with a view and a private chef to feed him won’t be able to pull out that credit card and build a fire, or have fresh water to drink. Sure, there are a small percentage that will buy the bunkers, stock them, and be ready for a while but those provisions will run out and that is when true survival begins.

As a person with physical limitations, it has also limited my ability to make a living and greatly diminished the “disposable income” that one needs to prepare for a future of uncertainty. Do the best you can to obtain the things that you will need and teach yourself some survival skills. Find like-minded people who are willing to work and purchase as a team if that is what you need to do in order to make survival realistic. Cooperation will become very important and a strong core of individuals or families who have been preparing together and working together will fare better than most, but be sure that you teach yourself the basics and buy the best that you can, whenever you can, where supplies are concerned.

THE BASICS

Self-Preservation   
I have a gun and I am willing to use it. I imagine that some people see disability as a weakness, and it is. Some may think that because I am disabled that I am an easy target but they are wrong. This is why it is important to own a gun, or guns for self-defense. (As well as a variety of other weapons and tools) Purchasing a handgun is a very personal choice; one you must be comfortable with. You need a pistol that you can comfortably clean, load, carry and shoot based on your limitations.

Go to a gun store and ask questions, (talk to gun-owning friends if you have them) handle multiple weapons and look at the differences between automatics and revolvers. They are different in weight, ease of use, cost and ammunition. Remember, if you are going to one day raise a gun in defense against another person, you want to stop the oncoming attack. Be sure that the pistol and ammunition you choose will do that.

Go to an indoor range that rents guns and test them because handling at the gun shop is not enough for you to make a final decision. Firing a pistol is not like in the movies and it takes time to learn how to do it well. It is a good idea if you have not handled firearms before, to take a gun safety course. Learn about your weapon. Learn everything about it. Take it apart and reassemble it until you can do it comfortably and quickly. Clean it often. Practice firing until you can hit a target consistently well at 25 and 50 feet and then practice some more.

Once you have chosen your weapon, start putting ammunition away as you can afford to do so. Every chance I get I buy a box of shells and lock them up because it is getting harder to find ammunition, and it is certainly hard to afford on a fixed income. Do the best that you can.

Now that you have a pistol, think about a rifle. A pistol will help you defend yourself up close, but in a situation where you must protect your life, property and supplies, a long reaching weapon will be needed. You may need a way to hunt for food including large game or keep away intruders from a distance. Follow the same rules as when buying a handgun. You have many choices. The most important thing is being able to use the weapon effectively should you have to. To my way of thinking, a variety of weapons is ideal. A 9mm pistol, long range centerfire hunting rifle, .22 rifle, BB rifle and shotgun are my basic choices where guns are concerned but what you need is what you can shoot.

For protection there are a myriad of choices beyond guns and all have their uses. From knives to crossbows and everything in between it is smart to have a variety for defense and beyond because bullets can run out. Knives and hatchets have a hundred uses and are necessary components for any survival situation. Your research and physical abilities will dictate what works well for you.

Cooperation or Creating Your Own Army  
No man/woman is an island, especially when disabled. We are disabled due to specific limitations, and those limitations will affect us in a time of survival. There are some things that I cannot do and I rely on someone else to fill that gap in my everyday life. The same is true in a survival situation and we have to be able to adjust or rely on others. It doesn’t seem to matter who I talk to these days; everyone has varying concerns about the state of the world and the desire to prepare for “something that is coming.”

It didn’t take very long for me to find a small group of people who shared my concerns as well as my desire to plan ahead. Some of these folks have limitations and some are able bodied and between us we have the physical capability, knowledge and a growing arsenal of supplies to support ourselves safely and effectively. Do the best you can to build a reserve of supplies and create a team of like-minded people, even other disabled folks with the same thoughts on surviving. I may be crippled, but it is my able-bodied friends who are asking to be in my home for safety should the world become apocalyptic that let me know I am heading in the right direction.

Do the same for yourself and remember that these are the people who you will have to be around, work with and depend on for a long time. Take into consideration the personalities, ethics, (work, personal and political) and habits of your army. You will rely on them, live with them, and answer to them so make sure all of you can work together and compromise when needed. Your very lives will depend on these bonds and each person should have skill sets that make them a valuable asset to your team. You must also have skills to make yourself an asset, and when your body doesn’t work, let your mind fill the void. Let your knowledge of survival tactics be part of your contribution.

Knowledge is power, and throughout history this has proven to be true time and again. The Spartans repelled thousands and their performance at the battle of Thermopylae (480 BC) is often used as an example of the advantages of training, equipment and good use of terrain to maximize an army’s potential, as well as a symbol of courage against extremely overwhelming odds. It was the knowledge of the few that led the Spartans to historical glory. As a disabled person with physical limitations, your place in your army can be solidified by having great knowledge. Survival can be learned by reading and watching videos on everything from fire making, stockpiling, shelter and weaponry to turning your living space into a defensible fortress. Be the one with the answers by gaining knowledge. Create a library of reference, but hold as much as you can learn in your head for later. This is part of your contribution.

Looking Beneath the Surface
We have to look deeply at ourselves, our habits, and the habits of our survival companions. I mention this in order to give examples of how deeply we will be affected when a quick trip to the corner store is no longer an option. Let’s say that one of your potential team members is an active pack-a-day-or-more cigarette smoker and they are now out of smokes; or perhaps someone who must have “a few beers” after work. I am talking about “addiction”, or “dependence”. When you talk about disability, prescription medication often goes hand in hand and that is a frightening consideration, but many people are dependent on over the counter substances as well and all of these things will have an effect on a person’s abilities and state of mind when those items are no longer available. Now is an important time to consider these things and learn to do without, rather than when you need all your senses to protect yourself.

Cigarettes, alcohol, allergy medicine, foot powder, antacid, calamine lotion, eye drops. How long will these things last? How much money do you have to put aside in order to buy a lifetime of things that we take for granted? Take a look at all the little packages in your bathroom, just as an example, and make a list but don’t include prescriptions. In all my research and with the people I speak with regarding survival preparation there is a commonality. Everyone focuses on what we need to survive; what we must know, possess, do and think. Now, look at your list and decide on what you must do without in favor of food. My list was long and detailed because I enjoy comfort and instant gratification. If I sneeze, I want a tissue. If I have an itch I want some cream.

Survival means knowing about how to live with less and I believe realistic preparation includes preparing your mind. We reach for a little pill here and a bit of lotion there without a thought and it will take a toll on your psyche if you don’t take the time to think and prepare for this in advance. As a disabled person I am already used to discomfort. It is an unfortunate part of my disability but in a way it puts me a step ahead. I have learned over many years to make due as my physical and financial abilities decreased. It is the little things that will disturb people more than the bigger changes. Let this be your strength, and with it add to your arsenal of knowledge.

Natural remedies are many and the “health and wellness” business is big, but much of it is in the form of compressed pills, processed liquids and foul smelling powders for “convenience”. It all has its place in this world but in the times to come; natural will mean plants, herbs, insects, animal parts and more. We will be forced to find our own remedies. For instance, poison ivy is the bane of most people. Growing near ivy in many cases is a plant called jewelweed. Crack the stem open and you will find the inside to be gel like and similar to aloe. Rub it on your affected skin and you get instant relief. Being able to recognize and use medicinal plants in the old days made you a valuable asset to any village. The Healer had Power. Get it?

But What About…
Prescriptions. My disability requires medication. It is illegal to stockpile prescription medication. We are given prescriptions in the amount we need for each month with instructions on exactly how to take it and when. At the end of each month the medication should be all used and you should be better off for it. For those of us with chronic conditions requiring maintenance medicine every day without fail, apocalypse is a frightening consideration, and we have to think about and consider how we will live if we must do without. Blood pressure, thyroid, depression, heart, oxygen, and the “biggie” – pain relieving prescriptions are critical to survival for many people.

There is nothing that I can tell you to do that is legal. There is nothing any of us can legally do right now to prepare for a time when and if prescriptions will not be readily available. What I can say is to think about it. Consider natural remedies that will help replace your prescriptions when possible and talk to your doctor about options. In some cases there will be none and we will all be facing the same thing. It is up to the individual or group to figure out how to bridge this formidable gap. Do not try to replace your medications with herbal remedies without the advice of your doctor. As long as you are able to get your medications you should take them without fail. Again, knowledge is key so utilize the doctor, pharmacist and reference material to prepare yourself and help others do the same.

Time To Go – Right NOW

You may be forced to move suddenly to avoid danger. Whether you live in a metropolitan condominium or a backwoods cabin the need to flee may arise and it is important that you have a plan and a “Bug-Out Bag” or “Personal Survival Kit”. This is a small, easy to manage collection of basic items that you must have in order to survive if required to suddenly leave your home, or wherever you are. The items in this kit will vary from person to person and even from week to week based on weather and other factors. The choices you will make will be personal and important, but all kits must contain items critical to survival.
As a disabled person, my needs differ somewhat from an able bodied person. If I have suddenly been forced out of my home I need shelter and a way to create it. I must be prepared to tailor my shelter to my needs. For example, I am unable to get down on the ground and get back up without help. Based on your disability, you must formulate a shelter that you can create on your own if you have to. In order to do that, you need basic tools and equipment as well as any specialty items that will assist you in your ability to survive. Give this careful thought, as these specialty items will be specific to you. There are a variety of items that each person needs to have without fail. Start with the items listed below.

  • Knife and Scabbard – A strong, sharp single edge knife with a sharpening stone is a tool for many operations. There are so many to choose from that you may find it difficult to decide what to buy. Quality is an important factor because if you are out on a cold day with the sun going down and the blade breaks while getting your first piece of wood you will be stuck. Buy a knife designed for outdoor, strenuous use.
  • Fire Starting Kit – Keeping warm, cooking and treating water are only three reasons you need to make fire. Lighters and matches are great and will serve you well for a time, but knowing how to make fire from “scratch” will save your life. I have a small tool the size of my hand. It is a rod of magnesium and striking steel fixed to a wood handle. Attached with a cord is two pieces of saw blade. A spark hitting a little pile of magnesium in a bed of tinder will quickly become a blazing fire once you know how to do it, and the tool will last a lifetime. Find one that you can manage with your disability.
  • Cordage – You can use rope or twine but paracord is light and strong and reliable. Shelter comes faster and easier when para cord is used, so a fifty foot roll will keep you out of the weather with enough left for traps and many other uses. Also include a finer gauge nylon cord to help with repairs and small snare traps.
  • Mess Kit – A small complete kit for your meals is necessary and inexpensive. They are light weight and take up a small amount of space in your bag. Choose one that includes a pot with lid, pan, dish, cup and cutlery. They come in their own waterproof bag for easy storage.
  • Tarpaulin – For use as shelter, windbreak and protection from the wet ground, a tarp or piece of heavy duty commercial plastic is an asset. In a pinch, you can wrap your supplies in it and use it as a pack. A tarp helps to radiate the heat from your fire, collect water, and shelter you, so use a good, lightweight but strong tarp measuring 8’ by 8’ at the minimum.
  • Space Blanket – A reusable “blanket” with a ton of uses, but in this instance, for sleeping. You can substitute a tarp for this, but to me, a Space Blanket goes the extra mile to keep you comfortable, and you must be able to sleep in order to have the mental alertness to effectively survive.
  • Backpack – The above items, which are the top six survival items you need, should be stored permanently in a weatherproof, easily accessible backpack or bag that is easy for you to find and carry. You should keep your pack, your Bug Out Bag, in an easily accessible place at all times. Keep it clean and well stocked.
  • Additions – To increase comfort and ability to survive there are other items that can be included in your bag.
  • Fire Kit – An assortment of items ignitable under any circumstance. These can be made at home or purchased.
  • Duct Tape – Carry a roll of high quality tape. When in doubt, use duct tape.
  • Saw – A folding saw will help you create shelter and manage firewood. Camp saws are both strong and inexpensive.
  • Ax or Hatchet – A perfect tool to help with firewood and to fashion more permanent shelters.
  • Sharpening Stone – Your edged tools work best when sharp, so you must have a stone or kit to keep them that way.
  • First Aid Kit – A waterproof basic kit is good protection and a comfort to have when adapting to a survival situation. There will be small injuries and keeping them small with bandages, topical antibiotics and cleanliness is important.
  • Containers – Lightweight collapsible containers are important for liquid and food. You must be able to store water.
  • Compass – In a survival situation, GPS systems may not be available to help orient us as to our locations. The use of a compass is easy to learn and will tuck into any small pocket of your pack.

Continuing your Bug-Out Bag is personal. For me, my medication has to go in, along with my book on medicinal plants. I also have water, a small assortment of food and clothing. Consider your needs and add to the bag accordingly. In the end, your bag needs to be light enough for you to handle and close enough to grab in a hurry.

The need to understand how to live under survival conditions could be upon us tomorrow, and what we may face is unknown, but it is certain that those with a plan, tools and the cooperation of others will stand a better chance than the average person who has not done any preparation. As disabled people, we need to take a few extra steps to claim our place in the new world, because we do belong, we have much to give and we can certainly prepare for whatever may come. Our advantage is in knowing how to operate with limitations, and our ability to show others what we know will solidify our place in the world of tomorrow.

Letter Re: Concertina Wire Sources

Mr Rawles,
Thank you for your excellent Blog. Can you direct me to a supplier of rolls of military concertina wire?  I am looking for 6-to-8 rolls.  I live in Central Florida.  Google searches have revealed nothing but Chinese and Indian companies overseas.
 
Thank you for you help – Jim M.

JWR Replies: Buying new concertina wire or razor wire from manufacturers and distributors is a costly proposition. In my experience, the best way to buy defensive wire is used, from military (DRMO) or other government auctions. These can be found through the GovLiquidation.com web site. Here is a typical auction, at Fort Lewis, Washington. Used concertina wire often sells for near scrap steel prices. Buying used defensive wire has two other advantages: 1.) It will be weathered and hence it will not be as reflective as new wire. This will make it blend in, at least when seen from a distance. 2.) It may have some rusty spots. This will likely induce fear in those with “rusty nail” phobias.

Letter Re: DMSO — Pain Relief Without a Prescription?

James:
I read with interest Dr. Koelker’s article/letter regarding DSMO and its pain killing effects and would like share my own personal experiences with it since I am an alternative health care practitioner (not a doctor). First, DSMO is a by product of the paper industry and yes, horse people have used this for years with excellent results. Outside of this country and within the US some doctors use it by injection directly into the joints with amazing results. A quick google search will bear this statement out. In my own experience I have used it topically for muscle problems such as pinched nerves, backaches, sore muscles, pulled muscles, etc. I have used both the gel form (which I recommend for areas of the body that the skin is not so sensitive such as legs and arms) in the pure form and then use the liquid form diluted to 50% for sensitive areas such as the neck and face (I suffer from TMJ and it works wonders for relaxing the involved muscles and stopping associated pain) and dilute down to 75% for back and front torso areas. My son is a runner and pulled a deep inner thigh muscle and used it (diluted DSMO) only twice with excellent results (pain was gone and he was able to run again normally). I use it on my dogs also (diluted). Personally I have put a few drops of peppermint essential oil into one ounce of the gel mixing well for joint pain I have in one knee due to having an ACL replacement a few years ago after an accident to stop arthritic pain. I use DSMO to help my clients (I practice massage therapy) with chronic neck and back pain from overly tight muscles. Usually it only takes a few applications to resolve such issues with muscles. Maybe repeated as needed and just a very small amount is sufficient…allow to dry before putting on clothing.
 
Word of caution. DMSO may cause a feeling of ‘burning’ and redness at the application site, similar to some essential oils with high phenol content such as basil and oregano. If you are sensitive to essential oils I would advise not to use DMSO. If you have skin conditions I would advise to not use DMSO. Do not use if you have a burn on site or sunburn. IF you choose to try DMSO I would advise to buy the liquid form (and its very cheap on ebay) and dilute 50/50 with water and test a spot on the inner elbow to see what reaction you may or may not have FIRST. If you use DMSO and the burn/stinging sensation becomes too much to bear you may simply use water to wash it off…no soap! just water and a wash rag to gently remove it. One other note: DMSO is drying to the skin so if you have dry skin already you may notice an increase in dry skin.
 
Overall, I have personally found DMSO to be of excellent pain relieving for sore muscle, stiff muscle (such as the neck) and back pain due to muscle issues and it does have its place in a prepared home’s first aid kit.
 
Thank you for your time and efforts to help others! – R. Laura

Economics and Investing:

Dr. Walter E. Williams: Our Nation’s Future. Williams begins his latest essay: “Our nation is rapidly approaching a point from which there’s little chance to avoid a financial collapse.”

G.G. flagged this: 18 Staggering Charts On The Rise Of Government Dependence

Simon Black: Why We’re Nowhere Near The Mania Phase In Precious Metals

One Out Of Every Ten Banks Is A “Problem Bank” – FDIC Issues 56 Enforcement Actions In April

Lloyd’s ‘has plans for euro collapse’. (Thanks to Andre D. for the link.)

Odds ‘n Sods:

M.P. flagged this: Prepper speaks against stigma that all survivalists are nuts

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Alabama residents will be interested to learn that the state legislature has enacted a law providing a sales tax free weekend on disaster supplies the weekend of July 6-8, 2012. That will include things like bottled water, foods, candles, lanterns, and even generators. Our thanks to Mark C. for the news tip.

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Reader Mark P. mentioned that the Ludwig von Mises Institute now offers an e-book of liberty quotations as a free PDF download.

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G.G. spotted this: Revealed: Hundreds of words to avoid using online if you don’t want the government spying on you (and they include ‘pork’, ‘cloud’ and ‘Mexico’)

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Louis C. let me know about the upcoming Andy Garcia film For Greater Glory, about the Cristiada Rebellion against atheist President Plutarco Calles in Mexico in the 1920s. (Calles founded the PRN, which was the predecessor of the long-dominant PRI political party.) This film is quite unusual for Hollywood, given politics of the day. Andy Garcia plays General Enrique Gorostieta Velarde, who ironically was both anti-clerical and a freemason. (But he sympathized with the plight of the persecuted Catholics in Mexico.)

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"This is the way the world ends
This is the way the world ends
This is the way the world ends
Not with a bang but a whimper."
– T.S. Eliot, The Hollow Men

Notes from JWR:

JRH Enterprises has extended their annual Memorial Day weekend sale on Night Vision and Thermal Sight units. They have new Third Generation Pinnacle Autogated PVS-14 night vision monocular/sights with a five year warranty for as low as $2,695. Upgraded Versions are sale priced at $2,995. Also, check out the new Clip On Thermal Imaging (C.O.T.I.) unit that clips on the front of your night vision device and adds a thermal image to combine the best aspects of thermal imaging with the best aspects of normal image intensification night vision. Order soon!

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Today we present three more entries for Round 40 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize: A.) A gift certificate worth $1,000, courtesy of Spec Ops Brand, B.) A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795, and C.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $350 value.) D.) a $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any of their military surplus gear, E.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $300 value), and F.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo.

Second Prize: A.) A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol. It is a $219 value courtesy of Next Level Training. B.) A FloJak FP-50 stainless steel hand well pump (a $600 value), courtesy of FloJak.com. C.) A “grab bag” of preparedness gear and books from Jim’s Amazing Secret Bunker of Redundant Redundancy (JASBORR) with a retail value of at least $300, D.) A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials, and E.) two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value) and F.) A Tactical Trauma Bag #3 from JRH Enterprises (a $200 value).

Third Prize: A.) A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21. (This filter system is a $275 value.), B.) A large handmade clothes drying rack, a washboard and a Homesteading for Beginners DVD, all courtesy of The Homestead Store, with a combined value of $206, C.) Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy. This is a $185 retail value, D.) A Commence Fire! emergency stove with three tinder refill kits. (A $160 value.), and E.) Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security.

Round 40 ends on May 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. (At this point, with the queue full, any entries received will likely run after June 1st and be part of the Round 41 judging.) Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and articles that relate practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

But first, an update from SurvivalBlog’s cyber command post…

Update on the Recent Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) Attack on SurvivalBlog

A Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack on SurvivalBlog.com started the morning of Saturday, May 26, 2012 and continued until the evening. This was a “ping flood” attack, which can be envisioned as someone ringing your telephone number, several times per second. The attack coincided with a holiday weekend in the United States. The SurvivalBlog.com domain name as well as the unique IP addresses for each of our servers were separately targeted at various times. For several hours at a time, SurvivalBlog was almost impossible to reach because the ping count was so high. We have identified hostile IP addresses on at least 25 servers in several states–mostly in Texas and several other southern states, that used a Yahoo proxy. A second attack was made on Sunday evening, but this lasted only 30 minutes, until it was detected and mitigated by our ISP in Utah. (We have dedicated servers in both Sweden and in Utah.)

This was definitely a coordinated attack. Although it might have been instigated by just one individual, it probably required the cooperation of several other hackers. The identity of the key attacker (most likely a Birch Telecom customer in Austin/Round Rock, Texas) and his motivation has not yet been confirmed, but an investigation is ongoing, and intervention by both Birch Telecom and the authorities has been requested. I will post further details as they become available.

Note to fellow bloggers: Be advised that your web sites might come under a similar attack as ours, so be prepared!

Rest assured that we are taking several key steps that will increase our security and our site’s resiliency. We’d appreciate the donation of some backup server space (especially offshore), for mirroring the blog. (Each with at least 1GB of storage available, and the capacity to handle 20 Mbps. (A standard FTP server.) Why mirrors? The more bandwidth that we can handle, the better we can combat DDoS attacks. Additionally, this server capacity will also be useful on the occasions when we get sudden spurts of traffic, such as when SurvivalBlog.com is mentioned by major media outlets.

A reminder: As a precaution for any future disruption, please both bookmark and write down the following URL and IP addresses for the blog.

  • survivalblog.com
  • http://185.8.177.173

Lessons from Afghanistan, by W.B.

SurvivalBlog is the best in it’s field because it draws upon the different skill sets and experiences of it’s readers. On that note, I would like to offer up my own experience for the benefit of other readers. I am a former Army Infantry Sergeant with combat service in Afghanistan and am currently a private security contractor. I was not a prepper before my service there. However, witnessing a post-collapse environment first hand made me confront some painful realities. I hope to God that my experiences will aid fellow preppers by giving them insight in to one type of collapse and it’s repercussions.

Medical:
-You must have someone with some sort of medical experience in your retreat group. While dealing with Afghani civilians and prisoners or war, it was painfully obvious of their lack of all but the most primitive healthcare. In that country, there are countless deaths that could have been easily prevented by access to medical professionals and antibiotics. Wounds improperly sutured that become infected are a perfect example. If you have no antibiotics, what would you do?

-Medical supplies go very quickly when someone is wounded or sick. In our small medical clinic, items such as gauze, rubber gloves, painkillers, and antibiotics were always in short supply. Further, many with chronic medical conditions died for lack of supplies. When there is no bottled oxygen, insulin, or critical medications, people will die. I’m sorry, this is just what I saw.

-In a grid down situation, sanitation will quickly become a nightmare. In Afghanistan, trash quickly piles up with no one to pick it up. Soon, it becomes putrid, especially food and medical waste. Further, rats and feral dogs eat the trash and become ill which can bite humans. You must have a plan on how to effectively deal with waste or risk diseases and illness.

-Amongst the Afghanis, I have seen more than a few missing fingers, hands, and burns. This comes from improper handling of explosives and improper protective equipment while working. In a grid down situation, it goes without saying that the smallest injury could be fatal if an infection set in. You must wear personal protective equipment for everything you do that could harm you.

-When deployed, Soldiers commonly suffer from pink eye (conjunctivitis), cellulitis, Urinary Tract Infections other improper hygiene medical issues. Don’t overlook basic hygiene. If you only have three persons defending your retreat and one is on bed rest with an infection, your eight hour guard duty shifts just went to twelve hours. That may not seem substantial, but trust me, it is.

-Post collapse, expect a number of forgotten diseases to re-emerge. Amongst Afghani civilians, I have personally seen Tuberculosis and Polio. In a land with few antibiotics and hospitals, public health will fall apart. There are hospitals and clinics in Afghanistan, but most have to drive for hours across dangerous terrain to get to them. Further, fuel is scarce, so many needlessly die from preventable diseases.

Security:
-True security requires manpower. Positions must be effectively manned 24/7, 365 days a year. If they are not, any competent enemy will infiltrate your position. Split the day in to shifts, keep in mind that the longer the shift, the harder it is to stay alert. Leaders must inspect positions, as people will fall asleep on duty. This is why the shorter the guard shift the better, as men will remain more alert. When Soldiers man an Observation Post (OP), they generally pass off observation duties every hour because their eyes get tired from looking through optics. Remember, you have to be lucky all the time, the enemy has to be lucky once.

-The value of proper body armor cannot be overstated. I know men who would be dead now if it wasn’t for modern ceramic rifle plates. In a world where there is no ambulance to rush you the ER, do you want to risk a preventable mortal wound? At a minimum, buy a plate carrier to hold a front and back plate. On the topic of ballistic protection here is a useful fact for your general knowledge. Fired from 200 yards away, it takes one of the following to stop a 7.62x51mm (.308) ball round: 15 inches of pinewood boards, 10 inches of sand, or 3 inches of concrete. These are real figures that I have personally verified.

-Optics save lives. By “optics”, I mean rifle scopes, binoculars and spotting scopes. In Afghanistan, no one opens fire without first confirming “PID”, Positive Identification of the target by looking through a scope or binoculars. At distance or in low light, it is harder than you might think to distinguish friend from foe.

-In Afghanistan, the bad guys don’t always look like bad guys. As a matter of fact, they go to great lengths to avoid looking like bad guys. This is a key idea. When planning on attacking a position, the Taliban will attempt to infiltrate it with spies who pose as workers or they will even use children for this. Keep this in mind when a group of women and children approach your retreat.

-Night Vision Devices (NODs) are an absolute game-changer. Without them, the night is a scary place. The Taliban are terrified of our ability to operate at night. But understand the limitations of NODs. The Taliban knew that the best time to attack NATO was at dawn or dusk. NODs aren’t as useful then because of their light-gathering ability.

-If you have a firearm, you must have at least the basic spare parts for it. While at a test fire range, a soldier in my unit snapped his weapon’s firing pin due to the extreme cold. If we hadn’t had a spare, he weapon would have become a paperweight.

-In Afghanistan, the Taliban and less scrupulous Police will set up simple roadblocks to kidnap, rob, or murder. There is a reason why in the military, roads are known as an “LDA”, or Linear Danger Area. In a post collapse situation, how long would it take armed gangs to construct roadblocks along main roads? How would you circumvent these?

-In Afghanistan, corruption is rife amongst the Police and Army. Thus, is a post collapse environment, be very careful of who you trust. Just because some claims to be an authority figure, doesn’t mean that they are. The Taliban would sometimes steal Police and Army uniforms to infiltrate bases.

-Ask any combat veteran about his worst fears and encountering a competent sniper will be at the top of the list. However, this works both ways. Even a man with a scoped rifle in a designated marksman role can be a game-changer. A well- concealed sniper can defeat a much larger adversary, especially if they panic. In your retreat group, it is crucial to have at least one competent long range marksman with a suitable rifle.

-Ammo storage? As much as humanly possible. Rounds go fast. Also, store numerous quality magazines, cleaning supplies, and spare parts. In Afghanistan, I didn’t see anyone trading gold or silver, but weapons and ammunition were almost accepted currency in some places.

Transportation:
-Gas engine vehicles are quieter than diesels. Whenever we tried to sneak up on a village in our diesel vehicles, the enemy would be gone before we got there. When assaulting, a better idea to dismount your vehicles about a mile away and move in under concealment. The only exception to this is if you have a key weapon mounted on the vehicle.

-In Afghanistan, pickup trucks are used as improvised fighting vehicles, troop transports, and ambulances. Don’t underestimate the utility of a pickup truck. For an improvised fighting vehicle, the Taliban generally line the bed with sandbags and mount an automatic weapon on the top of the cab.

-Gasoline/diesel, along with food, will become the key resource. In post collapse Afghanistan, gasoline/diesel allowed mobility and kept the electricity on. Mobility was key because he who controlled the road, controlled movement of people and goods.

Water:
-In his book, CPT Rawles calls water the key resource. He’s right. If one of our patrols ran out of water and couldn’t re-supply, they were in deep trouble.

-Water is heavy, around 8 pounds per gallon. You must have a plan to transport it if need be. The average soldier carries around one gallon on patrol with more in his vehicle. When digging fighting positions or marching, 1gal/day is a very conservative estimate so plan accordingly.

-Just because you are careful with water, doesn’t mean others will be. I have seen women and children collecting water from a river that has dead animals in it upstream. It pays to do some reconnaissance on your potential water source.

-When storing bottle water, it’s better to leave in a cool, dark place if possible. If left exposed to sunlight for weeks on end, it can get moldy.

Barter:
-As anyone who has been to a bazaar in Iraq or Afghanistan will tell you, there are generally no receipts or exchanges. If you don’t inspect your purchase, you made a grave mistake. It was not uncommon to encounter Afghanis with disabled vehicles. Why? They purchased watered down Gasoline/Diesel.

-As I mentioned earlier, I never saw anyone using gold or silver as a de facto currency. What was used? American Dollars, Euros, firearms and ammunition, gasoline/diesel, canned goods, hand tools, and skill sets. By skill sets, I mean it was not uncommon to see an Afghani mechanic trade a repair job on a vehicle for a goat or canned food. Remember, skill sets are more important than expensive gear.

-Post collapse, the first winter will be devastating. In Afghanistan, before the winter came, it was common to encounter civilians needing MREs and canned goods because their crops had failed. In a world without modern pesticides, irrigation, and mechanized farm equipment, would you bet you and your loved ones lives on your crops succeeding?

Mindset:
As a people, the Afghanis have suffered greatly over the past three decades. In my observation, the power of their faith plays a crucial role in their survival. Regardless, of your faith or beliefs, it is important to thank God for every day. Also, don’t hesitate to take a moment to ask for his wisdom and strength to make it through a tough time.

In closing, I would like to thank CPT Rawles and all of the contributors to SurvivalBlog. I apologize if my view is grim, but it’s what I saw with my own eyes in a nation that had underwent a form of internal collapse. My distilled message is this, you need a tribe to survive. In Afghanistan, villages band together and survive. You need the varying skill sets, ideas, and manpower of a group to make it through a collapse. Thank you for your time and consideration and God bless all of you and the United States of America.

When Your Batteries Die, by Jay W.

Some of the most common things that we stock up on for short term emergencies are batteries. Many of our important tools need electrical power to work. Flashlights, radios, many power tools, and night vision gear– essentially anything that uses DC electricity–would need batteries. For Bug Out Bags and short-term situations batteries are almost always included and could save your life.   Virtually any situation lasting less than a few years would be fine with batteries.  You can have a hand or pedal generator, solar or wind, et cetera, to charge your batteries.   But what happens in a TEOTWAWKI situation?  Where will you store your power when your batteries fail? What will you do when the lights go out? This is something to be prepared for just like any other situation.  I have not found an efficient alternative for small batteries but larger energy storage problems can be solved.

The Life of a Battery
Many people don’t really think about how long a battery will last [on the shelf versus its life in regular use].  Different batteries have different life spans and different uses.  I will attempt to define the life of these batteries.  I am no expert on the subject but a little internet mining will give you the same info.                                                                                                                                                                

The most common type of small batteries are Alkaline batteries.  These are not normally rechargeable and will be useless for their intended purpose after their initial use.  There are some special Rechargeable Alkaline Manganese (RAM) batteries that are specifically designed to be recharged. Or you can get a special charger that will recharge normal Alkalines [with varying degrees of success]. If stored properly, most Alkalines will retain a useful charge for around five years. These should be used last because they have longer shelf life than most modern rechargeable batteries. For most Survivalists, the modern rechargeable battery designs are a much better option.  Of these, the lithium ion batteries seem to be the best, due to the number of recharge cycles they can handle. However, the shelf life of common Lithium Ion batteries may actually be shorter than that of Alkalines. Usually around 2 to 3 years no matter what you do with them. This makes it difficult to store them for future emergencies.                                                                                    

Lead acid batteries such as car batteries will be common in end times because the cars will [be out of fuel and hence] no longer have a need for them.  However, car batteries are not really good for alternative power system storage. This is because they are made for short bursts of high amps to start your car.  When used regularly [for their intended use] a car battery will last around five years.  When not kept recharged, a car battery can fail in less than six months.  If stored and treated properly, car batteries will last up to eight years, but eventually you will not have the use of them.   [JWR Adds: Deep cycle marine (or “golf cart”) batteries are better suited to frequent use, but they have the same maximum life issue as carr batteries, because their plates become sulfated.]                                                         

The only long term solution I have seen is batteries that come with the electrolyte separate.  You could purchase a large stockpile of these and store them in this state indefinitely.  This however could get really expensive.  I have done no research on the subject but it should be possible to drain the electrolyte from car batteries and store it separately to preserve them.   [JWR Adds: Unfortunately, draining a battery will not stop their plates from sulfating.]                                                                      

Capacitors are another form of energy storage similar to batteries. Unfortunately we have not yet created capacitors that can replace the batteries we currently rely on. With the advent of super capacitors we may find a solution to the current problems with batteries.  For now however, the cost and complexity is a problem.

Life Without Batteries           
The first and most obvious solution to short battery life is to rely on them as little as possible. There are a host of [traditional hand-powered or treadle-powered] non-electrical alternatives to common electric power tools. The real problem is that we don’t want to go without electricity.  We like the on demand aspect of our current lifestyle. It will be very hard to crawl out of the muck if we can’t use our tools. Some of this we can solve and some we can’t.  On-demand microwave ovens and lights at the flick of a switch will become a thing of the past. The following are some of the solutions that I have come up with for not having electrical battery power storage.                                                                                   

Build Your Own Battery                 
There are ways to store power that don’t include complex chemical reactions.  The best one I have come up with is water.  Water can in effect be a “battery”, after all a battery is really just a means to store energy.  Photovoltaic or mechanical wind pumps can pump water to hilltop reservoir or tower storage tanks.   Water from the tanks can then be used to power small hydroelectric generators.  The expended water can be collected in tanks or ponds at the base of the system for gardening or other uses.  Ponds also have the advantage of being great food producers and for watering livestock.  Proper voltages can be achieved through water flow adjustments.  I have not done this myself but the idea has merit. [JWR Adds: The scale of a system as described that could produce anything more than just short bursts of power would be enormous. It is much more practical to set up a microhydro generator situated on a year-round stream that has the requisite head (or “fall”.)]

Another way to store energy is mechanically. This may be the best system for people who don’t have a hill handy for the previous water storage method. The best mechanical energy storage device I can think of is a large centrifugal system.  In this system solar or wind energy could be used to drive a large weighted flywheel. The flywheel could then be used to power a generator using Constant Velocity Transmission (CVT) or electronics to regulate voltage. Well-lubricated high quality bearings would be required to handle the continuous high speeds and the great weight of the wheel. The wheel would also have to be perfectly balanced and as large as possible. Rotational speed is the key with this system. The faster you can get the wheel to spin the more power it will produce.  Speed is more important than weight, when you double the speed you square the energy storage potential. With proper design, planning and some spare parts this system could last a long time.  I plan on building one of these in the near future. Here is an excellent web page that covers the basics of this idea.    [JWR Adds: Keep in mind that the energy stored in a large, heavy flywheel spinning at high speed can also be incredibly destructive. If a flywheel were to become unbalanced and loose itself from its moorings, it could rip through a dozen houses before coming to a stop.]            

There are other ways to store energy out there.  These are just the ones that seem the most practical to me.  With some experimentation I believe that you could make either of these systems work for a long term solution.

TEGs
There are great solid state electronic devices that use heat to generate electricity.  Small ones are called thermoelectric generators (TEGs). TEG fans are commonly used to move heat around your house if you have a wood stove.  A larger TEG could be used on your stove to power lighting in your house. Another great thing about TEGs is that when an electric charge is run through them one side of the thermo couple will get hot and the other will get cold.  This is commonly used on 12 volt DC coolers for your car, giving you another form of refrigeration. [JWR Adds:  See the SurvivalBlog archives for numerous articles on thermoelectric generators and their drawbacks.]   

Build a Still           
Alcohol is a wonderful thing.  You can drink it, clean with it, burn it in lamps, make weapons and run an engine with it, among other things.  All of these uses are valid in a TEOTWAWKI situation.  As a sterilizing fluid for medical situations, it could save your life.  Alcohol can displace electricity with lamps or as a cooking fuel.  Alcohol lamps can be as simple as a jar with a rolled cotton wick. Lamps could also burn animal, plant or nut oils.  There is some great info on alcohol stoves made from used soda and food cans.  These stoves are incredibly simple and almost never fail. Another possible use is a refrigeration system that uses alcohol. Albert Einstein jointly designed and built one in 1926.                                                                                            

I have a great book by Jerry Wilkerson, called Make Your Own Fuel.  The book shows how to make alcohol and also explains how to convert your car to run on it.  There are some other books out here on the same subject. Plans and information for building a still can be found on this web site.                                                                                         

Drinking alcohol can raise your spirits, but it can also blind you, make you mentally disabled, or kill you, if you make it incorrectly. [Wood alcohol versus grain alcohol.] Many people will find it just as useful but won’t have any.  This will give you a great bartering item.  [JWR Adds: Despite the moral implications, for some folks, selling homemade alcohol might be viable in a societal collapse without the current rule of law. But be advised that doing so in the present day would be a felony in most jurisdictions.]

The Wonders of Wood Gas           
I am sure by this time most of you have heard of wood gas generators. Heat is used to release hydrogen and carbon monoxide gasses in an oxygen poor environment.  The gasses released can be used to fuel almost any internal combustion engine.  The system doesn’t work as well for diesels but for standard gas engines it’s great. These generators have some wonderful advantages and may be the best solution that I will present. 

The first and most important thing about wood gas is that, as the name implies it runs on wood. All you have to do is dry it sufficiently and cut it to size.  Secondly it is a proven technology.  During WWII many civilian cars throughout Europe were converted to run on wood gas. There are designs put out by FEMA in the late 1980s detailing how to build a wood gasifier. This proves that FEMA has done at least one useful thing. [JWR Adds: As previously mentioned in SurvivalBlog, the FEMA plans are not detailed, so they are not particularly useful. See the SurvivalBlog archives for some better wood gas references.]   It is relatively simple and cheap to build and adapt to existing gas systems.  Almost everything you need to build one can be obtained for free. The Internet has huge amounts of information, videos and discussion on the subject.  

Transportation is a cornerstone of our current society. If we run out of fuel or if it gets too expensive then we are sunk. Without the ability to transport goods quickly we will never be able to re-establish a large scale working economy.  Wood gas can solve this problem, at least in the short term.                                                            

Small AC backup generators are everywhere, especially in rural areas.  When running they automatically regulate power output to suit demand.  You can simply run the wood gas to the air intake and you are set.  Electric generators used this way should be able to started with a pull cord [recoil starter] so that no external power for a [DC] starter [motor] is needed.  Buy the best small generator you can. Owning two or more would be beneficial and as many spare parts as possible.   

A good wood gas system could be built for a truck.  The unit could be removed or conveniently parked so as to provide power for electric generators. This could serve until more systems could be built.

Build a Root Cellar or Other Underground Storage
The ambient ground temperature 5 feet down in most areas is around 52 degrees, depending on your latitude.  This is a great temperature for making things such as seeds, food and those batteries last a lot longer.  Underground storage can also be used as a shelter in hard times or to protect your supplies.  Very heavy doors and thick concrete walls will hold out most forms of intrusion. Everyone who is preparing a retreat should have some underground storage.  If you are planning on building, consider building your home underground.  I have been studying this approach for years and the best construction form I have found is a Monolithic dome.  Building in this style is less expensive than standard underground construction.  Monolithic domes are also incredibly efficient and nearly invincible, even if left above ground. This is due to the shape, construction materials and techniques used to build them. [JWR Adds: These are built using re-bar and sprayed concrete that is up to 18 inches thick.]  Most people don’t like round houses but in this case “form follows function.” The Monolithic Eco shell is of particular interest because the “air form” [inflatable form] used to make the structure can be reused.  If you have already built or bought a house–as most of us have–then think about ways to save energy in your current home.

Other Ideas                       
There are a host of other low tech. but highly functional alternatives to common electric devices.  As mentioned above alcohol refrigerators could solve a major problem.  You can also build a refrigerator by placing a container inside another container, filling the space around with wet sand and putting a cloth over the top.  The water evaporates and draws heat away from whatever you store inside. This is called a pot in pot refrigerator.                                                                                                                             
Don’t forget horses and other forms of animal labor.  I am not a big fan of horses but if the end comes then I am going to wish that I had some. Goats, donkeys and llamas can be great pack and labor animals.  If predatory animals are a problem, donkeys and llamas when pastured with sheep and goats can help protect your herds and flocks.                                                                                                                                               

Gas engine tractors can run on wood gas or if they have diesel engines you can convert them to run on waste vegetable oil (WVO).  Many restaurants pay for someone to take their WVO away for them.  If you offer to take it for free or pay a small amount for it, a large stock of fuel could be built up fairly inexpensively.  Cars and trucks with diesel engines will run on WVO as well.                                                                                                             

If you have a good location, build a pond.  As I mentioned, ponds can be used for water storage irrigation, food production, [a firefighting reservoir,] and livestock water, among other things. Having a pond or some form of water storage positioned at a high point on a property can negate the need for some electrical or mechanical pumping.                                   

I have obviously not covered all the possible ways to save, generate, store or displace the need for DC batteries.  Some of the ideas I’ve described are strange, but all should be possible.  As with any preparedness scenario you should create redundant backup systems.  You should also have as many duplicate and spare parts on hand as possible.  Always save as much energy as possible , as the less you use, then the less you need to create. Anything you don’t do may come back to bite you some day. Good luck and remember you can never be too prepared. 

When You Don’t Know Where To Start, by Angela in Georgia

If you are like me, you want to start preparing for TEOTWAWKI, but you have no clue where or how to begin. Even the shortest list, and list of lists, is a daunting undertaking and the expenses can stack up quickly. We thought we’d be up a creek since we had no real extra money to set aside for this project. Alas, it doesn’t have to be that way! There are many things you probably have around the house that will help save or sustain life. You just have to learn to look at your possessions in a different way.

I’d be willing to bet there’s tons of stuff in your house and garage that you haven’t used in two years or more, and it continues to sit there. It gathers dust, gets lost and forgotten, or requires maintenance. Somehow, it manages to grow and multiply with very little effort on your part. Since I used to be a yard sale and thrift store junkie, it may have been a bit more than very little effort on my part… Apparently, I’ve been preparing for years and didn’t know it!

I picked up a food dehydrator at a yard sale for $3, a Food Saver sealing system for $5 from a thrift store, and sheets and blankets by the bag full at $1 each. I had no idea what I was doing at the time, but I certainly do now! Obviously, I’ll use the dehydrator and food saver for preserving foods, but what would I do with all those sheets and blankets that we didn’t need? They’re becoming camouflage. They also work well as insulation for a shipping container. They’ll work on the floor of a dirt bunker, to prevent too much dust in the air as you move around. How much stuff is in your home wasting space that may also double for survival when you bug-in?
To prepare for when IT hits the fan, you must first consider reducing the amount of your possessions. This serves several purposes: first, you begin to condition yourself to living with less. The simple shock of having to turn away from your current lifestyle can be traumatic, especially for children, and they’ll be learning how to cope from their parents. Gradually easing into survival mode will make the process easier for everyone involved.
Second, the income from possession liquidation helps fund survivalist equipment and supplies. Since the economy is in poor shape, second-hand items are sought after instead of purchasing new. Facebook and Craigslist are good places to list your unwanted items. There are also smart phone apps available for virtual and real yard sales. If you’re really serious about liquidation, contact an auction company and conduct a “living estate sale”. They are gaining in popularity since many families are downsizing just to reduce their overhead.

Third, you’ll spend less time maintaining your possessions if you have fewer of them. How long does it take to find something you know you have somewhere, or dust those collectibles? How much furniture do you have that serves no purpose other than appearances? How would you reallocate your time if you didn’t have to maintain a lot of things that won’t help you when it hits the fan?

Go through each room of your home, paying close attention to items you’ll use in survival mode. Unwanted clothing in the right colors can be cut into strips and be used to make camouflage netting, and other parts can be used for rope and insulation. Artificial houseplants can be reused in camouflage during the spring and summer. Pillows can be reused to block air flow, insulate heated water, and protect you from sharp objects in cramped quarters. Fancy lace tablecloths can be sold and replaced with sturdy cotton sheets and blankets, being sure to choose earth tones that can also be used for camouflage if the need arises.

Radio-controlled toys can be retrofitted and reused to distract trespassers. [JWR Adds: For example, their servos can be re-purposed to set off small pyrotechnic charges. Pull-string “confetti poppers” can be very carefully disassembled to provide the friction-ignited charges.] There are tons of possibilities for these items, from recon to defensive operations. I personally love this option, and look forward to finding them at ridiculously low prices.

Those big metal drums with metal lids can be made into Faraday cages by lining the inside with Styrofoam. Instructions for these can also be found online. Small metal boxes and containers can be used for the same purpose, and metal trash cans work as well.

As repulsive as it may seem, almost anything made of natural fabric can be cut into small squares and used as toilet paper and feminine napkins. Wash and bleach after each use and they’re ready to reuse when dry. What’s more repulsive is the thought of going without these two very basic, and often overlooked, necessities. Most folks are of the opinion that any nearby leaf will do, or that there will be plenty of cloth laying around when IT hits the fan. There will be an increased chance of infection if the material used isn’t clean and sickness will be one of our biggest enemies.

Tampons can be used to plug bullet wounds; they expand when wet. This is only temporary, and they should be replaced with a proper dressing as quickly as possible. Feminine pads can be used in trauma dressings. Any clean cotton fabrics can be reused as trauma dressings and bandages; be careful to use only natural fabrics for contact with skin and blood. A sterile layer of gauze should always be the first layer over a wound.
Unwanted paper items, such as junk mail, old bills, newspapers and magazines, can be shredded and used in making heat blocks for burning during cold weather or for cooking. Most of the heat blocks burn for twenty to thirty minutes, which is plenty of time to prepare a meal and provide heat in colder climates. Instructions for making heat blocks can be found online.

Empty water and soda bottles can be reused for dry food storage. Just drop in an oxygen absorber, and they’re good to go. Empty gallon jugs can be reused as water storage. They are portable and easy to keep rotated. Unused water heaters can be reused as water storage as long as you plan to filter the water before drinking it.

Reuse a car or boat battery and jumper cables to start a fire by connecting the ends to a wad of 0000 steel wool. The steel wool will heat up and ignite tinder, such as straw or paper shreds.

Reuse a lamp by setting a cake or pie pan over the shade and turning on the lamp. The heat from the bulb will cook some foods such as canned goods and will also heat water enough to rehydrate dried foods.

If you have a rotating food storage system, my favorite is Thrive by Shelf Reliance, begin using it now if you haven’t already. Incorporate it into your daily cooking habits and meal planning. Thrive is easy and economical to get started with, because you just reallocate a portion of your grocery budget to include it. When it hits the fan, the transition will be easier if you’re already used to using it. Also, using and rotating your water storage on a regular basis will keep it fresh.

Thermoses and other insulated containers will be great to rehydrate foods. You can boil water in the morning and set aside enough warm water to begin to soften the day’s entire food ration. Quality containers will keep foods hot for hours. Some dehydrated foods, such as Thrive, will reconstitute even with cold water, but usually take longer.

I’m torn over my books. I’m an avid reader and I love to read the same ones over and over. I know I can sell my books and make a lot of money, but I can also burn them (I hope so anyway!) and keep my family warm and fed for a while.

After taking an inventory of what you already have that can be used in survival mode, take a second inventory of what you can live without. If the process seems a bit unnecessary, imagine looters going through your possessions and scattering them about carelessly. They’ll be looking for anything of value, anything that might sustain life, and anything that can be used for defensive or offensive actions. If you can beat them to it, then you’re ahead of the game. You’ve not only been able to use your own possessions for yourself and your family, you’ve also thwarted potential attackers from using them against you.
You probably won’t be entertaining in survival mode, so maybe you don’t need that huge set of dishes, or the deluxe set of cookware. Think about which items are worth a lot of money that can be sold now and replaced with similar items that work just as well, but cost less. The money you have left over can be converted to precious metals or survivalist equipment and supplies. Think about trimming down the movie collection, as well as any other collections that take up space and require maintenance. That beautiful antique bedroom set might be better sold now than burned or looted later.

Anything you haven’t worn in the last year, and anything you haven’t used in the last six months should be on the chopping block. All (or most of) those things you’ve been saving “just in case” should eventually disappear unless they can be used for survival. Keep in mind, you aren’t just looking at things you can reuse. You’re also looking to reduce the amount of possessions you have in order to better prepare yourself and your family for a transition into survival mode. Even if you have to go through this process several times, cutting out more and more each time, you will still make great progress in preparing your family for a bug-in or bug-out.
Make sure the kitchen and bathrooms stay clean at all times. The last thing you want is to be trying to prepare an emergency meal when the kitchen is a mess and you’re down to just emergency water. If you’re bugging-in, ensure you have alternate toilet arrangements. Even though you can still flush the toilet by manually adding water to the bowl, you’ll be wasting water unnecessarily. A camp potty or a bucket with a lid and bio bags work great and you can take them camping for practice.

Keep your freshwater aquariums or consider getting them if you don’t have them already. The bigger, the better. They make terrific water sources and in most cases, the water is drinkable as it sits. The filtration systems balance bacteria so if the fish are alive and healthy, you can depend on the water being safe. If you’re in doubt, filter, treat or boil it before using it for human consumption. Once the water level is too low for the filter to run, or if there’s no electricity to power it, don’t drink it without filtering or boiling it. Don’t be tempted to keep aquariums without fish (smaller fish is better). The waste from the fish is what keeps the bacteria in the gravel under control, and vice versa. They depend on each other for balance. Once the power has been out for a few hours, remove the fish and filter the water as it’s used.

I’ve been going through my home one room at a time, including closets. I’m getting rid of things we don’t use and don’t particularly have attachment to and moving the things we’ll need to our bug-in location. I can still get to those items if I need them, and if we do bug-in, they’ll already be where they’re needed. By selling the non-essentials, I’m able to purchase the things we’ll need for survival. My eight year old daughter is excited about the process and enjoys helping me make a camouflage cover from an old fishing net and, you guessed it, earth-toned sheets!

Letter Re: Risk in CONUS from Fukushima Radiation Releases?

Howdy,
I have a question about the American Redoubt in light of the pending and probable total failure of the Fukushima reactors spent fuel rod pool. When this thing goes, the release will be massive and long term. [I have read that the] radiation release will cover most of the US and Canada and that most of Canada and the northern two thirds of America may be unlivable. How advisable would be moving to the American Redoubt?

I’m not one for conspiracy theories. I don’t buy the one about HAARP causing the earthquake and tsunami. However, the sheer lack of any effort to contain this pending disaster like building a coffin around it like Chernobyl to be disturbing. We’ve invaded many counties that pose less danger to the US, if not the world.

What are you thought on safety should this thing collapse? – Sasquatch

JWR Replies: All of the recent Internet rantings that I’ve seen about Fukushima’s impact on the in the U.S. and Canada are not being written by folks with any background in nuclear physics or NBC defense.

This piece that I wrote pretty well sums up my position: Useful Tidbits on Radiation and Journalists–The Season of Isotopes and Misanthropes

And this piece, posted four days later by the well-informed editor of Modern Survival Blog, echoed what I wrote, with some greater detail: Radiation, Japan, and the Inverse-Square Law (Also be sure to see the follow-up comments.) The rates at which radionuclides (radioactive atmospheric dust) drop out of rain clouds with precipitation are similar. In essence, the radiation risk drops off to negligible levels around 800 miles downwind, unless weather conditions are very unusual.

Letter Re: De-Worming Livestock, Post-TEOTWAWKI

Mr. Rawles,
I have just finished reading your book How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It and found it very helpful and enlightening. There is one thing I was wondering and can’t seem to find an answer anywhere.
 
Owning horses in an extended grid-down situation presents the question of worming. After most worming meds has been used or expired how would you treat your horse for worms? I’ve read about using different herbs but wonder about their safety and dosages.
 
Thank you, – Michael N. in Arizona

JWR Replies: As with most medications for humans, the expiration dates marked on veterinary medications are very conservative. Stock up when you find de-worming paste on sale. Perhaps a reader could chime in with some herbal or 19th Century do-it-yourself alternatives.

Economics and Investing:

Those pesky derivatives: Wall Street Journal says Comex has been classified as ‘too big to fail’. (“Taxpayers Now Stand Behind Derivatives Clearinghouses.”)

More About Banksters and Derivatives: Taxpayer Supported Gambling

How Crumbling U.S. Dollars Bailed Out Zimbabwe. (Thanks to Gregg P. for the link.)

Adam Brown of Forbes reports: European Crisis: A Greek Exit Would Only Be The Start, Not The End

Spain: Five banks downgraded, Bankia seeks 19 billion euros in aid. (Thanks to B.B. for the link.)

Items from The Economatrix:

Turn Out The Lights:  The Largest US Cities are Becoming Cesspools of Filth, Decay, and Wretchedness

The Law Of The Sea Treaty Will Sink America’s Economy

What Happens When All The Money Disappears In Thin Air?

Odds ‘n Sods:

The Complete List of Every Prepper Book Ever Recommended. (Thanks to R.D. for the link.)

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The town of Coos Bay, Oregon is wisely planning a Tsunami Evacuation Drill on May 31 at 2:00 p.m.

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Over at Buddy’s Board, I found a link to this brief how-to video: Tannerite 101

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James C. suggested this lengthy YouTube video: The 1940’s House

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C.D.V. recommended this site: Pam’s Pride Recommendations. These are my recommendations for free Kindle e-book downloads for homesteaders and do-it-yourselfers.