Note from JWR:

Today we present two 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 $439 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.

Survive or Thrive?, by Sarah M.

It was a bright, sunny day. I found myself scaling Cathedral Rock in Sedona, Arizona with my mom, dad and 5 younger siblings (since I am a homeschooler, I have the privilege to visit some very exciting places in the United States. Such was the case this past March).

As my family and I were hiking up the hazardous ‘path’, a few thoughts crowded my brain. What if my eight-year-old brother fell or slipped in this pass? What if my nine-year-old sister falls down this slab of rock or my mom passes out? Would I know how to help them? Did I have the necessary equipment in my bag? Surrounding me was the beautiful scenery, but more importantly, there were multitudes of families climbing up this same rock that I was. Most of whom had nothing with them except a water bottle!

Many families each year take hikes such as my family did. Nothing happened, and we hope nothing serious ever happens. But, do you know what to do if something goes wrong on your next family hike? What if someone gets seriously injured you pick up your cell phone only to find out that you have no cell signal, or the battery has died, or that you can’t contact anyone? What do you do if you are in a situation where you have no one to contact? Do you know what do if someone gets injured, and the medics are delayed for a long time? Consider the scenario of a third-world country where there is no one to contact in case of a medical emergency, and you are the sole person to administer help until assistance comes.
In this essay, I will endeavor to show you some basic wilderness medicine and rescue skills that will help all those concerned should undesired circumstances strike on their adventure. I want to show three key wilderness medicine and rescue skills that are necessary for the average person to know. You do not HAVE to have a degree, or be an expert! The three keys in this essay are Preparation, Evaluation, and Perspiration. If you can learn the skills associated with these 3 keys, you will most likely have the confidence you need on your next family hike…or adventure!

Preparation
As with everything relating to survival, preparation is essential. But what does this really involve? First of all, you need to be mentally prepared for anything that may happen. This does not mean that you should worry or be afraid, but, rather, mentally prepare yourself so that you have confidence. If something does go wrong, you know what to do, and you have the means to carry out your plan. The ability to think clearly in the midst of chaos will be invaluable.  Mental preparedness will lead to an essential check-list of some items that may be needed on your adventure.
Your gear plays an important role as to whether you just survive, or thrive under the circumstances that you are forced to be in. There are numerous things that can flood the brain that should be in that “house on your back”, but, keep in mind, a more streamlined check-list is advisable. Obviously you will pack different things depending on whether you are spending a month or two in wild, mountain country, or if you are just spending a day or weekend in the woods.
It is humanly impossible to describe everything that you should pack for every adventure. Walter Picket, in his article called “The Rescue Pack”, put it very succinctly when he stated,
“There are few people who can carry a 40lb+ pack and be effective in the mountains. Experience can make a big difference as to what is carried in the pack. Also, sudden weather changes, difficult terrain and victims with serious injuries can place the rescuer in a rather awkward position. One way the rescuer can keep out of that position is to be prepared to cope with any situation that could come up before it happens. Assistance cannot always be called in or it might take them a long time to getting there so a rescuer should be completely self-sufficient for the duration of the mission. That does not mean that you carry everything but the kitchen sink in your pack…There is no perfect gear. No one backpack can fit everyone’s back. Some gear is especially suited for an individual’s need (or is it wants)…” (Pricket article “The Rescue Pack” www.1srg.org)

Organize your gear so that instead of frantically trying to find a something, the most essential items are easily accessible. You could classify your gear into 3 categories: personal gear (clothes, sleeping bag, tent, sunglasses, hat, chap stick, bandanna, extra socks, etc.), survival/rescue gear, and medical gear. Because personal gear is obvious to most of us, the focus of this part of the essay will be in regards to survival/rescue gear and medical gear.

Survival/Rescue Gear
Basic survival gear is a must. Caution must be used when going to an outfitting store and buying a survival kit. One reason for this is that a store’s main goal is marketing and making profit, not necessarily your personal benefit. Some stores will also try to cut costs wherever they can, and you probably won’t be getting the “best of everything.” Furthermore, some people never open their kit and figure out how to use it because they trust it. Also, some kits may contain ‘overall items’ that are not specific to the region, weather, and/or terrain that you will be traveling in, or situations that you might face. These types of stores, however, usually have good reading material that can give invaluable information on necessary items. Ultimately, you must be wise, and make sure that, if you buy a pre-made survival kit, you do your research and figure out how everything works BEFORE your adventure begins.

It is best to just make your own by purchasing the items you need individually. Tailor your kit to the region you will be traveling in, the possible weather you may encounter, and to what kind of activities you are going to be doing. Also, if you are leading a group, make sure you tailor your kit to your group’s possible needs. You may have to help everyone!

Assuming that you are wearing the appropriate clothes for your adventure and that you have appropriate hiking boots, here is a “check-list” of a few essential items to get your brain turning: Personal gear (such as a bandanna or sunglasses…) signal mirror, rain wear, fire starting devices (at least 2), trail tape, map/compass, matches (make sure they don’t get wet),sharp belt knife, solar (space) blanket, duct tape, water and food (be wise, always carry more than you think you might need), 3 sources of light and extra batteries, and  at least two heavy duty contractor weight plastic garbage bags (a great source of emergency rain wear, or waterproof backpack liner). A pencil and notebook may also be helpful. Furthermore, I would suggest waterproofing your gear by putting it in plastic Zip-loc bags or containers. You can use your pockets to hold important survival items, like a flashlight or a knife, or you can pack them in a small sack, or belt pouch.

Be sure to adapt your rescue gear to the type of activities that you will be doing, and to the type of region you will be in. Try to bring a good, professional climbing or rescue rope with you. Some people also like parachute cord for rescues.  If you do end up doing strenuous rescuing on your adventure, you will probably wish you had a helmet. (As a side note, you should probably pack one in your bug-out bag, or wherever you keep your TEOTWAWKI gear.) I would also highly recommend that you bring some type of work gloves to protect your hands. This will be invaluable if you do need to do any wilderness climbing. Depending on what you are doing, you may even consider bringing an emergency harness or emergency climbing equipment. Also, make sure you bring enough water. The average person needs 64 ounces of water a day. When you are hiking you will need much more. How much you need will depend on the outdoor temperature and humidity, as well as the length of the hike. For most conditions one liter per hour or a half liter per mile is a good rule. If you are involved in a rescue, you may need to give some of your water to the victim. Remember, what you pack could save your life, or a family member’s life!!!

Medical Gear
Medical gear also needs to be tailored to the area/region you will be adventuring in and the number of people in your group. Pack your gear in an organized manner. It is a very good idea to pack it in a separate pack so that it will be readily accessible. One of the best books I have found on the subject of wilderness medicine is Wilderness Medicine, Beyond First Aid, 5th Edition by William W. Forgey. On page 215 of this book he gives a list of items that will usually fulfill most of your emergency requirements:

“10 pkg   Spyroflex 2”x 2” wound dressings (or carry 2 for each person)                                                                                         
  2 pkg     Spenco 2nd Skin Burn Dressing Kits (or carry 1 for 2 people)
  15 pkg   Nu-Gauze, high absorbent, sterile, 2 ply, 3” x 3v, pkg/2
  25           Coverlet Bandage Strips 1” x 3”
   1                     Tape, waterproof
   1                     Sam Splint 36”
   1                     Elastic Bandage 3”
   1                      Elastic Bandage 4”
   1                     Max Strength Triple Antibiotic Ointment with pramoxine, 1 oz tube
   1                      Hibiclens surgical scrub, 4 oz bottle
   1                     Tetrahydrozoline Ophthalmic Drops, 0.05%, 15 ml bottle
   1                     Hydrocortisone cream, 1%, 1 oz tube
   1                     Clotrimazole cream, 2%, ½ oz tube [Antifungal cream.]
   1                     Cavit dental filling paste
   2 pair                     Examination gloves
   1                     Irrigation syringe
   1                      Sawyer Extractor [Vacuums the wound. Use to treat insect and bites.]
   1                      Surgical kit consisting of 1 needle holder, 2 each 3-0 Ethicon sutures,
   1 each 5-0 Ethicon suture, and 2 each 3-0 gut sutures
   1                      Over-pack container for above”
[To update this list, I would add a CPR mouth guard.]

Always take Tylenol with you. This works on fevers and pain, but if you want something that deals with inflammation as well, you will need to take ibuprofen along with you. Additionally, Imodium A-D is a very good thing to bring along, especially if you will be in the tropics or a foreign country (particularly a third-world country).

The preceding list is not exhaustive. You can use this list as a guide. You must alter it to fit your adventure. Also, don’t be afraid to improvise if necessary. Plastic food wrappers or plastic sheeting can be used to cover wounds as it will not adhere to it. Use any kind of tape to hold it in place. The wonderful thing about this is that you will be able to see the wound! A painless way to kill germs in wounds is by placing granulated sugar or honey on the wound. This will kill germs by dehydrating them and it will not injure human cells.

Remember that your equipment is not everything!  Skill and understanding is far more important! Learn emergency skills. The last thing anyone wants to be doing is sitting next to their injured partner and having no idea what to do!

The best way to organize your gear is to pack it all into individual “stuff sacks.” I would recommend that you label what everything is, and then put all of your “stuff sacks” inside your backpack. Also, separate your gear into categories, such as, ‘any items critical to survival’…these should be carried on your person (i.e. a knife should be in your pocket at all times). Then any items that you frequently need/use, should be in an outside pocket of your pack, or a belt pocket, or something like a water bottle could easily fit on a hip belt. Keep these items handy, so that you don’t have to stop and take off your pack just to get out your sunglasses or chap-stick. The rest of your gear in your backpack is the third category, which includes your medical pack, and personal items. Make sure you keep your most essential items, like your medical kit, near the top of your pack or somewhere where you can easily find it.

Evaluation
This second key, evaluation, is the word that should be flying through your brain when disaster strikes. Something happens, and now, all of a sudden, you become the rescuer (assuming you don’t need to be rescued first).  If you were on a search and rescue team you would have access to equipment and trained professionals. Now, you only have yourself, your companions, and whatever is in your pack. You are the victim’s only hope! The first question will almost undoubtedly come to your mind is this: “Oh no! What do you do?!?” Ah ha! I’m glad you asked! The answer is evaluate! There are two phases for this process, and two ‘C’s to help you remember.
Phase #1: Do not panic!!! Take CONTROL of the situation. Be calm, but confident. Immediately stop, and think “Assess and prioritize!” Assess the situation.  Spinal injuries should be a priority. Realize that you will need to protect their neck at all costs until it is unmistakably obvious that the victim does not have a spinal injury, or until you can get it properly looked at by a professional. Also, it is very easy to operate on impulse when you see a family member or friend in danger. DO NOT allow yourself to do this! Plan and think about every decision.
Phase #2: Exercise CAUTION! The last thing you want is to get hurt yourself, or for someone else in your party to get injured. Assess the danger and make it a priority. Look for the safest way to reach the victim, and then make a plan (before you start out) for how you are going to get to the victim (depending on the situation you might want to have a back-up route in mind just in case). Also, you might need to put on some protective gear such as medical exam gloves with a pair of work gloves on top, or extra rain gear. You also may need a helmet, or other equipment to protect you as you reach the victim. If you don’t have extra protective equipment, proceed with EXTRA CAUTION!

Perspiration
Perspiration, the last and final key, refers to the process of reaching the victim, stabilizing the victim, and getting the victim to professional help. This daunting task may take a long time, and it will undoubtedly consist of pressure and lots of hard work-or perspiration. There are seven phases for this process (and they all start with ‘S’).
Phase #1: SET OUT to reach the victim! This may be as simple as walking 10 feet out of the way, or it may be as complex as rappelling down a cliff. Also, depending on the size of your group, it is probably not necessary for everyone to go and reach the victim. Keep control and don’t let anyone panic as you (now the rescuer) reach the victim. Most importantly, you MUST work together.
I want to park here and give you a few techniques that I have found to be very helpful. As I learned this first technique some time ago, I realized that it should only be used if you need to reach the victim quickly.
1. Take your rope and wrap it around a big sturdy tree trunk or boulder, close to the “cliff” (or area that you will rappel down). Do NOT tie any knots!!! Just wrap it around.
2.  Pick up the now 2 pieces of rope, close to the trunk. Make sure that the ends of the rope match in length (basically the length of your rope has just been reduced by half).
3. Next, gently let the 2 pieces of rope down the cliff to make sure that your rope is long enough to reach the bottom. Face the tree trunk or boulder and hold both pieces of rope together.
4. Then, pass them between your legs and then around your right leg.
5. Next, pass it up across your chest and over your left shoulder.
6. Hold the rope with your left hand approximately at the middle of your lower back. Let the rest of the rope trail down behind and below you. With your right hand, hold the rope in front of you.
7. Then, SLOWLY let yourself down. Don’t grip with your right hand! Just rest in your left hand and lean your weight on the rope.
8. Finally, once you get down to the bottom, pull on one end of the rope and let the rope come down.

The only possible problem with this is that you will need to have a plan to get yourself and the victim back to safety. As I already stated, this should really only be used when you need to reach the victim quickly. Another option is to learn how to make a harness out of rope or use any emergency equipment that you brought, and have someone belay you. Usually a team of 3 is ideal for safe travel in treacherous country.
If you need to wade across a river or stream, plan before you enter. Currents can be deceitfully strong. Before you enter the water, throw a small stick into the water to see how fast the current is flowing. Make sure you wear shoes when you cross. Also, it is very helpful if you can cut a big branch, or somehow get a big stick to use as you cross to make a tripod effect. This will give you more stability in the crossing, and you will always have one leg and the stick on the ground, as opposed to trying to balance on one leg with rushing currents.
Also, another interesting fact to remember for dealing with serious trauma, is that emergency doctors speak of something called “the Golden Hour”. This refers to a period of time varying between the first few minutes after an accident, to approximately an hour after the accident. If you can get to the victim and stabilize them within this one hour time frame, they will have a better chance of survival. The bottom line is, get to the victim and give care as soon as you can.
Phase #2: SURVEY the victim (some refer to it as the primary survey). This means dealing with life-threatening emergencies. Doctors use the mnemonic acronym ABCDE to help evaluate the victim.
‘A’- airway. Make sure nothing is clogging the victim’s airway.
‘B’- breathing. Make sure that the victim is breathing (look, listen and feel for at least 10 seconds), if they are not breathing you will need to start CPR. These 2 are the most vital.
‘C’- circulation. Check to make sure that their heart is beating (if not start CPR) and check for any catastrophic bleeding. Deal with bleeding immediately by applying direct pressure to the area for 10 minutes by your watch. Use protective gloves, or use a cloth to protect yourself. If there is a foreign body in the wound, apply pressure around it. Only use a tourniquet in life-threatening situations, such as amputations or partial amputations, penetrating wounds, or open fractures. The victim may use the limb. If needed, apply the tourniquet for only 30 minutes and then release it slowly.
‘D’- disability. This part of the exam will place the victim in one of four categories: unresponsive to all stimuli, responsive to pain, responsive to verbal stimuli, alert. If the patient sees you and starts talking to you, he is obviously alert. Otherwise, gently squeeze the victim’s (uninjured) shoulder while placing a hand on their forehead to prevent any neck movement and ask a question like “Can I help you?” or “Where do you hurt?” If they respond, they are obviously responsive to verbal stimuli. If there is no response, pinch an uninjured part of their body to see if they are responsive to pain. If there is no response, you can classify them as unresponsive to all stimuli.
‘E’- exposure. This means protect the patient from hypothermia. Depending on the weather and condition of the victim, you might have to deal with this later.
If/when the victim’s ABC’s are stable, move on.

Phase #3: SHOCK: Shock is caused by an inadequate supply of oxygen reaching the brain or other vital tissues and organs, because of decreased blood circulation. One symptom of shock is that the victim’s skin is cool to touch and they may be sweating (cool, clammy skin). Also, their skin color may be ashen or pale. Some serious symptoms are dilated pupils, fall in blood pressure, increased breathlessness and/or irregular breathing. The main way to correct shock is to identify and treat the underlying causes. A few causes of shock are pain, bites and stings, fractures, burns, dehydration from sweating, and exsanguination. Also, keep the victim still and in a comfortable position where they feel like they can breathe well. Shock can lead to death. Make sure you treat any and all causes the best you can.

Phase #4: SECOND (secondary) SURVEY: Once the victim is for the most part stable, perform a secondary survey. This will help figure out the cause of the victim’s problem  or it will help you figure out if there are any further problems you may not see right away. This survey may also help determine more underlying causes of shock.

1. Check the victim’s vital signs: Recheck their level of consciousness. Are they alert, responsive to verbal stimuli, responsive to pain, or unresponsive?
Check their pulse (quality, rhythm, and rate). If a limb is injured, check the pulses on the uninjured and the injured limbs and then compare them. The normal pulse for the average adult at rest is approximately 60-100 beats per minute and the normal pulse for the average child at rest is approximately 70-130 beats per minute. Well trained athletes may have a resting pulse closer to 40 beats per minute.
Check their breathing (rhythm, rate, and quality i.e. labored, pain, noises like gasps).Adults breathe approximately 12-18 times per minute at rest. Children breathe faster.
Check their skin color. Also see if it is moist/dry or hot/cold (refer to shock).
Finally, if at all possible check their blood pressure. Systolic blood pressures ranging from 100-140 are normal.

2. Next, do a rapid head-to-toe exam. Check for other major injuries.  Try to communicate with the victim. Ask questions like “Does this hurt?” Start at the head and neck: Look for any bruising around the ears. Make sure their collarbone is not broken. Also, check for clear fluid from the victim’s nose or ears. This is a sign of a head injury with an open fracture. Gently feel along the cervical spine for pain (if conscious). Also ask about any abnormal sensations.
Chest:  Look for damage. Keep your hands wide and compress the ribs from both sides. Ask about pain (possible bruised or broken rib).
Spine and Back: If at all possible, without moving the victim, gently press along their spine. Stop immediately if there is any pain or significant tenderness.
Abdomen: Spread your hands wide, and gently press at the four corners and the center of their abdomen. Look for tenderness, rigidity, muscle spasms, tenderness, or swelling. Stop if there is any pain or significant tenderness and assume that there is an abdominal injury/problem, or a spinal or pelvic injury.
Pelvis: Placing a hand on each Pelvic crest (hipbone) press them backwards, and then towards each other gently. Stop if there is any pain and splint immediately (splint by tying legs together-not too tightly. Make sure you place padding material between the legs and between the legs and the tying material. If/when you need to move the victim, you must do so by stretcher).
Arms and Legs: Run your hand down each arm/leg slowly, gently squeezing as you go. Note any movement in the fingers/toes or lack of sensation or circulation. Check for deformities, swelling, and color changes (loss of circulation). Also, check for pain in the joints. (If you must splint an arm or leg, check for circulation, movement, and sensations (tingling, numbness, pins and needles) about every 30 minutes. You may need to remove the splint if there are any sensations or if there is a loss of circulation or if movement in that limb suddenly decreases.)

Phase #5: Your SOLUTION: This means that now that you have somewhat figured out what the problems are-figure out what you are going to do! Define problems and then figure out solutions. Apply splints to immobilize fractured or broken bones. If there is any bleeding, watch for infection. It may be necessary to repeat the Second Survey.

Phase #6: SAFETY: Retreat to safety. If you cannot move the victim without further injuries, leave them where they are and protect them from the elements.

Phase #7: STABILIZE the victim. Whatever the case may be, keep the victim stable until you can get them to help, or get help to them. This may mean that someone in your party has to run for help, while you stay and administer help to the victim. Also, you must get professional medical attention if necessary. This may prove crucial because sometimes it takes the eye of a trained professional to catch serious problems.

Conclusion
It is easy to get worried when prepping for or while on an adventure. You can minimize potential fears by familiarizing yourself with these 3 wilderness medicine and rescue keys: Preparation, Evaluation, and Perspiration. You don’t have to be an expert! Anyone can help a friend in an emergency! If you learn to apply these skills, you will have confidence to fight against the odds. So, are you going to just survive your adventure, or are you going to thrive under EVERY circumstance?

Lessons Learned by J.S.P.

I will begin with a brief introduction. I have been an avid reader of SurvivalBlog for a few years. I have never found a better collection of tips, ideas, and information. Every time I view the blog I learn something new. I was born and raised in the south, spending most of my time outdoors or in church. I grew up hunting, fishing, camping, and learning the value of a hard days work. I had believed that growing up as I did would provide me advantages in disaster situations without really making any in-depth preparations other than the occasional power outage. In my early twenties, I joined the Army. That is when I woke up and began to see the need for long term preparations. I started paying more attention to news reports and world events and realized I would not survive long on only good intentions when TSHTF.

I knew I needed to be better prepared, but I had no idea where to begin with such an enormous task. One of the soldiers in my unit suggested that I read the novel Patriots by James Wesley, Rawles. It was as if someone turned the light on. I now had a place to begin, a plan. I started out getting a bug out bag together and a small kit that is kept in my vehicle. I then moved on to food stores and other necessary tools. After I built up about six months worth of supplies I began to slow down. I had no real reason to slow down, I knew I still needed to have a larger stock of goods.

My continued efforts to increase my stores were given a new life and faster pace after April 2010. At the time of the April 27, 2011 tornado outbreak I was serving in the Alabama National Guard and living in north Alabama. My Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) was Military Police, so as soon as I heard of the storm system heading our way I knew the probability of my unit being called up was high. The day seemed as if it would never end, the devastation was awe inspiring to say the least. One of the many tornados that touched down that day cut a path nearly a mile wide just a few short miles from a nuclear power plant which was less than an hour from my house. By God’s grace alone, the tornado left the power plant itself unharmed. This served as my first wake-up call, I hadn’t yet prepared for any kind of a nuclear disaster and hadn’t thought of a natural disaster effecting the nuclear power plant. Although the tornado missed the power plant, it did not miss the transmission lines supplying most of north Alabama with power. The few small hydroelectric dams in the area simply did not have the strength to cover the demand. Even if they could compensate for the loss of the nuclear plant the physical line damages would have prevented power coming back on line soon. From the Tuscaloosa and Birmingham areas north to the Tennessee state line, nearly half the state of Alabama, was dark and would stay that way for a week or more in most locations. Let me tell you first hand, it is one thing to hear someone say with the loss or damage to a supply chain or basic utilities we are only three days from total chaos, quite another to live it.

As I believed, my unit was called up within 24 hours to aid our fellow residents. We loaded up and headed to a city in the area that had been directly hit by an F-5 tornado. Nothing could have prepared us for what we saw upon our first arrival. More than half the town had been erased. Many had lost their lives in the storm and many more had been injured, lost their homes, or were missing. It was like rolling up to a live combat zone. We handed out nearly every scrap of food and water we had with us within just hours of our arrival. We continued to provide medical care and any other aid we could until other agencies arrived. Needless to say it was a long day for all involved.

In the coming days our role shifted to providing security for the area. After the initial shock wore off problems began to arise. We found that most people were completely unprepared for anything like this to happen. Most people didn’t even have any cash on hand, relying only on their debit or credit cards to buy anything they could from the few places that were able to quickly reopen. The problem with this was with a lack of power and phone service to authorize payments stores were only accepting cash. To make matters more stressful to people trying to snatch up any items left many stores, in an effort to prevent fights and theft, were only allowing customers accompanied by an employee in the store for a specified time limit. Many of the stores were even putting limits on how many items you could buy. The lines at the few grocery stores and gas stations quickly stretched to several miles long full of panicking people desperate for supplies. The grocery stores were full of empty shelves within hours. There was only one gas station that was able to sell gas at first due to the owner’s foresight to have a back up generator. Due to the lack of an operational power grid the fuel at other stations sat in the tanks with no way to operate the pumps. This too sold out in just hours.

There were a few small fights here and there usually occurring over the last of an item, bags of ice, or people cutting in front of others in lines. There were a few reports of people being robbed in parking lots after leaving a store, thankfully no one was harmed in these attempts but could have been easily. At this point power and distribution had only been interrupted for two days. People were becoming very desperate and in turn much more willing to take any step they thought necessary to get what they needed. The third day things started to improve overall. Many resupply trucks had rolled in to restock the open stores. Most of the larger chain stores and gas stations had brought in large generators to operate refrigeration systems allowing for cold items such as milk to be sold for the first time since the tornados. The generators also allowed the power needed to begin to process credit card payments. The next few days followed similar patterns with stores being resupplied in the mornings and empty at night. Stores still had incredibly long lines to purchase anything with waits ranging from 30 minutes to several hours. It seemed that the ability to purchase goods again and credit card systems back online provided enough of a sense of normality to keep most people from steeling or escalating to violence despite an operational power grid in many locations. From conversations with my family back at home I learned that things had followed a similar pattern. There were no large areas of destruction in my city other than trees down and a few houses missing roofs from trees falling on them. It was simply the loss of power that seemed to get everyone all riled up.

If there is only one thing that you take away from my experience here I would hope that it is the need to sit down and think of every possible thing that could occur in your area. As I stated above, I had not given much thought to a nuclear power plant being in my area simply because it would not be a likely target for a terrorist attack because of its location. I really hadn’t given much thought to something like a tornado hitting it directly, although looking back now it seems like such an obvious possibility. I guess that’s why they say hindsight is 20/20. I have now provided the necessary provisions for this possibility. Another area I would like to touch on is probably widely realized already by most survival blog readers but I feel the need to mention it anyway. As prepared individuals, we should never rely on the government or any other organization to provide us any aid in times of disasters or attacks. For our own safety we should never be in a position where we might have to give up our freedom or other rights in return for assistance, as in the case of many FEMA camps and shelters where once you enter you may not be allowed to leave until officially released.

One other topic I would like to discuss here is one that I have had difficulties with from time to time, tunnel vision. Tunnel vision can be problematic when making preparations. It can be very easy to focus too much on one aspect of survival needs and allow another area to fall behind. To put it another way, what good is it to have a two-year supply of food if you have failed to provide everything necessary to cook your stores or do not have the knowledge needed to properly utilize your stores. What would happen if someone showed up trying to take all that you have, would you have the necessary gear and training? One thing I have noticed in my own extended family is a family member would go out and buy a tool, no matter if it’s a rifle water filter or other survival tool, and feel like they were covered in that aspect. If you do not have the skills and knowledge to use the item then you might as well not have it. It is very important that you follow up the purchase of something with whatever training is necessary to make you proficient in its use. Take for example a rifle. This is a very important and useful tool if used properly. To use it properly you need training of some type on the safe operation of the rifle as well as fundamental marksmanship skills. Beyond the initial training it is crucial that you continue training with your rifle. Keep your skills sharp, shoot as often as your time and finances allow.

Getting back to the tunnel vision issue, having a military background I tend to lean heavily towards the tactical aspects of prepping because it is what I am most comfortable and familiar with. I have to constantly remind myself to take a step back and look at the big picture. I encourage all of you to also take a step back and look at the big picture. May God bless you and keep you safe in your prepping adventure. I leave you with a verse to look up, one of my favorites Romans 8:28.

Letter Re: A Week in a Bucket

Mr. Rawles:
I just “discovered’ your site and find it interesting and informative – thank you for this great service. I love the idea of A Week in a Bucket by ChemEngineer. It is simple and cheap and low key – three good rules to follow for most things in life. I currently have a few week’s supply of food in cardboard and plastic boxes but really want to move in this direction – I have been thinking about it for some time now. I would love to see a follow up by you or the original poster that addresses the following points that are frustrating me:
 
1) Storage life of crackers and cereals – The expiration dates on boxes of Saltines (and other crackers) and packaged cereals are typically only a few months. What is the “real” storage life of these products and how can you keep them even longer? Having a breadstuff to spread things on is pretty useful but so far the only thing with much of an expected shelf life is canned brown bread.
 
2) Is there a requirement to use mylar bags to pack food products that are already in envelopes, bags, (dry soups, pasta, Hamburger Helper, instant mashed potatoes) etc? Is there any value to putting these packages into Ziploc freezer bags to protect/extend their storage life?
 
3) Wise Foods sells rectangular plastic buckets with their freeze-dried food assortments that stack and pack closer than standard round buckets. Can you find these anywhere else? What do you think of using the rectangular plastic buckets that some kitty litter comes in? The buckets are “free” if you have friends with cats and have really great handles and a fitted lid that can be sealed with electrical or duct tape to help keep out bugs and moisture. If I wash them out with bleach they should be clean and odor free? Everything else would be in cans or plastic bags – would that be okay? Should I use Mylar bags? – Tom K.

JWR Replies: In answer to your questions:

Most low-oil content crackers and cereal products will store for up to ten years, if protected from moisture and intrusive odors. Vacuum-sealed mylar bags provide the best protection.

Clear plastic bags as interior bucket liners don’t add much protection, aside from preventing foods from getting mixed together. This is because most plastics are not long term vapor barriers. They are essentially gas permeable. For that matter, so are the HDPE plastic buckets themselves, long term. But a well-sealed food grade mylar bag is 99% effective as a vapor barrier. Buy oversize mylar liners that will protect the entire contents of a 6 gallon bucket. These mylar bucket liners are available from a number of Internet vendors, including several SurvivalBlog advertisers. (Be sure to do some comparison pricing, as the prices on these vary widely.) If you are worried about strong food odors affecting the other contents of your bucket, then also use smaller supplementary mylar liners for each food product that might be vulnerable. Note that if you are careful with mylar bags, they can be washed, thoroughly dried, and re-used.

Regarding re-using cat litter pails: Be advised that not all HDPE plastic buckets are food grade.  Many of them give off toxic vapors that can ruin stored foods.

Rectangular food grade buckets with lids are available from Yankee Containers.

Economics and Investing:

Debt Contagion Ahead! (Conveniently timed for after the U.S. Presidential election.): Citigroup Economists Say Greece To Exit Euro Zone On Jan. 1, 2013. (Thanks to K.A.F. for the link.)

From G.G.: Poverty Increasing Among Retirees

G.G. sent this: Smith & Wesson booms as firearms owners fear prez crackdown

Sean B. flagged this: Vallejo, California, once bankrupt, is now a model for cities in an age of austerity. Buried in the story, not surprisingly, is the revelation that the local sales tax was raised by 1% to a whopping 8.375% to bail out the spendthrift city government. (Only a leftist Washington Post journalist would have the temerity to headline this tax-gouging city a “model” for “austerity.”)

Items from The Economatrix:

The End of Inflation-Deflation Debate

Psychological Sentiment War is Raging in Precious Metals Markets

Gerald Celente:  Apocalypse Now.  The System is Falling Apart

Odds ‘n Sods:

Some great stuff from our blogosphere friend Patrice Lewis: Going Country: Moving Rural for Self-Reliance

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James C. suggested this instructional video: Five gallon bucket camp sink.

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Reader F.G. sent us another case of form over function: In Reversal, Army Bans High-Performance Rifle Mags. This is the typical boot-polishing “dress-right-dress” garrison mentality. The next thing you know, they’ll ban soldiers buying their own ACOG scopes or supplemental body armor. Talk about institutionalized stupidity! What a far cry from the Vietnam War, where carrying a personally-owned .38 Special or .357 Magnum revolver was not uncommon. (Although not officially sanctioned.)

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Brandon Smith: Low-Tech Solutions To High-Tech Tyranny

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Countering the U.N. gun grab: HR 5846 – The Second Amendment Sovereignty Act. SurvivalBlog readers in the U.S. are encouraged to contact their congresscritters to insist that they co-sponsor this legislation. (Thanks to Pierre M. for the alert.)

Notes from JWR:

I heard about a new web site that deserves prominent mention: PrepareHub.org. It is a spin-off from the popular EMPAct America organization, which has done yeoman service in educating the American people of the risks posed by EMP and large solar flares. PrepareHub is a sort of community web site on nationwide scale. It is intended to be a clearinghouse of ideas on all things preparedness-related. Among other projects they will be offering a comprehensive calendar for preparedness expos and training classes, and a wide range of preparedness products AT COST. (Think of it as prepper “Group Buys” on steroids.) They are also establishing numerous discussion forums for preppers, where civility will be stressed. Be sure to bookmark the site and visit it often.

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Today we present another entry 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 $439 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.

Nuclear Reactors Where You Don’t Expect Them, by G.B.

The recent “discovery”of a small nuclear reactor (only 3.1 pounds of weapons grade enriched uranium) in Rochester, New York started my wheels turning. Like most people reading SurvivalBlog I am concerned about what is around me and what harm could befall my family in the event of a TEOTWAWKI situation. Knowledge is power, and in this write up, knowledge about where nuclear power exists will go a long way.

I have spent 20+ years in the Navy upholding the Constitution, making my living as a Radioman on nuclear submarines, specifically 688 fast attacks. (I’m looking forward to leaving the East Coast and moving to friendlier, wide open spaces.)  I ate, slept, worked out, cleaned (endlessly), communicated and repaired equipment always within 100 feet of a nuclear reactor. At first, it was a big deal, but routine and the demands of the job numbed me to what was there. I find the same sort of numbness in those that live around civilian nuclear plants today and many other industries that have the potential to magnify a major disaster. After a while it is just there. You accept it and don’t pay any attention to it until something bad goes wrong at which point you have that “A-ha!” moment.

Building on what others on this blog have pointed out, know what is around you. Several people have pointed out all the civilian nuclear reactors. What about the military reactors? Those used for research? Prototype reactors? Start doing a serious look around you and you will find them right in your backyard. The mini reactor in a Kodak factory underground bunker (since 1974) is a good example.  The Idaho National Laboratory is another example of a location where nuclear plants exist (experimental ones at that) but is not generally discussed within the mainstream media. The laboratory, just west of Idaho Falls was also home to one of the world’s first nuclear accidents.

Just a small amount of research gives one a taste of exactly what is out there. In the US alone commissioned, decommissioned, experimental, military and research reactors number in the hundreds.

Thinking about reactors around us, let’s take the Pacific Northwest (Idaho, Oregon and Washington) as a point of reference. Basically you have the Hanford Nuclear Reservation [in southeastern Washington] with the Columbia Generating Station. Not even delving into what is buried or mothballed (cocooned) on the Hanford Reservation this gives us a grand total of just one commercial nuclear power plant within the Northwest. Digging deeper though, we find other reactors. From known unclassified (yes it is Wikipedia, but the data collates with other solid information) sources we find that Idaho has four operational research reactors. In various states of decommission, mothball or cocooning we find another 34 reactors.  The University of Idaho operates another reactor, the AGN-201, also located on the grounds of the Idaho National laboratory.

Oregon has zero commercial reactors. Hey, almost good news. Diving into the information highway though shows us two research reactors. The first is located on the Oregon State University campus in Corvallis. A pure research reactor capable of generating 1.1Mw, it has a “low vulnerability to meltdown”.  I used to have the same thing. As it turns out my low vulnerability to meltdown disappeared when I had to deal with 18 year old Submarine School Students on a daily basis who go out of their way to invent new and stupid things to do. But I digress.  The other Oregon reactor is located at Reed College in Portland. As quoted from the Reed College reactor web page, “the reactor is operated primarily by undergraduates”. I am certain in a TEOTWAWKI of SHTF situation, all of these students will come running to the reactor to safely shut it down or otherwise keep it in a “safe operating mode.” (The Microsoft Word programmers need to develop a sarcasm font.)

Finally this brings us to Washington State. As previously mentioned, Washington is home to the Hanford Nuclear Reservation and the only commercially operating nuclear power plant in the Northwest.  The lone research reactor within the state is located on the Washington State University campus in Pullman, near Spokane. Take it down to another level. What about military reactors? How many of those exist within the state of Washington? Basically this depends on what ship is underway. Located on the Kitsap Peninsula on the Hood Canal side is the Bangor Trident Submarine base, or Naval Base Kitsap. The submarine base is home to several Trident submarines, three fast attack subs and two SSGNs [which are Tridents converted to each carry 154 Tomahawk cruise missiles with conventional warheads]. Using the Submarine Group Nine web site (under Trident Submarines) and the Submarine Development Group Five web site (under fast attacks) I count thirteen nuclear submarines. Across the peninsula in Bremerton you have nuclear powered aircraft carriers parked there, nuclear powered warships (subs/carriers) in dry dock, etc. Go across the water to Naval Station Everett (just north of Seattle) and throw in some more nuclear powered aircraft carriers. If you spent your time looking for commercial nuclear power plants in Washington you may come across just the Columbia Generating Station. Dive in deep and now you have a variable number of between 2 and 18 (it really depends on which subs are in port).

This is just the information that is publicly available.  Only the Good Lord actually knows everything that is located in just the Northwestern section of the country. We have a bloated government with so many special agencies and projects I have no doubt two highly classified things happen next to each other, both working to the same end and each one doesn’t know about the other; neither  known to the public.

Getting back on topic and thinking about the Northwest, what kind of local TEOTWAWKI scenarios could develop which could jeopardize the reactors? I believe one only has to re-watch video of the Japan Tsunami and transpose that over to the West Coast of the United States in order to get a good idea. The Cascadian Subduction Zone  would be the most likely offender in any Tsunami scenario. A magnitude 8 or 9 quake along this zone has the potential to generate a Japan (2011) type tsunami event. Imagine that water rushing through the Puget Sound and being funneled through a place like the Hood Canal. Rushing water can and does move massive objects. A massive surge of water would easily move a Trident (Ohio) Class submarine off the pier and onto land or some other point. Nuclear submarine reactors were never meant to be operated on land. Cooling water is required, even when they are in dry dock. That cooling water comes from the submarines natural environment (ocean water).  It now becomes a struggle to ensure the core is covered by water.

Add massive tsunami and earthquake damage to infrastructure from a Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake and you have the makings for a major disaster. A good portion of the crew would have to make it back to the submarine through massive damage and in most scenarios probably would not make it back. Communications would be down. The minimal crew onboard the submarine would have some personnel injured and would in no way be equipped to handle the potential complexity and magnitude of the crisis. While submarines do have some reserve electrical power to operate and (attempt) to get things in a stable state (battery bank), this is extremely limited. The other emergency power source is the subs own diesel generator. Good luck in operating that if the sub is at any sort of angle on land (and without cooling water).  The number of submarines in port multiplies the potential for disaster.

Saying all this it is also important to remember that US Navy submarines are built to withstand a lot of damage and keep going. The reactor components even more so. The USS San Francisco colliding into an undersea mountain at top speed is a testament to how robustly those subs built after the 1960s are. The Thresher and the Scorpion, two nuclear-powered submarines lost in the Atlantic during the 1960s (pre-Sub Safe era) are regularly monitored for radiation exposure and according to government reports, minimal amounts have been released/recorded. Yes, I know. Government reports. It is also important to know that both of the reactor vessels for these submarines are sitting in several thousand feet of water and did not rupture; a testament to their strength (Thresher is sitting in approximately 8,400 feet of water, which equates to approximately 4,000 lbs per square inch of pressure). It is also a testament to the cooling effect of ice cold seawater.

The potential is there for a massive natural disaster to be compounded by several manmade disasters. Knowing the location of reactors, industrial plants and the like will give you a leg up in any survival scenario. Having a preplanned escape route to avoid these potential disasters and the massive panic that would ensue from them is vital. The Three Mile Island Disaster (scroll down to the Three Mile Island part) is a perfect example of poor communications and panicked people. That was just an isolated incident not caused by some external calamity. Throw in the external calamity and the proverbial fan blades become covered in stuff.

Sound Judgment and Reasoning Skills for Preparedness, by Anthony C.

p align=”left”>Judgment, reasoning, decision-making, logic, figuring it out… Call it what you will, the first level of preparation should be your mind. To roughly quote Einstein “the thinking that created the problem is not going to solve the problem”. Computer folks call it “garbage in, garbage out”.

There are numerous “rosy paths” that can cause a person to make a poor judgment call. Considering each of these in turn will, I hope, increase your awareness of them in your own decision making, and make you less susceptible to those who would use them to change your actions against your better judgment, or to sway your opinion. While reading the remainder of the article work out how often your judgment is based on faulty reasoning and clouded by emotion. Additionally, ponder the words you use, as those words, whether spoken or unspoken have great power.

Incorrect Cause: Mistaking correlation for causation. An example of this is” knowing” you missed that big buck standing right in the open because you forgot to wear those lucky socks. You laugh, however we all have been guilty of assigning an incorrect cause to an event.

I’m Right Since You Can’t Prove Me Wrong: This person uses your inability to show that his conclusion is not valid as proof that he is right. A good example of this is “Why in the world would you store a year’s worth of food! Heck, we don’t have hurricanes, the stores around here always have food, and what are my taxes supporting FEMA for anyway!” In this situation I suggest sadly shaking your head, turning, and walking away.

Broad Generalization: Pretty much all of us fall prey to this one. It assumes that what is valid some of the time is therefore valid all of the time. Racial prejudice and bigotry fall into this category of course. An acquaintance of mine believes that everyone of certain ethnic backgrounds are lazy. Making assumptions about a person simply because they vote democrat or republican is another example of a broad generalization. Not all democrats are against guns.  Of course if a democrat confides that he or she owns a battle rifle I might give them a second chance!

Rushed Generalization: When you base a conclusion or inference on too small a sample or even a one-time event, you have made a decision which is unfounded. Consider your friend at work who is going to get a pit bull. His decision is completely based on the next door neighbor who has “the sweetest, cutest pit bull who just loves to play with the kids”.  You, of course, would do far more research before deciding what breed was best for you.

Invalid Analogy: Here a person assumes that since two events or circumstances are alike in some known way that they are also alike in unknown ways. An instance of this would be that because your neighbor is an excellent wing shot (shooting flying game birds) that he will be an excellent sniper. Both have a lot to do with firearms of course, but being a skilled wing shooter does not automatically mean he will have the talents and skills of a military sniper.

Polarizing Argument:  This tactic is a favorite of special interest groups. It is used to create drama and emotion. It is an attempt to force you to pick a side. If you are not with us, then you are against us. Example: “Huh, well if you are against increased funding and authority for the Department of Homeland Security that must mean you do not care about terrorist attacks!”

False Dilemma: This is similar to using a polarizing argument. It infers that there are only two outcomes, and both are bad. For instance, thinking that the only two options available are to either build up a savings account and have the IRS tax the interest and watch it erode via inflation, or you can invest in beans and bullets, in which case you will have no retirement nest egg could be a false dilemma. One of the dangers of false dilemmas is their “no win” aspect which can cause you to take no action to improve your preparation situation.

Killing the Messenger: A favorite through the ages of those who don’t have a valid counter argument based on evidence, also known as an ad hominem. Here the person attempts to invalidate the argument or information by attacking the source rather than the substance. “Heck, did you hear what Fred is saying about climate change and needing to stock up on food because of food shortages? Didn’t he get fired last month?”  How about “I don’t listen to a word that guy says, he voted for that city tax hike last year!”

Look Who Is Talking: Or, two wrongs make a right. So an older, wiser prepper dad is advising his son against taking out a big loan and buying that fancy sports car. Dad thinks his son should stay debt-free and buy a reliable used car with good gas mileage for cash. The son keeps his thoughts to himself, which are along the lines of why shouldn’t he buy that fancy sports car since that is what dad did when he was his age.

Hitting A Moving Target: This is when a person uses different meanings for a key word or term throughout an argument. An example here is “No one should doubt that God can work miracles, since we have seen countless miracles like synthetic DNA and heart transplants.” The speaker is using the term “miracle” in different contexts, technological and spiritual. A miracle of technology is human made, whereas a true miracle is, well. . . . a miracle.

Appeal to Authority: This is one I love to hate, as it is used so often. In this case the credibility of a  position is enhanced  by the support of widely known or admired, but not qualified figures. Nuclear physicists, doctors, astronauts and celebrities are often used in this capacity. The main stream media is often guilty of relying on “appeal to authority” instead of truly investigating the matter, and is extremely poor journalism. Your friend Bob is going to max out his credit cards to buy Facebook stock because the doctor who operated on him last year said it was a “no brainer”. Yeah, right, maybe Bob should have gotten a second opinion.

Begging the Question:  A tactic which bases its conclusion on a statement that is assumed to be true. An example might be “The actions of Wall Street Investment Bankers must be for the best since the actions in question are legal”. My reply to that is just because an action is legal does not make it honest or ethical.

Don’t Rock The Boat: This claims that tradition, or the status quo should not be challenged. Corporate and social cultures are good examples. “This is the way we do things around here, so don’t question it or you will be viewed as a trouble-maker” or “In our subdivision we don’t think planting a garden is a good idea”. All of us who have dared to walk the path espoused on SurvivalBlog have had to deal with this.

Circular Argument: Here a person uses the conclusion as the premise for the argument, or repeats a statement in different terms. My wife and I have a lot of fun with this one. I’ll say “how come you always disagree with me?” She replies “No I don’t”. Then I come back with “See what I mean?”  How about the person living in suburbia who insists they are well prepped since they have they purchased a month of food at Costco last year and has it stored in the basement? They stick to that month of food as evidence of being well prepared no matter how hard you try to point out the vulnerabilities of the overall situation. Did you hear about the guy who “always wins” the long range shooting competition? Yeah, he didn’t think it was fair that he got eliminated in the first round since he always wins the competition. Round and round it goes. . . .

Mob Rule: This is an appeal to the majority opinion, which, after all, must be valid since “everyone” thinks so. Those of us who value our liberty need to be aware of how this is used to manufacture consent. Using safety issues like terrorists, school shootings and other events to create fear in the minds of the majority in order to further an undermining of the second amendment are all too real examples.  “We need security cameras, metal detectors and facial recognition software installed on every street corner to catch anyone who is acting strangely because they might be a terrorist” would fall into this category.

Straw Man: The person on the other side of the debate restates your opinion in an exaggerated form in order to make it sound ridiculous. This is a bit like putting words in your mouth. Unless you are aware of this tactic and knowledgeable about your topic, this is a very effective strategy. It puts you on the defensive and makes your position appear weak. Suppose you are debating gun control with some poor misguided soul. You support reducing firearms ownership regulations. In response to your position your opponent states “Well, if society goes along with your proposal we will soon have assault rifles in every school locker and gun fire in the hallways!”

Domino Effect: This suggests that taking a certain action will be the first step along the path to a negative consequence or dire outcome. This type of argument assumes a chain of events will occur once the “first domino falls”. Here I will use an example that will strike a nerve for most of the SurvivalBlog readership: Allowing firearms registration will inevitably lead to the confiscation of our firearms. See what I mean? Instituting a national firearms registry would be stepping onto a slippery slope, and gun confiscation could be the outcome, but it is not a certainty.

Taking it to Extremes: This is similar to the Straw Man tactic. It can be a sign that your opponent is getting angry, frustrated, or simply unable to refute your position with logic and evidence. Consider the couple who cannot agree on prepping. The wife is a serious prepper who feels that dedicating a significant portion of their monthly budget to preps is a wise course of action. The husband resists the idea since it would mean cutting back on golfing most weekends with his buddies. Finally in frustration he says “well why don’t we just take out a second mortgage and spend the kids college money to buy all that stuff!”

Hypothesis as Fact: Attempting to put forth a statement about what might have happened in the past, or may happen in the future, if only circumstances were different. Like last Saturday when you were in the garage lovingly taking that 27th AR-15 out of the box when your spouse walked in. Now normally your spouse could only be described as a wellspring of love, understanding and support. However, for reasons unknown, last Saturday was a “new normal” for your spouse. Whether it was the red face, the vein bulging ominously in her forehead or her hands clenching and unclenching that gave her emotional state away is now somewhat hazy. What you do recall is the speed with which you sought, purely for her benefit, to bring her blood pressure down to a safe level. “Honey” you said “This here new AR was totally necessary, you see the Euro is going to implode, like tomorrow, next year for sure, and then all your family and cousins will be coming here to stay with us. . . . and that means I’m gonna have to give’em all something to protect themselves with. You want them to be protected don’t you honey? And you and me are gonna need some guns just for us now aren’t we?

Red Herring: A common diversionary tactic to hide a weakness in an argument. It is used to confuse the issue and throw you “off the scent”. Say your wife discovers that second bulk ammo order that brings your store of 5.56 to a nice even 100,000 rounds (I know, I know, when it comes to ammo to much is never enough). She confronts you with the credit card statement and “that look” that starts to peel the skin off your face. You are desperate to gain advantage in the confrontation so you pull a “red herring” out of the matrimonial tool kit. “You know I did it for you and the kids honey” you stutter, “…besides nothing I do ever makes you happy. Heck, last weekend I painted the bedroom just like you wanted and now you don’t even like the color”.

Self-Contradictory: Utilizing a statement that is inconsistent or you might say “doesn’t pass the sniff test”. For example, you are making the rounds at the gun show. At one dealer’s table the salesman is pushing pretty hard to sell you an AK clone with all the bells and whistles. In a low voice the salesman states that the gun is the best deal at the show, and besides, you should buy from him because “them other guys will say anything to get a sale”.

As you start to more quickly recognize when you employ these faulty methods of reasoning, or when they are being used against you the better your judgment will become. It was eye-opening to me to realize that most of us spend a majority of our time either using these tactics or being subjected to them. Very few people indeed are “straight talkers” who don’t resort to the methods outlined in the foregoing.

Now I would like to spend a few moments distinguishing between evidence, truth and belief by way of a thought experiment. I assume that as you read this you are sitting in a chair. How many of you believe in the chair? Well, that is kind of ridiculous since it exists, right? Okay, now, how many of you believe in gravity? I bet more than a few of you raised your hands. Those who are undecided and did not raise your hands are invited to go to an open window with your wife’s favorite flower vase, now extend your arm out the window and release the vase. Gravity is one of those things that you cannot see directly, but we have plenty of evidence that it exists. Therefore, like the chair, it isn’t a matter of belief, since no matter how hard you shut your eyes and believe that gravity doesn’t exist, it in fact does. You cannot  have a belief in something that exists. That gravity exists on Earth is a fact, just like it is a fact that the chair you are sitting on exists. No matter how hard you think or how strongly you believe to the contrary nothing changes that fact. You can ignore the evidence of the chair having mass and taking up space, but that will not save you busting your shins on it if you attempt to walk through it like it doesn’t exist.

Most people confuse their beliefs with truth. Beliefs are concepts and ideas that are not supported by evidence such as measurements of mass, volume, temperature etc… We all have beliefs of course, and beliefs can be very powerful. In fact, most people will continue in their beliefs despite overwhelming evidence against them. There are psychological studies that show 80% of people will ignore evidence that is contrary to their views and beliefs. To do so in times such as the ones we now face carries a high degree of risk. One possible example of this are people who cannot conceive of the U.S. Dollar inflating until it is practically worthless. There is plenty of evidence to support the idea, but many people simply will not consider it.

Working on distinguishing between what is true as shown by evidence, and what you feel is true based on your opinions and beliefs is a very powerful step towards developing better judgment. A very wise person once said to me that “an opinion should be the result of a thorough consideration of the evidence, not in place of it.” It is my hope that these words resonate with you and support your efforts in securing a bright future for you and your loved ones.

JWR Adds: To properly equip your children (or yourself, if logic was a subject overlooked in your education), I recommend the short books The Fallacy Detective: Thirty-Eight Lessons on How to Recognize Bad Reasoning and The Thinking Toolbox: Thirty-five Lessons That Will Build Your Reasoning Skills. Further,from a Christian perspective, to distinguish between scriptural truth and the lies of the secular humanist world, I recommend the lecture series The Truth Project, available on DVD.

Review of the Self-Reliance Expo in Colorado Springs, Colorado, by L.K.O.

Following two previously-mentioned Self-Reliance Expos in Denver, Colorado (September 16-17, 2011 (see the SurvivalBlog review here) and Salt Lake City, Utah (October 7-8, 2011), the National Self Reliance Organization (NSRO) began it’s 2012 season with another weekend expo in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Returning Vendors

This expo again showcased a variety of enthusiastic and friendly survival, self-reliance and preparedness vendors and presenters. Many of the companies there are loyal SurvivalBlog advertisers. I enjoyed meeting many new vendors in person for the first time as well as those who had been at the September expo as well.

Among vendors returning to the expo with new offerings, Pantry Paratus added a new cheesemaking line to their existing product roster. Chelsea Green Publishing added several new titles to their books on sustainable living, including The Art of Fermentation, The Natural Building Companion, The Holistic Orchard, and The Small-Scale Poultry Flock. And of course our friends at Backwoods Home Magazine has added new issues which will now join the ranks with their extensive and popular back-issue inventory.

Other returning vendors included: American Preppers Network (self-reliance education), AquaPail (gravity-fed portable water treatment systems), Daily Bread (food storage, including freeze dried), DoTerra (d?TERRA essential oils), Emergency and Disaster Prep (food storage products for all types of personal crisis & disasters, backup & emergency power systems), EnerHealth Botanicals (cocoa, coconut milk, meal powder, etc.), FalloutX (radioactivity mitigation), Forge Survival Supply (Survival Cache gear), G & R Foods Inc. (nutritional powders, storable/canned foods, shredded cheeses), Humless (compact portable pure sine inverters with a generous assortment of output connectors), Life Sprouts (sprouters with a diverse assortment of sprouting seeds), LPC Survival (water filtration, storage and many other survival products), National Geographic (film crew for ‘Doomsday Preppers’ episode interviewing exhibitors and presenters), New Millennium Concepts (water purifiers), Project Appleseed (Revolutionary War Veterans Association, marksmanship clinics), School of Natural Healing (herbalist education, courseware), Shelf Reliance (food storage, racks, emergency kits), Solar Gadgets (solar phone chargers, flashlights), Sun Oven (solar cooking appliances), Ullrich Insurance (broker for various insurance companies), and UV Paqlite (reusable glow sticks).

New Vendors

I counted 39 new vendors, compared with 24 returning ones, so the NSRO expo venue is definitely growing and gaining momentum. In the arena of Alternate Energy, Lighting and Fuel, new vendors included ARC Solar Systems (compact portable power systems with a flexible PV component that rolls up into a storage cylinder slightly larger than a sleeping bag), InstaFire (storage fire starter/fuel), GO Solar (portable solar power systems), SoCal Flashlights LLC (Olight Brand Flashlights), and Survival Bottle (Instafire, flashlights, Legacy food storage, water bottles).

Currency and Exchange exhibitors included Ann Haney Ministries (Living In Abundance Couponing and Swiss America (precious metals).

In the Education, books and media category, we saw new exhibitors Colorado Springs Preppers (a local prepper network; also see American Preppers Network for more self-reliance education), Doom And Bloom (medical preparedness; Survival Medicine Handbook), The Survival Mom (book, a variety of survival products, online classes), Equip 2 Endure (Survival training courses, books), Richard Two Elk – Digital Video (Recording, editing, DVD authoring), Sea Cadets (Naval cadet programs), and Survival Quarterly Magazine (Survival magazine and DVDs. The magazine is edited by Karen Hood, the widow of the late Ron Hood).

Food, Food storage, stores, and distributors were represented by Everest Mountain Foods (freeze-dried and other foods), Freeze Dry Guy (Emergency Prep, Survival Food, Dehydrated Food, Camping Food, MREs), Grandma’s Country Foods (foods, spices, milk, preparedness, storage containers, kitchen appliances, contract packaging), JarBOX (canning jar storage systems), Mace Enterprises, LLC – Legacy Premium – Lindon Farms (long-term emergency food storage; 801-369-8887. This brand is carried by several SurvivalBlog advertisers.), My Patriot Supply – Matt Redhawk (heirloom seeds/seed vaults, water, fire, food, survival gear, canning, books), Nova Chocolate (long term storage chocolate), Nutriom (Ova Easy storage eggs – low temperature process), The Pikes Peak Beekeepers Association (local, regional and national apiculture resources), Ready Reserve Foods (emergency preparedness products, disaster survival food and water supplies, ammo. Author’s note: these folks have a long track record; their “squirrel logo” cans have been part of our family food storage for decades), Texas Ready (Liberty seed banks), and Tower Garden/Juice Plus (aeroponic vertical gardening system).

The new Health and Medicine vendors were AED Everywhere – Cardiac Science (Automated External Defibrillators), Austere Medical & Practical Preparedness Project (AMP-3 Medical kits & specialty gear), and Washington Homeopathic (Homeopathic remedies).

Shelter and Real Estate entries expanded with Cedar Log Systems (custom designed cedar log homes), Crazy Woman Realty (Buyer’s Real Estate Agent), Growing Spaces (Geodesign Greenhouse kits – Author’s note: I helped assemble one of these well-made kits for a friend many years ago who knew of my previous experience as an owner-builder of a (now-defunct brand, Cathedralite) dome home kit, in the 1970s. In addition to these and the monolithic domes noted below, (permanent and temporary) geodesic shelter companies such as Pacific Domes and DomeGuys International are worthy of consideration), Monolithic Domes (dome homes), Security Disaster Shelters (Single and Multi Unit Disaster Shelters), and The Shed Yard (Storage sheds, gazebos, garages).

In the Weapons and Defense department, there was OD Green Ammo Supply (303-941-8233), Hickman Rifles LLC (handguns, rifles, shotguns, custom weapons), and Snake Blocker (knives, clothing, DVDs).

The next scheduled Self-Reliance Expo will be in Dallas, Texas, July 27-28, 2012; a worthy pilgrimage for anyone within driving distance. Other expos will held be Hickory, North Carolina (September 14-15) and Mesa, Arizona (October 26-27.) The upcoming Dallas expo is featured here.

– L.K.O. (SurvivalBlog’s Central Rockies Regional Editor)

Two Letters Re: Your Get Home Plan

Dear Editor:
This is in response to Your Get Home Plan by J.A.F.:  My commute is only one hour by train (about 25 miles.) This is a considerable distance to travel on foot.  I wear a suit while I’m at work, but I commute in jeans, button down shirt and hiking boots.  My suit goes into an Eagle Creek garment folder, and the shirt, pants and jacket come out of the folder looking pretty good, with few, if any, creases.  My dress shoes and belt stay in my office.  I use a CamelBak BFM bag that works year round, as it has the space for Goretex, fleece and any other snivel gear during the winter.  Inside Camelbak, I have the following:
 
1) Two Nalgene water bottles on each side, one of which fits into a metal cup I would use for boiling water.  The other Nalgene has about 10 feet of duct tape wrapped around it. 
 
2) Between my back and the pack there is a zip up pouch that usually holds the hydration bladder, but which I’ve replaced with two thermal blankets and two contractor weight plastic garbage bags that I can use for multiple purposes.
 
3) Inside, I have a 60 litre waterproof Storm Sack that I envision using to put the pack and my clothes in to ford any body of water that I need to.  I also have a 40 litre backpack cover for use in the rain.
 
4) I also have a well-stocked survival /medical trauma kit and a good three inch length fixed blade sheath knife.
 
Hope this gives you some good ideas. – Troglodyte

James Wesley:
In response to the article by the man that plans walking home from Washington, DC to a suburb up in Maryland.
 
I have a ‘Razor’ scooter that I bought from Wal-Mart for $110.  It will carry 220 pounds.  I use it with my kids.  But it is really an adult scooter.
 
The YouTuber NutnFancy has a couple of videos about using a scooters a get home vehicle in an emergency for commuters.  Not everyone has a car or bicycle.
He recommends an American made & more expensive model.  There are two American made scooters, Goped and Xootr. I believe one of these American made kick-scooters can carry 300-to-500 lbs. 
 
It’s  pointed out that it might fit in a cabinet or big lockable drawer at work.  No one would ‘think’ to steal it if it was chain-locked under the desk.  Or, at least until after you got home 60 miles away in one day.
 
There are videos on YouTube about adults using kick-scooters for in city commuting  and from train stations to the office and back every day.
 
There are plenty of articles about scooters on the web.  This includes information about the wheels and which ones are best for wet-sidewalks and bumpy surfaces.  The cheapo one that I have will dump a person on their keester if they hit a big-crack in the concrete wrong. – Pat N.

JWR Adds: I concur that for “get me home” trips over short distances in urban areas, scooters make a lot of sense. Among the inexpensive imported scooters, the Micro brand scooter has larger wheels than the Razor, and is hence safer on rough pavement. (Look for inexpensive used ones on Craigslist.) In my estimation, adult-size kick scooters have three key advantages over bicycles: 1.) They are very compact when folded, so you can keep one stored in a spare file cabinet drawer or in a credenza at your office. 2.) They have solid rubber tires that can stand up to sharp road debris. (This is particularly important after an earthquake, hurricane, or tornado.) and 2.) They leave you less vulnerable to attack. (With a scooter, you are very low to the ground. So if an attacker rushes you, all you have to do is brake briefly, step off, draw a weapon, and take up a fighting stance. But on a bicycle, you sit much higher, and will probably be traveling faster. All it takes is a broomstick, baton, or a chunk of a tree branch thrust into the spinning wheel spokes, and you will be sent flying.) Granted, modern geared bicycles are the most efficient human-powered transport ever invented. But despite their relative inefficiency, kick scooters can play a key role in your “get home” planning.

Economics and Investing:

G.G. sent this piece by Peter Schiff: Why America Should Declare Bankruptcy Now

Writing in Sovereign Man, Simon Black points out that Senator Schumer’s proposed “Expatriation Prevention by Abolishing Tax-Related Incentives for Offshore Tenancy” is written retroactively, for anyone that has expatriated in the past ten years! Perhaps Mr. Schumer missed reading Article 1, Clause 3 in the U.S. Constitution. (Which bars any ex post facto laws.)

Jim W. sent us this: Japan is Broke – Highest Debt Ratio of Any Industrialized Nation

China Warns Australia to Choose “Godfather” – China or U.S.

CDV sent this: Greece: Top Three risks facing U.S.

Items from The Economatrix:

Derivative Scandals:  Taxpayer Supported Gambling

Double Trouble at JPMorgan: Trader’s Losses Could Exceed $7 Billion

Gold:  The World’s Friend for 5,000 Years

Gold Rises As Dollar Retreats

Odds ‘n Sods:

Another ultralight flying video was just posted by TTabs: Bonners Ferry Idaho and the Bull River Valley Run – Trike Flying in Prepper Paradise. JWR’s Comments: This one will be of particular interest to anyone considering North Idaho or Northwestern Montana for retreat locales. I have several consulting clients there, and they will be thrilled to see it. And, BTW, TTabs says that he plans to do additional”trike runs” at low altitude in the region and he’ll include that footage in a follow-up video.

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K.T. suggested this essay: Passive Resistance is Futile

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Several readers sent this sad tale of decrepitude: Half of Detroit’s Streetlights May Go Out as City Shrinks

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Do you need a way to step up to your tree stand without drilling holes in a tree trunk? Treehooks.