K.C.’s Book Review: Survival Mom

Survival Mom: How to Prepare Your Family for Everyday Disasters and Worst-Case Scenarios by Lisa Bedford.  New York: Harper Collins, March, 2012. 310 pages.

Frustrating hours of planning, organizing and packing epitomize the average harried mother’s week prior to departing on the annual frenzied “fun” family summer vacation!”  If these simple family activities create the havoc we have all experienced, what challenges face the same average mom while sorting through mountains of available information on family preparedness?

Our nation reels from news reports of hurricanes, earthquakes, skyrocketing unemployment and increasing violence in the Middle East.  Where does this overwhelmed mother, who understands that the well being of her beloved family depends upon being prepared in the face any unexpected calamity, turn for advice?

Well, Survival Mom – How to Prepare your Family for Everyday Disasters and Worst – Case Scenarios, written by Lisa Bedford may prove the perfect resource for her, and other beginners.  Lisa’s transition from Suburban Mom to Survival Mom encompassed a lifetime. Her journey found it roots in reading survival tales from her Nana’s Reader’s Digest magazines. Experiences with her first junior high survival class, Y2K and other natural and political disasters of her lifetime provided fodder for her current expertise in family preparedness.  In June 2009, her love of research revealed that preparedness literature was primarily penned by men writing for men and geared toward a “survivalist lifestyle” that had little in common with her, as a suburban mom.”  (Survival Mom p. 2) Hence, the founding of her online resource, TheSurvivalMom.com. Her book, Survival Mom, is a compilation of years of considerable research, experimentation and development of practical applications. It is designed as a “go-to manual” for moms seeking to provide for their families’ security in these uncertain times. 

The book opens with a survey entitled, “What Kind of a Survival Mom are you?” It is a clever comedic attention grabber that whets the appetite of the reader for further exploration into its pages. Although not designed to be read in any certain order, it seems wise to begin chronologically, laying a firm foundation, before utilizing it as a topical smorgasbord based upon “each woman’s unique responsibilities, circumstances, and interests. “ (Survival Mom p. 2)

Lisa exhorts us to “First, “Define Your Disasters”.  What might be most likely to happen in your area and in your specific set of circumstances?   Her personal list included:

1.  The closing of their family business and subsequent bankruptcy.
2.  Losing their home in a foreclosure.
3.  A long-term power outage.
4.  Economic collapse.
5.  A long-term drought.” (Survival Mom p. 10)

As you ponder these potential scenarios and browse through the book, She also recommends developing: “The Family Preparedness Plan – 3 lists.”

List #1: To Learn – List of skills and knowledge you realize will be important and in demand.
List #2: To Do – Compile a working list of dozens of things you always intend to do but never complete.
List #3: To Buy – Stocking up on food, extra toiletries, good quality tools, to name a few.

“Don’t be surprised if you have feelings of panic and of being overwhelmed. Switching from a mindset and life-style of “Life is good and is only going to get better” to “I’m not sure what the future holds anymore or even if there is much of a future” is disquieting. The only thing for certain is that staying where you are is the most dangerous position of all.” (Survival Mom p. 2) “Tom Martin, founder of the American Preppers Network, says: “Anyone can be a prepper. Just the act of preparing for anything makes you a prepper.” (Survival Mom p. 4)

Delving into Survival Mom, we discover, “Each chapter contains: Instant Survival Tips, Baby Steps and The Prepared Family, a special section with activities involving the whole family.” (Survival Mom p. 4) Inspiring quotes are tucked into its pages and forms for creating your own personalized Family Preparedness Plan at located at the end of many chapters.

Early on, Mrs. Bedford refers to the “Basic Survival Principle: The Rule of Three.” “This is the rule of redundancy. Have a backup and then a backup to your backup.” She interweaves this principle throughout the book in a variety of important topics.

One appealing aspect found throughout the book are the column notations Instant Survival Tips or Baby Steps.  Here is a Baby Steps sample to ponder:

  • Plan for a one-week emergency. Assume you have no electricity or phone service.
  • Stock up on food for one week. Be sure this food doesn’t require refrigeration or heating.
  • Store one week’s worth of water. That’s 1 gallon of water per person per day.
  • Stock up on an extra week’s worth of supplies you use daily, such as shampoo and toilet paper.
  • Have food and supplies for your pets.
  • Just in case you have to evacuate, make a plan. Where will you go?
  • Make it a habit to keep your gasoline tank at least half full.” (Survival Mom p. 9)

Survival Mom has 12 chapters followed by a glossary of concise “Survival Mom Bonuses.” The first three chapters contain foundational strategic principles for any crisis situation.  Chapter 1, Prepare More – Panic Less, spotlights bygone days of self-reliance that our grandparents and great-grandparents led.  “Being prepared in those days wasn’t an option; it was a necessity.” (Survival Mom p. 6) 

Chapters 2, Survival Begins with Water, and Chapter 3, Keeping It Clean, cover water and sanitation requirements.  Here Lisa startles readers stating, “that when water is nowhere to be found, we have less that 3 days to live.” (Survival Mom p. 20)  Although this statement may not be scientifically accurate, it draws attention to the importance of providing sufficient amounts of clean water for your family to drink, cook with, bath with, do laundry with and manage sanitation issues.

These two chapters contain options for choosing the best water filter for your families’ needs, decontamination methods, storage options, wells, laundry equipment and supplies, emergency toilets, composting, diapers, trash disposal, supplier resources and questions every modern woman asks, “Why to store water when we have a faucet, or Can a swimming pool provide all the water your family needs?”

Chapters 4 and 5 cover the all-important discussions pertaining to food storage in, The First Steps of Food Storage and Smart Strategies with Food Storage.  Her guiding principles are to keep it simple and serving size counts.  Here we find an example of applying the “Rule of Three”.  Lisa recommends three layers of food storage: Grocery store products, bulk foods and freeze-dried/dehydrated foods. She provides descriptions of each category, suppliers, price point tips, suggestions to consider before you begin stocking up, including making a “survivalized meal plan.”

She then challenges readers to create a three-month survival meal plan merely from stored foods.  To accomplish this she provides a Bedford family favorite recipe that she “survivalized”. After applying this procedure to seven of your families’ favorite dishes and multiplying the ingredients to make seven different main dishes, twelve times each, you will have the bulk of your food storage finished for the three month trial program. Now, you can begin your grocery shopping with a focus! Lisa keeps you smiling recounting examples of her early shopping and meal planning mistakes. These amusing ante dotes will either garner a compatible sigh of agreement or a deep sigh of relief to be spared “learning things the hard way.”

Included in Chapter 5 are her, “Survivalized Seven” meal plans along with important information highlighting items your food storage will be incomplete without.  She also discusses options for families with special dietary needs and preferences i.e. gluten free or organic versus conventional products.  Admittedly, Ms. Bedford does not address unique dietary needs in detail, but rather encourages individuals to further their own personal research with regards to products they believe fundamental in completing Survival Mom’s foundational principles.

Finishing up the categories of food storage topics, Lisa addresses the Top 10 foods to Store, and The Five Enemies of Food (Heat, Humidity, Oxygen, Light and Pests). She wraps up these two chapters in The Prepared Family section with another challenge. “ When your pantry is comfortably full, set a date to challenge yourself and your family to use only foods in your storage for one full week. Use your own Survivalized Menu recipes and the recipes in this book to get going.” (Survival Mom p. 112)  She then suggests six tips for a successful challenge; ending with, “Take the family out to their favorite restaurant or ice cream shop, no matter the results of the challenge!” (Survival Mom p. 112)

An important side note seems timely, as we conclude this section of Survival Mom. This book is reviewed with an eye to the concerns and methods of family preparedness.  None of the suppliers or resources have been contacted or reviewed prior to submitting this review. Neither have the menus or meal plans been experimented with.  It is highly recommended that each reader do their own research in terms of specific products, suppliers or menus.

The seven remaining chapters are: Your Home Base, Preparing for an Emergency at Home, Essentials for Safety and Security, Survival Finances, It Takes a Compound, Preparedness on the Go: Evacuation Basics, and Survival Mom to Survival Mom. These later chapters form the icing on the cake of your preparedness plans.  At this point, the reader is well on her way to taking control of her families’ basic food, water and sanitation needs.  Yet, order in the home remains paramount for success.  Begin with getting rid of clutter, organizing important paperwork – including food storage supplies and critical expiration dates along with creating sufficient storage space for non-edibles.  Lisa discusses inventory methods, sudden medical crisis planning and first aid training, evacuation plans and what to do if your children are left alone should a crises arise and mom is not at home.

Other concerns to consider would be those encountered by a major power outage.  Such questions as: How will you heat water or your home in winter? Do you have more than one way to cook food without having to rely on fuels that may run out?  How can you replace a refrigerator or freezer, vacuum or washer or dryer?  These questions identify just a few necessities taken for granted today. Lisa offers pages of useful advice to help set up your home to weather such unexpected difficulties, as well as a full explanation to, “What is an EMP and should you be afraid of one?” Lisa tells us that just knowing how to quickly identify an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) is a huge step towards survival. Should an emergency happen when you are away from home, the number one goal of each member of your family is to get home, no matter what—–hopefully, our homes are adequately prepared for such scenarios.

Should families find the need to hunker down at home, best make plans with the assumption that no one is coming to the rescue.  This being the case, she discusses the importance of safety and security measures to take for protection of your family.  Begin with, “paying attention to your surroundings…. “Situational awareness.”  Homeland Security states that is, ”Knowing and understanding what is happening around you, Predicting how it will change with time, and Being unified with the dynamics of your environment.” (Survival Mom p. 168) In conjunction with this, learning gun safety along with operation and maintenance is a valuable skill to master. Adding to these precautions, potential options might include a home security system, a ‘safe-ish” room, and basic safety lessons for kids with regards to answering the door or phone.   

Survival Finance strategies begin with paying off all debt first.  Lisa examines 13 ways to prepare for hyperinflation, planning for a job loss, developing new streams of income, bartering and setting up two primary goals for savings and other upcoming big-ticket expenses. 

  • Goal #1: Have several month’s worth of expenses set aside in savings.
  • Goal #2: Have set aside a specific sum for future repairs, such as repairing the furnace next winter.

She further provides a rudimentary but solid explanation for what you need to know about precious metals through an interview with Chris Slife, president of Howling Coyote Silver.

It Takes a Compound, discusses the basic concept that historically humans have always lived in groups.  They clustered together for protection, friendship, food and shared skills.  She queries, “When, or if, that time comes, will you have others to rely on, and if so, who will they be? (Survival Mom p. 228) Not only do we need other like-minded survivalists to join hands with, we also need to be concerned about security.  Although a dichotomy, it is one that every Survival Mom must sort through.  One of the most difficult stigmas one has to work through with family and friends is, “the normalcy-bias”.  Lisa predicts, “That a lot of your friends and relatives suffer from it, which explains why they think you’re the crazy one!” (Survival Mom p. 229) This chapter discusses families in all seasons of life, concluding with “No Grandma Left Behind” and special preparations unique to each situation.

Finally, Lisa shows us what we need to consider should circumstances demand we leave our safe haven or something happens while we are away from home. A vehicle equipped for almost anything- including first aid kits, emergency kits, travel foods and pet supplies sums up the multiple lists and advice provided in this section for moms to contemplate.

As stated earlier, this is not a book to be read cover to cover. Survival Mom, however, appears an excellent resource tool, written in a conversational style that could appeal to women of all ages and seasons of life.  Lisa’s style denotes one of linear thinking, relying on solid research skills and collating this information into plans utilizing charts and filing systems. Not all women will embrace such an organized lifestyle and may find its methodology legalistic, overwhelming and difficult to implement. Actually, the reader tends to become overwhelmed with the weight of information it contains, leading to a state of mild paralysis….What to do first? That is until we revisit Lisa’s advice:  Start with baby steps on a topic that applies to your individual situation and personal interest.

Survival Mom’s primary target audience, one best suited to implement the methods it recommends will be families living the suburban lifestyle; those with access to garden space, composting, alternative heating sources and copious amounts of storage space. However the author maintains that the advice contained within these pages can aid any woman in her unique pursuit of preparedness, regardless of her personal living situation.  She refers to her own years in small spaces and gives several ideas for clearing out clutter and discovering creative storage places and security measures for condo and apartment dwellers. 

Yet, there were few specific recommendations for moms raising families in a multifamily apartment or condo complex, such as alternative heating or cooking options should they encounter lengthy power outages. The “Survival Mom’s Story” in the chapter, Preparing for an Emergency at home,” showcased the lives of a North Carolinian family during an unexpected blizzard, which left the community without electricity for a week.  Although they encountered genuine difficulties, their wood stove provided both a heat source and method for cooking, plentiful supplies of well water were available nearby and the children enjoyed hours of fun in the snow when local schools closed. Happy Memories! Countless moms in inner city or urban areas are not likely to have access to such life sustaining resources.  Along with snippets of information contained throughout the book, a strong resource and planning section geared for the unique circumstances in which city dwellers find themselves (limited resources in space, utilities, safety options etc.) would greatly encourage moms residing in these locations. Another helpful component, vital to any resource manual, would be the inclusion of an alphabetical topical index with corresponding page numbers to aid moms searching for specific items i.e. solar generators, survivalized meal plans or water storage rules within its covers.

Although this paperback book can easily be held in one hand, it is an invaluable resource manual that moms in all stages of prepping could benefit from:

  • Prepping “newbies”
  • Women who have already begun to put aside some “necessities” but need assistance in the “Big Picture.”
  • As a gift for family and friends when they emerge from their “normalcy-bias” ask for advice.

Lisa summarizes, “The key is to identify likely calamities, make appropriate plans, and then TAKE ACTION.” (Survival Mom p. 20) “Preparedness doesn’t happen overnight or even in a month or two.  Instead, it’s a way of life, a new awareness of current events and trends, and a commitment to stay focused on what will help strengthen and ready your family for whatever comes along with a willingness to learn new things.” (Survival Mom p. 17) “If the day comes when I am standing in rubble that was once my home and my children look up at me, they will want to know, Mom, are we going to be okay?” At that moment, I’ll know that my transformation into ‘The Survival Mom’ was worth it.” (Survival Mom p. 3)

I’m recently widowed, after 30 years of marriage. My late husband was a conservative economist with an eye to geopolitical affairs, a patriot with active duty military service, both as a medic and sharpshooter in the Vietnam War, a passionate historian, avid backpacker, nature lover and hiker. I sorely feel the lack of my late husband’s personal knowledge, experience and wisdom, as our family now seeks to chart a course through today’s troubled waters without him. However, Survival Mom has encapsulated, in feminine language, much of the knowledge that my late husband gleaned over the years. 

Overall, Lisa Bedford has done an outstanding job turning mountainous piles of dry research and technical information on preparedness into usable bite-size pieces of information designed with newbie prepper moms (and other newbie preppers) in mind. She covers what you need to know about the basic necessities of food, water and shelter. Survival Mom provides instruction towards learning essential skills and gaining knowledge that will be advantageous, no matter what unforeseen calamity threatens your loved ones.  After all, as Lisa says: “Survival is a mom’s job, and this book will get you there!”

Pat’s Product Review: Kershaw and Zero Tolerance Knives

I don’t recall when I first started carrying a pocket knife, but I’m pretty sure it was back in the 3rd or 4th grade. And, yes, back in those days, a kid could carry a pocket knife to school – and the police weren’t called, nor were you suspended. Almost everyone carried a pocket knife back then – my how the times have changed. These days, most schools have a zero tolerance for any sort of “weapon” on school grounds – heck, some kids have been suspended or expelled from school for simply drawing a picture of a knife or a gun. What insanity!
 
Then we have many states that limit you to the size of a folding knife you can carry. Some states won’t allow you to carry a knife with a blade more than 3″ long these days. Some states have shorter limitations on the blade length – some longer. Many states won’t allow you to carry a “switch blade” knife – which is technically an “automatic” opening knife. And many jurisdictions won’t allow you to carry an assisted-opening folder, that they are now claiming are “switch blades” – ignorance is bliss. Even in my home state of Oregon, many police officers are ignorant of the law when it comes to someone carrying an automatic knife. Many police officers believe automatic knives are illegal in Oregon, even though there are several makers in Oregon, producing automatic folders. A note to any Oregon police officers reading this: Automatic folders are legal to carry in Oregon – so long as they are not concealed. Yes, even pocket carry is legal, so long as part of the knife is exposed – as in a pocket/clothing clip, or in a belt sheath. If you don’t believe me, then check the laws for yourself, and don’t assume that just because someone else told you that an automatic knife is illegal to carry that it is – they are wrong!
 
I enjoy reporting on knife companies that I have visited, especially those in Oregon. I’ve done several factory tours of Kershaw Knives over the years, and I visited their new factory some years ago, and had free-reign of the place, and could take any photos I wanted, and talk to anyone who worked there. To be sure, Kershaw turns out a lot of knives these days – maybe more than any other US knife company. And, Kershaw has expanded several times since my last visit, and they usually manage to keep up with demand.
 
I’m writing about two different knives in this article: one is an Every Day Carry (EDC) folder, from the standard Kershaw line, and the other is from their Zero Tolerance line – their rough and tough, military/law enforcement cutlery. First up is the Kershaw RJI Model #1985ST this is an excellent EDC folder for all manner of daily chores. And, yes, this knife is from the international line – it’s made in China. I have learned that knife makers can get as good as they knife as you want from overseas, too. In essence, if you want a $1 knife, you can have those made, if you want a $500 knife, you can also get those made to your specifications.

The RJI was designed by custom knife maker, RJ Martin, and it comes with a 3-1/2″ blade, with a Tanto-style point on it. The Tanto point is fairly thick on this one – thicker than on many other knives, so you can take on some tough piercing jobs, and there is plenty of belly to slicing and dicing, too. The blade is made out of 8CR13MOV stainless steel – and I have no idea what it is, other than it works and performs like a really good medium stainless – it comes with a razor-sharp edge and it held the edge a good long time, and was really easy to re-sharpen, too.
 
The handle scales on the RJI are made out of 3-D machine G-10, some super-tough stuff, to be sure, one of my favorite handle materials. There are also stainless steel liners, and the knife is a liner lock. Best of all, the RJI is an assisted-opening folder. There is a “kicker” on the back of the blade, as well as dual thumb studs to get the blade started, and after about 20-degrees, of opening, the assisted mechanism takes over and opens the blade the rest of the way – it’s very quick, and I found the “kicker” worked easier and faster for me. And, we also have a pocket/clothing clip on the handle scales as well. The blade is also partially serrated, too.
 
The clothing/pocket clip can be moved around, for right-hand carry, the knife can be carried tip up or tip down, and for left hand carry, the knife can be carried tip up. So, you have a few options on this folder that you won’t find on other knives in this price range. the knife only weighs in at 4.4-oz, so it is a light-weight for the most part. This is the knife you’ll reach for, when you have all manner of cutting projects, be it opening packages from UPS or slicing and dicing in the kitchen, to whatever you might throw at it. And, the best part is, full retail is only $44.95 – and I checked around on the Internet and found these knives as low as $24.95 – and that, my friends, in a steal-of-a-deal for a knife that is “this” good, and has top-notch features – without a doubt, this is an absolute best buy in my book.
 
The second folder I tested is from the Zero Tolerance line, and the ZT line is made in the same plant as Kershaw’s other US-made knives – they don’t have a separate plant, as many believe. Kershaw came up with the idea for super-tough fixed blade and folders, designed for harsh military and law enforcement use – these knives aren’t your every day carry blades, although some can be used that way. However, given the design and material used in the ZT knives, you are gonna want to save these for the tasks they were designed for: combat and self defense. I usually have at least two knives with me at all times – one in my left front pocket for EDC chores, and one in my right front pocket – and this one is reserved for those “just in case” situations – where a life might depend on the use of a strong, sharp and properly designed knife for saving lives. And, I might also have a little folder in a pocket for opening packages and the like, too.
 
I tested the Zero Tolerance Model 0200, and that model really caught my attention for a number of reasons. First of all, I like big knives, be there folders or fixed blade knives – and the 0200 comes with a 4″ 154CM stainless steel blade – this steel used to be used almost exclusively by custom knife makers because it is spendy, to say the least – factory knife makers just didn’t want to use this steel for a long time, thinking consumers wouldn’t buy knives that cost more money than knives with less expensive stainless steels. However, educated consumers are willing to put out for top-notch knives, with really good stainless steel blades.
 
The ZT 0200 was designed by custom knife maker, Ken Onion, and he is one of the best around. I once interviewed Ken, on the phone, from his home base in Hawaii, and he is a hoot to talk to – just a lot of fun – down-to-earth, too. Onion has designed a number of knives for Kershaw and the ZT line, too. The 0220 is a professional-grade folding combat knife, designed to survive harsh real world situations. The 4″ blade is of the recurve design – which means it has some “belly” to it. If you were to measure the blade length on a recurve knife, and then measure the actual cutting surface, you’ll find the cutting surface is actually longer than the length of the blade. If you are involved in any knife of self defense situation, you’ll quickly realize that you’ll be using slashing movements, and the recurve style blade gives you a little more cutting surface, as well as “grabbing” and pulling into the blade, whatever it comes into contact with – it cuts deeper and cuts longer than other blades.
 
The precisely centered point on the 0200 is perfect for piercing tasks as well. the 154 CM blade is also (black) Tungsten DLC (Diamond Like Carbon) coated, it helps protect the blade. Now, my sample 0200 was in my pocket, I didn’t get the pocket/clothing clip attached to my pants pocket for some reason, and the knife slipped down into my pocket, where there is a lot of loose change. I didn’t catch that this happened for a couple days, and when I pulled the knife out of my pocket, there were scratches on the blade from the loose change. A minute with some oil and extra-fine steel wool, and the scratches were taken completely off the DLC coating – I was amazed, to say the least.
 
The thick handle scales are 3-D machined G-10, and like I said, I like this stuff – super tough, and the designed pattern machined into the handle scales grip you back, under all manner of harsh conditions. The 0200 comes with dual thumb studs, and a “kicker” on the back of the blade–also for rapid opening. Once again, I preferred using the kicker to open the blade – it is not an assisted-opening folder, but it opens sooooo smoothly, you will think it’s assisted. I’m talking super smooth opening. The blade locks-up with a thick stainless steel liner lock–quite a strong, positive lock.
 
There is also a nice sized lanyard hole in the butt of the 0200, and if you work over water, you’ll want to attach a lanyard to your knife – nothing worst than losing your knife over water. (Kiss it good-bye once it falls into a lake, stream, or river.) The pocket/clothing clip can be mounted in any one of the quad positions on the handle for tip up or tip down carry – for right or left handed carry. What’s not to like here? The knife weighs in at 7.8-oz, so it’s not a light-weight folder, then again, once you see and handle the 0200, and understand how it is over-built, you’ll appreciate the weight and the materials used in making this knife. Also, the pivot pin for the blade – it’s stout, too – not some little skinny pin, it’s big and you can adjust the blade tension with a wrench – there is a nut on the end of the pivot pin. This knife is so over-built, it’s not even funny.
 
I tested the 0200 into some stacked cardboard boxes, and I could easily penetrate the full-length of the blade to the handle when I stabbed into the cardboard. Also, the slashed at the stacked cardboard boxes, and the 0200 really ripped into this material – it grabs it. So, I can only imagine what it would do to clothing or flesh if a person were to slash into it. The top, back of the blade is also “raised” just a little bit, and there are friction grooves machined into this area, for a positive thumb placement in the fencing grip, which is the grip most used in knife fighting.
 
The design of the handle – it flows with the design of the blade – hard to explain, but the handle just feels perfect in my hand, as well as other people I showed the knife to. Every one that tried it said how good the knife felt in their hand. And, if a knife feels good – that’s a big part of the battle when choosing a knife – any knife. The handle of the knife is of the open design, it allows dirt, lint and other crud to escape, instead of building up inside of the handle.
 
I honestly wish I could report something negative about the ZT 0200, but I can’t. The knife is just a fantastic design, and executed with some of the best materials around. It should last you a lifetime, and it won’t let you down, if you give it just a little bit of care every now and then. If this knife were made by a custom maker, I would expect to pay $600 or more for it – and if it were hand made by Ken Onion – we’re talking thousands of dollars. Yes, his knives demand that kind of money. However, the ZT 0200 only retails for $200, and I’ve found it on the Internet for around $140. Granted, it’s a little spendy, but once you pick one up, you won’t want to put it down. And when you see how well-made this knife is, and you can appreciate the best materials used, you’ll think like I did: “This is another steal-of-a-deal” – even if it is a little bit spendy! – SurvivalBlog Field Gear Editor Pat Cascio

Letter Re: Prospects for the Eastern U.S. in a Societal Collapse

Mr. Rawles,
Can you provide more detailed information on what you believe will happen East of the Mississippi River in and around major population centers in the event of a collapse.  You briefly addressed this when you were interviewed by Michael Ruppert in his Collapsenet podcast program last year.  Most of the population simply can’t relocate to the Western mountain states much less realistically get out of debt.  As I believe it was stated on your web site some years ago it will be a “Come as you are collapse” and that is what we all will get.  I’m perhaps half way to where I need to be in preparations, having moved to a small farm about 40 miles away from a major population center in Ohio.

Thanks for your work, – J.H.

JWR Replies: I realize that the majority of my readership is in the eastern United States, and my oft-repeated “Go West” advice antagonizes some folks. If I were a people-pleasing opportunist, I could probably get away with claiming that some selected areas in the East are “extra safe because of geographic isolation”, and they therefore were “ideal retreat locales”, but I simply cannot do that with any intellectual honesty. No matter how anyone tries to sugar coat it, the population statistics are like the proverbial “elephant in the room.” So I’m standing by my longstanding advice to relocate. Granted, in a “grid up” situation, large portions of the Eastern U.S. will indeed be fairly safe places to live. But if the power grid goes down, then your chances of survival will be pitiful. There are simply far too many mouths to feed. I don’t think that even northern Maine will be safe. Statistically, your chances will be substantially higher in the lightly-populated western states, particularly in the American Redoubt.

Just how bad could it get in the eastern states? Here is a quote from the fictional Provisional Government President Maynard Hutchings from one the novels that I authored:

   “My fellow Americans: The United States is slowly recovering from the greatest tragedy in its history. I have recently been provided a detailed report on the extent of the catastrophe from the administration’s chief scientist. Some of the report’s findings are as follows: In the past three years, an estimated one hundred and sixty million of our citizens have died. Most died from starvation, exposure, and disease. Of the deaths by disease, more than sixty-five million were caused by the influenza pandemic that swept the eastern seaboard. Without antibiotics available, the disease simply ran rampant until there were no more hosts left to attack in the heavily populated regions.”
    “At least twenty-eight million are estimated to have been killed in lawless violence. In addition, more than five million have died of complications of pre-existing medical problems such as diabetes, heart disease, hemophilia, AIDS, and kidney disease. Hundreds of thousands more have died of complications of tonsillitis, appendicitis, and other ailments that were heretofore not life threatening. The distribution of population losses ranged from in excess of 96 percent of the population in some northeastern metropolitan areas to less than 5 percent in a few areas in the High Plains, Rocky Mountains, the inter-mountain areas of the West, and the Inland Northwest….”

If you are serious about providing for your family and protecting them in a societal collapse, then the wise thing to do is to move out west, soon. But if you cannot because of either work or family obligations, then I recommend that you stock up to the very best of your ability, arm yourself, get the best training available, and harden your home. In the event of a grid-down collapse, you might have to hunker down in a blacked-out house on a property with spring water or a shallow well for 18 to 24 months. This will necessitate living with absolutely no outside contact or resupply. Unless you have the requisite deep larder and a big wood (or coal) pile, then you are likely to become a statistic.

Why 18 to 24 months? I predict that it will take two winters for your neighbors to eat up all the food in their pantries, then the local livestock and wild game, then their pets, and then perhaps even each other. In the absence of grid power, only after the population has dropped to a reasonable carrying capacity will there be any chance of a recovery and a return to law and order.

Letter Re: Evacuating Quickly to Escape Wildfires

James,
There is much conversation about the desirability of moving to a rural retreat location.  Much has been written on your site about moving to moving to the American Redoubt.  But how many people really consider the drastic changes in their lifestyle when moving out of the city to a rural location?  Consider one drastic change:  fire protection.  People living in cities with asphalt streets, fire hydrants, professionally staffed fire stations, and minimal response times may not understand the change to living in a rural area with fire protection offered by volunteer departments.  I have lived in rural areas for over 25 years in the western US, including the Redoubt.  I am familiar with firefighting to protect structures and wildlands, managing prescribed burns, wildfire mitigation around homes, the level of protection and response times offered by volunteer fire and ambulance departments.  I have served on a volunteer fire department.

Recently, the Colorado State Forest Service started a prescribed burn in an area southwest of Denver. It was started within the prescription parameters. On Monday the weather changed and the winds were ferocious. Embers were carried out of the fire boundaries and the wildfire nightmare began.  People were notified about a possible evacuation, and evacuating.  However, several structures burned to the ground, two people are confirmed dead, one person is still missing as of this morning.  The fire is nowhere near containment.  More winds are forecast to occur this weekend.
 
This is not a letter to point fingers and assign blame on the state forest service.  It is a letter to point out that one of the strategies to preparedness is to consider all of the things that may go wrong and plan a response to them.  Wildfire is one thing that can happen in rural areas and people need to plan to defend against it, and plan to make a sudden evacuation.  Even with all of the careful planning and preparation things can still go wrong.  The couple featured in the article linked below had spent years doing things to defend their property against wildfire.  Including a fire suppression system, foam retardant, extra water to fight fires, a generator presumably to provide power to pump the water, concrete shingles (whoever heard of concrete shingles?), clearing brush and ladder fuels for fuel load reduction.  In the videos it is clear their G.O.O.D. vehicle was pointed to leave the house.  Comments from their pastor indicate they were preparing to evacuate, but they didn’t make it.  With all of their defenses against wildfire loss their house was a total loss.  May they rest in peace.  
 
Headline: Couple killed in wildfire was ‘packed and ready to leave’
 
A second report on this wildfire graphically shows cell phone video of what the evacuation during a wildfire looked like to one family.  It seems the family members were in two vehicles.  Listen closely and you can hear the panicked voice of a child asking the father: “Why did mommy stop?” and “Where is mommy?”  The family in this story lived adjacent to the couple that perished in the fire.  Depending solely on law enforcement or fire fighting officials to determine when to evacuate is wrong.  We have brains and we need to use them and make decisions appropriate for our situation.
 
Headline: Family’s terrifying escape from wildfire caught on video.
 
People living in rural areas must be ready to leave on short notice and be ready to make the decision to evacuate and not wait on official notification.  It could be a matter of life or death.  – S.M.

Recipe of the Week:

Notutopia’s Creamy Mushroom Soup From Storage Foods

1-1/2 cups dried mushrooms
2 cups hot beef bouillon, make it from powdered or cubed bouillon
4 cups milk, made from powdered milk
6 tbsp. flour, all purpose
1/2 cup dried onions
1/4 cup margarine, or powdered butter
1 tsp. kosher salt
Parsley flakes for garnish

Directions:
Sauté mushrooms and onions in margarine in a heavy saucepan for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Combine bouillon, milk, salt, and flour. Blend until smooth. Add to sautéed mushrooms and onions. Cook over low heat until the mixture comes to a boil, stirring constantly. Garnish with parsley. Makes about 8 servings.

Chef’s Notes:

This can easily be made into a mix by creating it using all dried ingredients.
When ready to cook, just add the 6 cups of water  to the jar of mix in a pot, and continue to whisk the solution while bringing it to a boil.

Useful Recipe and Cooking Links:

Lee M. wrote to mention that he liked this site: HelpWithCooking.com.

H.M. mentioned that CookingCache.com has more than 7,000 recipes available.

Do you have a favorite recipe that you have tested extensively? Then please e-mail it to us for posting. Thanks!

Economics and Investing:

Debasement and Debt Monetization are the last refuges of modern-day profligate spending governments: Geithner sees cash in coins’ metal. I’ve been warning about the composition change in nickels for three years. I hope that you have been methodically building your stack during this time. Once he composition changes, you will have to start sorting nickels. But for now, you can stack ammo cans or boxes full of rolls, painlessly.

New in the Nerd World: Societal collapse as a marketing angle. (Thanks to PNG for the link.)

Who Are the Nation’s Biggest Suckers? Lottery Players. (As the Late Memsahib was fond of saying: “Gambling is a tax on people that are bad at math.”)

It is official: The Canadian Penny is Dead. For now, prices will be bumped up or down to the nearest five cents. But can nickels be far behind?

G.G. flagged this: Four Numbers Add Up to an American Debt Disaster

FDIC closes Fidelity Bank in Michigan bringing total for 2012 to 16 banks. (Thanks to SurvivalBlog’s G.G. for the link.)

Odds ‘n Sods:

I’ve recently had two consulting clients in the southeastern U.S. who’ve each lost thousands of dollars worth of canned freeze-dried and dehydrated foods to rusted-through cans, after three years and five years of storage, respectively, of unattended storage. You can spare yourself the same heartbreak by using moisture-resistant can repacking kits from RepackBox.com. These cleverly-designed re-packing box kits are designed to tremendously extend the shelf life of storage food in sealed #10 steel cans. (The kits come complete with plastic bags, silica gel desiccant packets, cable ties, cardboard boxes, and even a marker and packing tape. And since each box holds just one can, they are perfect for re-packing your six-can cases for barter or charity, or to take advantage of “nook and cranny” storage spaces where a six-can case won’t fit.

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The latest commentary from Patrice Lewis: Treason From Within. (Her daily blog, Rural Revolution, is also excellent.)

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I often have questions from readers about charity. Please be charitable today and prepare to be charitable in event of disasters, in the spirit of Tikkun olam. (“Repairing The World”.) One charity that I can endorse wholeheartedly is Anchor of Hope, a growing Christian mission school and orphanage in rural Zambia. Their Linda Rawles Memorial Fund is in honor of my late wife. (“The Memsahib.”)

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Regular content contributor Pierre M. sent this: While the useless TSA harasses children, at John F. Kennedy International Airport Baggage Scandal; 200 Thefts Per Day by security workers. And meanwhile: TSA Manager Arrested for Running Prostitution Ring. (Thanks to Diana V. for the latter link.)

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Reader George S. wrote to mention that the recently-linked article about the top secret Visa data center neglected to inform readers where the top-secret facility is located. So he found us a satellite view. Thanks, George.

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest – Round 39 Winners and New Prize Announcements for Round 40

We’ve chosen the winners for Round 39 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest.

But first, I’d like to mention several new prizes that will be awarded starting with Round 40:

  • A new prize will be added to the First Prize package: a $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any of their military surplus gear. You may remember seeing them mentioned in SurvivalBlog as suppliers of a variety of U.S. military surplus gear, including full military specification ALICE packs, at great prices.
  • Three new prizes will be added to to the Third Prize package: These include: 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. (BTW, I recently bought two of their large drying racks for our use here at the ranch and I can attest that they are very sturdy and well-made.)

These new prizes bring the combined value of the top three prizes to more than $5,600. I greatly appreciate the generosity of the prize donors!

And the winner is…

First Prize goes to Jim B. for The Extreme Solar Still Concept which was posted on March 31, 2012. He will receive: 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 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $275 value), and E.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo.

Second Prize goes to The Gentleman Fahma in New Hamsha for A First-Timer’s Cider Making which was posted on March 7, 2012. He will receive: A.) A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol. It is a $439 value courtesy of Next Level Training. B.) A FloJak F-50 hand well pump (a $349 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 goes to Charles J. for Melting Lead for the Meltdown which was posted on February 3, 2012. He will receive: A.) A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21. (This filter system is a $275 value.), B.) Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy. This is a $185 retail value, C.) A Commence Fire! emergency stove with three tinder refill kits. (A $160 value.), and D.) Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security.

There were also 24 honorable mention prizes. Each of these writers will each receive a $30 Amazon.com gift certificate. These go to:

Note to all prize winners: Please e-mail us and let us know your current e-mail address. (The Amazon gift certificates are delivered via e-mail.) And for the top three prize winners, we will also need your UPS and USPS addresses. Thanks!

Also note that the Honorable Mention prize winners are still eligible to be awarded any of the top three prizes, in subsequent rounds of the writing contest, so so keep up the good work!

Round 40 begins today and ends on May 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. 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.

Letter Re: A Practical Utilitarian’s Take on Firearms and Calibers

James,
its time for like minded  people  to take off the blinders and use logic and intelligence in their planning. Firearms will play a major  part in survival of our people and nation.
This role will be larger than anyone cares to  admit. Because of this reliance, our weapons will need to be the most dependable guns we can acquire.
 
My experience goes through 30+ years of gunsmithing, military service during the Reagan years, and contractor with a notorious private security firm in Iraq and Afghanistan.
During these years, I have learned a lot about the serviceability of weapons in the field.
 
The most distressing news I have to share  with your readers is the AR/M4 type weapons are too maintenance reliant compared to other available weapons. Yes they are accurate,easy to carry and easy to use.  But they are weak. If the stock tube(receiver extension) is damaged in any way, the weapon is rendered useless.
 
The following list of weapons are ones that I have seen time and again stand up to excess abuse and still perform  under battlefield condition.  (Please keep in mind only some of these weapons are available to civilians.):
 
Remington 870
Remington 24
Glock 17 and 19
M240 series
SIG 500 series
AK type weapons
Croatian made sidearms (Springfield XD series)
Browning Hi-Power
G36 series rifles
SIG pistols – P226,228,229
M203
M2 .50 caliber
 
The following list are weapons which I have seen fail numerous time under battlefield conditions:

M16A1, M16A2, M4
SR25 (Stoner AR-10)
MK19 Automatic Grenade Launcher
M60 LMG
M9 Beretta
 
With all of this in mind, its time for people to realize that unless they are a trained gunsmith and have excess parts available, then they will be out of luck when stuff hits the fan.
 
For those civilians who can accept advice, buy either a Glock or an XD, a Remington 870, a Remington 700,and a good quality AK. And of course buy plenty of magazines and ammunition for them. You won’t be disappointed.  Learn how to use them and take care of them. Not enough can be said for the need for proper maintenance.  Take care of them and they will work when you need them. – Casey B.

Letter Re: Interim Retreat Caches

Jim:
In How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It, you missed mentioning one of the great uses of “bypassed areas” — that of an en route cache.  There is no question but that it would be plain stupid for any family to wait to leave the big cities and urban areas until the very last moment when TSHTF, urban riots have broken out, and the freeways have become one big parking lot full of shooting and looting.  But many families will want to hang on in the cities as long as possible because of employment, family commitments for the care of elderly relatives, and other reasons.  When they do leave, it would be much safer for them to quickly exit along the back roads with only the clothes on their backs and half a tank of gas than to take the time to stuff their vehicle full of survival goods and become a visible target of great interest to looters along the road. 
 
Their first destination would be their own unimproved wooded one acre lot in one of the “bypassed areas” within an hour’s drive of their urban home, with only a small, used, stripped down camping trailer on it and maybe an outhouse.  It is not going to draw much interest from potential looters.  By stripped down camping trailer, I mean an old one with the wheels removed and sitting on concrete block.  Its propane tanks and battery would also be removed.  To an outsider looking in the window, it would look very Spartan with no supplies or anything useful.  There would be no source of water there.  So what good is such a property?
 
Somewhere on the property would be a 20 foot long metal CONEX shipping container completely buried under about a foot of soil (deep enough so you can cover it with plants and its location will not be obvious) and a specially constructed entrance to the back doors of the shipping container that is also buried under the same foot of soil and plants.  It might take an hour of shovel work to dig out the entrance to your buried shipping container.  This is your supply cache with the important supplies and gasoline that you will need to safely travel the rest of the way to your permanent retreat.  It also contains the wheels to your trailer along with the propane tanks, battery, generator, and plenty of gasoline for your vehicles and what ever else.  It contains food and water, and pre-positioned supplies that you would need for safe travel or to remain at that site for a few days or a little longer.
 
The advantage of such an arrangement is that there is little that is visible from the road to tempt thieves.  And if they loot an old, empty travel trailer – so what?  Your real cache is buried underground and is well out of sight.  It is also out of danger from forest fires that would likely burn your trailer to the ground.  In such a forest fire, you will not have lost anything that is not easily and inexpensively replaceable.   The best part of all — such an acre of worthless ground that is covered with brush, stumps, and scrub trees should not cost very much.  The general impression that people will have of it will be, “This guy is really hurting if that is his retreat.”
 
The disadvantage is that [in northern states] it is only likely to be accessible about nine months out of the year with snow closing the roads during the other three months.
 
Hope this helps and adds something to your work – Paul O.

JWR Replies: As has been discussed several times in the blog, CONEXes cannot be buried without concrete reinforcement. This is because they are designed to take loads only on their corners. With the weight of rain-soaked soil, their walls and roofs collapse. So, when all is said and done, it is actually more expensive to buy, reinforce, and bury a CONEX than it is to build a dedicated reinforced concrete shelter. From a practical standpoint, I’d instead recommend burying a much less expensive poly water tank with a man hatch cover just below the ground surface.

As for the camping trailer: Why have anything above ground at an unattended property? That just attracts junkies and assorted lowlifes. Storing a wall tent inside an underground cache makes more sense, to me. If you need to store a trailer, then make it a simple box trailer, with the wheels and lug nuts buried nearby. The advantage is that an open box trailer won’t prove to be an attractive place for drug addicts to use as a recreational cabin.

Economics and Investing:

10 Reasons Why the Reign of the U.S. Dollar as the World Reserve Currency is About to End

Is Inflation, a Stagnant Economy, and Lower Standard of Living in Our Future?

Lee M. sent this: Student Loans on Rise — for Kindergarten

After the riots, Spain swings the axe on spending. (Thanks to Pierre M. for the link.)

Items from The Economatrix:

Recovery?  Housing Says It’s A Hoax

Security Breach Hits US Card Processors, Banks

A Cashless Society May Be Closer Than Most People Would Even Dare To Imagine

Providence, Rhode Island Bankruptcy Seen As Unavoidable On Budget Gap

Odds ‘n Sods:

WorldNetDaily reports: War on U.S. Homeschoolers Escalates

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For those interested in South Sudan, see the documentary The Eyes and Ears of God. (Warning: This includes some scene of Sudanese atrocities.) Efforts to help arm and train the villagers of South Sudan against the depredations of the Janjaweed and the Khartoum government are still in their early stages. Please pray for South Sudan, an specifically that President Salva Kiir Mayardit’s government will open the door to trainers from the United States.

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More about Britain’s he “self-inflicted” gas shortage: Ministers under pressure to bring in emergency rationing as 999 crews struggle to get hold of fuel. (See my comments with some simple math, earlier this week.)

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F.J. suggested this over at KK Cool Tools: Evernew Water Carry Bladder

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Well, its about time! The Ruger 10/22 takedown. (Given the design–without barrel threads–there should have been takedown 10/22s starting from day one.)

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, [which is] your reasonable service.
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think [of himself] more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:
So we, [being] many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.” Romans 12:1-5 (KJV)

Note from JWR:

Today we present the last two entries for Round 39 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 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $275 value), and E.) 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 F-50 hand well pump (a $349 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.) Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy. This is a $185 retail value, C.) A Commence Fire! emergency stove with three tinder refill kits. (A $160 value.), and D.) Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security.

Round 39 ends today, but get busy writing and e-mail us your entry for Round 40. 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.