Odds ‘n Sods:

Japan earthquake and tsunami death toll expected to exceed 10,000; survivors worry about dwindling supplies, food.

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Robert J. flagged this: Japan ‘overwhelmed by the scale of damage’ 1,000 bodies are found scattered across coastline; body bags, coffins in short supply. Here is a quote: “”I never imagined we would be in such a situation” Watanabe said. “I had a good life before. Now we have nothing. No gas, no electricity, no water.” He said he was surviving with his family on 60 half-liter bottles of water his wife had stored in case of emergencies like this. He walked two hours to find a convenience store that was open and waited in line to buy dried ramen noodles.”

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Loyal content contributor J.B.G. sent this: Photo Gallery: The Day After the Tsunami. J.B.G. notes: “Don’t miss the picture of the empty supermarket shelves, near the end.” JWR Adds: The Japanese invented kanban (“Just in Time”) inventory control, now used in both industry and in stocking retail stores. They are now experiencing one of its key drawbacks.

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Bob G. sent an amazing series of “before and after” pictures from Japan with a “sliding window” views–just hover your cursor over the far right, and drag the “after” view across. The tsunami devastation is incredible.

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Nature Girl sent us this: Troopers: 800 motorists rescued after North Dakota blizzard. Nature Girl’s comment: “The part about the town suddenly ‘more than doubling in size’ caught my attention.”

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When politicians start talking about “Commonsense Gun Control”, watch out! Obama’s phrase “porous background checks” is politician speak for “private gun show sales”. Read between the lines, folks: The gun grabbers’ real goal is to institute the equivalent of a “No Fly List” for all gun purchases, even those transacted between private parties that both reside in the same state. There are two huge problems with this scheme: 1.) It is attempting to regulate intrastate commerce that has never been and never should be in Federal jurisdiction, per the interstate commerce clause and 2.) If the horrendous false positives rate of the TSA’s “No Fly List” is any gauge, then this will be a disaster.

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“We defy augury; there’s a special providence in the fall of a sparrow. If it be now, ’tis not to come; if it be not to come, it will be now; if it be not now, yet it will come: the readiness is all..” – William Shakespeare, Hamlet, Act V, Scene ii

Notes from JWR:

Notes from JWR: I’ve been deluged with questions from readers–especially in Alaska and Hawaii, about the risk of radioactive fallout from Japan. First, I must mention that the trans-Pacific fallout map purported to be from Australian authorities now circulating is a fraud. I don’t think it is likely that any significant radiation would make it to Hawaii, Alaska or the west coast of CONUS, even if there are multiple melt-downs in Japan.  But as I’ve written previously, keep your potassium iodate or iodide handy, buy some dehydrated milk, and keep close track of radiation levels. Pray hard, folks! Do not start taking potassium iodate or iodide until you receive confirmed word that there are harmful levels of radiation in your area.

Even in the absence of other radiological effects, be forewarned that we might have to forego fresh dairy products for a few months. (Since Strontium-89, Strontium-90, Cesium-137 etc. tend to concentrate in milk.) It is a good thing that most SurvivalBlog readers have lots of instant milk powder on hand. If a dairy products shortage does develop, then please be generous with those that are truly in need.

Be sure to read this article in the SurvivalBlog archives: How To Prepare for Radiation Emergencies, by KLK.

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Today we present another article by SurvivalBlog’s Medical Editor, Dr. Cynthia J. Koelker, She is the author of the practical book 101 Ways to Save Money on Health Care and the Editor of ArmageddonMedicine.net. She is presently writing a new book, Armageddon Medicine, which should be published in late 2011.

Medication Dependence and TEOTWAWKI — 10 Tips for Survival, by Cynthia J. Koelker, MD

Thyroid disease, diabetes, heart disease, back pain, asthma, COPD.
If you suffer from any of these chronic illnesses, you may be medication dependent.  What will you do when the supply of pharmaceuticals dries up?  Do you have enough medication stockpiled for the rest of your life?  What are the consequences of doing without?  Will you die or merely suffer?  Is there any way to prevent what appears to be inevitable?
And if not you, what about your parents, grandparents, and other loved ones?
Although complete answers to these questions would require hundreds of pages and perhaps years of study, here are 10 tips to help medication dependent persons survive TEOTWAWKI.

  1. Understand what your medications are actually accomplishing for your disease and the consequences of doing without. In my experience, few patients understand the physiology of their particular disease and the purpose of their medicine.  If you are on heart medicine, ask your doctor why.  Is it to control the heart rate or make the heart pump stronger?  Is it meant to limit chest pain or decrease the likelihood of a heart attack?  If a certain medicine is unavailable, is there an older (less expensive) generic?  Will you likely die without nitroglycerin? For COPD patients, will you suffocate without your inhalers? Diabetics, will you dehydrate without insulin or metformin? For thyroid patients, without Synthroid will you develop a goiter?  Or will you grow sluggish, gain weight, and end up in a coma?  (For thyroid patients, these questions are answered in detail in my new self-study course “Hypothyroidism – Answers for the End of the World” . Armed with a better understanding of your disease, you’ll be better able to evaluate your options.
  2. Understand your treatment goals.  For the atrial fibrillation patient, do you understand why you’re on Coumadin rather than aspirin?  If you’re also on a beta-blocker, do you know why?  As a heart patient, what is the purpose of your nitroglycerin patch?  Is avoiding chest pain the same as avoiding a heart attack?  For diabetics, what is your current goal of therapy?  How will this change when home blood sugar monitoring is unavailable?  Is the aim of thyroid replacement therapy to lower your TSH or make you feel better?  Are pain meds to help your back feel better or allow you to work harder? Ask your doctor the specific purpose of each medication you’re taking.  Just knowing “it’s for my heart” isn’t enough to plan your future.
  3. Research treatment options beyond pharmaceuticals and try them out now.  It amazes me when an asthmatic chooses to sleep with their cat and wheeze, rather than ban the cat and breathe.  If medication weren’t available to open the airways, would they make the same choice?  Or, if you’re allergic to the world and can’t escape, would rinsing your nose with saline work as well as medicine?  It often does.  Or, ever wonder if eating half as much would cure your diabetes?  (If you don’t find out now, you may when the food’s gone.) Can’t live without Prilosec?  GERD (acid reflux) would be markedly reduced if people would elevate the head of their bed, eat less, limit spicy, fatty, and acid foods, and avoid alcohol and tobacco.  Narcotics aren’t the only option for a bad back.  Heat, exercise, and massage can work wonders in a motivated patient.  Medicine is not the answer for everything, though it often seems simpler to pop a pill than to make lifestyle changes.
  4. Research over-the-counter alternatives to the prescription medication you’re on now.  OTC drugs can be stockpiled much more easily than prescription drugs.  Excellent OTC meds that could easily be substituted for certain prescription medications include Prilosec OTC, Prevacid, ranitidine, topical antifungals, meclizine, Azo, naproxen sodium, ibuprofen, cetirizine, diphenhydramine, bacitracin, and pseudoephedrine, among others.  Asthmatics may want to purchase Primatene Mist (which may be unavailable after 12/31/11) for emergency use in case their albuterol runs out.  Anyone taking Plavix should have a back-up supply of aspirin. Don’t forget to ask your physician if an OTC might substitute for your prescription medication.
  5. Consider substituting an older drug for a newer medication too expensive to stockpile.  Since your insurance will not cover medications beyond three months in advance, how will you afford them (assuming your doctor is willing to prescribe them)? Many of these drugs are $200 a month, which most people find unaffordable.  Though not every drug has a $4/month alternative, many of them do so, or at least a generic form that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg.
  6. Ask your doctor about vaccines that may improve your condition or prevent future problems.  Anyone with a heart, lung, or immune problem should certainly have a pneumonia vaccine and the newer TDAP vaccine, which includes a booster for pertussis (whooping cough).  Though the annual flu vaccine is aimed at the current year’s expected strain, there is also a cumulative effect, so receiving the vaccine annually may help not only in the short run, but in the long run as well.  Consider vaccines to hepatitis A and B if you haven’t yet had them. Also, make sure your family is up-to-date on their own immunizations, for their personal protection as well as your own.  Infections uncommon today will re-emerge when the number of unvaccinated individuals increases.   
  7. Seek a permanent remedy now if one is available.  Atrial fibrillation patients may want to consider radioablation.  Spinal stenosis sufferers may choose to undergo surgery now, while it is an option.  It only makes sense for every asthma and COPD patient to quit smoking immediately.  Hyperthyroid patients may want to consider surgery or radioactive iodine treatment sooner rather than later.  Physical therapy (or manipulation under anesthesia) may resolve a frozen shoulder that otherwise might plague you the rest of your life.  Allergy desensitization shots may enable you to get off allergy or asthma medications altogether. If you suffer from any chronic condition, ask your doctor if a cure exists, no matter how involved.
  8. Acquire supplies you may need in the future.  A COPD patient should consider purchasing a nebulizer.  An arthritis or back pain sufferer may be wise to find a used wheelchair or walker.  A diabetic may want to buy additional needles and lancets for future use.  Think about your environment and what accommodations you would need if electricity, heat, light, or running water were unavailable.
  9. Try a dry run.  Ask your physician if it would be safe for you to do without your medication while being monitored medically.  Do not try this on your own!  As a COPD patient, do you really need three inhalers, or would a single inhaler work as well?  If so, which one? Can you monitor yourself using a peak flow meter? As a heart patient, will you develop chest pain or become short of breath without nitroglycerin? For back pain or arthritis patients, since doctors won’t prescribe a lifetime supply of narcotics, can you get off them now or try an alternate therapy?  For thyroid patients, will your TSH climb 10 points or 100 if you discontinue your medication? Don’t try this experiment without your doctor’s approval and understanding, but do express your concerns.  The doctors I know don’t envision the world as a permanently stable environment.  Your questions may take additional time with your physician, so make the receptionist aware when you schedule.  Please don’t tack these questions on as your doctor is heading for the door.  Your doctor will feel rushed and the questions won’t receive the attention they deserve.
  10. Consult with a fellow prepper health professional, or perhaps a seasoned physician.  Treatments come and go, and newer is not always better.  Older treatments (such as Armour thyroid) do work, but may require a modified approach for optimum treatment.  Switching now, when monitoring is readily available, may be easier than later, when guesswork will replace laboratory testing. Younger doctors may have head knowledge but no practical knowledge of older treatments.  A retired physician may be a gold mine of information.

Pat’s Product Review: Benchmade Auto Stryker 9101

Right off the bat, I’ll tell you, I like tanto point knives, for some strange reason. Maybe its because of that secondary cutting edge, or maybe its just the cool-factor. What we have here for review is the new and improved Benchmade Stryker automatic folder, Model 9101. For those of you in free states, where you can legally own an automatic knife, this one is worth looking at. If you live in a state that won’t allow an automatic knife, then Benchmade has several manual opening folders in the Stryker line-up as well.  

The new Auto Stryker incorporates a larger and stronger locking button, open back spacer design for easier maintenance, and increased spring force. Personally, I never found the original Stryker lacking in anything – but sometimes improvements are warranted. the blade material is 154 CM – which is one of my favorites. The aluminum handles are black anodized, with a tip-up pocket clip that is reversible from one side to the other. There is also a sliding safety on the top of the handle – it locks the blade in the closed or open position – I’ve never used the safety. The blade is 3.60″ long – which is about perfect for a folder to be carried for self-defense and utility work. Weight of the Stryker is only 4.20-oz.   You can have the Benchmade Stryker with a plain edge, or a partially serrated edge – the choice is yours. I find that a partially serrated blade has more utility use than a plain edge does – just my two cents worth. There is also a lanyard hole in the butt of the handle, and I find these useful if you are operating over water – you don’t want to drop your knife and have it lost, when it might be needed the most.  

Now, I’m not advocating bringing a knife to a gun fight – that’s foolishness. However, there are still some areas of the country where you can’t legally carry a handgun for self-defense, but you can carry a folding knife. And, believe me, a knife is better than a sharpened stick or a rock any day of the week. Over the years, in my martial arts classes, I’ve taught knife-fighting to my advanced students, and they found it very difficult to defend against a knife attack – and these were trained martial artist. So, they know the effectiveness of using a knife, even a small folding knife for self-defense.   Benchmade warrants the Stryker for your lifetime against defects in material and workmanship. the Auto Stryker doesn’t come cheap – then again, quality never comes cheap if you buy junk, you end up buying junk several times over. When you buy quality, you only have to buy it once. The Auto Striker from Benchmade retails for $250.

Letter Re: U.S. Treasury Seeks Input on New Coinage Compositions

Mr. Rawles,  
The U.S. Treasury has announced that it is seeking public comment on revised compositions for U.S. coinage. They are seeking comments from us mere citizens about what we think of changing the metal content of coins to even cheaper metals than the copper, zinc and nickel currently used.  I think that all Survival Blog readers should comment – let the Treasury and the rest of The Powers That Be know that we don’t like how they’ve already debased our currency, and we don’t want them to do it to an even greater extent.  

Of course, the Treasury will have to either change the content or change the stated value of the coins (or do away with them altogether). As you know they are already losing money just on the metal content of the nickels, and [the currently-produced copper-plated zinc] pennies aren’t far behind.  The rest are profitable, but less so than if they used low-grade stainless steel or aluminum.  Maybe nickels will use 5% nickel on the surface, just for show (like the Potemkin Village that is our economy) and aluminum or whatever underneath.  

It is just so sad and so aggravating to see our nation’s wealth disappear right before our eyes, but that is just a reflection of the deterioration of our values over the last 50 or 75 years.  Our currency is faith-based, and our word literally isn’t worth the paper it is printed on any more, so of course they can’t continue to make nickels out of nickel, let alone use copper for pennies and silver for dimes and above, any more. – Paul W.

JWR Replies: In 1964, nearly all U.S. silver coins were replaced by silver-plated copper slugs. Soon after, paper Federal Reserve Notes (so-called “dollars”) were no longer officially redeemable for silver. Since that time U.S. currency has been pure fiat–nothing but an empty promise. It can be exchanged by the government, but only for other worthless tokens–not for genuine specie. Author Boston T. Party summed this up well when he described the Federal Reserve Note as an “I.O.U. Nothing“.

To reflect the true value of the U.S. Dollar, I suggest that henceforth all U.S. coinage be made of plastic or aluminum. That way, they will be conveniently recyclable when the U.S. Dollar inevitably becomes worthless via mass inflation. That might spare the government the shame of the seeing its currency and coinage littering the streets.

SurvivalBlog’s Michael Z. Williamson wrote to mention that the editor of The Don’t Tread On Me blog humorously suggested that the U.S. Mint begin issuing Chuck E. Cheese tokens, in this missive: In Pizza We Trust.

Here is a footnote to this tale of monetary woe, courtesy of AskDefine.com: “On April 2, 1792 Alexander Hamilton, then the Secretary of the Treasury, made a report to congress that [was] the result of his task to scientifically determine the amount of silver in the Spanish Milled Dollar coins that were then in current use by the people. As a result of this report, the Dollar was defined (See the Act of April 2, A.D. 1792 of the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, Section 9) as a unit of measure of 371 4/16th grains of pure silver or 416 grains of standard silver. (Standard silver being defined as 1,485 parts fine silver to 179 parts alloy; See Section 13 of the Act.)”.

I’ve said it before: Stock up on nickels now, before their composition changes. Your children will be glad that you did.

Letter Re: The Real Value of the U.S. Dollar

Dear Mr. Rawles

The Inherent Value of U.S. Paper Currency I have recently decided to obey the law–Gresham’s Law and start converting my paper dollars into “Golden Dollars” including the Sacagawea and Presidential Dollars as well as into the Kennedy Half Dollar. I am mostly doing this for symbolic reasons but I have found that it is a way to get people to talk casually about concepts like inflation, fiat currency and fiscal policy without scaring them off. A US dollar weighs 1 gram, on average. From Earth Works Recycling‘s web page we find that paper is worth between 0 cents per pound for white paper to 1 cent for phone book paper to 2-¼ cents for newspaper. Being generous let’s assume that your US currency is worth the price of newspaper. There are 453.59237 grams in each pound. That means that each dollar is worth .00496 cents or 4.96 X 10-5 dollars. Or looked at another way it would take 20,139 dollars to be worth a dollar. Compared to this, according to Coinflation.com each Golden Dollar is worth 7.3 cents. The inherent worth of a Golden Dollar is 1,472 times more than a paper dollar. Don’t even get me started on silver. In closing, to paraphrase the American Express ad: “Worth of a Dollar… 4.96 X 10-5 dollars… Cost of preparedness… priceless.” – Mr. Bennington

JWR Replies: As I’ve mentioned several times in SurvivalBlog since early 2006, I recommend stockpiling U.S. five cent pieces (“Nickels”) as a hedge on inflation. Unlike the Sacagawea Dollar that has a base metal value of less 1/10th of the coin’s face value, a nickel a base metal value of around 6.7 cents. (135% of face value.) Whenever you can obtain a circulating coin with that much genuine value at face value, then it is worth stocking up.

Mass inflation is coming, folks! Get prepared.

Letter Re: Advice on Classic Books for Homeschooling

Mr. Rawles,
This is in response to Paula S.’s recent letter requesting information on classic books for homeschooling. I just returned from a homeschool convention in Memphis where I was introduced to Memoria Press. They have curricula for parents interesting in providing their children with a classical education. I have looked at the early elementary sets–they include books for the kids to read aloud and other books to be read aloud to the children. You do not have to buy their material to see the list of books that they use–the lists are posted on their web site under each curriculum description.

Sonlight is another homeschool curriculum that relies heavily on “living books” for the student’s education. You can find all of the books that they use listed on their web site. They offer a free catalog which is filled with useful information.

For history, there is a series called Story of the World by Susan Wise Bauer which has four volumes and is designed to be read initially in Grades 1-4 and then repeated in middle school and high school with the addition of classic books in the middle and upper grades. Story of the World is appealing because it teaches history in chronological order from ancient times to present day. You can find these books on Amazon or at the publisher’s web site.

I hope you find some of this useful. – Leigh C.

 

Captain Rawles:
A couple quick recommendations for books:

I highly recommend “The Story of the World” by Susan Wise Bauer for kids of all ages. We’ve been using this to teach our kids for years. Fascinating for adults and young kids alike. There are audio books, activity books, etc… very comprehensive and easy to comprehend but the stories are not just about America, though it does cover modern times including the United States. Even my youngest will spout out knowledge about world history that most adults don’t know. The books do get some criticism for a lack of distinction between legend and fact. In my opinion, this is something easily dealt with by a simple discussion with the kids about the material. Teaching logic and critical thinking won’t hurt either.

A People’s History of the United States by Howard Zinn is also very thorough, although not for younger readers.

Thanks for all your hard work, – Matt B.

Odds ‘n Sods:

Nicole W. was the first of several readers to send this piece: US farmers fear the return of the Dust Bowl: For years the Ogallala Aquifer, the world’s largest underground body of fresh water, has irrigated thousands of square miles of American farmland. Now it is running dry

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Chad S. sent this piece datelined Worchester, Massachusetts: 2,000 rounds of ammo found during traffic stop. Oh, my goodness! They nailed this bad man with “…four counts of possession of a large capacity feeding device, and possession of ammunition without a Firearm Identification Card.” Cue the wailing, teeth-gnashing, and hand-wringing. I wish that hoplophobes would get real about guns and ammunition. They are obviously from an alternate universe. (The one where Earth’s axis is located at a university campus in Stevens Point, Wisconsin.) I’ve determined that it is not just the ownership of guns by their neighbors that bothers gun haters–it is the numbers. The last time I checked, it was impossible for an individual to shoot more than two guns at a time. (Inaccurately, at that, without lots of practice.) So what difference does it make if someone owns two guns, or two hundred? Does owning a dozen boom sticks somehow make someone evil? (More evil? “Eviler?”) And since when did a small gun collection become an “arms cache”, and a moderate-size gun collection–or anything more than an armload of ammunition–become an “arsenal”? If you include all of the .22 rimfire my kids go through, 2,000 rounds of ammo represents just a two or three week supply for my family or perhaps enough for a three-day weekend. And I’ve been known to buy twice that much ammo in just one gun show trip. Its a good thing that the Taxachussetts officials don’t have any jurisdiction here in The Un-Named Western State (TUWS). If they pulled me over they might suffer a fit of apoplexy and brand me as a one-man crime wave.

   o o o

Meanwhile, ‘Ol Remus spotted this news headline of abject horror from Across The Pond: .22 bullet found in Fossgate, York. (Here in TUWS, nobody would blink any eye unless the ammo was .50 BMG, or larger. And even then, after picking it up, the first question asked would be: “Now where am I going to find a gun to shoot this?”)

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Reader N.R.V. sent a link to an alarming video about the Islamazation of France, produced in 2010.

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Millions Without Food, Water, Power After Quake Ravages Japan. (Thanks to M.E.W. for the link.)

Note from JWR:

All eyes are on Japan! I just got a link to video of explosion at Fukushima nuclear plant. The Japanese nuclear experts’ conclusion: Meltdown Caused Nuke Plant Explosion. I don’t expect many radio-isotopes to make it to the continental United States, but just in case: Keep your potassium iodate or iodide handy, buy some dehydrated milk, and keep track of radiation levels. Pray hard, folks!

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Today we present another two entries for Round 33 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize: A.) 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 B.) Two cases of Alpine Aire freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $400 value.) C.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $275 value), D.) A 250 round case of 12 Gauge Hornady TAP FPD 2-3/4″ OO buckshot ammo, courtesy of Sunflower Ammo (a $240 value), and E.) An M17 medical kit from JRH Enterprises (a $179.95 value).

Second Prize: A.) A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol. It is a $439 value courtesy of Next Level Training. B.) 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, C.) A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials, and D.) two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).

Third Prize: A.) A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21. (This filter system is a $275 value.) , and B.) Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy. This is a $185 retail value.

Round 33 ends on March 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that articles that relate practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Preparing for the Inevitable Collapse of Society–The Birth of a Prepper, by D.C.

I’m not a skilled writer but I’d like to share my story. I’m currently 35 yrs old and am located in the upper Midwest. There’s no real threat where I live of flooding, hurricanes, forest fires, or earthquakes. My only major concern is a food crisis brought on by a hyperinflation of the dollar, nuclear EMP or a solar flare catastrophe.

I work an average of 50 hours per week at a factory. My pay is meager. However – I don’t waste money like most people do (cell phones, cable/satellite, full coverage car payments, dining out, etc, etc)  and so I have the extra money to do the things that I do. I’m married with four children and also have my widowed mother.

Until about 5 or 6 years ago I had never managed to accumulate much in life, living paycheck to paycheck. This was because of my spending habits and lack of concern of the future. I never prepared for Y2K basically because I didn’t believe it. On September 12, 2001 I did however spend about $600 at our local discount grocery. As I was loading up the shopping-cart I wondered why there was nobody else doing the same. I bought canned fruits, canned vegetables, and canned jack mackerel. $600 dollars worth. It took me years to eat all that food. I finally polished of the last few cans in late 2006. That was interesting. 

Then sometime in 2007 I happened upon an informational video by Ross Perot. Indisputable facts that we’re screwed. I must stress that. The facts presented in the video are indisputable. There’s no hype, no fancy footage, no opinions, no political finger-pointing, no drama. Just dry monotonous facts. But it was the tipping point in my life when I realized that I had to begin to prepare for the inevitable collapse of society.

I began by first studying food shelf life. And calculating costs. One of the first things that caught my attention was botulism. Which actually doesn’t concern me much anymore but it did at the time. I also happened upon Grand-Pappy’s “How To Survive Hard Times” and the Survival Acres web site.

I began buying #10 cans and 6 gallon buckets of dehydrated foods from Survival Acres (Everything. Beans, rice, flour, sugar, you name it). I bought a hundred pounds of non-dehydrated canned cheddar cheese from The Internet Grocer. However their canned meat prices weren’t as competitive as their canned cheese, at the time. After many, many days of Internet research I realized it was cheapest just to buy these canned meats from your local grocery store or nearest cannery (non-dehydrated canned pork, beef, etc). We drove 2.5  hours to the nearest cannery. Canned “Treet” is cheapest at your local discount grocery store. To purchase it in bulk you’ll have to special order from the manager. I want to give credit to Emergency Essentials for their reasonably priced canned freeze-dried meats. My most recent purchase was from Costco. I bought their four-person One-year Supply of canned dehydrated food. And I bought 48 lbs canned clarified butter (ghee) from Camping Survival. Also, I have found no other more convenient source for bulk sugar than Wal-Mart. Just buy a heaping grocery-cart full of bags, wrap it all in a couple of garbage bags and keep it in large storage containers. I found all of those items at Wal-Mart.

 As I said in the beginning, I work 50+ hours a week and have little time for self-preparing my own preserved foods. Cheaper it may be but honestly who has the time? I also should mention that I’m one of those preppers stuck in the suburbs. I have no bug-out option. Below is a list of my current emergency provisions. I’ve estimated this to be about an 1 year supply for 14 people. Or a 6 month supply for 28. (or a 3 month supply for 56). Should there be a nuclear attack and nuclear fall-out, considering that nuclear fallout has a half-life of 80 days, then i imagine that i could ration this food and feed over a hundred people for that amount of time. Lack of water would be the problem in that type of scenario. God help us.

I purchased the Treet because it is an inexpensive canned meat. I reason that I can make “ham & beans” with it, or “dirty rice”. Treet has added preservatives so it’s my hope that this will extend it’s shelf-life. The canned cheese is mainly a comfort food. The imitation maple syrup flavoring is obviously to make pancake syrup. The TVP wasn’t my choice. It came with the 4-person One-year Supply. It could be saved for last or reserved for barter. I bought the toothpaste at an auction.

I also bought about 200 boxes of nicotine gum from the same auction. I regret the purchase of dehydrated peanut butter. The shelf-life is reportedly only 5 years. It’s intention was for peanut butter brownies or bread. You’ll notice that it would appear that I have an insufficient supply of salt (considering that salt is imported). However, the  chicken/beef bouillon is mostly salt. Which gives me nearly 75 pounds of salt.

The regular unleaded gas is intended for cooking purposes only. The air-rifles are reserved for hunting small game, if possible. They’re nearly silent when fired compared to a real rifle. The amoxicillin tablets were purchased from a pet supply web site. The antifungals were purchased mainly to treat rashes. If nobody is taken daily baths/showers then perhaps this would be a wise thing to have around. (vaginal antifungal creams are excellent for diaper rashes, fungal skin rashes, jock-itch, athletes foot, and the like). The menthol extract was bought on eBay. Crystalized menthol is nothing more than mint extract. Mint has been used by humans for thousands of years and it’s medical uses are countless.

Here are my current provisions:

(non-dehydrated) 270 lbs canned – Treet 163 lbs canned – chicken 126 lbs canned – hamburger   84 lbs canned – beef   84 lbs canned – pork   60 lbs canned – seafoods 100 lbs canned – cheddar cheese   48 lbs canned – clarified butter (ghee)

(freeze-dried)   25 lbs canned freeze dried – beef   25 lbs canned freeze dried – chicken   58 lbs canned freeze dried – sweet peas   10 lbs canned freeze dried – broccoli     2 lbs canned freeze dried – pineapple     4 lbs canned freeze dried – mushrooms   12  oz canned freeze dried – blueberries   12  oz canned freeze dried – blackberries

(TVPs) 27 lb canned – bacon TVP 30 lb canned – beef TVP 25 lb canned – chicken TVP 10 lb canned – taco TVP   7 lb canned – sausage TVP   7 lb canned – ham TVP   7 lb canned – sloppy joe TVP

(dehydrated)* 123 lbs canned powdered – milk   80 lbs canned powdered – eggs   41 lbs canned powdered – butter   39 lbs canned dehydrated – potato flakes   20 lbs canned dehydrated – potato slices   80 lbs canned dehydrated – potato dices   90 lbs canned dehydrated – potato granules     9 lbs canned dehydrated – sweet potato   46 lbs canned dehydrated – onion   58 lbs canned dehydrated – carrots   24 lbs canned dehydrated – split peas     6 lbs canned dehydrated – celery   20  oz canned dehydrated – bell peppers   50 lbs canned dehydrated – sweet corn   75 lbs canned dehydrated – great northern beans   45 lbs canned dehydrated – pinto beans   21 lbs canned dehydrated – refried beans   24 lbs canned dehydrated – kidney beans   21 lbs canned dehydrated – small red beans   22 lbs canned dehydrated – black beans   10 lbs canned dehydrated – lima beans   33 lbs canned dehydrated – lentils 185 lbs canned dehydrated – egg noodles   68 lbs canned dehydrated – macaroni   35 lbs canned dehydrated – spaghetti 332 lbs canned dehydrated – rice 200 lbs canned dehydrated – hard wheat   18 lbs canned dehydrated – wheat cereal   18 lbs canned dehydrated – cracked cereal   24 lbs canned dehydrated – barley   30 lbs canned dehydrated – oats   31 lbs canned dehydrated – banana slices   19 lbs canned dehydrated – apple slices   10 lbs canned dehydrated – apple chips   17 lbs canned dehydrated – apple sauce     3 lbs canned dehydrated – strawberries     3 lbs canned dehydrated – raspberries     8 lbs canned – imitation blueberry nuggets   18 lbs canned dehydrated – peanut butter   78 lbs canned dehydrated – fruit drink   26 lbs canned dehydrated – chocolate drink 400 lbs canned – flour   94 lbs canned – cornmeal 200 lbs canned – instant pancake mix   47 lbs canned – whole grain pancake mix   20 lbs canned – brownie mix     6 lbs canned powdered – cheddar cheese   26 lbs canned powdered – cheese blend     6 lbs canned powdered – baking cocoa     9 lbs canned – baking powder   64 lbs canned – baking soda   24 lbs canned – beef bouillon   30 lbs canned – chicken bouillon   20 lbs canned – salt 500 lbs canned – white sugar 233 lbs canned – brown sugar   48 lbs canned – tomato powder     3 lbs canned – chili powder     6 lbs canned – garlic powder     4 lbs canned – black pepper     2 lbs canned – cinnamon   10 lbs canned – coffee     8  oz  pure vanilla extract     1 gallon imitation maple syrup flavoring   10 lbs Jello instant banana pudding 200 packs of Kool-Aid   *some items are not canned, they’re in buckets.

Gear:
1 cast-iron dutch oven     1 Coleman portable camp oven     3 Thermos type thermal cookers (available @ homedepot.com)     3 Coleman dual fuel single burner camping stove   35 gallons Coleman cooking fuel (white gas)   80 gallons regular unleaded gas   20 gallons kerosene     5 emergency kerosene lanterns   50 lantern wicks   75 large candles     2 emergency flashlights 250 disposable lighters      3 buck saws      2 two-man lumber saws

Archery, fishing gear, 3 semi-automatic rifles 3 tactical shotguns 3 semi-automatic handguns 6,000 rounds ammunition 2 spring piston air-rifles 2,000 air-rifle pellets

12  economy size buckets of detergent     2  gallons bleach     6 large bottles isopropyl alcohol     6 large bottles hydrogen peroxide   50  tubes toothpaste     1  big berkey  water filter w/ 8 extra ceramic filters   70  bottles migraine headache tablets   12  bottles amoxicillin tablets   12 suture needles   10 boxes Nyquil   10 boxes antihistamines     5 cans antifungal sprays     5 boxes vaginal antifungals     3 bottles antifungal powders   10 jars petroleum jelly     1 lb pure crystalized menthol extract   25 cans mosquito repellent 200 boxes nicotine gum 300 gallons distilled water    

120 ounces silver   10 ounces gold (fractional)

My home is paid for.

If need be I will take in select friends and extended family so that together we can defend our liberties. I will never allow an unconstitutional search of my home. Nor a forced evacuation.

I intend to Live Free – or Die Trying.

Herbal Medicine for Preppers, by Chris S.

Being able to take care of our own medical conditions is very important. Sometimes we can’t get to a doctor, can’t afford it or perhaps there will be a breakdown and there are no doctors available. I’ve found it invaluable to know what to do on my own when out on backpacking trips and an injury or sickness shows up.

In cases like this having a good knowledge of herbal medicine and having a few things on hand can mean the difference between agony and wellness or even life and death. I’ve used herbal medicine for over 20 years for livestock and pets as well as friends and family members. Having children around has provided plenty of opportunity for using herbs whether it’s a scrape that’s bleeding or accidentally eating something poisonous from the cupboard, not to mention a few colds, headaches, bruises and broken bones.

Living on a farm with livestock has also been an education. In the years I have used herbs I have never had to call in the veterinarian, everything encountered has been treatable with herbs and there have been many notable successes to prove the effectiveness.

This is a basic overview of the herbs and formulas I use regularly. It’s not intended to be a complete course in herbal medicine. I do not have all the answers, I just have a small amount of experience that may help someone someday. These are basics, I have used many things that work wonderfully but I find myself grabbing these basic things most often and am sure that if I had these few herbs on hand I wouldn’t be completely helpless, in fact, I feel incredibly rich. With that said, here’s the favorites from my herbal medicine bag.

Fresh Garlic
One of the few herbs that I use almost exclusively fresh. Freezes well too. One of my favorite antibiotics, illnesses and parasites just can’t bear to stick around when you are taking lots of garlic. For ear infections I make a garlic oil by soaking crushed fresh garlic cloves in olive oil, leaving in a warm place for 24-36 hours. Applied by dropper into the ears and held in place with cotton this has always worked for my family. Garlic works through the combination of chemicals in the plant that when combined work effectively. The goal is to combine them, and this is best done with fresh garlic. As distasteful as it may be the most effective way to use garlic internally is to chew up whole fresh cloves. Swallowing them (chopped to a manageable size) is a close second. Garlic products like pills and powders are okay but I prefer fresh. Garlic taken internally is a must as well to help fight infection.

Fresh Onions
For a bad bruise there’s nothing better. Simply slice a thin piece of onion to cover the bruise and tape it on the bruised area as soon after the injury as possible. I’ve used this many times when one of the children runs in crying after being smashed up and with the onion slice in place they are soon out running around like nothing had happened, no bruise. For tender skin I will put a little olive oil on the area before the onion as this helps keep strong onions from burning the skin.

Powdered Charcoal
Do not be caught without a good supply of finely powdered charcoal. Fifty pounds would not be too much, it’s free so there’s no reason not to have plenty. You can buy activated charcoal for some absurd amount of money in small containers but the stuff you can make yourself works just fine, I’ve saved many of my livestock that managed to eat something poisonous with it. Powdered charcoal has a mechanical action, it’s not some miracle thing, it just has microscopic pores that somehow absorb immense amounts of poisons and hold it fast. I use it internally and externally. Internally for any ingested poison, for instance, when my dog eats the rat poison, or externally for things like snakebite or spider bite. For cases of blood poisoning I clean the wound and keep a charcoal poultice on the area 24 hours a day until the red line is gone. This has worked well for everyone I have used it on.

Making charcoal is easy, simply make a nice hot fire with clean hardwood, willow is very good but most any other non resinous hardwood will work fine. Don’t use old barn boards or treated lumber. Once the wood chunks are red coals use tongs or something as effective to place the coals in an airtight and fireproof container, a metal can with a tight lid works good. Leave this filled with the coals and sealed as well as practical in the fire, adding more wood to keep the fire burning fairly well. The coals will not turn to ashes in the can because there is no air for them to burn. After the fire has died down, usually an hour or so, I take them out and let cool. Once cool I grind it all up to powder in a blender. The finer the powder the better. Be forewarned, this makes a terrific mess.

Cayenne
My number one herb. Stops bleeding, heart attacks (almost instantly) and shock. A couple of pinches of cayenne powder in a glass of water will almost always stop a bloody nose, you have to drink the cayenne water though. I’ve had kids balk, thinking it will burn, it won’t. I’ve tried it too many times and I know there’s no burning.

Raspberry Leaves
I keep some raspberry leaves on hand, especially when I travel, if I feel like I might be getting a cold or flu I have a few cups of strong raspberry leaf tea and usually this takes care of things.

Yarrow
Yarrow works like the raspberry leaf, I like the taste better. Adding a little honey to a cup of yarrow tea makes a really nice drink and it’s really good for you too.

Ginger
I like ginger tincture for motion sickness but the powder is good for adding to a hot bath. A hot ginger bath taken when sick really helps and increases the circulation quickly to help the body cleanse toxins and fight infection. Good for frostbite, colds, flu etc. Just beware, it’s rather aggressive on delicate skin and can burn. If taking a ginger bath you would do well to cover delicate areas with Vaseline.

Slippery Elm
Thank God for Slippery Elm bark! It has so many uses, for people that can’t keep food down a slippery elm gruel (powder mixed with enough water to make something like oatmeal) will usually stay down and is extremely nourishing, you can live for a long time on nothing but slippery elm bark and water. For deep wounds, large gashes or bullet wounds packing the wound and area with slippery elm bark powder mixed with water to make a paste will heal things up nicely. Don’t remove, just keep adding and keep moist by covering with a bandage and some plastic. You can moisten the dressing with comfrey tea for even better effect. I also like adding a little marshmallow root powder and/or comfrey root powder to the slippery elm for a stronger effect. Often this will heal so well there will be no scar, I have proven this on myself but it’s hard to convince people because there’s no scar to show how bad the injury was.

Comfrey
One of God’s healing gifts. I plant comfrey everywhere because I never want to be without it. The leaf and roots have the same properties but the root is stronger. I’ve used it on cuts, burns, broken bones, sprains, etc. Comfrey is also a highly nutritious feed for livestock and will help build strong bones. I feed it to my horses.

Alfalfa
Highly nutritious. When there’s been a lot of bleeding I give lots of alfalfa to help build back up. It does thin the blood a little so wait until after the bleeding stops!

Kelp
Extremely nutritious, high in all kinds of minerals the body needs for health and for growing. I feed it to my livestock and there’s a very noticeable improvement in their health and energy. When food is scarce or poor quality I’ll be supplementing with kelp and alfalfa. A side benefit is that kelp is extremely high in usable iodine and works well as an inexpensive substitute for potassium iodide during a nuclear incident.

Yellow Dock
High in iron and highly nutritious. I use it when I need a blood builder or for anemia.

Beets
High in iron and other blood building nutrients. For cases where a blood transfusion is needed but unavailable a daily dose of beet juice, carrot juice, wheat grass juice, alfalfa juice, comfrey juice, bee pollen and slippery elm will often work instead to help the person recover without the transfusion.

Marshmallow
I would venture to guess that in a time where the access to good medical care is unavailable and life perhaps is more dangerous with more chance of gunshot wounds or stepping on a nail, gangrene will be more common than it is now and we will be glad to know what to do with it. Doctors usually cut off parts of the body afflicted with gangrene, I have a better solution. Soak the area in a very strong tea of marshmallow 12 hours a day until all traces of gangrene are gone. For instance, if a leg or foot were affected I would use a steel barrel (clean) over a fire to make an immense batch of marshmallow tea. Keeping it warm, soak in the barrel as long as it takes, usually not much more than a few days. If you can’t get that much marshmallow you can use hollyhocks, which are from the same family. Another use for marshmallow is as a milk replacer substitute. When I was many years younger I raised three orphan lambs on a milk replacer made of slippery elm and marshmallow powder mixed with warm water until it would just barely go through the bottle nipple and a trace of kelp. When it was available I would add as much goat milk as I could in place of the water but it wasn’t always on hand. The lambs grew into some of my finest animals and won many trophies at the fairs.

Nettles
High in nutrients, good for when the food supplies are poor. Also great for allergies believe it or not.

Chaparral
When I need a strong blood cleanser I reach for the chaparral. Not only does it help purify the blood but it cleanses the liver as well as fights internal parasites and is an antibiotic. For regular body maintenance when conditions are less than we could wish for or for helping with infections.

Tinctures

Cayenne
If I could only grab one thing cayenne would be it. For stopping bleeding there’s not much that will work better. For bleeding I like to use the tincture internally and powder topically at the same time but you can use a teaspoon or more of the powder in a glass of water internally if you don’t have tincture. Cayenne evens out and stabilizes the blood pressure and once you have used it will be amazed at how well the bleeding stops, from nose bleeds to large gashes it works great and doesn’t burn like most people think it would. Also there’s nothing better for shock, a real stout dose internally for someone that is in shock will really help them pull through. Also works for heart attacks, while I’ve never had one myself if I thought I might be having one I would drink a half bottle of cayenne tincture immediately, then take more throughout the day. I have heard from people with experience that this works but I hope I never have to try it out.

Lobelia
If I had to pick only two tinctures that I could take with me the easy choice would be cayenne and lobelia. Lobelia is a lifesaver, and I mean that literally. In large doses (tablespoons) it causes vomiting, which can be useful in cases of poisoning. In smaller doses ( 5-10 drops) it stops spasms, such as cramps, seizures, involuntary muscle contractions. It’s also very effective at opening the bronchial tubes so when a child has croup or bronchitis I reach for the lobelia tincture.

Raspberry Leaf
Helps with making childbirth go much easier, at least that’s what I’ve been told by the women that have used it, being a guy I haven’t tried it myself. Also works great for anything I would use yarrow for.

Yarrow
I use yarrow constantly. Colds, flu, stomachache, headache. You name it, I grab the yarrow. Ginger About ten minutes after I get in a small airplane I am beginning to turn green and dizzy. Motion sickness is no fun but when I have a bottle of ginger in my pocket I don’t worry.

Elderberry
Cold? Flu? Along with garlic Elderberry works great. Alone it works great too but I like using garlic with it. Shepherds Purse Here’s a great one for putting a stop to excessive bleeding/hemorrhaging. Good in childbirth for instance.

Red Clover
A strong blood cleanser and blood thinner. Works good to help remove toxins in the blood, just remember your blood will not clot as well as usual. I made the mistake one time of castrating a bull calf that had been grazing on a rich clover pasture. He bled like a faucet.

Black Walnut
An extremely effective fungicide and vermifuge that I use for keeping my livestock free of internal parasites and problem fungus. I’ve used it just as effectively on people. Is also is a very effective dark brown stain so don’t be surprised if when you use it, for instance on fungus on your feet, you have brown skin for a while.

Parsley Root
Urinary tract problems? Anyone that has experienced this will appreciate parsley root.

Yellow Dock
Has a good quality Iron, easily used by the body. With a lot of bleeding for instance you might be glad to get a little boost to your iron levels to help recover. Also good when you feel tired all the time. Echinacea I use to turbocharge the immune system. Works good for things like spider bites too. One warning, I don’t suggest using more than two weeks at a time because the effectiveness wears off.

Usnea
Usnea is a parasitic plant that grows on trees in wet climates. Being an extremely powerful antibiotic it’s one very useful tincture to keep on hand and in your BOB. In my experience it’s more powerful than penicillin, cheaper too if you collect it yourself and make the tincture. Years ago I had a sheep with a retained afterbirth that had become infected. This usually results in death, and being one of my favorite ewes I reacted, probably overdoing things a bit but the ewe was completely recovered the next morning. First I manually cleaned out the afterbirth, then gave her via syringe and tube a large dose of raspberry leaf tincture to help her body clean out what I could not. Then I gave her several large syringes full of usnea tincture made with vodka. This resulted in the first intoxicated sheep I have ever met. Despite the obvious overdose she quickly recovered and the infection (which was serious by the time I found her) was gone.

Catnip and Fennel Mixture
Especially with a baby around, this can be a real favorite. A baby with colic or indigestion, screaming half the night can be a real miserable proposition for both baby and family and if life isn’t normal this could happen more often due to various upsets. A few drops of catnip and fennel tincture (or tea if you prefer, works well, just not as easy to carry in your pocket) has always worked for my family.

Preparations

Herbal formula for internal parasites
A tincture made of black walnut hulls, wormwood and cloves is excellent for getting rid of internal parasites. I’ve used it on people and animals with great success. Taking large amounts of fresh garlic along with this tincture has proven to be even more effective as not many creatures want to stick around when you smell like garlic.

Powdered pool chlorine
A little of this goes a very long way. You’ll need it for making a bleach solution which will come in handy for disinfecting. I suspect there will be plenty of applications.

Plantain and Chickweed Salve Made by gently melting beeswax and olive oil and steeping the dried herbs in this for several hours. The proportions of oil and wax determine how hard the salve is, you will need to experiment to see what works for you. I use it for any itching problems, healing skin ailments, bee stings, bug bites, etc.

Clove Oil
Ever have a toothache? Try getting a good nights sleep with one! At some point you will be willing to do just about anything to get a bit of relief and that’s when you will be thankful you put that bottle of clove oil in your bag. Put a dab of oil on your finger and put it on the gums around the affected tooth. In my experience the relief is very fast, the taste is a little overwhelming at first but you won’t care when you get the relief. It doesn’t last long so carry the bottle of oil in your pocket, ready for application whenever you need it. I recommend keeping several bottles on hand.

Making Tinctures
I’ve mentioned a long list of tinctures that I like to keep on hand but for some it can be too expensive to buy them all. Thankfully they are very easy to make yourself if you are so inclined. Here’s basic instructions for how I do it. I almost always use dry herbs. Fresh herbs can be used but their moisture content tends to dilute the alcohol a bit making it less potent. I like alcohol tinctures because they last virtually forever, never freeze in bad weather and are very effective as the alcohol can take the herbal properties into the system quickly. You take such a small dose that, unless you are giving insane doses like I did with the sheep, there’s no chance of intoxication, and tinctures taste so bad nobody would ever take more than needed accidentally. I use Vodka because it’s just alcohol, nothing added. I take the dried herb I plan on using and place it in the blender, cover with the Vodka, place the lid on the blender and blend until thoroughly incorporated. I then pour into a clean glass jar, put the lid on, label (very important) and place in a fairly warm place like the top of the refrigerator or by the wood stove for two weeks. Every time I go past or think about it I stop and give the jar a few shakes to stir things up a bit. You want to have enough alcohol to allow plenty of sloshing, not a mushy mass. After two weeks of this I strain into another clean jar, preferably dark glass, press out as much liquid from the herbs as possible, close up and label. That’s all there is to it. Since almost all tinctures look the same it’s extremely important to label them some way that won’t disappear with time and use.

Storage: Keep tinctures in dark glass containers. Cool is better but I’ve never had a tincture go bad even when stored in the car through hot summers and below zero winters. While there are many more herbs that I like to use these are the ones I grab the most. These, in a kit with some instructions would be a great addition to any bug out bag or car kit and for sure keep a supply at home.

Three Letters Re: The Earthquake in Japan and its Aftermath

Dear James,  
I just wanted to alert you to the possible impact of what is actually happening at Japan’s Fukushima nuclear power plant.  The grid has gone down, and it appears that the emergency diesel generators have failed.  There is apparently no off-site or on-site AC power.  This is very similar to the scenario that I outlined in my article posted last September in SurvivalBlog (except for the precipitating event for my article described an EMP event).  We have a potential disaster worse than Chernobyl in the making.   In fact, even the mainstream media is now taking note.  Here is a blog article from today on Forbes that describes the possible catastrophe in the making.   I hope that this will inspire some of the people who said “that could never happen” to sit up and take notice.  I hope that more people will “wake up” and start to prepare for what really COULD happen here.    Thanks again for all that you do.   Sincerely – B.Z.

James,
I just finished watching an NHK World video of the tsunami wave rolling across farmland in Sendai, Japan.

A few things jumped out at me as I looked at the smaller details:

Several cars can be seen stopping on the roadways, turning around and trying to flee in the opposite direction when the drivers see that the wave has engulfed the road in front of them.  In one case, a driver can be seen evacuating his car and attempting to outrun the wave on foot.  I lost count of the number of people who were running or driving 100 yards or less from the approaching wave.  It was a somber moment to realize that some of those people I saw were likely overtaken by the flood and perished.

As the wave tore down houses and farms, the announcer mentioned that the earthquake had hit just an hour and ten minutes prior.  I was reminded how quickly disaster can strike and shocked at how many souls were still standing there when the first waves hit.  This is in a country with some of the most sophisticated and expensive earthquake and tsunami preparations in the world, and still the mass of people disregarded the warnings.

I watched one scene where cars were lined up trying to navigate down a road, again with the wave rapidly approaching from the rear.  Many drivers simply waited in line for the cars ahead of them to move.  A few drivers wisely decided to ignore the local traffic laws at that moment and cut over into the oncoming lane which was devoid of traffic (who wants to drive toward a tsunami?)  Amazingly, many drivers just continued to wait in line while those behind moved to safety.

Lesson: Make your G.O.O.D. plans and execute them at the first hint of danger.  We all theoretically know how quickly situations can disintegrate, but these videos are proof.  I’d rather have to come home and unpack than to be helpless because I waited a whole hour to see how bad it would get.

It’s sad to see such loss of life and to know that so much could have been avoided. – JCW

 

Dear Mr. Rawles,
My phone rang sometime after 4 A.M. After rousing myself from bed I heard a message from the local sheriff recommending a voluntary evacuation due to incoming tsunami. I woke my wife. When I looked at the clock I discovered I had two minutes before the tsunami hit. Not enough time to get to higher ground. Thankfully,  in southern Alaska the tsunami was tiny. However, it was a literal and figurative wake-up call. If it had been more serious my family and I could have been swept out to sea. I calculated that I had 7 minutes from the time I heard the message to the tsunami’s impact.

My family was lucky. I do not plan to rely on luck again. Every family member will soon have a b.o.b. near the door. We will practice evacuation.  I plan to run several drills in the middle of the night. I was surprised how slowly I moved and how sluggish my thinking was at that time of day. I read survivalblog everyday, but I did not take concrete steps that are necessary to protect my family.  I write this to hopefully remind others that it is not enough to know what to do in a disaster you must practice and have your gear readily accessible. You never know when the time will come for you to grab what is available and flee. Thanks, – T.A. in Southern Alaska