Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 27 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round will 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 between $500 and $600, and B.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees, in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $392 value.) C.) A HAZARiD Decontamination Kit from Safecastle.com. (A $350 value.), and D.) A 500 round case of Fiocchi 9mm Luger, 124gr. Hornady XTP/HP ammo, courtesy of Sunflower Ammo. This is a $249 value.

Second Prize: 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 $350.

Third Prize: A copy of my “Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course, from Arbogast Publishing.

Round 27 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.

Now You See It, Now You Don’t — The Value of Concealment, by Joe M.

Unless you’re lucky enough to actually live at your retreat in case of a TEOTWAWKI event, you are probably a little concerned with theft at your home away from home. Even if your primary home is your retreat, in the event of a break-in is your cache of “goodies” safe? Sure you might keep your supply of rifles, handguns, and shotguns locked in a gun vault the size of Grandma Shirley’s casket, but if thieves are given enough time they will haul the vault and anything else they find off into the night, leaving you empty handed and even worse, unprepared.

Vandals or thieves can do considerable amount of monetary damage and preparedness damage to your haven in very little time. Food items would probably just be destroyed by vandals and guns would be gone and sold probably before the police finished their reports. The likelihood of ever getting all of your supplies back and in useful condition is extremely slim.

For these reasons, when I built my retreat cabin I built in a number of “insurance” features that lessened the chance of a total loss. My retreat, chosen for its remote location is a prime example of the need to introduce safety features into your preparedness plan. The location of my retreat while remote, does not mean an occasionally person might not wander by. If this person decides to fire up a chainsaw and cut my metal front door right out of the framing, it is doubtful anyone would hear or notice for months. Like I said it is remote, but not a desert island.

So to give myself a bit of insurance against vandals/thieves, when I built the cabin I made one entire wall a “fake” wall. If you measured the width of my retreat on the exterior you would note that it is 16’ wide. However, an interior measure would yield around 14’ wide. The missing two feet is my insurance. Actual useable space is less than two feet. You must subtract the width of the actual exterior wall (about 4 inches) and the width of the fake interior wall (about 3 inches). Then you are left with 17 inches of great storage space. Be careful not to go overboard when allocating storage space. If your retreat cabin is 20 feet wide on the outside but only 15 feet wide on the inside, somebody will start wondering why.

I installed shelves in my storage space, just the metal rack types that restaurants use. They are extremely adjustable, durable, and can hold a lot of weight. I found some that were 16 inches wide, which meant they fit perfectly into my hiding place. Since the shelves are adjustable in two inch height increments, it was extremely easy to adjust them to fit my particular gear needs.

But enough about shelving let’s look at the actual construction of the wall. If you use Google, Bing, or Yahoo with the search phrase “hidden wall safe” you will find a lot of links to various types of construction methods. So I would suggest you do some research before you remodel or construct your hidey hole. Since I was constructing my retreat adding the false wall was an easy task as I could plan for window and door placement to account for the hidden wall. If you remodel your retreat to install a hidden wall make sure it makes the room look natural. For example if you add a wall and now the wall is two inches away from a window, it might look odd and cause someone to examine it closer (which is bad!). But by using new construction I was able to “center” my windows on their wall between the front wall and the fake wall, thus creating a very natural and normal look.

For my construction I chose to make my fake wall look like a normal wall, and to further conceal it we would place various items of furniture against the wall. Doing some research I noted that a few people chose to cover their wall entirely by using book cases in front of the fake wall. This really helped hide the wall completely and at the same time gave you more storage area for your “bait” items (more on that in a minute). You might be thinking that if you completely cover your wall with bookcases and then fill the bookcases with books or other supplies that this would be a huge impediment in getting to the supplies behind the hidden wall. You would be correct. However, I am more concerned with the preserving my supplies during, for lack of a better word, “normal” times and during my trip to my retreat during TEOTWAWKI times. Once I establish myself at my retreat you can rearrange furniture to make the hidden wall more accessible. A word of warning though, be careful of making it too accessible. In case of an attack my raiders or whatever, you don’t want them to walk in and find the hidden wall wide open with all your goods shining in all their readiness glory.

So keep the wall closed and concealed at all times unless you are removing or adding items to your storage. Don’t treat the storage as a daily access area. Pull a few days worth of supplies out at a time and then conceal the wall with your furniture. The wall is not meant to be something you should open in the event of an emergency. If you hear an unknown person outside of your retreat and you feel you need a weapon handy, that is not the time to open the wall and obtain a self-defense weapon. Those items should be much handier (in TEOTWAWKI times I would suggest a holster.)

Construction for the wall is rather easy. I am not a carpenter, but I managed to build a nice looking concealed wall with basic carpentry skills. In a nut shell, I simply framed an interior wall using standard 2×4 framing (16 inches on center). I ensured the base plate was firmly attached to the floor joists using lag screws instead of typical nailing. I did the same on the cap plate (top of the wall), securing the top of the wall to the ceiling joists again with lag screws. This gave my wall some extra stability. You don’t really want a bad guy to lean on your wall and feel it “give.”

I have paneled the interior of my retreat with a rough looking wood panel, often called a v-groove plank panel. This comes in 4×8 foot sheets (just like plywood). In fact if the material you wish to use is thin you can mount it to a panel of plywood using construction grade adhesive.

I framed the back side of my wood panel to give it stability and a place for the hardware. Basically this means I screwed 2×2 strips along the perimeter of the panel and horizontally every 16 inches. Then using a piano hinge I screwed the hinge to the 2×4 wall stud and to the 2×2 strip on the wood panel. This gives me a door. I built 3 of these doors and installed them side by side so I have a 12 foot-wide wall made up of three hidden doors.

There are various types of closure devices out there that you “push” to close and then “push” to open. I first used these and then realized that if someone were to lean on the wall the wall would “click and open a fraction. That was not good! So I settled on an extremely simple solution, screws. I screw my wall shut, every time. I use the same screw holes every time I close the door and I am careful not to over tighten the screws. Furthermore I replace the screws I use to secure the door when the head of the screw starts getting noticeably worn.

To conceal the seams I “finished” the cabin with vertical pieces of 1×2 strips of wood. These go at two foot intervals all around the cabin. Conveniently this covers the seams on my hidden wall. You screw this strip onto one side of the door, centering the strip over the edge of the door then when the door is closed it covers the seam and a portion of the wall next to it. Probably a design flaw on my part but when construction was finished and since I had put three of these doors side by side, I discovered the strip of wood covering the seam prevented me from opening the doors in any order I chose. Since the wood strip was attached to the left edge of the first door it covered the seam of the right edge of the next door. Therefore I could not open the second door without damaging the wood strip. So I must open the far right door first, then the middle and finally the far right door. Not a big problem, just a mild inconvenience. I arranged the gear inside the hidden wall so that the items I am most likely to need are behind the first door. If I had it to do over again I would leave some empty wall between the doors so that I could open the doors independently.

If your door is a bit heavier then you expected and sags some, you could put a support wheel on the opening side. Just be careful that the wheel doesn’t leave a track on your floor. As far as closing and locking your hidden door, look into magnetic locks, or other forms of closure such as screwing etc. Just be sure that the locking and closing mechanisms are hidden and won’t pop open at the wrong time. If some kids rough housing cause your door to come open, change the locking mechanism.

Now some personal notes on use of your hidden stash. Just like any other important secret, don’t talk about your hidden stash with anyone you don’t entrust your life and your loved ones lives too. Your drinking buddy at the lodge might seem like a good friend now but when TSHTF he might run up to the first place he knows that is fully stocked and ready to go. My wife and kids know about my hidden area and they are  all, period.

I had mentioned having some “bait” items out. I built a second concealed area, not nearly as big and not nearly as well concealed. My thought process being is that if I pull a few days’ supply out of the main area, I transfer it to this secondary area. Then if someone catches us off guard and demands supplies we can open this secondary area and give it to them, all the while begging and pleading that this is all we have left and please don’t take are last few days of supplies. It might work, or it might not. I just want to have the option. So I have the “bait” goods ready to go. If the bad guys take the bait and leave, then we have only lost a few days’ supply and not the mother lode.

Next I would build some other hidden areas to house your quick access items. This can be the picture frame on a hinge that hides a hole in a wall (not your fake wall). In the hole can be a firearm or other quick access item you deem necessary. I am not suggesting you have your entire arsenal in quick access hidey holes. But a portion of your weapons need to be quick access. Your other weapons that are only used at certain times, like hunting should be hidden behind your fake wall. Again if someone “bad” comes to visit they will most likely take your guns and ammo. Don’t leave it all just lying around, but then again don’t leave it all put away where you can’t get it when you need it.

You can get very creative with your hidden areas. If your retreat does not have a concrete floor it is very easy to cut a hole between the floor joists, attach a hinge and you have another hiding spot. You can do the same thing in the ceiling, just cut between the ceiling joists. Seam concealment, hinge, and closing mechanisms are the big challenges. Before you breakout your saws and start cutting holes, plan on how you will hide your hinge, seam, and closing device. Usually this is done with some form of furring strip. But if your seams are a “natural” part of the wall, floor, or ceiling you may not need to conceal them. Clearly you can’t leave a big hinge out in the open. Piano hinges can be mounted on the inside, they come in various lengths and you can always use more than one to run the full length of your hinge.

Remember that you don’t have to make all of your hiding areas completely invisible. If your hiding area is for daily use items hidden in the floor, then perhaps you can get by with just a throw rug covering the seams. However, if it is for the mother lode, then invisibility is required. Get creative and go hide. – Joe M.

Letter Re: Some Notes About SCADA Software

James

The pastor/programmer is somewhat correct about SCADA and Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs), and his resistance of Windows based and “soft logic” is admirable. However, many SCADA systems installed out there recently have been implemented just as their name implies “SUPERVISORY CONTROL and Data Acquisition” in order to save labor costs by minimizing operator and maintenance training requirements on multiple different in- plant control systems. Most major power, refining, waste treatment systems etc. in recent years have utilized a DCS (distributed control system) as a SCADA base for overall and/or supervisory control often also monitoring or commanding smaller PLC systems operating auxiliary systems ( compressors, large blowers etc.). And although “manual back-up” is often available on “critical” functions it typically is limited to safety shut down and control transfers, not operation maintainability. Almost all major control systems built in the past 30 years are DDC (direct digital control) DCS, PLC, electric analog, or some type of microprocessor based controls. Even if the controls are old pneumatic analog they rely on compressed air controlled by a PLC. This basically makes almost all major plant control systems out there vulnerable to EMP effects. And although some of the hardware utilized may have been specified with EMI (electro magnetic interference) and RFI (radio frequency interference), this typically will only help with 5 watt communication radios and 220 or 440 power interferences. Certainly nothing as devastating as a large nuclear EMP blast as described in the novel “One Second After” or even a large solar flare.

I’d suggest the pastor, and many others, read the 2008 Report of the Commission to Assess the Threat to the United States from Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) Attack. It speaks in great lengths of the susceptibility to damage of various types of plant control systems in a wealth of industrial applications.

Hopefully none of this will ever become a problem, but the pastor is wise to follow your advice to prepare. “Plan for the worst, hope for the best” – G.S. (A Senior Control Systems Engineer with 40 years of experience in SCADA)

Letter Re: Northeastern Colorado as a Retreat Locale

James:
I read this article and I must say that I have a few disagreements with it. I grew up in Washington County, Colorado.

Yes, it’s a wide open space with some farming, lots of ranching and a general self-reliant attitude, but there is a definite downside.

1) Weather – the weather in this area is turbulent to say the least. Expect occasional white-outs and definite bone chilling wind all the long winter. Summers are either dry enough to scorch crops or rain, hail or tornado’s flood do their thing. In all the years our family has farmed in the area, my Dad said that he personally has only experienced two seasons of “optimal” growing conditions (without excessive dead loss). This may not sound to bad, but my family has been in the area since the late 1800s, so we know a thing or two about the area over the course of time. -including surviving the dust bowl years. Summer days can top 100 Fahrenheit, but it’s so dry that newcomers will pass out from heat exhaustion before they realize that their hot. I myself saw it every year of my childhood at Eastern Colorado Round-up.

2) Economy – the economy of the area has been on a decline since the 1950s. The area is not springing back to life any time soon. The last time I was home, it had been 10 years since I’d been there and I was shocked at how much things had changed during 10 “booming everywhere else” years. Fewer small businesses, fewer people, less optimism than there had been when I left. Most of the smaller towns in this area could now technically be considered ghost-towns, because the population of the cemetery out numbers the living in the area.

3) Water – it’s few and far between. wells are necessary and they better be deep. if the SHTF, you’re going to be digging for a long time to find more water. The best crops will be dry crops that will adapt to dry, sandy soil once the irrigation pumps stop running. A large amount of the land is only really suitable for ranching anyway. The rocky, sandy soil will sustain enough natural plant life for cattle, provided that you have access to a lot of water. How many gallons of water does a cow drink a day?

There is a definite beauty to the area. It is dry and desolate, with bluffs rolling hills. But having the family knowledge I have, it would not be my choice for a safe castle. I have my area picked out and it’s actually in SE Nebraska. I own a large acreage with two wells, several ages of windbreak tree growth on three sides, a creek, backed up to a little known Rural Water District (RWD) watershed. I got it cheap because it’s “unfarmable” to the bigger farms in the area and has limited access – just the way I like it. But mostly it’s this, unlike Colorado, the Federal Government doesn’t own diddily squat of the Nebraska. (Unlike the, what? 40% of Colorado?) When the SHTF, my family from NE Colorado, plan on coming to SE Nebraska – that should say a lot. – Buggin’ out in Nebraska!

Economics and Investing:

KT flagged this: FedEx Chart Means Double-Dip for Economy

From GG: ‘Black Swan’ Author Concerned About Hyperinflation

Also from GG: Buyers for Puerto Rico Banks? FDIC Has Three Institutions to Sell; Downside Is They May All Need Capital

Items from The Economatrix:

Construction Unemployment Rate Hits 27.1% as Another 64,000 Construction Workers Lost Jobs in February

Moody’s Warns US Debt Could Test Triple-A Rating

Dodd Unveils Sweeping Financial Regulation Plan

Odds ‘n Sods:

Reader Mark P. sent this: Busy bees, but hives are besieged, diseased; Scientists struggle to find cause — and fix — for colony collapse disorder. One particularly troubling quote: “We are close to the margin” of a viable ratio of pollinators to crops, he said. “It’s amazing to me how close we are to that line.” 1/3 of US crops are increasingly at risk from this problem as they depend on honeybees for pollination.

   o o o

J.D. in Virginia found this item: Backyard Bunnies Are the New Urban Chickens

   o o o

Jason M. sent us a link to a video of a genuine character somewhere in the Deep South that demonstrates how to catch snapping turtles, by hand.

   o o o

Software Turns Your Cell Phone Against You. As previously mentioned, the only way to be absolutely sure that your cell phone can’t be used for tracking or eavesdropping is to remove the battery. (A hat tip to Brian B for the link. )

   o o o

SurvivalBlog’s Editor At Large Michael Z. Williamson sent us a link to this article: Army drops bayonets, busts abs in training revamp. Mike’s comment: “They are stupidly dropping bayonet drills, which promote aggressiveness and are a useful combat skill. While one need not spend boatloads of time on it. Boxing is another thing they should use to promote aggressiveness.”

Notes from JWR:

For those who missed it, my recent lengthy radio interview with George Noory on Coast-to-Coast AM is now available on YouTube.

—

Today we present another entry for Round 27 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round will 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 between $500 and $600, and B.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees, in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $392 value.) C.) A HAZARiD Decontamination Kit from Safecastle.com. (A $350 value.), and D.) A 500 round case of Fiocchi 9mm Luger, 124gr. Hornady XTP/HP ammo, courtesy of Sunflower Ammo. This is a $249 value.

Second Prize: 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 $350.

Third Prize: A copy of my “Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course, from Arbogast Publishing.

Round 27 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.

Your Survival Readiness Level–A True Self Assessment, by Gina W.

By definition survival preparedness means attaining the state of having been made ready to outlive another person, thing, or event. Years pass by reminding us that life is short and meant to be enjoyed. People concentrate on material items but often overlook factors involved in determining the comfort level of a new living situation. A true self assessment now will determine whether life is barely survivable or comfortable.

People forget how the mind body element affects lifestyle changes. It is important to assess your actions before a situation takes away your ability to feed the habits that control you. Reflect on the past week of your life. How much of your day do you sit? If you add up the time spent watching television, typing on a computer, reading, driving a vehicle, and sleeping, you will see that a lack of movement outweighs your time spent participating in physical activities.

Now imagine how long you would spend sitting in a survival situation? Could we chop enough wood to heat a house? When was the last time we walked several miles to reach our destination? Do we produce gardens without a motorized tiller, or tend to the weeds on a daily basis without experiencing back pain? Would working our muscles on a daily basis result in overstrained and dehydrated bodies? What about the other people we are sharing our lives with? Could they carry their weight in a survival situation or would we have to find a way to carry the weight for them?

Today should be the day that we start training our muscles for additional activity that our bodies may encounter in the future. Changing our sedentary lifestyle and keeping our bodies hydrated plays an important role in body performance and repair. The ability to perform tasks and awaken the next day feeling refreshed will increase our quality of life whether our living situation changes or stays the same.

Another fact that should encourage us to start moving deals with the medicines we put into our bodies. Diabetes, heart disease, and high cholesterol affect our health. Many times obesity and being unfit initiate the disease which invades our systems. In this day we depend on medicines to fix our broken parts. I have been fortunate to control my diabetes through diet and exercise, but I must consider the facts that medicines may not be as easily available in the future. Becoming physically fit now will help to ward off or slow down illnesses that require medication as treatment. We must realize that some medicines may not be available or may be too expensive to purchase in the days ahead.

Upon waking do you automatically reach for a cup of coffee, cigarette, or cup of tea? Throughout the day how many times do chocolate bars or sodas pass by your lips? An addiction to caffeinated items or nicotine wreaks havoc on the mind and body when abruptly cut from the system. Withdrawal symptoms cause even the strongest person to feel like they are losing their sanity if not ready to battle the changes attacking their body.

I encountered the physical, psychological, and mental pains when we moved to a remote island in Alaska. Living 30 minutes from town by plane or three hours by boat meant groceries arrived once in a two week period. I decided that this would be the time to quit smoking. I flew in feeling confident. Bite the bullet, go cold turkey, dispose of a habit I hated but never conquered. In this situation failure would not be an option. How could I smoke if there were no cigarettes and no way to purchase a pack?

Less than 24 hours passed before the withdrawal effects began choking the confidence from me. Chest pains, headaches, dizziness attacked my body. Unfortunately for my family this was the least painful part of my experiment. The moodiness, irritability, and depression arrived. I turned from Dr. Jekyll into Mr. Hyde. No one was safe from my wrath. I hid in the house, flipping from a rabid dog to a tearful mess. I could not think, or focus on anything. I had become irrational over giving up a habit I hated because of the control it had on my body.

You may not smoke cigarettes, but it is time to assess the caffeine and other chemicals you put in your body on a daily basis. Try going one day without any exposure to your habit or addiction. Then take a good look at how it affects you physically, psychologically, and emotionally. If it were erased from your life without any warning could you live with yourself? Could other people live with you?

When it comes to entertainment how much of the digital age controls your pleasure? In survival, quality of life must be rediscovered. We must relearn to use our bodies and minds in ways that we either have not used in a long time, or as in our children’s cases, never had to use. If a family chose to turn off the television, computers, and radio for one week, they could learn a lot about themselves and the people they live with.

We must find ways to be entertained by low tech ways. Reading books, playing cards board games, or talking to each other can become alternate choices for entertainment. Our first month living in remote Alaska taught us that without television, evening hours seemed to increase. We found ourselves going to bed several hours earlier when there was no computer or television to occupy our minds. Spending those evenings without using technology we learned to entertain ourselves, and it revealed how much time we had to communicate with each other. We no longer whined about not having any time to talk; now we found ourselves sitting in silence searching for things to talk about.

A positive attitude and a curious nature can ease the shock if technology is removed from one’s lifestyle. Is your glass half full or half empty? Finding something good in negative or stressful situations can bring about some peace to help get you through. A curious nature can open up the world in unexpected ways. Learning something new can encourage you to want to learn more.

As a parent when my child would refuse to try something new I would ask them how they knew they disliked it if they had never tried it. As adults we need to remember that also. Sometimes stuck in a rut we forget that trying something we have never done may give us joys we never dreamed of experiencing.

The next time you look at a flower, or a butterfly, or ladybug; stop. Observe the movements, or colors, or the small parts that make up this living item. If we are lucky it will bring back the child-like side in us where our mouths drop open in awe at the beauty in front of us. Letting ourselves experience life through the eyes or our hidden child can make life a bit easier to handle. We have to remember to ask ourselves one question when stuck in a bad situation. If I died tomorrow would this have been worth getting upset over? If the answer is no then take a deep breath and move on.

Beauty brought out by our curious nature and positive attitude does bring us around to one more point that is important in keeping a strong mental outlook on lifestyle changes.

Faith
Practicing and studying your faith now will increase the level of comfort in a survival situation. Having a belief in a higher power can give people strength when all seems lost and will provide the hope needed to make life feel safe and secure.

These are the things we should force ourselves to look at when preparing for a survival situation. Could you survive days of physical labor, cooking from scratch, gardening for your food, chopping wood, carrying water, lack of entertainment from televisions, computers, and radios or walking for miles to get to your destination? Are you physically and psychologically strong enough to survive without being stopped by cramping muscles, irritable mood swings, or boredom and depression? Are you prepared to keep a positive outlook alive to survive in a world where most people of today would find it unbearable, and be strong enough to repeat the process tomorrow? These are some items we need to focus on and realize that accomplishing them are as much of a necessity as having enough food, water and protective shelter so that we not only stay alive but are able to live our lives. Making the most of each day whether in today’s world or tomorrows depends on us deciding the level of comfort we want to experience and how determined we are to change now for a comfortable quality of life in the future.

The three conventional survival necessities are water, food, and shelter. Preparing yourself mentally, physically and emotionally will allow you to use these three basics to give you a life worthy of living. I challenge everyone to take a true self assessment and add your own well being as a necessity in preparation.

Letter Re: Tsunami Evacuation, Kauai Style

Howzit J.R.,
I’m a newbie groupie to your site, now on a daily basis. I’m going through the archives, year by year, and am compiling useful info for my situation. I’ve realized that at some point, due to the number of visitors to your site, [voluntary] membership dues may be necessary, just to support the technical requirements of having it. No problemo. I’ve never seen anything like the SurvivalBlog site, so my dues are in-bound.

I’ve seen previous posts about the tsunami warning in Hawai‘i, but not from a local resident perspective. I’ll give you mine.

I live on Kaua‘i, in a flood and tsunami inundation zone. I work in the County Planning Department, and am very familiar with the geographical issues of where I live. I also am a Hurricane Iniki survivor, so I know of what I speak. The service you provide, if taken seriously, can be a matter of life and death, comfort and survival…or not.

My son woke me up at 5.30 a.m. and told me about the warning sirens which were to go off at 6.00 a.m., and that if a tsunami did occur, it would be at 11.00. I immediately thought “Wow, I got plenty of time to pack the truck” I woke up the wife, gave her the scoops, and told her to start packing. For me, I already had bugout bags and containers already prepped based on when I first started into your SurvivalBlog columns several months ago. I told my 21 year-old son and wife back then that it would be a good idea to pack a bugout bag just in case. Of course, they laughed, and ignored me. No problem, I did my prep. My wife packs a carry-on suitcase with clothes and says she’s going into L‘hu‘e to her work place, which is centrally located on the island. Then I notice the size of her bugout bag, and ask “That’s all you’re taking?” She replies, if we lose the house, I’ll just buy what I need. I really did have to control my face muscles – I told her okay, I’ll catch up with you once I secure the house. Yeah, I know, I know.

I didn’t need to join the gas parade as my truck was full, but my son did. That took him 45 minutes in line. He also filled up an extra 5 gallon container. I didn’t need to join the parade at the food markets either, as I was already prepared. Ah, the luxuries of being prepared.

Once my wife is gone, the first thing I load onto my truck are my most prized possessions. My four best longboard surfboards, period. What can I say? I’m a surfer! OBTW, I did the same thing before Hurricane Iniki squatted on Kaua‘i in 1992 – I took my entire quiver of 8 surfboards and stashed them under my neighbor’s house which was a post and pier construction with a height of three feet off the ground, tying them together two at a time with strips of rubber cut from tire inner tubes, then rubberizing the gate. Of course I knew that if the house blew, my boards would also go, but I had no other place to secure them.

My long guns went into a hardcover traveling case for golf clubs. Those cases are really good, and they’re weather proof. I was intending to have one pistol under the drivers seat, an M1 Garand and Mini-30 with scope behind the driver’s seat, and 12 gauge shotgun besides me, covered by a jacket and towel. No one else would be traveling with me besides my dog. On the floor in the cab were three ammo cans of nickels (2), and metal valuables (1) (gold, junk silver, Rolex watch, and baht chains). On the passenger’s seat was a waterproof container of important papers.

In the bed of my truck: MREs; a container of all the canned foods in the kitchen; cooler of containers of water; bag of rice; 2 pots for cooking; the golf traveling case; containers of ammo (7.62×39, .30-06, .308, and various pistol calibers); a bugout container of tarps, ropes, bungie cords, candles, matches, propane containers and stoves, etc; a bugout bag of clothes, jackets, boots, socks, blanket, slippers, gloves, etc. (Yes, I had an extra set for the son and wife.); my spearfishing/diving bag, including 2 riffe spearguns; a container of dog food with water and food bowls.

In my son’s truck were two bugout containers of tools, more tarps, tents, ropes, MREs, etc. He carried his .30-30 and 20 gauge with ammo. He also packed his Kawasaki dirt bike for alternative transportation, with extra gas and oil.

It took 45 minutes to 1 hour to complete the loading. We backed up the vehicles and positioned them towards the street, ready to go….we checked our neighbors to see what their choices and status was, and it was now 8.00 a.m. Those who were gone, were gone. There were three families that were going to remain – two of us were watching the television reports – we knew if anything hit Hilo on the Big Island, it would take [another] 30 minutes to hit Kaua‘i – so we had the cushion. I changed my plans – rather than an immediate evac (which the low lying coastal communities were doing in full force), I was going to stay to the very last minute because I knew there would be a potential for looting of evacuated communities (which the news began reporting several hours later), and because we had access to real time intel (the televisions and radios), and I did not want to join that evac parade if I didn’t have to. My son was hesitant at first, but then realized the logic. Of course my mom and dad, daughter, and wife, who were all in safe zones, were texting and calling asking where we were. I just stopped answering the cell phone.

About 10.00, I decided to cook a steak and eggs breakfast for my son and I, on the premise we may as well eat a good one because if it gets hectic at around 11.00, we may as well not be hungry too. That was a great meal!

From the projected impact time, to 12.00, we had the television and radio on. And thank the Lord, nothing happened, this time around. The volume of traffic coming from the mountain back to the coastline was bumper to bumper for 1-2 hours. I’m so glad I wasn’t in that parade.

Lessons learned: 1) The ammo cans of nickels are not a survival necessity. 2) There are different evac scenarios that may require different items 3) I’ve got to get my load and evac time down considerably. Under 30 minutes means an earthquake closer to home. This means I’ve got to better centralize those bugout containers in one or two areas of the house and garage. At least my son is aware of these containers.

I’ve just scored two army cots – these will be essential items for the next time. My immediate needs are basically water purification and replacement filters.

Sensei, you rock! – Longboards Rule

Two Letters Re: The Palm Stick for Self-Defense

James Wesley:
On the palm stick topic — I might add that a mountaineering carabiner — the genuine load bearing kind, not the cheap copies — would also work [as a self defense adjunct]. I routinely carry one — and, when asked, say “Oh, I found that it makes carrying all those [full] plastic bags from the grocery store much easier. They don’t bite into my hand.” People see this as clever and never consider it has some alternative purpose [serving as a brass knuckle or palm stick type device]. And BTW, it also does make a great all purpose handle — the weight rating is something like 4,000 pounds. Keep up the great work! – Karl B.

 

Jim,
Here are a few more references for the Koppo stick:

The Martialist on Pocket Sticks
The Martialist on Koppo Wraps
The Martialist – More Comments on Koppo Wraps
The FMA Blog on Pasaks

BTW, with a koppo, I recommend that you put both loose ends of the cord through the loop going in opposite directions to better hide the knot.

I carry my LED “flashlight” in a belt sheath on my weak side for easy access. – Rick H.

Economics and Investing:

Thanks to Tom W. for sending this link: Fiscal Crises Hit Closer to Home; States and localities face burgeoning deficits; next phase in debt-deflation?

Ben M. suggested this New York Times link: Junk Bond Avalanche Looms for Credit Markets.

Several folks sent this link: Rising food prices may start with seeds

Items from The Economatrix:

Not Durable?

Gold, Silver and Oil: Buying the Essentials in Tough Markets

Fed May Hint at How Long the Rates Will Stay Low

What Credit Card Pay-offs? Consumers are Dumping Debt!

IRS: Get Tax Relief if Lender Forgives Part of Home Debt

Housing Construction Drops 5.9% in February

Stocks Rise After Fed Pledges to Keep Rates Low

Oil Settles Near $82 as Fed Keeps Rates Low

Gold Supported by Geopolitical and Sovereign Risks as S&P and Moody’s Warn US

Odds ‘n Sods:

I have long been an advocate of folding bicycles as a Get Out of Dodge Option, especially for folks that regularly commute into an urban area. The Montague and SwissBike folding bicycles sold sold by SafeCastle are probably the best bet in the U.S. and Canada. But in the UK, the more expensive–and even more compact–Brompton brand might be a viable alternative.

   o o o

Larry M. suggested this essay by a commentator who has “connected the dots” regarding multi-generational TEOTWAWKI: How Many Shoes? by Tom Baugh. It will take traditional self-reliant skills, not just a pile of stuff to pull through a lengthy societal collapse.

   o o o

Reader P.E.D. liked USA Today‘s recent piece on modern-day ghost towns.

   o o o

James K. suggested the recent Instructables piece on hand-spinning wool. (As previously mentioned in the blog, we recommend that you join a local Fiber Guild to get hands-on instruction.)

   o o o

Chad S. sent this: Indiana government positions surpass factory jobs. Chad’s tongue-in-cheek comment: “I’m starting to think I should get a government job so I can have job security. At least the money will never run out, right?”

Notes from JWR:

Check out the several new retreat property listings that have recently been added to our spin-off web site, SurvivalRealty.com

—

I owe an apology to Fernando “FerFAL” Aquirre, the editor of the Surviving in Argentina blog. In a recent radio interview, I made reference to some of his comments in the Minion Report Forums, that I had construed as anti-semitic. He e-mailed me yesterday to clarify that he is not an anti-semite, but rather that he is only opposed to Nationalist Zionism. He explained: “I don’t agree with Israel’s foreign policy, which was led until recently by violent Zionist extremists.” He also clarified: “I don’t believe one ethnicity or religion implies superiority over others and I don’t discriminate people because of their last name, skin color or religious belief.” I was glad to hear that.