Noise, Light, and Litter Discipline, by Survival Ranger

“If I can find your MRE trash, I can find your patrol base!”  A quote that has stayed with me, haunted me, and perplexed me throughout my military career. Who would have thought that simple traces of life could serve such a double edged purpose? The very fact that we could locate (almost better than a GPS fix on a position) an enemy encampment, an over-watch position, or cache by sight sound or smell is an amazing concept. But the fact that careless lapses in security on any of the above could compromise our own is a very harrowing one.

Noise discipline –The practice of minimizing ones noise signature to a degree that it does not compromise mission essential actions is very important. This could range from a night raid on an enemy stronghold, to an urban reconnaissance of the local supermarket overrun with post-SHTF warlords, to retrieving water or utilizing the latrine at 3am in your secure perimeter. At night, as sight is diminished, the body attunes itself more towards the gathering of sound and touch. Simple noises that were previously background in the daylight are suddenly brought to the very real and close foreground at night. Am I saying to remain totally silent at all times? Of course not. That is both unrealistic, and not something that anyone would enjoy, accompanied by a jabber-jaw! I am simply stating that in times of necessity, such as a TEOTWAWKI scenario, noise discipline can mean the difference in being an advantageous target for a bunch of looters, or having a perfectly laid ambush in wait for them! Simple ways of improving your noise discipline are as follows:
1.) Ensure that you utilize most of your noise-producing equipment during the day–such as Farm Equipment, Firearms (for hunting), Vehicles, etc.
2.) For tactical gear, ensure that it is soundproofed as much as possible. This can be as simple as wrapping some ACE bandage material around metal carabineers, Filling water sources completely full (so as not to “slosh”), Wearing soft material that doesn’t make a “swish” sound when walking, and packing tactical pouches and pockets well. Keeping them free of rattling objects like loose batteries, loose ammunition, etc.
3.) In refugee, or bug out situations, keeping children “pacified” or otherwise restrained from talking or crying or yelling. (The movie “Tears of the Sun” shows a a good example of that.)

Light Discipline – The practice of minimizing or completely reducing ones light signature so as to mitigate all possible detection during hours of darkness. Light discipline seems like a no brainer, until you see a group of people trying to fumble their way around a forest in the dark! Even the smallest red lens flashlight can give away your position during hours of limited visibility. But how do we mitigate this?

  1. Around the house: Ensure you have a way to keep all light from escaping the residence. You don’t want a band of looters to come prey on a lit up house at night! Easy ways to do this are heavy blankets, aluminum foil, or if all else fails, paint em! But you will want to be able to let light in during the day, so only do the latter as a last resort.
  2. Tactical patrols and movements. Obviously if you have the money, Night Vision gear is amazing, but if you don’t have it, never fear. If you have to stop and conduct a map check, be smart about it. Throw a poncho or other blanket over your head, and use as minimal light as possible. If someone is injured, use only as much light as necessary to treat the person, or stabilize them till you can move them to a more secure area. As with Noise, and Litter, there is a time and a place to weigh your options and decide when to forgo discipline for the sake of speed, or safety.
  3. Muzzle Flashes… Some people or animals won’t have the benefit of night vision. Therefore if you are shooting, the flame produced by the burning gas in your firearm is sure to be what they will set their sights on! Using a flash hider can reduce your muzzle signature to a tolerable level.

Litter Discipline – The practice of cautiously monitoring, and properly disposing of your waste. This can range from a candy bar wrapper, to entrails of a gutted deer, to footprints, or even human waste. In the tracking community this is called “spoor”. (An Afrikaans word, from the Dutch word for tracking.) This is classified as generally anything that is unnaturally occurring in the given natural environment. Examples would be footprints or broken limbs in a vegetated area. Water drop trails on concrete, Gum wrappers on a nature trail, etc. Simply put, this can give away your position, trail, or if the tracker is very keen, your exact rate of travel, and last time at that given location. Some ways to mitigate carelessness with litter are:

  1. Simply pick up after yourself. Pocket your trash, fix what you have disturbed in nature, be it a broken limb, or a tire rut that your 4×4 put there. Some Long Range Reconnaissance and Surveillance (LRRS) units have been known to go so far as to carry out their own excrement by utilizing MRE bags. There is an insane level of litter discipline you can go to, but once again it is all dictated by your speed / security / mission.
  2. Tend to any injuries. Blood trails are surefire ways to be tracked by both man and beast alike. Besides the fact that loss of blood is a killer for many reasons, you don’t want to be eaten by a mountain lion while you are prostrate and vulnerable from shock!
  3. Be cautious when conducting movements or rest operations. If you dug a hole, fill it in, only disturb what needs to be disturbed, and continue on with your path. Clean holes made by tent pegs, or sticks. Disperse ashes from a camp fire, etc.

There really is no end to noise, light, and litter discipline. You can take it as short or as extensive as you want, but keep in mind the consequences of each of your actions. Hopefully you will never need to use any of this knowledge, but for a fun time, try to practice one thing a night for a week, and see just how challenging some of these things can be! Take the family camping, and instruct the kids to only disturb what is necessary and fix everything when you leave. When the sun goes down, there is no more light. During the day, try using hand and arm signals to talk. It’s a great bonding trip, and is an invaluable lesson to all. You will also have a much better appreciation for nature, and the secrets it hides when it is tended to, and the ones it reveals when it is not! Stay safe, and practice practice, practice!

Letter Re: Preparations for Eyesight & Hearing

JWR,

Regarding Eye Surgery: I am an optometrist. Unfortunately some of what was most recently posted is misleading if not flat-out wrong.

1. Laser Vision Correction (LVC) will not make you more prone to problems with your near vision. However, if (a) you are nearsighted before the surgery (and thus able to see up close without correction), and (b) you are over age 42 or so, then you will struggle with your near vision. Prior to the surgery, of course, you can see fine up close if you remove your glasses or if you have bifocals. But the LVC does nothing to make this problem worse; it simply corrects your distance vision. Of course all these points are moot if you are younger than age 42. But at around age 42 it will be a problem, so be aware of that.

2. Implantable Contact Lenses (ICLs) are very, very rarely an improvement over LVC. LVC sculpts the front portion of the eye, ICLs involve cutting the eye open and putting a synthetic lens into it. Contrary to the original poster, they are not “swapped out” at your whim, they can in fact correct farsightedness, and they do not have any different effect on your near vision than LVC. ICL’s are significantly more expensive and significantly more risk (of both post-operative infection and of cataract creation due to jostling of the natural lens in the eye) than LVC, which is why we do not recommend them often. Their greatest benefit is for those whose prescription is so high that LVC is not an option.

3. If you are really serious about refractive surgery, I strongly recommend PRK as opposed to Lasik. Both are forms of LVC, however the former is an operation that does not create a flap, while Lasik does create a flap. That flap can be dislodged in the future at any time.

4. Lastly, while I cannot fault many people for looking to the Internet for advice-—I do it too-—neither can I overemphasize the necessity of having an eye doctor who knows you go over the implications, benefits, and risks of refractive surgery with you. Last week I had a new patient who was 62 years old who had amblyopiia [commonly called “lazy eye”] in his right eye. No one had ever spoken with him about this condition or what caused it, even though he had it since he was a child. I explained it thoroughly to him, and he was impressed and thankful. I then smiled and said, “You’ve been going to the discount eye places, haven’t you?” He admitted he had been.

Fight the good fight, keep spreading the Gospel, – WPR

Economics and Investing:

Reader Troy W. spotted this: Guess What: The Next Housing Bubble is Already Underway

Mr. W. sent this: A List of the Next Banks to Fail

The Daily Bell asks: Derivatives don’t need regulation?

Jeff B. sent us this: Worldwide Diesel Glut Could Slam Oil Prices. [JWR’s comment: Wait a few weeks before you refill your retreat’s fuel tanks! The recent 18 cent jump in the price of diesel is sure to see a correction.]

Items from The Economatrix:

Friday Follies: Failed Bank Tally for Aught Nine Now at 101

Galleon Group to Shut Down Hedge Funds

Administration Plans Big Pay Cuts at Bailout Firms

Stocks Turn Lower As Note on Banks Spooks Investors

Fed Survey: Housing, Manufacturing Drive Recovery

Chain Restaurants Struggle, Compete for Customers

Odds ‘n Sods:

Don C. recommended a piece by Radley Balko at Reason: We’re All Felons, Now; Perpetual public fear of crime has turned us all into criminals. The average American unwittingly commits about three Federal felonies per day.

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The latest nuttiness from Nanny State Britannia: Apology for singing shop worker. (Thanks to Dewanye for the link.)

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A Cessna armed with Hellfire missiles. (This is not a joke.) Speaking of Cessna Caravans, any owners or would-be owners should bookmark this useful blog page: FlyingTheCessnaCaravan.

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Vic at Safecastle wrote to mention that Canadian customers can now purchase Mountain House freeze dried foods in #10 cans. Their partner distributor in Ontario has ten different Mountain House varieties in stock, ready to ship across Canada. This is great news for preppers up north that have heretofore been forced to pay international shipping rates.

Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 25 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The author is an active duty US Army infantry NCO who is a graduate of the US Army Ranger School.

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.) and C.) A HAZARiD Decontamination Kit from Safecastle.com. (A $350 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 25 ends on November 30th, 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.

Selecting and Caring for a Provider, Defender, and Companion, by Survival Ranger

Ironically, I’m not talking about a person while writing this article. The truth is that in many situations, a firearm will be a Provider, Defender, and Companion, and more. Thus, it is only fitting that I shed some light on the very real necessity of proper firearms selection and maintenance.

In order to condense this article, and to prevent the inevitable debates, I am not going to list my preferences. Simply put, firearms are a means to an end. Whether it is the means of procuring game, fending off looters, quelling a riot, distracting and buying time, or just giving peace of mind, firearms are a “Leatherman” tool for many situations. But in order to ensure that they work when you want them to work you must have diligence in the proper selection, maintenance, storage, and operation of the weapon.

Selection- Ensure that the firearm you choose meets your specific need. What are you going to use it for? Hunting (what kind of game?) self defense (who/what are you defending yourself from?) skill honing (what skill are you trying to hone?) These should all be factors that weigh in when choosing a new/used firearm.
Many people, (me included) are always looking for the best deal. But when purchasing a firearm, you need to know where it is appropriate to cut corners in order to save money. For example: you walk into a store to buy a Brand X Model ###. There is a new one for sale for $550. Next to it there is the same model, used, for $350. Clearly the lower price would appeal to most of us, as there is a lot we can do with the difference! But here are a few things to consider/ask when purchasing a used firearm:

  • Who was the previous owner? Was it an elderly man, a teenager, a soccer mom who carried it for defense, a gang member? Clearly these are extreme cases; nevertheless, this will give you a general idea of how the tool was cared for.
  • How many rounds were fired through the firearm? Just like miles on your car, rounds through a firearm affect in the same way. General operation of the action, accuracy, and safety of the firearm can all suffer from “high mileage.”
  • What is the condition of the firearm? This sounds like a no brainer, but minor cosmetic flaws on a stock or grip, as well as some worn paint or bluing generally is not an issue. Deep pitting in the barrel, on the other hand could mean the difference of life or death!
  • Bells and whistles. Does the new firearm come with an improved stock or trigger? A smoother action? Increased capacity? Or has the old (used) model had custom work done to it? A trigger job? Forcing cone lengthening (shotguns) etc? These may not be things you need, but if you plan on getting them later anyway, you may save time (and money) by purchasing them all at once.

Care – So now you have your firearm selected based on need, price, use, and however else you came up with to talk your significant other into letting you spend the money on it! It is now time to go sight-in / zero your weapon, learn its function and operation, and practice. But before you do, ensure that you take a little bit of time to care for the weapon first! I know what some of you may be thinking: Yes it is common sense to perform some level of maintenance prior to operating a weapon for the first time; however this is an article for the lowest level of firearms knowledge. We all must start somewhere!

Out of the box: if you purchased a new weapon, or if the used weapon came with an owner’s manual, this is the time to read it. [If not, then find a PDF of manual online, either from the gun maker’s web site, or from Steve’s Pages.] For all us free-thinking men, who hate reading directions, this one may be your exception. Building a garden bed wrong may take time, but improper operation of a weapon may take lives. Read your manual for proper assembly / disassembly, safety operation, etc. If you do not have a manual, or are a visual learner like myself, YouTube has an extensive FREE collection of videos. Just type your make and model, and watch the videos pile up!

So now that you have a basic familiarization with your weapon, take it apart as far as instructed in the manual. (This is what we call “operator level” disassembly.) For further disassembly, seek the help of a competent gunsmith! Once your firearm is taken apart, it is time to clean the weapon. Even if it is brand new out of the box, it is important to clean the weapon, as some packing grease is designed simply for corrosion resistance in transit and storage. In fact, it is dangerous to shoot a gun with grease in the bore. There are many different methods that can be used to clean the weapon.

After being in the military just a short time I had cleaned my weapon cleaned with Break-Free CLP as well as some not recommended expedients like shaving cream and Simple Green. Like weapon selection, everyone also has their own idea for cleaning and lubricating weapons, so at the end of this article I will list several good, proven brands, and let you experiment for yourself!

Once all of the firearm components are cleaned, it is time for reassembly and lubrication. A simple rule of thumb is that –t with the exception of the chamber– if there is metal to metal contact, lube it up! The environment will be your biggest factor with lubricant. It can be too hot, too dry, too cold, too wet, etc. etc. One example I can give from firsthand knowledge. On my deployments to Iraq, I lubricated my weapon with a “dry” lube. You simply sprayed it on, and it formed a dry film on the components. This provided enough lubrication to aid in weapon function, but was not over lubricated enough to attract all of the dust in the desert to land on my firearm. Inversely, on my deployments to Afghanistan, I used a grease based lubricant (for the same weapon) there was less dust there to worry about, but the duration of our operations were longer and required a longer-lasting lubricant. Also, in the harsh mountain winters, the lubricant would not freeze up.

The single most important component that affects accuracy (aside from proper shooting techniques) is the barrel. Ensure special time and care is taken on cleaning the bore. A rule of thumb is to always drag the cleaning device in the same direction as the bullet takes. [JWR Adds: Be sure to pull the cleaning rod straight, as the last couple of inches of rifling are crucial to peak accuracy.] If you are shooting copper jacketed bullets, you may want to consider copper solvent for the barrel. You may look down a freshly-cleaned and notice nothing, but a couple wipes with the solvent, and you will be a believer!

Ensure that you clean your firearm at least as often as you shoot it. If it has been a while, give it a quick cleaning, or if it has been exposed to the elements, give it a once over. Rust can creep up faster than you think. And it doesn’t matter if you have the quickest draw in the west if you have the rustiest gun in the east!

Storage of your firearm is critical as well. Keep it in a controlled climate, free from dampness, and dust. If you bury your firearms, take extra care in waterproofing, and include moisture absorbing (silica gel) packets. If you have children, educate them, and ensure extra safety measures are taken.

 Here are a few brands of tried and true cleaning and lubrication products. Find the ones that works best for you, and buy plenty!

Cleaning:
            Hoppe’s
            Remington
            Otis
            Birchwood Casey
            Shooter’s Choice
            Break-Free CLP
            Kleen Bore
            (And in a pinch, carburetor cleaner and brake cleaner work well.)

Lubricating:
            Otis
            TW-25
            Mil-Spec
            Remington
            Tetra-Gun
            (And in a pinch, motor oil in small amounts or vegetable oil)

Note: Be careful what chemicals you use on plastic pieces, and around optics or accessories. Some cleaners and solvents may discolor or otherwise ruin the material!
           

This has been a ground level article on weapons selection and care. It is in no way the only way to do things, just a way that has worked for me, and has been learned through blood sweat and tears. I hope that it saves you all of them! Enjoy your firearms, and care for them so that they can care for you one day, be it putting food on the table, or preventing your family from being food on someone else’s! Practice, Practice, Practice, and Happy Hunting! – Survival Ranger

Letter Re: North Dakota as a Retreat Locale

Hello Jim,
My deepest sympathy and prayers for you and your family after the recent passing of your wife. I have read for quite awhile of these folks that write with their questions and concerns for a survival retreat and where to locate and many have substantial resources to do so and yet many others (like myself ) didn’t/don’t have those resources. This is why I choose North Dakota which is notably in your top 18 states for retreat areas and I want to tell you why.

I have traveled extensively over the years to every state in the US and lived in several. I spent many years in the North Georgia mountains until it got to crowded like most areas there such as Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee. Not to mention that they expensive as well.

I spent a summer in Alaska, and loved it there but that state as beautiful and less populated and with the bounty it offers, still lacks many staples needed and which as you have noted, has to be trucked,shipped or flown in and is very expensive.

Idaho, Montana,and Wyoming are beautiful and also less populated but through my travels over the years, I’ve found property far too expensive for the average working “Joe” with limited funds.

I could go on in reference to other states,but those I have listed were always what I thought to be a safe bet,but there came the money issue again.
I didn’t want a loan or mortgage on a “survival retreat” that might possibly end up in foreclosure if and after TSHTF, so I kept looking.

And through those travels I started taking a closer look at North Dakota.Yes, I know there are over 150 Minuteman III ICBM tubes spread out over central and western North Dakota and that I agree was disturbing to me, but then I was right back at that Money issue. Always seems to come back to that. [JWR Adds: For maps of the missile fields of North Dakota, Wyoming, Nebraska, Montana, and Colorado see the leftist Nukewatch web site. As described in my book “Rawles on Retreats and Relocation”, you’ll find safety in selecting a retreat that is at least 50 miles upwind of the western-most of these regions.

So, what I did was to buy a very small home in a very small rural area of north central North Dakota, kinda up wind of the “sites” for the most part yet very, very affordable.
I bought this place to “try out” North Dakota and see if it offered what my bank account could stand.
Could I live here for limited funds and use the balance to “stock up” for the future?
Could I pay cash for the place so I would never have to worry about losing it if and when TSHTF and money would become scarce,if there even was any money anywhere?.
Could this piece of property sustain me and my wife in the interim through a garden,chickens etc?.
And was there a possibility of making an income in the area or a population source near enough to get to that I could?.

What I found was nearly an acre with a small well kept home on the edge of a very,very small town for just $11,000 with all the amenities of the big city like Internet, cable, satellite television, water, sewer, garbage, phone and electric and my very own cistern for a backup. And my annual property taxes are less than most people spend for a night out– under $75 per year.

That small place was a great starting place and allowed us to venture and learn about North Dakota and all it offers.
I will add as well that North Dakota is a major Beef producing state and I have never had trouble finding hamburger for far less than grocery store prices and farm raised,not to mention unlimited hunting and fishing.

What few realize is that most of North Dakotas small rural towns are experiencing a decline at about 10% over the past 10 years due to the older folks passing on and the younger ones moving on and the small farms giving way to huge 3,000 to 5,000 acre spreads and the cold winters all add up to smaller towns.

But we found it perfect and the cold is usually the worst the end of January through the first two weeks of February and then it gets down right cold-d-d. The beautiful spring,summer and fall make up for it though, in our opinion.

But we still wanted to be a little farther out,a little more “upwind” and a little more acreage and fewer people.
After nearly two years we found a seven-acre farmstead. It is far enough from Minot and Grand Forks and northerly enough to give us a very fair survival rate [in the event of a nuclear exchange].

This place has a nice home with basement walls from stone that are 24 inches think.Two garages and a granary make up the buildings.
With this prized piece we can grow more food,have more chickens and raise some beef and pork.
Our closest neighbor is 1-1/2 miles away and the closest larger town is 28 miles with smaller towns in the 17 to 18 mile range.
We did lose a few things by moving here: No unlimited long distance, no cable television (only satellite) and we had to get a new cellular provider. No town water or sewer. We have our own here with a well and septic and we lost our garbage pickup so we burn and recycle and/or haul to the landfill.

We can see anyone coming a mile before they get here yet we are still on a main road for winter snow plows.
And all of this was under $20K, that’s right, under $20,000 so that was again, well within our means to pay for and use that money we would have spent on a mortgage or loan to invest in our future,so it is possible and we are living proof of this and we have seen many deals such as this in North Dakota.

So we offer that North Dakota is a beautiful place and affordable for those that (like us) don’t have unlimited funds,or don’t want to spend all they do have for a survival retreat. A place that is peaceful ,quiet and far enough from everyone, yet close enough for a day trip to any big city and still only has 650,000 people in the entire state.
A state where there is presently a budget surplus and the lowest unemployment rate in the USA.

We thought our own experience here might interest you and your readers Jim.
Thanks for your great job with SurvivalBlog and your time and have a wonderful week. – Fred

Letter Re: Wood Stove Selection, Operation, and Safety

James,
You’ve had two good letters on woodstoves recently. I’d like to add a few thoughts based of heating and cooking with wood for a couple of decades in the Colorado mountains. I have never been more contented than when there’s a blizzard raging outside and I’m inside next to a nice warm woodstove. That being said, woodstoves and chainsaws account for the vast majority of domestic emergencies in many rural areas and a constant source of amusement for EMTs.

As has been written, the importance of a properly installed chimney cannot overemphasized. Do get a quote for a good professionally installed chimney and then source the woodstove based on how much money you have left, not the other way around. A semi-okay chimney may not be a problem for years, but eventually that rafter up in the ceiling crawl space that’s been getting too warm all those years will eventually cook off one cold winter night when the woodstove is nice and hot. Also get the chimney top nice and high and serviceable. Downdrafts will occur even if they are built to the 2’/10′ rule if you have a higher addition near by and the wind is in the right direction. Smoke will also condense on the chimney top spark arrester and clog it up so figure out a way to brush that clean in a safe way. Best to do that as regular maintenance and not in the middle of the night when you find your chimney won’t draw and the room is filling with smoke. Lightning will also find the chimney one day. Get a lightning rod installed before you’re hit. Do attach a magnetic chimney pyrometer to the chimney. It will tell you how the stove is doing by just glancing at the meter and will also alert you if things are getting too hot. My house did survive my youthful learning curve, but only just. Hopefully, some of your readers will profit from my experiences.

One thing that hasn’t been mentioned is the area around the stove. I’ve seen red hot coals from resinous pine fly through a small slot in the air intake and all the way across the room. You’ll never get a good night sleep if you just have a small fireproof pad around your stove. Woodstoves and carpet don’t mix well. If nothing else the dirt tracked in from carrying wood will drive the wife crazy. If you do have carpet, pull it up and put down tile or stone flooring. If you have a modern springy framed plywood floor, a couple of layers of 1/4″ plywood glued and screwed in alternating directions to the existing ply will stiffen it enough for tile.

Also, the wall behind the stove is equally important. Unless you’re several feet away from a framed wall do something like this:
Cover the wall behind the stove with fire stop drywall a couple of feet above the top of the stove (or chimney if it exits through the wall). Install a steel lintel at floor level using large bolts screwed into the studs. Leave an inch air gap between the lintel and drywall using spacers. Lay up a brick wall on the lintel and tile over that. The air gap behind the brick wall allows a cooling draft. The brick also provides a good source of thermal mass which leads to a final point.

There’s nothing much worse than getting out of a warm bed in the morning to start up a cold, dead woodstove. The stove that I owned when I lived in Colorado was made of Soapstone by a company in Woodstock, Vermont. They aren’t cheap to buy but they are worth ever cent they cost. Once that stone gets warm, it stays warm for hours, even if the stove runs out of wood. I used to load my stove in the evening with whatever wood I had, generally pine, aspen or even hem/fir framing offcuts, not oak or hickory by any means and yet that great little stove heated the entire second floor of my house and the stove was still toasty warm well into the next day. Although I had been told this, I still was amazed at how a small properly built stove could heat such a large space and still not cook me out of the room it was in.

I cannot recommend highly enough the use of thermal mass over cast iron in a stove. There are other manufacturers of soapstone woodstoves but if and when I move back to a cold climate, I’ll be getting another Woodstock Soapstone Stove. Thanks again for the interesting blog. – LRM, Perth, Western Australia

Two Letters Re: Lessons Learned from Hurricanes Ike, Rita, and Katrina

Mr. Rawles,

I just finished reading Patriots, all I can say is thank you. A few things I’d like to add to what TiredTubes said about hurricane preparedness:

First, when my wife and I first moved to Florida we had little knowledge of hurricanes and their impact. However, due to great parents we had been brought up to always be prepared. So we read and made preparations for ourselves. We lived in an apartment at the time (now we live in a 1960 block home with hurricane panels and a new tile roof) and I asked the apartment manager about logistics of preparing the complex for storms. I could easily tell that this manager of about 200 units had never been asked this question. I asked if maintenance installed the hurricane shutters or do the residents? If the residents do where are they located? At which point in time is the decision made to batten down the hatches? Just blank stares, no answers. I should point out our plan was to protect our valuables as best we could but we would be bugging out. If you live in an apartment or condo complex get the info on the managements plan, and if they don’t have one, offer to help form one it will likely come out better if you do.

Second, help other areas after a hurricane, more specifically go to areas affected, even if it requires some travel. The reason is two-fold: A) It’s what a Christian, or any moral person should do if able to. B) If you have not experienced a hurricane first hand you will glean countless lessons just cleaning up in the aftermath. Soon after moving to southeast Florida for school the west coast of Florida was hit by hurricanes Charley and Frances. My wife and I both drove over to help out with our church group. Take your own gas, food, water, ice, tools especially the tire plugger and 12 VDC compressor, supplies you want to be a help, not a burden. If there is room take extra supplies and come home in an empty vehicle. With a little common sense I learned things that I’d never have thought of had I not seen the aftermath. You can develop an eye for weaknesses, something a book or web site can’t provide alone. A small example is the fact that I was the only one on my street who took five minutes to dig his mailbox up out of the shallow sand and put it in the garage (what’s that crazy guy doing?) but then it didn’t end up as a missile like some others, when we were hit.

Third, creature comforts. When we were hit by hurricane Wilma (not necessarily high on the Affairs Hurricane scale but 3rd costliest hurricane in US history) we were prepared but lost power for 17 days. Thankfully the freezer stayed cold, the lights stayed on and the gas supply lasted. However, at the time my wife was pregnant with #1 daughter and not feeling well, what added to her discomfort was the fact that most generators cannot run a central air conditioning system and it was hot and muggy. A fan can only do so much for an expectant mother. For us relief came in the form of a friend who had a window air conditioner unit which our generator could handle. This provided a room where my wife could comfortably rest and I could have decent sleep to recover from the post-hurricane cleanup. The units are not excessively expensive and can provide a welcome relief.

Thanks again, – Steve B.

Dear Editor,
Be sure to test any UPS/generator combination before you have to rely on it. Many off-the-shelf UPS units will not accept or pass on incoming power that is not pristine in terms of frequency and voltage. Many lower end generators do not put out pristine power.

I have tested several combinations of generators up to $500 and UPS units up to $200, none would work together reliably.

Higher-end UPS units such as those for commercial data centers can usually be configured for a wider range of incoming power quality, from puritanical to promiscuous.

Bidding on eBay might land you a deal on a 2KW or greater commercial UPS that needs a new set of batteries. Batteries are not expensive, though they are almost always sealed lead-acid types that will need to be replaced every five years or so given gentle treatment.

It is no substitute for a proper battery bank and inverter. -Vlad

Economics and Investing:

Regular content contributor GG sent us a link to this press release: Adam Storch Named Managing Executive of SEC’s Enforcement Division. “Unbelievable! The Securities & Exchange Commission last week appointed a 29-year old Goldman Sachs executive as the managing executive of its enforcement division. You already know about all the curious contacts Goldman’s leader Lloyd Blankfein has had with Treasury heads Hank Paulson and Tim Geithner. So I assume the SEC must also be aware of these contacts. While I have no reason to question Mr. Storch’s ethics or motives in taking this job that presumably pays a fraction of his Goldman salary, not to mention bonus, isn’t the SEC even a little concerned about its already soiled reputation?”

Yea, the great MOAB doth grow mightily, as hath been presaged in the blog of doom: Obama to announce help for small banks, businesses. “Wow, free money for everyone!” (Kudos to GG for the link.)

Bank of America to start charging customers for not using credit cards. Latest bank fee is for paying off credit card on time every month. (This news was mentioned to me by both GG and by Mike Williamson.)

Items from The Economatrix:

It’s Official: US Government is Bankrupt

Higher Jobless Rates Could Become New Normal

Feds Still Providing Easy-Money Mortgages

No, You’re Reading That Right: 79.9% Rate Targets the Credit Challenged

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“You might just as well. . . read the Bible to buffaloes as to those fellows who follow [slavery]; but they have a supreme respect for the logic that is embodied in Sharp’s rifle.” – Rev. Henry Ward Beecher (after whom, Sharps repeating rifles were nicknamed “Beecher’s Bibles”)

Note from JWR:

Today we present an entry for Round 25 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. You may recognize the author’s pen name, as he has recently contributed several informative letters on vacuum tube generation radios to SurvivalBlog

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.) and C.) A HAZARiD Decontamination Kit from Safecastle.com. (A $350 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 25 ends on November 30th, 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.

Lessons Learned from Hurricanes Ike, Rita, and Katrina, by TiredTubes

In September, 2008, Hurricane Ike–a Category 4 hurricane–pounded the Gulf Coast of the southern US. Some coastal communities like Crystal Beach no longer really exist. Inland, life was severely disrupted. For those of us on the South Coast hurricanes are a frequent reality. We were quite well prepared, but used the disruptions and dislocations as a test and opportunity to tune up our preparations.

1. Be ready to help others and to accept help We didn’t need much during Ike, but the power went out before a neighbor finished boarding up his house. My 1 KW inverter, hooked up to his idling truck provide the juice for a Skilsaw and a few lights; allowing him to finish. Usually it is skills and not “stuff” that helps others and yourself. Besides strengthening a neighborly friendship, the number of damaged houses was probably reduced by one.

2. Keep your stuff squared away.. I repaired a few generators during and after Ike. I observed that every one suffering from lack of use; i.e. gasoline that resembled turpentine in the carburetor. People were at a complete loss to understand this. My daugher-in-law owned one of the generators that I repaired. She ignored my admonition to change the dirty oil ASAP and then once every 50 hours. Early in the next week it [ran out of oil and] threw a rod. She was in the dark for another week. Just a $2.99 quart of oil would have saved discomfort, ruined food, etc.
 
My portable genset, loaned to my daughter, was ready to go;  fresh oil, filters, valves set, exercised, load tested. It started on the first try. I came to check it and change it’s oil as soon as it was safe to travel. The first thing that I did was turn it so the exhaust faced away from the house! She had placed it so that the starter rope was in a convenient spot. At least she had, like I had asked, chained and locked it to a foundation pier.

After every hurricane Darwin gets a few through accidental carbon monoxide poisoning. Don’t join them. If you have a generator, get a carbon monoxide detector in case the wind changes and wafts exhaust in your windows.

Our own [permanently-installed] genset uses natural gas (a tri-fuel generator) which in the majority of cases is superior and much cheaper to operate. Over the 11 days that we didn’t have power it consumed $100 worth of natural gas. I estimate that an equivalent amount of gasoline would have cost more than $300. I stopped it every 75 hours for oil and filter. If your genset doesn’t have an hour meter, then add one. There are some inexpensive self contained hour meters made for lawn equipment that work very well and require no hard wiring. It’s really the only practical way to keep track of operating time, without which, intelligent maintenance is impossible.

I noticed that many generators, some still in the box, on Craigslist following Hurricane Ike at bargain basement prices. I recommended to a friend he latch onto one of these and purchase a dual-fuel gasoline/natural gas carburetor] kit. Ants can profit from short-sighted grasshoppers.

It goes without saying have all your vehicles filled up and serviced so they can be depended upon with out much attention. Pay particular attention to cooling systems, oil changes, tire pressures, belts and battery terminals.

Develop a pre-event SOP: When we hear of a hurricane in the Gulf, we pick up loose items like branches that can be thrown by high winds and cause damage (aviators call this rubbish FOD), trim trees, check prescriptions, recharge everything rechargeable, treat the swimming pool with “shock” chlorine, get all the laundry and dishes done, get all the trash out for pickup, take “before” pictures, etc., etc., etc.

3. Have backups for your backups. The portable generator above was our backup to the natural gas-fueled genset. Then an inverter and ups. After that is a 100 Watt solar array I’ve been tinkering with to provide power for security lighting,etc.

My daughter spent up to two hours a day foraging gas, mostly waiting in lines. She found out that the problem with gasoline-fuel generators is gasoline! It’s expensive, in short supply (when it is needed most), and it takes gas to go and get gas! Needless to say I rounded up the parts and the portable is now a dual fuel machine. Had it been able to use natural gas then she could have stayed home and been one less person waiting in line. And the machine still retains the capability to burn gasoline!

Since gasoline became hard to come by (it was impossible to get for a week after Rita) but diesel fuel was plentiful we did any necessary traveling in my old diesel Mercedes (which is EMP proof, BTW).

One important word on generators: Treat yours like it is the last one you’ll ever get. Try and get a good one, I prefer either a Honda or Briggs Vangard engine. My Vangard portable is approx 10 years old and absolutely dependable. The difference is methodical maintenance. Keep the manuals, and read ’em ! Keep the oil changed, keep a fresh spark plug, keep spare [oil, air, and fuel] filters. Most importantly run it under load once a month. Unless it’s new, pull off the cowling and clean all the dirt and dust from fins on the cylinder jug. Closely examine the starter rope, the fuel lines, et cetera. Replace ’em if they ain’t perfect.

If you get a permanently installed generator carefully consider installing a manual transfer switch and other upgrades. With the exception of automatic “exercising” fully automatic generators these add a layer of complication and cost.

Don’t store gasoline in the machine other than enough for one periodic test run. Develop a ritual on test runs: such as every other payday, or the last Saturday in the month, to reduce it to a ritual. I run mine monthly whilst cutting the back yard lawn. (The mower makes more noise.)

For storage between test runs: On portable gensets [with the ignition off, slowly ] pull the cord until you can feel that the engine is at the top of the compression stroke. This is where the engine feels like you are pulling it through a “detent”. It puts the piston at the top of the bore and closes both valves. This protects the cylinder from moisture. If you store gasoline then use stabilizer, after six months burn it in your car and replace it. Few experiences are worse that trying to clean out a carburetor by a dim flashlight whilst being consumed alive by salt marsh mosquitoes. Trust me on this. BTW, I’ve had better results storing “winter” blended gas, since t has more light fractions and starts easier year round.

If you use gas cans; stick with metal, preferably safety cans. Plastics are slightly permeable and it will go bad much faster in a plastic can. On that note, [in humid climates] don’t keep spare spark plugs with the machine. This is because in outdoor storage the insulators can absorb moisture [and the metal parts can corrode]. Keep them inside or in a sealed can with some silica gel. An old one-quart paint can is ideal.

If you have a dual-fuel machine, then break the engine in on gasoline and make sure it operates properly on both fuels under load. Keep the necessary connectors for gas operation on the machine so that you don’t have to go searching for that 3/8ths-inch pipe nipple with a flashlight.

Use high quality oils, and have enough. Don’t forget to also store plenty of 2-stroke [fuel mixing] oil and chain oil if you intend to use a chainsaw. Maybe store some extra for your neighbors that are less prudent. I use Rotella brand synthetic oil and Wix brand filters, and have had good results with them.

Make sure you have enough oil, filters and plugs for at least two weeks (336 hours), or longer. Don’t forget about your equipment after the crisis is over: There are valves to set, oil and plugs to change, etc. Even if you own two generators and have enough flashlights, automatic emergency lights, et cetera, things can, and may likely go wrong. Small children usually do not take kindly to being plunged into total darkness. Unless it is TEOTWAWKI, keep the candles in the cupboard, especially if there are small children about.

4. Double your plans for helping other people. Several relatives from coastal areas evacuated to our house (approximately 50 miles inland). I keep a 55 gallon drum of stabilized gasoline to fill up their cars to get them home. This was a lesson learned after the Rita evacuation cluster. How much food you will go through will surprise you. It finally dawned upon us that we almost always eat dinner (lunch to you Northerners) and sometimes breakfast away from home. So what we consumed whilst hunkered down seemed out of proportion.

We also sent some food home with people to hold them over. I was able to “lend” a retired neighbor enough generated power to keep his freezer, television, and fan going. He was genuinely happy. This also meant that he was one less person in line for ice, food, and so forth.

5. Keep a dial up phone line around, after 24 hours the cell phone tower generators started running out of propane, the cable modem (and the cable) went down with the power. Remember how to make that dial-up modem work.

If you’re not a Ham radio operator, then find out where the local hams conduct their emergency nets, and listen on your shortwave radio (HF) or scanner (2-meter and 440 band) and you’ll know a lot more that the local television news truck can find out.

If you have cable television, then keep a traditional antenna handy. If you live near a major market the local AM news station, then it is probably a good bet. Have a good UPS, plug the computer and the desk lamp into it. If you have a cordless phone, plug it into the UPS too. The UPS will take the “bumps” out of the generator’s power; your computer will thank you. Make sure you test the UPS periodically by plugging in a 100 Watt lamp and pulling the plug on the UPS. I find I need to replace that UPS battery about every 2-to-3 years.

6. Plan for the guests. Have plenty of soap, have a small flashlight (preferably with rechargeable batteries) for each guest. Have things other than television to keep youngsters occupied. Try and get plenty of rest. You’ll probably be plenty busy after you can poke your head out again. In this vein don’t forget dishwashing supplies, laundry supplies, baby supplies, etc. If it’s a predictable event such as a hurricane, have all the dishes and laundry done. before it hits.

A television in a room by itself will keep the racket contained from those who want to read, play games or just sleep. If you have the space, then a “quiet room” where  people can just rest, read, be alone, have some privacy or get a fussy to baby to sleep cuts down on contagious stress.

7. Make sure you are medically prepared. Have a rather complete first aid kit that includes a backboard and splinting materials. There will be plenty of cuts,scrapes, bruises, sunburns and sore muscles in the aftermath. Have Band-Aids, 4x4s, neosporin, peroxide etc. Have plenty of acid reducer and immodium on hand (stress and unfamiliar cooking), have at least two weeks of prescription drugs on hand [and preferably much more for any chronic health issues]. Have a good assortment of Tylenol, cold and sinus preparations, BenGay [muscle ointment], good  multivitamins, etc.

8.Be extra, extra, extra careful. You getting sick or more likely injured can really mess things up for everyone you have prepared for. Not to mention that the local fire/ambulance is probably already overtaxed. Be extremely careful handling fire and fuels. A lot of us are not entirely fluent in using chainsaws, small engines, fixing roofs, trimming trees and moving debris.[JWR Adds: safety equipment including heavy gloves, kevlar chainsaw safety chaps, and a combination safety helmet with face shield and muffs are absolute “musts”!] Don’t get in a hurry unless there is a threat to life. Be hyper cautious, be very aware of your surroundings and things that can go wrong. Don’t toil alone. Make sure you have a clear path to beat a hasty retreat if things go wrong. Wear those gloves, safety glasses, boots and maybe a hard hat.

Don’t overtax yourself. Getting a fallen the tree off of the roof today avails you little if it triggers a heart attack or heat stroke. Ask God’s assistance and start over tomorrow.

Keep fire extinguishers near the gas generator, in the kitchen, and near the camp stove.

Avoid using candles at all costs, and absolutely prohibit smoking indoors for the duration. Have more than enough battery smoke detectors around.

9. Be ready to make temporary repairs.. The missing shingles, damaged windows, etc. Have some plywood, a few 2x4s, some Visqueen polyethylene sheeting, batting boards, duct tape, a tarp, some nails, and so forth around. If you happen to have a good cordless drill, then you’ll find sheet rock and deck screws are very superior to nails. If you’re squared away then you already have this stuff , but a neighbor might be in need, so buy extra.

Debris creates flat tires for quite some time after many events. Have a tire plug kit and a 12 VDC compressor in each vehicle. Repairs to structures, especially roof repairs guarantee nails in tires. Be ready for them..

Have everything rechargeable recharged. Make sure you have some traditional non-power tools, I have a handsaw that I’ve had for decades, a good bow saw, ax, maul, sledge and an old eggbeater style hand drill still get regular use.

10. If I had my choice of just one utility it would be running water. Fortunately where we reside is served by a well run rural utility district which has prepared well for hurricanes. Failing this, in addition to stored water I have a portable gas utility pump (Robin brand) that can pressurize our water system from our pool and has sufficient capacity for a fire line. The pool got a good jolt of shock a day before the storm hit.

11.Keep some cash money handy. For a few days [with no utility power] there were no functional ATMs, and no way to use credit or debit cards.

12. Keep a low profile. About a week after Ike a passerby indignantly asked “How’d you get your lights turned on?” This showed his ignorance on several levels. He seemed to think someone just had to flip a switch downtown and “shazam!” his lights are on. I couldn’t make him understand there has to be an unbroken physical link between a power plant and consumer, this seemed to aggravate his obvious helplessness. Telling him that we had been making our own juice seemed to irritate him. I wonder who he voted for? People with this mindset (that the world owes them something) could be a genuine liability in a real catastrophe. (BTW on a news show during a piece about energy, I actually heard a lady refer to natural gas as “just another dirty fossil fuel”) and not be challenged on the facts. Little minds scare me. I think that the hyper-liberals would love to use the heavy hand of government to force the ants take care of the grasshoppers.  Keep a low profile. The best advice I ever heard on the subject (I believe it was Howard J. Ruff ) was to “keep your principles public and your actions private”.

13. Keep a notebook, keep a record of what happened, but especially keep a record of preps you overlooked or screwed up, or stuff you ran out of, or skills that need to be added or honed. That’s where most of the preceding information came from! Also keep tabs on what’s scarce after an event. Gas was scarce, but diesel plentiful after Rita. In contrast, after Ike there was plenty of fuel, but few operating stations due to lack of power. (There was a “mandatory evacuation” during Rita which turned out to be a fatal traffic jam for a few poor souls which quickly emptied the filling station tanks.) Out our way the local Wal-Mart made a heroic effort and opened up on locally-generated power, two days after Ike. The sheriff’s department was there to “maintain order”. (Let’s just say that they actually wear brown shirts here.). This event was a lifetime opportunity to study the varied behaviors of people under stress.

There were plenty of canned goods and auto supplies. But fresh fruits and veggies were a little thin, no meat due to lack of refrigeration for a few days, batteries, Coleman fuel, trash bags, paper plates, disposable diapers, formula, and nails evaporated. The pharmacy was closed.

Even with the numerous mistakes we made, we were able to stay safe, secure and comfortable and help others while “victims” were standing or idling their car engines in lines. It was an opportunity to try things out under more or less controlled conditions. WTSHTF there will not be controlled conditions!