Note from JWR:

Today we present another article for Round 10 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The writer of the best non-fiction article will win a valuable four day “gray” transferable Front Sight course certificate. (Worth up to $2,000!) Second prize is a copy of my “Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course, generously donated by Jake Stafford of Arbogast Publishing. I will again be sending out a few complimentary copies of my novel “Patriots” as “honorable mention” awards. Round 10 ends tomorrow, May 31st. Remember that articles that relate practical “how to” skills for survival will have an advantage in the judging.

Hurricane Preparedness, by MFA

I’d like to share a couple of things I’ve learned through the recent hurricane seasons in Florida, being hit directly by one, indirectly by three or four more (I’ve lost count). The following assumes you’re staying put, not bugging out. Typically my wife will take the kids and bug out, while I stay home for security and damage control if needed. This can also apply to some of the severe storms that other parts of the country experience throughout the year.
1. Water – In Florida, I travel with a case of water in the back of my car. You never know. In the off season, we use up the stored bottled water from the last year, and right about now [–May–], do a replenish. Our typical storage water “in season” is about the size of a pallet, four feet high. Off season we may get down to three or four cases. We also have a “Big Berkey” to filter the water from the lake behind our house if things are down for more than a week or so.
2. Food – Freeze dried long term storage food (Mountain House or equivalent) is absolutely required. The stores will be cleaned out in the two or three days before the storm arrives, and the grocers stop shipping food in at the last minute to cut their losses in case the buildings are knocked down. Immediately after the storm passes you’re a fool to go out on the roads with the trees and downed power lines and by the time they are cleared, the stores open on a cash basis because the power is out, and it’s dry goods only. All frozen and refrigerated food is discarded so they won’t get sued for selling spoiled food. In your house, at the start of the hurricane season it’s prudent to work down your refrigerated foods and fill the space in the freezers with gallon milk jugs full of water. This will keep the remaining food from spoiling if the power is only out for a few days.
3. Cooking – We have several stoves that work when nothing else does. The best one for indoors is a butane stove that I picked up at a gun show for about twenty bucks. Butane cans are available, and they store indefinitely. I’d not use any combustion appliance indoors without ventilation, but after the storm the windows can be opened, and there is plenty of breeze coming in around the corrugated storm shutters, which still provide some measure of security. We also have a couple of Coleman stoves that run on either propane or coleman fuel, but those are strictly outdoor units.
4. Cash – Have a few hundred bucks cash on hand in the beginning of the season, and increase it to a thousand or more if you can once things are in full swing. There is usually a run on the ATMs when the storm is bearing down on the area, and when the power is out, it’s done.
5. Fuel – If there is even a hint of a storm, top off all vehicles and keep them full until the threat has passed. It can take two weeks to get gasoline into the area and replenish the empty stations after the run on gas that happens when the storm is bearing down. Also, keep up on maintenance of your vehicles. It would truly suck to blow a radiator hose in traffic while trying to evacuate. (I’ve seen that happen – I think it was [Hurricane] Wilma, a guy from Miami was evacuating through the Fort Myers area and had [his engine] overheated with his small child in the car. I stopped with my work truck and we filled up his radiator with my drinking water supply, and I left him with a half case of bottled water, which was what I had left. His terror at being at the mercy of both the weather and his unwillingness to prepare was obvious).
6. Shelter – You need to buy the stuff to watertight your house before the storm, not after. Buy enough tarps to completely cover your roof – do the math and figure it out. In the off season the tarps are on clearance, pick up a few spares. They don’t go bad [if kept out of sunlight] – stick them on a shelf in your garage.
7. Storm shutters – either cut and number plywood to cover the glass or install the mounting tracks and have the corrugated metal panels ready to go. Do this on the off season, not the day before, as you want to do the initial exercise once and be done with it We put our shutters up about a day before the storm is supposed to hit – sometimes at the last minute. Our family can do the job in about 40 minutes in the pouring rain.
8. Tools and batteries – Charge everything at the first indication that your area is targeted, then keep them on trickle charge to maintain full capacity. I’ve got a battery powered Sawzall, but with two discharged batteries I might as well use a hand saw. The same goes for battery powered drills – a dead battery renders them useless.
9. Lighting – As for wind up lights, check them pre-season. I bought a wind up light a year ago and while it still lights up, the battery is shot – only lights when I crank it. I only paid ten or twelve bucks for it, but it’s junk. April is the month where the battery powered lights are checked to make sure they work, and a fresh supply of batteries are stocked.
10. Security – If you think you might need force to defend yourself, get your concealed carry license (CCL), get your practice in and buy your rifles, handguns and ammunition well before season. The state has been known to declare a state of emergency and suspend the sales of guns and ammo when a storm is coming. Also, the gun dealers will cut a deal in the off season, but “sticker [price] is sticker [price]” when a storm is coming. Not gouging, just no breaks. Gun shows are your friend, as you can really shop and compare.
This will get you through the storm and the immediate aftermath.

Letter Re: Questions on Maximizing Gasoline Storage Life

Jim,
Sorry to bug you but I searched your site and couldn’t find the info [I was looking for]. In your experience what’s the best brand of gasoline stabilizer I can use? Are there any tricks to help the gas last longer like buying a higher octane & doubling up on the amount of stabilizer? Is 1 year of storage about the max the fuel will be at it’s best. Thanks, John T. Plumeraye

JWR Replies: I describe the degradation of stored gasoline fairly well in my novel “Patriots”. Adding a gas stabilizer does prolong the storage life. The Sta-Bil and Pri-G brands are roughly comparable in effectiveness. (Although I’m sure some fuel storage aficionados will chime in with a more informed opinion than mine about which brand is best.

The main culprits in gasoline storage are: A.) the hygroscopic nature of gasoline (attracting moisture.) B.) The development of tars, gums, and esters, and the gas degrades, C.) and the gradual loss of butane. I have read that buying winter formulated gas–the gas with extra butane to provide better cold weather starting that is sold roughly October to March of each year in the US and Canada–is more important than buying high-octane gasoline. OBTW, for starting engines after the butane dissipates, keep a couple of cans of ether-based starting fluid handy. (This will allow you to start an engine even with gasoline that has had all of its original butane “burned off.” )

To maximize storage life of gasoline, be sure to store you gasoline in tightly containers, filled as close to the top as possible. This will minimize water absorption.

Odds ‘n Sods:

A web search yielded this useful video on tactical movement for concealed carry. This gent’s foot work suggestions make sense. They certainly beat just blind “back-pedaling.”

  o o o

From southwestern Oregon: Pitiful percentages for community-sustained agriculture (CSA) and heavy dependence on petroleum-based fertilizers. This does not bode well for local sustainability in any future disasters.

   o o o

Florida tries to wipe out cat-sized African rats

   o o o

Some implications of the continuing decline of the US Dollar versus foreign currencies

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“Both Google and Yahoo have been roundly criticized for signing a “Public Pledge on Self-discipline for the Chinese Internet Industry” with the Chinese government, effectively, in the words of Human Rights Watch executive director Ken Roth, going from “an information gateway to an information gatekeeper.” China’s system of Internet censorship and surveillance, popularly known as the “Great Firewall [of China],” Human Rights Watch concluded in a 2006 report, is the most advanced in the world.” – Robin Kirk

Notes from JWR:

The high bid is now at $350 in the SurvivalBlog benefit auction for a selection of 17 survival and preparedness books.

Wow! We’re about to surpass 1.5 million unique visits to SurvivalBlog. We’ve also logged 47.4 million page hits. It is gratifying to see that the popularity of SurvivalBlog is continuing to grow, globally. Thanks for helping to spread the word! If you haven’t done so already, please consider adding a SurvivalBlog graphic link to your web site and/or e-mail footer. Many thanks!

Poll Results: List Your Top Five Survival Fiction Books and Top Five Survival Movies

2

Here is the first batch of responses to “OSOM”‘s suggested poll: List your top five fiction books and top five fictional movies that help folks learn something useful for survival. OSOM’s comment: “Jim’s novel Patriots has been called a ‘survival manual fairly neatly dressed as a work of fiction.’ I believe that reading fictional tales is critical to prepare yourself mentally and spiritually for hard times, and helps intellectually to work out the variables in different situations.”

You will note that several reader sent only book recommendations (No movies.) It is noteworthy that several respondents mentioned the e-novel “Lights Out” by David Crawford. It is a 611 page (2.5 MB) PDF file available for free download.

Films & TV Movies
The Postman
Testament – PBS
Threads – BBC
The War Game – BBC
Jericho – TV Series (Has flaws but it is still good)

Novels
The Camulod Chronicles – Jack Whyte (A series of books about the Roman retreat from Britain. Very good for the planning and preps for the multi-generational TSHTF situation)
Alas, Babylon – Pat Frank
Lights Out – David Crawford (aka Half Fast)
Warday – Whitley Strieber and James Kunetka
The Postman – David Brin

—

Fictional Books:
The Road, by Cormack McCarthy
Wolf and Iron
Patriots: Surviving the Coming Collapse, by Mr. Rawles
The Survivalist series by Jerry Ahern, books One through Ten
Out of the Ashes series, by William W. Johnstone

Fictional Movies:
Threads (BBC TV: UUUGGGLLLYYY!! Can be seen on Google video, in its entirety)
The Road Warrior
Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome
A Boy and His Dog (A can of peaches [beets] for movie admission)
The Omega Man (Charlton Heston was too cool)

—

Top Survival Fiction Books
Patriots (I have read it seven times)
Alas Babylon by Pat Frank
Earth Abides by George Stewart
Malevil by Robert Merle
On the Beach by Nevil Shute

Top Five Survival Movies
Panic In Year Zero
Massive Retaliation
In the Year 2889
The Omega Man
Packing It In (Comedy)
The Survivors (Comedy)

—

Books:
Patriots (JWR) – An entertaining primer on survival.
The Road (Cormac McCarthy) – Hard to imagine a situation this bad; great literature and an awesome display of fatherhood.
Enemies series (Matt Bracken) – Primarily a political “agenda”, but packed with good info.
Walden (Thoreau) – Basic self-reliant living in the woods; great literature.
Lord of the Flies (William Golding) – Displays the sad truth that, in the absence of an “equalizer” (weapons, tools, alliances, etc.), depraved brute force usually rules and the weak are devoured. This is a great reminder that humans are sinful and naturally take advantage of one another. Thus, don’t ever get into a situation where you are a helpless little “Piggy”, dependent on the good will of a pack of wolves for survival.

Movies:
Red Dawn (Corny? Yes, but this turned a generation of 10[-to-16]-year-olds into future survivalists).
First Blood (The best modern fugitive movie).
Terminator 2 (Displays the mindset of preparing for the horrible day that may or may not come).
28 Days Later (A look at surviving in an extreme worst case scenario).
Shawshank Redemption (How to use one’s mind to survive when locked up with man’s most dangerous threat: other men).

—

Fiction Books:
My Side of the Mountain, by Jean Craighead George
Lights Out, by David Crawford
Robinson Crusoe, by Daniel Defoe
I need to read more!

Movies:
Cast Away
The Day After Tomorrow
Behind Enemy Lines
War of the Worlds
Shawn of the Dead

—

Fiction Books:
Patriots by James Rawles
Wolf and Iron by Gordon Dickson
Unintended Consequences by John Ross
Earth Abides by George Stewart
Enemies Foreign and Domestic by Matthew Bracken

Movies:
Outlaw Josey Wales
Empire of the Sun
Red Dawn
Enemy at the Gates
Dersu Uzala

—

Top Survival Novels:
Alas Babylon by Frank
Lucifer’s Hammer by Niven, Pournelle
Malevil by Merle
Tunnel In the Sky by Heinlein
Vandenberg; A Novel by Lange

Top Survival Movies:
Jeremiah Johnson
Southern Comfort
The Naked Prey
Panic In Year Zero
Red Dawn

—
Books:
Lucifer’s Hammer
The Stand
Cell
Patriots (JWR)
Ice

Movies:
Mad Max
The Road Warrior
The Stand
The Postman
Steel Frontier

—

Books
Last of the Breed by Louis L’Amour
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
The Call of the Wild by Jack London
King Rat by James Clavell
The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane

—

Favorite Survival Novels:
Patriots
The Moon is a Harsh Mistress
Some Will Not Die
Fire and Ice
Unintended Consequences

Favorite Survival Movies:
The Seven Samurai
Yojimbo
Rashoman
Battle Royale (BR)
The Last Valley

—
Books
Lucifer’s Hammer
Alas, Babylon
Some Will Not Die
Tunnel in the Sky by Robert Heinlein
The Survivalist series by Jerry Ahern

Movies
Panic in Year Zero
Day the World Ended
Soylent Green
The Postman
Deep Impact

—

Books
Tunnel in the Sky by Robert Heinlein
The Postman by David Brin (not the movie)
Earth by David Brin
The Freeman by Jerry Ahern
The Nantucket Series of 3 books by S.M. Stirling

—

Books:
Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe
I am Legend by Richard Matheson
Malevil by Robert Merle
Lights Out by David Crawford (aka “Half Fast”)

Movies:
Red Dawn
Night of the Living Dead
The Omega Man
Testament
Threads

Old Paper & Pen & Miniature RPG games
Twilight 2000
The Morrow Project
Aftermath

Computer Role Playing Games
Fallout

—

Books:
Last of the Breed, Louis L’Amour
The Grapes of Wrath, J. Steinbeck
The Call of the Wild, Jack London
King Rat, James Clavell
The Red Badge of Courage, Stephen Crane (just because we read it in 5th grade don’t discount this one)

—

Books:
Conquistador by S.M. Stirling
Patriots by J.W. Rawles
Vandenberg by Lange
Atlas Shrugged by Rand
Lucifer’s Hammer by Niven and Pournelle

Movies:
Pulling Through (not yet produced script–can be downloaded at JWR’s site)
All three Terminator movies (T2 rocks!)
The Quiet Earth
Blast From The Past (Funny)
Tremors (Very funny. The “UZI 4 U” Gummer couple are hilarious.)

—

Books:
Adventures of Conrad Stargard (Series), Leo Frankowski
The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, Robert Heinlein
Freehold, Michael Z Williamson
Farnham’s Freehold, Robert Heinlein
Dies the Fire, S.M. Stirling
Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank
Patriots, James Wesley, Rawles

Movies:
Apollo 13
The Road Warrior
V for Vendetta
Serenity
The Matrix

—

Fiction Books:
Patriots – James W. Rawles
The Andromeda Strain – Michael Crichton
Wolf and Iron – Gordon Dickson
One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovitch – Alexander Solzhenitsyn
Molon Labe! – Boston T. Party

Movies:
Jeremiah Johnson
Red Dawn
The Seven Samurai
Saving Private Ryan
Unforgiven

—

FICTION BOOKS:
MILA 18 – Leon Uris
Trinity- Leon Uris
Alas Babylon – Pat Frank
Lucifer’s Hammer- Niven & Pournelle
The Stand – Stephen King

MOVIES
The Postman
Red Dawn
Jeremiah Johnson
Mad Max-Beyond Thunderdome
African Queen

—

Books:
The Last Ship William Brinkley
On The Beach Nevil Shute
Earth Abides George Stewart
Patriots James W Rawles
Farnham’s Freehold Robert Heinlein

Movies
Panic in the Year Zero (awful music)
The War Game British quasi documentary
The Day After
Testament

—

Fiction Books:
Footfall, by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle
Dark December by Alfred Coppel
Earth Abides by George R. Stewart
Tomorrow by Philip Wylie
The New Madrid Run by Michael Reisig

Movies:
Panic In Year Zero
The Trigger Effect
The World, The Flesh, & The Devil
The Last Train (British miniseries)
Five (Arch Obelor)

Odds ‘n Sods:

There is an interesting thread over at the Claire Files Forums on plastic versus steel gas cans.

  o o o

Reader Bruce C., recommended some commentary by Victor Davis Hansen: Is The Sky Falling on America? Bruce’s comment: “While this article does not present a rock solid case for TEOTWAWKI, it provides an important framework for “survivalists” and “preppers” to maintain as they wonder why the Schumer has yet to hit the fan.”

   o o o

Fred the Valmet-meister sent us this link on provisioning, Alabama style: Boy Bags Wild Hog Bigger Than ‘Hogzilla’

   o o o

More corn planting might create storage shortage

Note from JWR:

Today we observe Memorial Day, when America honors those who have given their lives in defense of the nation. Most Americans are truly thankful for their sacrifice.

Letter Re: Firefighting Equipment for Rural Homes and Retreats

Jim
As a local volunteer firefighter in Northern Idaho, I would like to offer some advice to current and future retreat owners. Due to response time(s), everyone who can afford it should have the following set up on the property to use during those 15 to 30 minutes until emergency services arrive. You will find that in most retreat areas volunteers are the norm. It may take that long from your call to having equipment on scene. The farther out you are the longer it will be, and in the winter, you may be on your own due to road impassability.
I sometimes suggest to clients that they purchase an old fire truck or water tender that is in decent shape, but only if you have the skills to service those type of units. Prices vary but most of the time you can get a nice working 1960s -1970s vintage truck for $5,000 to $10,000. Those of you that plan on cashing out and moving to your retreat area to pay cash for it, might want to consider having this purchase pre-booked in your ledger as you shop for your property. Sometimes retreats will have such items already on hand that you can negotiate into the deal, seeing that prices in the real estate market are still coming down.
Here is a set-up under $2,500 that would be great. You can find used equipment as well for much less.
Purchase a portable pump along with a portable bladder (if you do not have a pond, swimming pool or year round stream close to your retreat, 100-150 feet maximum) then add some 1.5” hose and a nozzle or two and there you have a fairly economical safeguard against structure fire or a wild land fire on your property.
I have seen several structures recently go up in flames; one that I arrived on scene before the equipment that could have been saved from extensive damage had the owner had fire protection equipment to use before we arrived. It’s very easy to maintain some portable set-ups like the one above. Part of preparedness as we all know is actually doing something about a possible threat so that we can remove any worries while we go about our lives.
Remember, out in the hinter boonies fire will be an everyday threat Pre- and Post-TEOTWAWKI to your structure and surrounding property.
God bless, – Todd Savage

Letter Re: Why Food Prices are Soaring

Jim
I enjoy your books (have bought two for others as gifts) and blog site. I came across this article [from Canada] describing another unintended consequence of the extreme liquidity the Fed is using to prop up our housing market/economy- high food prices. Aside from the new ‘miracle’ fuel – ethanol – our government policies are eroding our purchasing power in every sector of our lives. Here is an excerpt from the article:
“After steamrolling through a laundry list of base metals, then oil and gas, the global commodity boom is finally hitting us in the gut: at the supermarket checkout counter.
Canadians paid 3.8% more for food in April compared with a year earlier, including an extra 12.9% for fresh vegetables. The experts have coined a new term to describe the phenomenon. They call it agflation, and they blame the hedge funds.
The examples are everywhere. Global milk prices are rising at the fastest rate ever. Powdered milk, a key benchmark, has jumped 60% in six months to US $1.58 at the beginning of May. Since 2000, beef prices have jumped nearly 30% on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange.” The article is pretty enlightening.

Thanks for your vigilance and willingness to educate. – John in Virginia

Two Letters Re: Lock Picks as Survival Tools

Jim,
Just a word of caution, at least here in the People’s Republic of Kalifornia (and probably most other locales), mere possession of said tools by somebody not driving around in “Joe’s 24 Hour Locksmith” van could lead you to a peck of trouble by a nosy cop and land you in the clink for possession of burglary tools. Same with nice bolt cutters. Of course in TEOTWAWKI all bets are off be cautious and safe. Of course ‘intent ‘ is the key word, but why risk the hassle? Cordially, Tim

JWR Replies: Laws on possession of lock picks vary considerably from state to state. In most states, possession and use of lock picks is equivalent to the possession of a pry bar or similar tools that could be used for burglary. Even in California, mere possession sans intent is deemed legal. Nearly all state statutes require proof of malicious or criminal intent to justify prosecution. This is the case in Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, and many other states. To the best of my knowledge (but don’t take my word for it–consult your state and local laws) the only jurisdiction that makes mere possession illegal with no proof of intent required, is our nation’s capitol, Washington, DC. I should also mention that in California, locksmiths must be state licensed. (What a Nanny State mentality!) Granted, carrying a set of lock picks on your person could be considered criminal intent, depending on the circumstances. And who knows how much grief you’d invite by doing so in a state like California. In such states it probably wouldn’t be a good idea to carry such items in your car. FWIW, I carry a basic set of “lock out” tools in my primary vehicle at all times, but of course I live in the boonies in a lightly-populated rural state. However, if I lived in California I certainly wouldn’t!

Jim-
Have you seen this YouTube video? It is one of several that describe the [‘lock bumping”] problem. This one shows how to make the bump key. You might need several different kinds of keys, but a visit to Home Depot will tell you the most popular kinds of locks/keys for the home market. Amazing. – Bob

JWR Replies: I mentioned the lock bumping threat in SurvivalBlog a few months ago, but it bears repeating. It is worth paying more for dead bolt lock sets that are specifically designed to be “bump resistant.”

Letter Re: Jericho Fans are Going Nuts Over the TV Series Cancellation

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Rawles,
I came across this story of Jericho [television series] fans that have sent almost 19,000 pounds of nuts to CBS to protest the show’s cancellation. Borrowing from Jake’s reply of “Nuts” to New Bern[‘s demand for surrender.]. Here is a link to the story. – T.A. From Indiana.
.

JWR Replies: In their typically resourceful American way, people are expressing themselves in a creative way to be sure that they’ll be heard. If you enjoyed the show, folks might want to at least sign the petition. And if you really love the show, then it might be worth investing $5 in peanuts.