Letter Re: Asian Avian Flu

While we all hope and pray that a human to human strain of Avian flu doesn’t happen, do not forget that the major form of transmission of this disease is between fowl.
Water fowl especially. Since chickens don’t fly very far, waterfowl seem to be the primary carriers of this flu from country to country and county to county. What that means is that should it start to spread across your country (wherever that may be) your chicken flock is at risk of getting the stuff themselves unless you plan ahead.

Chicken coops that are enclosed from other birds are a must. The use of 1/4″ hardware cloth instead of typical chicken wire is necessary [to prevent small wild bird from entering your poultry pen.] If you are range feeding your chickens you may have no choice but to pen them up away from wild birds droppings. A vaccine for chickens has been developed but I don’t know how long it will be before being available to the small “hobby” farmer.

A further note on vaccines: It was reported on CNN that a vaccine had been developed against avian flu for humans. What they aren’t telling us is that this vaccine may not even help at all if the avian flu mutates drastically into a form that passes from human to human rapidly. They are hoping that the new vaccine will give just enough immunity to drop the fatality rate from the current 80 percent. A vaccine cannot be made for something that doesn’t yet exist! – B.W.

Letter from Old Sarge Regarding Prescription Drugs

Sir : You mentioned this subject on an earlier blog post, but I think it is so important that I would like to see it addressed.

Post-TEOTWAWKI, we will probably be on our own for an extended period of time, and dependent on our knowledge and training, much of which can be garnered here at this excellent website.

My question is: how can we find out which medicines – antibiotics, pain relievers, etc., acquired legitimately of course, are appropriate to our survival situation? I understand your general provisos and accept them, but how do we “snuffys” get this info which is so critical to our survival? In my personal experience, the vast majority of medical professionals are unwilling to say much due to liability, etc.

My questions would be: Which of each Rx is recommended, how much of each, and the realistic storage life if kept cool, dark, and dry – like in a survival stash. Diagnosis and dosage can be ascertained by a survivalist pro (medically trained), or medical manual (like the Merck Manuals), or PDR, or personal experience.

I would encourage any medical pro, and I’m sure several must read this blog, to contribute to the rest of us. When it’s post-WTSHTF, we’ll be your only patients!!

Semper Fi, – Old Sarge

JWR’s Reply:
 Regarding, herbal medicines, I recommend the book From The Shepherd’s Purse. Another useful resource is Michael Moore‘s website (coincidently mentioned in another letter today). Regarding prescription drugs, I concur that get every reader should get a copy of the latest edition of the Physician’s Desk Reference (PDR). A full set of the Merck Manuals is another must. OBTW, I mention several other highly recommended medical references on my Bookshelf page, including:

  • American Red Cross First Aid
  • Where There is No Doctor, by David Werner
  • Where There is No Dentist, by Murray Dickson
  • Emergency War Surgery (NATO handbook) Dr. Martin Fackler, et al.

My philosophy is to store as many medical supplies as I can afford, and, as they near their near their expiration dates to rotate them out–donating the old stocks to medical missionaries.

There are some approaches that can be taken to minimize the frequency/expense of rotation. Some items such as isopropyl alcohol and baking soda essentially have no expiration date. I tend toward the old-fashioned method of bandaging wounds–using separate gauze and bandage tape rather than modern self adhesive bandages. Since gauze stores indefinitely, all that I need to do is buy a few fresh rolls of bandage tape once every two or three years. And BTW, if you ever find a medical (ultra-cold) freezer for sale as surplus, jump on it!

I am confident that one of the several doctors that regularly read this blog will e-mail me some other references and specific recommendations on exact varieties and quantities of medications to store. (For their privacy I will of course keep their comments anonymous.)

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"America is sliding deeper and deeper into a politically correct, scholastically indoctrinated, regulated, credentialed, homogenized and degenerate hole. If catastrophe does not interrupt this decline (as it surely will), then America shall become a land of subhuman semi-illiterates, utterly dependent on government, profoundly alienated from one another and entertained to the point of stupefaction." – J. R. Nyquist

The Pre-Test and the Ultimate Test

There may come a day when you have to put all of your training and preparations to use. That will be ultimate test of whether or not you have a true survival mindset. Do you think that you are ready for WTSHTF, physically and mentally? Assuming that you live in the suburbs, try a weekend “grid down” test with you family. This will test both your mental preparedness and how well you have prepared for the basics. Here is how it is done: Some Friday evening, unannounced, turn off your main circuit breaker and shut the valves the gas main and the water main. Leave them off until Monday morning. You might be surprised how the weekend goes. One thing that I can guarantee you: Some of the most accurate lists of logistics that you will ever compose are those written by candlelight.

Now, assuming that your weekend test goes well, extrapolate to a situation where your entire community is in the same circumstances. Then add to that some turmoil: bullets are flying and perhaps there is even the occasional stray mortar round. The recent civil wars in Kosovo and Macedonia are good points of reference.

Lessons Learned from Kosovo

The following are lessons that can be learned from the recent civil wars in the former Yugoslavia:
#1:
Pray, repent, and obey God’s commandments. I fervently believe that God will put his covenant people in the right place with the right friends at the right time. Read the 37th and 91st Psalms! If you are a Christian but a backslider, repent and renew your Christian walk!

#2:
If at all possible, don’t become a refugee. Refugees have a short life expectancy. If you have done any reading about the many wars of the last century you will note that many of them caused massive dislocations of civilian population. The last category I want to be in is “refugee.” In war, life is cheap and refugees are vulnerable to untold horrors.

#3:
No matter what happens, blend in. Remember the old Japanese proverb: “The nail that sticks up gets hammered down.”

#4:
In the event of a civil war, decide early on if you and yours will be combatants or if it is the time to bug out. Make that decision early, and then don’t hesitate. Those who left Macedonia early on were able to take some possessions with them. But those who waited too long had little more than the clothes on their backs.

#5:
Stock up on key logistics for your family, in quantity. Consider what you will need for a situation that will last for months or even years.

#6:
Most importantly, always have a plan B, and a plan C. (Because Plan A is not always a sure thing.)

Offshoring–The Handwriting is On the Wall

A recent article about job offshoring at Yahoo Business was some serious FFTAGFFR. The global economy is undergoing nothing short of a full scale paradigm shift. Ten years ago I was anxiously looking forward to the day when I could telecommute from out in the boonies in Idaho, and yet still make a good salary. However, the advances in telecommunications have allowed bottom line-driven corporations to leapfrog beyond setting up their American information workers as telecommuters. Instead, they contract out to teleworkers in Third World countries. Increasingly, most new customer service call centers are being set up not in low cost Arkansas, but instead in in ultra low cost India. Likewise new software development centers are being set up not in low cost Oregon, but instead in in ultra low cost Pakistan or Communist China. I expect this trend to continue. And with university systems expanding in the Third World there will be no shortage of high tech teleworkers in the Third World. The University of Bangalore cranks out tens of thousands of programmers every year that are gleeful at the prospect of earning a whopping $10,000 a year and willing to crank out beau coup lines of code, working 60 hours a week, sitting elbow-to-elbow with their co-workers. At $10,000 a year, they can afford to live in a nice house and have a lower caste servant to do the washing. (Someone who is willing to work for $300 a year.) If you work in high tech, my advice is to maneuver yourself into an offshoring-proof job. There aren’t many of those. Note, however, that offshoring is impracticable in any job that his highly dependent on face to face contact. It is also unlikely for offshoring to occur in some highly regulated sectors or such as banking, gaming, and defense. (At least the defense jobs that require a security clearance.)

Beretta 9mm Model 92/Centurion Owners — .40 S&W Kits Now on the Market

I have always considered 9mm Parabellum (also known as 9mm Luger) marginal at best at stopping two-legged predators. For those of you that own a 9mm Beretta Model 92 or Beretta Centurion, be advised that Beretta USA now produces a .40 S&W conversion kit for your pistol. These are complete “top halves” and come with one 11 round .40 S&W magazine. The folks at CDNN currently have these factory-made conversion kits on sale for $149.99. Since these kits don’t include a frame, no FFL is required. If you are one of those folks that has a Beretta 9mm that you don’t shoot much, or if you have both a Beretta 9mm and any other pistols in your battery that are chambered in .40 S&W, I recommend getting one of these kits. The .40 S&W is a fairly reliable stopper. (Not quite up to the benchmark of .45 ACP, but sufficient.) Make sure that you specify M92 or Centurion length when you order.

One key proviso: You should line up a supply of Beretta factory made Model 96G (.40 S&W) 10 or 11 round magazines before you order a conversion kit. Parenthetically, I would consider 5 spare magazines a bare minimum–but 10 or 12 spares should probably meet your comfort level. After you’ve made the switch, I recommend greasing up your old 9mm top half and all of your 9mm magazines with R.I.G. Then seal them up in double plastic bags with a little silica gel desiccant inside the inner bag for good measure. Tuck them away in an ammo can–right next to those cans full of 9mm ammo that you can now resign to the category of ballistic wampum. OBTW, I recommend that you consider having a set of Meprolight or Trijicon tritium sights installed on your new .40 top half. Lay in a supply of at least 1,200 rounds of .40 S&W if your Beretta will be your secondary handgun, or at least 2,500 rounds (or more) if it will be your primary handgun.

Letter from T.T. On Axe and Maul Handles

“There’s nothing like a nice piece of Hickory.” – Clint Eastwood, in Pale Rider

Jim:
I grew up with burning wood for heat. My grandfather had a big old “octopus” looking wood burner in the basement. The heat was nice and even. After growing up and moving away with my family, I have always had a wood stove of some type and I do not feel prepared for winter unless I have a good wood supply.

My issue is with the axes. We will be using to trim and split the wood we are putting up. Now is the time to buy plenty of handles for your axes, splitting mauls, and gardening tools. You will find many axe heads after the crash but handles will be scarce. I extend the life of my axes and mauls by wrapping fiberglass tape just behind the head for about 6 inches. This is the area of the ax handle that gets the most abuse and will save you from replacing the handle prematurely. I have tried 18 gauge copper wire soldered, and duct tape. The copper held up the best but was difficult to put on. The duct tape was not strong enough and still let the handle break with a bad strike. The best compromise I have found is the fiberglass tape at least 4 layers deep. The tape is cheap. I do not like the feel of the fiberglass handles available and it is tedious to remove the epoxy and fiberglass from the head. You can break a fiberglass handle! Have extra wooden wedges and rasps to set a new handle. The metal wedges can be reused. After an extended period of storage, the wood dries out and the head is loose. Just soak the head in a bucket of water for at least several hours to overnight. The wood will swell and grip the axe head. I do not recommend applying any epoxy between the handle and head. This will make it difficult to replace the handle..- T.T. in Northern Idaho

Letter from The Army Aviator Re: EMP Countermeasures

Jim:
 Thank you for writing “Patriots”. I re-read my copy at least yearly and it is very dog-eared and highlighted. I currently have 2 – 3 years worth of wood under cover and today I was adding a little. This fits in with the latest posts to your blog. I’ve been ignoring reality for awhile now on one subject. Here is a point regarding EMP protection. I carry my portable printer, laptop solar charger, manual squeeze charger, floppy drive adaptor, CD/DVD RW, et cetera in a shiny aircraft aluminum foam lined case which I keep in the truck because yuppies and socialites look at you funny otherwise.

My laptop has a great yuppie accepted case…….. except it’s fabric. So for my laptop I ordered in a foam lined, aircraft aluminum case in yuppie acceptable black. If I’m going to carry it around like I always do, I might as well protect it.

Most stuff will live in a foam lined, well sealed metal case whether it’s grounded or not. The rest of it will become boat anchors. I can’t believe that I put off this easy-to-do thing.
This is a good source for a solid laptop case–not a riveted style which tend to be RF porous.

Seems to me you said “Hindsight is 20/20”. Guess a little foresight wouldn’t hurt. 🙂 – The Army Aviator

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"It is by no means an irrational fancy that in future existence we shall look upon what we think our present existence as a dream." – Edgar Allan Poe

Retreat Selection–Seek a Diverse Economy

A diverse local economy is of great importance when evaluating potential retreat locales. Unless you are retired or about to retire, the opportunity to find steady work pre-TEOTWAWKI is also very important. Depending on the scenario you envision, you should probably look for a town with:

A robust, growing economy
A good mix of jobs in dry land farming, ranching, mining, industry, high technology, and service sector jobs
City and county governments that are pro-business
A “Farmer’s Market” on summer evenings and/or weekends (evidence of sufficient small scale truck farming)
A good mix of established local businesses such as a grocery store, sewing shop, car parts store, hardware store, and so forth.
A high rate of church attendance. Even if you aren’t religious personally, a high ratio of church attendance equates to a high ratio of law-abiding citizens.

And a town without:

A single industry economy
Predominantly government payroll jobs
A predominantly retired population
A large seasonal tourist population
A large seasonal student population
Lots of bars
Tattoo/piercing parlors
Welfare dependency
Nearby prisons
Nearby military bases

Do your homework in detail before you buy!

Attitude Adjustment–Yours! (SA: Survival Mindset)

Just as important as finding a town that fits your needs is re-making you to fit your new town. For someone accustomed to the Big City pace of life, this can be a major adjustment.
Get to know the local way of doing things in your new town. Get accustomed to the pace of life. Don’t expect to get a lot done during deer season. (Nearly every building contractor, plumber, and electrician will be out in the woods, with tags to fill!) Dress like the natives. Don’t be ostentatious. Don’t whine about the lack of “good shopping” or culture. Learn how to pronounce the local names quickly. Don’t stand out. Join the local church.

Don’t just talk about preparedness. If you have concerns about the future –do something about it: Plant a vegetable garden, get weapons training at Front Sight, learn how to can your own vegetables, change your own motor oil, learn how to knit and darn, take up hiking, help a friend (or a local church) with a building or remodeling project, et cetera.

The difference between a genuine survivalist and an armchair commando (a.k.a. “Tommy Tactical”) is that a genuine survivalist collects useful skills whereas an Armchair Commando collects gadgets that he doesn’t know how to use.

Rethink your budget and your priorities in life. Here are some examples:

Cut out unnecessary travel.
Sell your jet ski and buy a canoe. Sell your television(s) and buy a general coverage short wave receiver.
Sell your fancy engraved guns, and commemorative guns, and customized “race” guns. Replace them with practical guns in non-reflective durable finishes.
Make sure to buy guns from a private party with no paper trail. Sell off your guns that are chambered in oddball calibers such as 16 gauge, 28 gauge, .280 Remington, .240 Weatherby Magnum, .35 Whelen, .25-20, and .41 Magnum. Replace them with guns in the most common standard calibers like: .30-06. .308, .223, .45 ACP, .40 S&W, 12 gauge, and .22 Long Rifle. (In Canada and Oz, that list should also include the venerable .303 British rifle cartridge. )
Sell your Beanie Baby (or whatever) collection on eBay and use that money to buy storage food.
Sell your Rolex and buy a half dozen inexpensive used self-winding watches. (These will come in handy for coordinating tactical rendezvous and guard shift changes.)
Sell your fancy late models cars and replace them with 5 to 10 year old low mileage American-made 4WDs with good ground clearance. When you move to the country you don’t want to stick out or be the focus of envy, so it is better to have older and dinged up vehicles than to have ones that look nearly new.
Get out of debt.
Live frugally.
Dress down.

Prepare for the worst case Schumeresque situation. Thus, you will always be ready for less severe circumstances and you can take them in stride. Such preparations will take a lot of money, but ask yourself:: What is your life and the lives of your loved ones worth to you? If being truly prepared requires moving to a small town in a lightly populated region, then so be it!

Letter From Swampthing

Jim,
I’m not a wordy kind of guy but I just want to say thank you for getting me back in the survivalist mentality. Without knowing it, I grew up a “prepper” thanks to my grandparents who raised my brother and me. After I got married and moved to Memphis we got mesmerized with all the glitter of affluence. Started having kids and buying toys (kids and grown up) and blah, blah, blah. Then I read Patriots in 1999 and it got me back into the swing of things, full bore!!!

Thanks Again,

Johnny (a.k.a. swampthing)

JWR’s Comment: Swampthing really knows his stuff! Don’t miss his posts about the current spike in fuel prices over on Mutterings.

Letter From T.H. Re: J.M.’s Letter on G.O.O.D. Vehicle Alternatives (Posted 16 August)

Jim:
I would like to share a little info on box trucks and fuel storage. I have been self employed in the delivery business for 8 years and 5 years as an inspector on crude oil ships.

ON TRUCKS
First you only need a Class D Drivers license for any truck under 26,000 GVW. These trucks generally weigh 10,000-to-11,000 lbs. So if needed 15,000 lbs of supplies could be stored in one of these trucks.

I have owned or been exposed to just about every make of box-bodied truck available. The most reliable trucks IMO are the imports: UD/Nissan Fuso/Mits and Isuzu. I have over 900,000 miles of experience with these brands, combined. The only issue I have had with these trucks seem to be fragile interiors. With 4-to-5 different drivers in a trucks life, they can get rough. The Internationals can be had with several different drive train combos: Cat, Cummings, Allison transmissions, etc. In my experience the problems with these trucks are almost always electrical and can/have rendered trucks useless.

In regard to loading these trucks always load the heaviest items to the nose/front of the truck. Loading heavy to the rear can cause higher fuel consumption due to the front raising and the back squatting = high wind resistance and instability. If you leave these trucks sitting for a long period of time in highly humid or salty air conditions YOU WILL have issues with your clutch, alternator and starter. All of these items will corrode the vehicle will become useless.

ON FUEL AND FUEL STORAGE
Water cut paste [also called Water Finding Paste] is used to detect or measure amounts of sediments and water at the bottom of your fuel tanks. To use: smear paste on a BRASS sounding rod lower into your tank when it hits bottom let it sit for 20 seconds and pull up and read. Two types of paste are needed–one for diesel and one for gas. I STRONGLY URGE YOU to use caution when water cut measuring your gasoline. ALWAYS ground yourself and use a non-sparking (brass) sounding rod. Use only cotton string for your sounding rod 1/8 inch diameter is fine. Also, use a MHSA approved flash light when doing inspections at night. Liquid gasoline is not 1/10th as explosive as its vapors. Static electricity is a killer!

Sincerely, – T.H.

Note from Jim:

If you have a particular area of expertise in any SA related to survival, please share it. Your fellow SurvivalBloggers would greatly appreciate reading short pieces on everything from Apiaries to Zener Diodes. It doesn’t have to be lengthy, and you don’t have to be an expert writer. (I’ll clean up any typos.) Many Thanks! – JWR.