January 24th is the birthday of René Barjavel (born 1911, died November 24, 1985). This prescient French science fiction author wrote several books with survivalist themes, including Ravage, which was titled Ashes, Ashes in its English translation. It is also the birthday of Tamara K., the editor of the long-running View From The Porch blog.
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A reader wrote to suggest that I re-post some items on surviving a pandemic. Since i plan ahead, there is already a static page for that: Protecting Your Family From an Influenza Pandemic
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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest
Today we present another entry for Round 86 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The more than $12,000 worth of prizes for this round include:
First Prize:
- A $3,000 gift certificate towards a Sol-Ark Solar Generator from veteran-owned Portable Solar LLC. The only EMP Hardened Solar Generator System available to the public.
- A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any one, two, or three day course (a $1,095 value),
- A course certificate from onPoint Tactical for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses, excluding those restricted for military or government teams. Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795,
- DRD Tactical is providing a 5.56 NATO QD Billet upper. These have hammer forged, chrome-lined barrels and a hard case, to go with your own AR lower. It will allow any standard AR-type rifle to have a quick change barrel. This can be assembled in less than one minute without the use of any tools. It also provides a compact carry capability in a hard case or in 3-day pack (an $1,100 value),
- Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
- A $250 gift certificate good for any product from Sunflower Ammo,
- American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.
Second Prize:
- A gift certificate from Quantum Harvest LLC (up to a $2,200 value) good for 12% off the purchase of any of their sun-tracking models, and 10% off the purchase price of any of their other models.
- A Front Sight Lifetime Diamond Membership, providing lifetime free training at any Front Sight Nevada course, with no limit on repeating classes. This prize is courtesy of a SurvivalBlog reader who prefers to be anonymous.
- A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training, which have a combined retail value of $589,
- A $300 purchase credit for any of the products from EMPShield.com
- A Three-Day Deluxe Emergency Kit from Emergency Essentials (a $190 value),
- Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $240 value).
- An assortment of products along with a one hour consultation on health and wellness from Pruitt’s Tree Resin (a $265 value).
Third Prize:
- Good2GoCo.com is providing a $400 purchase credit at regular prices for the prize winner’s choice of either Wise Foods or Augason long term storage foods, in stackable buckets.
- Three sets each of made-in-USA regular and wide-mouth reusable canning lids. (This is a total of 300 lids and 600 gaskets.) This prize is courtesy of Harvest Guard (a $270 value)
- A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
- Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy (a $185 retail value),
- Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
- Mayflower Trading is donating a $200 gift certificate for homesteading appliances.
Round 86 ends on January 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.
SurvivalBlog on a Pandemic now days, = ‘With the advent of global jet travel, it is now likely that highly virulent disease strains will be transmitted to population centers around the world in a matter of just a few days. This what happened with H1N1.’
Breitbart on 1/23/2020. =
“Chinese Mask Virus Symptoms to Thwart Border Entry Checks”
“The South China Morning Post identified the case of one >Wuhan woman who claimed to use medication to lower her temperature when traveling to France, then boasted of evading detection.”
“I had a fever and a cough before I left – I was so scared. I quickly took some medicine and checked my temperature,” the woman, later identified as Ms. Wan, posted along with a photo of herself and a friend. “Luckily the temperature was controlled and I had a smooth journey through the border.” …
“The Hong Kong broadcaster RTHK identified other similar posts from Chinese social media users claiming they were able to “escape” Wuhan, a city of 11 million people, before the government froze all public transportation and locked the city down late Wednesday.”
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TheConservativieTreehouse 1/23/2020. =
“Coronavirus Cases Rise Globally – First U.S. Cases Detected…”
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“Interestingly, a China researcher on Twitter, Ben Tallmadge, often a great source of granular details for all things China, has been providing information about China developing biological weapons specifically in the city of Wuhan.”
“Citing a story from July 2019, Tallmadge draws attention to a level-4 biological lab in Canada that was infiltrated Chinese spy scientists and a biologic agent was removed. What makes this aspect interesting is the location where the Chinese spies returned after they were caught; Wuhan City, the exact place where the Coronavirus started.”
“A year earlier, in July 2018, China inaugurated Wuhan biosafety level 4 (BSL-4) lab in the city. It is the only level-four biological research facility in the country. The Wuhan lab was built precisely to look into dangerous pathogens like the novel Coronavirus; which again is reported to have originated from Wuhan City. This just doesn’t seem like a coincidence.”
“In July 2019, there was a considerable protest in Wuhan City because the Chinese government was building a massive incinerator in the event a biologic element escaped the facility. Again, this doesn’t seem like a coincidence.” …
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It’s always a good idea to check through Survivalblog about needed preps. A Water Filtration system is always good; plus at least a few weeks of survival food. The advertisers here at Survivalblog are a good place to start.
It’s very unlikely there will be a Black Death event with the Coronavirus: it seems to be just a deadly flu virus at the moment. … >But, there are people more likely to suffer during >any flu outbreak. … Try NOT to let the flu outbreak happen to you and your family. … The linked Pandemic Article in Survivalblog is worth a quick read.
From an important section in the Pandemic Article: “To protect yourself (at least marginally) from infected spittle, wear wrap-around goggles and buy or fabricate surgical style masks, in quantity. Note that even an N100 gas mask filter will not stop an airborne virus, since the viruses are too small. But at least a cloth mask will give you some protection from virus-laden spittle.”
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As an observation: too many people worry sometimes about being fashionable rather than practical. [They’d rather suffer a sunburn, than wear a cowboy hat.]
‘Be safe; Not necessarily fashionable.’ A scarf accessory might be a good idea; especially for the gals. … The woman is the heart family.
From a link at Whatfinger: https://www.cnbc.com/2020/01/24/cdc-confirms-second-us-case-of-coronavirus-chicago-resident-diagnosed.html
One of those “potential investigations” probably includes a Texas A & M student who has recently returned from China and has “mild” symptoms. The latest i heard, they are still trying to determine how the student returned – via DFW or Houston airports.
I suggest updating the Pandemic link page. I just reread it.
I read the book recommended on SB, Crisis in the Red Zone. An excellent read, added to my sensitivity on needed preps.
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=crisis+in+the+red+zone&i=stripbooks&crid=2JDJAQZNY64G0&sprefix=crisis+in+the+%2Caps%2C215&ref=nb_sb_ss_c_2_14
So I ordered less than 200 bucks worth of stuff and that is dirt cheap compared to a needed life-saving trip for an infected person to an ER or other facility.
Tyvek suits
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=tyvek+suit&i=tools&crid=IG9CACRQBG7N&sprefix=tyvek+suit%2Cstripbooks%2C216&ref=nb_sb_ss_fb_1_10
Another box of disposable masks like this
https://www.amazon.com/3M-8210PP20-DC-Sanding-Particulate-Respirators/dp/B002AUVWSC/ref=sr_1_5?crid=2IQW6MC01P5HE&keywords=n95+respirator+mask&qid=1579889656&s=hi&sprefix=N95%2Ctools%2C229&sr=1-5
Cheap and effective face shields
https://www.amazon.com/protective-Anti-fog-Adjustable-Plastic-Protective/dp/B07CXT7NCS/ref=sr_1_4?crid=3S77L95GTSB9W&keywords=dental+face+shield&qid=1579889799&s=hi&sprefix=dental+face%2Ctools%2C217&sr=1-4
Other items you should get are
disposable or sterilizeable booties
lots of protective gloves
tape to seal shut all openings including the above face shield edges around your hood
a garden sprayer
with a 10% bleach solution for sterilizing surfaces and your protective gear
more garbage bags
blue painter tape
more black markers
a biohazard garbage container for holding bagged medical waste.
These items are nowhere near the level of protection a Level 4 facility has, but then they are affordable.
The Red Zone book describes in detail how physical exhaustion and lack of sufficient supplies reuslited in 2 highly trained doctors and 39 highly trained nurses died who worked in a Level 4-equipped facility.
The book also states that a trained, poor nurse set up a cheap but effective garbage-bag based quarantine care system in her home that saved 2 of three Ebola family members.
James, I respectfully request that you have a professional medical prepper update your pandemic page link. Since it was dated in 2009, there have been several near-miss outbreaks including a big Ebola one in 2014, of which the lingering effects are still dramatic despite not being on the US Media.
Thank you everyone and God Bless.
I finished reading that book a few weeks ago. It was excellent! And it is very easy to understand and a must read!!
I also stocked up on Tyvex suits, TONS of garbage bags, bleach, disposable face masks, etc.
GGHD, excellent points, I’ve been wondering why they are going nuts about this on the radio and all the news channels and now I know there are underlying events (of course they don’t say these details)
It’s good to know my gut feeling was right
Lastly, I’m so excited to get my Survivalblog archive USB stick soon!!
For the record, 1/25/ 2020. =
“The United States is arranging a charter flight on Sunday to bring its citizens and diplomats back from the Chinese city of Wuhan, epicenter of the outbreak of a new coronavirus, the Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday.”
“The plane, with around 230 people, will carry diplomats from the U.S. consulate as well as U.S. citizens and their families, the Journal reported, citing a person familiar with the operation.”
“Washington was given approval for the operation from China’s Foreign Ministry and other government agencies following negotiations in recent days, the newspaper said.”
“A spokesperson for the U.S. Embassy in Beijing said that on Thursday, the State Department had ordered the departure of family members and all U.S. government employees at its Wuhan consulate, but declined to comment on the report that other U.S. citizens would be evacuated from the city.” (Reuters)
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The Pandemic Article linked by Survivalblog is worth a read, and so is Wheatley Fisher’s letter above.
At the moment start off with some basic preps; there might be a >deadly flu heading our way. … [Even though it’s supposedly ‘only’ the flu (at the moment), read some articles about the Spanish Flu after WW1.]