SurvivalBlog is dedicated to family preparedness, survival, self-reliance, and self-sufficiency. Are you new to this blog? Be advised that you are jumping in to extant threads. Read "About" first. Then read my "Precepts page." For in-depth study, see the archives. Thanks! - JWR

Tuesday December 22 2009

Note from JWR:

We are still working on updating the server database, and consequently the blog archives are still unavailable. Thanks for your patience.

Lessons from History: The Immigrant and the Refugee

As a student of history, it is surprising how often the same traumatic patterns emerge in times of economic turmoil, political upheavals, and civil unrest. All too frequently, average citizens get caught in the middle of tumultuous situations and unwittingly are soon reduced to the status of refugee. Unlike someone that intentionally emigrates to better themselves, a refugee typically hits the road with few or any assets and no sure destination. As I've mentioned before in SurvivalBlog, if the 20th century taught us anything, it is that the one category you don't want to find yourself in is "refugee." Refugees have a short life expectancy, nd embody the risks of being tossed about by the waves of change and the vagaries of police shift and consequent civil unrest. Do everything in your power to avoid becoming a refugee! Your surest and best course of action is to strategically relocate, before tumultuous times occur, to a region that will fare well in hard times.

Just the other day while on a cross country trip, I noticed a commercial trailerload of U-Haul trailers being returned empty to California. This was indicative of the hard times that have befallen the periphery of our nation. In normal (good) times, California was the destination point for U-Haul trailers, but now the worm has turned, and states like Wyoming, Utah, and the Dakotas now have U-Haul trailers and trucks piling up in huge numbers. So many in fact, that they must be shipped back to places like California and Arizona. My mention of this should not be construed as criticism of those who have left California, Arizona, and Florida, but rather, my hat is off to them for taking the initiative of moving to more prosperous region with better chances for employment. Good for them! They didn't just wallow in self-pity, collecting unemployment, waiting for someone the bail them out. They've taken the initiative to provide for their families, better themselves, and move to greener pastures.

In closing, heads of families should prayerfully develop a contingency plan for relocating in the event of localized economic problems. Again, there is a sharp contrast between someone that proactively relocates in advance of truly bad times and someone that hesitates, and thereby reduces himself and his family to refugee status. If and when hard times befall your family, don't hesitate to relocate. It's better to be a year early than a day late. This is doubly true in the event of a TEOTWAWKI-scale economic collapse. We have no way of knowing if the current recession will continue to stair-step down into a full multi-decade economic depression. Be ready!

Letter Re: Stow Your Gear Securely in Your Vehicle

JWR,
I didn't know how to post this, so I thought I'd email it. [JWR Adds: Email is the preferred method for submitting letters or articles to the blog, at james@rawles.to.]
A couple of Sundays ago, we lost our "getaway" car.

My wife and I had our 2004 V-10 Ford Excursion tricked out for anything, including an emergency kit with everything from soup to nuts in the back. And best of all, it was paid for! We could grab the grandkids and go. Might even take the kids, too! Anyway, a little road rage from some miscreant in a Toyota and it was either run him over, hit a pole, or try to get off the road. I over-corrected, flipped the SUV, only going 50 miles per hour, so yes it can happen, and wound up sliding on my top into the median.

Two points to my story:

  • My 3/4 ton Ford chassis, and the Grace of God saved me. I crawled out without a scratch. Although hanging upside down in a safety belt is an experience I don't want to repeat. So buying a big car has it's advantages despite the fuel consumption, in safety and hauling ability.
  • The second, and just as important an issue, is that my plastic survival kit broke apart during the turn over, and all the contents became missiles within my vehicle. A 5 lb. sledge hammer that I had on the back seat floor, (forgot to put it away) wound up in the front seat near me. Tool box, flares, water bottles, compact shovels, etc., all over, everywhere. It could have been a lot worse.

So now I am back in the market for a replacement vehicle. - Doug in Kalifornia

JWR Adds: Securing your gear carefully is particularly important when you carry pioneer tools. A sudden stop or rough road can turn an axe, shovel, digging bar, or hi-lift jack into a formidable projectile, breaking a window or worse.

Three Letters Re: Vehicle Recommendations

Hi Jim,
One of the most common failures which will cripple your G.O.O.D. (Get Out Of Dodge) vehicle is a broken fan/accessory belt. Granted, the newer [flat, grooved] serpentine belts last a lot longer than the old V-belts, but failure will mean overheating or the eventual loss of ignition due to battery discharge, especially at night if headlights are needed.

So a spare belt and tension release tool (usually a 1/2" ratchet or breaker bar, for a serpentine belt) is a must for your emergency parts kit. [JWR Adds: Whenever you change your vehicle's serpentine as a part of a regular service, save the old one to carry in your vehicle as a spare. An old belt is better than no belt.]

Also consider some thick, sticky caulk that you can work with your fingers, which can be used to plug a radiator leak. The fire-stop used by electricians works well. Be sure to open the radiator cap to release any pressure (Watch out for scalding steam!) and leave it loose. I have seen a vehicle driven hundreds of miles in that condition after being hit by debris from the road.

Keep up the good work. - Larry P.

 

Hello James,
Like many others, I've just finished reading "Patriots" for the second time. The first time, 10 years ago, I didn't take notes while reading it, this time I did! I have just discovered your site and was reading a post about your vehicle. While the extra ignition and fuel components are nice, the EMP (electromagnetic pulse) will very likely take out the alternator regulator as well. It could also quite likely take out your car's computer and possibly the electronic dashboard (depending on the model). Even analog looking dashboards these days are full of electronics instead of actual, physical things like speedometer cables, or a capillary tube to a pressure switch. The computer may go into "limp home mode" if it's not getting information from the throttle position switch, mass air flow sensor, or manifold absolute pressure switch, the crank position sensor, etc. Another possibility is that the vehicle won't run at all.

If at all possible, for those who need not go very far to get to their retreat, buy something old like the Bronco in your book or an old CJ or Willys overland wagon. Basically anything that uses points. Tune it up, yank the points distributor, and store it along with a distributor wrench. Install an electronic ignition distributor, and run a jumper wire across the ballast resistor, as electronic distributors need 12 volts and points need 6 volts. If you have a GM product, remove the "resistance wire" that is used instead of the ballast resistor and replace it with a regular wire and ballast resistor from a Ford or Dodge.

When EMP destroys your distributor, install the points distributor and motor happily away for the next 15K miles as the EMP will not affect a points distributor in the slightest. Be sure to remove or cut the jumper wire on the ballast resistor, or you will only motor for 500 miles (Bosch) or 1000 miles (Standard) on a set of points, running them at 12 volts. Just a thought. - Bill J.

 

Mr. Rawles,
I recently started reading Survivalblog and find it very helpful. In hopes of providing some help of my own, I would like to address the question of survival vehicles especially in regards to EMP survival. I am an ASE certified master automotive technician with a background in not only automotive repair but also agricultural and diesel mechanics as well as welding.

To get right to the point, today's automobiles have so many electronic components and control modules that there is no way to stow enough parts to make them operational after exposure to an EMP. The only way to be confident in your vehicle's ability to function after an EMP is if it is equipped with a carburetor rather than fuel injection (unless it's mechanical like some of the old European autos or an older diesel) and a mechanical fuel pump. As for the ignition system, electronic ignition has been standard since the mid 1970's. However, there is a chance to stow enough spare parts to get an older electronic ignition back up and running if it is a simple design like the old GM HEI that doesn't use an external engine control module. The best and safest bet, though, would be to get your hands on an old points-type distributor that would be installed in your vehicle if it did fall victim to an EMP, especially if a second or third or more might come.

I would also recommend a standard transmission and, if the vehicle is 4-wheel drive, a manually operated transfer case and front wheel locking hubs. The reason for this is because starting in the mid to late 1980's even automatic transmissions are computer controlled and any truck with push button 4-wheel drive is also using a computer to engage the transfer case. In fact, virtually any automobile built since the mid to late 1990's uses computers to do even such basic things as turn on the head lights! There is a reason that the government keeps coming up with things like cash for clunkers and emissions inspections to get old cars to the crusher!

My personal vehicle is a 1985 Toyota Landcruiser with a carburetor, electronic ignition, manual transmission, transfer case and manual front hubs. It's not fast, fancy or efficient but it is simple to repair and super tough. The only weakness from the factory is the electronic ignition but it can be repair with just one part after and EMP or be fitted with an older distributor. Other models that I would consider for my personal use would be a Chevy, Ford or Dodge truck build before 1986 (that's the year electronic fuel injection became pretty much standard on domestically made truck, 1984 for cars) but it would be even better if it were built before 1980 since Detroit was using some super finicky feedback carburetors after that. Most all trucks that fit that production range can be fitted with an older distributor if desired but they all definitely have a simple electronic ignition system. The best thing to do would be to find a survival-minded mechanic and get his advice and help with your plans. - Elijah K.

JWR Replies: Thanks for that suggestion. I am constantly amazed at the depth of knowledge provided by SurvivalBlog readers. I will be including some details on carburetor and timing adjustments for unusual fuels like natural gas distillate ("drip oil") in my forthcoming sequel to Patriots.

Economics and Investing:

From Vanity Fair, on Iceland's financial rise and fall: Wall Street on the Tundra (HT: Sharon)

Flagler County, Florida, had the state's highest jobless rate: 16.8 percent (HT: F.G.)

Items from The Economatrix:

Federal Salaries Targeted As Private Sector Pay Stagnates

Skies Darken For Bernanke Nomination

Luxury Retailers Look To State Christmas Comeback

What People Are Splurging On

Tech Stocks Pull Market Out Of 3-Day Slide

7 US Banks Seized, 2009 Total Now 140

66% Americans Not Confident Their Children's Lives Will Be Better

Odds 'n Sods:

There is just one day left for the BulletProofME.com body armor sale, with 20% to 30% off helmets, and Interceptor Tactical Vests as low as $590.

   o o o

On the Lifehacker Blog: Use a Crock Pot to Make Homemade Candles

   o o o

Tricia R. recommended the book "Extraordinary Uses for Ordinary Things" from Reader's Digest.

Jim's Quote of the Day:

"Great occasions do not make heroes or cowards; they simply unveil them to the eyes of men. Silently and imperceptibly, as we wake or sleep, we grow strong or weak; and at last some crisis shows what we have become." - Brooke Foss Westcott

Monday December 21 2009

Note from JWR:

We are in the middle of an upgrade to MovableType, so you will be unable to access the search or other features for a few days while we get everything up and running again. The daily blog will still be available right here, but not in the RSS feeds.

Today we present another entry for Round 26 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest.

First Prize: A.) A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner's choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost between $500 and $600, and B.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees, in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $392 value.) C.) A HAZARiD Decontamination Kit from Safecastle.com. (A $350 value.), and D.) A 500 round case of Fiocchi 9mm Luger, 124gr. Hornady XTP/HP ammo, courtesy of Sunflower Ammo. This is a $249 value.

Second Prize: A "grab bag" of preparedness gear and books from Jim's Amazing Secret Bunker of Redundant Redundancy (JASBORR) with a retail value of at least $350.

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

Round 26 ends on January 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that articles that relate practical "how to" skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Seven Basic Steps, by Jared O.

I first became fascinated with the art of preparedness in my youth during the days and months leading up to Y2K. The thought societal meltdown and global collapse seemed almost too much to bear, hard to wrap my head around. I was 17years old, just starting my life -- now faced with a potential situation that I had little training or experience to deal with. But my parents had instilled in me a valuable lesson early in childhood; fear is derived from the unknown and the lack of preparedness. With knowledge, preparation, a “never quit” attitude and maybe a little luck, any situation can be overcome. Granted, the Y2K scenario came and went without incident, but I swore never to carry the same fears again. Ten years later the same feeling has swept over our country, a feeling of loss, impending doom, fear and a myriad of other things is accompanying this New Year. I started my journey all those years ago with an “Armed Services Survival Manual” given to me by my father. Reading every word, memorizing every picture, I studied it tirelessly. It just didn’t seem enough. By knowing a little, I really knew nothing at all. The potential scenarios that we face are larger in scope than anything covered in a typical survival manual. So what should we do?

The military taught me several things, but most importantly it taught me to fight the enemy that lies within before I ever face an external adversary. Start from scratch to combat your fear.

Step 1: Analyze Your Life
You know better than anyone what you are capable of, whether you have had extensive military or law enforcement training, or are a highly trained civilian. The greatest lies are those we tell to ourselves, don’t lie to yourself. By being truthful with your self assessment you will achieve more than if you are not. Determine what areas are strengths and weaknesses; increase the balance by becoming a well-rounded person. Increase your knowledge in weak areas, while maintaining your strengths.

Step 2: Location
Just like in real estate, "location, location, location." Where you live is so very important. It dictates many of your needs and precautions. Do you live in a house? An apartment? The city? The country? Are you close to a major interstate? What is your climate? Do you have a local food source? Do you have room to store equipment? Land to grow food? How far away is your closest neighbor? Do you have a close fallback point? A secondary? A tertiary fallback point? Do you have an out-of-state fall back point? If you must evac quickly, will there be others around you with similar needs? What is the local population? State population? All of these questions have roots in different scenarios, application of preparation techniques and above all, pure survival. This is just the start, challenge yourself to continue your list of questions, learn why these things are important how to use your location to benefit you.

Step 3: Visualization
In the martial arts I learned the technique of visualization. Really it is a continuation of using your childhood imagination. Develop that skill and it will provide you answers to questions that you never even knew to even ask. Start by picking a scenario an EMP attack, economic meltdown, a nuclear surface detonation; go through your day such as that event took place. By imagining what would be changed in your lifestyle you will be able to determine what holes need to be plugged. You don’t have to even tell a soul what you are doing, but it will remove the “rose colored glasses” that sit upon your face. Life takes a turn for the worse when there is no available food, water, medicines. The possibility of having to leave your home makes it even more challenging.

Step 4: Equipment
Weapons. Some people shy away from this, but defense is always necessary. Don’t make this complicated, you don’t need a tricked out $4,000 battle rifle, you do need something battle proven. It also needs to use a cartridge that can always be replenished. Stick with NATO standard calibers: 5.56x45, 7.62x51, 9mm Parabellum or other very common cartridges like .45 ACP, 40 S&W, 12ga. I prefer the 7.62x51 (somewhat interchangeable with .308 Winchester) over the 5.56x45 (somewhat interchangeable with .223 Remington) due to its increased range and power. Same goes with the 40 S&W over the 9mm. I try to stay away from Soviet cartridges; once that supply is dried up it will be gone forever. Most importantly go get professionally trained. Clothing and other gear, make sure it is good quality. Nothing is more demoralizing than when your equipment fails when you most need it. Test it, train with it, and make the equipment prove its worth to you before you stake your life on it. You will figure out what you need through research and training.

Step 5: Medical Concerns
Learn basic first aid. This should go without saying; we should all know basic first aid. Get some medical supplies on hand, Israeli bandages, a one-hand tourniquet, clotting agent (if trained), sutures (if trained), antibiotics, your daily meds. Again, learn how to use these things correctly. If you don’t, you could cause more harm than good. Staying healthy is of great concern. Dying from something as simple as an infection is very possible in a survival situation. Knowing basic things such as what antiseptics work best or complex techniques like wound debridement are invaluable.

Step 6: Physical Fitness
An old SEAL once told me, “Guys need to push themselves away from the desk, put down the 'tactical wannabe gear,' and run!” There is incredible amount of truth to this statement. You need to be physically fit to handle the stress encountered in a survival situation. Start working out regularly! All of the gear in the world can’t help you if you are not physically able to use it.

Step 7: What’s Next?
I don’t know, that is for you to decide. Pick your scenario, study it, live it through visualization, prepare for it, get the necessary knowledge, visualize it again and again, over and over until your fear is gone. Make checklists for each scenario, to remind you of tasks that need to be completed or gear that needs to be packed. By training hard you will have overcome the event before it even happens. Your mind is the most powerful tool you have at your disposal; don’t be afraid to use it. How deep you want to dive into this is your choice, but don’t take shortcuts with your level of training, equipment or the quality of information; it could be the difference between life and death.

These are basic areas to start with, expand upon them, and add too. Remember, this is a journey, a lifestyle; not of sacrifice, but of increased knowledge and security. God forbid you encounter a life threatening scenario, but if you do, you can take comfort in knowing that it is a mountain you can climb without hesitation. One that you can guide others to the top of if need be. Carry the weight of knowledge and leadership instead of being weighted down by fear.

Louis Pasteur said: “Chance favors the prepared mind.” Good luck and Godspeed.

Letter Re: Velveeta Cheese and Twinkies for Food Storage?

I'm about halfway into your book and love it so far! I'm curious about what store-bought food has the longest shelf life. I am LDS, and you know we believe in food storage, but I'm not too excited about living off of hard winter wheat forever. Can you give some suggestions of store-bought food that will last the longest. For example, I've heard that Velveeta cheese lasts forever, as well as Twinkies. I'm really just looking to have some variety in the food storage. Also, is there a better place to get MREs? I have a cousin in the army and I was thinking maybe he could buy them cheaper and fresher. Let me know.

Thank you, - Aaron V.

JWR Replies: First, I'd like to state for the record, that I have never stockpiled Twinkies, nor do I intend to.

I only believe in stocking wholesome foods will real nutritive value, not empty calories. There are better quality cheeses available--either fresh canned or dehydrated flakes--from a number of SurvivalBlog advertisers. The key to a well balanced food storage program is to start first with the staple foods that you use on a regular basis.

1.) Start out by simply doubling-up and tripling up the staples that you normally buy each time that you shop fro groceries, and as needed, package them in vermin-proof containers. This is usually done in 5-gallon food grade HDPE buckets.

2.) Next, add a large quantity of wheat (or a gluten-free equivalent, for those that are gluten intolerant), and then round out your food storage with a quantity of freeze-dried fruit and vegetables, commercially nitrogen packed in #10 cans, for maximum storage life. (BTW, members of the LDS church have access to their church's local dry pack canneries, at cost. (While I have no common ground with the wayward doctrine of the LDS Church, I admire their food storage program!)

3.) Finally, add a few "comfort" foods for treats and special occasions. (Yes, I suppose, you could store a few Twinkies.) But my personal favorites for storage food treats are freeze-dried strawberries, dried apricots, and banana chips. (Yum!)

In my Rawles Gets You Ready family preparedness course. provide considerable detail on inexpensive methods for stocking up at Big Box stores as well as two methods for packaging bulk foods for long term storage. These will keep them safe from the depredations of insects and their larvae.

Note From #1 Son: Firefox Browser Content Encoding Error

In the past few months, more than a dozen readers have reported a glitch in viewing SurvivalBlog with the Firefox web browser. Firefox is otherwise an excellent web browser and my recommendation as the best browser available.

If you receive a "Content Encoding Error", while trying to access SurvivalBlog, then there is a problem with Firefox's cache on your PC--not a problem with our web site. This cache is the local archive that it maintained to speed up loading commonly visited web sites. Occasionally, this archive can be corrupted by your browser, producing a "Content Encoding Error."

The easiest solution is to have Firefox reload SurvivalBlog entirely, and refresh its cache. When you get the "Content Encoding Error", press Control+Shift+R, to have Firefox reload the page from the source on our server, rather than your local cache. (If you are using a Mac it's "Command" key rather than "Control"). This will reload the page, and update the cache, replacing any corrupted data.

Influenza Pandemic Update:

Testing Group Says Swine Flu is Waning In US

Soldiers to Receive Mass H1N1 Vax Before Going on Leave for Holidays

D225G and H274Y in Illinois

800,000 Doses of Children's Vax Recalled

Ukraine: New Wave of Flu Starts

Rapid Evolution of H1N1 in Beijing

Silent Spread of Tamiflu Resistance in Texas

Economics and Investing:

Chris A. spotted this interesting article: Georgia Bill Recognizes pre-1965 Coinage. Effective January 1st, 2010, a law becomes effective for the State of Georgia, recognizing beyond face value for Pre-1965 U.S. silver coins, and more.

John S. in Virginia suggested a Forbes article on China's Economic Bubble.

Items from The Economatrix:

Buyers Spurn Gold for Silver

Greece Credit Rating Rated Junk Levels

UK: Confidence Falls on Fears of "Double-Dip" Recession

How Much Imaginary Gold Has Been Sold?

2010 Food Crisis for Dummies

Full Circle of Government Debt Default

Odds 'n Sods:

Reader Joe G. sent a link to a story on a house that is so "green", it produces surplus electricity.

   o o o

Ed C. sent us this link to at start-up company in Polson, Montana. Gearpods is offering containerized survival gear, mostly in Nalgene style water containers, from day pack kits to shelter systems.

   o o o

Reader Johnny G. sent this link: S.F. bank's startling interest: 79 percent. And SurvivalBlog's Editor at Large Michael Z. Williamson sent a link to a similar story, from Fox News.

   o o o

John F. suggested this story on the Art of Manliness blog: 13 Things a Man Should Keep in His Car

Jim's Quote of the Day:

"Assessing, developing, attaining and sustaining needed emergency preparedness, response and recovery capabilities is a difficult task that requires sustained leadership… there is no silver bullet, no easy formula." - William Jenkins

Sunday December 20 2009

Note from JWR:

Here in the northern hemisphere, we are about to have our Winter Solstice - the shortest day of the year. For some of us, that means that it is time to start planning our Spring gardens! (The seed catalogs will start to arrive soon. They are reliable as our January snow and Spring rain.)

Permalink - Email This

Two Letters Re: Vehicle Recommendations?

Mr. Jim,
You perfectly encapsulated a modification I just did to the kit I carry in my vehicle. While I knew better, it still took reading "One Second After" to set me thinking: How do I get home if the car dies? Your reference: "My personal circumstances are unusual, since I live at my retreat year-round. So the gear that I keep in my vehicle is more of a "Get Me Back Home Kit" rather than a "Get Out of Dodge Kit" is perfect.

I have carried a pretty decent vehicle breakdown kit for some time, but I did so in a document box. It then occurred to me: You will have to walk, dummy. So I bought a cheap, "Remington" brand backpack from Wal-Mart, and everything got transferred. It's not "Military" looking, in keeping with ominous rumblings about that stuff in various "Memos," but rugged enough to get me home.

Excellent way to encapsulate that notion. That's how I will start referring to it as with students and family. Thanks, - Jim B2

 

Sir,
Thank you again for your excellent blog. You are definitely saving lives and saving dollars.

When our Nissan expired, we had a long discussion about what to buy for our general use/SHTF vehicle. The criteria we settled on were:

  • Size – The vehicle must be big enough for the entire family, plus guests (we made a mistake here, by not accounting for two college student siblings, who recently moved back to the area), plus cargo.
  • Engine – Diesel is preferable to gasoline or propane for a number of reasons in every area except for availability of parts and costs of repairs. For diesels, pre-2007 is a requirement (for bio-diesel compatibility). For all engine types (with the possible exception of hybrids), older is generally better. Buy used.
  • Chassis – The question here is balancing fuel efficiency (which translates to range) vs. pulling power. Performance requirements vary based on your location. Ideally you should buy the smallest size available that will meet your hauling and performance requirements, maximizing your fuel efficiency. This also will reduce your final costs. A trailer hitch is a must, even for smaller cars, but can be added after-market for little cost.
  • Reliability – Reliability is a must. Do your research before you buy.
  • Cost – Don’t take on debt buying more than you need. Forego leather seats and satellite radio to stock up on spare parts and mechanic's classes. A lower cost vehicle also lets you practice doing all the regular maintenance yourself without fear of putting yourself $20,000 in the hole.

I rarely see it mentioned, but for many people, it’s worth considering cargo vans. You can pick them up on the cheap, well-maintained, with plenty of cargo space. The downside is poor off-road performance, but this isn't as much a concern for people near or in the cities, and can be addressed separately.

Do research on alternative fuels for your vehicle. Diesels can draw on a number of fuel sources, most especially bio-diesel. Many gasoline engines can accept ethanol. But both require production, which is difficult to impossible without the proper equipment and knowledge. Figuring out how to fuel your generator when your tank has run dry is going to be a painful lesson in preparation.

Our thoughts and prayers are with you and yours. - Dieselman

Permalink - Email This

Three Letters Re: Covert Home Power for When The Grids Go Down

Sir:
I am not an electrician, and I set as system like this up at my house three years ago. It kept our food cold, and the house tolerably warm for three days when the power was out. But I endorse a couple of important differences.

First, letting your car run at idle will run down your battery. The alternator doesn't reach full output at low RPMs, so you need to kick up the throttle a little bit. How much will depend on your car. I watch the volt-meter built into the inverter, and set the engine at about 1,500 RPM, because that's where the voltage stays high enough for the inverter. Also, make sure to check the output of the alternator. (I looked it up at an online auto parts store.) When my inverter runs at full power, it draws 100 amps at 12 volts. If you have a small alternator (smaller car), then 1,500 RPM may not even be enough to power the inverter. That means you're drawing amperage out of the battery when the inverter runs at higher power.

Second, I would never power the house by using an extension cord with two male ends. JWR was right to point out the danger of potentially back-powering the grid when plugging in a hot extension cord from the inverter. Even with the main breaker turned off, the neutral is still connected to the grid. Can you imagine the liability you would incur if you accidentally electrocuted a local repairman who was trying to get your neighborhood back online? He may even be one of your neighbors. I've made mistakes in my life (no one seriously injured because of them) and I can't justify the risk of injury when it's so easy to avoid. Because the average 1,200-1,500 watt inverter will only power one or two major appliances (or one furnace blower), I recommend that you plug those items directly into the unmodified extension cord from the inverter. Yeah, you gotta move the extension cord around a bit, but you won't hurt anyone and you don't need to worry that you might ruin your inverter when the grid does come back up.

Remember, the main objective is to survive the ordeal, hopefully stay warm, and not accidentally hurt anyone else in the process. - Dave in Missouri

 

Dear James,
I'm sure Tom H. meant well with his article on using power from a car to power a house, but I have some serious nits to pick.

1. When talks about getting the "largest cable size you can get", it really opens a door for disaster. Electrical cable needs to be sized for the current it will be carrying. If the cable you find is too small, you risk creating an electrical fire. If it's too big, you've wasted money. What you need to do is to have a handle on the power and current that the cable needs to carry, and size it appropriately.

Remember, Power (watts) = Current (amps) x Voltage (volts).

Add up your power requirements for a given voltage, and then determine your amp load.

Current (amps) = Power (watts) / Voltage (volts).

Here is a link that gives conservative estimates for the current carrying capabilities of various American Wire Gauge (AWG) wire sizes.

2. When adding up the wattage you need to support, don't go by the tag value on appliance alone. These are maximum values possible, and probably do not represent the power used under normal circumstances. This is a case where there is no substitute for actually measuring the power draw. The good news is that it's easy to do with a Kill-A-Watt (plug-in power meter). Before TSHTF, test each of your appliances by plugging the Kill A Watt electricity usage monitor into the outlet, and then the appliance into the Kill A Watt. You can see the power being used at that moment, and the power consumed over time. For good measurements, use a Kill A Watt or similar meters.

3. Assuming the proper breakers are thrown, and the proper wires sizes are used, the weak link in this system is not the inverter but the size of the alternator output. The system cannot sustain more continuous power output than the alternator can provide. The battery may act as a 'surge protector' by supply the difference when the demand is larger than the alternator can supply, but that will quickly drain the battery.

It would be wise to find out ahead of time how big your alternator is and plan accordingly. The good news is that there are after market alternators available for some trucks and 4x4s which are designed to output more power to run tools through inverters at remote work sites. Best Regards, - Bear in the Sierra


Mr. Rawles,
There are so many problems with the vehicle/inverter backup system presented in today's article that I felt I had to comment. You are to be commended for pointing out the foolishness of the power cord backfeed method, that can get someone killed in very short order. But there are other reliability/safety concerns the author does not address. These include vehicle alternator issues (overheating from insufficient air flow, diode current ratings, etc.), SLI battery limitations, connection issues, ground bonding, and transient inverter loading concerns.

For the record, I am a degreed electrical engineer and certified reliability engineer, and have over twenty years of experience with power inverters ranging from a few hundred watts up to 300KW (that's right, 300,000 watts). Best Regards, - John in Colorado

Permalink - Email This

Economics and Investing:

Reader M.S. spotted this editorial by James Quinn: Brave New World 2010.

This editorial by Frank Seuss was linked over at The Daily Bell: The Life-Long Challenge of Differentiating Between Truth, Paradigms, Truisms and Plain Lies

RLG sent this video clip: Ryedale Coin Penny Sorter. Keep in mind how much profit from how many hundreds of thousands of pennies it would take to recoup the cost of buying a sorting machine. To my mind, this is a hobby business strictly for retirees with strong backs!

Bill from Ohio sent this: Six Banks shut down Friday - 140 total this year

Items from The Economatrix:

12 Gift Ideas That Save Recipients Money Great ideas to help tight budgets!

Fewer States Add Jobs as Recovery Sputters Along

Greece Hit By Strikes as Debt Crisis Grows

ECB Raises Estimate on Bank Writedowns

Who Needs Casino Bankers?

Dollar Rises as Stocks, Commodities in Flight From Risk

Permalink - Email This

Odds 'n Sods:

Henry L. suggested this article over at Market Skeptics: 2010 Food Crisis for Dummies

   o o o

SurvivalBlog's Editor at Large Michael Z. Williamson spotted a blog post about a warning poster at Fort Benning. Mike's comment: "We're terrorists, apparently."

   o o o

From Ferdinand: Man kills bobcat with bare hands during north Phoenix attack. He comments, "Even if it isn't a complete collapse, things like this will become more common. Being defenseless--having to use your bare hands qualifies you as defenseless--is a death sentence, in my opinion."

Permalink - Email This

Jim's Quote of the Day:

"Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them.." - Nehemiah 4:9 (KJV)

Permalink - Email This

Saturday December 19 2009

Letter Re: Gerald Celente Predicts Survivalism Will Go Mainstream in 2010

James Wesley:
The often-quoted prognosticator Gerald Celente (of The Trends Research Institute) is predicting that the Survivalist movement will go mainstream next year. In a recent issue of The Trends Journal, he wrote:

"Back in the Cold War days, survivalism meant building a bomb shelter and stocking it with enough food to outlast nuclear fallout.

In the late 1970’s, with inflation soaring, Iran raging, and gold and oil prices skyrocketing, survival meant cashing out of paper money and heading for the hills with enough ammunition and pork & beans to wait out the economic and political storms.

In 2000, the Y2K crowd – the most recent breed of survivalists – expecting computer clocks to crash, infrastructure to break down and the world to go dark, were armed and barricaded with enough food to feed an army and enough ammunition to hold one off.

In 2010, survivalism will go mainstream. Unemployed or fearing it, foreclosed or nearing it, pensions lost and savings gone … all sorts of folk who once believed in the system, having witnessed its battering, have lost their faith.

The realities of failing financial institutions, degrading infrastructure, manipulated marketplaces, soaring energy costs, widening wars, and terror consequences have created a new breed of survivalist. Motivated not by worst-case scenario fears but by do-or-die necessity, the new non-believers, unwilling to go under or live on the streets, will devise ingenious stratagems to beat the system, get off the grid (as much as possible), and stay under the radar."

Well, it seems every good social movement deserves its day, and we are finally getting ours. Let's just hope that we don't get tarred with the same brush as the assorted Neo-Nazi/Skinhead/Racist/KKK/Anti-Semite fringe element types, as well as the relative handful of "Gray Aliens Abducted My Baby" types and "Its the End of the Mayan Calendar" Mystics. Knowing the tendencies of the Mainstream Media, they probably will try do do precisely that, by interviewing a few way-out-there whackos, and then attempting to portray them as "typical" survivalists. Lord help us. - Hal F.

Permalink - Email This

Letter Re: Making Low Profile Firearms Purchases

James,
Thanks so much for your books, which have really opened my eyes. I began with "How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It" and have just finished reading "Patriots" for the second time. The first time on Kindle, then I decided I really needed a hard copy as well. After much prayer, my husband has acknowledged the need to prepare as well.

We have just joined the NRA and we will be joining a local gun club next month, as well as looking for proper firearms training. We own a new .22 LR and a Winchester .308. In the area of security, I have two questions:

1.) Today my husband stopped by the gun store to inquire about pistol and shotgun prices. They quoted him on some used ones that sound reasonable for our tight budget. Is there any reason to avoid used guns from a reputable dealer?.

2.) Then he told the clerk that his wife asked him to check into an AR-15. The clerk's response was "What would she need that for?" How do you go about purchasing such a weapon without looking like a loon? What should the response be to questions like that? Many thanks, - Janice in Virginia

JWR Replies: I recommend avoiding any un-necessary firearms purchase paper ptrails.We have no way of predicting how firearms laws might change in the future, so it is wise to not leave an audit trail. If your state law allows it, then I strongly recommend that all of your subsequent firearms purchases--most importantly handguns--be made from private parties who live in the same state, at gun shows or through auction services such as GunBroker.com, AuctionArms.com, or fixed-price sellers through GunsAmerica.com. Newspaper ads by private party sellers are also a possibility--and often some real bargains can be found--but of course your local selection will be much smaller.

Because all sales of modern (post-1898 manufacture) firearms bought from (or transferred through) a Federal Firearms License (FFL) holder must be put on permanent record, a paper trail cannot be avoided. So again, your best alternative is to make only private party gun purchases, without an FFL in the loop.

Permalink - Email This

Two Letters Re: Prepping as an Active Duty Servicemember Overseas

Mr Rawles,
Having seen the info on EMT training that has been on your blog recently, I decided to throw in my 2 cents. The National Dept of Transportation (DOT) sets all standards for Emergency Medical Services (First Responder through EMT-Paramedic) for the entire country. These standards include training and standardized interventions for certain trauma and illnesses by EMTs. These can all be found at NREMT.org. All questions on certifications, training requirements, etc can be answered there.

Some courses claim that they can accelerate you and get you certified. DOT has requirements that must be met to be nationally certified. These include specific skill sets and minimum hours of training requirements. All states are required to participate in the NREMT Registry. States can require you to complete a written and or skills test to get a state license in addition to the national registry. Some states allow you to do procedures that other states don’t. In Wisconsin, we can insert a combi-tube down your throat in certain situations to help you breath and use a laryngoscope and Magill Forceps to remove a visualized blockage in your trachea.

In other words, “caveat emptor” buyer beware. Make sure the course you are taking or plan on taking meets the Federal DOT guidelines for the National Registry. Be prepared for the NREMT skills test and written test. Both must be passed to become Nationally Registered. The benefit of Nationally Registry is transfer of EMT Licenses throughout the country.

One other thing to remember. In a TEOTWAWKI situation, all the EMT training in the world won’t save you if you don’t have a doctor to complete the treatment for a major trauma or illness. As an EMT, We perform interventions to keep people alive until they can get to the doctor that can fix what’s broken or not working correctly.

I am deeply indebted to you for all the information you have provided and allowed to be posted on your blog. You have made my commitment to my family’s preparedness and survival an easy task. - R.T., Somewhere in the ice and snow in northwestern Wisconsin

Mr. Rawles,
In response to this article. People need to be aware that just because they are a NREMT regardless of the level, basic or paramedic, not all states recognize the National Registry. For instance, I have been an EMT-B for 25 years in the state of Minnesota, and an EMS Instructor for 12 years. Neither Iowa or Wisconsin will recognize my NREMT certification in their state. Just make sure you research which states allow reciprocity and which ones don't. - Brenda L.

Permalink - Email This

Economics and Investing:

Mark Lundeen at Gold Eagle asks: How could GDP have increased 2.8% and yet electrical power consumption in the US declined by 5.04%?

The latest from the Dr. Housing Bubble blog: Southern California and the MLS Myth: Why the MLS does not Provide an Accurate Picture of Housing Inventory. Shadow Inventory, Foreclosures, and Fantasy Housing Numbers.

Red State Ranger sent us this: You Can Negotiate Anything. BTW, I recommend that you read my archived article on savvy bartering, for some more negotiating tactics.

(The Economatrix is snowed in today, with no Internet service available.)

Permalink - Email This

Odds 'n Sods:

From John S.: Happiest U.S. States Pinned Down. Note the correlation with my Recommended Retreat Areas ranking.

   o o o

Chuck M. flagged this from The Guardian: Why Britain faces a bleak future of food shortages

   o o o

Reader M.S. mentioned some analysis from Washington's Blog: Officials and Experts Warn of Crash-Induced Unrest

Permalink - Email This

Jim's Quote of the Day:

"Adversity has the same effect on a man that severe training has on the pugilist - it reduces him to his fighting weight." - Josh Billings

Permalink - Email This

Friday December 18 2009

Letter Re: Vehicle Recommendations?

James,
I have been reading a lot of the archive items and I have noticed a few times where you went on a trip etc, we have had a few nieces and nephews born this year and when I travel 3 to 4 hours from home I don’t feel as secure as when I am close to my home and supplies so when you venture out for a few days the questions that pop into my mind are:

  • What kind of vehicle do you travel long distances in?
  • What supplies do you stock in it?
  • What are some things we could keep in mind as we travel away from our homes for short periods?

I tried to search for these answers, so forgive me if you have already covered it and I missed it. Thanks, - Larry M.

JWR Replies: Vehicle and gear selection have been discussed in SurvivalBlog since 2005, but not much in the past year, so this subject is worth re-visiting.

A "Get Out of Dodge" vehicle need not be large, if you've planned ahead and pre-positioned the majority of your gear and grub at your retreat.

My personal circumstances are unusual, since I live at my retreat year-round. So the gear that I keep in my vehicle is more of a "Get Me Back Home Kit" rather than a "Get Out of Dodge Kit". And since I live in a remote and lightly populated region that is mostly public lands, many of my readiness items I carry are for severe weather, fallen trees, or off-road driving mishaps. So, for example, I regularly carry a parka, Wiggy's brand FTRSS sleeping bag, wool blanket, fire starting kit, two tow chains, a come-along, a shovel, and an axe. There have been times that I wished that I also had a chainsaw on board, but storage space is a constraint. (An axe will suffice in most instances, but it is much more labor intensive.) Thankfully, the majority of this gear--most notably the tow chain--has been used several times to assist other motorists, rather than myself or members of my family. Most of these have been nature photographers and dude hunters that have got themselves in over their heads, back on BLM and Forest Service roads. Depending on the season, I also carry varying quantities of cold weather clothing, and tire chains. (Yes, there are circumstances in the spring "mud season" when studded snow tires are insufficient!) When I take longer highway trips outside of my neck of the woods, I often substitute full-up "get me home" backpacks for the weight and space normally that is occupied by the tow chains and pioneer tools.

Our primary vehicle is a well-maintained Flex Fuel (E85 ethanol compatible) Ford SUV, circa 2002. It is in fairly "stock" configuration, but here in my region, one common modification is the addition of an extra heavy duty brush guard. These aren't designed to deflect brush, but rather deer. (Deer collisions are by far the most common road hazards here.) You even see some passenger cars equipped with these "deer catchers" . They look rather comical on the front of a four-door sedan.

Even though I live outside of any anticipated EMP footprints, I carry spare electronic ignition and fuel system components, wrapped in multiple layers of aluminum foil, and stowed in a Danish cookie tin.

Since several members of our family are licensed radio amateurs, we carry either 2 Meter or 440 MHz (70 cm) transceivers in our vehicles. (We have both vehicular and hand-held models, mostly older model Kenwoods.) Diamond makes high-quality dual-band and tri-band magnetic mount vehicular antennas. For short range communication, we use MURS band walkie-talkies--which require no license--that are typically tuned to the same frequency of our Dakota Alert alarms.

Permalink - Email This

Letter Re: Prepping as an Active Duty Servicemember Overseas

Mr. Rawles,
I wanted to pass this along to you and the readers of your site. I've been looking to increase my medical skills and training and, I found these schools and programs. I intend on going to a few of them when I return to CONUS. Anyone considering taking any of these classes should account for all associated costs and time to attend. This kind of training isn't cheap but it is well worth it.

The first is Deployment Medicine International (DMI). It's been set up to augment military and contract personnel that are deploying overseas. As far as I can tell anyone can go and get trained. The courses they offer are: Operational Emergency Medical Skills, SOF Operational Emergency Medical Skills, Deployment Medicine Operator's Course, Combat Trauma Management, Mission Performance at High Altitude, Basic Combat Trauma Training, Advanced Combat Trauma Training, and an Accelerated EMT-Paramedic Program.

A lot the course descriptions are the exact same thing after you get past the first two or three paragraphs wit some differences. The school is in Maine and is being used by some operators looking to broaden their skill sets. There program description say they are a benefit all who attend. I can see how they would be and I'll be going there after I get my NREMT-Paramedic certification/license.

The next school is Tech Pro Services. They have EMT courses you can take online. You take the didactic (lecture) portions online and then in order to complete the certification process, you must travel to their location in Abilene, Texas and complete the Hands On Skills training, testing, clinicals, and ride-alongs.

Upon successful completion of all portions you receive a National Registry EMT certification at whatever level you've been working on. If your state, or Commonwealth, is a member of, and recognizes, the National Registry EMT system, your able to return to your state or Commonwealth and challenge the EMS governing body for reciprocity. Once you have reciprocity you would then be certified/licensed in two states.

At this time, Tech Pro Services is the only school to offer an online EMT program that will provide you with this certification. They offer other useful courses but, I'm focusing on the medical training only at this time. I'd recommend any of their classes as all of them are useful.

For those wanting another option for an accelerated EMT-P program, Tidewater Community College in Virginia has an accelerated EMT-P program that is five months long. The only prerequisite is that you already have an EMT-B certification/license. I've no idea if they are able to take out of state certifications or licenses.

As I understand it, this course can also provide you with college credits, if you attend their program in that fashion. Good luck getting in touch with them by phone or email though. It took me a few weeks. Why they didn't answer their phones, return my calls after I left messages, or return my emails in a timely fashion is beyond me, but I'll be taking their class prior to attending some of the more high speed classes with DMI regardless.

For those that didn't catch it previous mentions, Medical Corps has some very informative classes that would be useful as well. I've spoken with one of the people there and hope to get there in a few years.

For those on a really tight budget you can start learning about some aspects of the EMS field by taking the free Independent Study courses from FEMA's Emergency Management Institute. You can download the books and files and test online. I'd recommend the first few courses such as IS-1, IS-3, IS-5.a, and IS-& for starters and then take the National Incident Management System (NIMS) courses. A lot of agencies require them to operate as an EMT.

Frederick Community College in Maryland accepts this training and will convert the classes into single credit courses. They are the only college in the country that will do so. They also have an AAS Degree in Emergency Management that these courses can be applied to. The cost of converting the courses to college credit used to be $60 per course. I don't know if it is still the same or if it's changed.

I've no affiliation with any of these schools, organizations, or facilities nor have I attended any of these classes or programs. This isn't intended as a review of them. I thought this would be extremely valuable information to pass along for properly preparing for medical emergencies that will undoubtedly arise WTSHTF. Anyone who's seen someone shot or unlucky enough to be near an IED when it goes off will truly understand why you must always have at least one medic on hand, and if possible, two with other personnel trained to assist. Good luck and God bless to all, - D. in Dubai

Permalink - Email This

Five Letters Re: Covert Home Power for When The Grid Goes Down

JWR -
The article written by Tom H. contains some dangerous advice and overlooks some important issues. He wrote:

"Next, cut the receptacle end (female) off the 120 VAC extension cord and install the replacement 120 VAC plug (male) to the cord. Make sure it's wired correctly. (Black to black, white to white and green to green). You will now have a cord with a [male] plug on both ends."

Such a modified power cord [commonly called a "disaster cord" or more aptly a "suicide cord'] is extremely dangerous, and should never be made. If one end is plugged into a power source, the other end now has exposed electrical contacts and anyone touching them is in danger of electrocution. Don't take the chance of killing your child, spouse, or even yourself by having such a cord around where someone could try to use it.

Tome also wrote: "After making sure the main power disconnect is off, plug in one end of the extension cord to the inverter and the other end into any 120 VAC outlet in your house."

Most homes in the USA have what is known as 120/240 volt single phase power coming into the house from the electrical company. A few may have 3 phase power.

Back feeding a 120 volt outlet with power will only energize 1/2 (or 1/3 if you have 3 phase power) of the 120 volt loads in your house. If your furnace, refrigerator, deep freezer, or other critical load is not on the same "leg" of your power panel as the outlet you are back feeding, it will not get power and will not run. Worse, if a load such as a furnace has motors that run from 240 volts, single or 3 phase, and power is applied to only one leg of the motor, it could damage or destroy the motor.

JWR added this advice: "The best and safest solution is to have a qualified electrician install a proper bypass circuit breaker panel that will eliminate any risk of a back feed!"

This is certainly true, and may be the only easy way to be both safe and meet electrical code when providing backup power to a furnace. There are some other solutions that are safe, however.

Here is an easy solution if your furnace only requires 120 volts AC at some reasonable amount of current. If you are competent to work on your own electrical panel (a working knowledge of electricity is a useful survival skill), you can determine which breaker powers your furnace, and disconnect the wire to the furnace from the breaker. Mount a small electrical box with a single 120 volt outlet on it next to your breaker panel, and feed it from the breaker that former fed the furnace. Drill a hole in the box next to the outlet and bring a short power cord with a male plug on the end out through a grommet (to protect the cord from damage as it exits the box). Run the other end of the cord into the breaker box and wire it safely to the power wires going to the furnace. When the short power cord is plugged into the new outlet, electrically the furnace is hooked up just as it was before you started.

If you unplug the cord from the outlet, and plug the cord into an inverter or generator, you can safely power the furnace with zero danger of back feeding the power lines. Back in 1999 I made such a modified power feed to my furnace, and tested it with an inverter powered from a pair of golf cart batteries. Because the furnace was a low power consumption type (hot water heat) I was able to get around two days of power for my furnace before the batteries needed charging. A large 50 amp battery charger would recharge the pair of batteries in a few hours. Therefore, I would only need to run my generator when I needed to recharge the batteries, or when I needed more power for appliances such as the deep freezer or refrigerator. If I kept the doors shut on the deep freezer and refrigerator, a hour or so of power
twice a day from my generator would keep them cold.

Tom wrote "A car that is quietly idling, parked in the driveway, is not going to stand out. ... As long as you have gas for the car, you are in business."

While most inexpensive generators make more noise than an idling car, they also use far less fuel. If you spend the extra to get a very quiet generator such as many of the modern inverter/generator sets, you can have both the quiet and low fuel consumption.

Blessings on you and your family! - RAR

 

Jim:
I think that Tom presented a very inventive idea, but I have personal reservations about it. I haven't actually tried this in a real world test scenario, so these are just theoretical observations:

1.) Under normal circumstances, the higher the load placed on the alternator, the more energized it becomes. As the current draw on it increases, the mechanical resistance required to turn it becomes higher. The engine RPM increases to compensate. Higher RPM, more sound. (If you ever want to see the max amount of power your alternator can put out, try to find instructions on how to "full field" it. I would not recommend doing this on a vehicle with computer controlled anything!)

2.) Power loss because of clip on jumper cable connection will be high. A secondary effect of this will be high heat problems in the DC side of the wiring, possibly enough to melt the insulation off the wire.

On a side note, when looking at jumper cables to carry with you, buy the larger cables (Lowest number AWG). Trying to jumpstart one of my vehicles in 25 degree cold that had been sitting for three months took me two pairs of "el cheapo" 12 gauge cables. Larger diameter cable = lower resistance and heat buildup = more electrons streaming into your dead battery

One way to decrease this would be to replace your vehicle battery cable connectors with marine style terminal ends (The ones with the wing nut and post on them) and securing the inverter to the battery with actual ring terminals. The more surface area you can get in the connection, the better. Be warned however, most marine style terminal ends I have used have a noticeably smaller inside diameter than regular automotive terminals. They will require some force to go over your auto battery terminal posts.

3.) If a running generator will make you a target, a running vehicle will as well. - A.R.

Dear Sir,
As someone who has both solar photovoltaic/battery bank and multiple generator standby power options at home, and at a remote airfield location without grid power, I would like to offer my opinion on the article "Covert Home Power for When The Grids Go Down" offered by Tom H on Thursday December 17th 2009:

The use of a vehicle based generator system does offer a number of potential benefits, most importantly the regular running, maintenance (hopefully?) and fuel replenishment aspects, not to mention a large and safe fuel storage capability - you do always keep your tank at least half full? Without these important activities the author is correct that small gas powered generators become nothing more than "garage queen's" - and expensive ones at that after a year or more in storage.

As with all things in life there are also unfortunately an equally if not larger number of negatives/limitations associated with vehicle based generator methods. The relative fuel economy of a small gas or diesel powered engine, compared with a typical car/pickup engine (and its' 12V electrical generation capability) is vastly different. The much larger vehicle engine capacity and all of the accessories attached to it (water pump, air conditioning pump, power steering pump, and all of the associated drive trains/belts for these etc.) take power, and this comes from the engine and the fuel, increasing consumption. When was the last time you had a vehicle with a pull cord "re-coil" style starter option found on most small gas engines?

There are other issues too, such as leaving your vehicle engine running (not overly covert?) and the risk of vehicle theft as most modern engines will need the key in the ignition to run (especially bad if someone is looking to G.O.O.D. and needs functioning transport with available fuel). If you do choose this option, do you have a spare key to lock the car with the engine running? You may want to consider fitting a wheel clamp or similar to deter someone driving off - you may already have one if you own a larger trailer or caravan/camper?

Connecting to the vehicle battery with jumper cables often stops you from fully closing the hood, or risk a short circuit if you do, so a raised hood may be another give away and can increase the noise signature of the running engine too. The longer the cables (and I agree that thicker is better) the greater the power loss, so shorter cables are better, but this then places the inverter at greater risk of being stolen - you also need to protect the inverter from any water/moisture ingress - even next doors dog relieving itself! Consider permanently fitting a high power 2 pole connector to your battery (e.g. Google "Anderson SB connector") under the hood and a matching end on your jumper cables. This can then be used to jump start other cars, power your inverter (winch, any other 12V appliance), and stops people from borrowing your jumper cables as they only work on your car now! This method also reduces any risk of polarity reversal/short circuit accidents.

One option seldom considered when using a vehicle based generator is the "extra battery method". Take a large car or truck battery (or leisure battery) and connect this using the jumper cables to the vehicle battery. This can be located inside the (ventilated) garage and you can use slightly longer and/or thinner jumper cables with this method. Connect the inverter (also now in the garage) to this second battery and it provides a "reserve of power" for heavy starting loads - recharging from the running vehicle once this is passed. Remember that 2,000 Watts of power from the inverter is around 200 amps at 12 VDC (there are losses in the inverter) so you are placing a considerable strain on the vehicles electrical system - how many vehicles are capable of continuously producing this amount of 12v power from their alternator system, and even if they are the considerable heat generated will not be so easily dissipated as there is little if any air movement that would come from a moving vehicle in normal operation? The radiator fan will cool the engine, but by doing so will blow hot air into the engine bay where the alternator is housed, right next to a really hot engine too. You may want to check the continuous rating of your vehicle's alternator output, and factor in the cost of repairing/replacing it verses the costs of a separate generator?

There are some very special instances with hybrid vehicles where they are capable of generating much larger amounts of electrical power (e.g. Toyota Prius), but these are the exception rather than the norm. If you have a Prius/Lexus then Google "Prius UPS" for details on these systems - they can even automatically start/stop the engine as power is used from their onboard battery systems, increasing fuel efficiency and running time. These really are the best vehicle based generator systems if you already have such a vehicle.

There have been many articles on the use of back feed "suicide cables" to power to grid down locations, and whilst these are functional there are considerable risks associated with this method. The best option would be in install a power inlet and transfer switch if at all possible. If you are going to use a back feed cable I would advise you to set up a check list of actions (for both connecting and disconnecting/returning to grid power), and follow these in strict order to ensure you do not cause a dangerous condition - remember it may be dark/cold when you are doing this and you may not remember exactly from memory what is needed - pilots (amateur and professional) use check lists, and they regularly practice their emergency actions, so take a hint from people who really need to get things right first time! I would also attach a brightly coloured plug or label/streamer to the "live" end of the back feed cable as a reminder not to touch this when the system is back feeding power. The location you choose to plug this in must consider risks from people tripping over the cable and pulling it from the receptacle - exposing the live pins. Anywhere that children may be able to access it is not even considered in my opinion!

A couple of options not considered are small diesel and propane powered generators. Diesel fuel stores for much longer than gas (especially with anti fungal compounds added) and once warm the engine can run on a variety of different "fuels" including cooking oil, heating oil, even clean engine oil at a push, but if you do not have anything else that is diesel powered it can prove difficult to "rotate" your fuel supply" (even if that is only every 2 - 3 years) and they can be much harder to start in cold climates. Propane stores almost indefinitely, you can use it on your gas grill in the summer and this can also provide standby heat and cooking facilities all year. A few medium sized propane bottles (a minimum of 2 - use one, plus a full spare) can be safely stored in a garage or shed, and far more safely than gas (petrol) IMO. The down side for both of these being that the generators are typically more expensive to purchase initially.

Please do not think that I am being negative with my comments. Any system is better than none, and vehicle based systems can and do work so long as you acknowledge their limitations in running time, security and power available etc. (I would not aim for much more than 800 to 1,000 watts continuous, even if you do buy a bigger inverter [~1,500 Watts] to allow for "start-up" surges). The components required for vehicle based systems can also be "recycled" into a more permanent fixed solar/battery/generator system as time and funds permit.

Whilst "modified sine" inverters are much cheaper than the "pure sine" variety, you should be careful with electronics/motors working from modified sine power. Ordinary filament light bulbs work fine, but some compact fluorescent lamps can flicker or make high pitched noises on modified sine power. Some items such as cell phone chargers and other "transformer-less" wall-wart power cubes can fail quite spectacularly on modified sine power, as can some satellite/cable boxes in my experience - if you can afford a pure sine inverter then this is the choice to make.

Finally it should be remembered that any small engine (gas/diesel/propane) can also provide considerable distraction when trying to get them to work after periods of storage, when after a few minutes it should have become obvious that it isn't going to start and that you should abandon it for now and implement plan B, only returning to it when this is working. (You do have a plan B, right?)

My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family at this time, and I hope and pray that the true meaning and message of Christmas will support you all over the holiday season following your loss of the Memsahib. Kind regards, Ian H. - NSoB (Nanny State of Britannia)

 

Jim,
The Army sent my organization a cheap generator several months ago as part of a bigger system. About a dozen of them went out to various Army posts to be used by civilian trainers, some of them have no military background. This week, several of our sites tried to start their little generators and were shocked that they were inoperative. (I am just as guilty as they are. We have all ignored our generators since September.)

There are basically two types of internal combustion generators out there, main power generators and backup generators. The difference in cost between the two types is substantial. Heavy duty power plants are more than ten times the price of a backup generator, so as a compromise, many of us wind up owning a backup generator of some kind. There are lots of little micro-generators around 1 KW, but I am not talking about those. They are really too small to be much help, but the larger ones can be very useful for keeping refrigeration or pumping water or any number of tasks when the grid is down.

The typical backup generator is about 6 HP gasoline rated for something like 3,500 watts and costs from 300 to 600 dollars. The following is specifically written about a "All Power" AGP3002D 3,500 watt gasoline generator, but since it's is a typical survival generator this will also apply to many different models and sizes. I am talking about any generator too big to carry but small enough to wheel (and has wheels). If it has convenience outlets instead of a wiring collar, and it's big enough to to run a freezer, I am talking about your generator. These are not top-of-the-line generators, but they are a pretty good if you take care of them and use them within their limitations. They are basically backup generators intended for short duration events. They should be fine for short duration crisis and in a total collapse, unless you have made a substantial commitment to storing fuel, your cheap generator will easily outlast your fuel supply.

There are two basic approaches to backup generator maintenance: You can maintain it constantly ready for action, or you can mothball it between missions. Most people don't really need to be able to push a button and have their generator come to life. In fact, if they can get their generator up within about half an hour, that's probably just fine. Also, most people need a backup generator very infrequently. Maybe less than once a year.

Mothballing is probably the best choice for most people.

To mothball a generator, drain out all the gasoline. You can let it run dry or drain it from the fuel filter (or disconnect the fuel line). Be careful. Gasoline is explosive. When you try to start it later, you will have to keep pulling the starter rope until you suck fresh gasoline though the system....be patient and keep pulling.

You can leave the oil in the engine (and probably should) but if it sits for a year without starting, you will need to drain the oil and replace it with new stuff before you use it. Look at the oil before you use it and use common sense. If your oil is ever black for any reason, it needs to be replaced immediately. The engine only holds a little over a half a quart (.6 liter for the model I have). Use regular 10W30 oil. No need to get fancy.

Protect the generator from the elements while in storage. You can leave it in a garage and haul it out when needed. If you must store it outside, you are risking weather damage and theft. Most of these things are not really made to sit outside in the weather, so try to store them in some kind of shelter.

When the grid power goes off and stays off long enough for you to use your generator, Oil it, fuel it and start it up. Plug in your stuff and smile smugly at your own cleverness. You should start it up at least once a year and it should work when you need it. That's pretty much all there is to mothballing.

Or, you can maintain your generator ready to use on short notice. That requires more work. Regular maintenance requires you to run it under load for about an hour per month. You will need to follow some steps to do it safely.

You should follow this procedure whenever you run the generator for any reason.

  1. Put in fresh gasoline. For maintenance run-up, about a pint of any kind of unleaded should be enough. Don't use much because gasoline has a short shelf life and turns into varnish (or technically....gunk) in a few months. You ideally want to burn through all your gasoline every couple of months, so only add a little and then run it almost dry every month. I think old fuel may be the most common cause of failure in small engines. Don't leave old gas in your tank or you will be sorry. I don't know much about fuel preservatives, but they seem to be unnecessary unless you are storing a lot of fuel. If you have only a few containers of fuel for emergencies, you can rotate them and burn the fuel in your car or truck. I only keep about 20 gallons and rotate my fuel every month. On my model, there is a fuel filter (glass bowl type) in the back. It has a drain plug for removing water. If you have a fuel filter bowl you really need to check this when you refuel and drain out the water if you see any. (it will be the lower layer...duh). My tank is sized to run the generator about 8 hours under a 1,500 watt load. It holds 4 gallons, so I can expect to need about a half gallon per hour of use.
  2. Check the oil level, You will need to change the oil after the first 20 hours of operation and then every 100 hours thereafter. There is often no oil filter so this is really important. You may need to siphon or pump the old oil out if there is no drain. The oil level is usually checked at a cap or plug at the bottom of the engine. There is no dip stick on cheap gas engines. The oil plug is slanted into the base of the engine so that when the generator is level, the oil level should be exactly as much as it will hold with the oil plug out. (like a lot of lawn mower engines.) If a few drops spill out when you open the plug, that's perfect but basically, if you can touch the oil with your finger without inserting it past the first knuckle, (an inch or so below the top) you have enough. Even dirty oil is much better than no oil. If you ever run it without oil you will be very sorry.
  3. Check the air filter periodically and wash it with soap and water when it's dirty. (if it's a replaceable filter, you will need spares). The manual on mine says to clean it every 60 hours, but in a smoky or dusty environment, you may need to clean this filter every time you refuel.
  4. Ground it! Generators are dangerous. You are supposed to ground it using a long grounding rod. You might be ok strapping it to plumbing, but a dedicated ground rod is usually safer. If you are in doubt, wet the ground around the rod with salt water (or any water)...about 10 gallons to increase conductivity. Sand is a terrible conductor. If you hit bedrock, drive it in horizontally for it's full length instead of leaving it sticking out. This is potentially lethal, so don't screw it up. If you get a kid killed, you are really going to feel bad.
  5. Turn on the engine switch (mine is on the control panel, but it can be anywhere. Push the choke as far as it will go if you have a manual choke. (Mine is hidden by the air filter. It will be on the same side).
  6. Pull the starter rope fast but smoothly until the engine starts. (crossing your fingers seems to help). When the engine catches, let it run a few minutes and then push the choke back to the run position. Let it run 5 minutes before attaching a load.
  7. Attach a load that draws at least 1,000 watts. An electric space heater or even an old steam iron will work for a load. I have always heard that running a generator without a load is bad for it, but I am not sure if this is just superstition or if it is fact. I have always used a load because I am a primitive, superstitious primate. If someone knows the definitive answer, I would love to hear it.

My generator is rated at 3,500 watts, but that's a lie. That's the start up surge capacity. My maximum rated load is only 3,000 watts, and it's not really big enough to run that much. My system is designed to run for long periods at half load, which is only 1,500 watts. That still sounds like a lot until you start counting up the watts you need. To figure out wattage, multiply volts times amps and that gives you watts.

Example: a typical Mr. Coffee (drip coffee maker) draws 7.5 amps at 120 volts. 120 times 7.5 is 900 watts.

Get a heavy duty extension cord for safety. Thin, long cords add a lot of resistance and can heat up under a heavy load. Your cord will need to be pretty long to reach outside to the generator, so get a good one.

Your generator is going to be noisy. If you are hoping to hide a cheap backup generator, forget it. They are much louder than expensive power plants of the same size. You might even need to wear hearing protection if you are working near the engine. I do. Hiding any internal combustion engine will be even harder if everything else in the area is quiet.

Cheap engines are not overly efficient, so they stink. They also put out copious amounts of carbon monoxide. You may want to set it up downwind and far enough away to not be annoyed. Under no circumstances run this thing indoors. Without adequate ventilation \a gas engine can kill you in minutes. - JIR


Hi Jim,
Just a few additional caveats to the article: Covert Home Power for When The Grids Go Down.

Running the 120 VAC electrical system from your automobile may seem like a relatively easy thing to do, but there are some hidden issues one must be aware of.

One issue is called Power Factor which happens when a reactive load (such as a motor) is running. In simple terms you can not simply multiply the current and voltage to get an equivalent power draw from the system. Depending on how the output of the inverter is designed and protected, you can even destroy the inverter outputs. This may happen with a motor that is two large, or by simultaneously running multiple motors. It's best to check the inverter users manual or contact the manufacturer for proper operation of inductive loads like motors.

Another issue that was already mentioned is inrush current on a motor when it is starting. The additional power is used to take a physical piece of material (the motor shaft and get it moving from a stopped position. Overcoming the inertia can take a bit of extra power. A good rule of thumb is 5 to 6 times the running current draw , keeping in mind that a 1 HP motor at 120 VAC will draw at least 6.5 Amps when running under a load. Motors may have this specified on the name plate as Locked Rotor Amps or LRA. A 1 HP motor under load can draw as much as 40 amps (4,800 watts) on startup. This can simply mean that the motor won't start, or can mean you've destroyed your inverter.

Even an incandescent light has some inrush current, so it is better when using more than one at a time to turn them on separately.

Back on the DC side you can do the simple math, but there can be a problem here also. A 1,500 watt inverter at full output will draw about 125 Amps (1,500 Watts / 12 Volts). A typical automobile alternator is rated at 50-75 Amps and the higher output alternators can output 100 or more. Keep in mind also that when supplying the higher power, the automobile engine may be more than just simply idling.

The main thing here is to know the limits of your system, which will typically be your alternator and DC power source, and know those limits (preferably by testing) before you need them. - LVZ in Ohio

Permalink - Email This

Economics and Investing:

Eric C. sent us a link to a recent Peter Schiff interview over at The Motley Fool: A Tough Year Ahead for the U.S. Economy?

From Hal N.: Greenspan backs deficit-reduction commission

Items from The Economatrix:

A World Crisis No Bailout Can Stop

Are Your US Treasury Bonds Safe?

Fastest Food Inflation--Milk Up 39%

Stock Futures Signal Weaker Open as Dollar Rises

Treasury Backs Out Of Plans to Sell Citi Stake

Citi Suspends Foreclosures for 30 Days

US Lawmakers Approve Jobs Package

Moody's Warns of "Social Unrest" as Sovereign Debt Spirals

Gulf Petro-Powers to Launch Currency

Mexico Whacked with Second Debt Downgrade

Getting A Mortgage in 2010: 10 Things to Know

Extreme Modifications: 2% Mortgages

Another $1 Billion In Small Business Credit Vanishes

Permalink - Email This

Odds 'n Sods:

A Year End Reminder, from Bill in Missouri: "Let the IRS help you restock your pantry every year. Take your food that is nearing its expiration to a local food pantry and donate it to them. It will be used before it expires, and you will walk away with a donation receipt which is tax deductible. Food banks are always in need of donations, especially now that the unemployment level is so high. This is a win/win for you and the food bank, and a loss for the IRS."

   o o o

Michael Williamson, SurvivalBlog's Editor-at-Large forwarded this story. Energy-efficient traffic lights can't melt snow..

   o o o

From Popular Science magazine: How to Make Convincing Fake Gold Bars. Educate yourself on how to recognize counterfeits, and only buy name-brand serialized bars with well-known marks, from reputable dealers. Unless you have more than a quarter million to invest, you shouldn't even get into gold bullion. Silver will likely out-perform gold, and counterfeiting is much more rare with silver. You can usually sell 100 oz. serialized silver bars without a call for assaying. (A tip of the hat to Ferdinand for the link.)

   o o o

There are just five days left in the BulletProofME.com body armor sale, with 20% to 30% off helmets, and Interceptor Tactical Vests as low as $590.

Permalink - Email This

Jim's Quote of the Day:

"Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars." - Edwin H. Chapin

Permalink - Email This

Thursday December 17 2009

Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 26 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest.

First Prize: A.) A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner's choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost between $500 and $600, and B.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees, in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $392 value.) C.) A HAZARiD Decontamination Kit from Safecastle.com. (A $350 value.), and D.) A 500 round case of Fiocchi 9mm Luger, 124gr. Hornady XTP/HP ammo, courtesy of Sunflower Ammo. This is a $249 value.

Second Prize: A "grab bag" of preparedness gear and books from Jim's Amazing Secret Bunker of Redundant Redundancy (JASBORR) with a retail value of at least $350.

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

Round 26 ends on January 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that articles that relate practical "how to" skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Permalink - Email This

Covert Home Power for When The Grids Go Down, by Tom H.

There is much written about the Power Grids going down (for whatever reason) and how to prepare for that event. Recommendations have been made for the installation of a generator, solar panels, battery banks, inverters, automatic system switches, on and on and on. These systems range from a simple inexpensive plug in inverter for your car 12 VDC socket (which may power a lap top or a cell phone battery charger) to an extremely complicated self-sufficient system that will operate your whole house. The simple fact is that most people will not install such systems for a variety of reasons ranging from cost to placement and sometimes simply knowledge. Short of installing a complete off the grid system, almost every other solution will require some sort of hassle and inconvenience. If it is winter, the problem is compounded as it takes very large amounts of electricity to run electric heaters, electric stoves, etc.(anything that produces heat). The idea is to do what is absolutely necessary; conveniently, inexpensively effectively.

Many will buy a generator, fill its gas tank, start it to make sure it runs, place it in their garage, put a full five-gallon gas can in the corner and think they have the solution in hand. Over the course of a year, the gas will turn to kerosene, or worse, (gumming up the carburetor and eventually making the gas in the can useless). They will have forgotten how to start the gen set and connect it to the house; dust will gather on both. Without considerable effort and knowledge, this set up becomes useless. Any generator use will produce noise when in operation; broadcasting to all within ear shot that you are producing electricity and potentially make you a target. If you live in a small neighborhood in a city, as most do, this will be of particular concern.

With a little preparation, no ongoing maintenance and very little cost there is a more effective solution to powering part of your house, one or more appliances at a time, and not bring attention to yourself and enjoying the use of electrical power. This is particularly valuable if the power outage is in the winter. Powering only your furnace will keep you warm and keep your pipes from freezing. Most people reading this are already somewhat prepared in the areas of food, first aid, etc.

What Do I Need ?

In its most simple form, you will need the following:

  1. Heavy duty automotive jumper cables in the largest cable size (diameter of the wire) that you can get.
  2. A 12 VDC to 120 VAC inverter. For $200 or less you can buy this at a discount store, many auto parts or sporting goods stores, and a myriad of other places. Thy typically range in size from 1,000 watts to 2,000 watts in capacity, and are about the size of a small briefcase. The larger size is preferable to the smaller ones as they provide more power and therefore will power more items at the same time.
  3. A 120 VAC extension cord. This should also be of the largest wire diameter (gauge) that you can find.
  4. A replacement 120 VAC plug for the extension cord.
  5. Extra stored gasoline for your car.

What Do I Do With This Stuff?

First, locate the main power disconnect (breaker or switch) that connects your house to the Grid. This is normally on or in the meter box. Turn it off. In this condition, even if the power comes back on, you will have no power coming into your house. This also duplicates a Grid down condition. Under no circumstances turn the main power disconnect back on while the inverter is attached to the house.

Turn off all the sub-breakers in your house. (Hopefully you will have identified which breaker powers what items or rooms in your house). Do not turn off the main breaker in this panel. This second main breaker must be in addition to and separate from the main house power disconnect.

Next, cut the receptacle end (female) off the 120 VAC extension cord and install the replacement 120 VAC plug (male) to the cord. Make sure it's wired correctly. (Black to black, white to white and green to green). You will now have a cord with a plug on both ends.

The shorter you can make any DC cables, the better. (There is significant "line loss" in DC cabling, but not in AC cables.) Make the cords and cables as short as you can between the inverter and car. Do not modify the jumper cables unless you have the tools to do so correctly.

[Editor's Strong Warning: Putting AC power into an outlet in your house might seem like a simple solution, but it can create a dangerous "back feed" condition that could electrocute a power lineman, when an attempt is made to restore power to your neighborhood! It is ABSOLUTELTY ESSENTIAL that you turn off your home's main circuit breaker before energizing your home's wiring with any alternative power system. The main breaker should be "tagged out" with a prominent warning sign, or better yet both tagged out and "locked out" physically. The best and safest solution is to have a qualified electrician install a proper bypass circuit breaker panel that will eliminate any risk of a back feed! - J.W.R.]

Place the inverter on the ground in front of the car. Connect the inverter to the posts on your car battery (pos + to pos + and neg - to neg -) with the jumper cables. Make sure the connections are as tight as possible. After making sure the main power disconnect is off, plug in one end of the extension cord to the inverter and the other end into any 120 VAC outlet in your house.

At this point you should start your car. (Warning: Do not run your car in your garage, or you may get carbon monoxide poisoning.) When you then turn on the inverter, you will have 120 VAC going into your house to the breaker panel. Your car battery will start to discharge and may not have enough juice to start it later, so do not turn on the inverter without the car is running. As you turn on a breaker, it will send power to whatever is plugged into the outlets on that circuit, and those items will operate, unless they require more wattage than the inverter produces.

As long as you have fuel to run the car, the car alternator will charge the battery, which runs the inverter, which then produces 120 VAC power to your house. A car that is quietly idling, parked in the driveway, is not going to stand out. A car can often be idled safely for many hours in cold weather, but in warm weather, over-heating may be a problem.

What I have described is not the ideal, most efficient way to do this, but it is the least expensive and simplest way to have power while not alerting scavengers. As long as you have gas for the car, you are in business.

There Is A Catch

The inverter will only run items which do not exceed the wattage rating of the inverter. For example, if you bought a 1,500 watt inverter, it will only run 1,500 watts total at the same time. (e.g. fifteen 100-watt light bulbs). This necessitates you do a little homework. As you can see, you can quickly overload the inverter. Your electric oven, your electric dryer, and some other appliances will not work. (They require too much power, and are often on 220 VAC circuits.) [JWR Adds: And keep in mind that the peak current draw comes with an electric motor's start-up.]

Your furnace may take 1,000 or more watts to run the blower, the microwave may take 1000 watts, the your refrigerator another 1,000 watts, and so forth. You must know how much power is consumed by each item in your house, or you will quickly overload the inverter. If the tag on the appliance doesn't tell you how many watts it takes, it may tell you how many amps it draws. You can convert amps to watts by multiplying the amperage (it may say 2 amps) by the voltage (120 volts). This item will draw 240 watts. The amperage listed is almost always more than it actually takes.

As you can see, this arrangement will allow you to run individual appliances at the same time, but no more than the inverter will handle. You must do a inventory of every item that is plugged in and know what breaker controls each. If you have your refrigerator plugged into the same breaker as your furnace, the inverter may not power both at the same time. You will then need a bigger inverter. Unplug every item in your house that is plugged into an outlet, and know how much power you are using for every item. It may be that all you need to operate concurrently is the furnace and a few lights, or the refrigerator and a few lights. Do the math. You may not want to run lights anyway, as this will only draw attention to you.

If and when the grid power supply returns to normal, disconnect the inverter, from the car and then the house, turn your main house to grid disconnect back on, and you are back to normal.

A little organization, planning, and thought will allow you to continue on through a emergency without a lot of expense, undetected by the outside world.

Permalink - Email This

Two Letters Re: Survival Tools

Good day, Sir!
What a pleasure it was to see that a like minded individual spoke out about this often neglected aspect of preparedness. It was gratifying to find that your "survival tool set" matches my own core tool collection almost exactly. However... I'm not certain how you get all of that into one toolbox!

I have a two-tray box exactly as you describe with virtually identical dimensions...and there is no way you're going to get all those tools in that one box. I presume you are referring to your "road box" with that description. In my own collection, the 1/2" set has it's own box...as do the pliers/grips, drivers, bicycle tools, my number two 3/8" set came with it's own box, et cetera. Besides what's on your list, I've also got a set of Torx bits for working on newer GM and a 1/2 impact driver (the handheld kind that you hit with a hammer) with a selection of impact bits and sockets. In addition, I've collected a few oddities that have allowed me to minimize my spending on personal transportation. I spent just $1,000 this year on vehicles. I bought four, killed off two, sold one, and am currently driving the fourth as it's engine has been overhauled (by me) and it came with an almost-new transmission (and a pristine body, which is why I bothered overhauling the engine). To do this, I've also obtained items like a ring compressor, coil spring compressors, brake tools, ball joint fork (actually makes a good pry bar in some situations where a crowbar doesn't work as well), and some simple diagnostic tools, like a timing strobe. I've been debating whether or not to invest $100 or so on an OBDII reader.

I've also made the habit of picking out any free information I can find on things mechanical. The Briggs and Stratton mower I purchased a few years back came with a code to the B&S web site where you could download a free brochure on small engine maintenance. I've used this information to keep the mower running like new. You probably know that it's possible to kludge together a gas powered generator with nothing more than a good 4-5 horsepower mower engine, an auto alternator, and an inverter. I got the inverter at a wholesale liquidators for 20 cents on the dollar. It's only a 400 Watt unit, but that will keep a few lights burning. I plan to tinker with it until I feel confident to move up to a more powerful home built rig.

Anyway, enough about me. I enjoyed the article and I will be visiting your site regularly in the future! - Brian S.

Sir:
As a former aircraft mechanic and elevator tech, I thoroughly agree with the survival tools articles, which I saw on LewRockwell.com. Also consider the kind of vehicles you want to keep running. I like old air cooled VWs because they are simple and designed to be maintained by the owner. One of mine has 700,000 miles on it. If there is an electromagnetic pulse from a nuclear weapon there are no computers that will fail. The simple carburetor is easily modified to run on alcohol. They will even run on kerosene if warmed up on gas first. In the 1970s many were modified to run on propane, see the MotherEarthNews.com article under "transportation". They even have an article on running cars on wood gas from firewood! A local company converts them to electric power. Many American cars from the 60's are simple too. I also have a 1967 Chevelle with a Straight 6 engine and 3 speed transmission.

Pick up a copy of HotVWs magazine for parts sources and info. - Pat from Florida

Permalink - Email This

Economics and Investing:

Jim B. recommended this video on the Federal Reserve: The Dollar Bubble.

Randy K. suggested this item: by the ever-cheery Ambrose Evans-Pritchard: Gulf petro-powers to launch currency in latest threat to dollar hegemony

From J.S.: More countries at risk of default.

Items from The Economatrix:

World Losing Faith in Debt-Laden UK

The True Danger Lurking Behind 0.00% Treasury Yields and the 1-3-6 Rule Part I

The Return of Gold and Silver Eagle Rationing

Airlines in Deeper Trouble than Forecast

EU/IMF Revolt: Greece, Iceland, Latvia May Lead Way

Bond Price Crash is Surest Bet in Town

Poll Reveals Trauma of US Joblessness

Permalink - Email This

Odds 'n Sods:

Cheryl sent a link to a piece by Claire Wolfe, in Backwoods Home magazine: Circle of Friends: The Importance of Other People In Our Preparedness Plans

   o o o

Dan in Colorado mentioned this supplier of some hard-to-find food items, such as honey locust beans: Wild Pantry.

   o o o

Tord mentioned that there is yet another Robin Hood film is in the works. This one is directed by Ridley Scott (who created Blade Runner, Blackhawk Down, and Gladiator.) It stars Russell Crowe, and it has a big budget, so it will mst likely be worth watching.

Permalink - Email This

Jim's Quote of the Day:

"Yes, we did produce a near-perfect republic. But will they keep it? Or will they, in the enjoyment of plenty, lose the memory of freedom? Material abundance without character is the path of destruction." - Thomas Jefferson

Permalink - Email This

Wednesday December 16 2009

Notes from JWR:

My sincere thanks to the dozens of SurvivalBlog readers that have made contributions to the Linda Rawles Memorial Fund. The folks who operate the orphanage and school in Zambia have expressed their thanks. Your contributions are doing a lot of good for a very worthy charity! I urge anyone that has not yet donated to go ahead and do so. For readers in the US: If you make a donation before December 31st, it will be deductible for the current tax year.

---

Today we present another entry for Round 26 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest.

First Prize: A.) A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner's choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost between $500 and $600, and B.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees, in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $392 value.) C.) A HAZARiD Decontamination Kit from Safecastle.com. (A $350 value.), and D.) A 500 round case of Fiocchi 9mm Luger, 124gr. Hornady XTP/HP ammo, courtesy of Sunflower Ammo. This is a $249 value.

Second Prize: A "grab bag" of preparedness gear and books from Jim's Amazing Secret Bunker of Redundant Redundancy (JASBORR) with a retail value of at least $350.

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

Round 26 ends on January 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that articles that relate practical "how to" skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Permalink - Email This

Prepping as an Active Duty Servicemember Overseas, by M.B.

As a member of the Armed Forces stationed overseas, and for those civilian government employees likewise stationed, we face unique situations as we attempt to get ready for TEOTWAWKI scenarios. First, when you are stationed overseas, usually for a 12 to 36 month tour, whatever happens back home seems magnified in your mind because you are so far away and feel helpless to do anything about it. Mental preparation is of utmost importance if you get a sense of panic after reading about all the horrible things going on back home.  It is important not to panic when you see special sales for prepper items on the blog as this leads to impulse buying and frustration if the vendor does not ship to FPO/APO addresses. I think we tend to go into panic mode because in the military exchanges and commissaries overseas, it is common to run out of a given item and it may take months if ever to get restocked.  I am a mental health professional and just as I would counsel my clients, I suggest to my fellow military bloggers, the first thing I would advise is read as much as possible, take a deep breath, and realize that you are limited in what you can do.

The second piece of advice is, ask God to open your eyes to what you can do.  There are a lot of things we can do that give us unique advantages over our stateside friends.  What country are you in?  Get out and see the local surroundings.  You will have unique shopping opportunities so see what that country is known for producing and see how cheaply you can get it there.  Remember, whatever is not contraband gets shipped back to the States when you leave at Uncle Sugar’s expense.  (Check out the local Costco or Wal-Mart as their inventory likely will stock things particular to that country that you can’t readily purchase as inexpensively back in the States.  What things do the local nationals do that strike you as odd or weird?  I have found that much of what initially appears ‘weird’ actually makes good sense.  For example, in many Asian countries the custom of removing one’s shoes upon entering a house may strike American’s as strange but upon second glance, this practice makes a world of sense.  Imagine being limited in terms of medical care and trying to control the spread of disease.  Now imagine where you walk everyday and what you pick up on your shoes – everything from doggie doo to spittle and worse.  Now imagine what you’re bringing into and spreading throughout your home with those shoes.  Enough said!  For every custom you observe your host nation practice that leaves you scratching your head, ask “why” and you would be amazed at how much you can learn.  In particular, since most countries don’t have the same amount of stuff to waste and space to store their stuff, they live frugally compared to our standards and if you observe long enough you walk away with a wealth of knowledge and innovative ways to do things.

What is offered at your base?  Many of us, even if we don’t carry weapons have the opportunity to go to qualify on a weapon, and for free.  Each service probably has its own point of contact – for my base it’s the Security Chief.  Most overseas locations have a very active Morale Welfare and Recreation (MWR) program which offers everything from tours and trips to the practical such as Auto Hobby and Wood Hobby Shops which allow you to develop automotive and wood working skills for free to very cheap. The Family Service Centers normally offer free to very cheap classes on budgeting, child care, local culture, retirement preparation, to name a few.   Additionally, the base is the place to look for unique bargains.  Most bases both in the States and overseas have a local thrift shop that carry items at bargain basement prices and make Goodwill prices look like Nordstrom’s.  What courses does the base hospital or clinic offer?  There are generally health promotions courses going on that focus on particular diseases, CPR, etc.  Also, contact Military One Source for tons of free information and literature.  It is a clearinghouse and referral source for military beneficiaries.

Now for the challenging part – what do you do about making purchases from back in the States and where do you store them?  First, when you see something you’d like to order, decrease your frustration by going to the company’s drop down boxes to see if there is even a listing for FPO/APO addresses in both the “Billing” address and “Ship To” sections.  If there is none, don’t waste your time trying to order online.  E-mail or call the company and explain your situation.  For example, I have a great relationship with Shelf Reliance and Arbogast.  While they have no FPO/APO drop down box and there is a time difference of almost a day, when I receive Shelf Reliance’s sales notices I shoot them an e-mail (they’ve given me a particular customer service representative whom I deal with exclusively) listing the items I wish to buy and then call in my credit card number during their working hours.  Some items cannot be shipped by a company to an FPO/APO address because of import/export laws (i.e. certain electronics cannot be shipped from say Radio Shack to an FPO address, it can however be shipped to a friend in the States and they can mail it to you with no problem).  Other items cannot be shipped to such addresses period (that may include food items), so it is important to check with your post office and find out what can and cannot be shipped.  Also, find out from the Household Goods office what items would be considered contraband to ship back to the U.S. in your household goods shipment.  Get educated before you spend your hard earned cash and have to leave your purchases behind.

Is there someone you can ship your order to back in the States and who is willing to store what you ordered until you return to the states?  Arrange your leave with great care.  When I went to my Mother’s this summer for 21 days, I coordinated my purchases of grain, mylar bags, food grade buckets, etc. to arrive a few weeks prior to my arrival.  I spent a good portion of my leave in her basement packaging foods and storing things. Again, coordination is crucial, as you don’t want a ton of wheat arriving two weeks after you return to your overseas assignment.  Also, it gives you a chance to examine your merchandise and handle situations if you receive defective merchandise.

If you are considering firearms, know your state laws.  I never owned any firearms and knew nothing about them.  While I didn’t purchase ammo, I did purchase a shot gun and a rifle to keep at my Mom’s.  This was a challenge because most of us who have been in the military for any length of time, have had several moves and probably no longer have a home address in the state from which we joined the military.  In my case the most recent state I lived in before going overseas was North Carolina and even though I own property there, that didn’t help.  To purchase a firearm in the state of Virginia, I needed to show some type of bill addressed to me at my mother's house.  Fortunately her cable bill is in my name, so with that, a copy of my military orders, and my military ID, I was able to purchase the firearms.  Find out in advance what the requirements are for the state you plan to purchase firearms if you are still stationed overseas.

Business affairs – no matter how routine it may seem, read thoroughly every bank statement.  In preparation for leaving the States I got a safe deposit box at Marine Federal Credit Union. I had to have an account there with a minimum balance. Having met those requirements, another wrinkle has been added to the mix.  Recently the credit union schooled me to “Escheatment”.  In other words, my account is considered dormant because I have not had any withdrawals or deposits (interest deposits don’t count) for one year and this Dormant Account Notice was to inform me that in the State of North Carolina any account that is inactive for a period of five years will be claimed by the state.

If you want to buy gold or silver, most dealers will not ship overseas.  Either have it delivered to someone you trust impeccably for safe keeping stateside; place your order so that its delivery coincides with your travel back to the States; or visit a local dealer when you are in the States and make your purchases.  Finally, when we are overseas we get a fairly decent cost of living allowance (COLA).  Get financial counseling on base as many people are able to get on a financial plan to get out of debt while overseas.  If you are out of debt, treat the money as an extra pay check and use it towards your prepping plans.

In addition to annual leave (vacation), take advantage of opportunities that present themselves when you go on Temporary Additional Duty (TAD/TDY). Recently I was sent to Honolulu.  Aloha Stadium Swap Meet (hours and directions are available on the web) is fantastic!  On Saturdays and Sundays vendors are there that sell real flea market type stuff.  The touristy items are at the beginning of the swap meet but if you go all the way into the Meet’s Netherlands, you will find at least two vendors who sell military gear at bargain prices. I got mess kits for $1 each, cold weather gear, mosquito netting, and the list goes on.  One vendor also has a store in town but the best deals I got were from the older gentleman and his wife who only sell at the Meet.  Another place for good deals is the Marine Corps Exchange in San Diego.  Because the Marine Recruit Training Depot is there, when recruits drop out, the gear is cleaned and resold in the uniform shop very inexpensively (duffle bags for $2).  Some items can only be purchased by those still on active duty so research it; and retirees, make friends with some active duty folks.  Look for prepping opportunities when you get to travel to other areas.  I have ended up with so many great buys that I always travel with an empty duffle bag to either bring stuff back (some airlines will allow military travelers to check as many as 3 bags at no charge). Sending things back by snail mail with insurance is also a reasonable way to ship.

I am a single female prepper who has had to look at things from both sides of the aisle. Being stationed overseas is difficult, but you can think outside the box and make progress on prepping instead of waiting until you return to America.  One downside is that sometimes I don’t always get the best deals as I’ve had to weigh “’buy now’” and have it” vice “wait till I get back and maybe the Schumer will have already hit”.  For me the peace of mind of having some of the basics while they are still available outweighs waiting for a better deal, so I make the best of a so-so situation.  Hopefully these thoughts will help my active duty counterparts.

Permalink - Email This

Letter Re: Advice on Ammunition Storage

Jim,
What is the best way to store handgun ammo? I have a military surplus ammo can with a good rubber seal on it. However would it be a good idea to wrap it in plastic before putting it into the ammo box.
Also is there anything I should keep it away from while in storage. Thanks, - Motor Oil Man

JWR Replies: The two crucial things to remember for storing ammo in milsurp cans are:

1.) Use an ammo can with a nice soft gasket, and,

2.) Drop in a commercially-made silica gel packet (or a homemade equivalent) in the can if you live in a humid climate. This will dry the air that is sealed inside the can.

Some additional guidance:

DO NOT coat cartridges with oil or grease. This can cause a dangerous pressure condition if you forget to remove the lubricant before loading and firing a cartridge. As has been documented by the good folks at Box O'Truth, the oft-mentioned risk of "deadening primers of loaded cartridges" with oil or oil vapors has proven to be erroneous, with some recent scientific tests. BTW, I must admit that I was guilty of spreading this dezinformatsaya myself, until reading the test details.

Plastic wrapping the boxes has little utility, that is unless your expect the ammo's cardboard boxes to become collector's items in a few decades. (Wrapping the boxes will keep them looking pristine.)

Just be sure to keep your ammo cans in a fairly dry place, so that the exteriors don't rust. (For this, salty water is the worst offender.) If left in puddles, ammo cans will eventually rust through, given enough time. In a humid coastal (high salt) climate, it might just take a scratch through a can's paint bring its eventual ruin.

Permalink - Email This

Letter Re: Infrared Imaging Countermeasures

Mr. Rawles,
There are several proven, low cost techniques that can be used against thermal/infrared imagers. But none of them last an extended period of time. While they are not fool-proof they certainly do work well enough to frustrate the US military in Afghanistan.

The first method being used is for men to lay down in a small depression in the ground and cover themselves with a heavy wool blanket every time they hear an engine overhead -- be it a helicopter or the lawn-mower whine of a drone. This technique is well documented based on visual surveillance of groups of Afghans. All they did was to prop up the edges of the blanket with twigs to let their body heat escape around the edges of the blanket. This disrupts the pattern of the human body such that there is a warm spot but it does not look anything like a person.

A step up from this is to use one of the Space Blankets available on the market to do the same thing. They reflect heat right? If you have one of the heavier ones laminated to a ground cloth they can be used over and over again. In fact there is a poncho version of the space blanket that is very effective for this purpose even if you are moving about.

For shelter areas you can use mass (think of adobe houses) to diffuse the heat signature such that while the whole house will glow a bit it is impossible to see inside the house. Similar methods can be used in the field. For example, when digging a fighting position always use overhead cover if possible and pack the overhead cover with dirt or stones. This, combined with the use of blankets or tarps to screen the "windows" will render most thermal imagers unable to track you.

Finally there is always deception. In one exercise with a law enforcement team, we created a large number of "false" positives for them to track using small candles and Mylar balloons. Since aluminumized Mylar is the primary component in the space blankets, if you direct a small heat source onto the exterior surface, the whole surface will reflect the heat source and appear to be a large heat signature. (The aluminum can also be used to fool radar -- the balloons can be strung in a line so many feet or inches apart -- and as long as that distance apart is close to the wavelength of the radar beam the balloons appear to be one large solid target. I found this out many years ago when I was living very close to the largest helicopter base in the Argentine army just outside Rafael Castillo. We could float a string of balloons and get an almost immediate response ...)

Another trick is to place a small candle (120 hour candles work well for this) under a piece of metal about the size of a hubcap or 20 gallon drum lid -- as the candle burns it heats the entire surface without any hot spots but rather fairly even heating. To the poor chap looking through the thermal imaging gear now sees a heat source that is about the same size as a person's head and is not moving the way an animal would when a helicopter is overhead. So it has to be checked out.

Then there is my favorite one. Simply lay down to take your nap amongst a herd of goats or a flock of sheep. - Dr. D.

JWR Adds: Another method of infrared camouflage is to encamp in an area with numerous natural hot springs and pools. Since these are often associated with natural salt licks, these areas tend to attract wild game. Thus, not only will the hot springs themselves create distractions, but so will any deer (and similar-sized hoofed animals) that are in the area.

Permalink - Email This

Economics and Investing:

I found this linked over at The Drudge Report: Democrats plan nearly $2 trillion debt limit hike

Damon sent this: Cleaning up after real estate debacle

Larry mentioned this BBC piece: Greece 'faces sinking under debt'

Items from The Economatrix:

Bankruptcy of US Now Certain

Gold and the Last Real American Dollar

Hedge Against Hyperinflation, Hard Assets Should Continue to Appreciate During 2010

Marty Weiss: Stock Market, Gold, Commodities, and Economic Forecasts for 2010

Darryl Schoon: Deflationary Economic Depression 2010, Ready or Not, Here it Comes!

Foreign Demand for US Long-Term Assets Slows

Greece Defies Europe as EMU Crisis Turns Deadly Serious

Permalink - Email This

Odds 'n Sods:

Reader "+P+" sent another article on a theme that I've warned about: Police say suspected robbers rammed an SUV into a gun store in Avon, Indiana, and stole some weapons. Large masonry "decorative planters" should be a key part of your retreat's defensive architecture!

   o o o

OSOM mentioned a treasure trove of Free Medical Books available to download.

   o o o

Tamara (writing in her View From the Porch blog) pointed to a piece (by way of the Blunt Object blog) about the Toronto police going ballistic over the apparent sight of a gun held by citizen: Police piece together fake Lego gun case, after armed takedown. Here is the Blunt Object blog editor's summary: "So: Torontonian buys [a] Lego Glock kit online. Torontonian assembles said kit in his office. Other Torontonian freaks out, fails to notice Lego pips atop the slide, and calls the police. Toronto [Police Department]’s Emergency Task Force bounces Lego-Man off a few walls before discovering said Lego pips atop the slide."

Permalink - Email This

Jim's Quote of the Day:

"We pay too little attention to the reserve power of the people to take care of themselves. We are too solicitous for government intervention, on the theory, first, that the people themselves are helpless, and second, that the government has superior capacity for action. Often times both of these conclusions are wrong." - President John Calvin Coolidge, Jr.

Permalink - Email This

Tuesday December 15 2009

Letter Re: Fitness Training for WTSHTF

When the Schumer Hits the Fan (WTSHTF) are you going to be physically able to handle the new pressures of life? If not, then now is the time to get your butt in shape. Getting fit and healthy is not complicated. Loosing weight comes down to two basic things, eating healthy and exercise. Forget all the so-called fitness gurus who promise you that they can get you fit and trim only if you buy their expensive equipment. You don’t need it. Forget the drug companies that say the fat will melt away if you buy their pills. You don’t need it.

All you need is to exercise every day and reduce your daily caloric intake. If you are overweight then I would suggest you talk to a doctor before starting any fitness program. But there is no reasons why you can’t just get off your fat butt and walk around the block every morning. Walking is one of the best physical activities to lose weight. Break out the sneakers and hit the pavement. If you haven’t exercised in a while, just take a short slow walk around the block or down the road. As time goes on you will be able to go farther and faster, but for now just start slow.

Before you start any other exercises you need to get the junk out. I am not talking about your flabby gut, I am talking about food. You should all know what’s considered good for you and what's bad for you. But if you don’t then I will break it down for you. Grilled fish, chicken, lean meats, fruits, vegetables, are good. Fast food, chips, cookies, ice cream, fried foods, lots of carbs, bad. Use you God-given gift of common sense and make the right choices for the food you put in your body.

Once you have a healthy diet planned and you have started a walking routine, you can move on to other exercises. Martial arts training is my preferred . Not only is it good exercise, but you will learn to defend yourself. This can get expensive, with monthly contracts, but there are always DVDs. I have trained in the martial arts for over 20 years, so I know the basics. Now, all I do is buy a different DVD every few months and watch it over and over and practice the moves until it is drilled into my head. A great style to learn for WTSHTF is Krav Maga. It is a very practical style and easy to learn.

Weight training definitely has its benefits. But if you are short on space or cash, then doing exercises that use your own bodyweight is the next best thing. I am talking about push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups, dips, squats and lunges. Once again, start off slow with low repetitions and as you get stronger you can increase your reps.

People make fitness out to be some hard and mysterious thing. It's not, eating right and exercising is all you need to get in and stay in shape pre and post-WTSHTF. Regards, - Brian B.

Permalink - Email This

Letter Re: Deflation for How Long?

Dear Captain Rawles,
I recently saw the following excerpted comment at Zero Hedge and the argument makes sense to me:

In my opinion there is a flaw in the inflationary argument. It is only when money escapes into the general populace that the dilution effect on the currency actually occurs and drives up prices. By giving the majority of the new money directly to his buddies, Bernanke is simply changing the ratio of cash held in favor of the big banks and against the general populace. If the big banks fail to spend this money with wild abandon and instead hold on to most of it, inflation will be moderate or even nil.

Thus, I view the current Fed policies as simply a way to steal from Peter to enrich Paul with little or no inflationary impact whatsoever. At worst we may see inflation in equities (which we are seeing right now) but little or no general inflation since the money is not out there in the malls and grocery stores competing for common goods and services. It may take years for this extra cash to leak out into the general economy and meanwhile asset prices, like the entire housing stock of the United States, continue to fall.

Deflationary pressures may continue for far longer than many people expect. Or, as Keynes said, "the market can stay irrational longer than you can stay solvent". - Dave R.

Permalink - Email This

Three Letters Re: Sources for Prescription Medications?

Mr. Rawles,
As a physician I take significant offense to Lawrence R.'s letter regarding antibiotics. The fact is over 90% of infections presenting to US hospitals are antibiotic resistant in some form or other.
He is correct that some of the older medications may be effective and that is why bacterial cultures are performed to determine antibiotic resistance. He is sadly misinformed regarding the idea that we prescribe the most expensive or newest antibiotic available. We prescribe the least expensive antibiotic that is effective against the specifically cultured infection as long as a patient is not allergic to that class of antibiotic.

I wish him luck using penicillin for 90+ percent of soft tissue infections obtained outside of the hospital as the large majority of community acquired soft tissue infections are resistant to penicillin.
A good broad spectrum antibiotic which can be obtained very inexpensively is Sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim otherwise known as Septra or Bactrim. This can be had at large chain stores for $5 for a two week supply and is widely used as there is low resistance to this class of antibiotic as of this time. This applies to localized soft tissue infections only, such as a cut, scratch, abscess or boil.
I had to correct this misinformation posted on your superlative blog. Thank you for your time, - Kevin C.


Jim;
After reading the suggestion from Lawrence R about antibiotics, I think this email that I sent you back in 2007 bears repeating, with just a few changes.

Terramycin is a trade name for tetracycline, a common antibiotic. It's value has changed over the years due to antibiotic resistance (not drug company lies)....but it's useful as

* an alternative in PCN-allergic patients: syphilis, yaws, Vincent's infections, and infections caused by N. gonorrhoeae, B. anthracis, L. monocytogenes, Actinomyces sp., and Clostridium sp.
* URI and lower respiratory tract infections; skin and soft tissue infections; Granuloma inguinale;psittacosis caused by Chlamydia psittaci.
* Typhus infections,Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, rickettsial infections, and Q Fever.
* Infections caused by Chlamydia trachomatis.
* Urinary tract infections.
* Infections caused by Borrelia sp., Bartonella bacilliformis, H. ducreyi, F. tularensis, Y. pestis, V. cholerae, Brucella sp., C. fetus.
* Adjunctive to intestinal amebiasis cause by E. histolytica.
* Infections caused by susceptible strains of E. coli, Enterobacter aerogenes, Shigella sp., Acinetobacter sp. Klebsiella sp., Bacteroides sp.

NON-FDA APPROVED USES

* H. pylori-related peptic ulcer disease (in combination with bismuth subsalicylate and metronidazole - a very large percentage of ulcers are caused by this bacterial infection).
* Gingivitis/periodontitis
* Acne vulgaris

As you can see, it's useful for specific infections.....

There is no 'one best antibiotic' for all purposes. Antibiotics have to be administered based on the specific type of bacteria causing an infection. Administering the wrong antibiotic doesn't just NOT work, it causes different bacteria that are not killed outright to become resistant to it - which can cause problems down the road. People have pathogenic bacteria in and on them all the time, when something causes them to go out of balance and cause disease. At the very basic level, antibiotics are based on the cell wall of the bacteria (which determines if it will stain pink or blue with the Gram microscopic stain process), and their shape. Once that determination is made, certain bacteria have been shown to be sensitive to certain drugs, for example Gram-negative bacillus (say, E. coli) is usually sensitive to the fluoroquinolones like ciprofloxacin (Cipro).

If I were to recommend a basic armamentarium of oral antibiotics, I'd have to pick at least five different ones. I actually carry these, plus 4 or 5 IV/IM only drugs, and pick the best drug for the problem at hand, because once again, the wrong drug isn't just not as good, it's no good and a waste of valuable, scarce resources that might be needed more appropriately for another patient.

1. Ciprofloxacin (Cipro) 500mg twice a day
for infectious (bacterial) diarrhea (5 days max), anthrax prophylaxis (x60 days),uncomplicated UTI (7 days max), gonorrhea (1-2 tabs, once)

Given the incidence of certain bacteria that are resistant to ciprofloxacin, it is also wise now to also carry azithromycin

2. Azithromycin 250mg Comes in packs of 6 for 5 days dosage, take 2 the first day, then 1 a day until gone.
for bronchitis, pneumonia, or serious throat infection.

3. Ampicillin 500 mg 4 times a day for , or
amoxicillin-clavulanate 875 mg twice a day (Augmentin, very $$$)
for sinus infection, skin infection, or ear infection, GI, GU,

4. Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole 160/800mg (double strength) twice a day, 7-10 days or
doxycycline 100 mg twice a day, for 7 days for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection, UTI, otitis media, sinusitus, bronchitis

Doxycycline is also a chloroquine-resistant malaria prophylaxis, take 1 daily starting 2 days before travel until 4 weeks (28 days) after return from endemic area, effective against Rickettsials (Rocky mountain spotted fever)

5. Metronidazole 500mg 4 times a day for 7-14 days
effective against Giardia lamblia and for dental infections, trichomoniasis

Augmentin is very good for animal (especially cat) bites, but is quite expensive. Amoxicillin is a synthetic penicillin, the clavulinic acid (clavulanate) contributes penicillinase (an enzyme some bacteria produce that inhibits penicillin effectiveness) resistance.

This list is in no way comprehensive, nor are the indications the only possible uses for the drug, or the only drug for a condition.

Take care, and keep up the good work. - FlightER, MD

Mr. Editor,
I feel compelled to write you about a couple of recent medical posts by other SurvivalBlog readers. One writer stated that Cipro is good for sinus infections. Generally this is not true. Given a severe infection and no other antibiotic options, [if it is] TEOTWAWKI, then sure go head and try it, but think of Cipro as a below the diaphragm antibiotic, urinary tract infections, diverticulitis (preferably combined with Flagyl, an inexpensive antibiotic/antiparasitic), and so forth. Physicians will sometimes try it for skin and soft tissue infections, such as cellulitis, but the results with this generally are quite poor in my first-hand experience.

The real reason I take keyboard in hand, however, is to reply to the posting of Lawrence R.. It pains me to see someone who appears to be a former Coastie (Semper Paratus) making the claims he does about antibiotic resistance. It is not my intention to start an argument or negatively toned debate on your excellent blog, but to state that antibiotic resistance is a lie is patently false. Resistance among some of the most common pathogenic bacteria to penicillins, cipro, and other commonly used antibiotics is a substantial problem physicians contend with every day. An internet search using the terms antimicrobial resistance and the name of their state, community, and perhaps even a local hospital may reveal tables of statistics with the frequencies of resistance to common pathogens to readers. Additional light reading may be found here. Lawrence's comments that ranchers and farmers treating themselves with antibiotics devoid of trained medical advice is done "with no deleterious effects" is a disingenuous and potentially dangerous statement. Certainly, people - with or without physician advice, often in today's world, will take antibiotics when they are not needed, and suffer no apparent harm. The lack of direct, obvious and immediate consequences does not turn this uneducated practice into a virtue. This practice is one of the primary reasons for the significant levels of antibiotic resistance prevalent today.

Further, complications from partially treated infections, delays in seeking proper medical attention for medical problems because one thought the antibiotic in the cupboard would take care of it, and direct consequences of antibiotics on the human system are all problems physicians help patients with every week. Ask the next woman you see about yeast infections with antibiotics and you may begin wondering how much Diflucan to stock at the retreat. Or, instead of that common but relatively minor example, ask one of my patients who now must be on antifungal medicines for the rest of his life because prior to seeing me he partially treated a series of sinus infections until a yeast infection took hold, ate into the bones of his skull, creating an infection in his skull which can be contained, yet never cured. Also, ask anyone who has had C. dificle colitis after an antibiotic course if antibiotics have no deleterious effects. C. dificile colitis can emerge up to a year after the last course of antibiotics. In a TEOTWAWKI situation this makes stockpiling some Flagyl especially helpful, though I have seen patients have to take it for up to 3-6 months for the colitis to be resolved. There are other antibiotics which can be used for this problem, but they are cost-prohibitive for stockpiling. Oh, BTW, think that the appendix has no meaningful function? It's use is as a reservoir of normal colon flora to be used to repopulate the colon after a severe diarrheal illness. Since this discovery was made I have noted that the distinct majority of patients I have seen with C. dificile have undergone previous appendectomies. In either case, with or without your appendix, it is an unnecessary risk of health and "antimicrobial OPSEC" to randomly treat oneself without medical input from someone with relevant training.

In another vein however, my personal opinions about the ongoing prevalence of antibiotic resistance in TEOTWAWKI may be of interest. Most forms of antibiotic resistance mounted by bacteria require the expenditure of energies and resources by the bacteria themselves. Because we live in a world in which antibiotic exposure is unnaturally common, from prescription medications as well as the indiscriminate use of antibiotics in our food supply - reference Lawrence's own assertion that the local feed store is an easy and ample source of antibiotics. (I have close family members and patients who are livestock farmers and have witnessed flagrant misapplication of antibiotics to livestock first-hand as well.) This environment creates a scenario in which a survival advantage for the bacteria who express the resistance factors is generated. Interestingly, in TEOTWAWKI, the world-wide presence of antibiotics in the ecosystem should rapidly revert back to the natural state, where microbes such as fungi, for example, who release penicillin naturally (the original source of the "discovery" of penicillins), will be the only source of organic antimicrobials. In this scenario the bacteria who are consuming their energies and resources to make antibiotic resistance defenses will be at a survival disadvantage to other bacteria who are not dividing their resources between survival & replication and antibiotic resistance. Thus, in relatively short order, measurable declines in resistant antibiotic populations could be expected. If this theory pans out, then the utility of Penicillin, Cipro and other stockpiled antibiotics, when recommended by your survival group's medical officer, could be greater than present day patterns of resistance would suggest. Certain microbes will always be resistant to certain antibiotics, as inherency of their natures, but reviewing such examples may be tedious and unhelpful to those of us surviving, as the tools and opportunity to perform gram stains, cultures and sensitivity testing may not be practical.

On a final note, in addition to my specialty specific text books, Harrison's Internal Medicine being the most well known of the comprehensive ones, I also keep for emergency/survival scenarios copies of Auerbach's Wilderness Medicine and Goldfrank's Toxicologic Emergencies as well as DOD field manuals. Those two books are rather thick and heavy, so may be worth reading through and pre-positioning at the bug out site, or having at the site for the designated medical officer of your group. There is a field guide version of Wilderness Medicine which is easier on the wallet. The Washington Manual General Internal Medicine is another portable resource which should be excellent for your group's medical officer. Medical libraries at medical schools and hospitals often have second hand sales of books that are outmoded by new editions and lightly used copies of these books can sometimes be found at bargain prices there. OBTW, other medical books at these sales can also make very convincing "book safes" if one has glue, sharp instruments, and time on one's hand.

In parting, common sense is essential, but it isn't a substitute for medical experience and training. Make sure your survival group has at least one experienced medical person, be they medic, physicians' assistant, ARNP, physician or surgeon. The life they save may be your own! - Dr. G.

Permalink - Email This

Economics and Investing:

R.R. sent this: NS&I withdraws all its fixed-rate savings bonds

Chris mentioned an article on the new underground economy and the avoidance of bank accounts.

Thanks to Joan M. for finding this one: D-Day nears for Dubai's $3.5 billion debt hurdle

Also from Joan come this CBC (Canada) piece: Peak oil: Problems and possibilities

Items from The Economatrix:

World Stocks Up on $10 Billion Dubai Rescue

Citigroup to Repay $20 Billion in Bailout Money

Oil Near $69 as OPEC Signals No Output Cut

US Recession "Not Over Until Job Rates Rise"

White House Economist Sees Jobs Growth By Spring. JWR Adds: They "Visualize World Peace", too.

Federal Reserve Likely to Repeat Low-Rate Pledge "We're still a long, long way from normal."

The Future of Gold, The Dollar, and More

Permalink - Email This

Odds 'n Sods:

Man with master's degree lives in Moab cave without money. (Thanks to Rick W. for the link.) For further reading, here is a link to Suelo's web site.

   o o o

Lowell sent this: North Yellowstone Wolf vs. Rocky Mountain Elk

   o o o

Reader "MMA" forwarded a link to news article with some OPSEC implications of infrared technology: Suspect still at large after extensive air and ground search

Permalink - Email This

Jim's Quote of the Day:

"One of the common failings among honorable people is a failure to appreciate how thoroughly dishonorable some other people can be, and how dangerous it is to trust them." - Thomas Sowell

Permalink - Email This

Monday December 14 2009

Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 26 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest.

First Prize: A.) A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner's choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost between $500 and $600, and B.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees, in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $392 value.) C.) A HAZARiD Decontamination Kit from Safecastle.com. (A $350 value.), and D.) A 500 round case of Fiocchi 9mm Luger, 124gr. Hornady XTP/HP ammo, courtesy of Sunflower Ammo. This is a $249 value.

Second Prize: A "grab bag" of preparedness gear and books from Jim's Amazing Secret Bunker of Redundant Redundancy (JASBORR) with a retail value of at least $350.

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

Round 26 ends on January 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that articles that relate practical "how to" skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Permalink - Email This

Survival Tools, by SJH

I’ve read many articles regarding “survival “ and “preparedness” topics, my conclusion is that an important area has been missed. Lots of planning seems to focus on food storage, water, supplies, and so on, yet I have not seen or read anything about “survival tools -- how to be prepared for anything mechanically”. So after considering this topic for several years, I’ve decided to introduce my own topic as far as tools for the self-reliant individual. My background includes 30 years of mechanical equipment repair on automobiles and trucks/trailers to heavy construction equipment including dozers and cranes. Having been exposed to working independently while on the road performing field work, you soon develop a survival sense that allows you to think through repairs and situations, even before you actually arrive at the work site.

Planning as we all know is the key factor, when considering what tools and equipment are  necessary.

  • What are you planning on keeping running, is it your vehicle/boat/plane/ATV/snow machine/camper?
  • What maintenance is required for each of these pieces of machinery?
  • What supplies will be required, what spares are necessary for repairs?

Lastly, yet most important of all, will be the tools necessary to keeping your equipment up and running. Transportation is critical as for preparedness situations, as we all know. Once you have determined your needs, your spares, supplies, think through what tools will be required.

For example, to replace disk brake pads, you need to remove the tire/wheel assembly, compress the caliper, unbolt the caliper, install the pads, and reverse the process to put it back together.

Just for a simple job like this, you will need a lug wrench for the lug nuts, a large C-clamp to compress the caliper and a wrench or socket to remove the caliper. You need to sit down and consider what will be required in whatever contingency or jobs may arise, and how to deal with it. I have a list of tools that, over the years, I have found will suffice for most basic repairs. These tools are carried in what I call my “road box”. This road box has been with me a long time. Even though the original box has long since rusted away, most of the tools have lasted.

This set of tools is my choice based on my needs as well as the fact that you may have to improvise to get the job done. Here is the list that we can call our “survival tool set”.

  • Storage box, a two-tray nesting type box made of durable plastic, now many years old.
  • ¼” drive socket set, used on small nuts/bolts in tight places.
  • 3/8” drive socket set, handy for removing nuts/bolts.
  • ½” drive set including 12pt short sockets as well as 6pt deep sockets, include a “breaker bar.”
  • Assortment of pliers (slip-joint, locking, needle-nose, side-cutting and electrical crimp type).
  • Wrench assortment, my favorite are the “ratcheting type” as well as adjustable type in different sizes.
  • Screw drivers an assortment of straight, cross and whatever else you may need depending on your needs.
  • 12 volt test light, extremely handy for troubleshooting 12v troubles.
  • Good hammer, I carry a 16oz Ball-pein type which works wonders when you need it.
  • Ignition wrench set, allen wrench set and a “feeler gauge set.”
  • Lastly, I carry an assortment of what I call “goodies”, clamps, bulbs, fuses,  spare wire and connectors, nuts and bolts, electrical tape, duct tape, Teflon tape, silicone gasket material, rubber freeze out plugs, tire plugs.

As I mentioned before, this set of tools has been my choice over the years to keep things going. I’ve changed oil and filters with the addition of a universal-type filter wrench, replaced spark plugs, changed fuel filters, replaced brake pads, repaired broken wires, plugged leaks on everything from fuel to water and air as necessary. I’ve improvised wiring for a trailer to keep the lights going and replaced a busted heater hose a few times. The size of my tool box is approximately  9” x 15” x 13” tall and there is room for more inside. Another consideration should be the need for “metric” tools, depending on you individual needs. Many vehicles today are metric and will require you to adjust your tool inventory as such. This tool set will also cover a great deal of home/shelter/retreat repairs if you again plan what you may have to do. An example would be with the addition of a pipe wrench you would be able to tackle plumbing repairs such as cleaning a  water well pump strainer from debris. As mentioned in the beginning, plan for all sorts of mechanical problems, consider what tools are required and adjust your inventory accordingly. If you carefully think all situations out thoroughly, your tool supply should be able to handle most anything that happens to arise.

Now to really complete your tool supply , you need to consider what special requirements that you may need. How about jacks as a beginning point, you should have a hydraulic bottle jack  and/or what I call a “farm jack” included in your tool supply. The bottle jack depending on its lifting capacity can solve many “lifting” situations. It will raise a vehicle including trucks/trailers, jack up a building if necessary. The farm type jack is versatile because it can “push” or “pull” as well as lift/raise. So with the easy addition of these two items you have the ability to raise, jack, push, pull and even if necessary use in some sort of improvised rescue situation. As I mentioned before that a 12VDC test light can assist in 12V repairs but the ideal choice would be a “multi-meter”, they are available everywhere from the basic variety to the extravagant type. Let your budget guide you on this, bottom line is that they are indispensable for troubleshooting various electrical problems. These types of meters can test DC (low voltage) as well as AC (high voltage).The important thing  to remember is “know” how to use it and what you are working with. Obviously if you need electrical training check out your community college for a class on basic electrical skills/repairs. My personal favorite add on equipment would be an air compressor. With this addition to your tool “cache” you will be able to air up tires, perhaps inflatable boats, blow out wet items, run pneumatic tools and the possibilities go on and on. Compressors come in all types and sizes, my favorite is the small electric variety, I used this type for the above mentioned as well as to run pneumatic nailers for remodeling work. There are all types of tools available for drilling, grinding and cutting. Again think about your needs then plan out the tools required.

Tools are just the beginning, you may need some type of mechanical training but common sense will cover most of the items that will need to be repaired. Shop manuals are really the key to preparedness, if you have the information required all should proceed according to your plan. Again as in all preparedness plans, look at all the “what if” scenarios, to determine what tools you will need to handle what needs to be repaired.

Good luck and head out for your local tool store to start “stocking up” your tool supply.

Permalink - Email This

Letter Re: Space-Efficient Shelving Systems for Retreat Storage

Hello Mr. Rawles,
I am new to your blog but after reading "How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It" and currently reading "Patriots". I am an active reader of your blog. I am an Eagle Scout and by living the Boy Scout motto, Be Prepared. I have already been living the lifestyle without even knowing it. However, there are things that I still need to work on which is also complicated by the fact I am currently in the military and some of the areas are lacking due to the complex issues this create for myself. For example, moving every two to three years makes it difficult to stock pile on some things and I find that I have stuff spread across America in storage units, with family and friends.

Today, I saw something that would be beneficial for many people. Storage is a huge issue because many of us do not have unlimited funds and adequate space available but by being prepared this requires us to turn any space into storage space. If you have a garage, basement or other large storage facility you should consider installing a sliding shelf system, similar to the ones you see in hospitals for storing medical records. The shelve slide around on runners and only two shelves can be accessed at any one time however you can slide the shelves as necessary to access any of the shelves as needed. This makes it possible to maximize storage space but also allows you to maximize organization. Since the shelves slide together like books in a book case you can then post load diagrams as well as packing list of what is in stock, when it expires and even the shortages that need to be filled. I would also recommend that you also hang a note pad and pen to write notes of what is added, used, or even list of items needed.

These shelving systems are not cheap brand new. Therefore, I recommend that you keep an eye out for clinics and hospitals that are upgrading there current system and try to purchase the old shelving units. However, you could also install heavy duty, high quality caster wheels on your current, homemade or new shelving. Without having the runners it will be imperative to have handles mounted on the outside to assist with maneuvering the shelves. Do not go cheap on the wheels because a broken wheel could quickly make such a system difficult to use. In fact, as with everything else, buy some spare caster wheels so that they can be replaces as needed. If you buy the extras when you purchase the original set you know that they will fit perfect when it is time to replace them. Also, by having caster wheel installed you lift the shelving units off the floor which helps prevent moisture damage, which leads to rust and also will help reduce rodent and bug issues. You will be able to place traps and bait stations below the shelves.
Be Prepared, - S.K.

Permalink - Email This

Letter Re: Goats for Thrifty Livestock Feeding

I love the Christmas season, and it is not for all the time and money wasted watching kids rip open boxes with toys or gadgets that they will forget about in a month. I can really reduce my hay bill for January even in the worst winters. Round about December 21st, I post small notices at the library, banks, and other places that will let me that advertise; "Tree Removal - $5 Mountain/Clean Trees or $10 all others" Costs me less than an hour of my time to make and post the notices and nets me between 50-100 trees a year. I've only had two clients ask where I take the trees. My answer, "I feed my goats." Remember, goats are browsers and would prefer to dine on trees than hay. As a bonus, when the stock is done, I've got firewood.

Spring is another great season for me. The best goats I've ever gotten were free. I keep the word out around town and inevitably end up with at least one bum every year. I've raised cattle, sheep and goats all free. Last year, someone gave me a mare and foal. Why, because the foal is blind and the mare hasn't been earning her keep. The mare is due to foal again in March. That is three free horses simply for being willing to take someone's rejects. This is a good way to get stock if you know what to accept and what to pass on or send straight to slaughter. We have filled our freezer numerous times on free cattle and sheep. Another trick I use in Spring is to drive every night behind the local greenhouse. They throw away an amazing quantity. Because it's not grass, the goats go nuts over it. I kid out in January-March and I've never had to feed grain, the extras from the greenhouse keep everyone sassy. Now that leads to another source: broken bags at the stores. I have a route I drive each week that nets me 1-6 bags of free/reduced feed. Goats don't care if they eat rabbit food. Chickens love dog and cat food. [JWR Adds: Be sure to read ingredient labels carefully!] This way, when I have to lure in an escape artist or feel like giving everyone a treat, I don't have to pay so much for it.

Summer is the hardest time of year for me. I don't own any land suitable for livestock. I use my parents' barn and pastures all year. I have gotten on friendly terms with the neighbors. I also have a solar-powered electric fence earned as payment for eating down the city's weeds. Since high school, I've grazed off the barrow pits along the county road to their place. I'll admit, it is a lot of manual labor for sometimes a bit of free feed, but some years it can't get all eaten down and people still end up mowing them. I also beg the use of empty pastures, though it is easier to find pasture for horses and cattle than goats and sheep. Summer is the season I bug the tree services. I've got one or two that will let me know when a real leafy tree is coming down and I'll give them free labor for all the leaves/branches we can stuff into our trucks. Evergreens or hardwoods, the stock doesn't care. The greenhouse treasures are not as welcome this time of year by the goats, usually because they are browsing on pasture, but I still bring them home. Summer is also the season we start delivering hay. We have been paid in the past to clean out hay storage. Usually this starts coming in as our pasture starts running out. We also let it be known that we are not adverse to weeds in our hay. Over the years, I've gotten several tons of hay for $10-50 a ton because it was too weedy to be sold to anyone else. One of our suppliers was shocked to see the goats trample the timothy to get to the bindweed in the bale. Last year, hay averaged $115 per ton, so this saved us quite a bit.

Fall is they hurry-up season for me. This year my son and I made quite a bit of money raking leaves. Again, they all went to the stock. For each truck load of loose leaves, I saved a bale of hay. I don't reveal the reason we are the cheapest service in town is because it saves me money to take them home and not to the dump. We also watch for those that have bagged their own leaves. We get permission to take the bags. Usually they are grateful we are grabbing them. These we store next to the hay in the hay shed for late season treats between the first snow and Christmas trees. Depending on the weight of the bag, two-four bags save me a bale of hay. Fall is when people clean out their gardens. This year, we had a lady borrow two of our gentlest goats and simply turn them loose in the garden after she was done with the harvest. For the most part, we donate labor to pull out gardens and it all goes to the stock. I sort as we unload and end up with food for our table too. I don't raise pigs, but for those that do; free feed is easy. I have a friend that stops by all the grocery stores, fast food joints and restaurants in town with her pick-up once each day. She raises 20-30 hogs a year and never buys food. She passes on what is still safe to the family table and to neighbors that are on hard times. I've known others that raise hogs to pick up road kill. If you butcher your own stock or game, hogs love the entrails and will pick clean the bones. If I didn't have these cheap fall backs for feeding my stock, I couldn't own any. There are probably more that are not available in our area, or I haven't thought of yet. I'll keep my eyes open and hope I've opened others. - KB

Permalink - Email This

Four Letters Re: Sources for Prescription Medications?

Editor's Note: As previously mentioned, when this thread was started, the use of anything other than USP Human Grade antibiotics on humans should only be considered in the most dire of circumstances, where there is no other choice.

Jim,
In reference to the question of sources for prescription medications, I recommend that readers interested in stocking up on medicine take a copy of Wilderness Medicine, Beyond First Aid, by William Forgey, to their primary care physician and show them the list of medications listed in the book. Explain to the doctor that you are preparing and that you would like to get prescriptions for the medications listed in the book. You may have to try several doctors before you find one willing to work with you, but they are out there if you keep looking.

Forgey's book has an amazing amount of information on the most common medical problems which the average person can apply in the field. There are several uses for each medication listed in the book.

A very good source of vet medicine (including lactated ringers for vet use) is SHOPMEDVET.COM. They also have sutures, instruments etc which are priced very reasonable. Amazon.com also has a large amount of medical supplies and medicines available on their website.

One other suggestion for obtaining some of the medical supplies that individuals may be looking for is to look for pharmacies going out of business. We obtained several boxes of sealed syringes, bandages and other supplies recently at a pharmacy that was closing. Thanks for a great site. - Sandy M.

 

Jim:
Your readers may find Atlantic Medical Supply useful as a mail order source for IV fluids.
Regards, - H.S.

 

Sir,
For the past three decades our pharmaceutical industry has been telling us the 'bugs' are resistant to antibiotics, so they must constantly look for new antibiotics, which is expensive. They lie. The truth is, they don't make any money on simple Penicillin G, tetracycline, terrramycin, and staple sulfa powder anymore, and they are in business to make money for their investors.

So, where do you get a long term supply of simple basic antibiotics? The Answer: Your local feed store. They try to tell you such antibiotics are not for human consumption, but that's a lie. It never made economic sense to have two assembly lines for antibiotics--one human, one animal--when just one line can service both humans and animals with just a change of label. The drug companies are run by economics too. Ranchers and farmers know this, and it is rare the rancher or farmer that doesn't treat himself with antibiotics that they bought for their animals, with no deleterious effects.

Terramycin powder is used for hogs, chickens, birds of all sorts, and bees. It is a water soluble powder, and will last for many years. Penicillin G, shaken once each two weeks and stored in an ammonia absorption refrigerator at 36 degrees, (no electrical grid necessary), will remain good to use about three years beyond the posted expiration date. Oxytetracycline, same thing. It will last for years if kept cool.

With any injectable antibiotic, follow the instructions on the label, inject by weight of the subject. Of course don't inject anyone who is allergic to eggs or has had obvious reactions to Penicillin or Tetracycline. But, you can stockpile Epinephrine for such reactions. Again, simply follow the directions on the label.

Stockpile over the counter medications too, one of the best is simple Benedryl or the store-brand generic substitute. Stockpile plenty of simple Aspirin. Got a dog that's rattlesnake bit? Give him an aspirin (300 mg) in a small piece of meat that he'll swallow without chewing. He won't even swell up if you get it into him in the first few hours. This works well on humans too.

Use some common sense, people! Survivalism isn't an arcane science. It's mostly common sense and simple action.

We discuss this all the time on my group: SurvivingTheDayAfter@yahoogroups.com and SurvivalBlog is linked as a must read resource. Semper Paratus, - Lawrence R.

Permalink - Email This

Influenza Pandemic Update:

Fatal Tamiflu Resistant H1N1 Spreading

US Reports Nearly 10,000 Dead From Swine Flu

China Swine Flu Death Toll Hits 326, Peak Still Two Months Away

Germany to Sell Unused Swine Vax as Only 5% of Population Wants It

Third Swine Flu Wave Warned Approaching Iran

Permalink - Email This

Economics and Investing:

Tom W. liked this piece by Todd Harrison at Minyanville: What in the World Is Going On?

Trent H. suggested this video clip: Globe "Overdue for a Currency Crisis"; Why Jim Rogers is Buying Dollars

GG flagged this: The Coming Wave of Debt Defaults

Items from The Economatrix:

Sovereign Debt Defaults the Next Shoe to Drop?

House Passes Massive Overhaul of Wall Street's Regulations

US Foreclosures to Reach Record 3.9 Million in 2009

North Korean Won Plunges 96% after Gov't Reevaluation

Venezuela Debt Holders Rush For Exits As Banks' Woes Surface

Permalink - Email This

Odds 'n Sods:

SurvivalBlog's British-born Editor at Large Michael Z. Williamson catalogued another article on the descent into Nanny State Britannia: Three -inch pocketknives illegal in the UK.

   o o o

I was just introduced to a great dry firing trigger kit for Glocks, made by Southwest Shooting Authority. These provide a very realistic feeling trigger pull and trigger reset. Unlike those made by their competitors, the Southwest dry practice kits have a 90 day warranty, and are useful for up to 50,000 trigger presses. Installation and removal are a breeze. (It takes less than a minute for anyone that is familiar with Glocks.) With the current high price of ammunition, I consider dry practice a must, and these kits provide the best way get that practice for Glock owners, with no repetitive slide racking required! To my mind, these kits provide the most realistic dry firing experience. Most importantly, if you get in the habit of racking your pistol's slide repeatedly in dry practice, that muscle memory might carry over into the high stress of a defensive pistol shooting situation, turning your Glock into a manual repeater, dumping half of your ammo as live "rounds on the ground". Don't laugh--people do indeed revert to their training when under high stress.

   o o o

Thanks to Jeff B. for spotting this: Freak winds freeze rural county. (Six to eight foot drifts!)

Permalink - Email This

Jim's Quote of the Day:

“Sure I am that this day - now we are the masters of our fate; that the task which has been set us is not above our strength; that its pangs and toils are not beyond our endurance. As long as we have faith in our cause and an unconquerable will-power, salvation will not be denied us.” - Winston Churchill, addressing a joint session of the US Congress, December 26, 1941

Permalink - Email This

Sunday December 13 2009

Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 26 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest.

First Prize: A.) A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner's choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost between $500 and $600, and B.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees, in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $392 value.) C.) A HAZARiD Decontamination Kit from Safecastle.com. (A $350 value.), and D.) A 500 round case of Fiocchi 9mm Luger, 124gr. Hornady XTP/HP ammo, courtesy of Sunflower Ammo. This is a $249 value.

Second Prize: A "grab bag" of preparedness gear and books from Jim's Amazing Secret Bunker of Redundant Redundancy (JASBORR) with a retail value of at least $350.

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

Round 26 ends on January 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that articles that relate practical "how to" skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Permalink - Email This

Growing Your Own Pain Medicine, by David G.

Editor's Proviso: Please note the following article is presented for educational purposes only. Implementing the steps described below is illegal in most jurisdictions. This article is presented in the context of total collapse of society and government, in which government has become nonexistent.

Pain management is one of the most serious aspects of any medical situation whether it is life threatening or not. Many of us have chronic pain issues which get worse as we age or as our physical workload increases. Pain exacerbates shock when traumatic injuries are sustained. Pain management can comfort us in during palliative care and make the transition into the next world easier – both for the person who is dying and to ease the anxiety of loved ones. The reality is that pain management should be a concern for all of us who are preparing to meet whatever the future holds.

Most of us do not have access to effective pain management medications beyond Tylenol, Aspirin and Ibuprofen. Narcotics that are regularly prescribed for serious pain are unavailable to add to our medical kit, and will certainly be unobtainable when TSHTF. All is not lost, however, but we must be prepared to grow our own painkillers. Fortunately, this is neither expensive nor difficult. The answer is to begin growing opium poppies just as our ancestors did up until a century ago. Opium poppies are used to produce morphine and codeine, and do not require much processing to create a useful painkiller that can be grown in your garden.

Which Poppies to Grow?

Opium producing poppies are known by their botanical label Papaver somniferum. Variants go by the names Giganteum, Hens and Chicks, Persian White, Persian Blue, Danish Flag. Each type will have a different morphine content genetically, and conditions will also affect the potency of the poppy. They are readily available as seeds and are legal to order and possess. 500 to 1000 seed packages can be had for $10 to $20 and are viable if stored in an airtight container in a cool dark place for 3 to 5 years. One poppy pod can produce several hundred seeds that are easily harvested, so a rotating seed stock is easy to maintain.

Growing the Opium Poppy

Opium Poppies tend to like a cooler environment for germination, warmer for the growth phase and into maturity for opium production. Early Spring is a good time to plant when there is still snow on the ground. Some folks plant in the Fall and let the poppies sit dormant over winter to spring to life as it warms up. I have found it best to plant seed directly in the garden and let them germinate there. They require only a shallow covering of topsoil. Soil should be well drained, and sandy soil works well for this. The poppy roots near the surface and does not extend roots down into the soil very far. Sowing many seeds close together and then thinning the group a couple of times early in the growing season works well. The mature poppy needs space – 10” to 12” around the poppy is a good idea. A soil and water pH level of 7 (neutral) is good. Manure based fertilizer is excellent. Water and fertilize the poppies regularly. Poppies are quite hardy, but they don’t like weeds, so weeding your plot is essential.

Poppies grow tall (4’ is common), and so must be somewhat sheltered from the wind. Full sun in a temperate climate is good, but in very warm climates partial shade is appropriate. Once the poppies reach their full height, they will develop a lovely flower and seed pod. The petals of the flower will last less than 2 weeks and will be shed completely leaving the pod. Once the petals appear, cut back on watering, but do not allow the roots to dry out. This will push the pods to produce more opium.

Harvesting the opium

Once the seed pods have shed the petals and the pods are mature, you can begin to score the surface of the pod with a sharp blade. Draw the blade from near the bottom of the pod to near the top. Do not go deeper into the skin than 1/16”. Immediately you will see a milky substance appear. After a couple of hours the substance will begin to get gummy and you can scrape it off the pod with a blade or flexible piece of thin steel like a putty knife. This is the raw opium and will contain a quantity of up to 20% morphine.

The pods can be scored multiple times over multiple days until the plant dies. Once the plant has perished, cut the poppy at the stalk about 5” from the bottom of the pod. The pod will contain hundreds of seeds, and once it has dried, the pod can be crushed and the seeds extracted. The remaining plant matter can be collected and ground up to make a vile tasting tea that has many of the painkilling properties as the raw opium. Seed pods can be harvested and stored for future use and may deteriorate slower than grinding and storing the powder, but they will take up more room.

What to do with the opium

For centuries opium was ingested orally. From the 16th to the late 19th Century, it was sold as Laudanum, which was simply the opium “latex” (the raw scrapings from the pod) that was powdered and mixed with alcohol. As well as being more soluble than water, alcohol aided the painkilling properties of the opium and likely preserved and increased the shelf life. Small bottles of 10% opium and 90% ethanol alcohol would make excellent barter goods and be a way to dispose of excess opium.

As discussed earlier, tea made from adding crushed poppy plant matter to hot water makes a fairly powerful painkiller, but getting the dosage right could be a problem, so using multiple small doses is the best way to start with opium tea.

The best way to meter dosage is to actually smoke the opium latex. Direct heat to the latex works, but not as effectively as vaporizing it. Simple vaporizing is done by heating the pipe bowl rather than applying heat to the opium directly. Small, match-head size pieces can be smoked and the effects are fairly immediate.

Another use for opium

Opium also acts as a good anti-diarrheal agent. The opiate derivatives of opium – morphine, codeine and heroin are known to stop up users. This can be a problem in a survival situation, so starting a laxative regimen may be necessary. But, where diarrhea is accompanied by pain, opium may be the best solution in a self-sufficient environment.

Potential Problems

Opium is addictive and should be treated with due care and respect. Coming off of protracted usage is difficult and painful both physically and psychologically. However, if used for managing real physical pain, addiction is often not an issue as long as the usage is stopped when the pain subsides for good. Opiates are still the most used and often most effective painkillers prescribed today.

Legal issues. While it is widely legal to own opium poppy seeds, it is also just as widely illegal to grow poppies for opium production. Having hundreds of poppies growing in your garden prior to TSHTF will invite arrest. Growing a few poppies for decorative purposes will go unnoticed, and the dried seed pods are widely available for decorative flower arrangements. Growing just a few poppies every year and storing the seeds is what I do.

Where to get seeds

I got my first seeds online after searching Papaver somniferum. There are many dealers, and they are inexpensive to buy. I know have several strains growing in my garden, as do relatives and friends. They are beautiful plants, and will certainly come in handy some day.

Editor's Proviso: I must reiterate that the preceding article is presented for educational purposes only. Implementing the steps described below is illegal in most jurisdictions. This article is presented in the context of total collapse of society and government, in which government has become nonexistent.

Permalink - Email This

Letter Re: Kevlar Helmets and Head Protection

Most folks focus on vests first when it comes to ballistic protection, but the head should not be neglected. Obviously your brain is one of your most important organs, one of the most sensitive to blunt trauma - and the body part most likely to be exposed when you are behind cover!

A helmet is not a "discreet" piece of gear, and not appropriate for everyday use, but helmets are much-needed ballistic protection in a bad to worst-case situation, e.g., a homeowner in a Hurricane Katrina type situation, or a patrol officer rolling up on a potential shooting. In that kind of situation you would probably prefer that bad guys see that you are armored and a "hard target", in order to deter an attack. Most importantly, you would (we hope!) be behind cover with just your head showing - so wouldn't it be smart to protect what is most exposed?

Helmets are also excellent for lessening blunt trauma, though you should be aware that any impact on the head is a serious threat that causes some level of injury - no armor makes you invulnerable. The blunt trauma protection of a helmet is often not given enough weight. Think about it - in a high-threat confrontation you would often be coming under fire and moving as fast as possible, perhaps in the dark. Very likely you would be hitting trees, walls, cars, the cover you are diving for, etc., etc. in your haste to get to cover. Any helmet (even a bike helmet) is desirable so that crashing into hard objects is less of an impact on the brain, possibly saving you from being knocking disoriented or unconscious.

Helmets are excellent ballistic protection from pistol-caliber threats (and Fragmentation) but, sorry to say, rifle protection helmets are not on the market. Traditional mil spec PASGT helmets stop Level II threats (9mm pistol / .357 Magnum) and the latest mil spec, the Advanced Combat Helmet (aka ACH aka MICH) stops Level III-A threats (9mm sub-machine-gun / .44 Magnum). Most people focus on this small increase in ballistic protection of the ACH over PASGT, but what is much more important is the big improvement in blunt trauma protection.

The traditional PASGT Kevlar Helmet has a leather and nylon suspension system that is not particularly comfortable, and provides very little blunt trauma protection. But the latest mil spec for the ACH is a pad system inside the helmet (3/4th inch or 1" thick / 19 - 25mm) that absorbs a lot of shock that would otherwise be transmitted to the skull.

If you already have an older PASGT not to worry! You can upgrade with a PASGT Retrofit Kit to bring the old PASGT up to the ACH standard for blunt trauma cushioning.

If $70 is not in the budget, there is a very inexpensive accessory called the Parachutist Foam Impact Liner that is almost as good. Airborne troops used to get a 1/4" (6mm) thick pad which the Air Force research found is roughly 70% as good as the ACH pad system. We would recommend that as a minimum upgrade to older PASGT helmets.

Either way, there is one upgrade to vintage PASGTs that is mandatory to keep the helmet secure, and prevent bobbing of the helmet when you are moving. This is replacing the old 2 point chin strap with a 3 or 4 point system that connects at the back.

Helmet Buying Checklist

1. PROTECTION - whether it stops Level II or Level III-A threats is less of a factor than whether it has an ACH blunt trauma pad system. Personally I'd rather have the old PASGT Level II protection - with the ACH pads retro-fitted in - than a newer Level III-A helmet without the ACH Blunt Trauma Pads.

2. COVERAGE vs. ERGONOMICS - the ACH shape has no brim, and is cut short on the back and sides for better hearing, and better ergonomics in the prone position. The PASGT has a brim, and is longer back and sides for more coverage (photos).

You can get Level III-A helmets in the PASGT shape, so it really depends on your situation and personal preference as to which is better for you--e.g., maximum protection in a vehicle, or for a non-combatant - go for full coverage with the PASGT shape. For a "trigger puller" who needs to go prone - ACH.

3. COLOR is not a determining factor as you can spray paint the helmet, or put a cloth helmet cover on. We do recommend Tan as a good all around color, as solid Black can tend to stick out.

4. FIT AND STABILITY is critical. The chin strap must be connected at the back as well as the sides. The helmet must fit snugly and comfortably even with no chin strap. Get a good head measurement to ensure a good fit.

The bottom line - in a bad situation you want ballistic and blunt trauma protection on your head. You have two eyes, two arms, two legs, and two lungs - but only one brain, so keep it safe!

Yours truly, - Nick, Manager BulletProofME.com

Permalink - Email This

Letter Re: A Prepared Christmas

Sir;
I just finished reading a Prepared Christmas by Hunkerdown and it made me smile as I remembered last year. Emergency Essential ran a special on first aid kits and we sent one to each of our adult children. It consisted of two kits - one for the home and an outdoor kit to take in a vehicle.

Right after the holidays, our 16 month old grandson put his hands on a stove (those little critters can move faster than a cheetah) and burned the palms of his hands. He was treated at the emergency room (the burns were very bad) and after coming home, he tore off his bandaging. The parents used material from the kits we had given them to re-bandage his hands. Then a couple weeks later Grandpa Joe (he's 92) took a dive off of his porch. The kids grabbed their kit, rushed over and had him taken care of quickly. Also, last year, each one of the grandchildren received from us a fishing kit - from the 15 year old down to the 4 month old. This year each will be receiving a Silver Eagle. For the adults we've come up with various ideas - cold weather gear (Under Armor, insulated boots, etc.), Emergency Food Storage & Survival Handbook by Peggy Layton, an emergency kit for the car with jumper cables, etc., non-hybrid seed packs, The Five Thousand Year Leap (for the liberal in the family). Other ideas could be hand warmers, emergency candles, backup propane heaters for the home (everyone experiences power outages at some time), sprouting kits and seeds. Hunters and hikers would be open to Mountain House food pouches or MREs even if they aren't preppers and you'd be helping them without them knowing it.

Before I started reading SurvivalBlog, Christmas gifts were pajamas and small appliances. Thank you for all the knowledge we have gained from you. - L.C.

Permalink - Email This

Economics and Investing:

Regular content contributor GG mentioned this in The Wall Street Journal: Are Your U.S. Treasury Bonds Safe? The price of credit default swaps jumped by more than 50% in the private market in recent months.

Frank S. sent this Friday Follies Update: Three bank failures take year's tally to 133

"3Can" mentioned that the IBD had a good discussion of gold related to purchases by central banks.

Items from The Economatrix:

Freightliner Moving Truck Production to Mexico, Raising Fears of More Layoffs

Australian Lawmaker Warns US Could Default on its Debt Triggering an "Economic Armageddon"

Timebomb for the Euro: Greek Debt Poses a Danger to Common Currency. (The EU's economic and currency problem almost always start on it periphery.)

Obama Blasts Banks for Opposing Financial Overhaul

Permalink - Email This

Odds 'n Sods:

Gun laws are getting looser across much of US. (Thanks to Garnet for the link.)

   o o o

SurvivalBlog's Editor at Large Michael Z. Williamson found an interesting article for advanced home machinists: The Making of a Rifled Barrel.

   o o o

BulletProofME.com, one of our most loyal advertisers, is running a 20% - 30% off sale on Kevlar helmets and Interceptor Tactical Vests, ending December 23rd.

   o o o

Kathryn D. told me about a line of SPF 30 clothing that is ideal for people that live in sunny climates. Kathryn's comments: "The pieces are permanently SPF 30, feel like sandwashed silk, and made with underarm and back ventilation so they are very cool and comfortable. [These are] a little more expensive than regular clothing but worth it, and you don't need many pieces to have yourself covered."

Permalink - Email This

Jim's Quote of the Day:

"Just as we must learn to obey God one choice at a time, we must also learn to trust God one circumstance at a time…We honor God by choosing to trust Him when we don’t understand what He is doing or why He has allowed some adverse circumstance to occur." - Jerry Bridges

Permalink - Email This