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Letter Re: Observations on Preparedness from a Gulf Coast Hurricane Veteran
Mr. Rawles,
I just wanted to let you know how much I have enjoyed your site. I had no idea
that there were whole survivalist communities out there until I stumbled on a
link by accident. In fact, I didn’t really know that I fit into that category
myself. My wife and I live on the Gulf Coast and we discovered the hard way during
Hurricane Rita that a bag of trail mix and a bottle of water, was not preparing
to evacuate. Eighteen hours in traffic in a hundred and fifty mile traffic jam
taught us to find the roads that are not on a US map. After that we planned,
made maps of blacktop roads for evacuation, and stocked a retreat a couple of
hundred miles from the coast and cities.
Two years later here came Hurricane Ike. Since
we had our gear pretty much laid out it only took us about an hour to load
and we were gone. It was a vacation compared to the first time. After the storm
blew
threw we used some of the gas we had stashed and wanted to look at the house
and see if there was anything left to come back to. The trip was eye opening.
There were people sitting in gas lines that stretched for more than a mile
for five gallons of fuel. Some people where sitting at stations that didn’t
even have gas because they just couldn’t go any farther. There was no
food or water to be found. I thought to myself what if the trucks didn’t
come back or the electricity didn’t come back on for an extended time
frame.
People can speculate if there is going to be nuclear war, Peak Oil or the
economy is going to complete collapse. People have been saying “The
End is Near” for
a few thousand years, but this was real, we saw it, and we were in
it. We made our trip. The house was damaged but still there. We checked to
make sure everything
was secure and left back for our retreat. We stayed for about two weeks in
semi-comfortable conditions. We are not where we want to be as far as being
stocked up for an
extended time frame but we are getting there. By the time next storm season
comes we should have supplies for about two months and we are installing solar
power
to augment our generator and propane systems. That is a pretty short time for
some of your readers but considering the rest of the people I have seen, this
is living like a king. After that it’s a squirrel on a stick. -
Randall
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Letter Re: Acquiring Tire Repair Supplies and Compressors
Mr. Rawles,
After getting a flat tire recently in the back-country I decided to beef up
my off-road repair kit with more than just a spare tire. I now have two spares.
I've also added a portable 12V compressor along with a
portable tire puncture repair kit like this one.
For $35 the kit includes enough plugs to repair perhaps a dozen punctures,
extra valve stems and valves, valve wrench and high quality reamer and needle
for applying the tire plugs. It is an excellent kit and is much higher quality
than the plug kits you find in typical auto stores.
In some states it's illegal to use tire plugs, but for an emergency situation
it may be just the ticket you need to get to a tire shop and have a proper
tire patch applied. - Craig R.
JWR Replies: That is good advice. I must add one proviso: The
12 VDC compressors normally sold for roadside emergencies use a very wimpy
compressor that will not re-inflate a flat tire
that has the weight of a car resting on in. They just don't have the requisite
oomph. Buy
a proper 117 VAC compressor with a 2 gallon pressure tank. (If
you are a SurvivalBlog reader, odds are that you already carry a 117 VAC inverter,
anyway. These compressors can be run from a small inverter. I've done
so many times around the ranch.) If you
pay less than $50 for a new compressor, then you can be sure that it will be
inadequate
for
anything
more than
adding a few pounds of pressure to a tire with a slow leak.
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Bug Out Bag Preparedness Tips From the Mouths of Babes
Hello
Thank
you for all the work you do. I thought I'd give you a Christmas
chuckle. My small daughter was telling us the Christmas story, but it had
a twist. She told us that "the wise men brought Jesus gold, food, and water,
because
they [Joseph and Mary] had to leave quickly and didn't get their bags ready."
Just when you think your children aren't listening...
Needless to say, we set her straight on the real story, but have been, and
will continue to smile over that story for a long time.
Have a terrific Holiday, - Mr. O. in the Ozarks
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Mobile Choices for Survival Retreats by T.D.
Our family lives full time in our camping trailer and have found out there
would be
many
advantages
to
keeping
one
in any situation. I am not talking the big 5th wheel or the ones with a motor,
just a plain travel trailer [with a traditional vehicle hitch].
Our trailer is 27 feet long and weighs in at 9,500 lbs empty and almost 11,000
lbs full. It is a bunkhouse model and can sleep up to 11 people. It has a 40
gallon
fresh water tank, 40 gallon black water tank (waste) and a 40 gallon gray water
tank (drain off water from tub and sinks). It has 12 volt battery backup which
power
lights and the water pump when power is unavailable. The stove and hot water
heater run on propane, with the fridge working on both.
Storage can be short, but there is some – under the bottom bunk, the
full size bed in the bedroom, under the seats in the kitchen, 2 closets (very
small)
and cabinets in the living area and bedroom.
Our heater will heat up enough hot water for an eight minute shower and the
tub is the size of a 10 gallon bucket. When we are parked in an RV park with
power
included
in the lot fees, we heat our trailer with electric heaters. This saves us money
on propane. If we just cook and shower using the propane, then we will go through
two 35 pound tanks in just under one year.
We have been buying or having a friend collect empty older propane tanks and
then we have been trading them in at Wal-Mart for under $18.00 each. Small
solar panels were purchased from Harbor Freight Tools for under $40.00 each,
they
will [slowly] recharge
a 12 volt battery. We will be purchasing more panels as we go so that our entire
trailer could be run off them.
We have inline water filters and portable ones, we have potable aqua tablets
and shock. Our water tank can be filled by hose or in a pinch by bucket and
funnel. After Gustav most of the water here was very bad (boil water order
for all of
our parish, even for bathing in some areas). When some of our neighbors had
no hot water for their special needs family member they came to us and we hauled
hot water for them (we were they only ones in an RV to come right back within
72 hours of the passage of Hurricane Gustav). We also have an external shower.
We do have a propane burner for outside, most people here use those for crawfish.
We have one very cheap charcoal grill and a good supply of charcoal. We can
make our own if need be.
After Hurricane Gustav we were without power for two weeks and used our interior
12 volt DC lights for night time only and for about 20 minutes at a time. Our
battery
gauge didn’t indicate any voltage drop.
When we do our shows and are in practice we can be ready to move out within
1 hour and we are still working to par that time down even further. What this
means
for us is that here we could drive out quickly with our home or even put it
on a platform on numerous pontoons making our trailer into a riverboat. We
live
near a very rural area and large uninhabited waterways, where you can go out
all day and not see of hear anyone at all.
Our retreat will have a home and a large barn that will house our RV, keeping
prying eyes away from it and also giving us a place to go to if heating ever
becomes an issue. When the SHTF we can camouflage the RV in another location
for a further retreat position, still have shelter and a way to keep everyone
fed.
Our trailer is a 1995 and we bought it for under 5,000. You can get them
very cheap further north during the off season and move them fairly cheap now
that
gas has come down a lot. We went smaller because of the towing needs. No matter
what you still need to haul it, even if it’s to your retreat.
Granted, it would be more difficult, but not impossible, to utilize in colder
climates. Good windbreaks and insulation in the under compartments helps tremendously.
Plastic on the windows with the exception of the vents also helps.
In some states that get a lot of hurricanes also are places a lot of people
actually live in trailers year round. What sometimes happens when they are
lived all the
time is they get stripped out to the bare walls and customized. They are cheaper
and easier to reinforce that way. A 40 foot trailer stripped out can run you
about
$1,500 to $2,000
dollars. Most people here take out the kitchen area which I wouldn’t
do. They also remove the fresh water tank and if anything I would make the
fresh
water tank larger than 40 gallons, leaving in the electric pump. With full
solar capability you can leave the power system intact and go from there.
In our closets we added small shelves that will hold two weeks of clothing
for each of us, four all together. The fridge and freezer will hold 1 gallon
of
milk, a weeks worth of leftovers, four dozen eggs, one 2-quart juice pitcher
(from Camping
World, made for trailer size fridges), condiments and the freezer will hold
more than one week's worth of meat. The cabinets will hold three weeks of
canned goods, spices
and what we need for baking for six months. Under the little counter extension
we have flour, sugar and rice (large storage containers from Wall-Mart),
those last us about three months. We also have food stored under one bed and
under both seats in the kitchen. By the garbage can we keep a one month supply
of dog
food for our 90 pound German Shepherd cross.
To keep our space requirements smaller, we went small flat screen television,
a cheap and tiny DVD player
and low profile PC tower. Movies are not kept in single
cases,
they are kept in DVD folders with zippers. Our children are limited to what
toys they can have and it must all fit in toy hammocks or collapsible toy boxes
at
the end of their beds. Our guns are easy to stow in the trailer and are always
within reach. On hand we also keep quite a bit of ammo and buy more weekly.
We do
maintain an inexpensive storage unit elsewhere, and we keep the bulk of our
SHTF supplies
there for under $80 a month.
There are a lot of extras you can buy for your RV, including wheeled containers
to drain black and gray water into for disposal. Pots and pans made for smaller
areas, heavier dishes that will last through everything including travel. RV
size washers and dryers or the all in ones, which are no bigger than an RV
stove. Shower organizers can be installed easily to increase your bathroom
storage.
One of the biggest things to like about an older trailer is that no one even
looks twice at it, people who don’t own one have no clue how self sufficient
you can be in one. It’s not new enough or dressed up enough to get a
second look from a trouble makers and family never wants to come stay, none
of them
can figure out why you would want to trade down and live in something so small.
It also makes it easier if you have others that will join you when the SHTF
and you are running out of places to put people.
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Letter Re: Dress for Survival Success
Jim;
That was
a great article by George Haystack in Tuesday's blog! I thought
I was the only one [that carried so much survival gear around on a daily basis.]
Mr. Haystack takes it further than I do. First, I
could not carry [a concealed firearm] at my workplace being within the secure
area of an airport. I generally carried a sturdy day pack, with the following:
(1) Lockback knife
(2) LED flashlights (9 LED's / 3 AA batteries)
(16) spare AAA batteries
(1) regular AA flashlight
(4) spare AA batteries
The following are all OTC medications, of course
(1) small bottle aspirin
(1) small bottle acetaminophen (Tylenol)
(1) small bottle ibuprofen (Advil)
(1) small bottle naproxen sodium (Aleve)
(1) small bottle antihistamine allergy medication
(2) bandanas 1 blue / 1 red
(1) pocket AM/FM radio uses 2 AA batteries
several pens
(1) steno pad
(1) change of underwear/socks/t-shirt
(12) decaffeinated tea bags
(4-6) pop tarts/granola bars, or similar quick food
(1) metal mug ("grannyware" type camp cup)
(1) set of tableware, knife, spoon, fork, and a "steak knife"
(1) hat and gloves
(2-3) cigarette lighters
(2-3) books of matches
(2) "space blankets"
This is far from what my co-coworkers carried in to work each day. I still
had room for my work papers, and such, which went in on the top, for ease of
access, and to keep my preparations from "prying eyes". I may not
have carried my sidearm at work, but the items in my pack would have raised
management's eyebrows, and gotten me a talking to, that's for sure. Luckily
for me, the company was shut down, and I am currently an unemployed student.
The only thing my co-workers knew was that if they had a headache or a cold,
I was the "go-to guy" for an aspirin! Or the guy with the multi-tool to fix
whatever is busted in the office! LOL!
On my person, I always carry at least the following, in normal pockets, or
on my belt:
(1) cigarette lighter
(1) multi-tool on my belt
(1) Swiss Army knife
(1) LED flashlight
(1) Wallet, which is regularly thinned out to keep only what I'm going to use
for the day/trip
(2) key rings, one for car keys one for house, general keys. Only frequently
used keys are on the ring.
(1) spare set of car keys in an undisclosed pocket or in my backpack, as well.
(1) cell phone
Mr. Haystack is so right that most folks simply give no "tactical" thought
to daily clothing choice. A few take the advice of frequent travelers and choose
natural fibers, and loose-fitting, comfortable clothes for air travel, but
many more simply wear the style of the day with no thought as to how hot that
artificial polyester shirt or top will burn if there is actually trouble.
How it clings to the skin like napalm, and burns severely. The problem with
air travel today, is that the items I mentioned carrying in my pockets are
now "prohibited items", and so every year, I fly less. At work, only
when I had to to keep my currency up for annual training. I'll take a mode
of transport that impacts my liberty and preparations a little less, thank
you. Great article! - R. in the Northeastern US.
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Letter Re: Food Items in Non-Food Grade Buckets?
Hi Jim,
I’m an avid reader of your blog but I have a question: Can I store vacuum
sealed wheat in regular buckets (not food grade)? I like the idea of having
10 lb bags of vacuum sealed
wheat for simplicity
in retrieving when needed and for distributing as charity if needed. I realize
it wastes space in each bucket (being in a vacuum sealed block) – but
my question is whether it’s safe to use the less expensive buckets or
will potential out-gassing eat the vacuum sealed bags?
Your books (I have all of them) are very helpful to me. Between my father and
I, we’ve probably bought several dozen copies of "Patriots" over
the past five years to give to people. I have my 20 acres in one of your
recommended areas and will break ground in the spring for the retreat. I just
hope I have
enough time to prepare as it seems things are moving fast.
Also, how do you store other consumables? Metal wall lockers (as in "Patriots")? Is
there a more mobile solution I can use for the time being until I get my retreat
built?
Thanks for all you do. - Rob S.
JWR Replies: I'm not a food safety
chemist, so I can't give you a definitive answer. As
discussed in SurvivalBlog previously, the issue is the toxic injection
molding release compounds used in making some buckets that are not
marked as NSF, USDA or "Food Grade" certified.
These mold release chemicals can contaminate food. My advice is to err or
the side of caution and to use your utility-grade buckets for
storing
non-food items (ammo, clothing,
field
gear,
etc.),
and only certified food grade buckets, for food. Even if food items are
in a sealed food grade plastic package, you never know when the integrity
of that inner packaging might be compromised with pinholes.
Most of my consumables that won't fit in our kitchen, pantry, and laundry
room cupboards(Castile soap, cleansers bandages, paper products, etc.) and
most of my field gear items
are
stored
in big green
plastic Rubbermaid
Roughneck storage
bins with
snap lids. They are great for "grab-'n-go" situations. Just keep
in mind that a determined rat, given enough time will be able to chew a hole
through
these containers. They are fairly expensive if bought new in stores, and expensive
to ship if bought via mail order, so watch and wait for them to be offered
at a sale price. BTW, you might also
try placing
a
local "Wanted" ad on Craig's
List.
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The Practice Load-Up, by Papa Papa
For most of us who don’t live at a retreat [year-round] our plan is to G.O.O.D. When
the time comes we plan to load up our bug-out vehicles and head to our own “Shibes
Meadow” as the family in the movie Panic in Year Zero did. At
least that’s the plan. But how well have you considered this plan? In
other words, have you done a practice “load-up”?
Some of the characters in Mr. Rawles' novel, "Patriots",
had to implement their bug-out plans and pack their vehicles for the trip to
the Gray’s
retreat. In that packing process they discovered that due to limited cargo
capacity they couldn’t take everything they wanted. The choice came down
to a triage of their equipment and supplies into three piles “Essential”, “Second
Priority”, and “Nice to Have”. Since this bug-out would be
a one-shot trip (no return trips for what was left behind) they had to wisely
choose those items they needed.
I too have always had a bug-out plan but I had never down a practice load-up.
Sure, I had sort of a mental list of things that I’d grab and go but
really had no firm plan. With uncertainties in the current economic situation
I finally decided that maybe it was time to actually see if my bug-out plan
was feasible. So with a day off for the Columbus Day holiday I decided to run
a practice load-up by myself.
My primary bug-out vehicle for cargo is a 1994 GMC Suburban
which I calculate has about 128 cubic feet of unencumbered, interior space.
This area will accommodate larger items that won’t fit in a car and is
also protected from the weather and prying eyes. The first items to be loaded
were the many boxes of a one-year food storage. After one hour of lifting and
carrying I was done. Notice that I said I was “done” and not “finished”.
Despite the large amount of space in the Suburban, the food storage quickly
filled the entire cargo area. No room left for a generator, guns, books, kerosene,
winter clothing, etc. Hmmm.... that’s instructive, I thought. My mental
load-up plan hadn’t survived the reality of limited cargo capacity. It
was a good thing this was only practice and not a real emergency. Decisions
on what to take and what to leave are best made when you are not under stress.
With aching muscles I unloaded the food storage boxes and returned them to
my basement storage area. As I did this I wrote down the contents of each box,
weighed it on a bathroom scale, and recorded all of this information. From
this list I can now identify some of the boxes that could be left behind. But
the larger question remained - “How can I formulate a plan to take everything
I want?”
The goal of any practical exercise such as this is to evaluate how well the
current plan worked and to compile a list of “lessons learned”.
After some time to reflect on this experience I’ve come up with several
things to keep in mind when I have to do this for real.
1. Obviously, pre-position as much stuff as possible at your intended destination.
For some people this just isn’t practical. I had much of my stuff stored
in a rural location until last year when a changed in ownership of the property
compelled me to remove my pre-positioned items. The more things that can be
stored securely at or near your retreat location the better.
2. If you decide to run a practice load-up (or during the real thing) remember
to practice OPSEC.
The last thing you need is a nosy neighbor to ask questions about why you are
loading all of these boxes and things into your vehicle. Have a pre-planned
excuse for all of your activity - “The wife wanted me to clean out some
of this junk and put it in a storage unit.” If possible load vehicles
in your garage with the doors closed. I have a detached garage which means
I have to move items stored in the house to the garage out in the open. Fortunately,
I ran my practice load-up on a minor holiday when most people had to work so
most of my neighbors weren’t home. Also, my garage is behind my house,
not easily seen from the street, and relatively concealed from view. In a real
bug-out situation I might choose to load up at night while being as quiet as
possible. If you are loading a pickup, have a tarp or topper to protect your
items from the weather and conceal them from uninvited inspection.
3. Prioritize, prioritize, prioritize. Obviously, a first priority is food.
Second, is water purification equipment. Third, is clothing and shelter (such
as tents). Arms and ammunition also rank highly. Only you can decide what you
will need based on the available cargo capacity and items you have.
4. Make a list or spreadsheet of all the items you intend to load and weigh
each item or box. I was surprised to learn that my food storage weighed in
at nearly 1,600 pounds total. This has implications for weight capacity and
distribution in your bug-out vehicle. Check your vehicle owners manual for
suggested maximum load limits. With increased loads you may also have to increase
air pressure in your tires. (You do have a compressed air tank in your garage
to fill your tires [and adjust shocks] don’t you?) Realize that with
a heavily loaded vehicle all performance characteristics (braking, acceleration,
turning,
etc.)
will
be much different than what you are normally used to.
5. Make a diagram of the cargo area and indicate where items will be placed.
Your practice load-up will help you determine the most efficient use of space.
Pack heavy, dense items (such as ammunition boxes or books) on the floor of
the vehicle. For some SUVs and pickups too much weigh that sits too high in
the vehicle raises the center of gravity for the vehicle which could lead to
a potential roll-over situation. Light items such as bulky clothing can be
packed on top of heavier items in the cargo area. Just make sure that in case
of an accident those items don’t move forward on impact. Cargo netting
can be used to help secure these items.
6. Observe LIFO (Last In, First Out) when packing. Cans of gasoline (and funnels)
used for in-route refueling should be easily accessible. (Gasoline should only
be stored in Explo-Safe or Eagle safety cans.) The spare tire, jack, tow straps,
and any other emergency equipment should also be equally accessible. For a
car you may want to remove the spare tire and jack from under the trunk floor
and put them in the back seat. The last thing you want to do is unload your
whole car trunk so that you can change a flat tire.
7. Employ labor saving devices whenever possible. I used a two-wheel hand truck
to move boxes to and from my house to the garage. This did save some labor
and speeded up the process. Hoists or block-and-tackle could be used to load
heavier items such as generators. It is also a good idea to store items close
to where you will be loading them. Obviously, leaving your food storage in
a garage where temperatures can reach 100 degrees Fahrenheit is not conducive
to long shelf life. But items that are not affected by temperature change like
winter clothing can safely be stored in a garage or storage shed.
8. Use proper lifting technique when handling your items. The last thing you
want is to “throw out your back” or have a mishap while carrying
things up or down stairs. Make sure you are in good physical condition especially
with regard to arm and upper body strength. Even though I bicycled to and from
work all summer my legs were still sore and fatigued the next day. It may be
time to hit the gym again or begin lifting free weights at home to increase
strength.
9. Organize your family into a work detail. Everyone should have a job based
on their age and abilities. Young children may only be able to carry light
object or locate specific items for their parents. Older children may be physically
able to help with the heavy lifting. The more hands available the faster the
task can be completed.
10. Drive part or all of your intended escape route with your fully loaded
bug-out vehicle. Due to a lack of time I was not able to do this. However,
if you intend to drive on unpaved or gravel back roads out of the city you
should get some idea of how your vehicle will respond under load conditions.
You may find you can’t drive as fast as you would like or drive on some
roads when muddy or snow covered. My Suburban is only a 2-wheel drive model
which limits somewhat my selection of escape routes.
With a fully developed load-up list I am now concentrating on finalizing details
for a vehicle convoy. Since all of my family members are adult drivers we will
have several vehicles to convoy, most of which will have passengers. I am still
developing the actual convoy plan based upon military tactics and have more
study to do. However, I am planning for two basic scenarios - one in which
civil orders remains pretty much intact (i.e. natural disaster evacuation,
etc.) and one in which “all bets are off” (ABAO). An ABAO scenario
could include a nation-wide grid-down situation or the aftermath of a “dirty
bomb” terrorist attack. An ABAO situation will require more emphasis
on personal and convoy security.
Some of life’s best lessons are those that are hard-learned. My practice
load-up was such a lesson. Now my bug-out plans have a more practical basis
rather than one based upon wishful thinking or mere speculation. Even so, I
will continue to refine those plans in the future. What about you? Is it time
to get moving?
JWR Adds: Papa Papa's experience underscores the importance
of pre-positioning the vast majority of your storage food and gear at your
retreat. I've stressed this
repeatedly in my writings and in my consulting work. I tell my clients: You
may have only one trip "outta Dodge", so 90% of your goodies need to be at
your retreat well in advance!
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Letter Re: Another Perspective on Vehicles for Prepared Families
Hi,
We've read your blog pretty faithfully for some time now and found it
extremely good in all regards.
While I'm actually writing regarding vehicles, I'd like to share for just a
moment how preparedness saved our behinds recently. This year we have had a
string of minor events that collectively should have put us in the poor house.
Broken bones, loss of a tenant and friend to a heart issue, surgery, car accident
that totaled the vehicle - right in the middle of the other mentioned things
- and a few other items too. Had we not maintained a small garden and some "stocks
on hand" in our "urban" small town home, we could have lost
our home and sanity to boot. Yes, it can happen to you, it happened to me,
and it's going to happen to others too. Christian Charity helped us, and we
honor that by being charitable at every opportunity! Praise to The Most High
God!
I don't recall seeing any thoughts on types and methodology towards automobiles
themselves lately. Here's a (hopefully few) brief thoughts on the autos we
rely on every day, and how to optimize our driving experiences, no matter
the conditions that surround us.
First, I highly recommend getting out of car (or truck) payments as quickly
as possible. Fixing up your auto of choice for bugging out will do no good
if your finances get hosed, and the repo man shows up. Also, not having a car
payment, we can afford a few more dollars for gas and maintenance, and still
save money. Not requiring full coverage insurance because of a car payment
helps even more.
Second, know your vehicle! Even if you're totally inept at mechanical stuff,
a basic set of tools and a good manual will do wonders. Keep good records of
breakdowns, installed parts, maintenance, and usage (has your teenage son been
hot rodding around town?). Knowing your car's quirks, needs, and limitations
are very important. Keep the maintenance up, and if you have the ability, do
your own work. That stripped bolt that your mechanic didn't tell you about
may come back to haunt you. Research your type of car/truck on the Internet
and join a forum for advice, "tips and tricks", and "life expectancies" of
all the sub-assemblies (engine/tranny,
suspension, electricals, etc..). Our flavor of Ford Explorers have a bad rap
for transmission problems, but few
people actually ever have their tranny serviced. Maintenance is key to longevity.
A well maintained used auto will usually serve you well. The previously mentioned
Internet research and forums are great for those little tips/tricks to maximize
your vehicle, what works and what doesn't, and how to overcome many problems
cost effectively. Several common Explorer problems are cheap fixes, instead
of expensive parts - when you find out the "trick". Predictive maintenance
is a handy thing too. Realizing that the alternator is original on a 1998 whatever-car
merits checking it over good, or replacing it and shelving the old one as "backup
spare part", for example.
Third, selecting a new purchase. I'm generally writing in the regard of those
who already own something they want to keep, but we should consider those who
are looking to buy something better and/or more reliable. Mr. Rawles
has recommended a few very durable autos, older diesel Mercedes wagons for
one I think. Good choices, but I wonder about parts availability. My old 1978
F150
4x4 is a great truck, but sadly parts are becoming harder to get. I actually
prefer the most common SUV for
the area that you live in, in my case Ford Explorers. (I'll admit a little
bias, I was raised in a Ford family) Parts are plentiful,
and generally not expensive. Again - Maintenance is key to longevity.
When looking at a new purchase, please consider availability of parts in your
area, ease of maintenance and repair, and expected life cycle. How the vehicle
in question was treated before you own it is a crap shoot, but a shoddy interior
and greasy under the hood or underside are tip offs to a bad experience. So
is unevenly worn tires, drips under car/truck on the pavement, or hanging wires
under the
dash. Many youngsters have damaged wires in the dash trying to hook up a fancy
stereo, for example. A glove box full of receipts for parts is a plus to me.
It shows that those parts don't need replacing soon, and I know what's been
done lately. Is the current owner friendly and willing to let you have a mechanic
look it over? Often that willingness on the sellers behalf is enough to keep
me happy. Exercise some caution with modified vehicles, some folks do great
installing a lift kit in a 4x4 truck, some don't (for example). Engine mods
can be tricky too. (Can you tell I'm a country boy?)
Fourth, commonality and spare parts. Although parts availability (from a store)
was mentioned a bit, consider junk yards a second line of components. Further,
if you find a cheap and complete car/truck of your year (or "generation")
with a bad motor or other issue(s), buy that puppy and park it out back - just
for parts. Apartment dwellers wouldn't fair well in this regard. About commonality,
my gal and I drive the same model of SUV. She has a '93 4x4 Explorer, mine
is a '92 (also 4x4). The parts donors are a '92 (wrecked) and a '95. The '95
isn't really all the same, but several parts have swapped well for us. '91-'94
Explorers are common and swap parts extremely well. '95 - '01 Explorers look
the same, but there's enough changes over the years to make it a difficult
call (motors, trannys, and other things). [JWR Adds: I do
not recommend Ford Explorers made before 1995, because of their higher center
of gravity, which
means they have a much higher roll-over risk. Lift kits are definite no-no
for 1994 and earlier Explorers! Also, if possible, try to find a "Flex Fuel"
variant, so you can burn E85
ethanol as well as gasoline.] Of course,
whatever
your flavor of transportation, these principles apply. How
many years
was the
auto
in
question produced in that configuration (or "generation")? I'm mentioning
the Ford Explorers not because I think they're the "best", they're
extremely common here. I worked an hour north of my home for awhile, and I
hardly ever saw one there. Odd, but true. There were lots of Chevy Blazers
and GMC Jimmys
there though.
Yep - parts, I keep mentioning that. They wear out, they get broken and damaged.
A stray bullet or even a rock off the road in a bad place (between a belt and
pulley for example) can be a side of the road event. If you can't fix it and
find the parts, it's a great big paperweight. I dare say I have more raw weight
in parts than I do tools in my garage. Most breakdowns can be dealt with, after
closing time at the parts house. When it's vital to be able to go - I'm going!
Do you have a case of oil on hand? Filters? Anti-freeze? Transmission fluid?
Brake fluid?
Do you have these things at your retreat area?
Do you have a few dents and scratches on your ride? I leave them alone on mine.
It adds to the "OPSEC".
Obviously, gas (or diesel) might get in short supply in troubled times, but
in the meantime we can optimize what we've got and save some cash.
« Odds 'n Sods: |Main| The Coming Great Depression, by Charles Hugh Smith »
Letter Re: Grab-and-Go Soup Mix for Bug-Out Bags
Hello Jim,
First let me say how much I appreciate your site and how much I've
learned from it. I visit it usually a couple times a day as I'm trying to fill
in gaps
in my preparedness plan. I thought I'd share a few tips.
Over the past couple years, I've bought about a dozen Nesco American Harvester
food dehydrators and have set up an assembly line to dehydrate several cases
of fruits, vegetables and meats every week. In the off-season when fresh produce
is relatively expensive, I switch gears and buy cases of canned vegetables
and proceed to dehydrate the contents, then put the dehydrated product in Mason
jars with oxygen absorbers. As one example of the space efficiency of this,
eight 29-oz. cans of diced tomatoes fit into a one-quart mason jar after dehydration--a
great way to go if you don't have much storage space. (I save the vegetable
juices in ice cube trays and use the juices in broths later, so nothing is
wasted.)
I've got a couple hundred quart-size mason jars of various vegetables, plus
several hundred pounds of rice and varieties of beans that I toss together
as a soup mix and put about 20 lbs. worth in a 2-gallon-sized Mylar food storage
bag and keep it in my bug-out bag so that if I have to hit the road on short
notice (flash-flooding in my region this summer was one such instance), I have
food to last me for quite a while--compact and nutritionally complete. I hope
this idea might benefit some of your readers as well. Keep up the great work! - Chad S.
« Odds 'n Sods: |Main| Letter Re: Give Your Kids $100 Billion for Christmas: An Economics Lesson »
Two Letters Re: A Vehicular BoB
Mr. Editor:
I have been a reader of this blog for a little while now and one of the earlier
postings I read caught my eye: In regards to a vehicle “bug out” kit.
That list was certainly a good place to start, but it was missing a few items,
so I thought I would put my “two cents” worth in.
To give you a little bit of background, I would describe myself as essentially
being a realist. I watch the news, I read the papers. I know what is going
on around me. I am aware of today’s political and economic climate, and
I understand what that does (and can) mean; not only for today but for tomorrow
as well. In my opinion preparation and knowledge are the keys to not only surviving,
but for nearly anything in life.
I have worked both white-collar and blue collar jobs. I have been a soldier
(an NCO – I
worked for a living), and I have been what I term a “survivalist” for
a little over a decade now. Along the way I have managed to learn some of the
lessons the easy way; reading books, talking to people, experimenting, and
practice, practice, practice. While other lessons were learned at the school
of “hard-knocks”; try sitting on the side of the road in the middle
of a blizzard for six hours on Christmas Day with three children praying for
someone else to come along to help (I’m not kidding about that one) – all
because you thought “it could never happen to you”. I am an active
outdoorsman; camping, fishing, hiking, small game, etc. To date I have been
lucky enough to live through them all. Sometimes with a few bumps and scrapes
along the way, and sometimes with little more
than a bruised ego; but I have survived nonetheless. Not surprisingly on my
journey I have picked up a few things: “must have” items, advice,
knowledge, and most of all experience.
As for geography I have lived in the cold and wet of Washington state; the
extreme cold of Colorado; the hot and dry of West Texas; and now the hot, wet
and hurricane-prone area of East Texas; and this list contains items that have
literally saved my life on more than one occasion, while making crisis situations
a whole lot easier to deal with in others.
While I am not going to lay claim at being an expert on the subject of survival
or preparations; I have seen a done things that may genuinely surprise some
people (while possibly boring others) and could probably go on for hours on
end; but that is not my point here today. I now possess [what I feel] is enough
knowledge that I can speak with at least some authority. My point in this
is to allow others to learn from
my own mistakes
in the hopes that they don’t find themselves forced to repeat the same
errors that I have made. Learn from others – that is the point in all
of this.
As I write this I am proud to say that none of my vehicles are ever without
the bare essentials. In my opinion it is one of the things that everyone should
do, survivalist or not. I rank properly equipping my vehicles right up there
with having them registered, insured, and inspected, to me it is simply a necessity,
a requirement. In an attempt to make sense of this I broken the lists down
into four basic areas:
Vehicle Supplies
Personal Supplies
Glove-Box Miscellaneous (loose throughout the vehicle)
General Miscellaneous
While there is some repetition between the 4 areas, this is done so for a reason – it
is always a good idea to have a backup.
1. Vehicle supplies (most will fit in a small “duffle” or reasonably
sized “tool bag”, kept in trunk, cargo area, or under the seat)
Jumper Cables (get the good ones)
Tow Rope (at least 1)
2 cans of “fix-a-flat”
Air compressor (cigarette lighter plug in)
Roll of Duct Tape (if you can’t fix it, duck it)
100ft of parachute cord (550 cord)
X style lug-wrench (more torque, safer, and more versatile than the ones that
come with cars today)
2 1⁄2 ton bottle jack (again safer, and more versatile than the ones
that come with cars today)
Roadside Flares (3 minimum)
Hand-held spotlight, plug in type is fine
Electrical Kit with:
Spare Fuses – vehicle specific
Spare Bulbs – vehicle specific
Small roll of Red Wire (14-16 GA)
Small roll of Green Wire (14-16 GA)
Small Assortment of Butt Splices
Circuit tester (Screwdriver type)
Electrical tape
Spare belts – vehicle specific
Spare hoses – vehicle specific
Spare thermostat – vehicle specific
Assortment of hose clamps, at least two large enough for your coolant hoses
Flashlight (2 minimum – generator type are best, LED Generator types
are better)
Spare batteries – 1 set for each flashlight in the vehicle (if needed)
Tarp (8 x 10’ is usually sufficient)
Hand Tools:
Screwdrivers (4 minimum, 2 standard 2 Phillips-head)
Crescent Wrenches (2 minimum, 6” and 12”)
Slip-Joint Pliers
Needle-Nose Pliers
Wire Cutters
Channel-Locks (12”)
Socket set (basics only, 3/8” drive, SAE and Metric)
Combination Wrench set ((basics only, SAE and Metric)
Allen Wrench set
Small Hammer
Hatchet (axe)
Folding Shovel
Plastic Trash bags (2 minimum)
Coffee Can full of Cat litter (with lid)
Basic First Aid Kit, with the following additions:
Aspirin
Tylenol
Motrin
Antacid Tablets
Water purification tablets
Small tube of Neosporin
Additional alcohol pads
Additional band-aids (common sizes)
Cravat
Razor blade
Matches
Can of Sterno (large)
Wire coat hanger
Roll of bailing wire
Box of matches (at least 1 box)
Cigarette lighter (disposable, spend the buck and a half and get the Bic brand,
you can’t beat them)
Water bottle
Pen(s)
Small notepad
A small stash of cash ($50 to $100)
Spare compass
Rain poncho – 2
Emergency Blanket (foil type) – 2
Candles – 6
Sunscreen
Basic Fishing kit:
Hooks
Sinkers
Fishing Line
Bobbers
2. Personal Supplies (with a little patience and forethought, this will all
fit inside of and/or attached to a medium sized book-bag, i.e. backpack)
Basic First Aid Kit – duplicate of the aforementioned kit
1 pair of socks
Flannel shirt
Windbreaker
Baseball cap
Multi-tool
“Swiss Army” knife
Fixed blade knife
Basic Camping Mess Kit
Travel Toothbrush
Toothpaste
Toilet paper
Tissues
Sunscreen
Flashlights (2 minimum)
Compass
50 ft of parachute cord (550 cord)
Can of Sterno (small)
SPAM – 1 can
Tuna fish – 1 can
Rice – 1⁄2 lb
Lintels – 1⁄2 lb
“Gorp” (Trail mix) – 1⁄2 lb
Packet of powdered Gatorade
Zip-lock bag with:
Sugar packets
Salt Packets
35mm film canisters full of All-spice
Tea bags
Bullion Cubes
Vitamin Pills
Energy bars (3 minimum)
P-38 can opener
Rain poncho
Poncho Liner
Tarp – 5 x 8” is usually sufficient
Candles – 3
Matches
Cigarette lighter
Emergency blanket (Mylar foil type) – 2
Signaling mirror
Basic Fishing kit:
Hooks
Sinkers
Fishing Line
Bobbers
Small Hikers Trowel
Plastic trash bag (2 minimum)
A small stash of cash ($40 to $50) [JWR Adds: I recommend that be
in rolls of Quarters, so you can also use pay phones.]
Water purification tablets
Canteen
Canteen cup
Web Belt
3. Glove-Box Miscellaneous (kept loose in the glove box, in the vehicles console,
or in door pockets)
Package of Tissues
Cigarette Lighter
Small Multi-tool
“Button” or other small compass
Map of local city you are in, and the state(s) you are traveling – or
expect to travel.
Small tube with a mix of aspirin, Motrin, and Tylenol.
Pen(s)
Small notepad
A small, durable pocket-knife
Small Flashlight
One $20 bill
4. General Miscellaneous
Fuel can – store empty; you never know when you will run out of fuel
two miles form the nearest gas station. If you are evacuating, fill up as you
leave – this will reduce your risk of fumes/explosion.
One gallon of potable water
1 Qt Engine Oil (minimum)
1 Qt Transmission Fluid (minimum)
1 Pt Power Steering Fluid (minimum)
Assortment of “bungee” cords
Now I am sure that I have probably missed a few items here, but this list is
fairly comprehensive. Please feel free to add items to it – I am always
eager to learn more.
If you look through it, you should be able to think of one (and most of the
time multiple) uses for each and every item on this list. With this setup you
basically have what you need whether you are accompanied or alone and whether
you stay with the vehicle, leave the vehicle, or are for some reason forced
to separate your party (never a good idea – remember there is always
strength in numbers). But you get the point.
In colder climates, add more food, and more warmth items (sleeping bag, snow
boots, candles, or a heavy coat?). In warmer climates add more fluids and more
shade (bottled water, additional hats, or maybe an umbrella?).
On to the next topic – How much does all of this cost? Well that can
vary widely. Many of these items can be had at the local dollar store, while
other may take a little bit of searching. Check Wal-Mart, your local Military
surplus dealer, the flea markets, and pawn shops. You might be surprised just
how far you can make your dollars go. Plus don’t try to do it all in
one shopping trip – you will just frustrate yourself. Keep your eyes
open when you are at the grocery store or out doing your normal shopping; pick
up a few items here and there, and just slowly equip your vehicle. Within a
month or two you will suddenly find your vehicle is much better equipped than
it ever was before.
As to the vehicle preparation mentioned in the earlier post, this is all good
advice. But again I would add to it. Create yourself a short checklist of items
that you check weekly and monthly. Follow the owners manual that came with
the vehicle, they tend to be fairly comprehensive.
Some tricks I have learned include:
Remember to check the air pressure in your spare tire regularly. A spare doesn’t
do any good if it is flat too.
Don’t forget to check the brake fluid, power steering fluid, and windshield
washer fluid too, these are often over looked.
Never, ever overfill any of your vehicle’s fluids.
Keep all of your lights clean, headlights, brake lights etc. The better they
work, the better you see, and are seen.
Whenever adding accessories to your vehicle: make additions that work, and
that matter before you worry about “pretty”. Think of it this way
- which is more important (and useful) on a full-size truck – a good
trailer hitch, or a pair of fancy mud flaps? You get my point.
When adding electrical accessories, always use the next heavier gauge wire,
it will handle to load better, last longer, and prevent not only short circuits,
but fires as well.
A good CB is
always a wise investment, but make
sure that it is installed properly.
Engine and Transmission oil cooler can extend the life of your vehicle – and
mean the difference between getting there and getting stuck – especially
in hot weather and heavy traffic. They are definitely worth the money.
Own a truck, van or SUV? Look into an oversized fuel tank and/or a spare fuel
tank with a transfer pump. It may be expensive, but it will pay for itself
over time; between having the ability to fuel up for a cheaper price per gallon,
combined with the extended range the vehicle will now have – it is definitely
worth at least considering.
Consider installing an aftermarket, oversized fuel filter. Cleaner fuel means
longer engine life. Plus some of the newer vehicles don’t even have an
inline fuel filter – they are mounted inside the tank itself. Who was
the genius that came up with this gem anyway?
If your vehicle doesn’t have them, install tow hooks both front and rear.
They do not have to be conspicuous, but they need to be there.
Don’t skimp on wiper blades, buy the good ones and replace them often.
If you can’t see, you can’t drive.
Keep the engine bay clean – it makes finding a leak a whole lot easier,
and makes life a whole lot more pleasant when making repairs.
It also it isn’t a bad idea to add seasonal items to your kits. For example
if you live in area prone to snow, you should probably have a set of tire chains/cables
with you in the colder months, but then why would you want to carry them in
July?
Lastly a few words of advice:
First: know how to use everything you put in your kit. Practice with it before
you put it in the vehicle – few tools are as dangerous as the ones in
the hands of the uninformed.
Second: check your local laws on exactly what is considered a weapon,
and what is considered concealed. You may want to think twice before you run
out and buy that shiny Rambo knife with the 12 inch blade and have it strapped
to the outside of your back pack sitting under your seat.
Third: in regards to knives, multi-tools, hand tools and the like – you
generally get what you pay for. That cheap knife at the flea market is normally
just that – cheap. It may be better than nothing at all, and the truth
is that if that is all you can afford – then fine. But understand that
up front.
Fourth: when choosing the storage bags to put these items in – think
about the size, shape, and color of the bag you buy. There is not a right or
wrong here, get what fits your situation. And think about the straps. There
may be a situation where you find yourself forced to carry these bags, so good
shoulder strap are important. And just as with knives and hand tools – you
generally get what you pay for.
Lastly, a word about any and all foodstuffs you keep in your kit: remember
that all food expires sooner or later – a even water can only sit for
so long before it is no longer fit to consume. Trust me when I tell you that
yes, even SPAM can and will go bad with time (you really, really don’t
want to know how I know that). So rotate your foodstuffs regularly.
The long and the short of it is that some sort of vehicle kit really should
be in each and every car, truck, SUV, or van on the road. With a little bit
of thought and not a whole lot of money we can all prepare ourselves better.
No traveler should be without what they consider to be the basics. - David
H. in Southeast Texas
[JWR Adds: Thanks for those great lists! The only additions
that I'd make to your lists are a fire extinguisher, and depending on whether
off-road travel is anticipated, more robust pioneer tools. These should include
an ax,
pick,
shovel,
and if space permits, a Hi-Lift jack.]
Jim,
Hugh D. sent in a good letter about using his trailer as a large bug-out kit.
The concept isn't bad (as long as he's on the road and off again before the
masses figure out something is wrong) but then he said this:
"This has been overcome with careful planning on our part. First, we have
mapped out likely hide spots for ourselves and the trailer – mostly campgrounds
on National Forest lands," and then regarding some cabins near the campground, "...we
can move into a nice, if rustic, survival retreat."
No offense, but I wouldn't exactly consider this careful planning. If Hugh
doesn't think that for every marked camping site in America there aren't 100
guys (who also own guns) already thinking about that same site, he's crazy.
Worse, he has no claim of "right" when it comes to those cabins.
He is no more entitled to a cabin there than the next guy that comes along
and wants to evict him and take it for himself. Furthermore, he's got kids
in diapers (I do too) - he isn't going to be able to defend both his family
and his "stuff" in a public campground whose location is published
on every map and travel guide in America.
I'd suggest that Hugh reconsider his plans. The trailer is good but find somewhere
else to go. As an example, I live in the Dallas area and have friends who own
a ranch about three hours away in central Texas and can be reached using a
number of combinations of country roads and state highways. It's on 500 hilly
acres twenty miles from the closest town, whose population is a couple thousand
people. You can't see a single building on the ranch from the state highway
- you have to drive a winding county dirt road a few miles to get to the houses
and barns. My friends who own the ranch think I'm nuts (they aren't survivalists
by any means, but retired city folk who wanted to run a peach orchard in retirement).
Nonetheless, they have agreed that if I need to get out of town I can come
down there with no prior notice. - Matt R.
« Letter Re: South Dakota as a Retreat Locale |Main| Jim's Quote of the Day: »
Letter Re: A Vehicular Bug-Out Kit
One thing that I have not seen properly addressed anywhere online is an appropriate
kit for the bug out vehicle.
You folks in snow country can reply to this with some recommendations for that
scenario. Please do.
I survived five hurricanes , one of them in the Virgin Islands, over the years
so I consider myself an advanced student of the Bug Out Vehicle.
First and foremost.
Cars are useless without fuel. They make a decent shelter but they're tough
to carry with you. I haven't seen a backpack that would hold one.
Get yourself as many large cans as you can fit reasonably in (or on)
the vehicle and keep them full at all times. [Because of fire hazard in the
event of a collision, if your car has a gas engine, these cans should normally
kept at home, in an outbuilding. Consult your local fire code.] Rotate your
fuel. Fill the car and cans one week and the next time
you
need
gas, then
empty
some
of
the cans
(say
2
out of
4
six gallon
cans) and refill them immediately. My kit includes 5, six-gallon
cans of diesel and one full of water in case of radiator problems and to provide
drinking water. I have a roof rack so they're a non-issue.
Cars are very hard to drive on flat tires. I recall after Hurricane Andrew
in 1992 the chaos at
any store that had anything in stock. There was no electricity for weeks so
no gas
available, for the most
part...or much else.Oh, and remember that no electricity = no credit cards.
Got your cash stashed
?
Having all of my supplies already (always have-always will) only saw a
need for one very important thing that I had overlooked.
Nobody else saw it since they were focusing on food, water, plywood,Coleman
goodies etc. They looked at me like I was nuts when I got to the checkout.
What was the one thing ? Tire repair equipment ! Yep. I bought two cases of
Fix-a-Flat, a radial plug kit and about 50 plugs.
Glass, metal, roofing nails, wood, you name it was everywhere on the roadways.
I used that all up and more over the following month. Get some!
Cars with automatic transmissions can not be push-started. Even if your battery
is fairly new, go buy yourself a top notch, deep cycle battery and install
it. The other one will make a good spare.You can also carry it with you and
use
the
deep cycle battery [at home] at night, running an inverter, to watch a television,
use a computer or whatever. One of my cabins runs all night (8-10 hours) with
television,
VCR, and
3-to-4 Compact fluorescent bulbs on a deep cycle battery that is solar-charged.
Belts. Repeat the above scenario and make sure you have tools in the car at
all times to change belts. If you don't know how and what tools you
need , then hire a mechanic
to teach you. Don't forget the jumper cables .
These are the basics. My kit is more extensive but I live in the middle of
nowhere in Central America (I've already bugged out) so I cant raid a junkyard
in case of an "event". Oh, and don't forget the guns. Pura Vida!
- Mr. Tico in Costa Rica
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Letter Re: Michigan's Upper Peninsula as a Retreat Locale
Hello James:
A
recent letter from a reader mentioned that he was looking for a retreat.
If I remember correctly, that person lived in the Washington D.C. area. You
had
suggested
Tennessee
and
Michigan's
Upper Peninsula (UP)
as retreat possibilities.One disadvantage
of Michigan's
UP for that particular reader is that to get to the UP, they will have
to drive through, or very close to, Pittsburgh,
Cleveland, Toledo, Detroit, and Saginaw.
The Old Uooper was on-target regarding the challenges of living in many places
in the UP both microclimate and soil are key factors. My personal choice
would be to live within 20 miles of Lake Michigan or Lake Huron. There, soils
are
limestone-based and
it truly is the Banana Belt. - Joe H.
JWR Replies: Actually, that particular reader lives in New
Jersey, and commutes daily to New York City. But the issue that you raise is
still quite valid.
So much of the eastern US is urbanized that it will make any planned "11th
Hour" travel during a
crisis a dicey proposition. As I've written many times, I highly recommend
permanently relocating to one of the the more fertile regions of the Intermountain
West. (See my Recommended
Retreat Locales web page for some general recommendations, and my book
"Rawles
On Retreats and Relocation" for even greater detail, with instructive
maps.) I realize that that because of work and family commitments, this is
not practical
for most preppers that currently live in the east. For those of you that
decide to stay where you are, I recommend that you watch the news closely and
be
ready to bug out on very short notice. You need to be already on the road
to your retreat while everyone else is still glued to their televisions, sizing
up the situation. This way
you
can Get
Out of Dodge ahead of the Golden Horde. If you hesitate you will
end up in a monumental traffic jam. This necessitates having a well-stocked
retreat--so that you don't have to waste
any time packing.
Also, be sure
to do a detailed study
of secondary
road routes to your retreat--avoiding all freeways and most highways.
A lot of the old ""farm to market" routes are ideal. Practice
driving those routes, both day and night. A well-prepared family always
has a Plan B and
Plan C.
One
of these
plans
should
address a
situation
where you must hunker down at home.
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Letter Re: Hunt Packs Available at Cabela's
James,
I often read your blog and have read your novel , "Patriots:
Surviving the Coming Collapse", (and
have given it as a gift to several folks!) I just wanted to let you and your
other readers know about something I found at Cabela's recently: 3-day and
10-day 'Hunt'
Packs. These nifty boxes contain a mix of energy bars, gels,
drinks, etc. designed for use by 'Wilderness Athletes'. Aside from the humorous
effect of the name, these are quite handy and can be ordered from Cabela's
on-line web store and may provide survival minded people an excellent
option for Bug Out Bags, Car Kits, pre-positioned supplies, caches, or to give
[charitably] to the unprepared after a natural disaster or terrorist type
event. While the prices may be higher than some would like to pay, the manufacturer
has
done
the work
that some busy or family folks may not have the time or inclination to do.
Thanks for the information you provide! Regards, - Israel S.
« Letter Re: HF/VHF/UHF Amateur Radio for Preppers |Main| Note from JWR: »
Letter Re: Retreat Locale and Firearms Selection Questions from a Newbie Easterner
Jim,
I am a new reader of SurvivalBlog but I am already hooked. I realize that I
am woefully unprepared to defend and care for my family if and when TSHTF.
I live in New Jersey and commute to New York City every day, and work in finance.
After 9/11, when I lost several dear friends, I took some steps to prepare
for a
short
(several
days to a week) disruption or an attack. I purchased a generator, several hundred
MREs, bottled water, and iodine pills. I even applied for a firearm purchase
permit but never bought a weapon.
Working in the capital markets, I have see firsthand over the last
few month show how close we have come to a complete breakdown in the monetary
and payments
system.
As a person who is generally a free market advocate and non-interventionist
it troubles me deeply that the government has had to step in to try and salvage
the banking system. However, I can say that in the days before some of these
programs were announced, we were probably much closer than people think to
a severe systemic financial collapse. I saw firsthand the panic and fear that
prevailed on Wall Street in those few days, and it was real.
Hopefully we will be able to pull out of this current crisis. But in the spirit
of preparing for the worst, I realize that I have much to do in order to get
ready for TEOTWAWKI. So I do have a few questions that I hope you can answer.
While I am sure some of these have been answered for previous newbies, I would
greatly appreciate your opinion and advice.
What is your suggestion for a retreat location for someone living in New Jersey?
I have read your "Recommended
Retreat Areas" section and it looks
like most of us east of the Mississippi are in some trouble. However, I am
tied
to my
current
location in terms of my employment and extended family. I am relatively blessed
in terms of financial resources, so it is potentially feasible for me to purchase
an out of state second home to use as a retreat. I do worry about access in
a SHTF scenario.
Highways potentially clogged, gas in short supply, etc. Is a 2-to-3 day drive
by car or longer escape location feasible? There are relatively rural
areas within 2-5 hours by car that we could choose, but none approach the remoteness
most on this site seem to favor.
This also seems to be a common question but what about firearms? New Jersey
is quite restrictive. The permit I got after 9/11 expired so I recently reapplied
and
should get my new permit in a couple months. I am not a complete neophyte but
pretty close. I have hunted a few times with friends and have done some target
practice at the pistol range. I know I need training. I also fear that the
new administration may impose even more restrictive legislation limiting access
to firearms so I want to move relatively quickly in assembling what I need.
Here is what I am thinking:
handgun: there is no concealed carry in New Jersey so for home defense I am thinking
something on the larger side, maybe a S&W Night Guard in .357 Magnum? Or does
an
autoloader with a higher capacity (maximum 15 round magazines in New Jersey)
make
sense?
Maybe
the
SIG
P220 in .45 ACP?
.22 rifle Suggestions? Id like something I can also teach my son on (he is 7)
in a few years. What do you think of the US Survival .22LR? How big should I
go?
I don't think I'm going to need
something for very big game but who knows. Is a .308 sufficient or should I look
for something
heavier
like a .338 Lapua or a .30-06? Should I also have a tactical rifle? Remember
that New Jersey has a pretty broad definition of "assault rifles" that
are
banned.
Shotguns: Likely would like to have at least one "riotgun" type and
at least one for hunting. Suggestions?
Ammunition: How much is enough?I have seen that Cabela's sells reloaded/remanufactured
rounds in bulk. Are these a good deal or are factory rounds superior to the point
that the bulk reloads should not be considered?
Training: I am planning on taking several of the NRA courses that are available
in my area for each of the weapons types I purchase. I have read the glowing
reports on Front Sight and will try that as well if I can get the time. Any other
suggestions?
I know I have a lot to learn in many areas such as food gathering/storage and
basic survival. I have learned a lot from you already. I appreciate all you do
on this blog, Jim. You provide a great service.
God Bless. - S. in New Jersey
JWR Replies: You are in a difficult locale, but I quite regularly
get similar questions from
consulting clients in Washington DC, Baltimore, and New York City.
I recommend that if you can afford it, that you buy a rural retreat,
and stock it very well. If you prefer a warmer climate, then
I recommend eastern Tennessee. If you don't mind cold and snow, then consider
the Upper Peninsula
of Michigan. Pre-position 90% of of your tools and logistics at your retreat.
If you are worried about burglary, then rent a commercial storage space that
is
near
your
retreat.
As I've mentioned in blog many times, I recommend that you keep always enough
gas in cans on hand for one trip "Outta Dodge"--to get you
to your retreat. (This
ties in with the need to pre-position nearly everything at your retreat.)
In answer to your question on handguns: In New Jersey, your best bet is probably
either a Springfield Armory XD in .45 ACP
or perhaps a Glock Model 21 ( also .45 ACP.) BTW, you should take advantage
of Front Sight's Gun & Gear & Training
offer--that
includes essentially free XD pistol. BTW, low
cost firearms training is also available from the RWVA in the east and the
WRSA in the west.
In answer to your other questions:
>.22 rifle Suggestions? I'd like something I can also teach my son on (he
is 7) in a few years. What do you think of the US Survival .22LR?
The US Survival .22 LR--like all of it predecessors including the original
Armalite AR-7--has a tendency to jam. It also has a fairly rudimentary peep
sight that
in my opinion has an overly-large rear aperture. I recommend that you instead
buy a Rogue
Rifle Company Chipmunk .22
single shot rifle for your son.
Depending on his maturity, you can probably start training him with it under
very close supervision at
age
7. (The Chipmunk
is a tiny rifle. It is made to the minimum dimensions allowable under
Federal
law.)
For the rest of the family, buy a stainless
steel All-Weather Ruger 10/22. Once
your son is about 10 years old,
you can
buy a
spare stock
for
the
Ruger
and saw off about two inches from the butt to provide a shorter length of
pull, for
transitional
training. Slightly used "takeoff" standard birch wood stocks are readily
available
for
under $15 each,
since
Ruger
.22
rifles
are
often used as gun rebuild platforms, typically using fancy laminate target
stocks.
> How big should I go?...
The .308 Winchester will suffice for everything two-legged or four-legged in
North America with the exception of grizzly bears and moose.
>
Should I also have a tactical rifle?...
Keep an inexpensive .308 bolt action in New Jersey and .308 battle rifle (as
well all your magazines over 15 round capacity) in a wall cache at your retreat
in a
free
state. As previously noted in SurvivalBlog I
generally recommend the FAL, L1A1, HK91, AR-10 or M1A. And, FWIW, up until
a week ago, I would have also recommended waiting for the about-to-be-released
Kel-Tec
RFB .308 or the Rock
River Arms (RRA) LAR-8 .308 Caliber, in Mid-Length. However, in today's
market, beggars can't be choosers. Buy whatever .308 battle rifle you can find,
but be sure to line up at least eight spare magazines first.
(You don't want to be stick with a rifle with one magazine!)
>
Shotguns: Likely would like to have at least one "riotgun" type and
at least one for hunting. Suggestions?
Buy a Remington
870 Express 12 gauge Combo set. (These come with both a
bird barrel and riotgun barrel. It takes less than two minutes to switch
barrels. BTW, Mossberg
also produces a quite similar "Combo" set, that is very reasonably
priced. The only drawback is that the Mossberg 500 Combo's bright blued
steel is more prone to rust than the phosphate finish on the Remington
Express
models.
> Ammunition: How much is enough?
"Enough" is a subjective term, depending on the depth and duration
of the situation that you anticipate, how much bartering you plan to do, and
how much
trouble you expect to encounter.
(In an urban or suburban area, you might have to fire hundreds of
warning shots to repel looters. But here at the ranch, we are in the process
of filling at least five deer and elk tags this season, but we'll likely fire
less than 10
cartridges.) If anything, err on the side of larger quantities.
Any ammo that excess to your needs will be worth its weight in gold for barter
and
charity.
>...I have seen that Cabela's sells reloaded/remanufactured
rounds in bulk. Are these a good deal or are factory rounds superior
to the point that the bulk reloads should not be considered?
Bulk reloads are fine for target shooting but only can be depended on for
self defense shooting situations if they come from a reputable maker,
such as Black Hills
Ammunition.
« Odds 'n Sods: |Main| Letter Re: Advice on Silver Coins for Barter »
Letter Re: Recreational Vehicles and Investing in Tangibles
Jim,
Thank you for the blog and all the great info you put out. I have a couple
of questions that I would like to ask you, but first a little info about
myself. I am a 40 year old male with a wife and two kids. I live in Kansas,
I work
at a large manufacturing plant and my wife works for a insurance company.
We have a mortgage and other dept. I would like to buy some land out of town
and build a retreat for my family and myself for when TSHTF but
can not afford it right now. My grandfather though does own land about a
hour north of here. I was wondering what you thought about buying a RV,
stocking it with supplies and when the time comes bugging out in that. Also
you are always saying to invest in tangibles, What do you recommend ? Thirty
round magazines? Ammunition? Barter items? Right now I have about $1,000
to invest but I am lost as to what to buy. I already have my protection squared
away so that is not an issue. Once again thank you for all you do and I wish
your wife a full and speedy recovery. - Mike in the Great Plains
JWR Replies: I'm fairly certain that you are suggesting an RV strictly as
a one-way "Get
Out of Dodge" (G.O.O.D.)
vehicle to get to your grandfather's farm, rather than as a vague concept for
retreating. For any readers that might consider wandering aimlessly in an RV,
see this narrative that I wrote in the early days of SurvivalBlog:
“Land mobile” retreating in a recreational vehicle (RV) is another
invitation to disaster. In a TEOTWAWKI situation,
a fixed location retreat is vastly superior to going mobile. In my opinion the
myth of ”Road Warrior” mobility and firepower is in actuality
just an expanded opportunity to wander into ambush after
ambush. No vehicle short of a $70,000+ Cadillac
Gage V100 wheeled armored personnel carrier (APC) would have both the
cargo capacity and the ballistic protection required. (A little Ferret
scout car just doesn't have the capacity. I speak from personal experience
on that!) Also, consider that you would need a pair of APCs to provide
mutually supporting defensive fire. And then of course you will probably
want a belt-fed for each. With spares, ammo, and accessories that is an additional
$3,000 per vehicle.
If by chance you already have a fully stocked retreat established
and have $150,000 in cash laying around for a couple of ultimate G.O.O.D.
vehicles, see: Dave Uhrig’s
web site and then click on “Armor”. (I should mention that
I have done business with Dave Uhrig on two occasions. He is quite reputable.)
Here is a dose of reality for you: If you choose to go entirely vehicle mobile
then you will eventually lose a battle--most likely in a roadblock ambush--or
your RV will break down. Or it will run out of fuel--with some likelihood
that it will be on exposed terrain in an untenable situation. Also, since
the logistics that you could carry would be limited, you will start out with
an inherent disadvantage to fixed location retreats. This also creates the
prospect that once your food supplies are depleted you will be tempted to
take what you need from others. To paraphrase John Dibari (my high school
chemistry instructor) when he described troublemakers: “If you aren’t
part of the solution--you’re the precipitate.” (That is, someone
who precipitates trouble--part of the problem, not the solution.) Scratch
that idea!
Since you have a definite destination (your grandfather's
house), then you are better off just storing ("pre-positioning")
what you will need there, rather than trying cram what you will need into an
RV for an 11th Hour trip outta Dodge. Odds are that those items will be more
secure there, than if they were stored at your house in the Big City, anyway.
If his house lacks the requisite storage space perhaps he would be agreeable
to you buying a 20 foot CONEX for
your gear, and storing it there
In answer to your other question: See this
SurvivalBlog post from 2007 for my recommendations on buying full capacity
firearms magazines, for barter.
« Odds 'n Sods: |Main| Good Compsec Practices for Preppers, by T. »
Letter Re: Suddenly Homeless on the Potomac--Some Preparedness Lessons Learned
Jim & Company,
I thought that I would communicate an interesting story for your web blog. As I write
this, I'm holed up in campground/RV park near the District of Columbia
(DC) Metropolitan area. How I got here was totally unexpected. My roommate
is female, a former army buddy and suffers from chronic depression---maybe
bi polar disorder. We maintained a platonic cohabitation for two months until
she swore a Temporary Peace Order against me because she felt “threatened”.
In the liberal pest hole of Maryland, that's all it takes. No battery, assault
or actual threats---I just yelled at her to clean up after her dog (perhaps
the 20th time she didn't do this) and, in the span of 24 hours the deputies
came, gave
me 10 minutes to get some things, then escorted me out of the property that I co-rented. That means I was instantly homeless
and without the time to assemble my preps.
Fortunately it was payday and I
had money for a hotel, an attorney, and what not. But the unbearable part was
having my Bug Out Bag and supplies in a residence that I could not approach
or enter under court order which gave me a very sickening feeling of what a fast
and unplanned for emergency can produce. My preps are centered around an emergency
that is slow coming with warning. Save for my camping/bug-out gear, most of
my preps cannot be moved rapidly (like 5 gallon buckets). Further, my emergency
plan calls for me to hunker down at my place of residence until things stop moving and I have time and latitude to maneuver and get to my bug-out site
for the longer duration. Being under the supervision of two sheriff's deputies
put a damper on grabbing my survival gear.
Grabbing my emergency cash, which is well-concealed (Go MI!) was problematic.
Through my attorney, I was able to pick up much of my camping/bugout gear
from the former residence. Tell 'ya what, having a good set of quality camping
and survival gear that can be hastily put together is a real boon. I purchase
good gear and 20+ years (and counting) in the military has given real appreciation
for quality equipment.
Not that an urban campground is primitive: hot and cold water, wireless Internet
and a laundry make it a perfect spot for temporary emergency stays and at $40/night,
much cheaper than a hotel room (in the DC Area, plan on $100 per night minimum for a single room
with a military discount). It sucks that I only have a tent to come home to,
but it beats living out of my Jeep Cherokee or in a box (or with the Housemate
from H*ll)
Yes, I was homeless that fast and a week of hotel living would have cost me
over $1,000. But having ready camping gear, for both camping and survival,
insured that I had a home of some sort and was able to take care of myself.
No homeless
shelter is going to put up a white collar professional.
Because my emergency required a lot of communications between me, my attorney
and the landlords of future domiciles I needed Internet access and voice comms.
My cell phone is unlocked and uses a pre-paid SIM card and can access almost
any cellular network. From Vermont to North Carolina I have cellular voice
communications. A GSM smartphone
is in my future as it can provide a secondary e-mail channel (PACE).
A laptop with Wi-Fi is almost a necessity in urban environments. In slow rolling “grid
down” situations, or a Balkans-like future
for America (which is probable)---communications infrastructure will be available, albeit intermittently. Without my survival
preps, I would have lasted two weeks in a hotel room until I ran out of money.
But now I can live virtually anywhere as a homeless white collar professional.
All of the trouble aside, it took me a week to adjust from living in townhouse
with all the amenities of modern life, to living without many of those amenities.
Being a survivalist, I took this as a learning experience to test both my
material and mental preparations. I forgot things when I had to vacate my premise,
like a can opener, but I did remember I placed several P38 [compact
military folding key ring] can openers throughout my gear and truck sometime
ago---just
sprinkled
them around. That was real relief. An additional relief came from the box of
matches I keep in the emergency box in my truck---believe me, after I left
my old digs, I was inventorying everything I had in the truck---another prep
was the $500 in cash that I keep to get me to my Bug Out Location.
Preparedness pays immense dividends that are not fully appreciated
until you need them. - Mark in Maryland
« Don't Confuse the COMEX Spot Prices with Retail Reality--Bullion Coin Supplies are Tight! |Main| Preparing for Survival Retreat Perimeter Defense, by O.F. »
Letter Re: Cemeteries as G.O.O.D. Overnight Bivouacs?
Mr. Rawles,
I completed reading your novel "Patriots", I just finished
reading "Rawles
On Retreats and Relocation", I'm about to read the "SurvivalBlog:
The Best of the Blog" book and I'm going to order the "Rawles
Gets You Ready" preparedness course. I do
have a couple of questions:
When one would be
Bugging Out, or in route to a retreat, I was thinking about having a cemetery
to rest in, they are generally isolated, either on the edge of town or even
in the countryside. There is plenty of good cover there like hiding behind
headstones and maybe taking shelter in a mausoleum. There again, I am not
saying looting or vandalizing them just using their cover for a short time,
overnight thing. I have obtained a map of some of the surrounding area where
I live, been to a dozen or so cemeteries. Most have good cover, shade and some
are close to creeks. It was my thought that even if one was on foot providing
that he has done his homework could travel from cemetery to cemetery using
something there for shelter. Which leads me to my second question: If I was
not comfortable
having a drop off point (storage unit) along the way to the retreat, would
it be advisable, with the consent of the "group" maybe to ""bury"" something
along the way, at an older cemetery or maybe even go as far as buying a grave
plot or mausoleum to store G.O.O.D.
packs or supplies in? I have searched the Blog and found nothing pertaining
to cemetery
rest stops and was wondering
your take, maybe myself of other readers could take this advise to heart. Always
Preparing, - G.D.
JWR Replies: That idea has some merit. Until you mentioned
it, I hadn't thought about buying a mausoleum space. I suppose that Sarah
Connor would be proud of your ingenuity!
There are, however, some significant drawbacks to your idea of an overnight
stay, especially if you plan to be there at all during daylight:
1.) Most cemeteries are private property and hence are considered "roust vagrants
by SOP" zones for local law enforcement, when they patrol. Even cemeteries
that are on public property are usually protected from
interlopers by numerous ordinances.
2.) Sextons keep a closer eye on graveyards than most people realize. They
watch for anything that is out of place.
3.) Rows of headstones only provide limited cover. Because they are laid out
in rows, they afford little or no cover from flanking attackers. This, BTW,
might be what happened to the World War I aviator Frank Luke, who
was an acquaintance of my grandfather, Ernest Rawles.When
Luke was shot
down during
WWI, he attempted to defend himself with a pistol, against a squad
of German soldiers that were armed with rifles. According to some conflicting
reports, he died in a graveyard near Murvaux,
France.
This sad incident, BTW, also illustrates two important precepts of
gunfighting: 1.) Superior skills can be
overcome
by superior
numbers,
and
2.) A handgun is just a backup weapon--merely a tool that you can hopefully
use to "fight your way back to your rifle." There is a famous old saying,
that was
later popularized by the movie The Untouchables: "Never bring a
knife to a gunfight." My corollary is: "Never bring a pistol
to a rifle fight." Coincidentally,
Luke's five final aerial victories and his death on the ground
the same day will be well-documented in a book that will soon be released "The
Stand: The Final Flight of Lt. Frank Luke, Jr.".) Even though
90 years have gone by, the conflicting
stories about Luke's death are still
being debated.
« Letter Re: Another SurvivalBlog Reader's Experience at Front Sight |Main| Note from JWR: »
Letter Re: Getting Adult Family Members Home in Times of Crisis
Greetings, Mr. Rawles,
I need advice and I trust you implicitly in survival matters. Here's my issue:
I live in the country north of Tampa, Florida. Good dirt, well water (and well
bucket), dogs, garden, silver coins stashed away. We are ready for whatever
happens.
My 27 year old daughter lives in Austin, Texas. We have discussed her bugging
out to come home, or to her grandmother's home in Southwestern Alabama. She
is preparing her bugout pack today, and waiting to hear from me to tell her
to come
home.
My question is this: At what point do I tell her to head home? What will I
see or read that will make me pull the trigger to put this girl on the road?
How will I know when it's time, and allow enough time for her to get as far
as possible in her car?
I would really rather have her in Florida with me, but her grandmother is much
closer, and also in the country. If I want my daughter here, with me, how much
time....
I guess that's my question - how much time do you think we have, it's now Friday
at 2:30, and the market is about to drop below 8,000. How much time before
the meltdown? At what state of preparedness should I have my kid??
Please help. Thank you for your fabulous work. - Terri L.
JWR Replies: First let me say I expect this to be a slow
slide. But also let me say that I am not a prophet. I am all too human. For
example, like a lot of people I got a lot more motivated by Y2K than
the situation warranted.
It is probably not yet the time to call your daughter home--not
unless she
would
like to move
back
to
Florida,
anyway.You might want to discuss this with her at length. A lot of it might
revolve around her work situation: Can she take a leave of absence from her
work, and
then
return to Texas if things "blow
over"?
Does she have vacation on the books that she can "burn"?
Regardless, advise her to henceforth always keep
her car's tank at least 3/4 full whenever returning to her home at the end
of the day.
She should probably now store some full five gallon gas cans, since the
trip will require a couple of re-fills. Does she have a trailer for her vehicle?
Perhaps she
can store some gas with your relatives in Alabama, as a halfway re-fill point.
For now, just monitor
the news closely. See: Mark 13:32, KJV. Pray fervently. Our nation needs
it.
« Note from JWR: |Main| Jim's Quote of the Day: »
Letter Re: Getting Adult Family Members Home in Times of Crisis
Greetings, Mr. Rawles,
I need advice and I trust you implicitly in survival matters. Here's my issue:
I live in the country north of Tampa, Florida. Good dirt, well water (and well
bucket), dogs, garden, silver coins stashed away. We are ready for whatever
happens.
My 27 year old daughter lives in Austin, Texas. We have discussed her bugging
out to come home, or to her grandmother's home in Southwestern Alabama. She
is preparing her bugout pack today, and waiting to hear from me to tell her
to come
home.
My question is this: At what point do I tell her to head home? What will I
see or read that will make me pull the trigger to put this girl on the road?
How will I know when it's time, and allow enough time for her to get as far
as possible in her car?
I would really rather have her in Florida with me, but her grandmother is much
closer, and also in the country. If I want my daughter here, with me, how much
time....
I guess that's my question - how much time do you think we have, it's now Friday
at 2:30, and the market is about to drop below 8,000. How much time before
the meltdown? At what state of preparedness should I have my kid??
Please help. Thank you for your fabulous work. - Terri L.
JWR Replies: First let me say I expect this to be a slow
slide. But also let me say that I am not a prophet. I am all too human. For
example, like a lot of people I got a lot more motivated by Y2K than
the situation warranted.
It is probably not yet the time to call your daughter home--not
unless she
would
like to move
back
to
Florida,
anyway.You might want to discuss this with her at length. A lot of it might
revolve around her work situation: Can she take a leave of absence from her
work, and
then
return to Texas if things "blow
over"?
Does she have vacation on the books that she can "burn"?
Regardless, advise her to henceforth always keep
her car's tank at least 3/4 full whenever returning to her home at the end
of the day.
She should probably now store some full five gallon gas cans, since the
trip will require a couple of re-fills. Does she have a trailer for her vehicle?
Perhaps she
can store some gas with your relatives in Alabama, as a halfway re-fill point.
For now, just monitor
the news closely. See: Mark 13:32, KJV. Pray fervently. Our nation needs
it.
« Odds 'n Sods: |Main| Letter Re: The Afghan Walled Courtyard Design for Retreat Architecture »
Letter Re: In a Tight Spot with Long Distance Travel Plans
Jim,
Thanks again for all you do. I am in a tight spot and need some good advice.
I have to travel to the Washington, DC area this weekend for a two week class
at a Federal facility. I have tried (unsuccessfully) to cancel my plans. This
will
put me
thousands of miles from home and family during times of mounting crisis. Due
to the areas draconian gun laws, and the classes location I will be unable
to travel with a firearm. I have some loose family in the New York City area,
but no other regional contacts. I plan on bringing my Surefire light, a small “last
ditch” kit, folding knife, and an ASP
[collapsing baton] in my checked
luggage. I have been re-reading "Patriots" and archived
SurvivalBlog posts about air travel contingencies.
I have
a little emergency cash, silver bullion, and junk silver, plus the usual credit
cards. Two of my friends will keep an eye on my house and family in my absence.
She is armed and trained (Front Sight First Family) but is somewhat in denial
about our current state of affairs. She and I have a bug-out plan in place.
Any further advice you could offer to me or other travelers who face the possibility
of Schumer Hitting the Fan while absent from family, friends, and equipment
would be greatly appreciated. OBTW, look for my 10
Cent Challenge renewal, directly.
- Jason in Montana .
JWR Replies: That was bad timing, indeed. But take heart
in the fact that this is starting to looking
like a slow slide, rather than a sudden onset catastrophe. (A "whimper,
not
a bang.") So don't worry too much. But pack some comfortable low-top boots,
a
heavy winter coat, a pile cap, and gloves just in case you end up hitchhiking
or
taking
a
bus
home.
« Letter Re: Saving Your Life and Saving Your Relationships--Don't Drive Your Loved Ones Away |Main| Note from JWR: »
Replace Your FUD with Preparedness Action--a Pre-Crash "D" List
All of the recent economic news may be overwhelming to some. This
has left many people virtually petrified by Fear, Uncertainty, and
Doubt (FUD). Don't
be a proverbial "deer in the headlights." I strongly
encourage you get past your anxiety uncertainty and instead of sitting around
glued to CNN, wringing your hands and saying "ain't it awful". Replace that
angst with action. Get
busy preparing. Here is my suggested Crash Countdown "D"
List, for folks that are already fairly well-prepared:
1.) De-Hummelize
Sell off any collectibles that are not family heirlooms. The worst offenders
here are the mass produced "limited edition" Hummel figurines, Beanie
Babies and those collector plates from umpteen artists. Because I've mentioned
this, please don't think that I'm a misogynist.
Men can
be just as bad about acquiring trinkets! They are just manly trinkets.
Far too many men have gun vaults chock full of
"commemorative edition" guns with engraving and gold inlay that
they would never dream of shOoting, for fear that their collector value would
be diminished.
I most strongly recommend that you sell off those guns and replace them with
truly practical ones .These days, I lean toward stainless steel guns with synthetic
stocks, because of their tremendous longevity.and resistance to corrosion.
By selling off your toys and trinkets, you will be A.) clearing
space for important logistics, and B.) generating
cash to help purchase those same logistics. Trinket items have a ready market
with eBay, especially this time of year, as people are shopping for Christmas
gifts. Take nice crisp photos, start most of your items at a penny, and make
sure that you charge enough to cover your postage and tracking costs.
2.) Dumpster Dive
Watch your local Craig's
List like a hawk. It is not unusual to find people giving away or selling
a ridiculously low prices dozens of heavy duty canning jars, hand-crank meat
grinders, chest freezers, shelving,
and poultry brooder, horse tack, and so forth. I've even found running generators
available free for the asking. (You haul.)
Mark your calendar for both community yard sales and the next time that your
garbage collection service offers an "unlimited curbside pickup" day.
Hook up your trailer the evening before, and see what you can find that is
free for the taking. (Consult your local ordinances first, of course.) We've
found lots of practical items that were still perfectly serviceable, such as
rabbit cages, brooms, canes, geriatric walkers, and galvanized wash tubs ("gut
buckets") set out on the curb. It would be a shame to see useful item
send up in a landfill.
3.) De-Procrastinate.
If you have been putting off any dental work, elective
surgery, vehicle repairs, or getting new lenses for your eyeglasses, then start making
appointments!
4.) Dump Your Dollars
Roll over your 401(k) and/or IRA into a gold IRA, available
from through Swiss
America Trading Company.
5.) Double-Up Your Staple Goods Shopping
Double up your staple groceries shopping. By doing so consistently, you will
rapidly build up a supply of canned good. Make sure you mark the date of purchase
on the top of each can with a permanent marker (such as a Sharpie pen), and
put the most recently purchased cans at the back of the shelf . These are the
essential points of "first-in, first-out" (FIFO) rotation.
6.) Divert Your Expenses
Cut
out needless expenses, so that you can divert that cash into preparedness.
Pare down your expenditures on movies and eating out. But don't go overboard
and make yourself (or your spouse and kids) miserable. OBTW, here is an example:
The Memsahib's sister found that she could skip Starbucks, and make herself
an
awesome Vanilla
Latte
at a 7-11 store, for less than half the price. Do comparison pricing. Is
a NetFlix subscription less expensive than a cable movie package? Do you
really have
the time to watch that much television, anyway? I'm not say to do without
life's little pleasures. I'm just saying that there are some less expensive
alternatives.
7.) Door-to-Door Introductions
Get to know your neighbors. Go door to door, if need be. Remind folks who
you are. Connect names to faces. Make a list of phone numbers and e-mail addresses.
Without being too pushy, quiz them a bit if they are "ready fort he next big
storm". Find out if any of them have
prior
military
experience,
or
advanced
medical
skills.
But
of course don't volunteer too much information about yourself. It is not wise
to brand yourself at he neighborhood Whackamo.
8.) Drums, Cans, and Fuel Tanks
Top off your supplies of gasoline, diesel, and kerosene. Add fuel stabilizer
and antibacterials (such as Pri-G and Pri-D), as needed.
9.) Detailed Contingency Plans and Packing Lists
Contact family and friends, and agree on contingency plans that you'll follow,
even if the telephone system and e-mail become inoperative. If any relatives
are planning to join you at your retreat when TSHTF, then
make sure they know exactly what
they will need to pack. They may be able to make only one trip there, so they'll
have to make it
count. (they need to have appropriate winter clothing, gloves, boots, gardening
tools, bedding, and so forth to be productive at your retreat.
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Letter Re: Questions on Short Term Survival in and Urban Office Building
Dear Mr. Rawles,
First off, I just want to say that I really appreciate what you're doing with
your blog site. I've learned so many useful things and feel that I am beginning
to have a basic understanding of how to prepare for and live in and a survival
situation.
Second, I'd like to give you a quick bit of background about myself so you
can hopefully help me with my dilemma/question...
I am a young adult working on the 9th floor of a large building in Manhattan
[on Long Island, New York City, New York]. I do not own a car and so I use
public transportation, typically the subway. My apartment is about a 30 minute
walk from work. In my
apt I have
started
building
up my survival gear, food, Bug Out Bag, etc...But I realize that I spend most
of my days not in my apt but in my office, working. So I've decided to start
planning
my office survival gear because if Manhattan was ever attacked with some form
of nuclear, biological, or ch
