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Letter Re: Advanced Medical Training and Facilities for Retreat Groups
Mr. Rawles,
Last month I wrote to SurvivalBlog about what do one would do medically in
TEOTWAWKI, when
all systems are down. I had received three very good replies, and have
ben thinking about what was said. I want to thank those people for their valued
replies. Now, I have more questions and concerns.
From what I've read concerning medical advice leaves me wondering.
All of the advice given has stated to get a good quality Field Surgical Kit,
and two books: "Emergency War Surgery"; and, "Where there is no Doctor". Then
these articles went on to [imply that] when a medical emergency arises, grab
your surgical
kit and the Emergency War Surgery Manual, and handle the situation. This is
where I am concerned.
First: The human body is not like the family car. Both are made up of many
complex parts that must work together to provide transportation, in the sense
of a car, and life, in the sense of the human body. There are numerous maintenance
manuals for the car, and the repair of your auto can be learned in a short
time. However, This is not the case for the human body. The human body is composed
of many systems, that are inter-related. It takes a highly trained individual
to repair us, and sometimes, complex medical instruments to help him do his
job. The skills are not learned over night or in the quietness of your family
room. They must be used and practiced on a continual basis in order to do the
job properly. Anyone that says he can operate on a human being with a Field
Surgical Kit in one hand and an Emergency War Surgery Manual in the other,
in my humble opinion is wrong! This individual is about to break the Cardinal
Rule of Medicine: First, "Do Thy Patient No Harm!"
Second: For those either setting up a retreat or are already living with theirs,
I ask this question: Are you prepared for medical emergencies? I'm talking
about a specific area for treatment (i.e. disease and trauma)? If you do not,
then now is the time to prepare for that need. A treatment facility need not
be very large--about the size of a two-car garage. Inside this structure would
be an operating suite, intensive care unit for two patients, and a small laboratory.
You will need specialized training to utilize each area. You can add wind or
solar power systems, running water, or whatever you feel is necessary. It takes
a lot of work and effort to build something like this. It will also be expensive
to supply the right equipment.
Third: If you are a member of a group, you may be in a better position to set
up a treatment facility, and to find a General Practitioner Physician/Surgeon.
Finding such an individual is like having gold in hand. This individual would
be the most important member of your group. He would take care of all the aches,
pains, sniffles and sneezes.
Think about these things and give me your feedback. It will be valuable information
to all the readers. In advance I want to thank you for your replies. - DS in
Wisconsin
Not every retreat group is blessed with finding a doctor to be part of their
group. In the absence of a doctor, I recommend that at least one group member
get EMT training.
This is best accomplished by volunteering with your local Emergency Medical
Service. These are usually paid positions, so the pay offsets
the training expenses.
JWR Replies: Regardless of whether or not your group has
a medical professional,
I recommend that all adult group members get as much training as time
allows. Start out by taking the Red Cross basic and advanced courses and their CPR course.
Then take the field medic course offered by Medical
Corps. Several SurvivalBlog readers have taken this course, and they all
have all commented to me about how impressed with their training. In fact,
one of our readers from Hawaii flew all the way to Ohio to take this course,
and he reported that it was worth the expense. Their upcoming class
(May, 2008) is full, but get on the waiting list for the next one.
I also
recommend the Practical Medical Course taught by the Western
Rifle Shooters Association. (This course is subtitled: "Field Expedient
Medical Care for Outdoorsmen in Austere Environments.") Coincidentally, they
have one scheduled for May 16-17-18, 2008 in Brookings, Oregon.
Check their web site regularly, for announcements of other course dates and
locations. This modestly-priced training, led by an Emergency Room doctor with
35 years of experience,
will teach you many
things that the Red Cross doesn't teach you!
For example, their classes place an emphasis on treating gunshot wounds.
Only the largest and best-financed groups could afford to set up a surgery
suite and lab like you described. It is a worthy goal. But keep in mind that
even modest medical training, instruments, facilities, and logistics are better
than no preparation--which sadly is the state of 98% of American families.
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Three Letters Re: What Determines if a Storage Bucket is Food Grade?
Greetings Jim,
I have found the folks at the bakery counter at [supermarkets such as] Safeway
are willing to give me food grade buckets for free or maybe $1 each. They
get
frosting
five gallons
at a time. Once you read the label on that stuff you may never eat store
bought cake again! - DAP in Missouri
Jim:
I wanted to share the
best priced source I have found for Food Grade Buckets.
Other than getting them free from food vendors, I haven't found a price better
than $3.99 for five gallon food grade buckets. Lids are $1.09. People might
not see the terms "Food Grade", but seeing NSF, FDA,
or USDA approved
means essentially the same thing. - Joe A.
Jim,
A couple of days ago you wrote about storing grains in [HDPE] plastic buckets.
Since then people have had questions regarding what constitutes a "food
grade" bucket.
Questions that you have answered fully.
However, in that original post you mentioned putting the grain in plastic
bags inside the bucket. My question is what [plastic composition]
bags should I use? The first thing that
came to mind was a trash bag -- Convenient
as they are readily available and they are large. But, I recall reading somewhere
that [some] commercially produced trash bags are treated with pesticides which
one would not want their food stored in. If that is so, then what type of
bags
would you recommend? - Mark
JWR Replies: Clear vinyl bags (often marked "V" or with recycle
code "3") are almost always food grade. Low density polyethylene (LDPE or
recycle code "4") in film form--typically used in grocery bags and trash bags--is usually food
grade, but some varieties have some strange additives or coatings. To be sure,
see the manufacturer's packaging for details. If the package
is marked "FDA Approved",
"USDA Approved",
or "food safe" then they are food grade. Most mylar is food
grade, but
again beware of odd coatings. Most mylar bucket liners--such as those
sold by Nitro-Pak
-- are food grade. The latter, BTW, is my top choice for extending the longevity
of stored grains
and legumes.
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The Precepts of My Survivalist Philosophy
In the past week I've had three newcomers to SurvivalBlog.com write and ask
me to summarize my world view. One of them asked: "I could spend days
looking through [the] archives of your [many months of] blog posts. But there
are hundreds
of them. Can you tell me where you stand, in just a page? What distinguishes
the "Rawlesian" philosophy from other [schools of] survivalist thought?"
I'll likely add a few items to this list as time goes on, but here is a general
summary of my precepts:
Modern Society is Increasingly Complex, Interdependent, and Fragile. With
each passing year, technology progresses and chains of interdependency lengthen.
In the past 30 years, chains of retail supply have grown longer and longer.
The food on your supermarket shelf does not come from local farmers. It often
comes from hundreds or even thousands of miles away. This has created an alarming
vulnerability to disruption. Simultaneously, global population is still increasing
in a near geometrical progression. At some point that must end, most likely
with a sudden and sharp drop in population. The lynchpin is the grid. Without
functioning power grids, modern industrial societies will collapse within weeks.
Civilization is Just a Thin Veneer. In the absence of law
an order, men quickly revert to savagery. As was illustrated by the rioting
and looting that accompanied disasters in the past three decades, the transition
from tranquility to absolute barbarism can occur overnight. People expect tomorrow
to be just like today, and they act accordingly. But then comes a unpredictable
disaster that catches the vast majority unprepared. The average American family
has four days worth of food on hand. When that food is gone, we'll soon see
the thin veneer stripped away.
People Run in Herds and Packs, but Both Follow Natural Lines of
Drift. Most
people are sheep ("sheeple").
A few are wolves that prey on others. But just a few of us are more like sheepdogs--we
think independently, and instead of
predation,
we are
geared toward protecting and helping others. People naturally follow natural lines
of drift--the path of least resistance. When the Schumer hits
the fan, 99% of urbanites will try to leave the cities on freeways. The highways
and freeways will soon resemble parking lots. This means that you need to be
prepared to both get
out of town ahead of the rush and to use lightly-traveled back roads.
Plan,
study and practice.
Lightly Populated Areas are Safer than High Density Areas. With
a few exceptions, less population means fewer problems. WTSHTF, there will
be a mass exodus from the cities. Think of it as an army that is spreading
out across a battlefield: The wider that
they
are
spread,
the less effective that they are. The inverse
square law hasn't been repealed.
Show Restraint, But Always Have Recourse to Lethal Force. My
father often told me, "It
is better to have a gun and not need it, than need a gun, and not have it." I
urge readers to use less than lethal means when safe and practicable, but at
times there is not a satisfactory substitute for well-aimed lead going down
range at high velocity.
There is Strength in Numbers. Rugged individualism is all
well and good, but it takes ore than one man to defend a retreat. Effective
retreat defense necessitates having at least two families to provide 24/7 perimeter
security. But of course every individual added means having another mouth to
feed. Absent having an unlimited budget and an infinite larder, this necessitates
striking a balance when deciding the size of a retreat group.
There are Moral Absolutes. The foundational morality
of the civilized world is best summarized in the Ten
Commandments. Moral relativism and secular humanism are slippery slopes.
The terminal moraine at the base of these slopes is a rubble pile consisting
of either despotism and pillage, or anarchy and the depths of depravity. I
believe
that
it takes both faith and friends to survive perilous times. For more background
on that, see my Prayer
page.
Racism Ignores Reason. People should be judged as individuals.
Anyone that make blanket statements about other races is ignorant that there
are both good and bad individuals in all groups. I have accepted The
Great Commission with sincerity."Go forth into all nations" means
exactly that:
all nations. OBTW, I feel grateful that SurvivalBlog is now read
in more than 100 countries. I have been given a bully pulpit,
and I intend to use it for good and edifying purposes.
Skills Beat Gadgets and Practicality Beats Style. The modern
world is full of pundits, poseurs, and Mall
Ninjas. Preparedness is not just about
accumulating a pile of stuff. You need practical skills, and those
only come with study, training, and practice.
Any
armchair
survivalist
can
buy a set
of stylish camouflage fatigues and an M4gery Carbine
encrusted with umpteen accessories. Style points should not be mistaken
for genuine skills and
practicality.
Plentiful Water and Good Soil are Crucial. Modern mechanized
farming, electrically pumped irrigation, chemical fertilizers, and pesticides
can make deserts bloom. But when the grid goes down, deserts and marginal farmland
will revert to their natural states. In my estimation, the most viable places
to survive in the midst of a long term societal collapse will be those with
reliable summer rains
and rich
topsoil.
Tangibles Trump Conceptuals. Modern fiat currencies are generally
accepted, but have essentially no backing. Because they are largely a byproduct
of interest bearing debt, modern currencies are destined to inflation. In
the long run, inflation dooms fiat
currencies to collapse. The majority of
your assets should be invested in
productive farm land and other tangibles such as useful hand tools. Only after
you have your key logistics squared away, anything extra should
be invested in silver and gold.
Governments Tend to Expand their Power to the Point that They Do Harm. In
SurvivalBlog, I often warn of the insidious tyranny of the Nanny
State. If
the state where you live becomes oppressive, then don't hesitate to relocate.
Vote with your feet!
There is Value in Redundancy. A common saying of my
readers is: "Two
is one, and one is none." You must be prepared
to provide for your family in a protracted period of societal disruption. That
means storing up all of the essential "beans, bullets, and Band-Aids" in quantity.
If commerce is disrupted by a disaster, at least in the short term you will
only have your own logistics to fall back on. The more that you have stored,
the
more
that
you
will have
available for barter and charity.
A Deep Larder is Essential. Food storage is one of the key
preparations that I recommend. Even if you have a fantastic self-sufficient
garden and pasture ground, you must always have food storage that you can fall
back on in the event that your crops fail due to drought, disease, or infestation.
Tools Without Training Are Almost Useless. Owning a gun doesn't
make someone a "shooter" any more than owning a surfboard makes someone a surfer.
With proper training and practice, you will be miles ahead of the average citizen.
Get advanced medical
training. Get the best firearms
training that you can afford. Learn about amateur radio from your local
affiliated ARRL club.
Practice raising a vegetable garden each summer. Some skills are only perfected
over
a period
of years.
Old Technologies are Appropriate Technologies. In
the event of a societal collapse, 19th Century (or earlier) technologies such
as a the blacksmith's forge, the treadle sewing machine, and the horse-drawn
plow
will be
far easier
to re-construct than modern technologies.
Charity is a Moral Imperative. As a Christian, I feel morally
obligated to assist others that are less fortunate. Following the Old Testament
laws of Tzedakah (charity
and tithing), I believe that my responsibility begins with my immediate family
and expands in successive rings to supporting
my immediate
neighborhood
and
church, to my
community, and beyond, as resources allow. In short, my philosophy is to "give
until it hurts" in times of disaster.
Buy Life Assurance, not Life Insurance. Self-sufficiency
and self-reliance are many-faceted. You need to systematically provide for
Water, Food, Shelter, Fuel, First Aid,
Commo,
and, if need be, the tools to enforce Rule
308.
Live at Your Retreat Year-Round. If your financial and family
circumstances allow it, I strongly recommend that you relocate
to a safe area and live there year-round. This has several advantages,
most notably that will prevent burglary of your retreat logistics and
allow you to regularly
tend to gardens, orchards, and livestock. It will also remove the stress of
timing a "Get Out of Dodge" trip at the11th hour.
If circumstances dictate that you can't live at your retreat year round, then
at least have
a caretaker and stock the vast majority of your logistics in advance, since
you may only have one trip there before roads are impassable.
Exploit Force Multipliers. Night vision gear, intrusion
detection sensors, and radio communications equipment are key force
multipliers. Because
these use high technology they cannot be depended upon in a long term collapse,
but in the short term, they can provide a big advantage. Some low technologies
like barbed wire and defensive road cables also provide advantages and can
last for several decades.
Invest Your Sweat Equity. Even if some of
you have a millionaire's budget, you need to learn how to do things for yourself,
and
be willing to get your hands dirty. In a societal collapse, the division of
labor will be reduced tremendously. Odds are that the only "skilled craftsmen" available
to build a shed, mend a fence, shuck corn, repair an engine, or pitch manure
will be you.and
your family. A byproduct of sweat equity is muscle tone and proper body weight.
Hiring someone to deliver three cords of firewood is a far cry from
felling, cutting, hauling, splitting, and stacking it yourself.
Choose Your Friends Wisely. Associate yourself with skilled
doers, not "talkers." Seek out people that share your
outlook and morality. Living in close confines with other families is sure
to cause friction but that will be minimized if you share a common religion
and norms of behavior.You can't learn every skill yourself. Assemble a team
that
includes members with medical knowledge, tactical skills, electronics experience,
and traditional practical skills.
There is No Substitute for Mass. Mass stops bullets. Mass
stops gamma radiation. Mass stops (or at least slows down ) bad guys from entering
a home and depriving its residents of life and property. Sandbags are cheap,
so buy plenty of them. When planning your retreat house, think: medieval
castle.
(See the SurvivalBlog Archives for the many articles and letters on Retreat
Architecture.)
Always Have a Plan B and a Plan C. Regardless of your pet
scenario and your personal grand plan of survival, you need to be flexible
and adaptable. Situations and circumstances change. Always keep a G.O.O.D. kit
handy, even if you are fortunate enough to live at your retreat year-round.
Be Frugal. I grew up in a family that still remembered both
our pioneer history and the more recent lessons of the Great Depression. One
of our family mottos is: "Use
it up, wear it out, make do, or do without."
Some Things are Worth Fighting For. I encourage my readers
to avoid trouble, most importantly via relocation to safe areas where trouble
is unlikely to come to visit. But there may come an unavoidable day that you
have
to
make a stand to defend your own family or your neighbors. Further, if you value
your liberty, then be prepared to fight for it, both for yourself and for
the sake
of
your progeny.
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The ABCs of WTSHTF, by Mark B.
The ABCs of When the Schumer Hits the Fan (WTSHTF.)
aren’t what you have prepared, acquired or stowed but even more basic
in the preparation processes that we sometimes take for granted.
The A is the ability to learn, to adapt and to try. No matter how
many classes we take or how much we have stored away there is the potential
that we might have missed something or prepared for one scenario and ended
up with another. We may be in the middle of TEOTWAWKI and
not be fully ready but guess what, we aren’t scheduling it. Ability is
not only applying something that we’ve learned but troubleshooting or
working through something that we don’t have a clue about. We may not
get it right the first time that we try something new but we have the ability
to learn from our mistakes and go back to try again. We have the ability to
learn from others mistakes and we have the ability to make changes or corrections
that work for our scenario.
The B is the brains that we have to reason with to store our morals
our life lessons and the memories that make us who we are. The best tool that
we have at our disposal is our brain. So many people in day to day life just
go on auto pilot and don’t think about what they can do to improve how
they do something. In my line of work I hear that “I’ve done
it that way for 20 years”. My response is that you’ve been doing
it wrong for 20 years. We just get in the habit of doing things a certain way.
We eat our meals at the same time even if we aren’t hungry just because
it is the time we are conditioned to eat. We go to bed at a certain time and
we get up at a certain time. As a culture we have stopped utilizing what we
were born with. In my opinion that is a large part of why we are where we are
today. The sheep just keep waiting for someone to lead them or fall prey to
the ones that use their brains without the use of morals. If we just think
about what we are about to do instead of just doing it we can prevent personal
injury or emotional pain. A simple example would be when a loved one has done
something that upset you and you just respond without thinking of how it would
affect them or why they did it the way they did. The words are already spoken;
you can’t take them back, or you’re cutting something with a knife
and slice your finger or hand because you didn’t think about what you
were doing. We should try to learn and practice as much as possible so it will
at least be familiar if not second nature but if we haven’t seen or done
it before it is still doable because we can reason and solve problems. The
human race has faced challenges for thousands of years and we have always improved
because we have the ability to think.
The C stands for two things, first is choice. Most of the dialog that
I’ve seen on SurvivalBlog shows that we have made a choice to
not be led into a place where we no longer have a choice.
We all are at different stages in the process but our choice is to survive
whatever we are dealt. The choice is yours for all situations, you may not
be able to control the overall aspect but you make the choice of how you let
it affect you. Have you ever been driving and had someone cut you off? You
don’t have control over the other driver but you do have the ability
to make the choice of letting the incident infuriate you or brushing the whole
situation off. We all make choices of whom if anyone will be invited into our
confidence or where our retreat will be. We make the choice of what type of
armament we will utilize or the type of food we will store or grow. Some things
are dependent on location or availability but it is still a choice. Our choices
are a large part of what makes us who we are. The choice to have faith, the
choice to be ready, and the choice to have morals are some choices that most
of us here have made. Remember that no matter what the influences are the final
choice is the one that you make. Right, wrong or indifferent it’s the
choice that you will have to live with.
The second C is composure, always maintain your composure. If you
keep your wits about you then you stand a better chance of surviving the situation.
When you lose your composure you lose your ability to reason and react rationally.
In an emergency situation time is critical and if you remain calm you will
have a higher probability of doing it right the first time. In an emergency
situation maintaining your composure could mean the difference between life
and death. I don’t mean you have to become cold or callous but you can
deal with your emotions after the situation subsides. If you don’t maintain
your composure you might not get that chance.
I would like to thank my brothers in arms from all the services; they have
helped me learn these lessons and have given me the opportunity to use what
I was born with and strived to refine it and help it grow.
Remember that we started out without clothes and shelter. We started out without
the ability to communicate over great distances without traveling them. We
can now travel and communicate in space or around the planet all because we
use our ability, our brains and by the choices that we make.
In my opinion we should absolutely continue to learn, store and prepare. We
should choose who we will coexist with before, during and after the coming
collapse, we should do that even if the collapse doesn’t come during
our lifetime. We should continue to grow as an individual and as a group. We
should not over analyze the solution to whatever problem we face. We should
not assume failure if we missed something or we didn’t get the opportunity
to get everything that we wanted. We should be thankful for what we have. We
should remember how far we have come. We should use our brain to think the
solution through. We should use our ability to reason and we should stay calm
to prevail.
I have learned a great deal since I started reading SurvivalBlog and utilizing
the links and resources available here. It has provoked the thought process
of things that I hadn’t thought of or had a different approach about
something.
There are many things that the survivalist practices that have become a lost
art so to speak such as canning and the ability to survive without modern conveniences.
We are in a society that does not know how to function without cell phones
and computers but I can remember when we didn’t have them. We communicated
either by land line telephone or my goodness how archaic, snail mail. Farther
back in our history there was the Pony Express and even couriers.
[The author of the] Heartbreak Ridge [screenplay (James Carabatsos)]
stated it best:" Improvise,
adapt and overcome."
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Letter Re: Don't Delay Dental Work and Elective Surgery!
Mr. Rawles and Fellow SurvivalBlog Readers-
I am recovering today from having oral surgery yesterday. It was not a tooth
that was in pain but one that could give me trouble at any inopportune time.
As a family we have been getting all our dental, vision including extra glasses
and contacts, and other various health concerns taken care of now.
After everything hits the fan or even during this coming economic crisis,
getting
good medical care may be a challenge. I wouldn't want to imagine having the
dental work I had done yesterday performed as a "do it yourself" job.
Don't procrastinate getting even a chronic ingrown toenail fixed! Things
will be hard enough without extra health concerns. - Mt. Momma
« Odds 'n Sods: |Main| Retreat Livestock Guardians, by TD »
Letter Re: Homemade Alcohol Stoves
James,
A few years ago I was interested in methanol since it worked well in fuel
cells to generate electricity without combustion. Alas, I found that methanol
["wood alcohol"] is very toxic. Anyone in a burning methanol [extensively
in a confined space] would shortly after feel "drunk" then
[might eventually] die from methanol poisoning. Additionally, methanol you
spill on your hands enters your
bloodstream and damages your liver (permanently), any you inhale does likewise,
and any that hits the ground will poison the soil and groundwater. Its bad
stuff, not something you want to have around unless you really have to. - Inyokern
JWR Replies: Thanks for adding those safety warnings. I
was aware of the dangers of ingesting methanol, but I was not
aware that the fumes and
skin contact
were so insidious.
I will append my
reply to LeAnne's
instructional post. Based on your warnings, I can now only
recommend grain alcohol (ethanol) for use in tin can stoves.
« Letter Re: Advice on Purchasing Priorities For a Tight Budget |Main| Notes from JWR: »
Family Learning for Preparedness, by T.D.
My husband and I are like minded, (he realized way before I did), and he and
I didn’t
meet until I was in my mid-thirties. I was considered weird, called a tomboy
and later, a gear head. Don’t get me wrong, I cook, sew, knit and crochet.
I had many interests though and wanted to learn.
What I have seen lately and in some people we met that are like minded, is the
lack of initiative on the part of some spouses. I have seen some women and men
that
will ridicule their spouses or will just roll their eyes and feign interest.
I have seen some that their spouses have prepared and bought supplies but their
other half has no clue even how to do the basics. If you are truly vested in
being prepared, your spouse and children need to brush up on the basics also.
This should give you some good ideas on how to learn where you are lacking.
Do you have a grain mill? Mortar and pestle? Does he/she know the basics? Can
all of you bake and cook from scratch? Are your children picky or will they eat
everything you put in front of them? Can they sew? Do they know the basics on
edible plants? Can they hunt or fish? Can your children do what is needed? Can
you do the repairs needed to your home/vehicle?
Our daughter is 16 and she is learning about cars, she can fish with the best
of them and she is a good shot. Our youngest is three years old and he will be
learning as we go. Both will be able to cook (one does now), sew, set traps,
care for
farm
animals, strip and clean weapons, basic survival, fix the family relic (car)
and hopefully get through anything that is thrown at them.
The first step is to start early – my husband is Creole and we eat a lot
most people don’t. Turtle soup, crawfish, head cheese and some even eat
tripe. My son will eat everything he is offered, he was eating crawfish when
he only had 2 teeth. So our routine was this; we fix it and tell you later what
it is. It works well with older kids; younger kids will eat what mom and dad
eat. It is a well known fact that most really young or really old will not eat
a “different” diet, unless they have been doing so all along.
When your child starts showing interest in guns, at about 6-7 years old, take
them hunting. Show them what guns do. My father did that I have always had respect
for what they can do. Children love doing what mom and dad do so they will take
to hunting with pride. We start ours fishing at 2-3 years old for small fish
and getting them used to being around the water supervised. They know how to
check nets and bait hooks by the time they’re 5, that’s when we teach
them how to clean the fish (mom or dad using the sharp knife).
With cars teach them as soon as they’re out of a booster seat. I have
seen too many men and women who can’t even check the oil in their own
cars. Your children should be a help in most situations not a hindrance, even
if it’s
just handing you the tools you need. Our three year old will do most simple
tasks
he is shown and he does them willingly, he is so happy to be a help.
If you are in the military they have a lot of classes on the base that can
help with some of this. Most bases have a repair shop and you can utilize their
mechanics
and tools to learn about repairing your car. They offer other
things so check
into at the base [or post] repair/craft shop.
Work out your plans to include the jobs you expect your children to do. When
things get bad, if we’re on the move our 16 year old is to keep her little
brother while we move and defend if necessary. When stationary she can shoot,
load and take care of first aid. She will be able to pull her own weight and
then some. Our littlest one will follow suit as he grows.
Use barter to attain the skills you don’t have, watch family, use the
Internet and community college. Take a vacation to Pennsylvania or Tennessee.
You can learn a lot in an Amish community, I learned how to make butter and
I am
going back so I can
learn to shear. Some teach and charge others will share what they know for
free. You
can also buy produce and goods from the Amish. Davy Crockett days are in August
and you can watch the craftsman work and it is for the whole family. All vendors
must have a "period" looking tent up and must dress in period clothing.
The on site cooking is also period.
Volunteer to gain skills; veterinarian office and humane society is a good
place to learn about wound care, antibiotic use and dosage, just go watch,
then you
will learn, most places will not turn down a volunteer. Zoos are a great place
to learn about husbandry, housing and more than basic wound care, as smaller
zoos take care of injuries themselves (after a vet is consulted), most of what
you learn at these places about wound care can be used on humans. Colleges
have book sales where you can get books on farming and some older trades/crafts
very
cheap (books are 1-5 dollars). Local small gun and knife shows are also a bountiful
source of information [and logistics], from hard to find books to hard to
find ammo.
Buy reference books! We recently went to a "Friends of the Library" book sale and spent just $12. We now have the McGraw-Hill's 20 volume set on technology ($5), doctor's desk references ("fill the box for $2"), a whole box. These included: beginner, intermediate and advanced practical chemistry, triage handbook, a nurse's reference guide, medical encyclopedias, and a diagnosis reference. We also got the EIR special report "Global Showdown Escalates", Practical Handyman from Greystone Press ($3). In many towns, you can join the Friends of the Library for $5 to $10 dollars annually, or just hit the book sales once per year. Our $12 investment filled the back seat of our car!
Even if you don’t live where your retreat is take the time to “visit” the
area. Go to the local library, stop at the local shops and grab the touristy
maps. In Amish communities the maps tell you about the local farms and what
produce and goods they sell. They have fliers that have information on classes
offered
locally. The department of education has listings for adult education classes
on things like welding. Introduce yourself to the locals, visit the farmers
and the farmers market. Attend the church while you are there, it is the quickest
way into the fold and into being welcomed by the locals. Whether you live there
permanent or you will someday, you will want to be on friendly terms right
away
then when it all goes down.
In Tennessee when we were there, we saw newcomers (less than one year there)
helping
and
being helped by the Amish. Neighbors coming together when they’re needed,
no questions asked other than when do you need me. They all pull together and
work well.
If your family isn’t ready, or is almost ready, taking these steps or some
of these steps will help you get there. If you’re not “together” as
a family in your preparedness then you need to find a way to be. Get the spouse
interested in this even during an outing or vacation. Find a way to get your
children involved. Preparing isn’t just for one person in the family, it’s
for everyone. - T.D.
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Letter Re: Self-Sufficiency--How Do We Do It All?
Dear Memsahib and Jim,
I am a daily SurvivalBlog reader and contributor, along with my husband.
I am very interested in learning more how Memsahib and other retreat
women
manage to do all that they do. How does a day or week in your life go? How
do you can, bake, cook, shear, spin, weave, knit, sew, teach, et cetera and
get it
all done?
We are moving to our retreat soon. I have baked, cooked, knit, learned to spin
and weave, and have canned in the past, but not all at once. I forgot to mention
clean, wash, take care of a garden, etc. etc.
We need a blog [post] about how to accomplish everything and remain sane.
Not to mention home school and run a family, continue church life, etc.
For those of us who have been working and raising a family in a large town
and are moving to a retreat life, we need some how to's!!!
The order of things is of the most importance or we will never accomplish all
our tasks!!!
Memsahib, does your work every stop? Do you feel like you have no personal
time?
I also work as a registered nurse and will try to continue with my specialty
in teaching young mothers how to breast feed and care for their newborns.
Thank you for your input from all of us women who will try to "do it all" on
our retreat sites. Thanks again, - Kathie
The Memsahib Replies: Thank you so much for your huge vote
of confidence. How nice to think there is a woman out there who thinks that
I do it all! :-) First
let me say first, no I
don't do it all. And secondly I don't worry about doing it all either.
I'm writing this reply specifically to married women with children. The most
important thing is to keep your priorities right: I believe the correct order
is: God, your husband, your children, and then everything else after that. Also
remember it is not up to you to insure the survival of your
family. God is in control of everything. And after God is your husband. I hope
this will lift some
if the burden that you are feeling. Don't shoulder the burden of the family's
survival yourself. That is not your role. I think that is usurping your husband's
role
of provider and protector of the family.Your job is to be a helpmeet to your
husband.
Okay, that said, I have acquired a lot of skills that could be put to use in
TEOTWAWKI, but I do not try to do them all now. I think to attempt that would
put me in an early grave like my pioneer great grandmothers! I think this is
time for learning preparation skills, but if you tried to actually do them all
there is no way you would have time to learn any new skills. For example I have
a lot of food preservation skills. But at this present time most of our larder
is full of mostly purchased foodstuffs. For the satisfaction of it, I have fed
my family entire meals from food I personally raised including the milk that
came fresh from our cow. It feels great to know I can do it. But I don't try
to do it on a day to day basis.
There are some things that we do that allow for extra time in my schedule. We
don't own a television. I think I get a lot more done for the lack of watching
television. Also, I do not have a full time job outside the home. Not having
to commute saves a lot of time. Another thing I attribute to getting more done
is the fact that we are out in the middle of nowhere, so I don't shop. There
is no place to shop. Every two months or so we stock up to top off our supplies.
I also know the capacity of our larder well. I'm very strict with my family about
sticking to the list! This saves time and money when we are out shopping. Also
we only shop for clothes twice a year when we visit family in the big city. My
sister knows all the great thrift stores. And, she knows which department stores
have the best sale prices on shoes socks and underwear. If we didn't have growing
children we probably could go several years without buying clothes! By the way.
I do know how to sew clothes. And I know how to knit sweaters, hats, socks, mittens,
and such. But I don't make my family's clothes because I don't particularly enjoy
sewing. (For now, I go to the thrift store. I often can buy down jackets, Merino
wool sweaters and nearly new blue jeans for $3 each, and shirts, slacks, blouses,
skirts, dresses for less than than that.)
Another thing is that our family does which frees up quite a bit of time for
me
is cleaning up after themselves. Our children for example clear their places
after
meals,
take their dishes to the sink and putt the scraps in the chicken bucket, and
rinse their plates and glasses, and put them in the dishwasher. When there are
clothes to be folded at our house all the children fold and put away their own
clothes. Our children also have an individual chore based on their age, such
as setting and clearing the table, unloading the dishwasher, keeping the wood
box filled, and feeding their pets. And you may have realized by now I make use
of
all the
modern appliances which make household chores quicker. In the past, we've lived
without running water and without electricity. I know I can survive without them,
and
I may have
to in the future. But I sure enjoy the luxury of having them now!
The "survival skills' that I do practice daily are the ones that I personally
really enjoy. I practice them as recreation and relaxation. For me personally
that is raising small livestock. I really enjoy going out to the barn and feeding
my critters. I especially enjoy my sheep because I also enjoy the fiber arts.
I also really enjoy gardening. So my hobbies dovetail nicely with my husbands
desire to be well prepared. So what hobbies and interests do you have? Which
ones could you cultivate as prepping? Just because I don't care for sewing doesn't
mean that it wouldn't be a great dovetail for you.
You might say another one of my hobbies is acquiring "life skills".
Some people have a personality that is suited for focusing on one skill and developing
that skill to a master level. My personality is more suited to trying everything.
I try to make the most of each situation in which we've lived to learn what I
can. My motto is: when God gives you zucchini take the opportunity to experiment
baking, drying, frying zucchinis! The older women of the communities we've lived
in have been wonderful teachers. They have taught me how to can pickles, make
grape juice, milk goats, make soap, knit socks as well as sharing the abundance
of their gardens and orchards. But I in no way feel compelled to now makes all
the food we eat from scratch, knit all our clothes, make all our soap, and neither
should you!
I would be remiss if I did not say that I think it is very important to use this
time of liberty of ideas and travel to attend Bible studies. Yes, you can and
should read and study the Bible at home. But, I find that the commitment to do
a study with other believers disciplines me to stay in the Word even when life
gets hectic. And our pastor has many valuable insights into the Scriptures. If
you have the ability to attend a good Bible study, then do it! You
may not always have that opportunity because of poor health, high gas prices,
lack of transportation,
or lack of religious freedom. Reading the stories of prisoners of war, I am struck
by how their knowledge of God's word helped them endure. As the Bible says, "make
the most of time, because the days are evil".
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Letter Re: Being Prepared for an Avian Influenza Outbreak
Sir,
Please pass on a reminder to people to prepare themselves with a plan and supplies
to deal with for the inevitable event [of an Avian Influenza outbreak]. Begin by practicing impeccable agricultural
hygiene and discouraging any visitation of persons near their barn yards,
hen houses and migratory wildlife flocks of geese or ducks on or near their
ponds, open water sources or feed sources. This is best done with a couple
of good herding type dogs who don’t mind getting their feet wet in
the ponds or on the property watering holes. Our chickens are free range,
yet they are blocked from the access of the open water sources, and their
supple mental food and calcium sources are kept away from access of migrating
and indigenous species of birds. The dogs also help with poultry predatory
losses from fox, coons and hawks. - KBF
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The "Come as You Are" Collapse--Have the Right Tools and Skills
In the Second World War, the United States had nearly two full years to ramp
up military training and production before decisively confronting the Axis
powers. In the late 1970s, looking at the recent experience of the 1973 Arab-Israeli
War, the Pentagon's strategic planners came to the realization that the next
major war that the US military would wage would not be
like the Second World War. There would not be the luxury of time to train and
equip. They realized that we would have to fight with only what we had available
on Day One. They dubbed this the "Come as you are war" concept.
In my opinion, the same "come as you are" mindset should
be applied to family preparedness. We must recognize that in these
days of rapid news dissemination, it may take as little as 10 hours before
supermarket shelves are cleaned out. It make take just a few hours for queues
that are literally blocks-long to form at gas stations--or at bank branches
in the event of bank runs. Worse yet, it may take just a few hours before
the highways and freeways leading out of urban and suburban areas are clogged
with traffic--the dreaded "Golden
Horde" that I often write about. Do not make the false assumption
that you will have the chance to make "one last trip" to the big
box store, or even the chance to fill your Bug Out Vehicle's fuel tank. This
will be the "come as you are" collapse.
The concept also applies to your personal training. If you haven't learned
how to do things before the balloon goes, up, then don't expect to get anything
but marginal to mediocre on-the-job training after the fact. In essence, you
have the opportunity to take top quality training from the best trainers now,
but you won't once the Schumer hits
the fan. Take the time to get top-notch training! Train with the best--with
organizations like Medical
Corps, WEMSI, Front
Sight, the RWVA/Appleseed
Project, the WRSA,
and the ARRL.
Someday, you'll be very glad that you did.
The come as you are concept definitely applies to specialized manufactured
equipment.You are dreaming if you think that
you will have the chance to to purchase any items such as these, in a post-collapse
world:
razor
wire, body
armor, night
vision equipment,
advanced
first aid gear, tritium
scopes, dosimeters
and radiac meters, biological decontamination
equipment, Dakota
Alert or military surplus PEWS intrusion
detection sets, photovoltaics,
NBC
masks, and semi-auto
battle rifles.
Think about it: There
are very few if these items (per capita) presently in circulation. But the
demand for them during a societal collapse would be tremendous. How could
you compete in such a scant market? Anyone that conceivably has "spares" will
probably want to keep them for a member of their own family or group. So
even in the unlikely event that someone was even willing to sell
such scarce items, they would surely ask a king's ransom in barter
for them. I'm talking about quarter sections of land,
entire strings of
well-broken horses, or pounds of
gold. Offers of anything less would surely be scoffed at.
Don't overlook the "you" part of the "as
you are" premise.
Are you physically fit? Are you up to date on your dental work? Do you have
two pairs of sturdy eyeglasses with your current prescription? Do
you have at least a six month supply of vitamins and medications? Is your body
weight
reasonable?
If you answer to any of these is no, then get busy!
Even if you have a modest budget, you will have an advantage over the average
suburbanite. Your knowledge and training alone--what is between your ears--will
ensure that. And even with just a small budget for food storage, you will be
miles ahead of your neighbors. Odds are that they will have less than two week's
worth of food on hand. As I often say, you will need extra supplies on hand to
help out relatives, friends, and neighbors that were ill-prepared. I consider
charity my Christian duty!
I have repeatedly and strongly emphasized the importance of living
at your intended retreat year-round. But I realize that because
of personal finances, family obligations, and the constraints of making a
living at an hourly or
salaried job, that this is not realistic--except for a few of us, mainly retirees.
If you are stuck in the Big City and plan to Get Out of Dodge (G.O.O.D.)
at the eleventh hour, then by all means pre-position the vast majority of your
gear and supplies at your retreat. You will most likely only have one, I repeat, one G.O.O.D.
trip. If there is a major crisis there will probably be no chance to "go
back for a second load." So WTSHTF will
truly be a "come as you are" affair.
With all of this in mind, re-think your preparedness priorities. Stock
your retreat well. If there isn't someone living there year-round,
then hide what is there from burglars. (See the numerous SurvivalBlog posts
on caching and constructing hidden compartments and rooms.) Maintain balance
in your preparations. In a situation where you are truly hunkered-down at
your retreat in the midst of a societal collapse, there might not be any
opportunity to barter for any items that you overlooked. (At least not for
several months. ) What you have is what you got. You will have to make-do.
So be sure to develop your "lists
of lists" meticulously. If you have the funds available, construct
a combination storm shelter/fallout shelter/walk-in vault. It
would be virtually impossible to build something that elaborate in the aftermath
of a
societal collapse.
A closing thought that relates to your retreat logistics: The
original colonial Army Rangers, organized by Major Robert Rogers during
the French and Indian Wars of the 1750s had a
succinct list of operating rules. The version of the "Rules of Ranging" recounted
in the novel "Northwest Passage" by Kenneth Roberts started
with a strong proviso: "Don't forget nothing." That
is sage advice.
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Sanitation During a Grid Down Collapse, by Nina in Washington
Sanitation may be an area that is neglected in our preparations for during
difficult times. Not because people don't care, but because we take so much
of it for granted
we aren't aware of its importance. There are several areas in the sanitation
arena that need to be considered when preparing;
1. Food
2. Daily Living
3.Waste Disposal
4. Medical
5. Deaths
The most obvious area to consider is that of our food preparations. We are all
aware of the importance of washing our hands and not cross contaminating foods
like meats and vegetables. All counters where foods may be prepared should be
kept spotlessly clean. This includes areas where butchering is being done. The
areas should be hosed and bleached and the meat meticulously washed, making certain
the contents of the animals intestines does not come in contact with the meat.
The animals should be covered with a fabric bag (one that breathes) to protect
the meat from flies, and dirt while the meat is hung. All utensils including
those being used for dehydrated foods and canning should be sterilized by boiling
or baking. (Do not bake canning lids, they are placed in very hot water prior
to processing.)
In the area of daily living, if we allow ourselves to become cluttered and disorganized
because the world around us is falling apart we have begun the downward spiral
ourselves. Remaining organized and clutter free gives us access to items which
may be of immediate necessity and less chance of an accident of which even something
as minor as tripping over clutter could become life threatening. Keeping organized
also causes us less stress. Relieving our minds to be put to better use. It also
provides activities to the group, giving tasks to those who may not be able to
do other things or just an extra way to stay 'busy'. Clothes that are kept clean
are warmer and last longer (dryers are hard on fabric). And shoes should be worn
at all times outside. Personal hygiene is important not only for our physical
health, but our mental health as well. Ever notice how much better you feel after
a shower? It helps us maintain some a semblance of normalcy and civility in
our lives not only for ourselves, but for the group. When we are clean and groomed
it is also easier to spot someone not well. Special attention needs to be paid
to the care of our teeth. Brushing, flossing and possibly rinsing with an anti-cavity
rinse.
Feminine hygiene products that are disposable should be burned and the fabric
reusables (for the same) as well as cloth baby diapers should be either boiled
or
bleached
and
hung in the sun. (The ultraviolet rays kill lots of bacteria)
Of course you can't assume that cleanliness is next to Godliness is only for
the people in your group. Your animals will benefit from your diligent attention
to their well being as well. Keeping their pens, bedding and feeders clean could
mean the difference between animals used to fulfill our needs and sickly or dead
critters. Most domesticated animal waste can be safely used as fertilizer after
composting with the exception of dogs, cats and pigs. These should never be used
around areas that will have vegetables and pregnant women should Never handle
cat waste.
The third great consideration is waste disposal. This not only pertains to manure,
but garbage as well. Most containers used for foods will probable be kept for
some other need down the road. However, that means time and effort into making
sure they are very well cleaned and stowed properly so as not to attract rodents
or flies and bacteria. That which isn't needed should be burned, composted or
deeply buried away from your area. Food scraps can be fed to animals or composted
(not meats) or put into a worm bin (a little bit of meat is okay here) which
not only provides great fertilizer for the garden, but worms for your fowl.
Human waste is much more of a problem. We are no longer used to dealing with
our own waste. Most of us just pass it on to someone else to take care of. The
average person produces 2-3 pints of urine and one pound of feces per day. Multiply
that by the number of people in your group for a day/week or longer and you begin
to see the problem. If the sewer system is working you can still use your toilet
by pouring water directly into the bowl to flush the waste. Five gallon buckets
with a toilet seat can be used as a porta-potty. Lime, wood ash, and good ol'
dirt can be used to reduce the odor. This will have to be cleaned daily and an
area set up away from any possible contamination sites to be used for composting
keeping the compost covered to deter flies, etc. You should not use this compost
in food gardening. A trench toilet is also an option. Dig a trench two feet wide
and a minimum of 12 inches deep and 4 feet long or more. After use, cover with
the dirt from the hole, filling in from one end as you go. Bad bacteria can travel
300 feet from its original site. Pay attention to drainage and making sure the
manure is covered with lime, ashes or dirt. The area could attract rodents, dogs,
and worse, flies. The most important things to remember are reducing the fly/rodent
problem and washing your hands thoroughly when you've finished. Stock up on hand
sanitizer as well as soap. The book "The Humanure Handbook" by
Joseph
Jenkins
is
an interesting read. [JWR Adds: I must add a strong proviso.
With
this
approach,
temperature
monitoring
is
crucial! Unless you can be absolutely sure that a bacteria-killing temperature
is achieved, then do not attempt to use this method for manure
that will be used for vegetable or grain growing!] In my opinion, the risks far outweigh the rewards.
For those of you planning on hunkering down in place if the grid were to go
down and the sewer were to quit functioning, pay attention to where the access
lids to the sewer are in your area. If you are anywhere down hill sewage may
back up through these portals and even into your drains, and toilets. Give this
some thought.
The fourth area of consideration is medical. In a TEOTWAWKI
situation, we may be having people show up late or be accepted into our group
that weren't there in the beginning.
We need to consider that these folks whether loved ones or stranger may be
bringing something unwanted with them. If possible a 'quarantine' area should
be set up
where these people could spend two weeks away from the group to make sure they
aren't sick. It may sound cruel, but these people should remain without direct
contact with the group. (radio contact or distant voice communication if acceptable
would be greatly appreciated.) Their meals could be dropped off on paper plates
that they could burn after finishing. There utensils washed by them and kept
in the quarantine area. Anything that is needed should be brought and dropped
off so as not to expose the other members of the group. They would need to
remain in the quarantine area at all times and not expose people, animals,
areas, or equipment.
If after two weeks they are well, the chances are greatly reduced that they
have a communicable disease.
There should also be a separate area for medical procedures. A separate bedroom
or bathroom. This area should be kept spotless at all times. All items being
used should be boiled or steamed (a steam canner or pressure canner as an
autoclave) and all fabrics baked (200 degrees for one hour) prior to use. Tables,
trays and
equipment should be washed and bleached. (Alcohol is a great bacteria killer)
New garbage bags can be used to cover tables, chairs etc. prior to use and
after cleaning, and to protect between activities. They are fairly sanitary.
Disposable
rubber gloves and masks should be used when treating patients and if blood
is present goggles should be worn (swim goggles, or ski goggles over glasses
would
work). Used dressings, etc should be burned or buried deeply, away from the
area.
A hundred years ago our ancestors lived with germs that our systems are no
longer used to. What would not have made them sick, could easily sicken us
today. Rodents
and flies that carry disease are probably one of the major concerns for us.
In a grid down situation they would flourish. And if we weren't exceptionally
careful,
bring disease to us. Rodent control would be a regular requirement around our
'camps', but handling them could be an issue in itself. Probably best done
with a mask and gloves. Keeping flies away from any foods and food areas would
be
vital. Fly tape wouldn't hurt. All this of course means more water. Stock up
on those barrels if you have no other means and if you'll be living downstream
of metropolitan areas the water runoff could be deadly so remember to use caution.
The most difficult area of sanitation we may have to deal with is death. Although
many organisms in the body of the deceased are not likely to infect a healthy
person, handling the blood, bodily fluids and tissues of those who had been
infected increases that risk. Many fluids leak from a dead body, including
contents of
the stomach, and intestines. Decomposition depends on how long the person has
been deceased, the temperature of the environment and the damage to the body
and the bacteria present. There are some basic precautions to take in handling
the deceased. Wear disposable gloves when handling anything associated with
the body and cover all cuts or abrasions with waterproof bandages or tape.
Wear a
mask, or face shield, goggles or some kind of protection to the face for the
mouth, nose and eyes. Decomposing bodies can sometimes burst and spray
fluids and tissues due to the buildup of gases. Wear aprons or gowns that can
be destroyed. Wrap the body in a body bag or several layers of garbage sacks
or plastic sheeting. The more quickly this takes place after the death, the
less chance of leaking [body] fluids will occur. Graves should be dug at least
100 feet away
from all open water sources and deep enough that animals won't dig them up.
Cremation requires large amounts of fuel and may not be feasible. In case
of accidental
exposure, flush with huge quantities of water. (Dilution is the solution.)
Thoroughly wash yourself afterward and dip your hands in a bleach solution
even if no apparent
contact was made. Disinfect all equipment, surfaces, floors, and so forth with
a bleach solution. Don't forget to make notes on the deceased and the circumstances
surrounding the death and burial. Take pictures if you can. Anything that you
think is of
importance in case the authorities come back and question it at some time.
This may be the most difficult part of a crash. But, the quicker it is dealt
with,
the better for everyone involved.
Sanitation is a major concern in your preparations. Improper sanitation is
responsible for hundreds of thousands of deaths each year. It would be a shame
if you stored
your beans, bullets and band aids, but died of dysentery due to lack of proper
sanitation. Give this one some serious thought.
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Keeping Ourselves Injury Free WTSHTF, by Bubba's Wife
Some of us with desk jobs in the current economy (who possibly stop at Starbucks
more than we should) have a bit more to do than just preparing our retreats.
I will attempt to address the issue of keeping our bodies injury free, during
the upcoming adventures. In the coming economy, there’s going to be
a lot of hard, physical work and chiropractors will be hard to come by.
I believe that our family’s preparation plans are going to have to include
a plan to bring our bodies up to a standard of fitness, flexibility and strength.
Every family member is going to have to be at the top of his or her game, physically.
Realistically, we don’t know how bad it’s going to get, so we need
to prepare for the worst. In my mind, TEOTWAWKI could mean having to care for
our families in a combative environment, without a reliable medic and perhaps
far from our medical supplies. In that kind of environment we are going to
have to rely on our bodies like never before.
The most important part of the preparation of our physical bodies is going
to be flexibility. Thorough flexibility can and will prevent an injury that
a stiff, inflexible body could suffer from for months. Have you known anyone
sidelined for months or even years with a bad back? WTSHTF, that’s not
going to be an option. Our survival will depend on being able to get it done,
every day.
The second most important part of your preparation is going to be your “core” strength.
This is the strength at the center of your body, mainly your abdominal muscles. A
strong core means a strong back. Also, your balance and agility come
from having a strong core.
The last, yet still vitally important, part will be muscular strength. Strong
arms, legs, glutes, etc. will ensure that we are able to accomplish what we
have to. We can be certain that there is some hard work ahead. It’s better
to be prepared, than to discover too late that we’re not up to the task.
Before we head off to the gym, gung ho to “get in shape,” keep
in mind that we won’t have an LA Fitness Center nearby to maintain our
physique. So let’s build it, the way we’re going to have to maintain
it. Realistically: at home, without equipment.
We aren’t aiming for a perfect physique. We don’t even need a pretty
physique. We need a strong, flexible physique that does what it’s told.
Like our children and pets, our bodies have to be trained to respond and comply
without hesitation, and without letting us down.
Let’s start with flexibility: Every day, without fail, we need to spend
some time stretching and limbering our bodies. This is not until we get to
our goal – this is forever. Here are some stretches that should get every
inch of our bodies limber: I got these stretches from “The Genius
of Flexibility” by Bob Cooley (ignore the “Chinese Medicine” and “Energy
Flow” Schumer– but
the stretches are good.) You may find better stretches
in your own health library. (YMMV)
1. Knee to forehead: increases flexibility and strength of lateral leg, hip,
torso, and neck muscles.
Lie on your back. Pull right knee halfway to your chest and place the left
ankle over your right knee. Place both hands on the back of your right thigh,
close to your knee. Stretch the muscles on your left hip and thigh by resisting
your left leg and ankle against your right thigh, as you pull your right knee
toward your chest with your arms. Repeat several times and switch sides.
2. Lateral bend: increases strength and flexibility of arms and torso muscles.
Stand with feet together and grasp your hands together above your head. Continuously
contract the muscles on the side of your torso by pulling your left arm downward
and using your right arm to lean over to the left. Turn your head and torso
towards the ceiling. Return to starting position. Repeat several times, and
then switch sides.
3. Thigh stretch: front of thighs.
Kneel on all fours with your hips aligned over your knees, and your hands and
wrists under and in alignment with your shoulders. Bring your left lower leg
and foot up against the wall with a rolled up hand towel to cushion your foot.
Step up onto your right foot in front of you and lunge deeply forward, slanting
your torso slightly forward. Contract the muscles on the front of your left
thigh by pushing against the wall with your left foot while you bring your
hips back next to your left foot. Return to starting position. Repeat several
times then switch sides.
4. Forward bend: back of thighs and calves.
You can do this standing or sitting. Spread your legs shoulder width apart
or wider, and bend forward. Grasp your ankles with both hands. Contract the
muscles on the inside back of your thighs as you bend forward, straighten your
legs, and pull your head down between your legs with your arms. Return to starting
position. Repeat several times.
5. Central leg extension: back of legs and up spine.
Lie on the floor on your back. Bring your right knee up to your chest and bend
your lower leg. Grasp hold of your right ankle and foot with both hands. Contract
the muscles on the back of your legs and up your spine by kicking your heel
toward your butt while you bring your heel up toward your head with your hands.
Repeat several times and switch sides.
6. Child's pose: back of shoulders and arms. Kneel on the floor. Curl your
torso and head toward your knees and place your elbows and hand parallel to
the floor
in front of you. Contract the muscles on the back of your shoulders and arms
as you pull backwards and push downward against the floor. Press your lower
legs against the floor as you arch your back.
7. Lotus – inner thigh.
You can do this sitting up, or laying on your back with you feet up the wall.
Bend both knees and put the soles of your feet together. Contract the muscles
on the inside of your thighs by squeezing your thighs together while your hands
press you’re your thighs open
Remember when stretching – inhale before the stretch and exhale through
the stretch. Always stretch slowly, no bouncing or jarring – which could
damage the muscle rather than strengthen it. (This seems completely counterintuitive,
but give it a try – it works: if you contract your muscles through the
stretch, you’ll get a better stretch and you’ll build muscle strength
isometrically.) Stretch every day and we’ll all be limber as house cats
in short order.
Once we’ve limbered up a bit, it’s time to start working the core.
Remember we’re increasing our workout, not replacing anything. : o )
Core strength means balance, agility and a strong back Here are some simple
abdominal exercises to get you started: I got these from “Body for
Life for Women” by Pamela Peeke and can’t recommend it enough.
1. Crunches:
Lie on the floor, hands behind your head, knees together, feet flat on the
floor about one foot from your bum. Push your lower back into the floor, then
roll your shoulders up, keeping knees and hips stationary. When your shoulders
come off the ground a few inches, hold this position and flex your abdominal
muscles as hard as you can for a count of one. Slowly lower your shoulders
to the floor, keeping pushing your lower back into the floor for the entire
exercise.
2. Reverse Crunches:
Lie on your back with your legs and hips bent at 90-degree angles, and your
arms relaxed at your sides, palms facing down. Pull your abs in, and lift your
hips as if you were tipping a bucket of water that’s resting on your
pelvis. Don’t lift your hips more than a 30-degree angle from the floor.
Don’t use your hands to help you pull your hips up.
3. Hip Thrusts:
Lie flat on your back on the floor, with your legs straight up in the air directly
above your hips, ankles together and feet flexed. Stretch your arms over your
head and grasp the leg of something heavy/sturdy that won’t budge. Lift
with the lowest area of your abs so that your hips rise off the floor several
inches. Squeeze and hold foe several seconds at the top of the movement, then
return to the starting position.
When we have become flexible, and have strengthened our abs and backs: it’s
time to build some basic strength. It’s important to handle the flexibility
and core training first, because a lack of either will shoot down our strength
training in a hurry.
By far, the best method of strength training is calisthenics. No equipment
is needed, and exercise can happen anywhere. Calisthenics use the weight of
our bodies to build strength – so our equipment is handy at all times.
Again, we’re not replacing any of our current workout – we’re
building on it. We’re not trying to build beauty pageant muscles. We
want to build functional strength. We want to be strong enough to perform all
of our tasks without injury. We want to be strong supple and ready for the
unexpected. God designed our bodies to build and maintain muscle mass in response
to the demands we put on our bodies. The more demand we put on our bodies;
the more we can put on them.
Here are some calisthenics to get started with:
1. Squats:
With feet shoulder width apart, squat as far as possible. Bring your arms forward,
parallel to the floor, return to starting position. Repeat.
2. Alternating lunges:
With your hands on your hips, take a step forward with your right leg until
your front knee is bent 90-degrees and your back knee almost touches the ground.
Push off from your leading foot and return to the starting position. Repeat
with your left leg.
3. Push-Ups:
Do manly push-ups, up on your toes; girly push-ups, up on your knees; or even
standing and pushing off the wall push-ups.
4. Pull-Ups/Chin-Ups:
Palms face out for traditional pull-ups on a bar to strengthen middle back
muscles. Palms face toward you to do a chin-up, which strengthens that back
and biceps.This is just a basic outline to get you started. I suggest that
you buy a few books on stretching and strength training, just so you have somewhere
to go after you’ve mastered the basics. The basics will definitely get
you there, but you will probably want to go further. I strongly endorse “Body
for Life for Women” and heartily recommend "The
Pace Plan" by Dr. Al Sears both programs are short on effort and
long on results. There are a lot of good Pilates books out there too.
So here’s my family’s plan, for everyone – even the preschooler
and the dog:
Create a flexible body that can twist and bend without snapping anything.
Build abdominal/core strength, so our agile and graceful bodies can hoe a garden
(or drag a casualty) without injury.
Build functional strength that will maintain our health and ensure that have
that extra effort to give.
« Odds 'n Sods: |Main| Letter Re: "Forever" US Postage Stamps as an Inflation Hedge »
Two Letters Re: Radon Poisoning
Jim,
After reading a few more snippets about Radon poisoning and checking
a few sources via Internet. I hypothesize that this may be another hoax along
the lines of "global warming". There are more medical professionals
saying lung cancer is [caused by] diet or smoking and general abuse of the
body.
If Radon has been present and naturally occurring since God created the earth,
then its being blamed for illness is similar to skid-marks being blamed for
car-wrecks. Global warming is increasingly being proved a hoax by the most
respected meteorologists and climatologist's who say the minute temperature
changes have come with increased solar output; which is now declining. Man
is not so powerful as to be able to corrupt the globe as they would like to
think. (Nuclear holocaust aside) I'm beginning to think the Radon scare is
the same type of gag. Have you ever read the book called "The Report
from Iron Mountain"? Make sure it's the early version. Thankfully,
God is Sovereign over even the minutiae of Creation. - KM
Mr Rawles,
The link to the radon article brought back memories of my college days and
a chemistry seminar on the subject. The speakers research on the subject led
him to the conclusion that the EPA was fighting a costly and meaningless battle.
He went so far as to say that some radon exposure was better than none. If
I recall correctly, him mentioned a trial where lab rats exposed to normal
environmental levels of radon lived longer than rats exposed to none. He presented
it like it was a mini chemotherapy treatment that killed off unhealthy cells
in the rats. He wasn't advocating seeking out radon exposure but he was trying
to
make the point that radon was less than harmless. I don't have any references
for all this but a quick search on the net yielded the following maps:
The first is Radon levels in the U.S.
The second is lung cancer deaths per 100,000 people
SurvivalBlog readers can take this for what it is worth but I don't see the
correlation between Radon and lung cancer and you won't find me worrying about
Radon levels when I select my retreat location. Personally I think either private
industry is pushing Radon for profit reasons or the EPA is using it to secure
greater bureaucratic control and funding. - Northwest Huey
« Letter Re: SurvivalBlog Taught an Old Dog Some New Tricks |Main| Letter Re: Birdshot Ineffective as a Home Defense Load »
Letter Re: A Warning on Kelly Kettles
Dear Jim,
Great Site, Jim! I wanted to warn some folks that may have ordered or intend
to order the Kelly Kettle (mentioned in the article "Prepare
or Die", by J. Britely .) After receiving my kettle I rinsed
it out with water and soap. I then tested the kettle to make sure it worked,
and most
importantly, learned how to use it before the situation
required its use. I started with paper burning, then put small sticks
from the yard in the
chimney
and that baby really boiled water fast. However, after using it twice and
rinsing it out, I ran my finger along the inside of the water container.
My finger was coated with a good coating of aluminum dust and some type of
slightly greasy sticky substance. I rinsed it out again and again, boiled
it again and again, and still my finger comes out with a good coating of
aluminum dust. This cannot be good for human consumption. I sent the manufacturer
e-mails but never heard back. It was so much dust--imagine spraying aluminum
spray
paint
and passing your finger through the flow of paint real fast--yes - really,
that much. If you fill it with water you can actually see fine aluminum particles
float in the water at the top. Just a warning. - Jesse
« Odds 'n Sods: |Main| Note from JWR: »
Prepare or Die, by J. Britely
Throughout my life I have been
caught unprepared several times and while nothing seriously bad happened, it
easily could have. I have been
lost hiking. My car has broken
down in very bad
neighborhoods - twice. I have
been close enough to riots
that I feared they would spread to my neighborhood, been in earthquakes, been
too close to wildfires, been stuck in a blizzard,
and have been without power and water for several days after a hurricane. I managed to get myself out of
each situation, I thanked God, and tried to learn from my mistakes. I could have avoided these situations
or made them much less unsafe and worrisome if I had been more aware and
prepared. I have also tried to
learn from the mistakes of others
so as to not learn everything the hard way. One group I assisted was a two hour drive into the
mountains, out of gas, wearing tee shirts, and had empty water bottles (at
least they kept them) (I have made each of those mistakes but not all at the
same time).
I aspire to be more prepared the
next time. My preparedness
includes many different aspects.
In my opinion, the most important thing I have done is to learn as much
as possible about what to expect and how to deal with those situations. The other important thing that gives me
some piece of mind is that I carry
and stock away water, food, ammo, books, and other tools and equipment that
should help me survive a bad situation.
Be prepared!
The other inspiration for my
preparations is my family. Seeing
my family suffer from lack of water or food would be very hard for me,
especially if some easy and cheap preparations could have made a big
difference. Recently, a few
friends and family have asked me about my preparations and how they might
prepare. I didn't have a good
short answer because I have spent years learning and stocking away. I thought of myself as more of a
student than a teacher in this area, but now I think I do know enough to give
some basic advice and refer them to good sources for more. Hopefully, they (and you) can learn
from my mistakes without having to waste time, energy and money on things that
don't work. Of course, I haven't
been through every situation or disaster but I have made it through a few tough
spots without losing my head. My
advice is based upon what I know to work and also what sounds like it would
work with the minimum fuss. I
always prefer the cheap, easy, home-made solution, but
sometimes it is worth the cost to get a quality item that is just too hard to
improvise or where the manufactured solution is much better (such as a
knife). Keep it simple stupid
(KISS) when you can. With
persistence you can get a lot done $20 at a time.
The purpose of this document is
to give an overview of preparedness and the first steps to take. I focus more on the why than the what
so that you can tailor your preparedness to your own situation and budget. I will also cite the best sources I
have found for more information.
There is a lot of information out there in books, classes, web sites,
and forums. Most of it is good but it is also really repetitious and
overwhelming. This document is
only about 15 pages printed out (you are printing important information (not
necessarily this) aren't you - since in an emergency you may not have power and
need to take the information with you).
I try to keep my important preparedness documents in an expandable file
folder with a tie inside a plastic crate.
What are you preparing for?
No one really knows what will be
the next survival situation they will face or how it will play out (will it get
worse before it gets better?). It
could be getting lost hiking, the car getting two flats in the middle of the
desert, a hurricane, a home invasion, an earthquake, or a terrorist
attack. You must assess your own
situation and determine what you need to prepare for. Of course some preparations will be useful in many
situations including everyday life, and these are the best type.
In order to get an idea of what
to prepare for, look at the types of situations that you or people similar to
you have been through. Also,
assess where you live or spend a lot of time such as work and vacation. We need to learn from the past but
without fighting the last war.
I like hiking and being
outdoors, so for me learning how
not to get lost and how to stay alive in the outdoors are high
priorities. These skills may also
come in handy if I need to walk to safety during a terrorist attack because all
of the roads and public transportation are closed. Living in your house without power or water isn't too
different from camping
except for the nice roof over your head and all of your stuff. I have also taken a first
aid class. It is pretty
limited in coverage but still useful in a variety of situations.
To assess the likely dangers to
where I live and work I used several sources including FEMA (free guide), DHS, Disaster Center, Emergency
Essentials, Two
Tigers and CBS. Also, find your local emergency
response office. But don't
rely on the government too much for planning or for help. As we relearned with the Katrina
response, their information and advice is far from perfect. And FEMA has always said it will take
72 hours to respond. So the way
I
look at it, during Katrina, FEMA (and
local governments) failed to live up to
its own low expectations. But even
if FEMA had been able to provide more food and water, you would still be much
better off taking care of yourself.
Do you really want to be told what possessions you can hold, when to
eat, when to sleep, and live in close quarters with thousands of
strangers? Sounds like prison to
me.
It's
A Disaster is a good book that will get you started on a plan for most
disasters. Some of their plans are
a little passive for me (don't take any risks and follow all FEMA directions)
and their kits lack some important things like knives. Still, it is a very good book and a
great start. Family and friends
should be included in your planning and preparations as much as they want to
be, but be careful about telling people who you do not trust or know well. You do not want to become a target in a
crisis.
I
think one of the best sources for thinking about what you are preparing for
and what does and doesn't work is news and
first hand accounts. These are some of the best ones I have
found. A few of them seem kind of
glib and bravado but the advice seems sound.
True Stories of Survival
Hurricane Katrina: http://www.frfrogspad.com/disastr.htm
Argentina thread 1: http://www.clairewolfe.com/wolfesblog/arg.html
Argentina thread 2 (some
swearing): http://www.survivalmonkey.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2715
Airplane crash: http://www.equipped.com/waldock698.htm
Ground Zero: http://www.equipped.org/groundzero.htm
Karen Hood's Survival Journal (a week in the wilderness) http://www.survival.com/karen1.htm
Sailing to Hawaii http://www.equipped.com/0698rescue.htm
Tsunami http://pubs.usgs.gov/circ/c1187/
Alaska http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/Rapids/8017/index2.html
A list of stories
Priorities
The survival Rule of Threes:
- It takes about three seconds to die without thinking
- It takes about three minutes to die without air
- It
takes about three hours to die without shelter
- It
takes about three days to die without water
- It
takes about three weeks to die without food
- It
takes about three months to die without hope
- Try to
have at least three ways of preventing each
of the above (a backup to your backup).
So the priorities are thinking,
air, shelter, water, food, and hope.
These are rules of thumb and approximations. Also, you will likely start feeling really bad before you
die so you need to be proactive in addressing these needs.
Thinking
Basically, don't panic
and do
something stupid. This is easier
said than done, but you can build your thinking skill and confidence by playing
“what if” games. After reading about the risks to your area and the survival
stories above, think about what kinds of things could go wrong and how you
would deal with them. The more
detail the better. What would you
do if a cat 5 hurricane was projected to hit your house? Where would you go? What would you take? Would it all fit in your car? Do you have enough gas to get there if
the gas stations are closed? What
if you don't have time to leave? What room in your house is safest (can you
reinforce it easily)?
If you are facing a serious
situation but no immediate threat, take the time to consider your options
before rushing into a course of action.
Take an inventory of what you have on hand and what is around you. Think of how each item could help solve
one or more of your priorities.
Thinking about these things may
be scary but it will be less scary when it actually happens if you have thought
it through. Focus on what you can
do to improve things and not on what you cannot change. Thinking can also be
more long term as in learning and planning. I suggest you read some of the sources below and then come
up with a plan for several types of situations that you are likely to
face. But don't delay, you can take
some first steps outlined below, such as storing water, right now. You can then read more, take classes
and collect useful items.
Preparing is a process not a one time event.
Air
Having breathable air is not
something you usually have to worry about, but it is an immediate priority if
you do. First aide can help with
choking and bleeding (which causes the body to not get needed oxygen). Hundreds
of people die from carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide poisoning
every year because of gas leaks and cooking
or heating indoors. Being at
altitude can also make it harder to breath. Finally, a terrorist attack could put dust, chemical,
biological, or nuclear contamination in the air or force you into a shelter
that needs ventilation. Be aware
of these dangers and have appropriate detectors if possible (smoke, carbon
monoxide, etc.). A wet cloth or
hand wipe (carry on airplane) to breathe through can help for dust or smoke.
Shelter
Shelter is mainly about staying
dry and the right temperature, but you also want to avoid sunburn, bugs,
animals and other dangers. Your
house is your usual primary shelter but it could become damaged or you may have
to evacuate. You should have
emergency repair items on hand such as tarps, lumber, shovels, nails, plastic
sheeting, crowbars, and a saw.
Your clothes are your first and
most important layer of shelter outdoors.
Clothes protect you from heat, cold and abrasions. In general silk, wool, and synthetic
materials are better than cotton especially to keep you warm in cold wet
weather. I find cotton more comfortable especially in hot weather, so I
compromise and wear a cotton shirt and shorts, but carry a better shirt, pants
and socks
in my bag, as well as additional layers and a change of underwear. This makes my pack a little heavier,
but I have been cold and wet in the wilds and that is miserable. For me, a hat and sunglasses are
indispensable. I try to always
carry at least a light water resistant jacket or poncho (with a garbage bag as
a backup). For me, boots are the
only sensible walking shoes. Find
some that are rugged and comfortable.
Have extra laces and a backup pair.
You can carry a tent, a tarp or garbage
bag for resting and sleeping.
A tarp can make a simple shelter or
an elaborate one. Rope, twine and tape are also
useful. You can carry some type of
staff
or tent
poles or make them with an ax or saw.
Mosquito netting is necessary in some places.
You should have many ways to
start a fire since most are cheap and compact. At least have a lighter, matches,
and flint. You can also build a firebed to sleep in if you have
inadequate shelter from the cold.
Water
This is a crucial area that
can be helped a lot with very cheap and easy actions before The Schumer
Hits The
Fan (TSHTF). This is probably the
thing
you can do with the highest payoff for amount of effort. The only problem with water is that it
is heavy and can take up a lot of room.
If you have storage room and are staying home this isn't a problem but
if you are on the move it can become a driving factor in your progress. Long term solutions are also difficult
if your primary water source (city water or well) goes out and you are not near
a river or lake.
Used plastic soda bottles and
orange juice jugs with screw tops make very convenient water storage containers. Just rinse them a few times with hot
water. Old liquor bottles and wine box bladders work well too. I also have several canteens and rugged
5
gallon containers with taps.
The five gallon containers weigh about 40 pounds each and are about as
big as can be easily moved (larger drums can go in your basement or garage or
under a rain spout). A few collapsible
containers might also be useful because they can be stored and carried
empty. Tap water can last for
years without going bad if kept in a cool dark place. But you should check water that has been stored for clarity
and odors. If in doubt, treat it
with one of the methods below. You
can also freeze the plastic soda or orange juice containers (these do crack sometimes
when freezing) and use them in a cooler to keep food cold if the power goes out
before drinking it. If you know
a
disaster is coming fill up any container you can including the coffee maker,
crystal vase, bucket, bathtub, sink, and kiddy pool (some of these could be
spilled or contaminated but hopefully some will make it).
Most sources recommend about a
gallon per person per day. People
consume about 2 quarts in cool low activity environments but much more if hot
or active. You should have at
least 2 weeks worth per person in your primary residence (but why not have
months worth if you have the room).
If you are traveling by car, three days worth per person is minimum
(more for bathing), and if you are walking take as much as you reasonably can
carry but at least one days worth (several small bottles are better for
diversification if one leaks and also to let you know to start looking for more
water before you are on your last bottle). I also store extra water for washing and bathing. Here the container doesn't matter quite
as much. I use old liquid
detergent jugs. You should also
have at least two methods of sterilizing water.
The first step in sterilizing
water is to get the water as clear as possible. If it is cloudy, strain it with coffee filters, a clean
cloth, or sand. Or you can let it
settle and pour off the more clear water.
The primary and most reliable
method of sterilizing water is boiling.
You actually do not need to boil the water just heat it past 145 degrees for long enough. But
if you don't do it right you can get sick. So to be safe, boil it for 5 minutes if you can.
