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A Prepared Christmas, by Hunkerdown
A Prepared Christmas, by Hunkerdown
As most folks are running around fiercely to holiday parties and the malls in search of the perfect gift, even in these troubled times, it dawned on me that this is a unique time of the year that preppers can share our enthusiasm for our lifestyle. I started my preparedness journey (Yes, ‘journey’, as I’m now sure there is not a final destination. Can you ever be too prepared?) a little less than a year ago, and through sites like SurvivalBlog, have spent many hours educating myself about the numerous issues we may face in TEOTWAWKI. I often find prepping hard to discuss with friends and family, for the risk of seeming odd or simply being ignored, but I do care enough that I want them prepared.
One simple way I have found to bring others into the loop, is to focus my Christmas presents on items that will bring exposure to the subject and be useful for everyday preparedness or TEOTWAWKI. Rather than giving a fruit cake that no one wants (although I do understand the shelf life to be quite long!), I am putting thought into each person and finding a gift that works for them.
For my father, who is an over-the-road trucker in the Midwest, I have assembled a Bug Out Bag (BOB). He has the basic safety gear and tools for his rig, but he does not carry food, fire starters, or extra clothes that may be necessary if he is stuck in a snow storm for several days. I have purchased a sturdy pack from a surplus store and have stocked it with bottles of water, MREs with heaters, candles, lighters, matches, emergency blanket, portable radio, flashlight, batteries, and other essentials. I’ve also included some wool socks, gloves and a toboggan vacuum sealed. I vacuum sealed them so he doesn’t get the urge to use them in a non-emergency with the thought of putting them back that never actually happens (i.e., it must be an emergency if he is going to break the vacuum seal). I used this trick with other items in the bag as well, so they don’t ‘wander off’ and are protected from the elements. I will have him add a flannel shirt and other appropriate clothes at the time that I give it to him.
For my mother, who is an avid gardener and cook, I purchased a grain mill, 45 pounds of hard red wheat, and a book about cooking with wheat. She loves to bake bread, but has traditionally used store-bought ingredients. Now she can experiment with the mill before a TEOTWAWKI situation and I have also added a much needed prep item to our inventory. My mother lives 200+ miles away, but that is my current BOL (bug-out location), until I can buy my own land.
Instead of more clothes or a trip to the day spa for my girlfriend, I have purchased her the same 9mm pistol that I carry. Some may think this is like giving her a vacuum cleaner or exercise videos, but it is not. Over the past year, she has learned to shoot, obtained her gun carry permit, and started shooting with me in our local practical pistol matches with my gun, which she likes. She enjoys the activity, is quite proficient, and will enjoy having her own and I will feel more at ease as well.
Stocking stuffers can be great opportunities to help others with preparations too. Little things, like pocket knives, flashlights, NOAA radios, multi-tools, etc, are handy items that everyone needs. Other great gifts are books and magazine subscriptions on the subject of preparedness or really any skill (carpentry, gardening, alternative energy, canning and preserving). My college friend is getting "Patriots", as he loves a good story and I think the first chapter will challenge his thinking on the world around us. And for women looking for a gift for their man, most would probably love a gift certificate for a gun training course. Hint, hint, if you are reading this, honey.
All the above are items that are purchased, and cash may be tight at home. But you don’t have to spend big money to get your point across or to be thoughtful. You could give friends or family homemade soup or vegetables that you have canned, and a handmade gift certificate for teaching them canning and preserving methods. You can give them packets of seeds so they can do container gardening and give them an opportunity to learn a skill. The possibilities are endless if you package the gift the right way.
I do not have children, but do have a niece and young cousins. For the little ones, how about camping equipment made for kids, and a trip to go camping with you, even if just in the backyard. Or maybe a compass and some maps, and teaching them how to properly use them to find a hidden treasure (your choice on what the treasure will be). A rod and reel and a fishing trip are things that will not only teach them useful skills, but will give what kids need most; more time with parents or mentoring adults. Think about what you wish you knew growing up, and give the gift that will last a lifetime. I’m fairly sure their skills with the X-Box will not help them much if the SHTF.
So, if you are going to celebrate the season by exchanging gifts, why not help those you care about and who may not have a preparedness mentality yet. This can also pertain to birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, or other special occasions. I’m sure you believe, as I, that this shows more thought and caring than the latest fad clothing or cool new techno gadget that will be rendered useless by an EMP.
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Solo Survival in a Societal Collapse?, by Wry Catcher
When it comes to natural and man-made disasters, I’ve seen my share, and each was a learning experience. Although diverse in type, all of them shared a common factor: a dire impact on the human populations they affected. That impact, in turn, led to dangerous encounters with some rough criminals. Some people cannot cope, so they turn to ruthless behavior. Other people are selfish opportunists. While we may have pity for those who can’t cope with the stress of a survival situation, we should nonetheless remain vigilant for those who would do us harm in any way and for any reason. As my niece says, “It only takes one creep to ruin your life.” She is so right!
We preppers and survivalists know by now that being part of a trustworthy and cooperative community will dramatically increase the odds for our survival. Whether surrounded by family, friends, or like-minded neighbors, having a support system in place during hard times is universally considered vital.
Suppose, however, that circumstances preclude you from enjoying the benefits of a protective community. Perhaps your friends and family live out of town. Some of you reading this right now don’t know your neighbors, and don’t want to know them. Many of you live alone by choice. Or perhaps an event forces you to become isolated from your community. Bottom line: you’re on your own. You need to ask yourself some questions now, before the bogey man arrives.
How can I maintain my sanity when chaos reigns around me?
Physical well-being is not enough. Besides the requisite beans, band-aids, and buckshot, a lonely survivor will need emotional and spiritual comfort, and a reason to live. Accumulate some mementoes of loved ones and happier times - photographs, voice recordings, a vacation postcard – anything that will abate the inevitable sense of aloneness and isolation. A few photographs and a small tape or MP3 player will fit easily into a Bug Out Bag (BOB).
Strong faith in an entity greater than yourself is a true comfort in times of trouble. Having faith in someone or something will help you endure the solitude.
As a sole survivor, how can I defend my living space?
The old adage goes, “there is safety in numbers.” Through projecting a sense of multiple occupants, your living space can be defended. If you have a source of electricity, use your radio, scanner, or tape recorder to produce vocal sounds. Set timers to turn on and off lights throughout the house. If electricity is unavailable or sporadic, quietly move about within the building. Keep any would-be intruders guessing as to where you are. Before the SHTF, place decorative glass objects on windowsills, so that anyone attempting to enter through a window will be encumbered. Plant knee-high, thorny bushes under windows and around all entrances. Whether or not actually you have a dog, place used dog dishes where outsiders can see them. Install a burglar alarm with battery back-up. Please note that burglar alarms and cluttered windowsills are not going to stop a determined intruder, but the noise these safety precautions make will alert you to trouble so that you can react accordingly.
Consider having 3M Safety & Security film installed on the inside of all windows so that “smash and grab” is more difficult. Perimeter fences should be sturdy and climb-proof. Landscaping should discourage fires from reaching the residence. Turn a basement bathroom or a laundry room into a bunker and a well-supplied defensive stand. Abandon rooms that cannot be easily defended from within. Another old adage, “don’t put all your eggs in one basket” is good advice when it comes to stashing weapons and water.
If you venture out, keep a low profile and don’t betray your location. A car can be a retreat in desperate times. It can also be a betrayer. Concealment makes the difference.
Will I be able to survive without electricity if my “strength through imaginary numbers” plan cannot be implemented without it?
If it is impossible to project a sense of strength, project a sense of abandonment. Make no noise. Cooking odors and smoke must not be visible. Venture outside of your sanctuary with great stealth and only when necessary for survival. Keep a low profile at all times.
Can I convince those who know or learn that I live alone to leave me alone?
I ask myself regularly:
- Can I prepare without alerting others to what I’m doing?
- Does my home look deserted or securely occupied?
- Or both, depending on the situation?
Perhaps the best defense is to pretend to be absent. I have known people who hid in a secret closet or a basement bathroom while scavengers rummaged through their homes. When the thieves left, the homeowner returned to living as if nothing happened because their survival gear had been stowed with great forethought. Contemplate adding an underground or subsurface bunker to your home. If that is impossible, remodel an interior room to serve as a defensive position.
Present an impenetrable exterior and a well-defended position so that those will ill intent will be inclined to go elsewhere. Your goal should be having a home and property that appears occupied, when that is your best defense, and unoccupied, when that serves your needs. The balancing act is a tricky one, to be sure.
When at home, during times of trouble, keep a low profile. As you plan for survival, downplay each change to your home and your purchase of supplies. Your caches should only be known to family and trusted friends. Loose lips don’t just sink ships, they could sink your personal safety and security. Never hire the same contractor for two separate survival projects – don’t divulge the real reason or purpose of the work you are having done.
Could I use a weapon against another human being, if necessary? Can I train to do so? Are your knives sharp? Can you keep them that way? Is your 4x4 always ready for a quick getaway if you must abandon your home? Most importantly, Do you have a G.O.O.D. plan if things get too dicey? Your weapons should be familiar to you so that using them is second nature. Ammunition should be securely stowed until needed. If your weapons use common calibers and gauges, bartering will be easier.
Can you project a defensible exterior to your home while still presenting a comfortable residence during times of normalcy? This can be problematic unless carefully thought out. Landscaping can be defensibly practical and simultaneously attractive with little effort. Fencing, however, may have local restrictions and aesthetic considerations. Check local codes for current limitations, then work within those limits to create the best perimeter barrier. With a little work now, you can make a fence that can be easily reinforced at a later and more dangerous time. What you do to the interior of your house should be your business, so long as you keep it private and non-hazardous to your neighbors, you shouldn't have much trouble. [JWR Adds: See the blog archives for my admonitions about liability issues, including chemical irritants and trap guns.] Filled sandbags line the walls of your garage? Why not!
The Bottom Line
Under many worst-case scenarios, odds of solo survival are less than 50-50. The odds get worse as sustained hardships persist. This you must know and accept, if you don’t accept those odds then you need to become part of a like-minded group of trustworthy people who will work with you to survive. If, however, you accept the odds, you must commit to not rolling over and dying without a fight. No human parasite will find an easy victim at your place. Many have survived while alone. You can, too, if you take stock of your vulnerabilities and prepare accordingly. Ask yourself the tough questions and answer them truthfully – your life may depend on it.
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Letter Re: Preparing Your Spouse
I really liked the post about preparing your spouse but saw one thing missing or at least not stated explicitly. Your spouse needs to know how to do these things and the only way to really learn most of these practical tasks is to do them with your spouse. Binders [full of information] are great but unless you know how to execute all the steps, where all the necessary tools and pieces are and how to use them binders are not going to help much. To illustrate the importance of actually doing something I will relay a recent tale from my house.
A while back I tried to make Spanish rice from the recipe Wifey always uses. Every ingredient and step was there but I didn't know what a couple of the steps meant. I was able to get her help me figure them out but if she wasn't here I definitely would not have had Spanish rice with dinner. Now that I know how to do all the steps I could probably look back at that same recipe in a year or two and make it.
That same point could be easily applied to getting the chainsaw ready for the season or making soap or any other task which is done (even almost) exclusively by one spouse. Think of it like an Infantry Platoon. You are probably never going to be able to shoot the M240 like the gunner or program the radio as fast as the RTO but everyone should at least know how to use both of these essential tools. An added benefit of making sure your spouse is at least somewhat familiar with all of the household/ preparedness tasks you do (and visa versa) is spending time together doing productive things. Spending a weekend afternoon doing something together that is normally done alone can sure make another boring chore into a fun day. Also as always many hands make light work. - TheOtherRyan (of Total Survivalist Libertarian Rantfest)
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Letter Re: Preparing Your Spouse
Mr. Rawles,
Several years ago I took a serious fall and was out of commission for several months. My husband had to completely take over the household responsibilities during that time. Fortunately, he was working at home and I was available to give him direction and information. Had I not been, he would have really struggled to figure out just how I got things done. As he was buttoning up the house in preparation for winter this year it occurred to me that, if he were suddenly unavailable, I too would be at a loss to remember all of the details that go into his part of household management. Realizing that each of us has a critical role to play in running our mini farm put me to work on putting together a plan that will provide each of us with a guide for taking over should we be thrust into managing alone.
I started with two simple three ring binders, a sheaf of notebook paper and twelve pocket dividers for each notebook. Each divider is a one month plan. I use the notepaper to jot down what we each do each month. November would include things like planting the seed garlic, getting my daughter a birthday gift and ordering the turkeys (for me) and getting the cider press under cover, turning the compost heap and replacing furnace filters (for my husband). I use the divider pockets for things like business cards of businesses we use or to hold index cards with instructions for various tasks. This month, we have to get new tires put on the truck so the pocket will hold the information on tire size and the contact information for the business we use. In December, when I usually put in a big wheat order, I will include the recipe I use for the bread we all like, the contact information for the farm I order the wheat from and directions for how I store it. My husband knows when to order a load of compost for the garden and I know when the fiddleheads will be out. He will note when he orders new queens for the hives and I will jot down where the best place is get the kids new sneakers.
These may seem like small things but they aren’t. They are the details that make this house run smoothly. It is very easy to lose sight of the contributions of a partner, especially when they are done so well as to be invisible in execution. For instance, I expect that no one in my family actually notices when I make up a new batch of laundry soap. It just appears. I never see my husband sharpen the saw blades. I just know they are always good to go.
If we are both diligent in keeping our notes, in one year we will have a comprehensive guide to what needs to be done, when and how it is managed. An added benefit is that it will be kind of gratitude journal. We each know the other works hard but to see it on paper will probably be an eye opener. I know my husband had a new appreciation for just how much I accomplished when he had to do it.
If a crisis catches one of us away from home, the other is going to have to do the work of both. How much easier it will be with a guide. - A Prepared Wife
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Three Letters Re: Getting a Christian Wife Involved With Preparedness
Mr. Rawles,
Thank you for the time and energy spent on your blog and your books. I read your blog and static pages often and own most of your books. Your writings offer a deep perspective not often found.
Your writer from Idaho has hit on one of the most debated topics that has ever been discussed between a man and his wife. How does a man prepare his family without frightening, boring or going overboard?
I’ll tell you what has worked in my family. The most important point is to bring your spouse on board, slowly. Rome wasn’t built in a day and either was a shared marital point of view. I think it is best to not go overboard financially, briefly mention certain purchases that are made and leave the point alone until the items purchased are needed.
For example, we have several space heaters as a simple back-up plan and to compliment our main heating source. When we had problems with the main heating system, we were able to get these heaters out and boy were they useful! The house temperature was kept up until after we could get a 2nd opinion. The first man came out quick but had some tricks up his sleeve and tried to sell us a new heater, out of fear. Our second opinion, a real professional, came out and determined that we just needed a new sensor. By having back up heaters, we stayed warm when we had an issue and we weren’t desperate when the first technician tried to take advantage of us. Now that we had that issue, we decided to buy a propane back-up heater and quite a bit of propane. If this happens when the temperatures are lower, we should be fine. We didn’t talk about the heaters too much until after we were so happy to have them. This part of our preparation plan is just a positive memory; not a sour, over-debate d topic.
There have been several other times that forward thinking has proven to be advantageous for us. So many times it is something small that leaves a big impression. Something like a spare roll of quarters when a locker is needed. Maybe it is having plenty of toilet paper so you don’t run out. It could be having a flashlight readily available when the power goes out, extra propane when the grill consumes the last bit in the current tank, or extra food from our ‘larder’ if I forgot something at the store.
It is very important to discuss the benefits of being prepared after it has become a positive topic, rather than being overbearing before. This has helped open my spouse’s eyes to the need to have continually better preparations. Once some creature comforts fail, like heat, it becomes understood that having some extra food may be a good idea. Also, I have paralleled 'preparing' to other topics like the scout motto, “Be Prepared” as my husband achieved his Eagle Scout award when he was younger. For most people, the seeds of being prepared are there, they may just need some watering from time to time.
Best, - Nora in Indianapolis
Jim:
A gentleman asked how to get his wife involved. Speaking as a female prepper and survivalblog reader, it might simply help for her to know that she is not alone. It might be helpful to find a gun club, or another Christian couple who are into being prepared. Some women feel silly spending a lot of time and money on preparedness because most other people think it is silly or unnecessary, and some women feel funny because shooting guns and learning to hunt are considered to be "manly pursuits" by much of society. Having been referred to as "an NRA gun nut", I understand that there can be some apprehension involved in committing to preparedness. Try making it a family activity, and even though it is very serious, that doesn't mean it can't be fun. I am involved with a small group of people, mostly from my church, who go shooting together and hunting and camping and all sorts of activities like that. We have a blast! But we also know that we can count on one another in a TEOTWAWKI situation. I think that my mom is much more involved now because it's also something I am passionate about. She thought that preparedness was just a phase my dad was going through until she realized that I was every bit as serious about it as he was, and now she's all for it! Don't expect her to become Sarah Conner overnight, but give it time and patience, and try to find something simple to get her feet wet. Again, making it a whole family activity could make a big difference, and don't lose the fun side of preparedness, of marriage, and of life in the Lord. - A Survival Sister in Christ
Dear James, and all:
I have gotten the same response from Christians about preparedness, and, in general, concerns over the state of the world. "I'm so glad God is in control," etc. is common. Then they usually just move on with a smile, obviously unconcerned. I believe this is related to poor Biblical knowledge, or a misunderstanding about the role of "works" in the lives of Christians.
Primarily, believers do not always understand that America was founded on rights deemed to be given by our Creator, and is, therefore, a GIFT and under the expectations of Christian stewardship. While the Gospel is hope for all time, peoples and circumstances, it does not give us permission to become lazy with the blessings we've been given. Jesus was pretty clear in the parable of the talents: The Master is hard. The Lord does not look kindly on believers who "bury" what they have. To whit, "To whom much is given, much is required." If we have a major event, then your good wife will be expected to follow the Biblical commands for hospitality even more so. Will she be prepared?
Please remind her that salvation is free, but the Lord also has expectations for us to become the "good and faithful servant." That requires work. Sincerely, Gretchen O. - in Northern Illinois
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Seven Letters Re: Getting a Christian Wife Involved With Preparedness
Dear Mr. Rawles,
I just came across a post that might give some more ideas to the gentleman who wrote in about getting his wife "on board" with preparedness efforts. It's titled "All Aboard" and was posted over on Kathy Harrison's The Just In Case Book Blog. (As may be obvious, Kathy is also the author of the [nonfiction preparedness] book entitled Just in Case
.)
As a side note, my husband and I "came together" on our preps about two years ago while watching the television show Jericho
. We had seen some episodes in passing earlier in our marriage, but I finally rented the DVDs at one point to see what all the hubbub was about. Lesson learned: despite the Hollywood "angle", we learned a lot and more importantly found out that we were each quietly prepping without mentioning it to the other. He has his specialties and interests and I have mine, and both of us were silently tackling them. Ahhh, the fun of two very independent newlyweds finally figuring each other out. <Chuckle>. I admitted I'd been stocking the pantry for more than just a rainy day and he admitted his interest in gear wasn't just so we could try out camping sometime. We later found that his interest in things mechanical and my interest in topics "green" worked out quite nicely when he mentioned a preference for diesel engines and I brought up biodiesel - oh, the topics we've covered since.
If "L.K." thinks such a show might interest his wife, it might be worth a shot. Best wishes, - M.K.
Mr. Rawles,
The writer of this letter in your blog today might be interested in referring his wife to my blog, TheSurvivalMom. I try to break down preparedness into very small pieces, provide lots of rationale for getting prepared, and overall, it’s a very woman-friendly site. - Lisa
Mr. Rawles,
I would like to comment on this letter about questioning the need for preparation. This wife needs to look at the situation from her motherly perspective. My husband and I watched, helplessly, as our 4 month old daughter suffered for six weeks from a blood infection contracted while in the hospital for a heart issue. We knew she was going to Heaven to live with God, free from all pain; however, watching her suffer was the worst thing we had ever endured. My understanding is that starvation takes 60 plus days before a person dies. From my reading of history (pioneer times and war times), starvation is a very horrible death. Would this wife be comfortable standing by, watching her precious children suffer, knowing all the while that she could have prevented this by storing up food (like Noah and Joseph in the Old Testament did) for the difficult times? Yes, our daughter is in Heaven but we would have done anything to protect her from the suffering she endured for six weeks. Our larder is full and constantly being rotated so that we will not have to watch another of our children die if it is within out power to do so. To God be the Glory. Condolences to you and your family, the pain is great, I know. - Brenda from Virginia and sometimes our West Virginia retreat
For L.K. in Boise:
I must remind you that we don't just prepare for TEOTWAWKI , but for everything between now and then. We may never experience a severe, life changing event, but we do have power outages, blizzards, floods, drought, unexpected car trouble, unemployment, & so on. Those are the things we prepare for, not for TEOTWAWKI. We really don't know how to prepare for that - it's never happened to us. So we do the best we can and prepare for the little things.
Our preps have gotten us through very personal hard times. I wouldn't want to be without them.
Have your wife read Proverbs 31. We have a duty to be prepared so we can look after our husbands, children, and others who come into our lives.
God Bless, - Bonnie S.
Dear Mr. Rawles,
I first want to extend my concern condolences for the passing of you dear wife "The Memsahib". Second: I have been in my mind, a "survivalist" for many years, I guess out of necessity. I have been in the Air Force for over 17 years now in the communications field but haven't had lots of money to go out and the things that I needed or wanted so I just learned how to build them. With this mindset and financial situation, I have become more and more suspicious of government particularly in regards to fuel and food prices. My first dream was to just be left alone with my family in a remote cabin in the mountains. My wife always giggled every time that I threatened to purchase a generator. She figured that once that I went through with it, that the gig would be up. I had not yet been into preparedness or knew anything about it. I was naive in all ways.
While I was on Temporary Duty (TDY), I met and began chatting with an older gentleman. We talked about scouting, firearms, reloading etc. I mentioned my dream alone in a mountain cabin and that's when my life changed. This gentleman educated me that my dream was a good one but flawed. He told me that I needed friends to watch my back, which would allow me to sleep in that cabin. He also recommended that I read this novel called "Patriots". I immediately after work, found a book store and purchased it. I devoured that book in three days. I'm currently reading:
One
Second After by William R. Forstchen, and
World
Made by Hand
by James Howard Kunstler
[Once I started reading the novel,] I was so excited that I called my wife and began explaining the different chapters to her. She was interested probably due to my excitement as I explained. Once I returned home, I begged he to read the book. She was hesitate so I begged her to just read the first chapter. She agreed. I quietly watched her as she began to read and her eye brows began to raise and lower. First Chapter completed, she continued until she finished. My wife's outlook changed that day also. We live in base housing so we plan to rent a garden plot in the spring for a garden, I'm slowly stocking up on ammo and we plan to can what we grow. To sum it up. I was able to get mt Christian wife involved with Preparedness by begging her to read your novel "Patriots". Thank You Mr. Rawles, I'm eternally indebted to you for opening my eyes. Very Respectfully, - T.S. Wichita, Kansas
Hi,
I have a suggestion. Maybe he could gently suggest preparedness things she might be interested in. A good example is a scrapbook. Most women (even if we aren't crafty) enjoy scrapbooks of their family. Start a family project of a scrapbook for your car evacuation kit. She might get stressed out on what to exclude so you might want to buy her two. I saw at Sam's Club they have gorgeous "ready made" scrapbook albums where you just insert photographs or documents you wanted to save for $20. That is perfect for someone that wants one but doesn't have the time or postpones it to be perfect so it never gets finished. It might be a fun family project for the holidays. :-) I think the digital scrapbook and photo albums are awesome but I have no experience with them.
Your dilemma shows what a good provider you are, she has probably never been hungry or seen her kids go without a need to understand how she won't just stop and starve with the hope of heaven and not fight and find ways of providing for her children. - Lisa
James:
Wow. This is letter that really disturbed me. If we allow ourselves to carry is wife's sentiment to its logical conclusion, we should all lay down right now and stop moving until we die of hunger or exposure. God did not create us to be mindless moochers. Once we have committed ourselves to his will, we are to contribute to the order and abundance of his world, to seek out evil and counter it, and to heal those damaged by it. We are extensions of his love and grace through right living and must not be meek or passive in times of tribulation. If through her rebirth this flame was not kindled within her, I'm not sure how to help her get it lit! - Gretchen R.
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Over-Planning: Get Thine Act Together!
I occasionally hear from consulting clients that get stuck in the rut of "over -planning". They do so much planning for training, and planning for stocking up, that they never seem to get around to doing either! Lengthy "to do" lists are worthless if they never get implemented. This sometimes reaches absurd lengths, as illustrated by one of my clients that showed me a spreadsheet on his laptop PC, in which he not only compared prices from various vendors for ammunition, but also tracked the changes in their prices, over the course of two years. I asked him: "Well, when did you buy, and how much did you buy?" His reply: "Well, none yet, actually, but I've found the best sources, and I've logged their price increases, shown in dollar prices here, and in percentage terms, here. Look here: This company has increased it prices by 12% less than these others. Now look at this column: their prices are up an average of only 21% since this time last year." So, while he was busy fiddling with his spreadsheets, the purchasing power of his money went down by more than 20%. He would have been ahead by at least 20+ percent, if he had just bought ammo a year earlier. But instead, he sat idly by and watched the value of his dollars melt. And these were dollars kept in a typical bank account, perhaps earning only 2% interest. (If he had invested precious metals, then he would have at least stayed ahead of the price increases on ammo.)
The foregoing instructs an important point: Avoid infinite planning cycles, and get started with some concrete steps at preparedness. Clip some coupons and go to you local discount grocery store or "Big Box " store, and actually lay in some supplies, when prices are favorable, of course. If you are not sure exactly what you should buy, or about the shelf lives of various foods, or how to repackage them in oxygen-free sturdy containers, then get a copy of the "Rawles Gets You Ready" family preparedness course. The bottom line is that a good plan today beats a perfect plan, tomorrow. Or, as we often used to quote in the US Army: "Better is the enemy of good enough."
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Letter Re: A Bulk-Buying Solution--Form a Buyer's Club
Hi Jim,
The bulk-buy solution I settled on was to start my own food co-op or buying club, as an associate of a bulk supplier. They send out a monthly price list and can deliver weekly in my area with only two days' notice. My orders must meet a minimum of $350 each and I must be present when the truck backs down my driveway in order to properly receive and write a check for the shipment. The driver calls me an hour ahead of time so I don't have to wait around all day.
My aim was to make the buying club available to other nearby preppers strictly for bulk orders of long-term storage items but so far I have been the only one to use it.
The great advantage I see in a buying club is that it permits large purchases that would seriously raise eyebrows in a grocery store if they even permitted you to clean them out of the items you sought. (Some stores at least have threshold policies.) It meets the needs of procrastinators who finally decide that now is the time to stock the bunker. Also, the supplier's wholesale warehouse would not be mobbed as early as grocery stores would after TSHTF because few consumers would even know about it.
A downside of the co-op approach would be curious close-by neighbors witnessing you receiving scores of bags, buckets, and boxes, possibly coming over for a nosy visit while you are unloading. This has not been a problem in my location due to my long driveway but would present OPSEC concerns to many. Members of a buying club club who pick up their orders at the drop-off point might benefit from unloading their vehicle while the neighbors are gone or asleep. Another potential downside is that authorities or criminals could seize the bulk supplier's membership list in a search for "hoarders" of food supplies, an excellent reason for creating off-site caches. - Jim McC.
JWR Replies: Thanks for that suggestion. Two more caveats: Depending on your locale, you might need both a business license and liability insurance. We now live in a very litigious society. It is sad but true, someone that merely strains their back while on your property might file a lawsuit. So if you decide to operate with liability insurance, I recommend that you do not open up the organization to anyone except your relatives and trusted friends.
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Letter Re: It Takes a Village for Perimeter Security
Jim:
I've been reading your blog for some months and went out and purchased "Patriots"
as soon as I learned about it. Good job, I very much enjoyed it and will probably read again and again as I often do with books I enjoy.
After reading your ‘Precepts’, I thought I would drop you a note. because I have always appreciated anyone that agrees with me.
First, I am a retired cop and a retired soldier so I have studied people in one career and weapons and equipment in another. I have been to a number of Third World countries and learned that what we have now is unbelievably good and where we might be going is will be unbelievably, well, sad.
I decided a very long time ago that the best place to live for my family would be a rural town. I did not want kids to grow up in an urban setting and having grown up myself in a suburban setting, I didn’t want to inflict that on them either.
So we moved. It was a shock at first. The nearest fast food was almost twenty miles away in any direction and the nearest traffic light is seventeen miles away, even today, twenty-five years later.
The town I chose was twenty miles from the nearest Interstate and even a couple of miles from nearest state highway. It is in the center of one the largest agricultural areas in the country and has its own grain elevator and storage business.
That means at any time of the year, there are upwards of 5,000 tons of corn and soybean stored within the town limits. You know, "the perimeter".
I had often thought that if given the means, I would like to own a house on a hilltop with cleared fields of fire and a view of the surrounding area. But that wasn’t practical and as time has proven, it wasn’t even smart.
If you’re going to have a survival retreat, it would be best if you already lived there. If the necessity ever arose, I don’t think I would want to have to fight my way out of the city or suburbs.
In "Patriots", you describe a survival group that spent a great deal of time preparing for the “what if?” I did the same thing but I chose was to have all those skills that you searched for and recruited all ready present.
Farm communities already have a host of survival skills that are needed ready made. In our town, of less than a thousand, are welders (and equipment) fabricators (and their tools) food, fuel, military veterans, plenty of weapons and folks that have already spent a lot of times together dealing with blizzards, electrical storms, and power outages and all those things that bind a small community together.
We have some good people here and should the occasion arise, I think we could make a pretty good stand. Organization is key, of course. To that end, I have been active in the town in the past , my last police job before going back in the Army was Chief of Police here. I made a pretty good name for myself and I continue to help out in the town whenever I can.
Someone that I have absolutely no respect for once said, “it takes a village” and in this case, she was right. We are far away from the nearest urban areas, have food and water available and our folks every day work skills translate very quickly into survival skills.
I wanted to share the thought because I think most people who are planning to attempt to escape from the urban areas when the SHTF may be much better served if they would make that escape before it happens. My very best to you, - JCH
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Two Letters Re: Maintaining OPSEC in a Geographically Extended Retreat Group
James,
An idea for maintaining security: One could setup and run their own IP telephone server and use encrypted IP phones to communicate amongst their group. Asterisk is an example of an open source telephony server that runs on Linux. The server must be connected to the internet and has to be made specifically aware of the particular encrypted phones that the group uses. The phones must also have Internet connections. The entire comm channel is encrypted. If the server can be kept secure, then I think there is no point in the channel that is subject to monitoring. If someone were able to piece together all of the IP packets for a particular conversation they would then have to break the encryption.
I have not proven this out in any way, but to my understanding this could be a solution. Keep up the good work. - Michael W.
Sir,
Concerning the post, "Letter Re: Maintaining OPSEC in a Geographically Extended Retreat Group," one answer might by Skype. Video calls need not be used, calls can be made from computer to computer or computer to phone, and conference calling is possible. For some details on encryption see this article. With Very Kind Regards, - Suburban Survivalist
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Letter Re: Maintaining OPSEC in a Geographically Extended Retreat Group
My Dear Brother in Christ,
Before I get to my question my wife and I would like to express our sympathy (a overused word I now but heart felt) at the loss of your partner and our sister in Christ. I know there is joy to be had for her being with Jesus but the loss is still felt by you and your kids and our prayers are with you.
Now my main question. Do you have any ideas regarding security with it comes to putting a group together where the potential members are separated to the extent that it is impossible for them to get together on a regular basis to formulate ideas and plans? The concern over theories that "Big Brother" is out there listening to every phone call or reading every e-mail for certain phrases causes some people to balk at the idea of conference calls. What are you thoughts.
Thank you and God Bless, In Christ, - G.S.
JWR Replies: I was reluctant to post your e-mail and this reply, for fear that it might be misconstrued by someone that is new to SurvivalBlog. (Since we've never advocated doing anything illegal, but posts on security might erroneously lead newcomers to think that we have "something to hide.") With that said, since operational security (OPSEC) is a concern for many readers, here goes: Beyond a cell structure, such as those used by resistance groups, and avoidance of paper trails, bit trails, "cookie crumbs", and using the phone, there are no perfect solutions. Just don't recruit anyone into your prepping group that might do anything illegal. You have little to fear, as long as all of your preps are legal. That is, unless "hoarding" (by someone else's definition) someday becomes a crime. But just on principal, you should exercise discretion, and utilize plenty of OPSEC and communications security (COMSEC).
For extended groups, to avoid a bit trail, hard copy letters that are distributed via snail mail in a circular rotation might work--since we live in the era of inexpensive photocopying. ("Circular letters".) Each letter is given a number, and each addenda that is eventually tacked on is given a letter. Subsequent letters can reference the content of earlier ones. ("As mentioned in Letter 2-A...")
Be discreet and proceed with prayer. And it won't hurt to memorize Psalm 91.
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Letter Re: Thoughts on Preparedness in a Diverse Community
I just met this past weekend with a group of " preparedness folk." They are on a farm about 30 miles from here. I have become interested in the subject after reading One
Second After (a New York Times best seller, highly recommended!) and some writings by James Wesley, Rawles. I was surprised at who they were and the mindset I encountered. A few observations:
1) The root idea is that whether or not some disaster hits, we are far too dependent on a very fragile and tenuous energy and distribution grid. Raising your own chickens, goats, vegetables, rabbits, turkeys, pigs and cows is preferable (and more nutritious and tasty!) to standing around in a Kroger (think "post-Katrina") looking at the empty aisles.
2) They were "green" but green in a good way, and not the fashionable mindless silliness coming out of the "environmentally conscious" crowd. (Sorry if my contempt shows here)
I am talking about using a local stream to turn a box of old alternators from junked cars to produce current to charge batteries, building a steam fired boiler to run a generator, and lots of other cool ideas that are scavenged from junkyards...., including using a scrapped walk in cooler from a convenience store for a chicken coop (no insulation needed, and less heat source needed during cold weather).
3) The mark of an "advanced" society is division of labor, with the dependency on each other coming from specialization of labor being more efficient and less costly. However, we have evolved into a society of urban dwellers who produce nothing necessary for root survival needs. Cities are extremely dependent on everything being trucked in, and the ones who make the most money are the ones most efficient in distribution rather than production (think "Wal-Mart"). If that distribution system is disrupted, due to a failure of the electrical grid or a fuel supply disruption, we would be helpless. These folks recognize that.
4) I did not meet any tin foil hat folks, which surprised me. There were realtors, veterinarians, an auto parts distributor, a programmer, a cop, and a contract security guy (a "Blackwater" type, although he never worked for Xe). They were just normal folks living their lives, but concerned about the potential for future instability of a calamitous nature.
5) I was surprised at the political make-up of the group. I expected to see a bunch of rabid Republicans, fearful of antichrist Obama and the New World Order, blah, blah, blah. Rather, they were amazingly cynical of any politics, and were just as critical of Reagan (for different reasons) as Obama. Their attitude was more that of folks just trying to live their lives while being confident that their best shot at any change would come from being fiercely independent and doing what they could to remain so.
6) I was probably the biggest Bible Thumper out there. No religious zealotry at all. In my life, I have encountered a lot of religious whack jobs. I expected this crowd to be a magnet for them. It wasn't
7) I was also surprised about their attitude about guns. I expected to find a bunch of hyperventilating folks screaming out "Molon Labe!" as a password or something to enter the farm. Instead, I encountered a crowd of mostly ex-military guys who understood that guns are tools. They all hunt (mostly deer, but also squirrel, turkey, dove, and some varmints), and they all believe that they have a duty and a right to protect their families themselves and their freedoms and rights against all who would challenge them. Their attitude was that you would no more expect to defend rights and freedoms without guns than try to change a tire without a jack. Especially enlightening to me were the remarks of the contract security guy who worked security in Kosovo. Rather than sitting on his pile of weapons fervently wishing for social collapse so he could play "Rambo" or something, he just emphatically declared that if you ever lived in a society where the social order even partially breaks down, you will want to prepare for it here, but no one in his right mind would wish it.
7) The final funny observation is how close these guys are with all the ex-hippie counterculture who have moved south from Chapel Hill as the area has become completely yuppified. In fact, one of the guys there at the group was just a total stoner who had essentially moved down to smoke his own hydroponic, live cheaply, eat his own "organic" produce, and shoot, prepare, and jerk his own venison. The two types of "fringe" groups have a sort of affinity for each other, even if many other ideas are polarized apart.
The whole group of folks were not now living on the farm. There are only three families there. However, they are all affiliated with it and looking to it as a kind of resource/preparedness area in the event of:
1) a major earthquake (we sit on a huge fault line in North Carolina. I never knew that)
2) a failure of the oil distribution system
3) a major currency collapse (my bets are on this one as having the best odds)
4) a major terrorist attack on the US.
5) ..... you fill in the blank.
My wife and I are not moving down there (smile), but we are interested in some people whose ideas about simplicity and "back to nature" mirror what we would like to see ourselves. I think "survival" is an improper goal for a Christian. We are supposed to be "dead" already, having surrendered all this stuff anyway. I do think that "working with your hands so that you may have something to share with those in need" is a proper goal for myself, though. I am looking forward to interacting more with these folk.
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An Instructive Survival Story from the 1930s
Do you thrill to read pulse-quickening stories of survival where individuals triumph over extreme odds? How about a survival situation that didn't occur over a period of minutes, such as a tornado....or a survival situation that didn't occur over a period of hours, such as a hurricane ....or a survival situation that didn't occur over a period of days, such as a flood. What about a horrifying survival story that dragged on year after year with no help, no rescue, no hope, no end in sight?
Fearful survival stories of the last Great Depression abound, but we are losing those that lived during that experience through old age. Their stories of triumph and hope need to be heard and remembered.
Do you know personal stories of privations and suffering that are told and retold, first-hand from family members?
In recent days we've read on SurvivalBlog about the poorly coping, unemployed Indiana family living on the edge -- yet still buying Pepsi, cigarettes, beer, Subway sandwiches, and car washes -- and then about other individuals faring better by taking jobs that they never could have imagined working at, such as the poultry farm worker.
All my life I was taught lessons of the Great Depression that had affected my parents' lives. Yes, my mother had stories to tell, but my father was the real survivor in spite of his sad growing up years. As Ann Landers once said, "The fire that melts butter also forges steel."
Two experiences defined my parents' lives: The Great Depression and World War II.
The Great Depression was such a dreadful event to survive that they could never let it go. I would give anything for my parents to still be alive so I could probe their memories and learn more from them. On the other hand, I'm very happy they are not here to see that history is repeating and the uphill struggle they overcame during their lifetimes may be coming around again. My observation of that Greatest Generation is that surviving the Great Depression left people with one of two approaches to money. Either they became tight-fisted to the point of miserliness or money had no meaning, that is, money was for the good it could accomplish and human relationships were tantamount.
My sweet, precious father was the latter type. He should have grown into a bitter, greedy, driven man, but he was the kindest, sweetest person I ever knew. His life was defined by generosity and a gentle, loving, giving spirit.
I feel like people today have no idea where we have come from and where we could be headed again. The depths of a Great Depression are not in the realm of reality or feasibility today to many people.
Here is my Daddy's story:
Daddy was born in 1920 into a working class family in a small, dusty Texas town that sits near the Red River and Oklahoma border. His parents were loving parents although a bit bigoted. His father served as a city councilmen, volunteer fireman, church deacon, and proudly was active in his Masonic Lodge. The family owned their own little wooden house on a dirt street and had many friends through church and civic activities. My father was the eldest child. Grandmother had gone to junior college for one year and had grown up on a farm and had the usual farm skill set. She knew all about food preservation, small livestock, and all the handiwork imaginable such as sewing, tatting, quilting, crochet, and knitting. The family was well-respected in the community.
My father's world turned upside in 1931. Daddy's father worked as a railroad engineer, work that seems to have been some type of job transferring trains onto different tracks at the train depot. His work did not involve any travel and he was home in the evenings for supper. Until he died, my daddy hated the lush plant called "cannas" that he knew as "depot plants" because of the sad association in his mind with trains. My popular grandfather was so liked in the town that he had made an enemy, a mean, hateful, spiteful one. His immediate boss was jealous of my grandfather's standing and fired him without cause or reason according to family oral tradition. In 1931, the Great Depression had been going on for two years with years still left until recovery. There was no work to be found anywhere and no social safety net. My grandfather was not afraid of hard work or any type of job, there just weren't any jobs available. By this time, the family had now grown to 2 children in the family and my grandmother was pregnant with the third.
Out of desperation to feed his family, my grandfather visited a man in town who had some connections and business around Texas to ask for, even beg, for a job, any job. This man said that the only work he had available that he could give my grandfather was a job in another town many hours away working on unloading trains. While it meant leaving the family, it would provide some income for the family. Unfortunately, my grandfather was a tall, big-boned man and somewhat overweight. He moved out of town to work in the 100+ degree humid east Texas summer. The work was so strenuous that one day in the high temperatures, he collapsed from a heat stroke...not heat exhaustion...heat stroke. They took my grandfather to lie down in a bed out of the sun, to try to cool down. Of course, air conditioning and Emergency Department Trauma Centers were only pleasant future dreams. Then they called my grandmother and a friend of hers had a car and money for gasoline, so together they drove many hours to east Texas t o retrieve my grandfather. They loaded him up and drove back to their hometown. Grandfather rested at home for a few days then went back to work in east Texas out of desperation because without him working, there was no money. He was dead within a few days from a relapse heat stroke. I can't begin to imagine the depths of despair my young widowed grandmother felt when facing the future with three small children. She was on her own to survive.
At the age of 11, my father, just a child, became "the man of the family," as his mother told him. Until his own personal health collapse at age 13, Daddy brought home the only cash the family lived on. Grandmother took the three children back to the family farm (her parent's farm) each summer for a couple of weeks to can and bring home some food to live on for the next few months. The family kept a few chickens in the backyard in town and my Daddy wrung chickens' necks when they decided to splurge and eat one. Breakfast was often apple pie. An ugly, old biddy hired my Daddy to deliver the local newspaper twice a day in town. While Daddy had a bike, out of spitefulness, this woman insisted "her" paperboys deliver on foot. My father grew six inches in two years, while attending school and delivering newspapers. And then his health crashed. Daddy was dying of starvation here in the USA, the son of a family with standing and respect in the community during the early desperate days of the Great Depression.
While there was a family doctor in their small town, my grandmother took my father across the river to Oklahoma to visit a different doctor who had been recommended by a friend. Years later, our surmise is that the starvation was so embarrassing that grandmother wanted to see a doctor who didn't know the family. The Oklahoma doctor declared that my father had tuberculosis (TB), a diagnosis that saved Daddy's life. Perhaps this was act of kindness by the doctor. Who knows?
At any rate, when 13 years old, Daddy was sent to a sanitarium in west Texas, situated in a dry, sunny locale. Daddy was fed three nourishing meals a day with forced, silent bed rest for hours each afternoon. His mother never came for a visit. In fact, there were no visitors. Travel was out of the question, just too expensive. A family friend gave him the beautiful gift of a newspaper subscription. A radio on the ward provided entertainment and during afternoon rest, the children communicated by spelling words via sign language. While friends at the sanitarium died, after six months Daddy recovered enough to finally go home.
Even though Daddy was pronounced non-contagious, in fact cured, his mother wouldn't allow him in the house. He slept in a shed in the backyard all by himself, while still just a child. To understand how primitive the shed was, the main house didn't have running water and toilet facilities until many years later. Grandmother sold angel food cakes made with the chicken eggs and got hired to work in the Works Progress Administration (WPA) Sewing Room teaching women how to sew. Daddy never again was the main breadwinner for the little family. The rest of his life, all x-rays showed no scarring from TB, his skin tests always turned up negative results, and he was able to play the trumpet. Daddy never had TB, he had survived starvation.
My father possessed a quick, brilliant, complicated mind. He excelled in high school academics and eventually graduated. Until his death, he had many life-long friends from his little hometown. Grandmother was determined that all her children would get an education and have inside jobs. Daddy's uncle was an old maid who worked in the oil fields. He generously sent my father $25 a month to go to college, which was all the cash Daddy had to live on. Daddy graduated from the college that eventually became the University of North Texas in Denton. Through all four years of college Daddy lived in a boarding house and ate only one meal a day. That's all he could afford. He died in 2008, a few days shy of 88 years old. Throughout my entire life, I never saw Daddy leave any food on his plate or anyone else's at the table for that matter. Some habits are hard to break.
My daddy's life story is one of love and triumph. But, his story also full sadness and of people who did not rise to be the best they could in a terrible time. They let their baser motives guide their actions. Daddy's family survived because of church and faith, family, community, the little backyard garden and chickens, and everyone in the family working together for each other to stay alive, including an 11 year old child . That Indiana family has no interest in survival, no instinct for survival. Where is their garden? Where is their sense of urgency to pull together and everyone contribute to the family's survival? They are whining and waiting to be saved, and it's not going to happen. They must depend on themselves.
It's so hard to believe that conditions could ever get this bad again, but as my parents always said, "Life turns on a dime." I fervently hope we never see a return to the dark days of a Great Depression.
Thanks, Jim, for all you do and best wishes to the family. - Elizabeth B.
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You're Not (Yet) Prepared, by Ted B.
You saw the warning signs years ago and decided to be the ant, not the grasshopper. You found and purchased the home on land that is now your residence as well as your retreat. You’ve gathered the materials to survive, perhaps even thrive, during the coming storms of political upheaval, food shortages, social disorder and economic distress. You took courses on weapons use and feel confident in your ability to defend home and kin with any of the weapons in your personal armory. You assembled canning materials and learned how to use them. You consume, replenish and rotate those foods regularly, not just watch them age on the basement shelves. You have the house wired for 12 VDC as well as standard 120 VAC. Your solar panels, batteries and backup generator are all positioned and tested. The neat stacks of silver rounds lie nestled in protective containers, waiting to be used for purchases when the dollar is finally recognized for the worthless paper it has become. Medical supplies are all labeled and stored in easy to reach locations in the house, barn and bunker. Manuals on survival techniques, emergency first aid, growing and preserving your own food, and a host of other critical topics are carefully filed away for future reference in an Internet-limited world. Stabilized gasoline and treated diesel sit quietly in sturdy underground drums. Your communications gear includes CB, ham and FRS radios, and you rigged up wired field sets between the main house and outbuildings.
You even took some steps not normally included in the various “Preparation for Apocalypse” articles that flooded the media and which were read by millions. You measured the firing distance to each property landmark visible from your home and wrote up landmark-specific bullet drop tables for the calibers of rifles you will use in defense. You got part of a fresh animal carcass from the local country butcher and practiced your wound suturing skills on real flesh. You picked up and squirreled away various strengths of reading glasses that you don’t need now but may need in years to come. You gathered moderate quantities of several multi-use chemicals and a book that shows how to make simple mixtures such as match head material, flash powder, and smoke grenade filler. When buying and storing your paper goods, you didn’t just lay up three years worth of toilet paper, you also remembered that "If The Momma Ain’t Happy, Ain’t Nobody Happy" and, setting aside your embarrassment, you bought and carefully stored away a generous stash of feminine sanitary products. You knew that having beans and rice for months at a time potentially could be considered a fate worse than starvation, so you added hard candy, plenty of dried fruit and other treats to the pantry.
You feel a sense of accomplishment and confidence as you fine-tune your checklists and provisions. You can’t plan for absolutely everything, but you feel you’ve done all you can to get ready for the majority of scenarios that might come about. You are prepared. Or are you?
A vital component that many people forget is preparation as a community. Self-sufficiency tends to lead to some amount of isolation. My own little slice of heaven in North Idaho is a prime example. Almost every resident of my small rural town is independent, largely self-reliant, skilled, practiced and ready for everything from extreme weather to MZB attacks. Each of us knows the neighbors who are in our immediate vicinity, and within that small area we all share goods as needed and assist when the situation calls for it. But until very recently, no one but the Postmaster could say he actually knew the majority of people in our community beyond a wave and a hello as they drove past.
Each micro-community, composed of anywhere from three to a dozen families, had social interaction at backyard barbecues, fireworks displays and 4H meetings, and teamwork interaction at such events as road clearing sessions after a big windstorm or snowstorm. But these individual micro-communities did not interact regularly, did not know what skills or provisions each could contribute in times of widespread emergency, and most importantly did not know whom to call to rapidly disseminate important, time critical information about events that could impact the entire region. We had no phone tree, no list of skill sets available within the town, and no plans for assistance beyond what each micro-community did as a matter of practice, informally developed over the years. We were not truly prepared, even though most of us thought we were.
While it is still an ongoing process of refinement, as all preparations tend to be, we took an approach that may well serve your own community. First, we advertised a community preparedness meeting, with enough advance notice that people could get it on their calendar if interested, but not so far in advance that it was forgotten by the time it arrived. The invitation, via signs at the Post Office and Fire Station, and distributed via flyers, had three key elements:
It was to be an informal meeting with no governmental spin or involvement; it was to get folks talking about community preparations for a variety of situations where we could help each other out effectively, while maintaining our privacy and independence, and finally it would include some refreshments. You’d be surprised how many people are drawn by the prospect of home made brownies, fresh coffee and Huckleberry lemonade.
The meeting itself stressed that the purpose was to:
- Help local citizens to get to know a few more of their neighbors, and
- Expand preparedness thinking from just individual parcels or immediate neighbors to the entire community.
Also mentioned up front was that the meeting was not called in order to:
- Pry into anyone’s issues with their neighbors
- Get into political debate
- Gather information about peoples’ pantry, gun safe contents, or underground bunker…
- Violate privacy – personal or property
- Pressure anyone to participate
- Fill peoples’ calendars with meetings/activities
We reminded attendees that planning was important now:
- So that preparations can be done when we have time, resources, good weather, low stress levels
- So that friends and neighbors know how the community as a whole will respond, before any action is needed
- So that critical preparations are not overlooked
- So that shortfalls can be corrected before an event makes them a critical issue
- Because some preparations may take a long time
- To avoid excessive duplication of efforts
We talked about the various scenarios that might require the community to band together instead of trying to deal with the issue on our own, including wildfire, extreme weather, a major transportation interruption, a large scale natural (or man-made) disaster, economic meltdown or further acts of governmental tyranny.
We discussed the focal areas that might be established to get people with specific knowledge or skills involved on teams of resource planners/coordinators to allow the best response to the situation:
- Communications
- Emergency Resource planning/coordination
- - Food/water/fuels (consumables)
- - Personnel/Equipment/shelter (hard resources)
- Defensive systems
- Medical
- Fire
- - Advanced Preparedness
- - First response
- Unusual hazards and situations
We asked attendees to sign up, voluntarily, for areas where they felt they could add benefit by thinking and researching, providing leadership or just helping out on a time available basis.
We established a web site where residents can find out – at their convenience – about meetings of possible interest; tips from others on various topics such as food preservation, animal husbandry, and ammo reloading; updates to community contact lists; and other information that may be of value but does not warrant continual phone calls or E-mail messages.
We created a phone tree that allows any person to make as few as three calls and be confident that within 5-10 minutes the vast majority of residents had either been personally contacted or had a message left on their phone machine. The mechanism is simple:
A small handful of people’s names and numbers are at the top of the tree.
The citizen who sees or hears about an imminent danger calls each of these top-tier persons or – if they do not answer – one of the people on the next tier down.
Each of those called passes the message along – briefly but specifically – to each of the names just below their own, on the tree.
Those people do the same until the bottom of each branch is reached, then those at the bottom make a “close the loop” call to each of the original top-tier residents.
[Note: elderly or invalid residents on the phone tree should be physically visited if they don’t answer the phone and the issue is potentially life threatening]
The close the loop step ensures that the community phone tree has been activated, at least partially, from top to bottom and allows cross-trunk communication if the line is severed unintentionally by personal or electronic difficulties. A community of >1000 people can be reached in just five vertical steps if each person makes just four phone calls without duplication; six steps if only 3 calls per person are made. For events requiring continued updates, such as wildfire location or direction of approaching zombies, the web site can then be used to stay up to date without tying up the phone lines again and again. To ensure that the phone system itself does not cause a breakdown in communications, the community should have backup schemes as many layers deep as necessary, including CBs or other pre-established radio lines, “pony express” mechanisms using car, ATV, snowmobile, horse, dogsled or whatever makes sense in your region. This one step alone can dramatically improve your overall preparedness as you will have hundreds of trusted eyes and ears scanning for dangers, hundreds of hands and minds that may be applied to a situation that would overwhelm your own family’s abilities, and a means to call on resources beyond your own wealth – as long as the spirit of give and take is kept balanced and not abused.
Beyond these steps, you might also consider establishing an appropriate number of recurring activities or meetings, whether they are weekly or quarterly as prescribed by the level of availability and interest; fleshing out or refining your community preparedness plans based on detailed threat scenarios that seem likely for your area; establishing response plans, including identification of leaders and supporters; and holding community response drills to see what holes you’ve missed so they can be corrected before a real crisis comes along. As a final thought for consideration, a hand-cranked 110 dB siren suitable for notifying all locals within a considerable distance that they need to get on “the community net” can be had very affordably on your favorite auction site…
Now you can go clean your M1A again while gazing fondly at your stuffed pantry shelves, secure in the knowledge that you probably are about as ready as you’ll ever be.
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Know Thy Neighbor, by "The Old Salt" in Virginia
In reading “Preparedness Beginnings” by Two Dogs it struck me that I had been missing a vital part of basic preparedness . . . I was doing it naturally, but I realized how many post I had read that left it out or put it as “I will need to do this when . . . “. My title tells the story, but let me digress a little and put some background to it: Like “Two Dogs”, who is a retired Marine Corp Officer, I’m a retired Naval Officer who drug his family around the country through nine moves in a 30 year career . So getting to “know” new neighbors was something we just took for granted, what I would like to do is share a few thoughts on the process and ideas to get you started (if you need it). We are not new to the “preparedness game” since we bought our first retreat property in 1973 in central Texas, have lived through 2 major hurricanes in Florida and 1 in Virginia, 1 major earthquake in California, and have lived and seen the third world up close and personal . Because of what we have seen and lived through, we currently live at our retreat full time in western Virginia.
We had always lived by the four “S’s” of survival: Salvation (the reason to survive is to continue to spread the Good News), Sustenance (water, food and medical), Shelter (a roof over your head and clothing) and Security (to keep your family and friends safe from those that would do harm or take advantage of situations). I would now like to add a fifth “S”, Surroundings . . . I guess we had always done it, but we just didn’t think about it. My definition of “surroundings” is to “know your neighbors” who surround you . Are they an asset to you and your family, or a liability? In today’s world, with the grid working, stores stocked, the rule of law and a culture we think we understand we can lump all our neighbors in the category of “unknown” (or “who cares”/) But if/when things don’t work all those “unknowns” now become “liabilities”, just because you don’t know! I do not want to offend “Two Dogs”, or anyone else who might have posted similar statements, but having neighbors who own guns and shot regularly, without knowing something about them is a serious liability. What will that family do if they cannot feed themselves or keep warm in the winter . . . and they have guns? I agree with “Two Dogs” that you cannot knock on your neighbors’ door and ask “how are you stocked for bean, bullets and Band-aids”. That question must wait until you have spent time getting to know about them , and them you! Those of you who are extroverts will have no problem with what I’m going to say, but for those introverts this will streeeetch your comfort level. But it is essential, if you really believe things can come apart or go wrong!
I do not intent to open Pandora’s Box about “gulching in place”, a bug-out retreat, escape to the woods or living in the “hinterboonies”. I have probably prepared for everyone of these and more. The point is you will have neighbors in any location, so you need to know who and what they are! As an old pastor of ours used to say: “yes, but how”? So let me share some of our thoughts (my wife of 39 years was and is a major part of this process).
First there is just “observation”, what can you just “see”, this is not spying, it happens as you walk, bike or drive by? Are they home a lot or is it empty during the day? Do you see kids’ toys; swing sets, bikes, or is the yard a “yard of the month club”? Do you see a vegetable garden or a flower garden, are there fruit trees or shade trees? What kind of car do they drive, is it a family sedan, sports car, yuppie SUV, a real off-road rig, or maybe just an old truck? Do you see bumper stickers with a political message or theme? Do they have an NRA decal? Does it have a Department of Defense vehicle decal (active or retired military)? Is the garage just for vehicles or is it a mechanics paradise? Do you see a work shop? Is there a stack of firewood close to the house? Are you getting the idea? For those that live in suburbia this is not a hard task, since small yards and high density living make this a fairly quick and easy task. For those who live more rural, with homes on “acres” of land the house may not even be visible, so you will have to find more inventive ways. Now this doesn’t tell you a lot, but it is a start and you may find some common ground you have with them.
Next are introductions. A simple knocking on the door and a “hello” starts it off. Once again this is much easier in suburbia, but it works in rural areas as well. You just have to get up the nerve to do that “cold call”. We have found that “hi, we’re your new/old neighbor down the street and thought we’d introduce ourselves” works wonders. Another opportunity is if you see your “neighbors” having a yard sale or have an old car (or anything) for sale, you don’t have to buy anything, but take the opportunity to introduce yourself and begin the conversation. You are looking for common ground, something to keep the conversation going and continue it another day! In some cases gated entrances and long “private” drives makes this impractical, but that means you will have to be that much more inventive.
Something we have done, with mixed results, is a “house warming party” or “block party”. The old saying “if you feed them, they will come” has a lot of truth in it. Make these “family” events and plan for the kids activities, it will go a long way to opening doors with parents. Our experience has been a “personal” invitation works much better than a mailed invitation, even if only a small percentage shows up you have made a start. It is amazing how quick you can expand your circle of new acquaintances, once you start networking with just a few new folks. Ask about their jobs or career, how about children (ask a grandparent and the pictures will come out--share yours), do grown children live locally or distant, where do they shop and are there shops to stay away from, where is a good mechanic, do they have a hobby or passion, do they “can” vegetables, sew, do they hunt (this opens up whole new areas for discussion). Do you get the idea? Let me caution you that you are still not at the point of discussing “beans, bullets and Band-Aids”. You are trying to “learn” about your neighbors and at the same time they should be learning a little about you.
Another vital area is “community involvement” . . . are you going to be as asset to your community or a liability? Okay, how do you “get involved”? In rural communities we have volunteer fire departments, even the Sheriffs Department looks for volunteers (office work and dispatch) and even if you cannot take an active role there are all the fund raisers they need help with, help out at the local animal shelter. Roll up your selves and join-in. Join a local church and be an active member. Small rural churches will welcome you with open arms if you pitch-in and the networking possibilities are terrific for expanding your circle of new acquaintances. We joined a small rural congregation where everyone was related to everyone else and had been for generations and felt this would be a real “test” of our abilities . . . we were worried about the wrong thing . . . we now have so many new friends and acquaintances we have trouble getting to know them on a real personal level (the wife took over piano duties and that freed up the music director to lead worship instead of playing, we took over teaching the teenage Sunday school class, which freed up the Pastors wife for other tasks and helped us get to know their parents . . . make yourself an asset to the community and they will get to know you) .
It is only after you have spend time getting to know them, that you can begin to think about “the discussion” (remember OPSEC, listen a lot, share a little). By then you should have “arranged” all these new folks into groups, for me they looks like this (these are personal assessments and each must come up with their own, based on your circumstances and situations): the majority are sheeple, nice folks but hopeless clueless (you can spend time trying to “educate” them, but I’ve found this to be “tilting at windmills”, as a rule they are not a liability since they don’t believe in exercising their Second Amendment rights. They will become refugees, some (thankfully very few) will be assigned “liability” risks and that will have to factor into your security considerations (I have found it is a waste of time to reason with them, but they can be “educational” to talk to.) Let me add a caution, if a family has teenagers observe their behavior. It is unfortunate, but peer pressure has turn some nice kids into very self destructive individuals), a few will be like-minded individuals that you can relate and share and plan with. But it is the next group that you will spend the majority of your time with, they are “concerned”, but don’t know what to do! It is these “willing” folks that should take the majority of your time. Help them learn; to change their lifestyle, set new priorities and prepare for their family. For some you have already done this and I congratulate you, for others this may not be new, but you have failed to put it into action, for the rest this is new and scary stuff and this article only touches on concepts and leaves a lot of unknowns, but the best way to learn something is to just “do it”! None of this is easy or quick so do not delay in starting this in your neighborhood. Your life and the life of your family may depend on the knowledge you learn. - The “Old Salt” in Virginia.
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Letter Re: Comfort and Holiday Foods for Family Food Storage
James,
My prayers and best wishes to you and your family. May the Lord sustain you during these trying times. Regarding "comfort foods", "Momma" makes sure to keep plenty of baking supplies on hand to make "goop"; sweet things with no nutritional value but loaded with morale-boosting ability.
We also have many jars of home-canned preserves, marmalades, chutneys, relishes and other additions to spice up otherwise bland meals. A little bit goes a long way.
I hope this might give some folks an idea to spice up their menus. Thanks, - Crustyrusty
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Letter Re: Viability of a Well-Stocked Suburban Retreat?
Good Morning!
Thank you for the info you provide for all of us in your web site. I live in the Kansas City Area in a beautiful suburb which is one of the nicest cities in the country. till doing okay in the depression too. My work is secure and I do well and I own my own twp-story with basement frame home and have been making it a retreat for the past five years. I have no debt and am 60 days ahead with my mortgage and insurance and utilities. Am I absolutely crazy to try to stay here when things go bad?
First, let me tell you what I have done. I have a new roof ,which is fireproof. I have two large fire extinguishers in each room and more in the basement and garage and attic and I have a 2-inch fire hose with Honda generator to pull water from my 2,000 gallon swimming pool/fountain as well as from my 2,000 gallon [combined capacity] plastic tanks under the deck. Yes, they will freeze in the winter so I may add a new tank in the basement. I have 100 50-pound bags of sand which can also put out fires [and double as ballistic protection].
I have a strong 7' wood cedar privacy fence around my back and side yards and I have landscaped them such that it is difficult to see into my yard from any point but still need to add a few more tall bushes to screen my home. I brought in 80 [cubic] yards of great topsoil for the backyard to level it and to add garden areas so I can grow lots of food. I have a gutter system hooked up to the water storage and I have 3 months of water stored now in the basement and when the time comes new 55 gallon water barrels with hand pumps will be in each of my 4 bath rooms and kitchen. There is a pond and active stream 200' from my home and 5 of my neighbors next door and up hill from me have large swimming pools that I can siphon water from. I can produce clean water for 25 for 20 years with my water filters. So I have five ways to get water when the tap stops running.
I can feed my family for more than five years and then grow food too. I have all the stuff you buy in the stores weekly. I can grow food inside or outside and in a greenhouse too that is next to the house which can be heated with the natural warmth of the earth /basement and wood-burning stove, and sunshine.
We can protect ourselves better than anyone you might know, night and day. I have tried to set up my perimeter in my yard using the fence and bushes and trees and berms, etc. without anyone seeing the difference so that a stray bullet or two will not hit us easily. I will build gravel plywood walls in key places inside when TSHTF to reduce stray bullets. My fireplace is 5' x 5' x 4' deep so I can burn 4' foot logs and keep half my home warm and the firewood is placed outside on the side yards to slow down a bullet or two. The fireplace outside is 10' wide and goes above the roof. I have a wood stack 10 yards long, half of it is 4' long wood. I built a barbeque grill/water fall/pool that is solid 12' concrete that works well to stop bullets and it is 20' long and 8' high and looks really cool too.
In my basement I am finishing I added some 12" concrete walls to also give more strength to the floor above and to
slow down a bullet or two.
There are thick forests within 200' of my neighborhood to hide in if necessary and they run the stream for 50 miles. I have a nice "wine room" that is built to Joel Skousen standards [per his book The Secure Home
] just in case the web bots are right and we have a problem with radiation.
I may have missed to say a thing or two but have been through others check lists to cover it all.
Can I make it in the city? Or do I want to be a refugee or try to live with friends four normal driving hours away without my stuff?
Thanks, - B., Near K.C.
JWR Replies: Your preparations are excellent for someone living in the suburbs. I believe that your plans to stay in place will probably suffice for all but a true worst-case scenario. But it is important to get to know your contiguous neighbors well, including the neighbors behind your back fence. Having neighbors that you know on a first name basis, and that you can trust in times of Deep Drama will be crucial in the next decade. At present, my best estimate is that we will likely experience an economic depression that will be on a par with the Great Depression of the 1930s. Crime will be rampant, and you will need to institute a Neighborhood Watch on Steroids. That necessitates solid familiarity and trust.
Attached greenhouses are wonderful for situations where there isn't much home invasion crime, but they are a huge security risk in inimical times.
I recommend that you hedge your bets by pre-positioning some of your supplies with your friends, in anticipation of worst-case grid down collapse, where the municipal water will not be available. This is not a major issue for you, since you have an abundance of stored water, and rainwater collection system. But "grid down" will be a true disaster for your neighbors within just a few days. They will likely abandon their houses, leaving you by yourself to defend against large numbers of very desperate looters. You mentioned that you have a five year food supply --which is quite commendable--I'd recommend that you store up to half of it with your friends in the country. Keep in mind that you may only have the opportunity to make one trip Outta Dodge, so it is important to have some crucial logistics stored at your backup retreat.
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Preparedness Beginnings, by "Two Dogs"
I am a retired Marine Corps officer and Naval Aviator (jets and helicopters), commercial airplane and helicopter pilot, and most recently, an aircraft operations manager for a Federal agency.
I graduated from numerous military schools, including the U.S. Army Airborne (“jump”) School, U.S. Navy Divers School, Army helicopter, and Navy advanced jet schools. In addition, I have attended military “survival” courses whose primary focus was generally short-term survival off the land, escape from capture, and recovery from remote areas. Like most Marine officers, I attended The Basic School, an 8-month school (only five during the Vietnam era – my case), which is still designed to produce a second lieutenant who is trained and motivated to lead a 35-40 man platoon of Marines in combat. This course covers everything from field sanitation to squad and platoon tactics, artillery and other ordnance delivery, communications, reconnaissance, intelligence, firearms training, and much more. Later, I attended the Marine Amphibious Warfare School and the Command and Staff College, both follow-on schools and centered upon the academic study of tactics and strategy as they applied to the missions of the Marine Corps. I flew helicopters offshore in the Gulf of Mexico and across the U.S. I found out first hand how thoroughly corrupted is the federal bureaucracy and the government, in general. Not a pleasant experience. I’d rather have been flying. I have bachelor's and master's degrees.
As a result, my wife of forty years and I seem to have been moving endlessly from place-to-place. Nevertheless, I have tried in each place to do what I could to maintain a level of self-sufficiency for my family that varied greatly with locations and personal finances. My intention here is to try to share some of the less-than-perfect ways that I have tried to accomplish that end.
Only in the last few years, primarily as a result of the political and fiscal situation in the U.S., have I begun reading some of the huge amounts of literature about how one can prepare for serious long-term off-the-grid survival. I have found that the preparation required to be ready for that contingency seems to be endless. I do not want to talk about all of those preparations. Others have done so very well, and besides, I’m not there, yet. What I would like to do is to talk to those, perhaps like me, who are not true survivalists in the commonly referred-to sense, but who are genuinely concerned about the future of this country, and might desire, like me, to begin to prepare. Perhaps my elementary and simplistic efforts might be of help to someone else who is beginning to think about the subject of preparedness. There are many scenarios that might require this, but the two that I am thinking most about are economic collapse and electromagnetic pulse (EMP) attack. I’m building small Faraday boxes, but not doing much else for EMP.
My thinking on begins with my own estimation of the basic problems: shelter, water, food, fuel, and security. I view these as the most critical needs, whether living in a tent or other outdoor shelter or here in our rural home in West Virginia. Here I have and often take for granted what I have -- shelter, well water, a small stream, a pond, a rain barrel; canned, dried, frozen, and freeze-dried foods; fuel for the generator and portable stoves, kerosene heater and lanterns; factory-made and reloaded ammunition for any one of several firearms. Edible plant books. Gardening books. Encyclopedia of Country Living-type books. Reloading books. Hunting books. Tracking books. A few novels devoted to the “what ifs” of the future, including Jim Rawles' excellent "Patriots:
A Novel of Survival in the Coming Collapse", for example. Books to fill an entire bookcase. The Boy Scout Field Book sits right there next to the military survival manuals, as do Tom Brown's Field Guides, the The Foxfire Book series, a canning book, field medical books, and quite a few others.
Those are the basic things about which I think. I have been thinking about them for quite a while, in fact, longer than I even realized. Perhaps I’ve been thinking about them ever since I was a young lad. For example, my very first “survival book” was the Boy Scout Field Book, the original of which I still have (circa late-1950s edition). It is still a great reference if one is looking for an all-in-one manual for starting fires, making simple shelters, recognizing game tracks, tying knots, and much more. I note that it is still available on Amazon.com. (It’s probably been scrubbed to favor the politically correct, but don’t know [JWR Adds: Yes, I can confirm that unfortunately it has been made politically correct--with the traditional woodcraft skills showing any injury to innocent and defenseless trees duly expunged. So I advise searching for pre-1970 editions!] ) One does not necessarily need the SAS
Survival Handbook
or the U.S. Army survival manual. I have them and have read them. They do cover security problems, but then don’t cover other topics. Alas, there appear to be no “perfect” manuals, and the Boy Scout Field Book is no exception. But it’s not a bad beginning. And so I was beginning the journey even before I knew that I was.
I think that my first education in “survival” came at about fourteen. That’s when I first shot a .30-06, an old [Model 19]03 Springfield. It pretty much rattled my cage. Mostly, my older brother and I used to track and shoot small animals in the deep woods of Missouri as youngsters. We were “issued” ten rounds of .22 LR ammo by our father, a retired USAF pilot, to be used in a bolt action, single shot, .22 rifle with open sights. One would be surprised what that meager handful of loose ammunition could do for one’s choice of shots, one’s ability to be patient in waiting for the shot, and for one’s great satisfaction at having brought home six or eight squirrels for the cooking pot, having used just those ten rounds – and sometimes, but not often, less. My point is that the knowledge of firearms is, in my view, basic to the notion of preparedness and in surviving in the wild. And it need not be exotic or overly complicated in nature. One can surely attend modern schools that will teach one to double-tap a cardboard target or silhouette at seven yards with a semi-auto pistol, as well as basic and advanced tactical rifle courses, but very basic survival skill with a rifle can be had without much cost if one is committed to learning the skill and if one disciplines oneself. Start with only one round, and work up from there. As Col. Jeff Cooper used to say, “Only hits count.” In a purely off-the-grid survival scenario, I can envision that .22 LR rounds would be very precious, indeed.
Consequently, and even though I own handguns and rifles that will shoot .45 ACP, .44 Magnum/.44 Special, .357 Magnum/.38 Special, .380 ACP, .223, .25-06, .270, 7mm-08, .308, .7.62x39, .30-30, .30-06, and .45-70/.457 WWG Magnum (a wildcat), I shoot a .22 rifle and pistol more than all of the others, combined, and normally at least twice a week. And I’m hoarding them, as well as shooting them. I have the capability to reload all the calibers (except .22 LR/Magnum, of course) above, as well as shotgun ammo in 12 and 20 gauge. I wasn’t really thinking of “survival” when deciding to do this about twenty years ago, but was interested only in having the capability to shoot more, and to do it more cheaply. Yet it appears that much of that ammo could be used for barter. I had never even considered this until reading some of the recent “survival novels.”
My apologies. I’ve wandered into the weeds here, as I could do forever on my favorite subject. Suffice it to say that whatever firearm one chooses – and make no mistake, one is necessary in my opinion -- there are all kinds of reasons to choose one over the other, depending on the situation and the person. One must endeavor to shoot it well. Owning a firearm is of almost no consequence, at all, unless it is properly employed. Personally, I prefer a M1911 .45 ACP pistol and a 7.62 M1A SOCOM, while my wife is comfortable with the milder .38 [S&W] revolver and 20 gauge. pump shotgun. I won’t even begin to get into the debate over .223 vs .308 and 9mm vs. .45 ACP. Suffice it to say that in Vietnam I had the opportunity to see the effects of all of these, and I chose for my own security the .308 and .45 ACP.
Having got my favorite subject out of the way, I’ll talk about one that is likely even more important. Water. It is amazing how complicated this can be, and how many choices one has to solve this problem. I have not yet solved it. I have put up a rain barrel, and plan to get a couple more. It’s amazing how rapidly a 55 gallon barrel will fill in even a moderate thunderstorm. I got mine from Aaron’s Rain Barrels. http://www.ne-design.net/. I’ve camo-painted the first one to make it recede into the bushes that surround it.
We have a very shallow stream down the hill that I need to dam so that it keeps only about a foot-or-two deep pool for gathering some water. It flows into a large pond, of which we own half (The owner of neighboring property owns the other half.). But that’s over a hundred-yard trek downhill with empty buckets, and the same distance uphill with full ones. Now, while that is okay for a backup, in my thinking, because I’m going on 63 years, I prefer to have something closer. So my next “big” purchase will be a Simple Pump that allows one to drop a pump and pipe though one’s existing well casing down to below water level and extract water by means of a hand pump or DC motor attached to a battery which, in turn, will connect to a solar panel. This is much, much cheaper than a Solar Jack. At $1,200 for the hand pump capability (I’ll add on the DC and solar later), it’s a bargain, for me. See: http://www.survivalunlimited.com/deepwellpump.htm.
I’m not recommending it for anyone, yet, as I haven’t got one. It has plenty of good reviews, and I’m willing to try it. My apologies, but I am just talking about how I, for one, intend to solve my “water problem.”
I’ve also started collecting clear plastic soda bottles for use in Solar Disinfection (SODIS), see; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_water_disinfection. I’ve set up a rack for putting out the bottles in a sunny place. Again, that’s a backup, but I’ll use it.
I have bought three different water filtering devices, the best of which is the Swiss-made, all-stainless Katadyn Pocket Microfilter. It works wonders in that shallow stream and pond down the hill.. [JWR Adds: The same Katadyn filter model is available from several SurvivalBlog advertisers. They deserve your patronage first, folks!]
With the exception of the Simple Pump, these solutions are relatively cheap and effective, if not producers of great volume. So far, they are what I’ve come up with.
I won’t go much into the food problem. It isn’t quite as complicated as the water problem. I’ve either got to have it [stored], grow it, or kill it. I’ve started storing all kinds of Mountain House freeze dried #10 cans (with expiration date dates in 2034), two-serving meals from Mountain House (expiration dates circa 2016), and numerous grocery store-type canned foods (expiration a couple years), in addition to dried beans, rice, Bisquick (sealed in plastic bags with desiccant inside), salt, sugar (Domino, which are sold in one-pound plastic tubs), olives, peanuts, wheat, etc. Basically hit-or-miss, so far. I need to get this “food problem” organized and do it right. But it’s a start. I think we’ve got only about a 60-day supply now, for two.
I’ve got two Coleman two-burner stoves. One is a butane stove, and the other a dual fuel (white gas or unleaded gas), as well as several small backpacking stoves, the best of which is a MSR Whisperlite International
, which uses virtually all fuel (unleaded, white gas, kerosene, diesel, and maybe even corn oil). I was heavily into backpacking when we were stationed in Hawaii in the late 1970s, and still have all the gear. After having one knee replacement and hedging doing another, I’ll not be backpacking if I can help it. Nevertheless, I have two bug-out bags with essentials in them, ready to hit the trail if need be. I’ve saved up and bought two good Wiggy's bags and a couple of his poncho liners.
Concerning backpacking stuff, I can recommend a book that I read back then called The Complete Walker, by Colin Fletcher. I haven’t read it in at least a decade, but its import is such that I remember much of it. He emphasizes simplicity in gear. That is to say, don’t pack a tent if you can get by with a tent fly – which you cannot in cold weather. I’ve still got my old three-season tent, but am saving up for a four-season. And he emphasizes: don’t worry about pounds – worry about ounces. That is to say, if one is packing tea bags, remove the labels from the bags. Ounces. Remove all packaging material unless it is absolutely necessary (usually never). Don’t carry a “mess kit,” nor a knife, fork and spoon set. A spoon will do (I’ve done it) along with a pocket knife. Now I have so many knives of so many types that I can’t remember them. Personally, I’d go for a multi-tool. But it’s heavy. I never used to carry a weapon while backpacking. Of course, it was (and is) illegal in Hawaii, but I think one would be remiss in not doing so today. There was so much good advice in that book that helped me in the USMC, if nothing more than when packing my helicopter before a mission, or a car, trailer, or truck to move across the country. “Think ounces, not pounds.” I always think about Mr. Fletcher’s advice when I pack.
Anyway, I think I’ve got the camping stove angle covered in spades. That is, until the fuel runs out. Same goes for kerosene heater and lanterns (5). My plan is to pull out our pellet stove and replace it with a free-standing wood stove. Pellets are nice, but they must be bought, and the price is getting exorbitant, according to my pocket book. They likely will be non-existent in a crunch.
I connected a 12,000 Watt/50amp gasoline generator when we moved into this house nine years ago, as I have with every house in which we’ve lived for the last two decades. I’ve got it wired through a transfer box to the circuit-breaker panel, a job that I did myself. It works, and it’s safe. The main reasons for having this were to run the 220V[olt AC] well water pump and to run the refrigerator and our free-standing freezer during power outages. But I’ve got it wired, anyway, to nearly every circuit in the house, except the other 220V appliances – water heater and heat pump. It is somewhat selectable. That is to say that I can choose which circuits I want to power by engaging or disengaging the switches on the transfer box. The problem is that it uses gasoline. So in a long-term outage it would soon become useless. I’ve had the propane gas company come out to estimate what it would cost to get a dedicated 100 gal propane tank for the generator. It would be about $500, but then, in addition to the 50+ gallons of gasoline, butane tanks, and white gas that I keep stored in a separate outbuilding, it would make a great explosion when hit with a tracer round.
Which brings me to the subject of security. We live in a split-level home on about ten acres of forest. The property is surrounded by other similar-sized properties of seemingly like-minded individuals. I gleamed this because everyone out here shoots. The sweet sound of gunfire can be heard at times in a full circle. West Virginia, at least, has still got its priorities straight in this regard. But I digress. This is a frame house with half of it below ground in front, but framed in back, which faces the forest. The forest, itself, is a maze of downed pine trees blown over by the wind, interspersed with small saplings, vines and low brush. Not a likely avenue of approach for anyone but the most determined. For those who are determined, the downed trees would make excellent cover and concealment. So I have a security problem to solve there, as well as at the front.
I’ve started buying rolls of barbed wire and baling wire. Unfortunately, I do not have access to dynamite, which we used to be able to buy in a hardware store in the 1960s. We used it back then to blow stumps while clearing the land for our house. I am thinking of buying a bunch of used railroad ties to build cover in the back; I’ve thought also of bricks and sandbags. Problem is we’re reaching the point in all of this where the house would begin to look like a fortress, of sorts, to all but the most ignorant observers. So there’s a line here concerning security versus “normalcy” that I must cross sooner or later. Inasmuch as my wife is a few years older than I and is on constant medications, I’m afraid that finding a retreat (if we could even afford one) would be out of the question, as access to doctors, hospital and pharmacy are a necessity. Nevertheless I’ve got the bags packed and gear ready to throw into the pickup (Toyota 4x4 – like to have one of those older model American trucks, but I think they are getting rare, at least around here. And what there are will likely go to the Cash for Clunkers Program….grumble, grumble. What will they think of next?).
So it looks to me as if we are here for the duration of the crisis, or sooner, if they try to take the guns from my cold, dead hands. Speaking of, I still have to build a cache or two for guns and ammo and a few other necessities.
And since I’ve more-or-less made that decision (here for the duration), I’ve thought of organizing the apparently gun-loving neighbors. I’ve begun to buy walkie-talkies, if not field phones and commo wire. I’ve got solar panels and several batteries (need to get a mega deep cell or two, however) to run the small battery chargers and the CB radio. My shortwave is up and running.
I will have to wait to talk to the neighbors, whom I rarely see, much less know. I can just imagine the words that would come out of their mouths if I were to mention to them the notion of forming a security “company” and establishing a perimeter. “That old retired Marine down the road is nuts!”
So that’s what I’ve got to say. I do hope it at least stimulates some thought for those who are starting out trying to prepare, as I am. All of this shows me that one “problem” in this “survival” business leads to several more, and they in turn lead to even more problems. Lots to do. So I’m glad I’m retired. I’ve got time to think about it. If I were rich, I could do a lot more and likely in a far away place, but as it is, we do with what we have. I have to use the lessons taught to every Marine: Improvise, Adapt, Overcome.
Long Live America. Keep the Faith. - “Two Dogs”, Col. USMCR (ret.) in West Virginia
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Underground Survival Shelter Construction and Security--Learn from My Mistakes, by B.B.
In the summer of 1995 I decided to build an underground multipurpose survival shelter. I purchased the book Nuclear War Survival
Skills by Cresson H. Kearney and went to work. If you want to know about shelters and what it will be like living in one, then purchase his book. My brother helped me for a while with the construction, but I did the majority of the work alone and it took me two years to complete the project. Let me say up front that I’m an amateur who used a brilliant book to build a shelter. Along the way I made many mistakes and had some unanticipated problems. Hopefully if you decide to do something along these lines you can learn from my many mistakes.
I purchased used 40 foot x 12foot diameter and 20 foot x 8 foot [galvanized steel ] road culvert pipes. The 20 foot long culvert would be used as the entrance to the larger pipe. The first step of my project was to enclose the ends of the 40’ pipe. In the back I used heavy angle iron to frame the end then 2x12s to enclose it. Welding on galvanized metal was a problem for me so I also bolted the braces to the pipe. When I finished enclosing the end it didn’t look right so I placed black roofing felt over the 2x12s and covered it all with a layer of plywood, painted it and then tarred it. I cut a hole in the back at floor level and inserted a 12’’ plastic pipe into the hole and ran the pipe up to the top for airflow. In the front of the pipe I framed it in with angle iron and just used 2x12s. I used 2x12s so that my front solid core entrance door would be right.
I used metal channel iron to enclose the floor of the pipe. I cut the floor frame channels to the proper length so that the floor was about 8ft in height so that I could walk and not hit my head. I installed a plywood floor and placed 4 foot square inserts in the center that would pull up and out for easy access to the lower level. This lower level gives me 4 foot x 40 foot storage under the floor with 8 feet of headroom on top. Along the sides I used two 2x12s wide for bench seats the entire length of the pipe on both sides. This is more than enough seating and is not in the way when you walk around in the pipe. I don’t want to gloss over this part but it took about a year for me to complete the inside.
After I completed the construction of the pipe I was ready to bury it. To accomplish this I rented a 988 Cat[erpillar brand wheel loader with a excavation bucket] and dug a hole for the 40 foot long section. I then buried it to the proper height so the 8 foot piece would match the door and then buried the whole thing. The 20 foot x 8 foot piece extended out the end far enough to prevent the soil from burying the front door. From the bottom of the pipe to the top of the soil is about 22 feet. After burying everything the front didn’t look right. There wasn’t anyway to secure the entrance to the pipe so I then I built a 20x20 wooden shed on the end to secure the entrance. I placed the pipe west to east so the airflow would work and buried the pipe with about 10ft of earth on top of the main 40-foot pipe being sure to protect the plastic air pipe on the end. The book says you only need three feet of compacted earth to protect you from radiation but 10 feet works for temperature control. [JWR Adds: In my experience, only foot depth of clay or loam soil is required to take full advantage of the ambient ground temperature, at least outside of permafrost zones.] The temperature is constant summer and winter and it is pleasant inside. I checked the level of the ground for drainage and adjusted the drainage away from the entrance.
Alongside my buried pipe shelter I placed a Santa Fe Railroad boxcar for storage. This was the real deal and made of solid metal. I filled the boxcar with lots of stuff that could be used for barter or just be used to keep us comfortable. After loading the boxcar with stuff, as a precaution, I welded the two large solid metal doors shut. The doors slid sideways to open so I felt it wouldn’t take much to prevent them from opening.
After I finished construction, my pipe complex was 80ft long, with a storage boxcar alongside. There was water, food, bedding, clothes, everything I could think of that I might need, I stored in the pipe shelter. There is water close by and I also had 8 - 55 gallon. used white plastic Coca-Cola syrup barrels filled with water inside the pipe. When I open the entrance door and the 12’’ plastic air flow pipe you can feel the air flow but according to the book that isn’t enough air for [very] many people and the book tells you how to increase the airflow for more people. On the right side of the pipe there is electrical plugs for 12 volt DC power and 2 Heavy equipment 12 volt DC batteries for power. On the left side of the pipe is 120 volt AC power [conduit and outlets] to be plugged into a generator.
The boxcar was for extra, non-essential items. My family and I could go to my pipe shelter without bringing anything with us and stay there for at least one year.
Lessons I have learned:
My
first and biggest mistake was in believing that my property was secure. There is no possible way to secure property if you aren’t there to secure it. I have 120 acres fenced in and the pipe location is out of sight of the main road. I thought the location was secure but it only took the druggies a couple of years to find it. Once the word got out what was there everything went down hill fast. Now the property is always being broken into and trashed. They will steal anything and everything and then trash the rest. I live in the city and the [unoccupied] pipe [shelter] is 200 miles away from my home in the country. The pipe is located in the middle of my land but it doesn’t matter. (Hindsight) When you use wood to enclose your shelter eventually the Prairie dogs and druggies will find a way into it. 4 Wheeler [ATV]s can go anywhere and they do. Not only did they break into my pipe [shelter] and destroy and steal everything, they used a bumper jack to attach to the bottom of my metal door on my boxcar, jack it out and steal everything they wanted. Then when they had everything worth something they burned the boxcar. The interior walls and floor of a boxcar are lined with heavy wood and burns real hot.
So here is where I am now: I had to rebuild the front of the entrance to the pipe. I originally had some windows in front of my pipe complex to help add a little illumination so I used crusher screen cloth to cover the windows and doors. After the druggies broke into the pipe they left it open and the prairie dogs ruined everything left inside. I have cleaned out everything in the pipe and threw it all away. Now the pipe is empty but at least it is still usable, but my boxcar is a burned-out shell and unusable.
If you want to have a place in the country to escape to Good luck. You have to be there to be able to protect it.
I also buried some plastic 55gal barrels with some extra #10 cans of food in them. They have been in the ground for about 10 yrs and I have learned another lesson. There is enough moisture in the barrels to rust through many of the #10 cans. The barrels didn’t leak water but many of the #10 cans still rusted through. If you want to do something like this dip your cans in wax and that will protect the metal #10 cans from rusting. You can buy lids for 55 gallon barrels that snap on to the top of the barrel. They are thin but if you place a piece of rolled plastic on top of the lid and then some ¾’’ plywood over the top of the barrels they will be fine. Mine were buried on end with about two feet of soil on top. You can bury 8 barrels with a single piece of plywood over them and have a lot of #10 cans of food safely stored in a cool temperature. 10 yrs. of storage isn’t a problem if you store wheat, rice and beans as you can fill in the gaps later with storage easer to get to.
I find that this type of storage in 55gal plastic barrels buried in the ground works for many different things.
[Some information on another topic deleted, for brevity. It will eventually be posted separately.]
I hope this information is helpful. - BB
JWR Adds: I've heard may similar tales about unoccupied retreats being ransacked. BB's experience underscores the oft-repeated need to either:
1.) Live at your retreat year-round, or
2.)
Have a retreat caretaker, or
3.) Have a trustworthy year-round resident neighbor that lives in a house with line of sight to your retreat buildings.
Anything less than that cannot be relied on! There is some utility in motion-queued web cams, but there is no sure substitute for the Mark I Human Eyeball. I consider web cams just a good backup, and a means to capture images of would-be burglars and their vehicle license plate numbers.
If it is an underground shelter, then you might get away with a completely hidden entrance. Typically, this is done with a large scrap/junk pile. (Two of my consulting clients have done this, thusfar with several years of success.) Although it is labor intensive to remove, the "scrap pile camouflage" technique is fairly practical for a property that you visit only infrequently. But all it takes is just one untrustworthy person that knows about the shelter's existence to make this approach ineffective. (The goblins will keep looking until the find the entrance.)
Given enough time, miscreants can reduce just about any obstacle to entry to an unoccupied and unobserved structure. They will come back with a cutting torch or even a backhoe, given enough time!
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A Prepper Husband and a Stubborn Wife, by JRM
Part 1 - Introduction
History will repeat itself, for history has shown, that history will repeat itself. Unfortunately my wife is not interested in history. She is, however coming around, and now I pass my knowledge on to others whose "significant others" might not see the picture. Understanding the situation is the first step to doing something about it.
As a young (25 and 22 years old) couple, attached to the US Navy, (entering my sixth year of service) my worst nightmare is a TEOTWAWKI event occurring when I am 2,000 miles away. There is little to be done about this possibility but, as my Marine Corps brethren tell me, adapt and overcome. Contingencies have been planned, but before I get there let me elaborate on how I made a breakthrough with my young, and stubborn wife.
We have been married for three years, and I was blissfully unaware of the possibilities that life as we know it might change. I was in high school when my parents prepared for Y2K, but saw decent planning and stockpiling take place. My wife's parents planned as well, but they planned a holiday ski trip to Lake Tahoe [for December 31, 1999.]. That being said, when I joined the Navy and landed in Virginia I did not begin to take steps in preparing. That was my first mistake: I met my wife, I wasn't preparing, and she had no indication that a couple years down the road that I would open my eyes and want to devote so much time and resources towards preparing as best I could.
I can't pin down the exact moment when I realized that I had lost precious time and felt the urge to get ready. I think it was a steady stream of facts that I was able to put together, and the more I researched the more bleak the picture looked to me. I then began looking for a way to make my family's situation better. The first thing I realized was that it would cost money to prepare. So, I dusted off the planned budget, took out a red pen and started making cuts and shifting priorities around. After I felt satisfied, I sat my wife down and proposed the new budget. Needless to say, my "radical" new budget was shot down.
Part 2 - The Wrong Way
I was not entirely discouraged, but a little disappointed that my wife didn't just take my word that we needed to spend money and time on preparing. I suppose that an older (read: "wiser") man would have known to ease his wife into a new lifestyle.
I then made my second big mistake. Feeling that I "knew better" and was doing it for "her own good" I began to run a "disinformation campaign" on my wife. (Note: I don't endorse this method, as in my own experience it will fail in the end!) With spring starting, I began a dialogue with my wife about camping. It seemed logical to me, we devote money and time preparing for a few camping trips, I cross some of my items off the "need for preparation" list and she is none the wiser. It worked. We both had bug out bags, I mean "hiking packs", some cooking gear, some camping knives, flashlights, a good tent, sleeping bags, first aid kits, and the like. I was even allowed to make most of the purchases for her (thus ensuring that we didn't end up with a bright red tent, a hot pink pack and such.) We went camping, it was great, learned a few things about her ability in the wilderness (and my own) and several more things were added to my "preparation list" that I had never though of.
I felt great, stage one of my disinformation campaign was a success, and I felt ready to move on the next stage. The garden. My wife loves her flower garden. We started with a weed-infested back yard, and with a lot of hard work (on my part) and a vision (wife's department) we ended up with a nice yard, with a lot of flowers and ornamental trees. I don't intend on eating trees and flowers, so I just brought up the subject of a home vegetable garden. She liked the idea, but it was something that we really knew nothing about. We did some research on the internet, and she was immediately overwhelmed by the information and lost motivation. (I mean, c'mon we live within walking distance to the commissary.)
I was greatly helped by a new girlfriend she had made. Her friend opened her eyes to organic foods and sold her on the benefits of buying organic. I just had to wait for the right time, because I knew that the organic food store was much more expensive than the commissary. I would use my wife's own argument against her, that organic foods cost too much, but I would compromise and "allow the expense" of growing our own organic garden, which would offset the cost of buying organic meats and milk. Stage two complete.
I continued with my disinformation campaign for months, and was able to cross a decent amount of things off my "preparation list". But it was this very list that was my undoing. While cleaning she came across my list, and saw that very clearly, I had checked many things off. Then the light bulb clicked on and the gig was up. Understandably she was hurt. For months I had been less than honest about my intentions, and she viewed it as selfish and childish. Which it was. I won't go into detail about how terrible that night was when I got home, but it's safe to say that my plans for being ready were placed on hold.
Part 3 - The Right Way
As a uniformed service member I feel it necessary to keep my political beliefs private. Because of this, my wife became my outlet for venting frustration with policies I don't agree with. At first my wife was uninterested in the happenings in D.C., because she felt that it would have little impact on her way of life. This was a blessing in disguise that brought my wife to a point in her life where she wanted answers.
My wife and I were invited to a friend's house for dinner and drinks. Little to my knowledge, my friend's wife is very passionate about politics. As drinks were made, discussion ensued, and before long politics was being discussed. My friend, a Marine, is a conservative through and through. He has no problems voicing his opinions on any number of topics and policies. His wife is as liberal a person as I have ever met. The debate was quite invigorating. My poor wife, knowing only the politics that I preach to her, decided to throw her two cents in, but could barely regurgitate the things I had said previously to her, let alone defend her "position" when pointed questions were asked.
The next day I came home to my wife watching the news, and reading headlines on her laptop. She would never get into another political debate without knowing what she was talking about. I was impressed, and engaged her in many long conversations. I showed her articles and stories, and allowed her time to come to her own conclusions, the same way I came to my conclusions. But in the end it was Glenn Beck's show that prompted a question from her, "Is it possible that our economy could really collapse?"
Now I know, at 25 that I am in no position to give history lessons, but I did my best and pointed mostly towards the 1930s as an example. I talked at length about the increased danger we live in now, as modern day America is not what it was in 1930. The danger is not in the market, but in the fragility of our now intertwined systems. We talked for quite a while, and in the end talked how to protect ourselves. And finally talking about how to prepare for the worst, should it come.
Part 4 - The Plan
Again, we pulled out the family budget, and re-prioritized. In the end we were able to devote $200 a month for preparations. That was three months ago.
Simple. That was my number one priority, as it pertains to a plan. Mostly, because I knew that there is a decent chance that I could be across the world when/if an event happened.
My first purchases were paper, a few three-ring binders, and some shelving. I started by making lists of everything. Then I developed a set of SOPs, checklists and a commo plan. These are very much still in a beginning stage, but they get better every week. These binders serve three purposes. One, they allow me to think things though, and shoot holes in my plans. Two, give my wife an easy set of instructions to follow should I be deployed. Three, give me piece of mind when I am away.
Eventually, these binders will evolve into an all encompassing SOP. Set up similarly to a "choose your own adventure" book. Meaning that, you evaluate your current situation then flip to that section for a course of action. (For example, a Hurricane is rolling in, and it's going to require an evacuation. Turn to page 16 for instructions. Or it is a G.O.O.D. situation and you have an hour to get loaded up and out of town, turn to page 74.) In conjunction with this, the shelving units in the garage are organized with the binder. Meaning, that for a hurricane, all items on shelves one and two have priority in the truck.
Most of the things we have done thus far are extremely cheap. Making plans for instance, are free. Aside from the cost of the 3 ring binder, paper and ink, planning for an escape was free. We live in a very densely populated area, and our tentative plan is to bug out early to a planned waypoint to reassess the situation. I do not want to risk waiting and "fighting" my way out of town, so we may have a few "unplanned camping trips" that turn out to be false alarms, but I'll chalk it up to practice. As funds are available, I hope to store a cache of goods at this location to enable us to travel further west without needing assistance or gas stations. This first waypoint is just inside the range my truck can go on a half a tank of gas, with three routes already planned if needed.
I feel that at this stage we would be ahead of the hordes of people trying to evacuate the east coast. From this point we should be able to "camp", assess the situation via radio, and decide on the next course of action. If it's a false alarm, we pack our things in the morning and head home. If not we decide which preplanned route would be safest to get to our second waypoint. (note I have planned for a few waypoints for my second leg. Basically, if you drew a vertical line every 250-300 miles across the US there would be a few waypoints close to that line.) This will allow for flexibility in planning as we continue to assess the situation. If we must go north to get out west we will have a plan, if we can still use the interstate there will be a plan, of we need to go south there is a plan. All we have to do is chose at each leg. The hardest part of planning was having contingencies for natural barriers, such as the Appalachian Mountains and the Mississippi river.
Of course we have a destination in mind, and that is linking up with some like minded family members, who will hopefully be waiting for us when we arrive at grandpa's house out in the middle of nowhere.
90% of our focus has been on bugging out, but we plan to start shifting some focus on maintaining the homestead. This would likely be limited to a high inflation scenario, where food storage would offset costs and impact us less, as well as securing the house for the rise in crime. However, it would be foolish in our situation to stay in our city for most foreseeable situations.
The other cheap way we have begun to prepare is mentally. This was difficult for my wife. I started by giving her my copy of "Patriots" and then a copy of "The Road
". It allowed her to see a significant contrast in what could happen, as well as the difference between preparing or not preparing.
I will end with this. We are only three months into actively preparing ourselves. And in a short essay it is impossible to discuss all the things we have tried. But there are some fundamental things that have worked for us.
- You have to be a team. I have gotten much further working as a team than trying to "sneak around" and prepare.
- You have to prepare spiritually. I am not a fan of church, as every time I go I feel like I am being sold something. My wife and I go straight to the source for our spiritual guidance. Prayer and studying the Bible works for us. But you need to find what works for you.
- You have to stay motivated. Keep yourself informed, and do something every single day that makes you a little more prepared. 365 little things to prepare will get me much further than saving up and buying a bunch of gear at the end of the year.
- You have to look for support. Too many of my peers (20-30 years old) are happy being blissfully unaware. But many are opening there eyes every day, and just need a friend to help them. This is where my plan falls flat, for now. Establishing a network of people to count on is very high on my priorities, but with the ever evolving network of friends getting rotated to new duty stations every couple of years this has been hard.
- You have to have a plan, and expect it to fail. I've been on many military missions, and Murphy has been there every single time. But it is easier to adjust a plan or fall back on a contingency than it is to shoot from the hip.
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Gear Up -- Appropriate and Redundant Technologies for Prepared Families
I frequently stress the importance of well-balanced preparedness in my writings. All too often, I've seen people that go to extremes, to the point that these extremes actually detract from the ability to survive a disaster situation. These range from the "all the gear that I'll need to survive is in my backpack" mentality to the "a truckload of this or that" fixation. But genuine preparedness lies in comprehensive planning, strict budgeting, and moderation. Blowing your entire preparedness budget on just one category of gear is detrimental to your overall preparedness.
Another common mistake that I see among my consulting clients is an over-emphasis on either very old technologies or on the "latest and greatest" technologies. In the real world, preparedness necessitates having a bit of both. At the Rawles Ranch we have both 19th century technology (like hand-powered tools) and a few of the latest technologies like passive IR intrusion detection (Dakota Alerts), photovoltaics, and electronic night vision. My approach is to pick and choose the most appropriate technologies that I can maintain by myself, but to always have backups in the form of less exotic or earlier, albeit less-efficient technologies. For example, my main shortwave receiver is a Sony ICF-SW7600GR. But in the event of EMP, I also a have a pair of very inexpensive Kaito shortwaves
and a trusty old Zenith Trans-Oceanic radio that uses vacuum tubes. Like my other spare electronics, these are all stored in a grounded galvanized steel can when not in use.
Here is my approach to preparedness gear, in a nutshell
- Redundancy, squared. I jokingly call my basement Jim's Amazing Secret Bunker of Redundant Redundancy (JASBORR)
- Buy durable gear. Think of it as investing for your children and grandchildren. And keep in mind that there'll be no more "quick trips to the hardware store" after TSHTF.
- Vigilantly watch Craigslist, Freecycle, classified ads, and eBay for gear at bargain prices.
- Strive for balanced preparedness that "covers all bases"--all scenarios.
- Flexibility and Adaptability (Examples: shop to match a 12 VDC standard for most small electronics, truly multi-purpose equipment, multi-ball hitches, NATO slave cable connectors for 24 VDC vehicles, Anderson Power Pole connectors for small electronics--again, 12 VDC)
- Retain the ability to revert to older, more labor-intensive technology.
- Fuel flexibility (For example: Flex fuel vehicles (FFVs), Tri-fuel generators
, and biodiesel compatible vehicles)
- Purchase high-quality used (but not abused) gear, preferably when bargains can be found
- If in doubt, then buy mil-spec.
- If in doubt, then buy the larger size and the heavier thickness.
- If in doubt, then buy two. (Our motto: "Two is one and one is none.")
- Buy systematically, and only as your budget allows. (Avoid debt!)
- Invest your sweat equity. Not only will you save money, but you also will learn more valuable skills.
- Train with what you have, and learn from the experts. Tools without training are almost useless.
- Learn to maintain and repair your gear. (Always buy spare parts and full service manuals!)
- Buy guns in common calibers
- Buy with long service life in mind (such as low self-discharge NiMH rechargeable batteries.)
- Store extra for charity and barter
- Grow your own and buy the tooling to make your own--don't just store things.
- Rust is the enemy, and lubrication
and spot painting
are your allies.
- Avoid being an "early adopter" of new technology--or you'll pay more and get lower reliability.
- Select all of your gear with your local climate conditions in mind.
- Recognize that there are no "style" points in survival. Don't worry about appearances--concentrate on practicality and durability.
- As my old friend "Doug Carlton" is fond of saying: "Just cut to size, file to fit,, and paint to match."
- Don't skimp on tools. Buy quality tools (such as Snap-on and Craftsman brands), but buy them used, to save money.
- Skills beat gadgets and practicality beats style.
- Use group standardization for weapons and electronics. Strive for commonality of magazines, accessories and spare parts
- Gear up to raise livestock. It is an investment that breeds.
- Build your fences bull strong and sheep tight.
- Tools without the appropriate safety gear (like safety goggles, helmets, and chainsaw chaps
) are just accidents waiting for a place to happen.
- Whenever you have the option, buy things in flat, earth tone colors
- Plan ahead for things breaking or wearing out.
- Always have a Plan B and a Plan C
If you are serious about preparedness, then I recommend that you take a similar approach.
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Letter Re: Some Crucial Readiness: Preparing for Joy
Sir,
I enjoyed the article about "Preparing for Joy". The Christmas after Hurricane Ivan hit Pensacola [Florida, in 2004] was depressing and sad. My family and street was in a gloomy state that almost nothing could get us out of.
About a week before Christmas I got off my butt and spent my last $40 on outside Christmas lights. It was kind of a funny sight, seeing the lights on the damaged house. But do you know what? The next day lights started popping up all down the street. People who never put lights up were putting them up.
Even though we did not have all the wrappings of Christmas that was one of my favorite Christmas celebrations. Everyone's heart was lifted with 40 bucks of lights. Best money I ever spent.
I'm going to order some [strings of] 12 volt lights and put in my survival kit and prepare for fun.
Thanks for all the great info! - Steven
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Letter Re: A Multiple Family Retreat -- Lessons Learned The Hard Way
Dear Mr. Rawles:
I have been following several good reader contributions including “Bug Out At the Last Minute” arguments versus those who consider “Early Relocation” and most recently “A Multiple Family Retreat—Lessons Learned the Hard Way” in regards to the most expeditious and efficient way to set up a self-sufficient retreat. While I understand that some folks are just simply unable to make a full time commitment in setting up a retreat, I also know that there are many—while there are still the comforts of life available (television, readily available food and gasoline)—that are unwilling to make the sacrifice necessary to prepare for any pending manmade or natural disaster(this include members of my extended family who are living what they consider the “good life” but I am sure will be on our doorstep WTSHTF) From my family’s experience, if one is not practicing what they preach…i.e. actually learning by trial and error and doing what one plans to do when the time come, then no matter how much one has prepared—stocking food supplies, buying “Seeds in a Can”, or planning to bug out with everything but the kitchen sink—then there will most certainly be a very steep learning curve to be had. Believe me, my husband and I have made many mistakes, but because we are also willing to sacrifice, after five years have reached the level of preparedness WTSHTF! In fact, it is best to get to a prepared lifestyle so WTSHTF, such events are just a mere bump in the road for your family.
With my parents we purchased 110 acres of fertile land, with two running streams, a spring, and two ponds 100 miles away from the nearest “Metro Mess”. There are several vibrant and viable little towns within driving or even walking distance for that matter. These towns are very close knit and some would call them “clannish” because everyone seems to be related to everyone else. We bought the land 10 years ago, but starting living on it full time 5 years ago.
Most people would think this is the perfect setup. We think it is, however, please allow me the opportunity to expand on what I mean “Practicing what you preach” because our journey to where we are today did not come by just planning, but by doing.
1. The Land - Pros: Good land, sandy loam, available water. Cons: Just as the veggies like the soil, so do the weeds! If we do not pull weeds everyday, they seem to come back double within the week. Additionally, despite all the attractive pictures on the veggie packets and promises that they will grow, I have learned what will grow in my particular location and what will not grow. Although we live in zone 7, in my particular location it is not uncommon to have a late hard killing freeze the end of April. I still have fruit trees, but lost all of the fruit this year. I also know what types of vegetables will grow and which ones will not. This was not learned by planning to do it in the future when it is necessary, but over a trial and error five-year period. Is this a process that one wants to learn when one really needs it, or instead by practicing what you intend to do, so that you are up to speed when the time comes as disaster strikes? It means having on hand all the tools and supplies needed, and this was only learned by doing before hand.
2. The Livestock - Pros: A ready food source or beasts of burden. Cons: They are reliant on you for their well being. Chickens get eaten by varmints or neighbors dogs if one is not careful, animals need daily care—whether from you, or someone else if you are away for a time—they get sick and hurt, get into a neighbor’s pasture, etc. If you plan to eat chickens for example, then you must learn how to kill them and dress them properly. Believe me, all these things are not something one needs to learn when it is truly necessary, but is only learned by doing before hand.
3. The Farmstead and accompanying equipment—Pros: This goes without saying. Cons: If one is not a handyman, or DIY, then learn anyway you can! Metal roofs blow off, water well pumps stop working, trees fall on things that they are not supposed to, wild fires and floods, etc. It is just not a matter of “Calling someone” to fix these things because out in rural areas, it is assumed that everyone knows how to take care of these things. One can only know what tools they will need for their particular situation by practicing and experimenting—remember an electric dehydrator for preserving food, or a wide screen tv will not be useful when there is no electricity. Our family got rid of cable/satellite tv (no time to watch it other than a rental movie every once in a while) but, we still have satellite Internet service—the best source for alternative news like SurvivalBlog. I am learning to can with a pressure cooker and preserve food that we grow. All these things are learned by doing.
4. The Job—My husband and I both had jobs in the city when we bought our land. Before we moved from the Metro Mess, we scaled back and paid off as much debt as possible, and saved as much as possible. When we finally moved to our land we commuted to our jobs for three years, 1,000 miles a week. That meant going to bed promptly at 9 p.m. in order to get up at 3:30 to feed the animals and be on the road by 5 a.m. for our 200 mile round-trip trek. My husband retired to work on the farm full time, and as soon as I was able, I found a teaching job in one of the small towns. I taught for two years in this position, but now our homestead is able to generate enough income, plus what we have saved, for me to resign my teaching position. Is this difficult to do? Yes, it takes sacrifice and ignoring the naysayers who may think that you are a little crazy. But again, sacrifice is only gained by doing.
5. The Local People—The only way to get to know the locals is by living amongst them. I do not mean this in a negative way by any means. I have heard many other new homesteaders complain that the locals are tough nuts to crack, and in our situation, everyone is related to everyone else, so of course there is some suspicion to any newcomer. However, the only way that you can become a successful member of a community is by
doing and being there. Of course expect hostility WTSHTF and you just “show up” We became part of the community by worshiping at the local church, teaching Sunday school, joining civil organizations, enrolling our children in the schools, etc. When a church member broke his back in a fall, we were there helping his wife with the farm chores. When a massive wild fire rolled through the area this spring, we were there helping evacuate horses. Of course they will talk about you…this is just a fact of life in a small town…however, the church was full when my brother—who nobody knew because he lived out of state—died and was buried in the church cemetery…all of our friends who had become our family were there for US. This did not happen overnight, but by the nurturing relationships and sacrifice…turn off the boob tube and get to know your neighbors. Also, it is through the locals that we know how to butcher and garden, as well as get things like milk and grains. I can also defend myself and our property because a retired police officer gave us the proper training. We have a pretty good barter system going, and again, this did not happen by planning, but by
doing.
Now, as I stated earlier, I know that there are many people out there that do not have a choice, and are doing the best that they can to prepare and I pray for you. However, I also know that there are just as many people who are unwilling to work hard and sacrifice so when the time comes, they will be scrambling to get themselves in a better plan, and with possible dire results. Please, if at all possible, try to get to your ultimate retreat before you really need it. Learn not by planning, but by doing and Practicing What You Preach! God Bless, - SHM
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Often-Overlooked Readiness: Preparing for Joy, by Carla
I am sitting here and it is raining, and raining and raining and... Four inches so far, nobody can water like God can! After our last rain, everything in the garden had a tremendous burst of energy. The dreary, raining day for some folks though, is especially depressing. I enjoy those occasional days, when I feel like I can actually sit down at the computer without feeling guilty because there is so much to do outside that I really shouldn't be here.
It got me to thinking again about “what if?” How can we defeat those occasional bouts of dreariness, especially if and when TEOTWAWKI comes along? Making sure every ones attitudes stay uplifted might be one of those things that make living in a very, very hard time a little more bearable.
You’ve always heard the saying, “if momma ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy.” Well, momma, start with yourself first. Make sure your priorities are straight, your head, your body (I’m especially in need of that), your spiritual life, and your relationships are in great shape. Remember, you and your family are a team. It is going to be you and them against the world. Ya’ll will possibly be the only ones you engage with for a while. Your relationships to each other is of vital importance. Pick your battles, which is something I have to be very conscious of. Make sure everyone in the family knows how vital their contribution is. Even if it is just the little ones trained well enough to know how to mind and do their chores. It will save a lot of added frustration especially if things are in really bad shape.
Make sure you have something that is special to you stored back--I know this may sound irrelevant and maybe even a little selfish, but just a small bottle of perfume, or a little lipstick, after you come in from a long, hot, sweaty day in the garden, to clean up and smell and look pretty, will give you (and him) a nice, uplifting feeling. You are the heart of the home, make it a place that gives your family a feeling of warmth and welcome when they are there. Grow a few hardy flowers that like hot weather and do well without much rain. We never know from year to year how much rain we will get. Cut them and put them on the table. Save your dish water to pour on them if the weather is dry. It will lift everyone's spirits to come to the table with a nice tablecloth and flowers. Your conversation makes a difference, too. Talk about memories, funny stories, you might even start writing them down so you won’t forget them when they happen. You will be the one who makes a vital difference in attitudes, and this is true even when things are normal. Make plans for birthdays or other special days. Birthday candles do not take up much space and cost very little , they are a very important part of birthdays, especially the little [single digit] ones. Folks like me have to have permission from the Fire Department! You know what is important to your family as far as holidays and families times. Prepare for those special times.
What about things to do [at quiet times]? My husband loves puzzles. I will have some puzzle books put back. My daughter is like me: she loves art. If you have a child who loves to draw, make sure you have some art supplies on hand. A reader? G.A. Henty
is one great author, especially for your boys. Even my daughter loved his books, lots of history in great mysteries. Get online and find some of the older books or look at used bookstores, thrift shops, or your local library. They get rid of older books every once in a while, so be on the look out for those old classics. Don’t do the “fast food” type of books that you can read in 15 minutes. Give them something that takes a while and better yet, have daddy read to the family at night. Just a few chapters, discuss it and enjoy a peaceful evening.
Games are a great family time and some of them are just for fun, some help learning skills. Whatever your family enjoys and make sure you have a few for all ages. You need those old fashioned ones, because the computer may not be working. We have made our own games. We’ve dug some small holes in the ground and found some old washers and used them similarly to horseshoes. Since we home schooled, geography was taught by buying plastic posters of the continents. Each person would have a different place and we would ask about rivers, mountain ranges, countries, anything that was on the map could be formed into a question. Charades, an old game is great if you have visitors. Music is wonderful. Maybe you have a musician in your family. Sing together. It makes a light-hearted atmosphere and gets everyone away from all the talk about news and what is going on. There are web sites on line that can give you many more ideas, and now would be the time to prepare.
If you have folks who like to sew, knit, crochet, woodwork make sure they have a few items that could give them some time to be creative. All work and no play makes a really bad attitude. It is a good way to make gifts as holidays and birthdays come along. Make your own cards and stick one on a bed or on the mirror to tell your family how much you appreciate their hard work and their good attitude. A little praise goes a long way.
Preparing for fun and relaxation is as important as preparing for physical needs. Fear and bitterness are some of the worse life threatening things that will bring the whole household down. Having a lot of time on your hands, gives time to think about what I don’t have, or what I’m missing. Just adding some of the fun items will keep your family occupied in good, clean, happy, useful business.
Don’t forget rest~satisfying rest. When you are overworked, tired, hungry and worried your responses to folks can be well, not nice. That can lead to arguments and a lack of teamwork. Making sure everyone gets a restoring night's sleep will help get them ready for another day of taking care of business. Don’t forget to say your prayers. God has got you through another day.
Your relationship with God, knowing that you belong to Him and that your family does, is the first thing you need to have total faith in. Know that although you have prepared to the best of your abilities, that nothing happens to us that does not pass through God’s “hands” first. You must know that what He allows in our lives, He has either caused, or will use for our good and His Glory.
These are just a few ideas. There is so much information on the web now, that finding other ideas are only a mouse click away. Make a notebook and keep ideas in it. If you do not have the time right now to get things together, with the notebook you won’t forget about them. This might be good for the kids to do.
Depression is a killer, of the spirit and sometimes of lives. Just a little joy in hard times makes things go so much easier. When you can laugh during adversity, it might make a difference in getting your life back to normal. “A merry heart doeth good, like a medicine.” So remember while you’re storing up the beans, rice, tools and ammo, don’t forget to store up some joy. - Carla
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A Multiple Family Retreat -- Lessons Learned The Hard Way
I have been a follower of your blog for a couple of years now and find it to be the best source of self-sufficiency information on the Web. You and your readers have provided me with a wealth of information that would have otherwise taken a lifetime to research on my own. –and for that, I thank you and all those who took the time to contribute.
While the plethora of advice handed out on a daily basis is extremely helpful, the one thing that I have found to be sparse is the first hand accounts of failure. A wise mentor once told me that no one learns from “trial and right,” and he was correct, the best way to learn is by “trial and error.” Unfortunately, I have had my fill of error lately.
Thus, I thought I would share all the things that went wrong over the past year and a half as my family attempted to develop a retreat for a bug out location in the country (we live in the city) with two other families. I hope this helps others who may find themselves in a similar situation.
The main problems encountered:
1. Although the adults agreed to the general goal of developing a self-sufficient retreat and the various components that would be required to sufficiently make the property a true bug out location, each had different ideas on the sense of urgency, priorities, responsibilities, and methods of doing things. This resulted in a tremendous waste of time and resources; numerous projects started, but never finished, or simply not done well. Failures outnumbered successes 10:1.
2. The young adult children of one family did not contribute and were allowed to not contribute. When the parents were confronted, they reassured us, “we will talk to them.” The “talk” never happened. This led to a significant level of resentment by the children of the other two families.
3. Dogs of one family were poorly trained and supervised. The owners did nothing to remedy the problems encountered. These dogs dug up fresh plantings on several occasions and set us back an entire season. Much worse, when the gate to the chicken coup was not shut properly one day, the chickens got out and the dogs killed most of them just when they were beginning to lay well. This set us back eight months.
4. Two families did not live at the retreat full time and were only able to tend to the property and garden on weekends. We learned the hard way that there is simply not enough hours in a week to work full time, raise children, and tend to a second property on weekends. The result was severe burn out by those of us living in the city, and a one year backlog on projects for our city homes. Life doesn’t stop just because you decide to develop a retreat.
5. Only one family took firearms seriously, taking all of the advice one can read on your blog and not only taking professional training, but practicing on a regular basis to master each and every firearm by every member of the family. Another family bought a shotgun and a box of ammo, which was promptly parked in a closet, and the third family has yet to get around to it. The main issue here is that these latter two are not the folks I want watching my back in a SHTF scenario.
6. One family thought they could “buy survival.” When the going got tough, they would offer to pay for equipment and supplies instead of showing up and getting their hands dirty. This is also the family that sincerely believes that having all the stuff (solar oven, camp washer, propane stove, cases of Mountain House[long term storage food], Berkey water filter, etc.) means they are prepared. This resulted in resentment by the two families that did most of the hard labor.
7. Only one of the families actually accumulated two years worth of food & supplies (the agreed upon goal for each family), the other two families have six months or less. This was the last straw for me as it became apparent that the other families expected to survive off the one, if they ran out.
By now you can guess which of the families described is mine. After a year and a half of spending each and every weekend in the dirt, working from sun up to sun down, we just up and quit being part of the retreat a couple of weeks ago. No amount of discussion and compromise could rectify the problems we encountered, and I have no words for the extreme frustration we felt and still feel. It has been a real learning experience as these other families are not strangers; we have been close friends for over 20 years.
Our investment of sweat, time, and money yielded us with only the experience of our trials, and we are right back where we started from, living in the city with a very small garden, wondering what to do next.
In hindsight, we should have:
1. Developed a project plan that listed all of the projects, broken down by tasks, assigned priorities, and most importantly, had sufficient resources allocated to them.
2. Defined up front who does what, when & how, and who pays for what. It should also include consequences for failure to live up to expectations.
3. Agreed upon a code of conduct with everyone pledging to uphold it. Even to the point of having everyone sign a symbolic contract.
4. Had a formal schedule with built in breaks (rotating weekends off or something).
5. Had everyone on the same page as to the sense of urgency. Nothing gets done if everyone has different ideas of how important what you’re doing is.
Lastly, the most important lesson learned. Preparedness doesn’t come in a box. It comes from hard work, from getting your hands dirty, and teaching yourself new skills. There’s a lot of trial and error and the important thing is to not give up even when everyone around you is letting you down. Preparedness comes from time. Time learning and practicing. While this experience has been a complete failure, at least we learned what not to do as we plan out our next attempt.
Thank the Lord that my family still believes in me and what we need to do. Wish us luck. - KJ
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Disaster Procedures: A Survival Field Guide, by A.V.
The Relevance of Procedures
In a disaster situation many things previously fixed become variable. Communications, supplies, security and many other aspects of civilized society that we often take for granted may quickly become mired down by inefficient or massive use. Equipped as we are with a survival mindset, many still succumb to the environment of pandemonium that evolves: we forget our training, misuse our equipment, and the pace of events overwhelms us. On top of these considerations, many interested in disaster preparation may not have a family or group that is equally well-versed in the nuances of survival situations.
Many organizations address these shortcomings through the use of Procedures. Corporations use Procedures to ensure that any new employee has the ability to step into a task with the ability to perform the necessary work. The military has developed and adapted Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for use in situations where soldiers require guidance or where logic alone may not lead to the performance of the appropriate actions. Procedures and SOP are ways to coordinate actions and ensure consistency and unity of direction. They are tools of continuity.
Bringing the Problem to Light
To understand the utility of procedures I present a hypothetical situation:
A local disaster or emergency has occurred. It is a Tuesday morning in the coldest month of December. In reaction to the disaster or emergency cell phone circuits are full, power is spotty or out altogether, major traffic arteries are congested or stopped, and law enforcement is stretched beyond capacity. You are at work 10 miles north of your home, your spouse is at work 10 miles south of your home. Do you know what to do to get home? Does your spouse know what to do? Does either know precisely what the other is doing at any point in time?
In this (albeit simplistic) example a lack of clear procedure leads very quickly to losing control of an already volatile situation. It is this lack of organization that causes panic and wasted effort, which ultimately endanger your personal and family security. Had this hypothetical couple developed procedures such as a communication plan they could have coordinated activities and exchanged information. If one of the pair was injured while traveling home a set medical plan could help mitigate the injury or inform the other where the injured is located. A logistical procedure may have exposed a weakness in supplies such as food or potable water that could be devastating during a protracted crisis.
If there is value in the security that organization provides then the need for procedural doctrine and tactics logically follows.
Procedure Categories
Procedures can take many forms to fit many different types of situations. Purely technical activities may include a step-by-step set of directions, dependant procedures may closely emulate flow charts, and dynamic procedures might simply be a list of suggested activities or responses. Procedures for realistic situations or activities will generally be a mixture of the three.
Procedure Category Examples:
· Technical: Changing a tire, purifying water, preventative maintenance checks on vehicles.
· Dependant: Collecting rain water, planting/seeding crops, getting additional medical assistance.
· Dynamic: Negotiating or bartering, giving charity, allowing access to secured areas.
Procedures also resemble manuals, how-to, and tip sheets. The primary difference is that procedures also provide a context and logically reasoned purpose for the activities. Think of them as a road map: knowledge of individual parts may be the map, but the procedure provides the route.
Procedures Borne of Necessity
Emergency procedures are driven by the most likely situations you may encounter. A useful practice in developing procedures is to identify your needs during an emergency and then to extrapolate from those needs the activities and responses which would allow you to maintain an acceptable level of security and organization. Then break those needs down to their most basic procedural elements and begin to clearly document each one. What should develop is a personalized manual for disaster response and survival, which only needs occasional updates as situations specifically cited in the documentation change.
Some common themes for specific portions of a disaster procedure include the following:
· Communications: This procedure set defines the types, frequencies, and content of communications in a disaster situation. It contains contingencies in case of a the breakdown of certain communication system types (cell phones, Internet, land lines), the frequency of communication attempts (when attempting to use cell phones you may attempt to call every two minutes for 20 minutes), and the content of messages sent (messages include the name, time, location, to and from destination, ETA / ETD, all or part of which might be coded).
· Medical: This procedure set may contain any number of items, such as treatment of common injuries or illnesses, nearby medical resources, transportation to advanced care as well as decision standards used to determine the level of care needed.
· Transportation: This procedure set includes transportation asset availability and use standards, as well as maintenance and associated items and requirements. It may include things like routes to common or expected locations, communications plans and times, checkpoints, and logistics along the route.
Maintaining Inventory
Lists or inventories of relevant items are an excellent thing to include with your procedures. For instance, your medical procedure set might rely upon knowing the approximate amount of items available, such as the number of splints, bandages, tourniquets, and medication. Perhaps your procedures trigger a re-supply when you have a certain amount of medication. You may opt to keep a master inventory with categories that allow you to discern with ease where items are expected to be used or needed. Keep an electronic copy of these procedures and inventories, but make sure to print out updates on a regular basis.
The Procedure Manual
Format of the procedure manual is also important. Use page sizes that make the booklet easy to carry, such as half of a standard piece of paper. At the end of each major portion include a few blank or lined pages for notes. Laminate the booklet and keep a stash of fine-point Sharpies and alcohol pens. Leave a larger edge on one side of the laminated pages, punch or cut holes in this then use rings to secure the pages together. If done properly this booklet will last through the elements long enough to remain useful in any emergency, as well as be modular enough to remove or replace sections as needed or updated. As with anything upon which you may have to rely, maintain operational security and keep informed.
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Three Rules for Persuading the Sheeple, by Tall Sally
This article could also be titled: "How to Convince Friends and Family to Prepare for Economic Collapse." One of the greatest problems for the prepper is getting family and friends on board without alienating them or terrifying them into inaction. With this article, I hope to use my experience to show you how to gently and persuasively warn friends and family about the coming economic crisis. I have used this approach with several people and found it to be successful.
I am writing this article now because I believe that now is the time to approach your sheeple about prepping if you have not done so already. More and more people are noticing that something is wrong with our economy, and many of them are probably ready to hear about preparedness, but only if you approach them from the right direction. My goal is to help you find a good approach.
Why should you listen to me? Well, in my previous job, I was a corporate educator at a large mortgage bank. I learned two things from that job: how to watch my income spiral down into oblivion along with the entire mortgage industry, and how to explain complex concepts in simple ways. You don’t need my help to watch your income spiral into oblivion, so instead I will teach you how to explain complex concepts.
Before we get started, let’s emphasize a few basic rules that educators follow. I will elaborate on these rules in this article, and then I will show you how to put them into practice.
Three Basic Rules of Persuasion
Rule 1: Take it slow.
Rule 2: Keep it simple and sane (KISS).
Rule 3: Relate it back to their lives.
Now let's expand these concepts a little bit.
Rule 1: TAKE IT SLOW
Are you sure that you want to have this conversation? There are schools of thought that say you should never mention your preps to anyone. Think this through carefully; otherwise you may have 45 family members knocking on your door next winter. I considered this before mentioning it to anyone; however, I don't think life is worth living if everyone I love dies, especially if I could have warned them. Besides, my nearest relative lives a five hour drive away from me. They'll have a long walk to pester me.
Define your audience. Think ahead and focus your efforts on the most level-headed, trustworthy, "solid" people that you know. This has several purposes. First of all, such people are more likely to listen to you and believe you. Secondly, other people will trust that person; once you persuade them,so they can subsequently persuade two or three other people.
Establish essential concepts and build on them. That's how adults learn. You see it in this very article; I have given you three simple rules and now I am expanding on them.
Rule 2: KEEP IT SIMPLE AND SANE (KISS)
Don't expect too much, too fast. Remember, that some folks' idea of "preparing" is to buy an extra six-pack on Saturday because the liquor stores are closed on Sundays. Take it easy; my experience is that prepping is a daunting task to most people and if you give them too much information you will spook them. Once they're spooked, it's hard to get them to listen at all.
Climb down from the crazy tree. No, I am not saying that you are crazy for being a prepper. I am saying that most people think that preppers are crazy. Your goal here is to persuade and convince. I would never have convinced my auntie successfully if I had mentioned my gas masks or my plans for a fallout shelter. Keeping your mouth shut about these things is also good OPSEC. Your goal is to sound just a little bit more prepared than them: "Terry and I bought a few cans extra cans of Spaghetti-Os last week..."
Keep language plain and simple. Imagine that you're explaining all this to a 12-year-old. Use simple words and concepts. Adults learn better that way. Complicated language makes them feel threatened, and they tune it out.
Keep concepts plain and simple, too. The novice trainer’s most common mistake is to dump a bunch of information on the learner and believe that “since they heard it, they know it.” That’s not how adults learn. We learn through repetition of basic concepts.
Rule 3: WITH A RELATION
Relate it to their life, not yours. Imagine that you go on two blind dates. The first person talks about themselves non-stop all through dinner. You can barely get a word in edgewise. The second person engages you in interesting conversation and hangs on your every word. Which person do you call back?
You call back the person that talks with you, not at you. The same is true in persuasion. You are telling them these things because you love them. Listen closely to how they respond, like the loving person that you are.
Use concrete examples that matter to them. Which of these two approaches is more captivating?
“A loaf of bread might cost you $20 next fall.”
or,
“The Federal Reserve was established in 1913, as the central banking authority of the United States. The Federal Reserve is a monopolistic cartel of bankers, and they established a new kind of currency called fiat currency, which is unconstitutional. Now, fiat currency is basically just paper backed up by law. It doesn’t mean anything…”
Obviously, the short sentence that relates to their life is better than the ten-minute history lecture on something they barely understand and don’t care about.
Now Let’s Practice.
With these rules in mind, practice a typical conversation. I have provided a script below, but in reality you don’t want a one-sided script; you want a conversation. Talk with them, not at them.
Also, notice that each part of the conversation is related to one of our three rules.
Rule 1: START SLOW...
Start with Pleasantries. (This establishes a sense of ease and rapport.) "Hi Aunt Bea, it's been awhile since we talked. Yes, Terry and I are doing well. We went hiking last weekend and really enjoyed it. How are things in Mayberry?"
Explain why you are calling them. (This gets their attention and prepares them for what's next.) "I'm calling you because I have something serious to talk about, and I know you're level-headed and you're likely to listen to me."
Establish your credibility. (Adults want to know why they are listening to you. Who are you, anyway?) "As you know, I was laid off from that big mortgage bank awhile back, and when the bank started having trouble I started paying really close attention to the financial blogs. I've been reading them for awhile..."
Establish the credibility of your sources. "... and I've been starting to see some news leak into the mainstream financial press, such as Yahoo Finance..." (This is true.)
Rule 2: KISS...
Explain the problem. Keep it simple and keep your language sane.
"A lot of credible sources are saying that there may be rapid inflation starting this fall. Nobody knows for sure, but it could be a little or it could be very high.It might take $100 just buy a loaf of bread. There are also rumors of a possible bank holiday this fall. The phrase 'bank holiday' is really a misnomer. It's when they close the banks for a few days or a few weeks, and you can't withdraw cash to buy food and pay bills. They might do it if they needed to fix a problem with the banking system. This is harder to confirm than the inflation, but I think it's wise to prepare for the possibility."
Let’s analyze the above paragraph using our KISS rule.
I kept it to two main points. There are a million things to prepare for; you need to decide what the most convincing, urgent, easily-prepped-for problem is and stick to it. I chose economic collapse because it’s in the news right now, and it gets people’s attention.
I kept my language approachable, and when there was a new term I explained it simply. I didn’t mention any off-the-wall theories or rants about the Federal Reserve. The bank holiday is a rumor but well within the realm of possibility; but I emphasize that the inflation is NOT a rumor. It is a credible possibility being discussed in mainstream financial publications.
I didn't just say "There's going to be an economic collapse." I gave them a concrete example (the $100 bread loaf) that would relate to their lives. And speaking of relating it to their lives…
Rule 3: RELATE...
Suggest some ways to prepare. "There are things you can do to prepare for this, Aunt Bea, and it doesn't have to be really complicated. You can take some money out of the bank, and that's good to have on hand anyway in case of emergencies like earthquakes. I recommend keeping about a month's worth of cash on hand, if you can. You can also buy some of those old quarters and dimes... you know, from before 1965, when they used to make them out of silver. [Take a little time here to explain why junk silver is good in times of inflation. Rawles has some great articles. Also explain that it can be purchased at local coin shops, and explain the current cost.] And of course, since food will get more expensive later, it might not hurt to buy a little extra food now."
Take a moment to consider: Why would you start by talking about cash, then talk about silver, then talk about food?
First of all, these are all simple, non-threatening recommendations that anyone can follow. You want to start with the easiest step and go from there. Let's go back to our three rules:
Slow:
Start slow by talking about the cash first, because everyone knows how to get money from the bank.
KISS:
Talk about silver next, because you can emphasize that they can keep it simple and spend just a few dollars, if they want. (In other words, right now they can buy one silver dime for about $1.50.) If you explain it well, this idea is unthreatening and easy to do. It's also "more sane" than telling them to buy gold because many people are familiar with the old silver coins.
Relate:
Mention the food last because to some people in your audience, stocking up on food immediately rings the “crazy survivalist” bell. It's good to put it in context of a wise financial decision related to the other steps they’re taking.
Ask them to talk to their family. This relates the whole conversation back to their lives. It makes them feel less alone, and it impresses on them that we're all in this together, etc. It's also the charitable thing to do. The more people that prepare, the better. I have also used this moment to ask them to help me persuade others (my mom, my grandparents, etc) since two voices are more credible than one.
Thank them. This lightens up the conversation and makes it sane. "Thanks for listening to me about this. I'm sorry to bring up all this gloom and doom. I just really care about you guys."
Continue the conversation according to your audience. Tailor your spiel to the person you’re talking to. Think back to the three rules that I mentioned earlier (slow; KISS; relate). Below are profiles of three of my favorite aunties. How would you apply those rules to your conversation with them?
Auntie A is threatened by the idea of prepping. She will barely talk about it.
Auntie B says she has a gun, and she also says she wants to start a garden.
Auntie C lives in a big, dangerous city and she will not move (cannot afford to and has lived there all her life). However, she is otherwise on board and even excited that someone finally mentioned it, and she’d like to read some online articles. She’s worried about her antiques business in this economy.
Take a moment to think about your approach, and then read on to learn how I approached each of my aunties.
With Auntie A, I took it slow. I will be lucky if she will buy a week's worth of spaghetti; I didn't push her any further than the script above. I moved on to talk about the weather or whatever. I can always talk to her about it again later.
With Auntie B, I followed the KISS rule. I suggested getting a little extra ammo for her gun and enough seeds for her garden. These are simple things that she can do tomorrow, and they’re not that scary. I did not say outright that ammo and seeds will be unavailable after the collapse, because that sounds insane.
With Auntie C, I related it back to her life. Since she's web-savvy, I pointed her to a web site that discusses prepping to live in the city during an economic collapse (FerFAL's web site). (To “keep it sane” I mentioned that his site is "geared toward American survivalists" and “I don’t like reading it because it’s scary” but "if you can get past all that, it's worth looking at.") Because she mentioned that her antiques business will probably not prosper, I also pointed her to posts about how people make money in the city in hard times
In conclusion...
This can be the only conversation you have with your loved ones, or it can be the first in a series. However you approach it, remember these proverbs:
"You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink." and, "A prophet has no honor in his own country."
In other words, no matter how simply and gently you explain the coming collapse, there will be some that prepare and some that won't. You don't have any control over that. Your only duty is to try to gently persuade them in a way that they can understand.
Final quiz: What are the three basic rules of persuasion?
The Memsahib Adds: Before approaching a relative or friend with the topic of preparedness, consider: Is there some aspect of prepping that would fulfill one of their long-held desires, or perhaps even a childhood fantasy? Have they always wanted to own a horse? Be a master chef? Live like a Native American? Live off the land like a Mountain Man? Be a doctor? Be an herbal medicinalist? Be an explorer? Be a teacher? Own a large acreage? Be a park ranger? Sail the seven seas? Be a philanthropist? Be a missionary? There are aspects of preparedness that can fit into all of these desires. So, in effect, you can make prepping fun and fulfilling for them. When I was growing up, I always loved baby lambs and wanted to own sheep. I was also disappointed that I didn't grow up on a farm, as my mother had. (I was raised in the suburbs.) Our path to preparedness was a great excuse to buy some acreage, and raise a flock of sheep. This led to buying spinning wheels and a loom, learning how to card, spin and dye wool, learning how to knit, how to felt wool, raising angora rabbits, and raising angora goats. This in turn eventually led to us getting dairy goats, and later a dairy cow. So all of this fulfilled a childhood fantasy of having my own farm. Thus, prepping felt rewarding, and in no way did I feel threatened or did it seem like I was living under a dark storm cloud. When I served my first loaf of bread that I had made with eggs from my chickens, and wheat that I had sown and later hand-ground, the rooster in our barnyard couldn't crow any louder than I could! My grandmother would have been proud of me. Talk about heavy gravitas, when bringing such loaves to a church potluck! (But even just brining muffins with berries that you grew yourself, or picked out in the wild can give the same sense of accomplishment.) It was much the same for me when I finished making my first sweater with wool from sheep that I had helped deliver. I had shorn the wool, carded it, dyed it, spun it and knitted it--bringing the sweater all to its final form. What a lot of work, but what great fun!
My favorite way to introduce this topic to other women is through teaching "heritage crafts". The homemaking skills of our pioneer ancestors are something that most women--even city women--can relate to. Whether it is canning, gardening, small livestock, sewing, cooking, baking, knitting, leather-working, candle making, soap-making , et cetera. I have done all of these, and and have enjoyed passing on these skills to neighbors, friends, and even my nieces and nephews. Perhaps your local church, 4H club, scout troop, PTA, homeschooling club, or public school would be open to having you teach a class or put on a demonstration.
I found that the more I learned about one preparedness topic, the more that I wanted to learn about related topics. For example, when I was raising rabbits, it was fun learning how many different ways I could prepare rabbit meat dishes. And when I was dairying, it was fun to branch out into making yogurt, soft cheese, and milk soap. With God's providential guiding hand, your friends will each find a special preparedness niche, that will benefit their families, and in turn get them excited about many more aspects of preparedness.
A note to husbands, fathers, brothers, and uncles: Please do not alienate your female friends and relatives from preparedness by "assigning" them a prepping specialty. Instead, let them pick their own, to suit their particular disposition and interests. By letting women choose our own areas of expertise, it gives us the feeling of being in control of our lives in an uncertain world. Encourage and nurture their interests, but don't dictate them!
Part of getting prepared is recognizing the fact that some aspects of preparedness are more "fun" than others. And, correspondingly, what constitutes "fun" for one individual is not necessarily considered fun by another. How many men wouldn't blink an eye at buying a $700 SIG or a $1,500 FAL, but get anxious about "the expense" when they see their wives looking through a Louet or LeClerc catalog? What is needed is a well-rounded approach to gathering logistics, tools, and skills. There is much more to preparedness than just "guns and groceries." Get prepared, but don't obsess over all the gloom-n-doom "what ifs?" You should instead take a well-rounded approach that will provide a family with educational activities and lots of fun, all while actively learning, preparing, and cross-training. One way to ease your spouse into a preparedness mindset is by encouraging her to get involved with a the local fiber guild, 4H club, or farmer's market co-op.
Tall Sally is absolutely right about going slowly. Get your friends and relatives into preparedness one small step at a time. Encourage them to get prepared, by playing off of their pre-existing interests, fantasies, and hobbies.
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Preparedness Through Joining the National Guard, by Christopher D.
Several months ago, a man wrote an article for the SurvivalBlog detailing the ups and downs of being a prepper while serving on Active Duty. As a former Active Duty soldier I could appreciate what he was saying but more than anything else I found myself being thankful that I was now doing my prepping while serving in the National Guard.
Many preppers join the local volunteer fire department or rescue squad in order to learn valuable skills for free that could help in an emergency. They also do it so that they can learn skills that will help pull their communities through during tough times. I would like to propose that some of the readers who are of this mindset could gain much by joining the National Guard.
I have been in the Army seven years now. I started on Active Duty serving in Georgia, Germany, and Iraq. After three year I moved back home and joined the Guard. I am currently wrapping up a tour as the commander of a 170-soldier Military Police (MP) company. Like anything else, the Guard has its positives and negatives and I’d like to provide readers with both so that they can make an educated decision about what I think is a great opportunity. (Full disclosure: I like my job.)
First, the positives:
1. Job training. Hands down, from a survivalist mindset, this has to be the best thing that the Guard has to offer. The training for jobs in the Guard is the same as what you’d receive on Active Duty. The difference is, while it’s common for Active Duty soldiers to stay in the same carrier field for the duration of their career, Guardsmen often end up training in more than one field for a variety of reasons. I have soldiers who started out as mechanics who retrained as Military Police after a few years because there were more opportunities for career development in our MP focused unit. Likewise, in my unit we are authorized three medics up to the rank of Specialist [E4] (the fourth enlisted rank in the Army). When they decide that they want to pursue their Sergeant stripes, they will either go to another unit that has slots for a medic at the rank of Sergeant (there are two such units within 25 miles of us) or retrain as Military Police to pursue one of the many slots available in that field for the rank of Sergeant and beyond. The point is that the choice is theirs. How valuable would it be for you to train as a mechanic, infantrymen, medic, MP, or chemical specialist? It is not uncommon for some of my older soldiers to be formally schooled in up to three different Military Occupation Specialties (MOS).
2. Learn additional skills beyond your MOS. Every one of my soldiers has practiced putting in an IV, knows how and when to use a nasopharyngeal airway, and can perform a range of basic first aid tasks. Two of my soldiers have been school trained as armorers as an additional duty to their primary job. I put everyone on the range 2-3 times a year firing 9mm, 5.56mm, 7.62mm, .50 cal, 12 gauge, and 40mm. Our people know how to maintain and fire a variety of pistols, rifles, machine guns, shotguns, and other less common weapon systems. We practice navigating alone or in small groups cross country using a map and compass. We also train everyone on basic hand-to-hand combatives. Finally, our Military Police soldiers get trained on collapsible batons, OC, and soon, Tasers.
3. Continue to live where you want. One of the big complaints of preppers on Active Duty is having to move every few years. In the National Guard you choose your armory (presuming they have an open slot) and you can live anywhere that you like. In my state 90% of counties have at least one National Guard armory. As you go up in ranks you may have to go to another armory that has the slot that you want but you’re never forced to do so. If the openings don’t exist for your career track at your armory, you can always retrain into another field where the slots do exist.
4. Be a leader when trouble strikes. When society gets shaken you will likely be called upon to stabilize and sustain your city, state, or nation. Some would see this as a downside as they would prefer to hunker down when things get bad. I see it instead as a positive. Even as a mere mid level leader in the Guard I have the ability to make decisions that will help restore towns to a state of normalcy. This was proven to me when our company was charged with restoring law and order to a coastal Mississippi town in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. We fed people, stopped the looting, and gave the utility workers the support that they needed to restore basic services. Not only was it a rewarding experience, but it also pulled me into the survivalist community. I promised myself that my family would be prepared when disaster struck.
5. Local in focus, global in reach. Unlike the Reserves, National Guard soldiers serve at the direction of their state’s Governor. If this sounds odd to you, remember that before 1933 the National Guard Bureau was called the Militia Bureau. If you’re interested in helping in natural disasters, the Guard is the way to go. I’ve responded to tornados 30 miles North of my home as well as hurricanes 500 miles South. I’ve even conducted exercises in South America and Europe with the Guard. The President can always federalize a Guard unit, but at our core, we’re a state asset.
6. Learn even more skills outside the Army. The GI Bill and Tuition Assistance can help you go back to school for vocational, college, or post graduate training with little or no out of pocket expense.
7. Gain an extra paycheck. Not much more to say on this one. Live off your civilian job salary and you can just apply your Guard paycheck to paying off your house or any other debts that you have faster.
8. Gain full time employment. While the Guard is traditionally a part time force (usually one weekend a month, two weeks a year… though the War on Terror was stretched that), there are some full time jobs out there. Put in some time and prove yourself and you could serve full time from your hometown. Of particular interest to people who understand the threats that exist domestically are the Civil Support Teams (CST) that each state has that’s composed of Army and Air National Guardsmen. These are the first responders for just about everything that a terrorist might level against us here at the home front. All the soldiers in a CST serve full time and represent the best that we have for detecting and dealing with chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear threats.
9. The camaraderie of a group of like minded individuals. It’s good to know people in your community that you can count on in a pinch. Plus the Guard can be a good networking opportunity if you’re looking for employment in an emergency response field (police, fire, EMT, etc.).
And now, the negatives:
1. Overseas deployments. Sooner or later you’re probably going to go to Iraq or Afghanistan if you’re in the National Guard. If you have a family, this is definitely a negative. However, for some of you the experience that this brings would be invaluable in a survival situation. Just prepare your family to operate without you, preferably in conjunction with the support of trusted friends and neighbors. Know also that the Guard has really made headway since the wars started in providing dwell time to its soldiers. Current deployment cycles attempt to limit a unit to one deployment for every five years.
2. Some units in the Guard lack vision and don’t train hard. It pains me to say that but we must remember that the Army is a microcosm of the society it serves. Some leaders are no good and some units are lazy. My unit trains hard and the soldiers appreciate it. We take every opportunity to learn and grow. Not every unit is like that. If you join a unit that’s sub par, work to change it from the inside. If the culture of that unit is beyond your ability to fix, request transfer to another one.
3. If you’re thinking about joining the Guard now, you just missed some of the best enlistment bonuses in decades. Work closely with your local Guard recruiter (located at most Guard armories) and see if the field that you’re interested in still offers money up front to help kick your prepping into high gear. Not all the bonuses are gone but several of the bigger ones went away a few months ago.
4. Leaving your family during the height of an emergency. I alluded to earlier, but it’s worth repeating given the audience. It is all together possible that when your family needs you the most, you will get called away to help other people. This is a chance that we take along with our brethren first responders. Police, Fire Fighters, EMTs, Doctors, Nurses, and Guardsmen… if we hold to our oath then we’ve got to go where our community needs us in an emergency.
If you’re thinking about joining, grab a friend in the Guard and ask a lot of questions. It’s not a small step because it requires many years of commitment. I think it’s worth it, though. Hopefully this article has answered your questions regarding the Guard as means to serve your community and grow your personal skill set in preparation for a survival situation.
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Letter Re: Last Minute G.O.O.D. Versus Well-Considered Early Relocation
Dear Editor:
John M.'s letter was excellent, polite, and to the point.
The following are my rules for townies:
1. If your water comes out of a faucet or a bottle, and you can not safely walk to a permanent backup source in less than 10 minutes every day, then you will die.
2. If you do not raise your own food, or personally know the family that you bought it from, you will either die, or be forever controlled by someone with a clipboard and a list, and you will wish you were dead.
3. If you live in the city because your job is more important than your life, then don't bother bugging out. The only Job you are likely to get out here in the country is digging graves for people that think like you.
4. A centuries old rule of farming: It takes a minimum of 10 years of farming a piece of ground to know it. So, you're going to compress a decade of intimate knowledge into a weekend, because you read a book? We'll send the guy mentioned in Rule #3 out to your shack next spring.
5. Unless you have a fully stocked and equip 19th century-style working farm to escape to, with food for two years stored in place for humans and livestock, you are simply a well-intentioned refugee, or an unwelcome house guest.
6. [Forget "foraging".] In the 1850s, (for the purpose of sizing reservations), it was determined that a skillful Native American needed 100 square miles (10 miles x 10 miles) minimum, to live off the land, per person. There was a lot more game back then, and less afraid of humans. You're going to be competing with around 300 million hungry human bellies, every morning.
7. Ten cases of canned food fits in a 2'x2'x2' area. Around 30 cases will give you one meal a day for a year, and fits under a [tall] bed. The gear, tools, food, and clothing needed for a family of four for a year in the wild would fill one or more semi-trailers. So you think that you're going to effortlessly bug out with a truck and trailer at O-Dark-Thirty and survive? Stay home, or become breakfast for less dainty bellies.
Finally: There are two terms you hope never appear in your obituary: "unfortunate accident", or "shallow grave".
If you and your gear are not already pre-positioned on your own homestead, and your city job is just seasonal or part time for the Gov.Bux, you are probably bound to end up in one of these two categories by bugging out.
Prepare, but stay where you are, unless the emergency is a temporary natural event - Feral Farmer
JWR Replies: I concur that taking halfway measures is an invitation to becoming a statistic in a societal collapse. As I've stressed countless times, the best approach is to live at your retreat year-round. A marginal second choice is to maintain a fully-stocked retreat that is constantly under the watchful eye of a trusted friend or relative that can also keep your fruit nut trees watered and look after your livestock. But even then, you'll likely lack the requisite large-scale gardening experience in your retreat's particular climate zone. You will also lack having developed trust relationships with your neighbors--something crucial to survival. It is incredibly naive for anyone to anticipate that they can "bug out" with everything that they'll need. Even if you are fortunate enough arrive with your vehicle and trailer intact, as "Feral Farmer" points out, you will be way behind the power curve: under-equipped, and under-provisioned. And as, John M. mentioned, those that are under-prepared will probably end up in a life of thievery, rather than watch their families starve. The goal here is to be part of the solution, rather than part of the problem.
I also concur with Feral Farmer's observations on foraging. The hunting and even the fishing pressure will be tremendous. I've heard from consulting clients in California' Coast Range that deer harvest have dropped to pitifully low numbers in the past five years, because of the depredations of Mountain Lions. (Which have been elevated to protected species status in the People's Paradise of California.) The chances of filling just one deer tag, they say, are now slim except for anyone that has the time to willing to "hunt hard" throughout California's short deer season. So, I ask: If this has happened when there were just a few thousand excess mountain lions, then what will happen when there are an extra 5-to-10 million deer hunters wandering around California, shooting at anything that moves? (The California deer population has already dropped from more than one million to an estimated 485,000. That is not a lot of deer to go around, WTSHTF. And what will happen to the freshwater fishing stocks, when there are hundreds of thousands of set lines being worked, year round?
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Security at Places of Worship: More Than a Matter of Faith, by Scott Stewart and Fred Burton
In recent months, several high-profile incidents have raised awareness of the threat posed by individuals and small groups operating under the principles of leaderless resistance. These incidents have included lone wolf attacks against a doctor who performed abortions in Kansas, an armed forces recruitment center in Arkansas and the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. Additionally, a grassroots jihadist cell was arrested for attempting to bomb Jewish targets in the Bronx and planning to shoot down a military aircraft at an Air National Guard base in Newburgh, N.Y.
In addition to pointing out the threat posed by grassroots cells and lone wolf operatives, another common factor in all of these incidents is the threat of violence to houses of worship. The cell arrested in New York left what they thought to be active improvised explosive devices outside the Riverdale Temple and the Riverdale Jewish Community Center. Dr. George Tiller was shot and killed in the lobby of the Reformation Lutheran Church in Wichita. Although Abdulhakim Mujahid Muhammad conducted his attacks against a Little Rock recruiting center, he had conducted preoperational surveillance and research on targets that included Jewish organizations and a Baptist church in places as far away as Atlanta and Philadelphia. And while James von Brunn attacked the Holocaust Museum, he had a list of other potential targets in his vehicle that included the National Cathedral.
In light of this common thread, it might be instructive to take a more detailed look at the issue of providing security for places of worship.
Awareness: The First Step
Until there is awareness of the threat, little can be done to counter it. In many parts of the world, such as Iraq, India and Pakistan, attacks against places of worship occur fairly frequently. It is not difficult for religious leaders and members of their congregations in such places to be acutely aware of the dangers facing them and to have measures already in place to deal with those perils. This is not always the case in the United States, however, where many people tend to have an “it can’t happen here” mindset, believing that violence in or directed against places of worship is something that happens only to other people elsewhere.
This mindset is particularly pervasive among predominantly white American Protestant and Roman Catholic congregations. Jews, Mormons, Muslims and black Christians, and others who have been targeted by violence in the past, tend to be far more aware of the threat and are far more likely to have security plans and measures in place to counter it. The Jewish community has very well-developed and professional organizations such as the Secure Community Network (SCN) and the Anti-Defamation League that are dedicated to monitoring threats and providing education about the threats and advice regarding security. The Council on American-Islamic Relations has taken on a similar role for the Muslim community and has produced a “Muslim community safety kit” for local mosques. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) also has a very organized and well-connected security department that provides information and security advice and assistance to LDS congregations worldwide.
There are no functional equivalents to the SCN or the LDS security departments in the larger Catholic, evangelical Protestant and mainline Protestant communities, though there are some organizations such as the recently established Christian Security Network that have been attempting to fill the void.
Following an incident, awareness of the threat seems to rise for a time, and some houses of worship will put some security measures in place, but for the most part such incidents are seen as events that take place elsewhere, and the security measures are abandoned after a short time.
Permanent security measures are usually not put in place until there has been an incident of some sort at a specific house of worship, and while the triggering incident is sometimes something that merely provides a good scare, other times it is a violent action that results in tragedy. Even when no one is hurt in the incident, the emotional damage caused to a community by an act of vandalism or arson at a house of worship can be devastating.
It is important to note here that not all threats to places of worship will emanate from external actors. In the midst of any given religious congregation, there are, by percentages, people suffering from serious mental illnesses, people engaged in bitter child-custody disputes, domestic violence situations and messy divorces. Internal disputes in the congregation can also lead to feuds and violence. Any of these situations can (and have) led to acts of violence inside houses of worship.
Security Means More than Alarms and Locks
An effective security program is more than just having physical security measures in place. Like any man-made constructs, physical security measures — closed-circuit television (CCTV), alarms, cipher locks and so forth — have finite utility. They serve a valuable purpose in institutional security programs, but an effective security program cannot be limited to these things. Devices cannot think or evaluate. They are static and can be observed, learned and even fooled. Also, because some systems frequently produce false alarms, warnings in real danger situations may be brushed aside. Given these shortcomings, it is quite possible for anyone planning an act of violence to map out, quantify and then defeat or bypass physical security devices. However, elaborate planning is not always necessary. Consider the common scenario of a heavy metal door with very good locks that is propped open with a trashcan or a door wedge. In such a scenario, an otherwise “secure” door is defeated by an internal security lapse.
However, even in situations where there is a high degree of threat awareness, there is a tendency to place too much trust in physical security measures, which can become a kind of crutch — and, ironically, an obstacle to effective security.
In fact, to be effective, physical security devices always require human interaction. An alarm is useless if no one responds to it, or if it is not turned on; a lock is ineffective if it is not engaged. CCTV cameras are used extensively in corporate office buildings and some houses of worship, but any competent security manager will tell you that, in reality, they are far more useful in terms of investigating a theft or act of violence after the fact than in preventing one (although physical security devices can sometimes cause an attacker to divert to an easier target).
No matter what kinds of physical security measures may be in place at a facility, they are far less likely to be effective if a potential assailant feels free to conduct preoperational surveillance, and is free to observe and map those physical security measures. The more at ease someone feels as they set about identifying and quantifying the physical security systems and procedures in place, the higher the odds they will find ways to beat the system.
A truly “hard” target is one that couples physical security measures with an aggressive, alert attitude and sense of awareness. An effective security program is proactive — looking outward to where most real threats are lurking — rather than inward, where the only choice is to react once an attack has begun to unfold. We refer to this process of proactively looking for threats as protective intelligence.
The human interaction required to make physical security measures effective, and to transform a security program into a proactive protective intelligence program, can come in the form of designated security personnel. In fact, many large houses of worship do utilize off-duty police officers, private security guards, volunteer security guards or even a dedicated security staff to provide this coverage. In smaller congregations, security personnel can be members of the congregation who have been provided some level of training.
However, even in cases where there are specially designated security personnel, such officers have only so many eyes and can only be in a limited number of places at any one time. Thus, proactive security programs should also work to foster a broad sense of security awareness among the members of the congregation and community, and use them as additional resources.
Unfortunately, in many cases, there is often a sense in the religious community that security is bad for the image of a particular institution, or that it will somehow scare people away from houses of worship. Because of this, security measures, if employed, are often hidden or concealed from the congregation. In such cases, security managers are deprived of many sets of eyes and ears. Certainly, there may be certain facets of a security plan that not everyone in the congregation needs to know about, but in general, an educated and aware congregation and community can be a very valuable security asset.
Training
In order for a congregation to maintain a sense of heightened awareness it must learn how to effectively do that. This training should not leave people scared or paranoid — just more observant. People need to be trained to look for individuals who are out of place, which can be somewhat counterintuitive. By nature, houses of worship are open to outsiders and seek to welcome strangers. They frequently have a steady turnover of new faces. This causes many to believe that, in houses of worship, there is a natural antagonism between security and openness, but this does not have to be the case. A house of worship can have both a steady stream of visitors and good security, especially if that security is based upon situational awareness.
At its heart, situational awareness is about studying people, and such scrutiny will allow an observer to pick up on demeanor mistakes that might indicate someone is conducting surveillance. Practicing awareness and paying attention to the people approaching or inside a house of worship can also open up a whole new world of ministry opportunities, as people “tune in” to others and begin to perceive things they would otherwise miss if they were self-absorbed or simply not paying attention. In other words, practicing situational awareness provides an excellent opportunity for the members of a congregation to focus on the needs and burdens of other people.
It is important to remember that every attack cycle follows the same general steps. All criminals — whether they are stalkers, thieves, lone wolves or terrorist groups — engage in preoperational surveillance (sometimes called “casing,” in the criminal lexicon). Perhaps the most crucial point to be made about preoperational surveillance is that it is the phase when someone with hostile intentions is most apt to be detected — and the point in the attack cycle when potential violence can be most easily disrupted or prevented.
The second most critical point to emphasize about surveillance is that most criminals are not that good at it. They often have terrible surveillance tradecraft and are frequently very obvious. Most often, the only reason they succeed in conducting surveillance without being detected is because nobody is looking for them. Because of this, even ordinary people, if properly instructed, can note surveillance activity.
It is also critically important to teach people — including security personnel and members of the congregation — what to do if they see something suspicious and whom to call to report it. Unfortunately, a lot of critical intelligence is missed because it is not reported in a timely manner — or not reported at all — mainly because untrained people have a habit of not trusting their judgment and dismissing unusual activity. People need to be encouraged to report what they see.
Additionally, people who have been threatened, are undergoing nasty child-custody disputes or have active restraining orders protecting them against potentially violent people need to be encouraged to report unusual activity to their appropriate points of contact.
As a part of their security training, houses of worship should also instruct their staff and congregation members on procedures to follow if a shooter enters the building and creates what is called an active-shooter situation. These “shooter” drills should be practiced regularly — just like fire, tornado or earthquake drills. The teachers of children’s classes and nursery workers must also be trained in how to react.
Liaison
One of the things the SCN and ADL do very well is foster security liaison among Jewish congregations within a community and between those congregations and local, state and federal law enforcement organizations. This is something that houses of worship from other faiths should attempt to duplicate as part of their security plans.
While having a local cop in a congregation is a benefit, contacting the local police department should be the first step. It is very important to establish this contact before there is a crisis in order to help expedite any law enforcement response. Some police departments even have dedicated community liaison officers, who are good points of initial contact. There are other specific points of contact that should also be cultivated within the local department, such as the SWAT team and the bomb squad.
Local SWAT teams often appreciate the chance to do a walk-through of a house of worship so that they can learn the layout of the building in case they are ever called to respond to an emergency there. They also like the opportunity to use different and challenging buildings for training exercises (something that can be conducted discreetly after hours). Congregations with gyms and weight rooms will often open them up for local police officers to exercise in, and some congregations will also offer police officers a cup of coffee and a desk where they can sit and type their reports during evening hours.
But the local police department is not the only agency with which liaison should be established. Depending on the location of the house of worship, the state police, state intelligence fusion center or local joint terrorism task force should also be contacted. By working through state and federal channels, houses of worship in specific locations may even be eligible for grants to help underwrite security through programs such as the Department of Homeland Security’s Urban Areas Security Initiative Nonprofit Security Grant Program.
The world is a dangerous place and attacks against houses of worship will continue to occur. But there are proactive security measures that can be taken to identify attackers before they strike and help prevent attacks from happening or mitigate their effects when they do. - Scott Stewart and Fred Burton, Stratfor
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Escape From (Fill in Your City Here), 2009, by Bill in Chicagoland
I think as a boy my favorite stories were always about epic journeys or quests.
I always saw myself as the lone hero; bravely making his way through a barren
landscape overcoming impossible obstacles and having fantastic adventures along
the way. As preppers I think many of us still believe that WTSHTF our trip
to “Get out of Dodge” will be an adventure such as those we read
in books. I’m afraid however; the reality will be much grimmer than we
can imagine. I fear that it will be more like The
Road
by
Cormac McCarthy or the recent novel One
Second After by William R. Forstchen , than anything else.
I live in the Chicago metropolitan area, yes far behind enemy lines so to speak,
and have been a prepper for most of the last 10 years. Like many of us I must
live in a big city because of my job. I need money to survive. Living here
is no big deal if you learn to ignore the local politics. My kids are grown
and I have no long-term attachments here. If the world falls to pieces I always
felt I could leave in an instant. I have the requisite pick-up truck, keep
it full of fuel, pre-positioned much of my supplies with my son at a relatively
safe location in a small town (population 5,000) about 600 miles from here.
I’ve
got my G.O.O.D. bag packed and I’m ready to go when ever things go south.
Or am I ready?
Let’s review my bug-out plan. Wait a second, I have no plan! This blinding
flash of the obvious hit me as I was stuck in rush-hour traffic last Friday
evening on my way to my son’s. It took me nearly three hours to get from
my apartment on the far north side of the city to I-80 on the far south side.
This was the route I assumed I would take to skedaddle. Think about that; I
was on Interstate highways the whole time, leaving at 8:00 PM, and it still
took me nearly three hours to go less than 80 miles. What’s really scary
is that I was thinking all along how light the traffic was. I had no alternative
routes in mind. Yikes!
Well, I’ve got to tell you this dear readers,
that realization scared the bejeebus out of me. I was so unready to bug out.
I had the stuff, the means,
the mindset, etc., however, in a meltdown near-panic situation, I would’ve
have been just one more member in a stream of hundreds of thousands of refugees
fleeing the big city. This experience got me off my duff and forced to review
what I will do when the next shoe drops in our ongoing economic nightmare.
I drew up a list of what was necessary to implement an action plan to “Escape
from Chicago 2009”
1. Have a bug-out kit ready at all times
a. No problem I have a bug-out bag packed and ready to go. No last minute packing
required. However; I hadn’t checked it in quite some time and when I
did I found plenty of things to replace and replenish. Batteries lost their
charge. Foods had expired. So did many of the common medications I packed.
BTW, I also now have a 72 hour bag with me whenever I leave the house. You
can never be sure when the worst thing you can imagine will happen.
2. Bring as much as you can with you.
a. Unlike many of you, I am not a man of any particular religious belief system.
However, like most of you, I feel what makes us truly human beings is our compassion.
I have to say that I don’t think while bugging out, I could look a frightened
hungry child in the eyes and say no - nothing for you. Bring more than you
need. If you don’t need to share then all the better; there’s more
for you when you reach your destination.
3. No stopping to buy last minute items.
a. If it’s so bad you need to be bugging-out do you really think others
don’t know that and are at that very minute stripping the local Wal-Mart
clean? During the Los Angeles riots in 1992 and Hurricane Katrina in 2005,
the grocery stores were near impossible to get to and if you could, it didn't
matter;
they
were closed, or had been looted, and were empty. Also, shop owners, for example,
may attempt to defend their stores with firearms (a la the Los Angeles Riots)
and you don’t
want to be caught in the crossfire. <Sarcasm on> I know, I know, Chicago
has very strict gun laws so there won’t be any shooting except by a few
gun-toting NRA/survivalist types <Sarcasm off>.
Finally, one interesting image comes to mind when I think of someone “liberating” goods
from a Wal-Mart. During the Katrina emergency I recall seeing a video of a
very obese woman wading through chest deep flood water, polluted with who knows
what, holding a Dyson vacuum cleaner she had “liberated” over her
head. No electricity, no home, no floor for that matter, but she had an expensive
vacuum cleaner she had probably always wanted. Also, an interesting side note
is the lack of bookstores looted.
4. Be sure to “Right size your bug-out vehicle
a. Simply put, don’t try to put a 10 gallon load in a 5 gallon bucket.
Have a big enough vehicle to accommodate what you need to bring. If you have
too much stuff, try to pre-position the bulkiest and heaviest items ahead of
time. Be sure to leave enough room in your vehicle for people and pets. If
you can’t pre-position the bulkiest stuff at the far end; consider renting
storage space in some small town along your intended bug-out route. If necessary,
keep a small trailer at the midpoint as well. Also remember that unexpected
things may/can/will happen and you will need to change your plans accordingly.
Therefore, only the non-essential “nice to have things”, not the
essential for survival things, should be stored at waypoints along the way.
5. Don’t oversize your bug-out vehicle
a. A corollary to the above is having a vehicle that is too big. Big is not
always better. We’ve all seen in footage of the highways during the Hurricane
Katrina and Rita emergencies. Massive Gridlock. If/when you need to get off
the highway onto a secondary road you’ll need to know if your Jumbo Superbago
or SUV with the extra-long Airfoil trailer can negotiate any tight turns and/or
low clearances on your Plan B, C, and D routes. I don’t even want to
discuss how much fuel bigger vehicles consume.
6. Expect no fuel to be available along the way
a. My Dodge pickup gets 18 mpg fully loaded and I have a 22 gal fuel tank.
For those of us who are lacking the math gene; that works out to 396 miles
per tank and my destination is 600 miles away. Hmmm. That means I need an additional
10 gallons or so. Three options present themselves; get a larger fuel tank,
carry gas cans, preposition fuel along the way.
b. Option one is too pricey $1,000 plus in my case.
c. Option two means using three 5 gallon gas cans. The problem here is that
in order to be prepared to leave at any moment; I’d need to keep them
all full. My biggest problem here is where to store them. As I mentioned, I
live in an apartment so that’s really not an option I’d use except
in the direst circumstances and I’d hate to leave them in my truck either.
I’ll have to figure this one out.
d. Finally, Option three requires storing them at waypoints along the route.
This is a so-so solution. The primary route may change and you can’t
count on being able to get to it before you run out of fuel. Secondly, most
storage faculties have a serious prohibition on the storage of flammable, toxic,
or explosive items.
7. Enough cash or “realistic” barter goods for a few weeks
a. This is one area that I can’t really give any solid advice. Who knows
what’ll be acceptable legal tender or barterable goods. You always read
in the “Survival Canons” that certain barter goods will be useful.
Honestly, I can’t imagine some 7-11 or Wal-Mart clerk accepting pre-1965
silver or ammo for the loaf of bread or gallon of gas I want to buy. Not in
the first few days first anyway. I’d suggest that initially, good old
greenbacks will do. How many to bring is the big question ($500 $1,000? Fives,
Tens, or Twenties?). I can almost bet that by the time the Schumer hits the
fan, most, if not all, banks will be shuttered for a "Short term-bank
holiday” and ATMs will likewise be shut down . “No checks please.” Inflation
may be rampant and gouging will be the name of the game. Remember Dan and TK's
trip in "Patriots" ? $50 a gallon for gas may not be too farfetched.
8. Route selection
a. Take your time starting tomorrow and carefully route the best escape route
you can. Note that best doesn’t always equate with fastest. If the shortest
route takes you through, or by, a major urban center, you’re just jumping
from one frying pan into another. Use your GPS en-rote to see what other routes
are nearby. Use on-line mapping software, on-line (Google or MapQuest) or a
PC or Mac-based routing program. Test different routes and compare times and distances.
Most of better routing software also shows gas stations, food, Wal-Mart’s,
etc., along your route. Learn to use the software now; not when it’s
crunch time. Again, Dan and TKs trip in "Patriots" .
Parallel routes to the Interstates perhaps?
9. Expect Societal Breakdown
a. Don’t count on your neighbor’s good intentions. Yep, you know
which neighbors I mean. They’re the ones down the block with all of the
expensive toys who had nothing put aside for an emergency and now are demanding
you provide them food, water, and even transportation. Be prepared for incidents
of aggression, attempted assault, and theft of supplies. You may need to resort
to serious means to defend yourself and your loved ones traveling with you.
(I hate to keep referring to "Patriots" but the description of the Laytons'
harrowing trip out of Chicago will be much truer than we care to think. )
b. Be especially wary en route. When you stop for whatever reason, you may be
approached by others wanting food, or fuel, or other essentials. Help those
you feel are truly desperate to the best of your ability. However, you may
have to be rather aggressive to deter insistent requests by overly aggressive
fellow refugees. This is a good time to be traveling with like-minded, security-conscious
friends, so that all concerned can provide mutual security and back-up.
10. Trust but verify
a. I was originally going to title this section “Trust no one”,
however, I feel that is just a bit to cynical. There will be those you meet
along the way who are true Samaritans. But, there are also those may have few
if any compunction related to “liberating” a few of your items
as a donation for their efforts. Or, in the worst case, there will be some
full-blown predators out there masquerading as shepherds waiting for the sheep
to come to them. Be wary of all help; including that from our friends in the
government.
11. Be wary of Government help.
a. I don’t know what will happen if I need to bug-out; but one thing
I can be sure of is that if you should stop for help at any government facility;
the first thing they will do is ask if you have any weapons with you. This
is pretty much standard police procedure in any case. The second thing they
will do is take any weapons you have from you. It’s as simple as that.
They will claim they are doing it for your own protection but you can be certain
you will never see your weapons again. Confiscating weapons was illegally done
in New Orleans and few of the confiscated weapons were ever recovered.
As unconstitutional as it was, they still to this day, justify taking the weapons
as being in the best interest of the public. Forgetting of course that they
were seizing the weapons of people least likely to use them against the forces
of law and order an all the while never venturing near the danger zones in
New Orleans where the actual goblins with illegal weapons resided. Additionally,
you can probably also be sure that they will also take whatever food, or other
goods you have that they deem necessary, to redistribute it among others who
weren’t quite so well prepared as you. How dare you greedy selfish people
who prepared have more than others who didn’t?
I hope that you will think about what I have presented here and do your best
to be prepared. I hope you all make it to your destinations safe and sound.
« Letter Re: Growing Food on a City Lot |Main| Note from JWR: »
Letter Re: Advice For Older Preppers With Limited Mobility
Hi James,
Thanks for your many years of great work. While I was enjoying and learning
so much from your books and the web site, I was also growing older and have
physically "lost the edge". More accurately, I reaped the unintended
consequences of 55 years of smoking and now have a tough situation Chronic
Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).
This is [best described in layman's terms as] a combination of bronchitis
and emphysema. I have not smoked for
three years and my breathing
is now stable at 51% of normal. This ailment is not unusual in the senior community,
and COPD is the third largest killer in the USA. It severely restricts activity
and higher altitudes are deadly. Like most of us with COPD, I am on oxygen
20-to 24 hours a day, seven days a week, plus lots of varied and expensive
medications, to include my liquid oxygen, mostly supplied to me at low or zero
cost by the Veterans Administration.
Additionally, and this may apply to many of your readers, my wife and I are
the primary care givers, in our home, for her mentally disabled older brother.
He too is a vet, Korean War Era and age 79, and receiving 100% of his medical
care from the local Veterans Clinic, as I do. The Veterans Administration
(VA)
is a terrific source of excellent health care. All eligible vets should enroll
ASAP a the VA
web site. Go there and get in before the Obama National Health Carelessness
Agency gets to their house! I expect the VA will be forced to shut out all non
combat vets soon!
My wife and I, and a few friends, all sorta elderly fellow military vets, have been like minded about preparedness since well before the Y2K era. About 20 years of learning and prepping! We have the basic stocks of food, water, meds, clothing, and appropriate security items. We have learned to help one another and to be able to give to others in need. I have stocks of dvds to enjoy and to use to teach others. We have a 2,100 Watt solar system for power. We have devised a simple system to safely filter irrigation water for our local water needs, to include drinking, cooking, and laundry. We've worked together and planned together successfully. We are a team and care for each other as an extended family.
We live in small town in rural Utah. My wife and I are pleased to live in
a close knit town of about 500 good caring folks. This area is highly LDS,
about 50 - 60 %, and they are mostly "not very well-prepared" ....
surprise! surprise! The [majority of] Mormon people--and I can say this as
an active LDS--are not ready for any disaster. Less that 10% have a emergency
response
mindset.
The LDS Provident
Living web site is great, and while the LDS Church strongly
promotes and enables provident living, far too few members are prepared for
any emergency. Many have a little bit and very few have enough. As a people
we are not well prepared. [JWR Adds: But on average far better
prepared than most other Americans, and that is commendable.]
As a family, we've done all that preparation, and still I have a serious
problem with no answer. You see, I will be dependent on solar power to enable
my oxygen concentrator to produce O2, power the kitchen, and the computers,
and to recharge the batteries. I can't leave our home area for more than about
6-9 hours (maximum battery life for the portable concentrator). In an emergency
my darling wife of 43 years will not leave me. My Veterans Elderly "A" Team
/ Extended Family wants to "zip cuff, gag, and bag" me and take
me out of danger, but they too recognize the travel difficulty and are without
a solution. Moving the solar array and the necessary ancillary equipment is
a two day exercise.
We seniors are a large portion of the community and an even larger part of
the preparedness group. I have yet to see or hear any preparedness help for
folks like us. Many seniors are just like me; older, somewhat ""less abled
physically, somewhat less able to travel, and more dependent on local medical
services.
20% of us are raising our grand children... At the same time we are surely
more knowledgeable, more able to lead, more experienced, more secure financially,
more able to teach and to mentor, more equipped, and more likely to have lived
through hard times and to have serious military training. And very importantly,
many of us have real time combat experience. We have been to see the "Elephant
Country". The younger folks need what we have to offer because they will
die without it.
My problem is very simple. I have done all of the right preparedness chores and now I find that my family can not get in the truck and bug out. And I'll be 69, next birthday. What do I do now?
thanks again. - Old Bobbert in Utah
JWR Replies: My general recommendation for retirees is to
set yourself up as the retreat destination for the younger
members of your extended family. You can provide them with their bug-out location,
and storage for their supplies, and the benefits of your years of preparation.
They can provide you with the young and healthy hands, strong backs, sharp
eyes, and sensitive ears you will need after TEOTWAWKI.
I often stress the need to pre-position retreat logistics. By having your extended
family's supplies at your locale, it provides insurance that they
will be there to help out, when the balloon goes up.
OBTW, you mentioned oxygen. For anyone that heavily dependent on medical oxygen,
I strongly recommend buying a portable
oxygen concentrator. Many of the portable models are compatible with 12 VDC power.
This means that you can run them from your alternative power system battery
bank, without the need to run a DC-to-AC inverter. For much greater "range"
away from your retreat, you can keep a charged pair of deep cycle 6 VDC golf
cart
batteries in your vehicle.
« Letter Re: DIY Baking Powder Solves a Shelf Life Dilemma |Main| Note from JWR: »
Letter Re: Advice for Newcomers in a Community--Overcoming the We/They Paradigm
Good evening Mr. Rawles,
My name is Ignacio, I'm a Cuban-born American. The three best days in my life
were when I married my wife, when I became an American citizen and
when my daughter was born (in this country). I am an avid reader of your blog,
and working hard to get prepared, we bought a small place (1.5 acres in
southwest Florida, it's in the woods) it was the only thing we could afford to
get ready. But I am very concerned that my neighbors might not like us because
we are Hispanic (although my wife is blue-eyed and has blonde hair.). I can
assure you
that no one loves this country more than we do, but I understand that most of
the Hispanics do not like our country.
What would be a good way to approach my neighbors? Sincerely, - Ignacio R.
JWR Replies: I recommend that you do your very best to get
to know your neighbors, and make it clear that you are are part of the
community.
Get involved in
community
activities. For example: join the local volunteer fire department (they
offer great training, by the way!), make the effort to introduce yourself to
your
neighbors,
invite
them over for barbeques and other social events, join the local church, Rod
and Gun club, ham radio club, and so forth. I also recommend joining (or forming)
a local Community Watch organization.
It takes time, but with effort, you
can make yourself an insider in a community. I am confident that you
know in your heart that you are "an
okay guy", but you just need to demonstrate that to the
folks in your new community. If you work hard enough at it, they will consider
you not just a neighbor, but an indispensable neighbor and a
genuine "go to guy".
Several times in SurvivalBlog, I've
mentioned what sociologists call the We/They Paradigm. The bottom line
is that you need to immerse yourself into the collective "we" (insiders),
so that you aren't seen as part of the "they" (outsiders). In my
experience, race and even religion need not be barriers to becoming part
of the "we".
It
is clear from your letter that you love our Nation. Just make it clear to
your neighbors that you love your community, just as much.
Cementing your relationships with your neighbors can take years. Or, in the
case of South Florida, just one hurricane season. If a time
of deep trauma or deep drama comes up (such as severe weather or wildfires),
then jump in and help out with disaster relief, starting with your nearest
neighbors.
Check
on every
one of
them, and
ask if there is anything that you can do to help. Based on what you demonstrate
of your character, your neighbors will quickly learn that you are someone that
can be trusted when the Schumer Hits the Fan. And, BTW, it will give you a
chance
to size them up, as well.
« Letter Re: Any Widespread Flu Will Overwhelm America's Emergency Medical Services |Main| Notes from JWR: »
Biological Threat Assessment and Containment, by Anon.T
When either you or your group is confronted with a biological threat [such
as a pandemic or biological warfare], you must determine the following before
making decisions either for yourself or
for your group.
1) What is the threat?
2) What is the incubation period prior to showing symptoms?
3) How contagious is the threat?
4) By what means is the threat contagious?
5) What is the morbidity rate?
6) What is the mortality rate?
Once you have determined these things, you can make sound decisions that can
get you and your group through a trying time.
Quarantine:
In the event that you are forced to deal with new members joining your group,
[during a pandemic] you will need to quarantine them for a set period of time.
This will assure you and your group that the new-comer's presence does not
cause harm
within
your group.
To set up quarantine you will need the following items which will be detailed
below:
Shelter
Food & Water
Disinfectant
Communication equipment -or- Another pre-determined way of communicating with
the quarantined.
Medicine
Symptom measuring devices and charts.
Rules that the quarantined must follow if they wish to become part of your
group.
A plan should the quarantined not follow those rules.
A plan should the quarantined show symptoms and/or become sick.
A way for the quarantined to expel waste that does not pose a risk of infection
to other members of the group.
There is not a single point above that can be neglected for any reason. Having
to survive a biological threat has nothing to do with niceties or with comfort.
Shelter:
A place [that is downwind,] away from all group activity for the person(s)
in question to be quarantined. How far away is far enough? Miles would be great
but it
is
probably
not economical
so do with what you have to ensure that your group never gets within a 1,000
feet of the quarantined.
Food & Water:
Whatever the food and water that you supply or that your possible guests bring,
they must have means of making it safe for human consumption.
Disinfectant:
You and the quarantined must be able to protect yourselves from the environment
and the biological threat. A strong bleach solution, a rag and a bucket
would be fine for disinfecting everything. Alcohol sanitizer and anti-bacterial
soap
are
luxuries
if you can
afford them.
Communication:
The group and the quarantined must be able to communicate for numerous reasons.
Humans get pent up if they are left in a confined place to their own devices
for long and to limit the risk of the quarantined coming too close to the group,
they must be able to communicate with the group from a safe distance.
Two-way radios with rechargeable batteries and a way to recharge them at the
quarantine site make the best answer to the communication problem, the only
problem is that they are expensive to have spares around and impossible to
outlast the quarantine if power isn’t available to recharge them.
In the absence of two way radios, your group should have a pre-determined plan
for communication should anyone be at risk for the threat, including any quarantined
individuals.
The group should never risk entering a place of possible contamination if it
can be avoided in any way, so a group should have a Communication Center set
up some distance away from the quarantined and a further distance away from
the group.
To allow the best ventilation, Communication Centers should never be indoors
so a tree, a table or a large rock, all make adequate places.
Each member (the group and the quarantined) should have a pen and multiple
sheets of paper (A dry erase board for each group would do fine) of their own
to write on and leave at the communication center. Each member should understand
the nature of the quarantine and the time at which the papers will be picked
up, read and possibly replied to that is consistent with the length of time
that the biological threat is thought to stay active on paper.
(e.g: Every 3 hours from __ a.m. - __ p.m.)
Medicine:
Your group should have medicine that can be used to treat common pains and
injuries so that the quarantined can be comfortable and it will be easier to
gauge their symptoms if they should have any.
Symptom Measuring Devises:
You should include devises that allow the measuring of all symptoms familiar
to the threat. Some adequate symptoms measuring devices include a Thermometer,
a watch for checking pulse and blood pressure and so on.
Rules:
Your group should have rules that everyone in the group must follow and separate
rules that the quarantined must follow if they wish to eventually enter your
group. These rules must include items like; Staying at least _00(0) feet away
from every member of the group at all times, keeping the quarantine area clean
and free of infection, following proper communication procedures, washing all
contaminated clothing upon entering the quarantine area and being honest with
the progression of any and all symptoms including minor symptoms that may or
may not be related to the threat.
Contingency plan for symptoms within the quarantined:
This plan needs special consideration because the quarantined may be members
of one’s own family or close friends and particular thought must be given
to how they will handle the onset of symptoms and how the group must handle
the quarantined should they become less than complacent including delivery
of proper medication to treat the threat.
Contingency plan if the quarantined does not follow the rules:
This plan should be relatively simple. Anyone who puts your group’s health
and safety at risk by not following the rules is not a valued member of any
group and should be avoided like the threat itself.
Waste Expulsion:
Human waste is possibly a carrier of the threat and since it cannot be avoided
it should be taken into consideration.
If there is a working toilet and sink at the quarantine site, by all means
use it.
In place of a working toilet and sink, the quarantined will have to take special
measures to not endanger the group. In an outdoor environment, the group will
have to dig a hole at the quarantine site (Prior to the visitor’s arrival)
at least 5-6 feet deep and mark that area with a flag easily visible to both
the quarantined and the group. The quarantined will then need to expel all
human waste in that hole and only in that hole (to limit the exposure of contaminants
to the quarantine site) and then kick a little bit of the pre-dug dirt back
into the hole covering the excrements.
This is the time where a little lime would go a long way. If at all possible
to acquire, get some lime prior to the threat to have on storage for just such
a need.
Quarantine Items:
2 - 5 Gallon bucket(s) or the equivalent.
Bleach
Rag(s)
Anti-Bacterial soap
Food that does not need cooking (Min. of incubation period worth of food if
able to spare) and additional food left at communication center every day.
Water or a clean water source
2 way radios with rechargeable batteries and a battery charger
Paper and Pens should the 2-way radios give out
Gloves
Mask(s)
Flag(s) for marking human waste site
Watch for keeping time for communication and symptoms
Thermometer
Toilet Paper (If available)
Quarantine Item Set Up:
All should be able to fit within the 5 gallon bucket with the exception of
food and water (Though a little will be placed in there in advance) including
the following items placed on the top:
Rules of the group
Expected quarantine Time
Rules of quarantine
Rules of communication
Rules:
This will be a pre-printed or pre-written page that will be given to
the prospective guests to read and decide whether they are willing to do the
things necessary to join the group.
Hello,
We are very glad to see you healthy and well and are taking the health and
wellness of our group extremely serious. In doing so, we have implemented rules
that you must adhere to without exception if you wish to join our group.
These rules may seem tedious but we are not taking chances when human life
is at stake just as we will not take chances in protecting your health or the
health of any new members to our group.
Firstly, we will not be having any face to face communication. In place of
this, we will provide, among other things, a 2 way radio, rechargeable batteries
and a battery charger so that we may communicate with each other at all times
(or another way of communicating as described later).
The current known incubation period of the threat that we face together is
____ hours or __ days. If you wish to join our group, you will be forced to
quarantine yourself in a location that we provide or set for ____ hours or
__ days to ensure your safety and the safety of our group. If you are not willing
to follow these rules including duration of quarantine, kindly set down this
sheet of paper now and walk away.
At no time will a group member come within 500 – 1,000 feet of you during
your time in quarantine. This is for the protection of all members of the group
and yourself. Do not violate this rule – Use the radio or the aforementioned
way of communicating in it’s place.
Once you enter your quarantine location, you will be required to stay within
_00(0) feet of your quarantine location until the time of quarantine is over.
If you breach this _00(0) feet marker which we will set or determine, you will
no longer be eligible for joining our group. Please follow this rule.
If you do not have food and water with you, food and water will be provided
for you at a drop point that we will disclose later.
Human Waste:
There will be a pre-dug designated latrine that will be used for the disposal
of all human waste. Human waste, which already poses a health safety hazard
is not to be expelled into any container but dropped directly from your body
into the designated latrine as you “go to the bathroom” after
which you are required to kick dirt or shovel lime back into the latrine
to cover
the waste.
Food disposal:
Only prepare as much food to eat and you are going to eat. Any food that is
not consumed is to be buried with the waste as noted above.
Self evaluation and symptom reporting:
We will provide you with the tools necessary to evaluate yourself. You will
be required to evaluate yourself twice a day, once in the morning and once
before bed. You must answer all items honestly. You are to report the following
items to the group:
Appetite: None, Normal or Excessive
Vision: Clear, Blurry or Normal
Fluid Consumption: Normal, Heavy or Low
Temperature:
Physical Well-Being: Tired, Energetic or Normal
Medications taken within the last 24 hours:
Pain: None or on a level of 1 – 10 with 10 being the worst pain you’ve
ever felt.
Stress Level: Low, Moderate or High
Symptoms: ________
Urine Excretion: Yellow, Cloudy or Clear (Was there a hot or burning sensation
when urinating?)
Waste Excretion: How many times a day and; Loose, firm, normal or painful.
Staying Healthy:
We expect that you came to us healthy and we want to see you remain that way.
Please eat 3 meals every day, drink plenty of liquids, busy yourself with items
you brought or by writing a story (not involving the current situation but
rather one that is purely fictional) and following the listed daily exercise
recommendations:
Walking: Even in a confined area, walking moves the blood through your system
and will provide a healthier you.
Arm and leg stretches: Stretching your arms and legs is a fundamental need
that every body has.
Not staying in one spot or position for an extended period of time.
Brushing your teeth daily with or without toothpaste and brushing your body
down (dry shower) with a rag are two essential ways of staying healthy.
Please do not perform any muscle building or muscle retaining exercises during
this time. Muscle building exercises break down your current muscle to rebuild
more and releases toxins into your system. Refrain from any such activity during
this time so as not to confuse the symptoms of muscle breakdown with symptoms
of the threat.
Positive Thought:
Negative thought will not be tolerated in our group. You are a strong person
and you will get through this. Please do not let the dire nature of this threat
overwhelm your sense of self worth or the free will that God gave to you. If
the threat seems overwhelming, know that you are strong and pray for the endurance
to see this through.
Carried Item Quarantine:
Please understand that the items that you brought with you may carry the threat
on them for an unknown amount of time. The group will decide which items can
be cleaned, used or disposed of without hesitation or regard to personal feelings.
You may at no time keep an item that the group feels is dangerous.
That is it. Those are the rules required by anyone who wishes to join our group
and anyone who leaves our group for any amount of time.
If you are not 100% sure that this move is right for you and 100% sure that
you will abide by these rules, there will be no hard feelings between us. Please
put this paper down on the ground, wave a goodbye and walk away now.
We thank you for your patience and understanding during these difficult times
that we all must face.
If you are positive beyond doubt that you will abide by these rules and any
rules that the group may impose in addition to these, please fold this paper
up and place it in either your shirt or pants pocket. At this time we will
disclose the location of items that we will be providing you and further our
communication together.
Go on to Document #2
Document #2 – On a separate sheet of paper
Hi,
We are very glad that you have chosen to quarantine yourself from our group
before joining it. This shows that you care as much about our well being
as we do yours and proves your willingness to put the group’s needs
ahead of your own. In no way does quarantine mean isolation, we look forward
to communicating
with you using the two way radios that we will provide or the use of a communication
center that we will set up.
We know that this can be an emotional time. Please do not let your emotions
run your self control, will for life or care for others. We are here to communicate
with you throughout this entire time and we look forward to spending time with
you once you join our group.
The location that you will be staying in during your quarantine is:
________________________________________________
We will provide the following items for you if you do not already have them
on hand.
2 - 5 Gallon bucket(s) or the equivalent (for the cleaning of clothes and items.)
Bleach
Rag(s)
Anti-Bacterial soap
Food that does not need cooking (Min. of incubation period worth of food if
able to spare) and additional food left at communication center every day.
Water or a clean water source
2 way radios with rechargeable batteries and a battery charger
Paper and Pens (In case the 2-way radios give out or for story writing)
Gloves
Mask(s)
Watch (for keeping time for communication and daily health evaluations.)
Thermometer
Toilet Paper (If available)
Radio Operation:
Provide instruction for radios here
Communication Center:
The communication center will be at the following location.
________________________________________________
We will be using the communication center for the supply or re-supply of
all goods including the items that you will get once entering quarantine.
We will
also use it for communication if the radios fail to work properly. We will
be checking for communication every ___ hours (1 hour beyond the time that
the threat is thought to survive on paper) from ____ a.m. to ____ p.m. daily.
Please flag a
new communication by placing __________ over the paper or dry erase board
for the group to see.
Proper Communication Etiquette:
As you can probably tell, we are limited by the items that we have on hand
including paper. Please write legibly and please tear off the paper at the
bottom of your communication so that the rest of the paper may be saved for
later use.
To limit the risk of exposure, we will not be touching any communication items
at the communication center. It will be your job to dispose of all paper used
for communication by placing it in the latrine.
Emergency Communication:
A true emergency is something that is life threatening and that cannot wait
until our next communication. We will never cry wolf to you so please express
the same care and respect for us.
If the need should arise for emergency communication, the universal distress
code that we will use is 3 of anything, 3 seconds apart.
That means 3 loud whistles 3 seconds apart, 3 bangs on the bottom of a bucket,
3 shouts using
the word “Emergency” or 3 blows on an air horn.
We will continue to use this code every 3 minutes until visual confirmation
can be made of the person issuing the emergency code and the group.
Example use of the Emergency Distress Code: Whistle Whistle Whistle – Wait
3 seconds - Whistle Whistle Whistle – Wait 3 seconds and then finally
Whistle Whistle Whistle now wait 3 minutes and repeat.
That covers it. We are so glad to see you well. Please fold this paper up,
place it in your pocket and follow the schedule below:
Schedule:
Now:
Gather your items and bring them with you to the quarantine site.
Leave all items well outside of the quarantine site until proper decontamination
can be fulfilled.
Before entering the Quarantine Site: Remove any outer clothing which may be
contaminated and place all items inside the bleach/water solution that is in
the bucket provided for you at the site.
Next, take a rag and rinse your body over with the bleach and water solution
from head to toes. Bleach will not hurt you at the strength it is diluted to.
Please wash well your hair, face, hands and all exposed body parts.
Dry off with clean rag provided.
Enter Quarantine site
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Health, Hygiene, Fitness and Medical Care in a Coming Collapse, by RangerDoc
Spiritual Fitness
Let us start this discussion by confronting a stark fact of life: very few
of us, living the life of North American citizens, are fit to survive for a
generation in an austere, off the grid, world. First of all, few of us have
the philosophical orientation to be survivors. I know in my bones that without
God’s help, my family’s ability to survive in a prolonged state
of austerity is worse than questionable. As an evangelical Christian, I understand
that my own commitment to preparedness is a function of my ongoing submission
to God’s will. It could have been otherwise. He could have willed me
to pursue other ventures: sacrificing my own survival for the benefit of others
as I helped them “escape the storm”. Is this not the philosophical
basis of soldiering and of the missionary? Self-sacrifice, even to the point
of death. That was Jesus’ example of discipleship. So I diverge from
that example only by virtue of an ongoing conversation with my Lord and Master,
and He urges me to prepare for the worst, so that my family and my “retreat
posse” will survive. I know not His particular purpose in this endeavor,
but I trust His will implicitly. It is my personal belief that the Lord calls
all family leaders to provide deeply for the sustenance and well being of their
families. But unless you have had this conversation with the Author of life,
you may not be philosophically and spiritually “fit” for the challenging
times to come. And God may have a different path for you to pursue, in the
service of His Kingdom. Remember that Jesus has called us all to Himself and
He wants you to trust Him today! Preparedness is not a hobby- it is a calling.
In this vein also, I do not condone the “secret squirrel” approach
to preparedness. Being discreet about the specifics of our preparedness plans
is a wise tactic in these dangerous times, but failing to share our wisdom,
insight and knowledge with others who could effectively use this information
for good is, in my estimation, downright sinful. So much for my personal philosophical
bias.
Physical Fitness
Second of all, few of us have the physical fitness level required to be 19th
century farmer-builder-warriors, which is what we may be called to become.
Example: Thirty five years ago, I was a carpenter and gardener: climbing, lifting,
sawing, digging, hammering. I joined the US Army to become a Ranger. And, boy,
did I find out how poor my aerobic fitness was. Fast forward ten years: I was
then a medical student and an avid, competitive triathlete. I visited my buddy’s
place (Yeah, he’s in the “posse”) and helped him cut, stack
and split firewood for a day. Well, my “designer body” ala swim-bike-run
was exquisitely fit aerobically, but that episode of real labor left my body
an aching mess for the next three days! Now I am a 60 year old surgeon who
mixes aerobic exercise with gardening, light carpentry, resistance training,
hiking
with the Boy Scouts, woodcutting, et cetera, so that I can be at least minimally
fit for the challenging lifestyle that would be required in a TEOTWAWKI world.
If you are overweight, smoking and sedentary, you are engaged in a futile fantasy
to think that you will survive in a post-apocalyptic world, surrounded by your
storage food, guns and ammo. These are mere possessions that will swiftly be
taken from you by the ravenously hungry horde of healthy young men who have
heard about your stash. Start your physical preparedness plan with physical
fitness.
Preventative Medicine
Next issue: public health measures. For many years I taught and practiced medical
and surgical care in austere environments. In the late 1990s I was the chief
of the medical special response teams for the US Army, Pacific, and taught
disaster planning and medical care in austere environments around the world
as a Department of Defense consultant. If I had to choose between having access
to modern medical care and having a sound public sanitation system and clean
water,
it
would
be a no-brainer. The clean water and hygienic handling of human waste as first
perfected in the twentieth century have saved many more lives than have antibiotics
and modern surgery. Hepatitis, polio, typhoid fever, dysentery and other waste
and waterborne diseases have defeated far more armies throughout history than
have poor tactics and strategy. Witness [German General Erwin] Rommel’s
own struggle with hepatitis during the North Africa campaign of WWII, which
he
roundly lost,
in spite of
his brilliance as a military tactician. If you have a retreat, please remember
this simple principle: keep you food and water supply as far as possible from
latrine sites. Controlling mosquitoes may be important in some areas, to avoid
epidemics of West Nile Virus, malaria and yellow fever. The current H1N1 flu
pandemic should remind us all that we need to protect ourselves from infectious
disease. There is much more to learn about field sanitation and hygiene, so
please consider reviewing this
comprehensive resource.
Now you have arrived at the next step. You are right with God and your body
has been worked into a lean, mean, diggin’, buildin’ and fightin’ machine.
You have an ample and reliable source of potable water and your latrines are
at least 100 yards downhill from your water supply. You have a half ton of
lime ($30-40 worth) to sprinkle in the latrine. Your food is stored securely
and safely away from vermin, fungus and other pests. After 2-3 years of experimenting,
your food growing skills and garden are adequate. You have established sound
and reliable defense and OPSEC measures, to include perimeter defense, adequate
weapons capability, mastering of small unit operations and tactics and adequate
familiarization with improvised weapons and tactics and redundant communications
systems. Whew!! That was a lot of work! Now, and only now, should you plan
your strategy for medical, dental and surgical care.
Medical Care in Austere Environments
Number one principle: avoid injuries and illness. In practical terms that means
maintaining sound health and hygiene, as above noted. It includes scrupulous
avoidance of horseplay, as well. What a tragedy to break your ankle playing Ultimate
Frisbee during planting season, when every able body will be needed to secure
your frugal harvest for the year. Without the availability of operative orthopedic
care, many of our ancestors became lifelong cripples from simple injuries such
as this. Skiing and mountain biking will be absolute no-no’s unless truly
necessary for operational reasons. Sorry, but fun activities are way low on the
list of gotta-do’s in a survival environment.
Next: eat to survive, not for fun. No one will care what you prefer in your diet,
least of all your retreat cook, who is tasked with cobbling together a nutritious
meal from whatever is on hand. (As an aside, when my very wise wife and I developed
the list of friends that we would invite into our “retreat posse”,
the overarching selection criteria, following a Judeo-Christian moral orientation,
could be characterized as “high skill, low maintenance” personality
traits). Multivitamins will be most helpful, but probably can be stretched to
one every other day or even two per week, if there is a shortage. Include adequate
fiber in your diet. In our stores, we have large containers of Metamucil, for
instance, to avoid constipation. When encountering this problem, the French Maquis
(WWII resistance fighters) would ask a local farmer for some butter or lard and
eat 2-3 tablespoons…like grease through a goose! We also have a simple
formula for an oral rehydration solution to treat dehydration following diarrheal
illnesses, heat injury, or trauma- induced hypovolemia. Please copy the data
on this site of the Rehydration Project (http://rehydrate.org/solutions/homemade.htm)
for an excellent and simple description of homemade rehydration remedies.
Take scrupulous care of your teeth! Floss at least three times per week and brush
at least twice daily. Toothpaste is nice, but not necessary. Baking soda works
almost as well and it is not only cheap, but has many other uses. Buy 20 pounds
of baking soda.
I strongly urge all to get a copy of Where
There Is No Dentist
by
Murray Dickson.
It is available from Ready Made Resources. This is an excellent and authoritative
manual that is easy to put to use by someone with at least a modicum of medical
training, for example an EMT.
Now the fun part you were all waiting for: interventional health care, i.e.,
the practice of medicine and surgery in an austere environment. To start with,
I strongly recommend getting a copy of the list of $4 prescription medications
available at Wal-Mart pharmacies. The array of inexpensive medications is astounding.
Antibiotics, antihypertensives, hormone replacements, topical medications, eye
and ear preparations- they are all on this list. Ten to fifteen years ago, most
of these items were very expensive “designer drugs”. If you need
antihypertensives, see if your doctor will prescribe drugs off this list and
then get him to write you a 6-12 month prescription. Also ask him to write you
prescriptions for the antibiotics that I recommend below. You should also get
several bottles of eye and ear antibiotic drops. Admittedly, this may be an uphill
battle. Hopefully you can educate your physician about the importance of preparedness
and make him an ally. Tell the Wal-Mart pharmacist that you are going on a mission
trip to a distant land without access to pharmaceuticals. This would not really
be a lie, would it?! Don’t worry about your cholesterol- it will drop on
your new diet…but then, my guess is that the survival lifestyle will also “cure” most
hypertension and non-insulin dependent diabetes. But, please, try to get to that
level of lean fitness prior to encountering the “SHTF” dilemma. I
recommend a stockpile of four antibiotics that will treat most conditions that
will really require them: pneumonia, anthrax, urinary tract infections, skin
infections, and wound infections: Cephalexin 500 mg, Ciprofloxacin 500 mg, Doxycycline
100 mg, and Septra DS (SMZ/TMP DS). These can all be taken by folks with penicillin
allergies, with the possible exception of the cephalexin. The number of tablets
that you need will be based on the size of your group. All of these are dosed
for adults but can be split or crushed for children. Echoing the advice of Jim
Rawles, having a retreat member with significant medical experience, e.g., an
advance practice RN, a PA or, ideally a practicing physician, will enable you
to utilize
these medications optimally. In my humble estimation, about 30-40% of antibiotic
prescriptions currently doled out by my colleagues are unnecessary, and often
done to placate demanding “health care consumers” because it is often
too frustrating and time consuming to educate folks in the office. Although these
medications are inexpensive now, when you have a limited supply that must last
months or years, they will become precious allies in your fight for survival
that must only be used when life or limb are at risk. The expiration dates on
the bottles of meds that you receive at the pharmacy are really made up, since
no pharmaceutical company really studies the time-related efficacy and safety
of these drugs carefully. The expiration dates are always much earlier
than the true degradation dates, except for liquid and injectable medications.
Almost
all medications are probably still safe and effective for at least 1-2 years
after the printed expiration date. Almost every doctor friend of mine gives his/her
family expired medications from their sample shelves! If you live within 200
miles of a nuclear power plant, a large military base or a major urban center,
it is prudent to stockpile a 1 month supply of iodine supplements for each member
of you family, to avoid the long term carcinogenic effects of a nuclear fallout
emergency. These are really cheap, have long shelf lives, and can be purchased
from several of the advertisers on this web site.
Wound and Trauma Care
Let’s start by making life simple: any soap with water works as an adequate
antiseptic for scratches and scrapes, and good ol’ Vaseline works nearly
as well as a wound dressing as the expensive antibiotic ointments. Large second
or third degree burns are another story, however. Having worked in the developing
world as both a military doc and as a medical missionary, I have observed for
myself the well known fact that flame injuries are a major cause of death and
disability in primitive cultures. Open fires are often used for heating and cooking,
resulting in frequent flame injuries, especially to children. Children are neither
wise nor well coordinated, and they fall into fires. Get several large jars of
Silvadene cream for extensive burn use only. Keep it refrigerated, or even frozen
as long as possible to extend its shelf life. This stuff is somewhat expensive,
but not easily replaced. OTC topical antibiotics like bacitracin ointment could
be substituted in a pinch. Extensive burns (larger than the palm of your hand)
should be cleaned with soap and water and dressed with antibiotic ointment and
sterile gauze reapplied daily until fully healed. When you run out of Silvadene,
use Vaseline (get 50 lbs of it- it has many, many practical uses).
I currently teach advanced tactical medics for the US Army, SWAT teams and
the
U.S. Border Patrol. We teach them suturing techniques. But, unless you can
really clean a wound within 12-24 hours of its occurrence and close it surgically
with a truly aseptic technique- sterile gloves, drapes, sutures and instruments-
it should be left open to heal by itself. Otherwise it will likely get grossly
infected, pus out, and require you to take out your precious suture material
and use your precious antibiotics to treat the now deep wound infection. Soap
and Water will take care of this wound better, along with copious irrigation
with previously boiled water (allowed to cool, of course). “The solution
to pollution is dilution!” Clean the wound with a 50/50 mix of hydrogen
peroxide and sterile water if it gets crusty or develops a thick discharge and
change the dressing daily. If large vessels, tendons, nerves or bones are exposed,
the wound will require suturing, but only after extensive cleaning and irrigation,
followed by several days of sterile dressing changes and the administration of
oral cephalexin three times each day, and then only with the cleanest, sterile
technique.
Orthopedic Injuries
Basic first aid techniques are most important to acquire for all preppers. This
is especially true for injuries to bone, joint and spine. The first aid techniques
that I learned as a Boy Scout almost 50 years ago are still relevant today. Taking
a Red Cross First Aid course is really important as the minimum medical training
for anyone seriously facing a survival situation. However, when there is no doctor
available, you will be required to go several steps further. Fractures must be
set into their normal , functional positions and then casted or splinted effectively
when you are the final medical authority. Additionally, if the fracture is open,
i.e., there is a break in the skin where the bone had poked through, this wound
must be thoroughly washed and irrigated, dressed with a sterile dressing and
antibiotic ointment, and broad spectrum antibiotics given for a week. Serious
spinal injuries may be a death sentence in this situation, invoking the principle
of expectant care (see “Triage principles” below).
Pain Relief and Anesthesia
Okay, so this part comes easy to me. Not only is my wife a former marathon runner,
triathlete, and cross country cyclist, she is also a total Christian babe. And
an anesthesiologist. She has taught me how to perform total IV anesthesia, using
relatively inexpensive drugs given by injection, thereby not requiring the use
of inhalational agents. Most of the procedures that can be done outside of the
hospital are short- under one hour in duration. In the austere environment, the
group surgeon would ideally be prepared and equipped to perform the following
major surgical procedures: Debridement of dirty wounds; open ligation of major
bleeding vessels; appendectomy; cholecystectomy (removal of a diseased gall bladder);
cesarean section. Although endotracheal intubation may be required, the presence
of a ventilator and oxygen can be circumvented. A bag-valve device will be necessary
for manual ventilation. Intravenous equipment and fluids are required. Again,
the amounts of each will depend upon your situation, but I would recommend having
at least four liters of normal saline IV solution for each member of your group.
Ignore the expiration dates: salt water does not degrade. Avoid using this precious
resource for routine causes of dehydration. Use the rehydration solutions instead.
Put up an ample supply of Tylenol, Motrin and Aleve. If possible, store a supply
of stronger narcotic pain medications, such as Vicodin.
Triage Principles
Triage is the function of rationing medical care in the context
of limited availability. This may mean a limitation in supplies, time, facilities,
transportation or professional medical providers. In a TEOTWAWKI scenario, all
of these factors may be in short supply.
The four triage categories are as follows:
1. IMMEDIATE: These victims have life threatening conditions that will a) result
in death if not promptly addressed and b) can be remediated with the judicious
use of assets on hand. An example would be a deep laceration to the groin with
arterial bleeding from the femoral artery. The immediate application of pressure
or, if necessary, a tourniquet, will save a life. This could then be treated
with definitive surgery later.
2. DELAYED: This describes serious conditions that are not immediately life
threatening, but that will require medical attention in hours to days to avoid
serious disability
or even death. An appropriate example would be a humerus fracture sustained
while having piggy back chicken fights in the back yard (you’ve already
forgotten: no horseplay!)
3. MINIMAL: This category includes illnesses and injuries that are self limiting:
small lacerations, a non-displaced finger fracture, a short episode of diarrheal
illness, etc. These folks need to keep working!
4. EXPECTANT: When medical resources are severely limited, they must be used
to derive the greatest survival benefit for the community. That means that
using a lot of medications, supplies and manpower in attempts to resuscitate
profoundly
ill or injured patients is unethical. These unfortunate folks will be unlikely
to survive regardless of your best efforts. They are triaged as expectant,
meaning that they are likely to die. Examples include severe shock, quadriplegic
injuries,
or multiple gunshot wounds to vital organs. They should be treated for pain
if possible, and given comfort and affection until their demise. This will
save
resources for those who are salvageable and can continue to contribute to the
group’s survival.
Medicolegal disclaimer: Please do not use
any
of the above advised techniques or methods unless you have no possible access
to professional medical care. This advice is not at all applicable,
and may in some instances be harmful, if you have access to professional medical
care. - RangerDoc, MD, FACS
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Letter Re: An Impromptu SurvivalBlog Meet-up at Front Sight
There was a bit of a ‘covert’ Survivalblog
gathering at Front Sight recently. Along with Tim R & Tantalum Tom I was
also in attendance earlier in March. I have two grown sons, both of which had
expressed a desire to have a handgun for home defense. As a law enforcement
officer
and
former
SWAT team member I am familiar with the operation of and responsibility with
owning a gun. I am confident in my training and ability to defend my home and
family through that training. My two sons, however, had barely even held a
gun, let alone fired it. This spurred me to obtain the proper training as any
responsible gun owner should do, and when I heard about the "get
a Gun " promotion for the four day Defensive Handgun course that Dr. Piazza was offering, I jumped on board for all three of us.
Both of my sons were shocked when I made the presentation to them last year.
Before doing so, they knew something was coming, but had no idea as to exactly
what it was. When I gave them the course, including transportation and lodging,
they were both flabbergasted and ecstatic. Imagine how amazed they were to
find they would also be using a brand new gun of their choosing which would
belong to them upon completion of the course, with Front Sight sending it back
to our local FFL dealer. I gave them this present last July, and thanks to
Front Sight’s generous scheduling policy, I had the luxury of planning
the trip at my convenience, choosing dates in mid March.
The trip to Vegas was go od, where we rented a car and drove out to Pahrump,
about 50 miles to the west. We even had enough time that first day to go back
to Vegas where we feasted on the sights and sounds of ‘The Strip’ and
one of the many great buffets, catching a show afterwards. On Friday we drove
up to the front gate at Front Sight where we were welcomed and directed to
the check in location. Often times any of us are nervous when doing something
for the first time, especially in unfamiliar territory far from home. But here
we were greeted with a smile by a well organized and helpful staff. Nerves
disappeared almost immediately, replaced by the excitement of what was to come.
The five days there were phenomenal, especially as I had the honor of sharing
that voyage of discovery with my two sons. You’ve undoubtedly read the
commentaries from other attendees, so I will spare you from repetition other
than to say the education I received was excellent. I put some 800 rounds through
my [Springfield Armory] .45 XD and by the end of my time there it felt so natural in my hand to be
almost a part of me.
I was most taken back by the staff who make it truly phenomenal. I will refer
to my range-master as the ‘Stair’-Master who took us, step by step,
through their procedures in such a natural way. He was informative, professional,
friendly, o pen and knew what he was teaching inside out and back to front.
But to be perfectly honest, you could say the same for all of them. There were
times when we had seven or eight instructors on the line with us. Talk about
individual coaching and instruction! Unheard of! This by far is the best firearm
instruction I have ever received, and would recommend it to anyone, both novice
and expert alike.
In addition to receiving great instruction on the range, we were also afforded
some informative and well thought out lectures introducing the concept of owning,
using, choosing and carrying a gun. The presenters make it interesting and
use their experience and real life situations to better relate to the student
body. I even found myself enacting one scenario out with them in a realistic,
unscripted way that I have to say, would be very realistic given the situation
they presented.
I would also recommend the lunches available through pre-order from ‘Beach
Café’, linked through the Front Sight web site. They deliver lunches
daily and I found them more than sufficient to get me through the day. As others
have said, make sure you hydrate, dress appropriately (layers) and expect to
spend long days there which whiz by with all that you do. The coffee is plentiful
and the friends you will make from those around you will make it even more
special. Come the last day I ‘slowly, carefully, reluctantly’ placed
my gun back in its holster and shook the hands of the new friends I had made,
determined to return and further my education on a later date. Cruise eBay
for some first
time student gray course certificates and you too can attend some of their
courses at a great rate where you will then discover the awesome deals available
to
return students. Folks, you will not be disappointed, and you will feel so
much better prepared in your ability to protect yourself, your home, and most
importantly, your loved ones. - DeFuz
« Letter Re: Our Hurricane Rita Evac Proved a Point--Timing is Everything! |Main| Note from JWR: »
Emotional Stressors During Societal Collapse by Campcritter
As determined men and women of yesteryear made their way west to make for
a better life, pioneer women often kept journals of their life on the great
prairies or sent letters home to their sisters back East. In those letters
they described the silence as the most unwelcome guest. These brave women
wrote about being left for weeks on end alone, lost in an endless sea of
grass with only the wind for company while the men hunted or went for supplies.
In some cases the quiet was so severe that it became unbearable and the women
developed mental problems. One young mother in 1853 wrote, “Silence
is an evil creature, it stalks you by day, watching, waiting, ever vigilant.
By the dark of the moon it strangles your thoughts and slips away with your
sanity.”
Imagine now, that we are about six weeks into a societal collapse. You are
sure you have prepared yourself fairly well. You’ve made all the plans
and stocked all that needs to be stocked and you feel pretty confident that
you
and yours can weather whatever comes, right? After all, you have given lots
of time and energy to making sure that you have everything that you need. You
have provided for your physical well being, but have you taken the time to
consider what happens to the family’s emotional stability when life as
we know it suddenly takes a turn south?
In all the preparedness information out there, there seems to be an expectation
that ones emotional response to real world stressors are somehow less important
than the physical. Or maybe people are not wanting to deal with that which
is yet unknown and frankly, just too scary for most of us to comprehend. What
happens to the emotional intellect when forced to shoot another human being
for the first time or watch helplessly while a loved one dies of an illness
or a massive wound. How about dealing with feral pigs, dogs and any other typically
domesticated animals? Can you let your children out of your sight to play in
the yard or do you live with constant fear they may become a meal for a once
beloved family pet or the zoo animal that hasn’t eaten in a week? These
are real life situations that need to be discussed along with beans, bullets
and band aids. Even Tom Brown, “The Tracker“, writes of feral dogs
of his youth while living in New Jersey.
Now that the stores are not being stocked you have used up all that was in
the cupboard and freezer and have broken into your stored rice and beans. Everyone
in your household has been about four weeks without McDonald’s, potato
chips, Spaghetti-Os, wine, beer and cigarettes. The family complains of being
gassy and bloated and by now the cravings are so bad that even the neighbors
lawn ornament is beginning to look good. Tempers are just one spark away from
ignition within the family unit. Depression sets in as Sissy hysterically cries, “I’m
never ever going to use a flush toilet ever again!” It becomes apparent
that holding this unit together is going to be a real challenge. Isn’t
it is amazing how a change in diet can trash the family dynamics?
My field of study for the past 25 years has been in Holistic Nutritional Sciences.
This field is centered around the whole body and everything that goes into
it, air, water, plants, the soil plants are grown in and the health of animals
that are used for food. Current research indicates there are definite changes
in body chemistry when one gets off the processed and junk food hamster wheel.
As chemicals, heavy metals and other toxic particles leave the body there is
what has been described as a healing crisis and it can be all too real for
the ones that suffer through it. Think for a moment, you have suddenly been
forced to do without coffee or cigarettes, a real nightmare for some. What
will you feel like in a few days? Your children have been forced to do without
their favorite French fries or soft drinks. What will be their mood in a week
or so? If you have ever been witness to a loved ones kicking of the habit you
will appreciate that it is not always a pleasant happening. These are a few
of the more obvious, lets take a look at some lesser known problems with our
modern situation.
Currently there are about 3,000 substances added to food that are on the FDA’s
generally regarded as safe (GRAS) list but the GRAS can not guarantee that
an additive is 100%
safe for every human because not every human has the same biochemistry.
Food colors seem to be most problematic for young children in that they can
be toxic to the nervous system, kidneys or liver. And don’t get me started
on genetically modified foodstuffs, it makes me screaming mad. I can’t
say anything good about altering the perfection of the natural world. The fact
that this brand new life form was not studied long term and released into the
unsuspecting publics food supply makes me nuts. Were humans really meant
to eat a corn plant with say, a petunia's DNA? Of course, that’s a much
simplified version but I believe there are some things that we just weren’t
meant to ingest. Genetically modified ingredients in infant formula being number
one on my list to scream about. My list to scream about on the subject of GMOs
just scratches the surface here ,but that rant is for another day. ( hint:
get as many open pollinated seeds as you can ASAP. That means yesterday. If
you don’t have a garden get open pollinated vegetable seeds anyway, they
will make great barter in the near future. Most seeds are viable between 2
and 5 years.)
An application of malefic hydrazide is routinely sprayed on potatoes and onions
to keep them from sprouting but did you know that this potentially toxic chemical
is sprayed on tobacco products in the U.S., and some chemicals such as propylene
glycol, glycerin, or sorbitol are not always listed on a label. Aspartame as
in Nutrasweet and Equal has been shown to be a precursor to Alzheimer’s
and Parkinson’s diseases. What happens to the body when it doesn’t
get it’s daily dose of acrylamide (a carcinogenic chemical created when
potatoes and corn chips are baked or fried at high temperatures) or when the
body is deprived of high fructose corn syrup from soft drinks? For some people
they can have the same painful withdrawal symptoms as from coffee, cigarettes
or drugs. I have seen people become depressed, angry, foggy in the head, sluggish
and almost manic when taken off processed foods. Raw foods do an excellent
job of cleaning out lots of toxins that accumulate in our fat. (See Power
Foods by Stephanie Beling, M.D. and Rawsome by Brigitte Mars)
More and more young people are becoming diabetic, something very rare at the
turn of the century. My neighbors eight year old child has to be monitored
for high cholesterol, it’s just shocking! Students are under much more
stress these days than ever before which can result in emotional eating and
behavioral
problems. More cravings with less food available could be overwhelming to children
who aren‘t understanding why they can‘t have a second helping.
Even my own grandchildren are such fussy eaters, what happens when they no
longer have access to their junk foods and are forced to eat “real food”?
And by the way, their idea of what real food ( pull it out of the freezer and
pop it into the microwave) is and my knowledge of whole real food doesn’t
line up. Where as there lies the problem. When at Grams house you need to adapt
or go without. (wink, wink, I have been know to bend just a little, sometimes.)
Also, eating a constant diet of freeze dried storable foods and garden produce
can have an undesirable set of problems all it’s own. Much more water
needs to be taken in or the system seems to get painfully backed up.
What about those pioneer women? They didn’t have GMOs or cell
phones. They certainly didn’t need a good detox diet but many did keep
journals to help insure some sanity. Writing stuff down is almost like talking
to a friend. If our world does the "Patriots" thing,
we all will be pioneers in our own right. Picture a world of teens without
their
cell phones, blackberries, computers, music or anything else that makes them
tick. The withdrawal symptoms from the “NEED” to communicate alone
surely should scare even the hardiest amongst us. Taking care of the emotional
person is very personal and challenging. Learn what you can about the food
you have been eating and the world around your retreat and take charge now.
The mental health you save may be your own!
A note to Grandparents: You are hereby requested to help keep our history alive.
Talk to your Grandchildren about your history, our country’s history
and how we got to this point in the world. Write it down if needed. Teach them
all the skills that they will need in their future. Plant the seed early, grandchildren
seen to respond to grandparents easily. Their world will be inherently different
than the one we lived in. Teaching them how to garden, fix a roof, sew a shirt,
harvest and save seeds, cook a stew, etc., everything that you know. What you
don’t already know how it do, learn it together. They are going to need
all the advantages that we can give them.
Favorites from my library:
Cookin'
with Home Storage
by Vicki Tate (Excellent) [JWR Adds: Tate's book is also one of our favorites.]
Staying Healthy
with Nutrition by Elson M. Haas, M.D. There is a section in this book about
detoxification and fasting. (Excellent) This one is my
all
time favorite, it is so worn. 1,141 pages
Never Be Sick Again by Raymond Francis, M.Sc. He tells why disease happens
and how to avoid it.
Nutrition and Mental Illness by Carl C. Pfeiffer, Ph.D., M.D. Written
in layman language, very interesting, surprising causes of some symptoms.
The Ultimate Nutrition Guide for Women by Leslie Beck, R.D. (Very Good)
She tells women why they have health problems and how to deal with them.
Superpigs and Wondercorn by Dr. Michael W. Fox (About GMOs.)
« Letter Re: Private Gated Communities May Not be Gated After All |Main| Notes from JWR: »
Life's Lessons and the Foundations of Preparedness, by A.B.
We may soon depend on all of what we have learned over the years. Putting
all of the threads of knowledge together into a tapestry of self-sufficiency,
and survival capabilities, is part of the lifelong quest for our family’s
security. We learn from many sources and experiences such as: family, church,
friends, teachers, teammates, co-workers, reading books and SurvivalBlog, and
hopefully from our mistakes.
Preparedness Skills from our Grandmas and Grandpas
The foundation for preparedness begins with my childhood in Michigan. We
lived in Lansing where my great-grandmother was next door and my grandmother
lived
next door to her. My father was born in great-grandma’s house after
the family moved to the city during the early 1900s. My sisters and I spent
weekends and summers alternately at my mom’s family dairy farm, which
was just outside of the city, and at my dad’s family cabin “up
north”. These were the richest times of my life. We knew all of our
grandparents and some of our great-grandparents very well. My great-great-grandfather
still
lived in the old log cabin when I was born in 1956. We have been fortunate
to have had five generations alive consistently from then until now. The
wealth of love and knowledge you gain from your extended family is irreplaceable.
The “old timers” told stories of hardship during the great depression
and the dust bowl era (we live an area that was the largest prairie east
of the Mississippi.) Memories of crop failures with tales of early and late
frosts
were passed down. There were also hunting and fishing stories passed down
as we learned to hunt and fish with older family members. There were bigger
than
life lumberjack stories and stories from Prohibition and the World Wars.
I learned to safely handle and accurately shoot a .22 rifle with peep sights
when I was six or seven years old. I walked the roads with my grandpa squirrel
hunting. We ice fished on local lakes and went to Tip-Up
Town USA every year.
All
of
this adds to ones persona and the early experience helps awaken the necessary “survivalist” traits.
On a working dairy farm you rapidly learn about life (and death). Animal
husbandry and caring for the land lead to sustainability. Animals do become
food and
harvesting the crops sometimes seems little reward for the hard work. The
milking must be done every day and chores do not wait. As a kid I learned
to drive
tractors and pick-ups to and from the fields. We mowed, bailed and then stacked
the hay in the mow. Alfalfa, oats and corn were the field crops. Pigs, chickens,
and sheep were raised along with the dairy cows and we cleaned the barns
and spread manure.
Knowledge is passed down from generation to generation such as when to plant,
where to plant, when to harvest, and how to raise the animals. There were
many topics of conversations at the Sunday breakfast table. Many things are
debated
and discussed after chores and before Church. Most times the conversations
continued outside the Church after the sermon. It was the only time you saw
the other farmers. When you are a little guy you tended to be quiet, pay
attention and learn.
Grandpa was a farmer and Grandma was a one room school teacher. Grandma also
taught vacation bible school during the summer break. Us kids learned how
to tend good gardens and helped preserve the food we raised. We took care
of the
barn animals while the uncles milked. We hauled water to the bull pen and
helped milk as we got older. Survival skill sets from the farm come from
being part
of a close knit community with a solid work ethic. There are strong religious
underpinnings with good people engaged in caring for one another as well
as the animals and the land.
Preparedness from "Roughing It”
The log cabin “up north” had a well-house for getting water and
an outhouse for getting rid of water. There was a wood fired cook stove for
heat and kerosene lamps to play cards under. There was a red checkered oilcloth
on the table with cane chairs around it. The place was originally homesteaded
by my great-great-grandfather in the late 1800s (a few electric lights
were added at some point.) We used to go up on Friday night after Dad or
Grandpa got out of work. The next morning started with an awakening trip to
the outhouse
and then fetching a bucket of water from the well house and kindling for
the wood stove. On a cold morning you stepped lively until the fire was going.
Once the stove was hot, Grandma would cook buttermilk pancakes on a griddle
that my great-grandmother had used in the lumber camp. Eggs and bacon sizzled
in a cast iron skillet. Clothes were washed on a washboard in a wash tub and
then
hung
out to dry. You took a bath in the river. During the summer we would fish
morning and evening and water ski on the nice days. The family summer vacation
was
spent camping in a tent along the river or at a state park. The old cabin
was also used for small game hunting in the early fall and deer camp in the
late
fall / winter. We would take walks in the woods and look for morels and other
edible things like may apples, hickory nuts or raspberries and huckleberries.
Animal tracks were learned and followed with hopes of a glimpse. Life was
considered sacred unless needed for food and being a part of nature became
obvious. A
leave no trace and waste nothing ethic was being born.
Opportunities for further wilderness and pioneering skill development were
provided by Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts. My mom and dad were actively involved
in Scouting when I was growing up. Teamwork and sharing responsibilities
for the group were learned. Outdoor cooking and keeping things sanitary were
heavily
emphasized. Food poisoning is no joke – we had one patrol that damn near
killed us with their meal. We learned to wash our hands and boil the crap out
of everything. Hiking and backpacking skills were beginning to be developed
in the Scouts. We day hiked a 20 miler once a year on the Johnny Appleseed
Trail - the Scouts version of the death march. You had to carry a full pack
if you wanted the patch. We also hiked the Pokagon Trail in northern Indiana
and learned to camp in the winter.
While living in Pennsylvania (later in life) I started winter backpacking with
a few of my buddies. We went in the winter both for the solitude it offered,
and
to learn the special skill sets required for survival in the cold. There
are beautiful views from Seven Springs and other spots along the Laurel Highlands
Trail during the winter. This experience then led to the development of technical
mountaineering skills. The books Basic Rockcraft, Advanced Rockcraft and
Knots
for Climbers were memorized along with study of the book Mountaineering:
The Freedom of the Hills. Skills were practiced and ingrained.
My first solo backpacking / climbing trip came in the summer of 1980 in the
Organ Mountains of southern New Mexico. I later solo climbed most of the
4,000 and 5,000
footers in New England (many in winter). I met a like minded climber on one
of those hikes and we made a summit bid on Mt. Rainier in June of 1998. I
also began
the solo circumnavigation on the Wonderland Trail that year. I set the first
tracks both that year and when I completed the circuit in June of 2001. Map
and compass skills were required. Primitive camping
while carrying everything you
need to survive for two weeks is a tough proposition. It was tough in my 30s
and 40s. It’s even harder now that I am in my 50s. G.O.O.D. to
the deep woods is doable but it would be a hard life.
Responsibility and Teamwork
We learned to be responsible and self-sufficient during our childhood. We learned
to play without other kids around and had chores to do for our allowance. I
learned to gather the wood and light a fire as soon as I was old enough. You
pumped the
water and filled the reservoir if you wanted warm water for washing up. You
learned to use guns and knives as tools while you learned hunting techniques
and cleaned
the game for the table. Being a responsible hunter meant taking ethical shots
and using what you kill. Catching and cleaning fish, then cooking or smoking
them were all part of being a good fisherman. To go along with these survival
skills you also need the ability to share knowledge and work as a team.
Most of the skills you learn will help you to fend for yourself one way or
another. The only problem is summed up with the statement “no man is an island”.
You will need others sooner or later. My sisters and I developed basic teamwork
skills while setting up camp. The girls helped mom and I helped dad. We had a “system”.
This was carried further in Scouting. Some Patrols set up tents while another
set up the kitchen. These valuable lessons were used later in life as I went
through boot camp and during service in the military. I served on small boats
as part of a search and rescue team in the USCG.
Teamwork helps to overcome the steep learning curve and high risk of being
a self-sufficient survivalist. You can do things as a team exponentially quicker
and safer than you can by yourself. Your bunkmate becomes your partner in boot
camp and later becomes your shipmate. You learn “one hand for yourself
and one hand for the boat”. As a team you can survive what would kill you
alone. In a bad storm someone has to steer while someone bails out the boat.
One person couldn’t do it. Avalanche in the back country is another perfect
example - by yourself you are probably dead. Doing things alone is great - but
it may cost you your life. Skill and knowledge can’t cover your a** like
a buddy. It’s nice to have someone else on the rope with you; they are
your only hope.
Teaching everyone at least something you know and learning from everyone something
you don’t know can only make the group stronger. If someone gets sick
or is tired someone else can step up. CPR is
a good example here. In the back country one person can’t help himself.
One person helping may bring back the life but it better happen quickly. Two
people allow you to send someone for
help while
rendering aid until you are too tired to continue. Three people allow almost
indefinite support. Two can alternate CPR while waiting for the one who left
for help to return with the defibrillator. If help is real far away, then it’s
done. There is a point of no return. Remote locations usually cross that point
which is a distinct disadvantage (unless the SHTF).
Without teamwork you will usually die if something bad happens. Everyone has
to be a good shot. Everyone needs to be able to render first aid. The group
is only as strong as the weakest link and precious resources are spent covering
someone’s a** that’s not up to speed. Teach and learn and cross train.
Remember what you did as a kid and don’t sell the kid’s of today
short. Teach them the skills they need and allow them to grow into the responsibility.
Being part of a team or extended family that functions like a team is fun. The
action of being responsible for one another is at the root of any team.
The
Prepared Family
The family is the primary source of knowledge. Some survival skills to learn
right along with reading, writing and arithmetic are: swimming, knot tying,
fire building under all conditions, where to get water and how to make it safe
to
drink, safe gun handling and accurate shooting, hunting in fields and the woods,
fishing in rivers and on lakes, first aid, camping, boating, gardening, making
things “homemade”. You can’t start learning or teaching these
things too soon.
10 years ago we moved back home to Michigan after living all over the USA.
I had come home for my Grandpa’s funeral and was returning to New England.
Something was wrong and I couldn’t put my finger on it. That’s when
the light came on and as I drove it became apparent that I was going the wrong
way – both figuratively and literally. We were chasing the so called “American
Dream”. Losing my grandfather and returning to the north woods had shown
me where home really is. It is with family and God and where your roots are.
I had drifted away from the true values I had learned early in life.
I resigned my position, cashed out the 401(k), and bought the homestead from
grandma. We planted 24 fruit trees and installed irrigation systems for the
gardens. We
pruned the grape vines back and tended to the asparagus beds. My wife renewed
the old flower beds and I have replaced the split rail fence. We re-roofed
everything. The folks put down another well up the field and had another septic
system installed
for their travel trailer. We had a 100 amp power drop installed and we also
buried a power cable from the field to the trailer for a 12 volt system (small
scale
solar and wind).
I once again could use guns after living in the tyranny of Massachusetts. (I
refused to get an Firearms ID card so my guns never left the house in 16 years.)
I taught a niece
and nephew to shoot with the same .22 that grandpa used to teach me with almost
50 years ago. My nephew, now an 8th grader, got his first deer this past year.
No one believed him when he came home and told them. He did it on his own.
Things have now come full circle in our life. My grandma lives with us in her
old house through the summer. My sisters are both Grandmas themselves now and
they are taking care of our mom and dad. The kids have great-grandparents and
a great-great grandmother. My understanding wife of thirty years and I live
here on the homestead as stewards of the family heritage. The whole family
gets together
up here once or twice a year. We know how to provide for and take care of each
other. If the SHTF my sisters and the rest of the family will head up here
to the homestead and once again adopt the ways of our Great-Great Grandpa and
Grandma.
Everything we have learned through our lives will serve us well. Skill sets
from the north woods and from the farm are derived from living simple, living
manual
and living with nature as part of nature.
We used to fall to sleep on a feather tick mattress while listening to rain
tapping over our heads in the loft of the old log cabin. Bedtime stories were
told as
we drifted to sleep and the whippoorwills sang into the night. We didn’t
think that the day would come that just about all of what we learned from our
family and from our life would come into play. Thank God for our tight family
and all of the distilled knowledge passed down to us. I now live in a home
built over the site of the original log cabin and now we have 7 generations
since my
great-great grandparents first cleared this piece of land. It looks like we
will be talking of another “Great Depression” soon and the complete
cycle renews. Do we learn from our mistakes?
Preparedness Skills and Materials
We’re preparing for the future and I hope to teach what I can to as many
people as I can before it’s over. We can survive well if we draw on one
another’s strengths and knowledge. It starts with the family and moves
out to the extended family then to the neighbors and on to town folk and into
the blogosphere. Many people have grown up in similar circumstances and have
similar experiences. We must practice our learned skills and trades all of
the time to stay fresh and perpetuate our way of life. We must keep acquiring
new
skills and more materials for survival. Preparedness is a constant quest.
Survival trades that I've learned:
ASE Certified Master Auto Technician
Journeyman Machinist and Apprentice Welder.
Experience with all aspects of house construction from framing to finish work,
including house wiring and plumbing for water, gas and DWV systems.
Professional ditch digger and home brewer of beer.
Survival tools, equipment, and material acquired over the years:
Comprehensive set of Snap-On hand tools, diagnostic equipment and garage.
Several redundant computers and complete wi-fi coverage with satellite internet.
All of the carpentry, plumbing and electrical tools needed to build a house.
All of the tools required to garden both manually and with gas engines.
Fence building tools and supplies.
5,500 watt gas generator.
Wood stove and saws, axes, mauls, wedges.
Stores of food, bits of gold and silver, books and manuals, and lots of lead.
Survival firearms battery:
Auto-Ordinance Model 1911A1 .45 ACP (I qualified Marksman in USCG)
Stag Arms AR-15 with 20” Bull barrel, 5.56 (I qualified Expert in USCG)
Marlin .22 WMR (squirrel / varmint gun)
Mossberg .22 LR (shot this since 1962)
Ruger M77 Mk II .270 Win. (my deer rifle)
Winchester Model 94 .32 Win. Special (got my first deer with Grandpa’s
gun)
Mossberg 12 ga. 3 -1/2” Ulti-Mag in Camo (turkey / duck / goose gun)
Winchester Model 1897 12 ga. 2-3/4” (I've shot this gun since 1969)
Reloading equipment and supplies (loads for Barnes Bullets)
Survival Quest 2009 (the final pieces I'll need for grid down and
"zombies"):
Ruger M77 Mk II .300 Win Mag with optics
A manual water pump (the old pump is
gone)
Wind turbine and photovoltaic panels for water pumping and power generation.
Battery bank and inverter
More kerosene lamps
Night Vision for the AR-15
Radios
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Depression Proof Jobs for a 20 Year Depression - Part 2: Developing a Home-Based Business
Yesterday, in Part1, I discussed the "safe" and counter-cyclical occupations
for the unfolding economic depression. Today, I'd like to talk about one specific
approach:
self-employment
with a home-based business.
I posted most the following back in late 2005, but there are some important
points that are worth repeating:
The majority of SurvivalBlog readers that I talk with tell
me that they live in cities or suburbs, but they would like to live full
time at a retreat in a rural area. Their complaint is almost always the same: "...but
I'm not self-employed. I can't afford to live in the country because I can't
find work there, and the nature of my work doesn't allow telecommuting." They
feel stuck.
Over the years I've seen lots of people "pull the plug" and
move to the boonies with the hope that they'll find local work once
they get there. That usually doesn't work. Folks soon find that the most
rural jobs typically pay little more than minimum wage and they are often
informally
reserved for folks that were born and raised in the area. (Newcomers from
the big city certainly don't have hiring priority!)
My suggestion is to start a second income stream, with a
home-based business. Once you have that business started, then
start another one. There are numerous advantages to this
approach, namely:
You can get out of debt
You can generally build the businesses up gradually, so
that you don't need to quit your current occupation immediately
By working at home you will have the time to home school your children and
they will learn about how to operate a business.
You can live at your retreat full time. This will contribute to your self-sufficiency,
since you will be there to tend to your garden, fruit/nut trees, and livestock.
If one of your home-based businesses fails, then you can fall back on the
other.
Ideally, for someone that is preparedness-minded, a home-based business should
be something that is virtually recession proof, or possibly even depression
proof. Ask yourself: What are you good at? What knowledge or skills
do you have that you can utilize. Next, consider which businesses will flourish
during bad times. Some good examples might include:
Mail order/Internet sales/eBay Auctioning of preparedness-related products.
Locksmithing
Gunsmithing
Medical Transcription
Accounting
Repair/refurbishment businesses
Freelance writing
Blogging (with paid advertising) If you have knowledge about a niche industry
and there is currently no authoritative blog on the subject, then start your
own!
Mail order/Internet sales of entertainment items. (When times get bad, people
still set aside a sizable percentage of their income for "escape" from
their troubles. For example, video rental shops have done remarkably well
during recessions.)
Burglar Alarm Installation
Other home-based businesses that seem to do well only in
good economic times include:
Recruiting/Temporary Placement
Fine arts, crafts, and jewelry. Creating and marketing your own designs--not "assembly" for
some scammer. (See below.)
Mail order/Internet sales/eBay Auctions of luxury items, collectibles, or
other "discretionary spending" items
Personalized stationary and greeting cards (Freelance artwork)
Calligraphy
Web Design
Beware the scammers! The fine folks at www.scambusters.org have
compiled a "Top 10" list of common work-at-home and home based business scams
to beware of:
10. Craft Assembly
This scam encourages you to assemble toys, dolls, or other craft projects
at home with the promise of high per-piece rates. All you have to do is
pay
a fee up-front for the starter kit... which includes instructions and parts.
Sounds good? Well, once you finish assembling your first batch of crafts,
you'll be told by the company that they "don't meet our specifications."
In fact, even if you were a robot and did it perfectly, it would be impossible
for you to meet their specifications. The scammer company is making money selling
the starter kits -- not selling the assembled product. So, you're left with
a set of assembled crafts... and no one to sell them to.
9. Medical Billing
In this scam, you pay $300-$900 for everything (supposedly) you need to start
your own medical billing service at home. You're promised state-of-the-art
medical billing software, as well as a list of potential clients in your
area.
What you're not told is that most medical clinics process their own bills,
or outsource the processing to firms, not individuals. Your software may
not meet their specifications, and often the lists of "potential clients" are
outdated or just plain wrong.
As usual, trying to get a refund from the medical billing company is like trying
to get blood from a stone.
8. Email Processing
This is a twist on the classic "envelope stuffing scam" (see #1 below).
For a low price ($50?) you can become a "highly-paid" email processor
working "from the comfort of your own home."
Now... what do you suppose an email processor does? If you have visions of
forwarding or editing emails, forget it. What you get for your money are instructions
on spamming the same ad you responded to in newsgroups and Web forums!
Think about it -- they offer to pay you $25 per e-mail processed -- would any
legitimate company pay that?
7. "A List of Companies Looking for Homeworkers!"
In this one, you pay a small fee for a list of companies looking for homeworkers
just like you.
The only problem is that the list is usually a generic list of companies, companies
that don't take homeworkers, or companies that may have accepted homeworkers
long, long ago. Don't expect to get your money back with this one.
6. "Just Call This 1-900 Number For More Information..."
No need to spend too much time (or money) on this one. 1-900 numbers cost money
to call, and that's how the scammers make their profit. Save your money --
don't call a 1-900 number for more information about a supposed work-at-home
job.
5. Typing At Home
If you use the Internet a lot, then odds are that you're probably a good
typist. How better to capitalize on it than making money by typing at home?
Here's
how it works: After sending the fee to the scammer for "more information," you
receive a disk and printed information that tells you to place home typist
ads and sell copies of the disk to the suckers who reply to you. Like #8,
this scam tries to turn you into a scammer!
4. "Turn Your Computer Into a Money-Making Machine!"
Well, this one's at least half-true. To be completely true, it should read: "Turn
your computer into a money-making machine... for spammers!"
This is much the same spam as #5, above. Once you pay your money, you'll
be sent instructions on how to place ads and pull in suckers to "turn
their computers into money-making machines."
3. Multi-Level Marketing (MLM)
If you've heard of network marketing (like Amway), then you know that there
are legitimate MLM businesses based on agents selling products or services.
One big problem with MLMs, though, is when the pyramid and the ladder-climbing
become more important than selling the actual product or service. If the
MLM business opportunity is all about finding new recruits rather than selling
products or services, beware: The Federal Trade Commission may consider it
to be a pyramid scheme... and not only can you lose all your money, but you
can be charged with fraud, too!
We saw an interesting MLM scam recently: one MLM company advertised the
product they were selling as FREE. The fine print, however, states that
it is "free
in the sense that you could be earning commissions and bonuses in excess of
the cost of your monthly purchase of" the product. Does that sound like
free to you?
2. Chain Letters/Emails ("Make Money Fast")
If you've been on the Internet for any length of time, you've probably received
or at least seen these chain emails. They promise that all you have to
do is send the email along plus some money by mail to the top names on
the list,
then add your name to the bottom... and one day you'll be a millionaire.
Actually, the only thing you might be one day is prosecuted for fraud.
This is a classic pyramid scheme, and most times the names in the chain
emails
are manipulated to make sure only the people at the top of the list (the
true scammers) make any money. This scam should be called "Lose Money
Fast" -- and it's illegal.
1. Envelope Stuffing
This is the classic work-at-home scam. It's been around since the U.S. Depression
of the 1920s and 1930s, and it's moved onto the Internet like a cockroach
you just can't eliminate. There are several variations, but here's a sample:
Much like #5 and #4 above, you are promised to be paid $1-2 for every envelope
you stuff. All you have to do is send money and you're guaranteed "up
to 1,000 envelopes a week that you can stuff... with postage and address
already affixed!" When you send your money, you get a short manual
with flyer templates you're supposed to put up around town, advertising
yet another
harebrained work-from-home scheme. And the pre-addressed, pre-paid envelopes?
Well, when people see those flyers, all they have to do is send you $2.00
in a pre-addressed, pre-paid envelope. Then you stuff that envelope with
another flyer and send it to them. Ingenious perhaps... but certainly illegal
and unethical.
From all that I've heard, most franchises and multi-level marketing schemes
are not profitable unless you pick a great product or service, and you
already have a strong background in sales. Beware of any franchise where you
wouldn't have a protected territory. My general advice is this: You will probably
be better off starting your own business,
making, retailing, or consulting about something where you can leverage
your existing knowledge and/or experience.
---
In closing, I'd like to reemphasize that home security and locksmithing are
likely to provide steady and profitable employment for the next few years,
since hard
economic times are likely to trigger a substantial crime wave. After
all, someone has
to keep watch on the tens of thousands of foreclosed, vacant houses. (If not
watched, then crack cocaine addicts, Chicago syndicate politicians, or other
undesirables might move in!)
« Letter Re: Navigating by the Stars |Main| Note from JWR: »
Making the Transition to Country Life, by Bois d'Arc
Many readers of Survival Blog are either in the process of moving to a lightly
populated area or actively planning to bugout to such an area when the balloon
goes up. Twenty years ago I moved from the edge of a large city to a fairly remote
property, and have been quietly setting up the doomstead and perfecting skills
ever since. In the process, I became part of the fabric of country life here
and have learned some valuable lessons which may benefit the rookie country dweller.
Most full-time country residents are descendents of frontiersmen who ventured
into the wilderness with little more than a rifle, axe, team of horses, and a
large supply of guts. Country people hold many of the same attributes as their
forebears; competence, toughness, perseverance, and a willingness to help their
neighbors, be it for common defense or a barn raising. Many of these traits are
at odds with modern city life supported by a specialized full-time job. Your
transition to country life will be smoother if you consider the following:
Country People are Closet Doomers:
They can do lots of useful things such as shoe a horse, grow corn, weld, back
a trailer, milk a goat, make tamales, catch a wild cow, troubleshoot an electrical
problem, can a tomato, and shoot lights out. And that's just the women.
People here are armed every day as a matter of course. Most have been shooting
all of their lives, so the level of firearms proficiency is way above average.
I see lots of casual ARs and scoped bolt actions, so if my neighbors and acquaintances
are any barometer, potential rampaging MZBs are in for some exceedingly
tough sledding.
On a related note, there are a few bad apples in the country, but most tend to
migrate to the anonymity of the cities. The outlaws who remain are generally
well known to both law enforcement and the population at large, and are easy
enough to avoid once you plug into the local grapevine.
Be Scrupulously Honest:
Country people don't care that much what you think or how you wear your hair
as long as they can trust you. Lie or stiff a merchant one time and in 45 minutes
everyone in the county will know it, guaranteed.
On the flip side, if you've been given too much change or an error is made in
your favor with a bank deposit or charge purchase at a merchant, politely point
out the mistake and insist on paying the correct amount. While such a gesture
will usually be met with stunned disbelief in a large city, in the country it
will be acknowledged with a nod and sincere appreciation. And never doubt for
an instant that the country grapevine will work in your favor as the word spreads.
When I first moved here, I was able to open an account with any business in town
simply by asking if I could charge a purchase. No references, no questions, no
credit check, just an address so they could send a statement at the end of the
month. Such an accommodating policy would most certainly not have been the case
had I been late in paying those first bills.
Money is Overrated:
Country people never forget a kindness; they also rarely forget a transgression
against good manners or honesty. The most valuable commerce in the country is
not conducted in dollars but in trading, gifts, being owed a favor, and goodwill.
Become Part of the Community:
Self-sufficiency is a worthy goal, but in truth perhaps the most useful survival
skill is contributing to a community which has a stake in your well being. To
my mind, being able to call upon neighbors for specialized assistance or trade
is just as important as beans, bullets, and Band-Aids.
Schools and churches are the glue which binds a country community. If you have
children in local schools or choose to attend church, tapping into country networks
will be greatly accelerated.
Also, small communities run largely on volunteers, so consider volunteering at
the library, as a fireman, at sports fund raisers, community cleanup, or meals
on wheels. JWR Adds: If you homeschool your kids, be sure to
join the local
homeschooling "co-op" group. You will be sure to meet the preparedness-minded
folks in your community.
The Country is a Time Warp:
Time passes slower here, as it's based more on the seasons than on a clock.
Fight the city urge to hurry everywhere. Tasks are completed when time, required
supplies, and any needed help are available, and not on an arbitrary schedule.
Parts are generally not readily available as they are in a city, you might have
to order a particular part and wait days or weeks for it to arrive, and perhaps
have to improvise in the meantime.
The two main time-related lessons you’ll learn is that weather can throw
a kink into any plan, and maintaining household water supply trumps almost every
other concern. You’ll soon adopt a mañana attitude about
most other projects, as there is always plenty more to be done while waiting
for specific parts or
supplies.
Slow down enough to take time to talk about the weather, trade recipes, talk
gardening, help a neighbor with a project, and to watch a sunset.
Seek Out Those with Useful Skills Now:
Country life requires a generalist rather than a specialist, so trading your
particular skills – whether carpentry, electrical expertise, or knowing
what’s wrong with a row of beans - with neighbors in exchange for their
skills just makes sense. In fact, there is even a term here, “neighboring”,
which refers to a group effort of working each landowner’s livestock in
turn without hiring outside help.
I have also become acquainted with various people who have huge gardens or dairy
goats or sheep or hogs or teams of horses and mules or a small band saw mill
for
making lumber. Such people often don’t advertise and they may be hard to
find, but the search is potentially of huge benefit to the astute survivalist.
As an example, there is a man here who has an old steam-powered grain mill. Another
has a tiny combine for harvesting wheat and oats in the scattered small plots
where it is grown in this area. Up until now, I haven’t used their unique
services, but still make it a point to give these men a quart of honey from our
hives every summer.
You will choose to help many of these people in time of trouble, just as they
will choose to help you, but in the meantime always exercise OPSEC about your
underlying motivations and preps. Country people have a wide independent streak
so your desire to be more self-sufficient will never seem out of place.
Country People are Provincial:
But largely by choice, which doesn't mean they are stupid or uninformed. The
vast majority are Internet savvy and many are exceptionally well-traveled and
well-read. More than a few have made the decision to leave a lucrative city existence
in exchange for country life. The level of overall awareness is high, so you'll
hear more commonsense over a cup of coffee than you'll ever hear from Washington.
A few recent quotes I’ve heard regarding our current economic meltdown:
“I was going to sell all of my calves last fall but held back four in case
my
freezers start to look empty.”
“We’re breaking some new garden ground this spring, going to plant
a lot
more potatoes than we usually do.”
"I bought two more cases of .223 ammo, just in case the rabbits go on the
warpath.” Listen and learn.
Never Underestimate the Amount of Work Involved:
Few farms or ranches here are entirely self-supporting, with one or both spouses
usually working a “regular” job. The pay scale is considerably lower
than in a city, so often people work two or even three jobs in order to live
well. This is in addition to farming and working livestock on their own places.
People work hard, and that’s in relatively good times.
If this economy continues to unravel, more subsistence-level farming and ranching
may well become the norm, and that’s when the work really begins. Growing
and processing most or all of your own food requires a tremendous amount of labor
and expertise, with constant effort from everyone involved. Have no illusions
about some idyllic country life of sitting on the porch all day, chewing on a
grass stem while contemplating the vista. The trick for making subsistence agriculture
work is for everyone to always be doing something constructive, whether it’s
hoeing weeds in the garden, building a chicken coop, shelling beans, cleaning
a firearm, playing with a toddler, or rereading one of your how-to books.
With that said, no family or survival group can possibly be competent at all
of the skills required. This is when being on good terms with neighbors becomes
essential; give them half of a fresh beef now for the cheese they can provide
later on; the pickles you made are a fair trade for his baskets of peaches; your
stash of supplies may well allow you to trade for a rooster and five hens (along
with some expert advice on getting started); if you can provide the diesel, your
neighbor might plow your garden plot after your tractor has thrown a rod. - Bois
d'Arc
« Letter Re: Real World Observations on Fighting Crime and Criminals |Main| Notes from JWR: »
Survival Retreat vs. Neighborhood Survival -- Part Deux - Galt's Gulch vs. Idiocracy, by E.B.
Introduction
This is a response to a
previous article written by the esteemed
Dr.
Richard of the Virginia Prepper's Network. Dr. Richard and I agree completely
on a
great many issues but disagree on the issue of the Survival Retreat vs. Neighborhood
Survival. Here are my thoughts on the issue:
Dr. Richard makes some good points with respect to the desirability of an
informed and prepared neighborhood, but in the end it all depends on your particular
neighborhood and neighbors. Because I saw the collapse coming in 2005 I sold
my home in Northern Virginia at what the Washington Post called the
absolute peak of the market and put the proceeds into physical gold and silver
when
gold was trading around ~$400 an ounce and silver at ~$7. BTW, the guy who
bought my home tried to sell it less than a year later for significantly less
and could find no buyers. My goal was to move to low cost Austin, Texas where
I could be near my dad’s ranch which I could then get prepped to survive
the coming economic collapse. Unfortunately my wife thought I had gone completely
insane which along with other disagreements on the health of our children (She
believes in vaccination, sugar, aspartame, fluoride and AMA monopoly medicine
and I don’t) led to a divorce. Now I rent a single family home to be
near my ex-wife and kids where I can spirit them to safety when the SHTF. While
I have never been to Dr. Richard’s neighborhood the detailed description
(cul de sac, all single family homes on relatively large lots, high income/
high IQ neighbors in a development of less than 400 homes in a somewhat rural
area) sounds infinitely more survivable than mine.
My situation is much different. My neighborhood is a mix of single family
homes and townhouses with a much greater density than Dr. Richard describes.
The neighborhood is lower income / lower IQ as well. There is an apartment
complex about a mile away and I once found a cocaine baggie in the parking
lot while jogging through it one day. Unfortunately because I am so busy I
haven’t met as many of my neighbors as I would like and the ones that
I have met are essentially completely clueless to the realities of the world.
My neighbor with the most raw intellectual horsepower is a software architect
in IP security but he still hasn’t figured out that fire can’t
melt structural steel and giggled when I tried to explain the realities of
9-11. He is morbidly obese, addicted to sugar and nicotine, and completely
unarmed. Not exactly the guy you want to have your back fending off looters
and brigands. My second smartest neighbor is an engineer for an IP hosting
company. I spent 30 minutes one day taking him through the physics of WTC 7
and how 47 story modern steel framed skyscrapers don’t collapse completely
and symmetrically into their own footprints at freefall speed defying the laws
of physics. I thought I saw a glimmer of understanding but I never heard back
from him. I am assuming he went back to the TeeVee set. When I jog through
the neighborhood at night the street is lit up with the glow of flat screen
mental prisons.
Anyone that has ever unplugged someone from the matrix understands how difficult
and time consuming it can be to educate and free a single mind. I have a good
friend who is an entrepreneur/small business owner and has held VP level positions
at international networking companies. I have been working on him for years
and even after his son had a febrile seizure 24 hours after getting vaccinated
he is mad at me for trying to warn him and continues to see the same doctor
that potentially crippled his son. My ex-wife has P.hD and I can’t get
her to stop giving our kids fluoridated water even though the practice is opposed
by 14 Nobel Laureates, 2,100+ health professionals, and the EPA’s own
scientists through their union. If I can’t convince my own ex-wife to
quit giving her kids water “medicated” with a chemical used as
rat and roach poison which has been linked to lower IQ in 23 peer reviewed
studies from around the globe then how I am going to educate and convince dozens/hundreds
of acquaintances and strangers on the realities of the world.
So, since neighborhood survival is not an option for me then creating a survival
retreat with a self-selected group of individuals is my #1 strategy for survival
in an economic collapse. Compare some of the qualities and skill sets of our
group and those we are speaking with vs. the TeeVee bums in my neighborhood.
• A general contractor who is a firefighter / EMT in his community with
skills in general carpentry (framing, form, and trim), basic electrical, plumbing,
HVAC, masonry, roofing, and siding. Skilled in basic small engine repair, hand
tools, and appliances. He is taking classes in sustainable agriculture and
automotive repair.
• A retired naval Commander (helicopter pilot) with special operation experience
that has been working on his retreat for years.
• A world class software and information security architect.
• A C-level executive and former military intelligence officer.
All are completely aware, completely awake, completely armed, with good to
excellent preps and are already in high gear improving their skills and doing
what it takes to get ready for the coming collapse.
Now add the advantages that a remote survival retreat offers over attempting
to survive in an area populated with completely clueless starving TeeVee bums.
•
Security – Hidden from looters and brigands who would be more than willing
to kill for your stored food and supplies.
•
Rural Location – Self-sufficient agriculturally with farmers, dairymen,
and cattle ranchers. Plentiful wild game and plentiful wild edible plants.
•
Self-selected compatriots – Honest, trustworthy companions that are completely
prepped for the collapse and have a diverse blend of excellent skills to weather
the storm.
•
Designed for a collapse – Wood stove, solar power, well water, fruit
trees already planted, etc.
So while I wish Dr. Richard the best of luck I am headed to Galt’s Gulch
with other members of the intelligentsia. It doesn’t mean that I am not
willing and/or trying to help my neighbors, in fact I am having a large number
of them over next week to try to explain the realities of the coming collapse
but at the end of the day I must protect my family and myself and a self-selected
group of intelligent people awake to the realities of the world secure in a
remote retreat represents the best odds of survival.
Even if you are going to bug out here are some tips to help the folks who must
prepare for themselves:
Educate, Educate, Educate - Give DVDs, send links to web sites like this, Virginia
Prepper's Network, SurvivalBlog, WhatReallyHappened.com, InfoWars.com, and
SteveQuayle.com. When you pass along DVDs specify that the recipient must pass
it along to someone else and specify that the next recipient must pass it along
as well.
Share your Bounty and Improve Your Own Chances - I am sharing some of my storable
food with a neighbor with the caveat that we would share when the SHTF. If
I successfully bug out then they keep all the food for themselves. If I am
trapped in the neighborhood then I have improved my chances for survival with
diverse food stores.
Arm Them With Knowledge - Take your neighbor to the Appleseed Project and turn
a rifle owner into a Rifleman.
Plant an oversize or community garden - Share the costs of sod, seeds, and
the rental of a tiller.
Store Extra Preps for Friends and Charity - I have stored extra food for charity
and even stored items like diapers and wipes for a low income couple who live
in my neighborhood. I have cached food, money, and silver for the employees
of my business as well in a location they can access in an emergency.
« Letter Re: Should You Invest in Real Estate? |Main| Note from JWR: »
Survival Retreat vs. Neighborhood Survival, by Dr. Richard
Earlier this month, I posted Etienne's guest post Seeking/Starting
a Survival Retreat in Virginia / Maryland / Pennsylvania / West Virginia.
Today, I had lunch with Etienne
de la Boetie and another prepper here in Loudoun County [, Virginia].
We had a long discussion about survival retreats vs neighborhood survival.
Etienne is a big fan of the survival retreat concept. He previously had a
retreat where he did not own the land but where he was able to store a travel
trailer recreational vehicle in which he pre-positioned various preps and
supplies. Unfortunately, his friend moved and sold the property. There are
four major flaws in the survival retreat separate from your home concept:
- There are significant liabilities and social problems with communal retreats
where one does not own the property - you are vulnerable to the actions of
the others, particularly the property owner.
- Property left at unattended retreats is vulnerable to theft and vandalism.
This is going to be a growing problem as the economic depression gets worse,
especially if we have economic collapse.
- Getting to the retreat would be problematic in the event that it is
actually needed - particularly in martial law scenarios where the military
and law
enforcement block traffic at key intersections or in cases where there are
fuel shortages.
- Relatively undeveloped retreats with a trailer and undeveloped
land may not be sufficiently developed for long-term survival and offer insufficient
space
for storage of the various preps and other items you need. Many of these
items would likely be at your day-to-day residence and you cannot assume
that you
can transport everything at the last minute.
My view is that survival retreats only work if you live there full-time. Furthermore,
although remote locations are further removed from the masses, they are also
further removed from jobs, markets, customers, hospitals, and many other useful
infrastructure and will be harder pressed to gather a sufficiently large group
to cover all of the tasks needed in a true long-term survival scenario. Even
the best special forces operator cannot defend his property 24 hours a day,
seven days a week. Unfortunately, we are rapidly running out of time and it
is probably already too late to relocate - especially if relocating means trying
to sell your existing home in this real estate environment -- in my neighborhood
we haven't had a sale in over eight months and anyone who bought in the last
four years and did the traditional 20% down payment fixed 30 year mortgage
now has negative equity.
I am a big proponent of the concept that your family, friends, neighbors, and
church are your survival group. Yes, I understand that many are unprepared
and clueless about both the threats and what they need to do to prepare for
them. However, your home is your survival retreat. Strengthen it to the extent
you can, but your odds improve exponentially if you can organize your neighborhood
and help everyone survive against the threat(s) you are facing in your survival
situation. You and those in the group who are better prepared or who have the
right skills are the cadre needed to get organized and do what is needed. The
rest of the neighborhood are your foot soldiers and do'ers. My philosophy is
to lead and organize but that charity starts with those who are willing to
help themselves and help the group in the survival situation. In a survival
situation, your first challenges are to assess the hazards/priorities/immediate
needs, organize the group, secure the neighborhood, and scrounge/barter/trade
for needed resources.
Be a leader. There are many things you can do to help develop your neighborhood
group of family, friends, neighbors, and fellow church members and increase
the odds of the neighborhood surviving:
- Get to know them.
- Have potluck dinners.
- Help them wake up and prepare.
- Start a garden club to help start victory
gardens.
- Start a community watch program for your neighborhood.
- Give them a copy
of Chris Martenson's
Crash Course on the economy DVD. I bought a case of
30 and gave them as 2008 Christmas gifts.
- Give copies of Holly Deyo's book
Dare to Prepare as gifts. I bought a case of 8 and gave them as 2008 Christmas
gifts to family and several neighbors
who got it and were starting to prep.
- Store extra preps for charity and be
prepared to give when it is needed for survival.
- Learn about their skills,
backgrounds, and interests - on my street we have a former Navy Corpsman/LEO/M16
Instructor/master scrounger/contractor/award
winning barbeque chef who "gets it" and is starting to prepare, two nurses,
a master gardener, an agricultural engineer / head of the 800-home neighborhood HOA,
a Mormon family that does food storage, and six members of the neighborhood
garden club run by our master gardener.
- Buy tools that would be useful that
could be shared like tillers.
- Buy extra seed such as a seven year supply of Survival
Seeds and be prepared to provide seeds for neighbors
- Build a survival library
of books and skills that you can use to train them when they need survival
skills.
- Buy several extra surplus rifles such as the Russian Mosin-Nagant
or SKS rifles and stock extra ammunition to equip your "community watch" patrols.
- Invite
them to go to a shooting range with you.
- Be prepared to give honest evaluations
of whether individuals should relocate once a survival situation begins
to relative's homes or even public shelters
if that is the best option for them.
You will be pleasantly surprised how many of your family, friends, neighbors,
and fellow church members that are starting to wake up and realize the reality
and danger of our current position. This number is increasing every week. Don't
simply assume that they are all clueless sheep - many simply need some education
and a leader to show them the way.
« Letter Re: My First Attempt at Forming a Retreat Group |Main| Notes from JWR: »
One View on the Ultimate Vehicular Bug Out by Jerry the Generator Guy
There hasn’t been much discussion regarding what might be a well-planned
bug out. The following is an overview of our vehicular bug out plan. This overview
is offered to assist others in fleshing out their specific needs and plans.
If you are like us, then you believe that the local area is
not viable for long term personal survival. Thus we are forced to consider
quickly getting to an alternate location. I won’t present our criteria
for the destination as everyone has different needs.
We selected a locale for serious consideration and visited there. The “boots
on the ground” impression is worth far more than any data mining that
you may have done. We have also subscribed to their local paper for the last
two years. Our initial positive impression of the area has increased with time.
The local paper gives a detailed behind the scenes view of what the real issues
in the area are or are not. Taking the local paper will also allow us to blend
in faster with the locals by being talking about the latest area news. If you
don’t get good “vibes” during a on scene visit then you should
select another area.
You have successfully avoided something that for you would have been a mistake.
We have listened to the various local radio and/or television stations here
to determine which could be deemed “credible”. We judged local
emergency reporting as this would show what the actual station resources and attitudes are. Most stations, in their emergency
coverage, all seemed to simply parrot whatever was provided at the on site
command center via the press sessions. Locally, a daytime country/western station
has demonstrated careful and accurate news reporting in two major emergencies.
They were the only station to send reporters to potential areas of concern
to discover facts. An out of state radio station does better at forecasting
our local weather than the nearby stations. We have noticed, during our travels,
that most of the country/western stations seem to present a more accurate view
of the news than the bobble heads on talk radio. This accuracy is probably
a reflection of their “tell it like it is” listeners.
All of us should have thought out what event, or events, will trigger
the launch of the exit plan. We recommend careful listening to various shortwave,
local and out of state radio and television news. The news that is presented
from a different locate will occasionally surprise you with different facts
and/or opinions. Research for yourself the facts concerning any items of concern
and/or interest. Draw your personal conclusion and take appropriate action(s)
once facts are separated from propaganda.
Okay, so we now have a trigger mechanism and need a detailed plan to quickly
and efficiently get from “here” to “there”. It’s
time to start adding some detail to the draft plan. Since we know each specific
vehicle MPG [and fuel tank capacity] then possible locations along the travel
route, for fueling, can be determined. We plan to use the every two hour “Chinese
Fire Drill” approach.
Once every two hours, at previously-determined locations, all vehicles stop. All people receive a situation
update and describe any items of concern. Vehicles are topped off with fuel.
Everyone can get prepared food/drink items. Those who need a restroom stop
quickly does so. [JWR Adds: Avoid using public rest areas.
In the event os a crisis, they are likely
gathering
places for
very desperate
refugees
that
are
nearly
out of fuel!
Pick out wide shoulders on side roads, well in advance.
Assuming that you are traveling well-armed, these should offer some semblance
of security when stopping. ] Plan your fuel allocation on worst case fuel consumption
not best or even typical usage.
We
top off fuel
at the
two
hour
intervals since
we are already stopped and can get extra use of the time. If we later discover
any unexpected need to quickly travel for some distance we have already shifted “extra” fuel
into the tanks. We plan to have each vehicle carry enough fuel so that it is
able to make the entire trip without depending on any gas station being open.
This approach allows success even if any vehicle does break down. All other
vehicles can still finish the trip even if one is not quickly repairable. If
the group is close to the destination then a tow rope will be used to [hopefully
] allow all vehicles to finish the trip. The
tow rope can also be used to remove some road obstructions.
We will listen to various local radio stations along the planned route. You
can get a list of the stations, their frequencies, locations and audience focus
by entering the state name along with radio stations into Google; Example:
Montana Radio Stations. This monitoring will allow us to become aware of any
sudden need to modify our plan based on the actual local status. The monitoring
is done by high school young adults and any adult who desires to assist. Each
listener uses a set of earphones so they can focus on what is said. Any significant
items that will be submitted to the group are written immediately on a notepad.
Yes, we have a means to immediately update the group if the issue needs immediate
attention. All drivers do nothing but drive. All other activities are done
by others in the vehicle/group.
We strongly suggest that you, or several people, drive your planned exit route
several times to discover any areas that might either become a potential
problem or maybe offer an unexpected benefit. [JWR Adds: It
is important to plan and practice a secondary and tertiary route.] You may
be surprised--we were--about additional items that are noticed on more
than one trip. At one location that we had planned to use for a stop, the
overall
local
area feeling was very negative. We quickly decided to proceed further along
the
highway.
Check periodically during the year and see if the planned route has any recurring
traffic or weather related problems. What’s the speed that you plan to
travel between individual town “ X” and town “Y”? Your overall plan should use worst-case
MPG and alternate plans already prepared if the road is not in the expected condition
or weather is not as planned [hot/cold/windy/snowy ].
The travel maps that we have prepared all have some disinformation. The direction
arrows for the travel route all point to the “from” and not the “going
to” direction. In addition, the arrows stop one town short on both ends of the route.
There is an easy way to determine some of the potential traffic choke points.
Find out where the highway gates that are used to block traffic during adverse
weather are located. Carefully note these locations during your initial or
other trips. My conclusion is these are the natural traffic restriction locations.
We carry detailed topographic maps so that we can maneuver around any blockage along the route. You should have an answer ready for “highway
X is blocked ahead. What are alternate choices?”
We will be towing a trailer with one vehicle. All goods that are planned to
go with us are kept in what we call “here to there” locations.
This means when the time comes to load there is no wasted time on “where
is X?” or “do we take Y”? All
such decisions have been made in advance.
Yes, we keep a supply of knocked-down boxes on site for planned use. The loading
simply becomes everything from “here to there” goes – anything
and everything else stays. An actual loading of the boxes has shown that the
planned sequence, capacity and room is possible.
Note: You can gain a significant amount of extra “free” room by
removing the back seat in each vehicle.
Have you ever followed a trailer and seen the lights flicker as it went over
a bump? This defect is almost always caused by a poor wiring ground connection
at the hitch. The ground capability can be tested by connecting a jumper cable between the metal tongue
of the trailer and a good ground on the tow vehicle. If the lights on the trailer
suddenly get brighter or a problem vanishes then you can be certain that the
ground
path needs work. We use an 8 gauge wire for the ground connection on both vehicles.
Should your route include travel on gravel roads then be aware that the crushed
rock material may cut or even pop weak or almost worn out tires. Check the
tire ply rating and tread depth.
Be sure that they are able to stand the expected use. Could your tow vehicle
or trailer benefit from a stronger tire? You can check with a truck tire dealer
to find tires with higher weight carrying capability. How do you know if a
tire is intended for either a car or truck? Answer: Car tires are rated [marked
on the sidewall ] to carry a specified weight at a maximum inflation pressure.
Truck tires are rated to carry weight at a minimum inflation
pressure. Example: We wanted load range D radial tires for our trailer. The
local tire dealers
all
said that nothing was available (even via special order ). The truck tire dealer,
in a nearby town, simply asked did we want the load range D in a Major Brand
or the In House brand at $20 less for each?
We strongly recommend that you install radial tires on ALL vehicles. We
have also observed a 0.5 MPG mileage increase with radial tires on two different
trailers. My super wife and co-pilot says that she loves that the
trailer doesn’t sway near as
much in cross winds. In addition, when an 18-wheeler goes by the trailer isn’t
sucked toward the adjacent lane. This change took her from having a white knuckle
experience, when trucks passed, to being able to relax. We also installed shock
absorbers on the trailers. The difference in bounce of the trailer when driving
over a bump went from several up/down cycles to one. The shocks also reduced
the amount of trailer would lean during a fast turn. Any items in the trailer
benefit from a much smother ride.
When the potential needs seems to be imminent the trailer will be hitched,
lights & brakes checked, loaded & ready to travel. The planned route
and alternatives will be reviewed daily for any potential weather or other
delays. Most states offer a 1-800 number and/or web site with road condition
updates. Find those updates now, and put them on a list!
All fuel levels will be maintained at a 50% or higher level. Vehicle oil,
spark plugs and all filters will be changed. We keep this replacement stock
on site so that it is instantly available. These changes ensure that each vehicle can give us its best effort. We carry
a replacement set of all radiator hoses and belts. We have each vehicle battery
load checked semi-annually. Most locales that sell vehicle batteries provide
a free test service. We will replace any hose/belt/pump/battery/brake that
is questionable. All vehicle light bulbs are also checked . All vehicle tires
are inflated to the pressure that we want to use for best weight carrying capability.
Fuel tanks are filled to capacity, immediately before leaving, from on
site storage. All vehicles will be parked such that on “GO” each
driver can start the motor and quickly move out. Our thought is that by advance
preparation we will gain a minimum advantage of 10 minutes. At 60 MPH we will
be 10 miles distance down the road ahead of the majority.
We plan, by taking action at the trigger, to hopefully be at the travel end
point before most people are even started. The Hurricane Katrina
news coverage reinforced the fact that that early travelers were able to move
at full highway
speeds. Later departures were moving very slow.
Summary: We have tried to make plans for two different scenarios;
1.) We have several days to get ready, or 2.) The need is sudden. In either
case we have all necessary items on site for prep and pack. The planning buys
us some of the very important variable called time.
Planning also helps to eliminate the “what do we do” panic response
mode. Everyone should have or develop now, at a minimum, a
who/when/what/where plan. The plan doesn’t cost much, if any, cash to
develop. Equipment without a plan doesn’t
have any value.
Note: We do not provide discussion on specific roads to be traveled or planned
speed as this to should be one of your group discussion items. Unique roads,
weather, vehicles and group plans each offer a different series of opportunities
and challenges. We hope to see you at the “Troy Barter Faire”!
(For those of you wondering what this means, see Chapter 14 in "Patriots".)
« Letter Re: Alaska as a Retreat Locale |Main| One View on the Ultimate Vehicular Bug Out by Jerry the Generator Guy »
Letter Re: My First Attempt at Forming a Retreat Group
Jim;
I prayed, reflected and then invited several families to work with me to form
a group. Here are my results:
- I formed an agenda, created a 'private' [password-protected] web site where
I posted articles (in PDF files), created links to web sites like SurvivalBlog,
and set a date
to gather
at my home
- I found near universal interest as folks are scared about the economy and
direction our country has taken
- People eagerly attended meetings (every two weeks), opined, and felt very
good about gathering
- Three months into gathering I printed up some rules and requests if a retreat
was to be formed on our property.
To sum:
Do your best to be prepared.
If your personal economy is tight sell your chatchkis [trinkets and collectibles]
and
invest
in
'beans,
bullets and blankets.'
If you wished to become part of a private retreat on our ranch there were minimum
levels of preparation a family would subscribe to.
If money was an issue, in order to prepare, meet with me and we'd find a way
to to reach their goals. (That is, I was willing to help them financially if
they
committed to help themselves)
The results following that meeting:
- One person stepped up and accepted my offer of mutually beneficial financial
help. We are getting a pole barn and they are getting much needed cash. They
are helping us
so
we can help them become better prepared. They want 'in' our retreat
- One family has been preparing for many years and wants 'in.'
- One lady e-mailed and told me there are not 'enough hours in the day' to become
prepared and she and her husband backed out. We never heard from the friends
that they brought one weekend either.
- We stopped hearing from three other families completely.
My conclusions (and I'd welcome some insights)
1. Many folks like to talk, few are willing to do the work and make the sacrifice
in current lifestyle to prepare.
2. Considering what it takes to truly prepare some are overwhelmed. Sadly, their
response is not to reach out for help, when feeling that way, but to 'do nothing.'
3. Forming a good group is tough. We all know the statistics of marriage and
divorce. Entering into a committed preparedness relationship may be as tough
or tougher. Forming a group to rely on one another in the most dire of circumstances
is daunting, indeed.
4. Finally, what Winston Churchill said applies: "Never, never, never quit." The
safety of my family may well rely upon my ability to form an effective retreat
group. I'll take the above lessons in and continue adding onto the two families
who have opted into our retreat. I'll make a plan B, and then a plan C, and so
on. I'll keep doing all I can to ensure we have the best provisions, location
and, most importantly, the best people we can find to survive what may come.
- D.S.
« Update to Survival Gardening: Growing Food During a Second Great Depression, by H.I.C. |Main| Jim's Quote of the Day: »
Letter Re: Finding Like-Minded Folks
Hello,
I've read
your novel "Patriots" and
I feel compelled to mention that it was the first book I ever defaced. I've
always loved reading, but I read (and in some
cases
even
re-read multiple times) books but never highlight or mark up the books. I
don't know why, I just don't. It was almost immediate, like a lightning strike...
that I needed to change what I was doing when I started reading Patriots.
It even occurred to me that I needed a couple different colors to distinguish
separate
types of information. I absolutely loved the story line, not because of the
happy ending, not because of the advice, but a combination of identifying with
the characters and with the events they were in, and how they dealt with them
which was your actual message... the readability of your Patriots novel is
5 stars in my opinion and I thank you greatly, I'm actually starting over again
tonight, because even with hi-lighting the key elements, I still enjoy the
story and still need to reinforce the lessons they are teaching me.
I am in complete agreement that the decline of our economy is not only assured,
it's gaining speed as I type this. While our paid legislators hammer out details
on which political action committees and which unions will receive how much
money, the country is being destroyed, willingly.
I'm not willing to sign up for that! but I'm one person in California, the state that is driving this insanity!
I've spent a bit of money recently in various purchases of both hardware and
consumables, and I have perhaps 10 months [of food and supplies] right now,
ready to go food if the Schumer hits the fan, (in my opinion wisely since investments
are
libel
to
crash even
further when liberal politics affect wall street) but I have short comings...
I have friends here who are like minded about preparedness, but are unable
or unwilling to sacrifice to make the retreat happen
I have money myself to to put down some money on a few acres in my home state
of Arizona and I plan to buy in heavily militia territory, but I don't want
to be forced to be co-opted into a "must join" as you described in
Patriots when the two groups first met. But I don't want to be alone
on my land, and I don't
know how many of my friends might actually be able to make it there if the
"zombie invasion" occurs... Added to which, an A-frame cabin as my "secured" retreat
means to me that I need two or three or maybe even four back up plans and
pre-positioned caches.
Do you host any sort of "getting to meet ya" events of like minded
folks?
Do you have any suggestions for me, outside of the obvious... pick the best
tools for the job and then take with what you can. I have a 4x4 truck and I'm
storing currently enough fuel to get to where I want to buy a few acres, but
it's going to get awful lonely in my A-frame cabin--or awfully exciting--and
I hope I make it if the full zombie invasion takes place and I have to defend
against looters. An A-frame cabins (not even built yet) are very poor protection
and unfortunately prone to theft and who knows what when left unattended, like
I'd have to do here in California.
Your suggestions would be great appreciated, and if there's people that would
be looking to recruit me without me knowing who they are, I'd appreciate you
forwarding that as well. I can not do this on my own, I don't have all the
answers and I never will, but I must find folks who are at least willing to
ask the
questions and even look at the unpleasant answers.
Thanks! and please keep writing! - Brent
JWR Replies: You mentioned your intention to build an A-frame
cabin. I encourage you to pick a better design. This
post from the SurvivalBlog archives (August, 2007) sums up my objections to A-frame
designs.
Sorry, but I don't host "get-togethers". In fact,
given the OPSEC concerns
created by my high media profile, I don't even publicly mention the state
that I live in! (Sorry to be so circumspect , but I 've made solemn promises
to family members that I can only mention that I live in TUWS,
somewhere west of the Rockies, on the bank of TUR,
on a ranch in TUROM.
All this dissimulation might seem odd to some readers, but please put yourself
in my shoes. We
had
some
odd
stalking
incidents when we were living at our previous ranch, so when we made or last
move
we
took
some
unprecedented
OPSEC measures. I even have cousins that don't know where I live.
Your situation, feeling unable to link up with other that share your preparedness
goals, is fairly typical . See
my static web page: Finding
Like-Minded People in Your Area. The advice there will probably be very
helpful. May God Put You in the Right Place, at the Right Time, with the
Right People.
« Letter Re: Alaska as a Retreat Locale |Main| Preparedness Through Tapping in to the Craig's List Culture: Doing Well by Doing Good, by D.S. »
Three Letters Re: The Community Retreat
James:
When it comes to real-world advice that applies to real people, Kathy
Harrison's article ranks right near the top of the list. There is a sizable portion
of the survival
community (including my family) that believes that the community retreat
model outlined in this article is, for most scenarios, the single best strategy
for survival. While there are certainly some scenarios in which a remote
retreat would be advantageous, those (in my opinion) are relatively few and
unlikely. The community retreat strategy is one that can be used by just
about anyone regardless of family or occupational requirements. It takes
full advantage of the very reason that people have always congregated together.
It's followers are well positioned for recovery efforts that leave out the
isolated retreater, and it incorporates one of your key points - live at
your retreat.
I look forward to more articles of this type by Kathy Harrison and others.
- Stephen in Florida
Dear Mr. Rawles,
The recent post “The Community Retreat, by Kathy Harrison” prompted
me to write with some comments about municipal retreats. Her comments are about
a community retreat that is privately operated. I recently had an opportunity
to see how a municipal shelter/retreat functioned. It was illuminating.
Recently we had a pretty severe ice storm here in the American Northeast. Many
folks feel that it was the worst since 1987, when a storm knocked out power for
two weeks. I wrote about my experiences with that storm here.
One thing about this storm that was new to me was that it was the first time
my municipality had activated its Emergency Preparedness Plan (EPP).
I live next to a municipality of 1,600 people. The Village covers a little under
two square miles and has 386 households.
Like most municipalities these days that receive Federal grants, the Village
must meet certain eligibility conditions. One of those conditions is that there
must be a municipal Emergency Preparedness Plan. This plan describes the village
chain of command, who is responsible for what (fire, police, DPW, etc.), how
to contact those departments/individuals and what resources they have. It also
lists resources available in adjoining municipalities and what resources (fuel,
water, etc.) are available within the village.
Another aspect of the EPP is that the village has to have a facility to shelter
residents during an emergency. That is what I wanted to address here.
This was the first time the village had activated their shelter plan and I thought
it might be useful to describe how it was supposed to go and how it actually
went.
When the village wrote the EPP, the plan was that the American Legion [Hall]
would
be
used to shelter residents. The Legion had large open spaces, a large commercial
kitchen, was located on high ground and had ample parking. There were large bathrooms
with many toilets and sufficient storage for reserve food and cooking items.
To this end a trailer mounted military generator was permanently acquired from
the Federal government and the buildings wiring slightly modified so that all
one
had
to
do was plug the generator into the building, throw a transfer switch and you
were
good to go. Sleeping cots were stored in the building as well as assorted small
items that would allow for sheltering a large number of people. The American
Red Cross would set everything up.
Like most municipalities, the village worked very hard on the EPP, sent copies
to all the right people/departments, filed it with the Feds and States and then
put it on a shelf and never paid attention to it until this ice storm hit. They –never-
updated it. The plan was 2.5 years old.
The Legion hall is privately owned. About 8-10 months ago a decision was made
by its owners to put it up for sale. When the time came to implement the EPP,
the building was no longer available and a replacement had to be immediately
found.
The –only- other building available was the Village Hall. It had emergency
power and water and as a village owned property was immediately available. The
downside was that it was considerably smaller; only about 25% of the capacity
of the Legion [Hall]. The Village Hall contained both the police and fire departments
so it was being used as a command & control facility. The Red Cross switched
gears from Legion to Village Hall. A space was found for about 20 cots but fire
and police personnel had to go through this area to meet with their commands.
The radio room was right next to the sleeping area and the sandwiches and coffee
for the firefighters and cops and everyone else was also in the same room. I
don’t see how anyone could have slept.
While there was no disorder or major crime, the police maintained a presence
in the shelter that did seem a bit ominous. People were allowed to come and go
freely, but it would not have been a stretch of the imagination to foresee a
time when people, once entering the shelter would not be allowed to leave. Commander
Zero [, the editor of the excellent Notes
From the Bunker
blog] commented on the New Orleans,
Louisiana authorities
doing
this
at
the
Super
Dome: They
said
that
the citizens had [effectively] signed an unwritten contract with the authorities
by
entering
the Dome and that they were being prohibited from leaving ‘for their own
safety’. Commander Zero called this the "Guantanodome."
The food supplied to those people seeking shelter in the Village Hall was limited
to grilled cheese sandwiches and coffee and water. There were no diapers, no
provisions for pets, no toys or distractions for younger children. The bathrooms
were small,
each containing only two toilets. There was a single television but it’s
volume was kept low so as not to interfere with radio communications.
Finally, there was no guidance or protocol from higher authorities on how long
to keep the shelter open. After five days or so, staffing the shelter (all the
staff were volunteers) became more difficult and a decision was made to close
it
down.
By this
time only about 10 people remained and they were directed to shelters in another
town. I don’t know what became of those people when those shelters closed.
I like to think that power was restored to their homes by then and they went
home.
It would be very easy to say that this shows that an individual really should
not rely on government in an emergency. In a large way, that’s correct.
While I advocate that the goal of being prepared is to prevent having to go to
this type of shelter, I do not think one should ignore the need for a municipal
shelter. While I will still prepare and strive to not need to leave my home,
I will work with the Village hierarchy to update and improve the plan that they
have. If I know the village residents have a place to go and resources to draw
upon then there will be that many fewer people out scavenging for what I have
put aside for me and mine. - RMV.
Hi Jim...
It never ceases to amaze me how the majority of US survivalist wannabes adamantly
contend they must live in the major cities. Fully 80% of all survivalist wannabes
want to hunker down in their urban or suburban homes according to our polls.
Yet, they subscribe to and post 'survivalist' articles to survival forums like
my Surviving
The Day After list at Yahoo Groups], Rourke's
Survival Retreat and Secure Home [list at Yahoo Groups], or Brad's
HunkerDown06 [list at Yahoo Groups]. Their topics are often centered around
a socialist/communist theme of a secure,
remote survival retreat paid for by pooling money and resources
of would be members and living a communal existence after TSHTF.
None of that is a viable plan, especially with the coming economic collapse
of the USA, worldwide depression, and World War III. But, they won't even consider
getting out of the cities now! It's frustrating to survivalists like me.
BTW, I am in West Texas and we are developing a problem here in such a sparsely
populated area. Pecos, Texas is about 5,000 people around mile marker 40 on
Interstate Highway 20. They have a 3,000 bed county-run prison that houses 3,000 Federal
prisoners. Last Saturday night the prisoners rioted and burned out the R2 unit.
About 45 days ago they had rioted and burned out R1 unit. My brother is a prison
guard
there
and called
during this riot to warn me the inmates were expecting help from MS13 [gang]
contact/associates from Mexico.
The night before, a Hispanic youth gang called Brown Pride Gang torched six
homes in and around Pecos. Two of those homes had Hispanic families asleep
inside.
Those responsible have been apprehended and are facing attempted homicide by
arson charges. These gang "youths" were organized and incited to commit this
attack by MS13 members in Pecos.
Glenn Beck was saying on Fox News that the border violence is intensifying
and yet neither the Democrats or the Republicans are willing to close and regulate
the border with
Mexico. And to top that off, Beck was warning that Texans will soon get fed
up and take matters into their own hands, arming themselves and protecting
their families and property from invasion.
This all has an effect on my personal survival plans long term of course. The
lack of population, the distances involved here in the desert of West Texas,
and the proximity of our paid-for mountain retreat to our paid for farm in
the valley puts us in a much better prepared position than 95% of the populace.
It has taken years of preparation and planning, though. And, none of it came cheap.
I am still a voice in the wilderness crying: Get out of the cities, now!
Regards, Lawrence R.
List Owner, SurvivingTheDayAfter at Yahoo Groups
« Odds 'n Sods: |Main| Letter Re: Lessons from the January Ice Storm »
Letter Re: Lost Tribe Bypassed by History: Ragtag Band of Khmer Families
James;
This is an old story but still interesting: Lost
tribe bypassed by history.
My [Cambodian] wife, who is in her thirties, still has some of these jungle/farming
skills. Her younger brothers and sisters who have lived in Phnom
Penh do not.
Most young people only know about Karaoke and mobile phones. Many of the under
15's think the Khmer Rouge is something their parents made up.
See:
Lost
tribe leaves the jungle for brave new world of mobiles.
Help runs out for the lost tribe of Cambodia
Slide
show: Lost tribe
I don't think most people want to copy their example. But their story does
illustrate that long term survival is possible for people with skills even
if they have little resources. Regards, - F.D.
« Letter Re: Mobs of Young Beggars on the Streets of Baghdad |Main| Notes from JWR: »
The Community Retreat, by Kathy Harrison
Establishing a retreat seems to be the dream of many survivalists but realistically,
evacuating to a retreat is not a proposition that is readily available to very
many. There are generally problems with finances as well as family commitments
to contend with. Many folks, like me, have spent years in establishing perennial
food plants, compost piles, garden plots, building small businesses and, most
importantly, forging important community ties that would not be easily broken.
Therefore, we would be well advised to explore how to approach ways to turn
our own residences into retreat communities.
The location of the community is of the utmost importance. Pulling off such
a feat off in a large city or an affluent suburb would be pretty difficult.
A small town in a rural location with a high proportion of families who already
raise food and livestock is your best bet. Such a town is likely to have a
well-developed sense of community, strong family ties and a faith-based community.
You will also likely find a diverse set of necessary skills. Such communities
are generally located in areas that have climates suitable to growing food
crops. Hunting is often a part of the local culture so firearms ownership is
not seen as a problem. It has been my experience that a large number of survival-minded
folks find themselves living in this kind of locality. The question then becomes, “how
do we locate like-minded families and establish a network of support, with
possibility of barter arrangements and the sharing of skills and tools in such
towns?”
We began by attending a film series a few years ago. Free showings of films
such as The End of Suburbia, King Corn and Life At The
End Of The Empire were
shown. Each film was followed by a discussion group. Setting up this kind of
series can happen at a library or house of worship. Out of this format, a core
group formed, all with the sense that life as we knew it was unlikely to be
sustainable for the long term and that we needed to take steps to prepare for
the eventual change. We began meeting on a monthly basis. We are a diverse
group; some more interested in the implications of Peak
Oil, some with financial
collapse. Others are the local growers of organic produce and the breeders
of heritage breed livestock. We have no membership list, no rules of order,
no dues and no criteria for coming to our monthly meetings. We do follow a
loose agenda to ensure that we get some work20accomplished but much of our
time together is devoted to chit chat about current topics and sharing ideas.
One of our most successful endeavors has been our "101" classes. This
is a series of free workshops devoted to helping people learn valuable skills
from others.
We have had classes in raising chickens, canning produce, cheese making, mushroom
propagation, herbal medicine, knitting and many other subjects. The object
is to make all of us less dependant and share skills that might otherwise be
lost.
Recognizing that energy shortages are likely, we set up a panel of people already
alternative sources of energy. This was remarkably well-attended and led to
a day long event where folks opened their homes to people who wanted to see
each system in operation. We saw underground homes, photovoltaic systems, solar
heat collectors, wind powered homes and a couple of places that had been off-grid
for years. The tour ended with a pot-luck soup and bread dinner.
We consider helping each other as a given. We have helped each other get
in our winter wood supply, can an abundance of bulk purchased chicken and
traded
off tools, vehicles and equipment. When my husband scored some very inexpensive
sap buckets, he bought enough for many other group members. When I found
myself overwhelmed with peaches, three of us processed 50 quarts in an
afternoon.
A couple of us are really interested in wild foods. Together we gathered
fox grapes and put up 20 gallons of juice, harvested and dried over 100
pounds
of wild mushrooms and canned 35 quarts of wild applesauce. We are still eating
the fiddleheads we froze last May. Out latest project is to take a firearms
safety course together.
When a major ice storm left our town without power for over a week, we saw
an opportunity to check our preparedness level and hone our skills. Many
of us were also able to provide help and provisions to those who were less
prepared
including the elderly in our small town.
We still have work to do. We realize that we are not as well prepared for
medical emergencies as we would wish so some members are researching becoming
EMTs
and First Responders for our local volunteer fire department. We also see
the wisdom in becoming more involved in our town government.
I know this is not the kind of preparedness one generally reads about on
sites such as this but I think for many, this is the most realistic. Should
the worst
happen, we will be prepared to ride it out with friends and neighbors,
bonded together with common purpose and presenting a united front. - Kathy
Harrison
« Odds 'n Sods: |Main| Letter Re: Handy Uses for Thermite »
Three Letters Re: The Gray Man in the Coming Storm
Jim:
On Tuesday Jan. 27th, SurvivalBlog readers found 12 [follow-up] letters
concerning the recent "Gray Man" letter. I believe the writer's of
the majority of those letters need to go back and re-read the original Gray
Man post. That post included several suggestions for "surviving" within
an area of control of a repressive government. They included putting pro-government
bumper stickers on your car, checking out pro-government library books, accepting
with
a smile the government ID chip, gladly taking and using a government credit
card and thanking the government for doing a good job. These are not "Gray
Man hide in plain sight" activities.
These are all actions that actively support the government. These are all activities
that say to your neighbors that you support the government and that you think
it's
actions are proper. Whatever your secretly held thoughts might be, your actions
are what your children and friends will see and it may add to their own doubts
about their yearnings for freedom.
Please consider, if you choose not to openly fight repression, at least choose
to not support it. You don't need to quickly line up to get a chip or credit
card. Don't get it until you feel you have no other choice in order to survive.
You don't need to put a government bumper sticker on your car. If you are afraid
to proclaim what you really believe, say nothing at all. Don't give support
to your secretly held enemy. Simply ignore them in every way possible. At the
least, by complying as slowly as possible, you will slow the government machine
down.
Several of the 12 letters spoke about spies of WWII and how they engaged in
activities to gain favor with the enemy, in order to gather information for
the Resistance. One letter spoke about a soldier alone behind enemy lines,
who did as much as he could to avoid detection and detention, in order to return
to his own lines. These are not examples of so called "Gray men".
They were soldiers doing an assigned job in order to defeat the enemy. The
villagers who secretly fed the partisans during the War in Europe were not
Gray Men displaying happy faces. They were patriots supporting the war behind
the front lines. Any of them that were caught were summarily executed. The
so called "Gray Man" of the original post would do nothing to cause
his arrest or worse.
It is said that during the American War for Independence, about a third of
the population of the colonies put their lives, their families, and treasure
at risk to gain Freedom. A third were blackguards who supported the king, and
a third just stayed home and hoped somebody else would do the right thing.
I would hope that in the coming days, we Americans can do at least as well
as our ancestors. I pray that, at the least, there be one Patriot for every
miserable "Gray Man". - Jim in Ohio
Mr. Rawles:
This "Gray Man" mini-controversy has prompted me to weigh in on the
matter. I am mildly surprised at the strong reactions to it, although I suppose
I shouldn't
be. To be frank, this is precisely the survival mindset as taught in military
SERE schools.
The younger, and more passionate among us are mildly amusing in their
rants against it. I suppose they need to really scrub down your mission statement,
as it were, before spouting off about such things. Is your goal the survival
of your family, other retreat members, and yourself, or, are you out to fight
against the outlaw gangs, UN troops, T-1,000 [Terminator]s, etc.
Yes we would love to do both, but obviously(?) depending on what happens, you
may have to choose one or the other. In many scenarios, it may be necessary
to hunker down and just survive the initial chain of events before even considering
venturing out to right wrongs and slay evil-doers. So in theory, the Gray Man
concept may be necessary to live to fight another day.
Would I submit to the indignities described or defiantly say hell no and go
down in a blaze of glory? The timing of your defiance would certainly seem
to be critical. If you waited too late and found yourself in a corner and had
to submit to it, hopefully you would be able to escape at some point and head
for the hills. If you saw it coming in time enough to escape and join with
other like-minded individuals, then you may be in a position to resist.
There are so many variables here, to sit and argue over such things is pointless.
You may be on reconnaissance from your retreat and get policed up in a sweep
and in end up in a camp. You may have to become the Gray Man to facilitate
your escape.
The world is not so black and white. In unconventional warfare, being the Gray
Man aptly describes many skill sets necessary to fight a stronger opponent.
You
only need look at recent history to understand how this works. You can get
on-line and frontal assault the machine gun nest, or you can wait till they
are marching back to camp and ambush them.
Seems kinda obvious to me, but it's gonna take more then pure hearts, raw courage,
and hard work to defeat your enemies. It may also take swallowing your pride,
being beaten and humiliated, and biding your time for when you strike back.
If you are captured and maintain this overtly defiant attitude, likely as not
you will be shot outright, and do no one any good.
So I think each man needs to do some soul-searching here. Are you really doing
what's best to accomplish your goals, or is this your pride, or ego talking?
Semper Fi, - Diz
Dear Jim,
After following the "Gray Man" debate, I have to say that I agree
that the; "They can kill me, but I'll die a free man." position
sounds great, but is a prime example of testosterone toxicity. However,
that still leaves the issue of capitulation vs. effective resistance. The problem
being that no one to date has presented any compelling suggestions as to how
an effective resistance can be mounted. Anyone who tries to start is with the
idea of becoming a rallying point, winds up cheered, jailed and forgotten;
anyone who has a the right strategy seems to be silent. My problem is that
we all know and understand the problem; there is no real
need to keep chewing on it.
E-mail, Forums, Blogs, Broadsheets, Shortwave radio shows; [is just] talk,
talk, talk. The Tyrants are perfectly content to let us rant, and rave, and
even spout
the
truth about how they are enslaving us all. Just so long as we comply with
each and every edict, and with each one, we are lead inexorably, to accept
ever heavier chains.
What we need is some ideas on effective resistance; solutions to the problems
of creeping enslavement? Please don’t tell me, or anyone that “dying
a free man” is useless, unless you can tell me also what else I might
do, besides surrender.
Who then will provide us with solutions? Who can answer the question: How do
you effectively resist the Tyrants without going to prison, or getting killed?
Political action is a waste of time, "We the People" are ignored.
I admit that I am not smart enough to know the answer. Where is our V, our
Danneskjöld?
Without such a leader, or without such ideas, I see only the ability to throw
more bodies in front of the Juggernaut, until it is
starved for a lack of slaves, and victims.
So my question is not; "Who is John Galt?, but rather " John Galt;
Where are you?"
Happy Trails - Fanderal
« 12 Letters Re: The Gray Man in the Coming Storm |Main| Note from JWR: »
The Weakest Link, by M.M.
I would like to address a concept that is a common thread in our discussions
and our thoughts as people who emphasize characteristics that strengthen
our individual freedoms while trying to ensure our families’ safe pursuit
of life, liberty and happiness.
It’s the concept of the weakest link; and as I recently discovered, it
has a nasty habit of exposing itself at the most inopportune times. Most of
you know of which I speak. Every system, every group, every method boasts the
greatness of its strength only to the degree that its weakest part can sustain
a force great enough to enable the entire endeavor, right?
I have been been a survival-minded person for the greater part of two decades
plus; military background and time spent in roles and responsibilities that
most
would choose not to engage. My experience dictated that OPSEC and "cover" become
a lifestyle – not just a hobby. I prided myself on my ability to produce
results without discovery; my commitment to educate my family/children and
those around me to facilitate my own heightened sense of situational awareness;
my ability to be always ready for whatever might come my way and the impending
confidence that I would always have the upper hand.
That was until two years ago, when my oldest son at age 22 was killed serving
his country, I wasn’t prepared for the sense of loss and ultimately what
it would do to my fortress mentality. In the two year period since his death,
I’ve
found myself slipping, missing important details, my mind wandering as I grieve
his death and deal with the absence that now occupies my life. My wife responded
even worse than I did. Her grief has caused her to go through changes that
none of us could’ve ever imagined even five years ago. This experience,
unfortunately has contributed to our separation from each other. In an effort
to try and work through this new territory, I occasionally leave my mountain
home to take our two youngest children to visit her as often as I can. It was
during one of these visits that the magnitude of our slackness showed its ugly
head.
To make along story short, all of my years of preparation and subsequent months
of sloth came to a head when my weakest link revealed itself, quite by surprise
as I
was sleeping soundly in my wife’s condo on the beach. (We recently separated,
she recently moved out) while my 8 year old son was playing in the living room.
There was a knock on the door. I was asleep so my son looks through the peephole
to see who it was, recognizing the person and thinking he was friendly, my
son unlocks
and opens
the door (did I mention that I was asleep?). The ensuing conversation went something
like this:
Uninvited Visitor: "Hi,
what are you doing?"
My Son: "Playing with toys, wanna come in and play too?"
Uninvited Visitor: "Where is your mom?"
My Son: "She is at work."
Uninvited Visitor: "Who is watching
you?"
My Son: "My dad. He is in the bedroom sleeping,"
Uninvited Visitor: "No, I gotta go!"
Then he went running down the hall, down the stairs and exited the building.
My son closed the door and came to wake me up. He proceeded to brief me on
the situation and expressed his curiosity as to what just happened. It only
took
me a moment to assess and begin damage control to ensure no further harm would
occur.
Some details on the situation: I was a t a condo on the beach, visiting separated
wife, condo is supposed to be secure ("Yeah, right.") card readers, locks,
hardened
dead
bolts, CCTV,
front desk person – our visitor bypassed all of that to get to the front
door. It was a Tuesday morning around 1000 – my wife was at work – this
person would have known that – why, she went out on a date with him six
months ago – she dumped him, he’s been reported stalking her every
since; she tells me this after the incident even reporting that he sometimes
sits in the parking garage in a dark corner to watch her. Weird, I know.
His intention, IMHO, was to do some harm, I don’t believe this was in
any way a normal, safe type of visit. He had obtained at least permission from
front desk person to enter using his obvious familiarity to gain cooperation,
and had somehow obtained an extra card key to get past elevator and/or stairwell,
possibly (IMHO) possessing a key to the door, which I’m convinced he
would have used if we weren’t there. An observation; I’ve known
for years that predators prey on those who are caught up in chaos, they seem
drawn to it. I digress…
Scarier, did I mention I was asleep at the time! I can’t tell you how
many times this has played over in my mind – how close we came to a possible
fatal error. I have scripted my kids ad nauseam on proper protocol for identifying
and answering doors – apparently nobody told my youngest son
that this person was no longer a "friendly", but had since
become an enemy – failure
to communicate started the problems.
Thank the good Lord in heaven that said person was afraid of my presence enough
to be deterred – he had the right to be by the way (I can assure you
this won’t happen again – Lord Willing). All those years of doing
what I did – and this happens – yikes! Apparently my pride or
maybe just my sloth created an opportunity for this situation to develop.
I am actually very happy in retrospect that this happened. It shook me out
of my funk and has since challenged me to step it up and get back to my ‘normal’ situational
awareness that I lived with and became comfortable with for so many years. I
write this to remind you good folks out there to check and recheck – exercise,
practice, communicate, analyze – whatever it takes – do your best
to discover your weakest links and harden them the best that you can. Try
to be creative, sometimes it’s the things that you can’t imagine
that get you – if you have children, engage them in discussions that
help you determine and reveal weaknesses without scaring them to death; and
don’t
be afraid of instructing them in ways that will help you maintain your OPSEC.
The truth is these things can be fatal – learn from my mistake. Humbly
submitted. - M.M.
« Odds 'n Sods: |Main| Letter Re: Looking at Preparedness as a Challenge »
Letter Re: Way Points for G.O.O.D. Routes?
Jim:
The gentleman that wrote
to say that he wants to rent his property out for bugout situations should
read the [first hand] observations posted on [the aftermath
of Hurricane]
Katrina. [This was written by someone that sheltered dozens of people]: Thoughts
On Disaster Survival. Regards, - Bill N.
« Letter Re: Do-It-Yourself FIFO Canned Food Storage Bins--Made From Cardboard |Main| Note from JWR: »
Letter Re: Way Points for G.O.O.D. Routes?
James,
I finally have my bugout location found and purchased. Plan to start building
a small home there later this year. Cabin first, house will wait till I see
how the economy runs. On the east coast, as I have family here and really don't
want to leave this area. I am outside a small town, on a dirt road off a local
rural highway. I have near nine acres of woods and one acre of pasture (garden
and orchard) space. One acre of the land is separated from the rest by a four
foot wide surface creek. It has a nice cleared area I plan to develop into
a picnic area at the creek. The majority of the land is heavily wooded.
I am considering offering the space as an overnight primitive camping stop
for bugout travelers. One night to one week maximum. You know, rest up and
recoup or reunite with stragglers while en route. Good idea or no?
How should I let fellow survivalists know about the location? I would have
to meet traveler in some nearby town to get to know before showing them the
location,
for personal security.
Or should I hole up on my land and let everyone else fend for themselves? Your
thoughts are appreciated, either as an e-mail or a post on your blog. Thanks,
- S. in Alabama
JWR Replies: I can foresee a few potential problems with
your plan:
First: Vetting someone for suitability and trustworthiness for such an arrangement
is time consuming. Unless you could properly vet someone before they
were told the exact location of your retreat, then it would be a huge OPSEC risk.
Worst case: Your retreat ends up on some outlaw motorcycle
gang's "shopping list."
Second: If anyone asks if they can cache supplies at your retreat,
there could be legal implications, especially if they are less than honest
about what they are
burying on your property. (I've heard a couple of horror stories from consulting
clients about the antics of some their erstwhile "friends" that turned out
to be flakes or criminals.)
Third: In times of Deep Drama, it might be difficult to persuade "stay-overs" to
abide by their contractual obligation to move on. (I can just hear the whining:
"But I'm
sick with the flu". or, "But my wife has a badly sprained ankle and can't walk...",
or, "I'm not leaving until my brother arrives. We're supposed to meet-up
here.")
Fourth: "Signing-up" a large number of stay-overs is an egregious violation
of the "need to know" rule. Each person that is told about the retreat location
represents one more person that could get careless and blather or boast of
it to friends. Repeat that risk 20 or 30 rimes, and sure enough, on TEOTWAWKI+
1 or TEOTWAWKI+2 you'll wake up in the morning to find that a hundred tents
have sprouted in your pasture, most of which will be occupied by newcomers
that
you know nothing about.
(This factor, BTW, is why The
Memsahib and I have taken some extreme measures
in
guarding the location of our year-round retreat.)
In summation, I think that such an arrangement is more trouble than it is
worth. To do it right would requite plenty of vetting. And if you are going
to that much trouble, then it might as well be to approve someone
that will be a full-fledged member of your retreat group.
« Odds 'n Sods: |Main| Letter Re: Military Surplus Watertight Containers for G.O.O.D. Vehicle Boxes »
Letter Re: Recommendation for the Movie "Defiance"
Hello Mr Rawles,
Just a quick comment on the
new movie that's out called "Defiance".
It is rated
R since it has killing and some cursing but is based on a true story about
three Jewish brothers [named Bielski] who lived in Byelorussia at the start
of WWII when the Germans [and their Quisling allies] began to round up and
murder entire villages and communities of Jews.
They decided to live in the woods that they knew so well and escape and resist
the Germans...They met others who had escaped to the woods to hide and began
to pool their talents and pick off soldiers and arm themselves and live off
the land and ended up living in the woods on the run for over two years and
ended up over 1,200 strong. Their will to survive and methods of survival
against well armed troops was incredible. They started out with a revolver
and four cartridges
and began to accumulate different types of weapons to fight back. Some scenes
show them trying to defend themselves with old bolt actions against machine
guns till eventually they began to use all [the small arms] that the Germans
had available, as well. The movie excelled in contrasting the different mindsets
that were
common among the people of the day that caused many to sit idly by and be
rounded
up or shot on sight and many to be able to run and hide and fight. I think
many SurvivalBlog readers would want to see this movie and would marvel at
what humans are capable of--both positively and negatively. Thanks, - Ross
« Letter Re: Colonial New England Community Blockhouses as a Historic Precedent |Main| Survival Gardening: Growing Food During A Second Great Depression, by H.I.C. »
Two Letters Re: The Thin Blue Line
Jim:
On the topic of SHTF scenarios
like [the Post-Rodney King Verdict riots in] Los Angeles and Hurricane Katrina,
YouTube has many videos detailing this that
your readers might
find
are worth
revisiting.
It's
one thing
to talk about it, another to actually see it all again:
Los Angeles
Riots, Looting, and a Gunfight in Koreatown
LA Riots - Korean Store Owners Prepare for Showdown
Hurricane
Katrina New Orleans, 08/28/2005 Massive Evacuation
Hurricane
Katrina Looters, A Few of Them Were Police Officers
After Hurricane Katrina, Desperation at the Convention Center
Regards, - The Survivalist
James,
I remain very skeptical regarding the police, as representatives of the state,
in "SHTF" situations. New Orleans is the most obvious example.
But consider: the state disarms you, and then confiscates a portion of your
wages
to create a bureaucracy to protect you. When that's not enough the state "creates" crimes
- whether it's the "war on drugs" or something as simple as banning
cell phones in cars - in order to sustain it's bureaucracy. Like any other
agency of the state, this becomes a self-perpetuating dynamic.
Secondly, agents of the state, in a true crisis situation, will have limited
information. Otherwise law abiding citizens are easily painted as potential
threats through the chain of command. History provides plentiful examples of
what happens when those agents of the state -otherwise good people- meet up
with the civilian populace during times of crisis. Clearly history is not on
the side of law enforcement making sound, independent decisions in these cases.
Further, as New Orleans demonstrates, law enforcement personnel can easily
be deployed from their own back yard to other areas of the country where they
do not have roots, family or ties to the community. There are also cultural
differences (in the example of New Orleans: How Chicago police may feel about
citizen-owned firearms) that amplify and exacerbate the problem.
Volumes have been written about this subject. But I would encourage anyone
looking to the state for protection of their individual rights during a crisis
situation to study history - and I am not speaking about ancient history or
extreme examples such as Stalin or Mao. Simply study American history. - Steven
« Odds 'n Sods: |Main| Two Letters Re: The Thin Blue Line »
Letter Re: Colonial New England Community Blockhouses as a Historic Precedent
Hello Jim,
Mosby's description of defense tactics was common all along the
frontier in the 18th Century including western Pennsylvania. As defense
against indian raids, a small blockhouse was
built on a farm in a central location. A spring [or shallow well] for water was a necessity.
When news of local raids spread, people
would gather as many possessions as possible and head to the blockhouse for
the common defense. This is an instance where much can be learned from history.
While these small forts where rarely overrun, the abandoned farms were wide
open to burning and pillage. Destruction of property, livestock and crops
were the norm and could cause food shortages. Also, often the danger of raids
would
last for months at a time and while forted up this made it difficult to tend
to any crops and livestock not destroyed. Groups of people would travel to
abandoned farms for short periods to try to work the land as much as possible.
Some providing security while others worked. What goes around comes around
but I hope things never get this bad again. - Jeff in Ohio
« Four Letters Re: The Thin Blue Line |Main| Notes from JWR: »
Hurricane Lessons Learned and Some Advice on Getting Prepared, by Ken on the Gulf Coast
Sometimes it is not an option to relocate so you have to get prepared wherever
you are located. I am located on the Gulf Coast 60 short miles from New Orleans,
Louisiana. We were ground zero for Hurricane Katrina, so I have a first hand
experience of what can happen I will describe some things that I did right
and some things that I did wrong.
We were unable to relocate to a place like Idaho as we had elderly parents
who could not and probably would not relocate to a more appropriate survival
area.
My mother was born in 1930 the daughter of a sharecropper in the Louisiana
delta. They lived a survivor lifestyle as a matter of everyday life. She instilled
in me a fear of having absolutely nothing. Until her
death in 2007 she refused to run a dishwasher or air conditioner. She could
not bring herself to waste electricity, water, or anything for that matter.
She would not waste anything.
Although not as dedicated to thrift as my mother, I did inherit her fear of
hunger, and vulnerability to the unexpected. She died in fear of depression
era conditions returning. When she died I lost a valuable
source of survival information.
Because of my mother's influence, the day after Hurricane Katrina, we were
one out of 75,000 or so who had lights and running water 36 hours after the
storm. The following is what most people did wrong:
A lot of people had generators, the problem was that they only had a couple
of cans of gas. So they were all without power in less than 24 hrs. All of
the gas stations were disabled. No gas means no
power!
Nobody had enough food, they recommend three days, it took almost three days
just to get the roads clear.
No guns! I had friends who did not "believe in guns" that ended
up borrowing some weapons.
No dogs! Without dogs, you have no warning of intruders. Alarm
systems don't work after the batteries are dead.
The following is what I did right:
I had a natural gas generator installed. I was up and running less than 36
hours of the storm. It was also a mistake to select natural gas as a fuel source.
Upturned trees broke gas lines all over the region, it was only blind luck
that left me with gas pressure. A propane system would have been better.
I had drilled a water well. I was able to provide water pressure to my house,
city water was out for weeks. I tied the system back to the house by a simple
water hose going from a faucet on my pump to one on the house.
I had lights and water. Here is what I did wrong:
I evacuated the elderly mothers and dogs to an area 100+ miles north. Electricity
was out over the entire state, my motor home generator powered my sisters house
where I left our parents and dogs. I left the dogs at my bug out location before
I returned to the disaster area.
Mistake #1:
I sent my dogs elsewhere.
The other thing I was unprepared for were refugees. I call them refugees because
they would have gone hungry without the food in my pantry and freezers. I was
totally unprepared for the 16 families looking to me for
food and direction.
Some other things I did wrong:
I did not have enough food. I fed a lot of people. In a real end of life as
we know it scenario, I would have been forced to choose who I would have to
turn away. It's one thing to take care of people when you know help is on the
way, quite another when there is no help in sight.
Weapons: I loaned my old shotguns to all the people who did not believe in
the private ownership of guns. When gangs of illegal aliens and welfare recipients'
were roaming the streets, the folks who didn't believe in guns didn't hesitate
to request assistance.
I did not have a fuel source independent of the grid.
The following are changes that I have made:
I now have a Bluebird Bus motor home. It has a huge fuel tank that I can use
to run the house if the natural gas generator quits. It’s diesel generator
can put out 12 kw for a long time.
I have a much larger store of food.
I have a photovoltaically-powered water supply.
I have a bug out vehicle that has a 1,200 to 1,500 mile range. It has a propane
refrigerator. It has a water
system that can provide water pressure to my house.
I have dogs. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, thieves were cranking up
lawn mowers and pushing them up next to running generators after the storm.
They would then shut down the running generators and leave the running lawn
mowers while they absconded with the generators. You cannot stay awake
24 hours a day. Dogs do not miss much if anything. I can’t recommend
a breed of dog, but the following work for me: Miniature Schnauzers, Australian
shepherds, Catahoula Curs. If you live in the south and have some land you
cannot beat a Catahoula Cur. An Australian Sheppard is a close second for all
climates.
I have ten acres and good soil, I am putting in a very large garden. However,
I do not feel that I can overcome the huge welfare population we have here,
If things get out of hand, I plan to bug out. I now have an RV that has a tremendous range. It has a propane refrigerator, and full facilities.
I can literally live on the side of the road for weeks or months. It is equipped
to pull a full-size 4WD with
trailer. I have several bug out locations within four hours where I can evacuate
to. When I leave I will have dogs, food, tools,
and arms. I also have shortwave radios.
You have to develop a survival mentality,
you have to add to your preparation everyday. Each trip to Wal-Mart is an
opportunity to add to your supplies. The one thing I learned is that when the
storm hits,
its too late to think about being prepared. You have to think: if
a disaster strikes, how long can you feed and protect your family? I add
to my provisions
every day.
Start to prepare now. Think: food, food, and more food,
ammo, bandages, and unless you can
go without sleep 24 hours a day don't forget the dogs!
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Letter Re: New "Defiance" Resistance Warfare Movie
Hi;
I have learned a great deal from your site and recommend it to my customers (I
sell preparedness books).
There is a movie being released on January 16th called Defiance. You
can go to the movie web site to get a several minute long previews.
This is a movie on the Polish Partisans, or resistance forces that fought against
the Nazis in World War II. My dentist escaped from communist Poland and told
me that her grandfather was a Partisan leader. I have done was research I could
to learn about her grandfather and the resistance forces. Basically, as this
movie will "teach", they moved great numbers of Jews into the forests
and built underground houses, shops, entire villages. They conducted guerrilla
warfare against the Germans while protecting the young and old from capture.
I have meant to contact you about this basic idea as a tie in to this scenario
in your book. If people were to prepare positions in advance, build more permanent
structures equipped with a small wood stove, well, septic, supplies, the odds
of survival would drastically increase. But we can learn from what has already
been done. And they did this with minimal weapons, and those, when available,
were a few pistols and bolt action rifles. Compare this to what we have available
and already in our hands today. Keep up the good work. - Don in Ohio
« Letter Re: Home Invasion Robbery Countermeasures--Your Mindset and Architecture |Main| The Thin Blue Line, by Deputy W. »
Letter Re: Choosing Between Roughly Comparable Retreat Locations
Jim.
To follow up on your response E.G. in the southeast who has such good
neighbors. This reminds me of the small town in Maine where I grew up. Back
in the day[s of early pioneer settlement].
this community, like so many agricultural ones in the region, hosted homesteads
that were spread out much like E.G.'s friends in the southeast. At the time,
raids by indian parties were the norm as relations fluctuated between harmonious
and
deadly.
As it was more than obvious that a homestead family alone could never hope
to hold out against a band of forty warriors bent on pillage, the community
made provision for the common defense by picking a good piece of ground and
building a blockhouse on it. This was stocked with arms, ammunition and provisions
and maintained for the common defense and place of refuge. This system became
the norm in the region and low and behold, the raids eventually stopped because
the bands started bouncing off one block-housed community after another,
and paying the price for it.
Jim's sage advice along this line is not only spot on (as always) but also
has deep American roots; individual people who work their lives as sovereign
individuals but who in times of danger come together to form a cohesive group
capable of protecting the whole...and having the pre-positioned goods and
SOPs in
place to make it happen.- Mosby
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Letter Re: Choosing Between Roughly Comparable Retreat Locations
Dear Jim,
Thank you for the web site, it has been a great source of info. I first read
your novel ["Patriots:
Surviving the Coming Collapse"] in the 4th quarter of 1999. It
was very helpful for preparedness for Y2K.
I read it again 1st quarter 2008
and
am
now re-reading
with the high lighter
and pen.
For the folks who have not read your book, they are missing one of the best preparedness
manuals out there.
I have never been a Boy Scout, but my personal creed has always been to
be prepared. If you have any skills at all, then there is nothing worse then
being in a situation and not having the "stuff" to resolve your problem.
If you are mechanical, then you need to have some basic tools with you, etc.
etc. People who do not know how to use something don't see the need to have it.
It's like caring a gun, people think it's extreme or crazy to carry it, but I
ask do they have a cell phone? Why? because they may "need" it, well
better to have it and not need it then to need it and not have it. Pretty basic
stuff huh?
After reading your novel, I realized how unprepared I and my family were,
as well as how vulnerable we were in the location we lived. I was born and
raised in the Northeast.
A few years ago, we moved to the Southeast, to the "area" you recommended
to another blog reader last month as one of the places to go to this side of
the Mississippi
if you couldn't go further West.
Prior to moving, compared to my neighbors and guys at church, I would have
been labeled pretty handy, can fix and paint cars, gas and arc weld, build,
etc. After getting to know the boys down here, they all can do this stuff, most
of
the fellows from church have built their own homes, can do car repair, lots
have restored cars and trucks, operate heavy equipment, etc.
My question is this, three of my best friends down here have very similar
set-ups like mine. Private homes and land, 25 to 50 plus acres, all very keen
on being prepared, lots of good guns, grub, etc. Three of the four have read
your book, and the one who has not has been well briefed.
Our location to each other is about two miles apart from one another, each.
We are not on the same country road, but the first guy is two miles to the
next guy, then four miles to the next guy, etc. All of our homes are up on a
hill,
private, defendable, but all are wood-frame built homes. No brick or stone,
dumb, dumb, dumb!!!
Each guy and his family could hold down the fort from a few trouble makers,
but if a few pick up truck loads of the bad guys came at us the same time,
it would be tougher, plus not any of us has large enough families to handle security
patrols and the like.
If it were only me in a good spot or one of the other guy's had a great
set up, it would be easy, we all just hunker down here or there, but with four
great retreats, and like minded people, what is a guy to do with these options?
I know I have not covered all the other possibilities, like heat, water,
fuel, wood, food, but they are all pretty equal, like I mentioned earlier,
these guy's are pretty handy, so they all have a lot of "stuff".
I would like to hear your opinion or the opinions of others.
OBTW, we have done business with some of your sponsors and I bought the "Rawles
Gets You Ready" preparedness course.
This is a "must have", even for us people who think that we
know a bunch!
Thank you, - E.G.
JWR Replies: I think that you should plan to co-locate at
a property that has a shallow well (that can be hand-pumped), and that is the
most defendable. (Advantageous
terrain, clear fields of fire, and so forth.) As I often tell my consulting
clients, "Just think medieval": If you were going
to pick a particular parcel of
land--not pick an existing house, based on its attributes--then
where, in your darkest imaginings, would you someday build a castle? That,
then,
is the property you should pick.
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Letter Re: The SurvivalistBooks.com Groups Match-Up Page is Back On-Line
Hi James!
Happy New Year and a belated Merry Christmas! I've just returned from a 'holiday'
working on my retreat and found that over the holiday break my e-mail server
fell over.
I have added those messages I could recover to my Groups
Listing page - but
I know I have lost at least a couple of postings .
As a significant number of people access this page [from the link at the Finding
Like-Minded People in Your Area page] at your site, [I'd like to] explain
what has happened and ask anyone who doesn't see their
listing
to resend
it to me. Thanks, - John @ Survivalistbooks.com
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A Farmer's Perspective on Combating Crime in South Africa, by Joe Ordinary Voortrekker
Although we in South Africa do not live in a TEOTWAWKI situation,
we routinely have to deal with constant attempts to appropriate life, possessions,
and
freedom that could be good training for a
TEOTWAWKI
situation. The following are some real life insights as to what and how we
handle these regular attempts at property liberation on our homesteads and
surrounds.
We are fortunate to live well outside of South Africa’s largest city,
our community is isolated and not visible from any main road. To a point where
people that live in nearby areas do not know where our entry road is, and have
to be given detailed instructions on how to get to our community. (I’ve
even had a 20 year resident of an adjacent area tell me outright that I’m
lying and no such road/area exists. What a great place to be!) There are a
total of 24 families in our area, not all participate in the community [security
effort] and only one
other family has a preparedness mindset. Almost every member of the community
is very private and the idea of personal privacy and property rights is taken
very seriously. Of the 24 families there are nine that take an active role
in protecting the community totaling 15 men. Our community is situated in
a blind
valley with a single very defendable entrance, there are however two additional
tracks that can be used for either a north or south escape route if you know
where to find them.
Most of our threats consist of one or more of the following.(In no particular
order) Stock
theft, cable
theft, fencing or dropper [(cattle chute)] theft, house breaking,
armed home invasions, rape and other crimes. There is also a marked increase
in produce theft (directly from fields) in recent months.
What also needs to be understood is that in the rural areas there are specific
crime ‘seasons’. Outright you can peg the December/January and
Easter periods as a very high probability of stock theft, then the last two
weeks in any month with increases in housebreaking and implement/equipment
theft.
Our analysis of this suggests that people are looking for meat in December/January
and April for family [summer and fall] feasts. And at month end they are looking
for a bit of cash to tide them over till payday or they have just plain run
out
of
cash
and need
more.
The number one livestock theft item is sheep, they are simple to lift onto
ones shoulders and carry off without a sound (sheep make no noise at night
if manhandled). Cattle
are the next most frequent target. of theft. How this
is achieved is the cattle are often liberated early evening (20h00 – 21h00)
and a team of thieves will work as follows. A Cutter will walk ahead and cut
any
fencing
about 100m
in
front
of the cattle, then three drivers will drive the cattle along the chosen route,
typically the hocks are slashed so that the cattle cannot run, they are then
prodded with sharp sticks or bicycle spokes in the correct direction. The animals
are generally butchered in the veld and
only choice portions are taken, or they are herded directly to a township/village
for slaughter. They are often
herded over 20 or 30 km in one night. Making track and trace is sometimes extremely
difficult. The sad thing about this is that if you do recover your animals
before they
slaughter them, the animals need to be put down anyway. We have
even had a situation where large ‘steaks’ were cut out of living
cattle and they were left to be found in the morning. Goats and Pigs are very
low down on the list as they will vocally announce their displeasure at being
manhandled. This
PDF describes another very well known way of transporting
stolen stock long distances.
With regards to implements and equipment theft. Very high on the list are hand
tools, power tools, generators, water pumps, borehole pumps, and electric gate
motors--in fact anything that can be pawned or sold off quickly. A new phenomenon
that has recently reared its head is that people are stealing metal gates and
droppers, we have yet to catch one in the act, however we believe it’s
for the scrap metal market. New fencing is also quick to go, especially weld
mesh and Bonnox-type
fencing. As it’s easy to roll up and cart away,
and has a quick resale value on the open market if priced right.
To counteract the effects of crime in our area we have established for a number
of years now a very effective farm watch system that includes the following.
(I will cover each point separately to provide insight into the logic and tactics):
Highly visible motorised patrols: The main point of these is to provide a “show
of force” and it is mainly used as a deterrent during low crime times.
The use of vehicle mounted Search/spot lights is heavily employed. One of the
largest drawbacks is that ‘they’ can see you coming and a) either
scamper off to find a quieter area to harass, or b) just drop into the grass
that is typically 1 metre (3 feet) high, and then effectively become invisible.
Another drawback
is that once the patrol ends this can be easily be seen, due to a
lack of lights sweeping the roads and properties.
Foot patrols: These are undertaken specifically during times
of harassment, or in peak crime times. Foot patrols generally consist of two
separate patrols
of minimum three individuals each, contact via radio is available but only
used as and when required. A preset route is followed, there are a total of
nine
routes, typically only four are covered by both patrols in an evening. Each
route has
specific LP/OPs developed
as well as caches of food/water and medical [supplies] on the longer routes.
Some routes are never more than about 300
- 500 meters from a lot of the homesteads and others can take one over two
kilometers
from
the nearest homestead.
LP/OPs: Generally performed on off nights where ‘nothing
is going on’.
Members will walk out onto their own properties and take up specific LP/OP
to generally [listen and] observe. This is often tied in with the final checks
on animals, stores and stables. The interesting thing is you are able to track
the movement
of an individual(s) from well over two kilometres away, just by listening to
the night sounds of animals. Dogs, Plovers,
Geese, Guinea
Fowl, and peacocks, frogs/toads,
and others can all give an indication as to what is happening in the area.
We have got to a point where just by listening to the sounds of the local critters,
both wild and domestic, we are able to make a good judgment call if a impromptu
patrol needs to rustled up. Most evenings we can track the return of staff
members and labourers as they walk back from the local shebeens.
Contact Routes: These are predefined routes that each farmer will
take when a contact is established. This has worked very well for us on a number
of occasions
leading to the arrest of six individuals and the peppering of at least three
that have escaped, with bird shot liberally inserted into their Gluteus
maximus.
The adage in our area is not to have someone die on your property, rather wound
[them] and let them spread the word. It the best advertising you can get for
a peaceful nights rest. They also cannot go to a hospital as this raises questions.
We
have heard via the grapevine of one individual that had a friend digging around
in his butt with a piece of bent piece of wire to try extricate shot. Somehow
I don’t think he is coming back. [JWR Adds: Things are
different here in the oh-so litigious US, where wounding a miscreant is an
invitation to a huge civil lawsuit. I advise American, Canadian and British
SurvivalBlog readers: Don't pull the trigger unless your life is immediately
threatened.]
Basically there are two types of contact:
1) Farm based. When there is an attack on a particular farm then the alarm
is raised via, land line, cell phone, radio or audible sirens. Information
is generally given to wives for relay, as husbands prepare, as to what portion
of the farmstead is threatened. A ring is established around the farm with
selected individuals providing direct support at the farmstead, once the farmstead
is cleared then the ring closes along predefined routes. BTW, it is vitally
important that the outer ring is maintained, as often a lot more is seen from
the ring than from the farmstead. In addition all lights on all farms get turned
off, specifically to assist the guys with Night Vision, but we have found that
those that don’t, can also see better without distracting ambient light
sources. Lastly, the explicit rule is that if it’s your farm / livestock
under attack then you are not to leave the house! There is
no need for a hostage situation or to allow for a penetration of your family's
security, or God forbid
a friendly fire incident. That is why you have neighbours.
2) Infrastructure based: Typically this is cable
theft, we are very proud of
the fact that we are one of the few rural areas in South Africa that has had
no interruption of our telecoms service in well over 18 months. We have taken
the initiative to install alarms on our lines that activate as soon as there
is a voltage drop. ([Caused by a] cut line) This triggers a response where
farmers scramble to cover specific points. The amazing thing is how fast
these cable
thieves
can move. They cut and drag 150-200 metres of 50-pair cable well over 500 meters
in a matter minutes. It took us a while to get our attack honed, but
now we have a 100% strike rate and no more cable theft.
Most patrol members are armed with Shotguns and occasionally with a sidearm,
a 2-way radio, torch, Night Vision if they have the gear, and a small first
aid kit is carried by one member. A handful of heavy duty cable ties [for use
as handcuffs are also carried.
Each member is also at liberty to equip themselves with what they feel is necessary.
What we find is that new members tend to go all out on kit, and it only takes
about two weeks for them to start reducing the amount of glory kit they carry
to the minimum. (We actually have a pool bet going on the number of patrols
walked with full kit, we always do the two longest for them on the trot. Hey,
we need some fun.)
Some additional information, many thieves will plan their attacks long in advance
with scouting and intel well sourced, either via the local labourer population
or via direct observation. One of the most common and disturbing warning signs
that you will get, is that dogs
are being poisoned in the area. Depending on
the poison used, it will generally be a fast acting (in a matter of minutes)
the most common poison is Aldicarb
or Temik a restricted use agricultural pesticide.
Luckily we have not had any incidents in our area, but all around us there
are reports of multi
