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Two Letters Re: Cost Comparison: Factory Loads and Reloaded Ammunition
James,
Grandpappy isn't comparing apples to oranges correctly. His reloaded ammo pricing is for premium self defense bullets, which cost $150 or so per thousand. Most people are going to reload cast lead, which would cost $50 or 60 per thousand for a .40 S&W for example. If you price new premium self defense ammo, like Doubletap, it is going for around $700 a case. If you purchased new brass (why?) Hornady or Speer premium SD bullets, you would still be able to build your own (which we supposedly should not due to legal concerns) SD ammo for half the cost. And practice? Much, much cheaper with lead bullets.
Recent online ammo vendors (who have in stock) are trying to charge almost $500 for a case of .45 ACP 230 grain hardball (look at Natchez). You can load 230 grain lead roundnose (LRN) and duplicate the factory load for maybe $130 or so with good hard cast bullets included. Compared to today's ridiculous ammo prices, you can make up the cost of your reloading setup in a case or two of ammo. Anyone who wants to shoot more than 500 rounds a year should be reloading. Thanks! - M.S.
Jim:
Grandpappy had a great article on reloading, but what about time? Time is money. Reloading is very time consuming. Between [the time required for] collecting the fired brass, sorting the brass, cleaning [or tumbling] the brass, de-priming the brass, adjusting brass specs to factory (sizing, case length, primer pocket, etc…), this alone is a huge labor and use of time.
This, and my worsening eyesight that keeps me from enjoying precision hand loads, is why I gave up on reloading and sold all my equipment and supplies. BTW, I made a bundle of cash selling my new and used brass and primers. Wow! I quadrupled my money.
No one seems to factor in time. I don’t know about you, but have a long list of to-do projects and brass prep is not one of them.
I’m sure glad I bought hard and heavy in ammo back in the old days. I’m set for my life and probably the life of my kid too. - Robert
JWR Replies: I agree that reloading is time-consuming, but it is a valuable skill. For anyone that makes a six-figure salary, it is probably not worthwhile as a hobby at the present time. But for the rest of us, that don't make that much money, and a have a bit of time on our hands, it is well worth doing. It is particularly worthwhile for students and retirees. I love listening to music, and find that since it is a relatively quiet activity, reloading is a soothing, almost cathartic experience. But, of course, "your mileage may vary." Regardless, it is a valuable skill. I recommend that SurvivalBlog readers at least take the time to learn how to do it, and lay in the appropriate tools and supplies. Reloading capability might prove invaluable in a long-term collapse.
OBTW, don't overlook taking the same humidity precautions for powder and primers that you do for loaded ammunition. On that note, I should mention that I prefer using used Tupperware boxes for storing primer and percussion caps. They are airtight, yet they pose less of an explosion risk than metal ammo cans, in the unlikely event of a house fire. (I look for Tupperware containers whenever I go to garage sales, thrift stores, and farm auctions. Powder cans seal quite well by themselves. Again, for the sake of fire safety, they should be stored in a "blow open" plywood cabinet. Again, resist the temptation to store it in something confining like a 20mm ammo can.
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Cost Comparison: Factory Loads and Reloaded Ammunition, by Grandpappy
There are some significant cost differences between reloading shotgun shells and reloading pistol and rifle ammunition.
The following cost summaries illustrate these differences (all cost data collected in June 2009):
Pistol Ammunition Summary:
$0.270 = Total Cost of one New Factory-Loaded 40 S&W 165 Grain Pistol Cartridge.
$0.206 = Total Material Cost to Reload one Used 40 S&W 165 Grain Pistol Cartridge.
$0.064 = Cost Savings of Reloading one Used 40 S&W 165 Grain Pistol Cartridge.
Rifle Ammunition Summary:
$0.800 = Total Cost of one New Factory-Loaded 308 Caliber 165 Grain Rifle Cartridge.
$0.480 = Total Material Cost to Reload one Used 308 Caliber 165 Grain Rifle Cartridge.
$0.320 = Cost Savings of Reloading one Used 308 Caliber 165 Grain Rifle Cartridge.
Shotgun Shell Summary:
$0.240 = Total Cost of one New Factory-Loaded 12 Gauge 2.75-inch #7.5 Shot Shotgun Shell.
$0.410 = Total Material Cost to Reload one Used 12 Gauge 2.75-inch #7.5 Shot Shotgun Shell.
-$0.170 = Additional Cost to Reload one Used 12 Gauge 2.75-inch #7.5 Shot Shotgun Shell.
Shotgun Slug Summary:
$0.631 = Total Cost of one New Factory-Loaded 12 Gauge 2.75-inch One-Ounce Shotgun Slug.
$0.738 = Total Material Cost to Reload one Used 12 Gauge 2.75-inch One-Ounce Shotgun Slug.
-$0.107 = Additional Cost to Reload one Used 12 Gauge 2.75-inch One-Ounce Shotgun Slug.
A more detailed cost analysis that supports the above numbers appears at the bottom of this article.
The above data is based on average costs as of June 2009. I did not select the lowest possible cost nor the highest possible cost for each item. Instead I used the average cost.
If a person wanted to prove a specific point then he or she could easily select a set of extreme cost data that would support his or her point of view. For example, a person could compare the cheapest reloading materials to the most expensive factory-loaded ammunition and show a large savings. Or a person could compare the most expensive reloading materials to the cheapest factory-loaded ammunition and show a loss.
Since I am not trying to encourage or discourage reloading I used the average cost numbers for each material to provide a more balanced perspective.
The above data suggests that the average person could save a little money by reloading pistol and rifle ammunition.
On the other hand, the average person would save money by purchasing new factory-loaded shotgun shells instead of reloading empty shotgun shells.
The above conclusion is the same one I reached in 1974 when I first investigated the costs of reloading ammunition. In 1974 I could save money reloading both pistol and rifle ammunition but I would have paid a premium if I had tried to reload shotgun shells.
The above analysis does not take into consideration the cost of the reloading equipment. If a person were to invest $290 in reloading equipment plus $40 in one set of reloading dies in a specific caliber, then that person would need to reload the following number of empty cartridges to recover the cost of the total investment of $330:
5,156 Pistol Cartridges = $330 divided by $0.064 savings per pistol cartridge, or
1,031 Rifle Cartridges = $330 divided by $0.320 savings per rifle cartridge.
This clearly illustrates that a person would need to reload a lot of ammunition in order to break even on his or her investment of $330 in reloading equipment that includes one set of reloading dies. Therefore, the average person would probably be better advised to invest in new factory-loaded ammunition if he or she can still find it available for sale.
However, if factory-loaded ammunition becomes increasingly difficult to find, or if its price continues to increase, then a person might want to consider the reloading option as a viable alternative.
Some additional information about the reloading process is at the following page on my web site. This following web page also discusses the art of bullet casting and how to reduce your lead bullet cost to approximately $0.05 per bullet using clip-on lead wheel weights and ordinary solder that contains tin:
How to Get More Ammunition During Hard Times.
A general discussion on how to improve your marksmanship ability when shooting at paper targets is at the following page on my web site: How to Hit the Target Bull's-Eye.
The following detailed cost information is provided to support the cost data at the beginning of this article. This cost data is based on the average costs for each material as of June 2009:
Pistol Cartridge (40 S&W 165 Grain FMJ):
$0.030 = Primer Cost ($29.99 per box of 1,000 divided by 1,000).
$0.016 = Average Powder Cost ($15.79 per pound divided by 959 cartridges per pound).
$0.160 = Average Bullet Cost ($15.99 per box of 100 divided by 100).
$0.206 = Total Cost to Reload one Used 40 S&W Pistol Cartridge.
$0.270 = Average Cost of one New Factory-Loaded 40 S&W Cartridge ($13.49 per box divided by 50 rounds per box).
Rifle Cartridge (308 Caliber 165 Grain):
$0.030 = Primer Cost ($29.99 per box of 1,000 divided by 1,000).
$0.120 = Average Powder Cost ($21.99 per pound divided by 184 cartridges per pound).
$0.330 = Average Bullet Cost ($16.49 per box of 50 divided by 50) .
$0.480 = Total Cost to Reload one Used 308 Rifle Cartridge.
$0.800 = Average Cost of one New Factory-Loaded 308 Cartridge ($15.99 per box divided by 20 rounds per box).
Shotgun Shell (12 Gauge 2.75-Inch #7.5 Shot):
$0.039 = Primer Cost ($38.99 per box of 1,000 primers divided by 1,000).
$0.049 = Average Powder Cost ($18.49 per pound divided by 378 Shells per pound).
$0.290 = Average Shot Shell Cost ($50.99 per 11-pound bag divided by 176 Shells per bag).
$0.032 = Average Wad Cost ($7.89 per bag of 250 Wads divided by 250).
$0.410 = Total Cost to Reload one Used 12 Gauge Shotgun Shell.
$0.240 = Average Cost of one New Factory-Loaded 12 Gauge Shotgun Shell ($23.97 per case of 100 shells divided by 100 shells per case).
Shotgun Slug (12 Gauge 2.75-inch One-Ounce Slug):
$0.039 = Primer Cost ($38.99 per box of 1,000 primers divided by 1,000).
$0.107 = Average Powder Cost ($18.79 per pound divided by 175 Shells per pound).
$0.560 = Average One-Ounce Slug Cost ($13.99 per 25 Slugs divided by 25).
$0.032 = Average Wad Cost ($7.89 per bag of 250 Wads divided by 250).
$0.738 = Total Cost to Reload one Used 12 Gauge Shotgun Slug.
$0.631 = Average Cost of one New Factory-Loaded 12 Gauge Shotgun Slug ($9.47 per box of 15 slugs divided by 15 slugs per box).
The cost of the empty metallic brass shell case and the empty plastic shotgun shell is not included in the above figures because those items are being reused and therefore they may be considered a “sunk cost.” A sunk cost is an expense that was incurred in the past and it is not relevant for future purchase decisions. In other words, after you have paid for the factory-loaded ammunition, and you have fired that ammunition, then you have the choice to either: (1) discard your empty shell cases, or (2) re-use those cases. If you decide to re-use your fired shell cases then you do not incur any new additional expense.
Sales tax and/or shipping expenses were not included in the preceding data. These costs would be unique to your geographical location and they would equally impact all the above costs by the same ratio.
The above costs for new factory-loaded ammunition are based on the cost of that ammunition at a Wal-Mart in the southeastern United States as of June 2009.
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The Jump Kit, by Skyrat
Inside the trunk of my vehicle is a near duplicate of the “jump kit” or “Green Bag” used in my days with the Detroit Fire Department's Emergency Medical Service Division. When I come across a roadside collision before the local medics, everything I need to start patient care is in the green canvas bag I sling over my shoulder. The supplies in my personal vehicle are very much like those I carried in my street medic days, and reflect a strong basic life support/trauma bias.
Basic life support includes those interventions that do not go past the skin, and generally do not require physician direction to implement. Advanced life support, on the other hand, includes therapies that do go past the skin, and include medications, intravenous fluids (IVs), electrical counter shock, and airway intubation.
I do not include intravenous fluids or medications in my green bag for a couple of reasons. First, these items have a limited storage life under the best of conditions, and the rear of a passenger vehicle in Northern Michigan is not calculated to prolong it. Second, the statutes under which paramedics practice here in Michigan requires systematic physician supervision of advanced patient care. Fundamentally, that means that if you are not functioning within an established paramedic system, you are out of bounds should you perform advanced procedures on the street. Third, advanced patient care procedures are occasions of peril even in the hospital, let alone in the rear of an ambulance. This is so, even within a system of continuing education, continuous quality assessment, supervision, and the backup of both your partner, and the physician and clinical staff on the other end of the telephone or radio. Soloing at the roadside provides neither you nor your patient with these safeguards.
Firearms owners are likely acquainted with the “gun shop commando”, classically braying about the bogus “shoot 'em and drag 'em inside” philosophy of home violence management. Likewise, you might consider the existence of the “parlor paramedic”, who seems to reason something like, ”wait until the Schumer hits the fan, and I'll come out of the closet, birthin' babies and saving lives!”
In order to entertain this fantasy, you will need the tools of the trade. Medications are not without risks, do not keep forever, and are expensive. Additionally, there is the issue of convincing a physician that he or she ought to prescribe for you and that you can differentiate your Barneyfrank (ass) from a hole in the ground. If the expense is no problem for you because you have money to burn, please see me after class! If you think that the utility of your medication stash outweighs the other concerns, please contemplate these points: 1) In the absence of a catastrophe the likes of which America has never seen, it is both illegal and immoral to withhold professional medical care required by an ill or injured person. 2) During Schumeresque times, it is unlikely that the infrastructure will be in service which allows the delivery of complex, highly skilled care to those in need. Particularly, you will not have access to that infrastructure, and (if you have your head screwed on straight) you will have no desire to perform skills you are not trained to do, in the midst of a disaster, upon your vulnerable, hurting and injured loved ones.
By way of example, I have 30 yeas of EMS and nursing experience (in ICU, CCU, and ER), as well as licensure as a Physician's Assistant. I have used Dopamine, along with other invasive therapies, innumerable times to support the blood pressure of critically ill or injured patients. Dopamine has potent effects upon the heart, among other systems, and these effects are monitored by a cardiac monitor. I found a Zoll Automatic Cardiac Defibrillator, after a brief internet search, for $3,000, which appears after a casual review to allow monitoring. The question, however, is whether you can make sense of the tracing the monitor displays, identify adverse changes in cardiac rhythm, and respond appropriately. Additionally, do you know the adverse effects Dopamine may have, and how they must be managed? If not, you have no business trifling with it. I have done all these things for years in my Nursing practice, and I do not have Dopamine in my personal stores. You need to assume the risks you both understand and are comfortable with. I am reluctant to assume this risk for myself and my family.
My bias toward trauma derives from the fact that the stabilization and management of the medical patient, in contrast to the trauma patient, calls for assessments and interventions that I generally do not find appropriate outside of the hospital or advanced life support ambulance. Determining the source of the patient's distress will identify what treatment is required. While there are a few medical conditions that are responsive to basic life support interventions, I am not about to pretend that a few thousand words will equip you to make such judgments. Find an American Red Cross first aid class and master it. Better yet, become an EMT.
Just the other day, I came upon a rollover as my girlfriend and I were en route to attend some family function. There were half-a-dozen civilians clustered about, and things seemed well in hand. The first firefighter arrived shortly after me, and I deferred to him. Offering him wound care supplies, I was surprised to discover I could not find any gloves in my kit! Returning home, I undertook an inventory. Here is the result of that tally, and some discussion of my view of why each item belongs in my kit.
Training comes first. There is a story told of the early days of the Israeli state, when the emergency response planners had the budget required to train their personnel to stabilize and transport spine injured patients, or buy the splints (called backboards), but not both. The story relates that the planners elected to train their personnel, and subsequently noted a spine injured kibbutznik transported to the hospital by his comrades, secured effectively to an entire barn door.
I place a priority on training for several reasons. First, neither vermin nor adverse storage conditions have ever ruined training and rendered it unusable. Secondly, “they can have my training when they can pry it from my cold, dead mind”. Third, I have never ever (in my disorganized life) failed to pack my training. Fourth, there is nothing that will be displaced from my supplies in order to make room for my training. Fifth, in contrast to supplies, ability improves with use, and becomes more abundant when you share it with others.
Begin with CPR training. Three or four hours of your time will equip you with the skill that may save a life in the here-and-now. You will gain an introduction to patient assessment, and learn some of he fundamentals of first aid, and whatever dilemma confronts you, your response cannot fail to be more effective with some training to guide you. Effectiveness saves lives.
Look into local outlets for first aid training. The American Red Cross, the National Safety Council, your local community college, as well as perhaps others offer credible training which may serve as an introduction to further studies. The justification for the further expenditure of additional hours may be found in the preceding paragraph. Additionally, if you are more acquainted with what the medical conversation is about, the health care decisions made with regard to yourself and your family will be less mysterious to you, and better informed decisions tend to be better decisions. The better your health, the better your chances of coming out the other side of Schumer times intact, and therefore the better chance of bringing your family with you, likewise unscathed.
Consider EMT schooling. You will learn more emergency care skills (a good thing), and an introduction to elementary anatomy and pathophysiology (how things go wrong in illness and injury). Such education gives you the opportunity to be a more informed participant in your health care decisions, and that is itself a good thing, as well.
SELECTING YOUR CASE
It really doesn't matte what sort of container you employ for your emergency supplies, so long as it meets your particular needs for security, identification, accessibility, protection and convenience.
Some fire departments use plastic “totes” to organize supplies required for specific types of calls. For example, haz-mat supplies are packed inside specific totes, and the top secured with a cable tie or some such device. An inventory is attached to the top (sealed in plastic) to identify what is inside, as well as out dates of time sensitive components. When properly closed, such bins are drip and dust resistant, resist crushing or jumbling of the contents, and can be convenient to carry when not overfilled. On the other hand, they will not conveniently fit beneath a vehicle seat, may be unwieldy to retrieve and place into action, and may get buried beneath other stuff in a trunk or truck box.
Others of my acquaintance use ammo cans, or plastic fishing tackle boxes. These are generally more convenient to shlep about (unless your tastes run along the lines of a 20 mm ammo can) and are more drip/dust/duh! resistant than the tubs mentioned above. On the other hand, they may overturn with disappointing ease, spilling your supplies into whatever noxious fluid is abundant on your particular scene.
I use a green canvas musette type bag. It is not water resistant, is not neatly compartmentalized, and does not have an IR glint Star of Life embroidered upon it. On the other hand, I know how my stuff inside is organized, it is convenient to sling over my shoulder when the scene requires that I do so, and the local military surplus store will sell me another for $10-20 when that becomes needful. It will fit beneath a van seat, or in a tub in my trunk, and I can work out of it when I have it slung.
IN THE TOP, OR IN AN OUTSIDE POCKET
Items that I am likely to require promptly are either in the outside pocket or immediately inside the top flap of the bag. These are things that I do not want to be fumbling for as I approach a scene. I will not list what might be considered “everyday carry” items like pocket knife, flashlight(s), CS spray, sidearm, and a cell phone. While these tools help keep the rescuer from becoming a victim of an ambush laid for a 'Good Samaritan” , particularly when employed in concert with a Condition Orange mindset. (I did mention I started out in Detroit, didn't I?) These items do not seem to me to be rescue/first aid/emergency medical tools.
First up is several pairs of gloves. (well, now, anyhow!) I am allergic to latex, so I have nitrile gloves. Current practice is to wear gloves anytime you might reasonably anticipate exposure to blood or other bodily fluids: tears, urine, stool, saliva, gastric contents, or any other moist, body-origin material you might imagine (and perhaps a few you might not!). I have so thoroughly incorporated this into my life that I get uneasy caring for my own children (or, at my advanced age, grandchildren!) without gloving first. These are in a zip-lock bag, safety pinned (now!) just inside the top flap of my green bag.
The upside to all this is that scrupulous gloving and thorough hand washing have so far proven highly effective at preventing the spread of the most common blood-borne infections. Diseases spread via airborne droplets (for example, Legionnaires disease), of course, require additional precautions. Others are spread by organisms coming to rest upon environmental surfaces and then accessing a vulnerable host (just like you and I are vulnerable hosts to “the common cold”) by means of unconsciously touching our faces after touching a contaminated surface. For myself, after 30 plus years of patient contact the worst I have brought home has been an occasional upper respiratory infection due to my conscientiously applying the glove/hand wash/hands away from my face regimen.
The next item I'll feel a burning need to have in my hands is a bag-valve-mask (BVM). This is a manually operated ventilation tool. It is employed by sealing the mask over the unbreathing patient's face, squeezing the self inflating bag, and thereby forcing air into your patient's lungs. Repeat at a rate of approximately 12-20 times a minute. Advantage: no kissing strangers, required for mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. You are able to maintain situational awareness of such things as evolving environmental hazards (like leaking gasoline), or indicators of your patient's improving condition (...he said, thinking positively!). On the downside, using a BVM is difficult in untutored hands. It is easier (compared to mouth-to-mouth) to force air into the patient's stomach, which will elicit vomiting. Aside from the aesthetic issues this presents, vomiting in a profoundly unconscious patient (such as one so unconscious as to have stopped breathing) presents the opportunity for aspiration into the lungs of that which has been vomited, which may be deadly.
Training in use of a BVM will be part of the EMT class I mentioned earlier. I'll wait here while you go find out when your local community college or rescue squad will be having their next class. Plan on being a part of that class. You will be making your community, and thereby your family, safer.
You can buy your own, and Gall's will ding your for around $15 for a disposable model. In the hospital, we use these once and discard them. You might choose to meticulously clean yours and re-use it. Your local rescue squad or ambulance may shop locally, and you might want to do likewise. Ya know, if you were to volunteer with your local rescue squad, you might be able to obtain things like this at your agency's cost. All this on top of the good karma from helping to provide a necessary community service. And,, besides, becoming known to the locals (police included) as one of “the good guys”. Your phone book likely will provide the contact information you require. I'll still be here when you get back.
One of the adjuncts to using a BVM is called an oral airway. Oral airways come in sizes, which may be selected according to the size of the patient. Their purpose is to hold the flaccid tongue of a profoundly unconscious patient forward, so that it does not sag against the rear of the throat and thereby block the passage of air into and out of the lungs. The problem it may trigger is, should your patient be other than profoundly unconscious, he or she will vomit. Among other disasters this may cause, the enzymes from the stomach, designed to digest proteins, will (unsurprisingly) begin to digest the proteins found in the delicate tissues of the air sacs (alveoli) of the lungs, with effects you are likely to be able to imagine on your own. Very Bad Thing. [JWR Adds: Plastic airways usually come in sets of six sizes, and usually color-coded these days, available for less than $5 per set on eBay. Buy a couple of sets. Someday you may be very glad that you did!]
Another way to fail when employing an oral airway is to bunch up the patient's tongue in the rear of the throat. This blocks air flow, strangling your patient. This device must be restricted to only profoundly unconscious patients, and only if you are schooled in its use. You can buy them individually, or in sets. Before shipping, they go for around $5.00/set. You might elect to buy them one at a time, but at $5 a pop, they aren't a particularly major investment.
When I'm confronted by an actively bleeding patient, I reach for a Carlyle dressing. Mine are the old style The Carlyle iteration includes muslin (cloth) ties to secure as any other tied bandage. The 21st century version is called an Israeli Dressing, and is available from various sources. (see my shopping list/spreadsheet for representative sources) It consists of a sterile dressing incorporating an elastic bandage to secure the dressing to the wound. Should you shop gun shows or surplus stores for your equipment, be wary of old dressings. They present potential issues of failed sterility as well as mustiness or mildew occasioned by improper storage or imperfect packaging. The contemporary Israeli Battle Dressings are available from Cheaper Than Dirt or from Gall's for $9.00 or $10.00 each.
Another wound care product is QuikClot . This is a mineral product, bound to a dressing, which enhances clotting, and thereby slows and limits blood loss in the bleeding patient (common in trauma, surprisingly enough!) One article (QuikClot Use in Trauma for Hemorrhage Control: Case Series of 103 Documented Uses. Journal of Trauma-Injury Infection & Critical Care. 64(4):1093-1099, April 2008.) reflected the occurrence of burns in several patients, but the manufacturer's web site reports that changes in packaging and delivery system have addressed this issue.
An alternative you might consider is Celox. It appears perhaps to be a reasonable alternative to QuikClot. It is derived from shrimp shells, although it seems to not produce allergic reactions in folks otherwise allergic to seafood. I have no personal experience with either product, but the reports are interesting. This goes on my “further research” list!
The preceding items are to be found in the outside pocket or very top of my jump kit. I don't want to be searching for them when I feel the need for them Right Freaking Now. Beneath the don't-wanna-wait-for-them items, I have supplies of somewhat lesser immediacy. These allow me to assess the situation in greater detail, or address issues that may come to light that are of less time sensitivity.
Triangular Bandages are useful for slings of injured arms, or may be folded into narrow strips and then used as a means to secure splints or dressings (as “cravat bandages”). If we were to consider them as a backpacker might, they may be used as expedient dust masks, bandannas, head coverings, or washcloths. I buy muslin by the yard at Wal-Mart, and cut it from one corner to the other, forming (surprise!) 2 triangles approximately a yard on a side. I keep 6 to 8 in my kit.
Bandage shears are the most obvious of the prehospital medic's tools. You can go with Lister style bandage scissors, often found as “nurse's scissors”, or the plastic and steel “super shears”. Prices range from $4.00 and up. Frequently employed to trim dressings to the proper size, cut away clothing from wounds, and to cut bandages.
Did you ever notice that a tongue blade/tongue depressor is almost exactly the width of a finger? And just a bit longer than your Mark 1, Mod 0 finger? Exactly like it were designed to be a finger splint, isn't it? In addition, should you tape three of them together one on top of the other, you have a dandy tool for tightening that “Spanish windlass” you are going to learn about, when your EMT class teaches you how to apply and improvise a traction splint for a fractured femur (thighbone). Finally, if you are unhappy at the thought of wiggling somebody's fractured femur (broken thighbone) so you may place ties (cravats: remember them?) for a splint, tongue blades are thin, stiff, and very helpful at limiting the wiggling as you place ties beneath the broken bone of your choice. I keep a handful handy.
You can pay a couple of bucks for them at the corner pharmacy, or you might be able to talk your way into several for free, like when you are volunteering at some public service event with your local volunteer fire department, emergency medical service, or amateur radio club.
Stethoscope/Blood Pressure Cuff. A stethoscope allows you to hear the sounds made as air moves into and out of the lungs, and note changes from normal. These changes might occur because your patient has a collapsed lung, or has pneumonia, or heart failure. When you get that far into your EMT class (hint, hint), you will learn how to evaluate these changes, and what sort of treatment decisions you ought to consider when you notice them. In addition, you will learn how to measure, and interpret, your patient's blood pressure.
I am certain you will know somebody who will go out and get the cardiology deluxe stethoscope, with the multi disc cd player, mag wheels, and gold trim. Do not join them in this folly. Spend $10-40 at the same place the local student nurses get their stethoscopes, and spend the difference on your spouse, whose enthusiastic support you will require, anyhow. If you can show your spouse how your expenditure of family money and time on supplies, education, and volunteering promote values that you both agree upon, the both of you will thereby make your family more crisis resistant. If your family is more crisis resistant, then you are not only NOT a drag on community emergency services during an emergency, you all might even be an affirmative community asset during bad times. That cannot fail to be a Good Thing when you get to explain yourself to The Jewish Carpenter. Me, I'm going to require all the help I can get. I'm volunteering!
Adhesive tape (1 inch, 2 inch) secures dressings, holds loose ends of bandages, and provides a single use notepad (tear off a length, tape it to your thigh, and jot notes. You will not lay it down somewhere to be forgotten). If you listen to some friendly and knowledgeable athletic trainer, you can learn how to use it to support sprained ankles or knees if the preferred treatment (rest, ice, elevation) is not possible. Before you employ these tricks, bear in mind that physicians frequently cannot differentiate a sprain from a fracture, even after an x-ray. In my view, except under the most dire possible circumstances, walking on a fractured (or sprained) extremity is a Very Bad Thing. Two rolls each are at hand when I open my green bag.
I keep 12 to 15 Gauze pad, sterile, 4x4 in my kit. I employ them as eye pads, padding beneath splints, or as (oddly enough) dressing for wounds. Occasionally I encounter a wound bleeding so enthusiastically that a couple of gauze pads will be overwhelmed. Fortunately, I haven't come across such a wound off duty, but in the hospital we use a “boat” of sterile gauze. This is a plastic tray of ten sponges in one pack. The tray also may be used as a clean basin for wound irrigation/cleansing solution. In the hospital we use sterile saline, you may elect to use the water from your retort pouch, or fresh from the bottle as you purchased it for storage. I would certainly give it some thought.
If you happen to be the purchasing agent for your entire survival community, ambulance service, or the entire Boy Scout Council, you might find the case price from Galls to be a useful bit of information. 1200 sterile 4x4 pads for $89.99 works out to around 7.5 cents each.
Triple padding/ABD padding, sterile, 5x9 inch. These multiple layer absorbent dressings are designed for wounds producing a lot of drainage of either blood or other fluid. They are my first choice for a bulky dressing or splint padding. I keep 6 in my kit. The frugally minded may note that “sanitary napkins” are designed to absorb drainage, are “medically aseptic”, and are available nearly everywhere.
And, on a related note, tampons from the “feminine hygiene” shelf at your local store are also constructed to absorb fluids, and contain them. Should you confront a penetrating wound, “tamponading” a wound is a widely known concept among inhabitants of the medical world. Packing such a wound with a tampon using sterile technique might prove to be life saving, and provide hemorrhage control options not otherwise available. (http://snopes.com/military/tampon.asp)
Roller Gauze, 4 inch is typically used to secure a dressing (see Gauze Sponge, above) to the wound. I pack 6 in my kit, and they have “found careers” as bandages to secure dressings, securing splints when I run out of triangular bandages, and upon occasion as packing/dressings for vigorously bleeding wounds. In fact, when one is employed as the dressing, and another as the bandage, I can not only dress the wound, but also (since the bulky roll provides a pressure point) apply direct pressure to the bleeding site. This provides an alternative to the Carlyle or Israeli Dressing, cited above
Vaseline Gauze (sterile, 3x9 inch) is intended to seal wounds penetrating the chest, in order to prevent collapse of your patient's lung(s). When you seal the defect in the chest wall, your patient will not draw in air through the wound when s/he inhales, and thereby not fill the space between the lung and the chest wall (the pleural space) with air. When you can avoid this, inhaling draws in air through the mouth, trachea and bronchi, and that inflates your lungs, and we think that is a good thing. Myself, I pitch the gauze and tape three sides of the foil package, sterile side towards the wound, forming a flutter valve sort of effect. In this way I allow excess pressure in the pleural space to vent to atmosphere (stopping further lung collapse, I hope), and seal the hole when the pressure inside the chest is less than atmospheric pressure (like when the patient inhales). The only way left to equalize that pressure is by inflating the lungs, already described with approval above.
The other use for Vaseline gauze is when my lips or hands are dry, in which case I use the Vaseline to remedy that little problem.
We all can think of uses for the common elastic bandage, 4 inch and 2 inch. Two inch is useful for sprains of your wrist or thumb, and the 4 inch is used for an ankle twist/sprain. In addition, I can use them to secure a splint (there is that rule of threes, seen in other posts on this blog, again!), as the “swathe” part of a sling-and-swathe to immobilize an injured shoulder, or as part of a pressure bandage over a dressed wound that does not want to stop bleeding.
Large Bulb Syringe (for which you can substitute a turkey baster) functions as an expedient means of removing fluids from the airway of someone who is not managing to do so effectively on their own. It will not work nearly as well as a battery powered or pump action suction, such as you might find on your local rescue squad rig, but it won't cost you $50-$60 (for the manually pumped version) either. Second best is superior to nothing.
Mylar “Space blankets” protect you or your patient from the hypothermia-inducing effects of the wind, slowing heat loss. Generally colored bright orange on one side and silver on the other, there are signaling opportunities as well. In a pinch, you can improvise shelter from one or two. Amazon sells the "Space Brand" blanket
inexpensively. Equip your jump kits, and each member of your family with one or two.
Any accident so severe as to convince suspicious old me (alumnus of Detroit's EMS) to stop and offer assistance will not be fixed with a couple of Adhesive Bandages (aka “Band Aids”). I have six in my jump kit, two entire boxes at home (and parceled out among my camper, car, and household kits).
I keep a couple of Ice Packs around, as assorted adventures may bring on modest orthopedic injuries. Ice is helpful for strains, sprains, or overuse of an over aged joint (...not that I would know anything, firsthand, about that...). Choices include “instant cold packs”, or that old picnicker's standby, a zip lock bag full of ice from the cooler.
Either option has drawbacks. I do not generally drive about with a cooler of ice at hand, although when camping I am likely to do so. Instant cold packs are kind of fragile, and you might find, when you go to place one in service, that you have a leaking mess on your hands. On the other hand, they are more likely to be there when you want one.
The foregoing lists the contents of my “jump kit”. I keep one kit in my vehicle, and another at home. In addition, there are Subordinate Kits, kept in camper, car and home, for lesser sorts of occasions. I have customized each by adding more dressings, triangular bandages, roller gauze, and gloves. In addition, I improved over the baseline “Wally World” $15 first aid kit, by adding zip lock bags of various household medications. I labeled each bag with the name of the med, the out date of that particular bottle, directions for use, and date of packing. I made my selections by inspecting my own medicine cabinet, and pondering which meds I had wished I had kept handy the last time I was out camping, for example. Most everything commonly needed is therefore in the Camper Kit, Car Kit, or House Kit.
The jump kits are reserved for “Holy Fertilizer!” sorts of events. They are not mere “boo-boo boxes”. Reserved in this way, I will not find myself hunting (and swearing) in crisis, as I need this or that widget, which some child (or adult) has used, and not restocked.
LONGER TERM CONSIDERATIONS
Some of us might contemplate longer term medical preparations. For those, I recommend Dr. Jane Orient's article. Once I get beyond the 20 year old pricing, the are only a couple of improvements I could suggest. One is in the arena of recently developed antibiotics (as in quinolones). Even in that light, it seems to me to be a very good basis for developing a longer term medical kit (and training plan) for your particular circumstances.
Another substitution I would make, is to delete surgical masks, and substitute NIOSH N-95 masks. I found a carton of MSA Safety Works No. 10005403, Pack of 20 Harmful Dust Respirator Model 10005043 for $18.97/each carton at Home Depot. You may find similar products locally.
Additionally, I would add loratidine (you may recognize the brand of Claritin) as a non-sedating antihistamine. (Personally, I would prefer my personnel pulling OP duty to be non-sedated.) I'd also add the most frugal of the following : ranitidine, famotidine, cimetidine, in lots of 1,000 tabs, as a superior stomach acid blocking medication, to supplement the antacid Dr. Orient suggested over 20 years ago. As the “big gun” for acid stomach problems or GERD, I'd lay in a supply of Prilosec OTC. This class of stomach medication is the yardstick against which all others are presently measured.
If you are planning establishing a longer term medical cache, it is imperative that you do so only in concert with a physician, or other personnel licensed to prescribe. The guidance you will receive will help you avoid causing more illness than you relieve. Medications are a double bitted axe, and may cut on the upstroke as well as on the downstroke. Be aware.
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Letter Re: It Will Be Skills, Not Gear That Will Count in TEOTWAWKI
JWR,
Skill is critical, parts and tools can be improvised.
While I agree with C.A.Y.: "... the combination of skills plus tools plus parts is what's needed", there are important exceptions. In some south asia villages, a highly skilled artificer [with a few assistants] can create a self-loading pistol, per day, without parts, and only the most primitive tools of drills, belt sanders and files. The steel is recycled from wrecked cars and trucks. The skill is what makes this possible. This town near the Khyber Pass makes one thousand guns per day. Look at minute marks 3:33 and 3:46 for the ammo and gun fabrication.
During WW2, Allied POWs [in German Stammlagers and Oflags] fabricated metal cutting lathes, shortwave radio receivers, photographic darkroom developing equipment and offset printing for counterfeit documents - all without the appropriate tools or parts - it was all improvised. The skill with working with the original equipment back home showed the way to the objective.
Conversely, in my fully-equipped machine shop, I have seen freshly graduated mechanical technologists and machine tool operators wreck instruments and equipment, ruin dies, moulds and tooling - and occasionally remove necessary appendages from their bodies. It was the skill [and common sense] that was lacking.
Skill is critical, parts and tools can be improvised. - Richard S.
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Five Letters Re: Escape From (Fill in Your City Here), 2009
Jim,
I live in a rural farming area east of the Mississippi and can tell you that cutting a gate or fence would be a very bad choice (in this area). In 99% of the cases you would already be on private property, so cutting the fence or gate would be considered a “hostile” act. Most of the folks I know would shot first and ask questions later . . . these folks all hunt, so they are not likely to miss . . . and trust me they know when someone is on their property. When the police are called, you will find they are a relative or friend of the local (we are very rural) . . . and the “strangers” will be just “bagged and tagged”. If you must cross a gated or fenced area, stop, honk your horn, jump up and down, o anything to get the property owners attention, he is probably watching anyway . . . who knows you might turn out to be an asset to him instead of a liability.
I do not want to make this sound all negative. We all know that living at your retreat full-time is the best option, but circumstances may make that impossible for you; your job or just the finances to make that kind of a move. The real question is do you believe bad things can and will happen? If so what are you going to do that is practical and realistic? “Borrowing” a plane might be a cool idea, but it is far from realistic. Several have already commented on this point and I happen to be a retired Naval aviator with more hours and experience than I care to remember, and flying to my retreat would be the last option I’d consider (we live at our retreat full-time, but do travel). If “your” plan involves some exotic way of escaping the metropolis you live in then you are planning to stay too late (that includes having to take back roads)! You will have to establish “trigger events” that make the decision to execute “your” depart plan (what those trigger events are up to you, based on your analysis and understanding of events.) If you wait until it is obvious to everyone then you are “way too late”. And that is the rub: are you willing to give up your comfortable city life for a survival existence, on a “chance” that “this is it”? If the answer is “no” then best of luck to you, you will need it. If the answer is “yes” then you had better figure out a way to preposition your items, at a location that involves more than just your family . . . and then maybe you will have a fighting chance to survive the transition. None of this is easy, but if you really want to provide for and protect your family then what other options do you have. You can rely on the government to see to your basic needs (it’s called being a refugee), or you can do all within your power to provide realistic options for them yourself. The choice is yours. - RH in Virginia
Dear SurvivalBlog Readers:
I want to preface my comments by saying that I have the utmost respect for JWR, his work, and all the readers and contributors to this site. I understand and hold close the essential tenets of independence and preparedness, living as I have my whole life in the heart of Southern California earthquake country.
That said, the recent string of essays about escaping a city when TSHTF is complete nonsense. The thought that if you get out early you’ll leave everyone else behind is fantasy thinking. The fact is that in such a situation just about everyone will be thinking about getting out and many will act on that impulse. That means that EVERY freeway, EVERY back road, EVERY intersection, and EVERY town will soon be filled with hoards of roaming people, all of whom will be unprepared, scared, and desperate. You might – MIGHT – actually get a jump the situation and beat the hoards out of the city but a human tidal wave will be right behind you, spreading out in all directions, many thousands of which will be heading right to wherever it is you’re going.
Further, a good percentage of the roaming hoards will be street criminals and gang members. Many will be military vets who had advanced training in tactics and equipment and they’ll all be heavily armed – in many cases, better equipped than the local law enforcement. In the short-to-medium timeframe, these groups will be the most dangerous threat and sooner or later they’ll be coming to your hideout. I don’t care how many rounds of ammo you’re carrying on the way or how much you’ve got stashed if you actually make it to your refuge. No matter how much you’ve got it won’t be enough, especially if you get in a firefight with a group that’s shooting back with high caliber, armor-piercing ordnance. And let’s not forget about the really heavy stuff – RPGs or plain old dynamite that they’ll find along the way. If you look like you’ve got equipment and food, you’re going to be a target, simple as that.
JWR is right – the safest strategy is to move away now and get established long before the crisis hits, preferably far enough away that it’s just too difficult for city hordes to get to you. (A tip of my hat to Frank B – 15 miles from the nearest asphalt road.) You’ll still be in danger from unprepared locals and groups that do make it out to the frontier but the farther away and better prepared the better.
Meanwhile, what about the millions of us who can’t relocated and are stuck in the cities? After 30 years of survival thinking related to earthquake preparedness I determined that the only effective strategy is to stay put and lay low. Don’t fire up your generator, blast your radio, and light up your house will the oil lamps you so carefully stashed for just the very event. In fact, leave all your survival equipment stashed for a couple of days until the first big wave of refugees passes by. Camouflage your place and your family to look like you’re destitute – that you have nothing, just like everyone else. With a bit of luck, the hordes will pass you by and you can then join up with neighbors, pool your equipment and resources, and develop a defense strategy. Meanwhile, whatever governmental resources exist will be directed at the cities first so there’s a likelihood that some form of law enforcement will be imposed. It’s the rural areas that will be the most lawless and there won’t be anybody out there to help enforce the peace, at least not for a very long time. Once the peace is secured in your city you can implement your long-term strategies of off-grid living, food production, bartering, and practical skills - machinery repair, welding, auto and home maintenance - that will always be in demand.
One final thought – as mentioned so often on the site, survival skills have a very steep learning curve and there is no substitute for hands-on experience and training. Read the books but then go practice! Can you find, set up, and operate your equipment in the pitch dark at 3 AM? If you’ve had a beer of two? Can your spouse, if you’re hurt? Can your kids if you’re not home? Have you ever eaten freeze-dried food? Can you take down and repair the Coleman stove? Bake biscuits? Operate a chain saw? Jury-rig a DC power cable from the car battery to your living space? Successful preparedness means that you continually ask – and answer – such questions. - Patrick C. in Southern California
James,
I think using an aircraft as a bug-out vehicle would not be a good idea. If you look back at the emergency following the September 11, 2001 attack on the United States, you'll remember that all planes were grounded. I a 9-11 situation a small aircraft flying low or even flying at all would attract unwanted attention. Probably in a bug-out situation in a aircraft you would have to leave early before things got hot and and you risk being forced down in a strange location or being shot down. Both not good options. On 9-11-2001 my wife and I were scheduled to fly home on a commercial airline at 13:30 from half way across the country. Needless to say we found we were grounded before we finished breakfast. When I heard the news we headed to the nearest electronic teller and withdrew as much cash as was allowed. Since we were traveling by air we were traveling light and had little survival gear and virtually no weapons. First we checked the trains and found they were all stopped, same for busses. I next zipped over to the local truck rental and reserved a rental truck for a one-way trip home with a credit card. After the truck reservation was secured I went to a local car dealer and secured financing for the purchase of a late model used SUV and put a small deposit down for them to hold the vehicle. Had I had my own plane I may very well have considered hedge hopping home and would more than likely not been allowed to refuel reroute and maybe risked being arrested if I did manage to land of my own accord.
Because of the help afforded us as total strangers stranded in a strange town, far from home, we moved to the area the following year and have lived here on our small farm at the end of the gravel road ever since. - P.B.
Jim,
I knew my letter regarding escape in a light plane would end up attracting the criticism of one or more experts on the subject... I'd like to address Larry in Pennsylvania's response.
First I'd like to point out that I never suggested using a Cessna 172 for anything. I merely mentioned that my father-in-law recently purchased one and that's what got me thinking about it. There are any number of light planes available, from ultralights to Cessna Caravans, and some are better suited to the task than others, depending on how far you need to go. I, for example, have friends who own a 450 acre ranch 250 miles from here. I could easily make it to their ranch in virtually any airplane without having to refuel.
I addressed some of Larry's points in my original letter. Yes, fuel is an issue, that's why I mentioned it. I think Larry might have misunderstood what I was saying. I was not suggesting putting autogas into any random airplane. There are a ton of light planes that have been STCed (Supplemental Type Certificate qualified) for autogas and many more with the same engines that could burn autogas but whose owners haven't asked for an STC. In a 1998 letter to the Experimental Aircraft Association (of which I'm a member), the FAA said "Autogas use has been extensively compared, tested, and analyzed. Autogas has been shown to be an acceptable alternative to avgas for the airplanes and engines approved for such use. Airplanes and engines approved for autogas use have met the FAA certification requirements for engine detonation, engine cooling, fuel flow, hot fuel testing, fuel system compatibility, vapor lock, and performance." More information and a copy of the letter above can be found at AviationFuel.org. What I suggested and what I'm suggesting now is research. Know ahead of time what your airplane can burn and either have it on hand or have solid plans for how to obtain it.
I also addressed Larry's concerns about overloading so I won't rehash that here other than to say again that yes, payload is an issue but it can be planned out ahead of time. I thought I was very clear that leaving by airplane was for those who had pre-positioned supplies [at a retreat].
As for obstructed runways or runways cluttered by looting, etc., I seriously doubt it in any realistic situation that would require emergency evac by air. Here is a perfectly realistic situation: Terrorists bomb the nuclear power plant that sits 150 miles upwind of my (very large) city. A fallout cloud is approaching at 15 miles per hour. The authorities screw around for four hours and then declare an evacuation of the entire city. We've got at most six hours to evacuate a huge city and its suburbs - a feat that the Gulf Coast cities can't pull off in two days! Interstates immediately become parking lots and before long are totally stopped by broken down cars. A mere fraction (5%) of the population decides to take state highways and county roads - that's 315,000 people - and the same thing happens to those roads. Whatcha gonna do?
In this scenario, do you think looters are really going to head for the airports to steal gas and oil? I doubt it would even occur to them, especially in the hours immediately after a disaster. They'll be in Best Buy and Wal-Mart stealing televisions and beer - we've already seen it happen!
My airplane suggestion was laced with caveats and the weather was certainly one of them. During many parts of the year, large parts of the country enjoy nice weather with only isolated storms. You don't need forecasts and radar to avoid bad weather. God gave you eyes and the ability to make a 180-degree turn. Pilots did it for years before these services were widely available. Further, except over congested areas, there are few places where you'll have no options for an off-field landing. Have plans 'B' and 'C' constantly in your mind. When I was flying my solo cross-countries, there was never a moment when I hadn't identified somewhere I could land if the engine quit 'right now' - my instructor beat that into my head constantly. As Larry points out, an off-field landing could invite looters but remember, the emergency is only hours old and people aren't hungry yet, and probably aren't desperate enough that the normally law-abiding become a danger.
As for Navaids such as VOR, ADF, and even GPS... Ever heard of a chart, a pencil, a stopwatch and a compass? It ain't rocket science. If the weather is good you don't need any outside help to get from A to B. Again. pilots did it for years before these were available - and for many years after, since many couldn't afford to equip their aircraft with fancy gadgets and nav radios.
Finally, once again I'll say this is a very unlikely scenario. If it happens it depends on having good weather and solid pre-planning, at least to the extent possible. The wisest course in my hypothetical situation above would be to bug out by car at the first hint of a problem - before the full extent of the problem was revealed to the masses. But if for some reason the news was delayed or something (car problems, missing family member) delayed your departure for even a few hours, leaving by car would be impossible. At that point my "Plan B" starts looking better than radiation sickness, despite some well-identified problems and risks. It's all about options. I think keeping options open is important. - Matt R.
JWR,
An important note to remember if one plans to use an aircraft during some type of emergency is that the control of the National Airspace System may have been handed over to the military. If that is the case, and I think it would be as the government attempted to maintain control of things as the cascade of events progressed into TEOTWAWKI, something called SCATANA (Security Control of Air Traffic and Air Navigation Aids) could be implemented. This plan closes down all aircraft operations save a few fixed wing fighter interceptors under the direct control of the National Command Authority. Here’s the bottom line. Under SCATANA if you fly, without positive control from the right folks, you die. No warning, no identification passes. An example of how serious the blanket authority is enforced is illustrated by the instructions given to a USAF C-130 on 9-11-01. This aircraft, full of soldiers from one of America’s front line Divisions was over the Great Plains on an exercise. They were ordered to land at a small municipal airport immediately. These soldiers, and they weren’t just Privates, ended up renting a bus for the day long ride back to their unit. Agree desperate times may call for desperate measures but ensure you have adequate information to make the decisions. As always, planning is the key ingredient for success. Using an airplane is a possible Get Out of Dodge solution, especially if used early on in the event. Just know all the second and third order effects. Keep up the good work. Excellent site - Redcatcher21
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Two Letters Re: It Will Be Skills, Not Gear That Will Count in TEOTWAWKI
Jim:
I would like to whole-heartedly second Chris M’s article that skills are more important than stuff. A wide basis of knowledge provides you and your family new options as you develop courses of action to solve a specific problem during a crisis. While I’ve been stuck as a suburbanite in the Washington area for the last two years, I’ve exploited my access to military and civilian training to more than make up for my vulnerability. I’ve joined local weapon/hunting ranges, significantly improving my pistol, rifle and bow skills. I’ve become certified as a Level I Combatives Instructor. I’m scheduled to attend EMT training and certification in September. I’m getting my first batch of vegetables out of my garden in a few weeks….and then I’ll start some canning. To top it all off, I’ve gotten a basic workshop set up and I’m doing my best to do all my own small repairs. In the last two weeks, I’ve fixed problems with my car, my lawn mower and then my house. Hunting, well, that will probably be next year.
Besides the obvious benefit of saving money, I want to emphasize the feeling of self-empowerment every time I solve a problem myself. Sure, nothing goes right the first time, but I learn a lot and I do get it done (my wife would add the work “eventually” here). I recommend re-reading Mr. Kilo's “Letter Re: Learning the Details of Self-Sufficiency” and his description of the “conscious competence learning model.” It’s all about working towards self-reliance as much as possible. After twenty-plus year in the Army as a leader and supervisor using “soft skills”, I am working hard to build up many of the practical “hard skills” that Chris already has. Hats off to you Chris! (OBTW everyone, don’t forget physical fitness!) - Conn
Sir,
A friend of mine reminds me that skills are important, but also are tools. Hard to dig a hole without a shovel.
As a practicing locksmith, I discovered during a service call, that the combination of skills plus tools plus parts is what's needed. I can go to a locksmith call, and leave my hole saw home. Can't install deadbolts. Or, I can have my van, but not the right lock. And many people have tools and locks, but can't do the job. - C.A.Y.
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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.
« Economics and Investing: |Main| Letters Re: Advice for an M4 and AR-15 Newbie »
Letter Re: Storing Paper and Envelopes
Jim;
After reading "Patriots" one thing that has stuck with me is the non-availability of writing paper: No paper, no envelopes. Now there won't be any mail delivery either but envelopes have many other uses. One of these is garden seed storage. Keeping notes together in ones jacket etc.
So i have been taking the envelopes that come in my monthly bills ( I pay with my online banking) and those that come in all the various offers that you get for magazines, insurance quotes etc. and put them in a box.
They don't take up much room and can easily be tossed if this proves a non-issue but if i need them , well , they will be here.
To top it off this is a no cost prep effort. - Paulette
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Letter Re: Advice for an M4 and AR-15 Newbie
Hello JWR:
I recently bought my first AR-15[-family firearm], a Lewis Machine and Tool (LMT) Defender Carbine. I was wondering if you had any advice as to a good starter "book" on the AR generally, but also one that would assist in my rifleman's training. I am an intermediate shooter on rifle, but am finding the AR to be a beast unto itself as far as "how" to shoot it.
Can you recommend any text on complete takedown, best cleaning practices, replacement parts, and marksmanship with the M4 version of the AR would be very helpful. Thanks! - JB in Michigan
JWR Replies: In terms of field stripping and general maintenance, the Army's old standby M16 User Manual (M16A1 Rifle Operator's Manual TM 9-1005-249-10
) will suffice, but it is so simplistic (small format, and little more than a glorified comic book) that it is probably not worth paying more than two bucks for one. Look for these in bargain bins at gun shows. OBTW, I noticed that it is also available as a Kindle book
for 99 cents.
The US Army's M16/M4 marksmanship manual is available for free download. FM 3-22.
Walt Kuleck and Scott Duff's The AR-15 Complete Owner's Guide: (AR-15 Guide Volume 1)
is a bit dated but still quite good, and discusses spare parts. (Note: Although I authored the chapter about AR-15 magazines that is included in this book, I do not earn any royalties from the publisher. (That chapter was based, with permission, on my AR-15.M16 Magazine FAQ which I make available free of charge.) OBTW, Walt Kuleck and Clint McKee also authored a companion AR builder's guide, which is particularly useful in these times of scarcity: AR 15 Complete Assembly Guide (AR-15 Guide Volume 2)
You might also look for a US Army armorer's manual: Rifle, 5.56MM, M16A2 W/E/ Carbine, 5.56MM, M4 Unit and Direct Support Maintenance Manual TM 9-1005-319-23&P
Note: In hard copies, army field manuals (FMs) and Technical Manuals (TMs) are fairly expensive to mail order, but they are often available inexpensively in PDF format in compilation CDs from folks like
Survival eBooks. As I recall, this compilation CD includes FM 3-22.
In terms of weapons handling and tactical use (fire and maneuver), I strongly recommend getting a copy of The Art of the Tactical Carbine DVD
. (At first glance, this DVD might look like just a promotional piece for Mag-Pul, but there are actually some real gems included!) I also recommend the book "Some of the Answer: Urban Carbine" by firearms trainer and M4 guru Jim Crews.
Spare Parts:
Ideally, it would be best to a have a complete spare carrier assembly, to provide a quick "in the heat of battle" replacement in case you break a firing pin or extractor, or you have the misfortune to gall an ejector. In-the-field swaps are possible because 99% of AR-15 bolts are "automatic headspacing", if the bolt and barrel are both made to proper specifications. Hence bolts or complete bolt carrier assemblies are drop-in replacements. If you are on a tight budget, get just one each of these critical high breakage/high loss subcomponents from the bolt carrier group:
- Firing pin
- Firing pin retaining pin
- Ejector
- Ejector spring
- Ejector retaining pin
- Extractor
- Extractor retaining pin
- Extractor spring (with nylon insert)
The only other parts that I've seen break (or get lost) are ejection port cover springs and buffer retainers. However, both of those are non-critical to the function of the rifle. Buttstocks and handguards also break. (Albeit, less frequently). If you have a generous budget, get spares of all of those in addition to a complete spare bolt carrier assembly, and perhaps even a complete spare lower parts kit ("LPK").
« Mexican Flu Update: |Main| Letter Re: Advice for an M4 and AR-15 Newbie »
Letter Re: A Useful Web Site on Government Auctions
Good evening, Mr. Rawles -
I
always enjoy reading your site and find it informative, with plenty of links and good advise on just about everything.
One site I'd recommend for your readers is GovDeals.com. It has a wide variety of goods on an ongoing basis, with generators, trailers, tractors, and a
lot more.
I spotted one lot in particular that seems to be a kind of 'starter barter kit'.
I'm not connected with this web site in any way. In fact, most of the best ones seem to be too far away for me to take advantage of. "Them's the breaks", I guess. - Mark
JWR Replies: Thanks for that link. A similar site that I've found useful is GovLiquidation.com. If you keep an eye out there for items like concertina wire, commo wire, sand bags, camouflage nets, medical freezers, and trailer-mounted diesel gensets, then you can find some real bargains. Warning: Government surplus auctions can be habit forming. Seek counseling and intervention if you become addicted. A key symptom: Your barn and shop begin to overflow with "bargain" military surplus.
« Letter Re: Walking Tractors and Similar Powered Farming Implements |Main| Notes from JWR: »
The Anti-Bug Out Bag, by Jason C.
Have you heard of a Bug out bag (BOB)? If you have read even a few articles on urban survival then you have heard of this mysterious thing. Loosely defined, it is a bag packed with supplies and equipment for a few days to a week. It is intended to be something handy to grab, if you have to get out of where you are quickly. The thousands of items that could possibly be packed in a BOB are often a source of great debate among people building, packing, and storing their own bag.
But what about the times when you won't need to evacuate your residence, home, business, or other location? Then you will need what I humorously term an Anti-Bug Out Bag (ABOB.) If, like me, you work from home or are not traveling out of town, you are rarely more than a few miles from where you spend most of your time, your home. It is often overlooked that you will more than likely be at your home, or close to it, should something happen. Some events like bad weather you may even have a few days notice of the threat.
So let's start with the big picture of maintaining your gear.
When planning your Anti-Bug Out Bag (ABOB), you are only limited by your storage space and budget. However, for the average person, a big closet, basement corner, or wall of the garage should do fine. After deciding the location, it is time to identify the contents. I will not even begin to list individual items, but will attempt to address the logical process of determining what is most important for you.
The very first consideration of any item is: how many uses does it have? One? Two? Each and every item should be able to serve at least three uses. And yes, I do realize there are a few items that may be very specific, but those rare items will be obvious if you try to find other uses as you evaluate each piece of gear.
An example would be a basic tool kit. Instead of a regular hammer, what about a dry wall hammer with a hammer head and hatchet back. This type of hammer also has a nail-pulling notch under the blade of the hatchet. This adds an extra purpose and increases its value and usefulness. Another great example is types of rope. We all know the value of heavy rope, para-cord, twine, and even bungee cords. But you can add 1" tube webbing to your supply and it can serve many more needs. Straps for packs, slings for tools and weapons, and even belts for your clothes. The heavier type designed for rock climbing and mountaineering is fairly inexpensive and is strong enough to pull a car out of a ditch. Try that with nylon rope from Wal-Mart!
The important part is to add the items that will help you in as many ways as possible to reduce waste and increase efficiency in your work.
The next major consideration is quality and durability.
With today's wasteful use of resources we have all become conditioned to throwing things away and replacing them when they break again. This has the bad effect of putting a lot of junk equipment to be on the market. I do caution you against just using price as an indicator of quality. We all have things we paid almost nothing for that will outlast the most expensive piece of equipment.
The fact that many of these items simply are not made to withstand daily use in a rugged environment will be a disaster when you need them to work the most. Make sure you get the best you can afford. Learn to take care of them, and be able to repair them if needed.
For an example of this, take the spade shovel in my garage. I saw it on sale at a bargain store for under $10 dollars. It has a solid wood handle, with strong rivets to hold it all together. I have had it for almost seven years and put some hard use on in my landscaping days. I had another one that was bought as extra equipment for one of my crews at a name-brand hardware store for over $30. Within a month the cheap aluminum rivets twisted out and the handle came out. After repairing it with large stainless steel bolts, a weld came apart on the handle assembly. This shovel just couldn't take the abuse we were putting on it. But the less expensive one thrived on the rough use. So evaluate each piece in your ABOB based on quality and craftsmanship.
After filtering your selected items throughout the first two steps it is on to the third. How many of these do I need? Everything has it's limit of usefulness. And everything can wear out and break no matter how good the quality. So you must determine how many of each item you need. Do you need two pry bars? Probably not, because other items can be used if needed. Do you need two pick axes? If you plan on doing a lot of farming with no tractor, then you might. How about an extra sewing kit to repair clothes and packs? Most assuredly.
So determining the items life span in a survival environment is critical to deciding how many to have as back up.
Of course I haven't discussed weapons yet, but this is one of the most crucial things to evaluate with the above rules. My preference has always been the 12-gauge shotgun. And as a hunter and outdoorsman I own enough guns to make my wife roll her eyes every time I open the safe. But when I applied this to my own supply, I realized that in a survival situation I need to look for which ones would I be most reliable. The autoloaders? Great on the dove fields but can be prone to jamming on occasion.
I choose the pump shotgun as reliable and simple. But I had to add another because I wanted two of them in case one is damaged, I always have a backup. It is the same model so that there are spare parts. Also I decided to go one more step and add a single-shot 12-gauge break action. So now I feel I will have one that works.
This also includes ammo. How many of each caliber you need is your choice, but I would be thinking in the thousands, not the hundreds. So whether you are looking at just one extra box or dozens, you have to decide before you need them, because after you realize you needed them, it will just be too late.
These three rules are designed as guidelines to help you prepare your supplies. If you apply each one to every selection you make you will most likely have an edge if and when it is time to use your ABOB. The most important part of any item is knowing how to use it. So as you add equipment, take the time to learn to use it. Just that simple step can help you increase your odds of survival in difficult times.
« Seeking Reader Input for "Patriots" Sequels |Main| Notes from JWR: »
Pest Prevention and Control Measures for Food Storage, by Elk H.
Something you may not have given much thought about in your planning for long
term food storage is Pest Control. All the hard work, preparedness and money
spent on stockpiling and storing food can be quickly ruined by pests. You need
to protect your investment. As a former exterminator I have seen my share of
these pests and can share my experience and knowledge of control measures.
While some of these measures are just ordinary common sense, we all know that
common sense isn't all that common.
A few things to consider:
Most infestations come home from the store with you. You would be surprised
to learn what I've found in the average, clean looking big name grocery store!
Dry pet food is notorious for being infested. Pet food is not processed and
packaged with the same standards as "people food".
90% of Stored Product Pest Control is not about chemical treatments. We will
use poisons sparingly and effectively.
Some, but not all, pests are disease carrying.
While there are hundreds (or thousands!) of individual species of pests you
could have to deal with, we will focus on the three main problem pests when
it comes to Food Storage: Pantry Pests, Rodents and Cockroaches.
PANTRY PESTS
Pantry Pests generally include Moths, Beetles and Weevils. There are too many
species to list individually, but luckily the identification, prevention and
control measures are all similar enough to lump into one category. Most Pantry
Pests have a similar mode of action: the adult bores a hole into the grain/kernel/meal,
lays its egg and repeats. The larva hatches inside the grain/kernel/meal, then
eats it's fill until ready to pupate. The pupa hatches out of the grain/kernel/meal
as an adult, and the cycle repeats itself.
They usually appear after bringing home a product from the store that was already
infested, however some indigenous species do infest crops, and so may infest
the grain in the field first.
If you spot moths, beetles or other stored product pests in your home or food
storage areas, it's already too late. As mentioned above, the adults are not what will be eating your food, it's the young inside your rice, corn or wheat
that is destroying it. While it's fine to eradicate the adults you see, the
real problem is in the food itself. Once cut off from the food source, the
adults will die off without having reproduced.
Inspection
All stored product should be removed from storage and inspected for infestation.
Do not skip over anything just because it's an unopened box or what you think
is an airtight container, go through it all. You may see webbing (like flat
spider webs) inside a heavily infested product. You might see active adults
working to lay their eggs, or holes bored through packaging like waxed paper
and plastic bags. If you can afford to, throw this infested product out. While
not the most economical approach this is what most homeowners will do.
Sanitation and Exclusion
Once your cupboards are bare it's time to get cleaning. All cracks, crevices
and corners should be vacuumed clean of dust, flour and food stuffs that may
have fallen in. In absence of a vacuum, wipe out everything you can with a
wet rag, then blow out the voids and repeat until as clean as possible. You
can treat the cracks and crevices with a general purpose pesticide at this
point if you like, but it is not necessary. The cracks and crevices should
now be filled with caulk, or something similar. This serves the dual purpose
of both sealing out future food spills and pests, and sealing in anything you
may have missed.
Control
As mentioned above, throw out all known or suspected infested product if you
possibly can. If that is not an option, there are things we can do to kill
the critters inside without losing the grain. Please note that while these
bugs might seem disgusting to us, and they are eating your food, you can eat
them without adverse consequences as most are not disease carrying. How shall
we cook them? Let's bake!
An oven set to 130 degrees for four hours is the minimum standard for killing
the larvae and adults. No promises on the eggs as they can be extremely tough.
A slightly higher heat and more time will likely net better results, but use
caution not to damage the grain.
Freezing the grain can also kill the larva and adults, and again, no promises
on the eggs. This method is not as effective as baking, and may be impractical.
A professional will use fumigation to treat a large amount of infested product,
say a grain silo full of weevils, but it’s very expensive, and may not
always be available to you. In any case, you can’t just go pick it up
off the shelf, you need a Pest Control Operators License to purchase the chemical,
and rightly so, it is highly toxic.
Storage
The packaging your food comes in from the grocery store is not good enough.
These pests can bore a hole into the toughest shell nature can provide, do
you think a cardboard box or waxed paper will stop them? Of course not. The
best containers are glass or metal and airtight. Tupperware/Rubbermaid type
containers are second best. Ziplocs and plastic bags are not acceptable for
long term storage at all. It's not a bad idea to store bulk food in many small
containers rather than one large one. Don't put all your eggs in one basket!
Finally...
Check your food stuffs regularly. Periods of dormancy are a part of an insect’s
life cycle. Just because you don't see them now, that doesn't mean they're
not there!
RODENTS
Mice and Rats are some of the most damaging creatures we have to deal with.
They eat what we eat, live where we live and carry parasites like lice and
fleas. Because they are very similar to us biologically (one reason they are
used extensively in research laboratories) it is easy for them to transmit
disease to humans.
Luckily, control is actually very simple.
Identification
The only important reason to differentiate between a rat and mouse problem,
is to choose what trap to use. A rat trap is just too big to effectively kill
mice (something akin to killing an ant with a sledgehammer), they sometimes
completely miss the mouse, and mouse traps only serve to make the rats mad.
The telltale signs of mice and rats are holes chewed into objects and food
packaging, droppings, odors and noise.
As with all rodents, both mice and rats have large incisors (front teeth) that
never stop growing. Because of that fact, they must constantly chew anything
and everything in order to keep them ground down (I've seen pictures of a rat,
not allowed to chew at all in a laboratory, whose lower teeth grew up over
his head and into his skull!). You may see two parallel scrape marks in some
materials from these teeth, the size will tell you if it's a mouse or rat.
They will chew electrical wiring, and are the cause of a surprising number
of house fires (they are actually attracted to wiring because it looks and
feels like one of their natural foods, grass shoots).
They both leave droppings wherever they go, black in color, tube shaped like
a grain of rice. Mouse droppings are about the size of a grain of rice, and
rat droppings are naturally bigger than that, about a half inch long by a quarter
inch wide. Both species also urinate everywhere they go, and so will leave
urine trails and odors behind.
A sound at night like someone scratching their nails lightly on the wall indicates
a mouse problem. People with rats in their homes describe it as sounding like "elephants
in the attic". You may not hear anything at all, though, and still have
a problem with either pest, sounds are just an indication. Rats love to nest
above the water heater and furnace where it's always warm, especially in winter.
There is usually a screen vent above those appliances, where you may see nesting
materials like candy wrappers and snail shells (a favorite food). Rats do,
but mice do not drink water, they get all the moisture they need from their
food.
You may mistake a baby rat for an adult mouse, you can tell the difference
by the tail, a rats will be thicker and almost as long as its body. A baby
rat will have very large feet as well, all ages of mice have small, delicate
feet.
Exclusion
Exclusion is the first step. Seal any and all openings into the house. A rodent’s
skull is the only solid part of his body, if he can squeeze his head through,
he can flatten the rest of his body out to squeeze through, too. A mouse's
head is about the size of a dime, or you're little finger. If you can fit a
finger in a hole, seal it up. The smallest rats head is about the size of your
thumb, but we're going to seal up all the holes we find anyway, right?
Check and seal all vents to the crawlspace, especially around the air conditioning
tubing, with steel wool, expanding foam or other inedible material. Do likewise
to the soffit (attic) vents. You don't have to make it bulletproof, just enough
to discourage them. The bottom of a side garage door is almost guaranteed to
be a problem, it's required building code -to allow carbon monoxide gas from
cars to escape. While I would NEVER suggest you break the law or bypass any
safety measure, some people install a weather-stripping door sweep to keep
the mice and rats outside where they belong. Trim all tree limbs that overhang,
or worse, touch the house, as this is the Roof Rats favored method of entry.
Anyplace two roof lines come together, climb up and seal the gaps in the soffits.
Clothes lines and the like should not be attached to the house in any way.
Ensure that any fences or other structures don't come within several feet of
the roof, rats are excellent jumpers. Think of squirrels, they are basically
just cleaner rats with furry tails. Keep ground-cover, especially ivy, trimmed
back from the house, at least 2 feet. Wood piles should not be stacked against
the house, you're just inviting trouble. Check the entire footprint of the
house for tunnels, Norway Rats like to tunnel in, I've found many getting in
that way.
Rats and mice do not live exclusively in your home, they come and go as they
please.
Once the structure is sealed up, one of two things has happened: You have sealed
them out, or you have sealed them in. If you've sealed them out, great, you're
done! If you've sealed them in, how should we get rid of them?
Trapping
Trapping is hands down the preferred method of killing them. There is no better
mouse trap! The standard mouse and rat snap traps are exactly what you need,
and they can be used over and over again. Use a very small amount of peanut
butter underneath the trigger for best results. A big glob will soon dry up
and a crafty rodent can just gently pick it off. Smear a little underneath,
and he has to jump up there with both feet to dig at it and, well, you get
the rest. An old trick is to use a wire twist tie to secure a nut or a snail
to the trigger for an especially tricky rat. Both size traps should be slid
in perpendicular to the wall (skinny end with the trigger goes against the
wall), mice and rats both travel in straight lines against the wall (they use
their whiskers to feel their way along in the dark). Trapping also insures
that you control where the bodies will be for retrieval and disposal. You can
place traps anywhere you've had activity that is convenient for you. The mice
and rats sealed in will eventually get hungry enough to explore and find your
trap, I promise.
Do not bother with live traps or glue traps, you risk getting bit and infected,
and if released from a live trap they will probably just come back anyway.
Maintenance
Once you have stopped catching mice and rats, and you're very sure the problem
is solved, then you can consider using baits (poisons) as a prevention measure.
If a rodent somehow gets in later, he will take the bait, which are all slow
acting (several days) and leave when he starts to get sick. Mice are small
enough that they don't cause too many problems if they die in a wall, they
just don’t have the body mass. Rats, on the other hand are horrible to
deal with in a wall. If you don't follow my advice about trapping and go right
to using a poison with a rat, I promise you will regret it, I've learned this
the hard way. The stench of death (rotting meat in your walls), the brown goo
leeching through the drywall, the flies and maggots will remind you of these
words.
Be extremely careful using baits outdoors. In fact, I don't recommend it. There
is nothing you can do to keep pests out of your yard, all you can control is
the structure of the house. Most baits today are pretty safe, but I have had
a customer kill her own dog by not following my advice and putting her own
store bought bait under a wood shed. Can you imagine if a child had gotten
into it? When a professional has to bait outdoors, he uses a tamper-proof metal
or plastic box. These can be purchased if needed.
This last statement is going to upset some people, but cats are NOT the best
rodent prevention and control measure. Yes they will kill mice and rats, and
they can thin the herd, but they will never eradicate them all. Mice are a
staple food to scores of predators like birds of prey and snakes, and the mice
still manage to be the second most successful mammal on the planet! Have all
the best mousers you like, they will help, but follow my advice above for best
results.
And please, don’t leave pet food out at night! Keep dry pet food and
the like in metal cans with tight fitting lids, and far from where you store
your own food.
COCKROACHES
Cockroaches are filthy, disease-ridden creatures. All species thrive in unsanitary
conditions. They breed incredibly fast, that's part of the problem. A male
and female German Cockroach, given an ideal environment can produce 1,000,000
offspring in one year. They are typically brought home from somewhere else
like the grocery store, in someone's luggage, etc.
In the old days they were extremely hard to get rid of, today, it's a piece
of cake.
Identification
There are many species of cockroach, but we will gear our attack toward the
German Cockroach, as he is the main culprit in ruining foodstuffs. Outdoor
Roaches like the American or Oriental are not usually an infestation problem
inside the house, they are just a nuisance.
The German Cockroach is about a 1/2 inch to 3/4 of an inch long. Tan or brown
colored, usually with two distinct black parallel lines on its head. They will
hide in cracks and crevices under a sink, in cabinets or the baseboards, behind
wall paneling, etc. (in the wild, they live under rocks and tree bark). As
with other pests, it's not a bad idea to fill these cracks and so eliminate
their habitat. They will leave droppings that look something like black pepper,
egg sacks after hatching, and their shells after they molt (shed their skin,
so to speak). They avoid light, and will scatter for cover if you turn on a
light while they're out.
Sanitation
Clean grease and spills thoroughly, especially under the stove, oven and sink.
Be sure to clean all surfaces well, including the cracks and crevices. Keep
your food in pest proof containers. Do not give these guys an inch. Without
proper sanitation it is impossible to get rid of them, you must take away the
food sources (clean up spills)!
Control
Do not bother with any kind of spray, use a Bait Gel. It's safer and much more
effective, in fact, in my opinion it revolutionized the Pest Control Industry.
It will come in a mini syringe with the active ingredient Hydramethylon. My
experience is that it kills about 75% of a population in 2 weeks. Then 75%
of what's left in another 2 week follow-up visit. After 6 weeks, I can call
a job done. For contrast, using conventional sprays, I could kill about 10%
of a population per visit, and slowly make ground on them over many months.
CONCLUSION
It would be wise to stock up on pesticides just as you would medications. They
are just not something you can replicate yourself. None of these products are
terribly expensive, you can probably pick up everything you need for about
$100. Note that these products do have a shelf life, so use them or give them
away before they expire, and replace as needed.
You can see that 90% of Pest Control is not about chemical warfare, it's about
common sense and cleanliness.
Here's the top ten things I recommend you stock up on:
1. General Purpose Pesticide like Malathion or Diazinon. Try to find a "Wettable
Powder", it keeps longer and can be mixed to whatever strength required.
It also sticks better than liquids after application. In addition to a powder,
try to find a Granular product, it is applied with a seed spreader and activated
by water.
2. Ant Bait Gel with the active ingredient Fipronil. Combat brand is a good “over
the counter” choice. The ants will carry it back to the nest to feed
the other 99% of the ants you don't see, including the queen, workers, soldiers
and the "babies".
3. Wasp Spray aerosol cans. This stuff shoots a stream about 10 feet away and
will drop them dead in the air. Use on wasp nests, yellow-jackets and bees.
While not specifically labeled for them, it will kill just about any insect
you don't want to get too close to (like Black Widows and scorpions). Any brand
will do.
4. Flea Spray. Fleas are tough. Bathe and treat your pets first, clean your
carpets and then treat the house.
5. Bug Bombs. These are not terribly effective, even the "prescription
strength" ones in the industry are not that great. Still, I'd keep a few
in stock.
6. Snap Traps for rats and mice. A dozen or two of each size should last many
years, maybe forever. Try to find the ones with the big, yellow triggers. Much
safer to set than the older metal ones, trust me, I've broken a finger setting
a rat trap, they are no joke.
7. Rodent Bait. Decon will work, but the Combat brand (big, waxy blue blocks
with the active ingredient Bromadiolone, an anti-coagulant) are better. It
keeps longer and can be thrown into far corners of attics and crawlspaces.
8. Roach Bait Gel. Maxforce or Combat brand, active ingredient Hydramethylon.
9. Termiticide. A liquid will kill more than just termites and so is more versatile,
but the commercially available baits (wood stakes impregnated with a stomach
poison) are much more effective.
10. Building Repair Materials. Screening, caulking, steel wool, foam, etc.
Please, follow all warning labels on each product you use!
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Baking and Simple Cooking After a Disaster, by LCHS
Cooking as you once knew it, from cabinets bulging with a variety of packaged
items, store bread and cookies, or a quick trips to the store for box cereal
and meat in a neat packages, with an armful of deli tubs and rotisserie chicken – just
ended. Think about this statement for a minute. If you have never learned
to cook with simple ingredients and don’t have the right kinds of cookbooks
you’re not only going to have trouble using that stored grocery staple
food, it’s going to mean a steep learning curve at a time when you
need it the least. You’ll have a houseful of kids usually in school,
perhaps people sick; sporadic or no electricity and few of the conveniences
modern kitchens run on, but the ‘three squares’ will be marching
on every day and need to be nutritious enough to keep everyone healthy and
keep a breath of normalcy in life.
The family that has allowed everyone to ‘do their own thing’, eat
whatever and wherever they like with no care for anyone else in the family,
will have a far worse time than the family that has learned to cook, wash and
dry dishes together, help each other, compliment good cooking and pitch in
as things get hard. These traits are made, not born, and can be worked on now,
before the need is critical. The scariest thing about life after TSHTF for
me is not home invasions, it’s the homes already invaded by selfish,
unskilled individuals used to having someone else stock the larder, who are
allergic to work and worst, have no loyalty to the family or its well being.
My first recommendation: start cooking now and learn to make breadstuffs especially.
Then set a date with your family for a home-cooked meal at least once a week
and stick to it. Solemnly determine that these will be good times, with no
arguments, ‘tudes and volatile subjects – make a separate time
for family ‘meetings’. Make it old fashioned – get out the
kerosene lanterns and wash the dishes by hand. After the Disaster, especially
if it means being stuck at home (as in a quarantine or bad storm scenario)
this will be one of the hubs of normalcy for family life if you’ve made
it that way before you needed to.
Recipes included in this article are mine, come from the cookbooks recommended
at the end of the article, or (in the case of simple breads, muffins and dumplings)
can be found in any practical, pre-1970 cookbook. I have used all the techniques
and recipes listed.
If you’ve been awake to issues in modern America, you’ve stored
what your family can and will eat, thought through simple family recipes and
have the ingredients on hand. Rotation of old to new goes without saying.
Know about your ingredients: what they can do and how to use them.
- Baking Powder does not have a long shelf life and will let you down if
it’s
old or improperly stored, but some things cannot be made without it.
- Baking
soda has multiple uses; besides the original anti-acid and an ingredient
in toothpaste, adding some to the filling of pies will cut the need for sugar
as it cuts the acidity. It cannot, however, be substituted for Baking Powder.
- Vanilla will cut the need for sugar in recipes such as cornbread, in half.
Vinegar is a good cleaner as well as essential for pickling (see below).
Spices aren’t really optional if you hope to lessen the sense of deprivation,
and some, like cinnamon, have medicinal uses (it is an anti-fungal). Spice
merchants will tell you storage time is one year, but I have used older ones
to good effect. They don’t seem to go bad but flavor may fade.
- Besides
the many cooking uses of Kosher salt, it can be used to make normal saline
for[medicinal] irrigation (1/4 tsp to 8 oz water plus 1/4tsp baking soda).
.
- Sugar is
a molecule almost miraculous in its ability to produce many different things.
The same 2 Cups of sugar is a staple of fudge, the basis of fondant,
the icing on a cake, the basic ingredient of peanut brittle, mixed with alcohol
will preserve a fruitcake for over a year, keep fruit from oxidizing and
make fruit last for a long time in the form of jams and jellies. See the
book ‘On
Food and Cooking’, listed below, as a primer for knowing your ingredients
and what they can do.
Although we have long-term grain storage, I have a year’s worth of flour
stored in large, air-tight, screw top containers for convenience and because
one family member is on a low-fiber diet. I wrap each bag of flour separately
to segregate any infected with grocery store meal moths from rest (although
this has never actually happened), marked each one with the date bought, and
NEVER stored any other item (especially ones with a strong smell) in the containers,
as the entire batch will absorb the smell over time. We learned this by storing
soap with other items. FYI, the best plastic bags are the oxygen-impermeable
ones that cereal comes in. Although it’s hard to find ones big enough
for a 5 lb bag of flour, other items keep well in them if your budget doesn’t
extend to a machine for extended storage. Wash these, discard any that still
smell of fruit, etc., after a washing, and use the rest.
We have several 1940 era cookbooks, Mennonite/Amish cookbooks and a thin book
of ingredient substitutions as well as good, basic ones at least 30 years old.
They’re priceless for simplicity, economy and few ingredients. This will
mean going to the used bookstore or surfing Amazon. Avoid modern cookbooks
that assume access to lots of ingredients and avoid cookbooks from the 1800s
because they do not have standard measurements and assume things you might
not about how to assemble ingredients, cooking times, pans and temperatures.
We’ve stored sugar for years in airtight containers, buying it when
it is on sale. But don’t store white and brown sugar together, since
brown sugar tends to begin to smell as if it’s fermenting after a while
and will make the whole lot smell the same. Instead store molasses and make
brown
sugar
if you
need
it
by adding
about 1/8 C molasses per cup of white sugar. Molasses is useful in many other
ways, too, for syrups, for flavor and for pies. Sugar is also a preservative – fruitcakes
made and glazed properly will keep a very, very long time – I used to
make them for two years storage when the family was larger and keep them in
an old fridge in the cellar, tightly wrapped. That last cup of canned fruit,
mixed with an equal amount of sugar and simmered, will make a quick jelly.
Simple candy is easy to make and good therapy for bored and frightened kids.
Soured milk products are easy to make from starters and will last a very long
time if kept cool or made often – this is why they were originally invented.
The ‘good bugs’ keep ‘bad bugs’ at bay as long as conditions
are kept constant. A cup of buttermilk put into a quart of fresh milk will
thicken, in a day or so at room temperature, depending on how hot/cool the
ambient temp is. A new starter is made with the last of the old and put into
a jar newly sterilized with boiling water and then allowed to cool a bit so
as not to fry the starter. This is where you get buttermilk for pancakes and
myriad recipes from your old cookbooks that call for ‘sour milk’,
and the bonus is that all ‘sour milk’ recipes use baking soda.
Heating homemade ‘sour milk’ makes it ‘clabber’ like
starting the process of cheese making and it can be drained to make a simple
cheese very like ricotta. Yogurt is a bit trickier, requiring more careful
temperatures to make it thick like the commercial product, so I no longer make
it.
When everything has to be made from scratch, get used to less variety. You’ll
be baking bread for sandwiches, for example. To conserve fuel, plan your baking
with the items that need the hottest temperatures to be cooked first, and multitask,
i.e., start the yeast dough that needs to rise before beginning quick
breads. Cook in the cool of the day in summer; use the stove to augment heat
in the
winter. Consider dual bread recipes, i.e., those usually sweeter sandwich bread
doughs that can be made into sweet rolls, sticky buns, coffee cakes, etc.,
to get two birds with one culinary stone.
With no refrigeration and no preservatives, your baking should be used up before
the next batch. The leftovers are never wasted: crumbs from the end of bread
become the topping for a casserole, (grate the bread like a lemon on your hand
grater) or can be used to thicken a dish, made into croutons or added to stewed
tomatoes.
Some items last well in air-tight containers: biscotti and springerle for example,
or bagels, and can be made less often. The same dough will make French bread
or bagels; the difference in texture and shelf life is in the boiling bagels
get before baking. Careful rotation of your recipes will help keep the sense
of deep deprivation at bay.
Let’s say, that in your store you have Crisco, flour, sugar, baking power,
baking soda, salt, cinnamon, yeast, and powdered milk, potato flakes and eggs.
Beginning with those things that use the simplest ingredients here are some
suggested products: from flour, salt, yeast, water and a small amount of sugar,
you make French style bread to bake for bread and rolls. Add a boiling to formed ‘donut’ shapes
and you have bagels. Same dough: roll out flat, top with whatever you have
to make pizza or focaccia – these can be baked on a covered grill, by
the way. Keep them small and bake on the highest rack, remembering that these
types of breads don’t have to be round. Don’t forget doughboys,
fried in oil, for quick energy if you have hungry people working the land or
keeping the perimeter of your homestead safe, especially in cold weather.
Flour, yeast and water in a different ratio gives you soft pretzels. The addition
of potato flakes, milk and an adjustment of proportions gives you English Muffins.
Adding more sugar and milk gives a silkier, sweeter dough for sandwiches, coffeecakes,
etc., as previously mentioned.
. So far we’ve used no shortening, except perhaps to grease the pans
or fry bread we needed in a hurry. So, now, with Crisco, flour and salt you
make
piecrust, which can also be dusted with sugar and cinnamon and baked or rolled
up, slashed and baked to make a delicious, primitive cookie. Add milk and you
have biscuits or dumplings. Add sugar, eggs and cinnamon, and you have the
basics for quick breads, muffins, donuts and simple (one egg) cakes, plus non-fruit
fillings for pies. (Lancaster Crumb, Chess). Add potato flakes (or leftover,
sieved potato) and you have English Muffins and can also make light, sweet
breads. Some of these doughs will keep in a cool place for a few days. Check
out ‘refrigerator dough’ in your old cookbooks. Since boiling and
baking are major cooking techniques, be prepared for several ways to do these.
I have an old tin oven that belonged to my grandmother. It
looks like a big black box with a thermometer in the front, (similar to those
round ones people have on their wood stoves), and some grates inside. Special
small pans were made to go in it. The box sits over the burner on a stove and
creates an environment one can bake in. Very handy if your gas stove has an
electric glow-plug and you don’t have electricity, or you have only the
cook top on your wood stove.
English muffins are made on a grill, like the one used for pancakes, or in
a large fry pan. I’ve done this when it was too hot to bake. A big, cast-iron
pot with a grate in the bottom and a small pan that fits inside will also serve
as a makeshift oven. We college kids made Bisquick coffee cake in small quantities
using the old style popcorn popper, with the ‘popper’ as the ‘oven’,
a piece of wadded up tin foil to keep a small pan off the bottom and a careful
eye through the glass lid as it baked. (This was a fire hazard, but it shows
what can be done in a pinch.) If you have to resort to this, you will have
to bake in small quantities or the item won’t be done in the center before
it starts to burn.
If you want to boil food at various heat levels on a wood or coal heating stove,
you’ll need a set of graduated trivets to move the pot closer or farther
from the heat source. Just before Y2K I suggested this in a ‘back to
basics’ magazine and created a run on trivets. Now, I see that a couple
of the main suppliers stock them in more than one height.
People have lived through disasters before, have eaten tough meat, have gotten
along without eggs or milk. Your 1940s-era cookbook will have wartime recipes
for these circumstances, and your substitutions pamphlet will tell you how
much water or applesauce to substitute for an egg if you don’t have one
and what recipes will take this and which ones won’t.
Old time recipes make food go a long way, deliciously. Example, you have a
chicken that you’ve decided to sacrifice for a dinner for 6, or some
tinny chicken in cans you bought during a stock up phase. Impossible? Try croquettes.
Simmer the old girl slowly until somewhat tender about two hours. Use the broth
for soup. Pull off the meat and grind, chop or otherwise process until very
fine, the texture of tuna. Add fresh breadcrumbs (your bread, grated on an
old-fashioned flat grater, the kind used for cheese) in a ratio of 1 to 2 of
meat (you can go up to almost 1 to 1) and chopped, cooked leftover or canned
vegetables, hold all together with your basic white sauce, season carefully.
Form into balls or patties; fry. Make enough extra white sauce for a ‘gravy’ to
go over (don’t forget that broth can substitute for milk). Rolling the
balls in egg and more crumbs is nice if you have them. It’s incredible
how far that bird will go, and it tastes good because the old chicken makes
up in flavor for what she lacks in tenderness.
Venison cookery is an art I don’t pretend to, but we make a simple tasty
stew here by browning the meat in oil, deglazing with wine or broth, then covering
the pot tightly and cooking at the lowest possible setting until tender. (Think
trivet here.) Since most lids don’t fit tightly, I use a folded strip
of aluminum foil around the edge of the pan, then press the lid down tight.
I find this an essential cooking technique for tough meats. Add veggies later.
Don’t forget you have the ingredients for pickling, if fresh things become
available, and it only takes minutes to get a batch going. Green Beans, for
example, in a solution of vinegar and sugar, will last six months in a cool
place. (The ‘Three Bean’ salad. It can be made from just green
beans, green and wax, or add cans of drained shell beans and a small amount
of onion.)
Not only are such recipes big time-savers when you have to cook everything
from scratch; they are a quick way to preserve items if you have storage of
40 degrees. On our little homestead, pickling cucumbers, beans and fish have
become valuable additions to canning and freezing because they are quick to
prepare at a time when we have a glut of the food, but then keep until the
following summer if not eaten, first.
I will include here the recipe for pickling fresh fish, because
we could not find one and developed it here with the help of some elderly Swedish
ladies
in our church. We used herring until our state's Department of Environmental
Protection (DEP) said you couldn’t
take them, now we use small bluefish. The result is like Vita herring you get
in
a jar.
The main problem with the Swedish recipe was that it called for salted fish,
and we had fresh. We had to find a way to safely salt our fish and did it by
borrowing from the techniques for making corned beef.
Read the whole recipe before starting. Obtain 14 –15 fish 8” to
12” long. Clean fish very well, fillet and scale them. Bones don’t
need to be removed from the fillets. Salt them liberally with Kosher salt in
a large glass container, alternating fillets and salt. Let stand overnight,
weighed down with a plate. Liquid will form. Mix: 1 gallon water, 2 Cups Sugar,
1 Tablespoon baking soda. Pour this mixture over the fish and weight down again.
Let stand 7 days at 38 degrees. Turn the fillets every day or so. Some salt
will just lie on the bottom, this is okay. Remove fillets, rinse. Fish will
now be translucent on the edges like gummy candy and skin easily, and the side
bones should come off with the skin. Skin fillets and cut into pieces on the
slant. Mix: 1-/1/2 Cups White Vinegar, 1 Cup Water, 1-1/2 Cups thinly sliced
Onion, 1 Cup Sugar and stir until sugar dissolves. You will also need: 7 whole
allspice,
6 bay leaves [remove after cooking], 8 peppercorns, and 1-/1/2 teaspoons mustard
seed. Place herring and spices divided between large jars and pour the solution
over
them.
Place
one clove at the top of each jar (this makes a big difference in the final
flavor, adding sweetness.) Make sure no fish or onions are above the liquid
level – I use cut up plain (clear) plastic lids for this and weigh them
down. Let stand at 38 degrees for at least two weeks. Fish will become softer
and more flavorful with time. After 6 months, fish will become soggy, so use
it up. Don’t use any plastic container for brining or storage you don’t
want ruined, and do not use metal lids unless you put plastic over to protect
the lids from the brine or they will rust.
My favorite picks for cookbooks:
- Mennonite Country-style Recipes and Kitchen
Secrets by Esther H. Shank, Herald Press.
- Substituting Ingredients by Epstein/Klein,
Globe Pequot Press, Old Saybrook, CT.
- The Victory Binding of the American
Woman’s
Cookbook, Culinary Arts Institute by Consolidated Book Publishers, Chicago,
1942 ed. with Wartime chapters.
- Amish Cooking, Deluxe Edition, Herald Press,
Scottsdale, PA.
- On Food and Cooking by Harold McGee, Collier Books, MacMillan
Pub. Co. (useful for understanding ingredients and cooking
methods.)
« Letter Re: FDA Restricts Over the Counter Sales of Bulk-Size Hemostatic Supplies |Main| The Pressure Cooker: An Overlooked Preparedness Tool, by N.J. »
Letter Re: Keep Ammo in Original Boxes?
Mr. Editor,
I've purchased ammo for self protection and for future barter. Is it best
to keep the ammo in the original boxes (e.g. the nice green UMC boxes with
the
plastic
insert that holds the rounds in place) and put those boxes into ammo cans?
Or should I just dump all the ammo into an ammo can loose? I could fit many more
rounds in each can by dumping them in loose, but I'm concerned about impacting
the future barter value of the ammo. And also, if I end up selling
some of
the ammo before TSHTF,
I would imagine keeping the rounds in the box would make the seller happier.
Any thoughts?
Thanks for what you do. - Alex
JWR Replies: Unless space is at an absolute premium (such
as for someone on a live-aboard boat) I recommend that you leave ammo in the
original factory
boxes, as it will be worth far
more in
barter, or in an eventual cash sale. Just as importantly, you will also be
able to keep "like
lots" together.
(Usually lot numbers are printed on the inside of the box
flaps.) There are sometimes subtle differences between lots, and the point
of impact can vary
a bit. This particularly
important for long range rifle shooting. Also, although they are rare, ammunition
recalls are not unheard of. Without lot numbers you'll have no way of
correlating
ammo
lots to
recall notices. And, needless
to say, store those
in mil-spec
ammo
cans
with
soft
seals.
« 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
« Mexican Flu Update: |Main| Biological Threat Assessment and Containment, by Anon.T »
Letter Re: Any Widespread Flu Will Overwhelm America's Emergency Medical Services
Dear Mr. Rawles,
As an avid SurvivalBlog reader since '05, I've got to say, the quality of your
blog continues to go up and up. Just when I think I can't possibly absorb
anything more, new posts appear that make me think, plan, and act.
Upon your
blog's advice, I have begun taking an EMT class at a local college to expand
my medical knowledge base. What the Paramedic teacher said today in class
gave me the chills. We were discussing all manner of diseases and then he touched on H1N1, the Swine Flu
and its possible affects upon the EMS system. He said that during the SARS crisis, which in our neck of the woods was just a brief scare, the volume of calls into the 911 center went up 10% for
several weeks due to everyone that had a cold thinking they had SARS. The EMS crews were advised that if they transported a patient with symptoms consistent
with SARS, that they were to disinfect the entire truck with a bleach and water
solution from top to bottom and then allow the truck to air dry for three hours
before it was placed back into service. He noted that in our county of around
1/2 million people, there were 20 to 30 ambulances on duty at any one time.
He dryly noted that it would not take much of a crisis in public health to bring the EMS system as we know it to
it's knees just based on the increase in call volume,not to mention
the ambulance down-time to disinfect the vehicles.
One solution [that the instructor] hypothesized, was a system of 911 triage
in a pandemic that said to callers, we will not transport you if you have the
flu; you are on your own to get to the hospital. I think this point should
be obvious to most SurvivalBlog readers but it dovetails nicely with the pharmacist's
postings regarding securing your anti-viral drugs now.
All the best to you and your family, - B.H.I.
JWR Adds: For anyone that missed my May 1st post about getting
ready for an influenza panic, this portion bears repeating:
I recommend that SurvivalBlog readers seriously think through the implications
of successive waves of Mexican Flu sweeping around the globe for the next three
years. From what we've already seen of its virulence after the normal "cold
and flu season", then the next couple of winters could bring very high
rates of infection and overwhelm the healthcare system. Please take the time
to watch Dr.
Henry Niman of
Recombinomics discussing"Swine" flu. His projections are disturbing,
to say the least! Think this through folks, on a macro scale: How would a pandemic
impact your work? Commuting? Grocery shopping? Church activities? School? (If
you are not yet homeschooling, then you should plan on it!) Your vacation plans?
Summer camp? Family holiday get-togethers? Sports and cultural
events? These
implications
are enormous. As SurvivalBlog readers, you are already accustomed to
contemplating
abstractions
at this level and getting "ahead of the power curve." You also likely
have
the
benefit
of
superior
training
and
a deep
larder. And, hopefully, many of you took my advice three years ago,
and began to develop home-based businesses. (Mail order businesses will undoubtedly
flourish, as people shun face-to-face
sales.)
There are no guarantees, but you have a better chance
of getting through this unscathed than most of your neighbors. Hopefully, all
of you read the backgrounder
on family flu preparedness, that I've had posted here are SurvivalBlog
for more than three years. But if not... Now is time to make
the requisite adjustments to your daily routine and to top off your
logistics:
- Now is the time to order several boxes of N95
masks
and
rolls of bandage tape (for sealing any mask edge gaps )
- Now is the time to buy a steam
vaporizer
(new,
or used -- Try Craig's
List for used ones)
- Now is the time to approach your family doctor, and ask
for a scrip for Tamiflu.
- Now is the time to lay in a supply of Sambucol (Elderberry
extract.)
- Now is the time to lay in supplies of hand sanitizer (with
aloe) and latex gloves--or nitrile gloves for those with latex allergies
- Now is the time to stock up on Vitamin C, Vitamin D, and Guaifenesin
expectorant
- Now is the time to buy a couple of Bag
Valve Masks
- And lastly, for this and umpteen other contingencies, now is
the time to acquire an honest one year supply of storage food (or more) for
your family. Buy some extra, for charity.
If you wait too long, then those supplies will either be non-existent, or
exorbitantly priced. By the time most of the sheeple think
this through (or have it explained to them by the talking heads on the Idiot
Box), you will have long since "topped off" your preps. But not
if you hesitate. As my friend Bob in Tennessee is fond of saying: "Panic
now, and avoid the rush."
Mark my words: A true pandemic will disrupt supply chains,
starting with relatively exotic items (such as antivirals), but eventually
working down to basic commodities. Be ready.
« Mexican Flu Update: |Main| Letter Re: Diverters and Pre-Filters for Roof Rainwater Catchment »
Three Letters Re: Stocking Up on Prescription Medicines
Jim-
I want to publicly commend “SH from Georgia” on his excellent
and concise article on stocking prescription drugs for a TEOTWAWKI
scenario. I agree with just about every point that he has made. Adding metronidazole
to the list is a great addition, and his comment about having medications on
hand so that a physician might use them to your benefit is a point that I was
contemplating, as well. Of course, the list of “med-prep” logistics
that one could store is lengthy, and will be limited by 1.
budget; 2. knowledge
base, and 3. storage ability. SH’s list is very doable
from all of these angles. If I were to make my own list, my only point of departure
would be to emphasize again that these drugs will be quite precious. Most of
the
upper respiratory infections that are currently treated with antibiotics would
resolve spontaneously without them, e.g., acute sinus infections, mild ear
infections and a sore throat not accompanied by fever. I purposely left out
amoxicillin
because it is a wimpy antibiotic that is currently rarely effective for the
sort of infections that will unequivocally require antibiotic therapy in an
austere environment. A final recommendation: for anyone stockpiling prescription
meds, having a current copy of the Physicians
Drug Handbook
(Not to be confused with the
Physician's Desk Reference (PDR)) would be indispensable. - RangerDoc,
MD, FACS
JWR:
A quick note on one of the medications that SH from Georgia mentioned:
Metformin does not usually work until you reach 1000-to-1500 MG dose. Also,
it is important to note that the tablets [of this particular medication]
should not be
cut. Everyone should always double check everything
concerning
medications.
All the drugs [in this family] are also now going to have black
box warnings soon for possible heart problems! - Russell M.
Hello,
I am a retail pharmacist in Philadelphia. The letters with regard to stocking
up on medication and medical supplies were great. I'm glad to see other Pharmacists
into preparedness. There are
a few other things I thought I would mention.
A good topical anti-fungal cream could prevent a lot of unpleasantness. Generic
Lotrimin (clotrimazole) applied twice daily for a week or two can treat ringworm
(a fungal skin infection), athlete's foot and jock itch. Lamisil and Lotrimin
Ultra are a bit more potent but probably aren't worth the additional cost.
SH's letter was great and he really knows his stuff. Another antibiotic that
might be useful in people who are allergic to amoxicillin/penicillin, etc (those
same people can also be cross-sensitive to cephalosporins (keflex, etc)) is
azithromycin (z-pak) or erythromycin (ery-tab). They are broad-spectrum and
are usually tolerated well (some G.I.side effects like cramping and diarrhea).
If someone is unable to find a like-minded prescriber there are plenty of veterinary
medicines that can be used by people available at pet supply/agricultural stores.
I have seen tetracycline, amoxicillin, and sulfa drugs which were to be used
on everything from fish to horses. These would be fine to use in post-SHTF circumstances. They go by different brand names but are the same medicine.
One would just have to take care to use appropriate dosing as they are usually
in different strengths than human dosage forms. Ragnar
Benson has some books
on these topics.
Another thing is to have a good supply of natural medicines available(grow
echinacea as an antibiotic and elderberry as an antiviral (flu prevention/treatment).
There are many others.
Staying in good health and thinking "preventative" is a good way
of decreasing the effects of some of the major killers. It seems as though
the American way of life conditions many people to wait until a problem occurs
to start thinking about their health, but you wouldn't wait until your engine
locks up to change your oil. Diabetes, heart disease and cancer risk can be
reduced by proper diet, exercise, stopping smoking, etc. This will allow you
to be free of any "maintenance medications", insulin, etc. that might
be difficult or expensive to stockpile.
I just finished reading "Patriots" , it is awesome work!
Take care, - S.T. in Philly
« Letter Re: Prince of Wales Island, Alaska as a Retreat Locale? |Main| Note from JWR: »
Three Letters Re: Stocking Up on Prescription Medicines
Jim,
In regards to stocking up on prescription medicine your readers may want to
use the book "Wilderness
Medicine"
by
William Forgey, M.D. as a good starting point. A couple of other "beginner
books" are "Where
There Is No Doctor"
by
David Werner and "Where
There Is No Dentist"
by
Murray Dickson. Amazon.com is running a special on all three books for $42. [JWR
Adds: The latter two books are available for free download, but
I recommend getting hard copies for your survival reference library.]
I took the book "Wilderness Medicine", to my doctor's office
and discussed the list of medicines Dr. Forgey recommends and my doctor advised
it was a very good reference. Our doctor advised a lot of the medicines listed
were included in his supplies that he keeps at home.
Included in the book is some information on multiple uses of the medicines
as well as alternatives if you run out of one of them.
My doctor also recommended the following prescriptions: Cipro, Tamiflu, and
Relenza.
We had to search for a preparedness minded doctor but they are out there if
you seek them out. Thanks, - Art
Mr. Rawles,
In response to Bryan’s request for a list of medications that may be
worth adding to your preps, the following is my humble reply. I am a pharmacist,
of the clinical variety (the kind that works in hospitals and clinics helping
docs manage acute drug therapy, as opposed to the community pharmacists, who
dispense drugs and valuable information to the public) with 27 years of hospital
pharmacy experience. Please don’t think that my recommendations are the “gospel
truth”. This e-mail is off the top of my head, and I’m sure many
others will add to, or detract from, my suggestions. If there’s one thing
I’ve learned over the course of my career, it’s that there are
very few definitive answers to medical questions.
Now, it should go without saying (but I’ll say it anyway) that these
recommendations are in no way meant to suggest that you should self-medicate
under normal circumstances. The safe and effective use of medications is a
risk:benefit game, best assessed by your doctor. No drug is absolutely safe,
and the proper diagnosis of illness and treatment with medications is an endeavor
that consumes lifetimes of study. Having said that, in a TEOTWAWKI situation,
the risk:benefit equation shifts, and sometimes the risk of doing nothing will
exceed the risk of using some drugs without the oversight of a physician.
To get started, as my good buddy and I always say, “you must define
your goal before you can hope to decide on the appropriate action”. So
here’s the goal: suggest some commonly available drugs (prescription
and over-the-counter (OTC))
which could be stored in preparation for foreseeable calamities in an extended SHTF or
TEOTWAWKI situation – either for self-medication, or for selection by
a “country doctor” who has the knowledge, but not the drugs. I
will focus on drugs that may have a chance of making a difference in acute
situations without heroic measure beyond the ken of most non-medical folks;
that is, no designer drugs for the syndrome of the week will be included. Also,
I will stick to generically-available drugs in order to seek cost feasibility.
I will avoid “controlled substances” (those federally regulated
by the DEA) – a
difficult obstacle when it comes to pain management, because we must exclude
all of the opiates. Also, though I use mostly intravenous medications in the
hospital, this list focuses on oral medications, for obvious reasons. Finally,
in TEOTWAWKI, we will simply have to accept that certain conditions lead to
shorter life spans, so drugs for the treatment of chronic diseases are not
included. Nutrition, trauma, infection are about all we can hope to impact – and
surgery is more important than drugs in trauma. Those with diabetes, severe
hypertension, heart disease, and other all-too-common chronic maladies will
have to wing it….not to say that it isn’t a good idea to have several
months of your specific medications on hand to get through a temporary interruption
in our normal flow of life.
I will resist the urge to get into details about bacterial resistance patterns,
differential diagnosis, viral vs. bacterial infection, dosing, duration of
therapy, etc. It would be much better to chat with your local medical person
about the specifics. These are just the very basics – I’m sure
a rational argument could be made for almost any drug.
ANTIBIOTICS – the breakthrough that promoted chronic diseases and cars
to the top of the mortality list
Ciprofloxacin (common brand name: Cipro) – usually dosed 500 mg twice
daily, this wonder drug covers a broad spectrum of pathogens, and is reasonably
effective in treatment of urinary tract infections, pulmonary infections, skin
infections, and gut infections. Bonus: can treat or prevent pulmonary anthrax
infection, prophylaxis against bacterial meningitis, and has a fighting chance
against gonorrhea. Sold by prescription only.
Cephalexin (common brand name: Keflex) –usually dosed 250-500 mg every
six hours. A reasonable choice for upper respiratory (ear, nose, throat) infections
and skin infections, including prevention of infections secondary to lacerations.
Small risk of problems in folks with severe penicillin allergy. Sold by prescription
only.
Metronidazole (common brand name: Flagyl) – usually dosed 250-500 mg
every six hours – This oft-overlooked drug has good activity against
the class of bacteria called “anaerobes”, and is useful in treatment
of diverticulitis, some gynecological infections, and would be a welcome addition
to cephalexin in the event that a “home appendectomy” is to be
tried on the kitchen table (just kidding…sort of). This drug can also
treat (or cause…go figure) a severe, and oft-fatal type of diarrhea,
called Clostridium difficile colitis (aka, pseudomembranous colitis). Don’t
mix alcohol with this one! But then, who will have booze in TEOTWAWKI anyway?
(no offense to the home distillers out there!). Sold by prescription only.
Amoxicillin (common brand name: Amoxil) – usually dosed 500 mg every
eight hours – Good for ear, throat, urinary tract, and some soft tissue
infections. If started immediately, may prevent bad infections secondary to
animal bites, including humans, but if the infection has already begun, bigger
guns are usually needed (different bacteria are problematic with various species,
but we’re talking generalities here). Bacterial resistance has cut into
the effectiveness of amoxicillin over the last 20 years, but it would sure
be better than nothing, especially in a more rural setting (the nastiest bugs
always hang out in crowds!). Sold by prescription only.
Other possible generically-available antibiotic candidates include good ole
penicillin (G or VK), ampicillin, amoxicillin/clavulanate (common brand name:
Augmentin), sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim (common brand name: Bactrim or Septra – a “sulfa
drug”), and doxycycline (common BN: Vibramycin)
ANTIFUNGALS – just one
Fluconazole (common brand name: Diflucan) – About the only reason to
have this on hand is for vaginal candidiasis. (Ladies, you can probably diagnose
that one as well as your doc!). Other uses would be difficult to diagnose at
home. A single 150 mg tablet shows very good efficacy in this indication – but
I suspect that the 200 mg tabs would be cheaper to obtain in quantity, since
the 150 mg tablet is individually packaged for the indication. In this scenario,
an extra 50 mg won’t hurt. Perhaps one of my community pharmacist colleagues
could confirm or deny my suspicion. Sold by prescription only.
VITAMINS – much more important when on survival rations!
Multiple Vitamins – get several of the biggest bottles of a generic multi-vitamin
that you can find at the warehouse club. If you’re eating white rice
three times a day, a vitamin a day (or even three times a week) may dramatically
extend your chances of survival. OTC
Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) – Very good to have around when citrus and
greens are not available…remember scurvy? (Though I hear you could eat
a pine tree). A couple of big bottles of Vitamin C 500 mg could stave off scurvy
for your family for quite a while. A quarter of a tab a day would be sufficient,
probably less (Dietitians should fill in the details here). OTC
Vitamin D – If you’re expecting a nuclear winter, you’ll
need this in the absence of sun…but then again, after reading [Cormac
McCarthy's novel] “The Road”, I’m not sure I would
want to stick around for that one! OTC
ALLERGY DRUGS
Antihistamines – Of course, seasonal allergies will have to be tolerated,
but it wouldn’t hurt to have some diphenhydramine (common brand name:
Benadryl) on hand for particularly bad cases of poison oak and bad (but not
anaphylactic) bee stings, etc. Available OTC
Corticosteroids – Along the same lines as above, perhaps a few methyprednisolone
dose packs (common brand name: Medrol Dospak) would be good for more serious
allergic reactions. Sold by prescription only.
Epinephrine – Though I promised to “stay oral”, I must mention
Epi, because it is probably the only thing that may save someone experiencing
a bona fide anaphylactic allergic reaction (tongue swells, throat closes down…can’t
breathe). The injectable form in ampoules (1mg/ml) is much cheaper, but the
Epi-Pen product is a pre-filled syringe that is ready to go. Sold by prescription
only.
ANALGESICS (pain control)
Ibuprofen (common brand names: Motrin, Advil) – Pretty good for what
ails you, since we’re not talking about narcotics. Strengths are headache,
bone pain, tooth pain, and general sprains/strains. It’s a good anti-inflammatory
(unlike acetaminophen) and will bring a high fever down. Available OTC
Aspirin – Still good for headaches and fever (except in children--do
a web search on Reyes Syndrome), but beware the enhanced risk of bleeding if
used for pain secondary to traumatic injury. Though ibuprofen theoretically
can cause a similar problem, it’s much rarer than with aspirin. Bonus:
Though heart attack mortality will undoubtedly go back up to early 20th century
levels in TEOTWAWKI, a chewed aspirin tablet (325mg) at onset of chest pain
may improve your odds in the absence of any other medical intervention. If
an old bottle of aspirin smells strongly of vinegar, it is probably kaput…but
it wouldn’t hurt you to try it.
Hydrocodone/Acetaminophen (Common brand names: Vicodin, Lortab, Lorcet, etc.) – I
said I wouldn’t include controlled substances, so this one is not included….but
just so you know, this combination of an opiate and acetaminophen (Tylenol)
is probably the minimum analgesic intervention that would help much with traumatic
visceral pain. But the laws involved and the risk of misuse complicate the
issue greatly. Be sure you’re not putting yourself at legal risk before
deciding to get prescriptions for this, or the more strictly controlled analgesics
such as oxycodone/acetaminophen (Percocet), morphine, meperidine (Demerol),
and others.
GASTROINTESTINAL MEDS – “Keep it movin’ – slow it down”
Soluble Fiber (common brand names: Metamucil, Citrucel, Fibercon) – May
be essential to keep things moving in the early days of survival rations (though,
as it is oft pointed out on this blog, eat what you store and the transition
will be much smoother). Available OTC
Docusate Sodium (common brand name: Colace) – stool softener…’nuff
said
Loperamide (common brand name: Imodium) – this antidiarrheal could save
a life, but be sure to study up on when, and when not, to use it. In bacterial
enteritis it may do more harm than good. Available OTC, though if you have
a pharmacist friend, they may be able to order a bottle of the caps much cheaper
than the OTC boxes.
TOPICALS – Cuts, burns, and scrapes
Antibiotic Ointment (“triple” bacitracin/neomycin/polymyxin or “double” bacitracin/polymyxin)
Good to reduce the risk of infection in minor cuts and scrapes. Many folks
suffer a contact dermatitis when exposed to neomycin, so many docs are recommending
the double formula these days (common brand name: Polysporin).
Silver Sulfadiazine cream (common brand names: Silvadene, Thermazine) – A
lifesaver in severe burns, but you’ll need a big jar of it.
Eye Wash – It’s basically just sterile salt water, but good to
have when you need it!
Obviously, this is a starter list. I will apologize in advance for the glaring
omissions that I’m sure friends and colleagues will point out.
A word on stability – as we’ve discussed on this blog before, the
manufacturer’s expiration date has been found to have quite a bit of
wiggle room by our Department of Defense, that has, commendably, conducted
their own degradation studies in order to extend the shelf life of the military
drug stockpile, and thus save us poor taxpayers a buck or two. For obvious
reasons, this [Shelf Life Extension System (SLES)] data is closely guarded,
so we don’t know the specifics. A few details have leaked out, and it
seems that most drugs are “good” (meaning within a reasonable range
of their original potency – usually 90%) for years beyond the
labeled expiration date when stored appropriately. For most tablets and capsules,
cooler, darker, and dryer is better (low oxygen is also good). I would suggest
that you ask your pharmacist to add the manufacturer’s expiration date
to your pill bottle for a frame of reference. Many pharmacy computer
systems default to one year from the fill date on the prescription label, irrespective
of the actual date on the stock bottle. The bottom line is this: the
drugs on this list (with the possible exception of doxycycline) do not degrade
to a toxic compound; they only loose potency over time. If you refer to Mr.
Rawles’ excellent novel, "Patriots" ,
you will note how the characters titrated the dose up to allow for potency
loss post-expiration date. When to do this, and by how much is a crap shoot,
but in TEOTWAWKI it is better to have tried and lost, than never to have tried
at all!
Here’s hoping and praying that we all die in our beds at 101 years of
age, with our wives (or husbands) lilting voice in our ear, saying, “I
told you that you were wasting money on all that survival stuff!!!” Regards,
- SH in Georgia
Mr Rawles,
I'm a retail pharmacist working in Louisiana and am new to prepping. Many of
my patients come to me asking for advice on low cost medications that will
still yield positive outcomes. As a result I've gained valuable insight into
the potential for stockpiling medications on a budget. I hope this helps:
Stockpiling mediations for WTSHTF can
be a daunting task, even for those with an idea of their current medicinal
needs. For those currently taking prescription medication, the question is
usually affordability and accessibility. Most insurance plans will not pay
for supplies larger than 90 days, and paying cash for prescriptions is usually
cost prohibitive. While greater accessibility exists in countries such as Mexico
or Canada, crossing the border with large quantities of medication is usually
asking for trouble, thus requiring multiple trips. And while the lower costs
of medications outside of the US has been frequently touted, quality can be
suspect. Internet pharmacies in places such as India or even China will ship
to your front door, but only after paying a "doctor" for your required
by law "consultation", usually costing anywhere from 75 to 125 dollars.
So what are the options?
There is a two fold strategy regarding lowering your drug cost to allow for
cost efficient stockpiling. First, talk with your doctor or pharmacist about
generic medications. Generics save as much as 80% over their brand name equivalent,
are covered on every insurance plan, and because of the cost will allow for
bulk purchases. A prescription is good for one year from the date it is written,
so unless the medication is a controlled substance, you may purchase as much
as a years worth of medication at a time(provided your doctor has authorized
that many refills). Second, for those taking multiple medications, talk to
your doctor and pharmacist about decreasing the number of medications you are
taking by increasing the dose of others or changing the medications altogether.
This strategy can best be illustrated in the following example:
Patient "X" is a 55 year old Type II (non-insulin dependent) diabetic
with a history of coronary artery disease. His current medications are as follows:
Drug Condition Cost/month
Actos 30 mg diabetes $240
Zetia 10 mg cholesterol $110
Plavix blood thinner $170
Cardizem LA 240 blood pressure $125
Total medication cost/ month= $645
After consulting with his doctor and pharmacist, the following changes were
made:
Drug Condition Cost/month
Metformin 500 mg diabetes $4-$10
Simvastatin 20 mg cholesterol $4-$20
Warfarin 5 mg blood thinner $4-$10
Atenolol 50 mg blood pressure $4-$10
Total medication cost/month= $16-$50
These are cash prices, not insurance co-pays. Insurance plans would not allow
you to purchase medication for stockpiling purposes.
Also, in the same manner that firearms and ammunition should be purchased in "common
calibers" to allow for ease in buying or bartering, so should medications.
Even if you do not take maintenance medications it might make sense in the
long run to build up a supply. In much the same way as we seek out kindred
survival spirits in firearms,food storage, etc, it is possible to find doctors
that may write prescriptions for conditions that you could potentially (wink,wink)
develop. Medications used to treat blood pressure or diabetes will be in short
supply post-TEOTWAWKI,
and it will take several growing seasons for herbal remedies to make their
way through the production pipeline. Also, family members, friends and other "guests" will
undoubtedly forget their medications in their attempt to G.O.O.D..
Of the top 20 drugs prescribed in the US in 2007, four were for blood pressure,
three were for cholesterol, three for GERD (heartburn/ulcer), three for depression,
three for asthma/allergy, and one each for thyroid,osteoporosis, sleep and
blood thinning. For the sake of brevity, let's focus on the three conditions
typically undeserved by over the counter medications:
1) Atenolol: A common beta blocker medication used to treat blood pressure.
Common dosages begin at 25 mg daily to twice daily. Purchase the 100 mg strength
and cut them in fourths.
2) Metformin: Sulfonylurea class medication used to treat non insulin dependent
diabetes. While other drugs such as glipizide or glyburide are less expensive
they can also lead to hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) if dosed incorrectly.
Metformin does not have that problem. Can also help lower LDL (cholesterol)
and tryglycerides- but so will the average post-TEOTWAWKI diet. Dosages begin
at 500 mg, twice daily. Where possible, buy the 1,000 mg strength and cut them
in half.
3) Tramadol: Non-narcotic pain reliever. Does not have many of the sedating
side effects of Lortab, Vicodin, Norco, etc and is not a controlled substance.
Tramadol also does not cause the stomach problems (reflux, ulcerations) commonly
seen with ibuprofen, aspirin, and naproxen (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory
drugs (NSAIDS)). This will make them easier to obtain as most physicians are
more comfortable writing prescriptions for non narcotic pain relievers. Typical
dosage is 50 mg up to four times daily as needed.
There are thousands of over-the-counter medications used to treat an unlimited
variety of ailments. This can make stockpiling medications difficult. Every
health care professional has their personal recommendations, but the following
are the five OTC items that should be bought in bulk. They are cheap, effective,
and each covers a wide range of potential maladies:
1) Aspirin
Can be used to relieve pain, relieve inflammation, thin the blood and lower
fever (do not take on an empty stomach)
2) Benadryl (diphenhydramine)
Can be used to treat itching, rash, allergic reactions, and is the most common
ingredient in over the counter sleep aids (will cause drowsiness)
3) Pepto-Bismol
Can be used to treat indigestion, nausea, heartburn and diarrhea.
4) Neosporin
Antibiotic ointment for cuts, scrapes and burns
5) Primatene Mist
The only over the counter inhaler capable of minimizing the symptoms of or
stopping an acute asthma attack.
No first aid kit is complete without those five. - LA, R.Ph .
JWR Adds: In several places, "LA" mentioned cutting
pills in halves or quarters. This is best accomplished a with a tray-type pill
cutter, since cutting pills with a knife --especially those that are not pre-scored
for cutting--tends to be messy and inaccurate. Note that many drug companies
give away plastic pill cutters marked with their corporate logos as promotional
items, so the chances are good that your local retail pharmacist will have
some available,
free for
the
asking.
« Mexican Flu Update: |Main| Three Letters Re: Stocking Up on Prescription Medicines »
Letter Re: Prince of Wales Island, Alaska as a Retreat Locale?
Sir:
I understand your
comments on Alaska's [poor] potential for survival retreats .Your
logic is sound and I have to take seriously someone who has thought about these
issues longer than
I have. But
there is always a but...What about Prince of Wales Island, Alaska? Backwoods
Home magazine
published an article written by a Jon Stram that I have not got out of mind.
The article sold Prince of Wales Island very well, so [for counterbalance]
I need an unbiased, expert opinion Thank
you, - Russell:
JWR Replies: You aren't the first to suggest that locale
to me. it. I must admit, that as Alaska goes, it is captivating and has one
of the
best climates.
The island is bigger than Delaware!. In my estimation,
it would be a
fine
place
to be during an economic depression comparable to the 1930s, but not in
a full scale collapse where it would be isolated from transport--especially liquid
fuels.
(Chainsaws, power boats, generators, float planes, and snow machines "no
worky".)
There are 6,000+ people
on the island. That is a lot of people for an island with essentially no
large scale agriculture, especially when there is no gasoline,
diesel, propane, or kerosene available. The accessible four-legged wild game would
probably
be cleaned
out in short order. After that, things might get ugly. In an absolute worst
case, your neighbors might start hunting two-legged game.
« Two Letters Re: That Post Die-Off Fragrance |Main| Letter Re: Year-Round Gardening »
Letter Re: Stocking Up on Prescription Medicines
James,
I have just visited with our family physicians about a stockpile of
prescriptions medications. Seems that two of them are "preppers" and are
putting a plan together for their families.
They physicians are more than willing to write scripts for meds, they really
are supportive of the plan and like the Wal-Mart list. For some reason, they
will not recommend specific drugs, they will prescribe but not recommend.
I wonder if a pharmacist and Ranger Doc might be willing to put together
a specific list of recommended prescription items and you could put it in the
blog. This would be a great help.
Thanks. Your blog is my #1 read every day. - Bryan W.
JWR Replies: You are fortunate to be associated with like-minded
doctors. Just keep in mind that legally they can only prescribe drugs that
are within "the scope of practice" of their respective speciailties.
« Letter Re: Ideas for Home-Based Businesses? |Main| Letter Re: That Post Die-Off Fragrance »
Letter Re: Food Storage--Will People Ever Learn?
Hello Jim,
Of [your oft-mention triad a of] Beans, Bullets, Band-Aids, I want to share
some thoughts about the "Beans" category
I read that a lot of folks prepping for the future. That's great, we all should. The
day after Hurricane Ike, I saw people in huge lines to get into grocery
stores, hours of waiting. The day after! They did not even have one day worth
of food in their homes.
Then I read lots of info and blogs about people getting their emergency supply
of food stored. There is a place for the MREs, beef jerky and all the dehydrated
food in cans. It is a very important part of food storage and preparation.
I personally don't want to live on it, and quite frankly I can't afford it.
I am a strong believer in the "store what you eat" concept. My family and I
have a supply of red and white wheat, but we eat some fresh made wheat bread
every
week.
Therefore it gets rotated. We are using it.
Does someone really want to wake up one day after the SHTF scenario, open a
bucket of wheat and ask, "now what"? The food that you store should
be a part of your regular diet. About five years ago we started home canning.
This
almost forgotten art. It is a wonderful way to store food you actually want to
eat. Stews, soups, meats, chicken, chili, spaghetti sauce with meat can all
be canned
in glass jars by
any average joe. And for a lot less money than the freeze
dried emergency foods. And it will be rotated regularly because it's good and
therefore you will eat
it.
I hope people don't have a false sense of security because they have a bunch
of boxed-up dehydrated food under their bed [that they have never used]. Store
what you eat, eat what you store, and continue to stock up! - T.
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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
« Mexican Flu Update: |Main| Maximizing Use of a Backyard Greenhouse, by Kathy Harrison »
Letter Re: Expanding the Family Larder with Coupon Shopping
Dear Jim,
I'm a mom, and new to your site, but I've long been thinking that my instinct
for planning should ramp up to a new level of preparedness to keep my family
safe. Like
many of your readers I've long felt an increased sense of alarm at the state
of our world on numerous levels.
And, as many of your readers - preparing within the parameters of my normal
household budget along with the current financial challenges makes preparation
challenging! ... in short - I don't have lots of spare cash around to go around
buying pallets of food "just in case"...
I really feel convicted that as a Christian mom who has learned a better way
to shop - it's my duty to educate your readers about rethinking their normal shopping
to a more frugal and economic shopping style that will allow them to create
and build a food stockpile for their possible future needs. If
more people are prepared, then as a community we will be able to hold each
other up.
So - let's talk coupon shopping.
As I said - I'm a mom - a normal mom, married with two kids. But food is expensive
and most people think. I can't go in the store and just buy 40 boxes of pasta
to put on a shelf --that would be crazy. I need to buy my normal groceries!
But I did just that, this week - and for free! Coupon shopping has evolved
into such a crazy science that there are tons of web sites dedicated just to
that.
People generally think it's great if they buy something on sale. Or if they
get an item with a coupon. But what people need to realize is that they need
to buy something on sale with a coupon when it hits the rock-bottom sale price.
If you live in an area where coupons double, you need to use your 75 cent coupon
when an item hits $1.50 so it ends up being free.
I have not spent a cent on toothpaste, shampoo, deodorant or nearly any other "health
and beauty" item in the three years I've been couponing. If the only
thing that enabled me besides the ability to stockpile for myself and donate
to my friends
and
food
pantries abundantly. It enables me to not spend money on
those items, [and hence] to shift it to food spending. The pasta I bought
today for free.: It was on sale for
$1, with a coupon for $1/2 that was part of a special dollar doubling deal
at my local grocery store.
I normally buy 10-15 newspapers and have delis that hold me their unsold papers
and have no qualms about dumpster diving for more.
The end result of this is that I don't spend more than 50 cents on a box
of cereal and get a great portion of my food needs for free. Of course there
is still
produce and meat so it's a work in progress.
I want your readership to realize that with savvy
coupon shopping within their own shopping environment, they can start
to build a stockpile. It's imperative that they do so.
To start couponing, do a Google search on "coupon shopping". Find
out if your local grocery store offers any coupon cards, doubling, or tripling.
Be prepared
to
do some Internet research on the big coupon sites. Invest in at least 10-15
papers if you have a family of four (or find a free source for newspaper coupon
inserts such as a recycling center) Keep at it. Coupon savings sometimes take
four weeks for the coupons you get today to come into play as a maximum
savings
item. This takes time, but saving money and being prepared and taking care
of your
family is the only motivation you should need. Regards, - Ida
JWR Replies: Thanks for those suggestions. I encourage SurvivalBlog
readers to bookmark and regularly visit some of the major Internet coupon web
sites, such as as and RetailMeNot.com,
Mommy Saves
Big, and Wow
Printable Coupons.
« Six Letters Re: Adapting Family Food Storage for Gluten Intolerance |Main| Note from JWR: »
Letter Re: The Rush Has Begun for Flu Prep Logistics
Aloha James,
To confirm your take on the need to prepare ahead of time, I realized last
weekend that this current event (Mexican Flu) would be a good opportunity
to actually measure public reaction to an emergency. Thus, once the government
announced a health emergency on Saturday, I began watching the shelves at
three local drug stores and Amazon. Here's what happened in Honolulu, Hawaii
(a city of 800,000 and an international airport hub).
Saturday - all shelves full of flu meds & masks
Sunday - masks half gone, some in the back of the store, shelves full of flu
meds
Monday - masks half gone, none in the back of the store, shelves half full
of flu meds
Tuesday - masks gone, back ordered, shelves half full of flu meds
Wednesday - while I was sitting in my kid's dentist office, two employees of
other businesses in the mall came by and asked the receptionists for masks.
Both said they looked everywhere and couldn't find any. The receptionist could
only spare one each. Stores still running half full shelves of flu meds.
Watching Amazon - on Saturday you could buy the surgical N95 masks (green ones),
by Monday they were sold out and white N95s were $13.98 for 20. By Wed, the
white ones went up to $15.99, and other merchants were selling theirs for $59.99
for 20, with one merchant advertising their "last box" of 20 for
$299!
If this doesn't convince people to stock up and stock up early, I don't know
what will. Three days; that's all it took for the city to run out of masks,
and I can only surmise by this, that it would only take a few more days to
run out of flu meds if the news reported someone locally had the Mexican Flu.
I hope fellow readers get the point.
Thank you for your excellent blog. I'm on the June waiting list for my copy
of Patriots and look forward to reading it. Keep up the great work! - KJ in
Honolulu, Hawaii
« Mexican Flu Update: |Main| Letter Re: The Rush Has Begun for Flu Prep Logistics »
Six Letters Re: Adapting Family Food Storage for Gluten Intolerance
James,
I found out last year I am gluten intolerant, and my little girl was
symptomatic with me. In our case, we found we can't tolerate any grains--not
even corn
or rice. Below are some ideas for those with either condition or who are on
lower-carbohydrate diets for health reasons.
* In addition to beans, other carbohydrate-rich foods that you can store include
potatoes, yams, peas, beets and tapioca. To avoid the additives found in some
dehydrated foods, I have freeze-dried potatoes, yams, and peas. I also have
some home-canned yams and plan to grow more. Beets are only available in regular
cans. I have those, plus regular canned peas and potatoes. Tapioca isn't as
nutritionally rich as some of these others, but it's nice to be able to have
a treat and it stores well. (Most prepared puddings have problematic thickeners.)
In terms of rice, I did some research when I was eating grains. White rice
is
the least nutritious grain--eating it actually depletes your body's nutritional
reserves, which isn't a good idea in a stressful SHTF situation
(where the stress alone will deplete you of B complex). Brown rice is much better
for you, but
doesn't store well. So I would suggest storing more corn than rice, and using
rice as a treat or as a break from monotony.
* Don't forget lentils. They aren't used nearly enough in American cuisine (mainly
soups). I have found some fabulous Middle Eastern and Indian recipes for them.
They store well, and are a wonderfully nutrient dense food. The brown ones don't
always look that appetizing, so I often opt for the red ones. You can add these
to tomato sauce or spaghetti sauce dishes to boost protein and not even realize
they're there. And like most anything else, they taste even better with cheese
on top.
* To avoid the corn syrup present in nearly all canned fruits, I looked until
I found a local store brand that uses only pear juice. (I can't have sugar either,
and won't use artificial sweeteners.) I pay extra for a couple of other fruits
at Whole Foods that are also canned in pear juice. I have also canned a variety
of fruit. And I store some freeze-dried fruit instead of the dehydrated, which
sometimes have some unfriendly additives and aren't necessarily cheaper. Nice
fruit is important when you can't have a traditional breakfast. Canned or freeze-dried
can be heated and turned into a compote, or put into a smoothie for a nice breakfast
shake--one of my daughter's favorites.
* Finding MREs
for a bug-out bag was very difficult. One
company makes gluten-free
MREs, but they don't run batches every year--so the MREs
may last only a year or two. I finally found one Mountain House pouch entree
that looked okay (chicken with potatoes), and opted for that, plus canned meat
and pouch sides of veggies (potatoes, peas, etc.).
* Coconut flour has a shelf life of 1 year at room temperature, possibly longer
if you have a cold basement. I have been experimenting with recipes and found
it yields a result similar to wheat flour. Coconut pancakes are similar to buttermilk
pancakes. It is not cheap ($7 / lb.) but you use a lot less of it per recipe
than regular flour. Bob's Red Mill makes some, and you can buy it in larger bulk
quantities on the web. Due to the expense, for us it is a treat on weekends,
birthdays, holidays, etc. But the results so far have been good, and the taste
is scrumptious. It also works as a substitute for flour if you're making oven-fried
chicken or breaded things. Coconut flour is a carb[ohydrate], but it has a high
fiber content (6 g/serving),
which
helps with blood sugar stabilization. Those watching carbs could top coconut
pancakes with peanut butter (and a dash of honey or syrup), or heat up some frozen
or canned fruit to make a simple compote that's lower in carbs than maple syrup.
* Almond flour is a fabulous substitute for wheat flour, and yields results that
are more similar to flour-based breads (rice and corn products tend to be dry).
There are also two great books with wonderful recipes for the Specific Carbohydrate
Diet (Grainfree Gourmet). However, it is twice the price of coconut flour, and
is not suitable for using in a SHTF situation because it can easily go rancid
if it's kept out of of a freezer or a refrigerated environment. It is also not
calorie-free.
But it is really nice to work with if you're watching carbs because
it counts
as a protein. For this reason, it's my choice for "bread" for holiday
meals.
* I have also had to change a lot of my condiments and sauces. Soy sauce, for
example, is wheat-based. So I use Bragg's Liquid Aminos. Most ketchups, barbecue
sauces, and relishes include corn syrup. I found a barbecue sauce and ketchup
that don't, and now make my own ketchup with a recipe I found on the web. I also
make up my own Worcestershire sauce. It doesn't take long, and I know it's safe
to consume.
* Since I can't use cornstarch to thicken, I use arrowroot--and have a lot of
it on hand. I also use mashed potato flakes (the kind without preservatives that
lasts about a year) to thicken soups and in place of cracker crumbs in recipes.
* Where I have been put on a lower carb diet, I have had to pay more attention
to protein than many folks do in their preparations. I need protein, and can't
produce it myself. So I try to have an extra deep larder of it: dehydrated eggs
(for scrambled eggs), canned cheese, freeze-dried cheese, freeze-dried cottage
cheese (good with canned fruit on top), lots of salmon (for salmon breakfast
patties), and lots of canned meat from Best
Prices Storable Foods. After Hurricane
Ike, we used some of our canned meat. It was great, and I didn't get sick (unlike
a friend who at store-bought meat with lots of additives). I can't buy canned
beef or pork in the stores--too many additives I can't have.
* One critical change has been to play to what we can eat and truly enjoy. My
husband loves pineapple. So I used the internet to find several recipes we can
eat that use pineapple. They're now family favorites--and safe for me and my
little girl to eat. This really helps with the sense of deprivation, which can
be an issue in sticking to any diet. Focusing on these new delicious finds has
helped ease the pains of missing pasta, oatmeal, etc. So for morale purposes
if nothing else, I've made sure our larder includes the ingredients for the "family
faves" that we can eat.
* For snacks, we usually eat dried fruit and nuts. I have a good stock of both,
especially the nuts, since I can't grow them here (not enough room for a pecan
tree). While they won't keep long-term, they will keep a good year and I rotate
my stock. Buying in bulk from www.nutsonline.com and www.bulkfoods.com has saved
me a ton of money and yet let me make sure I'm getting fruit without syrups or
sugar added.
* Another snack is fresh bananas with peanut butter on them, honey optional.
I have also been stocking up on banana chips--these make a great substitute for
crackers. Since I plan to nurse a new baby this summer and won't be able to eat
peanuts while nursing, I have also been stocking up on almond butter.
* Instead of granola bars, we eat fruit strips (100% real fruit) or Lara bars.
Since these are rather pricey, I'm learning how to dry fruit and looking into
recipes to make my own bars. But in the meantime it works, and they would be
great in a bug-out bag. I always keep some in my purse and in the diaper bag.
(Finding snacks I can eat while "out" is very difficult.)
* For "junk" or convenience foods, we often use potatoes and sweet
potatoes. We make oven-baked fries, and buy the occasional bag of chips for garnishing
stir-frys or giving crunch to a soup or salad (instead of croutons or crackers).
* When sick or overheated, I can't rehydrate with Gatorade (sugar, etc.). So
I either make my own Gatorade, or drink fruit juice and eat a fresh banana. We
also store fruit juice in various forms (100% juice pouches for my daughter,
bottles for when we're sick or going through a heat wave).
* I also can't start eating again after the flu or morning sickness with crackers
or noodle soups. So I make my own Gatorade and use baked potatoes, mashed potatoes,
or yams. My toddler preferred oven-baked fries the last time she was recovering
from the flu.
* I have also had to change our shampoo, lotions, and even over-the-counter (OTC)
medicines to avoid grain products and sugar. For OTC medicines, I usually look
for the dye-free packages, and these usually have fewer troublesome ingredients.
Since my 3-year-old daughter was symptomatic with me, and the doctor indicated
my soon-to-be-born son will most likely inherit the genetic tendency, our whole
family has switched to my diet. (My husband is a saint! He does get bread and
normal food when he eats out with his clients.) With my daughter, it is much
easier to simply not have "off-limit" foods in the house.
As a postscript, I found out I was gluten intolerant because I was eating what
I was storing. I was subclinical--did not exhibit any of the traditional symptoms
despite eating a "healthy" whole-grain diet for years--until I tried
a homemade bread recipe that called for extra gluten. In my case, the results
were catastrophic. However, I am so grateful to found out before I needed to
rely on my supplies (and good medical care might be unavailable). Needless to
say, I am a big advocate of using what you store. - CL in Houston
Sir,
After reading your post today Letter Re: Adapting Family Food Storage for Gluten
Intolerance I remembered reading recently about Kamut a possible low gluten
wheat substitute for individuals what are gluten intolerant. I did a quick
search on your blog and could not find a previous article about Kamut so
I thought I would drop you a note to let you know about it.
You can read more about
Kamut at the Walton Feed web site.
Regards, - Eric in The Desert
Sir,
My youngest daughter and I are sensitive to gluten. We have discovered
that "alternative" grains
like millet, quinoa, and amaranth are quite good. All three can be cooked as
is as a side for supper or as a "porridge" for breakfast. Also, all
three can be ground into flour or purchased bulk as flour from different sources.
Sorghum and buckwheat are also good alternative flours. Millet would be good
for anyone to investigate storing. It stores for a long time with little preparation
-- one to two years. It can be stored longer with better preparation -- oxygen
absorbers, etc. You cook millet like rice. You rinse then boil or you can rinse,
toast, then boil. But, you use less millet than rice per cup of water. So the
millet goes a lot farther. Generally, you cook 1 cup of millet per 2-1/2 cups
of water. I cook brown rice at 1 cup of rice per 1-3/4 cups water. However,
because of this, when grinding and baking with it, your baked item may be a
bit dry from the millet absorbing so much liquid. With a touch of practice,
you can remedy that.
As you mentioned, there are many good sources for cooking gluten-free. Blogs
are wonderful resources. You can find a lot of practical advice from people
who are dealing with it on a day to day basis.
And here is an
excellent blog on going gluten-free. - Emma
Mr. Rawles,
Another place to get gluten free recipes is Frugalabundance.com.
I hope that this proves helpful to any SurvivalBlog readers that are gluten
intolerant.
Regards, - Gloria
Hi Jim:
I read Tim's post yesterday about his wife being diagnosed with Celiac disease.
As you may recall, I was the one who posted one year ago about my daughter
being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and a month later, learning she and
my other ladies having Celiac disease. I can certainly sympathize with Tim
as it is daunting and overwhelming when a loved one is initially diagnosed.
From our year long experience with this, here is what I can offer.
The blessing and curse of these times is Celiac. While so many foods include
wheat and gluten as part of their overall production, many more foods are now
Gluten Free. This is driven in part by a growing awareness of the Celiac disease,
gluten intolerance in general, links of gluten and Autism and simple dietary
issues. More foods than ever are gluten free. We began by eliminating all sources
of gluten and wheat from the house. Any wheat or gluten in our house would
cause my diabetic daughter to begin to violently throw up, causing dehydration
and ketone spikes. So it all went away. What was usually a two or three grocery
store ensemble has now grown to seven (7) different stores in our region in
order to find the various things. One store carries some things, another store
different things and so on. Our best sources for gluten free foods has been
the local Fred Meyer (owned by Kroeger) and Whole Foods. Some products are
now clearly marked as "gluten free" so spotting them has been easier.
For instance, instead of a loaf of wheat bread, we now use rice flour bread
made at Whole foods (about 65% more expensive that regular whole wheat bread).
Instead of the usual wheat flour waffles on the waffle maker, it's now waffles
made with rice or tapioca flour from the local health food store (Manna Mills).
The treat of freezer cookies are accomplished with a brand of gluten free freezer
cookies from Whole Foods. Cereals are rice or corn based. All chips are either
corn tortilla or pure potato and we eat far more rice eaten as a staple.
One of the things we have encountered is that the carb load on these are typically
higher, leading us to better watch our weight and how much we eat. As I indicated
before, our grocery bill went up over 50% in one night when we switched. Many
of these foods have a significantly shorter shelf life, especially when processed.
As an example, a loaf of rice bread in my cool, dry house will spoil within
36-48 hours. But we found many, many on-line and local resources to help us
in making the correct food decisions. My girls religiously reading the labels,
looking for any signs of gluten, wheat or wheat family products that could
contaminate. There is a very good magazine called Living Without which addresses
foods without certain items such as gluten or wheat. Amazingly enough, our
local Kroeger owned store was found to have a sizeable gluten free section
in the natural foods section. And of course, we eat less processed foods, more
fresh fruit and vegetables.
Naturally, the shift from a wheat based survival foods platform to a rice based
platform was expensive. Many survival, dehydrated and MRE based foods were
given away as they all contained either wheat or gluten. I bulked up on more
rice and shelf stable wheat free survival foods (very little out there, I must
admit).
Last November, our family took a much needed vacation to Disneyland. It was
one of our most positive eating experiences as we learned that Disney (and
other major theme park enterprises) takes Celiac disease seriously. They had
gluten/wheat free alternatives based upon breads made in our area by Energee
Foods. My girls were able to enjoy pizzas made with tapioca flour crust. We
were even able to communicate with the head chef for Disneyland food service
for information. That made for a more enjoyable trip. A visit to a local Von's
and Trader Joe's and we had a great gluten free vacation.
For Seattle, Washinton area SurvivalBlog readers, here is
a list of local stores we have been successful
in finding wheat free or gluten free foods at:
Costco - Rice chips, corn tortilla chips, beans (bulk and canned refried),
rice, Robert's gourmet foods like Smart Puffs
PCC (Puget Consumers Co-Op) - Commercially produced gluten/wheat free foods
Whole Foods - Wheat free bread, rolls, pizza crusts, Angeline's
Manna Mills - Bulk rice and tapioca flours
Fred Meyer - Crackers, Bob's Red Mill gluten free flours, cereal, rice cakes,
soy crackers, etc.
Ener-gee foods - Local commercial based gluten free foods (products used
exclusively at Walt Disney resorts)
Trader Joe's - Wheat and gluten free frozen waffles, pancakes, chips, crackers
I wish Tim and the other Celica readers great success! - MP in Seattle ( a
Ten
Cent Challenge subscriber)
Hi There,
In response to your reader post about food storage and gluten intolerance,
I would like to add that if you plan to mill your own grains, and plan to
store wheat for those that can eat it, you will need to get two grain mills
and never mill grains containing gluten on your gluten free mill. Mills are
too difficult to fully clean and there will be traces
of gluten left from milling grains such as wheat or barley.
Every coeliac has a different level of intolerance, but it is not worth risking
problems. Gluten free grains suitable for beer making are probably also suitable
for substituting for wheat and barley in other foods too. Some of these are
millet, buckwheat, corn, rice, quinoa and sorghum. Just remember to only use
your gluten free mill to mill gluten free grains
and store both the whole grains and flour in separate dedicated containers.-
The Anonymous Economist
« SurvivalBlog Reader Survey Results: Conveniently Bypassed Areas |Main| Note from JWR: »
Mexican Flu Update
I recommend that SurvivalBlog readers seriously think through the implications
of successive waves of Mexican Flu sweeping around the globe for the next three
years. From
what we've already seen of its virulence after the normal "cold
and flu season", then the next couple of winters could bring very high
rates of infection
and overwhelm the healthcare system. Please take the time to watch Dr.
Henry Niman of
Recombinomics discussing"Swine" flu. His projections
are disturbing, to say the least! Think this through folks, on a macro scale:
How would a pandemic impact your work? Commuting? Grocery shopping? Church activities?
School? (If you are not yet homeschooling, then you should plan on it!) Your
vacation
plans? Summer camp? Family holiday get-togethers? Sports and cultural
events? These
implications
are enormous. As SurvivalBlog readers, you are already
accustomed
to contemplating
abstractions
at this level and getting "ahead of the power curve." You also likely
have
the
benefit
of
superior
training
and
a deep
larder.
And, hopefully,
many
of you took my advice three years ago, and began to develop home-based businesses.
(Mail order businesses will undoubtedly flourish, as people shun face-to-face
sales.)
There are no guarantees, but you have a better chance
of getting through this
unscathed than most of your neighbors. Hopefully, all of you read the backgrounder
on family flu preparedness, that I've had posted here are SurvivalBlog
for more
than
three
years.
But
if
not... Now is
time
to make the requisite adjustments to your daily routine and to top
off
your
logistics:
- Now is the time to order several boxes of N95
masks and
rolls of bandage tape (for sealing any mask edge gaps )
- Now is the time to buy a steam
vaporizer (new,
or used -- Try Craig's
List for used ones)
- Now is
the
time to approach
your family doctor, and
ask for a scrip for Tamiflu.
- Now is
the time to
lay in a supply of Sambucol (Elderberry
extract.)
- Now is the time to lay in supplies
of hand sanitizer (with aloe) and latex gloves--or nitrile gloves for
those with latex allergies
- Now is the time to stock up on Vitamin C, Vitamin D, and Guaifenesin expectorant
- Now is the time to buy a couple of Bag Valve Masks
- And
lastly, for
this and umpteen other contingencies, now is
the time to acquire an honest one year supply of storage food (or more) for
your family. Buy some extra, for charity.
If
you
wait
too long,
then those
supplies
will
either be
non-existent,
or exorbitantly priced. By the time most of the sheeple think
this through (or have it explained to them by the talking heads on the
Idiot Box),
you will have long since "topped off" your
preps. But
not if you
hesitate. As my friend Bob in Tennessee is fond of saying: "Panic
now, and avoid the rush." [The Memsahib adds: If you've been consistently
panicking since 1999 with no ill effects on your spouse's mental health,
then give yourself a pat on the back.]
Mark my words: A true pandemic will disrupt supply chains,
starting with relatively exotic items (such as antivirals), but eventually
working down to basic commodities. Be ready.
Today's flu headlines:
Panic buying and government distrust in Mexico
1st
US Swine Flu Death: Toddler in Texas (visiting from Mexico) Flu also
now in Austria and Germany
"Patient Zero" may have been found. A 5-yr-old who lives near a pig
farm.
Access to Safe, Reliable Food Essential in Pandemic
Swine Flu Tracking On-Line
Ron Paul: Putting Swine Flu in Perspective
Dr. Len Horowitz: Mexican Flu Outbreak 2009 Special Report
Swine Flu Worries Shut Down Three Private California Schools
US Swine Flu Cases Now Officially at 68
Schwarzenegger, Obama Boosts Efforts Against Swine Flu
WHO Warns Swine Flu Threatening to Become Pandemic
World Takes Drastic Steps to Contain Swine Flu
Biden Tells Family to Stay Off Planes, Subways
Mexico Shuts Nonessential Services Amid Swine Flu
Asia Suspected Swine Flu Cases Rise
All Ft. Worth, Texas, Schools Closed Over Flu Fears
49 Confirmed Cases in NYC
CDC Latest Facts and Figures Re Swine Flu
Obama: US May Close Schools to Battle Swine Flu
Swine Flu Could Threaten Millions with Other Diseases
« Letter Re: Home and Ranch Methane Gas Generators |Main| Mexican Flu Update »
Letter Re: Adapting Family Food Storage for Gluten Intolerance
Hi Jim,
I wonder how many other preppers out there have the same issue we just discovered.
My wife has always had trouble with her digestive tract. Recently we discovered
that she is has Coeliac's disease which means she is gluten intolerant. She
can no longer eat gluten which it seems is in just about every type of prepared
food. It comes from Wheat and is obviously in anything that has wheat in
it, but it is also in lots of other things including vitamins, tomato paste,
some candies, etc. It has been quite an adjustment for us!
This makes it difficult for us to store wheat as she cannot eat it. The rest
of us can, but it is hard to have lots of wheat based meals that part of the
family cannot eat. So, does anyone else out there have any experience storing
wheat substitutes or will we have to stock up more on rice and beans instead?
Best Regards, - Tim P.
JWR Replies: This topic has been raised before in SurvivalBlog,
but because Celiac Disease (aka gluten-sensitive enteropathy) is so commonplace,
it is worthwhile to discuss it further.
The good news is that because gluten-sensitive enteropathy is so common, there
are a wide range of gluten-free
foods on the market, and their are a wealth of gluten-free
recipes available online. The book Gluten-Free
Girl
by
Shauna James Ahern is an excellent resource. Needless to say, to start, you
will need to adjust your food storage program to have a much higher ratio of
corn and rice rather than wheat, to accommodate having some family members
that are gluten intolerant.
So that you don't get totally bored with eating rice and beans, look into
the non-gluten "grains" available, such as Quinoa. Another possibility
is Spelt. However, I should note that some allergy doctors contend that Spelt
is too closely related to wheat for it to be trusted as a celiac replacement
grain. Both of these grains are available in bulk from Internet vendors such
as Walton Feed for much
less that you'd pay at your local health food store.
The Lengthy List of Aliases
Gluten is found in the following: malt flavoring (from barley), hydrolyzed
vegetable proteins, caramel coloring (non US made), Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)
(non-US made), dextrins (especially vitamins and medications), wheat starch
and the big catch-all "natural flavors". These could be anything,
so you need to ask the manufacturer, and even then they may not be able to
tell you with certainty whether of not they are gluten-based. Of these, MSG
is the most difficult to identify because it is now pervasive in prepared foods,
and can hidden under a profusion of aliases. These deceptive labeling practices
have been flagged
by the FDA. According to the book Battling
the MSG Myth
, some
MSG synonyms include: Calcium Caseinate, Sodium Caseinate, Gelatin, Hydrolyzed
Protein, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein (HVP), Textured Protein, Textured Vegetable
Protein (TVP), Monopotassium Glutamate, Hydrolyzed Plant Protein (HPP) Yeast
Extract, Glutamate Autolyzed Plant Protein Yeast food, Yeast Nutrient, Glutamic
Acid, Sodium Caseinate, Autolyzed Yeast, Vegetable Protein Extract, Senomyx
(a wheat extract that is often just labeled as "artificial flavor"),
Calcium Diglutamate, Monoammonium Glutamate, Magnesium Diglutamate, and others! Beware
of any ingredient that includes the words Hydrolyzed or Autolyzed. Similarly,
beware of: Malted Barley Flour, Malt Extract, Soy Protein, Wheat Protein, Whey
Protein, Corn Starch, Citric Acid, Corn Syrup, and Dextrose.
« SurvivalBlog Reader Survey: Conveniently Bypassed Areas |Main| Letter Re: Tapping the National Medications Stockpile »
Flu and Antibacterials, by David in Israel
James
I constantly see recommendations for people to use hand sanitizer especially
every time the flu-de jure becomes a problem. Over my years as a
firefighter/paramedic many of my co-workers used hand sanitizer on a regular
basis, the most frequent
users often ended up with cracked skin and infections or scabs at the corners
of their fingernails. These users even ended up occasionally spreading the
fungus to me and other non antibacterial users due to their compulsive wiping
of antibacterial compounds onto steering wheels and other surfaces.
Your best protection is not to nuke your own protections and hope any bacteria
die, but rather enhance your own systems. Vinegar rubbed onto the hands doesn't
remove your body's protective oils, it also doesn't cause the [drying and]
cracking that alcohol based rubs do. Acidophilus is available in capsule form
which
can be
opened and rubbed onto damp hands, acidophilus is a powerful microscopic security
force that works in symbiosis with your body. I also had a policy of not using
soap but spraying with dilute vinegar after rinsing my hands, sometimes rubbing
in a few drops of olive oil, my hands stayed soft making my wife happy, the
toughened skin stayed tough, and my skin protection layer stayed intact.
Day to day long periods of wearing of latex or nitirile gloves will cause your
hands to crack and dry out. Since you will probably not encounter open puddles
of body fluid by surprise cotton gloves, safety or eye glasses, and a cotton
or better yet a HEPA face mask should help prevent acquiring any airborne hyper-communicative
diseases if you need to go into a public place. Carry nitrile gloves and safety
glasses in case you are called to provide first aid. Be sure to safely remove,
bag, and wash any reusable protection before entering your home or vehicle.
Top attention should be placed on keeping your hands away from your face, especially
the mouth and eyes. When I was a paramedic instructor I had the students hands
dusted with UV-glowing
powder. After class I brought out the black light, nearly everyone's face showed
that they had touched or itched, even knowing that they
would get extra credit for coming up clean.
Unfortunately I never had time to set up a proper scientific study with control
groups, but my experience, and those who followed my advice was generally positive,
most of the antibacterial gel users had hard cracked hands with our resident
black fungus in the cracks and occasional infection at the corners of the nails.
Why didn't the gel users stop? They really believed they were protecting themselves.
As for flu, if you keep yourself properly fed including dark leafy vegetables
and citrus, don't work yourself to exhaustion, keep yourself warm, clean, and
dry and you should be much more resistant, even if this is finally the super
flu that the government has been waiting for all these years. - David in Israel
JWR Adds: I agree that antibacterials are over-used on a
day-to-day basis, but they are appropriate in the short term, when a
true viral killer is stalking the
streets. Many years ago, I heard that mixing 20% (by volume) of aloe vera liquid
with typical methyl alcohol-based antibacterial "hand goop" will prevent
drying
skin. BTW,
I've noticed that some commercial antibacterials are now sold with aloe added,
although I wonder at what ratio.
In addition to disposable gloves, don't overlook the need for glasses with
side protection and disposable booties that can be shed and discarded just
before you get in your car or truck.
Disposable
Tyvek suits are nice, but their use on a daily basis might be prohibitively
expensive
« Letter Re: Atheism and Choosing Your Neighborhood |Main| Note from JWR: »
The Mexican Flu and You
In the past
24 hours I've received dozens of e-mails from SurvivalBlog readers about the
emerging Mexican Flu. Some news stories have included cryptic comments from
heath officials, implying that the mechanism of infection makes this particular
virus "very difficult to contain." This leads
me to conclude that those infected have a long latency period during which
they are infectious, yet, they do not display frank symptoms. This does not
bode well for any hopes of containing the spread of the virus.
Then we hear a
CDC official stating: "The swine flu virus contains four different
gene segments representing both North American swine and avian influenza, human
flu and a
Eurasian swine
flu." That strikes we as something very peculiar.
The disease is respiratory, and has one strong similarity to the 1918 Spanish Flu: "The
majority were young adults between 25 and 45 years old," said one official
under
the condition of anonymity. Since, young and healthy people with strong immune
systems are the most likely to succumb, this might indicate that the biggest
killer is a cytokine storm--a collapse caused by the human immune
system's over-reaction to a
pathogen.
I strongly recommend that everyone reading this take the
time to re-read my background article on flu self-quarantine and other precautions: Protecting
Your Family From an Influenza Pandemic. The details that I give there are
quite important. Pay special attention to my discussion of the shortage
of hospital
ventilators.
If anyone in your family is immunosuppressed, consider
yourselves on alert. Make your final preparations to hunker down,
immediately.
In the next few days, there is a good chance of wholesale panic, including
some well-publicized "runs" --probably first for hand sanitizer and face masks,
and soon after for bottled
water and groceries. Plan on it.
UPDATE: The BBC News
web page Mexico
flu: Your experiences has some updates posted from individuals
in Mexico City
To summarize, here are some key quotes from a
recent article:
"This outbreak is particularly worrisome because deaths have happened
in at least four different regions of Mexico, and because the victims have
not been vulnerable infants and elderly.
"The most notorious flu pandemic, thought to have killed at least 40 million
people worldwide in 1918-19, also first struck otherwise healthy young adults."
...
"But it may be too late to contain the outbreak, given how widespread the
known cases are. If the confirmed deaths are the first signs of a pandemic, then
cases are probably incubating around the world by now, said Dr. Michael Osterholm,
a pandemic flu expert at the University of Minnesota.
"No vaccine specifically protects against swine flu, and it is unclear
how much protection current human flu vaccines might offer."
Current statistics show a less than 10% lethality rate, but of course the
first wave of flu victims are getting access to the best medical care available.
If the contagion spreads, sheer numbers will quickly overwhelm hospital
facilities--particularly the number of mechanical ventilators available. So
the lethality rate may rise, even if there is not a viral mutation.
Here
are the latest headlines on the flu, as well as some background pieces. I'll
post
more
links,
as they
become
available.
Swine Flu, Mexico Lung Illness Heighten Pandemic Risk
Swine flu could infect U.S. trade and travel
Mexico Races to Stop Deadly Flu Virus
Spanish Flu Survivors Remember
Some Facts About Past Flu Pandemics
WHO ready with antivirals to combat swine flu
Possible Swine Flu Outbreak at NYC Prep School
California Expects To Find More New Flu Cases
Swine Flu Jitters Sparks Sell-Off In US Hogs
Swine Flu Resources
Most Mexico fatal flu victims aged between 25-45
Swine
Flu May Be Named Event of ‘International Concern’ by WHO
[A UK] County's masterplan to deal with flu pandemic
« Economics and Investing: |Main| Letter Re: America Stone Knife Sharpeners »
Letter Re: Learning the Details of Self-Sufficiency
Jim,
None of us here can know the hour when 1 Thessalonians 4:16 -17, will come
to be. There are Prophesies that seem to indicate that that time approaches.
But we don't know. We are not Prophets ourselves. We can just know to be ready.
But until that time comes, there are also many other possibilities for which
to prepare. We are in the early stages of a world-wide economic meltdown.
As
that grows worse, it can lead to all sorts of interesting events. Unemployment
will likely lead to increased crime and even food riots. That can lead to the
break down of systems. And that can cause the loss of health care, electricity,
sanitation, water and so on. And that will inevitably lead to epidemics.
The Sun is the "quietest" it has been in many, many years. The last
time Earth experienced so little sun spot activity, hundreds of thousands died
from cold and lack of food because it snowed during the summer. The Yellowstone
Caldera, a super volcano, is 40,000 years overdue to blow. When it does, it
will spread ash across the entire US and block sunlight for years. There is
an undersea volcano off Africa that is in danger of collapse. That could cause
a tidal wave that would take out the entire east coast of the US. ...And then
there is the ambitions of our governments "new friends" in Venezuela
and Iran, and Al Qaeda and N. Korea. An EMP attack
will surely make us all take notice that being "friendly" and acting
weak is no solution to bad behavior by evil people. ..Not to mention what the
closing of the Hormuz Straits
will
cause, if certain folks decide they can get away with it.
And all that is just some of the possibilities as televised on PBS shows in
the last week. Not even alarmist conspiracy theory or doom and gloom, just
Public TV science and reporting.
I am of the opinion that the "first world" industrial societies are
so complex, that they could collapse fairly easily. It's just like my tractor.
For lack of grease, the bearing spun. For lack of a bearing, the field didn't
get plowed. With no turned earth, there was no garden and no food.
In these kinds of economies, small events can have remarkable consequences.
Several years ago, a tree fell against a power line in Ohio. That small outage
spread. Power went off in parts of Canada and as far away as New York. A couple
more trees, and there could be no power anywhere. And then who would there
be to help Florida or Texas, after a hurricane.
So what are we to do? Certainly reading survivalblog everyday is a great start.
Acquiring knowledge thru books is absolutely necessary. Getting training and
practical experience at such schools as Front Sight and Midwest Native Skills
Institute is crucial. You can also volunteer at any of many the open air museums,
and learn about appropriate non-electric skills and tools. But, there is more.
We really need seven day, everyday, experience.
For example, there has been a good bit of discussion lately about "city
retreats". Some folks believe they can make it in a well equipped "abandoned" factory
or warehouse. They will hide in plain sight. That may work for a time, but
what happens when the power goes out, and your stored fuel is used up? You
might have bullets and food stored to last three years, then what? In my opinion,
if you are concerned enough to be reading survivalblog, you ought to be realistic
enough to get where you need to be to survive. And, IMHO, that ain't the city.
You simply won't learn the practical skills needed to be self-sufficient, if
you live on cement
It is remarkably complex to be self-sufficient. Without daily experience, you
are unlikely to make it. It can easily take three years to successfully cultivate
and grow an organic garden. It can take years to really learn to save seeds
or prune a fruit tree. If the electricity goes out, you'll need to be able
to do that and much more. If you can't, your children will suffer. It may take
you a season or two to learn to get your fences built before the deer eat your
crops. (They can clear a garden in one night). It can take years to learn what
you actually need to run a farm. Little things like having lots of nails and
screws on hand. If the big box stores close, how are you going to build shelter
for city family refugees if you don't already have the supplies? And do you
know construction? Do you have the tools? Or, without lots and lots of files
and hack saw blades, how will you work metal when the gas runs out? It takes
more than just having an anvil and hammer. Do you know the simple things like
stacking hay bales on their sides, instead of "strings up"? If the
hay gets wet, the water will run through the bale if it's on its side. The
hay will much more likely mold if you store it with the strings pointing up.
Right now, we all have the time to make such mistakes. It's not yet life or
death. But soon, it may be.
In a crisis, being efficient also becomes much more important. You'll waste
all kinds of time until you learn to carry a tool box on your equipment when
you go to the field. It can be pure aggravation to need a wrench, screw driver
or piece of wire, and have to walk all the way back to the barn. A simple fix
can easily turn into a wasted hour, if you don't have the experience and tools
to know better. And an hour lost is a job undone. That can be very costly.
It's taken me quite some time to learn to consistently keep certain things
lined up by the back door. If I turn on any lights at night, a raccoon or coyote
going after the chickens will run. I've learned, if I hear a noise, to get
up in the dark, put on my boots, which are always where they need to be, have
the other necessaries in easy reach, and to get out the door, silently, to
take care of business. That's not something learned easily or quickly. Just
developing night vision and how to see in the dark, and how to listen to the
sounds of night in the country, can take a lot of time. Not knowing that can
mean losing half your chickens in one night. It happened to me.
It can also take some time to learn which neighbors are reliable and which
farm equipment dealerships are best. You don't want to buy major equipment
from a dealer that has poor service and inventory. And asking for help from
the wrong neighbor can be worse than no help at all.
It can take many seasons to learn the weather of your farm. I know that there
is always a dry week in April when I can till the gardens. If I miss it, and
it rains, it may be May before the ground will again dry out enough to plow.
And when snow comes from certain directions, it may mean I need to clear a
roof before it falls under too much weight. ..It's happened.
It's taken me some time to learn to put a broody chicken in wire cage inside
the hen house. I put as many eggs under her as will fit, put in a bit of water
and food, and shut the door. I've had many a hatch of eggs go bad because the
chicken got up and didn't find her way back. With this little trick of confining
the chicken, I get chicks every time. That's not something you learn just bugging
out from the city.
It's also taken some time to learn that its hard to read by candle light. An
oil lamp is better, it can give between 2.7 to 4.4 candle power, depending
on how wide the wick is. And having an oil lamp with mantle, which gives 40
candle power, (or the equivalent of a 60 watt bulb), is really important if
you have any medical needs at night. I know I much more appreciate sewing myself
up when I can see where to stitch, instead of kind'a poking around by candle
light.
And so it goes. We all know something is coming. Most of us believe it in our
cores. We wouldn't be here otherwise. So, what are you going to do? I believe
the time has come to take action. It may not be comfortable to leave the city
and a well paying job. But you have so much to learn, and so little time. You
really need to get moving. Because the mistakes you will certainly make today,
just may do you in, tomorrow. - Jim Fry,
Curator, Museum of
Western Reserve Farms & Equipment, Ohio
« Six Letters Re: Bicycles as Bug-Out and Utility Vehicles |Main| Note from JWR: »
Save Money, Get Prepared, and Eat Healthier with Intermediate Term Food Storage, by Travis A.
In any emergency or survival situation food is a primary necessity.
So naturally there are many discussions and advice here and on other forums
concerning
food
and food storage. There is a lot of great information and products available
for long term (10-15 year) food storage. I have read many articles comparing
the various MREs
available, poured over blog posts about the best freeze dried foods, and watched
Google videos on the proper storage of whole wheat grains.
Popular vendors such as CampingSurvival.com and
other SurvivalBlog sponsors offer freeze dried meals and canned food with extended
shelf lives such as
the Yoder’s line of products. While these options can be a good investment,
the acquisition of a ample supply can pose a challenge to those new to prepping
and to families on a fixed budget. It can certainly seem daunting (and perhaps
financially impossible) to a newcomer to buy the large amount of food needed
to sustain a period of extended crises. And while its nice to have 5 gallon
buckets stacked full of red winter wheat, many do not have the equipment or
knowledge for preparing and cooking storage foods like wheat, should the need
arise. In addition, an important aspect to any food storage program is the
regular rotation and use of your storage food as part of your regular diet.
The average family exploring preparedness for the first time is not going to
make major changes to their eating habits overnight.
Since most sound advice suggests having at least one year supply or food on
hand, there is no apparent reason to stockpile foods with a storage life of
15+ years. When properly integrated into your daily diet, foods with a storage
life of 1-to-3 years can form a good base for your food storage program. (An
excellent resource for determining the storage life of certain foods has been
mentioned
here before: http://www.stilltasty.com ) One of the best ways I have found
to build up a convenient, usable food supply in a cost effective manner is
the bulk purchase of rice, pasta, and various spices. Dry goods such as spices,
rice, and pastas generally have a shelf life of at least two years when stored
properly. These basic ingredients can be combined in different ways to create
a foundation for a wide variety of healthy, delicious meals. Additionally,
mixing up recipes in advance can make it easy to include them in your daily
diet. The principal is based on the popular Lipton and Rice-a-Roni side dishes
found in your local grocery store. However, rather than paying $1.25 to $2.00
each, you can make these sides for less than 25 cents when properly purchasing
ingredients. Additionally, you do not have the added colors and preservatives
typically found in the store bought packages. As an added benefit, the ease
of preparation of these prepackage meals makes their use in an emergency ideal.
Simply add water and cook them on a gas grill, propane camp stove, or similar
heat source. Immediately following a SHTF event,
the less time and energy spent on food prep frees one to focus on improving
your situation. Below are a few
examples of recipes you can make with the dry ingredients:
Chicken Onion: 3-Tbsp Chicken Bullion Base, 3⁄4 Tbsp Minced Onions, 1
Tsp Cornstarch, 1 Tbsp Parsley Flakes, 1⁄2 Tsp Garlic Powder, 1⁄2
Tsp Celery Salt, 1⁄4 Tsp Black Pepper, Mix with 4 oz of pasta or 5 oz
or rice. Add 2 1⁄2 cups of boiling water, cook over medium heat until
noodles or rice is done. (Add 1⁄2 Tbsp of Evaporated Milk for a creamier
taste)
Italian Beef: 3-Tbsp Beef Bullion Base, 1⁄2 Tbsp Oregano, 1⁄2 Tbsp
Onion powder, 1 1⁄2 Tsp Minced Garlic, 1⁄4 Tbsp or Basil, 1⁄4
Tsp of Black Pepper, 1 tbsp Parsley Flake, Mix with 4 oz of pasta or 5 oz or
rice. Add 2 1⁄2 cups of boiling water, cook over medium heat until noodles
or rice is done. (Add 1 Tbsp of Powdered Tomato Paste for an alternative taste.)
Tasty Additions
Use a wide variety of rice (white, brown, wild) and pastas (bow tie, fettuccini,
rigatoni) for maximum flavor and texture combinations to help reduce the chances
of appetite fatigue. For other flavor variations and extra nutrition add dehydrated
carrots, broccoli, peas, or corn. Experiment with the above ingredients or
add your own until you find several combinations your family likes. Once you
determine a few recipes you like, take out one Saturday and mix up a few big
batches. Include everyone for a fun family event. You can package individual
servings in Ziploc bags or vacuum seal them for a longer shelf life. As an
alternative to individual servings, multiply all ingredients by 20 or more
but leave out the pasta/rice. Now you have big jars of your spice mix that
you can just scoop from, to mix with your pasta or rice when you are ready
to cook it. Just keep track of the proper combination (for example, 1⁄2
cup or spice mix per 6oz of pasta).
These cost effective mixtures can be eaten by themselves, used as a good side
dish, or serve as a basis for a full meal. To extend its meal potential and
increase nutritional value consider adding fresh vegetables from your garden
or your favorite meat for extra protein. I like to roast a whole turkey or
chicken a few weekends a month. I simply add the precook turkey/chicken to
various combinations throughout the week for a fast, easy, nutritious meal.
This type of storage and preparation can fit well with today’s busy suburban
life. It is also a good idea to include cans of Tuna, Chicken, or Yoder’s
Turkey Chunks, in your food storage for use in your recipes now or post-TEOTWAWKI situation.
Canned meats like this generally have a shelf life of 3-5 years. Another good
option now or after the SHTF would be to experiment with the addition
of fresh sprouts. Sprouts are cheap and easy to grow and add a lot of flavor
and nutrition to your dishes. I use the
Sprout Garden Kit available over at Ready Made Resources. Broccoli, radish,
alfalfa, and bean sprouts are packed with nutrients and the sprouting seeds
have a shelf life of 4-5 years.
Acquiring the Ingredients
For the purchase of your ingredients, the best advice is to shop around and
buy in bulk. Buying spices off the spice rack of your local grocer is not advisable.
Places like Sam’s Club and Costco carry large containers of spices for
restaurants. A 6 oz vial of garlic powder might run $3.00 at the grocery store
but you can buy a 7 pound bottle at Sam’s Club for only
$17.50. One good resource I have found is BulkFoods.com.
You can buy a 5lb bag of chicken base for less
than $15.00. They also carry Broccoli flakes, dehydrated, carrots, peas, tomato
powder and more. Many times they have better pricing than Costco or Sam’s
on some items. Northbay
Trading also carries dried vegetables in bulk. When
making purchases just remember that the bigger quantities offer better pricing.
A 50lb bag of rice at Sam’s is only $22.00. Another idea is to search
for wholesale or bulk food suppliers in larger cities near where you live.
For example, I found a wholesale grocer near me (Leon
H. Lewis, in St. Louis,
Missouri) where I can buy 20 lb and 30 lb bags of pasta for $10.00. They also
carry Parsley
by
the
pound for $5.50 and pound bags or oregano for $3.90. Most of these bulk food
suppliers and food manufacturers target schools and institutions but many will
sell to
the general public.
By pursuing this type of food storage program you can reduce your family’s
current food expenses while developing an emergency store of food that you
like to eat. I hope this information helps you ramp up your food storage program
and save time and money on everyday meals. For more information and tips on
bulk food purchases, our gracious host offers the excellent "Rawles
Gets You Ready" preparedness course. - Travis
A.
« Letter Re: A Flat Tire as Learning Experience, by Rock O. |Main| Letter Re: Transmission of Odors to Bulk-Packed Storage Foods »
Letter Re: Rethinking Uncommon Rifle Chamberings
Mr. Rawles-
I read "Patriots:
A Novel Survival in the Coming Collapse" a
couple of weeks ago and enjoyed it. Thank you.
I wanted to mention: I try to follow conventional wisdom about caliber choices
for SHTF weapons.
Interestingly, in the current ammo shortage, it’s still
somewhat easy to get ammo for oddball calibers. For example, if one needs 7.5x55
Swiss, 7.65x54R Russian or 7.5x54 French, many online dealers have it in stock,
while 9mm, 45 ACP,
12 gauge buckshot, 308, 223, 7.62x39 etc., are very hard to come by. For people
who don’t have the budget to stockpile a lot of
ammo, this may justify keeping at least one [rifle chambered in a] non-standard
caliber in the arsenal. The
bolt action Russian, Swiss and French rifles are relatively inexpensive, sturdy,
and hard hitting. The fact that the ammo is in good supply during a nationwide
ammo shortage is a bonus.
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Letter Re: Bicycles as Bug-Out and Utility Vehicles
I read SurvivalBlog almost every day. I see lots of folks talking
about bug out vehicles, going to great lengths to describe storing fuel long
term,
stripping
down vehicles and even planning on parking them out of the way when fuel
runs out. But I rarely see much mentioned about one of the best long term,
low
tech tools out there for transportation: The bicycle, the cargo bike and
the
adult tricycle.
Bicycles are inexpensive, ubiquitous and take only a pair of legs and half
a brain to use. People in Third World countries haul
huge amounts of stuff with them, and even here in the US I know a lot
of folks who keep a bike trailer around for short hauling nearly everything.
Our
local coffee roaster does all of their delivery using cargo bikes. There
are few places you can't go with a good mountain bike.
When you're planning your bug out vehicle, a bike or two with a small trailer
should be considered, as well as a few patch kits for the tires. This will
allow you to keep moving and haul more than a backpack if your vehicle dies
and there's no way to get it fixed due to a really serious disaster, or if
you're stuck in a permanent ["linear parking lot"] traffic jam
due to a SHTF situation.
Even if you don't need it when bugging out, you'll find it incredibly handy
once you've arrived at your retreat. You could even rig one to run a water
pump or a small device battery charger.
They're not a speedy escape vehicle, or to some they may seem too low tech
or "tree hugger" to some folks but bicycle transport make a lot of sense, even
more
so if fuel supplies become scarce. - Ellie E.
JWR Replies: We've had a
number of articles and letters about bicycles posted in Survivalblog
in the past three years (most notably, this
one), but I agree
that the topic doesn't get the
emphasis that it deserves. Dollar for dollar, and pound for pound, bikes are
the most cost-effective form of mechanical transportation by road, and some
varieties re also one of the most versatile vehicles off of paved roads. And,
as you noted, they are great at working your way through traffic snarls, at
least
in anything less than a total panic or lawless situation. (In a true worst
case" , no form of transportation is safe, but where motorcyclists and bicyclists
would
be particularly
at risk.)
Watch for used mountain bikes available inexpensively on Craig's
List.
For the sake of logistics, try to standardize with one brand, if possible.
Buy plenty of spare parts and lubricants. And if you can find them, get
a spare
set of compatible wheels and mount them with foam-filled tires,
for each bike. That way you can have the best of both worlds: standard tires
to
use on a day-to-day
basis,
and set of
foam-filled ones to use in the event of a long-term collapse where spare
tires and inner tubes will be in short supply. The higher rolling resistance
of foam-filled
tires can be aggravating, but the day might come that they are the only thing
that will keep you on the road.
« Letter Re: Highly Productive Home Gardens |Main| Note from JWR: »
Cooper's Color Codes and Bugging Out Before the SHTF, by H.I.C.
Colonel Jeff Cooper once wrote that he was born in another country. Born and
raised in the US before the Great Depression, the country of his youth was
no longer.
It had been hijacked by pointy headed socialists with academic degrees and
not a trace of common sense. At 50 years of age I not only agree, but maintain
that the “New America” based upon a globalized economy, Federalized
powers, and an Urban-centered society is dying. Our great country is dying
and our great cities will burn in the funeral pyre.
Most Americans know that survival in our great cities, deserts, and marginal
climate areas of the US would not be possible without continued delivery of
basic Supplies (food and gasoline), Services (water, electrical power, natural
gas), and Civil Order (rule of law, generally accepted currency). What they
may not know is that these great cities have no great food warehouses, no great
fuel tank farms, few electrical power plants, few water storage reservoirs,
and they have disarmed the law abiding public at every turn. These supplies
are transported by thousands of semi trucks, ships, barges, and trains every
single day. If a sudden crisis disrupts transportation, if we lose the use
of our interstate highways or the diesel fuel to transport supplies, everyone
in these cities will either have to leave or they will die.
Recent hurricanes, recessions, and terrorist events are reminders that our
modern society is fragile and that critical supplies, services, and civil order
will likely be interrupted by any major event. Look at what happened to New
Orleans (population 480,000) during Hurricane Katrina. More than half the
population left early, but when the storm hit, tens of thousands either would
not or could
not leave. Now imagine these barbaric conditions in a city like Phoenix
(population 2 million) or Los Angeles (population 10 million). Now imagine
it happening all across
the US if our oil refineries are either destroyed or the world runs out of
crude oil.
Transportation in the US is totally dependent on crude oil and most of this
oil comes from folks who hate us. The supplies underground and our ability
to find new supplies are diminishing and no one knows how much is left. Even
without the potential for a renewed terrorist attack using WMDs, or the long
dreaded west coast mega-quake, our cities will not be sustainable without some
new technology. Renewable power sources such as solar, wind, and geothermal
can produce electricity but do not effectively power transportation. Hopefully
most Americans can be sufficiently motivated to move out the cities with their
families, but those who will not listen must feel.
Should I Stay or Should I Go?
I think it is a common belief by newly awaken survivalist that they can keep
living in a big city until the stuff actually hits the fan and then bug out
with their vehicle and all of the survival gear and prepared food. I am curious,
have any of you actually tried this? Have you taken the time and effort to
load your vehicle with thousands of pounds of guns, ammo, survival gear, and
freeze dried food? Have you then driven through a major city, a long distance
interstate trip, stopped for the night, or had car trouble? And what if you
are forced to bug out without shelter and a considerable amount of food, have
you really improved your chances for survival?
I have and the whole process was a pain in the . I hooked up my one ton
pickup to my 5th wheel trailer, filled it with the guns, ammo, tools, extra
fuel, and food storage, and the rig grossed at 18,000 lbs. Let me tell you
this was not bugging out, this was crawling out. Even powered by a Cummins
Diesel, nothing weighing 9 tons moves quickly or escapes over steep or narrow
roads. I also tried towing an open trailer filled with a tractor and tools
cross country and learned about road trash puncturing trailer tires and criminals
loitering at rest stops and RV parks.
Fortunately, these problems surfaced during normal times when the highways
are open, fuel is available, and I was
the only one freaking out. My experience is telling me that the best response
is to move away from the cities before an event. Move to a more secure area
now. Preposition your survival tools and food storage at a secure site before
the stuff really hits the fan. Then find a way to move there your self.
I have read all the government’s emergency preparedness books talking
about folks pulling together, one big nation singing Kumbaya. But I have
also read the postings from folks who were late evacuating New Orleans. Many
of them were threatened, robbed, and assaulted by their neighbors simply because
they were better prepared. I do not know if this entitlement mentality is really
that widespread, but experience suggests that Americans will get scared and
will act like animals.
Deciding When to Leave; Cooper’s Colors for a Social Crisis.
Jeff Cooper also devised a series of situational awareness colors to allow
his self defense students to make proper decisions and know when to use deadly
force
to protect
their lives and family. Borrowing Cooper’s Colors for a social crisis
I suggest the following:
Condition White) Circa 1981-1988: Following the Vietnam war, Watergate, and
the Iran hostage crisis, the US was ready for a positive change. During the
Reagan years we challenged the Soviet Union and emerged as the world’s
lone supper power. Despite some evidence to the contrary, we felt that we had
no reason to be concerned by terrorism. Paul Volcker tamed inflation by inducing
a severe recession. We all shared the economic pain, then we shared the rewards
of a growing and stable economy combined with low inflation. Social changes
were being made slowly and with participation from the general public. The
Government rarely took violent actions against protesters. Crime was random
and quickly dealt with by law enforcement.
Tough times, but the US government was working for the People.
Condition Yellow) Circa 1989-1998: The US is struck repeatedly by terrorists
at home and abroad. The Government treats this as a criminal manner. The economy
fluctuates but appears to correct itself rapidly and without visible government
interference. The US starts pursuing free trade and globalization treaties.
Manufacturing, agricultural, and finally high wage jobs are being outsourced.
High risk mortgages and investments are legalized and encouraged. Presidents
Bush (I) and Clinton start talking about and building a “New World Order”.
Social changes are being made to protect and benefit the people in power, without
participation from the general public. The Government begins to track, infiltrate,
and take deadly action against small religious groups and grass roots militias.
Law abiding citizens are blamed for violent crime and gun ownership is highly
regulated. The only bright spot during this decade is the results of the 1994
midterm election and the subsequent Contract with America.
A break of trust between the US Government and the People. Citizens should
store guns, ammo, food, and fuel. Prepare financially, physically, and mentally
for
change.
Condition Orange) Circa 1999-2006: The US is struck repeatedly by terrorists
at home and abroad. The Government responds by aggressive military action designed
to change the conditions in countries hosting terrorists. The economy fluctuates
between extremes of growth and recession, as if no one knows the true worth
of these commodities and major corporations. The Government begins to spend
massive amounts of money on the war and hides this spending off budget. Price
increases affect the availability of food and fuel. Social changes are being
made without participation of the citizens or even the US Congress. The most
offensive of these changes are rammed down the throat of a disbelieving public
by the courts and petty bureaucrats. The heavy handed tactics of the State
and Federal Government begin expanding the number and boldness of protest groups,
well ahead of their attempts to control them. Crime is increasingly organized
by gangs, carried out by minors and illegal aliens, and is funded by illegal
drugs. Law enforcement is not effective against this and many believe the problem
is intractable.
A second break of trust. Citizens should liquidate their financial assets,
purchase and store critical supplies and solar panels, and move to safer locations.
Condition Red) Circa 2007 – ????: High risk loans, derivatives, and credit
default swaps cause huge financial losses and trigger irrational stimulus spending.
The US Treasury and US Federal Reserve start taking up major ownership stakes
in US corporations, then use this position to control the means of production.
They announce plans to create a Federal domestic police force. This may be
used to enforce new requirements for domestic passports, travel restrictions,
and to deal with any visible protests. The Obama Administration is full of
folks committed to new laws regulating guns ownership and banning the sale
of effective defensive weapons, ammo, and reloading components. Large scale
energy, income, and sales tax increases are planned. I believe that Americans
will again be deprived from owning real [precious metals] money. Our currency
will be devalued by perhaps 80% to offset the massive Federal spending. Price
controls
and rationing
of food and fuel will be introduced by executive order. During the Great Depression,
FDR banned the private holding of gold and foreign currency. US dollars
(gold certificates) were replaced by Federal Reserve Notes. Many
banks were closed without returning deposits to account holders and what little
cash was left in the hands of the people was devalued by the Treasury by 40%.
Many folks are moving out of large cities. They are buying rural land and planting
a garden. They are buying and hoarding guns, ammo, food, fuel, and looking
to buy gold and silver. While economic conditions appear bad, the break of
trust
between the Government and the People is more reminiscent of the Civil War
than the Great Depression.
Can You Make an Orderly Transition?
a) Moving Out of the City but Keeping Your Job.
Many folks simply can not leave their big city job and feel trapped. For them,
moving your family out of the city and keeping your present job, and commuting
back and forth may be the best interim solution. You might look at public transportation
in your area and see if you could buy a home near this. Also consider owning
a Jeep or a pickup that can contain survival tools, food storage, hiking boots,
even a mountain bike and commute using that vehicle when you feel that a crisis
could be imminent. You need to practice for this occasionally to find out how
to drive home without using freeways, or clogged intersections, or having to
refill your gas tank. If you plan on biking home, why not try it once a month.
Find out now if it is a viable alternative.
b) Career Changes that Improve Your Preparedness.
Some friends of mine recently underwent a significant career change. They left
their research position at a US government lab in California to take a college
professorship in a small Midwestern town. There are many opportunities for
folks to change careers and significantly improving their preparedness level
without losing their career and every thing they have built. Creating a portable
small business, building a farm or ranch, taking a related job in small town
America are all good ways to improve your position without the big and scary
step of quitting and living off your savings.
c) Transfers and Early Retirement.
I moved out of Los Angeles 25 years ago, to a small desert town three hours
away. I soon plan to retire and move even further away from California and
its enormous
insatiable and unsustainable cities and their outrageous politics. Often times
these transitional changes take years of planning and savings to carry out
successfully. For me, the years of planning and savings are worth it. If you
are just a few years away from retirement, you might want to find out the rules
and calculate how to retire early and how much such a change would cost you
in the long run.
How Can You Bug Out Safely?
d) What are you Bugging Out From.
This may be the most important question. I believe that you must know what
you fear before you can plan what to do, and ultimately where to go. What could
convince you that you must leave your current home? Are you worried about a
natural disaster such as a hurricane, an earthquake, or a tsunami. Perhaps
you are concerned about a 1930s type depression, a renewed terrorist strike,
or a combination of events that teardown the rule of law and allow rioting
and conflict on a nationwide scale. If you are just worried about keep yourself
employed in our current economic mess, you might consider mobility and job
skills more important than bugging out. But if you have come to the conclusion
that the American society will fracture when subjected to enough stress and
that the inevitable reaction to almost any sudden crisis will be rioting and
nationwide loss of the rule of law, you might want to consider moving to an
area where you fit in and are accepted by the community.
e) Selecting the best route and location.
Leaving your “Big City” job and moving back to your home town is
a pretty popular idea right now, perhaps even smarter than trying to start
a new life in a new and strange part of the country. I grew up on a small farm
in the Midwest and am planning to move back to a small farm. When I talk to
my new neighbors I find that I actually have more in common with them culturally
that the folks I have worked with here in California for over 25 years. Truth
is I am still a farm boy who is more concerned with my farm and livestock than
I am with a Lexus or a wide screen entertainment system. No one seems to be
much impressed about my “Big City” job but every one is stoked
that I am a qualified gunsmith and can trap beaver out of the creek.
Some good friends of mine moved back to their home town of Sandpoint, Idaho
about 12 years ago. Northern Idaho seems like a nice enough place when I visited
a back then, but even a couple of local boys with engineering degrees had a
hard time landing a full time job. Perhaps moving where you can actually find
a job and where you can still afford some nice farm land would make more sense
than moving to someone else’s idea of an ideal location, (Sorry, James).
The same applies to your route selection. Staying away from the inner city
areas that always seem to be the flash points for social unrest seems obvious.
But perhaps moving out of the big city early is more important than planning
the best escape route and waiting too long. If you must wait until the last
minute you should consider finding a bug out location that is within a very
short drive, say only a few hours away. Another advantage of have a “local” bug
out location is using as a vacation spot on long weekends. Suddenly, taking
a week off and driving out of the city is more of a regular occurrence. If
you practice it often, it is more likely to work under the added stress of
a real crisis event. [JWR Adds: The drawback to this is that
if your retreat is in close proximity for you, then it is also in close proximity
for The
Golden Horde. A three hour drive out of Los Angeles, is just about where
most refugees will be running out of fuel. Choose your retreat locale wisely,
well-away from exit corridors and natural lines of drift.]
f) What to Carry, What to Pre-position.
Even if you have a very secure location to preposition or cache goods and equipment,
I believe that you need to store the primary means of survival at your home
and be prepared to carry it with you. I define the primary means of survival
as food, water, shelter, clothing, and protection from immediate harm. Secondary
stuff would be the means to sustain life beyond the immediate threat, i.e.
productive land to grow food, livestock, tractors and farm equipment, means
of producing
electrical power, reload ammunition, trade goods, gold and silver. I recommend
that you keep the primary stuff at home and have the means of transporting
it to safety at a moment's notice. You may choose to store the secondary stuff
at your retreat location (and take the risk of theft) or at home (depending
upon your ability to transport it). In practice, I would suggest that the heaviest
and most bulky secondary items should be pre-positioned or cached at the retreat
location.
g) Selecting a Bug Out Vehicle.
If you plan to--or fear you may have to--make a lengthy bug out trip with a
loaded vehicle during crisis conditions you might consider the fuel range and
load capacity as the most important considerations. While recently designed
gasoline vehicles tend to be very reliable and more fuel efficient than trucks
built in the 1970s, their fuel mileage is still much lower than an equivalent
turbo diesel with a manual transmission. Plus it is easier to add significant
auxiliary fuel storage tanks to a diesel. My number one recommendation for
a bug out vehicle is a 1994 thru 1997 Dodge Cummins one ton pickup with a 5
speed
manual transmission and 3.54 rear end. Add a 90 gal Aux. fuel/tool box combo
for 1,900 mile range without stopping to refuel.
What If You Leave Too Early?
h) Leaving When You Should.
Human nature is a funny thing. Through out history folks have remained in very
dangerous conditions, literally losing their own life, because they are afraid
of public ridicule for running away. This was particularly true with the Jews
in 1930s Germany. While leaving may have been difficult and even prohibited
by the Nazis, it was possible. So why did so many folks bow to social pressure
to remain. Who cares what the sheeple think, learn to run like a scared little
rabbit. If you can not move to a safe area permanently, then find a way to
move there temporarily. Look for an opportunity to take a sabbatical, or take
time off to care for an aging parent, or to work part time. Look for anything
that allows you to leave the most dangerous area at the first hint of a crisis.
Yes, your friends may harass you for bugging out too early and slinking back
a couple of weeks later. Just remember who they are and invite only those folks
who seem to understand the risks we appear to be facing.
i) Leaving Yourself a Way to Return.
Please do not plan to max out your credit cards, pull out of your retirement
accounts, or burn bridges with your boss. History is full of folks who thought
they knew the end of the world was coming, only to be forced to deal with reality
the next day. Did you ever hear of the 1840s religious group, the Millerites?
They gave away everything they owned because their leader knew that Christ
would
return
on a particular day. Leave yourself a safe way to return to your old life
if you decision to bug out is wrong. While I believe that it is a much better
plan to live in a safe area all the time than try to predict the event, I also
recognize that many people can not move quickly enough. I believe that the
Bible states that the end will arrive like a thief in the night. No notice,
no warning, one second every thing is fine and the next second the world has
changed radically.
j) Living with Your Mistakes.
It is possible that you will be caught up in a crisis in spite of all your
preparations. Perhaps you needed to travel to a big city hospital or take
a long range flight on just the wrong day. Perhaps a crisis develops while
you
are living your life and not really paying any attention. Life is not going
to send you any emails telling you that the stuff has hit the fan and you
are now on your own. I recommend that you always carry a bug out bag with
the basic
survival food and equipment, and bring along your knowledge, skills, experience
with you. Carry enough gold, silver, and cash to replace some of your preparations
and allow you to purchase the means to get home if you are caught taking
a long distance flight.
Summary.
There really is not any way to know what they future is going to look like.
We could experience a long degrading slide into the dust bin of history (France,
Spain, Japan) or in a blinding flash of cataclysm (1917 Russia, 1934 Germany,
2001 Argentina). We could be looking at a repeat of the Great Depression,
a World Was over the remaining oil supplies, or a second Civil War. What
I do know is that our Government has been corrupted and is responding to the
unbridled greed of an elite few and against the needs of the many.
Studying our own history and the history of other developed nations under
similar shows
two clear possible futures: Those that shared the pain recovered, those that
spared the elite at the expense of the many suffered from long debilitating
economic depressions that often decayed into Civil War, Fascism, or Communism.
I would rather face the future surrounded by like-minded people in an area
that can support both my life and a sustainable society. A society that is
not dependent on long distance transportation of critical goods, non-renewable
energy sources, centralized control and just in time deliveries, or intensive
industrialized agriculture. I was born on a small farm in the breadbasket
of the world, and I want my country back!
« Letter Re: Recommendation for Kinder Goats |Main| Note from JWR: »
Letter Re: The Importance of Spare Parts and Maintenance for Preparedness
James Wesley:
One subject that I think is under rated in preparedness discussions
is spare parts. We all are focused on our armaments and basic survival materials
to
the detriment of being able to continue to use our tools and equipment when
they inevitably break. Even in the best-case scenario of a sever depression
spare parts will be often unavailable through normal channels. A good example
of this is to be found in cars. When I was young in the ‘50s and early ‘60s
there was an abundance of cars made in the late ‘20s and ‘30s in
remarkably good shape that were shoved into barns because of breakdowns, often
minor, for which parts were not available during the depression. These cars
were hauled out by enterprising young men returning from WWII and Korea and
turned into hot rods or just driven into the ground when parts again became
available in the ‘50s. As our economic system becomes ever more complex
and specialized, and as that built in disaster of “just in time” production
and distribution is used more and more, the inevitability of interruptions
in materials and basic goods becomes even more probable. Having spent a lifetime
living on farms, and particularly here in the western Upper Peninsula ("U.P.")
of Michigan where the nearest farm supply stores are down in Wisconsin a day's
drive away,
I have developed an acute appreciation of the necessity of having a good inventory
of parts on hand. So combine a disruption in supply with a remote refuge location
and the problem could become insurmountable and be very inconvenient if not
life threatening. So think in terms of two different plans: parts and
maintenance.
Spare Parts
In the parts department do you have spare wicks and globes for your oil
lamps? And lots and lots of mantles for gas lights which I do not recommend
for the reason that they are so fragile that bugs break them. Do you have extra
leathers for your water pumps? And handles for your axes, splitting mauls,
hammers and saws? These have a way of getting broke when used with regularity;
particularly when you are tired or exhausted which we will be if we are in
this situation. I heat with wood and do not own a wood splitter. I do it by
hand and have never broken a maul handle except at the end of the day when
I am tired and miss the block of wood with the head and hit it with the handle.
So count on breaking things when you are tired or in a hurry. Do you have extra
chains for your chain saw and blades for your bow saw. A good bow saw [or bucksaw]
is definitely a tool to have if gasoline is scarce or unavailable, or if you
want to cut wood without attracting attention. And do you have the files and
sharpening stones to keep them sharp by hand and the teeth properly set? You
might also want to practice these skills because they are skills. And boot
laces, gloves, wool socks and other warm and durable clothing that you do not
often use and replace but that will become something that you will use every
day under adverse conditions. Anyway you get the point. Stock up on daily used
items. For instance, last week the local hardware store had leather palmed
work gloves on sale at two pairs for a buck so I bought 50 pairs. I’ll
use them eventually even if nothing goes wrong, and if it does I’m covered
and I’ll have some great bartering material. Buy what you know you will
need and may be able to trade to those less provident.
Maintenance|
Maintenance is always a neglected area of planning. Most people
are poor at maintenance as a matter of course and some cannot even seem to
consider
it. Look at your home, equipment and tools and determine what you need to do
to keep it working, particularly under adverse conditions. Do you have the
tools, manuals and knowledge to fix things. Is your shop supplied with lubricants
and grease to keep the place running. My granddad liked to say “grease
and oil are cheap and parts and labor are expensive”, During the 1980s
I was a Trustee for the United States Bankruptcy Court and I handled most of
the farm cases here in the U.P. because I knew the business and could milk
cows. One of the things that struck me most was the almost universal lack
of grease guns on these bankrupt farms. It changed my feelings about my fellow
farmers plight to a great degree in many cases. A lack of daily maintenance
is a precondition to disaster. I own a lot of old equipment that gets used
hard, but it is well maintained and seldom breaks down because of grease, oil
and general maintenance. And maintenance of the area around you is also important.
Recently a most excellent article was posted in SurvivalBlog dealing with
keeping
the place neat and clean. It is well worth re-reading and considering.
A neat
environment helps keep you safe from injury and has an important psychological
component. Which leads to another point about neatness. Keep your stored goods
organized so you can find them. Plastic bins and totes with labels make things
easy to find and protects them from vermin, dirt and corrosion and makes taking
inventory a snap.
So get the spare parts you will need, and some to trade, and get them organized.
And maintain your home, tools, equipment, mind, body, marriage and family and
we will get through this time to come. And if we are wrong about the future we
will still be the better for it. - Ken S.
« Economics and Investing: |Main| Notes from JWR: »
Why Survivalists Should Buy Local Organic Food, by Chad L.
I know the name of the woman who raises the chickens that lay the eggs that
I
eat. Do you? I know about her daughter’s college plans and her vacations
and how she got into the business of raising chickens. This might not seem so
important from a survivalist perspective, but I think it is and I’ll explain
why in the following paragraphs.
Now think about where you get your eggs. Chances are they come from a big
chain grocery store. That means they are raised in a huge factory farm, staffed
by
underpaid workers of questionable legality, and overwhelmingly dependent on Chinese
produced chicken feed. Which of these eggs do you think is better for the long-term
goals of a preparedness minded individual? I thought so.
What I’m getting at here is that an American preparedness culture should
be supporting small, local, organic farms whenever possible. In this essay I
am going to avoid environmental arguments in support of local, organic foods.
Although, I will confess that I believe that environmental issues are one of
the largest threats to American personal and national security and that a dedication
to environmental solutions will ease many of the problems that threaten us, especially
including dependence on foreign oil and government corporate welfare in the form
of unnecessary farm subsidies.
I started thinking about this topic because I work at a Farmer’s Market
in Northern California and I rarely see customers that exhibit some of the tell
tale signs of the “survivalist” crowd (Ruger hats, NRA T-shirts,
etc.). However, many of the farmers can be seen wearing “the signs”.
Small farmers are, as a whole, very hard working, practically minded, conservative
leaning people who care deeply for their families. They would mostly fit right
in at any Preparedness gathering; even the really Left of center politically
leaning ones.
One morning a man walked up wearing an NRA hat and we got to talking. It turns
out he had never really been to a farmer’s market because he thought it
was full of overpriced vegetables and dope-smoking hippies. He was having a good
experience and was really impressed by how knowledgeable the workers were about
what they were selling. I could certainly offer no counter to his concerns over
the hippies (it is Northern California after all. Although, to tell the truth
there aren’t that many of them left). The counter to his cost concerns
is more complex.
Organic food costs more than non-organic food. It is certainly more expensive
to make food grow like this and the cost is passed on to the consumer. There
have been plenty of recent big agriculture financed studies showing that there
is little nutritional difference between organic and factory produced food which
leads a consumer on a budget to validly wonder “why should I buy this if
it isn’t better for me?” Even if these studies are true, they do
not tell the whole picture.
Organic has become a major buzz word and a major marketing tool. Plenty of the
stuff that’s labeled organic gains a lot of its cost from being shipped
from South America and the big grocery stores (especially the big health food
stores) are more than willing to tack on high prices for perceived value. It’s
the same thing that goes on with the designer bags my wife covets. They might
not do anything special (they hold stuff the same as my backpack does), but they
look nice and are sought after by a particular and demanding consumer that is
willing to pay extra for premium.
But this isn’t the whole story or even the segment of the food producers
I’m suggesting we as survivalists support. There are huge hidden costs
to the production of cheap factory food. First of all, cheap food requires cheap
labor. When people in South America are sick of being sprayed by pesticides and
working for next to nothing, where do you think they are going to go?
Your hard earned dollars should not be supporting factory farms that are abusing
humans (a Christian issue if ever there was one if that concerns you) or creating
an economic climate that gives incentive to millions of desperate people to illegally
enter the country. The cost of supporting these South American factory farms
is inestimable when you factor in all of the issues surrounding illegal immigration,
issues that should be on the minds of all Preparedness minded citizens. |
Second, factory farming requires the use of fertilizer made from oil, largely
derived from the Middle East. Ask anyone with a child serving in Iraq what the
cost of oil is and you are not going to get a dollar amount. I’m not suggesting
that we should not use oil or that our actions in Iraq are unjust or unnecessary,
far from it. I am suggesting that supporting a food production model that uses
very little oil-based fertilizer is in the best interests of Americans. Small,
local farms that utilize crop rotation and sustainable practices do not destroy
the land at the same rate (often the land is replenished) and do not need to
pump Saudi chemicals into the ground.
A trip to a farmer’s market is far different than a trip to a place like
a Whole Foods store. Vegetables and livestock that are in season and not delivered
very far (the Locavore rule of thumb is to try not to eat food from more than
100
miles away if you can help it) have a negligibly higher cost at the register
and virtually no societal costs associated with factory farms.
This is really just the tip of the iceberg of the issues surrounding the ways
factory farming weakens national security. The more you dig, the more you see
that true freedom and liberty depends on the yeoman farmer so celebrated by Thomas
Jefferson. The Jeffersonian agrarian ideal is alive and well and you can help
it survive simply by shopping.
Think about this: if the stuff really hits the fan and the country goes to
h*ll, whom do you want to be friends with? I want to be friends with hard
working men
and women that know how to grow food and make their land work for them. Shopping
at farmer’s markets is a great way to make community connections that are
both personally rewarding and potentially life saving. I know the names of many
of the people I buy my food from and if I’m lucky I just might get to be
a farm hand if things go bad.
Thankfully there seems to be a shift away from the “hoard away somewhere
with guns and MREs
and ride it out” model of survivalism. Those MREs
are terrible and will eventually run out. If you had to survive on them for
any period
of time you would likely add a great deal of depression to what is likely going
to be a stressful situation. I want to be in a position to eat real food. That
requires knowing how to grow it, something that is well beyond even moderately
accomplished hobby gardeners. Even the gnarliest “I’m gonna drive
'the last of the V8 interceptors' and pump .50 caliber rounds into any desperados
I see” survivalist is likely including gardening books in their personal
survival library.
If you want to learn how to do something, a book can be a great source of information,
but it will likely never replace hands on learning from someone that knows
what they’re doing. If you want to be able to grow enough food to live on you
should know a farmer. It’s real easy to meet them. Just go to a market
and ask them about their product.
Being able to grow food is more important than even being able to properly operate
a firearm (and many who can do the former know the latter simply by cultural
osmosis). If you are willing to buy premium American made firearms, learn from
the knowledgeable through conversation and classes, and enjoy them, you should
be willing to do the same with your food.
Like all the best survival preps, gardening is fun and rewarding on its own
and provides a wonderful opportunity to connect with your family. It ranks
right
up there with teaching your kids how to fish and shoot, but it has unfortunately
fallen out of vogue in the last fifty years. When you’re picking up a
head of lettuce from your new friend that grew it for you, ask him how you
might do
the same. It could save your life.
Shopping at farmer’s markets protects national security interests, builds
important connections with like-minded people able to withstand hard times, and
provides a way for families to connect with the traditions of one of America’s
most hardworking and iconic professions, the farmer. Much lore and utility
can be learned from those that actually know how to do things and no thing
is more
important than being able to produce food.
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Letter Re: Preparedness Mindset and Logistics Pay Dividends
Hi James,
I am 30 years old and began my survival mindset when I was about 25. I am a
single father of three and that is part of what motivated me to begin to
prepare years ago. 2008 was a real eye opener for me though as it all begin
to hit home. I began to sell off my possessions when times got tough. Eventually
I had to file bankruptcy and move my family into a smaller more affordable
place. Settled in our new place I began adjusting thinking the worst was
over, I was wrong within two months I was laid off. I had no money and no
job, with three mouths to feed I didn't know what I was going to do. Fortunately,
I had family who was kind enough to let us stay with them until I got back
on
my feet. We have been here several months and am working hard to remedy
our situation.
I must say when I started preparing I tried to place emphasis
on having a firearm and ammunition along with adding an occasional few cans
of food here and there as we could afford, and eventually we ate the food
I put back. At no time were we ever well off In fact I could have been on
welfare and food stamps all along but always thought I would make it. I
had to sell my off road/family vehicle which was our daily driver to buy
a four-door car because of gas, but we are still blessed and much more fortunate
than many. I always watched the news and it all seemed so distant and never
thought it could happen to me, but it did. This
along with your help has really strengthened my mindset. I really wanted
to send you this
e-mail
not just
to tell you my story, as there are so many who have similar ones. I sent
this to sincerely say thank you. You have opened my eyes to so much that
I had never even attempted to consider, I was and honestly still feel
like an infant with the sea of knowledge of preparedness.Your web site has
truly put me on track to preparing in so many areas right down to me saving
the lent from the dryer. Money is tight but with your help and that of your
subscribers we are still preparing.
I recently ordered your novel ["Patriots"]and
I haven't been able to put it down! Congratulations, James. It is a great
book! I have learned so much from the book as well and am still not finished.
I do
truly
believe hard times are upon us and because of you the children and I will
have a much greater chance of survival. You not only have affected my life
but also the life of my 10 year old son, and eight and two year-old daughters.
Rest well knowing you are truly making a difference and may God bless you and
your
family.
Sincerely, - Kyle
« Economics and Investing: |Main| Letter Re: That Leaking Body in Your Living Room »
Letter: Re: Storing Emergency Supplies in Plastic Tote Bins for Rapid Evacuation
Dear Mr. Rawles,
R.D. of Wyoming mentioned a very practical way of storing supplies - in 22
gallon plastic tote bins, each with a good variety of items to last about
one month. Perhaps this is a basic system for many, but I hadn't thought
of it
myself
and plan
to rearrange our storage items in a similar manner as soon as I can.
Presently, I am laid up with a broken leg so am 'dead in the water' for working
on our storage program. My darling husband is tolerant of my 'hobby' but
is definitely not one to work on it himself.
I want to remind everyone out there that a broken leg or other calamity can
complicate your life very suddenly and not afford you the time to get what
you need to survive. Being well prepared beforehand is so basic but it is
something that a lot of people do not do, thinking "someday" they'll
get around to it. My well-stocked larder has been such a practical help while
I've not
been able to get out at all to shop.
I thank you for your informative blog and I thank R.D. for this simple but
practical storage solution. - M.C. in Arizona
« Economics and Investing: |Main| Letter Re: A Short Term Home Evacuation Taught Some Lessons »
Letter Re: The Challenges of Prepping While on Active Duty Military Service
Hi,
I just finished reading the
Profile on Mr. & Mrs. India. I had planned
to write earlier and this truly motivated me. I am in the military with 24
years
in.
I discovered your web site last spring and have been a dedicated reader. I
have learned so much. Unfortunately right after I discovered your site I was
transferred
overseas. I am almost midway my tour but have been very frustrated in that
so much of what I could do in terms of preparation is hampered by being overseas.
Ordering staples for the pantry is the easiest thing I could do and yet the
hardest as I would not be allowed to bring food back into the U.S. and many
other items cannot be shipped to FPO [or APO]
boxes.
In terms of food, I have
ordered some and had it delivered to my Mom’s house but I have to be
careful about the weight as she is in her seventies and can’t do a lot
of lifting. I also will need to move these items from her home when I return
to the States.
I have purchased the grain mill, plan to get the water filter, and have ordered
a lot of seed prior to my leaving home. Right before I came here I purchased
a bow and had a friend teach me how to shoot. Unfortunately foreigners here
can’t have weapons so it’s still in the case but at least I have
it. As an active duty member I can qualify on the rifle range and so get free
arms training.
Being in a foreign country does have it’s benefits in
that they have some things here (farm tools, household items, etc.) that
are very practical yet not sold in the U.S. I have been able to stock up on
some
personal hygiene items such as tooth brushes, tooth paste, and some neat
Japanese garden items. If anyone has any other ideas as to things I can do
to prepare
I would appreciate it. Also, if you can give advice to those of us who do
live the nomadic lifestyle in the military, especially when we have to go overseas
and leave everything in storage or be hamstrung in terms of what we can
and
cannot ship between countries.
Being far from home, every evening when I get to my apartment I visit your
web site. It is so uplifting and informative. It is a real morale booster
for those of us who can’t be back home. Thank you!
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Is it Enough?, by Axman
I remember the Great Gas Crises of the 1950s. I filled several metal five-gallon
cans with gas and put them behind the seat of my 1941 Plymouth 6-cylinder Business
Coupe. I got 21 miles per gallon with that peppy little car!
When Kennedy’s
Cuban Missile Crises came about I dug a foxhole in my Mother’s
back yard -- which she later filled in and used as a flower bed.
Then the Cold
War with Russia, where we rattled ballistic missiles at each other. I actually
built an above-ground fallout shelter out of a retired metal
dumpster
and a piece of conduit big enough to crawl through. A hill of dirt left over
from a construction job finished it. My shelter looked like an earthen igloo,
built in the high desert above Phoenix, Arizona . It lasted about 7 years,
until the new owner of the property took it down.
One day at a gun store I met a man
who was high up in our regional electric company. I asked him what would happen
if the Russians nuked Phoenix. He replied
that
if we were lucky, our electricity would be out for a few weeks to a few months!
If
they scored a direct hit, then it could be years before the power could be
restored!
Convinced, I went right home and started assembling my own small solar
electric system! Several years later the Berlin Wall was taken down. But
I kept my 'Small
Electric Company' operational. I still use it every evening! In addition
I picked up a pitiful little generator some guy had taken out of his motor
home.
Eventually
Y2K came
on the scene. I sold my little noise maker
and replaced it with a new Coleman 3,000 watt, no frills, short run generator.
It is just big enough to run the wife’s washing machine and any of my
shop’s
tools one at a time. This machine was a great comfort as the year 2000 came
closer. I figured on running it just 2 to 3 hours per week during the crisis.
That way, I would
not have to store large amounts of expensive, flammable gasoline. I still maintain
this generator in good working order by using it to power my electric chainsaw
2 or 3 times each year as I cut wood for our stove.
During the pre-Y2K months
an old Baptist turned-Mormon school chum convinced me
to
start a food storage program. So I went out and bought 3 or 4 cases of Ramen
noodles. In time I learned to hate Ramen noodles! My thrifty wife insisted
on recycling or rotating them through my digestive tract! I think I have finally
got her convinced to save the last case for our neighbors who fail to prepare
for the big one! I now buy canned pinto beans, pork and beans, canned corn,
green peas, green beans, potted meat, Vienna sausages, stuff I like or can
at least
tolerate! I figure on keeping 6 weeks to 3 months supply of food and water
on hand and rotating it every 3 years, keeping it no longer then 5 years.
This is an ongoing thing and saves us a few dollars as the price of food continues
to rise. Uncle Sugar just keeps printing money and devaluating our Dollars,
thus higher prices!
Now along comes the Mega Depression of 2009, [minor rant snipped] so this
then is my biggest challenge, just to survive this coming period of economic
disaster,
political turmoil, and civil unrest.
I am in the process
of improving
the latches on my exterior doors and outfitting a designated bug out vehicle
capable of sustaining our lives for 30 days. I am teaching my wife to use a
battle rifle and
improving my rain water barrels. I instructed my financial advisor to prepare
my investments for the worst, plus taking some independent action of my own
in
the way of trade goods, reconstruction skills and a small investment in precious
metals. I have talked up the need to prepare with friends, loved ones, and
neighbors. Is it enough? Only time will tell.
« Retreat Owner Profile: Mr. & Mrs. India |Main| Notes from JWR: »
Disaster Preparedness--Of Lists and Preparation in Depth, by Ed C.
I would like to offer my own experiences in the hopes that they may provide
some small amount of practical advice to others. Here in Oklahoma, of course,
we face tornadoes, but many do not realize we have also suffered from paralyzing
ice storms - three within the past ten years. Lessons gleaned from practical
experience are:
- Have inventory lists;
- Have 'Oh-Schumer Lists' of items
and chores for each type of contingency situation
(tornado, flood, ice storm, etc.)
- Prepare 'in depth' for each major
need, such as heat and light, food, water, shelter, and protection
- Calmly
think
through scenarios on the before-hand, in terms of what would be needed,
how long one can survive, and what the deciding factors in your response
would be ('fight or flight')
- Most importantly, be prepared to take care of your own, whether family
or
friends or neighbors.
First things first. Just a week or so ago, Oklahoma
was ravaged by several tornadoes. While keeping an ear on the weather
report,
I calmly
gathered up medications,
identification papers, windup lights and radios. I made sure there
was at least one conventional telephone working. We have had experiences
with cell
phone
towers being down, or the cell phone networks being overloaded. I
placed a full face motorcycle helmet, winter gloves, and parka within reach
to put on (for some marginal protection against debris)
in case
the tornado swung in our direction, something they can and
have done before.
Thankfully, we were spared, though one tornado came within two miles
of
our home.
The purpose of relating the above is to illustrate the
importance of pre-planning for an event, having what we call an 'Oh-Schumer
List' of
items and tasks, so that one keeps panic at bay while calmly following
a pre-planned, prepared
list so that one keeps busy and feels somewhat in control of the
situation.
The second situation is one that we have experienced
several times; and yet I am still amazed that many neighbors still do not
prepare
for them; ice
storms. Again, we have items stored which were deemed necessary
to overcome the emergency
situation, as well as an 'Oh-Schumer List' of items and tasks
(chores) which we can calmly follow. In our case, we have winter clothing
cleaned, organized,
and stored;
various tools and outdoor items prepped (snow shovels, chain
saw (and spare chains, oil,
etc.), generator (and gasoline, oil, spark plugs, etc.), tarps,
lumber; food, water, and medicines stocked; Vehicles serviced and fueled;
and Call
Lists of Family,
Friends, and Neighbors so that we can be sure they are warm,
fed, and safe.
One thing I must stress is that we prepare 'in depth'
as much as we can.
Meaning that while we have a generator and gasoline, we also
have propane lights, heaters,
and stoves in case the generator fails. We also
have candles, Esbit stoves, windup lights and radios, and firewood.
Similarly, my wife
will cook up large batches of food if she knows we have an
incoming storm front, but we also have canned goods, MREs, and freeze-dried
goods.
For water, we
have bottled water, Katadyn water filters, bleach, water purification
tablets, collapsible
water containers, and a small 10,000 gallon swimming pool.
A
few years ago, Oklahoma City was paralyzed for about five
days by an ice storm. We had no
electricity from the grid, but we had our furnace and a few appliances
running
on a generator. We also had relatives and neighbors who stayed with us, as
they had not prepared. It was no matter, we had homemade chicken pot
pies, wine, card games,
lively conversation, and were all safe, snug, and warm. Sadly, while outside
cutting up fallen trees that blocked the roads, I encountered a neighbor that
needed
the cut-up wood to heat and cook for his elderly father and himself. I offered
him our propane lights, heater, and camp stove; but he did not take us up
on the
offer. I wanted to ask him, that since we had gone through this numerous
times, why he had not prepared for this. But, I knew it was hard enough for
him just
to ask for the firewood.
In closing, let me recap. Have inventory
lists. Have 'Oh-Schumer Lists' of items and tasks for each type of contingency
situation. Prepare 'in
depth' for each major need, such as heat and light, food, water, shelter,
and protection Calmly think through scenarios on the before-hand,
in terms of what would be needed, how long one can survive, and what the deciding
factors would
be. Most importantly, be prepared to take care of your own, whether
family
or friends or neighbors. Sadly, this last point is overlooked by many. Good
luck to all.
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Livestock for Survival, by Bobbi A.
With a cynical eye on the rapid downward spiral of events, it seems prudent
to plan for a very long time of sustainable living. In this case survival depends
not only on your stockpiled preps, but also in your ability to sustain food
production past the end of your stored supply.
Let’s assume, to begin with, that you have reasonably stocked retreat.
I’m not talking a stock to the level described in “Patriots”,
but rather one that includes a year (or more) of food, basic ammo, firearms,
reliable water, heat and power source … the basics.
Now it’s time to look past the first year or so and decide how you will
continue to produce food and supplies for your family. Hunting is often an
option, but it can’t be considered a long-term complete food source,
as it is not nutritionally complete.
Much has been said about keeping heirloom (open pollinated) seeds, and this
cannot be stressed enough. But you have to plant and harvest a crop each year
to continue to re-supply your seeds. Most retreats seem to be in colder climates
as they tend to have a lighter year-round population load. If you’re
up in the mountains, altitude will play a significant factor in what you can
hope to grow. Staples such as corn require heat days in order to properly pollinate
and “set”. You generally want to lay in a supply of varieties that
have the shortest maturity date. That means from the time you plant that seed
to the time you harvest the crop is the shortest possible number of days.
Using “short season” varieties gives you two advantages. First,
if you have a crop failure for some reason, you can often have time to replant.
Secondly, if you’ve harvested your first crop, you have time to put another
crop in the same space.
As summer approaches, consider a great time to practice crop production, if
you haven’t already. It is not as simple a poking a seed into some dirt.
Get a couple of good gardening books, or better yet, books on basic farming.
Carla Emery’s Encyclopedia
of Country Living and
the Reader's Digest Back
to Basics are
both excellent reference books that cover everything from farming to livestock
to making basic necessities.
Having a huge variety of seeds is not as important as having plenty to the
right seeds for your needs. If you just can’t live without brussel sprouts,
by all means, lay in some seeds. But stick mostly to the basics: wheat, corn,
squash/pumpkin, beans, peas, tomatoes, onions, potatoes, peppers, and your
basic herbs. If you haven’t planted fruit trees, now is the time to get
started on that. It takes several years for trees to be come productive. Also
give consideration to other perennials such as strawberries, raspberries, blackberries,
blueberries and grapes. Again, it take a few years for these (except for strawberries)
to get into full production.
Besides your garden, fields and orchards, you’ll need to take a serious
look at what sort of livestock will fit in to your situation. Eventually, you
will probably need some sort of animal power for transportation and heavy work.
The most efficient feed-to-food converter is a chicken. One hen will lay approximately
one egg every other day. Peak production (during the summer) generally is an
egg a day. Winter drops to an egg every third day or so without significant
extra light in the chicken coop. You can expect to raise two or three sets
of chicks each summer. Hens will get “broody” and sit on eggs to
hatch them once the weather is warm. In order for the eggs to be fertile, you
of course must have a rooster. The best ratio is one rooster to every ten hens.
A family of four would do well with 25 laying hens and three roosters. The
extra
eggs
produced during the warm months can be frozen or used for feed for other animals.
You can even feed the [well-pulverized and unrecognizable] eggshells back to
your chickens to give them adequate calcium. During the spring, summer and
early
fall, you
don’t
even have to provide chickens with any feed. They are excellent consumers of
all sorts
of insects and bugs. “Free range” chickens pretty much feed themselves
during the warm months. If predators are an issue though, you’ll want
to keep them in a moveable cage (called a “chicken tractor”) so
they don’t become a snack for some varmint. Raccoons are especially fond
of chickens, as are weasels.
If you know that the stuff is hitting the fan, try to order 50 chicks or so
[and buy a 50 pound sack of chick starter feed at your local feed store]. Chicks
arrive in the mail. Ideal Poultry and Murray McMurray are two excellent sources.
If
you
order “straight
run” chicks,
you’ll
get a mix (about 50/50) of hens to roosters. The best all-round chicken in
my opinion
is the Astralorp. They start to lay early (at about five months of age) and
consistently, they are good mothers and are big enough to still be a reasonable
source of meat. The roosters tend to stay calm and usually are not aggressive.
Chicks will cost you around $1.50 each. The price varies with the breed, the
supplier and the time of year. Ideal tends to have good sales, which you can
keep up with by signing up for email alerts.
Another excellent feed-to-food converter is the basic goat. I’ll say
right off that they are tough to keep fenced in. Goats are terrifically intelligent
and are phenomenal escape artists. If you keep goats, make absolutely certain
that your gardens, crop grounds and trees are well fenced off and well protected.
Goats can decimate fruit trees in minutes. Goats produce milk, meat and leather.
A doe can kid as early as eight months old, but it’s best to wait until
they are yearlings. Goats’ gestation is about five months and they tend
to only breed in months that have “R” in the name (Sept, Oct, Nov,
Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr). There are some aseasonal breeders, but don’t
count on it. If your does are bred in early September, you might be about to
get them bred back again in April, two months after kidding. Goats usually
have twins and triplets. Bucks can be smelly and can be aggressive during rut.
The breed of goat really is an individual preference. Goat enthusiasts will
extol the virtues of their particular breed, but mostly it comes down to basics:
good dairy does will give about a gallon of milk a day. Goat milk, properly
processed, is indistinguishable from fresh cow’s milk. If you have never
consumed fresh milk, you ought to give it a try. It is completely different
from what you purchase in the store. It makes store-bought taste like water.
Goat milk is white, it does not separate as easily as cow’s milk (it
takes longer to skim enough cream for butter), and it is often well-tolerated
by people with lactose issues. During grazing months, a goat will produce milk
just with pasture (grasses, clovers, and browse). A small amount of grain is
nice at milking time so the does will be excited to come in to the milking
area. It beats chasing them all over Creation. IN the winter, they will require
hay and a little grain if you intend to keep milking. Some people “dry
off” their does in the winter in preparation for kidding. You have to
allow about two months of no milking before the doe kids so that her body has
time to produce the colostrum the kids need in order to survive.
Goats are capable of pulling small, fairly light carts and helping with basic
garden work (muzzled, of course). They can work individually or as a team of
no more than two. They are also good packers capable of carrying about 30 pounds
(for a full grown adult goat). For a family of four, two or three does and
one buck is plenty. And yes, you can keep doe kids and still breed them back
to
their sire (or their brothers).
Line breeding is not recommended over the long-haul, but it’s perfectly
fine until things stabilize and you can trade genetics with a neighbor.
Sheep are extremely important, in my opinion, but are rarely discussed. They
don’t have a terrific feed-to-food ratio, as they require a bit more
protein. But for what they give you in return, they are an excellent survival
animal. Besides meat and terrific hides, sheep produce wool. Wool is one of
the very best natural fibers. It is somewhat flame retardant, retains its warmth
even soaking wet, and is incredibly versatile. It can be spun into yarn, felted,
woven, and even worked with “raw”. Lanolin is the “grease” on
the wool. Once cleaned, it is an excellent, lasting softener for badly chapped/burned
skin.
Sheep are not very smart, and so they really require looking after. If you
have a predation problem, you’ll want to keep sheep close-in, or have
some sort of guardian (human or animal) with them at all times. Sheep are similar
to goats in breeding and birthing habits. In fact, you can keep sheep and goats
together without any problems. They do not interbreed (although you may see
the males trying it anyway).
Merino sheep are the best for fine wool production: the kind of wool you can
wear next to your skin and not feel “itchy”. They are hard to find
in the United States. Virtually any sheep, except “hair sheep”,
will work for survival purposes. Larger breeds such as Columbia, Suffolk, and
Corriedale will have more coarse wool, but they will produce bigger (meatier)
lambs on less feed.
Like goats, you’d want two or three ewes and one ram. Rams can be dangerous.
Repeat: rams can be dangerous. There is a product available called a “ram
shield”. It is a leather piece that fit over the ram’s face so
that he can’t see straight ahead to charge. However, his vision is fine
for eating and wooing the ewes. (By the way, it works on goat bucks, too).
After one Suffolk ram kept charging me, it is standard on our rams except for
the Merinos. I’ve never had an aggressive Merino ram. Not to say it couldn’t
happen; it just hasn’t happened yet. Merinos are smaller and when the
rams fight during rut, the Merinos can take quite a beating. With the other
rams wearing shields, it helps keep the Merinos from getting clobbered. It’s
best to have a separate ram area away from the ewes once the girls are bred.
It’s just safer for the shepherd/ess during feeding and lambing time.
Hogs are not for everyone, but they are one of my favorites. They produce a
lot of meat, they are smart and easy to manage if you treat them decently,
and they can grow fat on table scraps, roots, and forage. One sow can produce
20 or more piglets in a year. That a lot of meat and useful fat (soap-making).
My experience is that colored pigs do better on pasture and forage than white
pigs. I have no idea why this is true, but it seems to be. I don’t think
the breed makes much difference, as long as the pigs aren’t white. Contrary
to the stories, pigs do not like to be dirty. However, they cannot sweat to lower
their body heat, and they must be provided with a place to cool
off. A shallow concrete “pool”, access to a creek or pond, or even
occasional hosing off will work. If pigs cannot get cooled off any other way,
then they will wallow in a mud source.
Pigs “root” (dig) almost from the minute they are born. This is
a terrific help in the fall when you want to get your garden turned over. They
are omnivores and will graze, browse, and yet still consume table scraps and
meat. Pigs are a good way to dispose of any accidental animal carcasses that
you can’t eat yourself. Pigs are extremely smart (some say smarter than
dogs). Boars can be dangerous, just like any other male, especially when he’s
chasing a female. If you see the boar slobbering (white foam), stay out of
the pen. He’s wooing a lady. We tame our pigs by hand-feeding eggs to
them. After a few days, the pigs will come when you call. I have never even
been charged by a pig, and I feel comfortable around ours. However, I never
forget that they have razor-sharp teeth and that they weigh about 600 pounds
when full grown! I never let the kids go into the hog pens unless I am standing
right there. We’ve never had a problem, but I don’t believe in
being foolish either.
Sows’ gestation is 3 months, 3 weeks and 3 days. Sows will have between
8 and 15 piglets per litter. Many times, sows will have fewer “faucets” than
piglets and you’ll have to make sure every gets their fair share of food
in the beginning. Within a week, the piglets will be running everywhere and
helping themselves to whatever Mom is eating. Piglets can be weaned at one
month, but we generally leave them on until the sow weans them herself. The
nutrition they receive from the sow doesn’t cost me anything and it helps
the piglets get an excellent start.
Pigs can be butchered at about 160 pounds, which will give you about 80 pounds
of meat and 20 pounds of lard. Pigs raised on pasture have much less lard and
more lean meat. A little corn each day will help them gain weight faster, but
much of that weight gain is fat and is probably a waste of valuable resources.
One sow and one boar will keep your family fed and provide lots of meat for
trade.
As for larger stock, cattle and horses are generally what most people think
of. They have great benefits but also great draw-backs.
Cattle produce milk, meat and hides. They also have a poor feed-to-food ratio
compared to smaller stock. However, cattle can provide muscle as oxen for pulling,
farming, and carting things around. Oxen can be male or female, so even your
milk cow can be your ox in a pinch. Cows eat a lot. Figure on a milk cow eating
30 to 50 pounds of hay a day in the winter time. That’s a lot of hay
if you’re putting it up by hand. Bulls are dangerous, but necessary to
keep your cow bred (unless you can trade for the service a neighbor's bull).
It takes about a year or so to get a calf to butcher size, which means you’re
going to be feeding that calf over the winter (more hay). However, your cow
will
produce
five to eight gallons of milk a day (on average). That’s a lot of milk
for your household, for trade, or for feeding chickens and hogs. Cow milk separates
easily.
A cow’s gestation is about nine months and they will breed any month
of the year. You can continue to milk the cow up until about two months before
she calves. Cows usually have just one calf. Dairy cows produce far more milk
than beef cows, but they have less meat. A good solution is to have a dairy
cow and a beef bull. The resulting calf will have more meat at butcher time.
However, if you’re trying to raise a replacement milk cow, this won’t
work in the long run.
There are many breeds of dairy cows. Dexters are excellent dual purpose (milk/meat)
for a small group. They are little cows, about the size of a pony. They consume
half the feed of a full size cow, produce two to three gallons of milk daily
and have a beefier carcass. They dress out at about 65%. The down side is that
they are still relatively expensive ($1000 for a cow/$800 for a bull). If you
look carefully, especially in this down economy, you can probably find them
quite a bit cheaper. Dexters are docile and make excellent oxen.
Jerseys are another “homestead” favorite due to their smaller size
and high percentage of butterfat in the milk. Jerseys are 800-1,000 pounds
full grown and produce 5-to-8 gallons of milk daily. The milk is rich in butterfat
and slightly sweet. I think it’s the best milk. We have a Jersey cross
milk cow for our family’s use.
Horses are a huge help, but not necessary to survival. They consume a lot of
feed without producing any food in return. Most of the work horses do can also
be done by oxen. However, I’d rather ride a horse than an ox any day.
If you have plenty of pasture, plenty of feed and plenty of shelter during
storms, then by all means keep a couple of horses. Again, a mare or two and
a stallion keeps things sustainable.
It’s unlikely that most people would be able to keep each of these animals,
or even that they would want to. The idea is to carefully consider what you
need to supply for your family over a period of years. What livestock can you
add to your retreat planning to help insure a sustainable food supply? Other
possibilities include rabbits (meat/hides), geese (down/eggs), ducks (higher
protein eggs) or domestic turkeys. Both of the books mentioned above for farming
practices have a wealth of information for small-scale livestock production.
The other thing to consider is mobility. If you’re already living at
your retreat, adding large stock is relatively simple. If you’re going
to have to bug out, you’ll have to consider what you can take. I know
that I can put three goats, three sheep, six piglets, and 30 chickens in and
on the back of my Suburban. I know because I tried it. It took me 30 minutes
to
get
all of them safely loaded and/or crated. [JWR Adds: My #1
Son mentioned that you should have videotaped this exercise--it would be very
popular on YouTube!]
I’d
have to leave my cattle and horses if I had to bug out, but I could take enough
livestock
to
keep us
going
for the foreseeable future.
So give consideration to what you will do when your stash runs out. How will
you feed your family, your neighbors, your group if hunting is difficult or
impossible? What can you do that is sustainable and practical? Think about
what works for you in your situation. It’s easy to butcher poultry. It’s
a bit more complicated for sheep or goats, and it takes some serious planning
for a 600 pound pig!
Think ahead and be prepared.
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Two Letters Re: Barnyard Junk: The Things that You Do and Don't Need for TEOTWAWKI
Jim:
Regarding post on junk: Right on! When I recommend the OAR system for preparedness
the O stands for organization. It does no good to have supplies you can't
find or access. I see an awful lot of farmers with yards that look like the
municipal
landfill. It isn't safe or healthy. True preparedness requires doing the
work of tracking supplies and useage so you don't find yourself short or waste
hours
looking for the tool that you know is here...someplace. One of the best features
of the "Rawles
Gets You Ready" preparedness course is the organized inventory
lists. For a beginner, this course is a must-have.- Kathy Harrison, author
of Just
In Case: How
to be self sufficient when the unexpected happens
James,
I
agree wholeheartedly with Jim Fry. Farms that are eyesores are a blight
on the land and on the farmer who created the eyesore.
When I was in the Army I used to drive for over an hour to spend weekends on
a friends parents' farm in Kansas. The farmer I "worked" for was
nicknamed "Tidy" because right from childhood, he had always been
fastidious in his habits. Tidy was a Marine and a veteran of almost the entire
Guadalcanal campaign. You know what they say - once a Marine, always a Marine!
His self-discipline, professionalism and pride showed in everything he did
- just as his inner strength showed through his quiet and self-effacing demeanor.
His farmstead was always standing tall, as was his equipment and shop. He had
one of each piece of equipment that he used on the farm - and they were all
in a fine state of repair, with spares on hand for the parts that were critical
and/or most likely to break. Going down to work on the farm for Tidy was always
a joy, because I knew that whatever jobs he had for me to do, the equipment
would be right where he'd shown me it would be, and it would be ready to go.
Everything got done in plenty of time for me to get cleaned up and dressed
for dinner (Yes, Tidy insisted that everyone be changed out of their work clothes
for dinner - never had to tell me that one, it was just obvious that it was
expected - just like at home.) with plenty of daylight left to go down to the
pond for a little fishing after dinner in the summertime. Keeping your place
clean and organized goes a long way toward efficiency and
a good outlook on life.
One thing that Jim forgot to mention is the defensive liability created by
having piles of junk scattered around the farmyard and the farm in general.
Those piles of junk interrupt your fields of vision - and fire - providing
concealment for approaching bad actors, and cover for them once they decide
it's time to strike. If the Golden
Horde comes pouring through your gate or
woodline, the last thing you want to have done is create pre-positioned fighting
positions for them. If you truly think you will need something "someday" maintain
it and store it under cover, so it will be of use when you need it
-- not "someday" after
the need occurs. In most areas, you can find a place to cut poles for structural
members, and you can usually take down old unused buildings for siding boards
and 2x4s -- so your total outlay will be for metal roofing. You will take your
farmstead's defensive layout into account when planning for the placement of
new equipment storage sheds, right?
If you don't need it - and don't have a plan to use it in planned-for contingencies,
then get rid of it! Don't be a slave to your stuff!
Just my de-valued two-bits worth. - Countrytek
« Letter Re: Barnyard Junk: The Things that You Do and Don't Need for TEOTWAWKI |Main| Jim's Quote of the Day: »
Letter Re: A Carrington Event Space Storm--A Natural EMP Equivalent
Jim-
New Scientist magazine article recently published an important article
titled "Space
storm alert: 90 seconds from catastrophe." The article outlines
possible scenarios for the risk of solar storms that could severely damage
national grids and vital electrical and electronic systems. The effects would
be catastrophic and devolve societies into a desperate survival situation for
individuals.
One quote from the article:
"Over the last few decades, western civilisations have busily sown the
seeds of their own destruction. Our modern way of life, with its reliance on
technology,
has unwittingly exposed us to an extraordinary danger: plasma balls spewed
from the surface of the sun could wipe out our power grids, with catastrophic
consequences."
Could off-grid standby equipment such as power generators or solar cells also
be damaged? See the
National Academy of Sciences report. (After registering,
you can download a free PDF file of the report): Best Regards, - Gregg T
JWR Replies: I've received more than 20 letters in the past
48 hours from readers concerned about this article. In my opinion, this natural
"EMP-like"
effect is just another reason to get prepared. The probability in any given
lifetime is quite low, but the impact if it were to happen would be
devastating.
Most home non-grid-tied photovoltaic,
micro-hydro, and wind power systems will probably be safe from a Carrington
Event. (The field strength and coupling effects will be roughly analogous
to that of nuclear
EMP.)
If you have a microprocessor-controlled battery charge controller, then one
fairly
inexpensive
measure is to buy
a spare. But for most of us, buying a spare large inverter is
cost-prohibitive. In the event that your large (whole-house) inverter get
fried, then perhaps your could plan to revert to DC-only
system, and store a couple of spare small inverters for crucial
AC loads.
As with any
other "EMP redundant" radios and other electronics, you should store
your
spares
in ammo
cans, all-metal
cookie
tins,
or similarFaraday
cage structures.
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Letter Re: Barnyard Junk: The Things that You Do and Don't Need for TEOTWAWKI
Jim
Much has been written in all the various books, discussion groups and forums
about acquiring the best G.O.O.D. bag, BOVs and medical kits. Much has been
said about what garden seeds to get and the best lead delivery systems to have.
There's been endless discussions about setting up the most survivable retreat
and packing the maps to help get you there. ...But I recall very little talk
about what you don't need.
I've lived on the family farm all my life. I've also spent a great deal of
time delivering survival supplies to Indian Reservation all over the US. I'm
currently managing a Farm Museum. And I spend a good deal of time visiting
several Amish communities nearby. In all these endeavors, I've had occasion
to visit people living on the land. I look closely at how various folks and
cultures manage how they live.
On many of the Reservations, there's trash along the roads and cars up on blocks
in many fields. It's common for someone to take a tire off a vehicle because
they just need it until they get a new tire for a different car. Then they "borrow" the
battery, then maybe a headlight/radio/other tire/gas tank etc. Next thing you
know, there's a permanent memorial to G.M. sitting in the drive. It all contributes
to an environment of futility and hopelessness.
In Amish country, some farms are neat as a pin, and others are just falling
apart. I stopped by one yesterday that was just depressing. Not a blade of
grass, not a flower bed, dirt and chicken manure everywhere. The signs advertising
maple syrup for sale, were hanging akimbo. I stepped in the house to talk to
the family, and the clutter was an accident waiting to happen. The man of the
farm was as messy as his farm. I doubt he gets up in the morning thinking how
much he is looking forward to going out to the beauty of his place.
On the many "English", (Amish term term meaning anybody not Amish),
farms I visit while collecting for the museum, it's much the same. A friend
of mine lives on a diary farm not far from here. There's several falling down
buildings full of grand dad's rusty stuff, none of it useful any more. There's
discarded and rotting feed sacks inches deep in the milk house. And lots of
unused and unusable equipment scattered across the yard. He farms, he makes
a profit. He has pretty good hay for sale. But his working environment,...ughh
! Where he works and how he works holds him back. He can't get as much done
for all the junk in his way. Other farms are models of efficiency.
What I've learned over many years of "farming", is that farming gets
harder or easier depending on how organized you are. If all your tools are
well kept and organized in one place, every repair job is much easier, ..there's
no need to spend half your time searching for a misplaced wrench. If what you
look at, as you walk to the barn, is neat and cared for, it tends to help you
feel more like doing the next job. If your place is a mess, with lots of undone
chores to do, it can get so overwhelming that you to just want to say the heck
with it, there's too much to do.
Right now our society is still functioning fairly well. Most places, the government
does its second most important job fairly well. Once a week the trash gets
picked up. After the SHTF, getting rid of junk will be much more difficult.
When you are getting your retreat ready for what seems more likely every day,
consider
this.
If
the economy collapses, what you have is what you will have. The more helpful
stuff, the better. The less trash, the better. I suggest you be rigorous, right
now, about getting rid of the things that won't help you survive in tough times.
Right now, it's fairly easy to do.
If a dead washing machine is sitting out back, cut out the metal side panels
for use on some other project and maybe save the motor if it's working. But
get rid of the rest of it either thru a scrap yard or trash pick-up. If you
don't, it's just going to rot away and cause you trouble later on. If the power
goes off and there's no more gas, consider using the last half pint you have
to move your BOV to some out of the way place. Once it's parked, it's going
to be there a very long time. You'll be tempted to keep many things, thinking
that someday you'll need/fix them. But if you can't get them running now, it's
less likely you will when the electricity goes off. You might think of it like
inner city graffiti. The first day you see it, it might have some "artist
value". But as it deteriorates, it just drags the whole neighborhood down.
The environment you live in really does effect the way you feel and work. Right
now, get rid of what you don't need. Arrange your retreat as neat and clean
as you can. It will make all the thousand other jobs of self-sufficiency easier.
Give it a thought, what you don't clean up now, may be a real hindrance later
on. The neater you are now, the more efficient and happy you will be now, and...later. -
- Jim Fry, Curator, Museum
of Western Reserve Farms & Equipment, Ohio
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TEOTWAWKI Medicine and Minor Surgery--Part II: Skin Infections, by Dr. K.
Introduction
The skin has three layers.
1. The epidermis is the outermost layer. It protects our bodies from the environment
and has pigment cells.
2. The dermis is the middle layer, and it contains hair follicles, sweat glands,
oil glands, and capillaries.
3. The hypodermis (or subcutaneous layer) is the inner layer, and it contains
layers of fat that provides cushion and insulation for our body… some
more than others.
Any of these layers can become infected, in whole or in part. In a TEOTWAWKI scenario, that minor scratch could lead to a painful death. Knowledge is vitally
important. Understanding how to prevent and treat a skin infection is relatively
straightforward, and it could be a matter of life and death when TSHTF.
Signs of a skin infection are pain, redness, swelling, warmth and/or drainage
of pus.
Definitions
Cellulitis: a diffuse infection of the dermis and subcutaneous tissues. Signs
of cellulitis are red, warm, swollen, and tender skin.
Erysipelas: similar to cellulitis, but this infection is more superficial and
has very clear borders.
Skin abscess: a collection of pus that is in the dermis and subcutaneous tissues.
An abscess presents as a tender mass just under the skin. It is pink to red
and may be warm to the touch.
Furunlce (or “boil”): an infection of the hair follicle that causes
an abscess.
Carbuncle: a collection of several boils that grow together. This looks like
a very large abscess.
Causes
These skin infections can develop in any individual and most are caused by
bacteria. Having minor scrapes and cuts, insect bites, rashes, burns, swelling,
or being around another person with a skin infection can increase your risk.
Having diabetes, being immunosuppressed (HIV,
on chemotherapy medicines, autoimmune disease, etc.), or having a history of
methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)
infections also increases your risk.
Complications
If an infection is left untreated, it can keep spreading into the surrounding
tissues and into the bloodstream. This may lead to local tissue damage, a body-wide
infection, and even death in a worst case scenario.
Prevention
All skin wounds, no matter how minor, should be cleaned and dressed immediately.
Changing the dressing when it becomes wet or dirty will aid in prevention.
In a TEOTWAWKI scenario, you cannot afford to brush aside that thorn scratch
or knife nick. Take the time to clean it right away. Skin infections don’t
care how tough you think you are.
Antibiotics
Cellulitis and erysipelas are sometimes watched and not treated with antibiotics
right away. However, if these infections become severe (which can happen quickly),
IV antibiotics are the best choice. In a TEOTWAWKI scenario, IV antibiotics
will be much harder to store and/or obtain. Because of this, I recommend using
oral antibiotics with cellulitis and erysipelas immediately.
Antibiotics are typically not needed with a draining abscess or after an incision
and drainage (I&D). Once the pus pocket is ruptured, your immune system
usually takes care of things rather well. However, I would start antibiotics
if a growing redness and warmth develops after the wound has been drained.
Also, I would start antibiotics right away if the patient has multiple skin
infections, the patient is immunosuppressed, the patient has previous MRSA
infections, or if the patient has signs of body-wide infection (feeling ill,
fever, nausea and/or
vomiting, increased heart rate, low blood pressure, etc.).
Any of the following oral antibiotics (unless there is an allergy) should be
used for 10 days minimum, but can be used longer as long as the infection is
improving (search past Survivalblog posts for medication procurement):
Adults
Cleocin (clindamycin) 300 mg every 6 hours (currently treats most MRSA)
Dicloxacillin 500 mg every 6 hours
Keflex (cephalexin) 500 mg every 6 hours
Children
Cleocin (clindamycin) 30-40 mg/kg per day divided in 3-4 doses (treats most
MRSA)
Dicloxacillin 25-50 mg/kg per day divided in 4 doses
Keflex (cephalexin) 25-50 mg/kg per day divided in 3-4 doses
Non-Surgical Treatment
Small boils and small abscesses may respond very well to non-surgical treatments:
* Keep the infected area elevated.
* Warm compresses (a clean wash cloth soaked in hot water and wrung out) and
warm water soaks will help promote drainage.
* If it comes to a head, continue with warm compresses until it ruptures.
* Wash with antibacterial soap.
* Continue to use warm compresses until the pus stops flowing.
* Apply antibacterial ointment (such as Neosporin) over the wound.
* Keep a clean and dry dressing in place over the wound.
* Wash the wound and change the dressing 2-3 times a day.
* There should be improvement in about a week.
* If there is a growing area of redness and warmth, consider antibiotic treatment.
Surgical Treatments:
Incision and Drainage
Larger boils, larger abscesses, and carbuncles require incision and drainage
(I&D)
to heal.
Note: A surgical option, regardless of the problem, is always best treated
by someone who has been trained to perform the procedure. You don’t want
to be patient number one in a survival situation. Finally, while I am explaining
how to do this procedure, I only recommend that you attempt this in a post-TEOTWAWKI
scenario where there are no other healthcare options. Proceed at your own risk.
Supplies
Light (a bright headlamp works well. Consider working outside in the bright
sunlight.)
Non-sterile gloves
Sterile gloves
Alcohol or povidone-iodine solution (sold as Betadine)
Gauze pads
10-mL syringe
25- to 30-gauge needle
12- to 18-gauge needle if desired
Lidocaine 1% or 2%
No. 11 or 15 blade scalpel or sterile razor blade
Curved hemostats (small device that resembles scissors but has curved clamps
instead of blades) a pair of needle nosed pliers (sterilized) can be used in
a pinch
Packing material (such as iodoform gauze which are thin medicated gauze strips)
Scissors
Dressing Materials:
Antibiotic ointment such as Neosporin
Gauze for wrapping the wound
Roll of 1-inch tape
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Have the patient get into a comfortable position. Have them lie down if
possible just in case they pass out - it can happen to anyone! [JWR
Adds: Vasovegal and other fainting responses are highly unpredictable.
Just the sight of spurting blood can induce a faint in even someone that big
and macho. In two separate incidents, I've personally witnessed two "manly
men" who claimed "no problem, it won't bother me" pass out,
unconscious, within moments of seeing their own blood.]
2. Clean the wound. Put on non-sterile gloves and clean the entire wound and
surrounding tissue with povidine-iodine or alcohol.
3. Numb the wound with medicine: The easiest method is a field block. Inject
the lidocaine around the base of the wound on all sides. If the wound is not
on a small body part, you can use lidocaine with epinephrine.
Note: Make sure the lidocaine does not have epinephrine in it if the wound
is on a small body part. Epinephrine is a vasoconstrictor, meaning it clamps
down blood vessels. This can prevent circulation. If you stop circulation with
medicine, you have no idea how long it will last, and you could kill tissue.
Your patient won’t feel the procedure, but they may lose a body part!
Bottom line: Never use epinephrine on the fingers, toes, ears, penis, or nose.
Note: Please read how to load lidocaine and inject it in Part I: Ingrown
Toenails. [JWR Adds: Of course check for contraindications and potential
drug interactions before using any "-caine" drugs!]
Note: Please read how to dull the pain without medicine in Part I: Ingrown
Toenails
4. Make an incision. Using the scalpel blade or sterile razor blade make a
straight cut the entire length of the abscess (the deepest red central portion
of the abscess). The cut should be deep enough to go to the subcutaneous tissues.
Try to follow the natural skin folds for a more cosmetic healing (do an online
image search for “cleavage skin lines” to see an illustration).
For small infections, you may be able to drain the abscess by perforating it
with the large bore (a 12-18 gauge) needle.
5. Probe the incision if large enough. If there are no pain meds, this will
be painful. Insert the curved hemostats to slowly spread out the tissues under
the cut. This will break up some of the connective tissues that may be holding
pockets of pus. You also may find a foreign body (thorn, glass, etc.) that
was actually causing the infection.
6. Express the wound. Provide gentle pressure to the sides
of the wound to squeeze out any extra pus and blood. Do not be aggressive here.
7. Pack the wound. If the wound is big enough to leave a pocket, then filling
the wound with a medicated packing material (iodoform gauze) will aid in healing.
Using the hemostats, stuff the material into the wound until full. Leave about
a half inch hanging out of the wound. This tail aids in drainage. Trim to size
with a pair of scissors.
If the wound is not very large, you do not need to pack it.
8. Dress the wound. Apply antibiotic ointment over wound. Apply a bulky gauze
wrap, but do not wrap it too tight. It will throb as sensation returns. Use
acetaminophen or ibuprofen for pain.
9. Check the wound after 24 hours. If there continues to be more pus draining,
remove the packing material, repack the wound, and change the dressing. Keep
checking every 24 hours. When the drainage stops, perform warm water soaks
3-5 times daily, change the dressing, and apply topical antibiotic ointment.
Healing should occur in 7 to 10 days.
Surgical Complications
Infection: The wound will have some initial throbbing, but should start to
improve dramatically in a few days. If your patient is having an increase in
pain, swelling, redness, warmth, or drainage, there is likely a continuing
or secondary infection. If this occurs, start antibiotics as described above.
Consider probing the abscess a second time to make sure no pockets of pus are
hiding.
Things to consider
If the wound involves the hand or the abscess is very large, it will be very
difficult to treat without IV antibiotics and potentially major surgery. This
would be a case where attempting to find a physician may outweigh the risks
of leaving your retreat. In rare cases a skin infection can spread to the facial
tissue (this is called necrotizing fasciitis or “flesh eating disease”).
Signs of this infection are intense pain out of proportion to the wound, fast
swelling, spreading redness, fever, and vomiting. This would be a case where
lack of immediate surgery by highly trained physicians will mean death.
Training
It will be difficult to acquire hands on training for this procedure unless
you work in the medical field. However, this is a fairly straightforward procedure.
If you see it once, most people should be able to repeat it. One way to see
how it is done is to go to the doctor with a friend or family member who has
an abscess or boil. Another option is to do an online video search for “I&D”.
There are currently a few videos up that give a nice demonstration.
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TEOTWAWKI Medicine and Minor Surgery--Part I: Ingrown Toenails, by Dr. K.
Introduction
Onychocryptosis (ON-ee-ko-krip-TOE-sis), an ingrown toenail, is a very common
problem that usually affects the big toe. This occurs when the corner of the
toenail grows into the soft tissue on the side of the toe. This can cause pain,
redness, inflammation, and even an infection. Signs of an infection are warmth
and drainage of pus. Prevention and treatment of an ingrown toenail is relatively
basic, and it is a valuable skill to have at TEOTWAWKI.
Causes
An ingrown toenail is caused when the nail curves down and grows into the skin
at the nail border. The most common causes of an ingrown toenail are improperly
trimmed toenails and poorly fitting footwear. Other causes include unusually
curved toenails, excessive sweating, trauma, fungal infections which cause
the nail to grow abnormally, cancers, and even obesity.
Complications
If an infection is left untreated, it can spread into the toe bones. This may
lead to amputations, and even death, in rare, worst case scenarios.
Prevention
If you are working outside a lot, which would be most of us in a TEOTWAWKI
scenario, then study boots are recommended; consider steel-toed boots if you
don’t already have them. Regardless of the footwear you use, make
sure that they fit properly! There should not be too much pressure on the top of
your toes, and shoes should not
pinch
your toes together.
Toenails should be kept at a length even with, or just barely shorter than,
the tips of your toes. Too long and toenails can break easily or get jammed
into the toenail base. Too short and the toenails can be pushed down by your
shoes and grow into the soft tissue of the toe. Trim your toenails straight
across or with a slight curve. Do not curve your nails to match your
toes, and do not trim the outer angles of your toenails. Finally, do not pick,
tear,
(or bite!) your toenails; only use a toenail clipper and file.
Non-Surgical Treatments – this treats 70%+ of ingrown toenails
* Wear very comfortable shoes; consider wearing sandals until the ingrown nail
resolves.
* Soak the foot in warm water 3-5 times a day for 15-20 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon
of salt per pint of water.
* Gently push the tissue away from the nail and gently lift the nail up after
each soaking.
* Place small, clean tufts of cotton under the edge of the ingrown nail. This
relieves some pressure and helps the nail grow above the skin edge.
* Rub a topical antibiotic ointment (such as Neosporin) over the ingrown nail.
* Place a soft bandage over the ingrown nail.
* Keep the foot dry.
* Take some acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil, etc.) as directed
on the bottle for pain relief.
* If there is no improvement in 2-3 days, then consider the surgical option.
Surgical Treatments: Toenail Removal
Note: If you have had ingrown toenails in the past, there is a good chance
you will have ingrown toenails again. If you have had repeated ingrown toenails,
consider having your nails surgically treated before TSHTF. A surgical option,
regardless of the problem, is always best treated by someone who has been trained
to perform the procedure. You don’t want to be patient number one in
a survival situation. Finally, while I am explaining how to do this procedure,
I only recommend that you attempt this in a post-TEOTWAWKI scenario where there
are no other healthcare options. Proceed at your own risk.
The most effective way to treat an ingrown toenail that has not responded to
non-surgical treatment is lateral nail avulsion with matricectomy. What does
that mean? Let’s break it down. Lateral nail avulsion is digging out
and removing one side of the toenail all the way down to the base. Imagine
the nail is roughly a square. The ingrown part is on the left side for example.
About 1/5 of the nail, the left 1/5, is removed from top to bottom. The remaining
4/5 is left completely intact. Macticectomy is the process of destroying the
matrix, or root, of the nail. By removing one side of the nail, the pressure
is removed because there is no nail pressing on the tissue any more. This also
allows the infection to drain. By destroying the root on that side there is
a very slim chance of the toenail growing back in that area. Over time the
skin will heal and you will be left with a skinnier toenail that is unlikely
to become ingrown again. Now how do you do this?
Supplies
Light (a bright headlamp works well. Consider working outside in the bright
sunlight.)
Non-sterile gloves
Sterile gloves
10-mL syringe
27 to 30-gauge needle
Lidocaine 1% or 2%
Povidone-iodine solution (sold as Betadine at most drug stores)
Gauze pads
Drape (sterile sheet)
Iris scissors (small, 3-4 inch long scissors with fine, sharp points)
Bandage scissors if desired (scissors with one side’s outer edge flattened
for protection)
Nail splitter if desired (heavy duty scissors with very short, thick blades)
Hemostats (small device that resembles scissors but has clamps instead of blades)
a pair of needle nosed pliers (sterilized) can be used in a pinch
Sterile rubber band if desired
Cautery device – read the step-by-step instructions for details
Dressing Materials:
Antibiotic ointment such as Neosporin
Gauze for wrapping the toe
Roll of 1-inch tape
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Have the patient lie down on a table with their knees bent. Their feet will
be flat on the table. Pull up a chair and put on non-sterile gloves.
2. Clean the entire toe with povidine-iodine.
3. Numb the toe with medicine: If you have lidocaine (1% or 2%) without epinephrine,
keep reading to learn how to perform a digital block, i.e. numbing, of the
big toe.
Note: Make sure the lidocaine does not have epinephrine in it. Epinephrine
is a vasoconstrictor, meaning it clamps down blood vessels. This can prevent
circulation to the toes. If you stop circulation with medicine, you have no
idea how long it will last, and you could kill the tissues in the toe. Your
patient won’t feel you remove their toenail, but in a few weeks their
toe may fall off! Bottom line: Never use epinephrine on the fingers, toes,
ears, penis, or nose.
3A.) Load the lidocaine into the syringe. I have no idea what kind of container
of lidocaine you will have, but the standard container is a small jar with
an injectable, rubber stopper. Remove the cap and clean the stopper with alcohol.
Draw back the syringe to draw in about 8-10 mL (or cc’s) of air. Then
push the needle into the rubber cover. Inject the air into the jar of lidocaine;
this prevents a vacuum from forming after repetitive uses. (If the jar is full,
you may have fill the syringe a bit at a time so the rubber cover doesn’t
pop off when you inject a full syringe of air – I learned this the hard
way!) Invert the jar so the needle tip is completely covered with lidocaine.
Draw back the syringe to the 8-10 mL mark. Remove the needle from the jar.
Point the needle up. Tap the syringe to get the majority of the air bubbles
to the top. Slowly depress the syringe to express the air bubbles from the
syringe. Usually a little of the lidocaine will shoot out. It is not vital
to remove all the air, just as much as you can.
3B.) Find the MTP joint (metatarsophalangeal joint). The first joint next
to the big toenail is the PIP joint (proximal interphalangeal). The second
joint, and usually larger of the two, is the MTP – it connects the toe
to the rest of the foot.
3C.) Find the injection sites. They are about one-eighth inch above the MTP joint
(that is one-quarter inch down the toe, closer to the nail). There are three injection
sites: one directly on top of the toe, one exactly on the right side, and one
exactly on the left side.
3D.) Inject the lidocaine. Always inject a needle perpendicular to
the skin. Puncture the skin with the needle and insert to a depth of about
2 mm
(skin
is about 1.5 mm thick). Pull back on the syringe to make sure you are not in
a blood vessel; if you are, you will see a bunch of bright red blood fill the
syringe (if this happens, withdraw the needle and try again a little to the
side). You will want to inject about 2 mL of lidocaine at each site. This will
sting and burn and then go numb.
3E.) Wait. Wait 5-10 minutes for the block to become effective. If need be,
you can give another 1-2 mLs if your patient is still feeling pain. When the
toe is numb, proceed.
4. Dull the pain with no medicine: If you do not have lidocaine, things are
going to be painful. There are topical numbing medicines available, but these
are not nearly as effective as an injection. Most of them are in the same family
as lidocaine and are mixed with a cream to make application easier. Another
option is to try a topical dental pain reliever such as Orajel or Anbesol (these
are topical benzocaine), but again this will only take the edge off. A final
option, if you have access to it, is ice; cold temperatures can numb a toe
pretty well. An ice water (or snow water) bath is likely the safest way to
numb a toe; but be mindful that a cold, numb toe is also a sign of frostbite.
It’s a careful balance, and I would always err on the side of too much
pain. Pain will go away eventually, but a frostbitten toe may never heal. Keep
in mind, depending on the person and their pain tolerance, your patient may
be able to just grin and bear it.
5. Re-wash the toe with povidine-iodine. Put on sterile gloves. Place a sterile
drape over the foot. A small hole in the drape to pull the toe through will
keep your surgical field clean.
6. Insert the tip of your closed iris scissors under the corner of the nail
on the side it is ingrown. Work the tip down the entire side freeing it from
the tissue of the toe. If there are no pain medications, this will be very
painful. You should now have the entire side unattached.
7. Split the nail into two pieces. Using a nail splitter, bandage scissors,
or iris scissors cut the nail from the free end straight back to the base.
You should now have split the nail into 2 pieces (1/5 is the side with the
ingrown nail; 4/5 is the healthy side). These pieces are still connected at
the root.
8. Apply tourniquet. Some physicians use a sterilized rubber band to wrap around
the toe a few times. This acts as a small tourniquet to reduce blood loss which
makes it easier to see what you are doing. Having done both, I personally like
having a tourniquet in place. Remember to use the tourniquet for the shortest
amount of time possible to avoid permanent damage (less than 10 minutes).
9. Remove the toenail. Grab the ingrown toenail with a hemostat. Attempt to
grab as much as possible with one bite. Pull straight out toward the end of
the toe and to the side at the same time (do not pull up or down or twist).
If the nail breaks, just re-grab the remaining nail and pull in the same motion
as before. No piece of nail should remain. Some other tissues can look like
a nail deeper at the root, but the nail to be removed is hard to the touch
of your hemostat.
10. Destroy the matrix. There are a few ways to do this. The most effective
and the easiest to perform at home is cautery. Cauterize (i.e. burn) the nail
forming matrix (root) in only the area where the nail root was removed. This
is probably
the most delicate part of the whole procedure. The idea is to burn just the
root and not the surrounding tissue – think of the old game Operation.
Cauterize the entire area twice to make sure you didn’t miss a spot.
Since most people will not have an electrocautery machine, a small soldering
iron [with a fresh tip] will work in a pinch (haven’t you read "Patriots" ?).
If you have no electricity, you can consider heating up a thin piece of bare
wire in a flame
to keep it very hot and use small needle nose pliers to hold it. Another method
is to apply a Q-tip soaked in phenol solution to the root. This chemically
cauterizes the matrix. This is not as effective and you have to buy and store
the solution, but it is another option. Again only apply it to the root; it
will kill any tissue it touches.
11. Apply antibiotic ointment over the raw tissue. Apply a bulky gauze wrap,
but do not wrap it too tight. It will throb as sensation returns.
12. Change the dressing, clean with warm water, and apply topical antibiotic
ointment daily. Use acetaminophen or ibuprofen for pain. Avoid strenuous exercise
for at least a week.
13. The empty nail bed will fill in with normal tissue in the next few weeks.
Your patient will be left with a healthy, but skinnier, toenail.
Surgical Complications
1. Not all the nail was removed or not all of the root was destroyed: This
may happen, even to the best of us. The best course of action is to just wait
and see if the nail that grows behaves or not. If it does not, just repeat
the procedure.
2. Infection: The toe will have some initial throbbing, but should start to
improve dramatically in a few days. If your patient is having an increase in
pain, swelling, redness, warmth, or drainage, there is likely an infection.
If this occurs in the first few days, it is likely a bacterial infection from
Staphylococcus aureus. Oral antibiotics are your best choice and are usually
very effective.
Any of the following oral antibiotics (unless there is an allergy) should be
used for 10 days (search past Survivalblog posts for medication procurement):
Adults
Cleocin (clindamycin) 300 mg three times a day
Augmentin (amoxicillin with clavulanate) 875 mg / 125 mg twice a day
Dicloxacillin 500 mg every 6 hours
Keflex (cephalexin) 500 mg every 6 hours
Children
Cleocin (clindamycin) 30-40 mg/kg per day divided in 3-4 doses
Dicloxacillin 25-50 mg/kg per day divided in 4 doses
Keflex (cephalexin) 25-50 mg/kg per day divided in 3-4 doses
If the infection occurs after a week, there is an increased chance it is a
fungal infection. Fungal infections can usually be treated by stopping the
antibiotic ointment and applying a topical anti-fungal cream such as Lotrimin
(Clotrimazole), Nizoral (Ketaconazole), or Naftin (Naftidine hydrochloride).
3. The toe is taking a long time to heal and is dusky in color. Some parts
are turning black. What happened? The tourniquet was kept on too long, the
toe was kept in/on ice for too long, or the cautery was too deep. Don’t
let this happen to you! Don’t keep the tourniquet on for too long. 5-10
minutes should be plenty of time to remove the nail and cauterize – use
a stop watch. Remember to err on the side of too little numbing with ice. Be
gentle with the cautery – this is a shallow procedure. This is not common,
but if this does happen consider oral antibiotics and consider attempting to
remove the blackened tissue. This would be a case where attempting to find
a physician may outweigh the risks of leaving your retreat.
Things to consider
If an ingrown toenail is really severe, has a severe infection, and is affecting
both sides of the nail, it is better to remove the entire nail and not do cauterization.
Remove the nail. Let things drain. Let things grow back. If things are heading
in the same direction, then you can treat it surgically as described above.
It is much safer to operate on a toe that is not infected.
Training
It will be difficult to acquire hands on training for this procedure unless
you work in the medical field. One way to see how it is done is to go with
a friend or family member who is having this procedure. Let them know that
you are interested in health care (that you love the Discovery Health Channel or
something like that) and you would be honored to help them through this event.
Another option is to do an online video search for “toenail removal
surgery”. Keep in mind that every practitioner does things a little different.
For example, some use cautery (this has been proven to be the most effective),
but some still use the chemical phenol. Some use the tools listed above, and
others have their own favorites. There are many ways to skin a cat and to remove
a toenail.
« Economics and Investing: |Main| TEOTWAWKI Medicine and Minor Surgery--Part I: Ingrown Toenails, by Dr. K. »
Letter Re: Jared Diamond Predicts the End of Cheap Oil and an 85% Global Population Decline
Mr. Rawles,
I
found this article informative. A quote: "Cheap, plentiful
fossil fuels discovered in the last hundred years (or so) spurred a food bubble,
which
led
to a population bubble. Cheap
oil, in other words, created the temporary conditions necessary to support
a runaway population explosion that is, without question, unsustainable without
cheap energy." Here is another quote: "complex civilizations are
quite fragile, and short-terming thinking can easily doom a society or civilization
to irreversible
collapse."
The author believes that world population
will be reduced to 1/7th of its current size in a post-oil economy. BTW, there
are lots of other links on that web site that are worth exploring. I enjoy
reading
your blog. Regards, - I.L.
« Economics and Investing: |Main| Letter Re: A SurvivalBlog Reader at Front Sight »
Letter Re: Successfully Trolling Craig's List
Mr. Rawles,
At the risk of turning on my local competition to the positive aspects of the
free section of Craig's
List,
I thought I would mention a few of the things I've picked up in the past
couple of weeks. These include:
A new round oak dining table and four oak chairs
Three boxes of canning jars with lids
A commercial fishing net (40' x 60'), to be used for keeping birds and other
critters out of the garden
36 Concrete cinder blocks (approximate value $130)
Remington electric chain saw (yes, it works!)
30+ wooden pallets (can be used for the usual "pallet" stuff, or
for use as firewood/kindling)
Commercial nursery went out of business; so I got more than 1,000 plastic seed
starting pots in 3 or 4 sizes (filled my pick-up to the brim).
5 Commercial toilets (out of a church - they were remodeling; two for my current
residence, and two for our retreat, plus one spare, for parts)
4 Large two-drawer cabinets
A 25 foot fifth-wheel insulated trailer for moving gear and supplies up to "der
bunker", and subsequent use for weather tight storage. (Try to get insulated
containers versus single wall, as there is almost no "sweating" inside)
The list goes on. . . .
As this current economic crisis gets worse, more and more folks are going
to be displaced, and not having the money to move their possessions they either
just
abandon
them,
or place free ads on Craig's list or elsewhere.
In addition, Craig's List is a good source for many other items at very reasonable
prices.
Keep your eyes open. On the more valuable items you have to be quick, sometimes
responding within minutes. On many items we realize as survival oriented, most
folks don't have a clue, so you might have more time.
One thought I had on the pallets for firewood/kindling is that while they are
readily available now, in the future they may be less easily found. Now they
can be cut into smaller pieces with a skill saw and/or electric chain saw,
stored in fifty-gallon plastic trash cans for next winter, or whenever you
might need them. Once TEOTWAWKI happens,
going outside to hunt firewood may not be such a good idea.
So, if you have Craig's List in your area, keep checking the free section every
now and then. There is no telling what you might find. - Chet
JWR Replies: I'm also a big believer in Craig's List. One
important note: In the long run, Craig's List only works if folks "return the
favor." Be
charitable whenever you have things in profusion--even when it is
just zucchini
squash.
« 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: Military Surplus Field Telephone Commo Wire Variants |Main| Letter Re: Storing Peanut Butter »
Letter Re: A Test Load-Up Shows a G.O.O.D. Inadequacy
Hello Mr. Rawles;
First and foremost, thanks for the site, the info is invaluable and a must
read every morning
I am writing to add a few simple thoughts (perhaps state the obvious) on the
subject of survival vehicle - really just some comments on G.O.O.D. I
recently sold my house and am in the process of trying to get into a better
situation,
and during the move decided to attempt a "live" exercise. I took
the opportunity to see how quickly I could load up my truck and bug out.
I wanted to time the load of my truck with all the gear and supplies I have
been stockpiling for the past year, and guess what? Yep, I could not get
it all in. Never mind my better half and three kids! Many readers may find
this amusing (I did as it was not real), but if it was a real situation I would
have been
in a real bad way. So I suppose this is just a simple reminder to not only
plan and prepare, but use the gear you have on a regular basis if possible,
and practice often.
I made some necessary simple adjustments (cap and hitch rack), and feel foolish
in hindsight. But you don't know until you try it for yourself.
Thanks again and all the best.- Editor of TheTraderBlog.com
JWR Replies: Your experience is not unique! I've heard similar
reports from other readers, and BTW, I emphasized this shortcoming my novel "Patriots" .
This predicament underscores the great importance of pre-positioning the
vast majority of your logistics at your intended retreat. Don't
just guess about fitting "all the rest" in your vehicle. Instead,
try doing an actual "test load" to check for volume and compatible
box dimensions. And allow room for each family member bringing a lot
of clothes. Oh yes, don't
forget
the
pet
paraphernalia.
OBTW,
you
can use empty boxes
or tote bins of the same dimensions as your full ones for your test load,
to save on back strain.
« Three Letters Re: Some Thoughts on the Survival Vehicle |Main| Note from JWR: »
The 19th Century Home Retrofit, by Y. Cornelius
By now most SurvivalBlog readers have gone about your preparations for your
ideal home or retreat cabin, all storage food and tools acquired, fuel stored,
generators
ready, PV panels carefully concealed and hooked up to the battery bank. You
and your family or group are ready to handle the coming collapse, but are
you really? Are you ready to do without? Without that generator when
the fuel runs out, or a critical piece is worn out and a new one cannot be
had? At some point
your supplies will be used up, storage fuel consumed and there may not be any
to refill your tanks or more realistically you may be priced out, or it will
be too dangerous to “run-the-gauntlet” and get more. Can you manage
in your place without electricity? Can you cook with wood? Do you have space
enough to process the abundant food you grow and must preserve either by canning
or other means? Can you move throughout your buildings without being seen from
the outside?
My point, is your place set up to function as a 19th century homestead?
My wife and I bought an old New England farmhouse many years ago, it is nothing
fancy and looks like so many others in our area, it is a traditional connected
farmhouse meaning that the buildings are all linked-up, yet they have different
roof lines and are of different sizes. It is best summed up as a “Big
House,
Little House, Back House, Barn” and this is the title of a wonderful book
written by Thomas C. Hubka which details the reasons for the ways structures
developed. (If you want a leisurely read on the history of these buildings, I
highly recommend this book.) Anyway, we bought this type of farm house and have
been in the process of renovating it over many years, although the renovation
could more reasonably described as going back to the future. One of the many
wonderful things about an old house, and when I say old I mean over 150 years
old, is the ability to reuse much of the lumber in the walls, floors, and ceilings
or the masonry whether it is brick or stone, Ours is a timber frame with some
masonry on the exterior and is incredibly well built and has a brilliant house
plan. I realize that many people are not up to the task of going through this
sort of process, but you could build your current retreat or home to some of
these specs. Our home for example was built just after the War of 1812 it was
fully functional for a family of eight with room for boarders/labors and or relatives.
The kitchen is large while many of the adjacent rooms are small (less space to
heat) all the rooms are situated around two large central fireplaces and have
thimbles to allow for a small wood stove in each, the rooms can be closed off
when not in use, thus not taking valuable heat from other areas. In the basement
there is a large hole in the floor; it was a cistern, but was allowed to fill
in with junk, perhaps it was considered a “sump hole” by later inhabitants
since there was evidence of long overworked pumps in under the silt and gravel.
I have cleaned this up and now have a source of water right in the house, (this
water will still need to be treated since it is technically surface water being
only ten feet below grade), but it still offers water for cleaning or for our
animals.
There is a large “root” cellar to store food stuffs and
canned goods. (It could double as safe room or vault if needed and may well have
been at one point since the opening is nondescript and hidden from plain sight).
Also there is a summer kitchen, at first I wondered why this was necessary, it
appeared to be redundant, but further study enlightened me to the fact that this
area was a vital part the home complex. First it served to allow a large un-insulated
cook area that was necessary during the harvest time to allow heat to escape
from the constant fire in the cook stove during the canning, it was also a place
that field labors had their meals prepared and ate without having to clean themselves
up much and not dirty up the regular kitchen. The buildings between the summer
kitchen and barn (sometimes it is one long building divided only internally or
there are up to three distinct roof lines and end walls that divide them) any
how these areas were used in a variety of ways to allow a small cottage industry
to occur, in-fact these were simply work areas that were sheltered from the often
harsh and wild weather we experience. One could be for wood storage, for tools
(a sort of machine shop), or areas for processing wool from sheep. The point
is not to recreate that lifestyle but to utilize that mindset and build similar
multi-purpose structures.
Our Home:
We have “renovated” our home to fully function without electricity.
Now, we have multiple generators, a significant storage of fuels and food. I
and am currently finishing up with the PV panels and battery bank/inverter set-up,
going through all the motions to secure some sense of normalcy; but in-fact we
do
not “need” those items to exist here, they are an extra. We can heat
with wood and with a solar hot water system connected to baseboard radiators
as well as a copper coil running through the wood fired furnace [for when there
is not solar gain or during a heavy snowfall]. (The hot water moves via thermo-siphon
no electricity needed only check-valves to keep the hot water moving in one direction).
Our kitchen is “modern” but if the power is out we can cook on our
wood fired cook-stove, it is about 120 years old and with a little “TLC” is
now fully functional not to mention beautiful to look at. We can also bake in
a bee hive oven built into the massive central chimney which I rebuilt and lined
with modern flues. I left one of the original fireplaces, installed airtight
doors and an exterior air vent, while on the other side made the other fireplace
into a large wood storage container.
Overall, your retreat needs to be functional without electricity, things will
eventually break, or you simply run out. Focus upon knowing how to live your
life with little to no electricity or “conveniences”. The primary
goals must be on heating your home and preparing food without petrochemical
fuels, most modern homes are particularly horrible in this area. Change your
mindset; you cannot store enough for the really long haul.
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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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Cold and Dark--An Account of an Ice Storm, by Steve S.
Preparations
In January, 2008, the outlook for people in the United States appeared bleak.
I told my wife that we needed to stock-up on food because I felt that the supply
lines were thin and vulnerable. I began my preparations by Internet search.
I found JWR's SurvivalBlog and I bought a copy of his novel. In the meantime,
I started buying cases of canned goods. I bought food that we generally ate.
I looked at the expiration dates of every purchase. I tried to buy what would
last through 2011. Not much would, so I bought with the idea of buying more
later, looking for one year at a time.
The pantry was full. I had read Jim's book, and had found many links
on the SurvivalBlog that helped me know how much of what to buy to be balanced.
I bought a freezer at Sam’s Club and filled that also. I noticed that
food prices were increasing at an alarming rate in August. They were up 18%
on same item purchases, on average. Later that figure would reach 35%. I only
talked about this to a trusted few. My wife was starting to wonder about me.
Soon thereafter, a Harbor Freight store opened in Jonesboro, Arkansas, my home
base. There, I purchased several more items I saw as essential. I got a two
burner propane stove with a center grill feature. I bought some LED flashlights,
ropes, staple guns, and other miscellaneous items. Being a hunter and former
U.S. Army officer, I had a lot of camping (survival equipment) on hand. Sleeping
bags were there, polypropylene long johns, butane lighters, three 20 gallon
and one 100 gallon propane tanks were filled. I use them for my barbeque grill.
I told my wife that we should buy a generator. She said that if I thought we
should buy it, that I should. I didn’t.
I found some water barrels at a local food processing plant. I now have eight
55 gallon drums. I found 4 red 35 gallon chemical barrels that were set aside
for gasoline. I had about six 5 gallon gas cans to operate my 4 wheeler, fishing
boat, and sundry other small engines like lawn equipment and field water pumps.
Day to day, I am an NRA certified training counselor/instructor. Starting in
November 2008, my business started to boom. I had a 300% increase in Arkansas
concealed carry classes. That hasn’t stopped to this day. I have a 35
acre facility that is a former bean field, surrounded by thousands of farmland
acres and two liquor stores. I have a 1,200 square foot building for classroom
and office space, a 52 foot trailer for storage. My plan for survival guns
was simple. All guns were to be military calibers. Handguns would be .45 and
.38 calibers. Rifles would be .22 rimfire, 7.62x39, .308 and .30-06 calibers.
Shotguns would be 12 gauge. Stocks of ammunition were increased starting early
in 2008.
Shelter, food, security. What is left? Communications. I bought a set of 25
mile range pair of Motorola hand held communicators with recharger on sale
for $38. Stores of batteries were laid in. Cell phones. Transportation was
what we already had. 2001 Dodge Durango 4x4 and a 2005 Chevrolet 4x4 extended
cab pick-up.
The Storm
January 28, 2009. KAIT –TV weather in Jonesboro, Arkansas is forecasting
a wet winter storm cold front with frigid weather following out of the Northwest.
When it began, the outside temperature was about 27 degrees Fahrenheit. Freezing
rain collected on everything in near biblical quantity.
I was awakened in the early morning of January 29th and you could hear branches
starting to snap with a sound like gunshots. Outside, you could see flashes of
light as one by one, the transformers on the light poles blew out. The power
was off. It was time to go to work. First, open the flue and light the gas logs
in the fireplace. Inside the house, the temperature had quickly fallen to about
40 degrees. I thought to crack a window for ventilation draft to reduce the chances
of carbon monoxide poisoning. Then I set up a propane heater and went about blocking
off all rooms except the den and kitchen, which were adjoining. I used 4 mil
plastic to cover two entrances to the den. The temperature quickly found about
62 degrees. We placed a carbon monoxide detector in the room to keep us from
being statistics. The propane stove was set up over the electric range for cooking
and a 20 pound bottle of propane was connected to it. I started thinking about
how I should have bought a generator.
By morning, we felt isolated in our home. Very few vehicles were moving. The
world outside looked like a war zone with ice-laden limbs and the things they
crushed. With no electricity, the phones didn’t work. We ate breakfast
normally. The whole world became our refrigerator. No cable TV so we cranked
up the radio and began to listen to the results. Reports of some break-ins started
coming in as people abandoned all electric homes for the designated shelters
in town. Outlying areas quickly ran out of gasoline and propane. Stores emptied
out their goods and shelves became bare. Generators and flashlights were nonexistent.
Batteries and power supplies followed suit. Many businesses were unable to sell
anything as their computers were down and lights and heat were out. Sadly, no
one has a backup plan for how to sell anything without electricity. Gas cans
were a faint memory. I checked on our neighbors to make sure they were coping,
and to exchange cell phone numbers. The telephone system actually works without
outside electricity if the type of phone you use doesn’t need 110 volts
from the grid. We had one emergency phone for that reason, and it was operational.
I wondered how many people knew about that?
The day passed relatively uneventfully. We had everything we needed to exist
in a minor disaster. Some people didn’t. A few died for their lack of
preparedness.
After the passing of the first day of “survival,” tree limb removal
became the priority, while everyone fought what southerners call severe cold.
It was the 30th of January. The temperature was unrelenting with nighttime lows
of 9 degrees and daytime highs of 20. I was able to venture out for things that
would be nice to have, like a generator. You see, with a generator, our gas furnace
would work. All you need it for is the electric blower. It was the only hole
in the preparations. I went in to the local Lowe’s, after checking a couple
of other stores. In the back of the store there was a line of about 13 people.
I asked why they were there. There was a truck inbound with 75 generators. I
got in line. Twenty minutes later I was in the electric department buying the
necessary wire nuts and power cords needed to hook my [newly-purchased] generator
to
the
power
panel in my house.
When I got home, the first thing I did was to disconnect the house from the grid
by turning off the main breaker, outside the house. You must do this before attempting
to connect a generator to your power panel. Failure to do so could kill workmen
repairing downed power lines and connecting transformers. To get things operational
quickly, I used the cord provided with the generator, which used four grounded
plug outlets. To operate the [selected] areas to connect, I bought 10
gauge wire. We turned off all appliances and I pulled out the circuit breaker
for the
selected
rooms. I disconnected the wire from the circuit breaker and wired it directly
to each wire with a male plug on the other end to mate with the wire from the
generator. I did this for the heater circuit, the den wall circuit, the kitchen
wall circuit, and the master bedroom wall circuit. The heater kicked on.
I offer one final note about using a generator. The operation book has a chart
in it showing the watts used by each type of appliance. You must calculate the
[load] amount used by your appliances. It has to add up to less than your generators
running wattage rating.
We were on a main highway in town, and we had our electricity hooked to the grid
after spending only a few nights without. Many in town were without electricity
for three weeks. In outlying areas, some are still not connected. The line crews
working to restore power were fantastic. Limbs still line the highways and yards
a month after the event began.
Lessons Learned
It was nice to be confident in the preparations that we had made. It was also
easy to see the holes in the plan. I now have the generator that I knew I would
need when the grid goes down. After the fact, I also bought the connections necessary
to hook up the generator just by turning off the main breaker, plugging the generator
to an installed wall socket, and cranking it up. Cell phones go down after only
a few days without a charge. I bought a portable power battery for that purpose.
If we had been out of power long term, the generator would have had to have been
used on a part time basis, at night. That means that daytime operations would
have been using only one or two rooms, again. When power goes down, the best
fallback is natural gas, if you have it. I am in the process of planning where
to install additional natural gas stubs for appliances that can be added. The
natural gas hot water heater was a blessing. It was on from the start. The warmest
place in the house was the utility room where the water heater is located. Remember
to have books and games for those evening hours when you would have been watching
television. Make sure all of your gasoline cans stay filled and stabilized. Make
sure
all of your propane bottles stay charged. Make sure you have plenty of batteries
for radios and flashlights. Make sure you have enough essential medicines. Roger’s
Rangers rules #1 rule is "Don’t fergit nuthin!"
I may have missed a few issues, but I want to talk about future plans. I am going
to install photovoltaic panels to run an emergency LED lighting system. This
would
be
a small solar panel, probably 45-60 watts [and a deep cycle battery], as a precursor
to getting
a more comprehensive system. LED lights use very little electricity and they
are
very
long lasting.
More technology will be added as it becomes available. Reducing reliance on the
grid is the ultimate goal.
Final Words
You can war game and "what if" emergency situations as much as you
like. It is good to exercise your plan. The problem is that real situations
have a
way of
waking you up to the holes in your plans. Do not wait to begin planning for the
next disaster. People in tornado and earthquake zones know about being ready
for these things, but Mother Nature will have a surprise for you no matter
where
you are.
Prepare for the worst and pray to God that it doesn’t happen.
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How Many Magazines is Enough?, by Cowboy
It's nice to know how many guns you have to
share amongst those mags, or better yet how many magazines do you have to share
amongst multiple like model rifles or pistols for that matter. That's how I
count them to see if I feel like I have enough or not. Plus, I like to count
in the possibility of adding another gun or two into that particular category
at a later date since buying extra mags is always cheaper than adding a new
gun. If nothing else, extra mags are a great investment for later sale or barter
especially if the current snake oil salesman in charge signs a new assault
weapons ban into law.
As an example, I got caught with just a couple of AK and AR mags when the Assault
weapons Ban (AWB) took effect in 1994. This was before the "preparedness
mindset" for
me
which
came later in 1996 when I found JWR's novel draft "The Gray Nineties" [--an
early draft edition of "Patriots" ].
I was not nearly so gun market savvy as I am today. I was the typical gun owner/collector
with one each of several guns without any thought to caliber consolidation or
commonality of magazines for logistics purposes. In the same vein I may have
had a couple 20 round boxes of 223 or 762x39 ammo laying around with really no
thought of having anymore than what I needed to go to the range one time for
about an
hour's worth of shooting. In hindsight it was absolutely shameful--
