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Three Letters Re: Hiding Things in Plain Sight
Jim,
I have very carefully concealed my gun safe but in order to fool potential
crooks, but I also have an old one that is very poorly hidden. It has stickers
on it from
my favorite firearms manufacturers. Once the [burglars] get it back to their
den and peel it open, they will find themselves the proud owners of
five large sandbags full of gravel. - Andy B.
James,
My
wife and I were recently discussing hiding places - what about inside
a bucket of paint? Securely wrapping "the valuables" up in appropriate
containers (likely several layers of Ziploc sandwich bags) and just dropping
it in. If the valuables aren't heavy enough to sink, a rock or piece of metal
should be added to keep them at the bottom. Hey, you could even write "Treasure" on
the bucket of paint and people would just think it's the name of the paint
color, but it would
help you remember which one has the stash.
Jim:
Take a look at Habitat
For Humanity’s ReStore directory. ReStore
only accepts new paint or stain donations, so you don’t have to worry
about buying some toxic brew some schmuck dumped off. I buy from here because
the only thing I care about is that it is water based latex paint, and that
it is in five gallon buckets. I don’t care about the brand, or color,
and it’s inexpensive and the money goes to what I happen to believe
is a laudable effort. Never mind Jimmy Carter.
I then go to another hardware store and buy new, metal one gallon paint cans
and lids. The ones that have the lids that fit into the center of the can,
and have to be hammered down, and then pried up with a screwdriver. The plastic
ones don’t work that well, so don’t bother with them.
A suitable amount of paint is removed from the five gallon can.
I place my gold, and silver into the one gallon cans along with a desiccant,
hammer the lid on, and then submerge them into the five gallon can. Each five
gallon container will hold two one gallon containers without any problem.
More than that, they get a little heavy, and the paint doesn’t always
conceal what is inside the can if the lid should be opened.
I only use this technique for things I will not need to get at readily. It
might be good for long term hiding of small handguns, and ammunition as well.
Your site is a welcome find. Have fun! Sincerely, - JTH
JWR Replies: It is interesting that two readers both mentioned
the same idea. Because steel paint cans might rust when submerged in water-based
paint, I'd recommend
using
only
plastic
containers.
One of my favorite "in plain sight" caches that can be used outdoors
is a length of 4" diameter PVC pipe,
with a glued-on cap on one end, and a threaded cap on
the other end. The pipe is buried vertically, with the threaded end cap
left protruding from the ground, looking just like a typical septic
clean-out cap. Unless
you hire someone to pump your septic system or to "snake" your drain pipes,
it
is highly
unlikely
that
anyone
would
ever
disturb
one of these caches.
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Three Letters Re: Preparedness Considerations for College Students
Dear Jim:
A suggestion for storing preparedness supplies while in college: Get a small
self storage unit at a local self-store. I had one all through college, which
made it much easier to move from apartment to apartment, as college students
often do. It was very reasonably priced.
I made sure it was in a storage facility that actually locks and closes at
night. The unit was on the north side of the building, so it did not get as
hot as other units. Nowadays, many cities have indoor, climate controlled facilities
that are even more secure.
The advantages are that your gear is all in one place, ready to go. I consider
the facilities more secure than dwellings. They are certainly more anonymous
than dwellings, as no one except who you tell will know anything about your
personal business, and what is stored there. And as stated before, it makes
moving much easier. - Mark R. in New Mexico
Sir:
My comment on the college student who advises petroleum geologist as a
post-TEOTWAWKI career
and advises against anything to do with electricity. My advice would be the
opposite. Anything to do with oil requires a huge infrastructure of refineries,
financial institutions et cetera, while small hydro,
wind and solar
will still be going and still viable. The current production output dictates
that there will be electric heaters, motors, computers etc available and
anyone who can make or keep them operational will be in demand. I live in an
area
where almost all of the current production is hydro and because the plants
are so old (50-90 years) they would still operating, especially
small ones in out of the way places that are either not on the grid now or
can be configured
to run off the grid. - Karen L.
Hi -
Regarding Sam's recent comments to avoid any career involving a computer,
I believe that to be unwise advice. As with any career choice, there are
sub-specialties within a given field that can be very lucrative. I've been
an I.T. security professional for over 15 years, and I can say firsthand
that choosing anything to do with networks or better yet information assurance
and security would be a very, very wise choice.
Demand for skilled, intelligent computer and network security professionals
is at an all-time high, and is increasing steadily. Further, the quality of
the people graduating and the quality of those who have been in I.T. for 3
years or more is steadily decreasing. This is creating a "perfect storm" of
high demand and low supply which translates directly into increased income,
basically allowing a skilled I.T. security pro to name their price. On my team
alone we have had two openings that we cannot fill and we've been interviewing
so-called candidates (I use the term loosely since these folks barely qualified
at any level) for months.
Information security is an even better choice if, like Sam and many others,
you subscribe to the long, slow decline theory rather than the cataclysmic
event theory of preparedness. As society slowly disintegrates, the demand for
information security pros by large corporations, governments and even well-to-do
individuals will only increase. People and companies will always want to make
money...think of the TV series "Jericho" to see what I mean.
The trick is to keep your skills and training up to date, and to keep yourself
from getting locked into any one position or company (or even geographical
location) for any length of time. Stay mobile...a "hired gun" or troubleshooter,
for example. A solid information security pro can easily command a salary in
the $100,000-$200,000 range even in the Midwest. With the right combination
of certifications, experience, and skills, a good pro can make even more working
for a large company
or law firm on the coasts, in the South, or even overseas.
A frugal prepper working as an infosys security pro for 3-5 years or so could
sock away a serious amount of money, more than enough to buy a sizable chunk
of productive land outright and stock it with everything needed to go off the
grid. The point is not to over-react to what you think will happen...leverage
your skills to make as much income as possible while you can, live well below
your means, and use the difference to launch and establish the lifestyle you
really want.
Another group in the I.T. industry that is in high demand are the business
continuity and disaster recovery specialists, as well as facilities management
professionals. Again, as things get worse in our society, the demand for people
who can help ensure business continuity (and business security) for a large
corporation can make a very respectable salary. In my experience, companies
like GE, Proctor&Gamble, Wal-Mart, pharmaceutical companies, et cetera
will do everything they can to keep making money no matter what, even if it
looks
like
the world is ending, and they will pay handsomely for people who can help them
do it. - JT
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Preparedness Considerations for College Students, by Sam
I am presently a sophomore at a small, private, liberal arts college, in the
northeastern United States. First, I will start with the important criteria
[for survivalists] in choosing a college (after the decision of a major and
program you want to
be in), which
I followed in High School three years ago:
1. Do not choose a school in a heavily urbanized/suburbanized area.
2. Choose a school in a small city or town, ideally with less than 50,000 people
and ample farming in the region. (places like Ithaca New York, Burlington Vermont,
Amherst Massachusetts, and other small-city sized college towns, their population
increases significantly
when school is in session and should be avoided.)
3. Look over the area around the school. If it looks bad, it probably is.
4. Look at the local crime rate, economy, etc.
5. After the admissions tour, walk around the campus on your own with whoever
you are touring with (Parent, Friend, etc.) and talk to students. The admissions
department is excellent at making a college appear better than it actually
is.
6. Drive around the city/town where the college is located and see how it feels.
7. If you are in a state like Utah, see what the school's policy is on weapons,
do this by reviewing the handbook. Even if there is a weapons ban on campus,
there are ways around this.
8. The school handbook, should also have information about crimes committed
on campus. This is legally required under the Crime Awareness and Campus Security
Act of 1990. If the information is not found, it can be located online.
9. If the school is a public school, you probably have the same rights about
searches by police and school officials as a regular citizen. [JWR
Adds: Check
the local and state laws,as well as the school's policies.] At many private
schools your
room can be fully searched at any time for any reason. In fact, I signed an
agreement of full understanding and giving the
school greater rights to search because I live on an "alcohol and tobacco
free"
floor.
Once one is at school, there are some things that can be done for the sake
of preparedness. Sterilite or Rubbermaid plastic storage containers that are
opaque and have lockable handles (such
as these) can be used to store food, bug-out gear, etc. They
blend in perfectly with college settings and do not stand out, I have one large
container with
my BOB,
winter weight sleeping bag, hunting gear, food, and weather specific clothing.
If I had to, I could carry it down seven fights of stairs to my SUV and
be out of the city with 10 minutes warning. There are a few places that it
can
be
stored.
I keep the main storage bin in open sight, two other bins are on top of it
and I use them as a table for my shower stuff. If I didn't have my bed bunked,
I would have my bed up on cinder blocks and store them under the bed. No one
will second guess storage containers in a college setting.
Weapons are banned from almost every college campus. A weapon is generally
defined as anything that can be dangerous to another person or look dangerous.
My school has banned: airsoft guns, BB guns, air rifles, paintball guns, all
knives of any type, bows, crossbows, machetes, swords, guns, disassembled guns,
guns that are incapable of firing ammunition, all replicas of any weapons.
One way around this is fairly simple if you've got a car, just park your car
on public property, such as street curbside. I have had friends that hunt leave
their hunting rifles/shotguns, bows, etc. in their truck/car. In some states
this
is illegal, and even if not illegal, is very risky because a car cannot be
secured. Disclaimer: This is extremely risky. Even if the gun
is a locked in a bolted-down container, since the entire vehicle could be stolen.
It might
also
be illegal
in some states or localities. It
would
be better
to
live in an apartment off campus to circumvent any laws or policy restrictions
about guns on campus entirely. However, some schools require that all students
live on
campus.
Living
on campus for a certain time period (freshman year) is required on many campuses.
One important thing is that one must have a plan to get home or to a more permanent
location. College campuses will be less-self sufficient than even someone living
in a condo in New York City. Dormitory dining halls bring in
workers
from the surrounding area to make the food for the college. If the Schumer Hits
the Fan, these people will not come to work, and if they do it will be most
likely to
take
food for themselves. Forget about growing food on the grounds of campus. It
is naive to think that some else wouldn't steal it. It is prudent to
live within half a tank of gas driving distance to home
or a retreat location
and have alternative routes. I live several hundred miles from home and must
cross the Hudson River, Connecticut River, and many other choke points that
will be filled with the Golden
Horde and/or are in urban areas because of the
interstate highway system. I have planned accordingly, and have extended family
members who own a farm that live within 50 miles. I can walk there if I
must, but there are numerous alternate routes that I have scouted.
Having a car at college is very important if one's finances allow for it. I
am fortunate enough to have a father who provides a car and fully maintains
it. I'm not going to go into much depth about a car, because that is a subject
in itself for another article. Basically, an SUV
is preferable because it allows for being comfortable when driving places with
friends, carrying more stuff for moving into and out of school every year,
and it is generally a good BOV compared
to passenger cars. They also blend in with other vehicles in most parts of
the country. If you've got control
over the type (all this is from my experience), try to avoid any luxury brand
SUV, it rubs people the wrong way to see a late teen/early 20something driving
a car that was clearly expensive, agitates the population around the school,
gives people the wrong judgment of you as a person, stands out to people that
you want to ignore you, and will stand out like a sore thumb when moving to
the retreat location.
Socially at college, avoid drinking alcohol. Many drink in their freshman year,
but over time those who continue drinking will prove them to be morally bankrupt
individuals, and just because "everyone does it", it does not make it right.
It is a colossal waste of money, and time. It is not Christian (if that is
how you are inclined), and can lead to leaks of information. Alcohol just leads
to terrible decisions, such as compromising OPSEC,
and should be avoided. I no longer drink at all, mainly for religious reasons,
but also common sense reasons.
It is unhealthy and a waste of time.
Keeping religion in the picture at college is also important. I go to a secular
school, but continue to maintain Christian lifestyle, more so now than any
time before in my life, being exposed to social liberalism and people who lack
morals tends to make one realize how lucky they are and to offer prayer for
those who have not come to Christ. Religiously affiliated colleges in the northeast
tend to be just as socially liberal as secular schools. In my experience,
being at school has made me more religious.
Additionally, in regards to friends at college, it is important, at least in
my experience, to be living in a [dormitory] building that has a reputation
of being academic in nature. I made most of my friends this way, getting along
with
your roommate
is very important. Going to school at a small campus is very cliquish, so one
may find it to be easier to find quieter/like minded students on a small campus.
One mention about cliques is that drama will probably develop. Ignore it. I
am the middleman in half a dozen instances of drama between my various groups
of friends.
It
is petty. Just try to make people understand that there are more important
things in life.
If your school offers Army ROTC courses,
enroll in the courses for the minimum of two years that do not require a commitment.
Sophomores are now being taught
the combat life saver course and given other types of training. A career in
the military is a viable alternative, they will pay for tuition, and give out
monthly stipends, and issue participants gear on loan. I was enrolled in ROTC
for one year, and highly recommend it. am planning on joining
Army or Air Force ROTC
wherever
I go to graduate school and serving in the reserves. [JWR Adds: In
my experience, the ROTC Basic Camp, which is available without any
contractual obligation, is much more valuable for learning "hands-on" survival
skills than the ROTC classroom instruction, which emphasizes theory and military
history.]
Try to spend as little money off of your meal card as possible. At the end
of every semester spend the surplus down on items the school sells at the store.
I have been able to buy about a week's worth of food this way each semester.
It just keeps piling up at home, obviously, buy food that is energy dense and
that has a long shelf life.
Work hard, academically. I slacked during my freshman year and could have really
boosted my grade point average. The early classes are always easier than the
upper
level classes and now I am finding myself working twice as hard to make up
for the mistake.
For
the
record, I am writing this while I am on break, otherwise I would not have had
enough time.
Choosing a major [course of study] is important depending on one's planned
[scenario for] survival. I'm more of a slow-decline Peak
Oil, dollar collapse
(leading
to
a further
collapse)
and general preparedness believer, so I decided on a major accordingly. It
is possible to have a major that will give one a career, post-TEOTWAWKI.
To name a new professions that will still be around (depending on the severity
of the crash) are doctors, writers, dentists, some engineers, merchants,
and store owners. Being a petroleum geologist could be very lucrative in a
slow-decline
peak oil situation. The more specialized a major is, the less career opportunities
will be available. Don't major in anything requiring a computer or electricity,
such as electrical engineering, Management Information Systems (MIS), [or fields
such as] biology,
foreign relations, marketing, history, English, et cetera.
JWR Adds: I guess that things have changed since I was in
college in the early 1980s. There was a "no guns on campus" policy, but it
was largely
ignored. My dorm
room often resembled a
Peshawar workshop. It was where my shooting buddies
would congregate for gun cleaning and for gun assembly. I lost count of the
number of M1911s
and AR-15s
that we parted together in that room. We even had a miniature Unimat lathe
in the dorm room for one semester. (It was a Unimat DB200, if I remember correctly.)
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Letter Re: A Severe Storm Provides a Valuable Lesson
Hi Jim,
I'm a long time reader. I wanted to relate to you a recent experience
I had, which may be of value to SurvivalBlog readers. I live in a state
that is prone to tornados and severe weather. We recently had
a storm tear through our area, causing several million dollars in damage across
much of the state, my neighborhood notwithstanding. My wife and I went to bed
Wednesday evening, expecting only scattered thunderstorms. What we awoke to
at 3:30am was much, much more than a thunderstorm. As I looked out our bedroom's
open window, I saw and heard wind and rain, the likes of which I've never witnessed
in all my 45 years. I nudged my wife and simply said "closet". Now,
she knows her husband as the guy who, instead of going for shelter, he usually
goes outside to observe and satisfy his unbridled curiosty. When she heard
me say "closet", she knew it was serious.
Within four minutes, we were hunkered down in the closet, with everything we
needed, including our surplus Kevlar helmets (the wife no longer thinks I'm
nuts for making that purchase). I thought we were going to lose the house.
We lost only trees and fences, but we learned a very valuable lesson. We were
very ill prepared for that experience. Now, I pride myself on being one of
the better prepared families in my neighborhood, if not the best prepared,
but four minutes is unacceptable. We now have in place a setup that puts us
in
the closet with everything we need in under thirty seconds (assuming the cat
can be efficiently herded).
This got me to thinking; What if we had to actually bug out and leave our home?
Are we prepared? I know that I'm still extremely unprepared for such an event,
so that plan is now underway.
My point is this. Never, ever, under any circumstances, should we underestimate
the need to be prepared for an emergency. My experience that night could have
been much worse (60 hours later we got our electric power back, but we were
very well prepared to go very long lengths of time without power), so I was
lucky this time. You've devoted your life to hammering this home for your readers,
so I thank you, once again, for the wisdom you provide. Now, it has become
very real for me to actually heed that wisdom and put it into practice. A year's
supply of food means nothing to me, if its scattered over a square mile of
my neighborhood. Thanks, Jim, and thank you once again for
SurvivalBlog.com. God Bless, - HHH
JWR Replies: Thanks for relating that experience. Anyone
living in Hurricane or Tornado country should invest in a reinforced shelter,
if it is financially feasible. Ideally, it should be designed to also serve
as a security vault ("gun vault") and as a fallout shelter. One of our advertisers,
Safecastle,
has extensive experience in building such shelters. These are usually-equipped
with gun-vault type doors, that open inward. If you live in an area
with a high water table, they can be constructed aboveground. If
you can
afford
to
build
an entire house that is highly storm resistant, then you might consider building
a monolithic
dome home. One monolithic dome home contractor in the Midwest that I
recommend is Bill
Fraley of Global Dome Builders. Phone: (715) 926-3668.
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Letter Re: Advice on the Most Versatile Bicycle for Schumeresque Scenarios
Mr. Rawles,
I need to snag bikes for my wife and myself. We are both young and relatively
fit, but we live in [Washington,] DC and take [the] metro [subway system]
everywhere. We [presently] don't have bikes, and I have
no knowledge about them. The [SurvivalBlog] section on guns was helpful,
I was wondering if y'all had something on the most versatile bikes, by price
point.
Thanks.
- Jordan H.
JWR Replies: These days, I generally recommend folding
bicycles.
Prices have come down substantially, so they are not much more expensive than
standard bicycles.They are also just a s robust as most mountain bikes. The
latest generation of folding bikes are quit versatile. When folded, they
can fit
in an apartment
closet,
or
in
the trunk
of a car.And,
depending on your local laws, when folded they can also be carried onboard
most trains
and busses. (Using an opaque carrying case seems to remove most objections.)
The Montague
Paratrooper bike is an excellent choice.
For Get Out of Dodge (G.O.O.D.) purposes, you
might want to get panniers and perhaps cargo trailers for both bikes. Detachable
pannier bags can be kept pre-packed as G.O.O.D. kits, and clipped on very quickly.
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Time For Retreat Logistics Stage Two--The Soft Items
If you are a regular SurvivalBlog reader, the odds are that you already have the majority of your key logistics squared
away, like food storage, tools, guns, communications gear. So
now it is time to stock up on "soft" and perishable items. These
include over the counter medications, vitamins, chemical light sticks, matches,
paper
products,
cleansers, spices, liquid fuels, and so forth.
You need to exercise caution when stockpiling soft items, for several reasons:
1.) Shelf Life and Deterioration. Some items like pharmaceuticals,
batteries, and chemical light sticks are best stored in a refrigerator. Keep
in mind that items like
matches
are
vulnerable to humidity. (BTW, do not store matches in Mason
type glass jars! Resist the urge, or else you'll inadvertently make a glass
shrapnel bomb! Instead, use a vacuum sealer,
such
as
the
Tilia FoodSaver sealers sold by Ready Made Resources. This is also a great
way to keep rubber bands (including elastrator
bands) from deteriorating. Exposure to sunlight, or heat, or moisture can
all be deleterious to soft goods.
2.) Bulkiness. Paper products like paper towels, toilet paper,
and paper napkins are extremely bulky, per dollar value. If you have limited
storage space then you will need to budget that space carefully.
3.) Flammability. You should think of your stored paper products
as house
fire tinder, and your stored liquid fuels as potential fire accelerants
and explosives. One mistake that that I've heard mentioned is storing numerous
gasoline cans at home, in an attached garage. Most garages have a hot water
heater, often
fired by natural gas or propane. Uh oh! Store gas cans, oil-based
paint cans, and bulk lubricants only in a well-ventilated outbuilding that
is well-removed
from your residence. Be sure to check your state and local fire code for permissible
limits.
4.) OPSEC risk. The aforementioned bulk of stored paper products
also makes them obtrusive to casual observers. This present s an OPSEC risk.
If you have 500 rolls of toilet paper and
paper towels in your garage, someone is likely to notice. OBTW, one item that
I've stored as a potential barter item is sheet plywood. Those extra plywood
sheets, if
properly positioned can keep prying eyes away from your stockpiles.
5.) Abundance-Inspired Waste. Human nature dictates that
when something is scarce, it is used frugally, but when it is abundant, it
tends to get used more wastefully. I've seen this happen with my children,
in target practice with .22 rimfire ammunition. If they know that they have
just 50 rounds apiece available for a shooting session, they make every shot
count. But if there
is a full "brick" of ammo sitting there, it soon starts to sound like a day at
Knob Creek.
In his book The
Alpha Strategy, John Pugsley mentioned some friends that "invested" in
stocking their own home wine cellar. They determined that it would be less
expensive to
buy wine by the case. But they soon had so much wine that they got in the
habit of having a bottle with dinner
almost
every evening. So even though the per-bottle cost decreased,
their monthly expense on wine actually doubled! OBTW Pugsley's The
Alpha Strategy is highly recommended. It
is
available for free download, but I recommend also
picking
up a used
copy,
for
reference. They are often available through Amazon.com for less than
$5.
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Letter Re: Advice on Long Term Ammunition Storage Techniques
Mr. Rawles:
You recently wrote: "Oxygen absorbing packets would have no efficacy
for ammunition storage. (These are designed just for killing insect larvae
in storage
foods)." Sorry,
Jim, but that's not quite correct. Oxygen absorbing packets come in a variety
of sizes and do their job very well. Their job? Absorbing oxygen.
They are placed in packets of food such as jerky to reduce amount of oxygen which
degrades the flavor of the food. That they also make life more difficult for
bugs is a side-effect.
The ability to absorb nearly all the free oxygen in an enclosed space makes
them uniquely qualified for preservation of a variety of things - including
guns and ammo. Back when Y2K was the big issue, I enclosed an SKS [carbine],
a hundred rounds
of ammo and several oxygen absorbing packets in a plastic tube with and glued-on
caps. I stored it outside for a year before I opened it up to check it out.
When I made my initial cut into the pipe I was rewarded with a "hiss" as
air entered the pipe. Since oxygen comprises about 16% of our sea-level atmosphere
and since it was now tied up in the packets I was left with a partial vacuum
inside the pipe. Upon reassembling the rifle, I loaded it with the ammo it
had been stored with and fired it.
I need to point out that this experiment was conducted in Oregon, a fairly
wet climate, and that after close inspection of the rifle, I found no rust
on any of the metal. Obviously, oxidation of the steel couldn't occur when the
oxygen
wasn't free to combine with the iron. - D.Y.
JWR Replies: I should have been more thorough
in my reply to that letter, when I mentioned Oxygen
(O2) absorbing packets.
Instead of dismissively writing "...have no efficacy for ammunition storage" I
should have written
"...are not the best choice for ammunition storage". (I will update
that post.) I will elaborate:
If you are the "belt
and suspenders" type,
then by all means use both desiccant packets (such as silica gel) and O2
absorbing packets. But of the two,
desiccants are much more reliable. The formation of
rust takes two ingredients interacting with ferrous metals: moisture
and oxygen. Ditto for oxidation of copper and brass. Without moisture present,
corrosion will not occur with typical
atmospheric oxygen levels. Hence, O2 absorbers are not "uniquely qualified",
as you asserted.
Both types of packets will work in protecting guns or ammunition is sealed
containers, but desiccants have far more reliable efficacy. The biggest
problem with typical
food grade
O2
absorbing
packets
is that there
is no easy way of insuring
that they
were
handled
properly
before
they
came to you.
The O2 absorbing packets that I have seen all have gas-permeable coverings.
If the seal on the outer package that the packets
were shipped in was compromised, or if they were removed from their original
packaging and later
re-packaged, then they will have virtually no usefulness. They are effectively
"used
up"
when they come in contact with
a large volume of air for more than a few hours. And once used, these packets
cannot be reactivated at home. You have to buy new ones.
But unlike O2 absorbing packets, if you use silica gel desiccants, you can
reactivate them by simply putting them in a dehydrator (or in a kitchen oven
on a 150 degree F setting) overnight. Using this method, they can be used over
and over. This
is vastly superior, especially in the context of a survival situation where
regular commerce is disrupted. And, as I've mentioned previously in SurvivalBlog,
in the present day, desiccants are often available
free for the asking. Just make a few phone calls. Piano shops often
get musical instrument shipments that include large desiccant packs. Most
of these get thrown away.
So if you are going to depend on one of the other for firearms and ammunition
storage, in my opinion you should choose silica gel desiccants rather
than O2 absorbers. OBTW, beware of re-using any packets that you find
in jerky packaging. These sometimes include an integral moisturizing packet,
to prevent jerky from
becoming too dry. Those packets would of course be counterproductive, for ammunition
or gun storage. Again, only use O2 absorbing packets that are factory
fresh, and preferably that come vacuum shrink wrapped. Otherwise,
you have no way of knowing whether or not they have already been chemically neutralized.
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Letter Re: Advice on Constructing a Secure Underground Shelter
Sir:
I have read your web site and thanks for posting it. I am presently purchasing
seven acres in Wyoming with an existing log home. We are going to build a
new home
on the same property and would like to
invest in a good attached underground bunker. Can you please tell me where
I can find decent plans and specs for
a bunker to sustain five adults and three
children? I would like to branch it off of our new basement. I would really
appreciate it. God Bless, Mel
JWR Replies: I would recommend Safecastle.
They have lots of experience with both aboveground and underground shelters.
They work with
local contractors
from coast to
coast. They use their blueprints (tailored to your specifications, on request),
and supply key components such as inward-opening vault doors and HEPA air
filters (assuming that you want your vault to double as a fallout shelter).
The rest of the supplies
(rebar, forms, concrete, etc.) are sourced locally. They have a nice four
color brochure that they mail to SurvivalBlog readers, upon request. But
first, see the
Safecastle web site.
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Letter Re: Advice on Long Term Ammunition Storage Techniques
Sir,
Could you address storing ammo? Regarding ammo cans, vacuum sealing, and
what that actually accomplishes? Also would 02 absorbers or silica
gel be in any
way useful? I'm currently using vacuum pack on my surplus after I inspect them
and remove any surface dirt/corrosion,then into ammo cans for storage. I also
like the idea of vacuum packing small amounts, any thoughts on that? Thanks,
- SP
JWR Replies: Be sure to buy military ammo cans with rust-free
interiors and seals that are still soft and free of any cracks. This will provide
an essentially
air
tight seal. Adding a 1 to 4 ounce bag of silica gel desiccant is definitely
worthwhile, to remove
any
moisture
from
inside
the can.
As I have mentioned twice before in the blog, DO NOT vacuum
seal loaded ammo. Doing so can unseat bullets! A very light vacuum
might be acceptable, but even a home vacuum packing machine such as a Tilia
FoodSaver, can achieve enough of a vacuum to unseat bullets that are not crimped
into cartridge necks.
Oxygen absorbing packets are not the best choice for ammunition storage. (These
are designed to kill insect larvae in storage foods.) If you are worried about corrosion, it is much more practical and cost effective to use silica gel desiccant packets.
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Two Letters Re: Using Natural Caves on Private Property
Greetings Jim, Memsahib, and Readers,
I wanted to mention a couple things regarding caves for shelter or storage.
Many years ago, in my youth, I became interested in Spelunking (Caving) and
was lucky enough to explore caves in Tennessee with seasoned Spelunkers with
fifteen years experience. Depending on your climate you will not only get
a 'wet
season' where you have to deal with a lot of dampness but you may actually
face the cave being almost totally under water. We found this out the hard
way when on one trip the cave we were going to explore a lower chamber we
found was totally submerged from the previous week's rains. We did manage
to explore a upper chamber that was well above the water line. Even though
the cave we explored was well hidden, as the one Linda H mentioned, others
had used the entrance chamber because of discarded beer cans and trash left
behind. And, yes, we packed out other's trash. Once we left the entrance
chamber signs of others having frequented the other chambers faded away.
But if you are curious about a cave, you can bet someone else has been curious
also. After our trek of nearly six hours into the mountain we thought we
found the end of the chamber's run. As all humans like to put their mark
wherever they go I found a name, that was not very legible, and a date of
1784 carved (heavily scratched) into the rock. After looking around we located
another chamber through a very small opening that had remnants of an old
hemp rope leading through what would have been the ceiling of the extended
chamber below us. Yep, we were reluctant to go farther or look to closely
into the chamber just in case we found the remains of the person who explored
before us.
To safely utilize a cave you have to have a very good knowledge
of yearly rainfall patterns, and it is best to have a compilation of several
years to give you a baseline of rainfall, and have a good knowledge of the
variations of the water table in the area. Using a cave for shelter or storage
in its natural state is one way to utilize a cave. However if the size of
the chamber is large enough you may want to expend a bit more energy and
expense if you intend to pass on the property to family later on. The perfect
example of the best utilization of a cave for long term shelter and or storage
is the old NORAD Cheyenne
Mountain [Command and Control] Complex. Within the natural cavern is built
a shelter system with all the comforts of home, and a few I wish
I had. Of course our tax dollars built it and to go to those lengths would
be problematic at best. But the basic concept of a shelter within a cave
is not a far stretch and would provide a lot of comfort and protection for
the occupants provided the cave is deemed habitable for the long term after
compiling the climatic data. You would have to weigh such construction against
not only costs but also to factors such as:
1. Would enlarging the entrance to accommodate construction materials, tooling,
and manpower (even immediate family only) compromise the location?
2. Would the cave/constructed shelter be susceptible to flooding during prolonged
rainy seasons?
3. Would the cave provide a source of water, or is there a close source of
water that could provide the needed water or water storage for the shelter?
4. What type of power could be provided? The cave we explored could potentially
provide hydropower if properly set up.
5. What are the range of temperatures through the seasons, and would prevailing
winds impact the cave's temperature ranges; especially during winter months?
You would have to consider ways of mitigating winter winds whipping through
the cave.
6. Will the cave need a ventilation system to make sure that you don't have
a buildup of carbon dioxide or carbon monoxide when occupied full time?
7. Does the cave, consistently or periodically, capture and retain any gases
such as methane or other harmful gases that can be emitted from deeper in the
earth from the geologic formation? And it would be a good idea to know the
basic geology of the area so you know the stability of the cave. A cave in
even with a constructed shelter within the cave could still pose a serious
danger. And you may want to reinforce the cave ceiling just in case the geology
slightly active (small tremors).
8. Is there an alternate or secondary entrance that could be utilized as an
emergency exit or could it prove to be an access point for others to enter
during a crisis.
9. If there is no other entrance or exit point, is it possible to construct
one as an emergency exit? I would be reluctant to have a single entrance and
exit point. If you have to dig an emergency exit you will need some very specialized
equipment and skills to prevent a cave in, or suddenly finding yourself flooding
the cave by hitting an underground spring or other high volume water source.
It would be too easy for an adversary to simply block a single entrance and
either starve you out or to fire on your position and use the rock walls to
ricochet around until they hit someone, or to build a fire at the entrance
to smoke you out. And a worse scenario would be for an adversary to cave in
the entrance and seal you in until you died of suffocation.
10. Could the shelter or the cave provide any method of hydroponic gardening?
If your shelter is the cave proper you will have to have access to an area
where you can garden if you intend to occupy the shelter over a protracted
period of time as the result of a nuke exchange or protracted pandemic.
These are just a few questions that come to mind and there are others that
must be answered depending on how you want to utilize the cave. If you want
to really kick your 'creative engine' into overdrive and see how mankind has
utilized natural and man made underground structures then watch the History
Channel program "Cities of the Underworld". It is absolutely amazing
how people through the centuries utilized natural underground formations, and
expanded them or built and utilized underground spaces. Mankind has covered
over entire cities over the centuries as new construction has been built over
old. Some of these underground areas have been done as far back as the Celtics
of Ireland and Scotland as well as through the Middle Ages and Renaissance
as well as the modern eras. There is one common thread, of different iterations
but a singular concept, which runs through all of the construction techniques
from the beginning; whether utilizing natural features or new construction
over old cities. And this thread is utilized today. But I'll leave that to
you to discover for yourself. - The Rabid One
Hi Jim,
The best way I know of to camouflage stuff (entrances, equipment, traps, etc.)
with respect to its environment is to paint it with spray-on adhesive, the
same kind that automotive upholsterers use, then simply take dry dirt and sprinkle
it all over the painted areas (some moving parts, etc. you would of course
want to mask-off, just like regular painting).
This provides an excellent base coat, even for things attached to trees, buildings,
etc.
I still think the best book on the subject is the US Army "Camouflage" field
manual (FM
5-20) from 1969: Regards, - Jerry E.
« Getting it All Together, Or, The Worst Pencil is Better than the Best Memory, by Sled238 |Main| Note from JWR: »
Letter Re: Using Natural Caves on Private Property
Sir:
My friend has a piece of property that has a cave. The initial opening
to the cave is circular, about four feet in diameter. Inside the cave
is a large room with a 20 foot tall ceiling and an approximately 70 foot long
floor.
We have
been inside three
additional smaller [side] rooms. Also, we have found a source of water
deep in the cave. We spent the night in the cave about two weeks ago. It
got
cool
at
night, but
no
bats or other animals joined us.
The biggest potential problem I can think of is the relatively small
opening. However, due to its small size, my friend and his wife walked
by the cave
hundreds of times before they realized it was an opening.
Would this make a good retreat when the stuff hits the fan?- Linda H.
JWR Replies: Caves do have their uses, particularly as expedient
fallout shelters. Finding a cave with an unobtrusive entrance on a piece of
privately-owned land that is under your control is very fortunate. I'm surprised
that it wasn't mentioned by the previous owners at the time that your friend
bought the property. Keep in mind that caves are far from vermin proof,
so you would need to store
anything
inside in sturdy, waterproof containers. Many caves are seasonally wet, so
waterproof containers put up on at least 4x4 wooden blocks are also a must.
The existence of caves is often
widely known by locals, so don't consider anything you store there
truly secure.
It might
be worth
your
time to make
a "rock" door to camouflage the entrance. Start with a wooden framework of
2x2s, covered by doped fiberglass with a highly irregular "hilly" shape. Then
prime, coat, and seal it to match any nearby rock outcroppings.
There are now some amazing rock texture paints---pioneered by Zolotone--that
look
quite
natural. One of the popular brands is "Roller
Rock", made by Daich Coatings. When applied with a rough-textured
roller, these coatings can be very natural looking. These paints
can be custom tinted. It is probably best to bring a sample of the local
rock to the paint store, and
have them
match
the color)
Before storing anything of value in the cave, leave your camouflaging
"rock" door
in place
for at
least a full year,
using a telltale. (A twig wedged into the doorjamb--if
it
has
fallen
you'll
know
that
the door
was
disturbed.)
Storing anything in the cave without
taking
that
precaution is an invitation to theft. You might want to set up a Dakota
Alert (or similar passive IR intrusion detection system) to see if anyone
goes near the cave entrance. If you have welding skills, or you have a trustworthy
friend
that
knows how
to weld,
then you might want to install a locking steel security door or barred gate
back behind your "rock camouflaged"
door. Just keep in mind that given enough time, a determined burglar
can reduce nearly any barrier. (At this juncture I should
mention that I get one or two e-mails a year from readers that have had
their CONEXes
broken into by thieves with
bolt
cutters
or cutting
torches.) But at the very least a locked security door will slow burglars
down. It will also tremendously reduce your risk of an attractive
nuisance lawsuit.
« Odds 'n Sods: |Main| Letter Re: Using Natural Caves on Private Property »
Getting it All Together, Or, The Worst Pencil is Better than the Best Memory, by Sled238
If you are even moderately past the first stage of becoming prepared, you have
(or will have) the experience of finding things you had forgotten you had bought.
Yeah, Christmas! I thought, until it occurred to me that if I had needed that
item really, really badly, I would have just screwed up, big time. Cancel Christmas.
After the third – or was it sixth? – time reading "Patriots:
Surviving the Coming Collapse", it occurred
to me there was one thing I wish had made it into the book: the Gray's notebook.
Their preps notebook, to be more specific. Only thing I remember is the lists
on the
chipboard
Jim has been kind enough to share an abundance of gifts. In my opinion, one of
the
greatest
of these gifts is the List
of Lists.
What I had, was a pile of papers, which is not really useful
at all. So, I just got a bunch of clean paper, some pens, three-ring binders,
and here is what
I
did,
and how it got done:
Print out the Rawles List
of Lists, writing the title of each at the top of a
sheet of paper.
This page will be the rough draft page, and the info put on it will be used on
a separate template with the same name.
Lay out each rough draft paper where you can see it (I had the entire dining
room table, couch, and coffee table covered).
Go through your giant pile of disorganized papers, placing each article, story,
list, clipping, on the appropriate sheet, being sure not to cover the heading.
(Some files are really big (Flu pandemic PDF files
come to mind); set these aside
to be put in a reference binder – but make a note that you have this reference
On the page with the heading.)
Now, for those of you with awesome PC skills, format a template page as follows
(if no PC skills, pencil and ruler for you! LOL):
Heading, bold capital letters at top. WATER, for example.
Under this, make a section about one third of the sheet of paper (this section
is called info/notes/goals). Leave space for hand written notes, and make a horizontal
line at the bottom of this (again, this is about one third the way down the page).
Below this, the remaining two thirds of the page has two columns:
On the left: next steps, with a numbered list below.
On the right, three sections one atop the other:
Short term, with room for a few listed items;
medium term, with room for a few listed items;
long term. with room for a few listed items.
Something like this:
WATER
==================================
Info/ notes goals
==================================
Next steps short term
1 1
2 2
3 3
4 Medium term
5 1
6 2
7 3
8 Long term
9 1
10 2
11 3
(With a vertical line between the two columns.)
Print one of these forms for each list subject heading.
The real work begins.
We have a rough draft sheet with WATER written on it in pen, and also a template
with WATER in the heading.
I took the rough draft page, and really quickly, listed every thought I had about
water as it concerns my preps. Something like …I have about 8 big water
cooler bottles in the basement; have two hand water filters, one is not made
anymore, the other I can still get filters for; have a base camp filter, do not
remember what type of replacement filters it takes; want a big berky filter,
need to find best price; can you drink swimming pool water? I need to stock more
bleach, can you use dry bleach as well?...
This is your rough draft page, questions page, and brainstorming page.
Do this with every heading.
So, now, on my fancy template, in the first section, is info about drops of bleach
per two liter bottles for purifying. Also, is a reference to a PDF form about
sand water filter construction, kept in a bigger, separate binder called Reference.
In the bottom right section, under short term, I have listed the amount of water
I have on hand or have immediate access to.
Under Medium term (middle box), I have my various filters listed with prices
for replacement filters.
Under Long term, I need info on a manual pump for my well, possibly a solar powered
setup, if feasible.
Move to the left, to next steps.
I know I have to rotate the stored water, so I write "Enter water rotation
date on master yearly calendar list". I also know I need a little more bleach,
so I note that. I might put in a note to price filters, and one more to see how
much power my well requires to pull up water, so as to further develop or drop
the solar power train of thought.
Now, do this with every heading.
With a new sheet of paper, flip through the notebook, taking at least two next
steps from each heading, and make a quick and dirty "Next Steps" list.
This will not be pretty, because you will, I am sure, be crossing off the next
steps in a lively and methodical fashion. Those of you in the know will understand
how this list can become a "thickly padded clipboard". (An inside joke,
if you have not yet read "Patriots".)
Pretty simple, I know.
I would say "The end", but we all know we are just now entering the
beginning.
Now, go and execute your next steps. - Sled238
« Odds 'n Sods: |Main| Letter Re: Observations on Chest Freezer Efficiency »
Letter Re: Consider Volunteering at a Homeless Shelter
Sir;
I once had an opportunity to volunteer at a homeless shelter in Denver, Colorado.
What started as a chance to be of service, turned out to be a lesson in survival.
I was surprised to learn that many of the "guests" at the shelter
had become experts at existing comfortably, on a permanent basis, without benefit
of a home. Here are some of the things I learned:
1) The first lesson is - The quality of your bags determines the quality of
your life. If your possessions are contained in fragile garbage bags, you are
limited in how much can be carried and how far it can be carried. The first
step up is a simple sports bag, and better yet is a backpack. Next up is a
backpack along with a wheeled carry-on bag and collapsible handle. With such
equipment, you stop looking homeless, and if you and your clothes are clean,
hitch hiking is easier. One creative fellow used bungee cords to lash the luggage
handle to his belt, so the luggage became a trailer of sorts.
On another level was a bicycle messenger who equipped his bicycle with a trailer
for his worldly possessions and panniers for making package deliveries. Before
you dismiss such an arrangement, consider this: His vehicle was paid for,
he had
no mortgage or rent to worry him, a steady job, and a large circle of friends
in the shelter community. He always had money, a smile on his face, no stress,
and time to help others. Can many of us say the same?
No doubt many readers of this blog have seen a "Sidewalk Winnebago" as
the homeless sometimes call them. This is a grocery cart filled to overflowing
with everything the user owns. If you can gain the trust of the owner, perhaps
he will show you what is in the bags. It may amaze you how well equipped they
are to survive whatever comes their way.
2) Staying Clean - Walgreen's sells a shower head on a short hose with a rubber
adapter to connect to a faucet. They are meant for cleaning pets or dishes
in the sink, but can also be used to shampoo your hair in a convenience store
bathroom. The homeless man who showed me this trick said that if your hair
is clean, you appear clean. This helped him find temporary jobs.
3) Self Defense - One man carried a sports bag with a Ka-Bar sheath knife inside.
He could hold the sheath through the bag with his left hand, while drawing
the knife through the open top of the bag with his right hand. Yet another
had a Colt .45 in his bag.
4) I was told that a roll of toilet paper soaked in lighter fluid, charcoal
starter, or alcohol makes a good improvised cooking fire.
5) Another guest showed me his cache that was buried by the river. It was a
pair of five gallon plastic buckets, buried by rocks and hidden behind some
trees
in
a remote area. One was filled with food, the other with cooking utensils. I
doubt that this was his only stash.
Consider volunteering at a homeless shelter. You may be surprised what the
residents there can teach you about survival. The most important lesson I learned
is: I should be more grateful for what I have, and I should give thanks more
often. What a precious lesson. - Doc. S.
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A Flooded Basement - Friends You Can Count On, and Lessons Learned
Mr. Rawles,
Once again, thank you for your research and SurvivalBlog posts.
I have been a [10
Cent Challenge] contributor for a couple of years and have gotten more
than my money's worth. Thank you.
Last night my group and I met at my home. Here in New Hampshire we received
a record amount of snow fall this year. (Over 108 inches!) That is the fourth
largest
every
recorded.
Yesterday it was warmer then normal there for a lot of snow melt. Last night
it rained.
As the group was getting ready to head to the range for night shooting I went
to my basement to get my ammo. I found 18 to 24" of water down there.
All the water was running in off the roadway and into my basement.
Thank you for your writings. [Because of advice in SurvivalBlog] everything
was in Mylar bags in five gallon buckets, floating. I went to turn on my submersible
pump
that
I have not
had
to use
for years
and it did not work. I started bailing with buckets. We attempted to get a
siphon going with out success. My son went to Home Depot--one of the few stores
still
open--and was
able to rent a large 2" diameter pump. That emptied the basement in about two hours.
The hot water heater was damaged. I had sand bags that we used in the basement
to keep the water in one area once it started to rain again. It was like a
water fall coming in the basement at time. The sand bags worked great creating
a pool in that area for the pump to work. We dug a trench out side in the driveway
to get the water to go into the back yard. Using spades, shovels and axes that
we had on hand. We dug out the culvert that that the highway department should
have kept opened and that I should have kept checking. Once that was open it
stopped raining
but it should keep the water out with everything else we did.
One of the members of our group is a tech for a propane company and he was
able to get the hot water heater up and going with the tools and supplies we
had on hand. He was able to make sure the furnace was going well.
A couple of lessons: You need good people that you can trust.
We were going over our bug out plans and storage plans for the retreat prior
to heading to
the
range. You have to plan for the future but live in the here and now.
We have different people with different skills. Once is a propane tech, one
is a mechanic, one an administrator, one good in first aid and one security
- defensive
person. All of them have various skills that are needed. I had a stash of cash
on hand to purchase or rent the pump and anything else needed last night.
Having a good working pump would have been invaluable. I have a stream that
flows all year long in my yard and I could even use a good pump for fire control
if needed. That will be on the list now.
I once again thank the Lord for his providence. - New Hampshire Hillbilly
« Letter Re: Consumer Price Inflation is Upon Us |Main| Note from JWR: »
Impassable Freeways and Highways in an Eleventh Hour "Get Out of Dodge"
Jim,
I found some depressing analysis on G.O.O.D. for
those of us near US population centers: Read
this PDF.
For further information on the ineffectiveness of G.O.O.D. when times get
bad, US DOT generated this report: Using
Highways for No-Notice Evacuations.
In addition, there is no shortage at the US DOT web
site of well-intentioned and theoretical research reports on disaster planning.
For many of us, last minute G.O.O.D. plans are likely to be characterized by
a high probability of failure along with its associated human costs. One might
guess that the chance of failure is an exponential function of the distance
to the retreat. I need to remind myself that it is not a simple matter of just
getting in the car or BOV and heading out to the safety of my retreat. Might
work, probably won't.
Thank you again for your hard work, - The DFer
JWR Replies: I concur that "Eleventh Hour" G.O.O.D. is a
bad idea. Even if you have 90% of your gear pre-positioned at your retreat,
there is the prospect of never making it there safely. (Or, arriving days or
weeks late, on foot, only to find your retreat occupied by armed squatters
that are gleefully eating from your carefully planned deep
larder.) As I illustrated
in my novel "Patriots:
Surviving the Coming Collapse", being forced to abandon a vehicle
and traveling on
foot is a dicey proposition, at best. I strongly recommend that
readers live at their retreats years round--even if it means giving up a
high-paying big city job.
You mentioned: "One might guess that the chance
of failure is an exponential function
of the
distance
to the retreat." I would qualify that by saying: "...the distance that you
need to
traverse in a high population density region to get to the retreat".
It is best if one can get away from urban regions fairly quickly and then
take secondary or tertiary back roads. For those that are forced by circumstances
or family
obligations to live a long distance from their intended retreat, I recommend
doing some detailed map studies, and then some test drives with a GPS receiver in hand, to establish
five or more G.O.O.D. routes--some quite circuitous--to stay away from high
population
regions and expected refugee lines of drift. Needless to say, always, always, have enough
fuel on hand, to make the drive from your home to your retreat without buying
any
fuel. Depending on the fire code in your town, that might necessitate caching
some fuel along your route. (Ideally, with relatives or friends.) Along with
that comes the further complication of systematically rotating that cached
fuel.)
If and
when "The Day" comes, do
not hesitate!
You need to get out of town well ahead of The
Golden Horde, while
roads are still passable. It is better to be ultra-cautious
and run the risk of burning up some of your hard-earned vacation hours in
the event of a few false alarms, than to be complacent and thereby end up
stuck in traffic, staring at the tail lights
and back bumpers of the enormous horde that left town ahead of you.
(Just ask the folks that tried leaving the Gulf Coast cities just before
Hurricane
Katrina
arrived. It was a monumental traffic jam.)
« Letter Re: Is Grain Sold as Seed or Animal Feed Safe to Eat? |Main| Jim's Quote of the Day: »
Letter Re: Keeping a Low Profile is Crucial for Preparedness
Jim,
My missus and I have been into "prepping" for about 15 years. Our
house has a basement and it is practically wall-to-wall and floor-to-ceiling
with shelves--with just narrow aisles in between. The shelves are chockablock
with storage food (all labeled and organized "FIFO"-style),
medical supplies, assorted "field" type gear, tools, barter/charity
stuff, ammo cans, propane cylinders (that fit our camp stove and camping lantern),
reels of field phone wire, paper products, and so forth. Following the example
of Mr. Whiskey (from your "Profiles")
we have recently built up 27 sets of designated "charity duffles",
each packed in a cheap Made-in-Taiwan nylon duffle bag. Each of these contains
a Dutch Army surplus wool blanket, a Chinese knockoff of a Leatherman tool,
a pair of gloves, a pile ("watch") cap, a half dozen pairs of socks,
a thrift store man's jacket, room for four days worth of food (which we would
pack from our FIFO inventory, as needed), a collapsing plastic water container
(the type that Campmor sells), a waterproof match container, a tube tent, and
a hand line fishing kit. ("Teach a man to fish...")
When we moved back to California in 1998, we picked our house specially because
it was built in the 1940s. It is the oldest and sturdiest house on the block.
(The neighborhood built up around the house, when the property was subdivided
in the 1960s.) It has a basement and its own water well, which
is now "off the books"--since the house is now on "city" [metered]
water, but the well is still functional with a 24 VDC submersible
well pump. I have four flush roof-mounted Kyocera PV panels
(cannot be seen from the street) and six deep cycle batteries. The cables are
run series-parallel to provide both 12 VDC and 24 VDC outputs.
Even though we live in a standard suburban neighborhood, none of out
neighbors are any the wiser about our preps. At the core, I
consider my preparations my own business. When the time comes to
hand out the charity duffles, we will do so through an intermediary,
like our church. (We are Methodists.)
After seeing what
happened to that guy in Norco last year, I am glad that I keep a low
profile. The specific measures that we have taken to keep a low profile are:
1.) We take no UPS deliveries
at our house. Nearly all of our mail-ordered goods are sent to our private
mail box at the local UPS Store (it was formerly a "MailBoxes, Etc.")
From there, we take the boxes home in our minivan.We are always sure to unload
the van from inside my garage, with the garage door shut.
All of the empty boxes have the "to" and "from" address
labels cut out with a box cutter knife. I discard the flattened boxes in the
cardboard recycling dumpster behind the office where I work. (I'm a sales engineer
for a medium-size company.)
2.) We don't subscribe to any shooting or hunting magazines. We get all of
the gun information we need online. To "stay in the fight" politically,
I do make regular anonymous contributions to the GOA, JPFO and
CRPA [The California Rifle and Pistol Association, a firearms rights organization],
via Post Office Money Orders. (BTW, I do the same for the SurvivalBlog [10
Cent] Challenge. Shame on any of you that read this blog regularly but
don't pony up the 10 pennies a day!)
3.) We access all web pages via Anonymizer,
with no exceptions.
4.) Most of of our preps purchases are either made F2F,
with cash, or with Post Office Money Orders if ordering by mail. This eliminates
the "trail of paper" from writing checks or using a credit card.
We buy a lot from Nitro-Pak, Ready
Made Resources, Major
Surplus, and Lehman's.
5.) All of our guns, ammunition, gun gadgets, targets, and cleaning supplies
are bought "private party", mainly at SoCal [(Southern California)]
gun shows. Also, needless to mention, these are greenback transactions
only! In
California, we can still at least buy rifles and shotguns that are more than
50 years old
without having to buy through a [licensed] dealer. We have two [M1]
Garand rifles, and a FN.49, also [chambered] in .30-06. I'm still looking
for one or two more of those, but they are scarce, and even harder to find
private party. We also have three [Winchester] Model 12 pump[-action] 12 gauge
shotguns, two of which have had their barrels shortened to 18.5 inches. Handgun
buys in California all require paperwork, but by Divine Providence
I bought several Glocks
and [Colt Model] 1911s when
I was living in Arizona for a couple years, back in the late '90s. [JWR
Adds: That loophole was recently closed for Californians. Anyone moving
into the state must now register their handguns. Drat! But at least there was
a grandfather clause.] There is isn't much to do out in the desert except shoot,
so I bought a lot of guns when we were there.
6.) We signed up for an identity theft and credit report checking protection
plan three years ago. I noticed that SurvivalBlog just started running an ad
from Comprehensive Risk
Solutions. Their service has more bells and whistles and a lower subscription
cost that our current provider, so we will switch [to them] when our current
subscription lapses. [JWR Adds: I highly recommend this service.
It is cheap insurance to prevent what would otherwise be a very costly incident.]
7.) We use a TracFone
whenever
calling a mail order vendor. (No calling history paper trail.)
8. ) We don't mention our preps to anyone outside of our family.
We have coached our kids from an early age to keep their lips zipped.
9.) Whenever we have anybody visit our home, the basement door stays closed
and locked. (It is a keyed deadbolt lock.) The basement has
no windows. Most of our friends and relatives don't realize that we
even have a basement. (Basements are actually rare in California
tract neighborhoods.) To anybody that visits, the basement door just looks
like a locked closet.
10.) We don't leave anything "suspicious" out where it can be seen
in our house and garage.
These precautions might seem kinda "over the top", but put yourself
in my shoes. In the People's Republic of California it pays to be a bit of
a Secret Squirrel. I does cost me about $300 per year to get my mail and packages
at the UPS Store, but I consider that a small price to pay for my privacy.
I plan to retire to the mountains of central Nevada in nine years, but for
now, I am making do in my present circumstances. - F.L. in Southern California
« Odds 'n Sods: |Main| Letter Re: Is Grain Sold as Seed or Animal Feed Safe to Eat? »
Three Letters Re: Advice on Uses for a Disused Underground Cistern
James,
If the location is right, install what looks like access to a septic
system. I'd use it for a big cache or a root cellar. Seal the entrance with
concrete which can be busted out with a sledge hammer, or perhaps use lumber
or brick to cover the walls of the entrance and use the original access for
another purpose to hide it's original intent such as a cache of lesser importance.
- E.L.
Jim,
You wrote: "In particular, ideas on camouflaging the entrance trap door
would be appreciated."
I wasn't able to clearly visualize the trap door in the garage. But if the
trap door is near a wall, or is recessed at or just below the floor level I
might cover the area with one of those 1/8 inch thick oil drip catching sheets
of metal available at most auto stores, etc.
If I didn't need regular access to the entry, I would add some Kitty Litter
to the metal sheet and perhaps set a push lawn mower on top of that.
A little easily-visible used oil added to the kitty litter for effect would
probably help too. - KMA
Sir,
The first thing I would do is make sure this is not an old converted septic
tank. If it were I'm sure you would already know that! If it is going to be
an occupied shelter: The first thing I would do is to make an emergency exit
to the 'room'. Dig a tunnel from the outside of the garage down to the room
about half way up a wall from the yard and fill with sand. About a foot down
from the yard hole place pressure treated plywood then dirt then grass. Keep
a small axe, a sledge hammer, cold chisel, hack saw with metal cutting blade
and a small folding shovel in the room at all times. If you ever get trapped
in
there
you
can break
the wall out, let the sand fall out in the room, dig some sand out, and escape.
You must always have an alternative exit an any situation.
The second thing I would
do if its a room is coat the walls, floor, and ceiling at least twice with a
waterproof sealer.
The third thing I would do is run a six inch PVC pipe
out one wall and have it come out in the yard, screen the yard end and place
a large planting pot
over it with false bottom with holes in the pot. For heavier safety you could
build a cement planter with holes that look like weep holes. Place a false
bottom in it, and fill with plants. Inside the room you can add a hand crank
squirrel cage blower. [JWR Adds: And a HEPA filter if
you want the space top double as a fallout shelter.] You will need to repeat
the same for exhaust air. What comes in must go out. Air,
water, food goes in and comes
out!
The fourth thing I would do is stock it up: water, food, blankets, sleeping
bags, guns, ammo, sealable drums for poop bags, first aid and all the goodies.
The fifth thing I would do is start spending nights in it--first one, then
two, then three. Make it familiar. You may find you freak out after a few days,
and yet
it takes
weeks for radiation half life to dissipate. Get used to it, you don't want
to do that under stress.
The main entry can be concealed with a lightweight fake shelf made from balsa
wood. A metal plate can be hinged, fastened to the floor, covered with a rubber
mat, and the light shelf bolted to the metal door from below. You can glue
stuff to it to make it look like a used shelf. Rings can be welding to the
under side of the metal door so chains can be installed to hold it down to
keep the 'bugs' out. Just a quick thought. - Jesse
« Letter Re: Post-TEOTWAWKI Trash Disposal |Main| Note from JWR: »
Letter Re: Preparedness for Active Duty Military Personnel
James:
Great blog! I also bought the latest edition of your novel "Patriots:
Surviving the Coming Collapse". My older edition is in storage
somewhere, (see below) and I really like the updated
material,
it almost seems like a new book.
I don't know if you have ever discussed survivalism from the perspective of
families that need to move often. For those of us in the military who move
every few years with weight limits the supply situation becomes more complicated.
For most of us, idea of a fixed homestead is a dream for post retirement.
The biggest problem I have had to deal with is moving our guns and hazardous
materials (fuels, ammo, etc.). It has also caused me to focus on trying to
compartmentalize and organize. Another big issue is when moving overseas deciding
what to take (especially books), what to let the government store, and what
to leave with family or in a self storage locker at another location.
I am sure I am not the only reader that faces this predicament. - Dave
JWR Replies: You definitely are not the only reader in that
situation! SurvivalBlog has a lot of overseas-deployed readers, both military
and civilian contractors.
(For example, just
look
at our
hit map for Africa and Southwest Asia. Most of those are servicemembers,
English speaking ex-pats, and a few consular employees.)
I often get e-mails from readers like yourself that are torn as to what preparedness
items they should keep on hand overseas, and which to leave at home in storage.
Two of them have mentioned that they are praying for promotions in rank, not
for the extra pay but because their moving weight allowance for
each Permanent Change of Station (PCS)
will increase!
I recommend that at a minimum you keep your 72 hour kit with you wherever
you are stationed, and an abbreviated version thereof even when you take a
Temporary Duty (TDY)
assignment. Regarding books, I recommend that you leave most of your hard copies
at (or near) your
eventual retreat. There are hundreds of books available online. For links to
find those, see: K.L. in Alaska's article "Sources
for Free Survival and Preparedness Information on the Internet".
And as a military service member you of course have access to the entirety
of the Army Knowledge Online (AKO)
database, which has hundreds of military field manuals and technical manuals.
I also recommend that anyone in your situation
purchase a set of the "1000 Books Homesteading Library" CD-ROMs,
often available for $35 to $50 on eBay from sellers with
the eBay usernames "prciousisthelord".
and "covenanter1599". This compendium of book PDFs
on 27 CD-ROMs includes a treasure trove of public domain books--mostly
19th Century classics (with expired copyrights) plus some modern texts that
have been opened up to public domain such as "Where
There is No Dentist", "Where There is No Doctor" and even "The
Owner Built Homestead" and "The Owner Built Home" (both by
Ken Kern). BTW, a smaller collection of many of these same titles are available
for free download at The
Librums's PDF Collection.
The next time that you buy a laptop, you might consider getting one with an
extra-large hard disk drive. (500 GB or larger.) You can then keep many
of the PDFs of many of the most important references on your laptop at all
times.
One temptation for preparedness-minded individuals on active duty is attending
on-site DRMO and
other military surplus dispersal auctions. If you decide to bid on any
items, be sure that you have enough moving weight
allowance for you next PCS
to cover the extra weight. Also be sure that you have the requisite storage
space available. (I have one acquaintance that kept an "auction bargain"
Army surplus Ahkio
snow sled through the course of three PCS moves, two of which
were warm climates!) It may be heartbreaking, but you may have
to skip bidding on those nice 8 KW gensets that
might sell for
less
than
$100
each.
One sad story that I hear repeated over and over again, particularly
from folks that have been living overseas, is that they have suffered break-in
burglaries of their retreats in their absence. Assuming that you can't find
someone to "house sit" at your retreat year-round, there are essentially
only two viable ways to mitigate this: 1.) Rent a relatively secure commercial
storage
space nearby, or
2.) Construct very-well hidden caches that cannot be detected--even
by someone with a lot of time on their hands. (The worst case is that
your retreat house becomes a "crash pad" for drug addicts for a period
of weeks or even months.) See the
SurvivalBlog Archives for some suggestions on building wall caches, door caches
(such
as my design), and hidden rooms. (In the " Categories" list,
click on the "Storage
Spaces"
category.
« Odds 'n Sods: |Main| Note from JWR: »
Prepare or Die, by J. Britely
Throughout my life I have been
caught unprepared several times and while nothing seriously bad happened, it
easily could have. I have been
lost hiking. My car has broken
down in very bad
neighborhoods - twice. I have
been close enough to riots
that I feared they would spread to my neighborhood, been in earthquakes, been
too close to wildfires, been stuck in a blizzard,
and have been without power and water for several days after a hurricane. I managed to get myself out of
each situation, I thanked God, and tried to learn from my mistakes. I could have avoided these situations
or made them much less unsafe and worrisome if I had been more aware and
prepared. I have also tried to
learn from the mistakes of others
so as to not learn everything the hard way. One group I assisted was a two hour drive into the
mountains, out of gas, wearing tee shirts, and had empty water bottles (at
least they kept them) (I have made each of those mistakes but not all at the
same time).
I aspire to be more prepared the
next time. My preparedness
includes many different aspects.
In my opinion, the most important thing I have done is to learn as much
as possible about what to expect and how to deal with those situations. The other important thing that gives me
some piece of mind is that I carry
and stock away water, food, ammo, books, and other tools and equipment that
should help me survive a bad situation.
Be prepared!
The other inspiration for my
preparations is my family. Seeing
my family suffer from lack of water or food would be very hard for me,
especially if some easy and cheap preparations could have made a big
difference. Recently, a few
friends and family have asked me about my preparations and how they might
prepare. I didn't have a good
short answer because I have spent years learning and stocking away. I thought of myself as more of a
student than a teacher in this area, but now I think I do know enough to give
some basic advice and refer them to good sources for more. Hopefully, they (and you) can learn
from my mistakes without having to waste time, energy and money on things that
don't work. Of course, I haven't
been through every situation or disaster but I have made it through a few tough
spots without losing my head. My
advice is based upon what I know to work and also what sounds like it would
work with the minimum fuss. I
always prefer the cheap, easy, home-made solution, but
sometimes it is worth the cost to get a quality item that is just too hard to
improvise or where the manufactured solution is much better (such as a
knife). Keep it simple stupid
(KISS) when you can. With
persistence you can get a lot done $20 at a time.
The purpose of this document is
to give an overview of preparedness and the first steps to take. I focus more on the why than the what
so that you can tailor your preparedness to your own situation and budget. I will also cite the best sources I
have found for more information.
There is a lot of information out there in books, classes, web sites,
and forums. Most of it is good but it is also really repetitious and
overwhelming. This document is
only about 15 pages printed out (you are printing important information (not
necessarily this) aren't you - since in an emergency you may not have power and
need to take the information with you).
I try to keep my important preparedness documents in an expandable file
folder with a tie inside a plastic crate.
What are you preparing for?
No one really knows what will be
the next survival situation they will face or how it will play out (will it get
worse before it gets better?). It
could be getting lost hiking, the car getting two flats in the middle of the
desert, a hurricane, a home invasion, an earthquake, or a terrorist
attack. You must assess your own
situation and determine what you need to prepare for. Of course some preparations will be useful in many
situations including everyday life, and these are the best type.
In order to get an idea of what
to prepare for, look at the types of situations that you or people similar to
you have been through. Also,
assess where you live or spend a lot of time such as work and vacation. We need to learn from the past but
without fighting the last war.
I like hiking and being
outdoors, so for me learning how
not to get lost and how to stay alive in the outdoors are high
priorities. These skills may also
come in handy if I need to walk to safety during a terrorist attack because all
of the roads and public transportation are closed. Living in your house without power or water isn't too
different from camping
except for the nice roof over your head and all of your stuff. I have also taken a first
aid class. It is pretty
limited in coverage but still useful in a variety of situations.
To assess the likely dangers to
where I live and work I used several sources including FEMA (free guide), DHS, Disaster Center, Emergency
Essentials, Two
Tigers and CBS. Also, find your local emergency
response office. But don't
rely on the government too much for planning or for help. As we relearned with the Katrina
response, their information and advice is far from perfect. And FEMA has always said it will take
72 hours to respond. So the way
I
look at it, during Katrina, FEMA (and
local governments) failed to live up to
its own low expectations. But even
if FEMA had been able to provide more food and water, you would still be much
better off taking care of yourself.
Do you really want to be told what possessions you can hold, when to
eat, when to sleep, and live in close quarters with thousands of
strangers? Sounds like prison to
me.
It's
A Disaster is a good book that will get you started on a plan for most
disasters. Some of their plans are
a little passive for me (don't take any risks and follow all FEMA directions)
and their kits lack some important things like knives. Still, it is a very good book and a
great start. Family and friends
should be included in your planning and preparations as much as they want to
be, but be careful about telling people who you do not trust or know well. You do not want to become a target in a
crisis.
I
think one of the best sources for thinking about what you are preparing for
and what does and doesn't work is news and
first hand accounts. These are some of the best ones I have
found. A few of them seem kind of
glib and bravado but the advice seems sound.
True Stories of Survival
Hurricane Katrina: http://www.frfrogspad.com/disastr.htm
Argentina thread 1: http://www.clairewolfe.com/wolfesblog/arg.html
Argentina thread 2 (some
swearing): http://www.survivalmonkey.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2715
Airplane crash: http://www.equipped.com/waldock698.htm
Ground Zero: http://www.equipped.org/groundzero.htm
Karen Hood's Survival Journal (a week in the wilderness) http://www.survival.com/karen1.htm
Sailing to Hawaii http://www.equipped.com/0698rescue.htm
Tsunami http://pubs.usgs.gov/circ/c1187/
Alaska http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/Rapids/8017/index2.html
A list of stories
Priorities
The survival Rule of Threes:
- It takes about three seconds to die without thinking
- It takes about three minutes to die without air
- It
takes about three hours to die without shelter
- It
takes about three days to die without water
- It
takes about three weeks to die without food
- It
takes about three months to die without hope
- Try to
have at least three ways of preventing each
of the above (a backup to your backup).
So the priorities are thinking,
air, shelter, water, food, and hope.
These are rules of thumb and approximations. Also, you will likely start feeling really bad before you
die so you need to be proactive in addressing these needs.
Thinking
Basically, don't panic
and do
something stupid. This is easier
said than done, but you can build your thinking skill and confidence by playing
“what if” games. After reading about the risks to your area and the survival
stories above, think about what kinds of things could go wrong and how you
would deal with them. The more
detail the better. What would you
do if a cat 5 hurricane was projected to hit your house? Where would you go? What would you take? Would it all fit in your car? Do you have enough gas to get there if
the gas stations are closed? What
if you don't have time to leave? What room in your house is safest (can you
reinforce it easily)?
If you are facing a serious
situation but no immediate threat, take the time to consider your options
before rushing into a course of action.
Take an inventory of what you have on hand and what is around you. Think of how each item could help solve
one or more of your priorities.
Thinking about these things may
be scary but it will be less scary when it actually happens if you have thought
it through. Focus on what you can
do to improve things and not on what you cannot change. Thinking can also be
more long term as in learning and planning. I suggest you read some of the sources below and then come
up with a plan for several types of situations that you are likely to
face. But don't delay, you can take
some first steps outlined below, such as storing water, right now. You can then read more, take classes
and collect useful items.
Preparing is a process not a one time event.
Air
Having breathable air is not
something you usually have to worry about, but it is an immediate priority if
you do. First aide can help with
choking and bleeding (which causes the body to not get needed oxygen). Hundreds
of people die from carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide poisoning
every year because of gas leaks and cooking
or heating indoors. Being at
altitude can also make it harder to breath. Finally, a terrorist attack could put dust, chemical,
biological, or nuclear contamination in the air or force you into a shelter
that needs ventilation. Be aware
of these dangers and have appropriate detectors if possible (smoke, carbon
monoxide, etc.). A wet cloth or
hand wipe (carry on airplane) to breathe through can help for dust or smoke.
Shelter
Shelter is mainly about staying
dry and the right temperature, but you also want to avoid sunburn, bugs,
animals and other dangers. Your
house is your usual primary shelter but it could become damaged or you may have
to evacuate. You should have
emergency repair items on hand such as tarps, lumber, shovels, nails, plastic
sheeting, crowbars, and a saw.
Your clothes are your first and
most important layer of shelter outdoors.
Clothes protect you from heat, cold and abrasions. In general silk, wool, and synthetic
materials are better than cotton especially to keep you warm in cold wet
weather. I find cotton more comfortable especially in hot weather, so I
compromise and wear a cotton shirt and shorts, but carry a better shirt, pants
and socks
in my bag, as well as additional layers and a change of underwear. This makes my pack a little heavier,
but I have been cold and wet in the wilds and that is miserable. For me, a hat and sunglasses are
indispensable. I try to always
carry at least a light water resistant jacket or poncho (with a garbage bag as
a backup). For me, boots are the
only sensible walking shoes. Find
some that are rugged and comfortable.
Have extra laces and a backup pair.
You can carry a tent, a tarp or garbage
bag for resting and sleeping.
A tarp can make a simple shelter or
an elaborate one. Rope, twine and tape are also
useful. You can carry some type of
staff
or tent
poles or make them with an ax or saw.
Mosquito netting is necessary in some places.
You should have many ways to
start a fire since most are cheap and compact. At least have a lighter, matches,
and flint. You can also build a firebed to sleep in if you have
inadequate shelter from the cold.
Water
This is a crucial area that
can be helped
