Thoughts And Concerns About The End Of The World As We Know It
Part 11
A goal without a plan is just a wish.
Planning
The
military says, “A plan only lasts until the first shot is fired”. Businesses
say, “The only constant is change”. Murphy warned us that, “If something can go
wrong it will go wrong”. In the end, the only successful strategy for survival
will be to improvise, adapt, and overcome.
Protecting
and nurturing close family ties will become one of the most important things you
can do. You’ll discover exactly what you are capable of when you family is
threatened. Quickly accepting and adapting will make survival easier than
holding on to the past or having unrealistic expectations about the future.
Preparedness
will cost money, there’s no way around it. If you talk about preparedness you’ll
be ridiculed, and if you keep quiet you’ll miss out on establishing a support
system that is necessary to survival. Remember to plan for multiple backup
contingencies, but as Murphy might suggest, your circumstances may trump your
preparedness.
Survival binder: Bags are often prepared by the most trained person in the household. Survival manuals are often overlooked because “I graduated SERE school” or “I was an Eagle Scout.” As the most trained member of the party, you will also be the most likely to do something dangerous.
If the most trained person dies, not only is there the personal tragedy, but now the party may not survive because they have lost their base of knowledge. The inclusion of a survival handbook gives the rest of your party a chance at surviving without you.
The Bag
Tradecraft: The
Bug Out Bag,
By Justin King, http://thefifthcolumnnews.com
A “bug out bag” is a collection of supplies and equipment that is prepacked and ready to go in case you need to evacuate the area in which you live. If a natural or man-made disaster strikes, it would be handy to have the supplies required for survival already packed and ready to go, but the process of packing a bug out bag can be a little intimidating.
In
fact, you may already have one started. If you live on the Gulf Coast, it’s the
bag of supplies you have for a hurricane; If you live in the Northeast, it’s
the box of supplies for a blizzard; If you live in the Rockies, it’s that bag
of clothes and essentials you have ready in case there’s a wildfire; If you
live in California, it’s that bag in the closet you prepared for the next
earthquake; and if you live in the Midwest, it’s your tornado preparedness kit.
The
idea behind a bug out bag is to simply have one bag that will can handle any
emergency. The bag will help keep you alive in situations ranging from a flash
flood all the way up to a total breakdown of society. It sounds expensive, but
it really isn’t. Starting your bug out bag can be as easy as tossing enough
nonperishable food, water bottles, waterproof matches, and medicine to last you
a week into the backpack you have laying in the closet floor. Over time, you
can add more items to increase your survivability and comfort during a
disaster.
The
best way to prepare your bag is to plan for the worst-case scenario, like a
complete breakdown of society, caused by local (large scale riots), regional
(extreme weather), or national (a pandemic) events. Talking about it in these
terms tends to scare people off from the discussion. It’s more fun to discuss
it in terms of the inevitable zombie uprising. Everything you would need to
survive an attack of the undead needs to be in your bag. If you can survive
zombies, you can survive pretty much anything else.
Strategy
Tradecraft: The
Bug Out Bag,
By Justin King, http://thefifthcolumnnews.com
Before deciding what items need to be in your bug out bag, you need to determine your strategy. There are three main strategies for bugging out, and you should plan for all three.
Avoidance: You gather your
loved ones, grab your supplies, and disappear into an unpopulated area. You try
to eliminate contact with anyone outside your circle completely. In simplest
terms, you have decided to go camping during a disaster. This requires the
ability to live off the land once your supplies have been depleted.
Evacuation: You and your
party are headed somewhere else that is safe, or at least safer. You must
maintain your mobility above all else. If supplies run out, you will supplement
your supplies by scavenging along the way.
Confrontation: You probably
don’t have a family and your plan is to act out your favorite scenes from Mad
Max. You will supplement your supplies in populated areas and take what you
need by whatever means necessary, because “might makes right.”
Please
note that if your plan for survival is to take what you need from others using
force, you have less than a 50/50 chance that the person(s) you plan to take
from will not successfully defend their property.
Contingencies
Tradecraft: The
Bug Out Bag,
By Justin King, http://thefifthcolumnnews.com
A strategy of evacuation can quickly become a strategy of avoidance after a car accident, or an encounter with non-friendlies. You need to prepare for contingencies as well, and it may help to categorize your actions, tools and materials by your degree of mobility and the expected conditions.
Not Moving: Your goal is stay
put in Readiness Mode, either at a base camp or your primary shelter. People,
animals, fire and medical are available, as well as heaters w/fuel, food, water
and security. You should anticipate threats, use caution regarding generators
and fire, and not draw attention to yourself or your location. Use quiet means
(bow, traps, fishing lines and nets) to feed hungry people, dogs and cats. Rats
and other small prey may require a good .22LR pistol. Reserve rifles, shotguns
and combat pistols for emergencies.
Moving in a
vehicle:
Your goal is to move to a Forward Operating Base where you will be relatively
stationary. Load the vehicle with a preference going to fuel, food and water.
Don’t travel at night and place a guard when resting. Move cautiously, manage
fuel and supplies, and plan accordingly. Reserve rifles, shotguns and combat
pistols for emergencies.
Moving slowly: Your goal is to
move on foot in Patrol Mode (high state of awareness), where speed is not a
factor. Carry everything in a backpack and whatever you can hang on your
shoulders, including your “Deuce Gear” (pack, canteen,
poncho, ammo pouch, etc.).
Hide anything you can’t carry in case you can return. Reserve rifles, shotguns
and combat pistols for emergencies.
Moving fast: Your goal is to
move on foot in SERE Mode (survival, evasion,
resistance, and escape), where speed is a factor. When moving to avoid others,
in absolute
survival mode, you should hide the contents of the backpack and long guns. Keep
the Deuce Gear, a good all-around knife, fishing kit with tiny to small hooks
and a spool of ten-pound line, Leatherman, fire tool, first aid kit, compass,
plastic map, grease pencil, pocket binoculars, water bottle or canteen, space blankets,
poncho liner, socks, two MREs, .22 pistol w/200 rounds, 2 cups of rice, box of
bouillon cubes and salt, 20 feet of rope w/2 carabiners, etc.
Bags Within Bags
Tradecraft: The
Bug Out Bag,
By Justin King, http://thefifthcolumnnews.com
Bags for kids: Children that are old enough to carry their own bag should be encouraged to do so, just in case they get separated. The contents of the bag should be simple: seven easy to open food pouches that require no preparation (protein bars), seven water pouches or bottles, an age-appropriate cutting instrument, a whistle, a blanket, and a small first aid kit. Additional items that the child can use could also be included. The child should know exactly what to do in the event of separation:
1) Stop moving. Sit down and wait to be
found unless in immediate danger.
2) Blow the whistle only if they hear or see
another party member.3) Eat one pouch per day. Drink one pouch or bottle of water per day.
4) Wait for two sunsets before leaving.
If
the child is old enough to read, it would be wise to include a note in the bag
explaining the four things above again. The reason for allowing the child to
move after two days relates to the most likely reason the separation occurred
in the first place. There was probably some form of immediate life-threatening
danger that triggered a fight or flight response. The child may have been able
to escape a danger that you were unable to escape.
If
the child begins moving on the third day, he or she will have five days’ worth
of food and water. Five days spent walking twelve hours per day at two miles
per hour means that your child can travel over 100 miles. There is hope that
the now orphaned child can contact someone who will assist them.
The
best advice, to give a child about trying to navigate toward people, is to find
a stream and walk along the shore. Almost all towns are near a water source, so
following a water source like a stream or river long enough will almost always
lead to people.
Normally,
except in mountainous terrain, the child should walk up stream, in the opposite
the direction of the current. In mountainous terrain, the child should walk
down stream, in the direction of the current. Going upstream in the mountains
typically takes you to a higher elevation which is less populated and colder.
Bags for adults: Every family
member should have a bag that contains the necessities above, it exponentially
increases the group’s survivability. It also means that if one bag is lost or
destroyed, the other bags will contain food and water. More bags mean more
space for more equipment. If the whole family is living out of one bag, items
must be sacrificed for space and weight.
Bags for your
vehicle:
Almost all emergency scenarios begin with a car ride. A large military surplus
ammo can in your vehicle that is filled with emergency supplies can greatly
increase the amount of food, water, and equipment that is available. If the
family has more than one vehicle, there should be a can in each vehicle. If you
are separated and one of the few unannounced emergencies occur, you can meet up
on the road. Until you meet up, everybody will have access to at least the
supplies in their vehicle. Another general rule regarding your vehicle is to
always keep more than half a tank of gas in it.
Bags for animals: While Polly the
parrot and your kid’s goldfish will probably be written off, some animals
provide benefits that are worth far more than the effort it takes to feed them.
When primitive man lived in the wild, dogs became common around campfires. The
benefits to the dogs was leftover food and warmth from the campfire. The
benefit to man came in the form of an early warning about intruders.
In
a survival situation, your dog will warn you about the presence of others. Some
dogs, particularly those that maintain a pack mentality, will assist in the
event of a conflict. Most dogs will be able to provide their own food if they
are allowed to. They will also alert humans to water sources that may have been
missed without them. It would be wise to pack away food for your dog to be
eaten when it was unable to scavenge something for the day.
Bags for babies: Babies need a lot
of stuff. Look at a typical diaper bag and you will quickly realize that infants
already have their own bug-out bag. They require special attention because they
cannot eat the same food as other party members and they require other items
that wouldn’t normally make it into a bug-out bag.
Formula
comes in sealed cans and has a shelf life of about two years. By the time the
formula you buy for your newborn goes bad, your child will be able to process
real food. As a rule of thumb, while babies are still drinking formula they
require about 25 ounces of water per day.
Bags for
medicines:
There’s probably a federal law against this in the United States, so it’s
included here for information only. Most studies show that pills are typically
effective years beyond their “expiration date.” So, all those pills in
Grandma’s medicine cabinet probably still have some use.
Packing the bag: Packing the bag
is a chore itself. The key thing is to remember to keep emergency items
accessible. Food can go at the bottom of the bag, because when you are stopped
to eat you probably aren’t in a hurry. Your first aid kit should be at the top.
Security checks: Once the bag is
packed, pick it up and shake it. If you hear clanging sounds or jingling, repack
the bag or stuff articles of clothing into the bag to eliminate the noise.
Remaining quiet is a key element in remaining alive. The next security check to
be completed is taking the bag outside at night and shining a flashlight at it.
If anything reflects light, blacken it with a permanent marker or spray paint so
that it won’t give away your position.
The inciting
event:
In most cases, you will have some warning prior to the need to bug out. It is
worth the ten minutes it will take to fill a trash bag with all the food,
drinks, and medicine in the house. Take anything you have time to grab. Once
you leave, it may be quite some time before you return.
Mindset
Tradecraft: The
Bug Out Bag,
By Justin King, http://thefifthcolumnnews.com
The key element in surviving a disaster is not what equipment you have, it’s developing the ability to see what things could be instead of what they are. The easiest way to practice this is to grab an item at random and think of as many uses for it as possible. For example, the trash in your car can be used to build a fire without matches or a lighter. Items that you would normally throw away can become critical lifesaving instruments of survival. Waste nothing.
In
survival situations, it is extremely important to commit yourself to your own
survival and to completing whatever mission you have assigned yourself. Without
a mission, people often fall victim to apathy and complacency which often leads
to their death.
What
you need is food, water, and shelter, for a minimum of 90 days. Your best
chance of survival is to outlast the takers by evasion. If you expect to be
backpacking only, think light and useful. You must not be seen or heard. Carry
a pump-up pellet rifle and fishing gear, and one pistol for the times you screw
up and get seen.
Weather
Winter’s Silent
Killer,
By Joe Alton, Survival Magazine
The environment plays a large role in your survival. If you haven’t taken weather conditions into account you’ve made the environment your enemy, and it’s a formidable one. The body loses heat through evaporation, radiation, conduction, and convection.
Hypothermia: When a person is
exposed to cold, the body kicks into action. Your muscles shiver to produce
heat and as a warning to seek heat. Early signs of hypothermia include being
confused, uncoordinated, and lethargic. As hypothermia worsens, the victim’s
speech becomes slurred, and they often appear uninterested in helping
themselves.
Eventually
other organs begin to shut down and the victim loses consciousness. Any
unconscious person you find exposed to cold weather should be considered
hypothermic until proven otherwise.
Frostbite
begins as numbness, a pins and needles sensation and redness. If not warmed up
the skin turns progressively white and waxy and then blue, and finally black, a
condition known as gangrene. Gangrenous tissue is dead and unsalvageable in
survival settings, requiring either debridement or amputation.
Frostbite Prevention:
Dress
in layers, and use mittens rather than gloves. Wear two pair of socks, inner
layer of synthetic fiber to wick moisture away from the skin and outer layer of
wool to increase insulation. Shoes should be waterproof, and not too tight
which restricts blood flow. Always cover your head, face, nose, and ears.
Clothes should fit loosely to avoid decreased blood flow. Wrist and ankle
closures should be sealed to keep heat in. Always travel with a friend. Avoid
smoking and drinking alcohol. Keep a strong, positive attitude.
If
your stranded in the cold, you should find the warmest shelter available. An
abandoned building will provide a refuge from the wind and possibly fuel to
build a fire. A tree-well shelter can be constructed around the trunk of a tree
in very deep snow. Low hanging branches can provide protection from falling
snow. Place evergreen boughs with support as a makeshift roof and on the floor
for insulation. Tarps and blankets can also be used.
A
vehicle can also serve as a shelter, but do not start a fire inside, no matter
how small. If your stranded in your own car, stay with the vehicle. If it runs,
turn it on for about 10 minutes each hour for heat. Make sure to keep the
exhaust system clear to prevent carbon monoxide from entering the passenger
compartment. Crack the window on the opposite side from the wind to provide
fresh air. If you’re in a group huddle together as best you can.
Cold Weather car
kit:
Warm blankets, Spare dry clothes, including socks, hats, and mittens, Hand
warmers, Matches, lighters, and fire starters, Flashlights and candles, Small
multi-tool with blade, screwdrivers, pliers etc., Larger combination tool,
shovel, axe, saw, etc., Sand or rock salt for traction, Tow chain or rope, Road
flares, Jumper cables, Water and food, Baby wipes, Medical kit, Tarp and duct
tape, Metal cup or thermos, Emergency whistle, Cell phone and charger, Weather
radio
Cold Weather
Sleeping:
If you must sleep on the ground, use insulation between the ground and your
sleeping bag. Use closed-cell foam or inflatable pads, backpacks, cushions,
tree boughs, pine needles, or anything that will cut down on conduction from
the cold beneath you. Relieve yourself before sleeping to prevent having to
leave your warm shelter and go out into the cold. Once a person is cold, it is
very hard to warm up again. Warming up water and pouring it into bottles placed
inside a sleeping bag is one method used for years in the outdoors. Eat lots of
junk food to keep warm in cold weather situations. Shivering burns calories and
the more calories you can ingest the better. If you are in a group, huddle
together to maximize the retention of body heat.
Shelter
Your chances of survival will be much greater if you can remain in the safety of your own home or private shelter. If for some reason, you are forced to leave your home, you will need to take as many supplies as you can reasonably carry. If you can avoid seeking refuge in a government-run shelter you will be much better off.
If
you are not forced to leave your home, you should be prepared for power
outages. You should consider closing off portions of your home during an
emergency to save on energy usage. You can warm your home or shelter with
kerosene, a wood-burning stove, or a propane camping stove, but heating rooms
which are not in use will result in an unnecessary loss of crucial energy
supplies.
If
you or your family enjoy camping you may already own a lot of the survival
equipment that you will need, and primitive camping has taught me many survival
skills. Can you build a campfire, using only matches or spark generators with
paper or twigs? Can you cook on a campfire as well as on my camping stove? Do
you know what it is like to carry water from the source to a campsite, and how
to wash dishes with water heated on a stove or campfire?
Water
Living Without Running Water: An Emergency … Guide, By
Misty, simplefamilypreparedness.com
Hopefully, you have plenty of emergency water, but have you ever tried to rely on it for a significant amount of time? If not, you might want to shut off your tap water and live on your water storage for a couple days to see what happens.
The
goal is to find out how much water your family would use, and along the way you
will probably learn a few other things. You may even be humbled!
Anxiety: You’ll discover
that your kids will experience some anxiety, especially if you don’t tell them
that “this is just a drill”. Tell them, “our water isn’t working today”. Younger
children may even react by crying and asking, “what are we were going to do”.
Be
prepared for something like, “Water is my favorite drink, and I really like
baths. And I think my teeth will fall out if I can’t brush them. What
are we going to do Mom?”
First, this
should re-affirm your desire to have enough water stored to keep your lives
relatively normal in the event of a water shortage/contamination event. Your
children will realize that they can (and should) drink as much water as they
want to.
Taking
baths is OK too, but try to use much less water than usual. It’s also OK for family
members to brush their teeth! Your family will be just fine after seeing
that life doesn’t change that much.
If
or when your family members must face a long-term water shortage, they will be
much more prepared and confident in their ability to do so. Hopefully this
will reduce the anxiety in your home.
Laundry: It will be a
challenge. Have you ever really considered how you would do laundry in an
emergency?
First,
instead of having one laundry day where all the laundry gets done, you may have
to do a load a day or so. That way, everyone will have some clean clothes,
most of the time, and everyone can get by for a few days if doing the laundry
is delayed.
Next,
keep your clothes just a bit longer during the emergency. Everyone should be totally
fine with wearing slightly “too small” shirts and pants! They’ll probably be
grateful for the additional clean clothes. Eventually, you can trade them with
family, friends, and outsiders.
Last,
do some research on how to do laundry in an emergency, to come up with a
solution that will work best for your family. Be sure to try out the different
methods.
Bathrooms: You’ll discover
that your kids go to the bathroom a LOT! It’s not necessary to flush every
time, but do so anytime it is “stinky”! Even when the water pressure is
off, you can fill up the back of the toilet with stored water; but don’t fill
the tank or it will use more water than you can afford.
You
will also need some way to dispose of solid waste in an emergency. If you are
not able to flush, it will become a serious issue in a very short time. Not
only will it be unpleasant, but it will be unsafe and unsanitary.
Don’t
imagine that you can just dig a hole in the backyard and go there, as that too
will quickly become a serious issue. Untreated raw sewage can pollute
fresh ground water supplies. It also attracts flies and promotes the spread of
awful diseases.
First,
in a short-term emergency, where the plumbing is still working, use “grey”
(dirty dish/bath water) to flush. Keep the grey water for this purpose instead
of dumping it.
Next,
invest in a bunch of disposable toilet waste bags. These bags
are 100% biodegradable and are solid sturdy bags that can be placed in a
bucket or even in your real toilet. Each bag comes with a bio-gel application
that turns fecal matter into an Enviro-Friendly material meaning you can
dispose of it with your normal trash. You will probably want to purchase
some of the deodorant product too.
Next,
invest in a bucket seat cover that fits a 5 or 6-gallon bucket. Keep one,
put the cover on it, and store the waste bags in it.
Last,
invest in sanitizing wipes (like Clorox wipes) to make keeping our hands,
toilets, floors, and counters safe and clean. This makes the job a bit easier
without depleting our water supply.
Dishes: Instead of
washing the dishes with running water, get the dishes just a bit damp and then
put a drop of soap on each. Use a wet rag to wash them and put them clean
(but soapy) in the sink. Then spray/rinse each dish individually and dry it.
This
process may use more water than you are willing to use in your mock emergency.
So instead, put about a gallon of water with soap in one side of the sink and a
gallon of water with no soap in the other side.
If
you have a lot of dishes, washing and rinsing them in the same water isn’t
going to work well. By the time you are done, both sides of the sink will be GROSS! It’s
probably a bit unsanitary as well.
First,
store more paper products. You can burn them in your fire pit when done using
them. It will save time and stress in a true emergency, and it means you won’t
have to wash the dishes in dirty water!
Second,
accept the fact that if you want to clean/wash your dishes individually you can
increase your emergency water storage accordingly. Even with paper
products, you will still have pots, pans, serving spoons etc., that will also need
to be cleaned.
Bathing: Storing more than
the recommended one gallon/person/day because bathing doesn’t take a lot of
water! Anyone should be able to bath with about two gallons of water, and
younger kids can share. Having everyone bath every other day seriously reduces
the amount of water required for an entire month. Plus, it shouldn’t take more
than a few gallons of hot water to make the baths comfortably warm!
Some
people can’t stand sponge baths and will insist on showers. It may be worth it
to store more water and have your own two gallons!
First,
increase the amount of emergency water storage for bathing/showering.
Second,
purchase a solar shower that we can hang outside to get warm (if it is sunny)
and then move and use in our regular shower. As a bonus, this could also
be used if you have to pack up and go for any reason.
Containers: Different sized
water containers are a good thing!
A
water bottle is handy while working in the garden. A 5-gallon jug with spigot is
perfect for a makeshift faucet. A 55-gallon drum is a convenient way to store
lots of water. Use a simple siphon pump to move the water from the larger to
the smaller containers.
First,
purchase more than one 5-gallon jug with a spigot to have one at each sink.
Second,
purchase an additional siphon pump in case one breaks.
Storage: To provide for a
somewhat normal routine while living without running water, start with about 2.5
gallons per person per day. Determine how long you anticipate being without
water, calculate how much water you need to store, and then divide that amount
into storage units: x number of bottled water packs + x number of 5-gallon jugs
+ x number of 55-gallon drums.
In
addition, you should have the ability to filter/sanitize water for your family
for six months. That’s a LOT of water!
Adjustments: If you are
planning to use gray water for flushing toilets, you can delete that requirement.
Use the bio-treatments when you run out of gray water.
Add
1-gallon per day because in an emergency people will likely get dirtier, and
possibly have wounds etc. to clean.
Add
2-gallons per day for dish cleaning water.
Add
2-gallons per day for drinking water.
Add
2-gallons per day for laundry, and plan to wear your clothes twice as long.
Scavenging
Top 20 Places to Scavenge for Supplies After SHTF, By Alan, www.urbansurvivalsite.com
Some of you might be thinking, “I’m a prepper, I won’t have to scavenge for supplies. I already have everything I need.” Maybe, but probably not. Even if you’ve been prepping for years, it’s still possible you forgot a few things, or need something you never thought you’d need.
What if you take in a pregnant woman or a parent with a small child? You may have to go looking for baby formula. What if your mother’s prescription medications are lost or destroyed? You may have to go looking for replacement meds. What if a crucial piece of gear is damaged? What if you need parts for your shelter or vehicle?
There are dozens of situations you won’t think of until you’re in them. The point is, you might have to scavenge for supplies after the SHTF. If someone’s life is on the line, you’ll have no choice. Before trying to explain how to scavenge, it might be a good idea to explain the difference between scavenging and looting.
Scavenging is Not Looting: After hurricane Katrina, we all saw videos of people running down the street with arms full of jewelry and electronics. Whether they were scavenging, or looting is pretty clear.
Looters are not looking for things they need to stay alive; they’re just taking advantage of the situation. Looters know someone is going to miss the stolen items, and that the owner will eventually return and find out what’s missing. Looters are no different from common thieves.
Scavengers are also looking for things they need to stay alive, after the end of the world as we know it. They mostly take things that have been discarded or are unlikely to be missed, although there could situations where they must take food or medicine that will be missed: I believe this is justified if someone needs it to live. It is not justified if they’re taking food or medicine right out of someone else’s hands.
I know of some legalists who insist that stealing is stealing no matter the circumstances, but morality is not a simple list of do’s and don’ts. The reality is that people who are squeamish about morally gray areas will not do well after the SHTF.
Here’s how to scavenge after the SHTF.
Send a Scout: If you know the area you want to search, it’s a good idea to send a scout with binoculars, a radio, and a gun.
Scouts should use their binoculars to watch the area for a few hours and make sure no one is living there and that there are no bandits lying in wait. It might sound paranoid, but some people will become very dangerous when there are no police to keep them in check. The last thing you want is to get robbed, injured, or possibly killed while scavenging for supplies.
The radio allows your scout can stay in touch. If the area is compromised or not worth the trouble, the group’s leader can instruct the scout to return or to check another area. If you lose contact with your scout, you’ll know something is wrong and can send reinforcements. But the reinforcements need to be careful not to wander into a trap.
The purpose of the scout’s gun should be obvious.
When surveying the area, the scout needs to note any obstacles that might make the area more trouble than it’s worth. Examples include barbed wire fences, high walls, ditches, streams, and so forth. All these things might make it too difficult or dangerous to lug back supplies.
The scout should also note whether any buildings in question have been damaged by things such as bombs or earthquake. You don’t want the stairs you’re climbing to collapse or a ceiling to fall on your head while you’re digging through the rubble.
If you have local maps, you should study them carefully to figure out all the ways in and out of the area you want to search. Plan your route carefully, and know alternate routes in case your main route gets cut off.
You and your group will have to weigh the costs versus the benefits and the risks versus the rewards before searching an area. Is the thing you want to search for necessary for survival, or is it just something that would make you slightly more comfortable?
Make a Plan: Once you’ve decided where to go and what to look for, you’ll have to decide who to send. Never send someone alone. He or she could twist an ankle or something and need help returning to camp. Also, there could be heavy obstacles or supplies that require at least two people to move. Remember, one person is far more likely to be robbed or killed than two or more people. Ideally, you would send several people, but that depends on how many you can spare. You don’t want to leave children alone at your camp.
Your group should take a vulture toolkit with them. This is a kit with things you might need for scavenging, such as bags, cordage, lock picks, pry bars, cutting tools, a siphon, water jugs, and so forth. You might also bring respirators and goggles in case the location’s air is full of dust or smoke.
If you have several areas to search, you’ll have to decide the order in which to search them. It’s better to start further out and work your way back toward camp so you don’t waste energy carrying supplies farther than necessary.
If you know the heaviest items are going to be in a particular place, go there last. If scavenging your area is going to take several days or weeks, you should get a map and mark the locations you search so you don’t accidentally visit the same place twice.
Scavenging Targets
Top 20 Places to Scavenge for Supplies After SHTF, By Alan, www.urbansurvivalsite.com
Automotive Shops: You have a better chance of finding the part you need here than in a department store. It’s true now, and it will be true after the SHTF, too.
Cars: You’ll want to check the glove box, under the seats, and in the trunk for snacks, tools, and other useful items. Parts of the car itself might prove useful, too. The mirrors could be used for signaling, the wiring for cordage, the upholstery for bedding and insulation, the battery for power, in addition to any vehicle parts you might need.
Churches: I know, stealing supplies from a church is pure evil, right? But again, it’s not stealing if you’re in an end-of-the-world type scenario and the church has been completely abandoned. Churches that give food to the needy might have lots of canned food in the kitchen and closets.
Distribution Centers: Most people will hit grocery stores first, so it will be a little longer before the warehouses are picked clean. Even then, there may be a few things that were overlooked. Also, check the semi-trailers. You may find non-perishable foods and other supplies.
Dumpsters: It won’t be fun, but you might find some hidden treasures in dumpsters. Check out the book called The Art and Science of Dumpster Diving.
Fire stations: You may find food, supplies, and clothing. Plus, the fire engine has a tank with hundreds of gallons of water. It will need to be filtered, though.
Gas Stations: These will probably be picked clean, but you never know. It’s worth a look.
Government Buildings: Most federal installations have commercial grade solar panels. You may also find backup lighting and emergency supplies.
Grocery Stores: These will probably be picked clean, too, but you may find food in less obvious places such as under shelves, behind displays, and beneath cash registers. Also check the bathrooms, the offices, the stock room, and the loading dock.
Hospitals: Obviously these should have lots of food, clothes, and medical supplies. Check every single closet and every single drawer.
Houses: Check everywhere! Rooms, garage, basement, attic, backyard, storage sheds, and the garden if there is one. The water heater has up to 70 gallons of drinking water, and look for houses with swimming pools. Also keep an eye out for metal mailboxes which can be converted into wood stoves.
Manufacturing Facilities: They may have fuel, batteries, tools, first aid supplies, and all kinds of useful items.
Marinas: Check abandoned boats. They usually have supplies like emergency rations, communication equipment, fishing equipment, and possibly guns.
Office Buildings: Check break rooms for vending machines and check desks for snacks and small tools. There should be fire extinguishers in most rooms and cleaning supplies in the janitor’s closet.
Pawn Shops: If you’re lucky you’ll find weapons, ammo, and other miscellaneous gear. You might even find some working electronics such as walkie-talkies or a ham radio.
Pet Stores: If your pets are still okay, a pet store might make it possible for you to keep feeding them without giving up any of your own food. You could also eat it yourself, if you’re very desperate, but beware, there are no FDA regulations on pet food and it could make you sick.
Restaurants: These will probably be empty, but check anyway. There may be a few cans or bags of food that were overlooked. Anything that was in the freezer will be bad.
Retail Stores: These will probably be picked clean, too, but consider grabbing some non-electric entertainment such as books, cards, board games, sports equipment, etc.
Schools: There’s a lot to be found in schools such as tools, fire extinguishers, first aid kits, cleaning supplies, and possibly food in the cafeteria. If you have time and can get them open, you might want to check the lockers as well. There may be some snacks with a long shelf life in them.
Self-storage Facilities: If you have time to pry open all of them, it might be worth it. You probably won’t find any food or perishable items, but there’s a chance you’ll find some clothes, bicycles, or useful gear and equipment.
Why Bug-In
Ten Reasons Why
You Don’t Want to Bug Out, By Pat Henry, http://www.theprepperjournal.com
When
bugging out you are exposed and more vulnerable. Being a refugee places you in
greater danger so hunkering down, no matter where, is probably preferable. I
repeat, unless you or someone in your group has serious health issues, avoid
seeking refuge in a government-run shelter.
Most
people feel safer in familiar surroundings and know the layout of their home.
Knowing the quickest way through the house gives you an advantage of being able
to get to a weapon before the intruder gets to you. You also know escape routes
out of the home and nearby hiding places in case it is imminent that your
shelter is overcome. Just as importantly, your family will be familiar with all
this, too.
Knowing
the immediate area around your home and knowing what my neighbors look like, make
it easier to identify people who are new to the area. An armed stranger is more
of a threat than your armed next-door neighbor. Having a group of known people
come together in a crisis raises everyone’s chance of survival. There are more
eyes for security and more hands to do the work. Yes, there are more mouths to
feed but also more people to acquire what is needed. To minimize the need for
scavenging (very dangerous!), fill your food storage pantry with canned goods,
bulk foods, and non-GMO just-add-hot water meals.
When
you stop to think about it, you should be able to visualize the neighborhoods
close to your home. That knowledge will help locate resources and avoid
dangerous areas. Chances are good that the areas with a high crime level before
the disaster will be even more desperate afterward. In fact, you can count on
it.
There
is no way to pack all the items you will need, in a car or on your back, to
survive and still be as comfortable as in your home. Even if you focused solely
on food and water, there is still no way to carry what you need. If you bug in
at home, you have more resources to get by.
The
attic, basement, junk drawers, and garage have as a cache of vital stuff that
will come in handy. Organize the charging adapters, wire, rolls of duct tape,
tools, etc. The bottom line is you are more adaptable in your own home with all
your stuff in one place.
You
may not be a hardcore survivalist with a practiced plan of action for friends
and family, but you can be confident that the ones you love will come to your
house first when trying to find you. It is truly the most logical place to
start looking. If you must leave, leave a coded note only they will understand.
If you don’t know my neighbors or have a group to rely on, holding out for your
loved ones to find you may be the very best option.
Travel
Having
viable transportation will save lives, but it will make you vulnerable to theft
and violence. This is complicated by the fact that your vehicles and their
contents may be exposed, unprotected while at rest, and may not be operational
when needed. Any operating vehicle is an easy target for theft or confiscation
by the “authorities”, and when traveling the increased exposure to territorial
gangs and road warriors puts everyone in greater danger.
If
you or someone in the family is traveling when an EMP burst happens, returning
home is an unlikely possibility. You
could buy an Edsel … or not. Gasoline powered cars from the 60s and older will
survive an EMP event, because they don’t rely on computerized control systems.
Diesel powered vehicles up to about 1980s should survive, and modern military
vehicles and some public service vehicles may have been hardened against EMP
events, so check them.
Assess
and understand the risks of losing your vehicle. Those stranded far from home
without transportation may never see loved ones or home again; especially if they
must walk through miles of desert or other difficult terrain.
When
required, a quality bicycle may be a good option. They can be found in every
neighborhood and they are quiet and expendable. If someone wants it, give it
up! Don’t park it in plain sight or keep it near your shelter.
If
you must travel on foot, the quickest route may be to follow railroad tracks.
They tend to be less circuitous than the highways and roads and there will
probably be less traffic. Having an old fashioned folding map in your kit will
give you a clue about where the tracks lead. You might even be able to hop on a
slow-moving freight train, but don't count on it.
Road Tamp
Survival Lessons from a Road Tramp, By Patrick McCarthy, From Last Man Projects
Survival Lessons from a Road Tramp, By Patrick McCarthy, From Last Man Projects
When was the last time you grabbed your bug-out bag and set out on foot for an overnight trip? What about for a week, a month, or even longer? Most of us are prepared for the idea of short-term survival; 48 to 72 hours away from home. But during an actual emergency, you may be forced to remain on the road far beyond this time frame, so it’s important to consider how you’d face these long-term survival situations.
The bug out bag is a staple of any Prepper, and one of the first things people start with when beginning to prep. To many Preppers, it's the automatic fall back response to any hypothetical scenario. Pandemic? Bug out. Economic collapse? Bug out. Flying Spaghetti Monster? You better believe bug out. My inevitable follow up question is "Bug out to where?" Usually the response is a vague, indefinite "off in the woods somewhere away from people until things get better".
If you've got a secret bunker out there and don't want to share where, that's fine, but I'm guessing with the high cost of a second BOL most people are just heading out into the sunset. The hard truth is that most preparedness minded people have little to no first-hand experience living long term out of a bag. But there are people out there that do it every day, either by choice or circumstances, and they are a valuable resource for information.
A man named Charles has made a permanent lifestyle of surviving on the road. He’s a modern-day vagrant with tips on how to prepare for long-term survival situations. Charles, considers himself a road tramp, defining himself as “a long-term homeless person who travels from place to place as a vagrant, traditionally walking all year round.” This may sound strange to those of us who’ve settled down, but by opting into this lifestyle, Charles has some interesting insights for survival-minded individuals.
Charles has spent the last 8 years of his life living out of a backpack. For him, being a Road Tramp is lifestyle choice; and every day is about adapting and improvising to survive to the next. Here's a few tips and lessons Charles has about living his way of life:
Stay out of shelters and homeless camps. Charles camps nearly every night, convinced that on his own and with his dog Roxy, he and his gear are safer.
Leave room in your pack. Stuffing your pack full is a rookie mistake. You never know when you might come across extra canned goods or water. You need room to carry what you're fortunate to find.
Always keep your gear with you. Stashing it somewhere risks losing everything.
Charles and Roxy together use a gallon of water a day, and she gets most of that. Wash days use up about 3 gallons when he has it, and that is usually twice monthly.
Take care of your feet and change your socks often. Charles carries 2 changes of clothes but lots of socks and underwear.
Tarps are quicker, lighter, and easier than tents, and he considers his sleeping bag his most valuable item. He used to carry a short shovel, but doesn't anymore saying it wasn't worth the weight.
Out of sight is out of mind. He camps in remote or out of the way places, uses natural material to camouflage his camp, and usually eats things from a can cold to avoid having a fire.
Carry a light first aid kit to handle most normal wear and tear. His kit is good for anything just short of stitches.
Carry bug spray to keep away the mosquitoes, and don't camp near cedar trees because they harbor more ticks than normal.
Keep at least 5 lighters and a few legal sized knives on you and your gear always. Keeping them in different places lowers the chance you'll ever lose all of them at once.
Charles has a basic phone for emergencies, but doesn't trust it beyond that. Keep a small radio with you for local weather and news.
Stock up when you can, and eat as much food as you can when you can get it; But save back a few non-perishables to make it through the rough times.
Get a good pack. He's had packs that lasted him only a year, with the longest lasting pack making it 3 years.
Dogs are great and are your first line of security. He figures that over 50% of people like him have dogs and they are a reflection of their owner. Get the dog fixed, get it the required shots, and take care of the dog before you take care of yourself. Charles got Roxy 2 years ago; she's walked across the country with him, warned him of coyotes and warned off intruders. She's well trained, healthy, and very social.
Toilet paper is nearly impossible to keep dry, even the moisture from the air will start to soggy it up. Grab napkins wherever you can and use them.
Know your transient community and how it breaks down: Folks like Charles that walk or hitchhike from place to place are "Road Tramps". Folks that live out of their car and move from exit to exit are "Rubber Tramps". "Check Tramps" are folks that collect a check every month from the VA or SSI but still chose to live the life. "Rail Riders" are exactly that, folks that still use the trains to move around. Charles said they are a "different breed".
EMP Protection
Experts
agree (mostly) that an EMP event would be the absolute worst-case scenario.
While an Electro-Magnetic Pulse will destroy most electronic equipment, and
take out the power grid, you can ensure that you have functioning equipment. No
electronic devices stored outside a Faraday cage will survive this event, but protecting
your electronic gear isn’t difficult.
No
one knows if or when either a CME or EMP will happen, and if it does what the
intensity will be. Whatever you want to protect must be stored in a Faraday
container, and whatever you pack will be safest if it remains there.
If
or when an EMP or CME occurs, there is no going back for a “re-do”. Whatever
works, works, and whatever doesn’t, doesn’t. Repairs are unlikely.
Should
an EMP attack ever happen, don’t rush to open your Faraday cage and start
pulling out your gear. There may by one EMP event followed days or even weeks
later by another EMP event. This delay will ensure that as much is destroyed as
possible.
Consider
having two sets of gear in separate Faraday cages. The first one would be small
and only have a few items, like an AM/FM/Shortwave radio and a couple
walkie-talkies. The second one would be larger and contain all your main gear.
Only to be opened after a reasonable amount of time, or when the equipment
inside is needed.
Pack
small Faraday containers into larger Faraday containers. If you are using a
Tech Protect Bag, store it inside a larger Tech Protect Bag, an ammo can, or
another (hopefully) EMP-safe container.
If
you have emergency kits that contain electronic items, package them in an
EMP-proof box or bag, so you’ll have your most important survival items
protected when you may need them most.
You
should think about small electronics without which your life would be more
difficult. Here are just a few examples: Hearing aids; Pacemakers; Solar
powered radios; Two-way communication stations; Cell phones; Laptop computers; Tablet
computers; LED flashlights; Battery chargers; Rechargeable and standard
batteries; USB battery chargers and solar batteries; External hard disks with
files backed up from your computer; Memory cards with pictures and copies of
documents you want to keep safe; Radiation detectors.
Faraday Cage
How to Make a
Faraday Cage,
By The Survival Mom, http://thesurvivalmom.com
Store
your electronics in an electrical conductive enclosure that routes the Electro-Magnetic
Pulse around the outside while shielding what’s inside. The enclosure can have
any shape you like: spherical, triangular, oddly shaped, or rectangular.
A
Faraday Cage is built using multiple layers of material that conduct
electricity, separated by multiple layers of material that don’t conduct
electricity. You can use metal containers like cookie tins, galvanized or
aluminum garbage cans, and steel contractor’s boxes.
A
Faraday Cage can have holes in its walls which is why aluminum mesh can work as
the outer or inner layer of the container. However, you must pay extra
attention to the door because there will be leakage. The door area of a mesh
layer will need extra isolation for the cage to work.
Grounding
the container is not required for it to function as a Faraday Cage, but it is a
strong recommendation. In case something goes wrong the container might become
electrified and electrocute anyone touching it. If it’s grounded, you add an
extra layer of security.
Use
a moisture absorbent material to create a safe and moisture free environment
for the devices inside the cage. They won’t do you any good if they survive an
EMP but they are broken because of the excessive humidity. Desiccant packs of
50g should be enough.
Prepare
everything you want to protect by wrapping it in 3 layers of heavy duty
aluminum foil. You can wrap the device in a piece of cloth before putting on
the foil if it has sharp corners, or put the unwrapped device in a small box.
Then wrap the box in 3 layers of heavy duty aluminum foil.
Prepare
a small Faraday Cage by lining the inside of a small metal trash can, or a
small metal box with a lid. Use a layer of heavy card board or foam to
electrically insulate the bottom and inside walls. The items inside can’t touch
the container, or each other.
Place
the smaller items into the small Faraday Cage. Be sure to separate the items
wrapped in aluminum foil from each other, both horizontally and vertically,
using cloth or card board. The aluminum foil on one item should never touch the
aluminum foil on another item. Once the
small Faraday Cage is full add a final layer of card board at the top and place
the lid on tightly. Seal it with aluminum tape.
Prepare
a large Faraday Cage by lining the inside of a large metal trash can, or a
contractor’s box. Use a layer of heavy card board or foam to electrically
insulate the bottom and inside walls. The items inside can’t touch the
container, or each other.
Place
the small Faraday Cages into the larger Faraday Cage. Be sure to separate the small
Faraday Cages from each other, both horizontally and vertically, using cloth or
card board. The metal on one container should never touch the metal on another
item. Once the large Faraday Cage is
full, add a final layer of card board at the top and close the lid tightly.
Seal it with aluminum tape.
One
suggestion is to put each of your Faraday Cages into an industrial sized metal
container, like the ones you see on tractor trailer rigs, rail road cars, and
shipping ports. Another suggestion is to put them in a public storage facility
built using steel walls and roofs. It’s also possible to turn a closet in the
home or garage into a Faraday Cage.
Wealth
Preservation
I'll
admit that I haven't been considering any short-term scenarios but have been
"assuming" that whatever happens lasts beyond my life span.
Nevertheless, for planning purposes I should consider some form of sustainable
purchasing power. In the past, the rich have preserved their wealth in precious
metals, art, and real estate.
Many
people recommend purchasing gold or silver coins for trading in a survival
scenario. I remain unconvinced and would suggest that it would probably be best
if you just remember to keep your jewelry handy.
Gold
and silver are easy to stash but not easy to transport. You should assume that
the value of both would be seriously below your original investment. They may
hold their value better than something else, but there would be a discount.
Gold
and silver shavings can be stored in plastic vials, available in one ounce
capacities, but trying to purchase something with gold or silver shavings is
not very subtle. Likewise, showing up with collectable coins more than once or
twice significantly increases your risk.
Jewelry
is also easy to stash and easier to transport, but you would need a lot of valuable
stuff. Once again, showing up with gold chains or cut stones more than once or
twice significantly increases your risk.
I'm
not in favor of fine art which would be difficult to stash, difficult to
protect from the elements, and difficult to transport. It would also require
verifiable paper work or "the authorities" will confiscate it from
you long before anyone is thinking about recovery, while claiming you stole it
from someone else. Even with paper work, if someone else wants it, you'll be at
risk.
Land
is better, and although it can’t be carried off it too will be difficult to
hold on to. As the California gold rush attracted people from the east and
mid-west, the US government moved to validate all the Spanish land grants in
California. The authorities did so because US citizens had been
“purchasing" pieces of the original land grants and the US didn't want
those sales nullified. Much of the land from the original Spanish land grants
had been stolen (and sold) by con artists with forged paper work, and/or the
original recipients were forced to sell off portions to pay the legal fees
related to defending their own grants.
Barter
My
initial thought is that I should invest in something easy to stash and good for
barter, that can also be used after things return too normal, and it’s probably
best to ignore things I won’t use personally. I should focus on things that can
sit on shelves for years and things that don’t require extra packaging. Common
items like batteries, and knife sharpeners, clip-on book and cap lights, and of
course ammunition. A large suitcase full of Bic lighters or bar soap are also
examples of useable items with value.
Solar
panels, stored in makeshift Faraday cages which are in-turn are stored in a
steal storage unit, would be usable during troubled times and they would be
good for barter. You can trade them out-right or use them to charge devices for
others as a service, and they would have plenty of value later.
Rat
traps have a ton of uses, but number one is their actual pest-control job. Rat
traps can also be used as squirrel and songbird traps for feeding families and
pets, protecting gardens from small raiders, and can be combined with fishing
line and various magnetic strip alarms or things like chem-lights to create
visual and audio alerts for home and property alarms. They can also be rigged
with bells on a line to alert me when something has tripped the wire.
Baking
soda has about a million uses outside baking, and about a million more uses
outside the kitchen. Epsom Salts, like baking soda, is another no-arguments
must-have product with fifty million uses for human health and hygiene,
cleaning, livestock, and gardens. Both have long expirations and easily extend
beyond their best-by dates even at room temperature and with fluctuations from
60 to 80 degrees. They’re sensitive to moisture in their smallest packaging
forms, but it’s easy to get several in a gallon bag to keep in buckets and pull
out as needed.
Canning
jars are difficult to find in stores these days. In most cases, a store
probably has fewer jars than a single family would need to can only a veggie
supplement for 6-9 months, and sometimes even fewer spare lids. That puts
canning jars and lids on the stock-up list, both for home use and to trade with
neighbors and locals.
It’s
also a good idea to stock up on candles, an air-gun or two with pellets, and
other lightweight items that people will be interested in taking off your hands
after few days, a few weeks, a few months, and maybe even a few years into a
disaster.
Here
is a list of dirt-cheap items that will be priceless after everything falls
apart: Toilet paper, hand sanitizer, soap, lighters, duct tape, glow sticks,
Kleenex, vitamins, aluminum foil, cigarettes, cheap wine, bandages, ammunition
in common calibers, infant formula, condiments, spices, candy, lotion, chap
stick, Ziploc bags, medications, sunscreen, flour, sugar, feminine products,
seeds, matches, pens, pencils and paper, condoms, baking soda, ponchos, cotton
balls, zip ties, salt, candles, shoe strings, activated charcoal, toothbrushes
and toothpaste, fishing line, towels, sewing supplies, water purification
tablets, and instant coffee.
Multi-Use Items
Multi-Use Items, By Unknown,
Source Unknown
Here
is a list of household items that have many uses. This is by no means an
exhaustive list of all their benefits.
Baking Soda: Toothpaste,
deodorant, cleanser, deodorizer, treat insect bites, relieve skin irritation,
antacid, air freshener, and control insects.
White Vinegar: Cleanser,
deodorizer, sanitizer, disinfectant, eliminate insects, soothe sore throats,
and kills germs.
Unscented
Household Bleach: Disinfect
water, kills viruses and germs, cleans mold and mildew, general cleaning and
sanitation.
Hydrogen Peroxide:
Topical
antiseptic, all-purpose cleaner, deodorant, mouth rinse, treat toothaches,
fruit and vegetable wash.
Honey: Calorie-dense
super energy food, sweetener, wound and burn care, antiseptic, relieves sore
throats and coughs.
Organic Virgin
Coconut Oil: Toothpaste,
deodorant, cooking, and moisturizer.
Salt: Food preservation,
cooking, teeth cleaner, deodorizer, treats insect bites, and soothe sore
throats.
Isopropyl
(Rubbing) Alcohol: Degreaser,
cleanser, disinfectant, and air freshener.
Olive Oil: Calorie-dense
food, moisturizer, shaving oil, lubricant, or just use it to cook a meal.
Petroleum Jelly: Moisturizer, skin
and lip protectant, and treat burns.
Baby Oil: Shaving gel, ear
cleaner, lubricant, and massage oil
Dental Floss: It is light and
very strong, and can be twisted to make 2-ply line which is good for light
weight tying needs.
No comments:
Post a Comment