Monthly Archives: November 2013

November 11th, 2013
post by policysup | | 0

“It’s Like The End of The World… People Are Walking Like Zombies Looking for Food”

Destitution, death, looting, mob rule, and a complete breakdown of law & order. That’s what’s happening in the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines, and it’s yet another stark example of what any post-disaster environment will look like, whether it’s in a third world nation or the United States of America.

Video: Desperate survivors seek food

When it hits the fan, expect the fall out to happen within hours…

Excerpts via Zero Hedge / Alt Market:

“People are walking like zombies looking for food,” said Jenny Chu, a medical student in Leyte. “It’s like a movie.” As rescue workers struggled to reach ravaged villages along the coast, where the death toll is as yet unknown, survivors foraged for food or searched for lost loved ones.

…

Looters rampaged through several stores in Tacloban, witnesses said, taking whatever they could find as rescuers’ efforts to deliver food and water were hampered by severed roads and communications. A TV station said ATM machines were broken open.

Mobs attacked trucks loaded with food, tents and water on Tanauan bridge in Leyte, said Philippine Red Cross chairman Richard Gordon. “These are mobsters operating out of there.”

President Benigno Aquino said the government had deployed 300 soldiers and police to restore order and that he was considering introducing martial law or a state of emergency in Tacloban to ensure security. “Tonight, a column of armored vehicles will be arriving in Tacloban to show the government’s resolve and to stop this looting,” he said.

Aquino has shown exasperation at conflicting reports on damage and deaths and one TV network quoted him as telling the head of the disaster agency that he was running out of patience.

“How can you beat that typhoon?” said defense chief Voltaire Gazmin, when asked whether the government had been ill-prepared. “It’s the strongest on Earth. We’ve done everything we can, we had lots of preparation. It’s a lesson for us.”

…

“It’s like the end of the world.”

The situation unfolding in the Philippines brings to light the question: How do you prepare for something like this?

There are certain disasters for which your home-based stockpiles just won’t work – massive weather events, earthquakes, flooding, war or any emergency that would leave your primary shelter destroyed.

In fact, the only fool-proof way to prepare for such scenarios is to have secondary preparedness stockpiles… and to get out of town before the event happens provided you’re aware that it’s on the way.

Moreover, you need to have a post-disaster escape plan, because some things simply can’t be predicted.

For those with the ability to do so, it’s imperative that you communicate with like-minded family and friends about setting up emergency evacuation plans.

Another option for those without a place to go, consider diversifying some of your preparedness supplies – even if it’s just 7 to 14 days worth – at offsite locations that may include storage facilities or hidden caches. The key is to have your supplies within walking distance, so that you can get to them within 24 hours of a disaster, and plan on not being able to use your primary vehicle to get out of town because the roads could be cluttered with debris or overrun with other people trying to get out of Dodge.

Typhoon Haiyan , Hurricane Katrina, the 2010 Chilean earthquake, and any number of other recent disasters prove that we can’t prepare for everything. But we can at least attempt to mitigate the fall-out with a well thought out preparedness plan.

 

Start now to make sure you are staying prepared.

 

Via: shtfplan

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November 10th, 2013
post by policysup | | 0

Pocket Survival Kit Contest – Entry #18



This PSK really is an “emergency only” kit.  It contains what I consider to be the essentials that I probably won’t be able to find in suburban trash cans, but need to survive the alien/zombie apocalypse long enough to get home.  If I were to try and create a kit for all of the everyday “emergencies” we encounter, I would be carrying something like this.

Contents (in no particular order)

Morris code mini chart, and our family’s secret communication code on the back.
Illustrated knots because I need visual reference.
8 yards of monofilament to be used as a trip wire, or for catching fish.
A twist tie to hold small things together.
Assorted safety pins to make into fish hooks, or pin scrap fabric together to make shelter, or fix any unsightly holes you may acquire from running away.
Matches and a strike pad to start fires.
2 band aids
2 alcohol wipes
Needle and thread
Mini Swiss army knife with blade, scissors, tweezers, toothpick, nail file, and flat head screwdriver.  I have had this since high school.  I added the eyeglass screwdriver a while back.  This is the only thing I have ever needed to pull out and use so far.
Water purifying tables – just enough to get you home or anouther verified clean water source.
A plastic bag.  
Mini led flashlight to “be a light in dark places when all other light goes out”.  (I’m also a bit of a nerd)
A tampon.  Gentlemen, you have no idea what it’s like to need one of these and not have one.  However, they also make fantastic, super-absorbent, ultra compact, economical wound dressings.  Or fire starting tinder.
Small metallic signaling disks.
A piece of gum.  It calms me to chew on something.
2 razor blades.  I find myself constantly looking for and using single sided razor blades around the house, so I know they’re useful here.

3 heavy rubber bands are wrapped around the outside. These help it from popping open if it’s dropped, and they’re also incredibly useful.

 

Start now to make sure you are staying prepared.

 

Via: teotwawkiblog

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November 9th, 2013
post by policysup | | 0

Pocket Survival Kit contest – Entry #6

This one fits into the inside pocket of the  pouch I always  have on my belt, along with  an LED flashlight, A Gerber multitool, a stainless Kobalt-brand ‘snap-off’ utility knife, a plastic spork, a disposable butane lighter, some bank-line and a non-climbing-rated snap-link.  This goes with me everywhere –   to work-meetings in a suit, to the grocery store, camping/fishing/hunting.
I never leave home with it (and the stuff in my wallet,  and on my keychain, my folding knife (a Spyderco Resilience ) and my phone).

This isn’t intended as a Bug-Out  or TEOTWAKI kit, but rather, for having the  supplies at hand for dealing with everyday annoyances and emergencies.

 An Altoids tin, with 2 layers of duck tape on top, bottom and side, both as extra tape,  and to prevent accidental top-disconnection. Held shut with a covered hair rubber band (yes, I’m an old computer-guy with long hair) and 2 wide ‘broccoli-bunch’ rubber bands.

Contents:

2 8″ cable ties
approx. 10′ braided mason twine, in a ‘survival bracelet’ braid to save space
1 small graphite pencil, wrapped with about 2 feet of duck tape and 2-3 feet of PVC tape
approx. 18″ annealed copper wire, coiled  (instant hose clamp, if nothing else)
1 P-38 can opener, with another 8′ or so of braided mason twine braid attached
1 #11 X-Acto knife blade, sheathed with PVC tape
1 #10 sterile scalpel blade (sealed in package)
2 adhesive first aid strip bandages
2 adhesive butterly bandages
1 packet “Celox” blood coagulant (supposedly safer than QuikClot)
1 unlubed condom  (water container or pressure wrapper or first aid safety barrier)
small zip-bag with 2 aspirin, 2 ibuprofen, 1 “pink stomach distress” tablet
3 sealed allergy decongestant tablets (I have respiratory allergies)
1 fairly-large sewing needle, wrapped with approx 12″ waxed dental floss
assorted large and small steel paperclips (thin stiff wire has a lot of uses)
5 safety pins  (ever rip your pants?)
1 fine “eyeglasses” screwdriver (from a Dollar Store eyeglass repair kit)
small zip bag of eyeglass screws (from a Dollar Store eyeglass repair kit)
1 small plastic magnifying lens, cut down (from a Dollar Store eyeglass repair kit)
1 1″ stainless ‘chain-repair-connector’ link (threaded type)
1 alcohol prep-swab
1 packet “WetFire” brand dry tinder
1 packet “Pork Flavor” instant broth (from a Maruchan brand Ramen package – my fave)

 belt pouch.

 Never had to use the Celox coagulant yet (and hope I never will). The tinder has so far only been used to help inexperienced campers, or bad backyard cooks. Everything else has been used (and replaced, if needed) over the past few years, at least once.  I have had laughter about “Is that a man-purse on your belt?”, which tended to stop when something in it saved THEIR bacon.

Things I am still trying to cram in successfully:

1) monofilament or braided ‘spiderwire’ fishing line, sinkers, hooks, at least 1 prepared lure
2) at least 1 wood spring clothespin (dry a sock, hang a note, split for dry kindling, a steel spring)
3) a larger sterile gauze dressing
4) an ‘extra’ firesteel (1 on keychain)
5) “extra-extra”  house and car keys (1 set in wallet)
6) COFFEE!!
7) a waterproof sealing method
8) I have some thin ‘bungee’ shock cord from a broken tent-pole. I may replace
one of the rubber bands.

Not my only kit, but it gets a lot of use, at least once a week, because it is always ‘right there’.

 

Start now to make sure you are staying prepared.

 

Via: teotwawkiblog

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November 8th, 2013
post by policysup | | 0

Pocket Survival Kit contest – Entry #11

For those that live in or near a big city, it is much more likely to get lost in town than lost in the woods.

My EDC pocket carry reflects this. It’s more about keeping me and mine in functional repair than spending the night in the woods.

I’ve recently ‘retired’ an Altoids tin in favor of an eclipse mints tin. It’s 2/3rds the size of the Altoids tin, harder to pack stuff into, but seems more durable. I’ve only had to re-attach the lid once. The eclipse tin seems to be holding up much better after 6 months in my pocket. The Altoids tin has been in my pocket for close to a year – they can get pretty banged up!

 



I will list the items in their packing order starting without outside the tin.

1) The tin can be emptied and used to make charcloth or to cook a morsel in. This is a 3 piece tin, so it wouldn’t hold water for purification.
2) Some 14 gauge wire is wrapped around the tin. It’s too heavy for things like snaring, but it’s great for holding things together. Having grown up in farm country, bailing wire is the go-to repair item before duct tape!

3) A nitrile glove is folded up with the fingers wrapped inside and then wrapped up with the tin. This is for medical needs or water carrying.

4) Bicycle Tube. A large section of tube is wrapping all the above up to protect and to keep the tin quiet against my keys. A small section is used to keep the lid closed if it pops open so I don’t tear it off again. These can be cut as needed, when needed.

 


 

Now what goes into the tin.

5) Gauze pad for medical needs or fire starting.

6) Alcohol wipe to sterilize a wound that would need the gauze pad. FYI If you light one on fire and place it flat on a surface, it will promptly go out.

7) Band Aids. I’ve a 2 year old – what can I say?  All these wrappers burn pretty well – even the foil lined one for the alcohol pads.

8) About 3 feet of wide heavy duty foil. Cooking, water purification, lousy signalling, big enough to even be used as a kitchen sink!

9) I don’t know how many times I’ve wished I’ve had earplugs. I keep forgetting that I do!

10) Puddle of hot glue cut into a square. Shave of a bit and melt it with a lighter. No leaks or drying out like other types of glue. I’ve used this one a good amount!

11) Sewing kit with a curved upholstery needle added and a couple of small fishing eyelets. I figure that the curved needle will allow me to sew stuff while still wearing it. As you can see, the kit’s been well used.

12) 4GB & 512GB micro-SD cards with large adapter and USB adapter. The 4GB has a bunch of books and such for reference on my Android Phone and can be wiped if I need to move files around. The smaller card has encrypted personal files and documentation on it.

13) A water activated Rayon Towel tab. Ford Prefect’s advice is to always know where your towel is. It’s also handy to clean up 2 year old kids & wounds.

14) Square Credit Card Reader – the original reason I started to carry a tin, to protect this! It’s a reader that plugs into your phone and allows you to accept credit card payments.

 

If taken by itself, the ‘kit’ seems a bit lacking in utility. But when combined with the rest of my pants pocket EDC, it’s a good catch-all for bits that would otherwise get lost or damaged in my pockets or poke me in the leg!

 


 

I carry a 6 foot length of 550 cord in my back left pocket with a bandanna and a micro-cloth that has a map of Chicago printed on it. These have their obvious multitude of uses, and I find that I sit better in my trucklet with both back pockets having stuff in them.

 

My tin kit goes into my front left pocket along with a USB charging cable for my phone, a Swiss Army Cybertool, assorted keys, key-chain pill box with Advil and Tylenol, whistle and a plastic adjustable wrench. I have a 3d printer, and being able to show people what it can make distracts them from what else I have in my pockets. Also, my 2 year old thinks it’s a fun toy and is good for 15 minutes of quiet distraction.

 

Back right pocket has my wallet with a few ‘extra’ items in it. Fishing hooks and a card wrapped with heavy braided fishing line with some monofilament tucked inside. A Fresnel lens. A couple of bobby pins tucked into the folds of the wallet and 1 Red Paperclip. For those unfamiliar – A guy traded 1 Red Paperclip up to a house over the course of a couple of dozen trades in a year – I carry one as tangible reminder that just about anything is possible if you try.

 

Front right pocket holds change, such as a Susan B and Eisenhower dollar and a half dollar. I have a heavy, metal, ball point pen which can be used like a kubotan. A sharpie with Gorilla brand duct tape around the handle which distinguishes it by touch from the pen. I have a diamond sharpening stick with floral wire wrapped around it – again for the tactile distinction from the pen, to keep my blades keen, and so I have a good amount of fine wire with me for repairs or snares or whatnot. My lighter has more duct tape on it (never seem to have enough!). I also have a SPF 15 lip balm with athletic tape around it which can be used for fires, sun protection on ears, nose, etc.

 

I carry an original Leatherman Wave which I love for it’s one handed operable knife blades that can be identified by touch.

I also carry an Android smartphone with a lot of assorted software on it, but a very handy one is the ability to turn on the flash as a light from the lock-screen without looking at the phone.

Both the above have hair-bands that I ‘borrowed’ from my wife wrapped around the belt loops. Handy things, rubber bands.

 

I usually carry a single battery LED flash light, but I can’t seem to get one that lasts for more than 6 months for me. Flashlights in dark buildings are very handy!

 

All of this stuff gives me the ability to fix what I have with me and modify the plentiful scrounged materials (trash) my environment provides to suit my needs.

 

Start now to make sure you are staying prepared.

 

Via: teotwawkiblog

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November 7th, 2013
post by policysup | | 0

You and I would go to jail for this

Last week, the US Treasury Department released a statement amid great fanfare and triumph, that the federal budget deficit for fiscal year 2013 was ‘only’ $680 billion.

Yes, the sad state of affairs today is that a deficit of ‘only’ $680 billion is actually considered good news.

Now, I’ve spent a lot of time over the last week diving into the numbers to figure out the real story. And frankly I’m amazed that what I found hasn’t made front page news.

For starters, the big reason for this supposed drop in the deficit had nothing to do with fiscal restraint.

In fact, government spending barely budged. And if it weren’t for months of ‘sequestration’, government spending would have soared as usual to yet another record high.

The real story here is government tax revenue, which grew about 13%. This is a pretty solid jump, and it’s what all the major news outlets have focused on.

But this figure is actually quite misleading.

As an example, revenue for excise tax (which is a decent measure of the economy’s core production) grew by a much smaller figure– only 6%.

The biggest percentage jump in tax revenue came from something that the government isn’t even supposed to count: payroll tax.

Technically considered “off-budget employment and general retirement receipts”, this is the tax that is supposed to go directly to the Social Security Trust Fund.

You have a job. You pay into the Social Security system. That money remains in the Trust Fund, managed by conservative financial stewards. And in the future, your contributions are going to be there for you in the form of monthly benefits.

At least, that’s how it’s supposed to work.

But what really happens is the government just steals this money and uses it for whatever purpose they want.

In Fiscal Year 2013 that just ended on September 30th, the federal government stole a record $673 billion. This is nearly 20% higher than what they stole last year, which was itself one of the biggest amounts they had ever stolen in history.

This kind of fraudulent accounting is worse than Bernie Madoff or Ken Lay. You and I would go to jail for this. The President gets to take a victory lap.

Now, if you don’t count this ‘off balance sheet’ tax revenue, the situation changes dramatically. ‘On-budget’ tax revenue for 2013 is just $2.1 trillion.

With this calculation in hand, I then examined government spending.

Remember, the US government categorizes its spending into ‘mandatory’ and ‘discretionary’.

Mandatory spending includes all the things they are required by LAW to spend. It goes out the door automatically without Congress ever having to write a check, just like your mortgage:

Social Security: $870 billion
Medicare / Medicaid: $856 billion
Gross interest on the national debt: $415 billion
Food stamps (SNAP): $101 billion
Mandatory tax credits: $79 billion
Veteran benefit programs: $78 billion
Federal employee retirement: $77 billion
Unemployment insurance: $72 billion

This list is incomplete… there are literally dozens of other mandatory spending programs. But so far the total is $2.54 TRILLION.

So once again, if you don’t include the record theft of your Social Security contributions, the government was in the hole $448 BILLION.

This was before they were able to spend a penny on anything that we think of as government… including the military, Homeland Security, or the gas bill for Air Force One.

This is not a political problem. It’s an arithmetic problem. And it should be as plain as day that the party is over. The music is going to stop and millions of people are going to be left without a chair. Are you going to be one of them?

 

Start now to make sure you are staying prepared.

 

Via: SovereignMan

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November 6th, 2013
post by policysup | | 0

9 Things every person / prepper should know about Obamacare

You haven’t been living under a rock, so I’m certain you’ve been catching the news about the debacle of Obamacare, now in full swing. From millions of cancelled insurance policies to a $600 million website that is virtually non-functional, to stories of doctors leaving the field, the future of our health care and health insurance looks pretty ugly.

Preppers like to be prepared for just about anything, so here are 9 things you should know about this brave new world of Obamacare:

1.  Your disposable income is going to decrease. This new (un)Affordable Care Act carries with it a price tag in the hundreds of billions of dollars and some expect it to quickly exceed a trillion. This will be paid for with new taxes by a government desperate to stay afloat.

If you’re one of the lucky few who is able to get a truly affordable policy, don’t get complacent. You’ll be paying additional money for that monthly premium with higher taxes yourself.

2.  It’s never been more important to carefully watch how every dollar is being spent and watch for discounts whenever you can. With increased taxes and increased costs of medical/health care, preparedness is still important, but the new challenge is to find money for those preps!

Millions of Americans have already cut back on expenses, are stunned at the price tag of their insurance policies, and are barely managing to pay for life’s necessities.

If you have a copy of my book handy, I wrote an entire chapter, Chapter 9 “Survival Finances”, about taking proactive steps to either spend less or make more. Preferably, you can find a way to do both and have the money that you need to prepare.

3.  Increase your medical/health care knowledge and skill base, ASAP! To get started, take a First Aid and CPR class. Extend that knowledge by signing up for EMT classes at a community college and taking advanced classes with American Red Cross. REI sometimes offers Wilderness First Aid. There are lots of resources out there, including tons of YouTube videos on topics related to first aid and medical education.

Additionally, beef up your medical supplies. Learn about using fish antibiotics for human ailments. (Hint: Fish antibiotics are exactly the same as those your doctor prescribes!) Grow a medicinal herb garden, learn about using essential oils for healthcare, buy a book of home remedies.

Just as important, though, is knowing when you MUST seek professional medical help. Even as I give this advice, I worry about well-meaning individuals who are afraid to go to the ER or Urgent Care because of the expense, and then end up with a life-threatening medical crisis.

4.  Personalize your medical knowledge according to the needs of you and your family. Don’t just stop with basic, generalized knowledge. If a loved one has allergies or any other special medical need, determine to become their medical first responder by researching their condition, medications, preventive steps, and signs that indicate when professional help is needed.

Stock up on medicines and supplies for those needs.

5.  Medical professionals are even more aware than you of the changes coming to their field. It’s been reported that tens of thousands of doctors are planning to get out of the profession entirely.

Within your circles of friends, family, and acquaintances, make a point to find out who is in the medical field and may be interested in a barter or all-cash arrangement for their services. There are doctors who now work on a cash basis only and do not accept insurance of any kind.

Be sure to look further than the traditional medical professions and seek out chiropractors, massage therapists, and others in alternative medicine. Sometimes where traditional medicine fails, an alternative approach succeeds.

6.  Preventive care!! If you’ve gotten lazy with the physical exercise, if you’re a regular at Chick-fil-A, now would be a good time to change those habits. Beef up your immune system, stock up on effective supplements.

Make optimal health your long-term goal and focus on it each day.

This is the one sure-fire way to limit the amount of money you’ll spend each year on health care and some insurance companies give discounts if you’re physically fit and are a non-smoker.

7.  Find doctors you respect and trust and establish a long-term professional relationship with them. They may be able to provide you with free pharmaceutical samples and discounts for their services if you do not have insurance and can pay with cash during your office visit.

8.  Stock up on over-the-counter meds. It wasn’t all that long ago that asthma patients were forced to buy more expensive inhalers because of a change mandated by the FDA.

At this point, nothing would surprise me when it comes to arbitrary regulations, so it sure wouldn’t hurt to have a supply of any OTC medications you regularly use.

9.  You lose valuable privacy as soon as you enter the new health insurance/health care system. Take that into very careful consideration before signing on.

Moving forward, make prep purchases with cash, in person if possible. Keep in mind that every time you fill out a form online, it’s recorded somewhere.

 

Start now to make sure you are staying prepared.

 

Via: thesurvivalmom

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November 5th, 2013
post by policysup | | 0

How to establish multiple safe houses in times of need

I saw a great article from the great site: http://thesurvivalmom.com that I wanted to share.

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A few years ago I had the opportunity to speak before a large group of first responders and emergency planners for the state of Arizona.

As I was leaving the conference room, a gentleman came up to me and began explaining to me the plans for evacuating Phoenix.

There are none.

Phoenix, like many American cities, is massive in size, both in population and geographically. Rather than trying to get everyone out of Phoenix, which would be impossible, the plan is to move one endangered neighborhood to a safer place within the city.

For example, if major flooding hit the southern part of the city, only those residents would need to be evacuated and they would be sent to shelters in other parts of the Phoenix area. If those evacuees have friends or relatives in safer areas, they have a “bug out location.” If not, they’ll be farmed out to any shelter that has room to house them.

Considering the size and scope of even a small evacuation, having plans to evacuate to multiple safe locations within your big city seems like the best possible option for those of us who haven’t yet bought the dream Bug Out Location.

Bug Out Locations are expensive and hard to come by

Many survivalists and preppers plan on bugging out when everything hits the fan or darn near close to it. However, most of these same people simply have nowhere to go.

A true Bug Out Location, as defined by survival experts, is just another name for A Second Home. If the average American could afford a second home, there would be no problem if/when a bug out becomes a necessity.

Instead, though, what if we took a lesson from the Phoenix emergency planner and rather than insisting that a Bug Out Location in the wilds of Montana or Idaho as the only option, establish a network of safe houses within easy walking or driving distances?

Here’s how this might work.

Assess the weaknesses of your home and area

Assess the most likely crises that might affect your neighborhood or city. How bad would conditions have to be before you would need to evacuate? Ask yourself:

  • How might this disaster affect the structure of our home? If the structure is no longer safe, evacuation becomes a necessity.
  • Will it cut off access to/from our home?
  • Might it generate looting and other forms of crime?
  • Do I live near an area that is likely to attract criminal activity?


image by nicola since 1972

Something else to consider is whether or not your home and neighborhood has been able to weather similar disasters in the past. If not, this might give you some direction on being better prepared. If so, are you just as prepared last time? What if this next big event is even worse?

Having criteria for evacuating is a really important first step. Often, people  second guess themselves over this decision and some end up making the fatal mistake of waiting too long.

The second step is to consider each possible event and determine how far you would have to go in order to be safe. This is a key consideration.

Take into consideration man-made disasters

Along with natural disasters, such as floods, earthquakes, tornadoes, and hurricanes, it’s important to consder man-made disasters. Which of the following are most likely in your area?

  • Riots, civil unrest — These bring with them arson, looting, random violence
  • Terrorist attack — What, specifically, might be targeted? A sports stadium? Military installation? A dam or water treatment plant?
  • Nuclear event
  • War
  • Chemical leak or explosion
  • Pandemic
  • Biological warfare
  • Economic collapse
  • Electro Magnetic Pulse or a long term power outage
  • Wildfires — Many are caused by arson or by careless campers.

How far would you have to evacuate to be safe from these events? That will give you an idea of where to start looking for a safe house.

Include personal disasters in your planning:

  • Job loss or reduction in hours
  • Sudden death of a loved one
  • Diagnosis of a serious illness
  • Debilitating injury
  • House fire
  • Bankruptcy
  • Home foreclosure


image by DRB62

Not all of these will necessitate leaving your home, but many will. For example, if a bankruptcy and home foreclosure is likely, sooner or later, you’ll need to find somewhere safe to live. If you start planning ahead, even if it’s a far-fetched scenario, you won’t be as panicked if it does become a reality.

In the case of a wildfire or a nuclear event, you’ll want to be on the road to safety as quickly as possible.

So where are those safe locations?

At this point, you’ll need a map in order to start listing multiple safe houses. These should be located far enough away so they are not be in the same type of immediate danger as your home. For example, if you live in an area that is susceptible to flooding, make sure you have a safe place to go that is out of the danger zone.

For each most-likely scenario, determine how far away is far enough to be safe and start your safe-house search there.

Possibilities:

  • The homes of family and close friends
  • Commercial buildings you own, have permission to access, or are owned by friends/family
  • Churches
  • Extended family, even those you may not know well
  • Contacts through any organizations you belong to
  • Timeshares — If you have any banked weeks, these could come in handy.
  • Hotels — Make sure they allow pets, if you have them.
  • Campgrounds

Keep a list handy of all these possible “safe houses”, along with phone numbers. Discuss your plans with any individuals involved and offer your home as a refuge should they be the ones having to flee.

Get prepped before you have to

I don’t know about you, but if beloved family members showed up at our doorstep in need of a safe place to stay, we’d make it happen. That’s what family is all about.

However, if the crisis dragged on, eventually we’d have to start thinking about the expense of providing room and board to these extra people. That’s not being selfish, just realistic.

You’ll be far more welcome at safe houses if you’ve, first, asked permission to stay there in case of a disaster, and second, if bring cash to help with expenses or you’ve stored food, medicines, bedding, and other survival supplies in the corner of a garage or spare room.

If a disaster gives notice of its imminent arrival, a hurricane, for example, you have time to make a trip to your safe house, deliver food, supplies, bedding, etc., just in case you have to make a run for it.

In other words, don’t plan on being a freeloader!

Survival has never been a “one size fits all” venture. It’s all about being flexible and thinking on your feet. Multiple safe locations will give you maximum flexibility when the going gets so rough that it’s time to get out of Dodge.

 

Start now to make sure you are staying prepared.

 

Via: thesurvivalmom.com

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November 4th, 2013
post by policysup | | 0

5 Easy To Carry Foods For Your 72-Hour Kit

Today is a guest post from Chett over at FoodInsurance.com.

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When something unexpected happens and your family needs to evacuate your home, either by car or on foot, a proper 72-hour kit can provide everything you need to sustain yourself for up to three days.  Many people tend to overburden their kits with food—forgetting that they are for survival, not gourmet dining.

Because 72-hour kits must be packaged in containers small enough to be carried, such as a backpack or plastic tote, it’s important to choose food that is both easy to carry and nourishing. Remember to include food items that you and your family will actually eat, and don’t underestimate the power of a few comfort foods to ease stress during what could be a difficult and traumatic time.

Here are five long-lasting, easy to carry foods essential to a lightweight 72-hour kit:

1. Beef jerky: Long-lasting and delicious, beef jerky is a survival kit staple. It has a long shelf life, doesn’t require cooking and is packed with flavor. As an added bonus, jerky contains high levels of protein and zinc. Jerky is also high in sodium, however, which can increase your thirst, so eat it sparingly.

2.  Canned foods:  Adding canned foods to your 72-hour emergency kit gives you a range of meal options, such as tuna, soup, stew, chili or pasta with sauce. Look for low sodium options with high nutritional value. Don’t forget to include a can opener. Some traditional canned foods are even available in vacuum-sealed pouches—so look for variations of tuna, stew and other ready to eat foods packaged this way for a lighter weight alternative.

3. Energy bars: Whether you invest in high-calorie survival bars or the basic granola bars, these can give you a burst of energy when you need it most. Choose those bars with higher protein and calorie content and put in a range of flavors for variety, such as coconut, peanut butter or banana nut. Make sure the bars are individually wrapped for maximum storage advantage.

4. Trail mix: Buy commercial trail mixes or make your own, but the best blends for survival kits mix dried fruits (such as raisins or cranberries), sweets (small chocolate chips or candy-coated chocolate) and nuts (such as almonds or peanuts). Trail mix provides you with several nutrients and lots of calories in a salty-sweet blend of crunchy goodness. Portion out homemade blends into doubled-up, zippered plastic sandwich bags for easy portability.

5. Drink mixes: Gain extra physical and psychological advantages with a range of drink mixes. Ideas include packets of hot chocolate mix, cider mix, instant tea, fruit drink mix, powdered milk and breakfast shake powders. You’ll need to stay hydrated in an emergency situation, and these mixes can entice you to keep on drinking, plus provide much-needed calories.

Cycle through your 72-hour kit every six months to check that your food items haven’t expired and replenish where necessary. When an emergency occurs, you’ll be glad you prepared your 72-hour kit with all the items you’ll need to survive and thrive during the next few days.

This guest post is written by Chett Wright of Food Insurance, a supplier of emergency food storage supplies. Get your own food storage plan together by visiting FoodInsurance.com.

 

Start now to make sure you are staying prepared.

 

Via: shtfblog

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November 3rd, 2013
post by policysup | | 0

How to make a # 10 can oven

This is a guest post by Blake Holliday.

In this as in every thing else I build, I strive to use or reuse what is around me. What with our economy in the toilet, everyone I know is trying to save every penny they can or at least that’s what they tell me.

Last winter I was really wanting some bread to go with some stew I’d fixed. It had snowed and we had several inches to a foot here in the foothills. I didn’t really want to get out and try to drive to town. Sitting and casting my eyes about my modest cabin I saw a # 10 can that had had beans in it. I can only warm myself for so long with beans……..

My primary source of heat and cooking in the winter is a Vogelzang box wood stove. I can make a mean stew or any thing fried on it.

Since it was empty, I sat for a while turning it over and decided I would try to make an oven from it. I trimmed about a 1/4 of an inch from the lid or top if you will. This is so the empty can, once inverted will set down over the lid which is the cooking plate. Thinking I would need a trivet I emptied a 7.5 ounce salmon can. I went on to make salmon patties, yum.


I covered the lid with aluminum foil, also I tried it without the foil, placed the salmon can (a tuna can works well also) placed a few tablespoons of water in the trivet (salmon can) set the lid on the trivet, placed the dough ball on the lid and placed the can inverted over the trivet-lid.


All that was set on the wood burner. I stoked up the fire awhile ahead of time, using what Jakey calls biscuit wood. Here we just call it small stove wood. The cabin got toasty warm and soon I had the wondrous smell of baking bread drifting around me. I watched, waited and kept the fire burning pretty hot and in about 15 minutes the first small loaf was done. I quickly greased the lid refilled the water and started another. This loaf took a bit shorter to bake as everything was quite hot. You may want a pair of gloves while removing the cover and cooking tray (lid)


I found that without water the bread with be a bit tougher. For the next 2-3 weeks I baked a wondrous variety of breads, mini pizzas, potatoes and more stuff in this simple little oven.


I’m not going to go into any recipe detail, ’cause everyone has different taste’s. To suffice to say that I used a basic bread recipe and experimented. The steam while baking makes a loaf that’s a cross between a muffin and a bagel I think.


Sour dough rolls came out really well in this also.

Now down to the nitty gritty. The cost for this was a big flat ZERO. The cans were on their way to the trash bin when the fortune of snow came. The savings are that I don’t have to buy any bread any more. Figuring the cost of a loaf of good bread starts at 3.50 and goes up, I know in a month or so I saved enough money to get a NEW 20 quart cast iron dutch oven that I use outside for large loves and other items. I expect that my monthly savings are on the order of 150 bucks a month.

Here is a tip, if you like flat breads and have 2 skillets the same size, set one on your stove and them turn and invert the other on top of the first one. Instant dutch Oven!!! I use this frequently for all my flat breads and small pizza’s.

Many people have been impress with both the # 10 oven and the inverted skillet oven. Some Mormons I know have said they would try them on their outings.

So there you have it, another money saving idea. I hope you find this useful to you,

Happy baking.

 

Start now to make sure you are staying prepared.

 

Via: thesurvivalistblog

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November 2nd, 2013
post by policysup | | 0

Thoughts on American Blackout

I had the opportunity recently to see the National Geographic Channel docudrama “American Blackout”.  In this program, the entire country is hit by a total blackout, putting Americans in the position of being off the grid for a period of time. This is apparently the result of the actions of Ukrainian cyber-terrorists. You, the viewer, follow a number of people who (inexplicably) have some of the longest lasting camcorder and cell phone batteries in existence.

I followed the program hashtag on twitter during the program and found that most folks found it scarey, but very few mentioned that it would change their way of thinking regarding disasters.  To those people, I would simply say that there are a lot of possible scenarios that involve man-made or natural calamities that no one is immune to.  Tornadoes, Hurricanes, floods, wildfires (all of which we’ve experienced somewhere in the country this year), earthquakes are just some of the natural events.  Economic Collapse, nuclear meltdowns, targeted electromagnetic pulses, civil unrest, and pandemics are just some of the man-made catastrophes. Sure, the likelihood of your experiencing any one disaster is rather small, but what is the chance that you will never experience, to some degree, sometime in your lifetime?  Your children’s lifetimes?

The victims portrayed in American blackout were mostly middle-class Americans whose DNA clearly didn’t contain the preparedness gene. These people, over a few days, went from being amused by the loss of power, to vaguely concerned, to rightfully terrified by the predicament they were in.  Government efforts to help were well-intentioned, but had little effect in relieving the misery. Soon, people were taking drastic measures to obtain food and water, with limited success.

I won’t pick apart the program’s flaws, because I appreciate that it may bring a few more people into the preparedness community.  But despite what the program portrays, I can assure you that it will be much worse. It just makes common sense to be ready for the uncertain future, and to be medically prepared.  You saw injured and sick people with almost no average citizen ready to deal with them. I think every one of the families they followed wound up having someone who needed some kind of medical help, and that help just wasn’t on the way.

The show also focused on a family that was well prepared for the End of the World as We Know It.  Despite all their supplies, however, they made one mistake: They didn’t put together a community of like-minded people that would help each other in a crisis.  As a result, they could only depend on their own little family to perform activities of daily survival and to provide for the common defense.  If you, the well-prepared citizen, haven’t thought of this yet, It’s time. The strain of doing what it takes to survive this type of disaster can’t be shouldered by one person, and probably shouldn’t be shouldered by one family.  An individual may survive, but it takes a community to thrive.

Some people feel that those that prepare for survival scenarios are not right in the head.  One of the definitions of the word “sane”, as a matter of fact, is “Conforming to the norm”.  It logically follows, therefore, that the people in American Blackout were sane.  But if being totally unready for disaster is “sane”, then put a straightjacket on me and lock me in the loony bin.  Just put some food, water, and medical supplies in there with me.

 

Start now to make sure you are staying prepared.

 

Via: doomandbloom.net

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