Tag Archive: 72 Hour Kits

July 9th, 2013
post by policysup | | 0

Prepare for a large-scale nuclear EMP attack over North-America

An EMP event on the USA would look like this:


(Map courtesy of RichardCYoung.com)

 



This is a guest post by Seamus Finn.

Hello fellow survivalists / preppers, this is Seamus Finn, writing to you from the beautiful, French-speaking province of Québec, Canada.

Some of you might already have considered the risks of a large-scale EMP attack over North-America. To the few of you who have not, this is but a small amount of information that might help you survive an EMP-related TEOTWAWKI. The author does not consider himself to be an expert about this matter, but would like to share his little bit of wisdom about what he sees as the most potential survival scenario to happen in the next few years, months maybe.

First of all, here are some frequently-asked questions about EMP attacks.

1: Would an EMP affect items that are unpowered at the moment of the pulse?

Answer : Yes, it would definitely ruin any unpowered, printed-circuit, technological item that remains unprotected at the very moment of TEOTWAWKI.

2: Would a homemade Faraday cage protect my equipment?

Answer: It depends. Most industrial/military Faraday cages rely on a self-sufficient, internal power-supply that would, too, remain unaffected by an EMP attack because it is self-protected inside the Faraday cage. Most homemade designs I have seen consist of a .50 caliber ammo box or an aluminum/steel trash bin that is linked to a car battery or some other non-reliable apparatus. The idea of making a survival Faraday cage is good, but the cage needs some specifics to be considered :

The size of each hole in the cage must be smaller than the wavelength of the pulse/excess charge.

The power supply of the cage must be DC and placed inside of it, because the 3 waves of particles that follow an EMP attack can last from 2 to several minutes, so it’s very likely that a power-supply located outside the cage would only protect the content for about 5 nanoseconds.

It needs not be grounded. Actually, it is better not be.

Partial Faraday Cages (such as a microwave oven or a car) MAY protect items that are inside.

Since it is impossible to really test a Faraday cage, don’t rely on it too much.

3: How likely is it that a rogue country would detonate a nuclear device above North America?

Answer : Well, if I was a psychopathic, red-button-owning, aggressive dictator, I definitely would. Most countries do NOT have sufficient nuclear power to set ablaze large countries such as the United-States or Canada. The best and most reliable way to ruin these countries, considering they completely depend on electricity, would be to launch a 1MT nuclear warhead in space above North-America (see graph), rather than destroy MAYBE 0.1% of their industrial capacities with above-ground-detonations like in Hiroshima.

So here comes the main topic. I know very few survivalists who would completely refute the risk of such an attack on American soil (or space). Since it is one of the most credible man-caused TEOTWAWKI scenarios, I strongly suggest that every survivalist consider it when prepping. In this matter, this text will focus on how to adapt to the possibility of an EMP attack and the best ways to survive it if it were to happen.

The very first thing to do when prepping for such an event is to acquire skills and knowledge about the way an EMP attack would affect a post-industrialized country such as the United-States. Know that electric centrals would stop generating power. Most cars would completely stop working (forget about your nice automatic transmission sedan or pickup truck, pals), television, radio and Internet news networks as well as government emergency signals would be off, there would be no more running water and oil/gas facilities would stop working. Since urban citizens do not produce their own food, the cities would be full of hunger-driven rioters and raiders. It would be a nightmare to live in a city after the first 48 hours. Considering this, a good prepper needs to plan his bugging out routine according to the situation. Rural citizens, on the other hand, would be mostly unaffected by riots and chaos, unless there is a large city less than a hundred miles around.

A good prepper needs to learn skills and knowledge about how to work things out when completely off the grid. Basic skills such as gardening, power-generation, raising livestock and building structures are essential, but gathering and preserving food, as well as treating water on a long-term basis must not be neglected.

So now, how can someone survive such a crisis? Let’s focus on getting out of the city for a minute. Remember, your car doesn’t work. Actually, less than 1% of the cars would keep working after an EMP. Only some pre-90′s cars would not be affected by an EMP attack. And let’s say the pulse happened during the 4pm rush-hour. ALL roads are blocked by idle, useless vehicles. So unless you go by foot or on a bicycle, you better bug-in. Plan on having a good-ol’ pickup truck and pray that the blast would occur at night. Still, let’s say you don’t have a running vehicle. You must go by foot. How far is your bug-out location? 50 miles? A hundred miles? You better have cached supplies on the way, or you might just die of dehydration while bugging out. Is your flashlight affected by an EMP? If so, forget about nighttime traveling, you’ll be walking with the sun, pal. Buy yourself an oil lantern or risk having a shortage of light, especially during short days in winter.

Okay, you’re at your BOL, what now? Did you buy/build a manual water pump inside your shelter? If not, you’ll need to walk all the way to the nearest stream and then back to your shelter with several gallons of water, which is very energy and time-consuming. Did you plan on having a radio working? If not, better start building a Faraday cage right now. No guarantee it will work, but it’s sure as hell better than NOT having one. Don’t forget to install your power supply inside the cage, or you’ll have a very bad surprise when the grid goes down. Sun goes down again; do you own candles, lanterns and other “antiques”? Did you spend most of your prepping budget on high-tech gear? A 200$ red-dot rifle sight is good, but you could also buy a basic scope instead. Or about a month of food supplies for the same price.

All these questions, a rural prepper must also ask himself. To rely on electricity is to trust international corporations and a corrupted government when it comes to basic needs such as eating, drinking and heating your home. A hobo stove is good, but a cast-iron wood stove is better, and you can use the chimney conducts to heat ALL of your home with these hot pipes. And you know the best? It’s less expensive than your brand new, flat-screen TV! WOW!

On a serious note now: remember Katrina. If a regional-scale event caused such a chaos on a mid-sized city, imagine what it would do if the whole east-coast was to be in the dark for a year. Most people would DIE or evacuate. Some would die trying to stand their ground, others would bug-out and maybe make it. But what if help never comes? What if you spend a whole year waiting for federal troops to restore order, while you had NO WAY of knowing that they have been sent away in another country for a large-scale war?

If you think you are ready for an EMP attack, you are wrong. You can only be less unprepared. Be wise, be self-sufficient, be geared, and pray that it never happens.

——————–

Colors on the image:

It’s a color scale, ranging from white (no effect) to purple (maximum effect), depicting the effects of an atmospheric EMP burst. I’ve somehow managed to lose the unit scale while editing the picture, but I can describe the effect by memory.

The light-blue to pale-blue area would be rather unaffected by the burst, it’s the “ground zero”, or as I like to say, “sky-zero”, comparable to the eye of an hurricane.

The orange circle is the radius of a 25 000 “forgot-the-unit-name” effect, which is, basically, total disruption of electric power.

The red “U” and the smaller, dark-red band, below the blue “sky-zero”, whould be the area most affected. As you can (or cannot) see, it reaches from Thunder Bay (Canada), to Hâvre-Saint-Pierre (Canada), encompassing the major cities of : Montréal, Ottawa, Albany, Boston, Providence, New-York, Philadelphia, Washington DC, Charleston, Toronto, Chicago and Detroit.

The orange circle reaches as far as Winnipeg, Des Moines, Raleigh, Halifax and Kuujjuak. Impressive range for a single burst, isn’t it?

As most of you, Americans, know, most nuclear plants on the eastern seaboard are located within the orange-red area, which is another hazard caused by an EMP.

———–

Keep in mind that this is written from a “Canada” view point/event.

—————–

Check out this scary government report:

Critical National Infrastructures Report – (EMP) Attack

http://www.empcommission.org/docs/A2473-EMP_Commission-7MB.pdf

—————-

An EMP event on the USA would look more like this:


(Map courtesy of RichardCYoung.com)

——-

 

Via: thesurvivalistblog

 


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July 2nd, 2013
post by policysup | | 0

Stab Wound Management


Given the media outcry against gun ownership, it’s easy to forget the wounds that are caused by knives and other sharp instruments.  Trauma incurred from these injuries may be minor or major; penetrating trauma such as caused by a stab wound should not be discounted as a major injury; it can be life-threatening, depending on the organs and blood vessels damaged

Penetrating trauma is divided into perforating and non-perforating.  A perforating wound is one in which the object causing the damage goes into one side of the body and then exits through the other side.  A wound from .223 or NATO .556 would, commonly, be an example of this type of penetrating trauma.

One of my first classes in medical school showed a slide of Major General Henry Barnum, who received a minie ball through the hip in the battle of Antietam.  Years later, he could still pass a thin rod from the entry wound all the way out the other side.  General Barnum’s hip, incidentally, is still on display in the National Museum of Medicine, where it has been for over 100 years.

Bullets and other high-speed projectiles cause damage related to the shock wave produced as the bullet passes through the body. This is called cavitation.  Many bullets will fragment in the body as well, sometimes causing damage further from the entry wound than expected.  Luckily, low speed projectiles such as knives will not do this. Your concerns are related specifically to the area of entry and the structures located directly in the path of the offending instrument.

Stab wounds are an example of a non-perforating wound:  the projectile causing the damage enters the body and either stays there or exits where it entered.  Most knife wounds would fit in this category, as the knife doesn’t pass entirely through and out of the body.  Some sharp instruments might do this, say a crossbow bolt or a spearhead, but let’s assume that you’ll be unlikely to see these. Most knife wounds you’ll see will be minor lacerations.  Blood loss and failure of damaged organs will be the major issue to deal with.

A little about blood: Blood carries oxygen to the tissues and organs and removes waste products. It is made up of several components, including:

  • Red blood cells: These cells carry oxygen to body tissues.
  • White blood cells: These cells work to, among other things, fight infection and disease.
  • Platelets and other clotting factors: These allow blood to coagulate and lessen blood loss.
  • Plasma: A yellowish liquid in which the above are suspended.

Your immediate action upon encountering a victim of a wound with a sharp instrument may save their life.  Bleeding from arteries and internal organs can be very brisk.  If you are a typical 180 lb. (about 70 kg.) adult, you have approximately 9-10 pints (about 5 liters) of blood in your body. Athletes and those living at very high altitudes may have more. You can’t afford to lose more than 40% of total blood volume without needing major resuscitative efforts.  To get an idea of how much blood this is, empty a 2 liter bottle of fruit punch or cranberry juice on the floor.  You’ll be surprised at how much fluid that represents.

Hemorrhage (bleeding) is classified by the American College of Surgeons (of which I am a Fellow) as follows:

Class I:  Hemorrhage is less or equal to 15% of blood volume (1.5 pints/3/4 liter) in an average adult male.  A person donating 1 pint of blood is giving slightly less than 0.5 liters, for example. At this level there are almost no signs or symptoms, although some may feel vaguely faint.

Class II:  Hemorrhage is 15 to 30% loss of total blood volume (2-3 pints/1-1.5 liters).  The body tries to compensate at this point with, among other things, a faster heartbeat to speed oxygen to tissues.  This patient will appear pale and skin will be cool.  They will feel weak.

Class III: Hemorrhage is 30 to 40% loss of total blood volume (3-4 pints/1.5-2 liters).  At this point, the heart will be beating very quickly and is straining to get enough oxygen to tissues and blood pressure is low. Smaller blood vessels in extremities are constricting to keep the body core circulation going. This patient will be confused, pale, and in hypovolemic (low blood volume) shock. Blood transfusion is usually necessary.

Class IV:  Hemorrhage is more than 40% of total blood volume (greater than 4 pints/2 liters). The heart can no longer maintain blood pressure and circulation.  Without major resuscitative help at this point, organs will fail and the patient will likely be comatose and die.

In most circumstances, sharp instrument injuries will be minor.  After controlling bleeding, your goal is to clean the wound thoroughly and dress it.  Wound closure may be an option in some wilderness cases, but most backcountry stab wounds will be dirty and should be left open (subject of another article).

If you’re attending to an actively bleeding wound from a sharp object, you will need a level head and quick action.  This is, sometimes, not as easy as it sounds; most people not accustomed to dealing with these issues on a daily basis will experience a type of paralysis that may waste precious time. If modern medical care is available, contact emergency services immediately.

In the meantime, follow these steps:

  • Assess the safety of the situation.  Make sure the situation is secure; it makes no sense for you to become the next casualty.
  • Put on gloves if possible.  Your hands are full of bacteria and you will reduce the risk of infection by doing so.  Non-latex (nitrile) gloves are superior in avoiding allergic reactions to latex, more commonly seen than you’d think. If no gloves are available, plastic bags/wrap or, at least, hand sanitizers/soap will be useful if you have to touch the wound with bare hands.
  • Verify the victim’s breathing and mental status.  Clear airways if obstructed and determine if they are alert enough to help you by following commands.
  • Remove clothing carefully to fully inspect the wound and identify other injuries. Make sure that you have a bandage scissors or EMT shears in your medical pack.
  • Elevate the feet above the level of the heart and head (the “shock position”) to increase blood flow to the brain.
  • If the sharp instrument is still in the body, don’t remove it.  It may be providing pressure on damaged blood vessels and decreasing the bleeding.  Stabilize the wound in place with dressings or in any way you can.  If there is no chance of emergency services reaching you, such as in a backcountry trip in an underdeveloped country, you may have to remove it at one point or another.  Don’t do this unless you are where the bulk of your medical supplies are.
  • Apply pressure with some type of dressing, even your shirt if necessary.  Most non-arterial bleeding will stop with steady pressure on the wound. If the sharp instrument is in place and help is on the way, place pressure down on either side towards the blade to prevent it from slipping out and decrease bleeding.
  • Elevate the injured area about the heart.  Make it more difficult to pump blood out of the body.
  • Some recommend applying additional pressure with your other hand to major arteries about the level of the wound (especially for extremities).  These areas are called “pressure points”.  For example, a major artery (the popliteal artery) is found behind the knee.  Pressure here might decrease bleeding from a lower leg wound. There is an entire map of pressure points for most parts of the body.
  • If this fails, consider applying a tourniquet to stop the bleeding.  Tourniquets are to be used only when absolutely necessary, as they also stop the circulation of undamaged arteries and veins.  This will cause damage or death of tissue beyond the level of the wound if left on too long.  They also, after a very short time, hurt like a son of a gun. If a tourniquet is on, you may choose to loosen it after a period of time to determine if the body’s clotting mechanisms have stopped the bleeding. Unfortunately, this can sometimes cause further bleeding, so this is mostly a strategy for when help in NOT on the way. If you are transporting a patient to a modern medical facility, make sure you mark a “T” on the victim’s forehead or otherwise notify emergency personnel.
  •  In certain circumstances, the use of blood clotting agents such as Quikclot or Celox may be helpful.  They are effective in stopping bleeding, although they are sometimes difficult to clean out later.  We keep these products in all our medical packs, even individual first aid kits.
  •  Once bleeding has subsided, don’t remove a dressing unless you have to.  There are clots that can be dislodged if you do, and this may restart the bleeding.  Add additional dressings on top if help is on the way. In survival situations, you will eventually have to change and clean wound dressings.
  • Secure everything with a pressure dressing, of which there are various on the market.  The Israeli Battle Dressing, known as The Emergency Bandage in the U.S., has a hinge which can apply up to 30 pounds of pressure if used properly.
  • Keep the victim warm: Throw a blanket or a coat over them.  If help is coming, keep them as still and calm as possible to avoid further bleeding.  Monitor breathing, pulses, and mental status.
  • An unconscious patient should be placed in the “recovery position”.  This will, among other things, allow fluid to drain from airways and help them breathe.

All of the above may not be necessary if you practice preventative measures.  In other words, don’t run with scissors.  With some foresight, you may be able to avoid a mishap that could turn into a tragedy.

Dr. Bones

Via: doomandbloom

 


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July 1st, 2013
post by policysup | | 0

Take a look at solar backpacks.


I’ve been kind of slow coming around to viewing solar backpacks as a survival necessity because I trend toward thinking in terms of worst case scenarios. In such a scenario, electronics will likely be completely worthless, but! We’re not there yet and may never be.

So, circling back around to the solar backpack, I started remembering all the times I was out and my cell phone battery was dead. Once, on a trip, my phone died at a critical moment, just as I was depending on the GPS to tell me which highway to take! At other times, I sure could have used a charge for my laptop for one reason or another.

Very often, we depend on electronics as a form of security. That’s why, when I seen a lovely sample solar backpack from BirkSun, I realized that it wasn’t just a luxury plaything but something that could really make a difference in an emergency.

You can check out BirkSun’s backpacks here and watch the video made recently about the high-end, fully equipped J. Bullivant backpack here. There are other brands out there and it’s worth comparing prices.

Yes, there could be an EMP that totally wipes out our electric grid from coast to coast, but until then I still want to be able to have a cell phone and other electronics that are charged when it matters most

Via: thesurvivalmom

 


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June 9th, 2013
post by policysup | | 1

Syria Ravaged By Outbreaks of Disease: Typhoid, Cholera, Measles and Tuberculosis

The World Health Organization is warning of an increased risk of disease epidemics in Syria and neighboring countries as summer approaches.

The WHO says outbreaks of diseases carried in water – specifically hepatitis, typhoid, cholera and dysentery – are inevitable, given the severe disruption to Syria’s health system.

Cases of diarrhea and hepatitis-A have more than doubled since January.

There have also been outbreaks of measles and typhoid.

According to the WHO, at least 35% of the country’s public hospitals are out of service, and in some areas, up to 70% of the health workforce has fled.

Almost 4.25 million Syrians who have had to leave their homes are living in overcrowded, unsanitary conditions, with concerns about the provision of safe drinking water and safe sanitation.

“All the risk factors that enhance the transmission of communicable diseases in emergencies are present in the current crisis in Syria and its neighboring countries,” said Dr Jaouad Mahjour, director of the department for communicable diseases at the WHO’s regional office for the Eastern Mediterranean. We are anticipating a number of public health risks from water-borne diseases, specifically hepatitis, typhoid, cholera and dysentery. Given the scale of population movement both inside Syria and across borders, together with deteriorating environmental health conditions, outbreaks are inevitable.”

The WHO says cases of measles have reappeared in Syria, due to problems running national vaccination campaigns.

The number of confirmed cases of measles in the first quarter of 2013 reached 139, compared with no cases in the whole of 2010 and 2011, says the WHO.

There have also been reports of measles, tuberculosis and cutaneous leishmaniasis – a disease carried by insects – among displaced Syrians in Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq and Turkey.

“Jordan had previously reported zero cases of measles for three years, and was planning to officially declare that it was measles-free,” said Dr Mahjour. The situation will deteriorate if prevention and control measures are not scaled up soon.”

Medical facilities are often actually targeted during conflict as a way of depriving the enemy of medical assistance. Inevitably this hits civilians even harder than the military who are far more mobile and often have doctors in their ranks.

ANY collapse situation, natural or man made leads to the kind of problems Syria is now facing. Katrina, Haiti and the Indonesian quake were all followed by outbreaks of disease, as were the Kosovo and Bosnia conflicts.

Via: The Daily Sheeple

 


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June 6th, 2013
post by policysup | | 0

Like Sandy, Tropical Storm Andrea will SMASH East USA

Tropical Storm Andrea is ONLY a huge tropical Storm and it is going to smash all the way
up the coast from Florida to Maine and its WIDE… just because you are inland do NOT
think you are NOT going to be affected.

Here is what I have for you NOW to prepare you NOW with stuff you CAN GET.

* Family Prep Course – Listen to it now.
– Food and Water from your Grocery Store, so easy, 30 second emergency bread.
http://www.Solar1234.com

* How to Power Your House from Your Car Course
– Simple 20 buck inverter, 10 bucks in bulbs, inordinate light, infinite cell phone
http://www.Solar1234.com

* Fuel and Fuel Storage Class
– How to store a lot of fuel quickly and easily so you are not a sucker in a gas line
http://www.Solar1234.com

* How to Keep your Refrigerator and Freezer COLD without Power
– Its so darn simple… you’ll hate yourself for not thinking of it.
http://www.Solar1234.com

* Emergency Home Power from a Battery Bank
– Works with or without your car, a dedicated marine battery, or 2, will do wonders
http://www.Battery1234.com

* Emergency First Aid Class that the Red Cross will NEVER teach you.
– Simple quick real world first aid for preppers, stuff Red Cross is too scared to tell you.
http://www.FirstAid1234.com

Think it’s TOO LATE???   ITS NOT!!!
I tell you and show you all the items that you need so you can get them from the local store
OR you can get them from Amazon.  Amazon will 2 day and overnight ship stuff to you and
it will show up the day before the storm even when all of the shelves at the store are EMPTY.

This is a little miracle secret of prep that most people don’t know about.  If you join Amazon
Prime, overnight shipping is only 4 bucks.  2 day shipping is no charge.  I think you can even
get the first 30 days for free and then you can avoid the yearly charge….

Keep Safe…this storm is moving fast and it’s big.

 

p.s.   Tell your friends, put it up on face book, if you have friends in the storm’s path ALL they
need at NO CHARGE is at
http:///www.Solar1234.com
http://www.Battery1234.com
http://www.FirstAid1234.com

 
via: KnowledgePublications

 


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June 4th, 2013
post by policysup | | 0

Tacti-K-9 Bug Out Training Tips for Furry Friends


Turn Your Dog Into a Tactical K9

Nearly everyone loves the constant love and affection that only a dog can truly offer, but very few people realize a dog’s full potential for a post-rule-of-law or TEOTWAWKI environment.  Dogs are wonderful addition to any bug out bag checklist you’ve come up with.  Aside from the obvious early detection and self defense aspect of canines, one must understand that a properly trained and equipped dog can also help you bug out.  From sniffing bombs to tracking your family members, dogs have a multitude of talents that are just itching to be revealed.

No matter what your current bug-out plan is, when it comes time to make the cognitive decision to actually leave the dog behind to die a miserable death in agony and solitude, or take him with you, you’ll most likely decide to take him with you.  You’ve prepared for yourself and your family, but have you considered your dog’s emergency needs?  What about the ways that he can assist you?


Signature K9 Modular LLC Harness

Clearly we can sit here all day long telling you about the vast array of preps that you should have in place, but since I have newborn to tend to and I am already severely sleep deprived, allow me to continue with the 1st essential preps to get your K9 ready for tactics and bugging out.

To clarify, there are many novels written about the art of bugging out, and everyone has a different view on what it should look like.  Are you going by car, truck, or train?  What about by boat, or simply by foot?  Since bugging-out on foot seems to be the worst case for me, we’ll focus there.

My long term intention with this series of posts is to touch on tactical training with your dog.  Due to that, I’ve selected gear that will take me in that direction for the long haul.  With that said, the first piece of gear that you should consider is a Molle-Capable Vest for your dog.

Since I have a German Shepherd, that’s an easy thing to come by.  However, it’s not hard to find backpacks and sweaters for dogs now, so if you have to buy an off-the-rack item for your dog from petsmart, just make sure it’s not colored with glitter and rainbows – you can always have a seamstress add Molle, but you can never undo gay.


German Shep With Tactical Gear

My goal was to make sure that my dog could carry his own supplies to sustain himself for at least 24 hours so I’m not forced to haul his food and water for him.  If you missed the hilarious article about my duck and pheasant hunting German Shepherd, then I’ll tell you now that he’s trained to help me hunt… so gathering food won’t be my initial struggle.

I wanted him to be able to carry a canteen of water, a day or two worth of dry food, and anything else is simply a bonus.  It also needed to be versatile, and capable of working into my existing systems, so Molle Compatible gear was essential in my decision making process.

Keep in mind that each pound you add to your dog will result in calories burned and water lost.  For this fact, along with not wanting to put added weight on my dog’s hips, I’ve strategically picked items for him to carry.  So let’s examine his vest now, and discuss the thoughts behind each item, and help you create a list of items to keep in your dog’s bug out bag.


Side 1
Vest With Molle Capable Attachments

1) Infidel Patch for added tough-ness.
2) Canteen of water with stove and cup to cook food like opossum, etc
3) Folding bows to maximize efficiency with food/water
4) Conibear Trap(s) for catching additional food
5) Fire Starting Device(s) (flint and magnesium)

6) 9mm Mags
7) AR15 Mags
8) Daily servings of food, divided into 3 bags
9) Paracord or leash
10) Trifexis (for flee and tick control)


Side 2
Vest With Molle Capable Attachments


K9 In Action

Clearly the magazines of ammo not only add to the essential intimidation factor, but will come into play with the tactical dog training posts to follow.  To quote Harry Reid, I’d love him to be able to carry a “100 Clip Magazine,” but that would be a bit too much weight.  Besides, according to Rep. Diana DeGette (D-Colo.) the chief co-sponsor of the High Capacity Ammunition Feeding Device Act, once they’re fired they are disposable, I have to buy a new one anyway. Due to this, I’ll stick with just two mags of .223 and 2 mags of 9mm.

Via: theprepperproject

 


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May 30th, 2013
post by policysup | | 2

“Martial Law” declared in Oklahoma!

Were you paying attention to the news of last week’s
devastating tornado in Moore, OK?

I ask, because there’s a “hidden story” few people picked up
on.

You see, during emergencies like this, it’s heart-warming
and patriotic to see people from all over respond to the
emergency and come to help out with the search, rescue, and
recovery.

But what happens when a thousand people show up to an area
struck by disaster to help out… and they have no
provisions?

Volunteers were turned away because frankly, there isn’t
enough food, lodging, or water available to handle everyone.

Local communities responded to their needs though… by
price gouging on everything from lodging to bottled water!

What does this mean to you?


Well, even if you’re not affected by the eye of a storm (or
other disaster), you can still be the victim of a loss of
local resources such as food and water as these supplies are
sucked up by responders and volunteers swarming into your
area.

They’ve even declared “martial law” in the Moore, OK area  

due to looting, and there may be a time where it’s better  

for you and your loved ones to “get out of Dodge” for a  

while and retreat to somewhere away from the chaos.

Maybe this is the time to do a self-evaluation and see how
you would have fared if you lived near Moore, OK this past
week, eh?

Just a few things to review now…


*  Is your home well-stocked with dry goods (food) and a
way to purify water for when the grocery store shelves
go empty?

*  Is your vehicle gas tank always filled for when the gas
stations lose power (or triple their prices)?

*  Do you have a “bug-out bag” ready to go with the
critical survival gear you need to evacuate if needed?

(Bug-Out Bag Instructions)

I’m sure a lot of Moore residents and local community
members are wishing they’d been better prepared.

Learn from their mistakes.



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May 4th, 2013
post by policysup | | 0

A Starter Supply List for Economic Collapse

This guest post is by Bam Bam.

 

The article M.D. posted in Junes Friday Miscellany on living conditions in Greece really hit home with me. I did a bit more research. There are food shortages. There are shortages of life-saving medications. There are concerns about the power grid. And if the electric grid goes down, clean water may not flow from the tap. In an economic collapse, debit cards may not work; cash will be king. Once awareness of the situation sets in, rioting, looting and violent crime will be the new norm.

If Europe collapses, the United States is sure to follow. This makes me nervous. And when I get nervous, I make lists. This is my best shot at formulating a comprehensive supply list for prepping. Sure, there are other lists on the Internet that claim to be comprehensive. And I have learned much from the lists that I have read. But I wanted to come up with my own list and present it to the Pack. And now for the 50 million dollar question: what have I missed?

If your debit card stopped working tomorrow, would you be ready? Let’s put our minds together and see if we can come up with a comprehensive list of items needed for survival. (I am assuming in what follows that I will not be bugging out. Hence, I have omitted discussion of my BOB.) Assuming you are staying put, what items would you definitely want on hand? Remember the motto: plan today because tomorrow your debit card may not work.

Please note that the order in which the following items are listed is not indicative of their perceived importance—i.e., I did not place cleaning supplies ahead of weaponry and hunting because I felt the former was more important than the latter. Each category is important, hence its inclusion on this list.

Comprehensive Supply List

1. Water Purification

  • Bottled Water
  • Canteen/Camelback
  • Rain Barrel
  • Water Bottle with Filter
  • Water Purification Tablets
  • Pool Shock/Bleach
  • Kettle w/ Lid for Boiling Water
  • Propane Stove
  • Matches/Fire Starter
  • Charcoal and Sand
  • Mosquito Netting
  • Coffee Filters

2. Shelf Stable Foods

  • Wheat
  • Rice
  • Pasta
  • Beans
  • Dry Milk
  • Honey
  • Sugar
  • Vinegar
  • Lemon Juice
  • Cooking Oil
  • Coffee/Tea
  • Canned Goods
  • Spices
  • Condiments
  • Water Enhancers
  • Baking Essentials (Yeast, Salt, etc.)
  • Sprouting Seeds
  • Non-hybrid Garden Seeds

3. Hygiene Supplies

  • Soap
  • Toothpaste
  • Toothbrushes
  • Dental Floss
  • Feminine Hygiene Products
  • Shaving Supplies
  • Baby Wipes
  • Toilet paper
  • Insect Spray
  • Sunblock
  • Lotion/Lip Balm
  • Manicure Set (Nail Clippers, Nail Brush, File)

4. First-Aid

  • First-Aid Kit
  • Extra Band-Aids
  • Dental Kit
  • Wound Care
  • Rubbing Alcohol
  • Hydrogen Peroxide
  • Listerine Mouth Rinse
  • Antibiotic Ointment
  • Snake Bite Kit
  • Respirator Masks
  • Latex Gloves
  • Scissors

5. Medications

  • Prescription Medication
  • Birth Control
  • Foot Care Products
  • Pain Reliever (Tylenol, Aleve, Aspirin, etc.)
  • Cold Medicine
  • Diarrhea/Constipation Medications
  • Antacid
  • Antibiotics
  • Allergy Medication
  • Vitamins/Supplements
  • EmergenC

6. Cleaning Supplies

  • Bleach/Pool Shock
  • Comet
  • Baking Soda
  • Washing Soda
  • Borax
  • Bar Soap (Fels Naptha)
  • Vinegar
  • Mop and Bucket
  • Broom and Dust Pan
  • Scrub Brushes
  • Dish Pan
  • Trash Bags
  • Trash Cans
  • Burn Barrel

7. Cooking and Food Preservation

  • Solar Oven
  • Camping Stove
  • Barbeque Grill
  • Grain Grinder
  • Meat Grinder
  • Solar Dehydrator
  • Cast Iron Cookware
  • Cooking Utensils
  • Non Electric Can Opener
  • Non Electric Coffee Maker
  • Water Bath Canner
  • Pressure Canner
  • Jars and Lids
  • Extra 5 Gallon Buckets
  • Plastic Plates & Bowls

8. Lighting

  • Oil Lantern
  • Extra Wicks & Mantles
  • Matches/Lighters
  • Solar Lights
  • Light Sticks
  • Candles
  • Flashlights
  • Head Lamp

9. Weaponry & Hunting

  • Knifes
  • Machete
  • Shotgun
  • Rifle
  • Handgun
  • Ammo
  • Compound Bow
  • Extra Arrows
  • Sling Shot
  • Snare Wire

10. Clothing

  • T-shirts
  • Underwear
  • Bras
  • Socks
  • Thermals
  • Jeans
  • Belt
  • Work Shirts
  • Boots
  • Extra Laces
  • Flip Flops/Crocks
  • Tennis Shoes
  • Fleece
  • Jacket
  • Raingear
  • Work Gloves
  • Bandana
  • Wide-Brimmed Hat
  • Mosquito Head Gear
  • Extra Prescription Glasses
  • Eye Glass Repair Kit
  • Sun Glasses

11. Household Items

  • Sheets/Blankets
  • Bath Towels
  • Solar Shower
  • Kitchen Towels
  • Clothesline
  • Clothespins
  • Sewing Kit
  • Washboard and Buckets
  • Aluminum Foil
  • Ziplock Bags
  • Portable Toilet
  • Lime
  • Lye
  • Pest and Insect Control (Mouse Traps, Diatomaceous Earth)
  • Extra Keys (Home, Shop and Vehicles)

12. Alternative Energy Source

  • Generator
  • Extension Cords
  • Solar Panels
  • Rechargeable Batteries
  • Solar Recharger
  • Charcoal
  • Propane
  • Gasoline
  • Fuel Stabilizer
  • Lamp Oil
  • Seasoned Fire Wood

13. Tools and Gear

  • Gardening Tools (Shovel, Axe, Rake)
  • Fishing Gear (Poles, Tackle, Nets)
  • Shut Off Wrench for Gas/Water
  • Multi-tool
  • Binoculars
  • Basic Construction Tools
  • Hardware (Nails, Screws)
  • Lumber
  • Tarps
  • Tie Down/Rope/Para-cord/Bungee Cord
  • Duct Tape
  • Siphon/Funnel
  • Extra Gas Cans
  • Sharpening Stone/Honing Oil
  • Gun Cleaning Kit & Supplies
  • Wire and Wire Cutters
  • Window Screen Repair Kit
  • Fire Extinguisher
  • Plastic Garbage Containers w/ Lid
  • Crowbar
  • Chain and Padlocks
  • Weather Instruments

14. Communications

  • Two-way Radio
  • Weather Radio
  • Ham Radio
  • Mirror
  • Whistle
  • Flares

15. Money

  • Cash
  • Gold/Silver
  • Tradable Skills

16. Barter Goods

  • Candy
  • Coffee
  • Sugar
  • Ammo
  • Batteries
  • Matches/Lighter
  • Toilet Paper
  • Soap

17. Maps and Guides

  • Detailed Map of Local Area
  • Survival Guide
  • Field Guide/Eatable Plant Guide
  • First Aid Manual

18. Identification and Documentation

  • Photo ID/Passport
  • Birth Certificate
  • Social Security Card
  • Medical Records
  • Banking Documents
  • Insurance Documents
  • Marriage License
  • Contact Information

19. Entertainment/Sanity

  • Cards
  • Games
  • Dice
  • Musical Instruments
  • Paper, Pens, Sketchbook
  • Bible
  • Books

20. Pets and Children

  • Food
  • Water
  • Proof of Vaccination
  • Medications/Ointments

Via: thesurvivalistblog


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April 28th, 2013
post by policysup | | 0

Thinking about Every Day carry

If your looking for some good information I sujest you check out the The Covert Survivalist.

Here is what he says about the everyday carry kit.

 

As a fellow “prepper”, you know that your equipment is
critically important to your very existence in a crisis.

Just one single item could mean the difference between life
or death for you and your family.

An EDC (“every day carry”) knife is a good example.

The right knife can be used to break out a windshield to
save you from a burning car… cut through the lodged
seatbelt to save your kids… or fend off a band of renegade
looters during civil unrest.

But here’s the thing…

Unless you’re a soldier on the battlefield, you don’t want
to be flashing all of your survival gear around.

What you want is to stay “covert” so no one knows what type
of gadgets you’re carrying.

This keeps you from being targeted in a crisis for either
looting or begging from the “unprepared”.

Here are a few often-ignored “secret hiding spots” for your
EDC gear:

* “Coin Pocket” – Most people forget that this little
pocket even exists. It’s located at the top of your
right-side front jeans pocket and it’s a super handy
place for small survival items you want fast access to
but don’t want to mix up with your other pocket
contents. You’ll be surprised at what you can fit in
there without even noticing it!

* Shoelaces – Switch out your regular shoelaces with
colored 550 paracord.  It comes in all colors and
inside the cord is 7 strands of strong nylon string
for many scenarios.  Typical laces are 4-5′ long so
this gives you up to 70′ of string while still
leaving you with the outer paracord for shoelaces.

* Money Belt or Security Arm Wallet – The inside of
the belt has a hidden zippered pocket for money (as
well as small items like a razor, etc. for any number
of needs). Security arm wallets are another great
tool if you’re wearing long sleeves.

Again, your goal is to carry gear that is practical not only
for survival, but also every-day life, but covert enough
that people (and you) don’t notice.

Via: The Covert Survivalist

 


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April 16th, 2013
post by policysup | | 0

Survival Antibiotics

This is a great article by Dr. Bones, an M.D. and Nurse Amy, an Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner.  They’re Preppers and Certified Master Gardeners bringing you traditional and alternative medical strategies for survival in times of trouble.

=======================

We were at the recent USA Prepares event in Missouri and many of the questions that we fielded during our time there related to the stockpiling of medicines and what each medicine was useful for in times of trouble. There isn’t a 60 second answer to this. Actually, there isn’t a 60 MINUTE answer to this, but anyone that is interested in preserving the health of their loved ones in a collapse will have to learn what antibiotics will work in a particular situation.

It’s important to start off by saying that you will not want to indiscriminately use antibiotics for every minor ailment that comes along. In a collapse, the medic is also a quartermaster of sorts; you will want to wisely dispense that limited and, yes, precious supply of life-saving drugs. Having said this, not having antibiotics in your storage will result, in a grid-down scenario, in the unnecessary deaths of members of your group to infections incurred from activities of daily survival.  An infected cut from chopping wood, for example, may travel to the circulation, causing a life-threatening condition known as “Septicemia” or “sepsis“.  In the History Channel series “After Armageddon“, this was the cause of death of an EMT due to the lack of antibiotics in the community medical storage.


            Infected Cut

Liberal use of antibiotics is a poor strategy for a few reasons:

· Overuse can foster the spread of resistant bacteria. Antibiotics routinely given to turkeys recently caused a resistant strain of Salmonella that put over 100 people in the hospital. 36 million birds were destroyed.

· Potential allergic reactions may occur that could lead to anaphylactic shock (see my recent article on this topic).

· Making a diagnosis may be more difficult if you give antibiotics before you’re sure what medical problem you’re actually dealing with. The antibiotics might temporarily “mask” a symptom, which could cost you valuable time in determining the correct treatment.

You can see that judicious use of antibiotics, under your close supervision, is necessary to fully utilize their benefits. Discourage your group members from using these drugs without first consulting you.  Remember, YOU are in charge of making these (sometime difficult) decisions to parcel out your limited medical supplies.  Use them wisely.

There are many antibiotics, but what antibiotics accessible to the average person would be good additions to your medical storage? Each antibiotic belongs to its own family and is useful for different ailments. Here are some common antibiotics (most available in veterinary form without a prescription) that you will want in your medical arsenal and their veterinary equivalent:

  • · Amoxicillin 250mg AND 500mg (FISH-MOX, FISH-MOX FORTE)
  • · Ciprofloxacin 250mg and 500mg(FISH-FLOX, FISH-FLOX FORTE)
  • · Cephalexin 250mg and 500mg (FISH-FLEX, FISH-FLEX FORTE)
  • · Metronidazole 250mg (FISH-ZOLE)
  • · Doxycycline 100mg (BIRD-BIOTIC)
  • · Ampicillin 250mg and 500mg (FISH-CILLIN, FISH-CILLIN FORTE)
  •   Clindamycin 300mg (FISH-CIN)
  • · Sulfamethoxazole 400mg/Trimethoprin 80mg (BIRD-SULFA)

There are various others that you can choose, but the selections above will give you the opportunity to treat many illnesses and have enough variety so that even those with Penicillin allergies with have options. Cephalexin, although not in the same drug family, has been quoted as having a 10% cross-reactivity rate with Penicillin.   There are many others that meet my criteria:

1)They must only be produced in human dosages, although they are “supposed” to be for fish

2)The only ingredient must be the antibiotic itself.  Nothing else that makes your scales more shiny or your fins longer

3)They must appear identical to their human equivalents when removed from the bottle

4)They must be available without a prescription

5)They must be available for purchase in bulk

This article addresses  one of the most common antibiotics available in aquatic equivalents.  Amoxicillin (Aquarium version: FISH-MOX, FISH-MOX FORTE, AQUA-MOX): comes in 250mg and 500mg doses, usually taken 3 times a day. Amoxicillin is the most popular antibiotic prescribed to children, usually in liquid form. More versatile and better absorbed than the older Pencillins, Amoxicillin may be used for the following diseases:

· Anthrax (Prevention or treatment of Cutaneous transmission)

· Chlamydia Infection (sexually transmitted)

· Urinary Tract Infection (bladder/kidney infections)

· Helicobacter pylori Infection (causes peptic ulcer)

· Lyme Disease (transmitted by ticks)

· Otitis Media (middle ear infection)

· Pneumonia (lung infection)

· Sinusitis

· Skin or Soft Tissue Infection (cellulitis, boils)

· Actinomycosis (causes abscesses in humans and livestock)

· Bronchitis

· Tonsillitis/Pharyngitis (Strep throat)

This is a lot of information, but how do you approach determining what dose and frequency would be appropriate for what individual? Let’s take an example: Otitis Media is a common ear infection, especially in children. Amoxicillin is often the “drug of choice” for this condition, although it is not necessary so for some of the above-listed illnesses.

First, you would want to determine that your patient is not allergic to Amoxicillin. The most common form of allergy would appear as a rash, but diarrhea, itchiness, and even respiratory difficulty could also manifest. If your patient is allergic, another antibiotic such as Sulfamethoxazole/Trimethoprin or Cephalexin could be a “second-line” solution.

Once you have identified Amoxicillin as your choice to treat your patient’s ear infection, you will want to determine the dosage. As Otitis Media often occurs in children, you might have to break a tablet in half or open the capsule to separate out a portion that would be appropriate. For Amoxicillin, you would give 20-50mg per kilogram of body weight (20-30mg/kg for infants less than four months old). This would be useful if you have to give the drug to a toddler less than 30 pounds. A common child’s dosage would be 250mg and a common maximum dosage for adults would be 500 mg. Take this orally 3 times a day for 10 to 14 days (twice a day for infants). Luckily, these dosages are exactly how the commercially-made medications come.

If your child is too small to swallow a pill whole, you could make a mixture with water (called a “suspension”). To make a liquid, crush a tablet or empty a capsule into a small glass of water and drink it; then, fill the glass again and drink that (particles may adhere to the walls of the glass). You can add some flavoring to make it more palatable. Do not chew or make a liquid out of time-released capsules of any medication, you will wind up losing some of the gradual release effect and perhaps get too much into your system at once. These medications should be plainly marked “Time-Released”.

Anytime you, as medic, place a person on a new medication or supplement, they should be carefully watched for signs of allergy. If they develop a rash, itching, diarrhea, or other untoward symptoms, you should discontinue your treatment and look for other options.

You will be probably see improvement within 3 days, but don’t be tempted to stop the antibiotic therapy until you’re done with the entire 10-14 days. Sometimes, you’ll kill most of the bacteria but some colonies may persist and multiply if you prematurely end the treatment. In a collapse, however, you might be down to your last few pills and have to make some tough decisions.

For official recommendations regarding the use of Amoxicillin to treat the other illnesses listed, consider investing in a book called the Physician’s Desk Reference. It will have all this information (and more) on just about any medication manufactured today. Listed are indications, dosages, side effects, risks, and even how the drug works in the body. Online sources such as drugs.com or rxlist.com are also useful, but you are going to want a hard copy for your library. You never know when we might not have a functioning internet.

 Dr. Bones

If you want even more in-depth info check out their book: The Survival Medicine Handbook

Via: doomandbloom


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