Your Own Personal Threat Assessment

from Code Name Insight by Code Name Insight

When is the last time you conducted a threat assessment, on yourself? Threat assessments are fairly common practice in many industries. Schools, hospitals, businesses, high profile individuals, military/government/critical infrastructure...these days conducting a threat assessment is just part of doing business. Individuals, however, usually don't think to conduct such an assessment on themselves. It's about time we all do this so that we will have a more realistic basis for our disaster preparedness planning. Here's some things to consider:

• You may want to begin by listing any and every threat you can think of. Threats include: job loss, hurricanes, street crime, fire, winter storms, socio-economic collapse, illness/injury/death of the family breadwinner, earthquakes, home invasion, pandemic flu, chemical/biological/radiological/nuclear disaster, etc.
• Think the threats out for yourself--and don't pay attention to the news while you do it. If every media source is reporting on the horrible economy but you are debt free, own your own home, have plenty of savings, are self employed in a stable industry, and can pretty much take care of yourself financially, then unlike most of the population, financial calamity probably won't be at the top of your list.
• Next look at each risk and make three categories: least likely to happen, most likely to happen, and everything in between. Where we live, we simply don't have hurricanes so although this phenomena can be a very serious risk, it isn't a risk for me and my family so it gets put into the 'least likely to happen' list. We do, however, get earthquakes so this will go on the 'most likely to happen' list.
• Take your 'most likely to happen' list and logically prioritize them. Don't let the media or emotions take over when putting this list together. The news of the day can often impact our thinking and cause us to give more priority to categories that really are less likely to happen then the regular 'ol boring stuff like job loss.
• Now look at your prioritized 'most likely to happen' list and start planning. What are ten steps you can take now or in the near future that would help mitigate each disaster? For example, if you are the family breadwinner and you have a spouse and three kids at home, at the top of your list of disasters would be the possibility of your long term illness/disability or death. Without you and your income around, that truly would be a disaster for your family. And unfortunately, such a scenario is much more likely to happen than something like marauding hoards or nuclear warfare. Your ten steps, then, would include: getting life insurance, writing or updating your Will, looking into disability insurance, getting an emergency fund in place ASAP, etc.
• Your disaster preparedness tasks should now be laid out fairly clearly. If you have ten 'most likely to happen' disasters with ten steps each to complete in order to be better prepared for such disasters to happen, then you now have 100 tasks to take care of.
• Does this mean you shouldn't prepare for things such as social collapse or bugging out for an indeterminate amount of time? No. You should always develop your skills, think through every "what if" scenario you could think of, practice camping out in the woods, grow a garden for the exercise and health benefits, etc, however the majority of your time, attention, and money should go towards preparing for the disasters that are most likely to happen to you.
• What about the rest of the threats you listed, those that were least likely and less likely to happen? Fortunately disaster planning in general will help mitigate a wide range of disasters, not just the things you plan for. For example, an earthquake may be high on your list and a flood may be very low on your list, however the steps you take to prepare for the earthquake (getting your BOB ready, checking your insurance, planning to bug out if necessary, gathering clean up supplies, etc) will work for both situations.

Original; http://codenameinsight.blogspot.com/2009/06/your-own-personal-threat-assessment.html

Ice Storm Stories and Preparedness

from Utah Preppers by phil801

As most everyone should be aware, the last week has provided a harrowing survival experience for Kentucky and surrounding states with a major Ice Storm cutting off power to over 1.5 million homes and killing 55 people.

For those of us here in Utah, we’re more likely to see catastrophic events from a major snowstorm than an icestorm (in searching, I cannot find records of an icestorm like this hitting Utah). Our winter storms, especially in heavy snowfall years, can leave many icey problems. While we may not be likely to have an ice storm, there are still many lessons we can learn from those who have just experienced it. Let’s look at some reports from the Mid-South Ice Storm of 2009.

Click here to view the embedded video.

This video is a great photo documentary of the storm and much of the damage it caused.

Experience Reports

From the Indiana Preppers Network we hear:

the shelves (including generators and kerosene) were empty of the basic foods within 6 hours! Hmmm… does this pose a problem for anyone? The stores also quit taking debit/credit cards at this time. Some of the gas stations in the area wanted cash only as well. So, goes downhill rather quickly. BUT, if you are prepared, as I was, then you need not fear these events.

And from SurvivalBlog:

Within a few hours, everything became coated with a half-inch to an inch of ice: roads, cars, trees, power lines - everything. Throughout the night, we heard crashes as our neighbor’s trees lost massive limbs. We knew it was only a matter of time before trees limbs (which are not properly trimmed back by our utility company in an attempt to cut costs) collapsed on power lines and caused widespread outages. In the morning, everything had turned to crystal. About a quarter million people were without power in our county, but almost everyone in the western half of the state had lost power.

… Looking for a generator at the local big box home and garden center? Forget it, quickly sold out. Ice scrapers, gone. Gas cans, gone. Driveway salt, gone. Snow shovels, gone.

… The university asked students to leave, if possible, and those who couldn’t were sheltered in the campus auditorium. They didn’t have any cots so you had to sleep on the floor or in the auditorium chairs. She wanted me to come pick her up, so as I headed out the next morning on a full tank of gas, my plan was to stop at each significant town on the way to check their power and gas pumping status. Each stop was the same as the next - dead. As I neared the half-way point on my gas gauge, not one city on the way had electricity. It’s as if a nuclear ice bomb had been dropped on the state. I turned back.

…Lots of people I know have no alternatives to heat their homes or cook food. Fireplaces, like mine, are electrically controlled gas logs. I can’t even light it manually. I’ve learned a lesson: get what you need before you need it. Get extra. I will be buying a dependable generator once this crisis passes.

And now, from the perspective of a well prepped author on the Kentucky Preppers Network:

The brunt of the storm hit western Kentucky, where my family and myself live at, and luckily my family and I were somewhat prepared. Coincidentally, exactly a week before the storm hit I went out to China-Mart and purchased a $100 worth of prep items. Monday morning (January 26th) I went out and spent another $70 bucks on more preps to add to my Bug In Items in preparation for the storm. I was personally ready to be stuck with no electricity, no water, and no food for up to a month. My parents had just gone to the grocery store the weekend before so we had a pretty good supply of food in the house and we had purchased a 5000 watt generator about a month before. Monday evening we went out and filled all our cars up with gas, and filled our three, five gallon gas tanks up. Our generator is wired to be fed into the house breaker box so we were able to run all the lights, fridge, freezer, television, router, and my laptop. Cell phones were down most of the time, and so were the landlines, so Internet was our main source of communication.

… We did a good job conserving our fuel, ran the generator all day, and let it rest at night. We could stretch five gallons of gas to last a whole day of nearly continuous use. We were able to eat, cook, shower, and enjoy the majority of our usual luxuries. Now I said I personally was pretty prepared, but my family wasn’t as prepared. We only had a couple weeks of groceries, and not any stored water. Monday afternoon before the storm I talked my dad into purchasing a 55 gallon water drum from the local Rural King. We filled it up when water pressure was going out and had plenty of water to cook with and drink. The pressure was in and out but we never lost ours completely, others in the county did, and some still have no water.

… There are a lot of things that we could have had that would’ve made things a lot easier. We owned many flashlights, but didn’t have any batteries stored, so many of them were useless. In this situation having a stored set of batteries is important so you can power the flashlights you own. Having emergency candles is important when needing light in a room. We had a couple 72 hour candles from a few years ago, but more would have been better. Water is another thing that we did not have. I personally have been storing water in the seven gallon Reliance water containers you can get at China-Mart, but my parent’s had none (other than the fifty-five gallon barrel which was last minute). This could mean the difference in life and death in a survival situation. Getting the fifty-five gallon water drum made a huge difference when we needed to get a drink, flush the toilets, and cook a meal. Store water any way you can people; fill up old juice containers, buy the above mentioned containers from China-Mart or get a fifty-five gallon food grade barrel to store water in. Whatever you do, get a supply of stored water. Food is the next important thing. We had a decent supply of food for a couple weeks, but if this thing would’ve lasted any longer, we would’ve had to drive at least an hour to replenish our groceries. If you’re storing food you want to store food that is easily prepared, highly nutritious, and doesn’t need to be refrigerated. Warmth is another important factor. Everyone in the household needs to have a set of thermal underwear, wool socks, gloves, and a toboggan. If we didn’t have the generator to run the heat on, bundling up and staying in one room would’ve been the best thing to do.

… Having storable food, water, a way to cook, heat your home and a light source, will give you a great advantage when caught in a disaster.

And finally, from some not so prepared people in an article on Yahoo:

… among those resting in every corner of a university theater. Some sprawled in aisles, propped in chairs or curled up on the stage. they, like many others, ran out of food and water at their frigid, powerless home. “I had no idea the storm was going to last this long,” McClung said.

… Deputies trekked door-to-door in many communities to let people know where shelters were, forced to spread the word the old-fashioned way because cell phone and Internet service was spotty.

… Those who hunkered down in their homes face long lines to buy generators, firewood, groceries — even bottled water because power outages crippled local pumping stations.

… tried a half-dozen filling stations before finding one where they could buy kerosene. The two were in a line that swelled to 50 or more at the 13th Street Station, which began pumping kerosene after its owner set up a generator.

“We got food, but I’m just worried about staying warm,” said Brittan, who lives in Mayfield, adding she was frustrated by the search for supplies.

“By the time you hear about a place that’s open they’re out when you get there,” she said.

… Emergency officials feared that toll could rise if people stay in their homes without power for too long, because improper use of generators can cause carbon monoxide poisoning.

… “I’m sleeping in a car, which is just fine,” Eason, 74, said. “There’s nothing wrong with a car. Every couple of hours I turn it on, I let it run for 10 minutes and that keeps it pretty warm.”

Lessons Learned/Demonstrated

So we are given the rare (fortunately) opportunity to learn from the actual lessons learned of those who have made it through a local disaster. On the one hand we can learn from a prepper and what they found valuable in their preps - and what they found lacking. We can also learn from those who don’t believe at all in being prepared and rely on the government to take care of them when their TV goes out. Here’s my summary of Lessons Learned:

1. Be Prepared! (hehe) Make sure that you have plenty of food stored. I personally very strongly recommend having at the very least 3 months worth of food stored. One of the main reasons for so much is to be able to help your less prepared neighbors from starving to death.
2. Store plenty of water. Recommendations vary, but the easiest to calculate is store 1 gallon per person per day. Try to get at least 2 weeks worth of water stored, then double it! In order to not waste your drinking supply, it is a good idea to also have several (I have 210) gallon or 2 liter bottles filled with water to flush toilets with. Just in case you don’t know, dumping a gallon or 2 liters of water into a toilet will force it to completely flush. This allows you to avoid unsanitary conditions when the water supply to your house is disrupted.
3. Have a backup power generation system. This can be in the form of a generator, solar, wind or other alternative methods
4. Have a way to produce heat. Whether it be a fireplace (have wood stored!) or propane or kerosene heaters.
5. MAKE SURE that you have fuel stored for your alternative heat and power generation systems. Store enough to keep things going for at least 2 weeks, preferably for a month.
6. Have gasoline stored. It seems that everytime there is an emergency situation in America we hear continuous stories about how there are 15 mile long lines at all the gas stations. Get a clue people! Store plenty of gas, at least enough to get quite a ways out of town.
7. Keep cash at home! I recommend keeping around a thousand dollars in $20 and smaller demoniations at home in a safe. At the very least, keep $300. With a thousand you would likely be able to buy a ride out of town and to safety if you needed to, not so much so with 300. When the power goes out and things get bad, nobody takes credit cards or checks! Cash on hand is an absolute must if you are going to try to buy something. Keep $20 and smaller denominations so that you don’t have to find someone or some way to break something bigger.
8. Keep your home stocked and prepped so you don’t have to go to one of these shelters. I’ve never read happy fun stories about a pack of 300 humans being stuffed into an emergency shelter.
9. To conserve on your fueled heating systems, keep lots of warm clothes and blankets in your house. In a protracted emergency you may need to use your on hand fuel for a very long time.
10. Make sure you have either plenty of batteries or rechargeable batteries and a way to charge them (generator). Flashlights and other battery powered items will likely only last a few days with constant or heavy use.
11. Make sure you have some kind of battery or hand cranked radio in your house. This will probably be your most reliable way of getting news and updates on what is going on.

Those are probably the biggest things - do you have any other ideas or things you noticed should be on the list? Let us know in the comments!

Original: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/UtahPreppers/~3/v2873Bm1020/

Tactical Skills You Can Use

from Code Name Insight by Code Name Insight

My general thought is that if you haven't been properly trained and do not have a use for tactical skills, then you shouldn't be out playing Rambo (or even pretend to play Rambo because someone is sure to call you on it). That said, there are a number of tactical skills that the general public should have. These include:

• Leadership and team building. These are important in a tactical setting but also valuable skills in work and life. One person cannot do everything so knowing how to put a team together and lead them to work together successfully towards a goal will work whether you are putting together a business proposal or organizing a team to clean up the neighborhood after a disaster.
• Documentation. This skill seems like it would be quite low on the tactical skill totem pole however the ability to clearly and concisely document the things you do is actually quite important. While you may never have to defend yourself via your documentation skills in front of a review board, learning how to document important information is a skill you should have. Documentation includes everything from updating your comprehensive annual home inventory to getting into the habit of writing down things that look out of place (ie: the make, model, and license plate of a car that seems out of place) to keeping up your medical and financial records.
• Carrying a pack over a number of miles. Unless you are an avid backpacker, you probably don't have the need or desire to fill up a backpack with your gear and head out for a multi-mile hike. In a disaster, the ability to pack up critical gear quickly and efficiently and walk your way out of a disaster may be necessary so why not practice now?
• Communications. In any event that necessitates a tactical response, communications usually come out at the top of the list as both most important and most likely to have problems. Consider ahead of time who you may need to contact, what method you will use to contact them, and what contact information you may need (ie: after a disaster that wipes out all regular communications, you want to be able to let your brother know you are OK. What is your communications plan? Do you have a list of his cell number, office number, home number, HAM call sign, pre-arranged out of state contact, etc?).
• Firearms skills. Tactical use of firearms usually means you are taking an offensive position, however your task here is to learn how to defensively use your firearms so that in the event of an emergency you will be able to respond skillfully and effectively.
• Hand to hand combat skills. Many people who advance through karate, tae kwon do, or boxing ranks fortunately never have to use these skills in a life or death situation. That said, all of these types of fighting skills are excellent forms of exercise and give you the confidence to know that you can fight back if necessary.
• Navigation skills. Map, compass, GPS...these are critical items to know how to use during a disaster (think Hurricane Katrina when all landmarks were washed away) or if you get lost in the wilderness while on a day hike.
• Tactical medical skills. Everyone should know basic first aid--CPR, how to stop bleeding, how to treat for shock, etc. These skills are useful whether you are in a disaster scenario or at the golf course (lots of heart attacks happen on the golf course).
• Driving skills. Defensive driving skills are a must for anyone who drives. There's a lot of crazy drivers out there! You also want to practice convoy skills, how to follow someone effectively, and how to lose someone.
• Rapid deployment. Tactical teams are known for their ability to mobilize and deploy ASAP. How quickly can your family or co-workers mobilize and deploy in the event of a fire or earthquake?
• Tactical clothing. The clothing you choose needs to be based on your mission. Hunting? Your mission is to blend in with the scenery so camo is a good choice. Intimidation? Your mission is to visually intimidate your opponent (and identify yourself to other team members) by the type of uniform your SWAT team, soccer team, or other group wears. Doing some recon among the natives? That's why individuals who work undercover dress like the locals so as not to stand out.
• Strategic planning. Tactical operations revolve around strategic planning (ie: the who, what, when, where, why, and how of reaching a specific goal). Strategic planning is also useful when planning your career, growing your business, or preparing for a disaster.

Original: http://codenameinsight.blogspot.com/2009/02/tactical-skills-you-can-use.html

Survival Tips - Ten Life-Savers

1. Read Or Watch Survival Stories

If you have read many true wilderness survival stories, you know that many people who probably shouldn’t have survived did so because they refused to give up. Attitude matters, and to get the right attitude, you need to be able to truly believe that you will find a way to survive. Knowing what people have faced and overcome before makes this easier. If you are with others in a survival situation, you should even tell those stories to them, so they can see that survival is possible and even likely.

2. Tell Others Where You Are

This is something that has to be done before you have a survival situation, which means before you head off into the woods. And if you decide to take a new route, you may want to leave a note where it can be found, just in case.

3. Know Your Priorities

Protection from the elements and water to drink are usually at the top of the list of priorities in a survival situation. However, every situation will be unique. Think carefully about what is most important and urgent. For example, searching for food is a waste of time if a cold night is coming and you have no shelter. Do the important things first.

4. Learn First Aid

If you don’t take the time to learn a few basics of medical first aid, at least carry a small booklet that outlines basic procedures. You can find these in many first aid kits.

5. Be Aware Of Possible Shelters

If you are possibly facing a survival situation (not sure if you are lost, for example), start looking around for what kinds of shelters are available. Are there piles of dry leaves you can crawl under to stay warm? Are there caves or overhanging trees that can protect you from the rain or snow?

6. Always Plan Ahead

This may be one of the more important survival tips. Don’t wait for problems and then start looking for a solution. Before you get thirsty you should be looking around for sources of water. Before the rain comes, you should be thinking about how to stay dry. With sufficient foresight, getting lost in the wilderness for a few extra days should be nothing more than an inconvenience. Don’t let it become an emergency.

7. Always Have Fire Starters

Anytime you will be in the wilderness overnight or longer, have at least two ways to start a fire. These can be matches and a magnesium fire starter, or a lighter and the magnifying glass on your compass. Being able to start a fire can save you from the biggest killer in the wilds - hypothermia. A fire also provides comfort and better sleep, both of which can keep you motivated to do the right things.

8. Learn What Is Edible

Food is not usually a priority in a wilderness survival situation. Water, shelter and getting found are more important. Psychologically, however, you will be less stressed and more willing to face the situation if you know a few plants and animals that you can eat. Try eating some cattails or wild rose hips on your next hike.

9. Learn How To Navigate

Even if you have lost your backpack, with the maps and compass, you should know how to determine the cardinal directions. That way, if you know that there is a road to the north, for example, you will know which way to go. The sun rises in the east and sets in the west, of course, but there are other ways to determine direction. Why not learn a couple of them?

10. Know How To Stay Warm

Learning a few tricks about staying warm can save your life. Since hypothermia is the number one killer of people in wilderness survival situations, this may be the most important of these survival tips. Stay dry and think of ways to insulate yourself when it is cold. Stuffing a jacket full of dry grass or leaves or cattail fluff could save your life.

Original at: http://www.camping-chat.com/the-great-outdoors/survival-tips-ten-life-savers

STEP TWO - MAKE AN EMERGENCY PLAN

from Canadian Preppers Network by TEAM HALL

The nuts and bolts of "how to" make an emergency plan is outlined on the Government of Canada preparedness site.

Rather than reinvent one of the many step-by-step plans, I would suggest that you take the time to browse this document. It should take you about 20 minutes.

Okay, you've just made your emergency plan. Well guess what...making a plan and seeing it through to fruition are two different things.

Did you ever wonder why some people die 20 feet from the road, but others survive for weeks on one peanut butter sandwich? To illustrate the point: about a month ago, an 80+ year old Inuit grandfather was lost while caribou hunting. They found his snowmobile stuck but he was miles away at the mouth of the nearest river. He survived over a week on 6 fish and 2 birds. Why did he survive in such an extreme environment? He didn't have the gold-plated emergency pack that you and I would have depended on. Equipment and a plan set the base for any Prepper. But experience and character allow you to be successful.

All survivors have the following mental states in common:

1) They Don't Panic: Just like in the "Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy". When you panic, you get stupid...and stupid people die (How to Survive (Almost) Anything: 14 Survival Skills by Laurence Gonzales). You have a plan... stay calm!

2) They Are Confident: Confidence comes from trust in your plan and familiarity with your equipment. An emergency is not the time to assemble your gas heater in the dark. Testing each step of your plan before the emergency, eliminates self-doubt.

3) They Are Optimistic: This is a belief that things are going to get better tempered with the ability to recognize that right now, things are not all right and extreme steps are required.

4) They Are Able to Assess the Risk: Is it worth walking to the gas station, if it means leaving your dependants alone? Should you let the stranger wearing the hockey mask in to share your food? Someone prepared and with a plan does not have to take chances. Avoid risk.

5) They Help When They Can: Being selfless inspires others, makes you stronger, and gives you purpose in bad situations.

Make your plan, test your plan often and plan to survive!

Original: http://canadianpreppersnetwork.blogspot.com/2009/01/step-two-make-emergency-plan.html

Getting a different result

from Food Storage...A Necessary Adventure by Marie

Read a quote by a Dave Ramsey on another site (sorry, I don't know who this gentleman is) that was probably, considering the nature of said site, given in a political and/or economic context. I find this quote most intriguing, however, when I think of how it applies to our own emergency preparedness efforts:

“Desperate always reaps stupid.”

To which I would reply, "Well, not necessarily."

Let me just say up front, emphatically, and in a if-you-don't-remember-anything-else-about-this-post-remember-this kind of way, that I know that what happened with US Airways Flight 1549, which you may recall made an emergency landing on the Hudson, was a miracle. No way it could have come out the way that it did if it hadn't been a miracle.

And this was a truly desperate situation. They recently released the cockpit audio of the conversations that took place before the emergency landing, which, along with an article, you can find here. Captain Chesly Sullenberger was amazing. He was well-trained, in the first place. And he was aware of what his options could be once he got into the situation. He talks about returning to LaGuardia. He asks about Teterboro Airport in New Jersey. If I'm not mistaken, his last transmission before the landing was the statement, "We're going to be in the Hudson." Calm, cool, and collected the entire time. At least outwardly. If you read the article, you will see this quote from him:

"It was the worst, sickening, pit-of-your-stomach, falling-through-the-floor feeling I've ever felt in my life," he said in an interview airing Sunday. "I knew immediately it was very bad."

It was a desperate situation--both engines not working, and nowhere normal to land. But Captain Sullenberger reaped anything but stupid. Both he and we reaped a miracle.

The ground control people couldn't even reach Captain Sullenberger right after the landing. According to the article,

"There was no response from the former Air Force fighter pilot, who had quickly headed into the crippled plane to assist the passengers."

That's right. He was already busy helping somebody else. Probably several somebody elses.

So what does that have to do with our emergency preparation? I would hazard a guess and say that there is probably a low percentage of people reading this that are professional pilots that would find themselves in this situation. At least I hope not when it comes to the "this situation" part. But we don't necessarily have to make desperate reap stupid. What can we do within our means to make the "reaping stupid" part unnecessary?

Well, to draw a few comparisons:

---Be sure that you receive training or train yourselves for what you will/may need to do in the case of an emergency. Even if the emergency consists solely of living on your food storage, do you know how to use it? Can you provide the meals you need for your family from the supplies that you have? Do you know how to defend yourselves if the need arose? Do you have an evacuation plan in the case of a natural disaster? There is always room for improvement when it comes to being more prepared in the area of knowledge and/or skills, and you never know when you might need them. And at that point you may have only about three minutes to decide what you are going to do...

--Know our options. What are your options in the case of job loss? How do you protect yourself and/or your family in the case of a pandemic? What will you do in the case of the loss of your home due to personal financial issues? Whatever emergency you think you may face, think of how you may deal with it. Plan A, plan B...save the most desperate options for your last.

--Stay calm, even if inside you don't feel calm. Easier said than done, and a lot harder for yours truly than I would care to admit. I can't think of a situation that is improved by panic...

--If/when you can, help others. Pretty self-explanatory, and yet, I had to add something like this sentence anyway, didn't I.... :)

Well, as I stated previously, we need to prepare as much as we can within our means, so it won't all be equal, but it will all be helpful, emergency or not. Desperate doesn't necessarily have to reap stupid. I hope we will all do all that we can so that we don't have to make "stupid" an automatic result in desperate situations.

And then, when we have done everything we can, may we always remember---miracles can, do, and in the case of Flight 1549 did--- happen.

Original: http://adventuresinbloggingtoo.blogspot.com/2009/02/getting-different-result.html

City or country?

from Abraham's Blog by Abraham

Bits n’ pieces -

Good piece on the Preparing for Tyranny blog about universal health coverage or single payer health care. I am in favor of a single payer system. Insurance companies are leeches standing between providers and consumers of services, sucking off resources that should be going to health care. Anyways, read his thoughtful entry. Here in the northeast we take freedom and liberty seriously.

Also, interesting article on the death/murder of 84 infants due to poisonous teething formula. Imagine losing a baby because the teething formula was poisoned.

Okay then City or Country?

There was a letter on the Rawles’ website the other day from the owner of the the blog Surviving the Day After that basically chastised people for living in urban or suburban areas. In other words if you didn’t live in the middle of nowhere than you were doomed. And if you didn’t head for the hills, leave the cities was the cry, then you’d be swept up in disaster and death.

Now seeing how this blog is Suburban Survival for the Simple I figured that I’d try to engage in some analysis. Maybe we can look at some weaknesses and strengths of both.

I figure there’s maybe a handful of things that can happen that will cause total breakdown of society. You got ya nuclear, biologic and chemical attacks. I figure this would be over a limited area. One, two, three cities? Then you got ya plagues and flu epidemics, maybe throw in the Black Plague because those naughty boys have been playing with it. Maybe fly in 5, 10 or 15 infected terrorists on different planes. I guess that could spread and cause widespread panic, maybe martial law too. Than you got your EMP attacks.

All in all though I don’t see a complete breakdown. Stores will be open, maybe with less selection, and definitely fewer stores. I think mail will still be delivered. Banks will still process payments. The police, courts and jails will all be functioning. Gas stations will be pumping gas. What we do to put food on the table may change, but life will go on. The medium of exchange we use may change, but the result will be the same. Lawyers will definitely still be billing. Carpenters building and teachers teaching. World Keep On Turning.

Work > Earn > Build/Make > Buy/Barter

Most likely outcome is a continued slow economic slide lasting for years. Maybe a decade before everything shakes out into our New Grand Economy. More people living together. More people working in agriculture and food production. More local manufacturing. Less driving and deliveries. That’s all a different post though.

Like I said though if the mushroom cloud goes up, who knows. Or if some pandemic spreads you wouldn’t want to be in population centers. You can’t live your life in fear though. Be prudent at all times, but we can’t make decisions based on fear. Otherwise, if you jump in over your head too soon you could end up like those two in Montana. They ran out of food. She froze to death. He was rescued by the sheriff. He had lots of guns, but no food!!

Rule: if a nuclear bomb goes off in your city, town or village you don’t want to be there.

Rule: if there is a pandemic you want to avoid other people.

If you already live in the city or the burbs you already have a circle of friends and maybe family. Having a support system is critical. No way would you want to leave your friends and family during a time of crisis unless that location was dangerous. In the city/burbs you have many more neighbors than you would in the country. So you know your neighbors. Hopefully they’re friends of yours. Maybe you borrow tools from each other or can look out for each others stuff. I think you’re better off staying where you know folks than running to a place full of untrusting strangers that probably won’t be too happy to see another refugee arrive to town. No matter where you are knowing your neighbors is critical. I know when I see strangers on my street I pay attention and am watching out for my neighbors’ houses, kids, cars and stuff. I saw a neighbor’s car get hit and then the driver drove away. I got the license plate and gave it to my neighbor who then called the cops.

Rule: It’s good to be where you know people.

Ditto for the neighborhood. I’ve lived in this town for the better part of 45 years. I know the streets, roads, sidewalks and deadends. I know the hills and hollows. I know the rivers and streams. I could bug out of town and know how to avoid roads. I know what rivers to float down and where the falls are.

Rule: It’s good to know the terrain and geography.

I know the parks, libraries, hospitals, schools, stores and mechanics. Better yet I know what merchants/doctors/restaurants/mechanics/stores/gas stations are good to go to and who to avoid. You wanna run somewhere strange and not know where to get stitches, the best burger and beer, find town hall and police or get ripped off by some strange mechanic/dentist/lawyer/tradesperson that you don’t know? Called the mechanic today, ‘you’ve been here before right?’ ‘yup, like 20 years.’

Rule: It’s good to know the people that you do business with.

Rule: It’s good to know where critical services are located.

Now let’s figure that you live in the middle of nowhere. I’m not sure that the libraries will stay open. How about that fire department, cops and schools. Sure in the cities and burbs we’ll see a reduction in municipal services, but we won’t see the total disappearance of services. The trash will still get picked up, maybe not as often, but it will get picked up. How about snow plowing city v. country. Then you got your medical services. In the burbs and cities there is a large choice of providers. Chances are they all aren’t going to fold up and close. Out in the hinterlands if you only have one MD for 40 square miles then you ain’t too well diversified. You don’t want your healthcare to get Madoff’ed. The hospital here is close by and will stay open.

If the power lines go down, the telephone lines fall, the gas main break, the water pipes break which area will be fixed first? I think you know the answer.

I can also see the delivery of food and other products breaking down the farther you move away from population centers. I’m not sure if the tractor trailers are going to keep rolling quite as often anywhere. So how often is that little country store that only 10 miles up from you going to get restocked, or the tanker trucks coming. You can be certain the the majority of goods will be delivered to the more populated places more consistently. It makes good economic sense doesn’t it? That’s what I would do if I was in charge of logistics.

Rule: centers of population will get restocked more frequently, more resources will be allocated to them and municipal services may be more dependable than in rural areas

Boy if the price of gas ever goes up again… and I’d say the chance of that is a near perfect 100%, the further away that you live from where you need to go whether it’s the grocer, banker, USPS or your jay-oh-bee then the more the price of gas hurts. When the cost of transportation is high then it’s good to live in close proximity to what you need. Think where you’d rather live when gas hits $4, $5, $8 a gallon. And it will.

I can walk to a hardware store, big grocery, church, a few small convenient stores, drug store, liquor store, sporting good store, USPS and so on. I can ride my bike to just about anything you can imagine.

Rule: oil still has a world of upward potential as oil becomes more scarce driving may become a luxury for only the very rich. Driving 30, 40 or 50 miles to the store, the job or the movies will be a rare event indeed. I agree with Kunstler that the days of happy motoring are approaching an end.

If you don’t read Kunstler he is a must read.

My little town has its own bus that runs around. Many urban/sub-urban places have buses, trains and subways that you can get around on. Maybe even a cab service. In the Hinterlands? Not so much.

Then I imagine for the few jobs that do remain most of them will still be where most of the people are. Lose you job out in the wild blue yonder and it make take a while longer to find a new one than in a more populated area.

Rule: the availability of public transportation is a large consideration.

Rule: the majority of jobs will continue to be where the majority of people are

Rule: if you want to develop your own business showing folks how to tie flies, plant gardens, repair bikes, watch/teach their kids or handy man business you will have a greater chance of success with a larger available market.

If you’re familiar with Ferfal’s blog then you know he writes with a first hand experience of what the decade long economic collapse of Argentina has been like. A point he always makes is that there are home invasions in the city and in the country. The difference is that in the country no one hears your yells so the criminals have more time to do the worst things imaginable to your family and you. The city and country both have their advantages and disadvantages.

Rule: learn from the experiences of those who went before you and follow in their footsteps. Learn from their mistakes.

Rule: the actual collapse of an advanced economy like Iceland or Argentina haven’t yet digressed in a Rabid Biker Zombie shoot em up. Who knows about the future though.

Rule: due to concealability handguns seem much more useful during an economic collapse than rifles

It takes quite a few people to set up 24/7 guards and/or patrols. The more you have and the more it’s spread out the tougher it is to protect. If you own a large ranch or farm with equipment spread out over a wide area you may have a tough time protecting your crops, livestock, equipment and even metal pipes and fences from looters and thieves.

Rule: the more spread out you are the more difficult to defend

Rule: to defend a large homestead you would need a large number of people.

Rule: one or two families in a cabin in the woods can be waited out or burned out

Now ideally I think you’d have a number of places that you could bug out to if need be. I live in the suburbs, but maybe it would be good to have some land, friends or family in a more rural area. Ideally a few locations to run to in different parts of the country. Be even better if you know some people in a foreign country that you could run to if need be. That’s why I tell folks to Get Your Passport even if you don’t plan on going anywhere. Better to have it and not use it then not being able to leave as quick as possible if the gates start slamming down. You know how slow the folks at the USPS can move so get that paperwork moving along. The regulations are changing in four months so get your passport now.

Rule: wherever you live be prepared to run to a few other locations

I don’t mean to rag on country places. Having some land in the country and building a cabin is the dream of just about everyone isn’t it? Although I have access to a trailer and some land in the North Country. It’s not just to bug out too. It’s a vacation place too. I would like to buy some acreage and build my own low impact woodland home on it. Check out the link there are plans.

Here is a pic of the front and the inside of what I’d like to eventually build.

I just want to point out that one setting may not be right for everyone.

Rule: And it doesn’t matter where you live as long as you Get Outside Everyday.

Original: http://hotdogjam.wordpress.com/2009/02/07/city-or-country/

Could You Survive If You Were Homeless?

from Stealth Survival by noreply@blogger.com (riverwalker)

With the increasing the numbers of people who are losing their homes, their jobs and their savings due to a poor economy, becoming homeless is a very real possibility. It is well known that even our current infrastructure can’t provide sufficiently for the large number of homeless people that already exist in our society.

Dragon mentioned in one of his posts the other day about a friend of his who had suddenly found himself homeless and how he had helped them as much as he possibly could. But as Dragon mentioned even he is struggling and could only do so much. This makes a person wonder if becoming homeless is going to be the next real challenge for all of us.

Even in a best case scenario of having a home without a mortgage, would that be enough. There would still be maintenance and upkeep, property taxes, utilities, etc. All of which would require money. Let’s not forget about healthcare! There would probably be no insurance to help pay for needed medications, treatment or a doctor’s care if needed. How far would your first aid kit get you? Food will be a problem also, even if you have a garden and the weather is nice to you which allow you to have a good harvest. Even your savings may not be enough to see you through some really bad times. This is especially true when you consider the fact that many people’s savings have lost more than half their value in a relatively short period of time.

Emergency rooms, food banks, and other service providers are all struggling to meet the current demands on their resources without even considering the potential for even larger and more widespread numbers of homeless people that could be just around the corner. Most support groups are already overwhelmed by these ever increasing demands. Placing even more demands on their services could force them into a guaranteed position where they would fail due to a critical overload.

While being an advocate of group and community survival, I don’t wish to appear biased when considering some of these very real possibilities. Present support groups already have inadequate resources to meet present demands. It will take your ability to form a strong network and support group of family and friends to allow you the best chance for survival.

Frugal lifestyles and working to build a strong support group of family and friends will be the new priority for survival. Prudent choices and a determination to pull together will be essential.

Most of us can survive any threat or danger thrown at us by nature, but even the most frugal lifestyle is far beyond the life that an average homeless person endures. But can we survive being homeless?

There is a new monster on our doorsteps! That monster is homelessness. It is stalking our families, our friends and our neighbors. It is a very real threat to our survival.

Staying above the water line?

Riverwalker

Original:

After the Ice (or Snow)

from Gallimaufree by gallimaufree

Frozen Lavender

Originally uploaded by nodigio

After an ice storm – or a heavy snow storm – there are things we need to consider in order to continue living comfortably and without sudden disasters.

The home first:

Just because things are melting doesn’t mean you have successfully survived the event. Melting snow and ice bring their own problems.

Clogged gutters can cause the melt to seep under your roof tiles and from there into your home, where you may experience anything from a few annoying drips to serious water damage and even electrical short-outs and fires. Make sure your gutters are unclogged.

Snow can be so heavy it can collapse your flat roof surfaces like carports, sheds, barns, or patio covers, so you need to scoop as much off as you can. Just toss it on the ground – away from drives and walks and doors. Be cautious. If you can scoop the snow off without actually climbing on the roof, that’s good. If you must get up there, be careful and have someone with you in case you slip.

Pipes can still freeze, especially at night, so don’t stop your preventive measures too soon.

Downed tree limbs need to be chopped up and piled up to haul away. Have chainsaws already prepped before the storm – blades sharpened, plenty of chain lube oil, gasoline if it’s gas powered or waterproof outdoor extension cords. Have rope to tie smaller branches into easily transportable bundles.

Know the number of your utility company to report downed or damaged lines so they can fix them as soon as possible.

Service and stock up your generator, if you have one.

Now public areas:

Grocery stores may take a week or three to recover and be sufficiently restocked, so be sure you have plenty in your own stocks. The stores have several levels of difficulty in snow and ice storms. First is the stock runs people make as the storm approaches, which clears their shelves. Then they have the days where delivery trucks can’t get through keeping their shelves depleted. Then they have the after days when people are able to get out and shop again and their delivery trucks are still experiencing back-ups, delays, and may still be snowed or iced-in in other parts of the country. Don’t get mad at the stores for having bare shelves. Trust me; they want their shelves filled, too, because they lose money when they have no inventory to sell.

Buses will only travel along plowed snow routes, so you may not have reliable access to public transportation. Very limited routes will be served so if you have to rely only on public transportation, here’s hoping you are self-employed or have an understanding boss.

Check on your neighbors. Help them shovel walks, clear drives, and make sure they have heat and food.

Original: http://gallimaufree.wordpress.com/2009/02/05/after-the-ice-or-snow/

Survival Skill #5 Finding Opportunities

from Code Name Insight by Code Name Insight

A critical skill to survive in any situation is the ability to find opportunities. There are always opportunities around no matter how your personal situation looks this week, no matter how the economy looks this week, and no matter how you perceive your abilities to be this week (or any other time past, present, or future). Just today there was a news story on TV about how many burgeoning opportunities there are because of the current economic situation. Businesses are springing up all over to clean up foreclosed homes that need to get back on the market, to haul away excess stuff that people can't take with them when they leave their foreclosed homes, and to help people who are facing foreclosure.
Have you ever wondered how businesses such as the "cash for gold" companies you see advertised on TV happen to hit the airwaves just as people begin thinking about selling their gold due to the poor economy? Or how Amazon can carry a number of books on the crashing economy that are published about a week after a recession is officially announced? Or how one week you couldn't find a company to help you avoid your foreclosure anywhere and then the next week there are a dozen such companies advertising everywhere you look?
All of these businesses are created because people look at a situation and see an opportunity. They think about how the situation will impact people then determine what the people's needs will be based on the information they have.
When businesses were growing exponentially a decade ago, many people looked at the situation and saw opportunity: the companies would need office space so office space was built, their employees would need to eat lunch so restaurants sprang up near the offices, maybe a particular area of town was a tech/office draw so businesses that catered to these kinds of people sprang up as well (think office supply and computer stores), these employees were making around X amount of salary so homes in the X dollar range were built to accommodate people who wanted to live in communities that fit their needs, demographics showed that the people who populated these growing cities and suburbs had 2.5 children in the mostly 2-15 age bracket so businesses that catered to these kids also developed (think My Gym, movie theaters, skateboard shops, etc). Anyway, you get the idea.
Tomorrow, pay attention to the things you see and hear. Watch the news, check out what's happening on your way to work or on your way to town, ask people how they are doing and listen for what their needs are. When you come back home, list down ten potential opportunities based on your findings. Who knows, you may come up with a business out of this research. If nothing else, you will have practiced the survival skill of finding opportunities where the average person would think none existed.

Original: http://codenameinsight.blogspot.com/2009/02/survival-skill-5-finding-opportunities.html

STEP TWO - MAKE AN EMERGENCY PLAN

from Canadian Preppers Network by TEAM HALL

The nuts and bolts of "how to" make an emergency plan is outlined on the Government of Canada preparedness site.

Rather than reinvent one of the many step-by-step plans, I would suggest that you take the time to browse this document. It should take you about 20 minutes.

Okay, you've just made your emergency plan. Well guess what...making a plan and seeing it through to fruition are two different things.

Did you ever wonder why some people die 20 feet from the road, but others survive for weeks on one peanut butter sandwich? To illustrate the point: about a month ago, an 80+ year old Inuit grandfather was lost while caribou hunting. They found his snowmobile stuck but he was miles away at the mouth of the nearest river. He survived over a week on 6 fish and 2 birds. Why did he survive in such an extreme environment? He didn't have the gold-plated emergency pack that you and I would have depended on. Equipment and a plan set the base for any Prepper. But experience and character allow you to be successful.

All survivors have the following mental states in common:

1) They Don't Panic: Just like in the "Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy". When you panic, you get stupid...and stupid people die (How to Survive (Almost) Anything: 14 Survival Skills by Laurence Gonzales). You have a plan... stay calm!

2) They Are Confident: Confidence comes from trust in your plan and familiarity with your equipment. An emergency is not the time to assemble your gas heater in the dark. Testing each step of your plan before the emergency, eliminates self-doubt.

3) They Are Optimistic: This is a belief that things are going to get better tempered with the ability to recognize that right now, things are not all right and extreme steps are required.

4) They Are Able to Assess the Risk: Is it worth walking to the gas station, if it means leaving your dependants alone? Should you let the stranger wearing the hockey mask in to share your food? Someone prepared and with a plan does not have to take chances. Avoid risk.

5) They Help When They Can: Being selfless inspires others, makes you stronger, and gives you purpose in bad situations.

Make your plan, test your plan often and plan to survive!

Original: http://canadianpreppersnetwork.blogspot.com/2009/01/step-two-make-emergency-plan.html

Bugging Out When the SHTF

from Survive The Worst by Nomad

I received an email from C.H. that brought forward some valid points concerning bugging out while the Sh*t is hitting the fan. The best case scenario will always be to move to your bug out location now before the doo-doo begins to fly. However, if you are like me, hunkering down may be your best option. Anywho, below is C.H.'s letter-Nomad

_____________________________________________________

I think it is a common belief by newly awaken survivalist that they can wait until the shit actually hits the fan and then bug out with their vehicle and all of the survival gear and prepared food. I am curious, have any of you actually tried such a thing. Has anyone taken the time and effort to load your vehicle with 3 - 4000 lbs of gear and food, driven through a major city, a long distance interstate trip, stopped for the night, or had car trouble?

I don't mean to bust your bubble, but I have tried during normal times and it don't work worth a shit. I have a Dodge cummins diesel one ton pickup and my 5th wheel loaded with just my survival gear and food storage seriously overloads it. I tried towing a trailer filled with a compact tractor and tools cross country to work on a ranch I purchased and learned about road trash puncturing trailer tires (carry two spares), hardened criminals loitering at rest stops and RV parks (post guards), and the limited range of GMRS radios when the batteries run down (replace every 16 hrs).

If the US has a serious sudden crisis (another terror strike on top of today's economic crisis) I am going to stay put if it does not immediately threaten me. I have read all the emergence preparedness books talking about folks pulling together, one big nation singing cum-by-ya. I have also read the postings from folks who were late evacuating New Orleans.I believe that the risk of bugging out is just too great. Modern Americans will get scared and act like animals. They will threaten, attack, and steal from anyone they think is better prepared. They will stinking kill you.

I know from my experience that the best response is to bug out before the event. Move to a more secure area now. Preposition your very desirable, expensive, and irreplaceable survival tools and food storage at a secure site before the shit really hits the fan. I am in the middle of trying that little trick my self and it is very tough. Well one of my very favorite quotes is "life is tough, it is a lot tougher if you are stupid".

I am not at all certain that I can get all of my stuff cached before a crisis. But I am going to suggest some rules for bugging out:

1) Never travel alone, never drive alone, don't even go to the can alone.

2) Keep you bug out vehicle maintained at all times. Particularly the tires.

3) Carry all the fuel and spare parts you might possibly need. Consider detours.

4) Every adult needs to carry guns, the best shooters ride shotgun. Guard you stuff.

5) Avoid cities, avoid interstate highways if possible, avoid the cops, the military, and especially avoid FEMA.

6) If you do bug out, your ID will not match your location, use this. Make up a false address and cell phone # for authorities.

7) Do not stop for, talk to, or share your stuff with other people. This is not the time.

8) Other people will be dangerous, but FEMA was worse. If you can survive without contacting others for 6 months, do so.

Additional Reading:
10 Must Haves for Bugging Out
No Bug Out Place to Go
RE: No Bug Out Place to Go
Plan Your Escape Route Carefully


Original: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/SurviveTheWorst/~3/529229977/bugging-out-when-shtf.html

Ice Storm Stories and Preparedness

from Utah Preppers by phil801

As most everyone should be aware, the last week has provided a harrowing survival experience for Kentucky and surrounding states with a major Ice Storm cutting off power to over 1.5 million homes and killing 55 people.

For those of us here in Utah, we’re more likely to see catastrophic events from a major snowstorm than an icestorm (in searching, I cannot find records of an icestorm like this hitting Utah). Our winter storms, especially in heavy snowfall years, can leave many icey problems. While we may not be likely to have an ice storm, there are still many lessons we can learn from those who have just experienced it. Let’s look at some reports from the Mid-South Ice Storm of 2009.

Click here to view the embedded video.

This video is a great photo documentary of the storm and much of the damage it caused.

Experience Reports

From the Indiana Preppers Network we hear:

the shelves (including generators and kerosene) were empty of the basic foods within 6 hours! Hmmm… does this pose a problem for anyone? The stores also quit taking debit/credit cards at this time. Some of the gas stations in the area wanted cash only as well. So, goes downhill rather quickly. BUT, if you are prepared, as I was, then you need not fear these events.

And from SurvivalBlog:

Within a few hours, everything became coated with a half-inch to an inch of ice: roads, cars, trees, power lines - everything. Throughout the night, we heard crashes as our neighbor’s trees lost massive limbs. We knew it was only a matter of time before trees limbs (which are not properly trimmed back by our utility company in an attempt to cut costs) collapsed on power lines and caused widespread outages. In the morning, everything had turned to crystal. About a quarter million people were without power in our county, but almost everyone in the western half of the state had lost power.

… Looking for a generator at the local big box home and garden center? Forget it, quickly sold out. Ice scrapers, gone. Gas cans, gone. Driveway salt, gone. Snow shovels, gone.

… The university asked students to leave, if possible, and those who couldn’t were sheltered in the campus auditorium. They didn’t have any cots so you had to sleep on the floor or in the auditorium chairs. She wanted me to come pick her up, so as I headed out the next morning on a full tank of gas, my plan was to stop at each significant town on the way to check their power and gas pumping status. Each stop was the same as the next - dead. As I neared the half-way point on my gas gauge, not one city on the way had electricity. It’s as if a nuclear ice bomb had been dropped on the state. I turned back.

…Lots of people I know have no alternatives to heat their homes or cook food. Fireplaces, like mine, are electrically controlled gas logs. I can’t even light it manually. I’ve learned a lesson: get what you need before you need it. Get extra. I will be buying a dependable generator once this crisis passes.

And now, from the perspective of a well prepped author on the Kentucky Preppers Network:

The brunt of the storm hit western Kentucky, where my family and myself live at, and luckily my family and I were somewhat prepared. Coincidentally, exactly a week before the storm hit I went out to China-Mart and purchased a $100 worth of prep items. Monday morning (January 26th) I went out and spent another $70 bucks on more preps to add to my Bug In Items in preparation for the storm. I was personally ready to be stuck with no electricity, no water, and no food for up to a month. My parents had just gone to the grocery store the weekend before so we had a pretty good supply of food in the house and we had purchased a 5000 watt generator about a month before. Monday evening we went out and filled all our cars up with gas, and filled our three, five gallon gas tanks up. Our generator is wired to be fed into the house breaker box so we were able to run all the lights, fridge, freezer, television, router, and my laptop. Cell phones were down most of the time, and so were the landlines, so Internet was our main source of communication.

… We did a good job conserving our fuel, ran the generator all day, and let it rest at night. We could stretch five gallons of gas to last a whole day of nearly continuous use. We were able to eat, cook, shower, and enjoy the majority of our usual luxuries. Now I said I personally was pretty prepared, but my family wasn’t as prepared. We only had a couple weeks of groceries, and not any stored water. Monday afternoon before the storm I talked my dad into purchasing a 55 gallon water drum from the local Rural King. We filled it up when water pressure was going out and had plenty of water to cook with and drink. The pressure was in and out but we never lost ours completely, others in the county did, and some still have no water.

… There are a lot of things that we could have had that would’ve made things a lot easier. We owned many flashlights, but didn’t have any batteries stored, so many of them were useless. In this situation having a stored set of batteries is important so you can power the flashlights you own. Having emergency candles is important when needing light in a room. We had a couple 72 hour candles from a few years ago, but more would have been better. Water is another thing that we did not have. I personally have been storing water in the seven gallon Reliance water containers you can get at China-Mart, but my parent’s had none (other than the fifty-five gallon barrel which was last minute). This could mean the difference in life and death in a survival situation. Getting the fifty-five gallon water drum made a huge difference when we needed to get a drink, flush the toilets, and cook a meal. Store water any way you can people; fill up old juice containers, buy the above mentioned containers from China-Mart or get a fifty-five gallon food grade barrel to store water in. Whatever you do, get a supply of stored water. Food is the next important thing. We had a decent supply of food for a couple weeks, but if this thing would’ve lasted any longer, we would’ve had to drive at least an hour to replenish our groceries. If you’re storing food you want to store food that is easily prepared, highly nutritious, and doesn’t need to be refrigerated. Warmth is another important factor. Everyone in the household needs to have a set of thermal underwear, wool socks, gloves, and a toboggan. If we didn’t have the generator to run the heat on, bundling up and staying in one room would’ve been the best thing to do.

… Having storable food, water, a way to cook, heat your home and a light source, will give you a great advantage when caught in a disaster.

And finally, from some not so prepared people in an article on Yahoo:

… among those resting in every corner of a university theater. Some sprawled in aisles, propped in chairs or curled up on the stage. they, like many others, ran out of food and water at their frigid, powerless home. “I had no idea the storm was going to last this long,” McClung said.

… Deputies trekked door-to-door in many communities to let people know where shelters were, forced to spread the word the old-fashioned way because cell phone and Internet service was spotty.

… Those who hunkered down in their homes face long lines to buy generators, firewood, groceries — even bottled water because power outages crippled local pumping stations.

… tried a half-dozen filling stations before finding one where they could buy kerosene. The two were in a line that swelled to 50 or more at the 13th Street Station, which began pumping kerosene after its owner set up a generator.

“We got food, but I’m just worried about staying warm,” said Brittan, who lives in Mayfield, adding she was frustrated by the search for supplies.

“By the time you hear about a place that’s open they’re out when you get there,” she said.

… Emergency officials feared that toll could rise if people stay in their homes without power for too long, because improper use of generators can cause carbon monoxide poisoning.

… “I’m sleeping in a car, which is just fine,” Eason, 74, said. “There’s nothing wrong with a car. Every couple of hours I turn it on, I let it run for 10 minutes and that keeps it pretty warm.”

Lessons Learned/Demonstrated

So we are given the rare (fortunately) opportunity to learn from the actual lessons learned of those who have made it through a local disaster. On the one hand we can learn from a prepper and what they found valuable in their preps - and what they found lacking. We can also learn from those who don’t believe at all in being prepared and rely on the government to take care of them when their TV goes out. Here’s my summary of Lessons Learned:

1. Be Prepared! (hehe) Make sure that you have plenty of food stored. I personally very strongly recommend having at the very least 3 months worth of food stored. One of the main reasons for so much is to be able to help your less prepared neighbors from starving to death.
2. Store plenty of water. Recommendations vary, but the easiest to calculate is store 1 gallon per person per day. Try to get at least 2 weeks worth of water stored, then double it! In order to not waste your drinking supply, it is a good idea to also have several (I have 210) gallon or 2 liter bottles filled with water to flush toilets with. Just in case you don’t know, dumping a gallon or 2 liters of water into a toilet will force it to completely flush. This allows you to avoid unsanitary conditions when the water supply to your house is disrupted.
3. Have a backup power generation system. This can be in the form of a generator, solar, wind or other alternative methods
4. Have a way to produce heat. Whether it be a fireplace (have wood stored!) or propane or kerosene heaters.
5. MAKE SURE that you have fuel stored for your alternative heat and power generation systems. Store enough to keep things going for at least 2 weeks, preferably for a month.
6. Have gasoline stored. It seems that everytime there is an emergency situation in America we hear continuous stories about how there are 15 mile long lines at all the gas stations. Get a clue people! Store plenty of gas, at least enough to get quite a ways out of town.
7. Keep cash at home! I recommend keeping around a thousand dollars in $20 and smaller demoniations at home in a safe. At the very least, keep $300. With a thousand you would likely be able to buy a ride out of town and to safety if you needed to, not so much so with 300. When the power goes out and things get bad, nobody takes credit cards or checks! Cash on hand is an absolute must if you are going to try to buy something. Keep $20 and smaller denominations so that you don’t have to find someone or some way to break something bigger.
8. Keep your home stocked and prepped so you don’t have to go to one of these shelters. I’ve never read happy fun stories about a pack of 300 humans being stuffed into an emergency shelter.
9. To conserve on your fueled heating systems, keep lots of warm clothes and blankets in your house. In a protracted emergency you may need to use your on hand fuel for a very long time.
10. Make sure you have either plenty of batteries or rechargeable batteries and a way to charge them (generator). Flashlights and other battery powered items will likely only last a few days with constant or heavy use.
11. Make sure you have some kind of battery or hand cranked radio in your house. This will probably be your most reliable way of getting news and updates on what is going on.

Those are probably the biggest things - do you have any other ideas or things you noticed should be on the list? Let us know in the comments!

Original: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/UtahPreppers/~3/v2873Bm1020/

First Five

This is a basic tip but one worth considering. I was talking to an emergency manager a few weeks ago and he mentioned the rule of "first 5". What are the first five things you are going to do when you get up in the morning? What are the first five things you will do after an earthquake? What are the first five things you grab during an evacuation? Who are the first five people you call in an emergency? The idea is to put together a quick plan in your head (or on paper) before you act. This also lets you focus on the most important things, get them done, then move onto the next most important things during what could be a very chaotic time.

Original: http://codenameinsight.blogspot.com/2009/02/first-five.html

Civil Unrest during crisis situations

By Joseph Parish

All survival conscious people should provide due thought towards the probability of civil unrest during those times of impending disasters and emergency situations. It goes without saying that when the law is running thin the lower level trash will attempt to take over the masses. This is a situation where cooperation among neighbors and friends become an extremely important asset. This mutual cooperation will provide at least some sort of resilience from the threat of local terrorist activities or natural disaster opportunists which are sure to be lurking nearby.

To begin with one must fully understand civil emergency management procedures which will involve several proven disaster strategies usable towards stimulating the needed cooperation from required friends and neighbors. Normally one can consider the possibility of only two kinds of risks which will be associated with a disaster. These risks are the risk of war and the risk of peace. Although these are the mere basics under today’s way of life we would encounter a much more comprehensive type of approach to the matter of security for our home base when required. Either way cooperation is still the key word.

We all have to learn to stress the value of and be prepared for the unexpected situations which may crop up when we least expect them. Nothing can be worse then ending up being surprised with something that we had not counted on happening at a time when we least need it to occur. When planning properly we should never be surprised about anything. This is the difference between those that survive and those that do not. An adequate means of proving these early warning signs and the actions needed to resolve them are absolutely necessary at all times and under all situations.

We all need to develop a capacity to build up our knowledge about the various potential problems and create a miniature data base in our minds towards combating these efforts. In our circle of friends we need to build a means of blending our efforts together through knowledge as well as information sharing. We are currently entering an era where there are going to be many surprises that awaits us. Remember the Tsunami in 2004, the events of America’s September 11th, our hurricane Katrina disaster as well as the increased activity associated with earthquakes.

It would not hurt any survivalist or group of survivalists to cultivate a civil protection network from among like minded people who are close by. Sharing their abilities towards civil protection, evaluation of the areas risk assessment and emergency preparedness knowledge could well lead to binding friendships when real friends are badly needed.

Copyright @2009 Joseph Parish

Original: http://survival-training.blogspot.com/2009/02/civil-unrest-during-crisis-situations.html

Getting Help When Help Is Needed

from Code Name Insight by Code Name Insight

Some people are still doing fine in this economy, many others, not so well. Now I am not a fan of government help whether it be Welfare, or other handout programs. Once people get into the food stamps, Section 8 housing, AFDC, and other "here let us help make you poorer" government programs, they tend to spiral down instead of up. That being said, there are occasions when you hit rock bottom and need some kind of help. The trick is to know what kind of help is available, take what you need but not more than you need, and work your way out of the desperate situation as quickly as possible. Here's where to find help:

• Your first line of defense against financial disaster is friends and family. It should be difficult to take handouts and help from those closest to you, you don't want to get comfortable with this kind of situation, so make sure that the help you get from others (room, board, money, etc) is repaid in kind. You may not have money but can you wash their car, do yard work, clean the house, etc; this makes you a more welcome guest.
• Check out community service agencies. The Salvation Army offers a number of services in our city--everything from free haircuts, free breakfast and lunch daily, and help with utility payments among other things. The Goodwill also offers a variety of service programs in addition to their thrift store.
• Churches are another source of help, offering everything from free meals on a regular schedule to free clothing to occasional emergency housing options.
• Veteran's Service Centers offer a number of services to help people through hard times such as rental assistance, training opportunities, help with food/clothing/utilities, etc. Many of these services are available no matter how many or how few years you served.
• There will usually be one or more food banks in the town/city where you live so if you are hungry, by all means find out where they are and accept what they offer.
• Food stamp programs have grown exponentially due to the great need. With documentation, signing up is relatively simple.
• Homeless shelters are not the most pleasant places to stay but if that is your only option, it is warmer than sleeping outside. Generally other housing programs take quite a while to get into as waiting lists are long.
• Unemployment is another source of income which you actually earned through being employed so sign up immediately if you find yourself unemployed (according to a recent article in the newspaper, it may take some time getting through to the service since phones and websites for the service have been overwhelmed).
• Medical care can be found at community "free" clinics. As a last resort, hospital emergency rooms cannot refuse to treat you (and they usually have some sort of charity care program too). They can, however, make you wait for ages to be seen.
• And then there are all of the federal and state welfare programs (many of which are available if you have dependant children): medical coupons, cash for families with children, disability payments, assistance with paying for child care, etc.

When you are desperate, especially if you have a family to take care of, there is no shame in asking for help when you need it. On the other hand, if you are doing OK it is always a good idea to help those in need whenever possible.

Original: http://codenameinsight.blogspot.com/2009/02/getting-help-when-help-is-needed.html

Survival Gear for the Home - Fire Extinguishers

from Stealth Survival by noreply@blogger.com (riverwalker)

Fire extinguishers should be a common item in every household. Fire is one of the most damaging and devastating things that can occur in your life. House fires account for a significant amount of property damage and loss of life each year. One of the easiest ways to prevent this is by keeping a fire extinguisher handy in different areas of your home.

There is no doubt that having a fire extinguisher handy can be an important part of safety in the home. Although many people realize that a fire is possible and could happen at any time at home, most people think it will never happen to them. Owning a fire extinguisher is another form of ensuring your survival, as well as your safety. All homes should have one just in case a fire starts. A fire extinguisher can save you from extensive property loss due to a fire or possible deadly consequences by preventing the fire from spreading to other areas of your home. It will sometimes stop the fire entirely and thus eliminate the danger altogether.

Advantages of Fire Extinguishers

1. Fire Extinguishers are very cost effective.

You do not need to purchase a fire extinguisher very often as they are long lasting and have a very good shelf life. Many disposable type fire extinguishers can have a shelf life of as much as 10 years or more. They usually only require routine maintenance and inspection. Many types of fire extinguishers are also refillable. This adds to their cost effectiveness. Fire extinguishers can offer you protection for a very long time, with minimal cost. You only need to provide proper access and routine maintenance and inspections on a regular basis.

2. Fire Extinguishers require minimal storage space.

Fire extinguishers are one of the few items that you don’t have to hide. You can mount it on a wall where it is readily available in an emergency. Anybody that sees it will probably feel safer in your home as a result. Everyone knows how serious and deadly a fire can be and will feel safer in your home because they know you are prepared to handle a fire should it occur. If you prefer, you can always set them inside a cabinet as long as you make sure they are easily accessible.

3. Fire extinguishers are easy to use.

Using a fire extinguisher is quite simple. The instructions are usually written on the fire extinguisher itself. There are some basic steps to remember when using a fire extinguisher.

Pull the pin out of the top of the fire extinguisher.

Aim the nozzle of the fire extinguisher at the base of the fire.

Squeeze the lever or trigger to release the contents of the fire extinguisher.

Sweep the fire as you squeeze the lever or trigger of the fire extinguisher.

Use the acronym PASS to help you remember. Pull. Aim. Squeeze. Sweep.

Fire extinguishers require very simple and routine maintenance. This will vary depending on the type and manufacturer. It is also important to remember that fires can happen anywhere. They can occur on your boat, RV, travel trailer or in a shed or garage. With a low net cost, easy maintenance, and an item that can be used in every home, building or vehicle, a fire extinguisher should be mandatory for your safety and survival. Personally, I keep a fire extinguisher in the kitchen, utility room, hallway and garage. I also keep a small one in my vehicles.

Part 2 will cover the different types of fire extinguishers and their use.

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Original: http://stealthsurvival.blogspot.com/2009/02/survival-gear-for-home-fire.html