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Urban Personal Equipment.
Bill Masen - February 17, 2021 URBAN Personal equipment
I believe the kit and clothing requirements will match those or even surpass those of rural preppers especially the need for extra protection from pollutants and toxins in an urban environment after TSHTF. Any foraging or movement that could kick up or disturb toxic particles from burnt or decaying buildings will require eye and mouth/nose protection (goggles and face mask) gloves and closed hems, draw cord, cuffs etc is also likely to be an important consideration.
Work gloves are likely to be essential in urban areas with its inevitable large amounts of broken glass and sharp fractured bricks and stonework. One piece of feedback I received from an urban prepper suggests that preppers buy as much clothing as possible for foraging and recce roles made from RIP-STOP fabric as its very very likely the damaged buildings and debris is likely to cause very heavy wear on clothing. He also added that the soles of boots MUST be inspected after each foray out to ensure nail, tacks, glass, wire, stones etc are not greatly shortening the life of the boots, (he also suggested that after TSHTF when streets are badly littered with debris that air filled footwear like Dr Martens or Nike Air Max are NOT used)
Extra protective clothing is likely to mean greater thirst caused by getting too warm whilst working so extra drinking /washing water is likely to be required.
Tools for prying open doors, hatches, windows, lift shafts, water tank covers, manholes etc is likely to become standard kit for long term urban preppers. Feedback from established urban preppers I have received suggests that a “Spring Loaded Centre Punch” will be a useful addition to kit for safely shattering toughened glass windows and doors in abandoned structures when out foraging.
I think that in the long term preppers determined to utilise every possible resource left in the city are likely to need climbing gear, ropes and harnesses to access some locations where staircases are no longer accessible and to assist in escaping if the prepper falls through a decayed surface into a void.
A couple of Urban preppers have also pointed out the increased risk in cities after a disaster from packs of feral dogs and suggest other Urban preppers consider measures to keep them at bay (preferably QUIET measures for OPSEC)
Aerosols of bright coloured paint will assist in marking routes in dark subterranean locations as a means of retracting the route out or marking areas that have been checked out.
I also guess (and it is a guess) that urban preppers are likely to end up relying on bicycles for most transport needs as its likely to be the only truly viable swift and cargo capable vehicle for travelling through clogged abandoned streets.
Urban preppers in situ now should consider obtaining AT bikes with puncture proof tyres NOW whilst they can still obtain them through normal means. I think the mantra of the Urban prepper is going to be “Don’t just look left and right, look up and down as well” and at night the Mk 1 Eyeball is definitely going to be at a disadvantage and your hearing is likely to be the most useful way of detecting approaching trouble, So ensure your URBAN BOL does not have any extraneous noises at night from things like wind chimes, rattling gates, busted windows rattling, curtains or abandoned washing flapping about.
A few handfuls of broken glass and gravel on the approachs to your BOL should give notice of people approaching on foot.
Urban preppers should be able to rule the night in the cities providing they remain unseen and unheard but even simple recceing is not going to be so easy in a large city. Preppers wanting to find out what is going on in a new neighbouring area are likely to have to move quietly into the area at night and set up an OP/LP and spend the daylight hours watching, listening and noting what is going on for at least 24 hours before moving into the area to access resources.
Read MoreUrban Prepper Planning
Bill Masen - February 16, 2021 Urban Prepper Planning
What sort of planning issues and threat subjects that urban preppers or ordinary preppers need to consider if stuck within a large town or city after TSHTF.
Avoiding Detection by gangs or criminals and avoiding being rounded up by authorities (NEVER BECOME A REFUGEE)
Identifying and Recovering water sources and materials to purify water*
Identifying and recovering food sources ( primarily this will be tinned, freeze dried, dehydrated etc)
Locating and foraging for wild growing NON POLLUTED foods
Developing transit routes to and from place of safety (BOL)
Collecting specialist access keys like storm drain keys, subway maintenance access doors etc
Finding safe places to shelter and cook that won’t give away your position
Mapping CCTV and other surveillance equipment (and plotting ways to avoid it)
Finding B O routes not likely to be used by refugees and displaced persons
Noting where unsafe and unstable building are and unstable or collapse prone paved areas are.
Identify choke points where desperate refugees may congregate
Identify likely locations for official check points and unofficial ambushs
Identify URBAN specific threats such as local gang territory or places with live rail lines, places likely to face flooding
Identify safe locations for shelter if civil unrest triggers large scale riots or out of control arson triggered fire storms
Identifying useable Elevated and Subterranean travel routes (Ariel walkways and underground passages)
Identifying suitable places to set up OP and LPs
Identifying suitable urban locations to hide caches of supplies securely and safely
Identifying areas for future planting of food stuffs
Setting up suitable URBAN comms short range SECURE systems (and concealing antennae)
WATER specific concerns
Urban preppers will need methods of testing water sources in urban locations to see if they have been treated with rust inhibitors, anti-bacterial agents, anti-fungal agents, excess dissolved lead or copper levels, antifreeze agents (alcohol and / or glycol based), excess sodium hypo levels, build ups of explosive hydrogen sulphide gases in water systems, faecal matter levels, typhus or other nasty’s etc””” Boiling does not remove chemical additives or metallic additives.
Understanding how the water network operates
Locating Underground service reservoirs
Sourcing a gate Key (for closing/opening valves on the water network)
Read MorePrepping, not as taboo as it used to be. Odd isn’t it? (an observation)
Bill Masen - February 16, 2021 Isn’t it odd that,
Before 911 or 7/7 Preppers were ridiculed, mocked and abused, and our stockpiling was condemned as hoarding, our efforts at self reliance as “odd” and we were seen as selfish fear mongers.
After 911 or 7/7 The Establishment ( globally) sort of tolerated prepping and many governmental and NGO agencies started suggesting citizens to build their own Disaster Emergency Kits and store supplies to weather storms and disasters, but we were still looked down upon by the MSM and many establishment types as being radicals outside of civilised society.
But in this Covid 19 crisis we see NO ONE is mocking preppers any more, not even cynical governments or TV hosts, Almost every agency issues PLANS FOR CITIZENS to build Bobs and Caches and they open encourage everyone to BE PREPARED.. Articles in globally respected new papers state openly Preppers were right to get ready for the unforseen.
Now just about every celeb, dot.com billionaire and many of our ruling elites are now ardent preppers…. just like us.
I think that over the last 20 years we have proven our community and its beliefs to not only being RIGHT, but pretty darn essential in these strange times.
I dont want to say ” I told you so” but I am thinking it. BUT I also know NOW that I NEED to learn and interact with others on forums exactly like this one.
Read MoreFrom the BBC: Sugar for treating badly infected wounds.
Bill Masen - February 16, 2021 https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20180328-how-sugar-could-help-heal-wounds
Doctors are finding one way that sugar can benefit your health: it may help heal wounds when antibiotics fail.
By Clara Wiggins30th March 2018
As a child growing up in poverty in the rural Eastern Highlands of Zimbabwe, Moses Murandu was used to having salt literally rubbed in his wounds when he fell and cut himself. On lucky days, though, his father had enough money to buy something which stung the boy much less than salt: sugar.
Murandu always noticed that sugar seemed to help heal wounds more quickly than no treatment at all. So he was surprised when, having been recruited to come to work as a nurse for the UK’s National Health System (NHS) in 1997, he found that sugar wasn’t being used in any official capacity. He decided to try to change that.
Now, Murandu’s idea finally is being taken seriously. A senior lecturer in adult nursing at the University of Wolverhampton, Murandu completed an initial pilot study focussed on sugar’s applications in wound healing and won an award from the Journal of Wound Care in March 2018 for his work.
In some parts of the world, this procedure could be key because people cannot afford antibiotics. But there is interest in the UK, too, since once a wound is infected, it sometimes won’t respond to antibiotics.
To treat a wound with sugar, all you do, Murandu says, is pour the sugar on the wound and apply a bandage on top. The granules soak up any moisture that allows bacteria to thrive. Without the bacteria, the wound heals more quickly.
Evidence for all of this was found in Murandu’s trials in the lab. And a growing collection of case studies from around the world has supported Murandu’s findings, including examples of successful sugar treatments on wounds containing bacteria resistant to antibiotics. Even so, Murandu faces an uphill battle. Funding for further research would help him reach his ultimate goal – to convince the NHS to use sugar as an alternative to antibiotics. But a great deal of medical research is funded by pharmaceutical companies. And these companies, he points out, have little to gain from paying for research into something they can’t patent.
The sugar is the plain, granulated type you might use to sweeten your teaThe sugar Murandu uses is the plain, granulated type you might use to sweeten your tea. In the same in vitro trials, he found that there was no difference between using cane or beet sugar. Demerara, however, wasn’t as effective.
The pilot showed that strains of bacteria grew in low concentrations of sugar but were completely inhibited in higher concentrations. Murandu started recording case studies in Zimbabwe, Botswana, and Lesotho (where he first trained in nursing). Included among them is a woman living in Harare.
“The woman’s foot had been measured, ready to be amputated, when my nephew called me,” Murandu says. “She had had a terrible wound for five years, and the doctor wanted to amputate. I told her to wash the wound, apply sugar, leave it and repeat.
“The woman still has her leg.”
This, he says, is one example of why there is so much interest in his methods, particularly from parts of the world where people can’t afford antibiotics.
In total, Murandu has now carried out clinical studies on 41 patients in the UK. He hasn’t yet published the trial results but has presented them at national and international conferences. One question he had to answer during his research was whether sugar could be used on diabetic patients, who commonly have leg and foot ulcers. Diabetics need to control the level of glucose in their blood so this isn’t an obvious healing method to use on them.
But he found that it worked for diabetics without sending their glucose levels soaring. “Sugar is sucrose – you need the enzyme sucrase to convert that into glucose,” he says. As sucrase is found within the body, it is only when the sugar is absorbed that it is converted. Applying it to the outside of the wound isn’t going to affect it in the same way.
While Murandu continues his research on human patients, across the Atlantic US veterinarian Maureen McMichael has been using this healing method on animals for years.
McMichael, who works at the University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital, first started using both sugar and honey on pets back in 2002. She said it was a combination of the simplicity of the method and the low cost that attracted her – especially for pet owners who couldn’t afford the usual methods of bringing the animal to the hospital and using sedation.
McMichael says that they keep both sugar and honey in their surgery and often used it on dogs and cats (and occasionally on farm animals). Honey has similar healing properties to sugar (one study found it to be even more effective at inhibiting bacterial growth), though it is more expensive.
The sugar treatment may work on wounds afflicting not only people, but pets (Credit: Getty Images)
“We have had some really great successes with this,” McMichael says. She gave an example of a stray dog that had come to them after being used as “pitbull bait”, hung from a harness and attacked by pitbulls being trained for fighting. The dog came in with up to 40 bite wounds on each limb – and was healed within eight weeks.
“She was a stray so there was no money for her. We treated her with both honey and sugar and she did fabulously,” McMichael says. “She’s all healed now.”
As well as being cheaper, sugar has another upside: as more and more antibiotics are used, we are becoming resistant to themBack in the UK, tissue engineering specialist Sheila MacNeil of the University of Sheffeld has researched how naturally occurring sugars can be used to stimulate the re-growth of blood vessels. Her research stemmed from from her work on tumours, when she noticed that one particular small sugar derived from the breakdown of DNA (2-deoxy-D-ribose) kept cropping up. MacNeil’s team experimented by applying this sugar to the membrane surrounding chick embryos. According to MacNeil, the sugar stimulated double the number of blood vessels than would grow without it.
But of course these types of naturally occurring sugars found in our bodies are a long way from the type of everyday sugar used by Murandu in his experiments. The “dream ticket”, MacNeil says, would be to find a sugar that could be used in both ways. She believes this is the next step research should take.
Meanwhile in Wolverhampton, Murandu’s plan is to set up a private clinic using his sugar method. He hopes that one day sugar will be commonly used, not only by the NHS but also at public hospitals in some of the other countries where he has been working. He continues to get regular emails from around the world, asking for his advice – and guides patients remotely over email and texting. His far-away clients send him photos of their results along with their gratitude when they are healed.
It is an ancient method and one used unofficially by many poor people in developing countries, but for Murandu it was only by coming to the UK that he realised the significance sugar could have in the medical world. He sees it as a blending of his local knowledge with the modern research facilities in Britain.
“Like sugar, the knowledge came raw from Zimbabwe, was refined here – and is now going back to help people in Africa,” he says.
This story is a part of BBC Britain – a series focused on exploring this extraordinary island, one story at a time. Readers outside of the UK can see every BBC Britain story by heading to the Britain homepage; you also can see our latest stories by following us on Facebook and Twitter.
Read MoreYou need a plan to work from.
Bill Masen - February 16, 2021 You need a Plan to work from, but it must be flexible
Many people drawn to prepping may be able to muddle through for a while but eventually they will need to develop a working plan to follow that will help them get better prepared and with the right kit and facilities in the best location.
First you need to consider your location!
Are you going to:
STAY WHERE YOU ARE and adapt your current home (Urban or Rural)
STAY WHERE YOU ARE whilst developing a remote bug out location
RELOCATE NOW or ASAP to a more suitable location
PLAN ON RELOCATING in the near future
Or perhaps choose a mix of the above, it is your choice but either way you need to have a working plan with options and alternatives.
What are you preparing for?
Pandemic ( like the Global Covid 19 outbreak)
Terrorism
Natural Disaster
Economic Collapse
Recession
Unemployment
Ethnic Unrest
Extremist Government
Power Cuts
Extreme Weather Events
Societal Collapse
or all of the above or something else.
You may be planning on surviving a specific threat and base your plans around that threat. Let’s say just for example you plan to survive in your present home from a risk from a massive terrorist attack. But what happens if you focus all your attention and resources on protecting yourself from that terror attack but before it occurs a natural disaster hits your country? Many of your preps may be wasted or lost as the natural disaster overtakes you because you did not have the right resources in place to deal with it and they were designed only to deal with the terrorism threat.
Ideally you really need to direct your preps in a general manner but with a focus or bias towards the specific threat you are most concerned about. Make your plans more generic and flexible so you can rapidly adapt to as many threats and risks as possible. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket or all your survival supplies in one location.
Resources
The logistical aspects of prepping can be very complicated but roughly speaking you need to consider the following:
What do you want?
What do you need?
What have you already got?
What can you adapt?
Where are you going to keep it?
Where can you get it from?
How long do you want it to last?
How long will it actually last?
Where will you get more from?
Can you make some more?
Does it do what you need it to do?
Can you get something better suited to do the job?
Can you afford it and can you afford NOT to have it?
Will it do the job you want it to?
How can I make it work better for you?
Is it in the right location(s)?
Is it safe and secure?
Is it legal?
Can you get to it in a hurry?
Who else knows you have it?
So what do you need?
A safe and secure place to live so a HOME / RETREAT is normally the first item, be it a house or apartment in the town or the countryside, how can you make it safer, more secure and more self-reliant or do you need to move home?
Once you have gotten as far as you can in the property choice department you need to consider issues like:
Food supplies (and food production if you deem it necessary)
Water supplies, purity, filtering, storage, transportation and security
Medical supplies including prescription medicines
Heaters, Cookers and Lights plus fuel supplies to provide heat and light and hot water, you need a heating and lighting system that is independent of the mains utilities and supplies / stores of fuels kept safely and securely to power the cookers, heaters and lights.
Clothing, you will need a range of suitable clothing and footwear of good quality and durability to keep you warm and protected from the worst weather your region can throw at you.
Tools and Materials to help you repair maintain and keep secure your home after the disaster strikes. You will need everything from flashlights to shovels, prybars to weapons to help sustain your family. You may also require tools and materials to allow you to start producing your own food supplies if the crisis is prolonged.
Transport, you may find that you need to maintain some sort of transport to enable you to bring in more food, fuel or supplies, and also be able to use it to escape in if your homes safety becomes unsustainable. You will also need fuel for your transport be it petrol for your car or hay for your horse, and a goodly selection of spares as well from fuses, bulbs, belts and tyres, to reins, tack and harnesses.
Communications, you most certainly need a few multi power sourced AM / FM / SW radios to listen for news broadcasts from the authorities or other survivors. And CB / Amateur radios if you are working with neighbouring families of preppers.
Energy, Consider a backup generator or micro wind turbine or solar panels or a combination of all three.
Books and Manuals on various subjects from improvised medicine to DIY repairs to growing your own food are wise investments.
Start now and make yourself a plan of action.
Special skills for preppers (or not)
Heinlein – Specialization is for Insects
A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyse a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects.
-Robert A. Heinlein
Read MoreWhat to consider when buying an acreage?
UbiqueContributor - February 15, 2021 Because I was raised on a farm, I related mostly to farming and larger sections of land and didn’t consider smaller holdings. Then I acquired a copy of “Living off the Land – A handbook for survival” by John H. Tobe and his words lit a fire in me.
I live in a small rural town, but have been searching for acreage since I moved to the region.
There was a property several years ago. It was in a hilled area with property access off one entry point via a driveway from a secondary highway. The property was situated on a bit of a curve and not readily seen from the highway. The driveway was suitable for a gate and cattle guard to discourage intrusion.
The home was positioned on land that dropped off to a deep gully on one side. This made access from that side extremely difficult and the property more defensible.
The price was right, but I didn’t buy it for one reason: the driveway was shared with another house. The layout was a bit too close for comfort. The person or persons in the other house could have been great neighbours and an ally in a crisis, but what if they sold their home or passed away?
I’ve learned from my current community that when houses change hands, the community changes and not always for the best.
Today, when I thought about that property, I realized that lately, I have been chasing price in the acreage hunt and not paying attention to other criteria.
I also believe that if one has clarity and detail about a goal, it is more achievable. I don’t want to make the wrong choice either from a prepping or personal standpoint.
I questioned if my criteria needed to change or be revised. It’s been awhile since I laid out what I wanted. So, for those looking for property, I ask what is your criteria for acreage selection? If we take price out of the equation, what are you looking for in an acreage? And for those who have acreage, may I ask how did you know it was the right property?
Read MoreA suggested medical kit
Bill Masen - February 15, 2021 BASIC MEDICAL KIT
A decent but comprehensive medical kit is likely to be an essential part of your preps, don’t forget to obtain by any means necessary extra prescription medicines needed by anyone in your family.
Sterile Packs, containing coated sterile field, 2 comp procedure tray, non-woven swabs, dressing towels, latex gloves, yellow disposable bag.
Gauze swabs
Sterile dressings assorted sizes
Field dressings
Band-aids / Blister dressings
Tapes
Alcohol wipes
Burn gel squares
Steristrips
Sterile gloves
Stitch cutters
Tweezers
Scissors
Spencer Wells Forceps/ Haemostats
Syringes for irrigation
Aspirin (liquid and tabs)
Paracetamol (liquid and tabs)
Ibuprofen (liquid and tabs)
Calpol (for kids)
Antihistamine cream and tabs
Anti-inflammatory cream and spray
Anti-fungal cream and spray
Antiseptic cream
Anti-biotics, tabs, powder and liquid
Bonjela mouth ulcer & teething treatment
IBS (Irritable bowel syndrome) Tabs (Colofac)
Eczema spray and cream
Insect repellent lotion and spray
Hydrocortisone cream
Acne & spot treatment (Nicotinamide 4%)
Vaseline / petrolium jelly
Eye ointment / allergy drops
Nasal decongestant (Otravine spray)
Diarrhoea treatment
Eye drops
Ear drops
Worming treatment
Re-hydration sachets (Dioralyte)
IF AVAILABLE
Broad spectrum antibiotics
Local anaesthetic spray and cream
Malaria treatment
Multiple bottles and sprays of Detol / Detox
Important do obtain
All prescribed medications for everyone in group
Spare sets of all prescribed spectacles, dentures, hearing aids etc
This kit is in no way complete or comprehensive, but it does provide a good basic kit to build from, watch out for expiry dates and rotate / replace as necessary.
Read MoreThe prepper scout (reconnaissance)
Bill Masen - February 15, 2021 The Prepper ” Scout”
Sooner rather than later when TSHTF you and your family will need to venture out to assess the damage, secure your property, salvage supplies, look for threats, gather intel etc.
This is Reconnaissance (to Recce UK and Aus, Recon US and Canada) its a French term to describe a combination of preliminary survey, survey, exploration, observation, investigation, examination, inspection, probe, scrutiny, scan;.
It is gathering intelligence, information, identifying possible threats, to locate allies, supplies etc and to see what everyone else is doing.
To safely Recce or Recon your area of operations its both prudent and wise to try and employ some sensible precautions and practice some skills. With this in mind below is a rough draft of some guildlines that hopefully will assist you in your mission.
These rules are NOT written in stone and to be used with considered judgement
RULE 1 The Prepper Scout is a Civilian not a Soldier.You are probably just one person, with a family to take care of and not some fictitious super soldier with the combat capabilities of 100 men, remember that fact and work within your ACTUAL not IMAGINED skill set.Your job is to venture forth to seek out what you need be it food, fuel, building supplies, medical kit, transport, or just to see how safe it is for your family.
When you have ventured forth your SOLE job is to carry out that selected mission and return home to your family unscathed and safe and UNDETECTED and not to accidently leave a trail back to your home that others can follow .
RULE 2 is ” Get out and back safely and undetected”RULE 3 is ” Leave no sign of you having passed by”
Watch where you walk and try not to leave noticable footprints or trampled grass to show your recently passed by.
RULE 4 is ” See all you can without being seen, Learn all you can without giving anything away”Use Binoculars or scopes to observe from afar. Look and listen to your environment and surroundings, Has surface dust been disturbed, has debris been recently moved, has foliage recently been cut, are those footprints recent, can you smell a recent cooking fire all are “tells” of recent activity.
RULE 5 is ” Shoot and Scoot”If by some misfortune you are located by unfriendly people, you should try to not get involved in a prolonged firefight, Your family needs you more than you need to feed your ego. Fire only enough to allow you to safely withdraw, remember that gun fire can also attract MORE people to the area.
RULE 6 is ” Watch and learn”If your passing through insecure or unfamiliar territory its always a good idea to lay up and observe the area for a while before moving on, You may detect possible ambushes or security threats, so BE PATIENT and OBSERVANT.
RULE 7 ” Go around, dont go through”If your objective lays beyond where others are based, it is better if and when possible to take a wide diversion to avoid endangering yourself.
RULE 8 ” Write it down, Make a note, Take a Photo”Along your route you may come across other useful materials, supplies , locations that may benefit your family later on, so make a note of what you come across.
RULE 9 ” if it looks to good to be true, it probably is (a trap)”After a major crisis few people are going to leave food, vehicles, fuel, weapons and supplies laying round, and most bridges, tunnels, streets etc that look WAY to accessible may be there to draw you in (ref rule 6)
RULE 10 ” Different routes out and Back”For your patrol do not use the same route out and back, keep pausing and LISTEN, if you are being follow they will make SOME noise.
Avoid roads and paths instead walk parallel to the road far enough away to avoid ambushes but to be able to follow the route. At your destination RULE 6 every time.
RULE 11 “Short broadcast then move”If you need to use your radio to communicate back home, Broadcast short and brief then MOVE, It is best if your home base station does NOT respond to prevent others triangulting your home location.
RULE 12 ” Get off the path before you rest”On longer trips you will obviously need to R & R, if the patrol has more than one person then One sleeps/cooks/eats the other goes on guard, then swap around.
If your on your own then get away from the path or trail, get under cover and ensure you have more than one escape. Make no cooking smoke / flames or strong smells and leave no rubbish.
RULE 13 ” Dress for the occasion”Wear clothing that matches as best possible the territory you are operating in EG Cammo in the Countryside, Tans and greys in the towns, and make sure NOTHING shines or rattles.Dont forget foul weather clothing if needed
Read MoreWinter prep check list
Bill Masen - February 15, 2021 WINTER PREP CHECK LIST ()
Prevention is better than cure keep your house and vehicle etc properly maintained at all times.
House / Retreat
Winter fire wood obtained / cut / dried and accessible when snow has fallen
Coal / Oil stocks ordered? Delivered and stored properly
Gas bottles changed and empty ones refilled / replaced
Gutters cleaned, drain traps cleared of debris
Fencing and posts checked for integrity and stability
Check security lights (Bulbs, Clean lenses, Clean PIRs)
Window seals checked (black and green algae scraped off seals / drain points)
Boiler (furnace) serviced and certified
Set thermostat on heating to prevent freezing of system
Bleed Radiators
Doors /windows draught proofed
Drains free flowing and clear of debris
Locks and hinges oiled
Spare candles / flashlights / Chemical Light Sticks / lanterns etc,
Emergency heating kit checked
Snow shovel / ice scrapers to hand
Pre-salted sloping access roads / drives?
Spare fuses/ circuit breakers
Boarding up shuttering for broken windows set aside (with fittings)
Weather warning radio working and tuned in to local service
Sweep Chimney if you have wood / coal stove, check ventilation – drafting
Clean solar panels, check wiring / battery bank / specific gravity/ fluid levels.
Check and maintain external aerials TV / CB / Cell / Ham and cable connectors
Check & replace bottled gas regulator and hose if over 3 years old
Defrost and clean out freezers if heavily iced up
Clean, oil and maintain power tools like Chainsaws etc
Garden furniture brought in or covered up
*Check on neighbour’s well-being? *
Livestock / pets sorted out
Animal feedstock got in.
Greenhouses cleaned and disinfected, glass checked for integrity
Tools cleaned, disinfected, oiled and put away
Sheds / Garages/ Stores checked for weatherproofing and security
Personal / family
Extra food stocks got in case of snow / ice storm / whiteout
Rotate food stocks if necessary to ensure freshness
Prescription medicines got in if required by family members
Winter clothing got out of storage cleaned / aired and reproofed if necessary
Boots weatherproofed and cleaned
New script eye glasses obtained if necessary
Cans / foods rotated
Water filters cleaned / elements changed
Caches checked, updated etc
Bug out routes reccied
BOB’s checked and updated if necessary
Contact plans / pick up plans arranged for family members stranded by weather at school or work etc.
Personal security equipment cleaned / oil / checked etc
Vehicles
Get the latest Council winter road gritting map and plan your commute / BO routes accordingly
Check CB / Ham radio installation
Top up / change antifreeze
Tighten /adjust drive belts
Tyre condition /pressures
Jet wash underside, valet / polish bodywork
Check hoses for cracks, splits and tightness of hose clips
Lube locks
Change wiper blades (normally bi-annually)
Replace HL bulbs if over 5 years old (they have lost 20% of their brightness)
Check M & S tyres condition if still in store
Check your tyre chains
Fit thinner oil if you live in very northern climes.
Check battery condition and leads
Check demister / de-icer systems
Degrease windscreen inside and out
Radio set to accept weather and traffic news reports
Update Satnav data / Get new road map
Sleeping bag/ survival blanket
Chemical light sticks / flashlights/spare batteries
Candle/ matches
Snow dye
Survival kit
Shovel
Snow mats
Short wave radio / batteries
Hot drink making kit
Vehicle Spares,
bulbs & fuses,
belts,
plugs,
leads,
oil,
coolant,
hose clips,
hose repair kit,
exhaust repair kit,
cable ties & duct tape
snow chains / snow mat
wheel brace
spanners / sockets and screwdrivers
sockets
Tyre levers & tyre pump
Read MoreThe ultimate EDC bag?
Brandon - February 15, 2021 I was trying to imagine what the best EDC bag could be for a male, i.e. a murse that doesn’t look like one. Backpacks are great, but are a bit much for taking everywhere. In the past I’ve carried a jacket even on warm days just for the pockets. Obviously this comes with the bonus of having a jacket on hand. With this in mind, a Google search later and I found this.
It’s certainly not perfect, one of those single-product-Amazon-only companies that you can find no information about except it looks like they’re HQ’d in Florida. Durability is unknown beyond Amazon reviews. It appears to still be a bit bulky, but perhaps it can collapse.
Anyone know of anything else like this that’s a little more reputable and/or made of better materials, or have any other thoughts about a jacket-bag for EDC?
Read MoreAdvice Sought: New rural neighbor moving into a shared-land situation
SeaBee - February 14, 2021 Hello community, I’m asking advice on how to approach a land-sharing situation as a new rural neighbor. Sorry this is a little long, but the context will help, I hope.
I am pleased to report that I will soon close on a property in rural New York, over 40 acres and a small home. While I won’t be able to live there full-time right away, I am eager to invest in the home and land. The eventual goal is a mostly self-supported homestead.
The land has a large field, ~25 acres, and the prior owner (a mostly absentee owner) had a “handshake” agreement with the neighbor allowing use of the field. The neighbor hays about 15 acres (twice per year) and uses the other 10 to pasture his small herd (10-15 head). In return, the neighbor was to mow the owner’s ~1.5/2 acre lawn around the home (something the owner states the neighbor didn’t really do). This agreement has been in place for at least 6-8 years. The neighbor has erected an electric fence for the pasture and seems to have kept the pasture and field in good condition.
I would appreciate advice and thoughts from this wonderful community as to how you think I should proceed in this situation.
I am aware that I’m the new person moving into an established situation, and it’s important not be a a jerk. However, this neighbor is essentially getting something for nothing (he has less than 10 acres and could not have such a large herd without use of this field), and I feel it’s important to create a new agreement that isn’t simply a give-away. I don’t mind him continuing to use the field, but would want an exchange or barter in a written agreement. I’m not interested in the lawn mowing, as I’ll be up every weekend to handle that. Farmer friends in the area have suggested he raise one beefer each year for me and I pay processing costs (they have similar agreements with other farmers). I eventually plan to use that field for farming and livestock of my own, but that is a few years away. I have met the neighbor in person to get his side of things and start building a relationship. He seems friendly and eager to continue the old agreement, and talked excitedly of all the livestock trading he’s been doing lately: “I want to watch my retirement grazing from the back of my deck!” For anyone who is on either side of a similar situation, I’d love to hear what did or did not feel good in this process in your experience.At the end of the day, I know it’s better to have a buddy than an enemy as a neighbor, but I also feel that I need to reset the neighbor’s view of the situation without being a jerk, especially as someone who won’t be a full-time neighbor for a least a couple years.
Thanks for any thoughts you care to share, or any questions you think I should be asking. Always grateful for the shared expertise of this forum!
Read MorePrepper reading list factual & reference
Bill Masen - February 14, 2021 BOOK READING LIST
Book list factual and fictional. One set for reference and planning, the other set for mental preparation of how to handle likely scenarios.
Aftermath, Charles Sheffield (Very Good)After Doomsday, Poul AndersonAtlas Shrugged, Ayn Rand (Hard to grasp)Alas Babylon, Pat Frank (Truly a superb classic)Amerikan sunset, Jennifer Ladewig (Drivel)A Wrinkle in the skin, John Christopher (A character essay )Black Sun, Robert Leininger Very goodBlood Crazy, Simon ClarkCrabs, Guy SmithComet, (The) Robert Charles Very GoodDamnation Alley, Roger Zelazny Better than the movieDay after Tomorrow, (The) Whitley Strieber
Day by Day Armageddon J L Bourne (SUPERB BOOK)Day of the Triffids, John WyndhamDeath of Grass, John ChristopherDeathlands, Jack AdrianDeluge, Fowler Wright
Deluge, Richard DoyleDrought ,(The) JG Ballard thought provokingDrowned world, (The) JG Ballard interestingDown to a sunless sea, (either version) David Graham (Truly great, another classic)Earth Abides, George R Stewart 2nd only to Alas BabylonEarth Winter, Richard MoranEternity Road, Jack McDevitt Interesting future shockEmpire of Ice, Richard Moran
Empty World John ChristopherFamine, Graham Masterson
Flood, Richard DoyleFreeman, (The) Jerry AhernHeavy Weather, Bruce SterlingIce, Arnold Federbush depressingIcefire, Judith & Garfield Reeth Stevens entertainingIce Quake, John R SpencerKraken Wakes, (The) John WyndhamLast Ranger, (The) Craig Sargeant ( Rambo wannabe crap)
Living is Forever J Edwin CarterLucifer’s Hammer, Larry Niven & Jerry Pournelle. (Becoming a classic)
Long voyage back, Luke Rhineheart( In the top ten of all time )Long Loud Silence, ( The) Wilson TuckerLast ship, (The) William BrinkleyMalevil, Robert MerleMoonfall, Jack Mc DevittNight of the Triffids, Simon Clark (Good follow on from Day of the Triffids)New Madrid Run, (The) Micheal ReisigOn the beach, Neville ShuteOut of the Ashes, ( Ashes series) William W JohnstonePlague 99, Jean Ure
Plague of the dead (The Morningstar Saga) Z A RechtPatriots, James Wesley Rawles ( A Brilliant piece of work)Postman, (The) David Brin
Resurrection Day Brendan DuboisRift, (The) Walter J WilliamsSavage Dawn, Robert ColeShiva Descending, Gregory BenfordSome will not die, Algis BudrysStand, (The) Stephen King
Survivors Terry Nation ( British Classic)Survivalist, (The) series Jerry AhernThird Pandemic, (The) Pierre OuelletteThis is the way the world ends, James Morrow
Thunder & Ashes (Morningstar Saga) Z A RechtVirus, Japanese Author ( lost from my collection)When the City stopped, Joan PhipsonWild Shore ( The) Kim Stanley Robinson Deep stuff
World in Winter ( The) John ChristopherYear of the quiet sun, Wilson Tucker Suprisingly Good48, James Herbert8.4, Peter Hernon good read28 Days Later, Alex Garland299 Days the Preparation, Glen Tate ( My book of the year for 2014)
All good reading stuff for making your mind more accessible to the possibilities and permutations
Most of these books are very thought provoking and make you think about some issues you otherwise may have overlooked.
My Favourites are ALAS BABYLON and Patriots, and Day By Day Armageddon
Factual and reference
Archery Steps to Success. Hayward / Lewis
Build the perfect survival kit 0-87349-967-0The Survivalists Patrick Rivers 0-413-31650-5Earth Shock Basil Booth & Frank Fitch 0-7221-1778 7The Nuclear Survival Handbook Barry PopkessTappan on Survival Mel Tappan 0-916172-04-xSurvival guns Mel TappanThe Survival Retreat Ragnar Benson 0-87364-275-9The Modern Survival Retreat Ragnar Benson 0-87364-980-x
The Survival Nurse Ragnar Benson 1-58160-075-5Apocalypse Tomorrow Duncan Long 0-87947-089-5When Technology Fails Mathew Stein 1-57416-047-8The Coming Global Superstorm Bell and Strieber 0-7434-0888-8
How to live Off –Grid Nick Rosen 978-0-385-61127-5Life after doomsday Bruce D Clayton 0-87364-175-2Surviving Doomsday C Bruce Sibley 07219-0780-6Outdoor Survival guide Hugh Mc Manners 0-7513-0644-4Travel Vans John Speed 99920-1-158-0 (The book for building BOVs)SAS Survival guide ( pocket size) John lofty Wiseman 0-00-470167-4
Beneath the City Streets, Peter Laurie: 0586050558
When All Hell Breaks Loose Cody Lundin (VERY VERY American)
TRAVEL VANS John Speed (Building SUVS/ Campers)
EMERGENCY POWER FOR RADIO COMMUNICATIONS 978-0-872-615-3
by Michael Bryce
Read MoreDealing with a spouse / significant other who thinks prepping is nuts
LNMOt - February 14, 2021 Hello! I wanted to reach out to this community to:
a) see if anybody else has a spouse or significant other who thinks you’re crazy because you’re a prepper? (I can’t imagine I’m the only one *eye roll*).
b) hear how you all handle this dynamic in your relationships.
My husband thinks I’m nuts. He calls me a hoarder, he calls me crazy / insane, he things the entire thing is absolutely bonkers.
He also thinks COVID-19 is completely overblown and it is a constant struggle between us because he wants his family to come up and visit constantly from out of state without quarantine or testing. His family does very little to protect themselves from being infected – I’m shocked none of them have gotten sick yet.
I feel the complete opposite from my husband and want to do everything I can to keep my kids, my husband, myself and my family and friends safe and healthy. I don’t want to get this thing, even though our age doesn’t put us at high risk. There is so little known about this virus – it is unpredictable in how individuals react to infection and many people are “long haulers”. To me it comes down to self control (which my husband and his family completely lack) – this isn’t the end of the world, there is light at the end of the tunnel. I want all of us to emerge from that tunnel healthy and whole. And if that means giving up some things for a bit longer, I think that is totally worth it.
So to be fair, I guess I think my husband’s crazy as well? HAHA At least the feeling is mutual?
I guess this post turned into a bit of a vent, but mostly very interested to hear how others deal with this in their own personal lives. Curious if there’s any wisdom I can adopt to better deal with the friction between my husband and I related to COVID and prepping in general.
Read MoreShort sighted, myopic or smart? – the need to carry eye protection and particulate masks
Bill Masen - February 14, 2021 Short Sighted, Myopic or just Smart?
When California decided to go up in flames one of the commonest scenes was people fleeing the fires many of these victims found themselves struggling to SEE as they fled, Soot, Smoke, Red hot cinders, Volatile organics from burning fuel and melting plastics all contributed to leave people struggling to SEE.
When the same scenario unfolded in Australia torching homes and millions of eucalyptus trees which in turn released huge amounts of hot vaporized oil that burnt everything.
Equally many of these very same people found themselves struggling to breath as dust, soot, embers, smoke, particulates etc that entered their airways from the conflagration that was everywhere around and above them..
Lets move to 911, The Towers burned then collapsed throwing tens of thousands of tons of FILTH, debris, particulates, smoke, burning oils, plastics, insulation, concrete dust, powdered glass, toxic materials etc blinding and choking the fleeing survivors of that tragedy
When multiple bombs ( be they car, truck, rucksack or other) are detonated in our towns or cities throwing toxic debris into the air as people try to escape.,
When that freight train carrying volatiles derails and explodes launching up to 15 thousands tons of burning heavy oil into the air in your community.
When the hotel or tower block you are in bursts into flames and the corridors fill with smoke and soot.
When 500,000 tons of abandoned fertilizer exploded in Beirut vaporizing concrete buildings for ½ a mile and converting thousands of glass windows into supersonic abrasive powdered grit.
When a massive drought triggers dust storms in the US, Australia or the Middle east lifting millions of tons of soil or sand into the air turning day to night with choking particles that sweeps through your township.
When your local volcano belches a few million tons of ASH, Sulphers, C02 and other nasties 30,000 ft into the air only for it to fall and blanket your town with 2 ft of ash.
When the air stops circulating over cities like Beijing and the pollution levels rocket to a point you cannot see 500 yards and the air stings your throat.
Dont you honestly think that carrying Eye protection and particulate masks in your kit makes sense??
Come on folks FIND the space in your gear, your life could depend on it.
Read MoreTactical walking tips for bugging out
Bill Masen - February 14, 2021 Tactical walking tips for bugging in or out
BEFORE SETTING OFF
Try on your Back Pack and Jacket, Jump up and down on the spot, if your kit rattles or bangs re-pack your rucksack until its silent. Ensure shiny items like watches, ear rings, earphones, belt buckles are covered up or taped over. Make sure your specs and shades are the dull, matt or satin coloured frames, not the gloss type.
Do NOT take hand luggage, you must keep both hands free for climbing, roping, using tools etc
Keep your EDC essentials on your person not in your rucksack (Knife, Compass, Lighter, Flash-light, Multi Tool, Bandanna, Hats, Gloves, Watch, Shades etc) should you be forced to abandon your GHB / BOB pack .
If its a daytime departure take a look out the windows from well within the room moving to the right of the room to look left down the street, and vice versa. Do not stand close the window and highlight yourself. Ensure as best possible that your departure goes unnoticed by others.
Look at the windows of neighbouring properties to see if there is any sign of people watching.
For night time departure, extinguish all lights and fires 30 minutes before looking out of the windows to see if its clear to go, Move slowly at night as human eyes detect movement more than detail in the dark. Avoid the use of Flashlights. IF you need to use a flashlight to read a map then use a shrouded RED filter lens to protect your night vision.
Turn off your cell phones, pagers etc before leaving.
Use simple hand signals not your voice to relay information to other family members, raised arm means stop, raised arm and a crouching stance means stop and take cover, arm extended to left means move towards the left, arm extended to right means move to right. Keep the signals few in number and very simple.
READY TO GO
Turn out lights if it is dark, open door or window PARTIALLY and LISTEN for threats. Send out one person to scan the immediate area for concealed threats. If area good to go rest of group to follow, silently and at least 3 to 4 ft apart (6 to 8 feet if tactical situation demands more defensive stance).
WALKING
Walk where possible in the shadows, look up for hazards in surrounding buildings, Look down to avoid items that may make noise like twigs, gravel or broken glass. Pause frequently to listen, you generally will identify more threats by sound than sight, breaking glass, raised voices, gun shots, vehicle engines, running feet, barking dogs, disturbed roosting birds etc
Watch what nature does, if you see a flock of birds, or a rabbit, or deer for example suddenly take flight that tells you something has frightened it, and it may NOT have been your group.
Look left and right SLOWLY in a steady scanning motion, Human eyes detect motion more than shapes when its dark and you have more detector rods and cones in the sides of your eyes than you do at the back. Scanning side to side as you walk you will detect MOVEMENT before shape.
The last man in the group needs to keep stopping and quietly observing the rear to see if you are being followed.
Avoid using flashlights to navigate with, rely on your own night visions, Human eyes take 35 minutes to adapt to the dark but only seconds to lose night vision if a fool turns on a flashlight. Not to mention the risk of advertising your position to the whole area if you do use a flashlight.
Where possible avoid public places and spaces where cops, troops or attackers may gather, try and stay in the shadows.
Avoid districts where scavengers may good looking for food, loot etc When passing through hilly neighbourhoods never walk along hilltops or ridge lines, stay under the ridge line and don’t silhouette your self.
If faced with an obstacle such as a hedgerow or wall try always to go round or under it, not over the top or through a gate because again you are just exposing yourself to detection.
In the short term most highway and rail bridges are really places to avoid, both state officials and predators WILL target them. Look for alternative routes.
RESTING & EATING
No cooking fires during the day unless you can guarantee you wont create any smoke. When cooking at night site the cooker in a hollow or hole so it does not give off light giving away your position, Beware of the odour of cooking food also giving away your position.
If in a group ONE PERSON COOKS, the others spread out and keep watch for approaching trouble, Silence is golden as you will hear them approaching long before you see them.
You need to remember the cook will probably lose his night vision so if you have to bug out someone will need to help him until his eyes adjust. Ideally eat in shifts, half eating half keeping watch. Pack away camp cooker etc BEFORE eating in case you have to bug out in a hurry.
Take every scrap of rubbish with you or bury it, fill in your cooking hole / fire pit, leave no clue to your passing through.
SLEEPING
We all need rest and the young and elderly need more rest than healthy adults, you all must sleep when possible. Human biorhythms run in two hour cycles, so to get the full benefit of sleep people need to be fully asleep in two hour sections. This in reality means in a stressed situation after a days bugging out each member will need three hours in his sleeping bag, an hour to wind down / de-stress and two hours sleep. So whilst at least one person stands watch, the others should rest in three hour sections.
All gear must remain packed in rucksacks and boots etc kept close to hand in case you have to make a swift and stealthy exit from your campsite.
MOVING ON
If you find yourself having to return to your original location due to unforeseen circumstance then if you can use a different route back. And check frequently by stopping and listening to see if you are being followed.
Read MoreBug in or out your response times matter.
Bill Masen - February 14, 2021 Bug In or out , your response times matter.
Think about it, we nearly all have well sorted INCH, BOB or GHBs and plans on what to do it the balloon goes up, but have you considered your RESPONSE times in relation to Getting Out Of Town / Getting home/ Evacuating in the context of what everyone else is doing at the same time.
Lets consider a few examples of thev worst kind first before looking at more likely issues.
1 Cascadia / San Andreas. If you live close to the coast you could have as little as five minutes to react to a tsunami hitting places like Coastal Oregon / Washington and an average of roughly 12 to 25 minutes in So Cal. But remember the footage from Anchorage in the 60s when the same fault let rip, the first thing that went out was the bridges and roads as huge landslides blocked roads, bridges collapsed and in places roads split and rose or fell by 30 meters so you need to explore all options including such things as heading to the upper floors of tower blocks and Multi story Car Parks insead of joining the masses running away from the sea.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1964_Alaska_earthquake
2 Depending where you live if the Volcano on Gran Canaria erupted and that huge chunk of mountainside fell into the ocean you could have up to 3 hours to get out to safety in Northern Europe and FIVE hours on the East Coast of the US, but consider the blind panic as New York, Boston etc Galveston, New Orleans, Miami and the Keys etc all tried to get inland in five hours ?.
During H Andrew when the target area had DAYS of warning many left it late to move to safer ground inland, Gridlock ensued and one well documented Prepper families efforts were for nothing. They left 12 hours before the storm was due to hit in a fully prepped BOV with full tanks and extra jerry cans, But because of the huge volume of traffic they found themselves crawling along at 5 MPH for 14 hours and ran out of fuel in the middle of nowheresville Georgia. Imagine all of the lowlanders of SE England trying to head west and north in a blind panic with the news that the tsunami is only 3 hours away.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Andrew
3 Slipping down the scale of dramitic effect a bit if we had another perfect storm of the type that caused so much damage to the UK east coast in 1953 where nearly 3000 Brits and Dutch drowned often in their homes. Today sea levels are higher, population density is FAR higher today and only certain key coastal and riverine defences like the Thames barrier are fully maintained. Another storm like the 1953 storm if it broke through the defences could kill upwards of 50,000 people and deluge much of London and the area arounds the Thames Delta. Can you imagine 9.3 million Londoners trying to leave the area in a hurry and most would not try to get out until the barriers started to fail. Only ONE van leaking diesel in the Blackhall tunnel recently during rush hour caused traffic jams over 10 miles long and delays of up to 5 hours across a huge area, so a couple of minor crashes, people running out of fuel etc and hundreds of thousands will be stranded with no room for manouvre. Oh and in 1953 we still have a huge CIVIL DEFENCE program of eqiupment and staff to help rescue efforts ALL now long disbanded.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Sea_flood_of_1953
I wrote this BEFORE the Covid Outbreak of 2020.
4 So imagine a Spanish flu outbreal like the one in 1918 hitting London, crippling essential services https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1918_flu_pandemic or an EMP or Carrington event https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_storm_of_1859 hitting the country and suddenly the power is gone, not only have your cities lost their electricity but their street lights, traffic lights, cell phones, land lines, refrigeration, tube trains, trams, water , gas and sewage supplies, check out tills and credit card readers, cash points, lifts, flood barriers power to houses and shops. Imagine the Carrington event happening in a bad winter?
5 The HUGE firestorms that raced across both California and Australia in the last few years, that in some cases the fires were reported to travel faster than a speeding vehicle..
6 Mass urban civil unrest and rioting looting and arson in the US in 2020, often the law enforcement agencies stood aside and did nothing. Think about people living OVER or NEXT to shops and businesses being looted. OR Imagine living along a route between shopping centers and business districts.
It could even be the arrival of MILLIONS of desperate migrants overwhelming the authorities and pouring into the country in huge numbers collapsing our entire social welfare infrastructure and looting, stealing and rioting. The EU has found itself totally unable to stop 2 million migrants from surging across Europe, And in the US Trumps wall looks likely to be abandon because of a change in the administration.
Imagine any given scenario where you need to get home QUICK or bug out QUICK I am sure most if not all of us have our plans in place regardless of how minor, melodramatic or massive they are, but have you considered all the potential obsticles in your way from blocked roads, refugees, road blocks, strikers, terrorist activity, riots by migrants creating no go areas, collapsed bridges, traffic jams, YOUR vehicle breaking down AND the realisation that your alloted times for getting out of town turn out to be far shorter than you planned for. Consider Alternative routes, Consider alternative responses, Consider the suitability of your current kit to deal with varying situatons and far shorter reaction times. Consider ensuring you have TV and Radios with the ability to switch to breaking news broadcasts if something happens.
Oh and never forget its the preppers who are best informed who can react quickly to take advantage of the various APPS and Tickers you can get for your PCs and Cell phones that instantly send breaking news to you as it happens.
PreWARNED is as good as being prePARED.
Read MoreHouse buying for preppers (suggested positive attributes to look for)
Bill Masen - February 14, 2021 House buying for preppers suggested positive attributes to look for (UK)
In older article I refer in various chapters and sections to modifying your home or adding prepper specific requirements to your selection criteria, in this short article I thought I would just make a check list of desirable options if you are looking to move.
1. Rural or Suburban location away from major conurbations, city centers and industrial developments, and not on the way to shops, malls, town centers, city limits. IE OUT OF THE WAY
2. A south to south west facing position in order to get maximum natural light for food production and to drive a solar panel array.
3. Legally permitted to have double glazing, cavity wall insulation, PV panels fitted, conservatories built etc without have to get special planning permits passed because the building is listed or close to an SSSI or National Park
4. Large enough gardens to provide a reasonable percentage of your own food
5. Reasonable access to as many natural resources as possible EG woodland for firewood, healthy local water ways for fishing and obtaining water if necessary, access to open cast coal deposits, access to the coast etc one is good, any two is great, three and you are rocking.
6. A kitchen suitable for retro fitting with wood/coal/charcoal powered cookers and water heaters, preferably with a nice cool larder room or cellar.
7. Concealed or obscured veg gardens, garage and outhouses where stockpiles of timber, coal, fuel and B O Vehicles can be stored / loaded / unloaded without being viewed from the road outside.
8. Suitable out houses, lean-to’s and sheds away from the main house in good order for storing diesel, gas bottles, coal, timber etc safely.
9. Well above all known flood risks and far away from known land slip areas.
10. Not along any route, highway or track that may end up being an escape route from the city for refugees
11. A documented record of having a decent air flow most of the year that could drive a wind turbine for making electricity or lifting water from well / stream
12. Perhaps a passing stream that can be made to drop 2 meters at one spot to power an Archimedes screw hydro-electric unit.
13. Reasonable access to pasture and allotments for keeping food small breed food animals and extra growing space for crops
14. Multiple routes along various compass bearing that you can bug out along if necessary.
15. Local village has facilities of the type required by your family, IE small friendly school, local mechanics garage, blacksmiths forge, petrol station, hardware shop, extra garages for rental, sub post office, working train station etc
16. Neighbours who clearly are “into” growing their own crops and animals
17. Low reported crime figures
18. No annual or regular events that could expose you to risk such as living next door to a farm that holds 5 day Rock Concerts, No “travellers” regular stop off points etc.
19. Good radio signal reception not in a radio blind spot
20. Not near electricity pylons, gas pipe distribution pipes etc.
21. Being NOT to far away from a wind farm or PV farm COULD be beneficial in the long term as could being not to far from a workable open cast coal mine.
Add your own requirements to list list and good luck with your home buying plans.
Read MoreInterview with Bill Gates on what we should prepare for next
JB - February 12, 2021
Great video picking the brain of one of the smartest men in the world. Bill Gates is such an interesting man and really puts so much of his time and money into good causes. He doesn’t just donate money to causes, but reads 50 books a year, and looks for new solutions to issues we face today and ones that are coming down the road.
What are your thoughts on what Bill Gates says? What do you think the next thing we should prepare for individually and as a society/human race should be?
Read MoreFire! Heh! Heh. Fire’s cool.
Matt Black - February 12, 2021 Other than baiting you here to relive the glory that was Beavis and Butthead, I also wanted to share another tip:
Balls o’ Fire
Supplies:
gloves petroleum jelly cotton balls (or dryer lint) containerMethod 1
Mash vaseline into cottonball (or gathered dryer lint). Store in container (zip loc, old prescription bottle, etc). Bits of paper in the dryer lint help inflammability.
Method 2
Ever melted chocolate in a double-boiler? No? Place one pan on the stove, add water. Place a smaller pan in the water. Put on low heat. Add $ingredient (stir occassionally) until melted. In this case, petroleum jelly. Once the jelly has melted, allow to cool enough that you can drop a cottonball into it and remove it. Set the cottonball aside to cool completely.
Using Method 1, the cottonballs burned for approx. 6 minutes.
Using Method 2, the cottonballs burned for approx. 10 minutes.
In either case, these can come in pretty handy in a BOB or for camping.
You could also consider incorporating excelsior, also known as wood wool (a product made of wood slivers used in packaging, for cooling pads in home evaporative cooling systems), into your fire preps (or cottonball recipes).
Read More
Scenario: Crime and break-ins are increasing in your neighborhood. What do you do to really lock down your assets and preps?
Carter Murphy - February 11, 2021 Through multiple sources of friends, social media, and new reports you realize that household break-ins have just exploded in your area. They are happening at all times of the day, happen when people are there or not, and there isn’t any pattern to things that are taken. Even your neighbors with the top of the line home security system, cameras, and beefed up door lock has had their homes broken into. This band of thieves just really doesn’t care, and it looks like there is no stopping them. And the worst thing about this all is that since there has been so many break-ins in your area, all insurance companies have stopped covering burglary claims to your area! So you really are on your own to keep your stuff safe.
You talk it over with your family and they are extremely concerned about it as well and want you to go full out and go Fort Knox on your house. (for those unfamiliar, this is known as one of the most secure US Army forts)
Really place yourself in this situation. What are the steps you would take to deter people from even entering your property, prevent them from getting into your house, and how to hide items from people if they do manage to get in?
Read MoreN95 availability, as discussed in the NYT.
Mar Tam - February 11, 2021 Fascinating story out of the NYT today: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/10/health/covid-masks-china-united-states.html
Headline: “Can’t Find an N95 Mask? This Company Has 30 Million That It Can’t Sell.”
Some takeaways below.
The big one: you can buy N95s! These manufacturers are legit, NIOSH-approved, the masks are American-made. You can buy them at the various providers linked directly in the article; not linking them directly myself because I’m not sure if it falls within the rules.
There are a number of American manufacturers who invested a lot of money into both the infrastructure and the NIOSH approval necessary to manufacture N95s, but who haven’t been able to penetrate the distribution systems for hospitals. They’re sitting on millions of N95s, but they’re struggling to stay open and to even keep their workers employed. Our systems simply aren’t built to get those masks from manufacturers to individuals. Yet another indication that the country’s infrastructure hasn’t been able to flex to meet the needs of the pandemic. I’m sure everyone is tired of hearing it, but it’s just so terrible that we’ve been unable to widely distribute N95s to control spread. Will we learn any lessons from this into the future? We’re a year in and businesses aren’t seeing returns on investments into making necessary equipment. If we get hit by another similar pandemic 10 years into the future, businesses will need much stronger assurances to even bother investing into the relevant equipment or a ramping up of production. A year ago, if you asked me if my small stockpile of N95s was enough to carry me through, I would’ve said “sure, if I’m forced to re-use.” In fact, I remember having this conversation, and I literally said “well, production will ramp back up over time, so I just need to hold out till then!” Remarkable how even my most cynical assumptions from back then have proven insufficient. Read MoreAlternate navigation to phone
Laura - February 11, 2021 Hey All,
My partner and I have been working on our preps (seriously, anyway) for a little over a year now. She recently took on a new job where she travels up to 2 hours from home a day. She is a hospice social worker and her routes and clients change. Furthermore, all routes are incredibly rural. Some towns have as little as 50-100 people and even then, many of her clients live on farm roads or rural routes.
We have made sure she has downloaded maps from our Garmin Explorer + and that she has a power bank to charge her phone; however, I have always been a fan of paper maps. The problem that I am running into is that without carrying a bunch of maps it is hard to get one as detailed as we need for alternative roads, etc.
The biggest hazards I believe she would face would be weather related or vehicle related. Ice storms and snow in the winter, severe thunderstorms with flash floods and tornadoes in the spring/summer/fall. And obviously any mechanical issue that can happen to a vehicle.
Does anyone have any suggestions for paper maps or something similar that would be effective? And does anyone else have a job where their route changes constantly and brings them into areas where they aren’t familiar (or have spouses whose jobs require those things)? Any insights would be appreciated and questions are always welcome.
Read MoreIn favor of bright colors
hikermor - February 11, 2021 In many discussion on this and similar forums, advice is to avoid bright colors. “Blend in. Don’t stand out. Be thee grey man (or gal).” This can make sense in situations of civil unrest – riots, etc. but this is only a fraction of the total range of survival situations. In many of these other situations, prominent visibility is critical. A good way to achieve this is through brightly colored gear and clothing.
I have lost track of the many hours I have spent searching for victims wearing faded denim and tan T shirts. If they would have had a red bandanna, it would have been a big help.
With backpacks, the important qualities are proper fitting, capacity, and weight distribution. Color should be a minor consideration. Unless you are literally in a combat situation, bright colors are often useful. Back in the 1950’s, you could only obtain mil surp packs or civvie packs made with dull colors. Doing field work at the time, we resorted to fastening bright ribbons to our packs so we could find them easily enough in thick brush. Bright blue packs were a godsend.
Conditions may change radically, even during the same incident, so the best course is to have a variety of colors available, as well as the usual signaling devices – mirror and flashlight – even a bright red bandanna can be useful, although bigger is better.
One of the most useful clothing items I ever had was a reversible down jacket -dark green on one side and international orange of the other. I wish I had more stuff like that. My current go to pack is a bright red, though I have others less brightly colored. If the mob is after you, they will want the goodies they think are in your pack, regardless of its color or “tactical” webbing.
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