National Geographic Channel: Doomsday Preppers
February 2, 2012
National Geographic Channel’s new ten-part series DOOMSDAY PREPPERS gets up close and personal with those stockpiling for survival. The series premieres Tuesday, February 7 with back-to-back episodes at 9 p.m. ET/PT
The NGC publicist for the show contacted Modern Survival Blog to kindly let us know about the upcoming series, and they have sent us advanced screenings of several episodes to review. We of course are excited for the opportunity to comment regarding the show and are looking forward to the exposure it will bring to the preparedness way of life.
We will be viewing the advanced screenings this evening and will add our candid opinion of what we see. We’re looking forward to viewing the high quality production, a standard trait of National Geographic, while at the same time we will be curious as to the up-front and underlying messaging within the episodes.
We have lots of questions, including,
Will the episodes exemplify the realistic ‘doomsday’ scenarios that exist today?
Will the preppers in the tv show represent the main-stream-prepper or will they represent those who may be considered extreme, and out on the edge? Or a combination thereof?
Will the preparedness actions taken by the preppers in the tv show reflect the actions that you or I would take?
Will the overall message of the series inspire non-preppers to realistically stop and think about it for themselves?
Will it help or hurt the prepper movement?
We will keep this post highlighted on the blog throughout the NatGeo ‘Doomsday Preppers’ tv series (Tuesday nights) and will be adding to it after each broadcast episode. I highly encourage you to comment with your opinions as this unfolds, and I look forward to a healthy debate!
Check back often!
Update, FEB-3
Each episode apparently consists of 3 segments, each prepper segment being motivated by a particular ‘doomsday’ scenario. I viewed 3 episodes, 9 segments, and without spoiling it I would say that there are a variety of scenarios (some more realistic than others) and various degrees of apparent over-the-top lifestyles or actions taken to be prepared. Many of the initial episodes appeared to indicate that the preppers were full-time, hard core, and seriously getting ready for the end of the world as we know it. A few of the subsequent episodes exemplified folks who were still very serious about their preparedness while apparently not quite as extreme as some of the other segments. It will be interesting to watch them all.
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Your Survival Books?
January 25, 2012
What are some of the survival preparedness books that you have on your bookshelf? Regardless of the specific sub-category, we would be curious to know some of your favorites, even related novels or reference books that would be useful during times when or after TSHTF.
Add your comment on your suggested survivalist or preparedness related book or books.
Here are a few books, in random order, to get you started.
Encyclopedia of Country Living, 10th Edition
This book is phenomenal! Besides offering general information on gardening and variations on the usual ways to prepare and preserve produce, Carla Emery includes thousands of other exotic and old fashioned recipes. That alone would be remarkable, but she doesn’t stop there. She covers information on every aspect of farming and homesteading from buying a farm to delivering your own baby.
One Second After
The EMP event he describes might presently be improbable, but is certainly possible. Nicholas Taleb would undoubtedly recognize it as a “Black Swan” event: something that lies outside the range of normal experience, but that has a catastrophic impact.
Lights Out
The basic premise of the book is of a US plunged into chaos following an Electro-Magnetic Pulse (EMP) attack. If you aren’t tracking at this point, an EMP attack is the destruction of the electronic infrastructure of the country using nuclear weapons detonated in space. These weapons create an EMP that fry anything connected to the power grid and anything with complex electronics. Cars Dead. Computers Dead. Most of the things we take for granted are just switched off. This causes a cascading failure that effects everyone in the country. Needless to say this is the end of the world as they knew it. Are you ready to fend for yourself … and your family?
Root Cellaring: Natural Cold Storage of Fruits & Vegetables
This book is a vast resource of information about root cellars, how to build them, and how to use them. The Bubels contend that even city apartments dwellers can arrange some sort of cold food storage area with a little imagination and a few suggestions from those who have done it before.
Nuclear War Survival Skills: Updated and Expanded 1987 Edition
With the destabilization of the balance of terror, we are back looking at the possibilities of nuclear wars, at least on a small scale. Kearny’s book is dead practical on surviving in your house or in a quickly built shelter in the boonies.
SAS Survival Handbook, Revised Edition: For Any Climate, in Any Situation
This book was written by a professional soldier who was in the SAS, or the Special Air Service. For those not in the know, that’s an elite unit of the British Army trained to carry out operations in ALL parts of the world. The book covers all you’d ever want to know about the essentials of surviving in climates such as: the polar region, mountains, seashores, islands, tropical regions, or even at sea.
Basic Butchering of Livestock & Game
Put bluntly; killing and butchering animals is not a pleasant business. Anyone who has hunted or helped slaughter on a farm can attest to this. You just have to jump in and do it. The author handles what some may consider a sensitive subject with honesty and straight-forward thinking. He also provides numerous tips and how-tos when it comes to handling and butchering several different kinds of animals.
All New Square Foot Gardening
For those of you who have not perused the book or are familiar with the new method, I’ll sum it up for you: you build these four by four boxes–no tilling required–cover the bottom with weed blocker material, and then fill it with a particular mix that Mel says works like a dream. It is an easy-to-understand, and well-organized book for both novice and experienced gardeners.
The Vegetable Gardener’s Bible (10th Anniversary Edition)
Ed Smith, an experienced vegetable gardener from Vermont, has put together this amazingly comprehensive and commonsensical manual. Ed’s system is based on W-O-R-D: Wide rows, Organic methods, Raised beds, Deep soil.
U.S. Air Force Survival Handbook
A Marine told me the Air Force survival manual was the best bar none. A comprehensive manual of proven wilderness survival tactics for every situation. Written for use in formal United States Air Force survival training courses.
Handbook to Practical Disaster Preparedness for the Family
The Handbook to Practical Disaster Preparedness bridges a very important gap between survivalism and preparedness. In the text, the author outlines effective, but more importantly, achievable, steps that your family can take to prepare for a wide variety of dangerous events. The book is a family-friendly guide, discussing the importance of creating a balanced food storage plan that the entire family can live with, objectively reviewing which water purification methods leave water tasting the best – important for finicky drinkers, and discussing how best to care for children and elderly family and friends.
These books are just a tiny, tiny sliver of what is out there. Go ahead and add some of your own to this list – leave a comment.
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Conflicting Family Survival Preparedness Views
January 7, 2012
Guest post: by ‘Be informed’
As society becomes more polarized, so does the family unit. One issue that unfortunately is dividing families is the issue of survival and preparedness. While the main objective of any family should be what is best for everyone, some of the time there are huge ranges of deep and strong opinions that different family members feel about what is exactly best. As the media continues to poison people’s thoughts with the notion that self preparation and long term survival readiness is not necessary and only for the paranoid, rifts develop inside the family between those that want to be ready for what they feel is coming and those that feel preparation is a waste of time and money (or who also may believe that it is best to depend on the government to handle it if anything should ever happen). There is actually much passion on both sides of the argument which divides family members, and the family cohesion or bond between them.
You as a prepper or survivalist or whatever title you wish to go by, naturally feel that you and your family MUST be ready for what could happen or what you feel is inevitable. Your conviction is a driving force that helps to build up survival supplies and keeps the survival instinct strong and on going. Unfortunately, those in the family and around you may not share in your enthusiasm and could be quite opposed to the idea of prepping. Family fights develop over whom can persuade and overpower the other over whom is “right”. The paramount goal here is the survival of the family and not the disbanding of it before anyone even gets the chance to survive the next disaster.
So what can you do as a “PERSON OF PREPARATION” to win over, or at least come to a reasonable compromise, with those people that mean a lot to you that you desire to rescue and help should chaos befall all of you? Until a disaster or calamity actually occurs there is no real way to prove to the die hard skeptic that anything is really going to happen, of course until it is too late. There are many approaches that someone can use to help convince family members that preparation for hard times is a good idea, well worth the effort for all.
Discussion. Strong disagreements on any issue usually brings about loud voices, put downs, anger, and other negativity. Calm voices is an excellent starting point to anyone talking over hot button issues. Respect of each other’s views is essential even when both parties disagree bitterly. Willingness to actually “listen” to both sides of preparing and not being concerned about planning for the future, needs to be talked about fully. Explaining why exactly you feel it is so necessary to prepare, and have strong definable points like, “why does the family even bother to purchase insurance?” is a must.
Compromising. In almost every family and relationship there has to be a give and take on both sides. Even if someone or the whole family thinks you are crazy and gangs up on you on why in the world would you want to store up supplies and prepare, still remember you have rights. Even if perceived by others as some sort of eccentric hobby (preparing for the possible future), other family members should allow you to pursue your interests. The survival minded person should also be willing to not overwhelm those around them that don’t believe prepping is needed by wanting to fill most rooms of the house from floor to ceiling with enough supplies to last 15 years. Reasonable TRADE-OFFS that are less radical on both sides often work well because both parties feel that they got something out of the done deal.
Manipulation. Sometimes individuals won’t budge and will not give into ANY storage of food and supplies. This might require different methods of obtaining what your family needs in the future to survive. Guilt trips can be effective like, “how can you allow your family to go without and suffer if something does happen?” Buying extra food and other items with the perceived notion that you are trying to save money by purchasing a lot now at lower prices before inflation hits can convince someone that this is a good idea. This is a good idea anyway. Get into camping and roughing it type experiences in which you can purchase all sorts of items geared towards survival, but under the perception to everyone else that it is supplies for comfort on the getaways to the great outdoors. MRE’s, long term ready to eat meals are sold just the same for camping as survival.
Show them. Too many people have no idea what it is like to go without food, water, and life’s essentials and conveniences because it has never happened to them. Now, driving out with the whole family to the middle of nowhere and then hiding the car keys and taking the batteries out of the cell phones to prove your point on preparedness may be too harsh, but there are other ways of showing those around you how important it is to be prepared. An agreement, an experiment, with family members to actually go without electricity, water, and communications for 24 hours or more should put over your point well when they have gone through this. Sharing what food is left in the house for a couple of days or more, no grocery shopping or going somewhere else to eat would really show others around you how essential a well stocked or overflowing pantry of food is to have at all times. Show them how terrible it is to be without.
Living examples. All over the place, practically every country, are people that gone through some awful experiences because they have not prepared. Your family may feel your “obsession” with being ready for disasters is ridiculous and laugh at you and make fun of your ideas to protect them. Let them talk with “real” life survivors of disasters on how much they totally regret NOT preparing. Have these individuals talk about when SHTF for them and how awful it was not to have any food or how 5 people actually had to ration off a box of crackers, a can of chili, 2 bananas, and an apple for a week. Other people can sometimes have much more influence on your family than you could.
Do it yourself. When all else fails, all the reasoning, pleading, fighting and arguments, doesn’t work then you simply have to be the one that plans and prepares for you and your family. The main objective here is NOT to be discouraged and let others’ failure to have insight doom you and your family to what so many others will suffer from, being totally ill-prepared for some catastrophe that could and will likely eventually hit. By you having supplies and food there for emergencies, WHEN something minor occurs like a blackout for a few hours you can gain much respect when your little generator provides the light to see, the power for the TV and computer, refrigerator, and others. One other bit of advice is to find people that prep and think like you do, as they can help you get ready and give you valuable advice. Besides this, if you are all alone in your belief in being prepared within your own family, it is sure nice to associate with and have friends that share the way you feel.
You as a prepper (and a ‘get ready’ and ‘be prepared’ type of person) have what so much of the population lacks, the willingness to not just lay down in a helpless state when something happens that greatly disrupts everyone’s “normal” routines of their lives or puts everyone into life threatening situations. You are going to be ready for it, and the people around you are going to be so grateful that they had not discouraged you enough to stop you from preparing and prepping that inescapably saved their backsides.
(submit your own guest post here)
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The Mega-Disaster Just Happened, What To Do?
January 5, 2012
Guest post: by ‘Be informed’
You wake up one morning early and turn on the TV and there is an emergency alert going off and on intermittently, in between these messages the news has been in bold red, “breaking news” and “alert”. A mega disaster the doomsayers have long been anticipating has just recently occurred. It can be any of what people consider a mega catastrophe. The mega cataclysm is going to be far more intense in scope than the smaller scale disasters such as the recent earthquakes and weather related calamities that were recoverable and more regional or local rather than worldwide. This one is going to hurt most or all of the world.
If you have not yet been directly affected then you have time, limited, to still ready yourself for the certain chaos to soon follow. The worst course of action for anyone at this point to do is to sit mesmerized at the TV or the internet screen like a deer staring at headlights approaching it. The time to do more is RIGHT NOW. The initial shock period is going to last for awhile for the majority of the population, perhaps several hours. You have to take advantage of the “shock and lull” before all out panic explodes everywhere.
For each person, family, and survival group, you are going to vastly need to have a per-organized plan geared towards your individual needs and your individual unique circumstances. This plan should be written or printed out and is necessary because almost everyone’s thoughts are going to be in spastic convulsions no matter how mentally prepared anyone “feels” they are for ANY disaster. A pre-drawn up plan to deal with a mega disaster, even lesser disasters, will help everyone follow some type of cool heads organization rather than running around in disarray and confusion.
Each person’s preparation for a mega disaster plan will be as unique as they are, but should have the following fundamentals:
1. FIRST AND FOREMOST IS NOT TO STALL.
Be physically and mentally ready to move quickly and orderly. Have at least a couple of places to evacuate to if you have to leave your primary home. The faster you can get to your safe location, the better – before road closures and everyone else figures out they need to get out and clog up the road. Plan your escape routes well. Have reliable transportation ready to go. If you stay put, begin immediate securing of your place from intrusions and from future possible damages to the structures of your home from the aftermaths of the mega disaster.
2. ASSUME THAT THE WATER FAUCETS WILL GO DRY.
Plan on being near to clean water sources such as ponds, lakes, rivers, etc. If your water is still on, begin filling up durable clean storage containers with water as quickly as you can. Fill up as much water as you can, even if you are evacuating, carry as much water as you practically can, you WILL NEED IT.
3. FOOD.
Everyone should already have emergency food stored, but if you can add to your stockpile before the “food runs” start, by all means do it. Get to the grocery store and buy what you can, and have on you “plan list” the extra food you will need to add during a mega crisis. Also have a list of where to find natural food sources in the locations you plan to be at.
4. FUEL.
Get all your transportation vehicles filled up before the gas stations close. A good plan is also to have empty fuel continers ready to be filled up in addition to what you have stored. You may have only one chance to get the fuel you will almost certainly need. Electric generators are also going to need fuel that is likely going to be in extreme short supply. Plan out where all the gas stations are within a few miles of you in case most of them are closed.
5. SELF DEFENSE.
While obtaining firearms during this short period of lull before the storm will likely be too time consuming, it still would be a good idea to add ammunition to what you have and maybe get some non-lethal means of self defense.
6. PLAN FOR REMAINING INFORMED.
You really need to know what is going on. This probably means a good shortwave radio protected from EMP and have plenty of fresh batteries to run it for weeks.
7. THE ELEMENTS.
The plan should absolutely take into account where you go that is LIVEABLE. There are many safe areas that have water and food, but are just too harsh for some people to survive in. Some people will die from the cold or too much heat, a real consideration to think about beforehand.
8. MEDICAL CONSIDERATIONS.
Some family members and survival group members just cannot make it too well without oxygen tanks, medications, etc. The plan you make up has to take this in account and be ready to help those in need survive the best they can without these needed items.
9. STOCKPILE OF CASH MONEY.
Most places will still remain open even after hearing of the mega disaster, some places might not even have heard about it yet. Stores will have a strong likelihood soon after that they will have a rapid freeze of credit, or the electronic systems of credit just will go down. You will need cash money to get what you need. Have all denominations in your stash.
10. PLAN FOR SHEAR PANIC AND IRRATIONAL BEHAVIOR.
Those around you will freak out, even stable levelheaded people, when they feel that the end of the world is upon them. Many people can have heart attacks or resort to suicide from overwhelming fright. Be ready to see people act like they have never acted before. Knowing what helps calm the people around you will help those better cope with the horror they are feeling. Also plan for strange unusual worldwide events to follow.
These are 10 suggestions, but there are many other additional considerations. Having your own INDIVIDUALIZED written or printed up plan will help you to “NOT” be caught off guard. The absolutely last thing you want to do after becoming aware of a mega disaster is to be running around like a chicken with its head cut off saying to yourself over and over again, “what do I do?” “what do I do?”
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Preps For 2012
December 30, 2011
If we want to be prepared for 2012, what are the things that need to be done, so that we will be better prepared for this likely crazy year?
Apart from the Mayan ‘end-of-the-age’ predictions, many people feel in their gut that we are heading towards more turmoil and hard times during 2012.
The economic conditions, worldwide, have become much worse than they were prior to the 2008 crash. This time, not only is much of the private sector ‘broke’, in debt, and under water, but NATIONS are broke, in debt and under water! Since 2008, the underlying fundamental problems have not changed… in fact they have become much worse. Things have been ‘papered over’ by the powers-that-be, the can has been kicked down the road, and people are instinctively becoming aware that the game is nearly over.
During 2011, massive global unrest has occurred, and is still ongoing now. Government regimes have been overthrown. Revolting civilians have been shot down by their governments. People have been demonstrating in the streets, both violently and peacefully. People have been waking up to the truths of the deceit that has been upon them by their governments and the system they’ve become beholden to. People are angry. As more and more of the middle class descend into oblivion, the unrest will only get worse, and could get much worse during 2012.
As governments are forced to either cut back or print more money, either way, it’s a stimulant for disaster. Cutbacks will bring out the dependent class who will not go down without a fight. Printing more money and kicking the can down the road will lead to more devaluing of the paper currencies (which is a definition of inflation) as the prices of goods continue higher, much higher than your paycheck (which may actually be going down or stagnant).
2012 is an election year in the U.S., and the government will likely NOT cut back their spending. It’s likely that we will see more currency devaluation instead.
When things get bad enough, governments will look to WAR to ‘fix’ things. Many people believe that the world (or parts thereof) is currently a tinder box for WWIII, and that 2012 could very well bring it on, or the beginnings thereof.
Some believe that we may see a ‘false flag’ event, purposed to bring on war. There could be an event or events that are categorized as terrorism, used by governments to further clamp down on its populace.
During the end of 2011, the U.S. government passed a number of laws which drastically tore apart American citizen’s liberty and freedoms. The U.S. Constitution is all but a relic, a historical time capsule, something to snicker at by the current politicians who seek to control our lives. 2012 may bring on more infringements of our freedoms, our communications, and our freedom of movement. Most of this is being done in the name of seeking out ‘terrorists’, a term that the Department of Homeland Security has yet to define and communicate to the American public. However they do say, ‘If you see something, say something’, although they have not defined what ‘something’ is yet…
Okay, so, what preps should we acquire to be prepared for the wrath of 2012?
A good starting point (or ongoing action) would be to stock up in the categories of nourishment, security, environmental needs, and consumable supplies (for starters).
Nourishment, or in other words, food and water, is of course the most basic ‘staple’ prep for all survivalist types. You absolutely should have at least a one month supply of foods in your house or apartment. To be honest, I’m not comfortable at all with even a one month supply – I would set a personal minimum goal of 3 months while you work your way up to one year.
Security is for your personal protection, for your families protection, and for the protection of your home and supplies. This could start with doing your part to minimize the temptation for thieves (motion lights, window locks, door deadbolts, steel doors, alarm system, keeping a low external profile). You should learn about ‘situational awareness‘ and practice it in your daily life. You should consider your personal security and methods thereof.
Environmental needs in this context are those that have to do with your home, the place where you live. Consider other solutions for staying warm during winter months if there were no power. Could you cook or boil water without power? Is your home adequately resistant to disaster? Should you make those repairs now, prior to any unforeseen issues? What about your vehicle – is it ready for a bug-out or evacuation should it become necessary? Do you know where you would go?
Consumable supplies are easy preps to acquire more of, just like stocking up on food. Extra cases of TP, paper towels, trash bags, and personal hygiene products should be available for the same amount of time as you have food storage. Beyond consumable supplies are those like tools, spare parts, hardware, anything that can be used to help sustain your dwelling and your way of life.
The summary is that 2012 may be a rough ride, and the sooner you become prepared, the less pain you may suffer. None of us know for sure how bad things may become, but for those who have thought about it and have prepared, you will sleep much better at night. The process of becoming prepared is just that, a process. There are nearly infinite opinions regarding how-to, or what to do. However if you simply begin to think about it, you will formulate your own plan, one that fits you and who you are. So, why not get started…
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THE SUB/URBAN WARRIOR
December 22, 2011
Guest post: by ‘TripodXL’
What does the sub/urban warrior wear and carry?
If you are a commuting apartment dwelling urbanite who is riding public transportation, it will be somewhat different than the minivan driving soccer moms and dads of suburbia.
The three biggest differences are; multi-family versus single-family dwellings, public transportation versus personal transportation, and the biggest one is interfacing with city life, the crowds and the “urban dynamic” versus not having to do that. That sounds prejudicial in inflection, and it is to a degree, but not because I don’t like the city or city people. It is because I tend to be a logical functionary.
In a SIGNIFICANT SHTF scenario, the deeper you are into the city, the more difficult it will be to survive in almost all possible scenarios. Anyone reading my musings, where the topic has come up, will affirm that. I preach getting out of the city and even out of suburbia as THE number one strategic survival strategy. Even if you live in the ‘burbs’ e.g. outside the D.C. city limits, it hardly qualifies as not being in the city and this applies to almost any large suburban areas. Granted, you are not inside the loop, but anywhere you get the message on the radio “and today we’re experiencing a ‘capacity usage slowdown’ on the loop right now”, you are still too deep in the urbia part of suburbia. I asked my wife what that was (capacity usage slowdown) when I visited her when she was stationed at Walter Reed a few years ago. She said she didn’t know as we motored along the loop at less than walking speed. I thought about if for a few minutes and came to the conclusion that it was that there just aren’t enough roads to service the number of people that need to use them in that geographic area. This is without an emergency! This is “normal”! Now, having used 300+ of my words for that thought, those issues of where you live will affect what you will/CAN carry as a sub/urban warrior.
Everyone’s circumstances are different and there is no correct answer as to everything you should have with you. Local political climate will affect what items you can carry, particularly if you travel into the city from another state, or the city attitude is significantly different than the rest of the state.
If you commute by car to the Metro (train subway) and rail into the city to become a “city dweller” by day, you may need two bags, one in the car and one on the Metro. We all should have our BOBs but they usually wind up in one of two states. They’re either used daily and become a purse (guys too) or they are “for emergency use only” and we don’t touch them. When was the last time you inventoried your BOB, “carry” or not? I advocate the “CARRY” of your BOB without it becoming TOO much of a purse. I was riding the Metro into D.C. from Wheaton with my wife and when we got out onto the platform to change trains I asked her if she had a flashlight. She said “no, why?” I asked her how she would get out of the Metro tunnels without one, if the lights went out. And, as my wife is wont to do, “well they have backup lights” she shoots back, because she knows where the discussion is headed. Mindset folks. Mindset. Anyway, I bought her several LED thumb lights for her purse, keys etc. and a small 100 lumen LED flashlight for her backpack. I’ll bet if you stood at the Metro entrance and took a survey, that less than one in a hundred, and that’s generous, has a WORKING light source. A lighter is not a light source.
Main topics of concern are personal protection and security, health and well-being, food, clothing and other comfort items. Personal protection items will vary according to politics. I typically do not recommend non-lethal weapons but you have to do what you are comfortable with and improvise.
It may be illegal for you to have handcuffs but electrical zip ties have hundreds of uses and if you needed to restrain someone, they would work with out having “zip-cuffs”. A quality wooden potato masher from a kitchen store would make a nice short club. Be sure it is solid and leave the tag on it so that it remains a “potato masher” if anyone asks what it is. A replacement hickory, hammer handle, 12-18” could suffice. It is important, for legal considerations, that you don’t make any modifications to these “improvised” weapons.
While on the left coast and the yeast coast in the big cities, I carried my CRKT M16-14T 5.25” (they make smaller ones), which was probably illegal, but then you do what you have to do. I guess I would have to play the dumb southern boy if I got snagged.
Some sort of knife should be carried if at all possible, not so much for defense as much as its’ utility use, like a Swiss Army knife. Get a real one. You do get what you pay for. Gerber’s little Paraframe folder #22-08485, at 2.25 inches is high quality and should be legal almost anywhere except the airport and the courthouse. That not withstanding, please obey your local laws. When I stopped for gas at exit 138 on I-20 in Louisiana, I noticed a small sign at the gas pump that noted that it was illegal to carry a concealed knife longer than 3.5 inches. I’m from the south and never heard of such a thing. I’ve carried a knife of some sort since I was old enough to not lose one, too often.
Pepper spray or a stun gun is better than nothing if it is legal. Most places that don’t like guns don’t like you having ANY power over anyone else, which is why they need to control you and your ability to defend yourself because you might hurt some unfortunate criminal who had a bad childhood and needs to be rehabilitated. In other words, you don’t understand how to use such complicated things like the trained police do. Personally, I recommend carrying a concealed firearm, legally, and being proficient with it and carry it safely. I carry mine religiously, everywhere that is legal, why have the license if you aren’t going to carry? 36 states have “shall issue” concealed carry. 4 others have no prohibition against concealed carry. The rest have “may issue” (maybe they will, maybe they won’t). EXCEPT for Illinois, which doesn’t care what your rights are or what happens to you because you can’t carry AT ALL.
Other security items should be backup copies of all your major identification. Sure it’s not official but it shows you have the foresight to have copies and if your wallet is stolen it may help smooth the way with out actual ID. Also have a backup copy of your necessary keys, phone numbers and medical info. Don’t leave any tags on your keys. If you want them returned pay for a service to return your keys and put their tag on your keys. That way you, your phone number and address are not associated with your keys. Reverse phone book anyone?
If you live in a high crime city, I would carry a first aid kit. No band-aids – leave that at the office. (FYI at the office I would have a rescue mask for exiting a burning building) The zip ties make a great tourniquet. I would carry 2 N95 masks, 2 pair of latex gloves, a bag of quick-clot and five 4”x4” pads, ace bandage w/clips, a roll of kerlix, a roll of gauze and a mouth to mouth shield, betadine/alcohol preps and that’s about it for the kit. I would also carry at least 3 days of meds. If you’re diabetic and inject I would leave an extra vial/dose pen etc. in a locked box in the office fridge and rotate it out every time I got a new one.
Food, clothing and comfort items fall into the same general category. What happens if you get snowed in the city for three days? Are you going to live out of the vending machines? What happens if you are stuck at Union station for three days because of a rogue blizzard in Virginia, D.C. and Maryland? The shops and restaurants are good for about 12-18 hrs and they are out of supplies. A large bag of beef jerky, 3 cans of Beanie Weenies, 2 Ramen Noodles and a bag of hard candy make miserable into bearable. An extra pair of socks, underwear, warmer clothing and motel soap, toothpaste and brush and you would be the king/queen. This will show my age, I have a cell phone that rings…it doesn’t do anything else. If you are so inclined, have an Ipod for music, a game (I actually have a Nintendo DS with 10 games), book or a Kindle etc. you can be entertained. A super phone would have all this. Be sure you have all the chargers/batteries that you need for these items. Dress like you want to survive. The right shoes, pants socks outer wear etc.
Running down the main things that you should carry with you, I have come up with the following list, which is not complete by any means but gives you a start. Now these items can be arranged to suit your needs, with some in the car if you are a car/train commuter, all in your pack or some in your office and the rest in your car/pack. Whatever combo works for you. Here is the list and feel free to adapt it to your own needs.
1 Pack..Spec-Ops T.H.E. (The Hold Everything pack, pricey but very good)
I have carried this pack all over the world, it has NEVER failed me!
1 Wooden potato masher/wooden hammer handle or other…no mods
1 First aid kit
1 Lg quick-clot
2 latex gloves
2 N-95 masks
5 4”x4” pads
1 Ace bandage w/clips
1 Kerlix wrap
1 roll gauze
1 resuscitation shield
1 4oz betadine or alcohol preps (betadine preferred)
1 3day supply of meds, insulin or epi-pen
3 copies of meds list and med history
1 OTC med; Tylenol, Aspirin, Pseudoephedrine etc.
1 Knife (legal) potential weapon
1 Multi-tool (I prefer Gerber)
OR 1 Swiss Army knife to replace both
20 Zip ties (tourniquets and restraint etc.)
1 100’ 550 (para) cord
1 10-18yd roll of duct tape (fix anything and medical)
2 photocopies of main ID items, addresses, ph. Numbers etc.
Food
3 High calorie survival bars
3 cans chili mac, Beanie Weenies etc.
2 Ramen Noodles
1 Lg bag hard candy
1 Lg bag beef jerky
3 20 oz bottles of water (don’t use these unless you can’t buy any)
1 Raincoat/wet weather gear (station in office or car as sit. permits, don’t carry)
1 Shoes or boots to change to, see raincoat notes
1 cold weather clothing
1 box of waterproof matches
1 Lighter (unused but tested for function)
1 package of rain lightable tinder
Light; 1 thumb light, [1 head light, 1 flashlight (AAA battery type)]
2 12-hour light sticks, yellow or green
2 sets of batteries for head light and flash light
2 space blankets
2 plastic $2 ponchos (for sharing or expedient shelter)
2 garbage bags (see above)
1 road map of surrounding area all the way home (topo too?)
MISC. items
1 prepaid Go-phone
1 prepaid Visa card
$200 in 20 $5; 50 $1; 3 Quarters; 3 Dimes; 3 Nickels
IF LEGAL; 1 pistol with magazine and 3 spare mags, loaded (4 total)
1 holster w/mag pouch for extras
1 belt for holster
1 change of FUNCTIONAL clothes (especially if you are a suit)
1 rescue whistle
1 rescue siren w/ strobe
4 qt Ziplocs and 4 pint Ziplocs (freezer kind)
Entertainment; puzzles, book, Kindle, Ipad, Nintendo DS etc.
That’s the list. It is not comprehensive, just food for thought and a building block. The items should be packed in a logical, useful manner and not just thrown in the pack. Test the items; the whistle, the matches, the strobe, the lights, etc. Make sure everything is functional and arranged for expedient use. Add to this, change it, make it better as this is not the be all and end all of Go-bags, BOBs, get home bags, whatever bags. Survive well. Enjoy.
None of this should be construed to be legal advice. If you have questions about the laws in your state and locality you should consult a professional that works in that area. None of this should be construed as advice for your situation, as every situation is different and requires your thought process to manage it. Furthermore there is no medical advice offered here and if you have such questions you should consult YOUR medical professional. Survival is a personal choice and as such is your personal responsibility. This article is for the intellectual exercise of thought about possible circumstances and possible responses for which the choice of action is solely YOUR responsibility.
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Survival Preparedness – Computer File Backup
December 21, 2011
Be prepared for computer disaster. Create backups of your important computer files. Hard drives WILL FAIL. They always do. In fact, it is somewhat predictable as to when they will fail. Within 5 years, your PC’s hard drive will probably fail, depending on usage – maybe even less.
There is no excuse not to have backup copies of important computer files on a portable USB hard drive or flash drive given the fact that data storage is very inexpensive nowadays compared to just a few years ago. Even the USB flash drives of today can hold massive amounts of data.
Here is an example of a very popular USB portable external hard drive.
Once you have a backup hard-drive, what will you do with it?
There are a multitude of logical methods to treat data storage and file backup. Myself, I treat file backup in two ways.
One, my main PC contains multiple hard drives, one of which is used for periodic and automatic file backup of everything from the main hard drive. This will ensure an easy replacement should my main hard drive go down (they all do eventually – they spin, and are mechanical and will eventually fail).
My other method for file backup is focused on a grab-and-go philosophy. On my main PC, I organize my files in a folder structure in such a way that simply copying one particular folder from my main PC to my 1TB portable USB hard drive will contain all of the sub-folders and files that I consider to be important. I periodically overwrite the backup copy so that it is always fairly up to date.
If you have important data that, if lost, would disrupt your life, you should really have at least one backup, preferably two. I keep two backups, one readily available at my desk and the other locked up in one of my fire-proof safes. This brings up another point… leaving an unsecured backup on your desk could be devastating should you be burglarized. This is why I keep some of the data encrypted, along with a copy of the encryption program on the backup drive (so to be installed on a different PC should it become necessary). All you need to remember of course, is the encryption password phrase. There are a multitude of file encryption programs out there, so, be smart and use one.
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