Odds and Sods

Not actually Erin.

Picture by KJ Photography

& is used with permission.

David Blackard calls these "Buffet Posts": articles which are just collections of topics that by themselves aren't enough to warrant a full post. Throw enough of them together and what you get is something that's at least filling and hopefully tasty.

National Preparedness Month

September is, you guessed it, National Preparedness Month according to Congress and FEMA. I don't normally think to mention it, because to me and to most of our readers Emergency Preparedness is something we think about all the time, not just once a year. However, not everyone does that, which is why prepper are seen as odd sorts... at least until disaster strikes. 

The resources on the site are pretty sparse as far you or I are concerned. But it's a good source of entry-level information for family and friends who are new to prepping, especially for those who think it's paranoid to prepare for emergencies. You can point at this website and say "Look, even the government says we should be prepared!"

Aches and Pains

I'm at that age now where I just wake up with spontaneous pains in various muscles and joints, and from what I can tell it seems like that's only going to get worse until I die. To that end I have added the following over-the-counter remedies to my preps, including my Get Home and Bug Out Bags, and I recommend you do the same if you're over 40 or prone to similar discomfort. 

Voltaren is a topical NSAID pain reliever that until a few years ago was prescription only, and now can be bought in generic form as Diclofenac. While it can be used for most aches, I find that it works best on joints -- which is no surprise, as it was originally prescribed for arthritis pain. 

For muscle soreness, I recommend Tiger Balm. It's your typical hot-then-cold pungent ointment that penetrates deeply and lasts for a long time, and it comes in a compact little jar because a little goes a long way. Just be sure to wash your hands thoroughly, because you definitely don't want this stuff in your eyes, nose, mouth, or crotch. It's greasy (which accounts for its stickiness and staying power) so scrub well. 

Know When to Get Out

This last entry is a bit fast and loose with our "no politics" policy. I instituted that policy because I don't want this blog to be taken over by partisan shouting matches that aren't relevant to our mission. However, I feel that this rule can be skipped when talking about other countries, especially when there is a very important point to be made involving evacuation from a country that turns hostile towards you. 

The following videos were made by an American who lived in China from 2008 to 2018, and they explain his concern over the growing hatred towards foreigners and increased police interest in him during that time, culminating with him fleeing the country and then his family joining him. Politically speaking, it is anti-Chinese government (but categorically NOT anti-Chinese people), but if I'm being perfectly honest I don't think I have many pro-CCP people reading this blog anyway, and even if I did, they aren't my target audience anyway. 

This first video sets the premise for the others. I was amused at the beginning where he described everything he loved about close, crowded urban life in China, and I thought "That sounds horrible" and then he talks about visiting his parents in a small town and I thought "That sounds lovely," so there's clearly a difference in values at the start. His opinion changes towards the end, however, and it reminds me very much of people who start off thinking preppers are paranoid and then being very happy for their preparations when disaster finally strikes. 

This second video explains why he felt he needed to leave, and why it had to be immediately. I will confess that this reminded me, far too much to be comfortable, of the stories my father told me of escaping the Nazis in 1942 by fleeing Austria for the safety of America. 

It's important to note that he posted this video two years after escaping China, probably to protect those who helped him get out. 

As you would expect, the next video is how his Chinese wife and child escaped and were reunited with him.

 

This final video shows that it's a good thing he got out when he did.

I know this is close to an hour of videos to watch, but I think there's important information here. Break them up and watch a video with your morning coffee over the next four days, if you can't watch them all at once, or do what I do and listen to them while doing household chores. The important thing is that you watch them and learn from them, especially if you live abroad. 

I hope you enjoyed this "buffet" of posts; hopefully I'll have more coherent content for you next week. 

Getting Started: Food

The dust has settled and the First 72 Hours have passed. Follow along as I build a long term plan via Prudent Prepping.

The friend I gave prepping books just asked what I think are questions every beginner asks: How do I start? What do I buy? Where do find everything? 

The cliché' answer is, of course, At The Beginning. I recommended looking at our entire blog and searching (from the actual blog, not Facebook) for the topics that are important. 

The question I seem to be asked most is What food do I buy? and the answer is Buy What You Use Now. Start with buying two extra of your normal canned/jar items and put those away. Then search for 'Food Storage' in the box on the upper left of the blog page, and be prepared to scroll through many really good posts. especially those from Chaplain Tim and Erin.

The next question, especially from folks that might be a bit well-off, is How long can I expect canned goods to last? The answer is longer than you might think. Erin has a post on 100 year old cans that is quite an eye-opener! 

There are several other posts on this blog which mention shelf life, but an article appeared in my news feed recently that addresses this nicely. From the article How Long Does Canned Food Last? Here’s What You Need to Know:

"Exactly how long does canned food last, and is it safe to eat canned food beyond its printed expiration date?

Here’s the good news: Canned goods actually last indefinitely if they're kept in good condition, according to the USDA. But that doesn't necessarily mean that they’ll still taste optimal ten years from now! There are actually several factors that limit the shelf life of canned goods, but in general, foods that are more acidic will expire sooner, while low-acid canned foods will actually last for longer. If you’re wondering about specific canned foods, though, here’s how long they’ll last on your shelf, as well as in the refrigerator after you open them." 

I do recommend reading all related posts from the blog to get even more food storage ideas. 

What if I want to plan further out than 5 years? Or have a budget that allows spending more? Possibly a lot more? 

That is something I personally don't have any experience with, since I am solidly Blue Collar in my upbringing and budget. I strongly recommend diving into Jim Cobb's book that  I mentioned in this post and reading pages 68-69. Two weeks to a month's worth of food is pretty easily done, following the 'Buy Two  Extra' plan. After 3 to 6 months, depending on how much you spend each week, you will have your month supply. 

Now, if you've recently hit Powerball or Super Lotto, things are much different. There are many different long-term food storage companies, but the one I like is Mountain House. Their product tastes good to several different people I served samples, and they have a very wide assortment of to choose from. 

Mountain House 6-Month Emergency Food Supply: $3,999.00

https://mountainhouse.com/products/6-month-emergency-food-supply

From the webpage: 

Emergency food supply of breakfast, lunch, and dinner for one person for six months, or two people for three months. Kit contains 540 total pouches and provides approx. 1,724 calories per day. Just add water and have a comforting, delicious meal in minutes. No pots, pans or cooking required. With the longest, proven shelf life in the industry, have peace of mind with Mountain House.

Or, if you want to go big:

Mountain House 1 Year Emergency Food Supply: $7,829.00

https://mountainhouse.com/products/1-year-emergency-food-supply

Emergency food supply of breakfast, lunch, and dinner for one person for twelve months, or four people for three months. Kit contains 1,080 total pouches and provides approx. 1,724 calories per day. Just add water and have a comforting, delicious meal in minutes. No pots, pans or cooking required. With the longest, proven shelf life in the industry, have peace of mind with Mountain House.

Here is a link to what is in the 1 Year Emergency Supply assortment. It is pretty complete, in my opinion.

Unfortunately, both items are sold out at the moment and, from what I can tell, when they are in stock inventory disappears very quickly. Now I want to say this certainly isn't the only way to go, and I would like the other authors here to add their recommendations to this list. Google can be your friend, but the "Prepping Food Rabbit Hole" can be very wide and deep. That's not to say don't look; just have a plan for what you are searching for... and maybe a lifeline to pull you out.

I can't tell you what you need, but all of us can at least point you to resources where you can find reliable information. Happy Hunting!

Recap and Takeaway

• I seriously doubt there are any Powerball winners hidden here, but even so, knowing what is out there can make searching easier.
• Find out what you and those around you like. Buy that and keep it in a secure place.
• Nothing was purchased this week, but there will soon be additions to the Purple Pack, my own GHB and house stores.

* * *

Just a reminder: if you plan on buying anything through Amazon, please consider using our referral link. When you do, a portion of the sale comes back here to help keep this site running!

If you have comments, suggestions or corrections, please post them so we all can learn. And remember, Some Is Always Better Than None!

NOTE: All items tested were purchased by me. No products have been loaned in exchange for a favorable review. Any items sent to me for T&E will be listed as such. Suck it Feds.

Prudent Prepping: Course Change

The dust has settled and the First 72 Hours have passed. Follow along as I build a long term plan via Prudent Prepping.

I've written my posts here at Blue Collar Prepping with the idea of making all my preps for myself first, and then to take care of those around me. However, that is about to change: the Purple Pack Lady seems to be here in my life for the long run. She has supplies for staying in her place but nothing for camping, hiking or bugging out. I've got her car prepped for problems with a first aid kit and a good flashlight, some outdoor clothing, and rain gear, with a good pair of boots or shoes I'll be suggesting next. 

Just suggesting, okay? I'm dealing with a well educated, smart, city dweller who buys lots of things and has firm opinions on what needs to be purchased... for me. I've had skinny jeans brought home (wrong size, luckily), shirts (ditto), and three nice fleece that did fit, so we are learning.

What made a bit of difference was mentioning that I would like to return the favor and bring home clothes for her that I would pick out. Needless to say, this was not met with happiness and joy. I was told "I like [certain brands] because they fit me, and how could you possibly know what sizes and colors I like?" After a bit of me staring back with raised eyebrows, there was an actual Lightbulb Moment, similar to what you'd see in a cartoon. My point was made, politely and gently. 

What's Next?

We are going to visit several outdoor oriented stores starting with REI, since there is one close to me, and after that a Bass Pro which is a bit more than an hour away. 

On the list:

• Sleeping bag and pad. 
• Rain gear, type to be determined.
• outdoor shoes and my preference is boots of some type
• Fishing gear! She grew up fishing and I won't have any difficulty pointing her to that equipment!

I am still keeping most of the prepping gear with me, but as more personalized equipment is purchased, there will need to be a decision on where most things need to be stored and how to divide them. I now need to figure out what non-perishable things to suggest buying first, as she is onboard with preparing for emergencies.

Recap and Takeaway

• Nothing was purchased this week, and with the possibility of big ticket items on the shopping list, I don't plan on anything being purchased next week either. 
• I may not have the Final Word on that.
• Having an understanding and compatible partner makes everything easier. 

* * *

Just a reminder: if you plan on buying anything through Amazon, please consider using our referral link. When you do, a portion of the sale comes back here to help keep this site running!

If you have comments, suggestions or corrections, please post them so we all can learn. And remember, Some Is Always Better Than None!

NOTE: All items tested were purchased by me. No products have been loaned in exchange for a favorable review. Any items sent to me for T&E will be listed as such. Suck it Feds.

Prudent Prepping: Earthquake! Part the Latest

The dust has settled and the First 72 Hours have passed. Follow along as I build a long term plan via Prudent Prepping. 

Well, the post I wanted to make last week has been pushed back again. I wonder if the idea behind it should be shelved, since things are conspiring against turning it in...

Earthquake!
Yeah, we had a medium-size one last night, 4.5 on the Richter Scale; big enough to wake me up and shake up the dog, but not enough to break anything here. It was quite a surprise to our recently arrived from overseas house guest! They are used to typhoons, but the house shaking for no apparent reason was a novel experience for them, and there was a little squealing and shouting from one end of the house to the other, checking on everyone.

That by itself wasn't too bad, but the text messages coming in for the next hour wore me out. I was scheduled to start an hour early that morning so I really needed some sleep, but the check-ins were (and are) appreciated.

This past week has really been crazy at work. How crazy you ask? This crazy!

Prepping Without Knowing How
With PG&E's announcement of a preemptive power shutoff, flashlights and batteries sold out fast along with the normal stock of generators carried in local stores. Many people decided to place orders to guarantee having one in case the power actually went out in a larger area than was first outlined. From last Monday to this Wednesday morning, a local store ordered and sold 144 generators of several sizes. This morning, the store I was in sold out of generators again.

I believe the blackout, and now an earthquake, has really opened many peoples' minds to planning for a disaster. Thursday the 17th is the 30 year anniversary of the (almost Big One) Loma Prieta Earthquake, and on the U.S.G.S. website is an explanation of what happened -- and what will happen -- to this area in the future. I wrote about earthquake prepping and showed an animation in this post from last year that pretty accurately showed where things were shaking in last night's quake. Please read through the linked posts under "What To Do". My fellow bloggers show what, and also explain why, they do when planning for a disaster.

Blackout Update
P.G.&E has said that all but a few isolated areas will soon have power restored. Now that they have potentially prevented a fire similar to what So. CA. had this past weekend, the Governor is now demanding PG&E pay people affected by the blackouts $100 and businesses $250, while respected news outlets are questioning whether this situation is potentially the New Normal for California.

Here at Blue Collar Prepping we have a very strict 'No Politics' policy that is enforced for members and bloggers, so I am not blaming any party. What I am going to blame, however, is 50 years of forest mis-management (in my opinion) and short sighted business practices for contributing to the fires that have burned too many square miles, destroyed far too many structures, and killed so many people for far too long.

Be safe and be prepared.

Takeaway And Recap

• Nothing was purchased for this week, but I'm being asked even more questions on where to start. I have to dig my prepping books out of the totes to see which might be a good beginner book.

* * *

Just a reminder: if you plan on buying anything through Amazon, please consider using our referral link. When you do, a portion of the sale comes back here to help keep this site running!

If you have comments, suggestions or corrections, please post them so we all can learn. And remember, Some Is Always Better Than None!

NOTE: All items tested were purchased by me. No products have been loaned in exchange for a favorable review. Any items sent to me for T&E will be listed as such. Suck it Feds.

Bug Out Bags for the Unprepared

The other day I got into an internet conversation about what to put in a BOB/GHB for children. My friend was convinced that a 5-year-old should carry a lighter version of an adult bag, and I was trying to convince him otherwise. I've been mulling the idea around for a few days and I'm still convinced that a child's bag should be packed in a manner similar to what you would hand an untrained adult. Yes, I do have supplies set aside for helping family and friends; that's part of my job as father/uncle/grandpa/chaplain, to help others where I can.

I have grandchildren and nieces/nephews that range from less than a year old to their mid-20s. With the exception of the older nephews, none of them have any training or experience that would help them in an emergency. This influences what would go into a bag that I could hand off to them in case they were caught in a crisis near me. Rather than get into specific items, I'll list some of the categories of BOB contents and my thoughts on each.

Water

• Everybody needs water to survive. I've covered my locale in other posts; it's hard to travel more than a mile in any direction without finding water of some sort in the area around me, so I stock ways to clean water instead of stocking water itself. A Sawyer Mini filter weighs a lot less than the amount of water it can purify, so they are a staple in my kits. For kids and the untrained, I prefer the LifeStraw due to it requiring no training other than the instruction “use this every time”.
• Water purification chemicals require a minimal amount of training/education to use, and I wouldn't trust anyone under the age of about 10 years old to use them correctly. Small children might eat them and cause serious damage to themselves, so I leave them out of any bag that might go to the untrained or underage.
• Most filters come with some sort of bag or container now, and many of them have adapters for common bottles like soda and water bottles. Finding a bottle in an emergency isn't as hard as it used to be; just make sure it's clean. Reusing a soda/water bottle is cheaper than buying a dedicated flask and it will be more familiar to children that are used to drinking from them.

Shelter

• The quickest, cheapest shelter I can find is a Mylar Space Blanket. Lightweight and small, I usually toss more than one into any kit I assemble. They don't hold up to extended use, but will reflect body heat well enough to keep a person warm in all but the worst winter weather. They are also rain-proof and make a good insulating layer when used in the construction of a debris hut or other make-shift shelter.
• Plastic bags are quick and dirty ways to get out of rain and snow, and  I've covered their many uses in earlier posts. Anyone over the age of about 3 can be trusted with a plastic bag; under that age they're going to need constant attention.

Food

• I did a series of reviews on various emergency rations a while back, and I keep several of the “$10 cookies” on the shelf for tossing into bags. They're cheap, compact, and palatable if you pick the right brand, and will keep the hunger pangs down. For kids and finicky adults, try to find the ones with a variety of flavors to keep the whining and boredom at bay.
• Snacks and candies will lighten a child's mood, so make sure you add some hard candy (they store better than chocolates or gummies) to be used as a source of calories. Kids tend to burn a lot of calories since they're constantly in motion, so be ready to provide the energy they need. Most people are addicted to sugar to some extent, so adding it to an adult's bag won't hurt.

Fire

• This is very situational. I wouldn't trust anyone under the age of 12 with a way to start fires without supervision, but I also know several adults that I wouldn't trust with a pack of matches. Use your own judgement when assembling a bag for unprepared/untrained adults.
• I found a source of ferrocerium rods years ago and bought a batch. They're small and have holes in them, so they go on the drawstrings and zipper pulls of a lot of my everyday gear. Ferrocerium rods are the spark-producing rods common in fire starting kits. They're cheaper if you buy in bulk, and Amazon has a variety of sizes to play with. I feel that these are safe to give to children because of the effort and training needed to use them. If nothing else, the kids will be carrying your back-up firestarter without noticing it.
• Lifeboat matches in a waterproof container are an easy, cheap addition to an adult bag.
• I've played with “permanent matches” and had varying luck with them. The best I've gotten was about two years before the fuel evaporated and left me with a very small ferrocerium striker for starting fires. Lighter fluid or naptha evaporates as quickly as gasoline, so they have to have a very good seal if they're going to be stored for any length of time.

Tools and Misc.

This is a catch-all category for the toys and tools that we like/need to have. Tools require training to use properly, so consider a person's age and aptitude when adding any of these to a bag.

• Knives: Anybody older than 7 or 8 should be trustable with a folding pocket knife. The Cub Scouts used to teach boys that age how to carry and care for a pocket knife, but they had to earn the privilege to carry one and carry their “Whittling chip” card (which could be revoked by any adult). Fixed blade knives used around a campsite or kitchen will depend on the level of maturity and experience.
• Firearms: This is a touchy one. I won't give a firearm to anyone I don't trust with my life, but I have several people that fill that bill. I also have more firearms than I can personally carry at one time, so rather than leave them behind I will distribute them to friends and family as needed. In a few years I'll have second-generation children that I can trust with hunting guns; they're just now learning to shoot.
• First Aid: Another one that will vary depending on age and training. By the age of 5, kids should know how to apply a band-aid to themselves or others. Training beyond that is something that you'll have to take into consideration before tossing in a tourniquet or Epi-pen. Required medications and supplies should go with the people who need them as long as they are competent enough to use them properly.
• Cordage: Everybody carries paracord for emergency use, but without the ability to tie useful knots it's just extra weight. During an emergency is not the best time to teach knot-work, but the lessons will definitely stick in their memory.
• Light: Everyone should have their own flashlight, preferably with standardized batteries. I've seen a lot of urban people who can't handle the darkness of a rural night, so a few glow sticks or Paqlites will help them get by if the power is out. Chemical glow sticks have a shelf-life, but will work in a pinch; watch the clearance racks of local stores around the holidays. For example, you can pick up cheap Halloween glow sticks in November. 
• Sanitation: A washcloth and hotel-sized bar of soap inside a zip-lock bag should go into every BOB. Keeping clean feels good and reduces a lot of infections that can ruin your day. Not smelling each other will also help maintain personal relationships. Feminine hygiene products are a must if you are dealing with women.

Comfort

• Small children and immature adults will have a hard time dealing with the loss of all of their comfort items. Toss in a favorite stuffed animal or toy for the little ones, a solar charger/battery pack for recharging cell phones for the bigger ones. Having a way to play a familiar game or two will distract them and might help calm them down a bit.
• Most adults and some children will have “addictions” that will need to be addressed. Instantcoffee packs are shelf-stable, have a long life, and will help wean people off of the caffeine that they consume on a regular basis. Sugar was mentioned above, but some people get cranky when their sweet-tooth kicks in. Tobacco is best left to the user's choice; they'll need to figure that one out themselves.

As you can see, I don't have any hard rules or recommendations for putting together a BOB for someone else -- too much depends on the person's maturity and training. The basics of water, food and shelter are a good start, with the other stuff added as needed. Keep in mind that most children and quite a few adults are not used to carrying anything heavier than a cell phone, so you'll have to keep the weight down to less than you'd carry yourself.

"If a Missile Alert Sounds, Prepare to Live "

Submitted by one of our readers:

It's interesting when the National Review, of all places, is giving some pretty sober, entry level prepping advice.

Please don't let the politics of the site keep you from reading what is a sensible article on what to do if the next missile alert (like the one that happened in Hawaii this past weekend) is real instead of an error.

You get alert on your phone that a missile is inbound. You flip on the television to confirm, and it’s repeating the same message. What do you do? Do you prepare to die, or do you prepare to live?

Prepare to live. As tempting as it may be, don’t spend the precious minutes between missile alert and missile impact texting family, sending tearful goodbyes on Snapchat, or attempting to reconcile old grudges. Don’t do it.

Go read the whole thing, both for the sensible advice and for the fact that a national publication is helping to normalize prepping.

However, the usual internet rule of "Don't read the comments" still applies.

Guest Post: If You Find Yourself In A Hole, Stop Digging

by Tim Kies

I remember when I first became interested in the prepping lifestyle, back around 2005. It wasn’t called that back then; it was called the self-sufficiency movement, or the modern simplicity lifestyle, or many other names. Regardless of what we called it, everyone seemed to think that doing what our grandparents took as a normal way of living meant that we were somehow preparing for TEOTWAWKI.

I started trying to follow what the many websites from back then all said: I bought a few extra canned goods each shopping trip; I had a few cases of bottled water in the corner of the room; I even stored some extra gasoline (with stabilizer) in the shed . The only thing that I didn’t do was to have some extra cash on hand,  because the biggest problem that I had -- and that I suspect many preppers have -- is a mountain of debt.

I was earning well over $22 per hour plus overtime, but I never had any money. Instead, I was a typical American with a wallet full of credit cards with balances on them. I paid them every month, but I also used them every month, and so instead of the balances going down they always went up. I had no savings, so if a car broke down, out came another credit card.

I thought I was doing well by putting extra food in the pantry against some future crisis. But the fact is, the crisis was already occurring. Every time I spent $20 on supplies that I didn’t need, I put myself further into debt. If I had used that $20 on a credit card bill, I could have saved money spent on interest and gotten to the debt-free point that much faster.

What finally made me see the light was the realization that we had always had a car payment. Sometimes we traded an older, failing car in for something better while we were still upside-down on our first loan because we just didn’t have the money to fix the older car. I eventually realized that unless I paid it off completely, we would never have a car that lasted longer than its payments. I got mad at myself for the financial mistakes I had always made, and decided to try and get control of my money, especially since I was getting older but not getting ahead.

We scraped together the money from a tax refund, and with some extra overtime I paid off the car. We then sold it and bought a cheap van, later adding another cheap van. both paid for with cash and both with no collision insurance on them. We then began to get rid of our debt by paying off our credit cards and getting rid of them. A year later, instead of being even further in debt, we had actually begun to dig ourselves out of it. 

Then I lost my job. I had been making a very good income for 35 years, and suddenly that was gone. It is one thing to say "If you lose your job today, tomorrow your job will be looking for work", but it is a very different thing when it actually happens. Not only do you find that jobs for people with your skills and at your age are hard to come by, but they also don’t pay as well or give benefits. It soon became obvious to us that we would have no choice but to file for bankruptcy. 

I talked with my bankruptcy lawyer about negotiating with my creditors to reduce the balance and trying to pay my debt off myself. The lawyer was upfront and said that they had people to do that from time to time, but they ended up coming back to him and continuing on to bankruptcy almost without fail. 

We had no valuables to sell, and no decent prospects for making money enough to pay the debt off, so we filed for Chapter 7 where our debt was eliminated straight out. (This is used when you have no assets to sell, like boats, cars, coin collections, etc. and the debt is unsecured, such as credit card loans.) We were able to keep our home, which we still owed money on, but we could have also included that in the bankruptcy if we wanted to walk away from that debt at the cost of being homeless. The worst part of it all was that I had to admit to myself that I had royally screwed up.  You are actually not treated badly by anyone you deal with, except for yourself; the whole thing is simple, pretty straightforward, and painful.

Once we were out of debt, we were faced with the prospect of how to put the pieces of our lives back together. For me, that was getting a job. I eventually found a job at a mobile home park as a maintenance man. Because we were debt free, I was able to work part time. I worked there for two years until I could receive Social Security Disability for pain from a broken back that I acquired 30 years ago in a car accident. With back pay from disability, we were able to buy my wife a newer vehicle. We of course paid cash ($8,000), and this time we are maintaining full coverage insurance on the car since it is worth more than we are willing to risk losing in a crash. When the value of the car drops below $3,000 or so, we will drop full coverage on it and take our chances. 

Now we are completely debt free, so even on a limited income we don’t need as much as we used to just to get by. We have never had a written budget; we just make sure to stay on top of our bills, such as internet, gas and electric, and rent. We basically just learned to live within our means. That doesn’t mean that we can’t do things, like go on vacation or see a movie. It just means that we have a savings account that we use for things like that and we only take money from there. If we have the money in it, we can do something we want to; if not, we won’t, even if we have more than enough money in some other account or in the box in my drawer. But the biggest part of what we are doing now is that we are no longer just drifting along. We are doing things on purpose. 

I still do prepper things; I just think that I have gotten smarter about it. I no longer prep for the collapse of the world, but instead for a week-long power outage or a snowstorm that disrupts delivery of food to local supermarts. I have a fund that I save money in, and only a vague idea of what I am going to use it for. It might be a new gun, or some ammo, or maybe even a kayak, if I saw a great deal on one.

I am no authority on money, debt, or much of anything else. If I had paid attention to how my grandparents lived, I would have been much farther ahead then by simply following the path of least resistance. When they wanted to buy a new couch, or a lamp, they didn’t simply go to a furniture store and plunk down their credit card; they saved up enough money until they could pay cash for it. Not only did they appreciate the thing more, but as I have learned over the course of my life, they didn’t waste money buying the cheap junk that looks good on the showroom floor but doesn’t last as long as the payments on your credit card. They looked at things like that as an investment, and bought quality.

My goal in this is not to have you follow my path. My goal is to get you to think that a dollar spent on a can of beans might better be spent paying down a dollar of debt. It could end up saving you a lot more in the long run, and we ought to be looking at pepping as a long-term goal.

Nouveaux Preppers

Yesterday's guest post covered some of the material I intended to write about today, but I'm flexible and can take a slightly different view of the subject.

Preppers used to be called “survivalists”, but that term got so much derision and bad press that it became a pejorative. The news media did (and still does) everything they could to portray survivalists as either right-wing military wanna-be's who spent their weekends practicing how to become armed looters after a civil war and their weekdays wearing tinfoil hats in their parents' basement, or some form of new-age Gaia worshiping loser who lived in a hand-made hut without running water or electricity.

Ridicule and disbelief were the normal reaction to anyone who didn't trust everything the media and government had to say leading up to Y2K. Neither the Chicken Littles nor the Pollyannas were 100% correct on that one -- there was a huge amount of work done to prevent and correct issues with computers and that kept the worst from happening.

But a few years ago, maybe ten at most, there was a shift in perception and the term “prepper” started being used to describe those of us who want to be prepared for some of the things that the universe can throw at us. While we're still thought of by many people as a bit off-center, the amount of ridicule and derision has been minimal.

Today, we have preppers from almost all levels of society, working on their own self-sufficiency, all over the country. The latest “tier” of new preppers is the wealthy -- software millionaires and hedge fund managers, successful investors and real estate speculators -- those with the spare money to buy pretty much whatever they want. I've seen or heard at least three news stories about the “super rich” starting to get into prepping in the last two weeks. While I don't think any of the folks at this level are reading our humble little blog, we can watch what they are doing and maybe learn a bit from those with enough money to afford to make mistakes. If you have enough back-up plans, one of them will likely handle a problem when it pops up.

Security

• OPSEC is not given much thought. This is not surprising, given that we're dealing with a class of people who usually enjoy being in the lime-light. Letting the whole world know where your bunker is, what you have in it, the complete floor plan, and how many people live there is stupid. I mean “frying bacon while nude” stupid.
• Personal security is often delegated to hired guards. This is a problem for anyone who has any grasp of history, as Praetorian guards tend to figure out that those with the weapons get to make the rules; only those who control the food have more actual control over a group.
• Self defense is an afterthought for many of these people -- they don't live in a world where bad things happen to good people. Guns are icky, but they buy some because all of the (unnamed) “experts” say they will need them.
• Walls make good prisons and poor defenses. Since the invention of gunpowder, walls and moats have ceased to be viable forms of defense; going underground provides concealment and cover, but limits your routes of escape. If you doubt these statements, please do some research on sieges and specifically on Iwo Jima, where US Marines burned and blasted 11 miles of underground tunnels and bunkers for 5 weeks, killing over 20,000 Japanese defenders who had a year to build up their fortifications. The entire island is a military graveyard today because so many defenders were entombed in their defensive positions.

Supplies

• Most of the articles that cover these mega-preps cite large amounts of stored food and seeds for growing more, with not much mention of who will be doing the cooking and gardening.
• Any time I hear a claim of sustainability that covers hundreds of years, my BS alarm starts to go off. Books last hundreds of years, as do some buildings and furniture, but I seriously doubt that anything which uses electricity will outlast its original owner if used daily. A simple light bulb that lasts more than a few years is rare; the current record is a 4 Watt, hand-blown, carbon filament bulb that has been running since 1901. Anything with moving parts will wear out and require maintenance, which is never mentioned in these articles. Skills will always trump stuff in the long run.
• Guns and ammunition are often mentioned, but they get little coverage in any media that has historically been anti-gun. Training with these tools of defense and food harvesting is almost never mentioned.
• Generators and solar panels are often mentioned as sources of electricity, but usually as a side-note. I'm not sure if it is due to the reporters' lack of interest (and/or knowledge) or if it is an attempt at OPSEC.

Social Aspects

• The underground complex being built in Texas and the converted ICBM silo in Kansas are both being sold as condominiums. Condos are basically apartments that you buy instead of rent, with the “building association” taking care of maintenance and upkeep, and they depend on a tiered social structure that may not survive a disaster. If the workers stay home -- which is most definitely somewhere other than the condo -- or don't survive the calamity, who is gong to fix the plumbing and cook the meals?
• Even the ones who are buying small islands in the Pacific Northwest have thought about maintaining contact with others. The few who talked about their plans admitted that no one person would last very long alone. There is too much involved in surviving a long-term crisis for a loner to be able to do everything himself; trade with others is going to be necessary.
• New Zealand seems to be a popular destination for the well-to-do prepper. Most of the stories about it link back to this New Yorker post, with minor edits thrown in. For someone who can afford to keep an intercontinental airplane fueled and ready as an escape route, I guess New Zealand would be a great place to go...  if you had enough warning to get to your plane. These people are prepping for a slow failure of American society, so they expect to have plenty of warning before they need to leave town.

All told, I see a bunch of people with more money than sense. That's not unusual, nor is it unique to our time. I wish them all the luck in the world and pray that they never have to use the preps they have in place, just as I do for those of us living on tighter budgets.

Now we can all go back to planning what we are going to do when we win the Powerball or similar lottery.

Guest Post: How Not to Drive Away Entry-Level Preppers

by Qua

Last September, I attended a exposition put on by a largish corporation that was looking to get their employees into the mindset of being prepared for emergencies. I thought it would be interesting, and since it was free (my favorite price) and time away from my job (bonus!) I decided to attend.

Now mind you, I try to keep a low profile at work as far as prepping goes. I've noticed that at this company, a large segment of the employees view preppers, even laid-back ones, as nuts. They don't make any distinction between "someone who is ready to ride out a power outage or hurricane for a few days" and "someone with a plan to be self sufficient in an underground bunker long enough so their ancestors can repopulate the earth when the radiation dies down after WW3."

Over the years, this attitude has lead me to the theory of Low Key Is Better when it comes to introducing someone to prepping. You first have to get them to realize there might be something to prep for, something they think is at least possible, and then explain what they might need to have ready to survive it. Once they are past that hurdle, it's easy to bring up suggestions to expand what they might be able to survive.

Don't Scare Off the Muggles
Most of the things laid out at the event were pretty ordinary: "Keep a fire extinguisher in your kitchen and change the batteries in the smoke detectors", "How to secure your house when you are away on a trip", that kind of thing -- nothing for "real" preppers, but nothing to scare off or discourage people who aren't into prepping, nor anything to draw snickers from folks who have more space allotted to spices than they do to food that can survive a power outage. Then I saw the people who brought in an example of an emergency survival bag.

They advertised what they were showing as a "go bag", and it looked like it weighed in around 80 lbs. Honest to God, I've camped recreationally for a week with less gear than this guy was carrying. While advertised as a "go bag", it looked like he expected to be "going" away and into the woods for quite a while.*

The only things he was light on were food and water: 3 bottles of water, two homemade packages of foodstuffs. Enough to last two, maybe three days on slim rations if you were trapped somewhere. Maybe one day's worth on light rations if you were actively traveling / surviving outdoors. The amounts weren't bad, except being too heavy (actual weight) for a "go bag" and too light (in calories) for an outdoor-themed emergency survival pack.

So what did the guy have in his bag? Spam. Yes, a couple of actual cans of Spam, along with other stuff to go with it and some questionable choices whose shelf life I doubted -- but little that would relate to the things that people attending the expo there might eat. The employees at my company raise an eyebrow questioningly when catered sandwiches are brought in for a business lunch!

A Newbie-Friendly Go Bag
After noticing the demonstrator's lack of explanation on much of his presented supplies, I decided to go over what I saw and come up with some pointers on how to introduce a newbie to prepping to the idea of a "go bag".

First you need to convince them they need a "go bag" to begin with. Most don't think they do. In fact, most will look at you like you are a bit of a loon for suggesting it. The way to get past that is to use something they will understand as an example. What works best for me are house fires (because you see them often on the news, and it's easy to understand that they could happen to anyone), and tornadoes (because they happen where I live, and if one hits the house it's likely gone). Once you've established a reasonable scenario, such as "you wake up to your smoke alarm at 3 am", it's easy to make them understand the benefits of having a go bag.

What is a go bag?
A "go bag" should be something you can roll out of bed, grab, and run outside with if you wake to your house on fire. A get home bag assumes you still have a "home" to get back to; a go bag assumes anything you didn't take might be lost forever in said fire.

Once you establish that need, concentrate on what they would need to survive and be comfortable for 8 – 12 hrs afterwards. Let them picture themselves standing in their bedclothes at 3 am with firemen rushing to put out the flaming structure that used to be their house. They and their family are all safe... but what do they do then?

• Call friends or family? With what? 
• Drive to a friend's or family member's home? Do they have car keys? 
• Rent a hotel room? Oops, the wallet, cash, credit and bank cards are in the house. 

At this point you are probably going to be the one putting brakes on, and reminding them that this bag is something they have to carry, in a hurry, from their bedroom out the door. My rule of thumb is if they can't lift it and hold it out at arms length, shoulder level, for at least 30 seconds (1 minute is better), it's too heavy. This is something they want to grab, half-asleep, from the side of the bed and run from the house with.

This bag should have at a minimum:

• vacuum-sealed or ziplock bags containing: 
• 1 pair of clothes 
• walking shoes 
• a printed copy of close contacts 
• photocopies of your drivers license and bank info 
• spare cell phone and charger 
• medication needed for quality of life (prescription meds, allergy meds, birth control, etc) 
• spare car keys 
• spare credit card and cash
• thumb drive containing copies of all your insurance info, family photos, birth / marriage certificates and financial info. 

At this point, even if they add nothing else, they can likely survive and put their life back together if they run from their burning home.
The Next Step
This is to helping them understand there may be times when emergency services may take a bit to get there. "The sirens went off and the news is advising you to shelter in the basement because a tornado has been sighted." So they did, and it hit the house. Now what?

If they grabbed their go bag they can get dressed, and once they get out of the rubble they can begin putting their life back together. But do they have water? Food? Can they handle even a minor injury if emergency services take a few hours to get to them, much less dig them out?

• Here is where a first aid kit seems like common sense. 
• So does three or four bottles of water and some emergency food, but keep it light; it doesn't have to be fancy, but it should be ready packed, not perishable and something they are already used to eating like breakfast / granola bars and trail mix packages. These don't look like "end of the world prepping food", but 5 breakfast bars is nothing for weight and packs around 1000 calories -- that's more than enough to survive a day waiting to be dug out of your basement, yet little enough they won't think twice about carrying them. 
• Skip the water purification and filter systems, along with all of the typical prepper outdoor survival stuff unless you are in an area of extreme climate -- and then make it the minimum you'd need for 12 hours outside. 
• Weapons? I'd tread cautiously here. If they are the type who normally carries weapons, they will know what they want. If they are not, its no use advising them to carry something they are not familiar with and might get them in trouble if there is active law enforcement nearby. Again, think "house fire", not "EMP strike". 
• Knives? See above. A Swiss army knife or multitool is handy, and still legal in most locations (even concealed in a pack). 

This bag as described is obviously not what a seasoned prepper would consider acceptable, but it is a minimal "go bag" that you can convince even a non-prepper to keep by the bedside. From there, they will often find their own list of things they want to add... and maybe with encouragement become a prepper in their own right.


* This was in a rather densely populated urban area where one city blends into another with just a stretch of suburbs between them.

Prudent Prepping: Back to the Basics

The dust has settled and the First 72 Hours have passed. Now we concentrate on what to do in, and how to plan for, the long term via Prudent Prepping.

Our wonderful, talented, and all-around amazing Editrix Erin recently sent me a link to the San Francisco Department of Emergency Management prepping page. This lead me, Alice-like, down the Internet Rabbit Hole of related pages -- some of which had useful information, some that should be ignored, and others that should be nuked from orbit. Sorry, no links to those last ones.

While looking at the good, the bad and the truly horrible, it seemed to be the right time to review Basic Prepping, in case there are new readers or if (like me) there are people that are receptive to emergency planning in your circle of friends.

Prepping Basics 
Every one of the authors here have covered Prepping 101. I recommend reading from the start to see what all of us bring to the table. Another good resource are the "Other Blogs We Read" in the sidebar on the right. While these are not the only places to find information, every site in that list is a source we approve, for what is there.

Where To Start
Believe it or not, the San Francisco page has an easy-to-read layout and a simple, inexpensive plan for beginning preppers. Please don't be put off by the talk of earthquakes, since the three most common natural disasters -- tornadoes, hurricanes and earthquakes -- all do much the same damage and leave the impacted areas looking very similar: smashed or toppled buildings and homes destroyed. Specific planning can be easily tweaked for your area.

Talk to your friends and co-workers
Ask the people you see daily and who talk about camping or hiking what, if anything, they have for disaster preps. Not only may you find a more experienced person than yourself, you may turn out to be the Old Pro and the source of good information.

Where to find good information?

Prepping and Other Books 
One of our original authors, Evelyn Hively, shared this book review of Country Wisdom two years ago, along with this guest series of Electronics For SHTF. Chaplain Tim has suggested several books, and so have I, and Erin has shared a .pdf library of useful information.

What every site, book and author that targets budget preppers says is this: Start with what you have and use right now. One of my friends, who started prepping after finding out I do, inventoried his pantry and was amazed at how well stocked he was to start!

Buy what you use right now. Just get one more can, bag or box this shopping trip and one more of something else next trip. Store your extra items where you can get to them in an emergency AND so you can rotate older things into you day-to-day pantry. As you add to your stored food week by week, in three months you will be well on your way to a 72-Hour supply of food! 

As your friends get more and more serious about prepping, the book options expand very quickly. I wrote about the books I gave as gifts and the reasons for the particular book going to each friend.

Other Websites
During my trip down the Internet Rabbit Hole, I found a site that has a mixed bag of pages on Prepping. This is not an "approved by Blue Collar Prepping site"; it's just another place where some good info can be found. While many other pages have bigger followings than some on our Recommended List, you will have a hard time finding pages that are as down-to-earth as the ones we have endorsed.

I would like suggestions from all of you about other books and places to find prepping on a budget information. And if you can, please write a short article about the reason you like it and submit it to our Editor as a Guest Post!

The Recap
There is no Recap this week, just a reminder to talk to your friends and family about keeping them safe from natural or man-made disasters. You will feel better and it may keep someone safe in an emergency.


Just a reminder: if you plan on buying anything through Amazon, please consider using our referral link. When you do, a portion of the sale comes back here to help keep this site running!

If you have comments, suggestions or corrections, please post them so we all can learn. And remember, Some Is Always Better Than None!


NOTE: All items tested were purchased by me. No products have been loaned in exchange for a favorable review. Any items sent to me for T&E will be listed as such. Suck it Feds.

Prudent Prepping: Personal Update

The dust has settled and the First 72 Hours have passed. Now we concentrate  on what to do in, and how to plan for, the long term via Prudent Prepping.

Latest News

I have started a new job that gives me medical coverage and 40+ hours a week Monday to Friday. The not-quite-bad news is I am driving 30-90 miles a day in my older truck, with a start time of 5 a.m., which means leaving my house by 4 and getting up well before that. To be up that early, I have to be in bed and trying to fall asleep by 8-8:30, which is early even for old folks. (You in the peanut gallery, pipe down!)

I'm not complaining; this is just an explanation to my friends for my absence from some of the boards and chats that are my usual hangouts late at night or early in the morning.

As I said two posts ago, my bills have taken up most of the cash I had for any extra purchases which includes my prepping items for several more weeks. Maybe longer.

That being said, I did make a purchase before blowing my budget.

New Additions

I bought two, two- person SOL Survival Blankets. From the Sol website:The most advanced emergency blanket on the market - meticulously designed never to fail when you're counting on it with your life. It all starts with the material, vacuum-metalized polyethylene, that reflects 90% of your body heat while also offering a number of other important features that set it apart from traditional mylar blankets; it opens easily and will not shred if nicked or punctured, rips and tears can be repaired, it is quiet and won't crinkle in high winds, and its high-visibility orange exterior makes it easy for rescuers to find you. Plus, survival tips and techniques are printed directly on the blanket so you have them when you need them. Sized to fit two people.

The reason for two is so I have an extra one to go into my Get Home Bag and one to go into my friend's baby steps GHB. I added a second one to my kit because for half the week, I'm a two-day hike home and an extra blanket might come in handy.

Since I am driving farther I have also added a bit more of all the items in my GHB:

• Food: Two more cans of chicken for a total of four; two more packages of instant oatmeal (four total) and a whole box of Instant Coffee (10 packs). 
• Water: I have upped my water to 5 liters, not including the water I pack daily. 
• Clothing: I've added an extra pair of wool socks.

Recap

• 2 SOL Survival Blankets from REI, $7. Amazon has them for the same price or cheaper, if you subscribe and buy five or more of them.

As always, if you have comments, suggestions or corrections, please post them so we all can learn. And remember, Some Is Always Better Than None!

NOTE: All items tested were purchased by me. No products have been loaned in exchange for a favorable review. Any items sent to me for T&E will be listed as such. Suck it Feds.

Prudent Prepping: Gear Additions

The dust has settled and the First 72 Hours have passed. Now we concentrate on what to do in, and how to plan for, the long term via Prudent Prepping.


Carrying on from last week's Buffet Post*, these are items to be added to both my gear and to my friends' "baby steps EDC supplies":


Sea To Summit Ultra Sil Stuff Sack
This replaces the stuff sack for my ancient North Face sleeping bag that I just pulled the drawstring off.

From their website::

• Made of 30D Diamond Siliconized Cordura® 
• The fabric is impregnated with silicone to make it waterproof to a hydrostatic head of 2000mm 
• Fabric has a slippery finish for easy packing 
• Reinforced pull handle on bottom 
• Uses the smallest possible cord and cord lock for top closure 
• Bar tack reinforced in all stress points 
• All seams are double stitched for extra strength 
• Note: seams are not tape-sealed; therefore this product is not waterproof - only water resistant 

Sea To Summit has every size you might need from 2.5L up to 20L, plus waterproof dry bags in many different sizes and shapes. I have purchased several items made by this company and have been happy with every one.

SOL Survival Blanket

I bought two of these, one to go into my new backpack and the other to go into my friend's Car Kit/ Get Home Kit. It does not get cold enough to really need this all year, but it's handy as a 1st Aid shock wrap or as a signal device.

From SOL:

• Knowledge is Survival: Survival instructions printed directly on the blanket for easy reference when you need it most.
• Legendary Durability: Resists tearing and will not shred like Mylar blankets. 
• Shelter from the Elements: Heatsheets® material is waterproof and windproof. 
• Stay Warm: Reflects 90% of radiated body heat. 
• More than Just a Blanket: A true ultra-light multifunction backcountry tool that can also be used as a ground cloth, gear cover, first aid blanket, and more. 

Leatherman Wingman Multi-Tool
Some prefer a different style or brand of multitool, but I prefer the Leatherman, (Any further discussion on the topic veers into territory similar to "which brand or caliber of firearm is best"). One thing I really like is the scissors and the spring loaded jaws. Okay, two things.

From Leatherman:

The Leatherman Wingman is just that: your go-to tool for projects around the house, on the job, or at the campsite. A great, lightweight, pocket-sized, stainless steel tool; the Wingman features an outside-accessible, one-hand opening blade and newly-designed spring-action jaws. With plenty of handy tools, and backed by a team of designers, assemblers, and manufacturing crew from Portland, Oregon, this is one amazing value. Covered by the Leatherman 25-year warranty.

This is going into my backpack.

The Takeaway
Small items that have multiple uses make the most sense for my needs.

Recap

• Sea To Summit Stuff Sack: $14.50, Amazon 
• SOL Survival Blanket: $6.65, Amazon 
• Leatherman Wingman: $33.70, Amazon 

*I'm shocked no one commented on Erin's Teaser to last weeks' post. Shocked, I say.

As always, if you have comments, suggestions or corrections, please post them so we all can learn. And remember, Some Is Always Better Than None!

NOTE: All items tested were purchased by me. No products have been loaned in exchange for a favorable review. Any items sent to me for T&E will be listed as such. Suck it Feds.

Prudent Prepping: EDC in Baby Steps

The dust has settled and the First 72 Hours have passed. Now we concentrate  on what to do in, and how to plan for, the long term via Prudent Prepping.

Introducing a Novice

 to Prepping and 

Every Day Carry

I have a friend who isn't really into disaster preparedness here in America, but who is at least acquainted with the concept from her time 'back home' dealing with historical civil strife and yearly bad weather. I'm trying to communicate to her that America being a land of plenty is not at odds with the mindset of "we can have disasters here, too, and they can and should be planned for well in advance." Prepping food is not a problem; her culture stresses having extra on hand for both charity and storage for bad times. The problem, at least for now, is the idea of keeping equipment at hand for emergency use -- not only at home, but in the car and carried with her. Which brings me to:

EDC in Baby Steps
The job where she works is required to have a basic First Aid kit and keep it stocked. I have suggested that she get a small kit for her car, to which she responded positively. However, she balks at carrying items close at hand, like in a purse or other bag. To overcome this I've started small, uncomplicated and safe by suggesting a flashlight as the first addition. 

I selected this, a Coast G25 slim light. (The link is to the factory for information, since Home Depot has them cheaper than Amazon.) I've had one of these lights in my various EDC bags for over 2 years, and other than having to make sure the on/off switch doesn't get bumped, there have been no problems. It is light, weighs under 4 ounces, and is slim enough to fit anywhere -- like the bottom of a purse, with lots of other stuff. Budget is always a factor, and $15 dollars is an acceptable amount for either one of us to pay.

http://tinyurl.com/ppe3glm

I won the discussion for this light to be kept in her car, but not as an item for personal carry. My next suggestion will be a Coast G19, a single AAA battery light whose size might suit her better. I did make a winning suggestion for a keychain light, like this one from Energizer, so I have hope.

What did surprise me was how easy it was to sell her on the idea of having a small knife, since in her culture knives are not carried openly and rarely by women. This is also going to be a bit of a learning experience, since I have very definite ideas of what she should have, and these need to be balanced with what is comfortable for her to carry and use. I can live with it being a Swiss Army knife, but if it is something like a Kershaw Chive, then I'll call that a definite win!

Her birthday and Christmas are both coming up, and so is the possibility of adding to her EDC supplies...

Wish me luck.

Lessons Learned
When introducing a new idea to someone, start small. Make sure the reasons are clear and the items practical.

Purchases This Week

• One Coast G25 flashlight from Home Depot, $15.03

As always, if you have comments, suggestions or corrections, please post them so we all can learn. And remember, Some Is Always Better Than None!

NOTE: All items tested were purchased by me. No products have been loaned in exchange for a favorable review. Any items sent to me for T&E will be listed as such. Suck it Feds.