Summer Checkups

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

Checkups aren't just for cars, as there are many other things that can use looking after on a regular basis. 

Well... I did happen to start with my car, but that was just the beginning.

Car Checkup

I take my car through the wash at the local station about once a month, which is when the dust starts to show on the white paint. The last time I went, the overhead blower didn't do a very good job of clearing the water from the windshield so I turned on my wipers as I drove out. Bad idea: both arms struggled to move, and when they did, the blades partially tore off the frame. In my defense, I wash the windshield every time I fill up, but I don't necessarily lift the wipers up every time. 

I live close to 3 different parts stores, so the shop with the easy access got my business. I don't have a good picture of the old blades as this was after dark, so just imagine a good half of the rubber edge flopping on each side. I believe the past three weeks being in the high 90s to low100s signed the death warrant on these wiper blades.

Wipers, washer fluid and spare tire pressure check are things I do twice a year, 4th of July-ish and Christmas, so these were due. 

Get Home Bag Checkup

My bag is always being refreshed as I use some of its contents every month. What isn't looked at regularly is the Purple Pack Lady's bag; her schedule is so janky that I'm lucky if I see her car once a week!

The only thing needing to be refreshed was her older model Nitecore P12GT, so I recharged it with the boxy charger. This exact kit appears to be not available through Amazon, but the flashlight is still a current model, just with different charging options.

Available at Amazon for $69 (nice!)

Home Checkup

Since  I live in a rented condo, I don't have to worry about fixing leaks, physical faults or even smoke and CO2 detectors. That being said, there are items I do keep an eye on, and the security lights in the carport are one of the things I don't leave to the maintenance folk. Due to spotty coverage, we've added motion detector lights to ensure the cars and my motorcycle are visible without having extra  spotlights running 8-10 hours a night. 

I try to keep a gas shutoff tool by the meters for our fourplex, but the last one disappeared from where I had it somewhat hidden and hooked to the gas meter. However, our building is having foundation drains installed, and dirt was removed around the meters to the point where I guess the wrench was exposed.

I won't not be trying to replace it at the meter for at least another month, because the situation looks like this:   

Sorry, but I couldn't take a picture that really shows the depth of the trench. You'll have to trust me when I say it is 8' to the bottom of the bracing gear. My front door moat is even deeper, at almost 10' deep.! The plywood shown at the top is the sides of the 'bridge' leading to the front door.

We have another 2-4 weeks of this work before the trenches will be filled, landscaping replaced, irrigation run and the whole house air conditioner replaced. It's been an interesting 5 months, in the Chinese proverb definition of 'interesting'.

Medical Checkups

I have had myself looked at this year as well, and there is nothing major wrong with me: blood pressure is good and cholesterol is a bit high (it's hereditary), but I can't get new glasses until my cataracts are fixed. This isn't a shock; I knew I was due for this surgery two years ago, but now there's no avoiding it. I'm hoping to get everything done this year, as the chance of taking an actual, no-joke vacation early next year is possible! Wish me luck!

Recap and Takeaway

• Regular checkups should be scheduled so that when a disaster hits, everyone is confident in what is packed and ready to use.
• Be certain that bags and kits in your second (or third) vehicle are checked too.

* * *

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.

Some "Must Have" Pack Items

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

These are some of the things that are really high on my list of "Must Have" items. All of these items are in my Get Home Bag and in the bag Purple Pack Lady has in her car. In no way is this the most thorough, amazing set of items; they're just what fell out of my bag as I was switching out some smashed energy bars, and inspired this article. 

AA/AAA 4 Cell Battery Case/Holder 

I have previously used a much larger battery storage box, but due to a change of circumstances I've gone back to a much smaller set of boxes for my standard batteries. These fit into any size pouch or side pocket, and I like how the latch is reasonably positive for a simple box. I also like how the colors show up well in low light, and even the clear box is easy to find!

https://amzn.to/3OCh4v2

From the Amazon ad:

• Package included:4 pcs of battery cases
• Convenient and intuitive to use, can combine in row
• Holds either 4 AA or 4 AAA rechargeable batteries
• Colors: Clear, Pink , Blue, Green
• Batteries are not included.

Adventure Medical Kits Trauma Pak with QuikClot

One of the first First Aid items I bought to go into my GHB after a basic kit full of band-aids was this handy pouch right here. I've had one in my work gear for several years now, and actually used the gauze and QuikClot once, even though it probably wasn't necessary for how big the cut was.   

https://amzn.to/498WBWS

From the Amazon ad: 

• Includes QuikClot gauze, trauma pad, triangular bandage, and other key supplies for your trauma kit
• Nonallergenic QuikClot first aid gauze speeds up natural clotting and stops bleeding within minutes
• Used by hospitals, EMS/first responders, military, law enforcement, general public & outdoorsman
• Fits perfectly in any first aid kit, suture kit, medical kit, iFAK pouch, EDC pouch & survival kits
• Travel safely with QuikClot in your car first aid kit, camping essentials & backpack emergency kit

You can see a more detailed description of contents, and a very nice video showing what is included in the pouch, by following the link to the Amazon listing. 

North American Rescue Mini First Aid Kit 

While this isn't what many would call a starter Individual First Aid Kit, if I were to try buying all these bits and pieces separately they would certainly cost a lot more than the kit itself. I keep one of these and the Adventure Medical pouch above, in my work supplies and another in my motorcycle saddle bags with a mini zip-tie through the pouch top and the kit carry handle to make pulling them out fast and easy. 

As my fellow bloggers have mentioned over the years, North American Rescue makes very high quality equipment that isn't cheap. This leads to a problem when shopping for their gear: counterfeit goods sold with the NAR logo. I was pointed to this website for a nice writeup on how to tell the fake from real NAR tourniquets, but the short answer is "expect to pay no less than $30-$40 for a genuine NAR CAT tourniquet". 

https://www.narescue.com/outdoor-adventure-products/medical-kits/m-fak-mini-first-aid-kit-red.html

   From the website:

• NAR's most compact, versatile Mini First Aid Kit
• Contains the First Responder's most requested critical point-of-wounding medical equipment for treating penetrating, blast or other traumatic injuries in the line of duty
• Super compact, rugged nylon platform that allows attachment both vertically (MOLLE backing) and horizontally (3 in. belt loop)
• Clam shell configuration utilizes (2) two main sleeves that open on both ends for easy access
• Multiple elastic loops for secure gear organization
• Vertical mount can be set to open left-to-right or right-to-left based on shooter preference
• Horizontal mount on a belt allows opening directly to your C-A-T. tourniquet

Kit Contents:

• 1 x C-A-T (Combat Application Tourniquet) Orange
• 1 x 4 in. Flat Responder ETD
• 1 x NAR Wound Packing Gauze
• 1 x HyFin Vent Compact Chest Seal, Twin Pack
• 1 x Pair, Responder Nitrile Gloves, Large

Dimensions:

• L 6 in. x W 3 in. x D 3 in.
• Weight: 13 oz

Some Closing Thoughts

Even in the middle of winter it's a good time to go through your gear and see what might be out of date (first aid cream, pain relivers, etc.), what is damaged or broken (my energy bars), and what might need recharging or fresh batteries, like flashlights.

After being reminded by seeing the IFAK, I looked through the paperwork in my wallet and saw that it's time to go back to the Red Cross and re-up my First Aid training. During Covid, no one was doing classes for the general public and a blogger didn't qualify for special treatment. If my work would have certified it was necessary I could have gone, but no such luck.

Stay safe and expect the best, but plan for less that that!

* * *

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 Rations

Not actually Erin.

Picture by KJ Photography

& is used with permission.

When it comes to food for bugging out, there are many options that are nutritious, portable, and shelf-stable. 

I didn't mention "tastes good," did I? That was deliberate. The two biggest problems I have encountered when choosing bug out rations are their palatability and the amount of volume they occupy. This post will be a brief overview of what I believe are the best choices for bug out foods, with more detailed articles coming later. 

Survival Ration Bars

http://amzn.to/2tt3P46

Also known as "lifeboat rations", these are vacuum-sealed packages of bars of... well, I don't know if I'd call them food per se, but they meet Coast Guard standards of life-sustaining nutrition. 

• The Good News: They have a small form factor; have a five-year shelf life at room temperature or above, as they are designed to be stored in life rafts; and are inexpensive (about $12 for a 3600 Kilocalorie package).
  
  
• The Bad News: Flavors start at "not bad" and get worse; flavors are consistent throughout the package, which can result in appetite fatigue; Kcal ratings are based on being sedentary and waiting for rescue (1200 Kcals per day for three days) and not being active -- activity will double your calorie requirements. 

Chaplain Tim wrote an excellent series on survival ration bars on this blog, and since I agree with his assessments I feel no need to duplicate his efforts. Please go read his posts to learn more. 

Meals, Ready to Eat (MRE)

https://www.mreinfo.com/mres/#

If you're a prepper, you know what these are and likely have eaten at least one. If you haven't, these are high-calorie single meals with a lunch/dinner menu; I believe that at one point there was an omelet MRE and it was... not good. In fact, the flavor profile of MRE is such that they have been dubbed Meals Rejected by Everyone, although they do continue to improve over the years.

• The Good News: They come in a tough, watertight bag which protects the food from pests and weather; they stay good for at least 3.5 years when stored at room temperature; they are designed to provide an infantryman enough calories to fight; they are reasonably affordable at around $20 per meal. 
  
  
• The Bad News: Food taste and texture can be hit or miss; high amounts of protein and sodium in meals can result in dehydration and constipation if you don't drink enough water; at an average weight of 22 ounces and dimensions of 12"x8"x3", each meal is larger than an average hardcover book and nearly twice as heavy; breaking down an MRE into smaller elements greatly reduces its longevity. 

Humanitarian Daily Rations (HDR)

https://www.mreinfo.com/other-us-rations/current-us-rations/humanitarian-daily-ration/

Not many people have heard of Humanitarian Daily Rations; the short version is that they are "like MREs, but for civilians" and are handed out at disasters or given to natives as a show of goodwill. Unlike MREs, HDRs provide a full day's worth of meals for an adult. Also unlike MREs, they are strictly vegetarian, although they are not vegan. Per mreinfo.com, "In order to provide the widest possible acceptance from the variety of potential consumers with diverse religious and dietary restrictions from around the world, the HDR contains no animal products or animal by-products, except that minimal amounts of dairy products are permitted. Alcohol and alcohol based ingredients are also banned."

I have not yet eaten one of these, but a friend of mine has, and I will include his review in the expanded article on HDRs. 

• The Good News: They contain an entire day's worth of food; they are less expensive than MREs (about $10 per HDR); their packaging is comparable to  that of MREs, so shelf stability and impermeability is similar; they are designed to appeal to as wide a demographic as possible. 
  
  
• The Bad News: Their taste is similar to MREs; vegetarian but not vegan is likely to make everyone unhappy; lack of animal proteins may result in lack of energy in high-activity situations; there is no chemical heater like MREs have. 

First Strike Rations (FSR)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Strike_Ration

First Strike Rations are relatively new, having been invented after the onset of the Second Gulf War. True to their name, they are a lightweight, high-calorie meal system that is meant to be carried by soldiers and Marines during the initial stages of war when odds are high that they will be beyond the reach of resupply for days. Because of this, the FSR is meant to be eaten by hand (although a spoon is supplied for convenience) and do not need heating to be palatable; pocket sandwiches, energy bars, and other finger foods predominate. Unlike MREs, they carry a full day's supply of food, including snacks and caffeine in various forms, and despite all this are approximately half the weight and dimension of the three MREs it would take to match its nutrition. 

There will be a greater review on FSRs, but I want to say that they have been an absolute game-changer for me when it comes to packing BOBs and GHBs. Furthermore, they taste good. I opened one at my LibertyCon demonstration to show its contents and I ate it on the way home the next day. While I wouldn't call it great cuisine, I enjoyed the taste of every component within the ration pack; at worst, it reminded me of a packed school lunch, and at best it was similar to tasty fast food. 

• The Good News: A full day's worth of food in a package slightly larger than a single MRE; easy to eat on the move / one-handed; plenty of snacks, goodies, and caffeine; the food tastes good.
  
  
• The Bad News: If you want a hot meal you will be disappointed, as heating  pocket sandwiches doesn't do much and hot applesauce is disgusting; the lighter-weight packaging which reduces weight and volume also cuts the shelf life; an individual FSR costs about $30-$35; buying a case of 9 gives you a better per-unit cost (sometimes as low as $15 each) but the case costs over $130. 

Which of the three-letter ration packs (MRE, HDR, FSR) would you like to see reviewed first?

A Different* Take on Bags

* Not really that different.  

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

It's time to announce the true identity of the Purple Pack Lady as my lovely and extremely hardworking wife, Ophelia, aka Ophie. She doesn't have any online presence, anywhere, so there is nothing to follow. With that out of the way, on to the real post.

Get Home Bag Preps

Ophie's daughter now lives in a snowy winter area that is also subject to wildfires, which was at first blamed on climate change but in fact has now been shown to be 50% arson at a minimum. The better news is that the closest forested areas are several hours drive away for her town, and there's another saving factor in that  her work is in the entire opposite direction of the forested areas that might possibly burn. While her distance from the fire areas is nice, power lines have been down from fire damage, and the house has been dark for several hours on several different days.

I did send the duplicate bag I made for Ophie to her daughter, but due to slightly different conditions than here, we have modified it quite a bit. This post was what was I did to address the specific differences. Since she is now settled and not going to move any time soon, she needs to start making preps for home and at work.

Stranded at Work

Since her work is in a relatively large city, being without food isn't the issue, but sleeping/staying at work  could be hard if the snow is bad. Her mother and I both have scolded her for trying to get home in bad weather, so her plans are now to stay put, which means either keeping sleeping gear in the car or stowing it at the office. 

My suggestion was to keep it at work, since the decision not to head home will be made there and that slightly more bulky items could be used. Keeping even more preps in her car means buying smaller and lighter, and therefore more expensive  items designed for backpacking. I've sent her links to what I recommend, as the stores I use aren't the same as there and Amazon is different as well.

Stuck at Home

This can get expensive either quickly or slowly, depending on how you want to look at things. As she lives in a rental and not her own place, the recommendation for me is to keep it simple and spend money slowly. Culturally, being prepared for both emergencies as well as hospitality is built into her; I've never gone to visit anyone from her culture without being offered twice the food that I eat for a similar meal and having food to take with me when going home. 

Storing slightly more of the basics in water-resistant containers, like a trash can with a tight-fitting lid, is what I suggested. I can't seem to find an inexpensive source for 5 gallon food-grade pails and lids in her area, so those are something to find later. I did find the local equivalent to these Ozark Trail 6-Gal Water Storage Jugs for her.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Ozark-Trail-6-Gal-Water-Storage-Jug/16537207

From Walmart's website:

• Traditional jerry can design
• Heavy-duty plastic construction
• BPA-free water jug is safe for storing household water supply
• Ozark Trail 6-gal water jug has a spout system
• Angled handle for 2-handed gripping
• Easy to lift and pour
• 6-gal capacity can keep 1 person hydrated for a week in an emergency situation
• Keep in your vehicle as part of a supply kit
• Ideal for camping and hunting

I have similar jugs purchased form Walmart and other places. I like the fact that they will nest well together, and aren't so heavy at 6 gallons that they can't be lifted by shorter and slightly-built people. My suggestion was to start with buying 1-2 per person for cooking and 1-2 per person for sanitation. The chances for a longer outage are fairly remote, so this should be a decent starting point.

Cooking

This is an easy one, since grilling is a way of life for her and if there isn't a charcoal BBQ close, something is really wrong! There is a Solo Stove in her GHB which I hope will never be needed, but is there just in case. I do recommend keeping an eye on the Solo Stove Home Page for sales, as that is where I made a great buy on 2 Solo Lites several years ago. 

Recap and Takeaway

• Check in with friends and family to see if circumstances have changed, either at home or travel related. That could change what you carry or store.
• Dealing with folks that have a history planning for disaster makes prepping so much easier!
• Nothing was purchased by me for this post.

* * *

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.

BOB Ergonomics

Not actually Erin.

Picture by KJ Photography

& is used with permission.

The biggest problem I have with creating a Bug Out or Get Home Bag isn't assembling it, but rather with its ergonomics. I want to be able to retrieve quickly and easily things that I will use often, such as insect repellant or sunscreen. Things which I will not need often, such as my tent, can then be packed deep in my bag and not be as easy to retrieve. 

Such extremes are obvious, but things become more complicated as I progress to the middle. A simple choice is trauma gear, like a pressure bandage and tourniquet; while I hope I will never need to use them at all, let alone repeatedly, but if I need them I will need them right now and therefore they must be quickly and easily accessible. Unfortunately, they are also bulky and take up a fair bit of space, which means that I don't have room for all the things which I would like to have handy. This is why I say that ergonomics is my biggest problem; when I am working with a BOB/GHB, I end up playing a mental game of "How often will I need this?"

As a case in point, let us consider toilet paper. You'd think that when you need to go, you need to go right now, and that may be true for people with sensitive bladders or tricky bowels. For me, right now at least, I'm not at that stage; I typically have a window of five minutes or more between "I think I need to use the toilet" and "I AM GOING TO EXPLODE." Combine that with the knowledge that I will need to take off my pack before I do my business in the bushes and that means I can safely put the toilet paper in the less-accessible parts of the pack, because I will be stopping for several minutes. 

Ah, but on the other hand I have allergies, and that can mean runny nose and watery eyes, and I will need some kind of tissue to help with that! So do I keep the TP in the quick access area for allergy purposes? Or do I pack some Kleenex or similar to help with that and keep the TP elsewhere? This is the sort of conundrum which perplexes me. 

This is what is going through my head these days as I rebuild my BOB and my GHB, which I took pieces from in order to build a demonstration "jack of all trades BOB" for my presentation at LibertyCon last weekend. In my experience, it's always harder to make a generalized pack than a specialized one, because specialist packs can rule out certain conditions which generalist packs cannot. For example, because I live in central Florida where it maybe flirts with freezing about one week out of the year, I can get by with three-season gear, whereas those of you who live in states with actual winters cannot. An urban GHB will have little need for water purification, as municipal water treatment should have eliminated giardia and cryptosporidium by the time it's reached the city; a more pressing need will be getting to that water, so a sillcock key is highly recommended to activate publicly accessible faucets. A rural GHB will be the exact opposite, with few locked faucets but likely lots of flowing (or standing) water of questionable cleanliness. 

https://amzn.to/3NzTYEe

... that was certainly a digression! Getting back on topic, I needed to steal from my BOB and my GHB in order to build a demonstration BOB that could do anything. Now that I'm back home (and mostly recovered from whatever con crud I picked up) I won't be happy until I have at least one of my bags reconstituted. You'd think that would be easy, but it isn't, because putting a bag back together forces me to re-examine my thinking regarding bag ergonomics. This slows me down a great deal; the only real comfort I have is knowing that each time I rebuild a bag, it's better than it was before, because each new version benefits from the wisdom of previous iterations. 

Speaking of wisdom, if you ever think you absolutely have command of a subject, prepare to teach a class or give a presentation on that subject. I guarantee you that you will think of questions (and problems!) you'd never before considered, as the act of explaining the subject to another person forces the mind down new paths. I am a better prepper for having taught my class, as the act of explaining my reasoning for things caused me to confront certain assumptions I'd made which I hadn't noticed while thinking quietly to myself. 

So, to summarize:

• Generalist BOBs/GHBs are bigger and heavier than specialist. 
• Tearing down and rebuilding your bag will result in a better bag. 
• If you think you know your stuff, teach a course to realize all the things you don't know. 

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. 

Which Way is the Wind Blowing?

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

Summer is ending, schools are opening in many places, and before you know it Halloween decorations will be on display. With Fall rapidly approaching, change is on everyone's mind. 

Bag Up, Sack Up, and Be Ready

When I see non-preppers posting articles to their blogs that talk about building Bug Out Bags, I feel like it may be time to check my own gear because of the direction the winds of change are blowing. Relatively mainstream people are now waking up to the idea of being prepared for disasters of any kind. 

The part that is funny to me about the normalization of prepping -- odd funny, not "haha" funny -- is how many people once laughed at the idea of planning for a disaster when they heard I write at a prepping blog. However, just last week a man I've known for six years contacted me for information about gear and equipment and the companies who carry them. I was surprised that he even knew  they existed! 

All of you should know this info by now and could, with a little thought, make a similar list for a neighbor or a friend in no time at all. Please take the time to be a good example and reference source for family and those around you. With the fires here in the West and various storms hitting the rest of the country, I'm hoping this could be the chance to help a friend be set for a disaster.

Dealing With Protests

We're also heading into election season, and with that come protests and demonstrations. Don't worry, I won't get political here; I'm just pointing out that these kind of situations can get bad quickly. 

There are several books written by experienced folks who have either been law enforcement, been caught in riots or both, in the case of Greg Ellefritz. His blog, Active Response Training, has an amazing amount of information on a wide variety of topics, including getting out of riots. 

In his book Choose Adventure: Safe Travel in Dangerous Places, Greg wrote a chapter about being in South American disturbances. From reading the book, it seems to me that mobs and other large collections of people will act similarly no matter what nationality.

 

Here is an excerpt from the chapter titled "Surviving Third World Riots and Political Demonstrations":

"The more dangerous situations are the riots or mob violence situations that seem to pop up without warning.  The best advice I can give you is to pay attention to your surroundings and have an escape plan for every location you visit.  When you see things starting to go bad (massing police, masked looters, people setting fires), GET OUT!  Implement your escape plan. Don’t stick around and become a target for police batons, gangs of teen looters, or panicked crowds. Usually the people who get hurt or killed in these events are the people who aren’t paying attention or who want to stand around and be a spectator.

If you accidentally happen upon looters, rioters, or large political demonstrations, walk away by the most direct route possible that allows you to avoid the unpredictable crowd. Don’t run; that only draws unwanted attention from the rioting crowd. Just walk quickly, avoiding eye contact or any interaction with the rioters. As you walk, keep an eye out for places of sanctuary you may be able to use to escape the violence for a short period of time until the crowd passes.  Fighting against the crowd will be difficult. Think of crossing a river, it’s easier if you don’t fight the current. It’s the same way with crowds. If you get surrounded by a group, move with the group as you work your way to the edge of the crowd or to your pre-planned escape route or sanctuary location."

Do you see the part about "your pre-planned escape route"? This is the same thing as always knowing where the closest exit is when shopping, and having a designated rally point wherever you go. I've written about being in a building fire and not having supplies or a discussion about meeting up in an emergency with my friends. This is not the same as a riot, but planning a meeting spot is simple and is a good habit to start.

The truly important part about demonstrations in the USA is that there are news reports on who is holding it and where and when it us, usually several days to a week in advance. If you live anywhere close to a known demonstration zone like I do, then do like I do and tune the  radio to the local "all news station" and do your best to be nowhere close to those spots whenever demonstrations are planned.

Recap And Takeaway

• While it should be common sense to plan for a disaster, far too many people don't. Be a good example and share what you know.
• If you don't have a Bug Out Bag or Get Home Bag, put one together. Search the blog for "Bug Out Bags" or "Get Home Bags" and you will find many different versions and sizes.
• It's always best to have a plan that gets changed in the face of Reality, than to have no plan and let Reality bite you in the butt. 

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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 Foot Care

Not actually Erin.

Picture by KJ Photography

& is used with permission.

Ever since adolescence I've had an annoying tendency to roll my ankle, and recently my right big toe has been acting in an uncomfortable bunion-like manner. While painful, neither of these conditions are debilitating... at home. In an emergency situation, though, either of these could slow me down enough that it could mean the difference between being rescued and being stranded. I have added the following items to my Get Home Bag in order to prevent just such a thing happening. 

Elastic Ankle Brace

https://amzn.to/3K4UNCI

This is my solution to a rolled ankle. It's breathable, doesn't slip, gives a comfortable amount of snug support, and I can even walk with it on.

Yes, I could probably achieve the same effect with an Ace Bandage, but this is faster and easier to put on, and much easier to adjust than an Ace -- and besides, this allows me to save my Ace for something else. At $6.64, it's also cheaper than an Ace. 

Pair it with a SAM Splint and you have a handy solution to a host of ankle injuries. I have two, one for each ankle, just in case. 

Bunion Splint

https://amzn.to/3whstHI

While it's possible to walk with these on, given that it effectively immobilizes the big toe by splinting it along the side of the foot, such movement is awkward at best. Hobbling between rooms of my house is one thing, but I wouldn't want -- nor do I think I would be able -- to hike with it. 

Fortunately for me, I don't have to. I've caught my bunion in time, so it's neither particularly bad nor does it hurt all the time; instead, it mainly flares up when I've been wearing shoes with a narrow toebox, and a few hours with the bunion corrector on serves to drag my to back into alignment. In a bug out or get home emergency, I would put this on only right before bed, and I'd sleep with it on to get maximum effect from it before taking it off in the morning. 

Other Footcare Items

While the above are for my specific foot problems, there are some preps which everyone should have in their GHB and BOB:

• Wool socks, because wool traps heat even when wet. 
• Gold Bond Powder, to help keep your feet (and other body parts) dry and prevent chafing. 
• Terbinafine Hydrochloride 1%, to treat athlete's foot in case your feet were wet for too long. 
• An Adventure Medical blister relief kit to prevent hotspots from becoming blisters and to treat those which do.  

Take care of your feet now, and they'll take care of you when you need them most. 

Product Review: Stansport Freighter Pack Frame

Not actually Erin.

Picture by KJ Photography

& is used with permission.

When I re-vamped my Get Home Bag last year, one of the things I said was while I liked the features the bag had, I didn't like how it attached to me even after significant tinkering. 

Well, I tinkered some more, and I just couldn't make it comfortable enough to wear for an extended period. I considered getting a different bag, but I couldn't find another which did what this one did. 

So I finally gave up and bought an external frame and attached my GHB to it. 

I am simultaneously happy with my purchase and defensive about my choice. 

I'm happy because:

• I got the frame for a great price;
• The pack fits on it well;
• I had extra room, so I attached a cheap tent and moved the first aid kit outside where it's easier to access;
• The frame is super-comfortable and evenly distributes the weight of the pack;
• I can even use my chest rig with it. 

I'm defensive about it because:

• I feel like I over-complicated things;
• The pack takes up more space and isn't easily stowed in my car (I have to put it in the trunk now instead of the back seat);
• I just have this weird feeling that people reading this will see it, arch an eyebrow, and judge me. 

But you know what? No matter what happens, I have an amazing external frame that I can use. Even if I end up using a different GHB format in later years, I can always get a "proper" pack for it and use it that way. 

The frame itself is the Stansport Freighter, and while you can get it from Amazon for $90, I was able to get mine for substantially less at my local Lowe's. 

https://amzn.to/3RPrkA0

I was even able to fit a MOLLE holster and magazine pouches onto the hip belt, which I didn't think was going to work. 

I love everything about this frame except for one thing: the end caps on the side bars are a slick plastic, so if you don't have the shelf down and you set the frame down onto a smooth surface, it can slip and cause the entire system to fall. While this will likely only lead to inconvenience, I can think of some situations where it could result in damage to the pack or its contents. 

Fortunately, there's an easy solution for this. The frames are one inch in diameter, which is the same size as many canes. I bought this $8 package of two replacement cane tips which slid on easily, and now my pack frame is quite steady wherever I choose to lean it. 

https://amzn.to/3PHjgja

So I am pleased to report that I have solved my Get Home Bag issues, and I am completely happy with my solution and I desperately crave your approval don't care what anyone thinks about it. 

Don't judge me!