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SELCO: Observe and Prepare for the Confusion, Panic, & Mayhem of SHTF

August 8, 2018

SELCO: Observe and Prepare for the Confusion, Panic, & Mayhem of SHTF

I have been writing articles and doing survival courses for years, and while it is much easier to show the importance of basics in real courses, it is a bit harder to do that in my articles. That’s because we as humans tend to look for flashy things. We love quick and interesting facts that will occupy our attention. But you must also prepare for the basics so that you can perform those things during the confusion, panic, and mayhem of SHTF. You must observe your surroundings before anything terrible happens.

Basics are simply that: basic – and because that we often overlook it, or forget it.

For example, an article with news about the latest development in tensions between the US and Iran with all the flaming rhetoric will catch more attention than an article about how to grow tomatoes.

We look for flashy stuff, but the majority of us need to go back to the basics (or at least to refresh them).

Every now and then, I like to remind people about that.

Why I don’t like list posts

Lists about what to do and what not to do in the form of “10 things to do” or “10 things not to do” or “10 things to have” are not my favorite, because some people tend to think those “10 things” are definitive lists that solve all problems.

But, as we write, it is easy to put it in that way as a concept. You as a reader must understand it is a list that continues, and as long as you understand that you need to constantly refresh your basics.

Big world events usually will happen no matter what you do or think about it.  You need to operate in your “small circle” where you actually can change things for real.

…click on the above link to read the rest of the article…

5 Things You Never Thought You Needed In Your Prepper Gear

August 5, 2018

5 Things You Never Thought You Needed In Your Prepper Gear

Preparing for the worst is often looked down upon by those who don’t think there’s any reason to prepare for even a natural disaster by storing a bit of extra food.  But when you live in an area where even major blizzards are possible in winter, thoughts often go to the most obscure items and their potential use.  Here, we will list five things you may or may not have thought to add to prepping supply or gear and some possible uses.

While food, water, and ammunition seem like the obvious items to hoard and store safely for a SHTF scenario, these five items could also help, even though it may not have been considered before now.  But once you see the things we’ve come up with, we are confident you could think of even more ways to use these valuable items!

1.A PENCIL SHARPENER

A pencil sharpener is small and light, but that’s only one reason to toss it in your bug out bag or put it in your bunker or food storage room.  You could even save a few pencils if you so desire.  But a pencil sharpener could be an invaluable tool to help you make kindling.  You would simply use the pencil sharpener to sharpen a pencil (or a twig) and get kindling to help you start a fire. Most preppers carry a lighter but stop short at thinking they could need kindling to help get a fire going. Obviously, you can shave down wood into tinder using a great knife (if you have one handy) or you might be able to find some small twigs, but nothing you can carry can make kindling quite as easily and more safely as a pencil sharpener.

…click on the above link to read the rest of the article…

3 ‘Powerful’ Things You Can Do NOW To Prepare For A Future Grid Failure

July 27, 2018

3 ‘Powerful’ Things You Can Do NOW To Prepare For A Future Grid Failure

In the event of a grid failure, would you be prepared?  Many who prep save extra food and water, but have no idea what actually going “off the grid” would entail.  But there are some tips and tricks to preparing so you don’t find yourself or your family at the whims of those currently running the political system.

So what could happen in the event of a nation-wide power grid failure? If you rely on FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency), the situation could be dire.  And what if it’s winter time? You will most likely be forced from your home in the dead of winter, with nothing more than the few supplies you were able to carry amongst yourselves. You would then be shuttered and locked into a community center (FEMA camp) with thousands of other families, displaced from their homes as well, relying on what few supplies the government could provide.  You would have to wait in long lines to use the portable bathroom and security guards would monitor your every move.  It wouldn’t exactly be a utopia – it would be more like a prison.

Living off the gird and staying out of those camps is your other option.  Of course, that’s far from ideal as well, considering you will be without the basic modern amenities we’ve all come to rely on, but you’d have your freedom. If you choose to “bug in”and live off the grid in the event of a prolonged power grid failure, here are three”powerful” tips to help you survive and make the most of your supplies or gear.

…click on the above link to read the rest of the article…

How to Create a Personal Emergency Preparedness Binder (with FREE Templates)

July 20, 2018

How to Create a Personal Emergency Preparedness Binder (with FREE Templates)

You can buy prepping books, stockpile food, and learn first aid, but unless you have organized your personal information and documents, the aftermath of an ordinary disaster is going to be much more difficult. Mind you, I’m not talking about an apocalyptic situation that changes the world as we know it, but something like a house fire, a flood, or a tornado. That’s why every prepper needs a personal emergency preparedness binder.

The good thing about such a binder is that it is very inexpensive to put together. You only need a 3 ring binder, some inserts with pockets, and paper to either print or handwrite the personal information. Oh – and you may need to go to Staples and make some photocopies, too.

What goes into a personal emergency preparedness binder?

In your binder, you want to have all the pertinent information to deal with medical issues, contact friends and family members, and handle insurance companies should a disaster strike that wipes out all your records.

So things like:

Personal information

  • Medical histories
  • Prescriptions
  • Insurance policies
  • Bank account information
  • Savings and investment account information
  • Insurance policies
  • Home inventories
  • Photographs
  • Important receipts
  • Local contacts
  • Contact information for friends and family members
  • Serial numbers
  • Registrations and licenses

You get the idea. All the stuff we need to function in this modern world and replace the things that have been lost.

I’ve made this really easy for my subscribers. I have put together a Personal Emergency Preparedness Binder template that has all the forms and checklists you need to customize your own binder. (Subscribers, check your email today!) If you aren’t a subscriber, you can sign up below to get your own PDF absolutely free.

…click on the above link to read the rest of the article…

Are You Fit Enough to Survive?

July 8, 2018

Are You Fit Enough to Survive?

There is not one prep greater than your own body and mind.

That sounds like a broad, sweeping statement, but it’s 100% true.

If you aren’t fit – both physically and mentally – all your preps may very well be worthless. I’m not saying this to beat up on you, but to encourage you to be the best, healthiest, version of yourself. This is something I’m personally working on and I urge you to do the same.

Think about these questions:

  • If you had to bug out for 20 miles through the hills to escape to safety, could you do it? If you could, when is the last time you actually walked 20 miles? If it’s been awhile, then you don’t actually know if you could do it.
  • If you needed to fell a tree and split it into firewood to keep from freezing to death, could you do it?Chopping wood is a lot harder than most folks think, and I’m not just talking about the skills you need to do it.
  • Are you at a healthy body weight? Are you really? More people in America are overweight than anywhere else in the world. And if you are one of those people, have you considered the fact that an extra 30 pounds is the same amount of weight as carrying a second bug-out bag?

If you are not physically fit, you know it, even if you don’t want to admit it out loud.

Fitness is the key to emergency preparedness. But it’s HARD. Most people don’t have any idea how to reach their health goals. I know that this has been a battle for me and for a lot of other folks I know.

…click on the above link to read the rest of the article…

What Life Is Like for Venezuelan Refugees: The Crisis Isn’t Over When You Escape the Collapse

June 30, 2018

What Life Is Like for Venezuelan Refugees: The Crisis Isn’t Over When You Escape the Collapse

I find the most difficult aspect of survival is to keep a positive mindset. Definitely, it is. The crisis is not over when you escape the collapse. While I expected when I got my family out, our struggles were over, they have just begun.  Once you have been a successful professional, with an entire life ahead of you, and a good amount of the road already left behind, and find as refugees in a foreign country…this is where you really know about how strong you can be.

Or how weak, in my case. Don’t misunderstand me, please. I have been much more fortunate than many of my people, and I give thanks to God for that.

Some reflections, some advice.

These days have not been easy. There are a lot of people already in the labor marketplace around here, working for less money than they should, and rents are increasing because of the people looking for a place…and somehow finding something to work close to home has been uphill. My reserves have been in a slow decrease, and I am starting to worry a little bit.

I have you, unknown friends, but a wonderful prepping community that has avoided that the water covers my nose, and I appreciate that much more than you would believe (Receive our blessings please!). I had some cash stashed away that worked for buying my ticket and left just in time. I hold a professional degree that many people would kill to have, and skills that made me earn some degree of respect everywhere I arrived to work at some facility. I wanted to use this opportunity to spend some more time with my young kid, as a regular engineering work consumes a lot of time, and I was without my son ¾ of a year…but you know how it is.

…click on the above link to read the rest of the article…

100+ Preps You Can Get for $1

June 28, 2018

100+ Preps You Can Get for $1

You can still prep even if you don’t have a lot of money to spare. Here’s a list we brainstormed over in Prep Club, our Facebook group, of items that can be purchased for a dollar or less.

Some of these things can be found at stores like WalMart while others will be at your local dollar store. Remember that often the quality of one dollar items will not be as high as the more expensive ones, while other times it won’t matter at all. When I get dry foods from the dollar store, I always pop it in the freezer for a few days to kill off any larvae that could be lurking.

If you can put aside $5-$10 per month for these $1 preps, you’ll have a surprisingly large supply by the end of the year.

Keep in mind there are many other places to get bargains such as yard sales and thrift stores, but this article focuses on new items.

More than 100 preps  you can get for $1

Without further ado and in no particular order, here’s a list to get the ideas churning!

Toiletries

  • Shampoo
  • Conditioner
  • Soap
  • Toothbrush and toothpaste
  • Mouthwash
  • Witch hazel
  • Hair elastics
  • Dental floss
  • Nail clippers
  • Tweezers
  • Travel size toiletries for BOB
  • Lotion
  • Cotton balls
  • Cotton swabs
  • Baby wipes
  • Baby oil
  • Vaseline
  • Comb
  • Baby shampoo
  • Lip balm

Entertainment

  • Deck of cards
  • Coloring books
  • Crayons
  • Play-doh
  • Glow sticks
  • Solar garden lights
  • Pens and pencils
  • Notebooks
  • Puzzles
  • Small toys
  • Crossword and other puzzle books
  • Party supplies (You’ll still want to celebrate birthdays, etc. even if the SHTF)
  • Craft supplies
  • Games

First Aid

  • Rubbing alcohol
  • Hydrogen peroxide
  • Bandaids
  • Antibiotic cream
  • Calamine lotion
  • Travel size medicine packets for BOB: ibuprofen, aspirin, Neosporin, etc.
  • Alcohol pads
  • Instant ice packs
  • Elastic bandages

Sanitation

  • Hand sanitizer
  • Bleach
  • Bleach wipes
  • Antibacterial towelettes
  • Antibacterial soap
  • Cat litter (small bags)

…click on the above link to read the rest of the article…

How to Convince Loved Ones to Prep (and When to Give Up)

May 11, 2018

How to Convince Loved Ones to Prep (and When to Give Up)

Lately, those who live the preparedness lifestyle have been more concerned than ever about the events going on in the world, and for many of us,  the urgency to convince loved ones to prep is at an all-time high as worries increase. The economic collapse of Venezuela, our own shaky markets and banking system, the threat of natural disasters, and worries about cyber attacks all have the potential to become life-changing catastrophes. These are the events we prep for and we clearly understand the ramifications of facing them without the necessary supplies.

And many of us have friends and family without those necessary supplies. Raise your hand if you have ever tried to convince loved ones to prep.  Yep, just as I thought. Hands everywhere.

Chances are that when you brought up the topic, your friends and family considered you anywhere on the nuts scale from “a bit eccentric” to “downright certifiable.” If you’ve ever broached the subject with them, the responses were probably one or more of the following:

“Lighten up!”

“I don’t want to sit there and think about the bad things all day long.”

“You don’t need to worry about me.”

“Live a little!”

“If the disaster is that bad, hopefully, I’ll just die in it. Who’d want to live in a world after ***fill in the disaster of your choice***”

“Hahahahahaha!!!!”

“You worry too much.”

“I’ll just come to your house.”

There’s the smug dismissal, the deer-in-headlights fear, the rolled eyes, and the outright denial that anything bad could ever happen to them. There’s the justification of “We keep a case of water in the pantry at all times” and the “I have survival skills” delusion. Most folks just don’t even want to think about it.

So. Incredibly. Frustrating.

 

…click on the above link to read the rest of the article…

An Urban Survival Course with Selco: Your Gear and How to Pack It

April 21, 2018

An Urban Survival Course with Selco: Your Gear and How to Pack It

Editor’s Note: Did you ever wish you could drop everything and fly over to the Balkans to be trained in urban survival by Selco? Wouldn’t it be great to be able to pick his brain and have him beside you as you learned to deal with an SHTF scenario? Well, here’s the next best thing. Selco recently finished teaching a hardcore 5-day course in Croatia. With 6 students, they went through high-stress exercises and learned about living through an all-out disaster where danger lurks around every corner.  Selco has generously agreed to write a series for us so that we can learn from him. It’s not quite like being there, but it’s the next best thing. ~ Daisy

What to Pack for a 5-Day Urban Survival Course

We have just finished our flagship Urban survival course in Croatia.

For 5 days Toby Cowern and I, as instructors, taught students skills and through the different exercises and scenarios, we stress-tested their knowledge and abilities.

For me, the most important thing was to give them a piece of the mindset needed for a real SHTF event and to give them a clear starting point from where they can build more skills, knowledge, and competence.

In some moments it was hard for them, both physically and mentally, but one of the most important points, of course, was to test them in not so perfect conditions.

 

The whole course cannot be transferred here for reading, but some highlights can be given in a series of articles, reflecting on the most interesting moments of each day. This time, we will start out with the gear necessary for the class.

Equipment (items that  you have with you)

…click on the above link to read the rest of the article…

How to Find Essential Resources in Your Area (Before You Ever Need to Scavenge)

April 18, 2018

How to Find Essential Resources in Your Area (Before You Ever Need to Scavenge)

What if things really went crazy and you were in a situation in which you needed to scavenge? Would you know where to find the things you might need, like food, drugs, or water? This useful article will help you find and record the essential resources in your area – while the information is still easy to obtain. ~ Editor

You need to know where essential resources in your area are located. During a disaster you never know what you might need, so grab every bit of free information about where you live that might conceivably be useful after the SHTF while you still can.

GPS mapping may or may not be available to you during an emergency so we recommend that you obtain the following addresses on paper, but also in computer files. The maps presented in Part 3 will be very useful in navigating your way to these locations should your GPS not be working.

You should also compile the following lists into computer files and print them out. I recommend you use duckduckgo.com for Internet searching because they don’t track or save your searches. Given that the local telephone book no longer exists you can try yellowpages.com/ for many of these.

Put all the lists in one or more 3 ring binders with tabs as appropriate. Store all the lists and the maps in one place. Also, store these maps and lists on USB flash drives or miniSD cards as appropriate to your needs. See Part 2 of this series for computer storage suggestions. If your phone will allow you to do so, you should also store selected files on your smartphone along with the appropriate app to read them.

…click on the above link to read the rest of the article…

Russian TV Instructs Citizens How To Prepare Bomb Shelters For Nuclear War

April 12, 2018

Russian TV Instructs Citizens How To Prepare Bomb Shelters For Nuclear War

Russia-24 (Россия-24), a state-owned Russian-language news channel from Moscow, spent five minutes on Tuesday advising its viewers how to prepare for a nuclear war amid the increasing tensions with the United States over Syria. The television anchor urged the country’s citizens to purchase essential items and emergency supplies to stock their bomb shelters.

The title of the television broadcast “Inviolable stock: what should I take with me to the bomb shelter?,” explains how a nuclear war with the United States would be “catastrophic,” as a TV anchor from Russia-24 informed citizens how to get ready for World War III.

“If some people did give in to the panic, and decided to spend all their savings on a survival kit, we’ll tell you how to not waste money on something you won’t need.”

He recommended that people purchase salt, oatmeal, and other products that have a long shelf life. He even said powdered milk, grains, and sugar could last for years in storage, as one video during the broadcast demonstrated how to cook pasta while hiding in a bunker. The special broadcast then transitions to the next TV presenter Alexey Kazako, who explains the number one rule of surviving a nuclear blast is “fewer sweets, more water.”

He said: “All chocolates, candies and condensed milk will have to be left behind.

“Glucose is an unrivaled energy source but sweets will make you thirsty, and water will be the most valuable resource for bomb shelter residents.”

Eduard Khalilov, a specialist in survival, explained to viewers about the importance of stocking fresh water.

He said, “people can only survive up to three days without water, but can go up to three weeks without food.”

…click on the above link to read the rest of the article…

Selco: The Dirty Truth About Water and Sanitation When the SHTF

March 30, 2018

Selco: The Dirty Truth About Water and Sanitation When the SHTF

Note: The biggest concerns in any long-term emergency are water and sanitation because the lack of these things can cause serious illness or even death. Because water and sanitation aren’t nearly as glamorous as guns and gadgets, they’re often overlooked in a preparedness plan. I asked Selco some questions about these important issues in this interview. The truth about it is dirty, unpleasant, and something for which you absolutely must plan.

Once there was no more running water, how did you get drinking water?

Just like most other things (especially when it comes to non-preppers) it was a matter of levels and layers.

The tap water was going on and off for a few days before service went completely off, so people had a few bottles of drinking water stored. But of course, most of us thought everything going to be restored very soon so nobody had thought about storing big amounts of water.

When it comes to lack of water and being unprepared, the levels and layers that I am mentioning meant that you first looked and asked for tap water (clean) for drinking. Then collecting water from rooftops sounded like a good idea. Then drinking directly from the river was good if there was no other source. And then, finally, when there was no other source. you simply drink dirty water even when you were sure it is quite dirty.

It was a matter of low resources, desperation, and of course low skill levels.

Our main sources were rain and the river.

Can you tell us about your rainwater collection system?

It was not anything smart, especially in the beginning.

…click on the above link to read the rest of the article…

How & Where Can Preppers Store All That Information?

March 28, 2018

How & Where Can Preppers Store All That Information?

Information Collection for the Prepper – Part 2

Most of the information discussed in these articles will be electronic files – specifically PDF and TIF files. This article will discuss how to safely store these files and use them before and after the SHTF.

Portable Storage of the Library

What I need to be able to do is read PDF and view TIF (graphic) files using my cell phone. It would be best if I could read these files from a USB drive, or secondarily, from a miniSD card. The plan would be that I would copy these files from my computer to these storage (USB and/or microSD) devices. I will sometimes call the information stored on these devices as the “Library”.

I like the Corsair Flash Survivor Stealth USB 3.0 Flash Drives because the USB drive is built into an “armored” case. The case appears to me to be made out of steel and rubber and is shock resistant with a water seal. These devices are about 3 inches long and about 1 inch in diameter. I have carried 2 of these devices in my pocket, along with my EDC (every day carry) stuff, for over a year now. My grandson carried the one I gave him on his keychain. The paint is a little worn but the devices still work fine. I have two 256 GB drives.

Here are the things that didn’t work:

I can carry thousands of PDF and other computer files with me everywhere I go. I just needed a portable device to read them with. Read on and I will tell you about my struggles finding a portable device to read these drives with.

  • My current cell phone is an Apple 4S. It has no capability to store computer files, nor any way to read files even if it did. I searched diligently for a cable with a female USB connector, into which I could plug my above-described USB drives, and that would plug into the connector on my phone. I never found one. Given that I never found a cable that even if I made up such a cable myself, which I didn’t, there would be no software with which to read the files.

…click on the above link to read the rest of the article…

 

12 Bad Strategies That Will Get Preppers Killed

March 27, 2018

12 Bad Strategies That Will Get Preppers Killed

If you’re involved in the preparedness lifestyle, you’re probably into planning. Most likely, you research and study the excellent preparedness strategies put out by experts. Whether we prepare for incidents small or large, we all ponder what we’d do if something world-as-we-know-it-ending went down.

The trouble is, a lot of the plans that get made are more likely to get you killed than to save you. And people post these plans online, then new preppers read them and think, “Wow, what a great idea.”

I really love being involved in the preparedness lifestyle. I get to meet and correspond with lots of like-minded, down-to-earth people.  We have those awesome conversations that you just can’t have with the checker at the grocery store cash register.  I get to engage in email and social media discussions too, the likes of which would never occur with my second cousin who thinks that missing a pedicure appointment is a disaster worthy of government intervention.

But sometimes, I kind of cringe. Not all preparedness plans are well-thought out and practiced. In fact, there are several recurring themes that I hear or read that are not good ideas for most preppers, and I bet that many of you reading have also privately rolled eyes at one of the following strategies. (Or maybe even  publicly.)

I’m truly not trying to be mean when I share them with you here, nor am I trying to say that I’m the Queen Prepper of the Universe, who knows absolutely everything.  I’d just like you to consider the variables if one of these plans happens to be your default strategy.

Note: Some people really are ultramarathoners, expert hunters, ex-special forces, and super-farmers. If you are one of those folks, this article may not be for you. If you already regularly practice these skills, this article may not be for you. If you do nothing but talk about these ideas and daydream about your action-hero future, this article IS for you.

…click on the above link to read the rest of the article…

 

Selco: The Shocking Reality of SHTF Medicine and How to Prep for When the Medical System is GONE

March 22, 2018

Selco: The Shocking Reality of SHTF Medicine and How to Prep for When the Medical System is GONE

Editor’s Note: Something difficult to plan for – or even wrap your brain around – is a world in which medical care is not available. Even though it’s outrageously expensive here in the United States, we can still access care. We may be in debt forever, but it exists.

So, what do you do in a world in which it no longer exists? A world in which there aren’t emergency rooms or doctor’s walk-in clinics? A world in which there aren’t any well-stocked pharmacies?

Today, Selco shares the brutal reality of SHTF medicine. ~Daisy

Since there were no hospitals, how did you treat people who were ill?

Organized (system) of professional medical help ceased to exist.

Hospitals, health centers, EMS, and everything similar was gone. The most advanced medical help that you could find in the hardest period was more or less primitive medical care that some military units had, such as medics and low-level trauma care. But this was not available to common folks.

People with medical knowledge became very important because of this fact, but even the most skilled people were often completely useless because all of the other help that the system offers you is simply non-existent.

One of my old colleagues told me story that could point out some things.

His friend called him to help him with his father, who had fallen from the roof. The man climbed on the roof to repair broken tiles, and he was there in the middle of the night (which was the safest way). He fell down, and his sons found him unconscious. They brought him in the house and called my ex-colleague, a nurse, for help.

When he arrived, he checked the old man, then called his sons in other room. He explained to them that their father was going to die very soon because most probably he had internal bleeding.

The sons were mad at him and they started to threaten him, asking him that he help the old man in any possible way.

…click on the above link to read the rest of the article…

 

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