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Post by captbart on Jun 25, 2016 9:29:39 GMT -5
OK, there was a time when I was doing a frequent post along the lines of survivalist stuff. I'm thinking I might start it again. I'm retired now and the challenges have changed a bit for an older guy but why not? Anyway, ask questions, make comments or survival topic of your choice.
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Post by captbart on Jun 25, 2016 9:46:16 GMT -5
Post the First:
Just watched a "HURRICANE 360". It was about "super storm" Sandy. This show just goes to show how foolish city dwellers can be when it comes to natural forces. Sandy was a Cat 1 Hurricane when it came ashore. Checking the track, it was NEVER stronger than a Cat 2 and that was near Cuba. It was a failure to prepare that was the problem, not the size of the storm. When your elevation is measured in inches, there is a full moon AND the storm is coming ashore around high tide, if you are in the path survival is only by the grace of God.
If you don't have at least a couple of weeks of food, water, waste disposal and cooking method available, no matter what the expected disaster, you are NOT prepared. Further if your refuge is unlikely to survive the disaster, you best have plans for not being there when it happens. I live on the Gulf coast of Texas. I rode out Ike ( a stronger storm than Sandy, I note) in my home because I knew my elevation and construction were adequate for a weak Cat 3 and Ike was a Cat 2. My plans now are to take my RV and run several days before ANY storm gets here. My location is good up to a Cat 2 but I just don't feel like I'm as able to recover after the storm as I was 10 years ago.
Burt says you have to "know your terrain". He is right. You also have to know your capabilities. Since you are quite literally playing "you bet your life" you best be positive that your course of action will succeed. If you only "think" it will work and don't have a positively certain of success plan B, you are not a survivalist, you are nominating yourself for a Darwin Award.
Just my not so humble opinion of course.
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Post by captbart on Jul 3, 2016 10:44:04 GMT -5
Just saw an episode of 'North Woods Law' where the game wardens were searching for a lost hiker. The short version of the story is that the hiker got lost (no compass, fire starter, map, etc.) and lost their voice calling for help. They were finally found but the whole thing would have gone MUCH more quickly had the hiker had a little intelligence! I carry a whistle that contains a compass, magnifier, and thermometer built into the plastic. Given the compass is a cheap floating ball type but I can still get the eight cardinal directions from the thing. I can start a fire with the magnifying glass given sunlight and I can use the thermometer to check temperature trends. None of the devices are what I would choose for primary use but I have used all of them at one time or another.
Having the cheap magnifying glass saved several thousand dollars on the purchase price for a vehicle because I was able to read a VIN number from the small print on an add and prove it was the same as the vehicle I was looking at so they had to use the lower price. So went folks ask why I carry that whistle, I as them why they don't? That $1.99 whistle has saved me, quite literary, thousands and it could save my life if I need to call for help over a long period of time.
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Post by Mr.ELBlanco on Jul 7, 2016 12:17:37 GMT -5
Just saw an episode of 'North Woods Law' where the game wardens were searching for a lost hiker. The short version of the story is that the hiker got lost (no compass, fire starter, map, etc.) and lost their voice calling for help. They were finally found but the whole thing would have gone MUCH more quickly had the hiker had a little intelligence! I carry a whistle that contains a compass, magnifier, and thermometer built into the plastic. Given the compass is a cheap floating ball type but I can still get the eight cardinal directions from the thing. I can start a fire with the magnifying glass given sunlight and I can use the thermometer to check temperature trends. None of the devices are what I would choose for primary use but I have used all of them at one time or another. Having the cheap magnifying glass saved several thousand dollars on the purchase price for a vehicle because I was able to read a VIN number from the small print on an add and prove it was the same as the vehicle I was looking at so they had to use the lower price. So went folks ask why I carry that whistle, I as them why they don't? That $1.99 whistle has saved me, quite literary, thousands and it could save my life if I need to call for help over a long period of time. I really need to get more things, I have a whistle but could not tell you where it is right now. Having a few more things like this could really help me someday.
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Post by captbart on Jul 11, 2016 14:21:54 GMT -5
Mr. EB, Yep, you never know. Folks talk about their "every day carry" or EDC. It doesn't have to be a lot, but what every it is, it is the only stuff you can absolutely depend on when the SHTF. (S**T Hits the Fan) If I am not in bed asleep, I have my EDC. My EDC consists of my compass, a knife (or 3), a cigarette lighter (or 3), a tactical flashlight and a Leatherman multitool. These remain in my jeans at all times so when I get up and pull on my pants, I have my EDC. I keep a firearm by my bed so within seconds of being awakened I am equipped to survive any survivable event. The more time I have, the better prepared I will be but given only enough time to wake up and pull on my pants, I have a shot at survival.
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Post by captbart on Jul 16, 2016 11:02:35 GMT -5
I just started reading the first book in a series called "The Survivalist" - I let everyone know what I think when I'm finished. It is advertised to be a good post-apocalypse story with lots of "good" survival information. We will see.
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Post by captbart on Jul 17, 2016 13:19:23 GMT -5
Post the second: When becoming a prepper/survivalist the first step is often ignored. Before you begin to prep, you really need to know for what you are prepping. The best way to begin is to determine what is the most likely SHTF (Sh*t Hit the Fan) event you are likely to face. Preparing for a hurricane in Phoenix, Az is probably not the best use of your time. The obvious event are those that are most common for your area. Hurricanes along coast lines, earthquakes in seismically active areas, violent thunderstorms/tornadoes in the plain states, blizzards, power outages, Carrington events, pandemic, economy collapse or terrorist attack are all SHTF evens that are reasonably possible. Sure, an astroid could impact St. Louis and take out the whole country, if not the planet, but that event is not high on the list of things I need to prepare to face.
Part of the issue is that many events can pair up with other occurrences. For example, economic collapse could also result in a pandemic. With the world in the shape it is in, a pandemic is not at all unlikely. Given I live on the Gulf Coast, Hurricanes are also high on the list. For me, a start is food, water, shelter for 2 to 3 weeks. The more local an event is, the shorter duration it will likely last. My family in Ohio lost electrical power from the remnants of Hurricane Ike for a longer time than I did in Houston were it came ashore. Still, 2 weeks was more than enough for Ike. If the Cascade Fault line unzips in the Northwest, The Washington/Oregon coast could be looking at months for relief based on the size of the impacted area.
If you haven't started prepping, decide what the most likely event will be, prep for that and then pick the next most likely event and so on. If the event is not survivable anywhere on earth (nearby gamma ray burster pointed in our direction would sterilize the earth down to its core) I can't prep for that so I don't worry about it. If it is only survivable by moving, I'll look at moving or at least bugging out assuming there is warning. If I can survive in place, I make sure I have all I need for survival in place.
First step - what event am I preparing to face?
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Post by captbart on May 3, 2017 11:24:49 GMT -5
It has been a while since my last post here but since the election and now the North Korea problems and the terrorist activities I think maybe I'll try to pick this up again. First the difference between prepper and survivalist. One who is a person who prepares for long term survival during catastrophic events is a prepper. The survivalist is someone who is prepared to survive over the short term during a short term incident. For instance, carrying a kit in my vehicle that will allow me to survive until help comes in the event my vehicle breaks down makes me a survivalist. Being prepared to live through hurricane Ike was a survivalist thing. Being prepared for a Carrington Event ( www.history.com/news/a-perfect-solar-superstorm-the-1859-carrington-event ) makes me a survivalist. While every survivalist should also be a prepper I know some have not prepped at all for the chance that they could be stranded away from their survival location. If you are just getting started, the very first step is to have 3 days food and water ready at home. Once you have that get a three week supply. That makes you a survivalist. If you are worried about long term keep stocking up until you have 3 months and then a year and so forth. Get food you will eat, no some survivalist junk that you'll never touch. The "Mormon Pantry" is a great idea - based on the history of the early Mormons they keep a year supply of everything needed to survive if they can't buy what they need. During Ike, neighbors who didn't evacuate found themselves cut off from help. When gunfire erupted in the neighborhood, they were unarmed. I provide protective firearms or ammunition for those I trusted with weapons. We had no further issues and two days latter police patrols resumed in our area. Just one "real" world example. If any have questions I will try to answer them. If my answer is fact I'll say so; if it is my opinion I'll also make that clear.
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Post by captbart on May 14, 2017 10:29:46 GMT -5
I noticed that I missed something that is in my EDC. Each of my whistles has a compass. They are cheap little things, great for finding the cardinal directions (N, NE, E, SE, S, SW, W, NW) but they would not be my choice for navigation. I have a nice, military style compass for that. What these little "button" compasses do is to ensure that I can always find a direction no matter the circumstances. The hunter who walks away from camp and then gets lost because he gets turned around and can't find his way back. The whistle lets me call for help, regardless of the condition of my voice and throat. If I am breathing, I can make a noise to help get me rescued.
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Post by captbart on May 19, 2017 9:49:37 GMT -5
Just a couple of survival hints. I took an overnight trip without internet/wireless connection. There were some things on my Kindle that I had not downloaded that I missed. Nothing critical but it started me thinking - I have all the information I need in book form. Hardcopy is not lost with a dead battery. I like my Kindle; easy to read, self lighting, lots of books in small package, adjustable print size for old eyes, rapid access, etc. I search for, instead of look up, stuff. That option may not always be available so everyone needs to ask themselves, "Can I get all the information I need WITHOUT electronics?" Before you answer "yes" ask yourself questions like "how much chlorine bleach is needed to purify water" or "how do I make black powder" or "which of the common plants around me are edible". The answers to questions like that could save your life but if you don't know and the internet is down, you better have hard copy stored somewhere close.
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Post by captbart on Jun 23, 2017 13:27:26 GMT -5
OK, just got back from a 3000 mile road trip in our RV. Being retired is GREAT!! The thing is, I am noticing that as I age some of my survivalist/prepper stuff needs to change. I really can't walk out nearly as far as I once could. I am a lot more intolerant of high temperatures (or low temperatures either for that matter). I have spent time in the mountains but I am more of a flat land/desert kind of guy. With auto travel making it possible to go from 100 degree temperatures to mid-thirties literally in one day it is prudent to have cold weather, foul weather and hot weather gear always available in your bug out gear. We went from running the air-conditions on the coach to running the heater on the same day. I had to buy another coat in Wisconsin because my little jacket was not enough when walking the dog at night and we needed additional blankets for the bet at night. Coming home from South Dakota we went from cold to hot in about 300 miles (mountains can do that). Another tip: Imodium is a MUST for a survival kit. It is hard to survive when you can't leave the toilet. Also check out some "jungle" medicine. The Army taught me that a table spoon of kerosene or diesel can be good medicine. Swallow the kerosene (Army said JP-4; same stuff), hang a "No Smoking" sign around your neck and wait a couple of hours. If you think it makes you sick, imagine what it does to the amoeba that is causing your dysentery. A high tannic tea made from some tree barks, other natural remedies ( www.bhtips.com/2013/10/dysenteryloose-motions-best-home.html and home-cure.net/natural-remedies-dysentery ) can help or cure BUT be sure you know the trees/plants in your area before trying these home remedies. Survival is difficult, no reason to make it harder because you are dehydrated and can not eat.
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Post by captbart on Jul 1, 2017 9:28:51 GMT -5
Let us talk about practice. I like going to the gun range. Making various size holes in paper targets at all kinds of ranges is relaxing for me and sharpens my skills. It does NOT increase my ability to "move and shoot". There are courses (Thunder Ranch and Gunsite come immediately to mind) that have those kind of courses. Most larger towns have ranges where some semblance of that can be practiced. Find a decent course and go. Burt's school doesn't help if you don't go!
Another issue is the rest of your preps. If you lost all power this very minute how well would you survive? No prep except what you have already done? No cell, wifi, air-conditioning, water, electricity or gas? I find I am not as independent of the internet as I prefer and that is being corrected. I can charge cell and Kindle from solar panels but with no weather service I'm always nervous about storms and future weather. I am less addicted to cell coverage than many younger folks but total loss of text messaging seems to have a drug withdrawal effect on folks but how are you set to communicate without cell/land land service. I have ham radio and backup power but what do you use.
Can you cook without the power grid or pipeline gas service? What is your water supply if the electric grid goes down? How long can you keep getting drinkable water? How will you flush your toilet if the water cuts out? How will you get to a place in which you can survive if your local area becomes unlivable?
The time to consider is now. It makes good TV for the unprepared guy to make it while the prepared survivalist dies but is that really the way you want to play "you bet your life"? Your answers to such questions may never have any meaning in your life. Most folks do not face life and death survival decisions but if/when it happens to you, how ready are you? I also find that being prepared and having tested and modified my preps based on the test makes my life more comfortable. It always amazes me the number of people come to ask me for things. The line from T3 where Jack says Burt has a lighter, Burt asks,"how do you know", and Jack answers, "Because you're Burt". Burt's answer, as he produces a lighter, is," Damn right I am!"
Being Burt is frustrating; people refuse to see the truth and it can drive you crazy! That said, being Burt also means you always face life with few or no illusions. I much prefer to live my life that way.
Just my not so humble opinion, of course.
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Post by captbart on Jul 17, 2017 20:40:40 GMT -5
Expectations can get you in serious trouble - dead even. On our recent trip through South Dakota, I decided that while driving the interstate system was fun, we would see more of the country by taking the US Highways instead of the Interstates. That was a mistake of near epic proportions. Instead of multiple lanes and reasonable grades the US highway system in SD was barely 2 lanes with no shoulder areas, no stopping points, extreme steep grades, sharp turns, rough roads and crossing roads every 35 to 40 miles whether you needed them or not. Gas every 80 to 90 miles or so.
Just to make it fun, extremely spotty cell coverage. Worst US Highways I have ever seen. Had I done a proper road recon using google maps, USGS topo maps, etc. I would have know what these roads are like and would have stayed the heck off of them. Being a survivalist and prepared means not letting your expectations put you in a bad corner.
Just my not so humble opinion.
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Post by captbart on Jul 24, 2017 12:39:09 GMT -5
I just saw video of a Carrington level flare (see 1859 Carrington event at www.history.com/news/a-perfect-solar-superstorm-the-1859-carrington-event ) taken by the NASA STEREO - A spacecraft. Fortunately for Earth, it was on the back side of the Sun but two weeks earlier and the odds are very, very good that the planet Earth would now be without any electrical means of communication, no weather satellite coverage, limited to no electrical power, no cars (fried electrical systems), etc. Modern folks, especially city dwellers do NOT seem to understand that natural forces can seriously impact their environment and their lives. Burt's repeated "What do you people have against being PREPARED?" applies here. Estimated recovery time from a Carrington level event varies from at least 3 to at least 11 years depending on the level of pessimism of the speaker. Could you survive for several years without the grid? With the advent of computer controlled valves, even natural gas service probably would not survive a Carrington event. Given that it would be a worldwide disaster, relief services would not be rapidly available. Time to check your supplies.
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Post by captbart on Sept 1, 2017 12:17:19 GMT -5
Well, Harvey is entering the history books and my family and I are OK. That's the good news. The sad thing is the mistakes I made in my preps.
My bride and I were in St. Louis for the eclipse early in August. It was fabulous; if you missed it, make sure you don't miss the one in 2024. Well worth the trip to see. It was a great trip, and I had prepped the coach for the three weeks we planned to be on the road. My problem was that a tropical system went from nothing to a Cat. 4 hurricane while I was away from home. It took us an extra 2 weeks to get home. I came close to running out of my blood pressure and diabetes meds. I had sufficient firearms for self-protection and adequate finances for the trip. Still, I was concerned that I had left my ham radio at home so that I could not get into touch with the Houston area if the cell phones went out. My firearm selection would have been different if I had planned for maybe not having a house in which to return. Had things gone very badly, I would have wanted more ammo and my PTR-91.
Harvey was a black swan event. We have seen other storms, Tropical storms and Cat 1 hurricanes, behave in the way Harvey behaved. We just never thought that a Cat 4 would behave this way. Poor planning on our part.
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