Sunday, August 30, 2009

Back Up Systems

There are many different techniques that can be used to start a fire under emergency conditions. The traditional techniques that involved a fire stick or fire drill which is rotated is certainly beyond my use. I feel it is a slow and labor intensive method. For many thousands of years people would bang stones together that containing iron in order to get a sparks to light some lose tinder. In addition, there are several other means by which fire could be produced such as a hand drill, bow drill, fire plow, fire pump, by use of sunlight and a lens, a fire piston or through the process of chemical reactions.

As a survivalist my main goal is naturally to survive and as such I believe in having alternate plans and backup actions in the event that the first one should fail. A typical situation concerns my ability to light a fire. I have water proof matches safely stored and an abundance of inexpensive cigarette lighters that I have purchased from the dollar store. Even though I have these reserves I still prefer to have a conventional means of making fire such as magnesium fire starters, after all cigarette lighters do not last forever.

A friend of mine sells miscellaneous items that he chances upon at a local flea market on the weekends and knowing that I was into survival he generously gave me one of his cigarette lighters that he had recently acquired. This lighter was a refillable kind and even had a small led light enclosed on it. It cost a mere .99 each and seemed to work forever. I contacted my friend and purchased several additional cigarette lighters to give to a few of my fellow survivalists. We are all using them to this day.

The same is true regarding my lighting arrangements. I have many different flashlights and lanterns however in this respect I am slowly converting to rechargeable batteries as well as to the crank type lighting equipment.

Another situation is my survival products. I have many 12 volt appliances such as a coffee pot, frying pan, taster oven, etc., however I try to keep in mind that I may not have access to 12 volts indefinitely so I have backups of manual pour over type coffee pots and normal frying pans. As long as I have a properly functioning vehicle I see no problem in these appliances however in the event that I can no longer procure gasoline to start and run my car then I would not have appliances to use.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joseph_Parish

Setting the Standards of Emergency Response

The Central Station Alarm Association is responsible for the monitoring of home security systems and business alarm systems throughout the United States and Canada. Although the organization does not sell or install any equipment they are responsible for the detection and dispatching of emergency personnel and law enforcement authorities for a number of alarm company providers.

Throughout North America the Central Station Alarm Association, CCAA responds to alarm signals sent out by security system sensors whenever trouble or danger is detected. Once an alarm is activated the monitoring staff of the CCAA goes into action. By immediately calling into the office or residence of the alarm signal the trained dispatchers can quickly determine the validity of the alarm and dispatch the appropriate resources to deal with the emergency.

The CCAA operates monitoring stations throughout the country in strategic areas so that several states are assigned to one central operations office. Geographically situated to meet the demands of the alarm and security industry the CCAA sets the standards by which alarm companies and monitoring resellers communicate with emergency channels and security system owners as customers. The professionalism and response times of the entire industry are regulated by the CCAA so that in the event of a crisis when and where an alarm system is activated the end customer is able to get the assistance that they need within the shortest amount of time possible.

Like any other organization of its kind the CCAA is made up of an executive committee that meets with a board of directors to regularly update and improve the quality of service and training that the alarm industry is known for. The committee and board are made up of members that have years of experience in the alarm industry and have been successful in their own ventures as providers of home and business security products.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Billings_Farnsworth

Three Gorges Dam and Plate Tectonics

In China they have built the World's Largest dam project to go with their world's largest Great Wall project of past periods. Still, there is significant risk in building such a huge dam, what about a huge Earthquake? They are known to occur in that region, and putting that amount of water weight (8.2 lbs per gallon times Quadrillions of gallons of water) should be just enough to trigger it too.

There are places in China where the continental shelf over reaches and there is water underneath from the sea too. The potentials of a floating continental shelf collapse from manmade re-distribution of surface water is possible you know. The Chinese do in fact need the water for their ever growing civilization and super power, but if that dam causes everything to come crashing down and floods to occur, who is served?

The Chinese have had horrific floods in their history and it's been devastating. Will future floods be partially man-made, due to dam construction that did not take into consideration plate tectonics? It's true that mankind had never built a dam that big over an Earthquake fault so no one knows what might happen.

However, now that humankind has, perhaps we should be talking about it and really look into this reality, at least that way perhaps it can be partially mitigated in the future, otherwise millions could die, and once it occurs it will happen so fast, it will be too late. This article is neither a prophesy, nor a wakeup call, it's merely a statement of fact, and more questions without answers. Please consider all this.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lance_Winslow

Traveler Security - How to Stay Safe While Out of Your Comfort Zone and Survive While Traveling

The enclosed recommendations are a result of my travel throughout the world on business for 20+ years. These observations are offered as a helpful supplement to other sources on the web dealing with personal security issues while traveling. My apologies to those who do not find these observations pertinent to their particular situation. Allow me to say that these suggestions are offered freely and without restriction so they may be passed around with no obligation. Very little of this information is original to me, and I apologize if anyone has written anything similar. Also, I am not a security professional and make no claims of expertise. This stuff works for me... each reader's mileage may vary. Some of my ideas might actually get people in trouble with the authorities and/or cause physical harm. Please read this with an open mind and a critical eye. .

Lots of US Embassy staff, host country Federal Police and Army staff gave me input, horror stories and advice regarding personal safety issues while I was visiting and working in overseas markets... mainly, Latin America, but including trips to Western European and Pacific Rim countries.

I also have input from international and US expatriates living and working there. I know that many people have a lot of experience in many different countries, and may honestly laugh at all these ideas and issues presented here as stupid and alarmist. How you take it is your business... it is submitted in serious concern for the safety of all international travelers.

It was necessary for me to learn this stuff because I have lived and worked outside the US most of my life. I first traveled internationally in the 1960s and retired in 2005 to live in Argentina. I hope you can understand that the world in post 9-11 has really changed. Radicals of the right, the left and the lunatic religious extreme and NarcoTerrorists all celebrated when the twin towers went down. You should also be aware that even pre 9-11, international travel was seriously more dangerous than it was in the 1960s. Now, bad guys all over the world have become more encouraged by their perception that bad guys can get away with bad stuff... hence, have become more aggressive.

* TRY TO FAMILIARIZE YOURSELF with the area you plan to visit. There are various aggregates of news that allow one to program their search "bots" to look for keywords involving your area of interest. I use Yahoo News, DogPile News Search element and some others. I also look for the local news sources for the area in question on the web. Here are some questions you should consider when seeking information about your geographical area of interest.

* Are terrorist/organized criminal groups currently active in the area?
* Do they aggressively attack visiting foreigners? Or, is it more local-on-local crime?
* How active are they? How violent have they proven to be within the last 4 - 12 months?
* How sophisticated are they? Do they use military weapons and tactics?
* Are they predictable? Can you expect to be safer by staying out of known areas of operation?
* Will local citizens warn visiting foreigners? Do you have local contacts who can advise you?

Groups and individuals have demonstrated their willingness to employ terrorist/criminal tactics to further their agendas. While some threats have a regional focus, others have become international and affect multiple areas. Foreign visitors, military and diplomatic staff are seriously targeted in virtually every region of the world.

ALWAYS PLAY THE "WHAT IF... ?" SCENARIO GAME
Consider ways you might become a victim of a criminal/NarcoTerrorist attack. Several factors to keep in mind include:

LOCAL TRANSPORT

Taxis: Try to never travel alone in a taxi. Try to never take a taxi off the street. Try to ALWAYS have a taxi company card on you and call or have someone call the cab for you. If not, a taxicab stand is the next best solution. Even US embassy marines have to take these precautions, and we know they're in good shape... pretty tough in a fight. They are also excellent sources of good local information. Unfortunately, one of the thriving businesses in criminal/NarcoTerror Land is to pick up a rich guy (you) off the street in a taxi, and around the corner are two additional thugs with guns who escort you to a quiet place, strip the rich guy, take his luggage, etc.

If a Visa or debit card is found, they will escort you to an ATM and make you withdraw the daily limit before they strip you naked and leave you on the side of the road. Unless... if they are impressed with what they find among your effects, the thugs may decide it's worth a try to sell you to the NarcoTerrorists (drug traffickers). They may ask for US$5,000 - US$15,000, knowing the NarcoTerrorists' usual minimum demand for ransom is US$250k. Then, you may spend the next several years of your life chained to a tree in the jungle swatting mosquitoes and eating undercooked beans. If you or your taxi driver notices a suspicious vehicle or two in the vicinity, consider asking the taxi driver to take you to the nearest police station... or high traffic area.

If you must drive a car and your budget does not include an armored vehicle with "run-flat" tires preceded by a "chase" car and a following "blocker" van full of armed bodyguards, try to rent/select an 4-wheel drive vehicle with high clearance. A heavy-duty bumper is a good idea for running through barricades. If you see a police roadblock manned by only one or two officers and one (or NO) clearly official vehicle, consider running the roadblock or going around it. You may prefer to reverse out of the area quickly to a place where you can turn around and leave the area. If it is really a fake-cop scam (or, off-duty/retired cops pulling a scam), you should be OK. You may really need a heavy duty vehicle for this maneuver. If is a legitimate control point/official police roadblock and they catch you, humbly and VERY politely explain that you are sorry and will never do it again, but a friend of yours warned against false roadblocks by criminals/NarcoTerrorists. All around the world, official roadblocks usually have many, many clearly marked police vehicles and uniformed/heavily armed officers. Don't forget that NarcoTerrorists have Police uniforms and equipment, too... but, usually not too many official vehicles.

If you happen to be driving down a street and one or more people run out in front of the car in an attempt to stop you, PLEASE DO NOT HESITATE to slam down the accelerator as if you are trying to hit them. They will get out of the way.

If you are in a known area for auto-related crime and someone rear-ends your vehicle as if on purpose, consider leaving the scene as rapidly as possible. This is a serious "What if... ?" scenario.

In many countries, police understand if you slow down but fail to stop at traffic lights and stop signs after dark because it is known to be too dangerous at night.

PLEASE BE AWARE that motorcycles and scooters are not always a good idea if you have to try to escape while someone is shooting at you. Car sheet metal isn't much, but every little bit helps.

ATMs: Try to only go to an ATM in the daytime ANYWHERE in the world. Even in the US. Also, pay attention to who is in the area before, during and after getting your money. Situational awareness is difficult when you're trying to get the pesky machine to work... so, consider not going to an ATM alone.

Buses: Until 1995, I always felt safe taking the bus. I would still take the Nuevo Laredo - Monterrey bus, but probably think twice about taking one in the Juarez or Sinaloa state areas. Why? The various Colombian and Mexican NarcoTerror groups stop buses full of people as bait to get the government forces to move into kill zones where IEDs take them out. I have seen the results first hand, and seeing where 40+ teenage army guys got brutally cut to pieces by home-made bombs will mess up your whole life.

If you happen to be one of the poor guys shivering naked on the side of the road with 20-30 others watching the NarcoTraficantes molest the women passengers, understand that you will spend the next SEVERAL YEARS of your life eating beans in the jungle. Poor folks get to go home...except for the young and pretty girls and teenage boys they want to draft for paramilitary service for the NarcoTraficantes .

The NarcoTraficantes are studying in the same Islamic extremist terror schools as Al-Qaida, and Colombian/Mexican NarcoTraficantes' IEDs (improvised explosive devices) are really starting to show up a lot more... in recent cases, bait and blast techniques were used in the south of Mexico to kill lots of soldiers and Federal Police.

At an outdoor table at any restaurant, don't leave your phone, camera, purse or any other valuables in plain sight or within reach of the walking public. Try to sit as far from vehicular/pedestrian traffic as possible. As always, play the "What if... ? Game" and remain alert to your surroundings. Jenna Bush's purse was jacked in full daylight in Buenos Aires, surrounded by agents.

When leaving a high-end location, such as an electronics store, Armani, etc, an expensive restaurant or nice hotel, you may have just identified yourself as a potential high-end target. If you are carrying packages, and you put them into an automobile, please try to secure the items in the trunk or a lockable compartment and be aware that you will possibly be followed by thugs with evil intent to your next location. If you are in a Range Rover or Cadillac Esplanade, you should understand that you are in a rolling high-value target, with little or no secure storage. If you stop and leave the vehicle in any unsecured location after being seen exiting a high-end location, don't be too surprised if you come back later to find the locks broken or the vehicle stolen.

A wallet is a liability, and I never carry one. I wear a slim, zippered pouch between my T-shirt and external shirt/sweater for credit cards, driving license and copies (NOT originals) of my passport, birth certificate, travel or residency documents. Sometimes, I prefer a photographer's vest with lots of internal/external zippered or Velcro pockets. This vest can contain as much as a small suitcase... currently, about 4 kilos of stuff. Fanny packs are less secure, so I usually just put reading material, inexpensive sunglasses, gum, etc in them. Cameras/GPSs and other high-end items are secured in Velcro pockets in the vest or coat pocket. As a side note, I have copied and reduced in size all my important documents for daily carry and emailed these copies to several of my web-based email accounts so I can replace them at any time from any internet/print location.

The amount of cash I carry is as small as possible. I keep large denomination bills in a money clip in the bottom of one front pocket with a handkerchief crushed down on top of it. Another money clip contains the daily allotment of small bills is in another front pocket, so I don't have to flash large bills for most purchases. It is also crammed down in the bottom of the front pocket with another handkerchief crammed on top of it. The bulk of my funds, original passport and other documents, valuables, etc are kept in a WalMart small combination safe that fits in my luggage, which I check in at the front office safe at the hotel when traveling. PLEASE NOTE that I do not agree with several recommendations that a "decoy wallet" stuffed with paper be carried to toss away so as to distract attackers. I prefer throwing my decoy stash of small denomination bills to scatter everywhere as a more time consuming distraction for a better chance of escape.

Luggage security: Most complaints regarding theft, damage or loss involves the contents of luggage. Savvy travelers will make a written inventory of items in their luggage and photograph it in case of loss. Carry important items like medication, eyeglasses, and expensive jewelry in your hand luggage, a traveler's vest like photographers use to carry their small equipment items, etc. My vest holds up to 8 kilos of goodies. Photocopy the contents of your wallet and your passport. Carry a copy in your hand luggage and leave one at home as back up. Keep luggage under your control until you check in at your destination. Consider traveling with sturdy plain-looking luggage. Expensive looking luggage may be targeted for its perceived contents. External bag tags should not list your full home address and telephone number. I put my cell phone number, my phone number and email address on my tags. I do not put my name or any affiliations on bag tags. Consider defacing your beautiful luggage with big bands of tape all around the outside, laterally, with your phone numbers, email, etc in case of loss.

Consider durable luggage that is capable of being locked or secured and that will withstand being at the bottom of a pile of hundreds of other pieces of luggage without popping open. It is a good idea to add extra banding... $5 for a wide nylon strap with side snap locks at WalMart... or airport plastic wrap or duct tape to your luggage locks to prevent anyone from opening your luggage without detection. When flying, I do NOT lock my bags. I only use self-locking plastic tie-wraps. They work well for securing my luggage. All airport inspectors have replacements if they have to cut your ties to inspect your bags. You can buy these at any home improvement store for about a dollar. The reason for this is that smugglers have been known to slip drugs/weapons, etc into luggage only to retrieve it later and maybe with force. Passengers have unknowingly transported illegal substances/firearms that were slipped into their suitcase by baggage handlers only to be arrested later by authorities. What explanation you would give to prove your innocence to a foreign government of why you are carrying drugs or guns? If your luggage was properly sealed, you should see if it has been tampered with prior to opening it. Report any luggage tampering immediately to security before opening the case.

Luggage locks: If there is a combination lock on the bag, I put a piece of tape on the bag under the lock with the combo... usually, 0-0-0. This is because my bag was seriously harmed by customs forcing the bag open EVEN THOUGH IT WAS UNLOCKED. A sign of the times, no?

Airplane security: Beyond the obvious precautions, I would suggest trying to reserve a window seat as close to the middle of the cabin as possible. The rear and front of each cabin is where the bad guys congregate to watch over the victims. Consider what you can do to avoid being obvious about your business/military/nationality/religious affiliations.

Cruise Ship Security: Cruise ships are like a small city where passengers are encouraged to forget their troubles and relax once onboard ship. It is natural for passengers on vacation to let their guard down, especially when out to sea in a resort-like setting. Try to not let a false sense of security aboard a cruise ruin your vacation by becoming a crime victim. Before you ship out, consider taking some of these preventative steps:

After you enter your cabin, and while the door is still open, always check inside the bathroom or closest before sitting down inside. Don't assume that your cabin is as secure as a hotel. Many people have keys to your cabin and your cabin door may be left standing open for hours while the cleaning crews or cabin steward services the room. Cabin doors locks are sometimes horribly outdated and are not re-keyed as frequently as hotel rooms. Obviously, don't leave valuable items lying around. It is a good idea to have inventoried your luggage and photographed expensive items at home, and even emailed the info to your web email account for easy retrieval anywhere before you packed them at home in case of loss. Since most ship passengers are set up on a charge account system, be sure to use the ship safe deposit box for storage of valuable items, papers, credit cards or extra cash. Use all locks on the cabin door including the night latch. Consider carrying a hardware store door stop in your luggage and deploying it for extra security while in the cabin. Some are available with alarms from web suppliers. Don't open your cabin door to strangers. Whatever the person wants can be expressed from the other side of the closed and locked door. Be sure to teach children about this important procedure.

Just like in a hotel, protect your cabin key and cabin number. Dishonest crew or passengers will look for the opportunity to snatch a loose key or one that is left unattended. When in port, be sure to leave your key with the registration desk before disembarking.

Remember the phony hairspray/deodorant can safe if small items need to be secured and no safe is available. Once on board and out to sea, don't assume that you are totally safe from criminal acts. While there is little danger of an outside predator robbing or attacking you on a cruise ship, crimes can just as easily be committed by crew members or by fellow passengers. Many cruise lines hire transient and seasonal employees at low wages. Because of this, turnover is high and cruise lines struggle to keep a ship fully staffed. While most crew members are hardworking and honest people, you cannot assume that the ship has properly screened that nice cabin attendant, waiter or below deck crew.. Consider a Family Security Plan: If you bring your children aboard, be sure to establish family rules in advance. Set curfews and restrictions...just like at home. Teenagers especially should be told never to accompany crew members into non-public areas nor should crew members be allowed inside your cabin. Being at sea can cause a false sense of security. Even though the crime incident rate per thousand is relatively low, there can still be predators on board. Ship nightclubs, casinos, swimming pools and jacuzzis are favorite spots for those looking for a victim.

You also need to keep your guard up with intoxicated passengers. Food and liquor consumption peaks on board ships and cause bring out the worst in some people not used to it. Just because passengers are dressed up, doesn't mean they will act appropriately or not be overly aggressive. It is not unheard of for a ship passenger to slip a drug into your drink and take advantage of you just like on shore. There are pickpockets, purse thieves, and cabin burglars on board waiting for you to let your guard down or become careless. There are also scam artists who seek and prey on rich vacationers if given the chance.

Your family security plan for children might include bed checks, curfews, restrictions, and special meeting places. Beware of which children they hang out with, just like at home. Your children can be exposed to other children who use drugs or like to get into mischief, just like at home. Try to limit your child to ship sponsored activities in public areas. You should make contact with your children periodically even if they are supervised. Giving them the run of the ship while you are otherwise engaged is not a good idea. Always have a backup plan and identify a ship crew member as a contact person in case your child fails to show up or you get separated at a port. Make certain that the kids understand there is nothing you can do to retrieve a kid from the police if they are caught in a foreign country with contraband.

You are not in Kansas anymore. Although you boarded a ship in a US port doesn't mean that you are protected by the US justice system. Most ships are registered in non-US countries and travel in territorial waters where US laws might not apply. The cruise industry does not report crime data consistently, if at all, to the FBI or have a database of ships with the most crime problems. Shipboard crimes sometimes fall into a "no man's land" of law enforcement. A crime can occur between two people of different nationalities, on a ship from a third country, and in the territorial waters of a fourth country. The governing law is the International Maritime Law and is not as well developed as US law. Reporting a crime on board a cruise ship doesn't mean anything will be done or that the crime will ever be investigated. The FBI is the only US law enforcement agency that can investigate a major crime but only if it occurs in International waters, otherwise crimes are reported to the jurisdiction of the closest foreign country and to the embassies of the parties involved. Prosecution of crime, in many cases, will be left in the hands of the local port authority where no one can predict the outcome.

Be aware that if you or your family member gets into trouble on board a ship or in a port, you may be held accountable to the laws of a foreign country. The thing to do is to stay alert, be cautious, and stay safe while at sea. For details on the safety record of your cruise ship or how your ship will handle problems such are lost luggage or crime acts, contact the cruise line directly and ask for written disclosure of their policies and regulations. You can also contact the Cruise Lines International Association in New York City who represents the twenty five largest cruise lines for more information.

AVOIDING DISASTER

Location: Local terrorists may target locations frequented by foreigners or foreign military personnel such as certain hotels, apartment buildings, public transportation centers, and nightclubs. Avoid possible target locations. They often use the employees of foreigner frequented establishments, taxi drivers, airport staff (especially banking/money changing establishment personnel) and adult entertainment workers as associates or sources of information about possible lucrative targets.

Opportunity: Terrorists and criminals look for "soft targets"... so, learn to avoid appearing so. It is difficult to over stress the need to maintain vigilance, practice good personal safety, and to alert the proper authorities of suspicious behavior. If you find yourself unable to avoid being outdoors at night, try to walk down the middle of the street (not always possible). Be especially watchful if passing a large van or a vehicle with people in it, courtyards and deep doorways near your path. Walk purposefully with strong, determined strides... shoulders back, head erect, head and eyes constantly moving. Use windows/mirrors near the street to check your surroundings. Under no circumstances allow anyone to engage you in conversation at this time. Criminals will try to slow you down while their helpers get into position to assault you. Keep moving, speak into your cell phone as if carrying on a conversation... preferably in a language you think the possible attackers don't know. To attack you, terrorists generally must perceive you, your association, or your location as a target. Put serious thought on the subject of how to avoid appearing to be an easy target.

Be alert for how criminals/NarcoTerrorists prepare and conduct attacks through predictable steps. Through vigilance, you might be able to recognize preparations for an attack before it is executed. Be alert to unusual behavior that may indicate intelligence gathering, surveillance, collecting materials for attack, dry runs, and rehearsals. For example:

* Taking photos or videos of potential targets
* Writing notes or sketching details about a possible target
* Showing abnormal attention to details of routine activities and security measures
* Using false identification
* Paying cash for items normally bought on credit
* Purchasing large quantities of items that could be used as part of an attack (e.g., chemicals or cell phones)
* If you see something unusual, report it immediately to security officials for further investigation. Make a note of the individual's description and activities, the time of day, and equipment being used.

TRAVEL TIPS
Terrorist/criminal attacks at the Spanish/English/Japanese rail systems, Mexican border towns, Bali, Indonesia, Luxor, Egypt, London, England, and other tourist locations signal an increased threat to foreign travelers. While visiting a new location, it is natural to tour local sites of interest. While sightseeing, you should keep good anti-crime/anti-terrorism practices in mind.

Plan Ahead

* Research any known potential threats in the area. If the threat is elevated, take extra precautions or postpone your activities.
* Plan activities and a route that includes safe locations. Keep thinking, "What if..."
* Ask a friend or coworker to join you - small groups are usually safer than individuals.
* If sightseeing with others, pre-designate a location to meet at if separated during an emergency. Make sure someone knows your itinerary (acquaintances, business contacts, hotel staff?) and what time you may be returning.

BLEND IN TO YOUR SURROUNDINGS

* Conceal your national/business/religious affiliation and try to blend in with other tourists. USA red white and blue t-shirts, soccer/baseball logo clothing and religious jewelry are overly conspicuous in many instances.
* Observe and conform to local culture. Activities such as public displays of affection, drinking alcohol, or wearing shorts or skirts may be inappropriate.
* Do not bring undue attention to yourself. Avoid loud or boisterous behavior. Walking the streets at night in an inebriated state in very dangerous in many locations.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ricardo_DeLeon

Sunday, August 16, 2009

Surviving a Disaster, Prepare a Survival Kit For Your Children

Regardless of where you live, there always seems to be some kind of natural disaster looming over your at some time of the year, often more than once. When these threats are imminent, you begin to realize how woefully unprepared you really are, and you think to yourself "I really should have an emergency bag already packed". After several hours the danger passes and you go on about your daily business, and you moment of clarity is dismissed.

Unfortunately, for too many victims of natural disasters go through this thought process, and it really should be acted upon. This is especially important if you have children. You may not be in a position to protect your family and children after a disaster. By having a your emergency supplies already packed and ready to go, you could be saving your children's lives. The good news is that it is easier than you think. The first thing you need to procure is good list. Again good news, several emergency response experts have put together lists for you. Several of the items are common sense, and you probably don't need anyone to tell you that water should be part of any emergency kit. Other items, although obvious, may not occur to you. A short list of items you should have are

  • Radio with batteries
  • Flashlight battery operated, and non-battery operated
  • Sleeping bags
  • Flint
  • Signal Mirror
  • Emergency whistle
  • Water purification tablets
  • High Calorie food bars
  • Dust masks
  • Anti-bacterial wipes, or gel
  • First aid supplies
  • Toilet tissue
This of course, is not an exhaustive list. Most experts agree that the first 72 hours after an emergency or disaster are the most important. If you able to survive and enable your family to survive for 72 hours, it is very likely emergency first response providers will rescue you. Simply having a 72 hour supply of these emergency items is enough to deal with almost any contingency. Even so, the cost of these supplies can begin to pile up quickly, especially when creating multiple packs, one for each of your family members. Some items such as water purification tablets may be difficult to find.

Luckily, many companies specializing in emergency preparation kits have developed pre packed kits of different sizes at costs that are usually much lower than what you would spend buying each item individually.

Next time there is a imminent threat from a natural disaster, be prepared and have a 72 hour survival kit ready for each member of the family and ensure they know where it is.

Make Your Plans to Deal With a Blackout - 7 Essential Tips You Need to Know Now!

In our current society, people typically take it for granted that electricity to their homes will always be available to run their TVs freezers and air conditioning units, until the time comes that the lights have gone out. Our society is not prepared to handle long term power outages and should become more aware of the exposure. Make your plans today to prepare for an eventual outage that may last more than several days.

Tip 1 - Develop a Strategy
There are alternative sources of power that can supplement or even replace the power received from local utility companies, but these are long term strategies that many do not plan for. Wind, Solar and other technologies are becoming more mainstream as new products come to market to meet the demands of consumers. A long term strategy to supply free energy to your home is an important aspect of self sustaining power independence.

Tip 2 - Create a Blackout Kit
Power outages can generate widespread chaos and panic. If you and your family are not prepared for the worst case scenarios, it could lead to real safety issues. Having a blackout emergency kit is a prudent way to be ready if the emergency situation occurs. Essential items for your kit should include items focused directly on; food, water, communication abilities and light and heat generation.

Tip 3 - Alternatives to Standard Batteries
D Cell batteries are not an option for long term power generation for radios and flashlights. Of course they are good in a pinch for short term usage, but long term outages require a more sustainable source of power for generating power for your portable devices. As panic sets in, a rush on the local stores for batteries and other items will be obvious. Do not get caught in the herd by having prepared yourself with devices that use kinetic energy for light and radio communication.

Tip 4 - Purchase a Power Inverter
A power inverter may also be something that would be added to your blackout kit. This small portable device will take a normal DC battery from a car or boat battery and convert it into an AC current sufficient to run items in your home like a microwave or other small appliances. It could be invaluable to supply the small electric power needed to run your well water pump or oil boiler.

Tip 5 - Create an Emergency Storage Space
Set aside a location in your home or garage to keep the necessary survival items. Having an area like this set aside prior to an emergency will which will be much better than trying to hunt down these items in the dark. Your inventory of blankets, batteries and can goods will be kept in a specific area when needed.

Tip 6 - Stock up on necessary Items
Storing the right food for surviving a power outage should be part of your strategy. Can goods are the obvious choice to keep in your emergency storage space, but storing grains like rice or cornmeal in plastic 5 gallon containers may be something to consider as well.

These grains can easily be part of your meal planning during a power outage. Do not forget to keep a manual can opener in your survival space. Dried lentils and beans are other staples to have on hand. They can be easily soaked in water and added to a variety of meals.

Access to drinking water is crucial when current systems are down. Bottled water should be one of the major items you keep in your inventory. If your water supply is affected, you want to ensure safe water is available for drinking and cooking.

Do not waste your drinking water for flushing the toilets. If they do not work during an outage, you can use water from your rain barrel as a source of water for your tanks. This may not be an option in the winter, due to freezing temperatures, so plan accordingly.

Tip 7 - Plan to cook your food without electricity

One additional thing to consider when thinking about meal preparation; how will you cook when the stove or oven are inoperable?

The answer is your gas or charcoal grill. These are great alternatives that can be used as a backup oven and stove when needed. Even though most people have a grill for backyard functions, most people have at least one when needed. Your gas or charcoal grill can even act as a temporary oven for baking breads and other meals during the outage. Having spare propane or charcoal on hand is essential in being able to cook your food during this period.

In conclusion, it is important to make your plans for riding out a long term power outage. Adopting some or all of these tips can help you make the best of a bad situation if and when it occurs.

How to Make and Use a First Aid Kit

A first aid kit is essential for every household and there should be one at a reachable place. When a person is hurt severely, finding all the things that you need in one single box is a time saving and convenient thing to have.

A first aid kit should not be very complicated with hundred things in it. In fact, it should be simple and quick. It prepares you to face minor injuries and take immediate care for major injuries. It should contain essential tools, bandages and emergency medicine. You cannot have the whole medicine cabinet in your first aid kit. Also keep small amounts of it because you can refill supplies as they get used up.

Here is a brief list of first aid tools you would need to put in a kit.

• A pair of scissors to cut crepe bandages and gauzes. Keep the size of scissors compact and small.
• Cotton swabs or a ball of cotton to clean wounds and cover them.
• One gauze bandage so that you can dress the wound.
• Doctor's adhesive tape to stick the bandage, if necessary.
• One tube of antibiotic cream to apply on wounds after cleaning them
• One antiseptic solution to be used while cleaning the wounds

That is it and you are done building your first aid kit. However, use a white plain box that is in a good shape and sturdy enough to last you long. There are several readymade kits available in the market in case you find it difficult to make one yourself.

Your Medical Library

If we have to evacuate our homes and live in a bug out environment for a period of time it is very unlikely that we will have the luxury of our usual medical professionals. As such it will be entirely our own responsibility to respond to any sort of medical emergency that may arise. The question I would like to pose to you is are your up to that?

Initially any survivalist should have a vast library for which to fall back upon in the event that they encounter a situation that exceeds their knowledge. This is particularly important when it comes to the medical field. I have taken the liberty of listing a few medical related books to provide you a start in this category. This is merely a beginning and you should expand on it whenever you are able to.

One of the most important books you can have in your collection is entitles "Where there is no doctor" and of course its companion "Where there is no dentist". These are a couple of critical books for the survivalist. Several other good books that you should have around are listed below:

* Where Women Have No Doctor
* A Book for Midwives
* A Health Handbook for Women with Disabilities

I always keep one of the American Red Cross First Aid handbooks in my bug out equipment. In addition you can find many great books available from the federal government. Since I use nothing but digital copies of everything I also have included several Army manuals dealing with medical emergencies such as "Emergency War Surgery".

Let's face it, you can have a room full of medical books but if you lack the basic understand related to them then they simply do you no good what so ever. Therefore, in addition to the books you need to obtain as much medical education as you can. At a minimum you should be qualified in First Aid and CPR. When visiting your family doctor ask questions. If you are currently studying something relating to medicine and come to a road block merely ask him. I am certain he will be more then willing to answer your request.

In addition to your conventional medical books and supplies don't underestimate the alternative treatments as well. Herbs provide many possible remedies for both the common illnesses as well as the not so common. Keep your supplies readily available with access so you may act at an instants notice. Keep in mind that a few natural remedy textbooks would not hurt in the least. Another vital alternative that I always keep close at hand it my colloidal silver maker. Without it I would be lost.

I will not go into the necessary medical supplies at this time but it would be vital for your survival if you had a good selection of supplies readily at hand. I have the usual bandages, tape and the like as well as oxygen tanks, nubulizers and electronic pain machines. Planning ahead may save your life or someone you love.

Survival Fire - Man's Best Friend in Survival Situations

Call it survival fire or whatever you want to, there is nothing that can compare to the comfort of a nice, warm, crackling fire whether indoors or out.

You would be amazed at how many folks have a nice fireplace in their home and don't have a clue how to start a fire in it!

It may be because of fear or just plain never having a need for using it but just let something happen like a power outage for several days in the middle of winter and they will be glad for any little bit of advice on how to build a survival fire, as by then that is really what it is!

In the outdoors a fire is a very vital in an emergency situation, and the basis to survival as a means of cooking food, heating water, signal for help, heat, and just plain for comfort.

Waking up in the morning to a warm crackling fire and the smell of coffee makes anything more bearable. =)

HOW To Start a Survival Fire...

First of all, make sure your fire area is clean of debris and safe to use. Circle it with rocks if you have those available and scrape the ground bare.(make sure they are dry as rocks from a creek or riverbed are often full of moisture and will explode when they get heated up),

If you want to use your fire mainly for heat, you will want to have it close to your tent or whatever you are staying in but if you only need it to cook some food with, then you may want to move it further away so you won't be fighting smoke and get your belongings all smokey as well.

NEXT, it depends on what you HAVE to start a fire with. Do you have some kindling? Fire starters?? (Magnesium fire starters work really well as you can start a fire in almost ANY kind of weather and don't have to worry about wet matches, etc...

Gather small kindling if you are in a woodsy area....bark, dry grass, small twigs, old birds nests, dry rotted logs, pine needles... all work really well as kindling. If you don't have any of this, a small scrap of clothing works as well.

You can make your own tinder that can be packed into your wilderness pack....stick cotton balls into Vaseline as they ignite and burn quick...stash them into an old film container or other small container. Plus, you can find home-made tender recipes online that can be made into a cake like bar and stuffed into your backpack.

As you make a small tee-pee shaped pile of kindling, remember that fire needs oxygen so don't pile it too tight.

Light it from the bottom, never try to start a fire from the top down and as it starts to burn, carefully lay bigger twigs crisscross over the top of it, being careful not to smother your newly lit fire.

I always like to have some bigger wood gathered BEFORE I start a fire as it is really frustrating to finally get a fire started only to have it go out as you are looking for more wood!

Survival Fire Starter Methods...

There are various ways to start a fire and if you have not done so already, I recommend adding a magnesium fire starter to your survival kit.

Imagine yourself in the worst kind of weather at the worst possible time and you find yourself forced into a survival situation, and it will help you determine what kinds of survival fire starters to pack for YOUR needs...

Matches is the first thing people think of when starting fires and rightfully so. It is the easiest way, in most cases, especially if you have water-proof matches. you can make your own water-proof matches by dipping the ends of wooden matches in melted wax

Once your matches get wet, they are the most frustrating way to get a fire going!

Lighters are great but you also need to keep them dry. A good idea for any survival kit is to have a few lighters, along with your water-proof matches, and a magnesium starter sealed in a plastic bag.

Magnesium fire starters is a great way to get a fire going. It burns really hot and is better in wet conditions than matches or a lighter, and also in my opinion than the old fashioned flint and steel method.

Monday, August 3, 2009

Is There a Mole Living Next Door to You?

Generally the common man has no idea as to what a mole is. I don't mean those furry little animals which tend to make it's home within the ground and destroy your lawn but rather a mole in the sense of international espionage.

Let's start our discussion on just what characteristics make up a mole. A mole is usually an intelligence officer that is working for one agency while covertly feeding critical information to the agencies rivals. Moles are most likely to be individuals who perhaps carry some sort of authority within their agencies that employ them. In this way the information which they supply is more then likely reliable and of high caliber.

Since high rank is one of the vital characteristic of a good mole this fact alone generally eliminates most of the enlisted personnel. This is generally the major difference between moles and spies. A spy such as those Marine guards that were employed at our embassy in Moscow in the 80s was seduced into performing spy routines by female KGB agents. These people did not serve as moles even though the information that they provided did in fact prove valuable to the enemy. Another term that we need to differentiate is that of the sleeper agents that are merely in a location with nothing what so ever to do until they are instructed to act. These agents are also not considered to be moles in any sense of the word.

You may be wondering why I even bother to mention moles at this time. The answer is that due to the status of our country these days it only stands to reason that in the event of a major crisis the appearance of moles is certain to increase. Knowledge will need to be obtained concerning survival groups in general and one of the best methods of doing so is to employ a modified version of the militaries mole.

The problem here is that in order to identify and isolate a mole we must be very careful that we do not drop to the same level of what Senator Joseph McCarthy had done. In fact we must move at a snails pace and be just as quite. The less attention that we bring to ourselves the better off our survival group will be.

It is ironic how many people fail to have the slightest ability to root out the intelligence sectors within our society. It is totally true that in order to dig out the various facts relating to moles one will have to bee extremely diligent in their quest for information.

At this time I would like to fill you in on a few bits of "mole history". Moles do not necessarily perform their deeds for monetary values. A typical example was the Cambridge spy ring that simply refused to accept any sort of pay. This reasoning was primarily because most of them honestly believed that spying for Russia was the correct thing to do. These moles and spies cost many brave men their lives which usually occurred at the end of a long torturous ordeal. Moles which are motivated by ideology usually consider themselves free to avoid any sort of orders which contradicts their beliefs.

One of Americas most well known moles was Oleg Penkovsky who was a KGB Colonel. Here we have a man who was so terribly disillusioned with his countries political system that he sought out the assistance of the United States. The colonel was originally assigned by the KGB to operate as a trade delegate. It was during this masquerade that he first contacted the US agents. The list of moles could go on and on with an endless supply of names such as Michael Goleniewski or perhaps Anatoly Filatov.

As survivalists it is important that we understand these people and their purpose. If our current infrastructure should collapse information would be vital to both those groups attempting to take over our nation as well as to those patriots that want to preserve our current style of living. In such cases it is to our best interests to watch our neighbors very carefully and to ensure that they are not assuming the identities of moles.

The major point that I wish to make here is that when dealing with moles we should be very careful. As a survivalist never openly advertise your intents. Don't let people know about your potential bug out plans unless they are part of your immediate survival group. Try to conceal your preps that you have been actively putting away and never publicize what supplies you have stored. The current administration appears dedicated to having neighbors turn against neighbors and as such the appearance of moles is sure to increase particularly when a crisis develops. Be prepared!

Best Survival Food is Whatever the Weevils Can Not Get to IMO!

What do we look for in finding the best survival food for our own individual situation...?

My pet peeve is finding weevils and bugs in my food storage, so to me the best survival food is whatever will last for years with no fear of that! :)

How LONG and How MANY?

How long do you need to prepare ahead for - and how many mouths are you preparing for?

That is the first step in determining what foods are best and what type of food storage system to use.

Budget and Timeline

What is your plan as far as ... do you plan to buy it all at once or are you wanting to buy a little at a time.

If you are wanting to just bite the bullet and store enough food to last for a year or more, then you are a kindred spirit of mine. :)

However, here are a few things to bear in mind with long term food storage.

WHERE and HOW are You Planning to Store Your Survival Food?

There are several options available. My personal preference is the freeze-dried food,(and the best for long term) as it is prepackaged to last for 30 years, so all you need is a cool dry place to store it.

WHERE to Purchase Freeze Dried Foods?

I would like to really caution you here as because of the economical situation we are finding ourselves in, there are countless scammers online that are taking advantage of uneducated people that are simply wanting to get a little ahead of the deal, by marketing so-called year supply food units and if you examine them closely you will be surprised at what it is.

I would also highly recommend getting that food supply SOON as many of the food companies are back on track with shipping again after having to tell folks their orders were on back-order for several weeks.

All it takes is some emergency situation or pandemic deal, and people will panic again. Don't be one of those that will be waiting on their food supply, and wondering if they will even GET it!

Wherever you purchase your best survival food at, make sure they offer free shipping as the food units are heavy and shipping can be a huge cost.

Emergency Telephone Failure

Imagine for a moment that you are preparing to make your emergency rounds at 7 PM in the evening. It is just beginning to get dark and when last listening to the police scanner you noted some suspicious activities along your route. You don your proper gear and get ready to embark upon your task when all of a sudden the telephone system goes dead. You no longer have your primary means of communicating with other team members.

Whether you are participating in a practice drill or experiencing a real life emergency situation the lose of telephone communications can be devastating. When such an event occurs it is vital that you have some sort of backup plan prepared to place in motion.

Suppose that your city is now in the middle of a possible dam breaking or flooding is imminent. Not having a means of contacting the emergency essential members of your team can often times be fatal.

Let's for a moment take a training session from the professional planners and consider how the Town's Emergency Actions Managers would handle this problem. For the sake of simplicity let's say that a major telephone exchange has just been damaged or even blown up as a result of local terrorist activities. They would of course still have some communications facilities however they would be severely limited in their nature. We as survivalists should also look at our telephone outage in the same light - limited in capability but not completely wiped out. After all we still have walkie-talkie capability; we have cell phones and even two way radios.

The major hurdle in all this planning is that we must ensure that each member of our team has the same capabilities and has been trained in the proper procedures needed to accomplish the mission.

Does each team member know to instinctively turn on their cell phone or two way radio when they fail to make contact with their main command center? Are they familiar with the frequencies that they should use to make initial contact? Will the equipment that you have for use as a backup be capable of the distances that must be covered? Are there dead spots in your city or town where wireless telephone service would be useless?

These are questions that must be considered and it would be to every survival group's benefit to bring up these and similar questions during your next survivalist meeting. Don't take chances on being caught without communications as in most situations the problem can be critical.