SurvivalBlog is dedicated to family preparedness, survival, self-reliance, and self-sufficiency. Are you new to this blog? Be advised that you are jumping in to extant threads. Read "About" first. Then read my "Precepts page." For in-depth study, see the archives. Thanks! - JWR
Notes from JWR:
Today we present another article for Round 16 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The writer of the best non-fiction article will win two valuable four day "gray" transferable Front Sight course certificates. (Worth up to $4,000!) Second prize is a copy of my "Rawles Gets You Ready" preparedness course, generously donated by Jake Stafford of Arbogast Publishing. Round 16 ends on May 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entries. Remember that articles that relate practical "how to" skills for survival will have an advantage in the judging.
You may remember B.H. as one of the first winners of the SurvivalBlog writing contest, in late 2005.
Safe Food Handling, by B.H. in Western Washington
Safe food handling is critical for a healthy life in both good and bad times. As a former restaurant manager, I can tell you food safety or customer safety was priority number one. It’s hard to make money when you’ve killed your customers, which is the alternative to safe food handling. Death or severe illness is the unforgiving consequence to food borne illness. Food borne illnesses doesn’t just happen in restaurants it happens everywhere food is handled and prepared whether it’s during decadent affluence or full scale TEOTWAWKI.
Please don’t confuse food poisoning with food borne illnesses. Chemicals, bacteria, or certain foods like wild poisonous mushrooms and berries cause food poisoning. Germs that grow in food or in our bodies cause food borne infections. Symptoms of food borne infections include headache, fever, stomachache, vomiting and diarrhea. These symptoms can start showing in just a few hours or take several weeks to appear. The CDC estimates that every year 76 million Americans get sick and nearly 5,000 die each year from food borne illnesses.
Some groups of people are more susceptible to food borne illness. Health professionals recognize the following groups:
Younger than 5 years old
Older than 65 years old
Pregnant
Immune-compromised (due to AIDS, cancer, diabetes, certain medications, or other conditions) These "at risk: groups are described with the acronym YOPI.
These groups are highly susceptible and usually get sick more often or have more severe symptoms. Also some foods are more likely to cause food borne illness in YOPI. These foods include the following:
Unpasteurized milk or juices
Raw sprouts
Undercooked eggs
Raw oysters
Undercooked meats
Facilities that cater to YOPI such as nursing homes, hospitals, child-care centers, and adult care homes have additional food safety requirements. If you are thinking of producing foods products for sale or take care of others during hard times, then additional research in warranted for consumer safety. Right now it is illegal to sell unpasteurized dairy products but I’ve heard of some families buying fresh milk as “pig feed” for consumption. Another case of ingenuity over the nanny state.
Hazards In Food
The obvious goal of food safety is to prevent the hazards that cause food borne illness or injury. Most of the hazards in foods are things you cannot taste, see or even smell. Injury or illness can be caused by three types of food borne hazards in food and drink. They are:
Physical Hard or soft objects like glass or fingernails
Chemical Naturally occurring or added substances like cleaning agents
Biological Germs like parasites, viruses and bacteria
Physical hazards occur because of unsafe food handling practices or contamination. Physical contamination can be prevented by:
Looking closely at the foods you prepare
Washing fruits and vegetables carefully
Keeping your food prep area clear of things that can fall into the food
Chemical hazards like soaps, cleaners, sanitizers and pesticides must be stored away from food, food prep areas and utensils. If you must store chemicals in the kitchen area put them on the lowest shelf below food or food contact surfaces so nothing can drip onto food. All chemical containers should be marked and labeled.
Never use a container as a food or beverage storage container if it previously was used to store chemicals. Sometimes it helps to say the obvious.
How to avoid chemical contamination:
Store all chemicals below food and prep areas
Label all chemical containers
Use only food grade approved containers to store food
Don’t use galvanized containers, since zinc coatings can be harmful.
Make sure all your food is covered and protected when cleaning
Biological contamination is the world of germs like bacteria, parasites and viruses.
Parasites Tiny worms that live in Pork, Fish and meats that can be killed if frozen or cooked to the right temperatures. Parasites are also found I contaminated water.
Safety measures for parasites:
Cook all meat, pork and fish to proper temps
Filter or treat water before consuming or cooking
Eat sushi at your own risk
Viruses Viruses are very common-like the common cold, chicken pox or influenza and freezing don’t destroy them. The disgusting thing is that these viruses are usually transmitted by the fecal-oral route when a food handler doesn’t wash their hands correctly or at all. Hepatitis A and the Novovirus are two common viruses transmitted in this fashion.
Safety measures for viruses:
Don’t handle or prep when you have diarrhea, fever or have been vomiting
Wash your hands twice after using the toilet. Once I the bathroom and again in the food prep area. Hand washing should be hot water, soap and long enough to sing “Happy Birthday”
Use disposable gloves or utensils whenever possible-especially ready-to-eat foods
Bacteria
The ever present big-bad bacteria. This is the most predominant of food borne illnesses. Unlike viruses, bacteria can actually grow in foods and cause food to spoil or cause food borne illness. It is critical to focus on time, temperature and cleanliness when preparing food. Even though bacteria are everywhere they tend to prosper in certain foods. These foods are called Potentially Hazardous Foods.
Potentially Hazardous Foods
Animal Products
Meat, fish, poultry, seafood and eggs
Dairy products
Cooked Starches
Cooked Rice, beans, pasta and potatoes
Fruits and Vegetables
Cooked Vegetables
Cut melons
Sprouts (bean and alfalfa sprouts)
Tofu
Garlic and Herbs bottled in oil
Safety measures for protection from bacteria:
Keep potentially hazardous foods out of the danger zone (41-140 degrees F)
Don’t work with food when you are ill (diarrhea, vomiting or fever)
Wash hands twice after using the restroom
Wash, rinse and sanitize all utensils used for food prep
Use gloves and utensils when working with ready-to-eat foods
Food Safety Rules
Rule 1: Food handlers must have good personal hygiene
Rule 2: Food must be cooked and held at correct temperatures
Rule 3: Prevent cross-contamination when preparing and storing food
Rule 1: Food handlers must have good personal hygiene from hand washing to keeping fingernails trimmed for cleanliness. The most likely time for contamination is the following:
After using the restroom
After handling garbage or dirty dishes
After handling raw meat, fish or poultry
After eating or smoking
After sneezing, coughing, or blowing your nose
After handling animals or using chemicals
Note: Using hand sanitizer is not an acceptable substitute for hand washing.
Rule 2: Food must be cooked and held at correct temperatures that avoid the danger zone of 40-140 degrees F. Every kitchen should have two or more metal stem thermometers and you should know how to use it and calibrate it. Food that sits in the danger zone quickly produces harmful levels of bacteria and toxins that can make you sick.
Potentially hazardous food may be at room temperature for up to 2 Hours while you are preparing it. The basic procedure is to keep cold food cold and hot food hot while in the preparation stage.
Note: If food has been left out at room temp or you don’t know long it’s been in the danger zone—Throw it out!! When it doubt—Throw it out!!
Thermometers are an essential tool for every kitchen just like a stove or oven. There are two types of thermometers:
Metal Stem Thermometer Metal stem with dial face-can be calibrated and must stay in food for 20 seconds to get accurate reading.
Digital Thermometer Very accurate especially for thin meats like hamburger patties. Downside:: it is an electronic device.
Using a thermometer:
Calibrate by setting into glass of water with crushed ice-should read 32 degrees. If it doesn’t, then adjust nut underneath until needle hits 32
Make sure the stem is clean and sanitized before and after each use
Always take reading at the thickest part of the food which is usually in the center
Hold stem for several seconds until reading holds steady
The best way to kill germs is to cook food to the right temperature in the right amount of time. Cooking temps depend on the type of food, prep procedures and cooking time.
Cooking with a microwave deserves a special warning. Microwaves cook food unevenly so if you cook raw animal products you must cook to 165 degrees, keep it most and covered and stir it at least once to make sure all of it hits 165 degrees. This applies to re-heating food also.
Hot Holding food (140 degrees F or hotter) is the holding hot food at service temperature for extended periods of time. Cooking doesn’t kill all bacteria so cooked potentially hazardous food must be kept hot until served. If the temp falls into the danger zone bacteria can begin to multiply, thus quickly contaminating the food. Anything used to hold food at 140 degrees or higher must be warmed up to temp prior to putting food into it.
Tips for keeping hot food hot:
Never mix cold foods with cooked foods
Cover pans
Stir food often to distribute the heat
Reheating food that is cooked and properly cooled can be re-heated to any temp if served and eating immediately. Cold food that will be hot held needs to be reheated to 165 degrees in under two hours or more quickly.
Cooking Temperatures
Foods that need to be cooked to 165 degrees F (for 15 seconds):
Poultry-Chicken, Turkey, Waterfowl, all game birds
Stuffed foods and stuffing
Casseroles
All raw animal products cooked in a microwave
All reheated potentially hazardous foods
Foods that need to be cooked to 155 degrees F (for 15 seconds):
Hamburger
Sausage
All ground meats
Foods that need to be cooked to 145 degrees F (for 15 seconds):
Fish
Beef
Eggs
Pork
Foods that need to be cooked to 140 degrees F (for 15 seconds):
Packaged ready-to-eat foods (canned chili/hot dogs) heated for hot holding
Vegetables that will be hot held
Beef and Pork roasts require additional cooking requirements-specifically making sure internal temp of pork reaches 150 degrees F. Cooling Foods
Keeping cold foods cold is the key to food safety at the lower end of the temp spectrum. Again the danger zone is 40 degrees to 140 degrees F. Cold food must be kept at 41 degrees F or colder. If using ice make sure the ice surrounds the food to the top level of the food. Cold salads made from food at room temp must be lowered to 41 degrees F or lower within 4 hours. Try pre-chilling all ingredients before making cold salads to expedite the process.
Thawing foods need special care to prevent bacteria from growing on the outside of food while the inside remains frozen. Here are three methods for thawing:
Submerge food under cold running water-70 degrees or colder until thawed
Put frozen foods into the refrigerator for the safest method---bottom shelf
Thaw during cooking process or in the microwave—small portions only
Cooling foods is the riskiest step in food preparation because bacteria grows very quickly in cooling food. The goal is to get the food cooled through the danger zone as quickly as possible. It’s also important to take cooling seriously since certain bacteria produce poisons that won’t be destroyed during reheating.
The following three cooling methods are approved in Washington State and are very similar to requirements in corporate restaurant chains nationwide. (My experience was with Brinker International-Chili’s Grill & Bar in Washington & Alabama--great standards!)
Three Methods for cooling:
1. Shallow Pan Method (food no deeper than 2 inches)
2. Size reduction (cutting solid foods into smaller pieces)
3. Time and Temperature monitored (forcing food to cool in short amount of time)
Cooling Method 1: Shallow Pan is basically taking large quantities of food and dividing it into several smaller and shallow pans for cooling. Works best for chili, rice, refried beans, potatoes, casseroles, ground meat and meatloaf.
Steps for shallow pan method:
1. Put hot food into shallow pans no more than 2 inches deep
2. Put pans onto top shelf of refrigerator to cool and keep food from dripping into it
3. Make sure air can move around pans so don’t stack or cover
4. Only cover food when temp reaches 41 degrees F or less
Cooling Method 2: Size reduction is simply cutting large pieces into smaller pieces for
Cooling. This method works best for large whole food like roasts, turkey or ham. Not recommended for ground meats.
Steps for size reduction method:
1. Cut large meat into chunks no larger than 4 inches
2. Put onto tray for cooling. No pieces should be touching
3. Put pans onto top shelf of refrigerator to cool and keep food from dripping into it
4. Make sure air can move around pans so don’t stack or cover
5. Only cover food when temp reaches 41 degrees F or less
Cooling Method 3: Time and Temperature Monitored is a 2 step process that must be closely watched or not used.
Step 1: Food must cool down from 140 degrees F to 70 degrees F in 2 hours.
Step 2: Food must finish cooling to 41 degrees F or less within 6 hours.
For example: The ice bath method is very suitable for sauces, gravy and soups. Just drop hot pot of food into ice water bath right below the edge of the pot. Stir often to facilitate the cooling throughout the food. You will need to keep adding ice as it cools and melts ice in the water. Make sure it cools down to 70 degrees F in 2 hours and under 41 degrees F within 6 hours. Cover and put in the fridge once it cools.
Preventing Cross Contamination
Cross Contamination is the spread of bacteria from raw meat onto other foods. The main source of cross contamination is when blood or juice from raw meat gets onto the surfaces of utensils, cutting boards, countertop and hands and then gets onto ready to eat foods.
The obvious: Keep raw meat away from other food.
Tips to avoid cross contamination:
Wash and sanitize all surfaces and utensils that contact raw meat
Wash hands after touching raw meat
Prep raw meat away from other foods
Designate a separate cutting board just for raw meat
Store raw meat below all other foods in fridge and freezer
Store meats with higher cooking temp below meats with lower cooking temp
(Raw chicken juice on fish doesn’t get killed at 145 degrees F)
Wash Cycle is a four-step process to practice when cleaning and sanitizing. The 4 steps are as follows:
1. Wash Hot Water and soap to remove food particles.
2. Rinse Clean and hot
3. Sanitize soak dishes in warm water with measured amount of sanitizer
4. Air Dry Dishcloths can contaminate clean dishes.
Some folks refer to this as the 3-sink system with dish rack as step four.
Sanitizer: 1 teaspoon unscented chlorine bleach with 1 gallon of cool water
This concludes the formal food borne illness information that you can basically receive from any County Health Department. Health departments hold two-hour classes for less than $20 to review and test over this information. Those who pass receive a food handler’s permit and you receive all this info in a handy booklet, which you should keep with your cookbooks. I think the class is worth every penny just on the cool horror stories they tell from doing restaurant inspections. It will raise the hair on your neck. Yuck!
Application in Preparedness
Home is where the application of this information is vital. Putting these standards into practice is very easy. Even if you have a single sink in the kitchen you can meet these standards. My brother and I insist on a three-sink system when at hunting camp after everyone got the runs from soap residue on the utensils.
An easy three-sink bug out system looks like this:
Three plastic dish tubs from Wal-Mart ($3)
Folding camp dish rack ($3)
Small Bottle of bleach and dish soap ($3)
Scrub sponge, wash cloth and dish towel ($3)
Put all items into the fisrst tub and stack onto other two tubs. Everything should sit inside tubs and then inside plastic bag for easy grab and carry.
I’ve taken it a step further and I have a Rubbermaid bin with all kitchen items for camp kitchen. Tubs with all items above inside and next to them are several small Rubbermaid bins. One with silverware, one with spices, one with knives, one with serving and cooking utensils and even one with small cookbooks inside. Underneath all that is flat pan, frying pan and Dutch oven. I have to keep a separate large bin for rest of Dutch oven cookware for weight distribution and 2nd priority pile for rapid relocate.
In a less than decadent world we will be preparing a lot more of our food and game. Game processing should be staged for safety also. Gut and field dress away from anything else, making sure not to perforate intestines and soil meat. Keep a bucket of sanitizer when butchering and stage process to separate cutting from rinsing and wrapping.
I try to thaw meat while it’s in a pan marinating—"two birds with one stone". Saltiness of the marinade with cold temps almost assures of zero bacterial growth while thawing.
Hunting camp can be a perilous place when guys who never do more than fire up the grill start preparing meals for several days. I’ve learned to avoid the perils of “Montezuma’s Revenge” by preparing all the meals at home first. Pre-cooking and storing in Ziploc bags makes camp cooking easy. Pasta cooked and bagged, chili opened and bagged, all veggies and fruit diced, cut and bagged. To heat up food just heat up water. For example:
Take steaks or meat out of package and put into large Ziploc with marinade for one day then freeze flat. Replaces same amount of ice and is ready to cook on day 3 or 4 when thawed.
Freeze cooked pasta with marinara and meatballs. Day 2 meal just drop bag into boiling water and dinner is ready.
Cooking in Ziploc bags means no dishes to clean except utensils and hot water is already to go. Assuming your using mostly paper plates.
Pre-cutting and bagging vegetables means less time cooking and more time with Cousin George Dickel and family hunting lies around the fire. Dump cut veggies, venison, 2 cups wine, 2 cups water and 2 packs of stew seasoning into Dutch oven and three hours later dinner is done.
All of these ideas save time, energy and avoid food borne illness. You should plan on cooking your food to well done to avoid possible danger during a true survival situation. Diarrhea in the field can be as deadly as "Mutant Zombies" or a well-intentioned bureaucrat.
In closing, I highly recommend sitting through a county health department class on food borne illness. Two hours on a weeknight could save your life or someone else’s. I hope this helps keep you and your families safer. I’ll get back to you when I figure out how to make nachos over the campfire. Straight Ahead! - B.H. in Western Washington (soon to be in north Idaho)
Two Letters Re: Getting from Point A to Point B
Mr. Editor,
First, [E.I.D. presented] lots of good hints. I like the idea of getting good trail bikes and using them regularly to keep them and your self in shape. But I have long though the best comprise for distance, energy cost, and speed is a four cycle “road/trail” motor cycle. I emphasize four cycle so you don’t have to go looking for two cycle oil. Most get well over 200 MPG and have 2 gallon or larger tanks. That is a long ways. Most of the moped type things he suggests are two cycle engines. Not a good thing. I like the Honda 250 [cc] to 350 [cc]bikes because of reliability and high sales volume means easy parts availability, new or wrecks. Fill the tires with “Slime” for flat protection. If you have family members that have trouble with getting started with a clutch type vehicle, change the rear sprocket for a lower gear. It will limit top speed, but we are after distance not running races. You should rarely go over 30 MPH. [JWR Adds: Another important tradeoff is engine noise. The larger the displacement, the more noise. Some might prefer a smaller, quieter two cycle engine.]
The suggestion about the little 12 volt [vibro] tire compressors is useless in this day of tubeless tires. Once the bead seal is broken, they will not inflate a tire unless you were a forward thinker and put tubes in your tires. ( Assuming you can even find tubes these days.)
For a gas siphon hose, go to your local sports store and get a 5/8ths-inch outboard motor hose. The one that goes from a 6 gallon carry on tank and the motor. It will come with a “primer bulb” that has the one way valve in it to make starting the siphon easy. This will keep the gas out of your mouth, and that is a good thing!
Magnetic key holders are largely a thing of the past in this day of plastic cars. There is no easily reached ferrous metal to stick them to, even assuming you could find one in a store to buy. Plastic wire ties work better and give you more flexibility as to hiding places. (Don’t use the trailer hitch [channel] on the back of your SUV or inside the gas filler door. Those are the first two places anybody will look.)
Be very careful [about transmitting] on CB or any other kind of unsecured radio. The bad guys have them too. - Keith S.
James,
Just a few notes in regards to E.I.D.’s article on bug out transportation, particularly the section about using bicycles. I totally agree that an automobile is preferable. But if a bike is used as a backup or your only means of transport, then I have some advice from my bicycle commuting and touring days.
Riding efficiency is not the top priority. You want reliability and resistance to failure. Road tires and tubes are thin to reduce weight and increase speed for the given effort. Just commuting to work on paved roads I found I was getting flats every week from broken glass, metal debris, and even a carpet of acorn shells in the autumn. I switched my road bike tires to slightly wider and thicker semi-knobby tread, and used a thorn resistant inner tube. No flats since then. A mountain bike is even better and will have even thicker and wider tires to carry heavier loads and absorb shocks of uneven ground. Potholes and sewer grates can bend or break a tire rim in an instant of inattention, but the bigger mountain tires are much more resistant to those dangers. Even with mountain bike tires you still want the extra thick thorn, or puncture, resistant tubes.
The tube patch kit should be one you have used successfully before. Some are easier than others and seal better than others. Better yet is a spare inner tube. I used to carry just a patch kit, but after trying to patch tubes in the pouring rain or snowy slush, or even 98F burning sun, I decided it was worth the weight and bulk to carry a spare tube as well. You may want the thinner regular tube as a compact spare since the puncture resistant tubes are fairly bulky.
As far as a toolkit you don’t want anything bulky or excessive in weight, but you want enough to handle tire changes, loose nuts, and brake adjustments. Most bike shops will sell a variety of bicycle multi-tools with screw driver heads, hex wrenches, etc. In addition you want an adjustable wrench (“Crescent” or similar) for all the little nuts and bolts. I like a 6” as a minimum but usually carry and 8” wrench. You also want to carry a couple of the special thin open end wrenches specific to bicycles that fit on the hub adjusting nuts, these are usually about 14mm - 16mm. You need two, one for each side of a hub. You may want a small needle nose or electrical pliers for cutting and pulling or holding onto brake and shifter cables. A regular pliers/multi-tool is fine if you have one. You also want two of the small tire irons for lifting the tire bead off the rim to change the tire without poking holes in the inner tube. Lastly, you need to have a small spoke wrench. Then you probably want some plastic electrical tape and plastic zip ties, too. A small bicycle repair manual would be good for long distance trekking.
When I was in high school many years ago I road my bicycle across the state of Washington for the DOT one summer. I rode many east-west and north-south highway routes. The major equipment failure I had was that at every mountain pass was breaking a few spokes. Long uphill climbs of 20 – 25 miles puts enormous strain on the bike hubs and spokes. They never broke going uphill for 12 hours. But it was just after cresting the pass and starting downhill my spokes would start to go sproing! You are dead in the water with a just few broken spokes. I would carry a half dozen or so, as they are so light weight. [JWR Adds: I've found that taping 4 to 6 spare spokes directly bike frame is a good way to keep spares handy, and protecting them from getting bent, as they often do if stored in panniers.] For a long trip you might want an extra set of brake pads, an extra brake and derailer cable, and maybe even extra hub bearings, chain oil and hub grease.
When preparing for your planned bug out trip on bicycle, imagine the worst possible conditions. You could be traveling in pouring rain, some snow, or searing sun. Will you be traversing mostly level or rolling hill terrain? Or over a mountain pass? Forest Service roads can be very dusty and the gravel can be near impossible for road tires. Even paved roads may have a lot of debris or require cross country detours in an emergency situation. Plus, you are very likely to take at least one or more nasty spills trying to avoid a vehicle or while encountering treacherous terrain.
Do you have a wrench to be able to re-adjust the handle bars? Do your hubs have quick-release handles on them for easy removal? Do you have any sort of pedal clamps or other means to secure your shoes and feet to the pedal? You probably don’t want specialized biking shoes and pedals that interlock, but I found the U-shaped metal shoe clamp with leather straps allows me to have them loose enough to easily slip my shoe in and out of them for maneuvering, but still hold my shoe securely enough to get good pull as well as push effort, so that both legs work together on each half of the pedal revolution.
I wouldn’t want to have to use a bicycle to bug out since you are open to attack, your hands are kept occupied, you go relatively slow and cannot carry much weight. But if you end up needing to use a bike then a few simple tools and choice spare parts can make the difference between being stranded halfway or only having a short delay. You need those tools for ongoing maintenance anyway, so you might as well have the small essential tools with you at all times. I fit my entire tool and parts kit into one of those small under-the-seat-pouches you can get at bike shops. - JB in Oregon
Odds 'n Sods:
SJC flagged this article: Wholesale prices soared in March. On a related note: I'm sure that you've noticed the recent spike in oil to an all-time high. The current retail food prices are based on roughly $80 per barrel oil. Part of food prices includes tractor time, fertilizer (which are primarily petrochemical, these days) and shipping costs. When you factor in $114 oil, further jumps in food prices seem inevitable. I hope that you've already stocked up. Ditto for filling your fuel storage tanks.
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James mention that this Wall Street Journal editorial is worth reading: Dollar Alarm
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"Carson" suggested this article from Slate: Here Comes the Next Mortgage Crisis
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Honey Bee Collapse Now Worse on West Coast
Jim's Quote of the Day:
"Honor never grows old, and honor rejoices the heart of age. It does so because honor is, finally, about defending those noble and worthy things that deserve defending, even if it comes at a high cost. In our time, that may mean social disapproval, public scorn, hardship, persecution, or as always, even death itself. The question remains: What is worth defending? What is worth dying for? What is worth living for?" - William J. Bennett, lecture to the United States Naval Academy, November 24, 1997
Note from JWR:
Congrats to Mark T., the high bidder in the auction that ended yesterday. Today we are starting a new auction. This auction is for four items: A FoodSaver GameSaver Turbo Plus heavy duty food vacuum packaging system (a retail value of $297) kindly donated by Ready Made Resources, an autographed copy of "Rawles on Retreats and Relocation", an autographed copy of "SurvivalBlog: The Best of the Blog.", and a copy of "The Encyclopedia of Country Living", by the late Carla Emery. The four items have a combined retail value of around $395. The auction ends on May15th. Please e-mail us your bids, in $10 increments.
The Precepts of My Survivalist Philosophy
In the past week I've had three newcomers to SurvivalBlog.com write and ask me to summarize my world view. One of them asked: "I could spend days looking through [the] archives of your [many months of] blog posts. But there are hundreds of them. Can you tell me where you stand, in just a page? What distinguishes the "Rawlesian" philosophy from other [schools of] survivalist thought?"
I'll likely add a few items to this list as time goes on, but here is a general summary of my precepts:
Modern Society is Increasingly Complex, Interdependent, and Fragile. With each passing year, technology progresses and chains of interdependency lengthen. In the past 30 years, chains of retail supply have grown longer and longer. The food on your supermarket shelf does not come from local farmers. It often comes from hundreds or even thousands of miles away. This has created an alarming vulnerability to disruption. Simultaneously, global population is still increasing in a near geometrical progression. At some point that must end, most likely with a sudden and sharp drop in population. The lynchpin is the grid. Without functioning power grids, modern industrial societies will collapse within weeks.
Civilization is Just a Thin Veneer. In the absence of law an order, men quickly revert to savagery. As was illustrated by the rioting and looting that accompanied disasters in the past three decades, the transition from tranquility to absolute barbarism can occur overnight. People expect tomorrow to be just like today, and they act accordingly. But then comes a unpredictable disaster that catches the vast majority unprepared. The average American family has four days worth of food on hand. When that food is gone, we'll soon see the thin veneer stripped away.
People Run in Herds and Packs, but Both Follow Natural Lines of Drift. Most people are sheep ("sheeple"). A few are wolves that prey on others. But just a few of us are more like sheepdogs--we think independently, and instead of predation, we are geared toward protecting and helping others. People naturally follow natural lines of drift--the path of least resistance. When the Schumer hits the fan, 99% of urbanites will try to leave the cities on freeways. The highways and freeways will soon resemble parking lots. This means that you need to be prepared to both get out of town ahead of the rush and to use lightly-traveled back roads. Plan, study and practice.
Lightly Populated Areas are Safer than High Density Areas. With a few exceptions, less population means fewer problems. WTSHTF, there will be a mass exodus from the cities. Think of it as an army that is spreading out across a battlefield: The wider that they are spread, the less effective that they are. The inverse square law hasn't been repealed.
Show Restraint, But Always Have Recourse to Lethal Force. My father often told me, "It is better to have a gun and not need it, than need a gun, and not have it." I urge readers to use less than lethal means when safe and practicable, but at times there is not a satisfactory substitute for well-aimed lead going down range at high velocity.
There is Strength in Numbers. Rugged individualism is all well and good, but it takes ore than one man to defend a retreat. Effective retreat defense necessitates having at least two families to provide 24/7 perimeter security. But of course every individual added means having another mouth to feed. Absent having an unlimited budget and an infinite larder, this necessitates striking a balance when deciding the size of a retreat group.
There are Moral Absolutes. The foundational morality of the civilized world is best summarized in the Ten Commandments. Moral relativism and secular humanism are slippery slopes. The terminal moraine at the base of these slopes is a rubble pile consisting of either despotism and pillage, or anarchy and the depths of depravity. I believe that it takes both faith and friends to survive perilous times. For more background on that, see my Prayer page.
Racism Ignores Reason. People should be judged as individuals. Anyone that make blanket statements about other races is ignorant that there are both good and bad individuals in all groups. I have accepted The Great Commission with sincerity."Go forth into all nations" means exactly that: all nations. OBTW, I feel grateful that SurvivalBlog is now read in more than 100 countries. I have been given a bully pulpit, and I intend to use it for good and edifying purposes.
Skills Beat Gadgets and Practicality Beats Style. The modern world is full of pundits, poseurs, and Mall Ninjas. Preparedness is not just about accumulating a pile of stuff. You need practical skills, and those only come with study, training, and practice. Any armchair survivalist can buy a set of stylish camouflage fatigues and an M4gery Carbine encrusted with umpteen accessories. Style points should not be mistaken for genuine skills and practicality.
Plentiful Water and Good Soil are Crucial. Modern mechanized farming, electrically pumped irrigation, chemical fertilizers, and pesticides can make deserts bloom. But when the grid goes down, deserts and marginal farmland will revert to their natural states. In my estimation, the most viable places to survive in the midst of a long term societal collapse will be those with reliable summer rains and rich topsoil.
Tangibles Trump Conceptuals. Modern fiat currencies are generally accepted, but have essentially no backing. Because they are largely a byproduct of interest bearing debt, modern currencies are destined to inflation. In the long run, inflation dooms fiat currencies to collapse. The majority of your assets should be invested in productive farm land and other tangibles such as useful hand tools. Only after you have your key logistics squared away, anything extra should be invested in silver and gold.
Governments Tend to Expand their Power to the Point that They Do Harm. In SurvivalBlog, I often warn of the insidious tyranny of the Nanny State. If the state where you live becomes oppressive, then don't hesitate to relocate. Vote with your feet!
There is Value in Redundancy. A common saying of my readers is: "Two is one, and one is none." You must be prepared to provide for your family in a protracted period of societal disruption. That means storing up all of the essential "beans, bullets, and Band-Aids" in quantity. If commerce is disrupted by a disaster, at least in the short term you will only have your own logistics to fall back on. The more that you have stored, the more that you will have available for barter and charity.
A Deep Larder is Essential. Food storage is one of the key preparations that I recommend. Even if you have a fantastic self-sufficient garden and pasture ground, you must always have food storage that you can fall back on in the event that your crops fail due to drought, disease, or infestation.
Tools Without Training Are Almost Useless. Owning a gun doesn't make someone a "shooter" any more than owning a surfboard makes someone a surfer. With proper training and practice, you will be miles ahead of the average citizen. Get advanced medical training. Get the best firearms training that you can afford. Learn about amateur radio from your local affiliated ARRL club. Practice raising a vegetable garden each summer. Some skills are only perfected over a period of years.
Old Technologies are Appropriate Technologies. In the event of a societal collapse, 19th Century (or earlier) technologies such as a the blacksmith's forge, the treadle sewing machine, and the horse-drawn plow will be far easier to re-construct than modern technologies.
Charity is a Moral Imperative. As a Christian, I feel morally obligated to assist others that are less fortunate. Following the Old Testament laws of Tzedakah (charity and tithing), I believe that my responsibility begins with my immediate family and expands in successive rings to supporting my immediate neighborhood and church, to my community, and beyond, as resources allow. In short, my philosophy is to "give until it hurts" in times of disaster.
Buy Life Assurance, not Life Insurance. Self-sufficiency and self-reliance are many-faceted. You need to systematically provide for Water, Food, Shelter, Fuel, First Aid, Commo, and, if need be, the tools to enforce Rule 308.
Live at Your Retreat Year-Round. If your financial and family circumstances allow it, I strongly recommend that you relocate to a safe area and live there year-round. This has several advantages, most notably that will prevent burglary of your retreat logistics and allow you to regularly tend to gardens, orchards, and livestock. It will also remove the stress of timing a "Get Out of Dodge" trip at the11th hour. If circumstances dictate that you can't live at your retreat year round, then at least have a caretaker and stock the vast majority of your logistics in advance, since you may only have one trip there before roads are impassable.
Exploit Force Multipliers. Night vision gear, intrusion detection sensors, and radio communications equipment are key force multipliers. Because these use high technology they cannot be depended upon in a long term collapse, but in the short term, they can provide a big advantage. Some low technologies like barbed wire and defensive road cables also provide advantages and can last for several decades.
Invest Your Sweat Equity. Even if some of you have a millionaire's budget, you need to learn how to do things for yourself, and be willing to get your hands dirty. In a societal collapse, the division of labor will be reduced tremendously. Odds are that the only "skilled craftsmen" available to build a shed, mend a fence, shuck corn, repair an engine, or pitch manure will be you.and your family. A byproduct of sweat equity is muscle tone and proper body weight. Hiring someone to deliver three cords of firewood is a far cry from felling, cutting, hauling, splitting, and stacking it yourself.
Choose Your Friends Wisely. Associate yourself with skilled doers, not "talkers." Seek out people that share your outlook and morality. Living in close confines with other families is sure to cause friction but that will be minimized if you share a common religion and norms of behavior.You can't learn every skill yourself. Assemble a team that includes members with medical knowledge, tactical skills, electronics experience, and traditional practical skills.
There is No Substitute for Mass. Mass stops bullets. Mass stops gamma radiation. Mass stops (or at least slows down ) bad guys from entering a home and depriving its residents of life and property. Sandbags are cheap, so buy plenty of them. When planning your retreat house, think: medieval castle. (See the SurvivalBlog Archives for the many articles and letters on Retreat Architecture.)
Always Have a Plan B and a Plan C. Regardless of your pet scenario and your personal grand plan of survival, you need to be flexible and adaptable. Situations and circumstances change. Always keep a G.O.O.D. kit handy, even if you are fortunate enough to live at your retreat year-round.
Be Frugal. I grew up in a family that still remembered both our pioneer history and the more recent lessons of the Great Depression. One of our family mottos is: "Use it up, wear it out, make do, or do without."
Some Things are Worth Fighting For. I encourage my readers to avoid trouble, most importantly via relocation to safe areas where trouble is unlikely to come to visit. But there may come an unavoidable day that you have to make a stand to defend your own family or your neighbors. Further, if you value your liberty, then be prepared to fight for it, both for yourself and for the sake of your progeny.
Letter Re: Food Riots in Haiti
Mr. Rawles,
The BBC and several other news outlets are reporting Food Riots in Haiti, where food scarcity and price increases have resulted in violence. Reports say mobs are looting shops, burning cars, blocking roads, and shooting at UN Peacekeepers. It is also reported one man was shot to death by UN Peacekeepers. The rioters are responding to food prices increasing some 50% over the past year. Apparently the United States and France will be sending more money to assist in subsidizing food prices. There's plenty of information about this showing online. Here are a couple of links, one from the British Broadcasting Corporation, and one from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. - KMA
Letter Re: The Survivor Mindset
Dear Mr. Rawles;
I love the SurvivalBlog. It is fun and interesting, yet it is even more, it is educational! I believe that a lot of people are over looking the biggest part of the equation when it comes to survival. It is mindset. When going thru [US Army] Ranger school I knew from the start there was no way I was going to quit. I had the mindset they could “DQ” [(disqualify)] me and send me packing but I was not quitting. In a true survival setting one has to know in his heart and mind he is going try to make it at all cost.
I am a Christian, a true believer of God’s saving grace, yet when the Schumer hits the fan I am going to survive or die trying. I think a lot of people need to re-evaluate their thinking about a time of total collapse. At that point, you will have to become good spirited yet know and believe that you will do what it takes to survive. There are going to be cold nights, days of being in the rain watching your home, and sweating because there is no air conditioning. You can provide charity and help to people you truly trust. I know that sounds selfish but it isn’t. If you start to give food and other goods away [to strangers] you become a target and the thieves will come! If you decide to take them to a church then someone at that church is going to know you had it and again you will become a target. When people become desperate they will do anything. I hope folks realize that when these times come, a trip to town will be a heart attack event, because driving or walking down a road and not having proper recon is a nightmare waiting to happen.
Another issue I would like to make is bugging out. If you think you are going to bug out after the Schumer hits the fan, then you are full of Schumer! When it hits, there is going to be widespread panic and martial law will follow. Therefore moving is going to be a major problem. I think if you are concerned enough now to have a retreat, then move to it now. I live in semi-rural North Carolina and I would love to be in Montana but it ain’t happening! Therefore my family has decided to square ourselves away and hunker down in place. People need to realize that they don’t want to be a refugee! That can not be stated loud and hard enough. Most people would take two or three days to really be ready to leave home, if they could do it that quickly. In two or three days a lot can happen! The roads would be clogged, fuel inventories depleted, grocery stores barren, and then the nightmare of trying to avoid the military and police enforcing the martial law rules. You would be either stuck at home or out in the open with no where to go. I am totally serious, either go now or prepare to stay in place.
Be physically and mentally tough. The hard times will be like nothing you can imagine unless you have been to a warring third world country. In those times everything will matter, you will see the strong survive and the rest dwindle away. With My Best Regards, - A.F. in North Carolina
Odds 'n Sods:
Eric sent us this: The new underground currency
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Time magazine reports: How Hunger Could Topple Regimes
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Where are the contrapreneurs that "invested" in McMansions, using NINJA (No Income, No Job or Assets) loans? Some of them have gone through foreclosure and are now moving back home to live with their parents.
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As other staples soar, potatoes break new ground
Jim's Quote of the Day:
“As our own species is in the process of proving, one cannot have superior science and inferior morals. The combination is unstable and self-destroying.” - Arthur C. Clarke
Notes from JWR:
The current SurvivalBlog Benefit Auction ends at midnight (eastern time) tonight. The high bid for the lot is now at $300. This auction is for four items: a MURS Alert Base station, a MURS Alert Hand-held transceiver, an earbud, and a Kaito KA-1102 AM/FM/Shortwave. These radios were kindly donated by the owner of Affordable Shortwaves and MURS Radios. If you aren't familiar with the Dakota Alert infrared perimeter security system, take a few minute to look at the Dakota Alert web site. These alarms are very reliable and versatile. I often recommend them to my consulting clients--especially those that plan to have lightly-manned retreats. You can easily set up multiple detector/transmitter sensors to provide 360 degree perimeter security for a large area. Instead of just a generic alarm, they will let you know which sensor was tripped, via a computer-generated voice message to a radio that you can carry on your belt. (Such as "Alert, Zone Two.") The same radio can be used for point-to-point voice communications, on the little-used MURS band. The three radios have a retail value of $210, plus shipping. Please e-mail us your bids, in $10 increments.
Today we present another article for Round 16 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The writer of the best non-fiction article will win two valuable four day "gray" transferable Front Sight course certificates. (Worth up to $4,000!) Second prize is a copy of my "Rawles Gets You Ready" preparedness course, generously donated by Jake Stafford of Arbogast Publishing. Round 16 ends on May 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entries. Remember that articles that relate practical "how to" skills for survival will have an advantage in the judging.
Getting from Point A to Point B, by E.I.D.
You’ve got your Bug Out Bags (BOBs) all packed. You’ve prepped your house for whatever reason you’re leaving. You’ve made contact with what family you could, and you trust the rest to meet you at your designated meeting place, whether it’s your retreat or just a spot along the way where your two paths converge. Everything is set. Or is it? Points A and B are ready, but how do you plan to make the trek between them?
Walking is always an option, but probably a last resort. Most people aren’t in good enough shape to walk ten miles, let alone 100 and over the course of a few days. Cramps and blisters become unbearable, and joints seize up. Adverse weather, whether hot or cold, can become lethal. Other humans (travelers, police, military) can be dangers, and so can feral and wild animals. Not to mention, you can only bring what you can carry. Walk if you must, but don’t let it be plan A. In fact, keep it at plan D or further.
A bike is a good option, but again, requires some level of fitness. Bikes can be fitted with cargo containers on the front and back (as well as new packs that strap to the frame), and thus allow you to carry more than you could on foot. However, a bike presents a new group of possible problems that must be addressed, and therefore you should always attach the following to your bike frame or in an attached pack or basket: a tire pump (foot pumps are best as they are smaller), a tire patch-kit, a small can of leak-stop, and tools to reset the chain should it pop loose. Reflectors and a headlight for your bike is a must for night-riding, and some are available that are powered by your pedaling, much like a hand-cranked flashlight. Otherwise, pack extra batteries. There are solid foam rubber inner tubes that will eliminate your need for a patch kit, but there are many mixed reviews on these tubes, because they tend to also decrease energy efficiency. A mountain bike will allow you to ride off-road should the need arise, but again, you lose energy efficiency over a road bike. If you’re in excellent shape, efficiency might not be as big an issue for you – likewise if you’re not too far from your retreat. Take all this into consideration. A bike with multiple gears is better for energy efficiency, but it also presents more moving parts which can break along the way. To maximize your chances of making it on a bike, fitting your bike with a small gasoline powered engine is best.
These small gasoline engines turn your bike into a virtual moped. You get up to speed by pedaling and then engage the engine. These engines can get up to 250 miles per gallon going 25 mph on flat road. Unfortunately, they may only hold a gallon of gas. However, you can easily fit a 2 gallon jerry can (or jug, if you’re in a hurry) of gasoline in the back basket of your bike, and refill along the way, if your destination is further than 250 miles. You might say “motorcycles get good miles per gallon too” and you would be right, but they also require a lot more investment and maintenance than a bike, and aren’t as easily strapped to the back of a larger vehicle. If you’re considering buying one, ask yourself “Do I want a motorcycle because it’s a practical form of transportation, or because I think its cool?” I would ask you to reconsider and look into a newer-model moped. They can go fast enough for practical purposes, get great miles per gallon, and if they break down, they simply turn into a bicycle! I call that insurance. Unlike a motorcycle, you can carry a moped across otherwise impassable obstacles (such as streams or deep mud), and if you crash, you don’t have to worry about it crushing you. Mopeds get 100-150 miles per gallon, and most only hold a gallon of gas. Is your bug-out site 100 to 150 miles away? If not, can you easily and safely carry enough gas to make up the difference? If not, how far will you be pedaling the moped after it runs out, and on what kind of terrain? You can always pedal in the straight-aways and down-hills, saving your gas for the difficult stretches, but this is still not your best option, obviously. Ideally, you want an automobile.
An automobile is something you don’t want to be without in a bug-out scenario, if you can help it. Most of us have vehicles, but not every vehicle is created equal. However, I’m not going to discuss what vehicles are the best, because not many of you are going to go out and buy a new vehicle to prepare for an arguably improbable contingency, and anyway, plenty of good articles already exist on the subject of bug-out vehicles. Any vehicle is better than no vehicle, but there are things you can do to your existing vehicle to make it not only better prepared for bugging out, but also better prepared for everyday life.
First, how many miles per gallon does your car/truck get? What size is the fuel tank? Multiply your MPG by the size of your tank, and that’s how far you’re going to get before your car becomes nothing more than a metal tent. For example, my car gets 24 MPG on average, and I have a 15 gallon tank. That means I can probably drive about 360 miles, but that’s going to vary depending on weather, wind, temperature, terrain and even how much I’ve packed. I recently spent a minor amount of money on a tune-up, lube, tire-rotation, and a few small items that improve my vehicle’s MPG. These included a fuel magnetizer, a performance chip, and an air-intake insert. Each item is supposed to improve MPG by about 2, but in reality, they might raise my MPG to 25 or 26. Still that would extend my viable mileage to roughly 390 miles. That’s an extra 30 miles on the same tank of gas, and that’s nothing to scoff at! Don’t you think that’s worth it? [JWR Adds: Magnetic "fuel economy" devices have been tested extensively by Popular Science magazine (and others), and have been proven to have no effectiveness. Don't bother.] In the meantime, with rising fuel prices, you’ll be saving gas and money… so why wouldn’t you invest in these things? There is more I can do, as well, including getting a better air filter, keeping my tires at the correct pressure, using a fuel-additive, keeping my tires aligned, and practicing my “light-foot” driving, meaning attempting to keep my RPMs at a low constant while driving. There are probably body modifications that will improve airflow, and replacement parts that will perform more efficiently than the stock parts currently under my hood. All of these are sound investments during the current fuel crisis, even if you never have to bug out. Perhaps a more automotively informed reader can compile a list of these parts and modifications – I, on the other hand, will merely encourage you to seek them out and invest in them.
However, we are assuming that gas stations will either sell-out, close, or be so inundated with customers after a crisis that you’ll have to rely on a single tank of gas. If you don’t think this is realistic, just look back at what happened on 9-11. People sprinted to the pumps so fast that many stations ran out, had lines around the block, or, in the case of a certain establishment in my home town, raised prices 300% and illegally reaped the benefits of the panic. If that happens, and you’ve only got a quarter tank, it doesn’t matter what your MPG is, as you’re only going to be able to go 1/2 of your total distance. You can avoid this by filling up your tank more often. You’ll pay the same amount, but in smaller portions and more often. Try filling up every time you get to half a tank, and then eventually every time you get down to 3/4 of a tank. You may find that you prefer it, as it doesn’t feel like you’re just dropping fifty bucks into your fuel-tank. You’ll also rest easy knowing you can easily drive nearly your vehicle's full range at a moment’s notice.
If you have a gas can at home for fueling the mower, keep it full as well. Fill it every time you see gas prices drop, and tell yourself you’re just saving money by stocking up while the prices are low. If you suddenly have to leave, you can use rope or bungee cables to strap the gas can to the luggage rack atop your car, or throw it in the bed of your truck. Try to avoid putting it inside the car with you, as this is very dangerous on many levels, but if you have to, you can put it in the trunk as a last resort. Be sure to open the trunk every so often to allow any possible fumes to dissipate (or open the windows if you keep it inside the cab), and pour it into the main tank as soon as the tank will take it, rather than waiting until you run out.
What about the other problems that are possible with an automobile? In order to build a list of priorities, first ask yourself “What could happen to my car that would make it impossible for me to drive it?” Then, go down the list and say “Which of these things has ever happened to me? Which have happened to people I know? Which are probable? Which can I possibly prepare for and fix on the road?” For example, you simply can’t prepare for total engine failure, brake failure, transmission failure, a broken axel, etc… unless you perceive these as likely problems with your specific automobile, in which case you should get them fixed before an emergency occurs, because problems like this are next to impossible to fix in the field (for an average Joe like me, anyway).
What common problems can you prepare for? Easy ones include: flat tires, blown fuses, low fluids, dead battery, burned out lights, leaky hoses and low fuel (which we’ve already discussed).
Preparing for these problems will allow you to save yourself from the hassle and cost of towing your vehicle, and possibly even the cost of taking it to a mechanic, depending on the severity of the problem and the quality of your repair. Obviously, some problems will have to be addressed by a mechanic, but a quick fix on your part can get you out of a sticky situation. For example, if you break down on a small highway outside a small town and there aren’t any mechanics open on Sunday, then you’re faced with either paying a huge towing fee, or spending the night in said small town until the next day, at which time the mechanic will surely overcharge you because you’re a know-nothing townie who’ll never be back that way again. It’s not like you’ll have many options at that point.
To begin, ascertain the current qualities of your car regarding its current equipment and space for additional storage of emergency supplies. Does your car have a spare tire? Is it a full size tire or a donut? If at all possible, you should have a full size spare. Next time you get your tires replaced, have the one in best condition placed in your trunk as your spare, or purchase a cheap refurbished tire for the same purpose. Give the donut to the mechanic for a discount. A full sized spare will allow you to carry on as before after changing a flat, unlike a donut which will require you to drive slowly and avoid adverse terrain. If you can’t fit a full sized spare in your car, then consider repairing the flat with a patch kit. A patch/plug kit is cheap, easy to use, but will also require the purchase of a tire pump. Small electric pumps can be purchased that will plug into your cigarette lighter and take up very little space. If you don’t like to rely on your car battery, you can get chargeable emergency-starter/air-compressor combo units that work great, or you can simply pack a bicycle foot pump (yes, it will take a while to fill a car tire with it, but that’s what they did in the old days, and you’ll do what you have to do when the need arises). “Where should I keep all this stuff!?” you ask.
Does your car have extra cargo storage in the spare tire compartment, in or around the spare? Are there other side compartments in the trunk? Drivers of trucks won’t need to worry about this, and should merely get a metal truck-toolbox, plastic toolbox, or cargo box to store their supplies in. If you don’t have storage space, a smaller cargo box can also be purchased (or built) to fit in your trunk. I would suggest including the following in that box:
1. Non-electronic tire gauge
2. Extra fuses
3. Roll of duct tape for securing a cracked window or fixing a leaky hose (or a million other things)
4. Hand crank LED flashlight (or standard bright light and extra lithium batteries)
5. Jumper cables
6. Tire plug/patch kit
7. Small electric air compressor, or a foot-pump, if you’re a hoss
8. A couple extra head/tail light bulbs
9. Small bottles of replacement fluids (oil, coolant, power-steering fluid with leak-stop, transmission fluid)
10. A couple of rags
11. Lock de-icer (which does you no good if you leave it in the car during a freeze. If you suspect cold weather and a possible freeze, keep it outside the car.
12. Some strong rope. How much? Enough to tie your trunk down, tie something to the luggage rack, or tie to the car to pull and dislodge it if stuck.
13. A fuel siphon hose and pump (inertial pumps are cheap and work well)
14. Bungee cords
If there’s room, you could also put your car-BOB in this box. You should also keep the following in the glove box: an electronic tire gauge, a small flashlight, an ice scraper, and a solid multi-tool with a knife blade. The pliers-style multi-tools are best, as they can be used to break out the car windows in an emergency. Just grip the pliers’ handles together, holding them upside down, and smash the nose end of the pliers against the window with a hammer-fist motion. The localized force should make short work of the window, though repeated blows in the same spot might be necessary.
Everyone should also keep wet-naps and napkins in their glove-box, as they’re not only useful for everyday cleaning, but also for limited first aid applications: clean the wound with a wet-nap, cover it with a few tightly folded napkins, and hold this down with some duct tape from the trunk. I also suggest that everyone put a magnetic key-box under their car with a spare key in it, because your fancy keyless entry is worthless when its attached to your keychain…and you lose your keys or lock them in your car. Don’t put the magnetic key-box in an easily visible and accessible spot where any Joe can look under your car and see it, but in a safe, inconspicuous spot such as on the top surface of an exposed portion of the frame or any metal component, between the gas tank and gas tank shield (if your car has one), or under/behind a bumper. If Joe is looking for a key-stash, he’s likely moving quickly. He’s going to look under many cars, quickly, until he finds an easy target, or a car with an easily seen and easily accessible key-box.
There are a few optional tools you might consider to further your preparedness, the most logical and pragmatic of which is the battery jump-starter. They aren’t cheap, but they aren’t expensive either, and depending on the environment and circumstances in which your battery dies, you may either not see another passerby or you may not want to see another passerby. A dead battery is one of those problems that require a second, working battery in order to give it life. In place of a second, running vehicle driven by a stranger, you can purchase a battery jump-starter. Most will simply plug into your cigarette lighter or home wall socket until charged, and in the event of a dead battery, will jumpstart the car. Most also have sockets to run electrical appliances for a short time, such as your electric tire compressor, if your car’s electrical systems fail. In older cars, this is no big deal, as the car will still run with a dead battery or bad wiring (as long as you can jump-start it). I once had a car in which the electrical systems fried while I was driving. Everything electrical shut off, and smoke poured out of the dash and from under the hood. However, the car was already running, and I easily drove it across town to the mechanic (with the windows down). In newer cars, where the engine and electrical systems are interdependent, an electrical failure could mean that your car isn’t going anywhere. Many of the higher-end battery jump-starters actually have air-compressors, lanterns, and even radios built right in. That way, you can save money and cargo space by consolidating.
Another practical device to have on hand is a handheld CB radio. I have one that fits into a box about the size of a bible and plugs into the cigarette lighter. There’s a magnetic antenna that you put up on the roof, and then you’ve got instant communication. This is a good option for maintaining communication while traveling with other cars in case your cell phone either loses service or runs out of power. I’ve personally used it during a traffic jam to listen in on the truckers as they informed one another on the situation. It can also be used to ask other unknown drivers for directions, stop suggestions, and even to call for help in the event of an emergency. It’s also good, in addition to the poncho and cold weather gear undoubtedly already in your BOB, to keep a good pair of athletic shoes in the car. If you are forced out on your bike or on foot, you don’t want to be stuck wearing the dress shoes you had on at work when you were forced to flee.
So, what’s the best practical option for bugging out? Max out your vehicle’s MPG, equip it with a BOB and an emergency box, buy a bike rack for the back of your vehicle, buy a good bike and equip it with cargo baskets, an emergency repair pack and a small gasoline moped-motor, buy a large gas can and a small gas can and keep them full in your tool shed. Ride the bike when running short errands to stay in shape. Use the moped motor on your bike to run medium range errands, pedal when you can to stay in shape, and bring the groceries home in the cargo baskets. Drive your car on long errands and save money because you maxed out the MPG. Put your bike on your vehicle’s bike rack and take it with you on long trips; ride your bike around the downtown area of wherever you’re going, or perhaps just from the hotel to the nearby restaurant. Save Gas. Stay in shape. Have fun. Can you argue with any of that? Can you!?
Boom. The Schumer hits the fan. You’ve got to get outta town. No problem, your gas tank is 1/2 full. You top it off with your large gas can, and put the remainder in your bike’s moped-motor. You attach the bike to the bike-rack and bungee the small gas can into its cargo basket. You load up and you’re on your way. You have a flat outside of town. No problem, you change the tire and you’re on your way… or you would be, but the car won’t start. No problem, you use your battery jump-starter and you’re on your way. You have another flat. Son of a… no problem, you patch the hole with your patch kit, air up the tire with your small electric compressor, and you’re on your way. The car starts to overheat. No problem, you refill the coolant, turn on the heater, open the windows and you’re on your way. You stop make a quick stop the urinate by the roadside…oh wait, you locked your keys in your car. No problem, you’ve got a spare hidden under the back bumper, and you’re on your way. You’re getting pretty low on gas, so you go ahead and pour your small gas can into the car’s tank. A while later, you’re getting low again, but before you can do anything about it, you look up from the gas gauge in time to see a sedan stalled in the middle of the road. Too late.
You smash into it, totaling your car. You have a gash on your left arm from the window, but otherwise, you’re okay. The seatbelt won’t unbuckle, so you get your multi-tool from the glove box and cut it. You also bandage the gash on your arm with napkins and duct tape. You can do a better job later with the med-kit in your BOB. The car’s power is still on, so you plug in your CB and check all channels. Nothing. No problem, you top off the charge of your battery jump-starter using the car’s battery, and load it and your CB into the cargo basket of your bike. You use your hose and pump to siphon the fuel from your car into the small gas can. You try to do the same to the sedan, but it’s got a valve in the fuel intake preventing you from doing so. No problem, you check to make sure the sedan’s engine is cool, and then use your knife and cut the fuel line. Being careful to avoid the initial spray, you drain what you can into the small gas can, and bungee it into your bike’s other cargo basket. You plug your CB into the jump-starter and set it on scan. You strap your BOB onto your back [or mo-ped cargo rack] and your athletic shoes on your feet, and start pedaling down the road, saving the motor for when you get tired.
Eventually, you do get tired, and you ride a few hours on the motor. A day or so later, and you’re out of gas. Luckily, you can still siphon fuel from any abandoned vehicles you find, or walk the bike up the hills and then jump on and coast down the other side. Eventually, you make it to your destination.
No, obviously not all of these problems would occur in such rapid succession. Maybe none of them would, or perhaps one or two… or maybe more. This story illustrates, however, how a little planning can prepare you for any combination of likely problems that stand between you and your destination. You never know when a problem will occur or and what problem it will be, and spending a little money now on things that will benefit you regardless in the meantime will save you from uttering the following words in a real emergency: “Aw crud… if only I had…”
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