Sheltering in an abandoned structure

So you've bugged out.  You've gone some distance and you are planning to stay at a new location for some time.  Maybe a few days, maybe a week, maybe forever.

I've been thinking about some of the things you might want to do, and things you might not want to do.

Shut everything off

If there is a chance that services might come on (water, electricity, gas) you might want to give some thought to securing those systems.  Turn off the water main, shut down all the individual breakers as well as the main and if you can, shut down the power at the main switch outside.  Shut off the gas main as well.

If the services were to come back on you wouldn't be caught off guard by water blasting out of a ruptured pipe or gas suddenly flowing from an open appliance valve. 

Scope things out

You will obviously do some sort of recon of the site before you occupy it.  But once you are inside, take some time to do a complete sweep.  Go room to room, take stock of the state of the the structure, any supplies or resources that are present, and any remains.  You're going to want to remove anything hazardous if it's safe to do so, like dead bodies.

You want to know the location as well as possible so that in the event of a conflict with others you have home court advantage if at all possible. 

Be prepared to leave

If someone else comes along, a potentially stronger force, be prepared to abandon the site and move on.  Everything in this sort of situation is a resource management issue.  Is the fight you may have to put up to keep a place worth the resources the place provides?

Have an evacuation plan.  You had a bug out plan (we hope) that got you out of your home and this far, make sure you have a plan to bug out from here.  This might require more planning and recon, but life in a world that isn't governed by the rule of law and the 24 hour news cycle is all about planning and recon.

Have another spot in mind

If you can, have another location in mind to jump to.  This sort of goes along with being prepared to leave and having an evacuation plan, but it's more also.  You will have done your local recon as part of setting up where you are.  Part of that will also be picking other spots to jump to.  You should know those locations, perhaps have supply caches near them, but not be set up there.  They are potential fall back sites so you should have already shut everything off and scoped the place out.

If you have to fall back to one of these sites a quick recon will tell you if it's safe, then you can move in.  Probably not for long though, since you had to abandon your primary site to some other group.  They will begin to occupy and scout the area, so you will probably be moving on and beginning this cycle all over again.

It might not be an enemy

You may have had to abandon your primary site for reasons other than hostile people.  Maybe a tree came through the roof during a storm, or it was flooded by torrential rains.  Having an alternate site to fall back to is just as helpful under these situations as well.

Conclusion
Do you have any additional advice or pointers?  Let me know in the comments.

Simulate a bug out? Drive the beltway!

I've spotted a number of YouTube videos recently where some folks have simulated a bugout.  I've considered how I might realistically do that, with the caveat that I live in the Baltimore/Washington area.

They always tell you that the roads will be jammed, and if normal Friday traffic is any indication I can assure you that the highways will be packed in the event of some sort of event that people feel a need to run from.

So I thought about how a vehicular evacuation might look and what sorts of things you should do if you plan to use the roads to bug out.  I will probably talk about walking out in another post at some point.  This is just things to put in your mind if you plan to evacuate your area by road.

Highways
I've seen bad traffic here on the main highways on the best of days.  You compound that with a general sense of panic and you're going to have a mess.  If you have no other way, then prepare to be sitting there for a while.

I recently drove a hybrid vehicle while we were on vacation.  Those have a bit of an advantage, assuming you're not running any climate control systems, when they're sitting in stop and go traffic.  Even some all gas vehicles now will shut off when you're sitting in traffic.  So if you have a hybrid as an option and there is no compelling reason to take something else, the hybrid might be a good option for the sheer gas savings it might offer in stop and go traffic.

Be prepared to eat, sleep, and ..... other stuff on the highway.  So pack your supplies accordingly.  You might be on the road, slowly moving, for hours, possibly days.  Be prepared to swap off driving duties, which pretty much rules out doing this sort of thing alone.

Back roads
If you can, plan a way out of your area using secondary or tertiary roads.  Be prepared for these to be congested too though.  You will not be the only person with this idea.  Drive your route, with a partner.  You want to have a map, an actual physical map, so you can mark every single spot that could be a bottleneck or congestion point.  4 way stop, mark it.  Two lanes go down to one, mark it.  You want to know all the likely problem points on your route if you can.  And every gas station, cafe, convenience store and diner.  These are all points where you might be able to get supplies, but more importantly they will be places that people will be.  And people are their own problem.

Fuel
Many people in the prepper community say to never let your fuel tank get below 1/2 a tank.  This is a good idea in general, but especially if you live anywhere that evacuation is a real possibility.  Hurricane prone areas are a good example.  You want to have a spare supply as well.  A gallon or two at least, and you do need to rotate it because gas can go bad.  I suggest a 5 gallon can if you have the space.  For most people five gallons of gas is around half a tank.  That's probably between 125 and 150 miles depending on the car and type of driving.  So if you try never to let your tank fall below the half mark, and you have a back up supply of about half a tank, you should be able to get a respectable distance, even with bad traffic.

Final Thoughts
When operating on the idea that you will bug out by motor vehicle, be prepared for it to be a long and possibly boring (or dangerous) adventure.  Do a few dry runs in different weather and make sure to note things that might become issues should you actually have to evacuate with the masses.

What sorts of things have you considered about a motor vehicle bug out?  I'd like to know if you have any advice or stories about your practice runs and how they went.

Educational value of video games

I have recently been playing a zombie survival game called State of Decay.  It's an older game from a few years ago but was recently redone and released as State of Decay: Year One Survival Edition (YOSE).  It's not the typical zombie survival game.  Yes you kill zombies, but there is a lot more to it.

One of the things that made me think it might be a useful tool was that you need to manage a good number of things in the game.  You have a survivors group and a camp.  The initial camp is at a church in a small neighborhood.  You have people and you need resources.  There are ways to have the radio operator help find specific resources.  Have some of your survivors help you scavenge, or perform upgrades to the base.

Surviving any sort of long term emergency situation is a matter of resource management.  People, water, food, ammunition.  We manage most of our lives with our computers and smart phones now, but if those things aren't going to be available what will you use?  The game imagines this is a journal, a little notebook where you keep track of the people in your group, your resources, and important events. 

Part of the resource management is telling you how much or a certain resource you have, the maximum amount you can keep on hand easily, and how much you're consuming per day.  The game breaks it down into just a few things.  Food, Ammo, Medical Supplies, Building Supplies, and Fuel.  So it's fairly simplified, but it works for the game.

I started thinking about how this sort of resource management might work in a real life situation.  Obviously it might be hard to know how much of something you have, but there are some things that you will be able to tally easily.  Water, you generally know how much a person needs per day.  Food might be a little trickier, but you can certainly get a general idea.  Is it enough to know how much of something you have, I think so in some cases.  Take fuel and ammo.  You probably don't know your daily consumption of fuel, except perhaps for a generator.  Ammo might just be a matter of keeping an accurate count of usage.  Granted, in the heat of a conflict counting bullets might not be on your priority list, but certainly afterward you will be able to take a count and know your consumption if you knew your load out.

Another thing about the game is that things are spaced far enough apart and your carrying capacity is small enough that you will need to use the many cars that are in the game world.  They can be a formidable weapon against zombies, but doing this (or driving badly like I did early on) damages the vehicles.  There are ways you can make repairs, or just leave that flaming truck on the side of the road and take the next car.  But in a real life situation, how will you take the next car.  In the game they're mostly unlocked and apparently have the keys in the ignition.  Obviously not how it is in the real world....usually.

So there it is.  State of Decay has given me a few more things to think about with regard to a long term emergency situation.  If you like video games, and even if you don't, it might be worth checking out.  Remember, surviving the zombie apocalypse isn't just about killing zombies.

What ways have you thought of for keeping track and managing your resources?  Let me know in the comments.

Tent or poncho shelter?

Shelter thinking.
Your environment will largely dictate the sort of shelter you need.  If you live in the tropics you might be able to get away with a rain fly or a tarp as a shelter year round.  If you live in the arctic circle.....move.

Seriously though, what you will need for shelter in conjunction with your Jump Bag will depend heavily on your environment but there will be other factors at play as well.

Solo or Family.
If it's just you and the weather is favorable you can probably do fine under a poncho with a light blanket or sleeping bag.  Something to keep the rain off and stay warm and you should be fine.  You might even have a tent if you want to carry one. 

If you're part of a larger family unit that is executing a bug out, this might not work.  Small children may not fare well in the open or with limited protection from the elements.  You need to think about this when you develop your shelter plan for your Jump Bag

Some of the things I've read suggest that a bug out from an urban setting requires less consideration for shelter since the environment already has plenty of places to shelter.  And I suppose this will be true to some extent.  Abandoned buildings, underpasses, parks, all of these locations might provide you shelter from the elements, but shelter is more than that.

Shelter is both protection from the elements and also protection from detection in a bug out situation.  As I've mentioned before a disaster tends to bring out the two basic kinds of people.  The best, and the worst.  You might feel safe in your tent in the city park, but if someone with less than noble intent decides that you might have something they want, your tent will not provide any real protection.

Consider camouflage when thinking about shelter.  It doesn't matter if you're using a poncho as a hasty shelter, or a tent, give some thought to cover and concealment.  This obviously doesn't apply to a situation where you might be looking for rescue.  Then you want to be seen, by rescuers at least.

Options.
There are all manner of ways to shelter yourself from the elements.  Assuming you've given thought to camouflage then let's focus on the actual shelter stuff.

I intend to use a hammock if possible with a rain fly.  If this isn't practical I can always find a bush, burrow into it's branches and wrap up in my poncho liner and rain fly. This should give me cover and concealment as well as some shelter from wind and rain.  When I was in the Army I slept in worse conditions, and in case of emergency I would like to think I can do so again if the need arises.

I have a tent in my truck.  My Jump Bag is in my truck most of the time, and lately I've put the two man tent in there with it.  I can decide when the situation warrants if I want to carry the tent or not.  If I'm with the truck, and I need to camp, and the situation seems safe enough, I can put the tent up. 

If you don't have a hammock, or a tent, then you need to think about something.  You can get a tarp, one of those blue tarps you see everywhere.  That shouldn't set you back too much.  There are a number of YouTube videos that can show you how to create a lean to or rain fly using these tarps.  As for something to sleep in, a blanket is better than nothing.  A wool blanket, maybe one from the surplus store, is a good inexpensive solution.  Wool if a great fabric for use in the out of doors. 

Shelter is one of the big three.  Food, water, shelter.  The thing is that most people don't think it's as important as the other two.  Depending on your environment it might be the most important.  You can survive days without water and perhaps weeks without food.  In adverse climate, you can be dead in minutes.

What's your shelter plan for your Jump Bag?  Let me know in the comments.  I'd love to know what you're going to do and why you've decided to do that.

Diarrhea: Firend or Foe?

An important note
I have recently seen some articles and videos about a lack of digestive care items in Jump Bags (Bug Out Bags) and I just wanted to start by saying in this regard I am behind the idea that you need to make sure you pack items for digestive health.

In any situation where you need to use your Jump Bag you are going to be under stress, and probably eating food outside your normal diet.  You will be drinking a lot of water (we hope) and some of that water might not be the best quality.  Make sure your medical kit is supplemented with items to help take care of your stomach and digestive tract.

What should I have.
As someone who has lived with stomach issues most of my life I can tell you that when your insides are out of whack, you hate life.

First off, make sure you have some Pepto Bismol tablets.  They carry better than the liquid, and are just so much more convenient.  It can be the generic brand, just so long as you have something with the active ingredient Bismuth subsalicylate.


My second item would be activated charcoal capsules.  Warning, they will make your feces black, but they have made my life much better on many occasions.  It can help with gas, some poisoning (do your research) and helping to get rid of toxins you've ingested.

These two items will help with minor stomach upset and gas, and the charcoal can help you rid your body of toxins you've ingested as they bind to the charcoal.

Third on this list would be some sort of antidiarrhoeal medicine.  There are a bunch on the market so find a brand and price you're happy with.  This is apparently something a lot of people forget to pack in a Jump Bag first aid kit.


Stopping the flow!
A lot of posts and videos say that if you have diarrhea in an emergency situation you need to prevent it.  Diarrhea is unpleasant under the best of circumstances.  If you suffer from it during an emergency situation it's only made worse by the risk that you might have limited water supplies to counter the dehydrating effects and an ability to handle the sanitation problems.  But, there is a catch.

Be careful with the blanket advice of taking medicine to stop diarrhea.  Diarrhea is caused by a viral infection in your gut.  It has a laundry list of causes, and although normally isn't serious we're talking about it in the context of a serious event, so some additional considerations are needed.

If you have the water available, and don't have any serious symptoms (blood in your stool, serious cramps, inability to keep fluids down) it might be best to ride it out if you can.  Take your Pepto as directed and then use something to help with the secondary effects (the burning, oh the burning) like a cleansing wipe.  If the condition lasts more than a couple of days you may have something more serious going on.  Depending on your situation at this point you might not have too many options.  Your antidiarrhoeal medication and activated charcoal might be able to help get you through it.

Keep in mind that water consumption will be important.  Make sure to consume water over the course of the day and not just at meal time.  Hydration is important.  Diarrhea is your body trying to get rid of something toxic.  So stopping that without consideration might lead to other issues.

In an emergency situation you should probably expect some of these intestinal discomforts.  So try and be prepared for them and mindful of what they mean.

Do you have any home remedies for stomach and intestinal discomfort?  Share with us in the comments your thoughts or ideas. 

What's for dinner, and how are we cooking it?

Meal prep and fine dining at the end of the world.

Our lives, for the most part, are filled with many modern conveniences that make cooking simple and easy.  Pop something in to the microwave to heat it up.  Four burner stove, two ovens, you've got that holiday feast covered.  But what happens if all that stops working?

Food.

Food is one of the Big Three.  Shelter, Water, Food.  You can go days without eating, and maybe some of us could stand to shed a few pounds.  But in adverse conditions you don't want to not eat.  You will be burning calories just from stress, so you're going to want to eat.  Eating makes you feel better.

Many in the prepper community will tell you about the assorted emergency food stuffs that you should have on hand.  There are a lot of options, some of which I will touch on here.  I want to focus on cooking though.

A hot meal will boost morale, make you feel better both physically and mentally, and keep you from starving to death.  But what sorts of things do you need to make a hot meal?

Many of the survival type of food items can be eaten cold.  Making them hot does not improve their nutritional value.  Some items, such as Cliff Bars and ration bars, really don't qualify as a hot meal item but some of them such as the MRE (Meal Ready to Eat) and other military style food items can be improved by making them hot.

Beans and Rice.

More people in the world live on beans and rice than you might think.  It's a good, filling, meal and it can keep you going.  They are dry and require water, heat, and time to make into a meal.  On the plus side they are fairly inexpensive and last a long time.

Freeze Dried Meals.

These foil packet meals require hot water and a few minutes to steep to become food.  They are light and surprisingly good (I'm not a food critic) but they are also on the expensive side.  they have a very respectable shelf life.

MRE.

Meals Ready to Eat are a staple in the diet of soldiers.  They are healthy foods that are easy to carry, can be eaten hot or cold, and if you do it right you can eat it right out of the pouch.  They last a long time, are easy to use, but a bit on the expensive side.

Canned Foods.

Most canned foods can be eaten cold or hot.  They are heavy, but durable.  Shelf life is decent, but you will need either a can opener or some ingenuity to get them open.

The idea is to have things in your bag.  It should be ready to jump.  Everything I mentioned here as far as food can be packed and ready to go.  Remember to check your food supplies, rotate and replace as needed.  It's that pesky check it twice a year sort of thing.  A Jump Bag is not a set it and forget it sort of tool.

Why make it hot?

Making hot water is a good thing to be able to do.  This requires a container and a heat source.  I have talked about camp cups and metal water bottles as ways to boil water.  But it might help to have a bit of a cook kit, something made for cooking.  Hot water can be used to warm the entree in an MRE (trust me, they're better hot) or those microwave bags of rice you might have in the pantry.

With a pot and a way to it hot you can heat up canned soups, make ramen noodles, mac & cheese, and a whole host of other things if you've got a little skill.  You can even make coffee and tea, and thus make yourself a hero to many.

Cook Kits.

This is one of those things where the rule "The more you know the less you need" can come into play.  If you're a rugged outdoorsman you can probably do a lot with a single pot, or billycan as they are often called.  If you're not as skilled you might want something that has a few more bits so you can do things you're more comfortable with.  A simple kit should handle most things.  A pot to boil water in and a skillet to fry in.  This can also double duty in that you might cook something in one pot and then split the meal into the two vessels for eating.  I went with the Emergency Zone Lightweight Anodized Aluminum Outdoor Mess Kit.  It was more than I needed so I pared it down to just the essentials.  I kept all the parts though, because if I decide to do a little tent or car camping it might be nice to have all the bits.

You are going to want to test your gear and see if it fits your needs.  Even if you don't plan to leave your home, you should have some portable gear you can put in your Jump Bag in the event you have to go.  Remember, a Jump Bag is there for unexpected situations.

Fire!

You will need a way to cook if you intend to.  You should have a way to boil water even if you plan to live off of granola bars and local greens.  Boiling water will require heat, and in situations like the ones we are envisioning that usually means fire.

You can find a lot of different camp stoves on the market.  Alcohol stoves, propane, white gas, esbit, the list is pretty long.  Again, this goes back to your level of skill, weight, and space.  The idea of the Jump Bag is a kit of supplies that can keep you going for three days.  Here we are again at the crossroads of "The more you know the less you need"  I carry a lot of fire starting tools, because my skills are bad.  My knowledge isn't, but my practical application is.

Open fires are certainly an option, but often not easy to pull off sometimes.  Finding all the components to make a fire can be a challenge in certain environmental situations, and those same sorts of conditions can make starting and maintaining a fire equally difficult.  Try and make sure you understand the fundamentals of fire building.  If you can, practice them in the backyard or at a campground.  It's a good skill to have, even if you don't plan to do your cooking over an open fire.

Stoves come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and prices.  Lightweight hiking options are a good choice.  Fairly simple to operate, efficient, and many are in a decent price range for those who need to prep on a budget.  The fuel they require is a finite resource in most cases, so that needs to be a consideration when deciding on what one to put in your Jump Bag.

Tiny alcohol stoves are popular.  They can be made out of a couple of small cans if you need to improvise and do a decent job of heating water. I have one for my office bag, which I will discuss in another post.

I went with something a bit heavier, but that could use wood as a fuel source and could be used to charge electronic devices such as mobile phones.  The Biolite Wood Burning Camp Stove.  I originally got involved in the Kickstarter campaign for this stove because I was excited about what they were trying to do for families in less developed parts of the world.


Once I got the stove and started to play around with it I realized that it would be a good device for my Jump Bag.  The stove is designed to burn wood super efficiently, and you can get it going fairly easily, which were both in line with my less than outdoorsman skill level at fire starting. The fact that once it's up to temp it's excess energy can be used to charge electronics was a nice side benefit.  Assuming the world isn't completely dark this option will allow you to keep a mobile phone alive so that you can keep track of family outside the effected zone and stay up to date (assuming the networks are still working).  This power can also be used to recharge portable battery packs or run small LED lights.  And a fire, even a tiny one in a metal can, can be a morale booster in a tough situation.

So I've covered a few things here, in my usual rambling sort of way, about food and cooking.  When presented with a wall of information, boil it down (no pun intended) to the most basic things.  I need food.  Is it food that needs to be heated.  Will I eat it?  That last one is the trick.  Think about it.  Try various arrangements and see what works for you.

Do you have a favorite stove or cooking kit you keep in your Jump Bag?  Share with us in the comments.  Knowledge is only good if it's shared.  Thanks for reading.

Man, this bag is really heavy!

How heavy should my Jump Bag be?

This is one of those questions that can start a flame war on a forum or post thread.  Some folks will tell you that it should be about 10% of your body weight, and some will go as far as about 20%.  That can be a lot of weight, especially if you're not really someone who is used to lugging around a heavy bag.  There are a few folks that tell you if it's more than 10 pounds you have too much stuff!  You get the idea.

I wouldn't recommend carrying more that 20% of your body weight even if you're in the shape to do it.  That's just not how you want to treat yourself.  Trust me, I was in the infantry, we routinely carried more than 20% of our body weight and it was not on my list of Fun Things To Do.  You do need to consider what you will need, and then once you think you know, find out how much it weighs and go from there.

What is all this stuff for?

Before you try and figure out how much you should carry you should try and wrap your head around what you're going to be doing.  If you don't have mad bush craft skills, then you should probably avoid gear that requires it.  If you are an urban dweller and are certain you're not leaving the confines of the asphalt jungle, then don't pack an inflatable kayak.

The basics are shelter, water, food.  So you could have a bag with a poncho (which can be used as a rudimentary shelter), a water bottle, and a pile of Cliff Bars.  It's bare bones, and not ideal, but if it's all you can grab (you should already be packed!) then it would cover the basics in a pinch.  If you're only going to be jumping to the next town, and you're going to be driving, this might cover you and it's probably under ten pounds.


As you add complexity, you add weight.  I already mentioned the use to weight ratio I try to look at when I pick items for the Jump Bag.  Things that serve more than one purpose are always better, but sometimes a thing is only good for one thing. 

Skills play a large role in what you will carry, especially if you're looking for a Jump Bag that will help you survive for several days.  They say that the more skills you have the less gear you need.  And I think this is a fairly accurate statement.

We started out talking about weight though, so let's get back to that.  Assuming that you are thinking of your Jump Bag as a 3 day survival kit, like many experts suggest, then you need to consider that part of your weight is made up of consumables.  Water and food tend to be the first things that come to mind here.  You consume them and they are gone.  That's less weight, and this will probably be good since you're very likely to have been traveling and getting a bit worn down so less weight will be good.

If you try and carry three days of water, assuming a gallon a day per person, you're already carrying 25 pounds (not counting the containers).  So chances are you'll have less, which means you should have some way to filter and purify water you find on the road. 

Three days of food, if you're not picky or suffer from any food sensitivity, might not be hard.  Freeze dried food is lights, compact, and surprisingly tasty.  But you need hot water (well, water might be fine even if it's not hot but...) which means a way to heat water.  And something to heat it in.  And something to eat the food with (a spork is a good option, who knows where your hands have been!).  It's a little expensive, but you might only need a few of them to cover you.

Canned food, it's heavy but you might not need to heat it.  Although, cold canned ravioli is probably not as good as...no, even hot I can't imagine it's all that good.  Did I bring a can opener?

 Ramen noodles are not food, according to my wife.  But in a situation where I need my Jump Bag, they fit the bill.  You can carry a lot of ramen in a small space.  Crush them down into noodle bits and pack them into a zip lock bag.  You can even eat them raw, if you are one of those people that only eats because if you don't you'll die.  In a survival situation though, everyone should have that mind set.

Stay warm, or cool, or out of the weather.  Shelter might be, as I said, a poncho.  You might find a natural shelter, like an abandoned house (those aren't natural shelters?)  or a rock overhang.  So shelter could be zero weight all the way up to a tent. 

What was the question again?

So we've said a lot, but haven't really told you anything.  How much should you carry?  As much as you can get away with, everything you'll need, no more than you can carry, nothing. 

Cover the basics.  Know your limitations.  Be resourceful.  Practice carrying weight until you know how much you can carry without hurting yourself.  And we haven't even talked about the actual bag yet. 

What's your experience/opinion?  How heavy do you think the Jump Bag should be?  What are the top three things you can't imagine not having in your Jump Bag?

Sheltering in place, or Bugging In as they call it

If you can't get out of town...

Many people prepare for a situation in which they will need to Bug Out.  Natural disasters, power failures, civil unrest, many of these situations might require you to leave your home and go somewhere else at least for a short time.

What happens though if you can't go anywhere?  The reasons you might be stuck are numerous, but the basics are the same.  You are home, and it's assumed that some sort of abnormal situation has caused a disruption in essential services.

For this discussion let's assume that the power is out, water service is disrupted, natural gas isn't flowing, the whole nine yards.  Let's also assume that the situation in the streets is such that people are behaving badly.

All the things you would normally do at home will still have to be done.  This becomes a problem with no power or gas service, and potentially worst of all, no working sewer.

Light.

Flashlights are a good thing to have.  Make sure you have a supply of batteries on hand as well, and check them periodically.  As a good rule of thing check your flashlight batteries every time you check your smoke detectors, when the clocks change for daylight savings time.  If you live somewhere they don't do this just set yourself a reminder on the calendar to do it twice a year.  Headlamps are good since they let you keep your hands free to work and allow you to point the light at what you're trying to see effectively.


Candles can serve in a pinch and most people have them around the house, but you need to take special care with them since emergency services might not be available if a fire breaks out.  Never leave candles lit in a room you're not in, and make sure you have good ventilation.  You need something to light them with, again make sure you exercise caution when dealing with an open flame of any kind.
 

Cooking.

Give some thought to how you might cook.  Do you have an alternative method, like a gas grill or perhaps a camping stove?  If you have a fireplace, does it work properly, and will you be able to use it to cook.  Your situation will determine how you handle this, so look at your options and try to secure any items you might need now.

A Coleman 2 burner camp stove is an option that you could employ.  They use the small propane cylinders, but can also be fitted with an adapter line so that you could use the larger types which are commonly used by gas grills.  A gas grill isn't a good tool for boiling water, since the heat isn't concentrated like with a stove burner.  These stoves don't take much space when they're folded up and work very well.  We use one when camping to cook breakfast outside.


Cooking in a fireplace is a bit like cooking over a camp fire.  You can simply shift some of your coals to one side and set your pot or pan on top of them.  You could also do foil packet cooking in the coals, which could cut down on clean up.  There are grills and grates you can get for camp fire cooking that would probably work relatively well in a fire place, if you wanted to grill meat over the open flame.

Number 1 and Number 2

Disposing of human waste is a tricky task.  If the world grinds to a halt, and it's only temporary, there are a few things you can do.  If the water isn't working, but you are being told that you can still use the sewers lines, it is possible to manually flush a toilet by pouring water into the bowl.  The trick is, water might be a bit of a scarce commodity though.

You can improvise an emergency toilet by lining the toilet bowl with a large thick trash bag, then tying it closed and removing it when you're done.  This is risky, since human waste can be a health hazard.  If you are forced to do this, make sure you wear gloves (latex or nitrile if you can) during the disposal process and it wouldn't hurt to include a dust mask for your face.  Once you've disposed of the waste wash your hands if you have the means, or use a dose of hand sanitizer.

You can improvise a toilet with a 5 gallon bucket and trash bags.  It's not going to be as easy to sit on as a toilet for some people, but it will do the job.  You can also use the bucket before an emergency to store everything you would need to use the bucket as a toilet.  Toilet paper, hand sanitizer, trash bags, wet wipes, etc.  There are even specialty products that address this particular issue, the Luggable Loo being a popular model among preppers and nomads alike.

Security.

Community is often the best form of security.  A group of people can look out for each other and help one another overcome difficulties.  If you aren't part of a close knit community though you're going to need to keep mindful of your surroundings and the people.

Security is really a subject that whole books have been written about.  Try to keep these simple principals in mind though as you go about your life in this chaotic world.

Blend in.  Often referred to as the gray man, someone who doesn't stand out and isn't terribly recognizable.  If you look like everyone else, you are less of a target.

Try to never fight.  Every conflict is dangerous, in a world where there might not be emergency services available you want to minimize conflict as much as possible.  You might be the toughest SOB to ever walk the Earth, but you will deplete resources every time you engage in conflict.  A disaster situation is the worst possible time to be in a fight.

Cardio.  I know it's a movie reference, but if you're not going to fight the human nervous system has one other really well honed response.  Flight.  If you plan to be a prepper, or a survivalist, or live to an old age it won't hurt you to be in shape.  You don't need six pack abs, but you should be able to walk a good distance without dying from exhaustion.

As with all my posts I want you to think.  What can you do to be ready for a situation that is out of the ordinary.  What sorts of preparations can you make, or have you already made, to handle something that is unexpected.

What to wear at the end of the world

You may not have a lot of choice in wardrobe at the end of the world, but you do have some control over what you put in your Jump Bag.

Since the idea of the Jump Bag is to help you handle a few days of unpleasantness it might be a good idea to include some items of clothing that are designed for use in less than ideal conditions.

I went with items that were designed to be used by travelers, they are made from fabrics that allow them to be cleaned easily and dry quickly.  Socks are important, since there is a good chance you are going to be walking a good bit.  I went with the J.B. Expedition Adventure Travel Quick Dry Socks.  These socks breath really well and are designed to minimize friction, which is important if you will be walking a good bit.


I'm a boxer brief kind of guy.  The ExOfficio Men's Give-N-Go Boxer Brief fit the bill.  The fit is good and they are very comfortable.  There have been some folks that don't like them, but they seem to be in a minority.  When considering underwear for your Jump Bag, give some thought to the boxer brief style.  The longer leg will help with friction if you have to walk a long distance.  That problem plagued me in the Army until I finally found boxer briefs.


When it comes to undershirts I usually go for a tank top, because I tend to be fairly warm.  For my Jump Bag though I opted for a v neck undershirt.  The ExOfficio Men's Give-N-Go V Underwear shirt was my choice.  I opted for this over my preferred tank top style because in an emergency situation I might need to wear this in place of whatever other shirt I had on when I grabbed my Jump Bag.  I wanted the additional skin coverage this style provided. 


When I was preparing my wife's Jump Bag I wanted to make sure she had a bra that would be as easy to clean as the other undergarments I was including.  The ExOfficio Women's Cross Over Bra comes in a variety of colors and has the same easy wash and dry characteristics of the other items.  It seems kind of flimsy, but she said the fit was decent and it gave enough support. 


Don't forget headgear.  If you're going to be outside then you're going to probably end up in the sun.  Sun screen is important, but don't forget a hat.  I wanted something that I could collapse flat but that offered good coverage.  The Rothco Boonie Hat fit the bill nicely.  The hat is made of cotton and has a pretty durable design.  It's perhaps not the most fashionable hat of all time, but it's certainly functional.


Footwear is probably the one thing most people who are not outdoorsy people with struggle with.  You can't get a new pair of hiking boots and just stuff them in a bag and hope for the best.  You need to put some miles on them before you need them.  If you can't, then go with what you have that is sturdy and you can walk in a good ways.


Most of the time I wear a fairly good combat boot style of footwear.  I work in an office, but I'm not a fan of the men's dress shoe or loafer.  Brands vary, but I've worn Bates and Worx.  You can get a good pair in a range of prices and styles.  Like I said earlier, put some miles on your boots so they are broken in before you need to use them in an emergency.

We may not have much control over the situation when we have to grab our Jump Bag.  Spend some time with your gear, try things out if you can to make sure they're going to work for you.  Think about your environment and the challenges it will present and then pack clothing items that will help you be comfortable in that environment.

Water water everywhere. At least you should hope so.

Water is a crucial element for survival.  I try and carry three containers for water in my jump bag.  One metal, one plastic and one collapsible.

A very versatile bottle is the Nalgene Wide Mouth Bottle.  Combine this with the GSI Outdoors Glacier Stainless Bottle Cup/Pot and you've got a good combination for storing and heating water. Slip the bottle into the cup and then wrap several layers of Duck Tape around the bottle just above the edge of the cup and you've increased the usefulness of the bottle.  I keep the cup and bottle tucked into the Tactical 5.11 Unisex Adult H2O Carrier on the outside of my pack.  Overall it's a really good bottle holder, and the cup at the bottle makes it a bit easier to slip the bottle in and out.  You can substitute a metal wide mouth bottle for the Nalgene if you choose, I just like the fact that the Nalgene has graduated measure markings on it and I can tell at a glance how much water is in it.

For my main drinking bottle I rely on the Klean Kanteen Stainless Steel Water Bottle.  These come in a variety of sizes and colors with an wide assortment of different lids.  This is a really sturdy bottle and I've been happy with the narrower neck for drinking when compared to the wide mouth bottle.  I chose red for a color so that it's a bit easier to spot, which could be a plus or a minus depending on your situation.  The fact that this bottle is stainless steel gives me the option to boil water in it, if I need to, which is something I can't do with either of my other water containers.

For my collapsible water container I opted for the Platypus PlusBottle in the 1 Liter size.  It's got a loop handle so you can secure it to a bag or line.  It's good quality construction, mine has been outside in the truck and frozen more than once with no breaks (don't fill it too much obviously). 

A good combination of water containers will give you flexibility, and allow you to collect water in one container that might not be the best quality, purify or sanitize it and then transfer it to another container for drinking.  How you finally decide to carry your water for your Jump Bag is a personal choice.

Filtering and purifying water is a conversation for another day.  I just wanted to share with you how I carry water in my Jump Bag.  Do you have any favorite ways to carry water, or recommendations you'd like to share?  Leave a comment and I'd be happy to discuss it with you.

What happens after the Big Whimper

There is a poem by T. S. Eliot called The Hollow Men.  One of the most quoted lines from that poem is;

This is the way the world ends
Not with a bang but a whimper.

There are many scenarios for the end of the world.  No matter what one you might be worried about, they all sort of end up the same way, with a Big Whimper.  Many of you may have experienced this, a strange relief when the power goes out and the world suddenly becomes really quiet.  That moment, that is the Big Whimper.  The 'thing' has happened and you are standing in the aftermath.

When preparing, or prepping as it's more recently come to be known as, some people get tunnel vision regarding the event that will spell the end.  I'm not knocking them, you can prepare for adversity in any way you choose.  I prescribe a slightly different approach.

Keep your options open.  Flexibility is key.  Have a few ideas, and try to imagine how these ideas might benefit you when the world ends.  I know it might seem a little messed up to try and imagine what you will do if the world ends in X way, but it's how we plan things.  People tend to think better when they work through a problem step by step.  I personally want the world to continue along swimmingly for a very long time.  But I also think about what I might do if things were to fall apart in some way, shape, or form.

You need to think about how you will react to the initial events, and then try to work outward from there.  Do you plan to stay where you are, or get out of the area.  This decision might be effected by the nature of the end of the world and your particular circumstances. 

What follows are some things to consider.  I often use the phrase 'New World, New Rules' to try and give people an idea of what things might be like after the Big Whimper.  These are fairly generic things that you should be able to apply to a variety of situations.

Before I get into this though my apologies to those of you outside the USA, my level of knowledge about foreign countries is extremely limited.  If you have tips or hints regarding your country, please put them in the comments.  Knowledge comes from community.

Travel and Transportation.  

Time to go!  When and if you have to hit the road there are a few things you will probably want to keep in mind.

As a general rule you should have a map of your state and every state that borders it as well as one of the country showing the major highways.  Keep the maps handy, perhaps in the car, or your Jump Bag.

Another thing I find handy is to have one of those maps that some of the major restaurant chains will sometimes give out that shows all of their locations across the country.  They probably won't be open, but they might be a good place to check for supplies or shelter in for a night.  I'm a Cracker Barrel fan, and they tend to have a lot of interesting things hanging from the ceiling, as well as a fireplace.


If you live in a major city, get a really good street level atlas and make sure you know five or ten ways out of town that are not on the major roads.  Worst case, you might have to hoof it out so knowing the street level layout will be extremely helpful.

Car or Truck.  If you've watched any disaster, post-apocalypse movie or TV show or read any of the literature you know the main roads will be jammed.  We have rush hour jams now, and it's not the end of the world.  So assume the roads out of town will be a mess.  There are many in the prepper community who recommend never letting your fuel tank fall below 1/2 tank.  Most cars built after probably 1995 have a fuel tank that should get them 300 miles with mixed highway/city driving.  It's a ballpark average and, as they say, your mileage may vary.  Try to find a place you can go that's 1/4 of a tank of gas away.  1/2 tank of gas away.  3/4 of a tank.  Full tank.  Assume you can't get anymore gas.  Having more than one place to go is good.  If they can be in a line of sorts that's even better.  Think of it like falling back from the front lines of a battle.  Remember to be flexible.  If the aliens land at your 3/4 tank hideaway, it's not really where you want to go.  If you pack supplies, keep in mind that you may end up having to ditch the car and walk.  So make sure to pack enough stuff for three days in something you can tote, like your Jump Bag.
Keep in mind, there will be plenty of cars and trucks out there.  There are an estimated 237 million registered passenger vehicles in the US.  If you decide it's time to bug out, and no one is around, visit the nearest car dealership to find something suitable if your own vehicle is less than up to the task or you just don't currently own one.  It's not looting if the world has ended.  If there is still civil authority and order, then it's not the end of the world....yet.  If the world has ended it's called scavenging.  Friendly tip, cars on the dealer lot don't have much gas.  The dealership might have it's own gas pump, but that is getting more and more rare these days.  Best to either bring gas with you or have the tools to get it from the tanks of other cars (237 MILLION).  A Fuel Siphon & Fuel Can will be handy to have.


Hoofing it.  Depending on the nature of the fall, you might need to walk.  Own good comfortable shoes that you can walk in.  Make sure to pack three or four pairs of socks.  Air your feet out when you rest and change your socks as often as possible.  Your feet are important.  Walking offers some advantages, since people are essentially the ultimate all-terrain vehicle.  You can take trails and paths (like train tracks) a car really can't take easily. If you think this is likely to be your way out of Dodge then it might be a good idea to have a topographical map(s) of the area you're in and adjacent areas.

Motorcycle.  You see this in some survival stories.  Hero riding across the landscape on his motorcycle.  I ride, and I love it.  I also don't think I want to have to try to evade the zombie hoards on a motorcycle, in the rain, with my Jump Bag strapped to it.  But a motorcycle offers a variety of advantages.  I have a bike with a red gas tank that has, I kid you not, Ghost Flames on it.  Not my ideal choice, but it was the bike in my price range and configuration.  I've been asked, "That your mid-life crisis car?"  I generally answer that I hope not.  When they press me as to why I ride it I tell them.  65 miles to the gallon.  Once they pick their jaw up off the ground I say, "And I love the freedom of riding."  But, it's not the end of the world and the vast majority of the world around me is contained in a semblance of order.  People are not trying to kill me for my stuff, generally.  But you may find the motorcycle to be the ultimate in TEOTWAWKI vehicle.

Motorhome.  I've tinkered with this idea.  Having a fully mobile bug out vehicle complete with a toilet.  I go pee a lot, so I think about toilets.  You have shelter, storage, mobility.  Everything comes with a price.  They get about nine to twelve miles to the gallon, well maybe a little more.  They can't maneuver in tight spaces, like the auto congested highways full of abandoned cars.  They aren't easy to hide.  But, like everything else there are pluses and minuses.  Your situation may be such that you think the benefits outweigh the flaws.  Just remember not to get one you can't drive with a relative degree of confidence.

Housing.

Where are you going to live?  Does your current shelter have space to garden, a good source of water, can it be heated and cooled without the grid?  You may want to eye up something with those things.  Septic and a well instead of city sewer.  Maybe a source of fresh water close by.  A little ways off a road.  A few acres.  We're looking at a little vacation/retirement home sort of thing.  Looking at it with one eye on sort of homesteading and one eye on "Well if the world were to end..."  But you can't afford to buy a place out in the woods?  Well, maybe you wont have to.

It's the end of the world.  You've laid low at the house until the rioting and gun fire have mostly died out.  Time to bug out.  In the days leading up to mayhem, as a way to kill a little time, get on one of the real estate sites.  www.zillow.com is a good one.  Register an account.  Do a little home shopping.  Find places that match your criteria.  For us it's at least one acre of land.  Well water.  Septic.  I like the find places with wood burning stoves or fireplaces.  The wife likes the idea of brick or stone construction.  Make note of ones that have photos of an empty house.  There is a good chance it will be empty when the world ends, assuming it's not sold.  You need to keep your list up to date.  You mark the ones you like as favorites.  Copy the address, get directions there, print the directions.  Then, if you need to bug out, and you have no better place to go, you have a list of possible bug out locations.

But it's stealing a house, or squatting, or whatever term you might want to apply.  We're talking about the end of the world.  There are more important things to worry about.  Perhaps the owners show up?  Well you can hope they're nice people who will let you stay and you can form a survivors group.  But keep the vacant house list handy in case you have to move on.

Solar or wind power would be awesome, since if the grid is down we're going to need to run the well pump and all the other goodies we would like to have to survive.  If you find a house with all that and it's 1) For Sale and 2) Empty, then make sure you add that one to your list. 

People.

Where you decide to hold up and how you decide to get there will depend on the nature of the end of the world.  If you've made it past the Big Whimper, then chances are the biggest thing you have to fear is other survivors.  By nature I hate people, so this might seem a little harsh.  In a disaster there are essentially two kinds of people.  The best kind, and the worst kind.  It's all too easy for people who have had their world topple around them to become the worst kind.  But hope isn't lost.  There is strength in numbers.  We are a social animal, so we want to live in tribes.  If you have friends that have survived, then it might be a good idea to get them together.  This is when you have to throw out your usual social nice self and trust your instincts.  Don't be petty, hell that's probably how the end came about anyway.  When you meet new people remember the line "Be nice, until it's time not to be nice."  Body language is key, and be ready to run like hell.  Make sure you have something good you can drop, something useful but that you can live without.  They might stop to pick it up instead of chase you. 

Dogs.

Are you a dog or a cat person?  When the world ends, make friends with a dog.  A good sized one.  Up to about your knees is good.  Share some food and water.  Dogs are loyal, warm, and bark.  Cats, they're great survivors.  But cats tend to be more of the solo type.  They don't make much noise when something they perceive as a threat is moving your way.  And you can't usually convince a cat to carry saddle bags with it's own rations, they will let you do it for them though.  Granted it's one more mouth to feed, but dogs can go a good long time between meals and be plenty happy.  You look into a cat's eyes the first time you bring them dinner late and see if they're happy.

The world after the Big Whimper might not be the one you were hoping for, but it will be a world you need to adapt to.  If you plan to survive you're going to need to be prepared and be flexible.  Semper Gumbi!

First Aid and Injury

If you are ever in a bad situation there is a good chance someone is going to end up hurt.  And that someone might be you.  In any situation where immediate emergency medical care isn't available you have to have a good first-aid kit.  This is one of those things that can start a flame war on a forum.  "This one is best!"  "No you idiot, the model XXX is the perfect first-aid kit"  and so on.  As with all things, if you can't use it then it's not terribly useful to you.  But with the first-aid kit I think a lot more leeway is in order.

So to begin, I'll share what's in my Jump Bag as far as a first aid kit and accessories.  And I'll try to give you an idea why.

Adventure Medical Kits Mountain Series Day Tripper Medical Kit 

I chose this kit because it covered a nice array of general needs and had a good price break.  Price was important because I was going to need more than one.  I liked that it came in a fairly basic soft case and the layout was good.  It has a nice book, so in the event you get in a jam you can read up on how to do that thing you need to do to yourself to pass the time until you bite the belt and do it.

As nice as the kit was though, it was going to need some accessory items to put it up near the emergency level I wanted, so I added the following.


Ever Ready Bandage Battle Dressing First Aid Compression Bandage, 6 Inch

I wanted a good solid emergency field dressing.  The ones we were issued in the army were similar, but a bit smaller.  I hear nothing but good things about this style, so it went into the kit.

But what if there is massive bleeding?  Then we turn to this;


QuikClot Sport, Advanced Clotting Sponge 25 gram, 3.5" x 3.5"

It's a sponge that is impregnated with a clotting substance.  Between this and the battle dressing you should be able to slow the flow of blood leaving the body pretty well.  Not that this will be a 100% sure fire solution, but it might be the difference between life and death.

But, what if it's not a gusher?  More than a band-aid but less than life threatening?


3M Steri Strip Skin Closures 1/4'' X 3'' - 10 Packages of 3

Butterfly strips.  the package comes with plenty, and they're nice to have.  They are good for closing a long laceration or incision that isn't sure deep.

If you need stitches.....well there are alternatives.  Remember in the movie Rambo, then he sews his wounded arm up with a needle and thread?  I'm way too much of a normal-man for that sort of macho.  But what if I really need to close a wide open or deep gash?

Alimed Wound Staple, Pistol Grip Stainless Steel / Nickel Staples 35 Wide Staples

Yes, a stapler.  This isn't the model I got, but it's the same sort of device.  We're not talking about your red Swingline stapler either.  when I mentioned to a friend that I had picked one of these up she didn't actually believe that you could buy one of these.  Then she asked me if I bought the staple remover.  Sadly, no.  I figure if I need to, I'll figure something out when the time comes.

No matter how nice the first aid kit is, you're going to need to add some things to it.  Or refill it if you need some of the things in it.  

There are refill and add on kits out there that can enhance the capabilities of your first aid kit, or that you can use to build a kit of your own from the ground up.

First Aid Only Refill For Bulk 25 Person First Aid Kit, 106-Piece Boxes

Adventure Medical Kits Backpacking Refill Medications, 18 Count

Refill Topical Antiseptics and Ointments for First Aid Kits

Nature's Way Activated Charcoal, 100 Capsules 


So there it is, the first-aid kit for my Jump Bag.  I want to see what local organizations give first-aid classes.  It's been decades since I was CPR qualified or taken a serious first aid class.  It's important to know at least the basics. You don't have to be EMT qualified, but basic first aid is a skill everyone should have.  What about you?  Are you ready in case something goes wrong? 

And so it begins...

CQ...CQ... is there anybody out there?  Nod if you can hear me.  Over.

The title says it all....sort of.  It's not the end of the world, but more and more people are preparing for it like that magical event is just around the corner.

Skip the Myan calendar mayhem, the prophecies of your favorite seer, heck even skip the recent popularity of zombie movies.  The world is a wild place.  And a real disaster could strike your home town tomorrow.  I personally like the idea that the world as we know it might come to a screeching halt.  It would give me a chance to catch up on some sleep and maybe do a little fiction reading.

Terms you will hear pretty often are SHTF (Shit Hits The Fan), WROL (Without Rule Of Law), TEOTWAWKI (The End Of The World As We Know It), Apocalypse (It's not an acronym, it's so cool it doesn't need one), Grid-Down (Massive power failure), End Times (A catchy title for a news paper perhaps).  No matter the term that's getting thrown around they all boil down to the same thing.  A situation has developed that will require you and probably many of your neighbors to function outside your comfort zone, possibly for a week or more.

This blog is being put forth at the suggestion of my lovely wife.  I've always been the type of person who wanted to have a plan in the event things went badly.  This isn't a new idea for me, but it's getting new attention because the world is a more connected and complicated place than it was when I was in my twenties.  The population is larger, and there is a perception that there are more threats than ever before.  With the amount of information available to the average person it's easier to research these sorts of things, and to be prepared for them.

So we're going to put some things up for folks to look at, or if nothing else so that I can have the multitude of links that interest me in one fairly easy to get to place.  Granted, if the world does end I wont be able to get to it, but I'll have other things to occupy my time.

Where to begin?

Let's start with what started this whole mess, realizing that my Jump Bag was woefully out of date.  I have had a Jump Bag since I was about thirteen years old.  You might have heard the term Bug Out Bag, that's the evolved term for what I call a Jump Bag.  If you have to jump, defined as leaving your normal environment for an unknown environment under adverse conditions, you grab your Jump Bag and....jump.  It's not logical for most people.  When you plan a trip you pack your bag based on what you know you will need for the trip.  You know where you're going and how long you're going to be there.  A situation which would require you to employ your Jump Bag will not abide by any of those elements.  

There are countless people with countless ideas about the Jump Bag (It's my phrase I'll use it as often as I like) and what should be in it, if you should have one at all.  I have one because I like the idea of having things that might be handy.  And there it is, might.  You can't plan for everything.  I was a Boy Scout, which will come as a shock to some of the people who know me and absolutely no surprise for those who are closest to me.  They have this phrase, "Be Prepared".  What can I say, it stuck with me.

So what's in this Jump Bag?

What's in my Jump Bag isn't really that important, but I do plan on doing a post on that topic a little bit later on.  I try to work from the idea of Don't have anything you don't know how to use.  Sure it could be really cool if the surgeon stuck in the collapsed highway tunnel said "Damn, if only I had an emergency field surgical kit!"  and you were able to give him the one in your Jump Bag.  But, it's probably of limited use to you.  Certainly not useless, but it's use to weight ratio might not be all that good.  Use to weight?  That's not in my How to survive the Zombie Apocalypse manual!  Or maybe it is, I did skip a few chapters in that one, but to me it's the idea that if I have to carry something I need to get a very high use to weight ratio out of it.  And my use to weight ratio for an item wont be the same as yours.  Most people will tell you that anything you carry should have multiple uses.  It's the same basic idea.

A well stocked Jump Bag might have water, food, ammo, guns, knives, fire-starters, signal flares, Cotex panty liners, a first-aid kit, a shovel, four days' concentrated emergency rations; one drug issue containing antibiotics, morphine, vitamin pills, pep pills, sleeping pills, tranquilizer pills; one miniature combination Russian phrase book and Bible; one hundred dollars in rubles; one hundred dollars in gold; nine packs of chewing gum; one issue of prophylactics; three lipsticks; three pair of nylon stockings. Shoot, a fella' could have a pretty good weekend in Vegas with all that stuff.....er, sorry I'm a film buff.

The point is that you need to figure out what needs to go into your bag.  And I realized one day that mine was filled with out dated items of low importance and poor use to weight ratio.  So I spent some time doing research and picking up things to determine if they would meet my needs. 

Human beings generally need few things to survive.  Water, food, and to maintain our body temperature.  That third one can be tricky.  If you live where it's routinely very hot, perhaps more water is in order as well as sunblock, sunglasses and a wide brimmed hat.  If it's routinely below freezing where you are perhaps something else? (like moving!)  You might have to update the contents of a Jump Bag seasonally.  Rotate cloths, batteries, food stuffs.  A Jump Bag is not a set it and forget it tool.

Why am I doing this again?

I want to share my finds.  The things I have that I think are cool and useful to me.  Maybe along the way you'll find something and think it's cool and would be useful for you too.  If I can turn you on to something that you might not have otherwise found that's cool, then I'll call that a win.  So check back.  I have a back log of cool things to share, and I keep finding more and more cool stuff as I go.

Take stock of your Jump Bag, or Bug Out Bag, or consider putting one together.  It's something everyone should have in the event something goes wrong and you have to jump!


Until the end of the world as we know it, or TEOTWAWKI as it's often called (it's NOT some Hawaiian word), I'll keep posting stuff.