No More Dependence

MORALITY & SURVIVAL

Survival situations often bring out the very best and worst traits in people. Throughout human history, there are thousands of documented events confirming this. In some instances,groups of people comprised of individuals, risked everything to selflessly help others. An example of this would be the Underground Railroad during the tumultuous time period of the American Civil War. In more recent times, we’ve seen demonstrations in Egypt, Tunisia, and other countries in the Middle East where once peaceful protests, under the guise of freedom and basic human rights, end up exposing the dark side of humanity. Rape, murder, senseless violence, looting,etc.

So where do morals and survival intersect? Is an individual faced with a survival situation willing to compromise his or her beliefs to further ones on interest? Mind you, we’re not talking about wants, we’re talking about human needs such as food and water that are essential to life. What would happen if an emergency disrupted food or medicine supplies. It’s easy enough to sit back in the comfort of ones own home and wrestle with where he or she would draw the proverbial moral line, but if you were actually thrust in the middle of a dire emergency, what would it take for these morals to fall by the wayside? A starving family member or friend? An opportunity to better one’s own circumstance at the cost of someone else misfortune?

The whole point of survival and being prepared is to have the mindset, knowledge, and resources to make it through hard times.

These hard times manifest in many shapes and forms. We believe moral erosion would happen to most people in a very short amount of time if the circumstances were dire enough. Even in the US, with it’s social safety nets and vast infrastructure, we’ve all heard horror stories taking place post-hurricane Katrina. There was widespread looting, reports of murder and rape and everything in between. Some of these atrocities were committed by public servants and law enforcement officials, the very individuals sanctioned with upholding a sense of societal order. The point is, when you’re faced with the decision of either standing by your sense of morality and letting yourself, your child, or your spouse die a slow, painful death of starvation, or looting a store, the vast majority of individuals wouldn’t hesitate about looting the store (which probably wouldn’t have any supplies left at that point…). Sure, it’s an extreme example, but it could easily happen. The thin veneer of society could easily be broken, and at that point, it’s every man for himself.

Think about this, if a nuclear bomb, biological/chemical weapon, or something of that nature, were to be detonated in a major US city (or several major US cities), how quickly do you think panic and chaos would set in? On top of the potential tens of thousands of casualties, people in those impacted metro and surrounding regions would have to contend with food shortages, unclean drinking water, inaccessible medical care, etc. As soon as those people realize that all the stores are out of food or that people still drinking the water are becoming sick and dying, they’re going to join the mob mentality of thinking. They’re going to throw away any “morals” they may have had pre-disaster and do whatever it takes to obtain food,water, or shelter. At that point, any faint traces of “civilized humanity” will disappear, only to be replaced by primal fear and chaos.

So where does one draw the line? Is it just a waste of time to think about what you would or wouldn’t do if you were stuck in a survival situation with no way out?

There’s really no right or wrong answers to this one, more of a rhetorical question designed to hopefully promote the concept that when things get tough, those “civilized” people you live next to can quickly become your enemy if you have something they desire.

In the survival community, many individuals have stockpiles of food, water, weapons, etc.; all the things that would be desirable in a catastrophic event. These same people would also be likely targets of mobs, gangs, etc., if something were to ever happen that would disrupt our way of life in the West. Even those in rural communities would be at risk to some degree depending on the severity of the disaster.

If you were in a position to help a starving child or family with some of your stockpiled food reserves, would you? What if meant one less meal for you or your own family? But wouldn’t denying a child or individual in an unfortunate circumstance such as the one just described be immoral? Wouldn’t denying your own family a meal because you chose to help someone else out also be immoral? In the West, even the “poor” probably own a cell phone, are able to access the internet, have food they can obtain from local shelters and government agencies, and are much better off than in days gone by. In the past, if one wasn’t able to hunt or earn his or her meal, he/she simply wouldn’t eat.

There is no summary for this article. There is no right or wrong answer to the question,”how can survival and morality co-exist in a true survival setting involving entire nations and societies?” We can only look to history to gain an understanding that when the going gets tough, many individuals would trade their morality in a heartbeat if it meant the difference between life and death.

Don’t get us wrong, we’re not advocating looting or murder to meet ones own basic necessities. We’re merely observing that for the most part, when people are faced with extreme odds, they’ll do whatever it takes to get by. After all, isn’t that the point to survive?

We’d love to hear your 2 cents on this subject, please drop us a comment!

FIRECRAFT

Fire is often taken for granted, it’s uses having been refined and harnessed for millenia. It’s often overlooked as a necessary skill to posses in modern society because of it’s ease of access. It’s supply is abundant, all one has to do is visit practically any fuel station or convenience store to have a seemingly endless access to fire via lighters, matches, and accelerants such as lighter fluid, propane, etc.

Yet, the ability to create specific types of fires for specific uses will greatly increase the probability of survival in nearly any type of survival situation. Anyone can produce flame from a store bought lighter or match, it’s easy to turn on a gas or electric stove to prepare meals, but it’s more involved without those resources to produce potentially life-saving fire.

Fire can sanitize water, cook meals, provide light, warmth, and comfort. It can be used as a signal and also be utilized to illuminate the night against unwelcome intruders. The many applications of fire make it an attractive skil to know and fortunately, with some basic understanding of how fire works and practice, the fundamental skill of producing fire can be achieved easily.

Fire is achieved via a chemical reaction between oxygen and some sort of fuel being exposed to their ignition temperature. Some common fuels are wood, gasoline, kerosene, etc. Essentially, something must create heat to reach the ignition temperature, common forms of heat could include, a match, lightning, friction, etc.

In a survival situation, fire will be needed as one of the four components of human survival: Fire, Food, Shelter, & Water. There are specific uses for fire that will aid in achieving the four components of human survival. In the following articles taken from the US Army Survival FM 21-76, a general overview is of firecraft is presented. .

BASIC FIRE PRINCIPLES

To build a fire, it helps to understand the basic principles of a fire. Fuel (in a non-gaseous state) does not burn directly. When you apply heat to a fuel, it produces a gas. This gas, combined with oxygen in the air, burns.

Understanding the concept of the fire triangle is very important in correctly constructing and maintaining a fire. The three sides of the triangle represent air, heat, and fuel. If you remove any of these, the fire will go out. The correct ratio of these components is very important for a fire to burn at its greatest capability. The only way to learn this ratio is to practice.

SITE SELECTION AND PREPARATION

You will have to decide what site and arrangement to use. Before building a fire consider–

• The area (terrain and climate) in which you are operating.
• The materials and tools available.
• Time: how much time you have?
• Need: why you need a fire?
• Security: how close is the enemy?

Look for a dry spot that–

• Is protected from the wind.
• Is suitably placed in relation to your shelter (if any).
• Will concentrate the heat in the direction you desire.

Has a supply of wood or other fuel available. (See Figure 7-4 for types of material you can use.)

If you are in a wooded or brush-covered area, clear the brush and scrape the surface soil from the spot you have selected. Clear a circle at least 1 meter in diameter so there is little chance of the fire spreading.

If time allows, construct a fire wall using logs or rocks. This wall will help to reflector direct the heat where you want it (Figure 7-1). It will also reduce flying sparks and cut down on the amount of wind blowing into the fire. However, you will need enough wind to keep the fire burning.

In some situations, you may find that an underground fireplace will best meet your needs. It conceals the fire and serves well for cooking food. To make an underground fireplace or Dakota fire hole (Figure 7-2)–

• Dig a hole in the ground.
• On the upwind side of this hole, poke or dig a large connecting hole for ventilation.
• Build your fire in the hole as illustrated.

If you are in a snow-covered area, use green logs to make a dry base for your fire (Figure 7-3). Trees with wrist-sized trunks are easily broken in extreme cold. Cut or break several green logs and lay them side by side on top of the snow. Add one or two more layers. Lay the top layer of logs opposite those below it.

FIRE MATERIAL SELECTION

You need three types of materials (Figure 7-4) to build a fire–tinder, kindling, and fuel.

Tinder is dry material that ignites with little heat–a spark starts a fire. The tinder must be absolutely dry to be sure just a spark will ignite it. If you only have a device that generates sparks, charred cloth will be almost essential. It holds a spark for long periods, allowing you to put tinder on the hot area to generate a small flame. You can make charred cloth by heating cotton cloth until it turns black, but does not burn. Once it is black, you must keep it in an airtight container to keep it dry. Prepare this cloth well in advance of any survival situation. Add it to your individual survival kit.

Kindling is readily combustible material that you add to the burning tinder. Again, this material should be absolutely dry to ensure rapid burning. Kindling increases the fire’s temperature so that it will ignite less combustible material.

Fuel is less combustible material that burns slowly and steadily once ignited.

HOW TO BUILD A FIRE

There are several methods for laying a fire, each of which has advantages. The situation you find yourself in will determine which fire to use.

Tepee

To make this fire (Figure 7-5), arrange the tinder and a few sticks of kindling in the shape of a tepee or cone. Light the center. As the tepee burns, the outside logs will fall inward, feeding the fire. This type of fire burns well even with wet wood.

Lean-To

To lay this fire (Figure 7-5), push a green stick into the ground at a 30-degree angle. Point the end of the stick in the direction of the wind. Place some tinder deep under this lean-to stick. Lean pieces of kindling against the lean-to stick. Light the tinder. As the kindling catches fire from the tinder, add more kindling.

Cross-Ditch

To use this method (Figure 7-5), scratch a cross about 30 centimeters in size in the ground. Dig the cross 7.5 centimeters deep. Put a large wad of tinder in the middle of the cross. Build a kindling pyramid above the tinder. The shallow ditch allows air to sweep under the tinder to provide a draft.

Pyramid

To lay this fire (Figure 7-5), place two small logs or branches parallel on the ground. Place a solid layer of small logs across the parallel logs. Add three or four more layers of logs or branches, each layer smaller than and at a right angle to the layer below it. Make a starter fire on top of the pyramid. As the starter fire burns, it will ignite the logs below it. This gives you a fire that burns downward, requiring no attention during the night.

There are several other ways to lay a fire that are quite effective. Your situation and the material available in the area may make another method more suitable.

HOW TO LIGHT A FIRE

Always light your fire from the upwind side. Make sure to lay your tinder, kindling, and fuel so that your fire will burn as long as you need it. Igniters provide the initial heat required to start the tinder burning. They fall into two categories: modern methods and primitive methods.

Modern Methods

Modem igniters use modem devices–items we normally think of to start a fire.

Matches

Make sure these matches are waterproof. Also, store them in a waterproof container along with a dependable striker pad.

Convex Lens

Use this method (Figure 7-6) only on bright, sunny days. The lens can come from binoculars, camera, telescopic sights, or magnifying glasses. Angle the lens to concentrate the sun’s rays on the tinder. Hold the lens over the same spot until the tinder begins to smolder. Gently blow or fan the tinder into flame, and apply it to the fire lay.

Metal Match

Place a flat, dry leaf under your tinder with a portion exposed. Place the tip of the metal match on the dry leaf, holding the metal match in one hand and a knife in the other. Scrape your knife against the metal match to produce sparks. The sparks will hit the tinder. When the tinder starts to smolder, proceed as above.

Battery

Use a battery to generate a spark. Use of this method depends on the type of battery available. Attach a wire to each terminal. Touch the ends of the bare wires together next to the tinder so the sparks will ignite it.

Gunpowder

Often, you will have ammunition with your equipment. If so, carefully extract the bullet from the shell casing, and use the gunpowder as tinder. A spark will ignite the powder. Be extremely careful when extracting the bullet from the case.

Primitive Methods

Primitive igniters are those attributed to our early ancestors.

Flint and Steel

The direct spark method is the easiest of the primitive methods to use. The flint and steel method is the most reliable of the direct spark methods. Strike a flint or other hard, sharp-edged rock edge with a piece of carbon steel (stainless steel will not produce a good spark). This method requires a loose-jointed wrist and practice. When a spark has caught in the tinder, blow on it. The spark will spread and burst into flames.

Fire-Plow

The fire-plow (Figure 7-7) is a friction method of ignition. You rub a hardwood shaft against a softer wood base. To use this method, cut a straight groove in the base and plow the blunt tip of the shaft up and down the groove. The plowing action of the shaft pushes out small particles of wood fibers. Then, as you apply more pressure on each stroke, the friction ignites the wood particles.

Bow and Drill

The technique of starting a fire with a bow and drill (Figure 7-8) is simple, but you must exert much effort and be persistent to produce a fire. You need the following items to use this method:

• Socket. The socket is an easily grasped stone or piece of hardwood or bone with a slight depression in one side. Use it to hold the drill in place and to apply downward pressure.
• Drill. The drill should be a straight, seasoned hardwood stick about 2 centimeters in diameter and 25 centimeters long. The top end is round and the low end blunt (to produce more friction).
• Fire board. Its size is up to you. A seasoned softwood board about 2.5 centimeters thick and 10 centimeters wide is preferable. Cut a depression about 2 centimeters from the edge on one side of the board. On the underside, make a V-shaped cut from the edge of the board to the depression.
• Bow. The bow is a resilient, green stick about 2.5 centimeters in diameter and a string. The type of wood is not important. The bowstring can be any type of cordage. You tie the bowstring from one end of the bow to the other, without any slack.

To use the bow and drill, first prepare the fire lay. Then place a bundle of tinder under the V-shaped cut in the fire board. Place one foot on the fire board. Loop the bowstring over the drill and place the drill in the precut depression on the fire board. Place the socket, held in one hand, on the top of the drill to hold it in position. Press down on the drill and saw the bow back and forth to twirl the drill (Figure 7-8). Once you have established a smooth motion, apply more downward pressure and work the bow faster. This action will grind hot black powder into the tinder, causing a spark to catch. Blow on the tinder until it ignites.

Note: Primitive fire-building methods are exhaustive and require practice to ensure success.

Use non-aromatic seasoned hardwood for fuel, if possible.

Collect kindling and tinder along the trail.

Add insect repellent to the tinder.

Keep the firewood dry.

Dry damp firewood near the fire.

Bank the fire to keep the coals alive overnight.

Carry lighted punk, when possible.

Be sure the fire is out before leaving camp.

Do not select wood lying on the ground. It may appear to be dry but generally doesn’t provide enough friction.

Summary

The fundamental uses of fire are as follows:

• Sanitizing water by boiling it.

• Cooking food sources such as meat, insects, vegetation, etc.

• Medical uses in survival situations such as sterilization, searing flesh, etc.

• Providing warmth to prevent hypothermia, one of the most deadly threats in non-tropic environments.

• Providing light to aid in navigation, signaling, and psychological comfort.

Further information on fire and it’s many uses will be organized in the following way:

• Fires for sanitizing water

• Fires for cooking

• Fires for light/warmth

• Creating fire in challenging environments

THE NORTH STAR

In any type of survival situation, having the ability to navigate without the reliance on GPS networks or the internet will be extremely important. Navigation can lead to safe ares, find family or friends, and be used to locate much need resources depending on the situation. Without basic navigation skills, an individual could make a bad situation worse by getting loss, or ending up in a hostile area. Fortunately, even individuals without the most basic navigation equipment such as a compass and map, can still effectively navigate using only the North Star.

Why the North Star

The North Star is unique and very useful to primitive navigation because the northern axis of the earth points straight towards the North Star. So when you’re observing the North Star, you’re actually facing true north toward the North Pole. The North Star is also referred to as the Polestar or it’s astronomical name, Polaris. Because it’s location is absolutely North, by simply having the ability to locate the North Star in the sky, you can increase the chances of successfully navigating to wherever you need to go to. Also, the North Star can be utilized anywhere in the Northern Hemisphere. Currently, there’s not the equivalent to Polaris for the South pole star because there’s no single star that’s as clearly defined in the night sky as Polaris. For a bit more background on Pole Stars in general, check out this resource.

Locating & Navigating with the North Star

It’s as simple as that, once you’ve located the North Star, simply visualize a compass, with west on your left, east to the right, and south behind you. Even though this information is very simple, it’s not always as clear cut actually locating the North Star. Of any navigation skill you could acquire and practice, start with being able to locate the North Star no matter where you are. Take any chance you get with a clear sky to glance up and become proficient in locating Polaris. With repeated practice, you can easily locate the Northern Star and gain an accurate sense of direction anywhere in the Northern Hemisphere.

The most efficient known method of locating the North Star is to first locate the Big Dipper and then the Little Dipper (the Big Dipper is Ursa major, the Little Dipper is Ursa minor). From there,try and visualize a line linking directly to the “handle” of the Little Dipper. Once you’ve done that, the North Star will be the brightest star at the end of the Little dipper’s handle. For visual learners, here’s a graph of what to look for. Keep in mind that the Big/Little Dippers will rotate depending on the time of year but will also maintain the same shape of stars.

It’s also possible to discover your latitude (your position north or south of the equator) using the North Star. The basic method is to measure the angle between the horizon and the North Star. Another post will provide more detailed instructions on use this method to determine your general latitude and also how to determine your general longitude. These skills, while more advanced, are also extremely valuable to posses to increase your effectiveness at safely navigating to where you need to be.

Summary

Knowing how to locate and utilize the location of the North Star is a simple, practical, and potentially life-saving skill to possess. It’s only prerequisites are for the survivor to be located in the Northern Hemisphere, and be able to to view the stars. But remember, it does take practice to efficiently learn how to accurately identify the North Store every time, from anywhere in the Northern Hemisphere.

The following is a widely reproduced article regarding an opinion of the practical steps individuals can take to protect their families in the event of a nuclear attack. If you want additional information about the main study cited in the following article, check out this.

It’s important to consider the reality that nuclear events are much more likely to take place at the hand of extremist groups and rouge, proxy nation/state actors than the traditional “cold war” threat that was relevant in the 1960′s. Here’s the newly updated and expanded upon article in it’s entirety by author Shane Connor. Please note that this is one viewpoint among many, NMD doesn’t endorse specific ideologies and beliefs, but rather focuses on providing as many viewpoints and resources to help anyone in the world with an internet connection learn more about survival and self reliance skills.

THE GOOD NEWS ABOUT NUCLEAR DESTRUCTION!

By Shane Connor

Updated & expanded below 12.17.2010

Originally published 8.24.2006

What possible ‘good news’ could there ever be about nuclear destruction coming to America, whether it is Dirty Bombs, Terrorist Nukes, or ICBM’s from afar?

In a word, they are all survivable for the vast majority of American families, IF they know what to do beforehand and have made even the most modest of preparations.

Tragically, though, most Americans today won’t give much credence to this good news, much less seek out such vital life-saving instruction, as they have been jaded by our culture’s pervasive myths of nuclear un-survivability.

Most people think that if nukes go off then everybody is going to die, or it’ll be so bad they’ll wish they had. That’s why you hear such absurd comments as; “If it happens, I hope I’m at ground zero and go quickly.”

This defeatist attitude was born as the disarmament movement ridiculed any competing alternatives to their ban-the-bomb agenda, like Civil Defense. The activists wanted all to think there was no surviving a nuke, banning them all was your only hope. The sound Civil Defense strategies of the 50-60′s have been derided as being largely ineffective, or at worst a cruel joke. With the supposed end of the Cold War in the 80′s, most Americans saw neither a need to prepare, nor believed that preparation would do any good. Today, with growing prospects of nuclear terrorism, and nuclear saber rattling from rogue nations, we see emerging among the public either paralyzing fear or irrational denial. People can’t even begin to envision effective preparations for ever surviving a nuclear attack. They think it totally futile, bordering on lunacy, to even try.

Ironically, these disarmament activists, regardless their noble intent, have rendered millions of Americans even more vulnerable to perishing from nukes in the future.

The biggest surprise for most Americans, from the first flash of a nuke being unleashed, is that they will still be here, though ill-equipped to survive for long, if they don’t know what to do beforehand from that first second of the flash onward.

Most could easily survive the initial blasts because they won’t be close enough to any “ground zero”, and that is very good news. Unfortunately, though, few people will be prepared to next survive the later coming radioactive fallout which could eventually kill many times more than the blast. However, there is still more good news possible, as well over 90% of those potential casualties from fallout can be avoided, IF the public was pre-trained through an aggressive national Civil Defense educational program. Simple measures taken immediately after a nuclear blast, by a pre-trained public, can prevent agonizing death and injury from radiation exposure.

The National Planning Scenario #1, an originally confidential internal 2004 study by the Department of Homeland Security, demonstrated the above survival odds when they examined the effects of a terrorist nuke going off in Washington, D.C.. They discovered that a 10 kiloton nuke, about 2/3rds the size of the Hiroshima bomb, detonated at ground level, would result in about 15,000 immediate deaths, and another 15,000 casualties from the blast, thermal flash and initial radiation release. As horrific as that is, the surprising revelation here is that over 99% of the residents in the DC area will have just witnessed and survived their first nuclear explosion. Clearly, the good news is most people will survive the initial blast.

However, that study also soberly determined that as many as another 250,000 people could soon be at risk from lethal doses of radiation from the fallout drifting downwind towards them after the blast. (Another study, released in August 2006 by the Rand Corporation, looked at a terrorist 10 kiloton nuke arriving in a cargo container and being exploded in the Port of Long Beach, California. Over 150,000 people were estimated to be at risk downwind from fallout, again many more than from the initial blast itself.)

The good news, that these much larger casualty numbers from radioactive fallout are largely avoidable, only applies to those pre-trained beforehand by a Civil Defense program in what to do before it arrives.

Today, lacking any meaningful Civil Defense program, millions of American families continue to be at risk and could perish needlessly for lack of essential knowledge that used to be taught at the grade school level.

The public, and especially our children, urgently need to be instructed in Civil Defense basics again. Like how most can save themselves by employing the old ‘Duck & Cover’ tactic, rather than just impulsively rushing to the nearest window to see what that ‘big flash’ was across town just-in-time to be shredded by the glass imploding inwards from the delayed blast wave. Even in the open, just laying flat, reduces by eight-fold the chances of being hit by debris from that brief, three second, tornado strength blast that, like lightning & thunder, could be delayed arriving anywhere from a fraction of a second to 20 seconds or more after that initial flash.

They need to also know if in the path far downwind of fallout coming, that evacuating perpendicular to that downwind drift of the fallout would be their best strategy. They must also be taught, if they can’t evacuate in time, how to shelter-in-place while the radioactive fallout loses 90% of it’s lethal intensity in the first seven hours and 99% of it in two days. For those requiring sheltering from fallout, the majority would only need two or three days of full-time hunkering down, not weeks on end, before safely joining the evacuation.

This good news is easily grasped by most people, and an effective expedient fallout shelter can be improvised at home, school or work quickly, but only IF the public had been trained beforehand, as was begun in the 50′s & 60′s with our national Civil Defense program.

Unfortunately, our government today is doing little to promote nuclear preparedness and Civil Defense instruction among the general public. Regrettably, most of our politicians, like the public, are still captive to the same illusions that training and preparation of the public are ineffective and futile against a nuclear threat.

The past administrations Department of Homeland Security head, Michael Chertoff, demonstrated this attitude in 2005 when he responded to the following question in USA Today;

Q: In the last four years, the most horrific scenario – a nuclear attack – may be the least discussed. If there were to be a nuclear attack tomorrow by terrorists on an American city, how would it be handled?

A: In the area of a nuclear bomb, it’s prevention, prevention, prevention. If a nuclear bomb goes off, you are not going to be able to protect against it. There’s no city strong enough infrastructure-wise to withstand such a hit. No matter how you approach it, there’d be a huge loss of life.

Mr. Chertoff failed to grasp that most of that “huge loss of life” could be avoided if those in the blast zone and downwind knew what to do beforehand. He only acknowledges that the infrastructure will be severely compromised — too few first-responders responding. Civil Defense pre-training of the public is clearly the only hope for those in the blast zone and later in the fallout path. Of course, the government should try and prevent it happening first, but the answer he should have given to that question is; “preparation, preparation, preparation” of the public via training beforehand, for when prevention by the government might fail.

The current Obama administration also fails to grasp that the single greatest force multiplier to reducing potential casualties, and greatly enhancing the effectiveness of first-responders, is a pre-trained public so that there will be far fewer casualties to later deal with. Spending millions to train and equip first-responders is good and necessary, but having millions fewer victims, by having also educated and trained the public beforehand, would be many magnitudes more effective in saving lives.

The federal government needs to launch a national mass media, business supported, and school based effort, superseding our most ambitious public awareness campaigns like for AIDs, drug abuse, drunk driving, anti-smoking, etc. The effort should percolate down to every level of our society. Let’s be clear – we are talking about the potential to save, or lose needlessly, many times more lives than those saved by all these other noble efforts combined!

Instead, Homeland Security continues with a focus primarily on…

#1 – Interdiction – Catching nuclear materials and terrorists beforehand and…

#2 – COG – Continuity of Government and casualty response afterwards for when #1 fails

While the vital key component continues to be largely ignored…

#3 – Continuity of the Public while it’s happening – via proven mass media Civil Defense training beforehand that would make the survival difference then for the vast majority of Americans affected by a nuclear event and on their own from that first initial flash through that critical first couple days of the highest radiation threat with least government response.

This deadly oversight will persist until those crippling myths of nuclear un-survivability are banished by the good news that a trained and prepared public can, and ultimately has to, save themselves. More training of the public beforehand means less body bags required afterwards, it’s that simple.

The tragic After Action Reports (AAR’s), of an American city nuked today, would glaringly reveal then that the overwhelming majority of victims had perished needlessly for lack of this basic, easy to learn & employ, life-saving knowledge.

Re-launching Civil Defense training is an issue we hope & pray will come to the forefront on the political stage, with both parties vying to outdo each other proposing national Civil Defense public educational programs. We are not asking billions for provisioned public fallout shelters for all, like what already awaits many of our politicians. We are just asking for a comprehensive mass media, business, and school based re-release of the proven practical strategies of Civil Defense instruction, a modernized version of what we used to have here, and that had been embraced by the Chinese, Russians, Swiss, and Israeli’s.

There is no greater, nor more legitimate, primary responsibility of any government than to protect it’s citizens. And, no greater condemnation awaits that government that fails to, risking millions then perishing needlessly. We all need to demand renewed public Civil Defense training and the media needs to spotlight it questioning officials and politicians, until the government corrects this easily avoidable, but fatal vulnerability.

In the meantime, though, don’t wait around for the government to instruct and prepare your own family and community. Educate yourself today and begin establishing your own family nuclear survival preparations by reading the free nuke prep primer…

What To Do If A Nuclear Disaster Is Imminent! at www.ki4u.com/guide.htm

Then, pass copies of it, along with this article, to friends, neighbors, relatives, fellow workers, churches and community organizations with a brief note attached saying simply: “We hope/pray we never need this, but just-in-case, keep it handy!” Few nowadays will find that approach alarmist and you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how many are truly grateful.

Everyone should also forward copies of both to their local, state and federal elected representatives, as well as your own communities first-responders and local media, all to help spread this good news that’s liberating American families from their paralyzing and potentially fatal myths of nuclear un-survivability!

See the Only County In U.S. that’s re-established their Civil Defense Fallout Shelters! …and… How To Do It In Your Own Community, too!

Shane Connor is the CEO of ki4u.com.

Consultants and developers of Civil Defense solutions to Government, NPO’s and Individual Families.

Everyone is invited to copy, post, print, and distribute ‘THE GOOD NEWS ABOUT NUCLEAR DESTRUCTION!’ article anywhere, as long as they do so without charging anything for it. It must be reproduced in entirety, including this notice, and not be altered or edited. To contact the author with comments, e-mail: Shane Connor at shane@ki4u.com

VEHICLE SURVIVAL KIT

It’s winter time, holiday season, and you’re driving with your family to a relative’s house when your vehicle spins out of control after hitting ice. It spins several times before coming to a halt on the side of the rural road in a ditch. What are you going to do next?

Hopefully this scenario never takes place but considering the staggering amount of vehicle accidents that take place each and every year, it’s probably more likely than you’d think. If this were to happen would you 1) know what to do until assistance arrives/could be located and 2) would you have the appropriate resources to keep you and/or your family safe until 1 is accomplished? A vehicle survival kit should come with any newly purchased vehicle in an ideal world because let’s face it, you probably spend a good amount of time commuting to and from work, socializing with friends and family, and in general running errands. With all that time spent in your vehicle, it’s amazing how few people even have the absolute basics such as water or jumper cables in their trunks.

It’s easy to dismiss the idea of a survival kit being stowed in each vehicle in your household because of cell phones and other devices that enable you to call for help should an accident happens or you become lost or stranded while in your vehicle. But keep in mind, it’s also very possible to lose that ability to communicate and call for help. You could be in a location that doesn’t receive cell phone coverage, there could be natural or man-made conditions preventing your phone company’s network to be properly functioning. The point is, for minimal time, energy, and resources, you can assemble a survival kit specifically for your vehicle and gain the peace of mind knowing you’ll be prepared while driving you or your family in your vehicle.

If you simply don’t  have the time or energy to devote to making your own vehicle survival kit, you can always purchase one.

Bare Essentials

Before you actually assemble anything for your vehicle survival kit, consider the size you have to work with. Do you have a sedan, a SUV, truck, etc? Each type of vehicle has enough space to store a bag or backpack where your kit can be housed.

Also consider how many individuals your kit will support – is this just for you , or do you need additional supplies for spouse, children, or even passengers who may happen to be with you if an emergency happens.  Remember the main function of a survival kit is to aid you (the survivor), to get through whatever emergency may happen, until you can either get assistance or resolve the emergency situation in some other way. It’s not designed or intended for long term survival, rather , a vehicle survival kit should be (at the very least), enough to get you through whatever it is that’s happening.  Here are some basic ideas to get you started:

Water – Enough for at least 1 gallon per individual, for every day the kit is designed to provide support. For example, you just need the kit for yourself; you desire to have 3 days worth of support out of the kit; you figure assistance will either find you or you’ll find them by that point.  So multiply (daily gallon consumption) x (number of users) x (number of days you want the kit to provide support) = water need. In this example, you’d need at least 3 gallons of water to be stored in your kit.  Because vehicle survival kits are more likely to be exposed to extreme temperatures (as opposed to home survival kits), it’s strongly recommended to store the water in bottles. If you wish to bottle and store your own water, you can always buy food safe water containers for relatively cheap. Just be sure you leave a bit of space before you cap it to factor in the water freezing/unfreezing if it’s going to be exposed to cold climate zones. There are plenty of options if you choose to bottle your own water, just make sure you get enough and have some means of bottling/drinking it if you opt for a larger gallon container.  Having a canteen or water bottle is essentially if you choose to utilize water containers larger than 3 gallons.

Food – There’s a lot of options for food, some better than others, but no right or wrong choices. The main point of storing food in your vehicle survival kit is to provide nourishment if you become lost, trapped, or otherwise find yourself in an emergency setting. Like water, you just need to plan for enough food for the number of desired users for the desired length of time. Your food selection will obviously need to be non-perishable and temperature extremes (specific to your region) will need to be taken into consideration when making your selection. Keep in mind that you don’t need a 3 course meal to get by; the food should provided energy until assistance arrives or can be located. Calorie bars are an ideal type of food for a vehicle survival kit because they’re lightweight, cheap (you can buy or make them), can withstand temperature extremes, and have a reasonable shelf life.  Keep in mind that checking on your survival kit and rotating items is a good habit to establish. Check on your kit at least once a year and rotate items such as food, water, batteries, etc., if the shelf life has expired or you feel the need.

Shelter – Keep in mind, for this category, you may not realize something as having a good blanket available can potentially satisfy the need for shelter and staying warm/dry. Specifically for storing in a vehicle survival kit, good types of blankets to consider storing include wool, Mylar or thermal (space blankets), etc.  Especially critical in cold climate zones, but any type of weather, having a blanket is a must. You may also want to consider obtaining a reflective or bright colored blanket so that it can double as a rescue signal if appropriate.

Additional Vehicle Survival Kit Items

Keep in mind; the items discussed above are the absolute bare minimum you’ll want to keep for your vehicle survival kit. If you don’t want to purchase a pre-assembled kit, start with those essential items first and then work on expanding your kit until you’re satisfied.  It’s always a good idea to establish a budget for your kit before actually buying anything. Not only will doing this make for a less overwhelming process, but will also make sure you don’t get carried away and buy items you really don’t have any need for. While buying the latest and most innovative gear is nice for some people (who also have deep enough pockets), for the average individual looking for peace of mind and practicality, a good individual vehicle survival kit can easily be assembled for less than $50.

The following list is broken down by a main category with related suggested items. Keep in mind this is a list that exists solely to get your creative juices flowing. Ultimately, no pre-made list will be 100% comprehensive to your specific needs and circumstance. If you have additional items or wish to publish your ideal survival kit items, please contact us!

Signaling / Navigation

-          Flashlight / Lantern (be sure to stock batteries in a waterproof container if you have any battery powered devices you’re counting on. Consider looking into hand cranked/solar powered devices.

-          Flares

-          Something to make a fire with such as lighters, matches, fire steel, etc. Remember to always have at least 2-3 methods available to start a fire. You may also want to consider storing some kind of fire starter such as firesticks or petroleum jelly fire starters.

-          Strobes

-          Map and compass – Obviously these items are only useful if you know how to use them. If you do choose to stock a map and/or compass, make sure it’s an up to date map and consider updating every few years for whatever area you’re likely to frequent.

Clothing

-          Clothing specific to your regions climate zone. It’s always ideal to stay dry so if possible, make sure your clothing/boots are waterproof and/or weather resistant. Remember the 3 layer clothing system so if you have the space available, pack 1-2 layered outfits. Most vehicle survival kits only need to provide 1 set of clothing with extras of the basics such as socks should one pair become wet.

-          Rain ponchos

Hygiene

-          Baby wipes or wet tissues

-          Hand sanitation (this can double as a fire starter if you’re using traditional an alcohol based hand sanitizer).

-           Any medicines you may currently be prescribed.

-          Common OTC medications such as aspirin, antidiarrheal’s, etc.

-          Toothpaste/tooth brush, etc.

-          Petroleum Jelly (can also double as fire starter when combined with cotton balls or other tinder)

Entertainment

-          A deck of cards or some books could come in handy if stuck waiting for assistance. You could also bring a small notepad and pen to record your thoughts or doodle to pass the time.

-          Assume there won’t be a network available so no wireless devices, manual games and activities are especially useful if children are involved.

Safety Items

-          Fire extinguisher

-          Houdini Automotive Escape Tool or related product type of product… if you’ve never seen one, it’s a multi tool designed for individuals who may be trapped in a wrecked vehicle or for rescuers who need to break in the vehicle for assistance.

-          Vehicle repair items – This includes the basics such as jump cables, basic tools, duct tape (this has multiple possible uses), car jack, extra tire, etc.

-          Cash in various denominations including coins for pay phone if applicable, some also use phone cards instead of coins.

-          Documents – Having copies of important documents such as insurance policy, basic identification, etc., isn’t a bad idea to have in an emergency situation. The down side of course being if these documents are left in your vehicle as a functional vehicle survival kit should be, there’s a risk of them being stolen (though there’s always the risk of your identity being stolen, can happen to anybody).

Summary

Keep in mind these items and use them as a starting point to get your critical thinking skills fired up when planning your ideal vehicle survival kit. Remember everyone’s ideal survival kit varies from person to person because everybody has different priorities and circumstances to prepare for. If making your own kit doesn’t seem worth the time or energy needed, you should at the very least, purchase one to have just in case an emergency happens. It’s better to have spent $50 or less on a functional kit and not have to need it, rather than to need it and not have it. If you’d like to add additional suggestions or items that you use in your kit, please contact us and we’ll post it so that others may benefit from your knowledge and experience.