Survivalist Tactics

These notes reflects research into surviving coming days of high inflation, food shortages, etc.

The Coming Storm

I don't consider myself a pessimist. I am happy with my large carbon footprint lifestyle. TEOTWAWKI (The End Of The World As We Know It).

"prepper" Maybe it's I'm starting to believe Hollywood's apocalytic movies:

(1997) (1959) (2000) (1998)

On Netflix On Netflix On Netflix On Netflix

But it's pretty obvious to me that most countries, including America and Europe, is following history. The Roman Empire fell into ruin and chaos after Nero devalued Rome's currency along with its morals.

Approaches

US Army Intelligence Captain James Wesley Rawles, author of survivalblog.com, helps you imagine the worst-case scenarios in his novel, then helps you prepare for it: http://www.cafepress.com/clearwaterpress

Others:

I Prepare I survive.com

Water

Each person is supposed to drink 80 ounces (ten 8 oz glasses) each day. That's 2 gallons per day per person. So a family of 4 needs 8 gallons per day.

This means that if you want to purify all those 8 gallons, you may need to get the biggest one with a 6 gallon capacity.

Stagnant water (containing chlorine, lead, pathogenic bacteria, parasites, herbicides, pesticides, VOCs, organic solvents, radon 222, trihalomethanes, etc.) goes in on the top bucket. That's why the stainless steel. The black filter elements removes red food coloring. Unlike osmosis, it does not remove minerals people need. Each set of 2 black filters is $100 list, which lasts 3,000 gallons each.

To remove Arsenic used in mining, each set of two PF-2 post-reduction elements treats 1,000 gallons (3,785 liters), and reduces filtration flow rate by 15-20%. At $61, that's $__ per gallon.

The Big Berkey holds 2 filters which together can filter up to 7 gallons per hour, until its 2.25 gallon capacity is reach. So it fills up in 2 hours because it rated to filter 25 to 30 Gallons (95-115 liters) per 24 hour day (1 gallon/hour).

Click to download the Excel spreadsheet

Note that the flow rates and prices shown do not include the arsenic filter, which adds $244 for the 8 for a total $874.

Plus you'll also be waiting 5.2 hours for those 6 gallons since the arsenic filter takes 20% more than the standard 4.3 hours.

That's quite a difference in lifestyle than turning on a tap.

This is why I also got the $39 spigot accessory so I can see how much water is in the can without lifting the top part and making a mess.

Springs and Wells

If items such as spigot and filters are not listed on Amazon, go to the manufacturer website at berkeyfilters.com.

Food

Food shortages can occur due to the combination of chemicals and climate changes all creating an imbalance in the ecosystem such as too many locusts.

Freeze Dried Food
Freeze-dried food can be stored several years when preserved in airtight cans and envelopes from several sources:

Mountain House

Alpine Aire

They great taste, but nearly of all them have high salt or monosodium glutamate (MSG).
A freezer and a lot of plastic bags are needed because when #10 cans are opened, the large amount of food inside will rot within a week even if refigerated. And several cans need to be opened just for variety sake.
Growing and preserving your own food is rather basic and great hands-on fun for all:

Among the series of books on food prepartion from Storey Country and others:

Heat

In even sub-zero cold times, reducing the need to heat up the house by sleeping within a dome tent and good quality sleeping bags. Candle lanterns or Sterno stove can keep the inside of a small tent above freezing.

Use several big marine batteries on a smart-charger to maintain the charge. Rotate one new battery every three years.

Build a Penny Wood Stove to heat food, hands, clothes. They are cheap and lightweight.

Instead of wandering out into the cold for the bathroom, use an empty detergent (rather than drinking) bottle as a makeshift urinal in the bedroom. Get one rescued from a laundromat.

Living Off The Grid

Nick Rosen's off-grid.net is the companion to his book of interviews with people who are living off the grid.

It's not just torrorists known to be targeting. The effects of global warming is creating storms one season and scorching heat another. All this put stress on the power grid.
LandBuddy connect people striving to live off-grid.
With PV or generator, electricity needs to be stored in a bank of 12V batteries.
A transfer switch connects a generator to your home's wiring system.
I prefer propane generators over others. BTW, propane is different from gas (LPG) and not automatically interchangeable. Propane is produced from refining natural gas and crude oil.
The pressure on a city natural gas pipeline is 2 to 5 psi.
Generators cost less than PV panels. Propane provides cleaner exhaust than gasoline. Gasoline vapors is a major fire hazard, so liquefied petroleum gas can be stored more safely. Gasoline degrades power over time. Most importantly, in the US there is a larger supply of natural gas from US wells than from oil wells.
youtube.com/solarcabin A fridge takes 600W. A freezer 500W. Build a root cellar underground.
A electric range of 3 elements takes 4,500W. So consider using solar ovens. In the summer, cook outdoors to avoid cooling air from the kitchen stove. In the winter, cook indoors to keep the heat.
To reduce the need for electricity, use pin washin on a clothes line because an electric clothes dryer takes 4,800W, but a washer takes 400W. since an electric air condition is the most hungry, taking 5,000W, have a family stay in a small room, or consider swamp coolers if you're in a dry climate.

Surge Rating Max Amps Cost Make/Model

6000W 5000W 42 $879 Gentran Pro2-6000P

7500W - 31.25 $3549 Generac RV

10,000W 7200W 60 $899 Gentran Pro2-10000P

12,000W - 60 $3508 Winco tri-fuel

12,000W - 60 $3700 Kohler 12RESL 12RES

According to Generac, a company focused on generator design and production, a 45 gallon cylinder tank can power an 8 kilo-watt generator, producing electrical power for a few appliances for almost 24 hours with normal power consumption.
If a 50% load of 1,500 Watts per hour is needed, and a $400 3500w generator uses 1.5 lbs./hr. of propane, running 24 hours = 36 lbs per day. This means each week 252 lbs is needed. Because only 70 lbs. is usable in a 100 lbs. cartridge, 4 of those 100 pound propane cartridges are needed.
Gentran's warranty is only 1000 hours.
A 100,000 BTU grill uses ~10 cubic feet an hour on high.
A 11kW genset running full load on Natural Gas burns ~190 cubic feet an hour.
A 20kW genset brings that number to 335 cubic feet per hour.
1 gallon = 4.2 lbs
TemcoTransformer.com 800-613-2290 or 510.490-2187
Get a wall-mounted propane/CO detector.
Some people need to live in a dry climate.

Wind Power

War Resistance

By this I don't mean burning your draft card.

Faraday Box
In case of an EMP attack, get a Faraday shielded box to hold electronics: a spare computer set up, radios, walkie talkies and anything with a circuit board that we don't want to do without.

Jeep
1970s-vintage Jeep has no microprocessor electronics that would be affected by EMP.

Bullet-Proof Vest
Bulletproofme.com

Money Belt
Get/make a money belt.

Secret Compartments
Pre-arrange secret compartments in your home.
RealtyTrac.com specialize in listing foreclosed and otherwise "distressed" properties.
Practice G.O.O.D. (get out of Dodge) evacuation route.
"Dare To Prepare" by Holly Deyo, http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0756654505?ie=UTF8&tag=survivalcom-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0756654505 "The Self-Sufficient Life and How to Live It" by John Seymour, http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000LSS9NG?ie=UTF8&tag=survivalcom-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B000LSS9NG The Foxfire Book Series and The Mother Earth News magazine.

Why Survive?

what is the point of living an extra day or month or year longer than others?
If your answer is to rob and loot at will when society breaks down, then I'm sorry for you.
What is the purpose of living, period?
My grandmother hung on despite cancer because she wanted to see me graduate.
We remember and cherish being in celebrations and events, however small. So remember to stock birthday candles, cake mix, and frosting as well, along with an assortment of cards to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, and other events.
What is the purpose of living?
The answer depends on whether we as individuals believe we are living under the eyes and active manipulations of a God who can reach us from a dimension we cannot imagine beyond time and space.
For me, I'm living to help others who cannot help themselves, to be the hands and feet of a loving God who is no longer venegenful to those who believe that a part of God, in the person of Jesus Christ, came to erase the spiritual debt of mankind and individuals.
I believe this because because I trust that the Bible is a message from God.

Resources

http://motorbicycling.com/
www.lifesecure.com http://modernsurvivalonline.com/ provides a database on Survival topics.
http://www.readymaderesources.com/ sells solar and homesteading supplies.
http://republicbroadcasting.org/?p=9708

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