November 25, 2024

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Important Documents

September 2, 2013 by

There are some preparedness tasks that are no fun.  This is one of them, but I think it is an important one that everyone should do.  We all have important documents, but for many of us they are scattered in different places and not protected. 

What kind of documents should be protected?

Anything that you think might need in an emergency, survival type situation.  Below are some examples.

  • Birth Certificates
  • Photo copy of driver’s license
  • Social Security Cards
  • Medication list
  • Important medical papers
  • Mortgage paperwork – Trudee printed off a “property account summary” that she found doing a county property record search.  This is important because I have heard cases after a hurricane or tornado where authorities will not let you in without proof of address.
  • Insurance policies and agent contact info
  • Hard copy of all name, model and serial number of expensive items, taking pictures is a good idea as well.
  • Hard copy of important phone numbers

Another idea is to take a picture of each document and save it as a .jpg or .gif.  Scanning them works as well, then putting those files on a thumb drive.  You could also store digital copies of these files on “the cloud”, Google docs or the like.  I personally don’t trust google and have moved everything from them, but to each their own. 

Place all the important files and the thumb drive in a fireproof safe.  Now your documents are all together and much more protected.  If you need to bug out quickly, there is just one item to grab, that fireproof safe!

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PreparednessClubOne

Filed Under: Preparedness Tips

Attack on Syria

August 30, 2013 by

I normally don’t post more than once a day, but I feel this is important enough to warrant it. I have been watching the situation with Syria and want to share with you all some of the things I have read.

Secretary of State John Kerry just made the case for military action in Syria. Russia and China have warned the USA not to get involved several times. Russia has naval bases in Syria. While it is unlikely neither will get involved directly, other countries might.

Here is an article that is well worth the read, called “What To Expect During The Next Stage Of Collapse”, the author lists several possible things that could happen as a result of us attacking Syria.

Even though I am a blogger for a preparedness/survival site, I don’t consider myself a doom and gloomer. That said, this has me concerned more than anything in the last few years.

Time to pray folks! Time to take some of the actions in the article “What To Expect During The Next Stage Of Collapse”.

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PreparednessClubOne

Filed Under: Signs of the Times

Syria, Israel and a Critical Incident Exercise

August 28, 2013 by

Todays post was written by fellow Prepared Christian GhillieMan.

You’re in your home or office and suddenly you hear a very loud explosion. An eyewitness says “Even like three blocks away, it was loud,” he said. “I mean, it just about took you to your knees.”

Then you look out of your window and see a cloud coming downwind at you. Not just a smoky cloud—but a black or discolored cloud that your discernment through The Holy Spirit tells you of eminent danger, death and destruction.

WHAT DO YOU DO?

Make your choices:

1.    Freak Out. (WRONG ANSWER!)

2.    Run outside toward the explosion and smoke because you “just gotta see it and take a photo for my FaceBook page.” (This is what I call “Post and Die Syndrome”) (WRONG ANSWER!)

3.    Put on you CBRN (NBC) Gas Mask and filter while gathering your family to put theirs on and staying indoors.

4.    Shelter-In-Place (SIP): Turn OFF your outdoor HVAC, then use your stored duct tape (or 3M Scotch Blue Painters tape) to tape your thick, contractor grade plastic sheeting from the inside over doors, windows and any porous home opening.

5.    Plug in (or use your inverter on backup batteries) your HEPA air filtration system that you prepared for your SIP (filters outside air so you will not smother inside).

6.    Turn on the radio or TV (if still on the air) for more information.

7.    Place your Go-Bags inside near the exit in the event you determine an imminent grave danger in staying in your SIP and you and family must Bug-Out.

THEN, you hear the following on TV or radio:

“A spokesman for the cargo company said sodium chlorate, classified by the US transportation department as hazardous material, was on the train.  But our County Fire Chief says sodium chlorate was not in any of the train cars that set on fire.”

 

WHAT DO YOU DO?

1.    Believe the local Fire Chief and risk your life and the lives of those whom God placed in you stewardship by taking off your gas masks and dismantle your SIP?  Suppose the news media reported it wrong, or the Fire Chief says, “Oops!  I made a mistake. The deadly toxin IS airborne!”

2.    Or do you keep your gas masks on and remain in your SIP until the danger clears?

The event described above is true.  A Baltimore County train critical incident occurred less than 2 hours away from my home, and closer for those who work in Baltimore and Washington, D.C.  A similar or worse critical incident could happen, Heaven forbid, nearly anywhere and at any time in our country. This includes those of us who live downwind of nuclear power plants and classified Federal facilities doing bio-chemical research. 

 

NOW, WHAT WILL YOU DO?

1.     Know the Prevailing Winds for your home and work location. Major, seasonal prevailing wind maps can be obtained off the internet.  Daily prevailing winds forecast apps are available for Android and Apple devices.  These can be updated daily for current wind and weather conditions and forecasted up to a week in advance. Focus on obtaining the type of app which, in case the internet or electricity is down, will still read cached (device stored) memory of current and forecasted wind patterns on your battery operated device. GET THE APPS.

2.    Obtain clear, thick (at least 6ML thick) plastic sheeting and pre-cut it to fit your SIP location windows, doors, etc.  Have plenty of blue painters tape for the sheeting, AND plenty of duct tape for a more durable and longer lasting seal.  Cut the sheeting larger than the opening you are covering.  Tape the corners of the plastic sheeting FIRST, then the remainder sides, top bottom. Amazon has a good product online here, or search “Covalence Plastics 6ML CLR 20×100 Tyco Polyethylene Plastic Sheeting.”

3.    Obtain CBRN rated (or at least NBC rated) gas masks and CBRN rated filters for you and your family. Try to get the models that allow you to drink water and fluids without having to take the gas mask off.  Remember to have one either hidden in your office or carry it with you daily in your back pack. Adult gas mask DO NOT fit small children.  If you place an adult gas mask on a small child you may be giving that child a death sentence!  You must get a YOUTH gas mask, such as here.  An example of an adult model is here. Examples of NBC rated gas mask filters which will fit the aforementioned gas mask is here. IT IS IMPORTANT TO READ THE CUSTOMERS’ REVIEWS OF THE PRODUCTS SO YOU WILL OBTAIN ADDITIONAL TIPS.

4.    Obtain at least one HEPA air filtration system which you can install yourself by getting a few components from Lowes.  Read the customer’s detailed review of a superb product here.  IT IS IMPORTANT TO READ THE CUSTOMERS’ REVIEWS OF THE PRODUCTS SO YOU WILL OBTAIN ADDITIONAL TIPS.

 

Prepare For The Inevitable

It appears that United States is about to enter another country’s war in the Middle East.  This time our country is getting involved in a civil war in Syria that is of no Imminent Threat to the United States.  Our nation will be aiding and abetting Muslim Islamists who are dead set in slaughtering Christians, destroying America, and murdering anyone else is who not like them.  Regardless of your politics on this issue, we have a lot to learn from the Israelis who are distributing gas mask and atropine to its citizens. But do not expect our Federal government to do the same for us—even when many of us have discerned that it is NOT IF, but WHEN God will allow a major critical incident to occur within our borders because of how our nation as a corporate entity has systemically moved away from God and institutionally replaced “One Nation Under God” with One Nation Under Abomination.  This is the same sin which God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.

I have used and trained with several types of gas masks, including Scott and other brands in performing TS, SCI and “Q” related duties for our nation. Thank goodness for the Israelis! Why? For one reason, do you know of any U.S.-made gas mask that is as economical and available for any member of the U.S. public? I’m talking about “gas masks” and not “escape hoods” which the latter is a joke compared to gas masks. You may ask, “Well, what would they think about me at work if I brought in a full gas mask?” Pardon me, but if you’re dumb enough to tell them, then you can probably expect a negative reaction. Or worse, when you reach into your locked work cabinet to get it, you’ll notice it missing and see one of your coworkers wearing it while she is evacuating from the building. So store it and the sealed filter in bag and keep your mouth shut!

In the Israeli line of gas masks that is available to the general public, the Military model is far superior than the “civilian version” (the immediate visual distinction is that the civilian version has round eyepieces, while the military version has triangle-shaped eyepieces, plus a fluid intake apparatus built onto the mask.) Neither product is immediately compatible with the operator wearing eyeglasses under the mask (contact lenses are okay), as opposed to other brands (Scott) which have an attachment for Rx lenses under the mask.

One main caution: the filters that come with the Israeli masks are generally okay for low-scale toxins, but if you want a filter that will cover you for a full scope (or near full scope) of biological and chemical agents you should get some for that specific purpose. They are available (at a higher cost) over the internet. Consider chemical suits and protective clothing too. Keep the filters sealed and in airtight containers so they will last you for years. Use the NATO filters that came with your Israeli masks for training purposes for you, your family, your loved ones, and those whom you have stewardship over. Think of ideal ways to make practice fun, especially with children and the elderly!

Remember that if a time comes (a critical incident) that you DO need the higher end bio-chem-radiological filters, you probably will not be able to obtain any at least for the immediate future.

 

Blessings and Stay Safe.

…GhillieMan

Filed Under: General Preparedness, Signs of the Times

Flu and Pandemic Preps to Buy Now

August 26, 2013 by

We’re turning the corner on summer with fall and winter not far off. The colder seasons bring with them a host of illnesses, including the flu. I have covered “How a True Pandemic May Look” previously. In it, I point out that the H1N1 pandemic wasn’t a true pandemic. The WHO lowered the mortality and morbidity rate. If we see a pandemic the likes of the 1918 pandemic, it will spread farther and faster and, in my opinion, have more of an impact on our society than the earlier pandemics have.

For this reason, I highly recommend that you consider purchasing the items I will list below. They may not keep you and your loved ones from becoming infected but they will offer a lot more protection.
 
 

Flu and Pandemic Preps to Buy Now

Hibiclens

I had an MRSA scare a few years ago. I saw an Infectious Disease Specialist, who introduced me to Hibiclens. Hibiclens can be used for hand washing, surgical site prep, skin wound, general cleanser and surgical scrubbing.

You can read more about it on the clinical information page. Part of the information you will find there is the following:

“Hibiclens kills germs on contact and continues to lower skin microbial counts with repeated use. Its 4.0% chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) bonds with the skin to create a germ-killing field that keeps killing long after washing/scrubbing.”

In fact later in the clinical information we’re told:

“Hibiclens (4.0% CHG) is the most effective antimicrobial wash providing the longest protection – up to six hours per use1 – that is not neutralized by blood or other organic material.2”

I believe we purchased ours from Amazon but you might be able to find it cheaper elsewhere. There are several sizes but, in my way of thinking, if there is a pandemic, the chances of me being able to order another bottle quickly isn’t high, so I might as well buy a gallon.

I like Hibiclens over any of the hand sanitizers for a few reasons. First, Hibiclens is more than just a hand cleaner. Second, it doesn’t just kill things on contact. It protects for up to six hours after use. Hibiclens is also used to treat MRSA, so it may well be useful against whatever nastiness we see in the future.
 
 
Surgical N-95 NIOSH-certified mask

I covered this mask pretty thoroughly in “The N95 Face Mask”. Not all n95 masks are created equal. The kind you find at the home improvement stores are most likely not Surgical N-95 NIOSH-certified masks. Will they work as well? I honestly don’t know, but if OSHA is suggesting that the people who will be in direct contact with the illness wear the Surgical N-95 NIOSH-certified mask, then I tend to think there is a difference.

As I mention in the article, the N95 masks aren’t really tested against a pandemic because we haven’t had a true pandemic since before the masks were created. While it might not help, it’s not going to hurt. You could give it to the ill to keep their sputum from flying when they cough or sneeze, as well as have the healthy wear them as a precaution.
 
 
Latex Free Gloves

One of the major ways viruses are transmuted is through touching something infected and then touching our faces. These gloves are cheap enough that I can’t see a reason not to have them as a preparation. I would recommend using them in conjunction with Hibiclens to reduce your risk even further.

Some people might want to take things a step further and buy more personal protective equipment (PPE), such as disposable gowns and the like and I can’t see any problems with that.

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PreparednessClubOne

Filed Under: Medical and First Aid Tagged With:

Prepepping with a chronic illness : Tips to help you cope and prepare

August 23, 2013 by

This article was written by Red C.J. and originally posted here, on The Survivalist Blog.net I am reposting it with permission from M.D. Creekmore.

 

My prepping challenge is preparing with post-disaster chronic illness or chronic pain, and this is for the many others with chronic illness(es) or their loved ones. My situation is far from unique, as one-third to one-half of Americans live with chronic illness or chronic pain. Millions of us live with high blood pressure, Alzheimer’s or dementia, heart disease, depression, arthritis, osteoporosis, pulmonary disease such as COPD, diabetes, cancer or stroke. So how can we prepare to survive in a post-disaster world?

First, a bio: At age 36, I started seeing chiropractors regularly for spinal problems. At age 40, a rheumatologist diagnosed me with fibromyalgia, and daily pain medicines began a year later. My pain gradually affected almost every aspect of my life. After living with daily pain for 5-8 years, it became like my shadow; I could not escape it.

In a grid-down situation, I fear that I would not be able to be productive and perhaps be seen as a liability for my family and community. In a post-disaster setting, without the support of the medical system, my productivity would be very limited. Will there be a place or role in a post-disaster world for a person who is disabled, or unable to function physically or mentally? The fictional stories I’ve read describe local social settings in which everyone can work and contribute, even the elderly. What would happen to those who could not work or contribute only minimally?

I read about others preparing to bug out by carrying a 50 lb. backpack and shudder, as that’s physically impossible for me, given my degenerative spinal problems. Thus I’ll be hunkering down with family at home, rather than suffering on the road. Your decision to bug out or stay home depends on your situation.

I learned to be ACTIVE in maintaining my health. I exercise 5-6 days per week, because exercise releases endorphins that are natural pain relievers, and because exercise improves my sleep level. Exercise is recommended for some kinds of chronic pain. I watch my diet and have lost over 15 lbs. this year. I read about my chronic conditions, and change my lifestyle when appropriate. Become as active as possible to maintain or improve your health.

My regular treatments include electronic stimulation, chiropractic adjustments, and massage therapy. In a post-disaster situation, I hope to trade or barter for massages and chiropractic treatments, but realize that electronic stimulation may not be available at my chiropractor’s office where I receive it. Planning to barter means stocking things that others will need in a post-disaster scene.

 

Medical preparations I’ve made:

Having been taking daily meds for years, I learned to get refills early, to prevent any days without meds. So I’d order my prescription refills 2-3 days early, before it expired. Gradually, I discovered I could get refills 4-5 days earlier. Doing this every month for about 7-8 months would result in an extra month’s worth of pills. Than another 7-8 months resulted in a 2nd extra bottle. I have a 3rd bottle of a few meds I’ve been on for years. I did not feel a need to tell my doctor or pharmacist. This method of collecting extra prescription meds has worked well with our health insurance from a major insurance company. It does, of course, require extra copays, and attention paid to securely storing them at room temperature.

This method is limited to long-term meds. A word of caution: If your doctor has reason to suspect you of drug abuse or meds shopping, then this strategy will fail. My wife is the only one who knows of my extra meds, because I don’t want our home to become a target for meds theft. Only my current meds would be seen in our bedroom; the extras are hidden in a secure place.

We have a supply of low-cost Over-the-counter (OTC) stuff like Capzasin, Stopain, Salonpas pads, 024 Pain Neutralizer (see www.024zone.com) and Epsom salt for my chronic pain.

Dry mouth is a common problem for us who take meds. Our food stocks include a supply of cough drops, hard candy butterscotches for the dry mouth caused by my pain meds. Oralbalance Biotene (www.biotene.com) and OraHealth XyliMelts (www.OraHealth.com) are OTC products for dry mouth.

Electronic stimulation and electronic therapy are proven to reduce fibromyalgia pain and stiffness, as well as other muscular pain or tension. I have extra 9-volt batteries for my electronic alpha-stim unit (see www.alpha-stim-com), plus rechargeable batteries and 2 small solar rechargers.

I purchased a Duracell Powerpack 600 for my cpap, to use when the electrical grid fails; testing it showed that it provided electric power for one and a half nights for just my cpap.

 

Future medical preps:

-Get a solar unit to recharge my Duracell Powerpack 600 for my cpap. We’re live in an area that gets lots of sunshine. Beyond that, an extra power pack & solar unit to recharge would provide enough power to run my cpap for 3 nights.

-Growing herbs for my health conditions is a possibility I need to research more. In my experience, herbs are not enough for my pain level, but they may be better than nothing after my meds run out.

Despite all these medical preparations, I realize that my life will be much harder if a disaster results in long-term loss of electricity and the medical system, given my physical limits and dependence on the U.S. medical system

I may never need to use my medical preps. But if and when needed, my medical preps are there to cushion the hardships of a post-disaster, grid-down situation. If you or your loved one lives with chronic pain or chronic illness, I sincerely hope a few of these ideas will help your medical preparations.

Since the specific medical problems you or your loved one faces may be different from mine, customize your prepping for your specific illness(es). May God bless and may His Spirit guide you.

 

Filed Under: Medical and First Aid

The Pantry Primer: Building Your Pantry on a Budget with Home Canning

August 21, 2013 by

This article was written by Daisy Luther the Organic Prepper and was originally posted here.

home canning

One of the best ways to build your healthy stockpile is to preserve local organic foods when they are in season.  My favorite way to do this is canning.

When you can your own food, you can make delicious entrees and side dishes that can be served as quickly as you can boil water – and the best part of all is that you know exactly what is in those shiny jars. (See The Canning Manifesto to read more about why I choose to can so many foods!)

Making home-canned foods can be a great way to cost-effectively build your pantry for several reasons:

  • You can buy in bulk
  • You can take advantage of good sales, like “last day” sales
  • You can buy what is in season at better prices than when it is out of season
  • You can put together “quick meals” far less expensively than buying processed foods by doing a big batch of home cooking to be reheated and eaten at a later date
  • You don’t risk losing your stockpile to the vagaries of the power grid like you would by using your freezer

When my daughter eats a biscuit with jam, I know that it only contains organic peaches and sugar. There are no GMOs lurking, no High Fructose Corn Syrup, and no artificial colors and flavors.

Lots of meals for very little money

You can get a lot of bang for your buck by home canning. I recently canned some “meals in a jar” – check out what I spent:

$10 = 7 quart jars of spaghetti sauce with meatballs

$4 =  6 quart jars of Boston Baked Beans

If you were to purchase those items in grocery store cans you’d be spending far more money for far less quality.

This week I have been concentrating on building my pantry with home-canned goods.  I’ve made:

I made all of the above for about $35 not including snap lids and spices, which only add nominally to the cost.

Here are some ways to save money by canning

garden exchange

  1. Don’t decide ahead of time what you are going to can.  It’s okay to have a general idea, but if you have specific recipes that require specific ingredients beyond your pantry basics, you may end up spending a lot of money. For example, yesterday I went to a garden exchange and swapped some money and some home-canned goodies for other people’s surplus produce.  When I got the items home, I took a look at my bounty and decided what to make based on that.  Had I gone to the store or market specifically looking for certain things, I would have spent far more.
  2. Always fill your canner.  If you only have enough ingredients for 5 jars of whatever your making, but your canner holds 7 jars, fill the other two jars with beans.  You’re using the same amount of electricity or gas whether the canner is full or not.
  3. Buy as much as you can when things are inexpensive.  Today I’m heading to a local orchard that has a huge sale on just-picked pears.  They’re selling boxes of pears (about half bushel sized boxes) for $9 – and it gets better – they’re buy one, get one free!  So this means we have some delicious local fresh fruit and enough left over to fill many jars.
  4. Cook in bulk and can your leftovers.  The holidays can supply an enormous amount of ingredients for your home canning endeavors.  Also, as the weather cools off, make double batches of chili, soups, and stews and put the leftovers into jars for later use.
  5. Learn to can with what you have on hand.  Going along with tip #1, be flexible and learn to adapt the ingredients you have on hand in canning.  Here are some instructions on how to can your own recipes and how to make jam from whatever fruit you have in abundance.

canning

Here are some helpful links:

Go HERE to find tons and tons of my canning recipes and how-tos.

Go HERE to learn about water bath canning.

Go HERE to learn about pressure canning (a necessity if you are canning anything besides fruits, salsa, pickles, and jam).

Go HERE to learn how to sanitize your jars.

Go HERE to learn how to adjust for the altitude where you live.

Also, check out these great websites for more canning ideas:

Ready Nutrition

Simply Canning

Prepared Housewives

Food Storage and Survival

The Survival Mom

Pick Your Own

If you have any questions about canning, please don’t hesitate to ask – canning one of my favorite things to do and I could talk about it endlessly!

canned food

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PreparednessClubOne

Filed Under: Food Tagged With:

If You’re in a Fair Fight, Your Tactics Suck

August 19, 2013 by

Dirty fighter

What I mean by “If you’re in a fair fight, your tactics suck” is that if you’re attacked, there is no such thing as a fair fight. You should do what you need to do to ensure you walk away, even if that means “fighting dirty”.

A disclaimer of sorts: Violence should only be used to stop violence directed at you or a loved one. Once someone puts their hands on you or a loved one, they have given you consent to defend yourself and/or the ones you love.

If I am forced to use violence, the goal is to end the threat and get away to safety. The goal is not to beat the attacker to a pulp, though that might be needed to get away. Some of the things I will explain are not going to neutralize an attacker by themselves. Some may just “short circuit” them for a short time. When the attacker is short circuited, you can either use that brief pause to use another attack or to get away.

I often carry a firearm for self-defense but there are times when I can’t. There are also situations, such as being within arm’s reach, which might not permit drawing a firearm, making hand-to-hand necessary.

None of the techniques I am explaining need any training to learn, though training will help you and the techniques be much more effective. Many of them will work for people of smaller stature against larger attackers.
 
 
Eye gouge/eye flick

I have seen this tactic mentioned several times over the years and it is often explained as pushing your thumbs deep into the eye sockets of the attacker. There is a problem with this explanation however; doing so is repellent to human behavior. In his book “On Killing,” Lt. Col. Dave Grossman explains the following:

“The single most effective mechanically easiest way to inflict significant damage on a human being with one’s hand, is to punch the thumb through his eye and on into the brain.”

He goes on to explain that even though this attack would be extremely effective, it goes against human nature. He also says that during the filming of a movie that was rated X because of it’s violent content, an actress who was to portray stabbing a man in the eye with a rat tail comb, passed out twice during filming.

“This is a professional actress, she can portray killing, lying and sex on the screen with relative ease, but even the pretense of stabbing someone in the eye seems to have touched a resistance so powerful and deep seeded that her body and emotions, the tools of the professional actress literally refuse to cooperate. In fact I cannot find any references of anyone in the history of human combat ever having used this simple technique.”

As we can see, a gouge is not something many people can do. Because of that, here is a different method of attacking the eyes: keep your fingers limp and flick your wrist, aiming your fingers at the attacker’s eyes. This will short circuit them and cause the eyes to water, enabling you to assess and flee or attack again, if needed.
 
 

Box the Ears

Boxing of the ears can be very painful and can inflict severe damage to the ear drums. To box the ears simply slap the ears with your palms. This is another means of short circuiting the attacker, enabling you to assess and flee or attack again, if needed.
 
 

Crush the Windpipe

To crush the windpipe, keep your four fingers together and fully extend the thumb making a V with your hand. Aim at the attacker’s throat, trying to have the thumb and fingers on opposite sides of the throat. Depending on the force, this attack can be a short circuit, causing the attacker to gasp for air. It can also be fatal.
 
 

Punching or Smashing the Nose

Punching or smashing the nose can cause blood loss and the eyes to tear. Sometimes, seeing their own blood takes the fight out of the attacker. Also, if their eyes are watering, you can either take advantage and attack again or flee. I say “smash” because, due to body position, sometimes you can’t truly punch but you may be able to smash their nose with the palm of your hand.
 
 
Groin Attacks

I think everyone knows a groin attack on a man can shut down a fight quickly, but it can be very painful to a woman as well. When attacking the groin, you don’t have to aim directly for it. If you attack the high leg, momentum will bring the attack to the groin.
 
 

Brachial Plexus

The brachial plexus is a bundle of nerves running from the spine and through the neck. This is another short circuit, with the potential to be a finisher. While doing gun disarms with a partner a while back, I hit him with roughly 50% strength. This was enough force to cause him to drop the blue gun, even though that wasn’t the portion of the move that was to strip the gun. I have a friend who has done training in the past where a blow to the brachial plexus caused someone to lose consciousness. To initiate this move, simply strike the crook of the neck by punching or chopping. Chopping works really well for shorter people who might not be able to punch effectively on a taller person.
 
 
Head Butt

I am not talking about the traditional WWF head butt. This head butt is accomplished by facing the attacker, grabbing their head with both hands and squatting, slamming their face on the top of your head. This obviously isn’t an attack you would start with. Since your hands are already on their head, this is an excellent move after boxing their ears.
 
 

Elbow and Knee Strikes

Many of the attacks listed above are great ways to short circuit an attacker but many are just that, only short circuits. A fantastic closer is an elbow or knee strike. When striking with the elbow, do so with an open hand. This causes you to strike with the bare ulnar bone. If you do an elbow strike with a closed fist, the ulnar bone is covered with muscle, which is softer than bone and causes less damage to your attacker. Strike with elbows instead of fists whenever possible. The bones in your hands are far less forgiving. A broken hand can take you out of the fight.
 
 

Closing thoughts

Since we only use force in self-defense, the rule of thumb is to keep attacking until either your attacker stops or you are able to get away. It could take multiple attacks for either of those to be a viable option. An engagement drill we practiced in Haganah chained many of the attacks listed above; it went something like this: The attacker comes at you. You kick them in the thigh, aiming for a nerve in the thigh. This is followed by a punch to the brachial plexus, boxing their ears, head butting, lifting their head and delivering an elbow strike to the brachial plexus. We would then put them in a type of hold, deliver three knees to the legs, swing them to the ground and feign breaking their ankle.

That is one example of chaining attacks, but doing an eye flick, punch to the noes and an elbow to the jaw might work just fine. Do not stop fighting until they give up or you have an opportunity to retreat.

 
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Filed Under: Security Tagged With:

Lock Picking is a Prepper Skill Worth Learning

August 16, 2013 by

lockpicking

Lock picking is a skill that I think is worth taking the time to learn. You might be wondering why this is a skill worth learning . If you lose a key for a lock you can call a locksmith now, but if the stuff hits the fan, you might not have that option. If the stuff does hit the fan, this is also a skill you could use to help others.

Before I go further let me be clear, I am not suggesting that you do anything illegal. You should check your local laws to be sure you can legally own lock picks. You can do so here.

That being said, lock picking is a lot easier than one might think. By doing a quick internet search and reading a PDF, I was able to pick a padlock in a few attempts. There are two basic functions to understand; applying tension with a tension wrench and picking the pins. When using a pick, one needs to manipulate the pins individually. By using a rake, you just slide it over all pins while applying pressure until the lock opens.

As I mentioned, I did an internet search and found several documents on how to open locks, but there are several books available from Paladin Press for those who would like a hard copy to have on hand.

When it comes to picks, I recommend a basic set. I wasn’t able to find a link to the set I originally purchased but the sets from Amazon are similar. There are cheaper lock pick sets available, but this lock pick set is worth the extra cash. It has a variety of picks, rakes and three tension wrenches. The tension wrench that has a twist in it will really come in handy, as the twist makes it much more comfortable to manipulate.

With a little practice you can open padlocks, door locks, deadbolts, fire proof safes and several others. With a decent set of picks and some time spent practicing, you’ll never have to call a locksmith again!

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PreparednessClubOne

Filed Under: General Preparedness

More People Seeking Depression Era and WWII Wartime Survival Tips

August 14, 2013 by

This article was written by Rob Richardson and originally published here on Offgrid Survival.

 

great depression line of people for free food

There is a new trend that’s sweeping the internet. Depression era cooking and budgeting books are making a comeback.

You know things are bad when people start turning to so called “Starvation Recipes” to sustain themselves and their families.

Historian and high school teacher Eleni Nikolaidou’s new book “Starvation Recipes” was just released in Greece and is attracting attention throughout Europe. The book is a collection of tips and recipes that people used to survive the World War II occupation.

 

 

family starving during the great depression

The success of these types of book should be a huge wake up call for Americans. When people start to seek out books that teach them how to collect crumbs or cheat their stomachs into believing they are full, there’s something seriously wrong.

It’s time to wake up and start prepping before it’s to late. Do you really want to scrape for crumbs, or do you want to thrive when everyone else is trying to survive?

 
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Filed Under: General Preparedness

Joint Preparedness Blogger Giveaway

August 13, 2013 by

Today I want to let you all know about an awesome giveaway! PreparedChristian has joined with 14 other great preparedness bloggers to give you a chance at winning a Bosch Mixer or L’Quip Wheat Grinder.

You can earn multiple entries by liking the facebook pages, following on twitter or on Pinterest. See below for links to the pages!

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Filed Under: General Preparedness
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