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Some of the things I am thankful for

November 22, 2012 by

Today is Thanksgiving, the day set aside to give thanks for the bounty that God has given us.  I thought I would share some of the things I am thankful for.

I’m thankful for a loving and supportive wife, someone who understands me better than anyone else.  I’m thankful for family and friends who love me.

I’m grateful that God prompted me to create this website, and for all of you for visiting, you are the reason for writing each week.  Thank you!

I’m thankful for the calm before the storm, for a chance to better prepare and to have more time to reach others.

I’m grateful for the thorns in my side, so I can be more appreciative of the days without them.

I’m also grateful for being born in this great nation and having so many opportunities.    I’m grateful that even though our leaders in Washington are out of touch with the wishes of the people, we serve a sovereign God who is in control.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone, what are you thankful for?

 

Filed Under: About

Guest Post: Neighboring Matters: Preparing For Unknown Unknowns

November 21, 2012 by

Today we are blessed by an excellent article written by Todd Walker, the Survival Sherpa, he has allowed me to post it here to help fill in some gaps while I go through the process of moving. Todd is the Owner/Editor of Survival Sherpa, please bless him by heading to his site and soaking up some of the great information he has on it, you can read the original article here.

 

Neighboring Matters: Preparing For Unknown Unknowns

Can we prepare for all the unknown unknowns?

 

No matter how meticulous you might be at creating your list of lists, how much stuff you’ve squirreled away, or how sharply you’ve honed your survival skills, you can’t prepare for the unknown unknowns. That’s why neighboring matters.

If you get 10 survivalists in a room, you’ll get eleven different opinions on how to build community. In this installment of my Individual Preparedness Plan series, we’ll discuss what should be on top of every person’s preparedness priority list: Neighboring.

In the wake of Sandy’s unwelcome and devastating visit, I’ve noticed a pungent theme of superiority in tweets and posts from some (thankfully not all) “preppers”: “When will sheeple learn” and “We don’t look so crazy now, do we.” Way to go. Pat yourself on the back. This kind of attitude only reinforces the many negative stereotype of preppers being lunatics with a gun and superiority complex.

Please don’t take this as a bash session on fellow preppers. I’m just wondering what our motives are for prepping. We’re all in it for ourselves to some degree. Individualism. Self-reliance. Independence. Preparedness. Back-to-basics. Sustainability. These are all noble pursuits. What about those closest to us – geographically, not on social media sites? That nameless neighbor I wave to when checking my mail. He’s only two doors down. The older couple that I politely say hello to as they walk past while I’m running the neighborhood streets. I don’t know their names or situations.

I often wonder how these nameless folks would respond to a natural disaster or extended SHTF scenario. What makes my middle class neighborhood different from those affected by Hurricane Sandy? Not a thing. Human nature is the same in New Jersey as it is here or in Timbuktu. We all need food, water, shelter, and neighbors… unless you live in an isolate cabin or cave in the hinter-boonies with wild animals as companionship. Then disregard this. For everyone else, your friends in the neighborhood could be your most valuable prep.

Got milk? No. Borrow it from your neighbor across the street. Uh, folks just don’t do that anymore. How about when a tornado rips through your town? Or an ice storm cripples the grid power? In these events, you’re forced to meet your neighbors. Most times, previously unknown faces show up from down the street with a chainsaw to plow through your fallen tree-lined driveway. It’s what humans do. We’re social animals. Too often we assume the worst about human nature while stocking the wood heater in our bunkers or sitting in our machine gun nests. Discounting and overlooking real relationships with tangible people living close to us will hamstring even those most prepared.

Many hands make light work. I don’t know who gets credit for that wise saying, but it’s true. Friends that you can trust, and can trust you, is more valuable than all the stuff we’re told to pack in our bug out bags, pantries, and gun vaults. Trusted friends are anchors of preparedness. Neighbors can be our wildcard.

Isolation is intentional. So is neighboring. It takes effort. Which means more than pressing the “Like”, “Follow”, or “Friend” button for virtual friends thousands of miles from our computer. It’s not likely that they’ll be available to pull your broken body from the rubble that use to be you home. They know you as an avatar on their screen. Face to face friends are outside your house. They live next door and down the street.

Our best hope of surviving catastrophe on a personal, local level is friends and neighbors. Daniel Aldrich, a political scientist living in New Orleans just before Hurricane Katrina hit, tells his story and study of response to natural disasters.

He had just moved to New Orleans. Late one August night, there was a knock on the door.

“It was a neighbor who knew that we had no idea of the realities of the Gulf Coast life,” said Aldrich, who is now a political scientist at Purdue University in Indiana. He “knocked on our door very late at night, around midnight on Saturday night, and said, ‘Look, you’ve got small kids — you should really leave.’ “

The knock on the door was to prove prophetic. It changed the course of Aldrich’s research and, in turn, is changing the way many experts now think about disaster preparedness.

Officials in New Orleans that Saturday night had not yet ordered an evacuation, but Aldrich trusted the neighbor who knocked on his door. He bundled his family into a car and drove to Houston.

“Without that information we never would’ve left,” Aldrich said. I think we would’ve been trapped.”

“Really, at the end of the day, the people who will save you, and the people who will help you,” he added, “they’re usually neighbors.”

 

Force multiplier

Family, friends, and neighbors help rebuild and restore order better than large organizations, government or otherwise. The more value-adding neighbors you have, (and not all will be “preppers”) the more hands, legs, minds, and overall resources become available. I sold my pickup truck this year to cover shortages in our family income when Dirt Road Girl could no longer work due to cancer. One of my neighbors gave a standing offer for me to use his spare truck for any hauling duty that might come up. He and his wife have been so supportive to our family in our personal SHTF scenario. From meals, prayers, dog sitting, and just plain old neighborly stuff, they’re not just neighbors, they’re friends now.

 

How many friends are enough?

Jesus had an intimate social circle of twelve friends and 3 closer than the rest. This number of face-to-face, close friends is about all mere humans can really manage. Any higher and we begin to spread ourselves thin. Keep in mind that this group is your real, trusted friends. See Dunbar’s Number for more thoughts on manageable social group sizing. Dunbar theorizes that 150 is the mean group size for people. Of course, physical proximity to each other would either raise or lower that number. A lot of social grooming is required for this size group to stay intact. I can only count on one hand the number of intimate friendships I have. I think that’s healthy. From there my circle expands to close friends, friends, and acquaintances.

 

OpSec. What about it?

We live in a global age. I’m shocked, and very thankful, to see people read this blog from countries around the world. Information is at the touch of a finger. Friends, however, are local. What about OpSec (operational security)? I don’t divulge the full scope of my preparedness plans with every person on the street. That’s stupid. I do have a small group of trusted friends that would run to my aid in the event of an emergency. They know I’d do the same for them. We’ve been there, done that. This type of friend is one that knows you, likes you, loves you warts and all. Their not just fans cheering you on safely from the stadium seats. They’re on the playing field with us. They know our plans and are a part of our plans.

Building relationships with neighbors is mutually beneficial. The quality of life quotient increases. The neighborhood value rises. Not in monetary value necessarily, but in mutual survivability. Again, many hands make light work. No one person can prepare for the unknown unknowns.

Neighboring has opened doors by just waving. Last week DRG was fetching our trash can from the side of the road. One of our neighbors walked by and struck up a conversation. He brought up concerns about what might bring chaos to our quite little community. He and DRG talked about topics like personal defense, basic preparedness items, and safety in our neighborhood. Practical stuff, not political or conspiracy theory related.

 

Practical preparation through neighboring

Here are a few not-so-pushy ways to do this stuff. I guess you could canvas door to door. But you don’t want to come across as annoying.

  • Give. You’ve got carpentry, plumbing, electrical, or computer skills. Offer to help a neighbor. This opens a door for mutual and reciprocal giving.
  • Attend community meetings. Local farmers markets, festivals, concerts, school meetings are all attended by neighbors and friends.
  • Yard sales. If you’re into bargains, this old hat for you. Don’t miss this opportunity to connect with people. Plus you’ll likely find useful stuff for your preparations. Two weeks ago I scored a box of candles and mason jars from an older lady two streets down in our neighborhood. I let her know that I where I live when I introduced myself. The transaction went very smoothly and I made a new friend.
  • Baking/Smoking/Brewing. DRG makes killer sausage balls. She prepares a few plates every Christmas and delivers the trays to neighbors. I share smoked Boston butts with a few as well. My back door neighbor samples my home-brewed beer.
  • Ask for help – without being needy. That’s the only ice breaker needed to move from acquaintance to friend sometimes.
  • Be a connector. Refer people needing stuff to people with stuff or skills.
  • Trade garden produce. One year I had a bumper crop of tomatoes, while my next door neighbor produced more peppers than he could eat or cared to store. We traded through out the summer.
  • Barter network. If there’s a local barter network already established in your town, get involved and add value.
  • Clubs of interest. Hunting, fishing, golf, knitting, or canning. Ask a neighbor to go learn a new skill together.

Hopefully these tips will motivate us to get out of the house, network, and meet folks. Have you met your neighbor? Maybe your he/she knows that unknown unknown.

Doing the stuff,

Todd

Filed Under: General Preparedness, Mind Set Tagged With:

Protecting Yourself and Your Property After a Disaster

November 19, 2012 by

Scenario:  Jerusalem has been devastated by war and is in ruins.  It’s walls have been broken down and it’s gates burned by fire.  Nehemiah, King Artaxerxes’ cup bearer, has received permission from the king to go to Jerusalem and rebuild it.  Their enemies have plotted to catch them unaware, kill them and stop their work.  Nehemiah has discovered this and decides:

Neh 4:16 From that day on, half of my men did the work, while the other half were equipped with spears, shields, bows and armor. The officers posted themselves behind all the people of Judah 4:17 who were building the wall. Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other, 4:18 and each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked. But the man who sounded the trumpet stayed with me. 4:19 Then I said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, “The work is extensive and spread out, and we are widely separated from each other along the wall. 4:20 Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, join us there. Our God will fight for us!” 4:21 So we continued the work with half the men holding spears, from the first light of dawn till the stars came out. 4:22 At that time I also said to the people, “Have every man and his helper stay inside Jerusalem at night, so they can serve us as guards by night and workmen by day.” 4:23 Neither I nor my brothers nor my men nor the guards with me took off our clothes; each had his weapon, even when he went for water.

In every medium to large scale natural disaster there are people who come to the area to loot.  There is a second group of people; “disaster tourists”.  These are people who want to go to the disaster area to see, in person, what they have seen on TV.  One of these is obviously a criminal but the other isn’t as nefarious, at least not on purpose.

 

Looters

These dirtbags pray on the misfortune of others during what might be the worst time in their life.  I have heard of people both sneaking around and stealing items that have been relocated by the event, as well as people dressing up, pretending to be representatives from utility companies.  I have also heard reports of items gone missing once a restoration company is hired, the home owner believing their contractor’s employees stole from them.

I think the default tactic most people go to is “I’ll guard my house, gun in hand”.  This may be an option in some circumstances, but it might not always be.  Imagine if there is massive destruction and, God forbid, your home is destroyed.   Your family is okay and has relocated to a nearby shelter on the night of the destruction.  You have nothing but the clothes on your backs.  When you attempt to go back to your home the next day, there is a police officer parked on the road leading into your neighborhood.  He will not let anyone enter without proof of residence.  Remember, I said you only have the clothes on your back?  This scenario is a very good reason to have a copy of the important documents stored away from your home.

Now let’s say there is a smaller amount of damage but still too much for you to feel comfortable letting your family stay there.  Would you put them up in a hotel room and guard the house alone?  Remember, after Hurricane Sandy, there were many people who didn’t have power for over a week.  While that might not be a stressor for some of you, do you want to put your family in a position not only be without power, but possibly face looters and other dirtbags?  Not to mention, whatever destruction is in the area, such as flooding, debris from destroyed homes and businesses, etc.

If the damage in your area is minimal and the biggest problem is lack of power, you might choose to stick it out and guard your home.  If so, the following are some things to keep in mind.  There is safety in numbers.  You might choose to form a group with other neighbors who have stayed behind, forming a neighborhood watch.  Have a 2-4 hour shift from sundown to sunup every night, rotating people so everyone gets enough rest.  If possible, I would want two; one stationery and one roving watch.  If there is trouble, the stationery watch would alert the others.  Having two-way communication would be a huge plus.  Another option for the roving watch is to carry an air horn, giving three blasts if they find trouble, everyone heading for the source of the noise.  I realize this gives away the element of surprise, but if it’s all you have, it is better than nothing.

I’m not a big fan of the “Looters will be shot” signs.  Why tip your hand?  It might also invite Joe Dirtbag to use overwhelming force.  Whereas, before, he might have just snuck around to see what he could steal, now he expects trouble.  He might just shoot you and take what he wants.  On a side note, this is also the reason I don’t open carry.

Nehemiah expected trouble from his enemies.  He also knew that with the limited resources he would need a citizen army, which meant each person would pull double duty as guard and laborer.  He told those who lived outside the gate to stay inside to help stand guard.  They slept in their clothes so they could act immediately.

If we had a modern day example, I think it could look something like this; each family is armed and prepared to defend their home and their neighborhood.  There is a neighborhood watch that had a stationery watch and, depending on the size of the neighborhood, either one or multiple roving watches.  You might think this is overkill, but Nehemiah’s enemies didn’t defeat him.  They could see they were ready for battle by the ever-present sword or spear, with plenty of people on the lookout.  This isn’t to say that everyone has to be armed.  The presence of people will often deter Mr. Dirtbag and company.

 

Disaster Tourists

As I said, these people aren’t nefarious on purpose, but they can be harmful unintentionally.   If you read the Fox News story on “disaster tourists”, you’ll see that the home owners said the gawker traffic was much higher earlier in the week.  If the roads are in bad shape, there might only be a few routes to use and they are congesting them.

One of the people interviewed for the Fox News article said she felt violated.  I can understand that, I wouldn’t like it very much if people wanted to come and “tour” one of the worst events in my life.

The disaster tourists also can be a means for Joe Dirtbag and friends to blend in to case the neighborhood for later looting.  This would be the reason that police are often posted near entrances and refuse entry to anyone who cannot prove residency.  If law enforcement is stretched too thin, you could always do this yourself.  Most folks will understand if you tell them only residents who can prove residency are allowed in.  Keep in mind that you have no legal ground to stop anyone who demands entry, even if they cannot prove where they live.  You could ask if they know someone in the neighborhood and find that person to vouch for them.  You could also have someone follow them to their “home”, to see if they do, in fact, live where they say they live.

Going back to Nehemiah, having people who take turns working on cleanup and standing guard/watch is a great idea here as well.  While the tourists might not mean you harm, keeping tabs on those not helping to “rebuild the wall” is still a good idea.

Do you have any other ways to protect oneself and property after an event, from looters and disaster tourists?

 

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Filed Under: General Preparedness, Security Tagged With: , ,

Personal Update

November 16, 2012 by

Instead of a preparedness related article, I thought I would give a personal update.  I shared a while ago that my wife and I were thinking of moving to a more rural property.  I want a place where my neighbors aren’t right on top of us, a place with no less than five acres (though more would be nice) so that I can grow more of our own food; a place that we can possibly raise chickens in the future.

My wife has been looking for quite some time on the MLS website.  We saw our first four places last night.  None of them were “the one”.  We don’t want to move again after this, so we’re being very picky.  We don’t want to settle.

The reason I am telling you this is because between projects to get our existing house ready to show, packing and looking for a new house, I might not be able to post as much.  This presents an opportunity for any of you who would like to submit an article.  My only stipulations are that it has to be family friendly and it has to have a solution.  By this I mean that I don’t want something that just says “this is bad, that is worse and the sky is falling”.  Add some steps we can take to mitigate the sky falling, or steps we can take to prepare our families.

With that I am going to wish you all a great weekend.

God Bless!

Chris

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Sign of Distress; Signaling For Help

November 14, 2012 by

Have you ever thought about what you might do if you were lost or stranded and needed help?  Here are some different ways you can let others know you are in distress and need help.  There are different ways and some will work better in certain situations.  Knowing multiple ways to signal for help is a good idea.

 

Upside down American Flag

This isn’t necessarily a sign of disrespect.  According to Section 8a of the United States Flag Code, which states;

“The flag should never be displayed with the union down, except as a signal of dire distress in instances of extreme danger to life or property.”

 

Three Shots Fired

Three shots fired in quick succession should draw immediate attention.  This is one well known to hunters, but one everyone should know.  You might be tempted to fire three shots, wait a few seconds and fire three more, but conserve your ammo.  You may need to fire three more later to help searchers get a fix on your position, or you might need it for protection.  Remember to fire into the ground, not into the air.  What goes up must come down.

 

Three Stones

Finding three stones placed one atop the other is unnatural and should be heeded as a call for help.  This would be one to use for marking your path, so rescuers can follow your track more easily.

 

Three Sticks in the Ground

Like three stones, finding three sticks near each other, all stuck in the ground and pointing straight up is unnatural and should be heeded as a call for help.  This would also be a good way to mark your trail.

 

Three Fires

At night when it’s too dark to see other signals, three fires close to each other will stand out and be viewed as a call for help.  To make them stand out more, place them in a triangle or other pattern.  This will stand out more than three in a straight line.

 

Three Debris Piles

If you don’t have a fire, you can make three piles of debris that are a contrast in color to your surroundings.  For example, if your boat capsizes and you make it to the sandy shore, you could write SOS in 3-5’ letters and 2” deep, filling the letters with leaves, rock or ash from a fire.

 

Signal Mirror

The reflection of a signal mirror can be seen much further than any of the other signals of distress.  To use it, make a V with two fingers, and hold your hand in front of you, placing the object of your signal between your fingertips.  Now flash the reflection at the object.  Doing so repeatedly in 3 quick signals will standout more than one constant.

 

Do you have any other ways to signal for help when you’re in distress?

 

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Filed Under: General Preparedness, Preparedness Tips Tagged With:

Interacting With Police While CCW

November 12, 2012 by

Thanks to Jim Moore for the idea on this article and for the transcription below.  First let me state the disclaimer; the laws on CCW vary from state to state, so this is not to be viewed as legal advice.  Use it as part of the information you gather to guide how you will respond if you are ever approached by a police officer while you are legally carrying a firearm.

Many of us have our CCW (Carry Concealed Weapon) permit (or whatever your state calls them) and many more might choose to in the future.  This topic is important because there have been citizens who were legally carrying who had encounters with police end very badly.  One example happened at a Costo in July 2010 that left the CCW carrying citizen dead.  I have read a few different takes on the encounter and I will just say that it could have and should have ended differently.

In the CCW class you were probably told what to do if you are ever approached by law enforcement while carrying your firearm.  Some of the instructors are better than others or, for some of us, it has been a few years since we have reviewed this information.  Think of this article as a refresher.  There are really only two times you’ll have to deal with law enforcement while carrying a firearm; when things are normal and your firearm has not been drawn from its holster, and after you have had to use it to defend yourself.

 

Normal Times

When you’re approached by law enforcement while carrying a firearm, there are two components that will determine how it will go; your demeanor and the officers’ demeanor.  You can determine your demeanor and how you respond to the officers.  Remember the reason you carry a handgun is for self-defense, not to make political statements.  Once police approach you, you should not get into a confrontation about your Second Amendment rights.  They know the law and it is their job to make sure you are legally carrying that firearm.  If you are following their directions, chances are you’ll be on your way soon.  Not following their instructions could land you in a jail cell or, worse, in a box.

Here are a couple great videos that offer some different approaches to interacting with law enforcement while you’re carrying.

This first video is of Massad Ayoob, one of the great firearms and self-defense instructors.  In it, he is explaining the correct way of telling law enforcement that you are licensed and carrying a firearm when you have been pulled over.  Much of this would transfer out of the vehicle to any time you encounter law enforcement while carrying.

 

 

Here is a video from The Best Defense, which airs on the Outdoor Channel.  In it there are three scenarios where someone with a CCW has their weapon spotted and how they deal with the civilians and with law enforcement.

Here is another video from The Best Defense on open carrying and interacting with law enforcement.

Again, remember the reason you are carrying in the first place is for self-defense, not to make political statements.  Remember the goal of law enforcement is to go home every night.  As long as you’re compliant and not putting your hand near your firearm, you will, most likely, be on your way in no time.

I have heard a few stories where a police officer who was not in favor of citizens having a CCW went too far, but those are far and few between.  If you run into one of them, you should still be compliant during the encounter and file a formal complaint afterward, just make sure to get his name discreetly.  Going home safely should be your goal as well and escalating into an argument, as I mentioned earlier, could end up with you in a jail cell or in a box.

 

Post Shooting Interaction with Law Enforcement

Praise God I have never had to use my firearm for self-defense.  I know enough about shooting aftermath to know it is a good idea to know what you will say now.  What you say and do after a shooting could land you in jail, even if you were fully justified in your actions.

Here is another video from open carrying, showing a bad, mediocre and good example of how to respond to law enforcement after a shooting.

Their final approach is pretty solid; being compliant and giving enough information to show you were the victim.

Here is another example given by Massad Ayoob.

Jim Moore (Thanks again Jim!) also transcribed the following, which aired on an episode of Personal Defense TV from the Sportsman’s Channel.  This text is the transcription from Massad Ayoob on that show.

“You’ll hear a lot of people tell you don’t tell anything to the police after you have used force in self defense” I can’t recommend going that far. Certainly in the immediate aftermath of the near death experience that led you to draw your weapon, you’re going to be under the influence of physio-psychological phenomena such as tunnel vision which will alter your ability to perceive distances and sizes, tachypsychia, the sense that things are going in a slow motion, that will make it almost impossible for you realistically estimate how long the encounter took. And for reasons like that you never want to go into detail at the scene. Professionals recommend 22 to 48 hours before that’s done.

At the same time I honestly think there are things that need to be established immediately at the scene. The criminal justice system was predicated on the assumption that whoever got hurt was the victim and whoever hurt them was the perpetrator. Well, you have just caused this guy to have a sudden and acute failure in the victim selection process and the perpetrator is laying on the ground in a puddle of blood doing a very convincing imitation of a victim, you’re standing there with a bloody knife or the smoking gun, you look a whole lot like the perpetrator and if don’t say anything you’re going to find yourself typecast. It’s critical that from the begging it be established who was the victim and who was the perpetrator.

And for many years now we’ve had good success with the five point check list.

First point; explain the active dynamic (what actually led to the shooting). The active dynamic is not ‘I shot him,’ the active dynamic is whatever caused you to shoot him, ‘this man attacked my spouse,’ ‘this man was dragging my child out the back of a blacked out van,’ explain the active dynamic.

Second; confirm the situation that you are the victim complainant and that thing laying on the ground looking like a victim is actually the perpetrator.

Third; offer to sign the complaint and I would offer simply those words ‘officer I offer to sign the complaint.’ It’s critical that you point any evidence you are aware of, evidence tends to disappear from crime scenes, it gets overlooked, it gets moved in the hub-bub of the emergency personnel who are responding, a spent shell casing that may have fallen here now actually accidentally gets lodged in someone’s boot and winds up dislodged over here and it changes the dimensions of the scene.

Fourth; point out the witnesses before they decide they don’t want to get involved and disappears and now with them disappears the testimony that would have proven your innocence.

Fifth and final point; I would personally answer any further questions at the scene with “officer, you’ll have my full cooperation after I’ve spoken with an attorney.

 

Final thoughts:

I hope and pray that none of us ever has to be in this situation, but please take some time to think about how you will respond to law enforcement in both of these situations.  During a training session with a retired SWAT instructor, he said that it is standard for an officer to be sequestered for 48 hours after a shooting.  They do not speak to anyone without their representative present.  If a law enforcement officer is involved in a shooting they have many things in their favor, things the average citizen does not.  Having a plan for what to say and possibly the name and number of a seasoned attorney who understands your states’ CCW laws might be a good idea.

There is also insurance coverage available from a few different providers.  I have only looked in to one, which was provided by USCCA.  I decided not to get it, as money is an issue but I might get it at some point.  They had a free trial membership that I signed up for.  They deliver a high quality magazine and have some other nice benefits.  I’m not making an endorsement, but thought some of you would be interested in getting more information.

 

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Filed Under: Security Tagged With:

Review of the Glock 19

November 9, 2012 by

Before I purchased my first firearm, I did a lot of research.  I went to a few gun stores and held them to make sure I liked the feel.  Doing these two things helped me narrow down the list of guns I was interested in.  I then found a range that rented guns and rented my top three choices.  I chose the Glock 19.  I thought I would share some of the reasons I bought a Glock.

 

Specifications

Caliber:                9mm
Barrel:                  4.02 inches
Overall length:    6.85 inches
Weight:                 20.99 ounces empty
Grip:                      polymer
Action:                  Glock Safe Action
Capacity:              15+1
Price:                     $599-$699

Trustworthiness and Reliability

As I mentioned, I did plenty of research before I decided on a Glock 19.  What I found was that Glock is the most commonly issued pistol in law enforcement (most law enforcement carry a .40 rather than the 9mm Glock 19).  I also found that the Glock 19 is used by Israeli special forces.  Glock, in general, and the Glock 19 specifically, is used by countless police and security organizations around the world.  These agencies have strict standards and put potential firearms through stress tests. Knowing this and knowing that they use Glock speaks volumes to me.  In the complete Book of Autopistols, August 2010 edition, the author called the Glock 19 the “Quintessential combat handgun”.  James Yeager, the CEO of Tactical Response, a firearm training company that provides tactical training worldwide, has a saying that goes something like; “All handguns should be Glocks, all Glocks should be 9mm and all 9mm should be Glock 19’s.”  I do understand that some of the above is due to personal preference, but that preference is developed from shooting hundreds of thousands of rounds.

 

Concealment

I carry concealed for a reason; I don’t want anyone to know I am carrying, especially Joe Dirtbag.  For this reason, I chose the compact Glock 19.   With the polymer GLOCK Sport Combat Holster you cannot easily tell I’m carrying.  Depending on what I am wearing you might be able to tell from behind me, but you would have to be looking for it.

 

Stopping Power

Some might say a 9mm doesn’t have enough stopping power.  If you are trained and can hit what your aiming at, and are using self-defense loads that dump their kinetic energy into the target so the round does maximum damage and stays in the target, then a 9mm has plenty of stopping power.

 

Maintenance

The Glock is, by far, the easiest handgun I have disassembled, cleaned and reassembled.  We own a Walther .22 handgun and, while it’s a decent gun to shoot, it requires a special tool to disassemble.  Once you learn how to take the Glock apart, you can do so in seconds.  Once apart cleaning and greasing it are also very easy.

 

My Take:

I really like this firearm.  I have put thousands of rounds down range and have not had a single failure.  My wife also has a Glock 19 and has only had one failure.  Liking them is one thing, but we and so many others trust them with our lives.  That might sound a little dramatic, but I mean it.  If I am ever in a situation where I need to use a firearm to defend myself, I will be glad that I have my Glock 19.

If you don’t like the feel of the polymer grip, you can fix that with a bicycle inner-tube placed over it.  I was shown this by a firearms instructor and have since done it to all my handguns as it really helps.

 

I happily give the Glock 19 four stars.

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Filed Under: Reviews, Security Tagged With: ,

Prepare!

November 7, 2012 by

Today’s article was written by a visitor named Gill Rapoza.  It was originally written to be emailed to a group of Christian friends, and he has given me permission to post it for all of you to read.

Thank you Gill!

 

Prepare!

By Gill Rapoza

Updated October 31st, 2012

I think this will become my own personal annual Prepare article.  I wrote the original a bit over a year ago.  I will update it yearly as needed.

A reoccurring theme in many of my commentaries for articles others write as well as in my own personal writings is that we would be wise to be prepared for whatever comes our way.  Perhaps it is because I am retired now that I have more time to read, study, and ponder.  Though I have recently began driving buses part time this month.  Perhaps it is, in part, because I have had some newer very good sources I did not read years earlier.  And also in part, I have had some marvelous exchanges with some of you that are members of this list.  And that would include some that I could call part time and indirect members.  There is just a wealth of information out there that many of you also hold.

This article is not so much a how to do things, but it is a how you should think and not go into shock when things happen.  And they will sooner or later, greater or smaller.  Being prepared gives you an advantage over most people.  It may help you keep your family and self out of harms way, or at least help you cope better if you end up there.  This article is only the basics to give you ideas.

I have concerns about where this country and possibly our Western civilization are going and have gone.  For the most part our morals and ethics are shot.  More importantly, we as a nation have left God out of the picture and we now very much do what is right in our own eyes.  How long will God keep up a hedge around America under these conditions?  I wish I knew.  Often enough God allows His own a way out, or a way to prepare and protect themselves.  Unless of course they join in with the bad guys.  In those cases they often get some or all of the coming judgment themselves.

I came to the realization many years ago that America is not found in Scripture.  Not in the New Testament, and not in the Old Testament.  There are minor hints of places where we might be, but really, I don’t think we are there.  If this is true, then when the time of the Second Coming arrives, I don’t see a nation of note here.  I have had some good, and civil debates on this topic.  One of the counters I hear is that it will not matter, because the Church will not be here in the end anyhow.  I have had some good exchanges there too.  I disagree, but I am not going to go into detail in this article.  All of the recent exchanges on that topic have been civil, thank you.  But either way, we have tribulation now among the members of the Church.  America has mostly been protected thus far, but God’s mercy does not last forever for those who will not turn to Him.  That is a point to remember well.

I would like to look at the possibilities of what may, not must, come our way.  Keep in mind that to be prepared is not just a motto for the Boy Scouts.

 

Natural Disasters

The 2011 quakes and tsunamis in Japan were awful.  9.0 is a very big quake.  Some 15,000 plus were confirmed dead.  And the numbers may have been higher.  Over 90,000 lost their homes, in part or completely.  If ever there were a people who prepare, it would be the Japanese.  As much as they lost, it would have been worse if at least some preparation were not done.  Contrast that to Haiti.  Haiti had a smaller quake in magnitude, 7.0, yet many more ended up dead.  The Haitian government gave a number of well over 300,000 dead, and twice as many, says the UN, ended up in refugee camps.  Who was prepared and what was the result?  The Japanese clearly had a better system in place, and they still could not overcome everything.  BTW, the Haitians are still in a mess, while the Japanese did a lot of rebuilding.

In our own United States we watched the people in the New Orleans area on TV as they had many reactions to the hurricane, and almost all of them were wrong.  For whatever reasons, a good portion of the residents did not leave when advised that the dikes were failing.  I would be reluctant to leave home myself, but there comes a point when reasonable decisions have to be made.  A big failure among those living below the water level in New Orleans itself was waiting for someone to come get them.  A larger failure was government officials at several levels that neglected to do anything until after the fact.

Many of us will recall large groups of people we saw on TV collectively calling out, “help, help, help” instead of figuring out something to do.  Additionally, in the New Orleans incident, officials took it upon themselves to force people out of their homes after the fact in areas they were not in danger.  Residents who had enough food and shelter had their personal weapons forcefully taken from them in some cases.  Looting was wide spread.  I have a video of two women police officers looting in a Wal-Mart.  The failure to prepare was astounding, and acting right was out of the question for too many.  We will return to the New Orleans incident later.

Know what you will do in the case of natural disasters.  Have a plan to stay in place and another to go some other place.

 

Supplies of All Sorts

If you have in your preparedness plan that when anything bad happens that Uncle Sugar, or some local gov entity will come to save you, you might as well not bother.  You will not be ready if the Cavalry does not show up on time if that is your thought plan.  If you have the idea you may have to do it yourself in the time of a great disaster or tragedy, you will more likely do much better.  The gov folks may come, but don’t make any bets on it.  You may be the only help that can or will do anything.

Have enough food supplies that you can either sit tight for at least a week or two, or have stuff you can take with you that will last a few days or so if you are going to relocate.  I certainly recommend a lot more than a week or two, but if that is what you have, it is a start.  If all you have food wise are the staples, then you will be among those that have enough.  God did not make us so that we actually need more than the basics.  We just like it when we have many food varieties.  When Jesus taught people to ask God for “our daily bread,” He meant our basics.  You can go a long way on basics.  The same with clothing.  Good durable clothing can go a lot further than the high priced stuff in the fancy stores.  Know what is needed to keep warm, or cool, or will withstand work.

If you use prescription meds that are essential for survival, you will want to plan on having enough if everything is shut down for a bit.  Some meds need certain temps to last.  You may have to think about how you will store those.

 

Political Parties – Government Entities

Never rely on political parties!  Never reply on government officials or departments for every need.  Sometimes they are the same, by the way.  Hitler made some amazing promises to the German people in the 1930’s.  And he did some good.  He was a great orator and got the highways in great shape.  That did not make him a good guy.  He was one dirty, rotten, evil, son of a gun.  I don’t care what good he did in bringing the German people together for their national pride, who by the way as a whole were no better or worse than the rest of us.  In reality, he was an ungodly, national socialist, dictator.  They only had one political party when Adolph became the big boss.  If you do not think it could happen here then you may want to check for trauma.  You may have bumped your head.

Chairman Mao Tse Tung – evil all the way through.  We heard less about him than Hitler because of the closed society he ruled over, but he killed at least 45 million of his own countrymen by an assortment of ways, including executions, tortures, and starvation.  Hundreds of thousands showed up at his rallies, carrying his “Little Red Book,” but that did not make up for his evil deeds by any means.  In Red China, you were “red or dead”.  The people were convinced that the government and the political party would save them.  They were not prepared and believed what they were told.  BTW, you might recall that a couple of years back somebody in DC had Christmas ornaments dedicated to Mao.

Do we think we are we smarter than the Germans or the Chinese?  I hope not.  Prepare for what comes your way including from political parties and government entities.  It CAN happen anyplace!

No matter how good they sound, and no matter what they promise, they are bound to fail you when it counts.  People will say and do all types of things, which will never work in the end.  All societies fall apart sooner or later.  The more corrupt ones may be sooner, but some of those take too long.  Know what you will do and what you will or will not tolerate in any society or system.  Do not accept or tolerate evil!

 

Locations

It is wise to look around you, where you live, and what is available to meet your needs.  Part of being prepared is knowing what you have available in the place you live.

As a rule cities have a lot more of a variety of goods and services when times are good.  Sometimes things are cheaper too, though not always.  However, there is a lot to be said for the rural areas, particularly when things are not so good.  In the 1970’s in too many areas there was fuel rationing, at least here in California.  You could only get gas every other day in San Diego.  I recall one day after filling up the tank that our family took a little visit the next county, Imperial, which was VERY rural then.  There were no issues with getting gas, no rationing, and no long lines in the Imperial Valley.  On trips driving across the country, earlier in the 1970’s, I took my family through many big and small places.  I found people to be much more civil in the rural areas than the big cities.  I will always recall one smaller town outside of Tulsa, where we broke down.  The guy in the service station not only went out of his way to help, but he gave me the keys to his truck to drive the supplies I needed to my truck.  Experiences like this greatly influence my personal preferences for the smaller places.  Even through you do not always get what you want all the time, you most always get what you need.  I have found the civility to more than outweigh not getting every thing you want.

Some of the articles I have posted and some of those I only read for my own information say you should move to a place like Montana, Idaho, Texas, Oklahoma, and even parts of Northern New England, particularly Vermont, New Hampshire, and some of Maine.  No one says Massachusetts or Southern California that I can recall.  More on this below.

 

Society Breaks Apart

The unexpected can creep up and mob mentality takes over quickly.  If you are at a large gathering of nearly any sorts, things can go haywire.  Sometimes it may be after a sports team loses a big game, and even if they win.  People sometimes take it upon themselves to do some very stupid things when in a crowd, and most always when it is a mob.  Part of my personal and regular observations in an area where there are a lot of people is to know where I want to stand or sit, which is generally on the outside or back, or where I can see the exits.  And I tend to watch who is around me.  The one and only Tea Party rally I went to, I purposely was off to the side and near the rear.  There was no issue there I had to be concerned about, but it is a good thing to keep your eyes open.  That San Francisco baseball fan that was kicked into unconsciousness by a couple of LA baseball fans last year certainly did not expect to be badly beaten just for having a jersey from the other team.  Preparing by leaving yourself an exit is always good.  I think the guy that got beaten at Dodger Stadium was attempting that, but too late.

Those were the short instances.  What about when things break apart for a longer term?  There were a lot of innocent people attacked and 53 killed during what was called the Rodney King riots.  People who had nothing to do with the King case, and nothing to do with the LAPD officers case, took to the streets.  They maimed, burned, robbed, rioted, beat and even killed other people who had nothing to do with either case.  Those involved used it as an excuse to do all the harm they could, because there was no police presence to stop them.  Many of us still recall the beatings several motorists took, recorded on videotape by the news helicopters.  The police did not respond, because it was not safe.  That means the populace was on their own.  I do not know that I could have made a better choice than the motorists I saw running lights and knocking people over with their cars who were bent on attacking them.  It was a short plan and the only thing they had time for prep wise was that they planned on getting out of there alive.  Works for me.

Among those I saw prepared were a small group of Korean store owners.  They stood or sat in front of their small business, or on the roofs, with shotguns and .45s in hand.  No one expected that reaction, but those mom and pop store keeps thought of it.  It did not end until many other departments and several thousand California National Guard backed the LAPD.  The riots lasted nearly a week.  Very few had the foresight of those business owners, and I say good for them.  That was 1992, here in America.

There were many New Orleans area residents that had a similar attitude to the shop keeps.  I don’t think any of them expected to see police officers illegally confiscating their legal weapons.  I read someplace that some hid their weapons from the police, but I do not know that for a fact.  More on that topic below.

For the extreme case of society coming apart, there can never be enough preparations.  I am growing some of my own food, not much, but I am working on it.  I have a fair water source if I needed right here.  I don’t have all that I think would be handy in a complete societal breakdown, but I have more work to do, and may for a long time.  In the case of what is called “TEOTWAWKI” (The End Of The World As We Know It) where there is no society, or recognizable governmental authority, or at least not a citizen friendly one, once again you are on your own.  This is one scenario none of us ever expect, but some of us think about it.  It certainly can come our way.  I am not going to go into great details in this article, but if TEOTWAWKI hits, you become the police department, the fire department, the doctor, the farmer, the small business trader, and more, like it or not.  Personally, I would not be too surprised if TEOTWAWKI hits in my lifetime right here.  America has offended God so much and so often that He is bound to pull His protection from us sooner or later at the rate we are going.

If the One World Government actually takes place, if we become complete socialists or communists as a nation, or if the country gets taken over by a corrupt dictatorship, (and we are partly there in several of these), you will not recognize the place where we live.  It CAN happen here.  The Chinese are a much bigger country population wise and the reds got them.  You will need to prepare yourself and your family as to what you will do.  Personally, I think there would be a break-up of the nation into smaller pieces and new nations if that happened, but it is hard to call.  Those that study this sort of event vary between three or as many as ten new nations in place of the one America as to what will come of it.  If I saw that coming, I would want to get out of Southern California.  My retirement income would not be there anyhow if the stuff hits the fan.

 

Weapons

In any case or level of being prepared, the topic of weapons will come up.  Some can handle them and some not.  Some do not like them in their homes in any case.  If it is TEOTWAWKI, or just a home protection weapon, I believe they are beneficial.  When the Korean storeowners stopped the rioters, thieves and rapist from entering their business, it was the shotgun and the .45 that sang that song.  There might have been other weapons that sang the harmony.  It was not because they talked the bad guys out of it, and not because they called the police, because the police did not show up for days in some cases.  It was because they meant business and had the tools to prove it!  In the best-case scenario, as a rule, when the police are needed in seconds they will arrive in minutes.

I have only pulled a weapon on someone at my door once in my life.  He ran away, and I was happy about it.  I was thankful I did not need to shoot anyone, and I did not even point it at the intruder.  When the bad guy saw what was in my hand, it helped considerably.  I told the local sheriff’s deputy what I did, and he was real good about it.  I don’t know I would have told anyone if I lived in a big city.  The rural life works well for me in this too.

There is a woman I knew who works a local business.  Somehow the conversation got around to people that carry weapons for protection.  She said she liked the idea but was afraid that she did not know how to use one and a bad guy would take it from her.  Could be.  That is why part of being prepared means to know your weapon.  You have to also know in you mind that you could take a life if you had to.  That does not mean you ever would want to, but there is no reason to carry or to even have one in the home if you can not come to that last resort point.

I am not going to go into details here on what you should carry or keep in the home for protection.  The one that works best for you that you can safely handle is the one you want.  We can go into details later individually if any ask me.

I had someone ask me some time back if I should have a weapon as a Christian, that I might rather trust God for protection.  I have a couple of stock answers for that.  One is that I trust God will keep my hands steady and my mind clear if I should ever need to use one against another person.  The other is I tell people that Peter was packing.  When Jesus asked His followers if they had any weapons, they said they had two.  Jesus did not say get rid of them, but said they had enough.  Another good reply is that while I trust God for my healing when I get sick or injured, I still go to the doctor.  One of the Jesus’ close twelve was a doctor, Luke.

 

Investments: Land, Gold, Silver, Other

I have spoken with and exchanged emails with at least several people asking me what I thought about investments.  I will speak of my own experiences first, and it may not be the same for every one.  About 25 years ago, more or less, I invested in a couple of acres of land in the country.  Even back then I was thinking it could be a place to raise the family and eventually do something with it when I retired.  I paid a very reasonable price for it back then, and I added a modest home to it in 1990.  It is all paid off and has been for several years.  That was my biggest investment.  It had gone way up in value, and down a bit too.  But unless someone offers me something way over priced for it, I do not have a reason to sell it.  Paid is a wonderful word.  I did not buy fancy cars, boats or much else big through the years.  I focused on my main investment, a permanent home where no one bothers me as a rule.  It was one of the best things I could do to prepare.

I don’t play the stock market, because I don’t like the idea of taking big chances.  I have some 401K retirement funds that I can withdraw in a couple of years without a penalty.  If I ever get back to work full time, which is my goal, I know I can manage on my retirement, and would put near all the rest into some type of savings, just in case.  Part of good prep is to never spend just because you can.  I would love buy a new rifle (or a few) and take some nice long trips, but good prep says I don’t spend what I do not have.

The topic of gold and silver has come up with a few folks also.  I have limited expertise at best, and I would be very happy to listen to any who have more experience than I.  Gold or silver almost never go down from what I have seen.  If nothing else, it has the tendency to at least keep up with inflation.  I am aware that at certain times gold coins or bullion has been outlawed for most, and the US went off the gold and the silver standard a long time ago.

If somebody up top nationally got a bug to ban personal gold stores again, and got their wish, lots of things could change.  I see that the value of gold or silver will go up for those that held it.  It is possible that a law could be passed that says all US gold or silver coins will only be worth face value, legally.  That is going to be a problem for some.  The black market on gold or silver could go crazy.

But here is a twist or two.  Coins from other countries, say Canadian, or Swiss valuable metal coins might not be in that category, as they are not legal tender here.  They are just collector and investment coins.  So long as there was not another regulation saying it was illegal to hold foreign gold or silver coins, those with those coins might be safe.  I am not telling anyone to invest in anything, but if I chose gold or silver, it would only be the coins or Troy once pieces I could hold in my own hand.  The big bars would not be tradable in many circumstances because of the size, weight, and value of each.  If anyone were to buy any of these things, it may be wise to check that you got a good price without some big commission built it.

Good preparation requires that one think carefully in any kind of investment.

 

The Law

There are all kinds of things that involve laws of one sort or another.  This is the part where I am going to ask you to think for yourself.  I will never ask you to violate any law, but I will suggest taking into consideration God’s Law vs man’s law.  I will suggest you look at ethics and morality in individual laws.  Part of your wanting to prepare is to think what you might do in different circumstances.  Not every one will have the same thought or reactions as you.

Some laws are exactly what they should be.  It is illegal in every state to commit murder.  It is illegal to commit armed robbery.  But also in just about every place in this nation a woman may without cause, TERMINATE the child she carries within her.  Is that lawful?  Legally yes.  But is there a moral or ethical consideration?  Yes to that as well.  How about a Biblical standard?  Yes there too.  In the Law that Moses gave, that was a life and a death penalty case.  How prepared are you to think of the law in those ways?

 

Suppose there was a national or state law that said you had 30 days to turn in all weapons, like they did in Australia?  There would be no exceptions, save for the very few higher ranking officials, those that protect them, and some police officers.  Would you choose to take the chance and hide your weapons, disobeying the written ordinances, or take a chance that the police would ALWAYS be there to protect you from the bad guys and give up all?  Just asking.  You prepare by thinking of what you may do in advance, and not necessarily by telling others what you would do.

If you had gold, silver, or other things, do you turn in everything at face value if there was an executive order, “for the good of the nation” you know?  Maybe you would get them back if some court overturned the order?  Maybe not?  What will you risk to prepare for such a thing.

In Nazi Germany killing Jews in camps was legal.  In Mao’s China starving people for the good of the “people” was legit.  Was Stalin within the law as he said he was when he directly caused similar deaths in Russia?  Remember, I will never tell you to violate the law, but I will tell you to prepare and think what will you do.

In China, it is illegal to participate in churches not approved of by the government.  Not everyone is aware that there are many underground churches, hidden from plain view.  The people that joined them are prepared to risk it all.  I wonder what people here would do if they had to do the same?  I hear the Chinese have a lot of home church meetings there.  I wonder if many would ever be prepared for that possibility here?

 

Best For Last

Of all the things you may prepare for, you need to prepare for eternity.  If you get all of the above and more exactly right, but miss this last one, all would be for naught.  You need to be right with God as your first priority.

A long time ago someone confronted me as to where I was going to spend eternity.  He was right in that I did not know for sure.  I since chose repentance and the mercy of God, via the blood Jesus shed for me.  That is the short version of it.  I’d be happy to go into details with any that have questions on this.

Participation in a good church goes a long way.  And a good pastor can do a lot for you.  Learning what Scripture says on a lot of stuff is very beneficial.  Good for prep too.

 

Conclusion

I prepare daily in some kind of way.  I pray, I read, I make short term and sometimes longer plans.  Not all are the best, so I work on what I can and refine things here and there.  I learned it is wise to pick your battles.  I can not fight everything.  I can not warn everyone about all my concerns.  But if you read this far, I got something done today.

I have used this motto often enough – “Expect the best, but prepare for the worse!”  You will not go into shock so quickly if you keep that in mind and you had some plan on what to do.

I had a lot more that I could have written, but I was not planning on a book or a seminar.  If any want either of those, try http://www.the11hr.com/, by one of my preacher friends, Tyler Woods.  He does general preparedness seminars, and wrote a book on it.  I reviewed his book two years ago.  Another friend, Bill Rhetts, was doing good seminars on being prepared for terrorist threats.  I am not sure if he still does these.  His web site is http://www.hi-caliber.org/.  Bill is a private investigator by trade and a retired cop as well.  The contact info for both is on their web sites.

There is more stuff out there.  I have a copy of the Army survival manual.  Copy “fm_21-76_us_army_survival_manual” into your favorite search engine and you will find several sites that have free PDF copies you can download.

I look at these and other web site sometimes for ideas.

http://www.backwoodshome.com/index.html

http://www.survivalblog.com/

https://preparedchristian.net/

 

Godspeed,

Gill Rapoza

Filed Under: General Preparedness

Lessons from Hurricane Sandy

November 5, 2012 by

It’s been almost a week since Hurricane Sandy reached the East Coast.  There are still millions affected in her wake.  Because there are so many still affected, I hesitate to write this, but I think there are lessons to be learned that will have more of an impact now, since this is still a current event.

 

Losing it all

Sometimes there are events like hurricanes and tornadoes that are so big, no matter how prepared you are, you lose everything you own.  In these events only having a cache of supplies at a location away from your home would still be useful.  You could have an agreement with a friend or relative to each store some supplies at the others home.  You could also rent a small storage unit.  This would ensure you have clothes, copies of important documents and possibly even some food or other preparations.

 

Looting and lawlessness

Looting is a very large problem.  One resident is quoted saying ‘It’s like the Wild West’.  The article goes on to say, “With little police presence on the storm-ravaged streets, many residents of the peninsula have been forced to take their protection into their own hands, arming themselves with guns, baseball bats and even bows and arrows to ward off thugs seeking to loot their homes.”

I have mentioned a few times in the past that defending and protecting your family and possibly your neighborhood may fall on you and your neighbor’s shoulders.  This hurricane is an excellent reminder.  There were also reports of people dressing like Con Ed workers and a Red Cross worker to gain access to restricted areas to loot.

Here is an article from the New York Times called In New York’s Public Housing, Fear Creeps In With the Dark.  It explains that people who live in areas of New York that are without power fear the dark, because of the crimes committed in it.  This isn’t just when the sun goes down, but also in windowless stairways and the like.  What I took away from that article wasn’t just that the dark was to be feared, but how the blackout brought citizens together and bonded them into a community.

“In the meantime, heroes emerged among public housing residents, with those well prepared and able helping those who were not.”

And

“There’s a sense of community,” said Darryl MacCullum, 24, who lives at the Jacob Riis Houses in the East Village, where the tidal surge had, for a time, ringed the buildings like moats. “Neighbors I usually don’t talk to, I talk to now.”

The residents cooked for each other, eager to not waste food that was thawing fast. At the Red Hook Houses on Wednesday night, there was an impromptu outdoor barbecue for 25 people, with hamburgers, frankfurters and ribs sizzling on grills. “

In times of crisis police and other emergency services are pushed to their limit. I was told in CERT that there are 300 civilians for every first responder.  Because of this we need to be prepared to meet our five basic human needs.

 

Those Unprepared to Last a Week

As I stated above, there are some events that you just cannot prepare for.  When there is a direct hit, you lose everything.  This section is not directed at those people.  It is aimed at those who did not heed the call to evacuate and were ill prepared to last the aftermath of the hurricane.  In this article from ABC News, people were pleading for help just three days after the hurricane.  They were asking their elected officials for clothing, food, water and gas.  Below is a video of the reporter showing how people were dumpster diving to get food to eat.

 

 

I’m not sharing any of this to put down the ill prepared, but to show how truly ill prepared so many people are and also to show how quickly people will begin to panic because of their lack of resources.

 

Gas Shortages and Rationing

There have been multiple reports of lines of people over a mile long waiting to get gasoline. Here is a report from a CBS New York affiliate stating “Drivers Waiting For 6 Hours At Midtown Gas Station”. In New Jersey Governor Christie Orders Odd-Even Rationing System For Filling Up Gas Tanks.

“Residents with license plates ending in an odd number can make gas purchases on odd-numbered days of the month Residents with plates ending in an even number will be able to buy gas on even-numbered days, the governor said.”

Imagine only being able to purchase gas on even days and then having to wait in line for six hours to get it. I have said before that our economy runs on oil, but for many of these people the fuel also runs their refrigerator and gives them a means to charge their cell phones to communicate with the outside world.

 

Government Incompetence

There were many complaints after Hurricane Katrina about the government’s poor response.  Many people are not aware that the federal government has to be invited in by state government and that is what caused the delay.  You would think there would have been a better response to Hurricane Sandy, but in many ways there hasn’t been.

The New York City Marathon saw many police officers, large generators, food and water diverted to it instead of to the relief effort. As of this morning they canceled the marathon, but the generators sat unused.

FEMA has a policy called “Lean forward” that calls for advanced staging of supplies.  Here is a report that says “FEMA failed to have any meaningful supplies of bottled water — or any other supplies”.

This goes to show that even when the government means well they are often incompetent.  The larger an enterprise of any kind is, the more ineffective they can become.  Often the left hand doesn’t know what the right is doing, or what either should be doing.

 

My Take:

Chances are, if you’re reading this article, you’re fairly well prepared to last at least a week.  This hurricane should be a wake-up call for many, to have a minimum level of preparedness to meet their five basic human needs.  But there have been many wake-up calls in our recent past that were not heeded.  Because of this, there will be plenty of chances in the future for those of us who are better prepared to be the heroes mentioned above and to be light to the world.

 

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Filed Under: General Preparedness, Mind Set, Signs of the Times Tagged With:

Keeping Watch Once It’s Hit the Fan

November 2, 2012 by

If society falls apart, even for a limited time, it would be a good idea to post a watch.   This can assure that your family or group stays protected and rested.   In Light, Sound and Smell Discipline I covered some things that should be considered at all times once its hit the fan.  This goes for being on watch too.  Below are other things to keep in mind while on watch.

I stood many watches while I was in the Navy.  Those watches were much different.  There are, however, many principles that are the same.  Please add your suggestions in the comments section below.

 

Staying Awake

This is probably the most important thing and can be one of the hardest.   In a time when stress and tension are high for an extended period, you might not get a lot of rest.  After a few days without rest, your mind easily wanders off and your body rebels to get sleep, especially when things are quiet at night, but your family and friends are counting on you to stay awake to keep them safe.

Staying awake can be a real challenge.  What works to keep one person awake won’t necessarily work for the next person.  It might help to keep moving.  Your mind may still drift off, but it can snap back as long as you’re awake.  You can’t fall asleep if you’re walking.  Well, I suppose you can, but not for very long!  LOL.  Be thinking of things that help you stay awake now that don’t completely distract you.  Make a note of them.

The trouble with caffeine and other stimulants it is that they can affect you after your watch has ended and interfere with your rest.  The four hour energy “shots” might not be a bad option if they work for you, they just make me yawn louder.  If you do decide to use coffee or other stimulants, limit them so you won’t be awake after your watch has ended and so you don’t have to step away for repeated restroom trips.

Taking small shifts is a must.  In the Navy, we stood mostly four hour watches.  Some of you might be tempted to take a longer watch to give your family more rest.  Don’t.  Everyone needs their rest and your family needs you to be rested as well.  The longer you delay sleep, the harder your mind and body will rebel.  In a training school in the Navy, I had a young man in my class who, for some reason, could not stay awake.  He was told to stand up during a lecture and still fell asleep.  The instructor gave him a three foot 2×4 and made him hold it over his head.  By the end of the day, this young man had two knots on the top of his head.  I share this just to show you that sometimes your body simply shuts down.  Rest when it’s your turn or you’ll be more of a danger to your loved ones.

 

It’s Called “Watch” Not “Defend”

If you hear something that goes bump in the night, wake others up, depending on how big of a bump it was.  If you go check it out on your own and are overpowered, there is no one to sound the alarm.

If you go with a buddy system you have two sets of eyes and ears to look for what made the noise, and two people to defend if needed.

 

Communication

If you’re standing watch and see or hear something, being able to radio someone to wake them allows you to continue to observe what is going on.  I have recently become an affiliate for Midland radios.  I did so because I have a few Midland products and think highly of them.  In the interest of full disclosure, I will receive a small commission if you purchase from them by clicking on the image to the right or the Midland text here.  The Midland two way radios or any higher quality FRS two way radio would be a good fit here.

 

Sound the Alarm

If danger is imminent, having a fast way to wake everyone is a good idea.  If you want to maintain the element of surprise, sending someone to give everyone a quick shake might be the only option.  If the element of surprise is lost and you just need bodies fast, an idea I had was for small air horns.  I bought a bunch of them at the $1 store.

 

Neighborhood watch

If you have developed a neighborhood watch, you might develop have a stationary watch at a main entrance or two, having a roving watch that goes between the two.   This is another area where having radios for fast communication is essential.  Depending on the size and density of your area, a two way FRS radio should work ok.  If not, moving up to a CB is a good option.

 

Rules of Engagement

Having the response planned ahead of time is crucial.  Now is the time to be thinking about what you might do if society is erupting and you hear a noise a house or two away at 02:00.  Does this response change if there is no established rule of law?

You should also have defined what everyone’s job is, even if it is to stay with the kids and reassure them and keep them as quiet as possible.

 

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