AN ABBREVIATED REVIEW OF PREPPING FOR SILVER DOCTOR READERS

All good fellow readers:

Doc was kind enough to allow me access to his site as a contributor and for a long overdue review of a subject that comes up frequently on Silver Doctors. For the last few weeks now, I've dug down into my archives and library on the subject of prepping. This is an art and science which has been forgotten by us over the last 2-3 generations. Vv'hat was commonplace to our agrarian ancestors is no longer part of our awareness. I make one assumption in this guide. As buyers and owners of precious metals, we are a like-minded community. Buying PMs is actually one small but vital aspect of prepping that most do not talk about. The fact that you are interested in these goodies makes this material even more important. With the advent of supermarkets, internet buying, big box retailers and the ever present availability of consumer goods, prepping is usually not on our minds. The vital matter of keeping a stock of food, water, medicine, hardware supplies coupled with the ability to defend one's home with firearms is actually frowned on or at least relegated to the crowd that wears tin foil hats, lives in yurts and lopes into the 'vii to fill up on their stock of stone knives and bear claws. Actually, those are my relatives. Preppers come in all shapes and sizes and are categorically NOT throwbacks. They've simply recognized that we are three meals from revolution and supermarkets hold 2 days worth of food stocks. There are phrases that describe our thinking such as when "The S"*t Hits the Fan" and "TEOTWAWKI", or The End of the World as We Know It. Vv'hen faced with the choice of falling into the arms of FEMA, Federal Employees Mismanaging the Aftermath, or going it alone, I will always opt with the latter. Katrina scared me straight from the notion at the government is here to help me. Please!! Without going into the disruption of the social compact, and a time when our country might fall into chaos, there are very good and specific reasons to have supplies on hand at your home or a storage unit if we encounter a natural disaster. 20 II was a year uncommonly rich with disasters. Fukushima was the Trifecta, but tornadoes destroyed entire towns like Joplin. A large part of the eastern seaboard badly damaged due to Hurricane Irena. Parts of the northeastern area suffered from a large unseasonable snowstorm that cut off power for up to 2 weeks. These are the things I refer to. Friends of ours were heating their home in Connecticut with firewood as their power was off for I week. Food was an issue as was illumination. Their visit back in time to the 18' Century was brief even while they were always surrounded by the trappings of the 21" Century. Earthquakes, fires, tornadoes, hurricanes, tsunamis, snow and floods were commonplace in this country last year. Did you experience some of it? Overseas 3 countries fell into anarchy when their leaders were disposed of. Syria is a zone of terror and some smaller African countries are in a state of war. Social Chaos is ever present in the world. We have it lucky that most of the time we are only forced to deal with Mother Nature. But she can be a real piece of work sometimes. What does this mean to the individual when you or I may not have experienced a natural disaster. Not much, if you think you are immune to this. In 2007 my family went through the 1 weekoffirestorms in San Diego when much of the Southern California region was under evacuation orders. In San Diego we had the largest peacetime evacuation of civilian in the history of our Republic. Up to 600,000 San

Diegans were housed in stadiums, fair grounds and high schools. The populace was peaceful, fortunately, unlike the Katrina disaster. We dodged the evacuation bullet by staying in place even though the fire storm missed our home by 100 yards. Only a few months ago, 7,000 000 people in Arizona and Southern California were without power for 1-5 days when some 'fat fingered' tech hit a power switch. These two events put the fear of God into us when we moved to northern Nevada about 3 years ago. In our isolated little town in the mountains, we found we literally jumped from the frying pan into the fire. Fire danger in our area is always high. We live in a seismically active zone. Avalanches can potentially cut us off for days and are not unheard of. Electrical outages can last days as well. We installed a 14 KW generator for back-up power in that eventuality. In 2009 I began an exhaustive and detailed work into the subject of prepping. My time spent to date is in the hundreds of hours. Costs now approach low five figures, mostly in supplies, food, ammo and firearms. I'm not concerned when I make this note since I consider any less than this to be unacceptable when looking at the safeguarding of my family. But this is not a level that one needs to attain to have security if you are cut off from supplies, food, gas, electricity and the police protection we take for granted. IfTSHTF in our area, we can easily be on our own for days, so this governs my thinking. In compiling the attached lists and a solid overview of skills and mind set needed to be prepared, I drew from my mentor and friend, a former Marine and master firearms trainer, prepper and all around expert in remaining safe in the chance of untoward events. Through him, I got my first Concealed Weapons Permit and then my second, a Utah permit that gives me concealed carry reciprocity in 32 states. I've trained with him many times on pistols, rifles and shotguns. The 16 page outline contained in this post that was a good catch up for basic skills and a good complement to training. For those of you who have read my prior posts, you know I tend to be long winded. This is my nature and not something I can change, nor do I plan to change. The contents in this post can be down loaded and saved. Nothing is copywrited, so the material is free, free, free. You gotta love free stuff since everything else costs a ton of money. I also provided some of the good resources prepared around this post if you want to go further in your research. Those web sites are included in the lists. Some might be free since you can review the data. Others provide for the purchase of an ebook, CD or other learning format. Nothing is particularly expensive since price points must be set to allow those of any means to get the details needed for prepping. With that, let's touch on the 4 areas of material concern then a couple of points to consider as you choose what level of prepping you will go to. FOOD AND SUPPLIES I recommend having at least I month of food in the form of carmed, dehydrated, freeze dried and packaged grub. If you have a cool dry place to store it, I month supply will take up on more space than half a small closet. You can even include MREs, the tradition chow of the soldier. They are well prepared, tasty and keep the troops on the move for weeks at a time. MREs have come a long way since hard tack and C-rations. Those of you who serve in the military can attest to that. By the way, many readers of Silver Doctors are former and present military. I think you for your service. The men in my family, including my father and my wife's father both served honorably in WWII.

Some might take food storage to the next level. My plan started with 2 months, escalated to 6 months and then, at the encouragement of my mentor, I now hold a 2 year supply for a family of four. No, I don't expect to bunker in for 24 months. I do expect to help friends and family when and if they need assistance. That includes my Bank of Brothers, BOB, who also prep and are willing to step in to help if needed. We have each other's back. That area of thinking is the intangible part I alluded to above. Having a small group (5-10 people) who have your back is vital. The food list is contained in the long shopping list of home prep items that should be part of your purchases. Three words of caution: I. This will cost some money so start off with the BASICS such as picking up grocery store specials, coupons, 2 for I items and discounts will fill that pantry quickly. Most of the 30 day storage will be canned and dry, but occasionally you might want to get some of the dehydrated items. EmergencEssentials.com, Costco.com and Efoods.com are good starter places to kick off your storage plans. Your local supermarket is good too. 2. This prepping can become obsessive. If you don't take precautions, you can fall way down this rabbit hole since there is no end to this. Like I said in a post a few days back, don't get so obsessed with this that you become the next reality episode of 'Hoarders'. There are many ways to acquire items on this list. Books, tools, clothing and other items can be found in profusion at garage sales, Craig's List and thrift stores. I troll thrift stores because they are a real treasure trove of goodies. This is the serious part. Never, ever tell anyone of your prepping plans unless that person is on a need-to-know basis. Even your kids should be unaware of the EXTENT of your plans. If even one person comes to your door asking for food and you give in, there will be 20 at your door the next day. The human animal is capable of great harm and damage. Your most important job is to keep your family safe!! Anything less than that could prove disastrous. Operational Security, also known as OPSEC, is fundamental to this task of keeping your family safe. Your family and those intimates whom you choose to share this knowledge with must also be under OPSEC.

3.

WATER You can go weeks without food. Without water, you start breaking down within 12-24 hours. Water is nearly free and can be stored indefinitely. Keeping 100 gallons on hand in plastic jugs is wise. The average person will go through 4 gallons a day for eating, cleaning and waste. What does in must come out. So water is part of the latrine drill. You will eliminate 4-5 pounds of stuff during a day. Cleanliness is essential, otherwise your chances of infection or disease grow exponentially.

The next level of storage is the 100 gallon plus. Using a Water Bob that can be purchased on Cheaperthandirt.com, you can store I 00 gallons of clean water in this plastic bladder in your bath tub. It fills from your faucet and has a pump to get the water out. If you have 30 minutes warning, you can fill two of these and have 200 gallons. Now you are up to 300 gallons ... enough for a family of 4 for at least a week with a 100% reserve. Simply put, you can't have enough water.
KEEPING YOUR WATER CLEAN A couple of drops of bleach per gallon is recommended if you are not sure of safety. Boiling is a good procedure, but uses fuel. Filtering murky water through a Katydyn water filter is a good process. Most of these items can be found on sites like sportsmanclub.com.

Emergencyessentials.com Blacklistednews.com or SHTF .com are sites that can connect you to nearly everything you need. Watch your wallet, however, because this can get costly. MEDICAL SUPPLIES This gets tricky since most of what we might encounter is a cut, splinter, bruise or scrape. But when 911 is not available and an EMT can't get to you in time, you must be self reliant. Moreover, without the emergency room you will be on your own. Having the right meds and supplies on hand is crucial. A simple cut can spread to something far worse in a day's time. Band-Aids, Neosporin, bacterial washes, iodine and alcohol are excellent to reduce the danger of surface infection. Subcutaneous wounds can really get ugly, so if you can get some antibiotics in your tactical med bag, do so. I have a colloidal silver machine as well as medicinal hydrogen peroxide for that purpose. The peroxide is food grade 35%. Diluted it can be used for anti-viral and bacteriostatic purposes. In the last year, I became involved with the Sheriffs office as a volunteer on the SAR/Safety boat. I was sworn in and agreed to uphold the laws of the State ofNevada and the Constitution and I take these duties seriously. While I do not have the Color of Authority, I am backup to the deputy when on duty. This level of preparedness is one that involves knowing Marine safety, laws of the state and being able to help with Law Enforcement. Medical knowledge and the means of performing search and rescue built my interest in knowing as much as I can about medical matters. My favorite site for this is Chinookrned.com. You can really get lost in that one. After stocking up on Quik Clot, trauma dressings, ambu bags, tourniquets and the like, my medical supplies would equal that of a good triage unit. For the average person, you should have a well-stocked first aid bag, not just a little pack of bandages. I'm talking about the larger ones you can find on line or at a medical supply house. Quik Clot, a life saver on the battle field, must be part of the med bag as well as at least one tourniquet and a set of hemostats. Lots of antibacterial wipes as well as the normal complement of pain meds, cortisol cream, anti-inflamatories and decongestants, all good to have on hand. If you can attend a class in First Aid, that is a great idea and time well spent including a CPR class. Anything less than that means you must have a manual to consult. I use the Army First Aid Manual. GUNS AND AMMUNITION This is where I know I will lose people and that is okay because some people just don't get along with the idea of guns or being armed. I don't criticize people for that. Usually a person thinks that way because they have not had personal experience with guns and might be a bit afraid of them. Guns are easily one of the most controversial subjects in the country. You will get more blowback on this subject than gay marriage. Here are some of my thoughts on gun ownership. The Second Amendment makes the First Amendment possible. When seconds count, cops are minutes (or longer) away. Why do I carry a gun? Because a cop is too heavy! One is None, Two is One. I carry a back up gun aka BUG. You use a pistol to fight your way to your long gun. Both sides of my family are former military and hunters. If you didn't shoot, you didn't eat. I don't carry the hunting gene with me, but I most certainly carry the gun gene and do so proudly. So does my wife. I have her well armed too. We live in the country where a cop might be an hour away. We lived in San Diego county where the Sheriffs deputy might be 40 or more minutes away. When it came to Law Enforcement, we were and are now on our own. We know it and accept it.

Over the last 3 years, I've spent on the order of high 4 figures in gun training and classes. Couple that with a few hundred hours of said training with the best in the world trainers at Frontsight.com and my skill level is 'adequate'. I'm consciously competent with pistols, rifles and shotguns. My personal carry sidearm is a Springfield XD 9mm with 3 extra magazines. I load with Speer Gold Dot or Hornady Critical Defense rounds. Normally, Vl~th my permit, I'll carry concealed using an insidethe-waist band holster or in a cargo pants pocket. We live in bear territory, so when we walk in the woods, I upgrade to a Glock or Springfield 45 cal. My BUG is either a Sig Saver 380 or a ruger LCR. We Nevadans think much differently than most people. The state motto is Battle Born (nuff said). Home personal defense is a Mossberg 590 A loaded with buck and ball. Slugs are optional since the local bear population likes to enter homes unannounced and they can take a 44 mag and walkaway. Rifles are fun and not so much a personal defense firearm, but I like both the M4 and the AK 47. They are first rate battle rifles. Ask any of the I 00,000,000 combatants who carry the AK or the 80,000,000 military and civilian who carry the Stoner AR platform what they think of their duty weapons. If you have a firearm at home, ask yourself "Do I know how to use this weapon?" "Can I reliably expect to protect my family?" If yes, then go with that. If not, see about getting some training. Local NRA classes are first rate. Local gun clubs and gun ranges offer skill building classes and are low cost. Frontsight.com is the premier firearms training facility in the world. I tend to agree. The costs to go there and back are considerable since they offer classes in Parumph, Nevada, but if that is not an object and you can get there, they will provide you with the guns and ammo you need for their 2 and 4 day classes. If you don't own a firearm, but plan to buy one, then your considerations are so vast as to be nearly overwhelming. There are 5 basic mistakes you can make when buying a firearm and they are as follows: I. Cost Is the cheapest the best? Probably not if your life depends on it. Is the most expensive one the best? Probably not since you likely overpaid by I 00%. If you plan to buy a handgun, then test drive a few at a local range that also sells guns. You would not buy a car the first time you sat in it. Make sure you can manage the gun, whether it is a revolver or semi-automatic. Semis are more complex but hold more rounds. Pistols are basically point and shoot. Select carefully and fine tune the weapon to your hands and body type. 2. Ammo Selection The old saying "You can never have enough ammo" is true to some degree. Ammo is EXPENSIVE. You don't want to buy personal defense rounds that cost a dollar a pop for plinking. Buy the cheap stuff for target and drill practice. The good stuff; jacketed hollow points, are what you stick in your blaster after you get reasonably accurate at the range. Ladies-a 44 mag might not work for you. Guys-a 380 might be a bit too light a load for you. Training There is an old saying about a violinist. He noted that if he did not practice every day, he could tell the difference. If he did not practice for a week, the audience could tell the difference. Becoming unconsciously competent with a weapon is a matter of

3.

nearly daily practice. That is the motto of places like Frontsight. They want you to be at least consciously competent in the fine art of firearms handling and know how to put 2 rounds in the thoracic in 2 seconds or less, if it comes to that. If you choose a pistol as your weapon, you must know how to manage it and keep the gun running. Otherwise, you have a 4 pound club. Not the ideal situation. If you want to move to a shotgun or rifle for home defense, find a trainer or group that provides this. Get good at running the gun, reloading under stress, clearing Type I, II and III malfunctions on your pistol, rifle and shotgun. Check YOUTUBE for that art.

4.

Cleaning and Caring for your Guns always clean your guns after each use. If even no more than running a boke snake through the barrel and hitting the parts with some lube. Caring also means periodically checking your stored or personal carry guns for wear, rust, lint, dirt and other things which impair the functioning of your weapon, but keep your guns CLEAN. A dirty gun is a bad thing. The Best Advice Knowledge is King. The more research you do, the better prepared you are if you have to go into action. Dr. Piazza, the founder of Frontsight, makes this one thing clear. You will be only 50% as good as your best day of training. Remember that when you buy and train with your gun. Keep your weapon clean and oiled. Make sure your ammo is up to the task. Learn how to use your firearm in real world simulations. Practice your drills in a safe manner. Store your firearms so that they are safely secured LAST ITEM: Always regard all guns as always loaded all the time. Never point the muzzle of your gun at anything you do not intend to destroy. Keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to shoot. Be certain of what is in front, behind and around your target before firing. You can't call the bullet back.

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CONCLUSION Food, water, medical supplies and hardware are just a matter of filling up the shopping cart after you have decided what you want to stock. Guns are a completely different world and require a lot of thinking. That is the reason I provided more details on firearms. Your choices are very personal in that regard. The listed systems are not all inclusive. You must evaluate your own situations and choose from there. Start small, within your budget, and get the basics. Move up from there as circumstances allow. All my best regards to each reader. Stay safe and prepared.

If the world goes FUBAR ...

HOME PREPPER STOCKING SUPPLIES

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antihistamines

cough syrup nasal spray anti-diarrhea syrup N95 masks Neosporin tubes and wipes fanny masklbalaclava - camo color/night colored - reversible illuminated time watch - G shock - extra batteries hypodermic syringes washable I reusable wipes sanitizing wipes goggles More 5 Hour Energy (rotate)- sleep preventers- sleep aids (for night watch) chewing gum - energy type and regular Altoids Lots of chocolate bars (Hershey and milk chocolate) bags of hard candies small personal alarms (siren type) - door alarms Snooper scope Vaseline Q-tips - cotton balls - cotton gauze pads cookies - crackers - hard stacks Pemmican or alternative to same Super Glue - for emergency cut repair Surgical sewing kit - scalpels or like sharps heavy needles and twine large zip ties medium tensile strength rope or Kevlar twine - 500 lb. test - 200 yards Kevlar gloves rolls of quarters, nickels and dimes (they still have value) hand lotion (cheap COSTCO brand) Water Bob- I 00 gal. plastic bladder for use in bathtub (with siphon)- Cheaperthandirt.com$20 plastic paper plates (3 sections)- 300 count at COSTCO plastic fork, spoon, knives kit- saves on washing plates and silverware and water for same. FOODS: Seek out Yurika Foods (freeze dried stuff) - emergencyessentials.com I efoods.com I costco.com Oil and shortening (canned) black pepper and salt (lots of salt - 25 lbs or more) This is life sustaining and tradable. tabasco/pepper sauce, BBQ sauce, A-1 sauce sugar - lots of it - 25 lbs. or more

Splenda sweetener creamer- non-dairy miscellaneous seasonings tuna, Spam, Danish hams and canned hams, canned meats tooth paste and baking soda (useful for fire control too) - mouth wash, Listerine coffee - freeze dried - F olgers - I 0+ tins tomato sauce and canned fruit (rotate it and have lots on hand) dried oats, rice beans (100 lbs. total)- Oat Bran and Metamucil or Psyllium Spaghetti and macaroni (mac and cheese mixes)- large bags of it- Spaghetti-O's Dried cheese/beef jerky soups and stocks (beef and chicken) soap - liquid - dish and disinfecting - laundry soap - tubs for washing dishes and clothes recycle bins. Lysol and related cleaners more bar soap disinfecting gels baby powder - VIP - Gold Bond Medicated Powder Medical Kit fully stocked and in a safe location (use sports bag) fire extinguishers - 4 large ones 10 large- dry storage plastic bins- waterproof- Walmart or hardware store paper towels- tissue boxes and toilet paper (lots) five 5-gallon propane tanks filled 5 hard side water cans (plastic) Five !-gallon bleach containers freeze dried food ham and beans - heavy soups like chili - canned beans and other dehydrated ready mixes candles - large type lots of AA batteries & some AAA - Costco.com plastic sheeting and lots of duct tape, clear and black plastic rolls - seals unused parts of house and windows (broken or cracked) trash bags (small and medium)- heavy duty drawstring type zip lock bags - small, medium and large - strong construction plywood sheets shaped to the size of doors and street level windows nails and large screws (check for battery powered drill) protein powder, Cliff Bars, protein bars (rotate stock) 9mm- 500 rounds- .223 call ,000 rounds (usaammo.com and ammoman.com)- 200 rounds 12 gauge buckshot hand and body lotions - baby oil - Vicks Rub paper napkins Gorilla Glue generic multi vitamins canned veggies calamine Lotion - ammonia inhaler hemostats and blood clot spray tourniquets Kevlar tactical gloves

SCARE BAG LIST(*)

I took this list from the Social Chaos Survival Guide.com. It fits in a medium sized range bag. It will always be in my truck and removed at night. Pack with the mind set of whether it is 1 or 2 people or more. Pressure bandages - ChinookMedical.com Quik Clot - at some grocery stores Small medical kit with pain meds Cheap plastic ponchos Space blankets - 2 can be taped together to make a shelter - Sportsmansguide.com Small sewing kit (think Rambo I) 3-4 Silver dollars plus silver change (plus $100 in fiat currency) Strong combat gloves (Nomex or riot type) N95 mask or activated carbon filtration mask -lack of air quality can kill you very quickly.Dust or Tear Gas will disable you. I gun with 2 mags and 50 rounds ammo in a plastic bag. Go with 2 guns if your partner has your back. 2 knives (1 folding, I solid blade)- Coldsteel.com LET flashlights (2) plus 2 small light squibs- extra batteries. I like tactical LED flashlightvery bright. Ball cap with small head lamp (camping supply store) Corded ear plugs (2 sets)- Noise can cause huge stress. Microfiber cloths - 2 50-100ft. ofparacord (it has 7 nylon lines inside)- 100ft. for food cache bear proofing. Nylon threads can be used for trip wire, etc. large and small zip ties (handcuffs, securing stuff, etc.) A few bungee cords Chemical hand warmers (4) 3-4 Cyalume sticks - Cheaperthandirt.com bandanna whistle with compass and waterproof storage - Emergencyessentials.com - I small second whistle Pack of waterproof matches (For fire starting, take cotton balls soaked with Vaseline, keep in film container) 3 Votive candles- good for light and heat in your car (one candle will heat a car all night). Wool watch cap (It's freezing 6 months out of the year in my area.) Good Bic electronic lighter (2) Calorie dense foods like 270 cal. protein bars. Keep 2, 700 cals worth of bars. 2 Vitamin packs Glu and caffeine gum - Xtra-strength 5 Hour Energy Protein Powder (200 grams) - Carbs are for shit in the long haul. Kleenex and Baby Wipes (Pry my cold dead fingers off my gun, but don't touch my butt wipes). Infant formula - Gerber or similar

Diapers I feminine products Pet Food - dry and canned small pry bar wrapped with 4 feet of duct tape - very nasty weapon Neosporin tooth brush small bar of soap iodine wipes dental floss (good for teeth or surgical use) several small toothpicks 2 credit cards with razor blade taped so the edge shows - great for cutting the bad guys and extricating yourself from rope or zip ties. 2 universal hand cuff keys - get them at magnalight.com Water- more than you can carry. I put Poweraids and 2 waters in my bag. Poweraid with carbs and electrolytes is a good deal. With empty bottles, I can refill with water filtered H20 (or Iodine/bleach sterilizer). I use these in my 3 day 'Bug Out Bag'. I use water like crazy, so this is my weak point. Fortunately I live in a cooler area, so heat is usually not a problem. I use my natural ability to be my own camelback to carry a goodly amount of water. I hydrate a lot, so I could go for a while, but I don't kid myself. I can go for days without food, but water is a concern, so I go a little overboard on making sure I have a lot in me and in rny pack and truck.

All this stuff will fit in my Scare Bag with no room left over. I have a fanny pack that goes with this and it can contain some smaller items and a gun plus ammo, so I can overload just a bit and have storage in the fanny pack.
(*) Social Chaos Active Response Emergency Bag. See also HomeDefenceTactics.com.

PERSONAL BUG OUT BAG

This is a simplified example of the items that you can carry in a medium size back pack. The list is not meant to be exclusive or non-exclusive, but just an example of what you can and should have if you need to leave home quickly and for a period of up to 3 days. Your car can be your safe haven or redoubt or you can resort to a motel, cabin or even sleep in a tent. The list of items you can carry in a car is more than most people would think to have in their trunk. This Jist is designed both for the normal operating needs of your car as well as equipping it for emergency use if you should be stuck somewhere and need survival items.

Date and Rotate

PERSONAL BACKPACK : CLOTHES: Gloves, hat, socks, boots ITEMS: First Aid Kit, flashlight, matches, candles, knife, penci II paper, purifier, chemsticks, can opener, floss, emergency blanket, plastic ties, mini Kleenex, sunglasses, moleskin, ace bandage, radio/extra batteries orange garbage bags (shelter/signal)

t-shirt, long sleeved shirt cargo pants, poncho, sweater, waterproofed jacket FOOD: Water, MREs, Ensure energy mix, canned tuna hard candy, Vienna Sausage

CAR EQUIPMENT Fire extinguisher, tire chains, jumper cables, radio, tool kit, chair, 5 quart canteen, folding shovel, air compressor, funnel, wool blanket, marine flare gun and flares flashlight, gas mask, engine oil, brake fluid, transmission fluid, power steering fluid, duct tape, sleeping bag

ARE YOU READY ?

This 16 page overview was developed by my trainer in order to bring city slickers up to speed on what to expect if things got dicey. It is also a good refresher course for those who already possess some of the survival and outdoors skills due to military, D .E.A. or personal training. It was prepared by a former Marine who has been in Law Enforcement as well as a man tracker, survivalist, hunter, firearms trainer and teacher of CCW classes. Use what you want as this is a very comprehensive list and not applicable for those who live in the city. But some of the skills are useful for those who live in urban and suburban areas. As with the other lists, use what you think can be incorporated as part of your skill set. These lists are not designed to be all inclusive. Your personal research can enhance what you learn here.

ARE YOU READY?

If you haven't read Moulon Labe , One Second After or the Matthew Bracken Trilogy, you should. Once a year, just to get your attention focused on dealing with disasters, manmade or otherwise. Earthquake, fire, collapse of the U.S. economy, the Greater Depression, or civil unrest, all of these things could happen. I don't know what the consequences might be, but doesn't it make sense to be ready to protect yourself and your family, to survive when everyone else is dying because they couldn't be bothered to prepare for unforeseen consequences?
What can you do to get yourself ready? First you must have a plan. It doesn't need to be elaborate at first; you can improve on your situation as you go. You should have your ID, some cash and some change. I can't tell you how much, but how much can you manage? A passport is probably a good idea with all the changes that are occurring and your credit/debit cards might be handy. Second, don't put it off. Start today. What can you do today, with what food, supplies and equipment you have on hand? Once you have started, stick with it. If you work at it gradually, one day you'll look around and will have made giant steps. Network with other people, BUT, choose people you trust explicitly. Don't try to do too much at once or you will get overwhelmed. Get some basic survival skills, some shooting skills, if that's part of your plan, and practice. Preferably with your group. Get some professional training and get better. Don't talk to people outside your group about your preparations. When people get hungry or angry, they are capable of anything. Don't set yourself up to be a target or a food source. On top of that, after years of trying to educate people about the situation, I got tired of being regarded as a right wing gun nut wacko. Even if I am.

GETTING READY Start today developing the proper mindset. If you are willing to consider quitting, you will. In Marine Corps boot camp I was beaten down emotionally and physically run flat into the ground for two months. I did my first three weeks with pneumonia and ended up in the hospital. I was physically beaten and thrown in a wall locker because I forgot to lock my sea bag. This isn't to say, "Boy are you tough?" I just would not quit. Too dumb to quit, as the saying goes. It's easy to quit. just say it. "I QUIT. Or you can stand up on your two hind legs and say, "No! I will never quit and I will never give up!" joaquin Murrieta said, "I'd rather die on my feet than live on my knees. Tired, hungry, thirsty or injured? Tough it out!
II II

Finally, you may not have to spend lots of money to get prepared. You don't have to get everything at once and the big ticket items are probably already bought. (Read guns and ammo) If you need something, put it on your Christmas, birthday, and Easter list. Last year I got ponchos, boots, uniforms and car repair kits for some of you. If you need help on anything, bring it up. If we are working as a group, we can probably figure out how to get what you need. I have sources for most everything you might need. OK, I'm getting off my soap box now. Where do we go from here? What should our first priority be?
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WATER
A human can 1/ve without air for about 4 minutes, food for about 3 weeks and water for about 3 days. We'll devote an entire section to food storage. We can't do much about the air, but we can store water. Start filling every container you can find with ordinary tap water. Plastic bleach bottles are among the best storage bottles, but be sure you take the label off and write "drinking water" on the bottle. As long as it is stored in the dark, it won't get algae. If it gets algae, scrape it off, boil it and drink it, or just use it for your pets. Animals are not going to be bothered by a little algae. If an emergency occurs and you have time, fill your bathtub. Check on the internet for the "Bathtub Buddy. You cannot possibly have too much water. Have your friends save their milk jugs for you. They have to be rinsed out and Purexed, but unless they have curdled milk in them they will work. Set aside a small, plastic bottle of bleach with your water. If you have to get more water from a questionable source, you can purify most water with bleach. A few drops go a long way. You should have some of the 6 gallon plastic camping containers so you can grab some water if you have to bugout. THERE IS NO NATURAL WATER SOURCE IN THE UNITED STATES THAT IS I 00% SAFE TO DRINK. People got killed for bottled water in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. I'm sitting here on February 6, 20 I 0, watching TV coverage of people in Washington D.C. cleaning out grocery stores of EVERYTHING because of a "predicted" 3 foot snowfall. Or, given the level of intelligence of 'Joe Average" theyjust might be stocking up for Super bowl. The store shelves are almost empty and there isn't a water bottle to be had. Or beer. Now that's DRASTIC!

THE DUGOUT BAG Your bugout bag may be a backpack or a rolling suitcase or a pillowcase, and you may need more than one. The following items would probably constitute more than you could carry, with your weapon and/or an armful of child, so you need to make this work for you. Also, depending on your situation, you may be gettin' outta Dodge on foot, on a bicycle or in your vehicle. Do you need a bugout bag in your vehicle all the time? Probably at least some basics. So what do you need in your bag? Work from the assumption that Murphy was an optimist. Is an emergency going to occur on a nice, warm summer day? More likely it will be snowing/raining with a 60 mph wind at midnight. Let's figure on 3 bags you can carry, pull or throw in your truck, wheel barrow or trailer. One basic bag for things you would need in any weather condition, a summer bag and a winter bag. Basic bag: Avoid bright colors when you pick your clothes, but since you may want to go out in public, don't try to look like a combatant. Comfortable, broken in, waterproof boots. 4 pairs of good socks. Maybe a spare pair of tennies? Good sturdy pants. Two pair, maybe one pair ofjeans and one pair of cargo pants.
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Underwear. Highly over rated, but take a couple of pair. Sports bra. A good belt. The military web belt for dress uniforms is extremely durable and adjustable; buy it large so it will fit over winter clothing. T-shirts, long sleeved blouses, long sleeved shirts (sun protection) personal health items you need (prescriptions, contacts, tampons) small first aid kit, dental floss toothbrush, tooth paste Sweater, water proof hooded sweatshirt, work gloves Baseball cap, floppy hat Fire starting kit, toilet paper, hand/wipes, chemlights, parachute cord, poncho, good shades, sunscreen, flash light and spare batteries, candle A good folding knife, a 2x3 notebook, pencils, baggies Figure on enough food and water for 2 days. Spoon/fork You may carry your food and water on your web gear, but you probably need some in your basic pack, just in case. MREs work, but you need water. There are some foods available in heavy foil that are precooked and could be heated under your arm. High protein and high carbohydrate foods, preferably not in cans. We'll work on it. This should get you started on your BASIC pack.

Secondary pack/ summer Summer sleeping bag, tent, biwy sack, folding shovel, first aid kit, hooded jacket, more food, water. Gatorade, bug spray, more unde!Wear and socks, T-shirts, camo long sleeved shirts, pants, hat, secondary first aid kit, candle, chem. Light, matches, fire starter, small Gerber style knife, foam sleeping pad Because of the sleeping bag and pad, this will be a bulky pack. ALICE packs are readily available and your sleeping bag can be wrapped around the pack so it doesn't have to be carried separately. Packs come in 2 sizes, medium and large, so we 'II look at this setup. Tertiary Winter pack Winter sleeping bag, sweater, winter pants, snow boots (Sorels?), heavy waterproofjacket, winter gloves with liners, winter hats Oones, sock, Mounties hat) boot socks, SnoSeal for waterproofing boots, long johns, dark shades, sun screen, more food, water, Gatorade, high carbohydrate foods (hard candy) fire starting kit, candles, folding shovel, sturdy garbage bags, air mattress

Run or Hunker down? In an emergency you may need to make a quick decision, based on prior planning, about whether you should run to a selected hideaway or just wait it out. If it's a fire, you may have to run. If it's an earthquake and you are not in danger, it may be best to wait it out, especially if you still have running water and power. Again, have a plan. Are you going to run to a friend's house? How are you going to get there? Do you have a plan to let others know what you are doing? Are you going to speak in plain English or use a simple code? Can you take most of your supplies or just your bugout gear? Weather? Road conditions? Mobs? Daylight run or night time? On the road or cross country? If you have decided to stay put then you need to have a way to cook, be reasonably comfortable in regards to temperature, and have a way to prepare food, lots of water and sanitation. If the toilets don't flush you will need a 5 gallon bucket with a tight lid for your poop. You can always pee in a can and toss it out a window or down the drain; the smell won't kill you. Can you defend your home? Can you keep a low profile in your home so as to not attract unwanted attention? Do you have an escape or backup plan? Should you help your neighbors? Depends on your neighbors, doesn't it?

Are you willing to use deadly force to protect yourselves, your transponauon,yoursuppUes? Have you practiced emergency procedures? Fire, home invasion, getting your gear ready, loading guns, or anything else you can think of.

Consider a prepared position. Some of us live in the city, so we need to find a spot we could run to in case we had to leave in a hurry. If it's on your country property you could have a simple hideout. A camouflaged hole in the ground with some supplies prestaged, with enough room to sleep in and have shelter from the elements while you hide might save your life.

Check List --1. --2. --3. --4. --5. --6. --7. --8. --9. -10. -1 1. -12. Good pair of broken in boots- waterproof if possible 4 pairs of socks (minimum) Spare tennies 2 pairs ofpants, Levis and bdus? 4 pair of under wear, gender specific? Spons bras? Belt (military web belt is extremely sturdy/buy it long) 4 t-shins (drab colors) 2 long sleeved summer shins (drab colors) Boonie hat and baseball cap Sweater Hooded sweatshin Work gloves
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-13. Winter gloves, liners? -14. Personal health items, prescriptions, tampons
-IS. Fire starting kit -16. Dental floss, plastic toothpick

-17. -18. -19. -20. -21. -22. -23. -24. -25. -26. -27. -28. -29. -30. -31. -32. -33. -34. -35. -36. -37. -38. -39. -40.

Toothbrush, tooth paste Toilet paper Handiwipes Chem. lights Flash light and batteries Good folding knife 2x3 notebook Pencils Saggies Parachute cord Surveyors tape Poncho SunScreen Candle Fork and spoon First aid kit Gl can opener Candy bars (Mr.Peanut, Payday, or stuff that won't melt) Survival Candy (hard candy high in carbohydrates) MREs Nuts/dried fruit (needs to be rotated frequently) Steel mirror Flares Radios/batteries

Things We Need to Get Done ASAP

Water storage Fuel storage Oil/reg and 2 stroke Solar oven Solar light

FOOD STORAGE
Plastic buckets/lids Any water tight sealed containers Rice cloves? Beans Salt Sugar Big bullion from Costco Canned meats Canned veggies Canned fruit Bottled juice Peanut butter Jelly
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Crackers Tomato sauce Sauces and such Lard storage? Shortening storage? baking soda baking powder, powdered butter Flour Pam Canola storage? Seasonings Recipes Cooking pots, pans, utensils; eating utensils Dish soap Laundry soap Powdered milk, chocolate, Gatorade, juice, instant coffee, tea, creamer, drink mixes Beer/booze/mix Sodas Instant ice (joke) Survival candy Dog food

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Things We Need To Buy/Get Right Now (Non-firearms related)

Medical kits and supplies

Training
I'd like to see u spend a day training everyone in some pretty common skills, and maybe another day doing some field training. It might be possible to do both in one day if you folks have the time and or the desire. Changing a tire jump starting a vehicle Siphoning gas Sharpening a chain saw Putting oil and gas in a chain saw Mixing chain saw fuel Starting a chain saw Sharpening an ax, hoe, knife Building a fire Cleaning your handgun, an ARanda pump shotgun Loading an AR, pump shotgun, bolt action rifle, double barrel shotgun, SKS, lever action rifle Building a temporary shelter with your poncho
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Tracking/evading Reloading ammunition Camouflage/BLISS/hide in plain sight Packs and web gear Basic movement/blind pig/observation Empty hand/knife Equipment check/static display

What Can I Do To Help?

What Skills Can I Teach?

What Would I Like To See Added?

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Off the Wall, Out of the Box, Thoughts, Comments

Sanitation Garbage bags Sealed buckets Phone books Laundry Dishes/paper plates Bathing Cooking Entertainment--- cards, checkers, chess, family games. books TEOTWAWKI Day/weekend? Communications FR 600 radio from radio shack CB's? Other? Solar battery chargers Batteries and chargers AA AAA rechargeable ;not exotic batteries 9 volt So everything we use that needs batteries should be purchased with that in mind.

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More Training
Basic, handgun, shotgun and rifle skills Various guns

STATE OF NEVADA HEALTH DEPARTMENT

WARNING! CONTAGIOUS DISEASE! SERIOUS DANGER OF INFECTION DO NOT ENTER THIS HABITATION CONTACT THE STATE HEALTH DEPARTMENT BEFORE ENTERING
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Or something to that effect. If it looks like an official sign it may help to keep someone from coming in your house. I will also provide each group with some "SHERIFF'S LINE-DO NOT CROSS "tape.

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