Post-SHTF OPSEC

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OPSEC, or Operational Security, refers to keeping your everyday movements and actions discreet to prevent malicious parties from being able to piece together important information such as your schedule or the status of your preps. Many preppers and non-preppers alike are familiar with obvious day to day OPSEC procedures (i.e. not putting a key under your door mat when someone might be able to see you).  But what happens in a SHTF scenario?  As people start to get hungry and potentially violent, the rules change and a stricter set of OPSEC standards needs to be applied. I have come up … Continue reading →

Mentally Preparing for a Break-In

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Being mentally prepared to act quickly and decisively in response to a home break-in could save your life.  When you are unsuspectingly thrown into a life threatening situation, the adrenaline rush is too powerful for you to think logically, forcing you to rely on your instinct.  With the proper mental preparation, your training will become your instinct. In this article I will list some of the things that have crossed my mind that I believe might help you survive if your home is broken into. Reducing Risk The first and most important thing you can do is learn how criminals … Continue reading →

Useful Books on Survivalism

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It should be noted that most books on survivalism are written for entertainment purposes. Those that are not written for entertainment tend to focus on short term survival.  There are also very few experts when it comes to survivalism.  Yes, there are those few people that have spent time living in the wilderness, and there are a few exceptional accounts from people who have spent years surviving on their own in war zones, but most of these accounts have little relationship to what Americans would face if something dire should happen here.  Remember, real survival situations tend to be few … Continue reading →

The Survival Mindset

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Historically, there has been a lot of information written about survival mindset, and how it makes an enormous difference in determining those who persevere and those who don’t.   If one reads popular works on the subject, it becomes apparent that there are some ideas that are constantly repeated, such as the necessity of keeping positive, having goals, and focusing on problems.  It is also obvious that these same attributes are key factors in the psychological health of the average human being in general. Unfortunately, despite all of the lip service given to this subject, a proper manual on how to … Continue reading →

Types of Bug out Bags (BOBs)

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There are several types of Bug-out-Bags (BOBs) that are regularly discussed among the preparation crowd.  Although folks like to break down BOBs into numerous categories, I tend to think that two types are enough to fill most needs, and the larger of the two bags tends to be more like full on moving than just bugging out.  I’ve noticed that people like to add their everyday carry bags to the list of BOBs, something that I find pointless because going about one’s daily business is hardly an example of bugging out.  I should also note that I separate BOBs from … Continue reading →

Important Papers to Pack in Your Bug Out Bag

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It’s like that chore you know you have to do, but you just don’t want to do it. But having said that, I realize it is very important, and I just need to make the time to finish it! Collect copies of all of most critical documents and place them in a waterproof envelope like the one in the picture. Then you can add them to your bug-out bag. While you’re at it, it’d be smart to make a third set for your safe or safety deposit box.

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Growing Your Own Survival Food

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With mass quantities of food produced and shipped all over the world, it is not likely that many people in developed areas are forced to grow their own food. In fact, for the average citizen it is only a hobby. Growing your own food, though, has direct benefits. Increased security and health are primary, as the market fluctuates and dangerous chemicals are added to mass-produced food products. Once the hankering for harvesting sets in, however, it’s hard to know quite where to begin. Here are a few steps to get you started. 1. What to Grow Depending on the climate … Continue reading →

72 Hour Essentials : Bug Out Bag

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The 72 Hour Bag should be packed and ready to go at all times (one in each vehicle is my recommendation). If there is an emergency that forces you to leave your home because it is no longer safe there, then you will have enough supplies to get to a safe place. (If you don’t have to leave your house then the 72 Hour kit can become part of your supplies for in-home survival…

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Prioritizing Your Preps

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My quest to become more prepared has opened my eyes to many different scenarios or events that could be potential threats to myself and my family.  The problem though, is that the more I talk about being prepared the less prepared I actually feel.  It is easy to be overwhelmed when you start thinking about things like nuclear fallout, EMPs, economic collapse, and civil war. While I believe the most important thing gained through prepping is a preparedness mindset that can be applied to any situation, we need to be careful not to over think it.  My recent reflection has … Continue reading →

5 SHTF Safety Items You Need

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To survive a SHTF scenario, manual labor and the use of tools are going to become requirements. For many, this will equate to an increase in activity and an increased risk of injury. When forced to depend on physical well-being to survive, every injury is magnified. Small injuries can even become life threatening with little or no medical care available. Basic medical training and the right supplies can only help you treat injuries after they happen. As such, I believe we should put as much focus as possible on preventing injuries. Consider adding these shtf safety items to your preps to reduce … Continue reading →

Bug Out Bag Essentials : Shelter & Other Necessities

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Shelter is another important thing you need to think about when stocking your bug out bag.  This is where a good survival knife can come in handy.  Whether you are in the country or the city, you may have to build some kind of lean-to or something to stay dry or warm or both.  A good poncho can be invaluable to keep you dry while hiking, and with a few hacked up branches can make a decent cover for a shelter. 

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Bug Out Bag Essentials : Fire

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Fire is definitely essential.  You need it for staying warm, cooking, boiling water, or even signaling.  Not to mention, if you have to sleep outside, a fire can be very comforting in a stressful situation as it tends to keep animals and bugs away and give you light.  In fact, fire making is so important that I recommend you have at least 2 different ways to make fire in your bug out bag.  One would be the obvious cigarette lighter.  But you would also want a low tech way of making fire as well. 

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Bug Out Bag Essentials : Water

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There are two things to keep in mind when thinking about water.  What to keep it in, and how to get it.  Now sure, you can and will pack water with you, but if you run out, you are going to have to get more and that may require some way to treat it for consumption.  Not to mention, water is heavy at about 8 pounds per gallon.

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Bug Out Bag Essentials : What to Pack

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Some people ask me, “Why a 72 hour bug out bag?  Why not a week, or just a few hours?”  Well, the reason is this:  In a disaster scenario, like a flood, tornado, hurricane, or earthquake, first responders are likely going to be completely overloaded with large fires, collapses, etc. of large commercial buildings or heavy traffic downtown areas.  It is highly possible you will have to fend for yourself for a minimum of 3 days.  So the idea is to have enough stuff to keep yourself alive for 3 days and give you the necessary time and possibly tools … Continue reading →

Best Bug Out Bag – Maxpedition VULTURE-II

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When planning your bug out bag, probably the most important thing to consider is the bag itself.  There are lots of options for a bug out bag, but you really want something that is durable and rugged.  You never know what kind of punishment it may have to take. I prefer a pack with MOLLE attachments just because there is almost no end to the different things you can add to it.  Plus, I use some MOLLE compatible pouches everyday, like my cell phone case, that I could easily attach to my bug out bag if I wanted or needed … Continue reading →