Winter Survival - Super Shelter Experiment

Giant Hogweed a Toxic Invader

Please Help A Vet Charged Under An Unconstitutional Law

I normally don't ask for money here, but someone needs help.
Benjamin Wassell was the first person in New York to be charged under the SAFE Act.  He is a father of two and Iraq war veteran.  He is 90 percent disabled from his service.  He needs help paying for the legal costs to keep him home with his family where he belongs.  He is currently facing up to 35 years in prison.  If you can possibly help please go to http://www.gofundme.com/2clmcw
Thanks.

Top 10 Most Common Emergency Food Fails

From http://www.foodinsurance.com

I somewhat disagree with number 4 and 5. Water doesn't go bad unless it is contaminated. If it is in a clear container you will be able to see things growing in it that may be otherwise concealed by a container. Keep plastic containers out of the sun, but heat and humidity aren't really a problem with water storage. Other than that, this is pretty good.

$25 Bugout Bag

Book Review: Rivers

I was sent a copy of this book for review so here it is.

The story takes place in the gulf region of the U.S. after years of hurricanes pounding constantly.  I assume this is supposed to be due to climate change but I don't recall it saying specifically.  Cohen is the main character.  He decided to stay there despite evacuation orders by the government.  His wife and unborn child were killed in the beginning of the storms.  He lives with their ghosts and tries to finish building a room for the baby as the storms keep knocking it down.

One day as Cohen is on a supply run he tries to help some kids on the side of the road.  This is where it starts getting interesting.  The kids try to kill him and steel his Jeep.  He is left miles from home with nothing.  He takes refuge in an old church and contemplates how to get his Jeep back.  When he arrives home he finds that he has been robbed.  Knowing that the robbers will likely return he grabs some things and leaves.

Cohen sets out to find the people that stole from him.  On his way he spots his Jeep at that same church he had stayed in earlier.  The man who drove it there was being attacked by a jaguar.  Cohen forces the man to tell him where his things are.  What he finds is a colony of slaves run by a man with delusions of creating his own perfect world.

From there on it is a story of a constant struggle for survival.  I would give this book a thumbs up.  The only complaint I have is that there are a few chapters that are flashbacks to his time with his wife that really didn't have much relevance.  The price tag on the book says $25 but right now it is $18.02 on Amazon.  It is a hardcover with good quality printing and binding.  It is also available for Kindle or Audible.

A Resource to Check Out: Organized Prepper

Check out this site I just came across.  Full of good stuff.  Here's the summary from their site:
Organized Prepper, LLC is a family run organization based in Texas dedicated to providing information and supplies to those who would like to be more prepared for whatever curve-balls the universe wants to throw at them.   Regardless of if you are concerned about a full blown TEOTWAWKI event or just minor power outages or even a stalled car…we want to help you be ready.  We’re here to help the “newbie prepper” get going.
We currently carry several brands of storage food, emergency kits, archery & crossbow supplies, solar kits, water systems, and all kinds of other prepping gear.    The list of products and product categories is growing all the time so be sure to check back or subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed.
At our site you’ll also find two informative blogs to help you get prepared.

• Getting Prepped is a blog focused primarily on how to go about prepping the “Organized” way
• Always Prepping…Never Ready is a little more “free-form” blog touching on all kinds of prepper topics

Pine Home: Building a Debris Hut from start to finish

Vehicle DIY *FINAL* - 5 Tips

Building Codes for Bunkers

A reader sent me this question:

Are there any sites that have info about how to comply with building codes and zoning regulations when building a safe home or underground bunker?
 

It's my impression that there are many many people advocating underground or very safe homes, but I know (only a bit) about building codes and zoning restrictions, and it seems they are very anti-thetical to any such kind of construction. I wonder if there is some place where people have already researched and discussed the issues. Since there are several generally accepted general standards, and localities can modify them, the potential problems seem endless and mostly unknown to trip up the unwary.

In a similar vein, there are many many people advocating the use of used surplus ISO steel shipping containers to make a supposedly cheap house or bunker, but they don't seem to calculate the huge cost of converting them, adding doors, windows, plumbing (very hard to do in a 6,000 lb box sitting flat on ground), insulating them (all the architects seem to ignore lack of energy efficiency in these), preventing leaks, zoning restrictions, getting a mortgage on such an unusual home, etc. Similarly, while monolithic domes have wonderful physical characteristics, and are enthusiastically promoted by some, zoning restrictions and lack of mortgage financing kills them for almost all people.

I am just beginning to look into prepper sites, and came across yours as one of the first. Thanks for letting me know whatever you can learn. I'm happy if there is some source of good info that you could also pass on to others. If I happen to come across such info, I will share it with you.

I decided to ask someone in the business for the answer.  I emailed Vic Rantala Owner of Safecastle LLC www.safecastle.com.  Vic's answer was:

I am not aware of any sites like that. The short answer to the question is that each locality has different building codes and zoning regs. If you want to learn about your locale's codes, you need to contact your local authorities about it. Many do not have special regs about shelters and would likely then defer to the old FEMA guidelines. Also, certification of a design by a state-licensed structural engineer would be a big help. Finally, if you make the local authorities aware of your shelter project, you should expect visits from the local building inspectors thru the project as I'm sure they will take special interest in the project because of the novelty of it all. Hope that helps.

Here's a book that may help you out:

Check out the author's website http://www.undergroundhousing.com/ and this video:
Please comment below if you know any more on the topic.

Sleep for Survival

Guest Post: New York Knife Law for the Survivalist

New York Knife Law for the Survivalist

There are four degrees of criminal possession of a weapon in New York, with a few knives being illegal to even own. However, the illegal knives are not ones that are typically thought of as survival knives, but are mostly fighting knives. Furthermore, New York’s law on the carrying of knives that are legal, or rather, its lack thereof, tends to be favorable to those who wish to own and carry sporting, survival, and other useful knives, that are not designed for fighting.  

Definitions of Various Knives under New York Law

While New York law does not define every knife, it does provide the following knife definitions:

Pilum Ballistic Knife

A pilum ballistic knife is any knife with a blade that can be projected from the handle by pushing a button, spring, or other apparatus on the handle of the knife.  

Gravity Knife

A gravity knife is defined as any knife with a blade that is released from the handle by the force of gravity or the application of centrifugal force and when released, is locked in place by a button, spring, lever or other device.

Switchblade Knife

A switchblade knife is any knife with a blade that opens automatically by pressure applied to a button, spring or other device in the handle of the knife.

A Summary of New York Knife Law

Following is a summary of what is legal and what is not when it comes to both owning and carrying knives in the state of New York.

Owning Knives

In New York, you commit criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree, which is a class A misdemeanor if you own a:

• Pilum ballistic knife
• Switchblade knife
• Gravity knife

You also commit criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree if you own almost any knife with the intent to use it unlawfully against another or if you possess any knife while in New York and not a citizen of the United States.

The office is upgraded to criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree, which is a class D felony, if you have ever been convicted of any crime.

First and Second degree criminal possession of a weapon involve the possession of firearms, explosives, and other weapons besides knives.

It is a defense to criminal possession of a weapon for a switchblade or gravity knife that it is being carried while lawfully hunting, fishing, or trapping.

Carrying Knives

There are no statutes that specifically forbid the carrying of any knife that is legal in New York. This means that it is legal to open and conceal carry any type of legal knife, as long as you are a U.S. citizen and carrying it for a lawful purpose. Lawful purposes for carrying knives may include hunting, fishing, or participating in other lawful outdoor activities where one would normally carry a knife, and performing work related tasks that require a knife or are made easier with a knife.

You should be aware, however, that the law presumes a person carrying a dirk, dagger, or stiletto is intending to use it against another, which is a crime. This means that while it is not illegal to carry a dirk, dagger, or stiletto, per se, you may be arrested and possibly have to defend yourself in Court, if found to be carrying one. It would then be up to a jury to decide if you had the intention of using the knife against another or not. This also applies to dirks, daggers, or stilettos  found inside of a vehicle. In that case, the knife would be assumed to be owned by all of the occupants of the vehicle as well.

Where you Can Find the Law

New York’s weapons statutes are located online on the New York Legislature’s website here. Case law, or Judge made law, can be found online at Justia.com or Findlaw.com. New York residents can access both statutes and case law in print and online at any Public Access library in New York. Public Access libraries are located in each county. You can locate your Public Access Library by locating your county on the Public Access Law Library list provided on the official New York State website.

Statutes concerning knives are located in NY CLS Penal § 265.00, § 265.01, and § 265.15. Annotated codes are best, so if you visit a Public Access Library, ask the librarian where to located the annotated statutes.  Annotated statutes contain a list of cases that discuss each particular statute, making it easy to locate case law that has interpreted each statute, thereby expanding, restricting, and clarifying the law. A few important cases on New York life include:

• People v. Dolson, 530 NYS2d 427 (1987, City Ct)
• People v Zuniga, 759 NYS2d 86 (2003, App Div, 2d Dept)
• In re Jesse QQ., 662 NYS2d 851 (1997, 3d Dept)
• People v. Richards, 869 N.Y.S.2d 731 (2008 N.Y. Misc.)

You can look up these, or other, cases on Justia.com or Findlaw.com, or ask a librarian at a Public Access Law Library for assistance in locating the cases. 

This guest blog was from Roger Blackburn of KnifeUp.com. KnifeUp is a knife resource center where you can find information on things such as best survival knives.

Burning Snack Chips as Fire Tinder

Pine Home: Bug Out Bag Replacement

Guest Post: How to Practice Sustainability and Preparedness When You Live in a Big City

Living in a big city is exciting. There are a wide variety of things to do, a diverse selection of restaurants, and a large group of people of all types of backgrounds to meet. Yet, living in a big city comes with its tradeoffs, as well. The price of real estate can be astronomical, and the place you do end up living is likely to be a small apartment not much bigger than a dorm room.

When you live in a small apartment in a big city like New York or Chicago, there’s not much room for practicing sustainability and preparedness, such as gardening or storing food. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t do these things. Here are a few tips for how you can practice sustainability and preparedness even when you live in a big city and a small apartment:

Grow a Container Garden

You don’t need a huge back yard in order to grow a garden. You can grow just about anything you want to eat on the balcony of your apartment (depending on the climate where you live). You can use pots, an old dresser, or really any other container that you have on hand (and that you can drill holes in for drainage). If space is really limited, you can build a vertical garden so you can grow things up instead of out and get more space.

Set Up Patio Rainwater Collection

Water is one of the most important supplies you can have on hand, but it is limited. Instead of letting valuable water go to waste by seeping into the ground (or running off the concrete) when it rains, you can set up a rainwater collection system on your patio. There are different designs you can incorporate, depending on the layout of your patio and how much space you have. Check out some ideas here. You can use the rainwater for cleaning or for watering your container garden. If you set up a filtering system, you can even use it to drink or to cook.

Store Food

When you don’t have a big basement or pantry in which to store food, you may think that your options are limited for emergency planning. However, you can still store food even in a tiny apartment. You will just need to change your strategy.

If you can, set aside a whole closet for your food storage. If that’s not possible, hang some additional shelves in your pantry or a big closet (take advantage of that vertical space!). Then focus on foods that won’t take up as much space. Instead off bulky boxes or plastic containers, choose bags of dry rice, beans and other staples. Concentrate on foods that give you the most bang for your buck

Create Emergency Evacuation Plans

Perhaps one of the most important tasks for emergency preparedness in a big city is creating an evacuation plan. When you are in a city that is packed with buildings and people, you’ll need to have a plan for a quick and efficient exit in the case of a storm or another serious emergency. Your safety and the safety of your family will depend upon it. Create your plan, practice it, and keep a copy of it in a safe place.

Plan for Home Safety

Violence and crime are even more prevalent in big cities than elsewhere. It’s important to put a plan in place for your home safety, both for everyday crime and for emergency situations. You can start by installing a basic alarm system. Next, you can learn basic home defense, including proper gun use and safety if you are comfortable with it.

Living in a big city does not preclude you from practice basic sustainability and preparedness measures. You can follow these strategies living in even the smallest apartment. Doing so will make you prepared in most emergency situations so that you and your family are safe.

About the Author:

Bridget Sandorford is a freelance food and culinary writer, where recently she’s been researching NYC culinary school. In her spare time, she enjoys biking, painting and working on her first cookbook.

Ron Paul 2nd Amendment 1989

One DA making NY safer

Preppers in New York

A while back I was interviewed for an article about preppers in NY for Times Union.  I didn't get featured in the article, but it is pretty good anyway.  Kristen V. Brown is the author.  She has some other good articles so check her out @ kristenvbrown.com
Anyway, here is her article about preppers in NY: http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Preppers-Being-ready-just-in-case-4508567.php

Guest Post: Surviving Disaster with Precious Metals

Some people across the world know all too well just how possible it is that a disaster might happen. Unexpected storms or military invasion can mean the different between your normal everyday life or an upheaval of events where each and every day is a new mission of survival.

It goes without saying that preparing food, water, and shelter are essential parts of surviving disasters, but what if I said that owning gold and silver was another facet of survival? The fact of the matter is that precious metals will most definitely serve countless benefits in the wake of a disaster. The reason for this is that in the wake of disaster, paper currencies will be deemed worthless as they are nothing more than paper. This means that making purchases and bartering with paper money is going to be a fruitless endeavor.

Gold and silver, metals that have been valued and sought after for thousands of years, will undoubtedly take the place of paper money and credit cards we have today and it would be a shame for you to be caught up in a disaster without these items. The purpose of this article is to explain to you the different types of metals that you can buy as well as the possible benefits that they will serve you. Being prepared for disaster is by no means an easy task, but with gold and silver it can make your preparation even more complete.

Coins vs. Bars

The two main types of gold and silver are coins and bars. While these two entities can be found weighing the same and containing the same amount of metal in them (purity level), they are very different. The main difference between gold bars and gold coins is the fact that coins are used as legal tender whereas bars aren’t. Going hand in hand with this is the fact that coins are only produced in certain countries where bars are produced everywhere. For example, a 1 oz American Gold Eagle coin can only be produced by the US Mint, but a 1 oz gold bar can be produced by any privately owned mint across the world.

Since mints are government-run, the coins that come from them are as scarce as the government mint decides it wants them to be. Bars, on the other hand, are produced in countless numbers and when one company stops producing them, another begins. This means that coins are more often than not rarer than similarly sized bars and is the reason why gold and silver coins will often cost more than gold and silver bars. These are a few of the reasons why you should own gold and silver bars in preparation for disaster instead of coins. Coins being more expensive than bars is not always the case, but more often than not you will see that this is true.

Timing Your Buys

Just like it is always a smarter choice to purchase something like a television when it is on sale as opposed to when it is not, it is important to purchase precious metals when their value has taken a momentary dip. Like stocks on the stock market, the value of precious metals is always changing. As a potential investor it is your job to watch the markets and see how precious metals are acting as a way to better gauge when you should make a purchase.

Buying at opportune times means that you are going to be making the most out of your money as well as giving your investment room to grow and become more valuable. Predicting which way values of gold and silver are going to move is not an easy task, but making a reactionary buy to a drop in the price of gold or silver is something that can be done with little to no effort at all.

Where to Buy

When in the market for gold and silver, searching the online catalogues of web-based precious metals dealers is the smartest way to go about making a purchase. The amount of online dealers is growing at a consistent rate and we all know that the more competition there is, the better the price is for the consumer.

Doing side by side comparisons of products offered on different online dealers is a great way to make the most out of your money. In addition to there being a countless number of online dealers, the fact that you don’t even have to leave your house in order to make a purchase attracts a lot of investors. The only precaution you have to take when making a purchase is being sure that the online dealer you are buying from is a reputable one. JMBullion.com is one of the most trusted names on the Internet, and there are countless positive reviews to be found attesting to their reputation and service.

Holy Snake!

We found this guy at the Pitch Pine Bog in Rome, NY.  This is one of the largest snakes I have seen in New York State.  One lesson I learned was to always carry a good camera when I go hiking.  You never know what you'll find. Does anyone know what kind of snake this is?

Guest Post: What Are The Differences Between Freeze-Dried and Dehydrated Food?

Although both freeze-dried food and dehydrated food are both great for food storage and emergencies,
there are some differences between the two. Here are some of the major differences:

Differences in the Way They're Processed

What is Freeze-Dried Food?

Freeze-dried foods are prepared and flash frozen. Then, they go through a drying process.

The entire process removes all of the water from the foods, while freeze-drying the flavors. This gives
these foods the ability to keep all of their natural flavors, nutritional content, vitamins and taste intact.
People have said that these foods have a fresh taste, as if they were just recently prepared.

About 98% of the water content is removed from freeze-dried food. This reduces the weight of the
food significantly, making it simpler to store as well as transport. For example, a chicken weighing 3kg
will only weigh 1kg once the freeze-drying process is complete. These foods can be easily and quickly
rehydrated by simply adding hot water. It's important to note that freeze-drying requires professional
processing, making these foods a bit more expensive than dehydrated foods.

Because so much of the water content is removed, freeze-dried foods can have a shelf life of 25 or
more years.

What is Dehydrated Food?

Dehydrated foods are those that were picked at the peak of their ripeness. Then, they are cleansed and
trimmed so that only the prime parts remain. Once this is complete, they are dehydrated for long-lasting
freshness.

Many experts say that the dehydrating process removes about 75% of the moisture from the foods.
This is done using a dying process that's highly sophisticated. Once dehydrated, the foods are packed
in enameled, heavy-duty cans. They are then sealed with tightly, giving them the longest shelf life
possible.

Removing so much water content from the dehydrated foods makes them more compact. This is great
for preppers who have very little storage space for their food insurance. For example, a 24-pound case
of canned foods can weigh between 36-45 ounces in its dehydrated form. It would also come in one
single #10 can. This means that with dehydrated foods, you can yield about double the amount of food
for the same cost of regular canned foods.

Because about 25% of the water remains in dehydrated foods, they can have a shelf life of up to eight
years.

Author Bio

This article was written by content creator, Chett Wright. FoodInsurance.com is an industry leader in
emergency food storage. Like the Food Insurance Facebook page for amazing offers, and learn more
about freeze dried food from Food Insurance.

Pine Home Outdoors: Maintaining wood and leather tool handles

Sheriff Robert Maciol on NY SAFE Act

Well, the Sheriff's Department won't give us any trouble. What about the State and local police?

Pine Home: Camping with No Budget Tip: Chinese Scissors for bushcraft use

Pine Home: Review of the Condor Nessmuk Knife

The Missing Eggs Mystery Childrens Story (slideshow)

New York State Rifle & Pistol Association files suit against SAFE Act

"A well-regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed."

I don't know how that could be misinterpreted, but apparently Andrew Cuomo and most of our legislators do.  That is why it is great that we have people like NYSRPA around.  If you haven't already, check them out and if you can, donate.  If you are so inclined, become a member.

http://www.nysrpa.org/

EDC Apps (Part 1)

Pine Home:" Camping with No Budget " Review of the Rayovac Sportsman LED...

NRA News in Albany February 28, 2013

Permaculture-Can Your Kids Design It?

Local interview with Ted Nugent

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B3gZ7HaztzZHUVIxcVhJSXRoVUE/edit?usp=sharing

A Different look at Cold Weather Survival

Check it out: http://www.thesurvivalpodcast.com/phillips-on-cold-weather-survival

A Letter from a Military Vet, To the State of NY

http://www.thesurvivalpodcast.com/a-letter-from-a-military-vet-to-the-state-of-ny

Jack Spirko's Bug Out Bag

Check out Jack's presentation on Bug Out Bags: http://www.thesurvivalpodcast.com/power-point-deck-from-my-bug-out-bag-presentation

What is Gun Culture? It's Much More Than You Think

Preparedness: Family Cloth (Toilet Paper)

Guest Post: General Preparedness

You don’t know when an emergency may hit you or when a national emergency might
befall your area. Most people fall short of being prepared whenever something like this
happens and that is exactly what we want to avoid. That’s why even in times when
there’s no imminent danger of being caught in a calamity or any kind of emergency, you
should still be prepared and ready for whatever situation that might come.

Get enough food stored
Stored food for emergencies should be the first thing that you have to think about since
food supply might be scarce during an emergency or a calamity. On the onset of an
emergency, make sure that you have enough supply of ready-to-eat food for your family
(at least a week’s supply) that you will get the nourishment that you need. Also consider
that you need water in the process and having enough portable water jugs ready will
help you carry them faster. If you want to stay nourished with your family, make sure
that you have stored food for emergencies right in your cupboard. It beats having to wait
and depend on dole outs!

Make sure a medical kit is ready
Having injuries and being sick during an emergency may happen and it pays to be
ready with the proper cure than let a little cut cause a sever infection. Your medical kit
should include basic medicines like paracetamol, antibiotic, loperamide and amoxicillin.
You should also include cotton balls, hydrogen peroxide, betadine, forceps, gauze,
medical tape, scissors and some cloth strips for a tourniquet if you can. You would
need those medicines especially when you’re moved to an evacuation center where
everything is for public use: drinking stations, toilets, and even places to sleep. It’s not
really sanitary so you need medical reinforcements if ever you or one of the members of
your family catches a flu, cuts themselves or requires any first aid attention.

Prepare back-ups for communication
If you have your phones, always make sure that they are fully charged so you can
communicate with the outside world when you get stuck. Having a satellite phone would
be better as it won’t rely on local carriers. Stash an extra battery if you can and make
sure that you use your phone only for important and emergency purposes. Keep a
portable radio that may be recharged and battery-powered so that you’ll stay in touch
with the news even when there’s no electricity.

Remember to keep a list of possible evacuation areas. Being prepared a step ahead will
always work to your advantage and knowing exactly what to do in emergency situations
would help you and your family make your way to safety.

About the Author
Adeline is a food preparation expert from Orange County. If you like her articles about
preparing stored food for emergencies, please visit DailyBread.com.

References
American Red Cross: Prepare Your Home and Family;
http://www.redcross.org/prepare/location/home-family

United States Department of Labor: Emergency Preparedness and Response;
http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/emergencypreparedness/index.html

72 Hours: Are You Prepared?;
http://72hours.org/

Free for Three Days – Don’t Pass this Up!

Winter Survival

Many survival rules apply across the board to everyone.  I would like to talk about survival in the winter.  The cold completely changes your priorities.  You can die from it in as little as three hours.  That makes it a top priority around here.  Whether you are in a house with no heat or lost in the woods, your number one priority needs to be shelter.

There are many layers of shelter to be considered.  Your first layer of defense is your clothing.  You need to be able to keep in your body heat while getting rid of excess moisture.  Cotton clothing will not do this for you.  Cotton will absorb moisture and leave you cold and wet.  The best way to control your body temperature is with layers of clothing.  Start with a base layer made of a breathable material such as polypropylene.  This will wick up any sweat and it will evaporate away from you.  Be aware that polypropylene will melt if it gets near an open flame or high heat.  Next comes an insulative layer.  Wool retains between 80 and 90 percent of its insulative properties when it is soaking wet.  Some synthetic materials may also be suitable for this as well.  Finally, a shell to keep you dry and to break the wind.  I personally prefer Gor-tex for this.  It is available in the military surplus market as well as the sporting goods market.  With these layers you should be able to last a while on foot.

Your next priority should be heat.  In the wilderness, this usually means fire.  In your home this may be your only option if there is no electricity.  You need to be able to start a fire and sustain it.  This will require fuel and an ignition source.  These are simple things you can carry all the time.  For example, you can carry a cigarette lighter for ignition and a piece of cloth or cotton for a starter fuel.  In wet conditions sustaining a fire can be a real challenge.  You may have to start small and as your fuel wood dries work your way up to a good fire.  You want to establish coals at the bottom to keep the fire alive through the night.  You must also be mindful of your exhaust.  Carbon Monoxide WILL kill you.  Make sure your smoke has a place to go.

The final priority should be a shelter from the elements such as snow, rain, and wind.  If you are in a building already than this is already accomplished.  If you are in the wilderness, you may have limited options.  Look for a natural shelter such as a cave or underneath a tree.  Avoid hazards like trees that are fallen.  They call them widow-makers for a reason.  If you can’t find anything already constructed, try to burrow in the snow or under a pine tree if it is available.  You need to insulate yourself from the ground or it will suck the heat right out of you.  Make a platform from whatever material you have to keep you off the ground.  If you are seeking rescue then you need to make yourself visible outside of your shelter.  Hang a brightly colored piece of material above you.  If you can, make a large X on the ground for over-passing aircraft.  Three fires in a triangle shape is also a sign of distress.

When you are done with your shelter you can concentrate on other priorities.  Food isn’t very important in the short term because you can last quite a while without it.  You will need water next.  Melting snow is a very slow method of obtaining water but it may be necessary.  If you get water from a stream or other source, make sure to boil it before drinking to avoid illness.  The last thing you need is to be sick in this situation.  You need to keep hydrated to keep your body temperature up.

I hope this has been informative to you.  Keep alive and keep safe.

Cabin Fever Part 9 Staying Healthy.wmv

Iraq veteran and Police officer comments on Cuomo gun Seizure at Albany ...

Kathleen Marchione comments on Gun Control Legislation in Senate Session...

Sign the petition here: http://www.nysenate.gov/webform/stand-second-amendment-standing-new-york-state-senator-kathleen-marchione

12 Planks of Modern Survivalism

Guest Post from far away

This is a guest post from someone whom I know as Empress Of Drac.

Basic Survival Guideline during Tsunamis

The images of the 2004 Asian Tsunami gave everyone with a television terrifying insights to the damage and destruction tsunamis can cause. This tsunami, one of the greatest modern natural disasters, resulted in over 200,000 people missing and dead.

Earthquakes and Tsunamis

The primary cause of a tsunami is an earthquake. The Asian Tsunami of 2004 was caused by the second largest recorded earthquake ever, a 9.3 on the Richter scale. Like their primary cause, tsunamis can occur at any time, in any coastal area and in any season. Depending on the location of the causal quake, warning times for a pending tsunami can be from minutes to hours. There may be a warning of a pending tsunami by an unnatural rise or fall of waters along the coastline.

When it does arrive, a tsunami is actually a succession of waves, not one tidal wave. The pressure of the waves pushes great quantities of water from the ocean onto the shore. Water will rush up rivers and tidal areas, often resulting in damage miles inland.

Preparation for Tsunamis

Disaster preparedness for people living in coastal areas should include preparation for surviving tsunamis. It surprises many to learn that over 350 people have been killed in the 24 tsunamis that have struck the U.S. in the past 24 years. Since significant earthquakes can occur anywhere and anytime, no coastal areas are immune from the threat.

The speed of tsunamis means that if you see a wave coming, you are too late; it isn't possible to outrun it. This reality puts immense importance on advance planning. Understanding how and when tsunami warnings are used in your community is a first step. High ground (at least 100 feet) is really the only protection against the onrushing waters. Plan evacuation routes from work, school and home. Routes should be chosen that get to high ground in the shortest period of time. At the first notice of an earthquake that might generate a tsunami in the area, begin the evacuation process.

Because of the overwhelming damage of a tsunami, it is highly desirable to have an evacuation kit placed in an accessible place on high ground. Short of that, a tsunami survival kit will have to be light and very portable for rapid evacuation. An emphasis should be given to mobile phones, food, flashlights (with extra batteries) and basic medicines. Lightweight food packets such as those available at foodinsurance.com provide the most meals for weight carried. Also, include waterproof copies of personal identification, carried by each individual.

Disaster relief for a tsunami can be expected rapidly in all but the most remote areas. That puts the importance on being able to feed your family during the first 24 hours after the disaster.

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