Survive Infinite Dangers: The Family Survival Guide of 21st Century Dangers (17 page)

Urban and suburban (ones where houses are close together in wooded areas with lots of vegetation) can be as bad, or worse, than a firestorm in a rural park. This is because of all that is there to burn. Series of large buildings may contain everything from fuel tanks of immense size to explosive materials to where some may have as much combined material in them to equal a small nuclear bomb. Imagine an entire urban city on fire; a true fire storm. What would start fires and why could fire trucks not put fires out? Mostly broken gas mains combined with sparks from a few electrical lines still functioning. Most water mains are on primary water lines and, as already mentioned, most are run by pumps powered by electricity. No electricity – no water. The firemen, assuming their trucks even started (not an EMP or nuclear bomb wiping out all electronics), would have to watch the fires burn unchecked and THAT you would have to leave.

If you safe area is heavily damaged by the disaster then you may have no choice but to leave especially if you are in an area of high radiation (be sure to take your PI pills first and wear you N95 masks!). This is more likely to occur in natural disasters such as earthquakes, major fires, storms, tsunamis and floods.

Also, HUGE waves of mobs sweeping towards you would want to be well out in front of them. No matter how well you hide, they will find you. If you live close to our southern border expect millions crossing the border headed north all at once. They could not be stopped or even slowed down. So there are circumstances where you have no choice but to leave but they are few in number.

So give it a few minutes of thought before you grab your GONe (Get Out Now e) bag and “bug out”. That few minutes of calm thought mixed with common sense thinking of the possible futures may save your life.

Chapter 13

Be a “Stealth” Survivalist

Being stealth can never start too early. The UPS driver who notices the survival items he keeps bringing to your house might mention you to others, idle chatter at a Walmart checkout line with your carts filled with food and water might bring forth a question that you answer truthfully then you are followed home by someone who overheard your response or, perhaps, your spouse bragging to friends (or telling them what a kook you are) about your survivalist “mania”. Word gets around. If you’re already doing some of these things and accumulating some of the items listed in this book you’d be shocked to learn how many people know the basics of what you are doing. Right now, this second, go tell your family and extended family to never again say a word about your “survivalist project”. Make a list of all the friends and neighbors who know of your activity. Call each one and ask (firmly) they not say a word to another soul. Offer “assistance” when/if a disaster occurs as “encouragement”. Who knows, you may discover a friend or acquaintance who has a skill you really need (like being a paramedic) and they ask to join your group. Be sure to explain being part of the group is not one Saturday afternoon once a year but hard work and probably attending periodic meetings.

When your entire group is in your safe area, assuming it is a basement or room, blacken all windows with very heavy black cloth or black paint so that not the slightest light escapes in the dead of night (test this in advance!). Unless the disaster is radiation, anthrax, a pandemic or a gas leak, leave several windows open but the cloth hanging to the ground. It will still be musty but it won’t kill you. Be sure to shut off the gas right where it enters the house. The gas may be “out” but pockets can break loose and flood your basement through your hot water heater or forced air gas furnace. Do the same for your main water valve if you are in a cold climate. Try to keep one bathroom warm enough to use the toilet. Use bad water to flush toilets (explained elsewhere). Except for that one bathroom and the bathtubs filled with water (remember that?) flush and drain all pipes so they don’t freeze and crack. With no water pressure you won’t have a flood but you will when water is restored after civilization returns (have hope!). Periodically make a two-man (one with a gun) trip upstairs to break up the ice in the sinks and tubs. This is assuming conditions are so dire that even venturing from your basement or storm cellar puts you at risk. Depending on the time of year and how far north you live this can be every few hours to never.

Attempt to use the porta potty listed in several chapters and bury the refuse at night using night vision goggles (one person with a gun and one with a shovel) but if a modern restroom is desired try to keep one working and not frozen up.

Quiet means Q U I E T. If talking can be heard outside that is way, way too loud. Get used to whispering. Get used to having little light and reading with eye strain. Small LED lights for reading are just a few dollars and last 100+ hours on one battery.

There is no good chapter to put this so I’ll write it now – bring plenty of boring reading material. Boring because it will be slow and laborious and might even put you to sleep. Personally, I can’t stand board or card games but most people like them so be equipped for entertainment as if you’re in the 19
^th
century. Personally, I’ll be reading, sprouting and trying to keep up with whatever source of information I’ve found on our functioning radios - you did have them all double wrapped in aluminum foil didn’t you or placed in your high tech EMP protective device (stainless steel garbage can)?.

If you exchange messages on the Internet for instance on
www.survivalblog.com
(there are many survivalist blogs but it is one of the best) never give your name or you location other than a large city. I fully realize I am “outing” myself and my family by writing this book and had considered using a pen name. But I have already become too well known nationally on this subject by my real name long ago so there you go. I should add, yes, I do own gold, silver and other valuables but they are well hidden in other locations and my family would only learn their whereabouts if I was dead. If the slim chance of a disaster happens and civil unrest takes my life perhaps someone will find the gold and silver thousands of years from now. However, I’ll also say I have collected guns for a long time and have more ammunition than most National Guard armories. Plus I have a CCW license and carry a concealed pistol at all times. My adult children live elsewhere so I feel safe in spite of writing this book. The “hit the bulls eye at 100 yards type guy” – that’s me so I would not be a safe target for anything short of a small army even knowing my address.

Some large towns and cities have clubs or groups centered on “group survival”. They are probably a good idea and I encourage you to see if one is in your area. Some are already using advance copies of this book as their guide book. I’m flattered! Personally, if I wasn’t known already as I am I doubt if I would join if I was required to give my last name. Do as you wish. There are also paramilitary groups (with guns) of dubious value and group mental stability. Join such a group at your own risk. Of the ones I’ve been exposed to I think they’ll end up doing more damage to themselves than provide protection to their group or their community.

An idea that makes sense was mentioned to me regarding ways to “encourage” roving gangs to skip your house. She keeps bags of old clothes, broken lamps and items of all kinds she plans to donate to charity. For now, they are with her survival items. If lawlessness occurs she plans to make the main floor of her ranch-style home look as if it has already been thoroughly torn apart by other gangs. She plans to scatter old clothes around her yard, upset furniture, dump drawers of their contents, and have things like broken appliances littering the floors. Leave the front and side doors open. Perhaps even break some windows she’s told me. Basically, she will be doing her best to make her home appear as if it has already been thoroughly looted to give looters the thought “I’ll skip this house, others beat me to it”. Might work or might not. She and her husband will be in their blacked out basement hoping a looter doesn’t come in anyway. They own matching Remington 870 shotguns so a looter will exit one way or the other. I give the idea a ten for originality so I might try it myself!

Chapter14

Physical Defense Security

Surprisingly this partially works hand and hand with fire mitigation of your home (assuming that is your safe area). As much as you love those bushes and trees within 30 feet of your home, they should go. I won’t say they must go but realize they are a hazard. For both fire and a perfect hiding areas for those who wish to do you harm and take your survival stash. You worked hard at building your safe area so don’t give it up easily. As much as a single family is easier to provision and provide for consider adding a family or two to your group. Families who are just as committed as you are, willing to pull their weight, all healthy and willing to pay their fair share. One family doing “guard duty” for 24/7 for months is impossible. And venturing outside even for a moment is impossible in the worst scenarios. Begin to carefully check out neighbors and friends who live within walking distance of your home. Know them very well before you even bring up the subject. You don’t want to explain your complete plan only to be told “you’re crazy” as they’ll be the first ones to report you as a hoarder when martial law by authorities “requires” you to pool all you own at a local school, city hall or wherever.

If food and water become scarce expect police and fire to no longer be on your side! “Hoarders” (people who had the foresight to prepare – such as you!) will be become villains as the mayor, governor or some other official blames shortage of food and water on “people like you!” You must remain “stealth” from EVERYONE and that includes government and NGO (non-government organizations i.e. Red Cross) groups. If found, your stash that WAS going to feed your family for six months instead provide a few meals for a thousand people at a local improvised shelter – then you all starve to death. There are times when you must remain on your own – this is one of those times.

A neighbor within a house or two could set up their own group in their home then connect to you with a pair of VHF walkie-talkies with all the equipment to keep them charged for many months if need be. Not as good as in-person guard duty but close enough. A “perfect” suburban “group community” would be everyone who lives in a cul-de-sac sharing guard duty, supplies and probably possessing a wide range of skills. Expect small towns after they’ve seen the few “city people” show up asking for help (which they probably gave) totally change their attitude after the few turns into thousands all looking for help from people in rural areas. They will be overwhelmed so expect them to band together as towns with road blocks, a home grown instant police force and anything else needed to keep outsiders out! Are you still thinking of grabbing a bag and “heading for the hills?” You are stubborn aren’t you!

Chapter 15

Financial, (Real) Money and Bartering

As stated several times already anyone acknowledged or associated with this book has any formal training or professional experience with financial matters; particularly investing and management of money and other assets that may or could be converted into money. Read with caution and accept nothing at face value. Use other sources and particularly professional advice before investing, buying or selling financial instruments including, but not limited to stocks, bonds and anything else bought or sold on Wall Street as well as precious metals such as gold, silver, platinum and so forth. No one associated with this book take any responsibility for investment losses due to actions taken following information written or omitted (and should or could have appeared) in this book.

Having written the “standard where is and who is” boiler plate required by lawyers I attest I have personally made more investing mistakes in my life than any three typical investors put together. I have made a lot of money and lost a lot of money. My total losses outweigh my total gains. But I have learned a lot along the way. Unfortunately, you only get one chance. Hindsight is truly 20/20! It’s been said you learn more from your mistakes than your successes. If that is true then I’m in the genius category of investing as I have learned a lot I’m not saying I’m destitute. I had five amazing years leading up to 1982 and went from worrying about a $300 mortgage payment to worth many millions of dollars. I should have taken my chips off the table and bought Maui or something like that. But I had to start another company and made even more millions then in one spectacular explosion of a year (1988) the computer wholesale business was taken over by crooks and they pulled the trap door on the honest people with them collecting our millions as we fell into the bottomless pit. Almost all of my business friends (but competitors) went from $10 million homes to, in one case, a collect phone call from a homeless shelter was the last I heard from one of them. I caught a “branch” and saved a few million and have been there ever since not mega-rich but don’t possess the wealth that whizzed by so fast I didn’t even get to touch it. Who are these computer industry “crooks” who zoomed in and did tricks Houdini would admire? You’d recognize their names. But they got away with it, are all now billionaires and I’m not.

“Giving back” to my fellow man by writing this book is extra important to me as I “feel” the information is so needed right now but is scattered across hundreds of books and Web sites. I own every book on survival living I could find on Amazon or out of print but available from used book sellers. Other than the excellent book written by James Wesley, Rawles there is just nothing out there! This book that can be read in three hours and a busy weekend of Internet ordering and a half day at Walmart plus some time at a gun store will provide you the “assurance” that you and your survival group will survive at least 95% of the “Infinite Dangers” many of which didn’t exist 20 years ago.