Failing to Prepare is Preparing to fail

"Surviving to Fight means Fighting to Survive"

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Friday 15 March 2013

Show Content 15th March 2013

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Show Notes
This week is my first birthday having broadcast 52 shows I wish to thank each and every one of you for listening, supporting and commenting on and to my show?
I start this week with an article on My thoughts, then Support these Companies, Why Prepare 72-Hour "Bug-Out" Bags, more companies to support, Your Pet Survival Plan, a survival tip sheet Bartering Your Skills, Why Prep?, Further Companies to Support, Quick Fried Camp Squirrel, Rabbit Stew or Pheasant Stew, DIY pest control, The Matthew Martin Tactical Pens Review, 1 Person BASIC Backpack Survival Kit Review, Resistance to Antibiotics Should Be Ranked Along With Terrorism, Prepping For The What Ifs and The Oh No’s!, My Homemade MRE, Survival Cooking and Foraging, Surviving SHTF, Doomsday top Ten Theories 2013, Bushcraft Shows to Attend.

Yes it’s the UK Preppers Radio Network on KPRNDB-UK I’m your host Tom Linden broadcasting from North Yorkshire in the UK welcome to my 52nd show, yes it has been a year and the time has flown by. I hope you have enjoyed listening to my show as much as I have enjoyed doing it.

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Check out my blog at http://ukprn.blogspot.co.uk I will update it regularly to keep it interesting
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Due to a snow blizzard last Monday night four to five hundred motorists were stranded in their cars for 12 hours on the M23 and the M25 with no food water or extra clothing. When will people learn to prepare?
My Thoughts
Expect the conditions following economic collapse to lead to a new peasantry - office workers becoming field labourers or bandits; tied to food production by desperate circumstances.
But without modern sanitation and medical care, plagues and epidemics can run rampant.
Without modern education, many academic and professional categories will vanish. Expect religions and cults to experience enormous growth as oil-based societies return to more medieval structures.
Myths work as long as a majority believe them to be true. Leaders clad their agendas in the language and thought patterns of those myths. Until the 20th century, leaders used religious talk ... now people believe that democracy and the free market really exist and that they are the mainstay for everything dear and valuable ... Thus to mobilize today's population, leaders use democracy and free-market talk.
It is like the difference between official socialist/communist concepts and real-world socialism/communism.
Our societies require the on-going integrated functioning of many factors, including electricity, water, food, heat, transportation, communication, medicine and security.
An extended manipulation or failure of any of these sub-systems can damage or collapse the others; and the collapse of one country or region can have huge consequences elsewhere on our interconnected planet.
Food is power.
We use it to change behaviour. Some may call that bribery.
Catherine Bertini, UN World Food Program Executive Director, 1997
A gradual collapse would not be SO bad. A fast collapse would be devastating. Most people will freeze, panic or reject the news - until they are motivated to move by thirst, starvation, looters and epidemics.
Many people who wait for help will die. NOW is the best time to make emergency last-minute preparations. How can you arrange to keep your essential possessions ... and your life?
The essential difference between survivors and casualties is preparation!
During a disaster - every second counts! Waiting for help may kill you!
The potential Stages of Societal Collapse are
Moral Collapse. You stop trusting people. You distrust your elected politicians, businesses, government employees, religious leaders and military. Unemployment soars and your neighbourhood becomes increasingly dangerous.
As riots and suicides increase, dysfunctional authorities may talk about the temporary crisis and seek scapegoats. I remember talking to Selco who described exactly this as the Collapse began in the Balkans.
Financial Collapse. You stop trusting banks. You cannot assess risk and your financial assets are not guaranteed. If financial institutions become insolvent; your savings may be wiped out, and you cannot access your capital.
As social unrest and suicide increase, airlines and borders may be closed. Authorities may call this a temporary measure and may blame computer hackers.
Commercial Collapse. You stop trusting businesses. Money may be devalued and/or become scarce. People hoard and trade basic commodities and medications, import and retail chains cease, and there are widespread shortages of survival necessities.
Supermarkets are guarded and you hear of food riots. Martial law may be enforced in cities. If your electricity stops - would you freeze in the dark?  
Authorities may talk of a temporary emergency and may blame farmers and traders.
Political Collapse. You stop trusting governments. Official attempts to provide survival necessities are ineffective; and politicians lose legitimacy and relevance.
Emergency calls are not answered. Starving people want your food, medical supplies and weapons. You may hear of military coups or of millions of starving people. Authorities may blame terrorists.
Social Collapse. You stop trusting authorities. Social institutions become resourceless. Dead bodies become commonplace. Cities become centres of starvation and disease. Might is right ... but who has weapons? Internment camps may conceal starvation and genocide ... for a while.
Authorities may blame hoarders/ preppers.
Military Collapse. You stop trusting the military. Martial law transitions into local dictatorships. The military may perceive you and your family as targets competing for the same resources as themselves - or as potential slaves.
They may create systems of forced labour and slavery ... fighting local wars over local resources.
Kindness becomes a strange concept. Authorities may blame communists.
Civilization Collapse. You stop trusting hope. Death is everywhere. People cannot afford to be kind. Urban regions become death zones. Nothing is more dangerous than desperate men.
Whose women and children will live - and whose will die? You hear stories of cannibals. You might be killed for a candy bar ... you might be hunted for your meat.  
The only authorities are people who can kill you.
Here is a cutting from a US Government report following the winter of 1609-1610: Concerning CANNIBALISM IN AMERICA
Driven thru insufferable hunger to eat those things which nature most abhorred, the flesh and excrements of man as well of our own nation as of an Indian, digged by some out of his grave after he had lain buried three days and wholly devoured him; others, envying the better state of body of any whom hunger has not yet so much wasted as their own, lay wait and threatened to kill and eat them; one among them slew his wife as she slept in his bosom, cut her in pieces, salted her and fed upon her till he had devoured all parts saving her head.
It hardly matters what causes it - financial collapse, global warming, an oil war or space aliens.
As infrastructure collapses, misinformation will dominate the media. Instructions and advice given to avoid widespread panic may worsen your chances of survival.
This may not be a good time to stay indoors and wait for instructions. It may be a good time to get out of a city fast while you still can.
Government agencies may tell you, while communications last, that their instructions will ensure your survival. But your survival may not support their survival.
Police in most countries (including the UK) are not obligated to protect you even now ... and if you are not prepared, you may quickly die during a fast economic collapse.
And if you are prepared ... you might just survive.
During a financial collapse your paper assets and perhaps even banknotes may lose value. Keep records of your stocks and bonds, certificates of deposit, insurance, taxes and other paper instruments in case of recovery.
Be prepared for hyperinflation and have a stock of useful money-substitutes for trading ... coffee, sugar, salt, toilet paper, herbs, pain-killers.
Hoarding may not be a crime ... yet.
During commercial collapse most consumer goods become unavailable, except as trade for useful items or services. Shops and supermarket staff hoard their goods and food awaiting some sign of recovery - and only distribute those goods in return for trade or protection, or at gunpoint.
Communications cease and food riots begin. Don't expect police, military or firemen to protect you or your home. Suspected looters or terrorists may be shot on sight ... which means anybody.
During martial law, little freedom remains, and martial law can be enacted with a signature. Expect curfews, rationing, closed borders and travel permits at first ... later you may hear rumours of sealed cities, slave labour and concentration camps
During political collapse government services vanish. Your contracts, licenses and tax returns have little meaning.
Police and military use their weapons to protect their own homes and supplies from riots and starving people. Suicides skyrocket.
Highways resemble parking lots. Starving city people converge on farms near cities, known food-producing areas and vacation homes.
Expect stringent rules and road barricades to limit theft and contain epidemics. Expect summary executions for minor offences.
During social collapse most hospitals, clinics and schools cease to function. Their staff may not be paid and either be forced to work (perhaps at gunpoint) or become local enterprises trading their services for food, medications and essentials.
Disease is everywhere and medications are scarce. Equipment requiring electrical power may be operated from local generators while fuel is still available.
Few people care whether you live or die ... and some would prefer to loot your dead body.
During military collapse the military forces become a new aristocracy based on scavenging and feudal farming.
Much of your food and property could be confiscated and little if any effort invested in your survival. Torture and executions are commonplace.
You're on your own.
Unless you have needed skills you are an easily-replaced field slave or grunt soldier.
During civilization collapse most of your time is spent gathering and protecting whatever you can hoard, trade or scavenge; and avoiding being robbed, enslaved or eaten.
Pity has become a luxury!
What skills are essential to your survival?
What goods would simplify or comfort your survival?
If you cannot survive without luxuries - how do you want to die?
Preparation is a better investment against chaos than stocks, bonds or gold. Stocking up on necessities is very cheap insurance, but be discrete, or you may be accused of hoarding, or be robbed.
Plan to survive.
Have what you need instead of desperately searching or fighting for it.
Other good insurance if you can afford it may be a large sailboat or a country house with space to grow and store crops.
Seek a rather isolated place, maybe a hundred miles from a city, not visible from the main roads, with woodland and surface water nearby.
(And if there is no collapse in your lifetime, you and your family can enjoy a boat / holiday home / smallholding with a good resale value.)
So read about survival. Use but don't depend on the internet - or on electricity.
Get healthy. Walk and ride a bicycle. Find substitutes for artificial medications.
Sort out your fears and concerns now ... you will need a healthy mind to protect your family. Life will be tough enough without depression, neuroses and panic attacks.
Dry foods such as rice, grain and beans are cheap insurance against a crisis. Stock enough long term storage food for a family of four persons to survive for three months, or for one person for a year.
Use this food regularly and restock it regularly.
Keep a supply of clean water ... if you lose electric power you may lose drinking water too.
Wean yourself off addictive and unhealthy foods. Learn about and explore wild foods. Know, at least, which local wild foods are edible and which are toxic, and where they grow.
Stock up on needed medications and emergency medical supplies; learn first aid and CPR.
Ten acres of good land can support 4-10 people indefinitely, depending upon available water, land quality, tools, foiling thieves and management skills.
Locate a retreat in a low population density area - the lower the better - more than 160 km / 100 miles from large towns or cities perhaps the top of Scotland.
Let your survival be your best revenge.
Drug dealers, legal and illegal, do not profit from healthy people. Most physical and mental diseases are consequences of unhealthy lifestyles and unhappy relationships. Clean up your mess!
Following a rapid collapse, many people will die and survivors must cooperate to live. In remote areas and in rural villages, neighbours are still valued.
Most people, even with huge emotional baggage, even in a horrendous crisis, can participate in community - if they choose.
Community requires that people choose co-operation to individualism. It may not be easy, but it is possible.
Lastly in the event of a collapse, joining a successful community will become a dream for many starving people.
How will your community decide who to accept - and who to turn away?
How kind can you be?
How will you deal with armed intruders?
How will you commence trade with other survivor communities?
If you are looking for some new kit then please Support these Companies
The following companies have supported this station and I will support them they are:
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For I-shields UV Protection
For top quality 550 Paracord
For Survival Knives and Survival Kits
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The Lifesaver bottle
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For the Ghillie Kettle
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For the Farside Outdoor Meals
The Survivor knife
For the Chris Caine companion survival tool
Why Prepare 72-Hour "Bug-Out" Bags
This is an easy, cost-effective preparation that makes a ton of sense — no matter what happens.
Even a small preparation like this can have an enormous impact on how you survive the first few days after any type of catastrophic event.
I’ll bet there were a lot of people after evacuated flood hit Britain that would have loved to have such a bag for each member of their family...
This could be a backpack or bag of some sort for each family member that contains all the items that individual may need during the first 72 hours after a disaster strikes.
Items to include in such a bag would be toiletries, important papers (see below), change of underwear and clothes, some bottled water, snacks, a few bags of freeze-dried food that only require two cups of hot water to reconstitute within self-contained bag, water purification device,
Metal cup and small pot for boiling water, backpacker mini-cook stove with fuel, sleeping bag, towel, ability to make fire, torch/flashlight with extra batteries, glow sticks, ground cloth, tarp, rain gear, plastic forks, knives, spoons, parachute cord, personal cleaning wipes,
A first aid kit and medication, good sharp knife and a multi-tool, fishing line, small fishing hooks, compass, cash, physical gold and silver, map of areas you may need, and any other items that would make sense for you.
Special items required by the elderly, babies, and pets need to be considered as well.
Important paperwork you should bring with you includes: birth certificates, insurance policies, passports, medical records, pet medical records, bank account information, deeds and titles to cars, homes etc., computer backup.
Gather these and put them in a suitable container and wrap in plastic against the elements
Having such preparations after a flood or any disaster would allow you to grab and go because it’s already prepared.
Each member of my family has such a bag. I them under our stairs in a heavy-duty large black bag for protection against the elements.
Understand what “just in time inventory” is — and how this can affect you
Most Brits take for granted the intricate systems that make it possible for us to engage in seemingly mundane day-to-day tasks like filling up our petrol tanks, loading up our shopping carts at the local supermarket, obtaining necessary medications, and even pouring ourselves a clean glass of water...
When we wake up each morning, we just expect that all of these things will work today the same way they worked yesterday.
What very few people have considered is the complexity involved in the underlying infrastructure that allows goods, services, and commerce in GB to flow.
Fewer still have ever spent the time to contemplate the fragility of these systems or the consequences on food, water, health care, the financial system, and the economy if they are interrupted.
The truth is, our "just in time" inventory and delivery systems leaves us incredibly vulnerable to a nationwide disaster.
You see, it is very expensive to hold and store inventory, so most manufacturers and retailers rely on a continual flow of deliveries that are scheduled to arrive "just in time," which significantly reduces their operating expenses.
This is considered to be good business practice for manufacturers and retailers, but it also means that if there was a major nationwide transportation disruption, our economic system would grind to a halt almost immediately.
Once store shelves are picked clean, they would not be able to be replenished until trucks could get back on the road. In the event of a major nationwide disaster, that could be quite a while.
A report prepared for legislators and business leaders highlights just how critical our "just in time" inventory and delivery systems are, and assesses the impact on the general population in the event of an emergency or incident of national significance that disrupts the truck transportation systems responsible for carrying some millions on tons of commodities and supplies across the United Kingdom each year.
A shutdown of truck operations as a result of elevated threat levels, terrorist attacks, or pandemics would, according to the report, have "a swift and devastating impact on the food, healthcare, transportation, waste removal, retail, manufacturing, and financial sectors."
So too would events such as an EMP attack or a coordinated cyber-attack that could shut down global positioning systems and the computers responsible for inventory control.
Another potential scenario that is more likely now than ever before is liquidity problems within the financial system stemming from currency crisis or hyperinflation...
All of our "just in time" delivery systems are built upon the unhindered transfer of money and credit, but when credit flow becomes restricted or money becomes worthless, no one will be able to pay for their goods. Likewise, no one will trust the credit worthiness of anyone else.
This is exactly the scenario playing out in Greece right now and the consequences on the health care industry in that country have left many without lifesaving drugs. When there’s no money, no one will be transporting anything.
The effects of a transportation shutdown for any reason would be immediate (in some cases, within hours) and absolutely catastrophic.
Any event that disrupts truck transportation systems may seem unlikely to many, recent history suggests it is fully plausible — and the blowback can be devastating...
A day after Hurricane Katrina ravaged New Orleans, panicked government officials stopped all transportation flow into the region, forcing hundreds of trucks loaded with emergency supplies like food and water to wait for permission before they could enter the area.
As a result, thousands of residents of the city were left without items essential for survival. It took days before truck routes were re-opened and supplies were allowed to flow. 
Government officials acting on limited information, lack of knowledge, and personal politics were responsible for restricting the flow of goods into New Orleans, potentially killing hundreds of people
It will be exactly the same here in the United Kingdom
What this incident demonstrated is that when the trucks in America stop, all commerce and delivery stops with it.
Educate yourself on and take measures to store food
There is plenty of material available on the Internet about the best ways to store food. I personally have read many books on the topic, and one of the most important features is trying to gather materials that have a long shelf life and which keep their nutritional value...
Most store-bought items have very short shelf lives and don’t work well for long-term food storage. Canned goods can work, but these must be stored in a cool, dry environment well below room temperature for increased shelf life (but not freezing).
Freeze-dried food can also work, but can be rather expensive — and the taste can sometimes be questionable. (There are many different manufacturers, and you need to educate yourself before purchasing. I like tasting the items first before making any major purchases.) as most taste of cardboard to me.
Better yet is to store staples such as wheat, rice, beans, sugar, oats, etc. — which, if stored properly, can last up to 30 years.
I look at my food storage as an investment, and I want it to have a long life
There are various methods of storing these staples, and each person should consider what method would work best for their circumstances.
Obtain water and purify it
In my search for "safe drinking water," I found what I consider the best available situation on the planet...
The Lifesaver water bottle uses the latest technology to provide clean, pure drinking water. I have spent a lot of time searching the best way to purifying water, and in my opinion, there's nothing better whilst in a bug out or in location.
However whilst on the move the Purificup comes into its own as the best water purifier on the market for those on the move.
Also under the water category, it is wise to consider some form of water storage — whether it's five-gallon containers, 55-gallon plastic drums, or some other form of storage, all of which can be obtained from many different sources.
The bottom line in water preparedness is to always have a safe source(s) of clean drinking water and a way to store it.
To most this may sound absurd, since you can get clean drinking water from the tap in your home, but in times of emergency and/or civil unrest, the water may be shut off — or you may be displaced from your home and will need a way to access clean water.
This is one of the most rehashed subjects of survival, but probably the most important one
Most people just assume the taps will continue to flow and water will be there
People need to know that unless water is from a spring, it will likely need to be purified — and this means some reliable filters or boiling (which requires heat from a fire along with pots to boil it in).
Aside from drinking, water is also needed to rehydrate food, make milk from powder, and of course, for personal hygiene.
How much water will be needed and used is something that is often vastly underestimated
Economic Collapse
Know how to protect yourself. This almost certainly means owning a firearm and knowing how to use it to protect yourself or others.
Many TV survival documentaries show people who feel they can defend themselves with knives or clubs, but in reality, they are going to lose 98% of the time against someone else with a firearm.
Someone that has been specifically trained on how to use firearms in a defensive manner will almost always win the day in a gun battle.
You can’t just own a gun; I say you have to know how to use it at a very high level
You also need to know how to clean your weapons and take care of them. Access to a gunsmith may or may not be available to you during an emergency situation...
Some people think they cannot use a firearm against another person, but this feeling changes abruptly when they see one of their family members at risk.
Some people still cannot use a firearm in any circumstance, and these people should consider some form of self-defence such as the non-lethal devices (stun batons, pepper sprays, TASERS, even baseball bats).
People can feel that everyone will come together and rebuild society, and many good people will — but there are plenty of bad people in this world. And it may come down to you or them.
Everyone needs to practice over and over with any self-defence armament they have so there is no hesitation when it comes to saving one’s life from someone that is willing to take yours or your loved ones'.
Some other types of guns to consider are a good defensive shotgun (12 gauge) with large-size buckshot and a long-range rifle with a quality scope.
If you are not familiar with guns, it is best to find a friend who is who can help you through the process of buying handguns, shotguns, or rifles.
Once you have the guns you want, it then becomes necessary to know how to safely use those guns without hesitation if needed. If you are not familiar with the handling of guns I highly recommend you find someone that can properly train you in a safe environment.
Unfortunately, the "bad guys" always have illegal guns. So it is in your best interest to go through whatever permitting or paperwork hassles necessary to obtain legal weapons of any kind in your own country.
Have a way to cook food in case the power is off. A story below from someone who experienced an earthquake serves as a great reminder why we want to have the ability to cook our own food during a crisis...
A few years ago, I remember seeing people on TV  waiting in long food queues after an earthquake hit California. Many of the people in the damage zone spent hours in breakfast queues, then long queues for lunch, then a repeat for dinner.
They had to spend many hours a day queuing because either they had no food reserves or had no means of cooking their stored food.
A little preparation can go a long way in preparing for emergencies. Had these good people stored a little food, fuel, and invested in a good quality Dutch oven for example, they would be set for cooking in their back garden instead of relying on hand-outs to supply their family's nutrition.
Good quality Dutch ovens are fun to use, the food always tastes great, and they're invaluable in emergencies. They require charcoal to prepare your food.
Understand the psychology of desperate people
After a SHTF event, people will not behave normally. That neighbour who was in control during many minor emergencies may be the one pounding on your door with whacked-out eyes demanding what you have because they did not prepare for anything.
Someone in your own survival group may just blank out in a zombie-like stare
Unexpected times bring out the best and worst in people — and you need to prepare for this possibility.
You yourself could lose it. Again, preparing for this will help should it occur. You always hope that disasters will bring out the best in your fellow human beings, but often this is not the case.
Maintain proper hygiene. This is one of the top priorities within the armed forces because disease and sickness can and do take down the toughest of soldiers.
People must realize that after a terrible disaster, it is not like someone going camping, comes back dirty, and taking a nice long shower or a hot bath...
After a SHTF event the water to the taps, as well the hot water heater, may not work. Bathing on at least a semi-regular basis is necessary to avoid all sorts of bacteria from building up on the skin and causing a variety of concerning ailments that will then have to be treated.
People should plan on how they will keep themselves clean — think sponge baths or using personal wet wipes as an option.
How to dispose of waste and proper sanitation in third world countries and the pre-flush toilet era, one of the leading causes of illness and death was (and still is) improperly discarded waste. If the toilets won’t flush because there is no water to make them work, human waste is going to be a huge whopping problem for people trying to survive.
Even improperly burying human excrement can lead to disease. Portable toilets, toilet paper, and disinfectant (bleach, for one) should be one of the top items in any survival kit.
Disposal of other rubbish is an issue that can bring hungry dangerous animals around drawn to the stench. Burning of trash is one method; plastic rubbish bags and the means to find some place to dump them is another alternative.
Learn to control pests and other vermin. I have talked about this before, this is a problem that led to about half of Europe dying several hundred years ago with the Black Death.
Fleas and ticks carry some terrible diseases. Even people that stay inside their own homes will have to deal with this problem. People outside will have to contend with the fleas, ticks, flies, mosquitoes, mice, rats, and so on...
There are many repellents in nature that can help: citronella, even the smell of garlic will repel most vermin. Stocking up on insect and other commercial repellents is always an excellent idea. It only takes one bite to make a person deathly sick.
Understand radiation fallout and how to protect yourself. This is one of the least understood of the survival precautions taken. There are hundreds of nuclear power plants that could fail after the world as we know it goes down the tube.
There are still tens of thousands of nuclear weapons available for war should countries decide to use them.
Recently North Korea has threatened the world with a nuclear attack.
Fallout is something that you cannot even see... and until you are sick, you might not even know you have been contaminated.
The purchase of a radiation detector that is protected against EMP is a wise idea. Understanding about radiation accumulation dosage (rad) and how to shield oneself from exposure is paramount.
Learn first aid treating yourself and/or others will probably be the only thing someone can do, as medical professionals are going to be few and far between.
Many places offer free classes on first aid because they want people in the community to be prepared. A good first aid book along with a first aid kit is something every household should have before, during, and after a disaster.
Primitive conditions should be expected when anyone is helping someone after a catastrophe. A stockpile of antibiotics is always a good idea.
From my viewpoint, this is a skill set that is valuable in any circumstance — but particularly in SHTF events when medical personnel may not be available in a convenient time frame.
Learn about nutrition. Vitamin and mineral deficiencies are nothing to fool around with. Just consider what scurvy, the lack of Vitamin C, can do to someone...
Many survivalists and "preppers" make the critical mistake of only being concerned about calories to keep them going. Certain vitamins (A, B1-B12, C, D, E, K), minerals (Calcium, Copper, Iodine, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, Phosphorus, Potassium, Selenium, Zinc) and trace minerals are necessary to keep a body going.
Each person needs different amounts and any survival food supply should take this need as important as the food itself. Many survival foods have some of what your body needs, but sadly lack in others...
Vitamin and mineral supplements should be stocked with food if someone is unsure about what they are getting. Trace mineral drops are a liquid that can solve this problem, and are a good addition to any emergency supply.
How to start and maintain a fire this is for everyone. Having a fire and keeping it going when you need it has been the essence of survival for thousands of years.
Fire cooks, heats water, keeps you warm, sterilizes items, and gives light. Having a lighter, matches, and a starter is one thing; but actually keeping the fire going is another...
Making sure the fire does not cause damage to your home or shelter is something not everyone thinks about. Burning of toxic wood or other material is something to remember as well.
While most everyone thinks that using a fire is rudimentary, there is much more to it. As a matter of fact, a church group recently tested some of their members and gave them matches to start a file.
Most of the people had trouble starting a basic fire even though they had matches. This is a skill that you must acquire that allows you to consistently start a fire anywhere at any time.
You should also learn to start a fire without matches firstly in your back garden as if you cannot do it there what chance will you have in the woods when your life depends on it.
Learn how to grow food and/or find it. People’s supplies will only last so long, and eventually self-sufficiency will mean acquiring your own food — by either growing it or hunting for it.
Many people are into seed storing, and in many cases, growing your own food will feed the family. However, growing food has many drawbacks that people need to look at.
One of the gravest things to contemplate is actually guarding your yield, as two-legged problems could be a bigger issue to your crops than some beetle infestation. Hungry people will see food growing and take it, 24 hours a day. No one can grow enough food to feed all those seeking food.
From a practical sense, it might be a better idea for some to go the hunter-gathering route. There are many good survival shows on television today that are very informative on surviving off the land.
Learning these skill sets can make a huge difference in any survival situation
Last-minute items to secure from the supermarket. Hopefully you already have your long-term food storage and other preparations in place: canned goods, grains, rice, pasta, paper products, and freeze-dried foods that store well over time...
This should allow you to concentrate on these other items while most other people are trying to secure what you already have.
Once a SHTF event occurs, you may want to quickly go to the supermarket to secure these last-minute items before the shelves are empty. These are typically items that don’t store well for the long-term, but would be critical to own once a breakdown occurs.
Studies have shown these short-term storage items go first when a crisis happens.
Most of these products have a shelf life of less than 18 months:
Bottled Water
Powdered Milk
Pancake mix (never use beyond shelf life, as this has been known to cause toxic shock)
Ramen Noodles
Popcorn
Cereal
Beef Jerky
Cooking Oils
Nuts
Dried Fruits
Power Bars
Juice Powders
Spices (salt, pepper, etc.)
Honey
Crackers
Baking Essentials (flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder)
Coffee
Alcohol for medicinal purposes or for bartering
Hard Candies
Baby Food, Diapers, Wipes
Pet Food
These are just some suggestions that people need to address now — before trying to survive the aftermath of a horrible event.
People who prepare have to realize that when civilization stops functioning, so too does everything that most of us depend on.
There may never be a safety net there for us WHEN our stocked-up survival supplies run dry
Much of survival is having supplies — as well as backups for when food, water, and other necessities cannot be found. The other part is being ready for everything our new situation could throw our way. For this, we all need to learn survival skills.
When someone thinks about their personal needs, an individual can probably add many more survival skills to the items I have talked about above.
You want to become quite proficient in these skills before the SHTF so you and your family have a better chance of surviving.

Here are some more companies to support
72 hour survival pack
Blizzard Survival jacket
Survival Ration Packs
SOL Complete Survival Kit and SOL Bivy Bag
The answer to rough ground sleeping
Simply your EDC supplier
For all your military equipment needs
NEW MRE’s
The Fire Piston
Great tasty MRE’s
The 95 Puukko Survival Knife
Gold Standard Whey Protein Isolates which are 90% pure protein by weight
Your Pet Survival Plan
You've made a survival kit for you and your family, now it is time to take care of those who depend upon you for their survival.
A pet survival kit is important survival gear for anyone who loves their pets. When you acquired your pet you took on the responsibility of providing for all its needs. And that includes helping your pet survive come what may.
Having the proper pet survival kit goes beyond ensuring that your favourite animal is well taken care of.
For example, during large scale survival scenarios, such as the Katrina episode when hurricanes strike populated areas, pets are often let loose in vast numbers because their owners cannot properly take care of them.
Packs of roaming dogs are a danger to the community as they attempt to survive on their own. Cats, exotic birds, and other pets may develop breeding populations that cause environmental havoc proceeding the survival emergency.
It is the responsibility of all pet owners to properly prepare for pet survival. The best pet survival kits will contain at least the following items or actions:
Recent pictures of your pet placed both in the pet survival kit and on your person. A pet survival collar worn by your pet that contains the pet’s id, name, address and phone number
Have all your pets’ injections up to date.
Your pet’s vaccination documents.
Pet Health records.
Complete array of pet medications should be in the pet survival kit.
An extra leash.
A pet carrier or a pet cage.
Water and food bowls.
A two week pet survival food supply.
Several gallons of clean drinking water.
A hand can opener (not electric!).
A pet waste disposal system including newspapers, cat littler, poop scoop, bleach, and plastic garbage bags.
A list containing detailed special instructions for the care of each pet.
Grooming supplies and toys.
The pet survival kit should contain clean pet bedding.
Put the contents of the pet survival kit into an easy to transport container.
You also need to have a pet survival plan that considers the needs of your pet for any situation. Know the locations of local shelters for both you and your pets and ask if they accept pets during survival situations.
Your pet’s survival depends upon you even when times are easy. When survival is at stake, you need to be prepared to continue caring for your pets so that they come out alive and healthy. A pet survival kit is required gear for any pet owner.
A survival Tip Sheet
The first item in my survival kit is a very basic survival tip sheet. It is far from comprehensive, as it is meant for someone who is already quite familiar with survival techniques.
It is intended to help clear someone's mind and start them focusing on the right priorities.
State of mind is Crucial to coping with a survival situation. A clear-headed, common sense approach will see you through... panic kills. Here is what the basic instruction sheet says.
SURVIVAL TIPS –What to do if you suddenly find yourself in that situation.
STEP ONE Stop!…Now take a deep breath, and resign yourself to your current circumstances.
Do not panic, and do not feel ashamed at being in your predicament. Some of the best woodsmen in the world have become lost or disoriented, so set your mind to come through this with your honour intact
People have died of a combination of stupidity and panic. They run frantically, in big circles, through the woods at night trying to find their way out. The best thing to do is often to find some shelter for the night and find your way out in the morning.
Once you are calm, check yourself over. Your health and welfare are paramount. Address any immediate needs (injuries) as best you can, and then read on.
STEP TWO
Take stock of what you have, and what your immediate needs are. If you are reading this, you have quite a lot to work with, as this kit contains an extensive amount of gear to help in any situation.
Be creative. Most of the items can have multiple uses, and are limited only by your imagination. As for your immediate needs, here are a few simple rules.
A healthy human can survive for several weeks without food, and several days without water, but in many cases only several hours without proper shelter from the elements.
Evaluate the weather for where you are, and to what extremes it may go. Shelter from the elements or a fire may well be your first priority. There are multiple items in the kit to help you build a fire.
As for shelter, the clear plastic painter’s tarp and the survival blanket can help. The survival blanket can also help to reflect the warmth from a fire. Be careful not to damage them or any other piece of gear.
You will most likely need them later.
Example: instead of poking holes in the tarp to tie it off, push a small pebble up from under the tarp, and tie off around it. Try using rocks instead of stakes to hold down corners, etc etc. Once you have some shelter from the elements, you can take a little time to plan for your other needs.
STEP THREE
Step three is water. You must drink plenty of water even if you do not feel thirsty. An adult should drink at least a couple of litters per day (more in hot climates).
If you spent the night on high ground, then plan on moving camp. In most areas, just continue to walk downhill and you will eventually find water.
Watch animals or follow their tracks. They will usually lead to water. Birds also tend to congregate near water. In dry areas, you may have to consider other means, such as a solar still.
If you are getting water from streams or ponds, boil before drinking, or use water purification tablets or straw.
STEP FOUR
Signal. Some of the signalling items you have are the whistle, the mirror, the blanket, and of course, fire!  Signalling is best accomplished by making yourself as big as possible. Smoke signals work well as does anything that can be seen or heard from a long ways off.
STEP FIVE
Food, as mentioned above is probably not something you need to consider unless you are reasonably sure that rescue is a good many days or weeks off.
As a general rule, avoid plant life unless you know for a fact that something is edible. The easiest rule to remember is that if it walks, swims, crawls, or slithers… thump it, and chuck it on down!
Use the knife, hooks and line, make a spear, make snares with the 80lb test cord. Use your imagination! The facts are, ALL fur bearing animals are edible. ALL birds are edible with no exceptions. Grubs found in rotten logs are edible, as are almost all insects (6 legs).
THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND
The kit was packed tightly in its container, but once unpacked, figure out where and how you want to carry everything. Keep the items you will use frequently close at hand (in your pockets if they are free of holes). You can wrap cords, fishing lines, etc around the sheath to keep them tangle free and ready to use. Use slip knots or those you can undo easily, and therefore get the most use out of every piece of gear.
Getting a good night’s sleep will make everything easier on you.
Try to build as good a shelter and bed as you can. The extra time and effort will pay off. Use everything you can think of for insulation. Crawling inside a big pile of leaves or pine needles is actually pretty warm and comfortable (do not attempt this near a fire).
A large pile of fresh pine sprigs is not only a springy mattress, but is good insulation from the ground.
Fire
When starting a fire find dry wood. Look for the dead branches at the very bottom of evergreen trees. Good tinder will greatly enhance your chance for success.
Take small branches and shred them with a knife or your fingers. You can use dead grass, dried moss or fern, or a strip of cloth from the tail of your shirt. Use anything that will ignite quickly. Place this in the centre. Around this, build a tee pee of small dry twigs.

Once this is burning, slowly feed your fire with larger and larger pieces of wood. Always making sure the fire is burning freely before you progress to a larger piece of wood. Once this fire is burning DO NOT let it go out.
A fire is man’s best friend in the wild. It provides heat, protection, a good signal, etc etc.
Shelter
Do not make the mistake of trying to construct a large shelter. Make it just large enough to accommodate you and not much else. This is important, especially in cold climates, because your body heat may well have to heat it.
Be extremely careful if you are going to use fire to heat the shelter, as most natural shelter materials are flammable! Plan ahead, and use common sense.
Food
Do not even think about looking for food until you have a good (and plentiful) water source, and your signals are set up.
Once you have these, and are ready to go in search of food, small animals, fish and insect life are always your best bet (remember, do not eat spiders or anything else with more than 6 legs).
Setting multiple snares and fishing lines in ways that you do not have to baby-sit them is a good idea. Check them from time to time for a catch.
This allows you to “hunt” without expending much energy. If you must eat plant life, stay away from mushrooms and any plant that has a milky sap.


Bartering Your Skills
People sometimes forget that the smallest 20 Skills You Can Trade After SHTF and most convenient storage space is in their own heads. If you find yourself in the midst of a disaster and you need to either build or fix something, having the knowledge and experience already in your mind will hugely benefit your ability to survive.
And if there’s something you need from your neighbours but you’re not willing to trade any of your supplies, you could do some work for them in exchange.
But what sort of skills will be the most useful after SHTF? Knowing Microsoft Excel might not do you much good, but knowing how to make soap could mean the difference between health and sickness. Or maybe you could trade your soap for more food. The point is, you need to learn a few skills that will be useful in a post-disaster world. I suggest you take up one as a hobby while you still have time to learn.
Here, then, are 20 skills you can trade after the SHTF, listed in alphabetical order:
Animal Husbandry The ability to raise animals such as chicken for eggs, rabbits for meat, goats for milk, etc. There is a limit to how much meat and dairy people will be able to store, and there will be a huge demand for fresh food.
 Cleaning Not just washing your hands, but the ability to clean clothes without a washer and dryer, make cleaning products to use around the house, and keep your home germ free.
Clothing. If times are tough, people won’t be able to go out and charge new clothes and shoes any time they need them. They’re going to need to fix shoes, patch torn pants, and mend shirts. This is an important skill that has become very rare in modern society.
Building Especially without power tools. Is worth knowing, how to properly fix roofs, board up windows or build outhouses using only basic hand tools.
Cooking skills will be very much sought after as people are going to get sick and tired of eating canned soup and freeze-dried food. If you can cook a tasty meal and dessert without power, people in the neighbourhood will thank you with favours or supplies they don’t need.
Most people live their entire lives without realizing how much misery they would experience if not for the dentist. A perfect example of this is in the movie Cast Away where the main character has to knock out one of his own teeth. Someone who knows how to clean and remove teeth could be a great help.
Fire Making will be a great skill to have as people won’t know how to start a fire once they’re lighters run out of fuel. People in your area will be safer and healthier if you can help them get a fire going so they can boil water and cook food.
First Aid/Medical skills will become vital as people tend to take doctors for granted. Without them, they will need help sewing up wounds, setting bones, performing CPR, and deciding which herbs and medications help with which ailments.
Food Storage. Canning, dehydrating, sealing, smoking skills will come into their own as people don’t know how to store food without a refrigerator. Offer to preserve someone’s leftovers in exchange for help or supplies.
Gardening. Yet another skill that has become more and more rare. Learn to grow fresh herbs, fruits and vegetables, preferably indoors unless you have a secure backyard.
Gathering is great and the main thing here is knowing which naturally-occurring plants in your area have nutritional and/or medicinal value and which ones are useless and/or poisonous.
Gunsmithing will also be a vital skill If you’re facing a long-term disaster, people are going to need guns for hunting and self-protection. It will help if you know how to repair guns and reload shells. But only help people you completely trust.
Hunting and Fishing. When food supplies get low and gardens fall short, people are going to have to hunt and fish. If you can provide meat for your friends and family, they’ll have time to take care of other necessities.
Mechanic. Even if the Great Recession turns into Great Depression II, most people are still going to have jobs (remember, unemployment only got up to 25% in the 1930′s), which means they’ll need a way to get to work. The problem for many people is that they won’t be able to afford to get their cars fixed. If you learn how to work on cars, or any machine for that matter (lawnmowers, generators, etc.), you’ll have a particularly valuable skill.
Plumbing. People will still need their sinks and toilets, even more so if they’re washing clothes in the sink. Learn to remove clogs, fix toilets and replace leaky pipes.
Psychology. A lot of people will crack up under the stress of seeing their entire world turned upside down, especially those who lose friends and/or loved ones. It is important to know how to help these people and keep them from wallowing in despair.
Security. In a world full of criminals and looters, someone is going to need to stand guard when others are busy or sleeping. This person will need to know how to use weapons and be practiced in hand-to-hand combat.
Soap/Candle Making. If the disaster goes on for long, soap and candles will be in high demand and a valuable trade item.
Teacher. Even if the schools are closed, it’s still important that children spend part of their spare time reading and learning. Remember, these are the children that will grow up and rebuild the world.
Water Purification. One of the most important skills of all! In the weeks after a major catastrophe, many people will die from dehydration or from drinking unsafe water. It will help a lot if you learn all you can about cleaning and filtering water.
There are several other skills I thought about including in this list such as bee keeping, brewing, and electrical work, but I think the 20 listed above will probably be the most in-demand skills.
Remember if you are planning on bartering your skills as a tradesman then don’t forget to stockpile the tools of your stocking trade as without them you cannot do the job in the first place.
Why Prep?
To those of you who have seen the importance of preparing and have a desire to keep your family safe during a disaster - congratulations. 
Prepping is for those who are preparing for the unknown future, and for those who see the importance of having necessary items in place before a disaster strikes.  I hope this piece will give you the basic fundamental knowledge on how to start prepping, help you gain an understanding of why you need to have certain disaster supplies, and give insight on where to get certain supplies.
Those that are new to prepping should start with planning for a given disaster and then begin acquiring items for their basic needs.  The logic behind prepping is the same for those preparing for a short term disaster or a long term disaster. 
That logic is: To be self-sufficient and have the ability to care for yourself and your family independently during an unforeseen disaster.  Creating a disaster check list will add another layer of disaster planning, and expedite the process of getting ready for a disaster, if one comes your way.
Disasters can strike quickly and without warning.  Knowing what type of disasters could affect the area you live in will help you plan more thoroughly for the disaster.  Deciding on the type of disaster to prepare for will also determine the type of survival gear that is needed. 
For example, if a person lives in an area prone to flash flooding and torrential downpours from thunderstorms, the items they choose would be different than survival items chosen for earthquake preparedness.
Typically, the best way to prepare for a disaster is to plan for the worst case scenario so that all areas are covered.  Many think this ideology is a bit excessive, but being completely prepared and self-sufficient for a given disaster is the reasoning behind prepping.  It is a state of mind for many.
There are different types of preppers – the short term and the long term preppers.  Short term preppers are those that want to be prepared for anywhere between 1 week-3 months.  It is common sense I would say, that every family have a short term food supply in the case that food routes are interrupted due to severe storms, or unforeseen circumstances.
For longer term needs preppers generally are planning for disasters that have a longer term effect, thus they plan for longer self-sufficiency in the event the disaster does occur.  Long term preppers have a short term supply to complement their long term supply. 
A longer term food supply usually includes dehydrated foods, MRE’s, seeds, hand crank wheat grinders, and equipment to be used in a non-technological environment.  For a more detailed list on short term food supplies and longer term food supplies, click here.
Disasters do not just happen to other people - they can happen to you, and they can happen to me.  As long as you are prepared for a given scenario, then you already have tools in place when you need it most.  According to some, prepping has become some sort of a social movement. 
Preparing for a disaster and being self-sufficient has occurred for centuries.  It is nothing new.  It is simply families trying to make the hard times easier.
Further Companies to Support
Uses natural fuel
EDC steel tools
Highlander Trojan Hydration Pack – Multicam
CUDEMAN HEAVY DUTY OLIVE WOOD BUSHCRAFT KNIFE - 111L
Alum Crystal
Tool logic Survival 11 Credit Card
BackHawk Web duty Belt
Guppie Multi=tool
Go Survival Pack
Beautiful Handmade Catapults
1 Person BASIC Backpack Survival Kit, the back pack that does it all
DD Hammock –The ultimate in Travel Hammocks
Elzetta ZFL-M60 Tactical Weapon-Grade LED Torch
Ultimate Adventurer Survival Kit everything in one kit
Adjustable Knife Lanyard Review
Ultimate Adventurer Survival Kit
Handmade knives by James D. Sanders
Quick Fried Camp Squirrel
INGREDIENTS
One to two squirrels
2 to 3 cups flour (bread crumbs)
3 to 4 whole eggs
Some seasoning if you wanted to spice it up.
A tablespoon or two of white wine.
Directions
Place pan on High.
Add spices to the eggs.
Dip squirrel into the eggs until fully covered.
Next place into the four or bread crumbs.
Place into the pan turn the heat down to medium high.
Add white wine just before adding the squirrel.
Cook the squirrel for roughly 3 to 5 minutes or until golden brown.
Then serve.
When preparing game birds, you can cook young birds by broiling, roasting, or in any of your other favourite recipes. But older birds should be stewed or braised to tenderize them. Or if you wish, you can try a commercial tenderizer.
Just sprinkle the tenderizer in the body cavity of the bird and let the bird stand in the refrigerator. The amount of time the bird needs to remain in the refrigerator depends on the size of the bird. For example, a large bird such as a turkey will need 12 to 24 hours for the tenderizer to work.
If you're not sure how many servings you'll get from each bird this may help you:
1 serving = 2 quail
1-2 squab
2-3 doves
or 1 small duck.
You can figure on at least 2 servings from 1 pheasant or 1 large duck.
A 4-6 lb. goose should feed 4-6 people.
Rabbit Stew or Pheasant Stew
1 or 2 rabbits or pheasants
Salt, pepper and paprika to taste
1 c. sour cream
1 c. cream of mushroom soup
1/4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp. chopped onions
Preparation:
Season cut up meat. Mix sour cream, soup and Worcestershire sauce. Add chopped onions. Cook in slow cooker on low for 8 hours. Or on the edge of a camp fire stirring regularly and moderating the heat.
DIY Pest Control
DIY pest control often is the last thing on our mind but with a few simple considerations added to our home maintenance regime, preventing disaster can be a straightforward affair.
Of course, if you experience a major infestation, then it is essential to seek professional assistance. But like all things, prevention is the best medicine!
Imagine now having an infestation during a SHTF situation and you have decided to Bug-In
Regular ground maintenance can contribute to home pest control measures. Do not allow your backyard to become a habitat for unwanted guests. Clear away leaf litter and garden debris.
Clean your gutters regularly and prune back plants. Avoid stacking wood close to your home. Termites and ants thrive in these environments. Remove junk from your back yard and garage.
This will eliminate nesting sites for unwanted pests. Do not allow water to sit in stagnant conditions, such as garden pots. These become breeding grounds for mosquitoes. Good DIY pest control aims to deny vermin access to your home.
Fix any plumbing leaks in and around your home. Damp wood is disastrous as it creates the perfect environment for termites and ants. These pests quickly cause irreversible damage which can cost you thousands. Maintaining door and window screens will prevent even the smallest of insects from entering your house.
Check that there is a tight seal around your doors. Seal any cracks in your homes’ foundations and exterior walls.
This will block pests from entering your home. Seal around appliance vents and utility lines too. Pigeons, rats and mice will take up lodgings in attics and crawl spaces if you haven’t installed barriers.
Alarmingly, these critters not only damage your home, they also carry parasites that could lead to ghastly infestations.
DYI Pest control also protects the health of your family. Keep a tidy kitchen.
Foods and dishes left out overnight invite unwanted dinner guests! Food dribbled down the sides of ovens and even toaster crumbs create smorgasbords for disease carrying creatures.
Store foods tightly packaged in pantries and clean out the shelves regularly. De-cluttering your closets and general cleaning of carpets and curtains will make your home less attractive to pests.
While pests can be a nuisance, they can also be very expensive and dangerous to your home. For example, squirrels and rodents can become a surprisingly big problem by entering a home and chewing on power cords, potentially causing a fire.
Many pests will cause medical damage. For example, cockroaches and flies are notorious for spreading diseases and those who are suffering from an infestation will have to pay expensive medical bills when they are hospitalized.
Even fleas spread disease to humans and can harm your pets to where they need to be seen by a vet. Any pet owner knows that a vet visit is no small expense.
Remember in a SHTF situation there will be no doctors or vets to visit.
Cockroaches are not only horrible and unsanitary, but they can significantly worsen the air quality and those suffering from asthma may have an attack because of the pest infestation. It is extremely important to take action as soon as you notice an infestation.
Larger animals, including birds and rodents can often chew through walls and will sometimes even start fires by chewing on power cords. These pests also sometimes have rabies or other diseases that will require immediate hospitalization.
Wildlife control and removal is very affordable and will keep your home safe from damage and your family protected from the many disease's they carry.
One of the main reasons why early pest control can save people money is because infestations will always worsen over time. Any type of pest infestation will not go away of disappear on its own you will need to deal with it.
When ants discover a food source, they will inform other ants of the location of the food source and the number of ants in the home will grow quickly.
When cockroaches decide to build a nest in a home, they will quickly multiply.
The longer that the cockroach infestation lasts, the harder it will be to eliminate and the greater the extent of the infestation which can make it to where the pests can actually worsen the owners quality of life.
Mice, rats, and other rodents have many physical abilities that rival the abilities of larger animals. For example, most mice and rats have extremely flexible spines and necks that allow them to climb inside very small openings in air ducts, buildings, vehicles and other large objects.
Moreover, rodents can hear sounds that are up to five times higher than what a human can hear.
They can also jump up to 10 times higher than the length of their bodies. These physical abilities make eliminating rodents from people’s homes difficult because rodents use these abilities to avoid most extermination remedies.
Most rodents pose several dangers to humans. For example, rodents can transmit bacteria and viruses that can cause stomach problems, acute fevers, rabies, plague and other dangerous maladies.
Many rodents transmit these bacteria and viruses directly through direct contact with their fur, skin, urine and bowel movements.
Moreover, many people are exposed to these bacteria and viruses when they are bitten or scratched by a rodent. People can also be exposed by the simple act of trying to clean up the mess left by a rodent and the rodents’ faces.
Rodents also engage in destructive behaviours that pose a serious threat to you and property. For example, mice enjoy chewing on plumbing fixtures, electrical wiring, furniture and drywall. Many rat species also enjoy scratching on upholstery and curtains.
Signs of a Rodent Infestation
Droppings
Most mice and rat droppings are brown or black coloured objects that look like small pellets. Most of them will be located near their nests or favourite feeding sites.
Urine
Usually, rodents urinate near feeding areas and favourite pathways. It will usually have a very harsh ammonia-like odour that is hard to miss. It will also glow in the dark when a UV light is passed over it.
Gnaw Marks
Rats leave gnaw marks on doors, windows and containers. Rats have to gnaw on objects that have a hard surface to prevent their teeth from growing through the roof of their mouths. Mice also leave marks, but they tend to be smaller in size.
Noise Problems
Rodents make noises when they gnaw, climb and eat. Sometimes, you may be able to hear squeaking sounds, low scampering noises, and a small commotion when the rodents fight. Most of these noises occur at night when the rodents are active.
Odour
It is common for homes with a rodent infestation to have a bad or musky smell in the vicinity where the rodents are near.
Pet Disturbances
Your pet will probably be the first to notice if rodents are in the vicinity. Look for signs of your pet being in distress, or if they begin smelling, barking, and pawing at a certain area in your home.
Stains or Smudges
As we all know, rodents are not the cleanest animals. If you see some stains or smudges on your walls by the floor, or at the baseboards, then you might have a rodent problem. These stains are caused by the oil, grease, and dirt from the rodents’ fur rubbing off onto the walls or baseboards as they walk by.
Nests
If you spot a nesting site than you definitely have a rodent infestation. The nests will be made of any material that the rodents were able to acquire. It might be made of twigs, plant material, shredded paper, torn up or shredded fabric, grass, or another soft material.
You may remember that about a fourth of the population of Europe in the 14th century died from the bubonic plague, directly as a result of flea bites.
Rats were the carriers, but your animals today do not distinguish between fleas that have bitten squirrels or rats. Antibiotics today prevent the kind of catastrophe that occurred in Europe, but fleas still carry harmful diseases.
A person can get cat-scratch fever or typhus from a flea bite. At minimum, flea bites are a nuisance to people that can cause relentless itching and skin infections.
In some cases, people are actually allergic to the saliva from the fleas, which will result in a rash around the bite.
You as preppers need to include within your survival prepps some pest control equipment and know how to use it.
The Matthew Martin Tactical Pens Review
Matthew actually makes each and every pen on a CNC lathe. The Grip, Tip, Cap and end piece are all made out of 6A14V Titanium.
The clip and included wrench are also made out of 6A14V Titanium.
The body is made out of woven Carbon Fibre, bonded with aerospace grade epoxy to the titanium pieces.
Matthew also produces a model that has titanium tubing instead of carbon fibre. The pen takes both the Fisher Space ink and the Parker ink cartridges; these are replaced by unscrewing the tip with the wrench.
The wrench also has a keychain hole in it for easy accessibility.
The pen is buffed to a satin finish.
So what actually is a tactical pen I here you ask?
A tactical pen is designed to be as reliable and durable as the people using it. A writing implement as well as a last ditch defensive tool that you can bring virtually anywhere and have with you at all times. Matthews’s pens are an essential piece of gear for anyone who needs tools that they can depend on.
So is it a weapon, well a rolled up newspaper is a weapon in some people’s hands. Matthew’s pens are tactical / defence pens, how you use it is up to you. Who knows, one day it may save your life.
I think we could all do with one of Matthew’s tactical pens because it's a dangerous world out there and the price of being unprepared is just too high.
Here in the UK thanks to the loony left and EU interference our people’s options for personal defence tools are becoming more limited all the time. Tactical torches like my Elzetta and defence pens are multi-use tools which can and should be carried at all times. Their multi-use nature limits restrictions as well as excuses for not having them when you need them most.
So how did my review go?
I came up with a few tests for Matthews tactical Pen that I think put it through the mill. Firstly I used a full kitchen roll and started stabbing it with the pointed titanium tip, although there was a lot of give in the roll nevertheless it penetrated at least four layers and bent the cardboard inner roll out of shape, very impressive, by the way I did try the same with the good old Bic pen and the tip snapped off.
Next I attacked a cardboard banana box and Matthews’s pen dented the box more that it penetrated but that if fine as it is not designed to penetrate at all, but penetrate on to occasions it did, this time I used a Parker pen as a comparison and with its pointed shape I thought it would penetrate and that’s what it did, however it felt quite unstable in the middle at the join and I have no confidence in its ability to defend me.
The next test was designed to see how Matthews tactical pen held up to being stabbed into a piece of MDF and you know I was not messing about when I brought it down time after time the result was a series of dents and of course there was no damage to the pen at all.
I also tried using the Parker pen and it bounced off, literally making no dent or mark of any kind.
Now it was the turn of a house brick, I know when was the last time a house brick attacked you? But I stabbed the brick on the side of my house six times and each time there was a clear tip mark into the bricks surface, neither the Bic nor the Parker had any effect at all on the brick. This really is a very strong and well-made piece of kit.
Now it was time to look at Matthews clip pen and once again I stabbed the kitchen roll and straight away due to its shape and design it too penetrated the four layers but did not bend the inner roll much at all but it is a lighter pen anyway.
The cardboard box was no match for the clip pen as it passed through the box although with a lot of force behind it.
The MDF was left with circle marks which is very impressive indeed and there was no way that the nib could have been damaged as it is retracted quite well into the pend tip.
I did not want to damage it on the brick to be honest as I felt it was not up to the job, but the clip pen proved me wrong as it too left a small mark in the brickwork.
The quality and multi-use practicality of Matthews tactical and clip pens is outstanding and I am 100% confident that if push came to shove I could rely on them to defend my life.
If I have a favourite I would say it for me has to be the Tactical Pen because of its looks and effectiveness .
These top quality handmade tactical pens retail $135 + shipping and the click pen retails at $75 plus shipping.
They are available from the following websites:
Howe’s Knife Shop
Mark Strauss
Arizona Custom Knives

It's worth noting that with all of these items so far, the manufacturers are at the very least hinting to their value as striking and/or stabbing implements. The idea being: you can carry a pen some places where you can't carry a more obvious weapon, and these allow you to defend yourself in such situations, should the need arise.
1 Person BASIC Backpack Survival Kit Review
This portable survival kit contains the basic emergency supplies needed for 72 hour survival. Included is food and water for 1 person for 3 days, plus 14 different items.  There is a pump up radio, an AM/FM wind up and solar powered radio, and a first aid kit.
This kit is ideal for someone who wants just the basic emergency supplies, and is planning to add additional items from More Prepared or items they already have to make it complete.This survival kit is packaged in a durable backpack that is easy to carry and store. It is ideal for the car, office, boat and smaller living spaces.
1 Person Basic Backpack Survival Kit Contents
Emergency Food & Water (5 year shelf life)
1      2400 Calorie Food Bars
3    Water Boxes pouches
10    Water Purification Tablets
Shelter & Warmth
1     Thermal Blanket
Poncho with hood
Emergency Radio & Lighting
1    Pump LED torch
1    Mini AM/FM Radio
1   12 Hour Light Stick
First Aid
1    37-piece First Aid Kit
1     Pair Vinyl Gloves
Emergency Supplies
1     Dust Mask
Safety Whistle
Hygiene
Tissue Pack
Durable Black Backpack
Well I said that I was going to take this pack out for three days to see how it measures up and that is what I did.
Now remember this is a basic pack and it would certainly keep you alive for three days, perhaps longer. But it is designed for the kit included to be added to so that is what I did.
I added the following:
The Chris Caine survival knife
A Purificup
Elzeta ZFL tactical Torch
A SOL Bivy bag
The Solo Stove with cotton wool and Vaseline balls stored inside
A Nano fire starter
A DD travel hammock and small tarp
My own survival meals, tea, 3 in 1 Nescafe coffee sachets,
Toilet roll
Night one I spent under the poncho wrapped in the survival blanket and for comfort got into the SOL Bivy for night two but the survival blanket would have done the job, I must be getting old Ha, ha,
Breakfast was a cuppa and two calorie food bars, dinner one of my meals and the same for tea. I am sure that the 2400 calorie food bars would have sustained me over 72hrs but as I have diabetes I need the extra intake.
The water in the pouches tasted fine but I decided to conserve it just in case as I had my Purificup with me.
The wind-up/solar powered radio worked very well and it was a new experience for me to have something to listen to during my down time.
I have to say that everything in the pack did what it said on the tin and as it is designed to be added to that is what you should plan to do.
It would be an idea to buy a UK legal EDC blade to keep within the pack as you will certainly need a blade when SHTF.
All in all I was very impressed with this 72 hour basic survival kit and I know you will be too.
You can order yours from http://www.moreprepared.com
Resistance to Antibiotics Should Be Ranked Along With Terrorism
As antibiotics and their resistance to drugs is in the news this week and it is seen as a very serious threat to us as human beings so I thought that I would look at the facts for you.
Professor Dame Sally Davies is Chief Medical Officer (CMO) for the UK she says "If you get an infection in your bloodstream, in about 10, 20 years it might be untreatable"
The danger posed by growing resistance to antibiotics should be ranked along with terrorism on a list of threats to the nation, the government's chief medical officer for England has said.
Professor Dame Sally Davies described it as a "ticking time bomb".
She warned that routine operations could become deadly in just 20 years if we lose the ability to fight infection.
Dame Sally urged the government to raise the issue during next month's G8 Summit in London.
Dame Sally said: "If we don't take action, then we may all be back in an almost 19th Century environment where infections kill us as a result of routine operations. We won't be able to do a lot of our cancer treatments or organ transplants."
She said pharmaceutical companies needed to be encouraged to develop new drugs, because the manufacture of antibiotics was not viewed as profitable.
"We haven't had a new class of antibiotics since the late 80s and there are very few antibiotics in the pipeline of the big pharmaceutical companies that develop and make drugs," she said.
I think that antimicrobial resistance is a global threat it happens when organisms are able to survive medicines aimed to destroy them.
The World Health Organisation says 150,000 deaths a year are caused by multi-drug resistant tuberculosis.
"We haven't as a society globally incentivised making antibiotics. It's quite simple - if they make something to treat high blood pressure or diabetes and it works, we will use it on our patients every day.
"Whereas antibiotics will only be used for a week or two when they're needed, and then they have a limited life span because of resistance developing anyway."
"We're beginning to see that in some hospitals, patients coming in with this infection with no antibiotic that can be used to treat them."
Death rates for infectious diseases have declined in developed countries in recent decades due to improvements in hygiene and sanitation, widespread immunisation and effective drug treatments.
But the report says they still account for 7% of all deaths in England and account for one in five days off work.
It says in decades to come we risk "losing the war" against microbes - and standard surgical procedures such as hip replacements could become riskier, as would treatments that suppress the immune system such as chemotherapy or organ transplant.
Key Facts
Infections caused by resistant microorganisms often fail to respond to conventional treatment, resulting in prolonged illness and greater risk of death.
About 440 000 new cases of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) emerge annually, causing at least 150 000 deaths.
Resistance to earlier generation antimalarial medicines is widespread in most malaria-endemic countries.
A high percentage of hospital-acquired infections are caused by highly resistant bacteria such as (MRSA).
Inappropriate and irrational use of antimicrobial medicines provides favourable conditions for resistant microorganisms to emerge, spread and persist.
To temper this piece I have to say that when I had heart surgery way back in 2003 my surgeon said exactly the same thing to me then that the super bug the NHS gave me for free would probably not be combatable in 10 to 15 years and here we are 10 years later with someone saying the same thing.
Now as this situation is so serious I thought that I would look into it further for you the listener and this is what I found.
This may or may not be in your best interests.  Especially for minor illnesses (like ear infections), many will resolve on their own in just a few days — no antibiotics required. 
Overuse and misuse of antibiotics contributes heavily to antibiotic resistant “super bacteria” which can cause serious illness, and which few, if any, current drugs can fight.
The antibiotic use statistics are pretty scary, too:
70% of all antibiotics sold are used in livestock (another reason to buy pastured, sustainable meat!
In 1954, only 2 million pounds of antibiotics were produced per year.  In 2000, it was 54 million.
From 1997 to 2005, the per cent of antibiotics used for MRSA cases went from 7% to 28% (a four-fold increase!)
Children have the highest antibiotic use.  In fact, when parents expect antibiotics, they are prescribed 62% of the time, vs. only 7% when they are not expected.
Most ear infections (the most common reason for antibiotic use in children) are viral, not bacterial, and antibiotics have no effect.  Even bacterial ear infections don’t really require antibiotics.
Up to 80% of the antibiotics prescribed for upper respiratory infection are unnecessary
We also need to worry about gut flora.  Antibiotics, especially those most used by the public, are typically broad spectrum. 
That means they’re not at all specific about which bacteria they kill.  They will kill any bacteria that are in your body, including the good bacteria in your gut. 
When this bacterium is killed, it reduces your immunity and opens you up to future infections.  It also allows bad bacteria to grow uncontrolled and make you sick long-term, because the good bacteria isn’t there to keep the proper balance and battle it back. 
Scientists are still studying this issue, and many — even mainstream doctors — recommend that you take a probiotic supplement along with a course of antibiotics to try to minimize this effect.  It is uncertain how effective these supplements are at this time.
Antibiotics also come with side effects, which can include:
Stomach upset
Diarrhoea
Vomiting
Skin rash
Nappy rash (in children)
There are a number of other side effects, too, depending on the particular antibiotic prescribed.
Given all this data, it is important to understand that antibiotics are not to be taken lightly.  They should be used in very careful situations when “waiting it out” or other treatment methods have failed. 
They should never be used for viral illnesses.  Antibiotic use is very serious, and although many people take them because they “just want to feel better,” they are not always warranted, and serious problems can result.
But, this doesn’t mean you have to do nothing when you are feeling poorly.  There are many excellent, natural alternatives to antibiotics that are safe, that bacteria will not become resistant to, and which have no side effects. 
These should be your first line of defence; you should call a doctor and consider a prescription only if these remedies fail.
Garlic
Coconut oil
Oregano essential oil
Grapefruit seed extract
Collodial silver
High dose vitamin D
High dose vitamin C
High dose vitamin A Homeopathy (various remedies, depending on constitution)
The first five remedies are all antibacterial, and antiviral too.  They can help to clear up many different infections. 
The first two are the safest — garlic and coconut oil can be used on anyone, even babies. 
They can all be applied to the feet (anything applied to the feet is quickly absorbed into the body), taken orally (some under the direction of a naturopathic doctor), or applied topically.  Remedies 3 – 5 may require a naturopathic doctor if you are uncertain.
Fresh-crushed garlic may be mixed with coconut oil and applied to the feet.  Put thick socks on and go to sleep.
Top food with fresh-crushed garlic and simply eat it.
Cook in coconut oil, or add it to a smoothie.  Make sweets out of it to eat a large amount at once.
Put 1 – 4 drops of oregano essential oil into a capsule and swallow it.  This may knock an infection out overnight.  Talk to a naturopathic doctor if uncertain about dosing.
Mix oregano oil and coconut oil and apply to the feet.
Mix grapefruit seed oil into water and drink (check package or ask a doctor for dosing amounts).
Collodial silver can be taken internally, too.  Check package or ask doctor for dosing.
The remaining remedies can be used to boost the immune system to help the body fight off whatever is wrong.
Vitamin D can be taken up to 10,000 IU per day, or up to 50,000 IU per day for 3 days under the direction of a doctor.
Vitamin C can be taken 1g per hour until “bowel tolerance” (loose stools).  Since it is water soluble, overdose is not possible.  Too much will cause minor stomach cramps and diarrhoea which will resolve quickly.
The use of cod liver oil is a great source of vitamin D and vitamin A, and extra doses can help get over illness.
In addition to these, it’s a good idea to give probiotics (especially from food), homemade stock, plenty of water, herbal tea, etc.  Rest is great too.
Finally guys I am not a doctor so check out all remedies before you take them, but I have to say that if there is a natural remedy that we can buy and stockpile easily and legally we would be foolish to ignore it especially if it is an alternative to what will become not only very hard to get hold of but less affective manmade chemical options.
Prepping For The What Ifs and The Oh No’s!
The flooding disaster that hit the North East and many other parts of the UK last year was bad enough to leave over 80,000 people without power which meant no lighting, heating, hot food, or baths and showers.
These floods happened in what would normally have been our spring time seeing only a fraction of the actual rainfall that fell in such a short period of time.
Without doubt, being prepared for thewhat ifs and the oh no’s, makes sense.  Whether or not you feel compelled to prepare at the level of those practised by the Doomsday Preppers – a popular TV show on the Discovery Channel, because of their heightened awareness for disasters;
I believe this group offers a lot of great tips for consideration when creating plans to protect your family and assets.
If a flood disaster were to hit your town today as has already hit many here in the North East, are you prepared at all to hang in there for the necessary time it would take to put the pieces of normalcy back in place?  If not, listen up because that is what this show is all about, helping you get prepared.
I first considered prepping way back in the 80’s when involved in civil defence and other things closely connected to it and it was obvious then that if I survived an attack from the Warsaw Pact then I would need to learn how to survive post attack.
9/11 reminds us that not all disasters are natural disasters, and 9/11 did point out significant issues with disaster preparedness and response, 7/7 brought it home to the British public, who now had to contend with living with people who actually planned to do us all harm, and the realisation that they were vulnerable and that perhaps they too should plan to survive post an attack.
If we are lucky to get pre-warnings, can you be ready to go with all the important things already considered, some basics already packed so you can evacuate on a moment’s notice?
If you had no warning and found yourself trapped where you were, could you hang in there with meals, water, basic first aid and more until help arrived?  If the answer to any of these is no, then you need to start thinking about how you need to protect your family and assets today, because it is not really an issue of IF, but when.
Disasters can strike at any time, and I want all of you to be prepared.
Prepping involves setting aside resources, and with finances so tight for many, saving in any way, shape or form has become impossible.  That is why I am doing this show now, well ahead of the next heavy floods – to give people time to add a few things to their shopping trolleys as they go along since most can’t just go out and shop for all the supplies at once.
We can never know what exact disaster to expect, although the risks for some are higher than others. What are some of the disaster risks to keep in mind when prepping?
What do you think realistically are the most generic preparations that a person should have in place to encounter most types of possible disasters?
In flooding disasters, the personal loss is so excessive, and many even lost proof of their identity – loss of your driver’s license, birth certificates, passports and more.  In the planning process, what are some strategies for keeping vital documents safe and within reach for escape?
Now some people have been known to decide to remain in their homes rather than leave when they are warned. Heavy flooding can led to sewage and rats surrounding homes.  
Water contamination, downed trees, power cuts and more.   Let’s talk about having an escape plan, and what that includes.
What if computers were down and basically service came to a complete halt as computers can easily be down because of lack of access to electricity or damage to a location.  With the credit /debit card swipe habit, most of us no longer carry cash on us.
Let’s talk a bit about financial preparation for a disaster.
Sometimes there isn’t a large scale disaster, just personal ones that impact a single family.  These days, zero income homes are a stark reality for some.  It seems to me that the preparations I just discussed for preparing for a financial disaster would have come in handy for those who lose a job unexpectedly, or have to quit a job to care for an ill partner or loved one.Preppers are prepared to be self-sufficient for up to several years.  However, for those just getting started, let us break down the basic prep into stages of time say:  How much more of the basics I just mentioned do we need to get by for say 3 days?  7 days? Two weeks?
What are the most basic skill sets, if any, listeners should consider getting?
It is said we are only 3 meals away from anarchy that is approximately one day.
Preppers talk about this a lot, and so many are secretive about their prepping in anticipation of neighbours and friends becoming aggressive about getting access to your stuff.
My Homemade MRE
I have been looking at the high prices of British Army MRE Ration Packs (About £10+ along with postage!) and I decided to opt for making my own for my bug out bag.
All of these items I bought from my local Asda so these are current prices. I would recommend using a vacuum sealer or Mylar bags with o2 absorbers to make these feasible, otherwise the shelf life I predict is probably not going to be reached due to the nature of some of the items.
Anyway, let’s begin, please note numbers after names are Calories, then price!
Breakfast
8 x Belvita Biscuits 445 £0.76
Coffee Sachet 75 £0.14
Lunch
Cup a Soup 90 £0.10
Dinner
Mugshot Pasta 307 £0.68
Lemon + Black pepper tuna tins x 2 340 £1.10
Snacks
Boost bar 305 £0.25
Kendal mint cake 85g 350 £0.88
Pumpkin seeds 566 £0.55
Strawberry lances 300 £0.33
Coffee sachet 75 £0.14
So this leads to a total cost of £4.93 and a whopping 2853 calories!
I have also got three vacuum sealed bags of peanuts, raisins and chocolate drops which I would also chuck into the bug out bag, these contain a staggering 1750 calories for only £0.99 and will last for ages in the vacuum seal!
I'll add as well, my MRE weighs about 870g, where as a normal British Army one weighs 1750g and also its technically not an MRE as it requires water and minimal heating, but I have both of those in my BOB so nothing to worry about really!
This is a very basic but very tasty MRE option and I am sure as I experiment further that it will develop and become more season friendly with both a range of hot and cold meals.
Survival Cooking and Foraging
Although cooking outdoors is often a great way to prepare food, the chances are that, in a survival situation, you’re not going to have the right types of food or cooking utensils to make it much of a pleasurable experience….or, so you might think!
Your skills and knowledge of how to gather food and water using natural means and to prepare it correctly will often give you an even greater sense of achievement and will boost your morale even further which is important, in addition to providing you with the nutrients which will help you to survive.
Initial Preparation
Unless you’re an expert in foods in the wild which can be eaten raw, you need to ensure that you cook all the food which you’ve harvested thoroughly to make sure it’s free from parasites and you should check that there are no visible signs of disease or abnormalities.
This goes for plants too, some of which are safe to eat when cooked but highly toxic if eaten raw.
Different Methods of Cooking
Rock Boiling
This technique comes in handy when you’ve not got a container which can be placed upon or over an open fire. You need to gather some small rocks or stones which won’t shatter or crumble and heat them in the fire for about 2 hours.
In a survival situation, make sure you have a backup set of rocks in the fire when the others have been removed to help with the continual cooking.
Once the rocks are hot enough, you can remove them from the fire and put them into your container of water which will then begin to boil.
At that point, you can start adding your food to the container to cook it. You need to ensure that you’ve got more rocks to add if you want the pot (or whatever your container is made from) to keep boiling.
Spit Cooking
You can make a spit out of a sapling and simply skewer a gutted, skinned and cleaned small animal or fish which you can then suspend over the heat turning it regularly. To ensure its cooked through, it’s better to do this over coals or some other type of low intensity burning material as opposed to over open flame.
Pit Cooking
This is great if you want to steam your food. Basically, you need to dig a pit or hole in the ground and line the bottom of it with rocks. Then, build a fire on top of the rocks and let that burn for a couple of hours until the rocks beneath are red hot. Then scrape out the remainder of the fire and place some non-poisonous grasses about 7 or 8 inches deep on top of the rocks.
You then place the food you’re cooking on top of the grasses. Wrapping the food in large leaves first is often a good idea if you want to seal in the juices from your food.
Then place some more grasses and seal the pit with some bark or similar material and some earth. After a couple of hours, just remove the earth, bark and grasses, not forgetting they’ll be hot and your food will taste delicious and it’s a method that also helps to retain the food’s natural juices.
Rock Frying
Following a similar process to the rock boiling technique, once again heat the rocks in the fire and, once removed, you can use them almost like a frying pan.
Other alternative methods include building a rock oven for baking but for a quicker solution to cooking things more slowly, use a rock or slab of wood as a reflector by propping it at about a 45 degree angle from the fire.
As it heats up, you can then use it like a grill remembering to turn the food over to ensure its evenly cooked.
Enjoying a meal when faced with a survival situation is going to be a fantastic morale booster and the gathering of the food and its preparation is all part of that. Not only will it help pass the time of day and keep your mind occupied, it will sustain you and give you energy for the days ahead, should a rescue or escape not be immediate.
Many people believe that they will never find themselves in a survival situation, but it can happen to anyone and the importance of knowing the plants and berries that you can safely eat to sustain you, cannot be emphasised enough.
Whilst there is an abundance of food to be found in the natural environment, there are also plants and berries which if eaten, can cause you severe stomach upsets at best and at worst, can kill you.
The ‘look’ of a particular plant or berry is simply not enough and if you can’t identify it, then the advice is to leave it alone and not to risk eating it. Therefore, if you’re out in the woods, it’s useful to have a basic knowledge of the vegetation that grows in a specific area you’re visiting and know how to identify which plants are safe and which are toxic.
Avoiding Temptation
Hunger pangs are highly likely to ‘kick in’ if you are stranded for some time without food but it’s important to remember that you can actually survive for a few weeks without food as long as you have enough water to sustain you.
Therefore, no matter how abundant and tempting plants and berries might be, you should never eat any wild vegetation unless you are 100% sure you can identify it.
Campfire Breakfast
For most, the average work-week morning is downright dreadful. You wake up still bleary-eyed and exhausted. After knocking back some coffee as quickly as you can, it’s time for the struggle to get the kids up and moving.
The rest of your whirlwind morning is spent trying to get them ready for school, while simultaneously attempting to get at least half-put together for work.
At the campsite, mornings couldn’t be more different. The sun is shining softly through the trees, the birds are chirping gleefully, and you couldn’t be more awake or refreshed; somehow, even the old-fashioned percolated coffee tastes better.
With ample time to start your day, you might even have time to cook up a tasty campsite breakfast for everyone.
The following breakfast recipes are a satisfying way to start the day, and easy enough to make that they won’t get frustrating or take all morning.
With them, you’ll be cracking the eggs, flipping the pancakes, and frying up the bacon to create a breakfast very much worth devouring – and remembering.
All-in-One Breakfast
3 sausage links (or other)
3 eggs
Half a potato
1/4 cup shredded cheese 3 tablespoons milk
Cook sausage and cut into small pieces, cut the potato into small pieces and cook in sausage drippings. Drain. Beat eggs and milk together and add to potatoes. When almost cooked, add sausage and cheese. Ready when cheese is melted.
Serving : 1
Bacon & Egg in a Paper Bag
3 thick slices of bacon
1 egg
1 paper lunch bag
1 stick
Place bacon in the bottom of the bag, covering the bottom. Crack egg and put in bag on top of the bacon. Fold top of bag down securely. Poke a hole through the top of the bag for the stick.
Hold over the hot coals till cooked.
Surviving SHTF
Nuclear warfare is not necessary to cause a breakdown of our society. You take a large city like London, Birmingham, Manchester or Leeds— their water supply comes from hundreds of miles away and any interruption of that, or food, or power for any period of time you're going to have riots in the streets.
Our society is so fragile, so dependent on the interworking of things to provide us with the goods and services that you don't need nuclear warfare to fragment us anymore than the Romans needed it to cause their eventual downfall.
While some may consider such a discussion a waste of time, more and more people are coming to the conclusion that preparations of some sort are warranted in our current troubled environment — on many fronts.
Surviving Economic Collapse is about how much preparation individuals are willing to do and is usually in direct correlation to their belief that something catastrophic could happen, making life as we know it a much more difficult task.
It is a proven fact throughout history that when disruptions of any kind occur, those who made even the smallest preparations typically fare much better than those who gave no thought at all in this regard.
I want to share with you a list I have compiled of the things that could potentially happen — and that threaten our way of life in a small or large degree.
There is no way to predict these things, but anyone with common sense can see that the possibility is likely we could experience one or more of these events at some point in the future...
Any single event or combination of events could cause terrible and debilitating circumstances for a short or long period of time:
Natural disasters such as hurricanes, floods, tornados, volcanic eruptions, solar flares, earthquakes, and other geophysical events happen across our world daily.
There is the every present possibility of wars, nuclear wars, nuclear reactor meltdowns, and radiation fallout.
Then we have the coming financial meltdown (derivative, debt crisis, economic collapse and/or bond implosion) causing currencies to implode and governments to topple
There are problems with the exploration, delivery, or production of oil, the lifeblood of modern economies
We are seeing a spread of disease such as the Black Plague or a bird flu pandemic more and more often
We have frequent Power cuts
And you could even say that political anarchy or revolution is a possibility too.
Racial strife or civil war is on the cards that is for sure
Electromagnetic pulse events are in the news even more now.
With any of these scenarios listed above (and there is a host of others I have probably not even thought about), you could have localized, national, or global unrest and even war for an indefinite period of time depending on the scope and duration of the event(s).
An item that is not on the list — but could be equally devastating to individual families — is the loss of a job.
Losing a job can be a catastrophic event if one is not properly prepared. Most families find themselves living pay day to pay day with little in the way of savings and almost nothing in the way of preparations.
For years, I had brought up the issue of preparedness to a close friend of mine.
When I first started talking about it, my friend and his wife basically blew me off... but I kept bringing the topic up.
Eventually they thought it prudent to at least get some sort of food storage together. Their family was accustomed to an upper middle class income and living comfortably in suburbia with their three children...
About a year after making their food preparations, the breadwinner of the family lost his job and ended up working a series of almost minimum wage jobs trying to make ends meet.
He kept applying for better-paying jobs in his field of expertise — but no matter how qualified he was nobody was interested in hiring someone at his previous salary level or his age (late fifties).
The family's lifestyle was devastated and they eventually lost their home...
In a recent conversation with this friend, he told me that without their food storage, things would have been immeasurably more difficult. He thanked me for being a good friend and pushing the issue when he and his wife weren’t listening.
The family is now living a greatly reduced lifestyle, but keeping their heads above water and continuing with their preparations.
I share this story because on an individual basis, there is a host of things that can happen in which being prepared could make a huge difference.
We often, as a people in general, terms take things for granted and think 'this' or 'that' will never happen to us. In addition to a major job loss due to a myriad of reasons, you could lose your health or the ability to do your job.
Unfortunately, things of this nature are happening to more and more people every day. In fact, I'm certain all of us have been affected to some degree by similar stories of friends and relatives.
Our Current State of Affairs
The world in general seems afflicted on so many different fronts.
When you look at the list above, any rational person could easily see one or more of these scenarios occur within their lifetime.
Aside from the geophysical things that seem to be going haywire, and could be explained simply as the planet’s cycles, there are plenty of man-made catastrophes that loom on the horizon...
Never has the planet had as many people as it does now. With increased population numbers, there is increased pressure for resources.
More countries seek nuclear devices than ever before and recent advancements in technology make this much easier than any time before in history.
Biological and chemical weapons are also much easier to manufacture — and are being stored by an increasing number of very scary countries.
Oil markets are tighter than ever as demand from countries like China and India increases, but new supply cannot keep up with the increasing demand.
The financial debacle of the world economies needs no introduction to my listeners. In short, bad times — really bad times — for any number of reasons could and probably will be coming to a location near you.
Unless you and your family take this possibility quite seriously, if and when something does happen, you could very well find yourself in some extremely difficult circumstances...
Just look at the latest news coming out of Greece, as reported by Reuters.
This is happening right now — and it’s only going to spread.
When the political and economic systems of entire nations collapse the consequences are devastating.
Earlier this year pharmacies and hospitals in Greece were unable to provide lifesaving medicines due to a shortages caused by a freeze in the flow of credit from manufacturers to distributors to patients.
A collapse in the country’s economy has forced many Greeks to turn to black market barter economies and has left millions financially devastated, with no hope of finding an income stream for the foreseeable future.
The credit system of the entire country is in shambles. So much so that reports are emerging about food shortages and hunger within the Greek prison system, suggesting that serious problems in the food delivery chain have begun to materialize.
Today the news gets even worse. Greece’s Regulatory Authority for Energy (RAE) announced an emergency meeting to deal with what can only be construed as a tell-tale sign that this crisis is very rapidly reaching critical mass and may spiral out of control in the very near future:
Greece’s power regulator RAE told Reuters on Friday it was calling an emergency meeting next week to avert a collapse of the debt-stricken country’s electricity and natural gas system.
You may have thought the financial collapse of 2008 was bad. 
That was just a warm-up.
The main event is staring us in the face, and the whole of Europe has front-row seats.
What is happening in Europe is just a precursor for what will eventually be happening to the United States..
The following are Items to Consider that I feel are prudent as you make your own preparations based on the problems that could potentially threaten our way of life.
Each of the items below could fill a book... but my intent is to at least get you thinking about the most important things related to being prepared.
Should I stay or should I go?
Many have already decided where they will go if and when any such disaster occurs. I hope they get there but…
Personally, I know many who have already left the United Kingdom — and they have never looked back. I have been invited to their retreats in Spain, Australian, New Zealand, and the Greek Islands, and they seem very happy with their decision to leave.
This is a huge decision. My hope is that the following discussion may be of some help when thinking about this topic.
Because I have travelled internationally so much in my previous life I often compare notes on my trips with others (Drivers, tourists etc.) about their travels...
One of the realizations you see first-hand as you travel extensively worldwide is the extreme wealth, extreme poverty, and extreme corruption that exists in all of its world flavours.
If you think the United Kingdom is corrupt, you should try going to Peru, or Bolivia, or Panama. And if you think those countries are corrupt, you haven’t see anything compared to Russia, Haiti, India, or some places in Africa...
The fact is corruption and the growing global police state is EVERYWHERE!
So while we certainly see much to complain about in the United Kingdom, which is definitely going the wrong way fast, from what I have seen in most other places on the planet, the U.K. is still less corrupt than most.
There are bad apples everywhere throughout politics, local police, special agents, and most certainly the court system — but for every bad apple, there are probably three times as many honourable people who are truly just trying to do their jobs.
Leaving the country is a decision you must make before the event takes place due to the sheer amount of time and effort it takes to accomplish such a task.
You must also think about being away from family and friends who don’t share your enthusiasm to leave the country and what affect that could have on everyone over time.
For most, I think it’s probably best to just hunker down in your own country and prepare as much as you can. If you can afford a retreat cabin somewhere far away from the big cities, that would probably be best — but again, you still need to get there once the event occurs.
Studies have clearly shown that once a SHTF event occurs, you have two to three days to get to where you ultimately want to hunker down. After that, travel becomes extremely dangerous and it is unlikely you will reach your final destination.
Highways will become kill zones targeted by the bad guys. To a gang of armed looters who forgot to prepare or plan ahead before the event, there is not a better target than an RV loaded down with stored food, ammo, and gold.
Don’t be foolish and attempt travel once things have gone south: If you need to get somewhere, plan to leave the moment the event happens and arrive where you want to be within 72 hours.
This may require several false starts (meaning the situation looked bad at first, but didn’t materialize, and you need to return home) on your part as events start to unfold. But it's better to be safe than sorry if you are planning to get somewhere when an event happens.
Military strategists know from historical accounts of what happens when governments fail or when SHTF events affect a country: The rule of thumb is that roads are to be avoided at all costs.
If you cannot afford a retreat cabin of some sort, there are things you can do to hunker down in your own home...
First, you need to stock up and find a way to defend it.
Like-minded friends and neighbours can be a huge support network — as long as they have prepared as well.
There is a great book (it's not well-edited, but has solid content) on how to live in your home and defend it called
Holding Your Ground: Preparing for Defence if it All Falls Apart by Joe Nobody, which in itself is a lesson in laying low.
This book isn’t about turning your home into a concrete bunker armed to the teeth; it's more about using cosmetic deception to fool would-be marauders into thinking your place has already been hit. It includes plenty of clever techniques that go far beyond "shooting back."
Ultimately, everyone must decide for themselves based on finances, family concerns, and individual preferences what he can or cannot do in his preparations.
Hopefully, this discussion will help you make the best choices for what is in your best interest.
Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.
This is a good motto to live by, despite how you think about things.
Individuals can still hope for the best (that things can and will eventually work out), but what good is your prosperity going to do if you don’t have anything to eat or a safe place to hang out for an extended period of time?
Why not prepare while you still can — when things are readily available and can still be purchased at cheap prices? The coming hyper-inflation will make any such purchases beforehand look very intelligent...
To prepare for the worst, you need a plan. Why are most people so against doing basic preparations that could be the difference on how they survive — or whether they survive?
History shows time and again that those who prepare always fare better than those who did not. Having a plan and being determined to act on that plan will always be the best way to handle any contingencies, should they occur.
After disaster strikes, your mind is going to be racing around like a car on a race track. Pre-planning and having a written set of measures to take will make someone’s life go much smoother when the SHTF.
Your own personal plan is ONLY what best fits what you are going to do during and after a disaster.
People should also have back-up plans — Plans B and C, at least — because nothing ever seems to go as planned.
Haphazard approaches to the aftermaths of catastrophes are kind of like a chicken running around without its head.
Doomsday top Ten Theories 2013
The following Doomsday top ten theories has been produced by Chris Corfield a UK prepper from www.SimplyHike.co.uk and they conducted a poll to establish the most popular doomsday prepping theories of 2013.
This data is based on 200 votes gained by engaging with the prepper community
via Forums, Twitter & Facebook.  The poll has been left open so we can identify
any shifts in theories so please share with us your own thoughts or add
scenarios by commenting at blog.simplyhike.co.uk
FINANCIAL COLLAPSE 53%
There is no precise definition of an economic collapse. The term has been used to describe a broad range of bad economic conditions from a severe, prolonged depression with high bankruptcy rates and high unemployment, such as the Great Depression, to a breakdown in normal commerce caused by hyperinflation (such as in Weimar Germany), or even an economically caused sharp increase in the death rate and perhaps even a decline in population (Former USSR).
Often economic collapse is accompanied by social chaos, civil unrest and sometimes a breakdown of law and order in anyway. 
EMP 8%
An electromagnetic pulse (EMP) is a burst of electromagnetic radiation, usually resulting from high-energy explosions, especially a nuclear explosion, or a suddenly fluctuating magnetic field. Rapidly changing electric fields and magnetic fields may couple with electrical/electronic systems to produce damaging current and voltage surges.
 In military terminology, a nuclear warhead detonated hundreds of kilometres above the Earth's surface is known as a high-altitude electromagnetic pulse (HEMP) device. In 1962, a nuclear test in space, 400 kilometres above the mid-Pacific Ocean, called the Starfish Prime test, demonstrated to nuclear scientists that the magnitude and effects of a high-altitude nuclear explosion were much larger than had been previously calculated.
Starfish Prime also caused electrical damage in Hawaii, about 1,445 kilometres away, knocking out about 300 streetlights, setting off numerous burglar alarms and damaging a telephone company microwave link.
SOLAR FLARE 7%
A solar flare is a sudden brightening observed over the Sun's surface, a large energy release about a sixth of the total energy output of the Sun each second or 160,000,000,000 megatons of TNT equivalent. They are mainly followed by a colossal coronal mass ejection also known as a CME.
The flare ejects clouds of electrons, ions, and atoms into space. These clouds typically reach Earth a day or two after the event and can impact the Earth's magnetosphere and present radiation hazards to spacecraft, astronauts, and cosmonauts. Massive solar flares and CME’s can trigger geomagnetic storms that have been known to knock out electric power for extended periods of time. The most powerful flare ever observed was on September 1, 1859, named the "Carrington event".
The flare was visible to a naked-eye (in white light), and produced intense auroras down to unusually tropical latitudes, so bright you could read a newspaper by their light, it also set telegraph systems on fire. In modern times, a flare of this magnitude could knock out the electrical grid, leading to cities being without power for extended periods of time – perhaps even a year.
A domino effect interrupting satellite communications and GPS and disrupting power would bring about huge economical loss.
WORLD WAR 3 6%
World War III (also called WWIII or the Third World War) is a hypothetical successor to World War II (1939–1945). In the wake of World War I, World War II, the commencement of the Cold War and the development, testing and use of nuclear weapons, there was early widespread speculation as to the next global war. This war was anticipated and planned for by military and civil authorities, and explored in fiction in many countries. Concepts ranged from the limited use of atomic weapons, to the destruction of the planet.
Pandemic 5%
A pandemic is an epidemic of infectious disease that has spread through human populations across a large region; for instance multiple continents, or even worldwide. A widespread endemic disease that is stable in terms of how many people are getting sick from it is not a pandemic. Further, flu pandemics generally exclude recurrences of seasonal flu.
Throughout history there have been a number of pandemics, such as smallpox and tuberculosis. More recent pandemics include the HIV pandemic and the H1N1 pandemics of 1918 and 2009. Inappropriate antibiotic treatment and overuse of antibiotics have been an element in the emergence of resistant bacteria which is a concerning implication of future pandemics as well as the use biological warfare.
NATURAL DISASTERS 4%
A natural disaster is a major adverse event resulting from natural processes of the Earth; examples include floods, severe weather, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, and other geologic processes.
A natural disaster can cause loss of life or property damage, and typically leaves some economic damage in its wake, the severity of which depends on the affected population's resilience, or ability to recover. For example a theory called the Toba catastrophe theory based on an event 75,000 to 80,000 years ago when a super volcanic event at Lake Toba reduced the human population to 10,000 or even 1,000 breeding pairs creating a bottleneck in human evolution. It also killed three quarters of all plant life in the northern hemisphere.
The main danger from a supervolcano is the immense cloud of ash which has a disastrous global effect on climate and temperature for many years.
FOOD SUPPLY DISRUPTION 3%
Food security is a measure of ensured access to essential nutrition. It refers to a household's or country's ability to provide future physical and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food that fulfils the dietary needs and food preferences for living an active and healthy lifestyle.
It is a measure of resilience to future disruption or unavailability of critical food supply due to various risk factors including droughts, shipping disruptions, fuel shortages, economic instability, wars, etc. Food security assessment is divided into the self-sufficiency rate and external dependency rate as this divides the largest set of risk factors.
Although countries may desire a high self-sufficiency rate to avoid transport risks, this may be difficult to achieve especially for wealthy countries, generally due to higher regional production costs. Conversely, high self-sufficiency without economic means leaves countries vulnerable to production risks.
ZOMBIES 3%
A zombie is an "animated corpse resurrected by mystical means, such as witchcraft". The term is often figuratively applied to describe a hypnotized person bereft of consciousness and self-awareness, yet ambulant and able to respond to surrounding stimuli. Since the late 19th century, zombies have acquired notable popularity, especially in North American and European folklore.
In modern times, the term "zombie" has been applied to an undead being in horror fiction, largely drawn from George A. Romero's 1968 film Night of the Living Dead.
Theories about Zombies have ranged from a belief in the power of witchcraft to the use of poisons and drugs to induce a psychotic, deathlike animated state.
NUCLEAR FALLOUT 2%
Radioactive fallout from nuclear weapons testing was first drawn to public attention in 1954 when the Castle Bravo hydrogen bomb test at the Pacific Proving Grounds contaminated the crew and catch of the Japanese fishing boat Lucky Dragon.
One of the fishermen died in Japan seven months later, and the fear of contaminated tuna led to a temporary boycotting of the popular staple in Japan. The incident caused widespread concern around the world, especially regarding the effects of nuclear fallout and atmospheric nuclear testing, and "provided a decisive impetus for the emergence of the anti-nuclear weapons movement in many countries".
METEOR STRIKE 1%
A meteorite is a portion of a meteoroid or asteroid that originates from outer space that survives entering the earth’s atmosphere and impact with the Earth's surface. A meteorite's size can range from small to extremely large. Notable impact events include the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event, which occurred 65 million years ago and led to the demise of the dinosaurs.
Astrogeologists have determined that during the last 600 million years, the Earth has been struck by 60 objects of a diameter of 5 km (3 mi) or more. The smallest of these impactors would release the equivalent of ten million megatons of TNT and leave a crater 95 km (60 mi) across. For comparison, the largest nuclear weapon ever detonated, the Tsar Bomba, had a yield of 50 megatons.
Other THEORIES accounted for 8%
I would like to thank Chris and the guys at Simply Hike for running this poll, for allowing me to place it on my site and including it in tonight’s show don’t forget to check out their site  at www.SimplyHike.co.uk
Here are two great Bushcraft shows for you to attend this year
The Bushcraft Show
It’s a jam-packed, three-day event filled will amazing bushcraft activities that will take you, your friends and family on a bushcraft and survival adventure that you’ll never forget. Whether you come for the day or stay for the weekend, you can try your hand at woodland crafts, fire lighting, shelter building, tracking, foraging, woodland games and so much more. Click onto their site to learn more http://www.thebushcraftshow.co.uk See YOU there between the 25 and the 27th of May
The Wilderness Gathering
If you've never been to the Gathering before and you love nature and the outdoors, then we have the family show for you - Wilderness Gathering, the original Bushcraft Show, is the premier festival of bushcraft, survival and primitive living skills.
The Gathering has become a social event and brings together families and friends, all those interested in Bushcraft and Wilderness living skills to enjoy a weekend of knowledge sharing in a relaxed and family friendly atmosphere.
Onsite you will find leading Bushcraft schools and an international band of professional instructors hosting introductory lessons on all kinds of skills, trade and demonstrator stands, acres of woodland to practise your skills in and yes individual campfires are permitted, two lakes plus a heard of North American Bison! The Gathering has established itself as the ideal outdoor FAMILY EVENT of the year and is recognised as the original bushcraft show.
It takes place between the 15th and the 18th of August in Wiltshire for full details go to www.wildernessgathering.co.uk  See YOU there.

 






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