Urban Survival Planning - Winter Storm Lessons

There's a good chance some of you are in geographic location that is or recently experienced a pretty bad winter storm. Winds in excess of norms; temperature lows 20 to 30 degrees colder; maybe some sleet and/or snow. Maybe you experienced power outages. Maybe the power authority in your location conducted rolling electrical backouts due to the large surge in power needs. Maybe you attempted to get kerosene or electrical heaters but Wal-Mart, Target, etc., but they were all out.

All the above just happened to me. Power outages throughout the day; and with normal low temperatures for this time of year of 30 degrees and highs in the high 40's or low 50's,......the drop to a low of 5 and a high temp of 12 was quite a change. Been that way since yesterday and supposed to continue for a couple days.

Getting back to the house today I thought I was sitting pretty. Had extra wool blankets; military three piece sleeping bags; LED lantern kit powered by rechargeable batteries; plenty of food to get through even a long period of vehicle immobility due to bad weather; and, 80 gallons of stored water.

But like probably most of us believe, we prepare and are better off for it, but we will never really be satisfied with our preps. Always something we missed.

I used this opportunity to look at my preparations for the coming collapse and wargammed several additional stressors. What I wrote down for my preparation tasks list (you do have one don't you?) is the following:

No matter how good your foot wear is, sitting in one place such as in an LP/OP or on security for your Survival Site, just ain't good enough when the temps are 5 degrees F and the wind is honking at 12-15 mph. I am going to look into battery powered heating socks and have my friend make some canvas cover wool snuggie type half sleeping bags so the person in the static position can put his/her feet and legs into it but quickly get out of them.

Water froze in my Camelbak in my truck. I recently saw some surplus military artic no-freeze canteens which I have used before in a past life and in a place I want to forget.

Although I have watch caps galore, I think some fold-able behind the head ear muffs that can be worn underneath the knitted wool watch caps is in order. The wool and cotton variant watch caps just don't cut the wind.

Gloves. I have some pretty damn good gloves but a second and third pair, per person, of the Extreme Cold Weather (ECW) design is on my list as is several pair of military wool inserts, both the five finger and mitten w/ separate trigger finger type.

I have a pretty good stock of hard wood to burn in my fireplace. I am going to add to that significantly and place a 3/4 inch steel plate I have laying around in the fireplace so it can get hot and radiate heat. It was actually pretty comfortable going without power for 3 hours at night and sitting in front of the fire place reading a book bu LED lantern light.

Although I only had enough of the AA rechargeable batteries charged to run five LED Lanterns. Note to self: more rechargeable batteries and keep more charged. Although no power in the house, I could have charged them from my truck with the 12v adaptor, but sitting in front of the fireplace, with a book and two ounces of Woodford Reserve Whiskey was pretty comfortable. Not that I think the real collapse would permit much of this activity.

Not that I needed any, I called Wal-Mart and Lowe's to see if they had any electrical or kerosene heaters in stock. Both told me they were bought out. One of the sales people told me flashlights are going quick. Oh, a word about flashlights. Love the Surefire line of flashlights; I have several models from hand held to weapons mounted lights, however those CR123 batteries sure lose power quick. Knew this was not the best bet for long term survival a couple of years ago and started to procure LED flashlights, like the excellent Pelican brand (and others), that use AA or AAA batteries so I can re-charge them. So if you only have non-rechargeable battery powered flashlights, then maybe consider some AA or AAA powered flashlights.

Lastly a friend called me on cell and told me his lost power and couldn't use his electric stove. No problem for me, I have gas and when the electric is out, you can still light the burners with a match. Anyway, he has a gas grill and extra tanks, like I do and I'm sure most of you do as well, now he knows knows he needs a gas camp stove or the burner and hose element so he can cook in the house or the garage with it. Heater elements are also available for these portable gas tanks - I've used many of then inside of tents in shitty locations to stay warm.....okay, maybe not warm, but at least to keep from freezing.

Did this massive storm prompt anybody else to think of something new?

Urban Survival Planning - Collapse Threats Expotentially Greater

UrbanSurvivalSkills.com thinks that the conflagrations going on in Africa, the Middle East and Southwest Asia have risen the potential threat level here in the United States exponentially.

Apparently Glenn Beck has something to say about this also, go here to see it, glennbeck.com

I just finished reading a book entitled “What We Once Proudly Hailed” written by John Doe, on a scenario where North Korea sailed a diesel submarine, outfitted with short range nuclear missiles, into the Gulf of Mexico and fired missiles into major cities. Following that, another missile strike from an unidentified source, which the book leads you to believe was radical Islamists, hit the U.S. further creating chaos and anarchy and sending the collapse into free fall. The book ends with internal and external based Muslim groups influencing or controlling corrupt politicians and large sections on the East Coast. Good book and a recommended read. But more important, here’s why that isn’t necessarily a fantasy scenario.

In NORTH AFRICA, see graphic above, Tunisia ( # 1 ) is under revolt based on an heavy handed government and lack of food. Algeria ( # 2 ) is also near revolt. Both could easily install a radical Islamic government a la Iran . Both would threaten their neighbors, pro-western Morocco and neutral Chad , and influence Libya to go back to the anti-Western, pro-terrorist mode. Algeria and Tunisia could exert influence into the Mediterranean Sea much like the Al-Qaeda backed Somalian pirates do now. Forty percent of the oil imported from the Middle East transit the Mediterranean Sea . Anyone for $5 a gallon gas?

Sudan ( # 3 ) is in a civil war. The government of Sudan is radical Islamist in nature and can influence the surrounding countries including fermenting Islam based terrorism and revolution. Nigeria ( # 4 ) has a Islamic terrorist movement which threaten not only the government but control over the Nigeria oil supplies. Anyone for $6 a gallon gas? And last but not least, Somalia ( # 5 ), home to Al Sahaab terrorists and pirates interdicting commercial and petroleum transport ships and trying to extend radical Islam into sub-Shaharan Africa,…next on their list is Kenya.

In the MIDDLE EAST and SOUTHWEST ASIA , conditions are much more dire. See Map graphic above. I am including Egypt ( # 1 ) which in case you don’t have a television or radio, is under a popular revolt influenced greatly by the Muslim Brotherhood. Imagine Egypt with the vast military (built by the U.S. ) and their location controlling the Suez Canal AND their location next to Israel being controlled by Muslim nut jobs. Again 40% of oil transit the Mediterranean Sea, but first comes through the Suez Canal .

Jordan ( # 2 ) is under a threat of revolt as well. King Abdullah just shit canned his cabinet trying to make things right before the population throws him out. Iraq ( # 3 ) – well you should know about Iraq . I envision this country to collapse into civil war and eventually be controlled by radicals within 3 years of the U.S. leaving as we are scheduled to. Turkey ( # 4 ) is set to go from a secular, pro-west country to a Islamic controlled country. If you remember Turkey was the originator of the arms shipments destined for Hamas in Gaza for terrorist strikes at Israel .

Yemen ( # 5 ) is under attack from internal and external Al Qaeda groups and can easily fall, ending up controlled the southern access to the Suez Canal – so if either Egypt or Yemen are controlled by Islamist you can kiss ANY chance of cheap gas goodbye. Can anyone say “Oil Embargo”?

Iran ( # 6 ) along with North Korea both possess or are in short approach to possess not only Nuclear weapons but deliver methods as well. Both are sponsors of terrorism and can be easily seen equipping terr cells with nuclear devices. Coupled with our porous and ineffective border security,…well, can anyone say “Lights Out”, or “One Second After”?

Tajikistan ( # 7 ) has an Islamist terrorist movement, routinely killing government troops. Afghanistan ( # 8 ) can easily fall back to Taliban – Al Qaeda control after our withdrawal. Both would threaten nuclear Pakistan . Speaking of Pakistan ( # 9 ), they have significant nuclear stocks and ingrained presence of Islamic terrorist cells and could easily fall into a radical Islamic state. Another threat to this country.

India ( # 10 ) is also nuclear armed and enemies with Pakistan . Lebanon ’s (# 11) government just disintegrated. Islamist terr group, Hezbollah, controlled by Iran and Syria could easily take over.

Again, if just a few of the potential changes occur, we could see everything from an Oil Embargo and skyrocketing gas prices, or, a regional war that makes the 1967 and 1973 Arab-Israeli Wars look small, or, we actually could be seeing the set up for Armageddon this year, next year or soon after. In any event, things are not looking good for the U.S. After Israel, radical Islam’s biggest enemy is the U.S. Imagine all of the Arab world gone radical Islamist and focusing their resources and attention on us. Prepare my friends.

Urban Survival Planning - Don't Forget the "No Comms" Plan

To be well prepared communications technology wise to survive a total collapse, most survival planners would develop a list of communications equipment that may look like this:

Hand Held FRS/GMRS radios. Used for small group to small group communications such as from someone on security at a listening post/observation post to other in the Survival Group. Used for inter-team communications such as conducting a patrol around the Survival site.

Solar Crank AM/FM/SSB radio with Wx alert channel. Not only can you pickup any AM or FM radios stations and weather alerts would be excellent in the advent of an internet disruption, but you can listen to Ham radio operators and pickup intelligence helping you piece together an assessment of the situation sometimes from faraway locations.

CB radios. A capability to think about, since they are so common. Listening to CB transmission, which are predominantly in vehicles, can provide an excellent source of intelligence concerning events in and around your Survival location as well as on major lines of communications (highways, interstates and other roadways).

HF Ham Radio System and Upper grade UHF/VHF transceivers. Which are often outside the grasp of your basic Survivalist, both in scope of use and cost.

Anyway, we’ll be writing more articles on communications and radio systems. What I wanted to address this post was that no matter how robust your communications capabilities are,…no matter how many radios in various frequencies and modulations you possess, the thinking Survival Planner needs to have a plan for no communications. This is typical called the “No Communications” plan.

An example would be a lack of communications for whatever reason (dead batteries, radios out of range, broken equipment, etc.). What would be your planned actions and protocols for a patrol returning to your Survival site? Maybe you have a procedure, where at the time the patrol is expected to return, someone at the Survival base hoists a flag, or opens curtains or whatever visual signal you determine annotating that the site is safe to return to. The patrol would in turn have an arm and hand signal or another visual signal such as the lead man wearing a red cap or walking into the site with his weapon held in front vertical, muzzle down. Lack of either signal would mean the site or the patrol is under duress. And duress simply means someone is making you do something,….consider it a gun to your head. Some people simply call this a “safe” signal and lack of a safe signal would be mean duress.

Maybe the Patrol has a procedure where in the absence of the safe signal, the action would be to withdrawal and linkup with anyone who may have vacated the Survival Site at a pre-determined Emergency Rally Point or Emergency Rendezvous Point (ERP) that you have planned in case the Survival Site gets over ran.

Another example of a “No communications” plan may be between you and other members of your Survival Group who are now living apart. Maybe your plan is to communicate as things gets worse and at some point communicate to coordinate a move to your interim Survival Site or Safe Site. Maybe you plan for several communications means: landline telephone (primary), cell phones (alternate), and radios (contingency on a pre-planned contact time each day or night). You still need a “no-comms” plan which may be in the event of no communications for a period of 48 hours, Survival Group members will initiate a move to the planned Survival Site, stopping a certain distance away to covertly approach and look for the “safe” signal, then approach the house with the return or replying “safe” procedure.

Another example, would be Jim’s (from Survival Chronicles of Jim) example. His son is attending college about 60 miles away. Jim’s simple “No Comms” plan is in the event of a decayed situation or a full out collapse, AND, after two missed communications contacts which are scheduled for 8:00 pm each night, is that on what would be the night of the third missed scheduled contact, Jim will meet his son at a turn in off the access road near the Interstate. Jim will pull in with his vehicle and flash the lights three times. Jim’s son will in turn flash the lights four times then make his approach. Jim will wait 30 minutes, if his son does not show, then Jim will leave a small bag of water and food ten feet behind a road sign. They will repeat this 24 hours later if possible. Then his son is on his own to get to Jim’s Survival location. Failing all this, Jim’s son knows that the Bug Out location is the family cabin about 200 miles North, and he knows the safe signal that will be displayed if it is safe to approach the cabin.

Jim and his son also have a challenge and password.

So your “No Communications” plan is used in the event of all communications systems being down. The “No Communications” plan are procedures based on missed communications from a schedule and compromise a series of actions and visual signals in order for Survivors to eventually link up in safe manner.

Urban Survival Planning - Getting your Relatives and Friends to Prepare

I have wrote on this site many times about the likelihood of all of us Survival Preppers having to deal with straphangers at some point in time after the collapse. Some of these straphangers will be relatives,...some will be friends,...some will just be acquaintances,...and other will be strangers. I would say that most of us are going to take in without question any of our relatives and close friends. I think that as much as we plan in our heads and prepare on the ground to receive, assess, absorb or turn away strangers,...it will be much different than we plan for.

But for now I want to talk to our family and friends. How nice would it be that everyone we know was as prepared as we are. Well that just ain't going to happen for a variety of reasons,...religious, financial and political beliefs and practices will get in the way. For some it just may be the creeping entitlement mindset that Americans have been given in increasingly larger doses over the past decades.

In any event, a lot of your family and friends,...I would think the vast majority of them, simply have not considered a collapse of any kind and what it would take to survive.

So what do you do? Have a sit down talk about the virtues of preparedness? Probably not. This is a two edged sword - you are exposing yourself and the fact that you are most likely prepared. If these people don't prepare at all they'll be knocking on your door.

Better to use the "drip" concept. Maybe your having a conversation with your someone, and a news report on a disaster comes up. You say "I wonder if those families in that area have stockpiled food and water?". Your relative say's "Why would you say that?" You reply: "Well, it just seems like a good idea, having some food put away and generally being prepared if you live in a disaster area.
If you friend of relative looks at you like you have two heads - then cross them off the list.

On the other hand you can always send a massive e-mail out to all your friends and family in the local commuting distance and declare yourself to be a survivalist stocking guns, ammunition, gear, food, water, medical supplies and you won't be receiving any visitors after the collapse unless they are similar prepared or can contribute to the survival team they will be joining. If you do this, you will probably be removed from several Christmas card lists.

I having lunch with several, lets call them "mid level managers" where I work. The topic of the Television Survival guys came up. Then the topic shifted to surviving in a city during a period of anarchy. One of the guys said "You know, I've been hearing on the radio and television about Food Insurance and all this talk about buying Gold." I replied "Sure, since all the mainstream analysts are predicting an economic collapse, people are getting ready."

This same guys then asks: "Getting ready for what?" I reply: "Since this economy is going to collapse,...probably preceded by massive hyper inflation,.....since most people only have three to five days food supply,...no cash on hand or means of payment such as silver or gold,....and since grocery stores would be overwhelmed by mobs during any collapse significant enough to impede commodities shipments or the real probability of hyper inflation which would create large groups of people who could not afford food,...since all this is not only possible by probable, it makes good sense to have some food, water and means for protection on hand."

This guy kinda chuckles then say's "Do you have food stocked for a collapse?" I said "Of course I do,..don't you? If you don't then it's something to think about. Maybe buying some silver as well." This guy then say's with a laugh "Well, I guess I know where to go." And I end the conversation saying, "Sure, just don't come empty handed."

Anybody out there having a hard time strategizing about how to approach their friends and relatives?