How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It

by James Wesley, Rawles

  Even well-manned retreats should supplement their guard staff with both dogs and intrusion-detection systems. Reliable night-vision gear is also a must. But please note that technology by itself is insufficient. Intrusion-detection, communications, and night-vision technologies are force multipliers, but you still need underlying force. It takes 24/7 manpower to defend a retreat. I describe how to set up and man LP/OPs and a CQ desk in my novel, Patriots.

  Now, getting back to concealment: There are advantages in most situations to adding some “privacy-screen” trees to block the view of your house from any regularly traveled roads. Depending on the lay of the land, leaving thirty yards of open ground (for defense) and then another ten yards of thickness for the privacy tree screen will probably necessitate a property that is at least ten acres.

  Some fast-growing screening-tree varieties include Portuguese laurel (Prunus lusitanica) and Leyland cypress. In cold climates, Lombardy poplars do well. A continuous hedge of all the same tree variety will be perceived as an obvious man-made planting at just a glance, so it is best to plant a mix of trees with semi-random spacing, to make your screening grove look more natural.

  Regardless of what you decide to do in terms of concealment, be sure to leave at least twenty yards (sixty feet) of open ground for last-ditch ballistic defense. To impede intruders, think in terms of gates, cables, and “decorative” berms to stop vehicles. A chain-link fence will keep your dog(s) in and at least slow down the bad guys.

  Keep some concertina wire or razor wire handy, but do not install it in pre-Schumer times. This wire should be installed only after it is clear that law and order have completely broken down. At that point appearances and pre-Crunch sensibilities won’t be nearly as important as a ready defense. In fact, odds are that when your neighbors see you stringing concertina wire, they will ask if you have any extra that you can spare! You can install concertina wire or razor wire on the top of your fence, and if you have plenty of it available, add some staked-down horizontal rolls just beyond your fence.

  Both inside and outside of your “last-ditch” fence, you can crisscross some tangle-foot wire. This type of wire is designed to slow down attackers—preventing them from charging your house. It should be strung at random heights between nine and forty inches off the ground. This is just one of the last layers of a layered defense. Every second that your various obstacles slow down attackers represents one more second available to stop them ballistically.

  Chain-Link Fences for Incremental Retreat Security

  Shortly after TSHTF, a chain-link fence can be quickly upgraded with a course of coiled razor wire fastened to the top, but only if you’ve bought the wire and mounting hardware in advance. It is also important to buy a couple of pairs of protective “concertina gloves” (also called staple gloves), a face visor, and some heavy-duty protection for your forearms during the installation process. The hardest to find of these are special wire-handling staple gloves that are reinforced. These are a must to protect your hands while working with military concertina wire or civilian razor wire.

  Of course, only in a worst-case, out-and-out TEOTWAWKI would you want to erect military-concertina-wire arrays, but just in case, it would be prudent to have the materials on hand to do so.

  Unless you have a big budget to buy commercially made razor wire (also called barbed tape), then think surplus. Used concertina wire can sometimes be found at U.S. Army Defense Reutilization Management Office (DRMO) surplus-disposal auctions—often for as low as scrap-metal prices. Keep an eye on the calendar of auctions to attend one in your region (snipurl .com/hojy7). Army camp/fort auctions are your best bet for finding concertina wire. Used, slightly rusty wire has two advantages: First, it does not have the reflective sheen of new wire, so it’s not as obvious to casual observers at long distances. Second, the sight of rusty barbs might get the bad guys thinking about tetanus. Yes, I know that the tetanus risk from punctures by new wire is nearly as great as that from dirty or rusty wire, but at least here in North America the bad guys all grew up hearing about the perils of “rusty nails.”

  Temporary and Permanent Obstacles for Retreat Security

  In heavily wooded country, dropping some trees to form an abatis is a viable expedient. But keep in mind that obstacles often work both ways: They will keep the bad guys out, but also keep you in. That is why my favorite roadblock is a Caterpillar (“Cat”) or similar tracked tractor, parked perpendicular at a narrow spot on a road, with its blade dropped and ignition system disabled. That will stop just about any vehicle short of another Cat. The biggest advantage of this method is that a Cat can be moved quickly to allow the passage of “friendlies.”

  If you don’t own a Cat, then parking cars or trucks perpendicular at a narrow spot works fairly well. Remember: In most foreseeable circumstances, emplacing multiple obstacles of marginal utility is as good as emplacing just one massive obstacle. One fairly inexpensive technique is to emplace multiple five-eighths-inch-diameter steel cables at twenty- to fifty-foot intervals strung eighteen inches above the ground, secured with heavy-duty padlocks. To gain entry, even someone equipped with large bolt cutters would have to repeatedly reduce each obstacle. And during that time, they could be warned off or directly engaged with rifle fire.

  Advice on Sources for Sandbags and Sandbag Filler

  One often-overlooked security measure is laying in a supply of sandbags. Modern American residential architecture is not designed with ballistic protection in mind. Sandbags can be quickly—albeit laboriously—filled with soil from your backyard and stacked to make fighting positions. This might sound a bit over-the-top, but here I’m talking about an absolute worst-case scenario, in which there will be no law enforcement available to call, and/or no working phone service to call them. You will be on your own. In inimical times, sandbags will be cheap insurance, providing you with a good chance to avoid getting ventilated by the local riffraff.

  In the U.S. there are several good sources for sandbags, but prices do indeed vary widely (from as much as $3.75 each in small quantities to as little as thirty-eight cents each if you buy in lots of one thousand), so shop around. For example, see preparedness.com and 1st Army Supply (snipurl.com/hnfk9).

  If you want to buy in quantity (perhaps a group purchase that you can split several ways), it is best to order direct from a manufacturer, such as Dayton Bag and Burlap (snipurl.com/hnfpb), Mutual Industries (snipurl.com/hnfrv), or United Bags (snipurl .com/hnfwj).

  Be sure to buy the later-variety, synthetic (such as polypropylene) sandbags. The early burlap (or Hessian) bags tend to rot and rip out too quickly. The latest and greatest military-specification bags use linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) or polyethylene film laminated with a third layer of molten polyethylene. These have the best UV protection and hence the longest useful life out in the elements, but they are also the most expensive. Even the standard military polypropylene bags will last two to three years in full sun, and much longer if painted or kept in the shade.

  As for filler material, if sand is expensive in your area, then do some comparison pricing on “one half minus” road gravel delivered by the dump-truck load. This is gravel that has been screened so that the largest pieces are no more than a half-inch in diameter. I don’t recommend using soil, since sand and gravel are superior for stopping bullets. If you must use soil, then try to get either very sandy soil or heavy clay soil. Dry loam soil is the least effective for use in sandbags. Remember: The more vegetable matter in the soil, the lower its ballistic protection.

  The Legality and Ethics of Blocking Roads and Bridges After TEOTWAWKI

  Legally and ethically, as an individual you can block roads only on your own property. But if a small community makes a collective decision to block a road or bridge, then that is another matter. I would assume that every state in the Union has laws forbidding blocking any public road. Federal law prohibits blocking interstate freeways.

  By using a mobile roadblock that is under armed observati
on 24/7, you will minimize the risk of alienating your neighbors. Who is to say how long a crisis might last? If, however, you were to block a road with earth or rock piles, or even with wrecked cars, you would probably infuriate any neighbors who decide to return to a normal life of work and commuting, as well as any who resume hauling produce or livestock to market.

  Keep in mind: Physical obstacles are just delays—not absolute safeguards. People will find a way through them, over them, or around them—on foot if need be.

  Prowlers and Lighting

  In regard to security lighting, I need to address two disparate circumstances: pre-TEOTWAWKI and post-TEOTWAWKI.

  Pre-TEOTWAWKI

  Under present circumstances, security lighting is a benefit. You have law enforcement available to call. Prowlers aren’t likely to shoot at you. For pre-TEOTWAWKI, it is best to think in terms of active defenses, such as vapor lights, 1,000,000-candlepower twelve-volt DC handheld spotlights, full-spectrum trip flares, barking dogs, peafowl, and noisy electronic alarm systems.

  Post-TEOTWAWKI

  At some future date, security lighting could be a potential hazard. If and when the power grid goes down, the few families who have alternative energy will be very noticeable, especially as time goes on and stored fuel for generators begins to run out. If you still have power, you will be very conspicuous unless you are careful to prevent light leakage from your home.

  For post-TEOTWAWKI, it is best to think in terms of passive defenses, such as starlight scopes, infrared chemical light-stick trip flares, quiet (but alert) dogs, tangle-foot wire, concertina wire, and silent alarm systems.

  With the exception of infrared illuminators, I generally discourage mounting lights on guns intended for use post-TEOTWAWKI. If left turned on for more than just an instant before shooting, a visible light mounted on a gun can turn you into a natural target. If you feel the need to illuminate targets for post-TEOTWAWKI security, then I’d recommend that you be the armed man hidden in the shadows who remotely turns on a floodlight, as opposed to the man holding the light—or holding the gun with an attached light—who announces, “Here I am!”

  Motion-activated floodlights are inexpensive and very easy to install. They are available at home-improvement and hardware stores such as Home Depot and Lowe’s. If the power grid goes down and you are forced to stay, then floodlights might suffice. Under those circumstances, a pair of night-vision goggles would be a must. And if you have those, you might want to retrofit your floodlights to use infrared bulbs. Being battery powered, your Dakota Alert system will continue to operate without grid power. But of course keep plenty of spare batteries on hand for all of your flashlights and other home-security and communications electronics.

  Safe at Home

  I recommend that the next time you move, you buy a brick or other masonry house and upgrade its security, or better yet, start with a bare lot and custom-build a stout house with an integral safe room. Two good starting points for house designs are Mexican walled courtyards and buildings with square bastions (also known as Cooper corners). These projecting corners eliminate the blind spots that are common to typical square or rectangular houses.

  For greater detail on this subject, I recommend Joel Skousen’s book, The Secure Home. My novel, Patriots: Surviving the Coming Collapse, also has some detailed design description for ballistically armored window shutters and doors, as well as details on constructing neo-medieval door bars.

  If you are serious about custom-building or retrofitting an existing house for increased security and/or adding a safe room, then I recommend the architectural consulting services of both Safecastle and Hardened Structures (hardenedstructures.com).

  Safe Rooms and Vaults

  I can think of no better way to foil the bad guys than building a dedicated safe room. Such a room could serve multiple purposes, including panic room, gun and valuables vault, storm shelter, and fallout shelter. I’m amazed when I hear some of my relatively wealthy consulting clients tell me that they don’t own a home gun vault or safe room. Yes, they are expensive, but not nearly as expensive as having some of your key survival tools stolen.

  Putting a lock on your bedroom door is insufficient. Since most interior doors are hollow-core, they typically use lightweight hinges, and they have insubstantial strike plates. Most of these doors can either be knocked down or kicked though, in very short order. I recommend replacing your bedroom doors with heavy-duty exterior-type doors (preferably steel) with sturdy hinges and one or more deadbolt locks. If your house has all the bedrooms isolated on one hallway, then you can add a heavy-duty door at the end of that hall and keep it locked at night, basically creating a safe wing. Then, inside that safe wing, you should have a far more secure, dedicated safe room that your entire family can retreat to.

  A built-in basement walk-in safe room is ideal. In areas with high water tables, where a basement is not practical, a safe room/shelter can be built on the ground floor of a newly constructed “slab” house, or as an addition to an existing house, with a reinforced poured-concrete floor, walls, and ceiling. Regardless of the design that you choose, it is important to specify a vault door that opens inward, so that it won’t be jammed shut by debris in the event of tornado, hurricane, or bomb blast. The folks at Safecastle can do the engineering and source the vault door for you.

  Another important thing to keep in mind for your safe room is that redundant communications are important, so that you can solicit outside help. Both the master bedroom and the safe room should have hardwired POTS telephones that are serviced by underground lines with no visible junction boxes. Be sure to test using a cell phone (as a backup) from every room. Having a CB radio in your safe room also makes sense.

  I realize that most readers cannot afford an elaborate walk-in safe room, but 95 percent of you can at least afford a heavy-duty steel gun vault with a Sargent and Greenleaf dial lock with re-locker. Be sure to bolt your vault securely to the floor and, if possible, build it into a hidden compartment or hidden room. There are a lot of vault makers in the U.S. and Canada, so it is a very competitive market. Do some Internet research and comparison shopping and you can save a lot of money on your vault purchase. Vaults are quite heavy (typically around seven hundred pounds) and shipping them is expensive, so it is generally best to buy one that is made within two hundred miles of where you live. If you move frequently, I recommend the free-standing gun vault made by Zanotti Armor (www.zanottiarmor.com). Zanotti makes vaults that can be taken apart into six manageable pieces for ease of transport. They cost only about one hundred dollars more than comparable vaults that are welded together in the traditional manner. Assembly is a three-man job, since extra hands are needed to get everything lined up before the pins can be noisily driven into place. It takes only about a half hour, and disassembly takes about ten minutes.

  Constructing a Hiding Place for Precious Metals in a Home

  Your last line of defense will be inside your home itself. If you don’t have a vault, I recommend that you construct one or more secret caches in your house. If the weight is modest, you can simply hide a bag or box of silver coins under the insulation in your attic. It will probably be resting on top of horizontal ceiling drywall, so keep the weight under fifteen pounds.

  To conceal up to two hundred pounds of silver, you can make a Rawles Through the Looking Glass wall/door cache. Even someone with just rudimentary skills can make one of these between-the-studs wall caches. These are simple to construct and will go unnoticed by all but the most astute and methodical burglars. Here is how even someone inexperienced with carpentry can do so, in typical North American wood frame-houses—with modern Sheetrock walls:

  Pick out a section of drywalled interior partition wall in a bedroom where a wall-mounted mirror wouldn’t look out of place. Go to your local Home Depot or Lowe’s and buy a vertical mirror that is at least sixteen inches wide and four feet tall. Ideally, you should get one that is the same width as your wall’s stud interval, so that the mirro
r-mounting screws will attach through the drywall into the studs. Such mirrors typically come with a set of L-shaped mounting clips that attach to a wall or door with screws. Figure out where any wiring might be running through the wall. Typically it will run horizontally, about one foot up from the floor, between your power outlets. Do not pick a section of wall that is near a light switch, since vertical wires may be running though those wall sections. Plan to mount the mirror at least six inches above the wiring. Look for small indentations, puckers, or other signs of nails attaching the drywall. These will typically be centered either eighteen or twenty-four inches apart. If you can’t spot the nails or screws you can either buy or borrow an inexpensive magnetic stud finder. A bit of judicious tapping to hear pitch changes can also be helpful. The nails will be driven into vertical studs, and you will cut your hole between two two-by-four studs. It will provide you a caching space that is about fifteen inches wide and three-and-a-half inches deep.