Electromagnetic Pulse

by Bobby Akart

  Pets – Finally, please do not forget your pets. They are family too and dogs, in particular, may be a useful asset in your home's defenses.

  Bandaids – Your Armageddon Medicine Cabinet

  After a collapse event, you will probably not have ready access to a dentist or doctor, much less a hospital. Available treatment will be scarce and required medicines even scarcer. When you become injured or sick, help will not be on the way. You will become the primary care physician for your prepper group.

  Survival Medicine requires you to have a substantial preppers First Aid Kit, complete with over-the-counter and pharmacy medications. You will need to gain the knowledge necessary to diagnose and treat a variety of illnesses and injuries, including dental care.

  Preventative Medicine – Though not a conventional aspect of beans, bullets, and band-aids, staying in shape and being healthy is one of the best ways to prevent problems after any collapse event. When we are healthy, we are able to work harder and more efficiently. Being healthy and in shape can also promote productivity. Some of the ways to prepare for an end of the world scenario are to eat right, exercise regularly, and keep an active lifestyle. Knowledge of minor medical procedures is also a great way to prepare.

  Prescription Medications – If you need a certain prescription to maintain a productive lifestyle, make sure to have a surplus of them on hand. There are some doctors that will give extra prescriptions for the purpose of preparing and stockpiling, so the beans, bullets and bandaids theory suggests asking and explaining your situation to your physician. Additionally, there are some medicines that should be kept on hand; antibiotics are an important one. We suggest stockpiling fish antibiotics, as they are some of the most useful to treat infections. But don’t forget the many over-the-counter medicines that are used regularly. These can include aspirin, allergy medicines, cold or flu remedies, diarrhea medicines, stool softeners, and many more. Medical supplies such as those found in a first aid or trauma kit are very important. For instance, how will you dress a wound or set a broken bone? It is good to have band aids, bandages, braces, splints, and thermometers on hand. The more you know and have, increases the chances of surviving.

  Hygiene – Maintaining personal hygiene and sanitation after the collapse event is critical. Ingesting bacteria may kill you without access to proper medical care. Consider this: How many rolls of toilet paper does your family use a day? What will you use as an alternative when you run out? Where do you plan to poop when the SHTF? Got the picture?

  Prepping for hygiene may be as simple as obtaining multiples of everyday household items. Savvy preppers know they need to stockpile a supply of food and water but hygiene products are essential to decrease the spread of disease and illness. It's also helps you maintain a sense of normalcy.

  In a post-SHTF world, sanitation and hygiene will be important to keep yourself and your family healthy. Running water may no longer be an option or a healthy choice, and you need to know how to practice good hygiene, proper sanitation and keep your environment healthy. These are all very important considerations in a SHTF situation. Due to a lack of available medical facilities or treatment, health and disease prevention are going to be more important and more difficult to treat than ever after TEOTWAWKI.

  Sanitation items are easy to gather. You may prefer a pre-assembled emergency kit which already contains necessary items for grooming and sanitation. Because many kit items are sold as a unit, you may find that purchasing a kit is an inexpensive and convenient way to prepare all that you’ll need during an emergency. Another option may be to assemble your own emergency kit, so you can choose brands or items your family is accustomed to using. Often, you can purchase your favorite brand of soap, toothpaste, shampoo, toilet paper, deodorant, and other items in bulk or extra-saving packages, so you can afford to set some aside for your emergency kit.

  The best advice here is to pay attention to what you use every day. From the moment you awake, until you fall asleep. Do you have three to twelve months of each item that you use? Perform this task for a week and then imagine if the grid collapsed, and store shelves were empty. How would you perform that particular task?

  Here are some items to consider:

  Toilet Paper – When it comes to emergencies, any kind of toilet paper is a luxury. By preparing ahead of time, you can ensure that you don't experience the unneeded discomfort by a lack of toilet paper. Further, it is common for those in emergency situations to develop stress and diet related stomach problems that can intensify your sanitation difficulties.

  Toothbrush + Oral Hygiene – People with sensitive teeth may want to store their preferred brand of toothbrush in their emergency kit. It is probably a wise idea to store several toothbrushes to give away to someone who neglected to store one. It may also have another useful purpose; such as cleaning or scrubbing.

  Toothpaste, Mouthwash, and Breath Fresheners – Emergencies present stressful situations where human communication is crucial. Sometimes, water is scarce or unavailable which causes dryness in your mouth. A breath freshener may be a nice addition to your preparedness supplies.

  Feminine Hygiene Products – It is important to be prepared in all areas. These items are definitely important to have available in any emergency situation.

  Deodorant – With several choices of deodorants including hypo-allergenic, made-for-a-woman brands, gelled, etc., you may want to decide ahead of time what you'll need during an emergency.

  Air fresheners or deodorants may also increase your level of comfort during an emergency.

  Hair Supplies – Shampoo, conditioner, hairspray, combs, brushes, and other items may not be necessary for survival, but they can help make an emergency situation more comfortable and clean. Be sure to store smaller sanitation items in your emergency kit, but be aware that you can overstuff your emergency kit. If it is too heavy, you may not be able to leave with it during an emergency.

  Medications for diarrhea, constipation, headaches, allergy and other minor conditions should also be included in kits for added comfort.

  Laundry Detergent and Soap – During some emergencies, you may be required to evacuate the area or may be stranded in some remote area. Because you won't have lots of clothing, you will want detergent to clean your clothes and soap for bathing and for washing utensils.

  Hand sanitizers are essential to keep in your kit or bug-out bag as well.

  Bathing – You can prevent illness by washing your hands often; before eating, after using the bathroom, after you change a diaper, and any other time you may need to freshen up. Because water is such a precious commodity during an emergency, you should remember to use purified drinking water first for drinking, cooking, washing dishes and then for other purposes. Be organized and choose a designated bathing area. If you wash in a river or stream, use biodegradable soap and always be aware of others who may be down stream. With a little soap, you can also wash yourself in the rain. Other washing alternatives include moist towelettes, a spray bottle, sanitizing lotions, or a wet washcloth. Be sure to wear shoes to prevent parasitic infections and to protect you from cuts and puncture wounds that can easily become infected.

  Sanitation Area – Choosing the right location for your sanitation needs is as important as staying clean. Your waste place must be located downhill from any usable water source. It should also be a few hundred feet from any river, stream, or lake. It also helps to have your waste place downwind from your living area, and yet not too far from your camp that the distance discourages people from using it.

  Luggable Loo – With a little preparation, you can have a decent emergency toilet. If you have a five-gallon plastic bucket lined with a heavy-duty garbage bag, you have a toilet. Don't forget to add deodorized cat litter to assist with the odor. Make sure you have a lid to cover it. A plastic toilet seat can be purchased to fit on the bucket for a more comfortable seat. If you don’t have an extra plastic bucket available, you can make a latrine by digging a long trench approximately one-foot wide
and twelve to eighteen inches deep and cover as you go. When you dig too deep a latrine, it can slow the bacterial breakdown process. The long latrine approach is appropriate for large groups camping in one spot for a long period.

  Getting Rid of Refuse – If you cannot dispose of refuse properly, you should always bury biodegradable garbage and human waste to avoid the spread of disease by rats and insects. Dig a pit twelve to eighteen inches deep and at least fifty feet, but preferably two hundred feet downhill and away from any well, spring, or water supply. Fill the pit with the refuse and cover with dirt. For back-country hikers, packing out all solid waste is always appropriate, and some authorities at high-use rivers usually require this process. You can make a seat for your latrine by laying logs across the hole, leaving an area open for you to use. After use, cover the waste with small amounts of dirt to decrease the odor. A covered toilet reduces more of the odor than an open one. Make a toilet cover with wood or a large leaf. If the odor becomes unbearable, fill in the latrine completely with dirt and dig a new one. Build a new seat and burn the old wood that you used for the last toilet.

  Keeping Food Sanitary – All food scraps should be either burned or buried in a pit far from your living area to keep bears and other wild animals away from you. Keep all of your food covered and off the ground. You may keep your food in a tree, but be sure that tree-dwelling creatures can’t get into it. Replace all lids on water bottles and other containers immediately after use. Do not wash your dishes in the area where you get your drinking water supply. Instead, wash your dishes away from a stream. Use clean plates or eat out of the original food containers to prevent the spread of germs. Wash and peel all fruits and vegetables before eating. Prepare only as much as will be eaten at each meal.

  Bullets – Your SHTF Defense Tools

  Bottom Line: If you can’t defend it, it isn’t yours.

  Conceptually, preparation without security is meaningless. It doesn't matter if you hate guns. Perhaps your political or religious beliefs prevent you from committing acts of violence, or self-defense. After TEOTWAWKI, the world will become a brutal place. The world we live in will not be unicorns and rainbows. Unless you are prepared to give up your preps, or even your life, all preppers need a security plan.

  Actual security countermeasures can be quite complex, but they generally conform to the five principles of prepper security. A security plan involves the five D's:

  Deter ~ Deny ~ Detect ~ Delay ~ Defend

  The first D is deter. The first goal is to deter an attack by giving the appearance of a robust security program and substantial physical barriers. Deterrence also comes from aggressive defensive positioning. Countermeasures include an alert security force, vehicle checkpoints & searches, guard towers, visible weapons positions, lighting, and armed patrols pushing out from the immediate perimeter.

  The second principle is to deny access through physical barriers and security forces. Types of physical barriers include trenches, fences, concertina wire, razor ribbon, Hesco baskets, and concrete barriers. In the absence of construction resources, security guard forces can be positioned to deny access. However, the fewer physical barriers in place, the greater the security forces required to deny access into your perimeter.

  The third D is detect. Early detection of an attempted intrusion or breach of your perimeter is critical to an effective defensive response. Detection is best achieved through open ground, cleared area, and alert security personnel. Assuming a grid-down scenario, this can be augmented with guard dogs, trip flares, battery operated alarm systems, and other noise or light generating devices.

  The fourth principle is to delay your aggressor. When your physical barriers or security forces cannot stop an attack, they should at least be positioned to delay the approach. Additional barriers allow your security forces the time to regroup, reassess and reengage the approaching attack. An effective delaying tactic will allow for reinforcements of your perimeter security forces.

  The fifth D is defend, or as some might say—destroy. To put it bluntly, kill or be killed. Without rule of law—WROL—the Rules of Engagement with your adversaries will change. Make no mistake, defend, or the concept of self-defense, will be defined differently after a collapse event. The best defense is to destroy your enemy with whatever weapons are available to you. Otherwise, a sixth D results—deceased.

  But, if you follow proper OPSEC, Operational Security, discussed at length below, you can minimize the number of threats that you face—especially if you follow disciplined OPSEC prior to the collapse event. Otherwise, you will face the sixth D.

  Protection – Having a way to protect yourself and your family is very important during trying times, as people in desperate situations will take desperate measures. Guns are a very important part of protection and may be able to diffuse a situation where talking and negotiating do not resolve the situation. There are many different types of guns and many theories on which ones to own. Each type of weapon has different uses in a variety of situations. If your target is relatively close, a shotgun or pistol may be the best option. If your target is sixty yards or more away, a rifle is probably the best option. However, protection is not just limited to guns. Reusable and quiet weapons such as bows or knives are great to have because you constantly run the risk of depleting your bullet stockpile. Protection could also be in the form of a fence or barbed wire outside your home that deters thieves and other mischievous people.

  Hunting- This also goes into the food category of beans, bullets and band-aids. In order to hunt efficiently and effectively, you need to know which hunting weapons to purchase and use. A .22 rifle would be much better for squirrel and varmint hunting than an AR-15. However, a .308 caliber rifle would be more effective for hunting deer or other big game animals. A bow may be better in any situation, as it is silent and will not arouse attention like a gun. Another great idea is the use of traps. These are reusable and are semi-passive ways of finding food. They can also protect your home from intruders. In the forest and plains areas, squirrels, elk, deer, birds, turkeys and water fowl are all great sources of protein.

  Finally, a word about operational security—OPSEC. This brings us to another important axiom of prepping:

  Tell No One About Your Preps!

  The prepper’s creed begins:

  If you don’t talk, no one will hear and if no one else hears, no one else will know.

  Operational Security, or OPSEC, for Preppers is a discipline, a mindset. It is simply denying an adversary, present or future, vital information that could harm you or benefit them.

  Prior to collapse, OPSEC involves curtailing your activities on social media or not bragging about your weapons cache.

  As kids, we found comfort in our homes with our families, maybe hiding under the covers or with a favorite blanket. As we’ve grown up, our concerns may focus on job security, financial security and general home security. Now we are big boys and girls—preparing for TEOTWAWKI. Security takes on a whole new meaning when you have to fear armed marauders streaming down your driveway to take your preps, or worse. Your favorite blankie won't help you.

  Once there is a life-changing collapse event, you may take comfort in knowing you’re well prepped with all the beans, band-aids, and bullets that a well-prepared family could need. Well, guess what? Your failure to abide by OPSEC guidelines will quickly make you a target. There is a relatively simple SOP—standard operating procedure—for survival groups who’ve advanced to the highest level of preparedness. How can you avoid armed confrontations with the marauders? What should you do prior to the collapse event, in order to keep your preps hidden from the world?

  Pre-Collapse: Getting Others to Prep

  Getting other people to prep is far easier said than done. If it were easy to convince people to spend their hard-earned money on a possible bad future, then we’d all be prepared and there wouldn't be a fear of looting and raiding. But it isn't easy and those threats are real.

  When first talking to someo
ne about prepping, you need to understand your audience. This means that if you’re talking to a hard-core outdoorsman, you can bring up far more survival-esque components to prepping, while a friend that is just talking about a natural disaster should be eased into it more.

  Secondly, it’s important to focus on the need to prep over the possible reasons. People don’t like thinking about economic collapse or cyber warfare, so instead of hearing you talk about prepping, those people will instead argue the finer points of why those things can’t happen. If you focus on the possibility of something making food, water, or essentials like toilet paper hard to get, it only makes sense to prepare for that possibility. Whatever the case, getting people on board by scaring them doesn't work, but getting them to understand their lives without the essentials, is a sure fire way to get them signed up.

  Once you get friends and family on board with prepping for themselves, it’s easier to talk with them and for everyone to help each other. There’s something to be said for acting alone—the lone wolf prepper, but a little help will never hurt. If you make the determination to form a group, you can proceed with caution.

  Pre-Collapse: Forming a prepper group

  As preppers, you face a conundrum. Should you be part of a prepper group or should you be a lone wolf prepper? There are benefits and detriments to both options. Here are some considerations in forming a prepper group.

  One of the first things a new prepper typically wants to do is reach out to other like-minded people in their area about prepping and try to form a prepper group. Unless there is an established and open group in the area, it’s often very difficult to form a post-collapse team. Preppers are naturally cautious about discussing prepping with people that they don’t already know. Unless the group is actively looking for new members, you might not even know about a group in your area.