A Must Read!

Uncle Vlad has a great post over at his blog today.

Wild dog packs after TEOTWAWKI
http://vlad-unclevlad.blogspot.com/2010/06/wild-dog-packs-after-teotwawki.html

I have read this before and have run across other tales on some different forums. This was written by Bruce "Buckshot" Hemming and comes from his personal experience. If you are serious about prepping and survival after a collapse, you need to read this and give it serious consideration. It is a threat that we all may face but not even normally consider.

I have been going through much of my gear that has been collected over the years and checking it for repair or replacement. Some of it has never been used, some has been used to death. Much of it has been scattered around in different storage locations, but I plan on consolidating it into one easy to get to location. I will also be performing an exact inventory so that I know what I have and where it is stored. Some had been forgotten.

Everyone's thoughts on what may be entailed in a TEOTWAKI/Crash will vary to some degree, so one size does not fit all as far as equipment is concerned. I believe that certain "Basics" will cover 80% of all situations, the other 20% requiring specialized gear. For instance, if you bought an oil lamp for a hurricane, it will work just as well during a winter storm or a grid crash.

Camping and backpacking have long been favorite hobbies of mine, so much of my gear can be used in a bugout scenario without going out of my way to acquire all new equipment. There are some newer technologies out there that I wish to incorporate into my gear, but they are not absolutely necessary to survival in a bugout or a base camp setting.

Powering my CPAP device is the most technological aspiration that I have at the moment that is not implemented fully. I have a basic setup that will allow me several days before having to recharge my power source, but I want a better solution. I have one in mind but it is not very portable and has a large $$$ outlay attached. It is more suited for a base camp.

I also look to get double duty out of what others consider as throw away packaging, particularly for use in caches where the possibility of discovery may exist.

I have been spending a lot of time watching youtube videos on bugout kits and on bushcraft. There are many out there and a lot of them are very informative. Some are just plain crap. Unfortunately you have to wade through the crap to find the gems. I have been pleased to incorporate some of the better ideas into my own plans and gear.

One particular video showed how to stake out a 8'x10' tarp to make a very effective shelter. Another taught how to tie a prussic knot. (very useful) There are many videos on tying different styles of knots, so if your memory of your scouting days has faded, you can brush up on those skills again! Of course if you were never a scout to begin with, it could be a new skill to learn. Bushcraft, survival and knot tying go hand in hand.

Some people may say that they don't need to have bushcraft skills as they are planning only for natural disasters and they live in the city. Finding water and purifying for use can be harder in the city than out in the woods. Boiling will work in both locations, so learn how to do it with minimal equipment or that which is salvaged from the environment around you. When the electricity goes out, the city dweller will need to know how to start a fire for warmth and to cook with, if they have any food!

They must also know how to safely build the fire as to not burn down their shelter or suffocate because of a lack of oxygen. Most of us think that such knowledge is common sense, but every year we read about someone killing themselves and their family by bringing the charcoal barbecue indoors to cook or for heat. Cleansing of the gene pool, right?