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Top 10 Things You’ll Find in A Prepper’s Car Survival Kit

March 14, 2024 by Seasoned Citizen Prepper

As a prepper, you should prepare for all kinds of emergency and disaster that might come your way no matter where you are. This means that you should prepare survival kits and bug-out bags not only in your house but also in your car. Keep in mind that no matter how reliable and sturdy your car is, you can’t expect it to offer you a means of transportation to safety during a disaster if it is not equipped with everything you need.

This is Exactly Why You Need a Car Survival Kit

With that in mind, you need to prep your car as doing so can help save not only your life but also that of others. Properly equipped, it can even become your shelter during emergencies and disasters. Along with a good pre-drive checklist, your car survival kit can help you get back on the road and lower your chance of getting stranded for hours. Just make sure it contains most of the survival essentials, including the following:

1. First Aid Kit

Driving on the road will always put you at risk of experiencing major accidents or minor collisions. Make sure to have a first aid kit in your car to help you during these emergencies. Among the things that should compose your first aid kit are pain relievers, antiseptics, bandages, trailheads, and gauze.

You can find several affordable commercial first aid kits in the market today. However, you can also make your own first aid kit if you want to ensure that it perfectly suits you. This allows you to customize it based on your specific needs.

2. Flashlight

Having a flashlight around will help you in case you get in trouble at night. It would be a big help if you have a flashlight featuring a strobe function. This function can significantly boost your visibility while you are on the roadside.

This can keep not only you safe but also others. You can use it in case you need to sort problems in engine compartments that are usually dim spots. With that, you can easily check mysterious leaks or low oil level.

3. Emergency Fund

As a prepper, you also need to set aside some emergency funds in your car. Having cash to buy some essentials during a disaster while you are in your car can save you. For instance, you may need money to buy a vital prescription in a pharmacy or to fuel your vehicle. You can hide cash in your car’s crevices. However, ensure that this hiding spot is not easily visible and accessible by auto-detailers, mechanics, and valets who may access your car.

4. Car Jack

Having a car jack around is also beneficial for preppers who want to make sure that they can immediately fix flat tires that happen on the road. You need to have this item in your car, especially if you often drive on rough roads as this might increase the risk of getting flat tires.

With the help of your car jack, you can easily change your tires and go back on the road as soon as possible. Make sure that the car jack is capable of supporting your vehicle’s weight, though.

5. Fire Starter

Apart from the fire starter, make sure to have fire sticks, too. This item is important in keeping yourself warm in case the heating system of your vehicle completely malfunctions. Having a fire starter around can also help you during those instances when your car gets destroyed, causing you to be alone.

You can choose to store some fire sticks in your vehicle that can still light up even after exposing them to snow and water. These fire starters are beneficial in keeping you warm while preventing the harsh effects of being exposed to extreme cold.

6. Emergency Food Bars

Of course, you also need to have food around if you want to be able to survive a disaster or emergency that takes place while you are in your car. You need food to survive in any car survival situation for a long time. In this case, store some emergency food bars in your vehicle. A wise tip is to go for those with high protein content.

It is because these food bars are not only filling but also contain healthy minerals and vitamins that can supply you with energy. It also takes longer for your body to digest protein, allowing you to feel full longer if you eat food bars rich in it.

7. Water

Apart from food, another of the most essential items that should form part of your car survival kit is water. Note that it would be impossible for you to survive for quite a long time if you do not have enough water. Having a reliable source of clean water, therefore, can boost your chance of surviving a car survival situation.

Apart from the water that you can readily drink, it also helps to have some sort of a water purification system. This is especially beneficial during prolonged survival situations as these often require you to purify all available water. Fortunately, you can now find several water purification systems that are compact enough that you will not experience problems storing them in your car. Alternatively, you can buy some water purification tablets.

8. Communication Devices

Some examples are cellphones and chargers. You need these devices to communicate in case you get stranded while on the road. This means of communication is even more important if you are in snow-drenched regions, hurricane-prone country, or areas and zones prone to flood and tornados. If possible, store a prepper ham radio in your car, too so you can be in touch with what is happening around you.

9. Tool Kit

Contrary to what others think, there is no need for you to become an experienced car mechanic to bring a toolkit with you. It is because there are instances when you need to do a few car maintenance chores on your own. It would be impossible to do that if you do not have your toolkit in your car.

Make sure that this contains some essentials, like work gloves, electrical tape, vice grips, spark plugs, extra fluids, and screwdrivers featuring changeable bits. However, prior to filling your toolkit and storing it in your car, spend time studying your car and the different ways to fix it. You do not have to be an expert. You just have to know the basics. That way, you can put all the things in your toolkit to good use in case of emergencies.

10. Sleeping Bag or Blanket

Having a sleeping bag or blanket around can benefit those who get stranded during the winters. This is important, especially if you drive in areas with cold temperatures. With the blanket around, you can make yourself feel comfortable while waiting for help.

Conclusion

Preparing your car for any form of disaster or emergency is the key to saving you from a lot of trouble. It can give you a more dependable solution to survive whatever scenario that you encounter. Start preparing your car by building your own vehicle survival kit. With the crucial items mentioned in this article, you will have something to use in case you get stranded or experience an emergency or disaster out of the city limits.

The Natural Remedies for Dry Skin

March 14, 2024 by Seasoned Citizen Prepper

The lower humidity in the winter causes our skin to dry out, an increase in itchy scalp and dandruff, and cracking of the skin on feet, hands and around the eyes. What to do?

Here are some simple, natural remedies that will help if not totally solve some of the issues, and yes, I have and do use them all. We are going to go from the head down…

Dry, itching scalp and eyebrows with increased dandruff – Massage warm or room temperature olive oil into the scalp (Wifey of the WE2s likes to heat it with a blow drier while wearing a plastic shower cap, if I understood her right.) and eyebrows and you will experience IMMEDIATE relief from the itching! Keep it on overnight – I use an inexpensive turban, shower caps work, and so does just laying a towel across your pillow to keep the oil contained. You can now wash and condition as usual OR for extended relief and removal of dandruff try this..

Baking soda as a shampoo with an apple cider vinegar rinse. I have been using this most of the winter this year as a natural shampoo alternative and rinse and it has worked wonders for me! I emptied out a parsley jar for the baking soda and kept an empty shampoo bottle for the 1:1 apple cider vinegar and water mix and keep them in the shower. Wet head, sprinkle on baking soda, massage into hair and eyebrows, rinse with water. The baking soda is coarse and scrubs the skin free of dried skin; it also has both antibacterial and antifungal properties. This also opens up blocked hair follicles and may help to regrow and thicken the hair. Your hair will be squeaky clean even without a rinse. Apple cider vinegar is a nice natural rinse that strips away soap residue and restores pH balance to the hair.

Exfoliate your skin and use an an alternative to drying soap by sprinkling baking soda on a wash cloth or a body scrubber – rinse thoroughly with water. By the way, I keep an extra scrubber in my shower and scrub the shower down with baking soda as well. It actually works better than Comet with no harmful chemicals.

Exfoliate the skin on your face by GENTLY rubbing baking soda into the skin with your fingers. A wash cloth is too rough for my skin. This may aggravate rosacia, but strangely enough rosacia is calmed with a paste of baking soda – just don’t rub it in.

Cracking lips? Exfoliate with baking soda and apply petroleum jelly or a beeswax based lip balm.

Don’t forget that you can brush your teeth and rinse your mouth in the shower with baking soda. It also works to desensitize teeth to the bitter cold.

If you are a bath person and suffer from arthritis, bone aches, or just dry skin, a cup of baking soda in a hot bath soak can do wonders! And it will not raise the blood pressure. This is also soothing for any kind of rash or hives.

Freshly showered, but before you dry off, rub mineral oil into your skin while in the shower – a bit messy so I prefer to do it in the shower. Then towel dry. The mineral oil sinks into the skin readily, moisturizes and creates a protective barrier against the dry and cold air. Your skin will feel silky smooth! Use several drops of an essential oil that you like in the mineral oil for a soothing fragrance. Some people find that tea tree oil is healing for their skin. It is common in cold climates (and hot desert climates) to protect exposed skin by rubbing petroleum jelly onto exposed areas when outdoors.

Itching eyelashes and cracking skin around the edge of your eyes can be alleviated with a gentle massage of olive oil every evening before bed or as needed. Udder balm or bag balm is also great for the cracking on the edge of the eyes. Tea tree oil is another favorite for some people to heal their skin.

Dry and cracking skin on the hands and elbows is usually solved simply by washing with baking soda to exfoliate the dry skin and then rubbing in petroleum jelly at night. Wear cotton or plastic gloves to sleep. Repeat as needed. Udder balm, petroleum jelly, or a good lotion moisturizer of your choice during the day helps.

Dry and cracking skin on the feet can be painful. Try a foot bath of warm water and a half a cup of baking soda to sooth the skin, also good if you have smelly feet or any nail fungus. Exfoliate (to get the top layer of dry skin off) with baking soda on a wash cloth. Discolored toenails? Rough cuticles? Scrub your toenail, and yes your fingernails, with an old toothbrush dipped in baking soda or a nail brush. You can even mix baking soda and ACV together (Yes, the same thing as the bomb but in an open container – it will fizz.) and use as a scrub or a soak. Rub petroleum jelly into the feet and wear socks to bed. Use udder balm on the heels if they are cracking.

A foot bath with a heavy concentration of baking soda has been found helpful for gout sufferers, those with athletes foot or a toe fungus, even a rash on the feet, and will not raise blood pressure.

Add some aromatherapy with scented candles, get your partner to give you a mineral oil massage, add a salad and you have a natural spa day – perfect for a Valentine’s treat!

Romaine Lettuce Starts

March 14, 2024 by Seasoned Citizen Prepper

Karen and I eat a lot of salad and she prefers Romaine lettuce. Recently she heard that you could grow new lettuce from the old heads (or stalks or whatever you call Romaine lettuce things). After cutting off the tops and eating them, she put the base of the stalk in a shallow bowl of water, where literally overnight new leaves sprouted.

These things seem to grow nearly an inch each day, even in the kitchen without natural light. I’ve put some of them in a pot on a south facing window sill and, as you can see, they are
4-6 inches tall, only days after I put them in the pot.

I just dusted the bottoms of the stalks with some rooting powder we happened to have (I don’t think it’s necessary) and gently pressed them into the soil. They didn’t have visible roots when I did this, but they continue to grow.

Presumably, you could grow these in pots or in the ground and just cut them off when
they’re big enough to suit you and leave it to grow some more.

Next Time There’s a Disaster, I’m Bugging In

March 14, 2024 by Seasoned Citizen Prepper

My wife and I live in southeast Louisiana in a town of approximately 70,000 people. We are located approximately 15 miles from downtown New Orleans. Interstate 10 runs through the middle of our town.

In 2008, I learned the hard way, that sometimes, “bugging in” is a much smarter than bugging out or evacuating from your home and stockpiled supplies, especially if you are a senior citizen. This is a very difficult decision to make and should NOT be made lightly.

Two main factors that should be part of your decision should be your physical condition and health situation.

As Hurricane Gustov approached southeast Louisiana, we were told that it was mandatory that we evacuate. The government told us that if we did not evacuate we could NOT expect ANY governmental services, police, fire, EMS or anything else for an unknown period of time. Also that the electricity would probably go out and that it would stay out for an undetermined amount of time before the electric lines could be repaired.

So almost a million people of southeast Louisiana evacuated, my wife and I included.

We left the security of our home. We left almost all of our supplies. We left almost everything, got in our two vehicles, which held a minimal amount of supplies and got on the Interstate 10 highway system early in the morning. We did what we were told to do.

Then we sat in stop and go traffic for hours and hours not getting to our destination till late that night. It took us eight (8) hours to go twenty (20) miles. We found ALL of the interstate exits blocked for over 100 miles. There were NO bathroom facilities along the way. People were stopping their vehicles on the side of the interstate and urinating anywhere they could. Many vehicles ran out of gas or over heated. There was NO assistance for them. If you did not plan ahead, you did not have anything to eat or drink.

When we returned home, two days later, we found no damage to our home. We did not flood. The electricity was still on. We also found that many homes, luckily not ours, had been burglarized or as the police called it “Looted”.

Many Louisiana citizens decided, in their cars, that day, waiting for hours on the interstate that they would NOT evacuate ever again. Yes, I know we were lucky that nothing had happened to our home. However, we have been prepping for a very long time and had everything we needed to survive is in our home.

Would we have been better off staying at home where we could have defended our supplies and home in case someone came to “Loot” our belongings and survival supplies?

I am NOT advocating that you “Bug In”. That is a very personal decision that you must make with your family. However, I think you should very carefully consider the pros and cons of “Bugging In” or “Bugging Out”! DO NOT make this decision lightly. Also, DO NOT let someone else, other than your family; make the decision for you, such as the government. You know you capabilities and stored supplies.

Top 3 Pitfalls of Not Properly Cleaning Your Shotgun

March 14, 2024 by Seasoned Citizen Prepper

Unless you’re fond of shooting out someone’s eye, regularly cleaning your shotgun is a must. Granted, not every speck of dirt, gunk, rust or grime may have the power to mess up your gun badly enough to blind someone, but three major dangers can quickly evolve into hazardous situations.

The Repercussions of Rust

Rust on gun’s exterior is a massive eyesore, but rust on the moving parts or inside the barrel can do more than just hurt the eyes. Rusty parts and buildup inside the barrel can hurt the foot, arm, pet, neighbor or anything else you inadvertently shoot when the buildup creates an unwanted obstacle for the bullet.

Attempting to fire a wholly rusted gun is akin to playing Russian Roulette with anything in your immediate area. It can also wear your gun parts down more quickly, making them undependable and prone to replacement.

Even if you go for bluing, passivation or micro-coatings of a rust-resistant material, rust can still attack any and all metal parts of your gun, from the trigger to the muzzle. In its simplest explanation, rust forms when iron meets certain elements, such as water and oxygen. Early stages of rust can be invisible, while later stages can morph into corrosion and full-blown disintegration.

Prevent rust from forming on your shotgun by wiping it clean after each use and adding a protective layer of gun oil or other sealant.

Cleaning rust off a shotgun can be a bit trickier, but you can typically have success with oil, fine steel wool, an old rag and a keen eye. Apply oil to the rusted area, rub the surface gently with the steel wool, wipe with the rag to inspect your progress, and repeat as necessary. Finish it off with a light coat of oil for prevention.

The Curse of Crumbling Parts

Cleaning time is the ideal time to inspect parts of your gun that may otherwise go unnoticed. This includes your gun’s collection of screws, bolts, levers, springs, pins and even smaller pieces like the oft-forgotten O-ring.

Missing, loose or broken hardware can result in malfunctions, with damaged or incorrectly placed O-rings often responsible for problems cycling shells.

Going for high-quality replacement parts specifically designed to fit your shotgun is a must. You can find a wide array of accessories and parts online and at standard gun part suppliers.

The Horrors of Gunk

Call it fouling, crud or good ole gunk, this residue left in the barrel after shooting can bring really bad tidings right along with it. Shotguns get the added bonus of gunk formed by shotgun powder mixed with plastic wad residue, and the gunk starts building up after a single shot and keeps on building from there.

Fouling can be responsible for killing your shotgun’s accuracy and pattern, can ruin the barrel and put your gun out of commission altogether. Poor accuracy and misfiring can again lead to those hurt arms, legs and neighbors.

Clean gunk out of the barrel by using a flexible brush you can slip into the barrel from breech to bore, dabbling the brush with a bit of commercial solvent such as Break-Free CLP.