SCP Survival

Best Survival Gear and Supplies

Technology and Home Defense

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Let’s go into defending your home turf, if everything goes bad. There’s no doubt that there will be those that will want to take what you have. How that will happen, will depend very much on the situation. You can bet that the first confrontation will be an attempt to see if you are easy pickings. After that, things will likely get tougher. What goes bump in the night could be deadly!

Home Security Transmitter Alarms for the Perimeter

Placing coils of barb wire around your perimeter is a very good low tech solution. On the high tech side, there are government surplus seismic sensors (TRC-3a) that can be placed up to a half mile away, and signal you of any ground vibrations such as people walking, or vehicles (On their highest settings they will pick up raindrops, thunder, small animals, and even breeze blowing in the trees! So there is a potential for false alarms if they are not set correctly).

Each set has four transmitters and a receiver. There are different set frequencies available as well. Each of the four transmitters emits a series of beeps dependent on which transmitter it is. Each transmitter has a probe that is placed in the ground to pick up vibrations, and has raised bumps like Braille that show how many beeps it transmits.

The antenna on the transmitters is made to look like a blade of grass, and they are waterproof too. From time to time you can find them for sale on Ebay, as a set, or sometimes individual units. For a receiver, an airplane frequency radio will work, or a programmable scanner.

The drawback is that these require 9 volt batteries, but they do last for a very long time in the units.

Night Vision for Home Security

Night Vision will also give you a definite edge. In today’s world it is becoming more commonplace, so one almost needs it to stay even with what your adversary might have! Lots of stuff came back from Iraq and Afghanistan with the returning troops.

The generation 1 stuff is lower priced, but not a good choice, as you only see part of what’s out there in the dark. If you’re thinking of buying night vision, save your money until you can afford generation 2 or 3 units. You’ll be glad you did!

The ultimate for detecting intruders, in my opinion, is a thermal viewer or scope. They are pricey, but worth the cost. It’s hard to hide from them, but it can be done. For example they can’t see through glass or walls. The government likely has ones that will, but what you can buy won’t. If there’s something around that’s live, it will glow like a ghost. Having one on a rifle stacks the deck big time in your favor!

All of the high tech stuff does require batteries, so a good supply of them would be a must. Rechargeable and a way to charge them (solar?) is also something to consider.

I know that these are pricey solutions, but each person must decide on what they can afford for assurance and well being. There are low tech solutions that will likely work to a degree, but I prefer to stack the deck in my favor, whenever I can!

6 Steps to Stockpiling Medicine and Prescriptions

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So you are a “Prepper”. You have stockpiled water, food, firearms, ammunition, silver, gold, emergency medical supplies and whatever else that you want, for whatever time period you deemed necessary, 3 months, 6 months a year, more.

However, if you are like most “Preppers”, you never have enough of everything you think you will need. But have you forgotten something that will limit how long you will live in a teotwawki situation.

There is an saying amongst “Preppers”. You can live for 3 minutes without air, 3 days without water and three weeks without food. So what if more important than food and water? What about your daily prescription medicines?

After Hurricane Katrina, there were NO pharmacies open that I could find, in the New Orleans metro area for three (3) months. After any national disaster, how long would it take for the pharmaceutical companies to start to make the drugs that you take? Then they would have to be transported to the pharmacies so you could buy them. Could they even make all of the different medications that you take? Which medications would they make first? Would the government decide where and who gets those drugs first?

You can be the most prepared “Prepper” in the world but if you have a major medical condition such as Diabetes, a Heart Condition, Epilepsy, etc. and have not stockpiled your vital medicines that you need to take on a daily basis, you will only live as long as you have you medicines.

So, you spend a lot of money on other items so that you can survive whatever disaster you are planning for but you do not want to spend $300 or $400 for an extra bottle of medication that you need to keep you living. You had better rethink your strategy.

There is no reason to have a 6 months’ supply of water, food, weapons and ammo but only have a month or two of medication you need to take on a daily basis. Why? If you die or become none functional from not having all of the medications that you need to take on a daily basis, what is the use in having water, food, etc. for longer than the amount of medications you have.

In addition, you then become a liability on the persons in your family or group that now have to take care of you or no longer have you to help them.

First, make a list of all of the medicines that you take on a daily basis.

Second, go talk to the pharmacist that fills your prescriptions.  Determine how much each prescription will cost you if you buy them without using your medical insurance. If you cannot afford to purchase a full months’ worth of medication that you need, ask the pharmacist if you can fill a partial prescription? Can you buy a weeks’ worth of your medicine instead of a full months’ worth?

Third, if you do buy partial prescriptions, as you buy them, keep them in the bottles with the labels that they came with. Most pharmacies print the expiration date on the bottles label. This is important. I have been told that some prescriptions can be toxic after their expiration dates.

Fourth, make a large zip lock bag up and as you buy your medicines, place one (1) months’ supply of you medications in that zip lock bag. When you have a full months’ worth of medications that you take, label the bag with the month and year that you purchased them in. I use a Sharpe’. As you start to obtain multiple months of your medications, place the bags in a small box.

Fifth, keep you surplus medications in a dark and cool place. Heat decreases the amount of time your medicine is good.

Sixth, be sure that you rotate them and use those stored medications well before their expiration dates.

Finally, remember that in a pinch, you may be able to use alternatives like Fish Mox or other fish antibiotics in place of prescription antibiotics that you might normally need.

What Preppers Need to Know About Small Game Hunting

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To survive in the wild when SHTF, you have to learn to hunt the most abundant forms of game. This includes rabbits, squirrels, quail, turtle and even the occasional chipmunk, if pickings are slim. One thing is certain: When things start to get ugly, you will need to be able to take whatever game you can, if you expect to be well-fed.

To maximize the benefits of the hunt, here are few things to keep in mind.

Small Game vs. Large Game

Stalking is one of the most effective ways to get squirrel and other small game. Normally, the best time to hunt both is in the early morning, although late evening is good too. Unlike big deer, who will bolt at the slightest noise, small game will hang around a second or two longer. Be ready, though, because they are much faster at the getaway once they decide to take off.

The Best Kill Shot

Unless you want to use the brains for food, the best kill shot for a small animal is a headshot. There are a few good reasons for this.

First, a head shot is a direct kill and won’t damage the hide. Squirrel and rabbit hides can be tanned extremely soft, and they are excellent for boot liners and children’s clothing.

The second reason: It maximizes the amount of usable meat you can harvest from the animal. This also keeps a majority of the long bones in tact. If preserved correctly, the long bones can be used for sewing needles and awls, fish hooks and a variety of other tools preppers need living in the wilderness.

Know What to Keep and What to Discard

Small animals are more susceptible to rabies and other forms of parasites. When you gut the animal, be on the lookout for any indication of illness or disease. If you see anything that looks suspicious, don’t keep the meat. Bury it with the rest of the entrails and make sure it won’t be able to be dug up by another animal looking for food.

If the hide and bones are in good shape, clean them exceptionally well before using them or preserving them.

Do Not Over Harvest

Limit the number of animals you take from one area. One of the best ways to do that is by trapping. Not only does trapping allow you to conserve your ammunition, it also makes sure you take animals from different areas at different times. Set your traps and go about your business.

After a few hours, make your rounds and harvest your rewards. A properly set and bated trap will net animals on a regular basis, if you continue to move and cover them frequently.

Common Sense Rules

No matter where you are or where you hunt, always be aware of your surroundings. Now is the time to take a hunters safety course online so you have a good, working understanding of what is expected of you while you are out in the woods.

A smart hunter knows where to find his prey, but he also knows where his competition is. Make sure you have the advantage by keeping your weapons and traps at the ready.

How To Make Yogurt in a Thermos [Recipe]

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There are many ways to “make” yogurt. We will focus on one: thermos yogurt, as it is easy and cost-effective. If you don’t already own a thermos or two, they are usually not hard to find in second hand shops, but you will need a WIDE-MOUTH thermos for this project. You could probably use regular one, but, it will be harder to get the yogurt out.

A thermos is an excellent heat retainer; this will provide the even, slow heat needed to ferment your yogurt.

Yogurt is nothing more than milk that has been fermented by special strains of beneficial bacteria. It is a FERMENTED food, which IS, in and of itself, “probiotic”; it is not necessary to buy a “brand” to get a probiotic; all yogurt (as is true of all fermented foods) are “probiotic”.

Yogurt can be made from any kind of milk, whether raw or pasteurized (let’s not even get into that argument right now!); it can be cow’s milk, goat’s milk, yak milk, whatever you have. I have not tried yak milk, but the point is, you should be able to make yogurt from any kind of milk. You can make yogurt from skim, whole, or any fat content milk.

You will need a “starter” for your yogurt. The simplest thing to do, as long as it is available, is to buy a ready-made yogurt at the grocery. Don’t skimp on quality here; there are many makers of yogurt and, without question, some are healthier than others; read the labels; know what you’re buying before you buy it. For starter, buy only plain yogurt. You can add your fruits, etc., later.

As a rule: use one-half cup (1/2 cup) yogurt to each quart of milk; stir well, to make sure there are no lumps.

Try to use only glass bowls, glass or stainless steel pots, and stainless steel tools for preparing your yogurt. Avoid plastic, wood, and other materials that might “taint” your finished product.

First, heat milk to “almost boiling” (but do not actually boil it – just look for bubbles around the outside edges of your pan, then, let it cool. How much milk? First, determine how much your thermos will hold; then, use the formula given above, adjusting as needed.

Rinse your thermos out with very warm (not hot) water just before the next step.

When the milk has cooled to “luke warm”, add yogurt to milk. Now pour this mixture into your pre-heated wide-mouth thermos, and place the lid. Allow to set 4-6 hours before refrigerating. Leave it alone during this time.

Properly made yogurt is rich and custard-like, with a creamy, slightly tart taste. Homemade yogurt tends to be sweeter than store bought.

If, after refrigerating, you see “waterish” stuff on top, this is whey. You find this in store-bought yogurt, too. Don’t discard it! Stir it back in or drink it – it is rich in vitamin B12 and minerals!

Tips and Tricks for Yogurt Success:

  1. Do not disturb the milk while “brewing”; even small movements can cause whey separation, which will change your results;
  2. Don’t overheat the milk (don’t boil it); don’t allow it to cool completely, either; either will cause the retardation of the bacteria, and the yogurt will not ferment properly;
  3. Do not use old starter; it may not do its job well; On the other hand, a culture that is too “new” (fresh) will not do its job well, either – so if you make your own starters, allow it to age a bit before using (at least 24 hours).
  4. When you make a fresh batch, save some for your next starter; starter should be used within five (5) days.

Yogurt will keep well for about 8 days under refrigeration and properly packed in an air-tight container. It can also be frozen for several months (who doesn’t love frozen yogurt?)!!

9 Ways That I Actually USE My Preparedness Supplies

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I don’t believe in hoarding, even though sometimes it seems rather cluttered around here – well, maybe I do hoard my scraps of plywood, but that behavior has saved me so much money over the years that I am not going to castigate myself for it (In fact, I built a nice 8′ x 30” x 30” high, extremely sturdy shop table, for the cost of a sheet of 3/4” plywood, because I had everything else in scraps).

Medical Supplies in Pencil Pouches
Pencil Pouch Medical Preparedness.

But I do use my preparedness supplies. Here are 9 ways that I’ve used them recently:

  1. Just this past week, I woke up with a pounding headache – very unusual for me. As the day wore on, I realized I had a sinus infection. I have my medical backpack with supplies and then Dollar Store pencil pouches categorized for Pain, Antibiotics, Wounds, Syringes and Needles, Eye & Sliver, and Animal Only. I hit the antibiotics that I have prepped and within hours I felt relief. No calling the doctor and making an appointment, suffering until you can see him/her, waiting in line at the pharmacy for the prescriptions. I had the solution in my preps.
  2. Then, right in the middle of making dinner, my manual can opener decided it was worn out. I went down to my preparedness supplies and got a second one. No frustration of running to the store and going down aisles and paying for a brand new one. Nope, I had the solution to the problem on hand and dinner was on time.
  3. And then we had company this last weekend and ran out of TP. I had put Bob in charge of the housecleaning as it was his company and I did the outside tidying as they came specifically to see my flower gardens. He forgot to check the TP. When a guest mentioned that they had run out of TP, I sent Bob downstairs to get a pack. Hmmmm, he came up with his arms full of double 12 roll packs, and there are more. Saved a trip to the convenience store.
  4. Then we had an unexpected storm and I turned my weather radio on. Another preparedness item I had purchased a while back.
  5. Then my camera decided not to work. Hmmmm, could be batteries. Yup, you guessed it, I have extra batteries on hand because I prepare.
  6. I broke my reading glasses this week. Yup, a couple of extra pair in my supplies.
  7. And when my truck needed to be fixed a couple of weeks ago, I dove into my bug out bag and there was the cash to pay the mechanic – now I have to figure out how put it back on a tight budget.
  8. And then there is the flashlight in my B.O.B. that I used this week, when I forgot to shut the door on the chicken cage while there was still light out.
  9. And the duck tape I had on hand when I needed to secure a board before screwing it into place.

And yes, I have long term food storage that I’ve thoughtfully assembled from a survival food list – I call this my “life assurance”. But I also have life insurance, car insurance, house insurance, and health insurance. Most of these I hope to never use. But they are there if I need them.

What I’m getting at, is the practicality of being prepared and organized! You have what you need on hand and can find it at a moments notice. And you can replace what you are using when it is on sale and convenient for YOU.

How To Find and Purchase Things After a Major Disaster

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One of the VERY valuable lessons that I learned post Hurricane Katrina was that buying anything was a problem.

When Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, all of the electricity for the entire New Orleans metro area failed.

Then the levees broke and the flooding started. It did not flood where I worked in the central business district. Neither did my residence flood. Both were high and dry.

hurricane katrina

However, all of the main branches of ALL of the banks in New Orleans were flooded and without electricity. This had more of a far reaching effect than I had ever imagined.

Everyone that stayed in the New Orleans area, post Hurricane Katrina had the same problem. Because ALL of the branches of ALL of the banks in the New Orleans metro area did not have electricity and/or were flooded, this placed ALL of the banks computer systems underwater and/or without electricity to power their computers.

No merchant could confirm that you had any money on deposit with the bank that you used. This meant that NO business would take ANY credit card, ANY debit card or ANY check because there was no way to verify how much money you had on deposit with your bank.

The only thing that any merchant would take was CASH! If you did not have cash, you were not able to buy anything.

Another problem was that because payroll checks, Social Security and retirement checks, etc. was electronically deposited into our bank account, there was no way to confirm that any funds were on deposit in your bank account. So, NO auto bills were paid from our checking accounts, making all of those bills delinquent.

I found one gas station that had a generator powering one gas pump. I tried to use silver American Eagle coins to purchase gas. The manager told me he had no idea what the coin was worth.

The station manager then told me that it said “one dollar” on a one ounce silver U.S. coin and that is what it would buy, one dollars’ worth of gas. I had a 32 gallon gas tank. You can figure out how many one once, silver, American Eagles it would have taken to fill my gas tank? To the gas station manager, it was just a U. S. dollar coin (there were other ways to get gas).

DO NOT store only gold and silver coins for emergency purchasing purposes.

I HIGHLY recommend that along with your emergency supplies, you keep some cash money in varied denominations. If you decide to do this, store only one, five, ten and twenty dollar bills. That is the only thing that merchants would accept without any problem.

Bartering is another way to obtain items. However, that is the subject for another article.