SCP Survival

Best Survival Gear and Supplies

How To Start Preparing for Emergencies

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This is some advice to provide a little guidance on getting into preparedness. Whether you are a “seasoned citizen” or a 18 year old  – getting started in prepping is pretty much the same.

Depending on finances and how quickly you want to “get ready” – many preppers stock up on supplies in baby steps. It is surprising how quickly a survival stockpile can grow by just picking up a few items each week. Within a few months a good safety stock of supplies can be accumulated.

Before going out and starting to purchase and acquire supplies you need to determine what your immediate short term goal is. Do you want supplies for a few days? A few weeks? Months? Get out a pen and a notebook and start brainstorming as to what you are preparing for and what you think you will need. Make note of what you already have around the house.

If you are just starting out you may think of different scenarios that could occur such as a power outage or ice storm. Lets look at a few basics:

Food

How may days worth of food is in your pantry right now? Set a short term goal to double it. Adding non-perishable food a little at a time can add up quickly and provide security. Easy to prepare foods such as soups, stews and pasta are good candidates to store in case of an emergency.

Consider how food will be prepared should there be no electricity and no refrigeration. Many homes in the United States have gas or charcoal grills. These would suffice as long as sufficient fuel is stored. An open fire pit can be used as well.

Camping stoves are wonderful methods of cooking. The camp stoves are small and compact for easy storage and run on small propane canisters. These fuel canisters can be purchased locally and stocked up on “just in case”. There are also camp stoves that run on other readily available fuel as well.

Some examples of common foods for increasing your food storage:

The theory behind the typical food storage program is to “store what you eat and eat what you store”.

Water

Depending upon your overall health you can live 2 – 3 weeks without food but only 3 days without water. Water is incredibly essential for the human body to function as it is supposed to.

It is commonly recommended to store 1 gallon or water per person per day. This is an absolute minimum. Consider that the one gallon of water will not only be be used for drinking, but also for washing one self as well as cleaning dishes. On gallon is not a lot.

So – water is necessary and must be stored. One of the least expensive methods is to refill empty 2-liter soft drink containers with water. These should be washed thoroughly of course.

Another inexpensive method is to buy 1 gallon bottles of Spring Water. Many preppers also buy cases of 16 oz bottles of Spring Water. These cases usually contain 24 bottles and are easily stacked.

Decide your method or use all. Just get it done.

Light

Flashlights and lanterns. Make sure you have a few good flashlights and plenty of extra batteries. Always use alkaline batteries rather than normal heavy duty. LED flashlights have advantages over old school flashlights as they are extremely bright and batteries last much longer.

Candles are useful as well to provide a soft low-level light. Remember that candles mean flame and precautions must be taken to ensure that in the middle of a disaster another one is not created when your home burns down.

Summary

Stocking up on food, water, and methods for lighting are good steps to getting ready “just in case”. Throw in a battery operated radio for good measure. For more information, check out these online resources:

The Best Flashlights For Preppers

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flashlight, preparedness, power outage, blackout,

You cannot get much more basic when it comes to preparedness supplies than the flashlight.

Flashlights have come a long way over the past few decades. I can remember as a child my dad having a silver flashlight that ran on 2 D-cell batteries. This silver flashlight had an external slide switch to turn on and off with a button on top of it to turn it on momentarily.

Not particularly bright by today’s standards but lit up the dark whenever the power went out.

A decade or so ago the legendary Maglite was the flashlight to have. Large, bright, machined aluminum – a beautiful creation. I had several as well as the AA smaller version. These worked good and were standard issue at my job. Only problem was I went through bulbs like a mouse goes through a hunk of cheese.

Over the past 5 years or so flashlights have gotten brighter and lighter. Some might say more expensive and in many cases that would be correct. I now own LED flashlights almost exclusively. Conventional bulbs work just fine but have a much shorter lifespan and consume much more energy, thus I prefer LED flashlights.

If you go to any Wal-Mart or Target you can find quite a few LED flashlights to choose from. Prices vary greatly from under $10.00 to over $30.00.

A couple things to consider if considering picking up a new light:

  • Lumens – the measure of how bright the flashlight is. The higher the lumens the brighter the flashlight.
  • Battery Type – AA and AAA batteries cost the least and are easy to store.
  • LED – again, make sure he flashlight states it is LED. I also prefer one which has a single LED lamp rather than a collection of LED lamps. Both will work fine but the latest technology uses the single lamp.
  • Run Time – some packaging will state how long the batteries will last. I do not concern myself much with this as all LED flashlights have an excellent battery life.
If you like Amazon.com (which I love) here are some great flashlights that are also excellent values:
Nebo Flashlight – 220 lumens – approx $28.00
TerraLUX Flashlight – 220 lumens – approx $25.00

 

Streamlight Stylus Pro LED Flashlight and Holster – under $20.00

Streamlight PolyTac LED Flashlight – 130 lumens – approx $35.00

 

So – get yourself a few flashlights along with a bunch of extra batteries. You will be much better off than most to handle a power outage.

What Is My Favorite Tool or Preparedness Item?

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I have a lot of preparedness stuff – some inexpensive and some absolutely not. Some of my stuff includes what might be considered a gadget, some are tools, some are essentials.

If I had to pick a favorite prepper item – it would be the Gerber Suspension multi-tool.

I have had and used many Gerber multi-pliers and the Suspension is by far my favorite. Why? It is very versatile. It is extremely useful and rugged.

I also have some other favorites including a Ka-Bar knife, my Stag M4, and a couple of Streamlight Stylus Pro flashlights.

Investing for Preppers: Gold vs. Silver

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Gold and Silver Precious Metals Storage

In life, the best thing you could want for both you and your family is security. Whether that comes in the form of a secure home, adequate finances or emotional support, you want to have a system in place that will take care of you throughout any situation. In the modern world, there are a great number of things you must worry about on a daily basis, and one of them may be the state of current affairs.

As it is, the world sometimes seems as if it is heading towards a path of despair, one that may culminate in a catastrophic event that is either manmade or natural: the Doomsday event.

If you are someone who has already begun preparing for the possible Doomsday—storing mass goods within your home, from clothing to self-defense items, purified water to food—or if you are someone who has contemplated investing in preparation materials, you might be a Doomsday Prepper.

Many Doomsday Prepper lists will offer you a large quantity of items to keep stockpiled, including:

These lists can be quite extensive, but it is the final item that begs the question: Which currency works best?

Gold and Silver vs Currency

What Currency Is King?

Without knowing what Doomsday will bring, it can be difficult to discern which currency is going to provide you with the best financial security both in the immediate aftermath and the long run.

While cash is easy to store in large quantities, the likelihood of its current value staying following an apocalypse is quite low. Inflation will hit and the USD will crash, leaving the dollar more or less useless not long after the world takes a turn for the worse.

For this reason, it is best for you to invest in precious metals—silver and gold. Whether in the form of bullion bars, jewelry or rare, collectible coins, these items hold both a monetary and visual value that make them suitable for buying and trading items with other people.

These items are relatively easy to stock up on in preparation for Doomsday, as they work as investments for the future, whether or not a Doomsday event occurs. The value of gold and silver is something that is intrinsic to human history, and it is certain that these precious metals will continue to reign supreme no matter the direction of the future.

Yet, between these two precious metal options, which makes for the best long-term investment for you? There are two characteristics of both gold and silver to consider when first thinking about investing.

Preppers Precious Metals

The Cost Effectiveness of Each

Even when prepping, you need to make investments while considering your finances in relation to now. For this reason, you must consider the spot prices of both gold and silver to determine just which would make for the best investments for you.

At this time, the spot price of gold currently sits at just under $1300 per ounce, while the silver spot price is approximately $15 per ounce. While the value of gold might be greater than that of silver, the initial cost required to invest in gold is equally steep, and frankly just might not be in the budget.

If you’re looking to stockpile in larger investments of coins and bullion for the time being, it might be in your best interest to invest in silver; however, if you’d like to add some noteworthy pieces to your collection—items that could be used in dire times, when someone dearly needs to be influenced—you can rely on a piece of gold.    

While having a higher spot price, gold makes for a beneficial investment due to the advantage it has to increasing in worth over time. The value of gold has continually been shown to be greater than that of silver, but as the global mass of gold begins to shrink—and whenever doomsday hits—it can be expected that the value of gold will only continue to grow as all other precious metals become difficult to come by.   

Intrinsic Trading Value

Due to the difference in spot price between gold and silver, these items will serve different purposes when trading with others. Simply put, silver would be used to purchase small items, while gold would work best for items of much greater value.

Consider the following scenario: Doomsday has come and you have stockpiled a notable amount of both gold and silver; however, as you have continued thriving in the post-apocalyptic world, your supplies begin to dwindle.

You know someone still living within your region has the essential supplies you need, particularly food and water. For smaller items such as this, you could offer them a considerable amount of silver coins to purchase these basic items—a fair trade; however, if they were not pleased with the amount of silver you offer them, you could always provide them with gold, making it more likely to capture their attention.

Storing Gold and Silver for Preppers

What You Should Invest In

While we have provided you with insight into the differences between investing in gold and silver, but we really can’t make a declaration as to which would work best for you.

The truth is that each item carries its own worth, both monetarily and socially. It will depend entirely upon the size of the purchase as to whether silver or gold would be the most fitting item to trade. Furthermore, it will depend upon your current finances as to which investment you should consider most.

How To Lower Your Blood Pressure Before You Are Poked

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How To Lower Blood Pressure Immediately Before A Test

Blood tests are part of a physician’s routine to make sure that you’re healthy. Also, many testing centers are set up specifically to screen for any trouble before it becomes a bigger issue. At these locations, you simply visit a doctor on staff to receive an order for your desired test, then get the results sent right to your doorstep.

However, if you struggle with hemophobia, or the fear of blood, even the thought of having your blood drawn could make your palms get sweaty, and cause your imagination to run wild. Here are some tips to help you stay calm when you’re getting your blood drawn.

1. Know What You’re Being Tested For

If you know that you feel nervous about getting blood drawn, discuss the idea in advance, and ask what the test will screen for. Once you’re more aware of the benefits of receiving the test, you can start to move beyond any irrational fears.

2. Consider Doing It on A Different Day Than a Physical

Tell your doctor immediately if you don’t want to schedule blood work on the same day as a physical. If your fear of blood is very severe, it can lead to low blood pressure, and even fainting spells, so it’s understandable that you might need some time to prepare for it.

3. Make An Early Appointment

Try to plan your blood work on a day where it can be your main responsibility, and make an early appointment. By getting it done in the morning, you’ll put it behind you without letting your fear ruin the rest of the day.

4. Emphasize Small Talk

When it’s time to go through with your blood test, keeping up a conversation with the technician or nurse can make a difference. Even if you’re just talking about something as basic as the weather, the conversation diverts your mind from dwelling on what’s ahead.

5. Regulate Your Breathing

It’s a simple technique, but one that can help your body stay relaxed even while you’re being bombarded with emotions that make you want to tense up. Ask to be given a verbal cue when the needle is about to go in, as well (or just let them surprise you completely to avoid tensing up).

While everything is being prepared, resist the curiosity to look at all the tools. This will only give your mind the chance to concoct all sorts of scenarios that are probably not based in reality.

6. Don’t Look At The Needle

That sight can cause even people who aren’t normally afraid of blood to become squeamish. Fixing your gaze on a blank area of the wall is preferable to watching what’s going on, and should help you stay level headed.

7. Get the Most Bang For Your Buck

The field of phlebotomy has come a long way. In the past, technicians might have to draw blood on several different occasions, and not be able to give you results until several weeks later. Now, things are different.

Nature Communications is a journal which recently introduced a new device called a V-Chip. Once it becomes widely used, it’ll perform routine tests in a nearly hassle-free way. It’s able to do up to 50 tests at once, and only requires a single drop of blood as a sample, rather than a whole vial. In the near future, you might be able to opt for using the V-Chip instead of going through the traditional laboratory process.

All phobias require you to engage in a mental battle. However, by taking a few small steps to control your fears, you can get the upper hand, and give yourself the chance to become aware of health issues, too.

10 Ways to Improve Your Immune System

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As we grow older we need to optimize all chances at improving our immune system. This is all the more important when resources are limited and access to health/disease care is expensive – there I show you my prejudices. I’m not that enthralled at our current models of so-called health care, especially for those of us with chronic conditions.

So if you have a chronic condition, or you just want to avoid getting one, what can you do?

  1. Spend some time in the sun to optimize your vitamin D. For years doctors have pushed the message about avoiding the sun to cut skin cancer levels. However now we also know that there is a strong evidence that low levels of vitamin D INCREASE the likelihood of cancer. So do be sensible and avoid getting sun burned, but do get some sun.
  2. Stabilize your blood sugar levels. This is a vastly unacknowledged factor in ill health. Yes, most of us know that unstable blood sugars are bad for people with diabetes, but they are also bad for everyone if they occur on a regular basis. For a comprehensive discussion on their importance read this article.
  3. Where possible eat herbs regularly. Bioflavenols and polyphenols are important to our general health as they provide important co-factors needed for good immune function. We need to stop thinking in terms of magic bullets to fix us when we are ill. Eat a range of fresh herbs and vegetables. What is easy to grow in your area will depend on your climate. Where I am I can grow garlic, parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme, oregano, lemon balm, lemon verbena, and a range of mints. Use herbs frequently in your cooking.
  4. Undertake some regular exercise. There are far too many of us whose greatest exercise is to walk from chair to car to shop to car to chair. How many people get down on their hands and knees and scrub their floors? Or climb a ladder to clean our their gutters, or walk to the local shop, or personally dig their gardens. I would like to think that preppers undertake regular incidental exercise such as these, but if you aren’t then start.
  5. Eat enough quality protein to keep you healthy and replenish your stores that heal and provide energy. The general advice is to eat 1-2 grams per kilo of lean body mass. However that becomes complicated to work out so think in terms of a palm sized quantity of grass fed protein or fish three times a day.
  6. Improve your omega 3/omega 6 ratios. What this means is that we eat too much of the wrong sort of fat. We need to eat fish, lots of fish and if that is not possible for budget reasons then have some krill oil (preferable) or ordinary fish oil. Avoid vegetable oils except for coconut oil and olive oils.
  7. Laugh lots and make time for play. Medical research has shown that laughter improves our immune system.
  8. Do something creative that you enjoy, that’s another activity shown to improve your immune system, though I’ve currently mislaid my list of references for this.
  9. Deal with your unfinished business. There is a lot of research to show that bad stuff from our past can haunt us, either literally through bad memories and PTSD or through repressing them so they are reflected in poor immune function. Holocaust survivors who told their stories were shown to have improved immune systems compared to those who chose not to.
  10. Prepare for your future. When we are comfortable we have done as much as we can to look after ourselves then we are much less worried than if we are just aware and yet do nothing.