Protecting Yourself in a Global Crisis

Written By Brian Hicks

Posted June 15, 2012

Today we continue with Part III of my series on “Being Prepared” (if you missed Part I or Part II, you can read those now).

I want to jump right back into my Items to Consider, so without further ado…

7. Know how to protect yourself. This almost certainly means owning a firearm and knowing how to use it to protect yourself or others.

Many TV survival documentaries show people who feel they can defend themselves with knives or clubs, but in reality, they are going to lose 98% of the time against someone else with a firearm. Someone that has been specifically trained on how to use firearms in a defensive manner will almost always win the day in a gun battle.

You can’t just own a gun; you have to know how to use it at a very high level. You also need to know how to clean your weapons and take care of them. Access to a gunsmith may or may not be available to you during an emergency situation…

Some people think they cannot use a firearm against another person, but this feeling changes abruptly when they see one of their family members at risk. Some people still cannot use a firearm in any circumstance, and these people should consider some form of self-defense such as the non-lethal devices (stun batons, pepper sprays, TASERS, even baseball bats).

People can feel that everyone will come together and rebuild society, and many good people will — but there are plenty of bad people in this world. And it may come down to you or them.

Everyone needs to practice over and over with any self-defense armament they have so there is no hesitation when it comes to saving one’s life from someone that is willing to take yours or your loved ones’.

For a handgun, I recommend a 45-caliber for men and a 9MM for women. Most women find the kick of a 45-caliber handgun too much to handle when shooting and are more comfortable with a 9 MM. Colt, Smith and Wesson, H&K, Sig Sauer are some of the best name brands in handguns to consider if you don’t already own a handgun and need to purchase one.

A 45-caliber handgun has more stopping power than a 9 MM, but any well-placed shot with any type of gun can mean game over for an intruder or attacker with mal intent.

Some other types of guns to consider are a good defensive shotgun (12 gauge) with large-size buckshot and a long-range rifle with a quality scope.

If you are not familiar with guns, it is best to find a friend who is who can help you through the process of buying handguns, shotguns, or rifles.

Once you have the guns you want, it then becomes necessary to know how to safely use those guns without hesitation if needed. If you are not familiar with the handling of guns I highly recommend you find someone that can properly train you in a safe environment.

I have sent my entire family to what I consider the best gun training that exists on planet earth for civilians. The name of the place is called Front Sight and is located an hour outside of Las Vegas, Nevada. More on them at www.frontsight.com.

If that is too far to travel, there are plenty of other training facilities around the country you can find with a local search on the Internet.

For those who live in Canada…

From what I understand, it is illegal to own handguns in Canada — but not hunting rifles.

I recommend getting familiar with the process of obtaining any kind of weapons the Canadian government will allow citizens to own for hunting purposes or self-defense.

Unfortunately, the “bad guys” always have illegal guns — even in Canada. So it is in your best interest to go through whatever permitting or paperwork hassles necessary to obtain legal weapons of any kind in your own country.

8. Have a way to cook food in case the power is off. A story below from someone who experienced an earthquake serves as a great reminder why we want to have the ability to cook our own food during a crisis…

dutch oven cookA few years ago, I remember people waiting in long food lines after the San Fernando earthquake hit California. Many of the people in the damage zone spent hours in breakfast lines, then long lines for lunch, then a repeat for dinner.

They had to spend many hours a day in food lines because either they had no food reserves or had no means of cooking their stored food.

A little preparation can go a long way in preparing for emergencies. Had these good people stored a little food, fuel, and invested in a good quality Dutch oven, they would be set for cooking in their backyard instead of relying on Federal troops to supply their family’s nutrition. 

Good quality Dutch ovens are fun to use, the food always tastes great, and they’re invaluable in emergencies. They require charcoal to prepare your food.
 
Another option is a Volcano cook stove, which also uses charcoal — but saves two-thirds of the amount normally needed when cooking with Dutch ovens. Charcoal is safe and easy to store, eliminating the need to store dangerous liquid fuels for emergency cooking.

Most good Dutch oven cooks choose Kingsford brand charcoal because of the consistency of the product. If it takes 15 briquettes to cook a chicken once, it will likely take 15 the next time.

9. Understand the psychology of desperate people. This is a difficult one.

After a SHTF (Sh*t Hits The Fan) event, people will not behave normally. That neighbor who was in control during many minor emergencies may be the one pounding on your door with whacked-out eyes demanding what you have because they did not prepare for anything. Someone in your own survival group may just blank out in a zombie-like stare.

Unexpected times bring out the best and worst in people — and you need to prepare for this possibility.

You yourself could lose it. Again, preparing for this will help should it occur. You always hope that disasters will bring out the best in your fellow human beings, but often this is not the case.

10. Maintain proper hygiene. This is one of the top priorities within the armed forces because disease and sickness can and do take down the toughest of soldiers.

People must realize that after a terrible disaster, it is not like someone going camping, comes back dirty, and taking a nice long shower or a hot bath…

After a SHTF event the water to the faucets, as well the hot water heater, may not work. Bathing on at least a semi-regular basis is necessary to avoid all sorts of bacteria from building up on the skin and causing a variety of concerning ailments that will then have to be treated.

People should plan on how they will keep themselves clean — think sponge baths or using personal wipes as an option.

11. How to dispose of waste and proper sanitation. In third world countries and the pre-flush toilet era, one of the leading causes of illness and death was (and still is) improperly discarded waste. If the toilets won’t flush because there is no water to make them work, human waste is going to be a huge whopping problem for people trying to survive. Even improperly burying human excrement can lead to disease. Portable toilets, toilet paper, and disinfectant (bleach, for one) should be one of the top items in any survival kit.

Disposal of other trash is an issue that can bring hungry dangerous animals around drawn to the stench. Burning of trash is one method; plastic trash bags and the means to find some place to dump them is another alternative.

12. Learn to control pests and other vermin. This is a problem that led to about half of Europe dying several hundred years ago with the Black Death. Fleas and ticks carry some terrible diseases. Even people that stay inside their own homes will have to deal with this problem. People outside will have to contend with the fleas, ticks, flies, mosquitoes, mice, rats, and so on…

There are many repellents in nature that can help: citronella, even the smell of garlic will repel most vermin. Stocking up on insect and other commercial repellents is always an excellent idea. It only takes one bite to make a person deathly sick.

13. Understand radiation fallout and how to protect yourself. This is one of the least understood of the survival precautions taken. There are hundreds of nuclear power plants that could fail after the world as we know it goes down the tube. There are still tens of thousands of nuclear weapons available for war should countries decide to use them. Fallout is something that you might not even see… and until you are sick, you might not even know you have been contaminated. The purchase of a radiation detector that is protected against EMP is a wise idea. Understanding about radiation accumulation dosage (rad) and how to shield oneself from exposure is paramount.

14. Learn first aid. Treating yourself and/or others will probably be the only thing someone can do, as medical professionals are going to be few and far between. Many places offer free classes on first aid because they want people in the community to be prepared. A good first aid book along with a first aid kit is something every household should have before, during, and after a disaster.

Primitive conditions should be expected when anyone is helping someone after a catastrophe. A stockpile of antibiotics is always a good idea. Even acquiring the skill of making your own antibiotics can save lives as infection is something that will become an epidemic, especially with minor cuts and abrasions.

My family has gone as far as being trained to stitch up wounds. We decided as a family that we would learn this skill in case anyone we knew was in need. We have purchased the sterile suture kits and could stitch small to medium size wounds as good as any doctor at this point. We have been trained by medical professionals on a whole assortment of skills — from putting an IV in someone’s arm to treating major trauma. This also requires having the right supplies and equipment.

From my viewpoint, this is a skill set that is valuable in any circumstance — but particularly in SHTF events when medical personnel may not be available in a convenient time frame.

15. Learn about nutrition. Vitamin and mineral deficiencies are nothing to fool around with. Just consider what scurvy, the lack of Vitamin C, can do to someone…

Many survivalists and “preppers” make the critical mistake of only being concerned about calories to keep them going. Certain vitamins (A, B1-B12, C, D, E, K), minerals (Calcium, Copper, Iodine, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, Phosphorus, Potassium, Selenium, Zinc) and trace minerals are necessary to keep a body going.

Each person needs different amounts and any survival food supply should take this need as important as the food itself. Many survival foods have some of what your body needs, but sadly lack in others…

Vitamin and mineral supplements should be stocked with food if someone is unsure about what they are getting. Trace mineral drops are a liquid that can solve this problem, and are a good addition to any emergency supply.

16. How to start and maintain a fire. This is for everyone. Having a fire and keeping it going when you need it has been the essence of survival for thousands of years.

Fire cooks, heats water, keeps you warm, sterilizes items, and gives light. Having a lighter, matches, and a starter is one thing; but actually keeping the fire going is another…

Making sure the fire does not cause damage to your home or shelter is something not everyone thinks about. Burning of toxic wood or other material is something to remember as well.

While most everyone thinks that using a fire is rudimentary, there is much more to it. As a matter of fact, a church group recently tested some of their members and gave them matches to start a file. Most of the people had trouble starting a basic fire even though they had matches. This is a skill that you must acquire that allows you to consistently start a fire anywhere at any time. You should also learn to start a fire without matches. There are several books listed at the end of this report that can show you how this is done.

17. Learn how to grow food and/or find it. People’s supplies will only last so long, and eventually self-sufficiency will mean acquiring your own food — by either growing it or hunting for it.

Many people are into seed storing, and in many cases, growing your own food will feed the family. However, growing food has many drawbacks that people need to look at. Water is an issue in dry areas as irrigation is very man- or animal-power intensive.

One of the gravest things to contemplate is actually guarding your yield, as two-legged problems could be a bigger issue to your crops than some beetle infestation. Hungry people will see food growing and take it, 24 hours a day. No one can grow enough food to feed all those seeking food.

From a practical sense, it might be a better idea for some to go the hunter-gathering route. There are many good survival shows on television today that are very informative on surviving off the land.

Learning these skill sets can make a huge difference in any survival situation.

18. Last-minute items to secure from a grocery store. Hopefully you already have your long-term food storage and other preparations in place: canned goods, grains, rice, pasta, paper products, and freeze-dried foods that store well over time…

This should allow you to concentrate on these other items while most other people are trying to secure what you already have.

Once a SHTF event occurs, you may want to quickly go to the grocery store to secure these last-minute items before the shelves are empty. These are typically items that don’t store well for the long-term, but would be critical to own once a breakdown occurs.

Studies have shown these short-term storage items go first when a crisis happens. Most of these products have a shelf life of less than 18 months:

  • Bottled Water
  • Powdered Milk
  • Pancake mix (never use beyond shelf life, as this has been known to cause toxic shock)
  • Ramen Noodles
  • Popcorn
  • Cereal
  • Beef Jerky
  • Cooking Oils
  • Nuts
  • Dried Fruits
  • Power Bars
  • Juice Powders
  • Spices (salt, pepper, etc.)
  • Honey
  • Crackers
  • Baking Essentials (flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder)
  • Coffee
  • Alcohol for medicinal purposes or for bartering
  • Hard Candies
  • Baby Food, Diapers, Wipes
  • Pet Food

These are just some suggestions that people need to address now — before trying to survive the aftermath of a horrible event.

People who prepare have to realize that when civilization stops functioning, so too does everything that most of us depend on.

There may never be a safety net there for us WHEN our stocked-up survival supplies run dry.

Much of survival is having supplies — as well as backups for when food, water, and other necessities cannot be found. The other part is being ready for everything our new situation could throw our way. For this, we all need to learn survival skills.

When someone thinks about their personal needs, an individual can probably add many more survival skills to the items we have talked about above. You want to become quite proficient in these skills before the SHTF so you and your family have a better chance of surviving.

Doomsday Prepper Shows

Lately I have been entertained by the recent “Doomsday Prepper” shows on television that portray the preparations of people who are concerned about various potentially life-threatening scenarios.

In most of these cases, while many have made some great preparations in some instances, they are woefully unprepared in other key circumstances…

In one case, there was a lady who was obviously very prepared with food, but wanted nothing to do with other important preparations such as protection. Here she is on national television telling the world where she is and all about her food preparations. She has absolutely no protection and won’t even consider it.

In my opinion, she clearly does not understand how many unwanted people are going to come for her food when a major crisis hits. Some of those people will probably not even think twice about killing her to obtain it.

If you have not yet watched any of these shows, they can give you some ideas for your own preparations.

Good Sources of Information or Books on these Topics

Strategic Relocation by Joel Skousen Swift | Learning Resources 1800 292-4746. This very informative book is a great guide in locating the safest places in North America. It takes into account many factors in evaluating why some places are better than others when trying to find the best safe havens closest to your current location.

Food Storage Guide by Survival Products, LLC | http://OnlineSupportSolutions.com. A very good guide for beginners on how to successfully build food storage.

Water Storage Guide by Survival Products, LLC | http://OnlineSupportSolutions.com. An informative guide on how to successfully store and treat water for safe drinking over the long term.

Survival Garden Guide by Survival Products, LLC | http://OnlineSupportSolutions.com. A comprehensive guide on how to start and maintain a survival garden.

Picking up the Pieces by Sorcha Faal and David Booth. This book is a practical guide for surviving economic crashes, internal unrest, and military suppression. The authors have experienced war, tyranny, and extremely dangerous situations, and live to tell about them in this book. They have compiled some great information that offers readers knowledge and insight into the best ways to prepare and survive:

How do you function in an underground economy?
What are the advantages of having multiple sets of identification papers for yourself and your family BEFORE the onset of events happens?

The Complete Worst Case Scenario Survival Handbook by Joshua Piven and David Borgenicht. The most essential scenarios from all eleven Worst Case Survival Handbooks are collected in this sturdy reference volume: a guide on how to survive all kinds of unusual circumstances.

The Complete Worst Case Scenario Survival Handbook – Man Skills. Being prepared is the key to mastering any situation, and this book offers over 500 pages of the most essential survival scenarios from the entire Worst Case Survival Handbook series.

Special Forces Survival Guide by Chris McNab. The book encompasses wilderness survival skills from the world’s most elite military units.

The Survivors Club by Ben Sherwood. This New York Times Bestseller offers readers the secrets of the world’s most successful survivors.

What do they know that you don’t? Each second of every day, one of us faces a crisis, whether it’s a car accident, violent crime, serious illness, or financial trouble… Who beats the odds and who surrenders? And how can we become the kind of people who survive and thrive?

Ominous Parallels by Leonard Peikoff with introduction by Ayn Rand. A brilliant study on America today and the “ominous parallels” with the chaos of pre-Hitler Germany. In this book, you’ll learn why America has been detoured from its original path and led down the same road that Germany followed to Nazism.

Patriots, Surviving the Coming Collapse by James Wesley Rawles. U.S. Army Intelligence Officer James Wesley Rawles has written an intensely powerful novel that is more like a survival manual dressed in fiction. In his book, Rawles doesn’t just tell you what could happen; he explains exactly how to prepare for it. This book is a real page-turner because it is so grounded in what could happen.

Summary

I hope this discussion on being prepared has been of some value to you, no matter how you feel about the potential for problems in our future.

For me, it has become a way of life — as my beliefs are very strong that a catastrophic financial derivative event is looming in our near future.

Since our junior mining shares are suffering at the moment, I thought the timing would be good to focus on the topic of preparedness while we await the next run to higher ground…

When you start to see bank runs and long lines at the banks as we are seeing in multiple countries in Europe right now, this is a sign the endgame is near.

A recent article by a major fund manager from London who previously sold derivatives to Europe while working for Goldman Suks stated his opinion that the endgame for the derivatives is end of this year or early next year.

No matter how you slice it, things worldwide are getting very strange very quickly.

The time to prepare was yesterday, but you still have time to get whatever preparations you can in place while prices remain reasonable and availability exists. This can all change quite suddenly, however, as I hope I have amply demonstrated this week in my articles.

I end with a quote from one of my favorite authors, Ayn Rand:

Man’s mind is his basic tool of survival.”

Greg McCoach
Analyst, Wealth Daily
Investment Director, Mining Speculator

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