Thread: BASIC LIST / SUGGESTED ITEMS FOR LONG TERM SURVIVAL

The 5 Most Common Dental Emergencies

Tess Pennington
Ready Nutrition
December 2011

Because dental issues can exacerbate quickly, many are taking necessary precautions and storing emergency dental supplies in case this issue arises.

Having necessary emergency resources to turn to can help you provide adequate care, as well as be able to fall back on knowledge if there are any additional signs to look for regarding infections, secondary infections, etc. Resources such as “When There Is No Dentist” by Murray Dickson has a wealth of knowledge that one could use during a disaster (Click here to download a PDF version of this resource). Familiarizing yourself with the most common types of dental emergencies, and knowing what dental supplies would be best to invest in will hep you be more efficient in your preparations.

Here’s what to do if you face one of the following dental emergencies in a short-term emergency:

1. You lost a filling. The first thing to do is to rinse out the cavity with warm water. Take a cotton ball or a special dental filling product like Dentemp and press it firmly into the cavity. Arrange for someone to treat you soon.

2. You lost a crown or cap. Missing crown won’t trigger “immediate pain,” but it definitely can if you don’t do anything about it, especially as you eat and food gets in the exposed area. Don’t wait more than two days to get this treated if a cap or crown is displaced. Placing dental wax or a temporary cap can help aleive sensitivity while you eat.

3. You have a toothache. A severe toothache is one of the most painful forms of trauma you can face with a dental emergency. If it happens to you, immediately rinse your mouth out with warm water and place a cold compress against your cheek for 20 minutes to alleviate swelling. Remove the compress and let the afflicted area warm up again or use a hot pack, then re-apply the cold compress. One mistake people make with a toothache is to apply pain medication directly against the gum. Dentists say that could inflame the gum and potentially do more damage to the teeth. In any case, make sure to visit your dentist to check for a bacterial infection that might have caused the toothache in the first place. If left untreated, bacteria can lead to serious problems.

4. You chipped or broke a tooth. The first thing to do is to save the chipped or fully dislodged tooth. Then, once again, rinse the area inside your mouth with warm water. Also make sure to rinse the tooth that’s been displaced. If there is bleeding, apply some gauze or cotton to the area for five to 10 minutes. Then apply a cold compress to the outside of your mouth, over the impacted area, until the swelling goes down.

5. You knocked a tooth out of your mouth. Dentists say that your best chance of saving a tooth that’s been fully removed from your mouth is to visit a dentist within one hour. Until then, keep the tooth safely tucked away – in a small container of milk, or in water with some salt added. Then head straight to your dentist.

Tips courtesy of Main Street

http://readynutrition.com/resources/...cies_17122011/

Keeping Your Home Secure in a Technological World

Tess Pennington
Ready Nutrition
December 2011

With unemployment on the rise, crime is bound to increase all around the country. Not only are flash mobs a continuing concern, but burglaries are becoming a prevalent issue as well. Being aware of possible bouts of crime, the technologies that are being used against you and and designing a home defense system around this will help to better protect your home.

It is a common misconception that all thieves are brainless halfwits who are easily led by quick cash for drugs. I’m not going to dismiss this, in some cases it is true, however, with the continuing deterioration of the economy, overall crime is going to double and there will be some indivudals who will be desperate enough to turn to a new found life in crime. The sooner you accept this as a reality, the sooner you will realize that these new criminals are more evolved from your everyday petty thief. They will be patient and take their time by researching the best possible way to hit a residence in order to bypass getting caught. That being said, you need to be ready for it and do some research of your own to stay ahead of the game. To beat these criminals, you have to let yourself begin to think like a criminal.

Emerging technology once viewed as a convenience, should now be perceived as a double edged sword. In order gain a bird’s eye view into your home, thieves are now using google maps to find the best vantage points. These thieves used Google Maps to target as many as nine suburban homes in a Chicago neighborhood for break-ins since March 2011, police said.

iPhone even has an application which gives you detailed characteristics of properties (houses) in USA. In this app, you can either search the map or just use your GPS coordinates to get information such as price of the house, number of floors, number of rooms, pictures taken from inside the house if the house was part of any register (letting agencies etc.) before you moved in, and other interesting information.

On the other hand, iPhone also has a app that works in conjunction with an external monitoring service and helps you check your home security system while away from the home, send commands from a computer or cell phone, even manage lighting and thermostat controls remotely. Home security systems integrated with Alarm.com will keep you updated on what you want to know about the security of your property while you’re away with email or text message alerts when specific sensors are activated. The cost varies depending on what feature you add to your customized alarm system.

Some home owners are fighting back and using cameras installed on their computers as a video surveillance system to monitor their home. All you need is your PC, a webcam or IP camera, and advanced surveillance software like the popular WebCam Monitor. Ensure that you position web cams strategically in hidden areas, and place the computer that is monitoring the locations in a hidden spot so the criminals do not walk off with the computer.

To further protect your home consider adding some additional home security layers, and using plants to secure the home. In addition, reinforcing the barriers that keep intruders out is a great way to begin protecting the home. In the book, How to Survive The End of The World as we Know It, the author, James Wesley, Rawles lists some examples on how to have a defensible advantage from criminals. Although, this article lists some of these examples, it is highly recommended that you read the book. The following is a constructive list of items you can consider:

• Reinforced doors and locks.
• Barred windows or European-style security/storm shutters.
• Place thorny bushes around windows.
• Intrusion detection systems.
• Position web cams strategically in hidden areas. Place the computer that is monitoring the locations in a hidden spot so the criminals do not walk off with the computer.
• Create a barrier from approaching vehicles.
• Put a peep hole in the door.
• Add a bolt and chain to the door.
• Guard dogs
• Infrared (IR) floodlights to illuminate the property (These can be motion-sensor activated).
• Fence the entire property, if it is not done so already.
• A gate at the front of the driveway that has spikes at the top to prevent someone from jumping over the fence.
• Extra fire hydrants in the case that the invaders try to burn you out of your home.
• Create a safe room or vault to where a family can go to evade their attackers.
• Create a neighborhood watch.

Take an active stance on your home security and find ways to deter these criminals from breaking into your home. Your safety and security rests in your hands.

http://readynutrition.com/resources/...orld_16122011/

The Well Stocked Sick Room

Tess Pennington
Ready Nutrition
December 2011

To decrease the chances of an infectious illness spreading and infecting other household members, it is important that every effort be made to keep the illness in a contained area. Having a sick room in the home can achieve this, as well as assist in limiting the number of people who have close contact with the sick person.

Characteristics of the Ideal Sick Room

To ensure that the sickness is as contained as possible, set up the sick room in a bedroom or another separate room in the house. Ensure that the room has good lighting, a window that opens, and easy access to a personal bathroom with a sink and running water.

Prevention is Key

To avoid other family members falling ill, try to limit the exposure of the sick person to the other family members. This includes making sure that any communal areas (kitchen, bathroom, etc) be thoroughly cleaned with disinfectant each day to avoid the transmission of germs. Towels, water bottles, drinking glasses, and other personal care items used by the sick person, should not be used by other family members.

Other preventative measures for the sick room could be made ahead of time to make the room ready before it is needed. Having all necessary items in the room will make for easy accessibility as well as containment of illness. Consider these 9 preventative measures:

1. All tissues, utensils, equipment, bedding, and clothing in contact with the sick person should be handled as if the germs of the illness were on them. Dishes and equipment should be washed in hot soapy water or wiped with 10% bleach or other disinfectant.
2. Use disposable dishes when possible so they can be discarded in plastic bags in the room.
3. Place all used tissues directly into a plastic bag that can be closed at the top before leaving the sick room. Have alcohol-based hand cleaning solution (Purell) at the bedside so the person can wash their hands after they cough or sneeze.
4. Gently fold or roll clothing and bedding into a plastic bag, being careful not to shake them, possibly releasing the germs into the air. Clothing and bedding should be washed in hot water.
5. Clean items in the room with a 10% bleach solution (made by combining 1 ounce of bleach with 9 ounces of water) or other disinfectant. Clean bathroom faucets and sink with 10% bleach or disinfectant wipes after the sick person has used them.
6. Wear a raincoat or other washable gown/coat over your clothes when in the room caring for the sick person. This gown will help to protect you from getting the germs on your clothes while caring for the person. This gown should stay in the room.
7. Wash your hands or use a alcohol-based cleaning solution (Purell) on your hands every time you leave the room. If disposable gloves are available, they can be worn while in the room but they should be removed in the room and discarded in the room, and then your hands must be washed.
8. Limit the people in close contact (within 6 feet) of the sick person. Keep the door to the sick room closed. Have a bell or cell phone by the bedside so the person can call for assistance when needed.
9. If respiratory masks (N95) are available, they should be worn by the sick person and the caretaker when they are in close contact.

Some items to consider when stocking a sick room are:

• Bed with linens, pillow and blanket
• Small wastebasket or a bucket lined with a plastic garbage bag.
• Pitcher or large bottle for water
• Large plastic dishpan
• Clipboard with paper and a pen for writing in the daily log.
• Clock
• Hand crank or battery-powered radio
• Good source of light
• Flashlight with extra batteries
• A clothes hamper or a garbage can lined with a plastic garbage bag can be used to collect soiled clothing and bedding before they are washed.
• A bell or a noisemaker to call for assistance.
• Thermometer
• Tissues
• Hand wipes or a waterless hand sanitizer
• Cotton balls
• Rubbing alcohol, disinfectant or bleach
• Plastic garbage bags
• Measuring cup capable of holding 8 ounces or 250 ml
• Over-the-counter medications for use in the sick room
• Aprons or smocks (at least 2)
• Latex household cleaning gloves (2 pairs)
• Disposable vinyl gloves (2 boxes)
• Garbage bags
• N95 respirator masks (2 boxes) for use when the sick person is coughing or sneezing (can be purchased at hardware stores and some drugstores)

To prepare for longer-term scenarios, consider adding other medical supplies to the sick room. Further having some medical response packs pre-packaged cuts down on response time, and gives the caregiver more of an advantage in properly caring for the wounded. To prepare for a SHTF scenario, it would be beneficial to take into account the most likely medical situations you may come in contact with and plan accordingly.

To conclude, preventing the transmission of an illness can be done with proper planning and preparation. A little forethought will help the caregiver be as efficient as possible in treating the ill patient, and in the process, keep the rest of household as healthy as possible.

Sections of this article were adapted from the book Pandemic Home Care

http://readynutrition.com/resources/...room_08122011/

Uses for Cat Litter in a Prepper World

Tess Pennington
Ready Nutrition
December 2011
Storing kitty litter is not for just the feline lovers. In fact, cat litter has some very practical uses in the prepper world and may come in handy in emergency situations.

The main ingredient that makes cat litter absorb so well is bentonite clay. This natural material usually forms from the weathering of volcanic ash, most often in the presence of water. According to Wikipedia, bentonite can also be used as a desiccant due to its adsorption properties. Bentonite desiccants have been successfully used to protect pharmaceutical, nutraceutical and diagnostic products from moisture degradation and extend shelf life. In fact, in the most common package environments, Bentonite Desiccants offer a higher adsorption capacity than silica gel desiccants. Bentonite complies with the FDA for contact with food and drugs

When purchasing cat litter to be used for preparedness matters, ensure that you choose the non-clumping, unscented clay litter where the active ingredient is bentonite to help you acheive the best results.

Read these tips on ways to incorporate cat litter into your preps to help protect, reduce odors, stains, and help your garden grow.

1. Use it in your vehicles – Having a bag of cat litter in your emergency vehicles can help the car gain traction if it happens to get stuck in the snow. Sprinkle a small amount on the ground before you get out of your car for foot traction in icy conditions. Further, sprinkling it around icy high frequented areas can also make sidewalks, steps and driveways more safe. This would be a great natural alternative to salt during the winter.
2. Use it in your sanitation kit – This absorbent material assists in absorbing liquids and smells when using a portable toilet.
3. Reduces mold and it’s smell – Cat litter may be used to absorb small amounts of water that leak into a basement after a heavy rain or to help remove musty odors. It can also be used in your storage closet, tent or any other area of the home to prevent the musty smell of mold. Store clothing, linens, books, papers, camping equipment etc. with 1/2 – 1 cup of kitty litter tied up in a sock or pantyhose to prevent mustiness and mold.
4. Evict moles and rodents - Moles and rodents loathe the smell of kitty litter. Pour some into the entrance of one of their tunnels and watch the exodus! This would be a great item to have to protect your long-term food storage from rodent infestations.
5. Controls algae in ponds- For fish pond owners, this method works wonderfully to get rid of algae in ponds. Use about one pound of cat litter for 2000 gallons of circulating pond water. It is said that the water may turn muddy at first but it will clear up in 24 hours. Again, ensure that you have purchased unscented kitty litter where the active ingredient is bentonite.
6. Eliminates odors – Put cat box filler into ashtrays, smelly shoes, at the bottom of trash cans, etc to reduce odors.
7. Reduces oil spots – To lessen staining from fresh oil or grease spots on driveways, sprinkle on clean cat box filler, wait a few minutes, and sweep off. Dispose in the same manner you would dispose of used oil. You may have to apply a second sprinkling. Use a soft brick to grind the cat box filler into the oil. You don’t have to bear down too hard, just maintain a steady circular motion to achieve the best results. When the filler is reduced to a fine powder and remains light in color, you will have removed all but the final residue that clings to the voids in the surface. This light-colored residue will lighten further the longer it is exposed to the sun. Be sure to dispose of oil-soaked cat box filler as local laws require for disposal of used oil.
8. Great in the garden – Mix an equal part of soil and clean cat box filler, proceed to plant your flowers, shrubs or vegetables. Your soil will remain moist providing for better root development. The litter will retain the humidity at root level. It can be used safely on any type of plant.

http://readynutrition.com/resources/...orld_07122011/

Could you stomach these Great Depression meals?

Comments (70)

image by edenpictures

With all the talk about food storage and growing our own food, I did a little digging around to find out what some people ate during America’s Great Depression of the 1930′s. Surprisingly, a few of these were made by my mother and grandmother, traditions, I’m sure, from a more frugal era. I still have a soft spot for Chipped Beef on Toast! How many of these are familiar to you, and do you have any others to add to the list?

Milk toast
Chipped beef on toast
Cucumber and mustard sandwiches
Mayonnaise sandwiches
Ketchup sandwiches
Hot milk and rice
Turtle/tortoise
Gopher
Potato soup – water base, not milk
Dandelion salad
Lard sandwiches
Bacon grease sandwiches
Sugar sandwiches

image by Tony the Misfit


Hot dogs and baked beans
Road kill
One eyed Sam – piece of bread with an easy over egg in the center
Oatmeal mixed with lard
Fried potatoes and hot dogs
Onion sandwich – slices of onion between bread
Tomato gravy and biscuits
Deep fried chicken skin
Cornbread in milk
Gravy and bread – as a main dish
Toast with mashed potatoes on top with gravy
Creamed corn on toast
Corn mush with milk for breakfast, fried corn mush for dinner
Squirrel
Rice in milk with some sugar
Beans
Fried potato peel sandwiches
Banana slices with powdered sugar and milk
Boiled cabbage

image by Blue Mountains Library

Hamburger mixed with oatmeal
American cheese sandwich, ‘American’ cheese was invented because it was cheap to make, and didn’t require refrigeration that may or may not exist back then.
Tomato gravy on rice
Toast with milk gravy
Water fried pancakes
Chicken feet in broth
Fried bologna
Warm canned tomatoes with bread
Butter and sugar sandwiches
Fried potato and bread cubes
Bean soup
Runny eggs with grits
Butter and grits with sugar and milk
Baked apples
Sliced boiled pork liver on buttered toast (slice liver with potato peeler)
Corn meal mush
Spaghetti with tomato juice and navy beans
Whatever fish or game you could catch/hunt
Tomato sandwiches
Hard boiled eggs in white sauce over rice
Spam and noodles with cream of mushroom soup
Rag soup: spinach, broth and lots of macaroni
Garbanzo beans fried in chicken fat or lard, salted, and eaten cold
Popcorn with milk and sugar – ate it like cereal

Lessons learned from this list? Stock up on ingredients for bread, including buckets of wheat. Bread, in some form, is one of the main ingredients for many of these meals. Second, know how to make different types of bread. Next, have chickens around as a source for meat and eggs, and if possible, have a cow or goat for milk. Another lesson is to have a garden that will provide at least some fresh produce, and plant fruit trees and bushes. Finally, don’t waste anything, even chicken feet!

© 2011, thesurvivalmom. All rights reserved.

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http://thesurvivalmom.com/2011/12/29...ression-meals/

SURVIVING IN ARGENTINA
Life in Argentina after the 2001 crisis.

Sunday, January 1, 2012

New Leatherman Sidekick: Affordable Jack of all Trades





Leatherman 831429 Sidekick Multi-Tool




The new Leatherman Sidekick isn’t going to earn you any cool points in the shooting range. It has average looks, its not big and mean looking like the Leatherman MUT and I doubt you’ll see many tacticool guys bragging about their Leatherman SideKick. Honestly I got it for reviewing because I felt I had to, not because I just needed to add it to my already large collection.

Its only after handling it some that you see the stoic beauty of the thing.

Crisis Creature

The new Leatherman Sidekick has been conceived with a clear objective, one born out of necessity: To satisfy the need of a Leatherman Charge/Wave yet doing so at a price people affected by the current hard economic times can afford. The Wave and Charge models do the same things the Sidekick does and do them better. The Wave and Charge simply are better, ly larger more complete tools. Yet even if you own one, you might still be interested in the Sidekick. What the sidekick does is offer surprisingly close performance to the one offered by the more expensive tools mentioned but at half or one third of the price of the Charge and Wave.

Concentrating on what Matters

Just a bit smaller than the Charge/Wave pliers


The shape of the 420HC blade in the Sidekick (below) is excellent. Charge Tti above for comparison.

Gone are the fancy titanium handles and Leatherman laser engraving on the pliers that cost time and money to make. Like in wartime weaponry, the handles are instead stamped steel, for fast and cheaper production yet though and effective.

The main virtues of the Charge and Wave were of course the pliers, but also the nicely made blades included that could be opened single handed and locked with a liner lock. Thanks to the pocket clip, it could even double as an acceptable EDC folding knife. That and a few more tools like Phillips and flat screwdriver provided a nice amount of uses. The functional blade and pliers along with an assortment of tools where the key of success for the Charge and Wave. That’s replicated in the SideKick, though doing it in a budget minded way.

The pliers and knife are excellent. I’d say that the pliers are even better than in the Charge and Wave. The blade isn’t made of any fancy steel like s30V, it’s the more humble 420HC which is not great but still good, and is in fact the same steel used for the blade in the Wave. Slightly smaller than in is bigger brothers, the blade design is still fantastic for its size.

Flat and Phillips scredriver, serrated sheepfoot saw, file/ruler/small screwdriver,bottle and can opener.


The SideKick's fixed Philips screwdriver is similar to the removable one on the Charge

The saw on the Sidekick is similar to the one in the Charge

On the down side there are a few sharp edges on the inside of the handle which could have been removed, but this is an easy fix with some sandpaper or a small file. There’s no exchangeable bit driver, but you get a long enough Phillips screwdriver that can go where the bit in the Wave and Charge wount reach. The file is probably the worst thing this tool has going for it and the 1.5 inch rule isn’t much better. I wish they had done a smaller version of the diamond dust file found in the Charge and Wave, and place the ruler in the handles instead.



All in all, it’s an excellent tool when you consider the price which hovers around $30. Not bad at all.
The Leatherman SideKick would be perfect for you if you want a Charge or Wave yet cant spend that kind of money in a multitool right now. Also as a very nice gift that doesn’t break the piggy bank or as secondary multitools in kits or emergency bags.

It wont be replacing the Charge, but I still recommend this tool, especially more so when you look at the price tag.

Happy New Year every one!

Join the forum discussion on this post!

FerFAL

http://ferfal.blogspot.com/2012/01/n...able-jack.html

Military Infantry Course Downloads

Posted on January 4, 2012 by David Nash

These self study course manuals come from the US Army Infantry School.These files and more like them can be found on my military manuals vol 1 and 2 DVDs sold here.

Every prepper needs his resources, feel free to download, but I invite you to save time and buy my DVDs and get all this and much more…

Attachments

1. IN0486 Mountaineering Techniques (Basic) (2.3 MiB)
2. IN0487 Infantry Field Hygiene (929.1 KiB)
3. IN0487 Preventive Medicine and Health Maintenance (1.3 MiB)
4. IN0494 Mountaineering Techniques (Advanced) (1.3 MiB)
5. IN0511 Maintenance of Wheeled Vehicle M998 (HMMWV) (1.1 MiB)
6. IS0788 Land Navigation (4.2 MiB)
7. IS0824 Buddy Aid Tasks (3.5 MiB)
8. IS0825 Combat Lifesaver Course, Medical Tasks (1.8 MiB)
9. IS0871 Combat Lifesaver, Student Self-Study (2.8 MiB)
10. IS0877 Self Aid & Buddy Aid (5.1 MiB)

http://www.tngun.com/military-infantry-course-downloads/

The Top 50 Survival Blogs!

1

SHTF Plan

2	Survival Blog

3	The Survival Podcast

4	Urban Survival

5	The Survivalist Blog

6	In Case Of Emergency, Read Blog

7	The Survival & Emergency Preparedness Blog

8	Survival And Prosperity

9	The Survival Mom

10	American Preppers Network

11	WillowHavenOutdoor.com

12	Survival Topics

13	Pioneer Survival Blog

14	Preparedness Pantry

15	Off Grid Survival

16	Disaster Preparedness Blog

17	Ice-Qube - Emergency Preparedness Blog

18	Wilderness Survival Skills

19	Surviving In Argentina

20	CARD\'s blog

21	Modern Survival Blog

22	Backwoods Survival Blog

23	Back Door Survival

24	Modern Survival Online

25	Texas Prepper\'s Network

26	Preparedness and Response

27	Shepherd School

28	Stealth Survival

29	Save Our Skills

30	Be A Survivor

31	Bug-Out Survival

32	Total Survivalist Libertarian Rantfest

33	Doug Ritter

34	ATEP Emergency Preparedness Blog

35	Survival Joe

36	Preparedness Pro

37	The Just In Case Book Blog

38	TEOTWAWKI Blog

39

SHTF Blog

40	SHTF America

41	International Preparedness Network

42	Emergency Survival and Preparedness Blog

43	Code Name Bullseye

44	Keep It Simple Survival

45	Survival Times

46	Advanced Survival Guide

47	If It Hits The Fan

48	Survival Common Sense

49	Emergency Preparedness Blog

50	The Retreat

http://www.survivaltop50.com/

=> View these other great Survival Blogs that almost made the Top 50!

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What a fantastic resource you have compiled - BEST OF THE WEB!

Originally Posted by HAPPY2BME

What a fantastic resource you have compiled - BEST OF THE WEB!

I truely hope it helps somebody; I just dont know what else to do