Cyber Terrorism: We All May Be Living Off the Grid Soon

Sony Pictures has been hacked, and people are breathless as they pour over the leaked emails and other personal information. People love a scandal, but how the emails and other information were obtained, should scare everyone in the country, and make them think twice about what the future holds. As people devour the juicy details, are they asking themselves, who or what is next? It’s a large corporation today. Will it be a major city tomorrow?

Corporations and banks are being hacked almost daily it seems. Probes from hackers are ongoing. They search for weaknesses, and then exploit them. There are weaknesses in every system and some nations have so-called hacking teams that work around the clock.

All this information can add up to confusion and fear, and it does make people wonder what is coming next. Well there is always something next, some crisis, some disaster lurking in the shadows, but is it the big one, is it a doomsday scenario or Armageddon.

Those that predict that something will happen will see their prophecy come true at some point, because “something” always happens. Predicting something will happen tomorrow is the same as a sign hung in a bar offering “free whiskey tomorrow”, and when people show up tomorrow for the free whisky the bartenders shrugs and point to the sign that says free whisky tomorrow. Tomorrow always comes and yet there is always another tomorrow that will come after.

Predictions are easy, getting ready for what they are predicting is another matter entirely. However, when the proof is evident for all to see it is no longer a prediction, it is reality.

There are nations out there that very likely have the capability to shutdown the power grid in this country. Can they be stopped is one question, but regardless, you have to assume they cannot be stopped, because otherwise you would not prepare. The next question is if they do have the capability will they use it, again you have to assume they would.

Can We Even Prepare

Some truly believe they can live without electricity and live without all the technology that depends on electricity. Some of course can, but in reality, not many will be able to for an extended period.

You have to be able to survive long enough however, until the country recovers, and this means preparations must be ongoing. A well-stocked pantry is good, but you also need a plan for when the shelves are bare. Thinking you have enough right now is a mistake. You need renewable sources, because a stockpile of food and water does not reproduce itself, it shrinks, and you need a plan that replaces.

City dwellers will suffer the most because if a hacker decides to target the water treatment plant in your city then all public water is suspect and cannot be consumed or used for any purpose. Are you prepared if you awaken one morning and the blaring headlines are proclaiming that the city water is contaminated, or it has not been properly treated because the computers were compromised and the chlorine levels were tampered with?

We All Know What Needs to Be Done the Problem is Can We Do It

As you sit here and read this, you may think you can. The television is mumbling in the background, one of the kids is showering upstairs and the furnace is humming softly spilling out warm air.

You believe you can, and you probably have prepared to some extent, but most people prepare with a deadline in mind. Even with all the information out there, many still assume that when the power goes out it will come back on at some point, so they prepare thinking they know what the end game is, and that is that power is restored within a certain period.

Try going off grid for just a weekend, and you will see how difficult it is. Most everyone has endured a few hours, days or even a few weeks without electricity. You endured however, with the thought it will be back on any minute. 

Your electricity may be out and you can endure because power outages are typically localized. What happens when it is country or region wide? Transportation of every sort would stop, planes grounded and trains sitting idle and empty, gas stations and banks shuttered and grocery stores vacant.

You Have To Decide

You have to decide what it is you need to do and base it on known threats and we already know what some countries can do with a computer. Most city dwellers cannot just pick up and move to the countryside, where land is plentiful or so some think, and even if just a third of the people did do this, then there would no longer be rural areas. The reality is in most cases, where you live now is where you will have to survive a power grid failure.

Prepare based on the threat and your environment. You have to take measures if you do not have access to land and thus a private water source. No one is sure of anything however, because no one has had to live through a nationwide grid failure.

You prepare based on the facts available and common sense. One thing is for sure though. You will need provisions and the will, knowledge and skills to live for an extended period without technology. The country would recover from a destroyed power grid. How long it takes is the big question, because anyone can survive a few days, a few weeks and in some cases a few months, but a few years?

Many will die and the positive aspect is of course less competition for resources and those that do survive will be the stronger and in some cases the smartest among us. The ones that have what it takes to start rebuilding.

What does it feel like when the lights really go out and you know it is probably nationwide. Do you think you can now start preparing? There are no do over’s, if you do not have it now you will not have it when the lights go out.

http://prepforshtf.com/cyber-terrorism-may-living-off-grid-soon/#.VI32J9LF-So

Power outage sweeps downtown Detroit

The power has reportedly gone out at several building Tuesday morning in downtown Detroit.

Officials are investigating what caused the outage and have not yet offered an explanation. The power is reportedly out at several other major city buildings, such as the Joe Louis Arena and the Detroit Institute of Arts.

Detroit Fire Chief Jack Wiley told Fox 2 that all firehouses are experiencing power outages, but some have generators. He says many crews are responding to reports of people being stuck in elevators. The outage happened about 10:30 a.m.

Detroit-based DTE Energy Co., which often assists the city with power issues, says it's checking into the problem and would have information soon.

All Detroit Public Schools announced they are dismissing at their half-day dismissal times due to the massive outage.

Wayne State University has tweeted its classes are currently running as scheduled, although some buildings are without power.

An Easy Power-Out Prep

I lost my power for about an hour today (Saturday). No snow, no wind, no ice storm, no extended disaster, just some random bozo backing into a power pole. Noon on a non-rainy day, and Allegany Power had it fixed in under two hours. (Thanks, guys.) No big deal.

It DID make me think about what might happen as the weather gets worse (and wind-storms happen in the summer, too).

This $5-10 prep item was very handy at night a few years ago when the power was out for 2+ days.

You’ll need:

• A tall shelf or something else “up”
• The cheapest ‘full length mirror’ you can find at the megamart or a yard sale.
• A light source – candles, hurricane lamps, lantern, whatever.

Angle the mirror a little so it doesn’t fall over, and reflects light onto a light-color ceiling.
It’s not bright enough to read the fine print in a legal document, but it’s friendlier than darkness, and you won’t trip over the cat. 

http://survivalgeezer.com/an-easy-power-out-prep/

5 SECRETS TO SURVIVING A WINTER POWER OUTAGE

Many people love the natural beauty of a snowy day. However, a severe winter storm is something that very few people are happy to see coming. Not only does a winter storm bring traveling to a sudden halt, it could also cause a loss of power in the home. Failing to be properly prepared for a lack of electricity could lead to disastrous consequences. Here are five secrets to surviving a winter power outage.

Surviving a Winter Power Outage

Food & Water

When a winter storm is on the approach, it is always best to stock up on at least a couple cases of bottled water. This will ensure that everyone stays properly hydrated. It is also a good idea to fill the bath tub and large containers with water to use for purposes other than drinking. Instead of purchasing fresh or frozen foods, opt to buy non-perishable foods such as canned goods and dried fruit. Most canned meats and vegetables are safe to eat even if they are not heated.

Consider a Generator

When the lights go out, a generator will prove to be a very valuable power source. A professional electrician service such asTrim Electric will be able to install a generator kit in the home. The generator kit enables a portable generator to be safety connected to the home’s breaker box. This eliminates the need to run potentially hazardous extension cords from the exterior of the home. The generator can then be used for such things as powering space heaters, recharging cell phones, and providing electricity for cooking. However, be sure to have a fresh supply of fuel on hand.

Heating Source

If your home is already equipped with a gas heater or fireplace, you are already one step ahead of the game. Having an adequate supply of firewood will ensure that the fire will be able to last for several days. Under no circumstances should gas stoves be used to heat the interior of the home. Gas stoves have the potential to cause carbon monoxide poisoning.

Using the Toilet

Always keep a pail of water on standby. The toilet can be effectively flushed by pouring water directly into the bowl.

Staying Warm

To ensure that your body temperature remains as warm as possible, wear a head covering or hat to prevent heat from escaping from your head. It is also advisable to keep thermal blankets and sleeping bags on hand.

Source: doomsdaymoose.com

MR. HEATER

Homeland Security Warning: Russian Malware has infected Vital U.S. Infrastructure Systems

A bulletin from the Department of Homeland Security was issued this week warning that Russian Hackers have penetrated and inserted malware into some of the nation’s most vital infrastructure systems.
The Malware, which was inserted as part of a hacking campaign that dates back to 2011, has been found in software used to control industrial operations like oil and gas pipelines, power transmission grids, water distribution and filtration systems, wind turbines and even some nuclear plants. While sources say no attempts have been made to activate the Malware, cyber-security experts say the Malware is very advanced and could be used to trigger the shutdown of vital public utilities throughout the country.
Earlier this year, a similar attack infected computers at over 1, 000 energy companies in over 80 countries. That attack, which infected computers with a virus known as “Energetic Bear”, allowed hackers to take control of power plants and cripple their systems with the click of a mouse.
This new threat, allows hackers to take control of various industrial processes through infected computers. The hack became known to the industry last week when a DHS alert bulletin was issued by the agency’s Industrial Control Systems Cyber Emergency Response Team. The bulletin said the “BlackEnergy” penetration had been detected by several U.S. companies, and claimed it was the same malware used by a Russian cyber-espionage groups to target NATO and some energy and telecommunications companies in Europe earlier this year.

The Coming Cyber Wars

Last year I ran an article about the coming cyber wars; something U.S. officials have been quietly preparing for over the last couple of years. In 2013, the Obama administration conducted an internal review of how they could use cyber-warfare to preemptively attack countries who posed a threat to our “national security interests.”
President Obama is known to have approved the use of cyber-weapons on at least one occasion, when he ordered a series of cyber-attacks against Iran’s nuclear enrichment facilities. The operation, which began under President George Bush, was accelerated as soon an Obama took office. Some experts see this current attack as an escalation of the coming cyber-wars; with one DHS official telling ABC News the Malware was probably placed “in key U.S. systems as a threat, and/or as a deterrent to a U.S. cyber-attack on Russian systems – mutually assured destruction.”

What Experts say about the Threat

The truth is this threat really isn’t anything new. If you ask most cyber-security experts they will tell you that we’re under constant attack 24/7, 365 days a year. In fact, in 2012 I interviewed Cyber-Terrorism expert and member of the US Secret Service Electronic Crimes Task Force, Damon Petraglia. In the interview Damon told me that “We have been attacked, and we are under attack 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Our military systems are probed in excess of hundreds of thousands of times per hour. Our private industry can claim similar statistics.”
He advised our readers back then to start taking steps to prepare themselves; including making preparations for extended periods of time without adequate food, water supplies and access to emergency services. If you haven’t taken steps to prepare for this threat, you need to consider how bad things might get if we ever face a full-scale attack.
According to Frank Gaffney, a spokesman for the Center for Security Policy, within a year of an attack that took out our power grid “nine out of 10 Americans would be dead, because we can’t support a population of the present size in urban centers and the like without electricity.” While that number may seem unbelievably high, former CIA Bureau Chief Claire Lopez has also warned that “Within one year, it is estimated that 9 out of 10 of all Americans would be dead.”

What can you do to Prepare for a grid-down attack?

In my book, The Ultimate Situational Survival Guide, I devote a lot of time to this specific topic. As we become increasingly dependent on technology, I believe it’s only a matter of time before we are all affected by our dependence.
Increase your Food & Water Supplies NOW: During a prolonged crisis, food and water are going to be some of the most important survival items you can have. Our entire food delivery system is incredibly dependent on computers and electricity; if something were to take down our vital infrastructure, almost instantly you will start to see major shortages and supply chain problems. Now is the time to stock up on long-term food and water.
Learn how to Cook from Scratch & how to do it without Power: If you’re serious about preparedness, learning how to cook from scratch is something you cannot afford to ignore. In order to successfully build a stockpile of emergency food, you’re going to need to learn how to cook, and you’re going to need to learn how to do it with basic ingredients.
Stock up on Firearms: During any type of crisis situation, security is going to be one of your top concerns. During a grid-down scenario people are going to be going crazy; social unrest will be one of the top threats you’ll face. The unprepared masses are going to be a threat to your safety.
Stock up on Backup Power. Small solar chargers, and battery backups, have all come down in price over the last couple of years. For a couple hundred dollars you can ensure you’re ability to power things like tablets (that can be packed full of survival books and essential files), Ham radios and emergency communication devices, flashlights, and a number of other helpful electronic devices.

http://offgridsurvival.com/homeland-security-warning-russian-malware-has-infected-vital-u-s-infrastructure-systems/

“Grid Jihad”: What If You Had a Week to Prep for the End of the World?

With September 11 fast approaching, so too does the risk of another terrorist attack on US soil.
They say this every year as the date approaches, but in 2014, it seems to carry a bit more weight than it has during other years.
I’m referring specifically to all of those beheadings and the crazy video threat that warned, “We will drown all of you in blood“. I’d say that ISIS could either be behind a potential attack or be set up as the fear-flavor of the month and be blamed for such an attack.
As for the type of attack, security experts are warning that our vulnerable power grid is an extremely likely target. Paul Bedard of the Washington Examiner wrote:

Former top government officials who have been warning Washington about the vulnerability of the nation’s largely unprotected electric grid are raising new fears that troops from the jihadist Islamic State are poised to attack the system, leading to a power crisis that could kill millions.
“Inadequate grid security, a porous U.S.-Mexico border, and fragile transmission systems make the electric grid a target for ISIS,” said Peter Pry, one of the nation’s leading experts on the grid.
Others joining Pry at a press conference later Wednesday to draw attention to the potential threat said that if just a handful of the nation’s high voltage transformers were knocked out, blackouts would occur across the country.
“By one estimate, should the power go out and stay out for over a year, nine out of 10 Americans would likely perish,” said Frank Gaffney, founder and president of the Center for Security Policy in Washington.
At the afternoon press conference, Gaffney dubbed the potential crisis the “grid jihad.” (source)

Anyone involved in the preparedness community is well aware of the disaster that would befall our country should our power-dependent populace no longer have light, climate control, and running water with the flip of a switch or turn of a handle. In his book, One Second After, William Forstchen wrote a fictional account of an EMP attack on our country and that book is the very thing that brought many of us over to the “prepped” side. His newest book, Day of Wrath, could be likewise prescient. It was written about a devastating ISIS terror attack on American soil.
In the press conference Wednesday, Peter Pry warned that Obama’s open border policy could be the weak point that allows the country to be infiltrated, with potentially devastating consequences.

Pry provided details of recent attacks on electricity systems and said that ISIS could easily team with Mexican drug cartels to ravage America.
He told Secrets, for example, that the Knights Templar drug gang blacked out the electric grid of the Mexican state of Michoacan in 2013 to provide cover for killing those fighting the drug trade.
“The Knights Templars and other criminal gangs in Mexico will do anything for money, and ISIS, the richest terrorist organization in history, has hundreds of millions of dollars at its disposal,” said Pry.
“ISIS could hire one of the Mexican cartels, or one of their criminal gangs already in the U.S., or activate jihadist terror cells already in the U.S., and inflict a multi-state blackout immediately, within days or weeks. Perhaps even a nationwide blackout,” Pry explained to Secrets.
“I am not saying it is likely they will do so. But given the capabilities and objectives of ISIS and our obvious vulnerabilities, it would be foolish to ignore the threat to the grid, to regard the threat as unlikely. Our planning should be based on imminent asymmetrical threats, and not assume that another 9/11 large-scale attack is years away,” he added.
The Texas Department of Public Safety recently said they believe there is evidence that ISIS plans an attack. (source)

Enough about the “maybes” and the “hows”. (You can go HERE for an in-depth article about EMP attacks.) Unless you happen to be a highly placed government official reading this article, there isn’t a lot that you could do to prevent it. All you can do is be prepared to survive the aftermath, so this article deals with the “what ifs” and the “are you readies”.

Are You Ready for Grid Failure?

This is a topic that I’ve written about frequently, because a power outage aids and abets the chaos caused by so many different disasters. It doesn’t honestly matter HOW the grid goes down. A long-term grid collapse will result in an extremely high death toll. People will starve, freeze, perish of thirst, or die of sanitation related illnesses. Some will expire from medical causes that can’t be treated properly without power. Others will die because life-saving medication is no longer available. Civil unrest will unleash the very worst in human nature. However, we can prepare for many of these hazards.

If you are already of the preparedness mindset, you’ll fare better than the average North American. Here are the questions you need to contemplate:

• How will you get food if the grocery stores are closed?
• How will you cook food if you are able to acquire it?
• What will happen to the perishable food in your refrigerator and freezer?
• How will you heat or cool your home if you are in an area subject to extreme temperatures?
• What will you use for light once the scented candle that sits on your coffee table is gone?
• How will you transport yourself if a) your vehicle doesn’t run because the computers are fried or b) it runs but you can’t get gas because the pumps at the station run on electricity?
• What will you drink and wash with if the municipal water facilities are no longer providing water or if the pump on your well runs on electricity?
• How will you dispose of waste, human and other?

Find as many solutions as possible for the issues you would face if going for weeks (or longer) without power. You must stay warm, eat, and drink. Everything else is a bonus. You can live without the television, the video game console, the microwave in the kitchen, and the laptop.

I know that some of you are reading this with a fatalistic attitude. You are mentally making lists of why you can’t resolve these issues. Maybe you live in an apartment, you rent so you are limited to what you can do with your home, you have a limited budget, you live in the city or your mama’s basement.

Well, if that’s the way you’re thinking, then you’re probably right – you won’t survive. Survival demands a can-do attitude 0r, on occasion, the fluke of pure dumb luck. If you realize these things are necessary and you still refuse to find solutions for your particular situation, you are setting your family up to suffer, and possibly even die, when it could be avoided. When I first became involved in preparedness, I lived in an urban area with a population in the millions. I rented. And I prepared to the very best of my ability because I knew I couldn’t live with myself if my children suffered because I had failed to do what was necessary beforehand.

What if you knew the world would end one week from today?

So here’s my question. If you absolutely knew that the world as we know it right now was coming to an end in a week…on September 11, 2014, what would you do?

Modify the following suggestions to adapt them to your particular home, family, and climate.

Water

Everyone knows that clean drinking water is something you can’t live without. In the event of a disaster, the water may not run from the taps, and if it does, it might not be safe to drink, depending on the situation. If there is a boil order in place, remember that if the power is out, boiling your water may not be as easy as turning on your stove.

Each family should store a two week supply of water. The rule of thumb for drinking water is 1 gallon per day, per person. Don’t forget to stock water for your pets, also. This does not include water for hygiene purposes. You’ll want to store additional water for that as well.

You can create your water supply very inexpensively. Many people use clean 2 liter soda pop bottles to store tap water. Others purchase the large 5 gallon water bottles and either a top-loading water dispenser or a manual pump for the top of the jug. Consider a gravity fed water filtration device and Water Purification Tablets as well.

Food and a Way to Prepare It

There are two schools of thought regarding food during a power outage. One: you need a cooking method that does not require the grid to be functioning. Two: you can store food that doesn’t require cooking.

If you opt for a secondary cooking method, be sure that you have enough fuel to last for a while. Store foods that do not require long cooking times – for example, dried beans would use a great deal of fuel, but canned beans could be warmed up, or even eaten cold. A rocket stove that can use many different types of fuel is an excellent and flexible choice.

The Volcano 3 is an excellent quality choice, and Swiss Army stove is an inexpensive choice for those on a tight budget.

Click HERE for a short term food storage list

Click HERE to find a list of foods that require no cooking.

Heat (Depending on Your Climate)

If your power outage takes place in the winter and you live in a colder climate, heat is another necessity. During the first 24 hours after a power outage, you can stay fairly warm if you block off one room of the house for everyone to group together in. Keep the door closed and keep a towel or blanket folded along the bottom of the door to conserve warmth. You can safely burn a couple of candles also, and in the enclosed space, your body heat will keep it relatively warm. As well, dress in layers and keep everything covered – wear a hat, gloves (fingerless ones allow you to still function), and a scarf.

Click HERE to learn how to stay warm with less heat.

However, after about 48 hours, that’s not going to be enough in very cold weather. You will require back-up heat at this point in certain climates. If you are lucky enough to have a source of heat like a fireplace or woodstove, you’ll be just fine as long as you have a supply of wood.

Consider a portable indoor-safe propane heater (and propane) or an oil heater. You have to be very careful what type of backup heat you plan on using, as many of them can cause carbon monoxide poisoning if used in a poorly ventilated area. Make sure to have CO monitors that will work without electrical power.

Learn more about off-grid heat options HERE.

Sanitation Needs

A common cause of illness, and even death, during a down-grid situation is lack of sanitation. We’ve discussed the importance of clean drinking water, but you won’t want to use your drinking water to keep things clean or to flush the toilet.

To conserve precious water, reduce your need to wash things. Stock up on paper plates, paper towels, and disposable cups and flatware. Keep some disinfecting cleaning wipes and sprays. I don’t recommend using antibacterial products on a regular basis, however in the event of an emergency they can help to keep you healthy. Use hand sanitizerafter using the bathroom and before handing food or beverages – there can be a lot more germs afoot in a disaster.

Look at your options for sanitation. Does your toilet still flush when the electricity is out? Many people discovered the hard way that the toilets didn’t work when the sewage backed up in the highrises in New York City in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. When we lived in our cabin in Ontario, the toilet wouldn’t flush without power because the pump is electric. If you are on a septic system, you can safely flush by pouring water into the tank. However, if you use city sanitation, you run the risk of sewage backing up into your home.

If flushing is not an option, another solution is to stock up on extremely heavy duty garbage bags (like the kind that contractors use at construction sites) and kitty litter. Place a bag either in your drained toilet or in a bucket. Sprinkle some kitty litter in the bottom of the bag. Each time someone uses the bathroom, add another handful of litter. Be very careful that the bag doesn’t get too heavy for you to handle it. Tie it up very securely and store it outside until services are restored. If services are not restored in a reasonable amount of time, make plans to bury or dispose of the waste safely.

Light

Lighting is absolutely vital, especially if there are children in the house. Nothing is more frightening than being completely in the dark during a stressful situation. Fortunately, it’s one of the easiest things to plan for, as well as one of the least expensive.

Some lighting solutions are:

• Garden stake solar lights
• Candles
• Kerosene lamps
• Flashlights (don’t forget batteries)
• Hand crank camping lantern (This one is bright and inexpensive)
• Don’t forget matches or lighters

Tools and Supplies

Some basic items will make your life much easier during an emergency. Here are some things that are essential in the event of a power outage:

• Lighter/waterproof matches
• Batteries in various sizes
• Manual can opener
• Basic tools: Pliers, screwdriver, wrench, hammer
• Duct tape
• Crazy glue
• Sewing supplies
• Bungee cords
• WD40 or other lubricant

If you’d like to expand on the basic supplies, a more detailed list of tools and hardware can be found HERE.

First Aid Kit

It’s important to have a basic first aid kit on hand at all times, but particularly in the event of an emergency. Your kit should include basic wound care items like bandages, antibiotic ointments, and sprays. As well, if you use them, keep on hand a supply of basic over-the-counter medications, like pain relief capsules, cold medicine, cough syrup, anti-nausea pills, and allergy medication. Particularly important if sanitation is a problem are anti-diarheal medications.

This first responder kit is a good, pre-packed kit for injuries. Medications would need to be purchased separately. If you want to put together a more advanced medical kit, you can find a list HERE.

Special Needs

This is something that will be unique to every family. Consider the things that are needed on a daily basis in your household. It might be prescription medications, diapers, or special foods. If you have pets, you’ll need supplies for them too. The best way to figure out what you need is to jot things down as you use them over the course of a couple of days or so.

Self-Defense

If you can’t protect it, it isn’t really yours. This adage is doubly true in the event of civil unrest. We only have to look back a few short weeks at the chaos in Ferguson, Missouri to confirm that the businesses that were not looted by rioters run amok were the ones in which the owners stood, armed and ready, prepared to defend their property. The lessons we learned from Ferguson can easily be applied to a grid-down scenario, and we can multiply the desperation by about a thousand times, because it won’t merely be thugs romping through the streets and reveling in the chaos. It will be the parents of hungry children. It will be criminals who no longer fear being caught. It will be people who can no longer access psychiatric medications upon which they are dependent. It will be utter and complete lawlessness, driven by fear.
The best advice is to lay low, but if the fight comes to you, you absolutely must be prepared to defend your home and family by any means necessary. Read this article to learn more about prepping for civil unrest.

The Nuclear Threat

A dire concern that is often overlooked in discussions of EMP or grid-down preparedness is the threat of our nuclear power plants going full-out Fukushima on us. I guess part of the reason that I don’t write much about it is because there is honestly a limit to what we can do to be prepared for this. If all of our plants melted down simultaneously, the lack of refrigeration or firewood would be the least of our worries. We, the average folks, cannot control anything about these facilities, so our options are to control what we can – our personal environments.
Tess Pennington of Ready Nutrition shared the following very viable suggestions of what to do if you are exposed to nuclear radiation:

Radioactive ionic particles attach themselves to dust floating in the air. Therefore, it can be ingested, inhaled or absorbed through the skin. If you are told to evacuate or bug in due to a nuclear disaster, keep the following points in mind:

1. If you are driving, keep the car windows and vents closed, and use recirculating air.
2. Due to the fear of panic and gridlock that will ensue from mass evacuations, most governments will delay mandatory evacuations until the last minute. This will only cause mass confusion and chaos at gas stations, grocery stores and on the streets. The best way to prevent this, is to stay ahead of the crowd and prepare ahead of time.
3. If told to stay indoors, turn off the air conditioner and other air intakes and go to a basement. Seal basement windows and entrances to prevent fallout from getting inside. If you go outside, you will need to remove your outer clothing before coming inside the shelter.
4. Likewise, creating a sealed area near the entrance of the shelter will prevent fallout dust from entering. Seal the entryway with blankets, bubble wrap or plastic sheeting to prevent the dust from coming in. Have water and baby shampoo near the entrance to wash and thoroughly rinse any exposed skin and hair. Exposure to fallout radiation does not make you radioactive, but you need to assure that you don’t bring any inside. Some experts suggest having a rain poncho to take on and off when you go outside.
5. To go a step further, covering the windows wood, then sandbags followed by masonry bricks will create a multi-layered protection against you and radioactive particles.
6. If you find yourself outdoors when a nuclear blast occurs, duck and cover for 2 minutes. You will first see a blinding light followed by tornado force winds and dangerous. When all danger is gone, seek shelter immediately. Remove your clothing at the door and place in a sealed plastic bag. You can remove 80% of the particles by removing your clothing. Showering immediately following exposure is another way to remove the remaining particles.
7. If you have signs of radiation on skin soak in a tub of equal parts baking soda, apple cider vinegar and epsom salt. Skin brushing can be very beneficial, because the skin is a primary avenue for detoxification – scrub along with the lungs, kidneys, liver, and colon. An unused vegetable brush would be very helpful with this process.
8. Getting caught out in the rain can also cause you to have more exposure to radioactive particles. If you do have to go out in the rain, completely cover yourself. Experts are suggesting that if your clothes get wet to take them off and seal them in a plastic bag, immediately shower and change clothing. (The detox bath solution and skin brushing would be good here. If radioactive materials get on your skin, burns and blistering can occur.Note: If you are exposed to radioactive particles, you will also need to get your urine tested for traces of cessium at your local medical center.
9. When fallout is first anticipated, but has not yet arrived, anyone not already sheltered should begin using their N95 particulate respirator masks and hooded rain ponchos. Everyone should begin taking Potassium Iodide (KI) or Potassium Iodate (KIO3) tablets for thyroid protection against cancer causing radioactive iodine, a major product of nuclear weapons explosions. If no tablets are available, you can topically (on the skin) apply an iodine solution, such as a tincture of iodine or Betadine, for a similar protective effect. (WARNING: Iodine solutions are NEVER to be ingested or swallowed.) Absorption through the skin is not as reliable a dosing method as using the tablets, but tests show that it will still be very effective for most. Do not use if allergic to iodine. If at all possible, inquire of your doctor NOW if there is any reason why anybody in your household should not use KI or KIO3 tablets, or iodine solutions on their skin, in a future nuclear emergency, just to be sure.For adults, paint 8 ml of a 2 percent tincture of Iodine on the abdomen or forearm each day, ideally at least 2 hours prior to possible exposure.
10. For children 3 to 18, but under 150 pounds, only half that amount painted on daily, or 4 ml. For children under 3 but older than a month, half again, or 2 ml.
11. For newborns to 1 month old, half it again, or just 1 ml. (One measuring teaspoon is about 5 ml, if you don’t have a medicine dropper graduated in ml.) If your iodine is stronger than 2%, reduce the dosage accordingly.
12. When you know that the time to take protective action is approaching, turn off all the utilities into the house, check that everything is sealed up and locked down, and head for the shelter. You should also have near your shelter fire extinguishers and additional tools, building supplies, sheet plastic, staple guns, etc. for sealing any holes from damage. Your basement should already be very well sealed against fallout drifting inside. Now, you’ll need to seal around the last door you use to enter with duct tape all around the edges, especially if it’s a direct to the outside door.
13. Do not use the telephone unless absolutely necessary. Staying on the phone will congest phone lines making it impossible for others in your area to make or receive calls.

Read the rest of her very thorough article on the topic HERE.

Get Started Today

It may feel very overwhelming, the thought that the world as we know it could end in 7 days. We all hope this “grid jihad” business is nothing more than a scare tactic, a way to prey upon our fears. But what if it isn’t? How would you feel, having been warned, if you did nothing to prepare for it and it happened?

You can start right now – this very minute – all you have to do is grab a pad of paper and a pen.

1. Begin by personalizing the suggestions above to fit your family’s needs and make a list of your requirements.
2. Next, do a quick inventory – as I mentioned above, you may be surprised to see that you already have quite a few of the supplies that are recommended.
3. Make a shopping list and acquire the rest of the items you need. If you can’t afford everything right now, prioritize the most important things first.
4. Organize your supplies so that they are easily accessible when you need them. It’s hard to find seldom-used items in the dark.

www.theorganicprepper.ca/grid-jihad-what-if-you-had-a-week-to-prep-for-the-end-of-the-world-09042014#sthash.w7QMaWv0.dpuf

What Really Happens When the Lights Go Out: Grid down Indefinitely

For those of you prepared, a grid collapse is no surprise, but it will still be a shock, and it will be worse than you imagined. Even though you think you are ready, there is no history, no past experiences for comparison because this has never happened before. You will never know if you are ready until it happens.

The three nationwide power grids have been compromised. This is all you know at this point. The hums and whirs of machinery are gone, the vibrations of life sustaining electricity have ceased.
For those with their head in the sand will naturally assume it is a temporary outage, like all the times in the past. Some cellular service is still available but the volume of traffic is overwhelming and calls cannot be made. Some are already having anxiety attacks because they do not have access to their cell phones and computers.

Ham radio operators are trying to get the word out, but at this point, they are preaching to the choir, because those that had their head in the sand have no idea what a Ham Radio even is.

After 24 hours, people are getting concerned because they do not have any information. When is the power going to be back on, and why do I not see any utility trucks on my street. The utility companies across the country know the grid that services their area is essentially destroyed, not in a physical sense, but because of the damage done by either hackers or a virus that has shut down the entire system. The problem is not fully defined yet and there are certainly no solutions at this point. Grid down indefinably, until further notice.

Water treatment plants are not operational their backup generators have run out of fuel and they have no way or replenishing the fuel. People have been drinking their tap water without realizing that water treatment plants have been off line. People simply do not understand the level of dependency they have on their local, state and federal governments until the government stops providing. The nation’s power grid is down and the government has now stopped providing for the time being.
Stoplights do not work but this does not stop people from racing up and down the highways looking for answers and trying to prepare for what has already happened. A day late and a dollar short when it comes to being prepared, a little too late indeed.

Intersections are a tangled mess of damaged cars and injured people, because people drive faster when they panic, getting there at all is never the objective, but just to drive until you find a solution is the thoughts of some.

Grocery stores are overwhelmed, and those stores that tried to close are ransacked for perishable items that will be taken home to spoil on some kitchen counter. Pharmacies will be raided for life saving drugs and for drugs to sell. Every crisis brings out those looking to make money and people will spend hours of thought coming up with moneymaking schemes to fit any calamity.

Darkness

Some people have never been in complete darkness, they never had a reason to be. There have always been lights, streetlights, light spilling from a neighbor’s home as you played outside, the glow from a neighboring town always lit up the horizon, and you grew up not knowing what complete darkness is. There are lights from cell phones, computer screens, vehicles, buses, taxies and lights from businesses lighting up the city every night, all night. Who has experienced complete darkness, well now everyone will experience it?

Looters will of course be out in full force the first night of darkness, but even they will sense something is not right. Prehistoric humans realized the need for shelter at night and made it a priority. Today humans like to think they are apex predators, but there is not as much need anymore.

Evolution over time adapts humans and other life to the environment in which they survive.
Most people do not need to be a predator. Food is handed to them in grocery stores, restaurants and at food banks. For the most part you can walk out your front door and not be accosted by other predators, ones bigger than you are, well that is until possibly now.

Once the darkness is complete, people will change and those ancient predators still among us will begin to hunt, and in others, in the lizard part of their brains, things will change and humans will almost immediately begin to adapt to their environment.

A crisis will bring out the best and the worst in people. After three days, the citizens in many of the cities will be demanding answers, and demonstrating to show their displeasure. Riots may break out in small pockets here and there, but people will be afraid, and most will realize that demonstrations are not the answer. Something or someone has failed them and they know it, and they sense the country has changed already.

Those not prepared will suffer mightily, and no one will be there to help, nor will most even care, because once the lizard part of your brain tells you it is survival of the fittest and natural selection is at play compassion is only reserved for loved ones.

People will in the beginning naturally see to their families and themselves first. It will take months of no electricity before people come together to try to solve the problems besieging their cities and communities.

The problem is simple however, and the solution even simpler, learn to move forward without the benefits of electricity. People did it for thousands of years, and if the grid does collapse, people will have to do it again. There is simply no substitute, so the answer is to learn to live without it, for the time being anyway.

http://prepforshtf.com/really-happens-lights-go-grid-indefinitely/

What If The Electrical Power Grid Goes Down? How Preppers Think And Prepare

Even if you’re not a “Doomsday Prepper” yourself, you probably would appreciate knowing how these survival experts plan and prepare to live without electricity if the electrical power grid goes down.



If you are prepared for a major catastrophe like living without power for an extended period of time, then suffering the inconveniences of a few days without power or even a week or more (like the Hurricane Sandy victims) should be a piece of cake.

You might be surprised that preparing for a return to the 19th century if the national power grid is fried indefinitely will not necessarily serve you so well if you just suffer a local outage. The reason is that preparing for a life without electricity is a lot different than preparing for what amounts to being a campout, if your neighborhood power is out for a day or two.

If you lose power for a short period of time and it is localized, then spending a few hundred dollars on a gas powered backup generator is a move that you will be glad you made. You can drive to a gas station that has electricity to pump gas, fill your tank and your generator will keep your refrigerator cold and your house lit.

However, if the national power grid goes down, then the money you spend on the generator will not be a wise investment, because as soon as you run out of gas, you won’t be able to get more.

A prepper or a survivalist thinks in terms of learning skills and techniques to be able to get by with much less instead of trying to maintain his current lifestyle. It’s far better to know how to light your home without power than it is to try to “stockpile” power. After all, how much can you stockpile?
So a prepper will have a good supply of LED flashlights and batteries to get him through the first week of a power outage. But then he will also have a solar charger for his rechargeable batteries so that he can go on indefinitely.

A prepper or a survivalist uses family vacations to “rough it” an a campsite without taking along an RV that is hooked up to electricity. Instead, he prides himself on how well he has developed his skills to be just as comfortable without electricity, and not minding the tiny inconveniences.

So the difference comes down to something you can learn from the old saying “Give a man a fish and he’ll eat for a day, but teach him how to fish and he’ll eat all his life.” Taking the first steps to learn how to prepare for a power outage by learning a skill or two pays much greater dividends than just trying to “buy your way” out of it with a power generator.

http://www.bioprepper.com/2014/08/11/what-if-the-electrical-power-grid-goes-down-how-preppers-think-and-prepare/