Cobb - The preppers complete book of disaster readiness: life-saving skills, supplies, tactics and plans

Life-Saving Skills, Supplies

Tactics and Plans

Jim Cobb

Ulysses Press

Text copyright 2013 Jim Cobb. Design and concept 2013 Ulysses Press and its licensors. All rights reserved. Any unauthorized duplication in whole or in part or dissemination of this edition by any means (including but not limited to photocopying, electronic devices, digital versions, and the Internet) will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

Published in the U.S. by

ULYSSES PRESS

P.O. Box 3440

Berkeley, CA 94703

www.ulyssespress.com

ISBN: 978-1-61243-259-5

Library of Congress Control Number 2013938628

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Acquisitions Editor: Keith Riegert

Project Editor: Alice Riegert

Managing Editor: Claire Chun

Editor: Bill Cassel

Proofreader: Barbara Schultz

Indexer: Sayre Van Young

Cover design: what!design @ whatweb.com

Layout: Lindsay Tamura

Photo credits: see page 261

Distributed by Publishers Group West

NOTE TO READERS: This book is independently authored and published and no sponsorship or endorsement of this book by, and no affiliation with, any trademarked product mentioned or pictured within is claimed or suggested. All trademarks that appear in the text, illustrations or photographs in this book belong to their respective owners and are used here for informational purposes only. The author and publisher encourage readers to patronize the recommended products mentioned and pictured in this book. This book has been written and published strictly for informational purposes, and in no way should be used as a substitute for actual instruction with qualified professionals. The author and publisher are providing you with information in this work so that you can have the knowledge and can choose, at your own risk, to act on that knowledge. The author and publisher also urge all readers to be aware of their health status, to consult local fish and game laws, and to consult health care and outdoor professionals before engaging in any potentially hazardous activity. Any use of the information in this book is made on the readers good judgment. The author and publisher assume no liability for personal injury to the reader or others harmed by the reader, property damage, consequential damage or loss, however caused, from using the information in this book.

To Tammy 333 x infinity + 1.

Contents

This was not an easy book to write. If you dont believe me, ask anyone in my family. There were many times I was hunched over the keyboard while my boys ate tuna casserole for dinner yet again.

Thank you, my sons, for being patient with me as I took so much time to complete this book. I love each of you very much.

To my wife, Tammy, thank you as well for giving me the time to write when I needed it. Rest assured, Ill be certain to keep you in the loop on the next one. I think I finally have this stuff figured out!

To my amigo, Chris Golden, I cannot begin to describe just how important your wise counsel has been. You are a Texan through and through.

My deepest appreciation to those who contributed material to this bookDr. Joe Alton and his lovely wife Amy, Creek Stewart, Scott Williams, and Peggy Layton. The information and articles you each provided made this book become so much better. Thank you.

To all of my Survival Weekly Facebook friends, you guys and gals rock! It is because of folks like Sean, Jed, Alan, Dee Dee, Clayton, and all the rest of you that makes this so much more fun. Next rounds on me!

Finally, to my extremely patient editor Alice Riegert, as well as the rest of the team at Ulyssesthank you for everything. I promise, the next one will be easier!

My apologies to anyone I may have forgotten. Smack me upside the head when next we meet.

Today more than ever, the need for disaster readiness and preparedness is apparent to those who have opened their eyes to reality and given thought to just how fragile modern society has become. As our technology becomes more complex and we become more and more dependent upon it, any disruption of the complex lifestyle we have built can have consequences far more severe than mere inconvenience. Such disruptions can range from local to regional or beyond, and can be caused by any number of natural or man-made events, from catastrophic storms or geological disturbances to terror attack or widespread civil unrest.

The average family or individual lives under the assumption that instantaneous communications, high-speed transportation, and grocery stores full of every imaginable kind of food will always be available. They assume that police and the military will protect them, and that medical help for any sickness or injury is just a phone call and an ambulance ride away. Most people barely have enough food and other essentials in their homes to sustain life for a few days, much less for the duration of a severe crisis. Many of these people are either unaware of the potential for disasters that would overwhelm the authorities they have learned to depend on, or else they choose to ignore the possibility and just hope it doesnt happen to them.

For those who do wish to learn what they can to do to give themselves and their loved ones a better chance of survival, Jim Cobb has written The Preppers Complete Book of Disaster Readiness. Following up on his excellent Preppers Home Defense, in this book Jim offers a comprehensive manual for all aspects of planning and preparedness for a large-scale catastrophe.

Included in these pages are both the why-two and how-to aspects of everything from security and food storage to bugging out vs. sheltering in place. Jim writes in a conversational style that keeps the reader interested, and as with his popular Survival Weekly blog, he refrains from the political discourses that are common among many writers on this topic. Survival is not the exclusive right of any particular political organization or religious affiliation. The right to liveand to defend and protect your loved onesis the most fundamental of all rights, and if you want to make sure you have the edge should the worst happen, The Preppers Complete Book of Disaster Readiness is a great place to start.

Scott B. Williams

It was October 1999. I was awoken in the early morning hours by my darling bride, who is pregnant with our first child. As I recall, the conversation went something like this:

Honey, wake up! Its time!

Mffrrff...

You need to call the doctor. We have to head to the hospital.

Huh? Whatre you talking about? Whats going on?

Well, either my water just broke or the dog peed on the floor. Either way, you need to get up. One of the many things I love about my wife is her grace under pressure.

It finally sank in that my wife is in labor. I jumped out of bed and go to the phone. We had seen our doctor a few days prior for a regular prenatal appointment. My wife wasnt due to give birth for a few more weeks. The doctor had checked his schedule to make sure he wasnt going to be out of town during that time. He had given us his pager number and said to give him a call when my wife went into labor.

The doctor called me back within a few minutes. I told him about the water breaking and he said to grab our bags and head to the hospital.