The Survival Weekly Dispatch - Volume 11, Issue 14

Nobody got blinded by the eclipse, right?

Hey everyone, thanks for reading this week’s newsletter. Well, did everyone survive the 2024 Eclipse Apocalypse? Man, as April 8^th got closer and closer, I was seeing ever more outlandish predictions of what was going to happen. You’d think we were back in the Dark Ages or something.

We hit about 90% totality here, and I was surprised how bright it still was outside. The quality of the light was different though. My wife compared it to the difference between incandescent and fluorescent lights, which seemed pretty accurate to me. While the event isn’t something I’d have traveled to go see, it was neat to experience just in my backyard.

By the way, Area of Totality would be an awesome name for a band. Just sayin’….

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Prepper Tip -- If you’re going to put effort into stocking food for emergencies, then you should know what you’re up against.

Oxygen – if you can reduce/eliminate oxygen in the food, then you’ll reduce the possibility of spoilage.

Moisture – keep all of your food away from any sources of moisture, including humidity.

Heat – keep your shelf-stable food under 72°F. Cooler is better.

Sunlight – this increases temperature and UV light can degrade packaging. Keep your stored food in a dark location.

Pests – bugs, mice, and more are all going to be hunting for your food. Use pest-proof packaging. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to set out rodent traps in the area, too, just in case.

Boredom – resist the urge to binge eat your goodies. Quite often, we’re not hungry, we’re just bored.

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On the work front, I wrapped up almost everything for Backwoods Survival Guide 30, which comes out in September. This week and next, I’ll be working on our first annual Gear Guide, which comes out in October.

The next issues that will be out in stores will be Prepper Survival Guide 22, which lands in mid-May, and then our Natural Disasters special issue, which will come out toward the end of May.

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Our Real World Prepping group on Facebook has been growing by leaps and bounds lately. We’ve added about 200 new members in just the last few days. I’ve had several people comment either in the group or privately that they appreciate having a place on Facebook where they can find down to earth, practical discussions about preparedness, free of drama and nonsense.

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Speaking of practical, down to earth preparedness information, subscribers to my Patreon feed get that sort of content delivered right to their inbox on a regular basis. There are two levels to consider. The Basic tier gets three emails a week for $5/month. The Advanced tier gets a post delivered every single day for $8/month.

There is a Tip Jar tier for a buck a month, but that level doesn’t receive content. It was something Patreon set up automatically.

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My friend Daisy Luther has a great article here on the importance of actual learning, rather than just amassing knowledge for later.

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When I started writing books, I had list of people I hoped would read one or more of them. Some were well-known people I admired; others were lesser known but no less important to me. The latter included my favorite English teacher in high school, Mr. Sternberg. One of my all-time favorite reviews came from him, where he told me that he’d found nary a single use for his red pen whilst reading it.

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This is likely to be a pretty involved, lengthy project for many people, but it’s a good idea to get it done. If you don’t have one, invest in a decent scanner and start making digital copies of treasured photos. I don’t know about you, but between the photo albums I inherited from my parents and the ones my wife and I have from before digital photography became common, I’d say we’re looking at around 40 albums that are packed with photos. Some of the ones that were passed down to me when my dad passed are nearly 100 years old at this point.

If we had a house fire, there’s no way I’d risk my life to save these albums, as treasured as some of them may be. But by creating digital copies of them and then saving them to a thumb drive or external hard drive, they wouldn’t be lost forever. You don’t need to necessarily copy every single photo, either. You can pick and choose the ones that matter the most to you.

I recommend storing at least one of those electronic repositories somewhere other than at home, such as in a locked desk or toolbox at work, not unlike the home inventory we discussed in the last newsletter. The other you could keep in a fire-resistant safe at home. The goal here is to have copies of these photos that are protected from loss by fire or other disaster.

As a bonus, going through the photos is a fun way to revisit those memories.

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Our hike this week involved a visit to one of our favorite parks, about 30 minutes from home. I like it because it has dramatically varied topography as well as a nice little river running through it.

Survival Tip – Communication Clarity

One of the exercises we did at the Disaster Readiness class my wife and I attended a couple of weeks ago involved a simulated rescue. A few folding tables were stacked together, with two folding chairs set on top. The tables were sort of balanced on a couple of 2x4s. The main instructor tucked a ball cap underneath one corner to simulate a survivor, then he and another instructor sat on the chairs to add weight to the ensemble. The objective was to use levers of our own devising to lift the tables off the ground at least one foot high at the end with the hat, without collapsing everything back down on to it.

We broke into two teams, the idea being that one team would complete the exercise first, then the other would do it. As it turned out, most of the class ended up participating all at once. A group leader was appointed and she began to direct the team here and there, which worked great. Levers were made using lengths of 2x4 and some other scrap lumber. However, as the exercise went on, more and more people began talking and making suggestions or outright ordering others to do something. The end result was everyone shouting to be heard…and no one listening. Meanwhile, our survivor waited, and waited, and waited for rescue.

When this communication roadblock was mentioned, things quieted down and a new leader was appointed. Not because the original one had done anything wrong. The instructors just wanted to let someone else give it a try. She did okay, but her team got confused because as she walked around the pile of tables, she kept referring to whatever side was opposite her as the back. So, people weren’t sure of the directions she was giving as they didn’t know to whom she was speaking. “Okay, backside lift now!” Then she’d move to the other side of the pile and say the same thing, leading to both sides trying to life at the same time.

Listening is a vital part of communication, and it’s hard to do when you’re stressed. If you’re going to work with a team, it’s critical that everyone knows their role, and that includes the leader. In a high-stress situation, it’s absolutely vital that people follow instructions. Speak up if you see something amiss, absolutely, but everyone can’t talk at once.

At the same time, it’s important for you to be clear and concise when you do speak up. Use names, if possible, when referring to specific individuals. Speak loud enough for everyone to hear. You might go so far as to ask for confirmation of understanding. Someone’s life might depend on it.

Prepper Survival Guide and Backwoods Survival Guide

For those new to my little corner of the Internet, I am the Editor in Chief for both Prepper Survival Guide and Backwoods Survival Guide magazines. Here are the covers for the current issues that are available in stores right now. 

You can find them just about anywhere magazines are sold, including:

• Walmart

• Sam's Club

• Costco

• Publix

• Walgreens

• Rite Aid

• CVS

• Tractor Supply

• Fleet Farm

• Barnes & Noble

Subscriptions to both titles are available here.

Questions, Comments, Complaints, Concerns?

I am always just an email away - jim@survivalweekly.com.