Survival Saturday – Feb. 6, 2016

By Daisy Luther

These are the things preppers should be paying attention to this week: a looming radioactive disaster in America, a horrifying earthquake that decimated highrise buildings, and a new policy that flings open the gates of our borders for immigrants.

Survival Saturday is  a round-up of products, the week’s news, and recommended reading material for folks who are interested in being prepared.

This Week’s Products

With the methane leak in LA spewing radioactive material (see the story below) it might be time to add some anti-radiation supplies to your preps. As well, these items will help prep you for events like airborne radiation from a nuclear reactor meltdown or an EMP blast.

• Potassium Iodide Tablets
• Spirulina Powder
• Protective gas mask
• Portable Geiger Counter

Bentonite Clay

Calcium Bentonite clay is a natural substance that actually absorbs radiation.  According to the website, About Clay, “Calcium Bentonite Clay has a uniquely strong negative ionic charge. When activated with water it works like a strong magnet, adsorbing and absorbing anything with a positive ionic charge (i.e., toxins, pesticides, radiation). The clay captures these substances and removes them as it is eliminated or washed off.”

To wash produce with Bentonite Clay:  Mix 1 part Calcium Bentonite Clay to 8 parts of purified water in a large non-metallic bowl. Toss your produce in this clay water, making certain the produce is completely covered, and let it sit for 10 minutes.  Rinse well with more purified water.

For additional protection, peel thin-skinned fruits like peaches and apples after washing them.

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This Week in Preparedness

That methane gas leak near LA isn’t just methane.  In one of the scariest tidbits of the week, it has been discovered that the positively enormous methane gas leak threatening neighborhoods near Los Angeles is even worse than originally presumed…the substance spewing into the air is radioactive. This infrared photo shows exactly how much of the toxic substance is constantly spewing into the air.

It is entirely possible that the illnesses being experienced by people in the area are radiation poisoning. While the experts seem to think the only threat is to those within a 10-mile radius, one must wonder if this will be another episode on the level of Fukushima. Learning more about radiation and how to protect yourself from it is the wisest course of action, even if you are far outside of that danger zone. The leak of 110,000 pounds per hour originates 8000 feet below the surface of the earth and shows no sign of being contained anytime soon, although the governor’s office of emergency services seems optimistic and believes there is no risk to human health.

This video (from before the radiation levels were discovered) discusses the environmental devastation we’re facing from this disaster:

Now, to ice the disaster cupcake, here’s why there’s radiation seeping out. Here’s the sordid history of the Simi Valley and why a nuclear horror could be unfolding in California.

An enormous 6.4 magnitude earthquake rocked southern Taiwan in the middle of the night. The highly populated area is home to multiple high-rise buildings. One high-rise apartment building was the scene of most of the earthquake’s casualties when it collapsed. At the time of posting, 14 people had been confirmed dead, 172 are still missing, and thousands have been injured.  The building also contained a care center for new mothers and their babies, and a newborn was one of the victims. Rescuers have been working nonstop and have pulled 243 people out of the rubble. In total, 9 buildings collapsed entirely and five others careened in Tainan, the capital city of Taiwan.

This horrifying picture was posted by a Twitter user shortly after the quake.

In her book, The Unthinkable, Amanda Ripley wrote about why some people survive disasters like this and some do not. People’s mindsets meant the difference between life and death. (Learn the 3 simple steps to surviving any disaster HERE.) While this happened across the world from most of us, the takeaway message is that disaster can strike while you are soundly sleeping. Realizing this and being able to accept it and act quickly could determine whether you and your family survive.

U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agents have been ordered to release immigrants in custody. Border Patrol has been ordered to stand down and there is now literally nothing to stop illegal immigrants from waltzing in and making themselves at home.  This alarming report says that President Obama has basically done away with all of the rules protecting our borders. Those immigrants that may be here illegally are no longer required to show up for deportation hearings, illegals are not to be tracked, and hey, why don’t we make them a sandwich too?  Given the situation with the immigrant invasion of Europe and the crime wave that has followed it, it’s only a matter of time before it all happens here too, and our government seems to be intent on flinging open the gates. In the book Failures of Imagination, US Representative Michael McCaul describes exactly how easily an ISIS terrorist could saunter through our southern border to wreak havoc in our country. (Learning to survive a terror attack is becoming increasingly more important.) Representative Trey Gowdy is also livid, as evidenced by a storm of outraged comments on Twitter and the following video.

Edited to add: One of the members of the community says this policy isn’t new at all: “The Border Patrol was not given a “new” order to stand down, the change happened 2 years ago. The report was about testimony from the Border Patrol’s Union President, Brandon Judd, who was testifying to Congress. Of course it has been denied by the DHS, so it is either the truth or scare tactics from Mr. Judd.” If anyone else has further information on the topic, please post it in the comments and include your sources.

The Bookshelf

The following books relate to the stories of the week. It’s essential to add very specific guides to your preparedness library so you can always have at hand the information you need to survive. If you aren’t prepared already, it’s time to get serious.

U.S. Armed Forces Nuclear, Biological And Chemical Survival Manual

Okay, I’ll admit, this book is a little dry, but it contains the information you need to survive an attack that makes the very air we breathe a threat. I strongly recommend adding specific guides like this to your preparedness library. While general books are very good, for long term survival, you may need far more detail than is provided by a quick guide. This book includes the following information:

• Gain knowledge of an impending chemical attack using a simple warning system
• Protect against biological threats such as anthrax with a series of inoculations
• Guard against fallout from a terrorist nuke
• Achieve basic protection during chemical or biological attacks with a simple mask
• Administer first aid after nuclear, chemical or biological attacks with a simple first aid kit

[thrive_megabutton mt=”ORDER HERE” st=”” color=”teal” link=”http://amzn.to/1STROgr” target=”_blank” align=”aligncenter”]

Failures of Imagination

This is the scariest read on the planet. If you want to move your prepper mojo and imagination into high gear by wondering, “What if…” this will give you some nightmare scenarios that you never even considered before. The book is written by Congressman Michael McCaul, the sitting chairman of the Homeland Security Committee.  The scenarios are written as fiction, then followed up with statistics and information. Since I read the book, hardly a day passes when I don’t think, yeah, McCaul warned of something like that.  Once you read this book, you will look at everything differently.

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The Unthinkable: Who Survives When Disaster Strikes – and Why

Thinking clearly during a disaster is the number one way to survive a situation in which many others perish. Reporter Amanda Ripley wondered, aside from luck, what was it that set apart survivors from victims in the aftermath of disaster. In the course of her research for this book, she interviewed survivors of plane crashes, devastating earthquakes, and people who were in the tower when the plane hit on 9/11. She came up with some conclusions we can apply to our own mindsets to give us the leg up if we ever find ourselves facing something unthinkable.

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Want more info for self-reliant, real food lifestyles?

For more great round-ups, check out two new features for this website:

The Self-Reliance Weekly Report is a collection of strategies, made up of the articles, books, DIYs, and products that I found useful on my own little prepper’s homestead.

This week, “normal” winter is kicking in with colder temperatures and more precipitation in many parts of the country. Protecting your family, animals, and gardens is of great importance when the mercury stays down for an extended period of time.

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Welcome to Foodie Friday, healthy choices edition! When we make better food choices for our families, we end up with healthier families. Today, we’ll discuss how to make these choices a little bit more convenient, some news you need to know, and how to keep it all within budget by eating seasonally.

This feature is chock-full of all things food related: news, preservation, and delicious real food recipes.

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Anything to add to Survival Saturday?

Do you have any news links you want to share? Now’s the time! You are absolutely welcome to post your links in the comments below. (And this feature is much cooler when you guys post the things that you found important this week! Special shout-out to Helot, KY Mom, and Howard for all of your contributions!)