Avoiding Dehydration, Heat Exhaustion, & Heat Stroke

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This article was originally published in Issue 1 of our magazine.

What is heat stroke or even heat exhaustion? How many of you reading this article have experienced body overheating in one form or another? Can you specifically recall a time and place and how you felt during that situation?

A simple yet effective way to identify heat stroke or the potential of becoming a heat casualty (there are three forms of heat-related issues) is to keep in mind whether or not you’re urinating within a reasonable amount of time after consuming fluids. Basic rule of thumb, if you’re not peeing, you’re not drinking enough.

The three main types of heat-related issues are dehydration, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke. These three types are listed here in severity from least damaging to the worst possible scenario.

Dehydration

Signs of Dehydration:

  • Headache
  • Dry mouth
  • Potential diarrhea
  • Vomiting
  • Fever
  • Excessive sweating
  • Cramps
  • Dizziness

Dehydration is losing more fluid than you are taking in. If your body doesn’t have enough water or fluids such as Gatorade, Propel, or another type of fluid that has electrolytes, sodium, and potassium, then dehydration may occur and occur rapidly.

stay-or-go-water-supply

Don’t be fooled by the weather. People don’t just suffer from dehydration in searing heat. It could be a cool 50 degrees Fahrenheit out, but you can still suffer from dehydration if you are doing strenuous activities. One can perspire and not realize it until it’s too late. If your activity level is high, then you are burning calories and utilizing fluids; no matter if you feel hot or not — you are sweating. Those fluids must be replenished.

Signs of dehydration include headache, dry mouth, potential diarrhea, vomiting, fever, excessive sweating, cramps, and dizziness. In mild to moderate cases, the ability to reverse this problem is simple. Attempt to remove yourself from the heat exposure if possible and drink plenty of fluids. There is also such a thing called an “Oral IV,” which can be found at some sporting goods stores and will assist your body in rapid or increased hydration. They are great to have for emergency situations.

Heat Exhaustion

Signs of Heat Exhaustion:

  • Dizziness
  • Weakness
  • Paleness
  • Heavy sweating
  • Moist skin
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Fainting
Flickr.com/sworldguy

Flickr.com/sworldguy

Heat exhaustion occurs when being exposed to high temperatures for long periods of time. It can be the precursor to heat stroke and is identified by dizziness, weakness, paleness, heavy sweating, moist skin, nausea, vomiting, and even fainting. A person suffering from heat exhaustion can also have a fast and weak pulse. The best thing to do is to get the person affected to a cool, shady place, have them drink plenty of non-caffeinated, non-alcoholic fluids, and have them take a cool shower or bath.

Heat Stroke

Signs of Heat Stroke:

  • Headache
  • Dry mouth
  • Potential diarrhea
  • Vomiting
  • Fever
  • Excessive sweating
  • Cramps
  • Dizziness
  • Confusion
  • Disorientation
  • Loss of consciousness
  • Seizures

Heat stroke, also known as sunstroke, is similar to running a high-grade fever, which can and will eventually result in damage to the brain and other vital organs. Each year during summer, we hear on the news that an elderly person died from heat stroke. Normally, this affects older people, but it can also affect an athlete hiking in the mountains on a nice warm summer day just as easily. It should be treated as a serious type of medical emergency. If you discover someone suffering from heat stroke, call 911, because this person is more than likely disoriented and needs IV fluids as soon as possible.

Heat stroke usually occurs with a steady progression from mild dehydration to serious illness. So, all of the signs and the symptoms listed for dehydration apply, as well. Adults can also experience nausea, vomiting, confusion, disorientation, and loss of consciousness, all the while experiencing seizures. Oh, and let’s not forget one of the telltale signs, a throbbing headache the size of Texas! In more extreme cases, heat syncope, loss of consciousness, or decreased LOC (level of consciousness) may occur, as well. In children and infants, we see febrile seizures, which are convulsions brought on by fever.

So, why does the body shut down, and why does high body temperature affect the brain and other organs? There is a thermometer in the brain called the hypothalamus. This is the portion of the brain that helps regulate body temperature, and if you overload this monitor built into your brain, it simply shuts down. Typically, this will occur around a core body temperature of 105 degrees Fahrenheit.

General Rules For Treating Heat Illness

Heat stroke exhaustion dehydration water first aid emergency medical treatment 1

Treatment for heat-related issues are pretty straightforward, unless you do not address the situation in a responsible amount of time. But, as with all emergencies, playing it safe and calling 911, if possible, is not a bad idea. In the event that you are in a remote area with no cell phone reception or emergency services are unavailable, there are things you can do. Following these simple steps will help:

  1. Move the patient to a cooler area and away from direct sunlight/heat.
  2. Have the patient drink plenty of fluids, both water and sports-type drinks. As mentioned earlier, an Oral IV is a great item to have.
  3. Monitor the amount of fluid intake and the amount of urination.
  4. Remove any unnecessary clothing when in a cooler environment.
  5. Fan the patient while placing wet clothing, wet sponges, or even ice packs on the armpit, the groin, and the back of the neck areas.
  6. If possible, submerge the patient in a body of water that is not too cold, but don’t shock the body from one extreme to the other.

Tools to always have with you:

  1. Hydration pack of some sort.
  2. Plenty of water and electrolyte-replacement fluids.
  3. Oral IV.

When caught early, heat illnesses can be stopped and its effects can be reversed. It is a good idea to monitor how the patient feels and make sure they follow up with a visit to the doctor, just to make sure that everything is fine. Remember that prevention is the best medicine; don’t forget to drink the proper fluids when you are active.

About the Author

Certified as an EMT-I since 1994, Charles Ferrera spent eight years as an EMT-I on emergency transport units for a fire department. He also has eight years experience as a firefighter and is currently a government contractor for the U.S. State Department High Threat Division. Assigned to Baghdad from 2006-2009, he served in Iraq as a PSS/EMT-I under a U.S. DOS contract. Aside from being an American Heart Basic Life Support instructor for health care providers, he is ACLS Advanced Cardiac Life Support certified and is currently a firearms and tactical medical instructor for Falcon Operations Group (www.falconops.net).

Video: Peeling & Eating Barrel Cactus

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In the desert, the sandy landscape may seem like it contains few of the resources needed for survival, but that's not necessarily the case. Keep in mind that many Native American tribes thrived in this environment for centuries — with the right knowledge and skills, you can do the same. Most of it comes down to making the most of all the resources you can get your hands on.

Prickly pear cactus nopales survival food edible plant 1

Cacti are one valuable item you'll find throughout the desert. These plants can be a bit tricky to deal with as a result of their spines, but many contain useful moisture and edible pulp. In the video below, Texas-based survival instructor Bob Hansler shows how he safely prepares a small barrel cactus.

Eating barrel cactus desert survival food water 3

Before we proceed, an important note: while many species of cacti are edible, you'll need to be cautious how you prepare them and how much you consume. The flesh and juice of many succulent plants contains acids and alkaloids that can make you sick. Some species of cactus are relatively low in these substances and can be eaten raw in limited quantities, while others have higher concentrations that can cause vomiting and diarrhea. Cooking can break down these substances to increase edibility, and distillation can be used to isolate potable water from the cactus juice.

You should always check guides on local wild edibles and/or consult experts before consuming any cactus, especially raw. In an emergency, sampling tiny amounts via the Universal Edibility Test can also help you avoid adverse effects.

Eating barrel cactus desert survival food water 1

That said, the small barrel cactus Bob picks is easy to process using nothing but some gloves and a sharp knife. He says the pulp is similar to a cucumber or underripe melon, but with a slightly gritty texture. That may not sound particularly tasty, but as we said before, you need to make the most of what you've got. Watch the full video below:

New: UCO Ware All-in-One Mess Kits

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When you're hiking, camping, or backpacking far from civilization, meal time is sacred. Sitting down to rest and enjoy some hot food provides an opportunity to recuperate from many hard miles on the trail. You're not exactly going to whip out the lace doilies and salad fork in the backwoods, but that doesn't mean you need to eat like a savage, either. A good mess kit serves as a vessel for your food and offers utensils to eat with. These items must also be lightweight, durable, and easy to clean.

UCO ware mess kit food plate spork bowl meal camping 4

UCO has released some new all-in-one mess kits that are intended to meet these needs, while also acting as a self-contained storage system for leftovers or other tools. The Four-Piece Mess Kit is built from tough polypropylene, with anti-slip TPE (thermoplastic rubber) grips. It consists of a bowl and a lid/plate that fit together like a clamshell, plus a UCO utility spork. These pieces are held together via a stretchy shock cord tether that runs through holes in the spork and around the plate/bowl handles, creating a leak-proof seal.

UCO ware mess kit food plate spork bowl meal camping 2

The second option from UCO is the Bamboo Elements Mess Kit, which is composed of a blend of natural bamboo fiber and corn starch stabilized into a hard polymer. That might sound like a strange combination of materials, but when we handled it at a recent trade show we found it to be surprisingly sturdy-feeling, much like fiber-reinforced nylon.

Left: Bamboo Elements Mess Kit / Right: Four-Piece Mess Kit

Left: Bamboo Elements Mess Kit / Right: Four-Piece Mess Kit

Like the Four-Piece kit, it includes a bowl, a plate/lid, a spork, and a shock cord tether. However, the spork is a two-piece Switch Spork, which serves as a knife, fork, and spoon.

UCO ware mess kit food plate spork bowl meal camping 3

A line of UCO Utility Sporks, with Switch Sporks at top and bottom.

MSRP for the Four-Piece Mess Kit is $15; the five-piece Bamboo Elements Mess Kit is $20. Each kit offers several color choices, ranging from plain grey or tan to high-visibility blue or orange. These kits will be available starting tomorrow, January 16th, on UCOgear.com.

New: Grey Ghost Gear T.Q. Hydration Pack

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Grey Ghost Gear has been expanding its offerings in the backpack market — check out our previous in-depth review of the Gypsy pack, for example. Most recently, GGG has released a new small pack for those who require a hydration aspect to their every-day carry setup. They call it simply the T.Q. Hydration Pack. A press release explains, “If you plan on going for a run that doesn't require a fully loaded ruck, then smaller is most certainly better. However, most hydration bags are only designed to hold your bladder, maybe some trail mix and that's it. If you've ever had to stuff your keys or wallet in your socks, this one goes out to you!”

Grey Ghost Gear TQ hydration pack edc backpack urban survival gear 2

While the T.Q. abbreviation might have you thinking about tourniquets, it actually stands for Thirst Quencher. Available in 3 different urban-friendly two-tone colorways as well as a solid coyote brown option, this pack is designed to blend into urban environments without looking excessively tactical. It's manufactured using a proprietary diamond pattern Grey Ghost Ripstop material and LiteLok fabric. The company says this yields a 30% weight reduction from regular 500D Cordura nylon while providing water-resistance and lower visibility in low light environments.

Grey Ghost Gear TQ hydration pack edc backpack urban survival gear 1

The T.Q.'s main compartment has a sleeve for your 3L hydration bladder, with a drinking tube port and elastic bands on each shoulder strap for securing the tube. This compartment also has room for a light jacket or change of clothes, as well as a zippered pouch for smaller items.

Grey Ghost Gear TQ hydration pack edc backpack urban survival gear 3

The next pocket serves as an admin pouch for your flashlight, pen, knife, keys, and other small essentials. Two adjustable side straps allow you to compress the contents of this pocket as well as the main compartment, so they don't bounce and shift as you hike or jog.

 

The front pouch offers quick access to slim items such as a smartphone, mini first aid kit, or notebook. Two loops on the front of this pouch offer attachment points for identification lights or carabiners. Finally, there's a concealed bottom pocket with a stowable rain cover — a useful feature to protect your gear from getting soaked by unpredictable weather conditions.

Grey Ghost Gear TQ hydration pack edc backpack urban survival gear 4

The TQ Hydration Pack is available in Black Diamond/Orange Heather, Black Diamond/Black Heather, Black Diamond/Grey Heather, and Coyote Brown. Total volume is 594ci, which is just under 10 liters. MSRP is $110. For more information, go to GreyGhostGear.com.

 

Reader’s Tip: Home Water Storage Systems

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We've stayed in touch with a reader who goes by the nickname Mountain Goat, and he often shares pieces of advice based on his firsthand experience working towards self-sufficiency on his remote ranch in the Southwest. In the past, we've posted his tips on layered outerwear for driving in harsh winter weather and quick-access clothing for nighttime emergencies. Today's topic is water storage — this conversation came up after he read the article on this same topic from Issue 28 of our magazine.

Here's what Mountain Goat wrote about his philosophy on emergency water storage:

Your article on Long-Term Water Storage for Survival was good advice to wake people up to the fact that they need to store water. Storing backup water is something I've done most of my adult life. Many years ago I was living in an apartment, and this habit paid off when the maintenance people unexpectedly turned off the water. I didn't skip a beat and just continued getting ready for work. It wasn't a life or death situation, but it was a good example of the importance of having an emergency supply on hand.

These days, I live on a ranch. We currently carry 4 gallons of water in the back of each of our vehicles, in addition to a more-than-adequate supply of drinking water in the passenger compartment. We also have about 100,000 gallons of stored water on the property. I'll discuss the details of this setup below.

Rainwater Collection

Water storage rainwater weather filter purifier pump solar shtf survival prepper 4

The photo above shows a 500-gallon tank to collect water from the downspout of one of our cabins. Please note the metal roof. We don't use Clorox or a system of dumping out and replacing water. We filter the water through a British Berkfield (Berkie) type water filter:

Water storage rainwater weather filter purifier pump solar shtf survival prepper 2

Looking closely, you can see that these are actually different brands, but we call them all Berkies. The filter elements are interchangeable. The ceramic filter elements can be cleaned with an abrasive scrubber and rarely need to be replaced. This is an upper and lower manual pour-through design which doesn't require any water pressure or electric power. We use the filtered water for our cooking and drinking and unfiltered water for washing.

Water storage rainwater weather filter purifier pump solar shtf survival prepper 1

This photo is one of our large holding tanks for storage of surface water. This one is 200,000 gallons. Water tanks can be expensive, roughly $1 a gallon, so we collect surface water in ponds that we have dug and dammed in a place where water naturally runs. Then we pump it up into the holding tanks.

In the southwest the ponds are called dirt tanks. Here's a picture of a dirt tank and a solar panel with a fence around it to keep animals from jumping on the panel:

Water storage rainwater weather filter purifier pump solar shtf survival prepper 5

Water Pumping & Distribution

We usually pump with what is called direct-drive solar. In this case it is a 24-volt DC pump in the tank with a 24-volt solar array powering it. Direct-drive means there are no batteries, no electronic controller, and no inverter. The panel is wired directly to the pump. It simply pumps when the sun shines on the panel. This system works amazingly well. The pump is a cylindrical type designed to be submerged by lowering into a well. The pumps are in the $800 range so with the panels, submersible wiring, and flexible pipe the cost is maybe $1200 plus. Unfortunately the pump needs to be rebuilt every few years.

We also have gas powered pumps that we use occasionally. The dirt tank water is used to water gardens and livestock.

Someone living in an urban area may want to obtain a rain catching tank that's as large as possible, put it behind their high fence, then pump the extra water to an even larger storage tank hidden in the back of the property. All this is depending on the size of the property, of course.

Water storage rainwater weather filter purifier pump solar shtf survival prepper 6

Here's a tank that we use to store extra roof water in if the tank that collects it off the roof gets full to overflowing. We pump it up there with a gas-powered pump. One can also pump water from one storage tank to another by lowering the 24V DC pump into the full tank with the solar panels leaning up against the tank. We commonly do this.

Water storage rainwater weather filter purifier pump solar shtf survival prepper 3

Here's a portable “water buffalo” trailer which we can tow somewhere to either collect or deliver water. Note the small gas-powered pump in the bed next to the tank. We currently use this to water a garden, so it's permanently parked there. 

If you'd like to learn more about water storage, I suggest a book by Brad Lancaster titled “Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands and Beyond, Vol 1”.

Cheers. Thanks for the valuable service that RECOIL OFFGRID provides. It amazes me that most people seem to think that disasters are things that happen somewhere else. Happy water saving!

Conclusions

There's a lot of great info here — we especially appreciate the portion about building a standalone solar-powered water pump. This is a great solution for collecting water from an existing pond or a manmade collection tank, and it's low-maintenance and doesn't require connection to the electrical grid. Best of all, aside from the initial investment in this system, keeping it running is essentially free.

Of course, having a gas-powered backup pump for quick access is also wise. The “water buffalo” trailer serves this purpose and is also portable, so it serves as both a collection tool and a transportation vessel.

If you'd like to contact Mountain Goat for any questions about his water collection and storage system, you can email him at mudsnowchains@gmail.com. And if you have a valuable emergency preparedness tip you'd like to share with our readers, we want to hear it. Click here to send an email to our web editor.

How to Prepare for a Long-Term Power Outage

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This article was originally published in Issue 1 of our magazine.

Our society depends so much on electrical power. Every aspect of our homes and workplaces run on electricity. We expect that when we flip the switch, the lights turn on. But, what happens if they don’t? What if Mother Nature throws a massive tornado or a sudden blizzard at you? Or some other crisis breaks out? What about an EMP attack?

Time is the single biggest factor. What kind of time are we talking about? A few hours or possibly more than 30 days? The correct response is, it doesn’t matter. Depending on the event, there might not be a need to evacuate, but rather hunker down. It’s just a matter of how we prep our dwellings to deal with such an emergency.

Obviously, there will be different plans for different homes in different regions. So, there’s no “one size fits all” blackout plan. This is why it’s important to already have preparations in place. These preparations start with your basic needs: food, water, and the type of shelter you have. You’ll also need to consider heating and cooling, hygiene and sanitation, and first aid and medicines. You’ll need to plan how to meet these basic needs when you don’t have electricity and how you’ll modify your plans based on your type of residence.

Water

A person needs at least 1 gallon of water a day.

A person needs at least 1 gallon of water a day.

H20 is one of the most important basic needs in any circumstance, so water storage must be part of your blackout plan. The first step is to know your source. How does your building or house receive its water? Do you have your own well, or are you connected to city water? Is it pumped or gravity-fed?

How much water do we need in a power outage? A common answer is at least 1 gallon a day. But, you’ll also need half a gallon to a gallon for cooking … and then there’s the issue of sanitation and hygiene. Now, let’s assume that the electricity has been cut for 30 days. That calls for quite a bit of water stored in your little apartment. So, what are some alternatives?

stay-or-go-water-supply

Get to know your surroundings. Does your building have an emergency backup generator system? How reliable is the system, and has it ever failed? If you live in a building that has more than two stories, then water can be obtained via gravity. Most buildings, by code, have one or more purge valves that enable the complete draining of the entire pipe infrastructure.

Next, get to know your neighbors. That community cooperative really plays a big part. Have the superintendent show the designated folks where the central drain valves are; normally they’re located in the basement at the lowest point. Drain all of the individual units by turning on the faucets, grab empty jugs or large pots, and head to the basement. By using gravity and reversing the flow, the building now has thousands of gallons of clean potable drinking water, which was previously trapped within the pipes.

Power outage blackout prepper electricity grid down city shtf survival 2

Above: A tub-liner bag placed in a standard bathtub can be used to store almost 100 gallons of water.

If you have roof access to your building, you can implement natural rain catches with buckets, tarps, and so on. You can also purchase tub-liner bags. They are food-grade plastic and perfectly safe for holding water. You simply line the tub with this enormous plastic bag and, at the onset of a storm, but before SHTF, fill it with water. With the standard bathtub, you will get almost 100 gallons of water.

In colder climates, snow is another source of emergency water—but there is a process. Never eat snow. Melt it first. Why? First, eating snow will lower your core temperature, thus increasing the risk of hypothermia. Second, it will actually dehydrate you. The body will use twice as much water in the process of melting the snow to absorb it. So, don’t eat snow, especially not yellow snow—it’s not lemon flavor. Remember, just like any other rule of foraging, be mindful of the environment it came from and hope it’s free of any pollution or toxins.

Food

Power outage blackout prepper electricity grid down city shtf survival 13

Common sense tells us to keep nonperishable items around. Make sure what you’ve stored is quality. When you need to keep warm, proper caloric intake is crucial.

Another thing to keep in mind: What kind of stove do you have? Is it electric or gas? If it’s gas, you’re in good shape. Think about food that doesn’t require a stove. However, be mindful of these “survival” or “emergency” dehydrated foods. They usually have very large amounts of sodium. These types of MREs were originally designed for soldiers who needed to replenish electrolytes and calories expended under intense physical activity. This may not be ideal as a long-term sustainable food.

Gas Stove V2

Above: For cooking, gas stoves will still work in the event of a power outage. However, since you’re dealing with gas, turning on the gas oven and stovetop to heat the apartment is not a good idea.

Next time you go shopping, buy at least one or two extra items that you know you will put aside for blackouts. This will help stretch out the workload in terms of your prepping.

Heating

If a power outage occurs during the wintertime, layered clothes will play a significant role. Silk and wool should become your best friends. Even when wet, they still provide insulation—unlike cotton, which can actually increase the chance of hypothermia when wet.

For example, the electricity in my apartment was out for more than two weeks. It was also in the dead of winter. So, I layered up as if I were outside camping. I started with 100-percent silk long underwear, a long-sleeve shirt, and bottoms. Next was a layer of 100-percent wool long underwear, wool socks, and a wool hat. Then, I continued with standard street clothes and a jacket.

If you have the ability to heat up water, sip on hot water. I like to add chunks of ginger to hot water. Ginger is a wonderful root that helps heat the core temperature. Stay away from caffeine. It dehydrates you, thus keeping you colder than necessary.

Power outage blackout prepper electricity grid down city shtf survival 10

Another trick is making a secondary shelter within your home, like “playing fort” when you were a kid. Lean a mattress and box spring against each other like an A-frame tent. Take couch cushions and stuff the ends. Then layer all the blankets and comforters on top of everything. Make your shelter small and low, because it’ll trap your body heat and warm the air. For those people who live in cities, pay attention to the masters of urban survival: the homeless. Observe the way they make their shelters, the materials they used, and the manner in which they use those materials.

On the flip side, avoid dangerous techniques for keeping warm, such as turning your gas oven and stovetop on full blast to heat the apartment. It’s not a good idea, since you’re dealing with gas. Also, don’t light small fires inside of steel pots in the middle of your living room. Don’t laugh. People have done this—with tragic results.

Cooling

Power outage blackout prepper electricity grid down city shtf survival 14

Above: Pulling the shades down or putting up white sheets in front of the windows will help reflect the sun away from the interior.

Staying cool in the summer is just as important as staying warm in the winter. Once again, layering comes into play. While cotton can kill in the winter, it’s actually preferred in the summer because it helps keep your body cool. If needed, dispense with clothes all together and strip down to your birthday suit.

There are also little tricks you can try. Make a simple hand fan like the good old days, spritz yourself with water, and fan away. You can also rip up a bandana and soak it in cold water. Take the strips of the cloth and loosely tie it around your pulse points, around each ankle and wrist, and around the neck. Remember to tie it loosely.

Be sure to keep the sun out. Pull the shades down or put up white sheets in front of the windows. This will help reflect the sun away from the interior.

Power outage blackout prepper electricity grid down city shtf survival 11

Tip: Don’t drink ice water to keep you cool. Like eating snow, the body will have to work twice as hard to heat the water up to absorb it. Instead, try one of my favorite recipes: Get room-temperature water from a countertop jug, then add slices of cucumber, freshly squeezed lemon, and crushed mint.

Hygiene & Sanitation

When it comes to hygiene, nothing changes. Keep yourself clean, as you always do. Just be mindful about the amount of water that you’re using. Some people resort to conserving by giving themselves the old sponge bath or go without it for a few days.

toilet bowl isolated on white background

Sanitation is also an essential factor, when dealing with water. If you have a standard toilet with a water tank, then this isn’t so bad at all. However, you may have to alter the practice a little bit. An old phrase goes like this, “If it’s pee, then let it be.” If you have to do No. 2, then put water in the back tank, do your business, and then flush.

First Aid & Medicines

It goes without saying that you should have a first aid kit, your prescriptions, and things like eye glasses stored safely in your home. But, what about others? Another important reason to know your neighbors is for the simple support system that can help during a crisis like this. Are you aware of the elderly in the building? How about the disabled folks who can’t leave without the use of an elevator? How many folks need medical attention or prescriptions?

Power outage blackout prepper electricity grid down city shtf survival 15

It’s up to their neighbors to bring back extra food, water, resources, and medicines to those who can’t leave their homes. I have known cases where people have left the building, removed their car batteries, and brought them in to help power medical machines.

Alternate Energy

Just because the power’s out doesn’t mean you’re powerless. Thanks to modern technology, we now have things called generators—solar generators and kinetic chargers.

There are multi-fuel portable generators, standard gasoline generators, and diesel generators. Regardless of the fuel, these types of machines are to be used outdoors. You have the option of running the cord from the generator into the house and plugging in the refrigerator and a couple other essential items. However, if you own a home and if it’s feasible, get a professional to hardwire an appropriate generator for your home. Do the research, find a pro, and do it right.

Power outage blackout prepper electricity grid down city shtf survival 1

Portable generators such as the Yamaha EF6300iSDE are created for quiet back-up power. Designed as a backup energy source for homes, the EF6300iSDE has dual 120/240 volt output and is powerful enough to run most residential well pumps. It can power a freezer and electric water heater for more than 10.5 hours, depending on load, on a single tank of gas. Portable generators are a practical tool for possible power outages due to ice storms, hurricanes, tornadoes, and other infrastructure failures.

Yamaha EF6300iSDE Specs

Maximum AC Output
6,300 watts

Rated AC Output
5,500 watts

Continuous Operation
13.3 hrs at 1⁄4 rated load

Noise Level
58 ~ 64 dBA

Dimensions
30.7L x 24.3W x 27.2H in

Empty Weight
200 lbs.

Fuel Capacity
4.5 gal

MSRP
$4,099

URL
www.yamaha-motor.com

Solar panels have come a long way. If you’re a homeowner, you can install these things on the roof. If you live in a high-rise, consider small portable panels with large-capacity backup batteries, which make for a great alternative. Some of these devices allow you to charge your laptops and cell phones while powering your refrigerator. These types of devices come in all shapes and sizes. Again, do the research and determine the best unit for your needs.

Power outage blackout prepper electricity grid down city shtf survival 6

Network Connection

Finally, I want to share with you a little idea I call “community crisis connecting.” If you’re like me, you’ll stop for anyone who might need help; that’s just how I roll. But, what about your neighbors? Are they prepared to help? As mentioned, having a group, neighborhood, or building collective can be an effective force for good.

Does your community have an emergency plan? If so, what kind? How often do you guys get together and discuss or practice it? Is there a doctor around? Do you have first aid and CPR training? Why would it matter during a blackout?

Power outage blackout prepper electricity grid down city shtf survival 9

Above: Having a group, neighborhood, or building collective can be an effective force for good. Get together on a regular basis to discuss or practice an emergency plan.

The more people in your community, the higher the chance of people needing help in an emergency. But, it’s better to know these things than not, no matter the situation. If you’re set up with all of your preparations, then during a blackout, you’ll have more time to help others. This is what it means to have a community. A real community. Make a plan.

Just because we build homes, bridges, and infrastructure doesn’t mean that Mother Nature is going to comply with our designs. She is going to do what she has done for thousands and thousands of years. So, get over it and make the best of the situation.

RECOIL OFFGRID Tidbit: The biggest blackout in U.S. history happened on August 14, 2003, when more than 50 million people over a span of eight States and a Canadian Province were affected by a poorly maintained electrical system. Blackouts can happen at any time. Be prepared.

5 Blackout Precautions

Power outage blackout prepper electricity grid down city shtf survival 3

  1. FEMA suggests only using flashlights for emergency lighting and not candles to reduce the risk of fire.
  2. When your car’s fuel tank drops to half, it’s time to fill up. Gas stations rely on electricity for their fuel pumps, so if there’s no power, there’s no gas, either.
  3. Make sure you know how to use your electric garage door’s emergency release. Also, if you use it as your primary access to your home, be sure to have a key to your house just in case.
  4. Leaving water in your refrigerator and freezer helps keep it cooler in case of a power outage, keeping food good for longer.
  5. Most medications that require refrigeration can be kept in a refrigerator for several hours without a problem. When in doubt, consult your doctor or pharmacist.

For more tips, see FEMA’s website at www.ready.gov.

The One-Stop Emergency Shopping Challenge

Written by

Product photography by Jay Wiseman
Illustrations by Judson Bryan

This article was originally published in Issue 1 of our magazine.

Well, it happened, and life has caught you flat-footed. You meant to plan for an emergency, but you always found reasons to spend your time and money on other things. A disaster of significant proportions has hit — think hurricane or flood — and you only have one store between you and your home. You have $100 cash in your pocket and only a few thin options to consider.

Sound plausible? Consider this scenario as an exercise, and apply the lessons to your circumstances. Maybe you live atop a deep-water well and next door to a dry goods warehouse, but being mentally prepared to adjust to circumstances beyond your control is critical for survival. So, for this exercise, consider the majority of your conveniences gone, and your route home leaves you one option to consider: a quick load-out at a commonly found shopping venue. The challenge is to equip yourself as best as you can if only one of the three following options were available. You have $100 dollars (plus a few bucks in change to cover tax) and 30 minutes.

You are shopping for yourself, your spouse, and two children. Assume you have some non-perishable foodstuffs at home, but will lose water and power. No, you don’t have a generator, and your stove and oven are also electric. You will be eating, drinking, sleeping, and washing without any modern devices. So, what are your priorities? First should be clean water. You need it to sustain life, prepare food, and keep yourself clean. Second, you will want to consider how you might communicate with the outside world. I recently spoke to a mid-60s couple who spent almost a month without power after Hurricane Sandy. “Having a radio to keep up with what was going on around us was critical. It gave us an idea of where we could go to get help or supplies, and simply knowing that others were out there dealing with the same problems, some much worse, was, mentally, very stabilizing.”

Storm preparedness

Finally, you’ll want to keep yourself fed and your hygiene maintained as best as possible. We’ll presume the basic household is equipped with pots, pans, cups, toothbrushes, soap, and warm clothing. We’ll consider the Wal-Mart trip (see below) as close to ideal and adjust from there, but you have to get in and get out with a crowd of like-minded shoppers. Let’s also assume your vehicle is functional and getting the supplies back to your home is possible. We can further presume that the vehicle can be used to charge some, but not all, portable electronic devices, but we’ll presume there is no cell phone service.

Large Consumer Goods Store (Wal-Mart, Target, etc.)

Emergency supplies scavenging store food water medical shtf survival prepper 5

Pros:

  • Wide variety of options.
  • Low relative pricing.

Cons:

  • One-hundred dollars will go fast. Prioritization will be key.
  • Get what you must have and substitute on price because you will have more options than money.

Emergency supplies scavenging store food water medical shtf survival prepper 2

Water: Half a gallon per day (times 5 days) per person (times 4) equals 10 gallons, plus 2 additional gallons for cooking and hygiene. This implies a low volume of activity and relatively moderate temperatures. Err on the side of more water, if possible. Wal-Mart sells water in 2.5-gallon containers.
Price: $1.11 per gallon
Total: $13.32

Food: Each person will have different pantry contents at home. Presume you are shopping to supplement or continue after current supplies run out. Focus on calorie-dense items that require minimal preparation and no refrigeration. I purchased a variety of generic dry-roasted peanuts, canned tuna, canned beans and meat, oatmeal, and five apples. I threw in a box of Pop-Tarts as a motivational treat for the kids.
Total: $29.63

Hand-Crank Flashlight: No battery burn, nearly infinite use. Great idea. Couldn’t find one. Purchased an inexpensive Energizer headlamp.
Price: $4.88

Hand-Crank Radio: Your link to the outside. Couldn’t find one. Purchased a battery-powered weather radio and batteries that would also work in the headlamp.
Price: $23

Baby Wipes, TP, & Garbage Bags: To conserve water, you will want to stay clean in as dry a manner as possible. Wipes and hand sanitizers can both keep you clean and in a better state of mind. A clean face and clean teeth change one’s outlook significantly. I picked up a two tubs of baby wipes, a four-pack of toilet paper to supplement what might already be at home, along with some extra kitchen-sized garbage bags for makeshift bucket toilets.
Total: $12.33

Water Purification Tabs: For when the bottled water runs out.
Price: $5.88

Lighters
Price: (three-pack) $2

Fire-Starting Tinder
Price: (five-pack) $4.97

Candles: To save batteries. Found medium-sized votive candles for $0.50 each times six.
Price: $3

First Aid Kit: For general scrapes and cuts.
Price: $5

GRAND TOTAL: $104.01
Note: Prices are rounded to include tax.

Pharmacy/Small Market (Walgreens, CVS, etc.)

Emergency supplies scavenging store food water medical shtf survival prepper 7

Pros:

  • A basic variety of supply options.

Cons:

  • Higher per-unit prices.
  • Less variety than Wal-Mart.
  • Fewer options than money.
  • Economize in both directions.

Notes: Very good selection at better-than-expected prices relative to Wal-Mart. The only item not available in some form at Walgreens compared to the Wal-Mart list was water purification tablets. In my haste to meet the 30-minute deadline, I forgot to buy a lighter, but perhaps the one in the car or something at home will spark up our survival party.

Emergency supplies scavenging store food water medical shtf survival prepper 4

Water: Same 12-gallon requirement. Largest container was a 1-gallon jug. Listed at 2 gallons for $2.
Price: $12

Food: Narrower variety of foods, but adequate, given the requirement of protein and calorie-dense products that did not require refrigeration or preparation. I caught a good sale on mixed nuts, spam, trail mix, chili, baked beans, and canned tuna.
Total: $34.48

Baby Wipes
Total: (two-tub pack) $6.58

Hand-Crank LED Flashlight: Walgreens had one.
Price: $5

Hand-Crank Radio: Still no luck with finding one of these, but I did find a small Sony AM/FM radio.
Price: $12

AA Batteries (four-pack)
Price: $4

First Aid Kit
Price: $13.99

Toilet Paper 
Price: $2.69

Candles: Large on-sale bag of unscented votive (probably 30!).
Price: $3.99

Tall Kitchen Trash Bags 
Price: $5.29

GRAND TOTAL: $100.02

Convenience Store/Gas Station (7-Eleven, Mini-mart, etc.)

Emergency supplies scavenging store food water medical shtf survival prepper 6

Pros:

  • Big Gulps

Cons:

  • Least variety of supplies.
  • Highest price per unit.
  • Fewer realistic options than money.
  • Get as much of the basics as possible and substitute as closely as possible on necessities.

Notes: A convenience store is the least desirable option. Selection is severely limited. There are no shopping carts, so the simple logistics of getting $100 of product to the counter is a process. Having waited until late in the evening to hit the 7-Eleven, I enlisted the help of several curious, half-sober, but fully tattooed patrons who found it uniquely charming to be part of a magazine story. They had some entertaining but impractical advice on emergency preparedness and survival techniques. I used the experience as an opportunity to develop a rapport with the locals in the event we passed one another on the street several days into the scenario. Ultimately, there were items from my list that simply did not exist, and others were much more expensive. Here is the breakdown:

Emergency supplies scavenging store food water medical shtf survival prepper 3

Water: Twelve gallons at $2.36 per gallon. Water was available in 1-gallon jugs, but it was almost two-and-a-half times as expensive. It was cold, however.
Price: $28.32

Food: My options and choices would make a nutritionist cringe. Luckily, almost nothing in 7-Eleven is perishable in the short run, except for perhaps the taquitos on the rotating warmer. So, I skipped them and loaded up on Clif Bars, Keebler long-sleeved cracker packs, chunky canned chili, beef jerky (7-Eleven has very reasonably priced jerky), mixed nuts, dill pickles, SpaghettiOs, and trail mix.
Total: $50.35

Baby Wipes: I had to buy a diaper kit that contained one diaper and six baby wipes to get the baby wipes.
Total: $4

Hand-Crank Flashlight: Unavailable, as well as any flashlight.

Hand-Crank Radio: No radios of any kind.

Candles: Pack of 24 Navajo birthday candles.
Price: $1.25

Toilet Paper
Price: $2.19

Tall Kitchen Trash Bags
Price: $3.29

Lighter
Price: $1.99

First Aid Kit: Unavailable

AA Batteries (four-pack): I later questioned this purchase, since I had no radio nor flashlight. We’ll use them for something. Price: $4.99

Random Purchase: Fire-starting log. It seemed like a good idea at the time.
Price: $5

GRAND TOTAL: $101.38

Conclusion

Emergency supplies scavenging store food water medical shtf survival prepper 1v2

So, what have we learned? Having a plan is vital, even if it only involves buying stuff on the way home. Know what you will need and where to get it. Make convenience stores your last resort, and carry enough cash on you to get the job done. You may encounter rationing of some sort, several days into an emergency event, so plan on having currency to participate in, or work around, the limitations. Ultimately, your success and comfort will have more to do with what you have done prior to the event and how you have prepared your home, rather than what you can grab in a few minutes, so think ahead and prepare reasonably.

About the Author

Len Waldron is an Eagle Scout and served as a U.S. Army infantry officer. His habits and practices regarding emergency preparedness were significantly impacted by his work in rural recovery efforts after Hurricane Katrina, where he witnessed firsthand the mental and physical problems encountered by those caught without a plan.

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Video: 10/22 Takedown Backpacker Build

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The venerable Ruger 10/22 is a gun that's garnered substantial popularity among survivalists, and for good reason. Its simple design, time-tested reliability, and wide selection of aftermarket parts make it a great choice for hunting small game in the backcountry. The Takedown model offers even greater versatility, since it can easily fit into a bag or pack for discreet transport.

Ruger 10 22 takedown magpul backpacker bugout shtf survival rifle gun 1

We've seen many 10/22 Takedown builds over the years, but RECOIL OFFGRID contributor Alexander Crown recently posted a video that shows off some modifications we hadn't considered before. At first glance, you'll notice that Alexander's 10/22 is set up in a Magpul X-22 Backpacker stock along with a Tactical Solutions SBX barrel, Vortex red dot sight, and a Gemtech Outback silencer. However, taking a look beneath the surface reveals several other clever upgrades.

Ruger 10 22 takedown magpul backpacker bugout shtf survival rifle gun 3

Inside the stock beneath the cheekpiece, Alexander stashed a spare 10-round magazine, a 50-round box of Gemtech subsonic .22LR, and a handful of survival resources. His intent was to cover all of Dave Canterbury's 5 Cs of survivability: cutting, combustion, cover, container, and cordage. These are addressed by a razor blade and cut-down hacksaw blade, a mini Bic lighter, a heavy-duty trash bag, two clear plastic water bags, and high-strength kevlar cord. There are also other valuables such as a fishing kit, duct tape, and a button compass.

Check out the full video below to see a detailed breakdown of Alexander's 10/22 Takedown bug-out gun:

Brown Baggin’ It: An Overview of MREs

Written by

Photography by Michael Grey

This article was originally published in Issue 1 of our magazine.

Plain and simple, after shelter and water, food is the most important thing to survive and thrive on in any off-grid situation. Your go-bag can be filled with all the cool tools and toys, but without proper nutrition, your body will weaken and slowly shut down in a matter of days. What do you do to prepare for the inevitability of being separated from your usual means of sustenance?

Refrigerated foods will begin to rot, and grocery stores will be the first places picked clean. You’re going to have to rely on what you’ve squirreled away for your body’s fuel source. You’ll need to keep fueled up to stay alert and physically ready to handle whatever might come next. You don’t want to just survive; you want to be one of the few who will thrive. That’s where the Meal Ready to Eat (MRE) comes in.

MRE meal ready to eat food ration survival prepper shtf 14

The MRE Concept

The MRE, as many know, has a storied military pedigree. Since Washington quartered troops at Valley Forge, our military has recognized the importance of our soldiers getting adequate daily rations. A tremendous amount of effort has been put into evolving combat rations from a daily helping of salted pork, hard bread, and beer to a meal designed specifically for the unique nutritional requirements of the embattled American war fighter.

It’s important to know why an MRE is what it is. We all know the government loves to research the hell out of everything, and feeding troops is no different. Without the boring details and science, the Institute of Medicine—yes, the IOM is a real department—decided that the active war-fighting U.S. soldier needs about 4,200 calories a day (1,400 per meal) to be at peak performance.

MRE meal ready to eat food ration survival prepper shtf 2

Because they are designed to enhance battlefield performance, MREs aren’t exactly diet food. The intent of each MRE is to meet one third of the warfighter’s daily requirements. Each MRE contains enough food to meet the 1,250-to-1,400-calorie goal.

To counter the physical demands of combat, the IOM determined that each meal should be heavy on carbs (about 51 percent) and fat (36 percent), which will give the body enough energy to make to the next meal. The other 13 percent of the meal is protein. The MRE is all about the soldier being able to sustain a high level of energy and exertion.

When SHTF, we want to maintain high energy levels for the stress and exertion of the situation. But, we probably won’t come close to needing the 4,200 calories a day our warriors require. If we regularly ate that much, we wouldn’t have to worry about bugging out; we couldn’t fit through the door. Splitting each package into more than one meal can really help you stretch out your supplies while you are waiting for help to arrive or looking for a safe place. We recommend buying a bunch in different flavors and do your own taste test, so you know what you’ll want to stock up on.

So, what’s in the little brown bag? If you’re a foodie, an MRE is not going to tickle your fancy, but it will keep you on your feet looking for real food.

The MRE menu is more diverse than you might think. A complete MRE consists of an entrée, which is where you’ll find your meat proteins. Some meals include a starchy side dish, and all come with bread and a spread of some sort. You’ll also find something to satisfy your sweet tooth, some sort of cake, cookie, or wet/dry fruit. Most meals even include an easily pocketed snack.

Click here to download a full-size version of the above chart of common MRE contents.

MREs also combine a variety of secondary items. Beverages, sometimes the least enjoyable part of the meal, are usually high-carb, or electrolyte-replacing fruit drinks, or cocoa-based. Most meals come with condiments; hot sauce and “seasoning blend” are the usual suspects. (See taste comparison below)

The standard Mil-spec menu selection is heavy on the chicken and beef, though there are a few pork dishes and one tuna-based MRE. For the vegetarians, there are some pasta dishes and one vegetable entrée. The meals are labeled vegetarian, but depending on your definition, they may or may not be entirely true to their word. Some vegetarian meals may have some dairy-based items included.

All the food in the MRE is precooked and can be eaten right out of the bag. Eating them hot, however, is a much better experience. In all but two MREs, you’ll find a self-contained easy-to-use Flameless Ration Heater (FRH). When adding the indicated amount of water, the FRH produces a surprisingly adequate amount of heat.

MRE meal ready to eat food ration survival prepper shtf 13

 

How Do I Get MREs?

Our advice, when looking to get your supply of MREs, is to stay away from the ones offered by questionable sources on eBay that claim to be acquired from the military. There’s no assurance as to the viability of the military MREs. For them to end up on eBay at a majorly reduced cost, you have to wonder why the military let them go in the first place. You have to ask yourself: Were these MREs stored properly? Are they past the three-year storage expiration date? Are you willing to risk getting sick from a questionable MRE?

 

Instead, we recommend buying your MREs from a known, reliable vendor. Fortunately, the same companies that make military MREs also make civilian versions: Sopako’s Sure-paks, Ameriqual’s Apacks, MREstar’s MREs, and Wornick’s Eversafes. Purchase MREs from any of these guys, and you’ll be assured of a reliable, consistent, and high-quality product.

It’s also worth noting that there are a few non-military vendors making equally, and in some cases better, MREs. Check out Cheaperthandirt.com, Longlifefood.com, and Mealkitsupply.com.

Besides a Twinkie, most have never had the pleasure of eating food with a shelf life not much longer than a Lindsay Lohan jail sentence. So, what can you expect after you’ve finally muscled open the brown bag o’ fun? We threw caution to the wind and prepared more than a few to see just what gastronomic adventure lie ahead.

MRE meal ready to eat food ration survival prepper shtf 10

First, we took a good look at its primary claim: Is it really a Meal Ready to Eat?

Meal? As a tolerable meal any MRE passes, but then again what you get in a school cafeteria is called a meal, too. All the components are there entrée, side, dessert, and drink. That’s more of meal than some get in an entire day.

Ready? Unless you’re the type who eats leftovers straight from the fridge, each meal is not quite ready. You’ll need to activate the FRH to bring the contents of the bag to a searing, lukewarm temperature. That being said, as one of our taste-testers put it, “It’s easier than hunting, killing, skinning, and cooking my own wild boar or deer, just not as tasty.”

Edible? This remains a subjective assumption. Lots of things are edible. Ask any parent of a toddler. Edible doesn’t mean palatable.

To evaluate the culinary value of MREs, we enlisted the help of four brave souls, who were willing to throw gastronomic caution to the wind and toss some MREs down their gullets. Since Gordon Ramsey was out of the country, we settled for a rag-tag band of culinary adventurers that included two editors from RECOIL magazine, a former active-duty special operations warfighter, and this writer, never one to turn down a free meal.

Comparing brands, we noticed that there’s little variation in taste, so these tests were not limited to a particular brand. From the standard fare, we taste-tested the chicken fajita, the meatballs, the sausage patty, and the veggie lasagna complete meals. Each brand offers these meals, so we could randomly choose who would get what to test.

First Impressions

The high calorie count, carbo-loading, and high sodium made it difficult to imagine eating three MREs a day. The more spices in the accessory pack the better. The FRHs were good enough to get the food lukewarm, but that’s about it. Using a camp stove and dunking the bags in boiling water works better. Bacon is always a flavor saver. The drinks are very sweet and make pretty good mixers. A spoon is not the most universal of all eating utensils.

The Taste Test

Pork Sausage Patty Meal

MRE meal ready to eat food ration survival prepper shtf 5

Pork sausage patty, hash browns with bacon, toaster pastry, wheat snack bread, grape jelly (in some), orange drink, cocoa drink, instant coffee, sugar, and creamer.

Tester 1: Tastes like mom’s leftover meatloaf, the kind you don’t want to eat, but don’t have the heart to trash. Even bacon couldn’t save the hash browns. The toaster pastry tasted like it was from Kellogg’s.

Tester 2: The patty was swimming in delicious maple-flavored grease; the best part of the MRE. The hash browns looked like maggots in KY jelly.

Tester 3: The wheat snack…imagine a thick, fluffy piece of cardboard, then compress it in an effort to remove any semblance of taste or flavor. Any sort of topping is a must.

Tester 4: The sausage patty was tolerable. The FRH barely made the maple “sauce” viscous enough to pour. The toaster pastry is the best part, even though it looked like it’d been sat on. It’s hard to screw up a Pop-Tart.

Meatballs in Marinara Sauce

MRE meal ready to eat food ration survival prepper shtf 11

Meatballs in marinara sauce, potato cheddar soup with bacon, crackers, peanut butter, lemon-lime drink, vanilla pudding dessert powder, instant coffee, non-dairy creamer, sugar, condiments, spoon, and moist towelette.

Tester 1: Holy salty balls, Pepperman!!! The meatballs alone have 1,030 mg of sodium or 43 percent of the RDA. Another drawback, the MRE is low on carbs. While fad dieters might think that’s great, a lack of carbs in a long-term SHTF scenario could be a hindrance.

Tester 2: At 1,250 calories, it was the highest of all we tested, if you eat it all. Having lots of calories, it’s a good thing if you’re working hard. The total meal also has extremely high sodium content, which is also good if you’re sweating like Jessica Simpson taking the SATs. Cooked on the stove, it’s decent for processed food. You’re not going to win over the woman of your dreams serving her this, but she might stick around for dessert. This is the only one of the four I’d consider stocking up on.

MRE meal ready to eat food ration survival prepper shtf 7

Tester 3: The meatballs were plentiful and a reasonable facsimile to what you’d find in the canned goods aisle at your local grocery store. As for the soup, this very lactose-intolerant reviewer took one for the team. While I strongly dislike the taste of cheese, the soup was otherwise good, and I was rewarded with morsels of bacon goodness. The usual post-dairy gastric distress wasn’t as immediate as I expected, but punishment eventually came, as sure as death and taxes.

Tester 4: This was my favorite of the bunch—of course, I eat Chef Boyardee straight from the can and sometimes I even wait until I get home from the market. While the meatballs didn’t remind me of Grandma Mione’s, I enjoyed them all the same. The only thing stopping me from making this a regular menu item is the fear of stroking out because of all that sodium elevating my blood pressure. The vanilla “pudding” dessert was a pleasant surprise. You can skip the crackers, which are, as my buddy Craig Shoemaker would say, “harder than Chinese algebra.”

Chicken Fajita

MRE meal ready to eat food ration survival prepper shtf 16

Chicken fajitas, rice, tortilla, pepper sauce, sliced pound cake, powdered orange drink, cocoa powder, instant coffee, creamer, sugar, condiments, spoon, moist towelette, napkin, and hot sauce.

Tester 1: The chicken is high in protein, but the tradeoff is that it’s also high in sodium. After following directions and only getting it lukewarm, it looked like a delicious meal. Looked good, but taste good it did not. It was as if the salty chicken and the bland rice were duking it out to see which would gross me out first.

Tester 2: Throw the included hot sauce in there, and it’s not bad. I’ve had worse from a Mexican restaurant. The rice was undercooked and crunchy. On a cold day, when the rain is running down the crack of your ass, the pound cake would be a good morale booster.

Tester 3: The fajitas themselves were tasty. It comes with a lot of flavorful sauce, which I enjoyed over the rice and tortillas. Speaking of which, “rice” and “tortillas” were generous appellations for those would-be staples. “Rice-Replica” and “Tortilla-Replica” are more accurate.

Tester 4: This is a reasonable attempt at a Tex-Mex favorite of mine. The flavors were all there, but somehow they didn’t come together the way I would have wanted. Ultimately, with some hot sauce (needed more than provided), it could give Taco Bell a run for its money, but still come up a little short. The tortillas were too chewy and provided enough lift to play a hole or two of disc golf. The pound cake was the best dessert of the lot, which is a dubious achievement.

Vegetable Lasagna

MRE meal ready to eat food ration survival prepper shtf 12

Vegetable lasagna, ZAPPLEsauce, crackers, grape jelly, fudge brownie, orange drink, cocoa, instant coffee, creamer, sugar, condiments, spoon, moist towelette, napkin, and hot sauce.

Tester 1: Once again, the FRH was barely effective. Considering this came from a bag and contained no delicious meat or meat-ish products, the vegetable lasagna was actually kind of tasty — for an MRE, anyway. The crackers tasted like real crackers, while the brownie and “Zapplesauce” were above average.

Tester 2: In addition to the meal looking remarkably like a gut wound this MRE is also high in sodium. To get enough calories, you have to eat the whole MRE and not be picky. The brownie has the highest calorie count, but it’s all simple carbs, so expect to crash hard if you’re expending a lot of energy.

MRE meal ready to eat food ration survival prepper shtf 8

Tester 3: Recovering from the potato and cheese soup, so I literally sat this one out.

Tester 4: Another attempt at an Italian favorite. My biggest peeve was calling it lasagna; it was noodles suspended in sauce and what I guess were the vegetables. It just didn’t look right. I image The Walking Dead using this as a prop when zombies are eating brains. All that aside, it did taste pretty good when it was heated to a decent temperature. The fudge brownie was surprisingly good, no worse than the pre-packaged brownies you get at a gas station. Make sure, however, you have plenty of water to wash it down, because it’s a little on the dry side.

Featured Utensils & Dinnerware

The following items can be found in the MRE images above:

Freeze-Dried Eats: The Alternative to MREs

MRE meal ready to eat food ration survival prepper shtf 17

If the specter of filling up on sodium-saturated military-grade dried foodstuffs doesn’t sound palatable to you or you have health concerns that bar you from partaking in them, you’re in luck. Those who camp, climb, hike, or do any other outdoorsy kind of activity may already be aware of the many freeze-dried meals that are on the market. Made for outdoor adventurers, they are like MREs in that they last for years after their manufacture date, but unlike MREs, which are complete meals in a pouch, offer only single courses. This doesn’t mean that you can’t select a few offerings to form your own complete meal, however.

Generally speaking, these non-military-grade meals are USDA inspected for quality, get high marks for taste, and are, for the most part, nutritious. If you have health concerns with your food, there are meals prepared for just about every need. There are vegetarian, organic, gluten-free, MSG-free, and preservative-free varieties. Between the different manufacturers, you end up with a large selection of tastes from the basics like scrambled eggs and beef stew all the way to curry and yakisoba noodles.

MRE meal ready to eat food ration survival prepper shtf 3

The advantage of MREs is that they come ready to eat whether you heat them up or not. They even come with their own water-activated chemical heater bag. Freeze-dried foods on the other hand, require about one to two cups of boiling water per pouch. This means that you’ll need to use your supply of clean drinking water and a means to heat it to a boil to get your meal cooked. If you feel like you have a bulletproof water plan for an impending doomsday scenario and enjoy a more-than-MRE gourmet meal, these freeze-dried alternatives just might be the ticket. We like to have our bases covered, so we went with storing both types just in case.

Natural High Chicken Pot Pie with Mashed Potatoes

  • Serves: 2
  • Dry Weight: 6 oz
  • Single Cooked Serving Size: N/A
  • MSRP: $6.50
  • URL: www.knafoods.com

Alpine Foods Bandito Scramble

  • Serves: 2
  • Dry Weight: 3.5 oz
  • Single Cooked Serving Size: N/A
  • MSRP: $5.23
  • URL: www.knafoods.com

Backpacker’s Pantry Organic Yakisoba Noodles

MaryJanesFarm Organic Curry in a Hurry

Mountain House Chili Mac with Beef

Bulk Foods

MRE meal ready to eat food ration survival prepper shtf 18

If you’re thinking you’d like to prepare for a long-term meal plan or have a lot of mouths to feed, look into dried food that is sold by the bucket. Many manufacturers make them; most of them contain hundreds of servings with a variety of flavors stuffed into each bucket. Your best bet is to study what your taste and nutritional needs are and look for the corresponding bucket.
This 5-gallon bucket we got was a little over $100, includes 200 servings of food, divided into a pouch of five servings each. Like the freeze-dried foods we outlined before, they do require boiled water for preparation. If stored properly, this food can be stored for an amazing 20 years.

Food for Health International Food Supply 200 Servings

Features:

  • Tuscan Butter Noodles, 20 servings
  • Cheesy Broccoli Rice, 20 servings
  • Vegetable Barley, 20 servings
  • Creamy Vegetable Rice, 25 servings
  • Creamy Potato Soup, 25 servings
  • Italian Tomato Pasta, 20 servings
  • Brown Sugar Oatmeal, 35 servings
  • Whey Milk, 35 servings

MSRP: $114.95

URL: store.foodforhealthinternational.com

Conclusion

If you’re hoping to get five-star cuisine from a plastic bag, then you need to dial back your expectations a whole lot. If you figured a complete meal from a plastic bag that can sit for years at a time and not go bad isn’t going to win any food awards, you’re well ahead of the game. While these meals weren’t the best we’ve ever eaten, we’ve had, heck, cooked, worse. But, in any SHTF scenario, your primary goal is to survive and thrive, and MREs should be an important part of your plan. The nutrition and fuel they provide you is more than enough to survive on. On top of that, you may even be surprised at how palatable some of them are.

Resources

  • Wornick: www.wornick.com
  • Longlife Food Depot: www.longlifefood.com
  • Sopakco: www.sopakco.com
  • MREstar: www.mre-meals.net/index.php
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Documentary: The Rajneeshee Bioterrorist Attacks

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Those who read our previous article on The History of Bioterrorism may recall the name Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh. This bearded guru was the leader of a religious movement that grew from a small commune in India into a ruthless cult in the United States. Although our previous article mentioned a few details about the bioterrorist attack perpetrated by the Rajneeshees in 1984, the broader story of the cult is a fascinating case study in the growth of a violent extremist movement on American soil. Beyond bioterrorism, the Rajneeshees were responsible for voter fraud, wiretapping, arson, poisoning the local water supply, and several attempted assassinations.

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Rajneesh's second-in-command, Ma Anand Sheela, speaking to followers.

We recently came across a comprehensive documentary about the Rajneeshee movement created by filmmaker Fredrik Knudsen. This 39-minute documentary is part of a series called Down the Rabbit Hole, in which Knudsen analyzes various fringe groups. The story starts with the early days of Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh's popularity in India, then explains how he gathered a strong following of educated westerners and built a 64,000-acre commune in rural Oregon, complete with its own police force and fire department.

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Rajneesh driving by his followers in a Rolls-Royce. Photo credit: Samvado Gunnar Kossatz

Conflicts with local townspeople led the Rajneeshees to seize control of the city of Antelope, Oregon, renaming it to Rajneesh. Over the next three years, the group's actions only got more extreme, escalating to the attempted murder of a U.S. district attorney and the salmonella-based bioterrorist attack that finally led to Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh's arrest. You can watch the full documentary, which was funded by Patreon donations and released for free, below: