Page 161 – RECOIL OFFGRID

Infographic: 48 Ways to Make Alcohol

Posted on June 30, 2017 at 8:00 am.

During a disaster, the value of currency is often diminished, but certain commodities become far more valuable. The law of supply and demand tells us that when supply of a desirable resource is low, demand skyrockets, and the worth of that resource increases. When polite society comes to a grinding halt and people are fighting for their lives, it's reasonable to assume that food, weapons, and comfort items will be in high demand.

You may have already thought to stock up on freeze-dried food and ammunition, but have you considered that third category? Alcohol is a comfort item which may become an important bartering resource during emergencies, especially if major breweries and distilleries shut down. And if having a fully-stocked bar is valuable, knowing how to produce a continuous supply of liquor is even more valuable. With a little trial and error and the right ingredients, you can whip up a batch of booze that can be traded for other items you need.

Fortunately, there are countless ways to make alcohol from a variety of simple ingredients. Even if all you've got is tree sap or stale bread, you can ferment these ingredients into alcohol. The following infographic from WineBags.com shows the ingredients and processes used to make 48 different types of booze.

Despite its length, this is by no means a complete guide. There are many, many more types of alcohol beyond this list — you can probably think of a few off the top of your head. It just goes to show that no matter the scarcity of raw ingredients and natural resources, humans will eventually find a way to make alcohol, and other humans will want to drink it.

Unconventional Weapons: WASP Injection Knife

Posted on June 29, 2017 at 3:25 pm.

Written by Patrick McCarthy

A knife is a relatively simple tool — a piece of solid metal (or some other hard material) with a sharp edge and sometimes a piercing point. Other details such as the metal composition, heat treat, and blade profile will dramatically affect its durability and cutting performance, but at the end of the day it's still a sharp piece of metal. However, over the years, a few designers have tried thinking outside the box to develop knives which can deal more damage to a specific type of target.

Wasp injection knife blade CO2 dive water shark 1

The WASP knife injects CO2 in an attempt to expand and freeze a wound cavity.

A few of these unconventional knife designs have utilized compressed gas. Ballistic knives, for example, have used compressed air or CO2 to fire a blade a short distance from the handle. Outside video games and movies, the effectiveness of ballistic knives is dubious to say the least. But there's a second type of knife that uses compressed gas — the injection knife.

The WASP Injection Knife is designed to inject high-pressure gas into a wound cavity through a hole in the blade, rather than using gas to propel the blade forward. This is said to expand and freeze the wound, inflicting more damage to the target. On WaspInjection.com, the knife's manufacturer states:

“This weapon injects a freezing cold ball of compressed gas, approximately the size of a basketball, at 800psi nearly instantly. The effects of this injection will drop many of the world's largest land predators. The effects of the compressed gas not only cause over-inflation during ascent when used underwater, but also freezes all tissues and organs surrounding the point of injection on land or at sea.”

These are some bold claims, but how does the knife's injection system fare in reality? Unsurprisingly, there doesn't appear to be any video footage of SCUBA divers stabbing sharks with the WASP, but several YouTubers have tested the knife on ballistic gel, plastic bottles, and watermelons to show how the system works:

More videos of the knife in action are available here and here. One downside to this knife is that it can only inject CO2 once before the handle must be unscrewed and a new cartridge must be installed. Also, it'll set you back $500 for standard models, or $600 for the larger WASP Bowie model.

So, what do you think of this unconventional injection knife? Tell us your opinion in the poll below.

Primitive Technology: Building a Charcoal Kiln

Posted on June 28, 2017 at 6:00 am.

Written by Patrick McCarthy

Whether you're surviving in the backwoods or simply camping for the weekend, a fire is essential for heat, light, water purification, and food preparation. Most of us build a campfire around a few large logs, but natural wood isn't always an ideal fuel source. Wood may contain fire-stifling moisture or produce large amounts of smoke; burning some types of wood can even cause lung irritation or blindness.

Charcoal contains minimal moisture, ignites easily, and burns energetically. It also burns hotter and gives off less smoke than raw wood. In a survival situation, you won't be able to buy bags of charcoal briquettes at the grocery store, but with a little time and effort, you can make your own charcoal. You'll just need to build a charcoal kiln.

If you're familiar with the process of making char cloth, the core concept remains the same for charcoal production. You need to expose organic material — in this case, wood — to intense heat inside a container which limits the flow of oxygen. This causes a reaction known as pyrolysis, and leaves a blackened and brittle charred byproduct that can be ignited easily.

In the following video, the host of Primitive Technology shows how to build a simple charcoal kiln from mud. The kiln features eight small air intake holes around the base, and one exhaust vent at the top. The wood pile inside the kiln is ignited through the top hole, and each intake opening is sealed as the fire burns down towards ground level. Finally, the exhaust hole is sealed and the kiln is left to cool overnight. After carefully carving an opening into the side of the kiln, the charcoal can be broken down and removed.

Cutting-Edge Combatives

Posted on June 27, 2017 at 6:00 pm.

Written by Offgrid Staff

In This Article

Gain an Edge
Drawback
Carry On
The Tipping Point
Get a Grip
Folder Access Denied
It's Flipping Dangerous
Front-Pocket Carry
Appendix Carry
Closed for Business
Defanging the Snake
About the Author
More From Issue 13

WARNING!
The concepts shown here are for illustrative purposes only. Seek professional training from a reputable instructor before attempting any techniques discussed or shown in this story.

Social collapse brings many problems. Thirst and hunger will slowly kill, but violence can end life in a heartbeat. It may be a gangbanger looking for an easy target, a bandit who likes your expensive-looking MultiCam bug-out bag, or one of the many unprepared souls who blocks your path because a disaster left him desperate. Threats come in 1,001 different flavors. How violence is served up is difficult to predict.

Naturally, having a force multiplier in the way of a firearm is highly desirable. Alas, we're not always so lucky. There may be many reasons why a firearm may not be available outside the home (if at all). The most common one is simply that the majority of U.S. citizens (94.8 percent to be exact, according to Crime Prevention Research Center) don't have a permit to carry a concealed handgun.

Enter the ubiquitous and humble everyday carry (EDC) knife.

We already know many of you carry a folding knife, because besides coming in handy as a cutting instrument and potential survival tool, a folder can be used as a deadly weapon. Hence, we're delving into what it really means to carry, deploy, and use a blade — especially when SHTF. Whether you're an experienced knife handler looking for a review of fundamentals or a prepper adding to your self-defense arsenal, you'll find helpful, and possibly life-saving, information here.

Gain an Edge

Having a folding knife as part of your EDC is a no-brainer. Folding knives can give you the following advantages over other self-defense weapons:

Good Things Come in Small Packages: Because the blade can fold, overall size is reduced, resulting in a comfortable and easy-to-carry package. This means you're more likely to have it with you.
Socially Acceptable: Folding knives are like Starbucks — you can't go anywhere in the USA without spotting one in spitting distance. Even in “nanny states” like New York and California, you'll find thousands and thousands of people carrying folders. They're so ubiquitous that they won't attract undue attention.
Multitask: Some folders come with a seatbelt cutter, glass-breaker, or other features a fixed blade can't provide.
Affordable: There are high-quality knives out there for a song. Even imported blades can be of high quality.
Widely Distributed: Knives can be purchased at any sporting goods stores and big-box stores like Walmart.
No License Required: Unlike for a concealed carry firearm, you need no license or special training to carry a folder.
Quiet: Firearms are loud. Not looking to let everyone in a ½-mile radius know your location? Use a knife.
Never Runs Out of Ammo: Knives can slice and puncture repeatedly without reloading, jamming, or going dry.

The Benchmade 808, right, and the Emerson CQC-15 are high-quality, everyday-carry knives that are also serious...

Drawback

Every advantage brings with it disadvantages. Below are drawbacks to be aware of when using a folding knife for defense.

Butter Fingers: Opening some blades requires fine-motor control, which can deteriorate quickly during a fight. Consistent practice is required to successfully deploy your blade during a SHTF scenario.
Slippery Grip: Without realistic training performed under pressure, the odds of acquiring a secure grip is greatly reduced. Have you ever practiced your draw while a training partner swings a crowbar full speed at your head? Trust us, it's not as easy as you think. Also, a poor grip can lead to improper opening or, worse yet, to dropping the knife entirely. Add in rain, snow, or gloves, and things get dicey very quickly. Luckily, these issues can be mitigated with regular practice.
Fold Failure: Even with a sturdy locking mechanism (like a lock-back or frame-lock), there's no guarantee that the knife won't fold on you when in use. If the locking mechanism isn't fully engaged, the knife can fold up like cheap lawn furniture and ruin your day really fast.
Breaker, Breaker: Folding knives have moving parts whereas fixed blades don't. The extra joint is where the folder can fall apart. Screws can come loose, springs can wear out, and locking mechanisms can fail.
No Sheath: There's always a safety concern when carrying a folder, because the blade is really not sheathed. If the blade is accidentally opened just a few degrees, there's more than enough exposed blade to cut flesh when reaching for the folder. This concern is especially relevant with the tip-up carrying method (discussed later) or with automatic and pocket-opening knives.
Close-Quarters Weapon: Having a knife is definitely a step above going at it empty-handed. However, it's not a lightsaber or a magic wand. Using the knife effectively against multiple opponents or against another weapon requires proper training to come out on top in any life-or-death encounter.

Carry On

It used to be that a folding knife was called a pocket knife because it was carried in the, well, pocket. (Some people with the money would kit up with a belt-attached pouch.) It wasn't until 1981 that knife manufacturer Spyderco reportedly became the first to introduce the clothing clip into the designs of its knives. With a simple, yet ingenious little clip, folders can now be “clipped” in a variety of static positions. This allowed for easy carry and hereafter, the modern folding knife freed itself from the atrocities of pocket lint.

The Tipping Point

There are other locations to clip a knife, but for realistic self-defense, front-pocket carry and appendix carry are your best bets.

Carrying the knife with the blade tip up or tip down is something else to consider. Both carrying methods come with risks and rewards. Tip-down carrying with the blade toward the front is considered safer. When reaching to draw the knife in this position, you won't be meeting the business end of the blade, if it accidently opens. “Safety first” is the motto of the tip-down camp. The downside is that it's difficult to acquire a full grip on the handle when drawing the blade. Plus, you'll have to readjust your grip before you can open the blade, so that the business side of the blade points away from you.

Carrying tip up with the blade to the rear gives a more solid purchase on the handle, making your draw-stroke smoother and more reliable. The shortcoming of this carrying method comes into play if the blade accidentally opens a few degrees (which can happen) — then the only thing you'll be drawing is your own blood. If carrying tip up is your preference, reduce the chances of meeting the pointy end of the blade by seating the knife to the rear of the pocket. This will place the spine of the blade against the seam of the pocket, keeping the folder closed.

At the end of the day, the location of the clip and the design of the knife will often determine tip-up or tip-down carry. Some knives feature configurable clips, but others have fixed clips and must be carried the way they were manufactured. The majority of these pre-clipped knives are offered in the tip-down carry position.

The tip-up carry positions are often seen in knives with a catch or hook on the spine of the blade — think Emerson Knives' “wave-shaped opening feature.” The hook or wave is designed to catch on the posterior of the pocket and opens the knife as you pull it out. [Editor's note: For more on pocket-opening knives, see Issue 24 of our sister publication, RECOIL.] No matter the carry method, regular practice (of drawing, slashing, and stabbing) will keep your knife skills sharp.

Get a Grip

Gripping a knife is similar to gripping a firearm — you want as much surface area of your hand on the frame. While there are many variations, including reverse grip, beginners should focus on these two when using a folder: the hammer grip and the saber grip.

Hammer Grip: Just as it sounds, grab the knife like you're gripping a hammer. Keep the wrist straight and get as much thumb on the frame as possible. This gives you the strongest purchase on the handle, making it the preferred grip of many knife users.

However, an increase in stability means a decrease in mobility. You'll sacrifice reach and agility during cutting and stabbing motions.

Saber Grip: It looks similar to the hammer grip, but the pad of the thumb rests on the spine of the blade. Some knives have a small rise and with jimping (ridges) at the base of the spine to accommodate the saber grip. The wrist will slightly bend down (AKA ulnar flexion). A variation of the saber grip that's popular among martial artists is the Filipino grip, which places the entire thumb on as much of the blade spine as possible; achieving this grip properly is dependent on whether the blade's spine is completely straight.

The saber grip allows for a longer reach during cutting and stabbing. For many, this is a more natural grip. The disadvantage of this grip is that, with the thumb on the blade's spine, more handle is visible. The result is reduced grip stability.

Folder Access Denied

Don't be fooled. Drawing a knife during a violent encounter is no easy task. Trying to deploy a folding knife at the wrong time during a sh!t storm is a recipe for disaster. The following are situations in which whipping out your blade will lead to serious repercussions.

When the Threat is Immediate: Only deploy your weapon (whether blade or firearm) when you have enough space and distance between you and your assailant. How much space and distance? As much as possible. If a bad guy is within arm's reach, the situation can go sideways in a blink, as your attention and hand are focused on drawing your tool rather than on the incoming attack. If the thug is too close or already on top of you, your first option should be to slow or neutralize the threat with your empty-hand skills before reaching for the weapon. The reality is empty-hand fighting skills are necessary in many situations.

Here Conrad Bui makes the mistake of drawing the knife while the bad guy is already within touching distance.

It's Flipping Dangerous

Every prepper, hiker, and soldier knows that ounces equal pounds and pounds equal pain. So if you're forced to go up SHTF creek without a paddle, the fewer but more functional the tools, the better. An EDC knife can serve many purposes in a crisis scenario, and chief among them is self-defense.

Any way you cut it (pun intended!), a folding knife is a deadly weapon. Only use your blade in a confrontation when your life is in danger, and when you're willing to take another life to save your own or that of your loved ones. (See sidebar “Closed for Business” for use of non-lethal force.) No matter if you pocket carry or appendix carry, if you carry tip up or tip down, getting the correct training and regular practice is paramount in using your knife to save your life.

Conrad Bui has no time to draw his weapon when Michael Guadamuz goes for a choke. He buys time by eye jabbing and...

Front-Pocket Carry

When utilizing the clip, there are two major carry positions, front pocket and appendix. Both positions are solid locations for a folder. Clipping your knife to the front pocket (on the side of your dominant hand), is the most common way to carry.

Pros:

Pocket carry places your tool in a location where your hand naturally hangs when you're standing. This helps make it faster on the draw than other positions.
Clothes (like shirts and jackets) aren't in the way of the draw-stroke. This helps reduce the “Oh fudge!” factor when deploying the weapon quickly.

Cons:

The clip, and oftentimes part of the handle, is visible. An attacker can prepare to immobilize your dominant side or look to take the knife away.
A clipped blade can be lifted rather easily in a crowded setting. A few bumps here and there, and the knife is gone. This will suck a lot if you spent a few C-notes on your blade.
Sitting, squatting, lifting, and bending can cause the knife to shift and become dislodged from the pocket. Also, reaching into the pocket for a wallet or loose change can unseat the knife and cause it to fall out inadvertently.

Appendix Carry

Also known as front-waistband carry, this method involves clipping the knife behind the front waistband, and angled along the line of the inguinal fold (angled toward the groin). The knife (depending on the carrier's build) will be located at the 1 or 2 o'clock position if you're right-handed or 10 or 11 o'clock if you're a southpaw.

Pros:

With the knife positioned more centrally, both hands will have access to the weapon — the greatest advantage of the appendix carry method. This lets you draw with your support hand even if your dominant hand is injured, grabbed by the bad guy, or busy (e.g. shielding a loved one or holding a child).
The appendix carry is almost impossible to detect if it's concealed by an untucked shirt. Going stealth gives you the element of surprise against a bad guy and will draw less attention from people who are uncomfortable around weapons.
It'll be pretty obvious if a thief is trying to swipe your blade because his hand has to reach much closer to your naughty bits.

Cons:

There's a good chance your shirt will cover your knife in this position, requiring an extra movement to clear the shirt before drawing the knife.
The location might not work for all body types. If you're lugging a spare tire above your beltline, this carrying method will be uncomfortable and difficult.
Is it legal in your area? Concealed-carry laws can vary by jurisdiction, so check your local, county, and state laws for compliance.

Here the author demonstrates the advantages of appendix carry as Michael Guadamuz grabs Bui's dominant hand. Bui...

Closed for Business

Pulling out your knife doesn't mean you must expose the blade. The blade is a deadly weapon and using the blade to cut should be reserved only for deadly encounters. Keeping the blade closed and using the handle as a pocket stick (AKA kubotan or yawara) is one advantage a folder has over a fixed blade. There are situations where a less lethal alternative should be used: You may have more buddies with you or the attacker may be smaller than you, intoxicated, or just having a bad day. In these situations, you may want to keep your folder closed, using it as a blunt tool instead.

How: To use your folder as a pocket stick, simply grasp the handle and cap the end with your thumb. You will use the weapon like a hammer, with the butt-end of the handle sticking out. Be extra careful if your knife has a glass breaker at the end, because this will cause more trauma. Raise your weapon up to your face level and drop the butt-end either straight down or at a 45-degree angle with a hammering motion. Make sure to put your body weight behind the strikes for power.
Where: Target the bony areas of the body with these strikes. The temple, jaw, collarbone, and carpal bones on top of the hand make excellent targets.
When Your Life Is Not at Stake: If you use a knife on someone, it should be for true emergencies only. Cutting up someone just because they pointed a finger at your chest or threatened to beat you up (but haven't done anything) is not justified. Not only will you have to deal with your own conscience, you'll have to explain yourself to the police and the courts.
To Threaten Someone: When you draw your knife, it should be to cut. Don't draw your knife to threaten because, aside from possible legal ramifications, this will give away your tactical advantage. Sure, your blade may scare someone off, but it could just as well escalate the confrontation as well.

Defanging the Snake

Your life is in danger, the blade is out, and you need to use it. Now what? For this we look to the tactic of “defanging the snake.” This principle, borrowed from the Filipino fighting art of kali, is simple: When a weapon or fist comes at you, simply attack the flesh that's closest. Anytime a close-range weapon comes at you, there's a hand attached to that weapon and an arm attached to that hand. Move your body part that is being attacked (most likely the head or torso) out of the way of the strike, and slash or stab away at the closest target, most likely the attacker's hand or arm.

Aim at cutting the inner side of the wrist and forearm. This is where the tendons used to flex the fingers are found. With the tendons on the inside of the wrist or forearm cut, it's difficult for the attacker to grip a weapon or make a fist. If the cut is high up the arm, the brachial artery might be severed and death could result in minutes.

Michael Guadamuz looks to aerate his victim with a thrust to the gut. The author demonstrates the tactic of...

About the Author

Dr. Conrad Bui is a San Francisco-based chiropractor with more than 30 continuous years of practice in the martial arts. He has “street” experience as a former bar bouncer and competitive experience in Tae Kwon Do, Muay Thai, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He is also a certified instructor in silat, kali, and kuntao.

More From Issue 13

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Editor's Note: This article has been modified from its original print version for the web.

Old News, New Tricks

Posted on June 27, 2017 at 5:00 pm.

Written by Offgrid Staff

In This Article

Plant Pot
Seed Tape
Garden Bed
Fire-Starter
Toilet Paper
Fire Log
Improvised Weapon
Insulation
Boot Dryer
Conclusion
About the Author
More From Issue 13

Photos by Tammy Cobb

I don't know anyone who doesn't end up with a stack or two of newspapers or advertisements in their recycling bins each week. Even if you don't subscribe to the daily paper in your area, odds are there's at least one free newspaper that is delivered regularly along with a seemingly endless supply of ads, coupons, and classifieds. Some folks call this the local fish wrap. The point is just about everyone has unwanted printed matter lying around.

You could, and should, recycle what you don't need. But in here we're presenting some ways you can repurpose it around the house, focusing on survival or self-reliance–related purposes.

Before we get into the projects though, let's talk for a moment about newspaper. Not all newspaper is created alike. There's newsprint and there's glossy paper. The glossy paper is what is typically used for advertising. Ya know, the shiny, full-color ads that are designed to draw you into the stores so you'll buy more junk you don't need or can't afford. Toss that stuff right into the recycling bin. We have no use for it here. What you want is the actual newsprint.

If for some unknowable reason you're that odd person who receives absolutely no newspapers at home, but you still want to try out some of these projects, you have a couple of options. You could ask a friend, relative, or neighbor to save some paper for you, of course. Or, you could head down to the local newspaper office and ask about “end rolls.” These are rolls of clean newsprint that only have a bit of paper left. Trust me, each end roll will have plenty for our purposes here. Some newspapers give them out for free, others might charge a small fee.

Incidentally, if you have kids or grandkids, roll out enough clean newsprint for them to lie on, then trace around their entire body and head. They'll have a blast using crayons to draw life-size versions of themselves. It also makes for great wrapping paper for the holidays, just dress it up with some markers or stickers.

Plant Pot

This is a great project for the kids to do on those days when they complain about being bored. It requires newspaper, a bottle, and soil. There is a product on the market called a Pot Maker that works outstandingly well for this project. I highly recommend it. The mechanics of the project are the same whether you use the Pot Maker or a bottle. A wine bottle works great, but if that's not available, any bottle of similar size will work. The ideal bottle will have a concaved bottom.

Cut the newspaper into strips about 6 inches wide. The length will depend upon the size of your bottle. The strip will need to wrap completely around the bottle twice.

Wrap the strip around the Pot Maker twice. Fold that loose newspaper in and crimp the fold around the bottom edge of the dowel. Slide the pot from the dowel and fill with soil. The soil helps the pot keep its shape so be sure to fill the pots even if you don't plan on using them right away.

Once the seedlings are ready to be transplanted outside, you don't have to remove the pot. Just dig the hole and drop the whole thing in. The newspaper will decompose just fine.

A plant pot made of newspaper is cheap and easy to make. Plus, you don't need to remove or replace it later...

Seed Tape

If you've ever planted carrots or lettuce, you know just how frustrating it can be to deal with those itty-bitty tiny seeds. We always just end up sprinkling the entire seed packet into a trench, resigning ourselves to the knowledge that we'll just be thinning the seedlings once they sprout and thus wasting quite a bit of seed. But, with a little effort ahead of time, you can use newspaper to cut down on the amount of seed you end up using in a season, thus extending your supply. Plus, you won't be doing nearly as much thinning as the plants grow.

Start by cutting the newspaper into strips about 1 inch wide. Length is up to you, but I find it easiest to work with strips no more than 18 inches long. Next, make a glue using 2 tablespoons flour and 1 tablespoon water. The mixture should be fairly thick.

Read the instructions on the seed packet to find out the recommended plant spacing. If you don't have the original seed packet, do some research online. For our purposes, we'll say it's 1 inch. Lay out your newspaper strip and use a ruler and pencil to mark the seed spacing. Leave room on one end of the strip so you can label the strip.

Dip the tip of a toothpick into your glue, then use it to pick up one seed. One at a time, smear the glue and seeds on the strip at the spaced marks. Let the strip sit out until the glue has fully dried. Use a marker to label each strip with the type of seed. Roll up or fold the strips to store until needed.

To use, simply dig a trench in your garden to the appropriate depth, lay in your seed tape, and cover with soil. Water thoroughly, and you're done!

Garden Bed

If you have the time to wait, newspaper can be a tremendous asset in creating a new garden bed. Put down a few layers of newspaper over the entire surface of the planned garden bed, weighing the paper down with rocks or logs. Let this sit for a season and all of the grass and weeds will die off. This makes it much easier to till up the ground and get things ready for planting.

Fire-Starter

Having a reliable way to get a fire going can be critical to survival. Sure, there are all sorts of fire-starters on the market today and most of them work rather well. However, if you have a stack of newspaper and a few old candles, you can make fire-starters that work just as well as some and even better than most.

Roll a few sheets of newspaper together so the end result is about 1 inch thick. Use jute twine or some other type of cordage to tie the roll together at several points. Cut the roll into sections, each a couple of inches long. Be sure you have at least one loop of twine around each of these sections.

Submerge each of these sections into melted wax, and then set out to dry for a few minutes. To use, simply light the jute twine as though it were a fuse. You could also scrape a bit of wax away from a corner and light the paper directly. These fire-starters burn a good long time.

Toilet Paper

It isn't nearly as soft as Charmin, but it'll do in a pinch — and far better than trying to decide if those leaves look like poison ivy or not. You can make the experience a little more tolerable by repeatedly crumpling up the paper so it softens the fibers a bit.

Fire Log

As should be obvious to just about everyone, newspaper burns quite well. It is, after all, just wood pulp. There are gadgets and gizmos out there that will turn shredded paper into bricks or logs for burning. That's all well and good, but the method I'm going to describe requires nothing more than a small tub of water and a dowel.

Fill a basin or tub with warm water and just a squirt of dish soap. Separate the newspaper into sheets, then pile them in the water and let them soak for an hour or so. Drain the water and lay the sheets out in sections, overlapping them a bit. Begin at one end with the dowel and roll it along, wrapping the newspaper around the dowel. Keep adding paper until the log is about 4 inches thick or so. Slide out the dowel and your log is complete.

Lay the logs out to dry, which can take a few days to a few weeks depending on climate conditions. I wouldn't suggest using these exclusively in your fireplace or wood stove, but they can help extend your supply of firewood by using them here and there. They won't light right off a match, but will catch just fine off of some kindling.

These will produce a bit more ash than regular logs, but the benefit of increased fuel for the wood stove with little impact on your wallet will probably outweigh the inconvenience of one more bucket of ash to empty each week.

Improvised Weapon

Newspapers for self-defense? What are you going to do, paper cut them to death? OK, newspapers wouldn't be my first choice for a weapon, nor my second, third, or even fourth. But, as a last resort, it'll do the job. How?

Take about five sheets of newspaper and roll them up as tightly as you can. The resulting baton will be strong enough to be used defensively against certain attacks. Offensively, you could swing it like a small club, but it's way stronger at the ends. Better to thrust the baton's tip into a bad guy's eyes, throat, or groin, or use the butt-end to hammer on vulnerable areas. Either way, your newspaper baton will certainly get an assailant's attention.

Sort of a variation on this theme is the Millwall brick. Roll the newspaper as before, then fold it in half. That's it, you're done. The striking surface is the fold. The more newspaper used, the harder and heavier the brick will turn out. You can make the weapon a little more lethal by adding a few nails to the business end of the brick.

This simple tool is the namesake of London's Millwall Football Club, whose fans were notorious for hooliganism. In the 1960s and 1970s, they allegedly used Millwall bricks to raise hell because pretty much every other improvised weapon had been outlawed. Where there's a will there's a way, right?

As a last resort, a rolled-up newspaper (and its Millwall brick variation) can be a decent improvised weapon when...

Insulation

You've no doubt seen the cliché in the movies of the homeless dude stuffing newspaper into his coat or pants, right? Guess what, it really does work to keep you warm. Newspaper, just like most of the puffy coat fillers you find on the market today, add dead air space between you and the outside chill. Your body heat warms that dead air, which is what keeps you from shivering. You may feel like the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man, but at least you'll be warm.

Newspaper also works as an insulating material around the home. When you find a cold draft coming in from the side of a window or door, stuff the crack with newspaper. It might not look all that awesome, but it works. Keeping out the cold outside air can be very important if your only source of heat is the fireplace during a power outage.

If frozen pipes are a concern, wrap them with newspaper. You can also run the taps at a light trickle to help keep things from turning to ice.

Boot Dryer

Wet footwear can be a serious issue and could lead to frostbite or worse in bad conditions. You can use newspaper to dry out your boots and shoes. Stuff loose crumples of paper into the boot until you can't fit any more inside and let it sit overnight. If the boots are really soaked, replace the paper with dry crumples after a couple of hours, then let it go until morning.

Conclusion

Even though they rarely carry good news these days, there is little in life more ubiquitous than newspapers — even in this Digital Age. Newspapers are so common we often overlook it as a useful resource. The true survivalist, though, tries to utilize everything and anything to achieve his or her goals. The survival uses of newspapers don't end here, as their limit is really just your imagination.

About the Author

Jim Cobb is a recognized authority on disaster preparedness. He has studied, practiced, and taught survival strategies for about 30 years. Today, he resides in the upper Midwest with his beautiful and patient wife and their three adolescent weapons of mass destruction. His books include Prepper's Home Defense, Countdown to Preparedness, and Prepper's Long-Term Survival Guide. Jim's primary home online is www.SurvivalWeekly.com. He is also active on Facebook at www.facebook.com/jimcobbsurvival. Jim offers a consulting service as well as educational opportunities at www.DisasterPrepConsultants.com.

More From Issue 13

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Read articles from the next issue of Recoil Offgrid: Issue 14

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Editor's Note: This article has been modified from its original print version for the web.

New: First Tactical EMS Jump Bags

Posted on June 27, 2017 at 6:00 am.

Written by Patrick McCarthy

Whether you're an experienced medical professional or an ordinary survivalist with limited first-aid training, it's wise to have the right gear on hand for medical emergencies. Basic medications and bandages can be used to stabilize minor injuries, while quick-clot gauze and tourniquets can save lives in the minutes following a disaster. However, having all the right gear isn't enough — it needs to be organized for fast access.

First Tactical has released a new line of EMS Jump Bags designed for first responders. Two sizes are currently available: a 22″ x 12″ x 12″ Large Jump Bag for advanced life support (ALS) and a Medium Jump Bag for basic life support (BLS). Both bags are designed with a rigid-sided three-quarter zip opening. Rather than laying the lid flat on the ground and scattering items, this layout quickly displays all of the contents in an organized manner.

The First Tactical jump bags feature a rubber molded bottom layer and easy-clean exterior, so they can resist dirt, grime, and abrasion. They're available in high-visibility red or yellow, and can be carried in a duffel bag or backpack configuration via the First Tactical Jump Pack Harness System. The interior of these bags is lined with hook-and-loop material for customizable pouch placement and tear-away access.

The Large Jump Bag is available at an MSRP of $199, and the Medium Jump Bag is $179. For more information about these emergency medical bags, go to FirstTactical.com.

6 Beginner’s Training Tips for Concealed Carry

Posted on June 26, 2017 at 6:00 am.

Written by Offgrid Staff

In This Article

Choose the Right Holster
Get Used to Carrying Your Firearm
Train Your Drawing Technique
Learn Body Language Control
Plan for Complete Concealment
Know the Laws

When carrying a concealed weapon, you should ensure that you are exercising your right responsibly. This may seem obvious to those of us who are experienced with firearms, but those new to the world of CCW may not be entirely comfortable at first. This can lead to unfortunate incidents such as undue fear, loss of license, and even negligent discharge. Therefore, here are some simple and practical concealed carry tips that you should consider when training with firearms. For a more advanced take on CCW tips, check out this article on RECOILweb.com.

Choose the Right Holster

A concealed carry holster is the most essential piece of gear that you should think about after purchasing your firearm. Without the right holster, all your training and knowledge on handling a concealed firearm will be less effective. When choosing your holster, it's wise to select one designed specifically for your gun. Generic holsters might be inexpensive, but the fit may be poor which means that the weapon can shift or even fall out. You should also check the ride height of the product, particularly in inside-the-waistband (IWB) holsters. In addition, test your comfort level by trying on your preferred holster for optimal results.

Get Used to Carrying Your Firearm

You should think about practicing carrying your concealed setup before going out. Too often, people wear their belts, holsters, and guns for the first time in public. The unfamiliar feeling of the carry is uncomfortable, and this is apparent to anyone who knows what to look for. Therefore, you should take some time to get used to your new gear. Wear it in your house and get the general feeling. After this, you can make adjustments as necessary until you find the best carry position. When experimenting, you should walk around, sit and bend so that you will get a clear picture of what will happen in each position.

Train Your Drawing Technique

If you are carrying a concealed firearm, it should go without saying that you need to practice your draw stroke. Theoretically, the process of readying a weapon is simple. However, the reality is more complicated, especially if you are a rookie in the practice. If you are not properly trained, the weapon will be difficult to draw from beneath your normal apparel and your grip might not be ideal for consistent firing.

You can avoid these issues by practicing how to draw your weapon efficiently. Most shooting ranges do not allow drawing from a holster. However, you can work on your technique at home. Simply remove the magazine, unload the chamber, and remove all live ammunition from the vicinity. Then you will be ready to practice your draw and dry firing your weapon.

Learn Body Language Control

People with concealed weapons often fidget and adjust their firearm setup. While their goal is to ensure that the carry is not visible, they end up drawing more attention to it. Therefore, you should learn how to resist the urge to keep checking your weapon and making certain that it has not shifted. You should know your concerns; for example, looseness of the weapon. If you understand your reasons for fidgeting, you can resolve the problem by changing your gun setup or getting used to the pertinent feeling.

Plan for Complete Concealment

Concealing a firearm requires deliberate effort. Therefore, you should always plan for complete concealment instead of hoping that people will not notice you're printing. Some guns are easy to hide away in IWB or pocket holsters. However, if you have a large carry, you should consider changing your wardrobe for better results. You should also reevaluate your carrying method.

Know the Laws

Finally, you should learn the laws in your region with regard to concealed guns. Most states will require a special CCW license, so you should do your homework and comply with the regulations. If you are found to be illegally carrying, you will be treated as a criminal — ignorance of the law is not a valid defense.

Surreptitious Entry and Exit: Bypassing Security When SHTF

Posted on June 25, 2017 at 6:00 am.

Written by Patrick McCarthy

In This Article

Surreptitious Exit – Breaking Out
Lessons Learned: Surreptitious Exit
Surreptitious Entry – Breaking In
Lessons Learned: Surreptitious Entry
About the Author

When the proverbial excrement hits the fan, you don’t want to be in its path. To avoid danger in a life-threatening emergency scenario, you may need to be able to break into or out of a restricted location without drawing attention to your actions — in the security world, this is known as surreptitious entry and exit.

Usually, individuals with experience in this this skill set are either criminals or those who have a professional career-driven need for these specialized skills — locksmiths, security analysts, or MacGyver impersonators. Familiarizing yourself with surreptitious entry and exit can get you out of hot water in a hurry, but beware, as these techniques could also get you into that same hot water if used without discretion.

Editor’s Note: These techniques are for emergency purposes only, and should never be used unless you're trying to get to safety in a life-and-death situation. Be sure to research and follow all local and federal laws, and respect private property. Don't do anything stupid or illegal with this information — if you do, we're not responsible.

Surreptitious Exit – Breaking Out

Hypothetical Scenario: Active Shooter in a Hospital

You’re at a hospital the next county over visiting a close friend who just had his first-born son. As far as the layout and points of egress, they are completely foreign to you.

You’re in the cafeteria on the first floor of the hospital, when suddenly a panicked voice comes over the intercom. The voice repeats that an Emergency Code Silver is occurring in the Orange Zone, and that all patients, employees, and guests must shelter in place and lock themselves in the nearest room. Code Silver — you recall that this means a violent individual with a weapon.

On your way into the hospital, you noticed charts on hall doors showing the zone designation for each area, and the code key. But before you have the chance to find out where you are, you hear shots. Worst of all, you just so happened to be unarmed, so there’s no question in your mind that evasion is priority number one.

It seems that the Code Silver had been called in by someone who spotted the gunman before he began shooting. Feeling trapped, and hearing the shots coming closer, you find shelter in a nearby closet. Thankfully, the gunman passes your location and proceeds through the cafeteria, which is located centrally on the first floor.

Not knowing where to go, you proceed into the hallway where the shooter had just committed his acts of violence, and see multiple individuals with fatal GSWs. You also catch a glance of what appears to be a second shooter near the hall that leads to the lobby and parking lot. Knowing that you’ll have to take an alternate way out, it’s time to think quickly.

Surveying the area, you spot a deceased staff member’s RFID badge, designated with name and job title. Knowing you have to exfil quickly and quietly to avoid alerting the shooters, you plan on snatching whichever badge can get you through the highest number of secure doors, thereby creating space between you and the shooters. Then you’ll need to find an alternate egress route.

Lessons Learned: Surreptitious Exit

So, what can we learn from this hypothetical surreptitious exit scenario? Consider the following tips and takeaways.

1. Social Engineering and Physical Security

If possible, find badges of those with the highest clearance privileges. Security, maintenance, and facilities staff members are usually safe bets. Food service workers, receptionists, and office workers are not likely to have access to secure areas.
Biometric readers will deny entry if they're contaminated with blood or grime. Avoid these systems when possible.
Avoid two- or three-factor authentication readers. Even if you are able to use the fingerprint of an unconscious person, biometrics can be skewed by grime and blood. Avoid biometric scanners at all costs, and stick with single-factor doors where you can simply swipe a badge to enter.
If you have no other option, and the badge/ID has the individuals D.O.B, you may get lucky with two-factor card+PIN readers by entering their birth date as the required pin. Also consider trying common PINs such as 1234, or 0000. It’s worth a shot in a pinch.

2. Emergency Pull Stations

Usually red or blue, these can be handy to unlock doors that drop power during an emergency. However, if a facility has its security system set to “fail secure” rather than “fail safe”, the door will stay secure and only allow egress. Also keep in mind that these are often on the secure side of the door, which could require some sort of secondary plan, like getting another individual to activate the station, or reaching through broken glass in the door to drop power.

Pull stations (blue)

Most likely labeled as “emergency exit”, “police” or “security”
Stations don’t always have an audible alarm, but beware if they do. It could give away your position.
If there is an audible alarm, it can likely be masked by wrapping clothes around the pull station, or damaging the small exposed speaker.

Pull stations (red)

Almost always a fire alarm
In situations where silence is key, never initiate red pull stations unless you are ready for panic to ensue, or to risk exposure.
It’s more likely that this option will drop all power to the door and allow both egress and ingress. However, this is not always the case.

Watch the employees – they’re more familiar with the facility than you are.

You may find an exit for employees only, or a safe area to shelter in place.
If you aren’t alone, work together. The employees may know where the CCTV feed is, which could provide valuable information to help you locate the threat and avoid it to get out alive.

Surreptitious Entry – Breaking In

Slyly entering a secure facility isn’t something most ordinary people would ever consider. Unfortunately, it’s something that you may have to think about if you’re faced with a scenario similar to the following one. When there’s nowhere else to go, surreptitious entry into a secure location could save your life.

Use this thought process to better understand the infiltration aspect of making entry unnoticed. And again, these techniques are for emergency purposes only, and should never be used unless you're trying to get to safety in a life-and-death situation. Be sure to research and follow all local and federal laws, and respect private property. Don't do anything stupid or illegal with this information — if you do, we're not responsible.

Hypothetical Situation: Caught in a Tornado

After being summoned home from work to care for your sick spouse, you’re greeted in the parking lot with sheets of pouring rain. The weather had been worsening all afternoon, and you had been watching the downpour from your office window. What you hadn’t noticed was the rash of tornado warning alerts popping up on your cell phone. Luckily, the continuous vibrating prompted you to take a look as you were driving home.

As you continue your 40-minute drive, the emergency alert buzzer blares over your radio, issuing a shelter-in-place order for the county that you just entered. The news only gets worse — it should be hitting you within the next 10 minutes.

Even though you don’t necessarily live in tornado alley, small tornadoes occur yearly in your area. This is enough of a lesson for you to obey the order, especially since you see the sky circling aggressively above. Just as it starts looking like a scene from the movie Twister, you decide to park your car and take shelter at the next sturdy building you see. Unfortunately, the desolate rural farming area has left you with limited options for shelter. All you can find is a small brick building in an unmanned yet heavily-secured electrical substation. It’s much better than your other options of a dilapidated barn or staying in your vehicle on the road.

Recalling that substations are unmanned is a welcome thought, because no human intervention will prevent you from gaining access. However, it’s almost as much of a curse as it is a blessing. Electrical substations are typically heavily-guarded in terms of physical security due to their connection to the national grid. Physical systems inside of electrical substations, if accessed and hacked, could be used as a gateway toward crippling sections of the national grid.

As you pull into the small gravel parking lot, you realize that regardless of the situation at hand, you could still get in hot water with law enforcement for finding your way into a substation. At the same time, your life may be in jeopardy, so it’s time to proceed with caution and be ready to justify your decision if authorities arrive.

You notice the abundance of CCTV cameras around the perimeter of the substation, but rather than worrying about them, you feel relieved. If anyone questions your motives and actions, the cameras will provide evidence to back up your immediate safety concerns about the tornado. Even if you wanted to spare yourself the headaches of getting caught on camera, you don't have any time to spare, so you ignore their presence and focus on the facility's physical security.

Before exiting your vehicle, you take stock of the items you’ll need to make an entry, and figure out your timeline. You only have a few minutes to infiltrate or face the storm, so keeping this simple is the only way to make it out alive.

You grab some screwdrivers, a pocket knife, a small ball peen hammer, a dollar store ratchet set, and a wire coat hanger that your spare shirt was was hanging on. Finding a way to defeat the chain link fence — rather than going over it and looking like you were attacked by piranhas — is quite the challenge. Instead of picking a fight with the concertina wire, you decide you’re going to go right through the fencing.

Your lack of heavy-duty cutting tools won’t be a problem. It’s just as easy (and often more expedient) to circumvent all security measures and disassemble the corner post of the perimeter fence. In most cases, you can use a basic ratchet set to loosen connectors at the corner post on the secure side, and use body weight to pry the fencing and tension band from the post. This will allow just enough room to sneak through. The positive side of this is that you’ve done zero damage to the fencing itself.

On the other side of the fence, things start to look tougher. The door is a heavy, fire-rated steel door with card access. Hoping for a stroke of luck, you try the handle to see if it’s unlocked. No success there. Damn. Fumbling around for your gas rewards card, you next check if swiping any card will bypass the electronic lock set. Again, no luck.

The wind starts to pick up and debris is flying everywhere. If there’s any time to figure this out, it’s now. You figure you have about two or three minutes remaining. You notice the card reader, and realize that there must be a hole in the wall for wire to run to the other side of the block.

Quickly unscrewing the entry reader confirms your assumption. You can see light and another reader on the opposite side, so you punch it out with the butt of the hammer handle. Once the reader is out of the way, you can snake the unraveled coat hanger through and work the handle. After a few attempts, voilà, you’re in! You re-mount the outbound reader to plug the hole, seek shelter, and wait it out. Once the storm passes, you plan to call law enforcement and explain the situation — it'll probably go over better than leaving the scene and forcing them to track you down for breaking and entering.

Lessons Learned: Surreptitious Entry

1. Situational Awareness

Locate Motion Sensors/CCTV Cameras. These are red flags to criminals, but in an emergency, corroborating evidence may be the only thing that keeps you out of a courtroom later.
Take stock of the facility before selecting your tools, and don’t carry more than what you need.
Grab as many useful entry tools as possible before leaving your safe area.
Move quickly, but don't rush too much. Adrenaline can really mess up your fine motor skills, and panicking will skew your thinking. This will only slow you down and put you at risk. Staying calm while managing your time efficiently is the key.
Prioritize. Will entering a structure take longer than continuing on to a different, less secure building?

2. Outside Physical Security

If there are single-factor pin pads to gain access to doors, try simple codes involving sequential numbers and repeat numbers. Codes are usually 4-, 5-, or 6-digit, and are often followed by the “#” key.
Check to make sure that doors are actually locked! It’s surprising how often even the most secure facilities don’t bother to arm perimeter doors.
Think outside the box. Going over a fence, or cutting through it may be the most obvious way to infiltrate, but what about dismantling part of it to go around it? If you can sneak your wrench through the fence and turn the bolt on the secure side, it can take a few minutes, but should guarantee you access.
Card readers always have holes or electrical boxes behind them, no matter how small. Brick walls will always have a hole straight through to either conduit or another reader. This is a secure door’s weakest point to anyone who can’t bypass a lock.
Not exactly surreptitious, but brute force can work! The last thing you want to do is damage someone else’s property, but if it’s a life or death situation don’t hesitate to use some good ol’ elbow grease! Whether you’re kicking, prying, or ramming a door, hitting it just right near the handle can sometimes jar it enough to make entry.

About the Author

Jim Henry is a physical security and surveillance expert who has spent all of his adult life working to keep people out of places they shouldn’t be, and locating individuals who need to be found. Prior to his current employment in the private sector, where he works as a government contractor, Henry was a Surveillance Investigator for The Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh, PA. He also worked in Erie, PA in a similar role. Before that, Henry was busy building a diverse portfolio of education, studying countersurveillance, critical infrastructure protection, and threat detection. Even though most of his current work remains secret, Henry is very vocal about his love for firearms, writing, EDC gear, hiking with his dog, and spending time with his family.

New: TOPS Sling for Small-Game Hunting

Posted on June 22, 2017 at 6:00 am.

Written by Patrick McCarthy

Many of us started shooting firearms at a young age, often an air rifle or 10/22 passed down to us by parents or grandparents. But there may have been another projectile weapon we laid hands on long before this early experience — a slingshot. These simple but powerful tools have become associated with childhood and Dennis the Menace, but they're certainly not just for kids.

Slingshots can be effective for small-game hunting in a survival scenario, and their ability to fire almost any small hard object makes them excellent for long-term situations when ammo might otherwise run out. They're also fun to practice with, whether you're knocking over soda cans in your backyard or plinking in the woods.

TOPS Knives recently announced the release of a new tough metal slingshot, known simply as the TOPS Sling. Leo Espinoza, the president of TOPS Knives said, “Childhood memories. That’s why I designed it. I was just thinking back to when I was a kid and I used to make my own and wanted to do that again.”

The TOPS Sling is made from the same tough 1095 high-carbon steel the company uses for most of its knives, with a tumble finish and black canvas micarta handle scales. The 3.5-inch forks are paired with green elastic rubber bands and a black leather shot pouch. Every TOPS Sling includes a brown leather sheath with a belt loop and retention snap strap.

MSRP for the TOPS Sling is $100. For more information on TOPS knives and gear, go to TOPSknives.com.

What If You’re Trapped by a Major Flood that Threatens to Drown You and Those Around You?

Posted on June 20, 2017 at 7:00 am.

Written by Offgrid Staff

In This Article

The Scenario
AVERAGE JOE: Ryan Lee Price's Approach
FEDERAL AGENT: Erik Lund's Approach
SURVIVAL EXPERT: Tim MacWelch's Approach
Conclusion
Meet Our Panel
More From Issue 13

Illustrations by Sarah Watanabe Rocco

I knew I wasn't supposed to text and drive, especially while I was on the clock delivering packages. But I was on the open road and my wife had already texted me five times in the past two minutes. It must be urgent, I thought. I'll just see what she needs. Thank God I looked up from the phone when I did. There hadn't been a lot of cars on the road at that time of day, but there were brake lights and vehicles stopped right in front of me.

I slammed on the brakes hard and nearly struck the SUV in front of me before coming to a screeching halt. Before I could finish the cursing, I looked beyond the SUV and saw the reason it had stopped. There was muddy water rushing over the roadway — lots of it. And as I sat there stunned by this unexpected sight, I watched the top of the guardrail disappear under the murky surge. The water was rising!

For this edition of “What If?” we're asking, what if a massive river flood engulfed your path in a blink of an eye? And to see how this story would play out among different experts, OG asked three different survival writers to tell you their tale.

In this installment, we have Erik Lund, a federal law enforcement agent with a bevy of tactical and survival experience. We also have Ryan Lee Price, a freelance journalist and outdoors enthusiast who has contributed to the SHTF column in our sister publication, RECOIL. Finally, I'll be telling you a story too. I have been a professional survival instructor for the past 20 years, and have written multiple best-selling books on survival.

This is what it would be like to be a modern-day Noah, minus the bombproof ark full of delicious animals.

The Scenario

SITUATION TYPE
Flood

YOUR CREW
Just you

LOCATION
St. Louis, Missouri

SEASON
Spring (mid April)

WEATHER
Raining, 68 degrees F

The Setup: You're a delivery driver for an international courier service (think UPS) in your early 30s. Little do you know that the warm temperatures and excessive rain of the past two weeks have melted this past winter's snow pack faster than expected, elevating the Missouri River. While driving on a highway along your usual route, you come around a bend to find a low-lying part of the road blanketed by floodwater — and it's rising fast.

The Complication: The rush of floodwater causes other drivers to freeze out of panic. You know you can't drive through the water; you don't want to stall your engine or, worse yet, have the water sweep your van away and kill you. And you're certainly not going to sit there like the others and hope the water stops before it gets to you. But there are cars behind you and you can't exactly reverse your way to freedom. Do you bust a U-turn? Stay in your van and search for supplies or tools to help you? Or do you bail on your van and go on foot … even though there are no tall buildings in sight? Just as you decide to make your move, you realize the SUV stopped in front of you contains a young mother and three kids of grade-school age. You certainly can't leave them to stall out or drown. What do you do?

AVERAGE JOE: Ryan Lee Price's Approach

Rain is just rain, right? I always brought my poncho when the weather turned sour, and I kept some all-purpose boots in a bag behind my seat along with some other stuff — some bottled water and a few granola bars. But I wasn't thinking of ponchos or granola bars or the rain or anything else — except my next stop — that is, until I came around the bend to see that New Halls Ferry Road where it meets Douglas Road seemed to disappear under a torrent of rushing water. It was like someone opened the floodgates.

I slammed on the brakes and nearly rear-ended a cream-colored SUV already hood-deep in the river and getting immersed in the rising tide. Two cars ahead of the SUV were swamped in the middle of the flood. Inside, shadows moved in a panic.

I threw the truck into reverse only to hear the muffled screech of slick tires on wet roads and the sickening sound of metal crunching metal behind me. It looked like I wasn't going anywhere anytime soon.

Brown eddies of water swirled and stormed across the road, and carried upon the rapids were tree branches, debris, and trash along with it. The water surged closer, and one of the cars in the middle of the flood gently lifted up and slid across the road, slowly rolling onto its roof and under the mucky water. The other swamped car began to move too. The water was only a few inches below the windowsills, when a man in a business suit clamored out of the window and attempted to make his way onto the roof. It happened so fast. His foot slipped, plunging the lower part of his body into the water; his arms clawed at the roof of his car, and only for a small second, the struggling grimace of terror twisted across his face.

Then he was just gone. No bubbles. No yelling for help. No sign of him at all.

Screams came from the SUV, and the water wasn't stopping. It was well past time to leave, but I couldn't. These trucks are 24-feet long and made to drive in straight lines; they don't exactly turn on a dime. I'd have to do a 30-point U-turn to get this rig pointed the other way on this small road. Plus, the three-car pileup presented quite an obstacle I couldn't just plow through — not with a fully loaded truck and a 215hp engine. I was stuck and could only hope the river crests before it reaches me. The SUV wasn't so lucky.

The window of the SUV rolled down and a woman's head jutted out into the rain. She was waving her arms wildly and yelling to be heard over the rushing water and rain. I threw on my poncho, slid open the door, and stepped into the shin-deep water, sloshing the 20 steps to her window. She was frantic, lost, hysterical, saying said she was on her way to Bridgeton and took the wrong road and didn't know where she was. The SUV's engine was flooded and wouldn't start. There were three kids with her, none looked older than 5.

She asked me if I saw the guy get swept away. Of course I did! And we're next, I thought. “What do we do?” she pleaded, looking to me. Her kids were perched on their seats, either panicked or crying.

“You've got to get out of there,” I said without thinking. “Come with me. Leave everything.”

She handed me a Hello Kitty umbrella like she wanted me to open it for her kids. I threw it into the water. Useless. The kids piled out through the windows, and between the two of us, we carried them back to my truck. They were safe in the back, but it wouldn't do us any good if we couldn't get away from the rising flood. I kept a couple of packing blankets for fragile cargo, and they wrapped themselves in them. Behind my truck, one car had already turned around and left, while the people from the other two were pushing one of the wrecked cars from the road. I joined them in the rain.

The front end of the red car was completely caved in, and the force of the collision had spun the silver car sideways across the road. Its engine belched steam through the downpour. It wasn't going anywhere under its own power and was difficult to push into the grassy shoulder that was nearly underwater.

“This water is still rising,” I shouted to the other two drivers over the din of the rain. “Once these cars are out of the way, we can take my truck!”

The second car was easier to move. The water level near the truck was up to my thighs, and, out into the middle of the swelling river, only the rear of the SUV could be seen poking up from the torrid waters. It was difficult to walk in the rushing river without holding on to something, but the three of us joined the woman and her kids in the back of the truck.

The water had reached the top of my hood, but I knew these Cummins diesels could take a beating. I turned the key and … nothing. Click and nothing. It wouldn't start. My heart sank. I tried a third time, and the engine roared to life. As water poured in and around my feet, I stabbed the gas pedal, and we lurched rearward and out of the surging flood. All was saved with only moments to spare.

Just as the woman and I shared a small smile thanks to our good fortune, a grumbling thunder filled our ears. The woman's eyes grew wide as I looked at her. She screamed and pointed just as a wall of water slammed into the left side of the truck. Everything jolted sideways. Boxes, paper, and people were flung around the cargo area, and everything began to spill out a gaping tear in the thin sheetmetal side of the truck. Gurgling screams and the crashing of debris drowned out all sounds. Freezing water surrounded me, and darkness filled my eyes.

I was swept from the truck, as if yanked through the sliding door by the hand of God and pitched into the thrashing waters. The lumbering truck tumbled under the whitecaps, hemorrhaging cardboard boxes, and parcels, while I was tossed farther downstream, alone. The two men. The three kids. The woman. All gone.

I was roughly carried down the swelling torrent like a pinball, but I was able to have enough wherewithal to put my feet forward in the classic white-water rapids position. The water, as it swelled over the undulating landscape, dragged me under and spun me around time and again. I bounced off of debris in the flood, boxes full of who knows what, and was caught up on fences and trees, but always torn free.

If I had time, I could make a life preserver from my pants, but instead I clamored for anything that would float. Of the boxes tumbling through the flood with me, I was able to tuck one under each arm to keep me upright.

Water filled my lungs, and I coughed and sputtered. Light, dark, air, water … Dead ahead was a small house or a barn. It was taking the brunt of the flood, but most of it was still standing. My truck had already careened off its side and spun around behind it, and I was approaching quickly.

A small stand of trees loomed large in front of me, part of a small spit of high ground. I reached for them, kicking my feet in the rapids to edge closer. I strained my arm, my fingernails digging into the bark. The water thundered past me as I shimmied up the drenched embankment. I took off my belt and tied myself to the tree. How long could I hold on here, and what had happened to everyone else? Was this the end?

FEDERAL AGENT: Erik Lund's Approach

The rear tires locked up at the same time I felt the seatbelt tighten across my chest. My truck was rapidly bleeding off speed, but it was going to be close. The SUV in front of me had come to a complete stop. I got on the brakes quick enough, but would there be enough real estate between us to prevent a collision? The truck shuddered and skidded, audibly protesting the demands I had put on the brakes. Packages broke free from their shelves and started flying into the cab. I felt something smash into my calf, but I didn't notice any pain.

As fast as it had started, the shuddering subsided as the truck came to a stop. I looked at the SUV just a few feet in front of me and noticed three wide-eyed children looking at me. I smiled at them and gave them a thumbs-up. The youngest one smiled at my gesture and hid her face in the seat. Looking up from the SUV, the smile on my face quickly disappeared. The reason for the sudden stop became readily apparent. Mother Nature had decided this part of the highway would make an excellent location for a new river and she wasn't wasting any time filling it up.

At the current rate of flooding, the rising waters would be to my truck in minutes. My gaze was broken when I noticed the woman from the SUV in front of me get out and look around. I got down out of my truck and walked to her. She was looking at the growing river as I walked up to her, “When do you think it'll stop?” she said. I looked her directly in her eyes and said, “It's not! And if we don't leave right now, we are going to get swept away!”

A look of disbelief came across her face as a pickup truck blasted by us barreling toward the flooding river. The truck slowed slightly as it entered the rushing water. Just as it looked like the truck was about to make it across, the rear of the truck suddenly swung around with the current. The river was flowing too fast and as soon as the truck tires lost traction, it was over. Circling out of control, the rushing water soon flipped the truck with the driver still inside. I watched, hoping to see a head pop to the surface, but it never did.

I looked back to the woman and grabbed her arm asking her name. She responded. “Look, Christy. We have to get out of here right now. This entire area is a flood plain and will be underwater very soon. Get in your car and follow my truck across the median.”

Christy seemed to now comprehend the gravity of the situation and nodded her head in agreement. As I turned to get back into my truck, Christy said, “Oh my God, your leg is bleeding!” I looked down at my calf and sure enough, there was a long gash across it and blood was running down my leg. I guess that package hit me harder than I thought. “Don't worry about me,” I said, heading back to my truck. “Get in your car and follow me across.”

A quick look at the gash confirmed that it would need a few stitches, but that would have to wait. I needed to get the bleeding stopped quickly for now. I grabbed my sling bag and pulled out my travel medical kit. I opened a package of gauze and wiped away the blood. Keeping pressure on the wound, I grabbed a small bottle of hydrogen peroxide and poured it down into the wound. It would kill anything in the wound, including some of the good skin. It wasn't an ideal solution, but it was a quick clean.

I wiped away the foaming blood and fluids and grabbed a small tube of superglue from the kit. I liberally coated both sides of the wound and squeezed them together. After maintaining pressure for a few seconds, the wound was closed. I was careful to leave just a corner of the wound unsealed to allow the wound to seep fluid. I repacked my kit back into my sling bag and looked up. Christy was ready to go, but it was already too late.

The flowing river had already started to flow up the grass median separating the highway. I would never get the truck across without getting stuck. I only had one option left.

Climbing out of the truck, I threw on my sling bag while running up to Christy's car. I opened her door and said, “Grab whatever you need and get the children. We have to run.” I helped the children out of the car and picked up the youngest one. Christy screamed, “Where do we go?” I pointed to an 18-wheel tractor trailer, “Run to the truck!” The quick 50-yard run to the truck seemed to take forever. Getting to the cab, the truck driver climbed down from the cab and said, “Get in.”

In between my heavy breaths I asked him how much weight he was hauling. He responded that he was fully loaded, 78,000 pounds. Perfect! The weight of the truck will help keep it from drifting away in the current, I thought. I told the driver that we needed to get onto the top of the trailer. It sits up higher than the cab of the truck and it'll be easier to spot us when the rescuers arrive. He agreed and started climbing onto the top of the trailer.

Climbing up onto the trailer, all eyes seemed to be on me. Everyone was safely on top of the trailer and I finally had a moment to mentally catch my breath. I looked toward the river to survey the scene and froze in astonishment. The flooding had already reached Christy's SUV and its roof was barely visible. Water was flowing into the open side of my truck, flooding the storage area. Christy walked up and touched my arm, breaking my gaze on the horizon. “Thank you,” she said. I smiled back sheepishly and walked over to the truck driver who introduced himself as Karl.

I asked Karl if he had any blankets in the truck as it would be dark soon and it was sure to get colder. Karl agreed and I helped him retrieve them from the cab of the truck. When we got back onto the trailer with the blankets, Christy told us she had called 911 and that the locals were aware of the flooding and were sending help. All of us settled down and watched the sun slowly set, while the river continued to rise and sweep away everything in its path.

Shortly after darkness had fallen, the emergency lights from the first responders could be seen off in the distance, but they weren't getting any closer. I peered over the edge of the truck. The flooding was up over the tires of the tractor trailer. There's only one way they can reach us now, I thought. I grabbed my sling bag and pulled out two glow-in-the-dark chem-sticks. I gave one each to Christy and Karl: “Tie the string to the sticks and when I tell you, activate the lights and swing them in circles over your heads.” I pulled out my EDC flashlight and started scanning the dark sky.

About 30 minutes later, I heard the muffled sound I was expecting. “OK, activate the lights and start swinging them,” I told Christy and Karl. I turned and located the navigation lights of the helicopter. I pointed my flashlight in its direction and activated the strobe function. Instantly the helicopter turned directly toward us. As it got close, the powerful searchlight activated and illuminated our entire area. I turned back to Christy and Karl with a smile and said, “They've got us now.” Looking down at Christy's children I asked, “Who wants to go for a ride in a helicopter?” All three hands shot into the air instantly accompanied by big smiles. Yep, me too.

SURVIVAL EXPERT: Tim MacWelch's Approach

My first thought was the same as everyone's first thought when faced with a crisis. How do “I” get out of this? I wasn't thinking about the other drivers around me, or any passengers they may have. My first thought was selfish, and just about me. It was human nature I suppose, but as I looked around I wasn't proud of my knee-jerk response. There were lots of people around me, stopped and stuck in their vehicles too.

I thought of making a U-turn and driving down the side of the road, but I had nowhere to maneuver my big delivery van. I looked out my window and saw that the water had reached my tires. I tried calling 911 many times, but the call wouldn't go through. I set the phone on my dash and looked out my windows to see if there was anything I could spot that would help me. That's when I saw the little girl looking at me through the rear window of the SUV in front of me. I could see her shaking. As I thought I have to do something, I felt a sudden cold wet feeling on my feet. The water was coming inside my van.

I had reached the point where I had to do something. But I wasn't the only one. I noticed that the driver of a pickup truck to my left was growing very agitated. He was clearly angry, pounding his fists on the steering wheel and moving his mouth as if shouting. I couldn't hear his words over the sound of the water or through the glass, but clearly he had reached his breaking point. He pulled out of the fast lane to cut in front of the last vehicle before the moving water. He then pulled forward into the water. The idiot was trying to drive through it!

He made it a few car lengths out into the muddy torrent, but when the water was halfway up his doors — the truck's bed lurched sideways and then the rest of the vehicle followed it downstream. As it slid off the roadway, the driver tried to emerge from the window. But with the window open, the water rushed in and the truck sank completely. In a matter of seconds, the vehicle and its brash driver were simply gone. Wherever he was trying to go in such a hurry, it cost him his life.

Then I heard a sound from outside, over the water's roar. It was a high-pitched sound in front of me. I realized it was the children screaming.

I couldn't leave that family to the same fate as the impatient driver, and time was not on my side. I opened the van door and stood up to survey the scene behind me. Numerous tractor trailers were stopped on the road behind us. There was no way they could turn around. The cars and trucks that tried to turn around in the rain-soaked median were hopelessly mired in the muddy riverine soil. I could also see that there was no higher ground or climbable trees nearby, and the flood waters were quickly filling the several square miles around us.

In the distance behind me, I saw a tractor trailer with a flatbed. I decided that would be my high ground. The water was still rising, so it was past time to move. I took off my webbing belt, one of my everyday-carry items and tied a slip knot in each end. Then I trudged through the knee-deep water to the family in front of me. As I reached the driver, I could tell that she and her kids were at their wits' end. At first, she didn't roll down the window, she just looked at me. Through the glass I called, “I'm here to help you!” This finally spurred her into action.

She rolled down her window and asked what I was going to do, as if still suspicious of my intent. I told her that I would take her and the kids to higher ground. With that, she was out of the car. I told her that I would carry the smallest child, a terrified little girl with braids in her hair. And that the other two kids would be tethered with my belt and we'd both hold onto that. I asked the older boy and girl to give me their hands and I secured the belt tightly around their wrists. Then I hoisted the little girl onto my back and we began to trudge through the water. The mother and I both held tightly to the center of the belt, and each kid clung to the ends of the belt. The little one held me as tightly as she could, nearly choking me until I asked her to move her arms down a bit.

The water was at my knees and the children's waists. As it flowed past us, I felt small things hitting me. No doubt, they were bits of debris, sticks, and other junk stirred up by the water. After a few minutes, we had reached the tractor trailer I had seen, a flatbed covered in lumber. I had to smile a little. It was brand-new, soaking-wet, pressure-treated wood — some of the heaviest lumber on the market. We might as well be climbing up onto a boulder. I helped the mom and kids onto the stack, and some nearby drivers who caught on quick to this idea.

Once all the nearby flood refugees were atop the lumber pile, I finally felt my breathing return to normal. This load of lumber wasn't going anywhere, unless the water got really high. I put that nasty thought out of my head and helped another man to climb up onto the top of the lumber stack. It was the truck driver, the steward of our improvised high ground. His unlikely passengers and I thanked him profusely for not kicking us off his load. He graciously accepted our thanks and told us that he had done another good deed.

Before leaving the cab of his truck, he had reached the state police on the CB. He had informed them of the situation and given them an idea of the large number of people in harm's way. They said that help would be on its way very soon. I didn't know what kind of help they could give to evacuate scores of people on short notice, but it was the best news I had heard all day. The minutes ticked by and the water rose further, lifting cars and even my delivery van, then sweeping them into the current.

I began to look at my watch and wonder when this would end. As the bed of the trailer was finally covered by water, I heard a pulsing sound in the distance. It was a helicopter, and there were several specks in the sky behind it, more helicopters! I knew they couldn't see us, they were too far away, but instinct took over. I began to wave my hands, and so did most of my new friends.

Conclusion

Virtually every ancient culture told stories of world-ending floods. They scribed these frightening tales into clay tablets and chiseled them into stone. This was clearly a global fear to our ancestors, and flooding remains a global threat today. Fast-moving water that is only a few inches deep can knock a person off their feet and drag them to their death in deeper water. And a wall of deeper water can knock down homes and leave heavy vehicles bobbing like corks on a wave.

While we need water to live, it can ironically be the death of us as well. Whether you live in a flood-prone area, or not, it's vital to know that you should never try to drive through a waterlogged road or walk through flowing floodwaters. And if the authorities make emergency announcements about flooding in your area, you'd damn well better listen.

How would you react to the same scenario as played out by our panel?
Share your plan with us on our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/OFFGRIDmag.

Meet Our Panel

Tim MacWelch

Tim MacWelch has been a survival instructor for more than 20 years, training people from all walks of life, including members from all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces, the State Department, DOD, and DOJ personnel. He’s a frequent public speaker for preparedness groups and events. He’s also the author of three New York Times-bestselling survival books, and the new Ultimate Bushcraft Survival Manual. When he’s not teaching survival or writing about it, MacWelch lives a self-reliant lifestyle with his family in Virginia. Check out his wide range of hands-on training courses that are open to the public at www.advancedsurvivaltraining.com.

Erik Lund

Erik Lund has more than 20 years of law enforcement experience - with much of that time spent as an instructor of frearms, defensive tactics, and use of force. He served as a Virginia State Trooper before accepting a position as a federal agent. Lund is also a senior instructor at Mike Seeklander’s Shooting-Performance LLC, a tactical training company. As a champion competitive shooter, he’s earned several regional, state, and national three-gun titles and is ranked as a grandmaster by the United States Practical Shooting Association.

Ryan Lee Price

Ryan Lee Price is a freelance journalist who specializes in outdoor adventuring, emergency preparedness, and the automotive industry. He has contributed to the “SHTF” survival column for our sister publication RECOIL Magazine and is a longtime hiking and camping enthusiast. He currently resides in Corona, California, with his wife Kara and their two children.

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Editor's Note: This article has been modified from its original print version for the web.