I've include the Afterword Chapter here, because I think it adds relevance to thechapter which follows it...
Whoa. That was a lot, right? What you’ve just read is a work of fiction. More like a dramatization, really, because everything I’ve written about is possible. Some of it could happen tomorrow. Some of it is happening right now.
I’ve spent the past twenty-plus years working in the world in which my protagonist, Michael, lives. Disaster response, crisis management consulting, emergency planning, refugee shelters, undocumented migrant shelters, social upheavals, chemical spills, biological crises. I’ve seen all that from an insider’s perspective.
It was not, therefore, much of a stretch to game out the “what if…?” scenarios that make up the story you’ve just read. Frankly, many of my real-world experiences have been so surrealistic that most readers would write them off as impossible.
They clearly were possible because I lived through them. As are the scenarios in this book. In this section, I hope to show you why this is true. After I share some interesting facts – nothing secret; all in the public domain — I’ll offer you some tips and ideas on how you can be better prepared for whatever may come.
I start the novel with a description of The Great Eastern European Exodus. Could that happen, you wondered? Well, I believe it could. Here’s why. Zaporizhzhia is among the top ten nuclear power plants in the world and is the largest in Europe. The six light-water nuclear reactors were built by the Soviet Union in 1980.
But Hamish de Bretton Gordon, the former head of the Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Defense Forces (CBRN) in the British Army and NATO, says that it’s not only about the reactors.
De Bretton-Gordon stated that the area surrounding the plant contains silos of radioactive waste. The soil around these silos could emit radiation if it is disturbed. He said that if the contaminated material caught fire or exploded, it would not be limited to Ukraine. It is likely that it will affect the entirety of Europe, and Russia too.
Juan Matthews, a visiting professor of the Dalton Nuclear Institute of the University of Manchester in Britain, said that if a large enough accident occurred, it would have serious consequences for the people of the Ukrainian Black Sea Port of Odesa as well as “people from Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey.”
Depending upon the severity of the disaster and the prevailing winds etc., the total number of people who could be affected total almost one billion. Even if only a limited number initially died, the panic would lead to a mass exodus from the countries affected. This would be a humanitarian nightmare for the world.
I went on to play out a scenario around insider threats and social engineering, featuring my character, Raúl Hernandez. For a bit of background, I’ve been an information technology professional for over forty years. Much of that time was specifically focused on cybersecurity – even before the word became a “term of art”.
I’ve served as an executive in some of the most prestigious advisory services companies, providing guidance to hundreds of top-tier organizations whose names you would know. I continue to advise companies on the risks of cyber-attacks, and on how to handle them when – not if – they occur.
You saw Raúl, working from the inside of Michael’s company to give access to very bad actors. Those bad actors then took the data they exfiltrated and used the information to penetrate even more organizations.
In a report from the prestigious Ponemon Institute, they state:
External attackers aren’t the only threats modern organizations need to consider in their cybersecurity planning. Malicious, negligent and compromised users are a serious and growing risk. As the 2022 Cost of Insider Threats: Global Report reveals, insider threat incidents have risen 44% over the past two years, with costs per incident up more than a third to $15.38 million.
Data breaches have become an increasing worry for organizations worldwide, threatening both financial and reputational damage. Insider threat-driven data breaches are especially dangerous as they come from within an organization and thus make it harder to detect and prevent than external attacks.
As with my character Raúl, factors contributing to insider threat dangers include:
Authorized access: As insiders have legitimate access to sensitive data and systems, they have access to circumvent security measures that would otherwise thwart external attackers — making it easier for them to exfiltrate data or cause damage.
Knowledge of internal processes: insiders have an intimate knowledge of an organization’s operations, security protocols, and weaknesses — giving them an edge when trying to hide their tracks or commit fraudulent acts. With such knowledge in hand, it becomes more difficult for outsiders to detect these activities and prevent further misdeeds by insiders.
Malicious intent: disgruntled employees or contractors could release sensitive information intentionally as a form of revenge or for personal gain, to sabotage an organization’s systems.
But what happens with the stolen data? As depicted in this novel, stolen credentials are often put to further nefarious uses. Social engineering techniques are used by attackers to coerce people into divulging sensitive information or performing actions that compromise security. They are made more successful by using stolen credentials to gain entry into target organizations. Attackers can exploit trust by impersonating legitimate employees or contractors and use this to bypass security measures and gain access to sensitive data.
We saw the triumvirate use stolen credentials to craft targeted, also known as ‘spear-phishing,’ emails that appear to be from known and trusted sources. These highly tailored spear-phishing attacks provided access to systems belonging to their target organizations, through malicious links or attachments in emails. Once inside, the hackers have free rein to create havoc or steal even more data.
Like Robert Watkins in the story, attackers might use stolen credentials to impersonate authorized employees, gaining physical access to sensitive or secure areas.
Now, let’s move on to the refugee / migrant shelters. I feel uniquely qualified to discuss this topic, as I have been personally involved with every phase of designing, building, and operating these facilities since 2014. My work has included housing adults and unaccompanied children who’ve crossed the southern borders of the USA, and other facilities housing refugees from Afghanistan and Ukraine. Tens of thousands of people. I performed these duties under contract to three different presidential administrations. The work stayed the same, regardless of the party in control of the country.
Mandatory detention was officially authorized by President Bill Clinton in 1996, with the enactment of the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act (the Act gave the Attorney General discretion to extend detention) and the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act. The number of shelters / detention facilities has increased every year since.
By the end of 2021, apprehensions hit levels not seen in twenty years. Over 1.5 million people arrived at the border and crossed for the first time in that year alone. At the end of fiscal year 2022, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) had arrested 2,150,370 illegal immigrants attempting to cross the southern border.
While the number cannot – for obvious reasons – be fully known, it’s reported that over 900,000 more are what’s known as “gotaways” – as the moniker implies, these were people who were not captured by the CBP. That number is for fiscal year 2022 alone. Since 2020, the number is estimated to be over two million.
Citizens of over one hundred non-Latin American countries have been detained at the southern border. Over one hundred and fifty detainees are on the FBI Terrorist Watchlist.
I’ve been up close and personal with thousands of these immigrants. Most are decent, honest people who are simply trying to make a better life for themselves and their families. Most of those either follow the rules for applying for asylum or simply turn themselves in after illegally crossing the border. But what about the millions who don’t get apprehended? What if…?
A reliable source for those who wish to learn more is the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA). WOLA is a leading research and advocacy organization advancing human rights in the Americas. They produce a regular report on the issues and status of migration at the US southern border.
Now, let’s look at the issue of fentanyl. In fiscal years 2021 and 2022, over twenty-five thousand pounds of fentanyl were seized at the southern border of the United States. Over fourteen thousand pounds in 2022 alone. We have no realistic way of knowing the quantities that actually made it past our hard-working agents, even with their advanced scanning and detection systems.
Based on their recent reports, The Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division seized over 8.3 million potentially deadly doses of fentanyl in 2022.
You can do your own math to see the numbers for previous years.
In this novel, I describe a scenario wherein fentanyl is used as a Weapon of Mass Destruction (WMD) in the hands of a terrorist. If you don’t think that’s a realistic threat, here’s some information for you:
As early as the 1990s, the United States Department of Defense (DOD) recognized the potential of fentanyl for use as a battlefield incapacitation agent but failed to resolve the “margin of safety” problem prior to terminating the program. The margin of safety is the difference between dosages that incapacitate a person and those that kill them.
This difference, or margin, varies from person to person. It is impossible to know if a dose that is powerful enough to incapacitate reliably a population target will also kill a large percentage of the population unless there is a sufficiently large margin. DOD has never weaponized fentanyl, but at least one other country has.
In October 2002, Russia used fentanyl analogs in an act of counterterrorism. Forty Chechen terrorists took over the Dubrovka Theater in Moscow, along with 800 hostages. They strung explosives all around the theater and threatened to destroy the building and kill hostages unless Russia agreed that its military campaign against Chechnya would end.
After several days without success, and with the Chechens threatening to start killing hostages, the Russian security forces used an aerosolized mixture of two fentanyl analogs to paralyze the residents and allow the building to be stormed. About 130 hostages and terrorists were killed. The majority of hostages were killed by exposure to lethal doses of fentanyl compounds.
This would appear to answer the question whether fentanyl-containing compounds could be used to create a WMD. Is it possible that an enemy would use fentanyl as a weapon to kill a large number of people? That’s a more difficult question to answer.
It’s reasonable to conclude that there are fentanyl-based compounds that could be used as weapons. It’s also mind boggling to think that over eight million (remember, that’s how much was SEIZED, not how many actually found its way to the streets) lethal doses of the stuff could be consumed by even the most addicted in our country. Where’s all the rest of it going?
What if…?
Are you seeing a trend here?
So, let’s address the power grid. I’ve been pounding my shoe on the table about grid vulnerabilities, for two decades. I served as an anti-terrorist consultant to BC Hydro, in preparation for the Vancouver Olympics, in 2010. I’ve provided consulting and technical services to The New York Power Authority, Carolina Power and Light, and Duke Power. I’ve spoken on the topic at major conferences. It scares the hell out of me.
As a risk management professional, I look at threats with a view towards two factors: probability of occurrence; and impact of an occurrence. Sadly, the US power grids rank high in both categories. Setting aside the more complicated – but most impactful – scenarios of a major solar flare, or a nuclear electromagnetic pulse (EMP) event, our grid is still at considerable risk.
The United States power grid is an intricate and interconnected network that supplies electricity to homes, businesses and industries throughout the nation. While essential to modern life, its functioning remains vulnerable to various threats including cyberattacks, physical attacks, natural disasters and aging infrastructure. This blog post will discuss these vulnerabilities and the potential consequences arising from them.
Cybersecurity Threats
Cybersecurity threats to the US power grid remain a primary concern, with sophisticated cyberattacks capable of leading to widespread power outages, economic disruption and even loss of life. Recent events, such as SolarWinds cyber-attack, illustrate foreign adversary intrusion into critical infrastructure networks posing significant danger. Some potential categories for potential grid security threats can include:
Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs): Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs) are cyberattacks orchestrated by well-funded and highly skilled adversaries, often state sponsored. Such attacks often include long-term reconnaissance activities and covert intrusion to gain access to sensitive systems with potential to cause extensive damage to power grids.
Ransomware attacks involve the encryption of an organization’s data and demanding payment in return for decryption keys; such attacks have increased significantly and can result in significant operational disruption and financial losses for power grid operators.
Insider threats: Employees or contractors with access to sensitive systems who become disgruntled can pose a significant cybersecurity threat; they could have both the knowledge and ability to cause significant harm from within an organization.
Here’s a link to a Forbes article about the cyber risks: https://www.forbes.com/sites/chuckbrooks/2023/02/15/3-alarming-threats-to-the-us-energy-grid--cyber-physical-and-existential-events/?sh=3c5a40101a1e
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Physical Attacks
Attacks on power grid infrastructure can cause devastating disruption, as evidenced by the 2013 Metcalf Sniper Attack, which revealed critical substations as vulnerable points for physical attacks. Potential physical threats to the grid include:
Sabotage: Attacks against transformers, substations or other critical infrastructure could lead to power outages and lasting damage, with coordinated attacks aimed at multiple locations having potentially dire repercussions. Physical attacks on the US power grid rose last year by 71%, compared to 2021 and surpassed 2020 figures by 20%. The industry’s preeminent clearinghouse predicts the number of serious incidents will continue to rise this year. According to a leaked confidential analysis of physical attacks on the US power grid authored by the Electricity Information Sharing and Analysis Center (E-ISAC), a data center documenting threats against the electrical system and a division of the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC). In the analysis, E-ISAC “assesses with medium confidence that the recent uptick in serious physical security incidents is likely to continue into 2023 based on the number and nature of recent attacks combined with the overall current heightened threat environment.”
Theft and vandalism: Copper wire theft has the potential to disrupt operations and damage infrastructure, while vandalism causes less severe harm but may still disrupt grid operations and result in damage or delays in service provisioning.
Aging Infrastructure: Much of the United States’ power grid infrastructure is outdated, with components dating back to the early 20th century. Aging infrastructure becomes more susceptible to failure over time and poses greater risk of power outages and reduced resilience; key aging infrastructure concerns include:
Obsolete equipment: Outdated equipment may be less efficient and more prone to failure, while lacking modern cybersecurity measures making it vulnerable to cyber-attacks.
Limited capacity: As electricity demand continues to increase, existing infrastructure may struggle to keep up, leading to outages or inefficiencies that disrupt service locally.
Budget restrictions and competing priorities have led to deferred maintenance on critical infrastructure, increasing the risk of equipment failure and decreasing grid reliability.
Vulnerabilities Within Supply Chains: Supply chains used by power grid operators may expose components and equipment used in their power system to vulnerabilities.
Here are a couple of interesting reports on the topic of risks to our power grid:
In this novel, I describe an attack on the power grid through use of Internet of Things (IoT). Reality, or a figment of my overactive imagination? Sadly, I’m not alone in recognizing this threat:
In their report, the researchers state: We demonstrate that an Internet of Things (IoT) botnet of high wattage devices–such as air conditioners and heaters–gives a unique ability to adversaries to launch large-scale coordinated attacks on the power grid. In particular, we reveal a new class of potential attacks on power grids called the Manipulation of demand via IoT (MadIoT) attacks that can leverage such a botnet in order to manipulate the power demand in the grid.
I’ve been in places where long-term power outages were caused by natural disasters. New Orleans, post Katrina; Haiti, after the massive earthquake in 2011; Puerto Rico, after Hurricanes Irma and Maria; Panama City, Florida, after Hurricane Michael; Galveston, after Hurricane Ike. The list goes on. After four days, things get ugly. People die. Social fabric begins to break down.
In a testimony before Congress, Dr. Peter Vincent Pry, then the Executive Director of Task Force on National and Homeland Security, a Congressional Advisory Board dedicated to achieving protection of the United States from electromagnetic pulse (EMP), cyber-attack, mass destruction terrorism and other threats to civilian critical infrastructures on an accelerated basis, made the statement that a long-term (one year) grid blackout could kill up to ninety percent of Americans through starvation, disease, and societal collapse and cause failures of communications, transportation, banking and finance, food and water infrastructures; all necessary to sustain modern society and the lives of 310 million Americans.
Dr. Pry died in August 2022. Here’s a link to his full statement:
Dr. Pry was speaking about an EMP or Solar event. But, if it happened, would you really care what caused it?
I’ll close this with links to a few “must read” and “must watch” books and documentaries, and a final question: what if…?
https://griddownpowerup.com/ — a new and compelling documentary about the vulnerability of our power grid
https://a.co/d/4phbOXW — in “Lights Out”, Journalist Ted Koppel reveals that a major cyberattack on America’s power grid is not only possible but likely that it would be devastating, and that the United States is shockingly unprepared.
https://a.co/d/eqUvwtL — John Matherson’s One Second After has already been cited on the floor of Congress as a book all Americans should read, a book already being discussed in the corridors of the Pentagon as a truly realistic look at EMP — a weapon with the awesome power to destroy the entire United States, literally within one second. It is a weapon that the Wall Street Journal warns could shatter America.
What are you Doing About it?
“Dad, my friends think you’re a Prepper.”
“I’m not a Prepper, son, but I am prepared!”
That was an actual dialogue. That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it. But how about you, dear reader? What’s your story? Are you prepared?
The beauty of a work of fiction is that the writer can take certain liberties with the facts. That’s why they’re called “thrillers”, right? I wrote the afterword you’ve just read to show you just how real things could become. Most of the issues addressed in that last section, and which are dramatized in the novel, can be prepared for.
Some are even actionable on your part. You can write letters to your representatives, encouraging stronger and more defined actions on immigration, drug smuggling, and critical infrastructure protection. No voice should go unheard on these important topics. But while you are thinking globally, you should act locally.
In the business of emergency planning and disaster preparedness, we have a saying, “every disaster is local”. It’s unlikely that you, as an average citizen, can do much to prevent a major catastrophe, regardless of its nature. I’ve often said, “a hurricane is the only disaster that you can see coming.” That said, I never cease to be amazed at how many people see them coming, yet still do nothing to prepare themselves.
Don’t be that kind of person.
If we can agree that none of us knows exactly “what” the next major crisis will be, nor “when” that crisis might occur, let’s also agree that taking at least basic steps toward preparedness is a good thing.
“I’m not worried. If the shit hits the fan, FEMA will be there to help!” I’ve heard it a thousand times, and I say for the thousandth and first time: BULLSHIT!
FEMA is NOT a rescue agency. Period. Whatever the bad thing is from a major snowstorm to a hurricane, an earthquake to a terrorist attack, a massive power outage to a pandemic — YOU need to be prepared to take care of yourself and your family. It is your responsibility and no one else’s.
If only one person who reads these words actually acts upon them, I will have done my duty to humanity. That one person will be better prepared to SURVIVE.
Let’s start from the basics: you need a personal and/or family emergency preparedness plan. It is essential to ensure the safety and well-being of yourself and your family during natural disasters, pandemics, power outages, or other emergency situations. There are great resources for developing such a plan, which I’ll direct you to, but I am also providing a solid framework, right here.
This plan outlines steps to take, supplies to gather, and resources to consult to be better prepared for a variety of emergencies, regardless of their nature.
Most of this comes from publicly available sources. Some of the guidance is based on my first-hand, boots-in-the-mud experience, gained through living through some of the largest and most impactful disasters of our lifetime.
Supplies and Materials
Based on recommendations from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), American Red Cross, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the following supplies should be included in your emergency preparedness kit:
• Water: At least one gallon of water per person per day for a minimum of three days (Minyard recommends at least one week!)
o Take this one further. Water, as you know, is the elixir of life. Consider investing in a Berkey water filtration system. It requires no power and will make pure water from virtually any source.
o If that doesn’t work for you, at least invest in several Life Straws. They offer similar filtration.
• Food: A minimum of a three-day supply of nonperishable food items for each person (FEMA). Minyard says, think ahead!
o In most situations, three days could be enough. I’ve seen much, much longer. Consider investing in easy to store, long lasting emergency food, such as available from 4Patriots.
• First aid kit: Bandages, gauze, adhesive tape, antiseptic wipes, tweezers, scissors, pain relievers, and a digital thermometer (American Red Cross)
o Consider the long term. Take a first aid course and a CPR / AED course. Invest in an AED.
o Get a real medical kit. Look at products from MFASCO or Dark Angel.
• Medications and medical supplies: A seven-day supply of prescription medications, as well as nonprescription medications such as pain relievers, antacids, and allergy medications (CDC). Seven days of medicine but only three days of water? Hmmm…
o Minyard says consider more of your prescription meds. The other stuff will be in the kits I recommended, but verify that you have enough for everyone for at least a few weeks.
• Personal hygiene items: Toilet paper, soap, hand sanitizer, toothbrushes, toothpaste, feminine hygiene products, and diapers if necessary (CDC).
o Remember 2020? Stock up before you need it. No need to horde more than you need, but have enough on hand to weather the initial rush. You’ve already seen how things can go.
• Clothing and bedding: A change of clothing for each person, including warm layers, sturdy shoes, and rain gear, as well as blankets or sleeping bags (FEMA).
o Have several resilient, easy to wash items.
• Tools and equipment: A battery-powered or hand-crank radio, flashlights, extra batteries, a multi-purpose tool, a manual can opener, and a whistle (FEMA).
o Consider investing in rechargeable batteries and a solar battery charger
o Knives – more than one, for different purposes
o Solar garden lights. Charge them all day and use then at night. Darkness sucks in a disaster. Light is your friend.
• Communication and documentation: A fully charged cell phone with a backup power source, a list of emergency contact numbers, and copies of important documents such as passports, driver’s licenses, and insurance policies in a waterproof container (FEMA).
o If the cell towers remain operational, that is. I’ve personally lived through situations wherein cell service was virtually nonexistent for over a month or longer. If you can afford to do so, consider investing in an iridium satphone solution. They aren’t cheap but could save your life.
• Cash and coins: A small amount of cash and coins for emergency use, as ATMs and credit card machines may be unavailable during disasters (CDC)
o In most cases, these machines will be useless. Cash is king.
o Bartering has saved me on several occasions. Even if you don’t smoke, tobacco is valuable for trading. As is alcohol, chocolate, gold, and small caliber ammunition.
• Pet supplies: Food, water, medications, and a carrier or leash for each pet, as well as vaccination records and contact information for your veterinarian (FEMA).
• Firearms: I recognize that this is a touchy subject for some, but it needs to be mentioned here. I’m not talking about “assault weapons” (whatever that means). I’m talking about firearms for self-defense and for hunting.
o Like it or not, you may need a weapon. If you do choose to arm yourself, get ahead of the game – get some proper training! I’m a strong proponent of gun owners knowing what they’re doing. Even driver’s licenses have to be renewed, after all.
Handguns: Don’t get more than you can handle. Taking a good training course will help you to figure out what that means.
Long guns: You do not need an AR-15 or AK-47 for home defense. Sure, they’re cool and all, but a better option is a well-made .12-gauge pump shotgun. Few things will cause a bad actor to break out in a cold sweat like the sound of racking a shell into a shotgun. Bonus: you can hunt with it, too!
Small caliber rifle: a good .22 rifle will be a great addition to the kit. Small game is easier to find than big game.
Plenty of ammo: for shooting and for bartering
• Backup power: Without electricity, your world will deteriorate quickly. Plan ahead. If you can, consider alternatives to fossil-fuel generators, such as solar. At minimum, consider systems such as the ones listed below, from GoalZero or Renogy. Gas-operated generators are also a good choice as long as you have a reserve of fuel and follow all the appropriate safety guidelines. A whole-house solution is the best solution, regardless of whether you choose solar or fossil-fuel systems. An automatic transfer switch isn’t required, but certainly advisable.
o GoalZero — https://www.goalzero.com/pages/home-energy-storage
o Renogy — https://www.renogy.com/applications/home/
Emergency Plan
• Create a communication plan, including designated meeting spots and emergency contact numbers.
• Establish evacuation routes and practice them with your family.
o Make sure that every family member has a “Get Home” bag in their vehicles at all times!
o A Get Home bag is a short-term survival kit, typically stored in a backpack for ease of transport. Its function is to provide you with the basic tools of life should you have to evacuate a home or place of work quickly during an emergency, like a large-scale natural disaster.
• Learn about local hazards and emergency plans for your community.
• Teach family members how to shut off utilities such as gas, water, and electricity.
• Make sure all family members know how to call 911 and when to use it.
• Regularly review and update your emergency preparedness plan.
References
FEMA (2021). Build a Kit. Retrieved from https://www.ready.gov/kit
American Red Cross (2021). First Aid Kit. Retrieved from https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/anatomy-of-a-first-aid-kit.html
CDC (2021). Personal Needs. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/disasters/planforpoweroutage.html
To further enhance your family’s preparedness for emergencies, it’s beneficial to study prepper handbooks and survivalist guides. These resources cover a wide range of topics, from off-grid living to self-sufficiency during prolonged power outages. Here’s a list of reputable handbooks and guides to consider:
• “The Prepper’s Pocket Guide: 101 Easy Things You Can Do to Ready Your Home for a Disaster” by Bernie Carr This guide offers practical tips and checklists for preparing your home and family for various emergency scenarios.
• “SAS Survival Handbook: The Ultimate Guide to Surviving Anywhere” by John ‘Lofty’ Wiseman This comprehensive guide, written by a former SAS soldier, covers essential survival skills and techniques to help you in any situation.
• “The Disaster Preparedness Handbook: A Guide for Families” by Arthur T. Bradley, Ph.D. This handbook provides a step-by-step approach to creating a customized disaster preparedness plan for your family.
• “When the Grid Goes Down: Disaster Preparations and Survival Gear for Making Your Home Self-Reliant” by Tony Nester This book focuses on how to make your home self-reliant during a prolonged power outage, including alternative energy sources, food storage, and water purification.
• “The Encyclopedia of Country Living: The Original Manual for Living off the Land & Doing It Yourself” by Carla Emery This extensive guide covers various aspects of self-sufficient living, from gardening and animal husbandry to preserving food and handcrafting household items.
• “The Off-Grid Solar Handbook: A Beginner’s Guide to Energy Independence” by Joseph Burdick and Philip Schmidt This guide provides an introduction to off-grid solar power systems, explaining how to design, install, and maintain a solar-powered electrical system for your home.
• “Bushcraft 101: A Field Guide to the Art of Wilderness Survival” by Dave Canterbury This guide offers practical advice on essential outdoor survival skills, such as fire-making, shelter-building, and navigation.
• “The Forager’s Harvest: A Guide to Identifying, Harvesting, and Preparing Edible Wild Plants” by Samuel Thayer This book teaches you how to identify, harvest, and prepare edible wild plants, increasing your self-sufficiency during emergencies.
Remember to carefully review and evaluate the information provided in these guides, adapting their recommendations to your family’s specific needs and circumstances. Regularly practicing survival skills and discussing your emergency preparedness plan with your family will help ensure that you are ready for any situation that may arise.
The most important tip I can give you is: PAY ATTENTION! Many situations are predictable. Along with paying attention, be prepared to ACT when things get dicey. In her book The Unthinkable – Who Survives When Disaster Strikes – and Why, Amanda Ripley reveals how human fear circuits and crowd dynamics work, why our instincts sometimes misfire in modern calamities and how we can prepare for inevitable calamities more intelligently.
Lastly, DO NOT BECOME COMPLACENT! I started this novel with the following statement:
Complacency. It’s so comfortable. And so easy to accept. It’s always there, lurking in the shadows of great successes and long periods of boredom. And complacency is not your friend.
I don’t have room to post links to the obituaries of every person killed because they were complacent. Don’t be one of those people.
Thank you, from the bottom of my heart. Without you, writing would not be nearly as satisfying.
Stay prepared!
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