Book Review: One Second After by William Forstchen
Warning - all reviews are potentially spoilerific
One Second After by William Forstchen
Summary: A small town near Asheville, North Carolina deals with the aftermath of an EMP detonation over America.
Review: If you've never spent any time thinking about just how damaging a full electrical grid failure could be, this book will scare you at your core. William Forstchen has obviously done his homework which is shown in both the afterword, written by a retired U.S. Strategic Command General, Eugene Habiger, and also in the acknowledgment written by Newt Gingrich. This book takes a very realistic look into the devastating effects of Electromagnetic Pulses.
The story takes place in a real life small town near Asheville, North Carolina called Black Mountain. The author states that many of the places and people in the story are in fact fixtures of the town, with names changed for obvious reasons. All of this brings a very organic, realistic feel to the story telling. This leads the reader to believe they not only relate to, but know these people and places.
Unlike other survivalist fiction, Forstchen does not rely on fantastic weaponry, mutations, or foreign invaders to create such a chilling outlook. Rather, he uses currently verified intelligence and scientific data to create the principal antagonist, the effects of the detonation. However, similar to other stories of this genre our hero, John Matherson is a retired military man with a chip on his shoulder due to his wife's death. To his defense, none of the actions taken by the protagonist are out of the realm of possibility for your average Joe. That's what makes this story so great. Forstchen really makes the reader feel as if they are there, a member of the town seeing all of this unfold.
Not only is this book a great story with tremendous research behind it to provide realism, it's also very insightful and thought-provoking. Before reading this book I had not thought of the consequences of electrical failure and its effects on persons currently prescribed mood-altering drugs . Now I question the ability for any public safety agency still operating post-event to handle the obscene amount of people who will be suffering from withdrawals from commonly prescribed medications like xanax and adderall.
I now consider this book a must read for all preppers. It is extremely entertaining but be warned, some very hard-hitting real world issues are tackled in the story including the isolation effect, teen pregnancy, and the gruesome effects of mass death. If nothing else, this book will point out areas of concern in your own preps.
Rating: 4.75/5
When tacti-cool doesnt pay
Have you ever been at the mall and seen an "adventurous" type with a "discrete" carry vest and some 5.11's on and thought, "Geeze, could he be any more obvious"?I know you've had to have seen this guy somewhere before. He's advertising to the world that he has a gun and some cool guy gear. Unaware to himself what he is not showing us is that he is a skilled marksman or real world operator, because those guys don't have to play dress up to go to Piggly Wiggly. The problem here is he not only appears to be "militant" or hostile to the general public, but beyond that he has now isolated himself to be victimized for crimes of opportunity to be committed by an increasingly aware and brazen criminal element.
Just this past year here in Central Florida two men were victims of strong arm robbery in their own garage after having visited a local gun range. The criminals (no, there is no other word for them) were in the range/shop and had targeted these two because of their equipment. Why the two men who had just practiced their skills did not fight back, God only knows. But what I really want to know is if a criminal is willing to approach two men, obviously armed with the latest cool guy gear, what could possibly be a deterrent? The honest answer is there really is no deterrent. They've already crossed the line and shown absolute disregard even when knowledgeable of a victim having a firearm on person.
Now, I know some of you might be thinking, "that's an isolated incident, my tactical gear let's criminals know I mean business." Well, yeah, I suppose you could be right in some if not most instances. Especially when the criminals are ignorant punks who prey on the weak. But why put it out there, what are you proving to anyone else? Couldn't you be just as safe or ready while carrying your weapon and gear in a more casual and truly discrete manner?
At one time I actually subscribed to the "gear is deterrent" school of thought. However, now that the line was crossed so close to home, I follow these simple rules.
1. Be a grey man
There are distinct advantages to appearing as though you are every day Jack and Jane going about your business. It may sound cold but you have the law of averages on your side. Do not isolate yourself for victimization by advertising your goods.
2. Be alert
Keep your head on a swivel and take note of unusual occurrences and suspicious activity. If you feel a situation isn't exactly safe, retreat to a secure place. Remember that your best defensive action is always avoidance.
3. Don't get caught with your pants down
While going about your business avoid carrying objects like bags or boxes that take both hands and try to keep your strong hand open. If loading large objects into your vehicle, ask the store if you can pull up to the front door. Minimize time with a cell phone to your ear as it not only broadcasts that you're not paying attention, but can effect your equilibrium as well.
4. Your car is not a billboard
Do not keep stickers or emblems that might indicate a firearm or other gear being inside your vehicle. Showcase who you are via social networking sites if you care that much because though you may have all your gear on person, a criminal won't hesitate to bust a window and check for themselves.
To reiterate, it is always better to actively avoid conflict. Do not single yourself out as a possible victim by trying to impress others with your ninja style.
$5 and no tools – Fishing Rod holder for bed rails
Since most newer trucks come with some sort of accessories rail it has become fairly easy to mount all kinds of racks for storage. As I was looking at my truck (Tacoma) and the couple of short bluegill rods I had just laying in the bed I thought it just wouldn't be that difficult to fabricate some sort of rack to get the rods off the deck of the bed and get some organization going. So I headed on down to my local home improvement store and set off on a little adventure where I came up with this quick and easy system.
All you really need (sans a truck with rails) is a pair of 'J' hooks with pre-drilled holes, some washers to fit your rail (caution, may take two per hook depending on the size of the screw heads you find), some screws - about 1 1/2 inch 10/32 will work, and for tool free install - some wingnuts to fit the screws. Full cost was less than $5.
For installation you should put the shank of the screw through the washer(s), then slide the washers "vertically" into the bed rails and place them for length and support of the rods.
Then take the 'J' hook to the screw and run the shank through the pre-drilled holes. Fit the washer onto the leftover portion of the shank and tighten 'er down.
That's it! It should be so ridiculously simple that you can complete the install in the parking lot. As a side note, I recently added a small bungee onto the hook closest to the tailgate to secure the rods on bumpy roads.
If you have any problems or questions e-mail me at TheChristianSurvivalGuide@Gmail.com
The first five layers and The rule of threes
Let me preface this article by saying the layered prep philosophy is not a unique concept and that you can see many takes on layering your preps elsewhere. I definitely reccomend you check other sources and develop a discipline that works for you. This just happens to be my view on the matter.
The concept here is that we build our preps from "the inside, out". Beginning with immediate threats to our person and radiating out based on level of threat and it's immediacy. The obvious first layer is you and your physical survival. I'm talking let's keep you sucking air. Then it will develop into more complex contingency planning involving everything from self defense to debt elimination. Obviously due to the scope of each layer, its contents, and their applications this article will be a brief overview with more specific and in-depth studies to come soon.
Our obvious needs from a physical standpoint can be broken into a very basic "Rule of threes". That is, we can survive three minutes without air, three hours exposed to most elements, three days without water, and three weeks without food. Yes, that is a very general outlook that doesn't exactly factor in the totality of the circumstances. But its good enough to start a basic preparations discipline as we will always default to our most basic of needs.
Considering our new rule the first layer must always address these most basic needs and our tools or stocks to fill them that must be readily accessible. Enter our first layer - EDC or every day carry. This is the gear and stocks we keep either on person or close at hand wherever we go. My on person EDC includes a folding knife, small multi-tool, cell phone, keys with OC spray, and a concealed firearm kept on my person. These tools enable me to perform most day to day tasks without slowing down and can help in basic survival and woodsman tasks. My on person EDC is supplemented by a small "go bag" or "carry bag" which carries additional tools, some Clif bars, water bottle, and small items like a firesteel and compass. This bag isn't always on me but is kept at my for work or in my vehicle (which also houses a larger kit) when around town. We will soon be going into detail of EDC with a full length article so forgive me if this is too general. You'll get your gear fix soon enough!
The next layer is the Bug Out Bag, or as I prefer, the 72 hour kit. This kit should be capable of supporting a hasty retreat to a safer location or a short "quarantine" if travel becomes unreasonable or unsafe. Some people have many different names for this layer such as fight bag, war bag, onboard armory, etc. and as many different ways to assemble this kit. Some Bug Out Bags are scarcely more than my own EDC while some broach upon INCH status (I'm Never Coming Home) and are almost impossible to remain mobile with. I prefer a kit that is fairly easy to carry on foot in case of hasty retreat and addresses basic physical, medical, security, and identification needs. While some focus on the big three, bullets, beans, and band aids, I believe we should include I.d., educational, and financial documents as well as some basic camping supplies.
I will also add that a version of this kit should be kept in your vehicle with the fourth layer detailed later.
While again, I don't plan to go into too much detail of contents here, I do want to impress upon you the idea of this kit. Its an 'all out everything you need to exist without the world for three whole days' kit. So it should include enough water (or purifiers and maps to water sources), food, and medicine for that time. Its a good idea to throw some cash money and quarters in there as well in case electronics are down but stores are open. Also, a $20 bill is a good "look the other way" tool. We will examine the bail out bag/72 hour kit in depth fairly soon in a full-length article.
The idea with the first two layers (and fourth) is that at any time I can use EDC items to fight back to my Go Bag and/or vehicle and the items in my go bag/vehicle to make it back home. This is all made much easier if an EMP hasn't made modern cars incapable of movement.
So you've made it home. What if evacuation isn't a possibility, or the best option, and three days just isn't enough? History will show us that if government is still in place, aid is usually organized inside of a 30 day window post-event. So we plan our third layer as a one month "Bug-in" or "stay-cation" kit. This prep usually has the least debate associated with it as it almost always centers itself around food, water, and medicine. The idea of not evacuating is certainly not new and in most cases is probably the best option, that is, unless you have a stocked retreat (Bug out location) that is within easy traveling distance. Being that in your first two layers you have addressed a quick evacuation you can focus on what you might need to keep your home in order for 30 days. This should include long-term storage foods like canned goods and tools to prepare them, water, medications, and communications equipment (emergency band radio, FRS, cell phone, CB, etc.). Then depending on your living conditions you may want to include some materials to harden your home against storm damage and break ins (4x4 wedged between the door handle and a nail in the floor is a great inexpensive, thug-proof prep), and if money allows, a generator to keep appliances like your refrigerator (very important for diabetics) and television running. I have helped assemble this type of kit several times and with some smart shopping will not break $200 (minus the generator) for a family of four. In fact, the most expensive items are usually medications and a radio. Almost everything else comes from big box stores where buying in such bulk is fairly inexpensive.
This third layer is often overlooked as its not as appealing as "tacti-cool" toys like maxpedition bags and CCW gear. However its usually the simplest to build if you have a little closet space and is often the easiest to convince your spouse to support. The argument of having a 30 day supply of food on hand at any given time is usually a no brainer. You're going to be buying the food anyways, why not buy it now? And to boot, use it! Jack Spirko of The Survival Podcast says it best, "eat what you store and store what you eat". Simply, buy foods your family actually consumes. If you don't use condensed or powdered milk, don't buy it. Tuna helper with a can of albacore white an every Thursday night staple? Put it on the list. Then once you have in stock what you want, rotate stocks based on expiration dates. Some people even use the Bug in kit to jump start the fifth layer - financial readiness. As having the foods you use on hand makes it easier to hold off purchasing new stocks until the items are on sale = expense reduction.
Now, I should detail the fourth layer here as most of us commute away from the home to work and use a vehicle to do so. However, the vehicle kit is really just a car specific 72 hour and roadside repair kit. I'm sure we will cover it at length in the future, but as I am currently overhauling my own vehicle kit I think its best to hold off for right now so I can give you all a detailed synopsis of the process. For now, just consider a small tool kit, a spare tire and jack, and maybe a jumpbox or cables as a minimum coupled with a 72 hour kit kept in the vehicle.
The fifth layer is the most difficult subject, finances. As you may have noticed already, preps can be quite costly, but that's not the only reason finances factor in here. Think of the honest to goodness most immediate threat to your lifestyle and well being. Its probably financial especially when we consider that if we don't produce our own food, clothing, medicine, and shelter we must rely on monetary income. So now let's break down some serious financial threats - what about job loss, unexpected medical expenses, vehicle breakdowns. These things are fairly common and can destroy us financially. I am no legal expert or financial advisor but can you see where things like debt elimination and expense reduction can be considered common sense preps? I can't tell you how to approach this from a technical standpoint as each persons financial status is quite unique. But I can say from a frustratingly basic and rhetorical sense that the simple mathematical 'raise income, reduce debt/expenses' is the only way to become financially free. Since I'm no CPA I can't give you professional grade advice but I do plan to write some articles dealing with my own fight to get out of debt and create more income. If this is an immediate issue for you I urge you to check out Dave Ramsey and his financial peace educational products right now!
Are you overwhelmed yet? Don't be. There are plenty of resources on the internet and in print to help you on your journey. And of course, this is just the tip of the iceberg. There is so much more out there you might need to truly be prepared. But note that we will be here to help guide you and soon to provide much more detailed information and get you started on the "baby steps".
In the meantime, slow is smooth, smooth is fast. Do just one thing at a time and you'll be surprised at how quickly you'll progress.
Defining our cause and Perspective
First things first -
Let's isolate and define exactly what we're talking about here. You know, survival or survivalism can be such a dirty word because it just doesn't really fully encompass what we're wanting to do. If I'm right, what you want is a sustainable life of self-reliance or a long-term plan for when crap hits the fan. Generally speaking that does not entail you and your loved ones running off into the sticks yelling "wolverines". In fact, if your take on what to do post-event is some sort of militant fantasy you are in for a world hurt, my friend.
What we need to be striving for is to be ready, post-event. That's what we appropriately call "readiness". That means having a stock of materials, skill sets, and risk mitigating factors in place and accessible at the very moment we need them. More so, we need these things to be relevant to our unique conditions. We call these things "preps", and the act of procuring them "prepping". This way of thinking is much more accurate in detailing what it is we really want to achieve. That is, we want to prepare in order to have a higher level of readiness post-event.
Now, the case I'm making is that perspective is important. Let me give you a rational for instance, I currently live in Central Florida. A cold weather gear system and snow chains shouldn't be part of my preps until I have fully well rounded out my more necessary items for this subtropical environment. On the more fun and playful (albeit, ridiculous) side - a submarine would do me much more good than a snowmobile. I mean that it just about never snows here and I am In fact, surrounded by water on three sides. What would the snowmobile be used for? To add for you Red Dawn types, a trusted SKS and a case of MRE's is more useful than a Barrett .50 and a ruggedized laptop when it comes to guerrilla warfare in woodland terrain. See where this is going?
Well, since you can more than likely see the rational side of that argument I'll ask you to consider a look at our current real world environment. We have hyperinflation, a declining dollar, unemployment reaching record levels, and violent crime on the rise, not to mention a hundred other life-crippling and worst case scenarios that are seemingly just over our heads. I mean, look at what a disaster in every sense of the word, that Hurricane Katrina was. I ask you to take an honest look at your life and identify the those things that could bring it all crashing down. Then systematically progress towards a condition in which those things are less and less of a variable to your happiness and existence. That is readiness, my friend.
Surviving is what we do as a minimum to keep air in our lungs and blood in our veins. That's great, but its limited in its application. The practice of basic "survival" skills are what we need if we suppose getting lost in the woods while scouting or hunting is a great concern. Given, it is a concern, a very real one for those "woodsy" types like myself. But, its not the end of things. Most studied and experienced "survivalists" will tell you two things about woodland survival using the basics and limited gear: First, they can't do it indefinitely (or with a family sized party). Second, they wouldn't want to. Its too uncomfortable and unnecessary when you have some time to prepare. When planning for large scale disasters whether by area or scope in your life, we can do so much more with just a little pre-planning.
If all you're wanting is a quick equipment review and some gear lists, you'll find 'em here (eventually!). But you'll also see 'em just about everywhere else the word "survival" is mentioned on the web. Our focus should not just be on the gear or basic woodland survival techniques, but on building up our preps to create a better quality of life.
As we move forward it is important to realize what can happen, what is likely to happen, and what is deemed inevitable. Prep with perspective. Do not get caught up in some fantasy created by hollywood's ignorance or your own paranoia. Use the endless number of at-hand resources and a little common sense and maybe we'll all learn something.