Prepper's Home Defence - Security Strategies to Protect Your Family by Any Means Necessary

Does your disaster preparation plan include security? This book can provide some solid information.
by Leon Pantenburg


All your stockpiled food, clothing, medical supplies etc will be useless if someone comes takes it away from you.
How to prevent that , and ensure your personal safety, is the theme of Jim Cobb's latest book "Prepper's Home Defense," which came out in late 2012. Part of your preparedness planning must include some security measures.
Cobb's book shows you how to implement a complete plan for operational security and physical defense, including:

• Perimeter security systems and traps
• House fortifications and safe rooms
• Secured and hidden storage
• Firearms and defensive combat techniques
• Gathering intelligence and forming alliances

All this information comes from the back cover. Cobb is a disaster readiness expert and has impressive credentials for writing this book. He worked almost 20 years in the security management and investigation fields. Cobb formerly wrote The Frugal Prepper column in Survivalist Magazine, and currently writes a daily blog for SurvivalGear.com. Cobb lives and works in the Upper Midwest.
Without resorting to a doom-and-gloom approach, Cobb supplies some valuable information. Having no way to test the information regarding fortifying a house, I'll have to take Cobb's suggestions at face value. And since I haven't had much to do with setting up trip wires, traps and safe rooms, I'll pass on commenting. I found the book to be well-written and informative, and I didn't have a struggle finishing it.
I found the security aspects very interesting and some of his tips will provide valuable info to readers with no background in security.
But in the areas I have some experience with, Cobb proves he knows his stuff. His section on firearms for defense is excellent. I appreciate how Cobb discusses the best gun deals for the money and how he doesn't necessarily recommend getting an assault rifle. Some of Cobb's weapons choices are similar to what I have used and recommend, so I know they work.
Likewise, the discussions about building, concealing and storing caches of food, weapons and equipment are excellent. Cobb discusses making caches out of PVC pipe and where to bury them. He also offers tips on how to keep people with metal detectors from finding a cache with metal objects in it.
The security and home defense aspect of preparedness are outside of my fields of expertise, and I need to learn more, so I'm glad there is a book like "Prepper's Home Defense" available. I will be reading this book again.
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The Alaska Homesteader's Handbook: Independent Living on the Last Frontier

Ever wonder how homesteaders in the Alaskan bush manage to get by in the extreme conditions? This book can give some insight.
by Leon Pantenburg

The Alaska Homesteader's Handbook: Independent Living on the Last Frontier by Tricia Brown and Nancy Gates
My typical reaction to getting a new book in the mail is to leaf through the pages, and decide when (and if) I want to read it completely and do a review.
But The Alaska Homesteader's Handbook grabbed me from page one and held on for about 40 stories and a couple hours. My first impression, re-enforced through the writing, was that this book is a well-written, informative collection of useful knowledge. In addition, most of information would be valuable to homesteaders anywhere or to anyone interested in emergency preparedness.
The writing is superb, and the authors show the communications experience gained in years of newsroom publications.
Tricia Brown is a former writer and editor for the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, Anchorage Daily News and Alaska Magazine. She spent nearly 30 years traveling the state of Alaska writing about the state and the people.
Nancy Gates is an Alaska resident since the 1970s, and has written for various magazines such as We Alaskans, Alaska Magazine and the Cup of Comfort anthologies.
Together, the writers interviewed more than 40 pioneer types ranging in age from mid-90s to mid-20s, and compiled a series of how-to articles that covers everything from building an outhouse, to skinning a moose to baking sourdough bread.
The publication is lavishly illustrated with drawing and photographs that enhance the information.
Some of the people interviewed were actual homesteaders. Others were bush-dwellers and/or city dwellers. The common attraction was the adventure of living in Alaska.
Homesteaders anywhere can appreciate the challenges of off grid living and self sufficiency. But in Alaska, you also have to factor in extreme isolation, arctic weather, incredible storms, and predators that can kill you.
Obviously, Alaska is not for everybody, but most of the homestead lessons could be applied anywhere. In the book, you can learn:

• How to put in a running winter water hole that will work at -50 degrees
• Spinning dog fur: What breeds produce the best hair, and techniques for processing it
• How to keep moose out of the garden
• Tips for getting started in trapping
• Smoking salmon
• How to start a chainsaw
• Getting started in off-grid living
• Set up a backcountry first aid kit

As someone who loves esoteric knowledge and timeless homesteading and survival skills, this book fascinated me. In addition to being an interesting read, the book could also serve as preparedness manual.
For people not yet interested in preparedness, this publication could provide that final nudge. Chances are experienced outdoorspeople will learn a lot too.
The Alaska Homesteader's Handbook is going in my preparedness library, and I'd recommend you get a copy too.

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Relocate! 25 Great Bug Out Communities

On of the common plans of many survivalists has to do with "bugging out," or leaving the scene of a disaster. But the most important question should be: Where do you go?
by Leon Pantenburg

The C.T. Fischer four-inch Bushcraft is a great choice for an all-around, everyday carry knife. Check it out!

Relocate! 25 Great Bug Out Communities by Dave Stebbins
The whole Bug-Out scenario generally centers around large urban areas. It goes something like this: You must leave your urban home to go somewhere else. It could be there was a flood, fire, pandemic, earthquake or some other large-scale emergency that forces you to evacuate.
Assuming you have individual emergency backpacks and gear, a vehicle with gas in it, and roads that can be traveled, where would you go?

A common - and dangerous - misconception is that of "heading for the hills." In this situation, the intent is to head to the nearest wilderness area, and blend into the landscape.
In reality, a trailhead may be the last place you want to end up. I have been to many backcountry wilderness trailheads prior to opening day of elk season. Some of these, 25 miles or more from the nearest paved road or town, resembled gridlocked parking lots, as outfitters parked horse trailers and SUVs and pickups jockeyed for parking places. I could only imagine the scene if a bunch of desperate, hungry, unprepared city people got that far.
Author Stebbins practices what he preaches. He has lived for the past 12 years off the grid in a small town. He teaches renewable energy classes in a community college, and his suggestion is that you relocate BEFORE an emergency to some small town or rural area. Stebbins' book is about finding a community before you have to deal with unprepared hordes of refugees.
Specifically, he recommends 25 communities throughout the United States that could meet your relocation needs. Naturally, this is a small cross-sampling, but Stebbins mentions some small town characteristics worth looking for.
To someone considering relocation, Stebbins suggests moving as soon as possible. The best idea, he claims, is to find a place you genuinely would enjoy living, with affordable housing, low crime, and access to healthcare, churches and recreational areas.
Move now, Stubbins recommends, so you become part of a community and learn to get along with the local people whom you will have to depend upon. Then, if the unthinkable happens, you already have your support group in place.
A nice feature of the book is that the representative communities are located all over the country, ranging from high desert to heavily-forested lowlands. Far from large population areas, these suggested communities allow you to start your initial shopping.
I'd suggest taking a look at climate first. Someone who would not want to relocate to a tropical climate might like the snowy northwest. Whatever your climate preferences, there is sure to be a community listed in the book you would like.
Some of the things Stubbins ranks communities on include: medium housing costs, school quality, weather. and unemployment rate. He also lists distances to the nearest hospitals, community colleges and universities.
For big city dwellers, he also offers tips on how to get along in a small town, and explains some of the differences in the urban versus rural, small town lifestyles.
Stebbins' book is a good place to start if you're considering a move to a more rural area. The book can help start the conversation about where you might want to end up living.

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