HOW TO SURVIVE NUCLEAR FALLOUT Put distance between yourself and the blast site Radioactivity diminishes significantly with physical protection, time, and distance from the epicenter of
the explosion. For a five-megaton weapon detonated at 2,000 feet (an average weapon yield and detonation altitude), move at least 20 miles away for safety. Travel in a crosswind direction (not with or against the wind) as quickly as possible. Drive a car with the windows rolled up. If no car is available, ride a bike or run. Find shelter. Any material will at least partially block radioactive
particles. However, equal thickness, dense materials like lead, concrete, and steel are more effective than porous materials like wood, tile, drywall, and insulation. If you cannot get into a designated fallout shelter, move to the basement of a building made of stone or concrete, preferably with few windows. The deeper the basement, the more protection you'll have from radioactive particles. Gather water.The existing water in a basement water tank should
be safe to drink, as is water in pipes. However, if dams and water treatment plants become contaminated, new water entering the system may be dangerous.
Stored bottled water is safe, provided the water does
extreme situations
not come into contact with the outside of the bottle,which may be covered with radioactive particles.Gather food.Packaged foods and those that can be peeled or shelled—and that are already in the house—are safe to eat, provided the packages, peels, or shells are rinsed thoroughly with clean water to eliminate
radioactive alpha and beta particles. Canned goods are also safe, provided the cans are washed with clean water and food does not come into contact
with the can's exterior. Avoid foods from opened packages, even if the packages have been resealed with tape or clips. Wash your hands before eating and drinking.Using soap and clean water, wash your hands (and under your fingernails) thoroughly before handling food. Radioactive particles traveling on dust can be transferred to food easily. Once ingested, these may settle in bone marrow and internal organs, causing long-term illness.Stay in your shelter.
Without a radiation rate meter, you will not know when it is safe to leave your shelter. If you have access to a battery-powered radio, listen for news and mon-
itor emergency announcements regarding the safety of your location. Cellular and wired telephones may not work, and even satellite phones may suffer from
severe interference. If available, use a CB or short- how to survive nuclear fallout
wave radio to communicate with others until telephone service is restored.
Be Aware
A radiation suit will prevent you from tracking radioactive particles into the shelter (as long as you remove the suit upon entering), but will not offer pro-
tection from fallout.
W H A T TO D O I F YOU T H I N K YOU H A V E
B E E N E X P O S E D TO F A L L O U T
Remove contaminated clothing.Radioactive dirt and dust will cling to clothing, caus-ing radiation burns, sickness, and contamination of other people and objects. Remove contaminated clothing before entering a clean area.Take a shower. Showering in clean, fresh water is the best way to remove harmful radioactive particles from your skin. Use soap and warm water and clean under fingernails and toenails. If you do not have a sufficient amount of uncontaminated water for a shower, fill a bucket with as much water as possible and take a sponge bath, making sure the contaminated water goes down
the drain.
extreme situations
Take potassium iodide (KI) or potassium iodate(KIO3) pills. Potassium iodide or iodate helps prevent radiation absorption by the thyroid gland. While it is most
effective when taken 48 hours prior to exposure, potassium iodide provides some benefit if taken within 16 hours of exposure to radioactive fallout. If no pills are available, mix 2 ounces of granulated potassium iodide (available at chemical supply stores) with clean water and shake or stir vigorously, adding
more potassium iodide until the solution is fully saturated. (You will see unmixed granules at the bottom of the glass or bottle.) Take 4 drops of the solution per
day for at least 10 days. For infants, paint iodine onto the soles of the feet.
Monitor your symptoms. Mild exposure to radiation may result in skin burns,
weakness, loss of appetite, vomiting, and diarrhea, while higher doses lead to fainting, bleeding from the nose and gums, hair loss, anemia, hemorrhage, brain
damage, and sometimes death within 48 hours. In general, breathing or swallowing radioactive particles or exposure to gamma rays result in more severe illness than surface exposure to radioactive particles, which are relatively easy to remove from the skin.how to survive nuclear fallout Get help.
Though there is no known treatment for radiation sickness, seek medical attention as soon as it is safe and possible to do so. A bone marrow transplant
might alleviate some damage from exposure.
Be Aware Iodized salt is not an effective protection against radiation damage to the thyroid: You will get salt poisoning before absorbing enough iodine to have
a beneficial effect.Victims of exposure to high levels of radiation may appear to improve several days after exposure as the body superficially heals. But deep biological damage remains, and the victim may rapidly deteriorate after the initial improvement.
The Best Crops for a Survivalist’s Garden
by Jason from The Self Sufficient Gardener
It’s generally considered blasphemy these days to be a survivalist and not garden. Food is the most important survival consideration next to water for the survival minded. It makes sense to be at least somewhat self-reliant when it comes to food production for you and your family. In other words if you don’t garden you should really consider starting.
For those of us who do mix gardening and prepping/survivalism the perennial question waits: What to grow?
Gardening prior to SHTF can be a challenge and doing so afterward will be even more of one. Therefore I’ve devised a rating system for choosing the best vegetables for my garden if I have to rely upon it in an emergency situation.
On a rating scale of 1-5, I rate the following attributes for each crop.
*Reliability—How susceptible is the plant to disease and pests. Can I count on production?
*Season—How often can the crop be grown? Does it take long to produce or can multiple crops be grown in one year.
*Nutritional Value—Not only calorie count but also vitamins and minerals. ATSHTF this will be critical!
*Sustainability—Can the crop be propagated year after year? We won’t know how long a disaster will last in some cases.
*Storage—Feast or famine? Eating great for a week won’t sustain a family. How easy is the crop to store long term?
*Yield—No sense growing things that won’t produce.
*Stealth—If TSHTF, how vulnerable will my garden become?
Of course, everyone’s rating scale will be different. You can even weigh some things heavier than others or disregard certain ones. The important thing is that you think about this beforehand and put it to use.
As an example I will rate three of my go-to crops if I had to survive on garden produce.
Beets
Reliability—4
Almost no pests eat beets. They are slightly temperature sensitive for germination and initial growth so planting at the right time is crucial.
Season—3
Can be started early and grown late. Germination as I mentioned above is the critical phase.
Nutritional Value—4
High in carbs/sugar. The green tops can be cut and come again harvested and the root of course is very nutritious.
Sustainability—2
Does not produce seeds until it over winters. This makes seed saving difficult.
Storage—4
Excellent capabilities. Beets will store great in a root cellar. They can be stored in a small box full of sand for a long time.
Yield—3
The greens and the root can be eaten as I mentioned.
Stealth—4
Other than the burgundy color, beets and inconspicuous laying low to the ground.
Tally the numbers and I get 24 for beets—not bad.
Potatoes
Reliability—2
Several pests like potatoes and we can’t forget about the blight that caused the great famine in Ireland.
Season—2
Potatoes grow well in cold weather but the require a long growing season.
Nutritional Value—5
This veggie is off the charts in nutritional terms.
Sustainability—3
The tubers can be divided or even just a small chunk can be used to grow another plant.
Storage—5
Outstanding storage life. Kept in a root cellar these will last quite a while.
Yield—5
Use a tire or tower setup and one plant can produce ungodly amounts.
Stealth—3
Potatoes don’t really have an obvious appearance for non-gardeners but they do get rather big in some cases.
So potatoes score high as well with a 25.
Amaranth
Reliability—4
Almost no pests or diseases to speak of affect amaranth.
Season—2
Growing season is somewhat long and limited to warmer times.
Nutritional Value—4
Very high in many vitamins, minerals and amino acids. Both the greens and the grains can be eaten.
Sustainability—5
Produces tons of seeds!
Storage—5
Though the greens do not store well at all, the grains will store almost indefinitely once dry.
Yield—4
Outstanding.
Stealth—1
Tall with bright flowers. The only saving grace is that most people have never seen amaranth.
Amaranth scores a 25.
Just for example I’ll give you a crop that most gardeners love but I consider a poor choice for survival gardens.
Tomatoes
Reliability—2
Cutworms are a problem. Disease is the real killer here. Early and late blights combined with blossom end rot leave tomato harvests in doubt.
Season—2
Only grows in warmer weather and takes a while to produce.
Nutritional Value—4
Good nutritional profile.
Sustainability—3
The seeds are easy to harvest and store and are generally reliable but only if the plant makes it to production.
Storage—3
Tomatoes are horrible for storage. The best bet is to harvest green and let them ripen on their own.
Yield—4
Good yields.
Stealth—1
Everyone knows what a tomato plant looks like and bright red fruit do little to disguise it.
Tomatoes score a 19.
I hope this rating systems has at least caused you to look at garden crops in a different way. Its good to know how to grow a variety of things but its also good to know which we can rely on when it comes down to it.
Saving seeds from hybrid plantings can be done for some plants. However, be aware that hybrid seeds may be either sterile or the resulting offspring will not produce true to form.
Here I will address saving techniques for some common garden plants.
Longevity
Seeds from onions, corn, parsnip and peppers should be used within a year or two.
Seeds from beans, carrots, broccoli, asparagus, celery, leeks, spinach or peas are viable for up to about 3 years.
Seeds from cucumbers, lettuce, eggplant, radish, chard, cabbage, beets, watermelon, tomato, squash and pumpkin are viable for about 4-5 years.
It’s generally considered blasphemy these days to be a survivalist and not garden. Food is the most important survival consideration next to water for the survival minded. It makes sense to be at least somewhat self-reliant when it comes to food production for you and your family. In other words if you don’t garden you should really consider starting.
For those of us who do mix gardening and prepping/survivalism the perennial question waits: What to grow?
Gardening prior to SHTF can be a challenge and doing so afterward will be even more of one. Therefore I’ve devised a rating system for choosing the best vegetables for my garden if I have to rely upon it in an emergency situation.
On a rating scale of 1-5, I rate the following attributes for each crop.
*Reliability—How susceptible is the plant to disease and pests. Can I count on production?
*Season—How often can the crop be grown? Does it take long to produce or can multiple crops be grown in one year.
*Nutritional Value—Not only calorie count but also vitamins and minerals. ATSHTF this will be critical!
*Sustainability—Can the crop be propagated year after year? We won’t know how long a disaster will last in some cases.
*Storage—Feast or famine? Eating great for a week won’t sustain a family. How easy is the crop to store long term?
*Yield—No sense growing things that won’t produce.
*Stealth—If TSHTF, how vulnerable will my garden become?
Of course, everyone’s rating scale will be different. You can even weigh some things heavier than others or disregard certain ones. The important thing is that you think about this beforehand and put it to use.
As an example I will rate three of my go-to crops if I had to survive on garden produce.
Beets
Reliability—4
Almost no pests eat beets. They are slightly temperature sensitive for germination and initial growth so planting at the right time is crucial.
Season—3
Can be started early and grown late. Germination as I mentioned above is the critical phase.
Nutritional Value—4
High in carbs/sugar. The green tops can be cut and come again harvested and the root of course is very nutritious.
Sustainability—2
Does not produce seeds until it over winters. This makes seed saving difficult.
Storage—4
Excellent capabilities. Beets will store great in a root cellar. They can be stored in a small box full of sand for a long time.
Yield—3
The greens and the root can be eaten as I mentioned.
Stealth—4
Other than the burgundy color, beets and inconspicuous laying low to the ground.
Tally the numbers and I get 24 for beets—not bad.
Potatoes
Reliability—2
Several pests like potatoes and we can’t forget about the blight that caused the great famine in Ireland.
Season—2
Potatoes grow well in cold weather but the require a long growing season.
Nutritional Value—5
This veggie is off the charts in nutritional terms.
Sustainability—3
The tubers can be divided or even just a small chunk can be used to grow another plant.
Storage—5
Outstanding storage life. Kept in a root cellar these will last quite a while.
Yield—5
Use a tire or tower setup and one plant can produce ungodly amounts.
Stealth—3
Potatoes don’t really have an obvious appearance for non-gardeners but they do get rather big in some cases.
So potatoes score high as well with a 25.
Amaranth
Reliability—4
Almost no pests or diseases to speak of affect amaranth.
Season—2
Growing season is somewhat long and limited to warmer times.
Nutritional Value—4
Very high in many vitamins, minerals and amino acids. Both the greens and the grains can be eaten.
Sustainability—5
Produces tons of seeds!
Storage—5
Though the greens do not store well at all, the grains will store almost indefinitely once dry.
Yield—4
Outstanding.
Stealth—1
Tall with bright flowers. The only saving grace is that most people have never seen amaranth.
Amaranth scores a 25.
Just for example I’ll give you a crop that most gardeners love but I consider a poor choice for survival gardens.
Tomatoes
Reliability—2
Cutworms are a problem. Disease is the real killer here. Early and late blights combined with blossom end rot leave tomato harvests in doubt.
Season—2
Only grows in warmer weather and takes a while to produce.
Nutritional Value—4
Good nutritional profile.
Sustainability—3
The seeds are easy to harvest and store and are generally reliable but only if the plant makes it to production.
Storage—3
Tomatoes are horrible for storage. The best bet is to harvest green and let them ripen on their own.
Yield—4
Good yields.
Stealth—1
Everyone knows what a tomato plant looks like and bright red fruit do little to disguise it.
Tomatoes score a 19.
I hope this rating systems has at least caused you to look at garden crops in a different way. Its good to know how to grow a variety of things but its also good to know which we can rely on when it comes down to it.
Saving Seeds
The truly self-sufficient gardener saves his/her seeds for replanting during the next season. In most cases this is a simple task that will reduce costs of the garden to almost nothing. The bottom line is that you can spend the labor yourself or pay someone else to do it. If you pay someone else, expect to incur shipping costs. Worse yet, you may not get what you’ve paid for. F1 hybrid tomato seeds look exactly the same as Roma VF seeds to most if not all gardeners. One year, eight Roma tomato plants I started from purchased seed turned out to not be Roma tomatoes.Saving seeds from hybrid plantings can be done for some plants. However, be aware that hybrid seeds may be either sterile or the resulting offspring will not produce true to form.
Here I will address saving techniques for some common garden plants.
Tomatoes
- Scoop or squeeze the seed and jelly from a fully ripe tomato out into a container. This can almost always be done in a way that saves the rest of the fruit for consumption.
- Add water to bring the mixture to twice the starting volume.
- Let the mixture ferment for 2-3 days in a warm place.
- Add water to loosen the debris. The seeds will settle quicker than the debris. Anything floating should be discarded. This includes non-viable seeds that float. Keep adding water and pouring off the debris until what remains is almost strictly seeds and water.
- Pour the seeds onto a paper towel or screen and let them drain. Place the seeds in a warm place to dry for a few days.
Peas/Beans/Okra
- Let the pods dry on the plant until you can shake the pods and hear the seeds rattle. Monitor closely as the pods will open and spill the contents.
- Remove the pod carefully.
- Open and remove all seeds.
Peppers
- Open the fully ripe pepper carefully.
- Gently scrape the seeds and collect on a paper towel.
- Let dry.
Lettuce
- Let the lettuce plant bolt and form the stem and dandelion like flower head.
- Once the head is somewhat dry, remove it and place it into a plastic bag or other container.
- Shake the head to remove the seeds.
- Let the seeds dry for a few days.
Squash/Pumpkin
- Scoop out seeds.
- Let dry.
Carrots/Beets/Onion
- These plants must be left in the ground over the winter to produce seeds the second year.
- Cover the plants with mulch and/or leaves.
- Uncover in the spring when you would replant the variety.
- The plants will form seed heads. Remove the heads when the seeds are somewhat dry.
- Shake the heads to remove the seeds.
Longevity
Seeds from onions, corn, parsnip and peppers should be used within a year or two.
Seeds from beans, carrots, broccoli, asparagus, celery, leeks, spinach or peas are viable for up to about 3 years.
Seeds from cucumbers, lettuce, eggplant, radish, chard, cabbage, beets, watermelon, tomato, squash and pumpkin are viable for about 4-5 years.
