Simple Preps that could SAVE THE WORLD! Part III

Lights, Camera, Action!

Do you have lights and camera with you everyday?  No?  Why not?  A good prepper never asks "Why?", but "What if...?".

Quick story.  A few years ago I was at work in my office.  It's a old warehouse converted into fairly comfortable offices.  One of the downsides though, is no windows anywhere.  It was wintertime and we were getting hammered by freezing rain/sleet/wet snow.  One thing led to another and BANG, we heard the transformer just outside of our office blow sky high.  Instantly our office was plunged into darkness.  First thing that most folks grabbed was their cell phones.  Cell phones are a great all around prep item and work well for lighting, but unless you are just interested in what is happening in the 6 inches around your face, they aren't much good for lighting.

Me, being the good prepper that I am, reached for my Zebralight pocket rocket.

Zebralight

Instantly, I was the most popular guy in the office.  Escorting people outside the office to their cars, helping folks find their paperwork, making sure that all of the computers were unplugged so any surge wouldn't destroy them etc.  I had carried this light everyday since I owned it and had really only used it for personal use, but just like the rest of our preps, you never know when you may need something.

This light is the smallest (that I have found) cr123 flashlight that still actually has a reflector.  Sure you can get smaller flashlights, but most of them are just little LED's sticking out of the battery holder.  This little guy is a real, actual flashlight.

After that even, it has reaffirmed my choice to carry a personal light and I never go anywhere with out it.

Simple Preps that could SAVE THE WORLD! Part II

I am sure that everyone can remember the famous movie line when Crocodile Dundee pulls out his huge Bowie knife and declares, "That's not a knife, THIS is a knife!"

While I certainly love a big knife as much as the next fella, most of them are just not practical to carry around everyday in polite society. 

Sure, once the balloon goes up, or the dead start walking around trying to eat what little brain that I have, it will be easy to explain away the Kabar Kukri strapped to my side; "Why yes, this is a knife and I am still happy to see you!"


However, until then, you should never be without a good sharp blade, but what to do?


In steps the CRKT Minimalist.  It comes in several iterations; from the modified Tanto (pictured below), the odd looking Wharncliff, to the very familiar Bowie; all of which I possess and carry depending on what mood I am in when I get dressed.

I have always been fascinated with small, sharp knives, however the main drawback to me has always been that fact that when a manufacturer made a small knife, it usually came with a small handle.  Just because I want a small knife doesn't mean that my hands suddenly shrink to be able to grip a lilliputian handle.

So when I saw the CRKT Minimalist series, I fell in love.  Here is a great blade, made by a reputable company that realizes that just because the blade is small doesn't mean that the handle has to be.

The micarta handled full tang knifes are a joy to use.  The handles are large enough for my largish hands and allows me full control of the small blade.  At no time do I feel that I have to sacrifice my grip to accomplish a task.

I wear one of the Minimalists around my neck at all times.  It cannot accomplish all tasks, but for what it is designed, it excels in its role.

I am in no way, shape, form or fashion associated with CRKT, with the exception of being a very happy customer. 

Redux to Solar

So, it has happened!  You were preparing for this moment, hoping and praying that it would never come, but deep down inside, knowing that it would.

The 2012 solar storm hit us with a vengeance bringing EMP destruction with it.  It was the Carrington event to end all others.  Coast to coast, even around the world, computer chips that controlled everything from your toaster, to your modern automobile, to the multi-million dollar switching station that sent power to your home were fried with the immense electronic storm that took a millisecond to sweep through everything connected (and most things not connected) to the grid.

So, you, being the dedicated prepper that you are, begin preparing for the grid-down scenario.  You prime your hand pump well system, you begin turning all of your steak and roast that is in your freezer into jerky with your solar dehydrator.  You break out your solar oven, and get ready to fix your first "TEOTWAWKI" meal.  You strap on your Glock 19 and lay the AR15 down beside you.

Things go pretty well until later in the evening and you realize that its getting dark.  DOH!  You realize that your dusk to dawn light outside isn't going to come on and no matter how many times you flip the light switch out of habit as you walk from room to room in your house, the lights are not going to come on.

So, you go get your checklist and see what provisions that you made for light.

VIOLA, you were a great prepper and made the proper provisions.  You had a faraday cage specifically for this very thing.

You run into your provisions room (as quick as you can, because it is dark in the house now), look for your ammo-box turned faraday cage that has your stuff stored and open it up.

What greets your eager eyes is worth its weight in gold now.

First off, you see four of your Olight M21 Warriors.

 

Olight


You gingerly pick one up and flip its switch.  You are greeted with a blindingly bright and very reassuring stream of light.

You take a moment to revel in its beautiful brightness before you continue your rediscovery.

What awaits you next is equally reassuring.

12 volt 15650 battery charger

This is what is going to keep you in light for many years to come.  You made provisions to hook this small battery charger to your solar panels that are on your outbuilding.  Sure it takes a while, but you will have light.

You set this aside, with a sigh of relief, then reach the final bundle at the bottom of your ammo box.  Its pretty heavy and you forget for a moment what you might have down there, as soon as the clear wrapper comes into view, you remember with yet another sigh of relief.

18650 rechargeables

You lift the heavily cellophaned wrapper from the bottom of your box.  In it contains almost 3 pounds of 18650 rechargeable batteries.  Enough to keep you in light for quite some time to come.

And not just any light, but blindingly brilliant white light that is sure to cut through the darkest night to let you know what goes "Bump".

Things are not going to be easy at all, in fact, these will be the days that try men's souls, but you have taken as many prudent preparations as you could have, and now they will begin paying off in spades.