RAG AR le A QnAe ¢ A A Hard-Times Guide to Staying Alive caulft the, City OTN EU PI Riese 1" Toll (TTT ee elie olreise1 600599! SRE‘Ako by Ragnar Benson ine New Rogier ear ‘Tnvestigations, and Interrogations ere Table of Contents og Be Tag Anda ov Loon gene som real Eo ec ‘unpre ges agar ton Enea, les Tans Introduction Chapter 1: Basic Survival Philosophy 7 Chapter 2: Combat in Built-Up Areas 19 Chapter 3: The Governments View of Survivalists 29 f Chapter 4: Water 37 | Chapter 5: Sources of Energy 3 Chapter 6: Food B Chapter 7: Survival Food Preparation 99 Chapter 8: Emergency Shelter in Cities 19 Chapter 9: Caching and Storage BI Chapter 10: Trading 143 Chapter 11: Guns 1357 Chapter 12: Survival Nursing 13 Conclusion 185 About the Author 191Warning ‘Technical data presented here, particularly data on ammu nition and on the use, adjustment, and alteration of firearms, inevitably reflect the author’ individual beliefs and experi- ‘ences with particular firearms, equipment, and components ‘under specific circumstances that the reader cannot duplicate texacily. The information inthis book should therefore be used for guidance only and approached with great caution. Neither the author, publisher, nor distributors assume any responsibili- ty lor the use oF misuse of information contained in this book. Preface Tam frequently asked if city survivals similar to survival in the country or wildemess. Answering that question is a major [premise of this book, Since whar many people consider wilderness survival actually refers o recreational acvities—frequently prac ticed by ellst yuppies in SUVS— we must set these practices aside before we can answer the question Is city survival differen fom rural sural? | The short answer is that city survival is very much like rural survival, only diferent, I identical in that the same basic Rule of Threes applies in ether place, and thatthe Rll of Survival Thermodynamics also is sill in fore. (You learn about these rules soon) [None of these asics has been repesed, gat may cts ben he an of [We also know that Vu tals aed inte 2h cnt his caching and storage Fes ration fr achinte2stceay, remain comerstones of any vwl ARAGNAR'S URBAN SURVIVAL somal progam. The same ie ofthe ule about aving ining into elu sats, Hang a ates are sl cesar be iy how ver thse ls wl be adopted othe cy envenment. fenorble ences food cn eased but gt hey will tema ifeen om ter al ounerpars. Shel pera inal cser ond i the the dangers ft butying and deredaton wl be much gee ‘dcrtanding te ned for scary le ving among lage mum bers people ey ipa ua suas can nmi opinion, make do witout gus ‘Some notable 20" century survivors, such as Bill Moreland—who Sued ale for 13 yar dao rugged Carat National Fore aid iho gun for an eended prod yeas. tbe xy tan eee dfrent ater Not onl are feats vial, Ic some mus be enced We had eter now how o make and lop efotveslencers. oe Soy pose Word War | Germany my fate walked 3 res per day cing wo 23-her prone 5 gal) cans Cte fcr and tack Tot mass pop oF evluoenary Geman ‘Sule continually ting to shoot anyone-—espectaly Kds—out Sethe sect oy ay Eo neo on gsm incset wre coins 00 Shem Weald have psoned che water, but n one ed from the tac Ping pole water acy srl stain can be an Tnereibe probe ihowt advance preparation, he station Could be emia Wis shortage of water, igang guden wl be cal lenge and may late le of Survival Themes, Bu Sip gden are sll possible. They ate eing raed sucessfally ventas I wnt ali sey ae too often ofan ertamesal ct toby neti ay suo equ nels panning or caching and food storage itis at Raed,o petbaps more accurately man Sed ivezock se wncvabl sue ef fod ao posible. These {Ete ae nove and hose who yt at ater the ag for up il beso ciate ‘What about energy inthe city? Is required to cook, preserve food, heat, and provide light. ls necessary for travel and commu ications, as well City survivors have more options regatding ene. Dut these must ental extremely lever procurement and deploy ‘ment stratepies—mch more so chan in ral situations. My experts who have been there and done that wil speak 10 this issue, Food in the city, no matter how its procured, arrives in a great rush. At harvest time, fruits and vegaetabes must be quickly dealt with before they spoil. Where livestock is availabe, city dwellers will need to learn al the survival tricks of slaughtering, butchering, storing, and preserving meat (One thing that willbe dramatically eiferent for people weed to city lief the exent to which survivors mast bund together for ‘mutual protection and specialization. Voluntary specialization i 2 characteristic of any fre, sucessful economy. For everyones benc- fit, people must be fee todo whatever they do best and to ade for their best price. Wihout these mechanisms, the wrong goods are produced inthe wrong quantity and quality. Survivors, ‘unskilled in certain areas, are forced to spend precious hours doing for themselves what other, more skilled people could do beter, ‘quicker, and cheaper for them. Every society moves to specializa- Won, ether under the table or onthe able. Unless specialization ‘occurs fairly quick'y there wont be enough hours inthe day to get everything done. Survival isnot an activity forthe lazy. Resourceful, learned scrounging has alwys played a major role in any city sural program We need to think abou these sls now. In this volume I wil share what Tve learned about surviving the city—that is my commitment to readers. Because as many ob ets have leamed che hard wa, the need for these sills can occur with lighining ike suddenness Ragnar BensonIntroduction Open space between our cites stems tobe disppearing, often puzzling ttensky and sped. What was jus few short, ‘ago raw countryside fled with ie he farms, quaat, vilgs, and gravel roads has ben developed into govem- office complexes, apartment complexes, cinema complexes, patking complexes As young men going up on the fam, we undestod tha: we ‘up the 12 percent of the nation cizens who provided the ‘ofthe county food and fiber aghy-acre fray fms were ‘only common, bat-—mich more surpising economically ‘re was a most humble existence, bat i provided sul pods on which wo lve ‘Then farm eficency increased, decreasing what we spent on and we farmers diminished to + percent of the pepalation. There was ahve and cy throughout the land sae the fanaly farm. Speaking personally, do not know fe relly wanted tobe 1 the downvand-diny existence smal he provides ‘when our brothers and srs could more easly goto town and loser In any event, the vast majonty of us could not pat the Iecessary capital and expense together reed to contin 0 fam ins mdern eevionmen2 RAGHAR'S URBAN SURVIVAL Curtenly, Lam. informed, less than 2 pet ce sil il the nations soil Farm ld and demon. stration days sill and refer this station, The area mere shadow of fr Our military reso ries this widening urban evelopment, FM 90-10-1 An Ifaneryman’ Guide co ‘Urban Cambat points out ‘that in the past 20 yeas, cites have spread dramati- cally. They are “esing their previously well-defined boundaries and are extending into the coun- trys. Highways, canals, and railroads have been ‘ule to connect popul- ‘Even rum areas that manage to retain some of their farm villge- ike character are now ince connected by vast net- works of all-weather sec- cee Tae %101-de em a ae ede Tt, Cede on arte Y ox ‘ng that even if an area Jooks like a rural farm ‘community, we can quickly turn it into a tank park when the need arises. CContendlng governments maneuvering opposing anes histor- ically selected wide-open ares in which to operate, but the 20! swropucrion 3 (his viewed yma tars 2 hving thera ferns arden gad ee, ahi cess aPee o oen cue Mor cs arg nb aa hance Taebyron upon ow pstmt century has already proved tobe the century of ty conflict, Major bates are fought in ities now, not ‘out in open county. Cues are perceived to bo vl because they are the places of politics, pro- paginda, transportation sorage, commerce and industry. and cule. Soviet Field Marshal Georgi Zhuko, for ‘instance, had no illusions regarding the strategic value of Berlina the con- clusion of World War I (lta Berlin had litle actual value; but fom a propaganda standpoint Berlin was vital. Instead of retreating to the more eas- tly defended south of Germany, the Nazis were sucked into this Soviet subterfuge, defending the ety down tothe last plane, tank, and Hider Youth member 2t least 34 major bat tes have been fought in large metropolitan areas during the past 100 years tsa long lis, including sch notable places at Madnd (if you dont understand the Spanish4 [RAGHAR'S URBAN SURVIVAL Cio Wa, no war inthe 20! century can be understood), Warsaw che ‘unbelievably horrible ‘Warsaw Ghetto comes to ‘mind), Seoul (our times trounced in che brief Korean War), Saigon (sym- bolclly drawing the eut= tain on US. involvement tn southeast Asia) and ‘Beira from sehich much snformatin for this manual is drawn) ‘We tend to think of gucrills warfare as being a product ofthe countryside, as with Mal. Gen, Orde WingateS Chindits, who oper- ated in northern Burma during World War Il, or Mao and Stalin’ Statements that counterrevoltions start onthe frm. “This is not erue today. Wise rlitary people prepare to fight the next war, not to relight the hs, Today our mitary trans to fight turban guerillas in bull areas, This volume does not directly relate to urban warfare. t does recognize the truth that most of us wil hkely lve in cies, because Ciies are mostly what there are now. The volume als fully recog- nize the survival trth that refugees are never survivors. In its ‘most modern interpretation, survivals living ree of government contol. Refugees certainly co not fit this definition, probably ‘explaining why they die in such lrge numbers. ‘Because contending governments like to fight in cities and because it would be folly to leave our familiar places n ities, we ‘must learn to survive im cities. Like the romantic image of great, sweeping cavalry charges run across grass-carpeted rolling hills sve mut face the fct that rural surival is something of a nostal~ sic notion, Even if wilderness survival was ever really practical device, tint viable today: We dont live ip nara areas, and rural areas ate not where bates wil be fought. Tightning-fast surprise attacks determined to seize enemy urban strongpoints ate a comerstone of warfare in built-up places. Simply fate tan nn we lb ing in sg conpeas nhen es ht pur we could snsanly find ourselves engulfed in an urban confit nether of our chocsing nor of our Going Such am scion ‘would stanly require deploymen: of sural Supple and superb su vival shi Thisspriups dnote ue a Europe ard Asia, but ths world i 2 shrinking place. je who cre gerne wil ish AS diet rest of the as oot 20! centuys being the ceonury of urban warare and survival, we havea temendous body of experts who have Teamed how to lve off the land inthe ety “Been there, done tha “istheir moto. Ranging rom my father, who survived Wosld War Tin Kal, Germany, 0 the many Lebanese exchange studens currently attending ou land grant clleges, there ae exper 1 all Many grew up believing there was no her way of ie ‘When stating this volume, I vividly recalled the comments rade by a snior editor of large magazine chain tha, ronclly Included a survival magasine. Force of hab, custom, famuly, and Job-related sues kept erin New York Cy’ Admittedly ts one af the works cruly tough places to survive unde even good c- “When the flag goes up” she very seriously explained, ‘people like me are all going to die. People in the country wl ive, bu bave no chance” hiss net us. We now know wah centainty that resides of ei, Bein and Madd sured in gat rumbers under absolute Ty bral conditions. They did net have the benefit of por expes- exc, a suns phlosaphy, or any special advance preparation. We an hve all hse n pace, the veader wil quekly discoverChapter 1 Basic Survival Philosophy "When it is ecremely important that your pants stay up, use fa bek and suspenders, along with buttons on your shirt, proverb says. This basi homily echoes the Golden Rule known asthe Rule of Threes The Pacific Northwest Nez Fere Indians probably deserve the thanks for refining this rule into a genuinely workable sar plan, Most likely this plan became part oftheir culture in 111730 with aval oftheir rst horses. The Nez Perce were only tibe of North Amerian Indians who learned to selectively their stock, leading to development of the famous Appaloosa The Nez Pere were unique in several other regards, They the ony tbe that didnot routinely stave every winter had a fesaving survival plan that soon became an integral of ther culture. Tt was a model of simplicity explaining in large par its great ss. The Nez Perce discovered that for everything relly ly important co life, dare separate and distinct methods of, ly must be developed, As it evolved through the years, this eof Thrces proved to be extremely wise. Obviously the Nez applied this rule to their life in the country, but expert- 78 RAGNAR'S URBAN SURVIVAL enced city survivors have found thats works eaqaly well for them The system coalary proved equally profound The Nez Perce found— «specially inthe shore ran—it doesnot take very Inch in an absolute sense tostay alle. Elements of Basie srw were simply seen as fod, water, ene~ 2 sheer and possibly tiles of personal encouragement. In our culture these personal tents might be art, must, or pechap 2 Bible’ One ‘woman 1 kow belees this should inclade a hot ya Frc ard wl a2 ret hr Shower once & wesk- aaa poopy Because these items are so absolutely necessary postive provision fr their supply must be trade. Twenteth-ceury experience suggest that We must inclade medications, clothing, and sell-dlense inthis lst. But we abo now know passive defense systems— such as simply lying low and hidingare offen a elective as active one. First contact with Earopeas or the Nez Fert came on september 20,1803, when Lews andl Clark rede down out ofthe Tourfans it their rerote area of what snow te sate of lho. [At that ime the Nez Perce already owned sx modem (or that er) ‘is! These had been bartered rom the Mandans and Hidatsa, ‘wo had bought them fom Tench and Brish waders. Because their Appalooss horses were so valuable, the Nez Perce were able to tade for equally valuable sr such a ifs, powder, and balls “Another ale of sural comes into view ‘Even before farms, the Nez Perce were able to survive using BASIC SURVIVAL PHILOSOPHY 8 thelr Rule of Thees, Later on, having afew figurative trade dollars {in their pouches allowed them to survive in much better style. ts still rue today-those with thelr nancial houses in order wills vive better and more easly than those who are forced to live under ‘more basic conditions. These with money for guns and ammo, especially in cies, have afar beter chance at survival ‘While the basic Rule of Threes works ina day-to-day practical sense inthe city or country, it can also be deployed by those who fe ito recreational nuts-twigs-and-berriespeimicve survival. The tule gently draws all of us into-a workable plan. People dont have foleave their current homes for mice-infested, drafty cabins in the Bille inorder to lve oop Employing the Rule of Tees, we know that when food is vital for you and your familys survival, you should develop at least, thre separate and distinct sources of supply, No one source can in any way be dependent on the other for it implementation. Esch ‘on its own shouldbe capable of feeding you and your family dur. ing an emergency. My father and his family in post-World War 1 Germany, for ‘example, relied on the rabbit and pigeors they tended, the garden vegetables they raised, and wild edibles they found inthe fields and city parks, as wel as what they bartered for with surrounding farmers. They lived inthe center ofa lage city ‘Ina more modern contest, city dellers can expect to rly on their domestic rabbits, their gardens, and scrounged edibles gath- ‘ered from surrounding fields, parks, and rivers, as well as con sumption of stocks of previously stored supplies as needed The other vial role isthe Rue of Survival Thermodynamics, ‘This means that you must never put more energy ito a survival activity than i talen out, Those who fal to heed this warning {Quickly become casualties This generally rules out sport hunting and fishing, but eppor- tuniste shooting of critters forthe poi the couse of ether su val-telated activities probably would not violate this precept.10 ARAGNAR'S URGAN SURVIVAL Sanives abo he ade pepsed ‘Rast ie od ana or cy ange got teflon setto hot They tet anting geen raph Inde even pee Keep in mind that in Indian cultures, most eile crters were ‘aught in snares or deadfalls. Theories of fair chase and conserva- tion did nat enter the equation, Gardening as a survival technique may also be impr many people who havent gardened before in their specific area However, survivors who are already practiced in their city-based gardening skallscan probably see a net gun for their efforts. Foraging in the city can also yield fod, but iti dieu, Our cay Indians leamed to properly teat acorn meat (vashing owt the tannic acid), hunt wild Bees, dig edible Dower bulbs, and collect Cattails and many ther edible plans. Today. in the city or country, the only foraging technique that practically qualifies for most “Americans involves guering cattails. Other edibles ae sparse, hard to recognize, of itl food value, and generally unavailable in winter. AS a practical matter, collecting nus, berries, and twigs fenerally makes file survival sense But the good news for city dwellers is dhat cattails are every ial for BASIC SURVIVAL PHILOSOPHY 1" where, My od, old account regarding catals wth which many sur- vwors are already fara, Inwolves the time (we riding n txt from National Aitpor at ‘Washington, D.C, (now Ronald Reagan National Aispor) into town witha skeptical newspaper reporter anxious to dis- crediall surwors. We passed acre upon acre of ‘atl growing wild along the Potomac River. My point about these being an txcellent survival food that was commonly aval: she in an emergency was instancly made During the fll and ‘winter, catal roots can be sliced and boiled, substi= ‘ting for potatoes. In spring and summer, ender shoots canbe harvested and steamed for the table, I season, cattl pollen is relatively easy to collet, substitting for Hour as much as 50 percent by Ean nten vey age greistageed pr ih Jagan hung ows wie fr aioe repr tg nn ror henson nets oho Geen Sialfowes see Bec: se shndan whenclened atone coe Batre nd bow, Me pera eal eed ele om Breyenoe tin ics Sis ngea hee nae aen AGHAR'S URBAN SURVIVAL [BASIC SURVIVAL PHILOSOPHY B looks lke a catail and they are never toxic. The danger is, ofcourse, that lover time, many city sar vivrs wil obliterate imit- ed city catail beds, but so far this has not happened, Despite my best efforts at promotion, few people trapped. Learning how isn’ difical. Set out great numbers of traps, Fepeating what works. In cites, expect 1 catch cats, dogs, and ras; in the country, look for dee, rabbits, and geese Trapping wild or semi- seemtclov abou md cages ides einstein pun Ee Pal he ‘nother valuable fod font hee ee saps rp macs tansecance 9 city and rural survival source avaible lyse Banting with mes diel abs and and stolen for eibes pigeons. Those who have Sanother atematve fever ied esto fine bento Bee Before wl id thes an yea eatees, mals fairy easy tors. reserve harvests them Fabs at some of the dees Lite county test composers avalabl ‘or, the ly vay a ey eat ju about rst be wing and ble to any else at hand preserve thi fod. ‘Mer leaning how to ba dle them, three females “Members of tis famiy raising rabbits i the heart and a buck will produce of grge indusial Englth cy ae pracicng sur meugh meat fortwo rab tel Sen! dt mn ow Bicmeat meals per week ste sence fersing the garden. And they ae good ty Inimals {rectly covered an exensv, mos hidden, abot Chirp na cowded English ey ‘sa ood soure, common pigeons are anther ter with great charm when aed nthe cy Tey By eu o gt thet fn food and water fom a ost hat canbe etblbed vial IpanjuereFreen aus easly produce sufclen meat fr fhother to meals per wee. Thee will be mote abou sng these ater inthe city i subsequent chaps ‘Game anal of al Kinde fom eb to carp ae best ‘CACHING AND STORING Most city survivors vw lect to male stockpl- Ang large par oftheir three-legged food survival progam. Understanding bow to ellecively stocks ple aimidates some fos. Heres simple way to detemine what yout Gan eral hey andere tae if eed Instead of quesing Genser acy tr ayer Meshes 2BAS. Sheu wa your“ RAGHAR'S URGAN SURVIVAL Fesicbores ante wd er de ong tem Ming ar caching of ura tes. you! need, just start buying doubles of ll dhe essential items you Zorlly purchase. For 8 months preceding the hour of need, statt ‘ving all these exta supplies in one set-aside survival area. Soon. there vl he more than enough lightbulbs, hand soap, sanitary napkins, coffe, and so on to see you past an emergency WATER ‘Thee sources of potable water ave a must One source could ‘oe the municipal pipe into your home, but isnt a source you can count on. City dwellers might consider renting a shallow well ‘auger to snk ther own bacyard well Iris not too early to think thout the avalabiity of pond, rier, o lake water as prt of oneS water Rale of Threes. You'l also want to considera rig io catch and Sore rainwater from house and building roofs, all that is needed t0 implement this collection storage plan in mos iy circumstances ae some extra gutter, plstc tarp, and plastic sionage barrels (hich for some reason are most often blue). Other suggestions are {ASIC SURVIVAL PHILOSOPHY 15 to store water in bowls, bladders such as waterbeds, or fiberglass water tanks ENERGY Planning three sources of energy isnot tough once you over: ‘come the realization that they probably all must be purchased well aead of need or, within cites, accvelyserounged up by creative Survivors Tan to use 1,000 gallons of stored fuel oi to un my {generator and provide some heat, and 1,000 gallons of propane to (ook, heat water, and pethaps warm the house Large propane or fage tanks may not be legal in ets, but know of two euttent sur ‘vors who have 1,000-gallon propane tanks buried ot of sight ‘under their gurage floor. My third energy source is 25 conds of scrap wood that I can replenish from abandoned buildings and storage areas as needed. I could hea, cook, and survive with scrap pallet wood alone. Depending on one’ specific circumstances, there are also coal geothermal devices, solar cells, and fue cells, Small, sncteasiigly Inexpensive fuel cells used for direct electrical conversion from LP (iquid propane) ga are coming on the scene, There are also very Junconventional fuel sourees. My father ran out everytime & team of horses came by to scoop up any road apples. which were either Aid for fuel or shoveled into the garden as feriizer. Although road apples have gone the way of dinosaurs in most places, your ity sur- ‘Wal plan wll eventually entail these sons of improvisations SHELTER Shelter in our list of threes also encompasses clothing and. emergency medial supplies, Mest people in our outdoororiented Seciety have sullcent boos, jackets, and warm, woolly sweaters to ‘wear when the place cant be kept at 62 degrees. Emergency med- ‘cal supplies are a complex, separate, and very philosophical issve thar should be addressed by survivors as quickly as possible Shelter might be your present home oF apartment. Fits backup fmm include an abandoned cellar, backyard dugout, a tent, oper16 -RAGUAR'S URBAN SURVIVAL haps.a cooperative area, depending on risk levels. Others may have 2 tavel camper, old bus body, oF even an old warehouse in which toide shelter. You may make tentative plans to move in with your kids or back to your parents Anything just so long, as the Rule of Trees relative co shelters is adtessed Tes tough advice for city people, but no matter what, never, never become a refugee, Survival nies among refugees wath no control of their destinies are dismal. Refugees are totally the wards fof government. If you belive the government does an adequate job fof running the post ofc, Socal Security, and che miliary, then ‘you will probably be satisfied with the way it wll run your Ife as a Tefuges. Effeceve hiding isan important part of city survival ast relates tothe Rule of Thees ‘Our technology is changing quickly. For this and reasons of Fuss sis 3 posted he Rue sian fa ese he ot Sit feces further stbasy Bank, Rss so te Seve union, Ie hres oer ves ony sca te ations eg: fot ut fag oe 0 Sayan et tn cease le Sangh mt oe ahd us [BASIC SURVIVAL PHILOSOPHY "7 [personal circumstances, skis, and likes and disikes, our personal survival plans are never final. Readers should include surival means that I have never dreamed of within their own Rule of ‘Three. A survivor in east Doise, Idaho, has his own private geot Ihermal heat well, fr instance! We wil miss opporturites unless swe are constantly aler for them, This is the overall guiding philosophy to survival. Obviously it applies to city survival Coma oi ad you wil lve. To gloss (over pats of sto suflerexteme consequences,Chapter 2 Combat in Built-Up Areas Warfare once tok par layover natural en. ncodng rounrntop ling fl jungles and emer sch ers Ite However most bate a now fh om ban ers, Which consis nv of mura lentes Chit these all Ings. rows of soy bu icto-brach cont factory Duis rows of tammabe dvelings to stones hgh or les, ‘wide open four-lane highways leading to places commanders don't Tesch te ear) tego and Sabo sewer and sak wey as The jes the mary leader, ky uldings provide cover Po A " and conccament tothe een bik patna field a re, ln ber ‘onan i te foes wath anne Sie ordepestbe gins Sficenty to reach any tapes Aa pmcica ut tebe ghana monars ar though tbe elecve imei and ever them tne wo fe tines as, ey dg teetdtonabe ine tan ofthe ae rege cae ans ob20 ARAGNAR'S URGAN SURVIVAL Insp ofthis get dtatahage anogin ommandes often onder ffartops and amar ico ics vie ances topping dene na coy psy a ‘wer tac Cites ave Jrens ng sctcliich Srroge ingen at ‘comunders no longer fSrethe advange Sf saving she ot many Sonica, Cozy Cen gods fe cay thre gt mre than 100 sia smored vehicles Bebe oe Bu verses, ween Sea ae bene wh which ners sete ther nen and cpm Sg cy oa "a ngs bling wil came he aa "Pht cod realtor cy ahh ap use aa Commences survivors about the wlio as an poor, Sane iter they mst Svat or hic own dendrs ight coe os tle and create ae many probleme a the attacking ina The No emanate nd ue re oa Joc of public bu sting as cays te Spanish Ci Wie 3641935) defenders actively used underground workings 0 tithe nr or ext cies. Some peopl extimate atthe dender ofthe Warne Getto could have eld on against he ‘Nasi ws many a0 0 addtional das by clever ase of Wass Underground werks are currently one of the fst places atack- ing soles stempr o secure Unlese completely walled off id ‘ibeny camouflaged, inercomecting sewer works and waht tan- feo are not places of cote for cy Survivor to take rey ioe ub slr with od aersip no le mae wi fomed snap decsionsreptding wndergzound train. Reporte Suey map ofthe mole major cles ndengound ar par of bur coven miary information puhering process. Saddam may be ‘COMEATIN BUICLUP AREAS a sighllly paranoid about reff to ind out Sout Baghdad sewers ‘Cy serlare i simar to warlare in the country th many regatds Moder preety any Fal no Yonge ine up at the base to Tecetve pe tle rom thee lends Isten to marl bap mises and then charge tn up. Instead, ah Tomb s probably rapped ontop ofthe ll seul Be afar stanly Feioapesed infor an Seen fom the op down. Urban combat is envisioned as beng only Slghly cifleren Commanders wil en Commision nt heen vlbeioorat ify de tlle, mest, iin ote eserves Inova ghesce bull Indy te or te ei ing he cen ofacore - sextant toe that sufficiently stout o support rocket launcher, hey machine guns, and mortars Incredibly modern vr warlte dovne suggests tha hese promos Maing shoul be akon y bec asi groups moving rom the top down, ten ater high explo- Shes paced onthe top loos clear taem of defenders. ‘Whsen enemy ire and other corsertions precade bei oper, ts the current wisdom tht stacking inary forces st limb tothe top of targeted balldngs on fe eicapes o inside stars Once on top, they beg thet assault, ightlng hee vay back do ap fr wil no dob stem hinder these asus by placing barbed wire antipersonnel mines and other ‘bsaces in stairwells to impede tae proges of stacking forces. ‘Outi te country, high profile ile ae noe pood plies to surve, The same is ue sm ces, The alles bung wil ely beat the center of heavy fighting Survivors should aod these Rack commnkstions betwen oldirs and commande in cites ar ote poor, eli a both good and bad condor fora RAGNAR'S URBAN SURVIVAL cay survors—a soldier on Hid cum maybe easier o dei th but on te ther fand bef aso unencum bere by his commanders ethical ieee. increcibly, commercial phone pene Thich operate throug deeply ried cone fest lnes—are sen as, being more resistant to arogan, nexpenad uta cman Aen tack Gontending parties fr er sorta ato vee caret wileach atempeion new noe toby appropriate civilian phone Geen cers Serie or thelr own use, Surreal vom iskphone switch facies mate ‘subject to some. Groups of stacy inianty aswel 5 dele eter quickly be pin- {ered inte small lted Unis, operating complete ipindependeay Each wil Be respon fr on decsions, many of which tay nou be wise ovata mminimur—may nv it inc the Big pleut. The Ista al op fry any not be medal bos ES yt ender pes esas my Tis brings uo eae that often within cles under avack smal oups of lated lant may possibly be taken ou with no fepereusons forthe sree But the probably itt one er nos when ts wb Bald cman Capablies ae increasing dramatially es best nt to count en thi defense wien oer devices suchas deep hiding ae aval iy suriors who very cleverly hide thir presence in unod trasve umtargzted paces gen survive micey Th wll probably nual mov al Sigs of Ue eet They sil have fo ear the Sof camoutbging ied afl hide al survival supples—all Seal iat oat with tne ‘ydorstrz ah oa (COMBAT WM BILE. AREAS 23 —_ aio te sence ‘we simotateosly not aes) partcpating nthe war Sees "Thies not easy Cy survivors report tat Because of conde sing onions, acompanied Seren sanitary and di pos problems, rerets de fequentyToated by Hoe quart of pei appar dtog sell alone! Even cooking Susan const nsten Somer aes fod among te smell of Tet rococesstounk cow tive destruction can be an {Sorting essen ons instant sven. iar targets aes vn they are expose ae most frequently vse at ranges of [00 Moses or less Ar res urban cont tens tobe lowsech, Infantry unite wll have to have some compelling reason vo come nto your mediate ares; obervise, your recat may be complete Iyovercoked - 7 ‘lose, violent combat with ight ato and semiauto weapons flamethrovers, hand grenades, mines nd ight anal wespons {talang the pace of arly, is common in urban warfare. sayy dona an weapons ily tobe nthe Iuands of eta sarsvore wl work mice these stuatons Delendes will ot have to rely on standard miltary equipment to take an adequate showing, Keowing tat te abe scope sight. falsemiasto 22-caber rfl could be sed atthe shore ranges tn ho ep weld atahere cera suo comion. an cont notorgus forthe vast tually disproportion ai at of anions chews up intra deendersnahoat, Tegulr lines of resupply are at an advantage they have chou Titpostoned spre thet of war munca get nc be ftaciang forces, ut since capturing enemy supple sak, expe tienced iy lighters por that nos of ter sl came fom pe. sting, neal stockpiles pain cy survivors should only Bet BProbsi her moc tmsdige aca compromicd “he rule of thls this ese that, agai, city survivors shoud not led ia ais, they dhe precos pate Supplies ll be quickly exhausted. Replacement by capre does ot wore and should not be part of a survival plan experts lim. This advice proved secre the radvtion of Ken and Bein, a not So acurue i the Wats Ghetto. Certainly ta mater ofPy RAGNAR'S URBAN SURVIVAL ote teh gm tgs aug statins in wih he ey comes ‘lend toned eprint ugh lng ahr tan don tow bay eter side wants hats of ed man owe we rable iy coma die en toscana inthe reps Avetemn of ce Wis cy fp weal that wheter acy fare be en bed his fellow soldiers never, jynoyuedin ces can te dei but deploy Dever allowed temacves Mims cts cos i tS cummed down en Senn hey Instead they used satchel changes tank Fae bullocen wo pinch hats tnough is of fuss and though icons. by moving through he nse of oan sutures they Rep ou f the Saey ght and ou of is Subuske, he id ‘COMBAT n BUILT-UP AREAS 25 a eo pry ested bung an provide een cans ur prediction ae tough Houses along main thoroughares vere oft targeted, whe those behind were requeny spared thtacking wider aso sided remot nopiberocls ete no fbous resstance was organized, especially i barriers and mine Bells were in ace’ Anohe ssn oc sures. Townes wa ended ele Abo one can el How ahead if they will end up in han’ way. Tthink of the Eglin dtl Wri Nr he red to ect ling station inthe Paci. Vessels had then begun to burn Bunce fuel av cols nob weer bother mer" he sone Buf cou, Wide Lland became a major tal Board in Weed Warf slong they ll lng hae ot ate nd es thn inant cn sues be ted ino pte onces-ype a fase tyson for ois esi cae ror tee fen ecu pane ohigrse buildings wep we ord hr iad een od be cere. y by ene airy re Letsol ran above povided exc” lent peton fom airy or mora fir, whe bot Bing Atpesin af beings deal bung and ging deters no ou ong pce bla che wee She sans6 -RAGHAR'S URBAN SURVIVAL Shy le pe tain atin. meget ens oe Gs ac ccm ae ae of urban warfare. [ have spoken with German women who lived in “auctor SEE ie omy oe empties ‘lela, eiywie es ws ees ammeter, shee iepainiet ieee: Bas, Boy sie teeiaes diet Poe lnteresed can secure US, Army taining manuals on (COMBAT WM BUIL-U AREAS Pa bah et a reek, ey Cheer ct na paren peas oon aye Seer Kone ea “up areas, allowing rate perc Salen or ed ge, pela il ree may ued wey pk re tee fee ne mite pic wianiaicng taco parable weapons hat gi nits power be a ese far a cane. ig as inde a snd cy ering he tm deprey et Pra a es wrest unteate afar Ra a Hei espace’ eats rs nc a Son era Scene tees ie a ae Pally be desreyed. 7 22 erly pars sues cin ht hy bbe ee see Tee ee ee ee beige ise eeeChapter 3 The Government's View of Survivalists *So, you define a moder, practical survivor as being an ind ual who isnot dependent on government for any kind of help assistance," reporter assigned to a nationally known moder ‘magazine quoted back somewhat skepically Yes," says I "but add inthe fact that government help is ys intervention, not help. They try to pu a human fae on ‘bat look how any people have been manipulated, 1 and even murdered by their own government in the 20! alone.” Ie seemed especially curious that he had called from New York—not an especially notorious center of freedom or surivlism or individual ber. Judging bythe trite be tle collection of shallow- ness and trivia he event- ally came up with for an Interview, the fellow really30 RAGNAR'S URBAN SURVIVAL dnt gett Even a brie a it was, his article was shot through ‘with scom and ridicule toward survivors or anyone who would ever dream of living fee. It was the sire day the Albanian refugee ‘rss ithe fron: page. People are being murdered en masse by their own government and he ridicules anyone who would think of living fre rom government “help.” Tasked which goods and services he personally depended om that came directly from central authorities He didn want to hear it, but Mao, Stalin, Lenin, and even. Heinrich Himmler, director and ealy organizer ofthe N Schutastaflel (SS), flly recognized that counter-evolutions tra tionally have started inthe counteyide. Himmler believed it could be a good revolution if t was kept entirely under his personal ection, philosophy, and contol Perhaps this is par of the ongin fof Mao’ and Stains intense parancia regarding rural freedom-Iov- ing survival-ype individuals, Yet, keep in mind, Lenn predated any serous SS philosophy by atleast 10 years. Why he really feated country folks and wanted to herd everyone into cities is probably lst in history Lenin sald it was to ndustraize the coun- try So they became worker bees in his own private hive! ‘We see it today in our own society. There are people who believe the government can solve problems and are willing o allow others to take contrel of ther lives. There's no question that the bureaveracy sil believes that if 1 herds enough citizens into cites and provides enough essential services, the rank and file can be brought under their contol. Substantial amounts of propaganda regarling the indispeneablty nd wisdom of government are a prime ingredient mn this formula. Then those who wish to continue this feudal system under their own superior ‘Teadeship” can pre vail over the rest of us. This simple litle concept in this brief chapter isthe core of city survival Those who are and/or wil allow themselves to be wards of the government dont have te slightest prayer of making icin 2 truly grinchy city-surival situation. In times ast it was sid, “Understand this concept and lve free. Nepect it and become a slay.” In cites it fe end death, not jst freedom and slavery “The problem is that city survivors have a greater struggle in "THE GOVERNMENTS VIEW OF SURVIVALISTS n (bran rd poe te le vee apt cy srs, {avoiding this evil rap. Providing essential goods and services to snarualy independent, widely seatered, historically sl aficient [couny people is so inefctet that governments that try quickly igobroke. Currenly few make the efor. There are just not enough people concentrated any place out in the county tobe worth deal- ing with ele! stony spec that in ur mon ines oe ann 4 few remove and insignificant regions around the globe, there no Tonger are enough people inthe country to carry outa successful {counter evolution This does not suggest that government oficial are no longer paranoid in the finest Maoist Stalinist tradition. Although its not ‘idely known or popularly understood outside certain regions, si Faificant numbers of fedom-oving citizens in Washington state, ‘Oregon, idaho, and western Montana view current government id Lands proposals—which ae plans to move people ftom thei Tura homes and ino cies o allow the land to go back to Tnature—as being litle more than a thinly disguised method of Putting the people in the position of becoming wards ofthe gov- femment. The fct chat Wild Lands proponents receive huge amounts of underhetable government money in direct defiance ‘OF congressional oversight of approval—very similar to CLA fund-2 -RAGNAR'S UREAN SURVIVAL ing during ou Viemam trades ile toa tear. et changes in ovr soci ae oosrig a8 trenaling rae, Out mi tary eogs srt sehen prepares wight Ihees Unopeale rents, ncuding dramatic ey hing weer wed advances in technology jher pada any step way beyond out contol nye ego ar Cand peraps even our | mumbai ondetnding a push gal of os ins tring in bul-up aes. These areas re characte tse by high population densies ond arge mbes of lings god put sn ges danger of dependence on goverment for gpedh and servis But bck n New York on the phone withthe ens magazine report, my queson was, "What absluey wil goods and se- vices necery today eine do yo ely onthe proved by the government Hisanower was. no-bine in more ways than oe. -Abscuely nothing he quick thundered ack. That tes po- pear allt from sil cloth shoud not be supe, was ow had by the ets, bute didat quite know Sounded fa. “Oh,” says I alecting my best innocence, “then you can ow & firearm of some sor, thereby taking personal responsibilty for yur ov immediate security Keep in mind it was New York on the line, where personal responsiblity for security has been lost for decades. "Winy would I even dream of owning a gun? 1 dont want to attack anyone,” was his instant response. Obviously he was from fone of those new touchy-feely typeof mens magazines that would- jt touch arcs about guns, cockfighting, gas, or bear hunting ona bet Thete ate those among us who believe that our president cur= {THE GOVERNMENT'S VIEW OF SURVIVALISTS 3B vent nade against gon ‘owners not ell abst ddvering tenon rom his many other shorteor ngs, bt ater a thinly disguised attempe to make average zens more dependent on government “This theory gas crediil ‘y when we realize again that ou police forces have 0 binding eal respons to protect us! Citizens have repeatedly red to sue fr dam. when they were denied permission to own a gun for self pro- jan and were subsequently aacked, Sus for damages against ber police departments got nowhere. 1S ue that Thomas Jerson bleed Americans shuld own arms 2 fina lst eso. against government oficial who ess them. Bu in hier ofwallo-wal eis, i may be more that. Thee is alo the mater of government oxmership and istbution—ciher nou dec ownership or indie through aol electric est, water, communications (acho, ove, and TV), transporatio, and postal services But slpro- on is even mote athe core than these. [Numerous expen have pointed out thst Stain could never re murdered and eared out depotaions nthe Ukraine, Mao northern China, Pol Pt sp Cambodia, or Englands Scoland ring Vier 18th-cemtry war of independence) hal average ers heen even maesty well armed. ‘Aleksandr SolzhentSy, author and plosopher,beleves the sian people could have even succesfully Tested the secret Police and going tothe gulgs wit litle more than rescue apl- ation of aes, butcher knives, harvesting tools, and meat hooks. Sounds ike los of esluteness, but his ia is dy noted ‘The reporter never did admit to seing the connection between Tiivate firearms and freedom, but he seemed to warm to the idea tha offical provision of sewer, garage, an water seraic could ge34 RAGNAR'S UREAN SURVIVAL ‘quikly ead eo significant conto. “Fact she said “Lviv recall our satbage strike and what an incredible mess that turned out tobe,” he final ly admit. He did weasel abit by claiming garbage sevice - —— vwas private in New York. "Yes, private, but main- tained by a government enforced monopoly” I sug gested. “All they have to do is threaten to pull the company’s permit and {your garbage collectors will do whatever the bureaucracy wants. You ‘cannot legally go into any business in Nev York ‘without official sanction,” 1 reminded bi ‘Water is extremely important ity sue vivors, allure of supply could be as serious as going without per- sonal protection, and could arguably be as vital or more vital than petsonal gun ownership. But to claim cha garbage is more impor- fant than guns is just that. (Other than electric uiites being government-controled ‘monopolies isthe electrical system in very many big cities in ‘America sll directly ovmed and controled by the government? During the 1920s and 30s many small, more rural eties developed thet own electrical systems—mosly small-scale hydro projects (Cartently even when utiicy companies are not collectively owned, ‘the authorities can throw their considerable weight around, deny- tng service to anyone they wish. This i exactly how it works in osm nes places arlene bagel of teen be wea for Fides ‘avr toe Cia vie conplan ens eed nol camp sion “THE GOVERNMENT'S VIEW OF SURVIVALISTS 35 ‘Gaba, where average citizens dont recelve enough power each day to successfully run a refigerator! ‘Wise city survivors had bet look a their own situations now, Defore the criss. What esentals to your Ife do your central authorities provide? Can they abitrarly and capricious ext you (of, forcing you irto becoming 2 ward ofthe state? Forms of government dependence are not ll obvious and may vary in prionty according toa persons phlesophy Service may ary from city to city and from country to country In Britain and (Canada, for example, ctizens must go hatin hand to the bureau- {racy for permission to have a vaseciony, a hernia repair, of knee surgery. A close friend flew his mother tothe United Stats for a hap replacement because she was 109 old to receive one in Canada! Bypass surgery isnot done in Cuba pas the age of 50 because recipients do not have sullicint working ile left to give to the state, The United States is headed in that direction, More distress ‘ng, some people really believe this isa good thing! In Beirut, shorty alter the very bles days, private mail ‘courier services sprang up. Again, we must keep our eye on the Dall Esablishment of private medical care might be very impor tant, Bucs mail delivery on our list of absolutes required to sus tain life? On one occasion a woman told my daughter, only half in jest, that she could not envision fe without her daly soaps (low igade melodramavic entersinment), Possession ofa functional TY abl, satelite dish, or computer connection might possibly be a requitement for her Ife. That ie cerainly not a judgment I wih to make. Like any other survivors, city survivors must star planning now Afthey hope to provide their own services. ts wery important 10 note that, on close inspection, we often find many ofthese services ate [provided by cental authorities, Anne Frank, the young Jewish gel in ‘World War 1 Holland, almost survived. She wrote that a ies a chronic lack of sewagelvaste disposal actually threatened their sanity, Securiy, and immediate health Personal responsibilty and self-eliance require gret attention fo detall. An unlicensed private nursery in Salem, Oregon, for36 ARAGNAR'S URBAN SURVIVAL cxample, was discovered and summarily shuttered ‘when authorities were tipped off ots existence by the quantiy of dispos- able diapers found in their teas, Ths no ety sur vial, but a down-home ‘example of the length 10 Which bureauras Wl £0 Gan uated een er 3 tng to maintain their contol. sya =H My list of vital services that may be controlled by the government and for which city arrangements includes the folowing survivors should make other + Sewage sysems + Garbage collection and disposal Communications inchuding radio, television, phone, mal, and Internet acess Fuel Medical services Unites such as gas and electric power “Transporation Water Food Sel-defense/securty Shelter ‘ofthese, only food, water, shelter, and self-defense are defi ritely on the list of must-haves needed to survive. Others may also be tere, depending on one’ personal circumstance. My advice Is tonever, never rely on people who dont give a darmm—such as government offcials—for something really important. Chapter 4 Water "Successful ety survivors will have to drink lots of brown and geen water ‘Alter hearing this a second and thind time ftom survivors of Berlin and Beirut, twas obvious that this was going to bea very masty chapter nS akin tothe social structure in socialistic economies, [Everyone is equal, bu some comrades are more equal than all the others Supplies of water ae ike that! All absolute elements of sur- ‘val will lea to death when denied, but depending on weather, ‘workload, and physical condition ofthe survivor, water is the most {mmediate, Without it you die quickly and cruelly ‘The Rule of Threes san ion rule in the case of ety survivors and water But there is great cause for hope. Ina wery few cases, water ‘continues to run from the pipe. Ie may not be usable without further treatment, but it is something to work with, For pu [Poses of this chapter, hough, tap water is not @ consideration Few experienced been there, dane that ity survivors mention Using it Itisnt an accident of history that many cities in the word were built around natural waterways, Easter transportation using boats 3738 AGNAR'S URBAN SURVIVAL and barges in the early days ted to that. Ciies grew around profitable commerce. Securing ade- ‘quate potable water may simply be a matter of ly ing in securely covered, easily filled and cleaned plastic buckets, a earying yoke, filter racks, purifica- tion chemicals, and larger retreabtype storage tanks to be used to haul, treat, and store water from rivers and ponds running through or lying amound Tn real life is seldom, that easy Survival s never particulary easy of conve- Bent. I isnot a game for lazy folks who cannot or will ne plan aber Cy seor mit cep aver io pbc at {0 te omar wih wate Fem ond, rashes ard ens. COLLECTING WATER Getting to and from a pond, canal, swamp, lake, stream, spring, or any other natural water source may be dangerous, It may ‘not be practical or even possible, Many city survivors recall hauling ‘water over as much as 3 miles one way once a day Figure that on your return trip, weighed down with water, ake you twice as long to cover the same ground. On the return haul, slow-moving, heavily laden water careers may fall under observation, suspicion, and perhaps enemy fire, Great care and extreme caution are def- nite in order, Cites, especialy the shot-up variety, provide great opportunity for cover and concealment. At times, large numbers of people wil miling about, providing even greater confusion, This can be & ‘of cover and concealment itself. City sarvwors obligited to water fom great distances had best pick their route and an ency alternative, as wel as time of day with care, est they omnis themselves and all the cehers atthe retreat, World Wat lly survivors in occupied countries were in constant danger of (Gestapo and many instances ae on record of food or water rs simply disappearing. Like smoke in the wind, no trace ever seen ofthem agin How to keep out of enemy clutches? Here are some suggestions ‘ou been there, dane that folks: Plan to leave the retreat at a ofthe day when sunrounding activity is minimal, Travel by a ne that doesnot cross enemy’ lines and is least hikely to lea to sure, eve ifthis i avery long, citeuitous route. Leave the ret by a route hidden from view. Humans can vale at a rate of from 3 to 4 miles an hour. Send water carets out together, allowing switching of the heavy am load while sill maintaining maximum speed and alertness. en not carrying, the other should act asa slightly forward look Survival is about not being lazy or inattentive to deals. Dont le the shortest route ules ts also safe. Always pick the safest ate. A the fist sign of danger, abandon hauling equipment to of and hide Undertake haulage in 4- to 5-gllon covered cans balanced on shoulder pole assembly. Carrying heavy buckets long distances ough tersin by using only hands and arms isnot practical, Precipitation Collecting rain and ts close cousins, snow and ie, is another 3, practical, cty-survival watergathering technique. One server said that he saw it often in Beirut and even in Karachi Pakistan. Ihave personally observed many rainwater collection sys fems in several Yugoslavian cities, ‘Moder technology helps loads. But jut as water from ponds And rivers must be filtered and purified, o must precipitation be treated And collecting it is just a risky fo city survivors as haul ing water40 -RAGNAR'S URBAN SURVIVAL To catch and funnel fling water we have large sets of plastic tarps strung in almost cert-lke lashion, i doesnt take @ Phi Bota Kappa to realize that some- ‘one i around maintaining and using the device Collecting water fom rooftops that would nor mally gush down a drain- Pipe int a storm sewer is also possible, Use plastic Sheets and pipe to direct this water into your holding tanks. No ‘precipitation in a cty is pariculary sanitary: Catching from ‘ooftops that people may walle on and that may alsa catch dit and debris is especially unsanitary: Clean colleced precipitation simiar- Iy to the way you would treat water from ponds, swamps, nvrs, and lakes by using a sand filter rack and bleach Except in some particularly sodden pans ofthe world, rain fale inirequentl. Bountifal quantities must be stored when it arrives from the heavens, Plastic barels weighing about 450 ‘pounds when fll ae ideal, Do most readers realize how absolutely ‘vf water stored over the longterm can become? Thank God few ‘people have to drink out of estes these days “TheteS alot of work tobe done here. Try to filter and purl ‘recitation stored in the blue plastic barrels as soon as possible Lets not even talk about water stored 3 or 4 weeks in hot climates that hasnt already been filtered and chlorinated A te fist sign of trouble, purchase twice as many lage plastic tarps, plstic barrels, and plastic pipes and gutters as you expect to ‘eed, All ofthis is very mexpensie, so theteS no need to skimp oF Been there, done that people repor that ou-in-he-open, obvi- cous water collection systems on roof, in parks, or in parking lots are virally as mach ofa threat to survivor security as sending the young men out with buckets. These collection devices ate easly ‘Thor saesd a ut tone ate tocol ona fom ons and gates waren a spotted by members ofthe enemy forces, who quickly learn what this is all about. Many realy don like "Expect them to respond! by posting sentries or by tearing up the collection ysiem,if they can reach i, The end result i often pre diciable, especialy when no backup collection supplies ate ava able You die from lack of water lee and snow are sometimes sources of water for ety survivors. Jus hope you also have an ‘excellent energy supply Te and snow as sources of drinking water are not as elective as we might wish Very few examples of using ice and snow are on ‘cy pets who nd teams ae audi record as sources of supply ‘st ies in the Unde Ste. for city survivors. Once ay be geen and sal bt le prs n pas ies cane a sue sal aea RAGNAR'S URBAN SURVIVAL ‘melted, stow and ice water should be treated the same a any other scrounged surface water Great quantities af ofen scarce energy ae required o melt ice. Humans cannot normally pack in enough calories to continually exist on ice water thawed inthe ‘mouth. lee has to be melted fist or users sucking on it for hydra- tion wil risk hypothermia, Cold-weather native survivors ean only tse sold ie when they are on an extremely high-clore det of mostly animal it. PURIFYING WATER At the retreat, allow any surface water to stand and sete quet- lyin covered containers for at leas 12 hours. This isnt always pos sible, but itis recommended. Is it necessary to mention that water should be brought from an area of as lle pollution and contam- nation ss possible? ‘When the storm sewer discharge s south and north s just as safe, go north, Yet dont be suprised when this isnt practical, Even though this may be atime of great exposure, fil each container in as sanitary and chunk-free a manner as possible. Our practical ‘objective a supply of drinking water Its nice ft has a feve big brown lumps and stringy green things as posible, but the objecave is life-giving water, Obviously not much water ends up hauled by the fellow who tates overiong ans shot. Great numbers of really shck litle water purification gizmos axe avalable, mosly from stores selling to recreational survivors, backpackers, skiers, and cyclists. All work nicely, but are expensive and not really designed for long-term city survival requiing puri- ‘cation of hundreds of gallons. Using a Sand Filter For practical survival use, we'll need a sind fier rack. After the water has settled for 12 hours, carefully pour the top 90 per- cent ofthe water through a sturdy fine-weave loth and then into the sand filter rack. Discard any relly scummy stings. ‘Thoroughly clean the cloth and bucket, setting them out in the wind and sun fora day or two to puri waren a CConstract sand iter racks by building a box out of 2-x-10 lumber or something equivalent. Fill with coats of fine san, Either wll work, bu ofcourse they will have much diferent speeds of flation. Pace the sand-filed rack dreily over a seam- less plastic sheet. Fastening a piece of seen ftom an old-fashioned sereen door makes the process a bit easier and more convenient This screen must be replaced every 60 days or so. Lets hope the trouble doesn last that long The sand-filed rack, which could weigh almost 300 pounds, i placed on a sight ange. The plastic collection sheet slopes down ‘co a clean collection bucket. Water poured throygh the 10-inch- deep sand gradually seeps through tothe sheet and runs into the clean storage bucket Several addtional maintenance chores ar in sight ere, Unless survivors have an endless supply of clean, new sand with which 10 replace that inthe rack, they will have to empty the filer once a week to spread the sin in thin Iyer out in the sun to purify Sand in heavily use filters wil get disgustingly grody very quickly, especialy in humid, warm climates or where first setling is rushed rot done at ll Pacing very many green and brown chunks in the ter degrades faster, arf can and dry the underyng Plastic sheet ‘There is gyeat discussion about specific water pufietion44 RAGHAR'S URBAN SURVIVAL methods and chemicals, True enough, mos survival stores ave ‘mater that can kill more litle water enters than bleach. Ifyou te so inclined lay in a large to huge supply of this chemical now. “Mos. people, however, are going to have fo use commen house hho bleach because that s what is available and what chey can siford and fin. Using Bleach (Common chlorine bleach isn a category with pickling st for cy survivors, AL the fist sign of trouble, clean out your local store ‘ofall you can alford, cary home, and store. It isan essential mate Fil. Any excess easly becomes trading sock, CCalelum hypochlorite, avaiable tn powder form from most plumbing and hoe-tab suppliers, 6 lso a valuable chemical for ‘water tearment. Makers of homemade explosives are already fil- far with thie sui. You need add only ounce of ealium hypochlorite per 325 gallons of filtered water to puny it. The cost fs about $5 per pound or 31 cents per ounce. But, cos aside, it oes keep as well as the laundry bleach. The anly way I know to sore calcium hypochlorite I 0 seal tin a heavy plasic bag and then again ina wide-mouth plastic bce. The best storage life T can get is about 18 months; alter that, it swells and is neutralized asa result of sucking humidity out ofthe ait ‘Both calclum hypochlorite and sodium hypochlorite can be ‘used to make bleach at home. Generally, survivors ate best served who leave their excess hhypochlonte supplies safe ly sealed in plas bags and jars. Bu if your Inypachlorite starts to go ot of condition and/or there is lots of space inthe old bleach bots, consid er using the chemical to top up your bleach supply. Most packets of bhypochiosite purchased fom plumbing or bor-tub common lh adh bho fu in ‘may ses a be se lp ph wae. waren 45 suppliers willbe sbout 65-prcen strength. Here’ how to proceed to make bleach "There ae 128 ounces in US gallon. Two ounces of Iypoctlorite chemical ma gallon reduces a percent solution. Ths snot sulcenlysuong—it has tobe at east 3 percent. Add {ounces of chemical a aon of clean wate, add the stopper, and ett sit overnight Use this colton atthe customary rate of ounce per gallon to pusfy water. Eight ounces of hypochlorite swll pedces4-pereentsoltion and 10 ounces produce 2 5- 3 solution Poorly fered, diy wate requires higher quatites of bleach 4s wel ore tne to become punfied. This explains why we take cre sete and fiter out water. Because leach wl bedi alto impossible to replace, we wl want to use a itl as poss De. To puny 1 gallon of water, add 1 ounce of quid beach O- to Spercent solution) and let stand for atleast 12 hours ‘Some survivors I stayed within northern Kenya rigged a large faguariun-ype bubbler aerate and purify ther water. Without leach didn work well Even with Beach, itis doula ‘whether most city suravors could ake advantage ofthis tick ‘When I lived in Alia, regularly deamed of standing in rsh, flowing mountain steam drinking snowmelt water in cupped Ihand, Aer ew weeks of ty survival, thoughts of clan, fesh- smelling, col, untreated water wil be in the extegory of vague reams of pas ie a ‘One ounce per gallon i lot les leah than most publics tions on the subject ecommend. But conservation of sare sup- plies ia primary goal hee, and taking the time ro let water sete Is beer than using higher quacies of bleach if anyone, especialy the very young o elder, squires «dose of aurea, up the beach abit. Several MD. types in our survival allure reckon that mos Americans consume unrealistically pure foods and water As. result out guts are not immmunied against teal-vord bacterial contiens. Foreign survivors who have bul ‘up an immunity have the edge om ue thi istance, Doni forget that unde thebestof excumsancs, cy surMvor ate ging to Ain oe of brown and green wate Its given46 -RAGHAR'S URBAN SURVIVAL WELLS For a brief time in World War 1 German, my father hauled bis ‘water from an obscure shallow wel. The well was reasonably close as well s being sheltered from view. Because the water was drawn from a depth of only about 20 feet, probably contained contami- nants and growies. A leas these werent lrg, lumpy green and brown ones, and the family all lived through it, Then somebody stole the bandlpump, His mother traded for another. Somebody stole that one, too, The purnp should have been taken off berween fuses, but it was toa late, Now it was along hike tothe river. i dont know of a commurity well left in any large city any whee in the world. In some places where there are Inger, open spaces occupied by gardens, parks, backyards, or even median strips in roadways, might be possible ro dil, drive, or auger in private, shallow wells. When these are putin place, they usually Sere suns wit tava antl Cons ard rks oa ot ‘ter slow nasa dbfshoreé mart, ne pros. warer a7 provide sufficient water fora family. [recently saw one not to far from the center of London. And a survivor from Atlanta wrote that Ine had produced a shallow wel in his backyard bein a thee story apartment complex! These things do occur, bat of course wont unless survivors look for opportunities to put them in place before an emergency ‘When much younger [used a gasoline engine power head that slowly turned a 25-inch auger shat co drill shallow wells. was OK technology for wes no deeper than 25 feet where the underly Ing material was sandy and rock fee. How times have changed! Everything s more sophisticated, expensive, and certain. Deeprock Mansfacturing, 2200 Anderson Road, Opelits, AL 36801, els a small two. or three-man well-criling out, complete with mud pump (to lubricate and flush gu the ole) that wil go down 200 feet! Ocher than those living inthe arid West, everyone is assured of water using one ofthese cutis. The cost is about $3,000 for their smalles model, #2000, which wil ven dril through solid rock Ic takes two people about a day to dl thee own private well. Frequently these rigs are avalable fom rental shops. In areas ‘where they are commonly used, 2 good reste market exists. All well bores must be cased. For ence of operation and speed tse the smallest dail or auger possible chat wil also prodace sn adequate sized well hole. Bore hole about 1 1/2 to 2 inches larger than the well casing, The easing can be plastic i wl sp steaight down easly: When additonal pounding is required t0 set the cas- ing, ste f 2 must. Plastic or tel, a pointed brass wel screen is ‘installed onthe boxtom end ofall well casings. Install a well ofa size onthe very low end of what is common in your area—ustally 21.25cinch one Old-ashioned dill augers we used long ago did not have reverse, We quickly learned not to ge nto this business without a Jang, rugged set of pipe wrenches with which to back the auger out if tuck by a rock. Standard power heads are available to rent just about any: place inthe United States. Contractors use them with 12-inch ‘augers to dig postholes. With careful planning, its possible co purchase 20 feet of 2-inch auger shaft that ison these standard48 RAGNAR'S URBAN SURVIVAL contractortype power heads, allowing insertion of a standard 1.254inch well easing, How do you tell whether there is water atthe bottom of the hole? Pour water into the hollow well pipe fit rapidly flows sway through the sand and gravel scren, there is water below ‘Another tal that makes lle easier for do-it-yourself well developers: Thee ot four 7- or 8-foot well-casing sections with pproprate connections ae easier to place than trying to inset @ singe 20-fot length of pipe Te ain’ easy, but sballow wells can also be driven down into sandy. roce-free ground by hand. The presence of iough cay or any coarse gravel or rock precludes using the following method, ‘which ie already so much work that Iam reactant to mention i. The tools required are a 10-pound (or larger) steel maul, to 36-inch steel pipe wrenches, a 5-gllon water bucket, and some very sturdy boxes, logs, of scaffolds to build up a place to work from. Start wit three 6foot lengths of heavy, stel 1.25-ineh ‘well pipe. Special heavy-duty drive couplings needed to connect the pipe sections and a special drive cap to protect pipe threads while whacking away atthe pipe end ae also requited. You wal, also needa special, heavy-duty well point screen made for this type of mauling. These fittings are not common, but al large ‘plumbing shops I know of ean order them. Ifnce, try Lehman’ Hardware and Appliances, Inc, Box 41, Kidron, OH 44636. ‘Their stuff isa bi pricey but is of very good quality and fally guaranteed. Lehman’ sells predominantly to the Amish commu: hity and are very nice folks indeed to work with, I recommend paying up promptly, gladly, and without a whimper, no matter ‘what the rice. ‘Deploying three or four stout men, take turns pounding the point and pipe down into the ground. Two things make this mar- ‘ally easier Using the rwo pipe wrenches anda section of pipe ‘ver the handle, keep rotating the well pipe and point asi goes ‘down. Keeping the pipe fall of water messy when iis hi, but will marginally lubricate the point as it goes dove. “The maxitnum depth is 20 10 25 feet. Never assume that. this willbe cas, but in areas where surface water ries to within 20 feet waren 49 ‘of the ground and where there is no gravel or roc, works ike a ‘champ. No expensive equipment is needed, theres not much mess for fuss, and it can usually be undertaken in an afternoon. Is all we had when I wis kid, Many wells ofthis type were driven right in ‘ur friends’ backyards inthe middle of tou, ‘Water can, theoretically, be pumped by hand from as deep as 200 feet using special handpumps. These and more practical shallow well ptcher-and stand pumps are available from Lehman's Hardware, ‘What can you do ifyou have the opportunity to rope-haul fiesh drinking water up fom a steep cinyon or peehaps avery deep abandoned well! Climbing dou to the water may be impos- sible, so whit to do? Lehman sells special 2-gallon bucket witha unique valve that opens when ic hits the water, closing again automatically ‘When the bucket is with- dawn, A rope the length of the drop is required. ts lots of work using this smethed, but may be the | a kf 1 cniy game town wen the water cannot be other wise reached. ee STORING WATER The need for pout water of such a high order thi an inal emes- gency storage supply must, be provided, Waterbed lakers cheap begs tas, be karl, of whatever else work nicely Juss long as you dont Uae eat et iar ‘ws those nical smal Ayia gam bbe cease an asta50 ARAGHAR'S URBAN SURVIVAL some survival houses sll. The huge amount of trash generated by these litle packets alone may expose the retreat. I personally use & 250-gllon fiberglass tank pochased for $150 (peanuts, ven ‘waters importance), “This storage wall get you past the onset ofan emergency. but its absolutely not means a a continuing means of survival. Hoe ‘uch water wil you need? Figure about 1 gallon a day per person fo one washes anything except teeth anda single cup o plate ‘Asa simple matter of hygienic, this is practical only n the very short run, Tn other words, when the sound of gunfire canbe heard in the distance il all che fiberglass tanks, Bue plastic bares, waterbed bladders, 5-gallon jugs, and whatever else. Uncovered water, 9 in bathtubs, ually doesnt work: There too much polation accom panied by evaporation I dont even own a bathrub, but if1 did, 1 ‘wouldnt want i fll of slimy, green water! ‘hallow-vell water must be chlorinated, but does not generally Ihave tobe filtered. As aways, common sense n your individual situation is advised, “SALTWATER, Saltwater wal be avalabl to many city survivors. Lehman has smal, reverse-osmosis water pufirs and filters. Model TEC 25D for about $325 looks lke t might work. Under normal conditions itis rated a 18 gallons per day I called Lehman to find out ‘whether this unit would function as an emergency small-scale Alesaination plant One person std “probably” another “might.” and the third, most knowledgeable, guy sid, “Probably not, because ocean water cartes salt concentrations that are to high." I personaly would ike to fild-es this out Lets say it cleaned hall ts rated capacity, or 9 gallons per day, and that the membrane lasted 1 year rather than 3 (replacements cos about $100), These ‘would be good units for some city survivors. The ony restriction is, thaca water pressure of 40 pours per square inch i required to operat. This pressure could be achieved by generatorran electric pumps or by a 2-sory column of water ina standpipe. {hve 500 ware. st amicwarcar ne Sates ure oa iain eae eon ad ses ae seen an Teens Genco snes, fetal wate: Reduction ina see ocuing Mexico, that cost US. Eateepsnieat, isso tli tp eae sido gues spe ere rece rsou het, deere dt be ea ere oe la sre sea etd aly dpertec ions in Mase, Kenya Heh made ny ty an th ohecl hoa gs depict eama Beans cailioted neramenattee nie Ee lied sag call Seis hee ge wr dv fs eq were pe Dus he areca ae eels roan ates Sectae amen ae dae ale pe alicabenshc ocpynct se our meee easy tcaitoe tonnes BUYING WATER Tn aggressively capitalistic Beira, water sellers quell tok tothe sseets after te cy collapsed. Theis was a profit motive that ended ‘up saving ves. They tracked in relatively safe, pure drinking water {hey loaded at outlying springs and wells and sol it by the ler. ‘While you cant depend on entrepreneurs appearing, unless you are ina previously hard-core socialistic area with ew remaining enaepre- ‘eurs, it i easonable hat such suppers will quickly evolve,52 [RAGNAR'S URBAN SURVIVAL ee eae Ticked orton Te ae geen clasark ore Sa Tari nd Ot ha pe deeneey eee acres See on ee er cca Sar a a neraoe ere a earner iiibas e eaisin SE Te eee a Se ance rH Tete omnase eae Peers Se ne Sy eee teak alo eepa fate nd Ta peer ne en vvapslem: No ust, fas wisp tus sep int pode fe Algerian system. NOUS Sig ater when he ps al. Dowrown gs whe the auth warded toms te shop ech dy ecg tots wae, waren 53 ness could be done; everything was too inefficient. | booked the text flight out. Back in Paris I sat ina tub for 3 hours! City survivors often tal about stealing needed supplies. Of in- {ng up withthe enemy to receive water fom the supply truck, of Dreaking into factories, or hospital, and so forth, o appropriate supplies. These targets of opportunity may work on a temporary Dasis, but along with windmills, eating seaweed, apples, oF whatev- terele are not considered here. The Rule of Threes requires that we plan for what a the ime appears to be a certain sourceChapter 5 Sources of Energy Mannan Sheikh was 12 years old when Britain dissolved is Indian Empire on Friday, August 15, 1947. Independence granted to the subcontinent led to immediate, serious—aften vicious and imational—viclence. Mannan, a Muslim, vividly remembers the ter ror, bloedshed, pain, and great destruction as Hindus and Muslims sorted themselves out into two se arate countries. Mannan and his family walked from their previous homes in New Delhi, India, to their new place in Karachi, Pakistan ‘asked what they di fr fae Douro