Latest PostsPreparing For Difficult TimesBoricuapreppersFebruary 19, 2018PreparednessFor years we have witnessed many changes in nature. The times in which we live now are very different from the days of our childhood. We see days of extreme temperatures (hot or cold), more intense storms, strong earthquakes everywhere, volcanoes erupting more frequently, glacial poles melting and many other situations of nature that affect us as a civilization. Governments of different countries have posted warning notices for their citizens and even orientation campaigns and even web pages have been created for training on how to live prepared. Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria Was Just The Beginning In Puerto Rico many never thought to see and experience in their lives a terrible disaster as it was the passage of Hurricane Maria in September 2017. Being that we are a Caribbean island, we have always been exposed to hurricane seasons and have been victims of hurricanes in the past, but Maria was the unexpected, it was the hurricane that hit the Island of Puerto Rico and left a deep scar in the hearts of many. The same happened to those living in Texas and Florida with hurricanes Harvey and Irma. For years, the alert voice of living prepared for a big crisis was taking place, but unfortunately there were very few who truly believed and listened to the call for preparation. Of course, for so many decades we have gotten rid of so many other hurricanes, then, why we can not get rid of Hurricane Maria? Unfortunately, it was not like that and everyone on the island experienced the fury of nature with a category 4 hurricane (with cat 5 bursts) and some other islands of the Caribbean were also devastated by this monster of nature. Now in 2018 it is predicted that it will be a very active and dangerous hurricane season. According to the Global Weather Oscillation (GWO) website, 2018 is possibly the most active in the last 70 years. This agency was categorized as the most reliable in its predictions of 2017. Extreme Preparations But if the ravages of Hurricane Maria have not yet passed! There are still many people living without electricity and a few even without water. Unfortunately, even under these conditions, we must begin to prepare for the next hurricane season that begins on June 1st of this year. You can not lower your guard. In addition, these preparations also serve for any other crisis that comes suddenly, say as in the case of an earthquake. Although preparing for such events entails quite substantial economic expenses, but we can not see it as an unnecessary expense, but rather as a necessity. For this reason you have to live in austerity and start leaving the extras aside and move that money to the area of preparation. As many already know, the cost of products and equipment of first necessity after a disaster become scarce and in many cases the price to pay has been doubled and even tripled by some stores, even though the government says that the Prices will be regulated. Whoever has not learned this lesson with the experience of Hurricane Harvey, Irma and Maria certainly lives on another planet. There are almost 100 days left (at the time of writing this article) for the hurricane season of 2018 to start and the days go by and it is very important to make the most of our time to make all the preparations and be ready. Our desire is that nothing happens and it is all a prediction, but in the event of another hurricane like Harvey, Irma or Maria, we will be prepared for the worst. Depending on the Government Relying on the government can not be our plan of action. It would be the biggest mistake that we make. Another lesson that Hurricane Harvey, Irma and Maria gave us is that the government is not prepared for large-scale disasters. The logistics of food and water distribution and for the repair of the infrastructure is very disorganized and unfortunately there are corrupt hands between them that make everything late and we can not depend on them. To depend on the government is to be an irresponsible citizen and that certainly does not care for his life or that of his family. If there are people who, due to their age or disability, have no choice but to wait for government help or for a good Samaritan. If more people took the serious responsibility of living PREPARED, I think the burden of the government to administer and supply the aid would be lighter and in turn easier to handle and more effective (it is my personal opinion). Preparation Priorities It is very important as Preppers to have a plan of action written. I know we used to do everything in our minds (like good Latinos), but having a written plan that we can go through the list and make sure we do not overlook anything it’s extremely important. What things can we include in a preparation plan? The following information is very helpful in preparing a complete preparation plan: Talk to your family – Preparation is everybody’s business. Wrap your family and share opinions. Make plans for different types of situations – hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunamis, fires, etc. Evacuation routes and meeting places – Have more than one route and more than one meeting place. Shelter in Place – If you had to stay at home. What should you do? Your survival equipment – Make a list of the basic equipment and then a list of the advanced ones. How much money do you need? Your food and water supplies – What do you need, how much do you need, where to store it and how much money do you need? Plan A and plan B – always have a RESERVE PLAN and even plan C if necessary Long-term Preparedness Among all the teachings of Hurricane Maria, I think one of the most important is that you should not prepare for just 3 days. Boricua Prepper was always teaching to prepare for 6 months or more, but it was based on theories, well it is no longer a theory, but we already know that it is a reality and a necessity. Remember that, if you do not believe that all this odyssey can not be repeated, then you live in “the Island of Fantasy and your name is Tattoo”. PREPARE and take these matters very seriously. The Bug Out Bag is still an important part of the Prepper, but for when you have to make a sudden escape and I advise you to have water and food in your backpack for 7 days and not for 3 days as always was saying. You can have enough rationed quantities for a week. It is the fact of surviving and not to devour everything in one day. At home you must prepare for a long-term crisis. All viable means must be used to increase the food and water reserves. The food should be stored in the safest methods of preservation, which are canned food and grains and dry products stored in vacuum in Mylar bags, glass jars or plastic bags. You must learn what products or food are good for long-term storage and that are easy to make or just require heating. I can not stop thinking about some pictures of Preppers that they share to show their reserves (which for me should be kept a secret. Would you show the money in your safe in a photo?) And in those photos I can sometimes contemplate products like flour for biscuits, sweets, desserts and other products that involve a lot of preparation or that are not a good food product for survival use. Your Home Infrastructure Another teaching with the passage of Hurricane Maria is the need to have and learn to use of secondary systems, in order to have drinking water and electricity. For drinking water, many people turned to water cisterns, rainwater retention, to look for river water, water filtration systems, portable gas or gasoline generators, power converters (dc to ac) using the battery of your cars, solar panels and many others. Knowing that rebuilding the infrastructure of a devastated country involves a lot of time, money and dedication on the part of the government (which is usually very disorganized as is the case of PR), then it is our responsibility to find a way to become independent of the need of government assistance and supplying us with the necessary equipment to live as close as possible to normality in the midst of the circumstances of the crisis and disaster. All this entails extra expenses and it is for this reason that we can not see all this as an unnecessary expense or a luxury, since nowadays and because of how nature is changing, this then becomes a great need in our homes to ensure that we can survive even in the midst of disasters of catastrophic category. Your Prepper Mentality Only by having a survival mentality can you successfully face all these challenges and survival goals. It is not easy to face this current crisis and at the same time live with the expectation that another powerful hurricane or some other disaster is on our doorstep and that it could happen at any moment. However, we have to be realistic and know how to challenge the insecure. These are the times that we have to live. To think differently or not to accept this reality is simply not to live with the truth and to be irresponsible with ourselves and with our family. Overcome this challenges yourself, seek new knowledge and new information and learn new skills that can help you be skillful in survival. Nowadays there are no excuses not to learn something new. We have the benefit of the internet and YouTube to watch videos. The responsibility falls on you, do not let the crisis come to your doors and catch you unnoticed and not being prepared. Be mindful at all times and watch your six and those that you love as well. ALWAYS PREPARED Boricua Preppers - Preparados Siempre I agree to have my personal information transfered to MailChimp ( more information ) Únase a los más de 5,000 seguidores de Boricua Preppers.SU CORREO ELECTRONICO NO SERA COMPARTIDO NI VENDIDO A NADIE.... Read more...Ammo Can StoveBoricuapreppersMarch 19, 2017BushcraftIn a survival situation and where we are forced to be out of our house for a few days, maybe weeks or even months, it is of utmost importance to complete several survival steps and among them is to have fire and where to cook. On several occasions I have talked about the importance of this topic and today I want to share a video of how to build a portable stove from a (military grade) metal ammo box. In the Prepper community, we see so many ways to build a fire for cooking and many different styles of portable stoves. Personally, I find that the vast majority of articles and tips from other Preppers, always have in them some kind of good information to learn from, and usable tips too. However, there are certain factors that I take into consideration to decide which stove is very good, which stove is “an ok” one and which stove is a “really bad” option. An open fire is always good and useful, but you have to build it away from the shelter or tent area because it would present an imminent danger and with a little or no supervision, your shelter could end up burned down. If not build it properly, it will fill your shelter with smoke and that can also affect your health. An open fire can easily go off in a sudden rain. A small gas or alcohol stoves are a good DIY “last minute and no other option” stove, but you cannot depend on them to cook. You can just heat a can of food or a little portion of water and not for more than one person and also you cannot control the heat intensity, therefore, it does not produce enough heat to warm the body in a cold night. Very unstable on the ground for being so light and small. A quick turning over and you can have a sudden fire inside your shelter. Very Dangerous. Camping or backpack stoves, made with the Preppers and Backpackers in mind. They are very good and efficient but they can be expensive. Unfortunately many of them do not have the ability to provide heat for inside the shelter. Also, once you burn all the fuel …that’s it dude!! It’s over and done. The ammo can stove I liked this video very much and I find it to be a good family project for a Saturday, or to build it with other Preppers or alone. It is a very handy stove, not too small but easy to load, with a simple construction and cheap. It uses wood or other organic fuel material and for that reason you can increase the heat quickly producing enough heat to spend the coldest nights. Since it’s made out of a metal ammo box (military grade), you have a stove with you for many years to come. The chimney system (can be replaced with empty beans cans) is an excellent idea to distribute the smoke outside the tent or shelter. The stove is very safe to have inside the tent or shelter, but always be on alert and be mindful of the risks of a fire. Large enough to have two small cooking containers, or one large pot or skillet with proper adaptations. What do you need? 50 Cal (military grade) Ammo Box Wood Stove Replacement Gasket (1/2″) Everything else are some power tools and basic home hand tools. Always Prepared – Preparados Siempre Boricua Preppers - Preparados Siempre I agree to have my personal information transfered to MailChimp ( more information ) Únase a los más de 5,000 seguidores de Boricua Preppers.SU CORREO ELECTRONICO NO SERA COMPARTIDO NI VENDIDO A NADIE.... Read more...Drinkable SeawaterBoricuapreppersMarch 19, 2017BushcraftThe human being can be without food for several weeks during critical conditions, like a disaster, however, scientifically speaking, the body cannot live without water for more than three days. In a catastrophic situation, our priorities must be focused on our survival. Objective number one should be, where can we get our supplies of drinking water? It is very important to distinguish that it is not to get just water, but it has to be drinkable, in other words, that is safe for our consumption. Otherwise, the price to pay for consuming any kind of water can be very painful and even deadly. I have mentioned in several other articles, that boiling water is the most efficient way of purifying water for our consumption. Boiling water for one minute is enough to eliminate 99.9% of viruses, pathogens, bacteria and parasites. Now, what happens if the only water that we can find is seawater? Drinking sea water is a bad (but bad) idea. The salinity in sea water is higher than what our kidneys can dissolved thru urine and this will cause our body to accelerate the process of dehydration and the kidneys would go into shock so fast that death will be eminent. So it is extremely important to know how to desalinate sea water in case one day you need drinking water and the only available water is sea water. This topic is very important for those living in coastal areas. Boiling water is the most efficient way of purifying water for our consumption. Boiling water for one minute is enough to eliminate 99.9% of viruses, pathogens, bacteria and parasites. For the desalination process, it is required to boil the seawater, collect the steam, cool the steam and then collect the “100%” pure water drops. The boiling water container should be at least 1qt of gallon. It should be made of metal and should not contain any trace of toxic chemicals. It should be wide-mouthed and have a lid that seals tightly. It must have a serpentine to collect the steam made from boiling the seawater. As the steam travels down thru the serpentine it cools down the collected steam and converts it from vapor to liquid. The best material to use for the serpentine is copper, because it allows a rapid temperature change, however, other materials can be used. A container for picking up the distilled water and must be sterilized or at least very cleaned. Boricua Preppers recommends having a homemade water distiller, such as the one supplied in the video and made in advance. It needs to be small and portable so it can be used in just minutes if needed. Remember that it will be a very slow process and so it is advisable to do it at night and let it work all night long, so when you wake up in the morning, you will have some “pure” fresh water to quench your thirst. As usual, we never know what tomorrow’s may bring, but having this knowledge and having a small seawater distiller can save our lives and our loved ones. Always Prepared – Preparados Siempre Boricua Preppers - Preparados Siempre I agree to have my personal information transfered to MailChimp ( more information ) Únase a los más de 5,000 seguidores de Boricua Preppers.SU CORREO ELECTRONICO NO SERA COMPARTIDO NI VENDIDO A NADIE.... Read more...Why Living Like Preppers ?BoricuapreppersFebruary 26, 2017PreparednessThis is more like my own reason to be a Prepper and it has to do with my deep christian beliefs. There are times when I sit down to see all my Preppers equipment and supplies and I ask myself; Why am I doing all this? Am I doing the right thing? What if I invest all this money and nothing happens? When these thoughts (DOUBTS) come to me, I just have to think on what made me a Prepper in the first place. As many already know, my roots as a Prepper began with the 2001 Twin Towers attacks and Hurricane Katrina disaster in 2005. First, the attack to the Twin Towers taught me to live prepared before the human wickedness that surround us every day and the second, Katrina hurricane taught me how nature has changed so much and can unleash all its fury at any giving time. What I did not understand until much later is that God wanted me to prepare myself also in the spiritual. (What profit does a man gain if he gains the whole world (and safe his life), and loses his soul? Mt 16:26 I am a Prepper who firmly believe that the canned products that I keep, are foods that I can consume quietly even past the dates listed on the can. Precisely I have spent a lot of time researching on the internet on this subject and there is so much data and information in favor of consuming canned products that have passed from the date listed in the cans and I can calmly say that me and my family can consume them for years after. As I said at the beginning, there were two disasters that awakened in me that “Prepper” spirit of preparation. But then again, there has not been another disaster of the same magnitude, at least not in the United States and it is here that many people who started the Preppers “lifestyle” and soon after surrender and quit, because that Prepper lifestyle was not planted in their hearts. It was all a passing fever. It was something that they saw in others and looked attractive to their eyes, but not to their hearts. It’s like a diets, you look in the mirror and didn’t liked what you saw and decide to start a diet, then, several weeks or maybe only days after you leave the diet and go back to your good old habits. Living prepared or living like a Prepper has to have a fundamental reason “seeded” in your heart so that when you see nothing happen, continue to prepare yourself, NO MATTER WHAT. Then over time, God taught me that living PREPARED was biblical. Jesus once said, that would come very difficult days and that we must live prepared. Mt.24: 6 says, ” And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. 8. All these are the beginning of sorrows. ” Then later in verse 44 says, ” Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.” Although Jesus call to prepare was and is spiritual. To prepare our hearts and be free from sin, but also specifies crises and disasters that our eyes maybe will see it happening or maybe our children will see it, however, God wants for us, that as long as we can and is also His will, for us to stay alive at all times and to do the will of his Kingdom. The word says that everyone who seeks and follows Christ is an Ambassador of God. Embassies must be open to attend to the needs of their fellow citizens even in the worst crisis situations. With this been said, I want to bring the teaching that “IT IS” a mandate of the Lord to live PREPARED and not to be ignorant in our way of life. From time to time, you have to look at the compass of life and see if we are still navigating in the right direction. Negative voices will ALWAYS be there, discouragement will ALWAYS come, impediments and stumbling will ALWAYS come, but we must be more than conquerors in Christ Jesus. These past elections for the presidency of the United States brought a hostile atmosphere among many. Because of the plans for many drastic changes in government, and changes that are necessary to stabilize the American economy and welfare, but many liberal idealists moved out to the streets. They do not want such changes and are moving the masses to go out and protests. In the last two years we see that these protests are increasingly aggressive, forming skirmishes between some individuals without consciences, who want to destroy everything in front of them, regardless of the value that property has for their owners and the value for the cities where they reside. This human malice will continue to increase and it is another reason for us to motivate ourselves to live prepared, since any event at this time can be aggravated so much that may requires a tougher intervention by the government and end in bloody revolts and even imposing curfews and Martial Law. My friends of Boricua Preppers, I just want to motivate all of you to continue striving for living preparing for the worst and always hoping for the best. In 2017, I am aiming for more of God’s and family preparation and growth. Remember, Hosea 4: 6 says: ” My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge”. Preparados siempre Boricua Preppers - Preparados Siempre I agree to have my personal information transfered to MailChimp ( more information ) Únase a los más de 5,000 seguidores de Boricua Preppers.SU CORREO ELECTRONICO NO SERA COMPARTIDO NI VENDIDO A NADIE.... Read more...Drill..Drill..DrillBoricuapreppersJanuary 10, 2017PreparednessAre You Ready? We are living in times when things can change in a blink of an eye. The world is going thru changes never seen before, many natural and environmental changes, some other man made. There are political changes, religion persecutions, hunger, all kinds of viruses, and many more issues that will take half of this page to mention each one of them. As Preppers we have been learning new skills and getting ready with our survival equipment and tactical gear. But when the moment comes to use our skills in real life scenario, and use all our equipment and tactical gear. Do we really know how to react to the real treat, when the SHTF? The solution: Drill..drill..drill Many Preppers are ready to their teeth for what ever comes ahead of them in life, but in reality, many of them have never set up a drill to practice their survival skills. Then, they may have spend a lot of money for their gear and may have some knowledge about survival, hey maybe they have read many survival books and watched some videos too. But, what benefit you can get from knowing all the theory but not the actual practical skills. Imagine this, your closest neighborhood EMT unit have all the latest gadget for emergency services, a brand new ambulance with all kind the necessary equipment to safe a person’s life, however the crew was the best of their class and trained with the latest videos and books about EMT and rescue, but, NO PRACTICAL TRAINING at all. What are the chances for that crew to save the patients life? Minimal for sure. Therefore training as a Prepper for survival, plays the number one rule that you should have together with your family. PRACTICE..PRACTICE and more PRACTICE makes perfection and muscle drill is what makes any unit fit for action. This learning/practice rules applies to the military, police, EMT, fire crew and many other organizations in the whole world. It is even a fact of life, where you must practice what you learn so you can use the knowledge when the times comes. Never Stop Learning Have you seen the changes that the internet has bring to many people, and I’m talking about the good changes (let’s leave the bad ones out). Now you can learn new skills everyday, by just taking the time to sit down in front of your computer and chose a topic and do you research about it. I get frustrated sometimes when I see people lacking of basic skills that we can apply in our everyday life, however the same person knows everything about celebrities gossip and all kind of non-sense garbage. I find so gratifying to self teach myself with new knowledge about many topics, specially about topics related to this “Prepper” way of life. So I encourage you to challenge yourself a set a time at least once a week and begin learning a new skill, and then another and another. Next thing you know you are close to be a GURU in Prepping (or any other skill). Did you know, that in the event of a catastrophic situation you can use your skills to barter for something that you may need. Say, that you need some firewood and your neighbor needs some plumbing in their house, instead of buying the wood and use some of your money (that maybe you don’t have), but you can offer your skills instead and barter with that. Don’t Wait Until That Last Day Many, and I say this again, many Preppers have never put in practice their knowledge and skills learned. Waiting maybe to the day of the catastrophic disaster to finally use what they learned long time ago and guess what? Most likely they will not know what to do because of the pressure and stress of the actual situation. Therefore it is imperative that we practice and drill as many times as we can. Again, muscle memory is the key. React with the proper skills base own your knowledge and practice done. Set with your family a day on a weekend and turn off all the power breakers to simulate a power surge that took out the grid in you area and your city will be without power for months. Be realistic in everything you do, teach your family how important this drill is. Maybe the next drill, you practice for a whole weekend and the next one for a whole week. I know it’s easier said than done, but we must try, it can save our lives in the future. Last But Not Least Things that you can practice during your drill: Sheltering in place in your home Bug-out to your secondary location and use your B.O.B Building a fire (try not to use any lighters or matches) First -Aid and trauma treatment Cooking without using your kitchen (outdoors) Setting up a shelter Purify water to drink Many more skills Boricua Preppers - Preparados Siempre I agree to have my personal information transfered to MailChimp ( more information ) Únase a los más de 5,000 seguidores de Boricua Preppers.SU CORREO ELECTRONICO NO SERA COMPARTIDO NI VENDIDO A NADIE.... Read more...Your Bug Out BagBoricuapreppersSeptember 27, 2016Survival EquipmentTHE BUG-OUT BAG Also know as survival backpack, has become the symbolic icon of Preppers. The bug-out bagt is a backpack with everything you need to survive for up to 3 days (minimum) in the worst conditions after a disaster. A Prepper should start the basic survival training by learning the importance of having a backpack with survival gears or tools and learn how to properly use each item in that backpack. A bug-out bag is like a seat belt, which always have its functions and almost never makes its functions, but the least expected day saves your life. For this reason having a bug-out bag is a must, although it seems a waste of money (for some people) and maybe you will never use it, but again, it is better to have it and hope that you never need it. But one day it may save your life. Nowadays there are so many options to choose from. Different sizes, designs, materials, from single compartment backpacks to tactical special ops styles and military style “molle” extension systems. There are backpacks for all budgets, colors and tastes. A good Prepper must know how to choose a backpack that has enough cubic capacity to accommodate all the basic equipment that are essential requirements to ensure survival in the worst conditions. I had to learn the hard way, there is a saying in Puerto Rico, “lo barato sale caro” (you get what you pay for) and for that reason I had bought equipment and in this case backpacks that look good and were very inexpensive but made of cheap material. Consequently the backpack started to cause problems, the cheap nylon showed wear too quickly, the seams began to tear up, the zippers got broken and I couldn’t accommodate all my equipment and therefore it was a total waste of my money. Bug-Out Bags Types This backpack that maybe could get at Wal-Mart or other similar stores is relatively inexpensive (under $ 20), is very small (1200cu) and does not have enough compartments to divide your gear. This backpack is also easy to get and relatively inexpensive ($ 20- $ 30), is medium in size (2100cu) has 3 compartments and can be used as a secondary pack or for the use of a family member with light gear. This backpack is also another medium size (2100cui) bag, but completely expandable with “molle” system, where you can add smaller compartments and are attached between the strips of nylon located in the front and sides of the backpack. It is totally waterproof nylon and tested to withstand seams up to 2,000 pounds of pressure. Its cost is between $ 70- $ 120. It is a good investment and there are so many options to choose from brands, sizes, colors. This specific model is the Tactical “Rush 24” from 5.11. But as I said before in other articles, there are many more brands to choose from and all with good quality, but you have to pay the right price. When shopping for a backpack (unless is online of course), wear the backpack on your back with something heavy inside to see how comfortable it is. There are backpacks that look good but are nothing closed to the word “comfortable” to wear. Molle Pack System – known as “Molle” modular system was introduced during the war in the Middle East by the U.S. Army and replacement of the famous “ALICE” pack system that was base on belts connected to each other’s (web gear). The modular system gives you the benefit of choosing different “mini packs” of different sizes and designs and are easily adapted to the main pack using a nylon webbing. This modular system adds tremendously (cubic inches) more space for your gear and allows you to have a variety of equipment in your backpack and thus can be separated by compartments. Excellent alternative for Preppers. Bug-out bags must always be accessible at home, preferably near the front door, since the purpose is that if you have to leave the house in an emergency, quickly grab the backpack and leave everything else behind until you can return back to the house. There are emergencies that require us to stay at home and for that we have our main equipment and gear, for use exclusively in the house (kitchen equipment, 2 burners emergency stove, gas lamps or batteries lamps, base communications radios, canned food, reserve equipment, water, and more). In the backpack everything has to be very small or micro-size and made exclusively for portable use. Many “backpackers” or “globe trekker” fans, are related to equipment designed to be carry in a backpack, which occupy less space and are extremely lighter. As a Prepper you don’t want to have a bug-out bag that weighs more than 50 pounds and you must be in “a good” physical condition to walk for long hours if necessary. I have my own personal theory about survival that I want to share. If you are at home the bug-out bag plays an important role if an earthquake strikes. At the time of the earthquake when everything begins to shake wildly and there is a possibility that the house could collapse, in my opinion, you should run quickly and grab your backpack and seek protection in the same place. If you get trapped in the rubble, by having the bug-out bag with you, it will increase the chances of survival as you have the necessary gear to do so. For the same reasons, I recommend that the bug-out bag must be accessible at all times and not hiding in a closet or in the garage. Remember that a strong earthquake will only give you a few seconds to react and move before the house can begin to collapse. Another option is to have more than one bug-out bags (at least 2) around the house and especially an extra one in the room where you sleep, a lot of times tragedy occurs while you’re sleeping. What You Must Have In Your Bug-Out Bag? Water – You must have drinking water for at least 3 days. Water can be in plastic bottles (BPA free), plastic bags. It is recommended in a stainless steel container. Keep water rotation (every 6 months). Have some sort of system for portable water filtration in case you find water in your escape. Food – The food must be compacted (small packages). Many Preppers use dehydrated food (you will need more water in your BOB), military food rations (MREs) or zip-lock bags with your favorite survival food. Portable stoves – There are many models to choose from. I personally have 2 different models that works with solid fuel. You also need matches, lighters, magnesium rods, and other alternatives to light a fire for warmth, water purification and cooking. Fire – you must have several options, don’t just rely on one option. Matches, make sure they are waterproof or moisture, there’s you-tube videos that teach you how to make your matches waterproofed. The lighter or lighters are recommended to be transparent to make it easy to see how much fuel is left. Magnesium bars, learn to use them and do not wait for the time of crisis to know how they are used. Prepared in advance your combustion material to facilitate the ignition of a fire. Many Preppers stored collected lint from the dryer in zip-lock bags (most material collected is cotton and ignites easily), others do cotton balls with petroleum gel and others do the pieces of char-clothes (which for me is the best option of all), there’s videos on you-tube on how to make them. Lighting – Lighting is also an important item to pack and should use more than one alternative. Nowadays with the introduction of small LED lanterns, you can have several of them without taking up too much space. Remember to have replacement batteries. A dynamo type flashlight (auto recharge based on a small manual generator integrated) it’s a plus. If you use candles, try to get those that are made with beeswax since they last longer, burn more brightly and generate more heat, so you can even use them to heat food or warm up your hands. Don’t forget to have a few chemical candle sticks, they come very handy sometimes. Survival Knives – A Bug-out bag is not complete without some sort of survival knives. Invest in a good survival knife is not a luxury but an obligation. A good knife is an essential tool for a Prepper. In addition a knife is also a defensive weapon in the hands of a Prepper. Don’t forget to have a portable shovel, an ax and maybe a small machete that you can carry on the side of the bag. Communications – Being well connected in times of crisis is extremely important. We must be alert to emergency bulletins, depending on the type of crisis, the alerts can be roads that are open for local traffic, or points of water and food collection and medical emergencies triage locations. You can have from a small AM and FM radio, or “weather alert” radio type, capable of self-recharging and does not require batteries. You can also have a two ways “ham radio” to communicate with emergency services or other Preppers in your area (for this one you need to have a FCC license). You can buy a “two way walkie-talkie” radio and some of them cover great distances and no FCC licenses are required. You could also buy a 4 radio kit and use them all in the same channel, for the family to stay connected. Housing – In a situation where you have to be outdoors until you receive help, have some coverage against weather inclement is very important and especially is a mental boost under stress conditions. Having a roof against the sun and rain is important and more the sense of privacy offered, this provides moral support as you relate to a shelter (home) that belongs to you. Of course, having a full sized tent, the ones used for camping are too big and heavy to have in your backpack, but the tents that are a single tarp with a rope are a good choice for a temporary shelter against the weather. Two people can sleep in them, so you can have an emergency tent for every two backpacks. Don’t forget to have thermal blankets and gloves, sometimes nighttime can get a bit chill. Also I recommend to include an extra change of clothes (especially underwear and sox), and always takes into account the material that is made of, because you don’t want to increase the weight of your backpack. Also make a small zip-lock bag with toiletries. First Aid Kit – Part of our preparation as Preppers is to administer first aid to ourselves and our family members. Many have some kind of kit with plastic bandages (Band-Aids) and aspirins and other goods, but it is recommended to have some sort of trauma kit, to treat deep wounds, sutures, tourniquets, infections and other medical situations on common emergency crisis . You can attach a medical pouch to the “molle” system, not taking up space in the main pack and be easy to detach in case of having to take care of someone, that way you don’t have to take the main bag with you. All these article mentioned are basically the main things to keep in your survival backpack or bug-out bag. You can add other things, for example, a kitchen kit (mess kit), a gas mask, ropes, firearms, personal documents, money, navigation equipment (maps, compasses, GPS) paper and pencil, playing cards, fishing equipment (fishing line, hooks, a buoy and a weight), a signal mirror, and anything else that you think necessary to have with you. Just be always minded of the total weight of your bag. Learn how to properly distribute the weight in the backpack so you can make long walks if necessary. A Boricua Prepper is always prepared. Use this information if you’re buying your first bug-out bag or already have one and you’re thinking about getting a second one. If you are about to buy your first bag, do not buy the first one that you see, take your time, look at various models and compared one with the other. Take into account the quality of products and the size, it is sometimes better to pay a little more and have high quality equipment, remember that your life and your family’s will depend on this investment someday. Blessings and wisdom from God in everything that you do… Boricua Prepper always PREPARED!! Boricua Preppers - Preparados Siempre I agree to have my personal information transfered to MailChimp ( more information ) Únase a los más de 5,000 seguidores de Boricua Preppers.SU CORREO ELECTRONICO NO SERA COMPARTIDO NI VENDIDO A NADIE.... Read more... PreparednessShopping Like A PrepperBoricuapreppersSeptember 27, 2016FoodWhenever we are buying supply food for our reserves, it’s very important to buy smart and stretch our dollar to the max. As a Latino prepper, rice and beans is our main dish on many nights and is cheap to buy. The best thing about rice and beans is that is easy to keep on your reserves, just need buckets and Mylar bags. Here I gave a small shopping list enough for 2 weeks for a family of six or for 1 month for a family of 3 people. You can make a purchase with about $ 77 (+/-). Compared this menu with the dehydrated food packages or buckets, here you’re eating a delicious home-cooked meal, real proteins and real carbs. Rice, beans, canned sausages or tuna and vegetables. Of course, this estimate does not include seasonings, condiments but are cheap when bought in quantities and have plenty of food for a nice meal. You can vary your purchases, I’m just giving you a formula on how to prepare your shopping list. Is having out an estimate of how much money you have to set aside from your monthly income for groceries purchases. Always start your reserves for up to 3 days, with 3 complete meals. Then try to extend your supplies for a week, then two weeks and so on. I always recommend to have enough reserves for 3 months minimum. You can prepare your inventory in many ways, for example, you could have enough groceries for complete daily dinners, but then you could have groceries for breakfast and lunch for one day on and one day off, or switch one day breakfast and the next day lunch (or small snacks), this way you can save money especially if you have a big family. Remember that investing in your survival reserves is not a loss or misuse of your money, but you are investing in a life insurance for you and your family. 3 pounds of rice ($ 1.79) = 6.46 cups = 13 servings = 2 days for a family of 6. 3 days for a family of 4. 4 days for a family of 3. 10 lbs of rice = ($ 10) = 43 cups = 86 servings = 14 days for a family of 6. 21 days for a family of 4. 28 days for a family of 3. 1 can of beans (15.5onz @ $ 0.79) = 4 servings = You need 11 cans for a family of 6 in a week = $ 8.69. 7 cans for a family of 4 in a week = $ 5.53. 5 cans for a family of 3 in a week = $ 3.95. 45 cans of beans for 30 days for a family of 6 = $ 35.55. 30 cans of beans for 30 days for a family of 4 = $ 23.70. 23 cans of beans for 30 days for a family of 3 = $ 18.17. 1 can of Vienna sausages (5onz @ $ 0.69) = 2 servings. You need 21 cans for a family of 6 for a week = $ 14.49. 14 cans for a family of 4 in a week = $ 9.66. 11 cans for a family of 3 in a week = $ 7.59 1 can of canned vegetables (8.75onz @ $ 0.69) = 3.5 servings. Need 12 cans for a family of 6 for a week = $ 8.28. 8 cans for a family of 4 in a week = $ 5.52. 6 cans for a family of 3 one week = $ 4.14 1 can of tuna (2onz @ $ 0.89) = 2 servings. You need 21 cans for a family of 6 in a week = $ 18.69. 14 cans for a family of 4 in a week = $ 12.46. 11 cans for a family of 3 in a week = $ 9.79 Having a formula helps to visualize the estimated money needed and also calculate the quantities of grocery needed to shop, but must of all, to know how many days of food we have to survive!! Formula: days x people = servings per person per day ÷ by servings per cans = total purchase x the price per can = total money to spend. Example: 7 (days) x 6 (people) = 42 (servings) ÷ 4 (servings per cans) = 10.5 (cans to buy) x $ 0.69 (price per can) = $ 7.24. Buy your groceries wisely and look for special, savings and 2 × 1 (bogo) and this way your wallet will not suffer a big impact. Purchase necessary items that are easy to prepare and are healthy. Buy canned goods that we know that are the most durable. Look for good cans that are not bruised or misshapen. As for the dates, nothing to worry about. Many studies done in terms of quality and duration of vacuum packed canned goods show that a product can be used for consumption even past 10 years since its expiration date. Until 25 years have been tested and found all the food can be consumed, although its nutritional value and appearance have declined in quality, but not much. I hope this article can you to prepare your own survival reserves and supplies. Another article brought to you by Boricua Preppers. Boricua Preppers - Preparados Siempre I agree to have my personal information transfered to MailChimp ( more information ) Únase a los más de 5,000 seguidores de Boricua Preppers.SU CORREO ELECTRONICO NO SERA COMPARTIDO NI VENDIDO A NADIE.... Read more...Your Water ReservesBoricuapreppersSeptember 27, 2016FoodBoricua Preppers - Preparados Siempre I agree to have my personal information transfered to MailChimp ( more information ) Únase a los más de 5,000 seguidores de Boricua Preppers.SU CORREO ELECTRONICO NO SERA COMPARTIDO NI VENDIDO A NADIE.... Read more... SurvivalAmmo Can StoveBoricuapreppersMarch 19, 2017BushcraftIn a survival situation and where we are forced to be out of our house for a few days, maybe weeks or even months, it is of utmost importance to complete several survival steps and among them is to have fire and where to cook. On several occasions I have talked about the importance of this topic and today I want to share a video of how to build a portable stove from a (military grade) metal ammo box. In the Prepper community, we see so many ways to build a fire for cooking and many different styles of portable stoves. Personally, I find that the vast majority of articles and tips from other Preppers, always have in them some kind of good information to learn from, and usable tips too. However, there are certain factors that I take into consideration to decide which stove is very good, which stove is “an ok” one and which stove is a “really bad” option. An open fire is always good and useful, but you have to build it away from the shelter or tent area because it would present an imminent danger and with a little or no supervision, your shelter could end up burned down. If not build it properly, it will fill your shelter with smoke and that can also affect your health. An open fire can easily go off in a sudden rain. A small gas or alcohol stoves are a good DIY “last minute and no other option” stove, but you cannot depend on them to cook. You can just heat a can of food or a little portion of water and not for more than one person and also you cannot control the heat intensity, therefore, it does not produce enough heat to warm the body in a cold night. Very unstable on the ground for being so light and small. A quick turning over and you can have a sudden fire inside your shelter. Very Dangerous. Camping or backpack stoves, made with the Preppers and Backpackers in mind. They are very good and efficient but they can be expensive. Unfortunately many of them do not have the ability to provide heat for inside the shelter. Also, once you burn all the fuel …that’s it dude!! It’s over and done. The ammo can stove I liked this video very much and I find it to be a good family project for a Saturday, or to build it with other Preppers or alone. It is a very handy stove, not too small but easy to load, with a simple construction and cheap. It uses wood or other organic fuel material and for that reason you can increase the heat quickly producing enough heat to spend the coldest nights. Since it’s made out of a metal ammo box (military grade), you have a stove with you for many years to come. The chimney system (can be replaced with empty beans cans) is an excellent idea to distribute the smoke outside the tent or shelter. The stove is very safe to have inside the tent or shelter, but always be on alert and be mindful of the risks of a fire. Large enough to have two small cooking containers, or one large pot or skillet with proper adaptations. What do you need? 50 Cal (military grade) Ammo Box Wood Stove Replacement Gasket (1/2″) Everything else are some power tools and basic home hand tools. Always Prepared – Preparados Siempre Boricua Preppers - Preparados Siempre I agree to have my personal information transfered to MailChimp ( more information ) Únase a los más de 5,000 seguidores de Boricua Preppers.SU CORREO ELECTRONICO NO SERA COMPARTIDO NI VENDIDO A NADIE.... Read more...Drinkable SeawaterBoricuapreppersMarch 19, 2017BushcraftThe human being can be without food for several weeks during critical conditions, like a disaster, however, scientifically speaking, the body cannot live without water for more than three days. In a catastrophic situation, our priorities must be focused on our survival. Objective number one should be, where can we get our supplies of drinking water? It is very important to distinguish that it is not to get just water, but it has to be drinkable, in other words, that is safe for our consumption. Otherwise, the price to pay for consuming any kind of water can be very painful and even deadly. I have mentioned in several other articles, that boiling water is the most efficient way of purifying water for our consumption. Boiling water for one minute is enough to eliminate 99.9% of viruses, pathogens, bacteria and parasites. Now, what happens if the only water that we can find is seawater? Drinking sea water is a bad (but bad) idea. The salinity in sea water is higher than what our kidneys can dissolved thru urine and this will cause our body to accelerate the process of dehydration and the kidneys would go into shock so fast that death will be eminent. So it is extremely important to know how to desalinate sea water in case one day you need drinking water and the only available water is sea water. This topic is very important for those living in coastal areas. Boiling water is the most efficient way of purifying water for our consumption. Boiling water for one minute is enough to eliminate 99.9% of viruses, pathogens, bacteria and parasites. For the desalination process, it is required to boil the seawater, collect the steam, cool the steam and then collect the “100%” pure water drops. The boiling water container should be at least 1qt of gallon. It should be made of metal and should not contain any trace of toxic chemicals. It should be wide-mouthed and have a lid that seals tightly. It must have a serpentine to collect the steam made from boiling the seawater. As the steam travels down thru the serpentine it cools down the collected steam and converts it from vapor to liquid. The best material to use for the serpentine is copper, because it allows a rapid temperature change, however, other materials can be used. A container for picking up the distilled water and must be sterilized or at least very cleaned. Boricua Preppers recommends having a homemade water distiller, such as the one supplied in the video and made in advance. It needs to be small and portable so it can be used in just minutes if needed. Remember that it will be a very slow process and so it is advisable to do it at night and let it work all night long, so when you wake up in the morning, you will have some “pure” fresh water to quench your thirst. As usual, we never know what tomorrow’s may bring, but having this knowledge and having a small seawater distiller can save our lives and our loved ones. Always Prepared – Preparados Siempre Boricua Preppers - Preparados Siempre I agree to have my personal information transfered to MailChimp ( more information ) Únase a los más de 5,000 seguidores de Boricua Preppers.SU CORREO ELECTRONICO NO SERA COMPARTIDO NI VENDIDO A NADIE.... Read more... Urban LivingLiving In A Maritime ContainerBoricuapreppersSeptember 27, 2016Preppers HomesBoricua Preppers - Preparados Siempre I agree to have my personal information transfered to MailChimp ( more information ) Únase a los más de 5,000 seguidores de Boricua Preppers.SU CORREO ELECTRONICO NO SERA COMPARTIDO NI VENDIDO A NADIE.... Read more...Fruits And Vegetables For Your GardenBoricuapreppersSeptember 27, 2016Urban GardeningBoricua Preppers - Preparados Siempre I agree to have my personal information transfered to MailChimp ( more information ) Únase a los más de 5,000 seguidores de Boricua Preppers.SU CORREO ELECTRONICO NO SERA COMPARTIDO NI VENDIDO A NADIE.... Read more... TacticalFallkniven A1BoricuapreppersSeptember 27, 2016KnivesModel A1 is a semi-large all-purpose knife for heavy duty use. The powerful blade is made of extremely hard yet tough laminated VG10 steel and will withstand the stress of hard use. The knife is superb to chop with, but also works very well with daily tasks, thanks to the ergonomic grip. The full tang goes entirely through the handle, so you can strike the end of it without breaking the grip. The sturdy black leather sheath allows you to fasten the knife on your belt or your pack – even upside down. Model A1 is a water repelling concept which works just as well in extreme cold as in stifling heat. A1 Black Coating If there are moments when you wish to avoid reflections from your blade, then the black CeraCoat 8H A1 is the option for you. This extremely tough surface will also protect the blade from corrosion. Cera-Coat is a hard coating that consists of Teflon and ceramics. We apply it as a result of a demand, particularly from military users – glossy blades and objects are usually not very popular among these users. However, one should be aware that it is an applied finish, much like paint on a car, and that physical abrasion finally will make the coating to leave from the blade surface. Attaching a black surface on a rust resistant, perfectly smooth blade so that it sticks for time and eternity is all impossible. We have tested some extremely hard coatings, but they proved to be 100 times as costly and made it impossible to hand sharpen the knife. Boricua Preppers - Preparados Siempre I agree to have my personal information transfered to MailChimp ( more information ) Únase a los más de 5,000 seguidores de Boricua Preppers.SU CORREO ELECTRONICO NO SERA COMPARTIDO NI VENDIDO A NADIE.... Read more...Schrade F9BoricuapreppersSeptember 27, 2016KnivesI recently bought an extra knife to have it in my Bug-out bag. Although I have like 3 small and medium folding knives and one tactical knife from Cold Steel, but I wanted to have a survival knife to use more for the heavy duty workload of survival and not for defense. The problem was that I did not have $ 100 or more to spend on a knife without having to give a good explanation to my wife who is always watching me with eagle eyes to see how much I spend on our Prepper stuff (who has a wife like mine..lol!!), but I found this Schrade F9 knife for less than $ 40 and I do not regret the purchase at all. I was hoping for a Kydex sheath, instead it came with a nylon one with cheap seams, but again for the price, is more than good, and I will be working with a very strong knife and not with one of those “butter knife” that we have because we want to be very cheap in the equipment that we are buying. I have learn my lesson that when I’m too cheap, I’m buying crap most of the time. The Schrade F9 knife is made of High Carbon 1095 steel. It has 1/4 “thick and almost 6” long knife. It has a good grip and weighs almost 16 ounces. It is a knife made for heavy duty work and then cuts the onions and vegetables like butter. Boricua Preppers recommends this beautiful knife for those Preppers with a reduced budget. A high quality knife for a reasonable price. B.P. Boricua Preppers - Preparados Siempre I agree to have my personal information transfered to MailChimp ( more information ) Únase a los más de 5,000 seguidores de Boricua Preppers.SU CORREO ELECTRONICO NO SERA COMPARTIDO NI VENDIDO A NADIE.... Read more... Boricua Preppers - Preparados Siempre I agree to have my personal information transfered to MailChimp ( more information ) Únase a los más de 5,000 seguidores de Boricua Preppers.SU CORREO ELECTRONICO NO SERA COMPARTIDO NI VENDIDO A NADIE.
