Monster Interview: Gwen Part II

Gwen On Fandoms: Part II


4. If you lived in a town like Jericho how would what you've learned in the SCA be a benefit to survival?

I was at a large SCA event, when we had a disaster, which actually was rather Jericho-like. The event was the Twenty Year Celebration of the SCA, which had an attendance of 6000-8000. It was held from April 25 to May 4, 1986 in Magnolia, Texas.

Most of us had no access to the outside world, since only a few areas had electricity and most people did not have radios in their camp. The news spread via word of mouth. The Chernobyl Disaster in Russia happened right at the beginning of the event, so some of us wondered if we would be able to get back to our home states. Gradually the news filtered down that the US was in no danger.

Near the end of the event, we had a very heavy storm that dropped nine inches of rain in 24 hours with 60 mph winds. That evening, we braced the tent really well on the side the wind was coming from, and parked the van in front for a wind break. In the middle of the night, the wind switched and we and the neighbors we were sheltering (whose camp was flooded) had to collapse the tent and sleep in the van.

The next morning, as I walked to my staff meeting, I wondered if we should pack up and leave. I knew we were not going to be able to set the camp back up. The kitchen was still fully functional, but the tent around it wasn’t.

I got to my staff meeting and found out that many had lost their tents, and had no dry clothing or bedding. The top staff members were considering calling in the Red Cross, but instead decided to open up the large circus tent for those who had lost their shelter. They were concerned about how to feed everyone, so I volunteered to move our kitchen into the tent. I thought it was a good trade, our kitchen and camp members, in exchange for a nice dry area to sleep.

The heralds were sent out with the camp shouts telling all to come to the circus tent if they needed shelter and for others that had fared better to donate dry bedding, clothing, and any extra food.

All day long people dropped off ice chests full of food, dry sleeping bags and extra clothing. We had soup of the hour (ingredients changed very hour) all day long and served hot drinks too. The food merchants (who were in stone booths) donated their extras when they closed up shop, so there was always food available. That was a day much like the day depicted at the Jericho town BBQ, where everyone pitched together and helped one another. All of us were really proud, when it was announced the next day, that there was no need to call in the Red Cross.

What I learned: ALWAYS brace your tent on both sides, hot liquids are best to combat hypothermia, a lot of ingredients can go in a soup together and still taste good, soup can feed a LOT of people, and that the collective SCA skills and generosity might someday save my life.



5. What led you to become involved in the Jericho fandom?

I watched Jericho from the first episode and was hoping it would not be canceled. The day CBS announced their new line-up, I saw Jericho had been canceled. I quickly googled “Save Jericho” and went to the first link and started reading messages and sending letters and nuts. I kept seeing a lot of links to the CBS message board, so I eventually went there a few days before the news was announced that Jericho had been saved.


6. What do you see as the benefits of belonging to any fanbase?

There is an article about the SCA by Leanne Tibiatowski of Vision Magazine (3/06). Her premise is that the SCA had become the participant’s village and that we all search for a “village” to belong to. Any fandom or fanbase can become your village, and our inner need for a village has increased with modern day families being so spread out.

I think the inner need for a village also increases the problems within fandoms. Participants crave peer acceptance in their fandom, and this need for peer acceptance is often the root cause of fandom disputes. It’s also the reason why most fandoms end up with some appreciation recognition (i.e. Monster Fan of the Week).


7. You helped out with Timecon in the 1990's. What was Timecon?

Timecon was a medium sized Dr. Who/Star Trek convention in San Jose in the early 90’s. It was run by my brother-in-law and my sister and I both worked at the convention. It ran for 4 years and I mainly worked security. When that convention folded many of the security people went on to form a security group that still works at different conventions in California.


8. Do you feel the Internet has led to more people being involved in fandoms?

Yes, because it makes finding fandom groups so much easier. I had heard of the SCA before I finally stumbled upon the group several years later. Today I would just have to google SCA to find information.


9. You're also involved in the Jericho Kansas Inc. fan club. Do you think an Internet based fan club can be successful?

Yes, any fan club would have no problem being internet based.

However, an internet based non-profit is more difficult. Jericho Kansas Inc is a non-profit and it’s been an interesting experience trying to adapt what I’m familiar with to an internet non-profit.

Fortunately, California (where Jericho Kansas incorporated) had already adapted their non-profit laws to include internet communication and board meetings. The most intense research I did was finding rules of order that would work for internet meetings, since Robert’s Rules of Order is NOT recommended. After three days of intense internet research, I came across a study which helped me figure out what would work.



10. What is the most important lesson you have learned after all these years of involvement in assorted fandoms?

Develop a thick skin and don’t take critical comments too personally. Since fandoms are so diverse and the participants are not the same age group, of similar background, of similar faiths, from the same country, etc.; misunderstandings are going to occur.

How we all deal with those misunderstandings is what will define the Jericho fandom. The mindset of “you’ve attacked my friend, therefore I must attack you” is one of the most harmful things that can happen to any fandom. Once this tactic is taken, it is hard for the original participants to work things out and the small problems magnify into large ones.

The SCA has a culture of work things out in private and do not make the problems public. Although this doesn’t always solve the problems, it does limit the innocent bystanders who are affected.


11.Anything you'd like to add?

I love Jericho and I’ve enjoyed meeting the various Jericho fans I’ve had contact with. Please come by and say hello at Jericho-Kansas.com.

Survival of the Smartest: Chocofishie

I am happy to have a guest blogger today. You all know her as Chocofishie although her name is Janine.

I think she's done a great job with her article and I appreciate it. Maybe she'll come back again soon.



Survival of the Smartest

With the increasing urbanism prevalent in today's society in terms of
survival in the face of disaster most of us are screwed. Don't believe
me?
Recent large examples on our planet prove otherwise, think Hurricane
Katrina (2005) and the Asian Tsunami (2004).

Many more disasters happen on a daily basis, from flooding and
earthquakes, to tornadoes and the follies of man. Today it's not survival of the fittest; it's the smartest that will prevail.

Most of us live our lives in a just-in-time state. We never believe we
will have to prepare for disaster; it's something that happens to other
people but not to us.

So what's just-it-time? It's the reliance on the resources provided
centrally that we utilise on a daily basis. This includes power, water,
sewage, roads, stores, hospitals and everything else you see as being
staples of your daily existence.

Look around your home and ask yourself these questions. Do you have
enough food to last your family a month if suddenly there were no stores? Have you enough clean and safe drinking water to keep everyone alive? How would you cook? What would you do for heating? What if you got sick? How would you protect those you love from others? And in this urban world we live in, can you depend on your neighbours to help you?

If you don't know the answers to these questions, how do you think you
would survive? There are many sites on the internet telling you what you need to do to prepare, I suggest you do a search and look into it now.

So that prepares you for disasters your area may be prone to, but are
you prepared for the unexpected disaster?

In this day and age we expect certain natural disasters will occur, they
shock us and remind us of our humanity. But it's the unexpected which
is really what frightens us. And that means terrorism, in its many shapes and forms. It's the threat of the unexpected which we don't and often don't know how to prepare for.

Until 9/11 the threat of terrorism was mainly for those countries where
it was traditionally seen as a problem. There have always been factions
around the globe who are at war with each other or their government. It just wasn't something that happened to people we knew. And the threat hasn't gone away.

What scares me the most is the threat of nuclear terrorism. With over
27,000 nuclear warheads worldwide it's not so much if it will happen but when. So how do you prepare for something like that?

It's like any other disaster, if you are in the centre of things it
doesn't matter how prepared you are the survival is minimal. However if you are in a fallout zone you are able to survive if you are smart.

From my beloved internet I have found two interesting guides. They are
probably the smartest and easiest guide I could find.
http://www.nukalert.se/resources/guide.pdf and
http://www.slate.com/id/2148772/entry/2148774.

So you prepare but what about your neighbours, family and friends? Will you band together to face disaster, or will you disintegrate into war?

I would like to think we would all be like the fictional people of the
TVtown of Jericho . We would overcome
personality differences and allow our humanity to shine through so we can survive to build a better world.

However if upon reading this you think disaster will never happen to you in your lifetime, I hope you're right. But just in case ask yourself this
*
are you smart enough to survive?

A Monster Survivalist Interview: Deborah

Our Survivalist friend, Deborah, is back. Actually, I'm happy to announce that she has agreed to write a monthly article for us. She'll be writing about subjects that will help us get prepared. I hope you'll enjoy it. Many thanks to Deborah.



1. You said you've written five cookbooks. For anyone or just you? For what purpose?

Well, I took classes on wild mushrooms, and since we have many varieties up here, the cookbooks started out as a way of having my favorite recipes for those mushrooms in one place for easy access to me. It expanded quickly. "Cooking in the Woods" became a passion. I love to cook. There is Cooking in the Woods: with Mushrooms ... with Pasta, Breads and Pastries... with Venison, Fish and Chicken ... with Soups, Snacks and Salads ... and Around the World. The last and unfinished is Cooking in the Woods with Elegance. I love cooking gourmet and everything in every one of my books was cooked on a wood cook stove.

I sold them locally for a while. I'm currently working at combining and updating the books and putting them on a CD. Perhaps publishing a hardback copy, if that happens, they'll be for sale again.

2. What would be a tasty recipe using only the basics if there was no power?

Since all of my recipes are cooked on a wood stove and that's without power... ALL of them! Guess my favorite would be de-boned trout stuffed with wild mushrooms and fiddleheads. Or perhaps Chicken Wellington with oyster mushroom duxelle and cattail flowers. Both of these can be done in a Dutch oven over a campfire.

3. Do you make preparations for medications? Do you know about home remedies?

I've done some study on natural remedies, but only basic herbal stuff and only that which I can grow myself or harvest locally. I personally don't take any medications other than the occasional IB for a headache. I'm really healthy... fortunately.

Aside from that, I have extensive medical preps. One of the disasters that could face us is a Pandemic. The need to isolate and quarantine will be paramount to survival if that happens. There is also the basic needs for fighting infections (like alcohol and peroxide). Just keeping track of blood pressure or a heart beat could mean someone living or dying. All that takes supplies, lots of them.

4. You gave me a poem last time. Do you write a lot of poetry? Read a lot? Have a favorite poet?
I read ALOT. I always have at least one book going, sometimes two. I vary what I read, just to download my head. Reading is escapism to me.

I wrote a great deal of poetry as a teen. Volumes in fact. I was searching for a way to express myself... we all do.

No, no favorite poet, but as a teen I read quite a bit of e.e.cummings and Poe, strange combination, I know.

5. How did you become interested in ballroom dance?

I've always danced. I have this ... inner need, drive, for movement. I started the male Modern Dance Program in my school in Detroit. Ballroom dancing was a natural progression for that. It's organized, yet has room for self expression... and you can do it to almost any music. You would be surprised what is cha-cha music! I was very fortunate to have found a very talented instructor, and ended up his assistant and dance partner. He's since moved back to Florida when school finished, and I really miss the dancing.

Artistic expression is necessary for a balanced peace.

6. Do you preserve your own food?

Oh certainly! my garden is 24x65 and that produces alot of food. Just this past weekend I canned up 37 pints of mixed vegetables. My favorite thing in the winter is to keep a pot of soup going on the wood stove, and there's always a jar or two of home grown veggies in there.

My garden is all heirloom seed produce. That means the seeds will produce true next year, so I save seeds from the crop. It was very dry up here this summer and my sweet corn did not do well. What I did grow will go for next years crop, but that crop will be double. Some sacrifice must be made for perpetuation. Law of the land. My grinding corn did better, it's heartier. I will have enough to double my crop and some for grinding into cornmeal.

I also harvest wild berries and make jams or can just the berries for winter use. Blueberries are abundant up here, but I also pick raspberries, blackberries, Thimble berries and June berries (sugar plums). In the spring I make my own Maple syrup from my own trees.

Processing your own food isn't hard, but it does take time and commitment.


7. Is it enough to be prepared for 24 months or should it be longer?

I think that depends on your circumstances. I have 24 months right now, but that includes long term items like rice, beans, sugar, salt which can be spread out to last longer with the sustainable gardening and wild food foraging.

Two years will get you from one year past a bad harvest, but the next year needs to be good. I'm aiming to double what I have... just in case.

I would urge everyone to do some preparations: a month, six months, whatever you can handle, just do it! and remember, store what you eat, eat what you store.

8. Anything you'd like to add?

I think what you're doing, helping to bring awareness to the masses is a noble thing, and I thank you. For every person out there that even tries to prepare, it takes the strain or pressure off the rest of us. The government, as much as it would like to, just CAN'T take care of all of us in times of disaster. We need to take responsibility for ourselves.

A Monster Fan Interview: Deborah

Many thanks to Rourke who introduced me to Deborah who is a Jericho fan, a survivalist, and a woman. Forget the myth about survivalists being men. This is one smart lady and I'd be heading to her house if I ever needed to survive.

Deborah raises important points for us to consider and answered many questions I've had. As a special treat she has allowed me to use a poem she wrote and you can find it here.


Deborah in the UP:


1. What attracted you to Jericho?

Definitely the scenario. I first started reading 'disaster' books at age 15, with Earth Abides, then Alas Babyon, still my all time favorite. So to see a live action show with the same premise was too much to resist, a brilliant move on CBS's part. In fact, I had not had any TV reception for 12 years, most of that while I lived off grid. Jericho got me to actually PAY for satellite TV!


2. If what happened in Jericho happened here in the U.S. what percentage of people do you think would be prepared?

By far, the percentage would be way too low, unfortunately, maybe as little as 5%. On the upside, more and more are looking into those 72 hour kits. (I shake my head at those...).. but 72 hours are better than nothing. Personally, I'm set for 24 months. Yes, that's MONTHS, which is why I never use my last name on the group sites..lol. I'm really hoping that programs like Jericho will get people to consider long term preparations.


3. Why do you think more people don't take preparedness seriously?

We live in a society that everything is done for us. I mean, what is the simplest meal to fix? mac & cheese... and you can get it in a microwaveable pouch now! give me a break! We (well, not ME...) are taught that everything will be available and it will be available NOW, so there is no need to have anything on hand. That's just not a good attitude to have. Add that to the government that says it will take care of you, but it can't... it is just not feasible for the government, on ANY level, to take care of the entire population. WE should be taking care of THEM.


4. What made you decide to become a survivalist?

I like being independent. I don't rely on anyone or any agency for MY survival. See, I take responsibility for myself and my family. Why should I expect someone else to do that for me?? I think that is missing in today's society. Personal Responsibility.


5. Do you think people have a negative perception of the word survivalist? If so how do you think it can be made positive?

Yes, to some it has a negative connotation. Some of us have started using the term "Prepper" instead of survivalist, because some think the survivalist actually wants bad things to happen. Those are the doom and gloom types, whereas the reality is that us true survivalists believe that there is a future worth preparing for, no matter what happens. I also tend to believe that the only way to do so, is without depending on the government because they won't be there when really needed.

I think of being a survivalist as just that - surviving - what is wrong with that? A true Survivalist wants to live, because they feel the world is worth being alive for. How more positive can you be?


6. What role do women play in being prepared?

Now here is where I shine! Women are and always have been, the back-bone of the family. I understand that has diminished some within our society, but 'we' are still the child-bearers and the child-raisers. We, as women, have more control within our family unit than most realize. Traditionally, women do the homemaking, the cooking, etc. so who buys the supplies to do that? who has the skills and the knowledge? women do! and it's up to the women to maintain that level of sustenance for their family, by preparing AHEAD.


7. Do more women need to be involved? Why?

Not just women, everyone needs to be involved. I'm single, and as a single female I have the advantage of making my own decisions. Part of those decisions are to maintain a certain level of comfort in my 'retreat', so I prepare for that. We all want some creature comforts, and the women in today's society should be sure they get it .. .. and share it. When there is a partnership involved (ie husband/wife), both should be doing preps. Both have something to contribute, and they need to support each other.

Besides, after a Jericho situation, there will need to be a level of normalcy maintained, just to get by, just to keep the sanity. Women are good at that. We'll fix meals and insist we sit down at the table, we'll make sure the kids go to bed at a certain hour, we'll get the kids involved in school work or chores or whatever. Most women are good organizers, and that will be very much needed.


8. Isn't it expensive to be a survivalist? Where are all those supplies stored?

Expensive? not as much as you might think. I'm always watching sales. Tuna goes on sale for 50 cents a can, then I buy two instead of one. I buy a lot of bulk items. I love to cook and bake. Those little packets of yeast? I buy a pound for double the price. That might be more expensive at the time, but definitely cheaper in the long run. That's the way to look at it. You might be spending more money now, but down the road, you're spending less.

Besides, if you put the money toward preps that you otherwise would have spent on a few DVD's, or getting your nails done, or a round of golf, or stopping for a coffee, or all those bottled waters!! you will be amazed at what you can buy!


9. Mimi just couldn't kill that chicken even though she was hungry. Could you kill a chicken to survive?

But eventually she did! The will to survive prevailed. I think Mimi's character has shown the most growth and the most promise. I loved the scene where she talked with the chicken.. still my favorite. But yes, I've killed many chickens, I've also butchered out deer, fish, and bird game. I have unique skills for a female, of which I'm very proud.



10. What one reason would you give someone as to why they should start preparing?

Do you want to end up like the folks in the Superdome after Hurricane Katrina? Are you looking forward to sitting someplace, cold, tired and hungry, waiting for government relief? Perhaps starving to death, dying of dehydration or contaminated water? Or would you prefer having supplies on hand, the means to cook your own meals, meals you actually like.. as opposed to MREs (which are often called Meals Rejected by Ethiopians for a reason) .. AND the knowledge that you have food for tomorrow, and the next day, and the next....?

One reason? ...do you want to live?

Anything you'd like to add?

I think your questions have covered most everything. Thanks for giving me the opportunity to voice my thoughts.

A Monster Fan Interview: Rick Cox

Rick Cox is a Jericho fan who is also a survivalist. I realize this article is longer than some but I felt you needed a good idea of his background. Someone said, "This is the type of guy who should represent a new era of "survivalism".
If you have questions after reading this please leave a comment and I will forward all questions to Rick for a response.




1. Can you explain a bit more about what a WMD
specialist is?

RC - In the Army, a NBC (Nuclear Biological Chemical) Specialist is trained in virtually all facets of WMDs. This is done for two reasons, partly to recognize when a NBC/WMD attack is taking place (or has taken place), and partly to know what must be done to protect the rest of the US forces in the area so they can continue their mission. These troops are trained in how to calculate fallout patterns, half-life of fallout (to know when it's safe to move into or through an area affected by fallout), types of nuclear detonations, the various types of chemical agents as well as how they attack humans, and how to decontaminate personnel, vehicles, and equipment. The only area that was largely neglected in my day was biological as most folks figured that bio weapons were not being worked on and thus not a significant threat.


2. When and why did you become survival oriented?

RC - When I left Active Duty I became aware of just how lax the US had gotten in the area of Civil Defense. I was shocked that so little was being done to protect US citizens. As I was married and had 2 young daughters at the time I figured it was up to me to use the knowledge I'd gained in the Army to do everything I could to protect them. Over the years this feeling has done nothing but increase as my interaction with First Responders (Police, Fire, and EMS) has intensified.


3. What are First Responders concerned about and why?

RC - First Responders, like most folks, seem to have cycles when it comes to their concerns and priorities. Most of us are aware of the Y2K scare, and thank goodness that was more fizzle then meltdown, that was the first concern of theirs that I became aware of. There have been several others since. These days my impression is that Pandemic Flu is the big concern out there. Every conference I attend for my "day job" in telecommunications, where I support the Public Sector, has some briefing or training (sometimes several) related to Pandemic Flu. There are, IMO, several reasons for this. 1) We're overdue for a Pandemic Influenza. Historically these happen 3 times each century. In the 20th Century they happened in 1918/1919, 1958, and 1969 if memory serves. Typically they happen every 30 years or so. We're at nearly 40 years since the last one. Now, the ones in 58 and 69 were fairly mild with very little global effect. The one of 1918/1919 was
far more deadly and effected nearly every part of the globe. Small villages in Alaska and the Amazon Valley were nearly wiped out by that one, in an age when it took days or weeks to get to these places. Today I can get to virtually anyplace on the globe in 1 or 2 days. 2) Back then most folks either farmed, or lived near others who did, today virtually everyone gets all their food at grocery stores. Back then there was no true global economy, today speedbumps anywhere in the world will probably have an effect on prices or availability of goods virtually everywhere else. 3) The only truly effective measure we're probably going to have to fight a pandemic is quarantine. If that's the case government has several problems a) how to enforce the quarantine, b) how to keep enough cops etc. on the job to do such enforcement, c) how to get food, fuel, meds, etc. to the people they're responsible for in a quarantine environment and d) how to keep something
resembling an economy going during a large scale quarantine. So you can see that in a pandemic these folks are going to have their hands full. The same concerns would apply to some types of biological warfare agents that might be released by terrorists or rogue governments, Smallpox for example.


4. What kind of training does a First Responder get?

RC - Lots of variables here. Obviously police, fire, and EMS have different basic training for their jobs. Then there are specializations out there, SWAT for cops, EMT for the EMS folks, Haz-Mat for the fire folks, etc. These days there is a fair amount of training related to Pandemic Flu, distribution of meds, quarantine, etc. Again largely based on the job that each person would have in this situation, Ie cops for security, EMTs to distribute the meds, and fire/Haz-Mat to handle decontamination and such. I'm sure this sounds relatively simplistic, but this is in fact a very involved topic that we could discuss for quite some time. There are also variations based on one's location. In California they learn about earthquakes, mud slides, and forest fires. In Florida they learn about hurricanes. In Illinois they learn about tornados. In Rochester NY they learn about blizzards.


5. Is there a difference in being survival oriented as
opposed to believing in preparedness?

RC - Depends on who you ask I suppose. To me they can be used interchangably. Others get real nervous when the word "survival" is used, and some freak about "survivalist". In any event I figure it's all about mindset. Some folks, my darling wife included, don't want to think about what I call "What If?" So they don't dwell on what could happen during a natural disaster, a massive terror attack, a pandemic, or a global economic meltdown. Which, I humbly submit, is what leads to the horror stories that came out of New Orleans during and after Hurricane Katrina. Anytime we have people who are unable to deal with situations of delivery interruptions in food, fuel, and medicines we have a recipe for disaster. The more dependency a people has on the regular delivery of the items they need to survive the more at risk they are during any interruption. Being "survival oriented" or "prepared" means doing more to ensure that we are not at the mercy of some
supply chain to keep us alive with the necessities we all require. Some will say that having enough for 3 days is adequate. The current FEMA recommendation is 2 weeks if memory serves. Personally I try to keep at least 6 months of the basics on-hand at all times, and when I can manage it a full years worth.


6. What do we, in the United States, need most to
worry about when thinking about preparedness?

RC - Way too many variables for such a simple question. Different parts of the nation have different concerns, see question 4 for some examples of this. But there are other variables as well. Folks in a desert need more water and some way to keep things cool. Folks in Alaska have to deal with serious cold and lots of snow. So the needs of different areas will vary. For most people there are some decisions that must be made, and the sooner the better. What do they see as valid threats to themselves and their families? How long do they figure they may have to survive with little or no outside help? What skills and/or experience do they have? Are they planning for themselves, a nuclear family, an extended family, or a multi-family team? Are they in an urban, suburban, or rural environment? How good are the Emergency Management and First Responder folks in their area and/or state? All of these things will impact what folks need to do or plan for.


7. What do people not know about being prepared that
you think they should know?

RC - Another simple question with many possible answers. I've talked quite a bit about the threat of Pandemic Flu, so lets use that as an example for this question. I'd guess that most folks have some experience with the annual Flu viruses that we're at risk for every year. So most folks figure that a Pandemic Flu would behave in much the same way, you get sick, you rest, you feel like hell, you get better, you go on with your life. But a Pandemic like we saw nearly 100 years ago didn't act like that at all. It came in waves, 3 or 4 over a 2 year period. It affected as much as 40% of the population at any time. It killed young adults more than kids or old folks. It could kill in a day. And it went everywhere. Today it would spread like wildfire, so the % effected up front could be far greater. But more importantly from a survival perspective, we're far more at risk from what I call ripple effect. By that I mean the interruptions of critical
supplies. Knowing that quarantine is the only real tool we can use to slow this down I expect all ships to be barred from docking which will affect the delivery of food, fuel, etc. I expect trucks, trains, and planes to be locked down as well with similar if more widespread results. I expect companies to cease work as they can't get enough workers in to maintain productivity. For those companies that make things etc. they won't be able to get raw materials, nor will they be able to ship their completed products anywhere. So the economy will take a nose dive. Not only won't there be any food items in the stores, assuming people are able/allowed to shop anyway, there won't be any $$ coming in to buy anything. Which means the government will have to figure out how to get food etc. to the people. But, bear in mind that the Feds will be having problems of their own, with big chunks of people out sick or caring for others who are sick. They'll also
have folks who won't come to work due to fear of getting sick. They will have to find folks willing/able to drive the trucks and trains and planes to get the stuff delivered. Then they have to have folks (cops or National Guard) to protect this stuff and some means to get it distributed during a quarantine. Get the idea that might be tough to do? Now, my family and I, have no concerns with this ripple effect as we have ample food on hand, seeds to grow more, and the ability to hunt. Unless we get caught in that first wave of Pandemic Flu we should be just fine.


8. How much are we at risk for a biological attack?

RC - In my opinion this is the most dangerous threat we face. Whether it's a bio agent released by a terrorist organization such as Smallpox or a natural event such as Pandemic Flu, this is my main concern these days. I've already talked at length about Pandemic Flu, but I'll add a couple of things. 1) There is no vaccine for this, and there won't be for roughly 6 months after it hits us. Why? Because it will be a new mutation, or possibly a newly combined virus. So any vaccine will have to be created from scratch. 2) It could take as much as 6 months longer for enough vaccine to be produced to make a difference after its created. That means roughly 1 year from the time the new virus is identified before we could have a vaccine and enough to do any good. The worst will be over long before then.

RC - For an actual biological agent attack there are other issues. Smallpox is the most likely, and the worst case, when talking about bio agents as far as we know. I say that because we know the Soviets were working on Chimera viruses (artificial combinations of viruses, such as Smallpox and Ebola) prior to the implosion of the Soviet Union. We don't know if they were ultimately successful or not. Thus Smallpox, possibly a weaponized and vaccine resistant version, remains our main threat. The US stopped vaccinating for Smallpox back in the early 70s. Since then only some First Responders, hospital personnel, and military folks have been immunized. The Smallpox vaccination is thought to be good for roughly 10 years, after that it's doubtful that most folks will have any resistance to the disease. Which means that today most of the US population has little or no resistance to Smallpox, a disease which has killed more people in the world than all
of our wars combined, averaging 30% lethality. Many of those who survive end up horribly scarred and/or blinded because of their infection. There is no treatment for this, once you get it you just have to ride it out and hope for the best. Smallpox is very contagious, it has traveled the world many times when it took weeks to get anywhere, it infected folks in virtually every village at a time when many folks never once traveled outside their village/surrounding area during their entire lives. There are many ways that terrorists could spread Smallpox, with subways being the biggest risk.

RC - Many folks don't see Smallpox as a serious threat. The WHO did after all mount a global campaign to eradicate this disease, and they did a good job. There is no natually occuring Smallpox anywhere on the planet today. However, the Soviets used to mass produce the stuff as part of their WMD package, to the tune of more than 20 TONS each and every year for many years. A few ounces smuggled out and sold to the bad guys would give them the seed stock they need to make as much as they want. Then it could be distributed in many ways and could devastate the entire world.



I was born in Chicago, grew up in the near-West burbs, and left for the
Army before I turned 18. I spent 8 years on Active Duty (Scout,
Tanker, Telephone Systems Technician), followed by 6 years in the Reserves
(Military Intelligence as a German and then Russian linguist, and Tank
Crewman Trainer), and finished my military career with 8 years in the
Illinois National Guard (NBC [aka WMD] specialist, and Forward Observer).
I was a NCO (Sergeant) for 19 of my 22 year military career.

When I left Active Duty I began my Telecommunications career. I
also participate in various training exercises and drills, including
a huge one in St, Louis (with the St. Louis Cardinals hosting it) last
year that had roughly 5,000 volunteers acting as victims of a chemical
attack.

As a volunteer I've been active with my county Emergency Management
Agency for several years now. I've been on the county Search And Rescue
team since it was formed more than 2 years ago. I've been CERT
(Community Emergency Response Team) certified for nearly a year and serve on
the local Citizen's Corps Council. I'm also exploring the Infragard
organization as another way to give something back to my community. All of
this involvement gives me frequent insight into what First Responders
plan for, train for, and are concerned about.

I've been survival oriented since I left Active Duty back in 85. I had
already been trained as a NBC NCO, the sergeant with the most
knowledge of WMDs in a company sized unit. So I was very aware of the nuclear
threat posed by the Soviets. Once the Soviet Union imploded I had
hoped that I could relax and not maintain such focus on "What If?" but that
was not to be. Y2K, terrorism, Pandemic Flu, etc. have all taken
their place as threats to be on the watch for. I received even more
training with a Chemical unit in the Illinois National Guard and have done
more than a little study on my own. As I mentioned previously I'm often
in attendance at various conferences etc. for First Responders. So I
hear about their concerns, I see what products get the most attention,
and I talk to them every chance I get.

Survival Skills and Jericho

I have a confession to make-- I don't watch a lot of TV. I just like to read. When Jericho came along it captured my attention like few programs have. Oh, I do love " Brothers and Sisters" but I'm sort of afraid to keep watching in case it gets cancelled. Anyway, when I watch TV I mainly watch for the entertainment. What I mean is that I take it at face value.

However, I was talking with some folks recently about blog topics and someone asked why didn't I write about how Jericho has raised awareness of the need for disaster preparations. I had to think about that for an hour. I started surfing around and reading various articles, posts, and message boards and was surprised to find how many people are interested in the subject. Which came first? The interest or Jericho?

Since I live near TVA I've always been aware of the possibilities of a disaster. I just never thought much about it. Imagine my surprise when I was able to post a message about Jericho on an Avian Flu board. Yes, lots of fans there. All this led me to thinking about survival skills in case of a disaster. I thought about Jericho and the lack of water, food, medicine, transportation, shelter, ventilation. What about heating and cooling, medicines, sanitation, communications? Guess I'd put Rich at Copywrite Ink in charge of all communicating.

I was thinking about all this and wondering how many people actually have the skills that would be needed to survive. I happened upon a very interesting post at JerichoRallyPoint just in the nick of time. Someone posted about SCA- the Society for Creative Anachronism. http://www.sca.org/
The SCA is a historical re-enacting group that recreates the Middle Ages. They are non-profit and educational.

I won't go into all the details here since they're on the website but I find this group fascinating. If anybody could survive a disaster it's these folks. Some of them forge their own steel weapons while others make candles or learn how to preserve food. Think about it. Could you make a fire without matches or a lighter? Could you kill, clean, & cook wild game? How about purifying water or preserving food without refrigeration?

Now I'm looking at Jericho in a different way. I try to imagine no heating or cooling system, no TV or computer, no microwave. That's depressing. So, I think I'm going to brush up on a few survival skills just in case.If worse comes to worse I suppose I'll make my way to Kansas. Skeet, leave a candle burning.


More info:
http://www.oism.org/nwss/
http://www.fema.gov/plan/index.shtm