Pick your favorite (or least favorite) disaster scenario and ask what your top priorities following that disaster will be. Are a clean body and living space on your list? They should be. Sanitation and hygiene are fundamental forms of preventative medicine to block disease transmission. Human waste and household garbage harbor numerous infectious diseases. Properly disposing of these items and maintaining clean bodies are staples of the modern running-water world. With a flush of the toilet, taking a can to the curb, the turn of a knob, a little soap, and a few seconds, most of our sanitation and hygiene is handled effortlessly — so much so that very few of us ever consider life without these conveniences. History shows that in disasters, one of the first things to become compromised is the infrastructure we rely on for hygiene and sanitation. The power goes out, and pumps shut down. Water …

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Carjacking” is a term first coined in 1991 by writers of The Detroit News to describe an epidemic of auto thefts at gunpoint that plagued their city. The crime first became prevalent in the 1980s, when anti-theft alarm systems made old-school car theft more challenging for criminals. Unlike an ordinary car thief, who wants your vehicle but wants nothing to do with you, a carjacker plans to meet you face-to-face and is ready and willing to use violence in the process. Despite the fact that it’s been around for decades, many states still don’t have specific carjacking laws. Instead, they categorize it as robbery, auto theft, or aggravated assault, so tracking it statistically is challenging. The most comprehensive study of carjacking was done by the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS), which analyzed it in detail during the period 1993 to 2002. While somewhat dated, their …

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In Issue 28 of RECOIL OFFGRID, we wrote a feature on Operation: Dark Winter (ODW) — a senior-level government exercise from June 2001 that simulated a bioterrorism attack in the United States using smallpox as its agent of choice. Its findings were discouraging to say the least. The results of the ODW study revealed a gut-wrenching reality that many Americans weren’t aware of until COVID-19 found its way here — we as a nation are drastically ill-prepared for pandemics. Problems range from a lack of sufficient training, delays in developing vaccines or drugs to treat a new illness, and the collateral damage it causes to our infrastructure and commerce. Fast-forward to 2020, and the world has seen firsthand how devastating the effects of a highly communicable disease can be on every aspect of human life. The question now remains, how can we prepare for the next wave or another outbreak …

What If We Are Hit By Another Pandemic? Read More »

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought many changes to our lives. Among the most obvious is the routine use of protective masks to prevent spreading this disease. There has been much debate about the usefulness of masks, and official guidance has flip-flopped from discouraging to encouraging their use. Many are left wondering, can they help? What kind of mask do I need? Can I make my own? These are important questions right now, and they’ll remain relevant the next time a disease inevitably spreads like wildfire through the human population. Airborne Transmission – How Masks Can Help Face masks can prevent the spread of viral illness, including COVID-19, if the right type is used and used correctly. To understand how masks help, we must first understand transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19. The primary mechanism for transmission of the virus is droplets expelled from the body by coughing, sneezing, …

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Human trafficking is modern day slavery and happening around the world with alarming frequency. Join RECOIL OFFGRID Editor Tom Marshall as he interviews a panel of experts on the front lines battling this epidemic to learn more about what it is, how it’s happening, and what you can do to protect yourself. Yousef Badou – owner/lead instructor of Emergence Disrupt Bazzel Baz – founder of Association for the Recovery of Children Theresa Flores – trafficking survivor and founder of The SOAP Project Bruce Ladebu – founder of Children’s Rescue Initiative Our Panel: Bazzel Baz is a graduate of The Citadel, former Captain USMC, former CIA SAD/SOG Paramilitary Case Officer and founder of one of the longest running child rescue NGOs in the U.S. established in 1993, known as The Association For The Recovery of Children aka ARC. ARC is a non-profit consisting of former military, intelligence and law enforcement personnel …

OFFGRID Live: Experts Discuss Human Trafficking Read More »

Human trafficking is a silent epidemic that affects millions of people worldwide. Threat-recognition and behavioral expert Yousef Badou recently interviewed Emily Chen, a competitive shooter and trainer on her experience being trafficked as a young girl. Watch the interview so you can better understand the telltale signs of trafficking to help better educate yourself and your loved ones on how to protect themselves. To register for our live webinar on human trafficking on Thursday October 15, 2020 at 3pm PST, click here. Related Posts Human Trafficking: Hidden in Plain Sight“We are like a meal … when everyone’s done eating, into the dumpster we go, and nobody gives a sh*t.” This quote came from a 14-year-old girl who’d been trafficked for sex and later […] Theresa Flores: Surviving Human TraffickingThe public is often led to believe that human trafficking only happens in other countries. Theresa Flores is living proof that it’s …

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An extremist group attacks critical nodes of the power grid at 0100 hrs and you awake to mayhem on the streets.  City-wide traffic backups are the first indication that this isn’t a typical summer brownout, but the danger is amplified when a five-ton improvised explosive device detonates in front of a Federal building at 0830, flattening the structure while killing 75 and wounding 150 other workers as they arrive to begin their day. Your daughter is on her way to a college class when the traffic jams begin to pile up and the detonation occurs while your son is on the road after working third shift at a plant on the other side of town.  It is impractical for them to attempt to return to your home. Emergencies can, and will, strike when least expected. Photo credit: MSVG (https://search.creativecommons.org/photos/0c627e28-b73c-4d5a-ae20-244bb82ef65f) While the police and first responders re-direct resources to the Federal …

Rally Points: Considerations for Planning and Using Them Read More »

Look outside your window. What do you see? Are you staring into the windows of a 50-story high-rise apartment building? Are you looking at your neighbor’s suburban, perfectly manicured front lawn? Or perhaps you live more intimately with nature, deep in the heart of the forest. Now imagine the rug of civilization has been pulled out from under you. It doesn’t have to be an EMP-induced nightmare, and you don’t have to be caught up in the throes of a civil war, localized rioting, or a political coup. It could be the chaotic destruction of a natural disaster, or simply an extended power outage. Are you confident that you can overcome the myriad obstacles an uncaring universe can throw your way? No matter what you’re feeling, by considering a worst-case scenario you can hone skills that have been ensuring the survival of the human race for thousands of years. You …

Secrets of Traditional Knowledge Read More »