Fire Prevention: Top 10 Residential Fire Sources

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To survivalists, fire has the potential to be both a blessing and a curse. On one hand, a single precious ember can be painstakingly nursed into a campfire in the wilderness. This sort of fire can stave off hypothermia, and also provide the means to cook food, purify water, and deter predators. We’ve said time and time again how making fire in a survival scenario is one of the most important skills humans possess.

At the same time, fire has the potential for destruction on an immense scale. Wildfires reduce scenic landscapes to barren ash, vehicle fires can turn a car or truck into a blazing inferno in seconds, and structure fires kill thousands of Americans each year. The same spark that sustains life can just as easily end it.

411: Fire Facts

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If you pick up a copy of Issue 15 of our printed magazine, which goes on sale August 12th, you’ll be able to read more statistics about fire in our 411 column. There, John Schwartze shares the number of total fire-related deaths per year, and compares them to the other most common causes of death—heart disease, cancer, chronic lower respiratory diseases, and accidents. Additionally, he lists the top three most common causes of residential fires.

Due to the format of our one-page 411 column, we didn’t have room to go into detail about these causes of fires. But, don’t worry—we’ll be doing so right here and now. We’ll outline each of the top ten common causes of residential fires, and discuss fire prevention methods that apply to each of the ten.

Residential Fire Statistics

Residential fires, deaths, injuries, and dollar loss over time. Source: usfa.fema.gov

Residential fires, deaths, injuries, and dollar loss over time. Source: usfa.fema.gov

While you may think that your home won’t be affected by a structure fire, the statistics paint a different picture. The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) estimates that 379,500 residential buildings were affected by fire in 2014. This led to…

  • 2,765 deaths
  • 12,075 injuries
  • $6.9 billion in damage

So, it’s quite clear that fire poses a serious threat to both your property and your safety. Statistically, it may not be as high of a health risk as heart disease or even vehicle accidents, but it’s still something every home preparedness plan should address. Otherwise, all your carefully organized survival gear and stockpiled resources could go up in smoke.

The danger of residential fires is obvious, but in order to prevent them, it’s crucial to understand why residential fires happen. Therefore, we need to study the leading causes of building fires. Here are ten of the most common causes of home structure fires, according to the USFA:

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As you can see (and as we mention in our 411 column in Issue 15) cooking, heating, and electrical malfunctions are the three most common causes of residential fires. However, there are many other dangers to be aware of, including open flames, appliances, smoking, and even arson. For the sake of simplicity, we included a few remaining causes in the “other” category—unintentional, careless, other heat, equipment malfunction (excluding electronics and appliances), cause under investigation, and other equipment.

In the following segments, we’ll discuss each of these ten noteworthy causes of residential fires, and offer some tips on how to prevent each one from damaging your home.

Cooking

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According to the USFA, this category includes “confined cooking fires, stoves, ovens, fixed and portable warming units, deep fat fryers, and open grills”.

Cooking-related fires are by far the most common type, resulting in half of all residential fires. These fires often start when items are left in the stove, oven, or toaster unattended, and can accelerate rapidly due to oil and other flammable materials nearby. Here are some tips from the American Red Cross on how to avoid kitchen fires:

  1. Never leave cooking food unattended, even for a second. If you need to leave the room, turn off the heat.
  2. Set a timer, in order to remember to check on your food regularly throughout the cooking process.
  3. Clean cooking surfaces thoroughly on a regular basis, to prevent the accumulation of flammable grease.
  4. Keep any flammable items far away from heat sources. Don’t leave items on top of the toaster oven, or hang anything above the stove.
  5. Always double-check that all kitchen appliances are turned off before going to bed or leaving home.

Heating

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According to the USFA, this category includes “confined chimney or flue fire, fire confined to fuel burner/boiler malfunction, central heating, fixed and portable local heating units, fireplaces and chimneys, furnaces, boilers, and water heaters”.

Unsurprisingly, fireplaces, heaters, and furnaces are near the top of the list of residential fire sources. According to the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA), half of home heating equipment fires occur during the coldest months—December, January, and February. The NFPA recommends keeping a three-foot safe zone around any heating devices, and not placing any flammable items within this area. Also, fireplaces should be cleaned and inspected by professionals every year, and should be fitted with sturdy screens to block embers from drifting into the room.

Electrical Malfunction

According to the USFA, this category includes “electrical distribution, wiring, transformers, meter boxes, power switching gear, outlets, cords, plugs, surge protectors, electric fences, lighting fixtures, and electrical arcing”.

Here’s a PSA video from the NFPA that shows what not to do:

Inspect extension cords and cables, and avoid running them across doorways or under rugs. If there’s any doubt about your home’s wiring integrity, call an electrician for a full home inspection. Be especially careful around the following appliances, as they are the leading causes of residential fires:

  • Electrical distribution or lighting equipment (responsible for 48% of electrical fires)
  • Washers and dryers
  • Fans
  • Portable space heaters (see heater category above)

Open Flame

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According to the USFA, this category includes “torches, candles, matches, lighters, open fire, ember, ash, rekindled fire, and backfire from internal combustion engine”.

Candles account for a large portion of this category, with over half of candle fires occurring due to combustible material being left too close to the flame. So, be sure to keep candles far away from anything that can burn, and always blow them out before leaving or falling asleep. Carefully extinguish matches or leftover embers with water if necessary, and have a fire extinguisher on hand.

Appliances

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According to the USFA, this category includes all major home appliances, from TVs and clothes dryers to electric blankets and phonographs (yes, USFA actually lists these).

Most home appliances produce heat, and poorly maintained or positioned appliances can easily act as a source of ignition. Check your dryer lint trap frequently, because a thick layer of lint in a hot environment is a recipe for disaster. Turn off and/or unplug appliances that generate large amounts of heat, such as heating blankets and hair dryers, before leaving them unattended.

Intentional / Arson

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According to the USFA, this category is applicable when the “cause of ignition is intentional or fire is deliberately set”.

The NFPA states that three of every four intentional fires are started outdoors. These fires may grow into wildfires and affect homes (see exposure category below). However, most property loss and casualties result from fires set inside buildings. The statistics show that most arson or intentional structure fires happen…

  • In the bedroom at home
  • In the bathroom at public properties (apartment complexes, stores, offices, or schools)
  • Between 3pm and midnight

Defending your home against hostile arson may prove difficult, but smoke alarms and security cameras can assist with this task. Also, have fire extinguishers on hand and properly maintained. For more information about intentional fires in homes, read the NFPA Intentional Fires Report.

Smoking

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According to the USFA, this category includes “cigarettes, cigars, pipes, and heat from undetermined smoking materials”.

Smoking-related fires declined 30% between 2003 and 2011, likely as a result of new “fire safe” cigarette materials. However, they are still prevalent, especially among adults over the age of 65. NFPA recommends smoking only outside, using a sturdy ashtray on a non-flammable surface, and dousing the ashes with water or sand after smoking. Be extra cautious if you’re around individuals who are sleepy or have been drinking alcohol, as they may forget to fully extinguish smoking materials.

Exposure

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According to the USFA, this category includes residential fires “caused by heat spreading from another hostile fire”. For example, a home that burned down as a result of a wildfire in the surrounding area would be included in this category.

This is the single most difficult category of residential fire to avoid, as it’s often entirely out of the control of the homeowner. If an entire neighborhood is engulfed in flames, there is little that can be done to save a residence. Nevertheless, be extra vigilant about keeping dry and flammable materials to a minimum on your property. Cut down dry grass, remove loose wood and debris, and be sure your roofing material is fire-resistant. Old wood shingles should be replaced, as they may catch fire easily.

As always, keep many fire extinguishers and water sources around your home to prevent small outdoor fires from growing.

Natural

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This category designation seems vague at first, but the USFA defines it clearly. The category includes fires “caused by the sun’s heat, spontaneous ignition, chemicals, lightning, static discharge, high winds, storms, high water including floods, earthquakes, volcanic action, and animals”.

Natural fires can occur through innocuous sources like sunlight or static electricity. Spontaneous combustion of chemical products, oily rags, trash, or abandoned materials is also a major risk. To prevent this, store all flammable materials safely:

  • Agricultural products, like fertilizer, should remain dry and well-ventilated. Check temperature regularly.
  • Rags soaked in oil should be thoroughly dried and stored in a covered fire-safe metal can.
  • If you have an older vehicle or are transporting flammable materials, consider parking outside your garage or on the street.

Playing with Heat Source

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According to the USFA, this category includes “all fires caused by individuals playing with any materials contained in the categories above as well as fires where the factors contributing to ignition include playing with heat source. Children playing with fire are included in this category.”

As the saying goes, if you play with fire, you’re going to get burned.

Playing with fire is a major problem among children and teenagers, and generally occurs due to unsupervised use of lighters, matches, or fireworks. Most of these fires occur during the month of July, and during the hours of 2pm to 8pm. Older male children are statistically most likely to start these fires, although 43% were started by kids under the age of 6.

The solution to this problem is somewhat obvious. Any child who enters your home should be educated about fire safety, and always supervised while handling fire sources. Remove and secure matches, lighters, torches, and other sources of temptation. As for adults, take care handling fireworks and other fire sources—and whatever you do, don’t be like this guy:

Conclusions

Angle light firefighter

If most of these tips seemed like common sense, that’s because they should be. While home fires can and do occur unpredictably, it’s very possible to improve your odds by following basic fire safety procedures. Of course, you’ll also want fire extinguishers, fire alarms, and carbon monoxide detectors on hand and properly serviced. A family bug-out plan is also key, in case fire prevention measures fail. By adhering to all these suggestions, you’ll be prepared in case you ever find yourself in the line of fire.

Infographic: Home Gardening Cheat Sheet

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Home gardening is an excellent tool for emergency preparation, since it provides a sustainable and nutrient-rich food source. It also saves you money in the long run, and makes you less reliant on mass-produced vegetables and fruits from the grocery store. It’s obvious that starting a small garden is advisable in many cases—but this is also easier said than done.

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There are many potential roadblocks along the way to cultivating a successful yield of veggies. You’ll need to know what to grow given your environmental conditions, where to plant each variety of produce, how to maintain the plants, and when the ideal growing seasons are. For a beginner, this can seem like a steep learning curve. Fortunately, there are many excellent home gardening resources available online.

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The following infographic comes from Anglianhome.co.uk. It illustrates types of vegetables to consider planting, garden spacing, sunlight, pot size, pests, and growing season, among other variables. Scroll down to check it out, or click here for a printable version.

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Home gardening cheat sheet 2

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If you’re still confused what to grow in your region, Good to Be Home offers an interactive tool that suggests personalized planting suggestions according to region and climate. Check it out, and enjoy your healthy harvest.

First Tactical Tactix Backpacks

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First Tactical has announced that it will be expanding its popular line of Tactix backpacks with two new variants: a half-day model and a three-day model.

Currently, the Tactix line consists of a single offering, the Tactix 1-Day Plus pack. This 40.5-liter-capacity model is intended to carry a full day’s gear, but First Tactical is aware that the “one size fits all” mentality doesn’t always transfer to the tactical gear market. So, the company has stated that it will be releasing a “second wave” of packs—one smaller, and one larger.

The current Tactix 1-Day Plus model is available in three colors.

The current Tactix One-Day Plus model is available in three color choices.

We don’t have all the details yet, but we know the new packs will be available towards the end of this year. They’ll also share the key features of the One-Day Plus model, which has become First Tactical’s best-selling product after its release late last year.

First Tactical Tactix backpack 2

The Tactix backpacks will all feature the innovative Lynx Laser Cut Platform, a modular expansion system that is compatible with MOLLE/PALS. This design features twice the usable loops of traditional PALS webbing, and First Tactical says its laser-cut laminated slats have been proven to be 20 percent stronger than ordinary sewn-on webbing strips. Additional loops allow for exact positioning of add-on pouches, and provide more space for mounting gear creatively.

First Tactical Tactix backpack 3

The Tactix pack’s Lynx laser-cut webbing slats are stronger and more versatile than traditional PALS webbing.

Additionally, the Hook and Hang Thru compartment allows users to slide longer items (such as a First Tactical rifle sleeve) through the pack without taking up pocket space. Removable compression straps on the Tactix backpacks ensure gear stays firmly in place, whether the bag is almost empty or fully-packed.

First Tactical Tactix backpack 4

For more details on the Tactix One-Day Plus backpack, and the upcoming Half-Day and Three-Day variants, visit FirstTactical.com.

Open Building Institute: Modular Off-Grid Housing

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Today, houses are built quite differently than they were centuries ago. If you wanted to have a custom home built today, you’d likely end up hiring an architect to draw up some blueprints, and then paying a number of contractors to complete the build. It takes time and money, but not a lot of direct hands-on involvement from the homeowner.

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In the past, the opposite was true—home-building was extremely hands-on, and often incorporated family and friends rather than hired contractors. Think of the concept of a community barn-raising, and you’ll start to get the idea. You didn’t need architects to build a log cabin on the American frontier, you simply needed a game plan, some extra muscle, and plenty of determination.

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A group known as the Open Building Institute has begun a Kickstarter campaign to return to this community-oriented and affordable home-building approach. At the core of this plan is an open-source library of housing module designs, from foundations and walls to doors and roof panels.

Open building institute house 4

This open-source system would allow any ordinary individual to use CAD software to plan the layout of a dream home, then build or purchase the components, and assemble the home themselves. Alternatively, the Open Building Institute hopes to train and license professional contractors on these systems, so they could help home-builders with more difficult parts of the process.

It’s an interesting concept, and one that founder Dr. Marcin Jakubowski—a Princeton graduate with a Ph.D in fusion physics—feels is ideal for living off-grid. In fact, he tells us it was one of the primary goals of the Open Building Institute. He and his wife started the project to “make off-grid eco-housing widely accessible”. As a result, the building modules include designs for solar panel arrays, mini solar greenhouses, and even an hydroponic gardening system. These items could make it possible to build a small sustainable home in a remote area, without reliance on the electrical grid or grocery stores.

Open building institute house 1

The Open Building Institute is currently crowdsourcing funding on Kickstarter, and is already well on its way to its $80,000 initial goal. For more information on this innovative home-building project, visit OpenBuildingInstitute.org or check the group’s Kickstarter page.

Browning Speed Load Knife

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Browning has released a new folding knife design, and it’s a pretty creative concept. Inspired by the utility knives and box-cutters found on job sites throughout the world, the new Browning Speed Load uses interchangeable blades for instant adaptability. Rather than carrying different knives, or making do with a single blade that’s not ideal for every scenario, now you can swap one blade for another in the field.

Browning Speed Load knife 4

This knife uses a traditional folding knife structure, with G-10 handle, liner lock, and a thumb stud for manual opening. Each Speed Load comes with four different blades, each made of 420J2 stainless steel:

  • Full-size drop point (pictured above)
  • Small drop point
  • Utility/”box cutter” blade
  • Gut hook

Browning Speed Load knife 2

The Browning Speed Load was designed by Alaskan big game hunting guide Russ Kommer, and intended to adapt to any situation in seconds, without the use of tools. Better yet, it can accept the standard utility blade design found in most hardware stores, so you’ll always have a supply of sharp blades on hand. And, if the other three blades become dull, replacements can be purchased without altering the rest of the knife or relying on sharpening tools.

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Here are the rest of this blade’s specifications:

  • Overall length: 7-7/8 inches
  • Blade length: 3-1/8 inches
  • Blade material: 420J2 stainless
  • Handle material: G-10
  • Includes black nylon sheath
  • MSRP: $40

For more information on the Browning Speed Load knife and other 2016 new releases, visit Browning.com.

Join Paracord with the “Manny Method”

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Paracord is an amazing material, especially if you’re using the real mil-spec 550 variety. It acts as strong, lightweight, and extremely versatile cordage for survival situations. As a result, it’s one of the key elements to a bug-out kit, whether it’s found in your backpack or around your wrist.

paracord

If you’ve ever tried tying complex knots or weaving with this material, you may encounter a common problem: running out of loose strand to work with. Traditionally, this can be avoided by melting the end of a new piece of paracord, and fusing it to the existing piece through heat. It might seem relatively strong, but it looks sloppy, and requires delicate burning to accomplish correctly.

Paracord problems 1

A melted paracord bond. Even if you’re skilled at this technique, it’s going to look a little messy.

Fortunately, there’s a better way to join paracord, and it doesn’t even need a flame. It was developed by a guy named Manuel Zambrano, and it’s known as the Manny Method. The Manny Method pulls each piece of paracord through the other’s outer sheath, resulting in a strong and smooth bond. The exterior sheath of mil-spec 550 cord is rated to hold 305 pounds, so theoretically this bond should hold close to that much weight.

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The Manny Method looks neater, and can still be burned together if you’re looking for even more strength. Source:...

The only downside to this method is that it will require a needle or other long sharp metal object to pull through the paracord. So, you’ll probably want to do this at home, before you’re stuck out in the field without a proper needle. Here’s a video that shows how it works:

For a complete step-by-step guide with images, check out this article from Paracord Guild. And, for more tips on how to work with paracord correctly, refer to our previous article on paracord best practices.

Tree Branch Water Filter Developed by MIT Scientists

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In the survival world, we sometimes have a tendency to reinvent the wheel. Rather than focusing on learning the tried-and-true survival methods used by primitive survivalists for centuries, we rely on technology to solve our problems. There’s nothing wrong with this per se, since technology has a substantial potential to make our lives easier. Rather than rubbing sticks together, we can now spark a fire with a lighter in seconds. However, it’s also reassuring to see much of the survival community focusing on getting back to basics.

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A colorized electron microscope image showing green E. coli bacteria trapped on the surface of sapwood. Source: MIT News

One interesting development in this vein came from an unexpected place: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). This prestigious school has nurtured some of the finest scientific minds of our generation, including numerous Nobel Prize winners. A study performed by a team of MIT researchers has established that the plant xylem found in sapwood can serve as an effective survival water filter, blocking more than 99 percent of E. coli bacteria.

Illustrations from the MIT study. Source: journals.plos.org

If you’re not too familiar with plant physiology, the implications of this discovery may be unclear at first. In simple terms, this means that the core of a sap-producing tree branch or twig can be used to filter water and prevent illness. Here’s how it works:

  1. Find a pine tree, and cut off a small branch.
  2. Peel away the bark and discard it, so only the inner xylem remains.
  3. Plug or cork a water container with this tree branch water filter, and seal to prevent leaks.
  4. Invert and/or pressurize the container, forcing clean water through the wood, and filtering out bacteria.
Improvised tree water filter 1

A diagram showing the construction of a tree bark water filter. Source: journals.plos.org

According to the study, this simple system can produce up to four liters of clean water per day. The scientists used a plastic tube and hose clamp, then applied 5 psi of pressure to the water vessel to increase flow rate. We imagine this could also be done with a plastic water bottle, some duct tape, and a squeezing motion—just be sure no dirty water seeps around the edges of the wood.

Purpose-built water filters from companies like LifeStraw and Sawyer are great to have in a survival setting, but if you don’t have access to these modern conveniences, remember this simple tree branch water filter method.

Unpaved: Testing the New General Grabber X3 Tire

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If you close your eyes and envision the ideal bug-out vehicle, what does it look like? Most of us know the key aspects to consider—a powerful engine, excellent reliability, high ground clearance, four-wheel-drive, bright lights, and plenty of storage space for all the gear you might need. You might even think of less obvious elements, such as long-distance fuel economy, ease of repair, and the ability to maximize capability while still blending into traffic. If you’re in a really extreme scenario, you might wish for armor plating or bulletproof glass.

However, there’s one essential component of every modern vehicle that can make or break your bug-out plans: tires.

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Without these seemingly simple pieces of rubber, your car or truck won’t be going anywhere, and every other feature we listed above will be rendered meaningless. Just imagine trying to weave through congested traffic on a set of bald or punctured tires, or trying to tackle a steep mountain path while riding on bare metal rims. You’d be stuck literally spinning your wheels while SHTF, and that’s not a situation anyone wants to be in.

The Unpaved Event

The new General Grabber X3 will replace the popular

The General Grabber X3 is an all-new design that will replace the popular desert-terrain “red letter”...

Given the importance of tires to any vehicle-based survival plan, we’ve been on the lookout for an opportunity to demonstrate this point firsthand. Fortunately, that opportunity was presented to us on a silver platter by the folks at Continental Tire and General Tire. They sent us an email letting us know about the launch of two new tire models, the Continental TerrainContact all-terrain and the General Grabber X3 extreme-terrain/mud-terrain. Rather than simply informing the public via a boilerplate press release, they invited us to come out to rural Pennsylvania and put some actual miles on these new tire models.

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So, we jumped at the chance, and hopped on a red-eye flight from our home base in California. A few hours later, we arrived at the Unpaved event in Farmington, Pennsylvania (about 1.5 hours from Pittsburgh). Product engineers from the Continental and General teams gave a short presentation about the features of each tire, but rather than bore you with these details, we’ll jump straight to the main event, and cover the features of each new tire as we go.

Continental TerrainContact A/T

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Our tire testing started with the milder of the two off-road capable tires at this event, the Continental TerrainContact A/T. This all-terrain tire is designed for drivers who spend most of their time on paved roads, with sufficient added capability for wet conditions and some off-road use. Think of it as a choice for the daily-driven bug-out truck or SUV, since it provides solid traction and durability without sacrificing a smooth and quiet ride. Not everyone wants (or needs) to be roaring down the road on knobbly mud-terrains 24/7, so the TerrainContact acts as a nice middle ground.

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First, we tested the TerrainContact behind the wheel of some Ford F-250s, via a wet “stop box” test. Hoses sprayed water across an asphalt runway, as we pushed the F-250s to 55 miles per hour and slammed on the brakes after entering the wet zone. The 6,000-pound behemoths skidded to a halt, and an onboard data-logger listed the number of feet it took to cease forward momentum. In our testing, we found the Continental tire stopped about 6 feet sooner than its closest competitor—that’s more than enough to avoid a rear-end collision while panic-braking in the rain.

Other testing for this tire included some on-road cruising, as well as a drive-by noise test that compared the Continental to other similar all-terrains. We found the TerrainContact to be easily at the top of the pack in each of these tests, making it a strong choice for daily-driven vehicles that see occasional off-road use.

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General Grabber X3

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While we liked the TerrainContact just fine, we won’t lie—we were far more interested in the new General Grabber X3. This new “extreme-terrain/mud-terrain” tire is built for the serious off-road enthusiast, and it would be well-suited for any bug-out truck build. It’s certainly not going to be as smooth and quiet as the TerrainContact during on-road use, but it makes up for this with truly incredible off-road performance.

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The X3 in this tire’s name indicates its three-point goal: extreme performance on mud, dirt, and rock. It uses large voids in the tread pattern to scoop its way through mud, features stone bumpers in the tread channels to release dirt and debris, and includes alternating sidewall lugs for grip on steep rock faces. Years of R&D were spent on this three-ply design, and 16 different tread patterns were tested before settling on the final tire you see here.

Unpaved Off-Road Course

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Our adventure with the Grabber X3 started behind the wheel of one of over a dozen Jeep Wrangler Rubicons, all of which General had outfitted with their new tires. We then spent several hours in the backwoods of Pennsylvania, on an off-road course that included narrow forest paths, steep dirt ridges, deep ruts, mud, water, and an obstacle known as the Rock Garden. These tests were surprisingly challenging, both for our Jeeps and the tires themselves.

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The course began in a relatively tame manner, following sandy tracks that weaved through trees and undergrowth. However, the terrain got progressively steeper, climbing over hills and ridges that left some of our Jeeps riding on three wheels and clawing for traction.

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Eventually we reached the first major obstacle of the course: the Rock Garden. Our Jeeps approached the ascent one at a time, with tires aired down to 14psi, 4-Lo engaged on the transfer cases, and the transmissions locked into first gear.

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Each driver crawled over the angular rocks, taking care to maintain a safe line and not smash the differentials or axles into outcroppings. Spotters on the course were on hand to help out, as the angle of the grade made it tricky to see the rocks directly ahead.

After each driver cleared this obstacle course, we continued down another dirt path to the next event: the mud pit. Mud might not be the right word for it, since it had turned into more of a water crossing by the time we arrived. However, there was still plenty of mud to be found on entry and exit.

We had to approach the pit carefully, since the high water level reached dangerously close to our Jeeps’ air intakes, which sit directly behind the passenger-side headlight. If any driver entered too quickly, there was a risk of water rising into the airbox and getting sucked into the engine, which can result in hydrolock and serious internal engine damage. Despite some disconcerting noises from the radiator fans as they dropped below the water’s surface, everyone made it out unscathed.


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After the mud pit and some more time on the trails, we headed back to civilization. We had tested the Grabber X3 thoroughly, and each of the Jeeps was caked in mud to prove it.

Closing Thoughts

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We had a blast at the Unpaved event, and got to learn firsthand why good tires matter—especially in tough off-road conditions. The TerrainContact performed well for day-to-day use on the road, and the Grabber X3 seems to be a very worthy replacement for the venerable red-letter Grabber that preceded it. With a capable off-road vehicle like one of these Rubicons shod in Grabber X3s, we’d feel confident heading out into the backcountry.

Even if you’re not passionate about off-roading, it’s essential to understand that the tires you choose for your vehicle can make or break its capabilities in emergency situations. They’re more than just rubber, and if you choose the cheapest option available, you might just find out why. Quality tires are necessary for a bug-out vehicle, and based on our testing, these Grabbers appear to fit the bill.

As if all this wasn’t enough manly activities for one day, we then headed out to a nearby range to do some skeet shooting with the other Unpaved participants. (Not to pat ourselves on the back, but our team did take first place.) The evening ended with dinner and drinks—a pretty awesome day, if you ask us.

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Many thanks to the team at Continental and General for the invite, and for letting us hoon around the off-road course in the name of testing. We had a great time, got muddy, and learned a lot about the years of work that go into designing an off-road tire.

Looking Back: Military Coup in Turkey

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A large-scale military coup is currently underway in Turkey, evidently in an attempt to overthrow the controversial administration of Islamic president Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Amateur videos show tanks and soldiers flooding the streets of Ankara and Istanbul, with audible gunfire and helicopters in the background. There have also been reports of bombs detonating at the Turkish parliament building and at Ataturk airport.

Below: In May, fistfights began in Turkish parliament after heated debate over the possible criminal investigation of certain politicians. The tensions have only worsened since then.

Mainstream media sources within the country attempted to cover the military coup at first, but military members allegedly took control of several of these outlets. In one case, a CNN Turk live broadcast was halted on air, as soldiers stormed the room and took broadcasters hostage. As a result, official reports are sporadic and inconsistent at the present time. CNN stated that there is currently “little independent confirmation on anything coming out of Turkey”.

Below: Turkish protesters gather in the streets, as military members fire weapons into the air and attempt to disperse the crowd.

According to the Turkish Press Office, president Erdogan told the media, “the ring leader who plotted all of this will pay the price in front of the nation.” Erdogan has declared members of the coup as terrorists, and laid the blame on followers of political rival Fethullah Gulen, who resides in a remote compound in Pennsylvania. However, Gulen has denied any involvement in the military coup. Erdogan also says that law enforcement has started arresting military officers of various ranks.

Update: The Turkish Prime Minister has told CNN that the the coup has failed, that “the government is in full control”, and that “rogue military aircraft have been shot down”. Other sources say it’s still unclear who has control.

For more updates on the military coup in Turkey, check the CNN Live Feed. Alternatively, you can refer to the Reddit live feed for instant updates (note: some of these updates may be inaccurate or may contain graphic content, as they are user-submitted).

Unboxing and Tasting a 1952 Food Packet MRE

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Modern MREs, or meals ready to eat, are typically well-liked by survivalists. These compact military food rations are self-contained, long-lasting, and calorie dense, making them an excellent source of food for civilian bug-out bags. An average MRE today contains a veritable cornucopia of munchies: an entree, side dish, dessert, cracker and spread, beverage mix, candy, flameless heater, utensils and seasonings.

meals-ready-to-eat

At the same time, many of us poke fun at MREs due to their less-than-gourmet taste and tendency to cause gastrointestinal distress (“meals ready to excrete“). However, we shouldn’t forget how good we have it these days. Back in the 1950s, MREs were nowhere near as sophisticated as they are now. In fact, back then, a military ration wasn’t called an MRE—it was known simply as a food packet.

Food Packet 1952 MRE 2

Back in 1952, rations included not one but TWO types of cigarettes.

If you need some evidence to prove how far military food rations have come, we have just the thing. In the YouTube video below, host Steve1989 unboxes an extremely valuable mint-condition food packet from 1952. Unboxing this time capsule in a tin shows all the contents, and Steve then proceeds to taste-test some 64-year-old cookies—don’t try that part at home.

Here’s a recap of the contents:

  • Date cookie bars
  • “Cocoanut” cookie bars
  • Apple cookie bars
  • Sweet chocolate bars
  • Jelly bar
  • Chicks candy-coated chewing gum
  • Phillip Morris cigarettes
  • Camel cigarettes
  • Matches
  • Bouillon powder packets
  • Coffee and tea packets
  • Sugar cubes
  • Waterproof plastic bag
  • 8-page survival manual

Food Packet 1952 MRE 1

We’ll admit we cringed a little seeing Steve consume crumbling, ancient ration bars. Still, it’s pretty interesting to put our modern MREs into historical perspective. We’d take modern beef stew in a plastic pouch over chalky food bars any day of the week. Even if smokers miss the free cigarettes, it’s hard to deny that survival food has clearly come a long way in the last six decades.

If this sort of thing interests you, Steve has dozens of other vintage military ration videos to watch. Check them out here.