7. My Survival Web Page contains links to lots of other information such as free books to download about nuclear survival, links to plans for building shelters, and even free consultation about building a shelter.

8. If you are SUPER concerned about nuclear survival you might consider joining the

9. If you like, you can look at our Honor List for groups that we know of that have an existing rural location. Most of these, however, have no direct interest or preparation in regards to nuclear survival. At the bottom of this page is a Directory of our contacts in Nevada. Many of the local entries for states were listed because of their Y2K concerns and may not have any nuclear concerns.

10. And finally, if you wish to be on the mailing list for my irregular newsletter in which I analyze current events in regards to the nuclear threat, you can sign-up here:

This link will take you back to the Index of all the States

Link to the Directory for Nevada

Continental US Fallout Pattern for Prevailing Winds (FEMA-196/September 1990)

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The Directory for Nevada

Nevada (Nevada TEAM Leader)
Nevada (Las Vegas) How To Build A Community
Nevada (Pahrump, Nevada)
Nevada (Reno)
NEVADA (Other)

I was a Boy Scout as a Young man where I learned the motto "Be Prepared". Now I am 27 years old and just realizing in the last month or so, I am not prepared. What if Y2K does turn our world upside down where would I be? Well, I would diffently not be unprepared is my decision. So recently, I have been trying to prepare a survival cache.( not only of equipment but also of knowledge)

As a young man I camped frequently with my family, hunted with my neighbors and went four wheeling. I have shot a variety of weapons and own A recently purchased Glock 19, A Remington 1100, And My trusty Ruger 10/22. As a young man my mother had a decent size garden 1/4 acre or so which I tended to. At 15 I hiked over the continental divide with The National Outdoor Leadership School. I am by far not Rambo.

I am begining my career in commercial Real Estate with the help of my partner Dick Johnson at Myers. I also wait tables at the Nugget Steak House for a steady income, until established in real estate completly.

I am a Freemason which is an organization built on building a better man. I currently hold the chair of Junior Warden, After elections will move to Senior Warden, and then next year in November 1999 will be Master of the lodge if elected.

Please, Contact me at the above address or Phone Number so I may begin to prepare myself for a problem if it does occur.
Geoff Bueschen
(702)827-6655 ext 107 Office
4990 South Virginia
Reno, Nv
89502

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I have tried repeatedly to locate/start a preparedness group here in Las Vegas, and found for the most part that people who expressed any degree of interest at all either did not have attractive qualifications, or for that matter, any qualifications at all; and had little or no understanding of the preparedness concept.

Most had little or nothing in the way of gear, equipment, or weapons, and had made little or now effort to prepare for the coming times on their own. Some thought that they could be "trained" over-night, and an even larger number were just looking for someone to "take care" of them and feed them during a WCS. A disturbing number were either militia wanna-bees, or were looking for such an affiliation.

In short, I simply became frustrated to the point of giving up the whole idea, and decided to "make do" with a small circle of friends who were serious about making it through the coming times, and creating some sort of "livable" situation on the other side. Unfortunately, most of these friends are outside of the Las Vegas area.

Below is a brief piece that I put together in an effort to aid others in forming small preparedness groups. This pretty well summarizes my views. If others share similar ideas, I would look forward to discussing the possibility of joining your group either as a member or in an advisory capacity.

I am not without means, and have built up a comfortable level of supplies and equipment. I have skills to offer, and look forward to future dialog.

Please review the work below, and let me have your comments.
Thanks
Mike

The "one man" concept does not take one very far at all when it comes to preparedness! The shape that the world is in, and the way the "warning lights" are flashing every time I turn on the news, has me convinced that now, more than ever before, we must be independently prepared to survive any disaster, either man-made, or natural that may confront us.

I have been interested and involved in "Preparedness" since before there was a term to define it! That mind-set enabled me to "survive" every possible situation that I found myself thrown into through my adolescence, 22 years in the military (to include a tour in VIet Nam), and on to the present day. Survival, when reduced to its lowest common denominator consisted at times of no more than a grim determination to stay alive just 10 more minutes and be around to see the sun come up! Training, equipment, planning, and all the storage food in the world, will not enable one to survive. An individual must have the "will" and strong mind-set to do that...If you have and maintain a superior attitude, you can "survive" anywhere with nothing more that a sharp stick!

I mentioned that I had little success in putting together a group here in Las Vegas. Perhaps that was because the motivation was not there for the acceptable caliber of perspective members at the time. With the Y2K problem virtually "at the door"; that motivation is definitely there now!

The concept of a "loosely affiliated group "of like minded people is the approach that I took, here in Las Vegas. Number !: First and foremost....WE ARE NOT A MILITIA...nor do we want anything to do with them as such. We do not "drill", play dress-up, or run around the desert playing "soldier"... We do not "meet" regularly.. nor do we have a "rank" structure. What you are likely to see is one of the guys repairing a carburetor on another guys truck, while the owner of the truck is repairing the "mechanic's " VCR. The "group" has a wide variety of skills, and those skills are "exchanged" among the group as required. Oh, don't get me wrong...several "members" of our small circle are prior military, including myself, and two are former Army Special Forces. All members own and are highly proficient with firearms. We are perfectly capable of defending ourselves, and in fact a little more if need be! However, that is not the main thrust of the effort. There is much more to preparedness than just that one aspect.

If you find yourself motivated to start a preparedness group of like-minded people, then my advice to you is this: Start with yourself.....Step back and take a long hard look at yourself as objectively as possible. Ask yourself a few "hard" questions such as - What skill (or skills) do I possess that I could contribute to a group? How much of my time am I willing to spend in service to others? What are my strengths and weakness that surface during times of extreme stress, and what am I doing about the weaknesses? What kind of people do I enjoy associating with? Am I mature enough to tolerate a close association with others different from myself in religious beliefs, culture, ethnic origin, or other significant differences in order to achieve a common goal? If I am a "Lone Wolf" type; am I wise enough to understand that survival may depend upon functioning as a "Team" member, and although I would rather not, can I do that effectively for an extended period of time under extremely adverse conditions?

Many people just don't realize how difficult it is to put together an effective "group" that will stay motivated, and stick together. The key is to get a proper "mix" of people who have something to contribute to the mutual benefit of the group as a whole. It goes back to the old "bartering of skills" as the common "cement" that encourages a group to stick together. If a group finds it beneficial to interact during "normal" times, it stands to reason that the same people will stick together and turn to each other for support during times of an emergency. Also interacting meaningfully during "normal" times gives group members (and the leader) valuable insight into the personalities, strengths, weaknesses, and character of the group members...

I cannot emphasize this strongly enough! People in general will behave differently during an emergency situation than they do in a day-to day mode. Crisis brings out the best and the worst in us - and during a crisis, is not the time to find out that a person who you believed was the rock-steady "salt- of-the-earth" type is really a complete "flake" under pressure!

As to where you can find other like-minded people to form a group? You are sitting at the best possible "tool" that you could have! The computer.... There are many web pages having to do with "survival". Unfortunately, a lot of these pages are heavily populated by "militia", and dangerous extremist types. They are however, a valuable means of making contact, and "sifting" out the types to find the type of person (s) that you are looking for...Post notices on the various appropriate computer bulletin boards. Be very firm and "no-nonsense" about the type of personnel that you are looking for. Clearly state your beliefs, and standards, and make it clear that you will not dialog with people who are not like minded! Have a "prepared" statement of what you are looking for in detail that you can E-mail to prospective group members. Approach your recruiting exactly as if you were "hiring" people to form a new company. Structure your team ahead of time. Develop a "job description" for each "billet" or position. Then "advertise" to fill those positions. Conduct your interviews critically, and remain very business-like during the process. Remember, you are not looking for "friends"! You are looking for specific people who have specific skills, and are willing to share them in return for support and services that they may require, and have the common sense to realize that in the coming times, no one is going to make it alone!

Do not succumb to "cop-outs" such as "I am willing to learn these skills", and "I don't have anything to offer along those lines, but I have lots of guns!" These are not the kind of people you are looking for! You are not putting together a "training camp", and beware of the individual who has no specific skills, and who just owns weapons and ammo! This is a potential "Marauder"....the exact type that you and your group may have to defend against!

Do a thorough screening before you agree to meet Face to Face! Do not get "set-up" by an agent provocateur, who will try to discuss all sorts of illegal activity, and try to get you to agree, or discuss in depth.....This can be called "conspiracy to commit............." In this day and age, there are a lot of them out there. Stay above-board and strictly legal in all of your activities! Document everything, and do not even think about taking in an " unknown" or someone who is vague about their qualifications, or obviously brings nothing to the "table" Separating the really good people from the flakes, freeloaders and worse is a tough job. After you have one or two group members, utilize their insight to assist you in "interviewing" other prospective members. Acceptance of additional group members should involve the desires and opinions of the group. Make the group members responsible for bringing in other qualified candidates to expand the group. I.E., Learn how to "delegate"!

Now let's take a hard look at another aspect that can "sink" a group faster than a torpedo below the waterline!! WIVES/HUSBANDS AND "SIGNIFICANT OTHERS" of perspective members!!! Let me tell you....If a perspective member does not have the support from his/her mate...the chances of success are absolutely NIL! Now, suppose that the member's Spouse, "friend", "live-in" either grudgingly "consents" or even actively supports active membership in the group..Is that person capable and/or willing to "get along" with the other "dependents", and other members of the group? This is perhaps one of the biggest problems that any group member will face! There is only one bigger, and that will be discussed next! If the "mates" of members cannot get along, or even actively cause "hate and discontent", sew rumors, and in general, "stir the pot"....that is one person that the group can do without!!! No matter how vast the members skills!

Now, the biggest potential problem of all...Children!! The chances are better than 50/50 that many or most of the group will have children ranging from newborn to adolescent!! This will not normally cause a problem as long as the "system" is in place, the kids are in school, and the various members of the group only meet "socially" at outings, picnics, barbecues, etc. But when the group suddenly has to "form up" for a "Bug-Out", or mass evacuation, NOW we have the problem...Kids mean constant attention...Mothers et.al. will be taxed to the max riding herd over sick kids, hyper kids, scared kids, undisciplined kids, spoiled kids, bawling kids, etc. Kids also mean a huge amount of "extra" gear that must be taken along! Books, toys, clothing, diapers, formula, special foods, crayons, coloring books, school books, medicine, the list is endless! Also, consider what happens once the Evacuation is successfully accomplished, and your group reaches the "retreat" or Base Camp. Even if the "situation" requires only a relocation of a few days, or a few weeks...The education must continue for the school-age children. This means planning for home-schooling materials, and competent people to conduct the classes.

So as you see, there are a number of "questions" which must be answered in conjunction with "forming" a survival group, and a great number of "challenges" to overcome!

Now lets take a look at the composition of the "survival" group...Ideally, each "segment" of a preparedness group should consist of approximately twelve people. These twelve people should be "subject matter specialists, and have the skills necessary to facilitate reestablishing of a new "community life" once you have "relocated" to a safe area, and also have the skills, and will to function as a defensive Team in order to provide mutual protection and security for the group as a whole. The group must have a Leader, and a "Deputy" Leader. This position calls essentially for a "Manager" type. A person with strong organizational skills, and natural leadership abilities... The leaders should also be strong planners, and have the capability of collecting and sorting through large amounts of information, and evaluating that information for planning purposes. The bitter pill is that person may not be you! Remember rule #1 "Always to thine oneself be true"! If you lack the experience, and skills to lead and manage, then you must not "Bull" yourself into that position, and assure failure! The "Deputy" should have the same skills and qualities as the Leader, but perhaps be younger, and/or a bit less experienced than the leader. Among the 'leader'/manager" types, the "pecking-order" usually sorts itself out naturally. Now for the body of the group. All "positions" are staffed in "pairs". Each team should have two persons, who are well versed in communications/electronics. These can be Ham radio operators, or other individuals who make their living in the communications field. The Comm Specialists must be able to repair and maintain communications equipment as well as operate it, and, as with all members of the group, they must be capable of training others.

The second members of the team should be the Medical Specialists. These personnel may be Paramedics, Physicians Assistants, Nurse Practitioners, or medical students.. you may even luck out and recruit a Doctor. Again, one of the medical personnel may be slightly "junior" to the lead medic.

The third "pair" of members should be persons who are skilled and highly qualified in as many aspects of the construction field as possible. These are your teams "builders" and "installers." Try for people who have a "mix" of skills such as carpenter/electrician/plumber/general contracting.

The forth "pair" of members are the Mechanical team members. Ideally, these personnel should be fully qualified and highly experienced Automobile Mechanics, capable of repairing and maintaining vehicles and up to heavy equipment. They should also be skilled in operating the equipment as well as maintaining it. The need for such skilled personnel should be immediately obvious. Mechanics are problem solvers. They have analytical minds, and enjoy figuring out how to "rig" things. They are invaluable to the group, and they interface well with the construction specialists.

The fifth "pair" are the team Weapons Specialists. These individuals should be skilled and formally trained gunsmiths if possible, or persons with strong weapons skills from the military. The ability to build, repair and improvise is essential. These personnel should also be experienced in setting up and operating hand-loading equipment, and in instructing in marksmanship, and basic combat skills. They also function as the groups security personnel in maintaining order and discipline within the group, and in that capacity, they report directly to the group Leader.

Now!....You say that you would like to form a "Survival/Preparedness Group". Well I hope that I have provided at least some basic information that can assist you in your noble effort. There is much more that I could address, but for now this should be enough "food for thought" to last you awhile!

Please respond with comments and begin dialog.....Thanks again
Mike

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TEAM stands for Together Everyone Achieves More
The TEAM Leaders function is to tell you of other individuals in your geographic area, who are preparing and who would like to form a preparedness group or start a survival community.
Your contact for the Nevada TEAM Leader is:

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In Pahrump, Nevada a Y2K group that meets each and every sunday at 2 pm at the main fire station, in intitled the Y2K Forum. The Y2K Forum have been meeting since Nov 1998 and is even larger than the one in Las Vegas (our community population about 30,000). Besides being the moderator of the Y2K Forum, I also chair the Pahrump Valley Emergency Service Advisory Board for the town. We have been working on contingency plans for the Pahrump Valley since January 1999.

The Y2K Forum group is composed of about 60 people, members of the community that keep in touch, help each other prepare and share information on preparing.
Thank you,
Gary J. Toll

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The Builders

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Do you know of another survival community? If so, please tell us at:

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