From Jonathan C: How do we get the water out of the hot water heaters when water becomes scarce?

Answer: Water heaters can be a great source of water during an emergency. The first thing you would want to do is turn off power to the heater. Typically, water heaters are either electric or gas but either way you want to make sure they are turned off. There should be a switch to turn off the power or you can turn off the circuit breaker. Next, if you are worried about a tainted water supply you want to turn off the valve that lets new water into the tank. This valve should be at the top of the tank near the pipe that brings in new water. Finally, at the bottom of the tank you should see a drain and valve. Some of these drains have garden hose connections so you can hook a hose up and drain the water into another container. Even though water from a water heater SHOULD be safe to drink, I would still recommend using a water filter to clean the water before drinking (I use the SurvFilter.)

From Charlie C: The Renaissance wax is a great product that protects and produces a nice non-slick surface to your wood stocks. It is used on fine wood furniture including pianos. I am very pleased and a little goes a long ways.

Answer: Thanks for the information. I’ve never used this wax but it’s important to keep the wood parts of your firearm in good shape.

From Gary M: Thank you for your incredibly informative emails. Recently I started studying your, “Spy Escape & Evasion Training”. On Module 3 (Everyday Carry Gear) you recommend always carrying a quality pocketknife. My question is… which brand do you recommend?

Answer: When it comes to folding knives one of my favorite brands is Benchmade. They produce quality knives that will hold up but there’s no doubt you pay for what you get. Another quality knife maker is Spyderco.

From Michael M: I used my tactical pen this afternoon to bust out the passenger side window of a woman’s car who had passed out at the wheel due to a medical condition. I struck her window with my tactical pen just as Jason had instructed in his videos, and it got us in quick! We were able to get her out of the car and keep her as stable as possible until the paramedics arrived. Every second counts. Thank you.

Answer: Nice job Michael, you definitely saved the day. I’m going to send you another tactical pen so that you have a backup since the tactical pen has so many uses.

From Art F: I think it does matter if they outlaw bump stocks. It is an accessory. So are mags. They outlaw them because of the high rate of fire, and then 30 round mags are outlawed because they allow a higher rate of fire. It is a slippery slope, and I hope we do not start down it. They have infringed on the second enough. We need to take some of those infringements back. While I agree with you I do not need or want a bump fire stock, and I probably do not want an auto either, but I think we need to take the restrictions of the autos.

Answer: I completely agree with you that it’s a slippery slope, and besides the background check, I think there should be zero restrictions on the types of guns we can own.

From Albert T: I say, “Yes” because they severely reduce your accuracy of fire and, therefore, not useful for hunters nor the many recreational shooters. Frankly, I never even heard of this option until the shootings in Las Vegas. Why would you even think you needed this option?

Answer: I agree with you. There’s really no reason you would need a bump stock. They make you less accurate and serve no real purpose for the average law abiding gun owner.

From Adam J: What do you suggest for people regarding a Bug Out Vehicle? I’m thinking an older 4 x 4 pickup without an electronic ignition or alternator. Carry an extra set of points and condenser, fan belt and replace the alternator with a generator. This vehicle will still run if an EMP is part of the package we get hit with. Is that right?
Adam J.

Answer: The older the vehicle the better the chance it will survive an EMP attack. I would personally look into an older half-ton or bigger pickup or SUV. When it comes to surviving an EMP there is no guarantee that a specific year or model of vehicle would survive but the less electronic components the vehicle has the better the chances it won’t be affected. (One bug out truck I currently own is a 1984 Chevy Suburban and I love it.)

From Dennis Y: I read with interest your morning message today about the utilities installing the so-called smart readers. Here in Calgary, AB, our city-run utility made it mandatory to install these water meters in every home in the city. This past summer, the concerns you mentioned actually happened and some homeowners were faced with exorbitant water bills, even when their water consumption did not change or actually decreased.

Answer: I’ve heard stories of this happening in cities in the U.S. as well. Unfortunately, I believe that many utility companies are rushing to install so-called “smart readers” even though the technology may not be completely accurate.

From Taylor L: What do you think of a laser as a self-defense weapon?

Answer: The thing about using a laser for self-defense is that you would obviously need to point the laser at your attacker’s eyes to distract them. Now, I’m all for using any weapon possible in a life or death situation, however if you are dealing with an attacker running towards you and moving then it would be difficult to hit them in the eyes with a laser. I would rather have a gun, knife, or tactical pen for self-defense.