Prepare for tomorrow

Magnitude of Disasters

2011-05-30T22:00:00.001-04:00

Area affected by Event

Individual: Affects you/family and possibility your personal property.

Local: Affects your property and/or local community up to a county.

Small Region: Affects several counties to a complete state.

Large Region: Affects several states.

National: An effect on a nation.

Global: An effect on the whole planet.

All Disasters are local.

A 12 week Urban Survival Course.

2010-05-27T11:30:00.005-04:00

   I got a book a couple of weeks ago. This book is different from other survival books I have. It is a full fledged 12 week Urban Survival Course that will take you through the process of getting prepared. At first I was like “yeah …ok”, but after skimming through it I noticed a lot of effort was put into this book when it was written. It was originally written as a 12 week course, with over 2,000 students gone through the course before the printing of the book. The book is “Urban Survival Guide” by David Morris.

   Over the next 12 plus weeks I will be going through the book as in a course and blogging my experience. Sometimes it is best to go back to the basics. This way you may find something you may have missed or need to work on more. As far as I can tell you can use the book or go through his online SurviveInPlace Course. I really don’t know what the difference is. The book covers the same thing as the online course does. He does mention of some fun additional surprises that won’t be disclose to non-students.

SurviveInPlace.com/UrbanSurvivalGuide.com Course Outline
From: http://secretsofurbansurvival.com/course-outline-sylabus/
Lesson 1. Overview

Why Urban areas are a horrible place to be in a disaster.
Why staying in an Urban Area may be your best option.
Operational Security—How to avoid being a target for thieves now and looters later (part 1).
First Steps To Get Your Family On Board.

Lesson 2. The Will to Survive

Why your survival depends more on your mindset than your skill set.
How to train your mind to become your most valuable survival tool.
What’s worth surviving for?.
Communications after disasters (part 1).
How cell phones could stop you from making contact with relatives during an emergency.
Prioritized Buying List & A process to keep you from ending up with a garage full of survival stuff you can’t use
Your first exercise.

Lesson 3. Current Potential Threats

How to know the parts of your city that pose a threat to you and your loved ones and still sleep at night.
What areas will civil breakdowns effect most?
Identifying choke points.
Assessing your survival strengths and weaknesses.
Basic supplies inventory.

Lesson 4. The 72-Hour Kit

The 6 criteria that every 72 hour kit should meet.
A systematic approach to stocking your car, home, and office kits.
Hiding your 72 hour kits.

Lesson 5. Flu and Pandemics

History of influenza pandemics.
Tamiflu & Relenza.
Simple tips to avoid cytokine storms and organ liquefaction.
Cheap/free techniques to reduce your chances of getting the flu (Missing just one of these “obvious secrets” will increase your chances of getting the flu by 89 percent!).
Proven flu-fighting items to keep on hand if you get the flu and going to the doctor is not an option.

Lesson 6. Chemical and Biological Attacks and Ghetto Medicines

Brief overview of the terrorist threat.
History of chemical & biological attacks.
Recent chemical/biological attacks.
Your response to airborne incidents.
Your response to communicable pandemics.
Creating your safe room.

Lesson 7. Building Your Own Team AKA – Mutual Aid

How to build a team of likeminded people without compromising operational security.
Operational Security (Part II) – Don’t share too much information.
7 point plan to vet people for your team.
9 places to find people for your team.
Tips for keeping your team together.

“Gut Check”

Self evaluate your progress to this point.

Lesson 8. Hardening Your House

Secrets to quickly and cheaply “harden” your home and protect it from forcible entry and armed attack without advertising yourself as a target.
FBI crime stats.
The illusion of security.
Using power tools without electricity.
Bullet penetration in various materials.

Lesson 9. Economics of Survival

Economic troubles on the horizon (doubling the money supply plus lower GDP = tough times ahead).
Very simple food storage solutions that everyone in your family will buy into.
What to do about your financial obligations after a disaster.
Getting your family on board.
Operational Security (Part III) and food caches.
Using the water in your water heater without scalding yourself, drinking raw sewage, or having to drink brown water.
Getting your Church prepared.
Dealing with neighbors after a disaster.

Lesson 10. Alternative Means of Communication

Texting, email, draft messages, and other alternative means of communication.
War Driving.
Two way radio communications.
Graffiti & hobo chalk codes?
The math behind batteries, solar chargers, and hand crank chargers.
Why car batteries are horrible for survival situations.

Lesson 11. Lessons Learned From Katrina

Timing is everything.
Hungry/Thirsty people won’t die if you don’t give them your supplies.
Misinformation kills. (The media is not there to protect you).
Centralized solutions fail.
Never trust a bureaucratic proposal in a disaster situation.
You’re on your own. Accept it and deal with it.
Why shelters may be your worst solution (NEVER become a refugee!).
Some who have taken an oath to defend the Constitution are really a threat to it.
Thank God for Bubbas and Rednecks.
Withdrawal sucks…here’s how to profit from it.Protect your first responders and their families.

Lesson 12. Psychology for Survival Situations

Burning ants with a magnifying glass.
Why you’re better off teaming up with a drunk than someone who hasn’t slept in two days”.
Insider powerful napping secrets that can increase your effectiveness by over 82% in 3 days.
How to inoculate your mind to stress so you will react with speed and purpose when others are paralyzed by fear.
Simple tricks to turn poisonous worry into productive action.

Lesson 13. Urban Movement After A Disaster

Protect your body so your body can protect you.
Where to find free local maps after a disaster.
Scouting out gangs and community groups.
Concentric circles of security.
Be boring… it might keep you from getting shot.
When to carry a padlock and a livestock marker.
Surveillance detection and avoidance.
Field expedient disguises.
Barter items.
Don’t look like the weak gazelle.
Money counting lessons from a blind man.
Group formations to avoid mugging.
Reuniting your family after a disaster.
“Smelling” danger in advance to gain a head start.
How to keep yourself “invisible” in plain sight.

Conclusion

Gain the peace of mind that comes from knowing you and your family are prepared.

Well, I’m going to try to get started on this course in the next week or so. I have a few things that need to be done before I start on this course.

Here is some links for more info:
Urban Survival Guide
SecretsOfUrbanSurvival.com

Helping Your Children Prepare for Disasters

2010-04-04T13:03:00.000-04:00

Helping Your Children Prepare for Disasters

E/PAK

2010-01-17T09:39:00.002-05:00

Emergency / Preparedness Action Kit was what James Talmage Stevens (author of “ Making the Best of Basics”) nicknamed his 72-hour+ kit. I like that nickname, I have one in my truck and several in my home. Why don’t I call it a bug out bag? or bug in bag? or emergency get home pack? The main reason I like this nickname is because it best describes what it is. When people talk about bug out bags (BOB), the first thing people think is that it is for bugging out. Ninety five percent of the emergencies you will encounter will not cause you to leave your home. I have had to bug out about three times in my live. Two was because of forest fires and the other because of a train derail that caused a chemical spill. E/PAK’s allow you to have emergency supplies for 72 hours+ at your fingertips. They may be used to get home or to bug out if need be. Vehicle/Personal E/PAK’s are different then Home E/PAK’s.
Vehicle/Personal E/PAK’s are usually smaller than home ones. They are usually a small daypack that can be carried easily. Vehicle/Personal E/PAK’s are mainly used to get to a place of safety or if a disaster strikes and you need to get back home. What is contained in them and the amount of supplies may differ from person to person. I work 36 miles away from home, I have to calculate how long it would take to hike back to my home and supply my pack for that amount of time. Important is that you rotate any dated items such as food and medical. Also, depends on where you live, the heat may cause you to rotate food items on a more frequent schedule. I’m currently testing out a new system called gearpods for my Vehicle/Personal E/PAK. I can attach it to a fanny pack that has ration bars and water.

Home E/PAK’s will be bigger backpacks that can be carried or rolled with a suit case dolly. You can have one main Home E/PAK or have several for each individual in the home. They will carry extra changes of clothes, food and gear. I have enough food in mine for four days and along with my Vehicle/Personal E/PAK I now have seven days of food. And have been in several hurricanes…seven days is most likely the amount you want not the three days they recommend on several websites.
One rule on all your E/PAK’s is to keep them updated. Make sure you have copies of identification and proof of where you live, meds that may be needed, contacts and up to date emergency plans with locations to meet at. Rotate your food in the packs on a regular basis. Also twice a year to take the items out and check them for damage.
If you have pets. Make sure that they have their own E/PAK. They make packs for animals or you can attach them to their carriers.

Backyard Survival?

2009-12-29T09:29:00.002-05:00

What is backyard survival? Backyard survival is a way to learn and to test out your gear. Basically it is learning how to use your gear and to learn new survival skills in your backyard. There is several reasons it is better to learn things in your backyard then in the wilderness or remote bug out location. If you use your backyard as a learning center you can be able to test things in all types of weather with out having to travel lots of miles. If something goes wrong and you need to call 911 it is a lot better response time then in a remote area. Plus if you are testing things in an extreme weather you have a quick safe shelter to get warm or cool and dry.
I do a lot of testing my gear out in my backyard and it really helps me learn the capabilities of my gear as well on just learning to use it. This is also a good way to teach young children about camping. They are less likely to get scared on their first camping trip. A great way to practice your skills like fire starting with different methods. Also starting a fire in different weather conditions. The other night I tested out two alcohol stoves in 26 mph winds. At night I tested out several flashlights and a head lamp. I have also tested out different survival blankets in 30F to see how they worked.
So the next time you are bored with nothing to do while it is raining outside… get on that rain gear that you never took out of the bag. Put it on and find some other gear you may want to test and head outside. But not if there is a lot of lightning… you still need to be safe. Try that wetfire tinder out or after the rain try making a fire with some of the wet wood from the wood pile. Most of all learn and have fun!

Interview - When All Hell Breaks Loose

2009-12-26T14:09:00.001-05:00

Interview with Cody Lundin author of "When All Hell Breaks Loose: Stuff You Need to Survive When Disaster Strikes" on YouTube.

posted by: talkingsticktv

Revised: Preparedness books to get you started.

2009-12-12T17:40:00.005-05:00

Prepare for tomorrow: Preparedness books to get you started.
As I learn more about prepping, I take the best of the information and leave the rest. On a previous blog “preparedness books to get you started” I recommended three books… the first book was “shoestring survivalism”, the second book “making the best of basics”, and the third book “camping and wilderness survival”. I have read a new book “when all hell breaks loose” by Cody Lundin. This book I recommend to replace my second selection “making the best of basics”. This book has more practical information that needs to be learned. I'm keeping my list of books to get started to three. The reason for this is so that you will get the most knowledge without spending a lot of money. As I read more books I may revise this list again.

How do you start to get prepared?

2009-12-06T08:42:00.004-05:00

Part 2
I use a couple of software programs to help me while I inventoried my home. These programs are setup to help people prepping. Also, these programs will help me stay organized and help me with rotation of items with expiration dates.
My ICE Plan is a home inventory software – Family and Disaster Planning. It features:
(from: http://www.myiceplan.com/index.html)

Create two plans - Plan A & Plan B (print medical cards, keep images and movies of docs, much more! )
Create a main and alternate emergency plan for pets and other livestock.
Create emergency kit(s) & maintain its contents.

My ICE Plan will tell you when kit items need replacing.
My ICE Plan also contains links to many disaster agencies in the U.S. and Canada. Add to the list with your own data.
Create a "call list" of important contacts including photos of contact!
Import your Outlook/Outlook Express contacts.
Print All Option...one button prints every thing is the system!

Use a home inventory to help you pack and track items
Easily move items in the database from location to location.
Get a better price from moving companies because you have a good record of what needs to be moved.
Get a more precise coverage for insurance.

Food Storage Planner is a food storage and menu planning software. It features:
(from: http://www.foodstorageplanner.com/fsp.html)

Calculates exactly what you need for your family's food and equipment storage. Fully customizable for specific individual needs, gender, and age, such as diapers, allergies, toiletries, etc.
Plan for any time period. Start with 1 week, then 2 months, 6 months, and so forth.
More than 250 recipes to cook with your storage. Add your own.
Link recipe ingredients to items in your pantry so you know what you can fix for dinner based upon your storage.
Pantry List. This report tracks your inventory of what you have and how much is left to buy.
Rotation. Enter purchases as you go along and this report tracks expiration dates to keep your storage rotated and fresh.
Export, Import, do intelligent searches, and print custom reports.
Label Printer. Print labels to place on your stored goods for rotation.

Overall these two programs are already setup and are inexpensive.
If you want to go the free route you could use OpenOffice Suite. OpenOffice Suite is for word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, graphics, and databases. It can be downloaded and used completely free of charge for any purpose. However, it will take you more time to make and create the features of the two programs I mentioned above.

The Emergency Email & Wireless Network

2009-11-30T20:51:00.001-05:00

Their mission:

"Provide notification to citizens of local, regional, national and international emergencies utilizing the Internet and electronic mail (email) in a secure and expedient manner"

http://www.emergencyemail.org

Awesome website, I have been using their site for over a year now. I get weather alerts sent to my cell phone and email.

How do you start to get prepared?

2009-11-30T18:54:00.001-05:00

PART 1

I have heard that question so much. The first thing you need to do is one that nearly no one does and is the most important to prepping ... is to take inventory of what you have in your home. Inventory will tell what you have, how much you have and will tell you what you don't need to buy. Then you organize it.
By doing an inventory first, you can record all serial numbers, take pictures of items and create a data base for your home. This data base will help when you put a claim into the insurance company if you lose items in a disaster that destroys your home. You keep copies at different locations. Inventory will tell you how much food you have on hand and what is out of date. You may find out that you already have a week or two food supply already. It will tell you what you eat and don't eat. Also an inventory will allow you to see what items in the house you don't use. Take the item that you don't use and have a garage sale. Money from the garage sale put into an account for preps to be used on items you may need. When you get rid of the items you don't need, you create more storage space. When you inventory you will need to organize at the same time. Organized home will make life easier and when a disaster does hit, you know where things are.
Do one room at a time. Try not to inventory everything in one day or weekend. Use this time to clean and make your home safer. Think about the items you have and ask the questions "How can I use this in a survival situation?", "Have I used this in the last year?", "How important is this to me?" or "Can I do without this?". It may take you a couple weeks or a month or more to inventory and organize. But do it first as your preps and it will save you lots of money and time in the future.

Todays Survival Show

2009-11-28T16:18:00.000-05:00

A new podcast on survival and prepping started back in July of 2009. Today’s Survival Show is founded by Bob Mayne and Randy Croft. They have over forty episodes now and continue to post one or two podcasts a week. Get a chance and listen to some of the episodes.

Here is some of the categories he has covered so far:

Todays Survival

Preparedness books to get you started.

2009-11-28T14:13:00.001-05:00

You just found out about prepping, you may have heard someone talking of storing food, or just worried about losing your job and how to prepare for it if it does happen. Well where do you get started? Lots of websites out there, but get ready for information overload. Tons of books out there... but where do you start? Here is three books I recommend that can get you started without spending a lot of money. You don't need to go broke buying ton of equipment and food. Most likely you have a lot of thing in your home already.

The first book I highly recommend, "Shoestring Survivalist: How to Prepare for Bad Times on a Budget" by Andy James. This book is just awesome and I wish I had this book years ago. Bob Mayne on Today’s Survival Show started covering the book on around episode 33.

The second book I highly recommend, "Making the Best of Basics: Family Preparedness Handbook", 11th edition by James Talmage Stevens. This book is a workbook to help you get started prepping. Mainly with your food preps.Has lots of links to prepping sites as well as government sites.

The third book I recommend is "Camping & Wilderness Survival", 2nd edition by Paul Tawrell. This book is more for the outdoors but has so much info for the prep per to use. If you are unable to sleep in your house after a disaster, guess what your camping. This book teaches you a lot of primitive ways of starting a fire, cooking, basic survival, and lots of info that you can use.

So check these books out at your library or purchase them for you own personal library. You be getting a lot of information to get you started on prepping.

Starting to use my blog.

2009-11-28T12:54:00.000-05:00

Well I decided to use my blog for learning about prepping. I actually have prepped for personal local disasters most on my life. Just in the last couple of years I decided to go further into prepping. So I hope to use this blog as a learning tool and to help others at the same time.