Get Involved

from Get Me Ready! by Marni

Originally posted on The ReadyStore Blog

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Get Involved

I often ask parents what their child’s school emergency plan is and I am shocked that most parents don’t know if the school has one, never mind what the safety plan actually is. The same goes for the workplace. Do you have a safety plan at your place of employment? If your school or work doesn’t have a plan, volunteer to help set one up.

Does your city have an emergency plan based in scenarios most likely to occur in your area? If not, go to a city council meeting and bring it to the attention of the mayor and city council. Coordinate with the police and fire chiefs to help your city develop a realistic plan to help all its citizens. You will need to take into account the various businesses such as nursing homes and preschools to make sure that everyone is accounted for and assisted to the level they need.

Talk to your neighbors about their plans and what assistance they may need. Partner with a friend so that if you aren’t home when a situation occurs that she will care for your children and commit to do the same for her children. You can lessen the impact the disasters will have on you by taking the tine to get involved in planning for the inevitable.

Original: http://getmeready.blogspot.com/2009/01/get-involved.html

Preparing Children

from Get Me Ready! by Marni

Originally posted on The ReadyStore Blog

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Preparing Children

We don’t want to think that bad things will happen and the thought of our children being scared or hurt is a painful thought to parents. But you can prepare your children by discussing possible scenarios and how they should respond. Our children mirror our own emotions. If we are upset and panicked, our children will be too. If we are calm and thoughtful, our children will act the same way.

Do regular drills. We try to do fire drills at least twice a year as well as earthquake drills since we live in earthquake country. We remind our children never to return to a building that is on fire as well as our family emergency plan.

Play the “what if” game. Ask your kids, “What if there was an emergency and you were stuck at school? What would you do?” Or, “What if you came home from school and mom wasn’t there and the house was locked? What would you do?” Talk about family rules and who they can go to if they are in trouble.

By talking to our children and giving them information, we give them the power to make smart choices in whatever situation they may face.

Original: http://getmeready.blogspot.com/2009/01/preparing-children.html

10 Scenarios For Which You Should Be Prepared

from Utah Preppers by Connor

photo credit: rodrick.reidsma

Preparedness. There is perhaps no other word that conveys so much, yet so little. What does it mean? To what areas of life does it apply (or not apply)? Being adequately and generally prepared of a necessity requires that we ask ourselves all sorts of questions, plan for various scenarios, and abstract our preparations enough such that they can apply to various circumstances, if possible.

For example, having a lot of food stored will help you if there’s an earthquake, fire, flood, unemployment, famine, etc. So, this preparedness item is quite versatile in its applicability and usefulness. Other, more specific items, such as a portable toilet or potassium iodide tablets, fill a much smaller niche and can’t be used for too many situations other than the ones they’re intended for.

Yet, they’re all important. Preparedness in this context means acquiring the knowledge, skills, and physical possessions that would enable you to comfortably survive whatever may come our way. In most cases, external circumstances outside of your control dictate what you must go through, and thus you cannot reliably foresee what will happen. So, preparing for the unknown can be daunting, but it is by no means impossible.

The following list of ten items illustrate various scenarios and circumstances for which we should all be prepared. As you read this list, do not become alarmed, frustrated, or fearful. The information shared below is not intended to elicit any of these emotions. Rather, you should explore the various scenarios with an open mind willing to make whatever changes necessary to become prepared for that potential event. Take them one at a time, consider what you need to do in your own life to be better prepared in that area, and make an action plan. Do not let this list, or your own preparedness plan, overwhelm you to the point of inaction!

I fear that too many people would rather die before “anything really bad happens”. While I understand why some people might feel this way, I strongly disagree. Crises provide opportunities for service, leadership, inspiration, and love. You may never be more needed in your life than at a time when others around you look to you for assistance. In such experiences, you can fill a critical need and be a great help to those who need you. I fully intend to survive whatever the future holds, and so should you.

With that, I present the following list of possible scenarios for which we should all be prepared. They are listed in no specific order, and are by no means comprehensive.

1. Pandemic. The world recently narrowly averted a potentially massive pandemic outbreak, and yet few are even aware. The media isn’t reporting it, but that’s little surprise. The LDS Church has placed emphasis on preparing for this scenario with some instructional materials. The question you need to ask is this: if a pandemic broke out in America today, am I prepared to self-quarantine in my home for the next three months? Do I have three months’ worth of food, water, waste disposal, medicine, supplies, savings to pay the bills, etc.?
2. Economic Collapse. The headlines are scary to ponder these days, and our situation is in many ways grim. Much is being promoted by the various governments of the world to stave off depression, but the truth is that our economic house of cards is built on a sandy foundation. Whether it’s next week or in five years, there will be severe economic problems felt by every individual in the world. People have already lost their life savings, banks are closing their doors weekly, the value of the dollar is eroding, and the market is fearful of what the government is trying to do. The questions you need to ask are: how much savings can I build up? In my situation would it be wise to pre-pay certain bills? Should I diversify out of the dollar into gold or silver? How would I meet my basic needs and those of my family if an economic collapse occurs?
3. Martial Law. This sounds like something out of the movies or dystopian fiction, but it’s a very real possibility. As the economy worsens, there will be increasing civil unrest. Recently released documents from George Bush’s administration show that it had arrogantly (and un-Constitutionally) granted itself power to use the military inside the country’s borders to subdue and detain American citizens, free from any Constitutional checks or Posse Comitatus’ restraint. The groundwork for martial law has been in the process for some time, and its likelihood in the event of an “emergency” (whether real or contrived) is quite high. Even without using the military, our cities’ police departments have become highly militarized themselves. The question you need to ask is: do I have a personal plan tailored to my unique situation and location for surviving and escaping the heavy hand of martial law? Am I aware of my Constitutional rights, and taking steps to cement and preserve them now?
4. War, Terrorism, and Chaos—Inside Our Borders. Scared of Iraq? According to a military affairs website, Mexico poses a greater threat to our national security than do terrorist factions on the other side of the world. With stories like these, that’s not a surprising statement. And as the chaos creeps closer to our borders; as it festers from within as a result of a tanking economy; as unemployment and entitlement claims rise; as state budgets suffer, hand out IOUs to citizens, and cut spending in sensitive social programs; and in numerous other circumstances that might incite protest and rebellion, the violent actions summarized on nightly news broadcasts may soon become overwhelmingly repetitive. You need to ask yourself: do I have the ability to protect my family from gangs or those who are desperate and violent? Do I have a community of friends and family to survive with (strength in numbers)? What supplies should I acquire and what measures should I take now to create an environment of stability and safety later?
5. Earthquake, Tsunami, Volcano. We live on the Earth at its mercy. At any time, she can erupt, shake, and cause us to feel her presence to our physical detriment. This especially hits close to home for those of us (in Utah and California especially) who live on a prominent earthquake fault, or who live near the ocean, close to a volcano, or in an environment known for other severe natural disasters (hurricanes, fires, floods, etc.). Ask yourself: Do I have an emergency route and an emergency vehicle? Have I established a place of refuge to which I can flee, should it become necessary? Do I have basic survival skills and supplies necessary to survive on foot as I travel away from disaster? Do I have a communications and evacuation plan to reunite with my family in the event of a disaster, should we be apart at the time?
6. Nuclear. At the switch of a button, entire cities can vanish in a nuclear assault. The nations of the world have plenty of these weapons stockpiled, and frayed diplomatic relations and aggressive posturing may one day lead to a nuclear assault of varying proportions. You must ask yourself: do I live in a major city? If a nuclear event occurred within 300 miles of my home, do I have sufficient Potassium Iodide for all those I want to help? Do I have a safe shelter to avoid radiation? Do I know how to shield myself from fallout and how long I need to shelter in place? Have I acquired the knowledge necessary to survive a nuclear blast?
7. Food and Water Shortage. Nations throughout the world are already suffering from severe famine and a decrease in food production. As the economy is factored in and its effects are felt, the number of people suffering for want of food and clean water will increase. You should be asking: do I have at least one year of food and water stored, especially basic staples that can be stored in bulk for a long time? If my current water supply was cut off or contaminated, how would I get water? What items can I store that would be used in a barter situation, or which I could freely give to others that might be in need, yet still be able to provide for my family’s needs?
8. Communication Termination. Our communication network is vast, and yet very fragile. An EMP attack, strategic missile attack, or other similar assault could easily take down parts or our entire communication infrastructure in this country. You should ask yourself: do I have an emergency plan for my family that will allow us to communicate between ourselves and others as necessary? Do I own and know how to use a HAM radio, GMRS walkie talkies, and other communication devices that may allow me to access news, pass along important information, and otherwise be of assistance in the event we are unable to do so through conventional means?
9. Discord and Division. As world events escalate in how they are individually felt, people will look for someone to save them from their problems. Some look to government, others to God, others to themselves, and others to the tempting stash of goodies in their neighbors’ basement. The Bible talks of division amongst families, and Christian people are aware of the prophecies relating to apostasy and the separation of the wheat and tares to happen in a future day. Whether in a religious context or that of families dividing because of politics or personal decisions, ask yourself: am I prepared for drama, shock, and heartache as those I love and care about may turn against previous affiliations and reject who I am and what I stand for? Am I spiritually in tune and able to receive the necessary personal revelation to stay the course, regardless of what others’ decide, and how many may follow that path? Am I firmly planted on the rock of Christ to prevent my being buffeted about by others’ actions, decisions, and invitations?
10. Tent City and Places of Refuge. As a result of foreclosure and economic trouble, tent cities have been popping up in various cities for some time now. Authorities in Sacramento, CA, now estimate that 1,200 people are living in a tent city there, trying to cope with the hand that they’ve been dealt, and get back on their feet. Some believe that future tent cities will be places of refuge from a decaying world where the faithful can gather. But whether you go on an extended camping trip out of necessity or invitation, you should ask: do I have the resources necessary in order to do so? If, for whatever reason, I had to leave the comfort of my home and live in the outdoors for an extended period of time, what would I bring? How would I stay warm? What would I use for shelter?

Now take a deep breath. I, as much as anybody, hope that none of these things ever happen. But looking over history and closely following current events, the sad reality is that the potential for each is surprisingly high.

We must be prepared, and ready to help ourselves, our family, and those around us. Doing so requires mapping out our current plan’s weak points, assessing in what ways our supply of items is deficient, and making an actionable to-do list of things we will work on both in the short and long term.

It’s a lot of work, yes. But as conditions worsen around us, those who have prepared will, like the five wise virgins in Christ’s parable, be ready for the future and able to continue moving ahead in their life. As a young Scout, I learned the motto “Be Prepared”. But in my young teenager mind, I had no idea that those two short words entailed so much! Now that I am responsible for a family of my own, my firm determination is to survive whatever may come our way, and (hopefully) comfortably! I hope you’ll work towards the same goal.

Related posts:

1. Everyone Prepared Convention in Springville What EP (Everyone Prepared) Convention When Saturday, February 7, 2009...
2. Preparing for a Nuclear Attack: Determining YOUR Scenario This is the second in a series of posts that...
3. Why a Depression today would be worse than in the 1930’s A while back, I saw this post on SurvivalBlog www.survivalblog.com....

Original: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/UtahPreppers/~3/d1xnUeSDEC8/

Ice Storm Stories and Preparedness

from Utah Preppers by phil801

As most everyone should be aware, the last week has provided a harrowing survival experience for Kentucky and surrounding states with a major Ice Storm cutting off power to over 1.5 million homes and killing 55 people.

For those of us here in Utah, we’re more likely to see catastrophic events from a major snowstorm than an icestorm (in searching, I cannot find records of an icestorm like this hitting Utah). Our winter storms, especially in heavy snowfall years, can leave many icey problems. While we may not be likely to have an ice storm, there are still many lessons we can learn from those who have just experienced it. Let’s look at some reports from the Mid-South Ice Storm of 2009.

Click here to view the embedded video.

This video is a great photo documentary of the storm and much of the damage it caused.

Experience Reports

From the Indiana Preppers Network we hear:

the shelves (including generators and kerosene) were empty of the basic foods within 6 hours! Hmmm… does this pose a problem for anyone? The stores also quit taking debit/credit cards at this time. Some of the gas stations in the area wanted cash only as well. So, goes downhill rather quickly. BUT, if you are prepared, as I was, then you need not fear these events.

And from SurvivalBlog:

Within a few hours, everything became coated with a half-inch to an inch of ice: roads, cars, trees, power lines - everything. Throughout the night, we heard crashes as our neighbor’s trees lost massive limbs. We knew it was only a matter of time before trees limbs (which are not properly trimmed back by our utility company in an attempt to cut costs) collapsed on power lines and caused widespread outages. In the morning, everything had turned to crystal. About a quarter million people were without power in our county, but almost everyone in the western half of the state had lost power.

… Looking for a generator at the local big box home and garden center? Forget it, quickly sold out. Ice scrapers, gone. Gas cans, gone. Driveway salt, gone. Snow shovels, gone.

… The university asked students to leave, if possible, and those who couldn’t were sheltered in the campus auditorium. They didn’t have any cots so you had to sleep on the floor or in the auditorium chairs. She wanted me to come pick her up, so as I headed out the next morning on a full tank of gas, my plan was to stop at each significant town on the way to check their power and gas pumping status. Each stop was the same as the next - dead. As I neared the half-way point on my gas gauge, not one city on the way had electricity. It’s as if a nuclear ice bomb had been dropped on the state. I turned back.

…Lots of people I know have no alternatives to heat their homes or cook food. Fireplaces, like mine, are electrically controlled gas logs. I can’t even light it manually. I’ve learned a lesson: get what you need before you need it. Get extra. I will be buying a dependable generator once this crisis passes.

And now, from the perspective of a well prepped author on the Kentucky Preppers Network:

The brunt of the storm hit western Kentucky, where my family and myself live at, and luckily my family and I were somewhat prepared. Coincidentally, exactly a week before the storm hit I went out to China-Mart and purchased a $100 worth of prep items. Monday morning (January 26th) I went out and spent another $70 bucks on more preps to add to my Bug In Items in preparation for the storm. I was personally ready to be stuck with no electricity, no water, and no food for up to a month. My parents had just gone to the grocery store the weekend before so we had a pretty good supply of food in the house and we had purchased a 5000 watt generator about a month before. Monday evening we went out and filled all our cars up with gas, and filled our three, five gallon gas tanks up. Our generator is wired to be fed into the house breaker box so we were able to run all the lights, fridge, freezer, television, router, and my laptop. Cell phones were down most of the time, and so were the landlines, so Internet was our main source of communication.

… We did a good job conserving our fuel, ran the generator all day, and let it rest at night. We could stretch five gallons of gas to last a whole day of nearly continuous use. We were able to eat, cook, shower, and enjoy the majority of our usual luxuries. Now I said I personally was pretty prepared, but my family wasn’t as prepared. We only had a couple weeks of groceries, and not any stored water. Monday afternoon before the storm I talked my dad into purchasing a 55 gallon water drum from the local Rural King. We filled it up when water pressure was going out and had plenty of water to cook with and drink. The pressure was in and out but we never lost ours completely, others in the county did, and some still have no water.

… There are a lot of things that we could have had that would’ve made things a lot easier. We owned many flashlights, but didn’t have any batteries stored, so many of them were useless. In this situation having a stored set of batteries is important so you can power the flashlights you own. Having emergency candles is important when needing light in a room. We had a couple 72 hour candles from a few years ago, but more would have been better. Water is another thing that we did not have. I personally have been storing water in the seven gallon Reliance water containers you can get at China-Mart, but my parent’s had none (other than the fifty-five gallon barrel which was last minute). This could mean the difference in life and death in a survival situation. Getting the fifty-five gallon water drum made a huge difference when we needed to get a drink, flush the toilets, and cook a meal. Store water any way you can people; fill up old juice containers, buy the above mentioned containers from China-Mart or get a fifty-five gallon food grade barrel to store water in. Whatever you do, get a supply of stored water. Food is the next important thing. We had a decent supply of food for a couple weeks, but if this thing would’ve lasted any longer, we would’ve had to drive at least an hour to replenish our groceries. If you’re storing food you want to store food that is easily prepared, highly nutritious, and doesn’t need to be refrigerated. Warmth is another important factor. Everyone in the household needs to have a set of thermal underwear, wool socks, gloves, and a toboggan. If we didn’t have the generator to run the heat on, bundling up and staying in one room would’ve been the best thing to do.

… Having storable food, water, a way to cook, heat your home and a light source, will give you a great advantage when caught in a disaster.

And finally, from some not so prepared people in an article on Yahoo:

… among those resting in every corner of a university theater. Some sprawled in aisles, propped in chairs or curled up on the stage. they, like many others, ran out of food and water at their frigid, powerless home. “I had no idea the storm was going to last this long,” McClung said.

… Deputies trekked door-to-door in many communities to let people know where shelters were, forced to spread the word the old-fashioned way because cell phone and Internet service was spotty.

… Those who hunkered down in their homes face long lines to buy generators, firewood, groceries — even bottled water because power outages crippled local pumping stations.

… tried a half-dozen filling stations before finding one where they could buy kerosene. The two were in a line that swelled to 50 or more at the 13th Street Station, which began pumping kerosene after its owner set up a generator.

“We got food, but I’m just worried about staying warm,” said Brittan, who lives in Mayfield, adding she was frustrated by the search for supplies.

“By the time you hear about a place that’s open they’re out when you get there,” she said.

… Emergency officials feared that toll could rise if people stay in their homes without power for too long, because improper use of generators can cause carbon monoxide poisoning.

… “I’m sleeping in a car, which is just fine,” Eason, 74, said. “There’s nothing wrong with a car. Every couple of hours I turn it on, I let it run for 10 minutes and that keeps it pretty warm.”

Lessons Learned/Demonstrated

So we are given the rare (fortunately) opportunity to learn from the actual lessons learned of those who have made it through a local disaster. On the one hand we can learn from a prepper and what they found valuable in their preps - and what they found lacking. We can also learn from those who don’t believe at all in being prepared and rely on the government to take care of them when their TV goes out. Here’s my summary of Lessons Learned:

1. Be Prepared! (hehe) Make sure that you have plenty of food stored. I personally very strongly recommend having at the very least 3 months worth of food stored. One of the main reasons for so much is to be able to help your less prepared neighbors from starving to death.
2. Store plenty of water. Recommendations vary, but the easiest to calculate is store 1 gallon per person per day. Try to get at least 2 weeks worth of water stored, then double it! In order to not waste your drinking supply, it is a good idea to also have several (I have 210) gallon or 2 liter bottles filled with water to flush toilets with. Just in case you don’t know, dumping a gallon or 2 liters of water into a toilet will force it to completely flush. This allows you to avoid unsanitary conditions when the water supply to your house is disrupted.
3. Have a backup power generation system. This can be in the form of a generator, solar, wind or other alternative methods
4. Have a way to produce heat. Whether it be a fireplace (have wood stored!) or propane or kerosene heaters.
5. MAKE SURE that you have fuel stored for your alternative heat and power generation systems. Store enough to keep things going for at least 2 weeks, preferably for a month.
6. Have gasoline stored. It seems that everytime there is an emergency situation in America we hear continuous stories about how there are 15 mile long lines at all the gas stations. Get a clue people! Store plenty of gas, at least enough to get quite a ways out of town.
7. Keep cash at home! I recommend keeping around a thousand dollars in $20 and smaller demoniations at home in a safe. At the very least, keep $300. With a thousand you would likely be able to buy a ride out of town and to safety if you needed to, not so much so with 300. When the power goes out and things get bad, nobody takes credit cards or checks! Cash on hand is an absolute must if you are going to try to buy something. Keep $20 and smaller denominations so that you don’t have to find someone or some way to break something bigger.
8. Keep your home stocked and prepped so you don’t have to go to one of these shelters. I’ve never read happy fun stories about a pack of 300 humans being stuffed into an emergency shelter.
9. To conserve on your fueled heating systems, keep lots of warm clothes and blankets in your house. In a protracted emergency you may need to use your on hand fuel for a very long time.
10. Make sure you have either plenty of batteries or rechargeable batteries and a way to charge them (generator). Flashlights and other battery powered items will likely only last a few days with constant or heavy use.
11. Make sure you have some kind of battery or hand cranked radio in your house. This will probably be your most reliable way of getting news and updates on what is going on.

Those are probably the biggest things - do you have any other ideas or things you noticed should be on the list? Let us know in the comments!

Original: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/UtahPreppers/~3/v2873Bm1020/

Pandemic Prep…Sanitation

I had a slight set back with my finger healing yesterday so this post will be short and sweet.Have you heard that Panasonic has told all their employees in South America, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Russia, and former Soviet states to move their families back home by September 2009? Their reason was concern that families could not be protected and moved quickly enough in the event a pandemic occurs. We are not the only ones thinking a pandemic may be coming.

One of the very most important considerations when planning for a pandemic is sanitation. Once you are self quarantined you want to make sure your family remains healthy and safe. There are a few things to consider.

First cleaning: You will want to guarantee, as much as possible that the surfaces and items in your home remain free of germs. Even a common cold during an outbreak of a pandemic illness can weaken family members and make them more susceptible to other illness. For cleaning surfaces and clothing you will want strong disinfectants. In the past I have advised you to store a few sets of white sheets that can be bleached when laundered. When possible you will want to wash items in hot water, detergent, and bleach. Bleach is also one of the cheapest ways to clean surfaces. Simply add 1/4 C of bleach to a gallon of water.

Trash: You will need a generous supply of plastic trash bags for use during a pandemic. Tissues, paper plates, food containers, food waste, all will need to be disposed of, preferably outdoors. That is the easy part. What happens when there is no trash pick up because trash collectors are self quarantined and caring for their families? When we lived on the family farm several years ago we had a burn barrel. It was a 50 gallon metal barrel in which we burned much of our trash. You see those in old movies when they depict life on “skid row” but we actually used one. Now it would probably be illegal, but during a pandemic who is going to come issue the ticket? How will you dispose of trash? Bottles and cans can be rinsed and placed in plastic bags but what of the rest? As we talk about planting a garden this may be a good time to consider learning to compost, great for the garden and also a great way to “recycle” food scraps during a pandemic. At the very least we will need to think differently about the trash we generate and be prepared to separate trash into several categories for disposal, those we can burn, those we can stockpile until trash service resumes, and those that can be composted.

Do you have more than one large trash can to separate items into? Do you have a way to wash and dry laundry if the electricity is out? Do you have the items needed to compost? Do you have sufficient bleach, laundry detergent and other cleaning supplies for a 3 month self quarantine? Something to think about and them plan for…

http://www.medindia.net/news/Citing-Bird-Flu-Concerns-Panasonic-to-Fly-Home-Employees-Families-47347-1.htm

Original: http://blog.totallyready.com/?p=338

Could You Survive If You Were Homeless?

from Stealth Survival by noreply@blogger.com (riverwalker)

With the increasing the numbers of people who are losing their homes, their jobs and their savings due to a poor economy, becoming homeless is a very real possibility. It is well known that even our current infrastructure can’t provide sufficiently for the large number of homeless people that already exist in our society.

Dragon mentioned in one of his posts the other day about a friend of his who had suddenly found himself homeless and how he had helped them as much as he possibly could. But as Dragon mentioned even he is struggling and could only do so much. This makes a person wonder if becoming homeless is going to be the next real challenge for all of us.

Even in a best case scenario of having a home without a mortgage, would that be enough. There would still be maintenance and upkeep, property taxes, utilities, etc. All of which would require money. Let’s not forget about healthcare! There would probably be no insurance to help pay for needed medications, treatment or a doctor’s care if needed. How far would your first aid kit get you? Food will be a problem also, even if you have a garden and the weather is nice to you which allow you to have a good harvest. Even your savings may not be enough to see you through some really bad times. This is especially true when you consider the fact that many people’s savings have lost more than half their value in a relatively short period of time.

Emergency rooms, food banks, and other service providers are all struggling to meet the current demands on their resources without even considering the potential for even larger and more widespread numbers of homeless people that could be just around the corner. Most support groups are already overwhelmed by these ever increasing demands. Placing even more demands on their services could force them into a guaranteed position where they would fail due to a critical overload.

While being an advocate of group and community survival, I don’t wish to appear biased when considering some of these very real possibilities. Present support groups already have inadequate resources to meet present demands. It will take your ability to form a strong network and support group of family and friends to allow you the best chance for survival.

Frugal lifestyles and working to build a strong support group of family and friends will be the new priority for survival. Prudent choices and a determination to pull together will be essential.

Most of us can survive any threat or danger thrown at us by nature, but even the most frugal lifestyle is far beyond the life that an average homeless person endures. But can we survive being homeless?

There is a new monster on our doorsteps! That monster is homelessness. It is stalking our families, our friends and our neighbors. It is a very real threat to our survival.

Staying above the water line?

Riverwalker

Original:

After the Ice (or Snow)

from Gallimaufree by gallimaufree

Frozen Lavender

Originally uploaded by nodigio

After an ice storm – or a heavy snow storm – there are things we need to consider in order to continue living comfortably and without sudden disasters.

The home first:

Just because things are melting doesn’t mean you have successfully survived the event. Melting snow and ice bring their own problems.

Clogged gutters can cause the melt to seep under your roof tiles and from there into your home, where you may experience anything from a few annoying drips to serious water damage and even electrical short-outs and fires. Make sure your gutters are unclogged.

Snow can be so heavy it can collapse your flat roof surfaces like carports, sheds, barns, or patio covers, so you need to scoop as much off as you can. Just toss it on the ground – away from drives and walks and doors. Be cautious. If you can scoop the snow off without actually climbing on the roof, that’s good. If you must get up there, be careful and have someone with you in case you slip.

Pipes can still freeze, especially at night, so don’t stop your preventive measures too soon.

Downed tree limbs need to be chopped up and piled up to haul away. Have chainsaws already prepped before the storm – blades sharpened, plenty of chain lube oil, gasoline if it’s gas powered or waterproof outdoor extension cords. Have rope to tie smaller branches into easily transportable bundles.

Know the number of your utility company to report downed or damaged lines so they can fix them as soon as possible.

Service and stock up your generator, if you have one.

Now public areas:

Grocery stores may take a week or three to recover and be sufficiently restocked, so be sure you have plenty in your own stocks. The stores have several levels of difficulty in snow and ice storms. First is the stock runs people make as the storm approaches, which clears their shelves. Then they have the days where delivery trucks can’t get through keeping their shelves depleted. Then they have the after days when people are able to get out and shop again and their delivery trucks are still experiencing back-ups, delays, and may still be snowed or iced-in in other parts of the country. Don’t get mad at the stores for having bare shelves. Trust me; they want their shelves filled, too, because they lose money when they have no inventory to sell.

Buses will only travel along plowed snow routes, so you may not have reliable access to public transportation. Very limited routes will be served so if you have to rely only on public transportation, here’s hoping you are self-employed or have an understanding boss.

Check on your neighbors. Help them shovel walks, clear drives, and make sure they have heat and food.

Original: http://gallimaufree.wordpress.com/2009/02/05/after-the-ice-or-snow/

STEP TWO - MAKE AN EMERGENCY PLAN

from Canadian Preppers Network by TEAM HALL

The nuts and bolts of "how to" make an emergency plan is outlined on the Government of Canada preparedness site.

Rather than reinvent one of the many step-by-step plans, I would suggest that you take the time to browse this document. It should take you about 20 minutes.

Okay, you've just made your emergency plan. Well guess what...making a plan and seeing it through to fruition are two different things.

Did you ever wonder why some people die 20 feet from the road, but others survive for weeks on one peanut butter sandwich? To illustrate the point: about a month ago, an 80+ year old Inuit grandfather was lost while caribou hunting. They found his snowmobile stuck but he was miles away at the mouth of the nearest river. He survived over a week on 6 fish and 2 birds. Why did he survive in such an extreme environment? He didn't have the gold-plated emergency pack that you and I would have depended on. Equipment and a plan set the base for any Prepper. But experience and character allow you to be successful.

All survivors have the following mental states in common:

1) They Don't Panic: Just like in the "Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy". When you panic, you get stupid...and stupid people die (How to Survive (Almost) Anything: 14 Survival Skills by Laurence Gonzales). You have a plan... stay calm!

2) They Are Confident: Confidence comes from trust in your plan and familiarity with your equipment. An emergency is not the time to assemble your gas heater in the dark. Testing each step of your plan before the emergency, eliminates self-doubt.

3) They Are Optimistic: This is a belief that things are going to get better tempered with the ability to recognize that right now, things are not all right and extreme steps are required.

4) They Are Able to Assess the Risk: Is it worth walking to the gas station, if it means leaving your dependants alone? Should you let the stranger wearing the hockey mask in to share your food? Someone prepared and with a plan does not have to take chances. Avoid risk.

5) They Help When They Can: Being selfless inspires others, makes you stronger, and gives you purpose in bad situations.

Make your plan, test your plan often and plan to survive!

Original: http://canadianpreppersnetwork.blogspot.com/2009/01/step-two-make-emergency-plan.html

Ice Storm Stories and Preparedness

from Utah Preppers by phil801

As most everyone should be aware, the last week has provided a harrowing survival experience for Kentucky and surrounding states with a major Ice Storm cutting off power to over 1.5 million homes and killing 55 people.

For those of us here in Utah, we’re more likely to see catastrophic events from a major snowstorm than an icestorm (in searching, I cannot find records of an icestorm like this hitting Utah). Our winter storms, especially in heavy snowfall years, can leave many icey problems. While we may not be likely to have an ice storm, there are still many lessons we can learn from those who have just experienced it. Let’s look at some reports from the Mid-South Ice Storm of 2009.

Click here to view the embedded video.

This video is a great photo documentary of the storm and much of the damage it caused.

Experience Reports

From the Indiana Preppers Network we hear:

the shelves (including generators and kerosene) were empty of the basic foods within 6 hours! Hmmm… does this pose a problem for anyone? The stores also quit taking debit/credit cards at this time. Some of the gas stations in the area wanted cash only as well. So, goes downhill rather quickly. BUT, if you are prepared, as I was, then you need not fear these events.

And from SurvivalBlog:

Within a few hours, everything became coated with a half-inch to an inch of ice: roads, cars, trees, power lines - everything. Throughout the night, we heard crashes as our neighbor’s trees lost massive limbs. We knew it was only a matter of time before trees limbs (which are not properly trimmed back by our utility company in an attempt to cut costs) collapsed on power lines and caused widespread outages. In the morning, everything had turned to crystal. About a quarter million people were without power in our county, but almost everyone in the western half of the state had lost power.

… Looking for a generator at the local big box home and garden center? Forget it, quickly sold out. Ice scrapers, gone. Gas cans, gone. Driveway salt, gone. Snow shovels, gone.

… The university asked students to leave, if possible, and those who couldn’t were sheltered in the campus auditorium. They didn’t have any cots so you had to sleep on the floor or in the auditorium chairs. She wanted me to come pick her up, so as I headed out the next morning on a full tank of gas, my plan was to stop at each significant town on the way to check their power and gas pumping status. Each stop was the same as the next - dead. As I neared the half-way point on my gas gauge, not one city on the way had electricity. It’s as if a nuclear ice bomb had been dropped on the state. I turned back.

…Lots of people I know have no alternatives to heat their homes or cook food. Fireplaces, like mine, are electrically controlled gas logs. I can’t even light it manually. I’ve learned a lesson: get what you need before you need it. Get extra. I will be buying a dependable generator once this crisis passes.

And now, from the perspective of a well prepped author on the Kentucky Preppers Network:

The brunt of the storm hit western Kentucky, where my family and myself live at, and luckily my family and I were somewhat prepared. Coincidentally, exactly a week before the storm hit I went out to China-Mart and purchased a $100 worth of prep items. Monday morning (January 26th) I went out and spent another $70 bucks on more preps to add to my Bug In Items in preparation for the storm. I was personally ready to be stuck with no electricity, no water, and no food for up to a month. My parents had just gone to the grocery store the weekend before so we had a pretty good supply of food in the house and we had purchased a 5000 watt generator about a month before. Monday evening we went out and filled all our cars up with gas, and filled our three, five gallon gas tanks up. Our generator is wired to be fed into the house breaker box so we were able to run all the lights, fridge, freezer, television, router, and my laptop. Cell phones were down most of the time, and so were the landlines, so Internet was our main source of communication.

… We did a good job conserving our fuel, ran the generator all day, and let it rest at night. We could stretch five gallons of gas to last a whole day of nearly continuous use. We were able to eat, cook, shower, and enjoy the majority of our usual luxuries. Now I said I personally was pretty prepared, but my family wasn’t as prepared. We only had a couple weeks of groceries, and not any stored water. Monday afternoon before the storm I talked my dad into purchasing a 55 gallon water drum from the local Rural King. We filled it up when water pressure was going out and had plenty of water to cook with and drink. The pressure was in and out but we never lost ours completely, others in the county did, and some still have no water.

… There are a lot of things that we could have had that would’ve made things a lot easier. We owned many flashlights, but didn’t have any batteries stored, so many of them were useless. In this situation having a stored set of batteries is important so you can power the flashlights you own. Having emergency candles is important when needing light in a room. We had a couple 72 hour candles from a few years ago, but more would have been better. Water is another thing that we did not have. I personally have been storing water in the seven gallon Reliance water containers you can get at China-Mart, but my parent’s had none (other than the fifty-five gallon barrel which was last minute). This could mean the difference in life and death in a survival situation. Getting the fifty-five gallon water drum made a huge difference when we needed to get a drink, flush the toilets, and cook a meal. Store water any way you can people; fill up old juice containers, buy the above mentioned containers from China-Mart or get a fifty-five gallon food grade barrel to store water in. Whatever you do, get a supply of stored water. Food is the next important thing. We had a decent supply of food for a couple weeks, but if this thing would’ve lasted any longer, we would’ve had to drive at least an hour to replenish our groceries. If you’re storing food you want to store food that is easily prepared, highly nutritious, and doesn’t need to be refrigerated. Warmth is another important factor. Everyone in the household needs to have a set of thermal underwear, wool socks, gloves, and a toboggan. If we didn’t have the generator to run the heat on, bundling up and staying in one room would’ve been the best thing to do.

… Having storable food, water, a way to cook, heat your home and a light source, will give you a great advantage when caught in a disaster.

And finally, from some not so prepared people in an article on Yahoo:

… among those resting in every corner of a university theater. Some sprawled in aisles, propped in chairs or curled up on the stage. they, like many others, ran out of food and water at their frigid, powerless home. “I had no idea the storm was going to last this long,” McClung said.

… Deputies trekked door-to-door in many communities to let people know where shelters were, forced to spread the word the old-fashioned way because cell phone and Internet service was spotty.

… Those who hunkered down in their homes face long lines to buy generators, firewood, groceries — even bottled water because power outages crippled local pumping stations.

… tried a half-dozen filling stations before finding one where they could buy kerosene. The two were in a line that swelled to 50 or more at the 13th Street Station, which began pumping kerosene after its owner set up a generator.

“We got food, but I’m just worried about staying warm,” said Brittan, who lives in Mayfield, adding she was frustrated by the search for supplies.

“By the time you hear about a place that’s open they’re out when you get there,” she said.

… Emergency officials feared that toll could rise if people stay in their homes without power for too long, because improper use of generators can cause carbon monoxide poisoning.

… “I’m sleeping in a car, which is just fine,” Eason, 74, said. “There’s nothing wrong with a car. Every couple of hours I turn it on, I let it run for 10 minutes and that keeps it pretty warm.”

Lessons Learned/Demonstrated

So we are given the rare (fortunately) opportunity to learn from the actual lessons learned of those who have made it through a local disaster. On the one hand we can learn from a prepper and what they found valuable in their preps - and what they found lacking. We can also learn from those who don’t believe at all in being prepared and rely on the government to take care of them when their TV goes out. Here’s my summary of Lessons Learned:

1. Be Prepared! (hehe) Make sure that you have plenty of food stored. I personally very strongly recommend having at the very least 3 months worth of food stored. One of the main reasons for so much is to be able to help your less prepared neighbors from starving to death.
2. Store plenty of water. Recommendations vary, but the easiest to calculate is store 1 gallon per person per day. Try to get at least 2 weeks worth of water stored, then double it! In order to not waste your drinking supply, it is a good idea to also have several (I have 210) gallon or 2 liter bottles filled with water to flush toilets with. Just in case you don’t know, dumping a gallon or 2 liters of water into a toilet will force it to completely flush. This allows you to avoid unsanitary conditions when the water supply to your house is disrupted.
3. Have a backup power generation system. This can be in the form of a generator, solar, wind or other alternative methods
4. Have a way to produce heat. Whether it be a fireplace (have wood stored!) or propane or kerosene heaters.
5. MAKE SURE that you have fuel stored for your alternative heat and power generation systems. Store enough to keep things going for at least 2 weeks, preferably for a month.
6. Have gasoline stored. It seems that everytime there is an emergency situation in America we hear continuous stories about how there are 15 mile long lines at all the gas stations. Get a clue people! Store plenty of gas, at least enough to get quite a ways out of town.
7. Keep cash at home! I recommend keeping around a thousand dollars in $20 and smaller demoniations at home in a safe. At the very least, keep $300. With a thousand you would likely be able to buy a ride out of town and to safety if you needed to, not so much so with 300. When the power goes out and things get bad, nobody takes credit cards or checks! Cash on hand is an absolute must if you are going to try to buy something. Keep $20 and smaller denominations so that you don’t have to find someone or some way to break something bigger.
8. Keep your home stocked and prepped so you don’t have to go to one of these shelters. I’ve never read happy fun stories about a pack of 300 humans being stuffed into an emergency shelter.
9. To conserve on your fueled heating systems, keep lots of warm clothes and blankets in your house. In a protracted emergency you may need to use your on hand fuel for a very long time.
10. Make sure you have either plenty of batteries or rechargeable batteries and a way to charge them (generator). Flashlights and other battery powered items will likely only last a few days with constant or heavy use.
11. Make sure you have some kind of battery or hand cranked radio in your house. This will probably be your most reliable way of getting news and updates on what is going on.

Those are probably the biggest things - do you have any other ideas or things you noticed should be on the list? Let us know in the comments!

Original: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/UtahPreppers/~3/v2873Bm1020/

First Five

This is a basic tip but one worth considering. I was talking to an emergency manager a few weeks ago and he mentioned the rule of "first 5". What are the first five things you are going to do when you get up in the morning? What are the first five things you will do after an earthquake? What are the first five things you grab during an evacuation? Who are the first five people you call in an emergency? The idea is to put together a quick plan in your head (or on paper) before you act. This also lets you focus on the most important things, get them done, then move onto the next most important things during what could be a very chaotic time.

Original: http://codenameinsight.blogspot.com/2009/02/first-five.html

Civil Unrest during crisis situations

By Joseph Parish

All survival conscious people should provide due thought towards the probability of civil unrest during those times of impending disasters and emergency situations. It goes without saying that when the law is running thin the lower level trash will attempt to take over the masses. This is a situation where cooperation among neighbors and friends become an extremely important asset. This mutual cooperation will provide at least some sort of resilience from the threat of local terrorist activities or natural disaster opportunists which are sure to be lurking nearby.

To begin with one must fully understand civil emergency management procedures which will involve several proven disaster strategies usable towards stimulating the needed cooperation from required friends and neighbors. Normally one can consider the possibility of only two kinds of risks which will be associated with a disaster. These risks are the risk of war and the risk of peace. Although these are the mere basics under today’s way of life we would encounter a much more comprehensive type of approach to the matter of security for our home base when required. Either way cooperation is still the key word.

We all have to learn to stress the value of and be prepared for the unexpected situations which may crop up when we least expect them. Nothing can be worse then ending up being surprised with something that we had not counted on happening at a time when we least need it to occur. When planning properly we should never be surprised about anything. This is the difference between those that survive and those that do not. An adequate means of proving these early warning signs and the actions needed to resolve them are absolutely necessary at all times and under all situations.

We all need to develop a capacity to build up our knowledge about the various potential problems and create a miniature data base in our minds towards combating these efforts. In our circle of friends we need to build a means of blending our efforts together through knowledge as well as information sharing. We are currently entering an era where there are going to be many surprises that awaits us. Remember the Tsunami in 2004, the events of America’s September 11th, our hurricane Katrina disaster as well as the increased activity associated with earthquakes.

It would not hurt any survivalist or group of survivalists to cultivate a civil protection network from among like minded people who are close by. Sharing their abilities towards civil protection, evaluation of the areas risk assessment and emergency preparedness knowledge could well lead to binding friendships when real friends are badly needed.

Copyright @2009 Joseph Parish

Original: http://survival-training.blogspot.com/2009/02/civil-unrest-during-crisis-situations.html

Getting Help When Help Is Needed

from Code Name Insight by Code Name Insight

Some people are still doing fine in this economy, many others, not so well. Now I am not a fan of government help whether it be Welfare, or other handout programs. Once people get into the food stamps, Section 8 housing, AFDC, and other "here let us help make you poorer" government programs, they tend to spiral down instead of up. That being said, there are occasions when you hit rock bottom and need some kind of help. The trick is to know what kind of help is available, take what you need but not more than you need, and work your way out of the desperate situation as quickly as possible. Here's where to find help:

• Your first line of defense against financial disaster is friends and family. It should be difficult to take handouts and help from those closest to you, you don't want to get comfortable with this kind of situation, so make sure that the help you get from others (room, board, money, etc) is repaid in kind. You may not have money but can you wash their car, do yard work, clean the house, etc; this makes you a more welcome guest.
• Check out community service agencies. The Salvation Army offers a number of services in our city--everything from free haircuts, free breakfast and lunch daily, and help with utility payments among other things. The Goodwill also offers a variety of service programs in addition to their thrift store.
• Churches are another source of help, offering everything from free meals on a regular schedule to free clothing to occasional emergency housing options.
• Veteran's Service Centers offer a number of services to help people through hard times such as rental assistance, training opportunities, help with food/clothing/utilities, etc. Many of these services are available no matter how many or how few years you served.
• There will usually be one or more food banks in the town/city where you live so if you are hungry, by all means find out where they are and accept what they offer.
• Food stamp programs have grown exponentially due to the great need. With documentation, signing up is relatively simple.
• Homeless shelters are not the most pleasant places to stay but if that is your only option, it is warmer than sleeping outside. Generally other housing programs take quite a while to get into as waiting lists are long.
• Unemployment is another source of income which you actually earned through being employed so sign up immediately if you find yourself unemployed (according to a recent article in the newspaper, it may take some time getting through to the service since phones and websites for the service have been overwhelmed).
• Medical care can be found at community "free" clinics. As a last resort, hospital emergency rooms cannot refuse to treat you (and they usually have some sort of charity care program too). They can, however, make you wait for ages to be seen.
• And then there are all of the federal and state welfare programs (many of which are available if you have dependant children): medical coupons, cash for families with children, disability payments, assistance with paying for child care, etc.

When you are desperate, especially if you have a family to take care of, there is no shame in asking for help when you need it. On the other hand, if you are doing OK it is always a good idea to help those in need whenever possible.

Original: http://codenameinsight.blogspot.com/2009/02/getting-help-when-help-is-needed.html

Battery Maintenance

from Texas Prepper's Network by Mayberry

Whether it's in your car, RV, boat, or part of your off grid power system, batteries are important and need regular maintenance. To do this, you need a few things. First off is a battery brush. These make the job of cleaning the crud that accumulates on the terminals and posts quick and easy. To do this, disconnect the terminals, negative first, using the proper tool for the fasteners. Be extremely careful not to touch metal with the tool, especially on the positive side. Also avoid shorting the battery across the posts, or you'll get a crash course in arc welding! Push the brush onto a post, and turn it clockwise. Just a few twists will do it, and when finished, the post will be bright and clean. Use the male brush to clean the terminal lugs.

To prevent that crud from building up in the first place, get some terminal protectors. Don't know how they work, but they do! It's PFM for all you former military folks.... Also, spray those terminals with protectant for even better crud prevention.

Always keep the top of the battery clean. Moisture, crud, dirt, they can all conduct current and cause your battery to slowly discharge. Never leave a battery in direct contact with the ground for the same reason. Place it on a board, rubber mat, or some other dry, insulating material. In a vehicle, make sure the battery is properly secured in it's tray. For boats, RVs, or other purposes, it's a good idea to keep the battery in a marine battery box, which will prevent objects from falling on the terminals and shorting the battery, possibly causing an explosion or fire.

Make sure the battery box is well ventilated. Charging batteries give off hydrogen gas, which is extremely explosive. Always charge batteries in a well ventilated area!

The last thing maintenance wise is keeping the electrolite level topped off. Lots of batteries today are "maintenance free", but if there are removable caps on top, they are not. Use distilled water only when topping off the cells on a lead acid battery. Tap water will cause scale to build up on the lead plates, reducing battery life. And remember, it might go in as water, but it comes out as acid! It will burn you, and eat clothing, paint, and other stuff. Be careful!

For long term storage, it's best to keep the battery on a trickle charger. Never dishcarge a battery below 50%, as this will reduce it's life. Use deep cycle batteries for power systems, and cranking batteries for starting engines. Choose battery size by the amperage required from the intended load. And there ya have it, battery 101!

Original: http://texaspreppersnetwork.blogspot.com/2009/02/battery-maintenance.html

Survival Gear for the Home - Fire Extinguishers

from Stealth Survival by noreply@blogger.com (riverwalker)

Fire extinguishers should be a common item in every household. Fire is one of the most damaging and devastating things that can occur in your life. House fires account for a significant amount of property damage and loss of life each year. One of the easiest ways to prevent this is by keeping a fire extinguisher handy in different areas of your home.

There is no doubt that having a fire extinguisher handy can be an important part of safety in the home. Although many people realize that a fire is possible and could happen at any time at home, most people think it will never happen to them. Owning a fire extinguisher is another form of ensuring your survival, as well as your safety. All homes should have one just in case a fire starts. A fire extinguisher can save you from extensive property loss due to a fire or possible deadly consequences by preventing the fire from spreading to other areas of your home. It will sometimes stop the fire entirely and thus eliminate the danger altogether.

Advantages of Fire Extinguishers

1. Fire Extinguishers are very cost effective.

You do not need to purchase a fire extinguisher very often as they are long lasting and have a very good shelf life. Many disposable type fire extinguishers can have a shelf life of as much as 10 years or more. They usually only require routine maintenance and inspection. Many types of fire extinguishers are also refillable. This adds to their cost effectiveness. Fire extinguishers can offer you protection for a very long time, with minimal cost. You only need to provide proper access and routine maintenance and inspections on a regular basis.

2. Fire Extinguishers require minimal storage space.

Fire extinguishers are one of the few items that you don’t have to hide. You can mount it on a wall where it is readily available in an emergency. Anybody that sees it will probably feel safer in your home as a result. Everyone knows how serious and deadly a fire can be and will feel safer in your home because they know you are prepared to handle a fire should it occur. If you prefer, you can always set them inside a cabinet as long as you make sure they are easily accessible.

3. Fire extinguishers are easy to use.

Using a fire extinguisher is quite simple. The instructions are usually written on the fire extinguisher itself. There are some basic steps to remember when using a fire extinguisher.

Pull the pin out of the top of the fire extinguisher.

Aim the nozzle of the fire extinguisher at the base of the fire.

Squeeze the lever or trigger to release the contents of the fire extinguisher.

Sweep the fire as you squeeze the lever or trigger of the fire extinguisher.

Use the acronym PASS to help you remember. Pull. Aim. Squeeze. Sweep.

Fire extinguishers require very simple and routine maintenance. This will vary depending on the type and manufacturer. It is also important to remember that fires can happen anywhere. They can occur on your boat, RV, travel trailer or in a shed or garage. With a low net cost, easy maintenance, and an item that can be used in every home, building or vehicle, a fire extinguisher should be mandatory for your safety and survival. Personally, I keep a fire extinguisher in the kitchen, utility room, hallway and garage. I also keep a small one in my vehicles.

Part 2 will cover the different types of fire extinguishers and their use.

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Original: http://stealthsurvival.blogspot.com/2009/02/survival-gear-for-home-fire.html

Can Your Business Survive?

from Code Name Insight by Code Name Insight

I picked up this checklist at a recent meeting. Although it was developed as a very basic list to encourage businesses to prepare for disaster, it can just as easily be used for personal preparedness.

• Do you know what kinds of emergencies might affect your facility (home)?
• Do you know what you will do in an emergency situation?
• Are you ready for utility disruption?
• Do you know what you will do if your building/plant (home) is not accessible?
• Do you know what staff, procedures, and equipment are absolutely necessary to keep operating?
• Do you have back-up plans for those operations?
• Do you have an evacuation and shelter-in-place plan?
• Do you have a plan to communicate with employees (family members) before, during, and after an incident?
• Do you have copies of building and site maps with utility and emergency routes marked?
• Are your employees (family members) trained for medical emergencies?
• Have you practiced your disaster plan recently?
• Do you practice and coordinate with other facilities (families) in your community?
• Have you reviewed your disaster plan and supplies in the last 12 months?
• Have you conducted a room by room walk through to determine which large items could be strapped down in preparation for an earthquake or similar event?
• Do you encourage employees (each family member) to have a personal emergency supply kit and a family communications plan?

Simple, but it is often the simplest things that get overlooked. If you answered no to any of these questions for your family and/or your business, start today to get prepared for a disaster.

Original: http://codenameinsight.blogspot.com/2009/01/can-your-business-survive.html

IS YOUR FAMILY PREPARED?

from Canadian Preppers Network by TEAM HALL

The Government of Canada has an official preparedness site. If you've never visited it, I suggest you take a few minutes to have a look.

The government's basic 3 step plan is as follows:

Know The Risks
Although the consequences of disasters can be similar, knowing the risks specific to your community and your region can help you better prepare. Find out here what the hazards are in your region.

Make A Plan
It's easy and essential. Every Canadian household needs an emergency plan. It will help you and your family know what to do if disaster strikes. Make your own plan and print it out today.

Get A Kit
It doesn't take long – find out what goes into an emergency kit, or where you can buy one. An emergency kit helps ensure you and your family are ready to cope on your own for at least the first 72 hours of an emergency.

The Government of Canada lists the following as known risks:

Avalanches
Earthquakes
Floods
Hurricanes
Landslides
Severe storms
Storm surges
Tornadoes
Tsunamis
Wildfires

They also list the following as other possible emergencies:

Bomb threats
Chemical releases
Nuclear emergencies
Pandemic influenza
Power outages
Suspicious packages

The Canadian Preppers Network and its Provincial affiliates are working together to address each of the "known risks and emergencies" recognized by our Canadian Government, along with many more that our Government won't acknowledge.

Home security
Crime
Violence
Animal encounters
Disease
Food quality
Hospital-created deaths
Pollutions
Household toxins
Judicial break-down
And many many more!!


Topics will not be limited to immediate dangers. We will have a linked series of articles on off-grid survival and homesteading techniques.

For the less rural: safe-house hints and preps will be explored.

When the Canadian Preppers Network finds something new, we'll try it out for you first!

A vast amount of material is available through the associated American Preppers Network and we will try our best to source relevant Canadian links.

No matter who you are, we will have something for you!

Your Family Emergency Plan

from survivallady.com by Betsy

Do you have a plan? If you don’t, you need to write one and now is a great time. I’ve often thought it over in my head, playing out several possible scenarios. I’ve committed this week to writing these thoughts down and reviewing the plan with all involved parties - even the kids.

I’m lucky because I have wonderful in-laws that care for my kids, either all day or after school. Unfortunately their home is about 12 miles from my home and workplace. So, considering that something BIG happens like a major earthquake, I’ve let my in-laws know to stay put and we’ll come to them. What if there’s a major evacuation though? I’ve selected two meet-up points one a few miles away and the other out of state. I’ve also considered that staying put may be the safest alternative to evacuating. I need to work out the communication details though. It’s often said that text messaging should work even if cell service is out, but really I need to consider all possibilities ahead of time. It may be that we cannot reach each other for a number of days and I want to be sure my family knows what to do.

Another problem that I face is the fact I live in a highly populated area with large mountain ranges bordering one side and the Pacific Ocean the other. There are only so many choices. If there’s a major earthquake here, freeways may be closed. It’s always good to have two different routes, and even a third option mapped out ahead of time. You can keep your written plan, along with detailed maps in a ziploc bag in the front pocket of your survival bags. It’s good to review this plan twice a year to make sure your routes haven’t closed and that everyone knows what the plan is.

It would also be good while developing this plan to familiarize yourself with your children’s school’s policies. Some schools go immediately into lock-down and your kids won’t be released, others will expect you to pick them up as soon as possible. Check this out and if you don’t agree with their policy, plan how you may work around it. Maybe if you sign a waiver they will agree to an open door policy - and there may be other options.

Keep in mind that if you’re prepared you can act quickly and be one of the first on the road out of danger. Second guessing and waiting for instructions will ensure you’re in a very long line headed out of the danger area. Keep your car gas tank full - this is something I constantly remind myself of - I don’t want to be stuck in a long line for gas when everyone else is getting on the road ahead of me.

Be prepared, develop a family plan this week and have some peace of mind that in an emergency you’ll know what to do and reach safety as soon as possible.

Original: http://survivallady.com/?p=184

State of Emergency

What a great phrase for the American lifestyle. Trick James over at Nebraska Preppers Network posted some excellent information compiled by the Trends Research Institiute this morning, it's even in mp3 format. Now, combine that information with this tidbit off of Yahoo News, talking about how it could be mid February before power is restored to people hit by the winter snow storm that ripped thru here Tuesday.

The roads here are still a mess, hubby spent 2 hours trying to get out of a ditch last night because of an idiot on the road with him. He chose the ditch over smashing our truck into a moron in a mini van on ice covered roads.

Here's a storm, blamed for 23 deaths so far and people being interviewed act like cooking on a gas stoveand heating their home with wood is some kind of miracle. And then there's the fellow with the 2 small kids that is worried he can't make it without power for 2 or 3 days. People, when will you realize that being prepared is the right thing to do? There is nothing in this whole world more important than taking care of yourself and your family in case of ANY emergency.

We all need to be thinking ahead, preparing for those odd occurances that could threaten our lives and our families. Store some food and water, get alternative heating lined up and know how to use it. Do you really want to be cooped up with a couple hundred strangers in a church basement, living on a cot? Or even worse, a FEMA camp with a couple thousand strangers, in a warehouse on a cot.

Please spread the word to your neighbors, become accustomed to the idea of being prepared and then do it. Get yourself a little FREEDOM INSURANCE.

Keep prepping!

(this is a duplicate post originating from Illinois Preppers Network )

Avoiding Wildfire - Safety Tips for Burning Trash

Many people that live in rural areas routinely burn their trash due to the fact that they have no trash pickup services found in more urban areas. Make sure you do so safely to avoid the chance of a wildfire that could destroy your home or the home of your friend or neighbor.

Safety Tips for Burning Trash

1.) If you need to burn household trash, don't just pile it on the ground.

2.) Always burn your trash in a covered container. Stay with your fire at all times. It only takes a second for a wayward spark to start a wildfire.

3.) Avoid accumulating large amounts of trash over extended time periods. Smaller amounts burn faster and with less risk.

4.) Avoid burning trash during extremely dry or windy conditions. Pay special attention to any burn bans in your area. Keep a fire break of at least 10 feet around your fire.

5.) Avoid burning trash that may contain hazardous items. Toxic fumes from paint and other chemicals could pose a serious health risk. Debri from exploding aerosol cans may cause serious injuries.

You can get fire risk advisories for the State of Texas here:

http://texasforestservice.tamu.edu/main/popup.aspx?id=1991

Be aware. Be informed. Be prepared.

Riverwalker

Original: http://texaspreppersnetwork.blogspot.com/2009/01/avoiding-wildfire-safety-tips-for.html

Emergency Kit Tips

from Stealth Survival by noreply@blogger.com (riverwalker)

While your home will probably be safest place to be during an emergency or crisis, there may be times when you will need to evacuate the area or leave your home. Here are some essentials tips for your emergency kits.

Emergency Kit Tips

(1) Your emergency kit should be placed in portable containers located near an exit of your house. This is so you can grab them quickly on your way out of the house in a serious emergency or disaster. Do not overload your kit, backpack or portable container. If you wind up having to carry it a long distance to reach safety or shelter you will appreciate the lighter weight.

(2) Each family member should have their own kit with food, clothing and water. You may want to include an extra emergency kit for any relatives or persons visiting you. In an emergency this will give you needed additional items and resources in an emergency. You can distribute heavy items between the emergency kits for adult members to keep the weight of children’s emergency kits at a minimum.

(3) Enclose the extra clothing, matches, personal documents, and other items damageable by smoke or water in plastic to protect them. Make sure it’s weather appropriate for the time of year. Don’t forget to include raingear. If it's raining when you have to evacuate, you will appreciate having dry clothes.

(4) Keep a small flashlight handy in the top portion of your kit. This way you can find it quickly and easily in the dark. Have more than one! If a flashlight gets lost or broken, you will need another one.

(5) Personalize your kit. Be sure you fill the needs of each family member and don’t forget to provide any needed prescriptions for inhalers, medicines, eyeglasses, etc.

(6) Inspect your emergency kit at least twice a year. Make sure there aren’t any missing items. Rotate your food and water. Check your children's clothing for proper fit and size. Adjust clothing for winter or summer needs. Check the expiration dates on all batteries, light sticks, hand warmers, and any extra food items and water you have stored. Be sure to include appropriate foot gear, such as hiking or snow boots.

(7) Consider the needs of elderly people as well as those with handicaps or other special needs. For infants, store diapers, washcloth, ointment, bottles and pacifiers, as well as other special supplies.

(8) Be sure to make copies of important personal and business documents and store them in a safe place. Include photos and I.D. for all family members.

(9) Identify an out of state contact person so family and friends can communicate with you during an emergency. Keep the information written down and easily accessible.

(10) Plan for a meeting place if you cannot meet at home. Designate an emergency meeting place if you become separated during a disaster or emergency.

It is difficult to prepare for every emergency situation that you may face. Having an emergency kit handy and easily accessible may give you the needed edge to survive.

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Original: http://stealthsurvival.blogspot.com/2009/01/emergency-kit-tips.html