Preparedness Blog
Training, education, and organization for home defense, personal protection, and emergency preparedness.
Navigation – Basics of the map key
Difference between topo and other map types and the best ones for navigating in foot versus vehicle Compass do’s and don’ts and nomenclature. How to use a sighting compass How to orient yourself to the map How to figure out your location How to get from A – B Final thoughts and advice. This will be the first 4 days the fifth day is a practical application tip or two. Map and compass use There are a few important things to understand when you first look at a map. 1. Scale? How big is the area the map represents? Most modern maps have distance scales on the bottom of the page or in the back of a book of maps. They usually relate an inch or centimeter on paper to the equivalent distance on the ground (this measurement does not take terrain into consideration). 2. Legend and key Usually located in the bottom corner of a map, the legend or key will explain what each symbol on the map represents. It also contains important information like declination and elevation line value. 3. Map type Topographic maps (show terrain differences with elevation lines) vary differently from road maps and satellite maps. Make sure you have the right map for your objective. Road maps are designed for travel by vehicle and prioritize road identifications, this may seem like a no brainer but a map looks like a map when you are in a hurry. Topographic (aka topo maps) will show roads but identification is a low priority. They show terriain by marking lines at specific elevations. They also show water ways,...
Mylar bags with a Foodsaver vac-sealer?
Yes… yes, you can. So, I wanted to get 50 pounds of rice vacuum sealed in Mylar. I really wanted to do it… RIGHT NOW. My meds for my shoulder kill my motivation. So, I have to take advantage of every moment I feel like getting things done. Now, my problem is that Foodsaver brand bags are textured to keep the bag from sealing itself shut as soon as the process starts. Mylar bags are stiff and perfectly smooth. I tried a bunch of different ways and couldn’t come up with any way to get it to work. So, here’s my “lifehack”. YouTube...
45 Important Documents to Have in the Event of a Disaster
Should the unthinkable happen, and a disaster takes your home and all your belongings… Having these with you, when you evacuate, can help make the rebuilding of your life a lot easier. From insurance claims, to short term loans, having the right paperwork can help make a disaster a little easier to recover from. Most of these documents can be replaced but many take time, energy, and money. All things you’ll be short on. Some of these documents require the others in order to get replacements. I hope you never find yourself in the situation where you need this but I hope this helps you to recover. Print this out, highlight any that apply to you and then check them off when you’ve put them together with your other documents. You may want to keep your documents in one of these: Fire Resistant Document Bag Here’s the list: Contact info for your family/group Emergency out of area contact info Cell phone numbers, Radio frequencies, Contact time schedule for your group Birth Certificates Passports Drivers License Marriage Certificates ID Cards Military Service Records Child/School ID Adoption, Foster Care Papers Immigration Papers Legal Will, Living Will, Power of Attorney Inheritance Documents Deferred Payment Records Immunization Records Medical Prescriptions Medical Insurance Paperwork MediCare/MedicAid Paperwork Loan Papers (Home/Auto/RV/Bank, etc…) Titles/Deeds Mortgage Vehicle Registration/Title Lease/Rental Agreements Home/Auto/Business Insurance Home Inventory (Photo/Video, with serial numbers if possible) Property Taxes Banking Info (Checking/Savings/CD) Safe Deposit Box Info Credit Card Statements Pay Stubs Investment Portfolio/Retirement/Pension Social Security Documents Tax Returns Business Records Business License Business Lease/Property Records Business Equipment/Inventory Records Employee Records Diplomas Training and Certification Records School...
Harvey – The Good, The Bad, And the Helpless
By now, the storm is just a memory but we’ve all seen accounts from those devastated by Hurricane Harvey. So many people STAYED in harms way. Why didn’t they evacuate? Why were so many people unprepared? They live in Hurricane Country… They live in a flood prone area… why were so many of them, seemingly caught off guard? After the following email, from a fan, I decided to unpack this convoluted situation and mass evacuations in general. . The email: You know you are my go to guy for keeping me on the right path so to speak! I am having serious angst over these people in Houston! It’s not like I have family down there. I do but they are in Austin and are faring well. Anyhow….. My son says he cannot understand my faith in people. I have many thoughts about this stuff. 1) How are so many so unprepared? They live in a FLOOD ZONE in a HURRICANE prone area! WTH??? 2) I was watching Good Morning America this morning. Their doctor was on discussing the medical implications of the hurricane/tropical storm/rain/flooding. I have read the Coming Home series and One Second After series. The first folks to go are going to be the elderly and chronically ill. She was talking about how dire the situation is going to be for those needing dialysis, those who have heart disease, those on oxygen, diabetics on insulin, etc… I don’t understand. These people had 3-4 days to evacuate. Why did they stay? (Maybe these are rhetorical questions, but these are my thoughts) You know even sometimes...
Why do Preppers Hate Preppers?
I REALLY didn’t want to write this article… “Can’t we all just get along?” . Recently, I read an article, and the comments that followed, on Facebook. Based on this article, and a few I’ve read in the past few months, I’ve come to the conclusion that we hate each other. Really, we do. Preppers hate preppers. It’s the reason I quit joining prepper groups on Facebook. You’ll probably hate me for writing this. I’m ok with that because it needs to be said. To some extent, I’m guilty too. We use the phrase “It’s not Doomsday Prepping…It’s everyday prepping”. We use it more to describe the difference in the mindset of those who prep as a lifestyle versus prepping for the end of the world as we know it. I could see where it might be interpreted as shaming the “Doomsday Prepper” types. I don’t really want to do that. It’s just a different mindset. Do knitters have this much animosity toward each other? With statements like these, it’s hard to find much encouragement. “Sorry, poser-guy at Chick-fil-A, but you looked pretty dumb when I saw you there last week.” “You know I’m all in favor of firearms and am grateful for our Second Amendment rights, but come on!” “I’ve even heard of people putting a year’s worth of food on a credit card because they can’t afford it any other way. Dumb.” …and those statements were from the article, not the Facebook comments. Now, I don’t want to get into a big First Amendment debate. This isn’t about “can you talk like that?” it’s about “should you...
