Preparedness Blog
Training, education, and organization for home defense, personal protection, and emergency preparedness.
Solar Lights for Power Outages
You know those cheap solar lights you find at discount stores or on clearance? Not the Dollar Store ones. Those are a little too cheap. These are $3-$6 each. We use them when we are camping. We mark the entrance of each tent with one. Well, after our last camping trip, I had an idea. If we use them camping, where we have no power…why not use them at home WHEN we have no power? Those would work perfect in an extended power outage. Take them out in the morning and bring them in at dusk. Virtually all of them can be removed from their mounting stakes. Most have a flat top where the solar cell is. This works two ways; it makes it perfect to set on a counter, table, or shelf and most sense light through the solar cell. By flipping it over and placing it on a solid surface, you’ll activate the “Dusk to Dawn” feature. Essentially, the sensor will think it’s dark and turn on the light. Some have a multi-function switch; on, off, and Dusk to Dawn. You can choose what works best for you. They should give enough light to get around the house easily without eating into your flashlights or lantern fuel. They’d save on candle use too. Best part of this? No open flame for kiddos or pets to knock over? Sounds like a great option to me. I just ordered this set. Amazon Affiliate Link Good reviews and seems like enough light for the job. It’s even has a base designed to sit flat on a...
The Four Morons of the Apocalypse
The world of preparedness is as vast as the dangers that we all prepare for. Supplies, tools, food, water, solar, gardens, chickens, livestock, canning, knitting, reading, planning, welding, hunting, fishing…dot, dot, dot, etc…There are so many things to do, learn, and stock up on to prepare yourself and your family. Just what are you preparing for? Wildfire, tornado, hurricane, financial collapse, political or civil unrest, EMP, CME…SOL PDQ… sometimes the whole prospect seems overwhelming. It’s best to take a step back, take a breath, and make a well rounded plan that takes several possibilities and incorporates them. Take the whole thing in manageable bites. I suggest starting with an evacuation plan. Remember, preparedness is not a sprint, preparing is a marathon. It even has mile markers! Today’s article is a warning to those starting out or just getting established. Those who are well on their way down the wrong road are harder to turn around. Here is your warning Don’t get stuck in one area of prepping! We’re going to use 4 common stereotypes of people as object lessons. We’ll refer to them as: The Four Morons of the Apocalypse. I’ll introduce you to the cast of characters as we go. -The Gear Junkie (aka Mall Ninja) You’ve seen him. You know you have. This guy goes to Walmart wearing 1/2 of a combat loadout just to grab a carton of smokes. He’s got Blackhawk pants and his Zombie Team hat. He wears 5.11 shooting glasses just to take a leak. His Merrell tactical boots, “are the same ones the Delta guys wear”. If you stumble across him...
17 Things You Need For Travel Preparedness
I received an email from a friend asking about travel preparedness. Here is her letter and my take on it. From “Betty”: Hey Todd, I started an email to you from Texas over a week ago. I received an urgent call from my niece saying my brother, her Dad, was not doing well. He had been fighting cancer since October and was losing the battle. I knew I had to fly down if I was going to see him alive. I also knew I couldn’t take my EDC and other stuff with me on a plane! So I left most of my stuff behind and headed to Texas. And since I was a bit distraught over my brother’s condition, I forgot some things like snacks/food. Hey! At least I remembered my meds! LOL! When I arrived, I felt totally naked and vulnerable! I stated an email to you asking what you thought I could get while I was down there that I could take back home with me in my suitcase/carry-on. Well, my email messed up and it never sent. So I went to Target, Walmart, and Dollar Tree for some “supplies”. Here are some of the items I came up with… FIRE: I got a magnesium stick with a ferro rod and striker. I left it in my purse and they let me on the plane with it coming home! WATER: 12 pack of 16.9 oz water from Target SHELTER: Small tarp FOOD: Trail mix, beef jerky, Lance crackers FIRST AID: I carry bandaids, BZK wipes, and such in a small container in my purse so that went...
Review – Ozark Trail Collapsible Coffee Drip
I got mine at Walmart. I have also seen it at Amazon. About a year ago we switched to pour over coffee. Over the year I’ve discovered that it doesn’t need to be as fancy as we started out with. We used to purchase the expensive matching filters. And while they are easier for beginners, the cheap regular filters work just as well once you’ve got the hang of it. Some brands are a tad shorter than others which can be irritating. Either way I prefer the unbleached 10cup filters. (Stainless cone filter available here) When we have access to plenty of electricity we get whole beans and put them through a burr grinder before each cup. When off grid, solar power is a premium so we take grounds with us. Either way we’ve been happy with pretty much any Kona blends and recommend Lock’n Load Java when you want more oomph. In civilization we have a Zojirushi (love them!). At camp we boil water in a simple camp kettle. Both are readily available on Amazon. Previously we’ve used this kettle’s percolator set-up to make our coffee. But then we have to clean it out and start over any time anyone wants tea or soup or anything else. So we decided to bring our pour over cone with us. Naturally it’s porcelain. You know, perfect for the wilderness! However it’s been totally worth it. Having that kettle always only be water makes more of a difference for a family of 6 than I even realized it would. Mom and Dad can make coffee, daughter can make soup, her brothers...
1 TIP That Can Help Protect You And Your Belongings From Criminals
1 TIP That Can Help Protect You And Your Belongings From Criminals Put your car keys beside your bed at night. Tell everyone, your spouse, your children, your neighbors, your parents, the check-out girl at the market, everyone you run across. Put your car keys beside your bed at night. If you hear a noise outside your home or someone trying to get in your house, just press the panic button for your car. The alarm will be set off, and the horn will continue to sound until either you turn it off or the car battery dies. It’s a security alarm system that you probably already have and requires no installation. Test it. It will go off from most everywhere inside your house and will keep honking until your battery runs down or until you reset it with the button on the key fob chain. It works if you park in your driveway or garage. Change the remote batteries regularly for the best range. Weak batteries can’t transmit the signal as far. If your car alarm goes off when someone is trying to break into your house, odds are the burglar/rapist won’t stick around. After a few seconds, all the neighbors will be looking out their windows to see who is out there and sure enough the criminal won’t want that. And remember to carry your keys while walking to your car in a parking lot. The alarm can work the same way there. This is something that should really be shared with everyone. This would also be useful for any emergency, such as a heart attack, where...
