April 2013 Issue
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Table of Contents
Letter from the Editor
Donna Miller
Our hearts are heavy as we think about the terrible tragedies that have recently occurred. We are all heart-broken by the families who have been forever changed because of injuries and loss of life. We want to offer our prayers and thoughts for everyone who was harmed by the bombings in Boston, explosions in Texas, Tornadoes that hit Oklahoma, and, of course, the families of our precious Veterans. We all have been touched in some way by the recent tragedies, and share in the desire to support and encourage those who were directly impacted – and those who have offered their service to help rebuild and repair lives. With the tragedies comes the reminder that our moments of life on this earth can be altered quickly by events that are often out of our control. Out of the tragedy of these events we are also reminded that there are caring people in our communities who respond to the needs of others. These special people, along with our brave heroes who serve in our military, deserve our recognition and gratitude. We salute and honor those who reach-out with their service, resources and love, to help others who may be hurting and in need. Our desire with this issue of PREPARE Magazine is to highlight areas in which we all need preparedness. With tragedies happening all over the world, we know that Preparedness is Global. Regardless of where we live, it is important that we all get prepared for tragic events that may disrupt our lives. A good approach is to consider Preparedness in Layers. The important thing is to plan ahead, and take action in your Preparedness. If you live in an urban area, you may want to look at some Simple Tips for Surviving a Natural Disaster in an Urban Setting. We never know when we might be called upon to deal with a weather tragedy that may force us to find ways to survive or to help others. From living without electricity or other necessities, to finding Sources of Water in an Emergency, we need to be Prepared and ready to respond. We hope this issue of PREPARE Magazine will provide some practical and helpful resources to help in your preparedness journey. This publication offers some special tips to help cut costs and save money, and a good reminder - Don’t Forget the Pets! There is also a commentary on our National debt and how that may impact our preparedness. We appreciate the authors who have contributed their writings and knowledge. Again, we want to send out a Special Thank You and recognize the encouraging participants of PREPARE Magazine and we hope you will take the time to read our heartfelt Thank You letter to the Special Partners & Special Contributors. This wonderful group of folks along with you, our readers, are the heart-beat of PREPARE Magazine. We are truly Blessed to be able to serve with and among each of you.
Letter from the Editor Preparedness is Global Simple Tips for Surviving a Natural Disaster in an Urban Setting Sources of Water in an Emergency Preparedness in Layers Thinking about a cheap Water Filter System? Hot water for free! Use BioDiesel to Cut Costs What’s the Big Deal About a $17 Trillion Federal Debt? Don’t Forget the Pets! Doomsday Survival or Preparation Call Special Thank You Book Review: Survival Mom: How to Prepare Your Family...
Preparedness in Layers
By Tom Kunz Whether it is for inclement weather, food shortages, civil unrest, or any other number of different situations, we all want to be prepared. But not all emergency situations are equal. So how do we make sure we are preparing properly and covering as many situations as we can? One way to solve this is to break the problem down into simpler components and start with basics like water, food, and sanitation. So let’s break preparedness down so we start at a few hours of disaster to prepare for, on up to about a month. The first type of event is one that lasts only a few hours, such as a power outage due to weather. It might only be 6 hours in duration, but it can be highly inconvenient. What do you need for a short event like this? Pick any 6 hour period around the clock and say to yourself, “What do I do during these times that I will need electricity for?” Let’s say the power goes out at about 3pm. At 3pm, you're not likely to have anything already prepared for dinner yet. So what's next? You need food, water, and as the sun goes down, you may also need
heat. The ability to flush toilets may not be a need since you can flush after power returns. You'll probably need about a pint to a quart of water to drink, at least one meal of room-temperature-ready foods, and possibly a blanket if it's winter and your heat hasn't been able to run for 6 hours. We've all been through outages like this in the past, and it's really not that big of a deal for most people, but we'll take this example and expand it out a bit more. The next largest type of event would be an event that takes up a whole day. For a whole day without power, your needs are again the same as the 6-hour event, but greater. Instead of a pint to a quart of water, you should have a gallon on hand to drink per person. You should also have several gallons of water to wash and flush with, but at the same time you can “economize” on that by only flushing when absolutely necessary. Hand-sanitizer can be used instead of washing in most cases. You will also probably need 2 reasonably-sized meals per person. If it's winter, a blanket or two may suffice for heat. Again, most of us have experienced this to some degree or another, but again we'll build on this.
But then there are other things to consider. You need to be prepared with answers to questions like, Do you take a day off of work or go into work? Are there classes you need to attend, or other things you are scheduled to do? What role do your normal responsibilities play when this happens? Now let's move on to a more severe situation. The power is out, and you don't know when it could come back on. It may be two, three, or more days. This happened with Hurricane Sandy. In this case, we're looking at a “systemic failure”, (e.g.) all the public systems (first responders, utility companies, etc) are flooded with emergency needs, and only a finite number can be addressed at once. You need clean & accessible water for that duration. You need a couple meals a day. You also need to think of other options, such as, stay put or leave? Depending on the severity of the problem, you may be unable to leave for several days, roads may be washed out or covered in snow, and your options are limited.
When I was a kid, my parents told me to think through potential problems now, and when it comes time to make decisions in a difficult situation, I would be able to fall back on these answers. This is especially true for preparedness. Part of your preparedness is documenting these answers. Write these questions and answers down, and keep them with your preparedness supplies. You may not be in the same relaxed and clear-headed frame of mind when you need to make snap-decisions in an emergency, so record your thoughts and plans now. One effective way to go about this is with the “If...,Then...” statement. For example, “If I know that the power will be back on within a day, then I will ...” or “If XYZ happens, then I know it's time to leave the area”. As you plan for different durations of emergencies, you will have a growing list of “If...,Then...” statements to help make your decisions. So far we have explored a few hours, a full day, and a few days of duration for an emergency. The next level up would be for a duration of a week, and then duration of a month. One item we have not mentioned yet is the possibility of medicine. Some people require regular medications for heart conditions or other problems. This needs to be planned into your preparations. My suggestion is to talk to your doctors and see if you can obtain 90-day prescriptions, and keep a portion of those ready in your preparations. Cycle the inventory regularly so you're never storing or using expired medications. Also, a week or a month of water becomes very difficult to keep. When you start looking at the long-term situation, not many can store enough for a week or a month of water. For example: using the recommendation of 1 gallon per
person per day, a family of 4 would need to store 120 gallons of water for one month, which just doesn't seem practical for most. Instead of having all your supplies socked away, you need to know how to provide water for yourself and your family in a way which is sustainable for any duration of disaster. Food, especially nutrientdense grains and dried fruits and nuts, pack well and store well, and many days’ supply can fit into a single 5-gallon bucket and stored. However, water is a particularly difficult need because we require so much of it to live, and at the same time it can be rather heavy & bulky, making large, long-term storage of it more difficult. If you have your own cistern or other large container that holds hundreds of gallons at a time, you're in luck, but not many do. For city-dwellers, your water is generally delivered by the city and pressure is maintained by the city waterworks, and there are no pumps in your home to drive it. If the waterworks at least has power, you will still be able to get clean water. But if there is systemic failure, as several of the recent regional weather emergencies have caused, you are on your own. For those living in the country or suburbs, you probably have a well with a pump, but you need power to drive it. I'm a fan of using generators; not for the duration of an emergency, but short-term, as a temporary solution for a specific problem. In the case of having a well and pump, I would favor running a generator to drive the pump (provided the generator is rated high enough to run it) temporarily, just long enough to build up some pressure in the pressure tank, refill toilet tanks, refill water jugs and bottles, and then power it back off again. This process may only take a few
minutes, probably less than 10 minutes, start to finish, and should only be done when absolutely necessary to conserve fuel. Many generators will hold between 10h to 20h of fuel in them, and if you keep your generator fueled up and maintained properly, there is no reason to believe you could not continue to provide yourself with your own well-water for many days by running it only when absolutely needed. Another thing to keep on your list of items should be a means of purifying water when clean water is inaccessible. There are a number of ways of doing this, many of which require heat and/or power to do so, but one alternative nopower way is to make sure you have liquid bleach on hand. It should be the plain, unscented kind. Bleach is a toxin; it is dangerous to take in too high a concentration, so only use a small amount. The state of Washington recommends that cold, cloudy “surface water” can be sanitized with ¼ teaspoon of household bleach per gallon, but more on water in another article. So to summarize, we have identified emergencies of several different layers, different durations to prepare for: 6 hours, 1 day, a few days, a week, and a month. There are other topics such as selfdefense, communications, and neighborly conduct that have not been mentioned here. And certainly, there are disasters which last longer than a month. But if you can focus on providing the basics and planning for you and your family for different durations of disaster, you are well on your way to being properly prepared.
Sources of Water in an Emergency By Ken Youngquist Knowing where to find water when you are stranded is extremely important because you can only survive about 3 days without it. It is a higher priority than food. The amount of water needed will vary based on your environment, your body size and amount of exertion. With low to moderate activity levels it is recommended that each person should drink at least two liters of water a day for women and three liters a day for men. Let's take a look at both urban and wilderness emergency scenarios.
URBAN - Let's suppose that the city water utility has failed in a natural disaster. It has been recommended that following an earthquake or a water treatment facility power outage you should shut the water inlet valve to your building to prevent a potentially compromised water source from entering your system. Your water pipes are, in effect, a reservoir that should be accessed from the lowest faucet in the system. Within this system are sub-reservoirs such as water heaters and toilet tanks. For a longer term outage the gutter system on the roof can be used to catch rain water in cisterns (although this is illegal in some states, in an emergency situation I doubt that issue would matter).
WILDERNESS/OUTDOORS - The most obvious sources of water in the outdoors would be
lakes, streams, springs and rain. The less obvious sources of water would be dew, transpiration from foliage and distillation methods for vapor creation and collection. When collecting from bodies of water it is prudent to filter the water, chemically treat it, boil it, or pasteurize it in order to kill potential germs and micro organisms. Water collection methods vary based on the water source. Generally some type of cup or jar works the best but other vessels can be improvised as well. A large leaf can be pinched on a side to create a small bowl that can be used to collect dew or rain drops off of other leaves. Dew can also be collected by using a cloth to wipe moisture bearing surfaces like grass then wrung out to release it into a container or directly into your mouth. Alternatively you can drink directly out of a trusted water source. These are but a few of the possibilities for emergency water sources. It is wise to consider multiple water sources and using multiple collection methods to maximize your resources for indefinite outages. NOW would be a good time to acquire filters and equipment while becoming familiar with their operation so that you will be prepared in the event of an outage or stranded scenario. For more information you can visit my website at survivaltek.com.
Preparedness is Global By David E Crossley numbers in the armed forces and on local government payrolls also means that there simply won’t be as many trained and equipped helpers ready to deploy when needed in an emergency.
If I have learned anything in over 40 years of involvement in preparedness it is that, world-wide, Preppers are more alike than we are different. Where and how we live might have their own peculiarities but the basics of life and what we do are actually very similar. Here in the UK some of the challenges we face do vary from those that afflict our friends in other countries. We are lucky in that we are in a geologically stable area not directly affected by major earthquakes or volcanic activity and although we get some severe weather we do not, yet, suffer tornados that devastate whole towns, hurricanes on the scale of Katrina or Sandy, or snow drifts many feet deep and arctic-like temperatures. We have no deserts or swamps or areas as cold as Alaska but on the down side we are an overcrowded nation with no large wilderness areas or farmlands that offer the Bug Out or supply potential of those in North America or Australia, for example. Like you, we have to contend with crime and terrorism; financial crises; human, animal and crop
epidemics; floods in some areas and droughts in others; power failures and resource shortages; industrial disasters; and many other threats. Our reliance on fragile, interdependent, high-tech, logistics systems combined with depleting natural resources and changing weather doesn’t do much to inspire confidence in the future. Fortunately, another thing we share is a developing awareness of these problems and of the inability of government to provide adequately when large-scale disasters occur. The willingness among people to become more self-reliant is increasing and the family of Preppers is growing. To be sure, we have a long way to go. Generations of people becoming acclimatized to a culture of entitlement and dependency is not going to be quickly overcome. Perhaps the harsh global financial situation and government austerity measures will actually help, in that those accustomed to taking rather than giving are eventually going to learn that however much tax some of us pay or paper notes the treasury prints the government coffers are not inexhaustible. Ever decreasing
Prepping might seem like a modern phenomenon to many readers new to it but nothing could be further from the truth; we have just given it a new name. I think we were lucky enough to enjoy some good times until recently and most people have forgotten, or never experienced, the need. When I was growing up, not long after the Second World War, the shortages and utility failures were still fresh in my parents’ minds and though money was tight they did what they could to be ready for any problems we might face. I suppose I inherited that mindset. No, we are not the first generation of Preppers but someone mocking what we do is a modern oddity. In fact the act of people willingly putting themselves into debt, NOT putting aside for hard times when they could or NOT being ready to support themselves, rather than relying on others, has been thought of as extreme foolishness throughout recorded history. Now, if people put anything aside it is most often money and if they take out any form of insurance, that is also intended to pay money. Unfortunately, a stash of cash isn’t always the answer; ask anyone who has lived in a country where the economy and banks collapsed or a disaster meant some necessities were not available at any price. For all of us, what is truly a necessity remains the same. Some of our younger friends might think life wouldn’t be possible without their
mobile phone or Facebook account but they’ll get over it. To meet our needs the activities of Preppers in the UK are much the same as those anywhere else. We make our decisions based on what we think are the likely threats, what the effects will be if those threats become realities, and what we need to keep ourselves and those we care about safe through and beyond the difficult times. We gradually build a store to provide for the length of time we think an emergency will last. We develop the knowledge, skills and tools to grow, gather and preserve additional foods and medicines. We learn and equip ourselves to deal with whatever we must when the emergency services can no longer respond, and much else.
doing things. Differing techniques of fishing with line or spears or traps, differing means of keeping things cool or ways of cooking, differing methods and sources of medicine, have opened my eyes to the many options we have in how to accomplish the same task depending on what we have available.
The tools we have and the plants we grow might vary in accordance with the culture and climate of the area where we live but the realistic determination to accept our responsibilities and provide for our needs without reliance on anyone else, when we have to, does not differ. And the differences we do have don’t have to separate us; instead they provide opportunities to learn new skills and ways of doing things.
Whatever your level of experience new things constantly arise from which you can learn or that remind you of things you had forgotten. I learnt long ago to keep a small stash of cash on hand for those times when a power outage means that shops or gas stations can’t take electronic payments but will serve you if you have cash, but the cash machines don’t work because there is no power so you can only use what you’ve already got.
My work has taken me to many areas of the world and I have had the good fortune to see many ways of
In the financial crash in Cyprus a few weeks ago the banks closed for a week. Cash machines sometimes
Sometimes the language or concepts change: What an American would call canning a Brit would call bottling, and a Nepalese Ghurkha’s definition of a ‘mild’ curry is rather different from mine but these are varieties that add spice rather than difficulties to the learning, though the latter example does add difficulty to your ability to speak for a while!
worked but only gave out limited amounts of notes and they were often high denomination. Shops, bars, hotels, even doctors and dentists wouldn’t take credit or debit cards but quickly ran out of small notes and coins, so you either had to go without what you needed or in some cases buy enough goods to use up what size note you had. It was a good reminder and in addition to more small notes I started keep plenty of coins in my pocket, car and at home. Then just recently a power outage meant that the repeaters for the mobile phone network didn’t work where I was and the nearest public phone needed coins. Earlier in the day I’d used the amount of coins I used to have to hand to a toll booth on the highway, but thanks to Cyprus, this time I still had enough to make my call to let my wife know I was delayed but OK. The situation in Cyprus provided several other good lessons for financial preparedness too, but I’ll leave those for another time. So wherever you are, there are always good things to learn from elsewhere. I hope to learn much from the other contributors to this magazine and I hope I can provide some information some of you will find of use too.
Thinking about a cheap Water Filter System? Think Again! By Trent Powers
One of the most important preparedness areas we must consider is water quality and purification. We simply can not survive without fresh, clean, drinking water. If we aren't careful, contaminated water can create all sorts of health-related concerns. Proper filtering must become an essential part of our preparation planning. Unfortunately, many people seem to take drinking water for granted or simply are not as concerned with their water-quality as much as they should be. Since many municipalities have been providing water services to their citizens for a long time, we've become somewhat accustomed to having our water “on demand�. With that, it is understandable why some people have become complacent and presumptuous about their water needs. To put it bluntly – we're spoiled. Of course, there are multiple issues with depending on our
current water provisions. In addition to the concerns of water disruption, what happens if the local reservoir becomes contaminated? Even during times of natural disasters such as hurricanes, earthquakes, and flooding, water quality can be compromised. There is a reason that during some emergency events that government officials will call for the boiling of water. The water has become too dangerous to consume due to contaminants. It goes without saying that we must be mindful to have a back-up water source. Beyond that, it is also vital that we have a solid solution for water filtration and purification. In looking for a Water Filter System as part of your preparation efforts, there are some important things you should consider.
You may be tempted buy the lower priced water filter system that retails for around $50, since that sounds like a reasonable price alternative for a family on a limited budget. But, there are several problems with filters at that low of a price scale. Many of those systems are really only chlorine filters and not actual purifiers. Although chlorine removal is fine, that in-and-ofitself is not enough anymore. Water contaminants include hormones, drugs, herbicides, pesticides, benzene and gasoline additives because they are present in groundwater and come through the tap straight into your sink - and ultimately into your body. Among water filters, reverse osmosis is the most expensive choice for home use. RO filters are used in large industrial applications as well as in public facilities. In certain home applications, reverse osmosis filters are the right choice, but for the most part, the price and lack of filtration of certain contaminants means you are better off choosing another filtration method. The best application for RO systems is desalination, which is the process of removing salt from water. The more reasonably priced, reverse osmosis water filter type of system tops out in price at around $450. They generally include some form of micron filter combined with carbon filtration, RO and some sort of filter to balance pH levels and mineral content. You can get other water filter system devices that are the same quality
or better than reverse osmosis for less than $150. The big difference is the mark-up by certain reverse osmosis distributors. Many harmful contaminants, such as trihalomethanes and volatile organic chemicals, which have also been linked to cancer, are not blocked by the cheaper models. In some cases, lead, which is toxic, is not removed. Lead contamination is a big problem for many cities, not because the city water treatment facility isn't doing the job, but because the pipes that run into homes are old and contaminated.
Bacterial cysts are another type of contaminant that a cheaper drinking water filters typically cannot remove. They cause parasitic infections in the gastrointestinal tract and have been know to cause serious health problems and even death in the elderly, children and people with compromised immune systems. If those reasons are not enough to invest a little extra cash into a water filter system, then here's another fact; cheap water filters cost more to use in the long run. They use, on average, more than
25 cents per day, as opposed to the 10 cents per day that more expensive filters use. The companies draw you in by charging a lower price up front, but then charge more for replacement filter cartridges that need to be replaced at a higher rate. They also manufacture the cartridge to have a very short lifespan. Either way you look at it, you end up spending more when you purchase a cheap filter system.
Simple Tips for Surviving a Natural Disaster in an Urban Setting By Pierce Jacobson With summer just around the corner, many people begin to prepare for harsh weather situations like hurricanes, tornado's, and severe storms that may cause flooding. Living in urban areas offers some unique challenges in preparation strategies during a natural disaster, but good planning will increase your chances of survival (no matter where you live). First, if you live in an urban environment become familiar with evacuation routes. Hurricanes, earthquakes and tornadoes can and have struck heavily populated areas. If you live in an apartment complex, you must be prepared to evacuate the building. You, your partner, and all family members must have a backpack ready to go with essential survival supplies. Make sure everyone has their packs with clothing, energy bars, bottled water, flashlights and a two-way radio. Ensure all radios are set for the same channel. Cells phones may very well be inoperative. Each pack should contain supplies that are relative to your living area and each pack should be established with all the same essentials. This ensures survival of each person even if separated. There are great resources out there to help you plan and equip your emergency bug-out bags. If you are able, leave before the disaster strikes if possible. If this is not possible, you should not be in any building that can collapse around you. You do not want to become trapped. Seek an open
space if there is an earthquake, and basements or the lowest point possible if there is the threat of a tornado. For hurricanes seek the sturdiest building you can find. Do not try to flee in your vehicle during hurricanes, tornado's, or flooding. Keep an eye out for looters; unfortunately, they are an unpleasant fact. If possible, do not leave the immediate area because rescue workers will know the populated areas and will concentrate their efforts there first. If the disaster has damaged buildings, do not seek shelter in them. If tents are available and you can pack them, find a spot and use them for protection from the elements. Once again, make sure the backpacks have the essentials. Food and water is heavy so it may be difficult to carry enough for extended periods. Purchase pouch foods, in other words, food that is
dehydrated but can be consumed without water, or cooking. The best survival tool you have is your ability to think clearly. The essentials for survival are, water, food, clothing and shelter. Makeshift shelters are acceptable, by using scraps of lumber and discarded tarps or even sheets of plastic. Build a fire for comfort and as a calming force. Use matches if you have them but they become useless quickly in a survival situation, so it is prudent to learn how to start a fire using other methods. One method is magnesium sticks, which are available in most camping supply stores and many retail outlets. You will need a flint and steel, which is typically sold with the magnesium. The supplies one might need in a survival situation would fill a garage. However, you must pack the essentials, which is water, food, clothing and the means to start a fire.
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What’s the Big Deal About a $17 Trillion Federal Debt? And Why Should I Care? By Rod Robison “Three…two…one…we have lift off.” I remember as a child watching the first manned rocket lifting off its launch pad at Cape Canaveral. I was struck by how slowly it crept along the launch tower in its struggle against gravity. But within a few seconds its speed increased dramatically. Within a few minutes it was moving faster than any man had ever traveled. But the farther the rocket traveled from our sight, the less aware we were of its speed. It almost seemed to hang in the sky, unmoved, when in reality, it was traveling thousands of miles an hour. It’s kind of like that with the federal debt. The higher and faster it travels, the more difficult it is for most of us to grasp the significance of the numbers. If you want to see just how fast our debt is rocketing into the outer reaches of fiscal insanity, head over to http:// www.usdebtclock.org/ and watch the breathtaking
spectacle of the growth our national debt – including your portion of it – in real time. But before you do, let’s put our debt into perspective. After all, the significance of massive numbers is hard to grasp when they’re just numbers. Although the difference between the words million, billion and trillion is only a couple of letters, in numerical terms they are vastly different. Consider this: a million minutes was a little less than two years ago. A billion minutes ago was just after the time of Christ. But a trillion minutes ago was around the year 2,000,000 BC – give or take a few thousand years. When applied to our debt, that little “tr” takes on a whole new tragic significance.
Or visualize this: If you and I stacked 100,000,000 (one hundred million) one dollar bills on top of each other the stack would reach 6.8 miles or about as high as your average commercial jetliner flies.
Now let’s increase that stack to 1,000,000,000 (one billion) one dollar bills. We’re now 68 miles above Earth’s surface, into what’s called the troposphere. Let’s keep going. We increase the stack to 100,000,000,000 (one hundred billion) one dollar bills. On our way up we wave at the astronauts in the International Space Station. But we still have a long way to go. When we finish we’re 6,786 miles above the earth or 28 times higher than the space station. Now let’s talk trillions. After all, that’s the rarified heights our national debt is traversing. After millions of years of stacking dollar bills we finally reach a height of 67,866 miles as we place our one trillionth bill on the stack. We are now one fourth the way from the earth to the moon. But why stop now? Let’s get that stack up to 17 trillion, the number of dollars We The People are in debt. We now have a stack of dollar bills that will go all the way to the moon, back to the Earth, back to the moon again, and well on its way back to the Earth again. Source: http://www.ehd.org/ science_technology_largenumbers.php When did this massive debt get racked up to such astronomical heights? You might be surprised to learn that the vast majority of that money was borrowed in our lifetimes. It took America 204 years to rack up its first $1 trillion in national debt. We crossed that line in 1980. But it took us only 6 more years to double the debt to $2 trillion. Then only four more years, from 1986 to 1990, to go from $2 trillion to $3 trillion. Then things really started cooking. In just twenty three years we have grown the national debt from $3 trillion to nearly $17 trillion dollars. And lest you hurl the blame to either side of the political spectrum, let me assure you that Republicans and Democrats have each done their fair share of stacking borrowed dollars to the moon and back. During the Bush Administration (8 years) our national debt went from $5.7 trillion to $10.6 trillion.
That’s a little over $600 billion a year. But before you Democrats get too excited, remember that it not only takes a President to rack up debt - he requires the help of Congress. Oh, yes, and those who elected them. That’s you and me.
Since President Obama has been in office, a little over 4 years, our national debt has grown another astounding $6 trillion. That’s almost a trillion-and-ahalf a year. And he got a lot of help from Democrats in Congress who controlled both houses the first couple of years of his presidency. At this point you Republicans might want to wipe those grins off your faces because your elected representatives who have dominated the House for the past couple of years weren’t exactly screaming for fiscal restraint either. Some may protest that debt is really only significant as it relates to GDP (Gross Domestic Product). And to an extent, that is true. So, let’s take a look. Since the year 2000 our debt to GDP ratio has grown from about 40% to over 100%. In other words, our national debt is larger than what we produce as a nation in an entire year. That’s an astounding 150% increase in just 13 years. Not exactly heading in the right direction. Our voracious appetite for things we cannot afford and our blissful complacency and tolerance of irresponsible “leadership” has pushed us to the financial brink as a nation. We are well past the point of simply nuking wasteful pork barrel spending. That’s chump change. We are now forced to reexamine Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid – so called mandatory spending – as well as the Defense budget and a whole lot of other things we really don’t want to do without. With some serious, painful cutting we could at least begin to get the out-of-control rocket back on course. That’s IF we put the spending brakes on now. But you may have noticed that the brakes aren’t being applied. In fact, the throttle is pushed forward with little serious effort to pull back. Houston…we have a BIG problem. When you hear the relative handful of responsible politicians and economists talking about “tough choices” ahead, they ain’t kiddin’. We either swallow a bitter pill now and recover or we suffer the consequences of a critical illness later. The beauty of
America is that We The People get to decide our own fiscal fate to a great degree. But the older (wiser?) I get the more convinced I become that we may well have reached a critical tipping point in America – maybe not the point at which we can’t turn back before it’s too late, but the point at which we won’t turn back. I’ve come to the conclusion that rather than hope that We The People will elect responsible leaders and that we will swallow hard and make the sacrifices necessary to get our fiscal house in order, I will focus on getting my own house in order just in case. I figure it this way - I buy auto insurance even though the chances of my having a serious accident are fairly remote. But the consequences of having a serious accident and not having insurance would be
devastating. So, even if the chances of an economic meltdown are remote (and depending on your point of view, it may or may not be remote) not being prepared if, and when, it happens would not be fun. And, hey, if by some miracle America gets its fiscal poop in a group and the proverbial poop does not hit the fan, I’m still better off having prepared.
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Don’t Forget the Pets! By Kelly Thomas You may be a newbie at prepping, or you may have been doing it for so long that it is second nature to you. But, whatever your experience level is in prepping, don’t forget to plan for your pet’s needs while planning for your family members.
That way we can plan to have enough food on hand for a period of time, but we use and replace it so that we don’t have to worry about expiration dates.
About a year and a half ago, I woke up one winter morning to find that our power had gone out. My very first thought was: how am I going to provide drinking water to our 5 dogs and 3 cats (yep, we have a houseful!)? Water is the first thing they head for when they wake up. Fortunately, it turned out that our power was only out for a few hours, but it made me aware of the benefits and common sense practice of preparing for emergencies.
Keep dry dog/cat food in its original bag. The bag can be stored inside of a tub or container to keep away from unwanted critters, but the food will have a longer shelf life if it is kept in the original bag.
Preparing for the needs of our pets is not that much different than what we do for our families. Determine how much food and water your pet/pets require each day and work from there. We use the food rotation system for our family, as well as for our pets.
Here are some helpful tips I have found while researching various websites:
Watch the expiration, or “Best By” dates on dry and canned dog/ cat food. Learn to make homemade kibble for your pets. Many of the ingredients required for homemade kibble may be something you have already stored up in quantity. Not only are you aware of all the ingredients in the kibble you feed your pet, but it could help with costs. There are some “yummy” pet friendly
recipes online to make for your pets. Use coupons and watch for sales to be able to purchase an extra bag of dry food to put into the food rotation system. Pick up an extra can or two of food when you do your regular shopping. Just like with your family’s food stock, you will be surprised how quickly you can add to the pets’ food stock without too much effort or too much additional money spent at one time. When calculating the amount of drinkable water to store, don’t forget to factor in the amount per day that your pet requires. It’s important to have a bugout bag for your pet, in case you have to evacuate in a hurry. At a minimum the bag should contain the following: Leash and harness Food and bowl Water and bowl
Toys (to help comfort them in a stressful situation) Treats (for the same reason as toys) It would also be wise to have a container to put the pet/pets in, especially during a stressful, unknown situation. If you have a cat, be sure to have a litter box, litter, scoop and bag handy to pack in the vehicle.
If you have more than one pet, assign family members to each pet so that all can be evacuated safely and not left behind. Be sure that your pet’s vaccinations and shots are up to date. If you have a pet on special medication, it could be difficult to get extra supplies of the medication to keep on hand. However, for ordinary pet health maintenance, there are options available. One multi-use option is
food grade diatomaceous earth (DE). DE can be lightly rubbed into the coat of the pet to help control ticks, fleas and ear mites. It can be added to their food as a natural wormer. Be sure to use the food grade DE! You know your pets and their needs. Just don’t forget to prepare for them!
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Hot water for free--from the wood cook stove! By Nick Meissner One of the most multi-purpose tools on the homestead is a wood cook stove. Ours not only cooks the food and keeps the house toasty warm, it also heats our hot water!
The two main components, aside from the wood cook stove, are a water coil (#6 & #7 on the pictures below), which is a pipe that runs through the fire box to heat the water, and a range boiler (picture on left), which is a large tank that holds the hot water before and after it circulates through the wood cook stove. Active vs Passive There are a couple of variations on the "hot water from your wood stove" scene. One involves the use of an inline electric circulating pump to force water through the water coil; the other uses the simple principle of heat rising to accomplish the same thing. It is called a thermosiphon system. "Active" systems (using
an electric pump) have some advantages, but in the opinion of this writer, not enough to offset their negatives for most people. An active system can produce as much as 50% more hot water than a passive (thermosiphon) system, and since more water movement takes place, there is less chance of water overheating and creating dangerous pressure levels. But anytime you unnecessarily involve a mechanical or electric device in essential systems, you are asking for trouble. For instance, if electricity is lost during winter, you would have to potentially shut the wood stove down or dismantle the hot water system to prevent dangerously high temperatures and pressures. And some inline pumps have a poor reputation for reliability. Even if you are on a renewable energy system with a very efficient DC inline pump, it still uses electricity throughout the day while the stove is running, and that can add up. Bottom line? Whenever possible, keep it simple and go with a thermosiphon system! And that is what we are going to focus on in this post.
How Thermosiphon Works The range boiler is placed higher than the water coil in order to take advantage of an important principle. Just as hot air naturally rises, so does water. When connected properly, the water that heats up in the water coil will begin rising toward the elevated ranger boiler. As this hot water begins moving, it naturally pulls cold water in behind to replace it, and before you know it, a "thermosiphon" has begun-circulating water from the range boiler through the water coil without the aid of any pump! Our range boiler holds 40 gallons and only needs 1 to 1.5 hours of stove run time before it is nice and hot. When the tank is insulated, this hot water can last all day. This makes summer time wood cook stove use inside the house a possibility in some drier northern climates (where a flash fire in the morning is bearable). We open all the windows that have screens, open the front door (which is next to the stove), and place a strong fan in the doorway that blows hot air out the door and pulls cooler air in the windows. In warmer climates, it might be advisable to hook up a solar water heater for use during warmer times of the year. 1-Hot water in from water coil; 2-pressure release valve; 3-Hot water out to house; 4-Cold water in; 5-Cold water out to water coil. Choosing the Right Components
First, the stove. While many different types of stoves could be used for this system, the easiest and best choice is an Amish made wood cook stove. Not only is it so versatile, it comes all set up for the job with knockouts in the back to fit a water coil. Often you can order the stove with a water coil
already installed. Most other stoves must be manually retrofitted to work with a water coil or water jacket, which involves drilling holes in the back--not exactly something I fancy doing to an expensive stove. The other nice feature is that the Amish made wood cook stoves are generally quite air tight, which means a longer burn time and more efficient use of wood. My stove can be cranked down so far that it almost puts a strong fire out! The same cannot be said of many older and more ornate wood cook stoves. Second, the water coil. This should be made out of stainless steel. Your only options are single coil or double coil. Double coil, as the name implies, makes an extra loop around the firebox and heats up more water more quickly. That
sounds great, but think it through first. While you want your water to get hot, you don't want it so hot that the pressures rises to dangerous levels and blows your system's pressure release valve frequently. So you are doing a balancing act. Hot water usage and the size of your storage tank (range boiler) are factors that will affect your decision here. If you have a large family and are using a larger range boiler (50-80+ gal.), you might consider a double coil. If, on the other hand, you will not be using a lot of hot water and your range boiler is smaller (30-40 gal.), you would be better off with a single coil. Water jackets are also available for regular wood stoves and come in a variety of sizes for low, medium and high output. Choose accordingly.
Third would be the storage tank or range boiler. It certainly is possible to use a standard water heater as it is insulated and already has an appropriate number of ports for some systems; but I chose to go with a range boiler that is made for the job. It is a super heavy duty tank that is lined with a masonry type lining inside to prevent rust-out. It also has plenty of ports for fittings in just the right places. Mine is made by Vaughn Corp. but I purchased it through Stoves and More (who
also sells excellent Amish made wood cook stoves). I really like mine, but have a friend who had to re-tap the thread on some of the ports because there was welding splatter present. Hopefully that was a fluke. Fourth would be the pipes used to connect the water coil to the range boiler. Ideally it would be 1" diameter and made out of stainless steel. While 1" is best, it is possible to use 3/4" for systems with a large tank and plenty of rise from the water coil to the range boiler. But we are after the least amount of restriction so the water can circulate freely and not overheat. The ideal material would be stainless steel threaded pipe, but that can be quite costly if your range boiler sits more than a few feet from the stove. In situations with longer runs, one could use stainless steel for the first several feet away from the water coil (both inlet and outlet) and then switch to copper or even galvanized steel. Copper is NOT recommended for use close to the stove as solder could melt from the joints if water flow stops or pipes are dry while the stove is running hot. Galvanized steel pipe may be used for the entire loop between water coil and range boiler, but it will not last as long as stainless steel or copper. Try to avoid 90° elbows as much as possible as they create restrictions that reduce circulation. It is better to use 45° elbows if possible. But if sufficient rise is present and the range boiler is close to the stove, one or two 90° elbows probably won't hurt anything. I have some on my system, but I used 1" pipe and placed the range boiler very close to the stove and a sufficient distance above it. The type of pipe that leaves the outlet of the range boiler is not as critical, but I decided to stay with galvanized steel for several feet before switching to PEX, due to the high
water temperatures present in the range boiler. One important point...if you plan on connecting copper to steel, be sure to use a brass (preferred) or dielectric fitting in between to prevent electrolysis. The reason brass is preferred is that a dielectric fitting could possible melt from the very high temperatures present. Also, be aware that stainless steel is a different animal than regular steel; it can connect to copper directly without any problems.
Placement The engine that drives a thermosiphon system is vertical rise from the water coil to the range boiler. Within reasonable limits, the more rise present, the stronger your circulation will be (all other things being equal). While placing the range boiler on the second floor is certainly a good option, here is a rule of thumb for vertical placement: For every 2 horizontal feet of run away from the stove, there should be at least 1 foot of vertical fall from the cold water outlet on range boiler (#5) to the cold water inlet on the water coil (#7). Example: Range boiler is 10 feet away from stove. Cold water outlet on range boiler (#5) should
be at least 5 vertical feet above cold water inlet on water coil (#7).
Range boiler too large? Try a smaller tank
My range boiler is less than 4 feet from the wood cook stove and has around 2 feet of vertical fall from the cold water outlet of the range boiler to the cold water inlet of the water coil. I have found it to work quite well.
Pipes connecting range boiler to water coil not large enough (creating a restriction)? Try larger diameter pipes
Hybrid Systems While some may choose to do as we currently are and use the wood cook stove all summer, your climate or other reasons may make that an unthinkable option. And there is no need to sweat it out with all the potentials we have for hybrid systems. One option is to use the wood cook stove during winter and hook up a good quality solar water heater for use during spring, summer and fall. Often this may be accomplished using the same range boiler for both systems to lower overall costs. That is our ultimate plan for next summer. Another option is to run the main outlet from the range boiler (#3) through an on-demand (tank-less) propane water heater before sending the hot water to any fixtures. If the water is sufficiently hot, the water heater will not fire up. If the water is too cool, it gets heated up as its being delivered to your faucet. This, of course, is not a completely independent option as it uses propane, but it is very convenient. There are many other possibilities--the sky is the limit! Troubleshooting Water not hot enough? Here are some possibilities: Fire not hot enough? Water coil or jacket placed too far from heat? Try a double coil water coil or larger output water jacket
Try insulating pipes and range boiler Try moving the range boiler closer to stove and/or higher to improve circulation Last resort, install an electric circulation pump Water overheating and blowing pressure release valve regularly? Try a slower fire, especially when initially starting a fire. It can take a little while for some systems to start circulating after a fire is started. During that time, water in the water coil can potentially overheat. Try a larger range boiler Try larger diameter pipe between range boiler and water coil/jacket If using a double coil water coil or high output water jacket, try installing a single coil or lower output model If pipes or range boiler are insulated, try removing insulation Last resort, install an electric circulation pump As you can see, improving circulation can help when dealing with either extreme. Much like the human body, proper circulation is vital! In addition to personal experience and second-hand testimony from friends, I am much indebted to Lehman’s for their helpful booklet Hot Water From Your Woodstove.
Use Biodiesel Fuels to Cut Diesel Use By Trent Powers Right now with a difficult economy and potential difficulties ahead, many people are in a “money saving” mode. Everywhere you go it seems people are preparing and looking for ways to cut corners and simplify their lives. In addition to saving on food, energy costs, and home supplies, homesteading and farming families have been looking for ways to save money on their daily farm operations. It gets very expensive to operate farm equipment to tend to our crops, so it's pretty logical that we find ways to save a little money. One way, is saving on our diesel costs. There’s one thing about used vegetable oil that few people usually think about: it is almost an exact replacement for regular diesel fuel. And even with the recent drop in fuel prices diesel still runs about 50 cents to a dollar more than regular unleaded gas, so it makes sense to explore biodiesel fuel as a replacement for standard diesel fuel. Here’s how you do it: Talk to a local burger restaurant, or other fast-food spots, and find out what it costs them to dispose of their used vegetable oil. It is used to make their fries and is changed out every morning. Disposal costs are not cheap and if you offer to take the vegetable oil off his hands for free, you’ll likely have a continuous supply of inexpensive base fuel ingredients.
Check the timing requirements for a slightly lighter weight diesel fuel for your diesel-engine car and make any needed timing adjustments. Check the filler system because you will likely have to modify it in order to fill up your tank. The changes usually involve changing out the filler head for a wider one. There are how-to instructions all over the Internet, and it is relatively easy to do if you are mechanically inclined. If not, use a funnel, but don't spill the biodiesel fuel. You can also make a more elaborate fuel feed system to give your vehicle more range by using large medical plastic bottles and PVC piping. You’ll also have to reroute the filler feed. Since the biodiesel fuel (formerly known as vegetable fryer oil) will likely be dirty and filled with solids, you will have to develop a filtering system by using a large plastic bottle for initial storage and successive straining through a series of cheesecloth filters and bottle until all of the impurities are gone. You may require two or three bottles in the system before it reaches your oil storage tank – the one from which you take the biodiesel fuel. That’s it, in a nutshell. You may have some initial starting problems because this is a lighter oil than diesel and its per unit energy value is lower, which means that you may have to boost the glow-plug heater values (some auto diesels use charged glowplug heating elements to help the self-firing diesel process in cold weather). Other than possibly smelling like a rolling Burger King, that’s about it. Your biodiesel fuel car awaits your driving pleasure.
Doomsday Survival or Preparation Call? Doomsday Survival has become quite a popular topic with today's media and politicians. It is a telling sign that more and more people are concerned with events that are happening all across the globe. Unfortunately, the concerns that people face are often fueled by the media in the form of fear. News outlets and others often sensationalize events that are happening in order to boost their following or listener ratings. Regrettably, fear has proven to be a powerful agent in driving revenues. The internet has made information immediately available so it has become very easy to follow events all over the world. I suspect if the internet was available during the great World Wars or during the great global depression, there likely would have been a far greater movement of people preparing for the ultimate destruction of society. A real doomsday scenario was unfolding before their eyes. Certainly, (more than ever, in fact) I believe it is essential that we all prepare. But... I really do not believe that preparation should be a reaction to fear. I personally am not interested in perpetuating hysteria or pushing a fear message simply to create a reaction in people, or to drive revenues. Today, "Preppers" is a popular name that is used to identify those who are somewhat involved in some type of preparation act. Personally, I am not a big fan of the term Preppers but I do understand the attempt to identify people who are a part of the preparation journey. I have just never particularly appreciated how we have grown so accustomed to classifying people into categories, or sub-categories. Our history is littered by too many terrible acts against people who
were visibly identified, labeled, and branded as they were placed as a member of a certain group. To me, preparation is not about fitting within a certain society niche or group. Preparation is a journey, a movement, and a lifestyle. It is a community of people taking action and often coming together to prepare themselves for living - regardless of the circumstances they may encounter. It's about having hope for the future, even if the future may require us to alter the way we live each day. In my personal Faith, preparation is not particularly about special survival skills in a doomsday scenario, but far more about being ready and prepared for the soon return of the King of Kings. It is about having oil in the lamps awaiting the Bridegroom. It is ultimately pointless for me to rant about a simple term used for identification. I am fine with anyone who wants to call themselves a Prepper, survivalist, hoarder, or whatever they choose for an identity. At the end of the day, we're all involved in some type of preparation. Over 18 years ago I heard a Preparation Call that has impacted my life in a profound way. My desire is to remain faithful on the journey of that call, and to prepare my family and others for any difficulties (and also joys) that lie ahead. I want to live life to the fullest, and for me that includes preparing for the “unknowns� that may be just around the corner. Preparation is not just about some doomsday scenario. Preparation has everything to do with Faith, living life with Hope, and sharing Love as we strengthen relationships with our families and our Communities.
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THANK YOU! The Launch of PREPARE Magazine has been a labor of love, sharing of helpful training and ideas, and a partnership with some wonderful people. We are so thankful for the support and kindness of so many people who have joined with us in the journey and contributed to the creation and growth of PREPARE Magazine. We want to share our sincere and humble gratitude for everyone who has shared their support and encouragement. We simply could not have launched PREPARE without you! On behalf of our readers, subscribers, advertisers, and staff, we wish to extend our heart-felt appreciation to all of you. We believe there is a very special mission for PREPARE Magazine, and are so pleased to be yoked with wonderful people who wish to sow encouragement and help to others in the Preparedness Journey. Again‌ To all of you who have contributed and shared financial resources, preparedness training, advertising, testimonials, and encouragement, please know that we greatly appreciate you – and look forward to serving on your behalf. Joseph and Donna Miller
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Dr. Bones and Nurse Amy Ronald G Wittig H Michael Rauscher Kirk Illian Joe and Amy Alton Tracy Singer Steve Mileusnich Karyn Rios Jonathan Violassi Donna Henken Rats Overton Shannon Dulawan Douglas Drury Kelly and Stanley Gaddy CoolBrees Designs
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Trent Powers Ken Youngquist Jason A. Hunt Vickilynn Haycraft Rick Austin Evan Folds Bryan Miller Bill & Janet Liebsch Pierce Jacobson Vina8 Eric Waters Charles Belitz Lynette Frye Kelly Thomas Nigel Jones Dale W.Montgomery Kim Lippy Steve Mistretta Aaron Berwick Valarie Brown Scott Angell Caryn lee Wayne Spencer N. Campbell Judith Hooley Founding Subscribers
Book Review: Survival Mom by Lisa Bedford By Vickilynn Haycraft DNA to take care of her family in preparation for whatever may come. Let’s face it, the media is grabbing hold of this “prepping” movement and is bringing it into the forefront and making it mainstream. People who never thought about storing food, water or extra blankets are now taking cues from tornado and hurricane survivors and packing 72 hour kits. With the reality shows such as “Doomsday Preppers” (no matter what your opinion of it, the show is topping the ratings and people are becoming aware of the need to prepare) and its copycats “Doomsday Bunkers” and those to follow, there are some Doom-and-Gloomers out there who are preaching panic and preying on those who are panicking. Lisa Bedford (The Survival Mom) says "not so fast"! On page 15 she recites “The #1 Rule of Preparedness… Do your best where you are with what you have.” This book is packed full of ways to accomplish panic-free prepping.
Conclusion: A must-have! Content for all ages. “Survival Mom: How to Prepare Your Family for Everyday Disasters and Worst-Case Scenarios” articulately yet clearly makes the case that every mom has it in her
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Our Contributors... Nick
Meissner
o f h t t p : / / www.sustainablepreparedness.com/ has been living off the grid in the mountains since 1999, and what an experience it has been! Starting out, life was fairly primitive (by American standards) with a mostly non-electric lifestyle and unfinished house, but he accepted these as part of a quest to shun debt like the plague. He and his wife Lisa now reside in a cozy cabin nestled in the mountains of Idaho and present seminars across the nation that educate attendees on how to live a truly independent lifestyle. They also organize large Sustainable Preparedness Expo's in the Northwest and beyond.
David E Crossley
is a British Prepper living in Scotland. He has been into prepping for over 40 years and has built his experience through 22 years as a soldier, 4 years as the Training Manager for Scotland for the British Red Cross and many years studying and doing the prepping things so many people just think or talk about. He is also a published author. Learn more about him at his website at: www.tfns.co.uk/index2.html
Ken Youngquist
is the creator of Survivaltek, a website dedicated to teaching the ways and means to survive. From his youth, Ken was captivated by primitive living skills, and in his adulthood was intrigued by the television Series MacGyver. The result has been the study and practice of survival skills and the desire to pass on the mantle of preparedness to others. You can visit and learn more at: Survivaltek.com.
Rod
Robison
is a broadcaster and entertainer, father of five, husband of one, living in The Middle of Nowhere, Arizona. His prepper philosophy is, If the poop hits the fan I plan to be prepared. If it doesn't, my family and I will still be better off having prepared. His entertainment website is at www.mentallusions.com Rod Robison is a professional fundraiser and broadcaster whose radio feature “Radical Stewardship” is heard on over 200 stations nationwide.
Tom Kunz has been prepping all his adult life, long before it was popular to do so. He is married to the most wonderful woman on earth, and is a homeschooling father of 8, IT security specialist, software developer, mechanical engineer, firearms instructor, conference speaker, pianist, and composer. He specializes in providing security and communications services & support to Christians and missions agencies that work in countries which censor the internet and are openly hostile to the Gospel. His website is: http:// SolidRockTechnologies.com/
Vickilynn Haycraft
is the hostess of the Get Real – Get Prepared radio show on PRN. She is the author of: Wrapping It Up! and co-author of Naturally Healthy Cuisine, Real Food for Real Families. Vickilynn is a sought-after independent product tester and book reviewer delivering accurate, honest, and trustworthy reviews on products and books for the whole family. Subscribe to Vickilynn at: RealFoodLiving.com, National Product Review Examiner, National Family Preparedness Examiner.
Pierce Jacobson
is a family man who enjoys homesteading, writing, and researching food growing models. He has been studying self-reliance and preparedness systems for many years, and believes that we are heading toward difficulties that will require us to be less-dependent on the existing infrastructures. He practices and teaches his own survival skills and growing models, to help better-prepare for the days ahead.
Trent Powers
is a freelance writer, consultant, and adventure enthusiast. He spends much of his time researching and testing survival skills and self-reliance techniques. As an avid outdoorsman and homesteader, Trent believes that putting skills into practice now will provide for a more peaceful future.
Kathleen Roberts
is a Master Gardener with a special interest in prepping. She has also studied herbs for over 20 years. Kathleen blogs at the Extreme Food Storage Blog about food storage and other self-reliance topics and her work appears on various websites.
Jason A. Hunt
is the President of Frontier Christian University a school that equips believers for wilderness, survival and preparedness ministries for the end-times. He is also the Chief Instructor at Kentucky River Bushcraft where he offers courses in a variety of outdoor subjects. To learn more visit him online at www.kyriverbushcraft.com
Community Connections These groups have meetings in June
PACIFIC San Fernando Valley Disaster Preparedness Group West Hills, CA Newly formed group with monthly meetings planned. Northern Nevada Preppers Group Reno, NV Many events in June planned
NORTHWEST
North Dakota Preparedness Bismarck, ND Many past events and planned future events. Bristelcone Bushcraft Salt Lake City, UT Newly formed group.
Roswell Preppers Networking Group Roswell, GA Discussion meeting and soap making event WNC Preparedness Group Asheville, NC Armature Radio Field Day and Upcoming Essential Oils Lesson
MIDWEST Skillbuilders – Starting a revolution Northridge, CA Upcoming: Car Emergencies & Swamp Cooler Workshop SOUTHWEST Scottsdale Self Reliance & Preparedness Scottsdale, AZ New Meetings to be announced for June/July. Texas Family Survival Preparedness New Braunfels, TX Established group with many past and future events. OUTSIDE USA Canadian Emergency Preparedness Network Toronto, ON Many past events. Get connected.
NORTHEAST Readys Saint Charles, MO Many past and future events. SOUTHEAST EPSOCT Lafayette, LA Classes throughout June/ July. South Florida Emergency Preparedness and Survival Miami, FL Upcoming Hurricane Preparedness Class & Urban Survival North Central Florida Preparedness Reddick, FL Newly formed group.
Champlain Valley New York Disaster Preparedness Cadyville, NY Newly formed group. Downriver Disaster Family Preparedness Enthusiasts Southgate, MI Newly formed group. EMPact America – WNY Emergency Preparedness Elma. NY Many past events. More to come.
Disaster Preparedness for Families - Maine Portland, ME Newly formed group. NH Preppers
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