rts.earth ~ September 26, 2017
Way back in April 2012 I wrote an article called “Being Prepared” that I usually repost about about once a year.
But this time things are different. Compared to the “Emergencies” and “Disasters” we saw prior to 2012, Right now we are living in a completely different ball game and the rules have radically changed and the stakes have gotten much higher.
On Sunday, I had a conversation with Ann Callaghan and Brianna Caradja about the current sense of “urgency” that many many people are picking up on, and the unbelievable amount of “natural” disasters that have been happening in the past couple of months alone. Below is the recording of this conversation.
What it boils down to is that right now, we are in a state of upheaval. Physically, emotionally, mentally, consciously, geographically, politically, economically and just about every other “cally” you can think of. We are seeing epic disasters happening all over the world, and many of these are happening where they shouldn’t and when they shouldn’t. The usual methods of forecasting things like hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, blizzards, etc…. do not necessarily work. When we are seeing blizzards in the Sahara and Saudi deserts, snow in places where a snowflake has never dropped from the sky before, torrential rain storms that are happening out of “season”, and hurricanes/massive storms that are appearing out of thin air….. the time has come to realize that we need to be prepared for anything.
Here’s the thing: many many people like to argue on this subject, and tend to get caught up in sideline arguments over the questions of “WHY” & “HOW”. Heated fights break out over whether it’s HAARP, chemtrails, EMF, 5G, man-made, or whether its’ due to Nibru, or the magnetic poles flipping, or the earth tilting, or some prophecy in the bible or by the Hopi Indians….
My response to all of that is: It doesn’t matter!! Seriously. A flood is a flood, and hurricane is a hurricane, an earthquake is an earthquake- how or why it happened really doesn’t matter in the greater scheme of things. Knowing if it’s “natural” or “Man-made” doesn’t stop it from happening. If you have to, deal with the emergency first and once you’re safely away and sheltered and have taken care of your family…. THEN you can argue over what caused it all.
But in order to be able to look after yourself and family- and yes, even your community- you have to take RESPONSIBILITY and be PREPARED.
I’m not necessarily talking about having 6 months supplies of food and water on hand and enough ammo to recreate the gunfight at the OK Coral in real time. But being prepared means at least basic preparations, plans, and discussions to make sure you and your family are safe, in any situation, from flash floods, to earthquakes, to wild fires. And it’s not just useful in serious disasters, being prepared means that the next time the power goes out, or some other inconvenience threatens the normal routine of your house, you will be well ready and able to deal with it.
There is no room for “Belief Systems” and personal “Biases” when it comes to taking responsibility for yourSELF and your family. You may want to “Believe” that it could never happen to you…. but ask yourself if you really want to bet on the safety of yourself and your family on the “belief” that it will NOT happen? Because there are a whole lot of people in Texas, Florida, India, Pakistan, Mexico, Chile, British Columbia, Indonesia, etc… who would like to have a word with you about how their “beliefs” didn’t save them. Just sayin’. To quote my “Being Prepared article from 2014:
I’m not a pessimist and I’m certainly not a fear mongerer. Those who’ve been reading RTS (for years) know that I don’t fall for the “fear porn”. But I’m also not willing to gamble my family on the hope that this coming collapse is going to be all unicorns farting rainbows.
Let’s play a game of “What if”.
What if the big banks- or even just your bank in your local town- goes bankrupt and suddenly shuts it’s doors?
-Do you have access to money? Do you have access to your credit/debit card? Do you have food and supplies on hand to look after your family (and perhaps unprepared friends) for 3 days? A week? Do you have gas in your car?
What if the big banks close and there is a bank run (which is already been seen in several countries yet covered up by the main stream media)?What if there is a panic run when people can’t get their money, or just freak out about the whole situation?
What if a “state of emergency” is enforced and you are stuck away from home? or stuck at home?
None of these situations are impossible. As a matter of fact, judging from what is being seen, I would say most of these situations are probable.
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How you prepare yourself and your family and what plans you make, is completely up to you. There is a lot of information out there to give you at least a really good head start on thinking about all of this.
What are some of the basic things you might want to invest in? Well, how about a hand crank flashlight and radio? No batteries to wear out or replace, and all it takes is a little elbow grease to keep it running as long as you need it. Some even have built in USB chargers, so you can even use it to power up your cell phone, tablet or even a laptop. Tell you me wouldn’t want one of these around the next time the power goes out, or your car breaks down on the side of the road!! Got candles? How about a way to LIGHT the candles or a fire- especially if you’re out in the wet and wind? Magnesium fire starters will work in almost any conditions and are dirt cheap. Can you cook over an open fire? Got an old metal oven or BBQ grill handy- they are an excellent way to create a flat platform over an open fire. How about a sleeping bag? Tent? Even if you don’t have an “emergency, camping is a lot of fun! Oh and Duct Tape. Duct Tape and WD40- you seriously can’t do without these, nor never have too much!
Next: Do you know the back roads out of your city/town? Every time an “Evacuation” is declared, all you see are videos of the main highways completely blocked in gridlock. In any emergency, knowing your way OUT of harms way is one of the most basic things you need to comprehend. Do you have a preset “Meeting place” planned out in case you’re separated from your family and friends, or you are at work and need to meet up on the road? Do you have extra Gasoline/petrol/diesel? Motor Oil? Washer fluid? Do you have emergency supplies in your vehicle just in case? Bottle of water, first aid kit, blanket, rain jacket, even a few granola/power bars? Just a few things to think about when it comes to traveling- things that are pretty handy even if you’re NOT in an “emergency”.
Do your kids know what to do? This is a tough one for a lot of parents as they do not want to frighten their kids with major stories of disasters. But as we said in the video on Sunday, KNOWING is the first way of moving past fear. The same goes with kids. Kids are a lot smarter and more resilient that most adults give them credit for. If they know that they can do something, that they understand it, then they will be much more relaxed and calm if that knowledge or action is ever needed. I’m sure your kids all have fire drills in school. Have you ever had one at home? Do your kids know how to react in an emergency? Trust me: preparation is much better than the alternative.
Do you have pets and animals? Do you know what to do in an evacuation situation with your animals? Do you have food for them? A Way to move them quickly if necessary? A dog you might be able to put on a leash…. but I’m thinking that may not work so well for your cats!!
And first aid. On Sunday night Ann and I launched our new show “Quintessential Wholeness: Owning your Well Being” and part of that discussion revolved around building a natural First Aid kit. Beyond the basic natural remedies, do you have basic first aid supplies? Bandaids/plasters only go so far- do you have rolls of bandages/gauze? Medical Tape? (Side note: the best bandage for heavy bleeding or pressure bandages are disposable Maxi Pads!!). Do you have the basics: scissors, tensor/elastic bandage, tweezers, disinfectant, eye cup & patch, cotton buds, safety pins, string, needle and thread, flash light, and yes….. main stream emergency medicines: for pain, anti-inflammatories, throat lozenges, nausea/vomiting/diarrhea, and of course regular prescriptions that you use? Again, these things are just for “Disasters” or major emergencies- these are things that everyone should have at home anyway.
As I said, how you prepare yourself and your family, and your level of “preparedness” are all up to you. Make an INFORMED CHOICE, Based on research and rational thinking.
Being Prepared...
April 2012:
In the last year, we have had more natural disasters than any other year in the past couple hundred years (or at least, since records have been kept). Hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, earth quakes, wild fires, droughts. If you don’t want to think about the economic crisis that is raging around the world, …. fine. Don’t. Instead, think about the natural disasters that could strike. Instead, prepare your family in case of a natural disaster. Do you have enough food and water for your family to survive for 3 days or more? Do you have a way to cook your food without electricity? Do you have a way to keep your family warm without natural gas? If a disaster strikes and you are forced to flee from your home (think: house fire, earth quake, flooding,….) can you get everything you need and get out- in 2 minutes or less? Where are your important papers? Do you have warm clothing ready? Do you have food you can take with you? What about your pets? What about your memories- photos etc? Do you have an emergency meet up place planned just in case your family is at different locations when you need to “bug out” – if you or your partner is at work, how will you find each other?
Remember Katrina- hundreds of people DIED because they were not prepared and just thought that the government would take care of them…. we all know what a mess the US gov. made of that emergency. Do NOT assume that someone else will “take care of it” or that your local government will look after you. YOU need to be responsible for YOUR family. Keeping your head in the sand and ignoring the potential dangers is risking the lives of your family. Being Prepared doesn’t have to take lots of money. Being Prepared doesn’t have to take a huge amount of time. But being prepared can save your life.
Here’s some food for thought:
http://theepicenter.com/howto.html
Here’s one of my favorite articles of all time about disaster preparations…. who said the CDC doesn’t have a sense of humor (or a hidden agenda)?!
This site is an excellent place to get great “how to” instructions- for everything from building a shelter, filtering water, lighting a fire, making a survival kit, making solar ovens and dehydrators….. you name it- it’s in here: WARNING: you will become addicted!
Everything you need to “Bug Out”, “Bug In”: BOBs, BIBs and everything in between. From handy pocket sized emergency kits, to full on pack up the truck with everything you need in 30 minutes or less. Seriously.
A good well rounded list of ideas and information about “Emergency Prepardness”
Here is a huge list of E-Books that have excellent info that can be saved on an external drive or printed off for emergency reference:
BIRTH
Emergency Childbirth
Rixa’s Birth Manual
FOOD
Acorn as Food
Backpack Gourmet
Canning Basics, Wild Game
Canning, Complete Guide
Capturing Heat
Complete Book of Home Preserving
Edible and Poisonous Mushrooms
Edible Wild Plants
Homemade Jerky Drier Instructions
Native Game Recipes
Physical Principles of Food Preservation
Preparing Safer Jerky
Raw Foods for Busy People
Root Cellars Vegetable Storage
Sausage Making
Survival Foods
HEALTH
especially “Where there is no doctor” and “A book for midwives”
Handbook of Medicinal Herbs
Handbook of Medicinal Spices
Wilderness First Aid: Emergency Care in Remote Locations
SHELTER
A Beginner’s Guide to Survival Shelter: A Prepper’s Primer
MAPS
topographical maps of canada
Huge selection of maps of canada on all ranges of topics
Be Expert with Map and Compass
Finding Your Way Without Map or Compass
PETS
FIREARMS
Canadian Firearms Safety Course
Canadian Restricted Firearms Safety Course
The Gun Owner’s Handbook: A Complete Guide to Maintaining and Repairing Your Firearms–in the Field Or at Your Workbench
SKILLS
The Craft of the Knot: From Fishing Knots to Bowlines and Bends, a PracticalGuide
Fishing For Dummies
The Complete Book of Fire: Building Campfires for Warmth, Light, Cooking
The Trapper’s Bible: Traps, Snares & Pathguards PDF ebook
Vehicle Emergencies/Repair
Auto Repair For Dummies
SURVIVAL
Army Survival Field Manual
US Army Survival Manual FM 21-76 ~ May 2002
Ranger Handbook SH 21-76
US Army Survival Manual – 1999 – pdf download
The Complete Book of Self-Sufficiency
When All Hell Breaks Loose: Stuff You Need to Survive When Disaster Strikes
Essentials of Sea Survival
Firefighter Safety and Survival, 1st ed.
A Survival Guide for Truck Drivers: Tips from the Trenches
June 1992 ~ U.S. Army Survival Manual FM 21-76
A list of online resources and information:
Food and Water:
An excellent resource for solar anything- with links to many “how To” sites- definitely one to bookmark
… and the ULTIMATE link for ANYTHING to do with “Prepping” and “Do It Yourself”……
WARNING: Do not go to this link unless you have hours and hours of time to use up, and don’t mind losing a day or two in Instructableland. Seriously!!
PS: I find it interesting that NASA has their own “Preparedness” site, eh?
This morning, at the Intentional Community where I live in Massachusetts, I had my first cup of coffee but then noticed that NO water flowed in the pipes to three connected residential spaces (mine being in the middle) due to reset button on the pump not working. I then went onto Dani Arnold Mc Kenny's RTS Earth website and knew that synchronicity had led me to re-post this on my blog, in its entirety... What happens if the grid fails? ~ JDHWB-R
Video Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNYKraJOVBI
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