Learn From Others' Mistakes

If you have maintained even a partial eye on the news lately, then you haven't missed the typhoon that destroyed some parts of the Philippines. The people there have been left with little food and clean water and are stuck waiting for outside resources to come to them. It is a terrible situation over there because it is taking too long for help to arrive.

A little preparedness goes a long way during disaster situations. A weeks supply of food, water and shelter can mean life or death while you are waiting for government resources to save the day. This is no knock on the victims of the typhoon because this storm was strong enough to destroy any supplies these people may have had. But this is a factor you don't have much control over. I would rather know my supplies were destroyed by a super storm than know I didn't have supplies because of my laziness.

These storms continue to grow in intensity and it should be a growing warning in your mind. Governments and citizens must take these threats seriously and begin effective preparedness plans for the next super storm. It could only be a matter of time before mother nature comes knocking on your door.

Keep on prepping!

Is the Economy Really Improving?

I am not an economist but I have my doubts folks.

First of all, the only reason we have seen a consistent growth in the stock market is because of the feds $85 billion monthly purchase of bad bonds. Where are they getting $85 billion? They're just printing it. When a government prints and prints and prints, inflation is bound to show it's ugly head. Unfortunately for you and I, we don't own the proverbial money tree like our government. Every country around the world is facing dire economic conditions because our economies are now interconnected. Keep an eye on world news and maybe you will see the collapse unfolding before others.

Secondly, what happens when they stop spending $85 billion per month? I mean, they can't continue doing this much longer, can they? When the purchases cease, we may see the largest drop in the financial markets because the big investors will try to save every penny they've made. Everyone who has money is investing while markets are great, but you better believe they are pulling out just prior to the big announcement.

Sure, everything looks to be improving, but don't let our government trick you. The person who continues to prep, even in fair weather, is the one who survives. No one knows when the next economic collapse is coming and you better believe the day before it happens will be no different than today.

Keep on Prepping!



Image from http://www.franklincountyvapatriots.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/gov1.jpg

5 Survival Apps You Should Have

Take advantage of the smart phone technology and have survival information at your fingertips in a disaster situation. While there are some disaster which will render your phone useless, it still doesn't hurt to have some of these apps as an extra step in preparedness.

Don't forget to buy a solar cell phone charger

U.S. Military Survival Manual FM 21-76

This manual is full of survival tips which will undoubtedly come into handy during any disaster. The best part is the app is free and will work without a signal. A must-have!

ubAlert - Disaster Alert

This is a global social network where users can share knowledge of disasters throughout the world. This app is free but also requires a signal to function. Could be a great warning system of a coming disaster.

First Aid - American Red Cross

The Red Cross app puts expert advice for everyday emergencies in your hand. This app includes videos, quizzes, and step-by-step advice. This app is also free and appears to function without a signal.

 

Police Scanner 5-0

Monitor existing police, fire, and rescue frequencies and stay abreast of activities in your area or around the world. This app requires a connection to function.

Google Maps

It sounds silly, but what happens if a disaster happens in an unfamiliar area. Remember, we have no idea when disaster will strike so we have to always be prepared. The map is available without a signal but you will be unable to use the locate features.

BONUS TIP

Don't forget to have some entertaining apps as well because they can help time pass and keep morals up. Games, books, and even coloring apps can be extremely helpful during hard-times.

 Make sure you have a solar charger

3 Reasons to Prepare for a War in Syria

The United States government has been debating for the past week whether they should attack key military outposts in Syria after the supposed chemical weapon's attack on Syrian citizens. Many countries are looking to the U.S. to do something while other, much larger countries are suggesting we stand down. The threat of this war is much more serious than the media may be letting on and I suggest we listen to the muted warnings and take a look at 3 credible threats and why you should prepare your family.

Hackers

Shortly after the U.S. began contemplating an attack on Syrian soil, The New York Times website went down from a cyber attack. The Syrian Electronic Army claimed responsibility for this attack and promised more if we proceeded with our plans to bomb. A cyber attack on our grid can have detrimental effects on our society and cause chaos within hours as the crazies take advantage of the opportunities to pillage. There are numerous reports claiming our grid is highly susceptible to an outside cyber attack.

Terrorist Attacks

The risk of a large scale terrorist attack is very real if we proceed with attacks. Iranian sleeper cells on our soil could be activated and we have no idea what to prepare for. They could launch a chemical attack, nuclear attack with stolen Russian supplies, attack our nuclear power plants, suicide bomb public locations. The threats are endless. If this country is attacked during war time, it may mean the president will place the country under martial law.

Risk of World War

The threat right now is small, but real. Russia and China have used strong words advising the U.S. to stand down and it is reported Putin has already approved a military strike on Saudi Arabia (our ally) should we strike Syria. Iran has also approved a strike on Israel (another ally) should the U.S. strike Syria. It doesn't take a fortune teller to assume North Korea won't be too far behind if the opportunity presents itself. If you recall in history class, Japan attacked us in World War II while we were busy in Europe. A war of this magnitude would weaken our defenses at home opening the doors to would-be attackers. Thankfully, America has more armed citizens than any other country in the World and we will defend our soil.

Do not stand idly by while others around you prepare.

Keep on prepping!

FEMA Warns Us to Prepare...Again

FEMA is rolling out new ads in September for National Preparedness month. Don't get me wrong, I am happy the government is making disaster preparation a serious family topic with these new ads, but why are they doing it? Do they know something we don't? Let's face it, we are overdue for something big.

According to the article, only 19% of Americans feel they are very prepared for a disaster. That number is scary if you ask me because that means 81% of America is not prepared. That means well over 250 million Americans will be panicking and killing each other if we have an extended national emergency. The ability to stay home while everyone else fights over supplies is just another benefit of being prepared.

I hope these ads will motivate more families to take their future into their own hands and forget relying on others for help.

Keep on prepping!

Entire article here

Prepping With Pets

There is a lot of planning that goes into prepping your family for disaster. Unfortunately, I find that many families leave their pets out of the picture when storing supplies. Either they have forgotten about them or they believe they can just let them outside and they will survive on their own. The latter may be true for some pets but like us Americans, our pets have grown dependent on handouts and won't survive long without help.

Prepping with pets is typically much easier than you think. Because most pets eat the same brand of food everyday, you only have to worry about buying a few extra bags or cans of food and your pet suddenly has a stockpile of emergency food. I recommend you store the same amount of food you stored for yourself. So if you have 1 month of emergency food, so should your pets.

Next, your pet needs water. Typical house pets do not require as much water as us humans so again this isn't a difficult task. If you believe you have enough water stored for your family, store a little extra for your pets. You don't have to store a lot because as an added bonus, your pets can drink from the puddles outside if clean water becomes a shortage.

Finally, if your pet uses medication you may want to make an attempt at acquiring extra. Some vets will understand your reasoning and appreciate you thinking about your pets safety. Other vets may deny you but at least you tried. Depending on the medicine, your pet may still survive long enough until help arrives.

As you can see, preparing your pets for disaster is one the easiest steps to prepping but it is often overlooked. Do your pets a favor and make some room in the survival plans for them.

Keep on prepping!

10 Must Have Survival Items Under $25

Prepping can be an expensive activity when you think about all of the food, water, and guns people recommend. Thankfully for Amazon, there are many useful items which can extend your survival at an affordable price. Purchasing through these links doesn't cost you anymore money and it gives me a small financial stimulus.

1.  Texsport Reinforced Rip-Stop Polyethylene Tarp (Camouflage, 10 x 12-Feet) Shelter comes first. Protecting yourself from the elements is the top priority when trying to survive. This tarp will help you stay dry for $17.40.

2.  Light My Fire Original Swedish FireSteel Army 12,000 Strike Fire Starter - Black Next you need fire. Fire not only provides warmth and safety, it also gives you another back-up plan for clean water. Remember, boiling water is a proven method for acquiring clean water. $15.99

3. LifeStraw Personal Water Filter At $19.95, this water filter will clean up to 1000L of water giving you close to a year's supply of clean drinking water. No question there should be one of these in everyone's survival kit.

4.  Potable Aqua Water Treatment Tablets At $5.99, this is your back-up to clean water if the LifeStraw fails. The downfall is one bottle will only treat about 4 gallons of water. You might want to pick up a couple.

5. GSI Outdoors Straight Pot with Lid (Blue, 3.5-Quart) You need something to heat your water in don't you? If you plan on relying on the boiling method for clean water, you better have a reliable pot for collecting and heating the water. $18.69

6.  Rothco Type III Commercial Paracord (Black, 550-Pound/100-Feet) Paracord has many uses in the wild and it's only $7.49 for 100'. Enough said!

7.  1/2 Dozen (6 PAK) Duke 110 Single Spring Body Trap for Mink, Muskrat, and Weasel Trapping is an excellent method for acquiring protein rich food. Set up the trap, walk away, come back later to your next meal. $24.25 for 6 traps.

8.  2pk blue 721 Mens Merino Wool Calf Boot socks for Hiking and Camping What are socks doing on a survival list? You'll thank me when you are out in the woods with warm comfy feet. Only $19.90 for a 2pk.

9.  6 Mechanical Fisher's Yo Yo Fishing Reels -Package of 1/2 Dozen- Yoyo Fish Trap Don't forget fish when planning on food sources. Yo yo fishing reels catch fish while you're away setting up camp or gathering fire wood so you have something to eat before bedtime. Have 6 of them working for you for $18.33.

10.  Gerber Bear Grylls Survival Series, Folding Sheath Knife I hate to recommend a survival knife on a discount list, but this knife is fairly reliable, and well, you need a knife. For the budget conscious survivalist, this knife is sufficient and only $18.53.

Keep on prepping!