FREE Local Disaster Preparedness Training

 (pictured above our CERT Team practicing rescuing a trapped victim, cribbing and transporting the victim)

Many people may not be aware that they have a few great disaster preparedness resources and training classes offered in their own areas, and best of all.... they're FREE !

One of these programs is called CERT, aka Community Emergency Response Team. The program involves three weekends of hands on training and ongoing training opportunities there after. You can learn skills to be able to help those in your community before, during, and after disasters.

The 9 Units of CERT Training Include:

Disaster Preparedness

Fire Safety

Disaster Medical Operations 1

Disaster Medical Operations 2

Light Search and Rescue Operations

CERT Organization

Disaster Psychology

Terrorism and CERT

Course Review and Disaster Simulation

In the Disaster Preparedness unit, students learn about what types of disasters are typical in their areas and how the CERT team helps in each of these situations. They also learn about home and workplace preparedness, the potential impacts of each hazard and how to reduce the impact of hazards through mitigation.

In unit 2 Fire Safety, the students learn about fire chemistry, fire and utility hazards, hazardous materials, and fire suppression safety. They also perform hands on training of suppressing a fire. Students are split into teams and practice entering in a fire, suppressing it and safely exiting.

Units 3 & 4 are focused on Disaster Medical Operations. These sections are important in learning the correct ways to assess and treat a victims wounds. The units cover treating life-threatening conditions, triage, public health concerns, establishing medical treatment areas (triage area), conducting head-to-toe assessments, treating burns, wounds, fractures, dislocations, sprains, strains, and nasal injuries. Students also learn how to treat cold & heat-related injuries, bites and stings. These units are hands-on and students will practice all of the above skills through special rescue simulations.

In unit 5 the CERT students will be introduced to Light Search and Rescue through information and physical training. They will learn about safety during search & rescue operations and conducting interior and exterior search operations. Students will perform multiple simulations finding and rescuing victims in various situations and treating their injuries.

Unit 6 introduces students to the structure of the CERT Organization and it's purpose. They learn about the chain of command and purpose of each division.

In unit 7 Disaster Psychology, students learn about disaster trauma, team well-being and working with survivors' trauma. In a disaster, CERT members may be exposed to many situations that are uncomfortable and even traumatic to themselves and the victims they are assisting. According to their manual, "Techniques covered in this unit will help you manage personal situations so that the needs of all survivors, including victims and CERT members, can be met".

Unit 8 covers Terrorism and CERT. Students learn what terrorism is, about various terrorist targets in their area and the different types of weapons terrorists use. They will also learn detailed information about CBRNE (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and High-yield Explosives) indicators, how to prepare at home, work, and in their own neighborhood for these types of events and how the CERT members respond to these events.

The last unit reviews the information from the previous chapters, a final exam and perform a final exercise that simulates a disaster situation. Depending on the situation the instructor choses, students will have to arrive on scene, assess the situation, perform an exterior and interior assessment, search and rescue operations and perform medical triage on victims found.

Even More Information:

Upon successful completion of the CERT training members receive a go bag with equipment that they will have on hand, if and when they are dispatched to respond to a local disaster. Students will also be required to complete a few online courses and tests on the FEMA website as directed by the instructor. After each of these trainings are completed, the student receives additional equipment based on their level of completion.

Making the Choice:

A small number of students that attend and complete the CERT training, do so just to learn the skills to utilize for their own disaster preparedness plan. However, an even greater number of graduated students become active members on their local CERT team.

Why not learn life saving skills and more importantly, put them to use to help those in your own community!

Find More Information or Sign Up for a CERT Class near you HERE.

Personal Note:

As a current member of our local CERT Team, I highly recommend the training to everyone. My instructors were wonderful and VERY knowledgeable. The training I received will absolutely help me to be better prepared for my family and also to help in my community. A Huge Thank You to my instructors J. Wingate & J. Tankersley!

The Illusion of Preparedness: Our Story

 

 

 

 

Think You're Prepared? So did I... 

 

 

If you had asked me a few months ago if I thought we were truly prepared, I would have confidently said yes. It turns out I was wrong... and I have the feeling that others may have fallen into this same thinking. So what changed my mind?

 

The answer to this has a few moving parts really.

 

The first, was that a few months ago my husband became very ill. (The reason for my absence the last few months) Though he had been having some slight issues with a high liver count and joint swelling. Since all of the many tests came back clear, the doctor felt that it was nothing more than a fatty liver and arthritis. The doctor said that this could be solved quite easily with a better diet, exercise, and of course medication. He made great strides with this new regiment too, in fact he lost 30 pounds and felt pretty good. Now fast forward to 8 months later... he had mysteriously turned very jaundice, could not walk, barely moved, had gotten double pneumonia one week, pleurisy and lung scarring the next, a liver count at nearly 1000 (normal being 0-65) and he missed weeks of work. Honestly, I wasn't sure that he would make it or that I could, without him either.

 

What does this have to do with prepping...? Everything!

 

 

One thing that some people might not generally consider is the "here and now" when it comes to prepping. What if your spouse/partner becomes ill or worse? Have you made provisions for that? I know that it may seem morbid to think about now as we are all trying to prepare for the future or even a post-shtf existence. But what if? You may have read articles on preparedness that advise you to get out of debt or straighten out finances and if you're anything like me, you may have not given it much thought. For me, that has definitely changed. I realize now that our family would not only be emotionally devastated, but because he was the only income...also financially.

 



The second time that we realized that we were not as prepared as we thought, was in early February. After having a very mild winter, the snow and ice finally came. When it did, for the first time ever our pipes froze and stayed frozen for a week. Sure we had provisions, but we soon learned that it was nowhere near enough. So the lesson here my friends is, if you think you have enough stored water...triple it, you don't. It took a lot more water than expected for drinking, bathing, cleaning, laundry and caring for our pets. We won't make that mistake again !

 

 

Our most recent slap in the face, was this tornado season. As some of you know we live in Oklahoma...and tornadoes LOVE us, but the feeling is definitely NOT mutual! On May 6th a tornado was heading straight for us (again), but turned and hit a few miles down the road. It destroyed many of our friends and neighbors homes. Now don't get me wrong, I've been through them before. I've even lost a home to one back in 1991 when I was a kid. But being a person who thinks of themselves as "preparedness minded", I would have never imagined how unprepared our family truly is. We've only been living in the illusion of preparedness.

 

 I'll share a prime example:

 



Yesterday while at work another tornado was tearing through Pocasset and making it's way towards us. Since we have no shelter in the trailer park, my family promptly came up to be with me at work. Though we have no shelter there either, it is not a trailer and does have an area for staff and residents to hunker down in.

 

Does the husband grab our pre-packed bags of important items? Negative. Does he grab the firearms and ammo? of course...lol  At this point I was thinking, it's a tornado not a dang invasion, sheesh !

 

What Have I Learned....?

 

Being fully prepared is an illusion.

 

However, there is a point to this personal saga. We are just like you, we still strive to be prepared. Everyday gives us the opportunity to access our preps and most importantly our plans! We have definitely found some issues that we need to work on and changes are in the works.

 

As cliché as it sounds...

 

A preparedness lifestyle is all about the journey, not just the destination!



  

 



 

Getting Your Family On-Board with Prepping

 

It's rare that all the members of a family become interested in prepping at the same time. I suppose there's a family somewhere who all watched Doomsday Preppers together or some apocalyptic movie and decided that they needed to prepare, but like I said, they are rare. Typically, one member of the family becomes interested and then has to convince the rest.

 The big problem is that we've all been trained to trust Big Brother government to take care of us. We've all heard how FEMA is ready to roll, at a moment's notice, to provide millions of dollars of emergency relief and services to those in need. The only thing is, FEMA doesn't have all that great a track record in providing aid. Oh, they show up after disasters and they act like they're making a difference, but by the time they actually get there and get set up, the citizens of our great land are already doing the job.

That's why there are situations where communities turn down FEMA's help. Not only does it arrive late, but like anything else associated with the government it comes with a heavy price in red tape. The victims of Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Sandy learned that lesson, as they waded through red tape to try and receive some disaster relief.

If you're like me, you don't trust the government to bail you out if a disaster strikes. But convincing your other half that you are right and the government is wrong may be a challenge. Some people just prefer wandering around with blinders on, hoping that they'll never have to see how scary the world really is.

Prepping Solo

Trying to prep solo, without the support of your family, is a sure recipe for lots of strife in the home. Prepping isn't exactly cheap, so you're going to have to take money from other things, in order to be able to do what you think you need to do in order to protect the family. Unless your budget situation allows you to do that, without it causing other family members to feel the pinch, you can count on that causing problems.

It is possible to do some prepping alone, without the aid or even agreement of your family. Typically, couples have some money that they consider their own personal money. It may not be formally declared as such, but both partners are allowed to spend a certain amount of money on their own interests, without it being considered a problem. If that's your case, you could spend "your money" on prepping, while your spouse is spending "their money" on other things. Not an ideal solution, but workable.

The other thing you can do is to start doing things that could be considered prepping, but could also be considered useful for your life in general. For example, if you're buying the groceries, then start watching sales and buy extra when you find one. Your spouse won't think it's suspicious that you have three months worth of spaghetti sauce, when you explain that you got it half off.

That idea can be extended to other areas as well. Putting in a vegetable garden is a great prepping project. It's also a great project just to eat healthier. So, go ahead and put in that vegetable garden, telling your family that you don't trust GMO produce.

Well gee, since you have a vegetable garden, it would make sense to put in a rainwater collection system. That way, you can use rainwater to water the vegetables, rather than having to use chlorinated water from the tap. That's bound to be better for your veggies. You may as well start composting too, as that will help with a continued supply of fertilizer for your garden.

Hopefully, you're getting the idea. When hurricane season rolls around, buy a couple of extra flashlights, some batteries and a few sandbags. After all, the government tells you to do that, so what could possibly be wrong?  

 

 

Convincing Your Family to Prep

Okay, so you can get a start, without having to have your family on board. But you're not going to be able to get all that far, without their help and agreement. So, the same time that you start your own prepping projects, you need to start a campaign to get your family on-board with what you're doing.

The problem here is that you are trying to change some rather fundamental beliefs. That's not easy. You see, our modern society conditions us to count on society at large, rather than ourselves. That's diametrically opposed to the prepping mindset, which says to trust yourself, because you can't trust society to take care of you. So, expect it to take a while. Here are some keys to use in your campaign:

Be Patient

Don't expect to change your spouse's mind overnight. It took you some time to wake up to the idea of prepping, so expect it to take some time for them to do so as well. They'll need to shed the idea that they can count on society and government to meet their every need. That's a pretty ingrained thought pattern, so it might take a while. Nevertheless, with patience and persistence, you can help them through that struggle.

Be Realistic

The worst thing you can do is start talking about the zombie apocalypse or the Earth's axis shifting. You don't need to come across as one who's got a screw loose, but rather one who finally has it tightened. True preppers are more concerned about much more realistic potential events, like hurricanes and the collapse of the economy. Start there, not with an asteroid striking the earth and ending life as we know it.

It helps to find an area where your spouse is already concerned. If they start talking about how bad the economy is, you've got an opening. If they are afraid of having to ride out a hurricane, use that as an opportunity to look into how you can prepare to ride it out safely. They are much more likely to get on board for something they are concerned about, than something you are concerned about.



 

Be Reasonable

Don't expect your family to change your entire lifestyle, based upon your pet concern. You might want to put 75% of your income into prepping, but your spouse probably wants to eat and pay the mortgage. Make your requests reasonable, so that they have to work hard at justifying their refusal. If they look unreasonable in refusing, it works to your benefit.

Be reasonable about the time it is likely to take to prep as well. Pretty much everyone goes through a stage, right at the beginning, where they feel like they've got to do everything in the next week, or it will be too late. Unless you have enough money sitting around, gathering dust, to do that, you won't succeed. Instead, develop a reasonable budget and a reasonable approach to your prepping. Remember, every step you make, makes your family one step more secure.

Be Interesting

Find ways of making the things you want to do interesting. If you expect your spouse to start shooting, and they've always been afraid of guns, you've got an uphill battle. Likewise, if you expect them to start camping with just the equipment they can carry in a survival kit. Better to start them learning things that they find interesting. That's much more likely to get an enthusiastic response.


Remember, you're trying to develop a team. That means that you have to motivate, rather than command. If you have to fight with them to get them to do what you want them to do, you're losing the battle. Find ways to tap into their interests and bring them on board that way.

Dave is a 52 year old survivalist; father of three; with over 30 years of survival experience. He started young, learning survival the hard way, in the school of hard knocks. Now, after years of study, he's grey-haired and slightly overweight. That hasn't dimmed his interest in survival though. If anything, Dave has a greater commitment to survival than ever, so that he can protect his family. You can learn more about Dave on his site, PreppingPlans.com or email him at dave@preppingplans.com.

Do Prepper’s Have “Chicken Little Syndrome”?

Is the earth on a irreversible path to self-destruction? Are our leaders secretly planning our demise? Is the grid and everything we have ever known going to be wiped out by an EMP, solar flare, or terrorist attack? Or are we perhaps destined to be poisoned with a man-made and intentionally released pandemic?

What Do You Think? …(Don’t worry I won’t judge you either way)

You may or may not find humor in the title, but if you are (or know a prepper) with Chicken Little Syndrome then you know what I’m talking about. All you have to do is keep up with the news reports, and it’s easy to understand WHY people can get caught up in the hysteria.

Currently there are multiple threats coming against us and many people would probably say ‘yes… but there always has been’, and those people are right. There always has been danger lurking, but it’s not hard to feel a change in the air.

Besides the typical weather related threats, now we have a major terrorist group trying to cross our borders, beheadings of American citizens, on-going protests and violence in our streets, and threats of pandemics looming over our heads.

So, is the Sky Falling Chicken Little?

Maybe... or Maybe Not.

One thing is for sure: If there ever was a time to get prepping, that time is now.
The world might not end tomorrow, but if things keep escalating on the same course they’re on, you may need those preps sooner than you think.

The first point I want to stress here is: Don’t be Motivated by Fear!

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13

If you let fear control your prepping, you will drive yourself and everyone around you completely nuts! Don’t do it, keep the cuckoo in the clock people! We already have enough people thinking we’re a bit nutty, don’t give them even more reasons to do so.

Instead, prepare out of wisdom. Use common sense to guide you and remember that stockpiling a hoard of supplies tucked away in a spare bedroom somewhere, does you and your family absolutely no good if you do not know how to use these ahead of time!





Focus on essential needs first:

These include water, food, heat/fire, first aid, shelter, hygiene and security. Start with planning and create a list of supplies you’ll need. Then as you can, build up your list as your budget allows. Don’t don’t don’t, put your family in a financial hardship to do this. This will only cause stress on your relationships, and you don’t want or need that nonsense. Be Smart.

After you’ve gathered some of the non-food items, use them! Gain experience using them now, while you have the time and composure.

Also Read, Read, Read! If a situation occurs that forces you to leave your supplies or they become lost: know how to build a fire, forage or snare food, build a shelter, and purify water. Hey, you just never know!

The point here is, though the sky may not be falling today; there is no shame in becoming prepared. But remember to be wise and to do it with the mindset of acquiring knowledge. Giving in to fear or the ‘doom & gloom’ attitude that is generally associated with the idea of prepping does not benefit anyone.

P.S.

You don’t need to don a tin foil hat to be a good prepper, but that we’ll leave for the advanced prepping courses

TEOTWAWKI – Prepping for Disaster

TEOTWAWKI – Prepping for Disaster

Image Source: hurricane-tracking.co.uk

Disasters are unpredictable. Preppers have tried predicting the end of the world as we know it (TEOTWAWKI) but with, obviously, no success. Life continues on as usual. But one thing we do know is that it will come. We just won’t be able to predict when that might be or what the factors will be involved (economic collapse, devastating storm, nuclear strike, etc.). What can you do in such an ambiguous situation? Prepare. Prepare for anything. How can you go about doing this? Follow the framework about to be illustrated, and you’ll have a plan when sh!t hits the fan (SHTF).

Keep it Simple

You won’t know the specifics about what will shake down when SHTF. It could be a massive hurricane disaster off the coast of California or Florida destroying everything in its path, a nuclear attack on New York City causing an all-out nuclear war, or recurrent and untraceable terrorist attacks across the United States. The point is you've got no idea what the specifics of the situation will be. So, you can take general steps that will allow you to survive in many situations. Here are some of those:

·         At least 3 months of food (canned or dried) and fresh water stored

·         Fortified doors and windows

·         Heavy locking mechanisms on all P.O.A (points of access)

·         Plan of action for the unit (group of associated survivors)

Necessary Skills to Learn

Image Source: homedefensegun.net

Prepping without learning a few basic skills is like telling a city slicker to go out and till, plant, irrigate, and harvest a field of corn without teaching them how to first. Everyone should know how to do cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), how to load and clean any weapons owned, and how to forage for food when resources run dry. Part of prepping is survival. You’d like to think you’ll never have to resort to any of these skills, but it is a possibility. Water is a necessity for survival, teach members of the unit how to decontaminate water and make it drinkable. These are only a few of the most necessary skills each member of the group must know for survival in any situation.

Specialization of Labor

Each member of your “unit” should have a specialized skill they can bring to the table. One individual may have been a superb athlete with great eyesight; that individual could be designated as unit scout. A member of the unit that can fire a rifle with pinpoint precision can be designated as a soldier. A member that worked as a botanist “before the war” would be designated as chief forager and unit chemist for their knowledge in edible plants/nutritious roots. Designate individuals to the position most suitable for their skills and pre-disaster experience.

Emergency Protocol

When SHTF, each member of the unit will need a set of procedures they will unconsciously initiate. For example, each member can:  complete a brief threat analysis on a scale of 1-5, secure supplies, and relocate to the basement of the safe house for further strategic planning. From here inventory of supplies can be taken and the situation be further evaluated.  

If the safe house will not provide ample protection for the unit (hurricane, massive fire) each member must know the evacuation plan and the rendezvous point should the unit divide. The best rendezvous points are ones that can be seen with the naked eye such as a water tower, large tree at a well-known location, or otherwise.

As you can tell, communication is one of the most important aspects of prepping. Ensure each member of the unit is on the same page and understands each other’s specific role(s) and contributions. No man, woman, or child gets left behind. Family may be all you have left. Protect them with your life.

When SHTF, Will You be Ready?

Disaster Planning For Divorced and Blended Families

 

 

 

Disaster Planning For Divorced and Blended Families

 

I’ve been meaning to cover this topic for some time now, as I don’t believe that I’ve seen information regarding how to deal with it and I knew if I was interested in it, maybe someone else out there might be as well.

So with that, I wanted to talk a little about disaster planning for divorced and blended families.
 

Let me explain what I mean…

Now, we all know what a divorced family is, but what about a blended family?  In my opinion, they can vary and consist of step-parents, step-kids, grandparents raising grandkids, divorced parents who are co-parenting separately, any of these or more, might be considered a blended family. It’s any unique family structure that doesn’t necessarily meet the normal definition, but has definitely become more common over the last 20 years.

 

Our family consists of my husband and I, and I have a total of four step-daughters. Two of the girls live with us and one lives with her mom, and the oldest lives out of state. I consider our family a blended family because all of the parents participate in the parenting and have their own time with the kids. It really does take a village!

But you may be wondering: How does this relate to prepping?

Well, if the kids are with the other parent, guardian, or etc. Do you have a plan established if something major happens?

I know that getting together with the other parents to discuss this topic, much less actually make a plan can be difficult. Especially if one of the parties are not into preparedness, or worse they think you’re nuts if you are. So, yes it can be a difficult conversation to have, but it is one that is necessary to have. But… where to start?

Here are 5 tips I’ve put together that might help:

 

1.       Be Real, but Rational:

In cases where the other party simply does not get the whole prepping thing, how you approach the conversation is extremely important. Use relatable scenarios to help the other party understand why a plan is needed.

An Example: “Remember last year when the May 20^th tornado came through while the girls were in school? They weren’t letting parents pick up the kids and we were so upset because we all didn’t know what was happening? Well, if something like that happened while you and the kids were at home, what would you do during and afterwards? That way we would know where to find you?”

If giving a specific example like that seems to be too much, simply ask if in the event of a disaster, where they and the kids go if they had to leave and what route they would take.

 

Then if something were to happen while the kids are in the other parent’s care, if they are not home with you, you would then know where to expect them and follow the same route they would take.

 

2.       Get Details

 This includes the where, when, how, what, and who

 

Where they would go?

When would they leave? (Give example)

How they’d get there?

What they would be driving? Or riding with whom?

Who would be with them?

In the first section, we kind of covered the where aspect, but in asking when they would leave it helps to give you an idea of if they would try to leave before the emergency or after. Of course this only applies to certain types of emergencies. If it is a tornado warning for instance, they may have time to leave for shelter early, but it is already on them, this wouldn’t apply.

The “how would they get there” question is to find out who’s driving and what they are driving. As a side note, it is important to keep the make, model, color, and tag number of everyone’s vehicles, and store them in a safe place. This is more important than you think. If they’ve left, but never reach their destination, you can use this information to report these to the authorities. If they plan to get a ride from someone else, you need to know that too. Knowing who all is going can also help if this information has to be reported.

3.       Do They Have a Back-up Route?

Depending on the type of emergency, they may have to avoid their original route. It could be washed way, under construction, or blocked. Find out which alternative route they would take, in case (once again) you have to go find them.

 

4.       Get a List of Contacts & Give a Contact List Too.

Who should you call in the event that an emergency has happened and you cannot contact the other party? Make sure you have a number to the person’s house that they would go to. You need to have numbers to notify people and give them a list of contacts so they can also contact you in the event that something happens so they can contact you.

 

5.       Talk to the Kids, Together.

Have a family meeting and talk to the kids and explain why the plan is being made. If your side of the family already has an emergency plan in place (as they should), then the kids are already be aware of the purpose. However, they also need to know what to do if they are away from your house and what you would do also. This is simply a sit down to reassure them that everything will be alright and that you are working as a team to make sure no matter which home they are at, they remain safe.

 

When having this meeting, also make sure that you are providing the other party with all the information also. That way if you have the children and something were to happen, they are aware of your plan as well.

 

If the other parent or guardian is open to it, you may also use this opportunity to talk with them about having everyday carry bags (EDC) bags ready for each person as a precaution. (If they are not interested in this, just make one yourself and send along with them when they go for their visit)  A good article I found on this topic was from momwithaprep.com called: For the Kids: Teaching Our Kids about EDC (Everday Carry). She provides different ideas for items that kids should carry, based on their age group. Since we have teens, some of the items she suggested for this age group includes: a wallet for emergency money (I would also mention to carry one for I.d. purposes), a comb, keys, compass, flashlight, pocket knife, multi-tool, lighter, cell phone, and bandana.

 

 

I also wanted to mention something about the I.d. in case you are not aware. In our state, the age requirement for anyone to get an I.d. is one week old. Shocking isn’t it? I called to ask as our 'soon to be 15 year old' was curious, and they said that young children get them and even babies as small as a week old and they are good for 4 years. This is a great idea because then you have all their information in one spot and you have their finger prints in the system incase god forbid anything ever happen. If you choose to get your young child an i.d., please remember to update them yearly though so it has a current picture.

 

Jane from Momwithaprep.com also suggested implementing the I.C.E system within your family. The I.C.E system is the in case of emergency system. Make a print out of emergency contacts and medical information such as blood type, allergies, conditions and medications. I would suggest typing it out and making it the size of an i.d. so that it fits in a wallet, and laminating it. Also remember to place I.C.E contact numbers in your and your child’s phone and place the abbreviation I.C.E before the name of the contact. Remember, the I.C.E. contacts should be parents, grandparents, guardians, or anyone who has the right to make medical decisions on behalf of the child. Then if something were to happen, other people such as police or paramedics can find these immediately !

 

How ever you chose to start the conversation is up to you. Just remember to do it !

 

Please share any questions, comments, or suggestions you might add to this discussion.



Preparedness Networking and Why it's Important

 

 

Preparedness Networking & Why it’s Important

 

            So why would preparedness networking be beneficial for you? There are a lot of reasons really. People throughout the preparedness community have different amounts of experience and expertise that can be very beneficial to one another. As Proverbs 27:17 says, “iron sharpens iron”. As we all here know, being prepared is vital. However starting out is not always easy, because there is really so much to learn; especially if it is completely new to you. When I first began preparing my favorite way to learn was through YouTube. I would watch every video I could that had something to do with prepping or survival. I have to be honest, not all of them were good. But you can find videos on there that are really helpful. Seriously! You can learn to build off the grid systems, what to put in a bug out bag, how to preserve foods, or even how to prep on the cheap! If you haven’t checked it out, go for it; you’ll be surprised at what all is available there.

            There are tons and tons of great ideas on there that I personally never thought of. An example is that I watched videos on shelter building and I got the family to go outside and try to build one. I’m sure the neighbors wondered what we were doing huddling under a tarp in the middle of a warm spring day. But we learned and found ways to improve our skills after several attempts.

 

 

            Back to networking, let’s first talk about online networking. As you already know you can find nearly everything online, and when it comes to communicating with like-minded people this is no exception. On social media sites like Facebook, Google+, Twitter, and even Pinterest there are prepping groups and pages, dedicated to help educate people on preparedness. Not trying to play favorites here at all, but honestly the actual websites I find myself at the most recently are MomwithaPrep, AreweCrazyorWhat?, Survival Sherpa, PreparingwithDave, Survivalist Prepper, Graywolf Survival and of course The Survival Mom. (just to reiterate, these are only 7 of the many I follow, but they are definitely in my list of top 10)  I highly suggest everyone also checking out Prepper Website and the Facebook page called Prepared Bloggers. Both of those sites are updated daily to bring you information from various preparedness bloggers and the prepperwebsite.com page also has a mega list of prepper and homesteading sites. Just scroll half way down and they have the list and different categories for the sites. Using online resources and avenues are a great way to find anything preparedness related. One tip is when you go to any sites, interact! Ask questions and get the answers to any questions you have. Take full advantage and ask the experts, that’s what they’re there for after all.

            Now let’s talk about in-person networking. You would be surprised, or at least I have been, at the amount of people I have met simply out and about who are preppers. Honestly, it’s just totally out of the blue and it still catches me off guard but it’s pretty cool to say the least. One time we went to an appliance repair shop that also happened to sell refurbished items. We asked them if they had a treadle sewing machine. He owner was curious about why we wanted a manual one. My husband told him because if we lost power he would still have a way to make leather items like holsters and such. The guy said are you guys preppers? We looked at each other and replied yeah something like that. The guy got a big ol smile and said me too, for over 30 years! You might be surprised to find people in your area that are into preparedness also. Not only can you use this as an opportunity to learn, but you can also teach them what you know. Maybe this can turn into a friendship that when the stuff does hit the fan, you can have people you depend on.

            Don’t stop there, talk to people in your own life to help them understand the importance of preparedness. Yes, you’re going to have those that think you’re completely nuts and don’t see the importance of what you’re doing. Don’t let that stop you, on to the next! I talk to my friends and family about prepping and though a few think that I’m rambling on about either A: the end of the world, B: the zombie apocalypse or C: I’m completely wasting my time and effort; but some of them have taken steps to begin preparing themselves. The more people you can teach, the more will be ready when something happens. Personally I feel that this will also help to eliminate the amount of people who come knocking on your door later. Help them now, helps them later. Involve others and find a prepping group in your area. If there’s not one, start your own.  One good place to network is at Prepper or survival expos. You really get the chance to meet new people that are just like you. You also get to talk to vendors and get information from them directly about their products so that you know which products are best. That is networking!

 

 

            So how do you talk to them? Consider your tone, topic, and attitude. Just like with anything, if your tone is aggressive and harsh, or worse patronizing you can totally forget them listening to a word of what you have to say. Just be yourself. I tell people that I am not prepping for the end of the world, and I am not. I am just preparing for hardships or disasters of any kind. Then I might ask them a question, like what would they do if they were faced with a disaster? Are they prepared to sustain their family for a week if needed? Most say yeah, they’d get by okay, probably. But then what if that week turned to one month, would they still be ready? Of course most are not. The person has to relate to the topic, it has to be personal and hit home for the wheels to start churning. Most people don’t live in the “what if’s” like many preppers do, but they are interested in things that would affect their family personally. I mentioned that it’s important to also consider your attitude. Nobody likes a person with the wise guy mentality.

            You can’t pressure anyone into preparedness; it just doesn’t work no matter how much you love them and are worried for them. And for goodness sakes, scare tactics are unnecessary. Preparedness shouldn’t be about fear; it should help to prevent fear. The fear of; not having clean water, food, necessities, or a secure location.

            Having a good network of people that you trust who are likeminded and are preparing too is important. Not only for the learning and teaching aspects of it, but also the comradery and support that comes along with it. There is a special understanding I think amongst people in the preparedness community. They understand the concerns and potentials ahead. And of course since they’re in the same mindset, they realize you are completely normal. Lol So don’t be afraid to network and build those relationships. Get out there, learn, teach, and enjoy. There’s a lot of us out there who are striving to be more self-sufficient and just happen to be preparing along the way too.



How to Cope with Prepping Setbacks

 

Let’s get real for a minute…prepping costs money. I know there are dozens of people who are thinking, “yes but there are frugal ways to prep.” Those people are absolutely correct. However, life happens and sometimes there is just not enough money to go around. This is nothing new whether you are a prepper or not, at some point in time everyone hits a rough patch. Speaking from experience here!

The tough part can be not letting those rough spots cause you to just give up. It’s not uncommon to hit a brick wall once it awhile, but are you going to stand there looking at it or find a way around it? My suggestion is to get moving and don’t stop. People that stop tend to become stagnant and hardly get back after whatever they’ve begun. Don’t be that person, you’ve got potential!

Besides financial issues there are many things that can lead to having setbacks. Personal, health, and those good ol' unexpected issues. While you can’t always avoid these, there are ways to try to overcome them.

1. Realize you’re not alone, it’s true!

As mentioned above, it happens to all of us. Though ‘it’ means different things to different people, we all stumble or are forced off our path at some point. But we’re all in this together!

2. Don’t become intimidated by what’s in front of you.

Sometimes hills can look like mountains, it all depends on your perspective. Take it one step at a time, cliché I know, but seriously. Now I know this is not easy, it never is. Problems and distractions are usually temporary, and they only have the amount of control in your life …that you allow them to have. Don’t.

3. Adjust your attitude. 

That’s right, get it together. You are the master of your destiny, not the other way around. Look that problem in the eye (so to speak), and tell it to back off! (and mean it).

4. Take the initiative to develop a plan.

Outline a plan that will work for you. This will vary based upon your situation, but here’s a quick example:

Problem – Financial (basic example)

Week 1: Pay rent/mortgage & insurance

Week 2: Pay car payment & budget $25-$50 on preps

Week 3: Pay cell phone, electric, and budget $25-50 on preps

Week 4: Pay remaining monthly bills

Remember this is not a detailed budget. If you can only spend small amounts on preps (even $25-$50 a month) then do the best you can, with what you have. Besides, you’d be surprised with how fast $50 a month in preps can add up!

5. Get moving.

Okay you know: you’re not alone in this, not to become intimated by a problem, adjust your attitude, develop a plan, and finally...just get moving. You can do this! 

 

Another related article that may help: How to Overcome a Lack of Motivation to Prepare

What’s Your Threat: Massive Blackout

A Few Potential Causes:

Severe Weather, Natural Disaster, EMP, Small Scale, Cyber, or Terrorist Attack, Solar Flares, Solar Storm, Grid Failure

What This Could Mean?

Depending on the length of an outage, we could face many new and dangerous situations. We would lose all of our electrical luxuries and potentially transportation. Businesses would no longer be able to conduct transactions or provide services. That means no purchasing food, water, fuel, medication, or any of the basic necessities you need.

So How Can You Prepare...Just in Case?

 

1. Make a Family Plan, Now.

Before a blackout occurs, sit down with your family and make a plan. While it is possible that it will last only a few days, make sure to also plan for a few weeks.

2. Have Supplies Ready, Already. (Know: The Rule of Three)

You will need 2 gallons minimum of water per person (and per pet) per day for drinking, cooking and hygiene, Non-Perishable Food, Manual Can Openers, Medications, Medical Supplies, Hygiene, Baby, Pet and Cooking Supplies, Flashlights, Batteries, Knife, Hand Crank Radio, Cash, Generator & Fuel, Items for Security, etc.....and that's just for short-term blackouts.

Long-term blackouts are far more dangerous and would require the previous supplies, plus:

Water Filters for Each Person, Warm/Cool Clothing, Blankets, Composting Toilet or equivalent method, Power Inverter, Oil Lamps & Fuel, Ham Radio & 2 Way Radios (Stored in a Faraday Cage), Extra Fuel/Stabilized Fuel, Fire-Starting Tools, Solar Oven, Map & Compass, Rope/Paracord, Dish & Laundry Cleaning Supplies and Manual Methods, Food Resupply Plan, Water Filtration System, Manual Cooking Tools & Equipment, Sewing Kits, and Extra First Aid Supplies.

3. Have an Alternative Location.

If the situation becomes too dangerous and you are unable to stay inside your home to wait things out. Have a backup location planned. If transportation is effected by the blackout, you'll need to make a plan to get to your location safely. Have a route designated, take a map, compass, good walking shoes, items for protection, and bob bags ready to go. If you have small children, carry or tether them to you for safety.

4. Secure Your Location. (Examples: Here)

Whether you are planning on trying to hunker down at home or another location, make sure it is secure ! As the days linger on, people who are unprepared will become even more desperate. They will do whatever they can to find supplies, and that means taking yours. Use Caution !

5. Practice Your Plan Regularly. (Saves Time)

For any type of emergency plan, you and your family should routinely practice using the equipment, skills, and tools you have put into place. That way in the event that something does actually happen, you have experience with the equipment and if bugging out; all family members know what is expected of them and how long they have to get it done. Remember, practice makes progress towards proficiency!

(This post contains affiliate links that are used to help support The Trailer Park Homesteader site)

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Don't Forget to Check Out All The Other Related,

  "What's Your Threat" Articles From Our Fellow Prepared Bloggers:

 Push Past the Fear and Just Do It!! - Mom with a PREP

Living in Tornado Alley - The Busy B Homemaker

{Forest Fire Safety} - Mama Kautz

Why You Need Food Storage - Food Storage Moms

Break in the Supply Chain - Homestead Dreamer

Economic Downturn - Apartment Prepper

Drought! - Ever Growing Farm

Medical Emergencies at Home - Preparedness Mama

Surviving a Tornado - Survival at Home
 Wildfire - Cooke's Frontier

Rising Food Prices - Common Sense Homesteading

Economic Collapse - Timber Creek Farms

A Personal Job Loss Situation - Food Storage Made Easy

7 Tips for Keeping Your Family Together in an Emergency - Food Storage & Survival

How to Overcome a Lack of Motivation to Prepare - Home Ready Home

The Unexpected - Are We Crazy, Or What?

Our Threats Are Many, But Our Worries Are None - Trayer Wilderness

Food Storage Without a Plan - My Food Storage Cookbook

Hurricanes and Nor'Easters - Backyard Pioneer

Hurricanes (What I Wish I Knew Before it Hit!) - Prepared-Housewives

A Financial Disaster - The Surival Mom
 Staying Off the Radar - Geek Prepper

Everything Becomes Too Expensive - Beyond Off Grid

Homesteading vs. Prepping

Are They Really So Different ?

Although some people think you can either be a prepper or a homesteader, they are both very similar.

What is a Homesteader?

Homesteading refers to “an act or instance of establishing a homestead”. So what exactly is a homestead? It is “1. a dwelling with its land and buildings, occupied by the owner as a home and exempted by a homestead law from seizure or sale for debt 2. any dwelling with its land and buildings where a family makes its home 3. a tract of land acquired under the Homestead Act 4. a house in an urban area acquired under a homesteading program.

Ok, so that definition isn’t quite how I would define a homestead. I would say that homesteading is about becoming more self-sufficient. This can be done through growing and preserving your own foods, animal husbandry, making your own textiles or clothing, cleaning & household products, finding green energy alternatives, and leading a more simplistic lifestyle.

What is a Prepper?

Now looking at Prepping, it is essentially preparing for emergency situations. Preppers store large amounts of long-term food & water storages, learn survival skills such as fire making, shelter building, water purification, trapping, communication skills, defense skills, and basic medical or first aid skills. Preppers use many of the same methods as homesteaders to ensure that in the event of an emergency they are able to be fully self-sufficient and self-reliant. That’s not to say that there are not some slight differences.

One difference would be that it is common for preppers to also stockpile weapons and ammunition for self defense situations depending on their preparedness plans. Because preppers prepare for different threats and emergencies the amount of this particular defense prep varies. Many Preppers also tend to prepare for life after critical events, whereas homesteaders tend to focus on the present.

A Third Option: Prepsteading !

A Prepsteader would be a variation of the above two; both homesteader and prepper. While they strive to be self-sufficient in the short-term utilizing all of the basic homesteading skills, they also prepare for coming major hardships whether man-made or natural disasters. This helps to provide for immediate needs and teaches important skills that will be beneficial in the future.

(Here at The Trailer Park Homesteader, we believe that it is important to be a good mixture of both!)

Are You A Homesteader, Prepper, or Prepsteader?

What Are Your Thoughts?

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