After participating in an online radio show discussion I am motivated to speak on this topic because I see the clear need to have an open dialogue around the issue of preparedness. We live in a society that is very reliant upon technology and man made inventions. We rely heavily upon electricity, computers, fast food, television etc… But are you prepared for the day that the Matrix gets shut down…either temporarily or permanently? Will you be able to survive?
The following are some suggestions and solutions to guide you through a time of crisis. Please take note…this is not meant to be a definitive guide for what you should do as you should tailor it to your own individual circumstance and location. My goal here is to spark thought which will hopefully lead to action. The government will not help you. Rich people will not help you. You will have no choice but to DO FOR SELF!
GET BACK TO BASICS
1. Food – During a time of crisis and/or disaster you will not be able to just stroll into a grocery store and buy food whenever you need it. Besides, everyone else in your immediate neighborhoods will have the same idea. Thus, it will be imperative to be able to grow your own food. A small plot of land can grow enough fruit and vegetables to feed any family. If you live in an urban environment then you can use a small indoor greenhouse or your terrace to grow food. The importance of this is you want to be self-sustaining when it comes to one of the basic things we need to survive…which is food. Learn the basics of farming, buy seeds, plant and grow!
Alternatively, you can also buy some MRE’s (meals ready to eat) to hold you over if you are unable to grow your own food. You can buy dehydrated food, canned goods etc… The drawback to this is that once you run out of stored food you are left with the dilemma of acquiring more. So ideally the prepared person will have a combination of being able to grow their own food as well as have some MRE’s available. The more food sources you have the better.
Here are some links to useful items regarding food:
http://www.efoodsdirect.com/
http://www.crisiscooker.com/
2. Water – This may be even more important than food because dehydration can and will kill you. The body MUST have water to sustain itself. Ideally, you can purchase a unit that allows you to create water from the atmosphere. An example of such a unit is this:
http://www.ecoloblue.com/en/home-office?location=feature_link
If the price of this particular unit is too high for you then an alternative would be to stockpile bottled water but once again you run the risk of running out and not being able to replenish your supply. If this happens, you can use rain water and/or creek water but remember to purify any drinking source before you consume it. There are purification systems, purification tabs you can drop into water and if all else fails you can just boil most of the impurities out of any drinking source.
3. Clothing – Clean dry clothing is a must but more importantly, you will also need clothing for any and all types of weather conditions including… rain, snow, extreme heat etc… Rainwear (a poncho for example), sturdy boots/sneakers, headwear, inexpensive tees/sweats etc…are things you can acquire cheaply, especially if you buy in bulk. It’s up to you the individual to decide for yourself what you think you will need.
4. Shelter – Aside from your general residence, which will need to be fortified against outside and unwanted intruders (will touch on this in the “Weapons” section) if there is a nuclear or chemical attack, you will want to have access to some kind of underground or fortified aboveground shelter. Some suggestions are to build one if you own land and property already…you can do this for relatively cheap. if you are in an urban environment, staking out somewhere you and your family can hide out in is to your benefit. If you live in a high rise the basement levels of your building may suffice. This is NOT ideal, neither is using the subway tunnels but I am putting it out there to spark further thought about what you may or may not want to do.
Here is a link to an example of a fortified shelter:
http://www.hardenedstructures.com/barton.asp
5. First Aid – I can’t stress this enough…you must have a first aid kit that is tailored specifically to the needs of your family. Some things you may want to include in this kit are:
- prescription medication
- sanitary pads (for women)
- extra pair of glasses (if applicable)
- band aids
- hydrogen peroxide
- gauze and/or bandages
- latex gloves
- waterproof matches and/or lighters
- water purifying tablets
- toothbrush/toothpaste
- blankets
- toilet paper
- flashlight
- utility knife
- wrench/pliers/screwdriver
…and whatever else you can think of that you may need
6. Communication – it is imperative to be able to communicate and you may not be able to use cell phones or landlines to do it. Forget about the television or even the internet if the power goes out. Purchase a small crank radio that doesn’t run on battery power.
Examples of this are:
http://www.nextag.com/emergency-radio/products-html?nxtg=b4850a1c051d-0A99941EFE374FA8
I would also suggest buying a small portable generator to power whatever you need to power. You want to be as self sustaining and as efficient as possible.
And last but not least…
7. Weapons – You WILL need to protect yourself and defend your family. Stockpile weapons but most importantly, learn how to properly use them and clean them. Each state has their own laws regarding guns (for example) so check within your jurisdiction to see what you can and cannot legally do. At the very least, learn how to properly shoot and clean a shotgun. In New York State you do not need a license to purchase a rifle or shotgun (except in New York City).
http://www.nysrpa.org/nygunlaws.htm
FREE BOOK DOWNLOAD
Military Survival Manual FM21-76
http://www.equipped.org/multiservice_ser_manual_1999.pdf
I encourage you all to add on to this thread with your own suggestions and tips. I personally believe that if and when disaster strikes it will pretty much be every person for themselves for the most part. Fortify your immediate family first and if you can trust your neighbors, team up with them to come up with a plan where you all can help each other if necessary. There is strength in numbers.
Remember, forewarned is forearmed!!!
Photo Credit: ©David Balzen
Tags: aid, ayana soyini, disaster, first, military, preparedness, reliance, self, survival
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Hello, I can’t understand how to add your blog in my rss reader
You can just add the url and that should do the trick…what RSS reader are you using?
The first toothbrush to resemble the modern toothbrush is believed to have been invented in China in the late 1400s, which used the stiff hairs from a hog’s neck, attached to a bamboo stick. Something so old and people still doen’t brush their teeth properly.
Is there a supermarket near here?
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I really liked this post. Can I copy it to my site? Thank you in advance.
yes, you can copy the post…just include a credit to the author, Ayana Soyini, and a link back to http://www.khamouflage.com
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Methodenmann
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