Chapter 6: There's an app for that.

We live in a high-tech world.  Let's face it, the laptop on which I'm typing this entry contains more computer power than the original lunar lander.  Cellphones have morphed into pocket computers that pretend to be phones.  One can sit in a restaurant and watch as a table full of people sits in silence while each person is deeply engrossed in his/her private texting conversations.

It's kind of sad, really.  We've seemingly lost the ability to communicate face to face.  When I was growing up, parents were railing against the teenage practice of wearing earphones connected to portable cassette players.  Then there was the handheld video games.  Then the CD players.  Now everything is combined into one glorious little entertainment system that sucks the intelligence quotient right out of us, making us oblivious to the beauty and the interactions around us.

That being said, my day job is as a wireless phone salesman.  It's what I do all day long.  I show people how to use smartphones and wireless internet devices for a major corporation.  It's a pretty good gig if you can get it.

With my mindset of preparing for a political/economic/societal breakdown scenario, I've often regarded my mobile devices as the first thing I would leave behind if I ever had to "bug out."  Think about it.  The GPS features in cellphones and tablets can easily aid government officials in searching you out.  Not only that, but your cellphones and network capable tablets ping cellphone company towers, allowing authorities to easily and accurately triangulate your position.  So, in a Mad Max world, the cellphone is a liability.

However, today I started thinking of the time between the bug-out situation and now.  Right now I carry a phone.  Right now I carry an Android tablet.  I use them for work and entertainment.  But can they be useful to me in my prepping?

You bet they can!

The two major operating systems are Android and iOS.  These are both very good, and I sell and use both in my work.  Each operating system has hundreds of thousands of applications (apps) of all types.  I prefer the Android platform because, among many other reasons, far more apps are free and there is a wider variety of apps available.

Today I thought about what apps could help me prepare for hard times.  Here's a few apps available on the Android platform through Google Play.

US ARMY SURVIVAL GUIDE by milodroid
Put the entire U.S. Army survival guide on your phone, offline. Can install on sd card(2.2+). Based on the U.S. Army Survival Manual FM 3-05.70keywords: hiking backpacking biking camping hunting skiing snowmobiling running outdoors poisonous snakes insects edible plants animals find water shelter survive travel desert mountains wilderness survivor knots marine corps navy usmc air force

US Army Sniper Training Manual by milodroid
Work on your sharp-shooting skills.  Hone your skill at stealthy movement techniques and camouflage.  Be all that you can be!  Not a bad bit of knowledge to have!  Whether you need a refresher course or are trying to self-teach, these are good skills to practice.






Special Forces Medical Manual by Warrior Code Applications
Special Forces Medics provide care to soldiers and civilians in primitive conditions, often without modern medical equipment. Now with this application, access the hard won knowledge of these professionals anywhere, anytime. Also reference Warrior Code's SOF Medical Handbook for the ultimate field medicine resource.

US Army Capture Avoidance GTA by FA53
GTA 80-01-002 was produced by the US Army's Asymmetric Warfare Group at Ft. Meade, designed to give Solders who might find themselves in Enemy territory techniques for avoiding capture, as well as some tips for recovering personnel who have been captured.

Chapter 5: Our Lives, Our Fortunes, and Our Sacred Honour

I love freedom.  I know that sounds like a ridiculous statement.  Sort of like the old days when you'd read the personal ads in the newspaper, and nine out of ten of them said "I love to have fun."  Well, Duh! Who doesn't?  I suppose there has to be that curmudgeon out there who hates fun.  I simply haven't met him yet.

But this is different.  I am so in love with freedom that it's one of the most important things in my life.  Life is unfit to live without freedom.  I've always sort of been sad whenever I've gone to the zoo.  The zoo is full of amazing creatures, yet the sight of them makes me sad.  I don't care how much effort they put into replicating an animal's natural habitat, the fact that the animal can never, of its own volition, venture beyond the confines of a zoo enclosure breaks my heart.

I love freedom.

I love freedom so much that I have vowed to myself that I would die defending it if necessary.

My wife and I recently watched the movie Schindler's List.  I had read the book and had seen the movie years ago, but it has not lost its impact.  As I watched the German soldiers rounding up the Jews, separating families, and ushering them away to concentration camps, I told my wife "Just so you know, if it ever came down to that, I would fight to the death before they would take us like that."  I meant it, too.

In one of my earlier posts, I posited the notion that we must each ask ourselves how far we would go to defend ourselves and our families.  By the same token, we must decide in advance how much effort we will put into defending our freedom.  It's an individual choice... one only you can make for you.  I, for one, have decided that I will live by Patrick Henry's famous declaration, "Give me liberty, or give me death!"  There is no third option.  Liberty or death.

Now, anyone who knows me will attest to the fact that I'm a pretty laid back guy.  I'm not out there looking for a fight.  Neither, however, will I back down from one if there's a threat to those I love.

I was raised by a Vietnam veteran.  My dad taught me to stand and honor the flag and those who fight for it.  I am one of those old fashioned fellas who still removes his hat and covers his heart when the national anthem is played.  I respect my country and I will fight until my very last breath to help ensure her longevity.

I've never looked at athletes or movie stars as heroes.  Even as a kid I thought it odd that people idolized those who played games or pretended for a living.   When I was growing up I was always moved by the raw courage of those brave men who defied the most powerful tyrant on Earth and pledged to each other their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor in the hope of founding a new nation based on the concept of personal liberty.

Think about it.  Britain had the most powerful army in existence.  Britain had the most powerful navy on the waters.  By signing the Declaration of Independence, these fifty-six men were signing their death warrants.  They stood boldly in the face of an overwhelmingly powerful foe.  They had little chance for success, save Divine Providence, yet they determined that liberty was more important than safety.  These admittedly imperfect men showed spines of steel as they, one by one, walked to a table before their peers and signed their names to a document that would most certainly bring them hardship and, in many cases, even death.  But they did it anyway.

That beats the ability to throw a football any day.

I think we have forgotten what liberty and honor mean.  Every Independence Day, I'm amazed that the most common theme on the news is how many sobriety checkpoints will be put into place on the roads.  Is Independence day really a day for drunkenness?  Shouldn't we soberly remember those whose sacrifices made our nation possible and have sustained her through tragedies and wars?  Shouldn't we, with earnest hearts, reflect upon the awesome responsibility that rests upon our shoulders to preserve that which they so graciously and valiantly provided us?

It seems, though, that recent years has brought a sense of apathy in the area of civic responsibility.  Rare is the citizen who will stand and be counted in opposition of the powers that be.  Few are they who will refuse to bleat like sheep being driven toward a the cliff where freedom ends and bondage begins.

I believe the near future will force each of us to decide if we are one of those who will stand, or one who will blend in with the flock.  Will we bow to tyranny or will we turn around and stand boldly against those whose evident power causes them believe they can destroy our liberty.  I believe it won't be long before we begin to see blatant atrocities committed by those in power, perpetrated against citizens whose only crime is disagreeing with them.  The question is, do we go with the flow or do we stand and make our grievances known?  At what point, if any, do we determine that we will no longer comply with policies that violate the fundamental freedoms afforded to us by our brave forefathers?

The groundwork has been laid.  The National Defense Authorization Act was passed by Congress and signed by the President.  This act authorized the military to indefinitely detain American Citizens based on the accusation of terrorist connections. * * * The latitude that is afforded the authorities in these cases is broad, since in states like my own, the term "potential domestic terrorist" has been applied to anyone with Christian bumper stickers or yard signs, anyone who vocally supports the second amendment, or even former military personnel.  Much has been made of potential FEMA detention centers scattered throughout the country. * * Whether these camps are legitimate or a fallacy is hotly debated.  However, with the other developments taking place in the US, the concept is not beyond the realm of believability.  President Obama has proposed a civilian security force that is as well equipped and as well-funded as the military. * * * It has already been funded by the Health Care Reform Bill.  It was voted into place by elected officials against the overwhelming cries of a majority of Americans.  Is it still hard to imagine they would violate the civil liberties of law abiding citizens?  When a government has no restraint it shows no mercy.

So I ask you, how far will you go to defend liberty?  How important are your freedoms to you?  How important is the freedom of your family?  If it comes down to it, will you ride the trains, or will you rise up in defense of your nation and your family?

It is a topic that we must all reconcile in our own hearts.  Will we cower in the shadows?  Or shall we, like our brave forefathers, pledge to one another "our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honour" in the defense of liberty?  I, for one, have decided.  Are you with me?

 

Chapter 4: Act

One can put a plan into place, make lists, organize one's thoughts, and never actually put one's plan into motion.  How effective is that?  I know a lot of people who have faith in the plans they've laid out.  However, they haven't actually taken any steps to prepare for disaster.  It's alright to do the research and decide where you'll store your food and water, decide which types of foods you'll need and what containers you want to use.  However, simply writing a list will not help you in times of need.  You need to ACT!

There is a part of each of us that wants to believe things will always be OK.  How many times I've heard someone express the sentiment, "I never thought it would happen to me!"  My dad always used to tell us to "hope for the best, but plan for the worst."  This is advice we can all use.

How much good is your list of necessities going to do you if there is no food on the shelves?  How much good is your choice of water containers going to do if you don't actually purchase them and fill them up?

You can have all the faith in your plan that you want to... but as the Bible says:  faith without works is dead.

Now is the time to put those plans into action.

I was one of those people.  I have spent much of my life aware of the darker side of humanity.  Being involved in ministry, one often comes face to face with the deepest forms of human depravity.  It's a part of the job.  It neither scares me nor impresses me much.  However, that, along with my law enforcement training, has taught me to be prepared for confrontations with people whose intentions are less than honorable.  I've also been through a natural disaster or two, which has taught me the importance of being prepared for times of economic difficulty as well.

But, it wasn't good enough just to think about it.  That's only the first step.  You see, I've always been a planner.  I make lists, sketch things out, and try to think of all contingencies.  It is the way my mind works.  The problem is, lists won't feed my family when times get tough.  Lists won't protect them from folks who have bad intentions for them.  At that point, my list is just a preliminary tool.  It's what I do with that list that matters.

I can price ammunition all day long, but until I buy some and put it into secure storage, it does me no good.  I can think of ways to harden my home all I want to, but until I break out the hammer and nails and make it happen, my plans are useless daydreams.

My dad always taught me that love isn't a feeling, it's an action.  Well, ladies and gents, I love my family.  I love them enough to put into action the plans I've made to protect and provide for them.  In hard times, my family will eat and survive.  In treacherous times, my family will be effectively defended from all foes.  Why?  Because I'm not relying on my lists, I'm filling them.  I'm training my family in the proper responses to various situations.  I'm acting on my plans.

Get your food stocked up.  Time is short.
Get your defenses in place, and know when and how to use them to their utmost effectiveness.  The time is coming.
Get your escape plan figured out, along with alternate routes and rally points.  Practice those routes.  Quiz your family members.  The time could be today.

Plan... Prepare... Act!

Chapter 3: Be Prepared

"Be prepared."  I was never a boyscout, but I knew that was their motto.  I actually think I learned that from a Snoopy cartoon.  I'm not sure...anyway...

I had a former employer who had a sign over his desk that said "Lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part."  That's a tough tidbit of information to swallow, but it is a reality.  In a period of history when the majority of people seem to fly through life by their seats of their pants, seemingly very little thought is given to advanced preparation for difficult times.  So many of us have become accustomed to the conveniences of life that we seem incapable or unwilling to go without them.  Technology has changed our world in such critical ways that people are actually fighting addictions to their phones, computers, and other techno-gadgets.

The problem is, in a crisis situation, we soon realize that most of the things we consider necessities are actually unavailable luxuries.  In situations like that, those who have had to "do without" usually have an edge over those whose lives typically include these luxuries.  It's sort of the equivalent of someone who went to school when calculators were forbidden compared to now, when so much schoolwork requires a calculator or even a computer.  Many students these days are incapable of doing long division without some sort of technological aid.

I'm not saying technology is bad.  Not at all.  Think about it.  The pencil with which I did long division in school is actually a technological improvement over the techniques that came before it.  The computer on which I'm typing this blog represents more computing power than was used to launch the first moon-landing.  There is a difference, however, between using technology and having your life run by it.

My last post focused on the concept of thinking and forming a plan for difficult times. There are two factors that seem to hinder some from forming a plan.  Both factors are related.  The first is that everyone talks about how the need for an emergency plan is necessary right now, and most of us don't know where to start.  The second is that it seems there are so many things to consider that many become overwhelmed and decide, either by default or by conscious choice, to take their chances.  The problem is that if you choose to take your chances, when things go sour, few people will be willing or able to pick up the slack for your family when they've put all their efforts into preparing for their own.  Hence the sign:  Lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part.  Let's be blunt:  The citizens of New Orleans knew that the only things protecting them from the ocean rolling into their neighborhoods were the levies.  They knew that their city was built below sea level.  They knew they lived in an area prone to hurricanes.  Given this information, does it strike you as curious that so many were unprepared when tragedy struck?  The concept that the hardest hit folks in New Orleans tended to be those who largely relied upon government resources for their daily sustenance is not often acknowledged because it angers too many and leads to accusations of intolerance and bigotry.  However, other areas along the coastline were hit just as hard, but those folks were more accustomed to fending for themselves.  They cleaned up their debris, made their choices based upon the resources they had available, and have recovered much better.  When disaster strikes, do you want to be one of those who can recover quickly, or do you want to be at the whim and control of government officials who may or may not be sympathetic to your plight?  

Therefore, it behooves each of us to get our preparations in place to protect, provide for, and sustain our families when and if hard times come.  Considering the fact that much of the nation's financial strain is caused by a widespread public ideology that someone else will take care of us and someone else will provide for our needs, let's not carry that failed philosophy into our planning for survival and recovery.

As to the enormity of the preparation issue, my dad used to say something very useful.  We've all heard it.  Let's put it into practice:  How do you eat an elephant?  One bite at a time.  

Let's break down the basic needs we'll have in a survival situation and tackle them one by one.

Please note:  Any links to specific companies are not an endorsement of products or services.  They are merely meant as examples for possible resources.  I am not connected with any of these companies, nor do I have personal experience with the services available from some of them. 

1.  Shelter 

• Shelter is one of the most basic necessities for human beings.  Without basic shelter, a person can quickly succumb to the ravages of the elements.  Wind, rain, cold, heat... they can all lead to serious issues if shelter is not available or adequate.
• Step one on your list of things to do is to plan for your need for shelter.  Obviously, your house will be your primary source of shelter.  However, in the case of a natural disaster or armed incursion, your house may not be suitable and relocation may be necessary.  Plan for at least two specific sources of shelter away from your current dwelling.  Know where they are and how best to get there, both by well-traveled roads and through "off the beaten path" routes.  Know how long it will take you to reach them by vehicle and by foot, for vehicles might not always be readily available.
• In the event that you have no pre-made shelters available to you, learn how to build basic shelters from surrounding items.  * * * 
• I can not stress enough how important this is:  Now is the time for you to choose your emergency shelter, not later when an emergency strikes!
• In my last post I spoke of planning rally points for my family.  We have multiple meeting locations and almost every one of them has an available source of shelter for us.  You should do the same.

2.  Water

•  If you are on city water, chances are that power outages will not immediately effect your ability to obtain water.  However, contamination of a community's water supply is a possibility. *  Therefore, secure water storage measures should be taken. *
• If your water is provided by a well, a power failure will almost certainly interrupt your access to water.  Plan accordingly.
• As a rule of thumb, we've all been told to drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day.  That's a half-gallon.  With strenuous exercise, extreme weather conditions, stress, or certain physical ailments comes a need for higher water intake.  It is better to have excess water available rather than too little.  
• Plan enough water for the ability to wash dishes, toiletry needs, wash clothes, and for first-aid needs.  Again, it is best to have more than enough.
• There are many sources of water storage containers.  Think about where you will store it.  Think about the weight of water (8 lb/gallon), and how much stress that will place upon the floor or shelving that will be holding your water supply. * * *
• Don't plan to rely solely on a river, stream, spring or lake.  These can become contaminated and can pose a danger to your family.  Your best bet is to have water from a safe source secured for your family's use.
• You'll need a water purifier of some sort.  Preferably, one that does not rely on electricity to function.  In a disaster scenario, electricity might not be an option.

3.  Food

• When and if things go seriously awry, you're going to need to have food for your family.  Unless you are a fantastic hunter who can still hunt once all his ammunition is expended, you need to have food storage.  While foraging for food is a useful skill, easy-to-prepare foods could be crucial to your survival.
• Myriad sources of information are available out there touting MREs and long-term food storage options.  Some are good and some are not.  One has to do some research to see which is which.  I can not, in the space of this blog, do all of the leg-work for you.  Each kind of food storage has its positives and negatives.  You must decide which method, or combination of methods, is best for you and your family. * * * *
• Pre-prepared food items can be costly.  For a family on a budget like mine, that can be intimidating.  Start by purchasing a few extra cans of food each time you go to the grocery store.  Soon, you'll have a closet full of food set aside for emergency situations.  Organize it, box it, and store it.  A little self-discipline and you'll be able to stockpile a good stash of food without a great impact to your budget.
• Couponing is a great way to accumulate vast quantities of food supplies without breaking the bank.  Do some research on the subject.  There are countless sources of information on coupon clipping.  
• To contain your food, you'll need airtight, moisture tight containers.  Think of how discouraging it would be to tap into your emergency food reserves, only to find that bugs or rodents had visited it before you.

Shelter, water and food.  These are the basic needs of the human being.  We'll spend more time on other ancillary supplies.  However, the main point of this post is to urge you to PREPARE!  Don't hesitate.  Start now.  Formulate your plan and implement it!  We never know when a disaster might strike.  We only know it will.  

Intermission...

I apologize for the delay in posting to my blogs.  My mother recently had a stroke and I've had to prioritize my activities as I do whatever I can to care for her.  Things are slowly settling in to a new normal kind of routine.  I plan to tackle some new subjects in the very near future.  Thanks for reading! 

Chapter 2: You've Gotta Have A Plan, Man!

When I was a kid, our church children's ministry worked on a musical play.  One of the songs in that play had the same title as this post.  It almost sounded like a chant, with a group of kids saying "ya gotta have a plan, man."  Periodically, that chant comes back into my mind as I'm facing the daily issues of adulthood. (Some people call those earworms, but in this case, it's a good thing!)

Throughout my schooling I took courses in architectural drafting and design.  It's always been a fascination of mine to put pencil to paper and create the basis upon which a building could be built.  A few years ago I needed to build some heavy gates at my mom's farm.   Mom decided she was going to help me build them.  So I returned from the local lumber yard with a stack of two-by-fours and two-by-sixes, a bag of nuts and bolts, a measuring tape and a pencil.  I set up my miter saw and started telling my mom, "OK, make a mark at this measurement.  Make a mark at that measurement there."  Mom looked at me skeptically, but did as I asked.  I started cutting and drilling until I had gone through all the wood.  I began laying pieces down and, low and behold, all the drill-holes lined up!  We dropped the bolts into the holes and cranked them down.  In a very short time we had large, heavy, solidly-built gates.  Mom was stunned that they'd gone together so easily!  What she hadn't seen was the time I'd spent with a pencil and paper the night before.  I had drawn out how I wanted the gates to be laid out, written down the sizes and the locations of the holes, and marked locations and angles of cuts.  After that it was about as complex as putting together a simple puzzle.

Throughout this blog, you'll notice one overarching theme.  You've got to have a plan.  Difficult times are coming.  It's inevitable that at some point in your life, difficulty will arise.  Regardless of your financial status, social position, or location in the world, hard times will come.  As I discussed in my last post, it could be for many reasons.  In a society built around comforts and conveniences, a massive number of people have completely forsaken self-sufficiency.  Yet, there is very likely to be a time in which our ability to take care of ourselves will be tested.  Will you be ready to stand the test?  Let me ask you a few questions.  Answer them honestly in your own mind, and see how prepared you really are.

1. If all of your money was gone as of right...NOW...how long would the food in your house provide for your family's nutritional needs?
2. If you had no electricity, phone, or fuel, how long could you manage your family's needs?  How would you stay warm in the winter?  
3. If local emergency services are overwhelmed or unavailable, and someone is badly injured in your home, would you know what to do?
4. You find that an organized group of people, intent on doing violence, is sweeping your area.  Do you have a place to go?  Do you have a route planned?

On March 11, 2011, an earthquake struck Japan.  It registered a massive 9.0 on the Richter Scale.  It triggered a powerful tsunami that reached 133' high and traveled over six miles inland, bringing with it unbelievable damage and destruction.  The combination of the earthquake and tsunami triggered a major nuclear emergency at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, causing a dangerous series of equipment failures, nuclear meltdowns, and the release of radioactive materials into the air.

In August of 2005, Hurricane Katrina crossed southern Florida and slammed into the coastline of Louisiana, causing destruction from Florida to Texas.  More than 1,800 people died and countless families found themselves homeless.  Looting was rampant in inner-city areas of New Orleans, and acts of violence were common.  Emergency services were virtually nonexistent and people were left to fend for themselves.  The federal government, though prepositioned by the President, was legally unable to respond without the request of the governor, who, embroiled in political standoffs of her own, failed to include some of the most heavily impacted areas in her initial request for assistance, which legally tied the hands of the feds.  In short, this left people on their own in the wake of the deadliest hurricane since 1928.  Martial law was declared to attempt to control roving bands of miscreants who were preying on other victims of the storm and subsequent flooding.

As of the time of this posting, Queensland, Australia is currently suffering massive flooding, forcing thousands from their homes and cutting off entire communities from the outside world.  Flood waters carry sewage and disease, placing the entire population at risk.  Agricultural areas are in ruins, raising concerns of food shortages in the region for a long time to come.  Businesses have been destroyed with little or no hope of recovery.  People's lives are in a turmoil.  The emotional stress is building, as many had no preparations in place for eventualities such as this.

Around the world, sudden and intense military conflicts occur.  It is nothing new, and will go on as long as humans inhabit the earth.  Heightened tensions among nations spiral out of control, and innocent citizens are forced to face a new reality of foreign, or sometimes domestic, troops controlling their every movement and activity.  Whether it's martial law enforced by one's own government or an invasion by foreign forces, the ultimate effect on the citizenry is often the same.

Let's face it, our lives are run on electricity and oil.  Remove those elements and chaos ensues.  Remember the power grid failures in the northeast in recent years?  The photo to the right shows the pandemonium that followed a major power outage in New York City.  Think about it.  You're in a city where everything is automated, from ventilation systems to elevators, from telephone systems to trains.  No power means everything shuts down.  Are you prepared?

It doesn't just effect urban areas, either.  In 2007, southwest Missouri experienced a severe ice storm.  Having lived in Alaska for nearly seven years, I thought I was prepared for anything old man winter had to throw at me.  I was wrong.  The kind of ice I saw during that storm was unlike anything I'd ever experienced.
Ice covered every exposed surface.  I'm not talking about frost.  Thick, clear, hard ice coated everything.  Trees three feet in diameter snapped under the sheer weight of the ice.  Power lines stretched and sagged until they were lying on the ground.  Telephone poles snapped under the strain of the added weight.  The sound was unlike anything I'd ever heard.  It literally sounded like a battle zone.  The nearly continuous thunder of trees crashing down sounded like cannons being fired.  With temperatures in the single digits and no power, it was a dire situation.  Emergency services were all but nonexistent because of the impassable roads.  Power crews were trucked in from all over the Midwest to assist, but the damage was so severe that many of us went without power for weeks.  It was a real wake up call.

No power, no water, no stores.  What do you do?  Do you have a plan?  You've got to have a plan!

So, what do you do?  This post and the next two are going to follow the steps in the graphic at the top of this page:  Think - Prepare - Act.

The first thing one must do is think and plan.  Here are a few questions you need to consider to be prepared for difficult times.

• Does anyone in your family require special medications or have special dietary needs?  In a scenario like the ice storm above, where stores were closed and travel was severely restricted, would you have enough of the medications you or your loved ones need?  How about foods?  Do you have enough stored up to last?  Is there a diabetic or heart patient in your immediate circle?  Certain health conditions require strict attention to food intake.  Plan ahead! Don't be caught in a position of desperation when stores are not open or ATMs are not functioning.  Make a list of special items you'll need in a worst-case scenario.  Speak to your physicians and try to get prescriptions filled for longer terms.  Allowing yourself to run low on necessary medications is about as good an idea as allowing your car to run empty before refilling the tank.

• How much fuel is in your vehicles?  If you woke up tomorrow and there were no gas stations open, how far could you drive?  Do you allow your vehicle to get to empty before refilling it?  That is not a wise idea.  There may come a time when the amount of fuel in your tank can spell the difference between success and failure.  Play a mind game with yourself:  As a rule of thumb, consider half a tank to be the same as empty.  Whenever your vehicle reaches half a tank, fill it up.  Yes, you'll have to stop for fuel more often, but when and if something bad happens you won't be stuck in one of those famous gas lines before you can leave town.  Believe me, that's a hopeless feeling.  It's really a matter of self-discipline.  Just consider the second half of the gas tank the reserve fuel.

• Do you have a rendezvous point? Reality dictates that the average family does not spend twenty-four hours a day gathered in the same location.  Parents typically work outside the home.  Kids typically attend school or other activities.  So let's say an earthquake happens in your town.  Where does your family plan to meet?  My family has a list of multiple rendezvous points, and an understanding of the procedure we will follow if we ever need to gather there.  What if there are no communications?  Those who can quickly make it to Rally Point A know to wait a certain amount of time and then check Rally Point B.  If the stragglers haven't arrived at Rally Point B by a certain time, the first arrivals will move to Rally point C, but will check the first two locations according to a prescribed schedule.  This plan works regardless of the kind of emergency.  Weather, armed incursion, it's really irrelevant.  Another thing to think about is the availability of transportation.  My wife and I share one vehicle.  Therefore, if I'm away at work, we have to have a rally point within walking distance of our home.  We also have a code phrase that will instantly trigger a planned move to our rally points, should security be an issue.

• How much food will your family require in an emergency?  This is a difficult question.  In a time when most of us revel in our national tendency for gluttony and excess, planning an emergency food cache is tough.  The Mormon church has been way ahead of most of us in training its people to store up food and supplies.  I do not want to get into a philosophical or theological discussion about the Mormon Church.  That is completely off-topic and although I strongly differ from them theologically, it does not negate their great work in preparing their people for difficult times.  The LDS recommends a year's food storage.  That may seem extreme to many, but it's far better to have too much than too little.  You can plan in any way you wish, but remember to rely on non-perishable items that can be stored for extended periods.  My family and I have set food storage goals.  We first began to collect enough food to last a week, then a month, then three months, and so on.  This way we had a starting point that didn't seem as overwhelming.  Then we began to purchase just a few extra items with each shopping trip.  By concentrating on nutritional value and reading labels, a family can quickly amass a stockpile of food.  In upcoming posts, I will be adding links to other sources of reliable information on this subject.

• How will you protect and defend your family and your essential supplies?  This question is much more complex than it might appear.  As a Christian, I am commissioned to love my neighbor.  At the same time, I am responsible for the safety and security of my family.  I know that I must determine how far I'm willing to go to protect them and to make sure they have enough supplies in an emergency.  You must ask yourself these questions as well.  How will you handle those around you who are also in need?  On the other hand, how will you handle someone whose intent is to take your family's supplies by force?  Will you meet force with force?  Will you let them take the very things that are sustaining your family?  Those are questions no one can answer but you.  However, once you answer those questions, you must commit yourself to that answer.  

Until you answer some basic questions, you have no plan.  Give these questions, and any others that stem from them, some serious thought.  Get a pad and paper and begin to formulate a plan for a worst-case scenario.

My next post will address the second item on the opening graphic:  Prepare.  

As a believer in Christ, I refuse to live in fear.  My faith in God precludes a lifestyle of fear.  However, preparation is one tool that helps me to have the peace of mind it takes to think clearly in a crisis.  A desire to prepare does not contradict your statement of faith.  As the scriptures say, faith without works is dead.

Chapter 1: What's The Worst That Could Happen?

Right wing, left wing, or centrist: regardless of which part of the political bird you identify with, you have to admit that these are volatile times.  Anyone who is at all politically aware will, if they're honest, admit that there's a lot of uncertainty ahead.  With skyrocketing national debt, millions out of work, protestors active in nearly every major city in America, and seesawing economic forecasts, many are nervous as to what the near future holds.

Let's take a little look at some of the current events that might effect your daily life.

1.  Natural Disasters -- Weather patterns can be erratic.  Over the past few years we've seen tsunamis, tornadoes, hurricanes and earthquakes worldwide.  One never knows when a natural disaster will strike.  Natural disasters often create even more dangerous man-made disasters such as the nuclear radiation leaks in the Fukushima Prefecture in Japan after the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami on 11 March 2011.  When I lived in South San Francisco in 1989, the Loma Prieta earthquake toppled building facades and collapsed roadways, but the most frightening damage was done by the ruptured gas lines that caused he further destruction of homes.  No matter where one travels or lives, natural disasters can occur.

Whether you live in Tornado Alley, along the American West Coast where earthquakes are common, in dry areas where wildfires can rapidly consume large swaths of land, or along the gulf or east coast where hurricanes commonly come ashore, no location is immune from the ravages of nature.  Often, countless people are left without homes in the wake of these disasters.  Whenever there is a disaster, there is often a portion of society just waiting to add to the misery by looting and pillaging whatever remains.

2.  Civil Unrest -- Look around you.  The past year has been a year of civil unrest all over the world.  We've witnessed riots, government crackdowns, sit-ins, and toppled governments.  Entire political systems are crumbling before our very eyes.  Major cities are brought to a standstill as protestors take to the streets in what often ends up as violent clashes with law enforcement or military personnel.  No matter what side of a political issue you inhabit, these are difficult and often frightening times.  Innocent bystanders are caught up in the melee, often experiencing injuries and fear.

3.  Economic Collapse -- One common cause, at least recently, for civil unrest is the faltering economic policies of governments around the world.  Greece is a current example of a place where a nation's failed economic policies have led to riots and strikes.  Many other countries are seemingly marching toward similar fates.  Uncontrolled spending, skyrocketing unemployment rates, and  little hope for economic recovery often leads to panic and rage in citizens.  Think it can't happen where you are?  You might be surprised.  People are people, no matter what their national or ethnic identities.

4.  Political Strife -- What might start as a clash of words in a nation's capital can easily morph into soldiers marching the streets.  Policy differences among politicians can quickly create deep divides among the citizenry, leading to violent conflicts and attempts to rework the political system of an entire society.  It happens all the time in nations around the world.  Thus far, the United States has escaped, though often narrowly, these conflicts in most cases.  However, with the rising level of venom and vitriol on all sides of each disagreement, many believe the US is ripe for major upheaval.  The most alarmist among us believe we could descend into a civil war scenario, while others foresee the collapse of federal and state governments, which would necessarily effect every citizen from the poorest to the wealthiest.  When governments lose their ability to govern, they always result to force.  Don't believe me?  Beginning in October of 2008, the US Army began fielding units on domestic soil that were being trained to handle civil unrest with tasers, rubber bullets, and live ammunition.  Ostensibly, these forces are available to help assist in the event of a terrorist attack, but the non-lethal techniques would seem to indicate an expected role in crowd control and domestic conflict.  Need more evidence?  Research the deployment of UAV surveillance craft within the US.

I tend to steer clear of conspiracy theories.  However, I am not naive enough to believe that the elite political class in Washington DC or in whatever state capital that happens to have jurisdiction over me always has my best interests at heart.  With the open hostility displayed toward anyone who disagrees with the political opinions of particular leaders, I am surprised violence has not yet spilled into the streets.  Conflicts along the US southern border, the growing tension within our inner cities, increasing hostility emanating from those who resent the financial success of others with larger bank accounts, and the surging desire of some to redistribute the wealth of the workers to the non-workers, all could easily combine to create the perfect storm of social disintegration.  

This is the reason for this blog.  This is why I feel an urgency to be prepared for the worse.  While I hope to never need to put my plans into motion, they serve as a form of insurance in case the worst happens.  Could things deteriorate and dissolve into chaos?  Yes.  Will I be prepared?  Yes.  Will you?

Introduction

As a firm believer in what the Bible says, I am convinced that we stand at a precipice in history.  Things are about to change, and change dramatically.  Though this blog is not necessarily about biblical prophecy, I would not be intellectually honest if I did not mention the scriptures as a huge part of my frame of reference.  I will mention biblical references periodically, but readers of any (or no) religious persuasion should find this blog useful.  Should you have questions of a theological nature, you may certainly contact me and we'll discuss them.  However, I hope to keep this blog focused on the topic of emergency preparedness and planning.

I have a family that depends on me.  I believe I have a scriptural mandate to provide for and protect them.  I believe that my first responsibility is to my Creator, and my second is to my family.  I am a proud American who is deeply troubled by the current state of affairs in my country.  I was raised in a very patriotic family, and still get choked up when the National Anthem plays.  I still doff my hat and put my hand over my heart when the flag comes by.  I readily and sincerely thank veterans and current military members for their service, for it is their sacrifices that have made my lifestyle possible.

Much has been made of the Mayan calendar and the fact that it seems to end in 2012.  Others have jumped onto the bandwagon, predicting cataclysmic changes at the end of this year.  Eschatologically speaking, I disagree with them.  However, one would have to be deaf, blind and not very bright to not recognize that the world is changing at an ever more rapid pace.  I do believe 2012 will be a turning point in human history.  I believe the geopolitical and moral turmoil in which the world finds itself will soon make the world almost unrecognizable from the one in which I grew up.  Political strife, wars, failing economies and natural disasters make it vital that we should be prepared when disaster strikes.

My senior year in high school was interrupted by a long stretch of heavy rains and flooding in the state in which I lived.  The small towns that surrounded our home were inundated by water from an overstressed levy system, and many people lost their homes.  During that time we were evacuated to a nearby air force base where the military had set up temporary shelter.

A couple of years later while living in South San Francisco, we experienced the Loma Prieta Earthquake.  This large quake, along with the fires from broken gas lines, caused massive damage and more than 3,700 injuries.  The San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge's upper deck collapsed.  The Interstate 880 Cypress Viaduct pancaked on top of countless vehicles and commuter traffic, trapping folks in a space barely eighteen inches high in many places.  Major League Baseball's World Series came to a screeching halt just a short drive from my home as Candlestick Park groaned, swayed and cracked with the rolling of the earth's surface.

I know the fear of natural disasters.  I have experienced violence, as well.  I have vowed that I would not be caught unprepared when difficult times come.  For the past few years, my family and I have been setting in motion a series of plans that we can follow when things get tough.

Some will call us paranoid. Some will say we're fearmongers.  Some will laugh or ridicule.  One thing is certain.  We will be prepared, as best we can, for any eventuality.

The purpose of this blog is to discuss preparedness in the face of current events and conditions, and to help readers form an action plan for their own lives.  I hope you'll come along on this journey with me.  Whether the disaster be economic, political, or natural, together we can be as prepared as possible.

The time is coming!