Emergency Preparations for Pets

       Living on a farm, our animal evacuation plans are complex and expensive.  They are the subject of another post another time.  However, many people in most of the world have pets, and pet preparations are something we should discuss.
        It is never acceptable to abandon your pet in an emergency.  Pets are family members, and not only do we have a moral obligation to them to do our best in their care throughout their lifespan, but we do psychological harm to ourselves and to our children by not meeting their needs as best we can.  A little bit of planning can allow us to do the best job possible for our pets in emergencies. The first thing you must do is get tags made for them, so that if they are ever lost, their collar has their name, yours, and a phone number in which to reach you. Sometimes you can include e-mail, cell or address. I label my animals twice in the event that the tags come off. A few of my animals came to us with microchips inside. I am not recommending microchips at this time, as different vets may use different readers, and this may have limited value depending upon your location.
    In most nations, pets are not allowed to accompany you to a shelter, so it's important to make advance plans with friends or with family in order to bring your pet with you, if you must evacuate.  Make sure you contain your pet the wisest way possible.   For a cat, a cat carrier is essential.  For a dog, a portable kennel is a good idea, but is not always possible.  A leash and a collar are always essential.  The following items are good emergency items for us, or if buying them is impractical where you are, they may trigger your putting these items together yourself from available sources in your area. If you have a housecat, then think about keeping some extra kitty litter. Not only can this be used for your cat, but there are multiple uses for it also. It pays to have extra.

   These particular items are available at:

http://www.thepreproom.net/categories/Pet-Products/

This is the Portable Pet Waterboy. This could be useful to have.

These are emergency dog food (shown on the right) and emergency cat food (shown on the left) with a five year shelf life. These are available for $3.69 US each package.

Here is a kit for dog travel.   The bowl including the food and emergency water.

From ready.gov
This is a link which can go into even more detail

http://thepreproom.net/content/pets_tagged.pdf

It doesn't matter where you choose to buy the items to amass for your pet evacuation or pet "shelter in place" kits. What matters is that you make provisions for them. This is one stressor that in an emergency a little bit of advance planning can transform into an easily handled issue.

On Family Operational Security

Papers with itinerary can easily be placed on a mud room extra refrigerator, or at any location your family prefers.

If you have a smaller family than mine, you could also use a white board.  Family members could make quick notations.

 DEBBIE, School 9-3, band practice, 3-4, home by 5.    KENT,  School 8-2, Interview at SBS at 3. Wal-Mart at 4, Home by 6. Party at 7 at 2362, Old Bur Oak Lane. Home by 10.

From the time our kids were small our family always had certain rules aimed at enhancing their safety. The first one was our use of a code word. If our large family was ever at a gathering, and any one of us witnessed something which we believed was unsafe or would become dangerous, they were to recite that word quietly to each family member. The innocuous code word was our code for returning to the car and leaving the area at once. Anyone, adult or child, could use this word, and then once we had left the area and were safe, the person who had "called the code word" would explain what they had seen, and the decision would be made as to whether we needed to call police. Interestingly, this was never abused, and has been used in our family three times. Once, one of our children saw a man at a gathering with a hidden gun, and he seemed like a scary guy, and so we retreated, until after police came. (He had intent to rob people at the gathering). A second time, I called one, when I noticed at a large urban gathering, a large number of plainclothes police there, which made me believe something was up there. A third time, I was visiting my kids at their university in Richmond, and my eldest son saw someone with a knife and suspected an impending robbery. His use of the code word caused everyone to scatter (including his friends whom he had taught the word to at the beginning of the semester), leaving the robber with the knife completely confounded. Your word should be an easily remembered one, but a fairly uncommon one so that your intent to family members or close friends is clear. It should not be a word which frightens other people who hear it. The intent is to safely extract your own family without panicking people or wasting valuable evacuation time trying to explain, and then evaluate whether a call needs to be made to police.
We also would never have sent anyone to pick up our children anywhere without a different code word. Our children were instructed never to go anywhere with anyone without that word.  No matter where you are, the world can be a dangerous place. Rather than teaching our children to be terrified of all of it, we need to start when they are young to incorporate some family operational security rules. This way, safety is a part of living, and not an encumbrance. First of all, you must explain to your children that safety has nothing to do with your trust for them. I trust all of my children completely, but I may not trust the rest of the world, and I may not always completely trust their friends or their friend's parents and I certainly didn't trust all of their teachers. We therefore have certain procedures aimed at enhancing safety.
First, no one, including the adults in our home, go anywhere without a "flight plan". This is a quickly scrawled note as to where you will be and when. We place ours on our tall freezer with a magnet. Those who have not completed university, also file their college schedule with me each semester, in the event that an emergency triggered our needing to reach them or pick them up. With many people in a family, it's easy to forget who said what, on a given morning, or to confuse a day in which they will be late for some reason. If the "flight plan" changes for some reason, or they are delayed, they must text or call to let someone at the house know. I follow the same rules in this regard as our kids, because I am likely in as much danger in the world, as they are. Additionally, your children will follow notification rules, if you do. If we are away overnight, we have a protocol whereby we test at agreed upon intervals. This way, if something is wrong somewhere, we know pretty quickly, and we know exactly where they were last. This level of communication is essential if you and your family needed to evacuate an area in an emergency. My mother would have considered this to be "running your family a lot like a spy network" but it isn't. It's a logical adaptation to a busy and dangerous world.
While my kids were at university, one female student was murdered by someone she met there.The student's name was Taylor Biel. A friend of my son's, another sculpture student, was robbed and murdered. His name was Tyler Binstead.    Before two of our kids graduated, a foreign exchange student named Jonny Dorey went missing. He has never been located.   Lauren Spierer from another university remains missing. Now, a student named Ian Burnet has disappeared on a trip from VCU to New York City.  Many other disappearances of young adults and children have occurred at universities and other locations within the US. We need to formulate some rules in order to maximize safety.  First, most campuses do not allow students or even parents to carry weapons, even if we already hold concealed weapons permits, so this is often not an alternative. Secondly, realize that people who have had a few drinks are much more easily raped, robbed or abducted than those who have not. If you wish to drink, and you are of legal age, drink at home. Realize that everyone is not your friend. Date rape was a big issue even in my youth, and it may be a larger issue now. Date people you know something about, not just someone attractive you met while getting pizza. Be alert. Lives have been saved by waiters who saw a man put something in his date's drink. I remember one such case where the waiter called police. . Human trafficking is a real phenomenon. Be alert to the possibility when you notice that you are being watched, or someone seems to be following you. Let someone else explain to police why they were following you.
Lastly, FBI agents tell us that if someone tries to abduct you, you should fight with everything you have, then and there. Even if you are injured in your attempt to remain free, your abductor will think again, and he may run. Once you are abducted, the abductor controls the environment and you are unlikely to find an escape point later. This taste of the rules my family follows might be right for you, or you may need more check ins than I have described, or fewer of them. The fact is, that everyone, in the light of terrorism, child sex offenders, rapists, home invaders, drug users looking for quick cash, or human traffickers, need to have family operational security rules. Remember that there is no "safe neighborhood". Anything can happen anywhere and at anytime. Calmly prepare for this, and then you can meet the challenges of your life and actually enjoy your life with provisions for security for those you love and for yourself.

Emergency War Surgery.........The NATO Manual

Emergency War Surgery..... Second United States Revision...The Emergency War Surgery NATO Handbook ,  Published by: Desert Publications, El Dorado, Arkansas,  This edition 1992          Publishers phone #: 870-862-3811                Publisher's contact information: info@deltapress.com

                

                 This book arrived today, and happily, I have had some time to read and digest some of it. I note the disclaimer in the front which states that the book has been published for entertainment purposes only and that the publisher is not endorsing that we do any of the procedures described.  The book is really only of any use to those who have significant medical training, those who are near completion of their third year of medical school, those who are military corpsmen and who have done the outlined procedures, civilian Physician Assistants who have worked in critical care or surgical settings, experienced trauma nurses,  Nurse Practitioners whose specialties have allowed them surgical or critical care practice, family practice physicians with interests in disaster and war medicine,  Board certified physicians in the specialties of urology, surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, trauma, oral surgeons, plastic surgeons, and a few critical care registered nurses and a few surgeon's assistants.    Almost anyone else is out of their league.  Pharmacists may find this helpful should they ever be conscripted by FEMA or the US federal government to be "Pharmacist Practitioners", following a nuclear or chemical attack.
          
              The benefits are that a person who is medically trained can look up particular injuries or issues and in a difficult situation, can see goal-setting and direction.   The drawbacks are that the book pre-supposes a certain amount of back-up laboratory ability, a certain amount of available antibiotics and pain meds availability, and a certain amount of intravenous administration ability with both plain fluids, and intravenous admixtures.    Attempting many of the procedures in the book without the aforementioned items, may be foolish. I do think that this belongs in the library of anyone who is medically trained, particularly for the information on cold injury, chemical injury, discussions of infection, and burn injury.

     This book is available at:

       http://www.nitro-pak.com/emergency-war-surgery


The book is very interesting, but is no substitute for genuine medical training.   In the past, I have encouraged those of you with this type of an interest and calling to make arrangements with:


      www.medicalcorps.com      

    They run periodic excellent courses in practical medical interventions
    including suturing including the indications for doing so, dental interventions, etc.

The Value of Organization

Photo Krehb Fotografie,  copyright 2012

      

   It's amusing that I am dedicating a post to the value of home organization on a blog devoted to preparedness.  When we were first married, I was organized to a fault.  Being a registered nurse and then a charge nurse, I was accustomed to having everything exactly where I needed it in the intensive care unit, and I developed the desire to have everything "just so" at home as well.  This works when there are only two of you. I tried to keep everything organized when we had two small children, but although core areas of our home were organized, imposing organization on small children is counterproductive to their growth and creativity. I learned to adapt to my files, my personal drawers and our room being organized, but their being messy areas periodically in children's rooms and in areas they played in.  Children need a certain amount of disorganization in which to play creatively. and in order to develop an appreciation for neatness as teens, they need to be able to make a mess, and for their parents to allow them to live in relative squallor, until they decide to clean up.  Just when the two elder children began to put things away,  two more children were born, and we experienced upheaval again.  We moved about every four years when our children were small, a common American habit, as was necessary to gain more space as it became more affordable to us, and as we pursued other jobs, or decided that another state might be a better place to raise and educate our family.
           Several years ago, after our youngest son Daniel died suddenly, I must admit that cleaning and organizing wasn't of interest to me.  We were trying to survive, rather than organize and maintain.  It took a very long time for me to feel that it was important to organize and maintain our home as we had in the past.  It has been a bit more than three years since Daniel's untimely passing, and I am only now just reorganizing our farm.
           Whether you have a large home, or a very small one, organizing its contents and knowing where everything is, is extremely important.  First, decision making and clear thinking is much easier when you lived in an organized space.  Secondly, we are all much more prone to buying a new one of something, if we cannot locate the ones we thought we had.   I have two irons now, because I put the first one in a safe place and then could not recall where it was.  I have also bought everything from disinfectant spray, to spray starch, to soap bars from time to time because I am not exactly sure where I put the last ones I bought.  Some of this is understandable because with a large family, someone has something in their bathroom, and I may not know about it.  However, some of it has been purchased because I am simply not as organized as I used to be.
           This week I began a new quest to reorganize.  I redid my paper back-up address book in a larger leather format (so I can more easily read the tiny lettering. Today, I cleaned out the garage bay where I keep my car.  Not only do I now know where everything from foldable shovels for car use are, but I know where I put all the fluids for my car.  The winter here will be much easier knowing where all the items for winter use may be found.
      

 These are pictures included simply to inspire you.  It IS time consuming to organize tools, clothing, toiletries, toys, games and cookware, but it is much less time consuming to use them when you need them, once there is a place for everything and everything returns to that place.

This particular pantry looks really well organized.  (It's not mine, by the way)   In an earthquake prone area, the recommendations are that a supportive piece of wood or metal should be secured about a third of the way up on each shelf, allowing items to be dropped in or pulled up and out, but would not allow all these cars to fall out and shatter if violent shaking were to occur, as did here in August.

    

This smart person secured kitchen supplies using bungee cords and eye hooks, which of course will achieve the same thing.

                           

This is a Direct Reprint from the Canadian Preppers Network

 http://www.canadianpreppersnetwork.com/

 Sunday, January 1, 2012

What Does the NDAA Mean for Canada?

This editorial is strictly the opinion of the author, and as such, is not endorsed by the Canadian Preppers Network in anyway.  ~  D. Luther

As his New Year's gift to the United States, President Barack Obama ratified the National Defense Authorization Act on December 31.  This effectively makes the United States a war zone, allows indefinite detainment of her citizens, and eradicates due process, all with one sweep of the pen.

As the neighbours to the north, how will this effect us?

At this point, it's all speculation, but here are some possibilities:

~  Due to the recent perimeter agreement between the US and Canada, the militaries have agreed to "help each other" during times of civil upheaval.  If active martial law goes into effect in the US, our troops could be deployed to assist in carrying out the orders.

~  Also regarding the perimeter agreement, the line is blurred for the military powers.  It is not beyond the realm of possibility that some parts of Canada could find themselves under martial law as well.

~  Crossing the border has just become a whole lot riskier.  Remember when people didn't want to travel to places in Central America because they might get thrown in prison never to be seen again?  This is actually a legal behavior now in the United States.

~  We might become home to those seeking asylum from a government that takes political prisoners simply because they have a dissenting opinion.

~  A horde of refugees may cross our borders, looking to escape the new iron fist of the US government.  If food and money fall into short supply, the likelihood of this increases exponentially.

~  And the thing that terrifies me the most....................there but for the grace of God go we.  How long before the Canadian government openly begins to vilify the people of Canada in order to change the rules of law that have governed us?  When will it become easier for Canada to fall into step with the US than to march to the beat of our own drum.

Politically speaking, 2012 is going to be a heck of a ride.

Posted by Daisy at 4:32 PM

More Americans Seeking to Live Outside the United States

It figuratively feels as if the United States flag is being riddled with bullet holes.  Many believe that the the US is headed for an economic collapse and that the US dollar is likely to lose its position as the world's reserve currency

     I have always been in the business of helping people.  When they are my patient, I aid them in that regard. When they are my student, I aid them in the process of becoming a health care worker. When they are my patient and are being discharged with a piece of medical equipment essential for their survival, then I take great pains to make such they understand and can operate such a piece of machinery.  It was a logical step for me to evolve to the point at which I  help families, those with young children, or those with a chronic medical condition to prepare in anticipation of disasters for times when supplies might not be as readily available as they are normally.
           The last five years in the United States have not been easy for many people. Increasingly, the middle class, who used to comprise most Americans, are being squeezed out.  Health care costs and costs of health insurance have been so high, that many people with good jobs, who chose to take care of their children, lost their own teeth, because they could not afford to take care of themselves as well.   Inflation began to get a foothold about five years ago.  Car prices, home prices, insurance prices, all began to rise, as did taxes.  I should make clear though, that although the US does not have an HST like Canada, or a VAT like England, there are many other hidden taxes.  There are taxes on income, then state taxes on income. There are taxes on fuel, and then personal property taxes annually on cars.  There are state sales taxes, and then restaurant taxes.  When you sell something and make a profit, there are capital gains taxes.   We may not have the taxes that many nations have, but taxes are loaded into many things.  By the time I get a dollar, it has in fact been taxed many times. Then I also need to pay social security tax, for pensions for people over 65.   Still, our legislators on both the state and the federal level continue to spend.  Sometimes they spend wisely, but often they do not.  Sometimes they spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on a study of something which common sense dictates is unwise.   The result is that many people have lost homes.  Many other people, who used to consider themselves middle class are going to foodbanks to get enough food in order to make it to the next payday.  More people are receiving foodstamps in the US than ever have at any other time.
              President Obama did not create the challenges in which the United States finds itself, however most people feel he hasn't been much help either.  He also has done a number of things which mainstream America consider unpopular. Most Americans did not want "Obamacare" health program to pass and become law prior to anyone reading it, but it in fact did.  Many Americans believe that the President pushed this agenda which was clearly against the wishes of Americans.  He has also passed a number of laws and executive orders which most Americans feel erode the US Constitution.   The party in opposition has done done a particularly good job of opposing the Obama Regime.   The result is that most Americans want Obama out, but they aren't terribly comfortable with those running for president who oppose him.    In addition, most Americans understand that a mechanism needs to exist whereby people from other nations who wish to emigrate to the United States may do so legally.  Our present system is cumbersome and unclear.  We also do need to do something about the huge numbers of illegal aliens coming to the US, who actually may be criminals above and beyond their working here illegally.  None of the people running for US president really plan to address this, and many Americans have lost jobs to illegals.
               I have never known a time in which so many Americans wish to leave the United States. Many people who still have some cash in reserve are considering Belize, Costa Rica, Uruguay, Brazil, Australia, and other nations.   As recently as a year ago, I had friends considering Europe.  There is even a magazine devoted to helping American relocate, called   http://www.escapefromamerica.com 
              Americans  need to make a decision.  They can abandon the land of their birth and watch it be destroyed or they can stand and fight and demand that their country adopt a sensible budget and move forward in a frugal manner.  Perhaps the reason I find this so disturbing , is that I have no plans for where to go.  Canada especially does not welcome American families with open arms.

This is President Barack Hussein Obama.    This is who we have now.

            

These are our choices when most of us choose to vote out Obama.  This candidate is Newt Gingrich, the former Speaker of the House (when we still had a balanced budget)

This is candidate Michelle Bachmann. She is strong against illegal immigration but is not doing well according to pollsters.

This is Mitt Romney.  He created state run health care in Massachusetts which has been disastrous. He is a middle-of-the-road Republican.

This is Rick Perry. Well liked as the Governor of Texas, he has made some faux pas while tired. He also gave illegal immigrants in-state tuition while Governor, something many of us don't like as we are struggling to send our own children to colleges and career schools.

This is Ron Paul.  He is a Libertarian.  Most Americans like his ideas with regard to domestic financial policies and he seems to have a grasp of this, however, his views of foreign policy seem naive as he seems to think the US can hide in a cardboard box rather than deal with any of its neighbors.

This is Rick Santorum, a former Senator, who is a true conservative Republican.  He might be the best choice though most Americans don't really know who he is.

             

Happy New Year

      


   To all of our subscribers and to those of you who log on frequently to whatever we are doing, rather than actually subscribe, I would like to wish you the happiest of New Years.   Remember that even on years in which the globe does not do well, that your family still can have reasonable expectations and can survive and become more self sufficient right where you are.
            I do want to call your attention to something though, my friend Denob has temporarily ceased his show called "Movin On Out".   He does do an excellent blog centered on survival topics which is focused on Canada. While he is off for awhile, this would be an excellent time to catch up on his prior posts and ideas about many different things, whether you are Canadian or not.
 
 http://denobpprn.blogspot.com/2011/12/temporary-end-of-show.html


          As for me, I will continue right here from the United States. bringing you my thoughts on simply strategies for family health, preparedness, family economic stability, and expressing my concerns for a world which in most places, appears to be in decline.

           My family and I wish each and every one of you, an excellent New Year in which you find spiritual, financial, and familial satisfaction and security.