by Kellene Bishop

Filling your preparedness pantry doesn't have to cost a bucket load of money. photo c/o www.mcdowelltech.edu

While perusing advertisements for “emergency preparedness” supplies, I saw some pretty hefty price tags just for a year’s worth of food. This doesn’t count the bucket loads of money that one could spend on other gadgets like a solar oven, pressure cooker, first aid supplies, etc. So, let’s get real.  What can a person with only a few hundred bucks a year do to increase their state of preparedness?  Well, here are a few of my suggestions.

First and foremost, spend your money in order of prioritization.  Stick to the priorities. If you’re starting from scratch, review the 10 Areas of Preparedness. Remember that such a list is a prioritized one.  The higher up an area is on the list, the sooner you’ll be confronted with it in need or crisis scenario.  This also means that areas of preparedness further down the list will essentially be at the mercy of your preparedness level on areas of higher prioritization.

The first area is Spiritual preparedness. Fortunately, that area doesn’t require much in the form of funds to implement.

The next area is Mental Preparedness. You could spend a bit of money in that area in the form of books and classes, but a great deal of knowledge, thus mental preparedness, can be provided to you via the library and the internet. 

Physical preparedness is a must in completing the Ten Areas of Preparedness

The next area is Physical preparedness.  Again, this is an area that does not necessarily require money but rather a consciousness effort to get your body in better health. This does not need to come at the cost of expensive supplements and gym memberships.

The next area is Medical Preparedness.  Remember, that this are may require you some preliminary funds in terms of first aid supplies for you and your family and then for others. But keep in mind that providing medical care for you and your family is the first priority. So only spend enough money to take care of that first and foremost.  I have found that with coupons I have been able to acquire a boatload of medical supplies for free or very cheap. Also, in the vein of Medical Preparedness I have taken advantage of whatever free community classes I can that teach CPR, and other areas of commonly necessary medical knowledge. As I review my medical supplies, including medication alternatives, I know that I’ve spent very little by making use of coupons and alternative medical options.

Be sure your 72 hour kit is packed and ready to go. photo c/o coolshadesails.com

The next area is Clothing/Shelter Preparedness.  Most of you are already starting out with some kind of shelter complete with bedding and clothing. So you can usually check that off the list. However, I also recommend folks having a weather-appropriate change of clothes that they can grab and go in a hurry if necessary.  I can assure you that when I created such outfits, I didn’t take them from my existing wardrobe. Instead, I went to the thrift stores and purchased complete outfits for very, very cheap. I then store those outfits in my “get up and go quickly” supplies. That way I’m never stuck with “just the clothes on my back.”  Along with that though is alternative shelter such as blankets and a pup tent for a “get up and go quickly” scenario. Again, these were obtained very cheaply thanks to army surplus and thrift stores.

cheap sources for fuel, such as butane and alcohol complete your preparedness pantry.

Fuel comes next. This is an area in which you can’t cut corners on. As such I would recommend focusing the majority of your available funds in this particular area.  While you will be able to get much of the equipment at an army surplus store, you will need to purchase your fuel via mainstream venues like the rest of us. However, there are less expensive forms of fuel than others such as butane and isopropyl alcohol. I’ve been able to stock up on my cans of butane as cheaply as $1.27 each.  And I’ve been able to get my butane stoves as cheaply as $12 each.  We also have recently purchased lanterns for only $1.97 each!  The key is to keep your eyes open for the equipment you need. Compare prices. If you have the appropriate heating and light equipment, getting a 55 gallon barrel of isopropyl alcohol delivered to your home is very economical and you can keep it outside since it won’t freeze.  See? This is why mental preparedness comes before these other areas-so that you can use these kinds of ideas.

After fuel finally comes your Water Preparedness.  Water is obviously an affordable commodity. There are plenty of corners you can cut. You don’t have to be a purchaser of 2 liter bottles of soda pop to obtain plenty of those kinds of containers from neighbors and friends.  Simply get the used containers from others, wash them out well, and fill them up and store them.  No money necessary.

Then there’s the Food Preparedness.  The most affordable way to have a sufficient amount of food cheaply is to simply utilize coupons in your regular shopping so that you can purchase more of it—at least this is definitely what I’ve discovered to be the case. If you’re one of those people who read this, though, and say that couponing takes too much time, or that you can’t get all that you want with coupons, I recommend that you search on the articles that I’ve

Freeze-Dried Foods are tasty, nutritious, have a long shelf life, and are a real asset to your preparedness pantry.

previously written about couponing. I assure you that there’s very little food stuffs that I haven’t been able to purchase free or cheap. Also keep in mind that freeze-dried produce is actually less expensive than fresh produce, not to mention cleaner, more convenient, lasts longer, etc.  If all you want to do though is to buy some food items and forget it, then I would recommend purchasing whole wheat, sprouts, a quality powdered milk, salt, and a quality honey. None of these items should break the bank if you are prudent in your selections of them. If you spend money on no other food, I would recommend that you at least have these five.

After the Food Preparedness area then you have the areas of Financial Preparedness and Communication. These areas aren’t so much a cost to you as they are disciplines, and perhaps a Ham Radio license.  What I’m trying to get at is that preparedness doesn’t need to cost you much more money than you are already spending living your days. See? Everyday preparedness not only works better, but it costs a heck of a lot less money.

(By the way, Five Star Preparedness has a Group Buy on Raw Honey this month. Just go to www.fivestarpreparedness.com/GroupBuy).

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Copyright Protected 2010, Preparedness Pro and Kellene Bishop. All Rights Reserved. No portion of any content on this site may be duplicated, transferred, copied, or published without written permission from the author. However, you are welcome to provide a link to the content on your site or in your written works.

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By Kellene Bishop

Throughout the last several weeks of writing for this blog, I have repeatedly addressed why the term “emergency preparedness” does not generate genuine attention and interest from the majority of persons around us.  Today, I’d like to address the scientific reasoning behind that rationale a bit more in depth as I’ve been sharing in some of my classes as of late.  I think it may help us all better realize why trying to prepare for an emergency is a self-defeating approach to readiness.

Imagine that you are a well-paid executive in New York City in September, 2001. More specifically, let’s say that you go to work everyday at the World Trade Center.  On the morning of September 1, 2011, you receive a formal memo from your highest authority within your company.  Perhaps it’s also endorsed by a government leader or some other external authority as well. Let’s summarize what the letter says to you and all of your thousands of co-workers.

• Sometime in the next two weeks the building you are working in will catch fire as the result of a fuel explosion and eventually collapse.
• In order to encounter the least amount of injuries, everyone is encouraged to immediately leave the building when the alarms are sounded.
• Do not stop to gather your belongings.
• Be sure that you are wearing comfortable shoes in order for your descent to be the most successful.
• Be sure that you have a face mask on hand in order to prevent inhaling any harmful fumes.
• During the course of your evacuation, do not wait until other floors to descend before you. Everyone should exit the building orderly as soon as the alarms sound.
• Do not stop to call your loved ones or relatives.
• It is imperative that you do not attempt to go up to the roof, rather quickly and calmly descend the stairs to safety.
• Once you are at the bottom of The World Trade Center buildings, get as far away from the buildings as possible to avoid further injury.
• Yes, some of you will die a horrific death simply because you are in the immediate area of the explosion, however, for the rest of you, if you follow these instructions, your survival rate will increase by 60%.

Now. Let me ask you. If this scenario was real, how many of you would actually show up to work during those two weeks?  If you did go to work, how many of you think you would be very productive during that 14 day stretch?  Additionally, without the benefit of repeated drills, it’s actually unlikely, even given the warning, that you would follow all of the instructions as they were given.  Just how comforting would the “60% chances of survival figure be to you either?  And yet, in fact, had all of these specific instructions been followed on that horrible day of 9/11, the casualties actually would have been reduced by over 60%!

If you are honest with yourself, most of you would admit that you are likely to conveniently take your vacation days during this time.  Or, if you did go to work, you’d probably hang around the lower floors as much as possible. Perhaps you’d try to still work but naturally you may  be so tightly strung you would be nearly worthless to your professional responsibilities. Perhaps that night you’d stop on your way home to purchase an ax, a parachute, a fire extinguisher, a flame retardant suit, water bottles, and an oxygen mask. Many of you would also likely have spouses and children that would beg you not to take the chance of dying and go to work. Everyday you were thee they’d be unproductive as they worried about you.  Still others would roll their eyes in disgust, call the author of the letter a “fear monger” who’s simply trying to cause chaos and desperation. You’d then send back a scathing retort to the author that you were going to sue them for the infliction of emotional trauma and threaten to sue them should anything go awry in the next 14 days as described.

The bottom line is that under these circumstances you would cease to function wholly, full of your existing strengths and reliable characteristics. You’re mind would be rattled. You’d be consumed with fear instead of faith; panic instead of peace.

This is exactly why the premise of a person “preparing for an emergency” is unproductive, counter-intuitive, and self-defeating.  How is this scenario any different from what the world of “emergency preparedness” would have you buy into?  Sure, the timing of the disaster is not as well known as indicated in this make-believe letter.  Is this scenario any different than warnings we hear frequently in the world of preparedness against an act of war, a major earthquake, hurricane, or famine  And aren’t we provided with “in case of emergency…do this…” kind of instructions in the world of emergency preparedness?   To me, the emergency preparedness culture seems to have woven itself in such a way that it irritates a world of confidence and calm.  It preys upon our fears, panic, and most of all—dread. Yet such an approach does absolutely nothing to truly help us. All of the specialized equipment in the world is useless if we have not truly learned to accept the everyday scenarios in which we would have need of it.

I don’t know which mentally disturbed person ever came up with the term “emergency preparedness.” But in my mind it’s as oxymoronic as the phrases “Federal Budget” and “Politically Correct.” The brain simply does not work that way. In defense of a mental state that it can handle, the brain will even wrestle with and deny the reality of such a scenario. So how in the world are we supposed to prepare for a scenario which our minds won’t even let us believe?

Think of it this way, no really successful security system salesperson would dare tell you that you were in need of the top-of-the- line model in order to avoid rape and murder, whereas the less expensive model would only protect you from robbery and moderate mayhem, right? Instead, the successful security salesperson needs to address the level of concerns that the customer has already mentally accepted and which they may easily be open to accepting in order to determine which security system is best for them.

If a particular “emergency preparedness” item does not have a place in your everyday life, then it won’t have a welcome part to play in a highly strained and threatened life scenario either.  Focus on the everyday preparedness of independence from vulnerabilities, knowledge, etc. and then the reliable catastrophic preparedness will come. The everyday warriors are the ones who are best seasoned for the once in a lifetime battles.  And that is what successful preparedness is really all about.

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Copyright Protected 2010, Preparedness Pro and Kellene Bishop. All Rights Reserved. No portion of any content on this site may be duplicated, transferred, copied, or published without written permission from the author. However, you are welcome to provide a link to the content on your site or in your written works.

by Kellene Bishop

Do you have enough toilet paper in your storage? photo c/o scrapetv.com/

Yesterday I came across an “emergency preparedness blog” that was alarmingly incorrect. It was a basic topic, but it was addressed in a very misguided manner. The author wrote about what she plans to use in an emergency for her toilet hygiene—rags instead of toilet paper. So as not to risk educating anyone incorrectly, rather than providing a link to the article I will instead provide a few summations of the article which she posted on this national “preppers” site.

First of all, she was a big advocate of NOT using toilet paper during an occasion in which you had to rely on an outhouse, a hole in the ground, or some other such scenario. She labeled such a premise as useless, expensive, and unrealistic.  Instead she offered up a suggestion of using old rags and then storing the “used rages” in a lidded bucket filled with borax, bleach, water and laundry detergent.  She believes that such an option is “more eco-friendly” than toilet paper is.

While I read the article, I could sense the enthusiasm that this person had for sharing her knowledge with the rest of the world. I believe she was also trying to make the alternative solution as easy as possible for others. I certainly don’t believe that she was attempting to mislead anyone. However, I physically cringed while I was reading it, realizing that she was setting up herself and anyone else who bought into her instructions, for a major sanitation problem—even a deadly one.

To understand why planning on using a rag as opposed to TP or another like product, I think I should first point out a few things about feces and urine that some folks may not realize. First of all, sewer treatment employees receive HAZARD PAY because of the danger of their work. In fact, sewer treatment employees receive more “disaster prevention training” annually than police officers do to improve their firearm skills.  In other words, working with urine and feces is not a task to be taken lightly. The hazard in working with sewage isn’t just about the chemicals used to treat the sewers, but it’s also about working with the unavoidable—the waste itself.

Sanitation...a necessary preparedenss topic! photo c/o www.corecentre.co.in/

Urine contains compounded amounts of toxins, nitrogen, nitrates, and ammonia. As such, it is NOT recommended that it is simply thrown out somewhere uncontained or unprotected.  For those of you who are considering having two containers for solid and liquid waste in a worst case scenario, I beg you to rethink that plan. Solid matter actually needs the liquid to help it break down. Plus, it’s simply not realistic from a physiological standpoint to perfectly separate the two while someone is heeding a call from Mother Nature.  Separating the two compounds will only create more problems which I don’t have room to address in this post.

As urine and feces sit—especially in a heated environment—it develops deadly pathogens, dangerous combinations of microbes, bacteria, and viruses—including the well-known e-coli.  This compound attracts flies which feed on it and then spread it from one location to another. The point being that handling such a compound in any way is not a wise decision.  Staying away from it and disposing of it in all cases is critical.

Ye Old Outhouse photo c/o www.thegreenestdollar.com

Let’s also understand that a scenario that’s accompanied by the symptom of limited access toilet comforts that we’re presently used to is indicative of a serious scenario. Think about what would have to take place in order for a rationing of toilet paper to take place. (Other than the toilet paper shortage caused in 1973 by Johnny Carson jokingly telling his audience that there was a TP shortage. As a result, he actually CAUSED a shortage because millions of people cleaned off the shelves of TP that night. *grin*) Perhaps a natural disaster, a financial collapse, or act of war would cause such consequences.  Any of these scenarios would mean that we could no longer take our present state of sanitation for granted. 

One of most important aspects of establishing a society is to provide a community with reliable sanitation solutions. The reason is because poor sanitation can literally kill an entire community within a 50 meter radius in as little as 30 days. Bacteria, disease, and viruses are no respecter of persons, borders, or bank accounts.  Thus preventing the spread of such must be diligently practiced at the root of its origins. If sanitation is not practiced with the utmost of our capabilities during everyday or dire circumstances, then disease and death will speedily run rampant.  Remember disease is not easily curtailed to a specific environment. Disease is no respecter of persons, boundaries, or social positions Keep in mind that due to our easy methods of travel, disease can spread faster than it ever has in history.  That’s a significant statement considering that the Spanish Flu spread to over one-third of the earth in a matter of only three months—this prior to the availability of speedy international travel.

Anyone want a corn husk? Anyone? photo c/o thefuntimesguide.com

Preparing for alternative sanitation solutions can be practical, comfortable, and realistic.  The use of toilet paper should not be viewed as a luxury that can be easily dismissed.  While we should be aware of alternative options such as corn husks, phone book pages, or newspapers, it’s important that we recognize the need to provide us with a safe distance, minimal exposure, and safe disposal of our hazardous waste. Seaweed is also a good alternative as it’s got healing properties with it as well. The fact of the matter is ALL of these aforementioned alternative options are much safer options for you versus you planning on using rags and cleaning them as you go.

To be blunt, planning on using cloth or rags is not an ideal “plan B.” Just by nature of the rag method you are more prone to come into contact with the fecal matter. The longer it “hangs around,” being stored in buckets, being washed, etc, the more likely that contact is.  Additionally, the rag method requires storage of the fecal covered rags until you wash them. The storage—especially with any heat involved, will compound the hazardous toxins as the bucket of used rags sit. Something else I think we underestimate is that smells, especially unpleasant ones, strongly affect our morale. Unpleasant smells are not simply an affront on the senses. They are also an inhalation of dangerous microbes and airborne bacteria. If you’re storing the used rags, the smell lingers throughout your entire living environment. Instead it should be burned or broken down with something like Chemisan. It would definitely stink (excuse the pun) if you couldn’t enjoy the smells of sautéed garlic and onion because the wafting aroma of the outhouse overpowered it.

Use Thieves essential oil, or other essential oils instead of chemicals. photo c/o www.ylessentialoils.com

Lastly, in order to use rags for this particular hygiene care, most believe they need to use heavy chemicals such as borax or chlorine—neither of which are eco-friendly.  Where can you safely dispose of those chemicals?? If you absolutely HAVE to use rags, consider instead using essential oils to clean the rags with such as lavender, Thieves, and tea tree oil.  Exposing yourself to potential contact with fecal matter is such a bad idea, that even the reusable toilet wipe companies don’t recommend their product for use for anything else except straight urine. Additionally, it requires much more physical energy and water to take care of than does TP. You can never underestimate the importance of conserving physical energy and maintaining as much “normalcy” as possible during a crisis scenario.

On the other side of the debate, toilet paper can easily be broken down or safely disposed of.  It can easily be burned or buried. My favorite method of breaking down fecal matter and TP is the use of Chemisan. Chemisan eliminates a great deal of the smell, deadly pathogens and breaks it down completely in as little as two weeks leaving behind the equivalent of a soil.

Portable toilets use Chemisan photo c/o www.fivestarpreparedness.com

Contrary to some opinions, toilet paper does not have to be expensive.  For over a year now, thanks to coupons, I have put my mandatory price point on toilet paper at 25 cents a roll.  I don’t pay any more than that, ever.  But when I get it at that price, I do purchase as much as my budget that week will permit me.  I also use that same strategy on anything else I purchase and bring into my home. I set a price point and stick to it. This means that I don’t have to choose BETWEEN having wheat or toilet paper. I get to have what I and my loved ones need for every anticipated event. Planning well everyday means that you don’t have to choose between one vital necessity and another. Knowing you have all of the bases covered means more mental strength for you to deal with the other aspects of a survival scenario which may test you.

Also as an alternative view of the blog I’m referencing, toilet paper is a multi-purpose product. It’s often used by cost conscious individuals in lieu of facial tissue. It’s also used by some as a source of cooking fuel (along with isopropyl alcohol)—a waste to me considering so many other cooking alternatives, but to each his own. And hey, TP has even been used by the US. Military as camouflage during the Gulf War!

The comfort factor of toilet paper should not be underestimated either.  Promoting familiarity during a crisis scenario is as important as your medical supplies. This is why a survey two years ago revealed that over half of all of the respondents said that they would choose food first, then water, and then toilet paper as their supplies on a deserted island. In other words, it’s more important to peoples psyche and comfort than perhaps this author realized. I suspect more people didn’t mention toilet paper simply because it was off their radar. Perhaps a gorgeous companion and their favorite rock band made the list instead. When there is any kind of an “ick” factor involved, it’s much harder to expect persons to change their habits, even in a survival scenario. Trying to do so will inevitably bring about stress. If you’re using moss and leaves right now everyday, then you won’t have any problem with those items in the future—unless you don’t stock up. Otherwise, having what you’re familiar with for such an inevitable part of life is critical to your mental health.

Bottom line, in the event of true emergency scenario, having ample toilet paper will NOT be the least of your concerns. It falls in line with the Physical and Medical aspects of preparedness which puts it in the position of priority number 3 and 4 out of the Ten Areas of Preparedness.  So, watch for the sales, know how much your family uses in a week, and plan accordingly.

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For any questions or comments on this article, please leave a comment on the blog site so that everyone can benefit!

Copyright Protected 2010, Preparedness Pro and Kellene Bishop. All Rights Reserved. No portion of any content on this site may be duplicated, transferred, copied, or published without written permission from the author. However, you are welcome to provide a link to the content on your site or in your written works.

by Kellene Bishop

What elephant? photo c/o genistra.com

You worry and fret over your loved ones who have taken no efforts to properly prepare and be self-sufficient. I have seen that kind of stress and even heartache far too often in preparedness. It almost feels like a 900 pound elephant in the middle of the room when one spouse is committed to preparedness but the other is adamantly against it.  I have a couple of dear friends who actually “sneak” money out of their monthly budget to purchase preparedness goods.  I have to giggle a bit when I hear that, but on the other hand I’m not sure financial infidelity is the right way to go either.  I’ve also heard of parents purchasing all of their kid’s preparedness supplies for Christmas only to be faced with disappointed faces on Christmas morning. Yup. That’s not creating any friends either, is it? On the other hand, you don’t want to feel ostracized because you’re trying to be more independent, right?  So, how can we create a better environment that’s more accepting of preparedness? 

Nagging won't inspire people to prepare photo c/o www.outofbodies.com

Well, I hate to tell you this, but a lot of the resistance from the people you love is actually caused by you. No, it’s not all your fault. There are too many reasons why people ignore preparedness for you to take on that kind of responsibility.    In spite of your absolute best of intentions, and having a genuine concern for the well-being of others, your message is likely getting skewed because of how you approach preparedness with others.  So, in the name of independence, self-reliance and accountability, let’s see what we can do differently so that we help entice others around us towards preparedness instead of scaring them off.  Don’t worry. There’s no need to be defensive about this. I’m just going to share with you some ways that you can have much more success in getting others on board. During this process, whether you’re a seasoned preparedness person or a beginner, I’m confident that you will benefit by internalizing these more effective messages of preparedness as well.

Before I go over the five suggestions I have for you, allow me to share with you some of my professional background. I do this so that you can have some semblance of confidence that what I’m sharing with you is not just pulled out of a surprise goody bag. It comes as a result of experience and success. To be blunt, I’m a master marketer. Three years ago I received an award as one of the top 3 marketers in the world.   Since I was 23, I’ve earned my living not by a specialization in a particular niche, offering the lowest prices, or coming up with some groundbreaking concept. Instead I was successful as a result of my ability to effectively market my goods in a way that got people’s attention, communicated with them clearly, and engaged them into action. So, let’s see how these strategies can help all of us to accomplish our goal of successfully educating and motivating the people we love to be better prepared.

Your words create a picture in other people's minds photo c/o karamcghee.com

First of all, the use of your words is a serious factor in successfully marketing and educating.  As such, we must be selective in the words we use because every word paints a picture.  If we’re using words that paint a negative picture, then we will never get through our own psyche let alone others who are more resistant.  As such, I beg you to cease using the terms “emergency preparedness” and “food storage.” For those who are resistant to any kind of preparedness, I assure you that these two phrases have as much appeal to them as attending church appeals to an Atheist.  These words are simply no longer applicable to the world of preparedness and they certainly are not enticing. These phrases have been used for over a hundred years and they have lacked the “oomph” necessary to convert anyone towards a more prepared home.  Both of these phrases have very negative stigmas that go with them. They promote pictures of crazy, unkempt, violent people who stand on street corners with signs that say “the end is here.” In addition to these stigmas, these two phrases are simply not an accurate way of educating in the world of preparedness.  Preparedness should never be accompanied by fear, panic, vulnerability, etc. In fact, preparedness is the exact opposite of such connotations. Alternative approaches to be better prepared can easily be addressed by reason of the peace, independence, safety, and comfort it promotes.

Anytime you attempt to influence someone towards a more prepared state simply because “so and so said so” then you’re going to get some resistance.  It doesn’t really matter who “so and so” is either. Even if “so and so” is a well-respected religious or political leader, it’s usually not enough to get someone to change their thought process or their actions. People take actions in response to an authoritative dictate for only two reasons. 1) They fear the consequences of ignoring it or 2) They also understand the “why” and believe in it enough to take action. Think about it. How often has “because I said so” really worked for you in the past? Chances are compliance is only realized as the result of a fear of losing a job, dinner, freedom, or a relationship.  Additionally, “because so and so said so” is a flimsy foundation to stand on.  Having to resort to it essentially shows a lack of respect or understanding of any other sound reasoning for preparedness.  Thus attempting to use it as a motivator isn’t effective and can even create an antagonistic relationship.  Instead, use authoritative directives as supplemental information for them to consider. A sound comprehension of the “whys” are much more influential.

This one may be a bit tougher for me to explain. So be sure that you read the full explanation before you think I’m bonkers. Introducing the concept of self-reliance embedded in religious belief is a mistake for beginners. Trying to educate this way is like trying to get someone to take a sip from a fire hose. Yet many make the mistake of associating preparedness primarily as influenced by a particular religion.  In other words, their basis of proactive preparedness is rooted in a study and a belief of the scriptures or statements by religious authorities. This is not to say that I believe the two should not be intertwined.  In fact, personally, I believe that I shouldn’t teach anything unless I have spiritual assistance.  But I sure didn’t start out that way. It’s been my experience that folks need to initially grasp preparedness on a much more simple level than what a religious connection will require. I think it’s ideal that your preparedness efforts are influenced by your religious beliefs. I believe that if such is the case that your efforts will be more strongly rooted.  However, attempting to educate someone who’s new to preparedness from this perspective is simply too much, too soon.  Such a perspective requires a spiritual maturity. 

Teaching preparedenss solely from a religous standpoint doesn't give the full picture of preparedness photo c/o bbs.backstage.com/

 This maturity is not obtained overnight or as the result of a single epiphany.  It requires constant nourishment that is constantly evolving. Combining religion and preparedness isn’t a bad thing, but it is very personal. As such it is an ineffective approach when trying to influence and educate someone new to preparedness. Suppose you wanted someone to assist you in building a bridge.  Would you sit down and discuss with them the history of architectural designs of successful bridges? Of course not. Instead you would educate them on how much concrete and wood the project would require and move forward from there. Then you wait until the maturity within the person propels them to have a deeper understanding of what they are helping to create.  Granted, accompanying your daily preparedness with a religious conviction will provide a more solid, long-lasting commitment. But such a conviction needs to be fostered over time and be initiated by the “newbie” at their own pace and in accordance to their own beliefs.  This is comparable to the parable of the 10 virgins. The 5 wise virgins simply could not share their oil with the others because the oil represents faith, conviction, hope, testimony, etc. You simply cannot just hand over to another person.

The fourth recommendation I offer is that you be sure to separate yourself from the negative, stereotypical idea of one who prepares.  A reinforcement of such negative misconceptions will not assist you in convincing others to prepare.  Preparedness really is about comfort, peace, safety, happiness, love, competence, honor, etc.  But the negative stigmas of those who prepare on any level are so counter to this reality.  Ask yourself, do you reinforce any of those negative perceptions?  Let’s face it. I’m going to buy into preparedness advice from a well kempt, real, intelligent, relatable, and gregarious person much more than I would a schleppy, socially inept, sloppy, or flaky person.  The first type of person would definitely be more credible to me on such an important topic.  

Recently I read an interview in Newsweek which focused on the “movement” of preparedness. While I objected to preparedness being described as a new trend, I did enjoy the article otherwise. Why? Because they interviewed a gal who is the epitome of preparedness. As such, she could have come across as your stereotypical nut case/survivalist/food hoarder/flake-a-roonie looney/ prepper.  When I first saw what the article was about, I inwardly cringed—afraid that it was going to be yet one more interview in which someone who is preparedness minded is painted as a nut job.  But I was SO relieved and impressed to see this gal handle herself so well. She came across as educated, classy, competent, logical, intelligent, REAL, and just plain wonderful! (You go, girl!)  I believe that we are responsible for how we come across to other people. Thus we should make every effort to come across properly so that we can reinforce our message with credibility.

Last, but definitely not least, be a good example. You’ll be able to convey aspects of your message that are otherwise unspeakable.  Most people learn best via a visual presentation. Being a good example of preparedness maximizes the impact of a visual education. Additionally, being a good example of preparedness can’t help but bring about questions from observers.  When a person asks a question, they are usually in the BEST position to be taught.  If you back up your message with visual practice, your credibility increases in a way that cannot be accomplished any other way.

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Copyright Protected 2010, Preparedness Pro and Kellene Bishop. All Rights Reserved. No portion of any content on this site may be duplicated, transferred, copied, or published without written permission from the author. However, you are welcome to provide a link to the content on your site or in your written works.

by Kellene Bishop

Preparedness should have nothing to do with panic, dread, gloom, or doom photo c/o dalitdiscussions.wordpress.com

As I shared in yesterday’s article, our preparedness articles should have nothing to do with panic, dread, gloom, or doom.  Even though some may consider the Book of Revelations a bit “dark” it’s actually not if you read it in its full context. While it does outline what is going to happen it’s also emphatic in reminding the reader that this is what’s going to happen, but you can still avoid the anguish and desperation by being prepared and trusting in the Lord.  Knowing this aspect about preparedness is why I have a huge problem with “emergency preparedness” companies that manipulate and take advantage of people’s misunderstanding of what preparedness is.  These companies literally prey on the lack of knowledge and preparedness and confidence in what they sell.

For example, I got my mailer from a local “emergency preparedness” company this weekend, and yes, they do use the name “emergency” in their marketing. I perused through it and was simply disgusted—as usual.  They are offering a “year supply of food” for a “special price” of $649.99.  To be clear, this is NOT a year’s supply of food, at least not in my house. While yes, my home is full of freeze-dried goods, I do not enjoying living off of many of the products which are contained in this so called “years supply.”  And frankly, I know that none of you do either. This isn’t a year’s supply of food. It’s a year supply of suffering. What are these kinds of companies going to sell next, powdered water?!

On yet another page they have a hand-cranked grain mill for “only $64.95.” In the description it states “a simple way to convert your stored grains into wholesome flour or cracked wheat cereal.”  Ok, Folks. I’ve operated this hand crank and there is nothing simple about it. Sure you just load and crank, but do you think anyone would buy this if it said “A difficult way to crank out your whole grains and make them more edible. Cranking only two cups of flour burns the equivalent of a half day’s worth of calories on a regular American diet.”  The same holds true of the “Wonder Clean Washer” which you operate by hand and which barely holds an entire outfit of clothes. I get just as grumpy when I see their so-called “comprehensive emergency kits.” Excuse me while you bleed to death. I have all of this stuff but dont” know what to do with it.”  They advertise freeze-dried items as “entrees” which are barely enough calories for one meal for one person. I nearly have a coronary when I see the page that says “Gourmet Year Supply” for one person “only $3,649.95”!!!

Now THIS is what I call cooking from a preparedness pantry!

Let’s compare for just a moment. I have nice, tender, juicy chicken meat in my basement—an entire pound per jar—for which I paid 98 cents for.  I also have some freeze-dried mixed vegetables which cost me about $1 per casserole dish that I make. And then I have some Bisquick and some Shirley J Universal Sauce that I can mix up to go with this dish at a cost of about .43 cents total (with this month’s special group buy pricing, I can get it even cheaper than that!). When I’m done whipping this dish up, I’ve spent a total of $2.41 and it’s SO yummy—not just tolerable.  The same can be said of my Coq aux Vin, my Pork Green Chile Carnitas, my super sourdough pizza with all of the fixings, and my truly Gourmet Macaroni and Cheese that has horseradish and freeze-dried cauliflower in it. It costs $3.70 each week to make two beautiful loaves of bread (in my solar oven, even!) one pizza with all of the toppings, and one batch of cinnamon rolls! To boot, I can do it all in less than an hour without breaking a sweat! 

The other day I was asked by one of my class attendees what I thought about buying “mixes” or taking the time to pre-make them and then storing them.  In my typical blunt fashion I told her that I thought they were ridiculous if you already have everything handy to make what you need.  Sure, I can see buying sourdough bread mixes, for example, because I don’t want to take the time to find or create a starter. And sure, I like my Shirley J Universal Sauce because I can use it instead of my butter, milk, and cheese sources.  But if a mix is simply a “white bread mix” or “cookie dough mix” in a bag, I’m not going to stock up on those items for any other reason than to provide a bit of physical respite should I become ill or disabled.  Otherwise, how hard is it to measure some flour, oil, yeast, salt, sugar and water?  I really think that some people work awfully hard and spend a lot of energy in the name of making their life easier.

Who can afford "emergency food" at these prices? photo c/o scrapetv.com

In spite of all of this, I see this business and many others like it thrive. They are thriving on ignorance, apathy, and laziness—the very same attributes which will destroy a community over the course of a few years of every day living, and in a matter of minutes in the event of a disaster. I feel ashamed that these kinds of companies are competing against panic rather than product convenience, quality and nutrition. So the uglier the picture of the anorexic, desperate child is, the more products they sell. Businesses like these make me fume because it’s no wonder more people don’t get prepared! With a price tags like this and miserable amounts of work involved to get the gadgets to work, who in their right mind wants to “be prepared?”

Don’t let the prospect of panic alter your sound, logical knowledge. There will inevitably be events in your life that will force you to change your everyday habits, but for the most part, we all have a lot more control over how we react to our financial and our food and water scenarios than businesses like this give us credit for.  The difference between you paying three grand for a years’ supply of food, and paying less than 4 bucks for three meals for a family with lots of leftovers is knowledge—pure and simple. Knowledge gives you just as long of a shelf life, better taste, more security in knowing that the food was prepared safely, and more money in your pocket.  Storing up your preparedness pantry in this manner allows you to purchase the really important things in life such as a solar oven, pressure cooker, or reinforcing the roof on your home, etc.

In closing I just want to say that I find it ironic that resisting the urge to splurge on unrealistic foods and gadgets in the name of a panic-induced emergency preparedness is critical for us to truly be prepared. We’ll be more sound financially, have more confidence in using what we’ve got because we use it everyday already, and we won’t be quite as stressed if we ever have to see our years supply of bogus, yet highly expensive, “gourmet foods” get sucked up in the mouth of an earthquake.

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Copyright 2010 Preparedness Pro & Kellene Bishop.  All rights reserved.  You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to www.PreparednessPro.com & Kellene Bishop

by Kellene Bishop

What? The Preparedness Pro is wrong? photo c/o www.smh.com.

“Oh my. What was she wrong about?  Was it how she preserves eggs with mineral oil and without refrigeration?  Was it how she dares to store water on the concrete in her basement? Ooh. Maybe it’s that she uses Diatomaceous Earth in her whole grains.”  Nope. I’m 100% confident that I’m correct in all of those teachings.  However, I have been wrong about a critical aspect of preparedness in the past, and I’d like to correct it today.

I’ve been teaching preparedness classes for a little over 10 years. But I’ve been teaching it WRONG for most of that time. As I look back on what I used to teach and compare it to what I know now, I cringe at the dramatic difference.  I wish I had known this one important lesson back when I first started teaching so that I could have taught it properly all this time.  Instead, I too have had to learn the lesson over time. But doing so has made my world of preparedness much more realistic, applicable, simple, and peaceful. And so today I hope that I can effectively share with you this one lesson as well, in hopes that you too can have the same results.

I’m convinced we would all do significantly better in our preparedness results if we stopped looking at is a “emergency” preparedness and instead looked at it as having greater independence and freedom everyday. We would also do more to help others embrace any level of preparedness if we stopped referring to our preparedness efforts as “emergency preparedness.”

Panic and fear could be replaced by peace due to preparation photo c/o healthcare.zdnet.com

Reason #1:

Preparing for an “emergency” is simply too far-fetched for most people to comprehend. There’s a reason for that. It’s the natural defense systems that our brain automatically provides us.  The first stage of the mental process in the midst of a disaster is “denial.” That’s why so many persons stayed put in the WTC towers on 9/11—some did so even though they had already endured the bombing attack in 1993! Their brain simply refused to admit that a terrorist attack could happen twice!  What I’m saying is that you will always encounter a rational person’s brain denying the possibility that a “disaster” could even occur.  And unless you get them to embrace the possibility for a disaster, then they will NEVER embrace any actions designed to prepare against an “emergency.”  It’s not the delivery mechanism of the information that hinders preparedness efforts. It’s the brain’s natural responses.

Reason #2:

Preparing for an “emergency” is pre-planned panic. Everyone knows that where there’s an emergency, there’s great suffering, stress, and devastation. Who in their right mind wants to plan on encountering that? If you personally do not suffer in this manner, you still will be a witness to other’s suffering. Such a sight will then cause stress and panic in even the most well prepared person.  Trying to talk your mind into pre-planning for a disaster is simply not realistic.  Yes, there are a great number of folks who are better mentally prepared for a disaster than others. But I assure you; they did not open up some overhyped emergency preparedness catalog in the mail and simply decide to be prepared for World War III. Disaster preparedness is a compartmentalized part of preparedness.  It comes with mental conditioning one step at a time.  You are no more likely to be prepared for a disaster overnight than you are able to go from 100 pounds overweight to having a six-pack of abs the next day. 

Reason #3:

Mental Preparedness is imperative in handling emergency situations photo c/o www.katrinahelp.com

Preparedness occurs one day at a time. We have to learn to be prepared for TODAY before we can hope to be prepared for something more serious.  The good news is that being prepared to encounter the changes and challenges that come into your life daily is EXACTLY what you need to be prepared for the potential catastrophic events. Anything less than this would be in violation of natural and eternal laws.  We simply cannot violate them. Trying to do so will only manifest ignorance and stupidity in the midst of a true disaster. Its people who don’t understand this natural process who grow up to be an EMT and tell someone that “an EMP is not life threatening.” In my opinion, this is why FEMA and the Department of Homeland Security are so messed up and ineffective. These entities are run by people who have absolutely NO idea or belief in being prepared on an everyday basis, and yet they are attempting to prevent suffering on a catastrophic level.  Now that’s what I call a disaster and I believe it’s EXACTLY why these entities have been inept in aiding victims of disaster time and time again. Hurricane Katrina is a perfect example. It wasn’t’ FEMA that helped people or government officials.  In fact, New Orleans Mayor Nagin delayed issuing evacuation orders sooner because he was too busy checking on the legal liability that such orders would expose him to. His brain wasn’t trained to handle disasters. His brain was only prepared to administer and manage.  Instead, it was the better mentally prepared individuals, The National Guard, who began rescuing hundreds of people from Hurricane Katrina before a single order was given to them. Kind of an obvious contrast, eh? Their minds are actually trained to think in terms of disasters and catastrophes. No one had to tell them what to do. They knew what to do thanks to years of everyday mental preparation.

You simply cannot prepare for a disaster without having the foundation for daily preparedness. While some of us may quickly progress mentally from one aspect to the other, in order for us to be sane, effective, and credible in our large scale preparedness efforts, we must be successful in our everyday ones. What we are and who we are everyday will only be magnified under the fire of a serious disaster. If we fall apart mentally because we get caught in traffic on our way to an important job interview, we will be even more useless to those around us in the midst of a serious, life or death event. We won’t be able to fool anyone as to our “hoped-for strengths.” They will crumble in light of the Refiner’s Fire. We will not be able to suddenly overcome our weaknesses or infirmities simply because our heart intends to help others.  Our intentions will only be a mask to our true mental fortitude, and an unconvincing one at that.  All of our weaknesses—spiritual, mental, temporal– will be blatantly obvious when held up to the demands of a large-scale crisis.

Reason #4:

Preparedness Pantry

Preparedness simply isn’t about disaster management at its heart. It’s about independence, self-reliance, and freedom–everyday. That’s how we have to learn it, and that’s how it should be taught.  This is why I hate the phrase “food storage” for example. The term food storage is attached to the days of the Depression disaster, the days of famine during Joseph’s reign in Egypt, and other unpleasant thoughts. Whereas a pantry which can sustain myself and my loved ones for several decades—that’s not about doom and gloom. It’s about peace of mind knowing that I control my grocery bill, not Wall Street or any Administration. It’s about convenience. It’s about comfort. This is how all of our daily preparedness efforts should be perceived. It’s healthy. It’s realistic. It’s TRUTH.  Our brain is much more accepting of truth than it is of disasters. I firmly believe that there are no victims in life. There are only volunteers. The day I’m inconvenienced in my pursuit of freedom, peace, and self-reliance is the day in which I choose to be a victim, at the mercy of whatever life throws at me, bowing in submission and futility. I don’t know about you, but futility, submission, victim…none of those words describe me very accurately. If we choose to ignore the countless cases in support of independence from vulnerabilities in our food, nutrition, quality of life, water, medical care, our finances, and so much else, then we choose to be victims.  On the other hand, we are completely free now, every day, to counteract those vulnerabilities and stand independent and free from the manipulations of nature and mankind which are rampant around us. Acting on those freedoms now will ensure that we are fully prepared for more serious events in the future. And that, my friends, is what preparedness is really about.

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Copyright 2010 Preparedness Pro & Kellene Bishop.  All rights reserved.  You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to www.PreparednessPro.com & Kellene Bishop

by Kellene Bishop

The fact of the matter is, no law enforcement, government, or rescuer group can prepare a community. It all starts with you—the true first responders.

Just in the last 5 years alone, nearly a billion dollars has been spent throughout our nation upgrading and retrofitting buildings and structures so that previous disasters are not repeated.  And yet not a single dime is being spent on preparing the people in order to avoid defeating responses to disasters.

Case in point: Many of you may not know, or may have forgotten that the World Trade Center was attacked in 1993. All kinds of studies were done afterwards as to how to make the buildings and the perimeter safer—ten thousand pound planters placed strategically around the outside, pictures of truck drivers taken for all deliveries and bomb-sniffing dogs were employed—yet NOTHING was done to make the people safer. In spite of many fire marshals expressing grave concerns about their lack of training after the 1993 WTC attack, nothing changed in training the people. Two-thirds of the on site fire marshals didn’t even know where the stairwells were at the WTC in 1993. That statistic did not change prior to 9/11 either. In fact 45 percent of the workers at the WTC did not even know the buildings had stairwells! Many of the critical human decisions that cost lives as a result of the 1993 attack were repeated verbatim during the 9/11 attacks. Hundreds more people would have survived 9/11 had they been trained WHERE the stairwells were, how to use the connecting hallways, and to actually take an immediate response in evacuating the building instead of doing nothing.  Yes, I realize in hindsight that the thought of someone doing nothing after the first plane hit is unthinkable; but indeed, hundreds of individuals did absolutely that–nothing. Equipment and structures have been altered all over the U.S. as a result of 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, and the I-35W bridge collapsing, but there have been absolutely NO concerted efforts to educate people.

So, what can you do about this? Get yourself educated on the 10 Areas of Preparedness—particularly the first three areas, Spiritual, Mental, and Physical. I have been studying human responses to natural disasters nearly at a PhD level lately. Just in the last two weeks alone I’ve feasted on three hefty books on the subject. If I could summarize the most significant reoccurring theme in everything I’ve read, it is that human beings need to better mentally prepare for these kinds of events. (Of course there aren’t a lot of lay mans books that discuss spiritual preparedness, but that’s simply an indicator of a whole ‘nother issue.)

If the community won’t open their doors to educate you, don’t just sit there and complain—invite the community to come to you! Hold parties in your home in which you discuss what needs to be done as a group in the event of major disasters. I have frequently held “Preparedness Parties” in which I prepared yummy meals made right out of the pantry, handed out recipes, and we discuss specific preparedness topics. And yes, I’ve even created some games that help hit a point home that are entertaining, funny, and memorable.  They are evenings of fun and socializing, not gloom and doom. As such, the things discussed are more memorable and more likely to be acted upon. I once even had a Ladies Night Pampered Preparedness Party in which we played games, got paraffin wax treatments on our hands and lots of yummy food to eat.  (The house was full of women who wanted the hand treatments. Hee hee. Don’t you just love how bribery works?)

Here’s an idea for a game. Do you remember ever playing the game Pit? Well, I created a similar game. I created a bunch of cards with various supplies on them, including spiritual strength and physical strength. I also included some luxury items such as a generator, heated shower, etc.; then as the guests arrive, I had them select 10 cards blindly.  During the course of the first hour of the party they traded what they had in excess in order to try and get what they needed to be perfectly prepared.  It’s a real eye opener. So many people actually gota tad bit stressed out because they aren’t able to trade enough for food or water. And they found the generator or shower was useless without some of the more critical items. They also discovered that they’d rather not have to trade for items because they have no way of knowing what items others will have. So they’d just assume be proactive in having the item on hand initially for peace of mind.

I also did another game in which they are given a recipe which they have no doubt ever made before. And they are given only a few short minutes in which they have to create the recipe and make it edible. They are also given a pressure cooker in which they have to make the meal.  (Most folks have never used a pressure cooker before)  And lastly, they are only given a few other tools to use such as only a quarter cup measuring cup, one spoon, one fork, and a pitcher. So here they have a foreign recipe, foreign ingredients, and alien tools.   Once the timer starts, chaos ensues. Food is flying. Folks are even panicking.  It’d be quite funny if it wasn’t such a real representation of what can happen if people don’t better prepare with their tools and what they intend to eat in a survival scenario. Oh, yeah. And they learn a lot about “panicked communication.”

Push your community to offer realistic training for all community members and especially push your community leaders to TRAIN the so-called “rescuers” for major disasters. I was appalled to hear of a fireman in my community who completely dismissed a question raised by one of his students during CERT training. The student asked the question “What about during an EMP?”  The cocky fireman quipped back “That’s not a life threatening event.”  Can I just tell you that when I heard that my blood boiled?  An EMP is NOT a life-threatening event–REALLY?  Exactly how is the elimination of life lines, refrigeration, oxygen machines, surgical machines, automobiles (including emergency vehicles) classified, then??  A carnival??

Another way you can better prepare is to watch movies and read books that actively engage your mind in which you play a part in–such “what-if” scenarios. All of the successful Olympians will tell you that they run the race mentally before they run it physically.  That’s important for all of us to do in being suitable prepared. I recommend “Red Dawn”, the “Jericho” television series (you’ll have to rent it), “2012” (it gives great perspective, but very little “story”), “Twister” (in surround sound is awesome!) and “The Day After Tomorrow” for some movies to learn from.

When it comes to better preparing your community, it’s important that you understand that you can’t ride out a disaster alone. There are all kinds of logistical problems with that. Even the most brutal gangs of today know that lesson. Whether you like it or not, the community you end up in during a disaster is going to be the community you fully rely on.  Thus it does you no good to isolate yourself from them.  You’re better off trying to improve the people around you through education and interaction one step at a time.  You don’t need to start with the whole community at first. Start with your neighbors; then a larger block, etc. etc. until you’ve created a nice, strong nucleus of educated, like-minded people.  You don’t need to be the brains behind the education either. You can call on expert resources. And you don’t need to spend any money or meeting rooms and supplies.  Libraries usually offer their facilities for free and your community center sure as heck should be able to handle that as well. What you CAN do though is be the fuel behind the push for the community to get educated. So, no more excuses. Do it. And do it now.

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Emergency preparedness capitalizes and commercializes fear photo c/o www.doh.state.fl.us/

Yup. You read that right. I hate emergency preparedness. I loathe the use of the phrase “emergency preparedness.”  I suspect that some psychotic Anarchist came up with the phrase in an attempt to capitalize and commercialize fear.  The word emergency is intended to quicken the heart beat, make the breathing more shallow, make one feel out of control and vulnerable and replace confidence and competence with debilitating anxiety. The very use of the word “emergency” sucks all of the peace out of the word preparedness. To me “emergency preparedness” is much of an oxymoron as is “stimulus bill.” It’s no wonder the words prepper, survivalist, and food storage get the reactions that they do today.  I’ve never once seen the term “emergency preparedness” in the scriptures. In fact, I don’t find the word crisis, chaos, or emergency anywhere in the scriptures. (That should tell you all something, by the way.)

Picture this. You’re at a big dinner party. You’re mixing and mingling with folks. Interacting. Asking about their lives, work, families. Heads are bobbing mutually in polite enthusiasm and smiles. Conversation continues as the awkward phase between two strangers commence in an effort to create a new friendship.  Every great relationship has to start somewhere, right? I’m sure you can all relate to this process of socializing.  I love it…until I hear “the” question.

“So, what do you do for a living?”

“Darn, I think to myself. And we were getting to know each other so well!”

Regardless of which component of my work I share with them, I know that I’m likely to get one of the three following responses.

1- Boring and useless: When I see this expression I feel about as sexy as Michael Moore in an American flag printed Speedo. They can’t relate whatsoever to what I do, what I’m passionate about, and why I care. They go from gregarious to bordering on rude.

People sometimes view emergency preparedness experts as a little "crazy" photo c/o www.transbuddha.com

2- Crazy: Most of you know what I mean by this response. The people who think I’m crazy are wondering why Martha Stewart was put in jail and yet somehow I’ve managed to stay on this side of the bars.

3-Know it all: This is the most painful response of all.  Those who think they know all there is to know about preparedness are dangerous not only to themselves, but to those they share their “wisdom” with.  My mom always said that the only thing worse than being alone is being with the wrong person. I like to apply that motherly advice towards knowledge in the world of preparedness—the only thing worse than being ignorant is knowing the wrong information. To make matters worse, these people actually tend to be the ones who actually put the word CRAZY in survivalists.

So really, why does the term emergency preparedness cause such abrasive and caustic responses? Why does it have the ability to divide loved ones as powerfully as abortion rights, gun rights, and political beliefs?  The answer is actually quite simple.  And if you want to be more successful in influencing others that you care about to jump on the preparedness band wagon, you’ll embrace what I’m trying to teach you today.

The only “emergency preparedness” folks relate to is the stuff that Hollywood depicts on screen.  They know that’s not real, right?  You know, that Armageddon, The War of Worlds, Meteor, The Day After Tomorrow, 2012 kind of stuff.  Couple that with what little they know about the cataclysmic events in the Old Testament, and you have an absolutely foreign world.  It’s true. You’re more likely to get someone to believe that human beings descended from apes than you are to get them to believe that they need to have a year’s supply of food and water on hand.  Such an apocalyptic scenario is completely unrelatable to most, which is why they truly think that people who believe in the need for emergency preparedness are crazy. Sure you can enjoy the entertainment of science fiction movies, but  you don’t believe in this stuff, right? The term emergency preparedness makes no sense to the rational mind.  This is why I’ve come to loathe “emergency preparedness.”  It’s an ineffective approach to helping people get prepared. In fact, it has the opposite effect. It’s ridiculous to think that folks will ever prepare for something that’s so far fetched.

The Hollywood version of the Last Days is what most people think of when they hear "Emergency Preparedness" photo c/o ltscotland.org.uk

A worldwide war? Nah. Our government will protect us

A complete financial collapse. How’s that possible? Can’t we just print more money?

A food shortage? I’ll just go hunting and get water from the nearby lake—like thousands of other people.

A massive earthquake? Nah. We haven’t had one of those for 100 years.

A pandemic? No. That’s what immunization shots are for.

Successful preparedness only happens when you can actually relate to the reality of a scenario in which you would need to be prepared.  Admit it. Even YOU didn’t jump on board at first with some of the scenarios I’ve mentioned above.  Some of you haven’t embraced all of them yet either. It takes time, process, studying, digesting.   Why? Your heart and mind are still maturing and resolving how you’re going to handle such a scenario.  Your consciousness simply cannot solve a problem that it cannot accept as being real.   However, there ARE plenty of more relatable scenarios that will better compel folks to becoming better prepared.  The believability of the scenario is what compels folks to be prepared, not the term “Emergency preparedness” accompanied by the theme song from the movie, “Jaws.”

I hate shots. I really, really have a hard time with them. Why? Because no matter what I do, I simply cannot prepare and properly anticipate how much they hurt.  I remember having a “diagnostic test” done.  It was supposed to be “painless” and feel like nothing more than what an acupuncture treatment.  However, 45 minutes later I had honestly endured the most painful experience of my entire life. During the procedure I had literally prayed that Heavenly Father would just take me then and there instead of me having to endure it any longer. I was sobbing the most pathetic cry I had ever heard come out of me.  Yup. NO way to prepare for that kind of an experience right now—not if you still want me to go through with it.  Unfortunately, I think that many people view “emergency preparedness” the same way.  Most rational persons block out the horrific.  They don’t trust that they can endure it.  They are afraid of what strength they will be called to provide, never having been tested in battle against an unfathomable opponent.

Here’s the reality of things.  When I come home from a long day and I’ve got less than 40 minutes to get ready for my next appointment, freshen up, and prepare a meal for my husband. Then my phone rings. Leslie has just had her baby. Can I take a dinner over to her–tonight?  Now you see?  THAT is a realistic “emergency” to me. Can I get through it all without biting my husband’s head off because I’m tired and hungry?  Can I actually cook something nutritious and stay on budget without having to purchasing expensive, processed garbage?  Can the food be tasty enough that the woman and her family don’t later ignore me at church?

Getting the kids to where they all need to be. Utility bill rising 700% over a period of three months.  Learning your oldest son struggles with depression. Having a family of 8 move in with you due to their home being destroyed in a fire. Gas going up to $4 a gallon. Fixing a flat tire on an 8 lane freeway. The death of an immediate family member.  A hurricane runs through your community. Raising a child with Downs Syndrome. Discovering your spouse has been unfaithful. Getting lost in downtown Baltimore.  A “noreaster” ice storm.  Being accidentally locked in a public restroom. Your household loses its primary breadwinner. Discovering that the pillar of your church and community is really a drug dealer and a sexual predator.  Your minimum mortgage payment doubling while your home’s value plummets to 70% of your existing loan. The lap top’s hard drive crashing.  Your family is involved in a serious car accident. Etc., etc., etc. THESE are all realistic “emergencies” to be prepared for so that you can minimize the stress and strain and make it through with the maximum amount of peace possible. THESE are scenarios that we can more readily relate to. THESE are emergencies we can overcome and conquer in strength and dignity with some preemptive steps of preparedness. If folks will begin to think of preparedness in terms of realistic scenarios then their mind and heart can tackle such battles mentally and physically. Every crisis which is averted and every one of life’s scuffles that we make it through, allows us to be prepared for bigger and better.

A full pantry equals peace of mind

You’re not crazy. Your understanding of an emergency has simply elevated to a level which is unfathomable to others.  The more you can realistically conceive, the more you can be prepared for.  Yes, we’ve all got to start somewhere. Us “crazy folks” are simply further along in our mental process than others whose idea of stress is when the mean girl doesn’t get voted off of “The Bachelor.” Understanding this will help you to be more successful in helping others with their preparedness efforts. When you’re discussing preparedness with others, leave the term “emergency preparedness” out of the conversation. Make their thoughts about preparedness more about self-reliance, independence, and adaptability to change. And provide them with realistic scenarios that actually apply to their life. To encourage their more advanced mental preparation, give them realistic “what if” scenarios to mull over. Back up your scenarios with calm and intelligently laid out data. The only emotion that you want to bring into the conversation is that of the sincere love and concern you have for the well-being of the person you’re talking to.  Keep in mind that the very word “emergency” garners panic, chaos, and fear.  Who in the world wants to be prepared for THAT?  Make sure that you keep learning as well.  And remember, preparedness is peace. Emergency is fear. Good luck with your efforts to help others prepare and to advance in your own preparedness efforts.

Copyright 2010 Preparedness Pro & Kellene Bishop.  All rights reserved.  You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to www.PreparednessPro.com & Kellene Bishop.

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Don't miss out on those killer deals on meat if your freezer is full--can it instead!

I think if the real Suzy Homemaker had canned 100 pints of anything she would be haggard and worn.  However, modern day technology and science makes the tasks of our ancestors a proverbial cake walk.  I often tell my students that I truly am the laziest preparedness person they will ever meet. If there is an easy way to do something, I find it. I work full-time nearly 6 days a week and have to manage my physical and emotional energy wisely. I assure you that if canning meat was a real torture, I certainly wouldn’t be doing it.  So today, I’m going to hold your hand and walk you through this task step by step.  Why? Because it’s too easy and too cheap for you NOT to be doing it. I find that it’s about a quarter of the price of canned meats—even those at Costco. Not only that, but there is a distinct difference in taste between the commercially canned meat and that which you can yourself. Seriously; I’ve NEVER tasted store-bought canned chicken that’s as moist and tender as the meat I can myself. It’s truly a delight!

When your freezer is full--it's time to can meat!

Oh yeah, and another reason why I love canning meat is because my freezer is always FULL and I hate to miss out on buying loads of meat when it hits a rock bottom price. I mean really, I’m going to wish I had it later, right?  So, when I can the meat instead of trying to find room in my freezer, I’m only limited by the number of jars I have on hand. Considering I can get those in abundance at Goodwill or at Salvation Army type stores; that really isn’t an insurmountable problem.

Just to answer a few anticipated questions initially; no, you do not have to add water to your canned meat. The meat, just like our own bodies already has sufficient moisture in it.  However, I do so because I look at it as “free” broth that gets a deeper flavor over the years; so why not?  Also, yes, you are able to can any meat except for processed meats such as hot dogs, salami, etc. You can even can shrimp, halibut, ground beef, turkey, and steak.

Try to keep the meat in as big of a piece as possible so you don't have limited uses for it once it's opened

I try to keep the meat in as big of a piece as I can so that I don’t get pigeon-holed into a specific use for the meat. For example, when I bottle pork sirloin, I keep it as large a piece as possible so that I can use it as a small pork roast with potatoes and carrots, or I can cut it up for Pork Guisada. This is also why I do not pre-season my meat with ANY seasoning, not even salt.

All-American brand Pressure Canner

Here’s what you’ll need:

• A pressure canner. (I use an All-American brand. They are currently about $200 bucks on Amazon.com)
• Clean Mason jars with NEW lids (it doesn’t matter which brand you use, Kerr, or Ball. I don’t think I’ve even seen the actual brand “Mason” is quite some time).   I prefer to use the large mouth, pint size jars since 1 pint usually holds a pound of meat and that’s what most recipes call for.
• A sharp meat knife
• Paper towels
• A butter knife
• Meat (with or without the bone in it. Your meat does NOT have to be cooked unless it’s ground meat. In which case you should brown it and then pack it.)  When I’m bottling fresh fish, I take out the major bones as much as possible, but I don’t both with the tiny ones. They tend to disintegrate in the jar through the pressure canning process.

Make sure the meat and fluid only come to the bottom rim

Open the jars and lay the lids off to the side while you work with your meat.  Cut your meat to the desired size and place it in the jars. I prefer to only handle the inside of the jars once I’ve started packing them. Fill the jars up only to the bottom of the screw rim on the jar—no further.

Use a butter knife to remove any air bubbles

Once you’ve filled all of the jars pour in enough warm water to fill in the gaps of the meat packing. Remember, you don’t want to fill the jars any higher than the lowest point of the screw portion of the jar. (If the jar is not a wide mouth jar, then I actually stop right at the bend on the top of the jar, which is just below where the screw joint begins.) Once you’re done filling in all of you jars with water, then go back with a butter knife and slide it down the inside of the jar. Doing so will allow more of the water to fill in the air gaps of the meat in the jar. I press the meat in a bit towards the center of the jar while I’m doing this to encourage better filling.  Inevitably when you’re finished with this process, your jars will need a tad bit more water. Fill accordingly.

Pour water in up to the bottom rim

Use a paper towel to wipe off excess fluid

Once you’re finished filling the jars, take a clean paper towel and wipe the outside screw rim of the jar as well as the top rim. You want to make sure that there are no meat pieces, oils, debris, or fat on that section as it will compromise the jar sealing properly. Place the lid firmly on each jar and screw on tightly.

First layer of jars in the pressure canner

Place one of the racks that should be a part of your pressure canner set at the bottom of your pan. This is a must as the jars should not come in contact with the bottom of the pot. Fill your pressure canner 1/3 full of water. (Using warm or hot water will result in it taking less time for your canner to come up to full pressure. ) Place the filled jars on the bottom rack comfortably.  Then add your second rack on top of that layer of jars and top it with filled jars as well.

Top layer of jars in pressure canner

Place the lid on the pan according to manufacturer’s directions WITHOUT the pressure weight. Turn the burner on High. Allow steam to exit pressure valve for 5 minutes, then place the pressure weight on your pan, according to manufacturer’s directions and in consideration of your altitude.

Allow steam to exit pressure valve for 5 minutes, then place the pressure weight on your pan.

Bring your pressure canner up to the appropriate pressure measurement (based on the kind of meat you’re cooking and your altitude) and then adjust/lower the heat to hold that pressure without needing to extract much heat or steam from the pressure weight valve. (This should take anywhere from 60-90 minutes.).

Make sure you adjust your pressure weight to your altitude requirements

Yummy canned chicken

Upon finishing the pressure canning, remove the pressure canner lid according to manufacturer’s instructions.  Wipe off all of the jars with a clean, dry cloth and tighten the lids (as they will loosen in their grip during the canning process). Label the contents of the jar simply by writing on the flat part of the lid.  I label it with the kind of meat in the jar as well as the month and day it was canned i.e. “Chx Brst 1/10” (translation: chicken breast, January 2010—thanks to all of my years waiting tables) Store in a cool, dry, place. Your canned meat will now store easily and safely for 3 to 5 years and you will love the taste!

Copyright 2010 Preparedness Pro & Kellene Bishop.  All rights reserved.  You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to www.PreparednessPro.com & Kellene Bishop.

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