by Kellene Bishop

For the past 10 years I’ve been teaching others how to easily use a pressure cooker in their modern-day kitchens. It’s no secret that I absolutely LOVE mine and simply could not live with as much peace of mind without it.  Amidst my classes I frequently encounter persons who have horror stories of how the pressure cooker blew up in their grandmother’s kitchen spraying tomatoes all over the ceiling. I always assure them that such horror stories have a logical reason and need not be the norm. In fact, I believe that pressure cookers are very, very safe to use in the homes. Think of me as the Pressure Cooker Dragonslayer. *grin*  Pressure cookers are harmless—unless of course, you encounter an “ID-10-T” error.  Yes, the” I.D. one zero tee error”, as espoused by the IT tech geeks with a sense of humor, otherwise known as an “idiot” error, does indeed have the power to ruin a good day. But you never know. There just might be a useful lesson in there for your preparedness efforts. I know I got a wake up call.

Let’s just cut to the chase. I was stupid. I was trying to film a short instructional video on my Flip, which I held in my right hand.  I had released all of the pressure in the cooker, and was attempting to lift off the lid with my left hand—my weak hand. As such, I foolishly got distracted with the camera angle and didn’t pay attention to the fact that I was placing my left hand right in the middle of the stream of hot steam that was escaping from the pan.  Immediately my left hand seared with pain and I dropped the lid.  I went to the sink to run water over it, but it became quickly apparent by the intensity of pain that this wasn’t a simple burn.

I’ll go ahead and admit that while I (surprisingly) did not utter a single swear word, I was scared and really, really hurting. I was the only one at home at the time and since the running water was the only thing giving me any semblance of comfort I felt slightly handcuffed to the sink. Oh…I have never been in such pain—ever! I suspect I panicked a bit and didn’t think clearly. Then I made myself breathe, say a quick prayer, and then tried to think of what in the world I could do to solve this serious problem.  Should I call 9-1-1? No. Too expensive. Should I drive myself to the ER? Nope. I simply could not leave the running water that long as the pain was simply too intense—and besides, what would I do if I couldn’t get to a hospital and this happened? (Yes, in my warped mind I DID indeed still think like this) The hospital would have given me a good shot, cleaned the wound, and sent me on my way along with a hefty bill.

So, I escaped the water long enough to make a sound decision on which essential oil to use. I instinctively went with the Lavender oil. But taking my hand out of the water and letting the oil soothe me wasn’t an option. Again—it was simply too painful. So I grabbed a nearby bowl, filled it with water, and then dropped the essential oil in there. I found some comfort this way. I won’t continue with this mess except to say that I have never been so happy to hear my dogs bark to tell me that my husband was home. Although he was shocked a bit to see me so distressed and crying, he simply knew what to do and went about it in a very matter of fact manner. He applied Burn Free, wrapped the hand, and wanted me to keep it elevated. Sorry Honey. I know you just did this pretty wrapping job on my hand, but I SO want to plunge it back into the water for some relief.  So he endured my water ritual for the next 6 hours until I could finally bear the pain long enough for it to crest and he could rewrap it.

So why in the world am I sharing this somewhat embarrassing story with all of you? Because I got hit with a taste of reality that has an affect on my preparedness efforts. I know I have learned a few things, so I hope you can too.

1)      I need a heck of a lot more gauze, medical tape, and bandages.  So I’ll definitely be keeping my eyes out more  for those kinds of items. But I’ll also get back to crocheting my own bandages. They are a lot thicker than the commercial gauze and more durable and thus can get cleaned, sanitized and reused. The stitching is easy and mindless, so it can be done while you’re watching the kids soccer practice or your favorite TV show.

2)      Essential oils are great for care, but perhaps not the best for emergency care in the event of a laceration, broken bone, or immediately after a severe burn such as this.  While using them instead of chemical drugs is a good idea, I certainly wouldn’t advise relying on them solely for true emergency scenarios. I sure wouldn’t postpone the resetting of a bone or stopping the bleeding while you go and try to figure out which essential oil is best. (Although my instincts did NOT lead me astray in this case—thank heavens.) They definitely help in the healing process and the lavender water felt a heck of a lot better than the just plain water. I’m positive that I would have had more blistering and burning had I not taken this treatment to task early on. But the essential oils simply cannot replace the learning of other key medicines and procedures.

3)      I need more Burn Free! If we had a half dozen people affected by a severe burn, I would have run out of that stuff faster than a toilet flushes. It’s also more likely the burn accidents can occur if you’re living amidst your non-traditional methods of cooking such as a butane stove, fire pit, etc.

4)      Aspirin is an analgesic and the only one of the traditional pain relievers that can be claimed as such.  While I actually had on hand some more robust pain relievers, all they did was mask it whereas the aspirin really did relieve the pain and the source thereof.  So I’ll give it a bit more credit in my preparedness repertoire in the future.  My girlfriend who’s a long-time nurse told me to go ahead and take 4, even 6 aspirin if I needed to. While it may make my ears ring, it will do a great job at diffusing the pain—and she was right on both counts. However, be sure that you drink PLENTY of water if you consume any kind of medicine like this. It’s hard on your poor liver, stomach lining, and kidneys, so they need a little extra boost.

I’m sure that I have more to share on this matter (such as the Frankincense essential oil is doing a great job at making my hand appear a little less “raw”) including other methods that I have on hand that I could have used instead. But it sure did open my eyes at how vulnerable we could be without immediate access to medical care. So boning up on my emergency medical skills is definitely in it’s rightful place as the second more important aspect of Preparedness—Mental Preparedness.

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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

As I’ve shared previously, preparedness is primarily about independence from vulnerabilities.  After being on nearly a dozen medications regularly for years, I decided to take a closer look at my medical vulnerabilities as a whole in order that I might more fully understand what kind of a battle I’m engaged in—after all, bringing the most effective weapon to the battle is only possible if one knows their opponent well. After doing a great deal of research over the last year for the benefit of my own path towards medical independence, I’ve realized that I’ve essentially attempted to fight the battle with a lot of ammo and no firearm. While a mass of cartridge rounds may appear intimidating to most enemies, it’s downright laughable without the right tool to expend them.  Nowadays, it’s my belief that by educating ourselves on just how truly vulnerable we are medically, we can have a better drive and motivation towards taking care of ourselves as much as possible. I hope that you all may benefit from the last two years of focused research that you might be more medically independent in your life.

First of all, allow me to say that I firmly believe that our medical practitioners have an important and appropriate place in our society.  The advances of modern medicine and the accompanying technology is absolutely amazing.  For many, the only alternative to relying upon such advances would be certain death.  That’s one side of the coin. However the other side of the coin is what I’m addressing today—the side which presumes there is no other alternative, responsibility, or accountability when it comes to our healthy independence.

The focus of today’s article is an encouragement that you take more responsibility and accountability for your medical well-being.  Part of that is being more aware of the person or entity that you empower to have influence over your health care.  Here’s just some food for thought to being with. In spite of often being cited to the contrary, heart disease and cancer are not the number one killers in America.  It’s actually medical malpractice. In fact there are a countless articles in the legal world which address this fact, yet you won’t see a medical organization ad that addresses this fact (just Google medical malpractice + cause of death).

Along that same vein, pay close attention to the entities which you give heed to.  I’ve seen a lot of shocking things during my time in the world of high finance.  I’m to the point now that nothing surprises me when it comes to following how money and power really pull the strings to many vital aspects of our survival.

Let’s take pharmaceuticals for example. How many drugs are you familiar with that have been originally approved by the FDA, only to have them pulled off of the shelf due to fatal consequences in their use?  And yet the FDA approves them.

Have you taken time to research what causes the FDA to approve some drugs and not others? Why are some drugs approved in record time and not others (i.e. the H1N1 immunization shot)? With all of the medical advances in our world for treating cancer have you wondered why chemotherapy and radiation are STILL the only FDA approved treatments for cancer (vs. the successful Vitamin B-17 treatment that causes over 20,000 Americans to go leave the country to find B-17 treatments elsewhere)?  If the FDA really cared about your health, then why don’t they put any energy into approving preventative methods?  I’m sorry to sound so negative folks, but the truth of the matter is, there isn’t much money in preventative health care. You can’t patent naturally existing minerals and vitamins, etc.  If the FDA really cared about your health, then why don’t they or the USDA actually have the power to shut down offending food, meat, or other plants who are repeat offenders?  When it boils down to it, the FDA is driven by power and money. Where there is an absence of gain for the FDA, there is an absence of proactive motion. Worse than a lack of action, are the results OF their actions. Their seal of approval on products has become as questionable as Rosie O’Donnell endorsing health food. It’s unfortunate that the FDA has continually proven themselves to be wrong again and again. As such, they have not earned the respect in my world that merits them to have the final say over what I will and won’t put into my body. When it comes to medical practices, they focus solely on treatment, not prevention.  This is the ONLY reason why they have

 not poked their nose into the market of natural remedies up until now—and the only reason why they are threatening to push into this field of oversight is because the treatment medical industry has taken a financial beating over the last 5 years to the tune of over $100 billion dollars! Yup. The treatment methods have powerful lobbying groups and they are making sure that the FDA essentially puts a stop—or at least a large stumbling block—to all of the mom and pop kind of homeopathic methods out there. That sad truth is that the FDA is influenced largely by power and money, not by the “conclusive studies.”  I have found that time and time again the study of a drug tends to lean in the direction of the company that is paying for the study to be done.  While I may sound like a broken record, folks, keep in mind that the FDA had their own doctors come right out and say that a cigarette a day would keep the doctor away, that AIDS was contagious by touching, and that the only acceptable way to treat cancer is a deadly chemical radiation. (See G. Edward Griffin’s book “A World Without Cancer”. It’s packed full of indisputable research, facts, and evidence.)

Along these same lines, the other large vulnerability we have exposed ourselves to is the rampant acceptance of pharmaceuticals.  As one who struggles with clinical depression, obesity, and the ailment of insanity in the world around me (*grin*) I too think that life might me easier if it could just be fixed with a little pill each day.  However, I’ve come to realize that our bodies are so absolutely amazing in how they were created and that if I just do more to encourage them to function properly, then I can avoid so many of the drugs out there.  Pharmaceuticals are high-powered chemicals with real-life side affects. Can you believe that we now are told—with a straight face—that possible side effects of the drugs we take may result in “temporary paralysis, thoughts of suicide, liver failure, heart attack,” etc. etc. (By the way, if you haven’t seen Disney’s movie “Old Dogs”, you may want to. It’s nothing more than meaningless entertainment calories—light and fluffy.  But there’s a hysterical scene in there about what happens when two guys get their litany of medicines mixed up due to the side-effects.  I was cackling so hard, my cheeks and my gut hurt the next day). Due to the scenario in which the pharmaceutical companies test their subjects, most drugs are created much more potently than is necessary as well.

The majority of Americans run through their days dehydrated.  Unfortunately, much of what we put in our bodies chemically is a drying agent, thus compounding the dehydration effects.  However, if our bodies are well hydrated, then the effect of our medicines would be more obvious and thus we wouldn’t need to take as much. Water is necessary to cause the medication to be transported throughout our body.  However, when the pharmaceutical industry goes through the testing of their drugs on human beings, they pay no attention whatsoever to the state of hydration in the body.  The presence of water/hydration in the body compounds the effects of all nutrition—chemical or otherwise. Given that the majority of Americans are dehydrated, the medicines are made more powerful than necessary so that most patients can experience the desired chemical results of their medications. And yet there is a mountain of highly credible research to indicate that the symptoms of serious medical conditions such as heart disease, kidney failure, cancer, depression, ADHD, and diabetes would be dramatically lessened if the patient were to stay well hydrated.  Wouldn’t it be interesting if you were to take a drug that has strict instructions that you not only take a full glass of water with it, but that you also drink plenty of water during the day in order for it to be helpful?  Well, the drug industry wouldn’t sell as much medicine though if they spread that kind of doctrine though, would they?  So, they create and dispense their drugs to the most common denominator—dehydrated bodies.

I know that on my path over the last couple of years I have found so many alternatives to traditional medicine.  Allow me to be clear. I don’t think that traditional medicine is evil, per se, I just think that it’s so widely accepted because there’s a seriously concerted effort to get us all to accept it as the answer.  As an expert marketer, I can appreciate such a successful campaign. But the consequences are that most people do not search out alternative answers.  Unfortunately, there aren’t a lot of folks who are willing to throw billions of dollars out the window to saturate the market with the message that there are less risky, less expensive, and more effective treatments for what ails us—that don’t require a doctor’s visit, health insurance, surgery, or pricey consults.  Well, in my opinion, if you pick up one end of the stick of mainstream pharmaceuticals, then you also pick up the consequences: dependence, exorbitant expenses, follow-up doctor visits, physical side-effects which require yet more medications, etc, etc.   These kinds of dependencies aren’t just bad in one area of your life.  They have a negative impact on your areas of Physical, Financial, and Mental preparedness.  What are you going to do if you suddenly do not have access to those drugs? What if there’s an earthquake or a long-term power outage? What if you you’re your insurance or your job and can’t pay for them any longer?

In the name of Physical Preparedness, I implore you all to do what you can to cut the apron strings attaching you to the smothering mother of Medical Dependence.  No, I don’t recommend that anyone attempt to perform their own frontal lobotomy, but I’m 100% sure that there is a whole heck of a lot more that we can do for ourselves than what we are doing.  I KNOW that there are several potent medications that would be a much larger part of my life if I let them. But I try to make sure that I proactively put some good things into my body daily.  I’m not the epitome of health. I’m not saying that we all have to be perfect, but I am saying that we should all TRY perfectly.  Yes, I have the indulgences of life frequently—trying to quit many of them—but in my effort at becoming more independent from vulnerabilities I won’t permit my day to go by without making sure my body is stocked up on the good things that I have easy access to.  Quality vitamins and minerals that actually get absorbed into my body, WATER (at least ½ my body weight in ounces each day), good sleep, sprouts, flax seed (yummy in my yogurt) and other good sources of fiber such as wheat meat, whole grain bread, etc.—these are all a part of my daily proactive regime. I find that if I do enough of the proactive behaviors in my day, that I don’t have time or appetite for as many of the harmful actions.   As some of you may know, I also take 2 tablespoons of food-grade diatomaceous earth each day and two teaspoons of Redmond Clay.  I can assure you that there are at least 8 different aspects of my ill health yell loud and clear when I have omitted the proactive consumption of these products.  But I’d much rather have those kinds of things in my body rather than “FDA approved” drugs and treatments and their accompanying side-effects.  Wouldn’t you?

Just another step towards better preparedness folks.  May you exercise all of the independence your body can handle.

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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

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. 

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.

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.

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

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

As you may already know, the use of coupons is mandatory for my personal preparedness of food and medical supplies. I have truly obtained a bounty of free or dirt cheap goods over the last 6 months that has nearly doubled my original supplies. As a result, it’s really freed up money for items such as solar ovens, fuel, pressure cookers, butane stoves, foam, etc. When I share this information in passing (read: Outside of the confines of my 3 hour Coupon Training Boot Camp) I frequently get a lot of negative comments with a touch of whining such as “coupons are only for junk”; “I can’t find coupons on items I use”;  “It’s not worth the time and effort it takes” or “I shop at Costco instead.”

I’ve got great news for you. These comments are misinformed perceptions, pure and simple. Let me share a little bit with you. 

 1)      I only spend 2 hours a week couponing. However, these last three weeks I’ve been doing so many classes that I literally have not even been able to invest that much time and so I haven’t even bought any groceries. And guess what? We didn’t even miss it! We still had all we needed because of all that we had previously from couponing.

 2)      I don’t just use coupons on “items I use.” I try new things many times—especially when they are free or cheap. I have three key rules on couponing. 1-You can’t afford to be brand loyal. When things go south, you’ll be happy that you have toilet paper. It doesn’t matter that it’s not Cottonelle, when Charmin was on sale for dirt cheap. 2-If I would be willing to use the product if it was FREE or CHEAP, then I cut the coupon. 3- I only use the coupon on items that are already on sale, thus making the majority of what I buy 70-100% almost ALL the time. This strategy has also allowed me to discover new things that my family likes. For example, I fell in love with the California Pizza Kitchen frozen pizzes. (I know. Not exactly “food storage” but it sure did come in handy when I had no time for lunch other than a microwave meal. I also discovered that I preferred a completely different brand of mayonnaise than I had been buying all my life. Who knew? I only got the other brand because it was only 75 cents for a large jar with coupons.

 3)      Because of coupons, I literally cannot afford to shop at Costco or Sam’s Club anymore. Seriously. For example, Costco used to have the best deal around on zip-lock bags. When they would circulate one of their coupons, it would cost only 5 cents a bag. BUT… a local grocery store chain last week had boxes of Hefty Easy Zip bags on sale for 10 for $10. And guess what? I had $1 off coupons for Hefty Easy Zip bags! Um, sorry. No matter how much volume Costco buys, I doubt they could match that price.

 4)      You shouldn’t waste time trying to match coupons with sales. You need to align yourself with a coupon shopping service. I have my favorite services that I like to use for my area. It’s not a normal day without me checking out www.couponcarousel.blogspot.com or www.krazycouponlady.blogspot.com as well as www.savvyshopperdeals.com. The first two sites give me hot spot highlights for deals. But the latter site actually allows me to use a software service that tells me all of the best deals in my area…and I can pre-sort my search by store, product type, or even percentage of savings. As I browse I can make my grocery list and be in and out in a jiffy. Heck, the site even tells you what section of the store you can find something in! Not only that, but there’s also a video tutorial on the site that you can watch to get your feet wet with couponing—at least until I give you a more thorough webinar.

5)      Next, I think that ANY of you would be hard-pressed right now to tell your boss that you want to earn $100 an hour, and you want to be able to work two hours a week for that money, and in you slippers, while you watch TV and talk on the phone. Right? Well, that’s what I save EVERY week that I do coupons! And that’s just for 2 of us in the home. I buy items that we eat regularly and items that we can store away. That way I’m storing what I eat, and eating what I store. If your family is bigger then you can save even more. I have a friend who recently got off of food stamps thanks to what she learned with couponing. I have another friend that has 7 in her family. Her monthly grocery budget is only $100. And guess what? She spends half of that on food storage!! My sister just went to a store last week that I loathe because of how un-coupon friendly they are. And she was STILL able to walk out of there with over $160 in groceries and medical supplies for which she only paid $20.55. Oh and by the way, she also received a $5 Target Gift Card. (Way to go, Sis!)

6)      Last, but not least, coupons are not only for junk—although I’ve managed to find my share of chocolate coupons. Hee hee. I simply don’t have the time, energy, or resources to share with you all that I’ve been able to purchase, at what  price, and where. But what I will do is give you SMALL list of items that I’ve purchased for FREE over the last few months. This is not even an all inclusive list. So when your jaw drops to the floor after reading this, pick it back up and give couponing a try. Surely you’re not going to be conquered by a few harmless coupons, are you?    

A-1 Steak Sauce

Almond M&Ms

Apple Jacks

Apples

AquaFresh toothpaste

Arm & Hammer toothpaste

Aspirin

Aveeno Face Cream

Ball Park Beef Franks

Bananas

Band-aids

Bar S Hot Dogs

Bayer Quick Release

Burt’s Bees Lip Balm

Butter (unsalted)

Capri Sun Drinks

Carefree Maxi pads

Celery

Cesar Dog food

Cheerios

Cheese

Cheetos Astro 100 calorie paks

Chef Boyardee

Chef Michael’s Dog Food (dry)

Chef Michael’s Dog Food (wet)

Chicken Breasts

Children’s Bayer Chewable Tablets

Clean & Clear (facial cleanser)

Colgate toothpaste

Crest Whitestrips

Crystal Light

Degree Deodorant

DelMonte Fruit Cups

Digorno Flatbread Pizzas

Dole Salad mix

Dove soap

Dry Idea deodorant

Earth Grains Wheat Berry Bread

Ecotrin

Eggs

Energizer batteries -6 pak, AA

French’s mustard

Fusion Razor

Gatorade (32 oz. and 1 liter)

Grey Poupon

Hefty Fresh Extend zip bags

Hunts Ketchup

Isopropyl alcohol

Jack Daniel’s BBQ Sauce

Jell-O Pudding Snacks

Johnson and Johnson First Aid Kit

Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes cereal

Kellogg’s Frosted Mini Wheats cereal

Kellogg’s Rice Krispie cereal

Kellogs Raisn Bran

Kens Salad Dressing

Kraft BBQ Sauce

Kraft Easy Mac & Cheese Microwaveables

Kraft Ranch Dressing

Krafy BBQ sauce

Lint Brushes

Listerine Advantage

Manwich Sauce

Milk

Nature Valley Nut Clusters

Nexcare bandages

Nexcare bandages

Nexcare Disney Tatoo bandages

Office Depot Copy Paper

Oscar Meyer Balogna

Oscar Meyer Beef Franks

Oscar Meyer Bologna

Pantene Shampoo & Conditioner

Peanut M&Ms

Post Raisin Bran

Puperoni dog treats

Quaker Life cereal

Reach Dental Floss (55 yards)

Reach toothbrush

Renu Contact Cleaner

Right Guard Deodorant

Ritz Crackers

Sara Lee Hot Dog Buns

Schick Quattro Razors (non-disposable)

Schick Razors

Scotch 3 pack Tape

Scotch Double Stick Tape

Scotch Mailing Envelopes

Secret Deodorant

Sirloin Steak

Snickers Candy Bar

SoftSoap Essentials

Steamables (vegetables)

Sure deodorant

Tennesse Pride Sausage Gravy

Tide liquid detergent

Tylenol Aspirin

Vaseline Hand Lotion

Velveeta Microwave Cups

Western Family Tuna

Wet Ones

Wheat Thins (Multi-grain and regular)

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The Aftermath

By Kellene Bishop

Yesterday we discussed the reality of an EMP attack on the U.S. and today we will bring the aftermath of an EMP attack a bit closer so that we can mentally go through the various ramifications.  If you mentally prepare, even little by little, you will be significantly better off.

The Aftermath Reality #1: Since an EMP essentially fries anything electric, this means most automobiles post-1970 will be useless.  This may explain why my husband’s dream car as of late is a 1967 Ford Bronco. :) As early as 1970, key components of automobiles were made with electrical parts.  You’re well aware that some models today brag about being completely electrical.  This will be problem with an EMP.  If you’re driving your beautiful Cooper car when an EMP strikes, you won’t feel the road rattle.  You won’t hear a noise.  Your automobile will simply stop dead in its tracks.  Be prepared mentally for alternative transportation.  For me that’s “hoofing it” so I have a couple pairs of good shoes in storage, and made sure that my bikes have several tire repair kits to go with them.  You may also want to consider having a “li’l red wagon” or something that you can easily push and pull with supplies or your passengers therein.  This is not to say that you will have to flee where you are when an EMP hits, but as the aftermath becomes a way of life, you will have to travel at some point even if it’s just a mile or so.  Personally, I will want to be able to travel so that I can check on other individuals and deliver any aid I may be able to.

The Aftermath Reality #2: The most vital services that will be destroyed in an EMP attack are communications.  Telephones, radio, walkie-talkies, etc.  Can you imagine what life will be like in the aftermath without these luxuries?  And to think we mock individuals who don’t have texting abilities nowadays. :) This is yet another reason why you will want to make sure your walking shoes or your bike are ready for use—delivering messages.  

While your challenge will be wide scale, without proper communication you’ll feel like you’re on you very own little planet.  One of the recommendations I make to prepare for the aftermath is to take the time to get your HAM radio license, appropriate equipment, and THEN be sure that it’s kept out of range of an EMP strike.  This can be accomplished in different ways, but the most popular is a Faraday cage.  

You can easily create a Faraday cage which will protect most electronics from an EMP attack.  We’ll talk more about Faraday cages later in this series.  (Sorry, I haven’t found a contractor yet who can do this to my whole house.)  You can actually obtain a Faraday cage from a business that’s going under that has been using one for their server room.  I’ve even found decent sized Faraday cages on E-bay.  Then again you can also use materials of your own for such storage with aluminum foil, mesh copper or brass sheeting, a cheap “space blanket” made of Mylar, or even an oversized stock pot!  There are Faraday blankets available as well.

The Aftermath Reality #3: The banking industry will be destroyed with one pulse.  No ATMs, folks.  You will be unable to buy any goods without cash.  (We’ll see how long human nature allows such civil transactions to take place before burglary and looting commences.)  You will be unable to fill your car with gasoline, even if it is an older model.  Gas pumps are operated electronically nowadays.  Your home security system will be useless.  You won’t be able to rely on the television and video games to entertain your children.  And you’ll have to be sure to have an alternative way to cook your meals—as well as the knowledge necessary to cook in such a manner.  There will be no refrigeration.  So either keep your freezer and refrigerator closed for as long as possible, or start canning meats and such and eating the foods in the freezer first.

The Aftermath Reality #4: Lastly, consider the medical implications of an EMP attack.  Obtaining medications that we are accustomed to using will be virtually impossible.  Those individuals who rely on medical technology to survive in their homes will be at the highest risk in the aftermath of an EMP attack.  Unlike our food supply which relies on a three day delivery cycle, our medical supplies largely rely on a one day delivery cycle.  So what can you do to prepare?  First make sure you have as many medical supplies on hand that you can obtain such as pain relievers, cough and cold remedies, anti-bacterial creams, hydrogen peroxide, rubbing alcohol, cotton balls, heat packs, essential oils, and your own medications.  (Just so you know, since I use coupons, I get the majority of these items really cheap or for free!)

Next, do all you can do now to get as healthy as possible without medication.  When I started out this year I had a stark moment of realization.  I looked at my nightstand and saw 7 prescription bottles.  I knew that such reliance would hinder me dramatically if we were to encounter a true emergency, so I made the goal to get healthy so that I could eliminate all of them.  It’s been 6 months and I’ve eliminated all but one of them by focusing on the use of high quality nutritional products.  I may not be able to store a year’s worth of medications properly, but I CAN store a year’s worth of nutritional products that help me replace the chemical alternatives. 

To recap, prepare your mind and your body for the aftermath of an EMP attack, and you won’t end up being the star of your own Armageddon story.

EMP 101 Series

• EMP 101: Part I–The Likelihood.
• EMP 101: Part II–The Aftermath.
• EMP 101: Part III–Prepare Medically.
• EMP 101: Part IV–Faraday Cages. 

Copyright 2009 Preparedness Pro & Kellene Bishop.  All rights reserved.  You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Preparedness Pro & Kellene Bishop.

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By Kellene Bishop

OK. It’s no secret.  I could very easily be called “zealous” in my emergency preparedness efforts.  Some lovingly or ignorantly (I don’t mind which) may even call me “paranoid.”  That’s OK.  The bottom line is I’m ready for the majority of crises that may occur.  And as such I have a great deal of peace of mind and fortitude.  Clearly it’s hard to be so prepared and stay completely under the radar of the notice of friends and family, and even more difficult when you regularly write a public blog.  :)  So I’m sure that many other likeminded people can relate when I share with you some of the following comments that I regularly hear from friends, family and associates:

• “When all hell breaks loose, I know where I’m going” (Translation—I’m coming to YOUR house, Kellene, and helping myself)
• “Why do I have to store any food and water?  You’ve got enough to feed an army.”  (Translation—I absolve myself of any responsibility to take care of myself or my family because I can manipulate your good nature to take care of me instead.  Meanwhile I can purchase my boats, fancy cars, have a mortgage bigger than I can afford, go into extensive debt, and ignore any reasonable indications that I must be prepared.)
• “I don’t need to be prepared.  I’ve got all the ammo I need.” (Translation—When the going gets tough, I intend to forsake all of my standards of morality and ethics and murder and pillage to get what I want.”
• “If you’re a good Christian, I’m sure you’ll share with my family in an emergency.”  (Translation—I have no need to comply with scriptural warnings on my own behalf.  So long as there are others that will be obedient, I can ride their coat tails and absolve myself of heeding the very same warnings that others have been given.  Oh and while you’re at it Kellene, can you also say my prayers for me, read the scriptures for me, get a college degree for me, and take over the care and nurturing of my family?)
• “Why be prepared?  When everything goes South, I just want to die anyway.”  (Translation—I choose to ignore the “enduring to the end” quotes in the scriptures.  Instead I choose to determine when my life ends and I do not value my worth and my ability to help others in a crisis and beyond.  I forsake the innate human desire for survival, perhaps even out of cowardice, but definitely out of a lack of faith that any good can come from surviving and helping through a crisis.)
• “I don’t need to be prepared for more than 72 hours.  The government will provide for us just fine.”  (Translation—I forsake my own accountability for the well-being of family and loved ones.  I also believe in the Easter Bunny, Socialism, and that pro-wrestling is real.  Oh, yeah.  And I also had no television, newspaper, or internet access during the Hurricane Katrina debacle.  And, and one more thing.  I also dabble in fortune telling.  I know that there’s no such thing as a disaster significant enough to last long-term, such as year or more.)

Unfortunately, anyone who’s made significant attempts to be prepared has heard all of this nonsense before.  And yet for some reason they struggle with the proper response.

Well, this is how I deal with it.  First of all understand that I absolutely LOVE my friends and family.  While family has always been important to me, I’ve somehow been blessed with lifelong friends as well.  In fact, my feelings of love and concern for one or the other are hard to differentiate at times.  Lately my circle of friends has increased significantly.  I find myself reaching out even to friends from junior high and high school and employment from years past.  I believe the reason is due to the fact that my awareness for the need to be prepared for a real emergency has been heightened substantially.  As I ponder the ramifications of such an event incurring in our nation, I can’t help but feel more connected to the people around me in a very humanistic way knowing that they will struggle if they aren’t prepared.  I know that witnessing their struggle may even be more difficult for me than the crisis itself.  That being said, while my concern is genuine, I realize that I cannot argue with reality.

First reality check—there’s a lot of assumption by a person who believes that they will even be able to MAKE it to my home for food, water or other supplies.  What’s to say that they haven’t moved by the time a disaster strikes, or that they are trapped in their home due to a nuclear blast or a pandemic quarantine for a long period of time?  PLANNING on going somewhere else in order to survive is NOT a plan. 

Second reality check—sharing is voluntary.  I’m sorry, but if I have a choice of bringing someone into my “community” who has been faithful and has done all that they could do to prepare and can contribute to the strength of the survival of the community, then they are going to get first dibs on what I have to contribute.  A community is only as strong as its weakest link.  Can any community afford to take on a dangerous liability or vulnerability and risk the lives and health of all others involved?  A person who has willfully, belligerently, and defiantly ignored all reasonable warnings of preparation is not an asset to anyone else.

Third reality check—and this I believe is the most important.  Food and water is NOT the real security.  They are only a material representation of the faith, confidence, knowledge, and mental preparation required for a person to survive an emergency.  Confidence cannot be instilled into a hollow soul simply by will.  The same goes with faith, mental preparedness and extensive amounts of knowledge.  Thus, as much as I wish to usurp the natural laws at times and give my friends and family a “brain dump” of my knowledge and the proper mentality I’ve acquired over the years to deal with most imaginable crises, I cannot.  To do so would be to violate an eternal law of choice and agency.  I have this peace of mind, emotional and mental attributes as a result of my preparedness efforts—the purchasing of food,  the classes I’ve attended, the countless hours of research.  Not the other way around.  Even more importantly, I must guard against the disease of fear.  I simply cannot allow your fear to infect the world of preparedness and peace that I’ve worked so hard to create.  While material goods can be willingly shared, the peace and confidence which one seeks in light of an emergency cannot.  It is only had by exercising faith and a commitment of action in response to that faith.  

I hope that this assist many of you who may be postponing your own preparedness, as well as those who are encountered with the kind of opposition I’ve shared previously.  

In closing remember this one phrase of wisdom. “You can warn them, but you can’t own their actions.” 

Copyright 2009 Preparedness Pro & Kellene Bishop.  All rights reserved.  You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Preparedness Pro & Kellene Bishop.

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You may think that my top 7 handy dandy preparedness “tools” are an unusual list for emergency preparedness supplies, but I’m quite certain that you will find them invaluable under the right set of circumstances.  I love discovering and using items that serve a dual-purpose, especially when those purposes are compounded substantially.  If I have something in storage, chances are it serves more than one purpose. Whether it be medical supplies, seeds, a heater or wood, virtually everything I relegate space to store has multiple uses that I familiarize myself with so I get the most use out of my space.  Without further ado, here is my Seven Handy Dandy “Tool” list.  

 

1)     Duct Tape: We have an entire case of duct tape in our basement.  You can use it medically as well as to fix leaking or broken items.  It’s even viable to use to mend clothing or shoe, too.  It’s also affectionately called the “100 mile per hour tape.”  When I was in my early 20’s I was in a car accident and “needed” the insurance money to live off of.  Consequently, I used duct tape to reattach the bumper and away I rode… for another year and a half until I bought a new car.  While I never went 100 miles per hour—not that I’m willing to admit, anyway—it worked just fine in keeping my car together.

2)     Super Glue: Yet another case of supplies occupying our storage area.  This can also be used in lieu of minor stitches as well as prolonging the life of items that may break down.  In an emergency, you may very well have to rely on yourself for such instances as opposed to a professional “fix-it man” or medical personnel.

3)     Bounce Dryer Sheets: Ah hah.  I knew I’d get raised eyebrows on that one.  Here’s just a few ways that your dryer sheets will be useful to you.  They repel insects, including yellow jackets, bees, ants, and mosquitoes.  All you have to do is loop it through a belt loop, and voila, you are a walking citronella candle.  They also repel mice.  Simply lay them down around an area that you are trying to protect, and you’ve scared little Mickey away.  You can also use them to dissolve soap scum (just wet and scrub), prevent sewing thread from tangling (rub on a strip of thread prior to use) and removing baked-on foods from kitchen items (simply soak with a sheet in it and it comes off).  Not to mention the everyday uses it provides you with such as cleaning blinds, eliminating static from your computer and TV screens, deodorizing shoes, books, and photo albums.  It will truly serve as a duplicitous ally when you’re “roughing it.”

4)     Tarp, Tarp, and More Tarp: We buy the blue tarps from Costco and have a small stack of them in the basement.  They are sturdy, water proof, and priced much better than even one good quality tarp elsewhere.  In the event of nuclear fall out, roof damage, window damage, freezing temperatures, and a myriad of other instances, I find that this is one product that makes sense to have on hand.  In fact, even if my tents were to fail to provide me with shelter, I can always combine the tarps with my duct tape supply and have suitable protection from the elements. *wink*

5)     Foil: In addition to the regular, everyday uses of foil, you can also use it for emergency signaling, cooking and insulating.  You can even put water in a well made foil and duct tape “pan,” let it sit in the sun during a warm day and have distilled water at the end of the day.

6)     Lemon Juice: We’ve got a great supply list for this, too.  Lemon juice is great as a:

a.      Deodorizer

b.      Sanitizer

c.       Antiseptic

d.      Disinfectant (even for medical uses)

e.      Dandruff treatment (add 1 T. prior to shampooing, then 2 T. diluted with water after rinsing)

f.        Laxative—without the usual side-effects

g.      Relief for a sore throat or hacking cough

h.      Itch and pain reliever from poison ivy

i.        Yummy flavoring

j.        Blemish treatment (when mixed with honey)

k.      Substitute for buttermilk (mix 1 T. with 1 cup of milk)

l.        Tarnish remover

m.   Bleach substitute in laundry. 

I could share more with you, but since I’m certain I’m listed as a “right wing extremist”, I won’t egg anyone on talking about the self-defense measures that can be realized with lemon juice as well J

7)     Salt: You’ve heard biblically of salt being a critical component.  Perhaps after seeing all of these uses you’ll understand why I always take advantage of sales on simple table salt.  In addition to all of the ways salt can be used, it’s also a necessary nutrient that many underestimate.  Salt can also help:

a.      Prevent lettuce from wilting

b.      Repel ants

c.       Prevent food from sticking to your griddle (just rub it in)

d.      As a wood preservative (boil your clothespins in them and they will last a LOT longer)

e.      A boiling water accelerator (faster boiling means using less fuel)

f.        Remove mildew (when used with lemon juice)

g.      Remove stains (even works on grape juice in your carpet—but hey, who’s going to really care about the carpet in an emergency, right?)

h.      Kill weeds

i.        Prevent your laundry from freezing when you hang them out to dry in cold weather

j.        Make your milk last longer with a dash of salt

k.      As a plaster substitute (when mixed equally with starch)

l.        Substitute for toothpaste (with equal parts of baking soda)

m.   Relieve sore eyes (when rinsed with salt water)

A pinch of salt also improves the flavor of a lot of items that may taste stale otherwise such as cocoa, gelatin (it sets more quickly as well), fruits (when putting them in also water—this also prevents them from turning yellow), tea, cooking apples and warm milk (makes it more relaxing as well).  Also, egg whites and whipping cream whip up faster with a pinch.  And last but not least, when you soak your shelled nuts in salt water overnight, all you have to do is gently tap the edge gently and they will easily come open, providing a whole nut instead of crumbles that you have to hunt to find among the shells!  

 

In addition to all of these items, I would also recommend you Google multiple uses for vinegar, wheat, rope, isopropyl and rubbing alcohol and apricot seeds, among other things.  Obviously it doesn’t cost you any money to at least gain this knowledge. And you may end up being a real, live MacGyver in the end.

Copyright 2009 Preparedness Pro & Kellene Bishop.  All rights reserved.  You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Preparedness Pro & Kellene Bishop.

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