By Kellene Bishop

Oh, the choices we make…

Today we continue in our Self-Employment Equals Independence series by addressing what types of criteria one should consider when electing to add a facet of self-employment to their life.

First of all, allow me to reiterate that I understand that it isn’t realistic for someone to just instantly switch from working for someone else to working for themselves.  To such persons I would implore that they at least commit to adding a facet of self-employment to their life.  Add a way that you can produce a necessary good or service to others and earn money from doing so—even if it’s on a very part-time basis.  In such a case, I’m not concerned so much with the amount of time one invests, so much as I am the fact that they know that if something were to drastically change, they would have a simple “Plan B” to fall back on.  In my opinion, this is critical in order to have true independence from vulnerabilities.

So what should folks consider when stretching their entrepreneurial muscles? Here are my hard rules:

1)      It must be enjoyable: There are many opportunities out there that can earn you some respectable sums of money. But I’ve earned those sums before; and I have made only enough to get by. I assure you that when I work at something that I love and enjoy, so long as my basic needs are met, I’m much, much happier.

2)      Meet a REAL need: Identify a need, and then meet that need. I also always ask myself if what I’m doing is meaningful to my community. If  can meet both of those needs, then I’m most assuredly content with what I’m doing. Truthfully, there has never been a more simple yet successful formula for entrepreneurial success.  If you can’t see how people would need your product or service, you won’t be very convincing in entreating others to do business with you.  Additionally, in considering this need, may I suggest that you focus on tangible asset production rather than just services?  I’m not saying that services do not fill a need. But if I had my druthers, I would steer the most of entrepreneurial pursuits towards tangible good production/sales OR the services which FIX/REPAIR such tangible goods that people need everyday.  Here’s why.

Over the last two years, the amount of U.S. exports has declined consistently. Why? Because we have less in the form of tangible goods that the rest of the world needs, after all, you don’t export “services.”  This is indicative of the problem we have of not producing as much as we used to, and that we’re cut off with limited access to business capital lending.  In 1970 about 1 in 4 American workers had jobs in the manufacturing sector. By 2005 that number dropped to 1 in ten.  We’ve gone from manufacturing of real goods –with manufacturing being our flagship enterprise—to now becoming the world’s beast of financial services.  Yup. The U.S. is now the kingpin of world financial services.  (And we’re doing that so very well, right? *gasp*) The most significant issue with that is that services are not tangible. They are not necessary in all conditions of life elsewhere in the world.

Financial services in particular do not meet any of the most basic of human needs.  Unfortunately, regardless of the number of financial services companies that we create here, we cannot escape indisputable laws of independence. “A country that makes nothing will inevitably amount to nothing.”—Patrick Buchanan  The lack of our willingness and capability to produce real, necessary items, has manifested itself dramatically in our economic state. For example, my husband specifically chose to focus on the sale of preparedness goods because he knew that worst case scenario, he’d simply have more supplies on hand that he needed for the care of his own family.  A person focusing on the sale of an obscure, one-time service, would not be as fortunate if things were to get tough.

Mind you, I’m not saying that tangible goods are the only option, I’d be happy if any of you wrote me and told me that you bailed on the job to pursue your self-employment full time—regardless of what it was that you were doing. I’m just saying that a business which deals in tangible goods that are needed by others are the epitome of the best option for entrepreneurs.

Having said that though, I would be remiss if I didn’t bring attention to the fact that even a choice to deal in tangible goods can still be improved upon. For example, making jewelry, selling cosmetics, or selling fuel additives may earn money. But if the fit hits the shan, being stuck with a bunch of jewelry or makeup someday would not help you thrive in such a scenario. If that is your choice, your passion, and your enjoyment, then be sure that you keep as little inventory on hand as you can get away with and invest your personal monies that will ensure you thrive should a serious crisis ever manifest itself.  Still, it’s a heck of a lot easier to sell jewelry at a garage sale than graphic design abilities. So be sure that you shore up your own personal strengths to help compensate for those vulnerabilities.

3)      Lastly, I recommend that whatever you do, you start small. Don’t go into debt to start a business. Business debt is the NUMBER one reason why small businesses fail.  I don’t care if you are offered 15 or 30 day terms from your suppliers. Don’t take that offer. Pay as you go.  Grow only as fast as you can literally afford to pay to grow along the way.  Contrary to the stupidity we see paraded across our televisions regularly, it makes little sense to solve economic problems by adding more debt to our life. Self-employment pursuits are about independence. Don’t’ shackle your independence by marrying to slavery first. It’s obviously not a good way to start any profitable relationship. Understand that your greatest asset is your physical WORK and your knowledge about the skill or asset that you’ll be offering. Work with those two assets first and then use money that you earn to expand from there.

Bottom line, I strongly implore folks to consider a self-employment route for income. We simply can’t wait around for the government to create a job for us. Governments can’t create jobs. American entrepreneurs do. In fact, numerous studies have found that throughout the last 40 years, entrepreneurs created over 80% of all NEW jobs! So, if you want to make your own family more secure, pursue this route. In the process you’ll also be adding to the safety and economic strength of your nation.

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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

Safety in a carjacking situation photo c/o www.womenofcaliber.com

Recently there was a rare occurrence of a car jacking in the State of Utah.  In the name of everyday preparedness I thought I’d address this crime, which is actually rampant elsewhere in the nation and thus should be properly addressed to ensure maximum safety of you and your family.  The good news though is that there are several simple ways you can protect yourself from being a carjacking statistic.

1^st: Your safety boils down to being aware.  You can’t afford to be oblivious. If someone is approaching your car, you need to notice them ahead of time. Make use of your rearview and side mirrors when you are stopped at a light or getting in and out of your car in a parking lot.  It’s important that you pay attention to the cars which are parked near you too. Is there someone in the car?  Is there anything amiss in YOUR car as you’re getting in it again?

2^nd: Never stop at a traffic light or stop sign directly behind another car. While learning to drive in the crazy area of Connecticut, tailgating was virtually a must. But at a stop light or stop sign or even in the midst of a traffic jam, it’s a recipe for disaster.  You should always be able to see at least the bumper and the rear wheels of the car in front of you in order to have the ideal safety. At the risk of sounding paranoid, I always give myself an “escape route” when I’m stopped at a light or caught in traffic, even on the freeway.  If someone is coming towards my car, the first thing you should do is ensure your doors are locked, your car is in gear, and have your foot on the gas. If you have any doubt as to the intentions of the approaching person, step on the gas and have somewhere to go.

3^rd: Keep your purse and your defense weapon nearby—whether that is an Asp, red-dyed pepper spray, or my defense of choice—a firearm.   In the truck, I have a firearm just under the dash in a holster that I can easily and discreetly grab if I am held up at gun point.  Under many circumstances I also have a gun on my person in the event I’m grabbed just prior to getting into the car or getting out of it. The truth be told, a firearm on the person of a competent individual is the safest and the most effective place it can be.

4^th: Always park your vehicle in a well lit area.  When I’m in a parking lot, I don’t necessarily look for a spot closest to the door. I look for a spot that’s well lit, first and foremost. Worst case scenario, use a bright flashlight attachment on your key ring as well.

5^th: Look around before you get in your car and before you get out of your car. Your errands are never so important that you don’t have three seconds to evaluate your surroundings.  I always look in my rearview mirror and in my two side mirrors before I exit my car.  And I always look around me as I walk to my car as well. Even if I’m only taking out 2 light grocery bags, I still use the shopping cart in order that my hands are “free” to pull my gun if necessary (or your Asp, pepper spray, mace, or panic button).

6^th: Always have your cell phone handy. You should have 9-1-1 on a one button speed dial on your phone.  Don’t rely on your fine motor skills to dial in the midst of an emergency—even if you think it’s only 3 numbers.  Also, make your vocal concerns well heard by everyone around you. Screaming can easily be misconstrued in today’s society. So use words instead.  “Get away from my car.  Help, he’s beating me!”—even if such is not the case. These words are perfectly permissible even if you are under threat of such.

Make sure to keep your doors locked at all times photo c/o 4.bp.blogspot.com

Lastly, be sure you lock your doors as soon as you get in the car and that YOU control when your doors are unlocked when you park the car. Don’t have your car’s automatic settings to unlock the doors when you put the car in park. There are many criminals that are familiar with this feature and will use it to their advantage. They will also use the innocence of children in the back seat who may eagerly open their own car door to their advantage as well. Program your locks so that the kids get out only after you’ve given the all clear.  And be sure that your children get into the car under your watchful eye before you reenter the vehicle.

A little awareness goes a long ways, folks. In fact, just approaching your car with more awareness will be obvious to a perpetrator and thus you are less likely to be the victim of a crime.  Perpetrators are lazy.  They go for the easy strike. Make sure you don’t portray yourself as “easy” and you’ve one half of the real-life battle that plagues over 2,700 persons per day.

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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

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.

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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Ok Folks, here’s the conclusion of the generator series, including the authors overall recommendations. We hope you found this series helpful!

by Guest Author Ted Blanchard

Ag diesel, or “died diesel” or “red diesel” costs less photo c/o commons.wikimedia.org

Operational economy depends in part on the cost per unit volume of your fuel. Diesel generators are generally more fuel efficient (quarts burned per hour for a given power output) than gasoline units, but the overall cost efficiency can be lower depending on what the fuel rates are at the pump.  Ag diesel, or “died diesel” or “red diesel” which is only to be used (legally) in agricultural equipment like farm tractors will run a diesel generator just fine and costs much less than automobile diesel because there are no taxes added to the per gallon price.  Use of died diesel in street automobiles is not legal and the fines are very high if you are caught doing so.  Because a warmed up diesel engine may also be able to run on other fuels such as kerosene, cooking oil and even home heating oil (also generally tax exempt), it gets high marks for flexibility in a TEOTWAWKI environment.

Author’s Recommendations

Given the various pros and cons of the different fuels and their associated generators (note that I did not put it the other way around), my preference for an emergency, backup or transportable generator is a diesel-fired unit with an integrated water blocker and sequential fuel filters.  I even have a recommended family of units, all military surplus.  They are the MEP-002, MEP-003, MEP-004 and even MEP-006 systems, which can be found on auction sites including this one. A MEP-002 is 5kW continuous, 6.25kW peak generator; a MEP-003 is 10kW/12.5kW and so forth.  They are all battery start units and ruggedly built.  They can be used for 120VAC single phase, 120/240 single phase and 208 VAC three phase which makes them very versatile machines.

10KW - 2 cylinder Onan Diesel photo c/o battlegradeelectric.com/

An MEP-002 can typically be acquired at auction for something under $1000, and a MEP-003 for $1000 to $1200.  Often, they have very low hours on them (mine had 163 hours on it, meaning it was barely broken in).  A brand new commercially available 10 kW gasoline powered generator will generally set you back more than that, and have a fraction of the usable lifespan.   Granted, you may have to drive a ways to pick up your military surplus unit, but the results will be well worth it.  Be sure you read and understand the auction site’s rules regarding buyer’s premium (if added) and sales tax for the location currently housing the unit.  Some units are trailer mounted so you may have to do title transfer unless you plan to park it in one place indefinitely and don’t care if it isn’t titled in your name. One other consideration is the 24Volt starter on the MEP-00X units.  They use two car batteries in series, so to keep them charged, you either need to get a 24V trickle charger, or charge one battery at a time with a 12V charger, or run the generator unit regularly to top them off.   The last approach is best because relying on any system that you do not regularly test and maintain is unwise at best and outright dangerous in the worst of situations.

The MEP-00X series have a setup where you can draw fuel from the integrated tank or an external source such as a 55-gallon drum and the unit includes the pumps necessary to make this work.  Some units will even come with the bung adapter and extra fuel line.  Some also come with a long, high capacity power cable.  Some have a sound enclosure already installed, so the noise is very tolerable, without having to build your own enclosure.  They run at 1800 RPM, consume little fuel and – when properly grounded – have decent EMP protection for the internal circuitry.  Spare parts are readily available from a variety of sources.  The units are designed to be operated and maintained by high school grads, so no special skills are required (no offense to you high school readers).  They are all made to mil-specs and come from some of the best manufacturers out there.  They cost you and I (as taxpayers) eight to 15 times what you can get them for at auction, depending on the rated capacity, so it’s your duty to derive some benefit from all that Government spending.

Regardless of your choice do your homework, take necessary safety precautions, test the system regularly, rotate liquid fuels if you use them, and keep the tank and generator well maintained.  It could be the difference between surviving and thriving in a grid-down world.

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

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by Guest Author Ted Blanchard

Generator Fuels

What is the best type of fuel for your generator? photo c/o thevote.abc13.com

Different types of generators are designed to run on fuels that may include, gasoline, propane, natural gas and diesel.  Don’t get one that runs on electricity though (that’s a little joke, folks). For the sake of brevity, I won’t go into water-powered or gasified wood-powered generators. Battery started engines are just fine and make the use much more enjoyable.  Some generators can be modified to run on something other than their original design fuel, and some can selectively run on more than one type of fuel.  These are not very common and potentially add complexity to the system that could translate to shorter life span or undesirable operation, but properly configured tri-fuel (propane, natural gas and gasoline) generators provide flexibility and can make sense in some circumstances. The dry fuel “carburetor” does not add much complexity but, as with all things, the KISS principle applies.

I’m going to generalize here and will likely incur the wrath of several readers by slighting their favorite form of fuel.  Too bad.  I’m writing and you’re reading it (at least as far as this point) so give me some additional time and I may manage to lessen your anger.

Propane or Natural Gas photo c/o hoffmanspowerequipment.com

Gaseous fuels

- propane and natural gas (Nat Gas) – have distinct advantages, not the least of which is an incredible shelf life.  A tank that is kept free of leaks should hold your propane or Nat Gas supply in a usable state for longer than you live.  On the down side, plumbing can be tricky and if you do develop a leak, your first indication may be when you house is “remodeled” by the force of the explosion as the leaked gas reaches an ignition source.  Propane is heavier than air and can creep along the ground until it finds a spark or flame.  Nat Gas is lighter than air and so tends to waft up and away from the tank.  Small comfort, however, if it encounters a spark from a chimney or a static discharge from anything that it finds nearby, even many hundreds of feet away.  Natural Gas that is distributed in the gaseous state is considered to be part of the grid, with the associated vulnerabilities.  All that said, gaseous fuels as a generator supply are still a good choice, if proper care is used in selecting the placement of the tank and in running the plumbing to the generator. Gaseous fuels have a decent specific energy and so is generally a cost effective fuel, but this will depend on your location and how much the rates change between seasons.  Here in North Idaho, propane was a delightful $1.40 per gallon this summer, but climbed very rapidly to $2.05 so far this winter and will probably go up even more several times in the coming months. Generators that use gaseous fuels are often very quiet compared to gas or diesel powered systems and that is a distinct advantage if you want to run your generator overnight.  Availability in normal and abnormal times must also be considered.  Will your propane supplier keep refilling your tank if we have a TEOTWAWKI event?  If not, do you have the means to go get some at the supplier – assuming they are still selling it?

Gasoline or Diesel fuel photo c/o images.asia.ru

Liquid Fuels – Gasoline and diesel each have their own good and bad points.  We’ll start with gasoline.  Typically affordable and available almost anywhere, we drive our gas-powered cars without giving too much thought to where we will fill the tank when it approaches empty.  We will simply stop at a station that is convenient and sells at a price we are willing to pay.  Several grades may be available, but generators typically do not require anything better than the lowest grade, with an octane level of 87i.

Gasoline does not store well for long periods of time.  Since it contains several very volatile compounds that separate out of the solution and evaporate given half a chance, fuel that you count on for emergencies should be rotated regularly and even treated with a stabilizer such as “Sta-Bil.”  I’m not recommending them over other providers or products but they have become something of a “household” name.  I do not like the fact that they charge what I consider to be exorbitant prices for what is, chemically, an inexpensive formula.  Nevertheless, properly treated, sealed and stored gas can exhibit a useful shelf life of up to two years. Beyond that you are slowly transitioning to gunk.  Engines do not run well on gunk. To get the best possible shelf life, keep three things in mind.  (1) Store the fuel in an air- and liquid-tight container with as little air in the container as possible (to prevent moisture condensation), remembering that gas expands and contracts significantly when the temperature changes so don’t chance bursting a thin-walled container by leaving zero air space.  (2) Keep the fuel away from light, which can cause heat-induced expansion and also speeds up the chemical decomposition process, and (3) make sure the gas is not subject to wild temperature swings in either direction, which also speed up the decomposition process and may overcome the integrity of your storage container.  Anecdotal stories of shelf life longer than 2 years may be true.  I wouldn’t count on it, in fact 2 years is really pushing it in my estimation.  That’s why you should rotate your emergency supply every year if possible.  Use the stabilized one-year-old gas in your car, boat or other engines.  Treat and store the next batch.  Make sure to put the date on an attached slip of paper.  Remember that as gasoline ages its octane rating decays so it might make sense to store a higher octane fuel. Some will argue that properly stabilized low octane gas is sufficient and that may well be the case.

Gasoline vapors explode. That’s why your car, boat, and generator engines work.  Improper storage of gas can result in leaks that pose a significant fire and/or explosion hazard.  Gasoline composition is important.  Automobile gasoline (every grade) is increasingly treated with ethanol, up to 10% (and up to 85% in the case of ethanol multi-fuel).  This have some dubious benefits to the environment and cost of production, but it has one very clear drawback, which is one of the reasons why I tend to lean toward diesel generators.  Ethanol attracts moisture.  The technical term is hygroscopic, if anyone cares.  Ethanol literally sucks water vapor out of the air.  This water may or may not be visible in a tank used to store your generator’s fuel supply, but unless very specific steps are taken to reduce or eliminate the water before it reaches your generator you can end up with both short term and long term problems. Water will alter your consumption rate, usually for the worse.  When water is absorbed into gasoline it can form corrosive compounds that damage engine components.  Water left sitting in fuel lines, carburetor bowls, injection systems and so forth can make the engine hard to start, maybe even impossible, depending on how long the unit sat with old fuel in it. Leaks in hard fuel lines are a common result of trapped water sitting for long periods.

Now we’ll cover diesel fuel.  Also available in several “grades,” diesel is formulated for variable speed engines operating at normal temperatures, cold temps, and also for near-constant speed engines.  Trying to start an engine with diesel formulated for normal temps when the engine and surrounding air is very cold can be a frustrating experience. Road diesel gels at cold temps and may not be easily pumped through the system, so low temp formulas are warranted in colder regions.  All on-highway diesel fuel in the US is now Ultra-Low Sulfur diesel (ULSD) <15 ppm and there may be issues with older engines not engineered for ULSD. For a complete description of the various diesel grades and their positions in the spectrum of refined petroleum products, please see this piece. 

Diesel exhaust is typically white and dense when the engine is cold and turns almost clear as it gets warm, though this can shift to grey or even black if the engine is under very heavy loads.  Good quality diesel generators are designed to deliver their rated power without reaching this engine loading point, but some people do not like the smell of diesel fumes at all, and it’s a definite consideration when choosing your generator and fuel combination.

Diesel has a significantly longer shelf life than gasoline, with 8-, 10-, and even 12-year old fuel still working satisfactorily.  To get the best results, depending on your location and engine type, you may need to treat the diesel with some combination of a cetane booster, an anti-gel product and/or a biocide.  Seems a fair number of algae and microbe species like to eat diesel fuel and they can foul it beyond recall if not kept in check.  An obvious sign that you have an algae or microbe problem is that the fuel becomes extremely murky, or even black. The biocide keeps the bacteria from attacking your fuel. Mix it in well with a paddle or stir stick.  Warmer climates are more prone to infestations and cold climates may not require any biocide treatment at all.  Higher speed diesels (e.g. 3600 RPM vs 1800 RPM) operate more effectively with higher cetane number fuels.  Anti-gel additive helps keep your fuel flowing well in colder temps and keeps the diesel stabilized.  Diesel is nowhere near as bad as gasoline in this respect, but it is still wise to prevent problems that you can easily avoid.  Diesel is much safer than gasoline since the vapors will not explode or even burn at normal air pressure. You can throw a lit match into a coffee can with an inch of diesel in the bottom and the match will be quenched immediately.  As a result, the long-term storage of diesel fuels is simpler and safer than with gasoline.  Don’t be careless, however, as almost any materials lying around will burn much better if they have diesel on or in them.  Diesel still likes the same handling as gasoline: air and liquid-proof containers, dark storage areas (this also inhibits microbe growth) and near constant temps.  Underground storage is ideal, but not essential. While diesel does not attract moisture nearly as much as ethanol-treated gasoline, diesel engines hate water in the fuel and may not run at all if badly contaminated.  A good quality water-block filter, in line between the tank and the engine, solves this easily.  Keeping an emergency supply tank full is always a good idea since water vapor-bearing air can’t condense out and contaminate the fuel.

To be continued…

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

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Are you prepared if you get snowed in? photo c/o dmusic.com

Over the last two days I’ve heard from friends and readers recount their stories of the last few days of confronting the snow storm in the east.  Two of my friends attended a Christmas party at an upscale townhome in Annapolis, Maryland.  They drove their SUV and felt that all would be well in spite of the windy snow storm. When the party was over and the guests were leaving, it was quickly apparent that no guests were leaving—not even the driver of the Hummer. All of the vehicles were literally snowed in.  So what did the guests do?  I’m happy to report that 3 of them were able to get to the “bail out bags” in their vehicles, put on a change of comfortable clothes, and help the hostess get everyone settled down for the night. The fire place crackled with plenty of wood. The shelves were suitably stocked with something other than caviar and cream cheese. And the hostess dutifully earned her title as “the one with the mostess” as she pulled out a sufficient number of sleeping bags and bedding for all!  She was also able to supply the less prepared individuals with alternative clothing for sleeping. This is happy story #1. To make it even happier would be to know that YOU could do the same thing if you were such a hostess.

 Happy story #2: This is from a reader in New England. “Kellene, thanks for writing such a great blog that I can rely on. As you know, we’re preparing in this area for a “noreaster” storm. Going to the grocery store requires a hour of drive-time because of where I live. But since I’ve been reading your blogs, I’ve been going less and less and stocking up more and more. When I heard the news of the storm, my girlfriend called me in a panic wanting to go to the store and stock up. I told her that the news had just said that the stores were already empty and not to worry because she could stay at my house for a couple of days. I already had enough to see us through the storm.” Don’t you just love happy stories, folks?  Again, it would be much happier if you knew that you could do the same in your world.

Bail out bags work great as vehicle emergency supply bags photo c/o uncrate.com

 Here’s a so-so happy story. I was sent this via a tweet from a reader in the East. I don’t know exactly where they are though. “Thanks to you, I at least have my b.o.b. (bail out bag/box) Good thing since we’ve been stranded on the road for over two hours now in the snow.” Obviously, this would be a happier story if they weren’t stranded. But hey, stuff happens and we simply have to be prepared for it. I hope the have solar flares, heat packs, blankets, water, and something to eat as well as extra warm clothing!

 The point to all of this is that the storms in the East aren’t indicative of “the end of the world as we know it” but they sure did wreak havoc on “normalcy” in the lives of over 60 million people. (and they still are, of course.) I only got to hear from those who were happy with their efforts of preparing themselves. I think that at Christmastime we are especially vulnerable to not being prepared. Our efforts and energy are consumed by all of the Christmas activities that need to be done.  I’m very pleased to hear from these few individuals who didn’t put off some preparedness efforts “as a New Year’s Resolution.”

 Recently my husband and I were greeted by a Secret Santa gift of some cash. Want to know what we’re doing with it? We’re going to buy more molasses, sprouts, vegetable oil, orange zest, and diced tomatoes because I feel a little shy in those areas specifically. That’s a perfect Christmas gift to me! Hopefully you’ll all provide the perfect lifesaving gift to yourselves and your loved ones this year by having families ENTER the New Year being better prepared.

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

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By Kellene Bishop

In the water system for Ramsey, N.J., there is an illegal concentration of harmful carcinogenics, such as arsenic. Photo c/o Andrew Sullivan for the NY Times

Perhaps I’m ranting here, but I consider the PROTECTION of our water sources one of the most key services that our tax dollars pay for. To discover that our government is miserably failing in this aspect twenty percent of the time is simply unacceptable on any level of conscience. We MUST have potable water in order to survive and thrive. Is it not bad enough that our government permits the PURPOSEFUL addition of carcinogens and toxins in our water (such as fluoride) but now we have to add to that “oopsy daisies” too? We can’t even trust the government with our water supplies. Why in the world would we expect them to handle our currency, our health care, and the rest of the functions of our government?

We know that our nation has received terrorist threats which involve tainting our water supplies. Have these errors simply been some “dry runs” for the terrorists to see just how easy it would be bring this nation to its knees? Think 20% isn’t all that much to worry about? Think again. This is 20% of the WATER TREATMENT SYSTEMS, not 20% of the population, folks. As you and I both know there are SEVERAL persons who rely on the same water treatment systems and the subsequent supplies, be it in a home, community, region, etc. What if only 30% of the partakers of that 20% of tainted water were to become seriously ill because of what’s in the water? This would be accomplished easily if ever deadly levels of toxins were allowed to infiltrate the water. As a result, we would have a health crisis more serious than the last 5 years of any type of flu put together! That type of dent in the everyday operations of our country would cause a financial collapse of astronomical proportions. And there would then be an unfathomable domino effect on top of that. Those same water treatment systems are used to supply water to medical and food manufacturers, schools, hospitals, and other vital services. Can you start to see the big picture now?

Get a considerable storage of water together. Photo c/o beyond2012hq.com

I personally take two things from this article. First, stop relying on the government to take care of your survival on any level. Use a water filter of the best kinds in your home for cooking and drinking. Take responsibility for the cleanliness of your water. Don’t simply purchase water assuming it’s clean and drinkable. Remember, the NY Times article referenced above states that there’s quite a bit of apathy on the part of the treatment facilities. Many are getting away without so much as a hand slap. Secondly, have a significant supply of water that you have stored to then treat in the event that your water supply becomes intolerably tainted. When it comes to this undervalued commodity, we simply can not be too careful.

You know those barrels that you have in your backyard that are still empty? Get off your duff and get them filled—I don’t care if it’s freezing and snowing outside. It doesn’t matter what kind of hose you’re using. Chlorinated water is better than no water at all. Let’s stop being creampuffs and start showing the kind of stock that we Americans are really made of, shall we?

Ok. That’s the end of my rant. Care to share some of your own?

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

In Revelations chapter 13 verses 16 and 17 it says:

“And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.”

Photo c/o Amal Graafstra at www.amal.net

While there has been much speculation as to whether or not this prophecy of the last days has already come to pass with the use of UPC codes, I believe all prophecies will be fulfilled quite literally as they have so many times thus far. I recently found myself exploring a question in consideration of this prophesy as well as the substantial information available about the reality of RFID chips (small microscopic chips that are planted under your skin, or your pets’.) As you know, we are already moving away from a cash society. Plastic is treated with less suspicion and safety than a $20 dollar bill. (If you don’t believe me, see how fast a $20 transaction goes through on your debit or credit card at the grocery store compared to a $20 bill that has to be inked with a special pen and then double checked for its authenticity.) So what IF instead of debit or credit cards—the traditional electronic way of conducting transactions—we were required instead to use RFID chips implanted in our right hands or our foreheads (for those who perhaps didn’t have a right hand)? What if cash or an RFID was king?

I don’t know about you, but I assure you I wouldn’t allow anything foreign to be put into my body…not a vaccination or an RFID chip. On the other hand (no pun intended) if this scenario were to come to pass, I can just see the media’s puppets talking about how “convenient, safe, and environmentally friendly” such a requirement would be “for the good of the people”; how it was the only way to eliminate identity theft and illegal immigration, etc. I’m sure that if such a thing were to happen that the glossy, rose-colored side of the story is what would be fed to all who will listen. As usual there would also be some disaster which we’d all be told we can avert if we’re only willing to give up this little bit of freedom and privacy.

RFID Chip Implanted. Photo c/o Amal Graafstra at www.amal.net

What if the RFID was a requirement in order to get Medicare or Medicaid? What if it was required in order to be legally employed or to receive social security benefits? The consequences would demand that any unwilling RFID recipient be confined to conduct all of their business with cash or barterable goods in order to live and pay their bills.

I can tell ya that a cash only world is a pain. Two weeks ago my husband and I abdicated all plastic transactions. It was more of a challenge than a final destination. Considering that we were traveling out of town for Thanksgiving, it was quite the hassle. I kept finding myself saying “oh, I can’t do that. I can’t use my debit card.” From this experience I’ve realized that an electronic/communication collapse or being truly FORCED into a cash-only basis would certainly be a hardship on most people. And that’s just the transactional aspect of this scenario. Consider what would happen if you had any debts you couldn’t possibly pay by mailing in a cash payment, such as a mortgage payment? If this scenario meant that we couldn’t take employment from someone else without such an intrusion on our bodies, we would have to be self-employed and have to require to be paid in cash or goods. That’s great for incoming compensation, but what about paying bills? Unless your mortgage and other bills are paid off, you’re going to find that to be a disastrous scenario with unrelenting consequences. This would also mean that those who would refuse an RFID implant would need marketable skills to survive.

The goal? Get completely out of debt. Photo c/o id.88db.com

I don’t know what this does to your thought processes, but to me, this motivated me to pursue my cash-only restriction as much as possible for the sake of creating a new habit. It also caused me to realize that what I have on hand may indeed be my only saving grace someday. I consider this scenario and find myself mentally checking things off. “Ok. I can eat. I can have heat and light. I can cook. I can handle any non-life threatening medical crisis etc.” My biggest resolve from mentally exploring this scenario was to be COMPLETELY out of debt, including my home, while I still have that freedom.

I realize this may sound a bit overwhelming to some. To others it may be hard to take even remotely seriously and still to others they may feel like they just stumbled on the latest science fiction blog. But as I always say, prepare for the worst and then pray for the best. It’s the best way to be truly self-sufficient and prepared.

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

Author’s Note: Before reading this article, I want to be perfectly clear that my objective is not to “freak you out.” Mental Preparedness comes more readily when we allow ourselves to mentally picture scenarios and then allow our brain to strategically work on solving the anticipated problems. I hope this article does that for you today.

If I were a terrorist, I would plan an EMP attack on a day like this. Photo c/o road-safety.blogspot.com

There’s no such thing as an opportune time for a trial, right? As such, it’s a bit naïve of us to think that if an EMP strike does hit, it will conveniently do so while we are gathered all comfy and cozy in our homes. If I was a nefarious terrorist, I would plan an EMP strike for a freezing snowy winter day affecting most of the country AND during a late time of day that would most affect rush hour. To add to that timing, I would plan it to occur while Congress was out of session for the Christmas break. That would be a true formula for chaos.

Our autos and other modes of transportation will be the most noticeable initial casualty as the result of an EMP strike. Just think what would happen if you were commuting home on the freeway and all of the sudden your vehicle, as well as all of the other cars around you, had all of their electronics stop functioning. The power steering would go out. The power brakes would go out. And like a synchronized swimming team, all of the autos that were made after 1970 would simple stop operating. Sure they might travel another few feet—until they slammed into another car that suddenly stopped operating. Imagine this scene on your jam packed freeway on the way home from work or while running errands. Now picture that scene duplicated throughout thousands upon thousands of bustling cities throughout the country.

In an EMP attack, planes would fall from the sky. Photo c/o AP

Keeping in line with the disruption of transportation, planes will fall from the sky as their electronics completely fail them. At any given time there are well over 5,000 non-military airplanes over the air space of the U.S. Boeing estimates that one of their 737’s take off or land every 4.9 seconds, although that’s for the world, not just the U.S. Boeing states that they have over 1.5 million planes in the air at all times of the day. Even without that, picture being one of the casualties stranded in the O’Hare or JFK Airport with no lights, no food, and no way to get out of town to your family.

The second part of this impact will be painfully felt in our modes of communication. Your cell phone will be completely useless for anything other than a paper weight. Your car radio will not function or provide you with any information to figure out what went wrong. Regardless of the abundance of injuries that will take place all over the nation, no ambulance, tow truck or life flight will be available to heed your call for help.

The third largest impact that you will notice is in the availability, or rather LACK of available medical care. If you can hobble your way to a hospital from the site of the freeway catastrophe, you will inevitably find the facilities in chaos, overflowing with panicked patients and medical personnel. Their backup generators will be useless in most cases as they typically operate with some electronics. The medical supplies such as bandages and medicine will be exhausted within a couple of hours, not to mention the medical staff. Can you imagine being in the middle of a life-saving surgery and suddenly have the power go off without even so much as a warning beep?

So, what do you do to be prepared? First of all, have your auto supplied with preparedness tools: first aid, water, coat, some food, etc. Be sure that you have a reliable pair of shoes—especially you ladies. Heels are great for partying in, but they make it pretty darn hard to hike in the snow 15 miles should a survival scenario come up. In addition to the obvious tools in your car, you MUST be prepared to defend yourself as well. Violence and desperation will reign supreme in such an environment. There’s no need to be a sitting duck, folks. Act quickly and decisively. When you’ve lost access to communication or news and your cars have suddenly stopped, you will KNOW it’s an EMP folks. Don’t wait around to deliberate with fellow travelers. Get to where you need to be ASAP.

Have a prearranged plan with your loved ones of where to meet in the event of trouble. At least this way your spouse or family and friends will have some peace of mind knowing that you will try to get to that location. Panic is not your friend in an emergency. Peace of mind is, even if it’s challenged by some “what if” scenarios.

Maintaining physical strength isn’t about being able to run a marathon for most people. But everyone’s physical strength will be tested in an EMP scenario. The simple act of getting a glass of water will require work. Flour for a loaf of bread will require arm muscles. Going to the bathroom will require full consciousness. :) That may not daunt some of you, but keep in mind that you may need to cover longer distances than between your house and the outhouse. Thus having working bikes and wagons you can tow on them may be a lifesaver.  

Familiarizing yourself with basic medical care such as breaks, sprains, deep cuts, rashes, colds, and flu will also be important. While an EMP won’t send us back to the 19^th century in all regards, it certainly would in terms of medical care. We need to take some of the responsibility for self-reliance in this area. 

Again, I hope I’ve given you just a few things to think about today. I also really liked how the books “Alas, Babylon” by Pat Frank, and “One Second After” by William Fortschen helped me through some mental preparedness in this exact type of scenario. If you allow your mind to think about and mentally participate in such scenarios, you’ll have a more sound Mental Preparedness to solve the problems in comfort now, rather than in chaos later.

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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