Preparedness | Prepared Christian

Money and the future of the American Economy

August 20, 2012 by Chris Ray

I’ve said before that I’m a novice when it comes to economics, but even a novice can see that our economy is and has been in trouble. So what do we do? I don’t mean “we” as a country, I mean “we” as Prepper’s, what do we do?

I don’t claim to have all the answer’s but here are some things that I think are a good idea.

Get out of Debt

Kill it, throw every extra cent you have at it, make it go away as fast as possible. It is stealing from your future. If you’re in debt and serious about getting out of it, there are many different methods of doing so. One I have found, that is actually offered as a ministry at my church is Crown Financial Ministries. They take a Biblical approach, giving to God what is His, showing you how to be good stewards with the rest.

Precious Metals

If you’re new to precious metals, I wrote a two part series called Primer for Precious Metals (Part One and Part Two. I really think people should be investing in precious metals. I think silver has much more of an up-side right now. So far, I have stuck to one ounce silver eagles, but am really looking at “junk” pre-1965 coins. Just be sure to stick to under $500 so it’s not reportable to the IRS. As the dollar continues to slide, I think people will turn to gold and silver for barter. In fact, while at a gun show last weekend, I noticed a booth selling AR-15’s and accessories with a sign that said they would take gold as payment.

Invest in Lead, Specifically Copper Jacketed Lead
I think prices are going to rise and availability is going to be more scarce than it was after the President was elected, especially if he gets re-elected.

Buy Second Hand

Make use of garage sales, Craig’s List or FreeCycle, The Salvation Army or any other place that sells used goods. Do a search for “barter networks” and you’ll find all kinds of ways to barter and trade your goods or services for others.

Prepare Now

I don’t think we’ll see an economic collapse that happens overnight where the banks are just closed. I think we’re already in the midst of a slow decline. Our dollar still holds value and will continue to, only less and less as time goes on. If you have any purchases that you have been putting off, I say “if you can afford it, now might be the time to get it, without going into debt”.

Shop Farmers Markets

If you have a farmer’s market near you, it’s a great way to get fresh produce as well as enough to preserve for future use. Some of these people might be willing to barter labor for food.

Closing Thoughts

The pain is coming and it’s unavoidable. The only questions are “when?” and “how much?”. The good thing about all of the items I mention, is that whether it’s six months or six years, you’re taking steps to increase your financial preparedness.

Filed Under: Finance, General Preparedness

Building a Stockpile of Medicine

August 15, 2012 by Chris Ray

Stocking up on most items is pretty easy, as long as you have the money, but what about medicine? Because it can be a bit more difficult, here are some things you can try to build a small stockpile of the meds you take daily.

90 Day Supply

Many insurance companies will let you order a 90 day supply of some medications. If yours will not do it automatically, there may be a form you can fill out to request that they allow it.

Slowly Building a Stockpile

I got this tip from a local Emergency Manager. If you can purchase a 90 day supply, you can often refill it a few days or weeks before it runs out. For example, let’s say that time is 14 days. Once you receive the new prescription, take 14 pills out of it and put it in a third container. Continue to do this until the third bottle is filled. Use this bottle as your main bottle, letting the new bottle you just received be your reserve. Now you should have an extra 30-90 day supply. Remember to keep it in rotation.

Auto-refills

We use Walgreens as our pharmacy. One option they have is auto refills. They will automatically refill eligible prescriptions every time your insurance company allows it. This is often sooner than the prescription runs out. This essentially does the same as the above, but you don’t have to remove pills from the new bottle and add them to the third. This method has gotten my wife a three month supply of asthma medicine that she needs every day.

Lost or Misplaced

If you lose or misplace your medicine, a call to the pharmacy can often get them to contact your insurance company to authorize a refill.

Talking to your Physician

Believe it or not there are many physicians around who are open to the idea of you being medically prepared. Cynthia J. Koelker, MD wrote an article on the SurvivalBlog called “How to Get Your Doctor to Help You Stockpile Medicine”. This article has some very good advice on how to approach the subject.

Walmart

While I’m not a huge fan of Walmart, they do have a pretty good prescription plan. For $4 you can get a 30 day supply of certain medications, and for $10 you can get a 90 day supply. If you found a doctor who was sympathetic to your desire to build a small stockpile of medications, they could write you a paper prescription and you could pay for this out of pocket. This way the insurance company is out of the loop. Follow the link to see a list of included medicines.

Veterinary Medicines

Did you know that many of the medicines given to animals are the exact same medicines given to humans? Sometimes they change the name, sometimes they don’t. I’m not saying this is a good or bad option, just giving you the information. I’ll let you decide.

Here are two articles on other blogs on the subject. I’m sure you can find more with just a few minutes of research. Guide to Veterinary Drugs for Human Consumption, Post-SHTF and Preparing for Medical Emergencies When There Is No Doctor

As I mentioned, building a stockpile of medicines can be more difficult, but hopefully one of these options can help you. If you have another idea, please list it in the comments.

Filed Under: Medical and First Aid, Preparedness Tips

Building a Defensive Battery

August 13, 2012 by Chris Ray

Please bear with my soapbox for a moment.

With all of the talk about the small arms treaty and the comments from the President on guns after the recent tragic shootings, I decided it’s time to write this article while there is still time for you to legally build your defensive battery.

Does this mean that I think the UN small arms treaty will pass or that the President will come after arms if he gets reelected? The truth is, I don’t know. What I do know is that our liberties have slowly been stripped away for decades, much more rapidly in the last four years. I also know that the left hates private gun ownership. Enough soapbox, on to the main article.

What is a defensive battery?

That is a subjective question. It’s subjective because it depends on what you think you’ll need the firearms in your battery for. Since I can’t answer that question for you, I’ll just cover some popular types of firearms to have in a defensive battery. This article might sound a bit similar to Finding the Best Home Defense Gun to Meet Your Needs
Finding the Best Home Defense Gun to Meet Your Needs but a defensive battery isn’t just for home defense. It could and possibly should include firearms that you would never use for home defense.

Handguns

I covered some things to look for in a handgun in Buying Your First or Next Handgun , so I’ll not go into detail here. If you’re in range to use your handgun, your training is more important than your caliber, so to me that argument is mute. I have consistently seen three brands that are always highly recommended. They are (in no specific order), Glock Smith & Wesson and Sig Saur. I’m not saying other brands aren’t as good. I’m just saying that I see these three rated higher more often than others. Do your research and shoot it before you buy it. I’ll leave it at that.

10-22 Rifle

In a defensive battery? Yep. Remember, a defensive battery isn’t just for protecting the homestead. It could be used in providing for the homestead as well. There have been many pots filled with a 10-22. These are usually $150-$200 new. I got two for the family to learn to shoot with. Ammo is cheap enough that you could shoot all day for very little. I wish I would have purchased Ruger 10-22’s as they have set the standard, so-to-speak. I have heard many survival experts, when asked the “If you could only bring one gun, what would it be?” questions, say they would bring their 10-22. It can take small and large game with a carefully placed shot. It can help you stay in practice. For these and other reasons, this one is a must in my opinion.

Shotgun

I covered shotguns in some detail in Finding the Best Home Defense Gun to Meet Your Needs, so I’ll just glaze over it here. For sheer versatility, this is a must. You can take small game and birds with birdshot or larger game with buckshot and slugs. I mentioned this in the other article, but it needs to be said again. If you only buy one shotgun, the smallest framed person in the home that might be called upon to use it, has to be able to handle it. That might mean you need to go with a youth model 20 gauge, but it will still do the job.

As for brands, I have heard good things about Benelli but don’t know much about them. I have also heard good things about and have fired a Mossberg 500. My favorite thing about this gun was the safety placement in the top, which is very easy to reach with your thumb. The shotgun that I have seen the most praise for and my personal choice is the Remington 870. It’s not as easy to find a range that will let you rent a shotgun, so if you don’t have one, see if you can find a friend that hunts.

Rifles

I’m going to break this up into two separate classes; hunting guns and long guns. The reason I am separating the two is because, to me, they have different jobs and also because one of them is going to be in more danger of being regulated than the other.

Hunting Rifles

Hunting is a skill set I don’t have. My dad wasn’t a hunter and I didn’t have anyone else to teach me. Even if you’re not a hunter, it might still be a good idea to have a rifle capable of taking game in the state you live. From Semi-auto, bolt action, lever action and more calibers than I can name off the top of my head, there are many options. What might be good in one state, where average ranges are a mere thirty to one hundred yards, is nothing to states where ranges could go a few hundred yards. If you’re not a hunter, this information can be quickly gathered in an internet search.

Long Guns

You may have heard these called “black guns”, “assault rifles”, “machine guns” or other silly names. These are the guns that fell under the Assault Weapons Ban and are in danger of it again. These are semi-automatic rifles that can have high capacity magazines. I have said that, to me, long guns have a different job than hunting rifles. While some are very capable and often used to hunt with, let’s call a spade a spade. These are the firearms used to fight wars.

I’m not saying that as detraction, so why then would I say this is a viable option for one’s defensive battery? There are a few reasons. The first is that the Second Amendment of the Constitution of the United States says I have the God given right to. Now, some might say “the Founders never meant for the average citizen to own an AR-15 or AK-47” but I disagree wholeheartedly! If those platforms would have been around then, you can bet the revolutionary war would have been fought with them.

My second reason is that there is no better weapon to defend yourself. They have the range, stopping power and capacity to stop an enemy and keep him at a distance. Hence the reason they are the firearms used to fight wars with.

My third reason is, look at places like Mumbai or even the bank robbery in Los Angeles County in 1997. In Both cases the criminals had far superior firepower then the police. Or in the case of Mumbai, any nearby gun store or civilian.

There are, again, many platforms and calibers, too many to list. I will just touch on two popular choices that I am semi familiar with. They are the AR-15 and the AK-47. Again, let me say that I started out as a prepper with no firearms experience. I was in the Navy but we were not required to shoot a firearm to be enlisted. I fired both an AK-47 and an AR-15 without having a clue how either worked, and got no training on them before using them. I was easily able to figure the AK-47 out. It was designed that way, to be reliable and easy enough to teach “peasants” quickly. I am embarrassed to say that when I tried to “rack the chamber” of the AR-15, I ejected the magazine. That was entirely my fault, not the guns. It does take more training than the AK-47. I’m not saying one is better, then the other, that might be for another article.

Long guns will be the first gun to be regulated. If you want one, now is probably the time to act. If you want more high capacity magazines, the same holds true. The President’s comments that “I think a lot of gun owners would agree that AK-47s belong in the hands of soldiers, not in the hands of criminals,”

Oops, I keep bumping into this dang soapbox. Yes he was wrong on the type of gun our soldiers are issued, but he means all long guns, not just AK-47’s. I have read reports that every household in Iraq is allowed to have one fully automatic AK-47 for home defense. I have also read that as part of conscription, every Swedish adult serves in their Army and is allowed to bring their fully automatic rifle home. American’s are required to have a special permit to own a fully Auto rifle. But I would happen to agree with the Swedish and Iraqi Governments, that yes, they in fact do belong in the hands of the citizenry.

Ammo

You may have heard the saying that “without ammo you just have an expensive club”. How much you store is up to you and what you can afford. I have seen many recommendations that you should have 500-1000 rounds for each firearm you own. I guess the thinking here is that if it did hit the fan, you might find it difficult to restock easily. I have also seen plenty of stories where someone was arrested for something illegal, and it mentioned that he has “thousands of rounds of ammunition.” I also just read that there is a bill being proposed now that would require any purchase of 1000 rounds be reported to Homeland Security. Depending on where you live, it may be easy to purchase ammo, though for some, purchasing any volume online might be the only option.

If you belong to a shooting league, you can go through a thousand rounds in a weekend. This would really hamper them. If you’re someone that just likes to enjoy range time with friends, you can go through rounds fast as well.

In both the case of the shooting at the screening of the Batman movie and the shooting at the Sikh reports have come out that suspects were on law enforcements radar. Adding new legislation isn’t the answer, using what is already there is.

Filed Under: Security Tagged With: Firearms, Home Defense, Self-Defense

Knowledge Skills and Gear – The Preparedness Hierarchy

August 8, 2012 by Chris Ray

Knowledge Skills and Gear – The Preparedness Hierarchy and how they build off of each other

When someone begins their preparedness journey, there is a tendency to want to acquire supplies and gear quickly. I think it gives us that sense of security like a blanket does a child; something tangible we can put our hands on.

But I believe there is a hierarchy that exists. It looks like this; knowledge, then skills and then gear. Knowledge includes mind set as well as actual learning, in my opinion. If you use a different hierarchy, you could still have success but I don’t think you’ll have as much success or attain it as quickly.

For an example; having become aware of the fact that the crime rate around me is rising and I have no real way to protect my family, the first thing that engaged was my mind. I changed my mindset on home defense. When I became a prepper I was a firearm novice. I took a First Shots class and a hunter safety class with the kids.

Now it was time to make a purchase. I wanted something I could conceal and carry, as well as for home defense use. While a handgun isn’t the optimal gun for home defense, for the reasons listed above it’s what I bought first. I researched caliber and brand and then I went to a few different stores and pawn shops that sold firearms. I wanted to put my hands on them, find something I liked the feel of. I found a few that I wanted to shoot and went to a range that rents guns to fire each one.

You might have noticed that I went right from knowledge to gear, but this is one of those occasions when you have to have the gear to build the skill. It is still the skill that is more important than the gear. Without the skill and training to use the firearm correctly, sure I could fire it but not fire it effectively.

I eventually decided on a Glock 19 as did my wife. We took a training course and learned proper stance, grip, trigger control and many other things. We became members at a local range after our training and practiced quite a bit. Neither of us are crack shots, but both are fully capable of hitting center mass of a man sized target at self-defense range.

Knowledge produces skill, which makes gear effective.

A recent project:

One of the traits of Asperger’s Syndrome is the ability to become fixated on something; learning as much as you possibly can about the subject, to the point where some might think you’re a little odd (or a lot odd depending on the subject). For me, that subject is preparedness. Over the last six or seven years I have amassed a large collection of bookmarks on various subjects related to preparedness. I am in the process of going through and making sure the links are still good, with the eventual goal of posting a link library. I want most of them to be in PDF form. That way if you want to save the file on your local PC or print the document you can. However there will be some sites that are listed because the information on the entire site is so good.

Once I post it, I would also like you to help fill in this library with links to PDF’s and sites that you find very helpful. I’d like to ask you to post these links in the comments section. Because knowledge is so important and there is so much to learn about preparedness, the end goal is that if there is an area in preparedness you want to learn about, you can come to this link library to find sites that have been vetted by fellow readers. I hope to have this library ready next week, but there are a lot of links left to check, so don’t hold me to it.

There are some criteria for posting links, they cannot be copyrighted, or if they are, they must be available to the public domain. There are some really great articles on some sites that I know are just a section from another document, I am not going to post those as I cannot prove copyright. I’ll post more when I actually get the Link Library up.

Filed Under: General Preparedness, Mind Set, Preparedness Tips

Options for Emergency Radio Communication

August 6, 2012 by Chris Ray

In any type of emergency or survival situation, information is one of the most essential commodities. Whether you want to make contact with a loved one to ensure their safety, or just get news from an outside source to find out what is going on, in an emergency, information can be worth more than gold. But in some scenarios, such as the blackout we saw recently on the east coast, most modern means of communication are not available. In a wide spread blackout, grid down scenario, the Internet and TV might both be offline, especially local stations. While they may have a generator to provide some backup power, will they have enough to run 24/7 for days?

There is one medium that has been used for decades to provide entertainment and information; the radio.

There are many different types of radio, so today I want to cover some general information about radio communication and cover some of the different types of radios.

Range

Range varies greatly between different types of radios but one limitation that all types of radios have is range. Some types of radios will be impacted by man-made structures such as buildings and houses, but can also be impacted your terrain. Other radios will just be limited by range and the curvature of the earth. Range can be increased on some radios by adding an antennae or a repeater; the bigger the antennae the further you can “reach out and touch someone.” MURS-Radio has an article on range, that goes much deeper in explaining range and its limitations.

Types of Radios

Short Range

Family Radio Service (FRS)

From the FCC:

“The Family Radio Service (FRS) is in the 462 – 467 MHz spectrum range. The most common use for FRS spectrum is short-distance, two-way communications using small, portable hand-held devices that function similar to walkie-talkies.”

This is the type of radio is the one I have the most experience with. I own and reviewed Motorola T5320. You will often see this type of radio advertised as having a range of 30 miles. In my experience you will see nothing even remotely close to this. In a suburban setting you might be able to maintain clear communication for a few blocks. In a wide open flat area, you could probably have clear communication for a mile or possibly two. There is no license required to operate an FRS radio.

General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS)

From the FCC:

“The General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) is in the 462 – 467 MHz spectrum range. The most common use of GMRS spectrum is short-distance, two-way communications using small, portable hand-held devices that function similar to walkie-talkies.”

Very similar to the FRS with one exception that, for now, a license is required to operate a GMRS radio. The license is good for five years and covers every family member or employee if purchased for business use. There are eight exclusive GMRS channels and seven shared with FRS. A reason one might want to use a GMRS over an FRS is that, according to the FCC:

“A GMRS system consists of station operators, a mobile station (often comprised of several mobile units) and sometimes one or more land stations. A small base station is one that has an antenna no more than 20 feet above the ground or above the tree on which it is mounted and transmits with no more than 5 watts ERP.
None of the GMRS channels are assigned for the exclusive use of any system. You must cooperate in the selection and use of the channels in order to make the most effective use of them and to reduce the possibility of interference.
You can expect a communications range of five to twenty-five miles. You cannot make a telephone call with a GMRS device.”

What I am taking away from the above statements is that if you have a small base station with an antenna, you could achieve a range of 5-25 miles.

GMRS/FRS Hybrid

There have been numerous hybrids developed. These hybrids have a total of 22 channels instead of the 15 on a GMRS. It is up to the purchaser to know and understand how to use the hybrid, as a license would still be required for transmitting on the GMRS bands.

MURS-Radio.com

Similar to the FRS and GMRS in use, the MURS does not require a license to operate. I know from the The Survival Podcast, that Jack Spirko uses a MURS and has said that you can have a base station and set up motion detection that will alert on the base station that there was movement in that sector. MURS-Radio.com is a great source of information on MURS and other types of radios.

Citizens Band (CB)

CB’s function much like the other types of radios, though no license is required to operate them. The range of a CB is roughly five miles. This can be increased with a larger antenna. According to the FCC:

• “There are no height restrictions for antennas mounted on vehicles or for hand-held devices.

• For structures, the highest point of your antenna must not be more than 20 feet above the highest point of the building or tree on which it is mounted, or 60 feet above the ground.

• You may use an on-the-air pseudonym (“handle”) of your choosing.”

I just got a little nostalgic, thinking of all the handles from the 80’s TV shows I used to watch.

Long Range

To this point all of the radios have been fairly short range. Some could be extended with repeaters or antenna, but are still fairly short range. Now I’ll cover some long range radios that can reach globally.

Shortwave Radio

Shortwave radio makes use of the higher end of the AM radio range. It has the ability to bounce its signal off of the ionosphere, which allows the transmission to go great distances around the world. A license is generally required but there are many “pirate stations”, such as the one from the movie “Pump Up the Volume” from 1990. Shortwave radio is often used by Evangelists to spread the Word to far reaching areas of the world. There is no license required to listen to shortwave.

HAM (Amateur Radio)

From the FCC
“The FCC established amateur radio as a voluntary, non-commercial, radio communications service. It allows licensed operators to improve their communications and technical skills, while providing the nation with a pool of trained radio operators and technicians who can provide essential communications during emergencies.”

As mentioned, HAM Radio is often used in emergency situations to broadcast information quickly over long distances. My wife and I are trained storm spotters (not chasers) and when we went through the training they were looking for HAM operators.

There is often some confusion when it comes to HAM radio. A license is required to broadcast but not to listen. Often a HAM setup will contain a desk full of equipment and a large antenna, but there are also portable HAM radios that have only the ability to receive as well as some that can transmit.
There are various levels of HAM licensing. The ARRL (American Radio Relay League) is a fantastic resource for information on all things related to HAM radio. They even have some online classes you can purchase to help you prepare for your HAM exam. You can find some free sample exams/questions online at other sites as well. The site the FCC set up for Amateur Radio Services also has some good information.

Cell Phone

Did you know that your cell Phone is essentially a radio? One good thing to know is that when the cell towers are overloaded, which happens in emergency situations, a text, which requires much less bandwidth, can still be transmitted. I also know someone who goes to very remote places to hunt. While he can’t get cell service to make a call, he can send a text most of the time.

Final Thoughts

If your main concern is staying in touch with your family close to home, then find the short range option that suites your needs and fits your budget. I personally don’t care for FRS and if we upgrade it will probably be to MURS.

However, if you have concerns about being able to communicate over a long distance of 25+ miles or more, you will want to look into getting your HAM license. If you have concerns about getting information when other mediums have stopped working, were shut down, or the information that is dispersed is “being handled”, you might want to look at a shortwave radio or a HAM that can at least receive. If you want to transmit, of course you’ll need a radio capable of transmitting and a license. My thinking with this is; it has been proven by other countries that the Internet can be shut down. Television and local radio can be easily shut down as well. Cell service is also quite easy to stop.

HAM radio is not encrypted. Anything that is said can be heard by anyone listening. As a part of keeping with the FCC guidelines, you must give your call sign every so often. There are databases on-line that you can search for call signs to find the location of where that person lives.

If all you want is to get information that isn’t “being handled”, then you only need to listen. HAM and shortwave cannot be easily stopped. That is part of why they are so popular and are often used by Evangelists to spread the Word in countries that are not pro-Christian.

For some of you that are more rural, setting everyone up with a CB or other type of radio might be a good idea. This would allow communication independent of phone lines.

While I don’t have my HAM license, it is something I would eventually like to have. What are your plans for emergency communication?

Filed Under: General Preparedness Tagged With: gear

Introducing the eBook Why Should I Prepare and is it Biblical?

July 30, 2012 by Chris Ray

I’m excited about releasing my first eBook today, called “Why Should I Prepare and is it Biblical?”. It’s a free gift to anyone who signs up for updates via email. Those of you who are already subscribers, thank you so much for subscribing previously. You should have received an email containing the link to the download page. If you subscribe to the RSS feed and would like a copy, send an email via the contact page, letting me know you would like the link and I’ll send it to you.

This eBook explores some of the rational reasons I believe we should prepare, from the economy to natural disasters. The second half of the eBook explores some of the questions my wife and I had when we began to explore preparedness, such as “Is it a sin?” and “Does it show a lack of faith?” I also cover the verses I have found where God clearly tells us it is prudent and our duty to be prepared to care for our loved ones.

This eBook is free. Please feel free to share it with anyone you feel may be blessed by it and/or benefit from it. I simply ask that you not modify it in any way. If you send it to someone new or to someone who is on the fence about preparedness, I also link to the Getting Started to give them some first steps.

I have become a better (or possibly just lengthier) writer since I first posted “Is Preparedness A Sin?” and ”Scripture Related To Preparedness”. I have updated those articles with the text from the eBook.

To those of you who sign up for updates, thank you. I hope you enjoy the eBook as much as I enjoyed writing it.

May God bless you all,

Chris

Filed Under: Christian World View, General Preparedness, Getting Started

Vision Preparedness

July 25, 2012 by Chris Ray

In a survival situation, not being able to see well, or at all, could drastically reduce your chances of making it through unscathed. With that in mind I am going to give you some things you can do preemptively as well as a couple things you can do if you happen to be caught unprepared.

Preemptive Solutions

Lasik

While I don’t think that vision preparedness in case “it” hits the fan is the only reason to get Lasik, it was one of the reasons I got it done. My vision was 25/20 before Lasik. The day after Lasik, it was 20/15 and at my eye exam yesterday it was 20/20. I wore contacts and/or glasses for twenty years. Having Lasik done was one of the best decisions I’ve made.

It’s expensive but some health plans will cover a portion and I believe you can use an HSA as well, if you have one. I was told that there is a very good chance I would need to use glasses later in life for reading. I don’t mind that. It beats wearing glasses and contacts for the next 10-20 years. Enhancements are covered for life through the facility I used, if there is a need. If my vision starts to get worse, they’ll do Lasik again for free.

I was told by the doctor who performed my Lasik that all someone needs to do to be certified to do Lasik treatment is attend a weekend seminar. Make sure you go to someone who has done hundreds, if not thousands of these procedures.

“Back Up” Pair of Glasses

Whether you wear glasses or contacts full time, you should have a pair of backup glasses. I got bit by this before I was a Prepper; I wore contacts and didn’t own a pair of glasses. I got an eye infection and was told I couldn’t wear contacts for two weeks. They were able to get me a pair of glasses in a couple of days, but I went a day or two without and paid more to have them rushed.

Zenni Optical is an online store that sells glasses from $6.95 to $49.00. While I have never purchased from them, I have heard several good things. I looked through and they have some good looking frames. Whether you use these as your main glasses or buy a few cheap pairs to put in a hard glasses case and toss them in the glove box, BOB or anywhere else, I think this is a solid idea. You’ll need to know your prescription and pupillary distance. There are options available that can raise the price to over $100, but if you’re buying a backup pair, just go bare bones.

Goggles

I have a pair of the geeky goggles we had to wear in science class in my car. My thinking is to keep water out of my eyes if I need to change a tire in the rain or to keep debris out. They’ll protect my eyes in just about any scenario.

Eye Glass Repair Kit

This is a must have item. In fact, they’re cheap enough; have a couple. This way you’ll increase the chance of finding one when you need it. You could also use it as a barter item or just save the day when a neighbors glasses need some tightening.

Options in a Pinch

If you don’t have a backup pair of glasses and a lens breaks, you still have a couple options; one is to use duct tape as my friend, James Hubbard MD The Survival Doctor explains. There is a video of this on his site. Essentially, you place duct tape where the lens goes and poke some holes in the tape where your pupil is. See his article and video for full details. It is good information to have.

If you break your glasses and don’t have duct tape handy, you can use cardboard or any other item you can poke small pin holes in.

As you can see, as with almost everything else in preparedness, there are many more options before the fan, than after it.

Filed Under: Medical and First Aid, Preparedness Tips

Preparedness Lessons from David and Goliath

July 18, 2012 by Chris Ray

Today’s article isn’t the typical preparedness article. Trust me, it is related.

One of my Biblical hero’s has always been David. He was fierce in everything; his protection of his flock, killing a lion and bear, etc. He was fierce in his determination to be king once God chose the time for him to be king. We’re told of at least two times that David spared Saul’s life and many more times that he fled Saul to avoid the confrontation. He was also fierce in his seeking the Lord, writing many of the Psalms, giving God praise and seeking His protection.

One of my favorite stories is of David and Goliath. When David heard that the giant had been taunting Israel and the Living God, he was outraged. He convinced Saul that the Lord had helped him kill the lions and bear and would help him kill the giant. Saul gave David his own armor and weapons, which David was unfamiliar and uncomfortable with. He took his sling and picked five smooth stones. He then went to face the giant, who mocked him, to which David replied:

“You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies—the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.

Today the LORD will conquer you, and I will kill you and cut off your head. And then I will give the dead bodies of your men to the birds and wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel!

And everyone assembled here will know that the LORD rescues his people, but not with sword and spear. This is the LORD’s battle, and he will give you to us!”

Like I said, David was fierce, not because of belief in himself but because of his belief in God. God anointed David as the next king of Israel and, being that he was not king yet, David trusted in the Lord to save him and all of Israel from the giant. David’s faith was fierce.

I said this was preparedness related. Here are the preparedness lessons I have gleaned from this story.

David was a shepherd. He knew that sheep had natural predators that were dangerous and he knew he might have to defend his flock against them, so he always practiced Situational Awareness. There is always a possibility that someone around you means you harm. In fact, according to the FBI crime clock 2010 there was a violent crime every 25.3 seconds that year. Are you aware of your surroundings and looking for wolves?

As my friend Rob Robideau points out in his book “Tactical Bible Stories”, David had at his disposal the very finest weaponry and armor in all of Israel. King Saul had offered his very own. David instead chose to use what he was familiar with; a rod, a sling and stones. There is a saying, “run what ya brung”. It means that you should know how to use what you have.

David was well practiced with his sling. How many stones do you think he threw to become so accurate? He probably slung some for practice, some out of boredom and some out of the need to protect his flock, eventually slinging the stones that slain Goliath. Owning a firearm does not mean you are proficient with it, especially under stress. Under stress your body’s natural reaction could work against you. Only with training and practice can you become proficient and develop the muscle memory to fight against your body’s natural response. A small confession; I need more range time and more training classes. This is something I want to be more proficient at.

All of the mightiest men of Israel watched for forty days as Goliath and the other philistines taunted them, blaspheming our God. Only a young boy was willing to stand up to them. There is a saying “chance favors the prepared mind”. But I think God looks for the willing soul. God has called many of us to prepare, with reasons only He knows. If you’re a regular reader of this blog, my guess is that you are a willing soul. As I mentioned, David’s faith was fierce. He may have thrown the stone, but God used him to kill Goliath. Stay willing and be on the lookout for giants and always be fierce, for we serve a mighty God.

Side note: I read a commentary on this story once that said the reason David grabbed five stones was because Goliath had four brothers. He mentioned verses to back it up, which I can’t remember now. True or not, I thought it was pretty funny.

Filed Under: Mind Set Tagged With: awareness, Self-Defense, training

Know Your Terms; Watches vs. Warnings

July 12, 2012 by Chris Ray

I covered Severe Weather in detail in the linked post. Today I just want to post a refresher, as there are a couple terms that we have all heard but either may not fully understand or, like me, get confused. Those terms are: “watch” and “warning”.

From The Weather Channel.com

Tornados

Tornado watch — Conditions are conducive to the development of tornadoes in and close to the watch area.

Tornado warning — A tornado has been sighted by spotters or indicated on radar and is occurring or imminent in the warning area.

Thunderstorms

Severe thunderstorm watch — Conditions are conducive to the development of severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch area.

Severe thunderstorm warning — A severe thunderstorm has been observed by spotters or indicated on radar, and is occurring or imminent in the warning area

I guess I’ll try to keep it straight by thinking a watch means “Watch out” and a warning mean “You’ve been warned”.

Filed Under: Preparedness Tips

Expiration Dates; Fact or Fiction?

July 11, 2012 by Chris Ray

We are a consumer based society that has been trained to believe the “expiration”, “best used by” or the “you’ll die if you use after this date” are firm dates that mean the product is no longer usable. Marketers have figured out that one great way to get continuous repeat business is to train us to pay a lot of attention to those dates and throw the product out after that date has passed. Am I saying that all expiration dates can just be ignored? Of course not, but I have literally seen expiration dates on paper and plastic goods.

It’s impossible for me to cover all types of products, so I am just going to touch on a few that I think might be popular or important. There are some pretty standard storage rules that will increase the life of just about everything. Keep your items in a cool, dark and dry area.

Staples

Wheat, sugar, honey, salt and so on. I have a pretty extensive list of staples., and here is a link showing you how to store them long term. Many of these items will last 25+ years. Some, such as honey, will store indefinitely, when stored correctly.

Canned Food

From Food Reference.com “Canned food has a shelf life of at least two years from the date of processing. Canned food retains its safety and nutritional value well beyond two years, but it may have some variation in quality, such as a change of color and texture. Canning is a high-heat process that renders the food commercially sterile. Food safety is not an issue in products kept on the shelf or in the pantry for long periods of time. In fact, canned food has an almost indefinite shelf life at moderate temperatures (75° F and below). Canned food as old as 100 years has been found in sunken ships and it is still microbiologically safe! We don’t recommend keeping canned food for 100 years, but if the can is intact, not dented or bulging, it is edible.”

For home canned food, the Ball Jar company used to have the following in the FAQ on their site. They have since revamped their site and I can’t find it again. But what they said was:

“How long can home canned food be stored?
Food that has been properly canned, using an up-to-date, tested recipe and that has a vacuum seal will keep indefinitely; however, over an extended period of time changes do occur. These changes may affect the flavor, color, texture and nutritional value of the product. For the highest quality, use home canned food within one year.

How do I know if a jar of home canned food is spoiled?
When up-to-date guidelines, such as those outlined on this site, are followed exactly, there should be little concern about the quality and safety of your home canned foods. As with commercial packaged foods, it is always wise to examine any food before using it. When you take it from the shelf, check each jar to see that it has retained a vacuum seal and that no visible changes have taken place during storage”

Pop, soda, coke, whatever you call it, where ever you live

This one is a bit tricky. I can’t find any firm numbers, but the research that I have done shows that regular, NON diet, pop will last for a long time, some places say years. As long as the can remains sealed, it will remain carbonated. The corn syrup lasts much longer than artificial sweeteners.

Diet pop goes bad not long after the expiration date. This has to do with the artificial sweeteners.

Chocolate

Chocolate by itself, according to Hershey’s Product FAQ

Q. How should I store chocolate?

A. Solid chocolate products will maintain their quality if well wrapped and stored in a cool, dry place (55-60°F). While refrigerated chocolate is certainly safe to use, we don’t recommend it. Chocolate kept in the refrigerator may “sweat” when brought to room temperature and may not melt properly. Cocoa is considered a non-perishable item which should maintain quality if stored at room temperature in a tightly sealed container.

Chocolate may turn white. This is called “blooming”. The chocolate is still perfectly edible. Here is what Hershey’s has to say in the Hershey’s Product FAQ

Q. My chocolate sometimes turns tan or white. What causes this?

A. Chocolate contains cocoa butter, a vegetable fat that is sensitive to heat and humidity. Temperatures above 75°F will cause chocolate to melt. The cocoa butter can rise to the surface and form a discoloration called “cocoa butter bloom.” Condensation on milk or semi-sweet chocolate may cause the sugar to dissolve and rise to the surface as “sugar bloom.” Chocolate that has “bloomed” is certainly safe to use, but flavor loss and texture changes may be noticed.

Bottled Water

The water itself won’t go bad but the chemicals from the plastic can leech into the water over time. If you use water bottles regularly and rotate through your supply, this shouldn’t be a concern. If you are storing water bottles for pure water storage, rotate every 6-12 months.

Medication

I am not a Doctor, nor have I ever played one on TV, but I have done plenty of research on the subject of medicine. From the below links I’ll show you how I had come to believe that in large part, big-pharma has sold us a bill of goods.

Drugs Frequently Potent Past Expiration details how in the mid 1980’s the military was faced with spending billions to replace medications that were reaching the end of their expiration date and requested the FDA to test whether medications were still effective after their expirations dates. Read the article for full details, but some of the high points:

The testing, conducted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, ultimately covered more than 100 drugs, prescription and over-the-counter. The results, never before reported, show that about 90% of them were safe and effective far past their original expiration date, at least one for 15 years past it.

In light of these results, a former director of the testing program, Francis Flaherty, says he has concluded that expiration dates put on by manufacturers typically have no bearing on whether a drug is usable for longer. Mr. Flaherty notes that a drug maker is required to prove only that a drug is still good on whatever expiration date the company chooses to set. The expiration date doesn’t mean, or even suggest, that the drug will stop being effective after that, nor that it will become harmful.”

“Joel Davis, a former FDA expiration-date compliance chief, says that with a handful of exceptions – notably nitroglycerin, insulin and some liquid antibiotics – most drugs are probably as durable as those the agency has tested for the military. “Most drugs degrade very slowly,” he says. “In all likelihood, you can take a product you have at home and keep it for many years, especially if it’s in the refrigerator.””

Here are more articles dealing with the expiration dates of medicines from MD’s that are themselves prepper’s.

From SurvivalBlog.com

Antibiotics and Antiviral Medications; by Cynthia J. Koelker, MD
Part One, Part Two, Part Three.
A Doctor’s Thoughts on Antibiotics, Expiration Dates, and TEOTWAWKI, by Dr. Bones

The Survival Podcast
Episode-685 with Dr. Eric Wilke on Survival Medicine

Doom and Bloom
The Truth About Expiration Dates by Dr Bones

There was only one medicine that I could find that was in fact harmful when used after it had expired. That was Tetracycline and it only effected one person in the 1960’s I believe. It was suggested that it could have been something else that caused the reaction, but it was blamed on Tetracycline.

From the research I have done it looks like medicines that are in pill form only, not liquid or gel, will last much longer than the expiration date suggests. I have and will continue to store and use medicines that were prescribed and not fully used that have exceeded their expiration dates.

Please click here to vote for Prepared Christian as a top Prepper site!

If you liked this article please think about sharing it on the social media listed below, thanks!

Filed Under: Food, General Preparedness, Preparedness Tips