Kentucky Preppers Network

We have moved to Wordpress

2012-02-26T11:14:00.000-05:00

We have moved to wordpress. Please update your links and bookmarks to www.Kentucky.PreppersNetwork.com

The Kentucky forum URL still remains the same. Visit the Kentucky Forum at: www.KentuckyPreppersNetworkForum.com

August 26-28, campout Fort Boonesborough

2011-08-16T05:23:00.000-04:00

Campout:
August 26-28, campout Fort Boonesborough

Weekly Coffee Meetings:
Tuesdays: Bowling Green
Wednesday: Lexington
Thursdays: East Louisville
Thursdays: Florence area

KPN is a pretty busy place. If you haven’t stopped in for a while I think
you’ll be surprised at how the forum has grown and the wealth of
information we’ve collected.

Details for all of the activities listed above are on the forum in the
Events & Meetups section at http://kentuckypreppersnetworkforum.com

See you in the forum!

Bunker

In the Beginning, ...

2011-06-08T14:52:00.000-04:00

From:
Getting Started http://gsiep.blogspot.com/

In the Beginning, ...

Dear Preppers and Survivalists,

When did you wake up to the fragile nature of our complex society?

Was it urban riots like the one in Watts in 1964 or the one during the New York city blackout in 1977. How about the Miami riot in early 1980, another one again in Los Angeles in 1992, or was it the 2002 Cincinnati riot?

Was it a natural disaster such as a hurricane (Camille in 1962, Andrew in 1992, Katrina in 2005, the Schoolhouse Blizzard in 1888, the blizzard of 1978 and again in 2010, or the earthquakes 1811 in New Madrid, 1906 in San Francisco, or Northridge in 1994?

Was it a financial difficulty such as a financial depression, like the ones in 1857, 1929 and again in 1937, or maybe it was the recessions of '73, the early '80s, or the 90s?

Was it reading a book like Alas, Babylon in 1959, Warday in 1984 or One Second After in 2009 that put that nagging doubt in to your head?

Or is it a potential disaster that might be unfolding such as climate change, Peak Oil, the mass extinction of species, the massive volcano in Yellowstone, another New Madrid earthquake, or the collapse of the world's financial system?

Or could it be some fringe scenario like the Rapture in 2011, Mayan calendar ending in 2012, Zombies, or an alien invasion?

Either way,

Welcome to prepping and survivalism.

Link:

Wikipedia - Urban Riots

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urban_riots

Wikipedia - Hurricane Andrew

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Andrew

Wikipedia - Hurricane Katrina

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Katrina

The Post Chronicle - Biggest Hurricanes in History: The Top 14 Big, Bad Storms

http://www.postchronicle.com/news/original/article_212367849.shtml

Wikipedia - Schoolhouse Blizzard

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schoolhouse_Blizzard

Wikipedia - North American Blizzards of 2010

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_American_blizzards_of_2010

USGS - Largest Earthquakes in these United States

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/states/10_largest_us.php

The Amateur Economist - America's Great Depression: An Overview

http://www.amatecon.com/gd/gdoverview.html

Wikipedia - List of Recessions in these United States

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_recessions_in_the_United_States

Wikipedia - Alas, Babylon

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alas,_Babylon

Wikipedia - Warday

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warday

Wikipedia - One Second After

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_Second_After

Kentucky Preppers Roll Call - All Preppers Please Check In.

2011-03-07T08:39:00.002-05:00

The American Preppers Network is conducting a network-wide roll call. Whether you are a member or not please check in and let us know what you are doing to prepare.

This is a good opportunity to network with other preppers near you.

Kentucky Preppers, to respond to the roll call please follow this link:
http://americanpreppersnetwork.net/viewtopic.php?f=711&t=9259

Reply to the Roll Call and let us know what you have been doing to prepare.

If you are not yet a member of the forum you can register here for free:
http://americanpreppersnetwork.net/ucp.php?mode=register

Rand Paul on FOX News 02/25/11

2011-02-27T00:02:00.001-05:00

2011-01-19T09:20:00.000-05:00

The World According to Monsanto – Full Documentary

Rual King Sale

2011-01-14T22:55:00.000-05:00

Here is a special emailed to me from Getting Started

Do You Live in IL, IN, KY, MI, MO, OH, or TN

.. then I have a deal for you.

Rural King has a sell on 5-gallon buckets. These buckets are the thicker .90 mil buckets, they are thicker and stronger then .75 mil buckets. The cost ...

$1.99

Now, I don't know if these are food-grade buckets, so caveat emptor.

Now, the bad news.

The sale ends Sunday; the buckets have a painted Rural King logo; and the $1.49 lids are flimsy.

Let me say this again.

The on sale lids are flimsy. If you plan to stack the buckets, you will need to buy a .75 or .90 mil lid.

Link:

Rural King - Store Locator

http://www.ruralking.com/store-locator/

Rural King - Weekly Ad

http://www.ruralking.com/weekly-ad/

P.S.

Just so you know, I just paid over six bucks for some buckets and two bucks for some lids from my local supplier.

Pilot Exposes TSA Airport Security Flaws Loses CCW Permit

2010-12-29T09:11:00.001-05:00

Feds target airline pilot for exposing TSA security sham on YouTube

2010-12-27T09:04:00.000-05:00

A Sacramento-based airline pilot is the subject of a federal investigation for exposing what he says are serious flaws in the U.S. Transportation Security Administration's (TSA) airport security protocols. According to ABC News10 in Sacramento, the 50-year-old pilot who requested to remain anonymous says that TSA applies its strict screening protocols to passengers and even flight crews, but ground crews are freely able to access secure areas with a simple card swipe.

"As you can see, airport security is kind of a farce," the pilot explains in his video, as he shows an entrance to a secure area. "It's only smoke and mirrors so you people believe there is actually something going on here."

The pilot has worked for his airline for more than ten years and had been issued a federal handgun to carry with him in the cockpit. But after blowing the whistle on the serious security breaches taking place at the airport, four federal air marshals and two sheriff's deputies shows up at his house to confiscate the weapon, and they also asked him to give up his state-issued concealed weapon carry permit.

On December 6, the pilot also received a letter from the TSA explaining that "an administrative review into your deputation status as a Federal Flight Deck Officer has been initiated," a move that he believes is a warning from the Feds saying not to mess with the system, unless you want to face the consequences.

According to the same ABC News10 report, the pilot's airline asked him to remove the videos from YouTube shortly after he posted them, but portions of the videos captured as part of the ABC News10 report can be viewed at the following link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwLG...

Monday, December 27, 2010 by: Ethan A. Huff, staff writer

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/030844_airline_pilot_TSA.html#ixzz19JiD3qDl

Sources for this story include:

http://www.news10.net/news/article....

Swine flu pandemic outbreak sweeping through Britain even though 70 percent were vaccinated last year

2010-12-27T09:02:00.000-05:00

(NaturalNews) A swine flu pandemic is sweeping through Britain despite the fact that 70 percent of Britain's over-65 population was vaccinated against swine flu last year. This year, that number is nearly the same -- 68.5% -- but flu vaccine proponents insist that until everyone is vaccinated, the flu will continue to infect people.

What these vaccine advocates absolutely will not admit, however, is how many of those who are sick with the flu this year also got vaccinated last year. This little detail is left out of every mainstream media report on vaccines and the flu. They simply refuse to mention this all-important number, leaving readers to leap to the incorrect conclusion that only those who were not vaccinated get sick with the flu.

Most infected patients were previously vaccinated

That assumption is false. In fact, of the 450 critical care beds in England that are now occupied by flu patients, I have no doubt that most of those infected patients are people who received flu vaccines in the past.

Such statistics are never made available to the public or the press, of course. To release such statistics would expose the Great Lie of the vaccine industry: That flu vaccines simply don't work on 99 percent of people!

In fact, the people who are most susceptible to catching the flu are precisely the very same people who get vaccinated. Why is that? Because vaccines weaken the immune system in the long run, leaving you more vulnerable to future infections. They deny your immune system the opportunity to practice its own adaptive response to invading microorganisms or viruses, thereby causing your immune system to atrophy in the same way that a wheelchair-bound person will experience leg muscle atrophy.

The immune system is a lot like a muscle: Use it or lose it!

But flu vaccines provide weakened viruses to the immune system (along with other preservative chemicals that can be extremely dangerous to neurological health). It's sort of like working out your muscles at the gym but having your trainer do all the heavy lifting for you. Obviously you're not going to have very strong muscles in the end because your body won't need to invoke a very strong adaptive response.

The same is true with vaccines and the flu: If your body is exposed to weakened flu viruses year after year, it gets lazy and weak, and when it one day comes into contact with a full-strength virus circulating in the wild, it's not in good enough shape to handle the challenge.

Vitamin D deficiency is widespread in Britain

At the same time this is going on, a person who is vitamin D deficient will also have an alarmingly weak immune system response because vitamin D activates the immune system to do its job. In people with extremely low vitamin D levels, even vaccines containing weakened viruses won't solicit an antibody response. But instead of testing patients for vitamin D deficiency and prescribing that with the vaccine, conventional medical doctors and contagious disease authorities robotically urge everyone to just "get multiple vaccine shots" as if following one failed vaccine with yet another failed vaccine will somehow make them both work.

That's idiotic, of course. And the other idiotic thing about all this is that if people had sufficient levels of vitamin D circulating in their blood, they wouldn't need seasonal flu vaccines in the first place! That's because a strong, healthy immune system with lots of circulating vitamin D is universally effective at halting ALL seasonal flu strains, with near 100% success in those with vitamin D levels between 50 - 70 (ng/dL).

The three main reasons behind Britain's flu pandemic

So the real reason Britain is suffering a swine flu pandemic right now is actually three-fold:

#1) It's winter in the Northern Hemisphere, and Britain is so far north (of the equator) that the people living there aren't currently generating any vitamin D whatsoever. This makes virtually the entire British population ridiculously vitamin D deficient throughout the winter.

#2) The majority of the British population has been subjected to flu vaccines in previous years, weakening their immune systems and making them more vulnerable to this year's flu strains.

#3) The flu strain itself is so successful in the wild precisely because so many Britons walk around in chronic states of immune suppression (from vitamin D deficiency, chronic stress, poor dietary habits and so on). This creates a "viral breeding ground" which encourages more rapid virus mutations that make vaccines obsolete anyway.

The question you are not allowed to ask vaccine quacks

The vaccine-pushing quack medical community believes that if they could magically convince 100 percent of the people to get vaccinated, they would have this problem licked. In their own minds, they have unscientifically convinced themselves that a vaccine equals automatic and full protection against a flu virus.

And yet even they won't dare ask this simple question: Of all the people sick from the flu who are right now lying in Britain's hospital beds, what percentage were vaccinated against the flu last year or this year?

The answer to that question will expose the outright fraud of the vaccine industry because the answer is a very large number. No one in the medical industry dares ask that question, of course, because they realize that delving into the actual re-infection rate of flu vaccine recipients would expose their quackery and fraud, causing yet more people to lose faith in vaccines which are, after all, sold based entirely on misplaced faith and clever propaganda.

The flu vaccine propaganda, of course, demands that people never be allowed to collide with the scientific facts about how many people who are vaccinated against the flu still catch the flu anyway. (The flu re-infection rate.) That's why you will NEVER see an honest answer to this question released by hospitals, vaccine companies or vaccine-pushing doctors.

Keep taking your flu jabs, everybody. But don't ask whether they actually work, because that question isn't allowed to be asked in the cult of medicine that dominates the sick-care landscape around the world today.

We wouldn't want actual science to interfere with a really profitable con job now, would we?

Monday, December 27, 2010
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger
Editor of NaturalNews.com

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/030845_Britain_swine_flu.html#ixzz19JfOYEgc

Kentucky Preppers Roll Call

2010-11-27T13:03:00.000-05:00

The Kentucky Preppers Network is conducting a Roll Call on the APN forum. If you are a prepper please check in.

* Here is a link to the Roll Call:
http://americanpreppersnetwork.net/viewtopic.php?f=711&t=6213

You have to be registered to check in. If you aren't registered please join here:
http://americanpreppersnetwork.net/ucp.php?mode=register

* If you are a HAM Radio Operator check in here:
http://americanpreppersnetwork.net/viewtopic.php?f=143&t=6219

* If you are an A.N.T.S. member please check in here:
http://americanpreppersnetwork.net/viewtopic.php?f=618&t=6220

The True Debate of Our Time - Coercion vs Freedom! (Part 4/5)

2010-11-16T16:28:00.000-05:00

Download:

FLV MP4 3GP

46 smart uses for salt

2010-08-19T16:14:00.001-04:00

46 smart uses for salt

By Melissa Breyer
Posted Mon Aug 9, 2010 4:31pm PDT

More from Care2 Green Living blog

How many ways can you use salt? According to the Salt Institute, about 14,000! The salt website has tons of handy tips for using salt around the house, and the best of the bunch -- plus my additions -- are listed below.

I can't think of another more versatile mineral. Salt is the most common and readily available nonmetallic mineral in the world. In fact, the supply of salt is inexhaustible.

For thousands of years, salt (sodium chloride) has been used to preserve food and for cleaning, and people have continued to rely on it for all kinds of nifty tricks.

So with its nontoxic friendliness and status as an endlessly abundant resource, let's swap out some toxic solutions for ample, innocuous, and inexpensive salt.

There are a number of forms of salt produced for consumption (and by default, housekeeping!): unrefined salt (such as sea salt), refined salt (table salt), and iodized salt. Kosher salt is sodium chloride processed to have flat crystals. And in case you're wondering, Epsom salt is an entirely different stuff: magnesium sulfate to be exact (which is a salt that I consider to be, essentially, miraculous).

Here are just a few of the many ways you can put salt to good use in your home:

In the Kitchen

Aside from all of the alchemy that salt performs in terms of baking chemistry and food flavor, salt has a number of other great applications in the kitchen.

Test egg freshness.
Put two teaspoons of salt in a cup of water and place an egg in it -- a fresh egg will sink, an older egg will float. Because the air cell in an egg increases as it ages, an older egg is more buoyant. This doesn't mean a floating egg is rotten, just more mature. Crack the egg into a bowl and examine it for any funky odor or appearance -- if it's rotten, your nose will tell you. (Bonus fact: if you have hard-boiled eggs that are difficult to peel, that means they are fresh!)

Set poached eggs.
Because salt increases the temperature of boiling water, it helps to set the whites more quickly when eggs are dropped into the water for poaching.

Prevent fruits from browning.
Most of us use lemon or vinegar to stop peeled apples and pears from browning, but you can also drop them in lightly salted water to help them keep their color.

Shell nuts more easily.
Soak pecans and walnuts in salt water for several hours before shelling to make it easier to remove the meat.

Prevent cake icing crystals.
A little salt added to cake icings prevents them from sugaring.

Remove odors from hands.
Oniony-garlicy fingers? I like soap and water, then rubbing them on anything made of stainless steel (it really works), but you can also rub your fingers with a salt and vinegar combo.

Reach high peaks.
Add a tiny pinch of salt when beating egg whites or whipping cream for quicker, higher peaks.

Extend cheese life.
Prevent mold on cheese by wrapping it in a cloth moistened with saltwater before refrigerating.

Save the bottom of your oven.
If a pie or casserole bubbles over in the oven, put a handful of salt on top of the spill. It won't smoke and smell, and it will bake into a crust that makes the baked-on mess much easier to clean when it has cooled.

Personal Care

Extend toothbrush life.
Soak toothbrushes in salt water before your first use; they'll last longer.

Clean teeth.
Use one part fine salt to two parts baking soda -- dip your toothbrush in the mix and brush as usual. You can also use the same mix dissolved in water for orthodontic appliances.

Rinse your mouth.
Mix equal parts salt and baking soda in water for a fresh and deodorizing mouth rinse.

Ease mouth problems.
For cankers, abscesses, and other mouth sores, rinse your mouth with a weak solution of warm saltwater several times a day.

Relieve bee-sting pain.
Ouch? Immediately dampen area and pack on a small pile of salt to reduce pain and swelling. More bee-sting tips here.

Treat mosquito bites.
A saltwater soak can do wonders for that special mosquito-bite itch -- a poultice of salt mixed with olive oil can help too.

Treat poison ivy.
Same method as for treating mosquito bites. (Salt doesn't seem to distinguish between itches.)

Have an exfoliating massage.
After bathing and while still wet give yourself a massage with dry salt. It freshens skin and boosts circulation.

Ease throat pain.
Mix salt and warm water, gargle to relieve a sore throat.

Around the House

Deter ants.
Sprinkle salt at doorways, window sills, and anywhere else ants sneak into your house. Ants don't like to walk on salt.

Extinguish grease fires.
Keep a box of salt near your stove and oven, and if a grease fire flares up, douse the flames with salt. (Never use water on grease fires; it will splatter the burning grease.) When salt is applied to fire, it acts like a heat sink and dissipates the heat from the fire -- it also forms an oxygen-excluding crust to smother the fire.

Drip-proof candles.
If you soak new candles in a strong salt solution for a few hours, then dry them well, they will not drip as much when you burn them.

Keep cut flowers fresh.
A dash of salt added to the water in a flower vase will keep cut flowers fresh longer. (You can also try an aspirin or a dash of sugar for the same effect.)

Arrange artificial flowers.
Artificial flowers can be held in place by pouring salt into the vase, adding a little cold water and then arranging the flowers. The salt become solid as it dries and holds the flowers in place.

Make play dough.
Use 1 cup flour, 1/2 cup salt, 1 cup water, 2 tablespoons oil, and 2 tablespoons cream of tartar. Stir together flour, cream of tartar, salt, and oil, and slowly add water. Cook over medium heat stirring frequently until dough becomes stiff. Spread onto wax paper and let cool. Knead the dough with your hands until it reaches a good dough consistency. (Read about juice dyes here.)

Repair walls.
To fill nail holes, fix chips or other small dings in white sheet-rock or plaster walls, mix 2 tablespoons salt and 2 tablespoons cornstarch, then add enough water (about 5 teaspoons) to make a thick paste. Use the paste to fill the holes.

Deter patio weeds.
If weeds or grass grow between bricks or blocks in your patio, sidewalk, or driveway, carefully spread salt between the cracks, then sprinkle with water or wait for rain to wet it down.

Kill poison ivy.
Mix three pounds of salt with a gallon of soapy water (use a gentle dish soap) and apply to leaves and stems with a sprayer, avoiding any plant life that you want to keep.

De-ice sidewalks and driveways.
One of the oldest tricks in the book! Lightly sprinkle rock salt on walks and driveways to keep snow and ice from bonding to the pavement and allow for easier shoveling/scraping. But don't overdo it; use the salt sensibly to avoid damage to plants and paws.

Tame a wild barbecue.
Toss a bit of salt on flames from food dripping in barbecue grills to reduce the flames and calm the smoke without cooling the coals (like water does).

Cleaning

Salt works as an effective yet gentle scouring agent. Salt also serves as a catalyst for other ingredients, such as vinegar, to boost cleaning and deodorizing action. For a basic soft scrub, make a paste with lots of salt, baking soda and dish soap and use on appliances, enamel, porcelain, etc.

Clean sink drains.
Pour salt mixed with hot water down the kitchen sink regularly to deodorize and keep grease from building up.

Remove water rings.
Gently rub a thin paste of salt and vegetable oil on the white marks caused by beverage glasses and hot dishes on wooden tables.

Clean greasy pans.
Cast-iron skillets can be cleaned with a good sprinkling of salt and paper towels.

Clean stained cups.
Mix salt with a dab of dish soap to make a soft scrub for stubborn coffee and tea stains.

Clean refrigerators.
A mix of salt and soda water can be used to wipe out and deodorize the inside of your refrigerator, a nice way to keep chemical-y cleaners away from your food.

Clean brass or copper.
Mix equal parts of salt, flour, and vinegar to make a paste, and rub the paste on the metal. After letting it sit for an hour, clean with a soft cloth or brush and buff with a dry cloth.

Clean rust.
Mix salt and cream of tartar with just enough water to make a paste. Rub on rust, let dry, brush off and buff with a dry, soft cloth. You can also use the same method with a mix of salt and lemon.

Clean a glass coffee pot.
Every diner waitress' favorite tip: add salt and ice cubes to a coffee pot, swirl around vigorously, and rinse. The salt scours the bottom, and the ice helps to agitate it more for a better scrub.

Laundry

Attack wine spills.
If a tipsy guest tips wine on your cotton or linen tablecloth, blot up as much as possible and immediately cover the wine with a pile of salt, which will help pull the remaining wine away form the fiber. After dinner, soak the tablecloth in cold water for 30 minutes before laundering. (Also works on clothing.)

Quell oversudsing.
Since, of course, we are all very careful in how much detergent we use in our laundry, we never have too many suds. But if someone overfills ... you can eliminate excess suds with a sprinkle of salt.

Dry clothes in the winter.
Use salt in the final laundry rinse to prevent clothes from freezing if you use an outdoor clothes line in the winter.

Brighten colors.
Wash colored curtains or washable fiber rugs in a saltwater solution to brighten the colors. Brighten faded rugs and carpets by rubbing them briskly with a cloth that has been dipped in a strong saltwater solution and wrung out.

Remove perspiration stains.
Add four tablespoons of salt to one quart of hot water and sponge the fabric with the solution until stains fade.

Remove blood stains.
Soak the stained cloth in cold saltwater, then launder in warm, soapy water and boil after the wash. (Use only on cotton, linen, or other natural fibers that can take high heat.)

Tackle mildew or rust stains.
Moisten stained spots with a mixture of lemon juice and salt, then spread the item in the sun for bleaching -- then rinse and dry.

Clean a gunky iron bottom.
Sprinkle a little salt on a piece of paper and run the hot iron over it to remove rough, sticky spots.

Set color.
Salt is used commonly in the textile industry, but works at home too. If a dye isn't colorfast, soak the garment for an hour in 1/2 gallon of water to which you've added 1/2 cup vinegar and 1/2 cup salt, then rinse. If rinse water has any color in it, repeat. Use only on single-colored fabric or madras. If the item is multicolored, dry-clean it to avoid running all of the colors together.

2010-08-19T10:34:00.000-04:00

23 Ingenious Uses for White Vinegar

http://www.care2.com/greenliving/23-ing ... negar.html

By Allison Ford, Divine Caroline

About 10,000 years ago, ancient people discovered a product that would change lives forever. Wine had been around for a while, but after some was allowed to oxidize, vinegar was born. It became an immediate hit. The Babylonians used vinegar as a preservative, as did Ancient Greeks and Romans. Some peoples, including the Chinese, believed that vinegar was a tonic that would give them strength and vitality, as well as bestow healing properties. Legend has it that Hannibal only succeeded in crossing the Alps because his armies heated mountain boulders and doused them with vinegar, causing the rocks to crumble and clear the path.

Vinegar’s magic ingredient is acetic acid, which comprises about 5 percent of the finished product. Vinegar has been produced commercially for about 2,500 years, making it one of the oldest products in use by humans. There are many different types of vinegar out there, all produced by the oxidization of alcohol into acetic acid, but white vinegar is the most useful and the most versatile by far.

White vinegar has dozens of household applications, and the best part is that it’s green. It’s enjoying a newfound popularity as many people try to avoid toxic or harsh cleaning chemicals around their pets and children, as well as save money by making their own cleansers. Not to mention that vinegar is cheap, it’s versatile, and it doesn’t irritate allergies like some fragranced cleansers. Chances are, whenever you run into a household funk, vinegar is your answer.

Kitchen Remedies: Besides adding zest to salad dressings, white vinegar is handy for many cooking tasks.

1. Adding a few tablespoons of white vinegar to the water when poaching eggs helps the whites stay formed. Add a few tablespoons to the water when boiling eggs, and if any shells crack, the whites won’t leak out.

2. If your leafy veggies are wilted, soaking them in cold water with a little vinegar can perk them right up.

3. After chopping an onion, you can eliminate the odor from your hands by rubbing them with a bit of white vinegar.

4. When cooking any vegetables from the cabbage family (like broccoli or cauliflower), adding a little vinegar to the water will perk up the taste and reduce the gassiness they can induce. This also works when cooking beans, making Mexican food a far more attractive option.

Cleaning House: Vinegar can help with a variety of cleaning tasks, since the acid acts as a disinfectant and an odor neutralizer.

5. Clean and deodorize the garbage disposal by mixing equal parts vinegar and baking soda and putting it down the drain. After letting this fizzing mixture sit for a few minutes, flush out the drain with warm water for a clean and stink-free sink.

6. The steam from a boiling a bowl of vinegar and water can loosen caked-on food and get rid of odors in the microwave, too.

7. One of my favorite vinegar remedies and my personal weapon against fruit flies is to set out a small dish of white vinegar and some smashed fruit, covered with plastic wrap with some holes in it–the flies crawl into the trap, but can’t get out.

8. If your stemware is cloudy from the dishwasher, wrap the glasses in paper towels soaked in vinegar, let them sit, and the cloudy deposits will rinse right off.

9. There’s no need to use bleach on tile grouting when you can let vinegar soak on it and then scrub with a toothbrush.

10. Bring lightly scuffed or dirty DVDs back to life by wiping them down with some vinegar on a soft cloth.

11. If you have water condensation marks on your wood, just rub the piece of furniture with equal parts vinegar and vegetable oil to remove them. Make sure to rub with the grain, and then invest in a set of coasters.

Cleaning Clothes: Vinegar works magic on upholstery and fabric, too.

12. If a child has an ‘accident’ on a mattress, clean it with a solution of vinegar and water. Afterwards, pour some baking soda onto the mattress, and brush or vacuum the residue once it’s dry.

13. Spraying vinegar onto deodorant-stained shirts before the wash can remove the discoloration. It’s also great for fighting mustard, tomato sauce, or ketchup stains.

14. Adding a cupful of vinegar to the rinse cycle of your washing machine can freshen up bright colors and give you cleaner laundry. Acetic acid won’t harm fabrics, but it dissolves the soap residue that can dull dark clothing. It also acts as a fabric softener, a static reducer, and a mildew-inhibitor.

15. Vinegar will also loosen chewing gum stuck to car upholstery, rugs, and carpeting.

Outdoor Solutions: Tough enough even for the outdoors, vinegar can function as a car cleaner and an organic pest remover.

16. If your car still sports a bumper sticker from two elections ago, remove it by spraying the decal with white vinegar to saturate the area, and the sticker will peel off in a few hours. (You might need to spray it a few times.)

17. Wiping down your car windows and windshield with a three-to-one vinegar-water mixture can keep them frost-free in the wintertime.

18. Kill weeds and crabgrass growing in sidewalks and driveways by pouring vinegar onto them. A half-and-half solution of vinegar and water can even kill garden slugs if it’s sprayed directly onto them.

19. To extend the life of cut flowers, add a few tablespoons of vinegar to the water in their vase, along with a teaspoon of sugar.

Pet Protection: There’s no need to use chemicals near pets when vinegar can handle most cleaning and bathing tasks.

20. Wipe out itchy ears with undiluted vinegar to keep dogs and cats from scratching at them.

21. Cats avoid vinegar, so to keep them from scratching furniture or sitting on certain areas, spray a vinegar solution onto the spot.

22. For outdoor areas, soak a sponge in vinegar and place it in the forbidden area to keep cats away. If kitty likes to mark his territory, spraying the area with vinegar can help eliminate the smell and deter recurrences.

23. Vinegar also gets rid of skunk odor. Soak the animal with a half-and-half vinegar and water solution, and then rinse with fresh water.

Vinegar can disinfect, deodorize, and de-gunkify just about everything. From shower curtains to sofa cushions, there’s not much that it can’t do. As an alternative to expensive and harsh cleaning chemicals, vinegar is something you can feel good about keeping in your cupboards. White vinegar and baking soda can even remove product buildup from hair and leave it soft and manageable. A product that can clean you, the dog, your car, and your house is what I’d call a good, green buy.

Knob Creek Meetup June 13th

2010-05-25T22:57:00.000-04:00

The Kentucky Preppers Network will be meeting at the Knob Creek Gun Range outside of Louisville KY on June 13th. We rented the back room and we will be spending time on the range. Please refer to the thread in the Kentucky Preppers Network forum for more information, and to RSVP.

Click Here for More Info

Preppers Feature in the BBC March 2010

2010-03-25T23:35:00.034-04:00

Americans Get Set for Disaster Day

By Madeleine Morris
BBC News

If there was ever a major disaster in northern Virginia, Chuck Izzo's house is where you would want to be.

Tucked away in his pantry are enough tinned food and water to last for two months.

In the basement an inverter hums quietly, charging batteries that could easily power most of his three-storey home's lights and appliances for nine hours.

And for when that runs out, he has a wood-burning stove with a two-month supply of fuel pellets so he can cook and heat the whole house.

Mr Izzo is a "prepper", one of a growing number of Americans who are preparing their homes and families to survive a major disaster they believe could arrive at any time.

"We realize the frailty of infrastructure so if it fails, we're prepared to deal with a crisis like that," he explains.
"It could be electricity, it could be a medical emergency. It could be something caused by a man-made disaster or a natural disaster."

“ I don't think it's paranoia. I think it's just a degree of readiness. ”
Chuck Izzo

While there have always been people who have anticipated and prepared for disaster, "prepping" as a discernable movement has emerged only in the last 18 months, with the growth of online prepper networks and blogs.

Since its inception just 15 months ago, the American Preppers Network and its associated state networks now get more than 5,000 hits a day.

Preppers debate issues like whether to "bug-in" or "bug-out" (to evacuate or stay when disaster strikes) and more mundane matters like gardening tips.

Blogs such as The Survival Mom and Suburban Prepper give tips on preserving and growing food, discuss the pros and cons of having a gun, and offer advice on ham radio.

“ I think it's something more people my age should think about ”
Matt Jarvis Prepper, 22

"There are a lot of people out there who feel the same way as I do, but don't know that there's others out there like them, so it's the prepper networks that provide that online community for people to come together online and talk with each other," says Matt Jarvis, the man behind The Prepper Podcast.

From his bedroom in rural Kentucky, Mr Jarvis records and posts his weekly conversations with other preppers and survival experts.

Mr Jarvis is 22 and still lives with his parents, yet he has put aside three months' worth of food and water, plus other supplies, in case disaster strikes.

He is most worried about hurricanes after one destroyed many of the houses on his street two years ago, but economic collapse and terrorism are also concerns.

He acknowledges it is unusual for someone of his age to be thinking so much about potential disasters, and putting hard-earned money into preparing for something that may never come.

"But I think it's something more people my age should think about," he says.

Survivalists vs Preppers

Preppers are keen not to be seen as survivalists - the stereotypically anti-government, wood-dwelling, gun-toting hermits of past decades.

Rather than isolating themselves in preparation for Armageddon, preppers tend to have normal jobs, mingle with their communities and take a more relaxed view about looming disasters.

Tom Martin, who began the American Preppers Network makes the distinction. "A survivalist is more a specific term," he says.

"For me, a survivalist is someone who can go into any type of situation and live off the land. Me, I'm not like that.

"People call themselves survivalists because they've got guns and MREs (military ready-to-eat meals). A prepper is a more generalised term. "

While most preppers tend to be politically to the right, or even libertarian in their views, their back-to-basics approach to food cultivation and preparation, as well as use of alternative energy sources, paradoxically means they have much in common with left-of-centre environmentalists.

But according to Professor Michael K Lindell, editor of the International Journal of Mass Emergencies and Director of the Hazard Reduction and Recovery Centre at Texas A&M University, the recent growth in prepping is a sign of uncertain times.

"There is a general feeling of greater personal responsibility that we've seen in a number of different surveys," says Professor Lindell.

"Plus, people have the money and knowledge to invest in these different types of survival resources, as well as the feeling that they really are at risk.

"It's all these different trends that are coming together that are leading to this kind of behaviour."
Many preppers cite the American government's bungled response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005 as a key motivator behind their approach to survival. The economic crisis of the past two years is also frequently mentioned.

So are preppers paranoid? Chuck Izzo says not.

"Having a couple of months' worth of food, some first aid training, potentially if you can afford it having a back-up power system to maintain the electrical systems in your house… I don't think that's paranoia," he says.

"I think that's just a degree of readiness. I think it improves our confidence and our quality of life."

Video of the Preppers TV Spot on BBC World News America

Video Review: LED Flashlights

2010-03-10T14:21:00.002-05:00

Follw us on Twitter!

2010-02-18T17:34:00.001-05:00

Hey everyone, Kentucky Preppers Network is now on Twitter! If you're a Twitter user make sure you follow @kypreppers for updates. This is only the feed from the blog. Personal Twitters are posted in the footer under Blogging Team.

How to Properly Store Fuel

2010-02-15T08:51:00.005-05:00

By: Emory Warner
Backwoodshome Magazine Issue #43
Home storage of fuel is a necessity for homesteaders. Even if you are still on the grid, your truck, tractor, standby generator, etc. will still require fuel. I intend to offer appropriate methods of storage for LP gas, gasoline, diesel fuel, and kerosene. I will also offer some tips on safe fuel handling.

Fuel types

LP gas is one of the easiest fuels to store and also one of the most dangerous. It is a highly versatile fuel which can be used to power internal combustion stationary engines, tractors, and other motor vehicles, as well as for cooking and heating. LP has two serious drawbacks: First, it must be stored under pressure to remain a liquid; any leak (which may not be visible) could leak away all of your fuel without your knowledge. Second, LP is only slightly heavier than air, and will disperse at the exact ratio to produce an explosion. It will also “puddle” in low spots, waiting for an ignition source.

Salvaged 275 gallon horizontal fuel tank with hand fuel pump and filter. This type of pump is suited for all fuels; current use is for diesel fuel.

Gasoline has the advantage of being a liquid at room temperature. But it is probably the hardest fuel to store for any length of time. It has a high vapor pressure (which means it evaporates quickly) and will go stale in a few weeks if not chemically treated. It does have a fairly high ignition temperature (about 1100° F) even though it does not need a large volume of heat to ignite. Stored gasoline must be treated with a BHT additive like Sta-Bil and protected from moisture if it is to be stored for any length of time.

Large quantities of gasoline make me nervous. I used to live on the water in southern Maryland, and was witness to several boat explosions and fires due to gasoline vapor in the bilges.

Kerosene is one of the easiest fuels to store, and is more versatile than most people think. It does not evaporate as readily as gasoline and will remain stable in storage with no special treatment. Many pre-1950 farm tractor engines were designed to run on kerosene, and diesels will run on kerosene if necessary. Kerosene stoves and refrigerators are also available and would definitely be preferable to LP models from the safety standpoint.

Diesel fuel stores almost as easily as kerosene and is becoming more and more popular among the self sufficient. It is difficult to ignite intentionally and almost impossible to ignite by accident. Two grades are available: #1 diesel which is old-fashioned yellow kerosene, and #2 diesel which is the same thing as #2 home heating oil. (You may see literature to the contrary, but #2 diesel is #2 heating oil. Period.) Diesel fuel presents its own unique storage problems: The first is that it is somewhat hygroscopic; that is, it will absorb moisture from the air. The second and related problem is sludge formation. Sludge is the result of anaerobic bacteria living in the trapped water and eating the sulfur in the fuel. Left untreated, the sludge will grow until it fills the entire tank, ruining the fuel. Stored diesel fuel should be treated with a biocide like methanol or diesel Sta-Bil as soon as it is delivered. Unique to #2 is the fact that some paraffin wax is dissolved in the fuel and will settle out at about 20° F, clogging the fuel filter. This “fuel freezing” may be eliminated by adding 10% gasoline or 20% kerosene to the diesel fuel. Commercial diesel fuel supplements are also available to solve the same problem. Diesel should be filtered before use.

Thirty dollar drum pump mounted on a 55-gallon drum of kerosene. This type of piston pump is not suitable for gasoline.

Alcohol (ethanol) is not commonly considered a storage fuel, but here is the data on it for those who distill their own. Alcohol is as hygroscopic as it gets, and must be stored in a sealed container to prevent moisture contamination. It is about as volatile as kerosene and presents the unique problem, when ignited, of burning with an almost invisible blue flame. It may be best to store the raw material for stilling the alcohol and producing the fuel as needed, rather than producing a large quantity and storing it.

Whatever fuel you store, it would be a good idea to monitor your fuel usage and plan your storage around a 90-day supply.

Safe fuel handling

Regardless of the fuel in question, all liquid fuels should be handled in the same matter as the most volatile, which is either gasoline or LP gas. Fuel should be stored in an isolated area, downhill and downwind from any other buildings. Fuel vapors are heavier than air, and will flow downhill. LP tanks should be left in the open and not enclosed in any way. Liquid fuel tanks can and should be stored in a well-ventilated building or open lean-to to prevent solar heating from evaporating the fuel. If the storage location is permanent, consider using a buried tank. If set below the frost line, temperatures are stable at 55° F or so, which will inhibit evaporation. The tanks will be safe from everything, including stray (or aimed!) gunfire, brushfires, and just about everything else except the EPA. If buried fuel tanks offend your sense of environmental responsibility, then consider an underground vault. This has the added advantage of being able to inspect the tanks from time to time.

One type of approved and properly marked portable fuel cans.

Regardless of the tank location, a dry chemical or C02 fire extinguisher should be hung on the outside of the building or near the pump. Any electrical fixtures should be “explosion proof” (sealed) and wired in sealed conduit to prevent fuel vapors from coming into contact with electrical sparks. Prohibit smoking or carrying of smoking materials within 50 feet of the fuel pumps. Electrical fuel pumps should have a heat sensitive shutoff to stop the pump in the event of fire. Always shut down the engine of the machine being fueled. Promptly clean up any spills. Last of all, be certain to use only the equipment that is approved for the fuel in question. (Some fuel pumps are approved for diesel only, and are unsafe to use for gasoline.)

Fuel storage methods

Liquid fuels use the same storage systems and will be covered as a group. LP gas is normally stored in pressurized tanks supplied by the LP dealer, and will be only briefly covered.

The most basic fuel storage system is the common portable fuel can. If you are still on the grid and have a job “off the property,” then this is a workable and economical method of fuel storage. A minimum of three cans will be required: one full at all times, one for use as needed, and one to be refilled at the first opportunity.

Rotation of the cans will ensure some amount of reasonably fresh fuel at all times. This storage system has the added advantage of portability in the event that the storage site must be abandoned. Use only approved containers, and use caution not to mix up containers. The standard color code for portable cans is blue for kerosene, red for gasoline, and yellow for diesel fuel. This is not cast in stone. Use whatever color scheme you like, but be consistent with it. Gasoline introduced into a diesel tank will make the diesel engine hard to start when hot. Gasoline in a kerosene heater will explode like a Molotov cocktail. Diesel #2 in a kerosene lamp will smoke and stink and soot up the globe. If you use all three fuels like we do, it seems that you will be filling a fuel can every time that you go out. Delivered fuel is much more convenient, and usually cheaper.

A horizontal drum storage system. Front and rear 2x6s are notched to hold drums and are bolted to 4x4 posts. Braces are 2x4s. This would be nice to have under a lean-to beside the tractor shed.

The next storage system is the 55-gallon drum used with a hand pump or horizontally on a rack. This is a highly flexible storage system, as drums may be added as needed to suit individual requirements. Most fuel dealers have a 100-gallon minimum delivery, so at least two drums will be needed. You can even load one drum in your truck, drive to the service station and fill it, then bring it home and pump the fuel into your storage drum. Drums are also portable enough in the event that the storage site must be abandoned. The only disadvantages are the negligible cost of the drums and that the drums will eventually rust and leak. We use drums for our kerosene and gasoline storage. Label each drum clearly if you are storing more than one type of fuel.

If you wish to store large quantities of fuel, then the built-for-the-purpose fuel tank is the system of choice. Tanks are available new in capacities from 100 to 10,000 gallons in above ground and underground types.

Most commonly used here in the Northeast is the standard residential 275-gallon fuel tank. These are available new at plumbing and heating suppliers for about $150. Used tanks are usually available free for the hauling, including whatever fuel is in them. As a side note, an individual with a pickup truck and a reciprocating saw could make a fairly decent living removing old fuel tanks as homeowners change away from fuel oil to natural gas. This is about the dirtiest work available, and pays about $100 per tank. The removed tanks could be cleaned up, painted, and resold for $50 or more. I have accumulated about five or six tanks in the last few years without really looking for them.

Fuel dispensing is a matter of choice. An elevated tank needs only a valve and filter; gravity will do the rest. We prefer to use hand pumps for our kerosene and diesel tanks. Valves have been known to leak, and vandalism is an unfortunate reality of modern life—especially if the vandal elects to open the valve on a tank of gasoline and follow it up with a lit match. Hand pumps are safer, and they are more easily secured if the tank must be left unattended.

The author’s system

My personal fuel storage system is a salvaged 275-gallon fuel tank with a hand pump and filter for our diesel fuel storage. Our principal tractor is diesel powered. We also use it to operate a PTO (power takeoff) generator for standby use. We use two or three 55-gallon drums for kerosene storage, with a lift pump for dispensing. (We rely on kerosene heaters to supplement our woodstove.) But, as I have a job “off the property,” and we have two old gasoline engine tractors, as well as a chainsaw, lawnmower, etc., the fuel can system works well for our gasoline supply. This is particularly suitable for us, as I feel uncomfortable about storing large quantities of gasoline.

What to do Before Winter Storms and Extreme Cold

2010-02-10T12:15:00.001-05:00

Source: FEMA.gov

Add the following supplies to your disaster supplies kit:

* Rock salt to melt ice on walkways
* Sand to improve traction
* Snow shovels and other snow removal equipment.

Prepare your home and family

* Prepare for possible isolation in your home by having sufficient heating fuel; regular fuel sources may be cut off. For example, store a good supply of dry, seasoned wood for your fireplace or wood-burning stove.
* Winterize your home to extend the life of your fuel supply by insulating walls and attics, caulking and weather-stripping doors and windows, and installing storm windows or covering windows with plastic.
* Winterize your house, barn, shed or any other structure that may provide shelter for your family, neighbors, livestock or equipment. Clear rain gutters; repair roof leaks and cut away tree branches that could fall on a house or other structure during a storm.
* Insulate pipes with insulation or newspapers and plastic and allow faucets to drip a little during cold weather to avoid freezing.
* Keep fire extinguishers on hand, and make sure everyone in your house knows how to use them. House fires pose an additional risk, as more people turn to alternate heating sources without taking the necessary safety precautions.
* Learn how to shut off water valves (in case a pipe bursts).
* Know ahead of time what you should do to help elderly or disabled friends, neighbors or employees.
* Hire a contractor to check the structural ability of the roof to sustain unusually heavy weight from the accumulation of snow - or water, if drains on flat roofs do not work.

Prepare your car

* Check or have a mechanic check the following items on your car:
o Antifreeze levels - ensure they are sufficient to avoid freezing.
o Battery and ignition system - should be in top condition and battery terminals should be clean.
o Brakes - check for wear and fluid levels.
o Exhaust system - check for leaks and crimped pipes andrepair or replace as necessary. Carbon monoxide is deadly and usually gives no warning.
o Fuel and air filters - replace and keep water out of the system by using additives and maintaining a full tank of gas.
o Heater and defroster - ensure they work properly.
o Lights and flashing hazard lights - check for serviceability.
o Oil - check for level and weight. Heavier oils congeal more at low temperatures and do not lubricate as well.
o Thermostat - ensure it works properly.
o Windshield wiper equipment - repair any problems and maintain proper washer fluid level.
* Install good winter tires. Make sure the tires have adequate tread. All-weather radials are usually adequate for most winter conditions. However, some jurisdictions require that to drive on their roads, vehicles must be equipped with chains or snow tires with studs.
* Maintain at least a half tank of gas during the winter season.
* Place a winter emergency kit in each car that includes:
o a shovel
o windshield scraper and small broom
o flashlight
o battery powered radio
o extra batteries
o water
o snack food
o matches
o extra hats, socks and mittens
o First aid kit with pocket knife
o Necessary medications
o blanket(s)
o tow chain or rope
o road salt and sand
o booster cables
o emergency flares
o fluorescent distress flag

Dress for the Weather

* Wear several layers of loose fitting, lightweight, warm clothing rather than one layer of heavy clothing. The outer garments should be tightly woven and water repellent.
* Wear mittens, which are warmer than gloves.
* Wear a hat.
* Cover your mouth with a scarf to protect your lungs.

What to Do During an Earthquake

2010-01-22T23:04:00.001-05:00

Source: FEMA.gov

Stay as safe as possible during an earthquake. Be aware that some earthquakes are actually fore shocks and a larger earthquake might occur. Minimize your movements to a few steps to a nearby safe place and stay indoors until the shaking has stopped and you are sure exiting is safe.
If indoors

* DROP to the ground; take COVER by getting under a sturdy table or other piece of furniture; and HOLD ON on until the shaking stops. If there isn’t a table or desk near you, cover your face and head with your arms and crouch in an inside corner of the building.
* Stay away from glass, windows, outside doors and walls, and anything that could fall, such as lighting fixtures or furniture.
* Stay in bed if you are there when the earthquake strikes. Hold on and protect your head with a pillow, unless you are under a heavy light fixture that could fall. In that case, move to the nearest safe place.
* Use a doorway for shelter only if it is in close proximity to you and if you know it is a strongly supported, load bearing doorway.
* Stay inside until shaking stops and it is safe to go outside. Research has shown that most injuries occur when people inside buildings attempt to move to a different location inside the building or try to leave.
* Be aware that the electricity may go out or the sprinkler systems or fire alarms may turn on.
* DO NOT use the elevators.

If outdoors

* Stay there.
* Move away from buildings, streetlights, and utility wires.
* Once in the open, stay there until the shaking stops. The greatest danger exists directly outside buildings, at exits, and alongside exterior walls. Many of the 120 fatalities from the 1933 Long Beach earthquake occurred when people ran outside of buildings only to be killed by falling debris from collapsing walls. Ground movement during an earthquake is seldom the direct cause of death or injury. Most earthquake-related casualties result from collapsing walls, flying glass, and falling objects.

If in a moving vehicle

* Stop as quickly as safety permits and stay in the vehicle. Avoid stopping near or under buildings, trees, overpasses, and utility wires.
* Proceed cautiously once the earthquake has stopped. Avoid roads, bridges, or ramps that might have been damaged by the earthquake.

If trapped under debris

* Do not light a match.
* Do not move about or kick up dust.
* Cover your mouth with a handkerchief or clothing.
* Tap on a pipe or wall so rescuers can locate you. Use a whistle if one is available. Shout only as a last resort. Shouting can cause you to inhale dangerous amounts of dust.

How to Prepare For Winter Storms and Extreme Cold

2010-01-21T23:59:00.002-05:00

Source: FEMA.gov

Heavy snowfall and extreme cold can immobilize an entire region. Even areas that normally experience mild winters can be hit with a major snowstorm or extreme cold. Winter storms can result in flooding, storm surge, closed highways, blocked roads, downed power lines and hypothermia.

How can I protect myself from winter storms and extreme cold?

* Know your winter storm and extreme cold terms
* What to do before winter storms and extreme cold
* What to do during a winter storm
* What to do after a winter storm
* Learn about floods that can result from winter storm thaws

Thunderstorms & Lightning Preparedness

2010-01-21T23:39:00.004-05:00

Source: FEMA.gov

* Facts About Thunderstorms
* Facts About Lightning
* How Can I Protect Myself From a Thunderstorm or Lightning?

All thunderstorms are dangerous. Every thunderstorm produces lightning. In the United States, an average of 300 people are injured and 80 people are killed each year by lightning. Although most lightning victims survive, people struck by lightning often report a variety of long-term, debilitating symptoms. Other associated dangers of thunderstorms include tornadoes, strong winds, hail, and flash flooding. Flash flooding is responsible for more fatalities—more than 140 annually—than any other thunderstorm-associated hazard.

Dry thunderstorms that do not produce rain that reaches the ground are most prevalent in the western United States. Falling raindrops evaporate, but lightning can still reach the ground and can start wildfires.

Facts About Thunderstorms

* They may occur singly, in clusters, or in lines.

* Some of the most severe occur when a single thunderstorm affects one location for an extended time.

* Thunderstorms typically produce heavy rain for a brief period, anywhere from 3 0 minutes to an hour.

* Warm, humid conditions are highly favorable for thunderstorm development.

* About 10 percent of thunderstorms are classified as severe—one that produces hail at least three-quarters of an inch in diameter, has winds of 58 miles per hour or higher, or produces a tornado.

Facts About Lightning

* Lightning’s unpredictability increases the risk to individuals and property.

* Lightning often strikes outside of heavy rain and may occur as far as 10 miles away from any rainfall.

* "Heat lightning" is actually lightning from a thunderstorm too far away for thunder to be heard. However, the storm may be moving in your direction!

* Most lightning deaths and injuries occur when people are caught outdoors in the summer months during the afternoon and evening.

* Your chances of being struck by lightning are estimated to be 1 in 600,000, but could be reduced even further by following safety precautions.

* Lightning strike victims carry no electrical charge and should be attended to immediately.

How Can I Protect Myself From a Thunderstorm or Lightning?

* Know your terms
* What to do before a thunderstorm
* What to do during a thunderstorm
* What to do after a thunderstorm

What to Do After an Earthquake

2010-01-21T23:16:00.003-05:00

Source: FEMA.gov

* Expect aftershocks. These secondary shock waves are usually less violent than the main quake but can be strong enough to do additional damage to weakened structures and can occur in the first hours, days, weeks, or even months after the quake.

* Listen to a battery-operated radio or television. Listen for the latest emergency information.

* Use the telephone only for emergency calls.

* Open cabinets cautiously. Beware of objects that can fall off shelves.

* Stay away from damaged areas. Stay away unless your assistance has been specifically requested by police, fire, or relief organizations. Return home only when authorities say it is safe.

* Be aware of possible tsunamis if you live in coastal areas. These are also known as seismic sea waves (mistakenly called "tidal waves"). When local authorities issue a tsunami warning, assume that a series of dangerous waves is on the way. Stay away from the beach.

* Help injured or trapped persons. Remember to help your neighbors who may require special assistance such as infants, the elderly, and people with disabilities. Give first aid where appropriate. Do not move seriously injured persons unless they are in immediate danger of further injury. Call for help.

* Clean up spilled medicines, bleaches, gasoline or other flammable liquids immediately. Leave the area if you smell gas or fumes from other chemicals.

* Inspect the entire length of chimneys for damage. Unnoticed damage could lead to a fire.

* Inspect utilities.
o Check for gas leaks. If you smell gas or hear blowing or hissing noise, open a window and quickly leave the building. Turn off the gas at the outside main valve if you can and call the gas company from a neighbor's home. If you turn off the gas for any reason, it must be turned back on by a professional.

o Look for electrical system damage. If you see sparks or broken or frayed wires, or if you smell hot insulation, turn off the electricity at the main fuse box or circuit breaker. If you have to step in water to get to the fuse box or circuit breaker, call an electrician first for advice.

o Check for sewage and water lines damage. If you suspect sewage lines are damaged, avoid using the toilets and call a plumber. If water pipes are damaged, contact the water company and avoid using water from the tap. You can obtain safe water by melting ice cubes.

What to Do Before an Earthquake

2010-01-21T09:54:00.009-05:00

Source: FEMA.gov

Earthquakes strike suddenly, violently and without warning. Identifying potential hazards ahead of time and advance planning can reduce the dangers of serious injury or loss of life from an earthquake. Repairing deep plaster cracks in ceilings and foundations, anchoring overhead lighting fixtures to the ceiling, and following local seismic building standards, will help reduce the impact of earthquakes.
Six Ways to Plan Ahead

1. Check for Hazards in the Home
* Fasten shelves securely to walls.
* Place large or heavy objects on lower shelves.
* Store breakable items such as bottled foods, glass, and china in low, closed cabinets with latches.
* Hang heavy items such as pictures and mirrors away from beds, couches, and anywhere people sit.
* Brace overhead light fixtures.
* Repair defective electrical wiring and leaky gas connections. These are potential fire risks.
* Secure a water heater by strapping it to the wall studs and bolting it to the floor.
* Repair any deep cracks in ceilings or foundations. Get expert advice if there are signs of structural defects.
* Store weed killers, pesticides, and flammable products securely in closed cabinets with latches and on bottom shelves.

2. Identify Safe Places Indoors and Outdoors
* Under sturdy furniture such as a heavy desk or table.
* Against an inside wall.
* Away from where glass could shatter around windows, mirrors, pictures, or where heavy bookcases or other heavy furniture could fall over.
* In the open, away from buildings, trees, telephone and electrical lines, overpasses, or elevated expressways.

3. Educate Yourself and Family Members
* Contact your local emergency management office or American Red Cross chapter for more information on earthquakes. Also read the "How-To Series" for information on how to protect your property from earthquakes.
* Teach children how and when to call 9-1-1, police, or fire department and which radio station to tune to for emergency information.
* Teach all family members how and when to turn off gas, electricity, and water.

4. Have Disaster Supplies on Hand
* Flashlight and extra batteries.
* Portable battery-operated radio and extra batteries.
* First aid kit and manual.
* Emergency food and water.
* Nonelectric can opener.
* Essential medicines.
* Cash and credit cards.
* Sturdy shoes.

5. Develop an Emergency Communication Plan
* In case family members are separated from one another during an earthquake (a real possibility during the day when adults are at work and children are at school), develop a plan for reuniting after the disaster.
* Ask an out-of-state relative or friend to serve as the "family contact." After a disaster, it's often easier to call long distance. Make sure everyone in the family knows the name, address, and phone number of the contact person.

6. Help Your Community Get Ready
* Publish a special section in your local newspaper with emergency information on earthquakes. Localize the information by printing the phone numbers of local emergency services offices, the American Red Cross, and hospitals.
* Conduct a week-long series on locating hazards in the home.
* Work with local emergency services and American Red Cross officials to prepare special reports for people with mobility impairments on what to do during an earthquake.
* Provide tips on conducting earthquake drills in the home.
* Interview representatives of the gas, electric, and water companies about shutting off utilities.
* Work together in your community to apply your knowledge to building codes, retrofitting programs, hazard hunts, and neighborhood and family emergency plans.