The first part of this series described the foundation for success in starting a community preparedness group. Part Two describes the lessons we have learned. If you haven’t read these please do so now before proceeding.
I hope the two previous articles have encouraged you to start your own CQ. Let’s now assume you are at the same point we are. Where do we go from here? If we follow the rules we focus on excellence, but let’s do so in an organized manner.
1) Individual Preparedness (IP)
2) Family or Group Preparedness (F-GP)
3) Community Preparedness (CommP)
4) Regional Preparedness (RP)
I’ve chosen to follow these four points when deciding what topics should be covered at CQ. These topics will generally focus on the first three pretty heavily and on the fourth lightly as I’m not inclined to create a bureaucracy. Some CQ’s may actually have all topics focusing on IP but that may be by necessity due to the time of year, group dynamics or some other essential need or requirement.
IP is focusing on basic skill building. We do try to avoid topics that can encroach upon vocations that can create income during hard times. For instance, we have a group member who is actively perfecting her skills in soap making. We will avoid this topic in specifics but review in general terms as something someone can do for themselves. As a concession she has opted to help teach everyone how to make laundry soap that is far superior to store bought and costs under two cents per load. The idea is to cover general skills and let the individual decide on specialization for their own economic benefit.
F-GP is the natural byproduct of individual skill building. I consider this level the Beans, Bullets and Band-Aids option. This is were we present topics to help the correct, efficient and cost-saving acquisition of materials for families and groups. Our next CQ has two such topics-First Aid Kits and Home Herbal Medicine Kit. By covering these we are focusing on the materials that make up quality kits but will cover at another time the use thereof which would focus on the IP level. You could say this level focuses on the nuts and bolts of preparedness gear and supplies.
CommP we are beginning a two fold plan. The first part of the plan is to encourage growth of CQ groups in local communities in our county and adjacent counties. We started at the neighborhood level and have slowly accumulated members from neighboring areas and towns. We are now running ads in our local radio market advertising CQ for all the towns in the county. The ads are being paid for by one of our business partners who is also presenting a topic. This invite is basically for folks in our area to come and see for themselves and start networking to start their own CQ. Part two of this plan is an extracurricular part to CQ. This plan is designed to mitigate the effects of those in our local area who refuse or can’t prepare for hard times.
As we all know there are individuals who will never see the wisdom of preparedness. There are also folks who haven’t the means, wherewithal or character to prepare for leaner times. A comprehensive preparedness plan must take into account these people and how to deal with them. An immoral fantasy of large scale die-off or armed resolution is nonsense and evil. The possibility of large scale fatalities is real as well as the prospective use of force in defense of your property but to long for it or refuse to prepare to mitigate it is weak, lazy and unethical.
Our plan is to create a food acquisition, storage and distribution plan using the umbrella of an existing entity but run and managed by CQ members. The basic principle is to set up an apparatus that can submit for grant money, buy long-term storage food, secretly store the food and then distribute it safely in times of need. Now, please don’t think this is a food bank approach. Let me explain further.
We have a community organization that is set up as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. This group has paid the expense and taken the time to become a charity. There goal is to be an umbrella for the surrounding community organizations which allows them to apply for grant money using their IRS number. We are using this process for our local gun club to save time. The gun club registered with the state for $30 and now we can pursue grant money using the umbrella group. This food plan would pursue grant funds allowing us to buy a one year supply of long-term storage food for 500 people. Once food is purchased a secure location would be obtained for storage and an agreement with local churches to utilize their existing kitchens for distribution. Think of it as a level between individuals and the Red Cross. This would begin with one location and then branch out to other communities effectively covering all urban/small towns in our county.
We have received encouragement to proceed from the Sheriff’s office and the county Emergency Management Director. They see it for what it is–an extra layer or buffer between chaos and order. The county likes the fact it’s a private endeavor that requires no funding or oversight from them. It will or may require some security provisions when utilized but at that point security will involve the whole community under the sheriff’s leadership anyway. This plan takes a little more time and effort but the rewards of having secure, private foods cache(s) for public distribution can relieve negative and immediate food concerns when troubled times hit.
RP is really just encouraging the first three in communities next to yours. We envision our CQ maturing in content and skills. While this occurs neighboring communities start CQs and do the same. We have two in the start-up phase right now. Once they mature they look to their borders to do the same. Think of it as a growing sphere of influence and protection. The greater the influence outward and away increases defense and potentially mitigates problems translocating to your area. We naturally or by other examples want some sort of leadership or formal organization. We can have the benefit of this without the headache or time-consuming investment. Let me explain.
In CQ-Part Two I explained our radio net that we have here. This is the perfect apparatus to loosely organize the entire network in your area and eventually regionally and nationally. If our network here in Central Idaho matures and begins to grow outward we can add captains to each new area and eventually a group of ham captains to relay regionally and nationally. Again, I don’t like to re-invent the wheel so I will look to established routes to achieve my goal. The last weekend of June is a National Radio Field Day for hams. They will spend 24 hours trying to reach as many contacts as possible. We will encourage those ham folks in our CQ to establish radio contacts outside our region such as Spokane, Boise, Missoula and farther away.
Likewise, new CQ groups with their local net will bump into each other as the CQ sphere of influence grows or as radio networks start overlapping. This model for expansion or connection reminds me of Subway sandwich shops and how they franchised in the early 1990s. You could find Subway’s almost built on top of each other they way they expanded and allowed franchises to open. Let’s hope CQ is so successful that it has the same “problem”.
In closing, we here in Central Idaho hope and pray that you will take the bull by the horns and get started on your CQ. In keeping with our philosophy of encouraging CQ to communities in our area we would like to extend an invitation to attend our next CQ.
Location: Kooskia (spoken “Koo-Skee”) City Park, Kooskia, Idaho.
When: Saturday, July 3rd.
Time: Potluck BBQ starts at 5:00 pm, CQ starts at 6:30 pm.
BYOB: Bring your own buns, hot dogs, lawn chairs, spouse and kids.
Last names ending A-J bring salad/side and dessert.
Last names ending K-Z bring chips and dessert.
We provide: grill, condiments, plates, utensils and water/iced tea.
Contact: H.B. at (208) 451-4890 and leave a message. I will return it ASAP. Please contact only if you need information on overnight accommodations and directions. Please, only serious inquiries.
CQ has been a rewarding endeavor with many blessings and very little headache. May God richly bless you with success with your preparing and new CQ.
I’ll leave you with one of my favorite quotes from the Holy Bible: “The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it.” – Proverbs 27:12.
Gloria Deo, – H.B. in North Central Idaho