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Preparedness Notes for Wednesday — April 1, 2026

On April 1, 1515, the Portuguese fleet under Afonso de Albuquerque [1] recaptured the Persian fortress of Hormuz and renamed it the Fort of Our Lady of the Conception.

April 1, 1863: US Congress passed the first wartime conscription law, calling for the registration of all 20 to 45-year-old males.

And on April 1, 1873, the British White Star steamship SS Atlantic sank off Nova Scotia, Canada, killing at least 535 people.  The same shipping company later owned the ill-fated RMS Titanic and RMS Britannic.

Today’s feature article is by SurvivalBlog Editor “Avalanche Lily”, the wife of JWR.

A new Writing Contest prize! Heaven’s Harvest [2] is now kindly providing one of their Original Heirloom Seed Kits [3] (a $139 value) as part of the First Prize package. This Georgia-based company offers a full line of long-term storage foods  (freeze-dried and dehydrated) as well as heirloom (non-hybrid, open-pollinated) seeds. Use the coupon code “SURVIVALBLOG” at checkout for a 10% discount on any order!  They offer free shipping for any  $99+ order sent to the U.S..  About their heirloom seed kits:

  • 39 Garden Staple Varieties
  • All seeds are Heirloom, Open-Pollinated, Non-Hybrid, and Non-GMO.
  • Packed in UV-Resistant Mylar bags for the highest germination rates when stored for multiple years.

Take a look at the Heaven’s Harvest [2]website!

We are now seeking entires for Round 124 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest [4]. More than $984,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest.  Round 124 ends on March 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail [5] us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how-to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics [6]. Please refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic.