Preparedness Notes for Sunday — May 22, 2022

The War of the Roses began on May 22, 1455. From History.com’s description: “In the opening battle of England’s War of the Roses, the Yorkists defeat King Henry VI’s Lancastrian forces at St. Albans, 20 miles northwest of London. Many Lancastrian nobles perished, including Edmund Beaufort, the duke of Somerset, and the king was forced to submit to the rule of his cousin, Richard of York. The dynastic struggle between the House of York, whose badge was a white rose, and the House of Lancaster, later associated with a red rose, would stretch on for 30 years.

Both families, closely related, claimed the throne through descent from the sons of Edward III, the king of England from 1327 to 1377. The first Lancastrian king was Henry IV in 1399, and rebellion and lawlessness were rife during his reign. His son, Henry V, was more successful and won major victories in the Hundred Years War against France. His son and successor, Henry VI, had few kingly qualities and lost most of the French land his father had conquered. At home, chaos prevailed and lords with private armies challenged Henry VI’s authority. At times, his ambitious queen, Margaret of Anjou, effectively controlled the crown.”

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May 22, 1859 is also the birthday of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the creator of Sherlock Holmes. He died in 1930.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 100 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC  are providing a store-wide 10% off coupon. Depending on the model chosen, this could be worth more than $2000.
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any of their one, two, or three-day course (a $1,095 value),
  3. A course certificate from onPoint Tactical for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses, excluding those restricted for military or government teams. Three-day onPoint courses normally cost $795,
  4. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  5. A $250 gift certificate good for any product from Sunflower Ammo,
  6. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.
  7. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.

Second Prize:

  1. A Front Sight Lifetime Diamond Membership, providing lifetime free training at any Front Sight Nevada course, with no limit on repeating classes. This prize is courtesy of a SurvivalBlog reader who prefers to be anonymous.
  2. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  3. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $240 value).
  4. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  5. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of firearms purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. Three sets each of made-in-USA regular and wide-mouth reusable canning lids. (This is a total of 300 lids and 600 gaskets.) This prize is courtesy of Harvest Guard (a $270 value)
  2. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  3. A LogOX 3-in-1 Forestry MultiTool (a $189 value) and a WoodOx Sling (a $79.95 value), courtesy of LogOx, both made in USA.
  4. A transferable $100 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

—

More than $725,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. Round 100 ends on May 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail 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

Review: Carson Mini Aura NV-200 Compact Night Vision, by J.M.

Most readers of SurvivalBlog.com understand the advantage that having night vision optics can provide in an emergency or disaster situation. The ability to observe, move and evade in the darkness can provide a significant benefit, especially if you’re trying to find or avoid people that don’t have it. Night vision can make the difference in being able to safely find your way to your objective without advertising your position with a flashlight. Unfortunately, most night vision solutions are typically both expensive and bulky, making it difficult for most people to carry one with them as part of their everyday carry (EDC) or include them in their Get Home Bags (GHB), which means they may not have the capability if something goes belly-up when they’re away from home. Just like a firearm, the best night vision device is the one you have with you when you need it.

Before we get into the actual review it’s important to understand the basics of how night vision works. There are basically three ways a device can allow you to see when there’s little or no light available – light amplification, thermal or infrared. Light amplification works by amplifying any available light many times to provide an image and is typically characterized by the green-tinted images Hollywood loves so much. Thermal works by capturing and displaying the long-infrared range of radiation that everything emits to display differences in temperature, and infrared is similar to thermal except that it captures and displays shorter wavelength infrared radiation (850nm/940nm) as light.

Light amplification and thermal night vision devices tend to be at the larger and more expensive end of the night vision device spectrum; infrared devices tend to be much less expensive and more widely available, and they typically require some sort of infrared light source to work most effectively. Note that the human eye can’t easily detect most infrared radiation, so the light source isn’t visible to people without a night vision device.

The Carson MiniAura Digital Night Vision Monocular (NV-200) is a low-cost and ultra-compact infrared type of night vision device. It is palm-size. Like most digital night vision devices it utilizes a digital imaging sensor and lens at the front to capture infrared light and a small LCD screen in the back to display what it captures to the user; it also has an infrared illuminator to provide a light source.Continue reading“Review: Carson Mini Aura NV-200 Compact Night Vision, by J.M.”

JWR’s Meme Of The Week:

The latest meme created by JWR:

To share this, you can find it here:  https://www.kapwing.com/videos/6284ee2fdbc65c18d146527c

Meme Text:

After Chiding Conservatives for Using Ivermectin, Last Year, Liberals Are Now Championing Veterinary Drugs For Chemical Abortion

So, Who Is The Horse’s Rear End?

News Link:

Suddenly the radical Left LOVES veterinary drugs: VICE now pushing DIY abortion pills made from stomach ulcer drug used in animals.

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me.

Now when they were going, behold, some of the watch came into the city, and shewed unto the chief priests all the things that were done.

And when they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave large money unto the soldiers,

Saying, Say ye, His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept.

And if this come to the governor’s ears, we will persuade him, and secure you.

 So they took the money, and did as they were taught: and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.

Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them.

And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted.

And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” – Matthew 28:10-20 (KJV)

Preparedness Notes for Saturday — May 21, 2022

May 21st is the birthday of weapons designer John Douglas Pedersen. (Born 1881, died 1951.) His name is almost synonymous with the short-lived Pedersen Device (pictured) — a conversion kit that turned a Model 1903 Springfield bolt action rifle into a pistol caliber semi-automatic “trench broom.”

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 100 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC  are providing a store-wide 10% off coupon. Depending on the model chosen, this could be worth more than $2000.
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any of their one, two, or three-day course (a $1,095 value),
  3. A course certificate from onPoint Tactical for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses, excluding those restricted for military or government teams. Three-day onPoint courses normally cost $795,
  4. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  5. A $250 gift certificate good for any product from Sunflower Ammo,
  6. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.
  7. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.

Second Prize:

  1. A Front Sight Lifetime Diamond Membership, providing lifetime free training at any Front Sight Nevada course, with no limit on repeating classes. This prize is courtesy of a SurvivalBlog reader who prefers to be anonymous.
  2. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  3. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $240 value).
  4. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  5. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of firearms purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. Three sets each of made-in-USA regular and wide-mouth reusable canning lids. (This is a total of 300 lids and 600 gaskets.) This prize is courtesy of Harvest Guard (a $270 value)
  2. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  3. A LogOX 3-in-1 Forestry MultiTool (a $189 value) and a WoodOx Sling (a $79.95 value), courtesy of LogOx, both made in USA.
  4. A transferable $100 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

—

More than $725,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. Round 100 ends on May 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail 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

 

Lifesaving Tourniquets, by A.P.

OBJECTIVE

In this article, I will explain the life-saving benefits of the proper application of tourniquets, selection, placement.  I hope to clear up some myths about tourniquets, and explain the actions that need to happen after applying a tourniquet. Along the way, I will introduce some medical terminology to better communicate and to impress your friends.

Anyone can apply a tourniquet. While you do not need any official or special medical certification or training, you do need to understand how to properly use one.

This article, while informative, is no substitute for hands-on training and practice.

A BRIEF BIOGRAPHY

My wife and I started prepping in the late 1990s. In 2011, we made the decision to bug out of the big city and moved to an 850-acre ranch in Colorado. The Good Lord has blessed us financially and we have been able to raise and educate our children at home. I have been fortunate to be able to work from home as a software engineer even before telecommuting became popular.

Since moving to this remote area, we have focused on increasing our skills. I have learned welding, gunsmithing, locksmithing, fiberoptic telecommunications, solar energy production, amateur radio, various ranch-related construction, and most recently, I have been working towards my emergency medical responder (EMR) certificate.

The EMR certification is the first level of certification within the emergency medical response system. It is a step below emergency medical technician (EMT) and well below that of paramedic. The training, however, is invaluable. Our local volunteer fire district has sponsored this training for their firefighters and have graciously offered the training to the community at no cost. You should check with your local fire department to see what training might be available for you at little or no cost.Continue reading“Lifesaving Tourniquets, by A.P.”

Editors’ Prepping Progress

To be prepared for a crisis, every Prepper must establish goals and make long-term and short-term plans. In this column, the SurvivalBlog editors review their week’s prep activities and planned prep activities for the coming week. These range from healthcare and gear purchases to gardening, ranch improvements, bug out bag fine-tuning, and food storage. This is something akin to our Retreat Owner Profiles, but written incrementally and in detail, throughout the year.  We always welcome you to share your own successes and wisdom in your e-mailed letters. We post many of those –or excerpts thereof — in this column, in the Odds ‘n Sods Column, and in the Snippets column. Let’s keep busy and be ready!

Jim Reports:

I’ll start out with my recently-visited Radio.Garden stations, which this week by chance were heavy on Celtic music:

  • Sescot Radio, Dunbar, Scotland
  • Scotlander Radio, Inverness, Scotland
  • Dunoon Community Radio, Dunoon, Scotland
  • Dales Radio, Hawes, England
  • Little Flock Radio, Jedburgh, England
  • Celtic Rock, Konstanz, Germany
  • Irish Pub Radio, Dublin, Ireland
  • Radio Zurisee, Rapperswil-Jona, Switzerland

(Note: Radio.Garden has been glitchy with recent releases of Firefox, but it works well with the Opera browser.)

This past week, I did some hay and straw hauling. I also cut some firewood and then did the requisite slash hauling. I now have two slash piles established to burn this fall that are both presently about 12 feet in diameter and eight feet tall. More to come!

On Monday, I made a rush trip to town, to help an Elk Creek Company customer. He was selling me back a Finnish SAKO Mosin-Nagant M39 rifle that he had bought in January of 2021. I was happy to buy it back from him at just over his 2021 retail cost. He said that he needed cash “right away”, so I went to the post office, inspected the newly-arrived rifle, and then immediately sent him a couple of USPS money orders — via Express Mail. One nice thing about guns is that they are fairly liquid investments! And yes, I am willing to buy back most pre-1899 Elk Creek Company guns with FRNs, if the condition of the gun hasn’t changed.

Continue reading“Editors’ Prepping Progress”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words:

Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.” – Isaiah 58:13-14 (KJV)

Preparedness Notes for Friday — May 20, 2022

May 20th, 1942 The birthday of Carlos Hathcock (died February 23, 1999) was a United States Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant sniper with a service record of 93 confirmed kills.

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Also: Happy birthday to my old pal, Brad C. We are friends for life!

—

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 100 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC  are providing a store-wide 10% off coupon. Depending on the model chosen, this could be worth more than $2000.
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any of their one, two, or three-day course (a $1,095 value),
  3. A course certificate from onPoint Tactical for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses, excluding those restricted for military or government teams. Three-day onPoint courses normally cost $795,
  4. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  5. A $250 gift certificate good for any product from Sunflower Ammo,
  6. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.
  7. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.

Second Prize:

  1. A Front Sight Lifetime Diamond Membership, providing lifetime free training at any Front Sight Nevada course, with no limit on repeating classes. This prize is courtesy of a SurvivalBlog reader who prefers to be anonymous.
  2. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  3. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $240 value).
  4. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  5. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of firearms purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. Three sets each of made-in-USA regular and wide-mouth reusable canning lids. (This is a total of 300 lids and 600 gaskets.) This prize is courtesy of Harvest Guard (a $270 value)
  2. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  3. A LogOX 3-in-1 Forestry MultiTool (a $189 value) and a WoodOx Sling (a $79.95 value), courtesy of LogOx, both made in USA.
  4. A transferable $100 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

—

More than $725,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. Round 100 ends on May 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail 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

Handling Trash and Garbage at a Remote Home, by Mrs. Alaska

Editor’s Introductory Note:  This article will prove to be instructive for anyone preparing for a grid-down societal collapse,  where public services are disrupted.

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Living off-grid, a 20-minute flight from the nearest road means not only that we receive no electricity, but also no municipal services at all, including those for disposal of garbage, trash, sewage, and gray water. So we have become very intentional about what we buy, make, and use, because we have to figure out how to dispose of or repurpose what remains.

The following are some examples of what we do with wood ash, packaging, vegetable and meat leftovers (including bones), animal and human waste, and construction debris. Some ideas are pertinent to suburban and urban homes, too.

Wood ash:
As a fertilizer, wood ash reads 0-1-3 and softens acidic soil, which is exactly what our property needs. Hardwoods are higher in the desired nutrients than softwoods, according to the U of Oregon extension office. Do not use wood ash on potatoes or the related families of blueberries/azaleas/rhododendrons, which like acidic soil. I also toss it with the chicken straw in the coop
as a deodorizer. The hens seem to like to dust their feathers with it to discourage mites.Continue reading“Handling Trash and Garbage at a Remote Home, by Mrs. Alaska”

Economics & Investing For Preppers

Here are the latest news items and commentary on current economics news, market trends, stocks, investing opportunities, and the precious metals markets. We also cover hedges, derivatives, and obscura. Most of these items are from the “tangibles heavy” contrarian perspective of SurvivalBlog’s Founder and Senior Editor, JWR. Today, we look at collectible cars, as an investment. (See the Tangibles Investing section.)

Precious Metals:

Weak demand for platinum evened out by PGM supply pressure – Johnson Matthey

o  o  o

Freedom And Sound Money: Two Sides Of A Coin.

o  o  o

I noticed that there is a surprising amount of coin pricing data available free of charge, at the PCGS web site.

o  o  o

Reader R.R. sent us this: Russia may boost platinum market as automakers switch from palladium, WPIC says.

Economy & Finance:

Here’s what just happened that triggers stock market drops 71% of the time, warns Credit Suisse.

o  o  o

Goldman Sachs’ former CEO says there’s a ‘very, very high risk’ of recession for the US economy and companies and consumers should prepare.

o  o  o

At Zero Hedge: Homebuilder Sentiment Slumps In May Amid “Growing Challenges” In Housing Market.

o  o  o

Four reasons the economy looks like it’s crumbling — and what to do about it.

o  o  o

Bank of America Clients Hoard Cash at Highest Level in Two Decades.

Continue reading“Economics & Investing For Preppers”

Preparedness Notes for Thursday — May 19, 2022

On May 19, 1796, the first game law was approved in the United States. The law created penalties for hunting or destroying game within Indian Territory. Modern American fish and game laws make “living off the land” nearly impossible, outside of Alaska.

—

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 100 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC  are providing a store-wide 10% off coupon. Depending on the model chosen, this could be worth more than $2000.
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any of their one, two, or three-day course (a $1,095 value),
  3. A course certificate from onPoint Tactical for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses, excluding those restricted for military or government teams. Three-day onPoint courses normally cost $795,
  4. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  5. A $250 gift certificate good for any product from Sunflower Ammo,
  6. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.
  7. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.

Second Prize:

  1. A Front Sight Lifetime Diamond Membership, providing lifetime free training at any Front Sight Nevada course, with no limit on repeating classes. This prize is courtesy of a SurvivalBlog reader who prefers to be anonymous.
  2. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  3. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $240 value).
  4. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  5. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of firearms purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. Three sets each of made-in-USA regular and wide-mouth reusable canning lids. (This is a total of 300 lids and 600 gaskets.) This prize is courtesy of Harvest Guard (a $270 value)
  2. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  3. A LogOX 3-in-1 Forestry MultiTool (a $189 value) and a WoodOx Sling (a $79.95 value), courtesy of LogOx, both made in USA.
  4. A transferable $100 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

—

More than $725,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. Round 100 ends on May 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail 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

 

Beyond Beans Bullets and Band-Aids, Part 2, by Todd Albertson

(Continued from Part 1. This concludes the article.)

Have a Plan

The key to preparing for a disaster —both emotionally and physically—is to plan ahead of time. Make sure you know what your role is during a disaster. During an actual emergency, you may be literally incapable of thinking clearly as life suddenly and drastically changes. Knowing what to do should this happen can lessen your anxiety during an emergency. Being less anxious can help you think more wisely and logically and thus reduce the risk of injury or death.

In addition, research suggests that knowing what to do during a disaster can help you cope better after the disaster. One research study looked at the effect of preparedness on the mental health of Hurricane Katrina survivors. The researchers found that those who were not prepared with a plan before the event had a more challenging time meeting their basic needs and finding refuge during the hurricane. As a result, they had a higher risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after the storm. This suggests that not having a plan led to more significant stress and anxiety, thus increasing the risk for PTSD.

Practice Ahead of Time

Having an emergency preparedness plan is essential, but equally important is knowing the plan like the back of your hand. On September 11, 2001, the head of security for Morgan Stanley, and Vietnam veteran Rick Rescorla, was credited for saving more than 2,700 lives. One of Rescorla’s job duties as head of security was to evaluate the risk for terrorism and other disasters. Rescorla was particularly concerned that the World Trade Center was a convenient target for terrorists. Therefore, he developed an emergency evacuation plan, and he required Morgan Stanley employees to practice religiously. Rescorla was so adamant about knowing the routine ahead of time that he had frequent surprise drills in which employees would be required to evacuate.

When the first plane hit the North Tower, Rescorla was ready. In spite of being told to stay put by authorities, He calmly and cooly ordered employees to perform the evacuation procedure. They knew the procedure and were ready. As a result, most of the employees were able to make it to safety.

Practicing emergency procedures ahead of time can help you feel calmer and more in control. When you practice the steps that you will take in an emergency ahead of time, your actions during a disaster become automatic. Less thought and planning are required during the emergency. This is beneficial because our ability to make logical decisions is often impaired during a disaster. That is because anxiety or fear makes you behave in an emotional manner rather than in a logical manner.

Tend to Your Physical Wellbeing

Your physical health plays a significant role in your mental health. Focus on maintaining a healthy diet, frequently exercising, getting enough sleep, and seeing your physician regularly. It will be easier to draw upon your mental reserves when you are physically healthier.

Know How to Cope With Mental Health Symptoms

If you have a pre-existing mental health condition, make sure you work with your therapist or psychiatrist to develop an emergency crisis plan for what you can do to manage your symptoms during a disaster.

Stock Your Emotional Disaster Preparedness Kit

I recommend building a disaster preparedness kit that includes emotional tools that can help you build resilience during a disaster or other challenging situation like a pandemic. Here are some things that you can include in your toolkit:

Relaxation Techniques

During an emergency, important tasks needed for survival like giving CPR, calling 911, and providing assistance to others require that you stay collected. Wondering how to stay calm and collected enough to be able to do these things? Having relaxation techniques in your toolkit can help. I recommend practicing these techniques regularly. The more often you practice, the more benefit you will get from them during a crisis.

Meditation

Meditation is something that should be practiced daily. Although we usually associate meditation with becoming more self-aware, it can also help us manage stress. The best part is that meditation is an easy practice that almost anyone can do to feel calm instantly. It requires no special equipment or skills.

Spiritual Resources

Drawing upon spiritual resources can help you get through a disaster by promoting resilience. Utilizing your spiritual resources can also give you the strength to better help your family, community, and others. Simply write down some short prayers or verses that you can read/recite during great stress.

Gratitude Journal

It’s tough to feel grateful when you are facing a crisis. You may only be able to see the negative initially. The problem is that this brings dispair. Gratitude has the power to help you get through a crisis by bringing hope. Gratitude can help you deal with difficult situations without feeling completely overwhelmed.

So, find several gratitude journals to include in your emotional toolkit. Ideally, you will want to choose ones that include meditation and other relaxation exercises.

Games

During a disaster, you may have a long period of time in which you are just waiting for news. Instead of spending the time worrying, why not use this as an opportunity to do something fun that you wouldn’t normally do in a day? Having something enjoyable to help you pass the time, such as board or card games, can help you maintain a more positive outlook throughout the ordeal.

Emotional Comfort Supplies

What things bring you comfort when you are stressed? Maybe listening to music is what calms you down. If so, be sure you include headphones. Perhaps you find that sipping on tea keeps you calm. Tea contains the amino acid L-theanine, which helps reduce physical and mental stress. So, stock up on various calming teas.

During a Disaster

Know the Facts

There’s often lots of misinformation during emergencies and disasters. For example, consider all of the misinformation that was spread during the pandemic. This phenomenon made it difficult for governments to get the pandemic under control. Misinformation also contributed to increased anxiety, fear, and paranoia. It led people to make less rational decisions during the pandemic. Making decisions based on fear and paranoia during a disaster can impact the chance of survival. Therefore, it’s important to make sure you are paying attention to credible sources during disaster situations. Research and know ahead of time which sources are credible. Take actions based on information that you receive from sources that you trust. Limit your exposure to news reports that primarily focus on destruction and damage.

Remind Yourself That You Are in Control

Believing you are in control of your own reactions during a stressful situation can help you manage your reaction to stress. If you are faced with a disaster, remind yourself that you have control over your emotions, reactions, and what you will and won’t do.

After a Disaster

Forgive Yourself

Shame and guilt are very common emotions that occur after a disaster. The tendency to feel these emotions following trauma is often called “Survivor’s Guilt.” These feelings may be triggered by thoughts about things you did to didn’t do during the disaster. You may also feel ashamed of how you responded during the event. You may ruminate over your reactions during the event.

The problem is that Survivor’s Guilt is often related to “Hindsight Bias,” which is an internal bias that causes us to overestimate our ability to influence the outcome of an event. So, really, you are blaming yourself for things that you had no control over. The problem is that holding onto guilt can cause problems with your sleep, relationships, and even physical health.

Deal With the Emotional Aftermath

No matter how well you plan for disaster, you’ll likely experience feelings of sadness, anger, or guilt following a crisis. Additionally, disaster situations and events like pandemics can leave us feeling exhausted and overwhelmed. This can lead to isolation and other issues like using drugs or alcohol to cope. Don’t ignore the impact of a disaster on your mental health. Mental health therapists can help by providing treatments to help you cope with emotions surrounding trauma and disaster.

Disaster and Mental Health: What NOT to do

Here are some things that can weaken your emotional resolve during a disaster and make it harder for you to cope.

Use of Drugs or Alcohol as a Crutch

During the pandemic, alcohol abuse rose sharply. Compared to the year before, there was a 54 percent increase in alcohol sales on March 21, 2020. It can be hard to cope with the harsh realities of war, pandemics, and terrorism. This fact explains why so many people try to numb the pain with drugs or alcohol. There’s no quick fix for managing stress during a disaster or other challenging event.

Ignore Your Own Needs

During a pandemic or another disaster, you might be focused on helping others. This is important. However, it’s equally important to take care of yourself and tend to your own needs and feelings.

Final Thoughts

Disasters are an inevitable part of life and something that you want to be prepared for. Yes, emergency preparation is important. it’s vital to stockpile supplies and food for disasters. But it’s just as important to include emotional supplies, as well.

It’s critical to know how to emotionally prepare for a disaster at home. Being prepared mentally for disasters can produce a better outcome for you and those who rely on you during an emergency.

About The Author

Todd Albertson is the co-founder of Caredness, a platform specializing in employee mental wellness. He blogs at ToddAlbertson.com.

The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods

SurvivalBlog presents another edition of The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods— a collection of news bits and pieces that are relevant to the modern survivalist and prepper from “JWR”. Our goal is to educate our readers, to help them to recognize emerging threats, and to be better prepared for both disasters and negative societal trends. You can’t mitigate a risk if you haven’t first identified a risk. Today, we look at the baby formula shortage and a practical workaround.

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Significant Baby Formula Shortage

Over at Vox: Why baby formula is in short supply — and who is most at risk. Here is an excerpt:

“The shortage can be traced back to a contamination problem at an Abbott factory that produces much of the Similac formula, as well as several other brands, for the US market, Abbott voluntarily shut down the factory in February, amid consumer complaints about contaminated formula that was linked to two infant deaths. As of mid-May, it’s still not up and running again.”

And here is some other coverage: Tucker: They are hoarding baby formula.

A Homemade Baby Formula

Avalanche Lily suggested this: A homemade baby formula for those unable to get commercial brands. This is a very important recipe to keep in your files.

Sweden and Finland Joining NATO

Over at Republican American: Growing alliance: Sweden ends neutrality, joins Finland in seeking NATO berth. A pericope:

“Sweden’s prime minister announced Monday that Sweden will join Finland in seeking NATO membership in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, a historic shift that comes after more than 200 years of military nonalignment in the Nordic country.

The move, which is likely to upset the government of Russian President Vladimir Putin, came after neighboring Finland announced Sunday that it too would seek to join the 30-country military alliance.

Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson called it “a historic change in our country’s security policy” as she addressed lawmakers in the Swedish capital.”

Utah, Wyoming, and Oregon: Fewer Big Game Tags Due to Drought

Reader H.L. spotted this article: Utah, Wyoming, and Oregon Are Cutting Big Game Tags Due to Drought Conditions. Will Other States Follow?

Continue reading“The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods”