National Preparedness Month- September

[TheGrey]

This is a pretty neat diagram. You'll have to increase its size to read everything, but it's a great place to start your checklists.

prepping matrix.pdf

I'm hoping the file uploaded; if not, Google Prepper Matrix. You'll see the image- it's the one with the colored circles.

[cmailliard]

This is a pretty neat diagram. You'll have to increase its size to read everything, but it's a great place to start your checklists.

prepping matrix.pdf

I'm hoping the file uploaded; if not, Google Prepper Matrix. You'll see the image- it's the one with the colored circles.

Busy, but very useful. Thanks

[Wulf202]

Chris. How do you use SM and eliminate the drama? That's the reason I don't use it.

[cmailliard]

Don't engage in the drama. It's all about who you choose to follow. With FB and Twitter you get some advertisements mixed in but just choose the follow the people or organizations you want. Here is who I follow on Twitter:

City of Thornton, City of Longmont, Adams County OEM, Larimer OEM, Denver OEM, Douglas County OEM
Weld County Sheriff, Adams County Sheriff, Jefferson County Sheriff, Larimer Sheriff,Lakewood Police, Thornton Police, Denver Police, Lafayette Police, Broomfield Police
Thornton Fire, Ft. Collins Fire, North Metro Fire, Mountain View Fire
Tri-County Health Department, Jeffco Public Health, Denver Public Health, CDPHE EPR, CDC Emergency, Readygov, ASPR, Colorado Emergency Management, FEMA
Emergency Management Magazine, Ctr for Preparedness and other sits like these (like for follow one and you will get recomendations of who else to follow)
All my Facilities accounts as well
Micki Trost (PIO for State Homeland Security - she is awesome, all of this I learned from her), Mitch Utterback (Cool Dude - Army SF, he had a lot do with fires and flooding in the state), George Brauchler (District Attorney 18th District - Cool Guy)

The reason I follow these is because of interests I have in these areas - geographical or general interest. Here is an example: During the High Park Fire in Larimer County my mother in law was close to evacuating and she was moving her horses just in case. She did not know where to move them. I told my wife she needs to take them to Budweiser Event Center, she said "but my sister heard not to go there". I said Larimer County Sheriff just tweeted 2 minutes ago to take all large animals to BEC. When you have an agency that has embraced SM and uses it well it is awesome tool. You are instantly ahead of everyone not using it, why? If you rely on traditional media to tell you info, where are they getting that info to pass along? They are reading the same SM posts you could be reading. It cuts out the middleman and stupidity of traditional media. You notice I do not follow any actual media outlets, they are not the source of news anymore. Go to where the information is actually coming from.

This is very controlled info that is in your hands, someone or some organization is being a cockbag, unfollow them, pretty simple.

[Wulf202]

So is twit good enough or does one need Facebook also? App or no app?

[cmailliard]

For pure info, Twitter is the place. Easier to search and find info. Most places use Hootsuite or something similar to post on both sites so you would just be duplicating info. I like the app on iOS.

[TheGrey]

Prepping isn't simply stocking up food for the month of September and making sure you have a get-home bag in your car. It's not a matter of preparing for zombie attacks or worrying about whether gangs are going to riot in your neighborhood and break into your home (although, if you are in a neighborhood like that, bless you and may you be able to leave that place soon!) Prepping is first and foremost a mindset. It is a conscious determination to take responsibility for yourself and your loved ones, removing dependence upon others to be the first to help you. Much like the mindset you should have when you decide to conceal carry, deciding to begin or continue prepping is a way of taking control of your life.

Let's take a look at Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. You remember this- high school psychology classes everywhere examined Abraham Maslow's pyramid.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...fNeeds.svg.png

At the bottom of the pyramid is Physiological. This is the base of the pyramid, the thing that supports all else. If you are hungry, thirsty, freezing, naked, and dirty, you will not be concerned with questions such as "Why am I here? What is the purpose of life?" So, in prepping, you need to make sure your basic needs are met- food, shelter, water, waste disposal, hygiene. That means enough for your family and pets, too. Prepping suggests that you take a longer-term approach to this, not simply to have a few days' worth on hand.

Prepping questions to ask yourself: How long will your food hold out? If you have dehydrated foods, do you have enough water to rehydrate that food without taking away from drinking water and cleaning water? Do you have enough spices or sauces to make that food palatable? Do your pets have enough food and shelter? Does your family LIKE eating what you have stocked? Is there enough soap? Are there enough feminine hygiene products? How will I dispose of waste?

The next step up is Safety. Is your home safe? I am not just asking about protection fro incursion, but is is safe structurally? Are there broken windows, ripped screens, nails sticking out of the walls, loose floorboards, iffy wiring, warped doors, and so on. Play the mental game of 'what if-?' What if there was a fire? Do you have fire extinguishers? (October is Fire Safety month- Home Depot and Lowe's usually have sales on extinguishers. Get ABC fire extinguishers, and learn how to use them.) What if you have someone elderly staying with you? That loose tile that you're used to avoiding may cause a bad fall for someone else.

Safety questions to consider for prepping: Which natural disasters are common in my area? What am I prepared for, and what do I need to better prepare for?Do you know where your water shut-off valve is in the house? Does your spouse? Do you have an evacuation plan in place?

The third tier of the pyramid is harder: Love and Belonging. This is not something that can be purchased, so it's harder to grasp and define. For those that are married, or that live with family, ask yourself this: If we are snowed in for two weeks without contact to the outside world (no internet, television, telephones or radios), will we be able to co-exist peacefully? Children will spat with each other and there's no denying it. People will get on each other's nerves when they are under stress and underfoot. Feuds are another thing entirely. On top of this, you have the Care and Feeding of Introverts and Extroverts. One way to prepare for this is to designate a space for each person that they can go to when they need a break. You also need a place where people can go when they need to be with other people. Most homes already have separate bedrooms and living rooms or dens, so this isn't as hard as it sounds. Spouses will need privacy during stressful times, so children and houseguests will need to adhere to specific boundaries (both physical and chunks of time). Remember- there is more to life than simple survival. Man is not an island.

Questions to ask yourself for prepping for Love and Belonging: Am I in touch with my emotions with how it relates to family? Do I tell (or demonstrate) my love and support of my family members? Do they recognize and understand it? How can I support each of my family members during stressful time? How can they support me? If I am in the midst of a long-term fight/squabble/disagreement, can I set that aside until such time as the emergency is past, and my family is safe?

The fourth tier is Esteem Needs: feelings of accomplishment. This is important for you as head of your household; in emergency situations, your family will look to you for guidance. You will better accomplish your tasks if you think ahead of time and prepare (see what I did here?) for as many scenarios as you deem likely or plausible. Although tornadoes are terrifying, they are much less so when you have a fully-stocked basement, a weather radio, a safety room to corral the family in, and a plan in place. The safety and security of your family and your home should provide you with that sense of accomplishment. If you are prone to doubting yourself, you need to find a way to take heart and be confident in yourself. Speak with your spouse- they are your partner, after all. If you have no spouse, find a person you can confide in.

Questions to ask yourself for prepping for a sense of accomplishment: What can I build or create that will ease my family's burden in the event of an emergency? What can I do that will make each member of my family feel loved and cherished? What can we all do together that will bring us closer?

The top of the pyramid is Self-Actualization. Self-actualization is a worthy goal to strive for, and includes leisure and creative outlets. Why is this at the top of the pyramid? When your basic necessities, security, love and belonging, sense of self-worth and accomplishment are all met....you have time for play. Play is important. Play is sanity. Play is what tells your children that everything is okay, and it reinforces the sense of belonging. Play means you are safe, and are well-fed and can spend your attention on fun.

I cannot over-emphasize how important this is, especially to those people that are married and/or have children. Play and laughter are what make relationships grow and thrive. Not teasing or mocking, but genuine fun. Make sure to have games, books, music, puzzles, craft things, toys, photos...whatever makes you and your loved ones happy. This is the way to reinforce all other tiers of the pyramid together.

Questions to ask for prepping for self-actualization: What makes us happy, together and individually? What do each of my family members love to do best, and what can we do to prepare for it?


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I know this was a long one, and there may be some different ideas that you have as to what might work best for your situation. The idea was to start those wheels turning, and to help you start to think in the prepper mindset. I hope the majority of this makes sense, and I welcome additional thoughts and suggestions!

[StagLefty]

I've used frugalsquirrels.com as a good resource from like minded folks

[TheGrey]

I have never heard of this site- thanks for the great tip!

[Wulf202]

I left frugal squirrels after the owner started outright attacking catholic members for not being Christian enough. Among other things