July 2014

The Community Sick Room

Issues of Practical Survival

Building Resilient Community Through Skilled Practitioners

Encouraging, Empowering and Enriching Your Journey

The Transition Movement

Finding A Qualified Survival

Group Medic

Sharing Your Skills and

Knowledge

Http://www.DoomandBloom.net

Communities have undergone a degradation of sorts in the last few decades. No longer is there connectivity between the local blacksmith and the miller. Gone are the small town doctors who would make house-calls. However, with our isolated, technologically dependent lifestyle and the advent of severe global change on the horizon it behooves us to take a closer look at developing a stronger sense of community once again.

The Transition Movement is a global resurgence of people seeking a tighter connected community in their areas with an emphasis on reskilling our society. In some Transition towns even the currency is localized.

One approach to forming a more solid network between people would be by Sharing Your Skills and Knowledge with your community via 4H, Continuing Ed Classes and libraries. Another idea would be to gather together with like-minded folks to move toward Building Resilient Community through Skilled Practitioners. Before you form a group, don’t forget there are at least 5 Tips for Developing Community and be sure to make plans for Finding a Qualified Survival Group Medic. Healthcare for a small group, whether in crisis or otherwise is vital. Just check out our focus feature of The Community Sick Room and see how important it is to be prepared to do care for our community when the systems in place may no longer be effective.

Since community is vital, but not the soul sum of the Issues of Practical Survival, we round out this July 2014 Digital Edition of PREPARE Magazine with some other great topics. The newest instalment of the series: Apache Knife Fighting & Battle Tactic 9 entitled: Tumble Weed Comes to Turtle Island continues with the similes and vivid techniques to ground the action style of the warrior in your memory. Another option for self-defense fine-tuned with Martial Arts Practice. While one of our skilled authors offers an article for natural cures in the article: Getting Comfy with Comfrey. And since there have been an increase in this form of natural disaster, it’s important to remember Earthquake Do’s and Don’ts.

The devotional section entitled Preparing the Wrong Way can help you set your foundation for preparedness on firmer ground as life’s hurdles rise and things get more chaotic. Please also take a moment to stop by the Community Connections section that is always included in the digital issues and see if your area has a notice in it. With our virtual society and social media as the new norm, it’s always nice to find real-life connections. If you know of any free groups or activities in your area, please be sure to email us.

We hope you will enjoy this issue, but even more than that, we hope you will use PREPARE Magazine as a vehicle introduce others in your community and extended family to the peaceful and inclusive side of preparedness. One that wants to build and restore starting now.

EnJOY the Journey,

Donna L. MillerManaging Editor of PREPARE Magazinehttp://www.PREPAREMag.com

Letter from the Editor

1 - Letter from the Editor

2 – Finding a Qualified Survival Group Medic

3 – Getting Comfy with Comfrey

4 – Issues of Practical Survival

5 – Sharing Your Skills and Knowledge

6 – The Community Sick Room

7 – Apache Tactic 9 – Tumble Weed Comes to Turtle Island

8 – Building Resilient Community Through Skilled Practitioners

9 – 5 Tips for Developing Community

10 – Martial Arts Practice

11 – The Transition Movement

12 – Earthquake Dos and Donts

13 – Preparing the Wrong Way

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Chief Vision OfficerJoseph Miller

Managing EditorDonna Miller

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Table of Contents

There are many skill sets that are necessary to include as part of a complete preparedness group. Some of the more popular trades or skills to have in a survival community include construction, engineering, gardening, radio operator (HAM), weapons armorer, security/tactical specialist, and of course a medic/medical provider for both the humans and animals in the group. While all of these group members are vital, how do you possibly tell if the person who you are trusting with your health and physical wellbeing is qualified or trustworthy? There are multiple points that should be considered when looking for, or evaluating, a new medical professional.

1. Level of Training – There are several different levels of medical training starting with the basic first aid and nursing assistant level and continuing all the way up to a specialized physician. While something is better than nothing, when it comes to a survival group, the point is to survive, of course, which makes the highest level of training for the group medical professional ideal. A good starting point for a survival group medic would be at least an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) with a mid-level provider (Nurse Practitioner or Physicians Assistant) being preferred if a physician is not available.

2. Specialty/Focus Area(s) – Medicine is a very broad field which in turn provides medical professionals the opportunity to practice a broad range of medical skills. While there are general practitioners that provide care from pre-natal through geriatric cases, there are also specialists that will work in very focused areas like

pediatric kidney diseases. While all medical professionals start with a basic foundation of medicine, in most cases the professional who is ultra-specialized may not be the best pick for an all around survival medical provider. There are also great advantages to a medical professional that has received additional training that will broaden the type(s) of treatment that can be offered. Specific skill sets that are valuable in a survival situation include tactical and trauma medicine, veterinary medicine, dentistry, sports medicine, environmental medicine, and preventive medicine, to name a few.

3. Leadership/Mindset – Does this person have the mental capacity and the fortitude to take charge and do what needs to be done, when it needs to be done? It is not uncommon for even some medical professionals to be less than enthusiastic about operating in some areas or environments. For instance, a person who specializes in working in emergency medicine would probably feel like they are being tortured if they were forced to work in the slower pace of an occupational health clinic doing routine work physicals. Because of this, desirable attributes in a survival medic include the ability to take charge, do what needs to be done, provide direction to others as the subject matter expert, and make appropriate decisions (even when they are tough decisions to make). This also means having a strong mindset. While there are many scenarios that could play out, sometimes in the heat of the moment a decision must be made to let one individual go without treatment, and ultimately die, in order to save the lives of a few others. While it is almost impossible to consider the necessity of such a decision, it is a reality.

4. Performance Record – It may seem obvious for some but just because a physician graduates from their training program does not mean they are the best qualified person for a particular job. While a training certificate from an accrediting agency is a good place to start when determining qualification, additional steps should be taken to ensure that the medical professional being considered has performed well historically. Each state has the ability to license medical professionals and in some cases like EMT’s, there are national licensing agencies as well. Conducting a search of these agencies records will provide not only a status of the individuals

Finding A Qualified Survival Group Medic

By Tom Miller, ThePreparedNinja.com

license (is it current, suspended, revoked, lapsed, etc.), it will provide a snapshot of whether the individual has ever had any complaints filed against them or been party to a lawsuit. While this information may not be disqualifying if it is unsubstantiated, it can be a factor that will easily sway a decision one way or the other.

5. Equipment – A qualified professional in their field will almost always have all of the tools and supplies necessary to perform their duties and medicine is no exception. When evaluating a person to fill the role of the medic in your survival group or community, ensure that they possess the equipment and supplies needed to do the job. If a person claims to have the skills necessary to be your medic but does not even own a first aid kit, consider this a huge red flag. On the contrary, just because a person has a plethora of medical supplies does not make them fully qualified to do the job. Medical supplies are a basic preparation for any person but a medical professional with additional training beyond the layperson should likely have advanced equipment and additional supplies.

6. Ability to Train Others/Communication – While being able to train other people is something that not everyone is blessed with, it can be important for a survival community. This is not necessarily a make or break point

but it should be considered when looking for a medic because basic medical skills are something that every member of the community should be trained in. A person that cannot effectively train the community is adversely affecting the survivability of the group and could be putting others in jeopardy in the long run. Communication is also an important part of not only training but treatment as well. A good medical professional will be able to clearly explain treatment plans, procedures, medications, and medical diagnosis to the patient and their family/caretakers. Don’t dismiss the importance of being able to communicate.

While no checklist or set of questions will be foolproof in finding a good medical professional for a survival group, there is some due diligence which should be conducted when performing your search. Keep the points above in mind and talk to the members of the group about what is important to them. Ultimately, the person selected needs to be someone that will be able to get along with everybody, especially during times of stress and difficulty. Don’t forget, while personality and the ability to get along with others are important, it is even more important that the skills and abilities of a medical professional are good and relevant.

http://www.preparednessretreat.com

Comfrey is a great plant that, unless you have some background in permaculture or have learned about it through permaculture discussions, doesn’t get much publicity. I can say that I had never heard about it until a local woman gave me a start saying it was a necessity for anyone wanting to start organic farming. 2 years later I learned about it in more depth with permaculture.

Comfrey as a permaculture plantComfrey is a great and almost necessary plant in permaculture. It has deep tap roots that can go down 12 feet or more into the soil to mine minerals out. You will almost always find comfrey in any permaculture designer’s tool box of go to plants. Typically they are planted around fruit or nut trees. When the trees are just planted and establishing themselves, a ring of comfrey around the tree can boost tree growth. It is extremely fast growing. You can harvest the leaves several times over the season. Here in the Midwest comfrey will die back to the ground during winter. The leaves can be added to compost as a nutrient booster. You can make comfrey tea as a fertilizer for plants. You can feed it to livestock. I can say that our chickens completely devoured a comfrey plant when we first got them. The additional minerals found in the leaves benefit chickens, rabbits, goats, sheep, cows, and pigs. We haven’t seen any of our pets eating it yet, that being

the dog and cats. I mentioned harvesting several times a season. Harvesting consists of cutting the leaves back, and you use the leaf portions for teas, compost, or feed. We haven’t had much luck with starting comfrey from seeds. The best way to spread it is through root cuttings. After 2-3 years the plants are well established and you can split them. Much like you would split a hosta. Taking a spade you can divide the root mass into several clumps. Only 1 inch of root is necessary to propagate. The Russian variety does not spread by themselves. Be warned, once you introduce comfrey into an area it can be difficult to remove, since it can regrow from only 1” of root. It is best to cut back all leaves when propagating and allow the plant to send out new shoots from the crown and/or roots.Comfrey can survive in just about any soil and condition. It does prefer partial to full sun. When on a tour at Brambleberry farm we were told that if you do not expand and move the ring of comfrey around your tree to keep it roughly with the drip line, the tree will shade them out and the comfrey will die out. I believe it is a combination of root competition with the tree and the shade that does it in. The one nice thing about it is as it grows is that it chokes out all the other plants around the tree, and if you plant in a ring, you have a nice little circle to mow around…if you mow. Throw in some garlic, and you have a good pest deterrent. Add an annual climbing pole bean once the tree is established (2-3 years and 4-6’ tall) and you have the makings of a nice little plant guild. The beans fix nitrogen, the tree is the pole to climb for the beans, the garlic deters moles and other rodents from eating at the tree, and comfrey mines minerals, and all of its other functions. Bees love the purple flowers that come out in the spring for a mature plant. In the 3 years we have grown comfrey the bees, honey bees, bumblebees, mason bees, and even butterflies have been seen on the purple flowers. We have never observed any insect damage to the comfrey plants. No caterpillars,

Getting Comfy with ComfreyBy Rich Beach, Co-Owner Wolf-Beach Farms

no Japanese beetles, no aphids and no real leaf damage whatsoever.

Comfrey as a medicinal herbAs if all the above reasons are not enough to make you want some comfrey, it also has many medicinal properties. While the FDA says it is a plant that has toxic effects, a person would have to consume insane amounts of the plant to reach the levels they say are harmful. Let us not forget, these are the same people that say fluoride, GMO, and thousands of other chemicals are safe. I used to deal with these people on a regular basis for 16 years. My confidence in their ability to determine what is and is not safe is absolutely zero. Comfrey is a great first aid for external treatment for wounds and to helps reduce inflammation associated with sprains and broken bones. Keep these herbs growing in the garden so it is readily available for external salves and poultices to help broken bones heal faster. From WebMD: Comfrey is used as a tea for upset stomach, ulcers, heavy menstrual periods, diarrhea, bloody urine, persistent cough, painful breathing (pleuritis), bronchitis, cancer, and chest pain (angina). It is also used as a gargle for gum disease and sore throat.

Comfrey is applied to the skin for ulcers, wounds, joint inflammation, bruises, rheumatoid arthritis, swollen veins (phlebitis), gout, and fractures.WebMD also states that it is unsafe to take by mouth, however many people have done it for yearsI can speak from personal experience that I have used comfrey on swollen and sore joints due to arthritis, and my wife has used if for deep and severe bruises and sprains (she is a kick boxer). We have used it when I am so accident prone and had cuts, scrapes, deep bruises due to my own clumsiness. We have an athlete who has injured ankles and applied it. In all cases the healing process seems to go much faster than not using it. Purdue researched comfrey as a feed crop to animals and in the 70-80’s it was used as a feed crop. Here is an article on comfrey as an alternative feed for livestock. https://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/afcm/comfrey.html

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Issues of Practical SurvivalBy Christopher Nyerges, www.ChristopherNyerges.com

Back in the mid-1970s, “survival food” and food storage systems were big, and there was the scare of a possible famine in America. Since then, there have been various hyped-up “ends of the world” scenarios including Y2K and the end of the Mayan calendar cycle. Most are fed by the three horsemen of the modern Apocalypse: fear, greed, and money. It has been a long time since I have heard advertisements for “survival foods” for those folks who are worried about a world in which we descend into chaos and anarchy. As I listened to an ad on the radio recently, it reminded me of my state of mind in the late 1960s and 1970s when I first began to study ethno botany and survival skills in general. 

Back then, I was primarily motivated out of fear, and was concerned about my own personal physical survival.  It has been a long road to today, and though I still encourage folks to store “survival foods,” I am no longer motivated by fear.  Today, I have a completely different mindset about the very meaning of “survival.” 

I know that to some people the word “survival” connotes images of some burly guy in a camo outfit and a gun who is just out for himself.   That’s survival, by the lowest definition.   But what about your children, your family, your pets?  What about the survival of your community, your environment, your city, your bank, your educational system?   Real survival is vastly more than keeping your own body alive.

Through the 1980s, I gave a series of lectures about the many cultures and civilizations that have entirely vanished.  Gone.  My focus was to look at what causes a culture to slip into decline, and even to vanish.   Then, more importantly, I attempted to see if we, today in the U.S., are experiencing any of these same causes that lead to decline and extinction.   Of course, most members of my audiences listened politely, but felt that “this would never happen to us.”   In other words, the predictable response was denial. 

According to Morris Berman in the classic “The Twilight of American Culture,” there are four factors that define a declining civilization.

The first is an accelerating social and economic inequality.  Then there are “declining marginal returns with regard to investment in organizational solutions to socioeconomic problems.”  Another factor is the rapidly dropping levels of literacy, critical understanding, and general intellectual awareness.   As an example, the author shares with his readers some of the responses to questions that Jay Leno received during his “Jay Walking” routine.  Then, there is something called “Spiritual death”   - probably a major factor in the decline of all civilization. 

Interestingly, Berman adds that he doesn’t know if these four factors are causes, or effects. 

WHY CIVILIZATIONS FAIL

According to Jane Jacobs in her “Dark Ages Ahead,” there are definable reasons why civilizations fall. Among her nine major factors, she lists resource depletion, catastrophes, insufficient response to circumstances, intruders, mismanagement, economic issues, and “cult thinking.”

I believe the last two are particularly relevant to us today, but they’re by no means our only concern.   As Jacobs states,  “Civilizations are expensive to keep going and require increasing amounts of labor and wealth to maintain themselves.   As civilizations grow, the upper classes grow – and so does their need for surplus wealth.  The overall costs of supporting the system with specialists, servants, soldiers, police, and so on grow at an

increasing rate. The increasing effort to maintain them produces diminishing returns and leads to their collapse.”

As for cult thinking, it is something that permeates each and every one of us in every facet of our life.  It is not just about religious things.   Cult thinking occurs whenever we blindly believe anyone.   This is why I have always strongly suggested you read Eric Hoffer’s “True Believer.”

THE ROMAN EMPIRE

Jane Jacobs suggests that we are following the same cultural decline that occurred with the Roman Empire.  She identifies many of the weak spots in our contemporary lifestyle, such as: taxes, family, community, education, science, technology, the lack of self-policing, and moral/ethical insanity.   These weak areas are the foundation of all the other often-cited problems, such as the environment, crime, and the discrepancy between rich and poor.

Modern families are “rigged to fail” due to rising housing prices, the suburban sprawl (with a reduced sense of community), and the automobile.  Automobile is the chief destroyer of communities, and the idea of community.

WHAT CAN WE DO?

The hopeful part of all of this is that dark ages are not inevitable.   For one thing, we all need to get involved and be a part of the solution.  The millions of details of a complex, living culture are not transmitted via writing or pictorially, but by 1) living examples and 2) by word of mouth.  We need to think!  We need to model solutions (that is, given two options, we should choose what is “higher and better” in our daily life). And we need to teach, to lecture, and to write.

There is always hope and there are always actions we can take.  If you’re watching TV, choose an educational show, not Family Guy. Constantly learn new skills and crafts, things that have intrinsic value, and that you can do with others. Grow some of your own food!

According to Boy Scout leader Francisco Loaiza, “Don’t make entertainment such an important thing in your life. Spend time with others and do things with people.  Get away from the TV and get off the internet.  Get to know other people directly.   We may have more knowledge today but we’ve become a colder society.”  He adds that our emotional intelligence has been lowered a few notches as well, and he cites as an example that

when people sneeze today, they rarely say “excuse me.”

IN SEARCH OF THE MEANING OF REAL SURVIVAL

 

All of us who have devoted our lives to studying and applying skills of survival are well aware of the periodic events which beset us all: wars, droughts, floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, economic collapses, etc. Some are “acts of God,” and many are acts of man.

 

The practical skills of survival are direly needed by all of us. And yet, the media continues to serve up “reality” shows that provide little or no practical skills in our day to day living.

 

Shows like Survivor, Man vs. Wild, Survivorman, and their offspring can be amusing, but are designed more for entertainment value rather than providing anything of real value. These shows, which often depict buff individuals in a wilderness setting, often showcase the worst of human nature in order to keep us glued to our seats.

 

Though it amusing, and often nauseating, to see hungry men and women eating snakes, rats, and grubs, there seems to be little relevance to the millions of modern urban dwellers.

 

What then is real survival all about?

 

Our food-related survival skills necessitate our knowledge of urban food production, such as growing

fruit trees, raising vegetables in limited space, raising chickens, making compost.

 

We need to educate ourselves to what foods have great nutritional value, and which do not. If we cannot grow at least some of our own food, we should support those farmers at local farmers markets who are providing local quality food.

 

Real survival in the modern world includes practical knowledge of economics. How can you get more for less money by spending less and earning more? You can begin by separating need from want, and then you should re-evaluate everything in your life that is touched by money. Ask yourself, “How can I obtain this thing, or service, or skill, without money?” Is it possible to trade or barter?

 

And then there is the ages-old good advice for how to soundly deal with material things: why buy new if used will do? Don’t discard if it can be made into something else, etc.

 

Economic collapse of a country’s currency has happened many times, usually due to the over-extension of the leaders who controlled the purse strings, and who considered themselves more deserving than the general populace. A collapse of a country’s currency forces the people to deal with stark, basic, everyday needs and concerns in a harsh manner until something new is developed.

 

While it is true that learning how to trap and eat a rat means you don’t have to worry about food from the store in the event of an economic collapse, it is far better to involve yourself in the practical and philosophical underpinnings of the society so that such a collapse doesn’t happen in the first place.

 

As our material abundance and technological advances continue, we become more and more dependent upon things which we cannot control. We’re fast on the path to a “Blade Runner” or “THX1138” world.

 

If you’re worried about our future, the answer does not lie with a loin-clothed man with a spear, since a thriving meaningful culture requires vastly more than that. Real survival must encompass a working knowledge of politics, economics, ecology, health, and so much more.

 

Our answers lie in making the time to educate ourselves to the things that really matter in life. For that matter, in today’s information-glutted world, it’s a real challenge to discern between useful and useless information, between entertainment and education, between that which leads us to freedom and that which merely titillates.

 

If we desire to be a part of the solution to the ailments of modern civilization, then we must choose to not live our lives driven by fear and greed. Yes, real survival means that we must change ourselves first.

 

Sometimes, we have to realize that we’ve been hypnotized, and that we must fight our own ignorance. Real survival means that we must become like children again, and realize that there is no dishonor in going back to Square One. By reassessing everything that we think we know, and by asking questions anew, we may discover a new found joy in our very existence.

 

The pursuit of material survival is too often compassionless. We need compassion for each other if we want to have a society that is worth living in.

 

William Blake once summed up the essence of Real Survival when he stated, “I sought my soul, but my soul I could not see. I sought my God, but my God eluded me. I sought my brother, and I found all three.”

HOW WE AFFECT OUR ENVIRONMENT

Our actions upon the environment can have a profound effect upon our survival. You may not notice it right away, maybe not even for decades, but when we make our decisions and choices based upon “giving our shareholders the greatest return,” and other strictly financial considerations, we often lose in the long run. Or our children "lose" as a result of poor air, water, and overcrowding.

 

When great “natural disasters” occur, we tend to call these “acts of God.” Indeed, the earth moves and shakes and blows and chills and heats, and goes through all of its changes. Man does not control these changes. Earthquakes, floods, tsunamis, fires, droughts, ice ages, high winds, volcanic eruptions, etc., have been with us since the beginning of memory, and will continue to be with us.

 

While we cannot stop the forces of nature, we must begin to see how our actions (and inactions) absolutely exacerbate the effects of these natural forces, and definitely affect our ability to survive.

 

DROUGHT

Take drought, for example. Do our actions have any effect on drought conditions? Absolutely! Some have attempted to prove that the great drought of the 1930s, and the resultant Dust Bowl era, was the result of poor farming practices. In order to maximize farming areas, and to farm with the greatest of convenience, trees were cut down, and the soil was not properly fertilized.

 

Without the trees to do their soil-protecting, and with barren top soil due to the farming methods, the land had no life and the dry winds blew it away. Act of God? Hardly. It was the result of the ignorance of man on a large scale. We create desertification on a small scale when we follow the strict dictates of the fire department when they demand that we denude the soil down to the bare earth. Such patches of soil are hotter than planted soil, and lead to erosion.

 

RAIN

Heavy rains are common after the drought and fire cycle is played out. Such rains often do result in flooding and landslides. Though we can call heavy rain an “act of God,” the effects can be lesser or greater, depending upon what we have done to the land. In some cases, houses should never have been built on steep hillsides, since the building of the houses requires cutting down the trees and reshaping the terrain. With the trees gone, and much of the land paved over, the water must go somewhere when it rains. The trees and the soil can process a fair amount of the water, but with trees gone, and no way for water to percolate into the soil, the water flows downhill, creating disasters for those who live in the mud's path.

 

And when we have removed all grass and brush cover due to the extreme dictates of the fire department’s supposed “brush control” regulations, we set the stage for erosion, and eliminate the natural cover for animals – and these principles apply everywhere.

 

EARTHQUAKES

A major earthquake could occur at any time along any of the major fault lines throughout the world. While we cannot stop the shaking, we can realize that we live in such an area, and plan to minimize the impact upon our family’s life in the aftermath, such as storing water, organizing friends, having knowledge of first aid, etc.

 

And some earthquakes may indeed have been caused by the hand of man. There are some scientists who believe that the Long Beach, California earthquake of 1930 was

the direct result of over-pumping oil from the underground reservoirs there.

 

It would be difficult to plan for some disasters – like a large comet hitting your neighborhood. Assuming you survived, so much would be devastated that “waiting for help” would not be a viable option. If you valued life, you would have lived your life in accord with “higher principles,” and you would have developed skills that now might actually be useful in the post-apocalyptic world. To read a possible scenario of a large comet hitting the earth, read Lucifer’s Hammer (by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle, 1977).

 

I continue this line of thinking in the latter chapters of my “How to Survive Anywhere” book, which is available at bookstores, at Amazon, and at Christopher Nyerges. I welcome your comments, questions, and suggestions along the lines brought up here.

Sharing Your Skills And Knowledge

Being prepared is predicated on knowing potential needs. Part of this knowledge is based on personal experiences and also by learning from others. It is often a problem solving scenario implemented by innovation and improvisation. That's why I am always on a quest for learning and what enhances that process is sharing what I've learned with others. This not only benefits others but helps to sharpen my skills and solidify my understanding.

Over the years that I have published my blog, survivaltek.com, I have had many requests for instruction and demonstrations of my primitive and survival skills. As a result I have spent time at festivals, conventions, camporees, camps, classes and other events. It is always a pleasure to share what I enjoy and it allows me to meet others who often have pearls of wisdom to share.

I see myself similar to the middle elephant of a three elephant caravan. I hold on to the more advanced elephant ahead of me while holding on to a younger

By: Ken Youngquist, Survivaltek

elephant that needs my guidance. We always have opportunities to learn and to share.

Do you have special knowledge or skills? Have you considered sharing them with others? We all have seasons

in life for different activities and purposes, and perhaps now is the time for you to experience a rewarding service to others. Think about it. And if you are already doing it... thanks!

The Community Sick Room

The successful mutual assistance group will have an extensive medical system to deal with all the issues it will encounter in a true survival setting. One of the most important aspects of this is the decision to assign a sick room for the community that will effectively treat ill and injured members without exposing them to the general population.

We have the benefit of knowledge of sterilization and the way contagious diseases are spread, so we have a head start on our ancestors.  Using this knowledge, it should be possible for the medically prepared to put together a “sick room” or “hospital tent” that will minimize the chance of infectious disease running rampant throughout the group.

Hopefully, when the you-know-what hits the fan, you’ll have made (or will quickly make) the decision to bug in or bug out. If you’re staying in place, pick a sick room. For those staying in place, choose a sick room at one end of the house. This room should have a window or two for ventilation and light, and a door that can be closed. If you‘re bugging out, choose a hospital tent and place it on the periphery of your camp. 

These decisions must be made before things go bad. If you don’t choose a sick room as part of your medical preparedness planning, you will wind up evicting someone out of their room or tent.. As such, you can expect resentment at a time when everyone needs to pull together.

If you don’t have a spare room or tent, you’ll have to raise a makeshift barrier, such as a sheet of plastic, to separate the sick from the healthy. Even if you have a dedicated sick room, this might make sense to hang over the door for when you go in and out. You’ll want to keep the injured separate from those with infectious diseases such as influenza/pneumonia. Wounds, however, will sometimes become infected.

If you’re staying in place, your sick room’s air conditioning ducts will be close to useless in a power-down scenario, and could actually pose a major risk to

the rest of your group.  Cover them with duct tape.  Keep windows or vent flaps open if at all possible, except in particularly inclement weather.

A hospital tent to deal with injuries (not what you would see with possibly contagious disease)

 

Furnishings should be minimal with a work surface, an exam area, and bed spaces.  Cloth surfaces, such as you see in sofas, carpets, etc. can harbor pathogens (disease-causing organisms). Avoid them if at all possible.  Even bedding for the contagious might best be covered in plastic.   The more areas that can be wiped down/disinfected easily, the better (try to do that daily with a carpet!).

It’s also important to have a way to eliminate waste products from your bedridden patients, even if it’s just a 5 gallon bucket and some bleach.  Closed containers like hampers are needed to put used sick room items that need to be cleaned.

A station near the entrance of the room or tent for masks, gloves, gowns, and disinfecting would be very helpful.  You’ll need a basin with water, soap or other disinfectant, and towels that should be kept for exclusive use by the caregiver. There should only be one person involved in caring for the sick, especially those with contagious illnesses.

By Joe Alton, M.D. (akaL Dr. Bones), DoomandBoom.net

For supplies, get plenty of masks and gloves; gowns can be commercially made, can be plastic coveralls, or even dry cleaning clothes covers. Use N95 respirator-masks for the caregiver and simple ear-loop masks for your patients (unless you can afford N95 masks for everyone).

Many people consider medical supplies to consist of gauze, tourniquets, and battle dressings, but you must also dedicate sets of sheets, towels, pillows, and other items to be used in the sick room.   Keep these items separate from the bedding, bathing, and eating materials of the healthy members of your family or group.   This may seem excessive to you, but you can never have enough dedicated medical supplies.   You may save the life of a loved one or even your entire group if you are diligent in putting together your medical stores. As well, you will be surprised at how quickly you will go through your medical storage.

Cleaning supplies should also be considered medical preparedness items.  You’ll want to clean the sick room as well as possible on a daily basis. Clean hard surfaces that may have germs on them with soap and water, or use other disinfectants.   These include doorknobs, tables, sinks, toilets, counters, and even toys.  Wash bed sheets and towels frequently; boil them if you have no other way to clean them.  Consider bedding and clothes of the ill to be infected, and wash/disinfect your hands right after touching them.   Ditto for plates, cups, etc.   Any equipment brought into the sick room should stay there.

One additional item that will be important to your sick room patients:  Give them a noisemaker of some sort that will allow them to alert you when they need help.  This will decrease anxiety and give them confidence that you will know when they are in trouble.

http://www.trayerwilderness.com

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Tumble Weed Comes to Turtle IslandApache Knife Fighting & Battle Tactic 9

When the Apaches, land creatures, and sky creatures came up from Underworld to Turtle Island, they went about and explored the North, South, East, and West. At that time, all lands were connected and there was no separation of oceans. They discovered new tree, plants, herbs, and flowers but they missed their old diet, medicines and color dies. The Apaches went back to Underworld and gathered seeds from all the vegetation that formed their diet, medicine, and dies. They brought them up in bags and baskets to Turtle Island.

When they were finishing gathering the seeds in Underworld, Tumble Weed spoke to the Apaches and said, “Take me up to Turtle Island for I am lonely down here in Underworld.” An Apache elder said, “We have no need of you in Turtle Island, for there are many new plants, trees, and flowers that are much more pleasant to look at. You offer us no fruits, vegetables, or herbs from your branches or roots. Your branches are not strong enough for our bows or arrows; you offer no medicine; you offer no color dies; and you offer no sinew. We have no need for you on Turtle Island.” Tumble Weed was very smart and asked, “How will you deliver all those seeds throughout Turtle Island?” The Apache elder said, “We will travel North, South, East, and West and spread the seeds.” Tumble Weed said, “You will not be successful for the seeds must be spread out quickly before the change of seasons or they will die. You are slow on foot and few in number. You will never accomplish this in time for proper growth, and next harvest you will have little to show for such a large tasking.” The Apache elder thought for several minutes in silence and then asked, “Tumble Weed, you are wise in your speaking, but what would you recommend?” Tumble Weed said, “Take me up to Turtle Island and I will spread your seeds to the North, South, East, and West.” The Apache elders asked, “How will you do such a great task?” Tumble Weed said, “I will gather many seeds at once, then call on Cross Wind to send me North, South, East, and West. I will spread the seeds as I travel. The seeds will spread throughout every part of Turtle Island.”

The Apache elder agreed and they took Tumble Weed up to Turtle Island. Tumble Weed would roll his body forwards and backwards, spreading the seeds as he struck the ground in a Downward Wind direction or an Upward Wind direction across the land. The next season, the

plants, trees, herbs, and flowers that the Apaches would use for their diet, their medicine, and their dies were all on Turtle Island. It is said that you can dig deep enough and find the ancient plants and trees that were left behind and not brought up to Turtle Island. After a time, the Great Flood destroyed all of Underworld.

In battle, the Apache warriors use a single or double weapon attack towards their enemy and rotate in a vertical circular Downward Wind or Upward Wind motion/angle while alternating the timing of each arm. A right hand strike or block would be immediately followed by a left hand strike or block and vice versa. The strikes or blocks would continue at fast speed so it was near impossible for the enemy to defend all the strikes or blocks. The Apaches call this the Tumble Weed tactic. The Tumble Weed tactic can be done with the weapon[s] in a Talon or Sky grip. The weapon[s] can be on a vertical or horizontal plane. The Tumble Weed tactics work well while running towards the enemy and striking or in stationary positions.

By Snake Blocker, Lipan Apache Tribe of Texas

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Building Resilient Community Through Skilled Practitioners

Each year we have a new group of apprentices arrive from various backgrounds and with various skill sets.   In six short months we work to bring them through the skills needed to live extended periods off grid with few, if any, tools.  We also work to bring them through an evolution of trust, interdependency, and the ability to work together as seamlessly as a living organism.

The military version of this approach relies on dehumanizing individuality and building “Esprit de Corps” through shared pain and stress in training often related to combat proficiency.  These motivators have the advantage of creating a known product in a short amount of time with a high volume of folks coming in from a broad diversity of backgrounds. .  Often, one of the costs of such development is the loss of individual skill sets and innate abilities outside of the Military Occupational Specialty or training parameters. 

In the civilian sector, the most skilled practitioners in most fields are those who are passionate about their craft.  Many have spent most of their lives developing and refining personal technique to make themselves better than the person they were the day before.   Often, childhood successes and challenges, combined with mentors and community expectations, help to shape the raw passion of the individual into a valuable and skilled member of that community. 

Institutions attempt to mirror these behaviors through mandatory yearly recertification courses and “Professional Development”.   These attempts often fall short.  Unless this training allows folks to pursue trainings that offer a degree of personal interest, passion, and direct applicability, investment in honing ones skills and having a return that benefits the community as a whole are not going to be evident.

One group of operators has a famous saying, “The only hard day was yesterday”.     This statement captures an approach that produces results close to the internal drive that pushes craftsmen and world class athletes.  It is the passion within that makes such a statement sustainable words to live by.

We combine “best practices” of military training and discipline with the skilled specialization and diversity of the civilian sector by direct trainings, field experiences, and an organic “after action reviews”.  These are usually done around a campfire, or barbecue.   Collectively, this suite of experiences is called “shared story”.

There is a progression of evolution through “shared story” that each individual embarks on within a community.  Knowing this, one can better facilitate growth for themselves and help others through their own journey with regard to experiences and training.  

In the beginning of most experiences, people are highly motivated and with emergent skill sets.  This would be the “White Belt” or “Boot” who is eager to please and learn it all.  The attrition rate is normally high in specialized fields as new comers are weaned out as curiosity seekers or those who lack the personal drive and dedication to develop that particular skill.

Intermediate Level members of the community find an interest and become specialized in a set of known skills.  They are the green belts or junior NCOs’.  These folks are the known “go-to’s” for everything from Communications to Tracking to Seasonal Wild Food Harvesting. 

After this point in most folks’ development, the attrition rate is high.   Many travel to continue their education; others leave to find their niche in another community. 

The senior NCOs’ are usually the middle aged folk who have an established network of fellow seniors to draw from with regard to talent and resources.  These folks are the backbone of your community.

The Old Timers are the salty dogs that have a lifetime and a half of dirt time.  As the “wisdom keepers” of the group they oversee the big picture and help make efficient the overall operation.   They are more than the repository of knowledge and history.  They are often the element that motivates all members of the community regardless of their station, age, or rank.

This organic form of development within a community occurs regardless of geography, culture, or ethnicity.  It is

By Mike Douglas, Maine Primitive Skills School

streamlined and modified by one’s environment and purpose. 

Knowing these stages of personal development within a resilient community can further accelerate group cohesion if effort is exerted in training each team member extensively in the five major disciplines that ensure survival.   By developing personal Attitude, Shelter Building, Water Procurement, Fire Making, and Finding Food to the point of making a “survival situation” a non-stressor, a leader grounded in rock solid principles and priorities is created. This investment may take years, but the return is a self-confident individual who can have genuine concern for team members based out of compassion rather than stress or fear.   Also, once in a

stressful situation, the level of skill and dirt time each person brings makes returning to a “baseline” of resilience based on mutually beneficial relationships the natural default setting.

Community building is a process, not a goal.  It is one of the hardest skill sets to refine and is perishable if not used continually.  However, the “Two is one and one is none” principle found in small unit operations is amplified in a community setting.   When folks are “on”, a community trains the next generation to be better than the last and creates bounty by generating more than the sum of its parts through team work and combined talents.

http://www.grainbucket.com

Five Tips for Developing Community

My first experience with building a proposed prepper community took place several years ago. A friend who owned a large farm on the other side of the state asked for my assistance in training and recruiting people to take part in the project. This friend was well off financially and the land had a couple nice barns as well as a community house which was a very large complex that had a few bathrooms, storm shelter, and kitchen and dance/activities hall in addition to a couple apartments on the second floor. The plan was for people to come live and work on the property for free- just live there, keep up the place and work toward the common goal of preparedness.

The owner was even making regular improvements for fencing, obtaining livestock, cages, equipment and mobile trailers to serve as temporary homes until cabins or other amenities could be built by the families living on the farm. So all that people literally had to do was live and work the land and share some of the harvest with the single owner who visited on weekends to help out and who would one day come live there full time upon retiring. It sounds like a deal too good to be true right? Well, it was true and all was, and is, currently operating in much the same way. The problems, however, arose in the people that came to live and or work on the property. The first person that came was a man in his early thirties; he had moved from a city in Pennsylvania to a very rural farm in Kentucky to live and work the land. Shortly after his arrival came a couple from Georgia that had been living off grid for nearly a decade. They moved into a century old shack on the property with the plan of fixing it up over time. Everyone was initially on the same page as far as their reasons for coming were concerned, but as

the people came to know one another better, they more they realized they didn't like one another! This resulted in a lot of fights, hurt feelings and eventually an abandonment of the project. I've seen many people come and go from this prepper farm over the last several years and while the owner has been the guiding force in the good that has happened, the community simply has never come together as you would think it would considering the tremendous opportunity.

Beyond personality differences that are well realized by most in any budding community, religious and ideological differences must be given serious consideration. Someone that's not used to bathing regularly and that chooses to live primarily on plant based foods and live in harmony with nature is likely not going to thrive alongside a serious hunter and tactical prepper within the same community; just as a devout Catholic is not going to get along with a devout Pentecostal or either of those with a Wiccan! As a pastor, I have gained quite a bit of experience in building faith communities and have a solid understanding of how and why certain personalities work or are willing to work together and I can tell you that being self-reliant is not a good enough reason. People need to have their needs met on several levels- physically, emotionally and spiritually and unless a community is able to develop organically first between like-minded friends, then it is more likely to fail, especially when times actually get tough.

Another thing to consider is skills diversity. The people that came to the farm in my area were largely void of any actual homesteading type skills. They had read books about the subjects, but had no practical experience, which made for a tough learning curve and a lot of disappointments. Allopathic and Holistic Medical training, survival and bushcraft, blacksmithing, gardening, farming and livestock, hunting, fishing and trapping, and carpentry are just some of the skills required for a community to succeed at a level beyond mere survival. No one person is able to do it all, even though we all try! So as you explore training in these areas- make friends! Don't be so ate up with OpSec that it prevents you from making new friends and influencing others to join the cause. Online friends, as great as they can be, do not take the place of local manpower and friendships; as it will likely be those local to you that are

By Jason Hunt, www.campcraft.us

the first around to either help or hinder your plans. That said, your most prominent community members may be a state away from you- you may be called to prepare a place of refuge where the community can gather together in that time of need.

I am fully convinced that in the last days we're all prepping for, that God will (and has been for a while now) appoint people to create places of refuge for weary travelers to rest up or commune together in a place of protection (Rev. 12:13-17). It may be that just before and during the actual event is when we will realize our communities and, save for a select few, the majority of us will have little real success in putting a community together beforehand and while I believe there are some spiritual principles as to why this is, it also boils down to peoples’ inherent nature to procrastinate. Many simply won't get involved in a community until they realize they have to. So don't get discouraged, perhaps your time is not yet, but still nigh at hand!

So, here are some tips, for what it's worth, to get you started:

• Know what you're about: One person cannot do it all, so gain what knowledge you can in any areas you're interested in, but be very good at what you're good at and realize that those skills are your contribution to a potential group.

• Get to know your Neighbors: Your neighbors will likely be the first to help or hinder you in a large scale crisis

situation, so it only makes good sense to get to know them and how they may react against or in support of you and perhaps be a good resource for a potential community.

• Get local training: Training locally exposes you to potential community assets and is a great way to make new like-minded friends.

• Know who you can work with: Are there certain types of people you can't stand or anyone you're unwilling to work with due to personal, religious, or emotional conflicts? Make a list and learn to identify these personality types so you can make life a little easier when it comes to finding your community members.

• Identify your purpose: Why are you building or joining the community? Why is it important to you? Why do you want to survive? These are important questions that deep down often have a spiritual answer. For example, we seek to build a place of refuge so that in the time of trouble we might be able to explain the world's problems from a Biblical point of view and equip people to better deal with the current situation- we seek to survive to lead others into God's Kingdom through Jesus Christ.

Whatever your position with a community, be it a builder or participant, give it all you got and give it time to mature- do not get discouraged, for everything happens in its own time and often not according to our own sense of urgency. NEVER GIVE UP!

http://www.preparemag.com/print-subscription/

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Martial Arts PracticeBasics, Fundamentals, and Application

In any practice or endeavor, there are three general levels of training to go through before a skill can be considered ‘proficient’. They are basics, fundamentals, and application. Without these three levels, the skill is untested, unproven, and un-validated. Each level also builds off the other, making the most simple of movements the most important. In fact, most truly expert instructors will, given the chance, opt to instruct fundamentals because they know that is where the greatest improvement potential is. Unfortunately, many novice instructors will stop at fundamentals and never move on to application. Others will concentrate on application, and not hone the fundamentals to optimal effectiveness.

Basics are the core traits or characteristics in play. They can include the will to survive, striving to succeed, balance, endurance, strength, and wisdom. They are not necessarily a movement or anything physical, and may be a characteristic. Because these are not physical movement, they are often not directly trained, but through practice in fundamentals and applications, these basic attributes are improved. For instance, doing several front kicks into a target is using an application to work on the trainee’s endurance and balance. When these are improved and the trainee does not quit, his mindset is improved as is his ability to strive for success. Since these basic traits are used throughout the many facets of one’s life, this is how martial training improves a person’s life. Exercising the basics.

" Martial arts is like a mirror, in which you look at yourself before you wash your face in the morning. You see yourself, simply, the way that you are”. -Jiddu Krishnnamurti

This quote illustrates recognizing the basics. Observing and reflecting on the characteristics and traits as they are, with the practice and effort expended to be truly aware of them and accepting of them.

Fundamentals are the core movements of the martial training. Tae Kwon Do, for instance, includes throwing many repetitions of front kicks in building fundamental skills. The instructor that knows the trainee must bring the knee up nice and high is ensuring the fundamentals are handled so that it is clean, efficient in effort, and most importantly, effective. Doing stepping and movement drills, also called ashi sabaki in Japanese, are performed to practice the fundamental footwork movement necessary for most martial practice.

Similarly, firearm training includes many fundamentals such as moving and shooting training, tactical and emergency reloads, etc. Having the capability to bring the pistol up to eye level when reloading to maintain situational awareness (as opposed to looking down at the firearm in a low ready stance), keeping elbows pressed in to the torso to stabilize the arms and pistol during a reload, and reaching for the spare magazine and inserting it into the pistol are all examples of practicing fundamental movement.

Fundamental movement is perfected by hundreds and thousands of well performed repetitions. The objective is to make the movement as ingrained and basic as taking a step. When we walk (this assumes the average healthy adult), we do not think about each leg having to go in front of the other. We do not mentally ‘actively engage’ in the purpose of walking. The movements are completely second nature, and we can walk without thought. The objective of thousands of repetitions of martial movement fundamentals is to be able to access them as easily as taking steps, with the same mental effort necessary.

By Don Alley, Bu Tactical

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“When the swordsman stands against his opponent, he is not to think of the opponent, nor of himself, nor of his enemy's sword movements. He just stands there with his sword which, forgetful of all technique, is ready only to follow the dictates of the subconscious. The man has effaced himself as the wielder of the sword. When he strikes, it is not the man but the sword in the hand of the man's subconscious that strikes.”  -Takuan Sōhō

The quote exemplifies how fundamental movement training that is so ingrained in the trainee can transcend ‘thought’, and replace it with immediately accessible action. This is achieved because the fundamental movements of the art are no longer something that must be consciously thought. They simply are a part of the trainee.

Fundamental movement is the most important to optimize not just for effectiveness in one application, but to be applied to multiple applications. For instance, bringing the knee high in the Tae Kwon Do front kick not only allows for a better kick, it is creating a fundamental movement that includes a knee strike as well as a kick.

Application is when a set of fundamental movements are strung together to achieve a purpose. This includes footwork fundamentals, blocks, punches, redirects, strikes, grabs, etc. There are many aspects that go into developing an application to practice. There are many inputs a trainee processes if needing an application for protective purposes. Because the trainee is acting against a threat and must process these inputs, he cannot afford to devote mental ‘computing cycles’ to techniques he does not know well. He can, however, easily command familiar movement (one of his fundamentals).

An application can be as simple as a fundamental movement. The front kick described as a fundamental earlier becomes an application when used with intent and purpose, such as gut kicking someone coming at you. Just pivoting out of the way of a punch is a fundamental movement that becomes an application (not getting hit).

Applications are sometimes called ‘techniques’ in various schools, but this terminology is in error. Applications are the fundamentals, applied. Technique is to qualify skill, effectiveness, or efficiency.

Putting it all together, it can be seen that the basics are trained through the fundamentals. It can also be seen that

application is a set of fundamentals. This is why an expert will always practice in the fundamentals; so that he can improve the basics and the applications, simultaneously. Perfect practice in optimized fundamental movements creates multiple application potentials for each fundamental movement. With each fundamental optimized, there are fewer needed. With fewer fundamental movements in one’s ‘muscle memory’, there is even less thought needed to access them. With even less thought needed to access them, they are more immediately enacted. Immediate action that is appropriate is optimal personal protection proficiency.

The Transition Movement – One way to be prepared

Climate change. Financial markets instability. The end of cheap oil. Social unrest. Natural disasters. The list can go on and on. We are confronted with huge challenges on all sides that seem insurmountable and all highly probable to occur within our lifetimes. There are many responses that each person facing these challenges can have today:

I have a mortgage & bills to pay, kids to raise and a job that takes most of my time. I just don’t have the time to worry about this now.

Stop worrying and just be happy! Let’s enjoy ourselves while we can.

I hope the President and Congress can figure out a solution before it’s too late!

I think someone will come help me in case of emergency.

I’m going to get a gun, stockpile a ton of food and find a “bug-out” location to hole up until the danger passes.

It’s too big a problem for me to worry about. I’m just going to wait and see what happens. We haven’t crashed yet, so it’s business as usual for the foreseeable future.

This is AMERICA – it can’t happen here!

I better roll up my sleeves and be prepared to take care of myself, my family and my community.

While many (most) of these solutions appeal to most people, the “Transition Movement” (which used to be called “Transition Towns”) started from the premise that we are responsible for creating our own future and “we must be the change we wish to see in this world.” To this end, the Transition Movement believes the following:

1) If you wait for the government, it will probably never happen,

2) If you try to go it alone, it will probably be too little and too late, but

3) If you work together as a community, that will be the salvation of us all.

The Transition Movement began as the brainchild of a single individual – Rob Hopkins of Totnes, England. He was a Permaculture teacher who became very concerned about the multiple challenges facing us today, primarily in the energy field, and decided to take action by developing an idea – one so simple and appealing that it has blossomed over the past decade to encompass over 1100 Transition initiatives in 43 countries today (including 150 communities in the US alone). In early 2005, Rob Hopkins

was teaching Permaculture at the Kinsale Further Education College in Ireland, and he and his students created the Kinsale Energy Descent Action Plan, which was later adopted as policy by the Town Council. It was the first strategic community planning document of its kind, and went beyond the issues of energy supply, to look at across-the-board creative adaptations in the realms of food, farming, education, economy, health, and much more.

The Transition approach is based on four key assumptions:

That life with dramatically lower energy consumption is inevitable, and that it’s better to plan for it than to be taken by surprise.

That our communities currently lack resilience.

That we have to act collectively, and we have to act now to build community resilience and prepare for life without fossil fuels.

That by unleashing the collective genius of our communities it is possible to design new ways of living that are more nourishing, fulfilling and ecologically sustainable.

Worldwide Transition Initiatives as of 2013

The Transition movement is working to empower individuals and communities to work together – neighbor to neighbor – to build resilient communities that can weather the various challenges we face together. The key is building Community – getting to know your neighbors

By Larry Goldberg, Transition Humboldt

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and working together to prepare for whatever challenges may come by building community resilience and self-reliance.

Re-skilling

A major part of the Transition movement is “re-skilling” or re-learning lost skills for practical purposes today.

"Re-learning the skills that our grandparents took for granted, such as how to use hand tools, how to build our own structures, how to mend and make clothing, how to make our own medicine, how to forage, grow, preserve and store our food."

Rob Hopkins, Transition Founder

Re-skilling is the art of sharing useful skills that many people simply don’t know well or never learned – growing food (vegetables & animal husbandry), preserving food (canning, pickling & drying), storing and purifying water, building practical shelter, the use of basic tools, sewing & weaving and other skills that are essential to creating a self-reliant future. This is one key action item for most Transition Groups – organize re-skilling events to bring together community members to share and disseminate useful life skills that we’re going to need to become resilient communities.

Key words used in Transition MovementA couple of the key words & concepts we use in Transition are:

Resilience - the ability to “spring back” from adversity, whether we talk about an individual, family or community; it’s our ability to be resilient that gives us strength.

Sustainability – can mean “maintain", "support", or "endure”. Since the 1980s sustainability has been used more in the sense of human sustainability on planet Earth and this has resulted in the most widely quoted definition of sustainability as a part of the concept of sustainable development: “sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

Permaculture: a design theory that is based on natural principles and “working with nature” in all things we do – growing and preserving food, energy production, housing construction and community building. Permaculture relies heavily on observation of natural systems, using natural design principles and seeing all systems (whether they be a garden, a building or a

community) as a holistic integrated system rather than a single entity.

"Permaculture is a philosophy of working with, rather than against nature; of protracted and thoughtful observation rather than protracted and thoughtless labor; and of looking at plants and animals in all their functions, rather than treating any area as a single product system." - Bill Mollison

The key features of TransitionThe Transition Movement looks at all the problems facing us a part of a whole, a multi-dimensional system, thus none of the individual challenges facing us can be confronted individually without impacting each other, but individual problems can be identified to better understand the whole to see how each impacts the other. Some of the key issues that the Transition Movement addresses are:

•Energy & transportation

•Food & farming

•Economics (often called “Re-economy”)

•Water

•Health & wellness

•Waste & recycling

•Personal psychology (we call it “inner Transition”)

In most Transition groups a structure is adopted that allows for “working groups” or committees to work on individual issues and report back to the main group. The whole purpose of this is to empower individuals to take action to address the issues of their group focus. For example, an energy group may work on an “asset map” or inventory of where the community gets its energy, how they can use less and generate more and eventually develop an “Energy Descent Action Plan” to become energy self-reliant within a specific timeframe.

The Mission of Transition USTransition US (www.TransitionUS.org) is a resource and catalyst for building resilient communities across the United States that are able to withstand severe energy, climate or economic shocks while creating a better quality of life in the process. We will accomplish our mission by inspiring, encouraging, supporting, networking and training individuals and their communities as they consider, adopt, adapt, and implement the Transition approach to community empowerment and change.

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Strategic Partnerships & CollaborationsThere is an urgent need to build solutions that address the problems of the end of cheap oil, climate change and economic instability. We have to equip people and communities with the appropriate skills and knowledge that will enable them to make the transition to a sustainable future. Transition US is doing all it can to provide this support, but it is impossible for any single organization to do it all.

Complex issues are best resolved through collaboration. In partnership, we join together to make our work stronger and more effective by sharing ideas and resources, building consensus, and collaboratively planning towards common goals and objectives. We cannot do it alone, but together we can make a difference.

Transition US is interested in partnering with organizations and people that are focused on creating positive solutions that address transitioning past oil, climate change and economic instability, while building environmental and socio-economic justice. The Transition Movements partners with all organizations that are committed to creating change on an outer community level, and with those that are working to enable inner change, such as those involved in wellbeing, spirituality, health and happiness.

Community Resiliency ChallengeAs part of the Transition Movement’s theme for 2014, it was decided that we need a new story about our future as humanity on this planet. The Community Resilience Challenge is an opportunity for us to come together, show our communities what a more resilient future looks like, and start building it! Together over 10,000 actions were registered this past May!

The Community Resilience Challenge is organized around four themes: Save Water, Grow Food, Conserve Energy, and Build Community. During the Challenge participants committed to undertake specific actions that fall under each theme such as installing a grey-water system, planting a garden, weatherizing their home and/or coordinating a community project. The Challenge is a great reason to take care of home and garden improvements, to organize a work party in your neighborhood, or to plan a community visioning event. To see what was accomplished (and more going on all the time) go to http://transitionus.org/crc and see an interactive map of the US actions taken this Spring. This is just a sample of the work that Transition is accomplishing nationally and world-wide.

To learn more about the Transition MovementThere are many good books and websites to read to learn more about the Transition Movement and how you can become involved (or start a Transition initiative in your area). To begin, read The Transition Handbook by Rob Hopkins (available in free download online – Google Transition Handbook). You can also purchase the following books:

• The Transition Handbook: from oil dependency to local resilience - by Rob Hopkins

• The Transition Timeline: for a local, resilient future - by Shaun Chamberlin

• The Transition Companion: making your community more resilient in uncertain times - by Rob Hopkins

• The power of just doing stuff: how local action can change the world - by Rob Hopkins

• Local Food: how to make it happen in your community - by Tamzin Pinkerton and Rob Hopkins

• Local Money: how to make it happen in your community - by Peter North

• Local Sustainable Homes: how to make them happen in your community - Chris Bird

• Communities, Councils and a Low Carbon Future: working together to make things happen - by Alexis Rowell

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• Localisation and Resilience at the Local Level: the Case of Transition Town Totnes - by Rob Hopkins

• Totnes and District Energy Descent Action Plan

All of the authors have been involved in their own local transition initiatives, experiencing the joys and challenges of working in their own back yard.

Several good websites for more info:

Transition US: www.transitionus.org

Transition Network: www.transitionnetwork.org/

Resilience http://www.resilience.org/

Thriving Resilient Communities http://thrivingresilience.org/

Next StepsIf you are interested in learning more about the Transition Movement, go online and do some research, learn about groups in your area (there are interactive maps on the Transition US website) and, if there’s no group in your local area, you can learn how to form one. There are

excellent Transition “Launch” trainings with professional Transition trainers available for a fee (available on the Transition US website) and many transition groups worldwide are sharing their success stories online and in the monthly newsletters (free subscription available on the Transition US website). Bottom line – you can fret and worry about the future, hope the government will do something to avoid calamity or roll up your sleeves and make the change you want to see in the world today. Transition is simply a vehicle to help empower you and your community to take action to prepare for an uncertain and potentially unstable future. At a minimum, you’ll sleep better at night!

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Portions of this article were provided from Transition US, the Transition Handbook and Wikipedia.

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Earthquakes Do’s and Don’ts

The U.S. Geological Survey estimates over  3 million   earthquakes occur globally each year. That’s approximately 8,000 seismic events every day or 1 every 11 seconds, but most of them are very small.

And, although it may seem like there is an uptick in quake activity, if you analyze global earthquake records over the past century (which is a tiny sliver in time compared to our planet’s history), the averages of large events (6.0 magnitude and higher) are fairly constant, especially during the past three decades.

Earthquake FactsThe USGS estimates out of the several million earthquakes that happen every year only 100,000 are felt and about 100 cause damage. And an average of 17 quakes of magnitude 7 or higher occur globally each year.

About 90% of the world’s earthquakes occur in the “Ring of Fire” – an area surrounding the Pacific Ocean.

Japan is one of the world’s most earthquake-prone countries, with a tremor occurring at least   every five minutes.

Earthquakes happen in all 50 U.S. states with Alaska being the most earthquake-prone state and one of the most seismically active regions in the world. Alaska experiences a magnitude 7 earthquake almost every year, and a M8 or greater on average every 14 years.

The 1700 Cascadia earthquake occurred along the Cascadia subduction zone along the Northwest coastline of North America with an estimated magnitude of 8.7 – 9.2. Geological records reveal that mega-quakes (i.e. M8 or

higher) occur in the Cascadia subduction zone about every 500 years on average.

Some of the strongest earthquakes in U.S. history occurred on the New Madrid fault (area between St. Louis and Memphis) in 1811-1812. This area still experiences about 200 earthquakes a year.

Most earthquakes are too small to be felt, but when they happen, you will feel shaking, quickly followed by a rolling motion that can rotate up, down, and sideways that lasts from a few seconds to several minutes.

What is the best thing to do during an earthquake?

Official rescue teams from the U.S. and other countries who have searched for trapped people in collapsed structures around the world, as well as emergency managers, researchers, and school safety advocates, all agree that "Drop, Cover, and Hold On" is the appropriate action to reduce injury and death during earthquakes.

The  Southern California Earthquake Center explains the greatest danger is from falling and flying objects. Studies of injuries and deaths caused by earthquakes over the last several decades show that you are much more likely to be injured by falling or flying objects (TVs, lamps, glass,

by Bill & Janet Liebsch

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bookcases, etc.) than to die in a collapsed building. “Drop, Cover, and Hold On” will protect you from most of these injuries.

DROP  down onto your hands and knees (before the earthquake knocks you down). This position protects you from falling but allows you to still move if necessary.

COVER  your head and neck (and your entire body if possible) under a sturdy table or desk. If there is no shelter nearby, only then should you get down near an interior wall (or next to low-lying furniture that won’t fall on you), and cover your head and neck with your arms and hands.

HOLD ON   to your shelter (or to your head and neck) until the shaking stops. Be prepared to move with your shelter if the shaking shifts it around.

Over the past several years, most U.S. states and territories and several other countries have participated in the Great ShakeOut earthquake drills. These annual drills are an opportunity to practice how to be safer during earthquakes by doing "Drop, Cover and Hold On." ShakeOut also has been organized to encourage you, your community, your school, church or organization to update emergency plans and supplies, and to secure your space in order to prevent damage and injuries.

What NOT to do during an earthquakeDO NOT get in a doorway! An early earthquake photo is a collapsed adobe home with the door frame as the only standing part. From this came our belief that a doorway is the safest place to be during an earthquake. In modern houses and buildings, doorways are no safer, and they do not protect you from flying or falling objects. Get under a table instead.

DO NOT run outside! Trying to run in an earthquake is dangerous, as the ground is moving and you can easily fall or be injured by debris or glass. Running outside is especially dangerous, as glass, bricks, or other building

components may be falling. You are much safer to stay inside and get under a table or desk.

DO NOT believe the so-called “triangle of life”! In recent years, an e-mail has circulated which recommends potentially life threatening actions, and the source has been discredited by leading experts. "Drop, cover, and hold on!" is a U.S.-based recommendation based on U.S. Building Codes and construction standards. Engineering researchers have demonstrated that very few buildings collapse or "pancake" in the U.S. as they might do in other countries where building codes aren’t strictly enforced. Visit the  Earthquake Country Alliance (www.earthquakecountry.org)  to find statements, articles and other materials refuting this theory.

Note: The Earthquake Country Alliance explains the ONLY exception to the "Drop, Cover and Hold On" rule is if you are in a country with unengineered construction, and if you are on the ground floor of an unreinforced mud-brick (adobe) building, with a heavy ceiling. In that case, you should try to move quickly outside to an open space.

For more information and to monitor earthquake activity, visit the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program http://earthquake.usgs.gov and learn more about the annual ShakeOut drills at www.shakeout.org

Preparing the Wrong Way

I’ve been talking about preparation for a LONG TIME – far longer than most people even considered preparing. I’ve been called an “alarmist”, ignorant, silly, and a few other choice words.

Today, “preparation” is a very common discussion – and there is a whole movement of people called “preppers”. Many people are now saying they received a “call” to prepare.

I felt that same call many years ago, and actually was one of the first to coin the term “Preparation Call” – as I believed that God was preparing some people for an important time. There are now tens of millions of references to the term “Preparation Call” on the web.

Today, there a millions of people who assume preparation is all about “storing up food, building a bug-out-bag and getting a cow”. While those things are important, unfortunately, most people still COMPLETELY miss the point.

There are people who assume they are getting prepared because they have put together a closet of provisions in anticipation of a chaotic event in the future. Certainly, it is VERY important to get provisions in place, but that is only the surface – and most people are still falling dangerously short of what is really needed.

What I see many people doing right now is almost more dangerous than if they didn’t do anything. They operate with an “Intellectual Faith”, and call it preparation. Their provisions have in some way, become their security and have given them some measure of comfort for their fear – as they ready themselves for the coming storm. Again, I contend they are missing the point.

Bottom line is – preparation is not at all what most people think. People are on-edge, fearful, and are wound pretty tight as they anticipate a coming calamity.

Consider this…

When the quake hit Japan in 2011 followed by the subsequent concern about nuclear fallout, within just a few days the shelves in North Carolina were completely depleted of Potassium Iodide. I live some 6,700 miles away from the catastrophe, but people in my town rushed to protect themselves from the fallout. Do you think people are a little bit on edge?

Even as the government said there would be no health risk for people in the US, droves of individuals ignored those hollow statements and ran to get protection. Do you think people anticipate that our government is not going to be trustworthy?

Now, I submit to you, that preppers were among the main people who ran to get the Potassium Iodide. Oops… they must have forgotten to get that one on the list of items they were supposed to have as part of their prepping.

So, what if a major radiation leak happened at one of the facilities in your area? (Please don’t call me an alarmist or assume that I am suggesting that is coming – it is a hypothetical question). Do you think all of your preparations and vast food storage keep you safe from such an event?

Preparation is FAR more than just storing food and provisions. If have a closet full of food, but a disaster wipes out your home – what do you have now to be prepared with now?

In my humble view, if I carry preparation too far and assume that my efforts will somehow control an outcome, then I am likely putting my faith in my own works. I am personally trying to keep the boat stable in the storm, rather than rely on the only One who can truly calm the storm.

I believe God wants us to be preparing so that we might be better able to share with others. For me, the first step in preparation is to strengthen my Faith in HE who is able to calm the storm. Right now, it is vital that we strengthen our relationship with Him as well as bonding stronger with those we love and serve every day.

By Joseph Miller, CVO of PREPARE Magazine

“Martha, Martha, you worry and fret about so many things

and yet few are needed, indeed only one. It is Mary who has chosen the better part and it shall not be taken from her.”

(Luke 10:41-42)

The Launch of PREPARE Magazine has been a labor of love, sharing of helpful training and ideas, and a partnership with some wonderful people. We are so thankful for the support and kindness of so many people who have joined with us in the journey and contributed to the creation and growth of PREPARE Magazine. We want to share our sincere and humble gratitude for everyone who has shared their support and encouragement. We simply could not have launched PREPARE without you!

On behalf of our readers, subscribers, advertisers, and staff, we wish to extend our heart-felt appreciation to all of you. We believe there is a very special mission for PREPARE Magazine, and are so pleased to be yoked with wonderful people who wish to sow encouragement and help to others in the Preparedness Journey.

Again… To all of you who have contributed and shared financial resources, preparedness training, advertising, testimonials, and encouragement, please know that we greatly appreciate you – and look forward to serving on your behalf.

Joseph and Donna Miller

THANK YOU!

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Trent Powers Ken Youngquist Jason A. Hunt Vickilynn Haycraft Rick AustinEvan Folds Bryan Miller Bill & Janet LiebschPierce Jacobson Vina8 Eric WatersCharles BelitzLynette FryeKelly ThomasNigel JonesDale W.MontgomeryKim LippySteve MistrettaAaron BerwickValarie BrownScott AngellCaryn leeWayne SpencerN. CampbellJudith HooleyFounding Subscribers

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Bill & Janet Liebsch   are the founders of FedHealth, a publishing and marketing company formed in 1999 to help the public focus on preparedness and health-related issues. We also are the authors, copyright owners and publishers of "IT'S A DISASTER! ...and what are YOU gonna do about it?" and are dedicated to developing programs that primarily benefit First Responders, schools and volunteers. Get a sample of the content with this free mini-ebook HERE.

Christopher Nyerges is the author of 14 books, including “Extreme Simplicity” (Dover books), “How to Survive Anywhere” (Stackpole books), “Guide to Wild Foods” (Chicago Review Press). He has been teaching wild food and self-reliance classes since 1974 via School of Self-Reliance and other organizations. He conducts a weekly self-reliance podcast, weekly field trips, and has appeared on Fox TV as “Natureman,” on National Geographics “Doomsday Preppers,” and other TV shows. Contact him at: http://www.schoolofself-reliance.com Box 41834, Eagle Rock, CA 90041

Snake Blocker is a member of the Lipan Apache Tribe of Texas, is an accomplished martial artists and Apache Historian.  He has served in the U.S. Navy since June 2001 and did tours in Kuwait, Iraq and Afghanistan. He is the featured instructor in several videos and promotes his signature line of survival products and knives.  Snake has been featured on Deadliest Warrior “Apaches versus Gladiators” and Doomsday Preppers “In the Hurt Locker”. He hosts “Snake Blocker Survival” on Preparedness Radio Network.

Donald Alley is a martial science practitioner with over 10 years’ experience. He is a black belt in Jujutsu and a brown belt in Aikido. He is an instructor with the ISBF and a Level 1 Instructor for the US-MTA as well as program coordinator / instructor with Martial Tactical Training of Michigan. He is a certified NRA instructor for Basic Pistol and Personal Protection in the Home. His product line, Bu Tactical, provides everyday carry options for martial devices.

Dr. Jason Hunt is the founder of Campcraft Preparedness Ministries and Frontier Christian University. He leads an active life teaching others about Survival and Preparedness from a Biblical perspective. Jason also serves his community as a firefighter and SAR team leader, and is a Wilderness-EMT and Wilderness First Aid Instructor. He’s also an instructor at Dave Canterbury’s Pathfinder School and is a weekly host on Pathfinder TV. Visit him online at www.campcraft.us

Joe Alton, M.D. (aka: Dr. Bones) is a member of Mensa, collects 19th century medical books to gain insight on off-grid medical strategies. He is the co-author, along with Amy Alton, A.R.N.P. (aka Nurse Amy), of the #1 Amazon Bestseller in Survival Skills “the Survival Medicine Handbook".  The opinions voiced by Dr. Bones and Nurse Amy are for post-apocalyptic settings only; in normal times, seek modern and standard medical care from qualified professionals.

Our Contributors...

Joseph Miller heard the call to PREPARE well before it gained any popularity. For over 25 years, before the current climate of our time, before any evidence pointed to the contrary of an affluent future, Joseph was preparing his family for times such as these.  With over 20 years of current experience as a CEO for Non-profit corporations and a sought after consultant for numerous multi-million dollar For-profit entities, Joseph is also the Chief Visionary Officer for PREPARE Magazine.

Ken Youngquist is the creator of Survivaltek, a website dedicated to teaching the ways and means to survive. From his youth, Ken was captivated by primitive living skills, and in his adulthood was intrigued by the television Series MacGyver. The result has been the study and practice of survival skills and the desire to pass on the mantle of preparedness to others. You can visit and learn more at: http://survivaltek.com/

Larry Goldberg has lived on the California Northcoast for 35 years. He works for Plan It Green, a non-profit environmental group focusing on building sustainable green communities and re-localizing economies. Larry is an energy expert (building performance analyst & renewable energy) and has been working on programs to build “resilient” communities through the “Transition Town” movement. He is active in promoting and developing Transition Initiatives across Northern California.

Mike Douglas has taught survival since 1983.  He's studied with Paul Rezendes, Tom Brown Jr., Jon Young, and others.  After the Marines he began The Maine Primitive Skills School. Mike's run programs for the military, schools, camps, and businesses.  He's advised for Discovery Channels’ “Dual Survivor” and was featured on National Geographic’s “Doomsday Preppers”, receiving the highest “Survivability Score” of the shows first season.  His programs draw people from around the world to participate in Tracking, Survival, Awareness, and more. 

Rick Beach is a recent Graduate of Geoff Lawton's PDC sharing knowledge with whoever cares to listen or read it. He is the Co-Founder/Speaker of Midwest Sustainable Education Conference and Co-Owner of Wolf-Beach Farms. Rick is a jack of all trades when it comes to prepping and gardening. After converting suburbia 0.2 acre into a homestead, he is looking to do the same on a 6 acre homestead.

Tom Miller is a blogger and operates the website ThePreparedNinja.com that focuses on disaster preparedness and survival for the individual and group. He is a family man, military veteran and lover of the outdoors who uses his military training, combat experience and practical knowledge to prepare for the unexpected. In addition to his website, connect with Tom on Facebook at ThePreparedNinja, on the Twitter handle @preparedninja, and as Tom Miller on LinkedIn.

Community ConnectionsThese groups have meetings in July/August

PACIFICWalnut Emergency Preparedness GroupWalnut, CAStore Water, Drain Water Heater & Pipes to Survive! Thursday, August 7, 2014 - 6:00 to 7:00 PM

Sacramento Emergency Preparedness GroupCitrus Heights, CAButchering 101 - Hunter's SpecialSaturday, August 9, 2014 - 10:00 AM

SOUTHWESTNorthwest PHX Valley Survival Preparedness GroupPeoria, AZWhen & Where to Bug OutSunday, July 27, 2014 - 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM

Dallas Sustainable Living & Organic GardeningDallas, TXContainer GardeningSunday, July 20, 2014 - 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM

NORTHWESTPreparedness Educational NetworkBroomfield, COBread Making ClassSaturday, July 26, 2014 - 10:00 AM

Kansas City area Preppers NetworkKansas City, MOJuly Meeting: BBQ SocialSunday, July 20, 2014 - 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM

MIDWESTIndiana Disaster Preparedness / SurvivalIndianapolis, INFire and Water Thursday, July 24, 2014 - 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM

Cincinnati Survival/Preparedness GroupCincinnati, OH101 Land Navigation / OrienteeringSaturday, July 19, 2014 - 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM

SOUTHEASTJacksonville Emergency and Family PreparednessJacksonville, FLEvery Day Carry, Car Bag, Get Home BagSaturday, July 12, 2014 - 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM

North Atlanta Preparedness GroupAtlanta, GAFirearm SafetySunday, July 27, 2014 - 4:00 PM

NORTHEASTSurvivalism & Preparedness of MarylandFredrick, MDWild Food WeekendSaturday, July 19, 2014 - 10:00 AM

New York City Preppers Network (APN Chapter)New York, NYChar Cloth MakingSunday, July 27, 2014 - 1:00 PM

OUTSIDE USAYork/Durham/Toronto Wild Food ForagersNew Market, ONLearning about Wild Edibles in HamiltonSaturday, July 26, 2014 - 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM

Ontario Prepper Survival NetworkToronto, ONPractical Steps to take During a BlackoutSunday, July 27, 2014 - 3:00 PM

Mondays-Thursdays 9:00 to 5:00 EasternFridays 9:00 to 4:00 EasternClosed Saturdays & Sundays

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