Monthly New Jersey Roll Call

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The Record Heat Waves

With the record heat waves and drought across the nation, the American Preppers Network hopes that you have been prepared.  Disasters of any type can and do happen anywhere, at anytime, and without warning.  We are now witnessing and will continue to witness a prime example of how one disaster can cause a chain reaction leading to other disasters.  Here are some potential disasters to be aware of as a result of the drought and heat waves.


1) Water shortages.  Water is the number 1 most important necessity to survival.  The average human can only survive 3 days without water, and even less in a heat wave.  I hope you've stored some.  If the water system shuts down or does not have enough, you could turn on the tap only to have a few drips.  If you run into a situation where there is not enough municipal water supply to your home, start looking for other sources of stored water.

• Your hot water tank may have 30 - 50 gallons of water stored. 
• The top supply tank to your toilette is typically clean water that you can use.
• Your plumbing in your house could have a few gallons.  Open a higher faucet in your house as in a shower, sink, or upstairs source to relieve pressure, then open a lower outside faucet to retrieve water from your plumbing system.

Don't short change yourself on water!  Make sure you have plenty for personal consumption.  If you stop sweating, that means you are dehydrated!   

Got Water?

2) Heat.  Heat poses many risks, including but not limited to:

• Heat Stroke.  Watch family members closely, especially the elderly, watch for slurred speech and disorientation.  When in doubt, call for help.  Time lost is brain lost.  Never leave pets or children in a vehicle, and keep them out of the direct sun.  Drink lots of water.
• Fire.  Fires are much more common in the heat.  Things dry out and become more flammable.  Keep dry brush and trash picked up.  Do not store fuel in or around your house, and keep well ventilated in a cool area out of the sun.  Keep grass cut short, especially if your city is rationing water and not allowing watering of lawns.  Do not store any flammables in the direct sun or in your attic.  
• Vehicle breakdowns. Avoid driving unless it's absolutely necessary, or drive at nite. Check your fluid levels and make sure your oil and coolant are topped off.  Bring extra oil and coolant with you in case you need it.  DO NOT top off your fuel tank!  Make sure your tires are property inflated and not over or under inflated.  Bring extra water with you in case you do break down.  Drive with the A/C off when going uphill.  Watch your vehicles tempature when climbing grades.  If your car starts to overheat when going uphill, pull over at a safe location to let it cool.  Check to make sure your thermostat is working before you make your trip.

3) Blackouts.   The nations grids are maxed out.  With everyone using A/C, expect rolling blackouts.  If you are in a blackout, you can wrap sleeping bags around your refrigerator or freezer to help insulate it.  To conserve power, only use what you absolutely need.  Keep lights turned off and keep your A/C set to the warmest temperature that you can safely stand.  Do you have a generator?  Be prepared to use it.  Do you have plenty of non-perishable food stored?  If there is an extended blackout, you may need it.  Stores and gas stations will be shut down in a blackout.  Do you have an emergency battery powered radio and flashlights?

4) Food Prices   Expect food prices to increase.  Especially meat.  Many ranchers are butchering all of there livestock as there is not enough food and water to care for them, this means shortages in the future.  Produce crops are drying up. Prices of corn, wheat and other grains will increase.  Even produce grown in unaffected areas may increase in price as well due to demand.  If the blackouts are too severe, stores, gas stations and truck stops may close down temporarily disrupting the supply chain and preventing food from making it to the stores.

Stay safe during this heat wave and dought.  This is a serious and potentially devastating national disaster.


If you have tips, ideas, news, videos or pictures that you wish to share regarding this heat wave you can submit your article to americanprepper@yahoo.com.  If your article is chosen we will post it on your states preppers network blog.  Top articles will get posted on APN.  The top article of the week will win a free flashlantern valued at $49.95 (made in the USA).  Articles must be submitted before 7/29.

Feel free to copy and repost this article in it's entirety.  Credit source as AmericanPreppersNetwork.com

Here are some free helpful pdf files to download

Fire and Heat Waves
- ARC - Are You Ready - Fire

- ARC - Are You Ready - Heat Wave

- ARC - Are You Ready - Wildfires

- Fact Sheet: Fires

- Fact Sheet: Fire Safe

- WildFires

Water
- ARC - Food and Water in Emergency

- Emergency Disinfection of Drinking Water 

- How To Make A Solar Still (Plastic Cover)

- Purification Of Water On A Small Scale 

- Simple Solar Still For The Production Of Distilled Water

- Slow Sand Filters

- Water Purification

- Water Treatment

Fire Safety 

- Fighting Fire 

- Fire Safety

Get More Free Downloads here:
http://preppers.info/Free_Downloads.html

A Quick Start Guide to Emergency Preparedness for Apartment Dwellers

A Quick Start Guide to Emergency Preparedness for Apartment Dwellers
From: Bernie Carr
Website: http://apartmentprepper.com/

If you live in an apartment and want to prepare for a disaster, you may initially feel overwhelmed by everything that needs to be done, and the feeling worsens when you realize a disaster can happen at any time and you don't have any supplies at all.

Don’t let all this worry get you down; the most important thing to do is to get started. Whether you live in a small apartment, or a small home, there is always a way to prepare regardless of your lack of space. Just focus on a few things at a time.

Here are a few steps to get you started:

1. Focus on the basics. You need water and food to survive, so focus on those first. Each time you go to the grocery, pick up extra gallons of water, and extra cans of food that your family likes. You need one gallon of water per person per day. Pick up foods that do not need heat to be edible: canned pasta, tuna, canned fruit and vegetables, cereal or granola bars etc. If you have babies, make sure you pick up extra formula. Keep going until you have at least two weeks worth of water and food.
2. Buy enough toilet paper and other sanitation items (diapers, trash bags, sanitary napkins etc) to last for two weeks. Toilet paper is a necessity, so don’t put this off. Pick up disposable plates, cups and utensils, so you don’t have to use dishes in an emergency.
3. Assemble a First Aid kit or buy a prepackaged First Aid kit. There are several available-I picked up a fairly large one at Sam’s for under $20. Add medications or prescriptions your family normally uses.
4. Stash emergency cash in case ATMs or debit cards don’t work. The amount is whatever you think the family would need for a few days. Start with just $20, and keep adding to it.
5. Pick up battery-powered flashlights, radios and extra batteries, and store them within easy reach in case power goes out.
6. If you have a space issue, get creative with your storage. You don’t have to store all food and water in the pantry. Store your stash in a closet, under the bed, or behind the couch. Just keep track of where you store things, so nothing gets forgotten.
7. Make copies of your important documents: licenses, ownership statements, 401k statements etc and keep them in a binder.

This is not a complete list by any means, just a few steps to take as a fast track way to get started. Once you have a few supplies set aside, you will feel encouraged by the feeling of security you get, knowing that you are taking steps to prepare yourself and your family. If you are interested in additional preparedness tips for apartment dwellers, please check out my blog at http://apartmentprepper.com

Helpful links: 
Year Supply of Basics
Apartment Prepper Store


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NJ Preppers Network Forum

New Jersey Preppers Roll Call - All Preppers Please Check In

The American Preppers Network is conducting a network-wide roll call.  Whether you are a member or not please check in and let us know what you are doing to prepare.

This is a good opportunity to network with other preppers near you.

New Jersey Preppers, to respond to the roll call please follow this link:
 http://americanpreppersnetwork.net/viewtopic.php?f=307&t=9272

• Reply to the Roll Call and let us know what you have been doing to prepare.

If you are not yet a member of the forum you can register here for free:
http://americanpreppersnetwork.net/ucp.php?mode=register

More gun control

More gun control and rights lost:



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Aquaponics 101 discussions on APN

Saw this post on the Arizona Preppers Page and thought it was outstanding, so here it is.......

If you missed the posts on APN blog and forum, check out the following series called Aquaponics 101 contributed by APN Sponsor AquaponicsUSA ...

Here is a snippet from Part One (links to the series below):

What is Aquaponics and why should I care?

Aquaponics is an ancient food growing technology that has been around since the Earth has had water with fish and plants growing together naturally. Aquaponics is nature at work. In nature, the fish eat whatever they find for food, and their waste is broken down by the bacteria in the water creating nutrients for the plants. The plants then absorb these nutrients; and in doing so, they clean the water for the fish.

The word "aquaponics" comes from two separate words. The first word is "aqua", which, of course, means water; but in this case, the "aqua" is from another compound word "aquaculture" (the raising of fish). The second word is "ponics", which is latin for work, and comes from its use in "hydroponics" (working at growing plants in water, hydro).

So, aquaponics is raising fish and growing plants by using the nutrient rich water provided by the fish. ...

Links to Aquaponics 101 series on APN forum:

Aquaponics 101 Part One: The Process

Aquaponics 101 Part Two: The System

Aquaponics 101 Part Three: The System, Continued

Aquaponics 101 Part Four: System Start Up

Aquaponics 101 Part Five: Fish to Water Ratios

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How to Survive Total Economic Collapse

There is a continuing belief that the economy of the United States is under attack by the current administration and it's backers. I'll check my politics at the door for a moment and just deal with the steps you need to take to prepare for a collapse that is not necessarily nature driven.

As the U.S. dollar weakens and the price of goods such as oil, grain and gold rise, many fear for the economic stability of the country. So how does one survive total economic collapse? The U.S. dollar is weak and it may be too late to save the finances of this debt-driven economy. However, it's not too late to learn some basic survivalist skills. Following are some tips and resources. Here's how to survive a total economic collapse.

Original article: How to Survive Total Economic Collapse
By WriterGig, eHow Member

Educate yourself before hand if possible. Read everything you can on how to survive a total economic collapse. Start with "Financial Reckoning Day: Surviving the Soft Depression of the 21st Century" and "Empire of Debt: The Rise of an Epic Financial Crisis", both by William Bonner, for a historical perspective and very well-written analysis of the current situation. Also read "The Great Bust Ahead: The Greatest Depression in American History" by Daniel A. Arnold. (See the Resources section, below.)

Plan

Make a plan for how to survive a total economic collapse. List your debts and assets. How quickly can you pay down your debt, while still purchasing necessary supplies? Your goals should include no debt and the procurement and storage of valuable assets. Your preparation timetable should be as short as possible.

Nix debt

Pay off debt and avoid new debt by paying with cash instead of credit. Concentrate on paying off high-interest debt, loans with adjustable rates and unsecured debts first. Sell expensive vehicles that have loans to pay off what you owe, and buy cheaper replacements using cash. In order to survive a total economic collapse, you need to have assets, not liabilities. (Note: storing food and resources are higher priority than paying down debt for families of modest means.

Buy Silver

Change liquid savings into silver and gold. If the dollar collapses, having precious metals will preserve your money and it can be used as currency or exchanged for a currency with value, such as Swiss francs. As the dollar continues to lose value, silver dollars preserve their value or go up in value, thus protecting your assets in the event of a economic recession, allowing you to financially survive a recession or depression.

Invest wisely

Re-evaluate your stocks and funds. In order to financially survive a total economic collapse, your investments must be secure. Consider putting some of your stocks into gold (GLD) or opening a precious metals IRA. Research stocks that will survive a total economic collapse through sites like Daily Reckoning Day.

Store grain

Purchase goods and valuables such as guns for hunting and personal protection, and basic food supplies such as whole grains and legumes, which are easy to store. Invest in water purification bottles and tablets, and keep some bottled water on hand to meet immediate needs in the event of a shortage. All of these will make it more possible to survive a total economic collapse.

First aid

Prepare a First Aid Kit, sewing kit and other practical necessities of daily life to aid in survival of a total economic collapse. These are good things to have on hand anyway, for regular daily life as well as unforeseen emergencies.

Build community

Get to know your neighbors and build a community wherever you are. In the event of total economic collapse, life will become very local and survival will depend on working together with others, beginning with families.

Grow food

Grow some of your own food and raise animals for meat. Chickens and rabbits are small and easy to tend. Chickens provide eggs as well as meat and are excellent sources of protein and fat, both critical for survival. In economic downturns such as a recession or depression, being able to produce food is a important skill to have.

Barter

Learn how to barter, and stock items to trade. Think about necessities (wool blankets, soap, boots, duct tape, ammunition) as well as luxuries (chocolate, tobacco, alcohol). Useful tools will be more valuable than money if there is a currency collapse. Useful barter items will be helpful to have on hand as you prepare to survive an economic collapse.

Sources:
Top 10 Ways to Prepare For the Coming Economic Collapse

Could You Survive Total Economic Collapse?

How to Prepare for the Economic Collapse



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