Citizen Corps + disaster/prep volunteer groups

Not much is closer to my heart than being a volunteer firefighter. I did it for 14 years and my parents, specifically my father, always said you should try to leave your community a little better than you found it. And being a volunteer in emergency situations is a perfect way to not only be prepared, but to give of yourself to others.

A new post on APN yesterday the 26th speaks directly to being an emergency volunteer and provides fantastic links and explanations for many levels. PLEASE hit the link and jump over to APN forums and read more.


WHAT IS CITIZEN CORPS?

Citizen Corps was created to help coordinate volunteer activities that make the nation’s communities safer, stronger, and better prepared to respond to any emergency situation. Citizen Corps is managed at local levels by Citizen Corps Councils, which bring together existing crime prevention, disaster preparedness, and public health response networks with the volunteer community and other groups.

READ MORE AT THE LINK




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Straw Bale Gardens - UpDate

Awhile back I spoke about experimenting with a concept called Straw bale Gardening in which you garden without dirt. Seemed like a neat Idea so I embarked on an experiment and bought 3 bales of straw and found a spot along the fence in my garden that was being used to grow weeds. The process goes something like this :
Place the bales on their sides and make sure they are firmly in place, stakes can be used but they will most likely sit still without them.
Everyday for 1 week sprinkle 1 cup of Ammonium sulfate (21-0-0) if you can get it, another high Nitrogen fertilizer if you can't (But it has to be at least 12-0-0), over each bale and water in thoroughly. Reduce that to 1/2 cup the following week, always making sure to water it in. After that you are ready to plant.

I planted excess plants that I had no room in the garden for. 1 Bell Pepper, 2 Cucumbers, and a pack of gourd seeds. So far the Pepper is going great, the gourd seeds have sprouted and are doing very well, but the cucumbers seem to be on the skimpy side and I'm not sure if that's because of the internal temperature of the bales or a nutrient issue.

A couple of points about this experiment: 1) The amount of fertilizer it takes to prep the bales, to me, is excessive and the time is also a tad on the crazy side. 2) The amount of water up front was huge, but after that it doesn't seem to need regular watering at all as the bales really hold the moisture once they get swelled up. And finally 3) The Straw grows too! but scissors keep it to a dull roar :).

Once the season is over I'll just till in the bales and consider the experiment as experience. I'm not sure that if you have room and dirt to garden in, this is worthwhile, bu tit is fun so far.

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The Value of Honey

Honey has values that are many, both medicinal and nutritional. Where I live you can find local honey pretty much everywhere as the farmers keep bees for their pollination value and the honey is a nice by product. But maybe you don't have that access, maybe your only shot at honey is the local grocery store or health food store. Well read up a bit on this thread at American Preppers Network and start to stockpile some honey. It will be a valued asset in your preps.

Other Honey Resources:
The Medicinal Value of Honey
The Nutritive Value of Honey
The Therapeutic Value of Honey
The NJ Bee Keepers Association


"All acrimony of the mind is pacified with sweet liquers, the spirits are made peaceable, the passages made softer and fitter for transpiration; and they are also good physick for manners."

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Handling Dead Bodies

This was posted on the APN Forums a week or so ago. Critical information not often seen or discussed. Thanks to the folks over at Arizona Preppers for posting this.

Often First Responders cannot reach a disaster site for hours, days or weeks so citizens should be prepared to deal with death or the handling of dead bodies.

Death in a shelter during a nuclear / radiological event – If a person (or pet) dies while in a shelter, cover body with a sheet or put it in a bag (or tape several large plastic bags together) and move it outside the shelter. Don’t try to bury it if high levels of radiation are still in the area, but do poke several pinholes in bag so gases won’t build up. (Make sure to decontaminate yourself before reentering shelter.)

If in a Disaster Situation with Casualties and No Help

- Dead bodies typically do not cause epidemics after a natural disaster. In fact, it’s survivors who will most likely spread disease.

- Don’t put yourself in danger to recover a body if there is any chemical, biological or radiological contamination in the area or structural damage due to an earthquake, etc.

- People handling bodies should wear gloves and boots and avoid wiping their face or mouth with their hands. (Facemasks are not needed but may be helpful to some handlers.)

- Wash hands with soap and clean water often, and disinfect tools, clothing, equipment and vehicles used to move the bodies.

- Bodies often leak feces after death so avoid contact with it (and body fluids) to limit exposure to any possible diseases.

- If no First Responders are on scene (and it may be a while before any are), write down any known details about where and when a body was found, name (if known), personal belongings on or with the body, take a photo (if possible) to help with identification later, etc.

- Graves should be between 5 ft (1.5m) and 9 ft (3m) deep.

- Burial sites should be at least 218 yards (200m) away from water sources such as streams, lakes, springs, waterfalls, beaches, and the shoreline. (If 4 or less bodies: 650 ft (200m) from water … if 5 to 60 bodies: 820 ft (250m) from drinking water well)

- The Department of Health and Human Services for North Carolina suggests pets and wild animals be buried in holes at least 3 feet (1m) deep where there is no possibility of contaminating surface or ground water. Livestock animals should be disposed of by incineration.


Some FAQs per PANO:

Do dead bodies cause epidemics?
Dead bodies from natural disasters do not cause epidemics. This is because victims of natural disasters die from trauma, drowning or fire. They do not have epidemic causing diseases such as cholera, typhoid, malaria, or plague when they die.

What are the health risks for the public?
There is a small risk of diarrhea from drinking water contaminated by fecal material from dead bodies. Routine disinfection of drinking water is sufficient to prevent water-borne illness.

Is spraying bodies with disinfectant or lime powder useful?
No, it has no effect. It does not hasten decomposition or provide any protection.

Local officials and journalists say there is a risk of disease from dead bodies. Are they correct?
No. The risk from dead bodies after natural disasters is misunderstood by many professionals and the media. Even local or international health workers are often misinformed and contribute to the spread of rumors.

Resources: City of Surprise Crisis Response Team and Management of Dead Bodies in Disaster Situations by The Pan American Health Organization

Read the Full post and comments on the APN Forum.

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Our Governor is becoming a standard

Reading some posts about Governor Christie this week has led me to believe that he is becoming sort of a Standard by which other governors looking to balance state budgets and deal with the oppressive government labor unions. I applaud the man for coming through on his promises to straighten out the state Supreme Court and to go toe to toe with the state labor unions over the budget issues. The State of New Jersey will surely run down the California and New York path if some of the current issues are handled and corrected right away.

Gov Christie calls S-L columnist thin-skinned for inquiring about his 'confrontational tone'

From American Thinker
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Preppers get more respect......

The prepper movement is getting some press of late and that's a real good thing. The more press we get the more we can educate others of the need to be self sufficient. Read More HERE

Congratulations to matthiasj over at Kentucky Preppers for his great work on the Prepper Podcast, I'm proud to say I've listened to at least 31 episodes :) , great stuff.

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Grab and Go First Aid Kit

I've addressed first aid kits on this blog before ( Something as simple as... ) but I have not discussed a "Grab and Go" First Aid kit. A topic that has been discussed at length by many a survivalist. but one thing I have learned is that everybody likes pictures and simple How-To's. Towards that goal I point you to a really great thread that shows multiple mobile first aid kits that you can learn from an maybe build one for yourself and family.

To read more and comment on this topic , please go here: AMERICAN PREPPERS NETWORK FORUM

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