Be Prepared - Survival Gear!

I believe in being prepared. No one likes not knowing what to do in a situation. Not knowing what to do can produce an uncomfortable, stressful, anxious and debilitating feeling that could result in panic. When you are prepared and armed with knowledge, resources and equipment that you'll need to handle a situation, the panic is minimalized and you are able to make quick and accurate decisions. You can function in a way that helps to solve problems and maybe even saves a life.

A natural disaster can create a situation where preparedness is essential. The most critical decisions have to made quickly and the first inclination is flight. We all want to get away from the disaster as fast and as far as possible. Let the professionals deal with the situation so we can return when it's safe to do so. In the meantime though, how to survive and for how long? Be prepared ahead of time by collecting some of the items necessary for survival. Create your own survival kit and store it in the most easily accessible place. Store your survival kit in your basement, the trunk of your car, in a closet in your RV or as close as possible to your escape route so you can grab it and go. You should plan to acquire enough supplies for 2 people (multiplied by the number of people in your family) to last 3 days. Some of the things you'll need include food and water, light and communication, shelter and warmth, tools, hygiene kits and sanitation supplies, first aid, entertainment items, and an infectious waste bag just to name a few.

A family survival kit should provide you with the resources and information that will maintain you and your family until it is safe to return home or seek other assistance. 93% of Americans are unprepared for an emergency requiring multi-day survival. Don't be caught in this statistic. Be prepared.

To find out more about family survival kits, go to http://quakedog.com/familysurvivalgear and to find out about personal security equipment go to http://www.defendyourselfequipment.com

Article Source: Cathy Burt

When an Emergency Strikes, Disaster Survival Gear Saves Lives!

When it comes to emergency preparedness, it's easy to get lulled into a sense of complacency. It's difficult to face the reality that disaster could strike close to home, even though we've witnessed the devastation that comes from disasters like Hurricane Katrina, the Asian tsunami, the tornado that flattened a Kansas town, and terrorist attacks like those on 9/11. The unfortunate truth is that earthquake, fire, flood, and storms can cause injuries, death, and destruction. More importantly - and more hopefully - much of the unbearable heartache and loss associated with disasters can be avoided with the proper disaster survival gear.

Emergency preparedness doesn't mean seeing the world through the eyes of doom and gloom. It doesn't mean that there is a disaster looming around every corner. Having the proper disaster survival gear simply means acknowledging that the world is an unpredictable place, and that it's best to be prepared. After all, when you buy a box of Band-Aids and tuck it away in a cupboard, you don't wake up each morning certain that a loved one will suffer a cut or scrape; it just means that you have Band-Aids on hand if a minor injury occurs. The same holds true for disaster survival gear. Once you have it, you don't have to worry about it. Hopefully, you'll never need to use it, but if the need arises, you'll be prepared.

Survival Kits for Every Location

When you consider purchasing disaster survival gear, it's important to remember that you don't know where you and your loved ones will be when an emergency strikes. Perhaps you'll be at home, but maybe you'll be at work or in the car, and your children may be at school. It's important to make sure that each location has the necessary disaster survival gear to improve the odds of making it through whatever natural or manmade emergency occurs.

Home Disaster Survival Gear

Your home emergency preparedness kit should contain enough food, water, shelter, sanitation, first aid, lighting and communication supplies necessary for the number of people in your family. Because a catastrophic event often means no running water or electricity, and because it can impact the livability of your home, it's important to have the supplies necessary to be self-sufficient. Critical supplies to include are food bars and water boxes for three days, thermal blankets designed to retain body heat, ponchos with hoods, tissue packs, work gloves, a tube tent, water purification tablets, dust masks, vinyl gloves, a solar radio and flashlight with generator, first aid kit, light sticks, can opener, nylon cord, contact cards, gas shut-off wrench, Swiss Army knife, waterproof matches, emergency candles, toilet bags and chemicals, duct tape, and whistle.

When preparing your disaster survival gear, it's important not to forget your pets. Include a collar and leash, toys, food and water bowls, food and water, a thermal blanket, a pet first aid kit, and a decal that can alert rescue workers to the presence of a pet.

DIY or Ready-Made?

The reason many people hesitate to prepare for emergencies is that it's a hassle to put together your own disaster survival gear. The idea of having to go to different stores and pick up supplies makes it easy to procrastinate. Plus, there's the question of the shelf life of different items, particularly food and water.

Many people opt to buy ready-made emergency preparedness kits. Not only is it less hassle, but the best ready-made kits have a five-year shelf life and come in a sealed bucket. Just like buying that box of Band-Aids, a ready-made kit of disaster survival gear is easy to buy and tuck away. Hopefully, you'll never have to use it, but you'll rest easier knowing that, if emergency does strike, it could save your life and the lives of those you love.

Chris Robertson is an author of Majon International, one of the worlds MOST popular internet marketing companies on the web. Learn more about Disaster Survival Gear Saves Lives or Majon's Family and Children directory.

Article Source: Chris Robertson

Wilderness Survival Skills Could Save Your Life!

You don't have to be a contestant on the "Survivor" television program to learn wilderness survival skills. This information was second nature to our ancestors many generations back, but in today's high-tech world, we have grown out of touch with nature and unaware of how to provide such basic needs as food, water and shelter.

But, with modern conveniences at our fingertips, why should we learn how to build a fire without matches, or how to obtain safe water to drink? The answer is simple. One only needs to look back to Hurricane Katrina to see how quickly natural disasters can strike and deprive people of the electricity they depend upon to get them through each day. Even less predictable than hurricanes are other natural disasters such as earthquakes that strike without warning, and tornadoes that can materialize in minutes.

Many experts say that we are seriously at risk for a worldwide disease pandemic, like the Spanish flu that decimated populations across the globe in the first quarter of the 20th century. It is highly possible that an infectious disease epidemic of the bird flu could put such a strain on community infrastructures that services such as hospitals, police, fire departments and ambulances could not be depended upon, and residents would be forced to fend for themselves. Also, in today's increasingly uncertain world, the risk of a terrorist attack destroying power stations, water reservoirs or other civic infrastructures is not out of the question.

That is why the wise individual will invest a few hours to learn such survival skills as fire making, finding water, making shelter, finding food and preparing meals with only primitive tools. Gaining this knowledge should not be viewed as a bothersome chore, but rather as a fascinating challenge to become more self-sufficient. And, should disaster strike, these skills may very well prove to be more valuable than any insurance policy.

Some of the best sources for learning wilderness survival skills are the books by Tom Brown Jr. Mr. Brown was taught tracking and hunting at an early age by an Apache elder, and he went on to establish a survival school as well as writing such classic texts as "Tom Brown's Field Guide to Wilderness Survival" which clearly illustrates many ways to start a fire without matches, build wilderness shelters using only natural materials, identifying edible plants and hunting wild animals for food.

It only takes a few minutes and the investment of a few dollars to assemble a pocket size wilderness survival kit that contains a small knife, compass, matches, fishing hooks and line, and perhaps a lightweight, metallic "space blanket." A visit to most any sporting goods shop or camping supply store will be time well spent if you should suddenly be faced with a survival situation. But more important than survival gear is the learning of wilderness survival skills. This is because the greatest asset in case of emergency is not your technology but your mental attitude. An individual with proper skills and knowledge can survive much more comfortably without any tools than someone who has lots of survival gear but does not know how to use it properly.

And even if you are never faced with an emergency situation that requires the application of wilderness survival techniques, you still might use them to win a million dollars if you should be chosen to be a contestant on the "Survivor" TV show.

Robert Scheer is a freelance writer and consultant to the wilderness survival website and recommends the book "Tom Brown's Field Guide to Wilderness Survival."

Article Source: Robert Scheer

National Preparedness Month - Start With Your Home and Family!

Natural disasters are a common occurrence throughout the world. Disasters are a part of everyone’s existence and we all need to be prepared for the simplest to the most devastating.

Look around at the disasters that have impacted us locally: the fires in the Milford Flats area, the Uinta Basin, Farmington Canyon and on the Utah/Nevada/ Idaho border. If we haven’t been involved in the flames and heat, we have all suffered from the smoke. We have also seen abnormally high temperatures over the past month. These have caused illnesses and even deaths to young and old alike. We have lost six miners, two rescue workers and a federal mine inspector. Last summer Southern Utah recorded dramatic losses due to massive flooding.

Houses crumbled into the river, folks could not get to their houses because they were surrounded by water and internal flood damage was phenomenal. If you look at all of the new construction of roads, offices, hospitals and even renovations of such places as the Capitol the common theme is earthquake proof.

There are three steps to being prepared. First, plan your emergency protocol to evacuate as safely as possible. Second, talk with your family and decide what is important to all of you. Keep it together in one place so that if disaster strikes you can easily collect it and leave your home. And third, protect your home and family by knowing where everyone is and how to reach them. Consider your critical needs. Some of the basics will include food, water, shelter, power for your home as well as for a vehicle and communication. Have on hand at least a 72 hour kit for each member of your family.

In the case of an earthquake, the suggestion by FEMA is to have enough prepared to help you and your loved ones survive for up to three months. Remember to check on your neighbors after an emergency, especially those who are elderly or disabled.

If you want to learn more about disaster preparedness you can contact the American Red Cross. They have all sorts of information as well as sample emergency kits. You can contact them at http://www.redcross.org. The Federal Emergency Management Agency has developed a 165 page disaster manual that is a wonderful resource. You can find it at http://www.fema.gov. These are great resources for you, but at times you may want a human being to assist you in preparing your personal emergency plan.

The team at Health Watch is glad to assist its patients with emergency planning. When you are ready to make a plan, we will be there, ready to help.

Mary Kroeger, RN
Health Watch
Simply Seniors News http://www.SimplySeniorsNews.com

Article Source: Mary Kroeger

Garden Seeds For Survival!

Garden Seeds For Survival - Why?

During tough times in the past our nation has always found ways to survive , and even conquer. Whether or not we will face anything near as bad as the times of war or the great depression, there are things we can do to keep our spirits high and are expenditures low. If you have ever tended to your own garden than you know what a great accomplishment it is to know that you have created wonderful, fresh and healthy food. If you have yet to do so, don't worry, it's simple and it's fun for the whole family. But it could be vital, if not now, than possibly in the very near future.

We are all waiting and wishing for better times. We should all be praying for our new president to turn our current situation into a positive. But nothing is certain. Many would have bet the farm that our country would never have to see a financial crisis like this one. But its not just the financial crisis that we should worry about. There have been changes going on here , and all across the world for quite some time now. And all these changes should encourage us to look at self preservation. And our number asset as human beings is our ability to grow our own food.

Honestly, we don't have to wait until the brink of disaster before we go out and stock up on Garden Seeds for Survival.Do that and you will pay a lot more, for lesser quality no doubt. We all know that if anything were to happen, and everyone knew that buying survival garden seeds was a priority, that it would be just another opportunity for someone to take advantage of a bad situation and raise prices like gasoline.

Another , very obvious reason to buy garden seeds for survival now is the fact that we should learn how to grow fresh vegetables and produce now. Learn how to be proficient , while you can stand to make some mistakes. It is always best to be prepared for bad times, rather than learning on the fly.

Garden Seeds For Survival

Learn Now

Garden seeds for survival. It sounds like it could be a last ditch effort to save our selves from the depths of despair. Anytime we are faced with the survival, we realize how easy our lives are in this country. Even when things aren't going are way, its not like we are a 3rd world country. But garden seeds for survival are actually a complete package, or large quantity of healthy , non-hybrid gardening seeds. They can be bare necessity seeds like radishes or seeds that can grow through almost any condition. And that is a part of why certain seeds are considered "survival" seeds.

Why do we want 'survival' seeds for gardening? Survival seeds for gardening are non-hybrid gardening seeds. This means that after you grow vegetables and produce with the survival seeds, you will be able to use the seeds that these plants produce. They will be far more easy to replant and they can be far more beneficial in this respect. Its well known that companies have been creating the 'terminator' seeds that will not reproduce. They are actually modified so that you will HAVE to continue to buy brand new seeds , year after year. Just another sign of the times. We really should not overlook these signs either. They are all around us.

Garden Seeds For Survival Last

Another great benefit of the survival seed is its shelf life. These seeds are hand picked and dried out to a precise level of allowable moisture, which maintains a very long shelf life. This process has been perfected for many years. It is actually the garden seed for survival's greatest benefit. Basically, it makes it OK to stock up on this invaluable resource. These survival seeds could ultimately become more valuable than money. I pray that it never comes to that. But I cannot deny the state of the world in which I live. And it only leads me to believe that anything is possible. And being prepared will be my biggest asset.

For more information on quality garden seeds for survival, you can go to the "Garden Seeds For Survival" website. Just click below.

Look at a great selection of survival seeds here - Garden Seeds For Survival

Article Source: Jeffrey Jettison

Survival Preparedness - Survival Skills and Emergency Kits!

Most of us would agree that at any moment we could find ourselves in a disaster or other emergency situation. Even if this fact is only lurking in the back of the mind just below consciousness, the statement is no less true. Anyone can suddenly be thrust into an emergency situation or have a disaster land squarely upon them quite unexpectedly. How well one survives or IF one survives may be a matter of luck. Far better to invest some time and effort in survival preparedness.

Survival preparedness for the purpose of this article is not a call to be constantly fearful of impending doom and disaster skulking around every corner, or to hoard great caches of dried beans, MREs, bullets, and gold then hunker down with your stash in some remote area.

More realistically, survival preparedness is the act of obtaining knowledge of and practicing basic survival skills, gathering survival gear, food and water together into emergency survival kits. These kits can then be placed at easily accessible points in the home, car, office, etc., or on your person.

Think ahead to anticipate what sort of situation might arise and what survival skills, gear, and supplies would be useful to successfully see you through to the end of it. Some excellent items on the list of basic survival skills to learn (and practice!) would be:


how to build a fire with or without matches
how to build a simple emergency shelter
how to obtain food and water
how to use a map and compass
how to signal for help
how to use the survival gear you have chosen

The size of the emergency kits and the items they contain will be determined by the scenario for which they are intended to be used; lost in the wilderness, stranded in your vehicle on a lonely back road, recovering from the aftermath of a tornado or other disaster.

Always include fire starting items, items to build an emergency shelter, survival tools, a medical kit, signaling device, emergency lighting, containers of water, and rations. There are many helpful web sites that describe complete lists of items to include in emergency survival kits of all sizes.

In any emergency situation strive to remain calm. Use your mind. It's one of your best survival tools.

Initiative belongs to the individual. Make the time and effort for prudent preparations toward your own survival and that of others. Do not risk suffering the consequences of taking no action at all.

Survival after all is being alive at the end of an ordeal.

Chuck McIntyre is active in helping others learn basic survival skills. He offers reviews and recommendations of survival gear and emergency kits at MySurvivalPro.com

Article Source: Chuck McIntyre

A Mental Wilderness Survival Kit!

A survival kit should be carried by anyone who goes deep into the wilderness. What should be in it? Matches, a blade of some sort, and first aid supplies are among the usual recommendations. When you read the true stories of survival, though, you start to see that it is what's in a persons head that often determines if they survive or not. What, then, should be in this mental survival kit?

A Survival Kit In Your Mind

1. Willingness to learn. Even those who know nothing about survival until lost in the wilderness can still learn as they go - if they are willing to. If you're cold, watch that squirrel dive under a pile of leaves, and try that to stay warm (it works). Notice what's working and what isn't, and keep trying new things.

2. Willingness to do what's necessary. This is one of the most important items in your mental survival kit. Hey, they can eat hissing cockroaches just for the chance to win some money on "Fear Factor," so you can do it to save your life, right? Spoon with your buddy to stay warm, break open logs to find grubs to eat - do whatever it takes.

3. Positive attitude. This is an essential. In many stories of survival it is clear that those who expected to survive did. Even if you're not sure you can survive, encourage this attitude by acting as if you expect to.

4. Inspirational thoughts. This is how to have that positive attitude. An easy and enjoyable way to get this inspiration is to read true stories of wilderness survival. Some of the stories are about situations far worse than anything you are ever likely to encounter. Remembering them at the appropriate time is a sure way to see that you can survive. tell them to others too, if you are in a group.

5. Wilderness survival knowledge. You don't have to go to a survival training school to read and remember that you can safely eat all North American mammals, or that you can stuff your jacket with cattail fluff to create a winter coat. Any little bit helps, so learn a new trick or two each season, or take an edible plant guide on your next hike.

6. Reasons to survive. We all have reasons to want to live, but we need to remember to pull out those reasons when the time comes. Many people have attributed their survival to the constant thought of a loved one waiting for them, or something they want in the future.

Maybe you've already done this mental preparation, but it can't hurt to look over the list above again. Is there anything you need to work on in your mental survival kit?

Steve Gillman is a long-time advocate of lightweight backpacking. His tips, photos, gear recommendations and new Wilderness Survival Guide can be found at http://www.The-Ultralight-Site.com/wilderness-survival-guide.html

Article Source: Steven Gillman

What Will it Take to Make Us Better Prepared For Life's Disasters?

In this world of live TV broadcasting, it's likely few have missed witnessing the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina.

An overwhelming sense of helplessness permeates the lives of thousands of victims in New Orleans and other affected areas of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. You need cold steel in your heart and ice water in your veins to not be mournful of their plight.

The pattern of Katrina prior to its cataclysmic route was coined by some to be "nothing to worry about" as it whirled 95 miles per hour gusts through portions of Miami eventually causing about 100 millions dollars of estimated damage. And, this was before it locked its sight on New Orleans.

Why do people pretend certain things won't happen to them? Like dying prematurely ... or becoming disabled ... or running out of food and water.

Even when a crisis situation is up close and in our face we tend to quickly dismiss it. For example, the car accident scene we just passed as paramedics were placing severely injured passengers into the ambulance. You could see pools of blood on the street and twisted metal with broken glass strewn everywhere.

Then, once beyond the accident scene we began accelerating to speeds excessively over the posted limits. Out of sight... out of mind.

Why won't we take these real life experiences seriously enough to prepare for the worst?

On Aug. 24, 1992, Hurricane Andrew slammed into South Florida. It wiped out Homestead, Florida City and parts of Miami before continuing northwest across the Gulf of Mexico to strike the Louisiana coastline.

The storm was responsible for 40 deaths and $30-billion in property damage. At the time, it was the costliest disaster in U.S history.

We have only just begun to calculate the cost of Hurricane Katrina. More than likely, it will be beyond our capacity to imagine.

During August and September 2004, Florida was lambasted by Hurricanes Charley, Dennis, Ivan and Jeanne. The damage was astounding and perhaps foretold of things to come - like Katrina.

So, why don't we better prepare for these dramas of Mother Nature? Why do we ignore the fact that what happened before will most assuredly happen again?

On September 11, 1992 (less than one month after Andrew) Hurricane Iniki leveled every telephone pole and hundreds of trees on the Island of Kauai in Hawaii. Fortunately no one was killed and yet the preparation for this disaster was postponed because it was originally forecast to be less severe.

Planning for any disaster is filled with complications. Various departments of local, state and federal governments often clash due to opposing viewpoints or budget constraints.

Interesting isn't it? When panic is upon us ... when the disaster has struck ... more often than not we rise to the occasion. And yet, we frequently fail to prepare for future disasters that could threaten the lives of our own family.

If we were as smart as we are compassionate, we would help ourselves and our families by storing provisions to be used, if necessary, for our survival. More information can be found at: http://www.survival-center.com/

Compassion seems to come easier than wisdom. Is this because it's easier to write a check than to spend time making a plan for our own survival?

But do our checks really go to help those we care about?

Even the Red Cross admits there are times funds end up being distributed to parties other than those designated by the contributors.

Here's a suggestion for the current victim relief effort. Go to: http://www.jw-media.org and follow the commentary about Katrina. I'm confident monetary contributions sent to these folks will actually help our needy friends in the bayou.

By the way, I am not affiliated with either of the two recommended organizations ... and I have a great deal of respect for the work of the Red Cross and its recent effort to honor the requested allocation of the donors.

Author Don Adams is a veteran financial consultant who has helped hundreds of families solve problems related to financial and estate planning. More information may be found at: http://personalefinance.com

Article Source: Don Adams

More Storms of Life Happening For More People!

When you receive the Seal, God writes His Name in your forehead. When you carry His Name like this you belong to Him. And when you belong to Him you care about the rest of His creation too.

The Seal on your forehead is a little garden plot, a little slice of life of the earth. It is where you bear fruit. Either that or you are completely desolate and ravaged by stormy weather. You do not want that to happen to you. But it is happening on the rest of the earth.

Oxfam is a non-profit based in the UK working to end poverty and injustice. They have an uphill battle now with what they have found to be happening. They have made some measurements and found that natural disasters are on the rise.

And natural disasters are not just increasing a little. They are exploding! Weather events are becoming more frequent and at the same time more unpredictable and extreme.

In the early 1980s there were around 120 natural disasters per year in the world. Right now Oxfam says there are 500 happening every year. And who else has taken notice of this?

In the last 10 years the number of people affected by natural disasters has been 254 million per year. In the 10 years before that the numbers had been only 174 million people per year affected. That is a 70 percent increase.

In 1980 there were 60 major floods and wind-storms. In the year 2006 there were 240 floods and wind-storms and floods particularly are on the rise. And there has been no increase in volcanic eruptions to cause any changes in the atmosphere.

Sometimes these disasters are called acts of God. In this case they are probably not being caused by God. In this case they are probably being caused by humans. They are evidence of the effects of global warming happening now.

God does have a hand in it. He is making things a little more severe right now so people will wake up and take notice. This is what He did with hurricane Katrina and the others that followed.

Americans have been typically slow to notice and take any responsibility. But when you are sealed your Seal becomes a little garden. It is a little spiritual ecosystem where things grow up unto new life.

And you do not want to let anything threaten the balance of that garden. You avoid the storms and floods that beat against your house. That is one reason you built your ecopetrous house on the Rock.

Those storms and floods are happening right now in the world. There are many more today than just a few short years ago. And when any of these storms happens to you, they will certainly also affect your little garden.

You can take action today. You can start to conserve energy and resources. You can recycle. And you can support causes for protecting the environment. Think these disasters are not being caused by man?

Let me just tell you that you have two choices: man and God. If the effects of man on the ecosystem are not causing global warming and these weather disasters than they must be caused by God.

And if they are caused by God, then He is punishing you. But I am here to tell you that God is not punishing you. I know because you are reading this. You are seeking God, not shunning Him.

You are seeking God because He has sought you. He has led you here so you can learn more about the impact you are having on the earth. Just like you will learn to care for the earth when you receive the Seal.

Jason invites you to find out more about the Prophecy of Jesus by visiting Jason Witt.org

Article Source: Jason Witt

How Future Disaster Recovery Plans Will Depend On GPS Tracking!

Many disasters occurring, from environmental disasters such as global warming, terrorist attacks, massive fires, bridge collapsing, campus shootings, riots. This article shows how GPS tracking will play a role in saving lives and property in future mega disasters.

Our world today there are many disasters occurring, from environmental disasters such as global warming, terrorist attacks, massive fires, bridge collapsing, campus shootings, riots. You name it, every singe day, week, month and year there are more and more global events that are causing massive loss of life and damage to property worldwide.

Lives and property will be saved only when we have a way of effectively way to visually track first responders in real time and coordinate their efforts in saving lives and property.

The mobile tactical collaboration system (MTCS) is a next-generation web-based wireless-enabled software application that allows public safety officers to communicate and collaborate visually in real-time using tactical graphics, digital maps, and shared workspaces to enable highly effective command & control without ever having to setup a physical command post.

The mobile tactical collaboration system was recently expanded the product portfolio to include an integrated tracking solution, advantraq GPS, which provides real-time situational unit locations for operational commanders and their tactical operators in the field.

The advanTraq GPS solution integrated into the MTCS is in fact the worldtracker GPRS GPS tracking device that was researched and suggested by the Engineering Dept. of GLC Enterprises, Inc.

This GPS tracking solution uses the smallest GPS tracking device available today with an open interface that can be programmed. It allowed for easy integration into the mobile tactical collaboration system.

The mobile tactical collaboration system works in many public and private sectors which include the following and more.

- Law enforcement

mobile tactical collaboration system (MTCS) delivers to law enforcement and other first responders a secure, web-based interoperable command and control solution that provides a dynamic, live, and interactive common operating picture to authorized task force members at the scene, on approach to the scene, and at the operations center.

Deploying the MTCS solution enables law enforcement agencies to significantly enhance their 5Cs of interoperability, communication, coordination, collaboration, command and control.

MTCS provides operators with a major advantage in dealing with complex operations. By providing seamless communication, visual in addition to verbal, MTCS enables the task force to work as one synchronized, coordinated team.

The end result is maximum preparedness and increased public safety.

Ordia Solutions, Inc. built the army and marine corps 'command post of the future' and they are experts in this space.

- Fire & rescue

mobile tactical collaboration system (MTCS) delivers to firefighters, emergency medical technicians, and other first responders a secure, web-based interoperable command and control solution that provides a dynamic, live, and interactive common operating picture to authorized task force members at the scene, on approach to the scene, and at the operations center.

- Emergency response

During the response to hurricane Katrina, the United States realized the grave cost of ineffective communications between law enforcement, rescue, and other public safety agencies. We must enable robust communication between these groups in order to minimize confusion and bring clarity to a complex situation. mobile tactical collaboration system (MTCS) is the solution.

When timely communication is critical, a picture is worth a thousand words. By allowing first responders to share their understanding and intentions visually and with the aid of real-time voice communication, MTCS maximizes information sharing and enhances situational awareness. According to Colonel Robert Akam, task force Katrina. If rescue and law enforcement agencies had this capability, we could have eliminated face-to-face meetings to conduct interagency planning with much greater fidelity.

Mobile tactical collaboration system is continuously being updated based on real-world feedback from law enforcement, fire/EMS, search and rescue, emergency operation and fusion center personnel.

It is being fielded at several agencies in the mid-atlantic region for missions ranging from police raids, to a school storming exercise, to a joint tactical operation around the July 4th 2007 holiday involving SWAT, fire, EMS, HazMat, counterterrorism, intelligence, and marine assets. Other applications include remote briefings, special events management, geographically dispersed events, VIP escorts, facility security, high speed chase, hostage/barricade operations, preparedness training and exercises, and post-incident replay and analysis.

In closing, if you ever watch mega disasters on the history channel will clue you in on what's coming our way in terms of disasters. How many lives that will be saved will depend only on how good we are in organizing rescue missions in all public and private sectors.

Glenn Frieboth, owner of GLC Enterprises, Inc., authors the latest in Surveillance news and is based in Illinois. Find out more about the WorldTracker GPS Tracking Device at http://www.spygearco.com/WorldTrackerGPRSExtremeGPS-PE.htm

Article Source: Glen Freiboth

Survive Power Outages: High Winds, Snow, and Other Natural Disasters Take Out Power!

When your lights go dim, you may wonder what the problem is? Or, you may know? Either way, you have a lot to do. I’m going to share some survival tips for Power Outages, resulting from recent experience.

1. Locate light sources and keep them handy.

Light Sources include candles, flashlights, camp lanterns, and oil lamps. Most homes have a few of these items being used as ‘decorator accessories’. Candles in glass jars are particularly appropriate for lighting during a power outage. In fact, I keep a few extra in the cupboard just for this purpose.

Oil lamps work well for overall lighting. These have a wide wick and offer a few degrees of warmth as well as light. By raising or lowering the wick you get more or less light. Adjust it for maximum light using the least wick for economic lighting.

Flashlights require batteries and should be used sparingly, unless you have an unending source of batteries. They are required for exterior lighting, when you leave the house. Candles won’t work outside in the dark. Winds blow them out.

2. Locate heat sources and use them sparingly, but stay warm.

Alternate heat sources may not be readily available. However, by using good old fashioned common sense, you may be able to find heat sources that will work.

If your kitchen stove is not electric, it may be helpful. Newer gas stoves require electricity to light, if your stove is electric light, do NOT try to bypass the electric lighting mechanism.

All gas water heaters are a good source of warmth. Turn the hot water on to drizzle to keep pipes from freezing and allow the water to fill a wash pan in the sink, so that it can also ‘drain’ overflow. Warm water in the sink emits heat. Do this in all rooms with running water.

All gas cook stoves are a good source of heat. Bake cookies, prepare food in the oven, cook soups or stews on top of the stove and keep them cooking. The steam warms the air, and the heat keeps you warm. A warm bowl or cup of soup warms your body. Warm cookies are also heart and body warming. You can leave the oven on low to heat your home. DO NOT LEAVE YOUR OVEN UNATTENDED when leaving the door slightly open to emit heat.

If you happen to have a fireplace, it would be an awesome source of heat and cooking resources. You can prepare food in most fireplaces with a bit of ingenuity. Forks to cook meat, or a large cast iron pot or pan can be used in fireplace cooking.

3. Body heat and snuggling power work wonders.

Those old-fashioned activities are meant to keep you warm. Wrap up in blankets and snuggle on the couch with a good book. Read to your family members, or encourage them to read to you. Put on extra clothing, and bundle up as if you were going to be out in cold weather. (You are.) Pile on the extra blankets at night. Leave the hot water running but turn off all other heat at night, while you sleep. Occasionally get up and turn on the oven for an hour or so if necessary but NEVER leave it unattended.

Keep little kids warmer by putting them in with older kids or parents. Their bodies don’t make as much heat as yours does, so take extra precautions to keep them warm. If you get wet, change immediately; wet bodies get cold faster. Stay dry and stay warmer.

Remember your Christmas stockings, all hung by the fireplace with care. This is an excellent way to dry clothing only NOT on the mantle. Hang your stockings, damp clothing, and other wet gear over the back of a chair 4 or 5 feet from the fireplace.

4. Resort to power free work sources.

This article was written first with a pen and paper by candle light. You can still work, even without a battery powered computer. Keep a spiral notebook handy for inspirations. Working pens are a plus.

Since you’re going to write everything on a computer later, a rough outline by pen and paper is probably enough, with a few comments to pull it all together. Grammar, spelling, and other editing can be accomplished later on the computer.

Phones with hard lines that don’t require power hookups are necessary to power outages. Have at least one on each line coming into your home.

You can probably charge your cell phone when you drive your car, although you may not be going anywhere. So, use it sparingly.

5. Check power sources to be certain cause of outages is not a repair issue.

Make sure lines on your property are not down, or burned. Visual inspections will verify this. Just check at connections outside to power meter, to connections, and fuse boxes. Check breakers to be certain they haven’t flipped or kicks off.

Various causes of outages require an electrician to repair your services before you can restore power to your residence. During the recent storm ice and weight on the lines caused a burned connection before the meter. I lived with the outage for four days before I called in the local power company, because an electrician had thought it was inside my house.

Don’t hesitate to call in an expert. Their help can be a time saver as well as a life saver.

Jan Verhoeff lives in southern Colorado where snow is not so much an annual event as a decade event. Recent storms and weather issues have given her insight to a different way of life. Power outages and emergency preparedness are becoming a necessity even in the USA. Business resources and the thrill of adventure are logged at http://lamarcolorado.blogspot.com some days are missing and some are downright silly, but the storm photos are there.

Article Source: Jan Verhoeff

Preparing For a Widespread Disaster!

There are at least seven global or widespread disasters that seem likely to occur at sometime in the future. A large asteroid hitting the earth is one of those seven. It is generally accepted by scientists that asteroids have struck the earth in the past causing widespread damage. It is believed that asteroids will continue to collide with the earth every now and then. Maybe every sixty million years a big one comes along that is large enough to have a global effect on survival of earth's living things. The chances of such an event happening in a particular person's lifetime are tiny. But that tiny chance is there.

It is unpleasant to consider such terrible things. But the best attitude, it seems to me, is to ignore, to a very large extent, the unpleasant feelings that the topic causes. That allows a person to consider what might be done to increase the chances of surviving a disaster. No way can a person be fully prepared. And since we cannot know just what is going to take place, it may be an exercise in futility. But you never know, simple basic preparations could bring you through some calamity.

And why not take the attitude that your efforts and interest in such preparation is something to feel good about. Those efforts can be fun and interesting. The topic certainly grabs my attention better than a Hollywood movie. By doing what I can to become prepared, I am doing something that could dramatically make my life much more pleasant should I be involved in a catastrophe. Disaster preparedness is an interesting and enjoyable hobby that could pay off big-time. Knowing that all the benefits of modern life are not necessarily a given, is a reason for enjoying them more.

The seven possible widespread or global disasters:

1). Very large volcanic eruptions. Hugh volumes of gas and dust could spread around the globe. There is some evidence that these have occurred before. Doesn't that mean that it could happen again?

2). An epidemic. There was the flu epidemic of 1918 that killed 30 million people worldwide. There was the plague that killed about one fourth of Europe's population in the Dark Ages. Viruses and germs are known to mutate and change. They may become resistant to vaccines and medications, become more deadly, and become more contagious. Viruses and other pathogens could mutate into virulent forms that could spread rapidly around the world by people using air travel.

3). Crop failures due to plant diseases, climate change, or ozone depletion.

4). Climate changes including global warming and the effects that might come with it such as extreme heat, drought, and severe storms.

5). Nuclear war.

6). Terrorist act which could bring about widespread effects. If, for instance, a nuclear device was detonated in Washington, D.C. and another wiped out Wall Street, the effects could be unpredictable and could include economic depression, anarchy, shortages of consumer goods, and war.

7). Something unexpected. A disaster could be caused by a completely unknown event. It is unreasonable to think we are smart enough to be aware of all threats that could bring catastrophe.

There are many other plausible scenarios for widespread catastrophes. These include such things as a large solar flare that shoots out radiation and charged particles toward the earth; an object such as a black hole passing close to the earth; and a technology accident such as a genetically modified organism being released into the environment.

In recent years vast quantities of methane gas have been discovered on the sea floor where the water is very deep and in places where the water is very cold. It is believed that global warming or earthquakes could cause the methane to be released perhaps suddenly and in massive quantities. Methane is explosive and could displace oxygen causing suffocation.

Below are some things you can do to be better prepared for emergencies.

Store food and water: About a gallon of water a day per person is a reasonable goal. How many days worth is anybody's guess - you have to use your own judgment about what is practical for you. Know where to get water if your standby supply runs out. Water of unknown purity should be boiled at least 3 minutes to kill any pathogens. If boiling is not possible add 16 drops or 1/4 teaspoon of household bleach per gallon and let stand at least 30 minutes. Smell the water. If it does not have a slight bleach odor, repeat the process. Use bleach that contains nothing else other than water and 5.25 percent sodium hypochlorite. Bleach is most effective for killing bacteria but is not effective against parasitic organisms.

Choose long storage food such as canned goods, dry food such as nuts, seeds, beans, and grain products in plastic or glass containers. Most dried beans will need to be soaked and cooked before eating. Examples of dried beans that can be eaten after soaking and without cooking include split peas, mung beans, lentils and black-eyed peas. Wheat and corn can also be soaked and eaten without cooking. Peanut butter and vegetable oil are good choices because they are calorie rich, long keeping and require no preparation. Canned meat provides protein and requires no cooking. A multi vitamin will help with adequate vitamin requirements.

Keeping warm: The colder the climate where you live, the more important this is if the electrical power fails or you are forced to leave your home. Have enough heavy clothing and blankets in your home to keep you warm. Have ready to go to put in your car such as in a garbage bag: at least two changes of clothing that will keep you warm, a sleeping bag or a couple of blankets, gloves, knit hat, and sturdy shoes.

First aid kit: The most important items may be soap for washing a wound, an antiseptic ointment, and bandaging.

Tools and supplies for short-term emergencies: Flashlight and batteries, candles, matches, can opener, soap, battery-powered radio and batteries, face mask for filtering the air you breath,

Tools and supplies for long term emergencies: all of the items above for short-term emergencies plus the food items listed above plus: long lasting led flashlight, wind-up flashlight, wind-up radio, unscented 5.25 percent sodium hypochlorite bleach for purifying water, sturdy knife and sharpener, salt, grain grinder, food storage containers, shovel, blankets, rifle and ammunition.

Tools and supplies for your car: gallon of drinking water, blanket, extra clothes (sweatshirt, long underwear, boots, socks, gloves, hat), compass, rain gear, battery-powered radio and batteries, long storage and light-weight food, maps, siphon (20 feet plastic tubing, 1/2 inch diameter), gas can, wrenches, pliers, screwdrivers, portable light. Long-term and extras: bleach for purifying water, shorts or swimsuit, tube tent (or 10 by 10 tarp, cord), ground moisture barrier, closed cell foam sleeping pad, sleeping bag, insect repellant, sunglasses, sunscreen, soap, knife, backpack, duct tape, cord (i.e., seine twine, parachute cord, masons' twine).

Have a short-term plan: Discuss with your family how everyone will get home if their usual transportation is not available. If the phone systems are operating, one person could remain at home to take and relay messages. Have a place in mind in case you need to relocate to a different geographic area. Plan how to get there and what you will take along. If you believe you are not enough prepared, decide how to become so.

Stay informed: Have at least a battery operated am/fm radio with extra batteries. A wind-up radio not requiring batteries could be used if the power is off for an extended period. Emergency alert radios might receive broadcasts in a long-term power failure where the backup generators for am/fm radio stations have run out of fuel.

If situations develop so that longer-term solutions are needed, you will need other strategies. You may have to hunt for and gather food from the wild. Very long-term collapse of the present supply chain would require that you become self-sufficient in mending and making your own clothing. You might have to construct a shelter using basic tools and basic materials. The scope of this article does not allow for discussions of what you would need to know to survive extended collapse of society into how it was a couple of hundred years ago.

If you would like to learn more about disaster preparedness, use the following url(address) to another copy of this article. At the end of the article are urls to other articles giving more information.

Alan Detwiler started the web site Leisureideas. Visitors to the site are encouraged to use imagination and whatever happens to be available to discover new ways to enjoy themselves.

Alan writes books on how to pursue playfulness and a sense of wonder. His books are available in digital format and can be purchased and downloaded on the eBookMall web site. Go to http://www.ebookmall.com Then do a search for Detwiler.

Article Source: Alan Detwiler