Adding to the news, our national affiliation APN (American Preppers Network) was one of the highlighted links in a Blaze article focusing on preppers as those “Stockpiling for disaster“.

It’s nice for larger organizations to see the tide of preparedness sweeping across the population. Many people are going back to their roots to find just how they can provide for themselves.

What is sad though is to see those among the comments that cannot understand a need for preparedness, or see preppers as simply another form of consumer to be swayed by new products. Find out what you need to be prepared for, and how a little provident living can help your family achieve the stability and security it needs.

While these young men made an initial mistake that got them lost, they managed to remain calm and focused on survival. Creating a snow cave, starting a fire, etc. are all useful skills and as this example clearly shows can help to keep you alive.

Another aspect of preparedness is learning from our mistakes and other’s examples. In this case, if they had their avalanche beacon and some other gear, (perhaps some EDC items, or an emergency kit)  they would have been located much sooner or not been lost in the first place, and been more comfortable while waiting for rescue.

Read the article and absorb any information you can so you can use that information if you ever find yourself in a similar situation.

Hi all!  I’m Angela from Adventures in Self Reliance.  I’m so excited, honored, and admittedly a bit nervous to have been given the opportunity to be an author for Utah Preppers.  A little about me–I live in fabulous Emery County with my sweet husband and three children, a dog, a cat, a horse, some fish, and some chicks.  I am a preparedness junkie and love camping, hiking, archery, fishing, shooting stuff, sewing, chocolate, and historical reenactments among other things ;-)

I love a good adventure and learning new things.  As far as prepping is concerned, we’ve been actively at it for a few years, so have had time to make lots of mistakes and learn from them!  I believe in having supplies on hand and knowing how to use what I have, so it seems there is always something to learn, try, or work on where our preps are concerned.

I’m excited to start posting here, and hope to be able to encourage and help others in their preparations and ability to be self reliant.  I’ve found the more I share, the more I learn, so hopefully we can all help each other out!  In the meantime, you can visit a few of my favorite posts from my blog to kind of get a feel for what I’m about:

Why I do this Crazy Stuff
Sprouted Wheat Experiment
Deer or Elk Jerky

Looking forward to learning and sharing with you all!

I’m a web developer by day, news junkie and political economist by night (and those valuable lunch breaks!), and fill in the cracks with all sorts of other fun things.

I’m a Utah transplant, having grown up in San Diego, and got stuck here after going to BYU and getting a great job.  The beginning of my trip down the rabbit hole began after watching Freedom to Fascism a couple years ago at a pre-release screening in Provo. At that point in my life I was on a huge DVD kick, and owned over 450 of them. While watching this documentary I was prompted to really begin working on my preparedness—Aaron Russo, the director, provided me with a startling wake-up call. So, I sold half of the collection and financed the purchase of several buckets of food storage.

That, of course, was only the beginning.  Since then I’ve acquired more goodies and skills, and have helped others along the way. This specific niche (being a preparedness evangelist) has become one of my strongest passions; most everybody who knows me has received all sorts of emails and suggestions on things to do to become better prepared. No surprise, then, that I was asked by my ecclesiastical leader to help out on our congregation‘s emergency preparedness committee, right?

I’m a huge advocate of general preparedness—meaning, focusing on more than the basics we all hear about, namely, food. I’m the author of the water PDF document that rawlink posted last month and have found this to be a huge success in helping others learn the ropes in that field. I’m always looking for group buys, special deals, and other incentives to help others stock up on supplies and skills that they otherwise might not have thought of.

I tend to wax philosophical at times, so many of my posts will have this component included. Rather than talking only about the details, I like to focus on principles and best practices, and let people figure out what details work best for them based on a variety of options.

I think the other authors here would agree that this whole blogging effort stems from an innate desire to help our friends and loved ones get better equipped for what’s to come. The more people we help now, the more they’ll be in a position to help themselves and others who didn’t or couldn’t prepare.  In that sense, this community effort yields exponentially rewarding results since the (positive!) pyramid scheme of preparedness results in a larger sphere of influence.

I look forward to adding my two cents in here from time and time, and look forward to hearing from you in all the comments!

Purpose:

I live a fair distance from my work now (oh how I long to telecommute again!).  Around 25 miles one way, around a lake, across a river, through several places that have limited road options.  How do I know this?  Well, I would say everybody should be very familiar with every alternate route between their home and most common destinations, because you never know when you will need them.  I have needed mine.  Beyond a natural curiosity and desire to optimize my commute, my neighborhood often requires it because it has a population that overwhelms the local road infrastructure on a good day.  Add in an accident, or bad weather and it becomes horrid.  Get worse weather, and you can actually shut down access to our town.  It’s happened before, it will happen again.  Throw in an earthquake, and there will be *no* cars heading home.  Whatever your locally preferred disaster, would you be able to get home to your wonderful food storage?

Considerations:

There are several things to consider when creating a Bug Out type kit for your car that you must take care of for your kit to be any good to you.  The first point is what are you getting ready for.  My kit as I stated is to get me home from work in case I can’t drive.  It’s a very likely situation with our current infrastructure.  Now I have a different kit in my wife’s vehicle.  She doesn’t travel as often, or as far as I do, but she will almost always have our kids with her.  During a blizzard last year which shut down all roads into town, she was able to keep our kids fed, entertained, and the youngest in clean diapers, even though they hadn’t planned on being out so many hours.  This was all because her kit was ready for that type of situation, sheltering in place until help could come.

Secondly, what space do you have?  Do you carpool, or will it stay in a large trunk?  Do you ride a bike or drive a truck?  All of these change what size your kit can be, and what security it might have.  Thirdly, just how far are you from home, and how easily could you travel that distance?  Don’t kid yourself with whatever shape you were in a few years ago, think about now.  Fourth, weather.  Around here it’s likely *really* hot, or *really* cold at the times I’d most likely need my kit.  The contents must meet the needs of that weather, which means I have to rotate it.  Finally, long-term storability.  Some items, especially food items, dont’ last long in a car.  That nice MRE you threw in the trunk last summer is probably toast now.  The extreme temperature changes combined with the effects of the car make it go bad fast.
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The Bag:

Main Bag

My bag itself is a Maxpedition DevilDog.  It’s a larger sized butt-pack, that also has a very comfortable shoulder strap when wanted.  It’s large enough to hold what I feel I need for this usage, without being too large, or looking out of place.  Plus it’s a Maxpedition, which I can’t say enough good about.  Also pictured are some of the first items of the kit.

• Datrex Bars : Emergency Calories.  3600 of them actually.  Sealed, long lasting, and can handle the heat.  They aren’t a lot, but would give me a minimal calorie count for my expected travel time in worst conditions.  They are very compact, and lightweight.  There are several types of emergency bars out there, and some local preparedness shops let you taste them before buying.  I highly suggest this, as some are nasty (but hey, worst case).  These one actually taste quite good, like a coconut macaroon.
• SAS Survival Guide : Excellent smaller version of the full handbook.  Get both, read them *before* there is a problem.  Then keep the guide in your bug out bag or get home bag
• Advil : Muscle and general pain relief.  Not used to walking a lot? You’ll be thinking about this after a day.
• Mini-Mag light : With LED bulb.  Great inexpensive light, durable, has a holster too so I can move it to my belt.
• Ka-Bar : One of my favorite fixed blade knives, in the smaller 5″ version.  What’s important here is a strong, reliable knife.
• Gerber Strike Force : My favorite flint starter.  It doesn’t break, and I have enough practice to know I can start a fire easily with it.
• CountyCom Micro Widgy bar : Utility tool, very handy to have, wrapped in Paracord 550
• Mini sharpie : Ability to leave notes that will last most anywhere.

Fire and food:

• Fire starter packet : a stable, lightweight firestarter. This is a redundant item that I just threw in to try sometime
• Camp Soap : You want to stay clean, and need to clean up your dishes to not get sick
• Tube of Fire starters : Originally an “airborne” brand vitamin, now perfect for holding several Vaseline soaked cotton balls for starting fires.
• Two MRE snacks : This rotation I have a ‘wheat bread’ and ‘mint chocolate cookie’.  Carbs that pack well.
• Swiss Army Knife : my trusty (an old) Victorinox Scout edition, with the lock blade.
• P-51 can opener : Yeah, I have an opener on the knife, but I keep one of these everywhere.  Even though I currently don’t have and cans in my kit.
• Gram Weenie Stove : very small alcohol stove, with windshield, and small amount of alcohol in squirt bottle.
• Matches : Strike anywhere, waterproof, and in waterproof case.
• Emergency Mylar blanket : Some warmth, and shelter.
• Vaseline : can make more fire starters, or heal wind/sun chapped lips.  Usually just have a chapstick tube here, but didnt’ have an extra handy this rotation, and this was sitting there.  (And yes, chapstick is great for making firestarters too, try it!)
• Two emergency candles: light, heat, help with the fire. Wrapped in Aluminum Foil.  Keeps them from melting as much, and from getting stuff around them waxy.  In emergency the foil can be used to help cook.
• Water filter straw : My route home goes around a large freshwater lake, and crosses a couple streams and rivers.  I’ll need the water, but it’s not clean.  I dont’ want to pack all the fuel necessary to boil that much water.

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Utility:

• Sharpening stone
• Mini Prybar : sharpened edge, and good steel.  Something you can use to pry out stuff you don’t want to risk a knife blade on
• First Aid Kit : Covers the basics.  Store bought basic package with a few extras (moleskin specifically)
• Chemical lightstick : No batteries necessary, help me be seen if that’s what I need.
• Bug Spray + Sunscreen : Blistering Utah sun in the summer, bouncing off the snow in the winter.  And did I mention the lake and streams.  Lots of mosquitos if I stay by the water.
• Poncho : gotta stay dry
• Toilet Paper : Do I really need to explain this?
• Latex Gloves : Any biological material around? Treating a wound from an accident?
• Wet Wipes : Better than toilet paper when out and about, and can clean self too.
• Rope : Well, cord.  100 feet of paracord.
• Foot powder : It’s a long walk, I will do whatever necessary to prevent blisters from starting
• Micro monacle : just a very small 4x zoom

Bulk:

• Two water bottles : Start with some clean water, in bottles I can reuse for this trip.
• Water Filter Bottle : Katadyn water filter in a bottle.
• MRE : Specifically a Cold Weather MRE, which is freeze dried, so it can last even in the car heat.  Also has a lot more calories.  Hard to find, and pricier though, so I don’t have many of these.  Only one in the kit.
• More TP
• Two Micro lights : attach to the outside of the bag, redundancy is key here.
• Hotties : Chemical Heat packs for the hands/feet/body.  Spending the night out in a blizzard with my ‘work clothes’ isn’t comfy.
• Folding Shovel
• Mini Hatchet : I have the Gerber Back Axe, Small, lightweight, very well made

• HEET bottle : Works very well in alcohol stoves.  Sealed container that I can then refill my mini-squirt bottle to load the stove.  This will fuel that stove for quite a while.
• Metal Cup : It is the pot for the stove, and the dish to eat from
• Lighter : While I love flints, and my matches are good, a simple lighter is just easier to start with.
• Extra socks : Long walk, water crossings, snow.  Gotta keep those feet dry and comfy.  Can be mittens too if needed.
• Two Extra Mags : Not pictured is the extra .22-mag, depending on what I’m “wearing” that day.

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Extra Gear:

I know that winter travels will take quite a bit more out of me, and a lot more time than a summer trip.  Also I have a lot more chances of needing my kit when stuck for an extended time, possibly not going home.  So i plan accordingly.  These extra items don’t fit in my pack, but would help me last longer if sticking around, or could attach to the outside of my pack or be worn (or consumed) for longer travels.

• 4 Extra meals : Higher calories.  The civilian MRE shown will only be here in the winter.  Includes its own chem heater for a hot meal.
• Wool blanket : Heat, even if wet. Can be windproof by freezing it solid for extra shelter.
• Lightweight towel : Keeping dry is keeping warm, also can wrap to keep face protected from wind-chill.
• More bug spray : Not as many bugs out now, but it was in the box.
• More Wipes
• Another Mylar Blanket
• Extra LED flashlight
• Mini pliers tool
• Full Size Prybar
• “Survival” knife
• Cook Kit : Swedish Surplus, Likely need to boil more water.  Larger quantities here. Contains larger alcohol stove, alcohol, and utensils inside.
• Snow Gloves

All of this fits inside a small plastic container in the trunk of my car.  Added some velcro to the side so it sticks and doesn’t slide around.  Now I know this has some redundancy, which is unecessary given that I’m planning on packing to my home, not leaving my supplies.  But I am a bit gadget bound.  You can do with less, and it’s fine.  I like to go the overkill route though.

One final note: This kit is also planned around the fact that I EDC a lot of items on myself.  My pockets are full, and my work backpack is a whole extra upcoming post.  They each have extra items that complement what’s in my kit.  Altoid survival tins, Concealed Carry Firearm, Extra flashlight, etc.

Please comment on anything you think I might be missing.  To start it off, I’ll mention a few things:

• Buillion cubes – small, sodium rich (sweat problems), helps get warmth in you.
• Gatorade single packs – drink mix in single-serving sizes, help get more water down, mask bad flavors, and replenish minerals from sweating.
• Shoes – what if I’m wearing simple sneakers, wouldn’t some hiking boots be nice?  yeah I can dream that I can keep extras of nice shoes in my car, ready to be used.
• Chewing Gum or Candy : Quick pick up.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Listening to these people talk about the incremental way that their rights were first infringed upon, then completely taken away reminds me of a famous quote by Martin Niemöller:

“First they came for the Communists, but I was not a Communist, so I said nothing. Then they came for the Social Democrats, but I was not a Social Democrat, so I did nothing. Then came the trade unionists, but I was not a trade unionist. And then they came for the Jews, but I was not a Jew, so I did little. Then when they came for me, there was no one left to stand up for me.”

As liberty loving Americans we need to stand up for not only our Rights but the Rights of others.

Average Pea whistle

An important piece of any Bug out Kit is a way to make a whole lot of noise. You need some way to create some attention-getting noise that can really travel the distance. This tool is a way to get the attention of a search party if you are lost or injured, as well as a way of helping find somebody who is lost. But all whistles are not created equal. Some are bulky, some are tiny, some have Pea’s, some don’t. How do you know which you should get? Well, I was recently pointed to a site via edcforums to an excellent PSK whistle review (PSK). Go check it out before you buy your whistle, it’ll help in selecting.

This review covers that which is most important about whistles, how loud they are. He actually gives the average decibel rating for each one when blown by an adult, as well as by a child. Very interesting data, as well as some simple firsthand experience with those he found worthwhile.

And if you feel like buying one:

8455 Thunderer Whistle Chrome Plated

Misc., $14.99

Acme Tornado 2000 Pealess Whistle (One Dozen)

Sport Supply Group 2010, Sports, $40.79

Fox 40 Mini Whistle with 9" Clipper Lanyard

Fox 40, Misc., $6.49

Ultimate Survival Technologies JetScream Whistle with Carabineer (Black)

Ultimate Survival Technologies, Sports, $11.75

What are some other reasons that people prep?  TEOTWAWKI, TSHTF, peace of mind?  Speak up and let us know some of the reasons why you prep.

Nice article in the Daily Herald on Sunday about the rise in home canning, largely due to economic reasons.  They attribute it mostly to economic reasons, and list out how people are having trouble finding canning jars and equipment in stores now.  Freecycle and garage sales are largely wiped out now.

In an interview on Friday, Stephanie Shih, national spokeswoman for Ball Jars, said the Utah Valley spike is not isolated. Nationally, demand for Ball food preserving products has spiked 30 percent this year, and customers as far as New York have had trouble finding jars as demand grows. Sales of large Ball jars have jumped nearly 40 percent, and sales of Ball plastic freezer containers have doubled.

A recent survey of 1,800 people by the company found “that more than 70 percent of respondents intend to preserve more foods this year in an effort to save money on weekly groceries,” she said.

Hope you’ve been canning too.  I know I just had to pick up two more cases of quart jars, Wal-Mart had just received a load and was getting lower on quarts, still had pint sized though, at the time.