Survival:Beyond the Bug-Out Bag
We all agree that being prepared for an emergency is important. That's why preparing a "Bug Out Bag" that will allow you can grab and go can be a lifesaver. So I began posting information here over 6 years ago, and I'm updating that information regularly. I've also gone beyond the traditional products. Because creating "the bag" is just the first step to being prepared, not the final product. We now know we each need to have at least 30 days of essential supplies like food water and medicine. We must be our own first responders.
I cover topics like:
*Products I both use and trust.
*Often forgotten items you need to have in your bag.
*Psychological and Emotional planning for the family
*Planning for Kids and Seniors
*What to do when Plan "A" fails?
This includes a curated list of links from a variety of sources too. I'll be sharing and updating links to sites I buy from and products I use. So we are clear, I have no sponsors, so the opinions, both good and bad, are my own.
Join me as I begin the 7th year/6th season of productions in an ongoing series of podcasts for you and your family to use and to share with others as you build a community. Is this fun or what?
Survival:Beyond the Bug-Out Bag
Take your first steps. We've got Homework!
(Don't forget to scroll down for the links!)
What would you do if disaster struck your community? This episode provides essential guidance on preparing for the worst, using the harrowing aftermath of Hurricane Helene as a pivotal case study. With over 120 lives lost, widespread flooding, and millions left in the dark, the urgency for personal preparedness has never been clearer. We'll walk you through the necessity of having 30 days' worth of supplies and staying informed. Resources like World Central Kitchen and the Red Cross are highlighted for those who wish to help, and True Prepper is recommended for those needing reliable prepping advice. By sharing personal anecdotes and discussing common barriers, we aim to inspire proactive steps towards readiness.
Facing fears head-on is crucial, whether it's the threat of cancer or the fear of a nuclear event. This segment stresses the importance of involving your family in preparedness plans, much like the intense moments seen in Close Encounters of the Third Kind. We cover everything from practical tips on selecting medical supplies to calls for community engagement. Plus, join us for upcoming events at the range, like our sight-in event for hunters and our monthly Concealed Carry Class, underscoring the importance of responsible firearm ownership. Through heartfelt stories and practical advice, we strive to build a community that values vigilance and preparedness.
Resources for this week:
https://www.finder.com/personal-loans/doomsday-prepper-statistics
https://trueprepper.com/prepping-statistics/
https://www.happypreppers.com/37-food-storage.html
https://trueprepper.com/kits/survival-kits/
Water straws
World Central Kitchen:
https://donate.wck.org/give/622465/#!/donation/checkout
Class Information: Refuse to be a Victim Personal ProtectionTraining
For questions and comments, email me at: profprepper@protonmail.com
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Copyright: Refuse to be a Victim Personal Protection Training 2018-2024
With the death count still rising from Hurricane Helene. The National Hurricane Center is still tracking three systems. One could again threaten the Florida South Coast area. So let's get inside. We've got a lot to unpack this week.
Speaker 1:Hello everybody, I'm Bill Bateman, part of the team here at Refuse to be a Victim personal protection training and this is Survival Beyond the Bug Out Bag 2.0. We're looking at ways to get you involved in prepping for disasters. I don't have to do a thing this week other than point to the east side of the United States. Helene came through. Hurricane Helene came through and caused havoc. 100-year flood levels over 120 dead at this writing. That number sadly continues to go up and it shows the importance of not only staying alert, staying aware, following the information of the authorities, evacuate, how to shelter, where shelters are but the importance of being ready yourself. Over two million people the last I read are without power. Water lines are down, power lines are drowned, grocery stores are just totally devastated. So there are a lot of places up on the internet, reputable places, you can donate to help. World Central Kitchen is an excellent resource. I personally support, of course, our good friends at the Red Cross. There are a number of reputable shelters and methods available for you to donate and to help out back there.
Speaker 1:And what I'd like to talk about today is what I've been talking about the last couple of weeks, and that's the fact that a lot of us are getting prepared. I see a growing list of people listening each week and thank you for that. I see a number of people who have actually told me hey, you know, I told somebody about your podcast. That's what we need to do. I'm going to include some links. You'll find a number of links on the front end where you log in, and the first two are going to be statistics on prepping. Now, one of the statistics I take umbrage with because they call it doomsday prepper statistics. And no, we're not looking for Mad Max scenarios. We're talking about things that have just happened this last week, looking at hurricanes and floods and earthquakes and things like that. Those statistics I kind of look at over the top of my glasses. But then there's another site, true Prepper, which I'm recommending to my listeners and I always have. They've got good information on how many of us are prepping.
Speaker 1:Now let's consider that, regardless of the ages and there seems to be young people and old people seem to be getting the message. You folks in the middle I'm a little worried about and you're the ones I'm talking to. So there's statistics by age and by geographical region. Oregonians do an amazingly good job. We are able to and, by the way, the new standard you used to be able and this is back when I started eight years ago you used to be prepped up. You used to be considered prepared if you had three days to a week of supplies to get through until somebody could help you out. Nowadays, 30 days, 30 days supplies that's food, water, fuel, lighting, medical supplies All those things you personally need and everybody is different to survive and everybody is different to survive.
Speaker 1:And I wanted to spend a little time this week not taking anybody to the woodshed but asking why are not more people preparing? Because if you look at these statistics, either set you look at, as I mentioned, the past couple weeks 70% of folks are not prepping, they're not getting ready for what just happened in Florida and Georgia and North Carolina. And my thoughts and prayers and I hate that phrase because it's so weak, but I do wish the very best and send out thoughts and prayers to all of you folks fighting it out back there. I wonder what's stopping us? And part of it is you don't think of it. It's now made mainstream media. I saw a woman's magazine. I was in the doctor's office waiting and I just happened to open the magazine and they said you should be prepping. So, along with the lipstick and eyelash thing, there is a deal on ladies. You should be prepping and the question, I guess, is what's stopping you?
Speaker 1:And I'm looking at some of the things that stopped me, some of the things that were an impediment to me. When I started a number of years ago, I had stronger motivation. I was part of the Northridge earthquake a number of years ago. Talk about getting motivated. That'll do it. And I looked at the key things and so I'm going to put these out and I'm going to ask you, our regulars, our folks that have been with me for a while. You have homework this week and that is to go out and tell five people about getting prepared and refer them to the podcast, refer them to some websites prepared and refer them to the podcast. Refer them to some websites. Bring it up at church, bring it up at the bingo game, when you're talking to somebody in line waiting to get the chicken wings refilled at the buffet. Yeah, it would be a shame if they didn't have any more chicken wings ever.
Speaker 1:Yeah, the big thing that stopped me initially was cost. I purchased a bag at Costco for around $300. It was supposed to be an emergency survival bag and I've told this story many times. And I'm not mad at Costco about it, I'm mad at the manufacturer, because the first aid component was primarily those little tiny fingertip Band-Aids and they didn't stick. There was not any gauze, there was not any quick clot, there was not a tourniquet in the bag and it was packed in so tight it was like a parachute. You took out one thing and the whole thing spilled out on the floor. I didn't know what was in there and to find out I'd have to totally demolish the bag in there, and to find out I'd have to totally demolish the bag.
Speaker 1:The mindset If you're a new person and you're thinking it won't happen here, that's a mistake. The people in North Carolina are saying that they haven't had that kind of a flooding in, I think, over 100 years. Well, it does happen and it can happen, and with the weather changes we're seeing, it's going to happen almost every place. Don't subscribe to the. It Won't Happen here, and the worst thing is someone will help me. Well, yes, we are basically good people and someone will try and reach out and help you if they can, if they're able, if they have enough to share.
Speaker 1:You are your own first responder and I'm going to get this tattooed on my forehead in reverse, so every time I look in the rearview mirror I see it. You are your own first responder. It's not a case of they won't do it own first responder. It's not a case of they won't do it. It's a case of there are now so many issues, so many problems, and in something like a major hurricane or major disaster, there's just too darn many people. It's too big of a task for the system to handle. So you are responsible. It is your responsibility to become self-sufficient. It is too big a task that I think.
Speaker 1:For me, the cost was the first thing, looking at how much this stuff was and then looking at how much I had to learn. And then the good thing happened. I realized I had some of those skills already, so I didn't have to learn it from nothing. I had to refresh, I had to get new information, and that's the thing I'm talking about here on this program Eight years ago when I began. A lot of things have changed and I'm going to give a simple example on that.
Speaker 1:In a few minutes we're going to be talking about a little something your everyday carry, things to carry with you all the time, just in case. So we'll talk about that. But start planning now and prioritize the things you're going to need to do. That addresses the cost issue. That addresses the task by breaking it down to easy to manage segments. It's like eating a pizza. I can eat a whole pizza. I shouldn't, but I can. But I have to eat it a bite at a time. I'm not going to stuff the whole thing in my mouth. It ain't going to work at all. Don't expect others to help you Be self-sufficient.
Speaker 1:We talk about being Americans the pioneer spirit, the pioneers going across the plains. They had to do it all. The wheel broke, they had to fix it. Somebody got hurt. They had to do it all. The wheel broke, they had to fix it. Somebody got hurt, they had to try and help them. Same thing here. If you're in an area that's cut off by flooding, no power, no water, no food, no medical assistance can get in. It's not that they don't want to, it's just that they can't. Can't get a helicopter up because of the storm. You're it, and I have never, ever, ever, wanted to have to look at a family member and go I'm sorry, I can't do a thing for you. That would be killing, that would be crushing. So to me it is a big task to get your stuff together, and that's the old journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step.
Speaker 1:Eight years ago I started taking this very seriously. I had done it previously. After the Northridge experience and some bad experiences with purchases, I decided I'd take it over for myself, and that's what I recommend for you. Don't take a handful of money, because money is so scarce these days. Don't take a handful of money and throw it at a problem.
Speaker 1:You can get stuff on the internet. You can get bags, you can get bug out survival kits. There's all kinds of different things. Look at them. Look at them carefully and determine are these going to help me? I saw one that came full of all kinds of advanced medical equipment. If you can't use advanced medical equipment, either get the training to use it before you buy it, or don't buy that.
Speaker 1:Get things that are going to be of value to you, because this idea of this is going to happen. Five years down, the road is over. This could happen next week. Those hurricanes I think they're calling it Hurricane Kirk out there in the Gulf that could hit in a week, a week and a half's time. So if you're in an area, if you're in any area, you should be thinking both short-term and long-term. What are you going to need and we talked about those things last week Water, food, air filtration, heat, light and your medical needs. Those are just basic things. Get a yellow pad, start writing this down.
Speaker 1:Let me give you an example. I promised I'd talk about how things have changed in a number of years. Water, water continues, and I don't know what people are doing. What's motivating this? Why somebody hasn't taken a bath to somebody? Because water continues to be polluted with forever chemicals. Now, forever is an interesting word because it means forever. It means once you put that stuff in the water, you can't get it out, and there is now evidence of microplastics in the water. All those shopping bags from 10 years ago have finally ground down to their smallest micro components and they're showing up in the fish and they're showing up in the water and you can't filter it out because it's micro size and it's getting into the human body. This is serious stuff. We have to look at planning now for what's going to happen down the road and we have to look at planning for what's going to happen next week. So I mentioned water. The water is continuing to be more and more polluted. The area I live in I talked about this last week.
Speaker 1:You cannot drink out of the creek. The water is not usable. It has both farm waste and farm chemicals in it, and that's different now. It has higher concentration. Some of the crops that are being grown both legally and illegally are seeing the water systems messed up and that takes away the idea that you're going to run out in the out in the woods and drink out of a mountain stream. Ain't going to happen, folks. You can't do it anymore. I would say it's not total chaos yet and one of the things they have been and I put the link up on the front it's a water.
Speaker 1:It says water straws and when you go to that page there are a number of them. I have selected the Life Straw. They are, in my opinion, a very good product. I have a whole section previously on water filtration and I have to update that the water straws eight years ago were a good idea. You may get a little sick, but you aren't going to hurt yourself. Water straws eight years ago were a good idea. You may get a little sick, but you aren't going to hurt yourself.
Speaker 1:Water straws are of emergency preparation. Only you have to be able to filter it first through a t-shirt, some dirt and some pebbles to get some of the stuff out of it. Perhaps try and boil it if you have to and you have the ability Perhaps try and boil it if you have to and you have the ability and then sip the water through these straws which have membranes and treatment in it to reduce the chemicals and the toxins. Now, not all water treatment systems will reduce all things in the water. They may get the biologicals, they may get rid of the Galardia which is going to give you Montezuma's revenge, but they won't help with the farm chemicals.
Speaker 1:There are several things you need to know now that you didn't before, and we're going to go there next week looking at the revision of what you need for good water, but just to have an emergency kit and that's what started this discussion a water straw to get you home, along with a couple of other items, can be very, very helpful and that will fit in your pocket. So if you have not begun prepping, if you haven't gotten involved in this yet, put a little kit together that you can have in your pocket, that you can put in the glove box, or that central console in your car, maybe a little something in the trunk. Start looking at those things and my regulars, those of you who are listening, I hope you will share your ideas and that is everybody's homework for next week. My address, my email address, is on the front of the program. I'm going to ask you what's stopping you If you're a new person, if you've just joined the program, what's stopping you from becoming a prepper?
Speaker 1:We've got seven years of programs you can research. That's good, but these are more things like the cost, cost, the fear. Uh, it won't happen to me admitting it, saying its name and I did that on nuclear war. I would say its name. I've had to do that to several diseases. Look at the, look at what's scaring you and name it, and then you can fight it because you know what you're fighting. This neb, it's something out there. Nope, what is it? I'm afraid of cancer. Okay, now we know what we're fighting.
Speaker 1:Also, get the family involved. I've seen many, many times when one family member is gung-ho and the rest of the family are looking at him like they looked at Richard Dreyfuss in Close Encounters when he was building a big mountain out of mashed potatoes. It was like, are you crazy? It's a big task. You have to start small. It's like the pizza Take your first bite, start planning and you will change your plans as you go. Give me your ideas, regulars, what do you carry for everyday? Carry survival. We can share that with our new people, new folks. What's scaring you? What's stopping you? Maybe I haven't mentioned it.
Speaker 1:Let's look at the things that you put trust in, products you have had good experiences with, and I'm not afraid to list products that have had bad reviews. There have been several tourniquets that have come on the market that are like oh, only $8 for a tourniquet. Oh, let's stock up on these. No, never, never, never go cheap on medical supplies. These tourniquets, I have seen them. They actually turn into something like a rubber band with pressure put on them and they just constrict the vessels and do more damage than they do good. So start getting learned up, start planning and start sharing your information.
Speaker 1:Please, if you're a new person, reach out and let me know, and especially for my regulars folks who have been listening a long time, reach out and let me know, and especially for my regulars folks who have been listening a long time what have you done, what have you learned over the past couple of months, a couple of years, a couple of processes? I've learned some things. I've bought stuff I wish I hadn't done and I've talked about that and I'll talk about it again. So let's look about that. Let's consider sharing some information. I will read your letters on the program, without your name and address, of course, unless you give me permission, in case you glossed over that. I will be reading these letters on the air, unless you ask me not to, and I'll just share the general information. New people, I want to hear your questions.
Speaker 1:We've been doing this a long time. We've got a good team here. Look at the weather report, look out your window. High heat is going to go away and we're already seeing here in Oregon the temperature go from oh my gosh, it's hot to oh my wow, we've got to get the heater on tonight. It's cold. Things are going to be changing. New seasons are coming, new challenges are ahead. You can either hide under the sofa or you can just name your fear and be ready to face it Out.
Speaker 1:There at the range things are moving along very, very well. We had last weekend the sight end event. For those of you who are going to be hunting. We had 300, 400, 500, and 600 yard range open and folks out there to help you out. That was Sunday and Tuesday and I hope you all had an opportunity to take care of that. A big round of applause to everybody out there for the extra time and effort it takes to set up a program like that and it's a good way to introduce you to long-range shooting. That range, as I mentioned last time, is where some international records have been set, so it's the real deal and I'm really pleased to see that it's getting more and more.
Speaker 1:Use. The Concealed Carry Class absolutely second Saturday of every month. You can register online for that and I recommend you do Occasionally. We get really filled up, so it's a good idea. You can even register down the road if you want to maybe give away a Christmas gift certificate. Those are always available and they don't expire, you can't trade them and you can't cash them out, so you can't re-gift them. But gift certificates are good Once you get your concealed carry concealed carry mastery.
Speaker 1:What do you do now? And I've actually had people ask me okay, I got my permit, now what? And that's a very valid question. There are rights and responsibilities that you need to make sure you are clear of how to carry responsibly, how to protect your firearm Somebody's going to grab it, try and steal it from you. How to lock it up, how to keep it safe. We go all the way back to first shooting experience learning to clean a gun, learning to handle a gun, learning the safety rules and we are going to addict you to safety. We take it very seriously.
Speaker 1:My favorite story is my grandfather, when I was like eight, was going to take me out shooting. I think I was seven who cares? It was in the 50s and Grandpa was out there and he started the. You know, always treat a gun as it's loaded. Always treat, never point a gun at anything you don't want to shoot. And I kind of rolled my eyes and I got a Dinozo slap. You know, if you ever watched NCIS, gibbs is always smacking Dinozo on the back of the head. He said hey, billy, you're going to remember this for the rest of your life or you're going to make a terrible mistake and regret it. And you know what? Today, when I go shooting, I think of those four safety rules every time. And that's over 70 years ago. So, yes, grandpa, thank you.
Speaker 1:And if, for a new shooter, we can do nothing more than help you be safe and secure and prevent injuring someone else or yourself by accident, then we're making a very, very good first step. So we've got everything from non-ballistic self-defense all the way up to tactical and advanced shooting for the advanced shooters. So we are at 6800 Kershaw. We're out there in the White City area. Phone number's on the website. Please give us a visit. And it is a little difficult to get there now that Foothill Boulevard is under construction. You've got to come in off 140. But you can get there and we've got free parking and lots of entertainment. So see you at the range, see you next week, please. I'm very serious when I ask you to send in what works for you, your tips, your suggestions, your ideas, how you got started, what things you had to overcome. So let's talk about that next week. Until then, be safe and forward to seeing you soon. The preceding program was a presentation of Retired Guy Productions.
