Emergency Essentials Disaster Preparedness

 

The above link provides useful information that is free to learn on the following topics and more.

Flood
Fires
Economic
Earthquake
Winter Storm
Tornado
Drought
Hurricane
Power Failure

For additional information see the following links:  
Blog Table of Contents

The SHTF Day One

THE BIG EVENT HAS HIT, things are in TOTAL CHAOS. Thanks to the Red Flag Warnings, we are safe at our Retreat.

What now?

What do we do first?

1. Set up 24-7 Security with Night Vision and Communications.  Our post on Country Security can help.  If you are stuck in the city, put together a neighborhood security watch.  See Urban Security Plan. and the Security Patrol Pack post.  City dwellers should be prepared for Rioting and Looting.  The Prepper Handbook, available for $4.99 on Amazon, outlines a detailed home security plan.
2. Set up your Intruder Alarm systems and trip wires so you can detect unwanted visitors. Expect a Power Outage soon, if it has not already occurred. If you do have power, black it out at night, so you do not attract people to your home during the most difficult time to defend it.
3. Move your cars to set up a protective cover around your house to better secure the area. Block the road/drive to restrict access to unwanted guests.
4. Distribute Ammo at strategic lookout points and cache some off site for future needs (should already be done).  Hopefully you have enough Ammo.
5. If conditions permit, make one last trip out (armed) to stock up on any last minute supplies as in the future, Salvaging may be the only way left. Use credit cards as long as they are accepted. Then you should have enough cash to cover inflated prices while "Only Cash" is being accepted.  Then have enough Silver and goods for Barter after paper money becomes worthless. First Aid supplies will become important soon.
6. Store all the Water you can.  Fill tubs, pots, bottles, etc.
7. Reach out to your neighbors.  Set up Communications and begin to develop Actionable Intelligence.
8. Initiate Pandemic precautions if necessary. 
9. Rehearse your Group Security Drills (should already be done).
10. Along the road, or near the church, plant some Turnip seeds for the masses, perhaps some other Seeds for Survival. Turnips are cheap, grow well and are ready to eat in 20 days. This is for your defense because if people are starving, they will be willing to kill to feed their children. 
11. Hunker down, stay hidden and quite.  Do not draw attention to yourself.  Communicate only with trusted neighbors.  Try to survive the next few days without any casualties. Then start trying to organize your neighborhood. The Prepper Handbook, available for $4.99 on Amazon, outlines a detailed neighborhood organization plan. 

Later, plant any crops you can for this time of the year. See our post on Vegetable Planting Dates. Start as soon as you safely can because the Vegetable Days to Harvest is 20 to 120 days IF it is the right season.  You must have enough food stored to carry you through to the spring when planting normally occurs for most vegetables.

Do NOT expect to live on Wilderness Survival alone.

IF  you are NOT ready, see our Step by Step Prepper Plan to help get you there.

Print this out, along with other key information and save it in a file or note book.
Good Luck!

For more information:
Blog Table of Contents
Power Outage Preps
Power Outage Heater
DIY Solar System 
The SHTF Day One
Survive a 2 week Power Outage

Alone Survival Show Pack Contents

Prepper New Years Resolutions

Whether you are a Beginner just getting started, or an Advanced Prepper, there are some gaps in your plan or some critical needs that are high on your list. Your critical need may be your first gun, home defense gun, a handgun, or some Ammo.  Do you have the basics covered as recommended by the US Government?  Too often, our plans do not include the "most critical items" like Water.  Instead, we jump right into the food.  While a healthy food plan is essential, it is not the first priority.

As a part of your New Years Resolutions, visit our Step by Step Prepper plan and Table of Contents to see what you may be missing. Then fine-tune your plan and set out some specific goals for the new year.

For additional information see the following links: 
  Blog Table of Contents;
 

Or click on a label below for similar topics.

Step by Step Prepper Plan

We can't afford to go out and buy everything we need at once, so we must develop a Step by Step Prepper Plan that can be used by anyone. Here is that plan:

Establish a Prepper Budget and stick to it. Suppose you start with a lump sum of $400 and then budget $50 per week.  Regardless of what your budget is, set the money (cash) aside until you have enough for your next Prepper Purchase.  Our plan will follow the Rule of 3 till bare minimum needs are met, then continue to reach advanced preparedness. As you read, you will see a number of recommended links (like this Rule of 3) with additional recommended reading that goes in to more detail.

1. Have a gun.  Learn gun safety and take a class if you don't know how to shoot one. Save/share a copy of the gun safety rules, so you can teach others. If you are asking why a gun is the first item, read the link titled Rule of 3 or the Dark Perspective. For help on gun selection see the following links: Beginner Prepper Plan, item #1 & 2; The Best Gun; Best Handgun Selection Criteria.  I prefer a name brand AR-15 with a thermal scope, a Glock 17 (9mm) and a stainless steel Ruger 10/22 as shown on the Beginner Prepper Plan. At the same time, at no cost, you can be putting some security plans in place. Here are some suggested links for this: Urban Security Plan; Group Security Drills; Red Flag Warnings; Blog Table of Contents.  Train others in your family/group to use the gun.
2. Get at least 100 rounds of ammo.  See the link: The right amount of Ammo.
3. Water is one of the most over looked preparations.  So you must store water, locate back up sources and have several means of making it safe to drink.  The following link:  Emergency Water, has everything you need to know about water.  The first step is building a reserve of water; something like this below is a good start.  If not this, then cases of bottled water. Savings your household jugs and storing water in the is a no cost source of water stores.
   
   
4. Emergency Cash is important.  Set aside enough for a few weeks worth of groceries.  Nothing larger than a $20 bill.  Some cash in coins is good for vending machines.
   
5. Silver could be essential to buying needed supplies if paper dollars become worthless.  Spend your next two months of budget buying US Silver Eagles, then spend one more months of budget buying some pre 1964 US Quarters and Dimes. Barter and Salvaging will be the other options for acquiring supplies.
   
6. Food is next, but unfortunately, many people want to start here and skip the previous steps.  A manual can opener (or two) is the first thing you need to buy.  After that, then buy one of these food rotation systems.
   
    
   Above is the largest (275 cans), and a smaller one below (60 cans), with many sizes in between. Sixty (60) cans equates to about a 30 day supply of vegetables for 1 person based on an 8 ounce serving for lunch and dinner of 2 vegetables.  275 cans will feed a family of 4 vegetables for over a month.
   
7. Our next step is to Build your Food Stores the right way with the can goods we normally eat. Start out by buying extra can goods each time you go to the grocery store with your prepping budget money. The link (above) will guide you. At the same time, you must have a way to cook and prepare your food in a disaster that resulted in a Power Blackout. Once your can goods are stocked up, then we will talk about long term survival foods.  At the same time, at no cost, you can be learning about Wilderness Survival and Edible Plants.
8. Before we move to long term foods, buy a large first aid kit, a tube of triple antibiotic cream, a bottle of alcohol and hydrogen peroxide for disinfectants. Also keep a bottle of acetaminophen, ibuprofen and cold/flu medicine. These are things you should have in your home anyway.
9. Communications are important because what you don't know CAN hurt you in a disaster.
10. Long Term Foods - Budget and add a few cans of long term dried foods monthly, starting with some #10 cans. I recommend that you join the Thrive Life Q program.  Here you can set a budget and a list of foods and each month, they send your budgeted amount of food from your list.  My first items would include 3 cans of instant beans, 3 cans of instant rice and 3 cans of instant oatmeal.  This will cost a little over $100 and provide two people enough food for 30 days.  These 25 to 30-year shelf life foods are in addition to your 1-2 year shelf life supply of regular can goods. 
    
     
    
    
    Get the 30 day supply above (or more depending on the size of your family) and add one can of instant milk for the family, possibly a few cans of your favorite vegetables.  After this, start with one pail per month of these same dried foods as shown below.  Round out your order to meet your budget with a few more #10 cans of pasta, wheat, vegetables and fruit.  
    
    
    
    This adds a 90 day supply of food for two people and costs less than $250.  If you are set up on the Q as recommended above, each month you will automatically be receiving another shipment of food to supplement your supplies.  Even if it is only one pail or can per month, get signed up as this will build up a good supply of food over time.
     
11.  Next step, improve security, because now you have a lot that is worth stealing. I suggest you start out by adding more ammo. Then I recommend having about 8 of these solar powered yard lights that use AA batteries.  They will light up the yard so you can see anyone approaching at night during a power outage.You can carry them in the house each evening to provide light or to harvest and use the rechargeable batteries in your radio(s).
12. Acquire more ammo. How much is enough ammo?  Bottom line is you can't have too much.  In a serious event with more than 50% casualties, there will be guns laying around, but no ammo for them.  A Bow and Arrow make a good back up for when the ammo runs out and it is a quite hunting tool. 
13. Buy a Military 3-day Assault Pack and stock it as shown in our Survival Pack post.
14. Buy another round of silver coins.
15. At this point, you are fairly well supplied and could last a year, but still not an advanced Prepper. But what if you need to survive for many years?  In this case, you must have Heirloom Seeds (& tools) to plant a Garden, you must Salvage for Supplies and Barter with others.  
16. Group Security - To survive this long, you must be part of a group that works together as there will be far more severe events that you need to be prepared for than just having enough food. Highly populated areas will get ugly fast.  Even the rural areas will see mass hoards of people migrating out of the cities.  Your biggest threat will be large groups of starving desperate people with guns that will do what ever is necessary to eat and feed their children. Many people foolishly think they will take to the woods to survive using their Wilderness Survival Skills, but there is only enough wild game for every American to have a few pounds of meat per year. Others have lots of guns and ammo and simply plan to take what they need to survive. You will need group security plans, with Rules of Engagement, like those found in the Prepper Handbook.
17. An even bigger threat may be our "Government" coming to seize your supplies, or even worse, Foreign Assistance coming to "help" us, and make us do things their way going forward.  They would like to see our US Constitution become a thing of the past, especially the Second Amendment, which is the only obstacle to them easily taking over completely. When you think about this, you realize the need for hidden caches of supplies, including weapons and ammo. Now we are talking about Advanced Preparations.

For additional information see the following links: 
Blog Table of Contents;
Riot & Looting Preparations Terrorist Attack - Best Preparations

Or click on a label below for similar topics.

The First 5 Things To Do After a Crisis

You’re at work when all of the sudden one of your co-worker’s shouts with a terrible shriek, “Did you hear?” He can see the confused look on your face and explains, “The financial markets just collapsed and everyone’s running to the bank and ATMs.” What should we do?

Preparing for civil unrest in your town is much like prepping for bugging in during any other emergency or weather disaster. You should have plenty of food, water, batteries, medicine and first aid, an alternative cooking method, fuel and lighting for your family for a week.

Our friends at Cheaper Than Dirt have a weekly blog with some really good topics.  I suggest you sign up to receive it each week.  To read more about what you should do immediately upon realizing a crisis has or is happening, click HERE. 

For additional information see the following links:
Blog Table of Contents;
Or click on a label below for similar topics.

Communications

What you don't know, CAN hurt you, especially when disaster is looming. During an emergency, communications and Actionable Intelligence can be critical to survival, so start developing your communication preparations now. In the Prepper Handbook, we talk about communication codes, but we will focus instead on the more basic topic of what you need in the way of equipment. As a side note, this equipment should be stored in a metal lined trunk or ammo can to protect against an EMP. There are several communications options that include:

           SERVICE / CHANNELS - RANGE

1. Citizen Band (CB) /40 - 10 miles +
2. Marine VHF /50 - 20 miles +
3. Family Radio Service (FRS) /22 - 1 mile
4. GMRS Radio UHF /8 - 2 miles+
5. Multi-Use Radio Service (MURS-VHF) /5 -  2 miles+
6. Ham Radio /Lots - 50 miles +

The first level of communication is SHORT RANGE that is limited to low power like the FRS/GMRS and MURS (2 way radio) bands, although some of the GMRS bands require a license that costs about $85 for 5 years and covers the immediate family. GMRS uses UHF frequencies which has a shorter wavelength. This allows better penetration into large buildings while the MURS (below) uses VHF which is a longer wavelength. Tends to work better outdoors and over hilly terrain

Here is what I would consider for this category for Rural and City locations: Midland GXT1000VP4 36-Mile 50-Channel FRS/GMRS Two-Way Radio (Pair) (Black/Silver). These have low and high powered options for short AND medium range making them great for where you don't want others who are far away hearing what you are saying. Security patrols around your retreat or neighborhood should be using this type of radio, which is a GOOD FIRST CHOICE for a Prepper.

For this you only need a GRMS license (no test required) for channels 15-22, and for channels 1-7 IF you use more than .5W (low power). No license is required to use channels 8-14 which operate at one half watt. These radios will transmit at "high power" (50 watts) on channels 1-7 and 15-22 which does require a license, although it is unlikely anyone would know the difference. Testing the low power channels through the woods, it works at about 1.5 miles. 

This kit comes with two radios, both car and home chargers, rechargeable batteries and ear pieces and a mode for more silent communications. An extra battery pack or two is recommended (or 8 AA rechargeable batteries) and can be easily changed out in the field/woods or have a solar charger like this $5 Solar Charger or this more complete Solar System. The 36 miles is a stretch except under perfect conditions, (line of sight), but it will reach over a mile I know. Cheaper ones are available, but this is the lowest price I would consider.

For country or outdoor locations with hilly terrain, the MURS radio is a good choice. Some very experienced Ham Radio operations prefer this over GRMS especially with an external antenna.

This BaoFeng BF-888S Two Way Radio is the LOWEST COST OPTION, for two radios at $23 including 2 chargers and an ear piece. No license is required, but it has a limited number of channels (15) that could become congested if too many people were using them.  It is limited to 2 watts and I have verified that it works fine at over 1 mile outdoors through wooded areas.  Indoors at that distance has heavy static and hard to understand at times. This was with the upgraded antenna which costs an additional $16 but even with the standard antenna, it works at over a half a mile which easily covers 5 or 6 city blocks.  Both work just fine for a neighborhood security watch.  At this price, you can't afford to not have any communications stored in a top quality Military Steel M2A1 Ammo Can.
In fact, no matter which of these radios you have, they should be stored and protected in this manner when not being used to protect them from an EMP (electromagnetic pulse) or CME (coronal mass ejection) which is capable of destroying all electronic devices including your car and home appliances.

Potentially the best for medium range and most popular radio that does not require a license is the CB or Citizen Band which will communicate up to 10 miles. The best hand held CB radio is the Midland 75-822 40 Channel CB-Way Radio . Every Prepper should have one (or two) of these for regional communications beyond your retreat or local neighborhood.

For a base station CB radio, the best choice is Cobra 29 LX 40-Channel CB Radio or on a tight budget, the Midland 1001Z 40-Channel CB Radio. Base Stations also need a good antenna like the Cobra CBRHGA1500 36-Inch Base-Load Medium Magnet Mount 300W CB Antenna or the Midland 18-2442 Mobile CB Antenna. These have about 3.5 to 5 watts of power.

Your next level is a higher (8 to 16X FRS/GMRS) powered Ham type radio, which can be purchased for about the same cost, but does require a license but provides the longest range. Here is a good book to help get your license: The ARRL Ham Radio License Manual. and here is the American Radio Relay League or ARRL.org website where you can get it. At the high power setting, a licensed Ham operator can communicate around the world using relay stations.


A low cost (< $30) entry system of this type is: BaoFeng UV-5R Dual Band Two Way Radio which has a low (1 watt) and high power setting (4 watt). This does not come with as many accessories but has a number of options available. Doubling the power output will give you approximately 1.6X the range if its line of sight communications. For medium to long range, an inexpensive radio like this is the best option. More expensive radios wont get you a lot further without having proper antennas and placement. So a base station antenna on the roof of the house (or car) might be a good addition.

A more powerful version with a few more accessories is BaoFeng UV-82HP (CAMO) High Power Dual Band Radio which offers up to 7 watts. I like the camo version and the longer Nagoya NA-771 15.6-Inch Whip VHF/UHF antenna. There is also a programming cable and CD (software) that is recommended on both of the BaoFeng radios for about $6.

Having a Solar Power System to charge your batteries is also a good idea.

For more information see our Blog Table of Contents


Technical Details:

 

DISCLAIMER: This document is for general informational purposes only; NOT intended as legal advice and should not be construed as such. Legal matters should be referred to a qualified attourney or lawyer. All information is considered current as of the date this post was submitted. Since regulations and practises may change over time, it is advisable to consult an official source such as the FCC for the most up-to-date information.

REDISTRIBUTE FREELY!

CONTENTS

1. FREQUENCIES
2. MAXIMUM TRANSMITTER POWER LIMITS
3. BANDWIDTH/DEVIATION
4. LICENCING
5A. TYPE ACCEPTANCE
5B. FINDING TYPE-ACCEPTED TRANSCEIVERS FOR PART-95 USE
6. REPEATERS
7. OTHER FACTS
8. THE FUTURE OF FRS AND GMRS
9. SEE ALSO

FREQUENCIES ================================

Note: Channel numbers are given in this list according to the widely-followed Motorola numbering convention. GMRS channels are also sometimes referred to according to their dial position in kilohertz (e.g. "550" for channel 15) but this is uncommon.

FRS/GMRS
01 462.5625
02 462.5875
03 462.6125
04 462.6375
05 462.6625
06 462.6875
07 462.7125

FRS ONLY
08 467.5625
09 467.5875
10 467.6125
11 467.6375
12 467.6625
13 467.6875
14 467.7125

GMRS ONLY
15 462.550
16 462.575
17 462.600
18 462.625
19 462.650
20 462.675
21 462.700
22 462.725

*Note: for repeater use on 15-22, assume a +5 MHz shift (Tx: 467.xxx/Rx: 462.xxx). Simplex operation is not allowed on 467 MHz GMRS frequencies and are used for repeater input only.

MURS
01 151.820
02 151.880
03 151.940
04 154.570 ("Blue dot")
05 154.600 ("Green dot")


MAXIMUM TRANSMITTER POWER LIMITS ================================

FRS 1-7:
FRS: 0.5 watt
GMRS: 5 watt

FRS 8-14:
FRS: 0.5 watt
GMRS: prohibited

GMRS 15-22 (a.k.a. 550-725)
FRS: not applicable
GMRS: 5 watt (base); 50 watt (mobile/handheld)

MURS
All channels: 2 watt


BANDWIDTH/DEVIATION ================================

FRS/GMRS - All channels
Bandwidth: 11 kHz
Deviation: 2.5 kHz

GMRS ONLY - 15-22*
Bandwidth: 20 kHz
Deviation: 5 kHz

*Note: GMRS may also be worked with 11 kHz bandwidth/2.5 kHz deviation, though most mainstream equipment (e.g. department-store HTs) is fixed for 20/5 operation.

MURS*
Bandwidth
1-3: 11 kHz
4-5: 20 kHz

Deviation
1-3: 2.5 kHz
4-5: 5 kHz

* Note: narrowband (11/2.5) transmissions are also allowed on MURS 4-5.

LICENCING ================================

FRS
No licence required when operating on any channel (1-14) at up to 0.5 watt ERP

GMRS
Licence always required on 15-22 and when operating at power levels greater than 0.5 watt ERP on FRS 1-7
No licence required when operating a combination F/GMRS transceiver on FRS 8-14, or if said device does not exceed 0.5 watt ERP on FRS 1-7.

MURS
No licence required for personal use on any channel

- - - - - - - - - - - -

At the time of this writing, GMRS licencing is handled by the F¢¢. Fee is $85 and the ticket is good for five years. A GMRS ticket is valid for the holder and the immediate members of his family. GMRS licence holder must be aged 18 and up, but the service may be used by his family members of any age. No examination or test/quiz is conducted for GMRS licencing. A part 90/business or HAM radio licence does NOT legally grant any privileges to operate GMRS and vice versa. See also "THE FUTURE OF FRS AND GMRS" below.

People sometimes use handles (nicknames) on all three services. HAM call letters are considered a handle in part-95, as they have no official meaning in these services. If using any handle on GMRS (subject to personal preference), it should be given in conjunction with one's official legal GMRS call, never in place of it. GMRS call letters are not required to be announced on MURS, FRS 1-7 when operating at <=0.5 watt ERP or FRS 8-14.

TYPE ACCEPTANCE ================================

FRS
Equipment must be self-contained; if built to use detachable components (e.g. microphones/headseats) they must be designed specifically for use with their respective transceivers, batteries excepted
Antennae must not be detachable or easily removable
Mobile use permitted, but mobile FRS transceivers are difficult to find

GMRS
Equipment may be self-contained (as in combination FRS/GMRS HTs which are currently very popular in the US) or have detachable components
Transceivers excluding FRS coverage may use detachable aerials, but placement restrictions exist--specifically, antenna cannot exceed 20 feet elevation above ground level. HTs can not have detachable aerials if they include FRS coverage
Mobile use permitted

MURS
Transceivers may use detachable aerials. Antenna height limited to 20 feet above structure (e.g. the peak of a house's roof) or 60 feet above ground, whichever is greater.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

All transceiver equipment used on F/GM/MURS must be part-95 type accepted and meet certain criteria as stated in their respective FCC rules. In general, FRS transceivers cannot have removable aerials; GMRS and MURS radios can have removable aerials (particularly in the case of base or mobile units.) but GMRS transceivers with removable aerials can not be used to transmit on FRS. Tone/code squelch is permitted on all services, although this functionality is sometimes omitted, especially in very low-cost transceivers or children's "toy" HTs where carrier squelch may be used instead. Modifying an F/GM/MURS transciver in ways not intended by the manufacturer or F¢¢ generally voids its part-95 certification and may render it illegal to operate. Equipment can neiter be tunable outside its prescribed frequency bands, nor manually or computer programmable as such. External amplifiers can not be used with any transceiver on F/GM/MURS. These restrictions do not apply to equipment designed specifically for receiving (e.g. a police scanner.)

Many newer imported freeband transceivers marketed for HAM use (Baofeng, TYT, Wouxun, etc.) and modified purpose-built HAM equipment are capable of emulating an F/GM/MURS transceiver. Although sometimes used, such equipment is illegal to operate in these services as they are not type-accepted for part-95 operation, despite extremely lax enforcement by the F¢¢.

FINDING TYPE-ACCEPTED TRANSCEIVERS FOR PART-95 USE =================

The FCC maintain a searchable database of all transceivers certified for part-95 use on
https://apps.fcc.gov/oetcf/eas/repor...ericSearch.cfm

1. Under "Application Information: Application Status:", select Grant Issued.
2. Under "Equipment Information: Rule Parts (up to three):", select "95A" for GMRS, "95B" for FRS or "95J" for MURS and tick "exact match" (selected by default). It's probably best to search each one individually, as this narrows your search and reduces confusion.
3. Under "Formatting Options: Show results in", select "HTML" (default).
4. Specify number of search results to display (default: 10).
5. Select "Start serach". It may take several minutes to display if a large number of results is given in step 4.

NOSCRIPT USERS: Temporarily allow "apps.fcc.gov" to use the search page.

REPEATERS ================================

Repeaters on GMRS are usually considered to be specifically for the private use of those who operate them, however many individuals and radio clubs operate "open" repeaters intended for public use. Some of these repeaters may require permission from the operators to work them, but not always (although it is considered polite to ask regardless.) A good resource for GMRS repeater information, including non-exhaustive lists of repeaters around the United States is http://mygmrs.com/. At the time of this writing, the ratio of open versus private ("permission required") systems listed in mygmrs seems to be fairly equal (271:308), indicating a slight bias toward private systems.

All repeater and telephone patch operations are forbidden on FRS and MURS. Telephone patches may not be used on GMRS. As far as I know, there is no restriction on an F/GM/MURS operator relaying communications by voice between their respective band and other radio services like CB or HAM, or other media such as Internet chat servers or telephone calls.

OTHER FACTS ================================

FCC RULES
FRS: 47 CFR 95B
GMRS: 47 CFR 95A
MURS: 47 CFR 95J

- - - - - - - - - - - -

FRS and GMRS always use FM (see "BANDWIDTH/DEVIATION" above.) MURS may use other modulation formats, but FM is arguably the most commonly used.

GMRS channels 19 and 21 (650 and 700) are not allowed to be used near the Canadian border.

FRS transceivers are allowed to be used in Mexico on channels 1-14, however care must be exercised to avoid transmitting on GMRS 15-22 if a combination transceiver is used there.

FRS 1 and GMRS 20 are commonly used and advocated as "de facto" calling and emergency channels, especially when traveling. Usually used with CTCSS 141.3 Hz (Motorola QC #22).

It is legal for FRS and GMRS users to communicate with each other. The low maximum power level of FRS devices may cause problems when communicating to a GMRS station over any significant distance.

CTCSS and digital squelch is allowed on all services, and may be required to access repeaters on GMRS. Usage of a CTCSS tone/DCS code is completely optional on any FRS/GMRS/MURS channel, but one is likely to attract more attention using it.

FRS, GMRS and MURS were originally intended to be used for personal communications within one's group, however there is almost nothing prohibiting deviation from this (see next paragraph). There is no "content police" on F/GM/MURS and in some areas, portions of GMRS and MURS are used as an "alternative" HAM service; the subject matter discussed in them might be similar to what one would find scanning the several HAM bands.

Transmission of music is never allowed on any part-95 band including CB. (That includes YOU, "Fisherman" and "Robocop".) Morse code is allowed but rarely used for anything other than distress signals or automatic GMRS repeater self-identification. Data transmissions are allowed on MURS but may be restricted on the other services.

Business use of GMRS is generally prohibited, principally due to (expensive) licencing restrictions and its reclassification as a personal-use radio service in the 1980s. Exceptions exist for businesses licenced for GMRS before revision of the service's rule in the 1980s and are operating under the "grandfather" regulation. Many businesses are now using FRS for this purpose as it is free of such restrictions.

THE FUTURE OF FRS AND GMRS ================================

It is speculated that licencing requirements on GMRS may be either greatly relaxed or completely eliminated in the coming years, and a slightly revised bandplan implemented. One oft-stated example has GMRS being restricted to 2 watts maximum ERP, simplex communications being allowed on the 467 MHz repeater input channels and repeater usage discontinued. The resulting service would be an "extended" 30-channel implementation of FRS and be regulated as such.

SEE ALSO ================================

http://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/FRS - FRS description on the Radioreference wiki
http://wireless.fcc.gov/services/personal/family/ - FRS information from the FCC
http://popularwireless.com/gmrsfaqa.html - FRS/GMRS frequently asked questions

http://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/GMRS - GMRS description on the Radioreference wiki
http://wireless.fcc.gov/services/per...generalmobile/ - GMRS information from the FCC
http://mygmrs.com/ - GMRS repeater information and directory
http://home.provide.net/~prsg/part95ae.htm - A very in-depth page about GMRS regulations that includes the FCC's rule

http://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/MURS - MURS description on the Radioreference wiki
http://fcc.gov/encyclopedia/multi-us...service-murs-0 - MURS information from the FCC

http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx...e=47:5.0.1.1.5 - Electronic Code of Federal Regulations title 47 part 95; the official document describing all this stuff (almost reads like an FAQ) (thanks, nd5y)

END

For more information see our Blog Table of Contents

 

Emergency Water

Water is perhaps the most over looked thing to store as a Prepper, because you can only live three (3) days with out it according to The Rule of 3. After water, most people don't have The right amount of Ammo.

There are a large number of water sources like your ice maker, hot water heater, toilet tank, water pipes, municipal tanks, pools, hot tubs, wells, creeks, lakes, fish ponds and ditches. The first two are generally safe to drink but the further down the list you go, the more treatment is needed.

The best system is to have a home water dispenser that uses the five gallon bottles in the picture above. Then have a couple of those racks available at Amazon.com full of five gallon bottles and rotate them. By using them in your normal daily life, you can stock more with out fear of them going bad.

How much water should I have?  The answer depends on how long you want to be prepared for.  You need a minimum of one gallon per day per person.  So for a family of three (3) to be prepared for a week, you need 21 gallons of water (3 people X 7 days) which equates to about four (4) of the above bottles of water.  You can easily have this covered with two of the racks shown stocked with water and each week exchange the empties for full bottles.  Some companies even offer a home delivery service.

Incremental Prepper Water Plan

     Step 1: Start with a water dispenser and a five gallon bottle of water.
     Step 2: Get a backup 5 gallon bottle of water (or 2).
     Step 3: Get a rack for your back up water bottles and keep it full.
     Step 4: Get another rack and keep it full.
     Step 5: Repeat step 4 until you have your target water supply.

It is best to stock what you are likely to use on a regular basis so that it is rotated.  As a result, a popular alternative plan would be to stock cases of bottled water. A typical case of 24 bottles (500 ml each) equates to about 3 gallons of water.  This is a three day supply for one person or a one day supply for three people. For a family of four to survive 7 days, you would need 28 gallons of water, or about 10 cases bottled water (24 - 500 ml bottles per case).

You can also save your household bottles and store tap water in them, but I might only use it as non potable water.  Good storage places for one gallon bottles include the closet, behind the sofa next to the wall, in the attic or under the bed. Some keep them in cabinets over the stove or in the attic over a heater, which could serve as a fire suppressor.

Five gallon bottles are the lowest cost water storage option, but you should have other alternatives. Know where you closest community pool, creek or lake is located and have some means to treat the water.

There are two types of treatment.

1. The most common treatment is to remove or kill the micro organisms making water biologically safe for drinking. Filtration, water treatment tablets, chlorine bleach, UV Steri-Pen, boiling or distillation can achieve this.
2. The second type of treatment is to remove the impurities. Distillation will remove salt and minerals and filtration will remove solid contaminates, but chemicals are more difficult to remove. Filtering with activated charcoal works with some chemicals.  Distillation removes chemicals with boiling point significantly above that of water, but does not remove some aromatic solvents and pesticides.  Water with a chemical smell or a visible film on the surface is risky to consume.  After allowing water to settle, siphoning off some, drawing from just below the surface may be the best available water to use with your available treatment methods. However it should be tested carefully and in limited quantities until . 

Inspect the water before treatment. Microorganisms may be attached to or embedded in soil or other organic particles suspended in the water. The water to be treated should be allowed to stand so the suspended material settles to the bottom of the container. Coarse materials like sand will settle more quickly than finer materials suspended in the water.

During and after settling, care should be taken not to agitate the water. Water from the top of the container can be gently poured or drawn off into a second clean container. A second option for removing suspended particles is to strain the water through a clean cloth, layers of paper towels, or a paper coffee filter. Do not use a commercially available portable water filter (see “Filtration”) for this step, as the suspended material may rapidly clog such filters.

For emergency or short-term situations, water can be treated using heat, chemical treatments, or filtration. Each method has certain advantages and disadvantages that must be considered. In some situations, a combination of these methods may be preferred (e.g., filtration and chemical treatment).
Contaminants in water which may cause illness or disease include bacteria such as E. coli, protozoan cysts such as giardia or cryptosporidium, and viruses such as Hepatitis A. Giardia or cryptosporidium are not likely to be present in Nebraska groundwaters but may be found in contaminated surface waters. Viruses should be suspected in any water that may be contaminated with human waste.

Heat Treatment
Heat kills microorganisms and is the oldest effective means of disinfecting drinking water. Adequate heat treatment will kill virtually any disease-causing organism, including bacteria, cysts such as giardia and cryptosporidium, and viruses.

Heat the water to a vigorous boil for one minute, which includes an adequate safety factor. Any longer could concentrate other chemical contaminants that may be present. Since water boils at a lower temperature as elevation increases, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends boiling for three minutes at altitudes above 6,562 feet (2,000 meters).

Though boiling effectively disinfects water for drinking, it does not provide a residual (or long-term) disinfection; therefore, care must be taken not to recontaminate the water.

Boiled water may taste flat. The taste can be improved by pouring it back and forth between two clean containers to reoxygenate it or by adding a pinch of salt to each quart after it has cooled.

Chemical Treatments
Chlorine and iodine are the most commonly used chemicals for emergency disinfection of water. The killing effectiveness of the chemical depends on the concentration of the chemical in the water, the amount of time the available chemical is in contact with the water prior to use (contact time), the water temperature, and the characteristics of the water supply.

A decreased concentration of the disinfectant or a lower temperature will require a longer contact time for adequate disinfection. If the water temperature is less than 41°F (or 5°C), it should be allowed to warm prior to disinfection or the chemical dose should be doubled. If the water is cloudy, strain it through a clean cloth, layers of paper towels, or a coffee filter before treatment.

A common objection to chemical disinfection is the flavor it gives to the treated water. If flavorings of any kind are added to the water to improve taste, it should be done after the recommended contact time for disinfection. Flavorings added before adequate contact time has been achieved will “tie up” some of the chemical available for disinfection. Adding about 50 mg of vitamin C (ascorbic acid) per liter or quart of water after the contact time can improve the taste. Vitamin C is often available in 250 and 500 mg tablets where vitamin supplements are sold. Tablets should be pulverized and divided before adding to the water. In addition, freshness preservatives containing vitamin C are often available where canning supplies are sold.

Bacteria are very sensitive to chemical disinfectants such as chlorine and iodine. Viruses, cryptosporidium, and giardia require very high dosages of disinfectant or longer contact times with the disinfectant than the standard recommendations. Heat treatment is recommended if these pathogens are suspected in the water.

Chlorine. Regular household chlorine bleach that contains 4-6 percent sodium hypochlorite as the only active ingredient can be used for disinfection. Bleaches with labels such as “Fresh Wildflowers,” “Rain Clean,” “Advantage,” or labeled as scented may contain fragrances, soaps, surfactants, or other additives and should be avoided for drinking water disinfection.

For clear water, add six drops per gallon with a medicine dropper. For cloudy water, strain water through a clean cloth, layers of paper towels, or a coffee filter prior to treatment and add a larger disinfectant dose of 16 drops per gallon. Stir the water and let it stand covered for 30 minutes. For adequate disinfection, the water should have a slight chlorine odor to it after the 30 minute waiting period. If this odor is not present after the 30 minutes, repeat the dose and let it stand covered for another 15 minutes. If this odor is not present, the bleach may have lost its effectiveness due to age or exposure to light or heat.

Use the freshest chlorine bleach available. If the chlorine taste is too strong in the treated water, taste can be improved by pouring the water from one clean container to another several times.

Halazoner® tablets are another form of chlorine for drinking water disinfection. The tablets are convenient and inexpensive but may require high doses and longer contact times. Follow manufacturer directions for use. Chemical treatment with chlorine provides some protection against recontamination since some available chemical remains in the water.

Iodine. Two forms of iodine commonly sold for chemical disinfection of drinking water are tincture of iodine (2 percent) and tetraglycine hydroperiodide tablets (Globaline®, Coghlan’s®, and Potable-Aqua® are examples).

Iodine was once widely used, but is no longer recommended because health research has shown that as many as 8 percent of people have hidden or chronic thyroid, liver, or kidney disease which iodine can make worse. Iodine should not be ingested by children younger than age 14. Do not use iodine-containing products unless you have discussed the risks with your physician.

Ultraviolet (UV)
 
The SODIS treatment method is easy: A transparent PET bottle is cleaned with soap. Then, the bottle is filled with water and placed in full sunlight for at least 6 hours. The water has then been disinfected and can be drunk.

The SODIS organization recommends using 3 liter (or smaller) clear PET bottles in the application of the SODIS method because they are light and do not break. They are also easy to obtain in many regions. However, glass bottles or special bags can also be used. PET bottles are usually labelled as such, but they are not called by the same name in all countries.

If the water is very turbid, the effectiveness of the method is reduced. It is very easy to determine whether the water is sufficiently clear: The filled PET bottle must be placed on top of a newspaper headline. Now one must look at the bottom of the bottle from the neck at the top and through the water. If the letters of the headline are readable, the water can be used. If the letters are not readable, the water must be filtered.

Cloudiness affects the strength of solar radiation and thus also the effectiveness of the method.

Rule of thumb:

• If less than half of the sky is clouded over, 6 hours will be enough to completely disinfect the water.
• If more than half of the sky is covered with clouds, the bottle must be placed in the sun for 2 consecutive days.

The method does not work satisfactorily during lengthy periods of rain. On these days, we recommend collecting rainwater.

The treated water should be kept in the bottle and drunk directly from the bottle, or poured into a cup or glass immediately before it is drunk. In this way, it is possible to prevent the treated water from becoming contaminated again.  Note this method does not remove chemicals.

Filtration

• Filtration is a physical process that occurs when liquids, gases, dissolved or suspended matter adhere to the surface of, or in the pores of, an absorbent medium.
• Filtration of contaminants depends highly on the amount of contaminant, size of the contaminant particle, and the charge of the contaminant particle. Depending on the household’s water needs, pretreatment before filtration may include the addition of coagulants and powdered activated carbon, adjustments in pH or chlorine concentration levels, and other pretreatment processes in order to protect the filter’s membrane surface.

Microfiltration

• A microfiltration filter has a pore size of approximately 0.1 micron (pore size ranges vary by filter from 0.05 micron to 5 micron);
• Microfiltration has a very high effectiveness in removing protozoa (for example, Cryptosporidium, Giardia);
• Microfiltration has a moderate effectiveness in removing bacteria (for example, Campylobacter, Salmonella, Shigella, E. coli);
• Microfiltration is not effective in removing viruses (for example, Enteric, Hepatitis A, Norovirus, Rotavirus);
• Microfiltration is not effective in removing chemicals.

Ultrafiltration

• An ultrafiltration filter has a pore size of approximately 0.01 micron (pore size ranges vary by filter from 0.001 micron to 0.05 micron; Molecular Weight Cut Off (MWCO) of 13,000 to 200,000 Daltons). Ultrafiltration filters remove particles based on size, weight, and charge;
• Ultrafiltration has a very high effectiveness in removing protozoa (for example, Cryptosporidium, Giardia);
• Ultrafiltration has a very high effectiveness in removing bacteria (for example, Campylobacter, Salmonella, Shigella, E. coli);
• Ultrafiltration has a moderate effectiveness in removing viruses (for example, Enteric, Hepatitis A, Norovirus, Rotavirus);
• Ultrafiltration has a low effectiveness in removing chemicals.

Nanofiltration

• A nanofiltration filter has a pore size of approximately 0.001 micron (pore size ranges vary by filter from 0.008 micron to 0.01 micron; Molecular Weight Cut Off (MWCO) of 200 to 2000 Daltons); Nanofiltration filters remove particles based on size, weight, and charge;
• Nanofiltration has a very high effectiveness in removing protozoa (for example, Cryptosporidium, Giardia);
• Nanofiltration has a very high effectiveness in removing bacteria (for example, Campylobacter, Salmonella, Shigella, E. coli);
• Nanofiltration has a very high effectiveness in removing viruses (for example, Enteric, Hepatitis A, Norovirus, Rotavirus);
• Nanofiltration has a moderate effectiveness in removing chemicals.

Reverse Osmosis Systems

• Reverse Osmosis Systems use a process that reverses the flow of water in a natural process of osmosis so that water passes from a more concentrated solution to a more dilute solution through a semi-permeable membrane. Pre- and post-filters are often incorporated along with the reverse osmosis membrane itself.
• A reverse osmosis filter has a pore size of approximately 0.0001 micron.
• Reverse Osmosis Systems have a very high effectiveness in removing protozoa (for example, Cryptosporidium, Giardia);
• Reverse Osmosis Systems have a very high effectiveness in removing bacteria (for example, Campylobacter, Salmonella, Shigella, E. coli);
• Reverse Osmosis Systems have a very high effectiveness in removing viruses (for example, Enteric, Hepatitis A, Norovirus, Rotavirus);
• Reverse Osmosis Systems will remove common chemical contaminants (metal ions, aqueous salts), including sodium, chloride, copper, chromium, and lead; may reduce arsenic, fluoride, radium, sulfate, calcium, magnesium, potassium, nitrate, and phosphorous.

Distillation Systems

• Distillation Systems use a process of heating water to the boiling point and then collecting the water vapor as it condenses, leaving many of the contaminants behind.
• Distillation Systems have a very high effectiveness in removing protozoa (for example, Cryptosporidium, Giardia);
• Distillation Systems have a very high effectiveness in removing bacteria (for example, Campylobacter, Salmonella, Shigella, E. coli);
• Distillation Systems have a very high effectiveness in removing viruses (for example, Enteric, Hepatitis A, Norovirus, Rotavirus);
• Distillation Systems will remove common chemical contaminants, including arsenic, barium, cadmium, chromium, lead, nitrate, sodium, sulfate, and many organic chemicals.

Ultraviolet Treatment Systems (with pre-filtration)

• Ultraviolet Treatment with pre-filtration is a treatment process that uses ultraviolet light to disinfect water or reduce the amount of bacteria present.
• Ultraviolet Treatment Systems have a very high effectiveness in removing protozoa (for example, Cryptosporidium, Giardia);
• Ultraviolet Treatment Systems have a very high effectiveness in removing bacteria (for example, Campylobacter, Salmonella, Shigella, E. coli);
• Ultraviolet Treatment Systems have a high effectiveness in removing viruses (for example, Enteric, Hepatitis A, Norovirus, Rotavirus);
• Ultraviolet Treatment Systems are not effective in removing chemicals.

Water Softeners

• Water Softeners use ion exchange technology for chemical or ion removal to reduce the amount of hardness (calcium, magnesium) in the water; they can also be designed to remove iron and manganese, heavy metals, some radioactivity, nitrates, arsenic, chromium, selenium, and sulfate. They do not protect against protozoa, bacteria, and viruses.

Please remember that:

• Point of Use (POU) water treatment systems typically treat water in batches and deliver water to a single tap, such as a kitchen sink faucet or an auxiliary faucet.
• Point of Entry (POE) water treatment systems typically treat most of the water entering a residence. Point of entry systems, or whole-house systems, are usually installed after the water meter.
• The treatment technologies described can be used in conjunction with each other for greater pathogen reduction. The addition of coagulants, carbon, alum, and iron salts to filtration systems may aid in chemical removal from water.

Hygiene

In addition to providing safe drinking water to your household, you can also protect yourself and others from waterborne illness by paying practicing good personal hygiene:

• Wash hands before preparing and eating food, after going to the bathroom, after changing diapers, and before and after tending to someone who is sick.

Summary

Emergency or short-term treatment of drinking water may be necessary due to natural disasters, accidents or other situations caused by humans. Alternative drinking water sources for emergency situations and short-term use may include a stored emergency water supply that has been prepared ahead of time, bottled water, hidden sources of water within the home, and outside water sources. When a stored water supply or bottled water supply are unavailable, alternative water sources may be made acceptable for drinking by use of heat, chemical disinfection, filtration, or an appropriate combination of these methods. Each method has advantages and disadvantages, which should be considered for individual situations.

If local public health department (or water utility) information differs from the recommendations in this publication, the local information should be followed. Local officials will be familiar with site- and event-specific conditions.

After you have a good supply of water, then you can start Building your food stores the right way and then working on other important needs from the Beginner Prepper List.

Long Term Water problem:
According to National Geographic, 97% of the worlds water is salty and 2% is in polar ice caps leaving 1% as fresh water. By 2030, the needs for fresh water is expected to exceed the current supply by 50%. So we should soon expect to see seizures by the government of known private water sources.  Already it is illegal to catch and keep rain water in some places.  Even the water on your land or in your well will be community property.  Cost effective methods for the desalination of water will be essential unless there is a significant reduction in the human population on earth. This will be a serious problem, most likely during our life time, so it is something to think about and prepare for.