8 Quick Tips for Preparedness

By Cade Shadowlight

In an ever-changing world, being prepared for emergencies or unexpected situations is not just wise, it's essential. Whether it's a natural disaster, a personal emergency, or simply a power outage, here are eight quick tips to help ensure you're ready for whatever comes your way:

1. Create a Disaster Supply Kit

• Basics: Include water, non-perishable food (especially food that doesn't have to be cooked, such as peanut butter, pop tarts, cans of tuna & chicken, etc.), a manual can opener (the electricity may be out - Amazon link), an emergency radio (Amazon link), flashlight, first aid kit (Refuge Medical link), and extra batteries. Work gloves and weather-appropriate clothing and blankets are also good ideas.
• Additional: Add items like cash, personal documents in something waterproof, a multi-purpose tool (Leatherman is my favorite - Amazon link), a good utility knife (The Finn Hawk is a good one: Amazon link), maps, hygiene items, and special needs items for infants, elderly, or those with medical needs.
• Portable: This kit needs to be portable so you can take it with you if you need to "bug out." Ideas include having a pre-packed backpack, suitcase, or tote bin. Make sure your vehicle is in good repair and fueled-up at all times.

2. Develop an Emergency Plan

• Outline clear steps for what to do in various scenarios. Decide on meeting places, routes, and a communication plan (article link) if family members are separated. Practice this plan at least twice a year.

3. Practice Situational Awareness and the OODA Loop

• Situational Awareness is more than just paying attention. It is being able to quickly analyze your situation, recognize potential threats and opportunities, and to be able to make good decisions on the spot. (article link)

4. Secure Your Home

• Review your home for potential hazards (fire, tripping, improperly stored chemicals, etc..) and address any issues.
• Make sure all fire/smoke alarms are functional with fresh batteries, and that you have one or more fire extinguishers.
• Consider reinforcing windows and doors, installing dead bolts, etc.
• Consider motion-activated outdoor lights (Amazon link).
• Consider security cameras (Amazon link).

5. Learn Basic First Aid

• Taking a first aid course can be invaluable. Knowledge of CPR, how to treat burns, cuts, or stop bleeding can save lives in critical moments before professional help arrives.

6. Maintain Your Supplies

• Check your emergency kit regularly. Replace water, food, and batteries as needed. Keep medications current, and ensure that emergency equipment like flashlights or radios are in working order. (Especially make sure that batteries inside your electronics aren't starting to corrode. I've lost more than one flashlight that way!)

7. Know Your Community Resources

• Familiarize yourself with community shelters, emergency services, evacuation routes, and local organizations or neighbors you can turn to for help. Know the way local authorities will communicate to the public in an emergency (particular radio stations, websites, etc.). Community preparedness can significantly impact individual safety.

8. Financial Preparedness

• Have an emergency fund in a savings account or CD. In times of crisis, financial stability can greatly reduce stress.
• Have some cash stored safely at home in case ATMs are down and banks are closed in an emergency.
• Pay off debt if you can. Being out of debt relieves stress and can help you be more flexible in times of recession, job loss, etc.
• Review your insurance - do you have coverage you need for potential disasters in your area? Keep copies of insurance papers in a safe place, and have contact information and account numbers in your wallet and/or bug-out bag.

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ACEP First Aid Manual, 5th Edition (Amazon link) - Everyone, prepper or not, should learn first aid. This first aid manual of the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) is much more up-to-date (2014) than the American Red Cross manual, which hasn't been updated since 1992.  

An Everyday Readiness Mindset

By Cade Shadowlight

Not just about surviving major disasters, an everyday readiness mindset involves preparing both mentally and physically for the challenges and opportunities that each day might bring. Here are some key components of such a mindset:

1. Mental Preparedness:

• Awareness: Stay alert to your surroundings and current events. This doesn't mean being paranoid, but rather being informed and aware.
• Adaptability: Life is unpredictable. Cultivate the ability to adapt to changing circumstances with flexibility in thinking and planning.
• Resilience: Develop a mindset that views setbacks as temporary and surmountable. Learn from failures and continue moving forward.

2. Physical Preparedness:

• Health: Maintain good physical health through regular exercise, balanced diet, and adequate sleep. This ensures you're ready to tackle physical challenges.
• Organization: Keep your living and working spaces organized. This reduces stress and allows for quicker, more efficient responses to unexpected tasks or emergencies.
• Emergency Supplies: Have basic emergency supplies on hand, like first aid kits (Refuge Medical link for 10% off at checkout), food, water, and a list of emergency and important contacts. This isn't just for disasters but for everyday minor crises.

3. Skill Development:

• Continuous Learning: Equip yourself with skills that could be useful in various scenarios, from basic first aid to more complex skills like negotiation or self-defense.
• Problem-Solving: Enhance your ability to think critically and solve problems on the fly. This could be as simple as fixing a flat tire or as complex as resolving a conflict at work.

4. Emotional and Psychological Readiness:

• Stress Management: Learn techniques like mindfulness, meditation, or even simple deep breathing exercises to manage stress in high-pressure situations.
• Support Networks: Cultivate relationships where you can give and receive support. Having a network can be crucial in personal crises or when facing daily challenges.

5. Routine and Planning:

• Daily Planning: Start your day with a plan. Even if plans change, having a structure helps in managing time and tasks more effectively.
• Long-term Vision: Keep an eye on your long-term goals while handling daily tasks. This helps in aligning daily actions with broader life objectives.

6. Preparedness for Emergencies:

• Basic Training: Consider basic training in areas like CPR, fire safety, or even preparedness for natural disasters relevant to your area.
• Mental Drills: Occasionally, run through scenarios in your mind or with family about what to do in case of emergencies like fires, medical issues, or natural disasters.

An everyday readiness mindset isn't about living in fear but about embracing life with confidence and competence. It's about being prepared to enjoy the good days and handle the tough ones with grace and efficiency.

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Basic Vitals Set (Refuge Medical link) includes digital thermometer, stethoscope, blood pressure cuff, pulse oximeter. Great for home use by Doctor Mom to care for her family, for a nursing student, or to self-monitor your own health.

 

 

Reclaiming Masculinity

By Cade Shadowlight

One of the major reasons we have slipped into a dystopian world teetering on the brink of collapse is the (intentional) decline of traditional masculinity. The ideal of masculinity used to be one of faith, courage, strength, integrity, leadership, responsibility, and self-reliance. That ideal has been dismissed, ridiculed, and even actively discouraged for generations now. The Elites realized long ago that traditional men stand in the way of their plans, therefore the traditional man must be destroyed. 

Instead of encouraging the very positive aspects of traditional masculinity, we now treat masculinity as "toxic," and our boys are treated like broken girls needing to be "fixed." This war against traditional masculinity is part of the larger war on the traditional family unit, traditional gender roles, and Biblical religion waged by the Elites in their attempt to eliminate opposition to their dreams of highly-centralized authoritarian government, a technocratic scientific dictatorship (controlled by them, of course).

Men, as husbands and fathers, are no longer seen as serving a needed role in society. Far from the days of Father Knows Best, husbands and fathers are now shown in pop culture as inept dunces at best (think Al Bundy or Homer Simpson), if they are shown as being around at all. Masculinity is always shown as the problem, never the solution. On the other hand, women are shown as quite capable of getting along very well without men in their lives, and often as actually better off without men. The lesson pop culture drives home relentlessly is that men are unneeded at best, and dangerous at worst. 

The educational system is also pushing this view, and has been for at least two gewnerations now. In our schools, boys are now treated as broken girls, needing to have their masculinity fixed. Girls are taught they don't need men, that men are toxic and dangerous, and that they are better off without men in their lives. Traditional masculinity is now seen as a vice, not a virtue. 

In just of couple of generations, without strong fathers in their lives and with this warped view permeating our pop culture and our schools, the traditional man has become an endangered species. The new ideal of masculinity is the hyper-feminized, weak, and submissive pajama boy from the Obamacare ads few years back. Femboys, as they are called in today's lingo, are now all the rage in pop culture and in the schools.

This sad situation is in desperate need of correcting. As a small step in that direction, I offer the following list of skills every real man should have. These are skills that they can be learned and developed, if you are willing to put in the necessary work to do so. Men, learn these skills yourself, and most importantly, teach these skills to your boys. Let us proudly reclaim traditional masculinity.

Courage - Courage isn't about not being afraid. Its about not letting fear paralyze us. Real men should be willing to face danger and do the right thing even when we are afraid.

Strength - I'm not talking about physical strength, although real men should certainly develop their health and fitness. I'm primarily talking about strength of character, strength of will, determination and staying power. Drive and ambition could also fit under this heading. Real me don't run away when the going gets tough (which is why I despise the MGTOW and incel movements - things got tough and they are running away).

Integrity - Real men are honest, are true to their word, and can be trusted to do the right thing. We keep our promises, our word is our bound, and do what we say.

Faith - A Relationship with God - Real men seek relationship with God. Worship, prayer, and Bible study are a part of our lives. We try to please our heavenly Father by following His Laws. Our relationship with God is our number one priority.

Love for Wife and Family - A real men is steadfast in his love for his wife and family. "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her" (Ephesians 5:25). Next to God, or relationship with our wife is our number one earthly-responsibility, followed closely by our children. We are to put our wife and family first, above ourselves, our career, our friends, or our hobbies - even to the point of being willing to die for them as Christ died for us. 

Just curious: Do you pray for your wife everyday? When is the last time you lead your wife in prayer?

Leadership - Real men are leaders, not "bosses." It is their vision and their example that makes them leaders, not their orders. They guide, protect, teach and serve those they lead.

Self-Defense and Defending Others. Real men are willing and able to defend themselves, their wife, their families, and those that cannot defend themselves.

Personal Finance - Real men are skilled at personal finance. That doesn't necessarily mean we have a lot of money. It does mean we are responsible for the resources God has entrusted to us. We are willing to work hard, know how to spend less than we earn (budgeting), save money (have an emergency fund), barter & haggle (get the best price), and have a good understanding of economics and finances. 

Self-Reliance - Real men don't rely on others (parents, government, etc.) to take care of our needs. Instead, we rely on our own hard work, knowledge, skills, abilities, and judgment to make our way in the world. We develop the abilities and skills to do as much as we can for ourselves and our families without outside help or assistance.