Our opt-in monthly e-newsletter shares ideas and stories, program and product announcements, and other resources we hope you find interesting.

We’re always looking for input from agencies, volunteer groups, schools and others and we’ll be happy to review books that might be of interest to our readers. If you have any news, ideas or feedback you’d like to share, please email info@itsadisaster.net

This month's topics:

  IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Chasing4Life
  ON THE BOOKSHELF: Making the Best of Basics
  GUEST BLOGGER ON APN
  WEB STUFF
  DID YOU KNOW...
  COOL LINKS

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IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Chasing4Life

Chasing4Life is an educational organization under the direction of well-known author/educator Eddy Weiss with a vision to change the way America views the issue of disaster preparedness.

Driven by an insatiable curiosity to understand the fundamental principles that create a successful life, Eddy has earned a reputation as a leading authority in the areas of Disaster Preparedness, Strategic Planning, Disaster Mitigation and practical problem solving.

After his initial start as a volunteer firefighter, Mr. Weiss grew to love the responsibility of providing safety to a community. Driven by his own hunger for continued education, his involvement in firefighting grew into a passion for teaching and training. As a storm spotter for his department, Eddy’s interest in weather phenomenon grew as well, and now, almost two decades later, he’s become a well-known storm chaser and disaster preparedness educator known throughout the country.

Currently, Mr. Weiss serves as Director of both Chasing4Life and The Whirlwind Foundation. He has been recognized for his work by community organizations, churches, schools and civic groups throughout the United States, and has recently received a Presidential award for a lifetime of service to America’s communities.

There is seemingly no end to the subject matter as Eddy is in a constant state of creating new programming, conference themes, workshops and presentations on subjects such as home disaster preparedness, business continuity, community response, faith-based disaster response, public education, child safety, children in disaster and emergency planning.

Chasing4Life's team of educators present over 800 programs nationwide each year on subjects ranging from tornado safety to environmental issues and climate change, from the importance of home disaster kits to agro-terrorism threat mitigation. And C4L hopes to bring that number of programs to 1,200 this year.

Some examples of Chasing4Life’s 2010 programs and tours include:

Unbridled Weather Tour (February through December) - designed specifically for libraries or schools in Kentucky.

Library Tours (Summer) – designed with the assistance of Library Associations around the country ranging from Summer Reading Programs to special tours in select geographic regions.

MAGNUM BOOTS "Shaking In Your Boots" Tour (September / October) - this tour will focus on earthquake preparedness, earthquake science, business continuity and some severe weather stuff for everyone. This tour is open to Chambers, Schools, School Districts, Libraries, PTA's, Emergency Management Agencies, Fire Departments and Churches.

Special Tours (planned near end of 2010) - focuses on Emergency Management, Response and Mitigation and open to ANYONE and ANY organization and agency looking for simple solutions, practical answers and assistance in navigating the ever-changing and always-challenging world of emergency management.

Chasing4Life works long and hard to develop programs and presentations for corporate America, rural communities, the small business owner, churches, schools and civic groups. They exist to create more resilient communities and believe that this can be accomplished one individual, one child, one family, one business at a time.

To learn more, please visit www.chasing4life.org and please consider booking YOUR tour today!
 
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ON THE BOOKSHELF

With all the uncertainty today – from the economic uneasiness to the shaky job market to the threat of natural and man-made disasters and emergencies – it’s reassuring to have a plan. The biggest question is "Where do I start?"

For years we have encouraged people to take personal responsibility and learn what to do to prepare themselves and their loved ones for the unexpected. But our book doesn’t go into much detail about long-term preparedness and planning. There are thousands of preparedness and survival books out there and we hope people will expand their personal libraries to include many different titles since no one book has all the answers.

And a fantastic resource that has long been the standard on in-home food storage and preparedness is Making the Best of Basics: Family Preparedness Handbook by James Talmage Stevens (a.k.a. Doctor Prepper). Known and respected as a well-seasoned prepper, James has been active in the preparedness marketplace for over 36 years selling over 760,000 copies of Basics. His new 11th edition is written for a generation that has very little concept of what it took to survive during America’s pioneer days. He shares personal experiences and stories and presents materials and concepts in an upbeat, positive manner that can benefit beginners and experienced preppers.

It is a large (8-1/2" x 11") 500+ page paperback but please don’t let the size intimidate you. Mr. Stevens explains the process is a journey and it won’t happen overnight then provides guidance on the basics of formulating your plan. The first several chapters contain checklists, charts, tables and suggestions to help you organize and visualize the steps needed to begin making your family plan and how to incorporate it into your every day living.

The next dozen or so chapters cover organizing, storing and making certain foods (e.g. pantry foods, wheat, sprouts, etc), tips on preparing game or fowl or fish and dehydrating fruits and vegetables. There are hundreds of recipes throughout the various food topics, plus tips on alternative energy and fuel sources to aid in food preparation during a time of crisis. Stevens also includes several helpful chapters on vitamins and supplements, essential oils and some thoughts on genetically modified seeds. And the 62-page list of suggested survival and preparedness books can assist you in building a preparedness library.

Making the Best of Basics is available for $34.95 + s&h here … plus with your purchase you gain access to a free 90-minute Self-Reliant video viewable from your PC.

Those wishing to buy books for groups, organizations, or classes can order case lots of 10 books / case at a substantial discount (starting at 40% off list). Please call 1-888-999-4325 or email for more information.

Also check out James’ blog at www.doctorprepper.com and listen to his award-winning Doctor Prepper Show on Blog Talk Radio 3 times weekly at www.blogtalkradio.com/doctorprepper

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GUEST BLOGGER FOR APN 

We have recently had the honor of contributing a few posts to both the Arizona Preppers Network and American Preppers Network blogs and look forward to doing more in the future!

APN is a nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing "preppers" together and providing educational services, online classes, resources and workshops in the fields of survival, preparedness, and sustainability.

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WEB STUFF

Partners: Please take a moment to learn about some of our Partners and their contributions to the preparedness world. Learn more

Prepper Links: Check out some books, sites, blogs and vendors with preparedness and survival products, services and resources. And send us your suggested links! Learn more

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DID YOU KNOW…

...according to one estimate, the worst consequences of an EMP event could be avoided for as little as $100 million, by selectively protecting key transformers in the electric grid?! Source: Foreign Policy via NTARC

...developers are creating virtual, 3-D e-stadiums packed with as many as 70,000 avatars?! Security planners will be able to see how 70,000 fans would behave--and misbehave--when spooked by a security threat. Source: GCIS

...about 218,000 Haitians are living in "red camps," those considered at gravest flood risk, and the race is on to find them alternative shelter before the heavy rains and possibly calamitous landslides hit the island. Source: Terra Daily

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COOL LINKS / IDEAS

Solar Cookers International (SCI) is a nonprofit organization spreading solar cooking awareness and skills worldwide, particularly in areas with plentiful sunshine and diminishing sources of cooking fuel. They offer solar cook kits in various sizes, the Global Sun Oven and a low-cost, low-tech method to determine when water is safe to drink called the Water Pasteurization Indicator (WAPI). www.solarcookers.org
(Hat tip to The Survival Mom)


Check out the Citizen Corps Volunteers - Neighbors Helping Neighbors Facebook fan page at www.facebook.com/citizencorps


A super Smartphone dubbed Cell-All aims to equip your cell phone with a sensor capable of detecting deadly chemicals at minimal cost -- to the manufacturer (a buck a sensor) and to your phone’s battery life. Cell-All regularly sniffs the surrounding air for certain volatile chemical compounds and, depending on the compound sounds a warning then sends details -- including time, location, and the compound -- to an emergency operations center. Source: National Terror Alert


Got a cool link or idea? Email it to Janet at info@itsadisaster.net

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And if you have any news or ideas you’d like to share, please email info@itsadisaster.net

p.s. If you know a nonprofit, school, agency, volunteer group (like a CERT, MRC, Radio Club, etc) who could benefit from our preparedness book and/or funding ideas, please have them call 1-888-999-4325 or email info@itsadisaster.net for a FREE information kit!

Stay safe out there, j & B

Bill & Janet Liebsch
Fedhealth
7739 E Broadway Blvd # 416
Tucson, AZ 85710-3947 USA
1-888-999-4325 7a-4p Pacific M-F
http://www.itsadisaster.net



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