home preperation response recovery meet debbie

Thursday, January 29, 2015

Can You Sleep While The Wind Blows???

             I love this story, it puts things in perspective


             Years ago, a farmer owned land along the Atlantic seacoast.,  He constantly advertised 
               for hired hands.  Most people were reluctant to work on farms along the Atlantic. 
               As they dreaded the awful storms that raged wreaking havoc on buildings and crops.

             As the farmer interviewed applicants for the job,  he received a steady stream of refusals.

              Finally, a short, thin man, well past middle age, approached the farmer. “Are you a good 
               farm hand?” the farmer asked him. “Well, I can sleep when the wind blows,” 
               answered the man.

              Although puzzled by his answer, the farmer, desperate for help, hired him.  The man 
                worked well around the farm, busy from dawn to dusk.  The farmer felt satisfied  
                with the man’s work.

             One night the wind howled loudly in from offshore.  Jumping out of bed, the farmer 
               grabbed a lantern and rushed next door to the hired hand’s sleeping quarters.  He shook 
               the man and yelled,  “Get up! A storm is coming! Tie things down before they blow away!”

            The man rolled over in bed and said firmly, “No sir.  I told you, I can sleep when the 
              wind blows.”
              Enraged by the response, the farmer was tempted to fire him on the spot.  Instead, he 
              hurried outside to prepare for the storm.

            To his amazement, he discovered all of the haystacks had been covered with tarpaulins.  
              The cows were in the barn, the chickens were in the coops, and the doors were barred.  
              The shutters were tightly secured.  Everything was tied down.  Nothing could blow away.

            The farmer then understood what his hired hand meant, so he returned to his bed to also 
              sleep while the wind blew.

            Natural disasters are happening all around us.  Earthquakes,(Wells, Nevada)  floods,  
              hurricanes,  fires, loss of employment, illness, accidents.  We cannot deny we are 
              experiencing some interesting and turbulent times.
            We have been admonished to prepare our home and family for unforeseen by our 
              state, city, and religious leaders.  It is a voice of warning to all of us. 

            As we accept responsibility for our family and loved ones by making preparations to 
              take care of ourselves by storing food, water, fuel, warm clothing and extra clothing, 
              shelter, and some form of communication so that if something were to happen tonight 
              or tomorrow, we would not panic.  We put systems in place that work.

            It is not any one event that we are preparing for, but a way of life we create that will 
              give us peace of mind,  conscience, and heart.   We will be able to handle whatever
              comes our way.

            In preparing, we learn that sometimes we need to give up something that we want now
              for something that could save our lives and those we love later.  We learn the principle of
              personal sacrifice.

            Giving up a movie, dinner out,  television programs could mean extra food on our shelves, 
              water stored, a tent,  all our preparation supplies over time.  It really does add up.

            As we practice going without heat, electricity and discover alternative ways to cook and 
              heat our homes for short periods of time, we gain skills.   Gathering our families around 
              us to learn valuable skills together.  We create valuable and different family time.

            Your neighborhood Precinct team has been working diligently to develop emergency 
              plans for your neighborhood.

            Be sure to gather water containers and fill them up,  make a sanitation kit, and 
               laundry kit, store seeds for a back yard garden and plant them,  Grab 'n Go Kits, 
               72 second kit, car kit, office kit, school kits for your children,  purchase a water filtration 
               system so you can clean the water you have stored and have it safe for drinking,  
               store food,  and know how to prepare it, save some money and learn to live within
               your means.

           Get prepared for the many situations that may come your way, like loss of a job or family  
              member, power outages,  natural disaster etc.

           We hope you will take advantage of every opportunity to prepare.

           Get to know your neighborhood Precinct Team, including the Precinct Leader,  Comms,  
               your  Block Captain, CERTS. 

            Maybe you will want to be part of the Precinct Team in your neighborhood, maybe your
              will want to start one.
    
            You will find great helps to get you started both at home and for your neighborhood.  Take
               a look at this website.  We hope you find the support you are seeking.
   
           We are all in this together.   Your preparations are valuable just like the farmer valued 
               the hired hands preparation, he also learned great lessons on personal preparedness.

           When you choose to be part of the solution, you shift yourself from being part of the 
               problem.  You now can help others rather than needing to be helped.

                                             NOW IS THE TIME TO PREPARE!!
                                         Can You Sleep When The Wind Blows?????



         CHGetReady.com

Wednesday, December 31, 2014

HAM Radio Information For Training



HAM Radio Testing Dates
1/27/15, 2/24/15, 3/31/15 -  SLC   Eugene McWherter, N7OVT   (801)541-1871
2/7/15 - SLC   Gordon Smith, (801)582-2438

HAM License Testing Resources

QRZ.COM (You don’t need a call sign but you do have to register I made up a UserID)
Go to www.qrz.com  (not a hyperlink) Then Select “Resources” and chose one of the below choices.
Practice Amateur Radio Exams
Ham Radio Trivia Quiz
Ham Radio Books License Study Guides and SWL info http://qrz.com/page/site.html

EHAM.NET Go to www.eHam.net (not a hyperlink) Then Select “HAM Exams” Under the “Resources” Heading in the left side gold banner.

AA9PW Go to www.AA9PW.com (not a hyperlink) select and take test of choice.

RadioExam.org Go to www.RadioExam.org (not a hyperlink) select information or take test of choice.

Copasetic Flows Go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_V5rfwsXmE (not a hyperlink) Watch the video explaining www.copaseticflows.appspot.com or just go to www.copaseticflows.appspot.com then select country and test of choice.  Also has Amateur Radio Satellite information.

HAMRadioLicenseExam.com Go to www.hamradiolicenseexam.com (you do have to register) The site is a little clunky and they want to sell you stuff.

HAMexam Go to www.HAMExam.org (you do have to register) Choose and take test.

It may be advantageous for you to register with the FCC before taking your first license test. It will save you from having to give your social security number to the VE team and it will pave the way for later on-line filings for such things as address changes and license renewals.
Records of amateur licenses are kept by the FCC in a computer system called the “Universal Licensing System” or ULS. ULS makes it possible for people who hold licenses to make filings on-line without the need to obtain paper forms and mail them back. ULS will accept applications for address change, renewal, or vanity call signs.
In order to use ULS, you must be registered. There are two ways this can happen: manually and automatically. Manual registration can be done on-line by going to the FCC's web site. Auto-registration happens any time you file a paper application with the FCC (such as at an examination session) and are not already registered.
If you register manually on-line, you will have the opportunity to choose a password. You can then use this password for any future on-line filings you wish to make.
If you are registered automatically, the FCC will assign a password and should mail it to you after your license is issued.
If you already hold a license, you may or may not be registered depending on how recent your last FCC filing was.
If you are not sure if you are registered, one way to find out is to do a search for your own license and notice if you have an “FRN” assigned. Go to http://wireless.fcc.gov/uls and choose the search for licenses. Enter your callsign in the appropriate box on the form that comes up next. Press the “Submit” button. When a listing comes up showing your callsign, notice if there is an entry in the field called “FRN.” If there is, you are already registered.
If you find you are registered but you do not know your ULS password, you can request that your password be reset by going to https://esupport.fcc.gov/password.htm.
Registering is done on-line and is reasonably quick and simple. It entails giving the FCC your Taxpayer Identification Number (which for an individual is your social security number) and connecting it with any license(s) you may now have. To register, go to http://wireless.fcc.gov/uls and look for the “REGISTER CORES/CALL SIGN” link near the top of the page. Just follow the link and follow instructions. If you have trouble, it may be helpful to read the detailed instructions available on the ARRL web site at http://www.arrl.org/universal-licensing-system. You can register with ULS even if you do not yet hold a license. During registration, you will be assigned an “FCC Registration Number” (FRN), a 10-digit number. When you attend a test session, you can enter this number in lieu of your social security number on the application form.

HAM Testing “To Do” List

Preregister: See POC contact information for date location of intended test selection.

Bring:
  • Two forms of ID, one of which is photo ID
  • Original of any current license
  • Photocopy of any (signed) current license
  • Other documentation if required for credit for an element taken earlier
  • Test fee ($15.00 during 2014)
  • Pen (for signing documents) and Pencil (for taking test)

Bring (optional):
Calculator (If the calculator is programmable, you must demonstrate that program memory is cleared.)

HAM Testing Location/Contact Information

Testing Location 1

City:
Contact Person:  
Gordon Smith, K7HFV
632 University Street
Salt Lake City, Utah 84102
VEC:
ARRL
Home Phone:
 801-582-2438


Bus. Phone:



E-mail:
Sponsor:
Utah Amateur Radio Club
Web site:
Testing Location:  
Salt Lake County Complex, North Building
Room N3005
2001 S. State Street
Salt Lake City, Utah 84190
Schedule:
First Saturday of Feb., Apr., June, Aug., Oct. and Dec.
Come any time between 8 and 8:45 A.M.
Notes:
Preregistration is required. Preregistration speeds the session and gets licenses on the way faster after the session. It takes only a few minutes by phone or on the air. Gordon usually monitors 146.62.



Testing Location 2


City:
Contact Person:  
Eugene McWherter, N7OVT
536 E. Leland Avenue
Salt Lake City, Utah 84115
VEC:
W5YI
Home Phone:
 801-541-1871


Cell Phone:
 801-541-1871


E-mail:


Testing Location:  
Senior Center in the Columbus Center
2530 S. 500 East
Park on west side of building; Come in west entrance;
Take first door on the left.
Schedule:  
 Last Tuesday of each month except December, 7 P.M.

A Big THANK YOU!!! to Cottonwood Heights Police Department


CHGetReady would like to thank the awesome Cottonwood Heights Police Department for the amazing working relationship that has been developed through the years as residents, (volunteers) and professionals.

We thank the Chiefs, Department, Staff and Officers for their dedication to the safety and education of our community.  The responsibility of caring for the safety of others is taken seriously and personally.  Many of them are also our neighbors so it is personal for them.  We are grateful for their sacrifice, every day as they put their own lives on the line to keep us safe and to do their job to the best of their ability.

We appreciate the time, their time given to teach us in our Quarterly Precinct Leader Training meetings about Neighborhood Watch Training, Animal Control Principles, City Emergency Procedures, their support at Neighborhood Parties, City Events, Communications for emergencies training.  They want us to be more educated and prepared in our homes, neighborhoods and our community.  The list goes on and on and we are so fortunate to have amazing officers who watch out for us.  Thank YOU Cottonwood Heights Police Department.

Everyday, every response to a 911 call or a response to a traffic violation brings them face to face with the possibility of a personal attack from someone who is on drugs, disgruntled, out of control, life threatening possibilities.  They are willing to do it., EVERYDAY.  That is their job, just like the military.  Sometimes it isn’t pretty, most of the time it may be horrific to them! Do we take into consideration the entire event or do we pick it apart to try to make a point of our police officers not showing respect to the one being hand cuffed or subdued to submission?

Really?  Is our life always fabulous or do we have emotional ups and downs? And are we being judged on just the downs?
Well, lately I have seen that many of the Police Departments in our country have had their feet held to the fire of the downs.  What got them there?  Does anyone ask what they were responding to?  Was that pretty?
NO! It usually is not, that is why they are there.
So if News stations are looking for the ratings, why don’t they get the entire story?
Why aren’t the bottom line questions being ask?  Why aren’t we getting all the information?  Don’t we owe it to ourselves to get all the information BEFORE we choose to act or take a stand?

There are definitely times when people in any profession, business or government officials make poor choices that will affect others negatively.  That is part of being human.  All of us are responsible to live our lives with integrity and respect, not just the police department or those in places of authority. 

We can look all around us at others, ourselves included and those in places of power and authority, we see the consequences of making unaccountable choices at the expense of others. 

So the question that comes to mind is…….”because someone else chooses to act without integrity and lawlessly, does that give me the right to do the same?
And if I do act without integrity and lawlessly, what will the consequence of my action bring?”  Does a child learn a better way by behaving badly with no consequence given? Or does a child learn a better way by being taught a more productive way of looking at their frustration?

We must see that there are laws given so we can learn a better way.  And when we learn that better way is to be accountable and responsible for the choices we make,  we become orderly people who live with honor because we choose to become honorable.

Relationships matter, taking personal accountability and responsibility does matter.

Personal integrity matters from both, residents and professionals in any city. Respecting ourselves by living true principles daily ripples out to respecting others.

True principles lived ripples out as easily as no principles lived ripples out.

It is all a matter of choice, our own personal choice.  We are powerful beings, we can make the world a better place or we can be part of its destruction.

We choose to make it a better place, we choose to applaud our amazing Cottonwood Heights Police Department, Officials and Officers for a job well done.  We thank them for being a part of our incredible community.

Thursday, August 28, 2014

Do You Have a Laundry Kit?

Washing Bucket  chgetready

What would you do if you weren't able to use your washing machine?
 Laundry still needs to be done.

Here is a great idea to help you put one together

 
Laundry Kit chgetready

Laundry Kit

1-6 gallon bucket with a 1" hole drilled in the middle of the lid
1 Breathing Mobile Washer 
208-455-8887 Breathing Washer
100 ft of polypropylene clothesline
96-100 Heavy Duty Diamond Clothespins
3 lbs of powdered concentrate laundry soap
 or make your own (see below
A Mop Bucket with a wringer would be great for rinsing and wringing your clothes as they will dry faster and save your hands (check out Sam's Club, Costco or your local cleaning supplies store)  
For a great wringer, check this out
To complete this kit you will need:
·   A container for soap (a Christmas tin works nicely) with ½ t measuring spoon, Sewing Kit (a Christmas tin works great for this too) with Heavy Duty Thread – Black, White, Cream, Red, Navy a pair of good fabric scissors.  Extra Needles, Heavy Duty Needles, Upholstery Needle, Pins, Buttons, Snaps, Hooks, Thimble or Two, Eye Glasses,  Left over jean leg cut off from Ella Mae Clothespin Bag to use for patches (see below)

Ella Mae Clothespin Bag (Make from an old pair of jeans with belt loops)
Jeans chgetready





 Directions
A pair of clean washed jeans.
 
Pull the front of the jeans down  chgetready
Stitch closed chgetready

Fold the first leg cut over and cut second  side chgetready




Turn inside out and lay down on a flat surface. Front of jeans upward. The front will be lower than
the back. Pin above the crotch of the jeans connecting the front to the back of the jeans.
 Serge across jeans from one side to the other creating a bag. Or stitch straight across and then turn and zig- zag across to reinforce the seam. Use the cut off legs of the jeans to use for patches

Turn right side out   chgetready


Fill it up and tie it on chgetready
Measure some rope that you have tied around your waist leaving at least 12-15" on each side. Knot the ends and thread through the belt hoops. Put the clothespins in and cinch up to hold pins inside when not in use. 

When ready to use, pull the rope out of the front loops, tie around your waistband there you have a pouch tied on.  If you can think of anything else that would be beneficial to your family-add it. 
                                  Ideas include a small wash board, wringer etc.

 Dry Powder Laundry Soap Recipe

1 1/2 c 20 Mule Team BORAX
1 1/2 c Arm and Hammer Super Washing Soda
1 Bar grated Fels naptha (or Kirk's Castile Soap)
1 c Baking Soda
10 drops of your favorite essential oil (opt)
Grate Fels Naptha and mix well with the Borax, Washing Soda, Baking Soda and essential oil
Store in an air tight tin w/lid and a measuring spoon inside
Use 2 T per load of laundry


Saturday, May 31, 2014

Cottonwood Heights Amateur Radio Club CHARC

Shake Out 2014

Take a look at the great video from our Amateur Radio Club CHARC
We had a great drill.
Successful after many hours of planning from the city to the block captains.
We have a great city of awesome residents, volunteers and city officials working together.

We look forward to building on this experience in the coming year.
We will be preparing through the year to build on what we have learned.

Awesome work from our Amateur Radio Club, City Officials, District and Precinct Comms, Block Captains and Residents!