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Writer's pictureButch Erskine

Patriot Express Newsletter Edition #237

Greetings and welcome to the Patriot Express Newsletter Edition #237. Thanks for stopping by for this week's PENL. Autumn is in full swing here near the Great Smokey Mountains. We are seeing beautiful colors and cooler temperatures as well. It won't be long till the trees drop the golden colors and winter will be upon us. Don't forget to rotate your Ready Bag or Bug Out Bag in your automobile to winter attire.


It was a very busy week but all good. Do you ever stop and realize what a blessing it is to wake up each day? With all the crazy stuff going on around the world it would be easy to just pull the blanket up and cover our head to avoid having to face another day. Some days are just overwhelming. I get it. But I will say when we stop and consider the fact, we are alive, upright, and breathing, and under a enclosed shelter with food to eat, we are blessed. It is easy to overlook and take for granted. We just need to always give thanks because it could all end suddenly. We all have something in our life to be thankful for.


I had the opportunity to travel to the Cumberland Plateau to teach another preparedness class to a group of likeminded preparers which was enjoyable, and time well spent. It is rewarding to see other groups taking steps to prepare their families. This was class number five over the past few months. I was able to go early and have breakfast with Festus and a few other Patriots. Yes, it included biscuits and gravy. We enjoyed a good conversation on the world today. It is moments like this that makes preparing so enjoyable to be a part of. Witnessing good people taking action to better their situation is very motivating.


Let us move along....


Communications: You can now follow HFS social media on the following outlets:


Facebook – Hope for Survival -Join us for daily posts on preparedness.

YouTube Channel – Hope for Survival

MeWe: - //mewe.com/p/hopeforsurvival2


HFS Thursday Zoom - HFS Zoom Rally #118 was conducted with open dialogue on world and national events and how it is impacting citizens. It was great having our brother from Kentucky back with us as well as everyone else who could attend. Thanks to everyone for taking the time to join in.


Check out HFS YouTube. - Four HFS videos for your viewing.








If you have not, please consider subscribing to the HFS YouTube channel by hitting like and then subscribe. Connect and give me a shout. Again, hit subscribe and share with family and friends.


Guest and Newcomers


If you are a guest or newcomer to the HFS journey, please check out this link for additional.


Hope for Survival books and HFS Thumb Drive for Emergency Documents -: You can obtain information on the two HFS books at this link: Survival, Preparedness, Disaster Management for individuals or family (hopeforsurvival.com)


Hope for Survival - How Food, Water, Shelter, and Security Could Save Your Life (Book 1)


Hope for Survival - The Mindset (Book 2)


HFS Thumb Drive for Emergency Documents - We just restocked the HFS Thumb drive and have them available now. Follow this link and you will see the add at the top of the page. Blog | Survival (hopeforsurvival.com)


Free Training: Homestead Livestock Summit - Free Virtual Training - Oct 23-26, 2023


We must make this brief public announcement to protect the innocent.


Ding, Ding, Ding....Attention HFS readers..... Opinions shared in this newsletter are just that, opinions, and nothing more. Read at your own risk. The owner and author of this site is not responsible for hurt feelings or thin-skinned readers. I do my best to show restraint and respect to the best extent possible. I take as many precautions as possible and try to remain as nonpolitical as possible, however, there are times when I just can't help but point certain things out. Occasionally I use words only Patriots recognize and understand. It's not personal against any non-Patriot. It's just the truth. Sometimes we must pull up our spenders and suck it up. Just saying. Stay the course, read what you want, and avoid the rest. Avoid fear porn as much as possible and the day will be okay. When all else fails… Keep the faith and always have Hope.


Let’s move along and get to some thoughts...


Thoughts for the week -


I want you to consider all the things going on globally and nationally and ask yourself if your preparedness steps and measures will be enough to keep you self-dependent and reliant on what you have prepared for the duration of unknown time. Can you sustain you and your family for six months to a year? Why?


Aside from all the daily issues we face as a nation with debt, economics, public division on morals and politics, global events in the middle east are impacting us at home and that could impact you in your local community and neighborhood. We are hearing stories that the number of individuals crossing our southern border will increase to roughly 1 million per month. On top of that, I do believe the US Government is bringing Palestinian refugees to the United States. The massive influx of people around our nation is taxing our infrastructure, not to mention the increased cost of people depending on checks from the taxpayers. This is in addition to the billions of dollars the government is sending to the Middle East in aid. Add this to the billions in continued aid to Ukraine.


Several three- and four-letter agencies sent alerts out to select key national leaders regarding the need for citizens to prepare and consider harden selected infrastructure. Why? The announcement that our nation has numerous terrorist cells around the country who could pose a threat based on the ongoing events in the middle east. If they know this, why aren't they doing something about it? Why does it seem non-citizens in and coming to our country are a higher priority than our own citizens and the shortfalls we face inside our borders?


The wonders continue and we must move along.


Preparedness -


Creating Your Emergency Plan


In Preparedness, we discuss many facets from plans to resources, communications to feed and water, but one of the initial and most important items you should do for you and your family is build your emergency plan. You could probably gather around the kitchen table with your family and in a couple, hours complete this critical piece of your Preparedness puzzle. Below is a basic plan. This is about as simple as it gets outside of doing nothing at all.


The point of the emergency plan is so you and those you care about can get in touch and meet back up after a major emergency. Documenting your plan is crucial and a big part to building a working and doable plan is communicating the plan while building it. Is your goal to simply have a plan or have a usable plan that all participants can use.


To get started, remember to keep it simple and get the ball rolling forward. Let your family know you will have a meeting after dinner or maybe simply call them to the table for a family discussion. Just do your best to include family members the emergency plan has impact on. Think about how you want to verbalize your goal of discussing the plan before you address it to others. Explain how you have been thinking about a plan to keep the family safe. Discuss the importance of the family working jointly to put together a working plan.


Read aloud the instructions and fill out the worksheet and contact cards as a group. If you do not have contact cards, use index cards, and do a home walk through together. We will discuss the walk-through shortly. When you are done, you will have a written plan of what each person will do in an emergency.


Once you have completed your Emergency Plan, keep it in your Emergency Bag and supply copies of the same plan to your family members for their bags. If you get separated the leader may be the only person holding the emergency plan. What good is the plan? Consider providing a copy of the emergency plan to a trusted family member or friend who lives outside the area. If possible, consider posting a copy of your plan on your refrigerator, and/or a copy in your vehicle glove box. Each person should fill out the contact card we mentioned above and put in their wallet or a safe place, so they always have access to it.


Doing your emergency plan should also include a plan for work and school. Right? Think about it. You spend more time away from home right? It is important to have a plan for these locations as well. Talk to your family and decide who would pick up children during the emergency. Make sure every phone in your group is signed up for alerts from their schools, workplace, and local government.


You will need to discuss and figure out a way each member can communicate. This would mean even the times when a phone is dead, or the network is down. Sometimes you can text during times a call will not go through. You may need to send a runner to deliver the message. Maybe you will leave a note on a family members car. You can figure out what method is best for your plan.


Identify team contacts, local contacts and out-of-town contacts to support your plan as needed. The local contact is a friend you can trust and depend on to lend you a hand. The out-of-town contact is your communication hub during the emergency.


It is crucial that everyone in your plan knows your out-of-town contact. They must have a way too contact the person using multiple methods. A key part of your plan is identifying how often your plan requires individuals to check in and with who. Organize your plan now to ensure it is organized when the plan is implemented.


You must determine in the plan where and when you will meet up. Some folks call these locations the Rally Point. The type of disaster or event could determine the location you identify to rally. Many plans identify the home as a central location to meet. Depending on the event, the home may not be a feasible rally point.


Think outside the box. What if you are separated and cannot communicate and someone does not show up at the first rally point? What if one parent is supposed to pick up a child and bring them to the rally point but does not show up? What is your planned time to wait on the person? Would you keep all your family members who arrived together? Or would you send a person to go locate the person?


You need to think through the “what if” scenarios and make a plan for each one. You must know where you will rally as a primary and alternate location and how you will communicate. I cover this process in more detail during the Family Communication Planning course that I will be teaching two times at Heritage Life Skills in May 2020.


Another important step is each person should build a get home bag to carry daily. If allowed they can keep the bag at school or at work or in a vehicle. The get home bag will contain essential items to navigate back to their assigned rally point to meet the group. Think about what will be needed to be as self-reliant as possible. Practice possible routes to be used as a primary and alternate route. Remember to adjust the bag for seasonal conditions.


You will want to conduct a home walkthrough of your home as part of your plan. The best situation would be if you are home when the emergency event happens. Therefore, you need to be familiar with your home and area you can utilize for safety based on the emergency.


First, identify safe places. These are locations to use during specific events. An example would be heavy furniture you can drop, roll, and roll under during an earthquake. Or, what interior area at the center of your home could you use during a tornado if you do not have a basement or storm shelter. A bathroom is often selected based on location and the ability to climb in a bathtub and cover up the body. Never select a location above the ground floor. Once you have identified safe locations, document your plan. The brief your team on what command you will shout to inform them of the action to take.


Did you include all possible emergency exits in your plans? If your family must evacuate from the 2nd floor, is there an emergency ladder to use? Based on where you may be when the emergency happens should determine which escape route will be used. This is important. The leader should know which route family members will use in the event they must backtrack into the home to locate the person.


During your risk assessment of your home be sure to identify all potential hazards that could harm or impede escape routes. Determine a mitigation plan around the hazardous threat. This assessment should also include exterior hazards such as large trees that could crush the house or locations where limbs could penetrate a window or wall.


After your risk assessment of your home, routes, and any other location, you should identify what emergency tools and supplies you may need. Rolls of plastic. Plywood. Duct tape. Battery powered tools that you keep charged. These are just a few of many suggestions. But don’t just have them. Know how you will use them and practice if needed.


EMERGENCY PLAN WORKSHEET

School Plan:

School name: _________________________ Emergency Contact: ______________________

Address: _____________________________ Phone: ________________________________

Plan: _______________________________________________________________________

Daycare/Caregiver Plan:

Company:_____________________________ Emergency Contact: _____________________

Address: ______________________________ Phone: _______________________________

Plan: _______________________________________________________________________


Work Plan:

Company Name: _______________________ Emergency Contact: ______________________

Address: _____________________________ Phone: _________________________________

Plan: ________________________________________________________________________

Team Contacts:

Full Name: __________________________________ Phone: ___________________________

Other # or Social Media:_______________________ Email: ____________________________

Medical/Other Information: _____________________________________________________


Full Name: __________________________________ Phone: ___________________________

Other # or Social Media:_______________________ Email: ____________________________

Medical/Other Information: _____________________________________________________


Full Name: __________________________________ Phone: ___________________________

Other # or Social Media:_______________________ Email: ____________________________

Medical/Other Information: _____________________________________________________


Full Name: __________________________________ Phone: ___________________________

Other # or Social Media:_______________________ Email: ____________________________

Medical/Other Information: _____________________________________________________


Full Name: __________________________________ Phone: ___________________________

Other # or Social Media:_______________________ Email: ____________________________

Medical/Other Information: _____________________________________________________

Local Contact:

Full Name: ________________________________________ Phone: ______________________

Address: __________________________________________Email: _______________________

Additional Information: __________________________________________________________


Full Name: ________________________________________ Phone: ______________________

Address: __________________________________________Email: _______________________

Additional Information: __________________________________________________________


Out-of –Town Contact:

Full Name: ________________________________________ Phone: ______________________

Address: __________________________________________Email: _______________________

Additional Information: __________________________________________________________


Meeting Place:

Neighborhood Meeting Place: _____________________________________________________

Address: ______________________________________________________________________

Additional Information: __________________________________________________________


Across Town Meeting Place: ______________________________________________________

Address: ______________________________________________________________________

Additional Information: __________________________________________________________


Out-of-Town Meeting Place: ______________________________________________________

Address: ______________________________________________________________________

Additional Information: __________________________________________________________


Get-Home Checklist:

Snacks Water Poncho Emergency Blanket Flashlight Whistle N95 Mask First Aid Kit Contact Card


Home Walk Through:

List the identified safest places in your home:

____________________________ ___________________________ __ _________________

List all emergency exits:

____________________________ _____________________________ ___________________

____________________________ _____________________________ ____________________

Hazards to address:

____________________________ ____________________________ _____________________

____________________________ ____________________________ _____________________

Emergency Tool Checklist:

Emergency Kit Flashlight and Headlamp Pry Bar Fire Extinguisher

Car Emergency Kit Power Station or Generator Gas Shutoff Tool Fire Escape Ladder

Backup Food and Water Furniture Straps and Anchors Smoke or Monoxide Detector

First Aid Kit


I hope this helps you with a general understanding to build your emergency plan. Remember, think outside the box while creating your plan.


Next .........


As we continue through our preparedness and things we should consider adding to our resources, here's more areas to check out as things you may need and desire. These are taken from the HFS 32-page preparedness checklist.


Crash Shopping Checklist


In the event of a economic crash, change of the dollar to digital currency and end of the dollar, we may be directed to turn in our paper bills on hand. These are items one could consider rushing out to purchase immediately to convert paper money to resources.


- Tires for auto’s, mowers, tractors, four wheelers, motorized and pedal two-wheel devices

- Batteries for all components, vehicles, boats, solar, mowers, tractors….

- Tools for home, yard, repairs…shovels, rakes, saws, hammers, …..

- Resources for setting up rain barrel collection, cleansing, and pumping

- Box Store run buying medicinal, paper products, socks, underclothing

- Hardware for home plumbing, electrical, wood, fencing….

- Sheets of plywood for home use, window coverings to protect glass during escalated tensions

- Rolls of black plastic for black out curtains, wrapping, and multiple uses

- Animal feed and supplies with the ability to store same to keep fresh long term

- - Fuel – Fill all containers and vehicles one last time

- Likely not available, however if you can obtain more resources to support your personal defense plan do so.

- If you do not already have solar panels, purchase one or more, inverters and charge controller to recharge deep cycle and marine batteries you purchase.

- If you do not own a generator do so, however if not solar you will need fuel to operate

- Wood burning stove. Will require installation and wood to burn. Better to have than not have when needed.

- Green House Kit

- Chicken Coup Kit, foods and resources needed for raising and caring for chickens

- Extra clothing one and two sizes smaller than your current weight

- Think of life without electricity and what you would need, how to use it, and power it

- Spools of barbed wire from hardware store

- Rolls of fencing from hardware store. Can be used as barrier around property, gardens, and put across windows during increased threats and tensions.


Fuel Checklist

Alternative Fuels

Source Location

Off-grid Energy Source (Home or portable generator) ______________

2nd Off-grid Energy Source (Example: Solar Panels) ______________

3rd Off-grid Energy Source (Example: Wind, water, fire) _____________

Car Power Inverter ______________

Energy Storage (Deep Cycle car batteries) + 1000 Watt Power Inverter ______________

Extension Cords ______________

Landscape Lighting Using Rechargeable AA Batteries/Solar Battery Charger ______________

Portable Solar Charger ______________

Rechargeable AA Batteries ______________

Regular Batteries AAA, AA, C, D (Flashlights, radios, security systems, etc.) ______________

Paint can heaters (toilet paper, pure alcohol at 71% or higher):______________


Conventional Fuels

Charcoal Briquettes ______________

Firewood + Chainsaw, Ax & Hatchet - re-starters (magnesium, lint, tinder, lighter fluid, Vaseline) ______________

Gasoline _____________

5-gallon Gas Container _____________

Siphon (Remember; new auto’s require smaller syphon tube to fit opening) _____________

Kerosene _____________

Propane _____________

Matches and Lighters _______________


NOTE: When reviewing and putting together your personal checklist consider to review, add, delete, items you identify as essential to your preparedness and survival during all types of disasters. Items should be adjusted per region, climate, seasonal, skills and limitations. If your family includes “bug-out” bags, and you pack multiple bags, remember to include pets. Also remember to distribute resources across the number of bags and equate weight distribution per capability of each person. Physcial and medical conditions should also be factored in to the planning. If you have family members with special needs such as physical limitations walking, wheel chair, breathing…. You can visit the Hope for Survival Website at this link to review suggetions for preparedness in this general area. This includes both “Bugging-In” and “Bugging-Out” needs. Preparedness for People of Needs and Disabilities (hopeforsurvival.com)

Additionally, you can use the following link to address preparedness for children: Preparing Children for Possible Disasters (hopeforsurvival.com)


Lastly, you can use the following link to review additional checklist to consider. This includes the HFS Thursday Zoom Top Ten Preparedness Area Checklist - Ready Bags and Equipment (hopeforsurvival.com)


Remember; One is none, two is one, three is better. Prepare out of the box and stay left of bang. Think ahead and always move in the opposite direction of the threat when possible. If this is not an option, be prepared with a plan to engage the threat. Know your plan and how to use it. Don’t get caught waiting for someone else to instruct you on what to do. Be safe, be blessed, and always maintain HOPE!!!


That's all-fellow Patriots, let us move along....


Preparedness News -


1. From Cache Valley Prepper - Survivopedia - How Long of an Emergency Should I Prepare For? - Survivopedia - And the answer is? Who knows. If your car is on empty and you are taking a trip that is 50 miles round trip, do you only put 1/4 tank of gas in your car? Wouldn't it be more prudent to put 1/2 tank? Point being, there is no answer except to prepare for the long haul. Better to have plenty than not enough. Right?


2. From Lisa Bedford - Survival Mom - Normalcy Bias: It's all in your head (thesurvivalmom.com) - This should not be a new topic to anyone reading the newsletter since HFS has been speaking on this topic for a few years. Break the hold and get free.


3. From Prep School Daily - Prep School Daily: How and Why Herbal Antibiotics Work--And Why You Should Care - Haven't you had enough and learned enough yet to get off the Big Pharma addiction that is draining your bank account?


4. From Fabian Ommar - The Organic Prepper - How to Read the Streets - The Organic Prepper - Sounds simple and unimportant, right? What if your team is rallying at the local Stop-n-Rob on Jones Street and when you look at a map you discover Stop-n-Rob has three different stores on Jones Street. You didn't do a assessment prior and now its biting you in the behind.


5. From Linda Loosli - Food Storage Mom - How to Be Tougher Mentally As a Prepper - Food Storage Moms - Agree 100%. I see it more and more as time passes.


Other News -


1. From Revolver News - Why are US lawmakers displaying other nations' flags and wearing foreign military uniforms inside the Capitol? - Revolver News - Does this bother anyone else? They are employees of the US taxpayer and should be complying with a dress code. It is not Halloween yet.



3. From Tim Gamble - Dystopian Survival -Dystopian Survival : Sleeper Cells? An Alternative Viewpoint - Excellent read. Don't believe it? Wait until they wake up and ruin your day.


4. From Daniel Greenfield - Front Page - Hamas Wants to Trade CAIR Leader in Federal Prison for U.S. Hostages | Frontpage Mag - And the beat goes on.....the beat goes on.


5. From Greg Hunter - USA Watchdog - Is a Biblical Nuke War Coming? – Steve Quayle | Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog - Good interview with Steve Quale -


That's all my Patriot brothers and sisters.


Prayers - Please keep our great nation, our elected leaders, military and first responders in your thoughts and prayers. We pray for good health and wisdom. Please pray for our leadership to find answers and guidance to the problems facing our great nation. May your faith remain strong and answers to the unknown provided. God is good and may our prayers blanket and protect you and your circumstances. I pray for each, and every one of our Patriots.


May we pray for all the blessings and things in life to be thankful about and continued hope for revival around the world. We must continually pray for the unsaved, our family and friends who live each day without the protection for eternal life and salvation.


As Patriots we must stay strong and never give up. Our home, community, and nation need us now more than ever. Stay focused on your local community and things that will impact you around the nation. Don't allow the events around you to create fear in your life. Build your own self-reliance and focus on faith and hope. Remember we are a blessed nation, and we must continue to be great people today and make a better tomorrow. Keep charging.


Blessings,


Bravo Echo Out,




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