Thursday, June 21, 2012

NATIONAL NIGHT OUT AGAINST CRIME

Dear B.H.C.C. Residents, Neighbors & Friends,

This is a fun event that brings neighbors together for fun, food and education.

Please let the SLC Police know where your are having your party so they can come and support your neighborhood’s efforts.
_______________________________________

What is National Night Out?

It's America's Night Out Against Crime!

The "29th Annual National Night Out" (NNO), a unique crime/drug prevention event sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch (NATW), has been scheduled for

Tuesday August 7th 2012.

Last year's National Night Out campaign involved citizens, law enforcement agencies, civic groups, businesses, neighborhood organizations and local officials from over 15,000 communities from all 50 states, U.S. territories, Canadian cities and military bases worldwide. In all, over 37 million people participated in National Night Out 2012.

NATIONAL NIGHT OUT is designed to:
  • Heighten crime and drug prevention awareness
  • Generate support for, and participation in, local anticrime programs
  • Strengthen neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships
  • Send a message to criminals letting them know that neighborhoods are organized and fighting back. 

Along with the traditional display of outdoor lights and front porch vigils, cities, towns and neighborhoods 'celebrate' NNO with a variety of events and activities such as:
  • block parties
  • cookouts
  • visits from local police and sheriff departments
  • parades
  • exhibits
  • flashlight walks
  • contests
  • youth programs. 

NNO has proven to be an effective, inexpensive and enjoyable program to promote neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships in our fight for a safer nation. Plus, the benefits your community will derive from NNO will most certainly extend well beyond the one night.

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Red Cross and LDS Church partner up at Welfare Square

The American Red Cross and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced a new partnership Wednesday morning at Welfare Square.

The two partners have had a working relationship for 25 years, but Wednesday's announcement is about a formal contract or memorandum that makes communication on a local level throughout the country that much easier.

Read the KSL Article at this link:

        Red Cross and LDS Church partner up at Welfare Square

or try this link - it may work better in the long run:

Sunday, June 17, 2012

JarBox Canning Jar Protective System


Check this out for protecting your home canning...

A JarBOX is a specially-designed plastic container to help you preserve your preserves. It can be used as a one-piece tote or two totes put together make a JarBOX.


Reasons to use the JarBox system:
  • If a jar leaks, the bottom or side won't fall out of JarBOX.
  • Mice and bugs will have a VERY difficult time trying to nest in with your jars.
  • You can put JarBOXes in your root cellar.
  • You can CLEAN JarBOXes.
  • Jars closed in a JarBOX cannot contact each other -- even shaken side to side or upside down.
  • They stack.
  • They nest.
  • They are mobile.
  • They prevent breakage.
  • They are designed to be heirlooms!

More information can be found on their website link below:

                  www.JarBOX.com

Book: The Forgotten Skills of Self-Sufficiency

Many people dream of becoming self-reliant during these times of fluctuating prices and uncertain job security. Using truly simple techniques, you can cultivate the pioneer's independence to provide safety against lost wages, harsh weather, economic recession, and commercial contamination and shortages. Strengthen your family's self-reliance as you discover anew the joy of homegrown food, thrift, and self-sufficient living.

This book was discussed on one of our local area Ham Radio nets. Here is a comment from a review on Amazon.com:

This book is an excellent resource for folks working toward maximizing their gardening year and for folks working toward a self sustaining lifestyle. It's full of great tips and tricks - tried and true by people whose lives depended on it. Topics include seed saving, pollination, cellars, cold storage, greenhouses, grapes and fruit trees, perennial vegetables, long keeping vegetables, chickens, etc.

There is no way one book can completely cover all of the topics addressed, so the author has listed other resources that will help answer the questions that you might have. I had a great time exploring types of geothermal greenhouses after reading about the author's.

If you're already very knowledgeable about many of these topics, then you might find the treatment too cursory, but if you're just starting out, then I highly recommend this book. I consider myself a skilled summer gardener, but I really learned a lot about winter storage, greenhouses, and extending the gardening year.  -Robin Edmundson. 

Thursday, June 14, 2012

New Calendar Item - Cottonwood Heights Emergency Prep Fair

Cottonwood Heights Emergency Preparedness Fair

When:     Saturday, June 23, 2012
Where:    Mill Hollow Park - 6745 South 2850 East
Time:      10am - 2pm

For more information, see their website at:




Note:

Thank you to Bart Greenwell of New West Marketing, for advising me of this event.  New West Marketing will be on hand selling the full line of Goal Zero portable solar products at reduced pricing.  Come learn how solar product can aid you in a disaster.

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

How to get your man interested in emergency prep: Zombies!


How to get your man interested in emergency prep: It all comes down to the zombies
Article from KSL.com
SALT LAKE CITY -- Do you have a husband who claims to understand the importance of food storage but is less than enthusiastic when it comes to No. 10 cans? Does your son groan when asked to move your canning jars from the attic to your kitchen? I, too, pondered how to get the men in my family more excited about emergency preparation.
And then I noticed something.
It began with Will Smith’s "I Am Legend." Then came the video games, the TV series "The Walking Dead," finally solidifying with James Dashner’s "The Maze Runner." Suddenly my husband and son couldn’t talk enough about how to prepare for a zombie attack. Discussion groups were popping up in my son’s Sunday School class, and I was even invited to join a Facebook page dedicated to preparing for Zombies.
So if your spouse just can’t seem to get excited about water barrels or freeze-dried zucchini, here is a list of top 10 prep questions designed to ignite more enthusiasm.
In case of a Zombie attack:
1) Do we have an adequate water supply?
The rule of thumb is one gallon of water per person per day. Along with 55-gallon water barrels you can use soda bottles to store water, but avoid milk jugs since they deteriorate too quickly. Eight drops of bleach per gallon will kill microorganisms (16 drops for cloudy water).
Note: If a zombie falls into your water supply, avoid trying to sterilize the water with bleach. Zombies are considered MACRO organisms and won’t be affected by common household bleach. Throw the water out with the zombie.
2) Do we have enough food if we couldn’t go to the market for several months?
Start with a 72-hour kit, get a three-month food supply and then build up to a year’s supply. Many sites provide free storage trackers or calculators to determine what you need for your family as well as serving as an inventory.
Note: A 72-hour kit is a must if you are forced to leave your home quickly due to a zombie infestation in your community. Depending on the species, most zombies are relatively slow and stupid but they don’t get fatigued, so time is of the essence when you need to get out of Dodge while you can.
3) Do we have emergency fuel?
The type of fuel needed for heating, lighting and cooking will vary depending on your location, living arrangements and space constraints. Emergency Essentials has a great article about the pros and cons of various types of fuels. Keep on hand a good supply of candles and matches. Whatever fuel you choose to store must be done with caution and common sense.
Note: Never let a zombie play with matches as they are often very combustible. Your dwelling could go up in flames along with all of your emergency prep (and possibly you with it.)
4) Do we have comfort foods on hand?
Fighting off the walking dead can be stressful, even in the best of times. Our family likes homemade popcorn, chocolate, jam and granola bars, and we keep a fair amount stocked in our food storage. Your list might include macaroni and cheese, cookie ingredients or pudding. Sit down now with your spouse and make a list while the yard is quiet.
Note: It’s harder to think of these things when you’ve got the distraction of fingernails scratching on your doors and windowpanes.
5) What about non-food items?
Think about your personal hygiene. While your significant other may claim your breath could kill a zombie, in reality this often is not a very successful form of self-protection. Store such items as toothpaste, toothbrushes, deodorant and soap. Make a list of paper products, pet needs and first aid items. (Click here for a suggested list.)
Note: While it’s best to avoid a zombie scratch as it may lead to infection and a new personality, having adhesive bandages and antibiotic ointment on hand will help with those nasty scratches and scrapes you may incur while scrambling away from an impromptu zombie visit.
6) When the power goes out.
Although zombies are generally clumsy when it comes to dexterity and can’t physically cut your electrical lines, for some reason power outages are common during zombie attacks. Keep flashlights close by and stocked with fresh batteries. Food in a refrigerator can be kept cold for four hours if the door is kept shut. A full freezer will hold the temperature for 48 hours and a half-full freezer for 24 hours if the lid is kept closed. Keep on hand a food supply that will last for several days and that does not need to be heated or refrigerated.
7) What about a garden?
Raised garden beds are great for small yards. (Click here for a kit that takes less than five minutes to put together or here for directions on making your own.) Fill the bed with the best soil possible. It’s better to put a ten-cent plant in a five-dollar hole than the other way around. Keep a year supply of seeds on hand.
Note: Zombies are not usually attracted to gardens like other common rodents. They are meat eaters and avoid fruits and vegetables at all costs.
8) Keep your car fueled and your cellphone charged.
Although zombies like chasing cars, they aren’t very fast, and you can use your vehicle to level several at once that may be blocking the roads. Keeping a battery-operated AM/FM radio close by will keep you up to date on community emergency information and plans.
Hint: When driving, aim at zombies at a right angle as hitting them straight on may cause “shrapnel” to fly through your windshield, resulting in costly damage and possible loss of life — yours. (Because — of course — they are already mostly dead.)
9) What about loved ones outside of the affected region?
News of a localized zombie attack will spread quickly across the United States. This will undoubtedly cause panic to those who may wonder if you have been a victim of a zombie Thanksgiving feast or managed to make it safely to a shelter. The Red Cross has developed the Safe and Well website where outside friends can know of your well-being. You will be able to post messages on the website indicating your status, current whereabouts and that you will contact loved ones as soon as possible. During large-scale zombie attacks, you can use the toll-free Contact Loved Ones (CLO) voice messaging service at 1-866-78-CONTACT. CLO lets you leave and pick up messages.
10) What is our family plan?
FEMA’s ready.gov website has a great Family Emergency Plan template in PDF form. Each family keeps a card with emergency contact information and where to meet in case of disasters. Pick a family gathering site in case a disaster happens when family members are separated due to work or school.
Note: Avoid meeting places like cemeteries and morgues, as they are often a hotbed of zombie activity.
These are just jumping-off points to help out in frank discussions with the male members of your family. Remember, no one expects a zombie attack, but being prepared for one will bring peace of mind to even the most skeptical.

Ramona Siddoway is a freelance writer who has published articles in Belgium,
Angola and the United States. She lives with her husband in Houston. You can read more at ramonasiddoway.com
Article from KSL.com 

Monday, June 4, 2012

New Calendar Item - Neighborhood Prep Social

This event is happening in the East Bench Community Council area, but all are welcome...


Neighborhood Preparedness Social

Where:        Comanche Circle, SLC, UT
When:         Saturday, June 23rd,     9am - 12pm

  • Mix and mingle with your neighbors. 
  • Light refreshments, food, and samples.
  • Visit with local supply vendors and see emergency products in person.
  • Free samples, demos, and tips.
  • Ability to order kits and supplies on-site at the fair.
  • Learn about more the East Bench Community Council. Get involved!
  • Meet your community representatives, volunteers, and block captains.

Food, prizes, and giveaways!

For more information contact Alexis Kruel at 801-930-0116.
Website:  www.eastbenchslc.org