Aussie Prepper

Australian Bushfire Survival Plans and Advice

noreply@blogger.com (Aussie Prepper) — Wed, 11 Sep 2013 05:14:00 +0000

Due to the ever increase amount of bushfires in Australia I though it would be a good time to collate some free resources of Bushfire protection advise/plans.

These resources are from government websites and I have attempted to get information for each state.

I hope you find this helpful and it prompts those of you who don’t have a bushfire/house fire protection and action plan in place to create one!

Tasmania: Tasmanian Fire Service (TFS) website.

Home Fire Safety

The advice in the downloadable booklet is designed to keep you and your family safe. It contains information such as: Safe cooking, electrical safety, safety equipment, planning and checklists.

Community Protection Plans

Community Protection Plans are simple plans for community members that include information such as: safe place locations (map included), exit routes, emergency broadcaster’s names and general bushfire information on what to do before and during a bushfire emergency.

You can locate your nearest areas plan by clicking here.

Bushfire Survival Plan Booklet

This booklet is designed to guide your through the steps necessary to prepare your home so it may be defended during a bushfire. It includes information such as: Fire Danger Ratings, Alert Levels, planning, decision making advice and examples several checklist and plans.

The Prepare Act Survive page has some great videos too!

A full list of TFS publications can be found here.

New South Wales: Fire and Rescue NSW website

Escape Plan (Grid)

Fire and Rescue NSW has created a page that you can print, draw your families escape plan on and display in a central location in your home.

Home fire Safety Audit

You can complete and online ‘survey’ to improve your understanding of the fire risks in your home. You simple answer a few questions to gain a better understanding of what your personalised checklists should look like.

Click here to start your audit!

Bushfire Survival Plan Booklet

Prepare. Act. Survive Fact sheet

Provides a basic understanding of the Prepare, Act, and Survive concept/slogan.

A full list of publications can be found here.

Victoria: CFA Victoria website.

Fire Ready Kit

This booklet is designed to guide your through the steps necessary to prepare your family for a bushfire. It includes information such as: Identifying your risks, leaving options, property preparedness, planning and several checklists.

Home Fire Safety Checklist

This is an online checking tool with some simple ‘yes’ ‘no’ type answers.

Start yours by clicking here.

For more information CFA recommends:

· Attending a local FireReady Victoria meeting in your area

· Attending a local Bushfire Planning Workshop in your area

· Joining or establishing a neighbourhood Community Fireguard Group

· Requesting a home bushfire site visit

· Landscaping for Bushfire: Garden Design and Plant Selection

· Red Cross Bushfires Prepare to leave early guide (PDF 1237kb) For people who will need help to prepare and to leave early when there is high bushfire risk.

South Australia: South Australian Metropolitan Fire Service (SAMFS) website or SA County Fire Service

Home Fire Safety

The advice in the downloadable booklet is designed to keep you and your family safe. It contains some basic information.

SAMFS has an extensive list of fact sheets for home fire safety. You can browse them by clicking here or the CFS has a range here.

Guideline to Bushfire Safety

Community Guideline to Bushfire Safety

The CFS encourages residents living in bushfire risk areas to form small groups and work together in preparing and protecting their families and properties from bushfire. These groups can consist of just a few families living in the same street or area who face a common bushfire threat.

Western Australia: Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) website

Am I at Risk from Bushfire?

This provides a basic understanding of the Prepare, Act, and Survive concept/slogan.

Prepare, Act, Survive booklet

This provides a more comprehensive look into the Prepare, Act, and Survive concept/slogan which include fact sheets and checklist.

Homeowners Bushfire Survival Manual

This is a comprehensive manual that has been prepared to help you be better informed about bush fires. It draws together the best advice available on preventing fires and preparing for them.

Northern Territory: Northern Territory Fire and Rescue Service website

Escape Plan (Grid)

NT Fire and Rescue has created a page that you can print, draw your families escape plan on and display in a central location in your home.

Home Fire Safety Checklist

Answer the simply questions to find out and remember what you can do to help keep your home fire safe.

A full list of publications can be found here.

The Dept. of Land and Resource management also provides some useful information called: “Fire and Your Responsibility” on their website.

Another site that is worth a look is the Australian Fire and Emergency Services Authorities Council website. And each states SES website which are linked below:

NSW ACT NT TAS VIC WA QLD SA

Stay safe during bushfire season, Remember to Prepare, Act and Survive!

Hope for the best, Prep for the worst!

Survival Garden: 10 Easy-to-Grow Herbs and Vegetables

noreply@blogger.com (Aussie Prepper) — Tue, 10 Sep 2013 00:50:00 +0000

10 Easy-to-Grow Herbs and Vegetables

Only a hundred years ago almost all Australian new how to grow their own food and raise farm animals however in today’s society most are incredibly dependant on major supermarket chains for their day to day needs.

Growing your own food is a great way to ensure you and your family will have a sustainable source of food and possible barter source during a SHTF situation.

A great way to begin is by starting your own garden. If you are not already doing this, then why not start now. We have listed a few easy-to-grow herbs and vegetables to get you thinking …

Beans

What you get: Green beans provide a bounty of nutrients: vitamins A, C and K, , potassium, foliate and iron, as well as fiber.

Cultivation: Plant your bean seeds in well-drained soil where they’ll receive full sun. Sow seeds every few weeks to enjoy a continual harvest through the summer.

Beets

What you get: 1/2 cup of cooked beets boasts 2 grams of fiber and provides 19 percent of the daily value for foliate and vitamin B needed for the growth of healthy new cells. Beets’ beautiful color comes from betanin, a phytochemical that’s thought to bolster immunity.
Cultivation: You can plant your beets as soon as your soil can be worked in the spring.

Carrots

What you get: High in beta carotene— this is the same compound the body converts to vitamin A, a vitamin essential for vision, healthy skin and the immune system.
In your garden: Plant carrots as soon as the soil can be worked. They thrive in fertile sandy soil.

Cucumbers

What you get: While the cucumber isn’t known as a nutrition powerhouse, it does provide refreshment: at 95 percent water content, a cup of cucumber slices is nearly as thirst-quenching as a glass of water.
Cultivation: Give your cucumber plants generous amounts of organic matter and good fertilization and they will respond with lots of crunchy cucumbers; harvest them regularly to increase production.

Lettuce Mix

What you get: Although nutrients differ with each variety of lettuce, leafy greens are a great start to any meal, supplying vitamins A, C and K as well as foliate.
Cultivation: Lettuce thrives in cooler weather so plant it in the spring and fall, sowing every few weeks for a continuous harvest.

Snap Peas

What you get: You get one-third of your daily value of vitamin C and 3 grams of fiber in every cup.
Cultivation: Snap peas are hardy legumes that germinate in soil temperatures as low as 5°c, but don't do so well in hot and dry weather. Plant your peas so that they can mature as early as your planting schedule allows and sow more seeds when cooler fall days return.

Radishes

What you get: Radishes are rich in ascorbic acid, folic acid, and potassium. They are also a good source of vitamin B6 and calcium.
Cultivation: Even if you don’t have a green thumb, radishes are easy to grow in containers and gardens; spring radish varieties are often ready in just three weeks and are more mild in flavor—hotter summer soil produces spicier radishes.

Mustard Mix

What you get: Dark leafy greens are particularly rich in vitamins A, C and K as well as foliate
Cultivation: You can sow salad greens in your garden from early spring to midsummer.

Basil

What you get: Although no verified health benefits, Basil has been used in several herbal medicines throughout the world and no other herb epitomizes the taste of summer like basil!
Cultivation: Plant basil in rich, moist soil where it can enjoy full sun. Sow your basil every few weeks for continual harvest.

Thyme

What you get: (Source Wikipedia) Oil of thyme, the essential oil of common thyme contains 20–54% thymol. Thymol, an antiseptic, is the main active ingredient in various commercially produced mouthwashes such as Listerine. Before the advent of modern antibiotics, oil of thyme was used to medicate bandages. Thymol has also been shown to be effective against various fungi that commonly infect toenails. Thymol can also be found as the active ingredient in some all-natural, alcohol-free hand sanitizers.
A tea made by infusing the herb in water can be used for coughs and bronchitis.
Cultivation: Grow thyme in an area that will receive full sunlight.

Hope for the best, Prep for the worst!

Quinoa, A Prepper Super Food!

noreply@blogger.com (Aussie Prepper) — Fri, 06 Sep 2013 02:27:00 +0000

Quinoa, A Prepper Super Food!

Firstly, a tad bit pretentious to correct people but apparently most of us Aussie have been pronouncing it incorrectly, it's not "kwin-oh-AH" or other variations, it should be pronounced "keen-WAH".

And yes its consider one of those super cool super foods that health food and gym junkies love but that should NOT put you off storing this amazing whole grain!

I’m always a little suspicious of anything that gets labelled as a ‘superfood’. Which is why it took me a while to get around to trying quinoa...

Now I realise that NO prepper should be without this in there food stores!

Quinoa is a highly nutritious 100% whole grain that is both gluten free and wheat free. It is a complete protein, an excellent source of iron, dietary fibre and contains vitamin B and essential amino acids.

As well as being a great source of protein and delicious it’s simple to make (especially in a SHTF situation):

Rinse Quinoa, the combine ½ cup of Quiona and 1 cup of water (one part Quiona, Two parts water) and bring to the boil. Reduce and allow it to simmer for approx 8 minutes (until tender) and you’re done!

You could add all kinds of vegetables, broths or seasonings to create a tasty meal. Or you can use it as a rice substitute.

Speaking of rice, I have both rice and Quinoa in my food store however since I have discovered the wonder that is Quinoa I’m leaning more towards it than rice.

Rice stores well and is less expensive but it does not have the same nutritional value that Quinoa does. I think it’s more important to stock up on a super food that will help keep me and my family healthy during a SHTF situation.

I highly recommend this product to everyone building a food store and to try in every day cooking!

Quinoa Recipes Where to Buy Quinoa (or a local supermarket) Grow Quiona Buy Quinoa Seeds

Please note the above hyperlinks are examples only. We have no affiliation with any of the above websites.

Hope for the Best, Prep for the Worst!

Review: Back Country Cuisine Freeze Dri Packs

noreply@blogger.com (Aussie Prepper) — Wed, 14 Aug 2013 00:27:00 +0000

Firstly a few FAQ’s

What is BBC Freeze-Dried Food?

Back Country Cuisine is easy to prepare and great tastings because of the features of our Freeze Dri process, this combined quick-to-hydrate, freeze-dried vegetables and meats with sauce mixes that have been processed to retain their natural flavours. The result is delicious meals that can be prepared in the pack in 10 minutes with the addition of boiling water.

In the freeze drying process, crystals of frozen ice in the food are sublimed (evaporated) to water vapour in a vacuum chamber. The result is a completely dry product that does not shirk during the drying process. When prepared for eating the water quickly gets into the pore left by the ice crystals to give a juicy, tender food product.

After packing, the food is heat sealed in foil pouches from which all the air has been removed and replaced with nitrogen fas. This keeps the food sae and flavoursome for at least three years with the need for preservatives.

Back Country Cuisine meals are formulated to meet the high energy needs of outdoor activity. There is a careful balance of carbohydrates and sugars for instant energy, protein to replenish exhausted muscles and oils and fats to provide energy store (oils and fats are kept within the recommended maximum of 30% of total energy)

Freese drying retains the natural vitamins in the food because of the low temperature used in processing. Along with naturally occurring minerals and the addition of salt, the meals provide vitamins and minerals necessary to stay healthy.

How to Prepare

Simple tear open, add the required amount of hot or cold water stated on the back of each meal pouch, stir and let stand for 10 minutes. The result is a delicious hot meal wherever you maybe.

(Sourced from Back Country Cuisine )

Now for the review:..

Back Country Cuisine (BBC) is a fairly well know product to most outdoors types. BCC has been providing high quality, light weight sustenance foods to kayakers, hunters and general adventurers since 1998.

BBC Freeze dries their food rather than dehydrating it which is a very different process (see FQA above for explanation)

BCC has a great variety of flavours including several beef, chicken, lamb and vegetarian options to name a few.

They also provide an array of portion sizes; single, double and family and several meal types: breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks.

BBC has made sure there is something for everyone!

We’ve currently taste tested the majority of the products stocked on our partner website Aussie Prepper.

After said taste testing I do have to point out that Freeze Dried food is never quite the same as “fresh” or MRE’s. You’re basically trading off some taste and texture for a lighter weight product in your pack which depending on your activity can be critical. I, personally, tend to be carrying around stupid amounts of camera gear, solar kits and other general luxuries so the extra weight reduction is generally welcome :)

I found the variety of products a great quality and everything tasted great (in comparison with other free dried products) on my most recent camping trip O trialled the Cooked Breakfast, Classic Beef Curry, Instant Mash and Strawberry Ice Cream Bar.

My Cooked Breakfast pack was surprisingly delicious (the thought of Freeze Dried breakfast didn’t seam too appealing at first!). The beef bacon, scrambled egg and beans in tomato sauce with hash brown potato was much more satisfying than my usually porridge or muesli I take away on trips. I had absolutely no prep issues this one – the recommended water to add was just right for my tastes and the texture was better than I had expected. I would recommend some salt/pepper to your likely though for that extra kick of flavour!

In between breakfast and lunch we snaked on some Absolute Apple fruit pieces, which don’t require any prep – just tear open and enjoy!

The Classic Beef Curry was flavoursome and went well with the Instant Mash (although be careful not to add to much water to the mash as the 700mls/3 cups left the mash a little too running for my liking however this didn’t interfere with its deliciousness!).

The single serve was adequate potion size for me however my camping buddy suggested the ‘double serving’ was probably advisable for adult males or anybody with a hearty appetite :)

The Strawberry Ice Cream Bar didn’t require any prep either and the one pack (2 bars in each) was enough for the two of us. The bar tasted great and surprisingly like strawberry ice cream (as opposed to simple tasting like strawberries) but it was very chewy and you definitely need something to wash it down with!

Overall all the products we’ve trailed have been great tastings and of high quality. I found them incredible easy to prepare and no clean up required.

Back Country Cuisine has something for everyone and is a definite MUST TRY for people having to carry a light load!

Where can I buy and how much?

You can purchase a range of Back Country Cuisine at the Aussie Prepper website starting at $4.50 plus postage.

Hope for the Best, Prep for the Worst!

Prepper Recipes: Bungleboori Bread

noreply@blogger.com (Aussie Prepper) — Mon, 29 Jul 2013 00:11:00 +0000

Bungleboori Bread

Prep: 10 minutes | Cook: 20 minutes

Ingredients

2 cups SR Flour
1 tsp baking powder
3 tsps sugar
200g sultanas
Bottle ginger beer

Preparation method

Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl
Add the 300ml ginger beer into dry ingredients a few tablespoons at a time until you have a dry sticky dough.
Place into a loaf pan and put pan into pre-heated camp oven and bake for approx.20 minutes
Once baked, allow to cool and enjoy!

Tips:

I have suggested using a bowl to mix ingredient however I have made the recipe just using the loaf pan to save on the washing up!
You could also add whatever fruits and nuts you please! I usually through in some walnuts and/or dates

Review: Goal Zero Guide 10 Plus Adventure Kit

noreply@blogger.com (Aussie Prepper) — Fri, 19 Jul 2013 04:14:00 +0000

Firstly a bit about the product we're reviewing....

Product Overview:

The Goal Zero Guide 10 Plus Adventure Kit is an ultra-lightweight USB solar charging system that fits in your pocket. Use as a single unit power pack to power your device or as a power source to recharge the batteries for use in AA or AAA battery powered devices.
Recharge you phone 1-3 times per charge with the Guide 10 Plus Power Pack. Charge up the Guide 10 Plus Power Pack with the Nomad 7 Solar Panel in 2-4 hours or via USB in 8-10 hours.

Key Benefits

Lightweight USB solar charging system that fits in your pocket

Functions are a Power pack and Battery charger

Interchangeable batteries (AA and AAA compatible)

USV and 12volt output

Built in LED flashlight that runs 100+ hours per charge

What's in the Box:

1 x Guide 10 Plus Battery Pack including 4 AA Batteries
1 x Mini USB charging cord
1 x Nomad 7 Solar Panel
1 x Solar panel charging cord
1 x 12V cigarette adapter

Review:

Most campers, hikers and general outdoor enthusiasts are now taking an array of technology along with them when exploring the outdoors. With all these increasing requirements you’ll need to invest in a good quality solar charging kit that suits your needs and Goal Zero is definitely it!

This kit in particular is very lightweight and is a great portable way to recharge small devices such as smart phones and tablets.

When I took Goal Zero Guide 10 Plus Adventure Kit into the field I also wanted to charge flashlights, GPS and digital cameras. It handles these requirements without question when using both AA and AAA battery packs (AAA sold separately). I recommend carrying a secondary battery set so that one can be recharging whilst the other is in use.

Whilst camping I used the Guide 10 Plus Adventure Kit to charge two iPhone from 25% on one unit charge. This may vary depending on your phone. I then used the spare batteries I had charged in my digital camera. Being able to recharge one set of new batteries is much handier than carrying around a few packets of batteries, especially if weight is an issue.

The solar panels are very durable, efficient (providing moderate to low power even in cloud or tree cover), compact and light weight. The folded solar panels can fit easily in any bag and have an extra pouch to store cables and spare batteries etc. The frame/casing of the solar panels has loops on each point for easy attachment to a back-pack (see YouTube video for example) which gives it exposure to direct sunlight without being inconvenient.

This system is great for what it is designed to do. When assessing if this is the right product check what kinds of charging requirements you have and compare them with this kits capability.

Pros: Durable, easy to use, lightweight, car changer included and packs down into a small kit

Cons: Not water proof, would like the addition of a port to plug into a wall socket for fast charging before trips.

I'm going to give this product 5 Sporks out of 5 for the specific uses I've outlined above - this product is inteneded to be for small electronics! If you need to charge something larger please consider one of Goal Zeros large kits :)

If you're interested in purchasing any of the Goal Zero products please go to Aussie Prepper or email: shop@aussieprepper.net.au

Hope for the Best, Prep for the Worst!

Prepping Skills

noreply@blogger.com (Aussie Prepper) — Wed, 10 Jul 2013 02:22:00 +0000

Having a wide range of skills is one of the most important Preps to have! You can spend a lot of time and money on hundreds of different Preps but if you don’t have the skill set to back them up in a situation you’ll soon find it all pretty useless!

Most of the time learning new skills is the cheapest part of Prepping (although professional training can get very pricey!). There are plenty of Prepper groups forming all around the Australia that are willing to share their information and training during their free time or via sites like Youtube, Forums, Blogs and Facebook.

When developing new skills remember The Rule Of 3’s:

A person can live 3 minutes without air,
3 hours without shelter,
3 days without water and
3 weeks without food.

Some of the more important skills to focus on developing are:

Shelter making – You can survive 3 hours without shelter. Can you make a shelter in three hours? You should focus on building a shelter from improvised materials for different situations i.e. materials that may be available during a suburban disaster or materials you can source from the forest etc.

Water purification – You might not always have a trusty Life Straw with you when a situation arises so you need to develop skills to purify water without the aid of tools like the Life Straw.

Fire starting – make sure you learn several different techniques for starting a fire including utilising different tools and materials that you may have on hand and in multiple environments.

Out side of the main three listed above there are all kinds of handy skills to learn for during/after SHTF situation. The possibilities are endless and you’d be surprised at all the different views on what skills may be needed during or after an emergency. Some other important and popular examples are:

Self defence, gardening, canning, knot tying, first aid, sanitation, problem solving,

sewing or mending clothing, preserving food, and basic carpentry skills.

Now, attempting to learn all the suggested skills at once may be a bit daunting! Start with one or two and develop from there. Always have a plan for the new skills you are learning as this well help you stay focused on the goal/skill in mind.

Also, set small, achievable goals to keep you motivated. If you start too big too soon you may fail and discourage yourself in the process. For example a new Prepper friend of mine has set a goal for this month to learn 6 new knots that could be used in multiple Prepping situations.

Do you have any new skills that you’ve learn recently or do you have some goals to recommend?

Hope for the Best, Prep for the Worst!

Why you should carry a Tactical Torch

noreply@blogger.com (Aussie Prepper) — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 04:53:00 +0000

As most of you are aware already, having a torch with you or in your EDC/BOB is critical. It’s one of those items that can be used more often than you imagine and is sorely missed if you don’t have one.

Torches have come so far in such a short time - When I was younger a torch was a simple bulb; tubing and some D cell batteries. Ours mainly lived in the food pantry for power outages and as they were so bulky and heavy they didn’t really have many other uses.

Today’s torches are now smaller, brighter and use a lot less energy thanks to the LED. They’re also packed full of accessories and mode features.

What is a Tactical Torch?

A tactical torch is designed using different features to your run of the mill torch that you might find at a discount store or supermarket.

They are typically made of durable aircraft-grade aluminium and hard-anodized materials, have textured grips, are shock resistant, lightweight, water proof and have different levels of brightness and beam modes. The really good ones usually are scope/rifle mountable, can have different filters attached, and have a compatible remote pressure switch.

Why should you carry a Tactical torch?

1. Emergencies/Power Outages – The most common of use for a good torch is a power outage. We’ve all experienced one however I’m sure a lot of people have also had to rummage round in kitchen draws and cabinets looking for those spare candles or batteries for the torch that’s been lying around unused all year! Having an EDC torch means no more rummaging – its easy instant access!

2. Threats – We all hear the odd ‘bump in the night’ which depending on the circumstances can be concerning. Having a Tactical Torch handy can assist you with identifying if there is a threat or not. We’ve all seen the movie scenes where the guy walks round the house with a baseball bat etc however they’re never carrying a torch! Trust me it’s not going to be that bright in your home when you have to check out said ‘bump in the night’. Having a torch with you can also ensure that you keep some distance between you and that ‘bump’ as they can have beams that throw out as far as 500 meters.

3. Self Defence – torches make great self defence aids. They are very bright which mean if you shine them into a possible attacker’s eyes it can give you the opportunity to get away or manoeuvre into a better position. A lot of Tactical torches also have bezel crowns (sometimes referred to as DNA Catchers) which can be used for striking into an attacker’s head – which, I can assure you, can be quite painful when done forcefully.

What you should look for when buying a Tactical Torch

1. Look at the Lumens – the high the lumens the brighter the light and the further the distance of the beam.

2. Buttons – more buttons usually mean more futures. Most have a rear button for on/off operations and a secondary one located on the battery tube for switching modes. I recommend getting a torch with several modes of brightness and strobe. The different levels of brightness will essentially shorten or lengthen your batteries life i.e. brighter the beam the shorter then life.

3. Casing – always check what materials are used. A plastic casing is going to be much help in a self defence situation and wouldn’t be very impact resistant. Look for high grade aluminium and hard-anodized materials.

4. Battery – there are so many battery types out there now. I recommend finding a torch that will take rechargeable batteries and non rechargeable. My EDC torch only takes one AAA batteries so I can pick up a replacement from any service station or supermarket. My BOB and home torches all take rechargeable and non rechargeable 123A lithium batteries as most new Tactical torches use these.

Suggested Torches

The most popular I have found are Surefire, Fenix and Nitecore.

I personally carry Fenix and Nitecore. Both torches utilise simular technology however have a lot of features differences and accessories range.

Although Surefire has an outstanding reputation and my boss has had his Surefire torch for nearly 15 years without issue – I can’t personally justify the huge price tag.

I hope that my brief outline of some Tactical Torch benefits can help guide you in your next Torch purchase and highlights the importance of a good Tactical Torch.

Hope for the Best, Prep for the Worst!

You can purchase some of the Fenix and Nitecore range from Aussie Prepper.

Review: For the Fun of It: Off Grid Prepper Comic

noreply@blogger.com (Aussie Prepper) — Tue, 14 May 2013 18:00:00 +0000

Now I’m a HUGE comic book fan, so I apologies in advance for my nerdiness and sheer excitement about a Prepper Comic!

As I was trawling away on Google for some new independent comics to have a glance at I came across Mind Comics. After landing on the home page the first thing I spot is this guy!

My heart jumped! Could there be a Prepping comic?! Well the answer is Yes! Yes there is!

After downloading and reading the first few pages of issue one I was enthralled! The artwork, the dialog, the action… Fantastic!

Just to give you a bit of insight the comic revolves around a civil war that breaks out after the nation’s grid system is shut down. The comic explores the government’s reactions and enforcements, the underground movement “The Resistance” and the use of technology in today’s society

This comic would be a great teaching aid for those with teenagers to get them interested in following in your Prepping footsteps.

I cannot rate this more highly.

In the spirit of Prepping I’ve also come up with my own rating system for any new books, comics, movies and articles I’ll be reviewing: “Spork’s out of 5” … Sporks? You ask – who doesn’t love saying “Spork” and one should be in everyone’s EDC or BOB!

Only four Spork’s as it has some pretty ‘colourful’ language that could have, maybe been avoided :)

You can get Off-Grid by Plaid Klaus at http://mindcomics.com/OffGrid.html

Hope for the best, Prep for the worst!

Getting Started: Prepping Plans, Part#1

noreply@blogger.com (Aussie Prepper) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 04:23:00 +0000

I’m always asked “how did you get started” or “where can I begin?”

It seems the concept of starting to prep can be pretty daunting for some. I can sympathise with that – when I first started my prepping plan/list of what ‘necessities” my family would need it was enormous!

There are literally hundreds of items that you could possible need for your family and each family is different and therefore needs different preps. There are also dozens of situations that require different preps or some that could utilize the same preps … It goes on and on.

The advice I try to give people who ask is “at first try not to over think it”. Which might sound a bit contradictive however if you start with a basic need or a few situations you can grow your supplies, skills and experience from there. I too often here about friends and customers giving up on prepping due to the enormity of it and basically starting to big to soon!

The first thing you need to think about before you do anything is “what do I want to be prepared for?”

For me the world wide natural diasters are ever increasing. We are often watching some poor state/country being ripped apart from Fires, Earthquakes, Tornados, and Floods and this makes me very uneasy. Instead of sitting on the couch watching others tragedies I wanted to learn from them and survive them!

With the increasing amount of natural disasters taking place and my want to be more prepared I started researching what I would need in case of fuel shortages, grocery stores wiped out, looting and water contamination.

Now to a newbie many of these situations may seem like non events – “Grocery stores wiped out or picked clean? That could never possible happen” “water contamination, is that what water plants are for?”… Like heck.

In the January 2013 Tasmanian bush fires my extended family were affected by power outages, clean water and food shortages for a few weeks. Some stores that had provisions were even profiteering. Fuel and food trucks were unable to services the local regions effected by the fires as the roads were all engorged with flames, embers and ash which made them impassable. Luckily boats were sent to resupply the area after a week without road access.

Also in January 2013, after drenching rains, residents of Brisbane were asked to restrict water use after the city’s drinking water dwindled to just a six-hour supply. This occurred after the city’s main treatment plant became clogged with sediment washing down from poorly managed land upstream

Now these are only a few examples and I do believe that people should prep for ALL situations but a natural diaster scenario is often the most relatable and easiest to start with.

However to understand what you need to be prepared for you need to think less about the situation or event that may happen and how you would live during and after the event takes place.

There is a saying called The Rule Of 3’s: a person can live 3 minutes without air, 3 hours without shelter, 3 days without water and 3 weeks without food.

Use the rule of 3 to drive you, to keep you focussed. I do.

In our next update we’ll cover one of The Rule Of 3’s: Water.

Hope for the best, Prep for the worst!

Duct Tape in your EDC

noreply@blogger.com (Aussie Prepper) — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 17:00:00 +0000

Duct tape is one of the most important EDC items you can keep with you.

In fact even before Prepping became ‘main stream’ and ‘popular’ I carried duct tape in my wallet for years and even remember my Dad having it taped round his lighter when he went hunting.

Mine’s securely wrapped around the cords of my Maxpedition Micro Pocket Organizer and around an old store gift card in my wallet. Some other examples are pictured below.

The possibilities are endless… where’s yours?

Hope for the best, Prep for the worst!

Demo: Back Country Cuisine - Berry Fruit Smoothie

noreply@blogger.com (Aussie Prepper) — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 01:09:00 +0000

Review: Hungerbuster Combo Meal Pack

noreply@blogger.com (Aussie Prepper) — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 03:13:00 +0000

Hungerbuster Combo Meal Pack

Firstly a few FAQ’s

What is an MRE?

MRE is an typically an American abbreviation for meals ready to eat. It is usually used in a military situation to describe their ration pack food.

Are Hungerbuster Meals freeze dried?

Rather than freeze-drying the food it is presented ready to eat – reducing fuss and preparation time, in exchange for an increase in weight. Having nutritious food that can be eaten instantly without complicated preparation is a major bonus in emergency situations.

What do I need to heat a Hungerbuster Hot Meal?

They can be eaten hot or cold; we recommend hot for maximum taste enjoyment. Hungerbuster food is precooked and extremely easy to prepare - heat & eat so not a lot effort is required to prepare them.

A pot and a fire or gas cooker or a flameless heater sleeve - it couldn't be easier. You can eat it straight out of the pack, no dishes ... no worries.

Can I use the Hungerbuster range as a survival pack?

Yes, the sturdy durable nature of the packs means they can be stored in a stable environment (below 20 deg C) for up to 3 years. They are ideal as emergency food for any situation.

These are also the same meals supplied to the entire New Zealand armed forces and used by 70% of the Australian armed forces.

Is Hungerbuster suitable for long term storage?

It has a minimum 24 month shelf life, subject to being stored in a stable environment, not exceeding 20 deg C.

What is the pack?

The Hungerbuster Combo Ration Pack is a complete 24 hour food pack to keep you going easily for the whole day. The pack includes:

Breakfast	Lunch	Dinner – 1 of the following Main Meals	Other
· Muesli with milk powder	· Instant Noodles · Crackers · Yeast Spread · Fruit Spread or Jam	· Beef and Vegetable · Chicken Pasta and Vegetable · BBQ Beef · Pasta Salad	· Instant Noodles · Choc Bar · Candy Chocolates · Muesli Bars · Fruit Grains · Sweetened Condensed Milk · Instant Coffee · Tea Bag · Sports Drink Powder · Chocolate Drink Powder · Salt · Sugar
Total weight of pack = approx 1200g Average Energy content per pack = 13,000kj

Now for the Review:

There are four different main meal flavours to choose from: BBQ Beef, Beef & Vegetable, Chicken Pasta & Vegetable and a Vegetarian Pasta Salad pack. There isn’t as much variety as the freeze-dried products but there is something for everyone (including a vegetarian option).

I found the variety of products in the pack a great quality and everything tasted great. A lot of the food included in the pack isn’t necessarily made by the brand, an example being the plain biscuits for a morning snack with the yeast spread are branded Arnott’s Sao’s and, although not branded, the small candy chocolates taste exactly like Nestle Smarties.

The pack advertises the average energy content per pack to be 13,000kjs which can seam like a lot however if your out camping, hiking or hunting you’ll need the extra kjs to keep your energy up. With my experience the breakfast and morning tea (muesli bar) were just the right potions so I wasn’t starving by lunch time. The lunch was a little ‘light’ for me but with the extra fruit grains and candy chocolates I was pretty filled.

For dinner I tried the Beef and Vegetable stew and apart from being delicious it was very filling when combined with the noodles. One tip (probably very obvious to everyone but me at the time) is when heating your main reuse your water to heat through your noodles but make sure you drain them really well before mixing with the stew. The stew had enough sauce/juices to make it enjoyable without the noodle juice making it too runny.

Something to point out is some feedback I’ve received from friends about the chocolate bar in the pack being slightly discoloured with a white colour. Although I didn’t experience this I thought it warranted investigation. After some google research I discovered that the chocolate is still safe to eat. An explanation can be found here.

Overall the packs have a great variety of products in the pack ensuring you won’t get bored halfway through, great tasting mains and fuss free preparation. If your able to carry the extra weight (freeze-dried packs usually weight about 800-900g) then taking a MRE pack is definitely the way to go!

Where can I buy and how much?

You can purchase the Hungerbuster Ration Pack at the Aussie Prepper website for as little as $30.00 plus postage.

Hope for the best, Prep for the worst!

Prepper Recipes: Spanish Rabbit & Chickpea Stew

noreply@blogger.com (Aussie Prepper) — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 05:52:00 +0000

Spanish Rabbit and Chickpea Stew ... Yum yum!

Welcome!

noreply@blogger.com (Aussie Prepper) — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 03:55:00 +0000

Thank you for joining/viewing our blog.

We hope that you enjoy the exchange of fantasic prepping ideas as well as checking out some of our great gear!

At Aussie Prepper we can supply you with all the vital supplies you will need in the event of a natural disaster or emergency situation.

We are also about teaching, those interested, more about planning, preparing and executing plans of action in preparation for situations that affect your very survival.
Educating yourself on the threats that might affect you and your loved ones is the key to having a future to share with them.

We study survivalism, self sufficiency, preparedness and past events to help prepare for the future.

Life is uncertain; disaster can strike at any time without warning. In recent times we have seen MANY natural disasters in Australian alone – Fires, Floods, Cyclones and Earthquakes. Our neighboring countries in Asia and New Zealand have also experienced hardship due to their own natural disasters.
If you do not have survival supplies before an event happens ... it is too late!

When you think about Survival, Disaster, Emergency, Evacuation think Aussie Prepper!

Hope for the best, Prep for the worst!