In this episode Aaron discusses Situational Awareness, Normalcy Bias, and introduces Desire Bias.

It’s often the case that prepares find themselves fighting an uphill battle trying to convince others to prepare. But what causes this aversion? And how can we avert similar behaviors within ourselves?

The traditional conversation about Situational Awareness and Normalcy Bias leaves out another important bias: Desire Bias. Just as the desire for normalcy can blind us to dangers so can our desires…

Join us as we discuss one of the most important survival mindsets and techniques…

Topics:

• Normalcy Bias
• What is it
• Victims of violence vs victims of everyday issues.
• Desire Bias
• Love, Acceptance, and Sex
• Money
• Anger
• Envy
• Pride
• Laziness
• Situational Awareness
• Variables involved in SA
• What we can do to increase our SA.
• Combating hyper focus.

Resources:

• The Gift of Fear and Other Survival Signals that Protect Us From Violence
• The Survivors Club: The Secrets and Science that Could Save Your Life
• Books on Situational Awareness

Hosts Aaron and Jonathan discuss picking survival gear.

Buying survival gear is wrought with confusion. New preppers often ask, “What do I need? And where do I start?” Typically people new to survival gear lists in books and on the internet of what to buy. Or they purchase  But they often have a hazy understanding–if at all–about what that actually need and why they need it.

Instead of turning to a general survival gear checklist, what if we first understood our needs? Then, what if we let our survival needs dictate the gear list? Often the best way to solve a problem is through learning the right questions to ask…

Topics:

• Understanding the survival gear spiral.
• The hierarchy of survival needs.
• Basing decisions on the hierarchy of needs.
• The three most likely places you’ll be when disaster strikes.
• Choosing gear for the home.
• Choosing gear for the office.
• Choosing gear for the car.

Resources:

• Survival Gear vs Survival Skills
• EDC (Everyday Carry)
• What is being “Grey”
• Phil Rose Custom Survival Knives
• Collapsable Water Container
• Emergency Food Rations
• Ron Hood – Traps & Snares
• K&M Match Case

Hosts Aaron and Jonathan discuss their views on being physically fit, tips, and more…

Fitness–whether surviving a bad situation or simply improving your life–is an often overlooked aspect of many preppers’ plans. But is there a point to all our preparations if we ignore the heart attack looming around the corner? When disaster strikes will you be in the physical condition necessary to deal with the issue? You may be willing to die for your children, but are you willing to live for your children?

Disclaimer: We are not medical, fitness, wellness, or health care professionals. The views expressed in this episode are based on personal opinions. Before engaging in any exercise and or diet programs consult with a medical professional.

Topics:

• 7 Tips for beginning a survival fitness program.
1. Having a plan.
2. Being consistent.
3. Making small changes over time.
4. Going slowly.
5. Try many things to find the exercise program/type that’s right for you.
6. Avoiding routine.
7. Earning your rewards.
• Diet
• Exercise
• Supplements
• Choosing the right trainer for your survival fitness plan.
• Understanding fitness minutiae.

Hosts Aaron and Jonathan discuss 6 preparedness mindsets for your mental spring cleaning…

After reviewing our preppes it’s time to review our mindsets. Survival starts first in our minds–after all. Where can faulty mindsets fail us? What can we do to better them?

Faulty mindsets can lead to waisted energy, time, and money. They could even lead to being blindsided by something you didn’t think of…

Topics:

• Killing the security blanket gear mentality.
• Understanding the difference between survival fiction and academic studies.
• Spirko Threat Probability Matrix a.k.a. ‘Disaster Matrix’
• Avoiding myopic preparedness.
• 360 Degree thinking for preparedness, people, and life.
• Organization and planning versus reaction.

Resources:

• Threat Probability Matrix by Jack Spirko
• Episode 62: Surviving Preparedness Burnout
• Episode 61: 7 Deadly Sins of Modern Survival Planning
• Episode 55: Planning Survival Strategies

Hosts Aaron and Jonatahn discuss using the concept of spring cleaning as a time to review preppes.

Ah spring. That time when we shed off our winter clothes, the air warms, gardens start to get underway, and we scrub winter out of our homes. But it’s also a perfect time to review, inspect, and reflect on our preparations.

Dedicating specific times of the year to go over your preppes is one of the best ways to ensure everything is on track and as it should be. Join us as we give a run down of things to consider.

Topics:

• Taking inventory of your survival supplies, tools, and gear.
• Replacing items with expirations dates.
• Checking food and water stores.
• Checking survival tools.
• Inspecting and rethinking our survival bags.
• Ensuring our homes are in proper shape for the spring weather.

Resources:

• Episode 16: Survival Bags
• Episode 43: Survival CHI
• Emergen-C
• ITRH Forum

ITRH is joined once more by author John A. Heatherly for the release of his new book, The Cave and The Seas.

As survival becomes an increasingly popular topic so does the list of survival fiction hitting the market. But how many of them can say the teach real survival skills while delivering an entertaining story?

Join us as we welcome back John and find out just what’s so exciting about his latest literary installment…

Topics:

• Recap of The Medicine Symbol
• The Cave and The Sea
• Is this simply another survival book?
• What lessons can be taken from primitive survival skills and applied to modern life.
• Survival fiction surfacing in young adult literature circles.
• The impact on young adults.
• Issues the story touches on outside of basic and traditional survival skills.

Resources:

• John Heatherly’s Site
• The Cave and The Sea
• The Survival Template
• Reptiles Are Food Too

Hosts Aaron and Jonathan discuss The Prepper Dip: Answering the question, “Is preparing worth the effort?”

With every venture in life there is a dip–a period when something feels like it is more trouble than it’s worth. Preparedness is no different. Your left asking if you should give up? And more importantly, how to get through the feeling of wanting to give up?

Plus, the official Season 1 is now on sale announcement.

Topics:

• Personal experiences
• Identifying the dip
• Solving the dip
• Planning
• Being realistic
• Setting Objectives
• Budgeting

Resources:

• Episode 43: Survival CHI Reloaded
• Episode 44: Making Decisions
• Episode 46: Setting Objectives
• Episode 55: Planning Survival Strategies

Hosts Aaron and Jonathan discuss the pitfalls of unbalanced preparation.

Many of us have fallen victim to one of these before. They are the 7 methods of survival planning that tend to get focused at the exclusion at all others.

This episode covers the seven ways preppers can have unbalanced plans. In addition we discuss why they are wrong and what can be done to create a balanced survival plans.

And a special announcement…

Topics:

1. Bullets: Firearms as a sole preparation method.
2. Food: Focusing only on food and water for preparations.
3. Fortress: Bugging in a the lone plans of preparation.
4. Bug Out: A plan of preparation that only involves bugging out.
5. Isolation: Seeking isolation as a sole solution for preparation.
6. Others: The others will take care of me preparation mentality.
7. Government: Relinquishing all responsibility to a government entity as a sole preparation route.

Resources:

• 43: Survival CHI
• 44: Making Decisions
• 46: Setting Objectives
• 60: The Survival Mom Interview
• 55: Planning Survival Strategies

Hosts Aaron and Jonathan are joined by Lisa Bedford (a.k.a. The Survival Mom) to discuss a woman’s perspective on survival.

A perspective that is not shared often enough: A woman’s take on survival. Lisa shares her experiences and insight on preparedness as a women and mother. And she answers some of those burning questions about getting reluctant loved ones into the prepared lifestyle.

Lisa Bedford shares her views with us on…

Topics:

• Survival first step mistakes.
• Survival concerns unique to women.
• Motivations for women to get into preparedness.
• Preparedness on a tight budget.
• What women can do to get the men in their lives into preparedness.
• What men can do to get the women in their lives into preparedness.
• The most important steps for becoming prepared.
• Lisa’s new preparedness book for women.
• And more…

Resources:

• The Survival Mom’s Website
• Survival Mom: How to Prepare Your Family for Everyday Disasters and Worst-Case Scenarios
• Firearms Safety Course for Children
• Project Appleseed

Homeschooling is a frequent topic amongst preppers. The education of our children, whether in good times or in bad, is extremely important to most of us. However, can returning the schoolhouse to the home be the answer?

Ensuring your child gets the best education possible may mean taking full control…

Join Aaron with special guest Ron and Saunna Davis, P.h.D, for a discussion on homeschooling.

Topics:

• Why homeschool
• Will my child be socially inept?
• Societal stigmas
• Homeschooling Pros and Cons
• Conventions
• Coops
• Legal Issues
• Getting into colleges
• Where to begin

Resources:

• HSLDA: Homeschooling  Legal Defense Association
• Teach You Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons
• EMS Newbie Podcast

Hosts Aaron and Jonathan pose the question: Are you a survival information junkie?

As with many subjects in life, we can become consumed by the pursuit of knowledge. It can be so much so that we never actually take the time to learn about a skill through physical experience.

Physical experience allows us to take our knowledge out of the theoretical and into the practical application. Plus, if you never apply a skill you have never actually learned it.

Topics:

• Active vs Passive pursuit of a survival skill.
• Gaining experience with a survival skill.
• Balancing Theoretical Education with Practical Education
• How passion plays a role.
• Practice, Practice, Practice

Resources:

• 10,000 (ten year) Rule
• Outliers
• Talent is Overrated
• Forum Thread on ITRH Patches

Hosts Aaron and Jonathan discuss survival gear vs survival skill and the place for both.

People often come into prep and get sticker shock. With the endless sea of survival gear, gadgets, and equipment, survival can seem as though a tremendous amount of money will need to be spent.

Preppers also have a tendency–much like anything else in life–to feel as though they NEED widget X to survive. While some things are essential, not every thing is. And not everything has to be the absolute best when good enough will be the best for your needs…

Topics:

• When is the time for gear.
• When is the time for skill.
• Gear as a crutch for lack of skill.
• Developing skills then buy gear as a knowledgeable buyer.
• How to acquire survival skills
• Books
• Videos
• Courses

Resources:

• Forum Thread on ITRH Patches
• Mora Knives
• Phil Rose Custom Survival Knives
• Hoods Woods Survival Videos

Host Aaron and Jonathan discuss the question of, “what is a bug out bag” and “what goes in a bug out bag”.

BOBs (Bug Out Bags) are a favorite topic of preppers both new and old. But what is a Bug Out Bag really, pitfalls should be avoided, and what really goes in a BOB?

Seasoned veterans of preparedness will find the this episode a good refresher. If you’re new to prep, it’s a great place to start…

Topics:

• What a BOB is?
• What goes in a BOB?
• What should be avoided when building a BOB.
• Tailoring a bag to your needs.
• BOB Checklist
• Food
• Water
• Shelter
• Security
• Energy
• Preflight Checklist
• The differences between gear and skill

Resources:

• Bug Out List
• Episode 16: Survival Bags
• Articles on BOBs
• Preparing An Emergency Personal Information Packet
• 3 Day Ruck Sack Rule
• Knives and Their Care

Hosts Aaron and Jonathan discuss planning a survival strategy and give a critique of Doomsday Preppers.

Doomsday Preppers hits television screens leaving your hosts insulted and entertained. However, there are lessons that can still be learned. After giving their thoughts on the show Aaron and Jonathan segue into developing your survival strategy, questions to ask yourself, and a method for finding the wholes in your plans.

Topics:

Resources:

• Survival Bags
• Personal Information Packet
• The Survival Mom

Hosts Aaron and Jonathan discuss the basic gun battery for survival and the benefits of professional training.

A practical conversation about the four guns every survival minded person should own and how to choose them. The first of several planned episodes for 2012 on the topic of guns for survival, episode 54 starts things off with the basics of a complete firearms toolbox.

Topics

• Firearms Training
• The Accuracy Fallacy
• How a gun should fit.
• Practice, Practice, Practice
• Selecting a Battery of Guns
• Handguns
• Shotguns
• Rifles
• .22s

Resources

• Project Appleseed
• Episode 3: Basic Firearms Discussion
• Episode 7: Interview With Dan Blackford
• Episode 13: Rimfire Guns
• Episode 31: Tony Kidd on Gunsmithing
• An Economical Battery of Guns – By Massad Ayoob

Hosts Aaron and Jonathan are joined by Ron Davis for a discussion on the basic items needed for a three week bug in period.

In most scenarios daily life will return to normal after 72 hours to one week. But larger disasters, whether person or local, can extend into several weeks. This episode covers the basics for the supplies you would need to survive for three weeks without leaving you home…

Topics:

• Survival checklists
• Storing food for survival.
• Water for survival.
• Tools and other items.
• Storing hygien items.
• Storing medical supplies.
• Pet needs in survival situations.

NOTE: 2 Manual can openers should be added to the list of items described in the episode.

Resources:

• Ron Davis – EMS Newbie Podcast
• Blackout Kit
• Personal Information Packet
• Water BOB
• Food Storage Basics
• Stove Tech BioMass Stove
• 4 in 1 Emergency Tool
• Generators
• Joos Orange Review

Hosts Aaron and Jonathan set your city on fire in a white hot rage with total disregard to point out vulnerabilities. But then roast marshmallows and plan an escape.

Riots in America have long been on the top ten list of concerns for urban survivalists. They’re big and scary, they’re a threat, but what really causes them? More importantly, how do we prepare to survive riots? The answers might surprise you…

Topics:

• What causes riots.
• How societal context influences the potential of riots.
• Why are riots more prone to happen in urban environments.
• The effects of riots on city infrastructure.
• Where they are most likely to occur and how to avoid them.
• Buggin In vs Bugging Out

Resources:

• Garden Pool
• Book – The Survivors Club

Host Aaron and Jonathan are joined by Jason and Jeep to discuss lessons learned from the past year and what to expect going forward…

Hard to believe it’s been a year already. And yet, it feels like longer at the same time.

We’ve learned so much in the last year and hope that you have to. Episode 51 is a look back at what we have been up to and what we plan to be up to in the year to come.

WARNING: This episode is marked as EXPLICIT/ADULT

Topics:

• A listener’s journey over the last year.
• Prepping as a family.
• Prepping with teenagers.
• The urban farm update. What Jason and Aaron have accomplished.
• Lessons learned the hard way about raising livestock.
• Lessons learned about the difficulties of self-reliance.
• Thank you to the listeners.

Resources:

Hosts Aaron and Jonathan ring in the new year with a discussion of preparing for 2012.

The time to act is now. The begging of the year is a perfect time to go over the basics of preparing, reviewing our preps, and touching on more advanced considerations of survival. For long time listeners Episode 50 is a recap of episodes from the last year as food for thought. For folks new to survival it’s a great primer.

Tropics:

Resources:

• Alaska DHSEM 7 Day Survival Kit
• Ron Hood - Copy Canning
• Food Storage Basics
• Reliance 7 Gallon Water Container
• The Water BOB
• Super Tanker water storage
• How To Build A Blackout Kit
• Episode 16: Survival Bags
• Interview with Dan Blackford
• CERT
• Project Appleseed

Hosts Aaron and Jonathan look back at 2011, look forward to 2012, and expectations for the new year.

2012 brings predictions of Doomsday. As we go forward the media hype is likely to surge as people become consumed with what may come. But, like so many “predictions” of the post, 2012 is likely to pass without incident. People already interested in preparedness run the risk of getting whisked up in the hype. People new to preparedness risk of falling back to “sleep” after December 21, 2012 comes and goes. So how do we avoid all this?

Topics:

• What 2011 has meant to us.
• What 2012 brings.
• Concerns for existing preppers.
• Concerns for new preppers.

Resources:

• TEOTWAWKI Reality Check
• Knee Jerk Reactions
• Survival CHI