Keep Our Service Free-Donate

Tuesday, January 23, 2018

Americans Can't Rely on Federal Help-Do You Feel Self Reliant?


Poor Man Survival

Self Reliance tools for independent minded people…


ISSN 2161-5543

A Digest of Urban Survival Resources

 

 


CNN: Americans Can't Rely on Federal Help

Self-sufficiency is the only way to live.

We’ve all witnessed newscasts during natural disasters when Americans wait until the very last minute to flock to the supermarket to clean off every item on the shelf…stripping them bare of batteries, flashlights, water, candles and canned goods.  It seems many folks NEVER prepare in advance and instead rely on the government for everything.  Big Mistake as we learn again and again.

Poor Solution Getting Poorer

Why is FEMA broke? And why is the system broken?

For one thing, it was never that great to begin with. There were always many flaws with the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

But at the very least, they would usually provide an indoor place to go when weather conditions were deadly outdoors.

That place might be crowded. It might smell bad. It might have too many unstable people in it. But if you kept your wits about you, you could probably survive in there until the outdoors became livable again.

Hurricanes, Wildfires Take Their Toll

Second, the number of major disasters in 2017 pretty much wiped FEMA out.

From Hurricane Harvey to Hurricane Irma to wildfires in numerous Western states, the toll was heavy.

Since Labor Day, nearly 5 million Americans have applied for federal aid. That's more than the number of victims of Superstorm Sandy and hurricanes Katrina and Wilma combined.

Even if the Trump administration increases funding for FEMA, will it ever be enough to keep the average citizen safe when nature wreaks its havoc? It's doubtful.

Billions of Dollars in Waste

The third reason FEMA is broke is waste. We're talking billions of dollars here.

Back in 2011, FEMA's inspector general published a report instructing the agency to implement a system to track insurance information.

But according to a recent Semiannual Report to the Congress from the Department of Homeland Security Office, FEMA failed to follow those recommendations.

This failure has led to potentially billions of wasted taxpayer dollars, according to a recent article in Newsweek.

This Waste Is Against the Law

Here's a small portion of the report:

"FEMA did not implement our prior report recommendations... and suspended improvements on existing IT systems. Without a reliable system to track insurance information, FEMA risks providing duplicate assistance in violation of the (law)."

One investigator with the Project on Government Oversight, an independent watchdog, said he wasn't surprised.

"The money goes out the door and they're not really tracking it as well as they should," he said.

Another report revealed that FEMA disbursed $322.1 million from 2013–17 without a reliable tracking system. A significant amount of that money went to people who had already received or would receive sufficient funds from their insurance companies.

Not only is that a huge waste of money. It's a violation of the law.

Do You Feel Self-Reliant?

What does all this mean for us?

While the FEMA mess is complicated, the solution is actually pretty simple.

It means those who become self-reliant will be able to handle a disaster and its aftermath. And it means those who don't become self-sufficient will have to depend on FEMA... a broke organization operating on a broken system.  Are you operating on a broken system?

Here’s a summary of what you need:

  • Bottled water and water purification items: You need enough to last you a solid three days, so that’s roughly three gallons of water per person. Ensure that your water is safe to drink by also adding water purification items like a purifying filter or water purification tablets. If you can’t find either of these, then substitute with an eyedropper and a bottle of unscented liquid household bleach.
  • Food: Opt for non-perishables that don’t require too much cooking or water. Avoid pop-top cans since these can easily leak or break open. You should choose foods like protein or granola bars, trail mix, crackers, cereals, and canned goods such as canned tuna, beef, and/or Vienna sausages.
  • Cookware: On top of the ever-essential can opener, you should stock up on other cooking utensils and kitchen accessories. These include disposable plates, bowls, flatware, and napkins or paper towels. Go for a small, multi-fuel stove too to make it easier to prepare food.
  • First aid kit: In addition to the usual items found in a basic first aid kit (e.g. bandages and medical tape), be sure to pack any prescription medications and supplements.
  • Toiletries and cleaning supplies: Toilet paper, travel-sized toothbrushes and toothpaste, shampoo, soap, and dental floss are must-haves; as are feminine supplies if they apply to you. For sanitation purposes, go for large, heavy-duty plastic bags and a plastic bucket.
  • Clothing and bedding: When it comes to clothing, pack an extra change for each season, undergarments and footwear included. Similarly, make sure that your sleeping bags and blankets fit your location and climate. Plastic sheets and cloth sheets should be considered as well.
  • Fuel and lighting: Just to be sure, make it a point to stock up on waterproof matches, a battery-powered lantern, and a good-quality flashlight. Replacement batteries for the lantern and flashlight are musts. If you’re looking for a decent alternative to battery-powered flashlights, then a crank flashlight is a good one.
  • Personal equipment: Of the multitude of personal tools out there, the basics that should be in your three-day survival kit are a utility knife, rope (100 feet of 550-pound paracord is best), a whistle, dust masks, a radio (choose one that’s portable and battery powered), and duct tape. If you want to go the extra mile, then add in a multi-tool, an adjustable wrench, a staple gun, a roll of stovepipe or single-conductor electrical wire, and heavy-duty work gloves. (Related: Five must-have communications devices for any emergency)
  • Personal documents and money: Legal documents (e.g. birth certificates, passports, and wills) are important, as are your insurance policies and photocopies of your credit cards, if you have them. Photos of your family members, friends, and pets should be in your three-day survival kit too, just in case you become separated from them. For emergency cash, $200 in small denominations is ideal. For added protection, keep all of this in a waterproof container.

Don’t forget to update your three-day survival kit every six months or so. Water and medication won’t keep for too long, some batteries need to be charged, and your clothing may not fit you after some time. So, make it a point to update your kit for your own sake.

The thought of preparing for a disaster can be overwhelming to many Americans. But the fact of the matter is that you just have to start somewhere and build your supplies from there.  A visit to your local Red Cross [online or physical site] can help you to prepare.

Special Offer for our Readers

 
Every 72-hour kit that's being offered contains 16 total servings of such delicious meals as Blue Ribbon Creamy Chicken Rice, the always-loved Granny's Homestyle Potato Soup and the stick-to-your-ribs breakfast favorite Maple Grove Oatmeal.

This kit normally sells for $27, plus shipping and handling and is rated 4½ out of five stars by customers.

While supplies last, these kits are available for only $21.95 and that includes Priority Shipping [we were force to increase prices due to another round of USPS price hikes]. Go here for this deal:



Yours for smarter living,

Bruce ‘the Poor Man’

 

 

Additional FREE Resources

 
How to Survive the War on the Middle Class

14 of the best reports I’ve assembled on protecting your freedom…Here is the download link.

http://1drv.ms/1d9kfiU

 

The Poor Man’s Essential Survival Package

--The Doctors Protocol: Secrets of Survival

--How to Survive the Coming Economic Collapse

--Guide to Self Reliant Living

--Becoming Self Sufficient for Six Months

--How I Found Freedom in an Un-free World

http://1drv.ms/1d9kfiU

 

Food Storage Inventory Spreadsheets You Can Download For Freehttp://prepared-housewives.com/food-storage-inventory-sheets-lists/

 


 

14 Frugal Food-Rescuing Tips from Grandma
These depression-era frugal tips still work today!

 

8 Simple Ways to Put More Money in Your Pocket
Have more money without working harder!

 


Contributors and subscribers enable the Poor Man Survivor to post 150+ free essays & free reports that I provide annually. It is for this reason they are Heroes and Heroines of New Media. Without your financial support, the free content would disappear for the simple reason that I cannot keep body and soul together on my meager book sales & ecommerce alone.  You can make a donation at top of this page via PayPal.

Find survival related books here!

Support our efforts by shopping my storefront…


 

 

 
A Smoking Frog Feature, Shallow Planet Production

 

3 comments:

Dan Paul said...

I doubt many of today's young people have ever heard of the Boy Scouts or their motto of Be Prepared. My wife & I laugh every time the news airs a natural disaster as people strip the shelves bare of necessities-NO ONE it seems is ever prepared in advance for anything! They all must keep plenty of beer on hand but no emergency supplies...no, those must wait until the last minute.

Darby said...

For decades the goal of the deep state and the lousy education system has been to create a more dependent class of Americans who can't do anything for themselves-an over reliance on tech has accelerated this and your series on robotics indicates matters will only get worse.

Mary Ann said...

That is a good deal on emergency food. If it weren't for food allergies, I'd be stocking up. Our emergency food here is "on the hoof," so to speak.