We’ve Let Ourselves Be Massacred And It’s Still Going On
I wrote this post before the recent coup attempt in Washington, but it’s all still true. Even more so.
Time to be blunt. The official number of COVID-19 deaths today is over 336,000. 3,725 Americans died yesterday. This in a country that tore the world apart over a lesser number on a single day” 9-11. But it’s a daily occurrence now and getting higher. People are dying outside hospitals because there’s no room for them. And it’s not just COVID-19 people. Don’t you dare have a heart attack or a car accident or a stroke now. You’re fucked.
The reality is that it’s much higher for several reasons: many die alone and are never autopsied and added to the total. They die alone because they have no health care plan and don’t think they can afford to go to the doctor, never mind the emergency room. That they can ride it out, but once your blood oxygen level gets too low, it’s too late.
Secondary deaths will never be known but that’s all the people who’ve canceled check-ups and going to the doctor out of caution and will develop fatal health problems that could have been treated if caught by a blood test, an MRI, an x-ray, etc. Those will eventually number in the hundreds of thousands and last years. Los Angeles is now having EMS personnel triage people even before getting in the hospital. How many are dying?
There has never been a coordinated federal response to COVID-19 from the very start. In fact, the federal government from the highest levels worked to obfuscate and downplay the threat. We were blatantly lied to. We know that because there are audio recordings of it. It’s as if we refuse to believe the rock-solid evidence. Then the president foisted responsibility onto the states, as if a virus knows state’s borders. He literally said he took no responsibility. The buck doesn’t stop there- it gets pocketed there. Not only did he pass it to the states, he then undertook a public attack to undermine the efforts of governors to try to contain the virus.
Already there are millions of Americans who don’t believe the above. Who don’t believe masks help. Who think COVID-19 is no worse than the flu. Who think the numbers are inflated for various reasons. When all facts point to the obvious, they stick to their dogma, egged on by propaganda outlets that make money off them and even an administration that’s currently fleecing them. Those are facts which I no longer bother to argue with those who deny them.
Watch what they do, not what they say. I see members of Congress still whining about lockdowns and masks, but who were first in line to get vaccinations. Members of congress who got privately briefed on the severity, did nothing to help their constituents but invested in companies that made body bags to make a buck of our deaths.
From the beginning I’ve been attacked because people think I’m being political. If being an American who cares about democracy is political, then I am. We have a crime syndicate running this country that doesn’t give a damn about us. And we’ve let it happen. It’s ongoing.
Even the vaccine rollout is botched. It’s estimated at least 40,000 more of us, are going to die because of errors already made. They had a year to plan this and are fucking it up because instead of letting experts run it, they dole out appointments to supplicants and sycophants. In fact, we have a huge movement in this country that denigrates experts. I’d like those people to stop using all the things experts made for them like their cell phones and the internet. You know, stop using all the results of science if you don’t believe in it. They stand on the back of experts, while deriding them. They traveled on Thanksgiving and Xmas because they were special. Some die still not believing that what the experts warned them about is killing them.
“We are not — and will not — be the subjects of an elite class of so-called experts,” she told a national TV audience. “We the people are the government.” Governor Noem of South Dakota.
Are we?
We have a president openly enacting a coup. And we shrug. Oh well. That’s just Trump. Doing what was unthinkable just four years ago. And we let it go on. People claim to be patriots as the very foundations of our country are being jack-hammered by those who wrap themselves in the flag.
The level of incompetence will definitely kill at least half a million Americans, but it’s also the only thing that might give us a reprieve. Note, I say reprieve. A new administration is not a fix. Because the next guy, and there will be a next guy, or woman, will be smarter. Will see how Trump played this wrong, just as Trump, who met and listened to Nixon, learned who that man did it wrong.
I’ve been called a traitor, without honor, a liar, and worse by many. I’ve lost readers. It’s hurt my business, but others have lost their lives, so it’s not a hard price to pay. I do what I can. I’m on day 305 of my pandemic blog. From the start I put out information designed to help. Feel free to us it. Free survival slideshows HERE. Sign up for my newsletter HERE which I send out at most once a month, but always includes links to free books. I will be giving away The Green Pocket Sized Survival Guide next week via the newsletter.
Stay safe. Look out for yourselves and, as loyal Americans, look out for your neighbors. Remember, most people are good people.
Day 296: Survival Preparation. Task 21. Rotation and Inspection Checklist
Task Twenty-One
Mild: Rotation and Inspection Checklist
Monthly: Test fire alarms
Quarterly: (1 Jan, 1 April, 1 July, 1 Oct): Rotate gas in spare cans
Power bars, emergency water in vehicle
Semi-Annual: (1 Jan, 1 July): Replace fire alarm batteries; check first aid kits
Conduct fire drill
Check all emergency food
Annual: Check Grab-n-Go bags.
Every five years: Replenish emergency bars.
Every ten years: replace smoke/CO2 alarms
Day 294: Survival Preparation. Task 19 and 20. Basic and More Advanced Water Preparation
Water is most often our survival priority as we can only last three days without it. So tasks 19 and 20 are basic and then more advanced about what you need.
Task Nineteen
Mild: Water Checklist
3 Gallons of water person. Rotate every six months.
2 bottles of water in the car (preferably a case in trunk or back). Rotate every six months.
2 bottles of water in work/school GnG bag. Rotate every six months.
Task Twenty
Mod/Ex: Water Checklist
Moderate: 6 gallons of water per person; 4 cases
Moderate: Portable water filter
Katadyn Water Microfilter: https://amzn.to/2LBYcuE
Platypus Gravitywork High Capacity Water Filter: https://amzn.to/36N18Bi
Extreme: 30 gallons per person or more (10 cases, 55 gallon drum, etc)
Mod/Ex: location of drinkable water source near home
Mod/Ex: GnG Bag: bottle of water purifying pills
Mod/Ex GnG bag:
LifeStraw Personal Water Filter: https://amzn.to/2V4uUJf
Mod/Ex: One case of water in car.
Extreme: BOHS—drinkable water source near hide site.
| WATER! What You Need To Know About Water For Survival #earthquake https://www.slideshare.net/CoolGus/water-for-survival-what-you-need-to-know-239013899 via @SlideShare #water #flood #hurricane #ClimateChange #LifeHack |
Day 292: Survival Preparation. Task 18. Emergency Communication
This is one of the four basics items needed:
Task Eighteen
Mild: If you don’t have one, get an emergency radio for your home.
Example: Running Snail Solar Crank NOAA Radio with flashlight, powerbank:
On West Point and the Honor Code
Honor Code
“A cadet will not lie, cheat, steal, or tolerate those who do.”
This is one of the first things imprinted on New Cadets when they arrive at West Point for Beast Barracks. Along with such tantalizing bits as “How’s the cow?” and “How many gallons in Lusk Reservoir?” You know, important stuff. There was also grazing fire range for the M-60 machinegun, which is kind of useful and I still know.
Latest kerfuffle is that a bunch of beanheads, plebes, smackheads, whatever you want to call what other schools call freshman, got caught cheating because all got the same answer wrong on a test. The first thing that leaps to mind is a great lack of imagination on part of those caught in that they could have switched things up a bit. But I regress.
The Honor Code? Never was a big fan. Why? Let me count the ways.
Do you think you can teach honor or are you born with the fundamentals and develop it and by the time you’re a plebe at West Point it’s either there or not?
I believe the honor code made cheaters either suspend their cheating for four years, or be really good at it. After all, how many graduates have been caught cheating? Gen. Petraeus for one, who is now rehabbing his public persona, yet was certainly dishonest. And broke UCMJ. Yet has been invited back to the Academy to speak and I predict will be on the political horizon soon. Sec State Pompeo graduated first in his class. Does that mean he’s extra-honorable? His actions and words seem at odds. He’s publicly been caught lying. Oh well. No honor board for either of them. The civilian world acts with reverence toward the “generals” yet I can’t name a one alive who has won a war. But there’s a whole ‘nother subject.
You know another intriguing bit of plebe poop we had to memorize that really made me think:
There were 60 important battles of the War. In 55 of them, graduates commanded on both sides; in the remaining 5, a graduate commanded one of the opposing sides.
Whoa! That means the Civil War was a West Point war. Which is big reason it lasted so long since they all knew each other and had been taught the same tactics. Hell, in First Bull Run, the commanders on either side had the exact same tactical plan. But because the Confederate commander was a little slow on his execution, he actually managed to win the battle. You can research that one. The blurb was the impetus for me to write a trilogy, titled, brilliantly, Duty, Honor, Country where I examined the concept of honor and loyalty.
More important, where was the HONOR there? Where was the loyalty? A shitload of graduates tossed their oath of office out the window and fought against the very entity they’d sworn to defend. Major disconnect. I don’t think the Academy has ever really looked in the mirror about that, despite all the time that’s passed. Colonel Lee (he was never made a general by a country I acknowledge) has his portrait hanging there and a barracks named after him; right across from Sherman Barracks, where I spent four years. Alanis Morrisette anyone?
Let’s back up from there—what is ‘honor’? The definition as a noun:
- High respect, great esteem.
- Adherence to what is right or to a conventional standard of conduct.
The first doesn’t seem to apply. More an opinion rendered by others. I watch Army football games (Pavlovian response after standing for every home game for four years) and hear the platitude of the announcers. “America’s game.” Army was recently snubbed for a bowl game and the coach went off on a tirade that it was an insult to everyone in uniform, which I thought a bit much. But not to worry. Here in Knoxville, the hottest COVID spot in the world, the UT football time had too many come up positive and had to drop out of their bowl game so Army gets to play. Rest easy all you in uniform.
So what is right? And is it conventional? When I was in Special Forces, and to this day, I developed what I call the 3 rules of rule-breaking:
- Know the rule.
- Have a good reason to break the rule.
- Accept the consequences of breaking the rule.
After all, we practiced unconventional warfare. Did I throw my honor out the window? Or did I do what is right when we made sure we were armed on a deployment where rules of engagement literally forbade ammunition in weapons? The Marines in a big building in Beirut followed the rules.
I bet some of those plebes who were caught will make great military leaders and care about their troops and maybe, someday, win a war. But maybe they just aren’t good at calculus (I guess they shouldn’t go Field Artillery). But others are shits who cheat all the time and just go caught this time (their future for stars is bright). I don’t know.
I’m not aghast at the scandal. We live in a country where honor at the highest levels is in tatters along with truth. Maybe they were just following the example of their Commander-in-Chief. Hey, that’s not political, folks. I just like being in reality, not alternate reality.
We got bigger problems and the Academy needs to get up to speed and take a long, hard look in the mirror at traditions that need to be revamped along with doctrine that is long outdated, based on our track record since 1945. The very concept of war is different, but you’d be hard pressed to see it in the way our military procures, plans, and trains. Let’s focus on the big picture.
And let the ones who got caught accept the consequences of breaking the rules.
The Fetterman Massacre; Patton Dies; Winter Solstice
I was looking at what today is, and what happened in history on this day, and realized that over my 30 years of writing, I’ve covered a lot of ground. My wife is kinda tired of me saying “I wrote about that” when something comes up on TV.
The Fetterman Massacre in 1866 was a prelude to what happened to Custer a decade later. I’ve been to the site of Fort Kearney walked “over Lodge Pole Ridge” as Fetterman did when breaking orders– to be massacreed. I’ve written about it and Custer in several books, both fiction and non-fiction. In the Atlantis series one theme is how past massacres play a role in a future event in terms of psychic energy. I also cover what exactly led to Custer’s disaster in The Green Beret Guide to Seven Great Disasters (I).
Patton’s death is the second chapter in The Line, a book about a coup by West Pointers in the present. Patton was so outspoken about pushing the war on to Russia, that one of the premises of the book is that the only way to control him was to kill him.
The Winter Solstice as viewed via Stonehenge, above, plays a role in my Area 51 series, where an alien spaceship is buried under Stonehenge; except it turns out not to be aliens. Not exactly. My Area 51 series covered a lot of earth history and locales, including Giza, The Great Wall of China, Easter Island, Stonehenge, Glastonbury Tor, Devil’s Island– and oh yeah, Area 51. I joke I rewrote then entire history of mankind in that series, but it’s not a joke. In fact, the last book, Earth Abides, loops us back to a book coming next: Area 51: Genesis.
I was reminded of something else this morning when someone tweeted about the pandemic, that I wrote my pandemic books years ago: Z: Final Countdown.
My career has done the opposite of what the experts recommend: pick one niche and stay there. But my niche is interesting people, places and things. And it’s a lot of fun and I’m thankful for the readers who’ve come along for the ride.
Stay safe and happy holidays!
Thoughts on Tenet. James Bond meets Christopher Nolan
Liked it a lot. Let’s start with that. Lots of action, lots of locales, lots of strangeness regarding time, which always sucks me in.
Some semi-spoilers ahead, but that doesn’t really matter. Because your guess on a lot of this is as good as mine.
I don’t understand it yet, and have a feeling, as noted in the extra material, that the physics and concept underlying it will never add up. Even Christopher Nolan admits that. We will definitely watch it a few more times and while my wife and I never go to the movie, even without a pandemic, we both admitted this one would have been a good one to see in the Imax which much of it was filmed.
However, the core idea is mind blowing and despite the fact I’ve written a series about time travel, the Time Patrol, it was original. I’m sure someone’s thought of it before, but I haven’t seen it and it really makes sense in a very strange, and very scary, way.
Nolan also freely admits the James Bond part and in that he succeeded. Exotic locales, a solid protagonist who is actually called Protagonist, a 6’3” blonde as the female linchpin, and an adequate bad guy. Lots of planes, boats, helicopters and neat tricks.
The hand to hand fighting in one scene is mesmerizing, especially when you learn it wasn’t done forward and reverse with the camera, but all forward.
Big kudos to Nolan for minimal CGI. Pretty much everything was real or to scale. I’m sick of CGI blowouts at the end of movies that defy reality.
Also, as a writer, the closing out of loops was excellent. Almost every detail you see is important and comes back later to be significant which is a sign of a very tight script.
A few slight negatives. We looked up the film editor and it doesn’t appear she has much experience in action movies. It showed in a few minor places where there was abrupt editing. The bungi jump to the roof was missing a piece in between that would help it make more sense, but hey, the big part was they got there. There were a couple of other places where the cut was swift. That worked well at times, simply accepting things like—yes, she did swim to the boat.
The climactic scene—we never really saw who the bad guys were. The actually people were a bit overwhelmed by the set and what was happening to it, which was intense. The number of extras was surprising—he didn’t cut back on that, and the fact one group had to go backwards, yes you read that right, was pretty mind-blowing.
The four Chinooks were pretty cool, but it’s kind of funny listening to the extra material and the people who made the movie and how awed they were by it and I was thinking it was something the military does all the time. Except usually at night.
There were times where it felt that having a cool scene outweighed having a scene that made sense. But it was entertainment with a very thought-provoking underpinning.
Watch it.
Day 279: Pandemic. A Rant From the World’s Hottest Spot
Tennessee is #1. Yay! 1 out of every 100 people are infected with active COVID. Here in Knoxville, where we live, we have a bunch of hospitals, including UT’s large medical center. There are zero ICU beds available. So don’t even think about having a heart attack, or a stroke, or getting in an accident, because dickheads who couldn’t be bothered to wear a mask or socially distance are taking that bed.
That sounds rough, and yes, I know there are infected people who took precautions, but let’s be real. I’ve got eyes. I see the people gathering on boats, in the parks, at churches that somehow are still open. All the family gatherings at Thanksgiving, because, God forbid, they can’t do without. They’re special. Lots of grandparents had their last Thanksgiving this year and it wasn’t necessary.
“Our First Amendment right not to wear masks!” someone yelled the other day. Huh? I love the Constitutional Scholars who’ve never read it. Who had no problem when the President actually violated the First Amendment for a photo op.
I look back to my first posts, starting 279 days ago. All the naysayers and name-callers. Telling me I was full of shit; insulting me; offering spurious data. Many of them are still saying the same. That it’s no worse than the flu. That masks don’t work. The numbers say without doubt they were and are wrong. And it’s going to get worse, even as we roll out vaccines, which many of the same idiots are doubting.
We don’t have zero leadership in Washington. We have negative leadership. We’ve NEVER had a federal response to COVID-19. Per capita we lead the first world in mortality rate.
Here in TN, the governor has consistently fought mandating masks. In Florida, the governor has been hiding the real data. They are murderers. Don’t wear your mask? Complicit.
We’re in the home stretch, which is actually going to take six months or more. But don’t lose it now. Stay safe. Wear your mask. Socially distance. Don’t be around crowds. Yeah, the holidays are going to suck, but at least you are still breathing. COVID is a bad, bad way to die.
Day 279: Survival Preparation. Task 17. Emergency Communication
It is unlikely your team will all be in the same place when a disaster strikes. We are overly reliant on cell phone communication. In a moderate or extreme emergency, it is likely that this service will either be interrupted (lack of power, towers destroyed) or overwhelmed with too many people trying to call at the same time. On Nine-Eleven, many people were frustrated in their attempts to use their cell phones. Also, texts are more likely to get through and use less battery than voice.
If there is an extended power outage, even if service isn’t interrupted, will you be able to recharge your cell phones? Will cell towers still transmit?
When you consider using a GPS on your cell phone, remember that in many cases, the mapping information is being downloaded from your net if you haven’t already downloaded it into the memory. Thus if your service is interrupted, your cell phone GPS can tell you where you are, but it might not display the map. Understand that the GPS on your cell (and many apps) are a way you can be tracked by people who have access to the technology. Most people don’t understand that they are basically carrying a tracking device with them all the time (their cell phone). It’s also a listening device.
There are other options.
GMRS and FRS radios work well for short distances, but their range is limited. Suffice it to say, that any system you use, make sure you test it. A problem with these systems is they require power to work. These usually work line of sight. So while the manufacturer might state they work 30-40 miles, the reality is, in uneven terrain, their effectiveness will be more limited. If purchasing these types of radios, get ones that run on 12 volt DC or rechargeable battery packs. It helps if they can also run on conventional batteries as you should have a supply of those on hand.
At the end of preparation, I cover power. I discuss solar power which can be indispensable in keeping your cell phone and GPS working.
CB radios are also an option, with greater range. Again, power consumption is a problem. Also, no matter what system you use, remember that anyone can be listening in on your frequency or channel. If you don’t live near water that people boat on, a sneaky way to communicate can be to get VDC marine radios. The bottom line, however, is assume any transmission you make is being listened to by others in an extreme emergency. So don’t be broadcasting to a team member “oh my gosh, we have so much food here, we don’t know what to do with it. Hurry up and join us for the feast tonight.” You might end up with too many dinner guests.
I’ve gone many places where there is no cell phone coverage. While going to Hole in the Rock in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, my clutch began to burn out. 120 miles from the nearest civilization. Luckily I managed to sustain in third gear out of there but it made me consider the situation. I now carry a SpotX 2 Way Satellite Messenging GPS Tracking system with me whenever I’m in my Jeep or even day packing.
There are places all over the country, including in the Smoky Mountains, with no cell coverage. I view the SpotX as a potentially life-saving investment. It also provides peace of mind as my family can get hold of me any time and I can update them on my progress. When I camp, I send a location every night before I turn in.
In Special Forces we encrypted all our transmissions. The easiest way for your team is to have a short list of code words that mean various things.
Task Seventeen
Mod/Ex: A-Team Code Word List
Home:
IRP:
ERP:
Bug Out Hide Site: BOHS:
I’ve been compromised and am sending this under duress:
Code name for each team member:
Code word for each day of the week:
Time zone (different from the one you live in) that will be used as code: (for example, if you are in East Coast time zone, everyone agrees to use Greenwich mean in commo, adding five hours):
Anchor Point for Team (described below):
Add whatever key words you believe you’ll need:
The key is if your code word for your ERP is Orange, if you say “let’s meet at Orange” no one else will know where you’re talking about. If you say “Orange is compromised”, the same thing. Your teammates know not to go to the ERP.
Have a system for days of the week and how many weeks. This allows you to coordinate a link up. If you sit for a few minutes and talk it out with team members, you will quickly realize there is a bunch of information you would want to transmit back and forth without someone understanding exactly what you’re saying. Make up your lists accordingly.
| The Anchor Point is a spot you can use to communicate locations securely as long as no one else knows it: You can transmit: I am three-point-five kilometers from (code word for Anchor Point) at an azimuth of 127 degrees. |
Not only do code words make your communication more secure, they can also shorten your transmission time, which is always a plus as it saves power.
Pick two times a day to make communication. Much like Will Smith in I Am Legend, pick a certain time when members on your team will know your system is on. This allows you to save battery life. It also allows you to focus on other things, rather than hanging around the cell/satellite phone or radio all day.
In Special Forces we had two communications sergeants on each A-Team, an indication of how valuable we viewed this skill. While we are now overly reliant on satellite communications, these men are trained on other types of radios, including high frequency. A local Ham radio operator would be a good person to get to know. They might end up being the only one getting information from the “outside” world. There is something that can seriously disrupt communications: Electromagnetic Pulse, better known as EMP, is a high-intensity burst of electromagnetic particles. I discuss this further on, under Solar Flare.
Day 276: Survival Preparation. Task 16. APPs You Need To Download Now
| A WORD ON USING APPS! Don’t just download an App and ignore. Open it. Most require some form of sign in which could be awkward during an emergency. Explore it. How does it work? What does it do and what doesn’t it do? Some apps are battery intensive, especially locator apps. You can never rely 100% on any app because they are dependent on your phone which is dependent on: -You having your phone -The phone working -the battery -often apps require getting a signal to work properly |
Task Sixteen
Mild: Download Emergency Apps
FREE (Mostly) First Aid, COVID-19 Emergency, Communication, Location/Mapping and Survival Apps You Need To Download Right Now.
Apps After downloading any App, check and, if required, make sure you register and add contacts as required. It’s a pain to stop and do it when you need it. Speaking from experience. All Apps listed are FREE, unless otherwise noted. My listing of these apps doesn’t indicate endorsement, but I’m doing this, along with product descriptions, to give you access and information. Be careful downloading anything. There have been ransomware and scammers putting up fake COVID- 19 contact-tracing apps. Occasionally Apps are changed, updated or deleted.
Coronavirus
COVID-19 Screening Tool Web Page: SCREENING TOOL Apple
https://covid19.apple.com/screening
COVID-19 App: APPLE 1-Check
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/id1504132184
COVID (Android) (Apple)
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=edu.unmc.covid19screener
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/1-check-covid/id1504328584
Designed by leading health experts at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, the 1- Check COVID app features an easy to use interface that asks you to complete a series of questions about your symptoms, travel, medical conditions, and exposure. Your assessment responses and results remain securely stored on your iOS device. Upon completion of the screening survey, you will be given an option to share your results with your healthcare provider, clinic, employer, public health service or others.
CDC App Center For Disease Control (Apple) (Android) Of limited use, but better to have than not have.
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/cdc/id487847188
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=gov.cdc.general&feature=search_result#?t=W10
Medical Apps Red Cross First Aid (Apple) (Android)
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/first-aid-by-american-red/id529160691
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.cube.arc.fa&hl=en
Accidents happen. The official American Red Cross First Aid app puts expert advice for everyday emergencies in your hand. With videos, interactive quizzes and simple step-by-step advice it’s never been easier to know first aid. Features: • Simple step-by-step instructions guide you through everyday first aid scenarios. • Fully integrated with 9-1-1 so you can call EMS from the app at any time. • Videos and animations make learning first aid fun and easy. • Safety tips for everything, from severe winter weather to hurricanes, earthquakes and tornadoes help you prepare for emergencies. • Easy to use Spanish language toggle.
Medical Apps CPR and Choking (Apple) (Android)
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/resuscitate-cpr-aed-choking/id363393502
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.learncpr.videoapp
The CPR & Choking application provides instant information on how to perform CPR and how to aid a choking victim. These are short video demonstrations and are compatible with the latest recommendations from the major international resuscitation organizations including the American Heart Association and the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR).
Location Apps Family Locator-GPS Tracker for Android.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.life360.android.safetymapd
GPS Tracker for Android. Family Locator simplifies life in the digital world by making it easy to stay connected to the people who matter most. With Life360 you can: • Create your own groups, called “Circles,” of loved ones, friends, teammates — whoever matters most and chat with them in Family Locator for FREE. • View the real-time location of Circle Members on a private family map that’s only visible on Family Locator • Receive real-time alerts when Circle Members arrive at or leave destinations (Eliminate disruptive “Where are you?” texts) • Track stolen phones or lost phones
Location Apps Emergency Alert System for Apple.
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/silent-beacon-emergency-alert/id933730960
Alert, track and notify loved ones as well as 911 in an emergency situation. Silent Beacon provides you with the peace of mind that comes from knowing that you and your loved ones are able to instantly connect. The emergency alert system for the digital age.
Location Apps Road ID eCrumbs App for Apple and Android.
This is one I use when off by myself running, biking or hiking. It’s a way of alerting people by email and text if something happens to me and I stop moving for a certain period of time (mine is set for 5 minutes), or past a set overall time limit. The all new Road ID App is a great tool for runners, cyclists, hikers, and walkers. With features like eCrumb Tracking, a Stationary Alert, and a custom Lock Screen, the Road ID App is your perfect training partner. As a side note, the five minute alert sounds and the phone vibrates when stationery— useful to find your phone when you wipe out mountain biking and your phone flies into the woods. Speaking from experience.
Location Apps Google Earth (Apple) (Android)
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/google-earth/id293622097
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.earth
Disaster Apps Red Cross Hurricane App (Apple) (Android)
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/hurricane-by-american-red/id545689128
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.cube.arc.hfa&hl=en
Be ready for severe weather with Hurricane by American Red Cross. Monitor conditions in your area or throughout the storm track, prepare your family and home, find help and let others know you are safe – a must have for anyone who lives in an area where a hurricane may strike or has loved ones who do.
The Wildfire APP: Apple Android
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/wildfire-nearby-alerts/id1046411483
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=io.wildfireapp.wildfire&hl=en_US
Disaster Apps Earthquake Alert for Android. Quake feed for Apple.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.joshclemm.android.quake&hl=en
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/quakefeed-earthquake-map-alerts/id403037266
Disaster Apps Weatherbug (Apple) (Android) Get real-time weather conditions, forecasts, and accurate & animated weather maps for all the locations you care about. Plus, get the fastest alerts to severe weather including all NWS and NOAA watches and warnings.
https://apps.apple.com/app/weatherbug-forecasts-radar/id281940292
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.aws.android
Disaster Apps Disaster Alert (Apple) (Android)
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/disaster-alert-pacific-disaster/id381289235
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=disasterAlert.PDC
A free download providing mobile access to multi-hazard monitoring of and early warning for “Active Hazards” around the globe. Additional information and reports about hazards can be viewed and shared.
Disaster Apps FEMA (Apple) (Android)
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/fema/id474807486
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=gov.fema.mobile.android
The FEMA app is your one-stop-shop with tools and tips to keep you safe before, during, and after disasters. Stay updated with weather-related alerts from the U.S. National Weather Service. Save a custom list of the items in your family’s emergency kit, as well as the places you will meet in case of an emergency. Get tips on what to do before, during, and after over 20 types of disasters. And locate open shelters and where to talk to FEMA in person at Disaster Recovery Centers.
Miscellaneous Apps Flashlight (Apple) (Android)
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/flashlight-o/id381471023
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ihandysoft.ledflashlight.mini
Location Apps There are several topo map Apps you can buy. I’ve used a number over the years but the best one I’ve found is Gaia.
https://www.gaiagps.com/discounts/?fp_ref=bob-94
The basic app is free and then there are two levels of membership. The premium, which is discounted 20% via my affiliate link, is $32 for a year but for the number of types of maps you get, it is definitely worth it. One useful thing to using any map app is to download the map tiles you want to use beforehand (when you’re out in the wilds with no signal) and you learn how to use the app. They also send interesting email updates on various outdoor activities that are very informative from outdoor experts.
Knots 3D ($4.99) (Apple) (Android)
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/knots-3d/id453571750
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.nynix.knots3d
Tie, untie and rotate more than 100. Knots are an essential part of emergency and survival training.
Miscellaneous Apps Wild Edibles ($5.99) (Apple) (Android)
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/wild-edibles-full/id431504588
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.winterroot.wildedibles.full
Explore free edible plants in your backyard. The ultimate foraging guide: identify, cultivate, and prepare over 250 plants! • Identify using up to 8 images per plant (over 1,000 images in total!) • Now includes map enabled notes – privately track locations of your favorite plants * Filter by region, season, and other plant attributes • West coast specific plants • New cultivation information helps wild plants stay forgeable year after year • Identification, harvesting, preparation, and recipes. • Choose to download high resolution versions of images
Miscellaneous Apps Scanner Radio (Apple) (Android)
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/scanner-radio-deluxe/id498405045
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.scannerradio
Listen to live audio from over 5,300 police and fire scanners, weather radios, and amateur radio repeaters from around the world. Useful for getting a feel for the level of emergency in your AO.
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