Eight Observations On The “Several Unfolding Crises” We’re Seeing

 

The massive disaster stemming from Hurricane Helene continues to teach us some invaluable lessons not only about preparedness but about the preparedness community.

I’m watching the vice presidential debate as I write this, where the first question to the candidates referenced “several unfolding crises” going on right now.  That’s not from me – that’s CBS News.  So what should we be learning from these events?

Want to know what’s happening?  Get a ham radio license.  I shared this link enabling you to listen to local ham radio operators in affected areas in North Carolina with subscribers to my Telegram channel over the weekend.  You should listen to it, especially in the daytime hours right now.  Those with licenses and a simple hand held ham radio have been able to communicate with people throughout the region, while those who only have cell phones have been out of luck.

Here’s a video I made about getting started in ham radio.  It’s easy to do and inexpensive.  If you are prepared citizen, consider getting your license and the basic equipment I recommend here without delay.

PrepperTwitter is learning there are a lot of no-talent people monitoring PrepperTwitter.  The frustration amongst the people who create Twitter (and other social media) content for the preparedness community is palpable right now.  They are expressing frustration with many of the comments people are making to their tweets and posts.  Understand many who think they are prepared are no-talent clowns.  They are sharing all sorts of nonsense online.  Do your own research.

More people are messaging me seeking assistance in getting ready.  Friends, my best guidance is in this blog.  If you have a question about something, before you message me about it, please do me a favor.  Go to Google and type in paultmartin.com followed by whatever topic you’re needing assistance with.  It’s how I find my own guidance.  And yes, I’ve asked my web hosting platform to put a search feature into my website, but for whatever reason they can’t do it.  (And please don’t email me to tell me how to do it or to give me some other advice about it.  I don’t care.)

What are the main inquiries I’m getting?  Water purification and communications.  For all of you wanting to know more, read these posts I wrote about water purification.  And check out the YouTube video above about ham radio.  It would also be a good idea for you to pick up reliable AM/FM radios.  Read my thoughts on these radios here and pick up one of these like I did.

More specifically, I am getting inquiries about Starlink.  I bought a Starlink system a couple of months ago and have done some basic testing.  I haven’t had time to write anything up about it, but in a nutshell:

• Go to the Starlink website and start playing around in it.  Enter your address to see if you can get service.  Read up on the various equipment options and plans.  The plan/equipment I got may not be right for you.  Go watch some YouTube videos on it.  Educate yourself.

• I can tell you the system, even with partial blockage of the sky, can generate significant upload/download speeds.   We can stream movies and do MS Teams/Webex calls, watch YouTube videos, and surf social media with zero problems.

• It is super easy to set up.  A middle school kid with a basic understanding of routers can do this without adult supervision.  From out of the box to setting it up on my patio just to test it, and getting an account set up and my credit card on file, it took an hour.  To deploy it right now, given that I know how to do it and the account is active, I can have it up in 10 minutes.

• I got the residential kit, which you can get from Starlink, Amazon or Best Buy.  You can get the new Starlink Standard until October 6 for only $299 – a $200 discount – and for only $50 a month.  Again, I can’t tell you what system to buy as I am not you and I am still learning how best to use it.  Please don’t email me to ask.  Do your own research.  Figure out what works for you.  YouTube is full of videos that will give you things to consider.

• Starlink is not a silver bullet.  If your local ISP stops working, Starlink can stay up.  But if the larger internet is down, Starlink is a large paper weight.  You need to understand that.  Want to know what’s stayed up during all of this?  Ham radio.  And Garmin Messengers, which I own and have suggested you purchase before.

• Those ham radio operators in North Carolina I mentioned earlier report many places are setting up free Starlink access centers where you can go and use a publicly-available password to connect to the internet to send messages.  That’s the real value of Starlink.  When local internet is down, Starlink stays hot.

• If you want a more robust option for grid down internet operations, there is no better solution than Starlink.

And yes – you need alternative energy options.  Get serious about being able to generate and store electricity to keep critical functions around your house going.  Read what I’ve written on this topic.

You should expect multiple crises.  East Coast port worker strikes, Israel vs. Whoever Is Next In The Bracket, election nonsense, natural disasters – we are seeing this play out live right now.  Get used to having to operate with multiple challenges all at once.  I’m seeing reports of Costco running out of bottled water and toilet paper on Twitter due to concerns over port disruptions and whatever else we’re supposed to be worked up about.  Plan accordingly.

Don’t forget the charities that are putting in work right now.  The preparedness community needs to be asking “what can we do to help?” rather than saying “glad that’s not me.”  To someone else, you are “not me.”  We could be that person needing aid at some point.

Relief efforts need your financial support.

I gave to Tennessee VOAD last week, and there are other great organizations doing the heavy lift here.  At home, my wife and I are working to sponsor an event supporting our local food bank.  I urge you to find great organizations helping those in need and not be like the general population whose idea of “helping” is changing their Facebook profile pic to “show support for the current thing” without donating time or resources to organizations who are making a difference in the lives of those in need.

This nation needs the preparedness community more than ever.  That need will only grow as these “several unfolding crises” continue to develop.