First Blog
This is my first attempt at bloging, need some input from all you preppers in VA.
Submit your ideas on the VA home page by following the links below
thanks simpleman
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Join the APN Forum at http://www.americanpreppersnetwork.net/
Visit the Virginia Forum at http://www.virginiapreppersnetwstork.net/

New Virginia Members

The Virginia Preppers Network Welcomes our Newest Members:

Kali

Hello....Newbie here from VA

To post your welcome please follow this link:
http://www.americanpreppersnetwork.net/viewtopic.php?f=563&t=6622&sid=517c9b60

Bucking_Monkey

Greets all,

New and checking in. I'm in Virginia Beach and started getting into the prepping lifestyle early this year, feel like I'm a bit behind the eight-ball but researching hard and fast to play catch-up. My plans for SHTF are to bunker down and thats what I'm prepping for.

I hope to chat with you all and perhaps meet ya'll at a meet sometime.

To post your welcome please follow this link:
http://www.americanpreppersnetwork.net/viewtopic.php?f=455&t=2814&p=55797


GWG

Hi everyone. I'm located in Central/North Virginia.


To post your welcome please follow this link:
http://www.americanpreppersnetwork.net/viewtopic.php?f=563&t=5802

DC Josh

Hi everyone. I have been lurking for a while and have found a lot of information from Survivalblog.org and thought it would be a good idea to register here at APN. I have been 'prepping' for a little while now, mostly just stocking up on camping gear and extra food for the pantry. I have enough emergeny water for my wife and I and I also have a rain barrel and a camp filter incase we really need to use it.

This is an interesting lifestyle and there is a lot to learn, I'm looking forward to it.

Cheers,
Josh

To post your welcome please follow this link:
http://www.americanpreppersnetwork.net/viewtopic.php?f=563&t=5618

Scott_C


Hello everyone, My name is Scott and I live in central Virginia. I've been reading about disaster preparedness and survival in "SHTF" or "TEOTWAWKI" scenarios for the past year. I've always been one to store extra water and food, but after reading several books and researching on the web, I have come to realize that I need to prepare even more, so I guess you can say I'm a beginner in prepping.

Prepping is more about knowledge and skills than gadgets. I hope to collaborate with other preppers to learn more about survival so that I can take care of my family when the SHTF.

Thanks for putting this site together and I am looking forward to contributing and learning from other preppers.

Scott

To post your welcome please follow this link:
http://www.americanpreppersnetwork.net/viewtopic.php?f=563&t=5413


Wardhouse

Greetings from Virginia. My dad started me on the prepper track while in my teens and, being a typical teen, I let much of that slip away. Interesting how now that I am older, I want that knowledge back!
Thank you for the opportunity.

To post your welcome please follow this link:
http://www.americanpreppersnetwork.net/viewtopic.php?f=563&t=184&p=50803

66ragtop
This site was recommended by a friend. Wish I'd found it a year ago. Been prepping for about a year, though have always been a 'ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure' type person. Aside from 'meeting' many more like minded folks, this site would have samed me a shload of research time. Live & learn, I guess. Anyway, it appears that there is a TON of info on here and and real world experiences. I look forward to learning and listening (at least to begin with.)


to post your welcome please follow this link:
http://americanpreppersnetwork.net/viewtopic.php?f=563&t=4963

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Join the APN Forum at www.AmericanPreppersNetwork.net
Visit the Virginia Forum at www.VirginiaPreppersNetwork.net

How To Join The Virginia Preppers Network

Come learn survival, preparedness and sustainable living with us!

The Preppers networks are all about volunteering our knowledge and skills with each other. We share ideas, tips and basically network with each other to survive any type of disaster whether natural, man made, or economic. Information that you learn and share with others will help everyone learn how to find "Freedom Through Teaching Others Self Reliance."

Joining the Virginia Preppers Network is simple, and most of all, it's Free! To join, just follow these few steps.

1) Register to become a member of the American Preppers Network www.AmericanPreppersNetwork.net The registration page is here: http://americanpreppersnetwork.net/ucp.php?mode=register


2) Once you have your account, go to the index page of the forum and do your first post by introducing yourself in the new members area. http://americanpreppersnetwork.net/index.php


3) Once you know how to do posts, visit the Virginia forum and introduce yourself. The Virginia forum can be found by scrolling to the lower section of the index page where you will find a list of states, or you can go directly by following this URL: www.VirginiaPreppersNetwork.net

4) After you've visited the Virginia forum, follow this link to learn how to join the Virginia Preppers Network group:
http://americanpreppersnetwork.net/viewtopic.php?f=564&t=2738


APN's success depends on your contributions. If you would like to donate to our organization by becoming a Gold Member you can join the APN Gold Members club by following this link:
http://www.americanpreppersnetwork.net/page.php?p=apn-gold-membership&sid=5b241e92a767cdfbe7a345c54dd55127
Gold Membership is only $5 per month. For a list of Gold Member benefits go here

Thank you for your support!

Personal Protection Alternative Tip

According to advice from a local Police Department to an office worker in a high-risk neighborhood, wasp spray is a great alternative to Pepper spray. It can project about twenty feet (much farther than pepper spray). It temporarily blinds an attacker until they can get to a hospital for an antidote. Wasp spray doesn’t attract attention from people like a can of pepper spray does. You could keep a can close-by at home and even keep one in your car. The disadvantage is size.

Disaster Alert: Floods in Virginia , West Virginia , North Carolina , and New York

The APN- Disaster Reporting Service thanks D_Loki for providing us with the following updated

January 26, 2010

Disaster Alert

Virginia – Heavy rains caused flash flooding in Augusta , Rockbridge and Albemarle Counties on Monday that prompted the evacuation of residents in low-lying areas. The Central Virginia Chapter deployed a Disaster Action Team (DAT), opened a shelter, placed an Emergency Response Vehicle on standby and provided Mass Care (MC) for shelter residents. The Shenandoah Chapter deployed DAT and opened a shelter for affected-area residents.
West Virginia – Storms caused river flooding that affected the residents of Greenbrier, Monroe and Pocahontas Counties on Monday. The Governor declared a stat of emergency for Greenbrier County and the surrounding areas. The Chapter deployed a DAT Team, opened 4 shelters and provided Mass Care to local residents.
North Carolina – River flooding in Surry County destroyed homes, damaged others and prompted the evacuation of dozens of local residents in the affected area on Monday. The Surry County Chapter deployed a DAT Team, opened a shelter, and provided MC services for the evacuees. The Northwest North Carolina Chapter deployed DAT and provided individual assistance to affected-area residents.
New York – A rainstorm that filled rivers and streams in the northeast portion of the state delayed flights and blew debris from buildings on Monday. The ARC of Northeastern New York Chapter deployed DAT and opened a precautionary shelter for local residents.

Survival goes mainstream

There's a decent article at this link - I'm glad this is front and center for more people; the more people that are prepared the less of a stress there will be on all of us when the time comes.

http://apatriotsjournal.blog.com/guest-bloggers/guest-bloggers-a-suggested-survival-list/

Weapons Every Prepper Needs

22 Rifle

A 22 rifle is the tool of choice for the taking of most small game. The guns are reasonably priced, the ammo is cheap and readily available, it has a relatively soft report when being fired, and it is possible, if you have the right gun, to achieve remarkable accuracy at distances out to about two hundred feet.

Ammo for the 22 comes in short, long, long rifle and magnum (magnum requires its own chambering, meaning that a 22 magnum must use the magnum ammo). The most common round for the 22 is the 22 long rifle. The ammo of choice for hunting when you don’t mind being heard is a high-quality long rifle hollow-point like the CCI Mini-mag or most any Federal round.

Any 22 bullet configuration will do for practice but the hollow point should be used for the taking of game. It is most effective because it expands on contact causing many times more damage than ball (solid point) ammo. It is also therefore the more humane choice. It is not difficult to mortally wound a small animal with ball ammo but many will be able to escape to a den where they die out of reach.

Most of the sound that is generally heard from the firing of a 22 is the crack of the bullet as it breaks the sound barrier. If you desire to be covert in the taking of game you can use sub-sonic ammo. Sub-sonic ammo is loaded with as much powder as possible without propelling the bullet fast enough to generate the crack that results from exceeding the speed of sound. A 22 with available sub-sonic ammo fired from one side of a house will sound like someone clapping their hands to a person standing at the other side of the house.

A 22 can be used to take birds, squirrels, rabbits, snakes and even whitetail deer if you know where to shoot them. A deer will likely die if you hit it in the vitals with a 22, but it will be halfway to the next county when it does. If you ever shoot a deer with a 22, shoot it between the eyes looking face on; in or just behind the ear if shooting from the side. But, be advised that shooting deer with a 22 is illegal everywhere; this information assumes a survival-mode operation.

12 gauge shotgun

A 12 gauge shotgun is the next most useful choice after the 22 for the acquisition of game. The advantage of a 12 gauge is the ability to kill without a perfect aim and the possibility of knocking down flushed birds that would be impossible to hit (except by the most expert shooter) with a 22 or other rifle.

The disadvantages are that the gun will kick vigorously (every action has an equal and opposite reaction), the shot will be heard at great distances, each shot is relatively expensive, and it will do more massive damage to otherwise usable meat.

One advantage of a 12 gauge is that it doubles as one of the most effective home defense weapons available at short distances.
Shot sizes (the little pellets inside the shotgun shell) vary widely. The larger the number designation on the shell the smaller the shot size.
• 00 is good for home defense
• 2 to 4 is for larger game animals and larger birds like turkey and geese
• 6 is a good squirrel and rabbit load
• 7 or higher for clays or most smaller birds