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Victory for the Clinch Ranger District
To everyone who took action, thank you. The voices of thousands of our followers rang loud and clear, pushing for the reopening of our national forests in the Clinch Ranger District. Thanks to your efforts and the support of Delegate Nick Freitas, Delegate Israel Oquinn, and Land Conservation Board Appointee Gabriella Hoffman, we saw a successful outcome. Their commitment, combined with our united front, made this possible.
When "we the people" come together with one purpose and in one accord, things happen. We may start small—an email or a phone call—but those small things add up, creating momentum for significant change. This time, it meant reclaiming our access to land that sustains and nourishes not just our families but countless others. Never underestimate the power of a collective voice.
Preparedness and Support: Affiliate Links
I’ll be sharing a few Amazon affiliate links to preparedness items that we believe every home should have. If you’re able, shop through these links- we appreciate it. Every purchase helps us keep doing what we do. Thank you in advance for supporting us in this way.
Narcan- Something you may never need, but if you have children in your home and keep medications this is one Mark’s team actually used to safe the life of an overdosing infant who found a dropped medication.
Emergency Ponchos- Mylar lined ponchos save lives- The hood is especially useful in preventing heatloss.
Emergency Mylar Tarp - It was a piece of gear similar to this that saved our son after he fell into ice cold waters on the day before Christmas Eve. Miles from help, muscles clenching due to hypothermia and unable to walk any further he was in trouble. The first thing help did when it arrived was wrap him in a mylar tarp.
Mylar Emergency Blankets in Bulk- We keep several of these in our vehicles they would be especially handy if you’re stranded during winter or overnight in a vehicle.
Another important use for mylar that is oft overlooked- it is super reflective and can be used to attract the attention of potential rescuers searching from the air.
Fridge and Freezer Alarms - This isn’t a life or death emergency prep but it is certainly one that will save you tons of money. If you’ve ever opened a deep freezer to find that it accidentally came unplugged or has gone down, you know exactly why you need these.
Weatheready Emergency Flashlights- great for power outages and use indoors when high lumen light is not needed.
Rhino Trauma Kit- The contents of this kit have come in handy for us as we traveled and also as we have had kids in sports.
Family Size Emergency Water Purification/ Filtration - 2 of these exist in every home in our family. We purchase them for Christmas for all newlyweds and recently independent living kids.
Portable Military Grade Water Purification- More compact than the family size, perfect for keeping in the car in case of emergency.
Goal Zero Power Station- 1500X w/ 1,516 Watt Hours Battery Capacity portable power station. Good for power outages that may last a few days.
Solar Generator - Seems like a splurge, but Hurricane Helene should loom in your mind on this one. Nobody in Appalachia expected to be living more than a month without electricity- and gas stations disabled by catastrophic flooding- because they got hit by a hurricane, but here we are.
Dechoking Device - As a child, I had a toddler-mate who choked to death. After that my mother became the most proactive mom on the block, cutting every single bite of food that crossed my lips into miniscule pieces. Now that I’m an adult and have toddler nieces and grandchildren, I’m very thankful that these devices exist.
Honey Sticks- They may seem unnecessary but they save lives when someone or some animal is injured and becoming shocky or when you run across a diabetic experiencing an extreme low. Honey doesn’t have to be chewed or swallowed, simply rub it on their gums.
There’s tons more you should keep on hand but this is a list of things you perhaps have not thought of or splurged on. Remember even if you don’t purchase our recommendation if you simply go through our link to amazon and buy things you DO need, everything in your cart when you have accessed amazon through our link, will benefit our affiliate compensation.
Thanks Friends! See ya soon!
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really amazing share. In these times, it's more important than every that we understand our basic needs and connection to the things that sustain life. Thanks for the solid list- we've been updated some basics that we think are important for our health and ability to thrive through any challenge.
Awesome!