Eric - Member - The Prepared

Reply to: News for the week of 2024-08-26 Posted 2 weeks ago

Live threat modeling exercise this Friday evening, September 6, on Discord at 6PM Pacific / 9PM Eastern. This is a good way to think about what we’re preparing for and ensure we’re addressing the most important issues. Learn more about the technique from this article. https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2017/07/how-i-learned-to-stop-worrying-mostly-and-love-my-threat-model/ Join our Discord now at this link so you’ll be ready when the event starts: https://discord.gg/JaF5YfZm?event=1257526091338354712 Prepper Chat Nights are on the 1st and 3rd Fridays of every month. Recently we’ve been using these chats to practice threat modeling. Drop by if you’d like to try it.

Reply to: News for the Week 2024-08-12 Posted 1 month ago

Live threat modeling exercise this Friday evening, August 16, on Discord at 6PM Pacific / 9PM Eastern. This is a good way to think about what we’re preparing for and ensure we’re addressing the most important issues. Learn more about the technique from this article. https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2017/07/how-i-learned-to-stop-worrying-mostly-and-love-my-threat-model/ Join our Discord now at this link so you’ll be ready when the event starts: https://discord.gg/RTaagKX6?event=1257526455756390401 Prepper Chat Nights are on the 1st and 3rd Fridays of every month. Recently we’ve been using these chats to practice threat modeling. Drop by if you’d like to try it.

Reply to: News for the Week 2024-07-29 Posted 2 months ago

Debbie is a much bigger deal than its “tropical storm” title implies. Check this rainfall map. 25 inches of rain will severely flood Charleston, South Carolina. Many places in Florida and Georgia will have severe flooding as well. Florida and South Carolina are both preparing for water rescues. Anyone whose home would substantially flood with these rainfalls needs to be evacuating immediately to avoid needing those rescues.

Reply to: Can a regular refrigerator be used as a medical refrigerator? Posted 2 months ago

Yes, it’s very common for refrigerated home medications to be kept in a regular refrigerator at home. Make sure to keep them clean and dry, perhaps by putting them in a ziplock bag before putting them in the refrigerator. Your specific medication should come with storage instructions, including the range of acceptable temperatures. Most likely there is a broad range of temperatures that you can easily meet with a regular refrigerator. Just make sure to double-check this. The other common complications are power outages or traveling/evacuating. Just like any foods you have in the refrigerator, medications can spoil if the refrigerator warms up. For a short power outage, you can just keep the refrigerator closed to avoid letting heat in. For longer outages, you may need to switch to coolers with cold packs. For traveling you can use a cooler with cold packs. I would not use loose ice, because when it melts the water could wet/contaminate your medications. Here is a product specifically designed for keeping medications cold while traveling – “Portable Insulin Cooler Travel Case, Insulated Diabetic Bag with 2 x 160g Ice Packs for 6-8h Cooling Time”. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BN65QMN

Reply to: News for the week of 2024-07-15 Posted 2 months ago

Tonight’s threat modeling exercise was about civil unrest. = Threats = Protest/demonstration in public area Arson of nearby building Stray bullets Mob attack houses Attacks targeting mask wearers = Assets = Life Health Home (near target target area) Pets Mental health = Protections = Stay away from protest Evacuate if protest next door Home hardening Big screws in kick plate Stronger doors Barricading doors Boarding up windows Home insurance or renter’s insurance Routine awareness of cover and exits Keep pets with you Pet friendly evac plan Crate Learn about mental first aid Food you like in eval bag Go to friend’s house – shelter and comfort Plan for fire: Evacuate fast with dog and call fire dept Fire extinguisher handy – extra large for clearing path Hardening yard or outside of house against fire Clarify household roles – fire extinguisher, grabbing dog, grabbing bags Pet training – evac drills Practice emergency plans Well stocked emergency kit Create safe room – Assuming 556 bullets – how to economically block them Harden outer wall against bullets Bring pets in safe room Train pets to go to safe room for bullet noises Moderation in bullet preps – stressful Security cameras that respect privacy Avoid anyone who seems hostile

Reply to: News for the week of 2024-07-15 Posted 2 months ago

Live threat modeling exercise this Friday evening, July 19, on Discord at 6PM Pacific / 9PM Eastern. This is a good way to think about what we’re preparing for and ensure we’re addressing the most important issues. Learn more about the technique from this article. https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2017/07/how-i-learned-to-stop-worrying-mostly-and-love-my-threat-model/ Join our Discord now at this link so you’ll be ready when the event starts: https://discord.gg/9PFbMwmt?event=1257526455756390401 Prepper Chat Nights are on the 1st and 3rd Fridays of every month. Recently we’ve been using these chats to practice threat modeling. Drop by if you’d like to try it.

Reply to: News for the week of 2024-07-01 Posted 3 months ago

Hurricane threat model = threats = Flood Wind Falling trees Tornado Roof damage Projectiles Loss of access to city services Power outage = assets = Life Home value Access to food Access to water Temperature regulation Immune health = protections/solutions = Collect anything around house or street that could be thrown to break window or washed into storm drain Clear nearby storm drains Know your nearest storm drains in case they need emergency clearing during storm Lawn furniture tied down or brought inside Choose home with low flood risk Evacuate if CAT3+ or if home has high flood risk Repair any roof damage Home insurance Pictures/video to document home condition Sandbags Stored nonperishable food Stored water – high in waterproof containers Stay indoors during storm Storm shutters or impact resistant windows or impact resistant window treatment Remove high risk trees near home Bike for going to grocery story when fallen trees in neighborhood N95 First aid kit Power bank Ice maker Cooling vest Tent Sleeping bag Hand warmers

Reply to: News for the week of 2024-07-01 Posted 3 months ago

A minute of exercise adds five minutes to your life. This interview goes into lots of scientific detail. Or if you don’t feel like reading, this would also be a good time for a walk. 😉 https://open.substack.com/pub/erictopol/p/evan-ashley-exercise-may-be-the-single

Reply to: News for the week of 2024-07-01 Posted 3 months ago

Authy was hacked. If you use this particular security tool, the main concern is an increased risk of SMS phishing or phone number theft because attackers now know what cell phone number is associated with Authy-protected accounts. https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/hackers-abused-api-to-verify-millions-of-authy-mfa-phone-numbers/ Recommended mitigations:1) Update to latest version of Authy app.2) Contact your carrier and ensure your phone number is locked to prevent unauthorized number transfers. Your phone is the weakest link in your digital security

Reply to: News for the week of 2024-07-01 Posted 3 months ago

Live threat modeling exercise this Friday evening, July 5, on Discord at 6PM Pacific / 9PM Eastern. This is a good way to think about what we’re preparing for and ensure we’re addressing the most important issues. Learn more about the technique from this article. https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2017/07/how-i-learned-to-stop-worrying-mostly-and-love-my-threat-model/ Join our Discord now at this link so you’ll be ready when the event starts: https://discord.gg/8CT29KAh?event=1257526091338354712 Prepper Chat Nights are on the 1st and 3rd Fridays of every month. Recently we’ve been using these chats to practice threat modeling. Drop by if you’d like to try it.

Reply to: News for the week of 2024-06-24 Posted 3 months ago

Hurricane Beryl just made history as the first hurricane to reach CAT 4 strength in June. It’s also looking likely that a second hurricane will form a couple days behind and follow the same path, suggesting a risk of getting hit by a second hurricane while still recovering from the first. https://www.nola.com/news/hurricane/beryl-makes-history-as-first-cat-4-hurricane-to-form-in-june/article_8793f516-36ed-11ef-9da8-9f758c022ea0.html

Reply to: News for the week of 2024-06-17 Posted June 21, 2024

At today’s chat night we threat modeled a heat dome. = threats = *Heat dome* Hot in daytime Hot at night Lasts 30 days Power outage Water outage Road damage Fire Medical care rationing Stuck in traffic = assets = Health – heat stroke Health – adequate sleep Health – burns computers Medications Pets Food in refrigerator Fresh air Access to news and emergency alerts = protections/solutions = Stay indoors Errands before 10am Work hours start earlier Cooling vest – buy or DIY Lots of water Drink frequently Water storage – enough for drinking, cooking, handwashing, cooling off, nozzle for washing Frozen water bottles Soakable bandanas – see deals/sales Sniper veil Plan: get overheated person out of sun, ice, freeze packs Ice machine Shoes/gloves Plan for burn: cool sterile water, call 911 for advice, if skin broken then bandages Index card with severe heat plans Clean computer dust on inside for better airflow Equipment in cooler – with freeze pack, covered in ziplock to stay dry Cooling bandana for insulin or other heat intolerant medications Pet booties Pet walking early morning late evening Ice for fluffy dogs (Shaving dog might be bad – depends on breed) Keep fridge closed until power restored Run A/C if you can Sleep on wet sniper veil Sleep in daytime Fans – esp rechargeable Lay on cement – cooler than air Keep pets in room with you – keep eye on them Cover windows – white sheets, infrared film, cardboard, aluminum Air seal house – esp big holes Mist spray Backup power supply – batteries, solar, car hook to house Go in car for A/C access Reflective window insert for car Hang poncho over car for insulation Car window tint Heat blocking window film for house – $25 for 25×1.5 sheet Crank generator Solar panel Hand sanitizer Alternate routes Elastomeric respirator – high flow Air filter Evacuation plan: bring ice water in cooler Medication in go bag Medication-specific cooler – small insulated mudpack case ~$14 Train pets for evacuation process – drills Goggles or full face respirator for smoke First aid training First aid kit – includes burn gel, bandages, sniper veil, water Medication stockpile Crank radio Radio scanner How to get alerts for phone without internet? Pet first aid training – American Red Cross – 35 minute online course Keep fuel tank full Sun screen Car emergency kit – First aid kit, water, sun barrier, sunscreen, caffeine pills, energy shots, snacks, collapsible pet bowl Routine car maintenance Doggie go bag – water, food Dog cooling vest Mini cr box in car

Reply to: News for the week of 2024-06-17 Posted June 17, 2024

Live threat modeling exercise this Friday evening, June 21, on Discord at 6PM Pacific / 9PM Eastern. This is a good way to think about what we’re preparing for and ensure we’re addressing the most important issues. Learn more about the technique from this article. https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2017/07/how-i-learned-to-stop-worrying-mostly-and-love-my-threat-model/ Join our Discord now at this link so you’ll be ready when the event starts: https://discord.gg/TwsmG97n?event=1236335513867255878 Prepper Chat Nights are on the 1st and 3rd Fridays of every month. Recently we’ve been using these chats to practice threat modeling. Drop by if you’d like to try it.

Reply to: News for the week of 2024-06-03 Posted June 5, 2024

First ever lab-confirmed human case of H5N2 bird flu. No known exposure to animals. Patient died a month ago in a Mexico hospital but the information is just now being released. Note this is H5N2, similar but not the same as the H5N1 that’s infected dairy workers in USA. https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/who-confirms-first-human-case-avian-influenza-ah5n2-mexico-2024-06-05/

Reply to: News for the week of 2024-06-03 Posted June 5, 2024

Lyme disease vaccine on the way! This is a big deal for anyone who works outside, camps, or is otherwise at risk of tick bites. https://www.medpagetoday.com/infectiousdisease/generalinfectiousdisease/110492

Reply to: News for the week of 2024-06-03 Posted June 4, 2024

Live threat modeling exercise this Friday evening, June 7, on Discord at 6PM Pacific / 9PM Eastern. This is a good way to think about what we’re preparing for and ensure we’re addressing the most important issues. Learn more about the technique from this article. https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2017/07/how-i-learned-to-stop-worrying-mostly-and-love-my-threat-model/ Join our Discord now at this link so you’ll be ready when the event starts: https://discord.gg/gzsPpf6b?event=1236335513867255878 Prepper Chat Nights are on the 1st and 3rd Fridays of every month. Recently we’ve been using these chats to practice threat modeling. Drop by if you’d like to try it.

Reply to: Lahaina Fire: Deadliest US Fire in a Century Posted May 17, 2024

In survey of Lahaina wildfire survivors, 75% have respiratory issues. When preparing for wildfires, we should think not only of staying alive but also of staying healthy. That might include avoiding smoke, air filtration, respirators, and getting prompt treatment. https://www.medpagetoday.com/pulmonology/generalpulmonary/110155

Reply to: News for the week of 2024-05-13 Posted May 13, 2024

Live threat modeling exercise this Friday evening, May 17, on Discord at 6PM Pacific / 9PM Eastern. This is a good way to think about what we’re preparing for and ensure we’re addressing the most important issues. Learn more about the technique from this article. https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2017/07/how-i-learned-to-stop-worrying-mostly-and-love-my-threat-model/ Join our Discord now at this link so you’ll be ready when the event starts: https://discord.gg/gzsPpf6b?event=1236335513867255878 Prepper Chat Nights are on the 1st and 3rd Fridays of every month. Recently we’ve been using these chats to practice threat modeling. Drop by if you’d like to try it.

Reply to: News for the Week 2024-04-29 Posted May 7, 2024

Notes from last Friday’s flood-themed threat modeling session: = threats = floodssurprise you’re in flood zone and don’t know itinsufficient drainagedips in road floodedstanding water floodrunning water flood / mudflowmold = assets = basement homelife (drowning)house in low lying neighborhoodhouse damagehouse contents damagepetsaccess to hospitalaccess to storeaccess to gassanityneighbors = protections = higher foundationhouse on stiltssandbagsquick dam – quick deploy inflatable sandbagsplastic liner around sandbagspruning treesbuy home with fewer risksno large trees near housemove horses to high spotssump pump – maybe multiple – battery backupdrainage for water to flow around houseparks that soak up waterfrench drainageevacuation planstay with friend in safer home during stormsignup for local/county alertswatch local newsdon’t drive during stormdon’t drive through high waterknow the low spots in roads and avoid themknow how to evac car safely if car caught in floodplastic (waterproof) containers for items in garagekeep garage items off the groundfansdehumidifiersroof tightdownspouts lead away from houseclean roof gutterswindows have no leaksdoors securemove important stuff to high spotsbackup copy of documents to cloudlist of plumbers/handymen/etc for emergency contractor helpcats in carrier upstairsriskfactorreview topographic mapbioswale – pit for collecting waterHOA monitors and improves drainagemonitor nearby storm grates for trash buildupgreen space to absorb waterwiden river channels to allow more swell before homes/businesses impactedalternate routes to clinic/store/evac/hospital for when lowlying roads floodedget to know your area – topography/resourcesdon’t build/buy/rent on edge of riverchecklist for storm prepacclimate to discomfortphysical fitnesswaderslife jacketcheck in on neighbors before/during/after storm and exchange numbers

Reply to: News for the week of 2024-05-06 Posted May 7, 2024

Interview with CDC’s flu director about the H5N1 bird flu situation. She says that CDC has been sidelined due to lack of cooperation from states. She makes a clear distinction between high risk of a pandemic starting versus low risk to individuals because that pandemic hasn’t already started. CDC’s top flu scientist says the risk to the public from H5N1 is low, but she isn’t sleeping well. Here’s why

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