Items for a Stormwatch Project Toolkit
The resources listed here are only a small fraction of what’s available online, and from other sources, about preparedness, mutual aid, and disaster relief. This list is a work in progress, and we encourage you to let us know about other resources you’d like to see here.
Disaster Management Courses
The University of Wisconsin offers a distance learning program in disaster management with self-study courses on most phases of dealing with natural or manmade disasters. The courses cost from $100 (US) up, but can be used for college Continuing Education credit.
Free Disaster Skills Training
FEMA, the US Government agency that coordinates emergency programs, offers a series of free home study courses in emergency preparedness and disaster response skills. These take between 4 and 14 hours to complete; there’s a test at the end of each one, and if you pass with a 75% score or above, you get a certificate. The courses can be downloaded, or they can be accessed by mail at Federal Emergency Management Agency, Emergency Management Institute, Home Study Program, 16825 S. Seton Ave., Emmitsburg, MD 21727.
Kids’ Information on Changing Times
The greatchange.org website is an evolving project for helping children understand and relate to the hard realities of changing times and the potentials – positive as well as negative – of the future.
Low Tech Library
The Low Tech Library is an annotated bibliography of books useful for dealing with disruptions to our current, complex, and potentially fragile economic and social system. Includes everything from medical self-care and basic survival issues to homesteading, crafts, and growing your own food.
New Alchemy Institute
Now defunct, the New Alchemy Institute was one of the brightest stars in the appropriate technology scene of the 70s and 80s. Many of its publications
on energy efficiency, food production, and similar topices are still available
in reprint form.
Preparedness Information
The Preparedness Nuggets are collections of useful files on nearly all aspects of preparedness and self-sufficiency, prepared and maintained by a Catholic social welfare organization. The same organization also offers a convenient collection of downloadable, ready-to-print flyers on preparedness topics, and a “Better Times” webzine which features prepareness issues.
Survival Skills
The Society for Primitive Technology website offers access to wilderness survival and outdoors skills schools across North America, as well as useful information on a wide range of related subjects.
Sustainability Resources
A vast collection of internet resources on sustainable energy and technology can be accessed via the Communications for a Sustainable Future website, which includes access to hundreds of sites on a wide range of related issues.
Urban Farming
The ability to grow your own food in an urban or suburban setting can be an important key to dealing with hard times. Many oldtimers remember the Victory Gardens of World War II, when wartime shortages led many people to provide some of their own food. The City Farmer website, based in British Columbia, has a wealth of useful information for projects of this sort.
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