RESOURCES & LINKS

Resources for What to do Before, During, and After Disasters

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The TACDA Academy Lesson Manual is an emergency preparedness handbook and covers Civil Defense topics such as:

FEMA Emergency Operation Plans – Houses of Worship and Schools

Pre-Disaster Recovery Planning Guides

Resource Links:

21st Century Homeland Defense and Civil Defense, An Analytical Study by Rick White Ph.D., Arthur J. Simental, M.S., John Holst, M.S.  - Download ebook

American Preppers Network - https://www.facebook.com/groups/AmericanPreppersNetwork/

Backdoor Survival.  "Prepping with Optimism” - http://www.backdoorsurvival.com/

Civil Defense Perspectives - https://www.physiciansforcivildefense.org/category/civil-defense-perspectives/

Civil Defense Radio with Preston Schleinkofer- https://civildefenseradio.com/

Civil Defense Virginia - https://civildefenseva.org/

Crisis Preparedness - https://www.crisispreparedness.com/

Doctors for Disaster Preparedness - https://www.ddponline.org/

EMP Protection of Critical Civilian Infrastructure. Problems and Solutions by Dr. Vladimir Gurevich - Download ebook

Essential Guide to Flood Planning and Preparation - https://www.polygongroup.com/resources/flood-preparation-planning/

FDD’S Long War Journal - http://www.longwarjournal.org/

Federal Emergency Management Agency - https://www.fema.gov/

IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) for Nuclear safety and security - https://www.iaea.org

Medication Stability Beyond Shelf life - Download pdf

MetEd - Meteorology, weather forecasting, and related geoscience topics: https://www.meted.ucar.edu/about.php

Michael Mabee, author of The Civil Defense Book - https://michaelmabee.info/category/mikes-blog/

Minimizing Flood Damage - https://www.directline.com/home-cover/minimise-flood-damage

National Museum of Civil Defense - https://www.uscivildefense.org

Natural Hazards: A service of NASA’s Earth Observatory - http://naturalhazards.nasa.gov/    http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/

Physicians for Civil Defense - https://www.physiciansforcivildefense.org/

Preserve The Harvest - https://extension.usu.edu/preserve-the-harvest/

Responding to an Active Shooter Crisis Situation (FBI) - https://www.fbi.gov/about/partnerships/office-of-partner-engagement/active-shooter-resources/responding-to-an-active-shooter-crisis-situation

Strive for More Preparedness -  https://sfmpro.com/

Survival Sherpa: “Helping Each Other on the Climb to Self-Reliance and Preparedness” - https://survivalsherpa.wordpress.com/

The Daily Web Log for Prepared Individuals Living in Uncertain Times. –  https://survivalblog.com/

The National Weather Service - https://weather.gov

The Provident Prepper: Common Sense Guide to Emergency Preparedness, Self-Reliance and Provident Living - http://theprovidentprepper.org/

The Weather Channel - https://weather.com/

Trusted News and Intelligence from Spec Ops Veterans - https://sofrep.com/

Waldo County Civil Defense Association - https://waldocivildefense.org/

We Protect People.  Let us show you how. -  https://escapethewolf.com/ 

We The Prepared: https://www.wetheprepared.com/

COVID-19 Information Links:

About the Coronavirus - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xj1nUFFVK1E

Cases and Latest Updates - https://www.nih.gov/health-information/coronavirus

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

FEMA - https://www.fema.gov/coronavirus

Frequently Asked Questions - https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/faq.html

Homeland Security Coronavirus 2020 - https://www.dhs.gov/

National Institutes of Health - https://www.nih.gov/health-information/coronavirus

Prepare and Protect yourself - https://www.coronavirus.gov/

World Health Organization - https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019

 

2024 TACDA Civil Defense Zoom Meetings

2023 TACDA Civil Defense Zoom Meetings

2022 TACDA Civil Defense Zoom Meetings

2021 TACDA Civil Defense Zoom Meetings

Nuclear Weapons Effects:

For information about the various effects of nuclear weapons, click here.

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TACDA Radio Active

In times of crisis and natural disasters, Amateur (HAM) radios as well as GMRS (General Mobile Radio Service) and FRS (Family Radio Service) radios are often used as a trusted and proven means of emergency communication. However, they have some differences that may make one more suitable for your needs than the other.

Ham Radio (Amateur Radio)-

  1. License: Ham radio operators must pass a test and obtain an FCC license, which comes in three levels: Technician, General, and Extra.
  2. Range: Ham radios can communicate over much greater distances, sometimes even around the world, depending on the frequency and the type of antenna used.
  3. Channels: Ham radios can operate on a wide range of frequencies, including shortwave, which allows for long-range communication.
  4. Ease of use: Ham radios can be more complex to operate and require a deeper understanding of radio technology and regulations.
  5. Cost: Ham radios can be more expensive than GMRS radios, especially when considering the cost of the license and any additional equipment needed.

Notable examples of Ham radio use include the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center in Manhattan, the 2003 North American blackout, and Hurricane Katrina in September 2005, where amateur radio was used to coordinate disaster relief activities when other systems failed.

TACDA has been a supporter of Amateur Radio communication, and Amateur Radio Clubs, for decades. Clubs can provide information about licensing in their respective area, local operating practices and technical advice.

In the US, Amateur radio operators are required to pass an examination to demonstrate technical knowledge, operating competence and awareness of legal and regulatory requirements in order to avoid interference with other Amateur radio operators and other radio services.

GMRS (General Mobile Radio Service) / FRS (Family Radio Service) Radio-

  1. License: GMRS radio licenses are easier to acquire then Ham radio licenses and last for 10 years.
  2. Range: GMRS radios can have a range of up to 35 miles, depending on the terrain and the power output of the radio.
  3. Channels: GMRS radios have 30 channels, with 22 channels reserved for FRS use (low power).
  4. Ease of use: GMRS radios are typically very user-friendly and don't require much technical knowledge.
  5. Cost: GMRS radios are generally less expensive than ham radios.

In an emergency situation, GMRS radios may be more useful for local communication, while ham radios can be used for both local and long-range communication. However, the choice between the two depends on your specific needs, budget, and the level of technical knowledge you have.

Resource links for Ham and GMRS can be found below.

National Amateur Radio Resources