While we don’t want to become reliant on high tech and broadband communications there are a number of excellent references and resources available for our use on the web.  Here are some of my favorites and those suggested by Prepography’s readers:

Cognitive Preparedness:

• Prepography’s Bookstore:  Fiction or Non-Fiction
• Prepography’s Android Application
• Risk Managment for Preparedness:  A Prepography article that introduces a cognitive tool for evaluating and managing risks.

• E-Book Libraries:

  • Complete Survivalist Library:
  • Ultimate Preparedness Library:  Prepography’s Review of the Ultimate Preparedness Library
  •  Free Survival Library from Lighthouse Survival:  There are all kinds of files here…there’s even a railroad section for all those railroad survivalists out there

•  E-Books:

  • Electromagnetic Pulse E-Book:
  • Family Survival Course:
  • Sold Out After A Crisis:  The 37 Things That Vanish First

• Situational Awareness:

  • Crime Tracking:  SpotCrime is the “Most Comprehensive Online Source of Crime Information.”  Enter your zip code and see what crimes have been reported in your area or sign up for alerts when crimes are reported.
  • World Reference:  The CIA World Factbook is an excellent resource to research information and demographics on the nations of the world.
  • Earthquakes from Centre Sismologique Euro-Mediterraneen:  Worldwide earthquake tracking with a focus on the Mediterranean basin.  Thanks to Prepography reader Moe for the link.
  • Hurricane Tracker:  from the Weather Channel.
  • Radiation Network:  Provides a real-time, geographical representation of environmental radiation levels in the Continental United States (CONUS) overlaid with a map of nuclear sites.  Compare the U.S. map to this map of Radiation in Japan.
  • Real-Time Hazard Tracking Page by reThinkSurvival.
  • Spaceweather:  Space weather forecasts as well as the tracking of dangerous solar flares/Coronal Mass Ejections, Geomagnetic Storm activity and tracking of near earth asteroids.
  • Weather Forecasts from Intellicast:  Source for several types of weather forecasts including local, national, and global mapping as well as storm tracking, travel maps and an influenza tracking map.  There’s an interesting mood map as well where they track potentially mood altering weather events…hmm.  Thanks to Prepography reader Dan in Seattle for the link.
  • Wind Map of the U.S.: This map is actually an art project but the data’s pulled from the National Digital Forecast Database hourly.  Great tool to monitor generalized wind direction for your region and start visualizing prevailing winds.  Understanding the prevailing wind direction in your area gives you a jump start for planning immediate actions in the event of wind dispersed threat like chemical spills, airborne biological attacks and fallout or radiological events.
  • Interactive U.S. Map of firearms used in Self Defense from GunsSaveLives.net.

Communications Preparedness:

• Prepography’s Amazon Communications Store

Water Preparedness:

• Prepography’s Amazon Water Store
• Survive Water Crisis E-Book:

Security Preparedness:

• Prepography’s Amazon Security Store

Concealed Carry & Firearms Law Research Resources

• Carry Concealed Law

• Wikipedia’s Concealed Carry Article

• USA Carry

• Gun Laws by State

Ammunition Price Search Tools

• Ammo Seek:  Ammunition Price Search Engine

• Gun Deals:  Crowdsourced reference to find which stores/dealers have the best current pricing by caliber/gauge

Firearms & Accessories Purchasing Tools & Sites:

• The Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP):  Read Prepography’s article on Buy Your Gun From The Government

• Gun Broker:  Firearms sales / Gun auction.  Pick up locally or have mailed through a local Federal Firearms License (FFL) dealer

• GunListings.org:  Private party sales / Gun classified ads
• Reloading Skill Videos from RCBS
•  National Rifle Association (NRA) Classes:  Find classes in your area on Range Safety, Reloading, Shooting (Rifle, Pistol, Shotgun, Muzzleloading), Instructor Certifications and ‘Refuse to Be A Victim’

Transportation Preparedness

Mapping Tools:

• Beacon:  Beacon is a Geospatial Information System (GIS) used by many local governments to track land ownership, fire protection services, ambulance districts, utility rights of way and of course…taxes.  It may be available to you if your local government subscribes.  Use for IPB (Intelligence Preparation of the Battlespace Neighborhood) and for planning your own Operational Security (OPSEC).

• Google Maps:  Mapping tool with overhead imagery capability and streetview allows you to do recon without ever leaving your arm chair.

• Google Earth:  Google Maps on steroids….complete with 3d models of urban areas.  Probably capable of doing line of site studies (if you’ve tried it let me know).

• Mapquest:  Another great mapping tool with overhead imagery capability

• U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Historical Topographic Maps:  Useful tool to check out your area of operations as important features such as caves and springs are sometimes left off of later edition maps to make room to depict other features.
• NOAA Magnetic Declination Calculator:  North isn’t really North so this tool from the National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration helps you calculate the difference (declination) between Magnetic North and True North.

Shelter, Clothing and Protection from the Elements Preparedness:

• Prepography’s Amazon Shelter Store

Personal Health, Fitness & Medical Preparedness:

• Prepography’s Amazon Personal Health, Fitness & Medical Store

• CitizenReady®:  A standardized, national disaster health education program created by the American Medical Association (AMA) to provide critical medical and mental health information to help individuals protect themselves in a disaster or other serious emergency.  Although the program is designed to be taught in person the lesson plans and materials are available online.

• SparkPeople:  Free Diet Plans (thanks to Rachel, The First Lady of Prepography for the suggestion)

Food Preparedness:

• Prepography’s Amazon Food Store

• Agricultural Extension Services by State

Sustainable Agriculture

• National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service:  Online education and tools for sustainable and organic farmer & rancher…and that’s just scratching the surface of what’s available.
• Sustainable Small Farm Information Network:    A site index for agriculture, sustainable agriculture and conservation for the upper Midwest.
• Permaculture Game:  Not really a tool, but a game that teaches and illustrates permaculture principles.

Financial Preparedness:

Precious Metals Pricing:

• Coinflation:  Excellent tool for checking the spot value of precious metals as well as a source of melt value for current and historical coinage for US & Canadian coinage as well as select European Countries

• Compare Gold Prices

• Compare Silver Prices

• PCGS Professional Coin Grading Service:  Many preppers end up with some collector grade precious metal coins in their collection.  Here’s an online tool to help you estimate your coins ‘grade’ both to assess it’s value and if it’s worth sending in for formal evaluation.

Others Tools & Sites:

Government Surplus Websites:

• GovDeals:  Lots of fire and police equipment as well as utility company and heavy equipment

• Government Liquidators:  My favorite shopping site!

• GSA Auctions:  Sells everything from vehicles to equipment to lighthouses

• IRS Auctions:  Seized property and real estate of all types

• Property Room:  More general auctions but they want to be known for their seized items auctions

• Public Surplus:  Vehicles, boats, etc.
• Save Us Chuck Woolery:  Entertaining and informative videos from the former talk show host

• U.S. Treasury Real Estate Auctions:  Seized Real Estate Sales

Dictionaries:

• Prepography’s Glossary:
• Department of Defense Dictionary of Military Terms

Andrew’s Note:  Know of a great online tool that we  haven’t listed below?  If so… go to my Contact Page, tell me what the tool does and why you like it.  Make sure and include the link.  If I like it and it’s Self-Reliant or Prepping related you might see it pop up on this page.