Ok…this is getting fun. I was asked Francis “Frank” Steffan to appear on The Frank Show, on American Voice Radio. This makes the second time in less than a week to be on that network.

This being my second “real” radio interview on big time radio, I felt a lot better and was much happier with how the show went, including topics covered, and some darn good questions.

So, please give it a listen, by clicking the Play button below, or download the mp3 and add it to your Ipod to listen to later.

Comments are most welcome…

Rich

 

 Rich Fleetwood on FEMA, InfraGard, CERT, and Family Prepping: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Another media company has contacted me requesting help in finding folks who may be interested in adventure, travel, survival, and probably a little pain and worry.

I’ve taken a look at their website below and I’ve seen many of the shows they produce appear on the Discovery Channel.

While I will suggest that anyone interested in helping this reality series possibility pursue it with caution (all kinds of things happen when you let it all out on national TV…think of Survivor Winner Richard Hatch, who’s now in prison for tax fraud regarding his winnings), if you ARE up for a challenge, an adventure, and a chance to do something very few individuals ever get to, then send them an email at the address below.

I have. And I will report any updates here.

Rich

Below is the inquiry I received, and below that is the posting they want to share in their search for what I’ll term “meat”.

Hi there,

We’re a non-fiction TV production company looking for some survivalists for a show we have in development. Would mind if I posted an ad in the SurvivalRing forums? I understand many forums have issues with SpamBots, so I thought I’d just contact you first. I’ve included the text of the ad
below.

And here is the posting I’ll be sharing on my websites and other areas….

From Ms. P (name sanitized per request)
Morningstar Entertainment
Burbank, CA
www.morningstarentertainment.com

Are you able to survive in the most dangerous places and situations? We are
currently looking for media-savvy men and women to appear in a television
series about surviving the worst the world has to offer.

If you think you might fit the bill, please email a picture and a brief
letter about what qualifies you to be our survivor to:

morningstarentertainment1@yahoo.com

Check us out on the web:
http://www.morningstarentertainment.com

No calls, please.

Well….THAT sucked…

OK folks…

I’ve had a very long, very bad day….I’m sick, with a stomach virus that is REALLY about to start kicking in (I saw it in action last night in Laramie when we had to pull to the side of the road for one of our tv crew to decorate someone’s yard, and then had to find a newspaper for him to sit on because he blew at BOTH ends)…

…and the video shoot with the vice president went horribly awry with the satellite truck developing hardware problems JUST as the VP’s plane landed, and our regular on-air engineer throwing up in his hotel room and NOT available to fix it, with our backup, less trained engineer arriving only minutes before air time, after a 3 and a half hour drive across the state….well, it become a total cluster (****)….

…and I didn’t even mention the frikking idiots that the state GOP folks hired to do the audio and nicey nice lighting and multimedia INSIDE the 60 or more year old Laramie High School gym…and who could NOT understand how to set the audio feed to us…causing ME to have to FIGHT MY WAY into the gym..AFTER LOCKDOWN by the secret service and the vice president ALREADY in the building, before he came on stage…

…with me getting a full security scan and pat down, and personal traversal by TWO SS agents from the front door all the way through the crowd, to the AUDIO control guys in the BACK of the gym…who had turned our audio feed OFF from the gym to the satellite truck.

Once they pushed the button, and I got back out to the truck, they were blowing the WORST sounding audio I’ve ever heard in my short TV career….at least 20-40 DB…and we were receiving audio feed into our mic set for -50DB…using XLR mics with balanced stereo levels….and I was NOT about to go through that fight again to get back inside to slap the snot out of them.

Holy Mary Mother of God….

Can my day have been ANY worse?

And, I’m just now posting this, because the “director” of WyoPTV chose for us to stay at the Motel 6…which did NOT have wireless access …or net access at all…so I’m a DAY behind now…and this is the FIRST thread I’ve read and caught up on since arriving home, hugging my wife, playing with my grandson Hudsin, and taking a deep breath…

I’ll have a more detailed report later this week, on the entire event.

For now, understand this….

Cheney gave pretty much the same stump speech he has been giving across the entire Western US…almost word for word…

Cubin did the same thing I’ve heard her do several times now while working television coverage of these political races….blowing smoke….standing on a not so hot 12 year career..with NO goals of what she WILL be doing for our state.

The other REPUB candidates (gov, dept of edu, etc, etc) all gave somewhat lukewarm speechs, and the crowd (less then expected I heard), was there for the sparkly lights and big names, but little else.

As we were heading to the satellite truck to power up for the day, we passed a block long procession of protestors marching toward the high school from a couple of blocks away. I got some handy cam video of them as we passed.

A few got in…and one was forcibly carried out…after interrupting Cheney a couple of times with screams of FASCIST!

Sheesh…..

What a frikkin’ day…

That’s the world of political posturing, main stream media, and little people….

…all rolled into one hour long, tripe filled, security laden, vomit smelling, and incredibly intense Saturday morning in Wyoming.

Less you think I am anti-republican, anti-Cheney, or anti-anything, let me say this…

I am an INDEPENDENT.

I vote for the MOST qualified, intelligent, and trained person for the options available. I am a Constitutionalist, and have been for a long time.

But, you just have to see some things for yourself to make that final decision on WHO deserves…ney….EARNS your vote.

AND, for the love of ALL that is great and just in our country…PLEASE vote this Tuesday.

THIS is what our men and women in uniform the world over, have paid for with their blood, and lives, ever since the founding of our nation.

Each of us is welcome to our own choices, decisions, and lives…

Voting is how we help shape our own futures, and the futures of all that come after us.

Thanks for reading, and thanks for those posting on this thread in shows of support…I appreciate it…

Rich

As the Avian Influenza/H5N1A/The Bird Flu slowly creeps around the world, scientists and politicians alike worry their pretty little heads off. They’re concerned that this “modern day plague” could lead to millions of deaths worldwide in the next few years.

Preppers, doomers, survivalists, and millionaires alike are stocking up again, just like for Y2k. Prepackaged food, water, water filters, defensive weaponry, gas masks, medical supplies, and LOTS of meds like Tamiflu and herbal remedies are being yanked off shelves, while online suppliers keep running out (or scamming folks out of hard earned money by not delivering product.

Some of you may have stocked up and filled your bunker by now.

Guess what? Inquiring minds want to know. The media is knocking on MY door again, just like Y2k, and looking for preppers in THEIR neck O-the-woods.

Wanna help your fellow man? Want to dispense your ideologies and thought provoking preparedness protocals to the masses? Want to create a sensation and save the world?

Consider contacting Michelle below, in California. Her newspaper iin Stockon, about halfway between San Franscisco and Yosemite National Park (good place to be…they’ll have a head start when the Flu hits ‘Frisco’, and be hiding out in the caves and cliffs of Yosemite before sundown!)

Give her a shout, if you can help her out…

Richard,

I am a reporter writing a story for The (Stockton, Calif.) Record about pandemic flu preparedness. I am looking for a source in San Joaquin County, California – someone who is ready to be self-sufficient when the next pandemic hits. Do you know of anyone?

As with all media-types, I am working against a deadline. If you could respond at your earliest convenience, I would be most appreciative.

Thank you.

Michelle Machado
Business Reporter, The Record
(209) 943-8547 — phone
(209) 943-8504 — fax
mmachado@recordnet.com — e-mail

Interesting email day today…

Seems “urban survival” is coming back in vogue in a big way again…

First email was from John C. P. Goheen of Terranova Pictures, from the western suburbs of the big city of Denver, Colorado. He’s a television journalist who’s looking for assistance on a couple of stories….one area regarding “bomb shelters”, and the other on urban survival techniques. Here’s his email…

Hello Richard,

I am a television journalist researching a couple of stories…one on urban survival techniques and one on underground shelters (some would call bomb shelters) .

I came across your site and found it very interesting. I am interested in identifying several things. Related to the underground shelters story, I am interested in finding manufactures of this product. I would also like to locate and find someone who has a vintage 1950s era shelter that would allow me to video tape.

I am trying to find examples of things people are doing to be better prepared for the unexpected, either man made or natural. Any thoughts on this?

Thanks, John
John C. P. Goheen
Terranova Pictures

My reply to him follows…

Hi John,

Thanks for the kind words about the site. There are several companies across the US manufacturing prefab fallout shelters, including delivery and installation.

Walton McCarthy at www.bombshelters.com has been featured in many documentaries and news stories before and after 9/11. His former website was www.radius-defense.com .

A friend of mine runs www.safecastle.com , and offers three types of prefab steel shelter here…

You can read more about JC at his blog.

Author Robert Crais is a true Robert A. Heinlein fan. Read about his visit to Heinlein’s bomb shelter in Colorado Springs. Includes photographs.

http://www.illumirate.com/opinions.cfm?cat_id=425565&item_id=93250

His web page was recently updated, and I can’t find a current link to his original article. The current owner of Heinlein’s old home might be able to help you get some video footage. Not sure of the address in Colorado Springs, but someone in that town might be able to direct you there.

Regarding examples of prepping….well, I eat, live, breathe, and share the prep lifestyle for a living. Just earned a electronic media degree, finishing a web degree in May, and started an emergency and disaster management degree this summer, but I’ve live the lifestyle all my life.

I have contacts all over the nation that do the same, and most have the same goals and ideals I do. Many of my closest friends are also active and retired public safety, military, law enforcement and emergency management folks, who have dealt in some way, shape or form with disasters big and small…and helping communities respond and recover.

My background (available on my website) includes years in federal employment, defense electronics, and manufacturing, as well as a love of the outdoors, nature, and the physical world around us.

In being ready for nature and man made disaster, you have to know what the threats around you are. Studying history and events that occur locally and regionally help prepare folks for hurricane zones, tornadic activity, earthquake zones, and the like. My goal is helping others recognize these historical threats, and make plans on dealing specifically with them.

With the events of Katrina, our nation saw the decades of planning went for nought; billions of dollars of government funds to the states went to waste, fraud, and graft; hundreds of man-years of disaster education were useless; and untold numbers of real American lives were put at risk…by a nation that SHOULD have been able to respond INSTANTLY to a natural disaster that took DAYS to actually hit the New Orleans area.

What does this mean? In a true national catastrophe, it falls to the individual to develop skills to save themselves, their family, and friends in a true disaster. What is needed is a much larger program that starts at bottom up, such as the FEMA CERT program, instead of talking heads and management wonks from DC (such as Micheal Brown) who have NO background whatsoever in emergency planning, who are doing the thinking and making decisions, without truly knowing what is about to happen to real people.

My goal is to actually develop training plans, videos, and radio broadcasts that do exactly this. I’m already creating video productions aimed at young adults, and have produced a Telly Award winning set of PSAs, which you can see at www.yaaaonline.com . This is just the start. Many more folks like myself are working on this area of work, and we will be successful.

I’ll be glad to share your request for info on my email lists, and several forums. Or, if you’d like to talk to me further, my contact info is below.

Good luck in your quest, and hope I’ve been able to help some.

Rich

Got something you’d like to share with John? Email me, or hit the CONTACT form at the top of the page to send me a message.

The other email was from Howard D. Shapiro…a big time L.A. lawyer who is seeking a little assistance in regard to Les Stroud, star of the cable television show Survivorman. I’ll share more later…let’s just say Les is coming to the states to visit for now…