FAQ
What is A.N.T.S?
Americans Networking To Survive is simply a network of neighbors helping neighbors. Just as you would help your neighbor, we help our members in the cities, towns and states around us.
We are made up of preppers called (ants) who work together to provide other ants basic supplies when needed. This is done by relaying supply pods, which are just five gallon buckets filled with supplies, to any member that needs them.
What are preppers?
A prepper is someone who prepares ahead of time for disasters.
Why should a prepper want to join A.N.T.S?
Preppers are prepared, but emergency plans can go wrong. So in order to be fully prepared you need to have back up plans. A.N.T.S can be one of those back up plans.
How do you join A.N.T.S?
To join, go to the website, click membership and follow the instructions and watch the videos which will guide you through the process.
It is easy to do and you will receive a reply within 24 hours.
How does a member request supplies?
There are two ways to request supplies.
1- Make Contact Yourself - If you are caught in a disaster and need supplies, you can make contact with the group yourself by either posting a message in the A.N.T.S group or by sending a text to my phone, twitter, or Facebook account.
This will allow you to give me a supply list and directions to your location.
2- Place An Icon On The Map - If you have placed an icon on the A.N.T.S map and need supplies, but have no way to make contact. A member just outside of the disaster area will come and look for your distress marker.
This marker will have directions to your location or it can mark the location itself. If contact is made, you can give them your supply list.
Does the map compromise your OPSEC - operational security?
No, the map does not mark the location of your home. There are three options for placing an icon on the map.
1. You can place your icon on your street: If you use this method and you are caught in a disaster and cannot contact the group -- nearby members will search for you by looking on your street for a distress marker.
2. You can place your icon on any intersection in your city/town: If you use this method and you are caught in a disaster and cannot contact the group -- nearby members will search for you by looking at that intersection for a distress marker.
3. You can choose not to place an icon: If you choose this method and you are caught in a disaster -- nearby members will not look for you, so you will need to make contact yourself.
So as you can see, there is no compromise. Each member decides what is right for them.
Why does A.N.T.S have level 1 and level 2 guidelines?
The guidelines are agreed upon methods for working with each other.
Level one guidelines are for disasters in which people still have communication capabilities outside of a disaster area.
Level two guidelines are for a wide spread disaster in which all communications have been lost.
How can you make contact during a level 2 disaster?
A level two disaster will definitely be a challenge. The best case scenario would have all ants connected with HAM radios, but the reality of the situation will have some with and some without.
The location map will not be available, so searching for members other than ones you know will be impossible.
Members needing help in this type of disaster will look for messages that may have been placed by comm ants at agreed upon drop points.
These messages may lead to a supply cache, safe place or com ant that has volunteered to help with communications.
How do members volunteer?
Members are called ants and they can volunteer to do any of four jobs..
1 - Camp Ant - Manages camp activities, goes out and finds receiving ants who need help, creates route maps and request supply pods from donor ants.
2 - Com Ant - Is responsible for shortwave radio, cell and Internet communications and may also place messages at drop points during a level two disaster.
3 - Trail Ant - Goes out and finds receiving ants who need help if the camp ant is unable to do so, they report their status back to the camp ant and deliver supply pods.
4 - Donor Ant - Transfers supply pods, in a relay fashion, between transfer points and camp.
A Receiving Ant - is an ant that needs help and has placed a distress marker.
What are the map icons?
Map icons are used to mark the general location of members.
1 - All icons are either blue or purple depending on which one we are using at the time. The color changes every six months in order to identify inactive ants.
2 - Green icons are used to let other ants know that you are OK or available to volunteer.
3 - Yellow icons are use by camp ants.
4 - Red icons are used by receiving ants.
What are distress markers?
Distress markers are used by receiving ants who are unable to contact the group.
There are two types:
1 - The street marker is placed at the entrance to a driveway and is made out of sticks or other debris in the shape of the letter N and stands for Needs supplies.
2 - The intersection marker is used by ants that did not want to put an icon on their street. It is placed at an intersection and made from a stone, rock or brick, It has directions on the bottom that will lead the camp or trail ants to their location.
What are supply pods?
Supply pods are five gallon buckets that are filled with basic supplies. We use buckets to protect the contents during transit and on site from weather. They can also be use for other things after the contents have been removed.
Having the same size pods also helps donor ants figure out how many pods they can transport in their vehicles. The smallest vehicle in a relay dictates how many pods can be transported.
There are ten basic types of supply pods, but which pods, how many are sent and what they will ultimately contain depends on the type of disaster and what items are needed by the receiving ants.
The ten types are:
A water pod, which contains water bottles or pouches.
A food pod, which contains food.
A shelter pod, which can contain a tent or tools for making a temporary shelter. ( A hole may need to be cut in lid for tent poles )
A bedding pod, which contains a sleeping bag, sheets or covers.
A hygiene pod, which contains hygiene products,
wash clothes, towels, etc.
A clothing pod, which contains requested clothing.
A cooking pod - which contains cooking and fire kits.
A medical pod - which contains medical supplies.
A baby pod - which contains baby supplies, formula, baby food, diapers, blankets, etc.
A sanitation pod - which contains toilet, trash and cleaning supplies.
Who came up with the idea for A.N.T.S?
Timothy French came up with the idea for A.N.T.S while working along the Gulf coast during hurricane Katrina.
His interaction with the victims of the hurricane help formulate the idea for A.N.T.S.
He noticed that the people doing the best, were working toward their own recovery with help from friends and family, while the people doing the worst, were just waited for someone to tell them what to do.
He also noticed that volunteers were telling people not to worry, because they were going to be there to the end, making sure they got what they needed; unknowingly making the mistake of treating people like helpless victims, instead of teaching them how to take care of themselves.
He thought the volunteers should have been saying "we will help you work toward your own recovery, but in the end your success is up to you." This would have got them to stop thinking like victims and allow them to become their own rescuer.
He realized that Americans are not helpless and do not need to be herded around like cattle. Americans are perfectly capable of taking care of themselves if given the knowledge and support to do so.
He also realized that there were people who wanted to help, but could not go down and volunteer, so he started coming up with ways to solve these problems
1 - People were feeling helpless, slowing down their recovery.
2 - Supplies were being wasted and some needed items could not be found.
3 - Storing the supplies was difficult and some had to be left out in the weather.
4 - People wanted to help, but could not travel far from home.
A.N.T.S solved these problems by:
1 - Teaching people how to be prepared by promoting the prepper lifestyle.
2 - Preventing waste; supplies are not delivered until requested. This eliminates the need for a storage area and assures that specific items can be sent if available.
3 - Allowing people to help without traveling far from home.
Want it take a long tome to transport supplies across the country?
No, ants in California will not be helping ants in North Carolina. It will be your neighboring ants that come in to help. Supply routes start with the closet ants and only go out far enough to get the needed supplies.
How can you be sure other ants will help?
You can not, you can only be sure that you will help. If every member looks at it this way, help will be there when needed.
Who is in charge?
We all are, we decide what we will and will not do. Each job is important.
What are colonies?
Colonies are not required, but can be formed by members who want to meet with each other. They can be big or small and take on any form it's members like.
What are ant hills?
Ant hills are created by members who want to become comm ants during disasters. Members can then go to the Hill sites and get local disaster information without all of the media hype.
What is the A.N.T.S survival guide?
The survival guide provides prepping information to the beginning and intermediate prepper. It covers every survival topic and can help a member expand their knowledge
It contains all of the best available information from across the internet along with videos and podcast to help explain the topics.
It is constantly being updated with new information.
Americans Networking To Survive is simply a network of neighbors helping neighbors. Just as you would help your neighbor, we help our members in the cities, towns and states around us.
We are made up of preppers called (ants) who work together to provide other ants basic supplies when needed. This is done by relaying supply pods, which are just five gallon buckets filled with supplies, to any member that needs them.
What are preppers?
A prepper is someone who prepares ahead of time for disasters.
Why should a prepper want to join A.N.T.S?
Preppers are prepared, but emergency plans can go wrong. So in order to be fully prepared you need to have back up plans. A.N.T.S can be one of those back up plans.
How do you join A.N.T.S?
To join, go to the website, click membership and follow the instructions and watch the videos which will guide you through the process.
It is easy to do and you will receive a reply within 24 hours.
How does a member request supplies?
There are two ways to request supplies.
1- Make Contact Yourself - If you are caught in a disaster and need supplies, you can make contact with the group yourself by either posting a message in the A.N.T.S group or by sending a text to my phone, twitter, or Facebook account.
This will allow you to give me a supply list and directions to your location.
2- Place An Icon On The Map - If you have placed an icon on the A.N.T.S map and need supplies, but have no way to make contact. A member just outside of the disaster area will come and look for your distress marker.
This marker will have directions to your location or it can mark the location itself. If contact is made, you can give them your supply list.
Does the map compromise your OPSEC - operational security?
No, the map does not mark the location of your home. There are three options for placing an icon on the map.
1. You can place your icon on your street: If you use this method and you are caught in a disaster and cannot contact the group -- nearby members will search for you by looking on your street for a distress marker.
2. You can place your icon on any intersection in your city/town: If you use this method and you are caught in a disaster and cannot contact the group -- nearby members will search for you by looking at that intersection for a distress marker.
3. You can choose not to place an icon: If you choose this method and you are caught in a disaster -- nearby members will not look for you, so you will need to make contact yourself.
So as you can see, there is no compromise. Each member decides what is right for them.
Why does A.N.T.S have level 1 and level 2 guidelines?
The guidelines are agreed upon methods for working with each other.
Level one guidelines are for disasters in which people still have communication capabilities outside of a disaster area.
Level two guidelines are for a wide spread disaster in which all communications have been lost.
How can you make contact during a level 2 disaster?
A level two disaster will definitely be a challenge. The best case scenario would have all ants connected with HAM radios, but the reality of the situation will have some with and some without.
The location map will not be available, so searching for members other than ones you know will be impossible.
Members needing help in this type of disaster will look for messages that may have been placed by comm ants at agreed upon drop points.
These messages may lead to a supply cache, safe place or com ant that has volunteered to help with communications.
How do members volunteer?
Members are called ants and they can volunteer to do any of four jobs..
1 - Camp Ant - Manages camp activities, goes out and finds receiving ants who need help, creates route maps and request supply pods from donor ants.
2 - Com Ant - Is responsible for shortwave radio, cell and Internet communications and may also place messages at drop points during a level two disaster.
3 - Trail Ant - Goes out and finds receiving ants who need help if the camp ant is unable to do so, they report their status back to the camp ant and deliver supply pods.
4 - Donor Ant - Transfers supply pods, in a relay fashion, between transfer points and camp.
A Receiving Ant - is an ant that needs help and has placed a distress marker.
What are the map icons?
Map icons are used to mark the general location of members.
1 - All icons are either blue or purple depending on which one we are using at the time. The color changes every six months in order to identify inactive ants.
2 - Green icons are used to let other ants know that you are OK or available to volunteer.
3 - Yellow icons are use by camp ants.
4 - Red icons are used by receiving ants.
What are distress markers?
Distress markers are used by receiving ants who are unable to contact the group.
There are two types:
1 - The street marker is placed at the entrance to a driveway and is made out of sticks or other debris in the shape of the letter N and stands for Needs supplies.
2 - The intersection marker is used by ants that did not want to put an icon on their street. It is placed at an intersection and made from a stone, rock or brick, It has directions on the bottom that will lead the camp or trail ants to their location.
What are supply pods?
Supply pods are five gallon buckets that are filled with basic supplies. We use buckets to protect the contents during transit and on site from weather. They can also be use for other things after the contents have been removed.
Having the same size pods also helps donor ants figure out how many pods they can transport in their vehicles. The smallest vehicle in a relay dictates how many pods can be transported.
There are ten basic types of supply pods, but which pods, how many are sent and what they will ultimately contain depends on the type of disaster and what items are needed by the receiving ants.
The ten types are:
A water pod, which contains water bottles or pouches.
A food pod, which contains food.
A shelter pod, which can contain a tent or tools for making a temporary shelter. ( A hole may need to be cut in lid for tent poles )
A bedding pod, which contains a sleeping bag, sheets or covers.
A hygiene pod, which contains hygiene products,
wash clothes, towels, etc.
A clothing pod, which contains requested clothing.
A cooking pod - which contains cooking and fire kits.
A medical pod - which contains medical supplies.
A baby pod - which contains baby supplies, formula, baby food, diapers, blankets, etc.
A sanitation pod - which contains toilet, trash and cleaning supplies.
Who came up with the idea for A.N.T.S?
Timothy French came up with the idea for A.N.T.S while working along the Gulf coast during hurricane Katrina.
His interaction with the victims of the hurricane help formulate the idea for A.N.T.S.
He noticed that the people doing the best, were working toward their own recovery with help from friends and family, while the people doing the worst, were just waited for someone to tell them what to do.
He also noticed that volunteers were telling people not to worry, because they were going to be there to the end, making sure they got what they needed; unknowingly making the mistake of treating people like helpless victims, instead of teaching them how to take care of themselves.
He thought the volunteers should have been saying "we will help you work toward your own recovery, but in the end your success is up to you." This would have got them to stop thinking like victims and allow them to become their own rescuer.
He realized that Americans are not helpless and do not need to be herded around like cattle. Americans are perfectly capable of taking care of themselves if given the knowledge and support to do so.
He also realized that there were people who wanted to help, but could not go down and volunteer, so he started coming up with ways to solve these problems
1 - People were feeling helpless, slowing down their recovery.
2 - Supplies were being wasted and some needed items could not be found.
3 - Storing the supplies was difficult and some had to be left out in the weather.
4 - People wanted to help, but could not travel far from home.
A.N.T.S solved these problems by:
1 - Teaching people how to be prepared by promoting the prepper lifestyle.
2 - Preventing waste; supplies are not delivered until requested. This eliminates the need for a storage area and assures that specific items can be sent if available.
3 - Allowing people to help without traveling far from home.
Want it take a long tome to transport supplies across the country?
No, ants in California will not be helping ants in North Carolina. It will be your neighboring ants that come in to help. Supply routes start with the closet ants and only go out far enough to get the needed supplies.
How can you be sure other ants will help?
You can not, you can only be sure that you will help. If every member looks at it this way, help will be there when needed.
Who is in charge?
We all are, we decide what we will and will not do. Each job is important.
What are colonies?
Colonies are not required, but can be formed by members who want to meet with each other. They can be big or small and take on any form it's members like.
What are ant hills?
Ant hills are created by members who want to become comm ants during disasters. Members can then go to the Hill sites and get local disaster information without all of the media hype.
What is the A.N.T.S survival guide?
The survival guide provides prepping information to the beginning and intermediate prepper. It covers every survival topic and can help a member expand their knowledge
It contains all of the best available information from across the internet along with videos and podcast to help explain the topics.
It is constantly being updated with new information.
