I figured I would have some fun today and mention some of what I feel “preparedness is about” without sounding like a know-it-all. 🙂 The following lists are in no particular order and you’re welcome to add your own thoughts to the comments below.
I also figured that I should start with some of the things that preparedness is NOT about first so we’re clear. As such, preparedness is NOT about…
1. Hoarding. Sure, we stockpile supplies but it’s far different than hoarding which is an unhealthy disease. Hoarders keep anything and everything that is useless and more or less trash. Preppers put back supplies and food that they can and will use now and in the future.
2. Selfishness. Preppers, in my opinion, get a bad wrap about not “sharing” their stuff. I have no idea why people who choose not to prepare think they should somehow get my supplies if/when SHTF. It’s the same logic as if I had choose not to save for my retirement and then expect the guy who did so to fund my “golden years.” That just doesn’t make any sense.
3. Fear mongering. Sadly, I feel there are too many people and websites out there who are taking advantage of people based on their fears. True prepping isn’t about that. In fact, prepping is more about being hopeful and positive for the future than not. For example, if I really felt there were no hope in going on with life during a SHTF event then what’st he point in trying to survive it? I’m better of dead.
4. Politics. It’s true that a majority of those who consider themselves preppers are likely conservative but prepping isn’t a political movement. Instead, prepping is a way of life and a way of looking at the world with an understanding that the government can’t always be there to save us and that we have a personal responsibility to care for ourselves, our families, and even our neighbors if we so choose and are capable.
5. Wilderness survival. Yes, prepping can include bushcraft skills but that’s merely a small part of an overall strategy and one that you can choose to learn or not. Personally, I’m no Boy Scout–though I try to learn–but by-and-large wilderness skills are not what I’m interested in when it comes to being prepared. If it is for you then great.
With that in mind, preparedness is about…
1. Storing enough water so that you can work to procure more if needed.
2. Including easy to prepare food in your preps so that you don’t have a lot of work to make meals when you’re already stressed, tired, and possibly pre-occupied.
3. Storing alternative fuel (e.g., propane, charcoal, etc) so that you can cook meals quickly.
4. Doing the skills you expect to utilize during a survival situation (e.g., fire starting with wet materials, cooking over a campfire, using a Dutch oven, etc).
5. Planning to shelter in place if at all possible.
6. Planning to bug out if you must.
7. Understanding how to secure your home during social unrest (e.g., board up windows, bar doors, sandbag if needed, etc) including how to use firearms to defend yourself and family if necessary.
8. Having and testing your OPSEC plan for light, noise, and odor discipline (e.g., testing that light doesn’t escape a blacked-out window).
9. Knowing how to properly deal with human waste when the sewers stop working, such as storing in a bucket and burying it outdoors.
10. Creating a communications plan with other family members which could include using out-of-state contacts to funnel messages through.
11. Deciding on a family meeting place(s) for personal disasters like a house fire, larger emergencies where only your area is affected such as your neighborhood or city block, or if the entire city/region is affected.
12. Carrying EDC gear so that you always have some supplies to rely upon no matter where you are, from a pocket knife to a Bic lighter, there are many items you can include.
13. Including a comprehensive vehicle repair kit that includes items like tire repair supplies, fluids, tools, etc.
14. Adding in appropriate seasonal supplies (e.g., clothing, gloves, boots, etc.) to your vehicle kit.
15. Remembering that your pets need water, food, medicine, and more too.
16. Ensuring that you stockpile as much prescription medications and other life-necessary supplies (e.g., insulin, oxygen, etc) as you possibly can.
17. Including appropriate emergency first aid supplies (e.g., tourniquets, occlusive dressings, nasal airways, etc) to deal with life-threatening scenarios until help arrives… and understanding how to use them.
18. Being able to heat your home–or at least a small room–during the winter if necessary.
19. Cooling a small room during the hot summer (a generator and window A/C could be useful here).
20. Powering a refrigerator or freezer so perishable food doesn’t spoil.
21. Realizing you can’t do it all on your own and being able / willing to delegate responsibilities to other people, including children.
22. Being aware of what’s going on in the world, particularly your city / region, so that you’re not caught off-guard by potential threats (e.g., Ebola, Missouri riots, recent nearby crimes, etc).
23. Being able to purify water from nearby sources such as a stream or collected from your rooftop.
24. Having backup life-necessary gear and supplies such as multiple ways to purify water, multiple ways to cook food, multiple ways to stay warm, multiple ways to light up a dark room, and so on.
25. Developing more than one bug out route, rendezvous points, locations to bug out to.
26. Caching some of your supplies outside of your home be it at a friend or family member’s home, a storage unit, buried underground, etc.
27. Learning new skills and information on a regular basis so you never feel like you “know it all” and perhaps even to stretch your own comfort levels.
28. Eating what you store and storing what you eat. 🙂
29. Stockpiling enough hygiene supplies (e.g., bars of soap, toothpaste, etc) so that you can continue to keep yourself clean.
30. Knowing when as well as when NOT to administer medical aid (unless you’re qualified to do so).
31. Having the ability to light up a room with a lantern, a large area outside (such as with a floodlight), or directional lighting with a flashlight.
32. Having the ability to listen to emergency broadcasts both near (such as with a NOAA weather radio) and far (e.g., shortwave radio).
33. Stockpiling plenty of batteries to run your critical gear such as radios, two-way radios, flashlights, lanterns, and so on.
34. Keeping some cash on hand (at home and on your person) so that you can still make purchases if the grid goes down and vendors cannot accept credit/debit cards or checks.
35. Making it clear to family and friends your intentions during SHTF, that is, are they welcome or not… if they are how are they expected to contribute, what happens if they don’t, etc.
36. Developing an off-grid power setup so that you have a renewable energy option.
37. Properly sanitizing dishes, surfaces, and so on to minimize the possibility of getting sick.
38. Storing, burying, or burning trash to minimize the spread of diseases as well as rodents and other pests.
39. Being able to patch up your home should it get damaged, especially windows, doors, rooftop (e.g., using plastic sheeting).
40 Being able to keep yourself properly protected from foul weather (e.g., a rain suit, proper footwear, cold weather clothing, etc).
41. Being able to detect and deal with small house fires (e.g., smoke alarms and fire extinguishers) and knowing when NOT to deal with them.
42. Entertaining yourself (especially children) when none of the electronics work!
BONUS: Remembering to enjoy life and not be totally obsessed with prepping all the time.
Now, stop reading this and go have some fun! 🙂
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