Can you believe it’s been twenty years since 9/11? It really does feel like just yesterday when I was standing in the break room where I worked watching the news and all that unfolded.
I was relatively fresh out of college, recently married, and somehow naïve about the terrors of the world. Perhaps my parents just did a really good job of ensuring I stayed safe through my youth.
Whatever the reason, 9/11 was the day–and I didn’t fully understand it at the time–when I started to get into preparedness. I remember thinking that “if THAT could happen, then what ELSE could happen?”
At some point I began searching online for prepper gear; really, anything that said “prepper” or “survival” on it, I was interested in and probably bought at the time. In fact, I purchased all sorts of things I wouldn’t buy now, including silly commando wire saws which broke the first time I tried them, gas masks which I might still have, flimsy Mylar blankets that are more annoying than useful, a solar crank radio that was simply a waste of time, and I can’t remember what else.
I made pocket survival kits out of Altoids tin cans and began to bring them to work in my fancy cargo pants pockets which, whether I’ll admit it or not, weren’t in style even then. True, some of the stuff I added to the kits might have been useful, but let’s be honest, most of it wouldn’t have been very useful to me in most cases.
[A silly aside: I frayed more cargo pants pockets with my CRKT M21 knife at the time, a knife I still own and love, by the way.]
I used to find “survival” information online and print it off in bundles. I once had multiple binders of information I found useful at the time, organized into topics (e.g., water treatment, food storage, lighting, etc.) and then conveniently stashed the binders away in my “to be read” bookcase for years until I decided actual books were more useful, so I eventually tossed the binders. Looking back, maybe I should’ve kept some of that info for SHTF.
Anyway, I also printed off one or two pages of survival basics (mostly for my wife) to keep in the car; I would protect the pages by placing them in clear sheet protectors and even taped off the tops to keep water out. It would include things like how to find firewood in the wilderness, how to signal for help, and stuff like that. Truth be told, she probably wouldn’t have done any of it.
Eventually, I gave up on DIY survival information for the cars and did my best to ensure she (and I) could effect our own rescue, such as by having tools like a portable battery jump starter and a spare tire (as well as a tire repair kit), a spare phone in the glove box, a way to charge our existing phones, and so on. Of course, I also ensured we had plenty of survival gear should it come to that, including shelf-stable snack foods, water, clothing, a sleeping bag, and a host of other items in various plastic bins. We often “fought” over trunk space because her job required a lot of equipment and supplies, but we made it work.
At some point, I transitioned to simply keeping our respective bug out bags in the cars instead. That saved space to an extent and ensured we had supplies we may need in an evacuation scenario, even when away from home. Eventually, that transitioned (for my wife, anyway) into a get home bag which saved even more space for her car and, if I’m being honest, was more likely to be used by her since it was smaller and less obvious as a bug out bag.
I could reminisce all day, especially of all the silly things I may have done along my preparedness journey. It is interesting to look back, however, and consider just how far I’ve come and, sadly, how much further I have to go.
But I know I’m on a good path for my family. We’re attempting to transition to an even more self-sufficient lifestyle over the next few years by focusing our efforts on homesteading. I believe it really is time to stop relying on society as much as possible considering the way things have been the past few years. Regrettably, I’m afraid things are going to get far worse because I firmly believe that we’re headed for collapse in the near future. When? I couldn’t say. Months or years? I don’t know. But I do know that you can’t wait until after the fact to prepare… that’s prepping 101.
Now’s the time to transition. Become as self-sufficient as you possibly can while you still can. It doesn’t have to happen overnight, but you can’t wait until the banks declare a permanent bank holiday, your savings get confiscated, or the U.S. Dollar becomes useless.
It’s coming, folks.
Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
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