Prepper's Guide to Surviving Natural Disasters
Transcript of Prepper's Guide to Surviving Natural Disasters
PREPPER’SGUIDETO
SURVIVINGNATURALDISASTERS
JAMESD.NOWKA
DEDICATION
IwouldliketodedicatethisbooktothetwoDepressionkids—mymomanddad—whotaughtmetheimportanceofself-reliance,
andmywife,whohasstoodbesidemeinpersonorinspiritoneveryadventure.
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
STAGESANDLEVELSOFPREPARATION
STAYINGPUT
MAKINGAMOVE
FOOD
WATER
SHELTER
GUNSANDAMMO
PRACTICEMAKESPERFECT
INSHAPETOSURVIVE
MEDICINEWITHOUTDOCTORS
M
INTRODUCTION
odernconvenienceaffordsoursocietysomuchmorethanearliergenerationsofAmericanscould’veeverwishedfororconsidered.Ourforefathers,though,hadafewimportantthingsoftheirownthat
havebecomerareinthisdayandage.Theskills,attitudeanddrivetheyneededtosimplygetthroughtheireverydaychallengesappeartobethingsthatmosthavejustletslipaway.Lifeiseasiernow.Still,I’vecometowonderhowmuchallofourmodern
conveniencesreallyofferiftheprinciplesofself-reliancewerehandedawayintrade-off.Itseemssomanypeopletodaylackeventhebasicabilitiesthatwouldbecomenecessarytoensurepersonalsafetyandsurvivalshouldanemergencysituationstrike.Insomeways,thisbookisatextbook.Inothers,it’saninstructionalmanual.
Atitsheart,it’saguideonexercisingcommonsense.Ihopethefollowingpagesmightbringevenafewtorecognizethatthehardworkandvirtuesofself-relianceexercisedgenerationsagoarejustasimportanttodayastheyalwayswere.I’veworkedinmanydifferentroles,traveledtheworldandI’veseentragedy
inavarietyofscales.Disasters,whetherthey’reisolatedsituationsormajornewsevents,happenfrequentlyenoughthateveryoneshouldtakenotice.Spendingsometimeandthought,learningsomenewskillsandassemblingthepropergearcouldgoalongwaytowardsoothingthestingshouldanemergency
propergearcouldgoalongwaytowardsoothingthestingshouldanemergencytouchyourfamily.It’samatterofdevelopingtherightmindsetandapproachinglifefroma
positionofvigilance.It’samatterofkeepingonestepaheadofourmanyriskfactors.Thisverymomentisthebesttimetogetstarted.It’sfartoolatetoentertainthatveryfirstthoughtofsurvivalwhenatruethreatispoundingatthefrontdoor.
Inadisastersituation,there’snoguarantee911emergencyserviceswillbeabletohelpyouinatimelyfashion.Insomecases,theymightnotbeabletohelpyouatall.
Thepotentialfordevastationisn’tanenjoyabletopicforanyonetothinkabout.Itisn’tdifficulttounderstandhowsomanypeoplehavesettledintoattitudesofcomplacency.It’satremendoustimemarkedwithnewandunbelievabletools.Mostpeoplehaveaccessto911emergencyservicesfromrightinsidetheirpocketsbyvirtueoftheircellphones.Oftentimes,thosesamephonescanalsoemail,text,surftheinternetandcallupthelatestnewsandweatherreports.Manypeoplehavetheabilitytohitabuttonintheircarsandquicklycallonanambulanceatthefirstsignoftrouble.It’sadouble-edgedsword.Somanypeopletodayhavefalsesensesofsecurity
bolsteredbyalloftheirconveniences.Manytakegreatandunduecomfortknowingtheircreditcardsareateasyreach.However,ourphonesortheplasticinourwalletswouldnotcomeclosetofoolproofinthemidstofadisasterorin
inourwalletswouldnotcomeclosetofoolproofinthemidstofadisasterorinitsaftermath.Likethemenandwomenofevenjustagenerationortwoearlier,westilltrulyneedtheknow-howandingenuitytobeabletorelyonlyonourselvesshouldanynumberofdifficultsituationsrequire.Myowneffortstowardself-relianceanddedicationtoplanningbeganearly
witheverythingIlearnedfrommydad.Hewasbornin1927.Throughhisfirst20orsoyears,heonlyknewlifethroughthelensoftheGreatDepression.Itwasn’tuntilhisstintwasupintheMarinesafterWorldWarIIthathelearnedwhatrealprosperitywas.Mydadcarriedawaysomegoodlessonsfromhisyoungerdaysinthatterribleeconomictimeandputthemtousefortheremainderofhisyears.Hisfrugalsensetaughtmeafewthings.Althoughmyparentsdidwellforthemselves,theywereneverbigspenders.Theysavedfortherainydays.Theygotthemostfromeverythingtheyhad.Today,mostwouldrathernotbotherwiththebroken.It’sadisposablesociety
inwhichpeopleexpecttheirthingstoworkandsimplytossthemasidewhenthefirsthintsofproblemsemerge.Ifanitemisimportantenough,theywillsenditoutforrepair.Mydadwouldcertainlybuysomethingnewwhenthesituationrequired,buthe’dneverputtheoldoneouttothetrashbin.Afterall,thatoldpiecewasstillgoodforparts.Hedidn’tcallonsomeoneelsetofixhisproblemsbecauseheknewhecouldjustaseasilydoithimself.
Creditcardsareoflittlehelpwhenstoresarewithoutpowerfollowingadisaster.It’sbesttokeepareserveofcashonhandforemergencies.
ItwasanimportantlessonintakingownershipthatItooktoheart.Toofewtodayarewillingtoputforthevenasmallbitoftimeorefforttowardreaching
theirownsolutions.Itusuallytakesjustaphonecallandalittlebitofcashtopassthatjobontosomeoneelse.Afteranemergency,youmightverywellfindthereisn’tapersonoutthereavailabletopickupthetelephone.Manyinthemodernerawouldbelostwithouttheabilitytoleanonanother.It
isabitscarythatsomanytodaystandsofarfromthespiritexhibitedbymydad’sgeneration.It’samazingthatsuchadramaticshiftinabilitiesandattitudeshappenedinsuchashortperiodoftime.Survivalplanningisanextensionofthatearlierethic.It’samatterof
accountingforrisks,consideringneedsandhavingcontingenciesatthereadyshouldatimecomewhenyoucanonlydependonyourself,yourfriendsandyourfamily.It’sbeensaidthat“ignoranceisbliss,”andIthinkthatbestdescribestheapproachmosthavetakentowardpreparedness.Manywouldrathernotentertainthethoughtofasurvivalsituation,andI’vegottenthesensethatsomeviewpreparationasapracticeinpessimism.Icertainlywouldn’tconsidermyselfamongthosewhoseethecuphalfempty
—quitethecontrary.I’vealwaysbeenatroubleshooter,andthat’swhatreallysetthefoundationforallofmyownefforts.I’velonghadaparticularknackforidentifyingproblemsand,moreimportantly,reachingworkablesolutions.Comfortandevensurvivalintheaftermathofadisastercouldhingeonthe
solutionsyouassemblelonginadvance.Preparingfortheworstandexpectingitaretwoverydifferentmindsets.I’mnotlookingovermyshoulderexpectingtofindtrouble,butiftroublehappenedtofindme,IknowI’dbeready.Youshouldn’tlosesightthattroubleismostcertainlyoutthere.Myextensive
travelandfirst-handglancesintheaftermathofsomeoftheworld’smostdevastatingnaturaldisastersonlystrengthenedmybeliefsonthevalueofproperplanning.Effortsmadeamidtheeverydaycalmaretheonlywaytoadequatelyensuretheverystaplesofsurvival—namelyshelter,waterandfood—arereadyandquicklyavailablewhendisasterusherschaosintoacommunity.Alongmypath,I’veworkedpart-timeasafirefighterandasalaw
enforcementofficer.I’madiverwithexperienceinbodyrecovery.Contract
worktookmeacrossthecountryandaroundtheglobe.IdidelectronicsurveillancefortheArmyinIraqandworkedwithSpecialForcesasanagriculturaladviserinAfghanistan.I’vetakenmyskillstotatteredregionsintheaftermathoffourhurricanes.Thoseeffortsmadeitcrystalclearthatbadthingshappen.TheyhappentogoodpeopleandMotherNaturedoesn’tstoptothinkaboutwhoisbestorleastpreparedbeforesheflexesherdestructivemuscles.I’veworkedinthemidstofworst-casescenarios.Itwashumblingand
inspiringtowatchthehumanspiritatworkintheaftermathoftragedy.Often,itwasdifficult.In2010,IlookedonassurvivorsofHaiti’s7.0-magnitudeearthquakedid
theirbesttopropuprubbleinattemptstoformanysemblanceofsuitableshelter.Survivorsbarteredamongeachotherforsupplies.Peopleworkedtogether.Somewalkedmileafterlongmilejusttofillupjugsofwateramidconstant,unrelentingcloudsofdust.Theydidthebesttheycouldasmostmournedtheirmanylovedoneslostto
thedestruction.Thepeopleofmostcountriesrelyonprofessionalstohandlebodyrecoveryefforts.Familiestheredugthroughtherubblewiththeirownbarehandstofreethebodiesoffriendsandfamilymemberswhodidn’tmakeit.Wordscan’tadequatelydescribethedepthofthedestructionortheheartache.Reliefworkonthehomefrontbroughtmetotheaftermathsofhurricanes
Rita,IkeandGustav.HurricaneIkemadelandfallwithinweeksofGustavandourcrewwentfromonerecoveryoperationtothesecond.It’salwaysbeenamazingtoseethededicationandeffortsofthosetirelesslyworkingtobringlifebacknormalafterchaos.OurgroupwenttoTexasinIke’swake,andinonlytwodays,builtacampthathousedandfed2,000workers.In2005,IprovidedsecurityforfellowworkersinNewOrleansafter
HurricaneKatrina’sunmercifulwrathandhadanothersurrealviewatjusthowunforgivingtheelementsofourworldcanbe.There,Iencounteredpeoplewhodidtheirbesttogathereverythingtheyneededonlytobestifledbygrowingfloodwaters.Peoplewerequicklyconfrontedbychoicesofpropertyorsurvival.
Itwasjarringtoseethosewhowadedthroughwaterwithloaded-upstoragetubsfloatingasidethemknowingthecontentsmadeupeverythingtheyhadleftintheworld.
Theauthorhasworkedintheaftermathofsomeoftheworld’smostdevastatingnaturaldisasters.Thatexperiencehasonlystrengthenedhisresolvetomakesurehisfamilyispreparedifadisasterstrikes.
Itwasanotherexperiencethatmadeitclearjusthowmuchpeoplestandtogainwithsomededicationtoplanningandadequaterespectfornature’spower.ThoughIcouldn’thelpbutfeelacertaindegreeofsympathy,it’sstilldifficulttoshakethefactthatNewOrleanshadadequatewarning.Somanypeople,regardlessoftheirsituations,couldhavedonesomuchbetterforthemselveswithappropriateforethoughtandeffort.Itallcomesbacktoplanning.Risksexistwhereveryoucallhome.Somelivenearindustrialareasthatcould
presentthechanceofchemicalspills.Largestretchesofthecountryareatsignificantriskfortornadoes.Itisn’tathreattoignorewhenconsideringthenumbers.TheUnitedStatesexperiencesmoretornadoesthananyothercountryontheplanetandaveragesmorethan1,000eachyear.Peopleacrossthecountryliveinfloodplains.IntheUnitedStates,flooding
takeslivesandcausesbillionsofdollarsindamagesannually.A30-yearaveragefrom1981through2010attributed$7.82billionindamagestofloodingand91
from1981through2010attributed$7.82billionindamagestofloodingand91deathseachyear.Othersliveinregionspronetowildfires.Thefiresburnedthroughanaverage
of6.5millionacresoflandacrossthecountryannuallyfrom2001through2010.Manymaketheirhomesnearfaultlinesandlivewiththepotentialforearthquakes.It’seasierformanytoconsidercatastropheimpersonallyandfromafar.You
shouldtakesometimetoenvisionyourselfandyourfamilydirectlyintheshoesofthosewonderingwhatthey’lldonextafteradisastertookeverything.Familieswhosurvivedestructivetornadoes,forinstance,notonlydealwithhomelossbutoftentherealitythattheirprizedpossessionsarelostforever.Itisn’tuncommonfortornadoestopickupgoodsandtossthemacrossseveralcounties.Wildfiresrapidlyspreadthroughwoodlandareasthroughoutmanyareasof
theUnitedStateseveryyear.Familiesinthoseaffectedzonesoftengetnomorethananhour’snoticewhenit’stimetoevacuate.It’stoughtoimaginehavingsuchatightwindowtorushthroughthehome,decidewhattotakeandwhatpiecesofahard-earnedlivelihoodthefamilywouldhavetoletgotoruin.Inatypicalandevendestructivehousefire,manyfamilieswillreturnandfind
somedegreeofhopeintheformofafewsalvageableitems.Theymightcollectsomeheirloomsorafewpiecesoffurniturefromtherubble.Inawildfiresituation,everythingisveryliterallygone.Everypicture,everybookandeverypieceofclothingleftbehindisoftenturnedtoash.Youshouldn’ttakeyourlifeoranybitofyourprosperityforgranted.I’ve
lookedintotheeyesofthosewhosurvivedcatastrophicloss.DazedandconfusedwouldbethebestdescriptionIcanofferfortheexpressionsonfaceswhenpeoplesettleintotherealizationthey’vejustlostitall.Youcan’tstopdisaster,butyoucandoyourbesttomitigatethelevelofharm
itbrings.Preparednessisawayoflifethatrecognizesthatbadthingsdohappen.It’sapursuitindevelopingtheflexibilitynecessarytotackleunforeseenchallengesastheycometobear.
challengesastheycometobear.Everydaybringssomedegreeofuncertainty.Myoverallcareerarcbeyond
rescueoperations,securityandemergencyservicesspeaksloudlytothetruththatnoneofuscanpossiblyknowwhat’saroundthenextcorner.Theonlyrealthreadstyingtogethermyvariedexperienceshavebeenacontinualexerciseofflexibilityandastrongrelianceonproblemsolving.Asakid,allIeverwantedwastobecomeadairyfarmer,andaftercollege,I
fulfilledthatdream.Highinterestratesonmypropertycombinedwithlowcommoditypriceseventuallyforcedourdifficultdecisiontomoveon.Fromthere,Iobtainedmynecessarylicenses,boughtatugboatandranasuccessfuloperationforafewyears.Later,Ibecameastoreownerand,aspartofthatbusiness,workedoutsolutionsforboaterswhoranintotroublesonLakeMichigan.Thatcareerwaspulledfrombeneathourfamilywhentheownerofmyleasedbuildingsolditofftothecityfordemolition.
TheauthorhasperformedelectronicsurveillancefortheArmyinIraqandworkedwithSpecialForcesasanagriculturaladviserinAfghanistan.
Fortunately,IdiscoveredtheInternet.In1998,Iboughtthewebsiteknifeforums.comandbuiltitintoasuccessfulonlineoperationthat’sbecomeastrongsourceofnews,opinionandcommunityforknifecollectorsandenthusiasts.Today,it’sanactiveandmulti-facetedsitethatfrequentlytouches
onsurvivalandpreparednessissues.I’velearnedfrommyvisitors,andmyvisitorshavelearnedfromeachother.I’mproudofwhatit’sbecome.Lifehasbeenagreatandwildride,andtheexperiencesalongtheway
continuallybroughtclearerfocustoonekeynuggetoftruth.Alifewelllivedisamatterofanticipatingproblems,meetingchallengeswhentheyriseandcomingoutstrongerontheotherside.Thefurtheraheadyoucansetyoursights,thebetteroffyou’llbe.Preparationisempowerment.There’sacertainstrengththatcomesin
knowingthatwhileadisasterwouldtestyouremotions,youcouldgetby,livesafelyandassurethewellbeingofyourfamily.Thewellpreparedarealsoabletoprovideforsomelevelofcomfort.Considerthisbookasaroadmaptosomepeaceofmindandtaketheinitial
stepsdownthatpath.Thosewhodismissthevalueofpreparednessstandtosomedaybecomeanexampleofanotheroftspokenphrase:“Hindsightis20-20.”Disastershappen.Disastershavebeenandwillalwaysbearegularpartoflifeonthisplanet.It’s
arollofthedicetoignorethedangers.Thefloods,tornadoes,hurricanesorfiresharmingthoseacrossthecountryorhalfwayaroundtheworldtodaycouldjustaseasilyharmyourownneighborhoodcometomorrow.Preparationstartseasilyenoughwithsomegood,honestthinking.Aminimal
planwouldatleastneedtoaccountforsurvivalbasics.Youwouldn’tmakeitlongwithoutfood,waterandappropriateshelter.Thosenewtoreadinessplanningshouldapplythoseneedstothereal-lifepossibilitiesthatcomewithwhereandhowyourfamilieslive.It’satthatpointyoucanstarttoforgesomesolutions.Thoseonthefrontendoftheirpreparationsshouldconsiderwhetherthe
pantryisappropriatelystocked.Youshouldthinkabouthowtoaccountforwaterneedsifanemergencybrokeofftheconnectiontothewellormunicipalsupply.Thoselivingwayupinthenorthernmostregionsofthecountryshouldhavesomeplansforkeepingwarmshouldthefurnacegoout.Bythesame
reasoning,thoselivinginhurricanezonesshouldhavetheirshuttersreadytogo.
Watchingthehumanspiritatworkintheaftermathoftragedy,liketheHaitiearthquakein2010,hashumbledandinspiredtheauthor.
Regardlessofwhereyouareliving,it’samatterofbreakingdownandsolvingthemanysmallerchallengesthatanydisasteranditsaftermathcouldpresenttoyourfamily.Thewellpreparedwillhaveenoughknowledgeinfirstaidtoprovideimmediatecaretotheinjuredshouldadisasterslowtheresponsetimesofparamedics.Adiligentprepperwillhaveappropriategearreadytogoshouldanemergencyrequireaquickgetaway.It’snotonlyamatterofdevelopingplansbutalsoworkingwiththem.
Familiesshouldpractice,becomefamiliaranddevelopacertaincomfortinthesolutionsdevisedforeachofyourreasonablerisks.It’sanongoingprocess.It’samatterofkeepingthemindfocusedonsafety.Theveryfirststepisgettingpastonedangerousnotionheldbyfartoomany.Nooneshouldeverthink,“It’llneverhappentome.”Thepotentialfortoughtimesnudgesrightuptoindividualhouseholdsona
frequentbasis.Anyonewho’sspentanytimeinfrontofthetelevisionhaswatchedonwhenthosecolorfulweathergraphicscoveruphalfofthescreenasseverestormsapproachandmovethroughhisorherregion.Peoplerunintohardtimeseveryday,andoften,disastersituationsaren’tsodeadlyorwidespreadas
todrawtheentirenation’ssustainedattention.Anynumberofsituationscouldberifewithdifficultiesforthosewhodidn’t
puttogetherawinninggameplan.AtmyhomeinnorthernMichigan,forinstance,it’sfairlycommontoseeablizzardortwoeverywinter.Eachcarriestheriskofinterruptingpowerandblockingoffourstreets.It’satossofthecoinastowhetherpowerwillcomebackquicklyorwhetherthetruckscanmakequick,decentheadwayonafootormoreofsnow.Somemighthavereasonforworry.I’mcomfortablebecauseIcanconfidentlysayI’mequippedfortheworstanyofthosestormscouldbring.
TheauthorsitsoncasesofRedi-WashSelfHeatingBathingClothsinthePort-au-PrinceAirportinHaitifollowingthe2010earthquake.“Thesemadeusfeelcivil,”hesaid.
Ontheotherendofthescale,thefrequencyofmajordisastersshouldbeenoughtogiveanyonepause.Hardshipshittheheadlineseverysingleyear.Ayear-by-yearglancehighlightingsomeofMotherNature’srecenthavocontheUnitedStatessaysanawfullotmorethananysurvivalistcouldontheimportanceofwell-craftedplans.In2009,Californianssufferedaseriesofwildfires,includingLosAngeles’
Stationfirethatburnedthroughmorethan160,000acresanddestroyed209structures.Haiti’s2010earthquakethatkilledmorethan300,000wasthe
capstoneofatumultuousyearonaglobalscale.AreasoftheUnitedStatesalsoencounteredsomesubstantialdestructionthatyear.In2010,middleTennesseeandwesternKentuckysustainedwhatwerecalled“1,000-yearfloods”thatcausedmorethan$2billionindamages.In2011,amonstroustornadotorethroughJoplin,Mo.,leaving158deadand
morethan1,000injured.In2012,wildfiresinColoradodestroyedhomesbythehundredsandrequiredthousandsofpeopletoevacuate.HurricaneIsaacfloodedouthomesandforcedevacuationsmonthslater.HurricaneSandydevelopedintothebiggestAtlantichurricaneinhistory.HerwindspeedsfellbelowhurricanelevelsbeforesheslammedtoshoreinlateOctober.ThesuperstormnonethelessbatteredtheEastCoast,tooklivesandleftbillionsindamages.That’sthereality.Disasterschangelivesandfrequentlyso.Theycan’tbe
ignored.Thosewhoholdunduelevelsofconfidenceinmodernimprovementsaresettingthemselvesupforrudeawakeningsshouldtheyfindthemselvesinthepathofnature’sforces.Assometaketoomuchcomfortintheirpersonaltechnologies,othersplace
toomuchfaithinanadmittedlystrongemergencywarninginfrastructure.Allarefortunatetoliveatatimeinwhichnoticeofpotentiallydangeroussituationshasneverbeenbetter.Inadditiontothetraditional,overheadsirens,peoplehaveinstantnewsalertsandoccasionaltelevisionoverridesandauto-dialedtelephonemessages.Thedisastersabove,however,illustratethatnoticealoneisn’tsufficienttoassuresafety.Preparingcanprovidesomeassurances.Youwouldknowthere’senoughto
eatandameanstostaywarmanddry.Theideaoftakingactiontodayforthesakeoftomorrowisn’tanewconcept.Itisabitpuzzlingastowhysurvivalpreparationissoforeigntosomany,
whenmostprepareforlife’sbigrisksinotherfashions.Mostcarryhomeowner’sinsuranceandpaythepremiumswithoutanyexpectationthatafirewouldgutthehouse.Everydriverponiesupforcarinsurancewithfullconfidenceheorshewillarriveateachandeverydestinationwithoutascratchordent.
Inthatregard,mostpeopleareprettygoodatpreparingwhenitcomestotakingcareoftheirstuff.Survivalpreparationisaformofinsurancethattakesmorethoughtandeffort.Itisn’tassimpleaswritingacheck,thoughitaccountsfortheverymostimportantmattersoflife—thepeopleyouloveandtheveryskinyou’rein.Certainly,peoplecanandhavemadeitthroughdevastatingcircumstances
withouthavingtherightcontingenciesinplace.ThequestionfallsastowhetheryouareOKwiththeprospectofsufferingmorethannecessary.Theunprepared,whetherit’safteratornadoorevenathree-daypoweroutage,couldhaveiteasier.It’ssimplyamatterofdevelopingtherightknowledgeandstoringsomesuppliesaway.Itreallyisjustamatterofcommonsense.Somemightholdaviewofsurvivalplanningasthepursuitofthosewho
worrytoomuch.It’seasytounderstand.Preparingisfrequentlyportrayedinthemediathroughtheeyesofthosewhoareconvincedthatgovernmentcollapse,mass-scaleterrorismorsomeotherworld-changingeventisonitsway.
Considerthisbookaguide,muchlikeaGPSorcompass.
Preparednessisn’taboutdoomsday.It’sabouteveryday.It’sabouttheneighborhoodthat’sregroupingaftertheseverethunderstormandthesmalltown
that’sreelingafterthetornado.Throughoutthecountry,peoplearegoingtofindthemselvesinuntenablepositionseverydayoftheweek.
Youshouldn’ttakeyourlifeoranybitofyourprosperityforgranted.Disasterslikewildfireshappen.Bepreparedforthem.
Preparedness,rather,isamatterofreclaimingtheall-American,get-it-doneattitude.Goingbacktothebeginnings,ourforefatherscamefromoverseasandliterallyhackedalifeoutoftheforests.Therewasn’tanambulancetocallorastoretovisit.We’reinanunprecedentedtime,anditisn’talwaysforthebetter.Sometoday
wouldn’tattempttochangeatireshouldtheyencounteraflatwhiletravelingdownthehighway.Youdon’thavetoturnbacktheclockoreschewmodernconveniencetorecognizethere’sabetterwaytolivethanincompleterelianceonothers.Preparednessbuildslittlebylittle.Newthoughtsandskillsgivewaytothe
next.Yesterday’spurchaseandtoday’spracticemeanstheplanfortomorrowisthatmuchstronger.Itbringsbackanotherthoughtaboutlifegrowingup.WhenIwasakid,my
parentsdidn’thaveacreditcardtoreachforwhenthetimecameforthatbiggerpurchaseorlongertermproject.Italwaysstartedwithanenvelopeandthefewdollarstheyhadintheirpockets.
They’daddtotheenvelopewheneverandhowevertheycould,anditscontentsweren’ttoucheduntilenoughmoneywasintheretopayforthatneed.Fewoperatethatwayanymore,andinasense,preparationisthesametypeofpractice.Preppersputafewthingsawayandgainafewnewskills.Theenvelopegetsthickerandit’stheretoopenwhentheemergencycalls.Addingtotheenvelopemeansdevelopinganunderstandingoflong-termfood
planningandmeansofsecuringsafedrinkingwater.Plansbuildthroughbasicfirstaidskills,personalprotectioneffortsandhavingtheknow-howtoassurethefamilywouldhavesafeandcomfortableshelterafteradisaster.Manyofthoselessonswerejusteverydaymattersoflifenotsolongago.It’scalledsurvivalpreparation,butcomfortpreparationwouldoftenbean
accuratedescriptor.Someplanmoredeeplythanothers,andbasicsurvivalneedsprovidetheonlyrules.It’samatterofconsideringhowmuchthefamilyisreasonablywillingtoendure.It’satoughworldoutthere.Thosewhowalkthroughitblindlyandmakeit
throughunscathedareextremelyluckypeople.Preparingisholdingyourselfandyourfamilyinhighregardfromapositionofhealthyrespectforallofthedangersoutthere.Thosewhoworktowardpreparednesswilleventuallydiscoverit’sreallyjust
awayofthinkingaboutthings.You’llfindatruefeelingoffreedomthatcomeswithputtingdownagoodbetinthefavorofthefamily.Ifthere’snothingelsetogainfrompreparation,theprocesswillinstillknow-how,asenseofindependenceandgoodreasontotakesomegreatconfidence.Noonecountsondisaster,norwouldanyonewanttorebuildintheaftermath.
Acommonresponsetolife’srisksintoday’ssocietyistoturnyoureyesawayfromavarietyofrealpossibilities.Ignoranceisonlyblissuntilrealitybargesin.
Manypeopleusedtosavemoneybyputtingalittleinanenvelopewheneverpossible.Preparationisasimilarpractice.Prepperscanstoreafewsurvivalmaterialsawayandgainsomenewskillsaspossible.Itbuildsupquickly.
Readinessoffersabetterapproachtolife.Youcanputasideworriesandfeelgoodaboutyourfamily’spositionafterassemblingthepropertoolsandsupplies.There’sacertaineasethatcomeswithknowledge,thinkingforwardandknowingyourfamilyisonestepaheadofanythingMotherNaturecouldbring.It’ssimplyamatterofplanning,thinkingandbuildingupacacheofsupplies.Fromthere,youcouldverycomfortablyhopethatyou’dneverhavetocollectonyourefforts.
Thisiswhattheauthorcarriesonhimeveryday—alightburdenconsideringtheconsequences.
Everydaycarry,orEDC,iswhatwetakewithuseveryday,justincase.Forsome,itisjustacellphoneandacreditcard.Forme,Icarryasimplegroupingoftoolsthatovertheyearshaveevolvedintothelistonthenextpage.Theevolutionstartedalongtimeagowithapocketknifeandgrewintoarefinedcollectionthatcanhelpmesolvemostsimpleproblemsthatcropupduringmytypicalday.
Besidesholdingyourpantsup,riggersbeltsareawesometoolsthatcanbeusedinamultitudeofways.
Dependingonwhatmyimmediateplansare,ImightaddtomyEDClistwithasmallhatchet,abiggerknifeorabiggergun.MyEDCisenoughtostopafight,notwhatIwouldtaketowar.MyEDC:•Largerknifewithalockandatleasta3 ⁄ -inchbladethatcanbeopenedwithonehand•Pocketknife(smallslipjointortraditionaljackknife)
1 2
•Pocketknife(smallslipjointortraditionaljackknife)•Pockettoolcarriedinapouchonmybelt•Smallsingle-cellCR123Aflashlight•Smallpocketcompass•Penandpadofwaterproofpaper•Para-cordsurvivalbracelet•Belt(nylonwebriggerstypewithsteelbuckle)•Cash•Sunglasses•Smallwind-prooflighter•Watch•HandgunThesearethe13itemsthatonanygivendaywillbeonmyperson.IcarrythesethingsbecauseIamcomfortableknowingIcanmitigatemanyoftheissuesImightencounter.
Ifyoureyesorearsrequirespecialattention,don’tforgetthatinyourpreparationplans.
Usingapairofgoodworkglovestoprotectyourhandsisasimpleandsmartdecision.
andsmartdecision.
A
1
STAGESANDLEVELSOFPREPARATION
Ifyouliveonthe43rdfloorofyourbuilding,youshouldconsiderthatinyouremergencyplans.
llofusprepareinmanyways,formanyreasonsandforminorandmajorneeds.Ontheverylowendofthescale,preparednessisasinconsequentialaslookingintoyourwalletbeforeheadingoutthe
doortomakesurethere’safewdollarsinsidetopayforlunch.Weprepareforthelongtermwithinvestmentplansaimedatcreatingadecentlevelofcomfortwhenretirementagerollsaround.Preparingforthetoughertimesthatanydisastercouldbringisn’tsocommon
tothegreaterpopulace,butitstillmakesagreatdealofsense.Toughtimeshappen.Thereisn’taplaceonthisvastplanetthat’simmunefromMotherNature’sworst.Effortstakennowcouldofferyourfamilyadecentdegreeofcomfortevenifthegreatercommunitystrugglesamidacatastrophe.Ittakessomework.Ittakessomethought.It’stimeandeffortthat’sverywellspent.
somework.Ittakessomethought.It’stimeandeffortthat’sverywellspent.Teachingthemeansandmethodsofpreparationwouldbeafareasiertaskifit
onlytookarundownofafewbasicstrategies,achecklistofrequiredtoolsandafewbriefdescriptionsonhowtousethem.Farmorepeoplemightembarkonthatimportantpathifastep-by-stepblueprintcouldguaranteethey’dsurviveandthriveinagenericdisastersituation.Ofcourse,that’snothowtheworldworks.
Agoodpreparednessplanforafamilylivinginthecountrywillbedifferentthanoneforafamilylivinginthecity.
Preparationrequiresmorethantoolsandsupplies.Itrequiresapropermindset.Itcallsforyoutopayheedtothesmallerintricaciesthatfallwithinandcontributetothelargerpotentialproblemsthatanyfamilycouldfaceafteradisaster.Differentproblems,meanwhile,requirefardifferentsolutions.Anearthquakeisn’tatornado.Awildfireisn’taflood.Andahurricaneisn’ta
blizzard.Notwodisastersareidentical.Further,differentpeoplehavedifferentneeds.Afewdayswithoutelectricitywouldcauseanyonesomedegreeof
discomfort.Itwouldcausesomepeoplefarmoretroublethanothers.Theelderlymanwhorequiresanoxygenmachinetolivewouldfaceafarmorecriticalsituationamidevenashort-termpoweroutagewhencomparedtothephysicallyfit32-year-oldwomanwholivesafewhousesdownthestreet.Weallhavedifferentcircumstances.Problemsbecomefarmoresignificantforanyonewhohasn’tpreparedastime
continuestopass.Suppliesdwindle.Patiencerunsshort.Manyfamilies,assuredly,wouldexperienceabig-timechangeinattitudeandfargreatertroublesshouldafewdayswithoutelectricitystretchintoafewweeks.Buildingasolidpreparationplanthatwouldaccountforsurvivalandcomfort
afteradisasterisamulti-facetedtask.Planswoulddifferfromfamilytofamilydependingonhowthefamilieslive.Planswouldalsolookfardifferentbasedonwherevariousfamiliescallhome.Risks,andthereforecontingencies,wouldvarybyregion.Thoseinthecold,
forestedlandsofnorthernMinnesotawouldobviouslyleavehurricaneshuttersoutoftheirpreparednessplans.Similarly,thoselivingalongthewarmbeachesofFlorida’sGulfCoastaren’tgoingtopackthermallongunderwearintotheirthree-daysurvivalkits.Afamily’savailablespaceandresourceswouldplayintotheireffortsand
abilities.Afamilyonapostage-stamppropertyinthemiddleofacitywillhavelesserabilitiesthanotherstocollectwaterandgrowfood.They’dcertainlyhavetoplandifferentlythanthefamilyliving10milesoutoftownonasprawling,ruralplot.Risksdifferinscopeandprobabilitydependingonwhereyoucallhome.
Somemightassesstheirthreatsandfindcomfortinasmall-scalepreparationplanthatwouldcarryafamilythroughafewweekswithouthavinganyneedstofulfillfrombeyondthehome.Othersmightlookattheoddsandrecognizeareal
potentialforsignificantcatastrophe.ThosewholiveinTornadoAlley,forinstance,mightdecidethey’remorecomfortablewithplansandsuppliesthatwouldallowforafewmonthsormoreofself-sufficiency.Noguidetopreparationcouldeverclaimtoprovidestep-by-stepinstruction
applicabletoanyoneinanyplaceorforanycrisis.Still,allpeoplehavethesamebasicneeds.Thosewhoareadeptatplanningrelyonsimilarthoughtsandprinciplesintheireffortstoassurewellbeingregardlessoftheirrisks.Agoodplanwillrequiresometools.Everydecentplanwillrequirestocking
upinafashionthatmostpeopletodayhaven’tconsidered.Preparedness,however,goesdeeperthanthecontentsofthegarage,pantryandsupplycloset.It’salifestyle.Thosewhoarebestpreparedcontinuallyworktodevelopknowledgeandnew
skillsthatallowthemtoimproviseandmakethebestuseofwhat’sathand.Meansofcomfortandsurvivaloftencomefromitemsboughtandstoredaway.Insomecases,thosemeansmightcomefromtheenvironment.Theelementofunpredictabilityisboundtobecomeafactorwhennaturefinallydecidesit’stimetoputyourfamilytothetest.Preparationisalwaysaworkinprogress.Youreffortmightstartwithsettlingonyourdefinitionofpreparation.
Frankly,it’satermthatisn’tgivenmuchthoughtbyagoodmajorityofpeople.Forfartoomany,preparationgoesnofurtherthanknowingwherethey’dfindtheflashlightsandafewsparebatteriesshouldthelightsgodown.Thereis,ofcourse,theotherside.Manypeoplewho’veheardtheterm
“prepper”probablyhavesomedegreeofskepticism.They’velikelydrawntheirideasandafeweyebrow-raisingconclusionsfromnewsreportsorshowsonthesmallhandfuloffolkswholiveatthefaroppositeendofthespectrum.Certainly,therearesomepeopleouttherewithfullyloadedshelterscarrying
severalyears’worthoffood.Thatgroupwilltypicallymaintainahugesupplyofgearandkeeptheirpropertieswellsecured.They’reoftenheavilyarmed.They’reoftenworkingtowardsolutionsshouldtheyfindthemselvesamongthelonemenandwomenleftwalkingtheplanet.
Theeverydayfamilywoulddowellforthemselvestodismisstheunpreparedandhyper-preparedendsofthescale.Mostpeoplewouldassesstheirlevelofcomfortafterthinkingaboutthecommon,documentedrisksandfindgoodwaystomanagethroughtoughtimessomewhereinthevastmiddleground.Thosejustbeginningpreparationsshouldbesmartaboutplanningandkeepinmindwhatyou’rehopingtoaccomplish.
Airisthemostimmediatefactorimpactingyourabilitytosurvive,accordingtotheruleofthrees.
Whenitcomestopreparedness,youshouldn’tworryabouttheendoftheworld.Thosepreparingfortheendofdayswouldeventuallyhavetorecognizethatanysuppliestheyhaveinplacewouldeventuallyrundry.Conversely,it’sprettysmarttohavetheappropriateprovisionsinplacetolivecomfortablyoutsideyournormal,day-to-daylifestyleifhurricanesortornadoesfrequentlytouchuponyourregion.Youcangetareallygoodsenseofaproperstartingpointbystoppingand
lookingatyourfoodandwatersuppliesamongotherprovisions.Atthatpoint,thinkaboutwhetheryoucouldclosethefrontdoor,shutdownthepowerandcomfortablylivefortwoweekswithoutleavingthehome.Whenconsideringall
comfortablylivefortwoweekswithoutleavingthehome.Whenconsideringallofthepotentialrisksacrossthecountry,twoweeksprovidesaprettyreasonablegroundfloorwhereveryoumightbe.Youwouldn’twantanyless.Thosewhoarejustgettingstartedshouldletcommonsensebetheguide.
Thosewithoutanydegreeofplanningaresettinguptheirfamiliestosufferfarmorethannecessarywhenanemergencycomestobear.Thosewhoplannedwellinexcessofreasonableneedscould’veprobablydonebetterwiththeirtime,effortsandmoney.Alevelofpreparednessthatwouldsupportsafetyandcomfortafterthemosttypicalandeventhemostseriousofdocumenteddisasterswouldn’tresemblethepreparationorlackthereofthatsitsateitherextreme.
Shelterrequiresthegreatestimmediacywhendevelopingplanstoovercomeadisastersituation.Ifyourhomebecomesuninhabitable,youcancampintheyard.
Ishuddertothinkaboutthecompletelyunpreparedinlightofthedocumentedrealitythatdisaster—whetherisolatedorwide-scale—affectshundredsofthousandsofAmericanseveryyear.Asfortheothersideofthescale,I’dsuggest
preparationshouldn’tbeallconsuming.Youshouldn’toverextendyourfinancesforthesakeofpreparingorlettherisksoutthereaffectyourabilitytoenjoyday-to-daylife.Youshouldn’tpreparefromaplaceoffear.IsawanumberofpeoplesufferingdeeplyafterHurricaneKatrinawho
could’vehaditeasierwithappropriateforethoughtandrespectforMotherNature’sdevastatingabilities.Asfortheoppositeend,thosewhowereconvincedofapproachingcataclysmbeforetheY2KscareprobablyatealotofriceforanawfullongtimeafterthatNewYearpassedquietly.Allofustrytolivebalancedlives.Goodpreparationfitswellwithinthatscope.
RuleofthreesThoughpotentialemergenciesvaryfromplacetoplace,thosetackling
preparednesshaveabase-linetooltoworkfromthatallowsanyone,regardlessofcircumstances,toconsiderandbuildappropriatesurvivalplans.Well-devisedplanswouldalsoprovidesomedegreeofcomfortduringemergencies,butsimplysurvivingistheforemostgoal.Youdon’tneedanadvanceddegreeinbiologytorecognizethehumanbodyisn’tgoingtomakeittoolongwithoutfoodorwater.That’swheretheruleofthreescomestoplay.Therule—alistofthe
elementaryfactorsimpactingyourabilitytosurvive—setsforththetopprioritiesandservesastheveryfoundationofanygoodplanningeffort.Asgrimasitmightsound,it’salistthatquicklysetsforththeverybasicsofbeingprepared.Accordingtotherule,youcanlive:•Threeminuteswithoutair•Threehourswithoutshelter•Threedayswithoutwater•Threeweekswithoutfood•ThreemonthswithouthopeIt’sthemiddlethreecomponentsofthefive-foldrulethatshouldcommand
thegreatestattentionasyoubegintoassembleyourpreps.Godforbidanyone
thegreatestattentionasyoubegintoassembleyourpreps.Godforbidanyonewouldbeunderthewaterandstrugglingtofindthesurfaceforathree-minuteperiod.Inthatsituation,preparednesseffortswouldn’tapply.Further,notoolsorstrategieswouldbeofassistanceshouldyougowithoutcauseforhopeoveralongperiodoftime.Sheltercarriesthegreatestimmediacyindevelopingplanstoovercomea
disastersituation.Whenconsideredintermsoftherule,“shelter”doesn’tnecessarilyrefertoastructure,orasit’softenput,aroofoverourheads.Itreferstowhatevermeansisusedtokeepcleanandmaintainahealthybodytemperature.Theabilitytogetafirestarted,forinstance,wouldfallunderthecategoryofshelter.Somebath-in-a-bagkitswouldalsobeconsideredamongshelterplanning.Asforwater,let’sstartwithaverybasicthought:wherewouldthemany
unpreparedamongusgotogetourdailyrequirementswithoutallofthosefaucetsthatmakelifesoeasy?Oftenenough,emergenciescutoffpeople’sabilitytodrawfromtheirwellsorbreakofftheirconnectionstothemunicipalsystemsinoururbanareas.Waterproblemsmightbecometheveryemergencythat’sleftyoutorelyonyourpreparations.Situationscouldriseinwhichcontaminatedwaterisflowingthroughthepipesthatcouldcauseillnessifconsumed.Waterstorageandanabilitytogathersafewaterareamongthetopprioritiesofagoodpreparednessplan.Theruleofthreescallsforthoughtabouthowandwhatyouwouldeatshould
adisasterleavethenearbygrocerystoresboardedup.Theruleplaceslesserpriorityonfood,butrememberthatitonlyspeakstohowlongyoucouldlivewithout.Keepingapulseandmaintaininghealthandwellbeingaretwoverydifferentthings.Thosepreparingshouldconsidertheirowndietaryneedswhilealsothinkingabouthowmanyothersthey’dneedtofeed.Theruleofthrees,asitspeakstobasicsurvivalneeds,providesonlyonehalf
ofthevitallyimportantequation.Theothersidecomesinapplyingyourabilitytowalkthatverybasicmapofsurvivalforvariouslengthsoftimeshouldanyemergencyrequireit.Therulekeepsonmovingforward.
emergencyrequireit.Therulekeepsonmovingforward.Ifadisastersituationisshortterm—stretchingthreedaysorless—thearray
ofpreparationsisn’tsocriticaltostayingalivebutcouldgoalongwaytowardprovidingeaseuntilnormalcyreturns.Thosewithminimalpreparationsmightfindthemselvesindifficultandstressful,albeitmanageable,situations.Itmightbethataseverethunderstormdownedtreesandpowerlines,leavingamessoftheyardandawidespreadsetofissuesforthepowercompanytomanage.
Afewcasesofbottledwatercangoalongwayinadisastersituation.It’snottoomuchtroubletokeepsomeonhandatyourhome.
Theshort-terminterruptionsthatgetinthewayofeverydaylivingwouldstillrequirecommonsenseandthought.Thosemanagingthroughthatthree-daypoweroutage,forinstance,wouldbewisetostayoutoftherefrigeratorandfreezerasmuchaspossibletoassuretheirfoodsuppliesdon’tspoil.Thetypical,unpreparedfamilywouldencountersomerealstress,butthey’dmakeitthrough.Evenifashort-termemergencyfellrightbeforeanormalgroceryshopping
day,thefamilyisprobablygoingtobealrightonfood.Ahomewithanydegreeofinsulationwouldallowafamilytomeetshelterneedsevenifbynomoreabilitythanblanketsandsweatshirts.Thosewhodon’tkeepadditionalwaterforemergenciescouldhaveatoughertime,butatthatshortterm,theywouldstill
likelyhavesufficientfluidathand.Whenemergenciesstretchlonger,itbecomesmorecriticalforpeopletohave
solidcontingenciesinplace.Thelevelofpreparationamidemergencygrowsmoreimportantwitheverypassingday.Foreverydaythatadisasterimpedesonnormallifestyles,themorepeoplehavetorelyonthemselvesandtheirenvironmentsjustaspeopledidinearliereras.Threedaysinmanywaysprovidesthemagicnumbertoconsiderwhen
assemblingyourpreparations.It’sapsychologicalbenchmark.It’satthatpointwhenthoughtsbegintoshiftfromconfidencethatasituationwillendprettyquicklytoadifficultrealizationthatlifecouldbetoughforawhile.Thoseworriesdecreaseinequalproportiontoyourplanning.It’salsoatthatpoint,however,whentheruleofthreesstartscomingintoaplayatafarmoresignificantlevel.Threedaysisafairlyreliablemarkerastowhenasituationmovesfrom
merelyinconvenienttopresentinggenuinedifficultiesforthosewhodon’thaveadequatepreparationsinplace.Manywouldbegintohavearoughtimeatthatpointeveniftheystillhadenoughtoaccountfortheruleofthrees.Peoplearecreaturesofcomfort.Happinessandbalancetakesmorethanwarmth,foodanddrink.Sanitation,forexample,couldbecomeacriticalissueformanyunprepared
familiesshouldacrisisrecoverystretchfromthreedaysandontowardafewweeks.Moraleandconfidencecoulddeclineforsomeifthehomelostwaterandthefamilycouldn’tflushtheirtoiletsbytypicalmeans.It’soneofmanyareasofourday-to-daylivingthatdoesn’tgetmuchthought.Peoplegetabettersenseofitsimportancewhenthatluxuryisn’tthere.Afterthreedays,thefreezerwillstarttothawandputfoodatrisk.Those
whoseeatinghabitsleanheavilyonrefrigeratedgoodscouldexperiencesomebigworrywhenrecognizingallofthegrocerystoresareclosed.Keepingwarmwouldeventuallybecomeatruesurvivalissuefortheunpreparedshouldanemergencystrikeinthemidstofwinter.
Itallcomesbacktotheruleofthrees.Waterrequirementsprovideagoodexampleofthelayeredchallengesthatyouhavetothinkthroughindevelopingaworkableplanforamid-levelemergency.Solutionsmightdiffersignificantlyfromfamilytofamily.Thekeyissue,however,isthesameforeveryone:thosewithoutanabilitytosecurepotablewaterareatseriousrisk.Anaveragepersonneedstoconsumeabout2litersofliquidperdaytogetby.
Themostshort-termofplansjustwouldn’tsufficeasdayscontinuetopass.Thosewhohaveonlyafewjugsofdrinkingwatertuckedawayforemergencyusewouldwatchthesupplypassinquickfashion.Thinkingstepbystepthroughwater’schallengeswouldopenupotheroptions
beyondhavingafew5-gallonjugsstashedaway.Concernsdecreaseasplansgrowdeeper.IhaveahottubthatIcoulddrawwaterfromtoflushtoiletsorwashup.Icouldrunthatwaterthroughafiltertoallowfordrinkingifitbecamenecessary.Somewouldsettleonothercontingencies.Manydon’thavehottubsor
swimmingpools.Waterbladdersareavailablethatallowpeopletostore1,000gallonsormore.Thoseonlarge,ruralpropertiesmighttakethatoption.Ofcourse,it’sprobablynotgoingtoworkforthoseinthecities.Thoseonsmallerlotsmightpurchaseafew55-gallondrumstocreatesomerainbarrels.Walkingthroughthatthoughtprocessgoestoshowthatregardlessofhowor
whereyoulive,youhavetheabilitytofindwaystoputyourfamilyinabetterpositiontohandleapotentialdisaster.It’ssimplyamatterofuntanglingallofthemanywaysadisasterwouldimpedeonhowweaspeopletypicallyliveandfindingwaystoaccountforthem.Waterisjustonepieceofthepuzzle.Imaginediggingtotheverybackofthecupboardsandrealizingtherejust
isn’tenoughlefttoprepareasuitablemeal.Thinkaboutfood.Plansforevenaperiodofacoupleweekswouldrequirehavingasuitablesupplyofshelf-stablegoodsreadytogo.Amovebeyondafewweeksofstrugglestoamatterofmonthswouldrequire
eventhebestpreparedtostartswitchinggears.Afterjustsolong,youwould
havetotakeonanentirelydifferentmindsetandfocusonsustainableliving.Manypreppersouttheredohavefoodsuppliespackedawaythatcouldlastafamilyforseveralmonths.It’snotunreasonable.Somegolonger.Shouldadisasterimpedecommunitylifeformonthsonend,youwouldeventuallyhavetorecognizethenewrealityandrealizeyourcacheisn’tgoingtolastforever.Aplanthat’sstretchingbeyondtheperiodofseveralmonthstoayearormore
isreallynolongeraboutpreparation.Shouldyoureachthepointofrelyingonyourgoodsandgearformorethanayear,theideaofpreparednesswouldhavetogivewaytoarecognitionthatthecommunityneedstoworktogetherforthegreatergood.Atthatpoint,youtrulywouldhavetostepbackintimeandrecognizethefamily’sneedtohunt,growfood,collectwaterandaccountforshelterinthesamefashionpeopledid150yearsago.It’sscarytothinkaboutthatlevelofdisaster,particularlywhencompared
againsttherecoveryperiodsaftereventhemostdevastatingeventsthathavehappenedoflateintheUnitedStates.HurricaneKatrinawasamongthemostdestructiveeventsofthelastcentury.AnevacuatedNewOrleanswasallthesamereopenedtoresidentsandbusinessownerswithinweeksofKatrina’slandfall.Ittookfarlongertopullthatcitybacktoitspre-hurricanecondition.Inmanyways,thatprocesswillcontinuewellintothefuture.Allthesame,themostcriticalofinfrastructurewasrestoredfairlyquicklyasevidentbytheliftedevacuationorder.
OvercomingdisasterslikethetornadothathitJoplin,Mo.,in2011takesextensiveplanningthataccountsforsurvivalandcomfort.
Theperiodofuptoafewmonthsisareasonablemarktokeepinmindwhendevelopingyourpreparations.Disasterinflictsmoreharmonsomethanothers,butinacommunitysense,mosteventsonlycarrydisruptionsthatcouldimpactsurvivalforuptoafewweeks.Manyprepperswiselyassemblethegearandgoodsnecessarytomanagethroughlongerperiods.Moreseriouseventsdooccur.Asissooftensaid,it’sbettertobesafethansorry.Buildingasolidplanwilltaketimeandwork.It’salsogoingtocostsome
money.Anyonewhohastosticktoafamilybudgetwillstillhavetheabilitytomakepreparednesshappen.Whenapplyingrisksandworst-casescenariostotheruleofthrees,preppers
willinevitablyrunacrossanumberofideasthatmakealotofsensefortheirfamilies.Aprepper,forinstance,wouldprobablywantalargeanddurabletentshouldthatworst-caseeventcompromisethehomeorforceaquickevacuation.ThoseaimingforgreatercomfortineventhemostminorofscenariosmightwantsomecampinglanternsorAladdinlampstoprovideeasyandreliablelight
wantsomecampinglanternsorAladdinlampstoprovideeasyandreliablelightsources.Hand-crankedradioshavebecomeaprettypopularoptiontogetthatvital
informationonrisks,damagesandrecoveryefforts.Theradiosmightalsoprovidesomeentertainmentwhenthepowergoesdown.Havingafewthingsateasyreachthatcanprovidesomeenjoymentandcutthestressshouldn’tbeoverlooked.Inmanyregards,solidplanscometogetherthroughanumberofsmallercosts.
Afewbarrelsforwatercollectionwouldcomeinexpensively.Assemblingagoodfirstaidkitmakesallthesenseintheworld,anditisn’tgoingtobreakthebank.Thoseconcernedaboutspendingshouldtakethetimetohonestlyassessneedsagainsttheruleofthreesandthenprioritize.Agoodpreparationplandoesn’thappenovernight.Somepreppersmightfind
severalplaceswheretheycanmakesomecompromisesfortheshortterm.A5-gallonpailandcommodeseat,forinstance,mightsufficeinlieuofa$100campingtoiletifthemoneyisneededforamorecriticalpartoftheplan.Sometoolswouldrequireafairlysizeableinvestment.A5,000-wattgenerator
startsatabout$600.Itwouldofferthefamilytheabilitytokeepthefreezergoing,usethewater-filtrationpumpandrunaheater.Afteragood,honestassessment,thecostconsciousmightdeterminethatafewcarbatteriesandasmallinverterwouldsufficetomeetemergencypowerneeds.Mywaterfiltrationunitranabout$350.Whenputagainsttheruleofthrees,a
reliablefiltercouldbecomealifesaverdependingonthecircumstancesbroughtbyanemergency.Itwasmoneywellspentwhenplacingthecostagainsttherisks.Manypreppersaddressatleastaportionoftheirfoodcontingenciesby
purchasingmilitarymeals,readytoeat.They’reaneasyandreliableoptiongiventheyprovidesubstantialcaloriesandtypicallyhaveashelflifeoffiveyearsorlonger.Itisn’t,however,aninexpensiveoptiontotake.Acaseof12MREsgoesforabout$70.Thoseforgingplanstosustainfortwo
weekswouldprobablypurchasefourcases,orspend$280,perperson.Itstands
weekswouldprobablypurchasefourcases,orspend$280,perperson.Itstandstoreasonthatsomemightlookforotherlesscostly,shelf-stableoptions.Preparednessisaprocessthatcandefinitelybeasexpensiveasyouwantto
makeit.Costsrisewiththelengthoftimethatyouarelookingtoprovideforself-sufficiency.Ifyouhaveagoaltogofromzerotofullystockedandableforthreemonthsofneeds,you’regoingtohavetospendanawfullotofmoney.Youshouldn’tfeeltheneedtodoso.Itmightbeamatterofgettingthe
biggestbangforthebuckbyfulfillinganumberofsmaller,yetimportantpurchasesbeforetacklingthebig-ticketitems.Whilemakingthesmallerpurchases,youmighttuckawayafewdollarsandslowlybuildituptowardthepriceofagenerator,waterfiltrationunitorthecostofhavingawoodstoveinstalledinthehome.
Thisisoneoftheauthor’sbagsthatispackedwiththesuppliesheneedstosurviveoutsideofhishomefor72hours.“Everyoneshouldhaveatleastone,”hesaid.
Simplymeetingtheendsofsurvivalwouldn’ttaketoomuch.Minimalistcampersprovideagreatexample.Theycarryverylittlewhenheadingoutontheirexcursionsandoftennothingmorethanwhatcanbekeptinabackpack.Thecash-strappedpreppercanmakebigstridesbyplanningwisely.
GardenerscouldpurchaseareliablefooddehydratorforthesamepriceasonecaseofMREsandachieveagood,long-termfoodsolution.They’dbeablepackawayportionsoftheirannualyieldsforfairlysubstantialperiodsoftime.Thoseworkingontightbudgetsmightconsiderbarteringasanoptiontogetthepropersuppliesinplace.Thoseofvariousskillsmighttradelaborsoeachgetsan
suppliesinplace.Thoseofvariousskillsmighttradelaborsoeachgetsanimportanttaskaccomplished.Thekeypointiseveryonehastheabilitytoprepare.It’simportantto
rememberthefirstandmostvitalcomponenttoanysolidpreparednessplandoesn’tcostathindime.It’slearning,thinkingandhavingtheabilitytobreakdownpotentialproblems.
Stepone:asurvivalmindsetFarandaway,themostimportanttoolavailableduringthepreparationprocess
andafteradisasterisn’tavailableforpurchaseatthelocalhardwarestore.Eachofusfreelyreceivedone.It’sthebrain.Thefirstgoalistousethatamazingtooltoitsfullcapability.Itstartswithrecognizingthatnothingcanbetakenforgranted.Youshouldcometorecognizejusthowquicklyyoucanrunintosomeprettyserioustrouble.Manyhavesomefairlydramaticideasonwhatitwouldtaketoputsomeone
inpositionoffightingforsurvival.Actually,itdoesn’ttakeallthatmuch.Itcouldbeassimpleasrunningoutofgasinthewintertimewhiledrivingdownaruralroad.Thatdrivercouldverywellfallintosurvivalmodeiftheheaterdoesn’tworkandthere’sachanceanothercarwouldn’tcomebyforsometime.Preparednessisamatterofrecognizingyourpossibleproblemsand
limitations.It’saboutfindingtherightanswers.It’salsoamatterofproperattitude.Theworld’sbestgearcouldn’tmakeupthedifferenceforthepersonwhodoesn’thavethewillordrivetopushthroughtheworstthatnatureorman-madecatastrophescouldbring.Preppingwouldmakelifeeasierafteradisaster,butitwon’tmakelifeeasy.Itremindsmeofafun,familystory.Manyyearsback,ourfamilygatheredfor
Thanksgivingdinner.Duringthecourseofconversation,someonementionedthenewsofafamilyoutWestwhohappenedtotraveloffthemainroadonlytobecomelostandstranded.Asitturnedout,thefatherleftthefamilybehindtosearchforhelpandendedupdyingintheprocess.Therestofthefamilywaseventuallyfound,andfortunately,theysurvived
Therestofthefamilywaseventuallyfound,andfortunately,theysurvivedthatterriblesituation.Myyoungestson,whowasprobablyabout7atthetime,perkedupaswetalkedandexhibitedthatconfident,survivalistattitude.Hesaidthatifthatwereourfamily,thosewhocametotherescuewouldhavefoundtheNowkasinawarm,comfortablelogcabinwithplentyofvenisontoeat.Welaughed.It’sstillquitefunny.Theyoungster,however,offeredupagood
exampleofthedeterminationandconfidenceyoushouldbringtoyourplanningandtoanysurvivalsituation.Youhavetomakedowithwhatyouhaveregardlessofthesituation.Fromthere,it’samatterofdriveandworkingtocomeoutstrongerontheotherside.It’sfareasieronpaperorinconversationthanitisinreality.Toughsituations
oftenrequireagooddealofwillpower.Thosewithasolidarrayofprepswouldstillneedplentyofmentalstrength.Iwouldn’tthinkofmytimeinHaitiaftertheearthquakeasasurvival
situation.Weweregivenallthesuppliesweneeded.Itwasnonethelessadifficultsituationthatdemandedastrongandfocusedmindtomeetthechallengesbroughtbythatenvironment.OurmealsforthatnearmonthconsistedsolelyofMREs.Iwouldn’tspeakpoorlyofthem—theyaren’tbadbyanystretch—butthetimeeventuallyhitswhenyouwouldtradejustaboutanythingforagood,warm,well-preparedmeal.
Thosewithouttheabilitytosecurepotablewaterareatseriousrisk.Rainbarrelsareaneasywaytocollectandstorewatertoaccountforthatneed.
Lookingback,IrecognizeIwould’vehadaneasiertimewithaccesstosomedecentcoffee.Sanitationprovidedsomerealchallengesonthementallevel.Forthatperiod,allwehadwerebath-in-a-bagkitsasameansofstayingclean.Theresimplywasn’tanywaytokeepclearfromthegrimegiventhecloudofdustthatpermeatedeverything.We’dwashupbeforegoingtobedandwouldwakeupjustasfilthyaswewerebeforeputtingourheadsonourpillows.Itwasaprettytaxingexperience.Themainpointisthatgearalonedoesn’tleaveyouprepared.Itstartsandends
withtheall-importanttoolbetweenourears.Planningrequiresstrategy.
withtheall-importanttoolbetweenourears.Planningrequiresstrategy.Youshouldrecognizethebeststockpilesofsuppliesaremeaninglessiftheir
goodsaren’taccessible.Someonestuckoutinthewoodscan’trelyonhisthree-daysurvivalkitifheleftitintheclosetathome.Andthosewhocollectedtwomonthsoffoodbeforethetornadowouldbeinnobettershapethantheirneighborsifthestormpickeditupandtossedit20milesaway.Preppersneedtothinkabouteverysmallerproblemundertheumbrellaofa
disaster.ThosewhomakeahomeinTornadoAlleymightconsidersometypeofundergroundvaultthatcouldwithstandatornado.Iftheworstcametobear,youcouldpulloutyourgearandsetupcamp.It’seasytofallshortinyourplanningbyfailingtothinkthroughaproblemto
itsveryconclusion.WhileservinginresponsetoHurricaneIkeinTexas,Ididafavortomyemployerandbroughtsomegeartofamilymemberswhocaughtsomeofthestormbutnotenoughtoforceevacuation.Thehomemadeitthroughwithoutstructuraldamage,althoughpowerlinesweredownandtreesandlimbslitteredthestreets.Giventheoverall,regionallevelofdestruction,itwasgoingtotakesometimeforlifetogetbacktonormal.
Asmallsurvivalkitinthegloveboxofyourvehiclemightbeanafterthoughtuntilyoureallyneedone.Planahead.
Onapositivenote,thatfamilyknewitwasimportanttohaveageneratoraspartoftheirtoolkit.Theproblem,however,cameinthattheydidn’thaveenoughgasonhandtokeepitoperational,norenoughfoodorwatertomakeitthroughtherecoveryperiod.It’sagoodlessononthinkingthroughfromonepotentialproblemtotheverynext.Asplansdevelop,sotoowillconfidence.Theself-reliantattitudethat’sfairly
unfamiliartoouryoungergenerationsstillholdsprettystrongamongmanyofourolderAmericans.Nottoolongago,anearlyspringstormthatdumpedtwofeetofsnowoverthecourseofaneight-hourperiodcausedplentyofheadachesinnorthernMichigan.Thestormknockeddownpower.Ittookconsiderabletimeforcrewstogetthestreetspassable.Temperaturesdippeddowntothezeromarkafterthesnowstoppedfalling,anditwasaprettymiserabletimeforalotofpeople.
Thesein-groundstoragebarrelsholdimportantsurvivalmaterialsandwillbehiddenaspartofthelandscaping.
Somehomeswereleftwithoutpowerfor10days.Acommunityabout40minutessouthofmyhomesetupashelterforthoseaffected.Manywouldexpectthatmuchinourmodernera.Itdrewarolloftheeyesfromoneoldergentleman.Whiletalking,hetookatoneofsurpriseandmaybejustabitofcontemptatthethoughtthatanyonewouldrelyonashelterregardlessofallthetroublesthatsnowstormcaused.Residentstherealwaysgotbyandneverneededthatkindofassistancebefore.ItmightjustbeamatterofwhereIcallhome.Therewerealotofhousesup
herethatdidn’thaveelectricityasrecentlyas40yearsago.Peoplemightbea
herethatdidn’thaveelectricityasrecentlyas40yearsago.Peoplemightbealittlebittougherintheseparts.Certainly,manyinthegenerationbeforeminewerequiteself-reliantanddidn’thavetorunintotownforeverylittlething.Theolderguyhadlivedtherehiswholelife.Hewentthroughplentyof
challengingwinters,anditwasthefirsttimehecouldrecallanyoneneedingorseekingthatkindofaid.Itgivesreasonforthought.Morepeoplewouldverylikelybeinfarbetterpositionsbytakingonevenabitofthatman’sattitude.Theprinciplesofpreparationwouldserveafamilywellasacommunity
strugglesthroughanydisaster’swake.It’snottosayyourthoughtsandeffortshavetobetuckedawayandleftuntilatimeofneed.Anattitudeofself-reliancealsohasitsplaceintheday-to-day.Self-relianceasitpertainstofoodmeanshavingsustenanceathandthatgoes
beyondwhatwasbaggedatthegrocerystoreduringtheweekend.Thefoodcomponentofagoodpreparationplancouldactuallymakegoodeconomicsenseforafamilyevenintypicalday-to-dayliving.Youcouldusesomespaceandahalfanhouradaytotendanice-sizedgarden.Growingfoodisinexpensiveandlendstoahealthywayofliving.Ienjoy
freshvegetablesyear-round.I’mnotasfondofhavingthemshippedinfromaroundtheworldwhenthegrowingseasonisover.I’mOKwithpackingsomegreenbeansinthefreezeranddoingsomecanning.Gardeningrequiressomeroom,butmanyevenwithsmallerpropertiescouldmakeithappen.Youmightnotgrowafullyear’sworthofvegetables,butevenafewmonthsoffoodisworththeeffort.Someofthoselivinginthecitymightdeterminethewell-manicuredbackyard
offersnothingmorethanaweeklymowingchore.Thatspacemightgetbetteruseasagarden.Thoselivinginruralareaswouldfindthere’slittlelessexpensivethanraisingchickens.Theyprovideperfectproteinintheformoftheireggseverydayoftheweek.Self-relianceextendsbeyondfood.Itcomesdowntothelittlethings.Those
dedicatedtopreparednessoftenfinditreallyisn’tsomethingseparatefromtherestoftheirlives.Itjustbecomespartoftheirwayofliving.
restoftheirlives.Itjustbecomespartoftheirwayofliving.Forinstance,Ihaveasmallcompassonmykeyringandkeepapocketknife
andsmallflashlightwithme.It’sjustpartofwhatIdo.I’mmorecomfortablethatway.Somepreppersputdownsignificantsumsongearonlytopackitaway.Thosewhousepiecesoftheirpreparationonaregularbasisaremakingafarbetterinvestment.Mywaterfiltrationunit,forinstance,isinmykitchen.Itgetsdailyuse.My
coffermakerrequiresfilteredwater.Mywifeusesitfordrinkingwater.ImentionedAladdinlampsasagoodsourceoflightinashort-term
emergencysituation.Thelampshaveanotherroleinmyhome.Isimplyenjoythem.I’vealwayshadinterestinfunctionalart,andIhaveaboutadozenAladdinoillampsindifferentroomsinmyhome.Certainly,they’repreps,buttheirhistoryisfascinating,andmanyofthe
lampsarequitebeautifulworks.Manyfeatureglass,nickelandbrass.Severalhaveornatefeatures.Thelampsaretremendoustoolsfromaprepper’sstandpointastheyofferlight
andalsocreatewarmth.They’retoolsthatgiveaboosttomyattitude.Fewtakeanydegreeofpleasurewhenthepowergoesdown.Whenthetimecomestousemylamps,I’mexcitedabouttheopportunity.Thereareplentyofopportunitiestotakewhatyou’realreadydoingandmake
itpartofyourpreparedness.Thosewhobarbecueasahobbycoulddoabitofreadingandexperimentationandquicklylearnhowtosmokefish.Itwouldopenagreatsourceofpreservedproteinshouldadisasterimpactfoodsupplies.Huntersaren’theadingintothefieldhopingtoaddtotheirlonger-termplans,
butinonesense,they’redoingpreciselythat.Thosewhoenjoygardeningareexercisingself-reliance,butmightnotseeitthatway.It’sjustpartoftheirlifestyles.Thehobbyistwithbasiccarrepairabilitieshasasolidself-relianceskillthatcouldcomeinhandyquicklyduringanemergency.Preparationattheonsetrequiresthoughtsandeffortsthatmanyhaven’t
consideredbefore.Itbecomesmorenatural.Astheprocessmovesforward,prepperswillcometofindit’sjustbecomeapartofwhotheyare.Preppers
prepperswillcometofindit’sjustbecomeapartofwhotheyare.Preppersbecomemoreself-reliantaspreparationsbegintounfoldanditbeginstoshowintheirday-to-daylives.Livinginpreparednessofferssomepeaceofmindwhenunderstandingthe
risksaroundus.Itmakesalotofsensetoextendyourself-reliantattitudebeyondconcernsforwhatcouldhappen.Thosewholivewiththeirpreparationsmighthavelesserstresswhentroublesactuallystrike.They’realreadyinthemodetohandleitinacalmandwell-thought-outmanner.Preparingtakesgearandsupplies,butit’sfarmoreapracticeinmindset.As
youdevelopeaself-reliantattitude,theideasof“survival”and“preparation”becomesmaller.Anunderstandingofpreparationas“justourwayoflife”growsinequalproportion.
Knifeforums.com,thesitetheauthordeveloped,hasanOutdoorSurvivalForumwherepreppersswapstoriesandadvice.
Nooneexpertcouldeverclaimtohavealltheanswerswhenitcomestogoodpreparedness.Allplanssharesomebasics,thoughnotwowell-developedplanscouldeverlookthesame.Everypersonisdifferent.Everyfamilyisunique.Manyplanscannonethelessimprovebysharingideas.Fortunately,thereisawealthofresourcesoutthereofferingavarietyof
Fortunately,thereisawealthofresourcesoutthereofferingavarietyofpotentialsolutionsforyoutodrawfromwhenbuildingtherightplanforyourfamily.Websites,magazinesandeventelevisioncouldprovideyouwiththoughtsonpotentialproblemsandanumberofgoodsolutionsthathadn’tpreviouslycometomind.
LivingReadyMagazine,amagazinethatispublishedquarterlybyF+WMedia,isanothergreatresourceforpreppers.
Thosejustgettingstartedmightscrollthroughtheinformationavailableatwww.ready.gov.It’sawebsitemaintainedbytheFederalEmergencyManagementAgency,anditprovidesgoodinformationonanextensivelistoftopicsrelatedtodisasters,preparedness,healthandsafety.It’sagreatstart.Youcoulddobetterthanthebareminimumpreppingrecommendationstypicallyofferedonthesitethough.Anynumberofonlineforumsareoutthereandaccessiblethroughsimplesearches,whetherfor“survival,”“prepping”or“preparation.”Someinformationmightbeusefultotheindividualprepper.Somewouldproveuseless.Itwoulddifferbythefamilyanditsplan.They’regoodplacestocheckouttoseewhatotherpreppersaredoing.Occasionally,youwillstumbleacrossideasthatapplywelltoyourowneffort.
Knifeforums.com,thesiteIdeveloped,hasasolidsectiondedicatedtopreparedness.LivingReady,amagazinepublishedquarterlybyF+WMedia,isanothergreatresourcethatprovidesavarietyoftipsandthoughtsfortheaveragefolkswhovaluepreparednessbutaren’tsomuchworriedabouttheendofdays.Youmightnotliveonthefringeorhaveanyintentionofheadingthere.Itstilldoesn’thurttotakealookatallthesolutionsthosehyper-dedicatedpreppersdevised.DoomsdayPreppers,whichairsontheNationalGeographicChannel,mightbeoff-puttingtosomeandmightunfortunatelyplayintoastigmatowardtheideaofreadiness.Youshouldn’tthrowoutthebabywiththebathwaterthough.Youmightnotascribetotheviewsorfearsofthosedocumented,butyoumightstillcatchontoanideaortwothatsolvesanissueinyourownplanningfromthoseefforts.Theverypointistogatherfromthebigpoolofknowledgeoutthereandconsiderthebitsthatfitbestintoyourpreparednessefforts.Itdoesn’tmatterwheretheycomefrom.Noonebuteachindividualpreppercouldpossiblyknowwhat’llworkbestforhisfamily.Preppingisamulti-facetedeffortthattakesalotoflearninginanumberofdifferentareas.Basedonitsvastscope,it’sextremelyvaluabletogetasenseofhowothersareaccountingfortheirvarietyofneeds.
A
2
STAYINGPUT
Yourhomeistheverydefinitionofcomfort.Inadisastersituation,it’softenbesttostaywhereyouare.
sit’softenbeensaid,“there’snoplacelikehome.”It’saclichéthatcertainlyringstrueforthosedealingwiththeaftermathofadisaster.Homeprovidestheverydefinitionofcomfort.
Homecertainlystandstobecomealesspeacefulplacewhenafamilyisleftwithoutpower.Theremightbestructuraldamage.Ahomeisn’tsocozywhenaportionoftheroofcavestotheweightofatoppledtree.Theyardmightbecomeanestoftangledbranchesanddownedutilitylines.
Yourhomeisagreatheadquartersforrecoveryinadisastersituation.Youremergencyplansshouldbebuiltwiththehomeinmind.
Theworkaheadmightbedaunting,butit’sstillthefamily’smostfamiliarplace.It’sacommonpointthatbondsthefamily.Itprovidesanadvantagethatcan’tbeoverstatedamidtheinevitablestressbroughtonbycatastrophe.Homeisagreatheadquartersforrecoveryinaverypracticalsense.Thehome
iswherethegeariskept.Anorganizedpreppercouldgrabaflashlight,headintothedarkenedworkshopandfindtheprecisetoolneededforanyjob.Muchofyourplansshouldbebuiltwiththehomeinmind.Familiesthatmadeappropriatepreparationeffortswillhavemealstucked
awayintheirfoodlockersthat’llkeepeveryonewellfedforagoodamountoftime.Thosewho’veassembledtherighttoolsandsuppliesshouldhaveanabilitytostaywarmanddryandhaveplentytodrinkasthecommunityatlargeslowlyhealsfromitsbruises.Ourhomesareindeedourcastles.Youmightquestionwhyafamilywould
everevacuate.Theanswerisclearandsimple.Apreppershouldn’tfocushistopconcernsonthedaysorweeksafternatureshowsitspower.Heshouldworrymostabouttheverydisasteritself.Safetyisthefirstgoal,anditthereforemakesthemostsensetogetawayfrom
impendingdangerifit’sreasonablypossible.Preppersshouldpaycloseattentiontoanyforewarningofapproachingdangersandmakequick,reasoneddecisions.Sometimes,it’ssafertobugout.Often,warningsareinsufficientandleaveyou
Sometimes,it’ssafertobugout.Often,warningsareinsufficientandleaveyounochoicebuttostayinplaceandmakeuseofallthetoolsandsuppliesyou’vestashedaway.Thekeyistomakeasmartandunemotionaldecision.It’seasytoimaginea
preppergettingstubbornandtakingonahold-his-groundkindofattitude,particularlywithallthetimeandmoneyspenttoaccountforfood,waterandgear.Someonewhospentagoodchunkofapaycheckonageneratorandbuiltupagoodsupplyofgasmightfigureit’sfinallytimetoputittouse.Apersonofthismindsetismissingthepointofpreparedness.Aplanisn’taboutstuff.Instead,it’sallthatstuffthatsupportstheplan.Thegreaterpointofpreparednessisexercisingtheforethoughtnecessaryto
makeitthroughwhatevertheworldputsinyourwayandbythebestpossiblemeans.Homeiscomfort.Safety,however,shouldalwaystrumpeaseandabundance.Imagineallofthesecondguessingthatwouldcomeshouldafamilymembersufferasignificantinjuryduetoaweatherevent.Toputitevenmorebluntly,therewouldn’tbeanythingmoreuncomfortablethanhavingtomournalostlife.
There’snogoodwaytooutruntheseverewinterweathermanyacrossthenorthernsectionsofourcountryarefamiliarwith.Remainingathomeisoftenthebestdecision.
Thehomeissometimesthesafestplacetobe.Quiteoften,there’snoreasonablewaytosteerawayfromdanger.Thedecisiontohuddleintothe
basementsaferoomisoftenmadebyMotherNaturewheneventssuchastornadoesorevenseverethunderstormscarryingtremendousstraight-linewindsbeardownquickly.
Afamilywouldneedappropriatefoodandwatertostayintheirhomefollowingadisaster.ThisfoodstorageroomwasdesignedbytheAmericanPreparednessCenter,LLC.
ThisfoodstorageroomdesignedbyAmericanPreparednessCenter,LLCwasanunusablecrawlspacebeforetheproject.
MotherNaturecangetuglyprettyquickly.Peoplehaveanaverageofonly14minutestofindaplaceofsafetywhentornadoesthreaten,accordingtotheNationalOceanicandAtmosphericAdministration.Thereisn’ttimeforanythingbutaccountingforthefamilymembersandpetsandscramblingtotheverynearestplaceofsafety.Thoseexperiencingtornadoescoulddrawenvyfromsomeforhavingeventhatshortbitofnotice.Thoselivingnearfaultlinesaretypicallycaughtbycompletesurprisewhentheplanet’sinnerworkingsdecideit’stimeforanearthquaketounleashitsdestruction.Preparingforastay-in-placerecoveryrequiresacacheofsuppliesthat’ll
firmlyaccountfortheruleofthrees.Afamilywouldneedappropriatefoodandwater.Shelterconsiderationswouldvarysignificantlydependingontheregionanditsriskfactors.Somewouldaccountforcold.Somewouldaccountforwaystomanagethroughextremeheat.Somethoughtsarefairlygeneralandwouldapplytoeveryone.Othersarepinpointedbasedonwhathistorycantellaprepper.Theplanningprocessforthoseatreasonableriskoftornadoes,forinstance,shouldincludesomeconsiderablethoughtonhowtheirfamilieswouldmanagethroughacompletelossofhome.
Shelterconsiderationsvarysignificantlydependingontheregionyouliveinanditsriskfactors.
Cookingwithoutelectricitymightrequireasimplecampstove.Theauthorboughtthesethreefromyardsalesfor$5orlesseach.
Agoodplanwouldincludeavarietyofitemsthatextendbeyondtheruleofthrees.Survivalisthetopgoal,butcomfortcanbeaccomplishedafterthatbasicfoundationofpreparednessislaid.Additionaleffortswouldfocusonhowtokeeplifeasnormalaspossibleduringanyperiodsofupheaval.Comfortwouldmeanlighting.Itmightincludeamethodofcooking.Those
withkidsathomewouldbewisetohaveanynumberofdiversionstokeepthekids’mindsoccupiedshouldtheylosetheircomputers,TVsandvideogamesystems.Planningisn’taprocessaimedatmakingarecoveryeasy.Nodegreeof
preparationcouldofferthatkindofguarantee.Thosewhoplanthoughtfullyandcompletely,however,aretakingstepsthatwouldmaketheaftermathofadisasterfarmoremanageable.Awell-preparedfamilywouldbebetterequippedtotaketheirtroublesinstride.Destructiveeventswouldbetoughinsomedegreeonanyone.Eventhose
managingrecoveryfromthecomfortofhomewouldwatchtheirpatiencewiltaway.Apreppermightfindasilverlininginknowingthatrecoverymechanismsinplacetodayarefargreaterthanthosethatwereavailabletostrugglingcommunitiesindecadespast.Theworldhasbecomesmaller,andthus,helpisneverfarfrommaterializing.
Thosechargedwithrecoveryaidhaveneverbeenbetterplanned.Moderntechnologywithallofitsmoretroublesomeimpactshasalsomadelifesaferand
technologywithallofitsmoretroublesomeimpactshasalsomadelifesaferandrecoveryeffortsfarmoreefficient.Emergencyreliefintoday’sworldstartswithinminutes.Thefirstoutsideaid
oftenarriveswithinhours.Suppliesandmanpowerregularlybuildtosignificantlevelsinamatterofdays.Governmentagencies,humanitarianorganizationsandeventhoseintheprivatesectorcanmobilizequickly.Reliefagencies,withthebenefitofadvancedwarning,willoftenhaveaidreadyandavailablebeforetroublesstrike.TheAmericanRedCross,forinstance,hadnearly2,400volunteerworkersintheGulfCoastin2012beforeHurricaneIsaacmadeitslate-Augustlandfall.Theyhadalmost290,000mealsreadytogoascommunitiesstillwaitedonthestorm’sarrival.Improvementstoemergencyresponsemeansthedaysoflong-term,concerted
effortstostayontherightsideoftheruleofthreesafteradestructiveeventaren’taslikelyastheyusedtobe.Reliefworkersmakehealthandsafetytheirtoppriorities.Giventhestrengthofourcommunicationsystems,itwouldtakeanunbelievablylargeandwide-scaleeventforanycommunityofpeopletogounnoticedorlefttofendforitselfforanysignificantlengthoftime.Ofcourse,there’snosuchthingastheperfectresponse.Recoveriesstilllag
fromtimetotime.Yet,outsideofthemostcatastrophicdisasters,thedetailedlevelofcoordinationandplanninginplacethroughoutthecountryoftenleadstotimelyrestorationofacommunity’scriticalinfrastructure.Abilitiesvarydependingontheuniqueaspectsofanydisaster.Crews,
however,canoftenmakereasonablyquickworkofdeliveringasafewatersupply,restoringelectricpowerdistributionandassuringadequatemedicalresources.Aseachpieceofthatinfrastructurecomesbackonline,thoseaffectedcanrelythatmuchlessonthetoolsandsuppliesassembledaspartoftheirownpreparationplans.Thenation’spowercompaniesprovidevividillustrationofthequickefforts
thatlendtowardrelief.Several,wide-scaledestructiveeventstestifytotheindustry’spreparednessandtheskillofitsworkersinidentifyingandsolvingproblems.Aglanceatpoweroutagestatisticswhencomparingthedepthof
problems.Aglanceatpoweroutagestatisticswhencomparingthedepthofdestructiontotheeventualrestorationtimesisoftenprettyamazing.Morethan18,000customerswereleftwithoutpowerafterthedeadlyand
destructive2011tornadothattorethroughJoplin,Mo.Withinaweek,10,000ofthosecustomershadtheirpowerback,accordingtoU.S.DepartmentofEnergyreports.In2012,HurricaneIsaacknockedoutpowertonearly900,000homesinLouisianaafteritslandfall.Allbut6,200customershadtheirpowerrestoredwithinninedays.In2004,morethan2millionFloridacustomerswereleftwithoutelectricityafterHurricaneCharleymadelandfall.Within10days,95percentofthosecustomershadtheirpowerrestored.Improvementshavebeennotableinanumberofcategories.TheUnited
States,fromlocalgovernmentunitstothefederallevel,hascomealongwayinjustamatterofafewyears.It’sanothersilverlining,andittrulycastitsglowoffthedarkestofclouds.TheAmericanpublicinmanywayscametoitsfarstrongerpositionbyvirtueofsometremendoushardshipthataddedsorrowtothemostrecentchaptersofourhistory.Inthewakeoftragedy,thegovernment—alongwithprivateentities—workedhardtoquicklyandvastlyimprovecapabilitiestobenefitpost-disasterrecoveryefforts.
Buildingasmallundergroundstorage/stormshelterisareasonablewaytokeepyoursurvivalorrecoverysuppliessafeaslongasyouareinanareathatdoesnotflood.
TheattacksofSept.11,2001changedsomuchaboutourcountry.Itwasn’tonlyanattackonNewYork,WashingtonandthosewholosttheirlivesinPennsylvania.ItwasanattackoneachandeveryAmerican.Thoughwe’dallliketogobackandchangethatterribleday,thetruthofthematteriswe’refarsafernowbecauseofit.Thebestandbrightestgottoworkinthewakeofthatunprecedentedassault
onournationanditswayoflife.Detailedcontingencyplanningcametogetherfromthesmallestoflocalitiesallthewaythroughmajor,federal-levelagencies.Thosewithrolesinemergencyresponsebecamemorefocusedandplacedgreateremphasisonmeetingacrossdisciplinesandjurisdictionallines.Theywalkedthroughrisks,discussedvulnerabilitiesandfiguredoutsolutions.Thougheffortsweredesignedaroundterrorismrisksandresponses,manyaspectsofthatplanningapplyjustaswelltodisasterrecoveryinallforms.Improvementstouchedeverycornerofthecountry.Policeandfire
departmentsservingthegamutfromruraltownshipstothelargestcitiesobtainednewtoolsandtrainingthatweren’talwaysfeasibleforcommunitiesamidcontinuallytight,localbudgets.Theemergencycrewsthathadlongrecognizedtheirownweaknesseshadtheabilitytoapplyforgrants,andveryfewofthoserequestswereturneddown.Theattacksusheredinacompletelyneweraofvigilance.Despiteallofthoseefforts,themessandturmoilleftinthewakeofHurricane
Katrinaalmostfouryearslatermanagedtohighlightanewseriesofweaknesses.Ireanddisbeliefbuiltquicklyacrossthecountrythroughdetailedmediareportsofwhatcanstillberegardedasadebacle.Itleftofficialsnochoicebuttomakequickandsignificantimprovements.Manycouldn’tbelievesuchasituationcouldhappenhereinAmerica.Improperlong-termplanningcombinedwithpoordecisionsandalackof
coordinationatalllevelsonlyexacerbatedthedifficultiescreatedbythatintense
andpowerfulstorm.Inthewakeofthedisaster,Congresspassedseverallawsaimedatimprovingdisasterresponse.TheFederalEmergencyManagementAgencyunderwentanumberofchangesbasedonitspoorperformanceintheaftermath.Humanitarianorganizationsreflectedontheirresponses,re-assessedcapabilitiesandmadetheirownchanges,includingheightenedvolunteertrainingandincreasedcollaboration.Today,reliefworkers’abilitiestohastenhealingarestrongerthanever,and
theycontinuetogrow.HurricaneKatrinaandtheattacksofSept.11,2001remainfreshonthemindsofmany.ThedevastationbroughtbySuperstormSandyin2012onlystrengthenedresolveasvulnerabilitiesshowedfaceonceagain.Thecountryhasn’tletdownitsguard.Anylevelofemergencyresponseimprovementshouldn’tbeenoughforany
familytoletdownitsownguard.Preparingisarecognitionthattheindividualcandobetterthanhopeforthebestandwaitonwhateveraidmightcomefromothers.Recentimprovementsdon’tdiminishtheneedforvigilanceineachandeveryhousehold.Truthfully,ouroverallcapabilitiesasanationwouldimprovetoayetgreaterlevelifmorepeopleexercisedforethoughtandproperlyaccountedfortheirownfamily’sneeds.
Ifyouhavetheabilitytogenerateyourownpowerduringablackout,evenifitisjustalittlebit,stayingathomebecomesmucheasier.
Efficientandimprovingresponsefromoutsidesourcesdoesn’tmeaninstantaneousreliefaftertheweathercalms.Therewillalwaysbesomedegreeofchaosandalotofstrugglingearlyafteranydisasterasworkersassemble,sortthroughthemess,determineneedsandfinallybegintogetahandleonthedisarray.Amoreefficientsystemislittleconsolationtothosefacingthegreatest,immediatestruggles.Growingcapabilitiesafterdisastershavenotandcouldnotovercomethe
benefitsofproperplanning.Careprovidedforthemassescouldneveraccountfortheuniqueconsiderationsofanyindividual.Yourproperty,withthebenefitofapreparednessplan,wouldinevitablyprovidegreateramenityandanall-importantlevelofprivacyyouwouldn’tfindatthelarge-scalecommunityshelter.Havingakitchen,livingroomandjustafewsmallbedroomswouldn’tseem
likemuchfortheyoungfamilyinastarterhomegettingbyintypicalcalm.Youwouldgainafargreaterappreciationthoughifyou’reforcedtotakeupasmallplaceamonghundredsofcotsunfoldedinahighschoolgym.Preppinggoesbeyondenvironment.Havingfoodateasyreachisbetterforyourspirit,confidenceandsenseofnormalcythanhavingtostandinlineforwhatevermealsarebeingservedbyreliefworkersthatday.
It’sdifficulttofindconfidenceandasenseofnormalcywhenyouhavetorelyonmealsservedbyreliefworkersfollowingadisaster.
Thosewhoundertakepreparationdosoinrecognizingthatwhilemanyhopeforthebest,there’sgreaterstrengthintakingtherightactionstomakethebesthappen.Preparingeliminatestheneedtorely,hopeorwait.What’sneededisthereandready.Preparednessisanexerciseaimedatgettingthroughanyroughperiodwithas
littledifficultyaspossible.Ourrelieforganizationsaregenerous,wellintentioned,caringanddotremendousworktoliftupthoseattheirpointsofgreatestneed.Noneofthem,however,couldunderstandyourfamilies’needsandworriesaswellasyoudo.That’swherepreppingcomesintoplay.Acommonquestionamongthosejustgettingstartedwithapreparationplan
is,“Howmuchisenough?”Unfortunately,it’saquestionthat’sdifficulttoanswer.Itwouldbedifferentformanypeople.Reliefworkers,asanynumberof
answer.Itwouldbedifferentformanypeople.Reliefworkers,asanynumberofdisastershaveshown,focustheirearliesteffortsontheinfrastructurethatwouldvitallyimpacttheruleofthrees.Majorneedsreachingthegreaternumbersinacommunityareoftenmetwithhaste.Relief,however,doesn’talwayscomeatonce.Afamilywhosehomewas
damagedandpushedoffitsfoundationwouldneedagreaterplanthanthenearbyfamilythatonlyhasdebristoclear.Crewsmightrestoreelectricityto90percentofanaffectedcommunitywithinthreedays,butitcouldtakethreeadditionaldaystogetthroughthatnext5percent.Itcouldbeaweekbeyondthatorlongertoaddressthelastfewdarkenedhomesandbusinesseswithuniqueissues.Dedicatedprepperswillextendtheirpreparednessplansbeyondthetimeframe
ofafewweeksinrecognizingthattherearealwaysexceptionstothetypical.Preparingatitsmostbasicisamatterofbeingreadyfortheexceptional.Wesettwoweeksataminimumbaselineinrecognitionthatdisastershappenoftenenoughthattheycouldimpacttypicalservicesatsomelevelforthatlengthoftime.Deeperplansprovidegreaterinsurance.Ifthefullextentofthoseeffortsis
neverneeded,itwouldstillstandtoprovidetheprepperwithgreaterpeaceofmind.Afamilythat’sregroupingintheearlyhoursafterdisastercouldneverknowwithcertaintywhetherbusinessesandserviceswouldbeupandrunningafterthreedays.Adequaterepairsanduntanglingthecomplexproblemsusheredinbydisastercouldjustaswelltakethreeweeks.
Makeyourplanpartofyoureverydaylife.ThisAladdinlampisfunctionalwithoutelectricityandisalsoart.
Themessbeyondthedoormightappearunworkable.Somecouldcertainlytakejoyifnormalcystartedreturningquickly.Shouldtheexceptionalcometopass,thosewhobuilttheirplansevenalittlebitdeepercouldatleastfeelsomereliefknowingneedswouldbecovered.Thehomeitselfisindeedavaluabletoolinanoverallpreparationscheme
shouldcircumstancemeanyoumuststayinplace.Familiarityprovidesmoretothoserecoveringfromemergenciesthansomemightthink.Youwouldbehardpressedtothinkofanotherlocaleinwhichyoucouldwalkfromanupstairsbedroomtothefirst-floorkitcheninthedarkwithouthavingtofeelaroundorriskstubbingatoeonthefurniture.Residentsknowwheretofindtheirvalves,socketsandbreakerswitches.
Therearevaluablesafetyandconveniencefactorsatplay.It’salsoamatterofefficiency.Stayinginplaceaffordsyoutheabilitytorecovermorequicklyaftertroublepasses.Thoseaffectedbydestructiveforcescan’tclearawaythedamagesifthey’reontheroadorcampingout100milesaway.Thehome,conversely,canbecomeadangeroustemptationformany.Both
preppersandnon-preppersareoftentoorigidtogivesafetyitsduepositionover
everydaycomfort.Recenteventshaveshownthedangersthatcancomefromanill-placeddecisiontostayinplace,whetheritcomesfromaplaceofgambling,stubbornnessornaiveté.HurricanesKatrinaandIsaacandSuperstormSandyeachprovidedexamples.
Sizablepopulationssettledinduringeachdespiteclear,forewarneddangers.It’sbeyondcommonsense.Thosewhononethelesscarryastrongdeterminationtostayinplaceregardlessofanyapproachingdangershouldatleasttrytoaccountforsafetybysomemethodandwellinadvance.AprepperinthesouthernmoststretchesofMississippiorLouisianawho’sdeadsetandwouldrefusetopackupandmoveonmightatleastinstallanescapehatchintheattic.Itwouldonlymakesenseafterwatchingthemanyrooftoprescuesamiddangerouslyhighfloodwaters.Themajorityofyourprepswouldcometoplayafterthedangerhaspassed
andit’stimetogetahandleonanydamage.Aprepper’slifewouldprobablybeallrightaftertheeventpassesaslongaseveryonemadeitthroughsafely.Lifemightnotbesimpleafterthatpoint,butit’sstillliving.Aftercalmreturns,it’samatterofgettingbyasbestasyouareableuntiltherestofthecommunitycatchesbackup.Familiesmightnotrelyonoutsidehelpbutwouldallthesamehold
confidenceintheirprofessionalism.Recenthistoryhasshownhowplanningandcollaborationcontributetotheneedsofthosesuffering.ResponsetotheJoplintornadoincludedahostofagencies—bothlocalandfrombeyond—thatprovidedurgentaidtothetatteredcommunity.Thestormleftincredibledestructionandheartachebehindit.Themile-wide
tornadotoreacross22milesofterrainandbroughtwindstopping200mph.A6-milestretchofthatpathwentrightthroughthecenterofthecity.Thetornadodestroyednearly7,000housesaswellasschools,churches,stores
andotherbuildings.Structureshavebeenreplaced.Thegreatertragedywasthe161peoplewhowerekilledinthetornado.Thestorminjurednearly1,400more.Itwasthedeadliesttornadosince1947andtheseventhdeadliestinU.S.history.
Effortswerenearlyinstantaneous.Itstartedlocalandgrew.Ambulanceswereatworkwithin10minutes,andasmallarmyofEMSworkerswasmovingthroughthecommunitywithinahalfhour.Missouri’sgovernorbroughtinmembersoftheNationalGuardtheverysamedaytoaideffortsinJoplinaswellasotherareasofthestateimpactedthatdaybystorms.Bythenextday,aMissouriFEMAtaskforcewasonhandinJoplintoprovidesearchandrescueexpertise.Morepeoplemighttaketheexamplesofvigilanceshownatgovernmentand
organizationallevelsandscaleitdowntotheirownhomes.Tornadoesareamongtheclearest,mostfrequentexamplesofemergenciesinwhichyouwouldwanttomoveawaybutreasonablycouldn’tdoso.Authoritieshaverecommendedshelteringinplaceforshort-termchemicaldisastersand,mostnotably,thosethatoffernotimeforsafeevacuation.Familiesmightbuckledowninsidetheirhomes,relyontheirpreparationsandtreattheirpropertiesasislandsshouldpandemicillnessesstrike.
Therearehundredsofbooksandotherresourcesthatarehelpfulandinterestingforthosemakingemergencyplans.
Severesnowstormsareagoodexampleofthepotentialemergencyinwhichmostpeoplewouldmakethereasoneddecisiontosettleinathomeuntilitblowsover.Theworstofstormsmightrequirepatienceandcreatesomeshareofdifficulty.Poweroutagesarecommonandsometimesstretchfordays.Transportationoftengrindstoahalt.Thosestormscouldveryliterallycreate
Transportationoftengrindstoahalt.Thosestormscouldveryliterallycreateroadblocksforpolice,firefightersandotheremergencycrews.Snowstorms,though,arerarelydestructiveonalargescale.Further,there’s
nogoodwaytooutrunseverewinterweather.Stormscanshiftquickly.Sometimes,they’relargeandwidespreadenoughtoimpactanynumberofstates,muchlessafewcommunitiesorcounties.There’sreallynogoodreasonawell-preparedfamilywouldconsiderleavinginthattypeofscenario.Somecomponentsofpreparednessdotakeaccountfortheverymomentsof
danger.Theinescapablerisksinanyregionshouldgivefamiliesparticularcausetothinkthroughanymeansavailabletopreventharm.Safetycomesfirst.Theriskoftornadoesisasignificantoneforlargeportionsofthecountry.
Peopleinregionsthatseethemfrequentlyshould,ataminimum,makesureeachmemberofthefamilyiswellversedinsafetyrecommendationswhetherathome,ontheroadorotherwiseawayfromanysuitablestructure.Asrisksgrow,sotooshouldcontingencies.Properforethoughtandprotectiveactionscanmakeupforsomeofwhat’slost
byalackoftimewhendangersrollinandstrikequickly.AnyonelivinginTornadoAlleywouldbewisetoconstructasaferoomintheirhomestoprovideprotection.It’srecommendedthatpeoplebuildtheirsaferoomsintheirbasements.Thosewithoutbasementscouldreinforceaninteriorroomonthefirstfloortoservethatpurpose.Simplydefined,asaferoomiswindowlessroombuiltofconcretewallsanda
concreteceilingthatcanwithstandthehighwindsofeventhestrongesttornadoes.It’saprepthatcomeswithsignificantcost.Ifafamilyisatasignificantenoughrisk,youreallycouldn’tputapricetagonyourlifeorthoseofyourlovedones.Thoseatgreatestriskoftornadoesshouldconsiderstockingthosesaferooms
withthreeorfourmonths’worthoffoodforeachmemberofthefamilytoaccountfortheworstcase.Havingadequatesupplieswouldalsomeanacoupledurabletents.Ifthehomearoundthesaferoomtoppledinatornado,thefamilycouldleavethatroom,dustoffandquicklysetupcamp.Fromthere,thefamily
couldleavethatroom,dustoffandquicklysetupcamp.Fromthere,thefamilycouldgetrighttothetaskofclean-upefforts.
It’simportanttohavesomefunonceyougetsettledinafteradisasterstrikes.
Thosewithoutthefinancialmeanstobuildasaferoomshouldatleastidentifytheareasoftheirhomeswherethey’dbesafestintheeventofatornado,whetherit’sthebasement,bathtuborafirst-levelcoatcloset.Youshouldattheveryleastconsiderawaytokeepthefamily’spreparationgearinaplacethat’saccessibleandwouldn’tbeblowntwocountiesaway.Asmall,waterproof,undergroundstoragespotwouldservethatpurpose.Youcouldmeetthatgoalbydifferentmethodsandoftenatminimalexpense.Vigilanceistrulythemostimportanttoolinthekitandcouldverywell
becomethedifferencethatseparateslifeanddeath.Afamilyshouldconsiderhavingaweatheralertradiointhehome.Itisn’tatoolbywhichyoucouldplacefullconfidence.Forecastingisn’taprecise,foolproofscience.Still,it’sameansofreceivinginformationonwatchesandwarningsattheverymomentthey’reissued.Meteorologistscanprovidesignificantadvancednoticewhenconditionsopen
upthepossibilityfortornadoes.They’reabletoprovidegeneral,regionaloutlooksontornadorisksforaweekormoreahead.Aprepperinanareaatriskfortornadoeswouldbewellservedbypayingattentiontothoseoutlooksandrespondingappropriately.Iftheweatherforecastindicatessevereweatherandpotentialtornadorisk,you
couldenhancethesafetyofyourhomeandothersintheneighborhoodby
couldenhancethesafetyofyourhomeandothersintheneighborhoodbyheadingoutandgettingtheyardcleanedup.Avigilantprepperwouldtakenoticeandgetallofthekids’toysoutofthebackyardandthegardentoolsputaway.Youdon’tneedafull-scale,definitetornadowarningtothinkabouttheitemsacyclonewouldturnintoprojectiles.It’svitaltoactquicklyonthebestinformationavailable.Surveysconducted
byNOAAintheaftermathofthe2011Joplindisasterdeterminedthatamajorityofpeoplefailedtorespondinpromptfashion.Manyfailedtotakeappropriateshelterwhentheinitialwarningwasissued.Throughsurveys,officialslearnedsomecomplacencysetingiventhefrequencythatsirenssoundinthatregion.InTornadoAlley,itmakessensethatsirenswouldsoundoften.Toomanypeopledidn’tworryaboutthesiren’sblarebasedonpastexperiencesinwhichlittledangermaterializedafterthewarnings.There’snowaytodeterminehowmanylivescould’vebeensavedorinjuries
sparedhadmorepeopleinJoplinactedwithappropriatehaste.Somequicklytookthebestshelteravailableandstillsustainedinjuriesorlosttheirlives.Itwasamonstrous,once-in-a-generationkindofstorm.Prepperswouldn’ttakechances.It’stoughtothinkabouttheprospectofacritical,potentiallyfatalsituationandrealizemorecould’vebeendoneforthesakeofsafety.Naturedeservesourrespect.Everyminutemattersandeachprovidesbetteroddstoanyfamily.Eventhe
limitedtimeofferedbywarningstodayissomuchmorethanourforefathershad.Whetherit’ssonarorradartechnologyorsatelliteimagery,there’softensufficientwarningofthreateningeventssothatpeoplecanatleasttakecoverifit’snotpossibletogetaway.Thosewholivedgenerationsagohadnomorewarningthantheirowneyesandbestsensesasdarkcloudsandpressurechangescameover.Thoughadvancenoticeoftornadoesonlyaverages14minutes,it’samajorstepforward.Theaverageadvancewarningfortornadoeswasonlyaboutfiveminutesintheearly1990s,NOAAreports.Thewarningsystemisn’tperfect.Meteorologistsaresometimescaughtby
surprisejustliketherestofus.Occasionally,therearestillreportsoftornadoes
surprisejustliketherestofus.Occasionally,therearestillreportsoftornadoestouchinggroundwithoutanyprioremergencywarning.Theadvancedsystemisfrequentlyalifesaver.Itisn’tlikelywe’llseeasmany
masscasualtytornadoesaswedidgenerationsago.Warningshaveimprovedandsomanypeoplearepluggedin.Consideritonemoresolidpointintechnology’spositivecolumn.Whetherit’sthecellphonesorthetelevisionsstationedeverywhere,youarelikelytolearnaboutwatchesandwarningswhereveryoumightbe.
Ifyoudecidetostay,makesureyouareready.Otherwiselonglinescouldbeinyourfuture.
Inspiteofthebesttechnologies,someevents,byvirtueoftheirsize,lackofsufficientwarningorboth,willstillcausesomedeathsalongtheirpathsofdestruction.History,however,speakswellofthenation’sgrowingreadiness.Amongthetop10deadliestdocumentedtornadoesintheUnitedStates,Joplin’sstormwasthelonetooccurafter1953.Earthquakesprovideanotherkeyexampleofwhyforethoughtandsafety
planningareamongthemostimportantaspectsofyourpreparedness.Foralltheadvancesinrecentyears,scientistsstillhaven’tfiguredoutamethodtoaccuratelypinpointwhenandwhereanearthquakewillstrikeoratwhatmagnitude.Therecertainlyisn’tanywaytodeclareapproachingperilinamannerthatcouldgetapopulationoutofthewaybeforetheearthbegins
mannerthatcouldgetapopulationoutofthewaybeforetheearthbeginsrumbling.Theunpredictabilityofearthquakesgoestoexplaintheseveretollsthey’vetakeneveninveryrecenttimes.
TheAmericanPreparednessCenterBuiltthisshelterforaprivateindividual.Ifyouhaveyourownmountain(purchasedseparately),youcanbuildoneoftheseforthelowpriceof$750,000.•1,900squarefeet•1,080squarefeetlivingarea•Remainingspaceisgarage,walkwayandgeneratorroom•Designedtosupport8people•18-inchre-enforcedconcretesidewallswithNo.6andNo.9sizere-barevery10inches•30-inchre-enforcedconcretefloorwithNo.6andNo.9sizere-barevery10inches•30-inchre-enforcedconcreteroofwithNo.6andNo.9sizere-barevery10inches•7,000-psi-ratedconcrete•Everybatch/loadofconcretewastestedbyaninspectortoconfirmallloadsmetspec•Exposedandcoveredconcreteiscoveredwith ⁄ -inchthickwaterproofrubbercoating•Totalof483yardsofconcrete•2 ⁄ -inchsteel-wrapped,sliding,concrete-filledblastdoorsforgarage•3 ⁄ -inchsteel-wrapped,concrete-filledblastdoors(inside)•1backpressureblowoutvalve(insidegaragetomainfacility-located
1 4
1 4
1 4
•1backpressureblowoutvalve(insidegaragetomainfacility-locatedaboveinternalblastdoor)•2sleepingrooms•1masterbedroomwithbathroom/shower•1mainbathroom/shower•1ventilationroom•1powerandstorageroom•1maincommonarea•11,000-gallondieseltank•11,000-gallonwatertank•1built-inwaterfiltrationsystem•Builtintoamountainside.Willcoverentirestructureexceptforgarageentrancewithroughly20inchesofdirt.•Escapehatchinmasterbedroom•Builtforupto8people•LEDlighting
The2010earthquakeinHaititookthelivesof316,000people.Thequakeinjuredanother300,000peopleandleftabout1millionhomeless.Havingworkedinitsaftermath,Ican’timagineseeingagreaterlevelofdestruction.From2000to2010,therewerefourquakesaroundtheworldthattookthelivesof50,000ormorepeople,accordingtotheUnitedStatesGeologicalSurvey.JusttwoyearsbeforetheHaitidisaster,anearthquakeintheSichuanregionofChinakilledmorethan87,000peopleandinjured374,000.Thelackofadvancewarningasitpertainstoearthquakesisn’tamatterof
socioeconomicsormoneyspentonscienceandforecastinginanygivencountry.TheUnitedStates,withallofitsresearchfunding,isasvulnerabletotheabruptnatureofdangeroustremorsasanywhereelse.Thinkbacktothe1989LomaPrietaearthquakethatkilled63peopleandinjuredmorethan3,700othersinnorthernCalifornia.ItsinitialjoltcamewhilethousandsoffanswerealreadyintheirseatsatSanFrancisco’sCandlestickParkinanticipationofaWorldSeriesgamethatwastobeginahalfhourlater.Thestadiummadeitthroughthejolt.Baseballfansmadeittosafety.They
playedthegame10dayslater.Onlybyastrokeoffortune,aterriblecatastrophedidn’tbecomeworse.Thoseinregionswhereearthquakesaremoretypicalshouldalsobeableto
identifythesafestplacesintheirhomes.CurrentFEMArecommendations
identifythesafestplacesintheirhomes.CurrentFEMArecommendationssuggestclimbingbeneathasturdytable.Ifthatisn’tavailable,FEMArecommendationsadvisecrouchingandcoveringyourheadinaninsidecornerofthestructure.Thoseoutdoorsshouldgetawayfrombuildings,wiresandstreetlights.Thoseatanyreasonableriskofearthquakeshouldn’tkeepanythingheavy
tuckeduponhighshelves.Glassitemsshouldbekeptinlatchedcabinetsandshelvingshouldbesecuredtowalls.Shouldtremorscomeoutofnowhere,thosebitsofforethoughtwouldlessenthepotentialforinjuries.Stay-at-homeplanningregardlessofthepotentialdangeratquestionwill
requiresomeeducation.Knowingtheunfathomableworkheapedonemergencyrespondersintheearliesthoursafteradisaster,everypreppershouldknowthebasicsoffirstaid.Theeffortsnecessarytobuilduptomeetacommunity’sneedstakelesstimethaneverbefore,butitstilltakescrucialtime.Yourfamily’saftermathmightbefardifferentthanthatofanotherdownthe
streetortheneighborsaroundthecorner.Somemightemergefromthebasementorcrawlspaceafterastormtofindthehomecrumblingaroundthem.Othersmightcomeouttofindlittle,ifanydamage.Theseverityofdamageleftbyanydisastercoulddiffertremendouslyfromonecityblocktothenext.It’salotteryformany.Itisn’tfortheprepper.Itwouldbecomeamatterof
usingthegearandgoodsatreadytoaccountforthenew,albeittemporary,reality.Anyoneshouldconsiderastrongtentortwoatthereadyforuseasa
temporaryhome.It’sfairtohopeyourhardestthatthetentsareonlyeverusedforcampingexcursions.Youshouldplanadditional,relatedprovisionsthatcouldappropriatelymakethosetentsfeelsomewhatlikehome.Youwouldwantsomedecentsleepingbagsandlanterns,butyoualsomightconsideritemslikeairmattressesamongothergoods.
Havingsomeextragasonhandcouldsaveyoualotoftimeandmoneyinadisastersituation.Planaheadforwhatyourgeneratorwillneed.
Packfood.Storesomewater.Havetheabilitytocollectwaterandmakewaterpotable.Theruleofthreesisthestart.Gettingthehomereadythroughpreparation
beyondtheverybasicstakesavarietyofthoughtsanddecisions.Therearedifferentmethodsavailabletoachieveaprepper’smanygoals.Solutionswoulddifferfrompreppertoprepper.Ifyouhaveageneratoraspartofyourplan,makesureyouhaveenoughgas
onhandtomakeitusefulshouldanemergencyeventstretchonforanumberofdays.It’sdifficulttopredictwhatamountswouldsuffice.Youwouldn’twantmorethanyoucancontinuallycyclethroughwhetherviathelawnmower,snowblowerorotherwise.Youmightconsideremptyinggascansintothecarafteracertainamountoftime.Gasgoesbadafterawhile.Youshouldrecognizethatfactorandfigureouthowtoaccountforitaspartofyourplanning.
Buyingageneratorcouldbeadauntingtaskforthosewhoaren’tsureaboutwhatthey’llneed.Fromlow-endtohigh-end,thereareplentyof
Buyingageneratorcouldbeadauntingtaskforthosewhoaren’tsureaboutwhatthey’llneed.Fromlow-endtohigh-end,thereareplentyofoptions.Thoselookingtobuyonthecheapcouldfindanynumberoflow-wattageunitsinthe$300range.Thenagain,youshouldn’tspendmoneyonanitemthatwouldfailtomeetyourneeds.Thosewhohaveseveralthousandsofdollarstospendwouldfindgeneratorsystemsonthemarketthatwouldbringthehome—regardlessofsize—backtofullpoweratthefirstflickerofapoweroutage.Thosepurchasingforemergencypurposeswouldn’thavetogothatfar.I’dsuggesta5,000-wattgenerator.Theytypicallyfallinthe$500to$700range.It’llprovideenoughpowertorunthewaterpump,keeptherefrigeratorrunningandputachillonthefreezerwhenneeded.Itwouldstillhaveenoughcapacitytopowerupafewlights.It’senoughtomeetbasicneedsduringashort-tomid-termstretchwithoutelectricity.
It’swisetotestyourgeneratoronceamonthbystartingitupandlettingitrunforanhourwithacouplelightbulbsturnedon.
The5,000-wattunitmightnotaccountforwants,butifthepowerisdown,thosebitsofcomfortmightnotbeavailable,anyhow.Those
down,thosebitsofcomfortmightnotbeavailable,anyhow.Thosethinkingaboutaunitthatwouldalsopowerupatelevisionmightconsiderthefactthataccesstocableorsatellitesystemswouldalsolikelybecompromised.ThoseconcernedabouthavingenoughlightcouldlightupafewColemanlanternsorAladdinlampstocomplementwhatthey’reabletoachievefromthegenerator.
Thereareplentyofoptionsforthoselookingforagenerator.Consideryourneedsbeforebuyingone.
Thinkaboutsafety.Thoseplanningtohookuptheirgeneratorsforaccesstooutletsshouldmakesuretocompletelydisconnectthehomefromthepowergrid.Thosewhofailtodosowouldsendelectricitybackthroughtheline,whichwouldpresentdangerstothoseoutworking.Usingtheoutletsisn’tnecessary.Getamodelthatincludeswheelsandpurchasesomelengthy,heavydutyextensioncords.Itmightnotbeasconvenient,butit’sagoodsolutionifyouareonlyfocusingonneeds.Keepthegeneratoroutsidetoavoidtheriskofcarbonmonoxidepoisoning.Anownershouldspendduetimewiththemanualtoassurecomfortandproperusage.Don’toverloadit.Youshouldpaycloseattentiontowhatyou’repowering.RememberOhm’slawasameanstoassureitemsinuseremainwithinthegenerator’scapacity.Voltsmultipliedbyampsprovideswattage.Asformaintenance,it’ssmarttostartupthegeneratoronceamonthandletitrunforanhourwithacouplelightbulbsturnedon.Aprepperwouldn’twanttohaveanenginethatdoesn’tstartwhenamomentof
wouldn’twanttohaveanenginethatdoesn’tstartwhenamomentofneedfinallyarrives.Itonlytakesamomenttopullthecord.Asforpreparedness,thosewithgeneratorsshouldmakesuretohaveenoughgasonhandtomeettheirpreparednessgoals.Ikeepabout15gallonshandy,butremembertouseitandreplenish.Gasisn’tgoodforever.
Somefamilies,whetheroutofinterestsinpreparation,environmentalismorboth,wouldforegothegas-poweredgeneratorandrelyonadifferentwaytosecureelectricity.Somemightinstallsolarpanelsorbuildwindgenerators.They’repricyintermsofinitialinvestment,buttheyofferanabilitytorecoup.Often,suchsystemswillallowpeopletotakethefurnace,waterheaterorotherexpensivenecessitiesoffthegrid,andbyproxy,offtheelectricbill.They’dalsohavetheabilitytokeepinstridewhileneighborsdowithoutafteremergency.Familiesshouldprepareinsomemannerforthepossibilityofcriminalactivity
intheaftermathofanydisastrousevent.Itisn’tthegreatestofconcerns,butit’sstillworthsomedegreeofthought.Inthatsenseandinmanyothers,anelementofpreparednessiskeepingagoodrelationshipwithneighbors.Everyoneneedsallies.Itmakesthebestsensetohavethoseatyourclosestproximityonyourside.Often,thebestprotectionyoucanhaveforyourhomeisthewatchfuleyesof
thepeoplewholivearoundyou.There’sagoodreasonwhypolicedepartmentssoheavilyencouragetheorganizationofneighborhoodwatchgroups.Criminalsrelyonopportunity,andthesmartonesknowbetterthantoheadintothoseactiveneighborhoodsthathaveanynumberofeyeslookingoutforsuspiciousactivity.Thisisanareaofpreparednessthatmightnothavebeenconsideredyears
back.Itwould’vebeenstandardpractice.Butpeopleareseeminglygettingmoreisolated.Manytodayaren’ttakingthetimetogettoknowtheirneighborsaswellaspeopledidyearsago.Iremembergoingtoblockpartieseverysummerwhereneighborswould
gathertogether,converseandenjoyeachother’scompany.Itcamewiththegreaterpurposeofbuildinggreatercommunity.Manytodaydon’tevenknowtheirnext-doorneighbors’names.Shouldadisasterstrike,goodrelationships
theirnext-doorneighbors’names.Shouldadisasterstrike,goodrelationshipswouldpaybigdividends.Therewouldbeanynumberofwaysthatneighborscouldprovidemutualbenefits.It’sworthmeeting,chattingandhavingacookoutortwoduringthesummertime.Thosewhoaretalkingtotheirneighborsmighttastefullybreachthetopicof
preparednessbeforeanytimeoftroublestrikes.Youcouldfindoutwhat,ifanything,theneighborsaredoingtoassuresafety.Youcouldsharesomeofthehouseholdplanninganddetermineanywaysinwhichfamiliesintheneighborhoodcouldcooperateforthegreatergoodduringarecoveryprocess.Youmightconsiderreachingouttoanumberofnearbyhomes.Thoughevery
neighborhoodwouldhaveagoodshareofresidentswhoaren’tinterested,apreppermightwellfindanumberwhohavesomesimilarthoughtsorconcerns.Youmighteventuallycometomeetonceamonth,onceaseasonoronceayeartotalkaboutthestateoftheneighborhoodandshareinsomeplanningdiscussion.Itmightnothappen.Allthesame,there’snothingwastedinhonest,friendly,well-intentionedtalkwiththoseequallyinvestedinthewellbeingofyoursmall,sharedarea.Planningforasolidhomerecoveryinterestinglyrequiresanumberof
thoughtsthatextendbeyondtheconfinesofitsfourwalls.Ittakesacombinationofbigeffortsandmanysmallertaskstomakeanysizeddisastermorebearableonyourfamily.Ittakesalotofgood,honestthought.
Ratherthanstandinlineforhours,theauthorwouldseethisasagasstation.Getasiphonhoseandlearnhowtouseit.
Homeisourmosttreasuredplace.Thehomemightbedisheveledafterastormblowsthrough.Itmightbechaotic.Challengesmightwelltestthepatienceandemotionsofeventhestrongestmenandwomen.It’swhytheworkissoimportantbeforethestorm.Thosewhomustrelyonagoodpreparednessplaneventhroughalong-term
recoveryperiodwouldstillfindanotherclichéapplicable.It’samess.It’salotwork.Itmakesforalotofstress.Butit’sstill“homesweethome.”
I
3
MAKINGAMOVE
ThistentcitythatsprungupinHaitiafterthe2010earthquakeisnotthetypeofplacewhereyouwouldwantyourfamilytoliveafteradisaster.Planningcanhelpyouavoidthis.
nmanycases,whetherit’sthetornadoorsnowemergency,theplantoshelterinplacecouldrangefromtheonlyoptiontoonethatmakestheverybestsense.There’ssomethingtobesaidfortheabilitytoimmediatelygetto
thetaskofgettinglifebackinorderafterasituationblowsover.Inothercases,ourdangers—whethernaturalorman-made—presentfartoomuchrisktobuckledownandwaitforcalm.Sometimes,it’sfarpreferabletopackupandhittheroad.Plansforevacuationaresometimesanunderplayedcomponentof
preparedness.It’sarealandimportantoptionthatcouldbecomelosttoyour
preparedness.It’sarealandimportantoptionthatcouldbecomelosttoyourgreaterproblem-solvingefforts.Evacuationmightverywellofferthebestwaytoprovideforyourfamily.Insomecasesandinsomeplaces,goodinformationandareasonableamountoftimewouldallowyourfamilytothink,packandmovewellbeforethestormarrives.Sometimes,theonlywaytofullyassuresafetyistowatchthecomfortofhomedisappearfromtherearviewmirror.
Whenthere’sadequatewarningtimebeforeanapproachingdisaster,it’softenbesttoescapetosafetyasquicklyaspossible.
Thepotentialneedtoevacuatetakesnothingawayfromtheimportanceofhavingawell-devisedplanforahome-basedrecovery.Everyoneshouldallhavetherighttoolsandsuppliesreadytogo.Awell-roundedplan,however,recognizesthestocked-upfortressisn’tnecessarilybuilttomeetthefirstcriticaltaskwhenit’sfinallytimetoputyourthoughtsandeffortstowork.Survivalisalwaysthefirstpriority.Thosepreparingforanevacuationshouldmakeadvanceddeterminationsof
whatthey’dneedandwhatthey’dliketohavealongforthetrip.Youshould
whatthey’dneedandwhatthey’dliketohavealongforthetrip.Youshouldplanoutseveraloptionsaspotentialdestinations.Thosewhoplanwellwouldhaveeverythingthat’svitallyimportantinplacesthatareeasytoremember.Thinkingthroughapotentialevacuationwellinadvancewouldmakeitthatmucheasierforthefamilytocomfortablymovewithoutworryattheverydropofadime.Someemergencieswouldn’tgivetheprepper’sfamilyanysayinthematter.
Lawenforcementandemergencymanagementofficialsoftenmakeevacuationdecisionswhenmajoremergenciesloom.Suchordersoftenleaveresidentswithveryfewmomentstospare.Developingaplanandfinishingalloftheadvanceworknecessarytocomplementitwouldplacethatfamilyinafarstrongerpositiontogetaheadofthemessthoseordersoftencreate.Leavingisn’talwaysaneasydecision.Itaddstothedisruptionfamilies
alreadyfacewhendisastersclosein.Youmightrecognizethatleavingcouldmeanlifeisfareasierwhencomparedagainstthosewhoinsteadtakeagambleintoughingoutapproachinghavoc.Thefirststepistotakerisksseriously.It’sprettyclearthatmillionsofpeople
impactedbySuperstormSandyin2012didn’thaveadequaterespectforthedestructionthatnaturecanunleash.Manymighthavebeennaïve.ItwascertainlyastormunlikeanythingthoseontheEastCoasthadexperiencedbefore.What’sinterestingisthatsomanyhadasenseofshockwhenthewindsdiedandthedamagefinallyshowed.Theyneverfigureditcouldhappentothem.Thosepeoplewouldhavebeen
wellservedtolookatthehistorybooks.Theworld’sforcescan’tbetakenlightly.MotherNaturedoesn’tdiscriminate.Shecertainlydoesn’tbendaroundhighlypopulatedzones.Millionswereleftwithoutpower.Millionscertainlydidn’tthinkenoughabout
alloftheflooding,thedeathsandthebillionsofdollarsindamages.It’sveryclearinnotingmillionsofpeoplestuckarounddespiteadequatewarningofthedevastationonitsway.Somepeoplecan’tbelievesomethinguntiltheyseeitwiththeirowneyes.Youwouldbewisertoheedthewordsoftheexperts.
withtheirowneyes.Youwouldbewisertoheedthewordsoftheexperts.Sometimes,it’sbettertogetout.HurricaneKatrinain2005isoneofthebestofexamplesinrecenthistoryof
theimportanceofpreparationatanylevel.Thestormofferedlessonsforindividualsandhouseholds.Itspoketolocalgovernmentneedsandprovidedinstructiononwhataneffectivefederalresponsewouldentail.Itveryclearlyillustratedthewisdomofescapingtosafetyasquicklyaspossiblebeforedisasterstrikes.Katrinapresentedaquagmireinsomanyways.Troublesmountedfromthe
momentthewindsandrainscleared.ItcouldhavebeenafarlesstragicsituationforsomanyintheGulfCoasthadtheyheededwarningsandfledbeforehavingtoexperienceKatrina’swrath.Thepathandseverityoftheapproachinghurricanewereknownforafew
daysbeforeKatrinafinallytorethroughtheGulfCoast.Governmentofficialsunderstoodthepotentialforleveebreaks.LouisianaandMississippiofficialstooktheinitialstepstobeginevacuationofthreatenedcoastalareastwodaysbeforelandfall.Thepotentialfortroubleonahumanscalewasrecognizedjustasearly.Officialswereawarethatmanywouldn’tevacuateand,inmanycases,didn’thavethemeanstodoso.
Ifyouaretryingtoevacuateandyourcarisin3feetofwater,it’sprobablytoolate.
OfficialsorderedthemandatoryevacuationofNewOrleansonthedaybeforethehurricane’slandfall.Thereweremanywhosimplyignoredthegovernment’sdemandtheyleave.LouisianaGov.KathleenBlancoreferredtoitas“hurricaneroulette.”Havingexperiencedanynumberofotherhurricanes,toomanypeoplewerewillingtotakeontheriskofKatrinaandhopeitwouldn’tbeanydifferentthanthelesssignificantdisruptionsofthepast.Katrinawasindeeddifferent.Thehurricanemadeitsfirstlandfallinsouthern
FloridaonAug.25beforeenteringtheGulfofMexico.Thestormintensified,havingreachedaCategory5designationonthedaybeforeitssecondlandfallalongtheGulfCoast.Sheltersopenedacrosstheregiontoaccommodatethosefleeingfromthehurricane’spath.TheLouisianaSuperdome,homeoftheNationalFootballLeague’sNew
OrleansSaints,hadpreviouslybeenusedasashelterforthosewithspecialneeds.Planswereagainputinplaceforthestadiumtoservethatpurpose.Ontheeveningbeforelandfall,inrecognizingthatsomanyresidentsignoredmandatoryevacuationorders,thecityopenedthedomeasashelteroflastresortforthegeneralpopulation.KatrinamadelandfallinLouisianaatabout6a.m.onAug.29,2005asa
KatrinamadelandfallinLouisianaatabout6a.m.onAug.29,2005asaCategory3stormwithsustainedwindstopping115mph.Itsfurylastedlessthanaday.Itsimpactsstretchedfarlonger.ScenesfromtheSuperdomewereamongthekeyimagesusedbythemediato
illustratethesheermiseryofthosewhoremainedamidthefloodeddestructionofNewOrleans.Thereweren’tsufficientpreparationsinplace.Crewsunloadedfoodandwaterpriortolandfallbutdidsoinexpectationofitsuseonlyforthespecialneedspopulation.Thedomedidn’thavenearlyenoughforthemorethan10,000peoplewhoarrivedbeforethestorminsearchofsafety.Numbersswelledafterthestormpassedasotherssoughtrefugefromthefloodwaters.TheSuperdome’sroleasamassshelterlastedonlyforafewdays.Itallthe
sameprovidedaterriblewayforpeopletoliveevenoversoshortofaperiod.Therewasnoairconditioningtoproviderelieffromtheswelteringtemperatures.Therewasn’twaterorpower,andsanitationquicklyeroded.
Itcouldmakefarbettersensetoslowlyandmethodicallygetthingsreadytoleaveonyourowntermspriortoadisasterthantobeforcedoutafterone.
Atthesametime,peoplewerepreventedfromleavingduetothedangerof
Atthesametime,peoplewerepreventedfromleavingduetothedangerofsurroundingfloodwaters.Withindays,officialsdeclaredthestadiumuninhabitable.Effortsquicklymountedwithanaimatevacuatingtheentirecity.TheSuperdomewasforemostontheprioritylist.WorkbegantomovethoseshelteredinthedometotheotherlocalesincludingtheAstrodomeinHouston.Nobitofhistorycouldbetterdescribewhypreppersshouldmaintain
evacuationasakeyoption.ThemanypeoplewhofledfromtheGulfCoastinadvanceofKatrinamostcertainlyhadtheirchallengesbutnonelikethosewhocouldn’tleaveorforsomereasondecidedtotakethathugerisk.Adecisiontostickaroundwhenthere’stimeandawarenessofapendingdisastergoesagainsttheveryreasonsforpreparing.Preppersrelyontheruleofthreesbecauseit’sasimpletoolthatallowsthem
toquicklygaugeneedsintheireffortstostayalive.Inthatsense,evacuationfollowsintheveryspiritoftherule.Youcouldn’tbemorefortunatethantohaveafulldayofadvancenoticethatsustained100-mphwindswouldslamintothecommunity.Itcertainlybeatsthe14minutesofwarningtimethattornadoestypicallyoffer.
Ifyourplanistoleave,leaveearly.Donotwaituntilthelastminute.
It’sworthtakingtimeinourplaceofeverydaysafetytoconsiderthealternative.Thehurricanesituationprovidesagreatexample.Eventhewellpreparedcouldsuffertremendouslyfromonepoordecisiontostickitout.Anycollectionofstay-in-placepreparationswouldn’tdoabitofgoodifthey
werewashedawaybyfloodwaters.Youcouldn’tshelterinplaceifwatersencroachedonyourhomeandroserightuptotherooftop.Thereisn’tatoolinaprepper’scollectionthatoffersmoretosafetyandhisabilitytorecoverthanhisowncommonsense.Toomanyacrossourgreatnationlackthatvitalprovision.Historyhasshown
therewillalwaysbeahandfulofstubbornpeoplewhoaredeterminedtoholdtheirgroundnomatterhowseverethesituation.Unfortunately,Katrinawasn’ttheonlyrecentdisasterthatleftclearexamplesofthedangersfacedbythosewhoignorethethreats.HurricaneIsaacin2012drewevacuationordersinlowlyingareasacrossthe
GulfCoast.Thereasonswereelementary.Withwideswathsoflandbelowsealevel,itwasreasonabletoexpectthestormsurgeandpoundingrainswouldresultinsignificantflooding.Inmanyareas,thoseexpectationsultimatelycametopass.It’scounterintuitivethatanyoneinthoselowlyingareaswould’vestayed.
Manydid,andmanyexperiencedtheconsequencesoftheirchoices.Itwasn’tforalackofwarning.Hurricanesinthiseranolongersneakuponcommunities.Stark,clearfactsandplentyofhistoryweren’tenoughtoconvincesomanytogetmovingastroubleapproached.It’sbeyondreason.Theend-to-endreportsregardingSuperstormSandy’spotentialwere
impossibletoignore,yetsomanyfoundaway.Satelliteimageryofthatmassivestormshould’vebeenenoughtoputascareintothoselivinghundredsofmilesawayfromthecomfortoftheMidwest.Thestorm’ssizewhilestillahurricaneandspinningintheAtlanticOceanwasnearlythatofthecountry’sentireeasterncoastline.
coastline.Sandyweakenedtolessthanhurricanestatusbeforelandfall,butthegigantic
stormcameinwithenoughpowertoclimbrightbehindKatrinaintermsofdamageonahistoricalscaleasfarasweathereventsemergingfromtheAtlanticOcean.About200peopledied.Peoplehadmorethanadequatetimetomoveinland.HurricaneIsaac,inparticular,providesanexcellentexampleofthedismissive
attitudessomanypeopleexhibitwheninthefaceoftruedangers.TheCategory1stormeerilymadelandfallontheGulfCoastsevenyearstothedayofHurricaneKatrina.Some,however,lookednofurtherthanitsdesignationasaCategory1stormasreasonenoughtoignoreevacuationorders.Manytookthestorm’sdesignationtomeanthenearinghurricanecarriedfar
lessriskthanthatbroughtbyKatrinasevenyearsearlier.Iwonderifthoseinourcountrycouldevermakethatmistakeagain.Sandy,afterall,wasnolongerahurricaneaftershereachedshoreandbroughtfarmorewraththanallbutonestormcarryingthatdesignation.TheapatheticmindsetontheGulfCoastwasparticularlystrikingwhen
consideringthe20-20visionthataccompanieshindsight.SomeonelivingintheGulfCoastcouldn’thaveforgottenallthedevastationandsufferingthatstruckjustsevenyearsearlier.History,insomeways,repeateditself.Emergencyworkerswerebackin2012andhackingopenrooftopstofreeresidentstrappedintheiratticsamidfloodwatersjustastheydidafterKatrina.TherecentGulfCoasthurricanesofferseverallessonstoconsider.Iwould
hopeakeylessoncouldgowithoutsaying:emergencypersonnelwouldn’tdemandpeopleleavetheirhomeswithoutaverygoodreasontodoso.Whenthosechargedwithpublicsafetysayit’stimetogo,theonlyproperresponseforafamilyistoloadup,getoutanddosoasquicklyaspossible.There’snogoodexplanationforanyonetoputtheirlivesatsevereriskwhenadvancewarningsanddemandsforevacuationarepublicizedandwellknown.Thosewhomadeill-adviseddecisionstostayinplacedespitepropernotice
provideacautionarytale.Meresurvivalprovidesthebestreasontodevelopa
provideacautionarytale.Meresurvivalprovidesthebestreasontodevelopasolidevacuationplan,butitisn’ttheonlyone.Again,prepperswouldwanttoconsiderthewisdomofrelyingonotherswhenthey’rebetterofftorelyonthemselves.NewOrleanswastheworst-casescenarioinmanyrespects,andassuch,
providessomegoodpointstoponderforthosebuildingpreparednessplans.Theruleofthreesspeakstoliving,butitdoesn’tnecessarilyspeaktoqualityoflife.ThosewhohadnooptionbuttheSuperdomeinpost-KatrinaNewOrleanswentthroughplentyofturmoil.It’stoughtoimaginethefilthandstench.Theheatandthecrowdingarealsodifficulttoconsider.Reportsofcrimewererampant.Itwassimplyuntenable.Evensmaller-scaleemergencysheltersituationsafterfarlessdestructive
eventsarefarfromideal.Youcouldgenerallyexpectthey’dbeclean.Thosewhorelyonthoseshelterswouldhaveaccesstofood,waterandplacestosleep.They’dbeoutofthecoldorheatasthecasemightbe.Despiteallofthat,itwouldn’tbeeasy.Shelterswouldcertainlyprovideabetterplacetosleepthanthehard,cold
groundoutdoors.It’sstillfairtowonderhowmanyofthosewhocouldhavefledfromanypendingstormcametosecond-guessthedecisiontostickaround.Youcouldn’texpectmuchcomfortwhensharingtheairandanevertightspacewithhundredsandpotentiallythousandsofothers.Planningprovidespeopleameanstodobetter.
Thiswouldbeabadtimetostartplanninganevacuation.
PlanninginadvanceAnynumberofdangerscouldopenuptheneedtoleave.Disastersituations
aren’tsolelybroughtfromnature’spower.Man-maderisksshouldalsobepartofyourthoughtprocess.Thosewholiveincloseproximitytonuclearpowerplantsshouldhaveevacuationplansreadyshouldaveryrare,thoughhighlydangerous,meltdownforceaquickmove.It’sariskthat’satplayforquiteanumberofpeopleacrosstheUnitedStates.
Therearemorethan100licensednuclearreactorsinourcountryandalmost3millionpeoplelivewithin10milesofanoperatingreactor.Millionsuponmillionsmorelivewithina50-mileradiusthatwouldstillbesubjecttotherisk
millionsmorelivewithina50-mileradiusthatwouldstillbesubjecttotheriskofsomelevelofradioactivecontamination.TheUnitedStatesNuclearRegulatoryCommissionhasemergencyplanningzonesestablishedforareaswithin10and50milesaroundeachnuclearplantthataddressvaryingdangersthatcomewithdifferentproximitiestoapotentialemergency.Preparationsforthoselivinginoneofthose50-milezonesmightincludea
visittothesheriff’sdepartment.Youmightstrikeupaconversationwiththecounty’semergencymanagementdirector.Localauthoritieswouldhaveaccesstothedetailed,localemergencyplanningthat’sbuiltspecifictoeachofthecountry’snuclearplants.Thatinformationcouldprovideafarclearerpictureofthepotentialrisksathandatvaryingdistancestoanygivenplant.Itwouldgivethefamilyaclearerpictureastowhereandhowfartheyshouldtravelintheeventofanemergency.Thosewhodon’thaveanuclearplantintheirregionmightallthesame
conductalittlebitofresearchonotherman-madethreatsnearbytheirhomes.Thoserisksmightnotbeassubstantialandlifechangingasnuclearmeltdownbutcouldrequirefamiliestoleavetheirhomeforafewdaysorlongerallthesame.Somemightcometorecognizethere’sachemicalplantinthecommunitythatcouldpresentariskofdangerinthepotentialforspills.Traincarsalonganearbyraillinemighthaulflammablesorotherhazardouschemicalsandpresentsignificantrisksintheeventoffireorderailment.Plansgrowstrongerwithasolidaccountingofthepotentialrisksthatcouldcomeknocking.MotherNaturewillmorefrequentlygivepeoplecauseforevacuation.Asfar
ashurricanes,shekeepsaprettyregularschedule.It’sextremelyimportantforthoselivinginareasproneforhurricanestohaveevacuationplansinplaceknowingthepossibilityexistseachandeveryyearfromJunethroughNovember.There’sanaverageofnearly12namedstormsperyearoriginatingintheAtlanticOceanandanaverageof1.7makelandfallsashurricanesintheUnitedStateseveryyear,accordingtotheNationalOceanicandAtmosphericAdministration.Wildfiresgiveotherscauseforevacuation.Thefiresdestroypropertyand
Wildfiresgiveotherscauseforevacuation.Thefiresdestroypropertyandscorchvaststretchesoflandeveryyear.Plansthatwouldallowforarapid,yetwell-thought-outmovearecriticalforthoselivinginornearwoodedareas.Thousandsofwildfiresigniteannuallywhetherbylightningstrikes,carelesscampersorotherwise.Governmentreportsshowthatwildfiresburnedthroughanaverage3.5millionacresannuallyfrom2001through2010.Unlikethoseinareaswherehurricanesstrike,thoseinwildfirezonesaren’taslikelytohavequickorclearinformationthatcouldserveasagoodbasistomakeanearlydecisiontoevacuate.Often,homesconsideredsafefromanyspecificfirecouldmovetothehigh-risksideofthescalewithjustaquickshiftinwinddirection.Itisn’tuncommonduringwildfiresforafamilytogetaknockonthedoor
fromauthoritieswhogiveadirewarninganddemandthattheybegoneinanhour.Therearestoriesoutthereoffamilieswhomadefortunatedecisionstoactwithmorehastethandemandedbyemergencyworkers.Therearefamiliesouttherewhoscrambledtogatherwhattheycould,hitthedoorwithin45minutesandhadflamesatthebackbumpersoftheircarsastheyspedawayintothedark,blacksmokeandontowardsafety.Manysubstantialthreatsthattouchthecountrywithregularityshowthat
familiesthathavethebestreadinessplansarethesamefamiliesthatarereadytoleave.Prepperswouldbewisetobreakdownallofthelittle,potentialstumblingblocksthatcouldcomplicateamovejustastheywouldinbuildingcontingenciesforhome.Familiesshouldhavesomelocalesinmindthey’recomfortableinreachingineachdirectiondependingonthenatureoftheirthreatsandthepotentialmovementofthosedangers,whetherit’sthehurricane’swinds,rapidlymovingflamesorotherwise.Preppersmightbuildsomeadvanceknowledgeoftheplacesidentifiedas
potentialgetaways.Somemightrelyonthehomesoffamilymembers.Somemightbefortunateenoughtoownalittlepiecelandseveralhoursfromthehomethatmighthaveacabin,oratleastaplacetopitchatent.Ifanuncle’shomebecomesastandbyoptionandit’sknownhe’sallergicto
dogs,itwouldn’thurttohavesomecontactinformationhandyforboarding
dogs,itwouldn’thurttohavesomecontactinformationhandyforboardingbusinessesinthatregionsoyoucouldmakeappropriateplansforpetcarewhilethefamilyisontheroad.Thosewhoconsidercampingasanoptionanddon’thavepersonallandtorelyuponmightwantcontactinformationforanynumberofcampgroundsinthedirectionthey’reheading.It’sworthnotingthatothersaffectedbyapproachingturmoilcouldverywellbethinkingthesamething.Theonlyfirmruleforevacuationisgettingtoaplacefarenoughawayto
avoiddanger.Afterthat,it’samatterofpersonalchoicesthatarelargelydependentonyourabilitiesandcomfort.Somepeoplemightbecomfortablelivingfromtheircarsalongroadsides,inparkinglotsoratreststopsforacoupleofweekswithasmallcollectionofgear.Anotherfamily’sevacuationplanmightcallforasix-toeight-hourdrivetoanicehotelwithabigswimmingpool.That’salsoasuitableoption,solongasthefamilyhasthefinancialmeanstoturntoughtimesintoawell-deservedvacation.Theimportantthingistohaveaplanassembledbeforetheemergencycallsforaction.It’samatterofbeingabletomoveefficientlyandcomfortably.Timeisalwaysoftheessence.
Thoseinareasthatarepronetowildfiresshouldtaketheproperstepstoprotecttheirpropertywellinadvanceofablazerisk.
Havingmultipledestinationslaidoutthroughevacuationplanningisimportantinrecognizingtheunpredictabilityofdisasterevents.Thoseatriskshouldbeabletowiselychoosearoutethatassuresthey’relegitimatelyoutofharm’sway.Addingdepthprovideslesstothinkaboutwhentimesgettough.Thoseplanningmightdosointhesamefashionthey’dmapoutavacation.Fewpeoplegetintheircarsforthefamilytripwithoutagameplanoranyideaofwhattoexpectuponreachingtheirdestinations.Havingsomeoptionslaidoutthatgobeyondameredotonthehighwaymapeliminatesonemoreareaofstress.Thoseatriskforwildfireshaveitsimple.Themoveissimplyamatterof
gettingclearfromthosedry,woodedzonesatriskofburningintoaclearandlushlocale.Approachinghurricanescanprovideforalittlemoredifficulty.Itisn’tpossibletomakeanyprecisepredictionsastowherestormswillstrikeorhowfartheirdamageswouldspread.Thefavoriteofyourseveralevacuationoptionsmightnotalwaysbethebest
optionforanyspecificthreat.Thoseatriskshouldlookatallofthebestinformationavailableandchooseaccordingly.ThosewholivealongtheEastCoastandhaveevacuationoptionsinplaceforanynumberofrisksarefarmorelimitedbyhurricanes.Thebestandonlysafeplacetoheadisinland.Itisn’tuncommonforhurricanestomovealonglengthystretchesofcoastline.SandycausedproblemsfromFloridacleartoMaine.ThosewithhomesinFloridabestillustratethatsomeevacuationplansrequire
morethoughtthanothers.Thepeninsulahangsoutthereinthemidstofmanyhurricanes’paths.ConsiderthehypotheticalhurricanethreateningthoseonFlorida’seastcoast.Inlandtravelmightnotoffermuchforaguarantee.Thosefolksmightinsteadmovenorthwestinafashioninwhichthey’re
drivingatanangleawayfromtheoncomingstorm.They’dbewisetopaycloseattentiontothelatestnewswhiletravelingshouldthestormpathrequiresome
lateimprovisation.Again,it’samatterofthinkingthroughallthesmallerproblemsthatdevelopfromabiggerissue.Theimportanceofthinkingthroughtherightlocalesforevacuationwas
illustratedduringthetumultuoushurricaneseasonof2005.AnumberofevacueesdisplacedbyHurricaneKatrinaweremovedwestandhousedinanarenainLakeCharles,La.It’sneartheTexasborderandnotfarfromthecoast.Inlessthanamonth,HurricaneRitacameupthroughtheGulfofMexicoandforcedthosepeopletopickupandmoveforasecondtime.Werefertoourpracticeaspreparationforareason.Comforttomorrowmight
welldependontheworkfinishedtoday.Theworstpossibletimeforanyonetostartthinkingaboutamoveiswhentheauthoritiesordertheneighborhoodtogo.Familiesthatincludeyoungchildrenorpetswillhaveafewmore
contingenciestothinkaboutduringtheirplanningefforts.Thosewhohaveinfants,forexample,mightkeepaspare,unopenedcanofformulasetasideandateasyreach.Thosewitholderchildrenmightplantohavesomeeasy-to-packgames,booksandpuzzlestobreaktheboredomandoffersomecomfort.Evacuationisastressfulendeavorforthelittleonesjustasitisfortheirparents.Mostpetownersconsidertheircompanionsasfarmorethananimals.They’re
membersofthefamily,andassuch,preppersshouldhavewhat’sneededtomakesuretheirdogsandcats—orwhateverthosefriendsmightbe—cancomealongfortheride.OneofthesaddersightsduringmyeffortsinHurricaneKatrina’swakewerethedogstiedupinbackyardswhenitwascleartheirownerswentoffinsearchofsafety.Ourpetsprovideonemorereasontoadequatelythinkahead.Ownerswouldn’tbewisetokeeppetfoodstoredawayinthevehicle.Miceor
othervermindon’tneedthatwelcomeinvitation.Itwouldmakesense,however,forpetownerstoassurethefoodsupplydoesn’tgetbelowthelevelneededforatleastseveraldaysoffeeding.It’sacontingencythatmakesjustasmuchsenseforthehome-basedrecoveryplan.Petownersthinkingabouttheneedtoleaveshouldalwayshaveenoughtograbforthegetaway.
shouldalwayshaveenoughtograbforthegetaway.Thoseplanningforevacuationshouldrecognizetheircontingenciesaren’ta
matterofaccountingforthelongterm.Thecarorminivanisn’tgoingtoholdathree-monthsupplyofanythinganddoesn’tneedtoservethatpurpose.It’samatterofhavingenoughtogetwhereveritisthatyouaregoing.Uponreachingplacesofsafety,thosewhoevacuatedwillbeabletogettoastoreandpickupwhateveritemsarenecessarytoreplenishsupplies.
Wildfiresarerelentlessandfast.Intheaftermath,there’softennotmuchlefttosalvage.
Beyondsafety,thoseplanningshouldthinkfromtheperspectiveoflimitingtheemotionaldistressanemergencysituationcouldbringtoyourlife.It’salsoamatterofsettingsomeclearpriorities.Whetherit’sfloodingorafire,noonecanpackupeverylastbitofhisbelongingsbeforesettingout.Peoplecan,however,carryalongtheirmostcherishedpieces.Preppersshould
thinkaboutthesmallandlightweightitemstheymighttuckawayfortheridewithanultimatefocusonwhat’smostmeaningful.Thoseplanningforevacuationshouldconsidertherealpossibilityofreturningfromaneventandfindingnothingleft.
findingnothingleft.Furniture,clothing,vehiclesandalltypesofhouseholdgoodscanbereplaced.
Thoseforcedfromtheirhomes,however,aren’tgoingtoreplacethoseheirloompiecesofjewelrythatwerehandeddowninthefamilyfromgenerationtogeneration.Shouldfloodingorafirestrike,noinsurancecompanycouldrestorethechildren’sfirst-gradeschoolpicturesorDad’scollectionofWorldWarIImedals.It’saninterestingexercisetogothroughthehomeanddeterminethoseitems
thattrulymeanthemost.It’salsoanimportantone.Familiesshouldkeepthosesmall,importantitemsinasafewherethey’reprotectedeverydayandeasytograbwhenasituationrequiresaquickmove.Preppersshouldassembleachecklistsothey’renotstrugglingtoremember
everylastthingamidthestressofthattickingclock.Youshouldkeepastoragebinorsomeothermeansofcollectionatthereadyforquickpackingofthoseirreplaceablegoodswhetherit’safewphotoalbums,jewelryoranynumberofdocuments.Ikeepaloose-leafbinderinmysafecontainingclear,plasticpagesinwhichI
canstoreanynumberofthoseirreplaceablecertificates,awardsandotherpiecesofmystory.Formany,highschooloruniversitydiplomasaren’thangingondisplay.They’renonethelessimportantrecognitions,piecesofourhistoriesanditemsthatfolkswouldfeelterribleaboutlosingtoadisaster.Ikeepanotherbindercontainingotherimportantdocumentsrangingfromvehicletitlesandmortgagepaperstolifeinsurancepoliciesandpassports.Preppersmightkeepanotebookinthesafeorelsewherethat’sineasyreach
intheeventofevacuationthatincludescontactinformationforeveryonetheyowemoneytoorotherwiseengageinbusiness.Thenotebookmightincludeaccountnumbersinadditiontophonenumbers.It’sasmallstepthatcouldmakelifethatmucheasierwhenaway.Certainly,thepowercompanyandmortgagecompanywouldhavetheability
tolookupyouraccountinformation,butthatbitofpreparationisgoingtomakethingsmoreconvenient.Thenotebookwouldserveasareferencethatwould
thingsmoreconvenient.Thenotebookwouldserveasareferencethatwouldeliminateanyconcernsaboutforgettingsomethingimportant.Anybitofefficiencythat’sputinplacebeforehandisgoingtogoalongwaytoprovidingsomeeaseamiddifficulty.
Digitalstorageisinexpensive.Portableharddrivesthatcanstoreupto1terabytearereasonablypriced.Backupyourfiles.
Electronicfilesmightverywellfallamongyourirreplaceableitemsinthisdigitalworld.Inanevacuation,thosewhoworkfromlaptopscouldeasilygrabtheircomputersbeforefleeing.Thosewhoowndesktopcomputersmightnotdothesame.Peopleshouldbackuptheirfiles.Digitalstorageisinexpensiveandgrowscheaperbytheyear.It’sagoodidea,whetherforlaptopordesktop,atanypointandforreasonswellbeyondthechanceofdisaster.Technologycouldalsohaveahandinprotectingotheritemsofpersonal
value.Preppersmightinvestinadecentphotoscanner.They’refairlyinexpensiveandgoodinvestmentsfromthestandpointofemotionalwell-being.Photosarecrucialpiecesofourfamilies’stories.Intheeventofanydisaster,whetherit’shurricane-relatedflooding,awildfire
oreventhetypicalhousefire,scannedimageswouldprovideonelesscauseforstress,worryormourning.Certainly,it’snotthesametohaveadigitalfileas
stress,worryormourning.Certainly,it’snotthesametohaveadigitalfileasthatoriginalpictureofyourgreatgrandmotheroncentury-oldphotopaper,butsomethingisalwaysbetterthannothing.YoumightstoretheimagesonCDs,DVDsoraflashdrive.Somepeoplehave
cloud-basedaccounts.Itwouldmakesensetosendcopiestootherfamilymembersorputcopiesinthesafedepositbox.Anyofthoseoptionswouldprovideyetonemoreassurancethosephotosarealwayssafeandavailableregardlessofwhatthisunpredictableworldcouldbring.It’ssmarttokeepsomecashinasafethatisn’ttouchedandthereforthe
takingintheeventofanevacuation.It’sreallyuptoeachpersonastohowmuchheisabletoputawayandhowmuchhewouldfeelcomfortablecarrying.Itwouldmakesensetohave$100availableforeachmemberofthefamily.It’sacontingencythatrecognizescreditcardsaren’tfoolproof.Inthemidstofemergencies,youmightfindbusinessesthatareabletokeeptheirdoorsopenbutlostthecomputersandcan’tmakecreditcardtransactions.Everybusinesstakescash.
WhendisastersapproachFamilieswouldbewisetousethefullextentoftheiradvancenoticewhen
solidinformationofpendingdisasterbecomesavailable.Last-minutedecisionsandordersforcedbyauthoritiescreatenewdifficultiesforthoseintheirattemptstogetoutofharm’sway.Heavyoutboundtrafficcouldstifleacleangetaway.Itmakesthebestsensetoleavebeforemanyhavethesameinclination,whetherthoseevacuationsareforcedornot.Havingsolidevacuationcontingenciesatthereadywouldmeanlittleforthose
whodon’thavevehiclesthatareinpropershapetowhiskthemawayfromoncomingdanger.Ofcourse,everyonewouldbeinafarbetterplacewiththebig,ultimate“bugoutvehicle.”Abig,oldChevySuburbanorotherSUVwiththelarge,widetiresandhugegastankwouldprovidecomfortandassuranceandbasicallyserveasashelteronwheels.Most,however,justhavetodothebestwithwhat’ssittinginthedriveway.
Theauthorrecommendsalwaysscanningormakingcopiesofyourcredentials.Besideskeepingthemdigitally,healsokeepsaprintedversionhidden.
Thoseevacuatingshouldloadintheirgo-bags—oftencalledthree-dayemergencykits—asacontingencyplanshouldtheyencounteranyproblemswhileontheroad.Awell-assembledbagwillhaveanumberofprovisionsincludingafirst-aidkit,somewaystostartafire,somefoodandwaterandmeanstoreplenish.It’llcarrysomebasictools.Bagsoftenincludeasmalltent.It’sabagbuilttomeettheruleofthreesforthreedays.Manykeepacacheofsurvivalgearpackedawayintheirvehicles.It’sagood
idea.IhaveavinylfootlockeronmyJeeploadedupwithanumberofitemsthatwouldaffordthemeanstosetupacampifeverneeded.Thekitcontainssomesiliconetarps.There’sahatchet.Theboxholdsasetofwrenchesandaratchetandsocketsamongasmallcacheoftoolsshouldrepairsbecomenecessary.
Don’tforgetyourpetsandtheirneedswhenmakingyourdisasterplans.
Itwouldbeoptimaltohaveavehiclethathaseverylastthingyouwouldeverneedreadytogoatamoment’snotice.That,too,isn’tpossible.Givenheatdegradation,youcertainlywouldn’twanttokeepfoodprovisionspackedinatrunkforanyperiodoftime.Mostfamiliesinmostsituationswoulddoperfectlywellinrunningdownawell-devisedchecklistbeforeloadingupandheadingout.Vehiclereadinessisjustanothermatterofexercisingcommonsense.Preppers
shouldalwayskeepthegastanktoppedoff.It’salittle,everydaythingthatmanypeoplefailtothinkabout.It’samongthesmallestpiecesofthepreparednesspuzzleandcouldprettyquicklybecomeamatterofhabitformostpeople.Fromapositionofpreparedness,it’sfrighteningtoconsiderthemanywho
onlythinkaboutpullingintothegasstationwhenthe“lowfuel”lightfinallystartstobrightenupontheirdashboards.Itisn’tabigdealontheaverageday.Mostpeoplearealwaysinprettycloseproximitytoagasstationortwo.Havingonlyaquarter-fullgastankorlesscouldbecomeareallybigissuefor
peopleshouldemergenciesforcequickevacuations.Thoseforcedfromtheirhomeswouldquicklylearnmanyotherswereforcedoutalongsidethem.It’snotuncommonafterevacuationorderstofindlengthylinesateachandeverygasstation.
station.Momentsofhighandimmediatedemandcouldopenariskofshortage.Empty
gastanksatthatpointcouldruinthechancesofsometogetoutfromtheapproachingthreat.It’sanunenviableposition.
Awalltentisperfectforsettinguphouseduringtherecoveryphaseofadisaster.
Preparationcallsfortherighttoolstomeettherightsituations.Thereisnotoneperfecttenttocarryafamilythroughallofitspotentialneeds.Anyfamilyshouldlookatacoupleoftentswiththeaimsoffulfillingshort-termsurvivalsituationsandthepotentialneedforlonger-termhousing.Ineachcase,thinkaboutdurabilityandeaseinset-up.Asurvivalsituationisn’tthetimetofumblewithinstructions.Forthatmatter,youwouldn’twanttocompromiseyoureffortsbysnappingoffoneofthoseflimsyfiberglasspoles.Inthelongerterm,durabilityisanobviousconsideration.Easealsohasanimportantplace.Adisasterisgoingtomeanthereareavarietyoftaskstoaccomplish,andyouwoulddowellforyourselfingettingthatshelterupasabaseofoperationsasquicklyaspossible.Whenchoosingatentforthego-bag,goforsomethingthat’ssmallandlight.Thetentisonlyonepartofabiggerpackage,andtheentirepackhastobecarried.Thattentwillbelessaboutusualcomfortsthanitisameansofkeepingoutoftheelements.Backpackingtentsworkwellforthosesleepingoneortwo.Thosewhoarebuggingoutasafamilycould
thosesleepingoneortwo.Thosewhoarebuggingoutasafamilycouldfindsomeprettylargedometentsthatpackupfairlysmallandcansleepfourtoeightpeople.Thosepurchasingatentthatcouldserveashomeafterdisastermightgoforsomethingsubstantial.Anumberoftentscouldofferatouchofcomfortinadifficultspot.Youmightsetupcamprightattheremnantsofthehousetoallowforpromptandefficientwork.MontanaCanvas,forinstance,makesa10-by-12wedgetentthatfeelsmorelikearoominside.Youcouldputawoodstoveinthere.Ifit’s20degreesbelowzerobeyondthecanvaswalls,youcouldeasilybringittoacomfortable60degreesinside.Someofthecabintentsoutthereareprettyincredibleandgoodoptionstoconsider.Thereareanumberofdurable,canvasmodelsonthemarket.Somepeopleactuallyputfloorsinsideandusethemasvacationhomes.Thosepreparingforthedestructiveeventsthatmightrequirealternativeshelterontheirpropertiesmightconsidersteppingbeyondwhatmosttypicallythinkofastents.Theportablegaragesouttherearetypically10-by-20feet.It’salotofspace.Oneortwoofthoseshelterswouldallowafamilytosetupsomekitchenanddiningroomspaceaswellasacouplebedrooms.Youmightputsomeairconditionersinthere.Itwouldn’tbethehouse.Itmightstillfeellikehome.
Therearenotentsthatwillbeascomfortableforyourfamilyasyourhouse,butsometentscomecompletewithamenitieslikeafrontdoor.
Chooseaccordingtothefamily’sneeds.Thereisn’tatentthat’sgoingtofeelascomfortableasthehouse.Inthemidstofcrisis,thecloseryoucanget,theeasiertherecoveryprocesswillbetomanage.
Walltentsaredurableandcomfortableinmostenvironments.
Lowgastanksmightseemlikealittlething.Well-builtplansarestackedbrickbybrickfromthelittlethings.Onemissingbrickweakenstheentirestructure.Thosewhoexercisedappropriateforethoughtcouldpullontothehighwayon-rampwithsomesenseofreliefwhilepeeringdownatthelonglinesatthepumpsoftheadjacentgasstation.Itpaystothinkahead.Preppersshouldkeeptheirvehicleswellmaintained.It’simportanttokeepup
ontheregularoilchanges.It’swisetohavewell-conditioned,properlyinflatedtires.Owningavehiclethat’sreadytogoinanevacuationscenarioisreallyjustamatteroffollowingthroughonallthesafetyandmaintenanceconsiderationsthatarejustasimportantonthetypicalday.Preparingthehomeisalsoimportant.Thebestmeansofdoingso,however,
areaccomplishedlongbeforetheemergencythat’sgoingtoforceyourfamily’sflight.Thoseinhurricanezonesshouldhaveshuttersinstalled.Theycanquicklybeclosedupandlockedbeforethefamilygetsontheroad.Thosewhohaven’tgonethatfarshouldatleasthavepre-cutplywoodthatcanquicklybetackedupoverthewindows.Anyfamilycouldrunthroughthatsamesetofthoughtsapplicableatvacationtime.Makesuretheovenisoff.Lockthedoors.Hopeforthebest.Afterallofthat,it’stimetogetmoving.Thoseinwildfirezoneswhofailtotaketheproperstepstoprotecttheir
Thoseinwildfirezoneswhofailtotaketheproperstepstoprotecttheirpropertywellinadvanceofablazeriskhavingeverythingthey’veworkedforreducedtoash.Wildfiresarerelentless.Preparingthehomeforwildfires,meanwhile,isn’tsomethingthatcanbeaccomplishedinaquickmannerwhenthethreatisbearingdown.Thehomesathighestriskarethosebuiltinthewoodsorthosewithwild
growthcomingrightuptothefrontdoors.Youcouldunderstandhowthosewithastrongappreciationfornatureandallofitsbeautywanttheirhomessurroundedbythatwonder.It’sstillquitethegamble.Thoselivingnearwoodedareasshouldclearawaytheunderbrushontheir
propertyandkeepthehomesomedistancefromthegreaterareaatriskofburning.It’swisetoconsidersometypeoffiresuppressionsystem.Therearemeansonthemarketthatwouldallowyoutokeepwatersprayingonthehouseshouldawildfireencroach.Thoselivingamidwildfireriskshouldhavehomesbuiltwithfire-resistantmaterials.Thosewhopreparewellcandoalottolimithowmuchadisastercantake
away.Firefighterswhoworkinwildfirezonesaretremendouslywelltrained,butit’suptothosehomeownerstogivethemafightingchance.Toooften,theyhavetheirworkcutoutforthem.It’saprettygoodconcessionforhomeownerstokeepareasonablebuffer
betweentheirhomesandthenaturetheylove.Thefirefighterswanttosavethosehomes.Theyoftenarriveinlosingpositions.Inmanyways,alifeofpreparationisalifeofpayingattention.Adecisionon
whethertoleaveisapersonalonethatshouldtakeseveralfactorsintoaccount,butyoushouldn’tnecessarilyrelyonanemergencymanagementauthoritytodeclaretheorder.There’snoharmdonebygettingoutofthewayinfiguringit’sbettertobesafethansorry.Thosewholiveinhomesbelowsealevelwouldbewisetoweighsafetyfar
andbeyondanythoughtsofcomfort.It’snotamatterofifwaterwillfinditswayintothehome.It’samatterofwhen.Katrinaprovidedadevastatingdemonstration.Isaacofferedasecondreminder.
demonstration.Isaacofferedasecondreminder.Thosewholiveinclosevicinitytoactivewildfiresmightshowsome
vigilance.Itcouldmakefarbettersensetoslowlyandmethodicallygetthingsreadyandleaveonyourownterms.Familiescandobetterforthemselvesthanhavetoscrambleamidaone-hournotice.Familiesfartoooftenlacknoticeofpendingdestruction.Thosewhohavethe
powerofadvancedwarningarefortunate.Evacuationisn’taneasydecision.Youcouldreachagooddecisionquicklybythinkingthroughallyoustandtogainandallyoustandtolosebystickingaround.Preppersalwaysturnbacktotheruleofthrees.Familieswhomakeitafew
hundredmilesawayfromthedangerzonewouldhaveaccesstofood,waterandshelterwithoutmuchstruggleinattainingit.Thosewhochoosetostayinplacedespitesignificantwarningareinmanycasesmakingadecisionthat’sakintomarooningthefamilyonanisland.Thegaspumpsaren’tpumpingwhenthepowerisout.Highwaysmightclose
downduetostructuraldamage.Thosefolkswithinwhateverzoneofdestructioncouldbestuckthereforquitesometime.It’swisetomakeagooddecisionearly.Thosewhochoosetostickaround
mightnolongerhavetheabilitytochangetheirmindsafterthedisasterisgoneanditsaftermathisunderway.Ifyoudidn’texerciseappropriateforethought,youmighthaveatoughertimeofthingswhenfinallyrecognizinglifeisfareasierjustashorttrekupthehighway.
F
4
FOOD
Acellarsuchasthisonewouldserveasagoodastorageplaceaslongasit’sdry.
oodplanningandstoragewhenconsideredfromtheplaceofpreparationprovidesanotherinterestingexampleofhowmuchsocietyhaschangedoveronlythelasthalfcenturyorso.It’satopicthatthosenewto
preppingmightfindisaprettybigdeparturefromtheireverydaylifestyles.Really,though,theideaofhavingagoodamountoffoodonhandtoensurethefamilycouldaccountfortheirlong-termneedsisnothingnew.
Awell-stockedpantrywillgetyouthroughmostnaturaldisastersuntilhelparrivesorthingsgetbacktonormal.
Manyoftheeffortstakenonbyprepperstodaytoensurethefamilywouldhaveenoughtoeatafterdisasterweremattersofeverydaycoursejustafewgenerationsback.Untilveryrecenttimes,foodtookfarmorethoughtandeffortevenfortheshortterm.Itwasn’tsofarbackwhenhavingjustaweek’sworthoffoodathandmightwellhavecausedfamiliessomeprettydeepworries.Aweek’sworthofgroceriesisthenormtoday.Moreoptionsexistnowthan
didthen.Wedohavethingseasier,thoughit’sjustaswisetothinkaheadtodayasit’salwaysbeen.Shoulddisasterstrike,thefamilythatisreadyandhasagoodsupplyoffoodinthehomeisgoingtobefarmorecomfortablethanthe
goodsupplyoffoodinthehomeisgoingtobefarmorecomfortablethanthefamilythat’shopingforandwaitingforhelpwithnogoodassurances.Believeitornot,manystilllivewithalong-termsensibilityasitcomesto
food.Preppers,amongmanyothers,willplantextensivegardensanddosomecanningatharvesttimejustastheirforefathersdid.Thesearegoodskillstohaveandmakeforsomegreatmeals.It’sapracticethat’sneverdisappearedamongthoseintheruralareasofourcountry.Hunters,ifthey’refortunatewheninthefield,alwayshaveagoodsupplyof
gamestoredawayinthefreezer.Itprovidesformealsthroughouttheyearanduntilthenextseasonarrives.It’sthewaypeoplehadalwayslived.Moderntechnologyhasmadelong-termpreparationfareasierthanwhatit
wasforourgrandparents.Somepreppers,whetherforlackofaspace,abilityorinterestinutilizingthemoreold-schoolmethodsoffoodstocking,willrelyheavily—sometimesexclusively—onshelf-stableproductsthatareavailablecommercially.Factorycannedfoods,freeze-driedfoods,driedgrainsandothergoodsremainviableforyearsandoftendecades.Theyallowforthefamilytoeatwellandwithoutworryshouldadisastersendthegreatercommunityintopanicasthegrocerystoresstarttoemptyout.Planningtothoselevelsmightsoundstrangetothosewho’veneverknown
anythingelsebutfulfillingtheirgrocerylistsonaweeklybasis.It’smoreafunctionofoursociety’sshortmemory.Long-termfoodstoragegoesbacktotheearliesthistoryofhumancivilization.Technologyhassimplifiedtheday-to-day,butit’scomeatthedeepcostofreadinessfortheunforeseeable.ThechangeinhowAmericansocietyviewsfoodhasbeenasdramaticasit’sbeenquick.Foodformanyinthemodernerahasbecomeanafterthought.It’sagrab-and-
gosociety.Youeatwhenyou’rehungry,andyoudon’thavetoputforthmuchefforttoscroungeupameal.Thedrive-throughdowntheroadisoftenviewedasaninexpensiveandreliablestandbywhentimerunsthinorgroceriesrunlow.Fastfoodplacesarerarelymorethanafewminutesfromanyhomeinurbanandsuburbanenvironments.Today,therearemorethan160,000ofthemacrossthecountry.
country.Thatall-too-commonrelationshipwithfoodwouldopenthedoortosome
serioustroublesupondisaster.Thosewhosemeal-timeplansandhabitsrunnodeeperthanrestauranttripsandkeepingafewstaplesintheirkitchensaresettingthemselvesupforhungershouldemergenciesoccur.Ourgrocerystores,ironicallylikemostofthepeopletheyserve,don’tstockuptheirgoodsforthelong-term.Storeshelvescangobareprettyquicklywhendisastersoreventhepanicbroughtonbyshort-termemergenciesimpactacommunity.Historyhasshownthatpreppersaren’tdealingwiththeundocumentedand
hypotheticalwhenitcomestoplanningforfoodonalong-termbasiseveninourmodernera.Storesactuallydoemptyout.IsawitinHaiti.IthappenedafterKatrina.Ithappensevenineventsonafarsmallerscale.Thosenewtopreppingmightstartwithsomethoughtsofspendingevenafewuncomfortabledayswithoutadecentmeal.In2010,anumberofgrocerystoresinNewYorkCitywentemptyandwere
barrenforseveraldaysafterDecemberblizzardconditionsgavestreetcrewsmorethantheycouldhastilyhandle.Grocerystorestypicallyreplenishsuppliesastheysellandrelyonacontinuingstreamofdeliveriestokeeptheirshelvesstocked.Driverswereunabletogetthroughthesnowtomaketheirregulardeliveries.Customersclearedthegrocerystoresout,andthosewhocamebytoolatewereleftwonderingwhatthey’ddointhemeantime.Onemightthinkaboutthevulnerabilitiesthatexistamongtheiravailable
resources.Adestructive2011tornadointinyLeakesville,Miss.,illustratedthewisdomofhavingasufficientamountoffoodinthehomeasinsuranceagainsttheunpredictable.Thecommunityofjustmorethan1,000peoplehaditstroublescompoundedwhenthestormcausedsignificantdamagetoitsonlygrocerystoreandtheonlyoneformilesaround.
Afteradisaster,grocerystoreshelveswillusuallynotlooklikethis.Theygobareprettyquicklybecausethestoresdonotstockforthelong-term.
Therecoveryperiodwasmarkedwithsomeimpatienceandfrustration.Foodbecamearealissueformanyresidentsthere.Familiesfacedwithrebuildingalsolookedatlengthydrivestorestocktheirownshelvesaslocalstoreownersawaitedtherepairsneededbeforetheycouldsafelyreopentheirdoors.Majordisastersstandtoimpactfoodavailabilitytosomeextentoverthelong-
term.HurricaneKatrina’simpactonNewOrleanscontinuedwellafterclean-upwascomplete.Thefoodcrisiswentbeyondtheclosureofstoresjustpriortoandthroughthestorm’simmediateaftermathin2005.Manyneighborhoodswereimpactedwellbeyondbythedecisionsofstoreownerstokeeptheirdoorsshuttered.AsofJanuary2009,only19full-servicesupermarketshadreopenedinthe
city.ItwasabouthalfthenumberofsupermarketsthatoperatedinNewOrleansbeforeKatrina.Thebusinessdecisionsweremoredamagingthansomemightthinkgiventhesizablenumbersofpeopleinthatcitythatdon’thavevehicles.Fresh,healthy,decentfoodsweren’tsoeasyformanyofthelowerincomepeopleinthecitytoacquire.
peopleinthecitytoacquire.Accountingforfoodneedsinthewakeofdisasterrequiresashiftawayfrom
themodern-day,commonapproachtoeating.Manypeopletakefoodforgranted,andduringanyusualday,itisn’tsodifficulttounderstandwhy.Preparingrequiresastepbacktothevigilancethatfooddemandedfromthoseindaysgoneby.Youcanandshouldenjoythewondersofmodernconvenience.Thedangersstarttosettleinwhenpeoplebegintoleantooheavilyonalloftheeaseitoffers.Thinkbacktoyourownchildhood.Theyoungerfolkscanaskyourparentsor
grandparents.Cookingwasn’tconsideredasahobbyorinterestbackthenasitoftenistoday.Itwasadailynecessity.Speedandeasetrulyhavebecomethetopprioritiesofsocietyatlarge.
Believeitornot,peoplewenttogasstationsdecadesbackwithfewintentionsbeyondfillinguptheirgastanksandmaybegettingthewindshieldwiperfluidtoppedoff.Theyweren’tconfrontedwithsprawlingspacesloadedupwithready-to-grabjunkfoods.Today,somearemorelikelytohaveamealfrombehindtheirsteeringwheelthantheyarefromthediningroomtable.Thosenewtopreppingshouldtakeinventoryoftheireatinghabitstogeta
bettersenseofwhatyouneedtoaccomplish.Youmightquicklyrecognizehowyourownattitudesstackupwithpreparednessgoalswithaquicklookatthefoodsupply.Youshouldaskyourselfwhetheryoucouldmakeitforafewweeksorevenlongerwithoutrestaurants,gasstationsortripstothegrocerystore.Thosewhocouldansweraffirmativelyhavegreatheadstarts.Fartoomanycouldn’t.Everyoneshouldattheveryleasthaveenoughfoodathandtoprovideforall
ofthefamily’sneedsforafewweeks.Ifahugestormrolledinandamajor,widespreadpoweroutagestruck,thegrocerystoremightnolongerbeanoption.Further,thefastfoodjointscouldn’tpowertheirgrillsandthepizzadeliveryguyswouldn’tbetheretopickupthephones.Lifeisdifferentduringadisaster.It’sdifficulttoimagineformanyofthose
whohaven’texperiencedthosehardships.Prepperswouldjustassoonavoid
whohaven’texperiencedthosehardships.Prepperswouldjustassoonavoidthosepitfalls.Therearemanywhoprepwhokeepenoughfoodinstoragetomanageforseveralmonthsintheinterestofkeepingsafelyaheadofanypotentialdangers.Somethinkevenfurtherbeyond.
Itdoesnottakemuchtoputasidealittleextraeachweektostockapantry.
Thosewholiveinanareaaptforatornadomightthinkaboutallofthethingsthatcouldchangeinamatterofminutes.Youcouldexpecttogowithoutpowerforsometime.Youcouldcertainlyexpectthebusinessesthatyourelieduponforshort-termfoodpurchasestoclosedowntohandletheirowndamages.Likesomanyareasofpreparation,itallcomesbacktoyourmindset.You
wouldn’thavetostepbackthatfarintohistorytogetasenseofwhatfoodplanningrequiredbeforeourcurrentera.Theregulareffortsofdecadesbackwouldputtoday’sfamiliesinfarbetterpositiontocomfortablymanagethroughanemergency.Changedidcomequickly.It’sinterestingtonotethatonlyaquarterofU.S.
householdshadmicrowavesaslateas1986.Today,virtuallyeveryonehasthe
householdshadmicrowavesaslateas1986.Today,virtuallyeveryonehastheappliance,andthus,theabilitytowarmaTVdinnerfromfrozeninacoupleminutes.Apreppermightrecognizeit’snothingmorethanametalboxwithoutapowersupply.Theolderfolksamonguswouldvividlyrememberhowdifferentthingsused
tobeintheiryoungerdayswhenitcametofeedingthefamily.Certainly,well-planned,home-cookedmealswerefarmorethenormbackthen.Theyatebalancedmeals.Theyateslowerandrecognizedtheirdinnerhoursasimportanttimestobondasafamily.Theshift,however,goesbeyondthosewarmthoughtsofgoodfoodandbettercompanyaroundthebigdiningroomtable.Peoplethoughtahead.Mothersandgrandmothersdidn’thavetoscramble
momentsbeforethedinnerhourtocobbleaquickmealtogether.Theyrarelyhadtomakethoselast-secondtripsforingredientsbeforeassemblingthosememorable,dinnertimemasterpieces.Theycertainlydidn’thavetodotheirbestwiththelastfewgoodsinthepantryorfreezerinrecognizingthatshoppingdaywasstilladayortwoout.Familiesbackthenalwayshadsignificantamountsoffoodstoredaway.
Further,theydidn’tthinkanythingofhavingasizablesupplyatreach.Theirneighborsdidthesame.Theystoredasamatterofpracticebecauseself-reliancewastheonlyreliancetheyhad.Certainly,lifewasdifferentinavarietyofrespects.Peopleyearsagorelied
moreontheirlandthanpeopledotoday.Eatingduringthewinterrequiredmanypeopletostoreawaysufficientfoodduringthegrowingseason.Itwasn’tcalledprepping.Itdidn’thaveaname.Itwassimplyamatterofgettingby.
Remember,thefoodyoustoreisthestuffthatwillkeepyourenergyupandyourstomachfullwhenadisasterstrikes.Stockyourpantryaccordingly.
It’sfairtosaythattoday’sgenerationisspoiledwhenstackedagainstthoseofyesteryear.Thegrocerystoreofjustafewdecadesagolookedfardifferentthanthesprawlingsupermarketsthattypifytheshoppingexperienceoftoday.Thegrocerystoreofacenturyagomightbeunrecognizableassuchtoyoungerfolks.Backthen,theywerethecornershopscarryinglittlemorethanthebasicstaplessuchasflourorsugarandalimitedselectionofcannedorotherwisepre-packagedgoods.Peopleatedifferently.Thefamilythathadfreshmeatonthetablewasthe
familyinwhichthemenjustcamehomefromasuccessfulhunt.Theremainderofthemeatwascuredandstoredaway.Theabilitytopurchaselargevarietiesoffreshfruitsandvegetablesonayear-
roundbasiswould’vebeenthemarkofanoveractiveimaginationforourgrandparents.It’sinterestingtothinkabouthowsomanytodaycouldn’timagineanythingdifferent.Yearsago,thecountrylackedanyreliableandeconomicalmeanstogetfreshfoodsintothestorestothelevelexpectedbytoday’sconsumers.
consumers.Theyoungestouttheremighthavedifficultyingraspingthatyoucouldn’t
alwayspullafewbucksoutofyourwalletforabunchortwoofstill-greenbananas.Even30or40yearsago,storesdidn’thavemuchforfreshproducesections.Theideaofpickingupacartonoffresh,ripecherrytomatoesduringthedeepfreezeofwinterinourgrandparents’erawasbeyondconsideration.Itwouldhavebeenlaughable.Lifewasn’tassimplebackthen,butitforcedpeopletorelyonthemselves.
Theydidwhatittooktogetby,andtheywerefarbetterpreparedbecauseofit.Thosewhowantedtoeatfreshweremorelikelytorelyontheirownproduce,andofcourse,onlyduringthegrowingseason.Thosewhowantedripe,juicyapplespickedthemfromtheirowntreesorweregivenabagfromfriendsorneighbors.Thosewhoenjoyedgrapesgrewtheirownvines.Peopletradedproducewiththeirneighborsinanefforttoincreasetheir
variety.Manywouldgotofarmmarkets.Theypreservedwhatwasleftovertoaccountforthecoldweathermonths.Preppingfromafoodperspectiveinthiseraofconvenience,varietyand
abundanceisn’tasprimitiveassomemightthink.Thereareagrowingnumberofpeopletodayextollingthevirtuesofdietsrichinlocallygrownproduce.Growingnumbersarerecognizingtheunhealthyaspectsofconvenienceeating.Farmmarkets,thoughlongpopular,arestartingtoseesomenewcustomers.Someviewpreparednessassomekindofnewtrend.Honestly,there’snothing
newaboutit.Somanyofthethingspreppersneedtoconsidertoassurefamilysafetyafteradisaster,whetherit’sfoodorotherwise,aremoreamatterofrememberinglifeasitusedtobe.Theideaofhavingastrongfoodsupplyinthehomeneverlostimportance.Most,however,simplyfailedtorecognizeit.
GettingstartedGettingagoodstartonfoodplanningrequiressomethoughtonthelengthof
timethefamilywouldwanttobeabletomeetfromaplaceofself-reliance.Somearecomfortablewithanemergencyfoodsupplythatwouldfeedthefamily
foramonth.Otherswillassembleandstockafoodlockerthataccountsforthreemonthsofmeals.Smallernumbersaren’tcomfortableintakinganychancesandhaveanemergencysupplythatwouldsustainthefamilyforayearormore.Thereisn’tanoverallrightorwronganswer.Risksvaryacrossthecountry.
Eventhoselivinginthesameregionwouldhavevaryingdegreesofcomfort.Youmightholdlesserconfidencethananotherintheabilityofsociety-at-largetorestorefoodsupplieswithcertainhaste.Afewouttherewanttobereadyfordoomsday.Everyoneisdifferent.Thefrequencyofshort-tomid-termemergenciessuggestsrealriskinhaving
anylessthanseveralweeksoffoodreadytogoatanygiventime.Aftermeetingthatminimum,youshouldbuildyourstoragelockeraccordingtoyourownconcerns.It’saprocessthatshouldbeundertakenwithsomereason.Youshouldn’thavetooverextendthefamilyfinancestoreachyourdesiredthreshold.Manyprepperswouldsuggestthathavingafoodlockerthatwouldcovera
fewmonthsisprettyreasonable.Majordisastershavecertainlyimpactedcommunityfoodsuppliesforextendedperiods.Thefamilywiththefoodlockerbuiltforamonthorlesscouldruntheriskofdepletingsuppliestooquicklyafterhighlydestructiveevents.Ontheotherend,somewouldarguefoodplansthatextendbeyondayear
serveonlytodelaytheinevitableifsomethingshouldhappenthatwouldrequireuseofthatfullsupply.Ifstoresaregoneforthatlong,youmightsurmisetheyaren’tcomingback.Atandbeforethatpoint,youwouldwanttolooktoplantingandhuntingorpotentiallyraisinganimalsforsustenancejustaspeopledidintheolddays.Thenextbigquestiontoponderishowmuchfoodyouwouldneedforthe
familytoeat.Thosepreppingshouldtakenoteofwhatthefamilyiseatingintheday-to-daywhenplanningtheirstocktomeettheirchosentimeframes.Payattentiontotypicalconsumptionandthenpurchaseenoughthatwouldallowfamilymemberstoratchetupcaloricintakeasneededduringaperiodofrecovery.Yourtypicaldietmightnotbesufficientbasedonthestressesand
physicalrequirementsboundtoaccompanyadisasteraftermath.TheU.S.DepartmentofAgriculture’srecommendationsforcaloricintake
differnotonlybyageandsexbutalsobyone’slevelofactivity.Anaverage,sedentary40-year-oldman,forinstance,wouldneed2,400caloriestobalancehisintakewiththeenergyhisbodywouldburnasamatterofliving.Thesameman,ifactive,wouldneed2,800caloriestomeettheneedsofbodyfunctionandthataddedexertion.Womentypicallyrequirelessfoodthanmentoaccountforwhattheirbodies
burn.Theaverage,sedentary40-year-oldwomanwouldneed1,800calories,accordingtotheUSDA.Heractivecounterpartwouldrequire2,200tomaintainahealthybalance.Caloricneedstendtopeakformenandwomenastheymovethroughtheirlateteensandearly20s.Activemenintheir20stomid-30stypicallyrequire3,000caloriesadaywhiletheirfemalecounterpartswouldneedabout2,400.Thoseplanningforfoodstoragetoaccountforadisastershouldaimforthe
higherendofthecaloriechartsforseveralreasons.It’lltakemorethanlightmeals—saladswouldn’tsuffice—toproperlyfuelthebodywhenputtingforthsomeheavylaborthatisn’tpartofyournormalroutine.Recoverytakesrealwork.Eventhein-shapeprepperwhospends40minutesadayatthegymwouldlikelyencountersomeprettybigdemandsonthebodydependingontheextentofanydamageleftbehindinadisasterevent.Followingadisaster,you’dhavetodealnotonlywithexertionbutalsowith
workingthebodyinwaysinwhichitisn’taccustomed.Youmightbestressingmusclesthatdon’tgetmuchworkontheaverageday.Theremightbetreestochopandwoodtohaul.It’spossibleyou’dtacklesomeofyourownroofingworkorrepaironotherdamageslefttothefamilyhome.Yourenergyoutputmightwellextendbeyondmuscularconsiderations
dependingoncircumstances.Winteremergenciescouldputfamiliesinsituationsoflimitedheat.Ifthefurnacewentout,itmightwellmeanhunkeringdownin50-degreetemperaturesratherthanthemorecomfortable70degrees.Inthat
circumstance,thebodywouldburnsomeadditionalcaloriesinitsowneffortstomaintainsufficientwarmth.MREs,acommonpack-awayforpreppers,tendtosuggestthatcalorieintake
forthecommondayandtheaveragemanorwomanwouldn’tsufficeforthehighlyactive.Themealsaredesignedforsoldiersandusedbythemilitarybutarereadilyavailabletotheciviliancommunity.Eachcomesatmorethan1,200calories.Itgoeswithoutsayingthatthesedentarymanorwomanwouldn’twanttohavethreeperdayforanylengthoftimeifheorsheislookingtomaintainaslenderwaistline.Thoseplanningtheirfoodstockshouldjustasmuchrelyonlogicandgood
senseinplanningoutamountsthatgobeyondtheusual.Theverypointofstorageistomakeitthroughanyperiodthatwouldpresentaninabilitytoreplenishtheshelves.It’safarbetterpositiontorecognizeyoumighthaveover-preparedthanitistowatchfoodsuppliesdwindlewhenthecommunitystillhasn’trecovered.Thoughtswouldturnfromhowmuchfoodissufficienttowhattypesoffoods
wouldbestleavethefamilyreadyforwhateveradisastermightbring.Assemblingyourfoodforthelong-termhassomeelementsthataren’tallthatdifferentfromhowyougoaboutyourgroceryshoppingonaweekinandweekoutbasis.Whetheryouareplanningfornextweekorforfoodtolastforanentireyear,you’restillgoingtothinkabouthowtoprovideforsomevarietyanddecent,balancedmealsandsnacks.Thebody’sneedforgoodnutritiondoesn’thaltwhenadisasterhappens.Goodplanswillincludefruits,vegetables,grainsandproteinsources.
MREs,orMealsReadytoEat,areaneasylong-termsolutionforaprepper’smealplanning.
There’sonekeydifferencewhenbuyingforthelongterm.Youhavetopayattentiontohowlongthosefoodswouldsurviveontheshelf.Yourpotentialfoodselectionsbecomefarnarrower.Thedeli,produceandbakerysectionsofthestorearen’tgoingtodomuchforthelong-termshopper.“Useby”datestakeonafargreaterlevelofimportance.Itrequiressomegoodstrategy.It’svitaltohaveenoughfood.It’sjustasvitaltohavetherightfood.Many
peoplehavechestfreezersinthebasement.They’regreatappliancesfromtheperspectiveofextendingthefamily’sfoodsupplies.Youshouldn’t,however,considerthosefrozenfooditemsaspartofyourlong-termemergencyprovisions.Thebasementfreezerwouldcertainlystandtoprovideforthefamily’sneeds
prettywellintheveryshortestofterms.Inacaseofelectricityloss,thefreezer
prettywellintheveryshortestofterms.Inacaseofelectricityloss,thefreezerwouldbecometheimmediatepriorityofyourmealplanning.Thefamilywouldhavetogetthroughasmuchaspossiblebeforeitscontentsthawedandbecamespoiled.Preppersbuyingforthelong-termhavetothinkdifferently,butthereare
nonethelessmanyoptionsavailablethatwouldallowapersontoeatprettywell.Youwouldn’thavetosurviveonlyonriceandwater.Thenumbersoffoodsthat’llholdupforthelongtermarebecomingmoreplentifulallthetime.Therearemanydifferentwaystotackleasuitablefoodplan.Thoselooking
fortheultimateinconveniencecouldachieveeverythingneededtofeedthefamilyforanentireyearwithoutsteppingoffoftheirproperties.Itcouldbeassimpleaspullingoutthecreditcard,spending10minutesontheInternetandwaitingforthedeliverytrucktoarrive.
MREsarehighlymobile.Everythingyouneedinordertoheatandeatthemisincluded.
Avarietyofcompaniesofferannualpacksoffreeze-driedandcannedfoodswithshelflivesof25yearsormore.They’respecificallyassembledtooffersomevarietyandtakeawaytheguess-workinbuildingapreparednessplan.It’saviableoptionforsomepeople,thoughitisn’tdifficulttoimaginethepricefactorwoulddrivemanytowardotheroptions.Thepackagesstartatabout$1,000andcangoto$3,000orbeyond.The
packages,meanwhile,areusuallyputtogetheronaper-personbasis.Manyofthepackagesoutonthemarketaren’tunreasonablefromacostperspectivewhenbrokendowntoaper-mealbasis.Somearecomparabletohowmuchpeoplewouldspendonfoodforthefamilyfromweektoweek.Whatbecomesunreasonableformanyistheideaofbuildingafullyearof
additionalfoodthat’llbestashedaway,lyinginwaitandpaidforinone,big,lonetransaction.Itwouldn’tworkforalotofpeople’sbudgets.Whetherit’splanningahomeimprovementorsavingforthenextcar,theaveragefamilyoffourwouldn’tlikelyhave$4,000to$12,000inrainydaymoneytospendonthatkindofinsuranceregardlessofhowimportanttheyfindit.Afamilycouldbuildagooddegreeofsecuritywithmethodsthatarealittle
bitfriendliertothepocketbook.Foodplans,likesomanyareasofpreparation,canbedevelopedgradually.Thefamilythatdoesn’thavealotofexpendablecashcanstillsetasolidplanintoactionbitbybit.Afoodplanmightnotstretchtoayearorevenseveralmonthsofcontingencyrightfromtheget-go.Anewpreppermightrecognizethatsimplybeginningyourplanputsyourfamilyinafarstrongerpositionthanmost.Yourfamilymightstartbydoublinguponthetypicalgrocerybillwhena
littleextramoneybecomesavailable.Youcouldloadupasecondcartloadandgetthepantrystockedsufficientlytomeetacoupleofweeks’worthofmealsinsteadofjustone.Youmightthenbuildonthatbyaddingafewadditionalshelf-stable,long-viableproductstothecartduringeachsubsequentshoppingtrip.
trip.Muchofyourplanswouldn’tnecessarilyrequireanyfirmlineofseparation
betweenyourprepsandyourfamily’severydayeating.Theimportantpartofpreparationisgettingthatsolidfoundationlaidsoyourfamily’sfoodavailabilitystretchesbeyondtheimmediate.Anumberofitems—basedonshelflife—mightrotatefromtheemergencyfoodlockertotheeverydaypantrywhenyoushopandbringhomesomereplacements.Afterthatfoundationisinplaceandyourfamilyhasasizablecacheoffood,
youmightgrabanewcanofsweetcornfromthegrocerystorebasedonSunday’srecipe.Youcouldthenswapitoutforthecanthat’sbeeninthelockerforsixmonthsorayearandisstillwellbeneathits“bestby”date.ThatSundaymealwouldn’ttasteabitdifferent.Thefamily,meanwhile,couldmaintainanemergencylockeroffairlyrecentgoods.Manyfoodsthatafamilywouldtypicallypurchasefortheirday-to-dayliving
wouldholdupperfectlywellforseveralyears.Cannedgoodsareagreatexample.Thecanningprocessentailstheuseofhighheattokilloffbacteriainfoodandestablishingavacuumsealtopreventnewbacteriafromgettingin.Thebacteriaarewhatcausefoodtospoil.Manycommerciallycannedgoodsremainviableforlengthyperiodsoftime.
Apreppermighttakenoteofthe“bestby”and“useby”datesandkeepakeeneyeoutfordatesthatstretchoutforlengthyperiods.It’salsohelpfultorecognizethedifferencebetweentheterms.Manyfolksdon’ttakechancesandtheymakesuretogetthroughtheirfood
beforethestamped-ondeadlineregardlessofhowit’spresented.Thedates,ineithercategory,aren’trequiredbygovernment.“Useby”or“sellby”designationsgenerallyrefertothepotentialforspoilage.They’reestimatesanddon’tprovideanyset-in-stoneguarantees.The“bestby”designation,meanwhile,isindicativeofflavor,textureorotherfactorsthatwouldn’tbearonproductsafety.CanneditemsproducedbyHormelFoods,forinstance,boastanindefinite
shelflife.Assurrealasitsounds,thosefoodswouldbesafeforconsumption
shelflife.Assurrealasitsounds,thosefoodswouldbesafeforconsumptionlongafterwe’regone.OnecouldbuyacanofSPAMtodayandfryitupin40years.Thecompany’sofferings,whichincludeSPAM,itschili,cornedbeefhashandbeefstew,carry“bestby”datesonthepackages.Thecompany,however,indicatesthosedatesmightapplytoflavorbuthavenobearingonfoodsafetyaslongasthesealremainsintactanduncompromised.Alittlebitofresearchmightrevealanumberofcannedoptionsthatwoulddo
wellinstorage,particularlyifit’sacommonlyusedgoodthatcouldgointoarotation.DelMonteFoods,forinstance,indicatesitscannedgoodshaveashelflife,asitpertainstoquality,oftwotothreeyears.It’sagoodamountoftimeonitsown.Thoughthefoodswouldbebestbythedatesprintedonthecans,theyremainsafeforconsumptionbeyondthattimesolongasthecontainerisn’tdentedordamaged,thecompanysays.
MREmealscomewithallthefixings,andevensometoiletpaper.
Driedandfreeze-driedfoodsofferyearsandsometimesdecadesofstoragelife.Powderedmilkandeggswouldprovideforlongstoragelifeandalsothenutritionandcomfortofhavingthosestaplefoodsathandregardlessofwhether
nutritionandcomfortofhavingthosestaplefoodsathandregardlessofwhetherthey’reavailableinfreshform.Driedbeanswilllastforeveraslongasthey’reproperlystored.They’dprovidefamilieswithanothersourceofproteintodrawfrom.Driedgrainswouldprovideforyourcarbohydratesandalsostore
wonderfully.Ricewillbejustasgood20yearsfromnowasitistodaysolongasit’sproperlykept.Quinoa,thoughpricey,mightmakeforagoodadditiontothefoodlocker.It’sadried,grain-likeSouthAmericanplantthat’llcarryagood,longshelflife.It’snotedforhighnutritionalvaluethatincludesprettyhighproteincontentforaplant-basedfood.
Gardeningisacommonsenseuseofyourlandthatprovidesagreatdealtoanyhousehold.It’sagreathobbythatgetsyououtdoors.It’senjoyabletoveryliterallywatchyoureffortstakerootandgrowintosomethingvaluable.Comeharvest,there’ssomethingrichlysatisfyingaboutmealsthataremadeofyourowntimeandwork.Youshouldn’tdiscountanotherimportantqualityofhomegrownfood:theprepperknowsexactlywhereitcamefromandpreciselywhatwentintoitscreation.
camefromandpreciselywhatwentintoitscreation.Knowingwhatmakesupyourfoodtakesonjustabitmorenuanceintoday’sera.Prepperswhounderstandthatgardeningcouldmovefromahobbytoanecessitymightthinkdeeperandconsidertheveryseedsthey’reputtingintotheground.Thosewhoareplantingforricherflavorsandthoseworriedaboutlong-termneedswouldultimatelycometothesameconclusion.Itmakesthebestsensetorelyonheirloomvarieties.We’vecometoanerainwhichafewbigcorporationsdidsomeinterestingwork,cameupwithsomeinterestingproductsand,asresult,holdpatentsonmanyoftheseedsavailableinthosesmallpacketsdownatthehardwarestore.They’reengineeredinawaythatwouldbenefitthesimplegardener.They’realsoengineeredinawaythatwouldbenefitthecompany’sultimategoals.
Thosewhoplantforricherflavorsandthoseworriedabouttheirlong-termneedswillwanttouseheirloomseeds.
Thehybridproductsonthemarketpromoteease,betteryieldandresistancetodisease.It’sappealingtomanyforobviousreasons.Thecompaniessellingthemfailtopromotethatthereislimitedtonoabilitytocollectseedsfromthoseplantsthatwouldallowgardenerstogrowanewinthenextseasonwithoutanothertriptothehardwarestoreforyetanotherpacket.Awiseprepperwouldrecognizethevalueofhavingenoughseedstogooneyearinadvanceofthegrowingperiodtocome.Collectingseedsandallowingagardentorebuilditselffromyeartoyearistheultimateexerciseinself-reliance.Hybridseedsaretypicallyaone-year-and-doneoption.Thosewhogatherseedsfromnon-heirloomplantsandsowtheminspringareboundtobedisappointedbythenextyield.Therealdifferencesbetweenheirloomandhybridvarietiesgobeyondplanting.Thosewhoareoldenoughandcarryagoodmemorywouldrecognizethatproducetodaydoesn’ttastequitethesameasthatfromthegardensofourgrandparents.Tasteisimportant.Theseedcompaniesaimedforagardener’ssimplicityandtheirownbottomline.Theywereboundtolosesomethingintheprocess.
Manylikeiteasy,buteasyrarelymeansbetter.It’sworthlookingaroundatseedoptionsbeforeplanting.It’sworthspendingtheadditionaltimeandcareonplantsthatmightnotbeasdiseaseresistantasthemodernhybrids.Wegetwhatwegive.Itcouldmeanatastiergardenthisyear.Itcouldmeanreliableseedsforthenext.Prepperswouldrecognizethatimmediateeaseoftentendstocomeatapricelaterdowntheroad.
Plantingandgrowingyourownfoodisveryrewarding.
Anumberoffoodspeopleoftengotoforeverydaynutritionandcomfortcouldhavesomelong-termpotential.Wax-coatedhardcheesesareknowntolastforsignificantperiodswithouttheneedforrefrigeration.Cannedandpouchedtunaandotherseafoodstypicallyhaveashelflifeofseveralyears.Manufacturersgenerallyrecommendusewithinayearortwofortaste,butagain,thefamilythatpackstunasaladsandwichesinthefamily’slunchesonafairly
saladsandwichesinthefamily’slunchesonafairlyregularbasiswillbeabletokeepthestockonthefreshsidebyrotating.Familiesmightnotgotoawebsiteandorderafull
yearofshelf-stablefoodcontingencies.Theymight,however,relyonsomeofthoseproductsaspartofamorevariedfoodplan.Startingatabout$100,apreppercouldbuya5-gallonpailfilledwithavarietyofindividuallypackaged,freeze-driedvegetableservings.AfewcasesofMREsmightmakeupasignificant
portionofyourmealplanningifyou’relookingforeaseandareonlystretchingouttheplanforafewweeksofself-reliance.Thosedevelopinglongerplansmightstillpurchaseafewcasestoextendvarietyandflexibility.They’repre-packagedcompletemealsandcomeasvariedastheselectionsinthegrocerystore’sTVdinnercase.They’lllastonashelfforfiveormoreyearsifkeptcoolanddry.
ThiswasanMREmealthattheauthorsharedwithhiswife—chickenpestopasta,mixedfruit,breadwithcheesebaconspreadandvanillapudding.YoudonotneedtobeinthefieldtoenjoyanMRE.
Technologyislengtheningtheshelflivesofmorefoodsallthetime.Consumersaremoreregularlyabletopurchaseirradiatedfoodproducts.It’saprocessthatutilizesradiationtokillofthebacteriathatwouldcontributetofoodspoilage.Advancesinasepticprocessingarecontributingtomoreshelf-stablefoodproducts.It’saprocessthat’sbasedinpartaroundtheuseofsterilepackaging.Inrecentyears,dairycompanieshaveintroduced
shelf-stablemilkthatcansitunrefrigeratedonashelfforsixmonthswithoutgoingbad.Theproductsrelyonasepticpackagingafterpasteurizingmilkathigherthantypicaltemperaturestoassurethatbacteriaarekilledoff.Asix-monthshelflifeisn’toptimalforlong-termfoodplanning,butit’saninterestingexampleofwheretechnologyisheading.Itwasn’tsolongagowhenpeoplewould’vethoughtitajoketohavemilkthatdoesn’trequirerefrigeration.Shelf-stablemilkmightbeanoptionbeyond
powderedmilkforthefamilythat’splanningforjustafewmonthsofcontingencyanddependsupontheirtypicalglassesofmilkwithbreakfastanddinner.Thefamiliesthatfindhavingregular,readytodrinkmilkimportanttotheirlivesmightswitchtoshelf-stableproducts,haveafewmonthsofsupplyathandandkeeptheproductsstoredawayforemergencyuseinarotationsoit’susedbeforeexpiration.Havingsufficientsuppliesoflongstablefoodsis
Havingsufficientsuppliesoflongstablefoodsisvital,thoughit’salsoimportanttoassureitisstoredproperly.Preppersshouldhaveacoolanddryplacetoserveasthestoragelockerasameansofprolongingshelflife.Thefamilywithnoothersuitableoptionsmightputupsomeshelvesinasparebedroom.Properstoragealsomeanskeepingfoodinamanner
thatwouldn’tattractrodentsthatarealwayslookingforthatnextbigmeal.Nomatterhowwellthehomeissealed,it’snomatchforhungrymicethatgetasensethatfoodawaits.Five-gallonpailswithsturdylids—snaporscrew-on—servewellforstoringgrainsandotherloosedriedgoods.Youshouldthinkthroughallthelittledetailsthat
couldprovidechallengesshouldthetimecometoputyourfoodplanningtoemergencyuse.Forinstance,youwouldn’thavemuchluckwithanelectriccanopenerifthepowerisout.Itmakessensetokeepamanualmodelinyourdrawerfullofkitchengadgets.Youmightconsidermethodstowarmfoodifthe
powerisout.Itmightmeanacampstove.Youmightkeepagoodsupplyofpropaneorcharcoalatthereadyforthebackyardgrill.SomeoftheMREsonthemarketareself-heating.Rememberthatwhilepreparingforadisasteris
aboutsurvival,it’salsoaboutcomfort.Devisefoodplansthat’llcontributetoyourfamily’swellbeingfrombothstandpoints.Thosewhodon’tenjoySpamshouldn’tpackitawayregardlessofitsendlessshelflife.Buildafoodplanthatmatcheswithhowyourfamilywouldeatwhenitisn’tdealingwithallofthose
familywouldeatwhenitisn’tdealingwithallofthoseaddedstressesandemotionsofemergency.Thosewhobegintounderstandpreparednessasa
lifestylewillcometorecognizereadinessmeansmorethanpackingawaysupplies.Thenotionoflivingaself-reliantlifestyleduringtheaveragedayapplieswelltofoodanddiet.Familiesmightgainfromadietthatgoesbeyondtheofferingsatthenearbysupermarket.
Apropanestove,likethisoldGriswoldmodel,cooksjustlikeahousegasrangeinapinch.
Manywouldbeabletotaketheiremergencyfoodplansbeyondshelf-stablegoods.Thosewholiveinruralareasmightapproachtheirneighborstotalkaboutplanningandgetasenseofwhattheymightbeabletoaccomplishtogetherifneedseverrequired.Thoseoutsideofthecitieswouldverylikelybeabletomaintainastrongsenseofnormalcythroughteamworkifadisasterweretoimpactfoodsupplies.Thoseinruralareaswouldoftenhavethecapability
toestablishaneconomyonthesmallestofscales.Barteringtechniquesmightputeveryoneinbetterposition.Oneneighbormighthavesomechickensand
position.Oneneighbormighthavesomechickensandeggswhileanotherraisesbeeforgoats.Onemighthavefruittreeswhileanotherisgrowingalargegardenwith15ormoredifferentvegetables.Somemighthavecannedgoods.Huntersandfishermenwouldhavesomecommoditiestooffer.Youwouldwanttodevelopthoserelationshipsandhavethoseconversationswellbeforepushcomestoshove.Thoseinurbanandsuburbanareas,andeventhose
withsmallproperties,shouldn’tdiscountgardeningasapotentialfoodsource.Eventhoseonpropertieswithspaceforonlyasmallgardentuckedalongthebackfencemightbesurprisedbyhowmuchfoodthey’dbeabletoproducethroughspringandsummer.Gardeningrequiressometimeinvestmenteachday,butit’saseconomicalasitgetsfromtheplaceofdollarsandcents.Itgivesyouastrongerappreciationoffood,whichcan’tbediscountedintoday’sera.
MountainHouse,WisefoodsandBackpackersPantryarethreebig-namefoodcompaniesthatpreppersshouldknow.Thenutritional
valuesintheirproductswillbesimilartoMREs,andtheyaremorereadilyavailable.
There’snothingbetterthanfreshvegetablesfromthegarden.Evenafewtomatoplants,forinstance,mightyieldmorefruitthanafamilycouldreasonablyeat.Youcouldstewsomeandmakesoupsandsaucestocanforlateruse.Withagarden,youcanmakelong-term,shelfstable
foodsofyourown.Fooddehydratorsarefairlyinexpensiveandtremendoustools.Withafewhours,youcantakethegarden-freshvegetablethatwouldnormallydecayinaweekandturnitintoafoodthatwouldbejustasviable10yearsdowntheroad.Somearecomfortableingivinga30-yearshelflife
tosomefoodsthathavehadtheirmoistureremoved.Thoselookingtoprepinexpensivelycouldfindadehydratorfor$50orless.Youcouldvacuumsealdehydratedfoodsforanevenbetterlikelihoodoflong-termviability.There’snowayaroundit.Foodplanningwilltake
somespendingatthefrontend.Thoughwhenconsideringtheimportanceoffoodtocomfortandsurvival,it’saninvestmentthatcan’tbeoverlookedorunderplanned.Whenconsideredoverthelongterm,planningprovidesprepperswithacertaindegreeofeconomy.Evenbeyondgardeningandhunting,preppersmightwellbeabletoeatcheaper.Thosewhoutilizechestfreezersreturntomindand
offeranexampleofhowstorageandplanningprovidesbenefitsthatgoevenbeyondreadiness.Manyhave
thosefreezerstoprovidetheabilitytobuymeatsinlargerquantitiesaftertheygoonadeepsale.Theycanfreezethemandhaveplentytoeatoverextendedperiodsatlowercosts.Youcouldextendthattoshelf-stablegoodsandbuilduponstockwhetherthroughin-storedeals,couponsorbulkstores.Shiftingyourmindsetonfoodtothelongtermmight
wellcontributetohealth.Peoplearecreaturesofhabit,andfoodmarksanareawheremanycouldbenefitfromdevelopinggoodones.Modernsociety’srelationshipwithfoodhas,bymanymeasures,fallenintoaprettyunhealthyterritoryasaresultofourconvenienceculture.Thebadstuffiseverywhere.Nourishing,balancedmealsaretoooftensupplantedbythosequickandeasyfoodsthatcomepackedwithfat,sodium,badcarbsandanynumberofunnaturalingredientscarryingnamesmostcouldn’tpronounce.
BoilingwaterorevencookingisnotdifficultonawhitegasColemancampstove.Theygethot.
Toomanyarewillingtosacrificethehealthyandwholesomefortheeasieritems,particularlyifittastes
wholesomefortheeasieritems,particularlyifittastesgood.Itgoesfurthertoexplainwhyappropriateplanningissuchaforeignconcepttosomany.Thosewhorelysoheavilyonunhealthyfoodsaredemonstratingtheirlackofconcernforwhatmightsitaroundthenextcorner.Effortsspentonpreparing,whetherforfoodor
otherwise,meandoingbetterforyourfamily.Ourmealsareimportantcomponentsofourlives,andwithalittleeffort,preparingcouldmeanbettereatingnowandmonthsahead.Thoseapproachingpreparednesswiththeideaofhavingmorecomfortandconfidenceamidallofourworld’suncertaintiescan’toverlooktheimportanceoffood.It’stoughtoimaginemuchmoretaxingonourbodiesorspiritsthanlackingvariety,qualityorsimplyenoughonthedailydinnerplate.
ARETHEYWORTHTHETROUBLE?Itseemsthejuryisstilloutwhenitcomestothevalueofvitaminsupplements.Readingthreedifferentarticlesaboutvitaminsandothernutritionalproductsonthemarketwilllikelyprovidethreedifferentexpertopinionsontheirvalueorlackthereofintermsofimprovingyourhealth.Someswearbythem.Othersdon’tbother.Thosewhoaren’tconvincedintheirvaluehavesomevalidarguments.Ifpeopleeatproperdietsthatprovidethemwithallthevitaminsandmineralsneeded,it’ssafetosaytheycangetbywithoutthehassleandadditionalexpense.Certainly,generationaftergenerationgotbybeforethoselittle,whitebottleswithchildproofcapsstartedshowinguponthestoreshelves.Withthatsaid,Itakeamultivitaminandothersupplementstailoredtosomespecifichealthconsiderations.Thoughaproperdietwouldindeedbesufficienttomeetmyneeds,Iconsideramultivitaminaninsurance
besufficienttomeetmyneeds,IconsideramultivitaminaninsurancepolicyshouldIleaveafewblankstofillinonanygivenday.Beyondthemultivitamin,Itakeniacinbasedonthereportsofitssuccessforsomeinbuildinggoodcholesterolwhileloweringthebad.Itakeaseleniumsupplementknowingthesoilinmyregionlargelylacksthatbeneficialelement.
Vitaminsandsupplementsaren’tforeveryone,buttheauthorbelievesthey’reagoodinsurancepolicy.
Intermsofpreparationforadisasterrecovery,multivitaminsmightwellprovidetherightinsurancepolicyshouldyoulosetheabilitytoprovidethetypicalvarietyandbalanceavailablewithanormalandtypicaldiet.Ontheaverageday,vitaminswouldneverbeconstruedasareplacementforaproperdiet.They’recalledsupplementsforareason.Ahealthyday-to-daydietneedstobethefirststep.Thosewhofollowthedirectionsonthebottlesaren’tgoingtoexperienceharmbythecommon,well-establishedproductsonthemarket.Again,thereareallsortsofdebatesonhowmuchthoseproductswillbenefitsomeone.Agoodpreppermightwanttoreadbothsidesofthedebateonanygivensupplementbeforeheadingouttomakethepurchase.Ifnothingelse,thereissomethingtobesaidfortheplaceboeffect.Thosewhobelievethey’rehelpingtheirbodiesmightactuallydosoregardlessofthecontentsofthattablet.Yourbodymightwellrespondtothemind’sviewofnutritionofferedbythevitaminstaken.Everyprepperwillfindhisownbestanswers,whetherit’svitaminsoranyotherpartoftheplan.Theexpertsmightnotagreeonhowmuchorwhetheramultivitaminwillhelp.Itendtothinkitcan’thurt.
T
5
WATER
Drinkingwaterisoneofthethingsweoftentakeforgranted,butit’svitaltohaveareliablesupplyinadisastersituation.
hereisn’tmuchintheworldthat’smoreimportantthanwater,oraseasilyforgettable.It’sthereattheturnofthefaucet.It’sreadyand
Tusuallyreliable.Drinkingwaterdoesn’ttypicallygiverisetomuchthought.It’sthesimplest
substanceontheplanet.Youwouldn’tpausetoappreciatewatersafetyorconsiderhowyou’repromotingyourwellbeingwhenwakingthirstyandclimbingoutofbedforaquickdrink.Inessence,it’syourbodyrecognizingwhatdoesn’talwaysreachtheintellect.Thereisn’tmuchmoreimperativethanwaterwhenitcomestomaintainingyourhealth.
Theauthor,farright,dealswithacontaminatedwellatanAfghanlocalpoliceoutpost.
Thosenewtopreppingmighthaveneverfiguredthatsomethingofsuchlittlecomplexitycouldactuallyrequireagooddegreeofproblemsolving.Themorecomplicatednatureofwaterbecomesclearerwhenrecognizingitsroletosurvivalandthenfiguringouthowthefamilywouldmakeitthroughshouldthetypicalmethodsofsecuringsafesuppliesrundry.Timeisalwaysoftheessencewhenwaterisn’tthere.Accountingfordrinkablewaterisamongthefundamentalcomponentsof
Accountingfordrinkablewaterisamongthefundamentalcomponentsofpreparedness.Itrequiressomeearnesteffortfromthoseplanningforadisasteraftermath.Safewatercouldbecomeamatteroflifeordeathfortheunprepared.It’sabasicnecessitytoliving,andtherefore,it’satoppriority.Theruleofthreessaysitmostclearly.Beyondlackingabilitytomaintain
properbodytemperature,alackoffluidswouldmostquicklyleadtoyourdeath.Theruleoffersjustthreedayswithoutwaterbeforeapersonwouldsuccumb.Itdoesn’tgetmuchmorepressingthanthat.Unfortunately,waterisn’tacare-freecontingency.It’sheavy.It’sbulky.Ifit
isn’tpurifiedinsomemanner,thepotentialforcontaminantswouldpresentariskofillnessthatwouldmakelifefarmoredifficult.It’sanareaofpreppingthatpresentssomechallenges.Fillingupafewbigjugsandmovingalongtothenextareaofplanningisn’tgettingthejobdone.Alackofcleanwaterandtheinabilitytopurifywouldbecomeahugeconcern
forthosewhofallintosurvivalsituationsorareotherwiseawayfromthesafetyandsecurityoftheprepsestablishedathome.Physicaldifficultieswouldmountwellinadvanceofthreedaysshouldyoufailtofindasafesourcefordrinking.Preppersplanningtheirstay-in-placestrategieswouldwanttothinkthroughallthepossibilitiesthatcouldimpactwateravailabilityanddeviseseveralsolutionsthatcouldaccountforfamilyneeds.Planningforwatersoundsreasonableenoughwhenit’sbrokendowntothe
verybasics.Agoodplanwouldincludesomeamountofstorage,anabilitytocollectwateraswellashavingmethodstomakepotentiallydangerouswatersafefordrinkingshouldsituationsrequire.Likemostotherareasoflife,thedevilliesinthedetails.Waterplanswouldlookdifferentdependingonwhereyoulive.Thoseliving
onseveralacresoutinthecountrywouldhavetheabilitytostoresignificantamountsofpotablewater.Itwouldn’tpresenttoomuchconcern.Thefamilymakingitshomeinthesmall,urban,two-bedroomapartmentmightnotbeabletotaketheirplansasfarasthey’dlikefromastorageaspect.Themeansofcollectingwaterfromtheenvironmentwouldrequirefarmore
ThemeansofcollectingwaterfromtheenvironmentwouldrequirefarmoreworkforthoselivinginthedesertsofthesouthwesternUnitedStates.Thoselivingintheforestedlandsinthenortheasternregionofthecountrygetplentyofrainfallandwiththerightcontainers,couldstoreenoughaway.Itgoestoshowtheimportanceofpreparation.Throughplanning,anyone—regardlessofhome—couldcometosomegoodsolutionsthatwouldprovideforappropriatesafety.Meetingthewatercomponentofasolidpreparationplanrequiresalevelof
thoughtmostfailtoexercise.Cleanandsafewaterisrarelyanissueforfamiliesinthispartoftheworld,andassuch,it’snotsoseriouslyviewedasholdingthepotentialfordanger.DrinkingwaterintheUnitedStatesisgenerallyregardedamongthecleanestintheworld.Americansreallyareinagreatspot.Peopleoftentakeappropriatecaution
regardingwatersafetywhentravelingabroad.Thosesamefolkswouldcranktheknobonadrinkingfountainanywheredomesticallywithoutanydegreeofworry.Americansarefortunateontheaveragedaytohavesuchanimportantresourcesoreadilyavailablewithoutanycauseforsecondguessing.Prepping,though,isn’tabouttheclearandbright,everydaySaturdayafternoon.Avarietyofdisastersituationscouldimpedeonyouraccesstocleanand
drinkablewater.Poweroutagescouldimpacttheabilitiesofhomestodrawfromtheirwells.Lengthy,widespreadoutagescouldmeansomebigtroublesfortheunprepared.Storeshelveswouldemptyofbottledproductsfasterthanyoumightimagineinsuchacircumstance.Earthquakescoulddamagemunicipalmains.Tornadoescouldjustaseasily
damagepipingordestroyfiltrationplants.Thenation’swatersystemswerelistedasakeysecuritypriorityaftertheSept.11attacksinrecognizingthewidespreadanddeadlyimpactterroristscouldhavebycontaminatingsupplies.Waterplanningpresentsawidevarietyof“whatif?”possibilitiestothinkaboutregardlessofwhereyoucallhome.Floodingiscommonplace,andamongallnaturaldisasters,itmostoften
contaminatessourcesofdrinkingwater.FloodingoftencausesmorepropertydamageinagivenyearintheUnitedStatesthananyotherformofdisaster.
damageinagivenyearintheUnitedStatesthananyotherformofdisaster.Floodsalsocarrytherealpossibilityofputtingthepublic’sheathatrisk.They’retremendouslydifficultsituationsforfamiliesregardlessoftheirscale.
Thereisn’tmuchmoreimperativethanwaterwhenitcomestomaintainingyourhealth.Itshouldbeakeyaspectofanysurvivalplan.
Watersystemsareamongthebiggestconcernsforgovernmentunitsinregardtoflooding,bothaswatersbegintoriseandonwardthroughtherecoveryphase.Whenfloodsoccur,encroachingwatersusherbacteria,chemicals,sewage,oilandahostofothercontaminantspickedupalongthewayintoprivatewellsandinthroughpublicsystems.Familiescouldn’talwayscountonaspeedyreturntonormalcy.Thosewhodrawfromwellswouldlikelyrequiresometestingfor
contaminationafterfloodwatersrecede.Wellscouldpotentiallyneedsomeremediationbeforehomeownersaregiventhego-aheadtoresumelifeasnormal.Thoseprovidedforthroughmunicipalsystemsareoftensubjecttoboilordersafterfloods.What’sverysimpleintheday-to-daycouldbecomeamajorinconvenienceorworseafteradisaster.Properplanningprovidesthebestchancestosafelyandcomfortablybridgethegap.
Thebody’swaterrequirementsmightcontributetothechallengeofmeetingemergencyneedsinsomecases.Fewpeopleconsiderhowmuchfluidweconsumeonadailybasisorhowoftenwedrink.Consumptionneedsmightnotseemlikemuchasyougoaboutyourdailyactivities.Waterstorageandcollection,however,couldgettrickyforsomeinrecognizingthesignificantamountofspaceitwouldtaketohousethevolumesoffluidswerequireforeverydayhealthwhencompoundedoverlongerperiodsoftime.Expertssaythetypicalpersonneedstwotothreelitersoffluidsonadaily
basisjusttomakeupforwhatthebodylosesasamatterofliving.Peoplelosefluidsinanumberofwaysfromsweatingtobreathing.Thoseaveragerequirementsdon’taccountforthewateryouwouldneedtowashuporpreparemealsiftypicalsuppliesweren’tthere.Thoseengagedinthehardworkthattypifiessurvivalorrecoverysituationswouldsweatfarmorethannormalandthusneedyetmorefluidintaketomaintainproperbalance.It’sinterestingtothinkabouthowprepperswouldmanageiftheirplanswere
limitedtostoragealone.Waterrequirementswouldaddupquickly.Acommonrecommendationsuggestsstoringaminimumofonegallonofwaterperperson,perdaytoaccountforconsumption,cookingandsanitation.Considerthemathforafamilyoffour.Thefamilythattuckedaway12gallonsiscoveredforthreedays.Atthree
weeks,they’dneed84gallonstogetby.Aprepperwhohasn’tlookedbeyondcollectionandishopingtocoverthatsamefamilyforthreemonthswouldneedtohave360gallonsofwateravailable.It’sanamountthattranslatestojustmorethan48cubicfeetofspace.Thededicated,take-no-chancesprepperwho’srelyingonstorageandlivingin
anurbanorsuburbanenvironmentmighthavesomedismay.He’dprobablycometorealizethere’snoeasywaytoputupafull-yearsupplyofwaterfortheentirefamilyinthesamefashionhe’splannedforfood.A1,500-gallonwatertankwouldprovideappropriatespaceforthatyear-longsupply.Thatoption,however,isn’tonelikelytogooverwellwitheithertheneighborsorthezoning
department.Above-groundmodelsinthatcapacitycomeinatadiameterofneareightfeetandstandaboutfivefeettall.Watertakesupsomeseriousrealestate.Theamountsrequiredforhealthandthespaceneededtokeepitaren’t
mentionedtooverwhelmbutsimplytosuggestagoodwaterplanisbestachievedthroughanumberofstrategies.Thoughtsmightstartwithanassessmentofhowmuchyoucouldreasonablystoreforastay-at-homerecovery.Youmightcollectrainwaterasameanstoextendyourcontingencies.Aprepperwouldthenconsiderotheroptionssuchasfilteringandmethodsofchemicaldisinfectionthatwouldallowyoutorenderwatersafewheneverneededandwhereveryoumightbe.
Ahigh-qualitywaterfilter,likethisonefromBigBerkey,isasimplewaytohavecleanwaternomatterwhat.
Ensuringsafeandsufficientwatertakessomeknow-howandtherightgear.Avigilantprepperwouldalwayshavesomemeansatquickreachtoassuresufficient,safefluidsintheeventyou’releftwithout.Planningwouldextendbeyondthehometothecar.It’ssmarttohaveawell-builtgo-bag,andwaterisanimportantcomponent.Itwouldn’tnecessarilytakethedisasterthat’saffectingthousandsormillionsofpeopleforyoutohavetoworryaboutwhereyou’dgetyournextdrink.Youcouldimagineanynumberofhypotheticalsituationsthatcouldputyouat
dangerasitpertainstowaterneeds.Thehunterwhodrovedeepintotheforestwithnothingmorethanafewsnacks,agun,ammoandhiscanteencouldstumbleintocrisisifthetruckbatterywentdeadandhewasbeyondthereachofcellphonereception.Theavid,thoughunpreparedboaterstuckoutontheoceanwouldencountersomebitterironyinbeingsurroundedbywateronallsidesyetbeingunabletotakeadrink.Givingduethoughttowaterandunravelingthepotentialemergenciesthat
wouldimpactsuppliesisthefirstbigstrideforward.Differentauthoritiesofferdifferentsuggestionsforhouseholdplanning.FEMAsuggestsaminimumthree-day,storedwatersupplyforeachmemberofthehousehold.Somegroups,includingtheAmericanRedCross,gofurtherinsuggestingatleasttwoweeksofwaterstorageforemergencyuse.Prepperswouldwanttodobetter.Boththree-dayandtwo-weeksuggestions
offergoalsthatareachievable,providesomelevelofcushionandwouldn’toverwhelmfamilieswhenrecognizingthatmostpeoplefailtothinkeventhatfarahead.Commonsense,however,wouldn’tallowfortoomuchcomfortinaplanlimitedtoashort-termsupplywithnothingelsetoprovidesomeappropriateback-up.
Store-boughtcontainersofferthemostconvenientwaytobuildyourwaterstorage.
Ourcontinualneedforfluidsisreallywhatpushestheissue.Youcouldgoforseveraldayswithoutfoodifthesituationdemanded.Itwouldbeamightyuncomfortabletime,butyouwouldprobablybenoworseforthewearwhenfinallycomingbythatnextmeal.Yoursurvivalmindsetwouldallowyoutopushthroughthemiseryandaccomplishtheothereffortsnecessarytowardyoursafetyandwellbeing.Theruleofthreessetsdeathatthreeweeksforthosewithnothingtoeat.Noonecandowithoutwaterevenforshortstretcheswithoutexperiencing
somerealimpactsonhealth.Fluidlossonthebodycouldquicklyleaveyouincapacitatedandutterlyunabletomoveforward.Limitingaplantoashort-termsupplyisbetterthanhavingnoplanatall.Certainly,emergencysituationsofthreedaysorlessarecommonenoughandmorelikelytoimpacthouseholdsthanthemajordisaster.Astashof12to14gallonsforthefamilyoffourwouldsufficeinthosescenarios.However,youshouldquestionhowmuchyou’rewillingtogamblewithyour
However,youshouldquestionhowmuchyou’rewillingtogamblewithyourfamily’ssafety.Theclockonyourwellbeingstartstickingassoonasthewatersupplyrunsdry.Someoneworkinghardunderhotconditionswithoutaccesstofluidscouldstarttofeeltheearlyeffectsofdehydrationinasquicklyasanhourortwo.There’sareasonwhysportingeventshaveallofthoseGatoradejugssittingalongthesidelinesforathletestodrawfrom.Needstrulyareimmediate.Thethreedaysofferedbytheruleofthreestends
tosuggestabitmoreleewaythanyouwouldtrulyhavewhendehydrationissuessettlein.Deathatthreedaysisonlypartofthestorywhenthinkingabouttheurgencyofwaterrequirements.Theruleglossesovertheserioustollsthatlackingfluidshaveonthebodyallalongtheway.Livingisarelativeterm.Certainly,youmightverywellbeabletodrawa
breathwhilelyingincoherentasthethree-daymarkapproacheswithoutfluidintake.Apersonevenafteronedayoflackingfluidscouldstrugglemightily.Weaknessandthatverygeneral“unwell”feelingcouldbecomeabigroadblocktosafetyattheveryearlieststagesofdehydration.Asalackoffluidspersists,youwouldmovefurtherdowntheslopeandlackthephysicalabilitytotacklealloftheotherchallengesthatcomeinasurvivalsituationordisasteraftermathsoonenough.Healthofficialssuggestthosewhoareexperiencingsymptomsofdehydration
quittheiractivityandgetsomeadequaterest.Asurvivalsituationmightrenderthatoptionimpossible.Criticaldangerswouldsurfacewellbeforetheend-of-the-linebenchmark.Everydayexperiencespeaksloudly.Mostpeoplewouldn’tneedtheruleto
haveadecentgraspofthebody’srelianceonfluids.Headingoutforajogorevenmowingthelawnbeneaththebrightsunonaswelteringsummerdayoftenprovidesreminderenoughofthebody’sdependence.Thebodyrespondsandtendstooffersomequickreminderswhenhydrationfallsbeneathanoptimallevel.Thereisn’tmuchlesscomfortablethanadryanddeepthirst.Theimpactsonthebodyrunfardeeper.Dehydrationatevenitsearlieststages
isunpleasant.Youmightgetaprettydebilitatingheadache.
isunpleasant.Youmightgetaprettydebilitatingheadache.Waterlosslendstoadropinbloodpressureandarapidheartrate.Yourbody
temperaturewouldbegintoclimbwithoutthefluidsnecessarytoproduceadequatesweat.Thosesufferingfromdehydrationoftenexperiencedizzinessintheearlyonset.Youcouldfallintoacomaasdehydrationreachesitscriticalstages.Severe
cases,ifnotfatal,couldresultinkidneyfailureandpermanentbraindamage.What’smostscaryisthatallofthosesymptomscouldcometobearinsuchashortperiodoftime.That’swherepreparednesscomestoplay.Theonlysolutiontoavoidthose
dangersistodrinkenough.Forpreppers,itmeanshavingadequateaccesstowhatthebodyneedsandnoless.Thereinliesanotherdifficultypresentedbywater.Itisn’tcontainedwell
withinanyset-in-stone,black-and-whiterules.“Enough”isn’tsoeasilydefined.Estimatesforfluidintakespeaktotheaveragepersonontheaverageday.Everypersonandeachsituationisdifferent.Disasterorsurvival,meanwhile,isfarfromwhatyoucouldevercallaverage.Theenvironmentandworkloadcouldquicklyrequireyoutorampupyour
fluidintake.Thepersonwhoislosingwatertosweatwhilechoppingupwoodonahumidsummerafternoonwouldobviouslyneedmorethanthepersonsittinginanairconditionedhouse.Thosechoppingwoodsidebysideonthatsameafternoonmighthavedifferentneeds.Differingphysicalabilitiesmightplayarole,andfrankly,somefolkshavemoreactivesweatglandsthanothers.Maintainingproperhealthrequirespayingcloserattentiontowhatthebody
saysthantowhatanyguidelinessuggest.Youcouldhavethatfullthreelitersandstillencountersomedehydrationissues.Whenworkingindisasterzones,itwastypicaltoseechartsremindingpeopletokeepwatchonthecoloroftheirurineasareliableguidetotheirlevelsofhydration.Aproperlyhydratedpersonwouldhaveclearurine.Cloudierurinemeansyou
shouldbedrinkingmore.Thelevelofyourwaterneedsandthedangerspresentedbydehydrationgrowhigherasthecolorgrowsdarker.Youshould
presentedbydehydrationgrowhigherasthecolorgrowsdarker.Youshouldconsiderthefrequencyofurinationinadditiontothecolor.Itcouldbeahighlydangeroussignofadvancingdehydrationifyouaren’texpellingurinewithtypicalregularity.Theunpredictabilityofyourwaterneedsunderscorestheimportanceof
havingmorethanstoredsuppliesasinsuranceshouldwatersafetybecomeanissue.Thedailygallonperpersonwouldlikelysufficeforthoselivinginacooler,Northernclimate.ItcouldprovewoefullyinadequateforthoselivingamidahotandhumidLouisianasummer.Noonecanreallyknowwithanykindofaccuracywhatthefamilywouldneed.Yourhealthcouldsuffergreatlyifyoudecidedtoresignyourselftodailyrationsdeterminedbytheremainingquantitiesofwateronhand.
Righttools,rightknow-howTakeamomenttoconsiderthehelplessnessyoumightfeelwhensuffering
fromthirstandhavingnowaytoalleviateit.Whenitcomesdowntoit,therearefewtonogoodoptionsleftfortheunpreparedatthepointofawateremergency.Itwouldtakesomedegreeoflucktopullthrough.Certainly,naturalwatersourcesareplentifulinmuchofthecountry.Drinking
untreatedwaterwithoutknowledgeofitssafetysimplycouldn’tberegardedasthelesseroftwoevilswhenstackedagainsttheurgencypresentedbydehydration.Itwouldreallyonlyservetomakeabadsituationfarworse.Theimageryofthefrontiersmandippinghishandsintothecold,rushing
streamtoalleviatehisthirstishistorythatwouldn’tbeallthatsmarttomimicinthemoderndayandage.Naturalwaterwaysmightlookclearandpristine,yetcouldbeteemingwithavarietyofnastyelementswhetherfromagriculturalrunofforchemicaltoxinsusheredinfromanindustrialsetting.Youcouldneverknow.Manypeopleeachyearbecomeillfrominadvertentswallowingwhileswimminginpublicwaterslikelakes,oceansandsometimesevenchlorinatedpools.TheGiardialambliaparasiteisonethat’salltoocommoninnaturalwaters,
TheGiardialambliaparasiteisonethat’salltoocommoninnaturalwaters,whetherit’sastagnantpondoreventheclear,tricklingstream.Itcouldbecomeanissueinwellsandmunicipalsystemsafterdisaster.Theparasitepresentsahostofissuesfromstomachcrampingandbloatingtoseverediarrhea.Cryptosporidiumisanothermicroorganismcommontowaterandcouldalsoleaveyouwithdiarrhea,stomachpain,nauseaandvomiting.Thoseinsurvivalmodewouldbewisetostopandthinkofthoseillnesses
shouldnaturalwatersgiverisetoanytemptation.Consumingcontaminatedwaterregardlessofyourextremethirstcouldexacerbateyouralreadyhighrisksinawateremergency.Diarrheaandvomitingwouldsignificantlyspeedthedehydrationofyourbody.Dehydrationhappensquicklywithouttheaddedpushofaparasiticillness.Inunderstandingwater’surgency,thosepreppingwouldn’tleaveanythingto
chance,whetherathomeorelsewhere.Prepperswhoarebeyondtheirhomesshouldhavetheirgo-bagswithinreachandpackedwithgeartoaccountforfood,waterandshelter.Thewatercomponentofthebagwouldincludesomecleanwatertogetthroughthedayandwaystocollectwaterandrenderitsafe.Thesurvivalsituationbestillustratestheimportanceofbeingabletoprovide
forwaterinmannersbeyondthestoredsupply.Onegallonofwaterweighsinatmorethaneightpounds.Thego-bag,whichisdesignedforthreedays,wouldn’tserveasurvivalistwellifitincludes24poundsofwaterweight.Thespaceneededtostoreitwouldalonemakeitunreasonable.Forapointofcomparison,youcouldpurchasealightweighttentforyourgo-
bagthatcansleeptwopeoplethatcomesinatlessthanfourpounds.Meanwhile,theone-gallonjugattwiceitsweightwouldfallshortofprovidingproperhydrationforthosesametwopeopleoverthatfirstday.Therearebettersolutions.Itstartswithsomeunderstanding.Youmightkeepinmindthatrainwaterissafeforconsumptionsolongasit’s
collectedinamannerinwhichitisn’texposedtocontaminants.Rainwaterisagreatoptionfromthestandpointofhomestorage.It’sfree.It’sself-replenishing.Inasurvivalsituation,itcertainlyisn’treliableunless,ofcourse,yourhardships
Inasurvivalsituation,itcertainlyisn’treliableunless,ofcourse,yourhardshipscorrespondwithsomestormspushingthrough.
Ifyouhaveroom,largecontainerslikethese55-gallonfood-gradedrumscouldbeagoodsolutionforwaterstorage.
Somenaturalwatersofferthoseinneedwithsaferbetsthanothers.Springsandartesianwellshavetraditionallyheldassafefordrinking.Youmightnonethelesstakesomedegreeofcautioninrecognizingsurroundinggroundcontaminationcouldimpactsafety.Thosecollectingfromnaturalwaterswiththeintentofpurifyingshouldlooktodrawfromflowingsources,ratherthanstagnant,ifit’satallpossible.Apotandaheatsourcemightbethesimplestreliablewaytomakesureyour
waterissafetodrink.Boilingwouldkillthehostofmicroorganismsthatpresentthebiggestrisksofwaterborneillness.It’sgenerallyagreedthatkeepingwateratarollingboilforfiveminuteswouldeliminatetherisksposedbybacteriaandparasites.Thoselivinginhigheraltitudeswouldwanttoextendthattimeabit.It’sreadyforconsumptionafteritcools.Somewouldarguethatalessertimethanfiveminuteswouldmakewatersafe
enoughfordrinking.Thereareexpertswhowouldsaythatoneminutesufficientlydoesthejob.Adisasteraftermathorsurvivalsituationisn’tthepropertimetotakeunnecessaryrisksthatcouldmakeanalreadydifficultsituationpotentiallydirethough.Ontheoppositeend,youmightrememberthatboilingforatimelongerthannecessarywouldonlyturnmoreofthatwater
supplyintoescapingsteam.Fiveminutes,itseems,providesaprettygoodcompromise.Thereareafewchemicalmeansavailablethatwouldincreaseyourchancesof
safetywhensituationsrequiredrinkingfromquestionablesources.Youmightpackawaysomeiodinetabletsinthego-bagorhaveasupplystashedinthecar.Theyarespecificallymanufacturedforwaterpurificationandaretypicallyavailableatcampingandsportinggoodsshops.It’sasmall,lightweightandinexpensiveback-upoption,butit’salsoonethatcarriessomecauseforuneasiness.
Withproperpreparation,mostwatersourcescanbeusedtosustainlife.
Iodinetabletsareaneffectivemeansofkillingmanydangerousbacteria,includingE.Coli,thoughiodinemightstillleaveyouatriskofcryptosporidiuminfection.Itisn’tthemostconvenientorpleasantmeansofachievingsafewater.Themethodtypicallytakesahalfhourorlonger,andtheiodineleavesapretty
Themethodtypicallytakesahalfhourorlonger,andtheiodineleavesaprettystrongtastebehind.Typicalhouseholdbleachprovidesanotherwaytodisinfect.Likeiodinepills,
bleachfailstoprovideafoolproofmeansofsafety.Itdoesimproveyourchancesofavoidingillness.Chlorinebleachkillssomebutnotallofthemicroorganismsthatcouldpresenthealthhazards.TheU.S.EnvironmentalProtectionAgencyrecommendsboilingoverbleach
ifit’sanavailableoption.Thoserelyingonbleachwouldputeightdropsintoagallonofwatertodisinfect.Ifyouarerelyingonthatmethod,youshouldstirwellandleavethewatertositforahalfhourbeforeconsumption.Thecheap,run-of-the-millbleachisthebeststuffwhenitcomestowater
safety.Bemindfultouseregular,unscentedbleach.Itusuallycomesata5-to5.25-percentchlorineconcentration.Color-safeandpleasant-smellingproducts,asyoucouldimagine,arebettersuitedforyourlaundrydutiesthantheyareforyourdrinkingsupplies.Thebesttoolsforassuringwatersafetytakeabitofaninvestment.Filtering
systems—bothforthehomeandthego-bag—wouldnonethelessgoalongwaytoofferyousomepeaceofmindastotheviabilityofyourwaterplans.Thebestfilterscouldturnthemurkiestofwaterintosomethingclear,safeandultimatelydrinkablefromthestandpointofflavor.Youwouldwanttomakesuretospendappropriatelyforhigh-qualityproducts
inrecognizingit’samatteroffamilysafety.Youshouldreadbeforebuyingtoassuretheconsideredproductisreliableandcapableofremovingmicroorganismsamongothercontaminants.Manyofthelesserpricedandreadilyavailablefilteringunitsfoundatmoststoresweredesignedfromtheperspectiveofimprovingtheflavorofwaterratherthanaddressingcontamination.Asforhomesystems,Berkeyfiltersareprettyhighlyregardedamong
preppersandthesurvivalistcommunity.They’vebeenshowntoreduceavarietyofcontaminantstoundetectablelevels,whetheritsviruses,bacteria,parasitesornastychemicalsthatcouldbecomeanissueduringadisaster.Theyare,however,
nastychemicalsthatcouldbecomeanissueduringadisaster.Theyare,however,pricey.Thesmallestmodelsrunmorethan$200.Biggerunitswouldmakefarmoresensewhenpurchasedwithpreparednessinmind,andparticularlyifpurchasedforahouseholdofseveralpeople.Thosepreparingtheirgo-bagsshouldconsiderahand-pumppurification
system.Thesmall,lightweightpumps,availablefromcompaniesincludingMSRandKatadyn,veryreliablyremovecontaminationfromnaturalwatersources.Theymakeforclearandcleanwaterthatyoucouldpumpintoabucketorperhapsacamelbackbackpack.Thepumpsstartatlessthan$100andrangeupto$300ormoreforsomemodels.It’smoneywellspentforthosewhospendtimeintheoutdoors,andtheycouldprovepricelessshouldyouendupinsurvivalmode.Manyofthehighlyratedfilters,whetherdesignedforthehomeorgo-bag,are
knowntodosomeprettyamazingworkevenwithsomeprettydisgustingwater.It’snonethelessinthebestinterestofuserstousethecleanestwateravailable.Attheveryleast,thoseresignedtousingdebris-ladenwatermightwanttorunitthroughcheeseclothtoremovelargerbitsofsediment.Youcouldalsorunwaterthroughaparfaitofsandandgravelthatwouldrecreategroundfilteringandaccomplishthesame.Filtersbecomedirtiermorequicklywithoutthatbitofforethought.Thoseinwateremergenciesmightusesomeofthesemethodstogetherto
betterassuresafety.Boiling,forinstance,wouldkilloffallthosenastylittlebugs,butitwouldleavearoughsituationforthetastesensitive.Brownandfoulsmellingwatercouldbedifficultformanypeopletostomach.Boilingwouldoffersomeguaranteesasfaraspathogensgo.Afilterwouldremovealloftheotherimpurities,leavingclearwaterthatpeopleareusedtodrinking.Thesamewouldholdtrueinremovingiodineandchlorineflavorsleftbehindbytabletsandbleach,respectively.Allofthosesolutionsoffervaryingdegreesofsafetybutalsocomewiththe
assumptionthatwater—whethersafeornot—isreadilyavailable.Thoselivinginregionswherewaterisn’tsoplentifulshouldhavethegoodsneededto
livinginregionswherewaterisn’tsoplentifulshouldhavethegoodsneededtocreatesolarstillsstowedawayintheircarsandgo-bags.Itdoesn’ttakeverymuchandcouldbecomealifesaver.Solarstillsaresimpletoolsthatrelyonsunlightandcondensationtodraw
clean,purewaterfromthegroundoravailablevegetation.Dryriverbedsprovidegreatlocationsforset-upsolongasthoseinsurvivalmodeareabletofindthem.Thefirststepinthatcasewouldrequirediggingdownfarenoughtofindsomemoisture.
MSRmakesgreatwaterfiltrationunits,Theauthorlikesthismodelbecauseitfitsonlarge-mouthwaterbottlesandbladders.
Thestillitselfisacuporsomeotherformofcollectionbasinandasheetofplastic.Itreallyisthatsimple.Youwouldputthecupintotheholeandsecuretheplasticoverthetop,whetherbyrocksorwhateverisavailabletoholditinplace.Fromthere,youwouldputasmallrockatthecenteroftheplasticandabove
thecupinordertocreateaconicalshape.Sunlightdoestheremainderofthe
thecupinordertocreateaconicalshape.Sunlightdoestheremainderofthework.Purewaterevaporatesfromthesun’sheat,leavingimpuritiesbehind.Thosedropsofpure,contaminant-freewaterclingtotheplasticanddribbledownintothecup.Somepeoplerunastrawdownbeneaththeplasticandintotheircollectionbasinsotheycandrinkoffthewaterasitcollects.Thoseunabletofinddryriverbedscouldfilltheholewithwhatevervegetation
theycanfindanddrawoutthemoisturefromthoseplantsinthesamefashion.Anymoisturewouldsuffice.Youcouldurinateintheholebeforeputtingdownthecupandseparatethatbitofwaterfromtheremainderofitssubstance.
Ahand-pumppurificationsystemcanreliablyremovecontaminationfromnaturalwatersources.
Timeandquantitiescouldpresentissuesforthosewhohavetorelyonsolarstillsforcollection.Thosecaughtinareaswithoutsufficientwaterwouldwanttoputpriorityonstillset-upattheveryearlystagesofanemergency.Youmight
putpriorityonstillset-upattheveryearlystagesofanemergency.Youmightwanttohaveafewsmallersolarstillsgoingoralargeenoughstilltodrawoffwatersufficienttokeepupwiththebody’sneeds.Contingenciescanonlyworkifyouarevigilantenoughtoalwayshavethem
attheready.It’stypicalfortravelerstoforgetathingortwofromtimetotime,thoughthego-bagisn’ttheitemtoletslipfromthemind.Theruleofthreesasitappliestowatermeansjustthesameshouldyoubecomelostorstrandedasitwouldafterthebigdisaster.Thosededicatedtoreadinesswouldbewisetokeepsomedrinkingwaterin
theirvehicles.It’scrucialtohavesomeabilitytostayhealthyshouldacrash,emptygastankorenginetroublesleaveyouinaplacewhereyoucouldn’texpectimmediateaid.Itisn’tunreasonabletothinkyoucouldfindyourselfbeyondreachofsafetyforseveraldays.Withoutwater,severaldaysmightaswellbeaneternity.Youmightconsideryourenvironmentwhenextendingplansandstrategiesto
theday-to-daypotentialfordanger.IfyoubecamestuckinthemiddleofnowhereinaNorthernwinter,youcouldmakedofromawaterperspectivebymeltingsnow.Likerainwater,afreshwhiteblanketofsnowisn’tgoingtopresentdangerofcontamination.Atthefaroppositeend,amotoristtravelingthroughhot,remoteandarid
landsoutWestcouldquicklyfindhimselfinapotentiallydeadlysituationfornoreasonbutthelackofwaterifthecarwentofftheroadandbecamestuckinaravine.Youmightconsiderstashingafewgallonsofwaterinthetrunktoprovidesafetyandavaluablebitoftimeshouldtroublescometopass.Prepperswouldkeepthewaterpumporsolarstillmaterialsateasyreachshouldanyemergencystretchfurtherthanthecontentsofyourwaterbottles.Homeplanningisalsoatitsbestwhenresidentshavemultipleoptionsin
placetomakesureeveryoneiscoveredforwaterforhoweverlongittakesbeforesafetyreturns.Adisastercouldmakelifemoredifficultforaprettygoodstretchoftime.Waterdangersmightnotbethemostfrequentorfrequentlydiscussedofemergencies,thoughthat’snogoodexcusetorelaxyourefforts.
discussedofemergencies,thoughthat’snogoodexcusetorelaxyourefforts.Governmentunitscertainlykeepaneagle’seyeonwaterquality.Allofthe
bestefforts,however,stillfallshortofprovidingrock-solidguarantees.SituationsthatcompromisewatersafetyhappenfromtimetotimeintheUnitedStates.Theyoccasionallyhappenabsentthedestructiveforcesofnaturaldisasteranddespiteintensivemonitoringandstrictregulations.Twowidespreadeventsofrecentdecadesgotoshowwatersecurityisn’t
foolproof.America’slargesthistoricaloutbreakofwaterborneillnesscameoutofMilwaukee,andwe’renottalkingaboutthe1800swhenscienceandcapabilitieswerefarfromtoday’sstandards.In1993,problemsatoneofitswaterfiltrationplantsspreadcryptosporidiumthroughthecityoverthecourseoftwoweeks.Theoutbreaksickenedmorethan400,000andledtothedeathsofmorethan100ofthecity’smostvulnerableresidents.In2010,nearly2millionpeopleinandnearBostonwereunderaboilorder
forthreedaysafteramajorwaterpipebrokeandbroughtconcernofcontamination.Storessoldoutofbottledwaterquickly.Officialstherewentsofarastorequestthatbottledwatercompaniesincreaseshipments.Authoritieswenttogreatlengthstomakesureaffectedresidentspromptlyknewofthepotentialdanger.Disasterisamorelikelysourceofwaterdangers.Boilorderswere
commonplaceinmanyareasalongtheGulfCoastafterhurricanesKatrinaandRitamadelandfallin2005.Providingforsafetytooksignificanttimeinsomeareas.OfficialsinNewOrleanswereonlyabletoliftthefirstorderinasectionofthecitymorethanamonthafterKatrinastruckthecoast.Ittookmorethanayearbeforetheentirecityhadwatersafeenoughtoconsumewithoutputtingitoverthestovetokilloffpotentialcontaminants.
Waterfiltrationpumpscancleanupalmostanywatersource,butit’sbesttousethecleanestwateravailable.
Preppershaveoptions.Filtersareimportant.Storagemakessense.Thosewhohave$2,000ormoreburningaholeintheirpocketscangoto
severalonlineretailersspecializinginsurvivalandreadinessandbuyfull-yearsuppliesofcanneddrinkingwater.Thecansboasta30-yearshelflife.Likefood,thosepackagesaccountonlyforoneperson’sneeds.Youcertainlywouldn’tneedtospendthatkindofmoney,particularlyonasubstancethatregularlyfallsfromthesky.Atthatprice,manywouldinsteadoptforwhiskey.Store-boughtcontainers,whethersingle-servingbottlesorgallonjugs,would
offerthemostconvenientwaytobuildyourwaterstorage.They’resafe,sealedandreadytoputaway.Gallonjugsgenerallycomequitecheaply,andyoumightbuildupyoursupplybyputtingafewextrainthecartduringeachoftheweekly,forthcomingshoppingtrips.Differentexpertshavedifferentopinionsonshelflife.TheU.S.Foodand
DrugAdministrationclaimsproperlystoredbottledwaterhasanindefiniteshelflife.TheFDAnoteswatercouldtakeonanoff-odorortasteifitsitstoolong.Otherssuggestashelflifeofayearortwo.Youcanfind“useby”dates
carriedonsomebottledwaters.There’sconcerninsomecirclesthatchemicals
fromthecontainerscouldbegintoleachintothewaterovertimeandpresentsomehealthissues.Thoseconcernedaboutwaterqualityandsafetycouldsplitthedifferenceby
rotatingtheiremergencysuppliesandusingthosebottlesnearing“useby”datesforday-to-dayconsumption.Ifyouhaven’trotatedandhaveabigsupplybeyondexpirationdates,youcouldalleviateworriesbyrunningthewaterthroughafilter.Havingseveralmeansofprovidingforsafetytakesawayalotofthestressthatawateremergencystandstopresent.
TheU.S.Military’scanteensandcamelbackhydrationpackaregreatwaystostorewater.
Bottlingfromthetapisanotheroptionandoneyetcheaperthanprovidedbythegrocerystore.Youcoulduseemptytwo-litersodabottlesorpreviouslyusedwaterbottles.Youmightbuyafewofthefive-gallonjugsthattopwatercoolerswhetherornotthere’sacoolertoplaceitupon.Youshouldthoroughlycleanwhatevercontaineryouchoosewithhotwater
anddishsoap.Youcouldusesomebleachandwaterforsanitizing.Makesuretorinsewellbeforeuse.Addingafewdropsofbleachtothefilledcontainerswouldworkwelltopreventbacteriagrowththatwouldn’tbeanissuewithsealed,store-boughtproducts.
MotherNaturefreelyoffersakeypieceofthepreparationpuzzletoeveryhouseholdonafairlyregularbasis.Toomanypeoplewithtoolittlethoughtjustallowthatwonderfulresourcetosoakintothesoil.Collectingwatertakesalittleworkandabitofspending.Thenagain,havingagoodamountinstoragewouldofferanyfamilyfarlesscauseforworryafteradisaster.Thosewhoareconnectedtoamunicipalwatersupplyareatsomeoneelse’smercywhenitcomestoamajorsurvivalneed.It’sabig-timeneedthattakessomebig-timethinking.Asidefromthosewholiveinmulti-unitbuildings,anyonewouldhavetheabilitytostoreawayatleastsomeamountofwater.Forsome,itmightnotbeamatterofstorage.Therearealotofpropertiesouttherethatoncehadwellsandweresincebroughtintoamunicipalsupply.Ifthewellisthere,itdoesn’thurttohookitup.It’sareadysupplyofcleanwaterjustwaitingforuse.Otherswouldneedtocollectwhattheycan.Rainbarrelsareavailablefor$100orless.Eventhesmallestpropertieswouldhavesomeroomtotakeadvantage.It’snolongeramatterofstickinganeyesoreoutintotheyard.Youcouldpurchasebarrelsthathold50gallonsormorethatcomeshapedlikerocksorurnsthatwouldblendnicelyintothelandscaping.Placeoneateachofthedownspouts.Thosewhohaven’thadrainbarrelsmightbesurprisedbytheamountsthey’dcollectfromthatsingleinchofrainthatrollsofftheroof.Thosewhowanttotakethenextstepcouldtransferwaterfromthebarrelstoastoragebladder.Itwouldopenspaceforadditionalcollectioninthebarrelsatthenextrainfall.A1,000-gallonwaterbladderwouldtuckverynicelyinthecrawlspaceavailableunderanumberofhomes.Youcouldrunthatwaterthroughafiltertopullawayanythingcollectedfromtherooftopandhavegood,puredrinkingwater.Afamilycoulduse
fromtherooftopandhavegood,puredrinkingwater.Afamilycoulduseitforcookingandsanitation.Watercollectionandstorage,meanwhile,doesn’thavetobelimitedtoemergencyneeds.MotherNaturewillrefillwhatyoudecidetouse.Youcouldspendsomeofthatwateronthegardenorthelawn.Thewaterfromthehoseismoneyspentforthosedrawingoffofamunicipalsystem.Collectingfromthecloudsmightsaveafewdollars.Thosewhoaren’tcollectingrainwaterarereallymissingout.There’slittleinthisworldwe’regivenforfree.Further,it’sacriticalresource.It’strulyworthtakingthefullestadvantageanyhouseholdisable.
Whetherhand-filledorstore-bought,afamilywouldwantatleastacoupleweeks’worthofready-to-drink,easy-to-accesswaterathand.Cool,darkerplacesarebestforstorage.Youshouldthenthinkofwaystohavewateravailablebeyondthebottlesandjugs.Thosewhohavehottubsorswimmingpoolshaveabigsupplyofwateratthereadyforuseinemergency.Theycoulduseitforsanitationorrunitthroughthefiltertoprovideforconsumptionneeds.Thosewholiveinaruralsettingcouldpurchaseastoragetankandrelyon
raincloudstofillitup.Itwouldeasilysolveyourwaterneedsforthelong-term.Plastictanksthatcanhold1,000gallonstypicallystartatabout$500.Bladdersthatprovidehigh-quantitystoragecapabilitiesarealsoavailable.Theyofferagreaterconvenienceinthefactthattheycanbefoldedupandeasilymovedifnotinuse.Eitheroptionisbestteamedwithadecentfilter.Youcouldusesuchalarge
supplyofwaterinavarietyofmeans.Familiescoulddrawfromthetankforshowers.Theycoulduseitforcooking.Ifit’sfordrinking,thebestbetistofilterittomakeperfectlycertainit’sclearandhealthyregardlessofhowlongitsat.Bladderscouldverywellprovideaworkableoptionforeventhosewithvery
limitedstoragespace.It’saninterestinginnovation.Theycomeinavarietyofsizes,fromtheverysmallallthewayuptomorethan200,000gallonsincapacity.Somehomesmightnotbeabletoaccommodatea500-gallonbladder.Residentswithverylimitedspacemightwellfindagoodspotfor25,50oreven100gallons.Thoseonsmallerpropertiesmightnottestthetempersoftheirneighborswith
Thoseonsmallerpropertiesmightnottestthetempersoftheirneighborswithayard-consumingtank.Still,afewrainbarrelstuckedawayinthebackyardmakeplentyofsense,arefairlycommonplaceandwouldpushplansforward.It’sadditionalclean,drinkablewaterattheready.At50gallonsapiece,twowouldmeanthreemoreweeksofinsuranceforthefamilyoffour.Agoodrainortwointhatperiodwouldreplacesomeofwhatwastaken.
Smallbladdertankslikethis15-gallonmodelareagoodoptionforthosewithverylimitedstoragespace.
Preppershaveplentyofoptionsasitpertainstowater.There’snoperfectplanforeveryone.Water,meanwhile,providesforoneofthemoreinterestingportionsoftheoverallplan.Thereisnothingsimpler,butwater’splaceinourlivesisanythingbut.Itmakesup71percentofEarth’ssurface,thoughdyingfromalackofwaterisstillatrueandhonestthreat.
Theruleofthreesdoesn’tofferleeway,andthereforeit’simperativetogetastrongplaninplace.Havingthemethodstoachievesafewaterwhereveryoumightbeishavingtheabilitytoavertcatastrophe.It’sworthconsideringwhenfillingupthenextglassful.
S
6
SHELTER
Bittercoldcanbeextremelydangerousinadisastersituation.
urvivingandthrivingamidtimesofstriferequiresalotforpeopletothinkabout.Thoseinthemidstofanemergencywouldwanttokeeponeveryspecificnumberatthetopofmind.Thereisn’tafiguremore
importanttohumanlifethan98.6degrees.It’sthenormal,healthytemperatureofthehumanbody.Biologydoesn’tallowforyoutowavermuchoneithersideofthatmarkerforlongwithoutrunningintosomedireconsequences.Highheatbringsjustasmuch,ifnotmore,dangerthanbittercold.The
potentialfortroubleisn’tlimitedtoextremetemperatures.Avarietyoffactorscouldplayaroleinmovingbodytemperatureoffitsbalance.Alcohol,forinstance,canloweryourbodytemperaturedespiteitstendencytomakeapersonfeelwarm.Somemedicationselevatebodytemperatureandcouldputyouatrisk
shouldsummertemperaturesclimbbeyondbearable.Anyonecouldveryquicklyfallintoserioustrouble,regardlessofcause,by
movingbeyondorbelow98.6degreesbyevenjustafewdegrees.It’scriticaltohaveawaytocorrect.Liferequiresaprettydelicatebalance.Thebody’stemperaturepresentsthemostcrucial,basicfactorofsurvival.It’s
apieceofpreparednessthatdemandsutmostattention,thoughitdoesn’talwaysgetitsdueasatop-flightconcern.Manyofthosewhohaven’tthoughtaboutpreparationwouldmorequicklythinktofoodorwaterasbiggermattersifquizzedonlife’skeyneeds.Withoutpropershelter,youwouldn’tgetfarenoughalongforthoseotherwisevitalcomponentstoevencomeintoplay.Foraprepper,theabilitytoaccountforyourbodytemperatureprovidesthe
verymeaningofshelter.Mosttendtothinkofshelterasaplaceinwhichyoucouldtakerefugefromtheelements.That’sanimportantpartoftheoverallpicture.Preppers,though,goastepfurtherandrelyonthetermtodescribeany
methodthatwouldallowyoutokeepyourbodytemperatureasclosetothesafeandhealthynormaspossible.Sheltercouldbeashadetreeoracoldbottleofwaterforthosestartingtofeelwearywhencaughtoutdoorsinhighhumidityunderablazingsun.Sheltercouldbeaparka,hatandglovesforthosestuckinthemidstofunbearablycoldtemperatures.Thelittlethingssometimesmakeabigdifference.Theprepperwould
recognizeshelterinsomethingassimpleasasiliconetarp.Itmightbetheclothesonyourback.Sheltercouldbethesmallboxofwaterproofmatchesinthefrontpocketshouldyouneedtogetafiregoing.Thekeypointatanytime,inanyplaceorinanysituationistostickverycloselyto98.6.Lifedependsonit.Shelterforthosestrugglingthroughadisaster’saftermathwouldmostoften
fallwithintheeveryday,dictionarydefinition.Afamilycouldoftenmeetitsneedsfromthehomeandbettersowiththerightcontingenciesinplace.Thosewholiveinareaspronetocoldmightrecognizethatthegasorelectricfurnaceis
agreattool,buttheyaren’tfoolproof.Preparingwouldtakefurnacelossintoaccount.Thosewholiveinareaspronetoextremeheatmightthinkabouthowthey’dgetthroughwithoutthecentralairconditioner.Thosewhoarelostorstrandedhaveanentirelydifferentsetofissuestoworkthroughtomaintainthatessentialbalance.
Hyperthermia,whenthebody’stemperaturemovesandsticksatmorethan100degrees,isaconstantprobleminplaceslikeAfghanistan.
Thehighlevelofdangerpresentedbyalackofpropersheltershouldpromptlydrawaprepper’sfocusedattention.If98.6degreesisthemostimportantnumbertoyourwellbeing,arelatedfigurethat’sprovidedforbytheruleofthreesfollowsverycloselybehind.Thosepushedfarenoughfromtheirnormalbodytemperatureshaveonlythreehourstocoolofforwarmupdependingontheirpredicaments.It’safrighteningnumber.Threehoursisoftenaprettytightdeadlineforeven
manyoftheinconsequentialaffairsinyourday-to-dayliving.Theruleofthreestellsusthatshortperiod—thelengthofthetypical,televisedsportingevent—isallthatwouldseparatelifeanddeathwithoutawaytowarmorcoolyour
body.Theclockbeginstotickjustassoonasthebodytemperaturesufficientlymovesoffitsnorm.Thoseinsurvivalmodehavenotimetospare.Thecoldsideoftheequationismedicallyreferredtoashypothermia.A
personreachesthatconditionwhenthebody’scoretemperaturefallsto95degreesorless.It’samazingtothinkhowmuchjust3.6degreesmeanstoourwellbeing.It’sadangerousenoughstateofaffairswhenlookeduponbytheruleof
threes,butmoresoasit’sariskthatcouldsneakuponthosewhohaven’tproperlythoughtahead.Thosewhodon’tknowthewarningsignscouldfacetremendousrisksasthesymptomsbegintosetin.Thesymptomsoftencometobeargraduallyenoughthatsomeonesufferingmightnotevenrecognizethere’sanythingwrong.Further,theverynatureofthesymptomscanaddanotherlayerofworryas
hypothermiaprogresses.Itstollonthebodyhasacertainwayofmaskingthedanger.Toofewofthosewholiveincoldclimateareas,forexample,tendtothinkallthatmuchaboutshivering.Ithappens.Thepeoplewholiveinthecountry’scoldestspotsareprettyhardyandmany
mightviewthatbodilyresponsetotheelementsassomethingtotoughoutwhetherthey’reatworkorplay.Itshouldinsteadprovideabigredflagwhenthey’vebeenoutinthecoldforanextendedperiod.It’samongthefirstnotablesignsofthebodytemperature’sdownwardfall.Thosewhoignorethatwarningsignwillsoonenoughloseit.Theshiveringwouldbegintodecreaseandeventuallydisappearashypothermiagrowsworse.Thosesufferingfromhypothermiaoftenbegintoexperienceconfusionand
disorientationastheconditionworsens.Manypeoplecouldattestthattheyhaven’tmadethebestdecisionsinregardtotheirwellbeingwhileintoxicated.Itreallyisn’tallthatdifferent.Thepointmighteventuallycomeduringhypothermiaatwhichyouwould
lackthementalwherewithaltorecognizeorunderstandtheseverityofwhat’shappeningtoyourbody.Itcouldgowellbeyondyourcapacitytorecognize
you’reonlyinneedofsomewarmth.Thosesufferingwouldeventuallyloseconsciousnessshouldtheylackthemeansofbringinguptheirbodytemperatures.Atthatpoint,youwouldbegettingprettyclosetodeath.
Thisyellowtentfoldsuptothesizeofasodacan.It’sagoodoptionforago-bagsoyoualwayshaveshelteravailableincaseyouhavetoavoidcoldwinds,rainorthehotsun.
It’saconditionthatfurtherillustrateswhyit’ssovitaltolearnaboutandunderstandallofthebig-timerisksyoucouldfaceinasurvivalsituationordisasteraftermath.Hypothermiaismostlikelytooccurinthebitterestoftemperatures,thoughnotnecessarilyso.Manywouldfailtoconsiderthepossibilityofdyingforalackofwarmthatarguablycomfortabletemperatures.It’sallthesameathreatamidtemperaturesof40degreesormore.
Woodstovesprovidelotsofheat,requirenoelectricityandalsogiveyouaplacetocookandheatwaterforbathing.
Hyperthermia,conversely,becomesaconcernwhenthebody’stemperaturemovesandsticksatmorethan100degrees.Manyofthosesufferingtheconditionhavedehydrationissuesinconjunctionwiththeirdangerouslyhighbodytemperature.Severecasesonthehighsideoftemperatureimbalancemightalsoresultinastateofconfusionamongthosesuffering.Astheconditionpersists,bloodpressurewoulddrop.Organswouldeventuallyfail.Thepersonsufferingfromhyperthemiawouldloseconsciousnessanddieprettyquicklyfromthelackofsomemeanstoslowlyandsteadilycoolbackdown.Thosewhoknowandrespecttherisksandsymptomshavealreadymadebig
Thosewhoknowandrespecttherisksandsymptomshavealreadymadebigstrides.Thosecold,shiveringandnoticingabitofclumsiness,forinstance,shouldknowenoughtomakewarmththeirverylonepriority.Thoseoutandaboutamongthosebrutallyhottemperaturesofmidtolatesummerwhoexperiencenausea,headachesanddizzinessshouldrecognizeit’stimetoheadintotheairconditioningoranyothercoolerspotwithoutdelay.ShelterisalwaysjobNo.1.Peoplehavecertainlybeenblessedwithintellect
andingenuity.Asfarasourworld’swalkingandbreathingbeingsgo,humankindcameupontheshortendasfarasanabilitytomanagephysicallyamidthechallengingelementsbroughtforthbynature.Peoplejustaren’tbuiltforweather.Thepromptnaturebywhichyoucouldgofromhealthytodeceasedbyvirtue
oftemperaturealoneshouldnevermovefarfromyourmindset.It’sparticularlyimportantforthosewhoareoutandbeyondtheireverydaycomforts.Shelterdemandsthatpeoplethinkahead.Thosewhodon’ttakeproperprecautionstandtorunintopotentiallylife-threateningscenarioswellbeforelovedonesmighteverconsiderthemasmissingorendangered.Itmightbethehikerorcyclistwhoventuredouttoofarfromhomewithout
firsttakingaglanceatthatday’sweatherforecast.Hemighthaveleftinasweatshirtrecognizinghisexertionwouldmakeupforthechillytemperatureswhetherit’sinearlyspringorlatefall.Ifhe’scaughtinapoundingrain—andeveniftemperaturesarewellabovefreezing—severedangerswouldbecomeimminent.Hecouldverywelldiewithoutfindingsomewaytodryoffandfindwarmthwithinthreehours.Someonebeyondthereachofrelieffromtheoppositesideofthetemperature
scalecouldjustasquicklyrunintoapotentiallyfatalscenario.Itcouldbethesamehikerorbikerwhoembarkedononeofthoseburninghot,latesummerdaysintheMidwest.Itcouldbesomeonewhosecarranoutofgas25milesoutsidethenearesttownonadry,scaldingdayintheSouthwest.Yourlevelofriskdependsontheworkdoneinadvance.Apreppershould
alwayshavemeanstomanagefromtheperspectiveoftemperaturewhetherat
alwayshavemeanstomanagefromtheperspectiveoftemperaturewhetherathomeorwhileaway.Insomecases,it’samatterofknowledge.Inothercases,it’shavingtherightgear.Amerethreehoursmovesbyquickly,particularlysoforthoseexperiencingperiodsofhighstress.Itdoesn’ttakemuch.Therisksarereal.Exposuretohighheatorextremelycoldtemperaturestakes
livesonanannualbasis.TheCentersforDiseaseControlandPreventioncitedanaverageof689annualdeathsintheUnitedStatesattributedtoexposuretoexcessivenaturalcoldintheperiodfrom1979to2002.Thenationaveragedanannual569heat-relateddeathsintheperiodfrom1999through2005,accordingtotheCDC.
Whenelectricityfails,anAladdinlampisagoodoption.Theycanprovideenoughheattotakethechilloffofaroomandaboutasmuchlightasa60-wattbulb.
Itgoestoshowthatdisasterdoesn’talwayshavetomeanthebig,attention-grabbingweathereventssuchastornadoes,earthquakesorregionalflooding.
grabbingweathereventssuchastornadoes,earthquakesorregionalflooding.Theextremehotorcoldweathereventsthatstrikemanycommunitiesafewtimeseveryyearmightverywellqualifyasdisastersonindividualscalesdependingontheabilitiesofpeopletoregulatetheirbodytemperatures.Severetemperaturesrarelyresultinbig,nationalheadlines.Itisn’tasdramatic
asthedestructiveearthquake.Thetolltakenonourcountrybytemperatureextremesisn’toftenamatterofasingle,crushing,attention-grabbingmoment.Temperaturesnonethelesspresentaprettycompellinglevelofdangerwhenviewedincomparisontootherdisastersasshownthroughstatistics.Figuresondeathsdirectlyattributedtoindividual,severeweathereventsshow
heatwaveshavebeenmoredeadlyintheUnitedStatesthantornadoesinrecentdecades.From1988through2011,stretchesofexcessiveheatandhumiditytookanaverageof146livesperyear.Tornadoes,meanwhile,tookanaverageof76livesduringeachofthoseyears,accordingtoNationalWeatherServicestatistics.Heatwavestooknearlytriplethetollonhumanlivesthanhurricanesdid
whenviewedfromthatbroader24-yearaverage.Itmightbeamind-bogglingstatisticatthesurface.Memories,afterall,tendtofocusoneventssuchasHurricaneKatrinaorSuperstormSandy.Weleanonthoughtsofallthedevastationthatreachesourhomesthroughimagesonourcomputerandtelevisionscreens.Hurricanes,though,whenviewedoverthatwide-view,24-yearscalebroughtanaverageofonly56annualdeaths,theNWSreports.Heatisanotablekillerannually.ThoselivinginornearChicagowouldn’t
needareminderonthetollthattemperaturescantake.AswelteringheatwavethatstruckthecityinJuly1995causedmorethan700deaths.Temperaturesroseinexcessof100degreesintheWindyCityandelsewhere
intheUpperMidwest.Thatstretchofheatwasmadeallthemoremiserablebyaccompanyinghighhumidity.Morethan3,000peopleinChicagosoughtcareinemergencyroomsbeforethemercuryonthethermometersbeganitsmercifuldecline.Itwasacrisisthatmightnothavestucktothecountry’scollectivememoryin
Itwasacrisisthatmightnothavestucktothecountry’scollectivememoryinthesameveinassomanyothershave.Heatwaves,unlikehurricanes,aren’tgivenfirstnames.Forapointofcomparison,HurricaneIkein2008wasamongAmerica’smostdamagingintermsofpropertyloss.Itsirreplaceabletollwaslessso.Ittook195livesasitmovedthroughtheCaribbean,intotheGulfofMexicoandonwardintoLouisianaandTexas.That’slessthanathirdofChicago’s1995lossesfromtheall-importanthumanstandpoint.Thatmajorheatwave,aswellasitscorrespondingdeathtoll,wasfarand
awayananomaly.Thehumanlivestakenbyheatinourcountryaremoreoftenspreadthinacrossthesummermonthsandamongmanydifferentplaces.It’sadangerthatquietlycomestobearonedeathatatime.Thepreppershouldtakenote.Thosewhodon’tpaycloseattentioncouldlosetrackofsomefairlysignificantrisks.Statisticstellthebiggerstory.TheUnitedStates,believeitornot,is
occasionallyfortunatetohavesomeyearspassbywithoutasingledeathattributabletoahurricane.Therewasn’tasinglehurricane-relateddeathineither2006or2010,accordingtotheweatherservice.Onlyonediedfromahurricanein2007.Therewereonlytwothroughout2009.Thatsimplyisn’tthecasewhenitcomestoextremetemperatures.In2011,29
deathswereattributedtocoldweathereventsintheUnitedStates,accordingtotheweatherservice.In2010,34diedfromextremecoldevents.In2011,extremehightemperaturestook206lives.Extremeheatbrought138fatalitiesacrossthecountrytheyearbefore.Thestatisticalbreakdownfromonesmalleranglespeaksprettyloudlytothe
importanceofwhatpreppersneedtoaccomplishthroughtheirplanning.Though21ofthosewhodiedfromexposuretocoldweatherelementsin2011wereinanoutdoorsetting,sixofthosepeoplediedfromcoldweatherwhileintheirhomes.Morethanhalfofthe206wholosttheirlivestohighheateventsthatyeardiedinsidetheirhomes.Thenumbersgotoshowthatpreparednessfromtheperspectiveofsheltergoesbeyondhavingaroofandfourwallstorelyupon.Theskepticmightlookatthemortalityfigureswithlittleconcernandquestion
Theskepticmightlookatthemortalityfigureswithlittleconcernandquestiontheneedforpreparing.Eithersideofthetemperaturescaledoespresentanextremelylowriskofdeathonastatisticalbasiswhenstackedagainstmanyotherdangersthatfaceusinourday-to-daylives.It’snonethelessimportanttorecognizeourvulnerabilitiesandhavetheabilitytoovercomethem.Aprepperwouldlookattheoddsfromadifferentperspective.Certainly,
peoplearefarmorelikelytodiefromacarcrashthanfromextremeheat.Thenagain,mostpeopleareoutandaboutontheroadsforsubstantialperiodsonadailybasis.Peoplearefarmorelikelytodiefromafirethanfromhypothermia.Allofus,however,liveinhomes,workinbuildingsanddriveincars.Eachcarriesavarietyoffirerisks.Aprepper’sviewpointonriskswouldbebestservedbyaccountingforthat
short,three-hourdeadlineasprovidedbytheruleofthrees.Extremetemperatureshappenfrequentlyenough.Youfalltoaseveredisadvantagewheneitherextremeiscombinedwithaninabilitytoescape.Shelterrequiresurgency.Itmakestheverybestsensetohaveplanstoeliminateapressinganddangerousthreat.Thebig-timehazardsthataccompanyinadequateshelterareultimatelypreventableforthosewhodotheirhomework.
SurvivingtheelementsShelter,justlikeeveryotherpieceofpreparation,startswithlisteningtothat
strongvoiceofcommonsensethatdevelopedthroughallofourexperiences.Eachofushasaprettyfirmunderstandingof“hot.”Manyofusknowaprettygoodthingortwoabout“cold.”Simplylivingisenoughtogivemostpeoplesomesenseofthedangersathandasitpertainstoshelterneeds.Anyonewholivesinacoldweatherclimateisalltoofamiliarwiththefeeling
ofnumbfingertips,stifffacialmusclesandtheburningstingthatremindsyouthatthosereddeningearshavebeenuncoveredforjustafewminutestoolong.Mostanyonecouldrememberavarietyofmomentsoffeelingthirsty,wearyandmaybejust“abitoff”whileatworkorengagedinplayunderthathotsummersun.Problemsmostoftengrowfromminorandmanageabletosevereand
Problemsmostoftengrowfromminorandmanageabletosevereanddangerouswhenpeople,forwhateverreason,decidetoignorethat“gutfeeling”thatsomethingjustisn’tright.Youshouldalwaystakeadvantageofwhatthebodyhastosayandwithfullurgencywhenitcomestoshelter.Theclockisalreadytickingtowardthatthree-hourmarkwhenthegutfeelingstartstalkingtothemind.Thosebeyondthehomeoranyadequatecoolorwarmthcan’taffordtowasteaminute.Trytoimaginethegrowingstressandtheracingthoughtsthatwouldcomeshouldtroublesgrowfrombadtoworsewhenthere’slimitedtimeandnoadequatereliefinsight.Goodshelterplanningmightbeginoutsideofanyconcernsofdisaster.It
shouldbethoughtoffromtheperspectiveofbasicsurvival.Thoseheadingofffromhomeshouldthinkaheadtowardthepossibilityofanemergencyandhavesomeprovisionstowarmuporcooloffalongwiththem.Alwaysthink,“threehours.”Ideasandtheflexibilitytoimprovisecould,insomecases,makeupforwhatyouarelackingingear.Itstartswithcommunication.We’relivinginanerainwhichyoucan’tescape
fromthebarrageofmessages.Theycomefromthoseweknow,fromthosewedon’tandwhetherthey’rewantedornot.Interestingly,valuablecommunicationisstillsooftenforgotten.Hunters,fishermen,bikers,hikersoranyoneelseheadingbeyondthestretches
ofcivilizationshouldneverforgettoletsomeoneknowgenerallywherethey’reheadingandthetimetheyintenduponreturning.Youshouldalwaysmeetthoseself-imposeddeadlinesregardlessofhowwellthefisharebitingorwhetherthebiker’sambitioniscallingforthoseextrafourmiles.We’veallheardabouttheboywhocrieswolf.There’sagoodreasonthatstoryhashelditslastingpower.Yourbestchanceofapromptrescuewhenplansgoawryisalwaysleftwithfriendorlovedonebeforeyouheadoutontothetrailorintothefield.Makesuresomeoneknowswhenit’sfinallytimetosendoutasearchparty.Makesurefriendsorfamilycantakeitseriously.Accommodatingthebody’sneedforabalancedtemperaturecouldbemet
wellthroughthecontentsofaprepper’sgo-bag.Thosewithahealthyrespectfor
wellthroughthecontentsofaprepper’sgo-bag.Thosewithahealthyrespectfortheruleofthreeswouldn’ttravelfarbeyondthehomewithouthavingtheirbagsathand.Agoodbagwouldaccountforshelterinseveraldifferentways.Mygo-bagwasveryintentionallydesignedtorecognizeshelter’scritical
placeintheruleofthrees.Severalsheltercontingenciesarekeptinapouchontheoutsideofthepack.Intheeventofanemergency,Iwouldn’thavetorootthroughtheentirebagtolocatethoseitemsofmostimmediateneed.Mybagincludesseveralwaystostartafireatclosereach.There’saponchoIcouldgrabquicklyifthecloudsdecidedtoopenupand
makelifethatmuchtougher.Thecontentsofthebagincludeachangeofwarm,dryclothing.There’satarptuckedinsideandIhaveasmalltenttoprovidesomerefugefromanypotentiallytroublesomeelements,whetherit’scoldwinds,rainorthehotsun.Ago-baggoesalongwaytowardmakinglifeeasier,butofcourse,that’s
assumingyouthoughtyourplanthroughanddutifullygrabbedyourgearbeforeventuringout.Thosewhobecomecaughtintheelementswithoutanassortmentofsuppliesmighthavetoreverttosomechildhoodcreativity.Allofusgrowinguphadtheimaginationtobuildallkindsofdifferentfortsandinmanydifferentways.Theunpreparedpersonwhorecognizeshe’sstuckandcouldbeouttherefora
whilemightquicklygatherupsticksandtwigsandputupalean-toasawaytoatleastkeepdryshouldrainstarttofall.Thosecaughtoutinthewintercouldbuysometimeandincreasetheirchanceswithasnowshelter.Acouplecaughtoutintherainwithoneponchobetweenthemmightstretchitoutandrunitamongsomebranchestocreateamakeshiftroof.Desperatetimescallforyoutousesomecreativity.Weatherstatisticsprettyclearlysuggesttherisksbroughtbyheatofsummer
orcoldofwinterextendbeyondtheunfortunatestuckinthewildernessorotherwisebeyondplacesofregularrefuge.Deathsoccurinthemiddleofcities.Ithappensinhomes.Riskscarriedbyextremetemperatureswouldonlygrowforthosestruggling
Riskscarriedbyextremetemperatureswouldonlygrowforthosestrugglingduringperiodsofdisasterrecovery.It’selementary.Thosewhoexperiencedhomedamageordestructionwouldfacegreaterexposuretotheelements.Thosewhohaven’tplannedaheadarestuckwithwhatthey’regiven.SuperstormSandyprovidedanoteworthyexample.Severalofthemorethan
200deathscausedbythemajorAtlanticstormwereattributedtohypothermia.Ifthestormwasn’tdamagingenough,thoseinitspathwereputatfurtherdangerbyitsunfortunatetiming.ThestormmadelandfallontheEastCoastinthelatterdaysofOctober,when
fall’schillhadalreadytakenfirmgraspontheNortheast.Plummetingtemperaturesfollowedquicklybehind.Floodingwasanissueofseriousconcern.Thepoweroutagesthatstretchedacrosstheregionbecameamorepressingmatteruponforecastsofsnow,highwindsandcold.TheriskofhypothermiawasenoughofaconcernafterSandythatNewYork
MayorMichaelBloombergissuedawarninganddetailedthesymptomsthosesufferingmightexperience.Vastnumbershadlittleaccesstoheat.TheAmericanRedCrosspickedupitseffortsinprovidingadditionalsheltersanddistributingblanketstothoseinneed.
ItwouldbewiseforafamilytokeepseveralAladdinlampsaroundthehometoaccountforlightandameanstopickupthetemperatureinablackoutsituation.
Preparingforandgettingthroughastay-in-place,coldweatheremergencyshouldstartwithrecognitionthatgasandelectricalhook-upshaven’tbeenaroundforever.Peoplethroughouthistorymadeitthroughtheworstweatherthatnaturecouldbring.Thoseofuslivingtodaycandothesame,butwecouldbetterdosobyenvisioningthemiseryofhavingtogetthroughunprepared.Listentothegutandgettherightbackupsinplace.
Awoodstoveandanamplefoodsupplycanmakeadisastersituationcomfortableforweeks.
Thefurnaceisawonderfulandoftenreliableappliance,butit’snonethelessonethat’sfartoooftentakenforgranted.Thosewholiveinclimatesthatexperiencebelow-freezingtemperaturesfornearlyhalfofthecalendaryearmightre-assessthewisdomofrelyingonasingletooltoprovideforadequatewarmthandsafety.Itmightnotbeamatterofdisaster.Machinesfallintodisrepair.Theonemajorsnowstormthatknocksoutthesubstationcouldjustasquicklyremindfamiliesoftheneedforaback-upplan.Betteryet,thosefolksshouldtakeinitiativeandconsidertheiroptionsbefore
anywintereventcutsofftheirgasorelectricity.Aboxerwouldn’trequireapunchtothefacetoknowthewisdomofputtingupsomeguard.Manyoftheprovisionsfamiliescouldtaketokeepthefamilysafeinsuchcircumstancesmakegoodsenseandforreasonswellbeyondthescopeofpreparedness.Winter
makegoodsenseandforreasonswellbeyondthescopeofpreparedness.Wintercanbeadrainonthewallet.It’slesssoforhomesthatareproperlyputtogethertoaccountforthecold.Assuringthehomehasagooddegreeofinsulationwouldkeeptheheatinside
andthecoldbeyonditswalls.Everydegreeofheatwithinwouldbeimportantshouldafamilyloseitsfurnaceatatimeofneed.It’saprojectthatstandstosaveafamilysomesignificantmoneythrougheventhecalmestofwinters.Thefurnacedoesn’thavetoworkashardifthehouseisn’tsoquicklygivingupallthewarmththefurnaceproduces.It’sashamethatfireplacesarelessoftenincludedinnewlybuilthomes.They
provideagreatsourceofheatandacozygatheringpointforthefamily.Afireplacecertainlycouldbecomeanoptionforsomeofthoselivinginhomeswithout.Many,though,mightfindthemselveslimitedbyfinancesorthelackofanygoodwallplacethatcouldaccommodateone.Woodstoveswouldalsotakesomeeffortandinvestment,buttheyareoften
farmorefeasiblethanthetraditionalfireplace.They’refunctional.It’samatterofwarmthbeforedécor.Astovewouldcertainlyprovideagreatdealofwarmthtoahome,whetherduringanoutageorotherwise.Manypeoplehaveinvestedinthemoremodernpelletstoves.Theyburn
compressedwood.Theydosoefficientlyandwithoutalotofmessoreffort.Modelsareavailablethatwouldopentheoptiontothosewitheventhesmallestofhomes.Youcouldpurchaseawindow-mountmodelthat’snodifferentsize-wisethantheroomairconditionerssomanyhave.They’reoptionsthatwouldtakesomespendingonthefrontend,buttheywouldalsocometosavethefamilysomemoneyinthelongrun.Whenusedregularly,traditionalwoodstovesandpelletstovesofanytypewouldtakesomeoftheheatingburdenoffofthefurnace.Thosewhoaren’tintherightplacetomakeabiginitialinvestmentinagood
secondaryheatsourcecouldstillassemblesmallerandlesspricyoptionstoprovidealittlewarmthshouldMotherNatureputthefamilyinatoughspot.Buddyheaters,whichoperateonpropane,aresafeforindooruseinan
Buddyheaters,whichoperateonpropane,aresafeforindooruseinanemergencyandwouldgivethefamilytheabilitytowarmuparoom.Theytypicallysellforabout$100.Smallermodelsrunless.Thebiggermodelswithallthebellsandwhistleswouldcostmore.IpreviouslymentionedAladdinlampsasacontingencyIenjoyasamatterof
functionanddécor.It’satoolthatgoesbackmorethanacentury.ItplayedabigroleinAmericanlifeintheerajustbeforeelectricalpowerbecamecommonplaceintheaveragehome.Thetechnologymightbeantiquatedwhenviewedagainstallourmodern
wonders,butthere’slittlebettertohaveinthehomewhenelectricityfailsandafamilyisstuckwiththecapabilitiesthattheirancestorshad100yearsback.It’sagreatlightsource.AnAladdinlampwouldprovide60wattsoflight.It’senoughforyoutoseeyourwayaround.Theyprovidesomegoodreadinglight.Forpreppers,itoffersmuchmore.OneAladdinlampprovides2,200BTUsofheat.It’senoughwarmthtotakethechilloffofa10-by-10room.Aladdinlampsarestillmanufacturedandoutthereinthemarketplace.You
mightalsokeepwatchatfleamarkets,garagesalesorsecond-handstores.Theantiqueversionsareboundtolooknicerandwouldlikelycomeatalesserexpense.Thelampthat’sacenturyoldwillstillworkandofferthesameleveloffunctionasthenewmodeljustunpackedfromitsbox.Anyfamilywouldbewisetohaveseveralaroundthehometoaccountforlightandameanstopickupthetemperature.
Ifyoufindyourselflost,youonlyhaveashorttimetodecideifyouneedafireandshelter.Makingthewrongchoicecouldputyouinaveryserioussituation.
Thoseleftinthecold,whetherpreparedornot,shouldn’tpanicregardlessofhowbittertheoutdoortemperatureshavebecome.Thehomemightlosesomecomfort,butitwouldremainaviablerefugefromhowevercolditisoutdoors.Thosewithouttherighttoolswouldhaveatoughertime,butitwouldtakesometimebeforesurvivalbecomesanissue.Ahome’stemperaturewoulddecline,butatafairlyslowpace.Oneofthe
biggerconsiderationsinacoldweatheremergencywouldgobeyondissuescomfortandsafety.Ifyoudon’thaveaback-upheatsource,youwouldwanttotakethestepsnecessarytoassurethepipesdon’tburst.Shouldcoldpersist,youwouldwanttoshutdownthewaterandthendrainoffwhat’sleftinside.Itwouldoftentakeacoupleofweeksofprettymiserabletemperaturestoreachthatpoint.Inacoldweatheremergency,familiesshouldtakeadvantageofthebestthey
have.Thesunisatremendoussourceofheat.Openinguptheshadeswouldallowthesunshinetoprovideforsomewarmth.It’softenenoughtoraisethe
allowthesunshinetoprovideforsomewarmth.It’softenenoughtoraisethehome’stemperaturebyafewdegrees.
Ifyou’restuckwithoutshelterandcouldbethereforawhile,alean-towillatleastkeepyoudryshouldrainorsnowstarttofall.
Thosewholiveinthecolderweatherzoneswouldmostcertainlyhavesomecontingenciesatthereadywhetherornotthey’repreppers.Anyofthosefolkswouldbeboundtohavesomelongunderwear,agoodsupplyofheavysweatshirtsandsomewarmblanketsatquickreach.Itwouldsufficeforsurvival,ifnotforcomfort.Thosestrugglingthroughthecoldwouldneedtokeepsomebasicsafety
considerationsinmind.Charcoaliscertainlyatremendousandinexpensiveheatsourcecommontomosthouseholds,thoughit’snevertobeburnedinsidethehome.Theriskofcarbonmonoxidepoisoningwouldputthefamilyatfargreaterriskthanwouldanytemperatureregardlessofhowuncomfortableanyoneisbecoming.Thosecompletelyhelplesstotemperaturewoulddieinthreehours.Carbonmonoxidepoisoningcouldkillwithinminutes.Generatorsareneverto
Carbonmonoxidepoisoningcouldkillwithinminutes.Generatorsarenevertobeusedinthehomeandfortheverysamereason.Thosewholiveincoldweatherclimateswouldwanttoextendshelter
planningtotheircars.Manyofusspendgoodperiodsofourdaysontheroad.Ofcourse,anygoodprepperwouldhavehisgo-baginthebackseat.Thereare,however,severalothertoolsyouwouldwanttohavestowedinthetrunkinadditionthatcouldlessenthechancesshelterwouldbecomeanissue.Thosedrivinginsnoworonicearealwaysatagoodriskofgoingofftheroad.Thosedrivinginruralareascouldfacetheriskofbeingstuckthereforsometime.Motoristsshouldkeepasnowshovelinthetrunk.Roadsalt,sandorcatlitter
isanimportantpack-away.Youcouldputitunderandaroundthetirestooffersometraction.Onoccasion,thosetoolsjustaren’tenough.Youshouldhavesomeroadflarestoserveasabeacontoothers.In
recognizingtheimportanceofself-reliance,youwouldkeepasetofjumpercablesandatowchaininthetrunk.Youcouldn’tguaranteethatanyGoodSamaritanthatstopsbywouldhavetherighttoolsforthejob.Inatoughsituation,it’salwaysblessingenoughtoseesomeonewho’sreadyandwillingtohelp.Apreppershouldmakegooduseofspace.Thegreaterchallengeofago-bag
isputtingtogetherapackagethat’slightweight,compactandmeetstheruleofthrees.Thebagprobablywouldn’tholdasleepingbag.Thetrunkorbackseatofanyvehiclecertainlywould.Youcouldsurvivewithless,butyoucanneverunderestimatethepowerofanybitofcomfortduringadifficultsituation.Prepperswhoanticipatechallengescanoftenavoidthem.Agoodprepper
shouldalwayskeepthegastankfullwhetherit’swarmorcold.Thosewithalesserdegreeofvigilancewhodriveinwinterweathershouldknowthey’resettingthemselvesupforbigtroublebylettingthegastankfallbelowhalf.Thecarortruckisn’tgoingtomoveifthefuellinesarefrozen.Goodshelter,asitpertainstoheatconcerns,cangetabittrickierwhenviewed
fromadisastersituation.Youcouldhopeadisasterwouldn’thappeninconjunctionwithtemperaturesof100degreesormore.Preppers,however,don’t
conjunctionwithtemperaturesof100degreesormore.Preppers,however,don’trelyonhope.Youmightnotbeabletoavoidtheheat.Youcouldallthesamemaintainhealthandsafety.Thoseinshort-termsituationsorotherwiseonthefront-endofadisaster
mightrelyonaneasysolution.Apreppermightdeterminethatfansorairconditionersduringextremecircumstanceswouldtakeprioritywhendrawingfromthepoweravailablefromthegenerator.Thoseexperiencingaheatwaveonthetail-endofalonger-termrecoverymightnothavethegasavailabletokeepthatgeneratorrunning.
Thosewhoexperiencehomedamageordestructioninadisasterfacegreaterexposuretotheelements.PrepperscanplanaheadsotheyavoidlivinginsituationslikethistentcityinHaitifollowingthe2010earthquakethere.
Youcouldthenrelyonavarietyofmethodsbeyondthosethatrequireelectricitytokeepthefamilysafe.Again,peopledidn’talwayshavethosetoolstorelyupon.Ourforefathersmadeitthroughthehottest,mostmiserableofdays.Socanthoseofuslivingtoday.Simplescienceprovidessomepossibilities.Justasit’swisetoopentheshades
forthesun’swarmthinwinter’scold,it’sjustassmarttopullthemclosedonthehottestdays.Weallknowthatheatrises.Thosewithnothingelsemightfindsomebitofreliefbystickingtothelowestfloorsofthehome.Thosewhohavebasementscouldsetuplivingspacesandrideoutaheatwavedownthere.
basementscouldsetuplivingspacesandrideoutaheatwavedownthere.Payattentiontoallofthethingsthatcouldaddheattothehome.The
unbearable100-degreedayisn’tthebesttimetoturntheovenonforafewhoursofbaking.Someexamplesarelessobvious.Manypeople,forinstance,crankopentheirwindowsonthehotdaysinthe
hopesofcatchingsomebreezefromtimetotime.Itmightsoundstrange,butyouwoulddomoreharmthangoodindoingsoduringthedaytime.Thosewhohaveanindoortemperaturethat’slesserthanthatoftheoutsideairwouldonlyservetoletmoreheatintothehome.Youcouldrelyonthatbreezeandsomeventilationwhenthesunfallsandtemperaturesdropifonlyevenslightlyduringtheovernighthours.Methodsofmaintainingpropercoolinthehottestoftemperatureswouldgo
wellbeyondthehomeitself.Youshouldbemindfulofyourbody’sneedsandplaceproperpriorityontemperaturewhenit’sdue.It’swisetolimitphysicalexertionatthehottesttimesoftheday.Ofcourse,recoverytakeswork.Itcanstillbeaccomplishedwithstrategythatkeepssafetyandwelfareattheforefront.Atatimeofdangeroustemperatures,allofthosetasksthatcometobearduringadisasteraftermathmightbebetteraccomplishedintheearliesthoursofmorningorthelatehoursofevening.Itmightbesmartertogetyourrestinduringthehottesthoursthatcomeinmidtolateafternoon.Thosewhoarelivingthroughextremeheatwouldneedtodrinkalotoffluids.
Waterneedswouldbefargreaterthanwhatapersonwouldconsumeontheaverageday.Youshouldn’twaituntilyou’rethirsty.Waterisatremendousresourceforcoolinginwaysbeyondhydration.Those
whocan’tpoweruptheairconditionercouldcooltheirbodieswithcoldbathsandshowersatseveralpointsduringtheday.Inbetween,youmightkeeptheskindampenedwithatowel.Thewater’sevaporationfromtheskin,inthesamefashionassweat,wouldservetocoolthebody.It’salsoimportanttorecognizethattheelderlyarefarmorevulnerableto
deathinextremeheat.Morethan43percentofheat-relatedfatalitiesin2011involvedpeoplewhowereage70orolder.Morethan79percentofdeaths
involvedpeoplewhowereage70orolder.Morethan79percentofdeathscausedbyextremeheatinvolvedpeoplewhowereage50andolder,accordingtotheweatherservice.Youth,itseems,isoneofthebestdefensesagainstextremeheatasitcomestosurvival.Peopleyoungerthanage30accountedforlessthan4percentoftheheat-relateddeathsthatyear.Partofyourplanforgettingthroughthehottestofdaysshouldincludeacting
asacompassionateneighbor.Ifyoulivenearbytoanelderlyresident,youmightstopbyandcheckupfromtimetotimetomakesuretheheatisn’ttakingatoll.Itwouldn’thavetobeadisastersituation.Ifyouknowtheelderlycoupledownthestreetdoesn’thaveairconditioning,youmightstopbyforvisitsonthehottestdaysofsummertoaccountfortheirwellbeing.Thosewhounderstandthedangersshouldtakesomedegreeofresponsibilitytowatchoutforthosevulnerablefolkswhomightnot.
Hygieneisanareaofpreparationyoucan’taffordtooverlook.Biologicalfunctionsaren’tgoingtotakeafurloughforreasonsofinconvenience.Havingthemeanstogetthegrimeoffofyourbodyisamoraleandconfidencebuilder,andbothareimportantintimesofchallenge.Further,it’sahealthissue.Alcohol-basedhandsanitizershavebeenabigtrendofrecentyears.Thesanitizersareeverywhere,andthey’rebetterthannothing.Still,youshouldn’trelyonthemastheoverridinghygieneprep.Fromtheplaceofpracticality,sanitizersmightkillsomegerms,buttheyaren’tgoingtoremovethefilth.Bath-in-a-bagkitsarehandyandworkwell,thoughmanydonothavetotakeonthatadditionalexpense.There’sreallynothingbetterthantheregularstandbys—soapandwater.Afamilymightnothaveshowersavailableifastormknocksthecommunityoffthemunicipalwatersystemorinhibitstheabilitytodrawfromthewell.Somemighthaveadequatewaterstoragetodedicateaportionforhygiene.Thosewhodon’tcanstillmostoftenmeetneeds.Withtheexceptionofthoselivinginthedesert,mostpeoplehavefairlycloseaccesstowater.Thoughyouwouldn’tdrinkdirectlyfromalake,riverorstream,thatwatermightjustsufficeforwashingup.
Handsanitizerisbetterthannothing,butitwon’tremovethefilthyou’llencounterinadisasterarea.
Usesomeforethought,commonsenseandgoodjudgment.Iftheonlynearbywatersourceisthefilthy,contaminatedharbor,youmightthinkbetterofcollectingfromitforhygienepurposes.Inthatcase,havethosebathkitsready.Thoseusinguntreatedwaterforwashingwouldwanttotakegreatercare.WhileworkinginNewOrleansafterHurricaneKatrina,wehadaccesstoourshowers,buthaduntreatedwaterflowingthroughthepipes.Ifeltcomfortableinusingthatwaterforshoweringfromtheshouldersdown.Iwouldn’t,however,useittobrushmyteethassomedid.Ireliedonbottledwatertocleansemyfaceandears.Ididn’twanttoriskgivingcontaminantsanyeasyentrypointthatcouldleadtoillness.
Pre-moistenedtowelettescanhelpremovesomegrimefromyourbodyinadisastersituation.
Toiletaccesswouldbecomeanissueshouldafamilylosetypicalwateraccess.Onesolutionmightbeafive-gallonpailandcommodeseat.Prepsmightincludewastealleviationandgellingbags,whicharealsoreferredtoasWAGbags.Thebagscontainamaterialthatneutralizesodorsandspeedsthedecayprocess.They’resealableandcanbedepositedinthetrash.Dependingonthelengthoftimebeforewaterisrestored,itcouldbe
trash.Dependingonthelengthoftimebeforewaterisrestored,itcouldbeasomewhatpriceyoption.Theytypicallysellforafewdollarsapiece.Thereareavarietyofchemicalcampingtoiletsonthemarketatawiderangeofprices.They’rebasicallysmaller,personalversionsoftheportablebathroomsyouwouldseeatfestivalsoronconstructionsites.Ofcourse,thosewithfewerhang-upswiththeirdailyfunctionscouldgetbywithashovel.Considerpersonalcomfortandthatofthefamilymembers.It’llprovidethebestguidetomostadequatesolutions.
Shelterforthosebuggingoutwouldrequireallthesamethoughtsandconcernsapplicabletobodytemperature.Thosewhoproperlyplannedandexecutedanevacuationwouldhavelittleconcern.Theywereabletoquicklyassembleandpacktheirnecessities.They’reawayfromdangerandmakingatemporaryhomeatoneoftheirpre-determinedplaces,whetherit’salovedone’shomeorahotelroom.Familieswhoarebuggingoutunderlesscoordinatedcircumstanceswould
haveafewadditionalthingstothinkabout.Itmighttakeafewmorethoughtsfromthemorecommonlyrecognizedideaofshelter,whichwouldincludesomedegreeofsecurity.Avarietyofcircumstancescouldputfamiliesonthemove.Itcouldbethefamilywiththebestprepsandagoodabilitytocampoutinplace.Theymightbeforcedfromtheirneighborhoodbecauseofagasleak.Abrokenwatermaincouldfloodoutaneighborhoodifcrewsaretoobusytoofferpromptresponse.Thoseforcedfromthehomewithatentandsomesupplieswouldwanttofind
anadequatelysafespottosetuptheircamp.Exercisecommonsense.Thoseinacoastalareacouldfindabetterspotthanoceansideatlowtide.Youwouldn’tpitchatentanywherenearadistressedlevy.Itmakesalotofsensetofindaspotawayfromanyenvironmentaldangersandsubtleenoughtoavoidthedangersofotherpeople.Thosemakingcampwouldwanttoconsiderwaystoprotectthemselvesand
theirsupplies.Thosewhohavedogshavegreatalarmsrightwithintheirfamilyunits.Adogisoftenenoughtoscareoffthoseintentontheft.Motiondetectingalarmscomecheap,andyoucouldpackitinwiththecampinggearsoit’s
alwaysreadytogo.
Ifyouareforcedtoliveinatent,putitupawayfromanyenvironmentaldangersandinaplacewhereyoucanavoidthedangersofotherpeople.
Alloftheareaspertainingtosheltercomedowntoforethoughtandappropriaterespectforthepotentialtroublesoutthere.Whenitcomestopreparing,shelterisnodifferentthananyothercomponentoftheplan.It’salwaysamatterofthinkingaheadandgettingtowork.Whenitcomestotheruleofthrees,shelterisfardifferent.Thosewhodidn’tfinishtheirhomeworkhavelittletimetomakeitrightwhentheemergencyisfinallyathand.ShelterisdefinitelyjobNo.1.
I
7
GUNSANDAMMO
Thesearesomeoftheauthor’stoolsforself-defense.
t’seasytotakeforgrantedthemenandwomenwhoprovidelawenforcementduringtypicaltimeswheneverythingisrightwiththeworld.Eveninthebesttimes,everyonefacessomeriskofvictimization.Crimes
happeneveryday.Still,mostpeopleappropriatelytakeagooddegreeofcomfortthatlawenforcement—withitsfullrangeofcapabilities—israrelymorethanaphonecallandjustafewminutesfromresponse.Thecommunitytakesgreateaseinknowingofficersarepatrollingthestreets
andareonthelookoutforsuspiciousactivity.Withthehelpofthecommunity’seyes,policecanoccasionallystopcrimesasthey’reoccurring.Themerepresenceofaskilledpoliceforceisoftenenoughtogivesecondthoughtstosomeofthosewithillintentions.Disasterisdifferent.
Policeofficersandsheriff’sdeputiesprovideamongthemostvitalofcommunityservices,andI’mproudtohavearoleinthatprofession.Communities,however,don’tfundpolicedepartmentswiththeveryworst-casescenariosinmind.Thoughdepartmentsplanwellandbuildgreatcontingencies,catastrophecanquicklycompromiseanycommunity’sabilitytoproperlyensurepublicsafety.Partofpreparingmeansthinkingabouthowtomanageandprovidefor
personalsafetywhenthetypicallevelofpublicprotectionjustisn’tpossible.Peoplemightneedtoprotectthemselves.Carryingafirearmandhavingproperammunitionmakesalotofsenseforapost-disasterrecovery.Itactuallymakesjustasmuchsenseforthetypicalday.It’simportanttonotethatdisastersituationsmostoftenlendtoenvironments
inwhichthecommunityralliestogetherandworksforthegreatergood.Peoplemostoftenlookoutforeachother.Disasters,however,alsogiverisetoopportunistswhorecognizeachancetoprofitfromthedisorder.Periodsofcivilunresthavebeennoted.Youcan’tignorethelesserprotectionsavailabletothecommunitywhendisastersstrainthesystem.Eveninthebestoftimes,therearethousandsofpeopletoeverysingleofficer
onpatrol.Oursystemoflawandorderreliesonthepremisethataccidentsanddifficultiesareveryrareonadailybasis.Itcountsonthefactthattypicallyonlyaverysmallfewofourcitizensareengagingincriminalactivity.Adisastersituationcanshiftthings.Icarryafirearmeveryday.Idosorecognizingthatevena911callwouldbe
toolittleandtoolatewhenadirethreatisstaringrightintomyeyes.Anynumberofexamplesillustratesthatrisk.Newsreportshavehighlightedviolentstrugglesrecordedbydispatchersthat
endedupbeinghomicidescenesbythetimepolicearrived.ThemassshootingsintheUnitedStatesinrecentyearsillustratethespeedbywhichviolentepisodesunfold.Thoughpolicearrivedquickly,theyarrivedtoseveraldeaths.CarryingagunispartofhowIlive.Idon’texpecttoencounteraviolentepisodethatwould
threatenmylifeonanygivenday,thoughIsurelywouldn’twantbewithoutitshouldanylife-threateningcircumstancearise.
Inaself-defensesituation,theideaisnottostartawar,justtoendthefight.
I’dsuggesttheUnitedStateswouldbesaferifallhonest,law-abidingcitizenscarriedfirearms.It’svaluabletodisasterpreparationwhenconsideringhowmuchthelandscapecanchangeamidchaos.Severalfactorscouldopenagreater-than-usualpossibilityofviolence.Theprioritiesofpoliceagenciesexpandasawiderangeofnewproblems
emerge.Policeofficersarerelieduponaslifesaversandareappropriatelypulledintosearch-and-rescuerolestobringtheinjuredtosafety.Officerswouldhavearoleingeneralcommunitysafety.They’dstillhavetheirroleinresponsetocriminalactivity,whichcouldbecomeabiggerissuethanusual.Theeverydaylaw-abidingcitizenstandsagreaterchanceoffindinghimselfin
ahaplesssituationinadisasterscenario.Themostsevereofsituationswouldgetimmediateattentionfromastretched-thinpoliceforce.Somecallsthatwould
otherwisehavebeenconsideredseriousthatwouldhavedrawnpromptresponsemightsimplyhavetowait.Policecouldnolongerpatrolupanddownthenighttimestreetsifthey’rerequiredonspecificcalls.Acommunity’spublicsafetyefforts,thosebuiltforthetypicalday,canbecomeoverloadedinveryshortorder.Thedauntingworkloadrequiredfrompoliceagenciesinthewakeofdisaster
isjustpartoftheissue.Disasterscouldmeandirectimpactsonthosedepartmentsaswellasonthemenandwomenwhoworkforthem.Policedepartmentsaren’tindestructiblecastleswithultimateprotectionfromtheelements.Departmentswouldhavetopressthroughandmakethebestwithlessshouldadisasterdestroyequipment.Individualofficersarereal-lifepeoplelikeanyoneelse.Whentheshiftisover
andit’stimetochangeoutoftheiruniforms,theyheadhometotheirfamilies.They,too,experiencetheirownlossesamidcatastropheandhavetheirownlovedonesandahostofworriesatthefrontsoftheirminds.Theyhavetomanageallthosethoughtswhilestilltryingtogivetheirbesttoacommunityinneed.Whenthecommunityatlargeisdealingwithchaos,membersoflawenforcementmightoftendealwithstressatafarhigherdegree.Insomecases,afterdisasterorotherwise,there’snotimetowaitfor
assistance.Inmanyviolent,life-threateningsituations,theverybestpoliceofficerscandoisreactandinvestigateintheaftermath.Disasterscreateanewenvironment.Manypeoplebecomedesperate.Thecriminalelementmightrecognizealesserlikelihoodoflegalrepercussionsgivenallthatpolicealreadyhaveontheirhands.Readinessisneveramatterofexpectingtheworst,butitaccountsforthe
possibility.Noonecanpredictifadisasterwouldbringoutthecommunity’sbest,leadtosocialdisorderorpresentelementsofboth.Onethingisinevitable:thosededicatedtopublicsafetycouldn’tpossiblyofferthesameimpactintheearlyhoursafteradisaster,whetherfrompositionsofcrimepreventionorpromptreaction.
Thoseaimingtoprotectthemselvesinanenvironmentofheightenedvulnerabilityhaveseveralconsiderationstomake.Aneasy,common-sensemeasureofself-protectionissimplykeepinglow-keyandlimitingthelikelihoodthatcriminalswouldidentifyapersonorthefamilyhomeasaprofitable,potentialtarget.Whenthinkingabouttheworst-casescenario—alife-threateningconfrontation—havingtherightfirearmsbecomesanappropriatepartofyourplanningefforts.PoliceofficershadavitalroleintheaftermathofHurricaneKatrina,butin
someareasandforavarietyofreasons,theycouldn’tpossiblyfulfillneedsontheirown.Capabilitieswereseverelydiminished.Policelostvehiclesandequipmenttothehurricane.AcommunicationsblackoutinNewOrleanshamperedeffortstoassembleevenaserviceablelevelofcoordination.Someofficerstherefailedtoshowforduty,puttingfurtherstressonthemenandwomenwhotookonthoseenormoustasks.
Thisisagoodchoiceforhomedefense.“TheJudge”—afive-shotrevolver—makesalotofsensefortheprepper.
Ifthetacticalflavorismoreforyourtaste,blackgunsareverypracticalandreadilyavailable.
Attentionandeffortwassplitbetweensearchandrescueandmaintainingorderintheearlyhoursafterthedisaster.Atsomelevel,thatmajorAmericancitydevolvedintoastateofanarchy.Afewdaysafterlandfall,mostoftheofficersintheNewOrleansPoliceDepartmentwerepulledoffofrescueoperationsinefforttopullthecitybackfromthecriminalelement.Itspeaksloudlytotheimpactcrimecanhaveafterdisaster.Everyofficerthat
wasreassignedtohandlelootersandotherlawlessnesswasanofficerthatcouldn’tbeouttherelookingfortheelderly,disabledandinjured.NationalGuardunitsandprivatesecurityoperationsmobilizedquickly.Itwasasadstateofaffairsallthesame.Youcoulddrawsomedistinctions,ofcourse.Youcouldholdlesseranimosity
forthepeopleinastateofpanicwhostolegroceriesandotherprovisionsoutofsurvivalfears.Youmighthavefewerproblemswithafamilythatclimbedthroughthebrokenwindowandintotheshoestoretoputnewpairsoneachoftheirchildrenafterfloodingwashedawaytheirbelongings.It’ssomethingcompletelydifferentwhenyouconsiderthosewholoadedup
onnewfurniture,expensivebooze,big-screentelevisionsandotherluxuriesin
onnewfurniture,expensivebooze,big-screentelevisionsandotherluxuriesinthewakeofallthechaos.Therewereplentyofthelatter.Manybusinesseswereclearedouttotheirwalls,andplentyofthosegoodswentwellbeyondtherealmofnecessities.
Thesearecommonhome-defenserounds(fromlefttoright)—.38Special,.45ACP9mm,.22LongRifleand12gauge.
Regainingasenseoforderwasnoeasytask.Officershadtoprioritizewhotheywerehaulingin,andinmanycases,policewerelimitedtoasystemofcatchandrelease.Thejailsustainedsignificantdamageinthehurricane,leavingthecapacitytohouseoffendersatahighpremium.Itmeantlawenforcementsimplyletgomanyofthosecausingtroubleunlesstheywereinvolvedinviolentoffenses.Rampantcrimenotonlyaffectedthecrucialworkofrescuingthosefromthefloodwaters,butitalsostoodinthewayofthosewhocameintostartrepairsonthepowergridandotherinfrastructure.ThoughHurricaneKatrinawasauniquesituationinsomanyways,itstands
asafirmexampleofwhypreparationissoimportant.Itisn’ttheonlyexample.ReportsoflootingbegantopileupinandnearNewYorkCityin2012afterSuperstormSandycleared.Itisn’tsolelyamodernphenomenon.LootingandcrimewererampantfollowingthemajorhurricanethatbatteredNewEnglandinSeptember1938.
Thehurricanecamepriortoourmodernpracticeofassigningfirstnamestostorms,thoughitcametobeknownbymanyas“TheLongIslandExpress”basedonitslandfallthereonSept.21,1938.Manytaketheadvancesinweatherforecastingandstormtrackingthatmostoftenprovidemodernsocietyadequatemeanstotakeprecautionforgranted.NewEnglandwasblindsidedbythestorm,whichstoodamongtheveryworstdisastersofthe20 century.Thehurricanetouched10NewEnglandstatesbeforefinallyfallingapartinsouthernQuebec,Canada.
TheExpressleftseveralhundreddeadinitswakeandcaused$4.7billionindamagebymodern,monetaryfigures.Mobsthen,likethemobsinmoderntimes,tookfulladvantageofthedisorder.It’spertinenttoconsiderthetimeframe.ThehurricanewreakeditshavocamidtheGreatDepression,anddesperationwasalreadyatafeveredpitchwhentheExpressrolledthrough.Certainly,youcouldn’tgeneralizeorpinspecificmotivesonlawbreakersasa
whole,whetherthinkingoflongagoorduringmorerecenthistory.Somemighthavestolenforsurvivalthen.Somemighthavestolenforsurvivalin2005and
th
havestolenforsurvivalthen.Somemighthavestolenforsurvivalin2005and2012.Somecertainlyhadprofitinmind.Authoritiesinsomelocalesfollowingthe1938stormweregiven“shoottokill”ordersineffortstorestoresafetyandsecurityamongthechaos.Fast-forward68years,andpoliceinthewakeofKatrinareceivedthosesameorders.Somehaveclaimedthemoderneraisfarlesscivilthanpastgenerations.The
criminalbehavioratplayin1938andagaininthe21 centurysuggestsitisn’tamatteroftheera.Thosebuildingtheirpreparednessplansmightnotethatthosewhoignorehistoryaredoomedtorepeatit.Rememberthatpreparationisn’tanactinpessimism.Researchhasshown
that,ingeneral,lawlessnessisaphenomenonoftheveryfewintheaftermathofanydisastersituation.Itstandstoreason.Thevastmajorityofpeopletypicallylivewithinthelinesofthelawregardlessofanyeverydayopportunities.Itispositivetonotethatmost,accordingtoresearch,tendtogetthrough
disastersandtheiraftermathsandontothetaskofrebuildingwithoutexperiencingcriminalharm.Preparedness,however,callsforyoutotakenoteoftheanecdotalevidence.Acrimevictimwouldn’ttakesolacethathisrobberywasoneofjustafewinanoverallsaferecoveryperiod.Disastershavesparkedunrest,andit’sclearthatcommunityresourceslack
theircommoneffectivenessinachaoticenvironment.It’sworthabetonthesideofsafetyshouldcircumstancescreateariskthatyoucouldfallonthewrongsideofthestatistics.Preparationeffortsnowmightbetterassuretheactivitiesofevenalimitednumberofpeoplewouldn’topenyourfamilytoinescapabledifficulties.
AssessingourneedsGunownershipisanotherareathattendstoshowpeopletrulyarefarbetter
offtoliveastheyprepare.Firearmsaren’tatoolyoushouldbuyonlytotuckawayfor“justincase”possibilities.Asmuchasgunswouldprovidealayerofsafetyintroubledtimes,they’reavailableasameansofprotectioneverydayoftheweek.Thoseunfamiliarwithgunswouldhavetoputinafairamountofwork.Apersonwhohasneverfiredaguncouldn’texpecttomakeanygooduse
st
work.Apersonwhohasneverfiredaguncouldn’texpecttomakeanygooduseofitinanemergency.Firearmsareamorecomplexpieceoftheoverallplanningpuzzle.Beyond
gunsandammunition,beingproperlypreparedrequireshavingthepropermindsettomeetthechallengeofalife-threateningsituation.Toputitbluntly,havinggunsatthereadyforsafetyinadisaster’saftermathispreparingforamomentwhereit’skillorbekilled.Thereisn’tabook,avideooratrainingcoursethatcouldgetyouintothe
stateofmindyou’dneedtocomethroughontheotherside.It’sverypersonal.Youwouldhavetoaskyourselfwhetheryou’dbeabletotakeanotherperson’slifeifviolentlythreatenedinaconfrontation.Amidthattypeofconfrontation,apersondoesn’tshoottowound.Youwould
onlyputyourselfatmoreriskbypullingafirearmasabluffwithhopeit’senoughtogetthebadguysrunning.Thosewhopullaguninself-defensewhenviolentlyconfrontedshoottokill.It’saheavythoughtformanytoweigh.Often,peoplefindtherightstrength,courageanddeterminationinsideof
themselveswhenconfrontedwithsuchadiremoment.It’sallthesameworththinkingabout.Itgoestoshowthetypeofgunyoucarryisfarlessmeaningfulthantheeffortsandstrategiesyoutaketoavoidthreats.Thefirearmisalwaystheoptionoflastresort.Havingagunmeansbeingreadyforthatsituationwherenootheroptions
exist.Whenitcomestochoosingguns,realizetherearen’toneortwogeneric,perfectfirearmsonthemarketthat’llmeeteveryone’sgeneralneeds.Thetypesoffirearmstoassemblefromthestandpointsofsafetyandpreparednesswilldependonfactorsincludingyourfamiliaritywithguns,preferenceoffirearmsandhowmuchyouarewillingtospend.Youshouldthinkabouthowthegunorgunswouldbeused.Anavidhunter
mightchoosedifferentlythansomeonewhoissolelyconcernedaboutprotection.Gunenthusiastsoftenspendmorethanothers,becausebeyondhuntingorpersonalprotection,it’sahobbyandacollectiontheyenjoy.Forsomepeopleoutthere,afirearm’svalueextendsnofurtherthanitsutility.There
somepeopleoutthere,afirearm’svalueextendsnofurtherthanitsutility.Thereareplentyoffirearmstomeetneedsalongthefullrangeofinterestsandreasonsforpurchase.Thehobbyistwhoshootsregularlymightconsideracivilian-versionM4semi-
automaticrifle.It’sareallynicefirearm,andifspendingisnooption,alightandaholographicsightwouldmakeforniceadd-ons.Priceonthatgunisakeyfactortothinkabout.Evenabasicsetupcouldbeenoughtodissuadethecost-consciousnon-
collectorswhoarelookingfornomorethanameanstoprotecttheirhomesorpersons.Abare-bonesmodelisgoingtorun$800ormore.Thebuyerswouldstillneedtoopentheirwalletsalittlewiderforammomagazinesandotheraccessories.BiggunenthusiastsalsosometimesleantowardtheRussianAKmodels.
They’reprettyhandyandworkinallconditions.Theammoisalsofairlyinexpensive.Thosewhowanttoprotecttheirhomeswithoutspendingthebigdollarshave
anynumberofoptions.Thereareavarietyofnicehome-defenseshotgunsonthemarketinthe$500range.ExampleswouldincludetheMossberg500and590models,theWinchesterModel12,Winchester’sstainlesssteel1300MarinemodelandtheRemingtonH70.Asforhandguns,Glock’s.45-caliberand9mmpistolsaretoughtobeat.TheM1carbineisanicepersonalprotectiongun.It’sashortfirearmwhen
comparedagainstshotguns.It’seasytohandleandit’llofferbetterrangethanapistol.Ammunitionisatougherconsiderationtoweigh.There’sreallynofirmround
countyoushouldhaveonhand.Likeotherpiecesofpreparation,itcomesdowntothedepthofpreparednessyouseekandyourpersonalcomfortlevel.Thoseplanningtosurvivetheendofcivilizationasweknowitwould
probablywantafewthousandroundsforeveryguninthebattery.Most,however,wouldn’tthinkthatfaraheadandneedthatkindofstockpile.Ihaveacoupleof12-gaugeshotgunsinthehousefordefensivepurposes.Iprobably
coupleof12-gaugeshotgunsinthehousefordefensivepurposes.Iprobablykeepacouplehundredroundsofbuckshotandacouplehundredslugshandyatanygiventime.Bothwouldmeettheneedsofprotection.Itopensanotherpointforthought.
Ataverygenerallevel,thebestpreparedareabletogetseveralfunctionsoutofmanyoftheirvarioustools.Gunsfitwellintothatmold.Shouldadisastersetupalong-termrecoveryeffort,firearmsmightalso
becomepartoffoodplans.Buckshotorslugswouldworkwellforpersonalprotection,buttheywouldalsoopenthedoortohuntingdeerorotherlargegame.I’dalsosuggestkeepingsome4shotor7shotamongtheammunitionsupplyforhuntingbirds,squirrelsorothersmallgameintheeventsustenancerequires.
U.S.Militarysurplusammocansworkperfectlyforwhattheyweredesignedfor—long-termammunitionstorage.
Merelyhavingagunandasupplyofammoshouldn’tbeenoughtomakeyoucomfortable.Thosewhoownthemneedtogetoutandusethem.Thinkaboutitanotherway:havingafullpantryofgoodingredientsdoesn’tmakeyouachef.Firearmsonlyworkbestinthehandsofcapableoperators.Anownershouldfeelcomfortablewithhowhisgunsfire.Gunownersshould
spendsometimeattherangeoroutinthefieldanddevelopsomeskill.Agoodlevelofproficiencyisimportant.Definingproficiency,however,isanotherarealikesomanyintherealmofpreparationwherenoonecanreallyofferanytrue,reliablebenchmarks.Accordingtotheoldsaying,youshould“bewareofthemanwhoonlyhasone
gun.”Ifheonlyhasone,youcanrestassuredhe’sgoingtoknowhowtouseit.Takingitanothernextstepforward,theysay,“bewareofthemanwhoonlyhasasingle-shotgun.”He’sthemanwho’sreallygoingtoknowwhathe’sdoing.Theywouldn’thavebecomeoldsayingsiftheydidn’tcarrysometruth.Forthepurposesofpreparedness,proficiencyisonlythefirstfigureinthe
overallsafetyequation.Thoughskillhasaroleinpreparedness,it’semptywithoutthedeterminationtoovercomecrisis.There’sonlyoneimportantstandardtoassessastowhetherabilitiesfallintotherightplaceamidviolentconfrontations.Ifapersonisstandingacrossfromacriminalpointingagunwithafingeronthetrigger,whichofthetwoisgoingtowalkaway?Ifyou’rerelativelynewtofirearms,youwouldwanttothinkaboutyourskills
andfamiliaritywithyourgunindeterminingyourcomfortincarryingforpersonalprotection.It’scertainlyimportanttopractice.Thereareavarietyoffirearmtrainingcoursesouttherethatstartatverybasiclevels,moveontomoreadvancedskillsandaddressdifferenttopics.Theymightholdvalueforsomegunowners.Youshouldneverlettrainingobscuretheultimategoalofpersonalprotection
though.Winningiseverything,andthemeansofvictorydon’tmatter.Whenthe
finalbulletofaviolentconfrontationisfired,it’samatterofbeingdeadoralive.Attheendoftheday,therightmindsetandmentaltoughness—theabilitytomanagethroughcrisisandhandlethatadrenalinerush—arefarmoreimportantthanaccuracy.Alife-threateningeventisanextremementalchallenge.Itisn’tasharpshootingevent.Asforproficiency,youshouldn’tfindyourselffumblingwithyourgun.You
shouldbeabletopromptlyreload.It’samatterofhavingenoughskillandcomfortwithaguntoassurethebadguycan’ttakeadvantageofanyshortcomings.Ontheconverse,youdon’thavetoscorea100onasnipertestorobliterate
themiddleofanytargetswhileoutontherange.I’veknownanumberofpoliceofficersthroughtheyearswhoaren’tthemostaccurateofshootersbutare,allthesame,wellpreparedfortheirduties.It’sonlyaboutwinning.TheideaisillustratedinarecentstoryofagunshopownerintheSouthwho
encounteredthreearmedmenintentonrobbinghisplace.Itquicklyescalated.Thestoreownerwasthreatenedandrecognizedhewould’vebeenkilledifhehadn’treliedonhisgunandfired.Oneoftherobbersdiedonsite.Thetwoothersescapedfromtheshop,thoughtheywerecaughtdownthe
roadjustminuteslaterwithcriticalinjuries.Theywerebleedingout.It’sastorythatdemonstratestheimportanceofcarryingbutalsolendstothegreaterpointonproficiency.Escapingdeadlysituationswithourlivesistheonlygoal.Soonafter,anexpertmarksmanandtrainerwithalistofcredentialsaslongas
hisarmofferedhisthoughtsontheencounter.Itwasabitinfuriating.Trainingwouldtellustoputtwoshotsinthechestandathirdintheheadwhenthrustintoanarmedconfrontation.Relyingonthatguideline,thetrainerhadsharpcriticismforthestoreownerforhislackofprecisioninhavingfiredoffmorethantwodozenroundswhenfendingoffhisattackers.Guidelinesarepreciselythatandlosesignificancewhenfacedwiththestark
realityofalife-threateningencounter.Thestoreownermightnothavemetatrainer’sdefinitionofsuccess,yetbyagreatermeasure,hehandledhiscrisis
perfectly.He’slivedtotellthetale.Youcouldfinddozensupondozensofstorieshighlightingtheimportanceof
firearmsforpersonalprotection.Familiaritywithyourgunisthefirststep.It’salsoimportanttohaveasolidunderstandingoflawsregardinggunuse.Acrossthecountry,thereareavarietyofdifferentrequirementsinplaceforthosewhoconcealweapons.Youshouldresearchstaterequirementsandgetapermitforcarryifthelawrequires.There’sagrowingmovementforuniformityandlessrestrictionforconcealed
carry.Whilestrideshavebeenmade,theUnitedStatesisstillpatchworkwhenitcomestogunlaws,andthosedifferencescouldbecomeimportant.Thosetravelingshouldpaykeenattentiontotheconcealedcarrylawsofthestatestowhichthey’reheading.Anumberofstatesofferreciprocity,orrather,allowtheabilitytocarrya
concealedweaponwithahome-statepermitorothermeansofshowingcomplianceofyourhomestate’slaws.Keepingontherightsideofthelawonlytakesafewminutesofresearch.AnInternetsearchwouldavailyoutoalloftheinformationonrestrictions,requirementsandhowreciprocityappliesthroughoutthecountry.
Theauthorkeepsanamplesupplyof9mmammoonhandathishome.
It’salsowisetohaveabaseofknowledgeonstatelawsregardingself-defense.Somestatesgiveresidentsgreaterleewayandthebenefitofthedoubtwhenthey’repushedtouseforceinthemidstofathreat.Manystatesrelyonthecastledoctrine,whichallowsforself-defenseathomeanddoesn’tobligatearesidenttoattemptretreatbeforeusingforceshouldsomeonebreakin.Otherstateshaveadoptedstand-your-groundlaws,whichapplytowhereverapersonmightbe.Theyallowpeopletoexerciseforcewithoutanattemptatescapeifapersonreasonablybelievesheorsheisfacingharm.Safetyisacriticalfactortothinkaboutinregardtofirearms,andinways
somepeoplemightfailtoconsider.Themeansofconcealingaweaponisanimportantsafetyconsideration.Youmightfeelsaferinmerelycarryingagun,butifitisn’twellhidden,havingaguncouldactuallyopenthedoortobigrisks.There’sverygoodreasontoconcealfirearmsratherthanweartheminplainview.Purchasingappropriateholstersandhavingtherightattireshouldbejustasmuchapartofthepreparationplanasthepistolsthemselves.
Alotofpeoplehaven’tthoughtthatfar.Manypeopleouttherearecarryingtheirgunsinthose5.11tacticalvests.They’retheveststhatlooksimilartowhatyou’dseephotographerswearingwhileoutonajobassignment.Let’sthinkaboutthatholsteringchoicefromaplaceofdangerthough.Concealedcarryisimportantbecauseyouwouldn’twanttoadvertiseyourabilitytoprotectyourselfandothersshouldviolenceerupt.It’sonethingtowearthattypeofvestaspartofasecuritydetailwhenit’salreadywellevidentwhatthepersonisdoingandwhyhe’sinplace.It’sanotherthingfortheaveragecitizengoingabouthisdaythathappenstohavethemeanstoputaquickendtoaviolentoutburst.Criminalscarrygunsforaspecificreason.Itcreatesfearandprovidesallthe
forcethey’llneedtogetpreciselywhattheywant.If,forinstance,youwentintoaconveniencestoreandanarmedrobberfollowedbehind,havingagunthatwasn’tproperlyconcealedwouldbeakintowearingaT-shirtthatsays,“Ihaveagun.Shootmefirst.”Thetacticalvestisacleargiveaway.Trytobediscreet.WhenIdressinthemorning,IthinkaboutwhatgunI’m
goingtocarryandwhatI’mgoingtowearthat’llgivemealowprofile.Peoplepassingbywouldhavenoidea.That’sthegoal.Chancesareprettygoodthatanyoneofuswillmakeitthroughourtypicaldayswithoutanyreasonforworries.Shouldyoufindyourselfindanger,itisn’tadvisabletohaveatargetonyourbackoranythingthatservesasanoverheadsignwithanarrowpointingdownthatsays,“Thisguyhasagun.”Safetyisalsoanissueathome,particularlysoforthosewhohavechildren.
Thedegreetowhichsafetybecomesanissueonthehomefrontmightdifferdependingontheagesofthosechildren,theirknowledgeandtherespectthekidsholdforthepoweroffirearmsandtheirpotentialfordanger.Inthatrespect,therearetwowaystoaddresssafety.Thesimple,foolproofsolutionwouldbegunlocks.Somewouldquestion
whetherit’sthebestanswerwhenstackedagainsttheveryreasontohaveourfirearmsatreach.Ifanattackerbreaksintoyourhomeandchargesforwardwithaknife,youmightnotwanttotestyourdexterityandwherewithalinremoving
thatlockwithsufficienttimeforprotection.I’darguethebettermeansofsafetyistakingallthenecessarytimeandeffort
toteachchildrenproperly.Iraisedthreechildren.Ihadgunsthroughoutthehome,andweneverhadanissue.Momsanddadsshouldshowchildrenwhatgunscandoandmakeitabundantlyclearthatgunsaren’ttoys.Talkaboutthegunsandimpartsomerespectforthem.Thosewhotrytokeepthegunsstowedawayandoutofreachonlyservetobuildmorepotentiallydangerouscuriosity.
Intheauthor’sopinion,themostcost-effectiveround—poundforpound—is.22LR.
Whenthechildrenareoldenoughtohandleguns,it’stimetoteachthemhowtoshootsotheygetabettersenseoffirearmsandwhytheyneedtoberespected.Itmightbeanotherofthosemanyexamplesofhowwe’vechangedasgenerationshavepassed,butIcanremembergoingoutalonetohuntsmallgamewhenIwasakid,probablynoolderthan9yearsold.Teachingchildrenandkeepingsolidlinesofcommunicationopenisthevery
essenceofgoodparenthood.Itmakessensethatthesamestrategieswouldextendtofirearms.It’sanopportunitythatcouldgobeyondchildsafetytoabetterpreparedhousehold.Itisn’tinconceivable,afterall,thatanolderchildor
youngteenwouldbeputinthepositiontodefendthefamilyfromanattack.
Besmart,staysafeAfirearmistrulytheonetoolamongamulti-facetedpreparationplanthatyou
hopeisneverneeded.Whenyoudrawafirearm,youdosowithintenttopullthetrigger.Occasionally,thescarefactormightdefusethecrisis.Somecrooksmightnotexpectorwantabattle.Chances,though,can’tbetakenwhenlivesareontheline.Shootingsaren’tjustifiablewhenthosethreatenedaremerelyuncomfortable
bytheirsituations.It’sonlylegitimatetodrawaweaponwhenthemind,withfullclarity,determinesthatthereisnootherwayout.Ashootingisjustifiedwhenyouaretrulyandhonestlyinfearforyourlife.It’sthatmomentwherethereisnolongeranywaytogetaroundit.There’snonegotiation.Thatmomentmightrisewhenyouhaveafirearmsightedatyourheador
chest.Itmightbeasituationwhenashothasalreadybeenfired.Abulletcomingfromtheotherdirectionmakesadistinctsoundthatmostarefortunatetoneverhear.Itmightnotbeafirearmthreat.Itcouldbeapersonstrugglingwithahuge
ragingmanusingfurnitureorwhateverelseasweapons.Thevictimmightrealizetheattackerisn’tgoingtostop.Thoseputinthepositionoflife-threateningharmwillknowit.It’safeelingandanunderstandingthatwordscan’tadequatelydescribe.
Theauthorsays“it’shardtobeat”hisday-hikingrig—aRuger.22.
Thebestoptionforthosewhofindthemselvesinthemidstofcivilunrestafterdisasteristodoallpossibletolimitthepossibilityofbeingtargetedforcrime.Thosewho’dusetheirfirearmsinthemidstofturmoilwouldhaveanewsetofdifficultissuesaftertheirattackersgodown.Aconfrontationmightbeamatterofmoments,buttheaftermathcouldcontinueforsometimeandcarryallsortsofstress,evenifyouwerefullyjustifiedinfiring.Thosewhoproperlydefendthemselveswouldstillverylikelyendupin
handcuffsandbehindthecagesofthesquadcars.Fingerprintswouldbetakenaspartofthebookingprocessandthosefolkswouldbelockedintojailcellsaspoliceworkthroughtheirinvestigations.Itmighttakeadayormorebeforethosereportsreachprosecutors.Prosecutorswouldthenweighthefactsandevidenceinconsideringhowthose
actionsmeetthestate’slegaldefinitionofself-defense.Thosefindingthemselvesinthatpositionwouldbethankfultobealive,butthey’dstillhaveplentyofstressinnotknowingwhat’snext.Youcouldexpectplentyof
humiliationwhilesittingbehindbarsandfeelinglikeacriminal.
Therearemanyfirearmtrainingcoursesavailable.Ifyouhavetheopportunity,itcouldbevaluabletopursuesomeoftheseclasses.
Withthatforesight,apartthepreparednessmindsetextendsbeyondhavingthefortitudetouseforcewhenit’sabsolutelynecessary.Itshouldbeeveryone’sgoaltotrytoavoidthreats.Whetherit’sadisasterinwhichafamilybugsoutorstaysinplace,theconsiderationsarethesame.Camouflageandhidingisthebetterpartofvalor.Amidseriousandwidespreadunrest,hidinginaveryliteralsensewouldbeappropriateforfamilysafety.Inallcases,it’simportanttodoeverythingreasonabletobeasinconspicuousaspossible.Thinkaboutitinotherterms.AwomanwalkingthroughtheBronxlateat
nightwithaRolexwatchononewristandabigdiamondbraceletontheotherjustpaintedaprettybigbull’seyeonherownback.It’sanexaggeratedexample,butitservestoillustratetheapproachtolifeafteradisaster.Aimtoblendintothebackground.Avoidthefray.Thosehunkereddownathomeshouldn’tdoanythingthatcoulddrawattentiontotheirproperty.Peopleshouldaimtohaveahomethatpeoplewouldpassbywithoutasecondthought.ThosewhohavehomesresemblingFortKnoxcanbecertainthecriminal
elementwilltakenoticeandwanttoinvestigatefurther.Thoseputtingoutthe“NoTrespassing”signsprobablydosowithallgoodintentions,butreally,it’sputtingoutaninvitation.It’smuchthesameconsiderationusedinregardtoconcealedweapons.
concealedweapons.Itmightbeamatterofvaluables.Itmightjustbefood,waterandsurvival
gear.Justlikegunsinaneverydaysituation,it’sdangeroustoletothersknowwhat’sthereortoevengivethemreasontothinkaboutit.Evenhavingaplacardintheyardwarningthattrespasserswouldbeshotis
likelytodofarmoreharmthangood.Ifthere’sabigenoughgroupgathered;thehoodlumsmightfigureit’sworththeriskofgunfiretodeterminewhatthathouseholdissointentonprotecting.Theycouldsurmisethere’ssomeprettygoodstuffifsomeoneisreadytopullaguntoprotectit.Thehomewouldlikelyprovideyoursafestplaceshouldriot,lootingorother
crimebecomeanissueinadisaster’swake.Withinthoseplain,unassuminghomes,thewellpreparedshouldhavetheirfirearmsattheready.Afamily,however,shouldn’tletagunorevenseveralprovideanyfalseassurancesofsafety.Gunsandcorrespondingammunitionsuppliesmightprovidesecurityshould
someoneorevenafewpeoplebreakintoanygivenhome.Inthemidstofcivilunrest,there’snoreasontothinkabreak-inwouldbelimitedtojustafew.Should20peoplepourinthroughthedoorlookingtohauloffbelongings,gunsmightonlyescalatethesituation.Ammunitioncouldfallshort.Itwouldstandtobecomeanimpossibleanddeadlysituationifanyofthosecriminalswerealsoarmed.It’samatterofbeingsmart.It’samatterofrememberingthatmost
possessionscanbereplaced.Livesareirreplaceable.Takingastandmightnotbeworthwhatanygivenpersonstandstolose.Ifitcomesdowntohandingoveraloafofbreadtoacrookorpullingafirearm,it’sprobablythebetterdecisiontohandoverthebreadandnothavetoworryaboutstandingtrialafterthesmokeclears.Firearmsaspreparednesstoolsdoprovideforplentytothinkabout.You
couldneverknowwhenandhowaguncouldbecomehandy.Dangersbeyondthecriminalelementmightemergefromthehavocofalonger-termemergencysituation.
situation.OnseveraloccasionsduringmytimeinIraq,weencountereddogsthat
revertedtowildinstincts,gatheredinpacksandroamedthestreets.Wecalledthemzombiedogs,andfrankly,theywereprettyscary.Theycertainlyweren’tthefriendlydogsyou’dwanttoapproachwithabiscuitorengageinagameoffetch.Itwouldbeeasyforsometodismissthatasaphenomenonofawar-torn,
overseascountryinchaos,butthepossibilityisjustasrealhereathome.Therehavebeenanumberofreportsofvicious,feraldogsintheUnitedStates.ThatphenomenonhadrecentlybeensubjectofreportsfromeconomicallybatteredDetroitandwasattributedtopeopleabandoningtheiranimals.Itisn’tbeyondreasontothinkit’sariskthatpeoplecouldencounterduringanygivenrebuildingperiodshouldadisasterleadpeopletolettheiranimalsfendforthemselves.
Thosestoringgunsandammohavejusttwoconceptstokeepinmind:keepthemcoolandkeepthemdry.Ammunitionexposedtomoisturewouldlendtocorrosionthatcouldpotentiallyimpactyourabilitytofire.Thebrasswouldturngreen.Itwouldcorrodefasterthansteel.Forthehunter,adamagedroundcouldmeantherabbit—thatnight’sdinner—isabletogetaway.Forthosecarryingfirearmsforpersonalprotection,abadroundcouldmeanbecomingavictim.Theammoboxesbuiltformilitaryusearegreatoptionsforlong-termstorage.They’rereadilyavailable.They’reair-tightandeasytocarry.Putadesiccantintheboxalongwiththeroundsforfurtherprotectionagainsthumidity.Thosewhohavevacuumsealerscouldtakeagreatdealofeaseintheirlong-termammostoragebybaggingitupandshrinkingdown.Thesealersremovetheairandtakeoutallthehumiditywithit.Theroundswouldbejustasgoodandreadytogowhenit’sfinallytimetosliceopenthepackage.
Corrosionisjustasmuchanissueforgunsasitisforammo.Agunownershouldkeepallofhisfirearmsoiled.Thosewithfirearmstheydon’tintendtoshootforsometimemightapplysomecosmolinetopreventcorrosion.Youshouldalwayskeepdryersinsideofthegunsafe.Thosewholiveinparticularlyhumidenvironmentswouldwanttopaycloseattention.Youmightkeepadehumidifierintheroominadditiontothedesiccantsstoredinwiththeguns.Thosewhofailtotakecareoftheirfirearmsandammunitionriskasituationinwhichthosetoolsmightfailtotakecareofthem.It’samatterofmakingsurethere’sa“boom”whenitabsolutelyneedstobethere.Keepingstoredgunsandammunitionawayfrommoistureistheonlywaytoassuretheirfutureutility.
Oneoftheoverridinggoalsofpreparednessistohavethetoolsneededtoovercomewhateverourchallengesmightbe.Firearmsfitintothatpicture.Itisn’tsolelyamatterofdisaster.Anyonecouldbetargetedforrobberytomorrow.Thecriminalelementisaveryrealconcerninthewakeofanydevastation,
whetherlargeorsmall.Itisn’talwaystheviolentmob.Moreoften,it’sthewhite-collarcrimes.Fraudartistsoftencomeoutinforcewhetherbymakingtelephonecallsorheadingdoor-to-doorwithelaboratestoriesandfalseservicesinefforttograbsomecashorsecureevenmorevaluablecreditcardnumbers.Violence,meanwhile,isn’talwaysamatterofwidespreadtrouble.Individualsmightactonsinglemomentsofopportunityanddrawtheirgunsorknives.Itwouldputyourreadinesstothetest.LootingandcriminalactivitywasthereasonIwashiredtoworkinthe
aftermathofHurricaneKatrina.Iprovidedsecurityforthoseworkingonthepowergrid.Membersofourorganizationhadanumberofsecurityrolesinprotectingkeyassetsthatcould’vebeenbigtargetsforthecriminalelement.Some,forinstance,assistedinmovingthemoneylockedawayinshuttered
GulfCoastcasinos.Somebusinessescalledonsecuritytoassuretheycouldhaul
GulfCoastcasinos.Somebusinessescalledonsecuritytoassuretheycouldhauloffalloftheirexpensiveandvitalcomputerequipmentwithoutdifficulty.Othersaccompaniedengineerswhomovedfromcommunitytocommunitytoassesswhatwasneededtobringelectricitybacktotheregionasawhole.Iwitnessedanumberoftroublesomethingsduringmytimeinpost-Katrina
NewOrleans,butonethingIdidn’tseewithmyowneyeswasthecrimeanddisorderthatledtomyhireinthefirstplace.Ourshowofforceprobablygoestoexplainthat.Thebadguys,I’msure,knewbetterwhenitcametotheirownsafetyandtooktheiractivitiesoutsideofthesightsofafully-armedsecurityunit.Itprovidessomethingtoconsider.TherecordclearlyshowsthatplentyofcriminalactivityhappenedbeyondmyviewdowninLouisiana.Beprepared.Mostfamiliesdon’thavetheluxuryofhiringwell-armedsecurityteamstoensuretheirwellbeing.
Crimecanhaveabigimpactonacommunityafteradisaster.AfterHurricaneKatrina,NationalGuardunitsandprivatesecurityoperationswereneededtosecureorderinNewOrleans.
B
8
PRACTICEMAKESPERFECT
Departmentsconductexercisestosimulatealltypesofrescuesituations.
reakingdownpotentialproblemsandgatheringtherightprovisionsmarkthefirstbigstepstowardachievingreadiness.Learningnewskillsalongthewayonlymakesyourplansstronger.Allofthatworkin
itself,however,doesn’tofferfamiliesmuchforguarantees.Thebestlaidblueprintsforanyendeavoroftenfailtobringsuccessful
outcomesiftheyaren’tscrutinizedandworkedthroughfrombeginningtoend.Itmightbetheeffortsdevisedbythefamilypreparingforadisasteraftermath.ItcouldjustaswellbethehighschoolfootballcoachdrawinguphisplaysforthebigFridaynightgame.Planscanonlyflourishifthey’refollowedupwithsufficientpractice.Preparednessrequirestoolsandabilities,butit’sbetterdefinedbythediligent
attitudethatremindsusthateventhestrongestplansleaveroomforimprovement.Youmightholdsomefamilyexercisestogetasenseofhowthingswouldcometogetherafterdisasterandtoassureeveryoneinthefamilyisonthesamepage.Thediligentplanneralwayskeepsthementalwheelsspinning,thinkingthroughthenextsteps.Thoseworkingtowardpreparednessshouldrecognizethefullextentoftheir
capabilitiesatanygivenpointinanefforttodeterminehowtoreachthenextrungontheladder.Forinstance,youwouldwanttolearnforcertainjusthowmuchthefamilycouldpowerfromthegenerator.Itwouldmakesensetofigureouthowmuchgasitburnsindoingso.Somemightreadthemanualandgeneralizebeforeit’sfinallytimetoputitto
work.Themostdedicatedwouldflipoffthebreakersandcheckitoutthemselves.Puttingthegeneratortoworkwouldofferabettersenseofwhatyoucouldandshoulduseandwhatelseinadditiontoelectricitycouldhelpthefamilymaximizeitscomfortwhenit’sneeded.Aweekendofeatingfromtheemergencyfoodlockermightofferaclearer
pictureofhowthefamily’scomfortwouldholdupthroughanextendedperiod.Therearenumbersofexamples.Allofthatadvanceworkallowsyoutofine-tuneyourreadinessefforts.It’simportanttohavetherightgear,butitdoesn’tmeanasmuchifitisn’t
beingused.Youcouldn’tknowforsurewhetheranygivensolutionisworkableuntilputtingittowork.Youcouldn’tassumeyourgearisreliableifit’ssittingontheshelfwiththepricetagstillattached.Thenightafterthetornadoisthewrongtimetofinallylearntheunusedtentthat’sgathereddustonitssealedboxcamewithatearorsomebrokenpoles.Preparednessismorethanaprocessofgathering.That’swherepractice
becomessoimportant.Disastersituationsareinherentlytaxingandbytheirverynaturesareboundtospringsomesurprises.Youcan’tguesswhat’scoming,butyoucanworktowardhavingtheflexibilityneededtomanagethroughtheunexpectedshouldadisasteroccur.
Firefightersgothroughpracticeexercisestohelpbuildexperiencesthattheycanrelyoninreal-lifehigh-dangersituations.
Theruleofthreessetsforthaprettysimplestructuretogetyoustartedonplanning.Assuch,preppersrarelyhavetroubleidentifyingtherightcontingenciestoaccountforthemajorissuesmostlikelytodevelopfromtherisksintheirregions.Thetrickierworkalwayscomesindetermininganduntanglingmanyofthelessobviouspotentialproblemshidinginthefineprint.Thosesmallerpointstendtorevealthemselvesthroughpractice.Honingyourreadinessskillsisreallynodifferentthantheregularworkof
thoseplacedindangeroussituationsbyvirtueoftheircareers.MembersoftheU.S.militarycouldn’tpossiblygoabouttheirdutiesinwarzoneswithouttheknowledge,skillsandinstinctsthey’vegainedthroughregulartrainingexercises.Policedepartmentsregularlyholdsimulationexercisesonavarietyofpotentialemergencies,andoftenoperationsthatrarelycometofruition.Departmentswillroutinelyholdexercisestoprepareforhostagesituationsorthechancethey’dhavetodealwithactiveshootersandmasscasualties.
havetodealwithactiveshootersandmasscasualties.Firefightersroutinelypracticetobuildexperiencestheycanrelyuponinhigh-
dangersituations.They’llconductexercisestoprepareforbasementfiresthathavecausedasignificantnumberoffatalitiesthroughtheyears.Departmentswillconductexercisesthatsimulateresponsetohigh-riseblazesoraerialrescues.Anumberoffiredepartmentshaverappellingtowersoutsideoftheirstationsfortrainingpurposes.Fewdepartmentsletahomeorbuildingsetfordemolitiongotowaste.They’llignitethosestructuresandusethemforpracticebeforecrewsbringintheheavyequipmenttoclearofftheproperty.Thoseexamplesaren’ttosayfamiliesneedfrequentlyintense,dedicated
practicetomeettheirplanningobjectives.Rather,theypointoutthatyoucanneverunderestimatethevalueofhavingsomebasisofexperiencetorelyupon—eventhesimulated—whenthrustintoastressfulscenario.Families,likethoseprofessionals,shouldhaveenoughbackgroundtoprovideanadvantagewhentroublecomesknocking.Apreppershouldn’tgettoocomfortable.Thefamilythatwentout,assembled
afullystockedshelteranddeclaredthemissionaccomplishedisn’tnecessarilygoingtobethebestpreparedwhenthebigstormfinallytearsaparttheneighborhood.Thefamilyoflessermeansdownthestreetthathasasmallercacheofsuppliespackedawaymightwellfinditselfinthebetterpositioniftheykeptuponplanning,workedthroughtheirscenariosandareadeptatsolvingproblems.Preppingisn’taprojectbutratherawayoflivingthatdoesn’thaveanend
pointtoworktoward.There’snostageatwhichyoucouldputyoursuppliesbehindacloseddoorinthebasementandclearallthoseeffortsfromyourminduntilaneventrequirestheiruse.Anyonecouldbecomestifledamidanemergencywithoutsomeabilitytoadjustwhenandwhereneeded.Thoseskillstendtogrowwithcontinualeffortsandreassessment.Youcoulddefinepracticetoincludeallofthethings—bigorsmall—that
builduponskillandknowledgeandhoneyourabilitiestoreactquickly.Practicingforrecoverymightmeangatheringthefamilyfordeep,problem-
Practicingforrecoverymightmeangatheringthefamilyfordeep,problem-solvingdiscussionsaroundthediningroomtable.Itisn’talwaysatime-consumingendeavor.Itdoesn’thavetomeanpencilingtimeintotheschedulebooktoporeoversupplylists.Fullweekendsimulationswouldbenefitafamilyfromtimetotime.Practice,however,alsoentailssimpler,dailyengagement.Practicecouldbeassimpleasafewthoughtswhensparemomentsallow.Readingthroughbooks,blogpostsorarticleswrittenbyotherprepperscould
serveaspractice,particularlyiftheyofferideasthathadn’tpreviouslycometomind.Anafternoonsplittingwoodforthestovecouldfallintothecategoryofpractice.Itmightbeataskneededtoprovidewarmthtothehomeforthenextfewweeksahead,butit’salsoajobthatkeepsyourbodyandskillssharpshouldthatjobbecomeasurvivalnecessity.
Policeofficerspracticeforemergencysituations.Youshouldtoo.Neverunderestimatethevalueofhavingsomebasisofexperiencetorelyuponinastressfulsituation.
Settlingontothecouchwithapuzzleintheeveningcouldbeconsideredpartofyourpracticeregimen.There’salotofvalueindoingpuzzles,whetherit’swordsearches,crosswordpuzzlesorSudokupuzzles.Themindisthemostimportanttoolforsurvivalandrecovery,andyoustandtogainbyanymeansusedtokeepitsharp.Puzzlesstrengthenproblem-solving.
usedtokeepitsharp.Puzzlesstrengthenproblem-solving.Gettheentirefamilyinvolvedandhavesomefunwiththeprocessalongthe
way.Preparationisawayoflifethatshouldinstillcomfortandconfidenceratherthanstressorundueworryofthedangerouspossibilities.It’sseriousbusiness,butforseriouspreppers,practiceinsomeformisjustpartofdailylife.Thosewhotakeonpreparednessforpeaceofmindwillhavethatmuchmoreindevelopingbetterfamiliaritywiththeireffortsandgreaterconfidencetheirplanningstandstocomethroughasdevisedwhenfinallyneeded.
Theauthor’ssontestsasleepingbaginnegative20-degreetemperatures.Youdon’tknowifyourequipmentwillworkifyoudon’ttestit.
AfamilyaffairPracticeisquiteimportantfromthestandpointofassuringplansgofarenough
tomeetafamily’sneeds.Itisjustasvital,however,toensureeveryoneinthehouseholdunderstandssafetyprotocolsandcanconfidentlytakeonhisorherrolesshouldplansmoveintoaction.Unlessyouarelivingalone,preparationandpracticingforarecoverywillonlyfullyserveitspurposeifeverymemberofthefamilyisanactiveparticipant.Preparingshouldn’tbeconstruedasaconcernsolelyfortheadultsinthehousehold,becauseeveryonewouldhaveastakeingettingthroughtheaftermathofanydisaster.Somemightquestionwhetherorhowmuchyoungerchildrenstandtogain
fromparticipationinthefamily’spreparednessefforts.Theytoo,though,shouldhaveabasisofunderstandingandsomesafetyskills,eveniflimitedandtailoredtomeettheirmaturitylevelsandabilities.Adisaster,afterall,isn’tgoingtostopshortandspareahomebecausetherearescaredchildrenclingingtoMomandDadinside.MotherNatureisalotofthings,butcompassionateisn’toneofthem.It’swisetothinkabouthowyouwoulddiscusspreparednesswhenincluding
youngerchildrenintheconversation.It’lltakesomesensitivityandakeyunderstandingofhowyourchildrenthinkandoperate.It’snonethelessimportanttheytoohavethemindsetandabilitiestonotonlymakeitthroughbutalsocontributetothefamily’srecovery.Youcertainlywouldn’twanttoscarethekidsorcreateanyundueconcerns.If
it’shandledinsensitivefashion,thechildrenwillgainsomeknowledge,know-howandconfidence.Momsanddadsstandtogainsomecomfortinknowingtheyoungoneshavesomedegreeofsafetytraining.Overall,itstandstomakethefamily’splanningmorecomplete.Whensittingaroundthekitchentableandwalkingthroughplans,thekids
mightverywellcomeupwithproblemsorsolutionstheadultsdidn’tconsider.Theycarryviewpointsuniquetotheirageandexperiencesthatcouldmakeanyfamily’splanthatmuchstronger.Asparents,takethepropertime,exercisepatienceandusethepositionsofloveandtrusttoassurethechildrenthatdanger
patienceandusethepositionsofloveandtrusttoassurethechildrenthatdangerisn’timminent.Thekidsshouldbeledtounderstandthegoalofpreparingistomakesureeveryoneisassafeaspossibleallthetime,evenifbythatslimchancesomethingtroublingcomestopass.Everychildshouldknowthesafeplacestowhichtheyshouldretreatshould
dangerscometobear.Familiesinareasatriskoftornadoesshouldwalktheirchildrenthroughalltheimportantsafetytipsthatapplytowhetherthey’reathomeoroutandabout.Everykidshouldknowwheretogowithoutasecondthoughtafterthesirensbegintosound.Thesamewouldholdtrueforthoseatreasonablerisksforearthquakes.
Everyoneshouldknowthesafestplacetobewherevertheymightbe.Familiesmightestablishmeetingplaces,whetherit’soutsidethenearbyschoolorsomeotherclose-to-homelandmark,shoulddisasterhappenwheneveryoneisoutandgoingabouttheirdays.Practiceingeneralshouldaccountforimmediate-termsafetyconsiderations
andofferasenseofwhatthefamilymightexperienceinthedaysorevenweekstofollowadestructiveevent.Troublesaren’toverwhenpeoplecanfinallydustoffandrecognizetheyweren’thurt.Thereareanumberofwaysinwhichfamiliescanrunthroughtheirprepefforts,learnsomeimportantlessonsandgetalittleenjoymentandbondingtimealongtheway.
IfyouhavestoredMREs,trysomesoyou’llknowhowtoheatthemwhenyouneedthefoodtosurvive.
Plentyofpotentialdangersprovideduereasontothinkaheadandteachourkids.Firedrillsstandasonepracticeeffortthat’salreadycommoninsomefashiontomanyfamilies.Firedepartmentshavedoneagoodjobintheireducationalrolesinspreadingthemessageofdangerandremindinghouseholdsoftheimportanceofhavingaplan.We’drunthroughdrillsonasomewhatregularbasiswhenmykidswere
growingup.It’ssmartforanyonewhenconsideringthestatistics.Firefighterswerecalledto370,000housefiresin2011,accordingtotheNationalFireProtectionAssociation.Morethan2,500diedthatyearasresultofresidentialfires,andit’sfairtosayitcould’vebeenafarlessernumberhadmorebeenprepared.Wetookthatriskprettyseriously.Assuch,wetookthetimetomakesurethe
kidshadmorethanasimpleknowledgeoftheirresponsibilitiesintheeventofahousefire.Wemadesuretheywereabletorespondtothatemergencyfrompositionsofstrength,confidenceandhabit.Theideaofafiredrillmeansdifferentthingstodifferentpeople.Thedrillsin
Theideaofafiredrillmeansdifferentthingstodifferentpeople.ThedrillsintheNowkahouseholdweren’tthecarefree,walkthroughtypeofexercisesthatmostchildrenoftenencounteratschool.I’dmakeforsomeprettydecentsimulationsoftherealthing.Inthemiddleofthenight,I’doccasionallyrolloutofbed,headoverandpress
thebuttontosoundthesmokedetector.Thekidswouldwakeup,getonthemoveandI’dassesshowwelltheyresponded.I’dkeepaneyeonhowquicklythey’dmoveandjusthowwelltheyfollowedtheestablishedescapeplans.We’doccasionallymakeitafull-scaleexercise,rolloutthewindowladdersandhavethekidsclimbdown.Thosedrillswerealwayskindofexcitingfortheyoungones.Familiesshouldrecognizetheimportanceofchangingthingsuptoassurethe
drillsdon’tbecomeasimplematterofroutine.Surprisestrengthenspractice.It’scertainlyimportantforeverychildtoknowescaperoutesandfamilymeetingpoints,thoughkidslearnmorewithanelementofrealism.Housefires,likeanyemergency,areboundtocarrytheelementofsurprise.Inanefforttoaccountforrealism,I’dtrytobringinonecriticalfactorthat’s
oftenmissingfromfamilysimulationexercises.Thoseescapingfromarealhousefirewoulddosocarryingvaryingdegreesofstress.Youcan’toverlookthesignificanceofstressasaroadblocktosafety.Yellingisacommonmeansusedinmanytypesofsimulationstoraisethe
stresslevelsofparticipants.Asimulation’svalueonlygrowsalongwithitsabilitytofaithfullyrecreatewhatapersonwouldgothroughandfeel.Peopleoftenfailtoproperlythinkthroughtheirsituationsandasresultmakepoor,potentiallydangerousdecisionswhenexperiencinganxiety,fearandpressure.Duringourfiredrills,I’draisemyvoiceanddosomebarkingatthekidsto
gettheirstresstoclimbabitwhilegoingthroughtheexercise.Whencomplete,I’djustasquicklygatherthemupandmakesuretheyunderstoodthattheyellingwasn’toutofanger.Theycametoknowitwaspartoftheprocessofmakingsuretheyhadthemindsetsandwherewithaltoquickly,calmlyandefficientlygettosafetyshouldthesmokealarmsound.Igainedconfidence.Theywereas
gettosafetyshouldthesmokealarmsound.Igainedconfidence.Theywereasreadyastheycouldbefortheseriouspotentialofthealarmsoundingwithouttheirfatherpushingonthebutton.Housefiresareprobablythemostplannedforhouseholdemergencies,andfor
goodreason.It’sacommonanddangerousthreattowhichnooneisimmune.Thosewhoaredevelopingpreparednessplanswouldjustasquicklyrecognizethosesamecharacteristicsapplywelltoseveral,potentialthreats.Thoseextendingtheirfamily’splanningtothegreaterlistofdangersmightconsiderotherdrillsthatwouldalsoprovideopportunitiestoassessresponseandbuildskills.Familiesaremorelikelytoexperiencelengthypoweroutagesthantheyare
housefires.Afamilythat’spreparingwouldgainsomegoodinsightontheirneedsduringapoweroutagebyflippingoffthemainbreakerandspendingafull24-hourperiodwithoutelectricity.I’dsuggestgettingpermissionfromthespousebeforespringingasimulationonthefamily.It’syetanotherdrillinwhichthefamilycouldextenditsvaluethroughtheelementofsurprise.Youmightexcuseyourselfandknockoutthepowerduringdinnerorstepawayrightbeforethefamilysettlesinforsometelevisionatdusk.Theideaistohitthebreakerwithoutthekidshavingachancetodevelop
expectationsandthinkthroughtheirresponsesinadvance.It’sboundtoannoytheteenagers.Youmightexperiencepushbackwhentheyoungstersrealizethey’regoingtobewithoutthetelevisionprogramtheyenjoy.Fortheyoungerkids,itmightbeanadventureofsorts.Everyonestandstogetsomegoodbenefit.Theadultsmighttestthekidsfromtheget-go.Findoutwhethertheyknow
wheretofindtheflashlightsandothersuppliesthat’llbringsomeimmediatecomfortintheearlymomentsafterthehomegoesblack.IgnitethelanternsandtalkaboutwhatthefamilymightdointhemorninginlieuoftypicalSaturdaymorningpancakebreakfast.Encouragethekidstofindsomefunthatdoesn’trequireanelectricalsocket,andholdhopeittakestotheirmemories.
Youshouldpracticestartingafire.Itwillmakethetaskeasierwhenyouneedheatassoonaspossible.
Theexerciseprovidessomegoodopportunitiesfortheadultsofthehousehold.SomemightdetermineafewmoreAladdinlampswouldmakelifeagreatdealeasier.Thegrown-ups,too,standtogaininfindingouttheircomfortzonesanddeterminingtheirbestbetsforalittleentertainmenttopassthetime.Duringtheexercise,thefamilymightpreparemealsandgrabsnacksfromthesupplystoredawayforemergencyuse.Takestockofwhatthefamilyreachedforandwentthroughbeforethekidscry“uncle”andMomandDadrestorethepower.
Cookingoveranopenflameismuchdifferentthancookingoveracontrolledtemperature.Practicesoyouknowwhattoexpect.
Anelectricity-freedayeverynowandagainmightserveapracticalpurposeforsomefamilies.ThosewhopurchaseandstoreMREsaspartoftheirpreparednessplanwillhavetocyclethroughaportioneveryyeargiventheytypicallyhaveshelflivesoffiveyearsorless.Havingsomepracticedaysthroughouttheyearmightoffersomeopportunitytocrackopenthosecasesgettingclosertotheirexpirationdates.Italsoservestomakesimulationsthataremuchclosertowhatthefamilycouldexpectinagenuinerecoveryperiod.Practicingwithyourpreparationscouldbecomepartofthesummervacation
plansforsomefamilies.Thosewhoareavidcampersmightconsiderleavingthetrailerbehindforoneweekendduringthesummerandheadingofftoaprimitivesiteinlieuofthehigh-amenitycampgroundwiththeheatedpoolandelectricalandplumbinghookups.Somefamiliesmightenjoythechallenge.Somemight
andplumbinghookups.Somefamiliesmightenjoythechallenge.Somemightnot.They’dallstandtolearnafewthingsfromtryingtoliveforthreedaysonthecontentsoftheirgo-bags.Awell-preparedfamilywillhaveabagassembledforeverymember.They’re
madetomeettheneedsofthreedays.Puttingthebagtoworkoutsideofasurvivalsituationinacontrolledenvironmentwouldsafelyallowyoutoassessjusthowwellitwouldperformwhenitbecomesnecessary.Thefamilythat’swoefullyunpreparedcouldgetbackintothecar,enjoytheremainderoftheweekendelsewhereandpromptlygetbacktothedrawingboardcomeMonday.Areal-lifesurvivaltestwouldn’tcarrythatsameluxury.Awell-assembledbagwillbefairlylightweightandprovideforfood,water
andshelterthroughthecourseofthose72hours.Ifputtogetherright,itshouldallowapersontogetthroughtheelementswithsomedegreeofcomfort.Agoodbagwouldn’tleaveanyfearoffallingonthewrongsideoftheruleofthrees.Athree-day,go-bagcampingtripmightbeabitmuchforsomemembersof
thefamily.Fromapreparednessstandpoint,it’simportanttofigureouthowwellthatassemblyofgearwouldperformwhenitisn’tamatterofrecreation.Youcan’tknowwhetherit’ssufficientuntilyouputitthroughthreedaysofwork.They’reapriorityofpreparedness,recognizingthey’reassembledforsituationsinwhichpeoplemightnototherwisesurvivewithout.Payattentionduringtheweekendtohowthefamilyismanaging.IstheMRE,
orwhateverispackedawayforfoodneeds,sufficienttodeliversomedegreeofcomfort?Arethekidsdealingwithsomehungerissues?Isthefamilystayingwarmenoughatnight?Merelyarrangingthetripwouldlikelyleadmanytonoticeafewholesintheir
equipmentlists.Youmightmakeplansandthencometorealizeyou’llbesleepingoutsideandnevergotaroundtobuyingthattarp.Themindisoftenabletotakebetternoteofthedetailsandrecognizewhatwasglossedoverwhenit’sfinallytimetoputtheprepstouse.Thego-bagtripmightnotfallwithintheideasofrestandrelaxationthatmany
lookforwardtoduringtheirsummervacationtime.Iwouldn’tsuggestit’san
lookforwardtoduringtheirsummervacationtime.Iwouldn’tsuggestit’saneasytrip.Fromthestandpointoffamilypeace,itmightbeagoodideatoreservearoomatanicehotelwithaswimmingpooltorelaxinattheendofthosethreedays.Nodegreeofdiscomfortcouldtakefromthevalueoftheexercisetowardhavingabetterunderstandingofyourreadiness.Differentenvironmentsbringdifferentdangers,andthereforesomefamilies
mightconductdrillsthatotherswouldn’t.Thoselivingnearwoodedareasamidwildfirerisksmightconductdrillstodeterminehowquicklytheycangetthroughtheirevacuationchecklists,loadupandgetinthevehicle.Theywouldenhancetheirsafetyandthere’sanopportunitytoaddanelementoffun.Familiesmightrunastopwatchduringtheexerciseandseewhethertheycanimproveupontheirtimesfromonedrilltothenext.Mostpeopleenjoyalittlecompetition.Familiesthatliveinareasathighriskoftornadoeswouldcertainlywantto
havesomepracticeundertheirbeltstorelyuponshouldanemergencyeventuallystrike.Drillsmightbeassimpleasassessinghowquicklythefamilycangatherthepetsandgettothesafestareaofthehouse.Occasionally,familiesmightextendthatpracticeandsimulatehowthey’drespondtotheaftermathofadestructivestorm.Thoseatthehighestriskoftornadoesshouldhaveanextensivecacheofgear
torelyonshouldastormlevelthehome.Thefamilywouldbenefitfrompullingthetoolsandsuppliesoutthestorageandsettingupcampinthebackyardfortheweekend.RelyonMREsandotheritemspackedawayforemergencyfoodneeds.Cookoutdoorsifthat’spartoftheplan.Payattentiontothelittlethings.What’sworking?What’slacking?What’sOK?Whatcouldbealittlebitbetter?Yourtakeawayfromtheweekendmightbeassimpleasrecognizingthe
sleepingbagsthatseemedlikeagooddealafewyearsbackaretoothinandfartoouncomfortableforlong-termuse.Youmightfindaleakinthetentandrecognizeit’stimeforanewandmoredurablemodel.Thoselivingthroughareal-lifeemergencynolongerhavetimetoadjustifthecacheofsuppliesisn’tmeetingneeds.
meetingneeds.
ThinkingaheadPracticeisn’talwayssotime-consumingasavacationoraweekendofpower-
freelivingfromthehouseorbackyard.Oneofthemostmeaningfulformsofpracticeisafewmomentsofdaily,mentalexercise.Plansgrowricher,deeperandmorespecificwhenpreppersaskthemselves,“whatif?”andfollowthroughtheproblemsolvingprocessonestepatatime.Inansweringthatquestion,thosepreparingwilllikelystumbleacrossrisksnotpreviouslyconsidered.Youmightcomeupwithnewandbetterwaystoaddresspotentialproblemsthathavelongbeenontheradarscreen.Partoftheideaisgettingyourmindinthehabitofquicklyassessinganysituationfromthestandpointofsafety.
Ifyou’renewtocookingoveranopenfire,startwithamealthatishardtoscrewupandenjoyable.
Ahardyskilletofpotatoesisaperfectdishtocookoverafire.
Preparingisallaboutanticipation.Often,knowledgeandunderstandinggivesyoutheabilitytoavoiddangersbeforetheycometobear.Inoneinstance,myadherencetopreparationfromthepositionofforethoughtmightjusthavesavedmylifeandthoseoftwoothers.Afewdecadesback,Iwashiredtomoveanantique,53-footwoodenboat
downLakeMichiganandonwardtotheTennesseeRiver.Thoseofusonboardwould’vereallybeeninsomeserioustroubleifithadn’tbeenforatwingeofdiscomfortandanappropriatecontingencyplan.Theboatwasinprettygoodshapeforitsage,butithadn’tbeeninthewaterfor20years.Thatsparkedsomerealconcerns.Allofmysecondguessingwasmatchedbyacertaindegreeofimpatienceheldbytheowners.Theywantedtomove.Weagreedwewouldn’tgountilwehadtherightcalm,clear,bluebirddaytoembark.Isimplydidn’tfeelcomfortablewithriskingabumpyride.Theirpressureeventuallyworeonme.Wesplitthedifferenceandsetoutona
fairlycalmday,butonethatwasn’tquitethelevelofcalmIhadinmind.Ilistenedtomydiscomfortandpreparedfortheworst.Ihauledinagenerator,twodifferentpumps,aselectionoftoolsandoneofthosebig-bagcellphones
thatwastheonlyoptionatthetime.Westartedoutamongone-footwaves.Everythingwentwellearlyon.We
traveledbeneaththeMackinacBridge,whichspansupperandlowerMichigan.Wewereaboutfourmilesintothestraitswhenthewindspickedupandputthreefootersinourpath.Wavesofthatsizewouldn’tnormallybeabigdealforthatlargeofaboat,butthat’swherethestoryreallybegins.Itstartedleakinglikeasieve.Waterstartedrising.Wiresshortedout.Oneoftheboat’stwoenginesdied.
Theinstrumentsweren’toperating.Wedidn’thavearadio.Icalledoutforoneoftheownerstosteertotheleftofalighthouseintheneardistance.Inthemeantime,Istartedupagenerator,gotapumpgoingandusedthephonetoinformtheCoastGuardofoursituation.Iplannedtorunagroundatthelighthouse,wherewecouldwaitforrescue.IwastolditwouldtaketheCoastGuard20minutestogetahelicopterintheair.Icalledbackeveryfiveminutestoofferastatusreport.Thewaterkepton
risinganditwasn’teasytokeepmycalm.Watersreachedthetopoftheoilpansandputtheremainingengineatriskofcuttingout.Itwasalong15minutes,butbymythirdcalltothestation,Icouldfinallyletgoasighofrelief.Inoticedthepumpsweremakingheadway,andinformedtheCoastGuardwe’dbeabletomakeitsixmoremilestoBeaverIsland.Wavestoppedfivefeetbythetimewereachedtheharbor.IfIhadn’tplannedahead,wewouldn’thavemadeitasfarasthatlighthouse.
Wewould’vebeeninthewaterwithourlifevestsandafewhopesandprayers.AsIworkedonkeepingthevesselafloat,theownersoftheboathadbeenoblivioustothefactthatwewereexperiencingaprettyseriousemergency.Youdon’thavetolooktoofartofindsometragicstoriesofsunkenboatsontheGreatLakes.
TheWorst-CaseScenariocardgamecanhelpfamiliesconsidertheiroptionsinpotentialsurvivalsituationsbeforetheyoccur.
GameslikeChesshelpyoustrategizeandkeepyourmindsharp.
Themindisthemostimportanttoolforsurvivalandrecovery.Anythingyoucandotokeepitsharpisapositive.
Afterthedangerpassed,Itoldthemoftheinitialplanstorunagroundwherewewould’vebeenpluckedupbyaCoastGuardhelicopter.ThetwowhojoinedmeontheboatchuckledearlierthatdayasIloadedupallofthatgear.Iwasn’tinthemoodforalastlaughafterwefinallycametoshore.Wewanderedintothebarandhadadrink.Forethoughtistrulywhatsavedtheday.Itprovidesagoodexampleofthe
importanceofasking,“whatif?”Myanswertothatquestionwasthepumps,generatorandtoolsnecessarytokeeptheboatafloatanddeliverthoseaboardtosafety.Tobehonest,abetteranswertothatmentalquestionwhenthinkingbacktoallofmyearlymisgivingswould’vebeentoholdmygrounddespitethepressureoftheowners.Ishouldhavekeptthatboatatshoreuntiltheweatherfinallymetmylevelofcomfort.Fortunately,thesecondbestanswerwasstillsufficientforapositiveoutcome.Thoseadeptatplanningwillmakebrief,pro-activeassessmentsinavarietyof
situations.Asamatterofhabit,youshouldmakesuretohaveyourgo-baginthebackseatofthecarbeforeembarking.Myfirstthoughtwhenwalkingintoapublicplace,forinstance,istoidentifytwodifferentwaysout.
“Whatif?”isthesimplestofquestions,thoughitbestdefineswhyfamiliestakeonpreparednessefforts.Afewminutesofmentalexercisewhentimeallowsstrengthensthediligentmindset.There’srealvalueinworkingthroughallofthemanythingsthatcouldplausiblyputthefamilyatrisk.Whenitcomesdowntoit,there’sanextensivelistofpotentiallydangerousscenariosthatfallwithintherealmofpossibilitiesforeverylasthouseholdacrossthecountry.It’sfairtosaytheactive,dedicatedprepper,whereverhemightlive,could
crosszombiesorspaceinvadersoffofhisreadinesschecklist.Asidefromthoseadmittedlysillyexamples,manywillcometofindthereisn’ttoomuchyoucouldeliminatewithoutsecondthought.Therisksofcivilunrest,terrorismorchemicaldisastermightbehighlyunlikelyformanypeopledependingontheirlocales,butveryfewanywherecouldcrediblydeclarethoserisksasimpossibilities.Justhowwouldthefamilyrespond?Walkingthroughyourlistoftheplausibledoesn’tmeanyou’dhaveto
overextendeffortstoaccountfortheslimmestofpossibilities.Theexerciseisn’tonetosuggestthosewithfairlylowrisksofchemicaldisastershouldheadoutandbuysetsofHAZMATsuitsforeverymemberofthefamily.Mentalpractice,however,isanimportantcomponentofpreparation,becauseitpushesyoutofullyworkthroughallofyouroptionsandabilities.Ittendstoinstillsomehumilitythatinturnlendsfurthertowardthatnecessary,vigilantattitude.
Preparednesspracticeisaboutmorethanjustgoingthroughachecklist.Makethepracticeasmuchliketherealdisastersituationaspossible.
Youcometolearnyouaren’tasuperhero.Thosewhorecognizetheirvulnerabilitiesareabletogetpastanyegoorunduecomfortandhonestlyassesshowwellthey’reprepared.There’salwaysroomforimprovement.Athoughtprocessthat’sdeepenoughtorecognizerisksoflowerlikelihoodputsyouinafarbetterpositiontomitigatethoseofhigherprobabilitythatappropriatelydrawthegreaterweightofplanning.
Awell-assembledgo-bagshouldbefairlylightweightandprovideforfood,waterandshelterfor72hours.
Mentalpracticeisjustasvaluableintheshort-termandinthemidstofpotentiallydangeroussituations.It’sapracticeI’vesuccessfullyputtousewhencalleduponforunderwaterbodyrecovery.Beforeandwhileinthewater,I’dthinkaboutthepossiblethingsthatcouldgowrong,andthenmatchthedangerswithpossiblesolutions.I’dgofromonepossibilitytothenextwiththemindsetofkeepingafewstepsaheadofanydifficultythatcouldthreatenmysafetyasIwentaboutmyduty.I’veactuallyfoundtheprocesstobeonethat’sservedadualpurpose.Theprocesskeptmymindoccupiedandthereforeoffthestress
dualpurpose.Theprocesskeptmymindoccupiedandthereforeoffthestressandemotionthattendtomakeanalreadydifficulttaskmoretroublesomeformanydivers.Aspreppersprogressnaturally,theydevelopadrivetounderstandtheir
strengthsandweaknesses.Practiceatthatpointsimplyhappens.Thosejustgettingstartedshouldpaycloseattentiontowherethey’vecome,wheretheywanttogoandhowwellthey’recovered.Althoughitmightsoundobvious,animportantpartofyourprepper’spracticeregimenismakingsureyouknowhowtouseandfeelcomfortablewitheachofthetoolsassembledforsurvivalneedsordisasterresponse.Asamatterofeverydayliving,keepingupwithallofthosetoolsmightnotbe
soeasyofataskinrecognizingthemulti-facetednatureofanygoodplan.Itwouldn’tbesodifficultforanyonetolosetrackofafewimportanttoolsalongtheway.What’soutofsightisoftenoutofmind.Somepeople,forinstance,mightnothavearegularneedfortheirglobal
positioningsystems.Itisn’tdifficulttoimaginethosefolksforgettingaboutsomethingeventhatcrucialtoasurvivalsituationifitwaspurchasedandpackedinthego-bagamongagreaterassortmentofgear.Thinkahead.Uponmakingthatpurchase,itwouldmakesensetoplanadayinthewoodsorelsewhereandgetaccustomedtoitsoperation.Youshouldalsofigureouthowtousethedeviceincoordinationwithamap.Thenyoushouldn’tletitsitlongenoughtoforgetthelessonspickedupduringthoseinitialroundsofpractice.TheGPSisjustoneexample.Itcouldbeanytool.Itisn’twisetopackaway
anythingwithoutfirsthavingsomelevelofskill.Asurvivalsituationwouldbecomethatmuchtoughershouldyoufindoutyoucan’tgetthroughtreelimbswiththesmallsawpackedawayinthego-bag.Thedisasteraftermathisthatmuchmorestressfulfortheguywho’sjustpullinghiswaterfiltrationpumpoutoftheboxandstrugglingthroughtheinstructionmanualwhencleanwaterisanimmediateneed.
Makesuretouseagoodqualitypackforyourgo-bag.
Onekeypieceofthepreparationpuzzlecomesbyanynumberofnamesbutonlyonevitalgoal.Whenanemergencystrikes,it’sthreedaysofsurvivalthatyoucouldtossinthecaroroveryourshoulder.Theycallitago-bagorabug-outbag.Forothers,it’saget-out-of-Dodge(orGOOD)bag.Somesimplycallita72-houremergencykit.Regardlessofname,it’scrucialtohaveadecentpackattheready.Thego-bagisaportablecollectionofgeardesignedtomeetimmediatesurvivalneeds.It’sdesignedaroundtheruleofthreeswithparticularfocusonshelter,waterandfood.Theruledoesn’tchange.Wecandothreehourswithoutshelter,threedayswithoutwaterandthreeweekswithoutfood.Nonetheless,environmentsandindividualconsiderationswouldvary.Pre-assembledgo-bagsarereadilyavailableatmanymajorstoresandontheInternet,butignorethattemptation.Eachindividualistheonlyonewhowouldunderstandhisneedswhenallelsefails.Startwiththebagitself.Grabsomethingdurableandwaterproof.Ifnothingelse,makesureeverythingpackedinsideissealedupandclearfromtheelements.Fromthere,lettheruleofthreesleadtheway.Shelteristheimmediateconcern.Keepseveralfire-startingmethods.IkeepsomeWetFirecubes,afewlighters,somematchesandaflintandmagnesiumstarterinthatportionofmybag.Haveaponchoathand.Keepasetofdryclothesinside.Ialsokeepasiliconetarpandtwo-mantent.Carrysomewater.Amountsmightdifferbasedonenvironment.Inmywater-richregion,Imakesuretohaveaday’sworth—acoupleliters—athand.Somewouldcarrymore.Thoseindrierlocalesshouldpackupthemakingsofasolarstill.Awaterfiltrationpumpisagreattooltoassureyoucanreplenish.Asforfood,ahigh-calorieFirstStrikePackmilitaryrationisagoodbet.
Asforfood,ahigh-calorieFirstStrikePackmilitaryrationisagoodbet.They’remadeforsoldiersincombatsituations.Inasurvivalsituation,youcouldstretchitscontentsbeyond24hours.Asmallfishingkitwouldprovideanothermeansofsustenance.Thosecarryingafirearmforprotectioncouldalsohuntforsmallgame.Thinkaboutthevarietyofrisks.Thinkabouttheclimate.Packinagoodfirst-aidkit.Carryflashlights,acompassandaGPSunit.Youshouldaccountforyourspecificindividualneeds.Somearecaffeinedependent.Othershaveterrible,fallallergies.Familieswithpetsorchildrenshouldhavetheabilitytoprovidecare.Planthebagaccordingly.Youmightincludeadiversionortwo.Ipackaharmonica.
Inasurvivalsituation,aFirstStrikeRationcouldlastevenlongerthan24hours.
Asmallfishingkitcanprovideameansofsustenance.
Youshouldalwayshaveyourbagatreachwhentravelinganysignificantdistancefromhome.Ifsurvivalsituationswerepredictable,therewouldbenosuchthingassurvivalsituations.Awell-preparedbagwouldmeannotonlysurvivalbutalsoacertaindegreeofcomfortforthreedaysandevenbeyondifneeded.
Survivalsituationsalsocarryclearphysicalandmentalchallengesthatcouldbecomeeasierthroughforesightandpractice.Theelementofsurpriseinyour
becomeeasierthroughforesightandpractice.Theelementofsurpriseinyourfamilyexercisesextendsbeyondthevalueofrecreatingthemomentthatanemergencycompromisessafety.Whetherit’sthefullfamilyortheindividual,apointofpracticemightfocusontheabilitytobreakfromhabitandroutine.Manypeoplesettleintoafairlystrictstructureandrunintostresswhencircumstancesdon’tallowforthetypical,relieduponschedule.Formanyparents,lifeisoftenamatterofshippingthekidsofftobedatthe
sametimenightlyandnotaminutelater.Manyfamilieshavedinneronthetableatthesametimeeveryevening.Whileworkingthroughrecovery,brokenroutinescouldprovemoredifficultforsomepeoplethantheactualchallengesofthedisaster.Familiesmightfindsomefunwaystoinjectsomeflexibilityandspontaneityintotheirlives.Sleeproutinesaretoughhabitstobreak.Developingtheabilitytobank
neededsleepwhentimeisavailablecouldbecrucialinanemergency.Itmightbeanabilityyoucouldgainthroughsomepracticewhentimeandscheduleallows.Mixitup.Changethings.Seewhathappensandtrytoadjust.SleepwasarealissuewithanumberofpeopleIworkedwithinHurricane
Katrina’saftermath.Theinitialplanshadbeentoworkeighthours,thentakeeightoffandrepeat.Giventraveltimesandotherunforeseenglitches,thatplandidn’tworksoweadjustedto12-hourshiftsfollowedby12hoursofoff-time.Someofthemendownthere,basedontheirnormalroutines,werehavingdifficultygettinganysleepatall,andittookatollonthem.Asurvivalsituationmightforceyoutocompletelyre-adjustyoursleeping
schedule.Onscorchingsummerdays,survivalmightrequiretakingcoverundershelterandgettingthatshut-eyeduringthehothourstoallowyoutotakeonthestrenuousactivitiesduringthecoolernighttime.Conversely,youmightfindyourselfaloneandhavingtokeepafiregoingforwarmthduringsurvivalsituations.Thatmightmeansleeping45minutesataclipandthenwakingtogetfreshlogsontheblazebeforedozingoffforanothershortperiod.Practicecouldtakeavarietyofformsdependingonyourneeds.Theguy
whosejobrequires100milesoftraveleverydaywhoisnervousaboutanylevel
whosejobrequires100milesoftraveleverydaywhoisnervousaboutanylevelofcarmaintenancemightbenefitfromtakingoffawheelortwoandthenrefasteningthem.It’sbettertostrugglewiththetaskinthedrivewaywithallthetimeintheworldandslowlybuildconfidence.Theonlyotheroptioniswaitingandfallingintopanicastrafficbuzzesbyalongthehighwaywhenatiregoesflat.AvidboaterswhospendtimeontheGreatLakesoranylargebodyofwaterbettermakesurethey’repreparedtospendafull24hoursoutonthewaterifsomethinggoeswrong.Thehonest,firststepsaretolookathowyouliveandsearchforthequestion
marksleftintheplans.Allwouldliketothinktheyhaveeverythingnecessarywhetherfrommindsetorinappropriategear.Practiceistheonlyreliablewaytomakesure.Planscananddogoawry,whetherthey’resetupfortheeveryday
circumstanceordevelopedforthosepotential,difficult,extraordinarysituations.Manyhavelearnedthehardwaythatwhatlooksgood,specificandcompleteonpaperarenoneofthosethingswhenproblemsfinallymovefromthehypotheticaltostress-inducingreality.Youshouldn’thopeforthebest.Youshouldputyourplantothetestandmakesureit’severythingyoufigureditwouldbe.
Getaccustomedtotheoperationoftoolsyoumightneedinadisastersituationbeforeonestrikes.
O
9
INSHAPETOSURVIVE
Workingoutwithapartnermighthelpkeepyoumotivated.
neofthereal,make-or-breakaspectsofpreparationcouldn’tbepackedawayonabasementshelfortuckedinsideofthego-bag.It’scertainlyimportantforprepperstoconsidertheirstorageforthepossibilities
thatlieahead.Storage,however,wouldn’tincludethatfoundonfartoomanywaistlinesinthisdayandage.Healthandfitnesstrulyserveastheprepper’sgreatestassets.It’sabsolutelycriticaltoconsiderwhatyou’reputtingintoyourbodyinterms
offoodandexerciseifyouarededicatedtopreparedness.Gettingthroughtheaftermathofadisasterrequiresbeingindecentshapeandingoodoverallhealth.There’snowayaroundit.Thebest-laid,mostdetailedplansandsupportingcontingenciescouldtumblequicklyifyoulackstrengthorarebattlingweight
issuesorchronichealthconditions.
Gettingthroughtheaftermathofadisasterrequiresbeingindecentshape.Roundisnotashape.
It’snotaneasytruthtoaccountforinanerawhereit’smorecommonthannotforpeopletowearafewextrapounds.Preparedness,however,isn’taboutglossingovertheuncomfortablefacts.Statisticsclearlyshowthoseindecentphysicalshapehavebecometheminority.Fartoomany,meanwhile,havefallenfromaveragetothelowerendofthescaleandaremanagingtheirwaysthroughpoorhealth.Thoseconcernedaboutpreparednessshouldholdrealconcernabouttheir
physicalwellbeingandmakeappropriatechangestotheirlifestylesifnecessary.Itisjustanotherpartofpreparation.Itshouldbejustasmuchapartofyourplan
aslong-termfoodstorageorassemblingawell-stockedgo-bag.Shouldacrisisstrike,thoseinitsaftermathwouldneedtheabilitytomeetthe
significantphysicalchallengesthatareboundtostandinthewayofafamily’srecovery.Itwouldrequiresomewalking,andpotentiallyforsignificantdistances.Itwouldrequirelifting.Acrisismightrequiresomeclimbing.Eachofthosetaskswouldcertainlyrequiresomestrengthandadecentamountofendurance.Thosewholacktheseattributesshouldconcentrateonbuildingupthose“supplies”justastheywouldanyothers.Fitnesswasn’tnearlyasbigofanissueevenagenerationago.Formost,it
wasjustthenormal,everydaystateofbeing.It’syetonemoreexampleofhowthemodernconveniencehasdoneoursocietyfarmoreharmthangood.Goingbackafewgenerations,mostpeopledidn’thavetothinkaboutit.Fitnessdidn’trequiregymmemberships.Peopledidn’tworryaboutsqueezinginthose20minutesofcardioperday.Theygotmorethanadequatedailyexercisedecadesagobysimplyheadingoffandaccomplishingtheday’swork.Sometoiledoutinthefarmfields.Otherstookontheheavyliftingcalledfor
inourfactories.They’dcomehomeandaccomplishyetmorephysicalchoresbeforefinallyheadingofftobed.Iwonderhowmanypeoplebackthencould’veevenimaginedwhatitwouldmeantolivea“sedentarylifestyle.”Lifeiscertainlydifferentnow.Technologykeptonadvancingandbrought
forthallsortsofcool,newtoolsaimedatbringingconveniencetoourlives.Anynumberofinnovationscertainlyaccomplishedthatmission,butsomeconsequencescamealongfortheride.Today,thesedentarylifestyleistheunfortunatenormforagoodnumberofAmericans.It’smorecommonnowtoearnapaycheckfromthecomfortofadeskchairwhilegluedtoacomputerscreenforeighthoursormoreeachday.Manyfailtopickuptheiractivitylevelsafterpunchingtheclockatshift’send.Televisionscarryacouplehundredchannels,andmostfolkshaveanynumber
ofmust-watchprogramspenciledintotheirweeklyschedules.Forthatmatter,anynumberoftools—whetherit’sthedishwasher,thewashersanddryers,the
microwavesorevengas-poweredlawnmowers—takecareof,oratleastlessen,thestressofsomanyhouseholdtasksthattookfarmoretimeandeffortdecadesago.We’reinatimelikenothingbeforeit.Ifpeopleareunwillingtoputforthsomesweatandeffort,modernlivingoftendoesn’trequireit.Manydelightinthatfact.I’mnotsosureI’moneofthem.Exercisebecameachoresomewherealongtheline.It’sabitfrighteningthat
somanyoftheyoungestamongushaveneverknownanythingbutfastfooddietsandNintendoleisure.Manychildrentodayarefarmoreinterestedinpoundingawayatthebuttonsontheirvideogamesthanhoppingonbikesorengagingfriendsingamesoftagorhide-and-seek.Manyteenagersarehookedintotheirsocialmediaaccountsandwillspendentirenightschattingawayattheircomputerdesks.Parentsoftenfailtosetaproperexample.Manyofushavelaptopsandtablets
tokeepthemindoccupied.Thecouchesareprettycomfortable.Frankly,itsaysalotaboutsocietythatadevicewasinventedsothatpeoplenolongerevenhavetostepthatlong8to10feetawaytoturnthetelevisionchannel.
Hikingisagreatwaytogetactiveandgetinshape.
Preppersmightthinkandresponddifferently.Preparingisamatteroftakingstepsbeyondthecommonplaceinrecognizingalltherisksthatcouldeversoquicklybecomereality.Amidcrisis,typicalconveniencelifestyleswouldcomebacktobitethemanywhohaven’tbuckedthesystemandkeptthemselvesindecentshape.Dutywouldcallregardlessofyouraerobiccapacity.Eventhesmaller-scaleeventsasdictatedbytheruleofthreeswouldlikelycreatearealneedforsomerealphysicalwork.Thinkaboutahypothetical,severethunderstormpackinghighwindsthatrips
throughandtopplestheoldoaktreeinthebackyard.Youmightlosepowerforafewhours.Theelectricitymightcontinuetoflowuninterrupted.Themessofbranchesmightdamagethefence.Youshouldstopandthinkaboutwhetheryouhavethestrengthandendurance
togetthattreechoppedupandoutofthewayinatimelyfashion.Afterthatwoodishauledoff,you’dstillhavethetaskofmakingthosefencerepairs.Manytodaycouldn’tdoit.Thegenerallackofphysicalactivityinsocietyatlargeisjustonehalfofthe
damagingequation.Weeatdifferentlytodayandmostoftenfortheworse.Timesseeminglychangedovernight.Formanyfamilies,theeveninggatheringatthediningroomtableisnomorethanawarmideafromaby-goneeraknownonlyfromthoseblack-and-whitetelevisionshows.Itwasreallifenotallthatlongago.Backthen,thechildrenmighthavefoughtsome,butultimately,theyunderstoodtheexpectationthattheyfinishtheirvegetablesiftheywantedtohavetheirdesserts.TheyknewMomandDadweren’tbluffing.
Setgoalsforyourselfonyourwaytogettinghealthier.
Societyatlargelivesfromthedrive-throughwindowstoadangerousextent.Asidefromthosestarchy,nutrientvoid,deep-friedpotatoesthatcomeinthecombomeals,itisn’tuncommonforsomepeopletogofordaysonendwithoutgettingasinglevegetableorfruitintotheirbodies.Stovetopsandovensbetterusedforrealfoodsgetfarlessusethanthereliablemicrowavesthatmakequickworkoftheheavilyprocessedgoods.There’sanotherdangeratplay.Astimemovedon,ourportionsizessomehow
grewlargerandlarger.Itwouldbeeyeopeningformanytolookatrecommended,healthycalorieintakes,thensitdownandtabulatewhatthey’re
actuallyputtingintotheirbodieseveryday.MostAmericansareeatingfartoomuch.Fartoofewrealizeit.It’sbeena
widespreadandtroublesomechange.Thoseheadingtothestorestodaytobuynewsetsofplatesaretypicallygettingsetsofdishesthatarequitelargerthanthepiecestheirmothersandgrandmothershadstackedupintheircupboards.CompareoneoftheirdinnerplatestothecomparablepieceintheChinacabinet.Itmightbeeye-opening.Itextendsbeyondthehome.Manyrestaurantstodaychoosetosatisfytheircustomerswithgiganticportionsofpoorfoodsratherthansmaller,reasonableportionsoffresh,localandhealthyselections.Itwouldbesimpletosaypeopleshouldbemoreresponsibleandkeepwatch
ontheirportionsizes.Itisn’tsoeasy.Manydon’tknowwhataproperportionsizelookslike.There’sanotherissueatplay.It’ssimplynatureformanypeopletokeeponeatingwhetherthey’restuffedornotifthere’sstillfoodsittingonthoseoversizedplates.It’sanareathattakessomelearning,thoughtandwillpower.Theresultofpoordietsandsedentarylifestyleshasrightlybeencalledan
epidemic.Ourcountryhasaproblemwithobesitylikenothingbeforeinourhistory.MorethantwothirdsofAmericanadultsareoverweight,whilemorethanathirdhavesufficientweightissuestobeconsideredobese,accordingtotheCentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention.Thestatisticsshowjusthowquicklylifestyleshavechangedfortheworse.Intheearly1960s,onlyabout13percentofAmericanadultsstruggledwithobesityissues.Obesity,meanwhile,isanopendoortoanynumberofdebilitatingconditions.
Somemightcometostrugglewithheartdisease.Obesitylendstoanincreasedriskofstrokeandtype-twodiabetes.It’sbeenestimatedthatobesityisassociatedwith112,000deathseveryyear.Manypeoplelackthehealthandconditioningtoguaranteefullandfruitfullivinginevennormal,everydayenvironments.Someonewhocan’tmanagewellonthenormaldaywouldfacealightning-fastawakeningamidthetimeofdisaster’schallenges.Toofewaregettingtheirworkin.Asfarasexercisegoes,recentstatistics
haveshownlessthanhalfofAmericanadultsmeettherecommendedguidelinesforaerobicactivity.Onlyoneinfivemettheguidelinesforaerobicactivityandmuscle-strengtheningexercises.Movingthroughadisaster,meanwhile,wouldmeanalotofrealhard,
exerting,“getyourhandsdirty,”physicalwork.Dependingonthenatureofthatdisaster,itcouldmeanagreatdealofphysicalexertionthroughanextendedperiodoftime.Theonlysolutionistogetreadywhileyoustillcan.Asaprepper,youwoulddowellforyouroverallplanbyhonestlyassessing
yourleveloffitnesswithoutmakingexcuses.Likeallareasofpreparedness,itstartswiththinkingaboutwhereyouareatandwhereyoureallyneedtobe.It’satthatpointtherealworkcanbegin.Thereareplentyofpeopleouttherewhocouldn’twalkevenamileortwo
withoutfeelingatouchofstrainanddiscomfort.Manywouldfeelthatcertaintensionintheirmusclesandfindthemselveshuffingandpuffingbeforefinishingamile.Itshouldserveasawake-upcall.Thoseintheworstofshapeshouldtakeamomenttothinkaboutwhatthey
couldpossiblydoiftheirverysurvivalleftnochoicebutgoanother10or15milesbeyondthefirstmilemarker.Ifit’sfrighteningtosome,itshouldbe.They’dbeinahelplesspositionafteranemergency.It’sarecognitionthatit’slongpasttimetobuckledownandgettowork.Theout-of-shapefolkswhoareotherwisededicatedtopreparednessmight
thinkofitfromanotherangle.Waterfiltersareimportanttoolsthatwouldlendagreatdealtowardsurvivalshouldcontaminationbecomeanissue.Generatorsaregreattoolsthatmakelifeagreatdealeasierwhenthepowergoesdown.Thereisnotoolmoreimportantthanthehumanbody.It’stheonlyonethattrulymatters.It’satremendouspieceofmachinery,andit’scriticalthatyouassureit’srunningwellwhentheultimatetestiscalling.Therecouldn’tbeabettertimethanthepresentforthosestrugglingwith
fitnessissues.Likemanyareasofpreparedness,it’sacomponentthatwouldstartslowlyandgraduallybuildtoaleveltowhichyoucouldtakesomegood
comfort.Themostimportantstepisthefirstone.Startmoving.Anyonewho’severinitiatedanewexerciseregimenknowsthatfitnessisn’t
anovernightprocess.Thosewhoarejustgettingstartedareboundtoencountersomesorenessalongtheway.Thefirstfewworkoutsmightbringsomemiseryduringthosenextfewmornings.Newfitnessregimensstartwithagreatdealofdifficultyandbecome
incrementallyeasier,daybydayandweekbyweek,asthebodyconditionstartstoimprove.Mostcanfeeltheimprovementsstepbystepevenifthemirrordoesn’tsoquicklyreflectthem.Itoftenmakesthesorenessthatmucheasiertotolerate.Thefitcrowdlikestosaythatpainiswhathappenswhenweaknessleavesthebody.There’sagoodbitoftruththere.
Thosewithhighbloodpressurecanoftenmakesignificantstridesinloweringtheirnumberssimplybyeatingright,losingsomepoundsandreturningtoahealthyweight.
Theimportanceofmaintainingyourfitnesswhenconsideredfromtheplaceofsurvivalordisastergoesbeyondtheimmediatetasks.Troubleswouldn’tdisappearinaday.Fitnessthereforealsospeakstohowyouwouldhandlethenextdayandthosetofollow.There’snoleewaytotakeadayofftogivethemusclesalittlemoretimeforrecoveryafteragood,longboutofstrenuous
musclesalittlemoretimeforrecoveryafteragood,longboutofstrenuousactivity.Thechallengesaren’tgoingtolieinwaituntilthosetacklingsorenessarehealedupandreadyforthenextround.Further,thosewhogotoofarbeyondwhattheirbodiesarecapableofhandlingruntheriskofaninjurythatcouldpresentadireturnofevents.
Whentheauthorliftsweights,hetriestokeepuphisheartratesotheworkoutalsohelpswithhiscardiovascularhealth.
Preppersareoftenasguiltyasthenextwhenitcomestoignoringfitnessneeds.Therearecertainlysomeouttherewho,whileotherwisededicatedtothepreparationlifestyle,failtosteerclearfromthemanyunhealthytrapsthattemptthemajority.They’reworkingagainstthemselves.Thosewhoexercise,eatwellandhaveasoliddegreeofphysicalfitnesswouldverylikelybeinafarbetterpositiontogetthroughadisasterrecovery.Manymighthavethatfullarrayofgearthatwascarefullyplannedunderthe
ruleofthreestomeetanynumberofsituations.They’restillinalosingpositionshouldtheyhavehighbloodpressure,cholesterolissuesandtheneedfora
shouldtheyhavehighbloodpressure,cholesterolissuesandtheneedforavarietyofmedications.Thatpositionismadeworseforthoselackingtheabilitytomakeevenaslowjogdowntheblock.Withoutproperfitness,allofyourotherpreparationsintheendmightprovideareallynicecollectionoftoolsandsuppliesforsomeoneelsewhokepthisbodyinfarbetterphysicalcondition.
Whatis‘inshape?’Thosewhowatchtelevisionorperusethemagazinesatthegrocerystore
check-outlanesmightgetthediscouragingsensethattheworldismadeupofstrong,muscularin-shapepeopleononesideand“therestofus”ontheother.Fitnessisanotherareawherethere’sahappymiddleground.It’snotanall-or-nothingproposition.Everythingthat’saccomplishedtowardhealthisagoodstepintheright
direction.Thewashboard,six-packabsonthemenandwomengracingthemagazinecoversaren’ttheblueprintofwhat’sneededfromthestandpointofpreparedness.I’msuremanywivesandhusbandsouttherewouldbepleasedwiththoseresults,butpeopleinthemidstofcrisiswouldmanagethroughwithfarless.Thosewhoarefarlessthanworld-classathletescanmaketheirwaysthrough
survivalsituationsanddisasteraftermathswithoutworryiftheyarefit.Thosescenarioswouldtakeappropriatestrengthbutwouldnotrequirebecomingamuscle-boundspecimenwho’sabletocompetefortheMr.Universetitle.Havingappropriatestaminatomeetthetasksbroughtbyadisasterwouldn’trequirethelifestylesofmarathonrunnersortriathletes.
TheU.S.DepartmentofAgriculturedietaryguidelinesprovideagoodroadmapforwhatyoushouldbeeating.
“Inshape”isn’tquiteaseasytodefineas“outofshape.”There’saveryelementarywaytoillustratewhatitmeanstohaveanappropriateleveloffitnessforsurvivalordisasterrecovery:“round”isn’tamongtheshapesthat’llcutthemusterwhentroubleiscalling.Thoselookingtomaketheirwaythroughtoughtimesdon’tneedchiseledbodiesbutshouldallthesamestrivetohaveleanframesandsomemuscle.Thoseworkingthroughasurvivalsituationordisasterrecoverywouldcome
torealizeeffortsaren’tamatterofstrengthonsomeoccasionsandenduranceduringothers.Bothwouldoftencometoplayatthesametime.Thego-bagprovidesanexample.Minehasadiverseassortmentofgoodsaddressingshelter,waterandfoodandweighsinatjustmorethan40pounds.Formanyfolks,thatdoesn’tsoundlikeallthatmuch,andhonestly,itisn’ta
bigdealtohoistitupandputovertheshoulder.Thenagain,40poundswhilestandinginplacecarriesafardifferentfeelingthan40poundswhileonthemove.That40-poundbagfeelsfarheavierafterthatfirstmile,anditsstressonthebodyonlyincreaseswitheverystepforward.Asurvivalsituationmightrequirea15-mileorlongerwalkwithafullyloadedpackontheback.Thego-bagmightnotbetheloneweightliftingyouwillencounterwhileout
onthemove.Irememberhavingmy4-year-oldsonintowanumberofyears
onthemove.Irememberhavingmy4-year-oldsonintowanumberofyearsbackwhiletakingthefive-milewalkoverMichigan’sMackinacBridge.HedidhisbestandIgavetheyoungsterduecredit,butbythetimewewereaboutamileandahalfintothewalk,hedidn’thaveanotherdropofenergytogive.Ihadtocarryhimtherestoftheway.Hemadeforquitethehaul.Ifacrisis
forcesthefamilytomove,thego-bagcan’tbeleftaside.Ifthefamilyincludesayoungchildortwo,there’sagoodchancethoseyoungsterswillbecarriedfordecentportionsofthetrek.It’lltakesomestrength.It’lltakesomestamina.Thosenewtopreparednesswouldarriveatmanydifferentlevelsoffitness.
ManydoOK,butnotgreat,whenitcomestomaintainingahealthylifestyle.Manyaren’tdealingwithobesityandthemanyotherailmentsthatcanbranchfromthatunhealthyplace.Allthesame,manycouldstillstandtoeatbetteronamorefrequentbasisandworkattakingoffafewpounds.Buildingcardiovascularhealthistheprimarytaskforthosegettingstarted.As
averybasicyardstick,anyoneintheir40sor50sshouldstillbeabletowalkfiveto10mileswithoutmuchofastruggle.Thoseinthatagegroupwhoaren’tatthatplaceshouldmakeapointtogetmovingwhetherit’sabriskwalkorjogonaregularbasis.Youshouldalwaysgoabitfurtherthancomfortableandallowthebodytobuild.Thephysicalworkloadbroughtonbydisastersituationsisn’ttheonlyreason
whyhealthandfitnessissovitaltogettingthroughanaftermath.Healthylivinginthehereandnowcouldpreventphysicalailmentsdowntheroadthatwouldleaveyouvulnerableshouldaccesstomedicalcareandmedicationsbeaffectedbyacrisissituation.Statisticsprettyfirmlyshowtherelationshipbetweenhealthandthevery
abilitiesofpeopletomakeitthroughdisastersituations.Theelderlyandsick,forinstance,facethefargreatestrisksafterdisastersstrike.ThedeathscausedbyHurricaneKatrinaveryclearlyshowthatfact.About71percentofdeathsinLouisianaattributabletoHurricaneKatrinainvolvedvictims60orolder.About47percentofthosewereolderthan75.Survival,regardlessofanythingelse,requiressomelevelsofphysicalabilityandwellbeing.
requiressomelevelsofphysicalabilityandwellbeing.Movingawayfroma“round”bodytypetothat“inshape”stateisnotonly
importantfromthestandpointofpreparednessbutfromtheplaceofimprovingeverydayqualityoflife.Thosealreadystrugglingfromailmentsbroughtonbyweightissuescanoftenimprovethemwitharenewedfocusonhealthyliving.Thosewithhighbloodpressure,forinstance,canoftenmakesignificantstridesinloweringtheirnumberssimplybyeatingright,losingsomepoundsandreturningtoahealthyweight.Formany,achangefromthetypical,All-American,fatandcalorie-packed,fast-fooddiettoareasonable,healthy,balancedandwell-thought-outeatingplancanleadtosignificantimprovementsincholesterollevels.
Ahealthylifestyleisessentialtothesurvivalmindset.
Thosewhorecognizepreparednessasapracticeinself-relianceshouldlookattheirrequired,dailyprescriptiondosesandaskthemselvesjusthowmuchtheycantrulyrelyonthemselves.Medicinedoessomeprettyamazingthings.Inasurvivalsituation,thatmightallgooutthewindow.Doctorsareoftenreluctanttoprovidepatientswithanyextradosesof
medicationtopackawayfortheeventofanemergency.It’sunderstandablewhenconsideringexpirationdates.Medicinesareregulatedforavarietyofreasons.Preppersmightoccasionallyfinddoctorswhowouldobligeextrapack-away
bottlesoftheprescriptionmedicationstheydependuponafterexplainingtheirpreparednessplanning.Somedoctorsmightofferupsomesamplesthatcouldbetuckedawayinthego-bag.Allofthateffortmightstillgofornaught.Ifthat’sthebest-caseoption,anextra30days’worthofmedicinesmightnotsufficedependingonthenatureofailmentsandtheseverityofthedisastersituationathand.Itallcomesbacktothinkingahead.It’stoughtoimaginethehelplessnessof
havingaterribleheartconditionandjustaday’sworthofdosesleftinthepillbox.Manyhavediabetesanddependondailyinsulininjections.Thosewithanyseriousailmentscouldfindthemselvesinunenviablepositionswhenallofthepharmaciesinreasonabledistancearedark,lockedupandverylikelyemptiedout.Medicinesarevitaltomany,andthosewithstrictreliancecouldface
imminentdangerinacrisis.Thewisedecisionforthosewhohaven’treachedthepointofchronicailmentsistoputforthsomeeffortintheimmediateterm.Propereffortandattitudemightwellallowyoutoavoidafrighteningsetofcircumstanceslater.Gettinginshaperequiresdedication,motivationandproperhabits,butit’sby
nomeansanimpossiblejourney.Ittakeswork.Itmighttakesomewillpowerwhenthatdeliciousandawfullyunhealthytreatfallsinsight.Inmanyways,it’sjustanotherexerciseincommonsense.
I’mneitherapersonaltrainer,noradietitian.Iwouldn’tpretendtobeeither.Still,Ithinkthebiggestgainscomeattheverygroundlevelandstartwithhonesty.Peoplegenerallyknowwhatthey’redoingwrong,butforsomereason,theyfailtocorrecttheirhabits.Itshouldn’ttakeatrainertosaythatawell-roundeddinnerfollowedbyabrisk,hour-longeveningwalkisfarbetterthantheup-sized,drive-throughcombomealfollowedbyafewtelevisiondramas.Itdoesn’ttakeanexpertopiniontoknowthatanafternoonoutonthecanoewilldomoreforyourhealththanhoppingonthecouchforanap.Helpisoutthereforthosewhoneedit.Doctorsanddietitianscouldoffer
someimportantadviceaswellasdetaileddietplansforthoseattemptingtoloseadecentamountofweightorgetcertainhealthconditionsincheck.Foragoodnumberofpeople,Ithinkthere’sstillalotofcommonsensevalueinanold-fashionedaxiomaboutnutrition.Trytogetseveralcolorsontheplateeveryday,andaccordingtothatrule,white—thosestarchypotatoes—isn’tacountablecolor.Itmightbetheyellow,greenorredbeans;thatdarkgreenspinach;ortheburgundybeets.Thereareanumberofresourcesthatarequicklyavailablethatoffersolid
informationtowarddevelopinghealthyandworkabledietplans.TheU.S.DepartmentofAgriculturerecentlyupdateditsdietaryguidelines,whichforalongtimewererepresentedbythefoodpyramid.Recommendedfoodquantitiesvaryfordifferentpeoplebasedontheirvaryingdailycaloricneeds.Regardlessofquantities,itprovidesaprettygoodroadmaptowardunderstandingwhatpeopleshouldbeeating.Therecommendations,whichareseparatedbyfoodgroups,showthe
significantproportionsoffruitsandvegetablesimportantinoveralldietsforthesakeofhealth.Forthosewhorequire2,000caloriesonadailybasis,theUSDArecommendstwocupsoffruitand2 ⁄ cupsofvegetables.Youwouldroundoutyourmealplanwithsixouncesofgrains,5 ⁄ ouncesofprotein-carryingfoodsandthreecupsofdairy.Relyingoncommonsenseandhonestyaboutyourpoorpersonalhabits
1 2
1 2
providesagreatstartatgettinganappropriatedietinplace.Youshouldrecognizeamealwithasmallcutofleanmeatasideseveralvegetablesisabetterchoicethanthefrozenpizza.Youshouldknowthefreshproduceinthebottomdrawerofrefrigeratorwillfuelthebodyinabetterfashionthanthelarge-sizedTVdinner.Asforexercise,thereareavarietyofwaystobuildupendurance.Youwould
needtobeabletomoveandaccomplishwhatcouldbecriticaltaskswithoutgettingwindedinanemergencysituation.Itrytokeepcardiovascularhealthinmindthroughoutmyworkoutsandevenwhenengagedinactivitiesaimedatstrength.IfI’mliftingweights,justaswhenI’monatreadmillorintheswimmingpool,Ikeepafocusofkeepingupthatheartrate.Ifit’sdipping,Ibringuptheexertionleveltogetthatpulsebackuptoadecentpace.Simplydoingsomethingwouldputaprepperinafarmoreactiveplacethan
many.It’sabundantlyclearthatmostpeoplearen’tgettingnearlyenough,orinsomecasesany,exercise.In2008,anaverageofmorethan25percentofAmericansreportedhavingnoleisure-timephysicalactivity.
Crosscountyskiingisagreatexerciseactivityforpreppers.
Healthylivingrequiresadecentcommitment.TheCDCrecommendstheaveragepersonspend150minuteseachweekgettingmoderatelyintenseaerobicactivity.Theagencyalsorecommendstheaveragepersonengageinmuscle
activity.Theagencyalsorecommendstheaveragepersonengageinmusclestrengtheningactivities,workingallthemajormusclegroups,atleasttwiceaweek.CDCrecommendationssayincreasingworkouttimeorintensityincreases
healthbenefitsorcouldgiveanextrastrideortwotowardlosingweight.Workoutsneednotbeforoneextendedperiodeachday.Apersonwillstillgetthesamebenefitsfrom10minutesofaerobicactivityatseveralpointsthroughoutthedayasfinishingaworkoutallatonce.Thereareplentyofoptionsouttheretogetthoseminutesin.Gymsaregreat
resourcesthatprovideanynumberofmeansforpeopletogetthatexercise.Withthatoption,there’softengoodaccesstogoodadvicefromprofessionalsonhowtomakethebestandquickeststridestofitnessgoals.Somearen’twillingtospendthemembershipfees.Otherscan’timagine
gettinganyenjoymentoutofspendingamonotonoushouronthetreadmill.Thosewhoaren’tsoldonthegymoptioncanfindanynumberofgreatmeanstogetaworkout.Somewouldn’tcostmorethanthepriceofadecentpairofwalkingorrunningshoes.Fitnessadviceandanynumberofworkoutplansarenofurtherthanasearch
oftheInternetoratriptothelibrary.Youmightrelyontheoldstandbys,whetheritsbriskwalkingorjoggingcombinedwithmuscleconditioningexerciseslikepushups,sit-upsandcrunches.Thosewhowanttoinvestalittlebitmoreintosomeworkouttools,whetherafewdumbbellsorapull-upbar,candosoatfairlyinexpensiveprices.Weallknowhowmanypeoplestart,thenabandontheirworkoutregimens.It’slikelyyoucouldfindanynumberofgooditemsonthecheapbykeepinganeyeonthesecond-handmarket.IusethegyminthewintertimegiventheNorthernclimateisn’tallthat
conducivetofrequentlygettingoutdoorsforanyextendedphysicalactivity.Intheremainingthreeseasons,Itrytogetmyexercisethroughoutdooractivities.Inmanysenses,itextendswhatmyexercisehastooffer.Forpurposesofpreparedness,anynumberofoutdooractivitiesofferameanstofitnessandawaytogetacclimatedtowhatsurvivalsituationscouldpresent.
waytogetacclimatedtowhatsurvivalsituationscouldpresent.Exercisinginthegymisabitmorecontrolled,andinthatway,quite
dissimilartotheexperienceofhaulingoffdebrisorothertasksmorelikelyinadisasteraftermath.Liftingweights,whetherwithglovedhandsorpaddedbars,wouldquitelikelybelesstaxingthanchoppingandhaulingoffsomewood.Walkingonatreadmillorjoggingonasmoothandeventrackisgoingtobefareasieronthebodythanwalkingorjoggingonthetrail.Trailsareagreatbet.Theyofferscenerybutalsogiveyoushiftsinelevation
andallofthebumpsandcrevicesthatcouldleadtoblistersandalltypesofsorenessforthosewhoaren’taccustomed.It’sasmartplantogetthebodyacclimatedearlytotherougherstuffthatMotherNaturepresents.It’sonelessthingthatcouldtripupaprepperafterdisaster.ThehikerswhotackletheAppalachianTrailprovideagoodexampleand
furthershowwhattheextremelywell-conditionedcanaccomplish.Itsfulllengthservesasariteofpassageforasmallhandfulofpeopleeveryyearandextendsnearly2,200milesfromMainetoGeorgia.Many,manypeopleenjoyfarshorterstretches.Whetherit’stheweekend20-to40-miletrekthat’scommonforsomanyorthemonth-after-long-monthendurancechallengethatextendsacrossmuchofthewidthoftheUnitedStates,wecanpulloutsomegoodideas.
Theworldisagym.Anyonewhowantstogetstartedonagoodworkoutregimenneedsonlythreethingsandnotonewouldcostapenny.Thebodyandtheenvironmentprovideallyouwouldneedfromthephysicalangle.Disciplineisalwaysthedecidingfactoronwhetheryouareultimatelysuccessful.Themostimportantpiecesofworkoutequipmentforanysurvivalistarehisowntwofeet.Ithelpstohaveagoodpairofshoes.Youmightnothaveagymmembership,butyoumighthaveanearbyhill.Thatalonecouldbeenoughtogetyoufromroundtoleanwiththerighteffort.Walkup.Jogdown.Repeat.Whentheworkloadbecomeseasier,youmightjogbothways.
bothways.Chopwood.Workinthegarden.Mowthelawn.Anythingthattakessomephysicaleffortiscontributingtoyourhealth.It’samatterofthinkingaboutwhatthebodyneeds,settinggoalsandputtinginenoughtimeandworktoreachthem.Itallcomesbacktodiscipline.Takeawalk.Takeajog.Youcouldmakeagreatdealofheadwayonyourhealthbypickingupyourgo-bagandtakingthreeorfourlapsaroundtheblock.Makeitahabit.Doitnightly.Itwouldaccountforstrengthandendurance.
Therearemanyroadstofitness.Somepeoplemightwantthebigweightsetandtheexpensiveellipticalmachine.Gymmembershipsdoworkwellformany.Themoneyspentmightprovideagoodlevelofmotivation.Itisn’tnecessary.ThosewhoarewillingtospendalittlemoneyongettinginshapemightconsiderTRXstraps.They’remadeofnylonwebbingandgiveyoutheabilitytobuildupstrengthoffofyourownweight.Theexercisecomesfromresistance.Thenylonstrapsareaninexpensiveoptionandthey’reversatile.Youcouldtakethemanywhere.Theprepperwhocheckedintothelessexpensivehotelwithoutthatniceworkoutroomcouldhookthemtothedoorandaccomplishallofthesame.Craftyfolkscouldmaketheirownversions.Whenpushcomestoshove,itreallyisn’tamatterofequipment.Theonlyrealfactorisyourdedicationtowardgettingfitandhealthy.Machinescan’tdoit.It’sthewillpower,habitsandeffortsofthosestandinguponthem.Ifyoureallywantit—whetherit’sinagym,onahillorwalkingaroundtheblock—youwillfindyourwaytomakeahealthierlifehappen.
Formanyhikers,20milesormoreeachdayisaprettycommongoal.They’llhavealightpack,notmuchunlikeourgo-bags,loadeduptomeetbasicneeds
havealightpack,notmuchunlikeourgo-bags,loadeduptomeetbasicneedsalongthetrail.They’llstophalfwayforlunchandadecentrestandcontinueonforthesecondhalfoftheday’sjourneybeforesettingupcampforthenight.Whenthesunrises,they’lldoitagain.Formany,it’sweekendrecreation.Thewell-conditionedfewjustkeepongoingandgoing.Withthatmodelinmind,agoodendurancetestmightbethatnearby,public
trail.Takeapack,headoutfor20milesonedayandthensleepthenightbeforeheadingbackintheotherdirection.Youcouldnotehowyoufeelandusethatasagaugetodeterminewhetheryourfitnesslevelisappropriatewhenplacedagainstyourpreparednessplan.Thenatureofyourexerciseisn’tasimportantasputtinginthetime.
Regardlessofyourworkoutplan,youshouldassesshowyourincrementalgrowthcomparestowhatyourbodywouldneedtoaccomplishafteradisaster.Itmightjustprovidesomemotivationtokeepgoing.ExerciseisanotherareainwhichItrytolivemypreparations.Ioftentryto
getsomeofmyexerciseinmeansthataddtomyskillbaseforuseinanemergency.Iregularlychopandsplitwood.Itprovidesagreatworkout,butI’malsopracticingandknowI’mfirminmytechniques.Readyingwoodforafireafteradisasterwouldn’tprovideforanymajorchallengeorfrustrationsbecauseit’salreadypartofhowIlive.Swimmingisanotherexample.It’satremendouscardiovascularworkout.It’s
alsoaskillthatpeoplemightneedinacrisissituation.Likeanythingelse,workoutsarelessaboutworkforthosewhoactuallyenjoy
thetimespentonphysicalactivity.Findsomeactivitiesthatarefunandgetthatpulseelevated.I,forinstance,willgetoutonthelakewitharowboatfromtimetotime.It’sastrengthexercise,itmeetsthosecardioconsiderationsanditalsoprovidesforaheckofaniceday.Thinkaboutthepossibilitiesoutthere.Thoughnotwosurvivalsituationsare
thesame,it’sworthconsideringsomeofthescenariosthatwouldrequirephysicalexertion.Noonecangomorethanthreedayswithoutwater.Survivalmightrequiretravelingsomedistancetofindasource;thenhaulingseveral
mightrequiretravelingsomedistancetofindasource;thenhaulingseveralgallonstothecampwherethefamilyiswaiting.Youmighthavetohikeatremendousdistancetothemainroadornearesttownwiththatheavybagonyourshoulders.Considerthestrength,balanceandcoordinationitcouldtaketocontinueforwardaswellasclimbupandoveranyobstaclesalongthepath.Healthylivingandoftenthelackthereofinterestinglyshowsthatwhatpeople
wantandtheeffortthey’rewillingtoputforthtogettherearetwodifferentthings.Inthegreatersense,thereisn’tapersonwhowouldn’twanttolivetobe100yearsorolder.Veryfewaredisciplinedenoughtotreattheirbodiesinafashionthatmightgivethemthechancetogetthere.Itfurthergoestoshowhowhealthfitsintoyourpreparednessplan.Preppers
livedifferently.Theeffortstakeninpreparingareamatterofputtingforthworknowinhopeofachievingtherightoutcomelater.Healthisreallynodifferentthananyotherpartoftheplan.Whenitcomesdowntoit,there’snothingtoloseandeverythingtogainfrom
movingintoahealthylifestyle.Thosepreparedineverywhichwaybuthealthmightthinkofonetremendousdisasterthat’sontheradarscreenandeasilyavoidable.Youshouldthinkaboutyourbodyatage60afteryearsofunhealthyhabits.Itmightverywellqualifyasdisaster,andit’sonemanycreateforthemselves.Thosewhogettheirbodiesintobettershapeandmaintainthatconditioningmighteventuallyconsideritadisasteravertedastheyadvanceintheiryears.Ofcourse,therearethefortunatefewwhogetthroughtheirtimeonthis
planetwithouthavingtoexperiencesomesortofhardship.Nooneshouldcountonbeingamongtheluckyones.Youcan’tpredicthownaturaldisastercouldaffectyourlife,thoughlivingwellprovidesthebestbetsagainstself-inflictedones.Gettingintoandmaintainingahealthylifestyle—keepinginshape—trulyis
themostcommonsenseendeavoryoucouldtakealongthepathtopreparedness.Thoseheadedtothehomeimprovementstoretobuyageneratordosowiththehopethey’llrarelyhavethecircumstancesthatwouldallowthemtocollecton
hopethey’llrarelyhavethecircumstancesthatwouldallowthemtocollectonthatinvestment.Nooneishopingtoliveforanyextendedtimeinatent.Anyonewouldcollectthebenefitsofhealthylivingeveryday.There’s
somethingtobesaidaboutsimplyfeelingbetter.Asanadd-on,preppershavethecomfortofknowingthemostimportantpieceofmachineryinthecache—thehumanbody—iswellfueled,tunedupandreadytogoshouldtoughtimescomecalling.
R
10
MEDICINEWITHOUTDOCTORS
Awell-stockedfirstaidbagisessential.Knowinghowtouseitismoreimportant.
eadinessisn’taneasypath,butit’scertainlyworthalloftheeffortthat’sneededtogetthere.Onecomponentinparticularmightbeprettytoughforsomepeopletoconsider.Medicine,itwouldseem,is
probablythemostnotableareaintherealmofpreparationinwhichpeopleofoureramightshunthenotionofself-reliance.It’sallthesameanimportanteffortandoneeverybitasessentialasanyotherpartofawell-laidpreparednessplan.
TheauthorcarriedthesetwofirstaidkitsonhimwhileinAfghanistan.
Forsome,itmightcomewithadegreeofapprehension.Modernmedicine,afterall,standsamongourmosttremendousassets.Membersofthemedicalcommunityrepresentsociety’sbestandbrightest.They’veunderwentyearsofspecializededucationandtrainingtoachievetheircredentials.Theirworkrequiresasteadyhand,smarts,careandconfidence.Often,there’slittleroomforerror.Thosewhoworkinemergencyresponse,meanwhile,maketheirlivingsin
environmentsofhighstressandhigherstakes.They’rereadytomoveattheverymomentacallcomesin.It’samazingtothinkofthebalanceandconcentrationthatallofourmedicalprofessionalsmaintainasamatterofhabitwhenpeopleareinpainorlivesareontheline.Injuriesandillnessesaretoughformanytothinkabout.Takingresponsibility
foraperson’swellbeingmightcarrysomeintimidation.Itrequirescalmandnerve.It’seasytounderstandhowthegreaternumberofpeopleouttheremightshudderatthethoughtofgoingitalone.Preppers,however,understandjusthowquicklylifecouldchangeforthe
worse.Thebestormostfavorableoptionisn’talwaysanavailableone.Everythingwetypicallyrelyupon,includingmedicalcare,coulddisappearata
Everythingwetypicallyrelyupon,includingmedicalcare,coulddisappearatamoment’snotice.It’shappenedbeforeanditwillinevitablyhappenagain.Youcouldstumbleintoasituationinwhichyou’reforcedtoprovideyour
owncare.Youcouldbecomelost,endangeredandhavenochanceofanyaidbeyondtheprovisionscarriedinyourpack.A911callcouldn’tofferreliefifyou’reinadesolatelocalebeyondthereachofcellphonereception.You’dbeonyourownshouldyoutrip,stumbleandsignificantlygashyourlegonajaggedrock.You’dhavetoreachforyourfirstaidkit.It’dbeimportantforyoutoknowhowtoproperlyusethegoodspackedinside.Thecommunityasawholecouldfinditselfreelingafteranactofnature.
Someonewhoemergedfromatornadowithabrokenarmmighthavetowaitseveralhoursorevenlongerforprofessionalcareifthecommunity’sentiremedicalinfrastructureistiedupandattendingtothosewithlife-threateninginjuries.Thesituationwouldprovideforlesspanic,painandhardshipifheoralovedoneknewhowtoapplyasplintthatwouldsufficeforthemeantime.Doctorswouldalwaysbethemostpreferableoptionwhenillnessesand
injuriesgobeyondthecommonandminor.Asamatterofself-reliance,allpeopleshouldhaveatleastaminimalabilitytooffertheirverybestintermsofcareshouldthetimeandneedeventuallycall.Thehealthandwellbeingofourfamilymembersandothersweencounter—forthatmatter,ourveryownhealth—fitsquarelywithinthemostbasicreasonsforplanningahead.Theruleofthreesisn’taboutwhatmakesyoucomfortable.It’sabout
surviving.Peoplecouldveryeasilyrunintoapositionofhavingtosurvivewithouttheaidandknowledgeofdoctors.Toomanyfailtothinkaboutjusthowmuchdisasterswouldstripawayfroma
community.Obtainingadoctor’scareoradvicewouldn’tbeassimpleasaphonecallortriptothenearbywalk-inclinic.They’dhavetheirhandsfull.Summoninghelptoanemergencyscenemightnotalwaysbeaseasyasdialing911.Emergencydispatchsystemsmightbeknockedout.Morelikely,theentireambulancefleetwouldbeoutinthecommunityscramblingfrominjurytoinjury.
injury.Anybitofknowledgeisbetterthannoneatall.Evenbasicfirstaidskills
couldgiveyouarealabilitytobringcalmtoanotherwisefranticsituation.Attheveryleast,youcouldprovidetheinjuredwithabetterabilitytowaitformoresubstantialintervention.Havinganunderstandingofillnessesandtheircauseswouldallowyoutosteeryourfamilymembersawayfromsomeprettysignificantdangers.Disastersoftenbringhazardsateveryturn.Prepperswouldn’thavetomovepastthebasics.Youwouldn’tneedto
embarkonthepathtowardanursingormedicaldegree.Havingasolidbasisinpreparednesswouldn’trequireyoutoachieveanemergencymedicaltechnician’slicense.Aprepperwouldn’tattemptaself-surgery.Itisn’tamatterofknowingitall.It’ssimplyamatterofknowingenough.
ThiswastheMilitaryImprovedorIndividualFirstAidKit—IFAK.Itisreallyatraumakitformajorinjuries.
Healthisalwaysamajorconcernafterdisaster.Preppingingeneralisanexerciseintakingourwellbeingintoourownhands.Asaresponsibleandcompassionatecitizen,youmightalsohavetotakeontheroleofcareproviderforanotherifthere’snooneelseavailablewithbetterskillstohandlethetask.Gettingtothatplacerequiressomeworkintheeverydaycalm.
Gettingtothatplacerequiressomeworkintheeverydaycalm.Thehealthrisksafteradisastercouldbecomesubstantial.Peoplegethurt.
Peoplebecomesick.Damagesleftbehindinthewakeofstorms,earthquakesoranyotherlife-changingeventwouldopenallkindsofnewhazardsthatwouldn’texistonthetypicalday.Greaterrisksoftraumawouldexistthroughalltherubbleanddebrisscattered
about.Illnesseshavebeenknowntosettleoncommunitiesintheweeksandmonthsbeyondadisaster.Theaftermathofsomequiterecentdisastersillustratestheatypicalrisksthosestrugglingmightencounteraftercalmre-emerges.HealthworkersafterHurricaneKatrinanotedoutbreaksofsomeserious
diarrhealillnesseswithinthemasssheltersopenedtoaccommodateevacuees.Testingconductedonthosesufferingrevealedcausesthatincludedsalmonella,choleraandnoroviruses.Thoseillnessesweredirectlyattributedtotheaftermathofthehurricane.SeveralotherswhomadeitthroughKatrinadevelopedstaphinfections.
Healthworkersdiagnosedvibrioillnessesinseveralpeopleafterthehurricane.Thebacteriacausedfivedeaths.It’sbelievedmostofthosewhocontractedtheillnesswereinfectedthroughopenwoundsontheirbodieswhentheytraveledthroughcontaminatedfloodwaters.MedicalworkersinMissouridealtwithseveralpatientscarryingararefungal
skininfectionintheaftermathofthe2011Joplin,Mo.tornado.Theillnesseswerethoughttobecausedbysoilandvegetativematerialsbecomingimbeddedinopenwounds.Atleastthreepeoplediedasaresult.NewYorkCityanditsmetropolitanareamanagedthroughanumberofpublic
healthconcernsafterSuperstormSandypushedthroughin2012.Concernsincludedmoldandissuesofsewage,oilandothercontaminantsthataretypicalofanyflooddisaster.Therewerealsofearsofdiseaseoutbreaksfromthedrowninganddecayofthecity’surbanratpopulation.Additionally,therewerefearsregardingtheheartierratsthatsurvivedandweredisplacedfromtheirsubterraneanhomestothesurfacebyfloodwaters.
ThesearethecontentsofanIFAK.Soldierscarrythesekitssothemedicsdon’thavetocarrysomuch.
Publichealthofficialshaveraisedgeneralizedconcernsthatcanaffectthewellbeingofcommunitiesafterdisasters.Flooding,whetherbroughtbyhurricanesorotherwise,typicallybringsforthworriesoftheWestNileVirus.It’sanillnesscarriedbythemosquitosthatwouldobviouslythriveamidwidespacesofstagnantwater.TheCDCcitesavarietyofhealthriskstoconsiderafterdisasterrangingfromtetanusandchickenpoxtothewater-borneCryptoandGiardiaparasites.Thelistgoestoshowthatacommunity’soverallhealthcantakeapounding
fromdisasterjustasdoeseverythingelse.Preparationfromthestandpointofmedicinemeansdevelopingastrongrespectfortheincreasedchancesofillnessthataccompanydestructiveepisodes.Readinessrecognizesthatyoucanneverbetoocareful.Prevention,asit’sbeensaid,isalwaysthebestmedicine.Someonewho’spreparedwouldalsobequicktorecognizeastarkrealitythat
settlesinasstormspass:doctors,hospitals,ambulances,nurses,paramedicsandallelsethatcontributestoacommunity’shealthandwellbeingaren’timmune
allelsethatcontributestoacommunity’shealthandwellbeingaren’timmunefromthedevastation.Ourmedicalinfrastructurewouldfacethesameseriouschallengesastheoverallcommunity.Thataloneplacesthosesufferingfromhealthproblemsatfargreaterriskthanthey’dexperienceonatypicalsunnyafternoon.
Firstaidkitsareavitalpieceoftheprepper’soverallcache.
Recenthistoryhasshowntheoverwhelmingtrialsenduredbyhealthsystemsinthewakeofdisaster.Anyemergencymeansheavierworkloadforanyonemakingacareerofservingthepublic.Often,disastermeansourprofessionalshavemoreworkandfarlesscapabilitytohandleit.Hospitalsmighthaveamoreimportantrolethanmanybuildingsinourcommunities,butthey’rebrickandmortar—andthereforesusceptibletodamage—likeanyothers.SeveralhospitalsinandaroundNewOrleanssustainedsignificantflooding
amongotherdamagesandwereforcedtocloseafterHurricaneKatrina’s2005wrath.Someofthosefacilitiesneverreopened.Thedamageleftbythatstormimpactedthegeneralpublic’saccesstohealthcareatvariouslevelsforyearsafterthefloodwatersreceded.
afterthefloodwatersreceded.WorkersatSt.John’sRegionalMedicalCenterinJoplinwereleftwithouta
facilityafterthehugeanddestructive2011tornadotorethroughthestructure.Thetornado’simpactswerealsolongfelt.Medicalcrewsresumedcarefromtentsshortlyafterthestorm.Theylatermovedintotrailers.In2012,hospitaloperationsmovedintoapre-fabricatedbuildingasplansforanewcommunityhospitalcontinuedtounfold.Manhattan’sNYULangoneMedicalCenterandBellevueHospitalwereshut
downafterSandyin2012.Bothsufferedpoweroutagesandneitherwereabletorestoretheirpowerthroughgenerators.Thestormforcedtheevacuationofabout800patientsbetweenthetwofacilities.Crisissituationsgobeyondamatterofbuildings.Fromamedicalaspect,
Joplintrulyexperiencedaworst-casescenarioasthemassivestormtorethroughthecity.St.John’stookadirecthitfromthetornadoandsustainedseverestructuraldamage.Workershadtoevacuate183patientsafterthestormpassed.Sixinsidethehospitaldied.Whenexaminedfromawiderview,thedevastationinJoplinprovidesastark
illustrationofthestressanddifficultycommunitiesmightfacefromtherealmofpublichealthintheearlyhoursafterdisaster.Searchandrescueoperationsbeganquicklyaftercalmsettledin.Theregion’ssecondhospital,FreemanHealthSystem,tookoncriticalcarepatientsfromSt.John’sandpickedupasmuchslackasitcouldinservicetothegreatercommunity.Itwasn’tenough.EachofJoplin’sclinicsandotherhealthcarefacilitiesquicklyreached
capacityastheinjuredwerelocatedandusheredtosafety.Medicalpersonneldidtheirbestwithwhattheyhad.Theysetuptriagelocationsthroughoutthecity,includingatthehighschoolandeveninstoreparkinglots,toprovidewhattreatmenttheycouldtothosewhowerehurt,accordingtoFEMA.Thosewithmedicalexpertisehadtorelyonsomedegreeofcreativityfromthosespotsgivenashortageofadequatemedicalsupplies.Itwasn’teasy.Americansarecertainlyblessedtohaveanoverallemergencyresponse
systemthatcanmovequickly.ItwasshowninthetragedyofJoplin.Therewere
systemthatcanmovequickly.ItwasshowninthetragedyofJoplin.Therewerenineambulancesinthefieldwithinthefirst10minutes.Therewere21ambulancesandalmost70EMSprovidersinthefieldwithinahalfhour.Withinthefirsthour,theytransportedabout350patients.Withinaweek,membersoftheSt.John’smedicalstaffwereabletoprovidetreatmentfroma60-bedmobilefieldhospitalbroughttotheravagedcity,FEMAreports.Thatregiondidthebestitcouldunderstrikinglydifficultcircumstances.Its
respondersdidamazinglywellastheywaitedforthegreaterreliefefforttobuildaroundthem.Itallthesamegoestoshowhowquicklyourstrongestcommunityassetscanfallvulnerable.Ittakesjustafewminutesoftime.Preppersmighttakeawayyetonemorelessonasitpertainstotheurgencyof
planningneeds.Collaborativeeffortsonaregionalandevennationalscalearestrong.Otherswouldalwayscomeinfromtheoutsidetobolsteranycommunity’sabilitytomanageanotherwiseunfathomablesituation.Itmighttakehours.Calmandsafetymighttakedays.Itprovideslittlesolacetothoseinjuredandingreatpainattheveryimmediatemoment.
Youcanpersonalizeyourfirstaidkittofityourneeds.Theauthoraddedcaffeinepills,antibioticointment,antihistamineandatourniquettothiskit.
Thedifficultiespresentedattheonsetofdisastertakesnothingawayfromthemenandwomenwhogivetheirallwhenit’stimeforduty.Emergencyresponseinthewakeofdisasterreallyboilsdowntosimplearithmetic.Onthetypicalday,emergencymedicalservicescanmoveatamoment’snoticewhenone,twoorevenafewemergenciesrequireeffortsinseveralareasofasmallercityonasimultaneousbasis.Ifthatcityhassixambulancecrews,theresimplywouldn’tbeanygoodwaytopromptlyoradequatelydealwith20ormorecallsthatreach911dispatchersjustmomentsafterthedisastergiveswaytocalm.There’snoreasonablewayaroundit.I’velongheldadeepappreciationfortheemergencyworkerswhomanage
withlittlebeforeoutsideaidgivessufferingcommunitiessomemeanstotakecontrol.Iworkedasalieutenantatourlocalfiredepartmentintheearly1990s.Wehadalargeandmostlyruralcoveragearea.TheunwieldysquaremileageofourjurisdictionreallygotthebestofuswhenseveraltornadoestoucheddownononeSaturdayafternooninSeptember.Ourareafortunatelymadeitthroughthosestormswithoutdeathsorany
seriousinjuries,buttosayourdepartmentwasspreadthindoesn’tbegintoexplainthatworkday.Wewerecompletelyoverwhelmed.Ourdepartmenthad20membersoutinfivetrucksandwewerecoveringcallsateverycornerofoursizableservicearea.
Chooseyourpathcarefully.Aturnedanklecanbecomelifethreateninginadisastersituation.
Bytheendoftheday,ourcrewsworkedthroughnearly100callsforserviceandhalformorecameintheearliesthours.Wedidtheverybestwecould.It’stoughtoimaginethatsamesituationhadanumberofthosecallsinvolvedpeoplewhosufferedseriousinjuries.Disasterprovidesaheckofanendeavorforanyagencyofanytype.Itisn’ta
matteroftheeffortputforthbythemenandwomenoutinthefield.They’reveryassuredlygivingtheirbest.Firedepartments,policedepartmentsandambulancecrewswouldinevitablybeworkinginasituationwhereneedsfaroutweightheabilitiestopromptlymeetthem.Medicalteamswouldfacemuchthesamesituationasourpoliceofficers,who
oftenstruggletobalancelawenforcementdutieswithsearchandrescueandgeneralpublicsafetywhenwidespreadandscatteredneedsemergeafterdisaster.It’salwaysamess.Ourfullmedicalinfrastructure—fromthedispatchertakingthe911calltothenursedeliveringcareatthehospitalbed—wouldverylikelystrugglewithfarmorepatientsthanthey’reequippedtohandle.Capabilitiesat
strugglewithfarmorepatientsthanthey’reequippedtohandle.Capabilitiesatthelocallevelinanycommunityfromthesmallesttowntothesprawlingmetropolisareonlydesignedtomeettheneedsofatypicalday.Preppingisamatterofreachinggoodsolutionsattheindividuallevelbefore
theproblemsthathavebeendocumentedelsewherefinallystrikehome.It’sapracticethat’ssupportedwiththerightgear,thoughitisn’tdefinedbywhat’sinthetoolbox.It’samatterofattitude.Post-disastersafetyandthepotentialneedtotreatinjurieswillrequiresomeeffortandtherightmindset.Itwouldalsorequirejustalittlebitofeducation.Allpeople,preppersorotherwise,shouldtakethetimetogettheir
certificationincardiopulmonaryresuscitation.CPRcouldprovidetheloneopportunitytosaveanother’slifeifheorsheiswithoutapulseandisn’tbreathing.Itmightbeaheartattack.Itcouldbeanumberofothercauses.Thecoursestakeonlyafewhoursandtheyofferthepotentialtosaveapersonwhoseverylifehingesonjustafewcriticalminutes.It’saskillthatisjustasimportantfortheaveragedayasitisfordisaster.You
shouldneverassumethatanotherwouldhavetheskillsnecessarytotakeonthatcriticallife-savingtaskatatimeofneed.Itcomesbacktoself-reliance.It’sasmallamountoftimethat’sincrediblywellspent.Everyoneshouldtakebasicandadvancedfirstaidcourses.They’dgiveyou
theopportunitytohandlepotentialtraumainthewakeofdisaster.Firstaidtraining,likeCPR,alsoprovidesagoodskillsetforeveryday.Accidentshappen.Healthconditionsputpeopleatcriticaldangerallthetime.Thosetrainedinfirstaidhavethevitalabilitytostartcareinthoseall-importantminutesbeforeanambulancearrives.It’simportanttoconsiderallofthegoodthatcouldcomefromjustasmall
amountoftraining.Havingtheabilitytotreatevenaminorwoundcouldprovidetheinjuredwithcalmandcomfortuntilheorsheisabletoseeaprofessional.Thatgoodwouldstretchyetfurtherinhavingtheabilitytotreataninjuryduringchaotictimeswhenrisksaboundandthere’snoguaranteeofanyprofessional’sspeedyarrival.Apreppermightoffertheinjuredhisverybestchance.
speedyarrival.Apreppermightoffertheinjuredhisverybestchance.Classesonfirstaidarewidelyavailableandregularlyscheduledwhereveryou
mightlive,whetherthroughorganizationssuchastheAmericanRedCrossandtheAmericanHeartAssociation,communitycollegesoroftenathospitalsandfiredepartments.They’reoftenhands-oncoursesandcoveravarietyofhealthtopicsfromsimplewoundstopotentiallylife-threateningsituations.Manyfirstaidclassestakeonlyaday’stimetocomplete.Thoseenrolledlearnhowtohandlebleeding.Lessonsrangeallthewayfrom
thecleaninganddressingofasimplecuttoproperuseofatourniquetthatwouldhaltsignificantbleedingafterapotentiallycriticalinjury.Thefullrangeofthoseskillscouldbecomeveryimportant.It’seasytoenvisionencounteringwoundsofvaryinggravityamidthewreckagebothimmediatelyafteradisasterandasclean-uppressesforward.Thecourseswouldteachyouhowtohandleminorbonebreaks.Courses
addressthetreatmentofburnsandsprains.Youwouldlearnhowtocareforthoseexperiencingseizuresorsufferingfromheat-orcold-relatedemergencies.It’svaluableinformationthatfitsinwellwiththegreaterscopeofyour
emergencyplanning.Firstaidisn’talwaysamatteroflifeordeath.Someonewhocanproperlytreataminorissue—whetherit’syourownorthatofafamilymember—isabletogetrightbacktothebiggertasksathand.Somepreppersoutthereplacehigheremphasisonthemedicalaspectsoftheir
plansthanothers.Somegetthroughthecoursesdesignedforeverydayfolksanddecidethey’dbemorecomfortablewithamoredetailedbaseofknowledge.Itallcomesbacktothelevelofpreparednessyouareseeking.Someofthosewithdeeperplans,forinstance,tookthetimeandefforttolearn
howtodostitches.Youwouldn’thavetogothatfar.That’sparticularlytrueforthoseprepperswhohaveanadequatestashofsuppliesathand.Itcomesbacktoflexibilityandhavingawell-roundedknowledgethattouchesthemanyareasoflifethatstandtobeimpactedbydisaster.Inmostcases,thesuperglueorducttapeintheworkshoporkitchendrawerwouldsufficetocloseallbutthemostseriouswoundssufficientlyuntilyoucouldreachahealthprofessional.
seriouswoundssufficientlyuntilyoucouldreachahealthprofessional.Suppliesdobecomeimportantasitpertainstopotentialinjuries.It’simportant
tohaveasufficientlystockedfirstaidkitatreach.Firstaidkitsareavitalpieceoftheprepper’soverallcache.Everykitwouldincludethebasics,includingagoodsupplyofbandages,
gauzepadsandpainkillers.Manywoulddecidetopackinatourniquetanddosowithstronghopesthey’dneverencounterwoundingsoseriousastorequireitsuse.Agoodkitasitrelatestodisasterpreparednesswouldincludeadecentsupplyoftripleantibioticcreamforuseoneventhesmallestnicksandcuts.Propercleaninganddressingofwoundsisimportanteveryday.It’smoreso
duringasurvivalsituationorfollowingdisaster.Youcan’ttakechances.Aprepperwouldrecognizethequickandseveredifficultiesinfectioncouldposeandthecomplicationsitwouldbringtotheoveralleffortsadisasteraftermathrequires.Theknowledgeofferedthroughfirstaidcoursesandcapabilitiesprovidedby
kitsgiveapreppergreaterpersonaladvantageswhenrecognizingtheforemostgoalofpreparednessissimplystayingalive.Injuryorillnesscouldseverelylimitthechancesofyoumakingitthroughasurvivalsituation.Therestofyourpreparationscouldn’tmakeupthedifference.
Neverunderestimatethevalueofducttape.Inmostcases,itwouldhelpcloseallbutthemostseriouswoundsuntilyoucouldreachahealthprofessional.
Basicfirstaidcoursesarevitaliffornoreasonmorethangainingenoughknowledgetorecognizethecausesofcommonillnessesandtheirearlysymptoms.Simplerecognitioncouldgoalongwaytowardmanagingthroughdisasterandbacktosafety.Beingabletorecognizeaproblemorpotentialhazardisreallythreequartersofthebattle.Thefactthatseveralofthedeathsfrom2012’sSuperstormSandywerecaused
bycarbonmonoxidepoisoningspeakstotheimportanceofproperknowledge.Itspeaksfirsttoavoidingtremendousdangerssuchastheindooruseofgenerators.Youcouldfurtherwonderwhetherifsomeofthosedeathsmighthavebeenpreventablehadvictimsknownenoughtorecognizesomethingwasn’trightandwenttofreshair.Aproperunderstandingofhealthandthecorrespondingabilitytoaccountfor
thefamily’swellbeingdrawsfromavarietyofpreparednesstopics.Itcomesfromrecognizingthenecessityofproperhydrationandthesignificantdangersposedbyconsumingcontaminatedwater.It’sbuiltfromrecognizingourbodiescan’tfunctionwhenbeloworbeyondtheirhealthynormaltemperatures.Thosewhounderstandtheearlysymptomsofdehydration,forinstance,would
Thosewhounderstandtheearlysymptomsofdehydration,forinstance,wouldthenhavetheabilitytoshiftgearsandmakewaterthetopprioritybeforethedangergrowsmoresignificant.Thosewhorecognizedtheearliestsymptomsofhypothermiaorhyperthermiamightwellhavesavedtheirownlifes.Whenahealthriskprovidesapersononlythreehourstocorrecttheproblem,thereisn’tasingleminutetospare.Wellbeingafteradisasterrequiresasenseofcautionevengreaterthanwhat
youmightexerciseonthecommonday.Thosewhogethurtduringarecoveryperiodorwhenlostandbeyondaidwouldonlymaketoughtimesincrediblyworse.Thereisn’troomforanydegreeofrecklessness.
Basicfirstaidcoursesarevitalforpreppers.Beingabletorecognizeaproblemorpotentialhazardisinvaluableinadisastersituation.
Theneedforcautionwouldtrickledowntotheverysimplestofactivities.Ifyouhadtowalkonruggedterrain,forinstance,youmightlookforagoodwalkingstickbeforepressingahead.Youshouldstillstepcarefullyallalongthepath.Turninganankleonthecommondayisenoughtocreatesomeprettyseriousinconvenience.Drivingmightbecomedifficult.Youmightneedcrutches.Turninganankleinasurvivalsituationthatwouldrequirehikingandhardphysicallaborwouldminimallymeansomeprettyseriousmisery.Itcouldultimatelyleadtoyourdemise.Youwouldhavetokeepacloseeyeoutforanythingsharponthegroundor
otherwise.Youshouldstepwithutmostcareifinwaterandunabletoseewhat’s
otherwise.Youshouldstepwithutmostcareifinwaterandunabletoseewhat’srestingbeneath.Thosewithoutaccesstomedicalcareshouldcompletetheirworkmethodicallyandwithagoodmeasureofpatience.Thereisn’troomforanaccident.Itreallycouldn’tbeconsideredanaccidentifyouaren’ttakingappropriateprecautionsatatimeinwhichit’ssonecessary.Accountingforthepotentiallackofmedicalcarethroughpreparationsisin
anothersenselimitingthepossibilityyouwouldneedit.Asdiscussedearlier,maintainingyourhealthoverthelongtermasamatteroflifestyleprovidesthebestchancestosurviveandlivecomfortablyatanytime,andmostnotably,duringanyrecoveryperiod.Theimportanceofdecentstrengthandendurancecan’tbeunderstated.Conversely,poorhealthcouldbehazardousshouldyoulackaccesstoyoureverydaymeansofmanagingyourconditions.
EveryoneshouldgetcertifiedinCPR.Youcouldusewhatyoulearntosavesomeone’slife.
Thosewhocouldn’tgoforextendedperiodswithouttripstothedoctorbasedonchronicconditionsstandagreaterchanceofbecomingacasualtyofdisaster.Statisticsspeaktotheimportanceofphysicalabilityandwellbeing.Theveryoldandveryyoungarethemostfrequentvictimsofanydisaster.Therisktothosemanagingchronicissueswouldonlyincreaseshoulda
disasterdebilitatethecommunityforanylengthyperiodoftime.Prescriptions
aretiedtoaparticularpharmacyorpharmacychain.Ifyourreliedupondrugstoreisclosedupandyoucan’treachyourdoctor,you’reoutofluck.It’sworthrepeating:tripstothegym,eveningjogsorevengoodbriskwalks
arepartofyourpreparationeffortsanddeservethesamelevelofattentionasbuildingupfoodstorage.Eatingdecentbalancedmealsinsteadofrelyingongreasypizzasthreenightseachweekistakinganefforttowardpreparednessjustasisbuyingthatnewgenerator.Healthtakeswork,thoughthere’slittleinlifethat’sworthwhilethatdoesn’trequiresomedegreeofeffort.Eventhosewhowatchtheirdietsandgettheirworkoutsinshouldkeepontop
oftheirhealthstatuses.Itmakesalotofsensetoheadintothedoctor’sofficetogetaphysicalonanannualbasis.Itwouldallowyoutogetsomeadviceandquicklygetahandleonanydevelopinghealthissuesbeforetheygrowmoreserious.Preparationinitsentiretyisapracticeofmaintainingvigilanceandthere’sno
areainwhichit’smoreimportantthanhealth.Ourhealthistrulythemostimportantthingwehave.Preppersshouldactdecisivelyandintentionallytowardtheendsoftheirwellbeing.Doctorsaresmartpeople.It’sworthfollowingtheiradvice.It’sparticularly
trueforallofthosefrequentlyrepeatedmessagesthattoooftenfallondeafears.Putdownthecigarettes.Avoidthefastfood.Backawayfromthetelevisionscreenandgetactive.Thosealreadystrugglingwithsomehealthconditionswouldwanttokeep
theirhealthattopofmindwhenworkingthrougharecovery.Youshouldrecognizeyourlimitsandmakeapointagainsttakingunnecessaryriskswhenatallpossible.Iftheout-of-shapemanwiththeheartproblemdoesn’thaveaccesstohisdoctor,hemightbewiserinhavinghistwoin-shapesonsprovidesomehelpifthere’saheavysupplyofwatertohaulhome.Themedicalsideofpreppingcertainlyisn’toneoftheeasierpiecesofthe
preparednesslifestyle.Maintaininghealthisapartofpreparationthatcomestoplaythroughanynumberofdecisionseverysingleday.Accountingforhealthin
thewakeofdisasterfurthertakessomethoughtinareaswheremostpeoplejustaren’tcomfortablespendingit.Itisfrighteningtoconfrontthepossibilityofinjuryorfailinghealth.It’syet
moredifficulttoconsiderencounteringthosedifficultieswithouthavingahelpinghandfromwithinourskilledmedicalcommunity.Thebestremedytofearisalwaysaction.Ourliveshaveplentytoofferus.Theonethingwe’llnevergetfromlifeis
guarantees.Solideffortcanmakeupalotofthedifferencewhencircumstancesstripacommunityofitscomforts.Preparationrecognizeswereallydohavethepowertoshiftthebalancetoourfavorattimesofdifficulty.
Youmightnotcometorecognizethetruevalueofawell-stocked,high-qualityfirstaidkituntilreachingafrighteningmomentinwhichitbecomesabig-timenecessity.Pre-packedkitsinavarietyofsizesandofferingsareavailableatalmostanystore.Theprepperwouldwanttodoalittlebetter.Mostfamilieshaveafirstaidkit.Thepre-assembledkitsavailableatpharmaciesanddepartmentstoresgenerallyprovidewhat’sneededtogetthroughmanytraumasituations.Often,however,thegoodspackedinsidearen’tofthesamequalityyouwouldfindwhenbuyingitemsindividually.Thosewho’velonghadthesekitsonhandmightdecidetobuildbetterversionsfromscratch.Itwouldstartwithadurabletotebag,asupplylistandatriptothenearbydrugstore.Itwouldrequiresometimeandwouldcertainlyrequiresomecashbeyondthepricetagsontheready-madeversionssittinginthesamestoreaisle.Someoftheverybasickitsouttheregofor$20orless.Thosecompletelyunpreparedmightstartwithafewofthosebasickits.Youcouldspendalittletomakesurethehomeandvehiclesarecovered.Youcouldthenmakeadjustmentswhenable.Havinglesserqualityitemsisbetterthanhavingnothingready.Noonecouldpredictjustwhenthatgearwouldbecomevital.Examinewhat’spackedinside.Ifthebandagesarepoor,youcouldpickupsomereplacementsduringthenextstorevisit.Thesameholdstrueforanyofthosecontingencies.Basickitsarepreciselythat.They’dincludegauze,tapeandbandagesinavarietyofsizes.They’llcarryafewsimpletoolssuchasatweezersandscissors.Anykitwouldhaveantibioticandburnointments.Apre-packedkitwouldhavealcoholpadsorothermeanstocleanawound.
Aprepperwouldwanttoaddtothosekitsinwaysthatmeetspecificfamilyneedsandthefullcapabilitiesyouwouldwantinanemergencysituation.Thebasickitisn’toftengoingtohaveareliabletourniquet.Manywouldn’tincludesplintsthatwouldallowyoutoprovidecareforabonebreak.ThosewithsevereallergieswouldstashawaysomeEpiPensandmedicationsoftheirchoice.Isufferprettysevereheadacheswithoutagoodinfluxofcaffeine,andthereforeIpackinsomecaffeinetabletsintomine.Manypeoplehavepreferencesasitcomestopainkillers.Thosewhowantagood,ready-madekitcouldgoonlineandpurchaseamilitaryImprovedFirstAidKit.They’respecificallymadeforbattletrauma.Thebandages,ointments,gauze,tapeandothergoodsinanIFAKwouldcomewithhigherqualitythankitsyouwouldfindatthestore.Theycomewithatourniquetdesignedforcombatthat’seasytouse.Thefirststepistoprepare.Thenextistoimproveyourpreps.It’sworththeefforttomakesurethefamilyisnotonlycoveredintermsoffirstaidbuttothebestextentpossibleinrecognizingthepotentiallydangerous,high-stresssituationsduringwhichthesekitswouldcomeintoplay.
Youcouldsimplyhopeforthebest.Itwouldn’tdomuchgood.Youcouldresignyourselftotheideathatyoulackthewillpowertomaintainaworkoutplanoraresimplyunabletohandletheresponsibilityofadministeringfirstaid.Inthatcase,you’djustasmuchresignyourselftoplentyofworrywhendrivingpastthedamagedpharmacy.Alackofeffortnowmightlaterleadtoaplaceinline,waitingwithfearamongscoresofotherinjuredpeopleafterthetornadolevelsthetown.Betteryet,gettoworknowandbeabletoprovideforyourselflater.Shoulda
painful,thoughnon-life-threateninginjuryhappen,you’dbeabletorelyontheskills,knowledgeandconfidenceopenedupthroughlearninglongbeforethe
skills,knowledgeandconfidenceopenedupthroughlearninglongbeforetheemergencycametobe.Itallstartswithattitude.Youwouldcertainlychooseadoctorandsteriletreatmentroomifitwere
available.Similarly,youwouldwantthesimplicityandusualsafetyofthekitchenfaucetduringawatercontaminationemergency.Toughtimesarecalledsuchforareason.Sometimes,anadequatesolutionwillhavetodoifanotherwisepreferableonejustisn’tthere.It’sdoable.Peoplethroughouthistoryhavedoneitallbefore.Preppingisa
practicethatrecognizesjusthowmuchwecanaccomplishwithpropereffort.Youmightthinkbacktothoseencouragingwordsthateachofusheardwhilegrowingup:“Youcandoanythingifyouputyourmindtoit.”Ofcourse,it’snotanobjectivefact.Onlyaselectfew,forinstance,aregoing
tostartincenterfieldfortheDetroitTigers.Thecountrydoesn’thavemillionsofpresidentsorastronauts.Thosewordsallthesameoffersomesignificanttruth.Allofuscanindeeddofarmorethanwethinkwe’recapableofwiththought,astrongdriveandalltheworkthatcomesalongwithit.Preparednessisabouttakingcharge.It’scomingtorecognizethatwecantake
careofourselves.It’sarecognitionthatnogoodcancomefromsimplyignoringthefacts.Badthingshappen.Theyhappenfrequently.Theycouldhappentous.What,then,canwedoaboutit?WecanmakeagoodlifeforourselvesandfamiliesregardlessofwhatMother
Naturethrowsintoourpaths.It’sjustamatterofthinkingandfollowingthroughtomakesureourbasicneedsarecoveredfortomorrowjustastheyarefortoday.Youcangainalotofstrengthwhencomingtorecognizejusthowmuchyoucandoonyourown.Buildingtowardself-relianceisataskthatrecognizesthecommunity-at-large
doesn’talwayshavethebestanswers.Weknowandvalueourselvesandourfamiliesfarmorethananyoneelse.Gettingtoworkonpreparednesseffortsrecognizesthefollyinsimplyhopingforhandoutswhenemergencystrikes.Anyonecandobetter.Eventhebest,mostefficientaidofferedafterdisaster—helpthatfirmlyaccountsfortheruleofthrees—isn’tboundtosuitanyone’s
helpthatfirmlyaccountsfortheruleofthrees—isn’tboundtosuitanyone’sindividualneedsverywell.Agoodlifeandalifeofeaseandcomfortaren’talwayssynonymous.Too
manyhavebeenspellboundbyourseeminglyendlesslistofconveniences,whetherit’sgadgetsandgizmosorquickaccesstobusinessesthatprovideeveryserviceunderthesun.Wecanaccomplishanawfullotbybucklingdownandgettingtowork.ManyAmericanshaveforgottentheingenuitythatincrementallybuiltupandledtoeverythingwehaveinthisamazingmodernera.Preppingmakesgreatsenseforthosewhohavetheverybestinterestsoftheir
familiesinmind.It’sasmartpathtowalkdown.It’sapathattheheartofwhatAmericareallymeans.Self-relianceisn’tspecificallywrittenintoourBillofRights,butyoucanfind
thatwayoflifebetweenthelinesandthroughoutthatcriticaldocument.Itspeakstowhowealwayswereandwhatwewerealwaysaboutasanation.It’stheverydefinitionoffreedom.It’samatterofmakingourwaysandmeetingourneedsasweindividuallyseefit.It’samatterofgettingthejobdonewithoutwaitingonsomeoneelse.
Knowyourmedsandbemindfulofyoursupply.Ifyourreliedupondrugstoreisclosedupandyoucan’treachyourdoctor,youcouldbeoutofluck.
OurcountrywasfoundedwiththeDeclarationofIndependence.We’vequicklyreachedaplaceofunfortunateirony.We’vereachedapointinhistorywherefartoomanyarecompletelydependentonotherstomeetsomanyoftheirmostbasicneeds.Manywouldbelostandstrugglingshouldallofthatmoderneasedisappear.Itcouldhappeninminutes.Itdoesn’thavetobethatway.It’sworthsteppingbackandconsideringhowlifeusedtobe.It’sworth
examiningtheattitudesandworkethicsofourforefathers.It’sworthrememberingthegreatthingsthathappenedwhenpeopleputtheirhandsand
rememberingthegreatthingsthathappenedwhenpeopleputtheirhandsandmindstowork.Historyisourbestteacher.Thiscountryweenjoywouldn’tbeanythingnearwhatitistodayifitwasn’t
formanygreatmenandwomen—somerecognizedbyhistoryandothersnot—whotooksomebigburdensontheirshoulders.Theyrecognizedthat,“IfIdon’tdoit,nobodyelsewill.”Theymadesomanygreatthingshappen.
Practiceyourfirstaidskillstoincreaseyourconfidence.
Americanstodayarestillaffordedtherighttochoosetheirownpaths.Youcouldchoosetheeasypathandsettleonrelianceinothers.Youcouldputforthsomemoreeffortandchoosethefreedomofdoingityourownway.
Emergencycallcentersareeasilyoverwhelmedinadisaster.Takeresponsibilityforyourwellbeingandthatofyourfamilybybeingpreparedformedicalemergencies.
Takeconfidenceasplansstarttodevelop.Mostofall,takecomfort.Preparationtakessomethoughtandsomeworkbutofferspreciselythatinthefaceofallthedifficultiesthatarepartofthisturbulentworld.Allofushaveourmindsandourhands.Allofuscanovercomeagreatdeal
morethanmanywouldeverfigure.Justasgenerationaftergenerationbeforeus,we’restillallverycapableofdoingsoonourownterms.
Copyright©2013F+WMedia,Inc.
Allrightsreserved.Noportionofthispublicationmaybereproducedortransmittedinanyformorbyanymeans,electronicormechanical,includingphotocopy,recording,oranyinformationstorageandretrievalsystem,withoutpermissioninwritingfromthepublisher,exceptbyareviewerwhomayquotebriefpassagesinacriticalarticleorreviewtobeprintedinamagazineornewspaper,orelectronically
transmittedonradio,television,ortheInternet.
Publishedby
LivingReady,animprintofF+WMedia,Inc.700EastStateStreet•Iola,WI54990-0001
715-445-2214•888-457-2873www.livingreadyonline.com
OtherfineLivingReadybooksareavailablefromyourlocalbookstoreandonlinesuppliers.Visitourwebsiteatwww.livingreadyonline.com
ISBN-13:978-1-4402-3566-5ISBN-10:1-4402-3566-X
DesignedbyDaveHauserEditedbyJaredBlohm
PrintedinUSA