Do you feel like there is no reason to start planning now for surviving a disaster situation? Do you fear an economic collapse but worry that it is too late and there is nothing you can do? This is a common thread on Prepping and Survival blogs, but I will maintain that it is never too late (or too early) to start prepping. Why do I believe that?
There is no one who is full prepared for every disaster scenario, only some who are better and some who are not as well prepared. Prepping is not something that can ever be finished for lots of reasons. Regardless of how prepared you think you are there will always be new threats, new people to care for, new risks to our society and nothing you have in your bomb-proof bunker will ever protect you from everything that may happen to you or your family until the end of time.
Prepping is a lifestyle choice I believe, that people who are concerned with any one of hundreds of things do in order to put themselves in a better position to come through the events they fear, better than someone who does nothing. A Prepper can see a risk or threat and plans to take steps to make sure there is less risk or a reduced threat. This process of analysis and planning should never end so regardless of where you are in your life you can begin prepping.
Prepping Research – Analyze Threats and Responsibilities
Before you do most anything you should have a plan, or at least that is what I believe. Oh sure, I can run out to the local restaurant on a whim, but if I wanted to start gardening let’s say, you would want to make sure you understood what you were getting into before you walk out into the back yard and start digging.
For a garden, there are lots of things to consider. What are you going to plant in the garden and how much? Where will the garden go and what will you need to do to the ground and soil before you can add plants? Do you have animals like deer or rabbits to contend with?
Do you have the right tools and is your soil in the right condition for planting the crops you want to grow? What will you do with the crops you get out of the garden? A raised bed or square foot garden and on and on. This is just a simple list of a few common questions, but your decisions to these questions are what helps you formulate a plan for how you are going to be successful at your new venture.
Let’s take another hypothetical scenario. Let’s say you live on the East coast and you are concerned about Hurricanes. The plan you begin could start with the following items:
- What if we need to leave town on quick notice?
- What if we stay and need backup power
- What if the stores run out of food
- What do we need to think of for our Mother who needs insulin?
- What if the gas stations run out of or ration gas?
- How will I cook if there is no power?
- How will I keep my family cool if it is summer and there is no power?
- What if looters come around?
The list could go on and on, but this is just a quick stab at some things that may be deciding factors on your plan for a hurricane. If you can start answering what you would need or could do for each of those scenarios above you are starting on your plan. Perhaps this list is too specific to hurricanes, but it may be there are other scenarios that items on this list fall into as well.
Make your prepping plan based on those threats
Now that you have a list of concerns or priorities your plan should be easier to format. One thing that has helped me is lists. Anyone can make a list and this doesn’t have to be a shopping list although some of the items on your list may be something you plan to purchase. Your list could start simply as an outline like below:
Power
- Backup-Power (Generator)
- Need Fuel
- Plan for energy needs and possible tie into the house
- Solar Power Backup – Portable Camping system
- Power inverter
- Batteries
- Mounting system
OK, so you have some items to start thinking about and your plan is in progress. You know that to address the power component in your plan you have certain items that you want to acquire. This gets you going toward a master list that should probably have some order of importance in there. For example, if you have lost power, but it has never flooded, power would be higher on the priority list.
Engage others in your plans
This one is a little tougher because everyone has opinions. Planning is simple whenever it is only you that you have to convince but if you have to convince someone else about the benefits of prepping you might have to try a little harder.
Regardless of the time, you will be much better off if you have a support system in place prior to any events where your survival skills might be put to the test. A logical choice is family members, but what if you are single and don’t have any family that lives near you? Maybe you have friends who want to be prepared and you can all go in together on plans and preparations. If nothing else, you can prep separately but share your individual experiences or thoughts with them and then you all should be more informed and better prepared to ride out the storm.
If you are overwhelmed at the daunting task before you take a deep breath and begin someplace. If your list ends up being two sheets long like mine, just start somewhere. What do you feel would be something you can accomplish easily? Could you buy another month worth of food and water and store them? Could you organize gear into a 72 hour or Bug out bag so that you are ready in the event you have to leave quickly? It could be as simple as purchasing a weather radio, some candles and a case of Ramen noodles as your start. You shouldn’t stop there, but this little milestone should be a small and easy to achieve goal that will put you on the path to being better prepared.
Everyone has their own level of preparedness and we all had to start somewhere. There is no better time than right now for you.
Let me know what you have started doing on your prepping journey below.