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)

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•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

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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.

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