Preparing is a basic human function. We prep for a visit to the
grocery store by making a list. Eggs, check. Bread, check. Milk, check.
You can even prepare mentally without physically doing
anything."Prepping" is an extension of these normal preparations
everyone already does. It is usually considered extreme due to the
exposure it has garnered lately, being tied into ludicrous scenarios
that grow more and more far fetched by the day. Those that use prepping
to get ready for inevitable disasters or emergencies are "Preppers."
,
we are here to clear the air. Prepping is not about daydreaming on
doomsday scenarios, it is about being ready for threats likely and
unlikely that will be thrown your way. Prepping is about keeping
yourself and your loved ones safe from harm and staying in control in
unavoidable situations. Five steps can help you stay in control not only
when SHTF, but in everyday scenarios as well:
- Identify your Threats
- Determine/Prioritize your Risks
- Make a Plan
- Develop a Kit
- Train and Prepare
Identify your Threats
The first step is to take a look at all the threats we have
identified on this website. Come back when you are done browsing, but it
is quite a few! These are just threats we are making you aware of. Try
to branch out and look at what your neighbors have experienced,
conventional and unconventional. Here are a few questions you can ask
yourself:
- Is your neighborhood prone to burglaries? How often?
- Do you live in a flood plain or where wildfires occur frequently?
- Do you live near a nuclear plant or a fault line?
- Do you live near a train that transports hazardous chemicals?
- Does your neighbor feed bears for fun?
You probably have the idea by now, and we could go on for pages.
Writing the threats down will help you remember them for the next steps.
There are many threats to your well being that we have not listed on
this page, or ranked with our TrueRisk risk analysis system (such as
bear attacks). These can be categorized as 'common sense' threats or
'unknown' threats. Common sense threats are threats that are so
prevalent, we hope you have already considered them. This includes the
possibility of a fatal car wreck, developing a debilitating health
issue, and losing your job and having financial hardship to name a few.
Unknown threats are threats not conceivable, or we have such little
information on them we cannot judge the risk accurately.
Determine and Prioritize your Risks
Determining your risk to the threats you have identified is often
overlooked in the prepping community, but it is one of the cornerstones
of preparedness. Conducting a risk analysis is very important for
prioritizing how you spend your time and physical resources. A risk
analysis is completed by comparing the impact of a threat with the
frequency that you anticipate that threat to occur. If you determine
your risk levels wrong, and then prioritize your preparations
accordingly, you may end up looking foolish or even worse, not being
around to look foolish. Recently I read a blog post on how a well known
prepper lost their home in a house fire. While my condolences go out to
them and their family (nobody was injured, thankfully), I couldn't help
but wonder if they had prioritized properly. Years of stockpiled food
stores, energy solutions, and survival gear lost to one of the
most common personal disasters that can affect a family. Take a look at our
TrueRisk index, where at
TruePrepper
we have conducted a general risk analysis for you that you can tailor
to your need. You will notice that almost everyone needs to prepare for
house fires and home invasions first and foremost. Risk analysis and
prioritization is important.
Make a Prepper Plan
Your plan can be written or verbal, small or large, a single plan or multiple plans, but it has to be
shared and practiced.
You have identified the threats, decided which you need to address and
in what priority. Start with the high priority threats and plan
accordingly. Your plan should include in the very least communication
information, safe locations depending on threat, and ways to avoid
threats and be more safe. Talk with your family about your plans for
various disasters, emergencies, and survival scenarios. Share with
trusted friends and ask for critiques to identify weak points in your
planning.
Develop a Prepper Kit
Your kit can be generic, such as a simple disaster/survival kit, or
it can be custom tuned to all threats you anticipate using specialized
kits. The
kit guides on
TruePrepper are meant to get you started on developing different kits based on your needs. Our
gear reviews
are here to flesh out your prepper arsenal based on our collective
knowledge and experience with the gear we share. Be wary of some items
targeted to preppers online and in stores, as it is not always "you get
what you pay for."
Train and Prepare
Set a schedule to practice, evaluate, and revise your emergency
plans- at least annually. How do you prepare for the threats besides
practicing your plan? You can mitigate them before they happen. If you
live in a flood plain, look into flood insurance. Stay fit. You will be
surprised at how much that helps all aspects of your life- not just
during emergencies. Be resourceful. Keep learning new things- never stop
learning. Survival skills are not only a huge help in making yourself
self-sufficient, they are pretty fun to learn too. Last of all, although
it is serious business to prepare for what life brings your way, try to
have fun with it. If you find you enjoy prepping, you are more likely
to stick with it and transfer the importance of being prepared to people
you interact with.
For more good prepping information like this visit the
True Prepper.
For additional
information see the following links:
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