Final Prepper

Never Be Situation Unaware

“On a warm spring night, after eating dinner with friends and deciding to do a little late-night dancing, a young lady walks across the top floor of a well-lit parking garage. She’s tired, worn out from the night of dancing and to help combat her fatigue, one hand is carrying a latte from the local late-night coffee joint down the road while her other hand fumbles in her purse.

Since it’s the top floor of the garage, there are few really good places to mount a security camera, so the ones that do exist are not able to capture much outside of the fact that behind her, a black-clad man with his hood up approaches her from behind as she unlocks her car door, and attacks. Within seconds, he slams the back of her head, knocking her unconscious with his blow, if not with the ricochet of her head against the roof of the car. Picking up her keys off the ground, throwing her inside the car bodily, he’s driving off through the garage, and is out of camera range very quickly to do…well, just about anything he wants.”

While this is a fictional situation, it’s the kind of thing that I’m starting to think about now that my daughter is going to be attending college in the big city. She has basic skills in martial arts, an interest based on an activity that I required of her when she was a young teen, but doesn’t have a firearm and doesn’t carry any weapons in her purse. What can she do to prevent this kind of attack?

3 Ways to Discourage Street Attacks

#1 – Situational Awareness & Mindfulness

Millennials often get a bad rap for being too tied into their phone, but it’s not only them. People of every age do it and they need to beware of the risks of making their way through life oblivious to those around them. In a world where any kind of media is immediately available through so many channels, it’s easy to put your headphones in and enjoy a little entertainment on those lonely walks down the streets. I love podcasts myself, and I know how easy it is to get lost in what the hosts are discussing and become engrossed to the point of making secondary the thoughts about where you are, where you’re going, what you planned on doing, and how you’re getting there.

Situational Awareness is simply the act of being constantly aware of what is happening around you. It is essential in any kind of potentially dangerous situation to be mindful of what is happening around you, keeping a clear head, focusing on the present situation and your present environment. Use as many of your senses as you can – listen to the ambient sounds, notice the smells of your environment, put your eyes and your head on a swivel, looking behind you every thirty seconds or so, and more often if entering a new environment.

I used the word “mindful” in the last paragraph, because Mindfulness is becoming a part of the zeitgeist of modern life as well. This age-old concept is very simply a set of techniques designed to help you focus on the present moment, and what is happening around you – very similar to situational awareness. Looking up some simple mindfulness exercises like “leaves on a stream” or even practicing basic meditation is a good way to help build your tolerance for long periods of being in the moment.

In the above situation, the young lady who was attacked likely had no idea that there was someone else on the roof of the parking garage, much less that he was following her, even as closely as he would have had to in order to attack so quickly. Having no situational awareness, and likely being lost in a world of her own thoughts or in cell phone music or audio programs was her first big mistake. Had she been looking around, aware of her situation, and perhaps even made eye contact with the attacker on her way towards her car, she may have done enough to encourage him to choose a different target.

#2 – Providing Disinformation

If you were an attacker who wanted to prey on someone, would you choose a man or a woman to attack? Young or middle aged?

Almost everyone would choose a young female. The reasons are simple – she’s less likely to have any interest in martial arts or combat sports, she’s probably smaller and less muscular than her male counterparts, she likely carries more cash or valuable jewelry, and is stereotyped as being more naïve by the media and society at large. Whether any specific female fits those categories is unimportant, its true that the simple act of being a female makes you a bigger target.

Being a young female isn’t something you can control. Or is it?

No transgender stuff here. But it’s possible, highly likely even, that the attacker in the above situation has done at least a small amount of research on this car he found on the top floor of a parking garage late at night, and it’s surprising what you can figure out about someone based on their car.

Does she have custom vanity license plates? If so, those are generally a strong indicator that this is a female, unless the plates say something decidedly masculine like “GUNDUDE8” or “PREP MAN”. If he peeks inside and sees custom leopard print seat covers, a steering wheel cover, or fuzzy dice on the rearview mirror, then assumptions can easily be made. Other information can be gleanes as well. If he sees a Victoria’s Secrets bag in your passenger seat, then what’s he going to assume? The contents of your backseat can tell a lot about a person. Makeup bags, the presence of an infant car seat or a booster, bumper stickers – all of these things say something about you, and help attackers decide if you’re a good target. While they don’t all “scream” female, they do all scream “unfocused” or having their concentration distracted by errands, a child, whatever. We are all guilty of this, especially in places we have frequented where “nothing has ever happened.” Reality is it only has to happen once to be life altering.

The worst offenders of the car customization market are the stick figures that populate the back windows of far too many cars. Sure, they’re kind of cute, but they give way too much information about who you are, who is in your family, their ages and their interests. If you have a single woman with two children on there, chances are that you’re coming out to your car either alone, or with two little ankle biters who are occupying all of your attention.

The best tip I’ve heard for single young women who are at risk for being attacked near their car is to give would-be attackers plenty of disinformation designed to encourage them to choose a different target. A big, well-worn pair of men’s athletic shoes in the back seat, or a duffel bag covered in visible weight-lifting patches and karate logos will go a long way towards indicating to any smart criminals that the person who owns this vehicle is not to be trifled with.

Bumper stickers are also a good way to dissuade people. Pro-gun bumper stickers, particularly if they endorse concealed carry, are a good place to start, as are indicators that you’re interested in things like MMA, wrestling, martial arts, or bodybuilding, whether you are or not. I have heard the counter-argument, that people “looking for guns to steal” look for cars with an NRA sticker (USMC emblem, etc.) The normal pattern of such a person is to follow you home to see what house to target for a robbery, when they observe you have left the premises. Yes, most people like this have gun safes – do you put your bedside go-to weapon in your gun safe every time you leave your house?

Spiked dog collars are also a simple thing to throw in the backseat. While that might not be something that will dissuade an attacker in the aforementioned situation, it will work wonders for dissuading attackers spying on your car in a park, forest preserve or who might be looking at your home as a potential target.

Use your normal routine and patterns to decide what kinds of things you want to decorate with, or stash in your car. Understanding the places where you’re likely to be attacked will provide the best understanding of what will work best for you.

#3 – Just do it

People who prey on others are often quite a bit smarter than you might think. Most have done their homework, and having looked inside your car to find evidence that you may be a very strong male or have a very large dog, might be smart enough to avoid you as a potential attackee. Despite this, an often cited fact about criminals shows that most crimes that are committed in the US are crimes not borne from passion or careful thinking, but simply crimes of opportunity.

The attacker in the situation above may have been in line behind her in the coffee shop and noticed a $100 bill in her wallet, and taken the chance to follow her. He may have just been a normal guy walking to his own car when he had a desperate feeling that he could get something from her. Sometimes, the criminals will ignore any evidence of misinformation you provide, or maybe they’ve cased your car before and seen through your deception.

Sometimes, you just have to fight. Or at least look like you’re ready for a fight.

Many will advise keeping some kind of weapon in the purse, and it’s hard to deny that this would be a good idea, but I would advocate that, if not well trained in the use of a knife, pepper spray, a pistol, or whatever weapon might make sense for a young lady to carry, that weapon will be useless. It might also function as a distraction – it’s mere existence forcing the attacked person to spend valuable reaction time digging around for the weapon instead of running, adopting a defensive posture, striking back, finding some other form of help, or doing almost anything else that may be more productive in helping the situation.

Instead, the simple act of looking ready for a fight is good enough. Stand up straighter when you walk, turn your head when you look, not just your eyes. Proactively say hi to people on the street to indicate that you notice them, as this can unnerve criminals who are doing their best to avoid notice.

Remember that if the need arises to defend yourself, it is nearly impossible to do so without a free hand. If you carry a purse, consider keeping your hand inside it as you walk, not fishing for anything, but as if you’re holding onto something. The fear of the unknown weapon in your hand may do enough to scare someone off.

Anyone, female or not, would also do well to consider what kinds of objects that you keep on your person and how they may be used as a weapon. Pocket knives are an obvious choice, but making a fist around your car keys creates a deadly combination of striking and slashing weapons that can do serious damage. Aerosol deodorant or hair spray is not a great choice, but it can certainly burn the eyes of an attacker if you get lucky. Using the small, rounded edge of a hairbrush as a striking tool can be helpful to those who don’t have a lot of experience using their fists to punch, and it will likely cause more damage if you don’t already have any martial arts training.

Before exiting the stairwell or elevator, this young women should have had her keys ready in her dominant hand, with the key poking out through her middle and index finger, her hand in a fist. Even with an improper strike, this will cause damage to any attacker. That’s a nice easy weapon to carry that will do the damage, doesn’t require specific training, and will help you stay safe out there in the big bad city. And for those of us with “electronic key bobs”, consider investing in some sharp jewelry/bottle-opener thingy’s to add to the key ring. Also, never forget your extended thumb forward when making a fist as this can be devastating to an eye, a throat, even a kidney. Then again, there is this.

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"On a warm spring night, after eating dinner with friends and deciding to do a little late-night dancing, a young lady walks across the top floor of a well-lit parking

These Early Pioneers Tools Are Still Working

Setting out for the frontier in the 19^th century was nothing like moving to a new city today. You weren’t moving to a place with a fully developed infrastructure, where you could easily get your hands on all the essentials of day to day life from a choice of stores and service providers. The hardy pioneers who built the West had to be self-reliant, and that meant taking everything they needed with them.

We often have a mental image of those pioneers loading their chuck wagon with food and gunpowder before striking out into the new lands of the West, and that image isn’t inaccurate; they did carry these essentials, in the largest quantities they could. In fact wise settlers packed their wagons almost to overloading, and sometimes beyond. It wasn’t uncommon to see a wagon propped on crates or barrels at the side of the road, while its owners worked at repairing a broken wheel or split axle.

Pioneers didn’t just carry the things they needed. They also had to carry the tools to repair the things they needed – and then, when supplies ran out, to make more. Even the most heavily loaded wagon can carry enough to keep a family going for a few months at most. If the pioneers wanted to make a serious attempt at building a new life in the West they needed to be truly self-sufficient, and the key to that was taking the right tools with them.

If you like to be self-reliant around the house the chances are your tools massively outnumber the ones the typical pioneer family took with them – but yours will be more specialized, and aimed at fixing or maintaining modern appliances or carrying out general DIY tasks. Frontiersmen had different priorities. They didn’t just want to fix things; they had to be able to make things, so the tools they took with them were absolutely vital.

Take a look in your toolbox and you’ll probably see a load of tools for working with wood, electrical wiring and maybe plumbing. You’ll have an assortment of screwdrivers, and likely a multi-tool like a Dremel. You’re well equipped to handle any repairs or improvements around your home. But could you build a home with them?

That’s exactly what the pioneers had to do. The tools they carried had to be up to the job of harvesting natural resources and turning them into the raw materials to build a home. Then there was agriculture. The food carried in a wagon would last for a matter of weeks, half a year at the most – and while it was usually possible to buy more from enterprising traders, the cost of wagon freight made that too expensive for most people. Anyway, for most settlers the whole point of heading west was to farm their own land, and you can’t do that without tools. Often you can’t do it without the tools to make other tools.

Finally there were the small things. On the frontier you couldn’t drop in to the local outfitters and pick out clothes that fitted you. Instead, most people bought bolts of cloth and made their own. That wasn’t the only sewing that needed done either. The West was mostly powered by horses, and horses need tack. That breaks or wears out eventually, and the pioneers had to be able to fix or replace it. The same went for most of their other possessions. Sometimes there was no choice but to pay the inflated prices at the nearest general store, but wherever they could pioneers would fix or replace things themselves. Their tools had to be capable of a wide range of tasks, and they didn’t have the technology that we do. There were no power tools, just simple hand-operated ones. But those simple tools could do amazing things when used properly, and if society breaks down they’ll do just as good a job for you. Let’s look at the tools that built the West in a bit more detail.

The Basics

Knives

A knife is the most basic, essential survival tool. If you have one you can start to collect what you need to make other, more advanced tools. If you don’t have one you’re in a lot of trouble. Pioneers carried knives everywhere they went – usually a simple hunting knife on their belt, and maybe a folding pen knife as well. These would be used for dressing game – the major source of fresh meat in the early years of a move west – and for wood carving, plus many other daily tasks. More knives would be found in the kitchen; not as many as in a modern kitchen, but in a wider range of sizes. Pioneers didn’t need six different styles of small paring knife but they did need large butcher knives and cleavers.

Hammers

The first tools men made were stone hammers. Just a hard piece of rock shaped to have a comfortable grip at one end and a striking surface at the other, these were the launch pad for over 2.5 million years of technological progress. A hammer lets you apply concentrated, rapid force to something, and it opens up a world of possibilities. With a hammer you can quickly fix objects together with nails. You can shape metal. Add some wedges and you can split logs and even rock. Without a hammer, many of the jobs pioneers needed to do would have been a lot longer and more difficult. Many more wouldn’t have been possible at all.

A frontier toolkit would have contained several hammers, ranging from a standard claw hammer to heavier ones used for metalwork or breaking rocks – and probably a sledgehammer for when real power was needed.

Saws

Small bits of wood can be cut and shaped with a knife. Logs can be split with a hammer and wedge. But to cut large pieces precisely, you need a saw. Without a saw you’ll struggle to build anything better than a crude shack, and you won’t be able to make most of the advanced tools that turn life from a daily grind into something approaching comfortable. Doors that fit the frame? That needs sawn boards. Window frames? Sawn. The frame for a threshing machine or spinning wheel? Good luck shaping that with an ax.

A good tool kit needed at least two saws; a large bow saw for felling and trimming trees, and a small hand saw for precise work. Other styles were also available, but with those two a handy pioneer could manage most tasks.

Axes

An ax combines the cutting edge of a knife with a hammer’s ability to deliver concentrated force, and if you want to cut things in a hurry it’s hard to beat. Pioneers used axes to harvest timber, clear land for farming and split firewood. A hatchet is also a great tool for rough shaping of wood, and if you’re building a log cabin it’s unbeatable for getting the joints done.

Spade

Most of us think of a spade or shovel as a tool for yard work. To the pioneers it was one of the most important items they had. A spade was needed to build a new home. At minimum you’d have to dig holes for the support posts of a log cabin – but many pioneers didn’t live in log cabins. Where there was a shortage of suitable timber it was much more common to build a sod house, and that meant cutting thousands of blocks of turf. A spade was an essential tool for that.

After a pioneer family had built a home the next thing on the list was usually a vegetable patch, to start supplementing the food they’d brought with them. Again, a spade was needed to prepare the ground. Finally, almost every home had a root cellar to store food, and building that took a lot of digging.

Farming

Long-term survival on the frontier meant, for most people, starting a farm. That would provide them with food, and give them a surplus to sell. Obviously growing crops on a large scale needed some more specialized tools. A spade and hoe will do fine for a small plot of vegetables, but they aren’t up to the job of preparing a whole field. The pioneers took some agricultural equipment with them, and with their other tools they could make the rest when they arrived at their new home.

Plow

If you want a good crop you need to loosen and turn over the top layers of soil, to bring up nutrients and distribute them evenly. A small plot can be prepared with a spade, but a plow will cover large areas much more quickly and easily. Plows – first drawn by hand, and later by animals – had already been used for thousands of years, but by the time the pioneers set out West the standard was a horse-drawn moldboard plow with a cast iron blade that could turn over the virgin land and expose the rich soil. In 1837 John Deere invented a steel plow blade that was both lighter and stronger, but many pioneers couldn’t afford these. Then there was the issue of weight and bulk. A whole plow was a large, heavy item that wasn’t easy to fit in a wagon already crammed with other supplies. Many people just took the blades with them, and built the frame from local timber when they began farming their new land. Later, as local industry began to develop, a blacksmith could make iron blades to replace worn-out ones.

Harrow

A plow is very good at turning over the soil, but it usually leaves many large lumps. These make planting difficult, so a plowed field would then be worked over with a harrow to break up the clods and give a smoother surface. Modern harrows are quite sophisticated, but pioneers used much simpler – but still effective – ones. A basic harrow is simply a heavy wooden frame with rows of spikes on the bottom that’s dragged over the field by a horse. Pioneers would usually take the iron spikes with them, then build the frame themselves.

Hoe

Fertile land doesn’t just produce crops; it’s also a magnet for weeds. Plants that evolved to win the struggle for space in a forest or grassland can quickly take over a battlefield as easy as a plowed, harrowed field. Without modern, selective weedkillers, pioneers had to spend time manually weeding their fields. Instead of pulling them out one at a time a hoe was used. Its iron or steel blade, on a long handle, lets you chop the foliage away from the roots without bending down; an experienced user can clear weeds at close to normal walking pace. Without a hoe it’s almost impossible to weed a large field effectively.

As well as weeding a hoe can also shape the soil, cut shallow trenches, or replace a harrow for small plots. It’s a very versatile tool, and essential for anyone farming without modern machinery.

Scythe

The first mechanical reapers were built by the Romans, but the technology was lost for centuries after the Empire fell. It resurfaced again in England in 1814, and by the 1830s there were at least two US companies making horse-drawn mechanical reapers. Most pioneers couldn’t afford a mechanical reaper though, so they harvested their crops the old-fashioned way – with a scythe. A scythe lets you cut standing crops easily and quite quickly, and can also be used for cutting hay, clearing weeds and general control of vegetation. A specialized type called the cradle scythe adds long “fingers” to the handle, which catch the cut stalks so they can be easily stacked or laid out, but for general work around a small farm a traditional scythe is more flexible. A sickle is a compact option that’s easier to transport but its short handle means you need to bend or crouch to cut, and that means it’s much slower and more tiring to use.

Flail

Once grain has been harvested you need some way to separate the actual grains from the husks. Doing it by hand is far too slow, so the traditional method was to use a flail. This is simply two sticks connected by a short chain; the harvested grain was piled up, and then repeatedly hit (“threshed”) with the flail until the husks fell away. A typical flail used for threshing wheat had a handle about five feet long and slightly over an inch thick, joined by a couple of inches of chain to a second stick about three feet long.

Separating grain with a flail is a labor-intensive job, but pioneer families used flails successfully to process their wheat crops and they were still in use by some farmers in the early 20^th century. Threshing machines did exist, but they were out of reach for most early settlers in the West.

Metalworking

Anvil

An anvil is a huge, heavy, awkwardly shaped lump of steel. It’s one of the most difficult things you could possibly decide to take on a long journey West along rough tracks. Nevertheless, many pioneer wagons had an anvil on board – usually slung under the chassis, between the axles, so its massive weight didn’t tip the wagon over.

With an anvil and a forge you can repair or make a whole range of metal objects. The parts of a broken tool can be heated then beaten together, repeating the process until they’re welded into a solid piece again. Metal bars can be turned into anything from horseshoes to scythe blades or knives. The conical horn of an anvil lets a good smith shape metal into complex curves. Without an anvil – or modern power tools – it’s very hard to make anything useful out of metal.

Bellows

A forge needs a way to pump air through the burning charcoal. As long as you have that it isn’t hard to build a forge – you just need a shallow pit lined with fireproof material, usually brick. Modern forges usually use an electric blower to create a draft, and some older ones used a water wheel or even a treadmill to turn a fan, but most pioneers relied on a hand-pumped bellows. This is an uncomplicated device – two flat boards with handles, hinged to a nozzle at one end, with a one-way valve in one of the boards and a leather skirt connecting the two. Moving the handles apart draws in air through the valve; pushing them together again closes the valve then blasts a stream of air out the nozzle. A pioneer smith would put his metal workpiece in the forge then pump the bellows to raise the temperature. It’s simple, but very effective.

Tongs

If you’re working with heated metal you need a way to handle it. Even a heavy leather glove won’t protect against red-hot iron for long, so any pioneer who planned on doing some blacksmithing would take at least one pair of iron tongs. These were used to move metal in and out of the forge, and to hold it in place on the anvil while it was being worked. Blacksmith’s tongs are heavy and robust, as well as simple – usually they’re just two iron bars, drilled and hinged with a single bolt or massive rivet, and curved into jaws at one end. Iron conducts heat, but the handles were long enough that they could be safely held in a gloved hand.

Hammer

Metalworking needs a hammer, but the regular claw hammer in your toolkit isn’t really up to the job – and the heat from the work piece will gradually soften its striking face, too. For smithing a heavier hammer is needed – if the job is very large, maybe even a sledgehammer. Any serious metalwork project needs specialist hammers, and pioneers who tool an anvil west with them would have carried a few.

Files

There are some metal working jobs that don’t need a forge, but most of those need a file instead. With a good file metal can be ground down or reshaped. A broken knife can be remanufactured into a shorter one, or the edge on a worn plowshare touched up. Forged parts can be filed until they fit properly together. Almost every pioneer would have taken a set of files in assorted sizes and shapes – flat, round and half-round.

Household

Washboard

It’s easy to wash clothes when you have electricity, a domestic water supply and a modern washing machine. It’s much more work without them. Today we usually only hand—wash small, delicate items. The pioneers hand-washed everything, from dirty work clothes to bedding, and it was a time-consuming job. One tool that saved them a lot of time was the simple washboard. Now these usually have a wooden frame with a corrugated steel wash surface fitted into it; in the 19^th century they were literally boards, with rounded wooden strips nailed or glued on to create the ribbed surface.

Washboards have disappeared from most homes, but that’s not because they don’t work – a washing machine is just simpler and takes less time. Washboards have real advantages though. They use much less water and they’re also easier on the clothes, which was important to pioneers; replacing worn-out clothes wasn’t so easy. Even today, soldiers on long operational tours often use washboards to help them keep their uniforms clean in isolated outposts with scarce water supplies.

Spinning wheel

Westerns often focus on cattle ranching, but a lot of the livestock raised by the pioneers was sheep. These were a valuable source of meat, but they were an even more valuable source of wool – and once wool had been harvested it was a lot cheaper to spin it into fibers at home than to ship it back east then buy manufactured garments coming the other way. Poor families might have used a distaff and spindle, simple tools for spinning by hand, but the spinning wheel was far more common. The textile industry had already replaced the spinning wheel with the jenny, beginning in northern England in the 1760s, but it was still a common and familiar tool. It could also be easily made by anyone who knew how it worked and was reasonably good at woodwork. With a wheel, pioneer women could produce thread and yarn from wool, cotton and just about any other fiber – and save a fortune on expensive clothes from the local store.

Iron

We iron our clothes to make them look smart. For the pioneers that didn’t matter so much most of the time, except for special occasions and visits to church if there was one nearby. Ironing had another function, though. Parasites were much more of a hazard in the 19^th century, especially if you spent a lot of time outdoors and working around animals, and there wasn’t a range of safe, easy insecticides to get rid of them with. Ironing clothes – paying special attention to the seams – would destroy any flea or louse eggs that were concealed in them, helping to avoid infestations.

Electric irons were invented in 1884 but remained a luxury for decades more. The ones available to the pioneers were heavy items of cast iron, which could either be heated in a fire before use or had a hollow interior that could be filled with burning charcoal. They were heavy and crude, but almost indestructible and pretty effective.

Needles

Most people have a packet of needles around the house somewhere, for sewing on buttons and other minor repairs. The pioneers took needles with them, too, but they took more than a single packet and there was a lot more variety in what they carried. They also used them for minor repairs, and many made their own clothes, so standard sewing needles were essential. But they also relied heavily on horses for power, and that meant they needed all the leather gear that’s needed to get work out of a horse. Saddles, bridles and stirrups were needed for riding, and then there was all the harness needed to pull a wagon or a plow. Heavy saddler’s needles were needed to repair leather or to make replacements for small items, like straps – few people had the skills to make a full saddle on their own. Needles seem small and unimpressive, but they’re not easy to make and life on the frontier would have been very difficult without them.

Shotgun

Last but not least, there’s the trusty shotgun. Despite what Hollywood shows, the most common gun in the West was a simple double-barrel 12-gauge. It was a sturdy, relatively cheap weapon that was effective at defending against predators, could hunt a wide variety of game with the right ammunition, and outranged a handgun if it ever came to a fight. Few pioneer families were without one. The frontier wasn’t anywhere near as violent as fiction portrays it, and in fact it was less violent than most of the USA is today, but a good gun was a wise investment.

Today, when many of us have an array of power tools that can carry out a range of jobs quickly and precisely, the tools the pioneers relied on seem crude. In many ways they were – but they were also durable and effective. They didn’t wear out easily and could usually be repaired if something did go wrong. They didn’t need electricity to work; at most they needed a horse, and usually manpower alone was enough. These simple tools are what made the development of the American West possible. If society was to collapse tomorrow, modern versions of them – and the skills to use them properly – would make a massive difference to your chances of survival.

Other self-sufficiency and preparedness solutions recommended for you:

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Setting out for the frontier in the 19th century was nothing like moving to a new city today. You weren’t moving to a place with a fully developed infrastructure, where you

What Would a WROL World Look Like?

What are you prepping for? Is it a natural disaster like a wildfire, tornado or hurricane? Those are perfect examples of common events that occur every day. Nature has a way of dealing us unexpected circumstances from time to time and we, as humans try to roll with the situation as best we can. That is one of the benefits of prepping in that you are proactively planning for events, and the fallout of events now before you find yourself possibly affected by disaster. There are large and small examples of emergencies but prepping gives you a method of working through examples and making potentially lifesaving decisions all from the comfort of your computer or as in Sideliner’s case; the easy chair.

From a big-picture perspective we can look at regions where certain types of natural disasters are more common. If you live in areas where you have identified many potential risks as part of your prepping plan, some people advocate designing your own threat matrix. A threat matrix is really just a decision-making system where you assign a level of risk and probability to each disaster. This is supposed to help you decide which disaster is more likely or impactful to your life and thus should be worked on first. For example, California has routinely seen floods, earthquakes, mudslides, wildfires and you have to throw in the risk of blackouts, riots, nuclear fallout, and most recently drought. You could line all of these threats up on a page, assign them a number and a risk and start making plans accordingly. Now that I think of it, why would anyone want to live in California anyway?

As a resident of California, this might make sense because you have seen the first-hand effects of these disasters, but what if there was a different type of emergency that we haven’t really seen in this country before? What preparations would you make if you knew now that the FEMA tents weren’t going to be popping up, truckloads of relief supplies weren’t headed your way and that sooner or later scores of news media and Red Cross volunteers weren’t going to be descending on your town to document the devastation?

What would a WROL world look like?

WROL is a term that means Without Rule of Law. I don’t know who coined it first but it seems to accurately describe the worst type of scenario preppers imagine. A WROL world could spring up spontaneously or it could grow out of some relatively common natural disaster. To imagine a WROL world you would simply have to imagine no police, fire or ambulances coming to your aid. In a WROL world, you would be on your own or left with your band of friends and neighbors to provide for yourself all of the services that are now gone.

wrol2

We have seen brief glimpses of WROL already. What if it is not ever controlled?

If you look around you might have seen glimpses of a WROL world even if they are quickly controlled. Looting is an example of WROL behavior and so are riots. The two go hand in hand but the police rely on controlling the crowd to a large extent to keep these events from growing much larger than they are. If the police are not available or are overwhelmed, what happens then? When the rioters and looters don’t have any reason to stop the spread of rage and violence, what do they move on to next?

Imagine something as benign as the power grid failing for some arbitrary period. Let’s say a fluke takes out the power for the entire eastern seaboard for one month. This could be a terrorist caused outage, solar flare or some random chain of events that causes a domino effect of failures to equipment and systems. Imagine also that this happens in August and the east coast is also experiencing warmer than usual weather.

Without power, what could possibly happen in the US? Do you think riots would break out? Could you see looting of stores? Without power there would be no way to refrigerate food. You wouldn’t be able to pump gas, run credit card machines or ATM’s, air conditioners or ice makers. Cell towers would be ineffective. Would you be able to go to work? Not likely unless your job involved something manual that was completely not reliant on electricity or fuel. My job is 100% dependent on the internet and electricity. Public transportation would be down and even government services would be unable to help. So what would millions of hot, hungry and panicked people do?

What would you have to worry about in a WROL world?

Is this all a fairytale? Maybe. There are a lot of people who believe nothing bad like this will ever happen and that our way of life will keep on chugging along in more or less the same fashion it always has. I have said many times that I hope that is our shared reality, but I am planning for the chance that it doesn’t. My own threat matrix is my gut. You will find no shortage of people who say worrying about things like this is a waste of effort.

By very definition, WROL means there is law and order so normalcy is pretty much out the window. With a failure like this, there wouldn’t be enough police, National Guard or military combined to help everyone out. All of these soldiers, police, and firemen would have their own families to watch over most likely and I could see many of them if forced to choose between going to work stopping a riot or staying at home to defend their wife and kids would choose the latter. Again, there will be those who disagree and say that the professional soldier, police officer or fireman would never abandon their post and communities will rally together to take care of one another in times of crisis. Maybe when the crisis is over, but not while everyone is going through it.

st-louis-ink-tattoo

In the Ferguson riots, two shops were ignored by the looters. Can you guess why?

What can you do now to prepare for WROL?

My WROL scenario above is relatively short-lived. There have certainly been natural disasters where the destruction caused power outages for a long time. In my example, presumably, we would have half a country that could rally to help us but assume for a second help isn’t on the way. You are on your own for a month of potential lawlessness. Imagine a month of the Purge lived out in real life?

Limit your exposure

Who makes the best target? They guy right in front of you. If there is widespread violence being carried out in the name of rage or of need, stay far away from it. You don’t want to be anywhere near the chaos that is going on and it would be better to let it burn out as much as possible before it gets to you. In this case, bugging out may be your best option so have a plan for that contingency in your back pocket. In my scenario, you would have plenty of time to make that decision, but you should have prepping supplies together before the ability to acquire them has passed. This includes everything you need for food, water, shelter, security, and hygiene for a minimum of 6 months. Start small if you have to.

Use the buddy system

If you do have to travel or bug out, you don’t want to go it alone. Someone needs to be there to watch your six and potentially pull you out of trouble. In a without rule of law world, I foresee deadly force as being much more prevalent and warranted if your life is in danger. I am not saying to go out and shoot people walking down your street, but if they are threatening your life then you have a choice to make. It is better to consider this now as opposed to in the moment even though I realize and admit that thinking about killing someone is a lot different from actually pulling the trigger.

Neighborhood watch on Steroids
Thinking of your neighborhood from a tactical perspective
Coordinating a neighborhood response plan

Keep an eye out

If there is a real threat of violence in your neighborhood, you won’t be able to simply lock the door and hope they will go away. If you haven’t already, post-event you should form up with your neighbors immediately to draw up plans for security and address any needs of anyone in your local group. Whatever you did or didn’t do before the event will need to go out the window if you want to survive. It takes more than one person to stand guard all night.

Protecting your family when the bad guys come down the street
Looter Defense Tactics

Arm yourself responsibly

And legally. I am a big advocate of responsible firearm ownership. This assumes you have the training and knowledge of how and when you should discharge that firearm in the course of defending your life. It has been said that the only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun and I believe that. Just make sure you are the good guy in this situation.

A WROL world is what I envision as a mixture of a war zone and a mad-max movie rolled all into your favorite disaster flick. Essentially, I never want to go through anything like this but if something this catastrophic comes your way, you better make sure you have a plan and you are ready to go.

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What are you prepping for? Is it a natural disaster like a wildfire, tornado or hurricane? Those are perfect examples of common events that occur every day. Nature has a

Food – 30 Days of Groceries In Your Pantry

When you start to consider prepping, one of the first things you need to start prepping for is food. Simply put, food is one essential you need to live and your family must have a supply of food on hand regardless what the day or your situation is. Because of our just in time supply chain model, most grocery stores do not have more than 3 days’ worth of food stocked. In any type of emergency or disaster situation, the store shelves are cleaned quickly. You do not want to be one of those people who realize you have nothing in the house for dinner and a major snow storm, hurricane or other event is imminent. You will go to the grocery store and find bare shelves like they did during hurricane Sandy. This happens in every instance where people could face the possibility of going hungry. The stores are cleaned out and the larger your city, the quicker the shelves are bare.

Not only will there be no food on the shelves, but the shelves could stay that way for a long time. What if the roads are impassable? What if there is some supply disruption. You could be out of food for a long time and this should never happen. You eat every day and so does everyone else. Running out of food should not be an option for your family at least for a reasonable amount of time.

FEMA recommends 3 days’ worth of food and water to last most common emergencies and I would say 30 days is a better goal to shoot for. If you have a month of food stored in your house you can worry about other things like getting back to your family if you are away from home or not going out in the first place to fight the lines of panicked people who waited until the last-minute.

Storing food can be complicated and costly but it is possible to start with a very simple list of items that you can purchase from your local grocery store or big-box chain like Wal-Mart, Costco or Sam’s Club. I have compiled a simple list of common foods that you can go get today that will allow you to feed a family of 4 for 30 days. If you have more or less people or giants in your family tree then you would need to adjust accordingly.

Basic Foods

I shop at Costco or Sam’s, but you can get all of these at your friendly neighborhood grocery store. You may have to adjust the quantities. I like Costco and Sam’s because I can buy larger containers and have to worry about fewer items, but you can also use Amazon.com. At a store, you can also throw these into your cart and nobody is going to look at you like you are a deviant. If anyone does ask you what you are doing, just tell them you are having a big Chicken Stew or some other neighborhood type of event.

Rice – First off, buy a 50lb. bag of rice. These contain 504 servings and I don’t know too many people who won’t eat rice. It is simple to cook and stores for years if you keep it cool and dry. This bag at Sam’s costs about $19 now.
Beans – Next buy a bag of dry beans. This will check off the Beans part of your Beans, Bullets and Band-Aids list. A good size bag is about $5 and makes 126 servings. Buy two if you think your family would like them.
Canned meat – Cans are great for fruits and vegetables and anyone can find something they will eat. For canned meat, I recommend tuna or chicken because it tastes a heck of a lot better than Spam and you can easily mix that into your rice. For the meat you will need approximately 35 cans. Each can has about 3 servings and this will be the most costly, but they last over a year usually and your family probably eats chicken or tuna on a semi-regular basis anyway so restocking this should be simple.
Canned Vegetables – you will need about 40 cans of vegetables and again this can be whatever your family will eat. Expect to pay around a dollar each so $40 for veggies to last your family a month.
Canned Fruit – again, simple fruits that your family will eat. These can even be fruit cocktail if that is the safest thing. At Costco they have the #10 cans of fruit like pears or apple slices and each of these has 25 servings. 5 of these will cost about $25 and give your family their daily dose of fruit.
Oatmeal – Good old-fashioned oatmeal is simple to cook and store. A normal container has 30 servings each so purchase about 4 of these and your family won’t starve for breakfast. At $2 each that is about $8 for breakfast for a month for a family of four. Could you exchange Pop-tarts? Maybe, but I find oatmeal more filling and less likely to be snacked on.
Honey– Honey is a miracle food really as it will never go bad if you keep it dry and cool. Honey will last you forever and Sam’s has large containers that hold 108 servings. You can use this in place of sugar to satisfy the sweet tooth. Honey even has medicinal properties and you can use this to add some flavor to your oatmeal for breakfast.
Salt – Same as honey, salt will never go bad if you keep it dry and helps the flavor of anything. You can buy a big box of salt for around $1 and that will last your whole family a month easily.
Vitamins – I recommend getting some good multivitamins to augment your nutrition in the case of a disaster or emergency. Granted, rice and beans aren’t the best and you won’t be getting as many nutrients from canned fruit and vegetables so the vitamins help to fill in the gaps and keep you healthy. One big bottle costs about $8. You will need to get a kids version too if you have children small enough that they can’t or won’t swallow a big multivitamin.

All of the list above will feed the average family of 4 for right at 30 days and makes a great start to your food preparations. The meat was the most expensive part but the bill comes to around $500 give or take but this will vary by where you live. Should you stop there? No, but this is just a good starting point and you should expand from here. I would keep all of these items in your pantry along with your regular groceries and rotate these to keep the contents fresh.

What Next?

Once you have 30 days of groceries in your pantry I would recommend looking into storing larger quantities in Mylar bags or purchasing freeze-dried foods and bulk grains to augment your supplies. You would also need to plan for basic necessities like hygiene (hello toilet paper!) and different food items.

What else should you have? I would recommend several large candles (very cheap at WalMart) or a propane powered lantern, matches or lighters, batteries for flashlights a good first aid kit, radio and plenty of water. You should also add bullion cubes and spices in to make the meals more palatable. Is this going to be as good as some toaster strudel or 3-egg omelets from your chickens in the morning? No, but this list above will keep your family alive.

Water is another post, but for a month you will need 120 gallons at a minimum. Storing this isn’t as easy as groceries but there are lots of options.

This should get you started on your food preps and you can build on from here. Let me know if you have other ideas I missed.

Other Self-sufficiency and Preparedness solutions recommended for you:

The Lost Ways (The vital self-sufficiency lessons our great grand-fathers left us)

Survival MD (Knowledge to survive any medical crisis situation)

Backyard Liberty (Liberal’s hidden agenda: more than just your guns…)

Alive After the Fall (Build yourself the only unlimited water source you’ll ever need)

The Lost ways II (4 Important Forgotten Skills used by our Ancestors that can help you in any crisis)

The Patriot Privacy Kit (Secure your privacy in just 10 simple steps)

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When you start to consider prepping, one of the first things you need to start prepping for is food. Simply put, food is one essential you need to live and

Social Distancing: A Prepping Basic

So exactly what is ‘social distance’?

It you ask the professionals in the Public Health sector, it means keeping your distance when you are sick and from people who appear to be sick. Simple, however not everyone who is sick appears to be sick. And those same Public Health professionals are in the business of being exposed to the sick. It goes with the territory.

We tend to avoid people displaying obvious symptoms of a contagion, the normal coughing, sneezing, watery red and puffy eyes, or wearing a medical mask (we don’t care it if it is for their protection more than ours, it is a symptom). We at least try and minimize our contact. The earliest references to social distancing are from the seventh century BC in the Book of Leviticus, 13:46: “And the leper in whom the plague is…he shall dwell alone; [outside] the camp shall his habitation be.”

Now if they are immediate family we have to opt for the normal precautions that apply to those same public health personnel, washing your hands often, avoid bodily fluids, stop touching your face, masks, etc.

Germs Love New Playgrounds

And they travel on a number of highways we provide them:

direct physical contact with others – body fluids exchanges, sneezes, coughs, touching with unwashed hands
couriered by a third party, pets, insects, hand-to-hand-to-hand, a food handler, someone in the supply chain of an item that comes in contact with us.

And the eyes, more than the ears, nose or throat are a primary entry point. People generally touch their faces up to 3,000 times in a day. I haven’t tried to count but wearing glasses, I rub my eyes often.

Social Distancing as A Prepper Basic

But social distancing has other applications as well. To be sure the explosion in cell phones that do so much more that just phone calls and other electronic devices has actually been an aid in minimizing the spread of germs, or so it seems to the casual observer. Who hasn’t driven past a school bus stop of grade school and older children where each is self-absorbed in their personal device as opposed to interacting with their peers? We are all now guilty of this to some extent. Walk into any Starbucks on the planet.

Social distancing in a pandemic is something that preppers need to understand as there are actually laws written on the matter and protocols to be followed.

In an off-grid situation the introduction of a virus, even a known flu can have dire consequences, especially for older members of your group or those with already sketchy immune systems. And the delivery chain must always be suspect. Be it anything material, from food to ammunition to electronic devices to new linens for the kids beds, the number of hands that have touched it are countless, and out of our control.

In a real world disaster one of the first things in your planning should be social distancing and how to quickly achieve it. A “who is in” and “who is out” protocol with preservation of self and family your primary goal. An understanding among your group that they immediately need to isolate themselves from strangers and even friends who may be ill. And they need to be open and honest about any exposure so you can plan accordingly because suddenly you are going to be in close quarters and most likely without professional medical help available or access to medications not already in your stash.

Strangers At the Gate

Depending on the SHTF situation, your hunker-down location, the travels of the Golden Horde and other factors you need to plan for strangers showing up on your doorstep, whatever that might be.

And their outward medical condition needs to be a part of your decision making process in addressing them. If they are alone it is pretty straight forward, but if there are two and one is sick, it is a consideration that being separated, or leaving the other behind or outside, is going to bring a whole other level of complication to your decision.

There isn’t a proverb that states verbatim that “Charity Begins at Home” though it makes perfect sense to the rational person. One really must provide for ones own first and best. The notion that a man’s family should be his foremost concern is expressed in 1 Timothy 5:8, King James Bible, 1611: “But if any provide not for his own, and specifically for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.” Too often now we see that the good of the many is more important than the good of the few – in open immigration of the sick, we have reintroduced contagious diseases such as measles, and smallpox and tuberculosis. In that name of charity.

As a part of the many exposed for the good of the few we need to consider social distancing as a tool, not to deny friendship or help, not to marginalize others due to their circumstances, but as another arrow in our self defense quiver when we are faced with an emergency.

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So exactly what is ‘social distance’? It you ask the professionals in the Public Health sector, it means keeping your distance when you are sick and from people who appear to

A different kind of stockpiling for your homestead

American colonists were once encouraged to grow and cultivate cannabis for hemp, but it all changed when the plant’s more “medicinal” uses were discovered. And here we are now.

These days it seems like Wall Street has high hopes for the blossoming cannabis industry — with marijuana stocks rapidly gaining traction. Tilray (TLRY) , the first marijuana IPO in the United States, has been having a heyday in the market, with one of the most astonishing sessions earlier this week that saw the stock shoot up over 90% before closing lower. And with an estimated valuation of around $24 billion, cannabis is no longer a joke on The Street.

As other companies like Coca-Cola (KO – Get Report) work on getting a piece of the pot pie, it seems the wave of approval for cannabis-based companies and IPOs won’t be stopped.

Question is – why aren’t you investing in marijuana stocks right now?

You’re missing out on what could be the quickest and easiest way to get rich in your lifetime. Right now, literally hundreds of these marijuana stocks are exploding to rare highs of 8,500%, 11,430%, 17,054%, 25,099% and even 127,900%…

Minting hundreds of new millionaires — and even billionaires, like Christian Blue and Michael Kennedy — along the way. And because many of these marijuana stocks are still trading for just pennies, you could literally start investing in marijuana stocks with just a $100 bill.

So what’s keeping you from turning that tiny stake into a massive fortune, and retire incredibly wealthy in less than a year. I’ve seen it happen to literally dozens of folks already. And even more, are still becoming millionaires seemingly every single day.

One fellow I know of, for example — Terry Braid — was a local electrician in his hometown, when he decided to invest in this once-in-a-lifetime boom with a friend. The result? His combined stake is now worth over $200 million! Imagine that… A 53-year-old now has more millions than he could ever spend. All because he invested in what historians could look back on as the biggest boom ever.

You will NEVER see an easier way to get rich than explosive marijuana stocks… not in your lifetime. And if you miss out, you’ll spend the rest of your life regretting it.

Right now, hedge funds, venture capitalists, institutional investors and even massive corporations like Constellation Brands have marijuana investments in the pipeline. And once they get set up, billions — possibly even trillions — of dollars will flow into the marijuana industry, helping push these marijuana stocks even higher.

This really is the new gold rush.

That’s why we’re already seeing some of the world’s biggest investors, like hedge fund billionaire Leon Cooperman, and billionaire venture capitalist Peter Thiel, go all in. It’s the biggest no-brainer of our generation.

But while the “smart money” is going all-in right now, everyday folks are being left out of this once-in-a-lifetime “get-rich-quick opportunity.” Regular Americans like you are not participating, simply because they don’t know how to get started, or what marijuana stocks they should buy.

And that’s not fair.

Many of These Tiny Marijuana Stocks Are Still Trading for Just Pennies!

Because there are literally countless dozens of other small marijuana stocks still trading for pennies, you could get started with a single $100 bill. You could cash out with a retirement fortune just a few short months from today.

After all, just look at what happened with shares of Abattis Bioceuticals Corp., a tiny Canadian-based marijuana company. You’ve probably never heard of it. But had you invested a single $100 bill when shares were trading for just 3 cents, you could have cashed out with $9,208 in profits. In just a little over three months!

Look, take it from someone who has been involved with the markets for well over a decade. There’s never been ANYTHING like this before. This is the true “get rich quick” opportunity you’ve spent your whole life waiting for, one that could turn a single $100 bill into a retirement fortune.

That’s because Abattis Bioceuticals Corp. is just one of literally hundreds of marijuana stocks that are exploding right now…

For example, look at what happened with shares of Acacia Diversified Holdings, a tiny marijuana company from Clearwater, Florida. Had you put $100 in when shares were trading for just pocket change, you could have turned your $100 stake into a quick $13,700 windfall. Invest $1,000 and you’d be looking at $137,000 in profits!

Imagine that… six figures in gains in just a few short weeks.

You’re probably starting to see why so many people are becoming marijuana millionaires seemingly every day. That’s because the bottom line is this: almost every single day, dozens of marijuana stocks are exploding, making it the fastest and easiest way to grow rich… starting with just a few dollars in your pocket.

But this WON’T last forever…

The marijuana stocks that are trading for pennies will soon begin trading for $25… $50… $75… or maybe even $100 or more. And once they get expensive like that, it will be too late for you to get rich quick. We’re already starting to see it happen with some marijuana stocks like Canopy Growth Corp., which recently reached a high of $51.53.

That’s why I can’t emphasize size this enough, there’s no time to waste. We will NEVER see an opportunity even remotely like this again in our lifetime. That means you have a very small window of opportunity to act. One that’s closing with each passing day.

Just remember, every day you sit out, someone else is growing rich from Marijuana Stocks!

Funny or not, it’s just the simple truth.

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Just remember, every day you sit out, someone else is growing rich from Marijuana Stocks!

Importance of Sanitation after SHTF

In thinking about preparing your family for survival after a disaster or emergency situation you can’t forget to consider their health. Your family’s health is affected by so much more than having adequate stores of food. Having the best gun for self-defense is great and important, but what if someone in your group comes down with an illness that was easily prevented? What if the killer that attacks you is a sinister little microorganism you never saw coming?

Of course, the health impacts vary with the event that caused the disaster. Flooding and Hurricanes would produce different health issues than a winter storm that knocked out the power. The subject of health though is always one that should be in your short-term plans for SHTF.

Sanitation

What is sanitation? Let’s just make this simple and say that the importance of sanitation is everything to do with getting rid of waste. In a grid-up scenario, most of us have access to a lot of systems to take care of sanitation for us. We have running water, toilets and garbage pick-up or landfills. If you don’t have any of those, you probably wouldn’t be on the internet reading this. Those systems do a pretty nice job of getting the trash and our waste far away from us and that is important. Without Sanitation, diseases quickly spread.

For example, after the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, more than half a million people became ill with Cholera. That disease quickly spread into neighboring countries so bad. Cholera is a water-borne disease. In Haiti, where most people lacked public sewage systems or sanitary latrines after the disaster, people often drink from the same water source they use to bathe and defecate. People ill with cholera develop severe diarrhea and, without immediate treatment, can become dehydrated. The rapid dehydration can cause shock, which can lead to death.

How can we prevent that? Several ways, but one primary concern is to make sure our waste isn’t contaminating our drinking water. To do that, we have to have a plan for taking care of good old number 2.

Bathroom Facilities

The average human produces two to three pints of urine and one pound of feces every day. If you have a family of four or a group of twenty, that adds up quickly. Whatever the solution for removing waste we have to ensure that it will not contaminate any water supplies. A good rule of thumb is to bury waste at least 150 away from the nearest water source.

Here are a few different options for getting that waste safely out-of-the-way.

Toilet

As long as the septic lines aren’t clogged or backed up, you can still use your toilet. Actually, if you have a septic tank, you could conceivable use this in a grid-down scenario forever. Your toilet just needs water to flush everything down and that is a major reason people fill up bathtubs before a hurricane. The water isn’t so much for drinking, although you could since it came out of the tap (I know what is in my tub so I wouldn’t without a good filter) but you can easily use this to flush your toilet. Simply take a gallon bucket filled with water and pour it into the bowl when you are done. Gravity will do the rest. Assuming there is a radio after the disaster you can listen and see if the sewer lines are still functioning and this is only an option if water is not an issue.

Five Gallon Bucket

5-Gallon bucket toilet

If you have ever been camping in the woods and used the bathroom by squatting you will appreciate that even having a bucket to sit on can make a world of difference. Sure, squatting will work in a pinch (no pun intended) but I am used to sitting on the throne and the next best thing would be sitting on something, anything as opposed to squatting. That’s just me. A five-gallon bucket only needs a proper toilet seat and you are in business. You can take the seat off your existing toilet and there are even kits pre-made with the lid that fits perfectly on your bucket without slipping. While this makes the act seem more like the good old days of your trusty porcelain friend, they do need to be cleaned out. Having dirt or sawdust to cover over the feces will reduce smell and flies and make it so you don’t have to clean as often.

Cat Hole

Cat Hole – No frills

Another camping favorite when we have a bigger group and a chair. The cat hole is most easily dug with a post-hole digger and you want to make it as deep as possible without getting into your water table. The process would be to dig the hole and fill it in with dirt after it becomes about 1/2 full of waste. Once the hole is dug, you can set a chair with a hole in it over the hole, hence the post hole digger since this will make a hole just big enough to drop the important stuff down, but your chair will still fit over it. This process would be repeated often if you had a large group. Don’t have a chair, just take one that you have and cut a hole in it or put your wood working skills to use and make a box with a hole and mount your toilet seat over the hole.

Slit Trench

This would be for larger groups who plan to cover the trench with more permanent toilet facilities. If you are ready for this option, you seem to have sanitation or at least a crew to dig a large trench covered.

No Toilet Paper?

Ah, the subject of so many blog posts and forum threads. Do you have enough toilet paper stored? What will you do when you run out of paper? It will happen eventually and you will be forced to get back to nature… Some items I have thought of are old phone books or catalogs. We’d be covered for a year on just the holiday junk mail catalogs alone. Some other preppers recommend a water sprayer which might work, but I haven’t tried that.

Trash

What trash will you have after the SHTF? I can think of lots of trash accumulating in the near term after a disaster and most people will fill up the large hefty bags and sit them on the corner or on the street. If the garbage services are no longer running, burning your trash would be suitable. I would be careful to salvage items that may come in use later which, if you think about it, could be almost anything. Glass or plastic containers that could be used to store water wouldn’t go into the recycling bin anymore. Tin or aluminum cans could also be re-purposed. I can see paper getting burned in the fire, but that may be something to save for the bathroom…

If you have other ideas or tips on sanitation, let us know in the comments. I look forward to hearing from you.

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In thinking about preparing your family for survival after a disaster or emergency situation you can’t forget to consider their health. Your family’s health is affected by so much more

The 9 Types Of Survivalists – Which Are You?

It’s crazy to think that Rottweilers and Poodles are in the same family of animals. Or for that matter, Great Danes and Toy Chihuahuas. They are as different as they come. One is 200 pounds, the other is 2.

In much the same way, have you ever realized how many different breeds of people fall under the “survival” umbrella (this is the smooth transition to topic)? In case you haven’t, there are tons. And each type of “survivalist” is unique in their own weird ways. Recently, I’ve been reminded again, of just how funny it actually is. Walk with me:

Food Storage Moms – these are the sweet middle aged moms who equate the idea of survival with having a basement full of canned foods (some of which they probably canned themselves). Probably also soccer moms. They know the importance of stocking those cupboards full!

Apocalyptists – swear that someday soon just about everybody is going to be torched in a giant nuclear explosion, drowned in a flood, frozen to death in another ice age, or abducted by aliens. These guys are the converts of Independence day, I Am Legend, and all the other wonderful Hollywood portrayals.

Tactical Hoo-Rahs – these are the guys that treat everything like it’s the battlefield. They borrow all the acronyms, abbreviations and terminology from their military days. These guys are all about stockpiling firepower, blowing things up, and beating the bad guys.

primitive-skills-

Primitive Skills – the hippies of the group. These are the folks that farmers markets are made of. They love to make their own clothes, build their own homes, grow their own food, and in all other possible ways be “at one” with our mother earth. These guys often have learned a tremendous amount about living off the land.

Camping & Hunting Nuts – LOVE spending time in the outdoors. They can’t get enough of hunting, tracking, animal calls, hiding in bushes, and analyzing poop. They like the adventure of making do and doing without, so they do it for fun. To these guys, the concept of “survival” is being alone in the wilderness.

Medical Mavens – pride themselves on being able to perform CPR, first aid, emergency surgeries, treat and dress wounds, triage the victims of mass destruction, and anything else medical. To them, the apex of “survival” is being able to put people back together.

Right Wing Extremists – swear that the government is slowly taking away our freedoms, and that people are being led down the path of “following the system” without questioning. Everything is a conspiracy, nothing should be trusted–especially if it’s the Feds. The less government there is, the better.

Boy Scouts – are a close relative of the camping/hunting nuts. Their brand of survival is also largely “wilderness survival.” They become more “prepared” by passing off merit badges dealing with the safe and proper way of: building a fire, using a knife, making camp, disposing of waste (paper and otherwise), splitting wood, navigating by map, and more.

Doomsday Economists – these guys prophesy of the times when paper money will be completely worthless, and burnt to keep warm. They put their faith in stockpiling raw goods and precious metals. They invest in foreign markets, and keep their wealth spread around, so that it can’t be lost all at once.

I’m sure there are more, but this is just a small cross-section of some of the more prominent survival subsets that I’ve noticed. I’ve had the privilege of rubbing shoulders with people from all groups, via Twitter, Facebook, blog posts, and in face to face conversations.

It’s eye opening because it really does illustrate how different people choose to deal with problems (or potential problems). And it’s comical. It could easily be a t-shirt.

Am I A Rottweiler, Poodle, or Mutt?

The more I rub shoulders with different mindsets, the more I realize that I borrow from them all. But that’s such a safe answer. Everybody would say that crap. To make myself be more specific, I would say I’m a mutt of roughly:

2 parts Right Wing Extremist–I love the idea of opportunity and I hate the idea of homogeneity, and I think our founding fathers would roll over in their graves if they had any idea that nation they raised had flip-flopped.
1 part Camping Nut–Nothing is more fun, relaxing and just plain liberating to me than being outdoors, and away from the bustle. Although I’m really not much of a hunter or gamesman, it’s just fun to step into the natural world.
1 part Primitive Skills–Tame the land. Learning to use all my natural surroundings for a purpose has always struck a chord within me. Some of my most prized possessions are homemade. High on quality, high on satisfaction, low on cost.

But I’m constantly learning and evolving. We all are. Next year I could largely be a “food storage mom” maybe, who knows? But no matter what brand of survival we are or may call ourselves, it’s important to realize that there truly are practical and absurd things about each.

You can’t save a kids life with CPR if all you’ve been doing is collecting guns and blowing stuff up. And by the same token, you can have the Merck medical book memorized and still starve to death without a little food storage. Rather, learn from them all, realize the limitations and craziness inherent to each, and contribute where you can. To sum it up–be real about the journey you are on. Because after all, it will be real soon enough some day.

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It’s crazy to think that Rottweilers and Poodles are in the same family of animals. Or for that matter, Great Danes and Toy Chihuahuas. They are as different as they

This Is The Tree That Every Prepper Should Grow In His Backyard

Moringa has been called the “Miracle Tree” and for good reason.

It’s one of the top superfoods out there on par with avocado, salmon, quinoa, or turmeric just to name a few.

The versatility of this plant is unparalleled given how it can be used in so many different ways for survival.

If I had to choose only one kind of tree to grow in my backyard this would be it.

What is Moringa?

The Tree That Every Prepper Should Grow In His Backyard

Moringa is a tree that loves arid conditions, and many countries with such climates have been utilizing it for centuries, with great success.

It has over 90 nutrients, including 8 essential amino acids that our bodies need but cannot produce on their own.

It’s like vitamins are growing on this tree – B, B1, B2, B3, D, and E are all represented in large amounts.

The Moringa has three times as much iron as spinach, four times the calcium of milk, four times the vitamin A found in carrots and is even higher in vitamin C than oranges!

It also contains large amounts of magnesium and phosphorus.

Being a powerful superfood, it has now made its way into the lives of many in the northern part of the globe as well.

The U.S.A is no exception and the Moringa can be grown outdoors in many southern and western states.

For the cooler states a greenhouse in your backyard will do just fine. Or you can grow it indoors.

An added benefit you’ll probably love about this tree is that pests do not attack it, making it easy to grow year-round with very little expense.

Water Purification

To purify your water just crush some Moringa seeds. It will remove bacteria and make it safe to drink, without any chemicals added.

The seed powder can also be used as a quick and reliable method for cleaning an entire river. The powder binds with solids in the water and sinks to the bottom removing bacteria in the process.

If you don’t know how much to use, just experiment with a small vessel.

Food

First you need to realize that almost every part of this tree can be eaten, from the leaves and pods all the way down to the seeds.

Experts have concluded this tree could end world hunger, and in many dry places on Earth it’s already working hard to do just that.

The plant can also be used as animal feed. It makes chicken eggs better tasting with a rich colored yolk, helps cattle gain weight quicker and can even increase their milk production.

This is the type of feed you want for animals especially if you’re a prepper, like me, looking to get the most out of all your available resources.

The leaves, have a 28% protein content, bringing them on par with milk and cheese for example, and you can choose to eat them in a variety of ways. You can bake, juice, eat raw, or steam them.

Just know that the longer you cook them the more nutrients you’ll lose.

Moringa pods look similar to green beans and can be eaten in the same way as well.

You can choose to steam, fry, or boil them. Like many other vegetables, you want to ensure that the pod is tender so that you won’t have to eat old, fibrous pods. These are difficult to eat and don’t taste as good.

When checking the pods, snap them, and if they do so easily then they are good for eating. If not, don’t eat them as they will probably be difficult to chew.

Moringa seeds can be boiled or you can sauté them. The only thing to watch out for is to not eat too much of them as they are a cleanser.

It will “clean out” your digestive system which is good but only if you don’t overdo it.

Moringa powder is a very popular form of eating this plant and it’s also the most versatile.

You can add it to juices, baked goods, and pretty much any other dish you can imagine.

Health Benefits

The Moringa will help you with everything from skin health to fighting oxidative stress in the body. Only if you look at the leaves you’ll see that they contain a very high amount of a protein, large amounts of Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, Vitamin A, iron, riboflavin, and magnesium.

Increased energy

A single serving of Moringa contains about 3 times the iron of spinach. Iron is essential to enriching the blood, carrying life, energy and oxygen into your muscles, organs and tissues.

Healthy bowel movements

Moringa oils and fiber have a detoxifying effect to help scrub your bowel of waste and toxins allowing you to fully absorb nutrients from the foods you eat. This is vital for survival especially when food becomes scarce.

Clear vision and improved eye health

High in beta carotene and vitamin A, Moringa supports healthy eyes and clear vision.

Stabilizes Blood Sugar Levels

The seeds contain zinc which is a necessary component in the creation of insulin inside your body. Consuming moringa seeds will give you the zinc needed to up your production of insulin and regulate your blood sugar. This will prove especially helpful for diabetics or pre-diabetics in a crisis, as their synthetic insulin supply runs out.

Fights Inflammation

Inflammation is how the body responds to infection or injury.

It’s good for a while but if it continues it may lead to chronic health problems including heart disease and cancer.

Moringa will fight body inflammation through the isothiocyanates found in its leaves, pods and seeds.

Lowers Cholesterol

Cholesterol is a huge problem nowadays and one of the main reason of heart disease. The moringa tree has been found to lower your bad cholesterol levels.

Improves Skin Health

The seeds of this plant contain an oil that can be used as a skin moisturizer. They also contain antioxidants and have anti-inflammatory properties, which are the building blocks of healthy-looking skin.

How to grow Moringa?

When growing moringa you basically have two options: to grow from seed or to grow from a cutting.

When growing from seed you’ll want to pick a spot with some sandy and light soil. Dig a fairly big hole and add some manure. Next, place about five seeds in (not too deep) and cover them with dirt. In the end water them, but don’t overdo it as it may cause rotting.

If you choose to go with using a cutting of the plant it is a little easier. Get a cutting that is about six feet long. Then dig a hole in the ground. Place the cutting in the hole and put a mixture of sand, manure. When watering, try to get it only on the ground around it and not directly on the stem of the new plant.

As you can probably see by now Moringa is a very powerful plant. It has many uses and more are being discovered every year. But would Moringa make a good addition to your preps? What do you think?

In her work entitled The Forgotten Power of Plants, Dr. Nicole Apelian describes in more than 300-pages the most powerful medicinal plants and step-by-step instructions on how to turn them into powerful remedies.

Check out the off-grid recipe section that will give you the best natural alternatives to every pill in your medicine cabinet.

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Moringa has been called the “Miracle Tree” and for good reason. It’s one of the top superfoods out there on par with avocado, salmon, quinoa, or turmeric just to name a

7 Survival Uses of All-Purpose Mouthwash

Where would we be today without mouthwash? Probably brushing our teeth several times per day in order to get rid of all those food pieces. Wouldn’t call it a marvel a technology, but mouthwash does have its uses and, some of them, go way beyond oral hygiene.

And because I was thinking the other day about reasons to stockpile even more mouthwash than usual, I ended up burning the midnight oil to see what that stuff’s good for apart from, well, using it to wash your mouth. Of course, I won’t bother you with tall tales about guys using mouthwash and mumbo-jumbo to summon otherworldly beings, but I did discover some very interesting facts about this stuff.

Did you know that there was a time when FDA was seriously considering blackballing mouthwash on account of a freak study that linked this substance to oral cancer? Of course, it was later proven that the study was a bogus and that the only severe reaction mouthwash can cause is the so-called black tongue – basically, the tongue grows tired of shedding dead skin cells which end up sitting there, is not pretty.

The black color is the result of a chemical reaction between an oxidizer commonly found in mouthwash and the dead skin cells. No reason for alarm, as it is not life-threating (just use a brush with soft bristles to scrape your tongue or chew some gum).

Anyway, back to the topic du jour – mouthwash in survival. As many common household items, mouthwash can also be used during an SHTF situation. Here are my choices in alternative uses of mouthwash.

Antiseptic

Let’s start by stating the obvious – since mouthwash was designed to kill bacteria responsible for tooth decay and bad breath, it’s safe to assume that it has strong antibacterial properties. If you don’t have anything else on hand, you can always pour a bit of mouthwash on small scrapes and nicks. Word of caution though – this stuff’s going to sting like hell.

Have you ever tried to disinfect a minor wound with medicinal alcohol? It stings even worse than that. Don’t forget to wash with clean water and flush the area with a saline solution – mouthwash contains other substances that really don’t belong inside the wound.

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Washy-washy the toothbrush

As I’ve said countless of times, oral hygiene’s very important, no matter how shitty the situation is. If you ever find yourself stranded in the field, it may be possible to sterilize your toothbrush with a little bit of mouthwash. In fact, it’s quite advisable to do so before putting that thing in your mouth, especially if you’ve been on the road all day.

If you want to make sure that toothbrush’s germ-free, I would advise soaking it in mouthwash – grab a zip-lock bag or small airtight container, put the toothbrush inside, pour a little mouthwash, seal, and stir.

No more stinky feet

Yeah, I know that this not qualify as an SHTF situation, but try sleeping in a closed tent after a day of walking, hiking, running or whatever. In case you don’t have any soap nearby, just drizzle some mouthwash on those mutton chops, rinse with water, and dry yourself with a towel. Yes, you’ll have less mouthwash, but at least you’ll get a good night’s sleep.

Itchiness and Accidental Poisoning

There’s nothing more thrilling than the feeling of tiptoeing through poison ivy or nettles. Don’t fret, don’t whine, and, most importantly, stop scratching. Put a bit of mouthwash on the sting, and you’ll be up on your feet in no time. Just be sure you use an alcohol-based solution – the other kind won’t be of any use to you in this situation.

Ensuring that your cooking stuff is germ-free

One thing hikers and backpackers fail to observe are keeping their food utensils clean. Yes, I know no one will be in the mood for washing plates and cutlery after a hearty meal, but this would mean extending an invitation to all kind of nasty germs.

Now, if you don’t have anything on hand to sterilize your plates, and that includes clean water, you can always use a bit of mouthwash. Shake the bottle for some foam – it will be easier to remove grease and anything sticking to the plate.

Makes body stink go away

Because no good deed should go unpunished, the result of pushing your body beyond its limits is a nasty smell. From where I stand, there are two options – either you wait until you find a source of water to take a bath or do something before the smell curls your toes.

If you have nothing else in your B.O.B, use a tiny amount of mouthwash to wash those stinky body parts. Works great for the armpits, chest, and legs, but I wouldn’t try it elsewhere.

No hand sanitizer? Not a problem.

Hygiene’s important but it becomes vital in a shit hits the fan situation. Apart from the fact that most of the environments you’ll be traversing are riddled with all manner of germs that would like nothing more than to take a bit out of you, your hands will be in permanent contact with icky stuff. I don’t know if your B.O.B contains soap or not, but it should at least have a small bottle of hand sanitizer.

In the event you run out of the stuff, use some mouthwash to sterilize your hands. Might not be as powerful as a regular hand sanitizer, but at least your hands are clean enough to handle food or tend a wound. I don’t judge.

And so, we come to the end of yet another entertaining piece of how everyday items can save our lives in a potentially life-threatening situation. Mouthwash is indeed a good thing to have around the home, regardless if you’re a hygiene freak or not. Just to be safe, you should throw in a couple of small mouthwash bottles in your B.O.B. Missed anything? Drop a line or two in the comment section and let me know.

How to Make Mormon Johnnycake

Recall how almost all material on prepping says something about having at least one cornbread around the house? It’s, indeed, delicious, nutritious, and, all thing’s considered, very easy to make.

As I’m always on the lookout for great survival recipes, a couple of days ago, I stumbled upon this nifty cornbread recipe. The thing that stroke me is that I still can’t figure out if this thing should be served with something on the side, like some butter or cheese, or is more of a dessert. Well, it’s up to you to figure it out.

Anyway, the cornbread recipe I’m about to show you is not only very easy to prepare, but it also has a peculiar name. In Mormon tongue, this type of cornbread is called a Johnnycake. No comments there. I will do some more digging to figure out why it’s called that way (if you know, don’t be stranger and share with the rest of the community. So, without further ado, here’s how to make some Mormon Johnnycake.

Gathering the ingredients

For this recipe, you’ll need the following:

Two eggs. This recipe calls for both egg white and yolk.
One cup of buttermilk.
Two or three tablespoons of molasses.
Half a cup of all-purpose flour.
One teaspoon of salt.
One teaspoon of baking soda.
Two cups of Yellow cornmeal (you can find that at your local food market).
Two or three tablespoons of melted butter.
(Optional) Agave nectar.

All done gathering the ingredients? Neat! Put your chef’s bonnet on because it’s time to do some major cooking.

How to prepare Mormon Johnnycake

Step 1. Start by grabbing a baking dish or cast-iron skillet. To ensure that your Johnnycake won’t stick to the bottom, grease it with some butter, tallow or a little bit of sunflower oil.

Step 2. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

Step 3. Grab a large bowl and add your eggs, buttermilk, and molasses. Give them a good stir with a whisk.

Step 4. Get another mixing bowl for your dry ingredients.

Step 5. Grab a flour sifter and get to work on that flour. You can skip this step if you like your bread with air bubbles.

Step 6. Add your salt and the baking soda.

Step 7. It’s now time to put everything together. Using a mug, add the dry ingredients to the bowl with the buttermilk, honey, eggs, and molasses. Don’t add it all at once. Empty the contents of a cup and slowly whisk the mixture. Do this until you’ve incorporated all the flower.

Step 8. The batter should be smooth. If it’s too watery, add some flour and whisk.

Step 9. It’s now time to add your cornmeal. Just like before, pour half a cup, and gently whisk it. Yes, I know it’s frustrating, but do you have anything better to do?

Step 10. When you’re done incorporating the ingredients, transfer the batter to the cast-iron skillet or baking dish.

Step 11. Stick the baking dish\skillet into the oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes until it’s golden brown. To see if your Johnnycake is ready, use a toothpick to test the batter. If it comes out clean, it means that it’s ready.

Step 12. Johnnycake is what chefs like to call comfort food. Serve it on rainy or cold days with plenty of butter. If you like to turn it into a desert, pour some agave nectar or maple syrup on top. Enjoy!

An alternative way to prepare Mormon Johnnycake

This recipe’s extremely versatile. Although the classic recipe calls for oven or stove baking, there’s another approach. Called Hoe Cakes, it’s the Southern take on the original Mormon Johnnycake recipe. The major difference between the two is that the first gets you a classic bread loaf, while the latter is more, well, pancakes. Anyway, here’s how to make some delish Southern Johnnycake pancakes for breakfast.

Ingredients

One cup of flour.
One cup of cornmeal.
Two and a half teaspoons of baking powder.
One teaspoon of salt.
Three-quarters of a cup of milk.
Half a cup of water.
Half a cup of melted butter.
One teaspoon of vanilla.
Half a tablespoon of nutmeg.

How to prepare Southern-style Johnnycakes

Step 1. Take a large bowl and mix your flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, sugar, and cornmeal.

Step 2. Using your fingers, make a little hole in the center of your dry mix.

Step 3. Put the milk, egg, vanilla, melted butter, and water in the hole.

Step 4. Mix the batter using a whisk or a fork. Since Southern Johnnycakes are closer to pancakes than to bread, your batter should be silky smooth.

Step 5. Take a cast-iron skillet or a frying pan and place it over the oven. Set to medium-high heat. You can use butter to fry the Johnnycakes or some cooking oil. I personally prefer to use tallow.

Step 6. Using a ladle or a small cup, pour some batter in the skillet and fry. Once the bottom is golden-brown, flip it and fry the other side. Continue until there’s no more batter left in the bowl.

Step 7. Like in the first case, serve hot, with some agave nectar or maple syrup. If you want to turn this into a really fancy dish, you can also add some frozen berries.

Wrap-up

As far as the traditional Mormon Johnnycake is concerned, I believe you can turn it into a full-fledged bread if you skip the sweet ingredients. Yes, I know that it’s hardly a substitute for oven-baked peasant’s bread, but it’s super easy to make and requires no cooking skills at all. If you’re careful enough to store it in a zip-lock bag or airtight container, that loaf can last for at least a couple of weeks, if not months.

The traditional recipe calls for the bread to be served hot out of the oven. Well, it is possible to eat it stone-cold but doesn’t have the same taste. What do you think about the Mormon Johnnycake? Hit the comments section and let me know.

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25 Things I Wish I Knew About Prepping

In 2001, I was in my office at work and watched in horror with my colleagues as the second plane hit the towers and our world changed forever. Even hundreds of miles away, it was a devastating catastrophe. Just two short years later, in August of 2003, I was living just west of Cleveland when the Northeast blackout of August 2003 happened.

I was lucky enough to get to the store for ice and batteries before it closed. A security guard at the door stopped me to tell me I had to wait until the previous customer came out before I could go in. They were only letting one customer in at a time. A line of people started to form behind me.

When it was my turn, the guard waved me inside. The lights were out but it was daylight so there was enough light from the windows to see by. The cashier followed me as I got the things I needed and headed for the checkout. She added my items on a battery powered calculator and gave me the total.

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I paid in cash, grateful I had just gotten paid and had cash on me because with the power out, they weren’t accepting anything else. As I came out of the store with my purchases, I heard the guard telling people in the back of the line, now stretched down the sidewalk, that the store was closing.

The power was eventually restored. But that was it for me. I vowed I would never put myself or my children in that kind of situation again. I was going to be more prepared to hunker down for an extended power outage if it happened again. For the first time, I remember thinking “maybe those doomsday preppers aren’t so crazy after all”.

I started reading about prepping and making lists. I have to admit my first instinct was to buy a lot of stuff. But I was living paycheck to paycheck back then, working a full-time job in the next county over and just trying to make ends meet. I had to start small.

I focused on food and I bought a few extra items each time I went to the store. I kept warm clothes and boots in my car in case I broke down. I stocked up on flashlights and batteries and I tried to keep my gas tank full instead of running on fumes. My parents and extended family were all almost an hour away, I had to at least be able to drive to where they were in an emergency.

Despite my best intentions, there were so many mistakes I, like others new to prepping made along the way. As I look back now, here are the 26 things I wish I knew about prepping when I started out:

1. Prepping is an industry

There are people who are in the prepping industry to make money. These people will use scare tactics and hype to sell their products. Preparedness is a smart strategy but don’t let yourself get caught up in the hype. Focus on what you need for your situation and family. Make a plan and stick to it. Remember that even small steps can make a huge difference.

2. It’s Not ALL About Gear

When I first started prepping, my instinct was to buy a whole bunch of gear. I printed off the checklists from the various websites and I started buying the gadgets everyone said were a must have to survive. The problem was, I didn’t know how to use any of that gear. Most of it sat in the closet for over a year. If something had happened, I wouldn’t have known how to use a lot of it.

3. It’s Impossible to Plan for EVERY. SINGLE. DISASTER

No matter how good a prepper you are or how experienced you are, it’s nearly impossible to plan for every type of situation or emergency that could happen. Focus on what is likely in your own area first and foremost. Gradually build your knowledge and hands-on experience because that’s what will help you adapt to whatever situation crops up.

4. Sometimes Old Really is Better

Not everything sold by those in the prepping industry is a quality product. Some of it, especially pre-built bug out bags and first aid kits, are poor quality items stuffed together to get you to pay more. Quality gear does make things easier but only if you have the right skills and knowledge.

When looking for gear and equipment, check your local flea markets, thrift stores, yard or garage sales, and estate sales. Older products are made better, more solid, better quality than new ones and many times you get a much better bang for your buck.

5. Reducing Debt is Critical

To truly prepare for a SHTF event, you’ve got to get out from under any debt you may have. Work to pay off credit cards and save an emergency fund in cash. Start paying for everything with cash and consider taking a course, such as the one by Dave Ramsey, to help you become more financially stable.

6. Hygiene and Sanitation–It’s More Than Comfort

When I first started prepping, I didn’t understand how critical personal hygiene and sanitation practices would be in a SHTF situation. Sure, it would be more comfortable to be able to shower daily and have access to a flush toilet, but I didn’t believe it was life threatening. It didn’t take long to discover that poor hygiene and the shutdown of sanitation services are a main cause of Illness, infection, and other diseases that can then spread quickly through cities after a natural disaster or SHTF situation.

7. Chances Are You’ll Have to Run, Hike, or Fight

During a SHTF event, chances are very good that at some point, you will have to run, hike, or even fight to survive. Fitness, self-defense, and security can be life the lifesaving difference in a SHTF situation. Many people prep for years before realizing how critical it is to prioritize physical fitness and stamina starting today.

8. Companies Lie About Their Products (see #1)

Well not all of them outright lie, but many companies are not above misleading customers into purchasing poor quality products. Advertising is very much an industry designed to get you to part with your hard-earned cash. Test everything yourself, before you need to rely on it to save your life.

9. Disaster Won’t Wait till I’m Safe at Home

The greatest stockpile and security system in the world won’t help if you’re stuck at work and the kids are trapped at school. Know local school evacuation plans and have a backup meeting place that is central for everyone. Practice getting to it from any location where you could be when SHTF because disaster can strike at any time, not just when you’re safe at home.

10. Documenting Identification and Assets is Critical

Following a natural disaster or even during a SHTF event, proving who you are might be not only necessary, but critical to maintaining your freedom. In addition, knowing what you own and being able to show documentation of model numbers and serial numbers or even photos, may be critical to getting reimbursed by insurance companies or other disaster relief organizations.

11. Cabin Fever Makes People Crazy

You and your family may end up holed up in an underground bunker, your basement, or even your own home without video games or television. You could be there for days, weeks, months, or even years with very little outside contact.

Those of you with kids between the ages of four and seventeen, just let that sink in. No matter how well you and your family or group members get along, being cooped up in one place for weeks or months on end can wreak havoc. Plan for this and have board games, card games, books, and other non-electronic entertainment in your safe room or at your bug out location.

12. Bugging Out Isn’t the First Option or the Best

For new preppers, it may seem like everyone is recommending bugging out in case of emergency. But not only is bugging out not the first option, for all but a rare few, it’s not the best option either. Bugging out is extremely dangerous and should be a last resort, only when you are certain that you home is no longer safe.

13. Prepping is a Bottomless Pit

The more you learn about prepping, the more you will begin to realize that prepping can be a bottomless pit. Because it’s impossible to predict with any certainty, what the scenarios are that you may face or what can go wrong, prepping is a never ending and ongoing process. It’s not something you do and forget about. It really is a lifestyle change.

15. Canned Food Weighs a LOT–Look for Lighter Alternatives

Stockpiling cans of food or home canned food in jars is great if you’re able to hunker down and ride out a natural disaster or SHTF event. But this kind of food weights a LOT. You’ll not only need sturdy shelving to store it but you’ll need to look for lightweight food alternatives for your bug out bag in the event you need to bug out.

16. Waiting for Doomsday Can Be Depressing

The more time you spend learning about emergencies, disasters, and potential SHTF events, the easier it is to become overwhelmed and live from a place of continual fear. Don’t let prepping consume your life. Focus on likely events in your area. Constantly waiting and anticipating a doomsday event can be depressing without balance. Don’t forget to enjoy life in the present moment as you prepare for potential disasters.

17. Stockpiling Cash Won’t Save You

While it’s a great idea and a critical necessity to have cash on hand when a disaster happens, stockpiling cash isn’t the only answer. In cases where the power grid is down, cash may quickly become obsolete. Make sure that you are stockpiling physical items and learning skills so that you can use those to barter for items that you may need for your family following a SHTF event.

18. Special Needs Mean Special Planning

Every family or group is different, and your disaster planning must take into account any special needs that might impact your ability to survive during or following a SHTF or other event. There are lots of cookie cutter survival plans available, but make sure you customize your survival plan to accommodate any mobility restrictions, special dietary needs, or medical needs of your family.

19. For Most, Survival Takes a Village or at least a Group

There are many different types of preppers out there. You’ll read a lot of advice from individuals who believe that bugging out to the wilderness alone is the best policy. A few very experienced individuals could actually survive using this lone wolf strategy. But for most people, surviving long-term will mean relying on extended family members, a community, or other trusted survival groups.

20. Talking Too Much Really Can Kill You

Getting prepared is something to be proud of and can provide a sense of relief to know that when SHTF, you’ll be ready. You may be tempted to share your knowledge and new-found lifestyle with other people you know. Choose the people you share information with carefully because talking too much really can kill you if you’re not careful.

When SHTF, that neighbor or cashier at the store you told casually about your stockpile may just decide it’s worth coming to your house to get food and water instead of fighting the hordes of people at the local store.

21. You’ll Need a Plan B, C, and D

No matter how prepared you think you are, there are things that can go wrong in a bug out situation or even during a bug in situation. Your stockpile could be confiscated, your bug out route could be blocked, or someone could find your hidden cache, etc. Know in advance what these things could be and create backup plans so that you can adapt quickly to obstacles and pitfalls.

22. Solar Power Isn’t Just About Lights

When it comes to planning for power during a grid down situation, most people think first about lighting. But solar power can come in handy for a wide range of activities after a SHTF situation including alternative ways to cook, heat, and even stay warm. Make sure your solar power system is designed with all of these activities in mind, so it will be adequate enough to sustain your family for the long-term.

23. You Really Are Going to Use Those School Subjects

One of the most common complaints about our education system is that it teaches things that we won’t use in everyday life. But when you begin to prep, you’ll realize that many of those things you learned in school really will come in handy including:

Geography
Physics
Biology
Chemistry
Home economics
Shop class
Defensive driving
Health Education
Gym or Physical Education

24. Practice Might Not Make You Perfect but It Will Make You Faster

One of the things that is important to realize about disaster situations is that many times it’s acting quickly that can give you an edge over others and in some cases, save your life. This is why you’ll hear some people emphasizing that you get hands-on practice using the skills that you are learning or running evacuation or bug out drills. The first instinct for most people is to panic, emotions will run high, and everyone in your group may not be thinking clearly when disaster hits.

There are also places to avoid going when SHTF so you don’t become a target or get caught up in a horde of desperate or violent people. The more you’ve planned out and actually practiced what to do in specific situations, the more likely it is that your group will act on instinct and be able to take action quickly.

25. A Plan and a Budget Helps Keep You Sane

The prepping lifestyle is never-ending, and it can be overwhelming. It’s very easy to lose focus or get taken in by the latest “prepping trend”. If you have an overall plan and a budget for your prepping, it can help you stay focused and keep your sanity.

Unfortunately, there’s just no one size fits all way to prepare for emergencies, disasters, or a SHTF event. And even when you do plan, you can be almost certain that something or maybe several things won’t go as planned.

But prepping is a great strategy that can certainly give you an edge in a bad situation. It’s definitely worth it. As a much more experienced prepper now than I was several years ago, I hope some of these 25 things I wish I knew about prepping when I started will help you avoid some of these and other common mistakes preppers make.