Is it Wise To Begin Preparing Now?

Preparedness is a set of actions based on research that are taken as precautionary measures in the event of a disaster. Preparedness is a crucial quality for achieving objectives and avoiding or mitigating negative outcomes.

Even though there can be no doubt about the importance of being adequately prepared for any disaster or emergency, each scenario must be examined very carefully. The point I'd like to make here is whether or not a survivalist should be more concerned about and prepared for situations that are more likely to occur rather than those that may or may not occur at all. If you prepare for the most likely emergency scenario you can think of, you'll probably have most of the equipment and supplies you'll need for the more unlikely crisis.

Following this line of reasoning, I have to wonder if it makes sense to focus your survival efforts on extraordinary scenarios. We would fare much better in the long run if we simply focused on the crisis situations that we know are possible.

This is why it's critical to take a close look at the various situations that will inevitably arise in your area of the country. Make a list of the supplies you already have and the ones you still need.

Any typical scenario that could last for an extended period of time will, by definition, necessitate an abundant supply of food. In this case, you should have a variety of food supplies on hand, including canned, dehydrated, and possibly military-style MREs.

The simple act of owning some land outside of the city provides you with not only a safety margin if there is social or civil unrest, but also a means of supplying your own food. In other words, the farther away from the population you are, the safer you will be. In this type of environment, you'll almost certainly have a well on your property to provide fresh water. You could even add a windmill to your shopping list to provide your family with limited electrical power.

Let's be clear about what we mean by "long term." We usually refer to a long-term scenario as one that lasts at least a year or longer. Of course, stockpiling enough food to last that long would be nearly impossible. In that case, you'll almost certainly have to grow a lot of your own food. In our hypothetical situation, you will be able to raise livestock to supplement your food supply. You might have a couple of cows, pigs, sheep, and a few chickens. You will most likely be completely self-sufficient and independent of the system at this point.

If you simply cannot afford to buy land outside of the city, you can still purchase some basic gardening tools and seeds. Learn how to use these tools properly and put what you've learned into practice.

You'll need a few good guns that you can use for both hunting and self-defense. There is no doubt that the first few months will be difficult, and you will need to be able to protect yourself and your family.

If you live in an area where tornadoes are common, you should think about getting a storm shelter. Even if you are not in those areas, you may still want to have a shelter for storage and added security. Storm shelters, if properly modified, could serve as a useful fallout shelter if the need arose.

On the other hand, it's possible that your house is close to a railroad track. If that's the case, you might want to think about what you'd do if a chemical tanker derailed. This thought makes me want to get chemical suits for my family members. It also tells me that I should think about getting some filtration system in my shelter.

As we all know, there are some situations in life over which we have no control. However, by properly planning for the everyday scenarios over which we do have control, we can be that much closer to being prepared for the truly unlikely events.