At what point are you ultimately prepared? Honestly, there is no such thing. Preparedness is a state of mind that drives a lifestyle and must be practiced, refreshed, maintained, exercised and always has room to be improved upon. A prepared mind will help prevent panic; and a panicked state of mind is where most mistakes are made.
Stay in good physical and cardiovascular health with regular exercising.
Learn to cook your five favorite family meals over a campfire in your backyard.
Learn to navigate by the stars.
Grow your own vegetables.
Practice a ‘power out’ situation with your family by shutting off the main breaker for a weekend.
Have a family plan for an evacuation, and practice it. What if an emergency occurs mid-day when no one may be home? Who picks up the kids? Who goes home and gets supplies? Where will everyone meet in safety? Have a few back up meeting locations as well. Can you coordinate all this without a phone? Do you have alternate means of communication like CB (citizen band) radios or better yet Short Wave radios (HAM operator license required)? Don’t rely on electronics alone, have a stock of weather proof paper to leave messages. Have nonverbal signals as well, ex. The kitchen stool lying on its side means ‘went to grandma’s house,’ where as the desk chair laying over would mean ‘go to family camping site.’
If you have kids, get them involved in Scouting or any outdoor adventure club.
Have a support group of close, trusted family and friends.
Here are a few resources for various areas of training.
Find & enroll in local classes for
- Self-defense
- Wilderness Survival
Recommended books to keep in your home library. These can be purchased at books stores or ordered online.
- The Holy Bible
- United States Constitution and Bill of Rights
- How to Survive the End of the World As We Know It
- Survival Medicine Handbook
- When there is no dentist
- The Complete Guide to Edible Wild Plants
- US Army Survival Manual – Field Manual 21-76
- US Army First Air – Field Manual 21-11
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