Sunday, November 28, 2010

What does it mean to be prepared?

We are living is volatile times, it seems like every time we turn around we are faced with another disaster. From Natural disasters to financial meltdowns, wars, and government takeovers, we are living through turbulent times that call for us all to be prepared for what ever may come next.
Not to long ago people who talked about preparing for the worst were though of as weird and often made fun of by the mainstream media. These days it is becoming more common that the weird ones are those that are not prepared. But what does being prepared actually mean? Does it mean stockpiling loads of gear, food and ammunition or is there something else that people should be doing to prepare for the worst?
To me being prepared means a number of different things.
  1. Financial Security – It’s great to be prepared for an end of days scenario but what happens when your faced with a foreclosure or the possibility of living on the streets? Is that not a survival situation?  To be truly prepared for the worst we must also think of our financial security. That means paying off debt, living within our means and starting an emergency fund.
  2. Knowledge - Gear breaks, food spoils and nothing lasts forever. Knowledge is the key to survival. It is the one thing that you can always count on and it’s the one thing that you can’t lose.
  3. Health - Now is the time to start thinking about your health. Having gear is great, but if your to fat and out of shape to use it then whats the point? You are the best piece of gear you have, take care of your body!
  4. Food Storage – Start stocking up on the basics, you are going to need them anyways so try to buy a little bit extra every time you go to the store. Think about it this way you might not ever be faced with an emergency survival scenario…. but what happens if you lose your job? Having a fully stocked freezer and a cabinet full of food might be just the help you need to make your way through until things get better.  Check out our list of foods with long shelf life that you should be buying.
  5. Bugout Bag /  Emergency gear - In an emergency situation things happen quickly, having a bug out bag can help ensure that you have everything you need in case of an emergency. Click here to for more information on Bug out Bags or here for our big list of survival gear
Depending on your situation, your location and other personal factors, being prepared can mean a number of things….. What does it mean to you?

1 comment:

  1. Being Prepared to me is to be just that..prepared for what I consider to be the most likely unpleasnt event that can effect me and this case its one of the following..economic collapse or a pandemic, man made or otherwise,,food, water and protection..or as I read somewhere else
    Beans, Bullits and Bandaids..I have some good books on wilderness survival among many others..even those that will Bug In in a severe situation should not rule out a Bug Out option..the key is to give yourelf as many options as possible.. to fail to do so is an invitation for Murphys Law..Knowledge is indeed King