There is a common misconception that preparing to survive an apocalypse or large-scale disaster is only needed once it happens. In fact, being prepared every day is the best way to be prepared.
This article will talk about why this concept is important and how you can begin practicing daily preparation.
Types of Preppers
There are many types of people who consider themselves prepping. Some stockpile food while others gather supplies such as first aid kits or fire starters.
Some invest in survival gear, such as plastic sheeting to make shelter or water purification systems.
Still other individuals purchase guns or ammunition ahead of a crisis. While this may not be considered pure preparation, it is important to remember that having a gun gives you more power!
Prepper communities organize into different groups, some focused on one area like nutrition or medicine, while others focus on protecting yourself from violence or theft.
Many contribute money or resources towards humanitarian efforts during a crisis so that help can be given to those without access to them. This is called preparedness philanthropy.
Preparing For A Crisis
While some may have all of the supplies lined up, and while some may be actively preparing for a crisis, most people are in the middle ground when it comes to actually doing anything about their preparations.
There’s usually a few reasons why individuals don’t put more effort into their preparedness. Sometimes, they feel that everything is already gone somewhere, so there’s no need to invest any additional resources at this time.
Other times, they don’t want to spend money on things that will only help them later.
A third reason might be that they don’t think they’ll ever get through all of these items, or that they’ve run out of space to store them. All three of those are very common causes of unpreparedness.
With all of that said, how long should you really expect to devote to your preparedness goals? There is no hard and fast rule for this, but we can give you an estimate.
When To Start Planning
Starting to plan is not a bad thing, in fact it’s probably one of the best things you can do as a prepared individual. You are investing your time into something that will help you live more comfortably or even survive should large scale disasters occur!
Most people start preparing during or after the ________ (name the event – earthquake, hurricane, civil unrest, etc.).
That’s when they realize how important safety is in their lives and how little control they have over it. A lot of people also begin looking into food storage at this stage as well.
But there is an enormous amount of variability in timing with both of these areas. Some people start early, some people late-and nothing wrong with either approach! It just depends on yourself and what feels right to you.
We recommend starting small by buying a few items per week. Spread out your purchases so that you don’t run into money problems too quickly.
Tips For Starting Now
Being prepared is an excellent way to improve your quality of life, and while some may consider it as a waste of time or expensive, it really isn’t!
By investing in supplies and equipment now, you are already more prepared than most people ever would be at a later date.
Years down the road, when there is a crisis, these resources will help you survive better than if you waited until then.
So why not start preparing today?
It is easy to begin with small steps. You can spend just a few dollars to get things going. With each purchase, check out how effective and lasting its use will be.
You don’t have to invest large sums of money in order to start improving your own survival knowledge. Many online courses and free lessons can give you all the basics you need to know.
There are also many free apps that can help you stay informed about potential crises and what you can do to prepare for them.
Is it just food and water? Or shelter too?
While some may believe that stockpiling only foods and ammunition is all you have to do as a prepared person, it is not!
Having a second source of food, fuel, and shelter is very important if the main source was destroyed or runs out.
In a total disaster, most people will lose access to their home, workplace, and community resources such as schools, hospitals, and places where they work.
These things make up our daily lives, so many people will feel lost and overwhelmed.
Some may even be unable to survive without these resources, making them incapable of living outside the house with no help.
The average person needs several hours to gather enough supplies to last a few days at least, which can seem like an impossible task in a crisis.
Fortunately, there are ways to know how to start preparing immediately in case of an emergency. These tips include gathering food, medicine, and materials to create your own shelter.
Do you also plan for medical care?
For some, planning extends beyond food to include health coverage as well. While this is great if you are able to afford it, not everyone can make sure they have adequate coverage at all times.
For example, most major disease outbreaks require patients to show up at a doctor’s office or hospital for treatment. If you are not prepared to go out and find appropriate treatments, you will be out of luck when you need them.
This is particularly important during an epidemic like Ebola, where early diagnosis is crucial in saving someone’s life. By being prepared, you can ensure that doesn’t happen!
There are ways to mitigate this risk by having enough basic medicines with you or knowing how to treat minor illnesses. However, even these things add to your overall preparation burden so don’t feel like you must have everything unless you really want to.
Instead try keeping it simple but essentialized, just because we tell ourselves that something isn’t necessary doesn’t mean that we won’t run into situations where it is.
Other essentials like clothing, tools, and equipment?
While some may think that food is the most important thing to have ready, there are several other things that can be just as essential. Clothing, for example, helps protect you from temperature changes and keeps you warm or cool depending on the season.
Clothing also helps create your sense of self-confidence which is one of the biggest factors in escaping with others. If someone else has clothes on, they could help you find shelter, work, or survive after a disaster!
Having appropriate clothing is very important since disasters can happen at any time. Disasters such as hurricanes, floods, wildfires, and earthquakes can destroy large areas quickly, so being prepared means having enough clothes to last for multiple days.
You should always gather up an adequate amount of clothing before a major weather event. Even if you will not use it all during the initial part of the storm, spending the extra money now will save you later.
Do you think you’d be better off with some extra supplies than without them?
The best way to determine if more preparedness is needed is by looking at how much preparation you have now. If you don’t feel that you are enough of a “worker-prepper,” then perhaps it’s time to look into things like food storage or survival gear.
There’s no wrong way to prepare for an emergency, but most people don’t know what level they’re ready for. By being aware of your current state of readiness, you can work towards improving upon it.
By having just a few basics, we as humans survive very well during times of need. We depend on others for help when we run out of our own resources.