The next important step in the pre-prepared individual mindset journey is to make sure you are mentally prepared for what comes next. You will need to be confident that you have everything you need before you actually get things ready.
This can mean stocking up on food, water, medicine, and other needs long term ahead of time. It also means being able to accept that not everyone will be as willing to help out as others after a disaster happens.
Some people will feel more motivated than others to contribute to your cause, but there’s really no way of knowing who those people are until you meet them.
On top of that, some people may not like how you’re going about preparing or organizing for disasters, which again, is totally okay!
Your mental preparation sets the foundation for your overall readiness, and it takes effort to put in that work early on. Make sure to allocate enough time to prepare yourself properly so that you don’t end up feeling stressed or overwhelmed later on.
Know Where You Will Go When Things Break Down
The next important step in pre-survival training is figuring out where you will go when things break down. This could be somewhere local, like your home town, or it could be far away depending on how much food you have and what kind you have enough of.
You do not want to be stuck waiting for help one week before you know something has gone wrong! Figuring this out can be tricky though as some people may believe these rumors about the government telling people to evacuate their homes. Some areas may even be ordered evacuated that don’t need it.
There are many ways to determine if there is actually an urgent situation at which time you should leave. By knowing the differences between a crisis and an emergency, you can tell whether this is really a bad thing to do or not.
If possible, try to find out how close your house is to the water and how full the lake, river, or ocean is. If it looks like it could flood then probably better to stay until the waters recede. Or maybe the air pollution alerts are saying to limit outdoor activity so staying indoors would make more sense.
Find Out Who Is Responsible For Food Supplies
The next step in food storage should be figuring out who is responsible for your supplies. This can vary from person to person, so make sure you understand this before starting to organize or reorganize your supply circle.
Some people will have more food than others, and that’s okay! We all have different needs and priorities when it comes to storing our foods, so don’t feel obligated to keep up with everyone else’s.
However, it’s important to know how much each person has stored so that you don’t run out too soon because they ran out of something.
You also want to know whether someone is willing to share their food so that you can use some of theirs. If yes, great! You’ve found another source of nutrition for yourself and your family!
If no, then you may need to look into other sources of food. It’s not your fault they didn’t bring enough food to save them, but now you do.
Learn How To Grow Vegetables
The next important step in becoming a full-fledged survival food source is learning how to grow your own vegetables. Luckily, with growing vegetables as a beginner’s crop you can get some very basic lessons online or through local gardening groups and classes.
Many people begin by planting a batch of seeds and then experimenting to see what kind of vegetable comes up! This way, they learn more about individual plants and where their nutrients come from.
After that, it’s just figuring out which veggies are the most nutritious so that you can make it into part of your diet. Some easy ways to do this are looking at nutritional information and reading reviews. You also can find recipes using those foods.
Stage one is definitely giving yourself by spending money on good quality soil, fertilizers, and seedlings.
Understand How to Cook Without Electricity
The next fundamental skill you need to have before moving onto more advanced ways to survive is how to cook without electricity. This can be done many different ways depending on your preference and what foods you like- cooking with burners, stoves, or natural light.
Many people begin by learning how to make simple meals; pasta dishes, grilled vegetables, and broiled meats are some very common recipes that most anyone can pick up quickly. Learning how to make this kind of food does not require too much equipment beyond a stove and pot!
Another way to start is to learn how to bake; baking requires less fuel than boiling so it is a better option if you do not have access to an oven nor a refrigerator to store the cooked goods.
Practice Basic First Aid Skills
The next important step in preparing for an emergency is to learn how to help others who are injured or sick. You will not only be helping them, you will be helping yourself by practicing basic first aid skills such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and use of an oxygen tank.
Both CPR and using an oxygen tank can save a person’s life if they are needed immediately after someone has been hurt or collapsed. Even if these practices have already been done, you should still practice because chances are your local rescuer hasn’t either!
Practice putting on adequate personal protective equipment (PPE), knowing what PPE is appropriate for each situation, and how to do it correctly so that you don’t put yourself at risk of getting infected or hurting yourself.
Once you have mastered the basics, there are many ways to advance your first aid knowledge and skill-set. There are courses and resources available online and through community groups and self-help organizations. Many hospitals also offer first aid training to members of their staff.
Be Prepared to Live Off the Land
The next level of preparedness is knowing how to live off the land or at least know what you need to survive season-long without grocery stores. This can be more difficult than thinking about food in terms of months, as most people seem focused on that.
But being able to identify some vegetables and fruits you like and are willing to harvest them is important. If nothing else, it will give you some sense of control over your eating habits and nutrition.
It also gives you something familiar to do if you’re hungry – eat whatever plants we have available! (Not always practical, but helpful for morale.)
Another good way to address this is by growing your own foods. Even if you don’t end up using all of the parts of the plant you grow, it still helps increase your nutritional knowledge and self-sufficiency.
Running out of food is one of the worst things you could face, so making sure you’re not dependent on the market for anything beyond basic necessities makes sense.
And what should I start doing now?
The first stage of long term survival for anyone truly preparing themselves for an emergency or disaster is to prioritize how they will survive each week. This includes food, water, shelter, medicine, and energy sources.
Many people begin by gathering supplies such as MREs (Meal Ready Meals) and plastic bottles but these are only short-term solutions. It’s important to know that even though it may seem like there isn’t much you can do with just a few items, those few things can make a big difference in your ability to survive longer.
It’s not always easy to put aside money we have set aside for other things to invest in our health and safety, but this is one of the most important things you can do if you want to stay alive.
After eating well and being sure to drink enough water, next comes finding ways to fulfill your need for sleep. We spend around half of our time sleeping, so making sure we understand how to be comfortable while asleep is an essential part of self-care.
Some simple ways to achieve this include using old blankets, tucking sheets into bedding rolls, or buying inexpensive mattress covers.
Create a list of supplies
The next step in preparing for an emergency is to go shopping! You will want to make sure you have enough food, water, and medicine to last you for at least three months.
Many people start by gathering dishes, pots, and pans. These are important to ensure that you can still eat if your supply of fresh foods runs out. Having a nice collection of plates and bowls is very helpful.
Next, you should look up recipes to help you learn how to cook. Many websites offer free or paid resources to get started cooking quickly!
Some other items to gather include: plastic storage containers, freezer bags, rolling papers, sharps disposal equipment, and a source of light so you can read during this time.
This sounds like a lot, but don’t worry about buying them all at once.