What Is A "Prepper" ?

Some people may be put off by the term "prepper". So let's talk about exactly what is a Prepper.
(Helpful hint: The red words in the text are links to further information)

Prepper: one who prepares. Period.

This means that Boy Scouts, homesteaders, survivalists, and even most "normal" people are preppers by definition. The real difference between a prepper and a Prepper is in attitude. In my experience, "normal" people prepare for normal things. Car needs and oil change, kids don't like what's for dinner, power goes out for an hour, etc. A "Prepper" tries to prepare in a more conscious way for things on a larger scale. Power goes out for a week, severe illness or loss of job, all the way up to things like revolution, war, Nuclear war, etc.

So part of the issue we have here is a matter of degree. A person can be a Prepper and just have a lot of food and water saved, (or someone who has food insurance), but a person can be a Prepper with HazMat suits, 10k rounds of ammo, and 5 years worth of food. Its all a matter of degree.

The important thing here is not how you prepare, the important thing is not how much you prepare. I believe that the important thing is that you look at your situation and you look at the future. Compare these two things, stay abreast of the news and world events, and you DECIDE, deliberatly and consciously, what you are going to do. If you choose to do nothing and something major happens, tough, you chose that. Don't come crying to those who have prepared and tell us we owe you or any other crud. That is not to say that a prepared person won't help you, but if you do, its a good deed for them, its nothing you are owed. If you do prepare and nothing happens, what's so bad about that? We don't know what will happen in the future, and as the old saying goes, "Better safe than sorry".

 

Store What You Eat

Hard-core survivalists could probably get by long-term on a diet of rice and beans, but I know my family would revolt after a day! In an emergency situation, your family will be stressed out enough without, suddenly, being subjected to strange, unknown foods. Comfort foods are called, “comfort foods” for a reason!

My family is at their most stubborn when I try to get them to eat something “weird.” Now is the time to begin moving your family’s tastebuds toward what is in your long-term food storage.

Here are a few tips to help guide your family toward eating what you have stored.

* Continue stocking up on what your family already eats and enjoys.
* Add basics, such as beans, rice, and wheat in bulk.
* Research new recipes using these bulk ingredients, and introduce a new recipe every week or two.
* Focus on vegetarian recipes, since meat may become very expensive and/or scarce.
* Keep only the recipes that receive a high approval rating!
* Don't forget to stockpile water, (1/2 gallon per person per day minimum)
* In a disaster, clean drinking water can mean the difference between life and death. A top grade water filtration/purification device is essential. A link to one oth the best follows: Big Berkey Water Filter with 2 Black Filters and 2 Free PF-2 Fluoride Filters

As time goes on, your family’s appetites will broaden to include meals using the staples you have purchased in bulk, and so will your recipe repertoire. Our food section, Tort's Kitchen, is a great Survival Recipe Book for now and into the future.

Surviving a disaster

In spite of everything we do to prevent disasters, they happen. We build barriers to keep out avalanches, floods, volcanic activity, fires, and storms. But natural disasters can overwhelm every one of those barriers. The levees of New Orleans held for many years, but were destroyed by a storm surge from Hurricane Katrina. The great city of Kobe, Japan, was designed to withstand enormous earthquakes, but was destroyed by a large quake—the most costly disaster in history. No matter what we do, we face powers greater than ourselves. People involved in disaster preparedness have a saying: Nature bats last!

The keys to surviving a disaster are to plan for it and be prepared for it. You need to answer the following questions: (click on red links below for further information)

• What things should I do to prepare for any disaster?
• What is a family disaster plan?
• What is a family evacuation plan?
• What is a family communication plan?
• How do I take and preserve a home inventory?
• What documents should I gather and where should I keep them?
• How should I prepare my finances?
  
• What should I put in a Disaster Supplies Kit?
• What should I add for an Evacuation Supplies Kit (Bug Out Bag)?
• What does every Kit need, but most don't have?
• What tools and supplies should I get?
• How much water should I store, and how should I store it?
• How can I purify water for drinking and cooking?
• How can I cook and have light when the power is off?

Terrorism

Throughout human history, there have been many threats to the security of nations. These threats have brought about large-scale losses of life, the destruction of property, widespread illness and injury, the displacement of large numbers of people, and devastating economic loss.

Terrorism is the use of force or violence against persons or property in violation of the criminal laws of the United States for purposes of intimidation, coercion, or ransom.

Terrorists often use threats to:

• Create fear among the public.
• Try to convince citizens that their government is powerless to prevent terrorism.
• Get immediate publicity for their causes.

Acts of terrorism include threats of terrorism; assassinations; kidnappings; hijackings; bomb scares and bombings; cyber attacks (computer-based); and the use of chemical, biological, nuclear and radiological weapons.