Survival and Emergency Preparedness

I can't predict the future. But I can read the writing on the wall and 2024 may well be a volatile year due to many factors. If so, how would you advise someone just thinking about/getting into prepping for the first time this year?

Food... buy what you eat ! ( a bit extra each time and build up your pantry )

The work has already been done for him.

Go on line and look up the history of the boy scouts. Then read the boy scout motto, the boy scout pledge to one's self, and the boy scout principles which are called the boy scout laws.

General Baden-Powell took his experiences and created a path to survival that could be followed by an adult or youngster. Meet the requirements for the various ranks. Do the merit badge requirements. A person has to staff, organize, manage, and control his life. This is why it was no surprise in a study of combat injuries in Vietnam, the higher the rank obtained in scouting, the higher the probability of avoiding death and serious injury.

A person has to listen and learn. Baden-Powell selected Fredrick Burnham as his chief scout. The man traveled and lived with the American Indians to learn how to track. Winston Churchill and Ronald Reagan studied and sought instruction on how to be orators. The great athletes not only have some natural ability, they listen and learn.

A person has to create a success for every day. An American Admiral said he considered making his bed the first success of the day. If everything else went wrong, he had a success. An American Army Captain in Europe shaved every morning in the field with cold water. It was Captain Winters affirmation that he would be successful that day. I get up, go to the computer, bay off my one credit card every day. It makes monitor what I have, what I am spending, whether a purchase was necessary and I confirm that I have not been hacked.

A person has to go silent on telling everyone his education, work history, rewards, opinions or wealth. I sat at a dinner table and observed a man at the table who had everyone's attention. He never once spoke about himself. He asked other people what their interests were, about their children, their opinions. As a result, everyone liked him and wanted to be in his presence.

As a result of that observation, I took photographs of my awards, citations, degrees, licenses and threw them out. On the wall of my office is a charcoal drawing by Clayton Turner of a cowboy scene. He was an quadriplegic artist who drew holding the charcoal with his teeth. When the oven repair man came, I talked to him about his training, his continuing education, what he liked about his job and his suggestions on future oven maintenance. When I am at the doctor's office and speaking to the nurse, I ask her about her continuing education and her Apple watch that she is wearing.

Many good reference books out there, but I would make sure to get them in paper and not electronic format.

As noted above, food is always good and start small and stuff you eat.

Depending on where you live, making sure you have sufficient clothing/bedding to survive the temps.

Have the proper tools and skills to protect the items you collect.

Taking a basic first aid class is never a waste of time.

Inventory your stuff, you may have many of the items you need and this can save you some money.

You need two 50rd boxes of Pistol ammo, and one box of shotgun shells, and 3 mags of ammo for a black rifle.

If you have that, focus on EVERYTHING else.

Bob has a very good suggestion.

bdcochran wrote: ↑Tue Apr 30, 2024 11:05 pm Bob has a very good suggestion.

Full disclosure: I have around 2-3 thousand rounds of just 9mm. And guns in all common calibers. However, shooting has been a lifelong activity/hobby. That said...

Finances, Fitness, Food/Water/Fuel/Tools/Comms/etc...ALL more important than more ammo beyond the aforementioned two 50rd boxes.

If you are going to prep, you should have firearms. I have always said every home in America needs a 12g shotgun and the handgun of choice in .38/9/40/45. But after that - having enough food and water to not need to leave the home will keep you more safe than the weapons.

I like to say "30 days of self sufficiency for every 1000 rounds of ammo." So if you have 1000 rounds of ammo, and don't have 30 days of just holing up in the home without external food/water/etc., you are doing it wrong.

You can't prepare for everything, start preparing for what is most common.

We followed that logic and over the years, our preparations have grown to the point that we are prepared for many things and not just the initial power outage that started down this path.