Beginner's guide to prepping

By Tim Gamble

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This article is meant to be a "bare bones" beginners level guide to preparedness. It is also meant more as a general outline to get folks started, rather than a in-depth guide. Sadly, most folks today are not prepared even at this basic level. Do these things, and you will be better prepared than 90% of your friends and neighbors.  

1A) Your Body - Your body and your mind will be your #1 survival tool. Begin working on your health and fitness now. Eat healthy. Get plenty of exercise. Get adequate sleep. Stop smoking and abusing drugs or alcohol. Take care of any medical, dental, or vision issues you may have, while times are still relatively good. 

1B) Your Mind - Your mental, spiritual, and emotional health is as important as your physical health. Improve your attitude. Develop a healthy spirituality. Reconnect with your spouse, family, and friends. Weed out toxic people from your life. Address any addictions you may have. Learn to relax and reduce stress. Connect with nature. Be a life-long learner. 

2A) Food, Water, Supplies - Stock up on food, water, cleaning & hygiene supplies, first aid supplies, medicine & medical supplies, batteries for your flashlights & radios, etc. Don't forget any special needs your family may have, such as diapers & baby formula. A good goal for beginner level preparedness is a month's worth of stuff. You can then build your storehouse from there as you move into intermediate and advanced preparedness. 

ProTip: Don't be discouraged by the sheer amount of stuff to stockpile. Work in concentric circles. Get a week's worth, then two weeks' worth, then a month's worth, and so forth.

2B) Gardening and Backyard Chickens - If you can, take up gardening and backyard chickens. If all you can do is a few tomato and pepper plants in containers on your patio, than do that. Most herbs be grown in pots on a window sill. Gardening and chickens are something you have to learn through experience. Start getting that experience now. 

3) Home and Personal Security - Learn about situational awareness and the OODA loop (article link), which is where security starts. Consider security upgrades to your home, such as heavier security doors, dead bolt locks, motion activated outdoor lights, getting a dog, etc. Every member of your family should take a good self-defense course. Buy a gun and learn how to use it. Stock up on ammo.

ProTip: Think about how your behaviors can enhance or hurt your personal security. Avoid bad neighborhoods and high crime areas. Avoid large crowds whenever possible. Park in well-light, highly visible spaces. Shop in groups. Let others know where you are going and when to expect you back. 

4) Vehicles - You may need to evacuate (bug out) at some point. Make sure your vehicles are maintained in good running condition, including tires. Make sure you have a good spare tire in your vehicle and the jack & tools needed to change a flat. Every driver needs to know how to change a flat tire. Keep the fuel tank topped off. Safely stock up on fuel to the extent you can. I also recommend you have a good first aid kit in each vehicle (Refuge Medical link). 

ProTip: Money is tight and car maintenance adds up. But it is a lot cheaper to maintain your car in the first place, than it is to repair it after its broken down. 

5) Bug Out Plans - Do you know where you would go if you suddenly had to evacuate your home for a few days or longer. Maybe there is a nearby chemical spill or an approaching wildfire. Figure out now where you would go, how you would get there, and what you would take. Pack bags now for each family member, as you may not have time to calmly pack during the emergency. These are known as bug out bags. 

ProTip: Have physical maps and written directions, instead of relying on GPS or Google maps, which may not be working during an emergency. 

6) Family Communications Plan - More than just an address book or contact list with phone numbers, a communications plan let's everyone know how and when to get in touch with each other, and what to do if they cannot.  

ProTip: An often overlooked area of preparedness, good communications is essential in an emergency (article link).

7) No Electricity? - You may have no electricity for a period of time. Having alternative ways to cook (gas, propane, charcoal grill, wood stove), stay warm (fireplace, firewood, heavy blankets, warm clothes), or light your home (flashlights, headlamps, oil lamps, candles) is a good idea. A good emergency radio that doesn't require being plugged in to the grid is a must have piece of equipment (Amazon link). 

8) Personal Finance - Set up an emergency fund (savings account). Keep some cash at home in a safe, well hidden space. Get on a budget. Pay off debt. Collect important papers (deeds, titles, insurance information, birth certificates, etc.) together in a safe, fireproof place so you can get your hands on them quickly if needed.

9) Training - Practice your bug out plans. Practice what to do in case of a fire, especially if you have young children. Everyone in your family should take a good self-defense course (you can find age appropriate courses). Everyone should learn first aid (Refuge Medical link). If there are firearms in the house, everyone should take a gun safety course (age appropriate ones are available). Teach your children to respect guns, not fear them. 

10) Consider Your Location - I know this suggestion upsets many people, and even makes a few folks downright angry, so consider this only as a possible bonus step. If you are living in a major population area, consider moving to a safer small town or rural area. Preferably somewhere not under woke leftist control (and when you get there, stop being a woke leftist yourself)

ProTip: I assure you there are jobs in small towns and rural areas. I assure you there are doctors, even specialists, in or near small towns and rural areas (and they went to the same medical schools and passed the same licensing exams your Big City doctors did). 

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