Generously Contributed By Skip Tanner
The idea of prepping can be a bit overwhelming, especially for those who are just starting out. When you start looking at everything all the books say about everything that you need to do in order to be prepared, it seems like a task to challenge Hercules, not something for a mere mortal. Nevertheless, you have to realize that everyone you read about, who seems to have the perfect survival setup, started out where you are… with nothing.
Prepping is more a lifestyle than a task to be accomplished. Oh, there are plenty of tasks to do, but they are all focused on one thing… becoming more self-sufficient. That way, when a disaster does strike, you aren’t going to be amongst the hoard of people just sitting there, waiting for big government to rescue them.
So, how to sort out the myriad of tasks that are associated with prepping? This is actually a much easier question to answer than one would imagine. The key here is to look for those items, which will provide the greatest amount of help in the greatest number of possible survival scenarios.
Basically, that means leaving aside things like gas masks and aquaponics, so that you can concentrate on learning basic survival skills and stockpile the basic survival supplies that you’ll need. What are those? They are the things that your body needs to survive, no matter what. So, we need to start with understanding those needs.
Homeostasis –
This technical term literally means maintaining the balance between two extremes. For survival purposes, it’s talking about maintaining your body temperature. So, the first priority is shelter, and warmth so that you don’t die of hypothermia.
Potable water –
The human body can only survive about three days without clean drinking water; what is known as “potable water.” This is water that has been purified to eliminate all microscopic pathogens that could make you sick.
Food –
We can live much longer without food than we can without water, especially considering that the average American is a bit overweight. However, in a survival situation you’re going to be doing much more manual work than normal, so you’ll burn more calories. Without proper food, your body will weaken.
There are many other things that are needed as well, but those three are the top priorities. So, that’s where you start. Find a way to heat your home when the grid goes down and buy it or install it. Make sure you have plenty of fuel to go with it as well, as a fireplace without wood isn’t a whole lot of good unless you are Santa Claus. Don’t forget that you’ll need some means of lighting that fuel on fire, so be sure to have several good fire starters on hand.
Stockpile food and water, as well as making sure you have a means of cooking that food, without electricity. Get yourself a good water filter too, so that when your water stockpile runs out, you can start purifying water to drink. Make sure that you know where to find water as well, both at home and wherever you ultimately pick for your bug out location.
Don’t concentrate on stockpiling those items, to the exclusion of everything else. We’re talking about where to start here. Start with fuel, water and food. But once you have a month’s worth of those items, it’s time to think about broadening out a bit, adding first-aid, seeds and some other important items. While not abandoning your stockpiling efforts. Basically, you’re adding to that, rather than replacing the work of stockpiling.
While stockpiling these things is important, it’s not as important as what you learn. Those who know how to survive can do so without having all the latest and greatest gadgets and supplies. Invest the time in learning survival skills, so that you can make it through, no matter what.
Learning survival skills is something that never ends. There’s always something new that you can learn. While the basics can be learned in an afternoon, there are so many variables in survival scenarios, that you can always find something new to learn. But the more you learn, the easier it will be for you to survive.
About The Author:
Skip Tanner is more than a writer, avid outdoorsman, hiker and international survival expert. He is also the creator of www.ExpertPrepper.com.
Skip’s been studying, sharpening, and expanding his skills every day since he was 15 years old.
He brings you the news you need to know as well as breakthrough information from some of the best authors and experts in their field. Together, they share their deepest secrets of survival with you.
