Every time I start talking of disaster and collapse scenarios that are possible, my wife buys extra ice cream. If I mention we are in the final stages of the “Everything Bubble.” More ice cream appears in the fridge. If I rant about how we’re following the paths of Venezuela, Greece, and Cuba, more ice cream appears in the fridge. And if I mention the organized crime taking over our courts, border cities, and government, she buys more ice cream.
It sounds funny when it’s ice cream, but many preppers—especially fledgling preppers—take a similar approach to their preps.
Styles of Preps
Think about different community level and personal level disasters for a bit and you realize they aren’t all the same. For example, think about the differences in the following events.
- Meteor event similar to Chelyabinsk Meteor, but on the scale of the Tunguska Meteor impacting a major commercial shipping port
- Train shipping radioactive materials or dangerous chemicals derails near your house
- Economy is run into the ground over the course of a decade by well intentioned Social Democrats
- Nuclear War
This is a tiny list, but you can see the differences in preps needed instantly. For the train derailment, you would need a 72-hour kit or bugout-bag. You would need to be out of your home in minutes and travel light, but you could probably stay with family or friends for a couple of nights and be back home in time for Monday night football.
However, if the economy tanked slowly over the course of 10 years, finally getting so bad people are eating stray pets, a garden and strong knowledge of Permaculture would be a better prep.
If we found ourselves in the middle of a nuclear war, then iodine tablets, a bunker, freeze-dried food, and hundreds of gallons of drinking water would be the better choice of preps.
Make a List
As you can see, investing in a one-size-fits-all approach to prepping is about as useful as buying 10 gallons of ice cream every time there’s a scary story in the news.
I suggest taking the approach of listing out the most likely disasters that could affect your family and your community. Then organize the list so that the most likely events are at the top of the list. Finally, make plans for the top three on your list.
It may turn out your list is:
- House fire
- Home invasion
- Tornado
Or you may find that your list is more exotic, like:
- Government collapse
- War
- Solar Flare
Either way, tailor your preps to your likely events.
Back to the Ice Cream
Now, a lot of events have one thing in common. You need to be able to leave on a moments notice. Because of that, I recommend incorporating a 72-hour kit or bug-out bag into your preps. They don’t take up much space, and you can always use whatever is in the kit, even if you weather the event in your home.
And remember, don’t forget to buy ice cream.