Prepping 101: The First Step Is Admitting You’re Not Ready

Begin with long shelf-life foods like Mountain House or other freeze-dried options, plus S.O.S. lifeboat-style water packets. Pack them into waterproof totes with some clothes, ammo, cooking gear, and utensils. Think about what’s going in your truck when it’s go-time, and how that gear will hold up in the rain and chaos. Strongly consider newer, more nutrient-dense options like those offered by Essential Provisions. No junk to be found here, just pure, clean, and delicious eats that make the most of every calorie. Pro Tip: Get some of their “Sustain” high-performance energy blend if you plan on intense activity over a number of hours. You’ll keep your energy levels up and get done what you are trying to do. Once that’s squared away, think about your pets. Too many preppers forget them. Whether it’s a dog or cat, bird or bunny, they rely on you. Have carriers, collapsible bowls, food, water, and a plan to keep them secured. A waterproof tote makes a great makeshift litter box if you need one. Don’t Forget About Your Stuff Then come weapons and valuables. You’re not leaving those behind, so make sure they’re protected. Pelican cases are ideal but pricey, Harbor Freight makes decent alternatives. The key is planning ahead for what goes and what stays. For irreplaceable items like photos or documents, go digital or use a safety deposit box. Once your bug-out setup is solid, shift to bugging in. Build a rotating stockpile of canned goods, water, and essentials. Set up your home to withstand a long-term disruption. Decide who’s in your inner circle, and what you’ll do when uninvited guests show up – especially those forks like neighbors and long time acquaintances that are going to be serious hard to turn away. Know Where You’re Going Finally, if you plan to bug out, line up a destination. A rural friend’s property is ideal. If that’s not an option, find a location, meet the locals, and plan how you can contribute if things go south. Pre-stock some supplies there so you’re an asset, not a burden. Sell folks on the benefits of having you around when things go sideways. Prepping isn’t paranoia – it’s responsibility. The day you find yourself unprepared is the day you’ll wish you had been. When your daughter looked up at you and says, “What do we do now, Dad?” Your answer can absolutely not be, “I have no idea.” — If this kind of practical prepping talk resonates with you, I dive much deeper into it in my book, Up To Speed: A Prepper’s Guide. It’s about 360 pages of tough love – written for anyone who wants to keep their family safe when things go sideways. Editor’s Note: Consider picking this one up for yourself or a loved one as an early Christmas present. SOFREP contributing author Galen Fries presents a starting point here to get the “What if?” conversations started. What if we have to leave our home for some reason? What if we’re cut off from our normal sources of food and water? What if our family is split up during a disaster? How do we get back together? “Up to Speed…” will get you thinking. From here, you can develop a plan. If all you have right now is hope, you’ll be SOL if things go sideways. Remember, my friends, hope is not a plan. A plan is a plan. Have one. – GDM