It is day one of month one of my life as a survivor. What do I do now?
Sit down and don’t panic is number 1. Determine how much you can spend this month. We aren’t going into debt. We want to be realistic in our plans. For our purposes we are going to say we have between $100 and $200 to spend on getting ready.
Where do you start? You know how much you can spend so you have to determine where you are going to put the money this month. Build your plan. Take into consideration the following areas and do not think they are in priority order. These are just areas we have to work with.
Second thing we are doing is making a Rough Draft Plan. It is a rough draft because it is going to change. You have to keep flexible or you will go crazy.
Is the plan only for you or do you have family or friends included?
Do you plan to stay in place or do you plan to have an alternate site or sites in mind?
Do you have transportation and will it work to get you out?
Can you defend yourself?
Can you blend in?
What kind of disasters do you face in the area you live in? If it is California it could be earthquakes as well as the whole world coming to an end as we know it. It could be Hurricane like the Gulf Coast.
Most people in a panic will run. They just run and many times have no idea of where they are going or what to do when they get there. One of the things we saw in the Dallas area from Hurricane IKE was some people had planned ahead so much they had travel trailers set up with their kits and drove together up to RV parks they had called to establish a base till they could go home.
If you plan to leave you need maps and you can get many free from State you live in. In major Metro areas like NY or Chicago or LA or Dallas you need local maps too. Mark up you maps with highlighters showing alternate routes out of town from where you live and where you work. If you have people (Children) to pick up, how are you going to get them? Mark your map and attach contact information to them.
Use FEMA’s Contact sheets to work up your plan. I am not crazy about FEMA but they do have some good ideas like the contact cards. Use every resource you can.
In the first month build up your library of information. Put it in print form as well as on disk. Find books free online like Cresson Kearney’s work on Nuclear War Survival.
Food: buy what you eat. Remember that when you have food in your pantry you want to rotate out the oldest products so buy what you eat. Build up your 72 hour kit first. This is everything you and your family needs for the first three days. Food, Water, Shelter, clothes, Light, heat, cooking supplies, Radios, Communications, Maps, Protection, money or barter materials, tools (Includes multipurpose knives/tools) Transportation, for just a few.
Once you have the first 72 hours covered you have met a goal. It is just like going to school. You have points that you know you have reached a certain level and you have so much more to go. Have steps you can achieve. One of your biggest enemies is fear and frustration. When you reach goals it gives you hope. Set up plans with levels to work toward.
72 hour kit: Remember this is your first line kit. You will expand on this in the next steps. Don’t try to get too big too quick. This is the basics to start.
Food for three days. Can be canned food, freeze dried, whatever you eat. Main thing is make it simple to prepare.
Water for three days. Best way to go is to get containers and fill them from your tap. Two liter soda water bottles, 5 gallon containers from walmart, whatever works for you. Each person should have at least one gallon per day set aside. Later you can add water filters. Rotate water every three months.
Clothing and shoes (should be comfortable and set for climate) Include rain gear.
Sleeping stuff. Bags, blankets, sheets, etc. Use what you have at first. Then you can go to bags and systems.
Light, heat and cooking stuff. Candles, flashlights, batteries, Solar and crank operated, oil lamps and oil, single burner propane burner and small propane bottles. Matches, lighters, something to start fire. Don’t forget to have something to put out fire as well. Each of our vehicles has a fire extinguisher in it. Don’t forget a manual can opener. Swiss Army knife is great because they have them on the knife.
Contact information for each person. IDs, money, phone numbers, health care info. Places to meet if separated.
Whistle, mirror, compass, knife or multipurpose tool, Clear tubing to use as siphon, sanitary supplies (Soap, toilet paper, sanitizer, toothpaste and brush)
First aid kit (Check with folks like DocYoung on this one.) Nothing fancy to start. Next month or month after go for bigger and better. Don’t forget prescriptions and eye glasses.
Keep you vehicles up to date maintenance wise. Have extra fuel on hand for them. Know where you are going if you plan to leave. Have multiple routes laid out to avoid tie ups on major roads.
Personal protection. I know a lot of people will say this is first. Money may big issue for some and in other areas you may be limited by the law as to what you can have. If you can get a Concealed handgun permit. For a first gun stick with the basics again. A 22LR hand gun or small rifle is fine. Ammo is still a lot less expensive than higher calibers. It is also a gun that many people have from their childhood. Use what you have.
This does not cover all you need but it is a place to get started. Use the posts here to see what others have to say.
In coming months we can talk about more advanced kits and always be willing to revise your plans. Keep your plan up to
