What does it mean to ‘Be prepared’? Of course it is the Boy Scout, or at least it used to be. I was never a Boy Scout. Also, there is a new verb in society now. That word is “prepping”? Isn’t that what doctors do prior to surgery? And just who are these people who are called “Preppers”? Are they all looking out for some Doomsday scenario?
These questions lead to the need of explaining exactly what preparation is or prepping. It is a little easier to breakdown the things that are included in preparation, prepping or living the preparedness lifestyle rather than saying what it is or isn’t because it looks different for each family.
Some things that it should NOT include are: Paranoia, Panic or Fearful Hording.
So with the ‘don’ts’ out of the way, let’s look at the wide variety of things that this newly formed verb of prepping may include. Below, not in any order of priority, is a breakdown of areas involved in living a preparedness lifestyle:
~ Securing an Alternate Power Source.
~ Planning for and practicing alternate Communications.
~ Locating or making a Drinking Water supply.
~ The right to bear arms for either hunting or security.
~ Learning Survival Skills, Techniques, Planning and Practice.
~ Learning and using Emergency Reaction equipment, tools and skills.
~ Planning for Terror, Pandemic or Natural Catastrophes to react in confidence and peace.
~ Building your Long–Term Workable Pantry or Food storage. This includes skills to use the food.
~ Self-Sustaining lifestyles and skills such as gardening, preserving the harvest, skills and equipment to feed from one’s own efforts.
This is a basic, brief list of things that are often included in preparation and by no means do we believe it to be fully complete, but we wanted a start. Each Prepper (one who prepares or is in the act of prepping for an uncertain future) has a flavor and focus of his/her own. As stated before, each family has the ability, skill and right to prepare as they choose. Your prepping doesn’t HAVE to look like our preparedness lifestyle…but we can share and learn from each other and be better prepared for it!