A Framework for Total Preparedness
Five Things You Can Do Now
- Use the Quick Check “Living a Healthy Lifestyle” to evaluate areas of strength and weakness.
- Make a list of skills you would like to learn.
- Purchase a book about a survival skill you would like to learn.
- Read a fiction or biographical book about personal survival.
- Acquire a small reserve of cash in small denominations and make sure it is secure.
Total preparedness means being able to provide for your needs as much as possible in any given circumstance. It consists of three areas: personal preparation, material provisions, and financial resources. This chapter looks at each area and helps you determine what type of planning you need to do.
Personal Preparation
The argument can be made that personal preparation is the most important aspect of being ready for the unforeseeable. It includes your physical and mental health, your mindset and attitude, and your knowledge, skills, and experience. It can be the difference between living as a survivor or perishing as a victim.
Physical Health
Survival both during and after a crisis may depend on your physical health. This is just one more reason to live a healthy lifestyle as recommended by health and fitness experts. It is not a new idea but a good time to reflect upon what you might need to change.
Build up your general physical condition and stamina now by developing good health practices. Diseases that currently do not pose a public health threat may become a concern in future situations. Be sure to get your diphtheria immunizations and tetanus boosters every five to ten years.
Mental Health
Perhaps more than any other thing, survival depends on your state of mind. Major crises create stress for everyone, and how you react can make all the difference.
Some react with excessive fear that quickly turns into panic. They may be completely paralyzed by their overwhelming sense of vulnerability and weakness, their actions ineffective and even dangerous. Others become deeply depressed and apathetic and give up.
Faced with the same difficulties, there are those who can cope with an inner strength that comes from being physically and mentally prepared. They are emotionally stable and function with a clear head and a calm presence. A crisis is still a challenge for them but is less threatening.
How to Prepare Mentally
Being prepared requires exercising
your mind by expanding your perspective
and increasing your adaptability.
Preparing mentally is a focused process that expands your perspective and increases your adaptability. You can increase your mental capacity by seeking new experiences, putting yourself in different situations, and challenging yourself to do hard things.
Acclimate yourself to the possibilities by reading survival experiences. Accept the fact that conditions can abruptly change for the worst and be aware of what to expect. Use worry constructively by planning out exactly what actions you will take in various crises. This will not only increase your confidence but will reduce your anxiety, confusion, and disorientation.
Learn how to reduce tension through physical activity and relaxation. And lastly, a sense of humor builds resiliency.
Personally Speaking
How can you test your mental resolve and adaptability? Go camping or backpacking. From experience, I have observed that no matter how well you think you’ve prepared for a camping or backpacking trip, there’s always something that tests your resourcefulness. Whether you contrive a net bag for drying dishes, improvise for forgotten tent-poles, or find a safe place to hunker down during a thunderstorm, you’re adding to your mental resolve and adaptability. Thinking of alternative cooking methods, sanitation demands, and ways to keep warm are all survival skills in practice and foster the feeling of success that comes from “having survived the trip.”
Not long ago, one of my sons took two of his boys, ages ten and twelve, on a little backpacking trip. There were some complications with the four-wheel-drive vehicle, a few food and water issues, and a bit of whining, but the biggest frustration my son faced was teaching his boys proper sanitation in the wild! Nothing gets taken for granted when you are camping. Though challenging at the time, these experiences are the best training for a crisis.
Fictional and Biographical Survival Books
Survival fiction and biographical stories can give you a good idea of what it might be like in a crisis. Check out the resource “Fictional and Biographical Survival Books” for recommendations and reviews of books that will give you an opportunity to reflect on how fictional characters and real people improvise, adapt, and survive in desperate situations.
Spiritual Anchors
Finally, do not ignore the strength of spiritual anchors. Without hope for the future, all is lost. Consider who you are and what you stand for. Reflect upon your moral values, what you believe, and your relationship with others and with God.
Knowledge and Skills
The more varied knowledge and skills a person has, the better he or she will be able to cope with whatever lies ahead.
The more knowledge and skills you acquire, the better equipped you will be to respond with confidence to whatever situation you may encounter. You will be able to calmly handle problems rather than panic or give up.
Unlike supplies and equipment, knowledge and skills cannot be purchased and stored on a shelf. They are acquired over time through study and practice as you learn to adapt to your needs and circumstances. And once you have mastered them, they cannot be taken away.
Perhaps the least expensive and most convenient way of learning a skill is from a good book or trusted media source. Another sure way to learn something new is to become an apprentice to a practitioner. You can also learn skills by taking a class or seminar through a university, community college, university extension, adult education program, or special-interest group. And countless how-to videos are available on YouTube and other video channels, although you will need to evaluate the accuracy and reliability of the information.
Dovetailing Skills
Learning a skill is just the beginning. Practice is necessary to build familiarity and efficiency. It can be easier to practice and more enjoyable if you dovetail survival skills with other practical pursuits, recreational hobbies, and family activities. When you become serious about preparedness, developing these skills is very motivational.
In table 3.1, you will find a list of skills, though not exhaustive, to get you thinking. Use it to create a list of the skills you would like to acquire. Divide that list into two categories—essential and desirable.
Personally Speaking
I have learned from experience that you absolutely must practice the skills you want to develop. A good how-to book or YouTube video can be a great help, but you cannot appreciate the nuances of a skill until you try it. The first garden Jack and I grew when we lived on the Front Range of Colorado can only be described as pitiful. But we persisted year after year, acquired more knowledge, tested new ideas, and learned from our mistakes. Gradually, our gardens improved and even flourished. But it was certainly a skill that took time to acquire and only developed through practice and patience, trial and error.
Table 3.1
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Homesteading Skills |
Home Arts Skills |
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Home Repair and Maintenance Skills |
Machinery Repair Skills |
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Communication Skills |
Medical Skills |
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Wilderness and Primitive Survival Skills |
Outdoor Recreation and Sports Skills |
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©Patricia Spigarelli-Aston
Material Provisions Preparation
Material provisions include food, supplies, tools, and equipment, but they can also include other preparations, like making a place for a garden and orchard, acquiring animals, securing a reliable source of water, building a greenhouse or root cellar, and modifying your home for a woodstove.
Dedicate a Notebook for Your To-Do Lists
The chapters in this book address the materials and supplies and important skills you need to be prepared. As you read each chapter, your family’s needs will become clear. Dedicate a notebook or computer file to making a list of provisions and the amounts you need.
Build a Good Reference Library
Knowledge is one of your best investments. Any search for books about self-reliance, survival, or preparedness skills will give you a lot of titles. Look for books that offer a philosophy and overall preparedness strategy you agree with, then seek out supplemental books that teach specific preparedness skills. Although electronic books and YouTube can be good resources, they may not be accessible in a survival situation.
Plan Adequately
Planning is an essential preparedness skill. It is easy to underestimate your needs and overestimate your provisions. Erring on the side of having more than you think you need will give you the ability to share or barter. Also, plan to rotate your supplies, using the oldest first and replenishing things as they get used.
Inventory Your Provisions
Use the items mentioned in this book to start your inventory. Augment the inventory by adding consumable items you would find it difficult to live without. Add to that list any items that could be damaged or wear out and need replacing.
Plan for Backup Systems
Always have a Plan B.
Have backup systems so that if one fails, you have an alternative. For example, store food as well as grow a garden and raise animals. Stored food is secure, but it will eventually run out. On the other hand, gardens and animals are renewable but vulnerable to drought, disease, and vandals. Using both increases your odds. Likewise, have more than one source for water, cooking, heat, and defense.
Financial Preparation
Financial Independence
Need to fine-tune your finances? Begin by following a written budget and paying off any consumer debt. Build an emergency fund with enough cash to cover basic expenses for three to six months and systematically save for the future. Have an up-to-date estate plan and appropriate term-life insurance, particularly if you have dependents. Tried-and-true financial principles can help you gain financial independence.
A Supply of Cash
Most crises will be regional and relatively short-lived, and many will involve a power outage. ATMs and credit-card systems will be down, and electronic transfers may not be possible, so keep a good supply of cash—several hundred dollars in denominations of twenties, tens, fives, and ones as well as rolls of quarters—on hand.
Alternative Livelihood
Unless you already perform a basic service or produce an essential good, it would be wise to develop an alternate livelihood that would remain in demand in a more basic economy. Perhaps it could be a current hobby.
Gold and Silver
While gold and silver can be transporters of wealth to a more normal economy, their intrinsic value is low in a basic society. Also, for this same reason, be wary of diamonds, other gemstones, rare coins, and collectibles. However, small silver coins may be a useful exchange.
Barter
Paper money has value only in a working economy that accepts it and may be worthless in some future scenarios. Your storage of “real” goods for barter can be crucial, so be sure to diversify and keep a balance of provisions. Consider stockpiling small items that are inexpensive now but would be highly valued in a time of scarcity. It makes sense to store those items your family normally uses. See table 3.2 for items to barter.
In dangerous times bartering can have risks. Be careful to keep a low profile and especially don’t flaunt your wealth. Mix it up. Don’t always barter in the same place or offer the same things to barter.
Table 3.2
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Personal Items |
Multi-Purpose Items |
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Tools and Equipment |
Energy |
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Food and Water |
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©Patricia Spigarelli-Aston