Countdown to Preparedness

All the planning in the world, though, isn’t going to help much if you don’t do test runs. It’s true that practice makes perfect. By running through your plans in real time, you’ll likely discover holes or gaps in your preparation. It’s vastly better to find those problems now, while you have time to address them, than when you’re doing it for real.

This week, I want you to pick at least one realistic scenario and play it out as a drill or exercise. Make it as real as you can while still being safe. For example, if you choose to drill for a lengthy power outage, turn off your circuit breakers for a day or two. You may want to leave the ones on for your fridge and freezer, just pretend they aren’t working. There’s little sense in letting food go to waste just for the sake of the exercise.

If you’re doing an evacuation, make it a surprise for the family to get their blood pumping. Give everyone a short period of time to follow the plan for getting out of the house.

Just as important as the practice is the postdrill evaluation. Sit down with everyone and go over how it went. What worked and what didn’t? What needs to change? Did everyone remember their responsibilities?

Be sure to ask for input from each family member. Sometimes we, the planners and leaders (so to speak), forget this important element to planning. We get so caught up in what we already know and want to share that we forget to see things from other perspectives.

Even if you’re the only one in your home, you can still learn a thing or two when you do exercises like these. You may find out that you overlooked a key element in your planning.

Yes, drills are a pain in the arse for most of us. It throws us off our normal schedules and interrupts our daily lives.

WEEK 51 ASSIGNMENTS

TASKS

1. Do one or more drills, as discussed above. Be sure to sit down with everyone and recap how the drills went and identify areas for improvement.

SAVINGS

Add $15 to your Prepper Savings Account.

TOTAL PREPPER SAVINGS ACCOUNT:

WATER STORAGE

One gallon (or two 2-liter bottles) per person or a case of bottled water for the household.

TOTAL WATER STORAGE:

GROCERY LIST

3 cans vegetables, your choice

2 cans fruit, your choice, but stick with those packed in water or juice, rather than syrup

1 can chili or stew, your choice

1 package or jar gravy, your choice

1 lb pasta, your choice