Planning my prep

How are you preparing
Neanderthal
Posts: 6
Joined: Thu Jun 09, 2016 7:10 am

Planning my prep

Post by Neanderthal »

With the global issues currently going on I have been worried for sometimè about what I would do WTSHTF.

Today I realised me and my family (wife and 3 kids) would struggle to survive a day let alone a sustained period so I have been planning how I can improve our chances. So far I have come up with this list of things to do...

1. Loose weight get fit. I could have the best survival gear in the world but if I cant carry it or myself when/if I bug out its useless.

2. Look at home security. I think I'd rather bug in and hunker down where possible so I need my home to be secure and safe.

3. Food and water storage. As a family we stupidly live day to day I grab ingredients for the evening meal on my way home from work so besides butter and bread there is little else in our cupboards. This will change I am ordering a weekly shop online from now on with extras and I am planning on creating a food store.

4. Equiptment. I intend to research and aquire equipment and gear my family need should I need to bug out.

5. Water storage and treatment. I need to come up with a plan on how I will store/treat water.

6. Skills, what skills will I need WTSHTF (first aid, survival, etc)

This is a work in progress have I missed anything as I am new to this.

Thanks

Neanderthal
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Deeps
Posts: 5797
Joined: Sun Nov 09, 2014 8:36 pm

Re: Planning my prep

Post by Deeps »

Hi mate,
The best thing I can suggest is take a couple of marching paces and think about what your priorities are. Are you thinking that flooding might be an issue, unemployment or something more 'exotic' like super viruses or being invaded by the undead or whatever. For me there are some basics that cover your essentials and it can be done pretty cheaply. Again, you need to think about your priorities. Number one will always be water and shelter, if you intend to to stay in your house as long as possible then shelter should be covered so its having enough water stored for......how ever long is up to you but its bulky and there are alternatives like filtration and chemicals. Second is food and how to cook it. How much and what will again be down to if you're staying put or intending to run off, to a large extent its the same with cooking it. You can get cheap (and really good) briefcase cookers with the cannisters at 4 quid for 4 in B & M, they're great for camping or emergency cooking in the house although if you're living out of a rucksack then not quite so practical. After that you're looking at lighting/heating/meds etc.

There are very good reasons why running to the hills is a 'bad' thing but it might not be in your control and you might be forced to do it, with 3 kids I would imagine it would be tricky and it shows that you probably can't account for every eventuality so again you have to figure out what you think is the most likely to affect YOU AND YOURS. If you think its going to be a relatively short term thing or one that you think will be more infrastructure based (loss of gas/lecky/computer hacking that kills cash points) then its a case of tailoring your plans towards that, once you have what you consider enough to cover you biggest realistic concerns you can start to think about the other stuff and get the sexier toys. If you're looking to live out of a rucksack from the off then you need to take a different approach. There's plenty threads on here that will offer you opinions and we'll all have our own views, same as Youtube, there's some great stuff on there to help you, you just need to have a think about why YOU are prepping, it might be for totally different reasons to me, even if its the same, what I do might not fit you.

I hope this helps, I took a bit of a shotgun approach to prepping once I figured out that I was one, I'd never heard the term until a couple of years ago but I was doing it anyway. I went out and watched all sorts that made me think "I need one of them, make it three" before I realised that while it looked cool, it wasn't really that big a deal for me. I hope you find plenty of good advice on here mate, I have, and I've got into stuff like dehydrating that just hadn't occurred to me that I could do myself. Welcome aboard the good ship prepper, just have a think about why and what and work towards that. If you've got a sound logic to it its easier to convince a doubting missus, I've been a 'practising prepper' for a couple of years and Her Majesty still gives me the rolling eyes although she's got a lot better over that time, oh and remember, you're not going to do it in a week, its a process. :D
Neanderthal
Posts: 6
Joined: Thu Jun 09, 2016 7:10 am

Re: Planning my prep

Post by Neanderthal »

Thanks gor the reply Deeps.

I think initially I want to be better prepared for the blackouts thecestate I live on get every 2-3 months (the last one lasted 48 hours) we have candles etc but not much else luckily we have a gas cooker.

I think I will build from there. My first aid cupboard is a shambles and that needs addressing.

i think my food and water storage will be the chsllenge I have a large garage that's fairly sealed so that may be an option.

Thanks for the input though you have given me alot to think about.
ForgeCorvus
Posts: 3035
Joined: Fri Feb 08, 2013 11:32 pm

Re: Planning my prep

Post by ForgeCorvus »

First thing, you've woken up to the fact that 'stuff' happens and can happen to you.
This puts you ahead of most of the population.

Second thing to do is don't spend any money (yet). I like probably everyone else here rushed out and got some sort of Preps, only to discover that I'd wasted my time and resources.

Lets take your list.
1. Loose weight get fit. I could have the best survival gear in the world but if I cant carry it or myself when/if I bug out its useless.
Good start, most new-preppers make the mistake of going for gear.
Besides, looking after your health is a great idea anyway
2. Look at home security. I think I'd rather bug in and hunker down where possible so I need my home to be secure and safe.
Again, something worth looking into even if not part of the Prep-plan
3. Food and water storage. As a family we stupidly live day to day I grab ingredients for the evening meal on my way home from work so besides butter and bread there is little else in our cupboards. This will change I am ordering a weekly shop online from now on with extras and I am planning on creating a food store.
Its only relatively recently that this became the norm, your grandparents and possibly your parents could of lived for at least a week on the contents of their home.
4. Equiptment. I intend to research and aquire equipment and gear my family need should I need to bug out.
Bugging Out (often abbreviated to BO) is nearly always the last option, and the most important part of that process is Bugging Out to.... Where you plan to go dictates the How? and What-with?
5. Water storage and treatment. I need to come up with a plan on how I will store/treat water.
Plans are good, planning is never a waste
6. Skills, what skills will I need WTSHTF (first aid, survival, etc)
Skills are better then gear, you always have them with you and they weigh nothing.

Anyone could be in an Event at any time, but an Event doesn't have to be a Cashcrash, WWIII or the Zompocalypse it could be something as localised as loosing your job or being flooded out
jennyjj01 wrote:"I'm not in the least bit worried because I'm prepared: Are you?"
Londonpreppy wrote: At its core all prepping is, is making sure you're not down to your last sheet of loo roll when you really need a poo.
"All Things Strive" Gd Tak 'Gar
Yorkshire Andy
Posts: 8734
Joined: Thu Oct 03, 2013 4:06 pm

Re: Planning my prep

Post by Yorkshire Andy »

Neanderthal wrote:With the global issues currently going on I have been worried for sometimè about what I would do WTSHTF.

Today I realised me and my family (wife and 3 kids) would struggle to survive a day let alone a sustained period so I have been planning how I can improve our chances. So far I have come up with this list of things to do...

1. Loose weight get fit. I could have the best survival gear in the world but if I cant carry it or myself when/if I bug out its useless.

That sounds terrifying :mrgreen: Im not massively fit but when i go for a walk even into town many mates struggle to keep up with me.... No need for the gym start using the car less and walking more.. take stairs rather than the lift etc

2. Look at home security. I think I'd rather bug in and hunker down where possible so I need my home to be secure and safe. If you have UPVC doors google / youtube euro lock snapping :o

3. Food and water storage. As a family we stupidly live day to day I grab ingredients for the evening meal on my way home from work so besides butter and bread there is little else in our cupboards. This will change I am ordering a weekly shop online from now on with extras and I am planning on creating a food store.
Eat what you store, store what you eat,, rotate it so old "stock" gets eaten first

4. Equiptment. I intend to research and aquire equipment and gear my family need should I need to bug out.

Start thinking of a "Hotel Bag" most local problems result in you been in a hotel / sports hall... oh and whats your home insurance policy number and contact phone number?? ((no dont post it on here)) but copy important stuff like that and include a copy in your bag in a waterproof folder....

5. Water storage and treatment. I need to come up with a plan on how I will store/treat water.
bottled water, rain water, puritabs, some form of filter eg lifesaver / sawyer mini
6. Skills, what skills will I need WTSHTF (first aid, survival, etc)

common sense ;)

This is a work in progress have I missed anything as I am new to this.

Thanks

Neanderthal

welcome :D
If your roughing it, Your doing it wrong ;)

Lack of planning on your part doesn't make it an emergency on mine
Neanderthal
Posts: 6
Joined: Thu Jun 09, 2016 7:10 am

Re: Planning my prep

Post by Neanderthal »

Morning and thanks for the replys.

BO with three kids would be my last resort so security will be a priority. I think the biggest risk I forsee is cicil unrest when the economy collapses.

I have taken all your suggestions on boars as they have given me new ideas on security etc.

Cheers for the support though guys
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whenfires
Posts: 189
Joined: Tue Apr 21, 2015 2:42 pm
Location: UK

Re: Planning my prep

Post by whenfires »

I'll confirm what the others have said in that it is ideal to take a breath and work out what you need first. It's not what I did of course :D As a newbie I started trying to cover all the bases at once but I soon slowed down and started planning the essentials and most likely first (flood, fire, unemployment etc). The rest can catch up later.

Yorkshire Andy's suggestion of a hotel bag is a top recommendation. Chances are in any localised emergency, you are going to end up at friends, family, hotel or school sports hall and having a go-bag with changes of clothes, some cash, ID, toiletries etc is going to make it much more comfortable.

There's loads of good info on UK-Preppers although like a lot of forums, the search tools can be a bit hit and miss depending on how common the search terms are.
Website: http://www.whenthefiresburn.co.uk
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Arzosah
Posts: 6323
Joined: Fri Jun 22, 2012 4:20 pm

Re: Planning my prep

Post by Arzosah »

Hello neanderthal :)

Love your opening post, and the replies you've already received. Only a couple of things I'd add:
- you regularly get power cuts, one of which lasted for 48 hours :shock: so dealing with that is a priority. Yes you have a gas cooker, but if it needs a pilot light, it probably won't work in a power cut
- the hotel bag - insurance company and ID, absolutely - I'd include details of your passwords to your email account (you can get on to any of your websites with that, just changing whatever password you currently have), and a list of your finances (NI number? HMRC number? that isa you started up ten years ago?) and friends and family, who will want to know you're okay, and may even be able to help you.
- one issue you'll end up finding on here is what you tell your kids. You don't say how old they are, but if they're young enough to start nattering about daddy's stash of goodies, you may need to keep it quiet for a while, till you can introduce it appropriately.
Neanderthal
Posts: 6
Joined: Thu Jun 09, 2016 7:10 am

Re: Planning my prep

Post by Neanderthal »

Again thanks for the input I really appreciate it.

My initial focus will be on the blackouts and ensuring I have everything I need to deal with that situation. And agreed having a hotel bag is a great idea and that will be getting sorted asap.

I think going slow is the way forward as it wont be so overwhelming and deal with my main priorities first.

Got to say loving this forum thus far great advice for a newbie
womble
Posts: 106
Joined: Fri Apr 08, 2016 2:34 pm

Re: Planning my prep

Post by womble »

There are other things to build preps for which begin to support your general family prep for "TEOTWAWKI" (which is, in the end, just shorthand for civil collapse): if you don't work at home, it's worth building a prep for how you get home if your usual transport is unserviceable, and even if all transport is shut down (some sort of martial law or widespread flooding or somesuch) which might not affect your living location directly. Worth, also, having ideas and preps for if your family is required to evacuate for some civil defense reason, even if it's to a well-supported "authority" place of safety: your kids will appreciate your bringing some things that less well prepared parents might not think of when required to leave their home at 20 minutes' notice because of a chemical fire in your locality, or some such.

Starting at the "more probable" end of prepping, I think, can focus your efforts, compartmentalise them and will still help begin building a "ready for anything" setup.