Preparedness: a few ideas
Published 2024-07-20I recently had someone ask me for some preparedness resources and so I put together this (non-comprehensive) list of ideas of some items one should consider purchasing as well as some resources for developing a preparedness outlook. Nothing here is an affiliate link or an ad. Everything is my own opinion and not sponsored. Preparedness is complicated and I won’t pretend it’s not. This is just a brief guide, so please read more resources. It’s ideal to be “2-weeks ready” meaning you are set for 2 full weeks. I also threw this together over the course of a couple hours so stuff might be missing that’s important. Again, read more! I will also update this article in a few months pending feedback. Also, look at my article on security for keeping yourself safe online (yes, I’m still working on the update to it that will add a full narrative and not just a set of bullet points).
Knowledge is power, especially in an emergency.
Having your family, friends, and network of people available in an emergency is important. This could be any type of emergency, like a personal emergency or a full catastrophe. Start with getting people in your network onto Signal Messenger and setting up a group chat.
Use Signal as your everyday messenger! This makes sure your conversations are private by default.
Gather important numbers like your roadside assist number, a phone number of an attorney, locksmith, etc. Print those numbers on a card that is protected from water damage and place it in-between your phone and phone case. If you’re ever in a situation where your phone is dead (or it is inadvisable to give access to your phone) and you need to make a call, the numbers are there.
Getting information through Internet connected sources may not always be available. FM/AM/NOAA hand-crank radios that have a bonus small flashlight should be an integral part of your plan.
I also own and recommend a Garmin Mini InReach device. This uses the satellite network to send texts, which is then relayed through Garmin’s HQ and sent via SMS, email, or to another Garmin sat device. You can send messages directly to each other via the InReach and set it up with default messages (like, “I’m safe”) etc. and share your location. They also have an app which connects via Bluetooth to the device to make texting on it easier. These devices are used a lot by hikers, but could be invaluable in a grid-down situation (if Garmin HQ isn’t affected). While there is a monthly cost associated with the InReach, I consider it an important part of my comms toolkit. I had the opportunity to use it while at sea in the Patagonian Fjords to update weather info and check-in with family. It’s also been a great comfort when driving through areas that have no cell service.
If you’re looking for other cool comms methods that are a bit more in-depth, consider getting your amateur radio license and/or learning about off-grid mesh networks like meshtastic.
A lot more could be said about this subject (and everything here, tbh) but I’m trying to keep this concise lol).
Water is life
Have some sort of water storage. If you have a water heater with a tank, congrats you already have a nice storage of water at home! Those of us who are apartment dwellers tho, may not have access so store Jerry cans of water (most sources recommend 1 gal per person per day you are preparing for).
The CDC has a guide of how to properly store water.
You should also have ways of filtering, chemically treating, Pasteurizing or purifying your water.
These videos from Gear Skeptic should be taught in public schools as they are so important to understanding valuable scientific concepts and knowledge about how to safely access our most important resource. Even tho they are long, watch them!
Emergency funds so you don’t have to worry
Building an emergency fund might be the most important thing on this list as the disasters we are prone to are more personal life stuff than a true SHTF scenario. I recommend exploring ideas from r/personalfinance and r/bogleheads (I am not providing financial advice, use these ideas at your own risk). I personally like having an HSA. Being able to cover medical expenses in this country (we need a medicare-for-all type solution!) is a sigh of relief.
Vehicle kit
Think about having a container in the trunk with possibly the following: extra clothes and shoes, a blanket, a shovel, a small snow shovel, a hammer, a multi-tool, jumper cables, trash bags, paper plates and eating utensils, toilet paper, fix-a-flat, a jack, tire iron, and a spare tire and duct tape.
Consider keeping a case of water in the back if it’s not going to be boiling or freezing.
In the glove-box be sure to keep an updated insurance card and vehicle registration, rite-in-the-rain notebook, mechanical pencil, sharpie, USB-C charger, USB-C cable, paper map, and napkins.
EDC
Everyday carry is always going to be personal. But I carry the following in a bag:
- Backup Battery with USB-C ports (10,000 mAh)
- Power adapter (45 W)
- USB-C 3.1 cable
- Mechanical pencil
- Sharpie
- BiC multi-pen
- Individual pages from a rite-in-the-rain notebook (2-3)
- Earbuds
- CAT tourniquet
- Bandaids, gauze, nail clippers, gloves, small plastic magnifying glass, OTC medications like ibuprofen
- Whistle
- Lip balm
- N95
- Microfiber lens cloth
- Sunglasses
- Hair ties
Winter is coming
Have traction devices that attach to your shoes, hiking poles, extra blankets, large snow shovel, candles, a charged large battery/solar generator, primaloft-like layers, grain alcohol and stove for cooking, flashlights that can charge with USB-C, chains for your vehicle if you must drive (snow tires are not as good as chains), alternate routes to places you need to go, access to https://weather.gov and a fully stocked pantry/fridge (prefer shelf stable).
Hygiene
You should have a way to dispose of human waste. Easiest way is to use a two-bucket and trash compactor bag system.
Have extra medications you take ready, have extra toothpaste, first aid supplies, etc. Think about how you would address cleaning wounds or washing hands without running water.
COVID isn’t over and neither are future pandemics (or COVID waves). Get a C02 monitor like the Aranet for understanding how ventilated a room is and know that COVID and other pathogens are airborne, and you’ll need airborne precautions like N95 respirators to stay safe rather than just droplet precautions.
Be ready to leave quickly but also ready to stay for 2 weeks
While the traditional prepper community is obsessed with bug-out-bags, the most likely scenario is that you’ll need to shelter in place for 2 weeks or longer (especially those of us near the Cascadia Subduction Zone). With larger infrastructure disruptions like massive earthquakes, it’s possible no help will be available for 4 weeks or longer. This is why it’s imperative to build social capital, to know your neighbors, and to work with each other in emergencies rather than spurn people. That being said, having a go-bag with important things like Passports, other documents, a solid-state drive with your backups and basic necessities like a pair of clothes, jacket, a few Clif Bars, etc. is also necessary. Make sure to also have extra cans/treats for your pets and a way to transport them in an emergency. Bicycles may be a better idea for transportation if mass evacuations are happening depending on what you’re evacuating from. Know how to shut off the water, gas, electric to your home. Have an unexpired fire extinguisher. Have a large battery/solar generator available to power small devices. Have freeze-dried/dehydrated food stored so that you can cold soak or boil water with an alcohol stove to cook. Rotate through the food every so often. Consider dehydrating your own food!
Physical fitness
A lot of times overlooked (even by me), the process of staying healthy and fit is important. I’ve just purchased some exercise bands, and am wanting to start swimming and jiu-jitsu again!
Mental Health
All the bad news, our trauma, and mental health issues can affect us. I suggest looking into therapy, talk openly to your doctor about options for any treatments, learning meditation and basic Buddhist philosophy, learning about and reflecting on the vastness of time and space, and building a network of caring friends and community.
News and Politics: staying informed
Rather than shying away from politics, and the disasters that are currently enveloping our world, taking action and staying informed is super important. Stay informed on local politics as well as state and national issues. Join a DSA chapter. Be collapse aware. Vote. Stand up for the oppressed, read books, realize we are all animals and we should go vegan for the animals and the planet. Learn interpersonal communication skills like boundary-setting and processes for conflict like the Non-violent Communication model.
Practice!
It’s important to actually practice your plan to know that your solutions will work. Try getting up in the middle of the night and evacuating your house to a rally point outside.
Important resources
- Website (START HERE): State of Oregon, “Two Weeks Ready”. This is the best starting point! The full PDF is available at this link.
- Website: Do-one-thing sends you a monthly email about steps you can take each month to build your plan.
- Paper: Vanguard’s “In case of emergency, break glass: Managing household liquidity”
- Book: “Practical Doomsday: A User’s Guide to the End of the World”
- Video: Deviant Ollam’s talk about risk and preparedness.
- Site/Video: Social Capital as the key to resilience
- Book: “A Paradise Built in Hell: The Extraordinary Communities That Arise in Disaster”
- YouTube series: Water by GearSkeptic
- Website: “We Need to Talk About COVID-19” from The John Snow Project
- Film: “Leave The World Behind”
- YouTube exploration: You can learn a lot about preparedness just from observing ultralight thru-hikers. In fact, if you own the gear and practice with it (ie backpack), youβre well on your way. Why I think thru-hiking channels provide good advice: these folks are out in the wilderness surviving with what they carry, some even go for long excursions without resupply. They do all this with a minimalist, LNT, and ultralight approach.
- TV Show: “The Last of Us”
- Wikipedia: “Mutual Aid”
- Website: “Introduction to Mindfulness Meditation” by Insight Meditation Center