What are you preparing for?

No one really knows what will be the next survival situation they will face or how it will play out (will it get worse before it gets better?). It could be getting lost hiking, the car getting two flats in the middle of the desert, a hurricane, a home invasion, an earthquake, or a terrorist attack. You must assess your own situation and determine what you need to prepare for. Of course some preparations will be useful in many situations including everyday life, and these are the best type.

In order to get an idea of what to prepare for, look at the types of situations that you or people similar to you have been through. Also, assess where you live or spend a lot of time such as work and vacation. We need to learn from the past but without fighting the last war.

I like hiking and being outdoors, so for me learning how not to get lost and how to stay alive in the outdoors are high priorities. These skills may also come in handy if I need to walk to safety during a terrorist attack because all of the roads and public transportation are closed. Living in your house without power or water isn’t too different from camping except for the nice roof over your head and all of your stuff. I have also taken a first aid class. It is pretty limited in coverage but still useful in a variety of situations.

To assess the likely dangers to where I live and work I used several sources including FEMA (free guide), DHS, disaster center, emergency essentials, two tigers and CBS. Also, find your local emergency response office. But don’t rely on the government too much for planning or for help. As we relearned with the Katrina response, their information and advice is far from perfect. And FEMA has always said it will take 72 hours to respond. So the way I look at it, during Katrina, FEMA (and local governments) failed to live up to its own low expectations. But even if FEMA had been able to provide more food and water, you would still be much better off taking care of yourself. Do you really want to be told what possessions you can hold, when to eat, when to sleep, and live in close quarters with thousands of strangers? Sounds like prison to me.

It’s A Disaster is a good book that will get you started on a plan for most disasters. Some of their plans are a little passive for me (don’t take any risks and follow all FEMA directions) and their kits lack some important things like knives. Still, it is a very good book and a great start. Family and friends should be included in your planning and preparations as much as they want to be, but be careful about telling people who you do not trust or know well. You do not want to become a target in a crisis.

I think one of the best sources for thinking about what you are preparing for and what does and doesn’t work is news and first hand accounts. These are some of the best ones I have found. A few of them seem kind of glib and bravado but the advice seems sound.