Countdown to Preparedness, week by week planning and preparing

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WEEK 42 ASSIGNMENTS

TASKS
1. Obtain several maps of your local area, the more detailed the better. Begin planning routes on foot to locations that you feel are most likely for you to have to visit after a collapse.
2. Think about the people you’ll have in your group and decide who you feel would make for the best scouts. Give thought to how they should be equipped for a mission.

SAVINGS
Add $10 to your Prepper Savings Account.
TOTAL PREPPER SAVINGS ACCOUNT: (Suggested total amount to now, $550)

WATER STORAGE
One gallon (or two 2-liter bottles) per person or a case of bottled water for the household. TOTAL WATER STORAGE: (Suggested total amount to now, 42 gallons per person)

GROCERY LIST
3 cans vegetables, your choice
2 cans fruit, your choice, but stick with those packed in water or juice, rather than syrup
2 cans meat (tuna, chicken, beef), your choice
2 cans soup, not condensed (they require water)
1 canister oatmeal or 1 box flavored instant oatmeal packets
1 jar pasta sauce, your choice
1 canister table salt
1 lb pasta, your choice

WEEK COMPLETED Date:____________
 
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WEEK 43
Odds and Ends to Stock

Up on There are several things that you’ll want to have on hand in large quantities during and after a disaster. Many of these don’t neatly fit into specific categories, so I’m lumping them together in today’s lesson.

Sewing materials: These are things like needles, thread, and patches. Depending on the nature of the disaster, it might be some time before you’ll be able to buy new clothes. Get the necessary supplies and learn the skills for repairing clothing now. Remember, too, that you might not have the luxury of an electric sewing machine.

N95 masks: If there’s a pandemic, these masks when properly worn will dramatically decrease the chances of infection. They’re also great for dealing with dust and debris.

Duct tape: Duct tape has so many uses; make sure that you have several rolls.

Tarps: These are very good to have in the event of storm damage to the home. Get the larger sizes—it’s easy enough to fold them into smaller sizes, but it’s impossible to make small ones larger.

Bungee cords: Use these with the tarps.

Plywood and dimensional lumber: If tarps won’t quite do the trick, plywood and two-by-fours usually will when it comes to temporary repairs for storm damage. Don’t forget nails, screws, and tools.

Paracord: Vastly superior to clothesline, paracord is very strong, yet small in size. You can use it for everything from replacement shoelaces to lashing items to the car during an evacuation.

Manual can openers: A pantry filled floor to ceiling with canned goods won’t help you much if you can’t open the cans. Have several manual can openers set aside in case of loss or breakage.

Boredom relievers: If you and your family are forced to shelter in place for the duration, the time might go by easier if you have a few decks of cards, some board games, and other fun things to do together. Keep in mind that if it’s an extended power outage during the winter, it’s best to have everyone stay in one room for warmth. Giving them all something to do together will help keep the stress level down.

Trash bags: Several uses including lining the toilet when the plumbing isn’t working, bagging up trash, temporary rain ponchos. If possible, pay a little extra to get contractor grade—the plastic is much more durable in them than in typical kitchen garbage bags.

Coolers: In the event of a power outage, having a few coolers will help you preserve at least some of your food before it goes bad. Picking them up at rummage sales will save you a few bucks.
 
WEEK 43 ASSIGNMENTS

TASKS
1. Begin stockpiling as many items from the above list as possible. If you think you have enough, get a few more of each just to be safe. Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.
2. Revisit the inventory lists you made at the beginning of this book. Update them as needed and work on filling in any gaps you see.

SAVINGS
Add $15 to your Prepper Savings Account.
TOTAL PREPPER SAVINGS ACCOUNT: (Suggested total amount to now, $565)

WATER STORAGE
One gallon (or two 2-liter bottles) per person or a case of bottled water for the household. TOTAL WATER STORAGE: (Suggested total amount to now, 43 gallons per person)

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 jar peanut butter (if allergies are present, substitute an allergen-free version, such as SunButter)
1 box (12 packages) ramen noodles
1 jar honey (100% real honey, not flavored corn syrup)
1 lb white rice

WEEK COMPLETED Date:____________
 
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WEEK 44
Vehicle Emergency Kits

We spend a heck of a lot of time in our cars, trucks, and vans, don’t we? From commuting back and forth to work to playing chauffeur for our kids, it seems like we’re perpetually watching the world go by as we flit around from one destination to another. With all this time spent on the road, the odds are good that at some point or another, you’re going to have a breakdown or end up stranded for some reason. Could be the weather is so bad, you’re safer just finding a place to pull over until things clear up.

A vehicle emergency kit differs from an actual survival kit in both purpose and design. A survival kit is there to provide for your basic needs until you reach a safe place, while the vehicle emergency kit is there to give you the tools to get back on the road or keep you safe until help arrives.

Even if you don’t know much more about vehicles than how to put gas in the tank, it’s wise to have a collection of basic tools with you. If you’re stranded on the side of the road, someone may come along who has the knowledge and skills to make a necessary repair, but lacks the tools for doing so. Don’t hamper a Good Samaritan by not having at least the basics with you.

Start with a small toolbox or bag. Don’t go out and buy a snazzy new metal Craftsman toolbox, either. You’re not carting this in and out of a work site daily. It’s going to sit in your trunk until needed. The toolbox should contain:
❑❑ A set of wrenches (both SAE and metric). While you could just go with a couple of adjustable wrenches, they sometimes have a tendency to slip off the nut or bolt, which can make things frustrating for all involved.
❑❑ A few different sizes of pliers, from channel locks to needle-nose
❑❑ Several screwdrivers, both slotted and Phillips, of varying sizes
❑❑ Roll of duct tape
❑❑ Roll of electrical tape ❑❑ Sharp knife
❑❑ Flashlight with extra batteries
❑❑ Hammer
❑❑ Small can of WD-40 or other lubricant
❑❑ A small pipe with an inner diameter large enough to accommodate wrenches. This is a great tool for when you need extra leverage on a stubborn nut or bolt.
❑❑ Several plastic zip ties
❑❑ A wire coat hanger or two. I’m old-fashioned, and these still work great in case of muffler detachment.
❑❑ Jumper cables

Any time you’re working with tools or machinery, there should be some sort of safety gear involved. If you’ve ever worked under a car and had rust fall into your eyes, you know all too well just how . . . interesting 121 . . . that pain can be. Gasoline sprayed into your face when you’re changing a fuel filter is another fun experience. Be sure to add to your kit a pair or two of safety glasses or goggles, as well as a few pairs of work gloves.

While it’s not feasible to carry around an entire auto parts store in your trunk, a few key items will help with the most common vehicle problems.
❑❑ 2–3 quarts motor oil
❑❑ Jug of antifreeze, premixed with water
❑❑ Fix-a-Flat
❑❑ Spare fuses
❑❑ Vehicle repair book for your car, truck, or van

If you’ve never looked before, you might want to verify that you have not only a spare tire but also a jack. Many cars sold today, used or new, seem to be lacking these basic items.

Your vehicle emergency kit should also contain a few things that you can use to signal for help. A brightly colored bandanna can be tied to the vehicle’s antenna or outside mirror to help folks find you easier. In some circumstances, the vehicle’s horn may be inoperable, and a decent whistle will be far louder than the sound of your voice.

Finally, should you end up stuck in your vehicle for hours waiting for help to arrive, a blanket and a few distractions will help the time go by. A book, crossword puzzles, and the like can take the sting out of being stranded.
 
WEEK 44 ASSIGNMENTS

TASKS
1. Put together an emergency kit for each of your vehicles. Be sure each driver knows where the kit is located, what’s in it, and how to use things like jumper cables and Fix-a-Flat.
2. If you’re physically able, look into having someone teach you and the other drivers in your family how to perform basic repairs on your vehicles, such as changing a tire, replacing a battery, and installing a new belt. These skills may prove extremely useful at some point.

SAVINGS
Add $10 to your Prepper Savings Account.
TOTAL PREPPER SAVINGS ACCOUNT: (Suggested total amount to now, $575

WATER STORAGE
One gallon (or two 2-liter bottles) per person or a case of bottled water for the household. TOTAL WATER STORAGE: (Suggested total amount to now, 44 gallons per person)

GROCERY LIST
3 cans vegetables, your choice
2 cans fruit, your choice, but stick with those packed in water or juice, rather than syrup
2 cans meat (tuna, chicken, beef), your choice
2 cans soup, not condensed (they require water)
1 jar jelly or fruit preserves
1 package dry soup
1 sack cornmeal
1 lb dry beans, your choice

WEEK COMPLETED Date:_____________
 
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WEEK 45
Stocking Up on Barter Items

Unless you’re both a multimillionaire and a psychic, odds are good that if/when a collapse arrives, there will be things that you overlooked in your prepping. Maybe you just didn’t store enough food, or perhaps your medical supplies didn’t last quite as long as you’d planned.

As you continue your prepping and stockpiling, think about adding some items for bartering. After a collapse, paper money is going to be worthless or nearly so. Hard goods available for trade will be the new currency.

When it comes to items to stockpile for bartering with later, I have a few rules I try to follow.
1. The items have to be relatively inexpensive now, but likely to have great value later. The vast majority of your prepping dollars should be spent on things that will keep you and your family alive and safe.
2. The items should have intrinsic value to you. So don’t stock up on things that you may conceivably never use yourself. That’s just plain wasteful. Choose things that you’ll be able to put to use if they never need to be bartered away.
3. The items should be relatively small and easy to store. Don’t devote the bulk of your storage space to barter items. Also, the smaller items are more easily combined to match the value of what you’re bartering for, so you can avoid having a deal fall apart because you can’t “make change” with larger items.

Keeping those rules in mind, here are some suggestions.

Booze: No need to buy a couple of cases of Jameson Irish Whiskey—the cheap stuff is fine. Folks will want this both for consumption and for medicinal purposes. If you plan on buying the large bottles, think about how you’ll repackage it into smaller containers should the need arise.

Cigarettes: Tobacco will be worth its weight in gold. Rather than buy cartons of smokes, consider buying tins of loose tobacco and rolling papers. This may prove cheaper, and the tins will last longer if they’re unopened, unlike commercially packaged cigarettes.

Disposable lighters: You can pick these up three for a buck at many gas stations. They don’t last forever, of course, as they will slowly leak over time. But for people who need to get a campfire going and have no clue how to do so with flint and steel, these lighters will be worth a pretty penny.

Ammunition: I’m on the fence about this one. I don’t like the idea of trading away something that could be returned to me at high velocity. But there’s no doubt that .22 and other common calibers will be extremely valuable postcollapse.

Coffee: For the caffeine addicts out there, they will value coffee and tea highly. Rather than store coffee beans, you’re probably going to be fine with having instant coffee on hand. Easier to use, and folks who have a real jones for caffeine aren’t going to care too much.

Medical/hygiene supplies: Things like feminine hygiene products, lip balm, vitamins, and yeast infection creams will be prized. Condoms might be worth a fair amount as well. Pain relievers like aspirin are incredibly cheap now, too.

Seeds: While not suitable for a short-term crisis, heirloom seeds will be extremely valuable in a long-term collapse.

Water purification: I suggest stocking up on a quantity of pool shock for this purpose. A small amount goes a long way and it’s easy to store, as well as divide up for trade.

There are also many skills that will be valuable. If any of these are already in your realm of expertise, make sure you have all the supplies that you need to set up a cottage industry later. ❑❑ Medical (including herbal remedies)
❑❑ Dental
❑❑ Carpentry
❑❑ Electrical
❑❑ Plumbing
❑❑ Sewing/knitting
❑❑ Automotive, small engine repair
❑❑ Home brewer, distillation
❑❑ Cooking
❑❑ Leather working, tanning
❑❑ Welding
❑❑ Smithing, metal working
❑❑ Reloading
 
WEEK 45 ASSIGNMENTS

TASKS
1. Make a list of potential barter items that you feel comfortable acquiring. Remember, the priority is to prep for you and your family, but if you come across a barter item that’s on sale very cheap, pick some up.
2. Brainstorm the skills you may have, or can learn fairly quickly, that you feel would be valuable post collapse. Begin stocking up on any needed supplies you’ll need.

SAVINGS
Add $15 to your Prepper Savings Account.
TOTAL PREPPER SAVINGS ACCOUNT: (Suggested total amount to now, $590)

WATER STORAGE
One gallon (or two 2-liter bottles) per person or a case of bottled water for the household. TOTAL WATER STORAGE: (Suggested total amount to now, 45 gallons per person)

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 box baking mix, preferably the type that doesn’t require eggs, milk, or other ingredients
1 box granola bars, protein bars, or equivalent
1 gallon cooking oil (vegetable oil preferred for longer shelf life)
1 lb pasta, your choice

WEEK COMPLETED Date:____________
 
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WEEK 46
Building Temporary Shelters

If you find yourself lost in the woods, or for any other reason you’re left to your own devices overnight in the field, the ability to cobble together a shelter may save your life. Weather conditions may make it almost impossible to get a fire going to keep you warm. Or there may be other reasons that you may not wish to advertise your presence with a campfire. Being able to get out of the elements is not only going to be a great boon to your state of mind, but it’ll help prevent hypothermia and other ill effects.

One of the simplest shelters is called a debris hut. Given plentiful materials at hand, you can build one in less than an hour. You’ll need a long branch or log, at least a few feet longer than you are tall. It should be fairly thick and sturdy, to serve as the “spine” of your shelter. Prop one end of the branch or log on a large rock or against a branch of a standing tree. Ideally, the log will be about three feet or so off the ground. This end is going to be the opening of your shelter. If possible, arrange the shelter so this opening faces away from the prevailing winds.

Next, lean branches against the spine of your structure. Go along both sides, from the mouth of the shelter all the way to the other end. These are the “ribs” of your shelter. Keep the ribs as close together as you can. Now, pile leaves, moss, grass, even dirt, onto the ribs. This is the insulation, so lay it on thick. The more insulation, the warmer your shelter.

Finally, lay more sticks down on top of the insulation to keep it in place. If you don’t have something to use for a ground cover, like an emergency blanket, pile grass and moss on the floor of your shelter.

Slide into the shelter feet first, and wiggle your way in. Go as far into the shelter as you can. While this isn’t exactly five-star accommodations, it’ll keep you warm and relatively dry until morning.

A variation on this is the simple lean-to. This was my favorite type of fort to build when I was a kid tramping through the woods near my home. My friends and I built many of them, using them as “Army bases” when we were playing commando. Take a thick branch about six or seven feet long and suspend it about four feet from the ground between two trees. Take long branches and lean them against this suspended branch. We found that the ideal for these branches was about eight or nine feet in length. Take shorter branches and lean them against the sides, to create more of a hut shape. Then, pile on the insulating material. The lean-to can be quite comfortable, especially if you build a campfire near the opening and construct a reflecting wall of logs on the opposite side of the fire.

In the winter months, you can put together a snow cave. Simply make a large pile of snow, four or five feet high and six feet across. From the side of the pile that faces away from the wind, start digging a tunnel into the pile. All you need is a space big enough for you to curl up inside. Pile loose snow in front of the opening once you’re inside. Again, it’s not the most comfortable arrangement, but certainly better than the alternative.

When we were kids, we built forts like these using nothing but our hands. Sure, we might have had the use of a snow shovel for a snow cave, but that’d be about it. Having access to a sharp knife or hatchet as well as cordage like paracord would have made things much easier. And a couple of emergency blankets would also help a great deal.

The point of building temporary shelters is to get you out of the elements for a night or two, not to live in long-term. Let’s hope that a survival situation that requires the use of such shelters is over quickly.
 
WEEK 46 ASSIGNMENTS

TASKS
1. Get outside and practice building temporary shelters. Get creative with the materials available to you. The smaller the interior size of the shelter, the less space you’ll need to warm with your body heat. Make it just big enough to crawl into.
2. Explore the area around your home and look for animal tracks. Get a book from your local library and practice identifying them. This’ll give you a good idea of what’s living in your area. There may come a time when you will need to augment your food supplies through hunting and trapping. S

AVINGS
Add $15 to your Prepper Savings Account.
TOTAL PREPPER SAVINGS ACCOUNT: (Suggested total amount to now, $605)

Water Storage
One gallon (or two 2-liter bottles) per person or a case of bottled water for the household. TOTAL WATER STORAGE: (Suggested total amount to now, 46 gallons per person)

GROCERY LIST
3 cans vegetables, your choice
2 cans fruit, your choice, but stick with those packed in water or juice, rather than syrup
2 cans meat (tuna, chicken, beef), your choice
2 cans soup, not condensed (they require water)
1 jar instant coffee (even if you don’t drink coffee, this is an excellent barter item)
1 jar pasta sauce, your choice
1 canister flavored drink mix, the type that has sugar already added
1 lb white rice
WEEK COMPLETED Date:____________
 
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WEEK 47
Bulking Up the Pantry

I’ve placed this lesson smack in the middle of the winter section for a reason. As we approach the holiday season, grocery stores will be running tremendous sales on many things that we’ll want to stock up on for the pantry.

The first thing that comes to mind this time of year, of course, is turkey. Great big birds for pennies a pound. This is where having the means to can food at home is extremely handy. Pick up a couple of birds, then make and can batches of turkey meat, turkey soup, turkey à la king, that sort of stuff. Even a single twelve pound turkey can go a long way. Be sure to use the carcass to make soup stock too. Don’t let anything go to waste.

Next up are veggies. Canned vegetables will be cheap, so stock up. Granted, store-bought canned vegetables pale in comparison with home canned from the garden, but often they’ll go on sale so cheap that you can hardly pass them up.

Baking staples will be on sale as well in the coming weeks. Flour, sugar, baking powder, all that good stuff. Remember, to store any of these sorts of items for the long-term, freeze them first for a couple of days. This kills off any mites and such that may have found their way in. After freezing, put them in five-gallon pails and seal tightly. I leave them in their original packaging before putting them in the buckets.

Before any “feast” holiday (Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day), there’s usually a decent sale on paper goods too. Plates, cups, napkins, all that fun stuff. During a short-term emergency, you’re not going to want to waste water on washing dishes. Stock up on plates and plastic utensils now.

After many of those holidays, you can pick up themed products on clearance too. Candles can be had for a steal right after Christmas, for example.

One of the best ways the frugal prepper can stretch a dollar is by taking advantage of these seasonal sales
 
WEEK 47 ASSIGNMENTS

TASKS
1. Stock up as your budget and sales permit. Watch the sale ads and use coupons to get the best bang for your buck.
2. If you haven’t done so already, begin making out your gift lists for the holiday season. When and where possible, concentrate on prepping-related gifts, such as crank radios and emergency blankets.

SAVINGS
Add $15 to your Prepper Savings Account.
TOTAL PREPPER SAVINGS ACCOUNT: (Suggested total amount to now, $620)

WATER STORAGE
One gallon (or two 2-liter bottles) per person or a case of bottled water for the household. TOTAL WATER STORAGE: (Suggested total amount to now, 47 gallons per person)

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 box tea bags (even if you don’t drink tea, this is an excellent barter item)
1 box (12 packages) ramen noodles
1 lb dry beans, your choice

WEEK COMPLETED Date:____________
 
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WEEK 48
Inventory—the Basics

The absolute basics for survival consist of shelter, water, and food. Everything else is secondary. Note that I’m not including air on that list for the very simple reason that if you’re in a situation where air is an issue, there isn’t going to be a whole lot you can do about it other than get out of that area immediately.

If you don’t have adequate shelter, you can die very quickly from exposure to the elements. While the typical concern is being able to keep warm and dry, overheating can be a serious issue as well. In the shelter category are fire-starting supplies, emergency blankets, tents, season-appropriate clothing—anything and everything that protects you from the weather.

The rule of thumb when it comes to water is that the body can survive about three days without hydration. While that may be technically true, the latter part of that time frame will be spent in agony. Never severely ration water. Drink what you can today and work on getting more before you need it. In the water column of our inventory we include not only stored water but the means to purify more.

While I’m sure most of us could stand to lose a few pounds, food is still a concern and one of our basic needs. We need calories to burn for fuel. Without fuel, our bodies and minds slow down and become sluggish. And, decent food is always a morale boost.

This week, I want you to take a good, hard look at what you’ve prepped so far for shelter, water, and food.

If you lost power for a considerable length of time, how will you keep your family warm?

If you turned on your faucets and nothing came out, how long can you last on just the water you have stored?

If running to the grocery store is suddenly not an option, how long could you feed your family with what you have available in the house?

At an absolute minimum, you should strive to be able to meet your basic needs for at least one full month. Obviously, more is better.

If you don’t, then you need to ramp up your prepping to get to that goal as soon as possible.

As far as shelter needs, whatever the disaster, with luck you’ll be able to shelter in place at home. You want to keep a roof over your head and some sort of walls around you. A fire will keep you warm as well as cook your food and provide light.

All in all, if you have adequate shelter, water, and food, you’ll be ahead of the game, come what may.
 
WEEK 48 ASSIGNMENTS

TASKS
1. Do a complete inventory of your food and water, as well as what you have in place for emergency shelter gear. If you fall short of a full month’s worth of supplies, work hard and quick to get to that goal.
2. If you haven’t done so recently, inspect and resupply your portable survival kits. Remember to add any necessary cold weather gear.

SAVINGS
Add $15 to your Prepper Savings Account.
TOTAL PREPPER SAVINGS ACCOUNT: (Suggested total amount to now, $635)

WATER STORAGE
One gallon (or two 2-liter bottles) per person or a case of bottled water for the household. TOTAL WATER STORAGE: (Suggested total amount to now, 48 gallons per person)

GROCERY LIST
3 cans vegetables, your choice
2 cans fruit, your choice, but stick with those packed in water or juice, rather than syrup
2 cans meat (tuna, chicken, beef), your choice
2 cans soup, not condensed (they require water)
1 box crackers, your choice
1 package dry soup
1 lb pasta, your choice

WEEK COMPLETED Date:____________
 
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WEEK 49
The Survival and Preparedness Library

No matter how long we’ve been prepping, we can’t know it all. Sure, common sense and a logical mind will go a long way toward filling in the gaps, but having reference materials is always a good idea. When it comes to putting together a home library, there are many categories to be filled.

HOMESTEADING SKILLS
Animal husbandry, gardening/farming, butchering, things along those lines. Suggestions include the following:
• Backwoods Home Magazine (www.backwoodshome.com)
• Back Home Magazine (www.backhomemagazine.com)
• Mother Earth News (www.motherearthnews.com)
• The Encyclopedia of Country Living, by Carla Emery, 40th anniversary ed. (Sasquatch Books, 2012)
• Storey’s Basic Country Skills: A Practical Guide to Self-Reliance (Storey Publishing, 2010)
• Mini Farming: Self Sufficiency on ¼ Acre, by Brett Markham (Skyhorse Publishing, 2010)

FOOD STORAGE AND PRESERVATION
This could probably fall under Homesteading Skills, but it’s important enough to warrant its own category. Canning, dehydrating, and other methods of preservation, as well as putting together and maintaining an effective food storage plan, are all vital skills.
• Canning and Preserving for Dummies, by Amelia Jeanroy and Karen Ward, 2nd ed. (For Dummies, 2009)
• Root Cellaring: Natural Cold Storage of Fruits and Vegetables, by Mike and Nancy Rubel, 2nd ed. (Storey Publishing, 1991)
• Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving, by Judi Kingery and Lauren Devine (Robert Rose, 2006)

FIREARMS MAINTENANCE
Complete manuals for every firearm you own, including detailed instructions on disassembling and cleaning. Just because you know how to do it doesn’t necessarily mean everyone in your family or group does.

WILD EDIBLES AND MEDICINALS
Ideally, these references will have color photographs for ease of identification as well as common uses and preparation instructions for each plant discussed. Recommendations include:
• A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants and Herbs: Eastern and Central United States, by Steven Foster and James A. Duke, 2nd rev. ed. (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 1999). 133
• A Field Guide to Western Medicinal Plants and Herbs, Steven Foster and Christopher Hobbs (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2002).
• Medicinal Plants of the Southern Appalachians, by Patricia Kyritsi Howell (BotanoLogos, 2006)

MEDICAL
These references cover everything from basic first aid to complex injuries and illnesses. Hospitals and doctors may turn out to be luxuries of days gone by. Don’t forget information on herbal remedies and other homeopathic approaches. I highly recommend:
• U.S. Army Special Forces Medical Handbook, by Glen K. Craig (Paladin Press, 1988)
• The Survival Medicine Handbook, by Joseph Alton and Amy Alton, rev. and enlarged ed. (Doom and Bloom, 2013)
• PDR for Herbal Medicines, by Thomson Healthcare, 4th ed. (Thomson Reuters, 2007)
• Where There Is No Doctor, by David Werner, Carol Thuman, and Jane Maxwell (Hesperian Health Guides, 2013)
• Where There Is No Dentist, by Murray Dickson (Hesperian Foundation, 13th updated printing, 2010)

BUILDING TRADES
Basic information on carpentry, plumbing, and electrical systems. There’s no way to tell right now what will happen down the road and what utilities may still be running for some time. Either way, you can’t count on your local handyman to be available to take care of repairs when they arise. Home Depot has published some very good books on these subjects, as has Black and Decker.

WILDERNESS SURVIVAL SKILLS
Many wilderness skills will be helpful around the homestead. Having reference materials to use for brushing up your skills will be welcome. There are many quality books on this subject, including manuals issued by the Boy Scouts.
Other recommendations include the following:
• Stay Alive! Survival Skills You Need, by John D. McCann (Krause Publications, 2011)
• The Unofficial Hunger Games Wilderness Survival Guide, by Creek Stewart (Living Ready, 2013)

HOMESCHOOLING
I can’t stress this one enough. If you have children in your group, they’ll need to be educated. Reading, writing, math, science, history, as well as ethics and morals, should all be considered basic courses in a homeschooling curriculum postcollapse. Look for books and reference materials to span all age and grade levels.

FICTION AND ENTERTAINMENT
Even if you personally don’t enjoy recreational reading, there may very well be others in your group who will appreciate that you stocked up on books to pass the time. Novels, including the classics as well as contemporary works, and short story anthologies will be welcome. You can also include books on creating your own games, crafts, and other fun stuff to do.

WHERE TO GET YOUR BOOKS
So, where to look for books for your home library? You can order almost anything you can imagine from online retailers like Amazon, but even their discounted prices can put a large ding in your wallet. Check out your local library for book sales during the year. Rummage sales and thrift stores are also great places to stock up on books inexpensively.

Many if not most preppers have also amassed tons of documents they’ve downloaded from the Internet. PDFs, e-mails, all sorts of great stuff. Keep in mind that you may not be able to access all that information if the power goes out and/or your computer gets fried. Take the time now to print that stuff out and organize it in binders.
 
WEEK 49 ASSIGNMENTS

TASKS
1. Inventory your current library and determine the areas in which you’re lacking reference materials.
2. Begin putting together a “wish list” of specific books as well as topics that you’d like to acquire. Use Google and Amazon to find titles and other information. What I’ve done in the past is use Amazon’s Wish List feature to keep a list of books I’m searching for, then take that list with me when I’m out book shopping.
3. Make plans to visit local rummage sales regularly during this spring and summer. Take the time to stop at local thrift stores periodically to check their shelves. You can often find some great stuff for literally pennies on the dollar. Inquire at your area libraries, too, about their upcoming book sales.

SAVINGS
Add $10 to your Prepper Savings Account.
TOTAL PREPPER SAVINGS ACCOUNT: (Suggested total amount to now, $645)

WATER STORAGE
One gallon (or two 2-liter bottles) per person or a case of bottled water for the household. TOTAL WATER STORAGE: (Suggested total amount to now, 49 gallons per person)

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 box powdered milk
1 lb white rice
1 treat, such as a canister of hot cocoa mix (the type added to water, not milk) or a bag of hard candy

WEEK COMPLETED Date:____________
 
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WEEK 50
Emergency Lighting

This week, I want to talk about lighting. It’s important, even critical, to be able to see what you’re doing, and in a “grid down” situation that can be difficult without planning ahead.

Of course, there are many ways to provide artificial light inside a home or retreat. Candles are inexpensive, especially if you pick them up at after Christmas sales. It really doesn’t matter if it’s the middle of August and you’re burning candles with Santa and reindeer on the sides. Light is light, right? The downside of candles is that they can be a safety hazard. Never leave a lit flame unattended. Be sure every candle that you light is on a stable surface so there’s no risk of it toppling over. Also, candles don’t last forever. A lot depends on the actual composition of the candle, of course, but don’t look to candles for your primary backup light source in a power outage.

Oil lamps, sometimes called hurricane lamps, are a step up from candles. They last longer and burn cleaner. Glass ones are fragile, though, so again caution is warranted. If you go this route, be sure to stock up on plenty of lamp oil. Bear in mind that when you blow them out, the glass can get very sooty, so you’ll need to clean them regularly.

Battery-powered flashlights are great for portable light. Buy LED ones rather than incandescent. LEDs will be brighter and last longer, in terms of both battery life and bulb life. There are many varieties of crank-powered flashlights as well, some better than others. You pretty much get what you pay for. If you pick up a few at the dollar store, don’t expect them to last as long, or be as bright, as the ones that you buy at a sporting goods store. I’m admittedly something of a flashlight junkie and have them scattered throughout the house as well as in almost all my kits.

Headlamps have come a long way and are highly recommended. The old kind that used incandescent bulbs were often hot, heavy, and uncomfortable. Today’s headlamps use LED bulbs and are both lightweight and bright. Headlamps are excellent for when you need both hands free. They’re not overly expensive either, if you shop around.

Handheld spotlights are useful but have limited battery life. Most of the ones I’ve seen lately charge an internal battery via an AC adapter or a 12 volt car adapter. They do give off a ton of light, which can be handy, but if the grid is down, you might have trouble keeping them charged.

Solar lights, the kind used in landscape projects, can be great to have. They’re fairly cheap and give off enough light to read by, if you keep the light close by. Set them outside to charge during the day, then bring them in at night. Not a perfect solution by any means, but given that many people already have these lining their front walks, it’s simple enough to bring them in after sundown.

Another type of solar-powered light is the WakaWaka Light. This is an incredibly powerful light powered only by the sun. It lasts a long time on a single charge and is bright enough to light up the average room.
 
WEEK 50 ASSIGNMENTS

TASKS
1. Go through your lists and then check the house again and see what you already have on hand for emergency lighting. Purchase new batteries as needed, but I strongly advise you to consider using crank- and solar-powered lights.
2. Take a look back through past assignments and see what you’ve missed. Plug the holes as you can.

SAVINGS
Add $10 to your Prepper Savings Account.
TOTAL PREPPER SAVINGS ACCOUNT: (Suggested total amount to now, $655)

WATER STORAGE
One gallon (or two 2-liter bottles) per person or a case of bottled water for the household. TOTAL WATER STORAGE: (Suggested total amount to now, 50 gallons per person)

GROCERY LIST
3 cans vegetables, your choice
2 cans fruit, your choice, but stick with those packed in water or juice, rather than syrup
2 cans meat (tuna, chicken, beef), your choice
2 cans soup, not condensed (they require water)
1 box granola bars, protein bars, or equivalent
1 lb dry beans, your choice
1 jar or bag of nuts, dried fruit, or trail mix

WEEK COMPLETED Date:____________
 
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WEEK 51
Drills, Drills, and More Drills

You should have plans in place for different scenarios.
• Emergency evacuation from your home
• Lengthy power outage because of weather or other causes
• Stranded at home for several days or more

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 post drill 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.

But, then again, so do disasters.
 
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: (Suggested total amount to now, $670)

WATER STORAGE
One gallon (or two 2-liter bottles) per person or a case of bottled water for the household.
TOTAL WATER STORAGE: (Suggested total amount to now, 51 gallons per person)

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

WEEK COMPLETED Date:____________
 
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WEEK 52
Electrical Power

For most of us, electricity might seem to be a necessity, but it really is still a luxury. Sure, during an extended outage we may feel as though we’re experiencing some serious withdrawal symptoms from not being able to access our e-mail, but we’ll survive without it. That said, those outages can be made a bit more comfortable if we can at least turn on a fan and maybe a lamp or two.

To provide for our own electricity, most of us will need to turn to some sort of generator, either gas-or solar powered. That, of course, begs the question of how large of a generator do we truly need?

The answer is going to be different for everyone. You’ll need to do a bit of homework. Go through your house and decide what appliances and such you feel that you would truly need running during a power outage. Let’s make this easy. Grab a pen and notepad and visit each room of your house, jotting down every single thing that’s plugged into an outlet. Don’t forget the sump pump in the basement as well as all the kitchen appliances. Next to each item, write down the watt consumption, which is usually found either on a tag on the power cord or on a label on the item itself.

After you’ve gone through every room, sit down with the list and begin crossing off those things that are unnecessary for survival. Things like toasters and clock radios are likely among those items. Keep narrowing down the list until you’re left with only those things that are vitally important.

Now, add up the watt consumption for your new list. This will give you an estimate of how large the generator will need to be to provide power for everything. I’m betting that once you start pricing out generators, you’ll find a way to cross more items off that list, too. There’s a little bit of wiggle room here. Not every single thing on the list will necessarily need to be running at the same time. The refrigerator may currently run about every other hour, but you could dial that down to every couple of hours and still keep the contents cool and safe, provided you can keep the teenager from opening the fridge door every ten minutes.

Lamps and other lights need power only at night. The sump pump needs to run only when there’s water to be removed. TVs and DVD players won’t be on constantly. So you can play the numbers game, at least a bit, and fudge on your needs when shopping.

There are two primary types of generators—gas- and solar-powered. Each has pros and cons. The gas generators are powerful and very easy to use. Start them up, plug in the extension cords or throw the transfer switch, and you’re good to go. But they’re also very noisy, similar to a gas lawn mower. As a result, it’s tough to convince folks that you don’t have one once you’ve started it up. They also require the use of fuel, sometimes quite a bit of it. Some of the popular brand names of gas generators include Generac and Westinghouse. They come in a wide range of sizes, from small enough to wheel around the backyard to “whole home” models permanently installed alongside the house.

There are also a couple of different configurations to gas-powered generators. The smaller models are designed to have a couple of extension cords plugged into them, running to where the power is needed. Larger ones will utilize a transfer switch that’s installed in the side of your home. This switch runs to the electrical hookup inside the home and allows the home owner to switch household power from the utility company to the generator. This installation is not typically a DIY project but something that should be handled by a professional. An electrician will route certain circuits in the home in such a way that when the transfer switch is 140 thrown, those circuits will get their power from the generator. Then, when power is restored, they’re switched back.

Solar-powered generators are rather new to the market. As such, they’re generally more expensive than their gas-powered counterparts. But they have some advantages. First, they’re silent, given that there’s no motor running inside. No fuel consumption, either. They also allow for energy storage. They soak up the sun’s rays and store the power inside batteries, which provide the juice for your toys and whatnot. Goal Zero and JASPak are two companies at the forefront of this technology.

One other option is to use portable solar panels for limited power. You won’t be able to keep a refrigerator running with these, but you can charge cell phones and tablets quite easily, which might be all you truly need for limited outages.
 
WEEK 52 ASSIGNMENTS

TASKS
1. Research, inventory, and prioritize all the power-consuming items in your home.
2. Begin shopping around for generators, basing your selection on the power needs that you’ve calculated.

SAVINGS
Add $15 to your Prepper Savings Account. T
OTAL PREPPER SAVINGS ACCOUNT: (Suggested total amount to now, $685)

WATER STORAGE
One gallon (or two 2-liter bottles) per person or a case of bottled water for the household.
TOTAL WATER STORAGE: (Suggested total amount to now, 52 gallons per person)

GROCERY LIST
3 cans vegetables, your choice
2 cans fruit, your choice, but stick with those packed in water or juice, rather than syrup
2 cans meat (tuna, chicken, beef), your choice
2 cans soup, not condensed (they require water)
1 box (12 packages) ramen noodles
1 lb white rice

WEEK COMPLETED Date:_____________
 
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How Did You Do?

Assuming that you’re not someone who skips to the last chapter to see how the story ends, pat yourself on the back for a job well done in completing the Countdown to Preparedness! I warned you at the outset that you were in for a workout, and you should feel very proud of yourself for making it to the end. Bravo!

If you’ve managed to purchase every item in the grocery lists in each lesson, here’s what you should have on hand right now.

• Canned vegetables, 156 cans
• Canned fruit, 104 cans
• Canned meat, 52 cans • Canned soup, 52 cans
• Oatmeal, 6 canisters or boxes • Canned chili or stew, 25 cans
• Gravy, 25 packages or jars
• Peanut butter, 5 jars
• Granola or protein bars, 11 boxes
• Jelly or fruit preserves, 5 jars
• Pasta sauce, 10 jars
• Salt, 3 canisters
• Baking mix, 5 boxes
• Ramen noodles, 11 boxes (132 packages)
• White rice, 17 pounds
• Instant coffee, 5 jars
• Dry soup, 10 packages
• Cornmeal, 3 bags
• Tea, 5 boxes
• Dry beans, 14 pounds
• Crackers, 5 boxes
• Pasta, 15 pounds
• Powdered milk, 5 boxes
• Instant potatoes, 2 boxes
• Flour, 10 pounds
• Sugar, 8 pounds
• Multivitamins, 2 bottles
• Honey, 2 jars
• Flavored drink mix, 3 canisters
• Cooking oil, 4 gallons
• Nuts, dried fruit, trail mix, 3 packages

Don’t forget several different types of treats for desserts and to help keep up morale! The above should be plenty of food to keep an average family of four alive for three months without needing additional supplies. Coupled with garden produce, hunting, trapping, and/or fishing, this food pantry would go even further.

As for water, if you’ve set aside the amounts prescribed each and every week, rotating and replacing as needed, you should have at least fifty-two gallons of water set aside for each person, possibly even more if you’ve substituted cases of bottled water here and there. At a gallon of water per person per day, that’s enough to last almost two months. Add in what you can drain from your water heater (say, an average of thirty gallons), as well as collected rainwater or melted ice and snow, and you should be able to stretch the water supply to three months or so. Let’s look at the Prepper Savings Account. Now, odds are good that you weren’t able to contribute the specified amount every single week. And, if you’ve been using this account as you should, dipping into it when you find needed supplies at great prices, you aren’t going to have much money left. All told, ideally you’ve contributed almost $700 to your account. That’s a large chunk of change that you can use to buy prepping supplies. But the hidden bonus is that you’ve developed a habit of coming up with an extra $10–$20 each week to set aside. That’s one habit that you want to stick with for quite some time to come. Speaking of going forward, don’t stop now. Keep adding to your food and water storage as well as learning new prepping skills. While you should take a well-deserved break after completing the Countdown to Preparedness, you should also recognize that prepping is truly a lifestyle, and there’s no definite end point. Keep on keepin’ on.
 
BRINGING FRIENDS AND EXTENDED FAMILY INTO THE FOLD

By now, you have friends and family who are aware of your prepping tendencies. In fact, I’m willing to bet you’ve heard at least some variation of, “If something does happen, I’m coming to your place.” As you continue on your path of disaster readiness, you’ll hear that quite a bit.

I’m a big proponent of community survival. By that, I mean I believe that the odds of survival are greatly enhanced when you have a group of people working at it, rather than just going it alone. So I’m not necessarily opposed to having certain people show up after a disaster hits . . . as long as they know what they’re getting into.

A fellow prepper, we’ll call him “Nick,” drafted a letter that he’s given to select family and friends. These are people who are likely to show up, and their presence would be welcome for a variety of reasons. Here’s my own variation on that letter.

Dear family member,

As many of you already know, I am actively preparing for potential disasters or crises that may be coming. While I am concentrating my efforts on more mundane situations, such as power outages or weather-related emergencies, I do not discount the possibility of a more long-term calamity occurring at some point down the road.

Should such an emergency come to pass, while I’d love to take you all in, provide for your needs, and keep you safe, I cannot and will not do that if it means placing my immediate family at greater risk. With that in mind, I am extending to you this offer. If you are willing to do at least some of the work involved with regard to prepping, specifically either purchasing supplies or providing the funds for me to do so on your behalf, I can properly package and store them for long-term use. Doing so will ensure we all have enough food, water, and supplies to make it through whatever life decides to throw our way.

I will also do all I can to help you properly plan for emergencies and prepare your own household for disasters.

Here is just a sample list of the types of supplies we will need, should a long-term event take place and we all end up under one roof.

Food/Medical/First Aid/Security/Defense
• Beans
• Prescription medications
• Firearms
• Rice
• Bandages
• Ammunition
• Baking supplies
• Various OTC medications
• Cleaning kits and supplies
• Canned meats
• Gauze
• Two-way radios
• Canned vegetables
• Ace bandages
• Gun safes/locks
• Honey
• Antibiotic ointments
• Non firearm weapons
• Canned fruits
• Burn creams
• Peanut butter
• Medical equipment
• Coffee/tea
• Canned soups Storage Items/Clothing (for each person)/Miscellaneous Gear
• Plastic bags
• Outerwear
• Bleach
• Plastic buckets
• Several pair pants
• Oil lamps, wicks, fuel
• Canning jars
• Several pair underwear
• Charcoal
• Canning lids/rings
• Several shirts
• Toilet paper
• Totes
• Several pair of socks
• Aluminum foil
• Barrels
• One or two pair of boots
• Matches/lighters
• Water filtration equipment

Again, that is just a small sampling of the supplies and equipment we’d need to provide for all of our needs. Adding just one extra mouth to feed, without having accounted for it ahead of time, substantially decreases the available food for all.

Here is what I propose. If you plan on showing up here after a major disaster, make it easier on all involved by either regularly contributing items such as outlined above or by providing funds every week or month for us to purchase supplies for you. The items purchased are and will always be yours, to do with what you feel necessary. For example, let’s say a year from now your employer downsizes the staff and you 145 find yourself unemployed. The food purchased on your behalf can and will be made available to you as needed.

Consider prepping in this fashion like insurance against an uncertain future.

I would encourage you to give this some serious thought. Then, we can discuss the finer details. I’m sure we can work something out.

The idea here is to help these folks be accountable and get them involved. Explain to them that you’re willing to store the items and maintain them as needed, but they need to provide them to you.

In some situations, you may find a few of these folks are willing to just give you some money here and there for you to purchase items on their behalf.

Another approach is to explain to them that they can’t just show up empty-handed. You might give them a list similar to the above and explain that should they need to come to your place for safety, they should bring as many of those items as they can carry.

The idea here is to allow these friends and family members a way to be accountable for themselves, albeit with your assistance. This also serves to give you a clear conscience. You’ve taken the time to lay out exactly what they need to do in order to provide for their own needs should a crisis come to pass. The ball is then in their court, so to speak. If they decline the offer, so be it. It becomes their problem, not yours.
 
Bacpacker said:
Weedy you've been busy.
Thanks for posting all that. IMO its a great list of things to do and to get. Lots of things to work on and contemplate how to manage.
Click to expand...
Thank you. I just decided I wanted to be done.

I do realize that I messed up on water, and I plan on going back and fixing that.

It's not 100%, but I think it is a great thing for the beginners, or people who want more guidance, but not something that some of us would ever consider given that we might have lived a life that has been more focused on preparedness.

Gravy in jars or mix packets is something I will never do because of the chemicals which trigger migraines for me. I'm not going to criticize anyone who does that. I have been trying to figure out what else I can us instead. I do have some canned roast beef that I could heat up and thicken with corn starch so it will be gravy with meat. It could be the kind of thing to eat over bread, potatoes or pasta.
 
As with the levels of preparedness, I found this while searching to see if we have a thread about something else. I think it is a good thing to bring up to the top again, at least for myself and maybe for some of you as well.
 
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