Where Do You Assign The Highest Priority, For Your Prepping....??

Where do you assign the highest priority, for your prepping....??

Please pick the three or five areas to which you assign importance.

Please list them with most important to you at the top, and in descending order of importance.

 

1.) FOOD (Food way out in front, I am phobic about low food inventory)
2.) SHELTER (I don't need much, currently live in a shack, have lived months in tent)
3.) PHYSICAL FITNESS-HEALTH
4.) SAFETY-SECURITY
5.) CLOSE AREA RECONNAISSANCE and INTELLENGENCE GATHERING (Local)

Note: I am surrounded with abundant pure fresh water.

 

food

 

First, I'd sit down with my family and brainstorm every Bad Thing that could happen. Everything's on the table and no one uses this time to argue; we just write them all down. Then we go over each of the 8-10 most obvious ones and assign each of them five numerical values, based on the following criteria:

• The chances that this will happen within six months;
• The chances that this will happen within the next three years;
• The seriousness of the particular Bad Thing
• How Long the Bad Thing Will Last
• How much it would cost to ameliorate it

Then we assign a numerical value to each and (after taking out the "low-hanging fruit" make your choices.

For example, "transformer is trashed in a traffic accident and we're out electricity for three days" would be high chance of happening (at least in rural Idaho) but since it's practically no cost to ameliorate (make sure you have a non-electric can-opener for your tuna-fish and a couple large containers of drinking water) it would be one of the first thing to fix.

Another example would be "Chicxulub-size comet strike" or "Yellowstone caldera eruption" Seriousness: yes. How long to last: at least a geological era. Chances of it happening: very small. Cost to ameliorate: more than I'd ever have. Obviously we don't even bother prepping for those!

The rest of the Bad Things are going to require some skull-sweat and number-juggling to come up with something that you and you team/family/girlfriend agree on. and then ...

...Plan your work and work your plan.

I don't prep for "food" or "shelter" or any of the parameters you mention; instead I think of things that I feel are most likely to go wrong and do my preps with those particular things in mind. Of course, they all involve operational analyses, food, shelter, physical/mental/emotional health, physical security, etc. But where I go, how I get my security, food water, etc are driven by the various Bad Things that I think could happen.

Anyway, here are the Bad Things that I considered and planned my activities on starting about four or five years ago, culminating with a move from one part of the country to another and a major lifestyle change (and these are more or less in order):

• Climate Change leading to drought and crop failures (short term) and water and other asset wars (long term);
• MRSA or other inadvertent health crises/epidemic/pandemic;
• Domestic large-scale terrorist activities;
• Infrastructure breakdown;
• Increased loss of individual freedoms due to a more 'tyrannical' government;
• Nuclear war.

By the way, I didn't pull these ideas out of my butt; I was in an MBA program back around 2004 and took a course called "Strategic Analyses and Planning" and my team did a paper on this. Later, I used the same information to do the threat analysis matrices for a survival scenario. If anyone's interested, let me know; I'm sure I can dig up the stuff (it's on Microsoft Excel) and send it to you.

 

1. Physical fitness / health (I'm currently in bad shape and not exactly in healthy condition either )
   
2. Drinking water & foods (I kept 6 days worth of foods along with 10+ days worth of drinking water for 2 adult)
3. Finance (currently in bad shape)
4. Mobility (currently being neglected due to point 1 & 3)
5. Shelter (already have layer of redundancy)
6. Communication & Information gathering (already in place)
7. Networking with other people (we are tiny group based in the same city)

 

I have similar line of thinking regarding prepping. Do you have that "Strategic Analyses and Planning"paper of yours in Google Sheets? If not, could you share it?

Thanks beforehand

 

Good post, Sourdough. Very thought provoking. My priorities would be:
1.) First Aid
2.) Food
3.) Mobility/Transportation
4.) Security

While I feel comfortable with everything we have done, these are areas where we can increase our stores, and improve our capabilities.

 

Pretty much in maintenance mode on the core stuff, just replacing what we use and try to buy an extra spare when something breaks or requires repair around the house. By "core" I mean the food, water, clothing, and shelter categories.

I think along the same lines as Duncan described; what's the likelihood of a particular threat, what's the likely resulting problems or consequences of it, and what can we do now to mitigate it if it did occur? The result of the brainstorming usually being another project to make us better prepared. Sometimes the "projects" are simple, like adding more fire extinguishers and an emergency escape ladder for the second floor to reduce the risk of dying in a house fire. Sometimes more complex if it requires a lot of work or learning a new skill. Admittedly, sometimes my projects are for very low probability problems, but are just too interesting or fun not to do it

Our recently upgraded and/or completed projects in the past year:

-- Home and perimeter security projects. A couple more big rocks/small boulders along the driveway (movable barriers), remote monitoring/control/radio repeater experimenting (an on-going project), and added tactical lights to a couple of the firearms (one more to go I think).

-- You're on your own (YOYO) medical care. Added a bag valve mask, bedside (unisex) urinal, orthopedic casting materials, skin staplers, dermal glue, and replaced some antibiotics.

-- Home heating and fuel reserves project. New wood shed for more fire wood storage, and added an additional 60 pounds of propane in storage (so far).

 

Yes........but it is helpful to others, especially those new to prepping, if we assign what we consider a priority. Example: I have over three years of food in many off premises cache sites, and live in a game rich environment. Plus I just bought 900+ Clif Bars. This may be considered folly, but it gives new to prepping the visual that at least one person considers food fairly important.
I am NOT suggesting that everyone have massive amount of food, but it does stimulate some to look at their two week bad weather event food supply, and reflect on what if it is two months or six months.
I am over a 100 miles from the nearest grocery store, so a massive earthquake or volcano, or foreign invasion of Alaska.........and there will likely be zero food available by the time I get to town.

And it is fun to see where other knowledgeable members place priority.

 

1. Water - As soon as possible, I would locate as many sources of water as I can find, and have several backup ways of purifying it.
   
   
2. Shelter - this includes the means for keeping cool to prevent heat-related illnesses/death, and keeping warm to prevent hypothermia, frostbite, etc.
   
   
3. Safety/security (ties in with reconnaissance/intelligence gathering)
   
   
4. Health - this includes knowing how to recognize and treat the most likely and potentially deadly issues that are common, especially during SHTF situations. If no supplies/medical help is available for treating critical issues, I may need to know what the next best alternative treatments are - or die.
   
   
5. Food - humans can live much longer without food than without water, shelter, or blood (#4 - Health). For example, the ability to stop massive bleeding, or to treat life-threatening dehydration caused by food or water-borne diarrhea ranks high above food.

.

 

1. Water
2. Shelter
3. Food
4. Security
5. Happiness

Life is more than breathing and keeping your heart beating. As soon as the physical necessities are taken care of it is time to get some pleasure out of life.

 

Maybe I need to rethink my list...."Location", as in where I choose to live, might need to be at the top.

 

Food and water are at the top. Thus I spent the bucks to get a Katadyn ceramic core, silver lined, water purifier. Have other stuff for water purification and for the improving of taste. I recommend dozens of jars of deoxygenated rice, noodles, dried beans, ... those sorts of foods. These keep on and on, plus you eat them anyway; just cycle them through your stores. I buy the brands we like for supper. My wife puts back tomato paste she makes from the tomatoes we grow in our garden.

Because I live near scummy low-breeds, security is up there. Americans of European descent have the same criminal behavior rates as their European cousins. Other races have varying percentages of superior genetic lines. Can't be quick to judge -- takes lots and lots of observation time. Criminal records of violent crimes are of course a give-away. Watch those who live near you looking for signs of emotional control or lack thereof.

 

1) Independence and solvency - I have no debt and will keep it that way. I want to have as little reliance on the system (utilities, financial institutions, the man, etc) to sustain myself. I want to have a small footprint and appear to the government as just some poor guy living a simple life in the middle of nowhere. Reducing my reliance is still work in progress. I have most of the tools and some of the competence needed to use the tools. My biggest deficit is in mastery of electrical systems. This summer included a pretty extensive project where I significantly improved my dwellings and infrastructure. This project sets the foundation for additional projects over the next two summers. These improvements should allow me almost completely self sufficient.

2) food- even though I live in an area where food is somewhat abundant, I still rely on food bought from the store. In theory, food could have been listed as part of “independence and solvency” above, but it’s important enough to list as its own category. A BIG priority is learning and perfecting pre-contact knowledge of how to live off the land in the northern boreal forest. Unfortunately, my mentor of many years has passed and I am struggling learning from books and less effective methods verses first hand knowledge. Fortunately, this is an area where my wife is super strong.

3) time management- there is so much to do and so little time. This is true for all aspects of prepping. One example is the short but super abundant growing season. Just a few days distraction could have a significant impact on your yield. My to do list is easily five plus years worth of work.

4) security- against mostly the two legged type. I’m well armed and my family knows how to fight, but we are alone in the boonies, so security is a huge worry. Having fall back positions are important, and I have some. But not enough.

5) fire safety- wildfires are a constant worry. This has been rated much higher 3 or 4 years ago, but I’ve made progress.

6) health - in good shape, and this should still probably be listed higher.

7) water - I have a great well and several back up sources, so it’s not higher. I can get water from the well when there is no electricity.

8) communication- I live in an expansive valley with some pretty tall southern mountains, so even satellite phone service is spotty, not to mention challenges with short wave. There is a cell tower in direct line of site, so in non-SHTF, I am good. If the cell towers go, I want to be able to learn what’s going on outside my little enclave. I do have a basic set up. I’ll just leave it at that. I don’t have the time to truly learn to be proficient at the art.

I guess that’s enough rambling for one evening!

 

Food and water storage are top priorities alongside medical/first aid supplies. You can have all the guns and ammo in the world but when you die from lack of sustenance or a nasty laceration then you've wasted both your time and money.

 

Know your location. Know what can be foraged. Food.

 

If I was advising a new prepper on prioritizing the categories would be 1.) Shelter 2.) Water 3.) Fire 4.) Food 5.) Security. If you want to include Medical as a separate category that is fine. I include medical supplies in my security.

My list. My priorities. My opinion. We can argue this until the cows come home.

Shelter: You have to have shelter from the elements. Most of us have some type of dwelling, so shelter goes overlooked. If you have to evacuate you better find a new shelter, fast.

Water: Sources of supply. Methods/Containers for storage. Methods of purification. Minimum 1 gallon per person per day. Do not forget pets or livestock if you have any.

Fire: Minimum three reliable ways to start a fire; kindling; fire starter; preferably carried or with you at all times. I include warmth in this category. Proper clothing and foot ware. Blankets, sleep systems.

Food: Minimum two weeks supply. A combination of foods that need to be prepared, and foods that require no preparation. Buy foods that do not require refrigeration. Buy what you eat. Rotate stock. Do not forget pets or livestock if applicable.

Security: This is a broad category that includes everything to keep you safe. Securing your home. Lighting. Having proper medical supplies and medications. Becoming proficient with weapons; admittedly a very personal choice. Keeping a well maintained tool kit.

These are the areas I would recommend a beginning prepper start.

 

It appears that most are more or less on the same page with this.

I just debate the security issue. I doubt it would be much of an issue for short term SHTF events, especially if there was outside assistance coming, as in Government or Church or Red Cross.

It just seems that at some point many start to see that even with massive amount of supplies, the realization that they need to be where there are far fewer humans and those humans in that area have a common link, as in most are bound by a common something, be that religion, vocation, ethnic, etc.. This is why I place physical location at or near the top priority.

It is the one area that many on this forum are not in agreement with. Possession of one's survival supplies is the key, if you loose possession, it is equal to having never even started prepping. In my opinion many on this forum and most other forums are not going to be able to retain control of their survival supplies. They might for a few weeks, maybe a month, but most will loose possession, as most underestimate the desperation of those who will take their supplies, and grossly over assume they can fight off repeated attacks with victory after victory for months and months and maybe years.

 

I don't disagree with you. What you say about location makes eminent sense. I will speak for myself, although I think others are in the same boat, changing our location is not an option unless there is absolutely no alternative. Fire, flood, complete devastation (tornedo), toxic chemical spill; a permanent reason that we cannot return to our property. IMHO it will be an evolution after the TEOTWAWKI event that people of like mind will find each other. I think you are correct. They will seek each other out, and being where there are less people, and the people that are there are all of like mind is a much better situation. Safer. More resources. More likely to be defensible. Everything you mentioned is true and highly likely. Most people will not be able to defend themselves for long if at all. I will say this as a point on the human condition, and I have seen it in my lifetime. Good people expect others to be good. They don't see the bad side or the evil. They don't cheat people, and don't expect to be cheated. Bad people expect others to be bad. They only see the evil. They expect that everybody is trying to cheat them, and you will never get anything past them. Good people will never see the evil that is coming their way until it is too late. Just my .02 c

 

1. Clean & pure WATER
2. Stable & secure SHELTER
3. FOOD
4. TOOLS, this includes everything from weapons, saws, knives, compass, etc. etc.
5. COMMS, communication devices
6. TRANSPORTATION, vehicles for everything....Trucks, cars, SUV's, SXS,ATV's, Kayaks, etc.
7. MEDICAL
8. TRADE GOODS
9. SECURITY, individual, compound and area (includes a combination of skills, tradecraft and equipment)

How I rank things currently. Life can always change things.

Dale

 

You mention loosing supplies. I am currently reading a book called A Stranger in the Woods, about the north pond hermit. I'm not mentioning this as a example or how to but really about how some people think. The hermit kept supplies hidden in 55 gallon drums away from his camp. He did this in case he got found and pushed out of his camp. He kept food and clothes in the cache.

 

Sourdough, After living through a few severe SHTF events for which the government showed up. I don't put much faith in the government or red cross helping or controlling anything in a disaster area. During the last one ( a derecho) they passed out some water. Locals cleared roads, helped neighbors and waited the 2 weeks for electric to come back. They also took care of any looters that came around.

As far as preppers keeping what's there's. If there serious about it they will learn small unit military tactics and defensive combat engineering. Just my opinion.

Dale

 

This difference in what different individuals think would happen in a SHTF scenario is based on the environment they presently find themselves . At least that is my personal opinion . And for the most part they are probably correct . Some think they will need more amo than they have neighbors because they expect them to attack and they will be forced to kill them . Others expect their neighbors to have higher morals , not panic and perhaps survive as a unit . Some think the Red cross , National Guard or Fema will come help them . Some don't expect a da-- thing from the government . Some obviously are preparing for a much worse scenario than others . Survive ability will probably vary greatly . Location will be a big factor . Location has a large factor on available water , available food , climate , and reaction of surrounding people .