12-Step Prepper Program - Lesson 1

I've had a few friends ask me how to get started with making a home "stash" or survival bunker. I'll go into each of these subjects in-depth later on. STEP 1: DETERMINE YOUR NEEDS: If you have a family of two you really should plan for having a family of four. Why? Because you're going to underestimate how much food you will eat in a day, for starters. Then, you're going to have friends, neighbors, and family who will have not prepared the way you have. You should be prepared to share some of your goods AT BARTER with them. The Church of Latter Day Saints has a good, downloadable PDF that can help you determine your needs. Go to www.preparedsociety.com to see what the can help you with. STEP 2: WATER: If there are two of you residing in the home you will need a minimum of 1 gallon of water per person per day. If you have no way to get water (via a pump, well, etc.) you need to know that you can't store water for long. You can pick up a couple of really good water filtration systems that work on a drip at many different retailers. Lehmans.com is one of those stores that caters to Amish customers. I would also recommend that you purchase a pocket filtration system such as the Katedyn Hiker. You can always go without washing for a week or two, but you need water every day for drinking. I've used the Katedyn Hiker on stream water and been fine after drinking it. Of course, it doesn't remove the odor. STEP 3: FUEL: If you live in a northern climate fuel is going to mean the life or death of you. Whether or not you are going to use wood, gas, oil, or a generator you will always need the basic raw material to produce fuel. There are many fuels available, some that you've never thought of. Have YOU ever burned a cowpie? Did you know that in biblical times it was not unheard of to use human excrement as fuel? I'm just letting you know. STEP 4: SHELTER: So, you plan on staying in your house. Sure you do. For so long as you are able you'll want to make sure that you have adequate protection from not only the elements but ALSO from anyone who might want to force you to SHARE your shelter with them. There is safety in numbers, but those numbers can also cause a great deal of stress unless you have adequate space for everyone to have some privacy and sense of ownership. STEP 5: SECURITY: Most of us think of security in terms of police protection. Think again. You also cannot secure your space with just owning weapons and having plenty of ammo. You need to be smart and save your ammo for the procurement of food (hunting) in order to make your food storage last longer. What I mean by security is simple; Do you know your neighbors? Do you have adequate lighting around your home that does NOT require electricity? Do you have any warning systems set up to alert you to an intruder? Do you have the materials necessary to repair your space in order to protect it? STEP 6: MONEY: In my opinion, WTSHTF money will be useless. I also don't think that gold, silver, or jewelry will be worth anything at all. You need to have items on hand that can be used for bartering. Do you have extra canned goods that you can barter for fuel? Are you a good hunter and you can barter meat for a cup of sugar? When I talk about money in this section it will have nothing to do with money as we know it. STEP 7: COMMUNICATION: I think we all know that the internet will be down. Our telephones will likely be useless, as well. How will you communicate? Do you own a shortwave radio? How about a set of good walkie-talkies that have a five or seven mile range? Do you know how to interpret the message and rumors that you will hear? STEP 8: MOBILITY: We're used to sitting down, turning a key, and rolling down the road. Forget it. You're going to use the gasoline in your tank to keep a generator going if you're lucky enough to have one. Bikes, wagons, good shoes. Plan to be able to repair all of them. This also goes to the subject of bartering. STEP 9: LIGHTING: I put this next to last because while I consider this essential, you can get by with very little of it in your everyday activities. If you have small children you'll want a secure way to provide lighting. There are many options besides candles. STEP 10: HYGIENE: Now, everyone has different needs, but we all need TOILET PAPER. One roll per person per week is typical. We'll to into this, as well. STEP 11: ENTERTAINMENT: I know this doesn't seem essential, but it really is. Think about all of the non-electric ways that we used to play when we were kids. Playing cards, books, crayons, chalk, paper, games. STEP 12: FAITH: I cannot stress how important this one is. No matter your faith, you will needed it. And you will need the support of friends, family, neighbors. I'm not suggesting we all turn into little Elmer Gantry's, but having a good Bible and a couple of books that bring you encouragement can help.