Preparedness and Survivability

I remember the big scare that was supposed to shut the world down in 2000 … Y2K. All the computers were supposed to go belly up at the stroke of midnight as the year 2000 ticked its way into reality.

I think I first learned of the proposed looming disaster in 1997 and got serious about it in 1998.

It worried me some.

Well, more than some. The computer-crash deal certainly sounded like a real possibility.

It worried me enough that I spent an active and focused year getting ready for the grand finale … TEOTWAWKI. It was something that I invested a lot of thought into as well as a fair chunk of money covering all the bases that I could think of including building a pond and putting down a well for a hand pump. Sacks of grain and a hand turned grain mill. I bought canned goods by the case and had a room stacked full of food ready to eat.

Three 5 gallon buckets of open pollinated seed for the garden. Two full. One half full.

Hand tools. I already had all the normal homestead stuff like hoes, shovels, rakes, axes, and forks. I already had a large flock of chickens. 200 hens and 40 roosters. Why so many roosters? I enjoyed listening to them crow. Goats for milk and meat. I did order in a scythe so I could cut hay for my small herd of dairy goats that I milked morning and evening. Seven milkers. By hand. Every day.

There was a half dozen new dome tents stored to house folks that I figured for sure would come wandering in and need something to shelter in. Plenty of gear for hunting and self-defense. Gear for fishing.

It wasn’t difficult discerning and covering the bases. Not with my small farm background and all those years of being a faithful reader of Mother Earth News back in the day before it turned into its modern counterpart. I did not wait up until midnight to see what would happen. It was what it was and it would be what it would be. I admit that I was quite relieved when I got up the next morning and realized that life would continue with all its conveniences.

Did I regret the investment of time, physical effort, and financial resources?

No.

Not one ounce of regret. Not one moment of it. The whole package and process was quite enlightening. It was not only enlightening. It was life changing. It was an introductory course in personal preparedness that caused me to realize just how fragile the whole food, water, and utility supply and demand system is.

There are a lot of factors that figure into this survivability topic. A lot more than can be touched on in a brief article. I doubt a single book could adequately cover the subject.

I think what we are dealing with here is two major categories. (1) Short-term survivability. (2) Long-term survivability.

The short-term (think in increments like 3 days, 7 days, 30 days, 90 days, etc.) is fairly easy to prepare for. You simply have to stock up on some supplies. 3 days or a week is no big deal. It’s pretty obvious though that most people around here aren’t ready for a few days of inconvenience. Just let the weatherman start talking about a little tropical blow off the Gulf and the store shelves are emptied. Not only here in the hurricane zone. Happens likewise in the blizzard zone. 30 to 90 days of preparedness (still short-term in the big scheme of things) is a daunting challenge for most people. 

I am of the opinion that 3 to 6 weeks ought to be the minimum level of preparedness for every person in every household. It doesn’t take much of a “natural” disaster to create a 3 to 6 week hardship environment. Water for that length of time might present a problem. That’s a lot of gallons and a lot of weight to store. Here, in our Southern coastal zone, collecting water is not a problem.

Long-term (out there past 90 days and on to whenever and however long) takes some thought and planning. The deal changes considerably when you start thinking in increments of 1 year, 2 years, etc.. There is a lot more to making it long-term than having a well-stocked pantry and a hand cranked can opener. The point will come, regardless of how many cans or bags are stored, when all that will be left is the rusting cans and empty mylar bags. 

Then what?

There are tools and skills for long-term that need to be taken into consideration. These are tools and skills that most modernites are extremely short on … tools that require muscle power rather than electric or gas power. Tools that ultimately assist the living process. Tools that are extremely difficult to manufacture after the fact from raw materials.

Tools and skills … the crux of the matter when it comes to the survivability issues regarding fire, shelter, water, and food.

One of the quaint clichés going around in the woodcraft-bushcraft-survival community is … the more you know the less you need. True enough. It is possible, with the knowledge and skills necessary, to return to the Stone-Age. I do not relish the idea. I’ve got another time-period in mind that I have spent a generous amount of time equipping myself for in my own personal preparedness.

Hello 1700’s.

My mindset, for a good long time now, has been geared around preparedness to be able to live in the 18^th Century. Doing historical reenactments and seriously studying that period are what settled me on the 18^th.  

It started as a hobby. It didn’t take long for me to realize that those folks really had it going on in the realm of self-reliance. Then it became a serious hobby that quickly overhauled and adjusted my thinking about preparedness and self-reliant living. 1700’s. That’s plenty far enough to jump backwards where equipping for long-term survivability is concerned.

The two major categories are affected by an assortment of sub-category variables. Location is one of them … urban, rural, coastal, prairie, woodland, mountains, desert, climate zone. Each one has its challenges. Each one has its offerings. Each one requires attention to its particular nuances and details. Each one can be an ally. Each one can be a foe.

These sub-categories can be further subdivided to address resources and issues regarding them but, like I mentioned, this is a brief article so we’ll leave off with the division where we are.

It is an appropriate saying. I’ve heard it quite a few times over the years and used it a few times myself. I think it fits at the heart and center of any kind of preparation and preparedness. It certainly represents a major aspect of the woodcraft-bushcraft-survival arena.

To fail to plan is to plan to fail.

Short-term or long-term.

Unexpected mishap that places us in a survival situation or a planned adventure in off-grid living.

Think through the possible ramifications ahead of time. 

Acquire the tools and skills needed to encounter the effects of the ramifications before we need them.