Just starting out as a Prepper? What to do first?

November 21, 2013 Food Storage & Production,Survival Tips,Why Prepping

Just starting out as a Prepper? What to do first?

November 21, 2013

We hear it all the time “I’m just starting out and I don’t know where to start.”  The great news is that you are thinking about prepping and looking for answers so you have already taken the first step.

This article could be really detailed, but if you are like me, you don’t have time for small talk. The very basics are: food, water and shelter.  How food and water depends on where you live and how much you can store. It also depends on the types of disasters your area is prone to getting.

If you have lots of blizzards, you should start by prepping for one. Stockpile food and water as well as make sure you have a way of heating your shelter or home if the power is out. Wood is the best because, if you run out you can usually get more quite easy and if it is an extreme emergency, you could chop up the dining room table if it is made of wood or other wood furniture if you had to.

But how much?

• Water: For drinking only, you will want to have at least 1 gallon of water per person per day. If someone gets ill, then they may need more water. A water purifier is a great item to have on hand and can be used not only in emergencies but everyday.

•  Food: FEMA suggest having enough food to last you 3 days. If you can afford it, try to have 2 weeks or more worth of food. Buy things you know your family will eat so you can rotate your stock pile and not let any of it go to waste. Things like Ready-to-eat canned meats, fruits, vegetables and a can opener, Protein or fruit bars, Dry cereal or granola, Peanut butter, Dried fruit, Nuts, Crackers, Canned juices, on-perishable pasteurized milk, High energy foods, Vitamins, Food for infants, children and comfort/stress foods. Also remember foods that are high in carbohydrates will make you want to drink more water as well as eating too much protein. Make sure your meals are balanced, so your water will last longer.

•  Shelter – Make sure your shelter is safe and secure. In the case of a blizzard where the snow is piling up on the roof, you may need to go on the roof and remove some of the snow to prevent the roof from collapsing. Also make sure your fireplace or wood burning stove is functioning properly (especially if you have not used it in awhile). You don’t want your house filling up with smoke and carbon monoxide. If you are going the DIY route just be careful when climbing on your roof, use a harness so you don’t fall and break your neck or any other body part.

Other things you will want to keep on hand are at least basic first aid supplies and know how to use them. You can get certified in first aide and CPR at your local red cross. Sometimes local organizations will also sponsor classes. While you can learn a lot from books, practicing for real life emergencies makes it a lot easier and your response time faster.

Finally what about home defense? Well that is something you can decide for yourself. If you are prepping for a blizzard you might be OK. However, you need to ask yourself, what can I do to protect my family if someone tries to break in because they want our food and supplies?  Do you risk starvation and dying of thirst or having your family harmed without a way of protecting them?

Should you have a gun or guns? Well it’s completely up to you. However, if you do choose to purchase any, keep in mind, that you need to know how to properly use them and maintain them. You should take classes and go to the shooting ranges in your area where you can get properly instructed. Know all aspects of gun safety from how to use the gun to how to store and keep it secure.

Guns can be helpful if you need food in an emergency situation, a 22 caliber rifle can be used to hunt small game like squirrels and rabbits. A 30-06 or other types of rifles work for big game like deer. Your instructors will give you the best information.

Just know if you have to shoot an animal, you have to know how to skin it and clean it properly to avoid contaminating the meat and making you or your family sick. If you are hunting, you will also need a good hunting knife and sharpening stone to help you with the skinning process.

So there you are some basics, of starting out and some supplies you need to begin with. Keep the questions coming; the more prepared people we have the less panicked people we have when an emergency happens.

Posted by www.doomsdaypreppersguide.com