While all of the items below require you to buy them on Amazon, one tip preparers take during those first 72 hours is to get cash and gas in your vehicle. Everyone, even new preparers, should have a 72-hour kit that includes food, water, and other necessities for 72 hours (three days). This way, if you ever get hit by that ice storm, you already have food and water gathered together. You don't have to worry about how you're going to take care of your family.
One of the most common emergencies is a power outage, so it's easy to have a reliable, high-quality flashlight. We recommend a headlamp because it keeps your hands free and illuminates your line of sight. The Energizer Vision ultra-rechargeable headlamp is an excellent choice thanks to its 400 lumens of brightness, a beam distance of 80 meters and up to 15 hours of use on a single charge. The human body needs at least 10 liters of water every three days to keep headaches, cramps and fatigue at bay.
Therefore, couples must store at least 20 liters of water, families of four, 40 liters, etc. If you have space, it's worth having something extra handy for cooking and bathing. If the house becomes unsafe and you are forced to leave, a sturdy backpack will be needed to carry survival items to the new destination. Equip one with many compartments, including a waterproof section if possible for Energizer smartphones and batteries.
The rugged backpack is also a great camping backpack between crises. Internet and telephone signals could be the first forms of communication to abandon in a natural disaster or become congested beyond use. So have a trusted radio handy as a source of news and information. For example, most government bodies rely on radio to broadcast announcements and updates on wildfires and floods.
Make sure the batteries are Energizer, as they are quality and durable. Perform a short test every 3 to 6 months and replace as needed. Even a radio requires electricity to transmit signals, so a collection of the right batteries can get you out of trouble in a hurry. Energizer is known for its reliable and long-lasting batteries, so these premium products should be the ideal choice regardless of the size required.
There are plenty of board games to entertain yourself. But we have more than 50 different games that can be played with a classic deck of cards. There are only a limited number of times you can play Monopoly before it breaks up families and ruins relationships. Playing cards is a great way to keep everyone sane and provide a necessary distraction from the survival situation.
That Energizer Vision ultra-rechargeable headlight will come in handy for Rummy and Texas Hold 'Em rounds during a power outage. One of the biggest problems for preparers and survival is that GMO seeds will not reproduce the same way if the seeds are saved and reused. While some Preppers have the skills and means to create shelters, beginning Preppers will want to consider other options. The needs of someone trying to grow a couple of tomatoes so that children can see what they look like growing on the vine one summer are very different from the concerns of preparers who are thinking in terms of providing food for their family for many years to come.
Sure, you need to clean water, stable foods, and alternative ways to cook them, but I'm not so sure I would recommend beginning preparers to bother with a rifle or seeds just yet. But if you don't have any of these, then your best bet is to have a portable propane or kerosene heater in your prep equipment. A great way to meet other like-minded people in your community is through local training, which can even lead to creating or joining a “circle of resilience” or readiness mutual aid group. It is used internationally by the police, army and law enforcement, and is highly appreciated within the preparatory community.
Some old-school trainers followed the Lone Wolf mentality too much, where they kept everything secret and assumed that they would cross the wastelands alone with their shotgun and faithful dog while everything else collapses around them. It sounds silly to tell you that this is one of the few main things new coaches have to do, but he will play in the next thing he tells you to do. . .
