If you are interested in being prepared for the unexpected, the unpredicted, and the unpredictable events that may occur in your life, then you have come to the right place. Being prepared doesn’t just mean having the tools and supplies on hand to weather the storm, or the earthquake, or whatever disastrous event may happen wherever you are. It means that in addition to having the tools and supplies available to handle whatever comes along, you also have the skills and knowledge to make the best use of those tools and supplies to help yourself and those around you survive that event.

In this blog, I will attempt to teach you to be prepared. You will find here information, knowledge, recommended references and practical advice that, if learned and applied, will help you be prepared for almost anything that happens. For my part, I will try to present the concepts to you in a way that you can easily understand and apply. Your part will be assimilating the knowledge and practicing the skills so that when a disaster strikes, no matter what it is, you will know what to do.

There is a sequence to some of the articles presented here. Where there is a sequence, such as Preparedness for Beginners, I suggest that you learn “by the numbers;” in other words, start with Part 1 of a series and work up from there. In that way, you won’t be as likely to become overwhelmed by what you need to learn. Do this a little at a time, one step after another and you will build your skills and knowledge in such a way that they become part of how you live your life.

Luck favors the prepared. Take control of the world around you by being prepared for whatever may happen. As you acquire and become more certain of your skills and abilities, you will also become more confident, more able and more assured of your own survival.

One note of caution: Do Not Specialize! If you are already competent at one of the skills you need to deal with an emergency, build upon that skill and get yourself competent at the all of them: first-aid, search and rescue, self-defense, camping, cooking, foraging, hunting, carpentry, mechanics, wood craft, animal husbandry, gardening, etc. If you specialize, you are to some degree dependent. Strive to be self-sufficient. Work with your neighbors so that they are self-sufficient, too. You’ll all have a better chance of survival is each of you can do every task and then rotate those duties among yourselves.

Finally, enjoy your journey to self-reliance and independence. It is a worthwhile endeavor for its own sake, and even more so because it will enhance your survival and that of those around you. Be competent. Be prepared.