Prepping Principles by David Fidler, Series Intro

This series will be split into seven (7) parts.

We have all been warned repeatedly to prepare for difficult times. The big catch phrase today is to prepare for the “Zombie Apocalypse”. Well, as most here probably know, we are not likely to see a bunch of mindless, brain eating zombies roaming the earth looking to devour the last vestiges of living brains. On second thought, perhaps we are currently living that holocaust. We do recognize this however to be a codeword for the End of Days or the End of the world as we know it. That concept can take many different definitions and potential scenarios. Whether it be a pandemic, economic, warfare, civil disruption or any of many other favorite pet scenarios, the need to prepare is very real and important for all.

The problem arises when people who recognize the need to prepare start looking at the behemoth of preparation and then quickly get discouraged and fall away from the task. “Wow, it just costs too much.” “How do I begin?” “There’s no way I can do/learn all that” and many other thoughts permeate the minds of many potential beginning preppers. They really want to but the task ends up being too daunting and so they decide to just risk the norm and go with the flow. This is often exacerbated by honest and caring experienced preppers who in good faith are trying to help the newer crowds and to spread the word of prepping.

Over the years I have seen many scenarios that were predicted to be the end of times and watched people rush out, spending tens of thousands of dollars on food storage, survival gear and other prepping items. At times they even gave up good jobs and homes to move to some ‘remote’ location to ride out the coming storm. Then nothing happened. Y2K, 2012, among other events all fizzled and ended with a whimper at best. And yet each time people changed their livelihood and lives to prepare for the impending disaster, and each time were discouraged when nothing happened. We’ve lost many ‘preppers’ from the ranks over these events. Even worse, in each case, because “nothing happened” it allowed the mainstream folks to decry preppers as being ‘crazies’ and ‘theorists’ who like to “hoard”.

In reality prepping is not about and shouldn’t be a major change in our lives or massively expensive, especially in the beginning. We do need to do a better job at getting this message out. Additionally, I believe we should not be pushing the TEOTWAWKI scenarios but teaching the common every day prepping concepts. What does that mean? It means we work to educate people to be prepared for the small things and not the big things. If you are truly and wisely preparing for the small things, then you are building a solid base to be prepared for the big things. You are building a solid foundation of prepping that can and will sustain you through the big scenarios. Even better is that if none of the bigger scenarios happen, you are still good as good prepping is beneficial if things fall apart as well as if nothing happens. Wise prepping begins by focuses towards the small things, loosing a job, local emergency, illness, and other such events that often happen in our lives on a regular basis.

Having a food storage can be good, but if it is one of those that sit in the back of your storage room or pantry just waiting for the Zombie Apocalypse then it is not really food storage. Wise food storage is something that is used all the time and constantly replenished.

In my experience and observation wise prepping does not have to cost a lot, especially up front. Once we get past the basics and build a solid foundation then the rest comes over time and then we are can focus on where we as individuals really need to focus. Remember, what you need to do in preparing may not be what I need to do, let’s be careful not to preach our version of prepping over the needs of others.

Having learned that in everything there are true and sound principles that govern all aspects of life and existence, I have identified what I see as sound principles and foundations of prepping. How you apply and implement these principles will vary some for each person/family. I have identified six key principles of prepping that I believe form the foundation that we need to build upon and should guide us in what and how we do things.

The First Principle will be our next post.