We all agree there are life-threatening situations that can catch us off guard. However, preparing for disaster in advance will save you and your family before the condition subsides or find help, even if it’s mentally.
So to navigate through an emergency whenever it occurs, keep the following 50 survival items at home.
Often, you can find yourself in unforeseen events where you need to protect yourself. Having emergency items at home can help in survival situations.
Below is a list of 50 emergency items to always have in the house.
Let’s Start With Alternative Power Sources
#1. Flashlight: If the power goes off, you will need a flashlight and batteries to navigate home. It’s best to also have headlamps and lanterns to keep your home lit.
#2. Matches: Matches, especially waterproof ones, help start fires in damp area.
#3. Spare light bulbs: Keep spare light bulbs at home in case the ones you are using are burned out, and you can’t get a new one at the moment.
#4. Generator: An emergency backup generator can keep your home light during a power outage and keep your electric appliances working.
⇒ 12X More Efficient Than Solar Panels? Prepper’s Invention Takes Country By Storm
#5. Hand crank radios: A cordless radio will provide weather alerts, power, and light.
Health And Safety Supplies
#6. Respirator masks and gas masks: When environmental disasters strike, a respirator mask will at least protect you from the contaminated air.
If you find yourself in the event of a pandemic, chemical or biological attack, placing a gas mask on your face may be the difference between life and death.
Related: Here’s Why You Should Always Have A Gas Mask In Your House
#7. Fire extinguisher: A fire extinguisher helps in emergencies to extinguish or control fire.
#8. Hand warmers: Hand warmers provide heat in a cold environment. They can also provide soothing heat for muscular or joint aches.
#9. Essential hygiene items: Essential hygiene are essential in a survival situation, as a means to avoiding the spread of disease.
#10. Insecticide: Keeping insecticides at home helps in cases of pests and diseases outbreak.
#11. Stun gun: A stun gun is a self-defense device you should keep at home in case looters try to steal something from your property during civil unrest.
#12. Moist towelettes: If you don’t have hand sanitizers, moist towelettes can do the trick of sanitizing a dirty surface.
#13. Bleach: Bleach can be used as a disinfectant to kill bacteria, fungi, and viruses.
#14. First-aid kit: You should keep a first-aid kit that contains items like medicines, scissors, tweezers, needles, antiseptic, thermometers, petroleum jelly, antacid, and laxatives.
#15. Medicinal Seeds: You will want to grow your own medicinal herbs when going to the pharmacy isn’t an option.
⇒ Buy Here A Kit That Has Everything You Need To Start Your Medicinal Herb Garden
#16. Pepper spray: Pepper spray is a self-defense item you should keep at home for emergencies.
#17. A shovel: You can use a small shovel to prevent the enemy from attacking you, if no other weapons are available.
Don’t Forget Spare Items
#18. Spare home keys: Keeping spare home keys help in circumstances where you can’t find your usual keys.
#19. Power bank: The power bank plays an important role when your cellphone or flashlight runs out of charge.
#20. Battery: When electric supplies are dead, batteries can be a backup option.
#21. Spare charger: Always keep a spare USB and long cable charger.
#22. Spare glasses or contact lenses: You need spare glasses, in case something happens to your usual pair.
#23. Notepad and pen: A notepad can help you keep track of your food stocks and head counts and can also be used to make a note of symptoms and times they occur in case your doctor needs it.
Food And Water Supplies
#24. Foods: Especially dry foods that can be stored for a long time or non-perishable foods.
#25. Pet food and supplies: If you have pets, it’s important to keep their food and supplies at home in case of emergencies.
#26. Water: Always store water to keep your family’s demands in emergencies.
⇒ Click Here For The Awesome DIY Device That Turns Air Into Fresh Water
#27. Water filter: In case there is no more running water, and you must filter rainwater or water from wild sources.
#28. Vegetable seeds: By growing your own food, you will have fresh items available in times of need.
Remember Sewing, Tying, Binding, And Opening Tools
#29. Multi-tool: Keeping a good multi-tool in your home helps in emergencies like earthquakes. It’s compact and comes in handy when you want to repair something.
#30. Manual can opener: Manual can opener will prevent you from getting cut when emptying contents from a can.
Related: 30 Primitive Skills Every Prepper Should Know
#31. Waterproof bags: You can seal valuable items like phones, energizer batteries, and flammable materials inside waterproof bags.
#32. Thread and needle: Needle and thread help in manual sewing or even suture a wound in an extreme pinch.
#33. Plastic zip ties: These are handy, especially if you want to close a garbage bag to avoid contamination.
#34. Plastic sheeting: In emergencies where you will need to seal your windows, doors, or air vents, plastic sheeting will do the trick.
#35. Pliers: Pliers help during disasters, for instance, if you want to cut an electric wire.
#36. Duct tape: Keeping duct tape in your home will help seal cracks. You can also create a sturdy rope with the tape where needed.
Bedding Items
#37. Emergency blanket: Emergency blankets will keep your body warm and prevent your body from losing heat, which is a life-saving method, especially for people suffering from hypothermia.
#38. Extra pillows: Your body gets worn down because of stress, so even in an emergency, you will need to sleep.
Obtain User-Friendly Kitchen Items
#39. Aluminum foil: Used to store food or when cooking over flames.
#40. Rocket stove: You can cook with it in case of emergencies because it doesn’t need electricity.
#41. Propane heater: A propane heater can be used as home fuel to heat water, cook, and even dry clothes.
#42. Insulated ice chests: To keep your food cold when you can’t use refrigerators. Alternatively, you can make your own zeer pot to keep food cool.
#43. Cast iron cookware: These pans are heavy duty, they do not even chip. The temperatures they can withstand are high, as well, making cast iron cookware perfect for direct flame on a campfire.
#44. Seasoned firewood: If you live in a cold climate, seasoned firewood can keep you warm.
Get Rid Of Dirt
#45. Off-grid laundry: When there is a power outage, 5-gallon buckets, washboard, and clothespin will help keep your clothes clean.
#46. Portable toilets: Portable toilets can be as simple as a 5-gallon bucket that can be emptied at a distance.
#47. Garbage bags: To get rid of waste and keep your home clean.
Keep Important Documents And Cash
#48. Important documents: Keep your important documents safe at home, where you can readily access them in unforeseen events.
#49. Cash: Keeping cash at home helps in circumstances where you can’t withdraw money from the bank.
#50. Book: A book on DIY projects that can help you and your family in times of economic crisis, long-term blackouts, riots, hyperinflation, hurricanes, martial law, or other unforeseen events that may come our way.
In conclusion, uncertainty is part of life. Some things happen without a plan. Keep yourself confident at home by keeping emergency items in case any disaster strikes; you will have a way to deal with it.
not mentioned >> and important to maintain sanity and keep the family homicide rate down – non-electric activity items (especially indoor) like books, board games, playing cards, puzzles, drawing & coloring & painting supplies, toys in general …..
Good point, distractions and entertainment keeps folks’ morale and sanity up. During Desert Storm the care packages with games was gratefully received.
A basic prepper article with few details but someone that has never bought more than frozen pizza will learn something.
Garden seeds, so much information not mentioned. Like preparing the soil for success, planting times to avoid the last frost in Spring and harvest before first frost in Fall. Gardening is a skill learned by getting your hands dirty.
A first aid kit without even a few hours reading a basic Red Cross first aid manual isn’t worth much. After you get a little training in First Aid, you’ll know just how limited that box of band aides is.
Absolutely! We have a ton of books and games. I will suggest PLASTIC playing cards! They don’t ruin if something gets spilled on them. I keep a set in my car, in my purse, and in my house. Dominos are also a wonderful thing. They are adverse to humidity and you can play so many different games with them as well.
If you have children or multiple people living in your home, make it a point to have family game nights. Y’all can learn new games together. Also reading together is a good practice. Not only is it a form of entertainment, but it also helps with literacy/vocabulary for younger children.
Duct tape prevents homicides….
And don’t forget Your Bible!
Thank you for the great list. My journey started as a child. Living in south Louisiana you must always be ready for Hurrican season. As an adult in the late 90es the magazine American Survival Guide and Backwoods Home was where most of our info. came from. I have The Lost ways 1 and 2 and No Grid Survival Projects. Also downloaded much from your sight. We now have 90% of the list above and the process continues. Much Thanks for the sight and God Bless.
I often see CASH listed as something to put away for an emergency, and I understand the value of it since credit card readers & ATMs possibly won’t be working.
My question is how much should I stash? Is there a formula or guideline I can use?
the rule of thumb as i remember it was 3 to 6 months living expenses. What I have done in my situation is paid ahead on my electric bill and natural gas bill so in an emergency i have that covered for a little while. In my case that gives me about 3 or 4 months cushion if I cannot pay for some reason.
personally – I’d be investing that coinage $$$$ into something else like supplies on hand vs giving utility companies free money to line their pockets …
always better to eating in the dark than not eating at all >>>>>
While I would typically agree, if such a disaster occured, you wouldn’t be paying utilities (if there is no electricity, there is no internet, no banking, etc. Most people aren’t going to drive to their mortgage holder or utility company to pay a bill). Stocking up on necessary supplies would be much better than paying these bills ahead. Keep enough cash on hand for things such as perishable food items and clothing in case yours get destroyed.
Even gas pumps wouldn’t be working during a power outage. If you have a gas generator, then having extra containers of gas would be a must! IF there were such a disaster as being described, you wouldn’t be “evicted” nor would most of your utilities be monitored. Even the meters for your natural gas consumption are electric.
I do agree with having 3-6 months worth though! That is an EXCELLENT cushion!!
My rule of thumb for available cash … is not just for SHTF situations, but life situations. When I retired, 5 years ago, a stipulation for my retirement was that i would have $25k set aside in cash in my strongest firearm safe … for emergencies. That meant covering medical emergencies, actually almost two years of current expenses (as I have always kept my living expenses … mortgage, utilities, and such below $1000 a month. When I attained that comfort level … then I allowed myself to retire. If something comes up where I needed to borrow from that 25k … than as quickly as possible I repaid it. Of course I have added about $5k for house emergencies (A/C going out … roof repair, insurance deductible.) actually had to remove two 60′ tall pine trees recently … had to have professionals do the work at over $2k each.) and repay those ‘loans’ to my budget as quickly as possible.
For SHFT … I also keep precious metals in that safe … when cash is basically tinder to create fires with … I still have some value, besides, extra food supplies, and ammo … set aside for barter.
I might mention I use my safe, and firearms to defend the cash and precious metals, to ensure they will remain as my currency and wealth, until my heart beats no longer …
Why not drop the trees yourself?
What kinda firearms do you have
Never use ammo for barter unless you’re ok with it being used on you later when they decide they want everything you have. For free.
OK, I don’t “get” the stocking up on gold/silver at all. 1: you can’t eat it; 2: How many normal people (that you may have to do business with) are going to have it to ‘barter’ with? Or for that matter, make change from a gold coin? It just plain doesn’t make sense to me.
I realize the “value” of gold/silver, it is a valuable commodity right now. But in a TEOTWAWKI, really, how valuable is it going to be? FOOD and shelter will be more valuable than gold/silver (although you can make colloidal silver from it if you have the right tools) , skills will be more valuable, medical supplies will be more valuable, etc.
Can someone please explain this to me?
Any stash we have is in silver coins and gold. Paper money is useless in a SHTF scenario. I would not take paper faux money for anything in trade, but ammo, silver, and gold gets you what you need from me. 250 $100 bills are not even good for use as fire starting tinder, or as toilet paper.
5 grand and let me know where you bury it
What will you do when we are forced to use digital currency?
Don’t
I will not comply! There will be upheavals around the globe. As the Franklin designed flag says…”Join, or DIE!” We the people will have to take back our countries. The ones who hoard the gold NOW will be the first ones to be “held accountable.” People like the Rothschilds, Gates, Soros, Bloomberg, and many more who think they should be telling the rest of humanity what, when, where, why, and how to do everything. We can live without money, can you?
I think some actual gold on hand would be a good idea as well because the way they are printing money. Gold will hold value paper money is just paper the only value it has is what we give it. But of course the same can be said about Gold you can’t eat it drink it nor can it keep you warm
Gas mask ≠ respirator mask (particle mask). I stopped reading at the point with that at the top of the list.
I saw the same thing – nothing wrong in having a respirator included – but the reasoning behind it stank just a little bit >>> you’ll want a respirator for some of the home clean up after a natural type disaster – the frig & freezer emptying is a gagfest trying to move slimy maggot meat – same same with other flood soaking home goods – you can also add in any corpse handling if the SHTF is serious enough …..
If you anticipate having to move rotting food or corpses, an N-95 mask fortified with some Vicks Vapo-rub can mitigate the stench. I’m an ex-paramedic, retired military combat vet, and retired city police officer. BTDT a lot of times. Very few respiratory masks will protect you 100% from such stenches even with Vapo-rub. A firefighter type respirator can do the job, such as the SCBA (self-contained breathing apparatus). The tanks use regular air, but filling them requires a specific pump. And they do work 100% against the odor of rotting corpses and food. I used them a couple of times when investigating deaths of decomposing bodies. You could get by without an N-95 mask and just rub some Vapo-rub under your nose. All of my department’s evidence tech kits had Vapo-rub jars in them.
It’s pretty useless
Shovels, handsaws, limb loppers and other tools.
When my son was in dessert storm there were many time they couldn’t have the lights on, so I sent him along with his cookies and candies for the kids that lived there, a box of tea lights and matches??he got laughed at but one night there was darkness and he passed out his little tea lights so they could have just enough light to see what they were doing, nobody laughed then he said❤️
I highly recommend some candles incased with lids and fireplace lighters????
Why not use the flash light with a red filter on
Weird how you grouped things. NO shelter consideration if you must be outside : ie. Hurricane/tornado/fire damage, bug-out from flooding or civil unrest. All of which are happening seasonally all over the US right now. I learned:
“3 min. w/o Safe Air.
3 hr. w/o Shelter(dry& warm) in storms/extremes.
3 days w/o Water.
3 weeks w/o Food.
Tools get you all of these.”
Much of the rest of the items on this list, are things I normally carry in my main daily driver vehicle with the exception of food stuffs. Living in Arizona … with predominate deserts, I carry water, medical supplies, lighting, fire making materials, short term shelter, some extra clothing, some cooking utensils, etc … hidden away in my spare tire area, having my spare mounted to the outside of my suv. Of course along with various tools, compass, a paper road map of the state … and normal driving tools.
I was a boy scout, and being prepared was our motto … so I have kind of lived that life (even though living in a big populated city) all my life … financially and mentally. The physical preparedness has suffered since attaining old age.
orion: Viva Arizona. Every day I thank God I came back home.
If near Tucson, there’s a man selling sealable barrels off the air base. I don’t know what he’s asking now, but when we got ours, they were 15 bucks apiece. Clean inside, and had been used for ordinance. Color gray. 55 gallons, they can hold a lot of grain or dried food. niio
Sure a needle and thread is a great item to have. But just buy some cheap sutures with needles already included and some forceps to push the needle through the skin super cheap from China. Skin is tougher than people realize. It’s pretty hard to sew with a straight needle and no forceps. Toss it into any first aid kit.
Super glue?
Depending on the type of emergency cash could be useless in short order. I don’t mean things like hurricanes etc I mean LONG TERM SHTF disasters such as nuclear war or zombie apocalypse or alien attack where this country and the world will be one big disaster. Cash will likely only be useful very short term then. Better to have silver,or gold metals for long term. I prefer silver as initially it is much cheaper than gold or platinum. Even copper will be better than “folding money ” . Don’t throw away pennies as they do have SOME copper in them. I prefer 1oz silver bars and rounds as they are cheaper to obtain NOW and are easily cut down to use as “cash” to buy what you need. 1 0z of gold in either bar or rounds will be harder to reduce to usable size than silver bars or rounds. Don’t ignore gold just be aware of its limitations when bartering. And NEVER let someone you are bartering with know how much gold or silver you have or where you keep it. And NEVER carry it all with you when you go to barter. If you do get cash out of your ATM prepare to use it quickly because it will likely be worth little to nothing in short order in a world wide disaster as I mentioned. Don’t throw it away either as it MIGHT be worth something later. MIGHT!! Also invest in things you can trade for such as canned food,MRE’s, and ammo. Ammo if kept properly will last almost indefinitely–ALMOST but not quite. .22 cal rounds along with 9mm,.40 cal,.223 and 7.62×39 will be worth as much or more than equivalent weights of silver and gold after a while. No such thing as “too much ammo “.
Bubba: newer pennies have zinc, which is antiviral. Copper is very antibacterial. While they may not equal colloidal silver, they work great. We’ve collected American-made Irish silver for years, silver coated brass. Traditional Irish silver contains lead, so it’s a no-go. niio
Cowboys used to toss in a real silver coin in their coffee pot.
You can have too much zinc, which is detrimental, just like having too much iron in your body….. I would not use it, as in ‘sterilizing’ water like you can do with silver…..
Trading ammo is a poor choice
Depends on who you trade with.
Fun fact: the shot glass got it’s name because a shot of whiskey costs one bullet (aka a shot).
1/10th ounce silver rounds.
You cannot expect change from a 1 ounce silver bar.
Or a gold round or bar.
No but silver (and gold) are easily cut or scraped into smaller pieces. Not a precise way to do it unless you have a scale but its whatever the 2 doing the negotiations agree on. “I’ll take half that silver coin for these 4 cans of soup”. Or whatever. Much more difficult to do with a 1 ounce gold coin or bar. They also make “Valcambi” bars in 1/10th ounces to make it easier to trade or buy other things. Also both gold and silver have NEVER been worth zero as far as I know. Not trying to tell anyone what or how they should do things in an emergency just telling what I would do.
I have the most of what’s on the list plus much more.. I went camping/fishing with my adult son and adult grandson three times this summer and Fall. Good way to check out all the new equipment I’ve been buying replacing after almost everything was stolen. Had a great time. I set up and repacked the new 8 man tent and shower tent. I did use new tent stakes not what came with the tents. One trip I used a smaller 4 man tent as a pantry. 2nt trip I used the screen made on the front of the bigger tent. It was really handy also. Used items u picked up were great. I did buy a 5 gal bucket with a toilet seat. Was handy. I bought a short pry bar to pull the tent stakes. An old heavy hammer drove in the steaks quickly.
I live off grid a t home so a small solar panel is standard daily use to charge my phone, 3 different lights, a radio, and even a small blender..
We made our own solar generator with a solar pane, solar charge controller, a 100ah 12v battery and an inverter. We powered a string of lights inside the tent, a bright light outside, an extension cord and a plug in bar for my friends c pap machine. It was working so well I put away myittle panel and we charged all the carried lights, phones, ect. I have a hand air pump, bat t ery air pump and electric rechargeable air pump for the air mattresses. We used the electric recharge one with the power cord in the tent.
We ate Indian tacos, shrimp stir fry over rice, a crawdad boil, and more. The last night of the last camp was spaghetti, salad, and bread cooked over a camp fire. Salad was foraged greens and sliced young puff balls. I foraged for greens, puff balls, and 2 kinds of wild onions while camping. Yarrow and pine needle tea plus cowboy coffee and Pepsi were our drinks.
Camp was so easy and comfortable it barely seemed like tent camping.
I cook with my Dutch ovens and cast-iron skillets so it was little different that being home. I did add a used wok to the camp supplies and a new very sharp hunting knife. And I bought 2 crawdad traps. They immediately paid off with 49 crawdads in 3 hours on catfish guts. I also have tent heaters that could be cooked on. If Spring returns at a descent time I’ll be back out camping and fishing early. My neighboring state license is good till July. Home state is licensed till March. I won’t say I’ll never go winter camping….. the tents stood up to hard winds and summer monsoon rains. No leaks so I was a happy camper.
ClergyLady: How goes it now? But, for some reason I’m not getting replies to posts here. niio
@ ClergyLady: I always wonder now about food when camping. I have seen videos of bears breaking into VEHICLES to obtain food that was packed away there…..So how do you keep food safe in a TENT? Just wondering, as a lot of talk is about SHTF bugging out, and ‘camping’ in the “wild” to escape and such…..
So, how about an article about how to keep your food safe when in the outdoors from bears, especially?
For cash, you can put half your change in milk jugs when you empty your pockets and eventually it builds up.
I’ve.been taking 70 something grandmas camping in my tents. They are really getting into preparing food for themselves and the family. The initial aim is 3 months for however many they want to cover. Them most keep on going. They have car kits that have gone from snacks, oil, coolant and a blanket to a few days food, simple knit clothing that doesn’t wrinkle and mylar blankets to go with 2 blankets and more edges, water, flavor pack so warm water is still palatable. Most have added 2 rolls of TP in a round oatmeal container and kitty litter plus carpet scraps to give traction to get out of mud and ice. Even a sock of kitty litter to lay on the dashboard to keep the window from fogging. Even a garden tool to dig a bit with. I use a small shovel. In my truck I wired a 4″ PVC pipe to hold a long shovel and a hoe.
Its fun helping grandmas plan for what they can do.
If I lived closer, Clergylady, I’d be tagging along!
Putting the cold weather kit in my vehicles now. I don’t drive very far most of the time but Hubs has a longish commute, and I like knowing we have stuff on hand in each vehicle just in case.
You’ve been such an inspiration for me. Thank you for sharing your knowledge with others!
Good, good article. Even where I might disagree, I still read each one because you folks make me think. Much thanks, and I hope the problem with receiving replies will soon be resolved. May you thrive in what’s to come! niio
Good list to check yourself against and good comments. I am pretty well there except for the generator and I am thinking pretty serious about getting one. Linda F. commented about tools, I am starting to put some emphasis on organizing a tool box comparable to what we had as combat engineers in the army. Hand saws, hammer & chisel, drawknife, and even more but nothing that required 110V or batteries. We put up entire buildings and completed lot of smaller tasks with what was in that box.
Throw away the taste and pepper spray. It’s useless for what your going to so. Get a gun and kill the assholes
Having a safe is a great idea. Most people cant afford a really good one. Mine is about $600 safe. fire rating is o.k at best. I am going to cover the out side of it with a layer of 3/4″ sheet rock. Can also do the inside if you choose. My safe is small so interior is out of the question. Door area you might think is hard but, Take off interior door panel, Their is plenty of room inside the door. or just attach it to the inside of sheet rock inside the interior of the door.. This should keep the temps down and burn time longer. Yes if it gets hit with water during a fire its going to fall off/ but fire will soon be out anyway. I saw some pics of safes after a fire and usually most things inside are useless. How you attach it is up to you. You can make it look great or not. I personally would NOT drill any holes. Hope this helps. Long live the U.S.A
Always hated safes, they are designed for Fudd guns. No way to get my assault rifles in them
Durock (cement board) is a superior fireproof material to even Type X drywall >>> check into that instead – it’s also superior for bullet penetration ….
It’s what lines most fire resistance safes
A good solar cooker is a big plus esp. if fuel or wood is in short supply for other types of cooking. Some of the newer solar water kettles claim to boil water quickly, a good way to get safer drinking water. I have not tried them, not being a hot beverage fan. Filters do not get everything. Potassium permanganate can also sterilize your water.
We are talking survival which is not easy in a bad situation. As a matter of fact it is one of the hardest things in this world to do.
I will say this for those who are new. There is four very basic things you need to survive. These things do include other things you need to go with them.
1. Food (cook ware needed and knowledge)
2. Tools (basics like shovel, axe, hammers ect.)
3. shelter (knowledge of how to build one with minimal tools)
4. Defensive weapons (Guns and ammo which can be used for hunting or defense) These pepper sprays and stun guns will not protect you. Watch what happens when police use them in most of the cases within moments the suspect is back up fighting them. They are the most useless things people waste money on.
All these things they say you have to have you do not have to have but they will help you be more comfortable and healthy if you can afford them.
Survival is a mindset and you need to learn to use what you have, to do what you need to do. This mindset means knowing your limitations, knowing how to do basic things like cooking, cleaning, making a shelter, making a camp comfortable and making it defendable. Then the next step is to learn long term survival because there is a lot of difference between short term and long term survival. For me short term means up to 6 months and long term means years. I have about 3 months supply of food(can’t afford more at this time) and can make that stretch to 6 months through hunting and gathering. By then I better have a garden put in and when it comes in I had better be able to can everything in it.
Some of the things listed is good but you do not have to have them to survive.
I just wanted you all to know that being a country boy and an electronics tech/mechanic I know what it takes to survive and even I know my chances are not 100% because you might not survive the start of the SHTF. So lets say you survive the first day then your chances will decrease some for each day you survive and after a time you think well I survived this long I believe I can survive this but as time goes on your preperations are used up and this reduces your survival chances. Even for me the chancesof surviival are reduced as time goe on.
Have you ever heard of Murphy’s law. “What ever can happen, eventually will happen and at the worst possible time” This is true especially when you have an emergency situation. This Murphy’s law and chaos work hand in hand. You can not predict either. There is also all these plans we make. A general once said ” All the plans of mice and men die when the first shot is fired” The shot is the emergency.
Well said Dreaded.
Mind-set, attitude, situational awareness, strength and will… There aren’t any guarantees – depending on the SHTF “event”, none of it may matter, but our chances increase the more we know.
Good list, good start, but never stop learning and preparing – your materials and knowledge will help/save you, but will also be likely to help and educate others.
…unless they don’t want help, just your stuff – then game over…
@ Dreaded: you forgot water…..
Heavy Duty and Raven are the same IP address, same digital footprint. Too obtuse to realize how easy it is to track it back. Too much of a coward to come out from behind his computer screen. Typical MO of someone who was picked on and abused to the point where they have to say shocking things to get anyone to pay attention to them.
Dreaded, you have said as much in one paragraph as some have done in an entire article.
That was five minutes or so I’ll never get back.
What does an active but older woman, nurse living alone preparing for SHTF do? Have about 3 acres, grow food, big canner, have supplies and weapons and ammo, so much to consider when your on your own.
Robin, first thing is a trusted friend, even better two trusted friends.
Ecclesiastes 4: …11Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; but how can one keep warm alone? 12And though one may be overpowered, two can resist. Moreover, a cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
And proverbs 27: 10 Do not abandon your own friend and your father’s friend, And do not go to your brother’s house in the day of your disaster. Better is a neighbor who is near than a brother who is far away.
When the powers out and trouble is afoot, I want my trusted friends near. In Bosnian civil war, ethnic cleansing the families that survived well decided what home was best for survival and all of them moved themselves into that home to defend and survive. You can rebuild a home but not revive the dead, heal the maimed and raped.
Avoid angry people they make bad decisions in times of trouble adding to it.
Proverbs 22: 24Do not make friends with an angry man, and do not associate with a hot-tempered man, 25or you may learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare.…
Bible mentions angry men often as sources of foolish trouble
Proverbs 15:18
A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger calms dispute.
Proverbs 29:22
An angry man stirs up dissension, and a hot-tempered man abounds in transgression.
Proverbs 21:24
Proud and haughty scorner is his name, who dealeth in proud wrath.
I’m sure reading the short Commets of somebody who uses many screen names someone not worth having as your teammate when things get bad.
First and foremost for the people that live alone and that have no or very few trusted relatives and friends need to make friends of your neighbors that have a like mind. You will need support from like minded people to survive. Plan with them to group up at least until things settle down after an event happens. It is hard for anyone, man or woman to survive on their own. Oh you can do it alone but it is not easy and the percentages are against you.
Do not put all your preparation in one basket. Another words hide it in several places around so if worst comes and you have to run some of your stash might not be found. Then don’t ever tell anyone just how much stash you have, make them believe it is less then what you actually have. Don’t even tell your group about all that you have unless it is a person you can really trust so if the unthinkable happens and you die they will have it.
By telling others what you have, you have made your chances a whole lot less.
Most people (not all) are only good when everything is going good for them and turn bad when things go wrong (especially when they get hungry, hurt or thirsty). If they know you have something they want then they will come and try to take it. A secret is only a secret when no one else knows it. If one other person knows the secret then it is no longer a secret.
-+The main problem will be the real criminals. The ones on drugs, that live off what they can steal, and that enjoy seeing others in pain. These will kill you then take what you have.
in general Make your place look poor. Since you said you have a garden that is a give away to everyone around you. Best to let unkept shrubs, bushes and stuff grow up around it to conceal it. If they think you have nothing then they might just continue on but don’t count on it so be prepared to fight or run.
My wife was also a nurse. She passed away back in July. If she was any idication how tough nurses are then your one tough lady because my wife did not take anything off anyone. So your chances would be a lot better then most. The key to survival is being tough, having knowledge of what you need and can do. Also knowing where your limited because of health or ability in this way you can find ways to get around this limit.
The bad thing is you can’t hide all you can do is make it look like you don’t have anything. Then don’t hesitate to shoot. Another words don’t try to talk them out of it because it just shows weakness and will make them even more determined to take you out.
This column, and some of the subsequent comments, made-me lol. Pie in the sky.
He who has the last laugh.
Something I did this fall was when Walmart had their solar outside landscaping lights on clearance I bought a handful of different types. Some of the smaller 3watt ones would work like a candle for a room. And the larger ones being like a spot light 15watts could be used for outside like a big flashlight and it has a switch that it can be turned on and off. . And all can be recharged every day by either setting them outside in the sun or even in a window towards the sun.
Stun gun???? Don’t be a fool.
A firearm and ammo will allow you to get everything else on the list.
@Al: Most of us don’t answer the door or lug around guns.. (I don’t get a handgun because do do so would give authorities that information…something I KNOW WILL be used against us when they eventually come for our guns).
A stun gun would allow us to get a gun in case the person was going to continue after being stunned. I am a single woman 70, who carries a stun gun in my vehicle, and one at the doors, just in case. I also have a pellet pistol in my vehicle, and a pellet rifle in my home…I know there are those out there and on this forum who would say I’m stupid for not getting lots of guns and ‘blast’ anyone away before they “take me out”….but I’m not so sure I could even if my life were in danger…Having THESE options I’ll at least be able to do some damage and maybe get the time needed to do something else to save my life…
Decent list but comes across as written by a third grader.