The one problem I see is, it is hard to personalize a situation when all we do is read about it. It would be like expecting others in this forum to EDC gear used for overnighting in a house without electricity and water based on my experiences.

On the other hand, when Mom twisted her ankle when she stepped off the porch, I then prepped as if the same could happen to me. Because I used the same porch thousands of times, I was able to personalize it and saw the need to prep.

Jeanette Isabelle

To some extent you can run what-if scenarios and prepare for those situations. Much of what we discuss here are just that in the sense of: "what if" that happened to me?

Be the situation a hurricane on its way, a tornado, wildfire or earthquake, the needs afterward are very similar in the way of shelter-water-food. The preps for one often suffice as preps for the others, basics are basics. Get the basic shelter-water-food for a hurricane and then expand for your specific what-if's.

Take the experiences of others here and use them, don't think of them in the abstract, think of whether those experiences apply to you.

I agree, Russ. Many of our needs are remarkably similar regardless of what the specific SHTF event is, and we can learn a lot from the experiences of others.

My experience is pretty limited, in terms of actual emergency situations lived-through, but I feel better prepared for potential future situations because of the first-hand knowledge shared by others. I'm not here on ETS to impart wisdom, but to soak it up.

I understand what you mean, though, Jeanette Isabelle. Something that works for one person may not be well-suited for someone else. "Hike your own hike" as they say, or "Prepare your own survival plan", but it always helps to learn from others as we do that.

Years ago, when I came to Arizona and discovered mountain hiking and climbing, I started out very ill equipped and fairly clueless. I fortunately hiked with some very experienced people, who managed to keep me from dying. Also, being an earnest scholar,in my rumblings about the university library, I discovered the annual publications of the American Alpine Club, "Accidents in North American Mountaineering."

By the time I had finished a few volumes, it was clear that problems can occur whilst rambling about the hills, and that there are measures one can take to resolve the problem (be able to seek or improvise shelter, build a fire, treat injuries, signal for help). I gradually began to carry a bit more and started to do longer trips and more ambitious projects. Eventually I blew it, facing an unplanned night bivouac out alone in deep snow and bitter cold. Fortunately, I had just enough (dry socks, a small stove, a bit of extra food) to pull me through without injury or frostbite. But all this preparation started by reading about the misfortunes of others and what could have prevented their problems.

We do learn from experience, but reading thoughtful analysis of problems and what might have prevented them is a much less painful way to acquire expertise. The final exam comes when you are in the soup and must keep it all together.

"Thoughtful analysis of problems" is the key phrase......

I consider scenarios such as a tsunami, damaged infrastructure stopping products from getting to the stores, an EMP attack or some other attack on the power grid, war, the collapse of the economy and needing to get out of Dodge with nothing but what we can carry. Other than organizing and inventorying the pantry, I don't know how to prepare for those scenarios. For that reason I look at my pasts experiences for guidance and prep for those.

I don't know what I would do if I had to sleep in a tent. My experience of roughing it is on the floor of a house with no water or electricity.

Jeanette Isabelle

Great ideas, Max, thanks! My organization needs to be better organized! You're exactly right that this needs to be more than just a thought exercise - and it is!

My intention is to figure out how to store this all together in the house - and actually do it! - but your suggestion to test the actual bug-out packing process is a great one! We practice living out of our packs and the pantry, and we also practice getting out of the house as quickly as possible in the event of a fire. Putting the two together is a fantastic idea. How quickly can we get into the car with everyone and everything we need? Challenge accepted!! Thank you!

You would probably fall asleep after a bit. I have slept on a variety of house floors and numerous tents in all sorts of conditions, and sleep conquers all, eventually. A well pitched tent, with a comfortable pad and a suitably warm, cozy bag is far better than most houses. Best of all is the pad and bag combo in an open outdoor setting, perhaps within a rock shelter (in case of rain). Open air and the beginning of rosy fingered dawn to start a new day. Beats a stuffy old house any day....

Mountaineers take a similar approach to safety as that of NTSB investigators. When I was active in Naval Aviation we often read accident /incident reports. The reports were of other people's mistakes and they were brutally honest. Sh*t happens, learn from it.

The idea is to use the experiences of others so that mistakes are not needlessly repeated. This website is similar in some ways as we discuss preparedness -- what works and what doesn't. Learn from the experiences (often failures) of others.

During the last extended power outage in these parts, a friend in a rapidly cooling apartment building resorted to pitching his tent on his bed to create a warm and cozy microclimate. He said a lot his rough it in the woods gear was put to use for a few days - right inside his apartment, while his neighbours bugged out to go find warmth elsewhere.

Jeanette Isabelle, tsunamis and hurricanes are not on my personal list potential threats, but one of the on-line resources (other than ETS) that I've learned a lot about preparing for the worst is "Listening to Katrina". It has lots of lessons learned from someone who was in that predicament, and the results of their experience - some planning proved out, others served as examples to learn what NOT to do. Hugely instructional for any prepper. Here's the link: http://www.theplacewithnoname.com/blogs/klessons