Report #14:

6 Key Preparations Every Person Over 50 Must Make 

Economic Collapse, Electromagnetic Pulse Attack, Global Pandemics, Weapons of

Mass Destruction, Civil Unrest, Martial Law…

All of these real world nightmare scenarios are what keep concerned Preppers up at night—but you can start prepping now with the small and doable steps given in this report.

To be a prepper, you have to have the mindset that you don’t want to be a victim, but a survivor. Putting in place all the necessary preparations required to combat any one of these doomsday scenarios can be a daunting task in and of itself.

Combating any one of these dangerous scenarios requires countless hours of research and thousands of dollars in equipment. Given the number of threats out there, one cannot prep for every possible contingency. There simply isn’t enough time in the day to do all the research, purchase the equipment and train one’s family on all the basic skills required to be 100% self-reliant. But that is no excuse to start off small and put these 6 Key preparations in place! These preparations are relatively inexpensive, but are essential in order to safeguard one’s family from harm’s way. In the unlikely event of a major catastrophe, it could be weeks or months before “normalcy” returns. Just ask the victims of Hurricane Sandy how prepared they were.

A recent poll conducted by Keltron Research for National Geographic, creators of the popular TV show, Doomsday Preppers, provides great insight into America’s psyche. 9 out of 10 Americans surveyed expect a world disaster to occur in the next 25 years—yet 56% admitted that they weren’t prepared. So if you are just starting out, you’re not alone and should be commended on exploring some key preps that you can put in place today.

People who attend prepper conventions throughout the country often mention the various catalysts that started them down the road of prepping. For some, it was Y2K, while others had experienced a significant natural event like an earthquake or hurricane. Not surprising, many admit that they fear more than anything, a game changing event like an Electro Magnetic Pulse (EMP) attack which could render our electrical grid useless for months—if not years.

Matter of fact, in 2004 Congress commissioned a study on what is now deemed the number one security threat facing our country. In 2008, the EMP commission released a follow-

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up report detailing the vulnerabilities to our national infrastructure. To this day, many leading experts believe that a prolonged grid-down scenario could wipe out 90% of Americans within a year. Even more startling, the Department of Homeland Security recently testified in a Congressional Subcommittee Hearing on the EMP Threat and openly admitted that the DHS is unprepared for the possibility of an electromagnetic pulse event.

Interesting enough, a recent poll by Gallop says that the majority of Americans voted that the “economy” was their greatest worry. While the vast majority of preppers claim to worry about a EMP event—and rightfully so, they all believe that we’re most likely going to experience an economic or currency collapse, before something—what we call in the business, “a low probability-high risk event like” an EMP.

Maybe they’re right! One look at our struggling economy, high unemployment and the vast number of U.S. citizens now dependent on the federal government to feed and house them, makes a compelling case to begin putting basic preparations in place—especially considering that government dependents outnumber those with private sector jobs! To illustrate how serious a problem this is, a recent article published by The Heritage Foundation, illustrated that the number of people receiving benefits from the federal government has grown from under 94 million in 2000 to more than 128 million as of 2011. In other words, 41.3% of the population is now dependent on a federal government program!

The prolonged recession has taken its toll all across the country. A state official in Maine who works with the Emergency Food Assistance Program recently said, “One in six people in Maine don’t where their next meal is coming from, or skip a meal so their kids can eat, or have to choose between paying for prescriptions and food, or fuel for your car...” To further illustrate how dire this situation is, according to one calculation, the number of Americans on food stamps now exceeds the combined populations of Alaska, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia and Wyoming – that’s 25 states plus DC!

So let’s look at these six relatively quick and easy ways to prepare for some basic emergency scenarios.

Preparation #1: Stockpile Water

The human body cannot survive more than 3 days without water. Therefore having potable water on hand and the means to filter new sources of water should be your top priority. In a prolonged grid-down environment, something as simple as running water—which is something we all take for granted, may not be there one day. Frugal preppers prefer to wash out old 2 liter soda bottles to store their water. They are inexpensive and if one leaves these filled clear plastic containers out in the sun, the sun’s natural ultraviolet light can also serve to kill most waterborne bacteria. When storing water keep it in a cool, dark location, like a basement or garage. If money isn’t a concern, one can purchase food grade 55 gallon barrels and store water

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in greater quantities. Keep in mind; once you fill that barrel up with 55 gallons of water, chances are you won’t be easily moving it into your house.

Having a gravity-fed water filter like the ProPur or Big Berkey is a great choice. Owning a small portable filter like the LifeStraw or Katadyn Pocket Water Filer is a must for any well-stocked bug-out bag. For those interested in a longer-term, self-reliant approach, consider installing water collection barrels underneath your waterspouts to catch rainwater from your roof! Knowing where your closest source of fresh water such creeks, ponds, etc. is also a good idea—but keep in mind, transporting 5 gallon buckets of water each day from your water source back to your home will grow tiresome very quickly—especially if you live in an uptown or high rise apartment or condo. It’s one thing if the electricity is working and you can ride the elevator to your floor, but carrying 5 gallons (40 lbs.) of water up untold flights of stairs may be hazardous to your health.

TIP: Store packets of Crystal Light or Kool-Aid on hand. They are a great way to mask the taste of freshly filtered or long-term stored water—especially if you have younger children to think about. There is no need to use these flavored drink mixes full strength; a small fraction of the amount listed on the label is enough.

Preparation #2: Stockpile Food

A startling survey found that 55% of Americans have less than three days’ supply of food in their homes! I admit that I am as guilty as the next guy for stopping by my local grocery store several times a week to pick up fresh chicken, fish or burgers. But that’s not an excuse for not having at least a 30, 60 or 90-day food supply on hand for prolonged emergencies—especially when one realizes that most grocery stores will sellout in hours in a natural disaster. One simple way to start stockpiling food is buy a couple extra cans of food and vegetables or boxes of rice, pasta, and legumes the next time you do you grocery shopping.

For the frugal prepper, visiting a local SAMs is a great idea to get larger #10 can size containers at a discount! But if the idea of filling up your pantry with cans of tuna, soup, canned vegetables seems like a daunting task—especially when it comes to the hassle of rotating food based on expiration dates, one should consider long-term food storage options. Long-term food comes in many varieties. But don’t be fooled by “meat substitutes” when buying long-term food. MREs may work for the military and can keep fresh for decades—but government Meals Ready to Eat won’t be very inviting to the pallet. Our Maximum Shelf Life Emergency Food Reserve is made up high quality, high caloric foods that actually taste great! Check it out as www.independentlivingnews.com/store/

TIP: Consider canning your own food. Purchase a high quality Pressure Canner and take a local class on canning and start preserving your meals today! The Ultimate Home Canning Guide is part of this series of reports and is loaded with great pointers.

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Preparation #3: Means to Defend Yourself

Americans are buying record number of firearms and ammunition. According to the FBI,

the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, which gun dealers are required by law

to use when someone purchases a firearm, registered nearly 500,000 buyers just six days before

Christmas! Matter of fact, on December 23, 102,222 background checks were conducted, making

it the second busiest single day for buying guns in history. With all the talk about the liberal

bureaucrats passing legislation to ban a vast majority of semi-automatic handguns, rifles and

shotguns, you may want consider buying a firearm now, while you can!

When selecting what type of firearm to purchase, consider first going to a local firing

range, where they rent various handguns, shotguns or rifles. Experiment with different sized

calibers. Also consider your spouse. Will he or she be comfortable using your firearm if push

came to shove? Do you have small children or grandchildren living or visiting you? If so, trigger

locks is a bare minimum or consider purchasing a gun safe. Gun safes come in many shapes and

sizes made for handguns, firearms and both. In addition to having the means to secure your

firearm, consider taking classes and visiting your local gun range on a regular bases in order

become efficient and familiar with your weapon.

TIP: The most reliable handgun on the market is a revolver. You never have to worry

about a cartridge jamming in your gun at the worst possible time. Shotguns also make a great

home-defense weapon, but be sure you test fire various types to ensure you are comfortable with

firing such a weapon.

Preparation #4: First Aid Supplies

Take a look in your medicine cabinet or vanity. Chances are you don’t have adequate

first aid supplies to last a prolonged emergency. Having the luxury to stop by the local pharmacy

and pick up some extra gauze, Band-Aids, Neosporin, aspirin, and other essentials may be out of

the question. In a prolonged emergency, you may find yourself housing extended friends and

family, so have adequate supplies to accommodate more people. Should long-term medical

facilities be off limits, a simple cut could easily get infected and cause serious health issues.

Experienced preppers purchase large family emergency first aid kits ranging from eye cleaning

equipment to dealing with severe burns. Consider taking a first aid course at your local YMCA

or through your EMT and Fire Departments.

TIP: If you rely on eyeglasses, it’s wise to have a backup plan in case you lose them.

Keep a magnifying glass or two on hand for reading important instructions on prescriptions or

first aid manuals.

Preparation #5: Ability to Cook Food

Face it, as Americans we take it for granted every time we flip a light switch, or turn on a

faucet. But in a prolonged grid-down emergency, having alternative means to cook and prepare

food is essential. Without electricity, your oven and cook stove may not operate. If critical

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infrastructure is severely damaged, even the natural gas used to warm your house, water heater and range tops won’t work. Many people don’t realize this, but the large pumps and control values that pump and regulate the natural gas pipelines throughout the country actually run on electricity, making the natural gas infrastructure highly vulnerable in a grid-down event.

Consider purchasing extra propane tanks for your outdoor grill. Small camping stoves like the Rocket Stove which use small twigs and leaves are a great portable option—especially for that all important bug-out bag. Another great source for cooking and preparing food is solar ovens. Solar ovens use nature’s own sunlight. There are many DIY projects on how to build solar ovens on YouTube. You can also purchase a ready-made Sun Oven on Amazon.

Tip: If you are using propane grills to cook your food, be aware that you should not use these grills inside your home. They emit a deadly, odorless carbon monoxide gas, which is poisonous to humans and pets!

Preparation #6: Bug-Out Bag

The all-important bug-out bag is extremely important and a must have for sensible preppers. We can write an entire report just on this very important subject alone! Imagine for a moment, a scenario where you and your family have to evacuate your house, and you only have a few minutes to do so. When bugging out, you must accept the possibility that you may not be ever coming back to your home, which is exactly what happened to hundreds of New York and New Jersey residents after Superstorm Sandy. Think about all the important documentation, identification, and contact information you would need. Things like your deeds to your automobiles or house, credit card and banking information as well as contact information to loved ones, bankers, insurance agents, passports, etc. Ask yourself how much time it would take find and gather all this documentation. Now image a fire department or police officer bangs on your door in the middle of the night and tells you that you have two minutes to evacuate your home. Could you do it?

The thought of bugging out is overwhelming enough. Having a fully stocked bug-out bag stocked with 72 hours of food and water, first aid, space blankets, portable cooking gear, compass, spare socks, compass, knives, water filtration device, collapse water bottles, waterproof matches, flashlights, spare cash and or silver coins only makes the act of bugging out that much easier knowing everything you need is conveniently stored away in an easy to reach backpack.

TIP: There are many type of bug out bags, ranging from day packs, to Get-Home Bags, 72 Hours Bags, to larger more sustainable bags that are stored in the trunk of your car.

No one can be fully prepared for all of life’s unexpected turns. However, you will find that having the means to provide the basics discussed in this report will bring you a lot of satisfaction knowing that at the very least, you have cover the most important 6 preparations to protect what matters most, your family.

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My   Survival   Plan 

Name: 

Date: 

IMPORTANT:    Before   you   fill   out   this   worksheet   be   sure   to   read   through   the   “60   Second   Survival 

Plan”   guidebook   first.   It   will   make   creating   your   plan   easier   and   more   effective.  

 Survival   Preparation   1:   Water My   closest   non­municipal   water   source   is   _______________________________ 

 

I   will   use   my   ___________________   to   filter   this   water   and   ______________________   to 

transport   it. 

 Survival   Preparation   2:   Food I   have   ___________   days   worth   of   food   stored   in   my   ________________. 

 

OR 

 

I   will   have   at   least   30   days   of   food   stored   by   this   date   _________________. 

 

Survival   Preparation   3:   Self   Defense I   will   defend   my   household   with   my   ________________.  

 

I   make   sure   it   is   not   a   danger   to   children   by   _____________________________ 

 

Survival   Preparation   4:   First   Aid My   first   aid   kit   is   stored   in   the   _________________   and   can   take   care   of: 

 

___   cuts   and   scrapes 

___   burns 

___   sprains 

___   broken   bones 

___   pain   relief 

___   bug   bites 

___   backup   pair   of   eyeglasses 

___   at   least   1   week   of   my   prescriptions 

 

Survival   Preparation   5:   Cooking   Food I   have   ______   extra   tanks/bags   of   charcoal   for   my   grill. 

 

My   camping   stove   is   stored   in   the   _____________________   with   _____   cans   of   fuel. 

 

Survival   Preparation   6:   Bug­Out   Bag 

My   bug­out   bag   can   keep   my   household   alive   for   _______   hours. 

 

If   I   have   to   bug   out,   I   will   head   to   ____________________. 

 

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