The answer to this question is sadly always going to be no. There is just too much that could happen for you to be able to make a contingency for every single one. Different challenges bring different solutions required to tackle them.
However, that is not a reason one should fret! Just because you cannot be ready for every situation as best as you could, doesn’t mean you can’t be prepared for most situations really well still! All it takes is some planning and initiative!
And, as long as you take some basic steps to help prepare and protect your family, then you will already be leagues ahead of everyone else who lazily browses social media or spinning away on an online casino all day.
Remember, for many situations, you don’t need to outrun the proverbial bear. You just need to be faster than the slowest guy. It’s a sad truth, but it is simply the way the world works. You do what you can to protect your own, and just pray and hope you never need to.
Despite all of what I have said, it is still important to have at least a basic plan for the most common things that could happen in an emergency. It is important to be somewhat ready, and not assume that nothing bad could happen to you.
So, I will give you some great tips for someone who might be starting out prepping for an emergency situation. However, there might be some tips here or tidbits that even a seasoned prepper could take notice of.
Perspective
Although being prepared for whatever might be thrown at you is important, it is also important to keep perspective. Don’t get carried away and consumed by the idea of one singular cataclysmic event that is going to wipe out all life on Earth.
I know there are some preppers like that, and that starts to get a little ridiculous, as those kinds of events are frankly unlikely. It is ridiculous to spend thousands, or perhaps millions, of dollars worrying about an event like that when there are far more likely events that could happen.
The most important things one should try and prepare for is a fire, natural disasters, and civil unrest. Those three are the most likely scenarios the average person will find themselves in.
Now, this is very country dependent of course. Hurricanes may be a big concern in the Southern United States, but it would be far more realistic to prepare for war and famine if you lived in a place like Yemen.
So, how can you prepare yourself for both “minor” disasters, and major ones? Both a house fire and a hurricane can be equally deadly if you don’t know how to deal with them.
Planning
First and foremost, you must plan out exactly what you will do and how you will do it in case of different events. This is the most important thing. It doesn’t matter how much supplies you have stockpiled if you don’t know how to use them, or how to get to them if you need them.
So, what is the first step? The most important step before you even think about spending money on “prepper” stuff, is to have the basic safety necessities of your house met.
Make sure you have both smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors in all the places they should be. Many people might skimp on these, but they can be the difference between life and death in a fire or leak.
The second step is to make sure your house is up to all the best safety codes. Have your wiring checked to make sure nothing is frayed. Make sure your outlets are all up to code as well.
A note about outlets, you may have noticed the little buttons on some of your outlets, especially in the kitchen and bathroom. These are what are known as GFCDs, or Ground Fault Current Detectors.
Essentially what they do is detect if whatever is connected to the outlet is “leaking” current. Then, a solenoid immediately disconnects the switch from mains power. This can be the difference between life and death if you accidently touch a frayed wire and receive and electric shock.
So, it is important to follow the directions on these outlets that say “Test Monthly.” You simply press the test button and you should hear a click of the solenoid activating. After that, you should see a reset button you can press to reconnect power to the outlet.
This may seem like a pointless tangent, but I assure you it has a reason. It is to get you to think about all the little things that could be wrong in your house and make sure they are all in order.
Sometimes, we focus so much on the big picture we forget to step in and acknowledge the details. Therefore, it is important we keep an eye on all these little safety things to make sure they are in order.
Aside from the specifics, the general principle should be to make sure everyone in your family knows what they should be doing, in what situation, and how they should be doing it. Even if the situation requires you to wing it, then at least it gives everyone an idea of what they should be trying to get towards.
Positivity
The final thing I will say is an important thing to remember when getting into prepping, is that your family or group needs an anchor. If something bad does happen, then they need someone who will be able to stand up and lead them.
They need someone who can stay positive, and try to keep everyone else’s morale up. If you give up or get lost mentally, then you have already lost physically as well. The mind leads the body, and the body is but a vessel for the mind.
It doesn’t matter how prepared you are, or how many supplies or plans you have, if you give up and feel that all is lost, then all your prepping was for naught. You must stay positive, you must persevere.
It is foolish to think that this will come naturally to you, your group, or your family. Therefore, you must assume you have to take this role. You must be the guide for everyone to keep them away from the “darkness.”
It will be hard sometimes. Probably most of the time. But, it is important to remember what is at stake. This is your family. These are people that depend on you. You must not let them down. You must stand strong, so they can too.
Be the strong tree everyone can lean on. Eventually, they will grow roots as well, and you can lean back a bit. But, for now, you must be their support.