Survivalism or “Prepping” has become a social movement, with the essential belief that proactively preparing ourselves for emergencies such as natural disasters or events related to social disorder will enable better chances at surviving various crises. There is no explanation needed for how disorderly our current world affairs are to know that preparing for crises is essential. The spectrum of crises is vast and there is certainly a range of preparedness tactics to use, especially with learning skills related to military grade tactics (building shelter, learning how to make a fire for survival, procuring food, foundational first-aid, and signaling for help). The “Bug Out Bag” is going to be a 72-hour kit which will be personalized to your needs and environment. Personally, my guiding principle is to use common sense and follow FEMA’s guidelines from their Ready.gov Checklist as a way to begin preparing on a household level. There is no need for the country to fall back into the toilet paper hoarding craze of the early days of the pandemic. Using good sense is essential and an important pillar for preparedness is also understanding that in a crisis we will need to share resources and support one another. The key is to be knowledgeable about a variety of scenarios and prepare within good reason, to keep products up-to-date (not expired items) and to actually know how to use your tools. I believe prepping is a symptom of the problems that we face and it is a natural reaction to unrest, so it should be incumbent for you to learn the basics.

Another approach to considering emergency scenario planning is considering scenarios related to your environment (wildfires, earthquakes, floods, tornadoes) when studying how to navigate emergency scenarios. One thing is certain – complex, multi-layered crises are not going to go away and we need to understand that is our shared reality, especially with regards to climate change events. Mass migrations will become more common when the environments we inhabit become unsustainable for living. In America, however, I think social unrest is a more pressing issue, in addition to climate change events. In my opinion, the instability of the global geopolitical arena is more than unsettling and preparing with common sense is critical. FEMA has guidelines for a reason – there are many different sorts of emergency scenarios and scenario planning is an important part of learning how to adequately prepare. You should be following government standard planning procedures, so in most instances, having a 72-hour emergency backpack prepared and in reach is the most basic step to being a prepper. These are referred to as “Bug Out Bags,” and the bag should be filled with essential items and tools that will get you through at least 72-hours if you were placed in an emergency where you were required to escape your home imminently.

In addition to your Bug Out Bag, you will want to have a handbag on hand that keeps your everyday items (wallet, keys, etc.) to supplement what you have in your emergency backpack, also called a WUSH Bag (Wake Up, Something’s Happening Bag). Another critical part of preparedness is considering how heavy the weight of your backpack is – this is something you would need to be able to possibly hike with on for prolonged periods. Anything too cumbersome will not be suitable… Also, keeping a low profile backpack is best (neutral colors without logos) to blend into environments is an important thing to consider. For example, 5.11 Tactical backpacks are military backpacks with logos that you could consider removing or concealing the logo, as some wilderness experts will go so far to point out that the logo on a backpack can be conspicuous in certain situations. Anything related to being mindful of your situation and circumstances is going to be most critical.

Something I have not read as often while studying this topic is the importance of mindfulness techniques and meditation. Andrew Huberman’s Lab at Stanford University often discusses NSDR – Non Sleep Deep Rest, another name for Yoga Nidra. Learning a 10 minute Yoga Nidra meditation to calm the entire nervous system will also be an important tool in especially stressful circumstances. It is also a technique used by the U.S. Army to offset PTSD.

If you want to have military level discipline for this venture, you could consider having everything right next to you when you go to sleep. This seems excessive in theory, but it is quite prudent given how the world will remain unsettled for the forseeable future. The Bug Out Bag and WUSH Bag is going to be your start up chance at survivalism. Now, you can begin building out your emergency supplies and learning tactical skills for emergency scenario planning.

Bug Out Bag Supply List

• Bottled Water
• LifeStraw Personal Water Filter
• Reusable Water Bottle
• Protein Bars
• Beef Jerky
• Dried Fruit
• Essential Documents (Waterproof Folder) + USB Sticks
• Backup Battery
• Paper
• Pen
• Pencil
• Knife
• Lighter
• Matches
• Whistle
• Car Escape Tool
• Mini First Aid Kit
• Tweezers
• Q-Tips
• Bandana
• Hat
• Glasses
• Contacts & Contact Fluid
• Change of Clothes
• Windbreaker Jacket
• Thermal Blanket
• Toiletries
  • Soap bar
  • Deodorant (travel size)
  • Toothbrush (travel size)
  • Toothpaste (travel size)
  • Lotion (travel size)
  • Sunscreen SPF 50
  • Lip Balm SPF 50
  • Hair Ties
  • Hairclip
• Reusable Bag
• Trash Bag
• Scissors
• Duct Tape
• KN95 Masks
• Gloves
• Personal Memento(s)
• Optional
  • Playing Cards
  • Coloring Books

Your “WUSH” Bag (Wake Up, Something’s Happening)

• Cell Phone
• Cell Phone Charger
• Wallet (Carrying small amounts of cash)
• Keys
• Glasses
• Ear Plugs
• Hand Sanitizer
• Tissues
• Mini Box Cutter
• Self Defense Tools
  • SABRE Pepper Gel
  • Anti-Wolf Stick
  • Personal Alarm – 130 Db
• Makeup Bag
  • Lip Balm
  • Brush
  • Hair Ties
  • Bobby Pins
  • Band-Aids
  • Tampons