Contributed by Shawn (aka The City Cousin)
(Shawn is writing a series of posts about prepping in an urban environment.)
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If your car’s tank is almost always near empty, or you are constantly running out of toilet paper, shampoo, milk, etc. then you are not a natural prepper! Fret not, few of us are. As with many skills and mind sets, most have to be learned. Here are some experiences that motivated me, and a system I’ve developed to become better prepared.
I was living in Seattle, in 2001, during the Nisqually earthquake (a 6.8 quake that lasted 45 long seconds). After the initial quake ended, I immediately called my parents to let them know I was okay. Then, I knew we still had electricity because the TV was on; I checked that I had running water and then filled the bathtub; I checked my apartment and then the building for damage; I moved my truck out of the garage, under my building, and parked it where nothing would fall on it if there were more quakes. All good initial reactions to an earthquake, but how did I plan afterward to be better prepared for the next time? What had I learned? To be honest I didn’t do anything. I felt good, and rather smug, about my actions and resourcefulness after the Nisqually quake. But, I wasn’t really prepared for what COULD HAVE happened.
It wasn’t until I saw the pictures of the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, in 2005, that I recognized I have to be prepared for a big disaster and for at least the ‘FEMA suggested’ 72 hours. And, after seeing how FEMA and the military responded in New Orleans–a city that is located much closer to government resources than Seattle–I decided I needed to be personally prepared to handle things for a minimum of five to seven days before outside help will likely arrive to the city.
So my project management experience kicked in and I developed a chart to help guide a household discussion to prepare for likely perils. I again focused on my journalism questions of Who, What, Where, When, and How.
| Prepare | Short Term (72 hours) | Medium Term (6 Months) | Long Term (over 6 Months) |
| Who | You, your immediate family, significant others. | Condo/homeowners association, neighbors. | Neighborhood (consider becoming an advocate for your local government.) |
| What | Select the perils that might affect you: earthquake, flood, tornado, etc. | After prioritizing the perils you want to address, prepare for the first one. Then expand to cover the remaining perils. | Review what you’re preparing for, have things changed? |
| Where | Preparing your home and/or car(s). Consider alternative locations. Determine meeting points in case you and your family are separated. | You might focus on your home first for the initial 72+ hours then on your car or alternative locations. | Develop alternative location(s). |
| When | Set a start date and end date for each Term’s goals. Costs and preparation for longer term goals can be researched and set. | More expensive items can be budgeted for and a priority list can be developed for when to get them. | Set up an annual/regular review to make sure everything is current in your preparations, i.e. check batteries, rotate food and water. |
| How | Research! Read, take classes, use the internet. For this section one of my favorite online resources is 72hours.org. | How also plays into when depending on cost and time needed to prep. | Continue learning. Stay informed. Network with others. Review new information. |
This is a great exercise for a household of any size to get organized and take the first steps, or for reviewing what you’ve done, or confirming you’re on the right road with your preparations. This discussion will help everyone have input and feel involved (the “buy- in” to the project), and tasks can be assigned based on age and experience. Make lists and write down your goals; studies have shown, when we write things down we are more likely to remember and act on them. Once we have a plan in place, and we know which road we’re taking, we can get prepared.
Next month: I will discuss what I have in my apartment to prepare for the perils I have identified, some of the resources I’ve tapped, and how and where you can store things with limited space.
The City Cousin’s Bio
I come by prepping by growing up watching the example my father set; he was always prepared for whatever situation would arise. Now, as a single man living and working in Seattle, I have opted to live near downtown in a small apartment. For me this is a comfortable space; trying to be “green” it has reduced my use of resources from electricity to gas for my truck. With limited space, I have reviewed what I can reasonably be prepared for in my urban environment.
(Friday: Momma Bear’s April Preps)