Skills


  • Minimum:
    • Will to Live
    • Hard – Breathing, Core Temperature, Self Defense, Shelter Building, Fire Making, Water Treatment, Cooking, Triage & ABCs, Head to Toe
    • Soft – Assessment, Intuition, Math, Communication, Collaboration, Negotiation, Hygiene, Gathering, Shopping, Storage, Inventory
  • Maximum:
    • Leadership
    • Hard – Awareness, Discernment, Martial Arts, Weapons, Accuracy, Fitness, Skilled Trades, Shelter Mastery, Fire in Any Condtions, Water Expertise, Insulation, Chef, Surgery, Pharmacy
    • Soft – Clarity Abilities, ESP, Visibility, Communication Expertise, Multiple Languages, Collaborative Teams, Negotiator, Sterile, Farming, Fishing, Hunting, Sustainability, Wealth, Mastery

Safety

  • Minimum:
    • Circle of Protection – Verbal, Chemical, Martial, Stick, Blade, Firearm, Tactical
    • Frequent practice with improvised weapons
    • Security system that monitors home inside perimeter
    • Monitoring system so that you know when someone has breeched key areas of your property
    • Outside floodlights on motion sensors covering the outside perimeter of home and any other key areas on property
    • Put out small fires (a fire extinguisher for kitchen, garage and every level of the home)
    • Basic defensive firearms so that every able person can defend the home, with adequate ammunition supply
    • Every handgun has a holster, every rifle and shotgun has a sling; cases for all firearms
    • 100 rounds for every firearm that is in working condition (defensive ammunition)
    • 500 rounds of training ammo for each firearm and a monthly practice
    • 3 magazines or 30 clips for every firearm that uses one (there’s a difference between clips and magazines)
    • Cleaning gear for all firearms
    • Smoke & carbon monoxide detectors on all floors
  • Maximum:
    • Tactical Expertise – Constant Training
    • Camera surveillance around home, complete 360 degrees
    • Motion and seismic sensors monitoring perimeter and other key areas of property
    • External fire suppression system
    • Spare parts for every firearm, along with the knowledge to repair it
    • Spare magazines and clips for every firearm that uses them (10 magazines and 300 clips, at your discretion)
    • Spare cleaning gear for all firearms
    • 1000 rounds for every firearm (defensive ammunition)
    • 1000 training rounds for each firearm
    • Reloading equipment and supplies for each of your main calibers
    • 5000 rounds for your main weapon
    • .22 LR training rifle and 10,000 rounds of good quality .22 LR ammuniton
    • Add laminate to exterior windows (resists break-ins, etc.)
    • Ability to filter air and water ongoing
    • Hardened Saferoom, from physical assaults (weather, crime, etc.)
    • Night Vision (mono- or binocular)
  • Notes:
    • For important items, it’s better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it.
    • You can’t have too many fire extinguishers. You need to be able to put out a fire quickly, especially if there is no fire department available.

Shelter

  • Minimum:
    • 2 complete changes of rugged clothes for all members
    • 2 complete changes of sleep clothes for all members
    • 5 changes of underclothes for each member
    • One pair of rugged, waterproof boots for each member
    • One pair of comfortable shoes (sneakers, sandals, etc.) for each member
    • Outer gear (boots, gloves, mittens, scarves, hats, etc) for all climates (cold weather, rain, etc.)
    • Spare shoe & boot laces
    • Insulating Blanket
  • Maximum:
    • 7 sets of rugged clothes for each member
    • 14 changes of underclothes for each member
    • Spare boots (rugged and waterproof)
    • Spare comfort shoes
    • Ability to make/repair clothes
    • Ability to make/repair boots and shoes
    • Quantity of various materials for repairs and creation of clothing
    • Second (spare) set of outer gear for all climates
    • Temporary Shelter

Fire

  • Minimum:
    • Fire steel and tinder
    • Backup form of firestarter
    • Fire stand and foil
  • Maximum:
    • Multiple methods of having 3 fires a day
    • Caches of sparking tools, tinder, kindling and variety of fuels
    • Guaranteed chemical fires
    • Multiple Stoves

Water

  • Minimum:
    • Basic water container
    • One gallon per day for each member
    • Ability to create safe drinking water
  • Maximum:
    • Water storage system
    • Well capable of supplying entire group indefinitely
    • Flow of clean, potable water
    • Ability to irrigate crops as well

Medical

  • Minimum: Need to perform the following for a 30-day period
    • Preventative
      • Block Sun UV rays
      • Repel (keep away) insects
      • Blister pre-treatment
      • Protect care-giver from infection while treating others
      • Take CPR and other First-Aid courses
      • Maintain good dental hygiene practices
    • Immediate Response
      • CPR
      • Clear the airway / Start the breathing
      • Stop bleeding
      • Soothe burns
      • Treat bite and stings
      • Remove splinters, stingers, etc.
      • Remove venom
    • Diagnose
      • Patient assessment:
        • Primary (ABC – Airway, Breathing, Circulation)
        • Secondary, Head-to-Toe survey
      • Determine body temperature
      • Determine blood pressure
      • Determine heart rate
      • Recognize signs and symptoms
    • Treat and Protect Wounds
      • Disinfect minor wounds
      • Wound irrigation and/or cleansing
      • Splinting and limb immobilization
      • Dress and bandage wounds
      • Debride wounds
      • Close lacerations
      • Temporary dental fillings
    • Ongoing Care
      • Relieve pain
      • Reduce swelling
      • Reduce fever
      • Relieve allergy symptoms
      • Stave off infection (antibiotics)
      • Blister treatment
      • Shock prevention
      • Dehydration prevention
      • Muscle relaxer
    • Miscellaneous
      • Bandana, Blade, Tourniquet, Tape, Gauze, Arnica
      • Cold & hot packs
      • 30 days of life saving prescription medications
      • 30 days of OTC and “maintenance” medications
      • List of patient info for each person on their person & in their kit
    • Maximum: Need to perform the above for at least 90 days, plus the following additional capabilities:
      • IV supplies to start one IV per person covered (including extras for missed sticks). 3 liters of solution per person
      • Knowledge of blood types of all persons covered. Transfusion* compatibility planned. Transfusion capability for one transfusion for each three people covered
      • Dental care
      • Additional 90 days of life-saving prescription medications
      • Additional 90 days of non-critical and “maintenance” medications
      • Take Advanced First Aid Courses, and yearly re-qualifiers
    • Notes:
      • Warning on transfusions: you can kill people easily if you do this wrong.
      • DO NOT perform medical treatment that you are not trained for.

Hygiene

  • Minimum:
    • Ability to maintain basic hygiene for 3 days
    • Soap, cloths and plastic bags
  • Maximum:
    • Ability to maintain good hygiene indefinitely
    • Variety of cleaning materials, brushes, techniques and drying areas
    • Plastic buckets for washing and waste

Tools

  • Minimum:
    • Knife or blade
    • Simple multi-tool
  • Maximum:
    • Full set of tools
    • Backup set of tools

Leadership

  • Minimum:
    • One the most important aspects of preparedness is mindset
    • Why are you preparing? What are you preparing for? Who are you going to prepare with? When do you want to prepare what parts? How are you going to prepare? Which parts are the most important?
    • Planning on being comfortable for some sort of a 3-day simple emergency doesn’t take long.
    • Planning on taking care of a whole family for a week requires a little more preparation and higher-level results.
  • Maximum:
    • Planning on taking care of multiple families for a month requires more resources and collaboration.
    • Planning to take care of all of my family and friends for many years requires the most skilled form of preparation collaboration, testing and results.
    • Do I believe there’s enough in the universe to get me through any situation to begin with….?
    • From that mindset, I’m prepared for just about anything already

Information

  • Minimum:
    • Deck of key information cards and a quick reference guide
    • Tactical Communications (0 – 5 miles), generally a handi-talkie (FRS, GMRS, Ham, CB, etc.)to transmit and receive with extra batteries
    • Shortwave radio with SSB capability for listening to important events
    • Basic computer and Internet access to review files (.doc. .pdf. .html. etc.)
    • AM/FM radio, battery operated (TV sound optional, but might be worthwhile if you are close to a TV broadcast tower that can run on emergency power)
    • Plans and equipment for making expedient antennas (see Plans)
    • Radio and computer manuals and backup drives (see Plans)
    • Cell phone, 12VDC charging cord and a spare battery
    • Pocket list of contact numbers for family, friends, team members (see Plans)
    • Long distance phone calling card that doesn’t expire
    • Pocket list of frequencies (see Plans)
    • USB drive containing pocket computer system (OS, files, programs, PGP, etc.)
    • USB drive containing your data files
    • Door Intercom for communicating with people outside, while staying safe inside
  • Maximum:
    • Short-distance Communications (up to 50 miles) (generally, a mobile ham VHF/UHF radio and a vehicle or yagi antenna) to transmit and receive
    • Packet radio for short-distance digital communications (useful for local Family/Groups/Teams)
    • Long-distance communications (greater than 50 miles), generally ham HF to transmit and receive
    • Ham Radio Email, like Wavemail or Winlink/Netlink over HF and possibly VHF (Packet)
    • Satellite phone
    • Weatherproof books, diagrams, documents, bandanas, clothing and any useful media
    • Library of backup books, diagrams, documents and any useful media
  • Notes:
    • Plans for expedient antennas is for reference, practice building them.

Financial

  • Minimum:
    • Pay one month of bills with cash on hand
    • Supply of hard currency (silver, gold, etc.)
    • Simple barter items
  • Maximum:
    • Pay 6 months or more of bills from cash on hand; increase to 2 years when possible
    • Supply of heavily bartered goods
    • Ability to capitalize on opportunities (like, group buys or cheap land after a crisis/pandemic)
    • Know the silver content of junk silver and the gold content of various coins and how to convert that into current market value
    • Know how to calculate and determine specific gravity for various metals (how to spot fake silver and gold)
  • Notes:
    • Hard currency amounts at your discretion. Though in general, use gold to store larger amounts of wealth and silver for smaller amounts. Silver is often better in a barter environment.

Nutrition

  • Minimum:
    • Basic calories for 3 days
    • Vitamins and supplements for 3 days
  • Maximum:
    • One year of supplies for a balanced diet for each member
    • Vitamins, supplements and nutritionals for extended group for 5 years
    • Pre-packed, labeled meals for extended group for 5 years
    • Multiple caches with recently stocked items

Energy

  • Minimum:
    • Ability to recharge NiMH or NiCd batteries from an indefinite power source , in the sizes you use (AAA, AA, C, D, 9V)
    • Generator, with enough capacity to power critical needs for 14+ days (like freezer, refrigerator, needed electronics, etc.) (short term solution)
    • Store of fuel to power generator for 14+ days
    • Put Uninterruptible Power Supplies on all computers and other sensitive critical electronic equipment
    • Spare extension cords
    • Battery maintenance items
  • Maximum:
    • Solar-power, or other renewable/long-term power, setup capable of running all mission critical devices for indefinite period, working eventually to powering entire household
    • Make ice on indefinite basis
    • Spare parts for Alternate Energy generations, (fuses, wire, connectors, inverter parts, etc.)
    • Multiple forms of fuel, fuel storage and caches

Navigation

  • Minimum:
    • Ability to locate basic directions
    • Local Map
    • Ability to travel on foot, animal or wheeled vehicle
  • Maximum:
    • Ability to locate directions anywhere, anytime in any conditions
    • Local, Regional, State and Area Maps
    • GPS with fresh batteries
    • Ability to travel by air, land or water craft

Testing


  • 5 Seconds:
    • Centered
    • Situation read
    • Concealed
    • Weapon used
    • Lifeline used


  • 30 Seconds:
    • Tourniquet applied
    • Umbrella used
    • Light on
    • Whistle blown
    • Evacuate waste
    • Goggles or bandana used
    • Message sent
    • Tool applied
    • Flame applied
    • Instrument sterilized


  • 1 Minute:
    • Water consumed
    • Utensil found
    • Keys or Money used
    • Repair Kit accessed
    • Rope ready


  • 5 Minutes:
    • Fire started
    • Water boiling
    • Shelter created
    • Direction verified
    • Item cleaned
    • Batteries replaced


  • 10 Minutes:
    • Food ready
    • Blade sharpened
    • Clips reloaded


  • 30 Minutes:
    • Water purified
    • Pack gear
    • Inventory taken
    • Creature transported