Today we step into a deeper prepping mode with Month 4: Ready for Longer-Term Disruptions. This will have the same seven topics but as with the previous months and the coming months, we will be expanding and improving on what we did last month.
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As you move deeper into your prepping journey, it’s time to start thinking about longer-term disruptions. While short-term emergencies are critical to plan for, you also need to be prepared for situations that extend beyond a few days or weeks.
Whether it’s a natural disaster that leaves you without power for weeks or a societal breakdown that disrupts the supply chain for months, longer-term disruptions require a more sustainable approach to survival.
This month, focus on upgrading your resources and skills to ensure you can handle extended emergencies with confidence. Remember, every step you take now builds greater resilience for the future.
We start with Month 4: Ready for Longer-Term Disruptions with finding ways to collect and store rainwater for homestead use.
Water: Installing a Rainwater Collection System
At this point, you’ve stored water and have basic filtration tools, but for longer-term disruptions, you’ll need a renewable water source.
Rainwater collection systems provide an ongoing supply of water that you can use for both drinking and household needs. Even in regions with sporadic rainfall, capturing and storing rainwater can help supplement your water needs when other sources dry up.
Start by installing a rain barrel system that collects water from your roof’s downspouts. These barrels are easy to install and can hold significant amounts of water, providing a consistent supply after each rainstorm.
Make sure your collection system is equipped with a fine mesh screen to filter out debris like leaves, insects, and dirt. Additionally, invest in a high-quality water filter to treat the collected rainwater before drinking it. While rainwater is generally clean, it can pick up contaminants from your roof, so always filter or purify it before use.
Don’t rely solely on your rainwater system for drinking water, especially if your area doesn’t receive regular rainfall. It is a supplemental resource, but you will still want to keep your bottled water reserves intact as a backup.
We have put together a three-page Rainwater Harvesting Systems Checklist to help you on this journey. This is a general checklist and tips that you may need to tweak to fit your exact needs. Keep in mind every situation will be different so the needs may be a bit different as well. Feel free to download the PDF, print out, and use these pages for yourself.
In Month 4: Ready for Longer-Term Disruptions you will start to plan for your own garden, growing, and harvesting. This will give you fresh foods and supplements or even substitutes for the foods that you already have stocked up.
Food: Starting a Garden or Planning for Container Gardening
When disruptions stretch into months, you will need a more sustainable food source. Starting a garden allows you to grow fresh vegetables, herbs, and even fruits to supplement your food stockpile.
If you have space in your yard, start by planting easy-to-grow crops like tomatoes, lettuce, peppers, and beans. These plants grow quickly and don’t require a lot of maintenance. Herbs like basil, parsley, and mint can also thrive with minimal care and will add variety to your meals.
If you do not have much space or live in an urban area, consider container gardening. You can grow a variety of plants in pots or containers on a balcony, patio, or even indoors near a sunny window. Container gardening is flexible and allows you to move plants as needed, providing fresh produce even in small spaces.
Do not try to start a garden without planning ahead. Make sure you have quality soil, seeds, starter plants, and basic gardening tools. If you are new to gardening, take the time to learn about plant care, watering schedules, and pest control before you fully rely on it for food.
Again in Month 4: Ready for Longer-Term Disruptions you must consider your current medical situation and improve on, or add to what you already have.
First Aid: Learning Basic First Aid Skills
It is not enough to have a well-stocked first aid kit, you also need the knowledge to use it. In a long-term disruption, professional medical care may not be available, so learning basic first aid skills is essential.
Start with CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation), which can save lives in cases of cardiac arrest or drowning. Taking a CPR course through organizations like the Red Cross will provide you with the confidence to act quickly in an emergency.
Additionally, learn how to treat common injuries such as fractures, sprains, and burns. Knowing how to splint a broken limb, clean and bandage wounds, and handle minor burns without professional assistance can make a significant difference when help is far away.
Consider purchasing a basic first aid manual or downloading training videos that walk you through these essential techniques.
Assuming that basic skills are enough can leave you with a bad medical situation and no idea how to treat it. Continue expanding your first aid knowledge by taking more advanced classes if available. The more prepared you are, the better equipped you will be to handle any medical emergency.
As we said last month there are all kinds of classes you can take now, both on line and in person, to learn new skills or improve on what you already know. Always keep learning and growing, you never know when or where you will need those skills.
For Month 4: Ready for Longer-Term Disruptions you will want to start a materials stockpile if you do not already have one. Keeping a shelter secure takes upkeep and that requires materials for repairs, improvements, and add ons.
Shelter: Stockpiling Materials for Temporary Repairs
Long-term emergencies often come with damage to your shelter. In many cases that will be your personal home that you have prepped for the occasion. Whether it is a storm that causes roof leaks or an earthquake that cracks walls, having the ability to make temporary repairs is crucial.
Start stockpiling materials like tarps, plywood, plastic sheeting, and duct tape. These supplies can be used to cover broken windows, patch roof leaks, or seal off areas of your home that are exposed to the elements.
Make sure you have a reliable toolkit with basic tools like hammers, nails, screws, saws, and drills to make repairs quickly. Keeping your home safe and functional during a long-term disruption requires the ability to act fast when things go wrong.
Keep these materials stored in an accessible location so you can grab them when needed. Waiting until damage occurs to gather supplies not only wastes time but you may not have the time at all. Having them on hand before a crisis allows you to react immediately and prevent further damage to your shelter.
You can find many building and repair materials for cheap at bargain stores, bulk centers, yard sales, flea markets, and even sometimes at the dumpsters. No matter where you get them check the materials to be sure they are in good condition before you stockpile them. It will do no good to use rotten boards to try to shore up your shelter.
We have put together a three page Basic Shelter Building Materials Checklist and a Home Repair Skills List to help you on this journey. This is a general checklist and tips that you may need to tweak to fit your exact needs. Keep in mind every situation will be different so the needs may be a bit different as well. Feel free to download the PDF, print out, and use these pages for yourself.
Month 4: Ready for Longer-Term Disruptions also comes with improving home security and practicing those skills so you will be ready if and when the time comes to use them. You know the old saying, practice makes perfect. Though, we are not really going for perfect we are going for practical and prepared.
Defense: Practicing Home Security Drills and Increasing Physical Security.
This month, take your home defense efforts to the next level by practicing home security drills with your family. Just like fire drills, these exercises should simulate different scenarios, such as an attempted break-in or civil unrest.
Make sure everyone in your household knows the protocol for securing doors and windows, where to take shelter, and how to communicate if a threat is present. Increase your physical security by installing additional locks, reinforcing door frames, and considering window bars or security films.
If you’ve already installed outdoor motion sensor lights, make sure they are working correctly and placed strategically to cover all potential entry points. Testing your security system regularly ensures it is functioning as intended.
Avoid assuming that everyone in the household knows what to do in a security breach. Drills and rehearsals prepare you mentally and physically to respond to threats in a calm, organized manner.
If you have family members that need more focused time, you should consider making a family emergency binder. This will give you a place to have a written copy of the emergency procedures so that everyone can read them and study them. Just telling someone once, may not do it. They may need to see it, read it, and practice it to get things to stick. This is especially true when it comes to people or kids who are new to emergency prepping.
Communications will also need to be enhanced with Month 4: Ready for Longer-Term Disruptions.
Communication: Testing and Securing Alternative Communication Devices.
By now, you should have alternative communication devices like two-way radios or ham radios in place, but having them is not enough. This month, focus on testing your communication devices to ensure they are functioning properly. Make sure you have spare batteries or a solar charger available in case the power grid remains down for an extended period.
Set up regular communication check-ins with your family, neighbors, or survival group to test your systems. Confirm that everyone knows how to operate the radios and understands the emergency communication plan. If you’re using ham radios, practice contacting local and distant stations so that you are comfortable with the equipment.
Don’t just think that your communication devices will work perfectly in an emergency, be sure. Regular testing and maintenance will keep them in top shape and ensure you are prepared to stay in contact when it matters most.
Consider having all family members take classes and become licensed for HAM radio. Keep a HAM radio procedure book with your HAM radio just in case you or someone else needs to look up the info. Be sure to have all the parts together so they are easy to get to and use if needed. It is a waste of time to have to run around looking for the right battery, or the correct setting when you are trying to call for help or check in on someone else.
Month 4: Ready for Longer-Term Disruptions will also involve stepping up your transportation and emergency plan for getting home.
Transportation: Adding Off-Road Tools to Your Vehicle’s Emergency Kit
Long-term disruptions may force you to rely more heavily on your vehicle for transportation, especially if roads become impassable or public services shut down.
This month, add off-road tools to your vehicle’s emergency kit to prepare for tough driving conditions. Equip your car with traction boards, a shovel, and tire repair kits to help you navigate rough terrain or get unstuck if you encounter mud, snow, or debris on the road.
Consider adding extra spare parts like serpentine belts, hoses, and fuel filters in case you can’t access a mechanic for repairs.
Make sure you have sturdy tow ropes or chains and a high-quality jack for tire changes. These tools can be lifesavers if your vehicle encounters obstacles during a long-term disruption.
Avoid relying solely on traditional roadside assistance, as it may not be available during extended emergencies. Having the right tools on hand means you are prepared to get your vehicle moving again, even under tough conditions.
We have put together a three page Emergency Survival Vehicle Repair Kit Checklist to help you on this journey. This is a general checklist and tips that you may need to tweak to fit your exact needs. Keep in mind every situation will be different so the needs may be a bit different as well. Feel free to download the PDF, print out, and use these pages for yourself.
Month 4: Ready for Longer-Term Disruptions you are making serious strides toward long-term sustainability. With rainwater collection, gardening, medical skills, enhanced shelter, and communication systems in place, you are preparing for disruptions that may last weeks or months. Keep taking it step by step, and each month you will find yourself more resilient, more prepared, and better able to handle adverse situations that come your way.
We hope you are both enjoying and learning from these talks. By Month 4: Ready for Longer-Term Disruptions you should have a firm idea of what you have, what you need, and where you want to go with your Survival, Homesteading, Emergency Prepping, or Self-sufficient lifestyle. As as keep saying, do your research, know what you want. This is your journey and no two people will have the exact same situation, needs, or even wants.
If you are interested in other talks similar to this please check out the ones below.
Having Storage Space No Matter How Much Space You Have
In case you missed any of the series A Month-By-Month Plan To Go From Emergency Survival to Long-Term Self-Sufficiency.
Thank you for visiting and please come again for another edition of Out Standing in the Field.
