How to Prepare For When SHTF Hits

How to prepare for when SHTF hits? A few basics are necessary for any prepared person. Having a food pantry and stockpiling shelf-stable food is a must. You’ll also want to stock up on sterile bandages, knowledge, and training. But the most important prep of all is regular maintenance. If your tires are flat and you only have half a tank of gas, you won’t get far in your bug-out vehicle. Top off your gas tank weekly, or when you pay your bills.

Shelf stable food is a mandatory prep

In the modern world, foods are often fortified, enriched, and given other additives to improve their nutritional value. However, in a SHTF situation, you would want to eat as much fresh produce as possible to avoid vitamin and mineral deficiencies. One way to preserve fresh produce in an SHTF situation is by freezing or dehydrating it. Similarly, you should have enough breakfast bars, such as bananas and raisins, to go with cereal and other foods.

Stockpiling sterile bandages

While off-the-shelf items such as bullets and sterile bandages are an excellent idea, it is also important to stockpile them for times of need. Sterile items are prepared in a clean environment, but are not necessarily guaranteed to be 100% free of bacteria and other microbial contamination. Storing sterile items will reduce the chances of a wound infection or localized bacteria growth. During a SHTF event, survival will be dependent on factors that are out of our control, such as food, water, and water. Stocking up on sterile bandages will help us deal with both the uncontrollable and the controllable factors that make us vulnerable to diseases.

Having knowledge and training

While preparing for SHTF scenarios, you may want to look beyond equipment and gear to develop your survival mindset. By practicing urban survival, you are learning to adapt to living without electricity and running water. If possible, take wilderness survival courses or realistic fighting systems. Also, challenge yourself by taking obstacle courses or other outdoor activities that will test your physical fitness. A survival mindset is all about adaptability and positivity. While preparing for SHTF, focus on learning new skills every month or quarter.

While many people are prone to becoming rusty and uncoordinated during disasters, some skills are invaluable after a disaster strikes. Knife fighting, firearm proficiency, and basic tactics will all come in handy in a post-SHTF scenario. Additionally, if you have a basic knowledge of construction, you will be able to build survival items and repair them without the help of a professional. Having knowledge and training in advanced first aid is an excellent way to be prepared. This includes CPR, basic dentistry, and even dental hygiene.

Having a food pantry

Having a food pantry for when SHTF hits is essential for survival. You can’t buy everything you need at once, so you need to stock the pantry carefully. You also need to keep in mind what foods your family will eat. This way, you won’t waste food or space. It’s also helpful to stock familiar foods so you won’t upset anyone during a crisis. You can also rotate your stock easily.

The crux of a successful food pantry is to stock only what you eat. This means not putting freeze-dried foods and canned goods in the pantry every week. The foods should rotate without going bad. A successful food pantry involves a fundamental shift in grocery shopping. Instead of using a grocery list based on buying what you need, you will now base your shopping lists around replenishing your pantry.