Preppers

 

Survival

When my husband and I moved to Dobbins, CA, it was for survival. Initially, we lived in the eastern parts of the San Francisco Bay Area. We lived a prosperous lifestyle with little concern for what would happen if everything was suddenly taken away. As luck would have it, we were among many affected by the economic crash that began in 2008. One day we were on top of the world, and the next day we lost everything. We gave our house back to the bank instead of foreclosure. We did all that we did to preserve our good credit. But good credit means nothing if you don't have secure shelter.

Read a complete account of our dilemma in my book, "From Riches to Rags to Right-Sized Living."

Everyone knows that the number one survival strategy is to have shelter. At a minimum, people need protection from the harsh weather elements. Having been homeless and close to living on the streets, we did not ever want to be without shelter again, so we decided to purchase land using cash that we could extract from liquidating possessions. We figured we could always pitch a tent and live off the land if worse came to worst. This way of thinking began setting up our minds to the mindset of what people call preppers.

Eventually, we built a house on the property and set up small-scale strategies for future survival.

What is a prepper?

To explain a prepper, let's go to a common source, Dictionary.com. Here's what the dictionary says about preppers.

"A prepper is someone who actively prepares (preps) for worse-case scenarios, such as the end of the world, by practicing survivalist techniques, including hoarding food."

And here's what the dictionary says about survivalists.

 "A survivalist is a person who makes preparations to survive a widespread catastrophe, as an atomic war or anarchy, especially by storing food and weapons in a safe place."

I hope these descriptions help readers understand the mindset of preppers and survivalists.

Why Be a Prepper?

Dobbins and Oregon House are a little over 30 miles from a major city. Living in this area has steered my husband and me into a lifestyle considered by most to be preparers. However, we have a lot to learn about being full-fledged preppers. With current gas prices elevated, in a gas-guzzling 4X4 truck that gets 14 miles to the gallon, we spend at least $30.00 minimum every time we go into town. Because of this cost, we try to save gas expenses by going into town no more than once a month. When we go into town, we stock up on supplies to survive if something comes up and we can't make it into town.

This area is notoriously designated as a high-fire zone. We anticipate that we may be required to evacuate, so we are prepared to leave at a moment's notice with our prepared "Go-Bag" containing enough supplies for at least three days. And now that we have animals, we need to be ready to complete measures to protect them, as well.

I have learned that most people here conduct minimal preparatory measures as a precaution. And, then, others are what I feel are true preppers. These are people who are bona fide survivalists. They have food supplies that will last for years. They have medical supplies to account for every injury that could occur. They are knowledgeable about natural remedies and ready to live off the land without outside help. And, you had best believe they have the necessary weapons to protect their land. I view them as people who are wise and conscientious about the world we live in.

The world (to me) appears to be changing into a place where we can no longer depend on our government to provide for and protect us. Providing for ourselves seems to be a wise maneuver.

A Prepper Never Tells

A prepper never advertises their position. To do so makes them vulnerable to predators (people) who failed to prepare (prep). In disastrous situations, an unprepared person will quickly come looking for a prepper for the goods they need for survival.

Living in a remote location like this has opened my eyes to the possibility of being a fabulous location for preppers. Because we are remote, this area is a survivor's best strategy. Living on a property isolated from others is a prepper's ideal location. And for preppers who want to live off the grid, our elevation makes it as much possible as can be desired.

Be Prepared

The main focus of preppers is that they are prepared for all sorts of mishaps or disasters. The best preppers make preparations to always have a good supply of food, water, shelter, health, and physical protection for days, weeks, and months in advance.