Prepping can be a lot of fun. You learn new things, and you get to buy stuff and meet new people. What happens when disaster finally hits?
Lots of bad things can and will happen, possibly to you or your close family friends and loved ones. You could get injured, sick or even killed. Even worse, you may have to watch your family go through this. Best to think of things like these today to get used to them instead of letting them overwhelm you when it finally hits.
So let’s start with the worst-case scenario…
#1. You might die!
Just because your are a good prepper, that doesn’t make you immune to anything. There are many ways to die, which is why we should spend some time thinking about what your family will do if you were to perish before you can get them to safety.
Will they be able to function without you? Will they be able to protect themselves? What about the money, can they get to it should anything bad happen to you (in case it’ll still worth anything post-collapse)? Will they be safer at your current location or should they move to a different one?
These are some of the things you need to think about and discuss with your spouse and even with your children.
#2. Your spouse, kids or pet might die.
Its a hard topic to discuss but you have to imagine what it would be like if it actually happened. Will you find the power to move on, will you find reasons to move on? It’s best to think about these things in advance as part of your mental training process.
#3. Your spouse, kids or pet might end up missing.
When the Katrina hit New Orleans, over 1,000 children went missing. No matter how many drills you do with them, there’s always a chance this might happen. Then what? Can you increase the chances of you finding them should this happen?
#4. Your spouse or kids might be in shock when faced with chaos.
No matter how well you train your family, they could just lose it when facing death. How will you be able to bug out in this case? If your spouse is standing in the doorway, unable to move, if your kid is under the bed, crying, how will you get them all to safety?
One possible answer is to get into shape. This way, you’ll be able to carry your wife and kids one by one to the car. Survival fitness, by the way, is one of the most important skills you can acquire.
#5. You might get injured.
Sure, we all have first aid kits, medicine cabinets and so on but very few of us think about what will happen after that. Will you still be able to bug out or defend yourself with only one arm? Will you still be able to sustain yourself if you can’t move one of your legs? These are all very good questions to ask.
#6. You might need to abandon your vehicle.
Your car can only take you so far, which is why it’s a great idea to have something like a mountain bike or an inflatable boat inside the trunk. The alternative is to continue on foot with as much gear as you can carry and this assumes you’re in fairly good shape. Here we are, back to survival fitness again.
#7.You might need to abandon your bug out bag.
You might be chased by someone or something and you need to make a run for it and you didn’t have time to get your bug out bag. This is why having a basic everyday carry kit is so important. You should carry some items inside your pockets, such as a folding knife, a small multi-tool and even attached to your keychain.
#8. You and your family might have to split up.
If there’s a home invasion, for instance, and you determine that your kids are better off taking an evacuation route out of the house while you cover for them, this will bring with it a slew of other problems.
#9. You might have to beg for food and water.
If you don’t have means to live self-sufficiently, you will have to beg for food and water.
I’ve seen it happen during the recent migrant crisis in Europe. I can still remember a father selling pens with one hand, holding a little girl with the other. I’m not saying it’ll happen to you but it’s important to think about worst-case scenarios.
#10. You might have to negotiate for your life.
If you’re at the wrong end of the gun, can you keep your cool and calmly manage the situation so you make it out alive? I’ve read the story of a woman who did exactly what her rapist told her to do. She ended up helping him kill her. Being a good negotiator isn’t just a skill you have for bartering purposes.
#11. Your bug out location might be compromised.
By compromised it could mean that it’s either been looted or that there are other there when you arrive. This means all your preps are gone and that you won’t have a place to lay your head at night! I suggest you have a tent, a tarp, space blankets and adequate clothes just in case you have to spend one or more nights into the woods.
in Detroit by 