What if you don’t make it?

Not a very comforting though I admit but lets face it; the event you are concerned about could easily lead to your demise and all your plans will be for nought. Or will they?

You see my plans are more about protecting my family. My chances of survival are much greater if they were not covered but I don’t want that. I want my family to survive more than I want myself. After all they are my legacy.

So what happens if an event occurs and I don’t make it? Well, we have to assume that they make it otherwise I don’t care. So starting from that position we see that I must do something to improve their chances;

• Include my entire family in my preps
• Involve a deputy
• Leave some documentation that they can access.

Leaving documentation and the stores alone is going to be of limited use. Sure, they can use the food to survive and utilise the tools and equipment left behind and that is better than nothing but is likely to lead to long term issues over OPSEC. Much more preferable is getting them involved in the day to day aspect of prepping as we do. I have to be honest though, it is difficult. Most people do not see things as we do although on the positive side when it is family they put up with out hobby. My own family is aware I prep, understand my concerns about OPSEC and I get them involved as much as I can. For example the one area I insist on involvement is what to do if an event occurs. They have plans to pick up the kids, last minute shopping and RV points. I don’t have a deputy who is interested either and anyway they may be with me or something else may happen to them. The risk is there.

So, this led me to only one option. I have explained to each person individually all about my preps, OPSEC and what they must do if an event occurs. Each is aware of their tasks. I have shown them a safe location where they can find information. In there there is a BOB, and a folder with instruction in, an information pack. They can pick up the BOB and the information packs and make a run for it if necessary. Alternatively, they have instructions on meeting points for family members and certain checks what to do when you are waiting at an RV for someone to turn up. It is nowhere near as much as I would do but it will have to be good enough. Without full involvement you can’t expect them to be fully aware of the issues.

In the information pack I have;

• A summary of information such a keeping low and what needs to be done to keep out of sight
• A map of the local area with key locations marked and some details about those places
• A plan of the home, our Bug In Location, with contents of areas marked. Simple stuff like Water, food, books, first aid kit, etc.
• A map of the area with caches and items of interest
• Contact details of friends with identification codes
• Instructions on riding out the aftermath

All items are in a folder and laminated. At this stage of course they will be more than happy to do what I have instructed. After all then the hobby will have become the family insurance plan and I would be forward looking. Not forward enough because I’m not there but forward enough I hope.

It isn’t perfect. I can think of several issues and I won’t be there so I can’t react dynamically and they won’t have been thinking that long but I will have done what I can to keep them alive as long as possible.

The information pack which is an ongoing project for me is made up of a summary of every point I can think of but will require reference to the stored books in the longer term.

That is one area where they will lose out. I know where a lot of my information is. They will have to read the books and that could be years. You can only do so much.