Rate Yourself

When preparing for emergencies I will always advocate a realistic plan. Sometimes to this you must have a place to start. Self-evaluation in an honest way is extremely important to prepare better. The following is a place to start. Rate your preparedness.

When I looked at this I rated myself a 5. But looking at again I would say I was a 4.5.



LEVEL 0
How a Friend Would Describe Me
• No thought or effort put toward preparedness. Every emergency situation is a potential disaster.
Supplies I Have on Hand
• Less than one week of food in my house.
• No self-defense plan or equipment.
• No water stored or way to purify it.
• No extra medicines/prescriptions.
• No grid-independent energy/heat capacity. Example of Supplies at This Level
• Condiments in the fridge, Pop-Tarts in the cabinet.
Steps I Have Taken
• None. I see articles online and government alerts about being prepared for emergencies, but haven’t put any energy toward it yet.
Scenarios I’m ready for:
• Situation, such as power outage for one day or less due to rainstorm.
***In trouble after 1 day of emergency***
LEVEL 1
How a Friend Would Describe Me
• You have awareness that one should have some stuff on hand for emergencies, and some effort put toward that. Note: This is how most Americans actually live their lives. Supplies I Have on Hand
• About two weeks worth of food and water (or way to purify water), somewhat informally, mostly extra canned goods.
• Basic first aid and OTC medicines on hand because you buy value-sized to make sure you always have a little extra. Example of Supplies at This Level
• Flashlight and batteries.
• Non-perishable foods: canned goods, cereal, pasta/rice, etc.
• “Bathroom” first aid items (Band-Aids, Ibuprophen, thermometer, Vasoline, etc).
• Bottled water, a gallon of bleach. Steps I Have Taken
• Physical copies of key documents: birth certificates, marriage license, passports, mortgage, car title/registration, etc.
• I’ve talked to the adults/older children in my household about “what we’d do if” scenarios, such as a fire, flood, power outage, etc. Scenarios I’m ready for:
• Small regional issue, minor disruption of services, such as power out for three+ days due to earthquake, ice storm, etc. ***In trouble after a few days of emergency or if forced to leave home*** LEVEL 2 How a Friend Would Describe Me
• You’re a “Boy Scout.” You probably wear a belt even if you have suspenders on. You feel consciously responsible for being prepared. Regular, organized effort put toward being prepared physically, if not mentally and spiritually. You’re someone friends/family think of as “prepared” and would probably turn to in an emergency. Supplies I Have on Hand
• At least one month of food and water stored (or way to purify water).
• Prescriptions on hand sufficient for at least a month.
• Capacity to generate off-grid heat/power on site (e.g. generator, basic solar).
• An “emergency kit” on hand so you can grab it and leave home if necessary.
• Something on hand you can use for self-defense, could be a firearm, could be a baseball bat. Example of Supplies at This Level
• Non-perishable foods specifically stored for emergencies, sufficient for two meals per day per person: rice, beans, dry pasta, canned goods, oats, salt, etc.
• Actual portable first-aid kit sufficient for the household/family.
• Candles or lantern, matches.
• Sleeping bags and extra blankets.
• Water stored and water purification supplies. Steps I Have Taken
• A plan. My household has a plan in place that covers a few specific scenarios, such as what we’ll all do in an ice storm/blizzard or if there is a terror attack in our area. The people in my household know what to do and whom to contact if there is an emergency.
Scenarios I’m ready for:
• Regional issue including significant disruption of basic services, such as a power outage of up to 1 month.
***In trouble after 1 month of emergency or if forced to leave home for longer than a couple of days***

LEVEL 3
How a Friend Would Describe Me
• You take pride in being self-sufficient. Whether or not most people around you know it, you think about worst-case scenarios and how to be ready for them, both for yourself and for others. You’re mentally and emotionally ready to respond in emergency situations. Supplies I Have on Hand
• Up to six months of food and water stored or planned for emergencies.
• Trauma-capable first aid capabilities, including lacerations that need stitches/suturing.
• Defensive firearms, plus training and ammunition sufficient to make them useful.
• Cash on hand in case ATMs/Banks aren’t accessible for a short time. Example of Supplies at This Level • Bulk food items that store for longer than two years: beans and rice in bulk and in sealed containers, powdered milk, canned meats/fish, canned and dehydrated vegetables and fruits.
• Cash on hand to cover rent/housing and 1 month of household expenses (e.g. groceries, gas).
• First-aid kit includes trauma bandages and supplies.
• Handgun and/or shotgun for household defense Steps I Have Taken
• I have a plan covering both staying at home for a short-term emergency, but know what I’d do if I had to leave home.
• I’ve started to develop some skills that I can use in an emergency situation where basic/government services aren’t available.
Scenarios I’m ready for:
• A minor national or major regional emergency, such as a dirty-bomb or biological attack/epidemic, long term power outage or major civil disobedience in numerous cities around the country.
***In trouble after three+ months of emergency or if economy collapses***

LEVEL 4 How a Friend Would Describe Me
• You’ve made prepping a “way of life” to an extent and are ready for anything. It’s more than a personal thing; this is a group activity now, within your family circle, and perhaps with friends and neighbors.
Supplies I Have on Hand
• A one-year supply of food/water or more, and the capacity/plan to grow more in a garden.
• Barter items that will be useful in an economic collapse, such as silver/gold, ammunition, building hardware, clothing.
• Major first aid supplies, including antibiotics, basic surgical equipment, etc.
• The capacity to generate energy, heat and potable water off-grid, including fuel as necessary.
• Both handguns and rifles/shotguns on hand, enough ammo that you’re worried about being on an ATF watch list.
Example of Supplies at This Level
• Significant food storage, including a scheduled calories/day diet for all household members: dehydrated and bulk dried foods.
• Major first-aid/trauma and emergency dental kit plus potassium iodate tablets sufficient for 10-15 days.
• A handgun and rifle for all willing adult members of the household, 1000 rounds of ammunition per weapon.
• Propane or other cooking and heating fuel safely stored.
• Gold and silver coins, rounds or bars . Steps I Have Taken
• Serious training both for myself as well as other household members, including survival/medical skills, farming, sewing skills that will be necessary during a prolonged breakdown of services and government control.
• I have a relocation plan that involves my own family and potentially others, including provisions I can use both locally and wherever my retreat location is.
Scenarios I’m ready for:
• A major national emergency, such as a complete economic collapse, a nuclear/biological war or pandemic, or an EMP taking out the US Power grid
***In trouble if there isn’t some semblance of a stable recovery and government after a full year***

LEVEL 5 How a Friend Would Describe Me
• You are a ready to survive a Zombie apocalypse. You absolutely terrify the Liberal Intelligentsia. Supplies I Have on Hand
• Gardening and/or farming equipment.
• Solar bank with deep storage batteries.
• Farm animals.
• Horses or ATVs for travel (with stored feed/fuel).
• 500+ gallons of fuel/diesel stored below ground.
• Battle rifles and carbines, at least 10,000 rounds of ammunition per weapon.
• Copy of the Bible, the U.S. Constitution, the Federalist Papers, Atlas Shrugged and books by Glenn Beck. Example of Supplies at This Level
• Heirloom seeds, fertilizer/compost.
• FAL, M-14 or AR-15 rifles, accessories, extra magazines and equipment.
• Goats, cows, pigs and chickens or other livestock.
• Extra auto parts for ATVs/Vehicles: batteries, starter, alternator, belts, hoses, water pump, etc.
• Kerosene and lantern, wood or coal stove and fuel.
• Surgical kit including scalpels, clamps, sutures/staples, blood transfusion kits. Steps I Have Taken
• I have a fully capable small farm/ranch, with food and supplies for myself, family and visitors.
• I have the plans and capability to defend it all against marauders up to platoon-sized foreign/UN troops.
• I have the ability to generate an income in a scenario either through selling food, equipment or services I am sufficiently skilled to deliver.
• I have the spiritual and philosophical basis to make morally correct decisions for myself, my family and property in a doomsday scenario. Scenarios I’m ready for:
• The End of Days/Rapture/2nd Coming, global thermonuclear war, eruption of the Yellowstone Caldera, election of Hillary Clinton
***In trouble only if I fail to maintain my moral compass during trying times***