We will discuss a wide range of disasters, from the mundane, like a power outage, to the severe, such as a hurricane. We will also talk about why it is important to be prepared for such emergencies, including the need to be less reliant upon outside agencies so they can better allocate their resources to those truly in need. The student will learn how to do a risk assessment on their own to determine the most likely disasters they may face.

If you have a ready source for clean water, everything else in a crisis is that much easier. Without water, though, finding a source for it becomes your priority. In this lesson, we will talk about the importance of water and how to determine a minimum amount needed for the student’s family. We will then discuss proper storage methods as well as various means of filtering and disinfecting water that is sourced from outside the home.

We will not present any first aid training in this lesson as we’re not qualified to do so. What we will do is discuss first aid supplies each home should have on hand, including over the counter medications. Cleanliness can be difficult to accomplish in the aftermath of a disaster, of course, but by planning ahead you can at least feel relatively human. In this lesson, we’ll also discuss options for disposing of waste when indoor plumbing is at less than peak efficiency.

Perhaps one of the single most important things that can be done in advance of a disaster is to get your finances under control. In this lesson, we’ll talk about why this is so importance and then present some simple ways to reduce or eliminate debt, save money, and put together an emergency fund.

A house fire can be devastating, in both material loss as well as potential injuries or deaths. In this lesson, we’re going to cover everything from smoke detectors to fire extinguisher use. We’ll also talk about common causes of fires and how to prevent them, as well as the importance of evacuation drills.

It won’t matter how much you’ve amassed in supplies and gear if someone else can take it away from you. We’re not going to get into military-style tactics or anything, but we’ll cover how to secure your home and perimeter using alarm systems, cameras, motion-activated lights, and more. We’ll also talk about some basic things anyone can do that will help protect their home from intrusion.

There are a variety of tools that will be of great benefit in a crisis or survival situation. In this lesson, we’ll discuss some of them, including knives, flashlights, fire starters, and cordage. We’ll talk about several options in each category, what to look for when shopping, and some specific recommendations. We’ll also touch on some basic tools and supplies to have on hand for making quick repairs as well as cleaning up damage and debris.

In this lesson, we’ll talk about a few different emergency kits the prepper may want to assemble. These include the vehicle emergency kit, the workplace emergency kit, and a small belt kit for when hiking or otherwise venturing out into the field. We’ll look at the suggested contents for each of these portable collections of gear and supplies and talk about why each is important.

Here, we’re going to talk about what bugging out means and when it is appropriate. We’ll delve into the very basics of what should be in an evacuation kit and how to plan for a time when hitting the road is your best option, which is far less often than you may realize.

A summary of our main points and a course wide exam to see what you've learned