The 7 Prepping Essentials (What You Need to Know)

A family in their living room having a fun conversation about prepping.

Are you ready to start prepping so that you’re ready for anything life throws at you? If so, you’ve come to the right place. Prepping is for everyone, including everyday folks like you and me who want to be prepared for both big disasters and life’s little curveballs. Drawing on my extensive background in security,…

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Mountain Readiness Expo 2025: What You Missed

Mountain Readiness Expo 2025 at Van Hoy Campground in Harmony, NC

The Mountain Readiness Expo is a hands-on, three-day preparedness gathering held at Van Hoy Campground in Harmony, NC. It brings together survival instructors, authors, homesteaders, and everyday people for skills-based learning and community building. Held May 2-4, 2025, at Van Hoy Campground, Mountain Readiness isn’t just another gear show or lecture circuit. It’s a practical,…

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FEMA Emergency Supply List. Will You Be Ready?

Person assembling an emergency supply kit at home based on FEMA checklist

From hurricanes and wildfires to power grid failures and civil unrest, emergencies can upend normal life with little warning. When that happens, the time to prepare is already over. That’s why building a reliable emergency response kit is one of the most essential steps anyone can take toward personal resilience. FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency)…

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Situational Awareness Training: Are You Really Prepared?

Person scanning surroundings in urban area with text overlay: 7 Situational Awareness Tips You Need to Know to Stay Safe.

Every day, the world around you is sending signals — some obvious, many subtle. The ability to pick up on those signals, to read the situation before it unfolds, can mean the difference between success and failure in overcoming the problems that may head your way. In today’s world of uncertainty, sharpening your situational awareness…

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10 Survival Skills to Learn Before You Need Them

Person purifying water outdoors as part of essential survival skills training.

A disaster can strike any time so learning what to do in an emergency is best accomplished before anything happens. Whether you face a power outage, economic collapse, or getting lost in the wild, these 10 survival skills could help you and your family survive the emergency without panicking. Learn them now—before you actually need…

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Self-Defense Shooting? What TO DO When Cops Arrive

A man being arrested after defending himself.

When you survive a self-defense shooting, your next move could make or break your future. The physical threat may be over. But legally and emotionally, the most dangerous part may just be starting. Most people think the biggest challenge is pulling the trigger. But if you’ve defended yourself with a firearm, the real test begins…

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US-China Trade War: 10 Smart Steps to Prepare

Trade War China US Featured Image

The shelves might look full today—but what happens when the US-China trade war kicks in and they don’t? What happens when that tool, med, or food item you count on suddenly spikes in price—or disappears entirely? That’s not a preparedness doomsday fantasy. It’s the growing possibility of the U.S.–China trade war. With tariffs now heading…

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21 Budget-Friendly Items to Stockpile Now

A stockpile of items for disasters

Preparedness doesn’t have to be expensive. In fact, if you’re working within a budget—and with the current economy, most of us are—getting prepped should be a strategic, steady process, not a mad rush to spend your last cent at the nearest outdoor store. You build your supplies like a brick wall: one smart decision at…

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Is Your Perspective in Preparedness Putting You at Risk?

A father pondering his perspective in preparedness.

Have you ever confidently dismissed a warning because you knew you were right—only to have problems later because you were wrong? Just as driving with sunglasses at night can cause you to miss seeing a hazard in the road, so too can always wearing rose-colored glasses about your opinions and views of the world. In…

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How to Meet Fellow Preppers (Without Going Online!)

Hiking group in the woods.

Have you ever wanted to know how to meet fellow preppers? Did you try to connect with other preparedness-minded folks but hesitated, afraid you might reveal too much too soon? You’re not alone. Many of us want to build a supportive, reliable network without announcing our preparedness plans to the world. But how do we…

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Top 7 Things People Must Have to Survive in Any Situation

Survival family prepping emergency supplies

When it comes to Things People Must Have to Survive, close your eyes and imagine if you will… It was supposed to be a quick run to the grocery store—just fifteen minutes, tops. But suddenly, your phone blows up with texts, calls, and an emergency alert. The disaster that’s worried you—”Yeah, that one!” is happening…

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