145: Prepping for People With Disabilities

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I was asked about my thoughts on prepping for people with disabilities. And after thinking about it, I believe that prepping can always be approached from the same foundational way.

By following my simple system of preparedness, a person will be able to effectively assess their situation, create a preparedness plan, and begin leveling up their preparedness.

After all, while some of us have challenges that would cause other to buckle, the thought process behind being prepared should be the same for everyone.

Follow the SHTF Planning Process

I recommend that you start with the 4-Step SHTF Plan based on the Mind4Survival Pyramid.

• Step 1: Acknowledge That You Need an SHTF Plan
• Step 2: Decide on a Course of Action
• Step 3: Prepare Your SHTF Plan Based on the Survival Pyramid
• Step 4: Take Action

Step 1: Acknowledge That You Need an SHTF Plan

The foundation of everyone’s survival pyramid is mindset. And, when it comes to your specific plan, you’re asking the question, so I know you already have Step 1 – Acknowledge That You Need an SHTF Plan checked off.

Step 2: Decide on a Course of Action

With step one completed, it’s now time for step two. Step two is deciding on a course of action. And deciding on a course of action starts with situational awareness. In today’s world, we all have fantastic opportunities to be situationally aware, regardless of capability level.

Almost everything you need to know to make well-grounded decisions is available through the Internet and other means. And, when it comes to making decisions, if we’re as well informed as we believe we are, the best decision will reveal itself to us.

When we know the answer, we know the answer. The only time that fails us is when we think we know the answer and don’t. Then, we’re making a decision based upon lousy info.

So, do your best to be aware of what’s happening around you. In doing that, we all must acknowledge our true capability levels, with capability being easily captured in the capability formula. (Mindset + Ability)*Luck (-/+) = Capability. As a note, ability is a combination of knowledge + skill.

The important takeaway from that is while a person, skill-wise, may not be as capable as others, they can load the capability formula in their favor by focusing on the mindset and knowledge aspects. By focusing on the mental side of preparedness, you can plan ahead of time to compensate and prepare for any weaknesses and accentuate any strengths.

Besides having the vulnerability to examine your capabilities honestly, your first strength is that you’re a prepper. And by being a prepper, you have the can-do attitude to make the best out of the worst.

Heck, in terms of preppers with disabilities, they’re doing more than non-preppers without. In my opinion, that translates into a better-prepared person, regardless of physical ability.

Step 3: Prepare Your SHTF Plan Based on the Survival Pyramid

Now it’s time to create your SHTF. Your plan should follow the flow of the survival pyramid by addressing the most critical needs first.

In the case of a person with mobility or medical problems, you should emphasize, in my opinion, three areas. First, creating a more resilient home as a hardened layer for self-defense. Second, if you have the option to move to a more secure location, early recognition, and action on the need to evacuate through effective situational awareness.

Last, meeting the requirements of the survival pyramid such as medical needs, environmental control, water and sleep, food, and society.

Creating a More Resilient Home

While many people romanticize bugging out, the truth is most people will be better off staying inside their homes as long as possible. Your home has more storage than does your bug-out bag. Likewise, your home offers more excellent protection against the elements and criminals than your car or clothes when not in your home.

Because your best option is to stay in your home, then your plan should be on the five Ds of home security:

• Deter
• Detect
• Delay
• Deny
• Defend

With your home as secure as possible, I would concentrate on the necessities you need to survive. Perhaps that’s electricity to control medical equipment. Maybe it’s figuring out how to maximize the medication that you have on hand. Do you have a service animal that has its own needs?

Whatever it is, your efforts should minimize the impact of any limitations you may have. Likewise, I would stock up on any foods people need for special diets and intake restrictions.

In the end, everyone has limitations. Some are more severe than others. And that doesn’t change the fact that prepping is a process of acknowledgment, assessment and decision-making, planning, and taking action.

Anyone who can do that, even people with physical disabilities. When they do, they are enabling themselves to rise to the situation. And, in the end, that’s all we can do.

Trip Wires & Pace Plan

As you create your plan, it’s critical to establish trip wires that tell you in no uncertain terms that you will perform a specific action when a particular event happens. This takes all doubt out of the equation and is especially helpful when figured in the context of a PACE plan.

Perhaps your tripwire is that when you see riots in your hometown, you’ll execute the Primary option of your plan. And that primary option may be to hunker down in your home and monitor for another tripwire being activated.

Maybe the next tripwire initiates an action when you hear reports of police officers not showing up for work or unrest spilling into residential neighborhoods. Whatever it is, the earlier a problem is detected, the sooner your mitigating action, such as PACE plan contingencies, can be launched to deal with the situation.

Meeting the Requirements of the Survival Pyramid

The survival pyramid covers your basic survival needs. Therefore, when creating your plan, use it to guide you to creating your stockpile, make proper use of resources, and in general become prepared as effectively and easily as possible.

Do you have medication that is necessary? Well, come up with a plan for what you have and how to legally get more. The same goes for all the basics of survival, water, food, heat, etc. Come up with a plan based on what you have and are capable of. Then work to improve the plan and your situation.

Step 4: Take Action

Doing all we can do means taking action. Your action may be to gather more supplies because that’s what the plan calls for. Your action may be to have the front door reinforced. The list can go on and on, but it’s time for action and improved preparedness.

The Bottom Line of Prepping for People With Disabilities

Prepping for people with disabilities is, at its core, no different than prepping for anyone else. The fact is, a person with a disability and a mind for preparedness, in my opinion, will always be better prepared than a healthy person without a mind for preparedness.

The only difference is in the specifics of your preps, with your preps being the things that you do to minimize your limitations and enhance your capabilities. In the end, that’s all anyone can do.

What are your thoughts on prepping f7 or people with disabilities? Do you have any tips that can help others with disabilities prepare? Please, tell us in the comments below.

Additional Resources:

• Top Prepping Tips! (Step-By-Step Survival Guide)
• SHTF Tasks for All Ages and Abilities
• How to Get Started Prepping for SHTF With What You Already Have
• Best Bugging In Guide – Mindset, Gear, & Supplies