First Actions to Take During a Crisis

To many people, preparing is just having the right supplies stockpiled and on hand. While that is clearly an important part of the prepping movement, skills and planning are at least as important as having a stockpile of food and a water purification system. 

Dealing with emergency situations

Emergency responders around the world develop plans for dealing with a variety of different emergency situations. That gives them the time to think things through carefully while there is no crisis to deal with. Those plans make it possible for their agencies to know what to do, even when everything is going wrong. While not a perfect system, it’s a whole lot better than just relying on your instincts and doing whatever seems right at the time. 

human brain tends to shut down during crisis!

The human brain tends to sort of shut down during times of crisis. We go into a more instinctive mode, rather than doing things rationally. That’s the big reason why such plans are so important, as they help increase the chances that we’ll do the right thing, rather than running around like chickens with our heads cut off. 

So, what are the first things we need to do when a crisis hits? 

Things we need to do when a crisis hits

The most important step

The first thing is to decide that it truly is a crisis and that action will need to be taken. Believe it or not, this is the single hardest step, as many crises may not look all that serious, while other things which don’t end up being serious start out that way. If you’re not sure, then you need to fall on the side of caution and protect your family. 

One critical part of that decision is whether the family needs to make their way home immediately or at the end of their day. If you’re planning a bug out, then you’ll probably want to get everyone together as quickly as possible. But if you’re going to bug in, then they can probably wait until work and school are over. 

Once you’ve made that decision, it’s necessary to communicate it to the family. Fortunately, with just about everyone carrying around a cell phone these days, all that’s needed is a family text group to send out that notification. Make sure that everyone knows to respond as soon as they get the message. 

What else needs to be done?

With everyone at home, you’ve accomplished the most important thing. But what else needs to be done?

• Get in touch with other preppers you may know, letting them know you’re putting your survival plans into effect. 
• Warn non-prepper family members, suggesting that they stock up on food and water. If necessary, remind them that you have not stockpiled for them. 
• Top off your water supply, even if you have plenty of water. Fill any containers that aren’t already full, including your bath tub (if that’s part of your water plan). 
• Make a last run to the stores to stock up on any last-minute items, whether food or other essential supplies. 
• Fill up the car’s gas tank and any gas cans you have.