Jim Rawles is the founder and senior editor of SurvivalBlog.com, a popular survival and disaster preparedness blog that he launched in 2005. The former U.S. Army intelligence officer has authored a plethora of survival books and novels, several of which became best-sellers.
As an expert in his field, Rawles informs and motivates readers to take steps that will help prepare themselves and their families in the event of an economic collapse, terrorist attack, severe weather, or other crises. He aims to help people prepare, not panic, in difficult and unforeseen situations.
He shared his and his family’s approach to emergency preparedness, and his best tips for getting started.
Why Prepare?
The Epoch Times: There are a lot of different approaches to prepping, and different personalities teaching about the subject. What’s different about you and your approach?Jim Rawles: I have always emphasized the importance of storing extra food to be able to provide for charity. We have a four-year supply of food stored for our family, but we consider that a two-year supply for two families.
The Epoch Times: How did you get interested in preparing for emergencies?
Mr. Rawles: I grew up in the Bomb Shelter Era in the prototypical bomb shelter town: Livermore, California, the home of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories, where they both design nuclear weapons and have an intelligence agency (Z-Division) that keeps track of which countries are developing or possess nuclear bombs. To this day, Livermore has the highest number of private fallout shelters per capita in the United States. Growing up there, it was only natural that I became a prepper.
I also came from a pioneer family who headed west by covered wagon in the 1850s.
The Epoch Times: Can you tell us about emergencies that you have been in?
Mr. Rawles: In April 1986, I was stationed in Stuttgart, West Germany, working as an active duty U.S. Army intelligence officer, when the Chernobyl meltdown occurred. At the time, I knew that I should avoid dairy products and stay indoors as much as possible. But what we weren’t told was how much fallout we actually received. It was later revealed that the fallout was substantial, but that was downplayed by the German government and mainstream media to prevent a panic. In retrospect, we should have been “hunkered in a bunker” for a couple of weeks. Lesson learned: Don’t believe official pronouncements from governments and mainstream media outlets.
The Epoch Times: What kind of emergencies do you foresee the need to be prepared for, given the current state of the world?
Mr. Rawles: My main concerns are economic, given our government’s many decades of gross overspending. I’m also quite concerned about regional wars blossoming into a Third World War. And in the long term, I believe that an AI-controlled totalitarian regime is quite possible.
The Epoch Times: How long should people be prepared to ride out an emergency?
Mr. Rawles: We should be prepared for at least two years without the restoration of viable commerce. But even having just a six-month supply will greatly increase the chances of survival for most families.
Getting Started
The Epoch Times: If readers have not started preparing for emergencies, what initial steps should be their highest priority?Mr. Rawles: First and foremost: Get right with God and pray for his guidance, providence, protection, and a place of hiding. Next, make a plan and set a budget. Work at it systematically and logically—not out of fear. Then just gradually and systematically stock up, team up, and train up. Meanwhile, get in shape physically and get to a normal body weight.
The Epoch Times: For those prepping on a budget, what essentials would you recommend?
Mr. Rawles: The bare essentials are water filtration, food storage, first aid, and self-defense.
[For food storage,] simply stock up on the staple foods that you already use. For example, instead of buying one-pound or two-pound bags of rice, start buying it in 20-plus-pound bags. The per-serving cost is less than half as much if you buy the larger bags.
Food and Water
The Epoch Times: How much food and water do you have in your emergency storage?Mr. Rawles: With just three adults still at home, we have about a four-year supply of long-term storage foods. But that does not include what we produce in our vegetable gardens and orchard, nor the livestock we produce. We have cattle, sheep, and a very large flock of chickens.
We also live in a remote area with abundant wild game. Our ranch backs up to millions of acres of National Forest.
The Epoch Times: What water storage and/or purification equipment do you have and recommend?
Mr. Rawles: I recommend having two water filters—one for at home and one or more compact filters for a “bugout” bag. The home filter should be a large ceramic filter, such as a Big Berkey. The compact filter should be something like a Katadyn Pocket Filter or at least a Life Straw.
The Epoch Times: Please walk us through the essential foods in your own long-term storage pantry.
Mr. Rawles: The majority of our storage foods are bulk grains, rice, and legumes, all packed in five-gallon food-grade plastic buckets. We packed most of those ourselves to keep the per-serving costs low.
In descending order of quantity/weight, we have the following stored in five-gallon buckets:
- Wheat
- Rice
- Salt
- Beans
- Peas
- Lentils
- Honey
- Powdered milk
- Potato flakes
- Dried fruit
- Onion flakes
- Maple syrup
- Sugar (both brown and white)
The Epoch Times: What essential food storage and cooking equipment do you have and recommend?
Mr. Rawles: We have a dehydrator and Food Saver vacuum packer, and both a water bath canner and a pressure canner. I recommend being ready to feed large groups of people. That necessitates having several large stewpots and an oversized cast iron skillet. We have a 21-inch skillet from Cabela’s.
The Epoch Times: What are the most common mistakes people make when building up an emergency food supply?
Mr. Rawles: They tend to stock too many packaged foods. Unless you buy from a premium vendor, those tend to be high in salt and high in MSG. Although commercially canned storage foods have a very long shelf life, their cost per meal is relatively high.
Your dollar will stretch farther and you will have a more healthy diet if you pack your own bulk foods in five-gallon food-grade buckets with mylar liners and O2-absorbing packets.
Another mistake is failing to store sprouting seeds. That is a very inexpensive way to provide your family with very nutritious greens. They are nutrient-dense and have great vitamin content.
Bulk grains, rice, and legumes are long-lasting and affordable staples to store in an emergency food pantry. Mikhailov Studio/Shutterstock
Power and Communications
The Epoch Times: In case of a power outage, how long should people be prepared to be out of power?Mr. Rawles: Ideally, you should be prepared to be energy-independent, but a generator with a three-month fuel supply will probably suffice. A propane-fuel generator is probably best for most families. Consult your local laws, but most cities and towns allow very large propane tanks.
With a whole-house photovoltaic (PV) power system, you can be nearly energy independent for 10-plus years in all but the most northern climate zones. If your home is on a well, then make sure that the PV system inverter (or a generator) can provide 220-Volt AC power.
If you cannot afford a large system or you are an apartment dweller, then at least buy a couple of PV panels and a battery-based system, such as a Goal Zero Yeti 1500X, with an integral AC inverter.
The Epoch Times: In an extended power outage, what tips do you have for heating your home and staying warm in the winter?
Mr. Rawles: Unless you live in Florida, you should have a winter-weight sleeping bag for every family member! In northern climates, you should install a wood stove or a fireplace insert.
The Epoch Times: Please walk us through your plan and essentials to stay connected—receiving news and communicating with loved ones.
Mr. Rawles: For all prepper families, I recommend getting a CB radio and four or more inexpensive handie-talkies. For advanced preppers, you could also get an older HF transceiver, such as the rock-solid Kenwood Model 680 or 780.
You will get more bang for your buck by buying used equipment at ham radio swap meets. A public service band (police/fire/weather) scanner is also very useful.
Inexpensive handie-talkies can keep you connected to your loved ones in an emergency. Valentin Valkov/Shutterstock
Bugging Out
The Epoch Times: When is it better to stay put, and when is it better to “bug out”?Mr. Rawles: In most situations, it is generally best to stay put, unless there is a local weather emergency or an earthquake. In the event of a grid-down societal collapse, most people will be forced to bug out as the cities become uninhabitable. I hope that you have “country cousins”!
The Epoch Times: What are the most common mistakes people make when buying/putting together a go bag?
Mr. Rawles: They don’t actually check the weight of what they plan to carry. Nor do they test the comfort of their primary backpack when it is fully loaded. I have a free “List of Lists” spreadsheet on my blog site, SurvivalBlog.com (all available free of charge).
The Epoch Times: What type of go bag would you recommend?
Mr. Rawles: I really like the Mystery Ranch brand packs. The size that you choose depends on your height and your age.
The Epoch Times: Where do you keep your go bag?
Mr. Rawles: My situation is unusual. I live at my full-time retreat, so I keep mine at home. If I lived in a city and commuted to work, then I would probably keep it in the locking trunk of an all-wheel drive car or in a locking tool crate bolted into the bed of a 4-wheel drive pickup.
The Epoch Times: What should go in an emergency car kit?
Mr. Rawles: All of the bug-out essentials: Water bottle, filter, matches in a waterproof container, two mylar space blankets, compact foods that are not temperature sensitive (such as granola bars), a Leatherman (their Wave model, or better), a flashlight, a pistol and ammunition if your local laws allow it (or a large canister of bear spray if they don’t), a sleeping bag and parka for winter months, and a pair of comfortable boots or walking shoes.
For your vehicle, at least three 25-minute road flares (by the way, these are also very effective for self-defense, when lit!), a proper breaker bar for turning lug nuts, a full-size spare tire, and a can of Fix-A-Flat.
Mindset and Morale
The Epoch Times: What’s the best mindset to have as we prepare for emergencies?Mr. Rawles: Consider the next big emergency “YOYO Time.” YOYO stands for You’re On Your Own. Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Helene both taught us that government agencies are simply overwhelmed by the scale of relief needed.
The Epoch Times: How do you personally maintain morale when an emergency strikes, both for yourself and your loved ones? What tips do you have for others?
Mr. Rawles: Keep the faith. Also, keep in good company. It takes both faith and friends to survive.
