Your Best Defense

When you think about your best defense in times of hardship, what sorts of things come to mind? For most of you, I would bet you are thinking of your guns, or your body armor, or perhaps the hardening on your bug out cabin.

Let me toss something else into the ring for consideration. Mobility.

This has several aspects, not the least of which is this: Can you physically get yourself to a new geographic location if needed? And no, a car is not cheating for this question. A car could work. Could fail too, depending on the situation. Then the question becomes, can you walk out? A harder question is can you walk out, carrying food and water and your family? I plan to drive out, but I prep to walk if it’s needed. There’s equipment that helps of course, good sturdy bags, good sturdy shoes, slings and straps and harnesses. Take an honest look at the legs you’re putting all that on though. If you aren’t training for endurance, stamina, strength, you should be. This option isn’t a Sunday stroll.

How mobile is your money? Will you have access to it if you have to bug out? Will you have access to it if power is down? Is it usable in every day transactions? That one is aimed at the gold crowd, bars may be space efficient, but the only people I know with scales are drug dealers.

How’s the healthy adult ratio in your immediate family? I was reminded this weekend about how easy it is to lose a kid in a crowd of people who are all moving around. (Town egg hunt, it was packed, thankfully it was a really familiar park and I had a good idea where the child was headed.) 2 adults and anything over 3 or 4 kids is a bad ratio, another adult would be vital to have in an emergency, start recruiting now. Seriously, work out some multi-generational living or team up with your unmarried sibling, or rent a bedroom to a younger cousin. Elders can also tip the ratio too far for good mobility, make sure you have a solid plan for their meds and aids and sanitary needs, and solid transportation for them.

How mobile are your skills? Books might have to be left, gadgets can break. Do you have skills that could keep food on the table if you are forcefully relocated?

How mobile are you? Sound off in the comments!

- Calamity Jane