Ten Smart Things to do Before Year-End

As incredible as it may seem, 2019 is almost gone. The end of any year is always hectic, but it’s also a great time to reflect on lessons learned, fine-tune our goals, and most importantly to set yourself up for success in the coming year. Even if you don’t have a lot of time, there are a number of very basic steps you can take right now. Most of the items on our year-end list can be accomplished quickly, but the benefits will help you get 2020 off to a very good start.

Here’s a list of 10 tips, ideas and planning suggestions to consider before 2019 comes to a close.

Back to Basics. With all the fancy gear, and all the high-tech gadgets available it’s easy to get caught up in all the “stuff” at the expense of the basic items that we all need to survive after a disaster – food, water, first aid/medical, self-defense and security, sanitation and hygiene, and knowing when to get out and when to stay put. This is a very good time to revisit, and secure, the basics – what I call the Core Survival Elements. Focus on the CSEs and don’t worry about the gadgets; you’ll also save some money.


Food stores. Now is an excellent time to review and rotate all your food stores. Even long-term food stores need attention. Check out all the dates, the condition of the containers, and make sure that you are using your supplies in the proper order – First-In, First-Out (FIFO).  Inspect all cans and packages. Look for seals that may have been compromised. Discard any food in containers showing signs of rust, corrosion, damage, or any cans that are leaking, bulging or swollen. Also discard any food that is discolored, mushy, moldy, or has a foul odor. Replace discarded items, and remind yourself to rotate supplies often throughout the year. See Crisis Cuisine-Long-Term Food Storage.


Water & water disinfection supplies.Water is essential to maintain life. Most people will not survive for more than three days without access to fresh, potable water. You should store ample water supplies, and also have redundant ways to disinfect water. See Water Storage Essentials.


Update and rotate your Bug-Out-Bag (BOB) inventory. Bugging out will usually be the last resort, but you still need to be ready. Focus on the survival essentials, and keep your bag light, well organized and current. For a list of supplies see my article “Bug-Out Bag 101”


Update and rotate your Get-Home-Bag (GHB) inventory. If a crisis occurs and you’re away from home, how will you get back to your family? A Get Home Bag (GHB) contains the tools to help you get back home from wherever you happen to be when a crisis strikes.  If you don’t already have a GHB in your office, place of business, school or vehicle – it’s time to get one. Check out our list of supplies, ideas and suggestions to set-up your GHB.


Review, update and rotate your Emergency Vehicle Kit (EVK inventory.) Every driver should have a well-stocked EVK in their vehicle(s) at all times.  A roadside emergency can happen to anyone, usually without any warning.  Imagine that you’re driving and you get a flat tire, or your car battery gives out.  You may find yourself on the side of the road in an isolated area, or in an empty parking lot, late at night and far from help.  Being prepared can help you get back on the road faster, reduce your stress and help keep you safe. Check out our Emergency Vehicle Kit


Legal and financial documents and information.This is an excellent time to review, identify, organize and securely store all your legal and financial documents and information. If you’re like most people, the majority of your legal and financial documents are probably sitting in a drawer somewhere in your house. As important as these documents are, few of us ever bother to take the proper steps to secure and protect them. After a crisis, however, we will need access to this important information in the rebuilding and reconstruction phase of the disaster. If you haven’t addressed this vulnerability, do yourself a favor and get it done now. We can help you get started – Legal & Financial Preps.


Review, test, evaluate and update all emergency plans. Plans are a necessary part of any viable survival strategy; even though most situations never develop as you may have anticipated. The very act of analyzing a potential disaster situation, however, will usually broaden your options. This is not to say that you should be planning for specific events, but you should be planning on how you will afford yourself access to the CSEs, how you will bug-out, shelter-in-place, or get back home, after a disaster. If you have not planned for any of these possibilities, now is a very good time to get started.


Read at least one preparedness, or survival book. The mind is the most valuable survival resource, and acquiring knowledge and skills should be one of your top priorities for 2020. But, why not get started right now. There are more books and resources available today than ever before. Pick a topic, an author or, or an area that interest you and get a fresh prospective, learn new skills, and share that new-found knowledge with your family or group members.


Get at least one other person interested in preparedness. This is not something you hear about often, but this last suggestion may one day save you and yours a lot of heartache. The idea is simple, the more of us that are prepared the better for everyone else. If after a disaster friends, neighbors and relatives start showing up at your house, what would you do? Few of us can make adequate preparations for large groups of people. Take the opportunity to share the word with your friends, neighbors and loved ones. What they do is up to them, but we can certainly try to open their eyes and, and at least encourage them to make a few basic preparations. Having the folks around you prepared, could represent one less potential difficulty for you to deal with after a disaster or public emergency. Check out Pivot Points by Paul T. Martin.

Remember the idea is not to follow a list, but rather to focus your efforts on the things that really matter in your situation. At the end of the day, the only plans and preparations that actually matter are the one you make in advance; once the crisis is upon you, it’s too late.

Stay Safe and be prepared!

Richard Duarte

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