The Urban Prepper's ‘Punch List’
No matter your level of preparedness, there are always going to be gaps in our urban survival plans. For some, this is a matter of cost or caution. For others, it's space. While these shortcomings can leave you feeling uneasy, keeping a close inventory of the cracks can provide a unique edge during a natural disaster or civil unrest. While others are still trying to make sense of what's coming, skip the math and get ahead of things with an urban prepper's ‘punch list’.
WHAT'S IN A NAME?
When looking to close out a project, contractors will often turn to their 'punch list' to ensure that everything is tied up in a neat little bow. While the details of each task will vary, they are commonly categorized by action. Perhaps they need to add hardware, or remove the projective film. It could be testing the lights, or fixing a dent in the front hall's gypsum. These are documented well in advance of closure, and once the sun starts setting, that's when the punch list comes out. This not only keeps the contractor from losing track of what's outstanding but ensures that nothing will be left to last-minute observation, or worse, missed entirely.
PULLING TOGETHER YOUR SHTF LIST
Like any good gap analysis, you will need to identify where you're at and where you're going. From the perspective of urban preparedness, this often means supply and support. Perhaps you've only stocked two-weeks' worth of food but would like to push it to four. Maybe you keep your water containers empty but plan to fill them once trouble is on the horizon. Need to check that battery bank? Instead of pacing lines in the floor in the eleventh hour, add them to your punch list well in advance. While formatting can vary depending on your requirement, broad categorization, task, and location will help get your feet moving. To help manage things in real-time, you can also include things like 'priority' and 'status'.
IN CASE OF XXXXXXX - PUNCH LIST
PROCURE
30 CANS ASSORTED / 20LBS RICE / 15LBS LENTILS / 6CA WATER > MAIN ST. ALDI / 5TH ST. HEB
20GA GAS / 5GA DIESEL / 2 X 20LBS PROPANE TANK > RIVER RD. SHELL STATION / ALTON ST. AMERIGAS
2 SHEET 3/8 PLYWOOD / ASSORTED BATTERIES > MILL ST. RONA / SAN MIGUEL ST. HOME DEPOT
READY/MOVE
PACK TRUCK WITH TOTES #1-3 > STORAGE LOCKER > GARAGE
MOVE AMMO TO BAGS AND BELTS > OFFICE > MASTER BR
BAG AND DOCUMENTS FOR EXIT > SPARE BR > FRONT DOOR
WATER BOB > SPARE BR WASHROOM
TEST/CHECK
VHF/UHF CHARGE > OFFICE
FLASHLIGHT CHARGE > OFFICE
POWER CUBE CHARGE > OFFICE
KEEP AN EYE ON THE HORIZON
Like any good plan, preparedness is highly dependent on awareness. Not only of where you stand, but also the environment around. By taking early account with a punch list, you're able to eliminate the time required to develop the situation, giving you a valuable head start when the SHTF. While most will use a punch list to address unavoidable shortfalls in their urban preparedness plan, others may consider this to be a strategic pillar of supply - what I would call 'Just-In-Time Inventory for when the SHTF'. While there will always be a heightened level of risk with this strategy (i.e. a lack of availability), there are a number of advantages for those who rely on restraint or know the importance of inventory depth. So, the next time you're stuck in traffic, try and think about how you'd wrap up that perfect preparedness build. Early bird gets the worm.