[Homesteadingfamily] Preparing..where to start?

Hi Jennifer:
These are some questions that have been posed to us over the years to think about as you plan to prepare:

I have compiled a list of simple questions to ask of yourself before or as you
begin to prepare. These are meant as guidelines only, to help you figure on how
much to store as well as reasons for doing so.

1) Do you have enough food in your pantry to feed your immediate
family for 4-6 weeks, if a disaster hit today?
2) Where would you be able to find potable (drinkable) water, if the
city or county could no longer provide your supply?
3) If you have a well, could you retrieve water from it without
electricity? Do you have a hand pump for the well?
4) How would you cook or heat food, read, etc without electricity or
natural gas? Could you cook on a grill or open campfire?
5) If you have a mortgage, do you currently have at least 2-3 months
put back for such an emergency?
6) Do you have a form of communication other than telephones (cell)
like HAM radio, long range walkie talkies, CB radio, shortwave,
etc?
7) Do you currently make a vegetable garden or do have things on hand
to make one if needed? Store viable seed? Basic hand implements?
8) Do you have a supply of books (Bible), game boards, cards, paper,
pens, etc to entertain children or yourselves in times of peril
and possibly holed up in close quarters?
9) Do you have at least a weeks worth of socks, underwear, tee
shirts, heavy coats, gloves, hats for each member of your
family? (Hygiene will become an absolute priority when the power
goes!)
10) Do you have basic toilet items such as paper, 5 gal pail
w/plastic bags? Outhouse? Place to burn the soiled bags?
11) Do you own a handgun, shotgun or other firearms, as well as ammo
for each AND know how to clean and use them?
12) What trade or skills do you have that you could use to barter
for what you may need or run out of, in times of crisis?
13) Do you know your close neighbors or have friends whom you can
count to partner with you for protection as well as share
workloads and security watches?
14) Can you or someone in your household do basic emergency medical
treatment? Do you have books to help with this as well as
basic first aid supplies?
15) Do you have items set aside for bartering, even though you may
not use them now? (tobacco, lighters, alcohol, etc)
16) Do you have enough fuel to get where you need to go for safety,
as well as for the grill, barter, heat, etc?

These questions are posed to make you think about issues that WILL become a
priority when and if the grid goes down. Police will not be available to protect
you and your property, nor will there be emergency services. You will be on your
own with what you have set aside during prepping. Long term planning or plans to
get somewhere safe, quickly will be a must.