Saturday, March 11, 2017

The Philly Urban Prepper: Ladies first



The prepper community is pretty diverse even though most of the people who have somehow become representatives of the community are Caucasian men because they are the ones who post or produce YouTube videos a lot.



There are growing numbers of minorities who are beginning to prep, but the largest number of new preppers is women.



There are many women preppers who are married, but being a single woman or parent who also preps is on the rise.



According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2014, there were 12 million single parent households and over 80% were run by women.




So it just makes sense then that the number of preppers who are either single women or single parents would increase as well.



In Philadelphia and probably other big cities, the number is 22%. New York’s rate is lower, at 12.6% and Los Angeles has a rate of 14%.



There are numerous cultures that migrate to the United States that come from matriarchal societies such as Indonesia, parts of Africa and Costa Rica.




Matriarchal societies are ones that are run by women and these women also serve as heads of their households.



These groups of people should also be considered when looking at the number of women preppers.



As the prepper movement continues to grow every year, women are joining it as well.




Single mothers have an advantage over most preppers because they actually already do many of the things that either have to be learned or developed into a habit such as stocking up on food and supplies, doing basic household repairs, administering first-aid, and safety.



Women have the ability to be natural born preppers or preppers by design. They are inherent nesters and, even if they’re married, they are usually the ones in charge of the household which includes managing the budget as well as purchasing items such as food, clothing and deciding whether to make non-essential purchases.



Households that are run by women are also at a slight disadvantage.



Incomes that may be used for prepping supplies by two parent households are limited when looking at single mothers who only have one income.


These single person/parent households usually have women who are able to do minor repairs, but could lack the skills needed for surviving an emergency.



Although single parents are good at assigning chores or tasks to members of the family that they live with, during an emergency situation they may have to assume tasks that are often distributed between two adults in a more traditional household.



Despite the often testosterone driven information available to people who wish to prep, many of the images of women prepping are that of them doing food prep or tending to the garden. Other images show bikini-clad women in the wilderness with high powered rifles.





In addition to these weapons being heavy, once the sun has been able to hit the said weapon for awhile they can get hot which can result in a nasty burn.



Any woman can tell you that if you go out in the woods wearing nothing but a bikini or your birthday suit, you’re going to be every insect’s smorgasbord. 



These images are nothing more than an attempt to marginalize or sexualize women.



The reality is that all women are capable of so much more than just domestic duties. Even if that’s all you can do right now, there are things women can do to become just as good as any man.



1.  Learn how to use tools.



Most single women who need some repairs done currently will either call someone they know or a handyman.



Once an emergency hits, you may still be able to contact them, but it’ll probably cost you more because the ability to fix things is going to be a skill that will be much in-demand.



Even if this person previously helped you out for free, that will probably not be the case during a shut-down of services.



In order to help you out, this person may expect payment in the form of money you have stored away or some of your supplies.



Never barter what you have unless it’s something you really need like medical care and absolutely can’t do yourself because you lack the proper training.



Learning to operate tools and be able to put them to use is a skill that must be learned before an emergency hits.



The basic tools you should have on hand are:




1. Hammer;

2. An assortment of screwdrivers in different sizes (flatheads and Phillips);

3. Saw;

4. Shovel;

5. Electrician and Slip Joint pliers;

6. An assortment of nails and screws (in different sizes);

7. Measuring tape;

8. Duct tape;

9. Polyurethane adhesive;

10. A set of Allen wrenches;

11. Utility knife with extra blades;

12. Pipe and adjustable wrench;

13. Sand paper;

14. Vice grips;

15. Caulk gun;

16: Ladder;

17. Staple gun (with extra staples);

18. Stud finder;

19. Pry bar;

20. Safety goggles, gloves and hard hat;

21. Nuts and bolts;

22. Razor blades;

23. Zip ties (in different sizes)



Although this list may seem extensive, if you purchase them one or a couple at a time it won’t seem so overwhelming.



There are preppers who will also suggest purchasing a tool box, but that could be an expense you don’t need at this time. Just use a large plastic storage bin with a lid.



You can also repurpose jars to store your nuts, bolts, nails and screws in as well as keeping lose items such as staples, sandpaper, utility knife blades, and razor blades in Ziploc bags.



If you have an electric drill or are tempted to buy one, be aware that unless you have a generator this item may be unusable the longer the electric is off.



You may be tempted to purchase a battery operated drill, but these batteries are costly and will need to be recharged using electricity.



If you have an electric drill or want to purchase an electric drill and don’t know how to use one, you can go to YouTube and learn: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7Al6KLUF_o.



When you’re purchasing tools, never buy them because they’re cheap as they will most likely break easily. If you do decide to go that route, make sure you buy a couple of each tool.



Before buying the tool, make sure you pick it up and handle it. The handle should fit easily in the palm of your hand and not be so heavy that you can’t use it.



You may encounter a salesperson who will try to sell you a girly-type of tool-something with a pink handle. These are not tools that you want to have. If you want to color coordinate your tools with your wardrobe or nail polish, purchase some colored duct tape that is sold either in arts and crafts stores or office supply stores. You can wrap the handles with the duct tape.




While you still have electricity and the internet you can learn how to use tools thanks to places like YouTube and HGTV.com.


















If you decide to save some money and purchase tools at a flea market, make sure you carefully inspect them. The handles should not be cracked or loose. The head or working part of the tool should not feel light or hollow. No tools should have rust on them or look like they had been buried in the ground.



2. Never prep for anything you don’t believe will happen.



You have hundreds –if not thousands- of preppers who are stocking up on Silver Eagle coins because they believe that after society comes crashing down the world will be back in the dark ages and these coins will be currency.




Could that possibly happen? Anything is possible, but it’s not probable.



What is probable is that slowly cities and towns will recover; that the monetary system will return.



It’s very easy to lose track of yourself and prep for everything the more you watch videos on YouTube and visit various prepping websites because every conspiracy theorist or whack-job can make perfect sense when they have nothing to compare it to.



Single women –especially mothers- are usually more rational and, as a rule of thumb, tend not to get ahead of themselves. They’re also really good at keeping things simple.



So stick to what you know you’ll need for any situation regardless if it’s a bad snow storm or an emergency situation:




1. Water;

2. Food;

3. Clothing;

4. Shelter;

5. Activities for the kids such as books and board games;

6. First-aid supplies;

7. Ways to cook food such as a charcoal grill, a fireplace or a sun oven;

8. Candles or propane lamps;

9. CPR training;

10. Personal hygiene items (soap, toothpaste, etc.);



3. Be the type of prepper you want to be.



The internet is chock full of opinions on what makes a true prepper.



There are many who believe that if you don’t move out into the middle of nowhere or live off the grid then you are not a true prepper.



There are no requirements on how people should prep or even if they should prep at all.



It is always a good idea that people should prep even if it’s just enough water and food for about five years because it’s not if something is going to happen, but when it will happen.



Many preppers believe that the following scenarios are likely:




1. Natural disasters;

2. Bio-chemical which includes the spread of biological agents, nerve gases and diseases such as E. coli, SARS, dengue fever, sarin gas, anthrax, and pandemics to name a few;

3. A continuing increase in the human population which will put a catastrophic strain on food, water, natural resources, and health care;

4. EMP (electromagnetic pulse) which will be created if something such as nuclear bomb is detonated;

5. An asteroid or comet collision;

6. Dirty bombs;

7 Nuclear war;

8. World War III;

9. An economic shutdown of society;

10. Zombie apocalypse



However, out of all of these possibilities, a majority of the preppers believe that an economic shutdown is the most likely scenario and was already starting beginning back in 2008 with the recession.





It’s also a good idea to prep for maybe not natural disasters, but for serious inclement weather which affects many states.



In California residents often experience severe heat and there is always the problem with wildfires. Lately, the state has been rocked by catastrophic flooding in cities like San Jose.



Florida, the Carolinas, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, and even Delaware experience hurricanes and severe flooding.



Texas, Alabama, Kansas, Arkansas, Tennessee, and even areas of Pennsylvania have experienced tornados.



Utah, New York, Colorado, Michigan, and Wyoming often experience severe winters that can force people indoors for days, if not weeks, at a time.



There are people who prep because they want to live a simpler lifestyle or want to limit their dependency on the government or big business.



It is smart for urban women to begin prepping.



Doing so will save you time and money as well as prepare you for any unseen emergencies including job loss.



4. Homesteader Hannah or Urban Ursula?



The internet is also full of women talking about how they make their own soap, milk a cow, get eggs from their chickens, grow their own vegetables as well as herbs and spices, smoke their own meats that were caught with either their own hands or those of their husband, homeschooling their kids, making their own clothes, and actively protecting their property.



These women are known as homesteaders; people who live like a settler. Think of Little House on the Prairie.





These women, like stay-at-home moms or beautifully svelte and fashionable career women, can make others feel inadequate or just plain guilty if you read enough of their stuff.



Urban women who prep shouldn’t buy into the whole “you-should-be-jealous-of-me” syndrome.



Honestly, do you really think you can stuff a cow, some chickens, goats and a garden in a small urban backyard?



Most cities have laws against that kind of stuff.



Although all preppers pretty much stock up on the same things, urban prepping is much different than suburban or rural prepping.



There are different resources available to urban preppers that other preppers either have to grow or make themselves.



Urban preppers have numerous places they can go to buy what they need a lot cheaper than other preppers who have to order it through the internet or catalogues.



If urban females should learn one skill it’s canning.


In the long run canning your fruits and vegetables can be a lot cheaper and healthier than having to constantly buy canned goods at the grocery store.



You can take advantage of local farmers, produce stands as well as places like the Reading Terminal in Philadelphia or Baltimore, Maryland’s 32 Street Framer’s Market.




Having the ability to can also will serve as a marketable skill once an emergency hits because people who failed to prep will need food. You can make extra jars available to either sell or barter for goods as well as services.



For more information on canning, please read The Philly Urban Prepper’s article at: http://mchicetawn.blogspot.com/2017/01/the-philly-urban-prepper-canning.html.



You can also learn how to can on YouTube at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbNNitnMuww.



If homesteading is something that interests you, please read The Philly Urban Prepper’s article on homesteading in an urban environment at: http://mchicetawn.blogspot.com/2017/01/the-philly-urban-prepper-homesteading.html.



5. Placing emphasis on safety.



It is an unfortunate misconception that many people think of women as weak or the weaker sex.

This can’t be further from the truth because there really is no such thing as a weak woman.




Still, you will always have someone willing to test this theory about the strength of a woman and that is especially true after an emergency hits.



Regardless of where you live, there might be some people who think that because you are a woman you will be an easier target.



The most important thing to take into consideration when  prepping for an emergency is that once the power goes out, stores shut down and local law enforcement or government is non-responsive mayhem and panic will ensue.



People you thought were okay or that you knew and trusted may not act that way.



Controversial times will certainly bring out the worst in people.



Here are some tips to keep yourself and your home safe:



1. Don’t go out unless you absolutely have to and if you have done your due diligence in prepping there will be no need for you to go out.



People will often get comfortable or develop a sense of safety in their neighborhoods and cities.



The longer you live in a particular area the more likely that is.



Forget about that. The only place you can count on to be safe is in your own home.



2. Secure all doors and windows.



Prior to an emergency, make sure all locks work properly and replace any doors if you need to.

For added security, you can board up any windows on the first floor or in the basement from the inside.




Do not board the windows up from the outside as people can come and rip off the boards in order to gain access to your home. Place the boards on the inside of the window where you have control over them.



Many urban homes put either bars on the outside of their windows or attach a metal grate on the inside of the windows and although these are fine in preventing someone from breaking in, they will not prevent the windows from being broken nor keep you safe from gases, toxins or massive winds/inclement weather.



You can also attach a cowbell to all doors and purchase door braces for additional security.






3. Prep the outside of your house.



Trim or remove any bushes/trees that obstruct your views of the street or provide someone with enough coverage to spy on or attack you.



Remove anything such as tables, trash cans with lids, chairs, or children’s toys such as a slide because they can be used to either break a window or as a ladder to get in through the second floor.



 Many older houses have metal awnings attached to them and they are a criminal’s best friend as it gives them easy access to the house.



If you’re willing to, remove the awnings. If that’s not a possibility, coat the top of them with either vegetable oil or motor oil. This will cause the would-be offender to slip off.



Make sure you reapply the oil every couple of days or after a rain or snowstorm.



4. Carefully consider where exactly you hunker down at.



Most emergency preparedness websites tell you to have a room with all your supplies where you can go and basically live until an emergency is over.



If you decide to do that, pick your room carefully.



You don’t want a room where you don’t know what’s going on outside and you don’t want a room where you have no way out other than the door you came in at.

Many preppers use their basement as that room and, like the rural prepper’s underground bunkers, these are death traps.



Consider the following:



  • Flooding in basements is a common occurrence in large cities.



  • The loss of power could release toxins into the air or through the ground and these can come into your basement via the plumbing, sump pumps or even cause your gas or water heater to explode.



  • There is limited ventilation in the basement.



  • If you do choose to come up from the basement, you may not know what’s waiting on the other side of the door for you. Experienced criminals can be so quiet you wouldn’t even hear them walking around upstairs.



However, if you are attentive in your prepping you’ll be able to use your entire house or apartment.



You should establish rooms, preferably on the second floor if you have one, to go to if you have to.



Keep some supplies such as water, a bucket or a portable toilet, candles, first aid supplies, change of clothing, food that doesn’t need to be cooked such as canned goods or MREs (Meals Ready to Eat), and something to keep your family occupied like board games.



6. A prepper in need is not necessarily a friend indeed.



A lot of women preppers talk about the cold shoulder they often get from the male counterparts they meet.



Many say that they feel that they are not regarded as true preppers because they are single and women.



These same women say that the men who do come across as supportive of female preppers usually show their true colors by attempting to manipulate them into parting with some of her supplies.



There’s nothing wrong with helping out a fellow prepper if you’re in the position to do so, but not if the other prepper is not willing to reciprocate.



In the real world these preppers would be referred to as rainy day friends; someone who is only your friend when it benefits them.



Developing a friendship with a prepper is the same as developing a friendship with anyone else; they need to earn your trust overtime and not be your friend only when they need something.



A true prepper would not try to take advantage of another prepper like that and anyone with honor would not take or ask for anything they can get or should get on their own.



Finally, you will have a lot of preppers (both male and female) trying to tell you that there are rules.



They will try and tell you about the established roles of men versus women when it comes to prepping or during a shutdown of society; that the man hunts and forages while the woman takes care of all the household duties.



These preppers like to dictate the importance of having an arsenal of weapons, living off the grid or moving to a prepper community in the middle of nowhere.



These things are as important as you want them to be because it’s all about personal choice.



These are not rules because there really aren’t any rules. These were choices they made for whatever reason.



Although the basics of water, food and shelter are the same, anything beyond that depends on personal choice.



Everyone’s situation is different and you should prep for that situation. Don’t prep for what you’re told you need. Prep for what you feel you need.



Being a man or married to a man who is a prepper doesn’t make you better at prepping.



Women have survived without men for hundreds of years and they will continue to do so even after society shuts down.





On YouTube there is a fabulous prepper who is not only a woman, but a person of color. To watch her videos, you can subscribe to Miss Sincere’s videos at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUY7Oad8fGuZUDncjzv99vw/videos.



To watch one of her prepping videos, please go to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XNr4IhJlJY.



There is another woman of color who is also a prepper as well as a single parent and goes by the name Miss In For mation.






You can also watch one of her videos at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SV2aepOci2g.





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