Prepared: A Manual for Surviving Worst-Case Scenarios

Chapter 7 handles the homestead. The author emphasizes that this is critically important. The homestead is the immovable “base” of survival that has the most comprehensive supplies and systems for survival, including food storage and preparation, medical supplies, warmth, energy, a garden, food production, etc. The author touches on the common portrayal of the “doomsday prepper” as “paranoid and unstable” or as “angry, suspicious, middle-aged people with a house full of guns” (186). Glover argues that this perception or media narrative affects the behavior of survivalists who are eager not to be seen as that negative stereotype. The author argues that the derisive image of the doomsday prepper keeps people from fully engaging in survivalism and leading “high quality, prepared” lives (186). 

Though doomsday preppers are portrayed as people who stockpile food, supplies, and weapons for an apocalypse scenario, the author argues that there are more “typical and obvious” crises in which prepping would be very useful (187). Examples of this are events like Hurricanes Katrina and Ida or the winter freeze in Texas in 2020. Although people were willing and able to buy supplies, they often misused survival equipment or fell victim to shortages. People became dangerously vulnerable because “they had the means for resilience, but not the methods” and suffered as a result (189). Having a prepared homestead allows individuals to avoid that suffering. 

When it comes to a homestead, “security always comes first” (189). The acronym OCOKA covers the basics of home security. “O” stands for observation and fields of fire, or locating the vantage points that would be most effective for keeping watch or firing a weapon from. “C” stands for cover and concealment, or finding protection from potential attacks in the form of cover or concealment. The second “O” stands for obstacles, which may be natural impediments that might slow down an enemy or human-caused structures that could be used as obstructions. “K” stands for key terrain, or “specific locations in an area that are essential to control” or locations where home defenders might be at a distinct disadvantage (191). “A” stands for avenues of approach, or considering the directions from which attackers are likely to come and how to control those avenues to limit their ability to approach. 

Home defense requires some equipment and preparation. Motion sensors, especially motion-activated lights, are recommended as effective deterrents for intruders. People are less likely to try to invade a space in which they are likely to be quickly caught, and well-lit spaces minimize the risk of accidental injuries. Cameras are the next essential aspect of home security. Though most individuals are limited by their space or the regulations they need to follow in order to install cameras, the ability to monitor the home and its surroundings can be vital. Even minimal surveillance like a doorbell camera can help with security. Smartphone apps can often access camera feeds in real time, making surveillance even easier and more casual. 

Alarms and weapons are the next considerations. A security system almost always includes an alarm function. In disaster scenarios, a security system that calls the police when sensing a break-in may not be effective since their systems will be swamped with other calls and emergencies. In this case, “you are always your own first response” (200). Alarm systems provide crucial warning to homeowners, giving them time to prepare said response. Glover details possible strategies for home security, including firearms, dogs, layout familiarity and preparation, and obstructions.

The homestead must include medical resources. The homestead, unlike the EDC medical kit or the vehicle first aid kit, needs enough resources to create a rudimentary hospital where people can be cared for long term. The reader is cautioned not to ignore hygiene supplies and preventative care since these things “can make you feel normal” in an extended crisis scenario (207). Glover supplies lists itemizing the medical supplies that he advises should be kept in a homestead.

Fuel resources, like food and power, are essential to a functional homestead. Glover goes through the types of food he recommends, including canned and dehydrated foods, homegrown fruit and vegetables, and dairy from livestock. He also explores food provision through hunting and fishing, where available. A PACE plan should be used to strategize suitable options for off-grid power.

The final aspect of the homestead is the fact that a good, effective, well-supplied home not only benefits and protects its occupants but also helps the larger community. The community's health and connections are the most effective sources of homestead protection available. Glover writes, “There is no such thing as a truly prepared and secure homestead without the people around you who make it possible and the people closest to you who give it purpose” (225).

Glover ends his book by addressing the reader in a summary of the book’s mission. This concentrates on the importance of community in preparedness, something that Glover sees as its “profound purpose.” He exhorts the reader to seek out and build this sense of community as part of their preparedness and emphasizes the importance of the group for enhanced resilience, safety, and well-being.