It all started with a conversation with my friend Dan in the middle of 1997 concerning emergency supplies, survival skills and disaster survival. Having been on the edge of the computer industry as well as an avid history buff, he was concerned about the possibility of societal breakdown resulting from a systemic computer failure due to incomplete programming, known as the "Y2K Bug". The end of life as we know it in America was a prospect I had considered for years, but in my scenario it resulted from the collapse of our risky financial infrastructure. We discussed the possibilities for several days on a road trip through the mid-west.

In an attempt to provide them with some tools and resources for just such an event, I determined to prepare Bug-Out-Bags for four families. Having made this decision in the spring, I set a goal to present them at Thanksgiving, which would be the next time they were all together. This allowed several months to accumulate items.

Shortly after returning to Texas, I convinced my family to search for a location we could retreat to should the worst case scenario become reality. We were convinced that our home on the outskirts of America’s fourth largest city would become very dangerous if the computers failed, and we made plans to get out of town. After a couple of months of searching we located a property on the Colorado River, far enough from town to offer a bit of isolation, yet near enough that we could get there on one tank of gas. The price was right, the deal was made, and we took possession of our "Y2K Ranch" in August of 1998, with sixteen months lead time before the turn of the century.

This little property had all the basics: 1) some isolation 2) a working well, 3) river access, 4) livable structure, 5) fruit and nut trees, 6) room for a garden. We furnished the mobile home and began to make preparation for the next millennium. Our first hurdle was an unprecedented flood in October. We discovered that manufactured housing is not livable after spending three days submerged in six feet of nasty flood water. So we replaced the trailer, added a nice deck and began preparations again. We purchased a generator and a garden tiller from a rental business that was closing, stored some food and fuel, bought seeds, began a worm bed, planted blueberry bushes, outlined a garden, and stored some grains and beans in plastic buckets. We thought we were prepared. Looking back, the fact that Y2K was a non-event was a blessing, because we were not prepared at all. Things we should have done include:

1. Much more food – we had stored food for only a couple of months, max, with very little variety. In the future we will have a much broader selection from which to prepare meals, and adequate fuel to prepare it.

2. An active garden – we knew where the garden would go, and had the tiller to prepare it and heirloom seeds to plant. We foolishly expected to reap a bumper crop the first year. In the future we will spend significant time and effort in soil preparation.

3. Security preparations – the only security preparations were the purchase of one handgun, and very little ammunition. In the future, we will have several weapons, lots of ammunition, and will spend time and money preparing defenses.

4. Barter items – we had a little cash on hand, but had given no thought to what would happen when currency was no longer available. In the future we will stock tradable items and produce both food and necessities for barter.

As we continue to prepare for the possibility that our way of life could change at any moment, we are taking a much more comprehensive approach this time. Take the time to visit a website with a new book on survival: http://www.thepreparationgrid.sugarlandpress.net It could save your life.

http://www.thepreparationgrid.sugarlandpress.net