Prepping Pitfalls: 10 Simple Mistakes Leaving you Vulnerable (Pt.1)

Disaster Strikes the UK and You!

Picture this: you’re just finishing work and have arrived back home, you turn on the TV to find a BBC hosted emergency broadcast. A disaster has struck the UK, and despite all your careful preparations, you find yourself scrambling, realising you’re missing crucial elements that you thought you had prepared for!

It’s a nightmare scenario that many preppers inadvertently set themselves up for. From underestimating seasonal shifts in your plan, to neglecting the importance of physical fitness, even the most well-meaning plans can fall apart at the first hurdle. What do they say about plans failing on the first contact with the enemy

10 Point Guide on Commonly Overlooked Prepping Mistakes

In this concise 10 point guide, we’ll delve into ten of the most common prepping mistakes. We’ll hopefully shed light on the often-overlooked details so that when disaster strikes, you can ensure your readiness is rock solid when it matters most. The simple mistakes often overlooked are:

Lack of Planning
Over Reliance on Gear
Ignoring Physical Fitness and General Health
Not Rotating Supplies
Ignoring Climate and Seasonal Variations
Over Reliance on Accessible Stockpile
Unplanned Evacuation Routes and Shelters
No Backup Power Sources
Focusing Only on One Type of Disaster
Insufficient Cash Reserves

Before you read this article, it may be well worth browsing our list of the most likely disasters to hit the UK, before returning here. The two articles kinda work together.

1. Lack of Planning

You’re on this site – reading an article about prepping pitfalls – so you’re already addressing this issue. Congrats! However one thing preppers do often, ironically, is insufficient planning. Buying new equipment is sexy and satisfying – sitting down and analysing evacuation routes with differing scenarios is… not.

While planning for survival sounds simple, it’s actually somewhat of a paradox – emergency prepping cannot ever encompass every eventuality you may face, but conversely every bit of prep takes you one step further towards increased survival odds.

Take note from this article (and Prepping Pitfalls Part 2), and you’ll be well on your way to crossing ‘Lack of Planning’ off your list.

What planning specifics are often overlooked:

Developing a comprehensive preparedness plan with detailed steps and timelines. Will this become comprehensive in time – yes definitely. It’ll also follow the law of diminishing returns – your first plans and actions will increase your survival odds the most significantly. But do not stop there!
Regularly reviewing and updating the plan. Things change; peoples, places, things! Make sure you take time to reflect these in your plans
Involving all family members in the planning process. Don’t burden yourself with being the ‘prep guy / girl’, make sure everyone in the home / location knows what can happen and what steps are taken to prepare for it.

2. Over Reliance on Gear

There’s a well known saying in the UK; “All the Gear, but no idea”, and its massively relevant to preppers. Everyone loves buying gear and gadgets, but what happens when they fail or malfunction: have you planned for that?

Common Gear Malfunctions to Plan For

Some common gear malfunctions to consider, that people overlook and don’t have contingency plans for:

Food and water stockpiles becoming spoiled or inaccessible
Food and water stockpiles being insufficient
Tents or tarpaulins becoming ripped, torn or lost
Losing the methods of creating fire / lighting stoves etc.
Stove / fire having no usable fuel
Your bug-in location being compromised or is unsafe to return to, so no gear at all!
Powered devices running out of power

While gear and stockpiles are essential, skills and knowledge are crucial for effective use of them. If you take our previous pitfall as an example, Lack of Planning, have you considered what impact there would be if each and every piece of your gear was lost/unusable?

How to not rely on gear alone:

Prioritise skill-building (e.g., first aid, navigation, fire-starting). Remember, if you’ve learnt a skill, you can never be without it. It’ll make your efficiency and efficacy with that category of survival so much more potent.
Balancing gear acquisition with practical training and knowledge. I’m not saying buying or acquiring gear is bad – it’s essential – just don’t fall into the mindset of thinking that because you have it you’re now all okay
Regularly practising with gear to ensure proficiency. A great example of this is a tent. The first time you get a tent it’ll take you forever to put up. “What does this part do?”, “where does this rope go?”. The 4th or 5th time you do it, that tent will practically fly up!

3. Ignoring Physical Fitness and General Health

Physical fitness is probably the cornerstone of any effective disaster preparedness plan. Saying that, it’s often overlooked by many preppers, and the UK general physical health is spiraling down the toilet (according to the NHS, not their actual terminology ::wink::) .

Physical fitness is crucial for performing essential tasks such as evacuating quickly, moving supplies, and assisting others in need during the emergency. If you’ve not got a basic level of physical conditioning you’re going to struggle to execute these tasks efficiently, putting yourself and others at risk.

Your health also significantly enhances your overall resilience and recovery. A fit individual is more likely to withstand the physical and mental stresses of a disaster situation, reducing the likelihood of injuries and speeding up recovery times. Regular exercise also boosts cardiovascular health, strengthens muscles, and improves endurance. I would stipulate that all three of those are invaluable during the physically demanding conditions of an emergency!

Incorporating physical fitness into disaster preparedness plans is not just about being able to perform tasks but also about building a robust foundation of health that can withstand and quickly recover from the impacts of a disaster. Your body is likely to suffer badly during any prolonged disaster to hit the UK – so if you’re starting from a good place you’ve got a buffer before your health is significantly negatively impacted. If you’re going into an emergency with rubbish physical fitness – you’re doing to struggle more!

Five Fitness Details to Think About

You should incorporate regular physical exercise into your routine in preparation for any disaster response.
You should focus on activities that enhance strength, endurance, and agility.
Don’t just keep an eye on fitness, but also remember to maintain a healthy diet and attend regular medical checkups
Don’t think you need to become super fit or the worlds-strongest man / woman, we’re talking a baseline of good fitness, nothing exceptional
Get your vaccines and get them early

4. Not Rotating Supplies

This is perhaps the easiest pitfall on our list to avoid when you’re busy prepping. In fact you can probably protect against it with 10 seconds of effort right now, while you have this page open. All it takes, to prepare for, is probably your smart phone!

But first what is supply rotation and what’s the problem with not rotating supplies?

What is Supply Rotation and Why is it Important

Supply rotation is quite simply: methodologically and periodically checking your food, water and other supplies for expiration dates, spoiling or damage. Food and drink are easy to check, most have Use By Dates. Also don’t forget things like batteries; they will go flat (or burst!) over time as they get hot / cold or bumped about.

It’s also a good time to check moisture, mould or anything else that could compromise your supplies. If you see cans bulge, even if they’re in date, chuck them! Something bad inside is going on and you don’t want that in your supplies.

Rotating your supplies means you don’t waste anything either. If something has been in the stockpile for a year but has a couple of months left, buy a replacement and then pop that item on the menu in the coming weeks.

Basically, supply rotation prevents food and water supplies from expiring or spoiling, so that when you need them, they are there for you.

How to Implement a Supply Rotation System

Implement a simple system for regularly checking and rotating supplies. Open your smartphone and a recurring calendar event every 3 months: “Rotate Supplies”
Either read my article on How to Easily Implement a Supply Rotation System [LINK], or simply manually check every item when you get your calendar event pop up.
If an item is coming up to expiry, reassess if you still need it (and purchasing tt again if you do), then consume or donate the item.

5. Ignoring Climate and Seasonal Variations

It’s important to adapt plans to different weather conditions, this helps ensure preparedness for all our wonderful seasons here in the UK. Thankfully our weather, on the global scene at least, isn’t too extreme. If you’re in the northern parts of Scotland, you’re probably the exception. That’s not to say we don’t have subzero or prolonged heatwaves.

However we’re preparing for various disastrous situations, nothing would fit that bill more than the UK being hit with a month long snow storm, or a significant drought.

What I’m wanting to stress here though, is that surviving emergencies in the heat of summer has a few different factors to consider than the depths of winter, and vice versa.

Seasonal Variations often Overlooked

I have put together an article about taking into account the Seasonal Variations in Your Survival Strategy [LINK], but three quick points for you to consider when avoiding this preppers pitfall

Do you have sufficient seasonal gear, such as winter clothing or summer hydration supplies?
Have you adjusted your food and water storage for extreme temperatures?
Could you plan differently for seasonal natural disasters like floods, wild bushfires and snow.
How would those disasters affect your evacuation route or dug-in location

6. Over Reliance on Accessible Stockpile

I touched on this a bit further up in this article, but most preppers fall into the fallacy that once their stockpile and bug-in house is setup, they’re all good to go. Well that is partly true, but what happens if you’re not at home when a disaster hits the UK?

Have you considered what to do if you’re away with work, or visiting an away sporting event, or even on holiday? This site is focused on UK emergency preparation, but I bet some preppers reading this travel abroad at least once a year.

This point goes hand-in-hand with reliance on gear. How to mitigate the risk of your stockpile not being accessible – skills and training!

Something to also consider; are your supplies easily accessible and also secure? Are they protected from frost, fire and water damage? It’s well worth checking out my article on seven ways to safely secure supplies [LINK], or how to make water safe to drink in an emergency.

An over reliance on your stockpile or any physical resource is a potential risk of failure. Keep this in your mind when formulating your preparedness plan.

7. Unplanned Evacuation Routes and Shelters

When a disaster strikes, knowing exactly where to go and how to get there can save precious time and potential your life (and the life of others). Preplanned routes allow for swift and organised evacuations, reducing the risk of injury or getting trapped in hazardous areas. This level of preparedness is essential for responding effectively to emergencies like fires, floods, or chemical spills.

Planning evacuation routes and shelters also significantly reduces chaos and confusion in whats going to be an incredibly high-stress situation. During a disaster, panic can spread quickly, and without a clear plan, you really don’t want to be gripped and paralysed by it. By having designated routes and additional shelters identified, you can follow a predetermined plan, minimising uncertainty and panic. This coordination helps ensure that family members, especially children and the elderly, can also stay together and reach safety.

Furthermore, understanding local emergency plans and knowing the locations of nearby shelters enhances your ability to make informed decisions under pressure.

Finer points to Consider:

Identifying multiple evacuation routes to avoid blocked roads
Secondary or additional pre-identified shelters/locations that are accessible and safe.
Knowledge of local council emergency plans

8. No Backup Power Sources

Giving the type of world and country we’re in, it should go without saying that having backup power sources is essential in your disaster preparedness plan. During power outages (blackout or brownouts), backup power maintains the continued operation of your crucial electrical devices and appliances. It’s very likely that the UK’s power grid will become the target of international hackers – so imagine how that’ll go down (pun intended) if the hackers breach the networks.

Depending on how expensive you want to go, backup power can include everything from fridges and freezers to keep food from spoiling, to medical devices, to survival tools and down to personal handheld devices or entertainment devices. Without a reliable power source, the loss of these devices can quickly escalate an already challenging situation.

Speaking of power outages, we’ve actually put together an article on what to do when the power does eventually fail.

Backup power is also critical for ensuring basic communication and lighting. In the event of a disaster, staying informed through radios, charging mobiles and having adequate lighting can make a significant difference in safety and coordination efforts. The ability to communicate with loved ones and emergency services, receive updates, and navigate safely in the dark is indispensable when the world feels like its ending. These elements not only provide massive practical benefits, but also a huge mental boost in uncertain times.

Furthermore, the preservation of perishable goods during a power outage can prevent food shortages and reduce the need for immediate resupply, which might be difficult or dangerous during a disaster (as everyone else will be trying to do the same!)

Backup power sources to consider are things such as portable or static generators, solar panels, battery backups and standalone batteries.

Five Power Backup Details to Consider

Have you identified all your critical devices and appliances?
What is your planned runtime for all your critical systems; 30 minutes, 72 hours, a month?
Do you have adequate fuel for generators and proper storage that’ll last that long?
Alternative energy sources like solar chargers or battery backups are getting increasingly cheaper and more available
As mentioned above, having the gear but not knowing how to use it is a recipe for disaster (pun intended). You should be conducting regular testing and maintenance of all backup power systems.

9. Focusing Only on One Type of Disaster

It’s far too easy to focus on what type or category of disaster. Some are naturally easier to prep for, or are portrayed more frequently in media. However, being prepared for a variety of potential threats is a cornerstone of comprehensive disaster readiness.

Focusing on a diverse range of scenarios ensures that you are equipped to handle the unexpected, whether it’s a man-made disaster like a cyber attack on the fuel distribution lines, or a prolonged power outage during a snow blizzard.

Preparing for multiple types of threats reduces your vulnerability to unforeseen events. Disasters often occur without warning, and their nature is obviously pretty unpredictable. By anticipating and planning for a wide array of possibilities, you can ideally avoid being caught off guard. At least minimise the impact that unpreparedness has on your survival.

As mentioned above, this not only includes having diverse supplies and equipment, but also acquiring a variety of skills and knowledge that are applicable to different emergency contexts.

10. Insufficient Cash Reserves

Not all disasters will mean flood waters, widespread fires or airborne particulates. What happens if hackers manage to take down the banking system? Or if you’re simply unable to access your bank for a less benign reason.

As a society in the UK, we’ve become reliant on Apple Pay, Android Wallet or other NFC payment methods. What happens if those companies or the infrastructure they rely on becomes inoperable.

Financial transactions may be impossible without cash during national or even local crises. Cash reserves provide the means to purchase supplies or services when electronic payments are down.

5 Points to Consider when having Reserves of Cash:

Moving any substantial money out of savings is not to be conducted lightly. I’m NO expert and have no qualifications in financial advice! Do your own financial research and seek your own advice
Small denomination notes make most transactions easier; £10 and £20 should make up the majority of your reserves
Secure storage of cash reserves is obviously key. It needs to be stored in fire and waterproof containers [LINK]
Split your reserves to multiple sites if possible. There’s no point having hundreds of pounds in a waterproof and fireproof safe box, if your house has collapsed on top of it!
Don’t forget to plan for both short-term and long-term financial needs

Prepping Pitfall – Simple Mistakes in Summary

Now that we’ve taken a good look at ten potential simple mistakes in your survival prep – I hope you’re feeling more confident in your emergency preparedness plan. We covered the following:

Lack of Planning
Over Reliance on Gear
Ignoring Physical Fitness and General Health
Not Rotating Supplies
Ignoring Climate and Seasonal Variations
Over Reliance on Accessible Stockpile
Unplanned Evacuation Routes and Shelters
No Backup Power Sources
Focusing Only on One Type of Disaster
Insufficient Cash Reserves

Now you’ve made it to the end, maybe it’s time to look at my easy water purification methods or 72-hour emergency food menu for under £10 articles.