In a world where catastrophes seem to lurk around every corner, Mike Glover's book "Prepared" offers a beacon of hope and practical wisdom. This insightful guide provides readers with the tools and knowledge needed to face disasters head-on, whether they're natural calamities or man-made crises. Glover's approach is not about fostering paranoia or building doomsday bunkers; instead, it's about cultivating resilience and readiness in everyday life.
Introduction: The Importance of Being Prepared
We live in uncertain times. Turn on the news, and you're likely to be bombarded with stories of hurricanes, earthquakes, active shooters, and civil unrest. These events can leave us feeling helpless and vulnerable. But what if there was a way to face these challenges with confidence and competence?
That's exactly what Mike Glover sets out to teach in "Prepared." This book is not about becoming a doomsday prepper or living in constant fear. Instead, it's about developing the mental fortitude and practical skills needed to navigate crises effectively. By following Glover's guidance, readers can transform unknown threats into manageable challenges.
Mastering Your Mind: The Foundation of Preparedness
Understanding Your Body's Stress Response
At the core of being prepared is the ability to remain calm and clear-headed in the face of danger. To achieve this, we must first understand how our bodies react to stress.
When we perceive a threat, our sympathetic nervous system kicks into high gear. This is the famous "fight or flight" response. Our hearts race, our pupils dilate, and our breathing quickens. This physiological response is designed to help us deal with immediate danger.
However, in the modern world, where threats are often more complex and prolonged, this response can become problematic. If the stress continues, we may experience a "freeze" response, where we become paralyzed and unable to act effectively.
Overcoming the Freeze Response
The key to overcoming this freeze response lies in controlled exposure to stressors. By gradually exposing ourselves to uncomfortable situations, we can build our resilience and learn to function effectively even when under pressure.
Glover suggests several ways to practice this:
- Go camping without modern amenities
- Exercise in extreme temperatures
- Practice breathing techniques during stressful situations
- Use positive self-talk to boost confidence
The goal is to become comfortable with discomfort. By doing so, we expand our capacity to handle stress and remain functional in crisis situations.
The Importance of Skill-Building
While mental preparation is crucial, it's equally important to develop practical skills that may be needed in survival situations. Glover emphasizes the importance of practicing these skills under various adverse conditions.
He reminds us of a common military saying: "We do not rise to the level of our expectations. We fall to the level of our training." This underscores the importance of regular practice and preparation. When disaster strikes, we want our responses to be automatic and effective.
Creating a PACE Plan: Your Roadmap to Safety
One of the most valuable tools Glover introduces is the PACE plan. PACE stands for Primary, Alternate, Contingency, and Emergency. This planning method provides a structured approach to preparing for various emergency scenarios.
Example: Fire Escape Plan
To illustrate how a PACE plan works, Glover walks us through creating a fire escape plan for a family home:
Primary Plan: Use the front door as the main exit. Choose a simple "go" phrase to signal family members to evacuate. Designate a meeting spot outside.
Alternate Plan: Identify a secondary exit, such as the back door. Practice using this route as well.
Contingency Plan: For situations where ground-level exits are blocked, plan for window escapes. Consider emergency ladders or tools needed to break windows safely.
Emergency Plan: This is the last resort option, such as jumping from a high window onto bushes or trees. While risky, it's better than certain death.
The key to making a PACE plan effective is practice. Regular drills help ingrain these plans into muscle memory, ensuring that family members can react quickly and efficiently in a real emergency.
Benefits of PACE Planning
Creating PACE plans for various scenarios offers several benefits:
- It provides a logical, step-by-step approach to emergencies
- It reduces panic by giving clear alternatives if the primary plan fails
- It empowers family members to act independently if needed
- It builds confidence by ensuring everyone knows what to do in various situations
While creating comprehensive PACE plans for every possible scenario might seem daunting, Glover advises starting small. Begin with one or two common emergency scenarios and build from there. The goal is to create a habit of thinking ahead and preparing for potential challenges.
Everyday Carry: Essential Tools for Survival
In addition to mental preparation and planning, Glover emphasizes the importance of having the right tools on hand when disaster strikes. This concept is known as "everyday carry" or EDC.
What is Everyday Carry?
Everyday carry refers to the items you consistently have with you to help navigate various situations, from minor inconveniences to major emergencies. While some people might associate EDC with self-defense items, Glover takes a more holistic approach, focusing on tools that can help in a wide range of scenarios.
Essential EDC Items
Glover recommends assembling a lightweight, slim-profile backpack or satchel containing key supplies. Some essential items to consider include:
- First Aid Kit: Include gauze, tape, nitrile gloves, and a tourniquet
- Medications: Any prescription medications you or your family members need
- Important Documents: ID, insurance cards, cash, and transit passes (consider digital backups)
- Tech Essentials: Phone charger and battery pack
- Flashlight
- Multi-tool
- Emergency blanket (reflective for signaling)
- Water purification tablets
- High-energy snacks
Clothing Considerations
Your everyday carry isn't limited to what's in your bag. Glover advises choosing clothing that supports preparedness without drawing attention:
- Sturdy belt for holstering tools
- Reinforced shoes for stability and protection
- Discreet, untucked shirt for easy access to tools
Beyond Physical Tools: Mental Preparedness
Glover reminds us that our most important everyday carry item is our mind. He encourages readers to:
- Learn essential skills like first aid and basic wilderness survival techniques
- Develop situational awareness by noting exits and potential escape routes in familiar places
- Practice paying attention to surroundings to better recognize when something is amiss
By combining physical tools with mental preparedness, we can significantly increase our ability to handle unexpected situations effectively.
The Importance of Training and Practice
Throughout "Prepared," Glover consistently emphasizes the importance of regular training and practice. It's not enough to simply have a plan or the right equipment; we must be able to use them effectively when it matters most.
Skill Development
Glover encourages readers to continually work on developing new skills that could be useful in emergency situations. Some areas to focus on include:
- First aid and emergency medical care
- Basic self-defense techniques
- Navigation and orienteering
- Fire starting and basic wilderness survival
- Basic mechanical and repair skills
Scenario-Based Training
In addition to individual skill development, Glover recommends engaging in scenario-based training. This involves simulating potential emergency situations and practicing your response. This could include:
- Home fire drills
- Evacuation practice runs
- Simulated power outages
- First aid scenarios
The goal of this training is to make your responses more automatic, reducing the likelihood of freezing or panicking in a real emergency.
Building Community Resilience
While much of "Prepared" focuses on individual and family preparedness, Glover also touches on the importance of building resilient communities. He argues that truly effective preparedness extends beyond our immediate circle.
Networking and Skill Sharing
Glover encourages readers to connect with like-minded individuals in their communities. This could involve:
- Joining or starting a neighborhood watch program
- Participating in community emergency response teams (CERT)
- Organizing skill-sharing workshops on topics like first aid or basic repairs
- Creating mutual aid networks to support each other during crises
Community Planning
Just as families benefit from PACE planning, so too can communities. Glover suggests working with local officials and community leaders to:
- Identify potential community-wide threats
- Develop evacuation plans
- Establish communication networks for emergencies
- Create resource-sharing plans for extended crises
By fostering a culture of preparedness within our communities, we can create a more resilient society better equipped to handle large-scale disasters.
The Psychological Benefits of Preparedness
One of the most compelling aspects of Glover's approach is the emphasis on the psychological benefits of being prepared. While the primary goal is to be ready for actual emergencies, the process of preparing itself can have significant positive impacts on our mental health and overall well-being.
Reduced Anxiety
By taking concrete steps to prepare for potential emergencies, we can significantly reduce our day-to-day anxiety about these events. Instead of feeling helpless in the face of potential disasters, we gain a sense of agency and control.
Increased Confidence
As we develop new skills and create solid plans, our confidence in our ability to handle challenging situations grows. This confidence can spill over into other areas of our lives, making us more resilient in facing everyday challenges.
Improved Decision-Making
The process of creating PACE plans and thinking through various scenarios helps develop our critical thinking and decision-making skills. We become better at assessing situations, considering alternatives, and making quick decisions under pressure.
Greater Appreciation for the Present
Paradoxically, by preparing for potential future disasters, we often develop a greater appreciation for our current circumstances. The process of imagining worst-case scenarios can make us more grateful for the safety and comfort we currently enjoy.
Balancing Preparedness and Everyday Life
While Glover is passionate about the importance of preparedness, he's also careful to emphasize the need for balance. The goal is not to become obsessed with potential disasters or to live in a constant state of fear. Instead, preparedness should enhance our lives, not detract from them.
Integrating Preparedness into Daily Routines
Glover offers suggestions for seamlessly integrating preparedness into our daily lives:
- Make skill development a family activity (e.g., learning first aid together)
- Turn preparedness checks into a regular routine (like changing smoke detector batteries when daylight saving time changes)
- Incorporate preparedness considerations into regular decision-making (e.g., choosing clothing or accessories that support EDC)
Avoiding Paranoia
While it's important to be prepared, it's equally important not to let preparedness consume our lives. Glover advises:
- Setting realistic goals for preparedness
- Focusing on the most likely scenarios first
- Remembering that the goal is to enhance life, not restrict it
- Taking breaks from preparedness activities to enjoy life and maintain perspective
Final Thoughts: The Path to Resilience
In "Prepared," Mike Glover offers a comprehensive guide to facing the uncertainties of life with confidence and competence. By focusing on mental resilience, practical planning, and essential skills and tools, Glover provides a roadmap for transforming potential victims into capable survivors.
The key takeaways from "Prepared" include:
- Mental preparation is as important as physical preparation
- Controlled exposure to stress can build resilience
- PACE planning provides a structured approach to emergency preparedness
- Everyday carry items should be carefully chosen to provide maximum utility
- Regular training and practice are essential for effective emergency response
- Community resilience is an important aspect of overall preparedness
- Being prepared can have significant psychological benefits
- Balance is crucial – preparedness should enhance life, not detract from it
Ultimately, "Prepared" is not just about surviving disasters; it's about thriving in the face of adversity. By following Glover's guidance, readers can develop the skills, mindset, and tools needed to navigate life's challenges with grace and effectiveness.
In a world that often feels unpredictable and dangerous, "Prepared" offers a path to peace of mind. It reminds us that while we can't control everything that happens to us, we can control how we respond. And with the right preparation, we can face whatever comes our way with confidence and capability.