If you own a business and have employees, you probably have many contingency plans to keep everyone safe. You may even have contingency plans for your family as well.
Preppers come in all shapes and sizes. Many times we don't even realize we are preparing. We are just doing what feels like common sense to us. Keeping ourselves, our people and our livelihoods safe and secure.
Yet, preppers get a weird rap. We are painted to seem like we wear tin-foil hats and create conspiracy theories, living in a perpetual state of panic.
While many of us enjoy a good conspiracy theory, being prepared is simply making sure that if the SHTF, we are not caught off guard. As a result of having a plan, we don’t panic.
The tin-foil hats? Those are for fun and are completely optional. 🥳
When the world slammed closed in 2020, preppers were the ones who didn’t really bat an eye, and simply handled everything as they had prepared for, while the rest of the world panicked, stock piled toilet paper and woke up to the fact that they were actually completely dependent on entities and people who didn't really give a damn about them.
Businesses were forced to shift or fall a part. Business leaders were in charge of making decisions in the face of extreme uncertainty. Decisions that would affect their companies, their staff, and their customers for years to come. We call these moments "Plot twists!" and navigate the wild ride as best as we can with what we have prepared ourselves with, a.k.a. those contingency plans. A lot of us pieced together a few contingency plans, realizing that sometimes things happen that there is no way we could prepare for. Use what you got, MacGyver the crap out of the plan and cross your fingers it works.
Thanks to 2020, being prepared is the cool thing to do. As a result, a whole bunch of words beening used that many may not understand.
Thanks to Google, I found this awesome list of prepper lingo, complete with definitions! A big thanks to the folks at Preparing for SHTF for this awesome Prepper Urban Dictionary. I did remove some of the items, as I know they aren't always welcomed verbiage to the algorithms on the social platforms.
So...you can find the complete list at https://prepforshtf.com/prepper-urban-dictionary/.
72 hour kit – A survival kit that contains all of the items you would require to survive an emergency for 72 hours. See Bug Out Bag
Bugging Out – leaving your current position and moving to a safer location.
Bugging In – hunkering down, staying at your location until it is safer to bug out!
Bug Out Bag (aka BOB) – A bug out bag is a backpack or other style bag (i.e. duffle bag) that contains all of the necessities you would need to survive after a disaster. Your BOB allows you to take what you need with you quickly and evacuate should a disaster occur. Most people keep enough gear to last 72 hours, but since most disasters can disrupt services for longer than 72 hrs, I think it's a good idea to have a bag that will allow you to survive indefinitely. Common items to carry include MRE’s, protein bars, fire starters, first aid kit, water, water filters, maps, cash, firearms, ammo, sleeping bags, emergency medicine, shelter (tent, poncho, tarp), clothing, fishing kit, snares and copies of personal identification (photos of passports, drivers licenses, social security card etc).
BOL – Bug out Location, a pre-planned position to retreat to, other than your home, if you had to escape danger or disaster.
BOV – Bug out Vehicle
Carrington Event – A naturally occurring EMP – like effect caused by a large Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) of the Sun. (See CME and EMP)
CME Coronal Mass Ejection. (Solar flares.) See EMP.
EDC – Everyday carry, what a person caries on them on a daily basis.
EMP – An electromagnetic pulse, see Wikipedia
Faraday Cage – is a metallic enclosure that protects your electronics from an EMP.
FIFO – First In, First Out—used for food storage rotation.
“Get-Home” Bags – This is a smaller light weight bag you keep in your car to help you get home. Common items to carry (MRE’s, protein bars, fire starters, first aid kit, water, water filters, firearm and maps)
Genny – Slang for a generator
GMO – Genetically Modified Organism
GO bag – see Bug Out Bag
Ham – A slang term for amateur radio operators.
HEMP – High Altitude Electromagnetic Pulse. See EMP.
IFAK – Individual First Aid Kit
INCH – “I’m never coming home” code for family if you have to bug out so they don’t stay waiting for you.
JIC – Just In Case
“Junk” Silver – 1964 or earlier mint date circulated U.S. silver dimes, quarters, or half dollars with little or no numismatic value. These coins have a silver content of 90%.
M.A.G – Mutual Aid Group, made up of individuals in a specific geographic area. These individuals meet for the purpose of discussing, sharing ideas and planning for emergencies in their area.
Multi-tool – This is a combination of a survival knife and a wide assortment of other tools (pliers, saw, wire cutters are some examples).
MRE – Meal Ready To Eat. (US military field rations)
OPSEC – Operational Security
Prep – This is slang for prepare.
Prepper – A prepared individual, a survivalist, self-reliant.
Preps – This is slang for preparations.
Peak Oil – the point in time when the world’s oil supplies go into irreversible decline.
P.E.R.K – Personal Emergency Relocation Kit.
PSK – Personal Survival Kit.
SHTF – Shit hits the Fan. This means that some kind of catastrophic event has happened. (natural disaster, financial collapse, terrorist attack)
TEOTWAWKI – The End of the World as We Know it.
WROL – Without Rule of Law - A time when police, military, etc have lost control. A lawless situation.
Zombie – The name for the unprepared and often aggresive masses who will want to take what you have. 🧟
Being prepared in life and in business means you might be a prepper if you live in any area that has a real threat of natural disasters. Many of you probably have go bags, bug out bags, first aid emergency kits and a small stockpile of food, water, flashlights and batteries. Most likely due to experience, you have created these things knowing that the danger is real, and that being prepared makes it easier when the SHTF. You may even have Bug Out Locations, especially in areas prone to hurricanes.
Here in the Midwest, carrying survival bags of supplies in our vehicles is normal during the winter. Snacks, water, blankets, hand warmers, flashlights, straps, jumper cables, and a small tool box is very common here. Always better safe than sorry.
At Twisted Willows Outfitters - Outfitters for Life, we not only live the lifestyle of off grid preparedness, we include our hands on experience into everything we offer to our clients. Our team of experts design and build shelters, homes and buildings that do what you want them to do. We offer systems that reduce or remove your dependency on outside sources for comfort, safety and security. We provide access to developing strong self and situational awareness. Go check out our friend Brian Searcy, Col (Ret) USAF at www.Paratus.group for more info on situational awareness. We provide community support to even the most casual of human beings desiring to be a smidge more prepared.
Our bug out homes are built to withstand every single thing we could think to throw at them. Offering complete independence for any environment, with the capability to go where your tow vehicle can go, you can escape quickly and confidently if needed. You can also go where others cannot go in their campers and RVs.
Our structures are not only dependable bug outs, they are:
- Built to last long term as stationary shelters
- On-grid and off-grid capable
- Meet/exceed building codes
- ADA compliant
- Completely customized to fit YOU
- User friendly
- Fire-resistant
At Twisted Willows Outfitters, we know everyone is strong and independent. We will never step on your freedoms. However, having a strong community to lean on in times of SHTF can mean the difference between panicking and thriving, keeping you connected for those "JIC" moments.
- If you would like more information on how you can get outfitted for life, preparing you up for any situation, and protecting your privacy in the process, please shoot us an email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. We would love to help you live your best life.
- If you are a business owner that is looking to address housing situations for your area or your staff, please email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. We have plans that address housing needs that won't break your business bank.
