Prepared: A Manual for Surviving Worst-Case Scenarios

Chapter 6 covers the vital survival element of mobility. No matter how prepared an individual is, the need to travel and move cannot be avoided. The main decision factor in mobility is vehicle size. Glover addresses the options available. In order to shelter on the road, he presents the mnemonic IOU, which stands for in, on, and under. Shelter on the road requires something to sleep in, something to sleep on, and something to sleep under. A car is a ready-built structure to rest and sleep in, though it can be extended and modified. Glover details the options for additions and accessories.

Warmth, water, food, and communications are also factors in an effective mobility strategy. The same principles that apply to EDC in terms of warmth, water, and food also apply here, though a vehicle can carry more than an individual can. A satellite-based communications system is ideal, though a signaling mirror is also very helpful in this context. Communication may seem like an afterthought when survival methods often involve escaping from the potential danger of other people. However, survival is not just avoiding death or injury. Survival is “being able to thrive in austere environments with your family and within your community” (165).