Testing the limits

One thing that bears consideration when you put a lot of time and effort into preparedness is how to know if you're ready when things go wrong. That involves testing the boundaries and seeing how your preps fair. I've slated 2013 for that purpose and buffing things up. Here, for your consideration, is my calendar for working on and drilling specific areas:

January - Food
My #2 priority. The goal is to take on one major task each week
1. Drag out all my stored food and review dates and quantities. Update existing spreadsheet. Hmmm, I should share that
2. Evaluate caloric intake and determine gaps for 3 month minimum for the household
3. Acquire additional long term-items, rotate into cooking schedule
4. Cook entire meal from nothing but preps, focusing on long-term storage items

February - Water
My #1 item, and also a serious weak point for me. The key points to accomplish before the end of February are:
- set up 50 gallons of drinking water
- develop water catchment system for rain water, with an eye towards watering the garden
- look into hand-pump options for the well, to be completed by mid-summer

March - 24 hour drill
The first of these, and a long time coming. Without deliberately preparing and without telling everyone else in the house, kill the power and get by on what is in the house, including using the fireplace for heat.

April - Power
Following on the heels of the March drill, I should have a better understanding of my power deficiencies. Known problems are having enough gas to run the generator for at least a full week. I also need to look into propane conversion options, solar applications, and assuring my existing Power Domes are up to snuff, including replacing the battery in one of them. Fix or plan for fixing of discovered problems.

May - Planting and gardening
I didn't put enough focus on this in 2012, so this year will be largely about getting the garden in place and ready for the year. I will also be renting a bobcat to play with swales and erosion control.

June - Bug Out Bag (BOB) shake-down
This was recommended by my family. It will mean taking everyone's bag apart and reviewing the contents, with an eye towards the July plans. By the end of the month, everyone's should be good to go. Also, a few mile hike will be done with our bags on our back to assure we can handle them.

July - Getting out
This is a drill of a different nature, but one focused on bugging out, not bugging in. The goal will be to pick a random time and load everything needed to get out within 30 minutes. Plans will be reviewed early in the month, then evaluation will follow afterwards.

August - 48 hour drill
Much like the 24 hour drill, but, you know...longer

September - Shelter
This one is still rather half-formed, but it rests largely on camping out with my various shelter options, as well as reviewing my shelter building skills. At least one night out with just the BOB will be part of this.

October - 48 hour drill
With any luck, this one goes flawlessly.
November - Security
I'm hazy on this, but my current thought is that this rests on 3-gun competition. I think it also will involve some basic skill-testing of self-defense skills, including pepper spray, with the women of the house. Additionally, they each need to show basic gun safety rules, specifically being able to assure a gun is unloaded.

December - Reflection, and Getting out part 2
No good plan or review works without taking stock in what went wrong and what went right. So, December will be a time for that reflection. Oh, and one more drill, you know, to make sure they stuck. Anyone have plans to push themselves in 2013? I'm not talking resolutions here. I'm talking plans!