Plows
and Scarecrows: How to Successfully Pull Off Rural Preps
For
those in rural areas, preparing for emergencies can seem like a less
daunting task than for those in metropolitan areas. After all, areas
outside of major cities frequently enjoy more than a 50% reduction in
crime rates per capita compared to neighboring urban zones. However,
due to the nature of rural life, it is estimated that a higher
percentage of crimes go unreported in these areas. Additionally,
there are some risks and challenges that come along with prepping as
a rural homeowner that can be more difficult than prepping in cities.
No
matter where you live, being prepared for survival is always a smart
way to manage your household. For those outside of the cityscape,
here are some tips that can help you on your way to emergency
preparedness. In addition, those in the rural Midwest can browse
options provided by ADT
in Gary, Indiana.
Dealing
with isolation during a crisis
One
of the more pronounced differences in rural prepping is that
proximity can be a game-changing concern. Whereas growing one’s own
food supply is always an admirable prepping quality, it’s of upmost
importance for those in areas who aren’t within a fair distance to
another source of food. There is no such thing as a successful
prepper in the woods who doesn’t manage a garden of nutritious,
hardy, perennial staples.
Living
out of one’s pantry with dehydrated goods is always only a
patchwork solution, and this is all the more true when you’re
isolated. There are a variety of gardening resources specifically
designed with preppers in mind, so doing your homework and
establishing a survival garden could be a great idea if you’re
currently relying on only store-bought goods. There is no alternative
to gardening and manufacturing your own resources for long-term
survival.
Adjust
your home security accordingly
In
suburban and urban areas, simply maintaining a home security system
can go a long way in keeping potential crooks deterred from your
property. In addition, neighborhood watch groups are common in these
areas and report threats to authorities whenever they appear. Both of
these security features nearly vanish when you’re located away from
densely populated areas. For the first part, security systems are
not as effective in these areas for the benefit of deterrence.
Criminals
are more willing to spend time exploiting systems in areas where
there isn’t regular traffic, and they might ignore these features
entirely due to the inferior response time of authorities in these
far-off areas. That being said, while security alarms don’t always
necessarily win out in deterring home invaders entirely, they almost
always severely reduce the time that home invaders spend on the
property.
Keeping
this in mind by structuring your home with surveillance in mind can
help. Using dummy equipment while keeping other elements of your home
security camouflaged or in discreet locations can help in preventing
vandalism against your security equipment, and it ensures their
effectiveness in alarming authorities when home invasion does occur.
Scaring
off crime
The
second feature that vanishes is neighborhood watches, which are
usually limited to zones with frequent traffic. Watch programs have
demonstrated an efficiency of up to 40% in the reduction of crime in
certain areas. Without this benefit, the odds of criminals targeting
properties in your area are significantly increased.
Beginning
and registering your own watch system can be an effective method if
you have enough hands to effectively manage it, but rural individuals
are frequently left to their own devices when defending their
properties. One favored method is one that a good friend of mine
terms the “scarecrow strategy.” This incorporates keeping a sense
of surveillance on your home, even if you’re not available.
This
can range from keeping signage on your property which indicates that
you have a watchdog, firearms, or security equipment. Motion-sensing
porch lights are a great way to strike fear in those who might be
approaching what they believe to be empty properties. Some might
install motion activated sound alarms that actually produce dog
barking noises, or other such threatening sounds; these ingenious
options are picking up a lot of traction with reduced costs and
increasing ease of DIY installation of such equipment.
What
other considerations would you recommend for those prepping in areas
off the beaten path? How would you obtain resources and maintain a
secure presence if you were a prepper in an isolated area?
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