Common preparations

Common preparations sometimes include preparing a clandestine or defensible 'retreat' or 'safe place' (Bug Out Location or BOL) and stockpiling non-perishable food, water, water-purification equipment, clothing, seed, firewood, defensive/hunting weapons, ammunition, and agricultural equipment. Some survivalists do not make such extensive preparations but instead merely incorporate a "Be Prepared" outlook into their everyday life.

Many survivalists also have a bag of gear that is often referred to as a Bug Out Bag (BOB) or Get Out Of Dodge (G.O.O.D.) kit,[42] holding basic necessities and useful items weighing anywhere up to as much as the owner can carry.

Others assemble what is commonly called a "72-hour kit". In most community emergency situations, it will take at least three days (72 hours) for outside the community help to arrive. Therefore, there should be three days worth of food, water, and personal items for each member of the family. The 72-hour survival kit also includes first aid kit, small toys, important numbers and papers, as well as a plan for outside of the community contact and meeting location. There are also 72 hour isolation kits that include using a 5-gallon bucket as a toilet, tablets for water purification, and hygiene issues.

The most ardent Survivalists aim to remain self-sufficient for the duration of the breakdown of social order, or perhaps indefinitely if the breakdown is predicted to be permanent (a "Third Dark Age"), a possibility popularized in the 1960s by Roberto Vacca of the Club of Rome. Some survivalists allow for the contingency that they cannot prevent this breakdown, and prepare to survive in small communal groups ("group retreats") or "covenant communities."

In recent years, Big John Lipscomb, a well known patriot radio show host, homesteader and survivalist, introduced the LONG TERM FOOD SOLUTION to those interested in preparedness and survivalism. He did so by teaching them to plant all-natural organic gardens using healthy heirloom vegetable seeds. His impact has been significant because he has shifted people's survival process from immediate desperation, to a more agrarian lifestyle.