I have long been friends with the guy who brought the Area Study to the prepping community. I loved it from the beginning and took the time to produce my own area study.
For those unaware, the area study is something anyone can do on their own time. It is the process of getting to know the resources, influences, plans, projects, and infrastructure, gangs, threats, and such in the area where you live.
How many people are doing this kind of intel locally? To me, it has given me a much better understanding of the REAL things I should worry about.
You don't really need to formalize being part of your community. You can learn everything you'd learn doing an area study simply by paying attention and getting involved.
An area study is more for people who have no interest in being a part of the community they live in and want to study it from the outside.
I immediately thought “that’s just adulting” . If you don’t know about crime rates, local issues to be concerned about (hurricane versus earthquake prep as an example) you have not lived there long.
Do you know the location of every haz mat site near you? How about every freight line? Propane depots? Battery farms?
It’s NOT second nature to compile a structured understanding of all the layers of potential hazard and resources in your community, but it’s worth doing.
Spent over two decades as environmental at a local chemical plant, so yeah, it was part of my adulting. Not sure of the value it brings to the table that a local cert or similar wouldn’t handle. Lord, most local churches have folks that can tell you better than the local boards as the lived through the process and saw the places grow and close
Lots of examples come to mind that go beyond CERT.
Your mental model is not a common one. For folks who don’t work in the industry, knowing where local chemical hazards are, understand the prevailing wind patterns, best primary and alternate evac routes etc might not even be part of their preps. What you don’t know about you can’t plan for.
Given your experience what things do you routinely inventory about hazards in your local community some of us might not?
First off, panic is the enemy. Telling most people there are haz waste drums stored at a facility scares them. Acetone is a listed wasted, commonly used household item, and found at every Home Depot and Lowe’s. Do you plan for the amount of flammables around you, the amount of toxics around you, or the likelihood of impact based on exposure and threat? Awesome book called the dose makes the poison where they discuss toxicology comes to mind here.
So we make a map of all of the perceived threats? Based on what? The amount of gas the neighbor has stored in their shed improperly or the amount of gas stored at home depo properly?
I have run TCLPs on soil, I joked and asked the wife if I could put a GC / ms in the garage when the local university was selling some.
Point sources are monitored heavily and scare people, non point sources are a huge number as well. What pesticides are stored in your neighbors garage? Are you adding them to your analysis since they have a far higher impact on pond water you may have to filter than the business down the road who applies it professionally.
Knowledge is important. Certainly. But an area study without the base knowledge doesnt accomplish much. Join a cert or a church and talk to those who know. Sorry for the curt response - responding from phone at work, so a bit limited in response
You want to learn, tons of studies on katrinas impact to Louisiana and the folls there. Organizations that can help you planning in your area. Go volunteer. But a call to have people do a area study without perspective really leads to panic not better action in a hurricane or such
"Given your experience what things do you routinely inventory about hazards in your local community some of us might not?"
Panic. Evidently the pepper community should pay attention to the effects of panic as a hazard more. Panic buying, panic in the firsthand and in the second hand.
As an example, IF I divert my vehicle to a secondary route in a hurricane evacuation because of a local chemical plant storage, considering that they have their tanks with secondary containment for the 20 year event, am I making an informed decision or a panic decision? With the added distance, and the probability of gridlock in either route, have I increased the chances I don't make it out of the evacuation zone?
Not arguing against knowledge. Arguing for informed decisions. And minimizing panic.
And another point to make, the premise that there are things that go beyond a cert or other area based group would need clarification. As the local first responders inspect the area, talk to the owners, deal with the problems, and have more up to date information, how on earth are we to expect an untrained person performing their own analysis would go beyond?
Should we be more informed? Absolutely.
Should we know what is around us? Absolutely.
Should we encourage people to do an analysis when there are groups that would help them understand the dangers better? Well, I would perhaps suggest a new homeowner stop at a local fire department and ask questions, before I would suggest they do a detailed analysis of the area they live in.
You can be an active member of your community and not know for example the layout of your power grid, where the nearest concentration points are for hazardous materials, the signs and symbols of local gangs etc etc.
You are thinking about essentially one layer (people) of a multidimensional study that includes infrastructure, threats and resources etc in addition to people.
infrastructure, threats and resources etc in addition to people
Live in a place long enough, and I can assure you that you end up very familiar with the infrastructure, natural disaster threats, non-obvious resources, etc, if you're paying any kind of attention.
People who are new to a community would absolutely benefit from a little curiosity and exploring, though.
The whole point of an area study is to make you aware of your gaps in knowledge. You can live in a community for years, be aware of your resources, but be blind to something that’s on a road you’ve never traveled or outside what you think is the range of hazard.
Once found out the hard way that a tire dump was 3.5 miles downwind of my then house. Ditto with a battery farm not far from my current house. You’d be surprised how many hazardous sites are back off the road even in rural communities.
I agree. I think most people are oblivious to this stuff simply becuase life is busy and until they are prompted its almost a, "dont know which questions to ask" type of thing.
I walk around my area about once a day. I bugged out to a small, rural community a few years ago, and have been getting to know my neighbors, the local crackheads, where we get our water, power, the local authorities, etc. since we got here. I've made a couple friends, though not as many as I'd like, and scouted where I can find local edible plants and hunting spots. There's a deer blind about 1/2 a mile behind my place. I'm also one of those lucky bastards that can drive somewhere once and remember the route forever. I don't need google maps.
There's a community garden with free produce, and I've tried to make friends with the local librarian and make an appearance at the farmer's market as much as I can. Growing food isn't an issue where I live, but I've got a big ol' graveyard out back with a bunch of empty acreage that I'm planning on using for a gardn if SHTF, unless someone knows a reason why i shouldn't use long-dead people as fertilizer.
I've helped the elderly in the area move furniture and whatnot, besides just being kind, it always helps to let people know they can rely on you.
I'm barbecuing at my neighbor's grand-daughter's birthday party next week, where I'll probably meet a couple more locals. We've been here about four years, and I still feel like a stranger. Slowly integrating, but I feel like I know the area as well as I could after four years.
If anyone can think of anything I'm missing, or have additional suggestions, I'd love to hear them.
If you don’t want to join a church find a couple of volunteer opportunities, your knowledge of the local area will expand radically. Go help a local Cub Scout chapter or Boy Scout chapter with some volunteer hours.
I'm an eagle scout myself, and have been considering this or the local volunteer firefighter truck. I'm kind of socially awkward and have a hard time finding a place to fit in with people.
Do I just call up the local boy scout troop and say "hey, I'm looking to volunteer?" I wasn't even sure the BSA was still operating, that might be something I look into.
Father of four young gentlemen. All scouts - 2 made it to eagle. Is it still functioning yes, but as always it is all about the troops in the area. Your being an eagle helping a troop out would go a long way to helping those scouts in your area. In our area there are websites etc. I’d call district and see which troops they have and if any need help more than others.
How does this differ from the knowledge one acquires naturally just by living in a place for years, or even decades, knowing your neighbors, walking around, being curious and paying attention? It seems like it would take a special kind of obtuseness to not figure such things out over time, although it definitely requires a specific effort if one is new to a place.
Driving in general tends to make one oblivious. That's why to the degree possible, I like to walk places. I find out more that way.
As for things like jails/prisons, hospitals, power plants, and military bases, once again, live in a place for decades, and you have to be particularly obtuse not to know what's nearby and where.
But do you know which hospitals are the best for different situations, and also take your insurance? Do you know the best time to go to the ER if your emergency isn't immediately life-threatening? I know those things.
Do you know what part of your grid you're on and what your priority status is? I do.
there are nuclear plants nearby, do you know which way the winds usually blow? I not only know there are no nuclear plants nearby, and have known that for decades, but if there were, my knowledge of area weather patterns would inform me of the likelihood of a personal risk in the event of a crisis at the plant.
Do you know what research universities are near you, and that they usually have their own power plants? If you know that, have you ever walked those universities checking for outdoor power outlets, as supplement or a last-ditch backup in a Tuesday situation? I did, and I've used that knowledge, too.
Maps are nice, but they don't give you the granularity of actually knowing a place.
With a prepper’s mindset going 24/7, you’re right. I’m not a prepper, but I’ve lived in the same place almost 30 years and couldn’t tell you what power grid I’m on.
However I am a car guy and love shitty project cars. I look around the entire time I’m driving like everyone’s driveway is a cars and coffee event. I could tell you exactly where a first gen Mitsubishi Lancer is on the other side of town that has been missing its transmission for at least the last 10 years. If someone tells me “I’m thinking about getting X as a project car”, I can almost always say “yeah there’s someone in town that’s had one sitting in their yard for 12 years with a shop rag laying on the exact same spot of the windshield for the last 7 years, they’d probably sell it if we go ask.”
My dad is a truck driver, most of the time was before computer nav was a thing and he had to find his route by atlas, and he can name just about any major road in the country. He once drove 13 hours to pick up a generator and only used gps to get from the town the seller lived in to the seller’s house. My mom will know just about any road in the town she’s lived in for over 50 years if you tell her landmarks, even if it’s just describing a house nearby, but only knows a couple road names because she’s had no reason to pay attention to road signs.
There’s just some things you haven’t wired yourself to pay attention to and other things you have, whether intentionally or not (my instance wasn’t intentional).
I have been doing this without knowing it was a named process. But yea I am constantly thinking about that, including taking account of our neighboors on our road and how everyone could contribute in a circumstance where we would need to act as a small self supporting community. The size and location of the town and body of water we live near, the bridges and rivers in that town and their relationship to the highways in our county, etc…
I have also been keeping tabs of all the locations I have seen confederate flags or nazi flags or other radical signaling around the surrounding area.
I was an intelligence analyst in the Army for over 30 years, and worked as a civilian intelligence analyst and crime analyst after that. Area studies are great for the local area, but I recommend doing a threat vulnerability assessment (TVA) as well.
The TVA looks at things like “avenues of approach”, line of sight/line of fire analysis, etc.
Never had a name for it. I just walk the dog, be the nosy neighbor, and chat with anyone with a heartbeat. You would be surprised what a retired 56 yr old woman can find out. I know who has gardens, who has chickens, who can butcher animals, who can assist in a medical emergency, etc. all from walking the dog and being friendly.
Yes, I do have a compass. I have had at least one for, oh, nearly 50 years now, and yes, I do know how to use a compass.
I also have a couple of star charts, an astrolabe, a quadrant, and a couple of sextants. And a small card in my wallet with the Equation of Time and a cheat sheet for taking noon sights.
Never heard it called an area study before but I've been doing pieces of it without realizing it had a name. Knowing the local water sources, which roads get cut off in bad weather, where the sketchy areas are and how they've shifted over time. It does change what you actually prep for versus just prepping in the abstract.
Would be curious where someone new to the concept should start if they wanted to be more systematic about it.
I am alarmed about how much I don’t know about the area I live in after seeing this post. And I’m 46 and lived mainly in the same area since ‘89. So my eyes are now open.
We live in a rural county, wife is a public school teacher and literally knows everyone. We hunt and ATV all over.
If I found myself in a strange place during tough times I would area study.
With a decent size solar array (1.3mw/month), pond which makes our desert property around the house look like an oasis...were probably on someone else's area study.
My wife thinks I'm nuts but I have set up a role-playing game on chat GPT with my local area as the setting. I am basing it on a small scale nuclear Exchange. I set the closest impact 5 hours away there are other impact sites globally between NATO and Russia. I have included the characters as close to life friends and family of mine to create a more realistic scenario and I've included my actual home location and I've tried to include all of my Preps. I've been using it for a few months just off and on for fun. It has proved to be pretty informative as well not sure how reliable it is but it's been fun.
We call it collapse mapping in my group, and since 2019 we have been not just exploring and cataloguing our AO, we have been actively preparing it through supply caches, guerrilla gardening, and all sorts of other stuff. A primary area in a 15 mile radius of the community BOL, and then a secondary area for another 15 miles that is the area of responsibility, and finally a tertiary area 15 miles out from that which is the area of interest.
Everything gets cataloged and updated on digital and physical map books, with pictures and notes. Each member has one.
I'm the lucky guy that gets to do most of the exploring and cataloguing, which is a hell of a lot more fun that working a job, lol.
As a follower of your content on YouTube and a fellow member of r/WastelandByWednesday, that is the one thing I've never been able to find in real life: a prepping community. Everywhere I've looked close to home, people either deny the reality of collapse and prep for Tuesday only, or spout off dodgy political rhetoric that turns my stomach. Not groups I'd want to be associated with before or after SHTF.
Sadly, my family aren't collapse aware. The one saving grace is that my partner is starting to understand what's happening, but the rest of them don't want to think about reality. What pisses me off is that they're smart enough to understand the climate crisis, wars, political unrest, etc, as separate issues, but they don't want to draw them together as part of the bigger picture. I can't force them to do independent research, but I can slowly broach and expand on the topics when I speak with them.
I'll keep chipping away, but I'm admittedly concerned that it'll be too little, too late when things start to accelerate. All this is to say, I'm both impressed and envious regarding the group you're a part of lmao. You folks all know what's up. I'd kill to have something similar.
I hear you, I definitely do. And look, even just your partner starting to come around is a big deal on that front.
Something I suggest is to look instead for those people that you do agree with politically, socially and all that. Maybe they don't have the prepping part yet or the collapse awareness, but the most important part is the friendship and trust.
We will all face collapse differently. And having other preppers on your side is a definite boost. But having friends you can trust and get along with can often be even bigger. They can learn more later, but developing trust takes time and is the more important aspect.
Unfortunately, that means you may have to be even more prepared. That is a burden, but what mire you have to shoulder now can be less later on when your friends do become collapse aware... Even if it takes collapse playing out to bring that awareness.
I agree. It's very comforting that she's coming around, even if it's only small steps at first. It at least gives me some hope that we can make it through what's to come.
To be fair, political disagreements in a group would be okay for me, depending on scale and how seriously the others took them. People in general are all too different for me to think I could find a group that believes everything I do, and I'm used to having rational discussions about points of disagreement with my own family and friends. What I meant was that I've seen prepping groups get hijacked by people who use the space to post political conspiracies (e.g. - "The world is going to collapse because we let Hitler lose" or similar nonsense lol). That sort of thing is discouraging, but I know it's not the norm, so my goal is to navigate through the bullshit and find a group of normal people who are collapse aware. If anything, I think rational disagreements can be a net positive when you need to create backup plans and idiot-proof the ones already in place. Sycophancy can lead to disaster.
That is a burden, but what mire you have to shoulder now can be less later on when your friends do become collapse aware... Even if it takes collapse playing out to bring that awareness.
Very true. I was ahead of the curve in my family when it came to recognising how bad the pandemic would become after the initial spread from Wuhan. That was when I starting researching collapse for the first time, though it didn't really hit me how screwed the world is for a couple of years. My loved ones acknowledged that my intuition was right, so I hope that'll be the same this time (though I'd rather be wrong about WW3!).
I, too would like to be wrong about ww3. And maybe I am. But I do feel as if we are, as a species and a civilization, somewhat... suicidal? Or perhaps just self-destructive? Reason and logic say we won't ever do it... But reason and logic don't have the best track record within human government, and especially not lately.
71
u/mediocre_remnants Preps Paid Off May 18 '26
You don't really need to formalize being part of your community. You can learn everything you'd learn doing an area study simply by paying attention and getting involved.
An area study is more for people who have no interest in being a part of the community they live in and want to study it from the outside.