Montanans are generally considered fairly self-reliant.

For the most part, we're independent and don't take kindly to handouts. Our thin population density is spread over 94.1 million acres and for many residents, that means the nearest services (food, medical care, etc.) can be quite some distance from home. Snowstorms can shut down roads for hours, raging forest fires can cause emergency evacuations, and wind and ice storms can knock power lines down. Hence, most of us are fairly well prepared.

Photo by Aaron Doucett on Unsplash
Photo by Aaron Doucett on Unsplash
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Are you a prepper?

Farmers, ranchers, and those who live in rural areas or isolated mountain communities usually have a stockpile of meat in a deep freezer and pantries full of non-perishable food items. Wells and backup generators aren't uncommon, and many Montanans have at least a few firearms for hunting or defense purposes. According to a new survey from Primal Survivor, nearly half of all Montanans say they are "prepped" for if/when the SHTF (an acronym for when the poop hits the fan).

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Nearly 1/2 of us identify as survivalists.

Primal Survivor (a website providing practical prepping advice) surveyed 3,000 respondents and found that nearly half - 420,000 people - in Montana say they are survivalists. This fits the national average, with a few notable exceptions... 80% of Hawaiians say they're survivalists, while a measly 17% of Rhode Islanders consider themselves survival worthy.

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What are we prepping for?

According to the survey, 54% of US survivalists say their preparedness plan is for extreme weather events. Followed by economic uncertainty (16%) and an international conflict (14%). The survey revealed that recent news about Chinese spy balloons incursions into US airspace has prompted 34% to become more engaged in prepping. Another 13% are most concerned about another pandemic.

Photos by Michael Foth & Josh Rash, TSM
Photos by Michael Foth & Josh Rash, TSM
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How long would you last without power?

I found it interesting that despite 50% of us saying we're prepped, only 17% of respondents in the survey said they could survive longer than a week without help from authorities if the electrical grid goes down. FEMA recommends having a basic Disaster Supplies kit ready, which includes items such as three days’ worth of bottled water and non-perishable food, a battery-powered radio, a flashlight, extra batteries, a first aid kit, a whistle, and warm clothing.

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