When disaster strikes, how will you react?
Food, water, shelter and other necessities could be hard to come by if a major storm hits, a flood destroys bridges and roads or an electromagnetic pulse knocks out the power grid.
While many people might wait for the Red Cross or the National Guard to arrive, “preppers” take their survival into their own hands by preparing for the worst.
This weekend about two dozen vendors selling everything from first-aid supplies and healing oils to solar power equipment and freeze-dried foods will head to the Tucson Expo Center for PrepperFest.
This weekend’s show, which follows a similar show at the Tucson Expo Center in February, will run alongside the Arizona Gun Radio show for an “all-in-one” experience, organizers say.
In addition to buying emergency supplies and building up stockpiles of food, preppers can attend classes throughout the show, including a self-defense class by a former Army Ranger.
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Previous prepper shows in Tucson attracted as many as 2,400 people, said Tony Tangalos, a self-reliance advocate who will be on hand Saturday, Oct. 31. The Phoenix shows draws twice that number.
The prepper community’s reputation took a hit last year when the National Geographic Channel aired the “Doomsday Preppers” series starring “gun-toting, wild-eyed, super right-wing crazies,” Tangalos said.
“We try to get away from the doomsday preppers,” Tangalos said. Instead, his motto, and that of this weekend’s show, is: “Prepping, it’s not for doomsday. It’s for everyday.”
As an example of everyday incidents where prepping may come in handy, he cited a recent power outage that knocked out his kitchen’s appliances. While many people were unable to cook, he took advantage of a portable stove and pulled out some of his freeze-dried food.
