Common prepper terms

72 hour kit – A survival kit that contains all of the items you would require to survive an emergency for 72 hours. See Bug Out Bag

AR-15 – This Is the semi-automatic civilian version of the M-16 and M-4 rifle.

Bugging Out – leaving your current position and moving to a safer location. I'm

Bugging In – hunkering down, staying at your location until it is safer to bug out!

Bug Out Bag (aka BOB) – A bug out bag is backpack or other style bag (Ie. duffle bag) that contains all of the necessities you would need to survive after a disaster. Your BOB allows you to take what you need with you quickly and evacuate should a disaster occur. Most people keep enough gear to last 72 hours, but since most disasters can disrupt services for longer than 72 hrs, I think its a good idea to have a bag that will allow you to survive indefinitely. Common items to carry include MRE’s, protein bars, fire starters, first aid kit, water, water filters, maps, cash, firearms, ammo, sleeping bags, emergency medicine, shelter (tent, poncho, tarp), clothing, fishing kit, snares and copies of personal identification (photos of passports, drivers licenses, social security card etc).

BOL – Bug out Location, a preplanned position to retreat to, other than your home, if you had to escape danger or disaster.

BOV – Bug out Vehicle

Carrington Event – A naturally occurring EMP – like effect caused by a large Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) of the Sun. (See CME and EMP)

CME Coronal Mass Ejection. (Solar flares.) See EMP.

EDC – Everyday carry, what a person caries on them on a daily basis.

EMP – An electromagnetic pulse, see Wikipedia

Faraday Cage – is a metallic enclosure that protects your electronics from an EMP.

FIFO – First In, First Out—used for food storage rotation.

“Get-Home” Bags – This is a smaller light weight bag you keep in your car to help you get home. Common items to carry (MRE’s, protein bars, fire starters, first aid kit, water, water filters, firearm and maps)

Genny – Slang for a generator

GMO – Genetically Modified Organism

GO bag – see Bug Out Bag

Ham – A slang term for amateur radio operators.

HEMP – High Altitude Electromagnetic Pulse. See EMP.

IFAK – Individual First Aid Kit

INCH – “I’m never coming home” code for family if you have to bug out so they don’t stay waiting for you.

JIC – Just In Case

“Junk” Silver – 1964 or earlier mint date circulated U.S. silver dimes, quarters, or half dollars with little or no numismatic value. These coins have a silver content of 90%.

M.A.G – Mutual Aid Group, made up of individuals in a specific geographic area. These individuals meet for the purpose of discussing, sharing ideas and planning for emergencies in their area.

Main Battle Rifle

Multi-tool – This is a combination of a survival knife and a wide assortment of other tools (pliers, saw, wire cutters are some examples).

MRE – Meal Ready To Eat. (US military field rations)

OPSEC – Operational Security

Prep – This is slang for prepare.

Prepper – A prepared individual, a survivalist, self-reliant.

Preps – This is slang for preparations.

Peak Oil – the point in time when the world’s oil supplies go into irreversible decline

P.E.R.K – Personal Emergency Relocation Kit.

PSK – Personal Survival Kit

SHTF – Sh*t hits the Fan. This means that some kind of catastrophic event has happened. (natural disaster, financial collapse, terrorist attack)

TEOTWAWKI – The End of the World as We Know it.

WROL – Without Rule of Law A time when police, military, etc have lost control. A lawless situation.

Zombie – The name for the unprepared and often aggresive masses who will want to take what you have.