Op-Ed: Preppers Often Overlook a Crucial Point

Of all the people you'd expect to own a "bug-out bag," Kit Dillon would be near the top of the list. After all, he reviews bags for his job at Wirecutter, and he has lived a life peppered with first-hand experience with natural disasters, from wildfires to hurricanes to, most recently, catastrophic flooding in his native Hawaii. But in a New York Times essay, Dillon explains why he's never gotten around to acquiring a B.O.B., as it's known in prepper parlance. That's not to be confused with a B.O.V., or bug-out vehicle, in which you can escape to a W.R.O.L., or world without the rule of law. The fantasy of such lingo and escape plans, he writes, collides with how people actually survive: together.

"What I've learned, across every one of these close calls and near misses, is that what keeps us safe isn't the stuff we pack or stockpile; it's the community we build before calamity strikes," he writes. "At a time when Americans are increasingly isolated from one another, we must see our ties with our neighbors as essential preparation for the future ahead." Sure, having a few days' worth of essentials at the ready can be useful, but the real prepping starts "when you knock on your neighbor's door and invite them over." Read the full essay.