I suspect that much of the 'prepper' stuff you find on the internet is aimed more at the 'end of civilisation' types than people who want to sensibly prepare for expected emergencies. There is certainly an ideological divide in the US, and you do have to wonder how so many got into their particular mindset.
Its not so cynical to think that for many, making money is a big concern. Fear sells, and selling overpriced goods to people that have been stoked up on myths is a good living. As this article
http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2013/10/debt-ceiling-obama-fema-camp-infomercial points out, its worth $500m in the US alone, and once you've extracted $37 for a video which includes advice on 'How to make sure Urban Warfare never touches your family', they are on your mailing list (and whoever else you flog it to) for life. So overpriced gold, overpriced MRE's, 'decontamination kits', strange looking knives, etc are all potentially lucrative lines to offer to the worried.
Its certainly sensible to be prepared for emergencies - so some tinned food (and something to cook it on), drinking water, a small radio, torches/batteries, candles, duct tape and some plastic sheeting/tarp/rope and medical supplies are all good ideas. Even in the UK, we get floods and other extreme weather, and you just have to look at 1918 to see what flu can do to a modern society.
In the US, earthquake, flood, drought, very heavy snowfall/icefalls, hurricanes and tornado's are all possible hazards, so a kit is a good idea, and there are some examples here:
http://www.motherjones.com/media/20...quake-disaster-preparedness-zombie-apocalypse . Some are very sensible, some are less so (the guy with the Tequila and phenobarbital had really simplifed his!), and some are just paranoid (the guy with the bullet proof vest, helmet and gas mask in his
bag would seem to be a little out there!). Are they really prepping for a reasonably expected problem, or has it become a fetish?
For the UK, a basic kit of essentials would be fine, and carrying a small FAK, Swiss Army knife, some bottled water, painkillers and a power backup for your phone would be sensible. Frankly, thats what I carry when I'm on the tube (along with an A-Z), along with a book to kill time when there is a delay. But much more than that would wander into the world of fantasy, or dystopia.
Looking at one or two of the UK 'prepper' web stores, you do wonder if their market is a strange mixture of Rambo types, extreme sports fans (judging by the Go Pro cameras on offer), Howard Hughes-like germophobics (why do you need a biosuit?)and people who think that
Shaun of the Dead might be a documentary. Scary stuff.
Biggest worry for most of us? Flooding has knocked out the mains for a day or two, and we can't get to the shops, nor can we get a decent wifi signal, nor can we watch Countryfile!
