Newsgather
BackInside the World of Preppers: The People Preparing for Disaster
Inside the World of Preppers: The People Preparing for Disaster
NEWS
BBC Technology4/21/2026Other1 min read

Inside the World of Preppers: The People Preparing for Disaster

BBC World Service programme explores the growing movement of people preparing for emergencies, from natural disasters to cyber-attacks and climate change

Quick Look

  • A BBC World Service conversation with four preppers explores the growing mainstream movement of people preparing for emergencies ranging from natural disasters to cyber-attacks and climate change.
  • Guests discuss their motivations, share practical advice, and address stereotypes surrounding the survivalist community.

AI-generated summary

Why It Matters

The prepper or survivalist movement, once considered niche, has grown more mainstream in recent years. The Covid-19 pandemic increased public awareness of emergency preparedness, while ongoing threats including natural disasters, cyber-attacks, nuclear conflict, and climate change continue to drive interest in self-reliance.

Font size

Sometimes the world can seem a scary and dangerous place. So how prepared are you for when things go wrong? We've lived through the Covid pandemic, and you don't have to doomscroll for long to find other threats ranging from natural disasters and cyber-attacks to nuclear conflict or the existential threat of climate change. But a growing number of people are preparing for almost any kind of emergency and are ready to protect their loved ones. They are known as 'preppers' and, in our conversation, we bring together four of them. "A lot of people talk about preparedness like it's stockpiling fear but it's actually stockpiling peace," Kellene tells host James Reynolds. "It's a way of life, not a destination." The prepper – or survivalist – movement was once quite niche, today it's much more mainstream. Our guests share their plans, offer advice and discuss the stereotypes. "Most people do think we're a little bonkers till an event happens that impacts their life," Krystal says. Presenter: James Reynolds BBC producers: Isabella Bull and Lindsay Brown Boffin Media producer: Richard Hollingham Editors: Harriet Oliver and Arja Haikonen A Boffin Media production in partnership with the BBC World Service Outside Source team. (Photo: Derrick James) Programme Website

Open Questions

  • What specific preparations do the featured preppers make?
  • How do preppers fund their preparedness activities?
  • What are the most common emergencies preppers prepare for?

Related Topics

This article was originally published by BBC Technology.

Related Stories

Ушел из жизни академик РАН Владимир Окрепилов
Other·2h ago

Ушел из жизни академик РАН Владимир Окрепилов

Санкт-Петербург простился с почетным гражданином города, академиком РАН Владимиром Окрепиловым. Он скончался на 82-м году жизни, оставив значительный вклад в науку как основатель экономики качества и разработчик стратегии развития города.

Лента.ру
القاهرة تحتفي بعيدها القومي الـ1057 بفعاليات ثقافية وفنية متنوعة
Other·1h ago

القاهرة تحتفي بعيدها القومي الـ1057 بفعاليات ثقافية وفنية متنوعة

تحتفل القاهرة بعيدها القومي الـ1057 بتنظيم فعاليات ثقافية وفنية متنوعة تسلط الضوء على معالمها التاريخية والأثرية، بما في ذلك المتاحف والبيوت الأثرية، وتعكس هويتها الحضارية المتجذرة عبر العصور.

الشرق الأوسط
More on this topicpreppers