I feel that if you are not ready it will happen but when you are ready it will not happen. So I am always ready. I do carry some basic things on me and have quite a bit of knowledge on primitive survival. I just refuse to stock pile years of stuff for it to go to waste. I wish there were more people around me to learn more from and pass along what I know as well.
I was kinda forced to learn what I know. I was homeless for about 6 months in winter in Washington state. Kinda had to figure it out as I went along.