Emergency Preparations 101 (Part 2)

If you haven't already taken the Disaster Preparation Quizzes, do it now. They will help get or keep your preparation juices flowing. They will reinforce what you already know while educating you on things you may not know. It's educational. It's fun.

• It's NOT just like camping
• You CAN'T buy enough food and supplies to last forever
• Your neighbors will NOT gather around and help each other when things go bad
• "Gadgets" are a waste of money you need for real preparations. Gadgets break and you will have to learn to live without them anyway.
• There's a very good chance you may NOT get to your survival location when things go bad
• You CAN'T convince your "significant other" this is a good idea
• You DO need to prepare a special place to go (near or far) - just in case you can't get home or your home is uninhabitable
• Your kids will NOT be bored. When planning for emergencies, it's extremely important to involve your children in the planning process and talk to them about emergency preparedness. Children can better cope with disasters if they know what to expect and feel like they can help protect themselves and their family. They will learn so many new ways of living, so many daily activities and chores, connecting with nature in so many new ways, they won't have time to be bored. Allow them the freedom to discover things like what bugs are in the grass around your home, what plants to grow for food or medicine, what wildlife is still abundant on this beautiful land. If your attitude is one of wonder and not worry, so will theirs be. Help them look at this as an adventure, not a burden.
  Tell them the truth:
  - Don't Scare; Teach without allowing their imaginations to get the better of them.
  - Tell them why you're preparing to help them understand the realities of life.
  - Share your Plans to help set their mind at ease, what you expect of them and how to react if they're on their own.
  Help them become Aware of their Surroundings:
  - Point things out throughout the day that will get them thinking instead of their nose stuck on the TV, game console or smartphone.
  - When you see someone doing something dangerous, point it out to them to help them develop a safety mindset.
  - Point out exits, police officers, and other safety necessities so they know what to look for when things go bad.
  Conduct regular safety drills:
  - Practice the skills and plans that you’ve been sharing with them so it becomes second nature to them.
  - Pop Quiz them to see how they react during a situation then give imput for corrective action and support a good reaction.
  - Throw them a curve ball to help them "think on their feet" instead of just a going through the motions.
  Give them the skills they need to cope with a Disaster:
  - Ask them questions and answer theirs to make sure you're clarifying anything they don't understand.
  - Help them build their own bugout bag so they understand its purpose and know what's in it and how to use all contents.
  - Involve them as much as possible. Make everything a learning experience to help them develop a sense of confidence, self-reliance, and the ability to deal with stress and fear in a positive way.
  Resources:
  A Simple Guide to Teaching Resilience
  How to Cultivate the Inner Spriritual Needs of Your Child
  How to Prepare Your Children for Emergencies, Disasters, and SHTF
  Emergency Preparedness for Children
  Preparing Kids for Natural Disasters
  Making Disaster Preparedness Fun

HIGH VALUE ITEMS TO STOCKPILE FOR PERSONAL USE AND BARTERING, BEFORE SHTF

• Vehicles should always be in good condition and ready for an emergency evacuation. Inspect them frequently. Follow owner's manual for guidance. At a minimum: good tires, fresh and topped-off fluids, good brakes, good battery. Avoid letting the fuel tank get below 1/2 empty.
• Rotate and re-treat stored gasoline
• Store electronics in a Faraday "Cage"
• Keep food and water storage stocked and fresh
• Don't evacuate on a whim. Stay informed for accurate information on the current status of an emergency event. Be ready but don't do things to risk your job/livelihood.
• If an emergency enters a crisis mode, some societal groups might see that as an opportunity to take advantage of the situation. Their intentions might range from settling old scores to opportunistic looting of homes and/or stores. Be alert, be ready.
• Extra Clothes can help everyone stay warm, clean and comfortable but can also be used for rags and bandages.
• Dust Masks help to filter contaminated air (dust, gas, etc.)
• An overstock of supplies can be used to barter for those things you do not have but need/want
• Attend Church regularly, attend to your duties, say your prayers, tend to your family, stay right with God.
• Keep a Survival Guide with you at all times. Keep one in each vehicle, in the purse or pocket and in each Emergency Kit.
  An expert survivalist may not need a guide but the average person may have a memory lapse of personal survival skills, especially during times of stress. While everyone should regularly practice their survival skills, always keeping a Survival Guide nearby will come in handy to help others or to refresh the memory during a stressful situation or just brain farts. A quality guide should include first aid, shelter and fire building, water collection and decontamination, wild edibles and catching game, defense, signaling and other survival topics. My 2 favorite Survival Guides, due to their comprehensive content and compact size, are the SAS Survival Guide (not Handbook) (3.23 x 4.61 x 1.2 inches) and The Tiny (wallet sized) Survival Guide that can fit in a wallet or purse (magnifier included; survival tools card optional).

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Go To Emergency Preparations, Part 1