When chaos pulls up the reigns on a calm society, the events can produce a sense of disaster especially if our homes are near the target areas. In our news, just this week, are incidents that are heated with violence and angry mobs. There is a real cause for concern if this is in your city. Readiness basics need to be in place before these things happen.
We can be fearful of the dangers that accompany the event. We may have to defend ourselves and our homes. We need to be prepared for any scenario. This is certainly a situation that should take everything we know about preparedness. Our skills, testing, and supplies need to be in order in these times. Are these things in our toolbox, so to speak?
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72-hour kits
Are your 72-hour kits in order? Does every member of the family have one of these supply bags? Three days of food, water, and hygiene supplies should be prepacked. A change of clothing, socks, and undergarments need to be ready to grab and go at a moment's notice. Keep one in the car for roadside emergencies. The better you plan ahead, the easier it will be to bug out or stay in place for #SHTF events. Include important medications for individuals and tailor fit each one to fit the family member. Do not forget to pack one for the beloved family pet. They may have to move with us quickly and there may be no time to pack the food dish and other supplies.
Food Storage
Is there
food storage enough for every one of our family members and pets for at least two weeks? Are the basics stored and all of the food groups covered? Does the family stash include multivitamins and other nutritional supplements? Canned goods, dried goods, and jars of necessary nutrients are a must for preparedness. It is the foundation of all we do to be prepared. Food storage is energy for the body. Without fuel, we are running on empty. A good food supply will aid in comforting our family in times of extreme stress.
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Water Supply
Water supplies should cover more than that time period. The possibility of water shortage and the ability to leave one's home may come to pass. Plan for drinking water and potable or wash water. Potable may not be consumed, but is safe for bathing and clean up purposes. Do we have sanitizing tablets or bleach for killing bacteria if we have to process our drinking water? Is there a way to boil water to sterilize it? Do we have a life straw or another form of filtering tool for processing tainted water, if needs be?
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Toilet and Hygiene Prep
Whether or not you shelter in or bug out toilet and hygiene preps are inevitable. In the home, if the water is shut off, using the commode can get a little messy. There needs to be a supply of water which will flush the discarded waste down the pipes. A five-gallon jug placed in the bathroom might last for a few flushes. Make sure to keep a container of bleach handy for sanitizing the bowl if needed.
Bugging out to a wilderness location might require the digging of a latrine. Bringing a prepared sanitation bucket along packed with trash bags and bleach for a chemical toilet is a good alternative. The problem with a makeshift chemical toilet is disposing of that bag some place proper.
First Aid Kits and Medical Supplies
A first aid kit is one of those things that is unappreciated until it is needed. Stocked well with the wound packing items and bandages it can turn a bad situation into a livable one. Be sure to stock this kit with medicines like ibuprofen, antihistamines, stomach remedies, anti-diarrhea meds, and antibacterial ointments. Buy one pre-packaged then stuff it full of additional goods. The better off this is set up the easier it is to treat wounds and common ailments.
Safe Shelter and Evacuation Planning
If you are blocked into the home, there is no choice. You must stay safely indoors. There may be a chance of a break in or windows knocked out so stay somewhere you can be safe. A large closet or interior room without front facing windows is best. Go quietly about your business if possible.
We may need to evacuate the home if crowds get too unruly, but what to do and where to go? If evacuation is possible staying at a shelter or a camp area are options. Shelters will not allow pets or certain preparedness tools, so be aware of those conditions before you start out to that location. A campground might be ideal if you have a good tent and the necessary items to set up your camp properly. There will be camp fees so be sure to have enough cash stashed n the emergency kits to cover a week or two outdoors. If you have done your research on the area surrounding your home, you may have already found a safe zone to camp in that does not have an entrance fee.
Remember that leaving the home may entail a traffic tie up as everyone in the area may be thinking and doing the same thing and heading in the same direction.
Defense Training
Do you have weapons training and proper permits? Let an intruder pass unless they confront you.
If confronted, there are a number of ways to handle that situation. Protect your family and yourself at all costs if this is the situation. By all means, do not make a situation worse than it already is by causing more harm. In a split second, things can get deadly. Make this a last resort, but by all means, be ready for it. Stay on the side of the upper hand.
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Don't wish you had planned. Be thankful you did and keep adding to the stores and stock set aside. Grow a garden. Network with people who have this same mindset. Follow groups and newsletters of preparedness sites. Planning for a disaster and not using the supplies is better than the crushing, panicky feeling you'll get when you do really need prep items and are foolishly stuck without them.
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