Preppers have gotten a bad name, yet everyone is a prepper to one extent or another. Ladies, do you have a condom hidden in your purse? Or something if your Aunt Flo comes calling? Then you are a prepper. You are preparing for an eventuality that may not come, but if it does, you are prepared.
Do you have a First Aid Kit in your house, or car? You’re a prepper. Do you have a fire extinguisher next to your stove? Guess what. You are prepared for the disaster scenario of a fire on your stove, or in the oven.
Now, I live in Hurricane area. So my Prepping is a little more..... Enthusiastic. I have chainsaws, and a Generator, and food, and jugs to store water. I have batteries, a radio, solar powered lights, and a lot of other things. I am prepared for the arrival of a storm. Does any of that seem unreasonable? If so, you should talk to FEMA, because FEMA says I need all of that, and more, if a storm comes heading my way.
Now, I also have firearms. I am prepared for civil unrest. Unlikely sure, but impossible? Nope. In fact, it grows more likely every year. As each generation expects the Government to do more and more, to take care of THEM, the likelihood of civil unrest increases.
Prepping is nothing more than getting a little more than you need this week, and setting it aside for a rainy day, be it a hurricane, or ice storm, or some other event that cuts you off from something you want or need. Start with the basics. Food, water, and hygiene necessities. Move on from there. First aid should be on the top of the list IMO. The ability to bandage a wound, stabilize a broken bone, and that sort of thing. I am not talking about a full surgical suite. But a pressure dressing and materials to stop the bleeding could save a life, perhaps even yours.
Let’s take that Hurricane scenario. Let’s say that the Hurricane sweeps through, and I am injured by broken glass. There are trees down all over, so the Ambulance can’t reach me for hours or days. A helicopter is unlikely, they’ll have to be flown back into the area from where they were evacuated to. I can slap a pressure dressing on the wound, and stop the bleeding. I can throw a few stitches into it with fishing line, if I must. I can staple it together, if I must.
Communications is down, so the ability to dial 911 probably is already lost anyway. I have to deal with this myself. Yes, it hurts. And yes, it can get infected. But it gives me time to get to medical help. It extends the minutes of life I may have left to hours, or days. All from a little pressure dressing right?
Broken bone? Stabilize it with a splint, that reduces the pain you are in. It also reduces the chance of additional damage to the area from bones slicing up the tissue, possibly arteries and killing you. It makes it easier to transport you, if you can get to a Hospital. If you have to wait, it makes you more comfortable. It gives you time.
Preparing for a bad day is something we all do. We stash a little cash in the corner of our wallet. Or we stash something for when we’ll really need it. Pepping is nothing more than realizing it might be more than a visit from Aunt Flo. It might be several days. It might be a couple weeks. So stick some canned food aside, or some rice and beans, or something simple. Your options are limitless, and you don’t have to be rich to do it. You don’t have to spend tens of thousands of dollars. You just have to spend a little and have what you need when you need it.
