Category Archives: General Preparation

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If purchasing a firearm represents a first step in personal protection, learning how to use it is the logical and necessary second step.  As KC writes:

Owning a gun is just the first step on a journey. Guns are not self-protection talismans that ward off evil-doers all by themselves: You have to have it handy when you need it and you need to be ready, willing and able to defend your life and your loved one’s lives, if, God forbid, the need to do so arises.

Where does one start though?  As a relatively new gun owner, I would suggest you give these folks a look.

You can read about it here but I also recommend you bookmark them and regularly visit their site.  They have a lot of good information that focuses on firearms training, personal security, and other preparation-related issues.  I’ve gone shooting with Kevin, Robert, and Jaci so I can personally vouch for their knowledge of firearms-related subjects.  They are good people and are compiling a lot of useful information you can apply.  Check them out, its worth your time.

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One problem I have (and have seen in others) is a tendency to over-think matters and encounter analysis paralysis.  This causes delays in taking action and not beginning an important process (in this case, preparation).  Col. John Boyd (USAF) developed and refined the OODA Loop which describes decision-making in fighter combat but can also be applied to other matters.  The essential principle is to make a decision and act quickly for in the words of Gen. George Patton:

A good plan violently executed now is better than a perfect plan executed next week.

This applies to preparation in one aspect, thinking about the equipment you need to adequately prepare for the unknown.  Sometimes we can get bogged-down in the details of deciding what we need and where we put it rather than on the importance of starting something, anything, now and refining it over time.  I am guilty of this myself, but am working towards addressing it as I refine my own preparations.

The principle I want to address now is repurposing and multiuse.  Instead of wondering what you need to get in the future, ask yourself what you have on-hand right now that can help you get better prepared.  Over time, you can add or adjust your equipment and kit but we all need to start somewhere.  Making incremental progress over time is what is more important than your starting point.

Leatherman Supertool 300

If you go camping or backpacking, you probably have many items that can come be used in your preparations.  Check your garage, if you have tools you are already prepared for household emergencies.  Have you taken a Red Cross class lately?  If so, you are armed with information that can be used in the future.  Go into your kitchen and see what is in your cupboards and/or pantry.  Got canned, freeze-dried, or dry foods you can prepare?  How about a gas grill or camp stove?  Have extra flashlights and batteries?  Take a look around, you may already be on your way towards preparation.

The good news is you may not have to purchase a lot of new items, they may already be in your home!  Gas grills can be used to prepare steaks but they can also be used to boil water if necessary.  Camping gear can be used as temporary shelter in case your domicile has to be abandoned.  Hand sanitizer not only cleans your hands, it can serve as a fire starter.  The bat that you use in your recreational softball league and also serve as a club in a pinch.  There are countless items that can serve in multiple roles, take some time and do an inventory of what you have right now.

Whatever you do, start the process now and keep at it.  Think of preparation as an exercise program that will yield results over time.  Keep at it and you will realize your goal, which is to become more prepared and resilient during emergencies.  This in turn will benefit you, your family, your neighbors, the community you live in, and the country as a while.

Get started!

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Still think living in a small town eliminates the threat of terrorism?  The Montevideo MN terror plot shows that no town is immune from the threat.

Credit: slowingtheracingmind

A few days ago, the FBI arrested a man who may have been planning a terrorist attack in the small town of Montevideo, Minnesota.  The suspect was a white supremacist who had pipe bombs, Molotov cocktails, and various firearms in his possession at the time of arrest.  One of the planned targets was the local police station, no other potential targets were mentioned.

I grew up in Minnesota (Twin Cities Metro area) and have traveled throughout the state for the first half of my life.  There are many small towns like Montevideo throughout the state.  The college I went to was in a farm town of about 15,000 residents and many people enjoyed its tranquil atmosphere.  However, living in a small town is no guarantee of immunity from terrorism, as Montevideo (population 5,800) demonstrates.

There are crazy, dangerous people everywhere.  This is a sad fact of life and no matter where you live, you need to be prepared in case these people act out their violent desires.  Even if you live in a small town, be ready for the unthinkable and you will be better able to handle the situation.

It’s a small world after all.

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Sometimes you need to be prepared for encounters with wildlife.  I was reminded of that recently and wanted to share some information on how to handle one particular type of animal:  the rattlesnake.  The goal is to educate so you know how to deal with rattlesnake encounters in a manner that protects both you and the animal.

The story begins a few days ago when I was visiting my parent’s house for a family dinner.  They live on 2.5 acres in the desert outside of Casa Grande, Arizona which is on the northern side of the Sonoran Desert.  After the sun set, I was getting ready to go back home to Phoenix by loading my car.  I heard a noise and stopped for a second, then I heard the same noise again.  It was a rattlesnake like this one:

Western Diamondback Rattlesnake

Since I could not see it, I went to the front of the house to get back inside.  I had no desire to get bit by a snake after all.  However, what happened next was an example of what not to do in such a situation.

My dad decides he needs to see where the snake is.  So he takes a light and grabs a hoe from the (open) garage in search of the snake.  He finds it underneath a bush at the edge of the driveway and proceeds to shine his light on it.  The snake starts rattling again, mostly because it is angry and wants to be left alone.  As it slithers out to find some other place to hide, my dad bangs the hoe in its general direction and the snake coils up and gets angry.  By this time my mom, my sister, and myself are yelling at my dad to get away from the snake.  After all, my dad is in his mid-seventy’s and not in good health right now, so a snakebite could prove fatal.  However, my dad doesn’t want the snake to get into his new truck so he keeps shining his light on it.

By now, both my sister and I decide we need to call the fire department so they can remove the snake safely.  I call and tell the dispatcher about the situation, my parent’s address, and the type of snake we found.  All the while my dad is still annoying the snake, even though it is now hiding under his new truck.  Eventually, the fire department comes out, catches the snake, and puts it into a 5-gallon pail for removal.  My dad finally turns off the flashlight and puts the hoe away, much to our relief.

This situation ended well, but could have gone wrong in an instant.  Here is what you should do if you encounter a rattlesnake:

  • Remember that rattlesnakes want to avoid contact with humans, if you leave the snake alone it will leave you alone.
  • If you have pets in the vicinity, get them away from the snake.
  • Don’t back the snake into a corner, cornered snakes are dangerous because they feel threatened.
  • Do not threaten or harass the snake, leave it alone.
  • Call a professional (ex. Fire Department) to safely remove the snake.

Key takeaway from the National Parks Service:

Rattlesnakes are only dangerous to people when they fail to respect the snake’s personal space. Rattlers typically strike at human beings when they feel threatened by them. Statistics show that most bites occur when a person provokes a snake by either accidently stepping on one or purposely trying to capture, harass, or kill the animal. Statistics show that more than 65 percent of rattlesnake bites are provoked by the person who is bitten.

If you ever encounter a rattlesnake, don’t provoke it and you are likely to walk away from the encounter without any bites.  Otherwise, you take your chances…

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You are in a crowd with thousands of other people when an explosion goes off.

Credit: Reuters

What do you do?

Kevin Reeve recently wrote a helpful post on this subject, its called How to be Safe in Crowds and its worth reading.  Other than avoiding large crowds, he gives some good advice on how to develop good situational awareness and have a bias towards action.  This will help maximize your chances of survival during a disaster.  The main concept he highlights is controlling panic, as he writes:

The KEY to surviving any event in a crowded venue will depend almost entirely on your ability to control personal panic, to assess the situation, and to take immediate action.  If you panic, you drastically increase your odds of injury or death.

This is related to the concept of OODA loops in the decision-making process.  All four parts of the OODA loop require active participation (Observe, Orient, Decide, Act) and the more you practice these in everybody life, the more finely-tuned they become.  So keep these concepts in mind and put them into practice.  Who knows, someday you may need to react quickly to a disaster so develop your bias towards action now.

HT to Kevin (again).

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Unlike in Old West movies, the posse may not get there in time to save the day.

Credit: Tucson Citizen

Which means, until the good guys arrive, you are your own first responder.  That’s a scary thought, but its reality and needs to be accounted for.  There won’t always be a policeman, fireman, EMT, or other first responder on-site to offer immediate assistance when things go wrong.  That means you have to be prepared to be your own first responder.

In a mass shooting or terrorist attack, police departments now recommend taking action instead of being passive.  This can take many forms but the key concept is to take action immediately.  It may take several minutes for police units to arrive, which is plenty of time for a criminal to do a lot of damage.  As Police Officer Jack Dumphy writes:

…in the event of a mass shooting, the police may not arrive until it’s over, as was the case in about half the incidents examined.  The average police response time in the 84 shootings was three minutes, which may seem fast until one considers how much carnage a committed and well-armed gunman can bring down on a school, office, or shopping mall in three minutes.

This holds true for natural disasters as well.  Just the other day in China, a magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck in a rural province, which caused over a hundred deaths and over ten thousand injuries.  In some parts of the affected area, it took hours for assistance to arrive.  Due to the narrow roads and landslides, some areas may not get help for days…  Until help arrives, the survivors are on their own to manage as best they can with the aftermath.

Keep in mind that as more municipalities at all levels struggle with their finances, response times will get longer and there will be fewer resources available.  Being your own first responder will become a necessity along with building networks outside of governmental agencies to handle emergencies.  In one respect, this is a return to an earlier era in America where self-reliance, neighborhoods, and communities took care of each other instead of municipalities.  Taking the initiative to prepare is a gateway towards greater independence and freedom, which will ultimately benefit the neighborhoods we live in.

HT to Kevin over at Misfires and Light Strikes.

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Let me echo what my friend Kevin has to say about Thinking Through the Unthinkable:

For starters, even if you or your loved ones haven’t been hurt in the blast, you can still become casualties if a stampede breaks out. It’s not unheard of for incidents like this to turn into a human stampede that leads to a loss of life far beyond what the first incident causes. Knowing where the exits are and having more than one escape route beforehand helps you avoid the mindless rush to get out if a panicked fear breaks out in a crowd.

Secondly, while you may not have a first-aid kit on you, you can have one nearby. An IFAK (Infantryman’s First Aid Kit) gives you the basics to save a life in a such a situation, and they’re small enough to go just about anywhere. I have one in the back of my car and I’ve got a couple more on-order to toss into range bags whenever I go shooting.

Thirdly, learn how to save lives, IFAK or not. For me, taking a good, solid emergency trauma and first aid class has just shot to the top of my training priorities list since the incident at Boston…

The objective in writing about incidents like the Boston Marathon Bombing is not to scare but to to prepare.  All of us (myself included) can learn and do more that will better equip us for when the unthinkable happens.  Start taking steps now, even if they are small ones, because nobody knows when the next disaster will strike.

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As we saw during the Boston Marathon on Monday, terrorism can happen any time, any where with devastating results.  Sadly, industrial accidents like the one outside of Waco, Texas on Wednesday can be even more devastating.

Credit: KWTX.com

The Waco chemical plant explosion killed over sixty people and injured hundreds on Wednesday evening outside of Waco, with people as far as 40 miles(!) away hearing the explosion.  Within the city of West, hundreds of people had to be evacuated outside a one-mile radius due to the risks posed by additional explosions.  All of this happened suddenly and without warning.

The good news is that events like this are rare because both companies, workers, first responders, and government agencies at all levels work together to prevent events like this from happening.  Even with all the precautions and safeguards in place though, accidents do happen.  The question is, what can you do to be prepared for a disaster like this?

The short answer is to prepare a “Go Bag” with items you need in case you need to evacuate quickly.  When sheltering in place is not an option, you will need to leave the area with what you can carry.  Having a Go Bag with the proper items in it can make a big difference in an emergency.  I’ll cover this subject in more depth in upcoming posts but for now, click on the links I included to get started.

Bad things happen and when they do you will need to be ready.

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When bad things happen, first responders can become overwhelmed during the initial phase of a mass casualty.  As we saw yesterday in Boston, a horrific terrorist attack injured over 170 people in an instant and left several dead.  There will be times when police, fire, and rescue personnel will be delayed in coming to your aid if you and others are injured, meaning you are your own first responder.

Image courtesy of The Telegraph

This means taking steps to prepare for unlikely yet traumatic events like a terrorist attack.  I wrote yesterday that disaster can strike Any Time, Any Where so you need to plan accordingly.  What steps can you take?  Well, consider the following and see what you can apply today.

Your Person – Items you carry with you or on you:

Your Office – Some things to have at work:

  • Food
  • Water
  • First aid kit
  • Cell phone charger
  • Change of clothes
  • Athletic shoes and socks
  • Reflective tape
  • Extra cash and coin ($20 should be enough)
  • Water bottle
  • Paper towels or napkins

Your Home – Products you should have where you live:

Your Car – Keep these items in your car:

  • Food (MREs, Datrex rations, granola bars)
  • Water
  • First aid kit
  • Jumper cables
  • Tow rope
  • Spare tire (inflated and in good working order)
  • Chemlights
  • Electrical and/or duct tape
  • Lighter
  • Signaling mirror
  • Blanket
  • Flashlight
  • Fire extinguisher
  • Space pen
  • Pad of paper
  • Batteries (fully charged)
  • Tire pressure gauge
  • Rags
  • Knife or multi-tool
  • Extra wiper blades
  • Tools (screwdrivers, adjustable wrench, pliers, etc.)
  • Quart of oil (get the correct viscosity for your engine)

Other useful items to have handy include:

  • Applicator-less tampons (read this for reasons why)
  • Maxi-pads (see above)
  • Tape (athletic for non-waterproof, duct or electrical tape for waterproof)
  • Hand sanitizer
  • Hard hat
  • Leather gloves
  • Safety glasses
  • Lifehammer
  • Respirator

In time, I’ll go into greater depth on how to prepare various kits and what each one should contain.  Consider this post a quick and dirty starting point, the key is to begin today because you may need these items tomorrow.  I encourage every reader to do what I do, search for information from a wide variety of sources and make adjustments over time.  This is an ongoing process and will never be “done” since new information will emerge over time.

The good news is that most of us will never experience a terrorist attack, massive earthquake, tsunami, tornado, hurricane, or other catastrophic event.  However, bad things can happen unexpectedly so its wise to prepare to mitigate the damage they can cause.  Take steps now to increase your preparedness and remember that the journey you embark upon will reward you even if you never have to employ what you have learned.

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As today’s tragic events in Boston demonstrate, disaster can strike any time, any where, and without any warning.  In time we will know who planned this terrorist attack, what his motives were, what his plan was, and other details.  All of that will be revealed in due course, that doesn’t answer a fundamental question though.

Image courtesy of The Daily Bail

What happens when you find yourself in the midst of an attack?

A terrorist attack is a sudden and violent event that is intended to cause maximum chaos, carnage, and confusion.  It will be a “come as you are” event, meaning what you have on-hand will be all you have to handle the situation.  This can be a challenge, but there are both products and principles anybody can use to prepare for the worst.  Give both areas a look and consider which ones you can start using today in order to better prepare yourself.

Products

  • RoadID – Get one of these listing your name, blood type, any known allergies, contact information, and other pertinent medical information.  It could save your life if you are incapacitated and unable to speak to first responders.
  • First Aid Kit – Several years ago I purchased a Day Pack First Aid Kit from REI that I keep in my Camelback when I go hiking, biking, or camping.  Its small, light, and portable…all for less than $20.
  • Belt – A belt can help stop bleeding if a major artery is severed or a victim experienced the traumatic amputation of a limb.
  • Handkerchief, scarf, or bandana – These can act as temporary bandages or tourniquet in an emergency, can also serve as a signaling device by waving it.  Useful as mask in dusty or smoky environments.
  • Flashlight – If lighting goes out, even a small flashlight will provide a needed source of illumination.
  • Smart Phone – Can be used to call for help, a light source, or source of information (see Applications).
  • Applications – Certain applications can provide critical information, even if cell phone service is temporarily disabled.  Consider adding First Aid (Health Team), iTriage, or other similar apps to your phone.

Principles

  • Be Prepared – Have the knowledge and tools you need on-hand so you will be prepared.  This will result in increased confidence and the ability to overcome traumatic situations.
  • Breathe – Your brain needs Oxygen to function and make decisions so remember to take deep breaths and…
  • Stay Calm – Keep your wits about you and deliberately get out of harm’s way if you can.  Panic and confusion will only make the situation worse, potentially leading to more trauma.  You are likely to be scared out of your mind, but if you remain calm your chances of survival increase significantly.
  • Know First Aid – Take a First Aid course so you will know what to do if needed.  Knowing what to do during an emergency could save a life.
  • Protect Yourself – Don’t risk your safety or life for others, if you are outside the scene of an emergency STAY OUT!  Let trained emergency personnel handle matters, your priority is to protect yourself from harm.

As we have seen today, terror and violence can happen in the most unexpected times and locations.  What makes these mass casualties shocking is that we live in a comparatively safe society where attacks like this are rare.  Still, it is wise to prepare for the worst to the degree that you are able to.  Every little bit helps and can lessen the damage and confusion caused by terrorist attacks.  Good luck in your preparations, please get started now.