Family & Community Preparedness

Recently, I reviewed information I found online and at the public library that may be useful to you and your family to prepare for times of need, which would include emergencies. I have listed some of the resources at the end of this post. The video on Survival Preparedness was very insightful, as the presentations focused on essentials such as caring for injuries, shelter, water, and food. Our response while in a wilderness survival situation is similar to what we can do to fare well after a natural or man-made disaster. The first area of concern is to care for injuries that may cause immediate life-threatening risks or that may progress and become more serious, if not treated, into infected wounds that lead to one becoming incapacitated, or worse. Of course, knowing how to stop bleeding is the first action that may be needed to preserve one's life or the life of a family member or neighbor. Next, one needs to prepare to continue to survive by constructing a shelter to shield one from the elements, which may result from heat, cold, rain, or snow. I considered how I would shelter myself and my family after an earthquake. Our home may not be in a condition to be used as a shelter so I may need to set up a tent in my yard. It helps me to think in terms of the equipment, supplies, and material I use when camping in the mountains. I would use the experience I gain from camping in the mountains to maintain living conditions after an earthquake. Others in our neighborhood have pop-up tent trailers that they may be able to use for shelter. During the time between caring for immediate injuries and return to normal, one may need to alert others of serious needs and to request outside help. In a wilderness environment, one may use a signal mirror, signal fire, or another method. In our community, we can either tie a red cloth outside the front door of our home, or notify our neighborhood coordinator, team leader, or another person in your neighborhood who is trained in Community Emergency Response, for help. More than ten months after the earthquake in Haiti, many of the survivors still have a need for shelter, medical care, disease prevention, water, and food. We and our neighbors need to be prepared for short and long-term physical needs by having stores of food and water, sanitation and medical equipment and supplies that can be used ongoing, until we are able to return our lives to normal living conditions.

DVDs
1. "Prepared to Survive"
2. "Square Foot Gardening" by Mel Bartholomew

Online videos
Rocket Stove
How to build a Rocket Stove