top of page

Emergency Preparedness Part 2 (2021)

Screenshot_20210404-092934.png

If you are choosing to stay in or 'bug in', then you will also need to think of precautions to fortify your home. This will require you to evaluate the effectiveness of the security of your entry points, such as doors and windows. Of course, having home surveillance such as cameras and alarms are useful however should the power go out, this will render them useless. Until an emergency arises, now would be a good time for you to begin a gradual accumulation of food, water and supplies in addition to learning skills such as first aid, methods of sanitation and self defence. Physical fitness will also be an important factor that should not be overlooked as well as mental preparedness, especially in the event where you may have to leave your home. Keep in mind that should you bug out because of an emergency and are unprepared, you are essentially a refugee; don't do it unless you absolutely must. It's advisable to have planned a location that you could go to in such an event and practiced getting there as well as different ways to get there.  If you don't, that's fine; now is the best time to think about this.

​​

If you are going to choose a location to 'bug out' to, it should not be easy to find and away from people, advisably off the main roads with cover. You'll also need supplies for the journey to get you there in the form of a bug out bag, which consists of all the items in your get home bag, but with additional warm clothing items as well as socks (the last thing you want is to get trench foot), rain ponchos, a way to make fire, navigation, a tent, sleeping bag, a means of communications as well as cash. In the event of a disaster, where the power is out, you will not be able to use your cards; cash will more than likely still be accepted for bartering. If you have a location to go to, it'll be a good idea to practice the journey. As mentioned earlier, survival is food, water, shelter, medicine and communications; such a location would need to satisfy these requirements and of course, security as this location would need to be fortifiable. In addition to this however, if an event requires you to bug out for the long term, you would need to be self sufficient in terms of sources of food and power. 

​​

We can't predict when the next 'event' is going to happen; an emergency situation such as a natural disaster may occur when you're not home, so it's good to plan ahead and practice skills so that they become second nature. You will need to be adaptable for any variables that arise so you can amend your plans accordingly at the drop of a hat. You must also place mental objectivity and composure under pressure as a priority and constantly observe, assess and adapt to the situation. I will emphasise that it's not enough to have the equipment, you also need skills and proficiency. Much of us during the Covid-19 pandemic have been forced outside of our comfort zone; there may be more issues to come that will affect us all.

​

Your preparations should be made out of necessity in a rational manner and be regarded as a form of life insurance as opposed to paranoia and fantasy. I know many people imagine preparing for events such as a zombie apocalypse (Whilst I initially didn't want to talk about this as I felt that it would detract from the seriousness of preparedness, I will address it!). For those of you who are into zombies, it may interest you to know that the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) previously had a section on the theme of zombies, which can be found here, with a fairly light hearted downloadable comic. However, before we get too carried away, this was absolutely not intended to foreshadow an upcoming zombie apocalypse, but to create some awareness of emergency preparedness; being prepared for a zombie outbreak allows preparation for a variety of different emergencies. More resources here. Following on from this, the U.S. Department of Defense Strategic Command (CONOP) has a plan in place for zombies, known as CONPLAN 8888 AKA the Counter-Zombie Dominance, devised to serve as contingency plans and responses to deal with the theme of zombies. The reason for this to avoid any fallout with other nations, in the event that these plans were leaked or made public, which could be misconstrued as actual plans against them. 'Using this fictitious scenario avoided concerns over the use of classified information, it resolved sensitivity to using real-world nations or scenarios and it better engaged the students' (CONPLAN 8888, 2011). 

​

Though keep in mind that contrary to what films may have you believe regarding SHTF, collapse (excluding AOGs here, such as tsunamis and earthquakes) may not happen instantaneously at all. A fallout followed by the aftermath where the law falls silent is usually an expectation and perhaps even a fantasy for those who want this kind of freedom away from society. Whilst it's important to be prepared for an instant occurrence, we should also take into account that a collapse could happen gradually over time. Whilst it's a bit of fun to indulge in zombies and film fantasy, stay grounded and remember why you are preparing and the list of scenarios listed in Part 1 for when it hits the fan as well as the 5 key components to survival. Not to mention, staying informed of local and widescale ongoings, whilst maintaining confidentiality and your situational awareness.

​

I may write more on this topic as this has been a basic overview, without going into too much depth, though this will hopefully give you a few ideas. You don't have to go crazy, it's just common sense to have an awareness and a plan on the subject, especially given recent events, which may result in further events to come, which could include a time of civil unrest. Like everything else, this is an ongoing learning process, so be sure to do further research on this; better to be prepared than not at all.

 

*Edit*: I wrote more...!  

bottom of page