Most of us who consider ourselves preppers like to think we’re at least somewhat ready for any disaster scenario.  So I had a rude awakening when my husband fell and broke his arm last week.  Thankfully we have adequate health insurance and we were able to rush to the ER and get him taken care of.  Now that the initial anxiety has passed, it’s made me contemplate what I would do if this accident had happened during a disaster or pandemic.  What if I couldn’t just rush him to the hospital and be assured he’d be taken care of in a relatively short amount of time?  What if we didn’t have orthopedic specialists available to reset the bone and make sure he’s healing correctly?  And, unfortunately I don’t have a real plan for this.  While I’m sure I have the confidence that I could make due with my own skills - a broken bone suddenly looks like a worst case scenario to me.

Most of us have had basic first-aid instruction, and if you haven’t that should be on your list to accomplish as soon as you’re able.  Some of you may be one step ahead of me and have the skills to reset a bone, or suture a cut.  I think for the vast majority of those urban women that feel the need to be prepared, aren’t ready to take a field medical course.  So - what’s a good alternative?

Be careful.  Be very, very careful.  During a survival situation, safety should become your number two priority, just under food and water.  Take precaution to do things slower and more meticulously than you usually would.  Don’t climb on the roof if you don’t absolutely need to.  Don’t fool around with a knife.  Keep toxic chemicals in sealed containers away from children.  Think about this constantly.  You have probably been in an accident situation where a split second determines if you receive an injury or not.  Usually we say “I can’t believe I did that”.  There may not be a second chance during an emergency scenario. 

Get to know your neighbors - one of mine is a physician’s assistant.  She can sew a cut and set a bone and has offered if we need it.  If you have a friend or relative that’s a healthcare provider, talk to them about your emergency plans and if they would want to join you.  Also, educate yourself in case you’re the only option.  It’s not enough to have a splint available if you don’t know how to use it.  If you’re very squemish about first-aid, decide if it would be better for you to join a group that includes a doctor or nurse, or even someone with a stronger stomach.

I’ve thought through this for my own family and am prepared to keep everyone as safe and free from injuries as I can.  If we’re on guard and aware, we can remain accident free.  I’ve also considered pain management.  I have a small supply of prescription pain-killers, but if we had a major injury I’d have to consider alternatives.  Suddenly an adequate supply of booze seems like a good idea.  I hadn’t really considered this since no one in my family is a drinker, but I can see the advantages to having a supply - and the good thing is you don’t really need to rotate as it gets better with age. 

With all the things to think about when preparing for a disaster, don’t forget safety awareness is an important aspect that you can’t afford to ignore.

How often does one of your kids get a fever and you realize you only have one dose of fever reducer in the cabinet?  It’s important when preparing for any disaster scenario to be sure you’ve thought about the first aid items your family might need, and keep a supply available.  Here’s a handy list of items I keep on hand.

Alcohol Wipes

Aloe Vera

Antacids

Aspirin

Benadryl

Calamine Lotion

Claritin

Cough Drops

Epsom Salt

Hydrocortisone Cream

Hydrogen Peroxide

Immodium

Iodine

Motrin

Neosporin

Numbing Throat Spray

Rubbing Alcohol

Sudafed

Tylenol

Vicks Vapor Rub

Ace Bandages

Band aids and Bandages in Various Sizes

Surgical Tape

Ice Packs

Heat Packs

Keep in mind this is what I store - these are the most common items my family uses for basic first aid.  I have a rotation schedule for items that have an expiration date, especially the medications, but I know that in a pinch old stuff isn’t necessarily useless.  I keep two sets - one near my bathroom on a closet shelf where it’s easily accessible, and one stored away in a plastic bin for safety in an earthquake, or other disaster where it could be crushed.  I also keep some of these items in my car’s first aid kit and a small version in our survival bags.

Make a list and stock up when you have a few extra dollars.  If you buy one item every week, the impact is small.  Keep your supplies in a cool dark place and rotate regularly.  Keep items out of reach of children, especially if they’re stored in your car.  Be safe and prepared.

You don’t want to be caught during a disaster without a well stocked medicine cabinet.  While it’s imperative to have plenty of bandages, ointments and medicines at home, you’re more likely to be unprepared when at work, school or traveling in your car.  You should have a great first aid kit suitable for each of these, and also one for each of your BOB bags (don’t know what that is?  It’s a Bug Out Bag, but we’ll talk about those later).  You could certainly buy a first aid kit - they’re usually fine and have what you’ll need.  I have found that I can make a kit that’s more serviceable and sometimes less expensive. 

For my car I like to use a small shoe box size plastic box.  In it I stock:

• Band aids - I have lots since kids want a band aid for everything
• Gauze - I have some large squares that are individually wrapped and some long rolls
• Neosporin - you can stock whatever brand of antibiotic ointment you like
• Surgical Tape
• Scissors - I buy the small Fiskars craft scissors, they’re sharper and stronger
• CPR Barrier
• Rubber Gloves - you can buy individually wrapped, or add some from your box at home
• Aspirin
• Tylenol - remember to add kids dosage if you need it
• Ibuprofen - remember to add kids dosage if you need it
• Benadryl - remember to add kids dosage if you need it
• Purell - any brand you like will work
• Small amount of any medications you take - remember to rotate so they’re constantly fresh
• Small Ace Bandage - this can have several uses other than the obvious

You may think of additional things that you would like to have available in an emergency.  Stock things you’ll use - you can always add things later.  This is adapted to my personal needs and I think overall it’s a better first aid kit than I could buy off the shelf.  You could use a similar, or smaller kit for work and/or school, although your kids might not be allowed to carry scissors in their bag, so check on that.  Always check the expiration dates on medicines and ointments - although in a pinch they won’t hurt you, if it’s expired it most likely will have a reduced effect. 

This first aid kit is in addition to the food, water and blankets I already have stored in the car.  I know it’s all there, so I don’t have to worry if I’m prepared or not.  I have a calendar that reminds me to check it monthly to see if anything needs restocked or replaced.  Be prepared and in an emergency, you’ll be grateful you did.

In any emergency situation, a parent’s worse nightmare other than running out of food and water is some medical emergency happening to their child.  I remember one night, about 2 years ago, my middle son put a small plastic disc from a bug keeper lid in his mouth, it flipped around, and he suddenly was choking.  Dad of course, stood there yelling “he’s choking, he’s choking”, and looking at me across the room.  I ran over, grabbed him up, turned him over and thumped him as hard as I could between the shoulder blades with the heel of my hand.  The piece flew out of his mouth, crashed to the floor and he was fine.  The technique I had used was taught to me about 5 years prior at a first-aid class I happened to take.  I never thought I’d end up using it on one of my own children, but I’m glad I knew what to do.  Knowing exactly what to do kept me from panicking, unlike the other unprepared parent in our house.  Basic CPR and first-aid training, supplemented with your own research could end up saving a life during a disaster situation. 

If we are unfortunately hit with some type of pandemic flu virus (a possibility that even the government has repeatedly warned us about), knowing some basics about healthcare and medicine could mean the difference between living through it and being a casualty.  I’ve thought about the scary scenerio of our wonderful Pediatrician’s office overwhelmed with coughing, sick children and parents fighting each other to be first in line.  And, who knows if doctors will even see any patients - they may be busy saving their own children or other family members.

Do you know what every site, including the CDC’s lists at the most effective method of controlling a pandemic flu?  Thoroughly washing your hands.  That’s it.  There is no miracle cure that will save us.  Just good old soap and water.  Kind of scary huh?  The good news is you can take just a few other precautionary steps to make sure you’re stocked up and ready in the event of a flu pandemic.  Tomorrow I’ll talk about specific things that could prevent you or your family from becoming a tragic story.