What Do You Prep For: Common Personal Disasters*

Market-Ticker ^ | 3/17/15 | Karl Denninger

[Kartographer]

How many times have you seen someone who survived with nothing more than their underwear? They had no "go bag" sitting inside their sleeping area they could grab that had a few basics in it -- like some sort of lightweight but effective means of preserving body heat. Now consider that if this occurs while in a place not so-populated in the winter time you might well be in serious trouble or even die of exposure!

The other place that such disasters commonly happen is in our vehicles. Do you have a small, easily-toted "get me the F out of here" bag in your car? If so, what's in it?

In today's world of cellphones most people blow this sort of thing off. That's a serious mistake; not only is there no guarantee of a signal but cellphones require battery power and can be damaged in a crash or other incident. Water exposure, in particular, can render your phone instantly useless and in many (but not all) cases a fractured screen renders the phone unable to be used as well.

Never mind a reasonable med kit, which most people simply do not have. Why not, given how cheap this is?

If you broke down -- or had a serious mechanical failure and crashed as a result -- 20 miles from nowhere, how serious would this be? What if you find yourself somewhere that forces you to abandon your vehicle for some reason (e.g. it's mechanically broken beyond your ability to fix it) without assistance? It gets even worse if you are on required prescription medication or are injured and have nothing to deal with your injuries.

[Kartographer]

Never mind a reasonable med kit, which most people simply do not have. Why not, given how cheap this is?

Normalcy Bias I see it often. Since it has never happened to me it won't ever happen.

“There is no greater disaster than to underestimate danger. Underestimation can be fatal.”

[Kartographer]

Preppers’ PING!!

I my post I mention ‘Normalcy Bias’, a good article on ‘Normalcy Bias’ is on our own ChocChipCookies Blog The Survival Mom:

http://thesurvivalmom.com/2010/12/29/normalcy-bias/

[laplata]

Normalcy Bias I see it often. Since it has never happened to me it won’t ever happen.

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I also see it all the time. The scariest part of SHTF will be the idiots.

[Lazamataz]

I prep for being so screwed.

[IMR 4350]

Hurricanes have a way of bringing out the stupid in people.

Nothing is more bizarre than listening to the people that will call a radio station right in the middle of a hurricane, over 100mph winds blowing, and complain that their power is off and no one is trying to fix it.

[ThomasThomas]

Never forget your mother’s advice. Clean sock and under wear. And a hand operated can opener. It is how I survived Y2K.

[MHGinTN]

This month working on long-term water collection from rain ... toilets to flush, baths to take, when TSHTF. Barrels for collecting roof runoff

[Marcella]

I was in Bob's car last year and a man drove his car into the side of ours, on my side. He hit just down from my door. Bob got out to deal with the man, but I couldn't get out, where the man hit pushed that part of the car in front of where the door hinges are, so when I pushed the door to open it, it wouldn't budge. Bob did not have life hammers to break out windows to escape a car. I could not get out - luckily that was okay for this accident. The EMTs forced the door open.

Bob didn't know about Life Hammers. For Christmas, I gave him two, one for each side of the car. He was glad to get them as he saw a real problem when I couldn't get out of the car. Sometimes it takes a real situation happening to understand what could happen.

If any of you don't have a Life Hammer, get one or two. When you strike a car window (won't work on windshield), with the hammer, the glass breaks (copy cats of Life Hammer may not work, get the real thing). There is also a recessed blade to cut a seat belt.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

Lots of condoms?

[greeneyes]

I must have grown up in “abnormal bias area or times”. Most of this sort of stuff wasn’t called prepping, it was considered common sense, and everyone I knew did it.

My biggest problem with respect to my car, is that sometimes my family will help me out by cleaning out my car. Sometimes they take stuff in the house that I consider a necessary “just in case of problems” item, and maybe I don’t notice it for a day or two.

[freedom6178]

[Lots of condoms?]

Weird way to collect water.

[Secret Agent Man]

Normalcy Bias. yes.

I also call it Societal Inertia. Things will just keep moving along like they always have.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

Don’t get the pre-lubed ones. They make the water taste funny. :)

[MaxMax]

That's hilarious.

[freedom6178]

HA-HA

[laplata]

I’m no where near hurricane country but I can picture that.

If the grid would go out there would be some serious and scary cell phone and computer withdrawal going on.

I’m not hooked on my cell phone but the internet is another matter. I’d read a lot.

[Lurker]

“Do you have a small, easily-toted “get me the F out of here” bag in your car? “

Two, actually.

L

[Lurker]

+1.

[laplata]

I prep for being so screwed.

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You could always invite three or four big 300 pound hungry girls to keep you company.

[Lurker]

Take a look at the Swiss Army Rescue Tool. It’s a nice piece of gear.

L