Thursday, April 14, 2011

Preparedness Items You Might Need

What would we need if we were involved in a disaster? Obviously the situation would vary but assuming you had the opportunity to take along several items these might come in handy.

The Boy Scout Fieldbook (get the old one 1973)
A preparedness guide. Using a compass, building fires, making shelters, cleaning fish, animal track identification, first aid, tying knots, etc.

US Army Survival Manual FM21-76
Reprint of the Dept of the Army Field Manual

The American Red Cross First Aid and Safety Handbook

The Forager's Harvest- A Guide to Identifying, Harvesting and Preparing Edible Wild Plants by Samuel Thayer
Large color plates

Medicinal Plants and Herbs by Steven Foster and James A Duke
A field guide with color plates

Bible

Gun(s)

Sawyer Water Filter
Cleans up to 500 gallons of bacteria free water (Wal-Mart)

emergency water tablets (not needed to use the above)

First Aid Kit

Medications- see if you can get an extra prescription- like when you are going on an extended vacation and they prescribe a bit more

Can opener

Bag of rice

Whistle

Compass

Crank radio

Crank flashlight

socks

sewing kit

Magnesium fire starter (like flint)

camping shovel

pocket saw (it's a sharp band)

Knife Sharpening Kit
Knives:
pocket knife , Leatherman (multi tool), K-bar (fighting and survival)
lock blade that flips open (for one hand use)

Cards and Card games

Game rule book

Musical instrument if available and you play.

Remember, these are all great to have, and I think you should be prepared, but you also need to have faith. Some bloggers will say faith alone is enough but it reminds me of that joke:

There was a flood and the water rose clear up to rootop level. A man climbed onto his roof to save himself from drowning. A rescue worker in a boat made his way to the house and offered to take the man to safety. No, the man said, he was waiting for God to save him. So he waited. Again, another boat pulls up and offers to take the man to safety. Once again, the man declines.

Soon the man is overcome and dies from exposure. When he approaches the Pearly Gates he asks St Peter why God would have forgotten him. "Forgot you?" St Peter replied, "he sent two boats!"

6 comments:

Manny said...

Haha, I liked the little joke at the end. :) I have never put together a complete kit. I have many of those things scattered about but not together.

You reminded me of a really good novel called "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy. I think both you and your husband would enjoy reading it. It was recently made into a movie too, but I haven't seen it.

Unknown said...

LOL!! I've heard this but never put it in the context of being prepared - but of course it makes total sense to do so! Thanks for linking to the Preparedness Challenge!

Kathy Felsted Usher said...

Thank you- nice to meet you!

Yahoobuckaroo's Blog said...

Good list, but leave it to a girl to forget the axe and the fishing tackle box. (You can always make a pole and weights, but hooks and line are nice to bring along.)

If the words of God are written on our hearts and minds, why do we need a bible? Besides, it won't tell you which way to go if you're lost in a cave. That book awaits to be written although Tom Sawyer came close.

Kathy Felsted Usher said...

Yeah, and I forgot to mention the rope. We have it in the pack, and the axe in the garage. Fish- don't care for them but in a pinch, yep. Bible: I'm not one of those that has memorized scripture and can quote everything, in fact being a convert I've really only read the King James so I can brush up on the Catholic chapters when we're stranded somewhere in a disaster.

Fransene @ LiveReadyNow said...

I like the musical instrument idea. If only a violin or piano would fit into one of our packs. Ha! We like to sing as a family, so I always figured that would have to do.