preparedness

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What if I have no money?

It does take some money to build or rotate a survival kit.
But, it doesn’t take any money to gather what you have.

Start with what you have. Gather it together into a plastic trash bag or pillow case. Work from there.

It doesn’t take money to plan.
Make a list of what you need.
Take the time to sort it with most critical on top. Then, when you have the opportunity to work on it, start at the top.

It doesn’t take money to store water.
Ask a friend or neighbor for their old, empty two liter bottles.
Clean them thoroughly and fill with water at the tap or a drinking fountain.
You can live without almost everything else, but you NEED water. Find a way to store water. A gallon of drinking water is usually around a dollar. If you have little or no money, buy this before you buy anything unnecessary like candy, entertainment, etc.

It doesn’t take money to volunteer.
Sometimes you can work with a church or community group to earn what you need by helping others. Volunteer to collect items from the group for those that don’t have what they need. Make sure that leaders understand your need and your willingness to help others in the same predicament. Work hard to help others obtain what they need and when it is completed, you may be welcome to a share or the surplus. Take care to have the utmost honor so that you are working out a win/win plan and not a self-centered activity. It could be someone in your group is moving and would love to trade you food they don’t want to pack for help with packing and cleaning, etc.
It could be an elderly member has plenty to spare but needs help with yard or house work, etc. If you have time and energy, find creative ways to work for what you need.

It doesn’t take money to ask for help.
Talk to church or community leaders about how to obtain assistance. Food pantries, and other group and community projects may already be in place to help you. Find out what you need to know so that you can help your family be prepared. If nothing is available, see if you could work with them to create a solution for yourself and others. (see volunteering)

It doesn’t take money to have patience.
If we have done all we can, we can pray, trust God, and watch and wait for divine assistance. Ultimately, we can not be prepared for all unknowns anyway. The goal is to do literally the best we can with the circumstances we’ve been given and then trust God. Use prayer to guide you to help improve your circumstances. Often if our finances are so tight we have nothing to prepare with, we are already in survival mode.

Remember this time of financial scarcity when next your situation is better, and prepare before you spend your money on non-necessities. When your are thriving, save money and prepare for emergencies.

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July OTA: First Aid and Shelter

The 5th step is First Aid and Shelter.

Greenies:  For a first aid kit, gather what you have into a double zip lock bag or plastic container.  This can do for a start.  Make a list of what you need and start to gather it a piece at a time.  Or, buy a premade first aid kit.  Red Cross and other reputable organizations make lists of what should be in a first aid kit.  So, use theirs or make your own.  

Take CPR:  I teach CPR so I am partial to this training.  But, hey, it could save the life of a dear family member.  It is never too soon to make time for it!!  Even if you lose someone you love, it brings peace to know everything was done that could have been.  No regrets.  

Shelter:  Greenies can start with a tent or several very large tarps, ropes, stakes and tie downs.  This will keep the rain off you in case you are unable to stay in your home.  Also:  Find out about the local shelter programs and locations in your area.  Make plans of when you will go there and under what circumstances.  People requiring electricity for medically necessary devices and those that need other services may need to relocate sooner than those who can live through power outages, etc.

Maintenance/Experienced:  First Aid Kit:  Update and rotate any expired or damaged items in your kit.  Take the time to add  to the kit such things as large bandages for large wounds, snake bite kit,  cpr mask, update your CPR and first aid certifications (usually good for 2 years), a small sewing kit, ipecac–Use your knowledge of what might be to prepare even more.  

Shelter:  Review your shelter plans and make sure they are still current.  Be sure two family members and/or a neighbor you trust know where you plan to be.  Upgrade your tarps to bigger ones, or a better tent.  Maybe make it actually comfortable and useful by getting one nice enough to take camping–hey, lots of fun state parks here to try out and hone your camping skills.  Make some non-electronic memories.  

Advanced/Extra Milers:

Continue to expand your first aid kit to the degree that you feel might be useful without being wasteful.  

Check your tent for maintenance issues or needed repairs and be sure it is still water tight and viable if you needed to live in it.  

Reach out to others in the community and help them with this type of preparation. 

Red Cross is looking for volunteers to teach awareness and preparation in the community.  You could volunteer.

Donate these types of items (even if they are the hand me downs after an upgrade) to someone else in your neighborhood, church or community to help others prepare who may not have the financial means available to prepare as well as they’d like to.

Increase your personal First Aid or CPR training.  Red Cross teaches Aquatics (life guard training) and also Wilderness Survival classes.  

Youth can take babysitting classes that teach many of these same skills.

Help Boy Scouts or others teaching youth these same skills.