Science Exploration Disaster Prepardness Column #2
By Craig Porter
This segment of the Disaster Preparedness Series is dedicated to helping you to protect yourself, your family and friends. You need to understand that in the immediate aftermath of a disaster there will be injuries to the populace. It is also important to impress upon you that you need to be able to protect yourself, your family and your friends from those that did not prepare for the possibility of a disaster befalling them and their families.
FIRST AID First Aid is a series of actions that
can and should be taken to mitigate the effects of injuries that can range from minor to life threatening. Such injuries often include bleeding (venial and arterial), broken bones, common and compound fractures, heat exhaustion, Heart Attacks, and other similar occurrences. To perform proper First Aid for an injury you need training, the more serious the injury the more training you need and the more complete your First Aid expertise. You can get your training from several different organizations as well as learning from First Aid Manuals. Training is offered by the following organizations, The Red Cross, Fire Departments, also the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. Then, you need a First Aid Kit, if you
don’t have a basic kit, buy one at the Drug store, Market or an Out Door Gear Store. As you learn more First Aid you will need to add more to the Kit as you learn. The initial Kit you have should contain antiseptics, bandages, band aids, and an instruction book or manual. If you need to, buy a plastic box to put your new First Aid components in and mark it for First Aid use. Add Triangular Bandages, Ace Bandages, Adhesive Tape, and Compression Bandages as you deem them necessary. Also, make a set of splints for setting broken bones. If you are building a survival team, make sure everybody is trained in First Aid. Just remember, if a major disaster strikes, there will most likely be limited EMS services available due to swamped calls for help along with people trying to help their own families and friends.
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PHYSICAL PROTECTION: Because of the way the unprepared masses react in a disaster, you should be prepared to protect yourself, family and friends from them. People who are not prepared for an event that requires planning and preparation to survive will eventually loot from those places that they think have what they need, or want, and are unable to protect themselves. And generally, they won’t care who they hurt to obtain what they need or want, they will see it as a way to survive. As a result you need to learn the skills needed to help protect yourself, family, friends and property. Items of self defense include fire arms, chemical sprays, shocking devices and other items.
FIRE ARMS AND NON LETHAL SELF DEFENSE: If you have a Fire Arm such as a
Pistol, Rifle, and/or Shot Gun, make sure you and your family are all fully trained in the safe use and care of all the fire arms that you own. If you plan on getting a fire arm get the training first, the responsibility is yours to use the Fire Arms in a proper, effective and legal way. You can get your training at most Out Door Outfitters, and Fire Arms retailers, the Instructors are generally Certified National Rifle Association Instructors. If you are uncertain of where to get your training go to
www.NRA. org. It is possible that you and your family might enjoy the shooting sports and the competitive events that you can be part of. If you join the NRA, you will receive a magazine of your choice from a list of shooting magazines. In it will be listings of shooting competitions by class and location. Nonlethal self defense items include Chemical Sprays and Shocking Devices, i.e. Pepper Spray, Mace, and Taser Like Devices. One place to check for Chemical Sprays and Shocking Devices is on line at http://www.budk. com. Again, get training on how to use the devices before trying to use them in an emergency.
UNARMED HAND-TO-HAND SELF DEFENSE
There are also Unarmed Hand to Hand fighting methods. There are several companies that produce Videos for learning self defense at home by following the instructions given in the videos, be aware that in using these videos that you need to practice what you see in the videos. These videos do not require you to be a Martial Artist but some Martial Arts training will help you to understand what you are learning. There are Martial Arts Studios that teach Self Defense Courses and various organizations provide Self Defense training at little or no cost. If you happen to be taking Tai Chi as a fitness course the moves that you are taught can be used in your Self Defense. Here are some references for places you can find more information.
Close Combat Company http://
closecombathelp.com
TRS
http://www.trsdirect.com
KRAV MAGA http://www.
commandokravmaga.com
You can also go to http://www.
blackbeltmag.com and search through their ads for DVDs, equipment and articles. Or you can purchase a “Black Belt” magazine from a local magazine rack and look through it for courses if you prefer. Another note if
ConNotations Volume 22 Issue 2
you are going to train yourself in Hand to Hand defense you need to be in good physical shape and practice the moves shown in the videos. Practicing your survival skills can be an enjoyable past time event if you have good friends and neighbors that want to join you in the preparation that it will take to survive, all the better. Taking exercise classes together, practicing the hand to hand self defense courses, competitive shooting meets and pot lucks. At the same time you can firm up your plans for survival. The plans will, or should, include food, water, shelter, cooking facilities, food storage, and auxiliary power generation that will be covered in the next two sections.
COME AND TALK ABOUT THIS SUBJECT WITH CRAIG AT LEPRECON.
CoN
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