I’m angry. Really angry. This is not how I typically start an e-mail, but today I am particularly perturbed.
Why? Because I had a “prepper” tell me today that he is actually looking forward to some disaster happening because he can’t wait to use his skills and “all of the cool stuff” he stockpiled. This is the mentality that will get you in trouble. Not to mention, looking forward to a disaster is inherently wrong!
If you’ve been prepping for awhile, you may have got really good at shooting, foraging, fishing, building or something else. But you’ve got to understand one simple truth: NO ONE IS EVER REALLY READY! No one is ever truly ready to see their home crumble, their water source cut off, their children hurt or dead or other similar horrors that disasters may bring about. Do not become complacent and never, ever think that you are ready.
In light of that, I felt compelled to suggest a few advanced skills that you should practice:
Intermediate Medical Care
How often do you go to the doctor or take your kids to the doctor? How about emergency room? All of the ailments that are easily treated at your local walk-in clinic will become life-threatening when there is no access to traditional medical care. How would you treat serious wounds? Illnesses? Infections? Chronic pain? Infection is perhaps the most common reason why people seek medical care and is the most common killer throughout history. Get a stockpile of antibiotics going and print off dosage charts and treatment requirements. Different antibiotics treat different infections at different stages of development. This should help you get through a long enough period of time to survive. Get books that deal with natural treatment strategies and grow the herbs that have medicinal properties. Whenever your family is faced with a medical issue, always think first what you would do if you could not go to a doctor.
Communications
Survival communications is an advanced skill. If you have a proper radio – you are in luck. If not – get one. Listening to the radio may be the only connection to the rest of the country and for the rest of the world not only for you, but likely for others around you as well. Using the radio to send “outgoing messages” takes know-how, but will be invaluable down the road for finding other survivors, helping people get in touch with their families and share with your “radio buddies” what the situation is like where you are at.
Weather Prediction
Meteorology I not an exact science, but knowing the basics can go a long way in staying safe and protecting your garden. Besides reading books on the subject of meteorology, study your local weather. Keep a temperature journal, note correlations etc. Watch how animals behave in different weather. In the absence of your local TV channel, you’ll need to learn to use other tools at your disposal to be a good meteorologist.
I hope this e-mail offers some inspiration to those of you who can’t figure out what else you can do to continue prepping or to supplement your current efforts. Start with the medical skills and if you haven’t already, put together a trauma bag for your household.
To your survival,
Joseph Wilkinson
