Having an accident occur or suffering from an injury during the pandemonium of a grid down scenario is something we should all be prepared for. Hopefully it doesn’t happen, but when things are so volatile, anything is possible and measures need to be taken to ensure this situation can be handled competently.
When we find ourselves in a catastrophic scenario, being prepared makes all the difference. Knowing how to treat injuries that may occur to yourself or your loved ones is a key element of survival.
Not being able to treat or manage pain, or worrying about a potential infection, which would be a really bad thing, is a hindrance you cannot afford when the world is crashing down around you. Having the skill set and the supplies to effectively treat injuries is a valuable skill in your day to day life too, but its value goes up exponentially in times of survival.
Being competent in first aid and all that it entails is a good place to start. This will be a remedy for almost any situation you encounter. If you know first aid and you have a well stocked first aid kit, that sets you up for success if anything that necessitates it arises.
While a good first aid kit can have the solution for most injuries, there are some that require additional care. Hopefully you won’t suffer a broken bone at such an inopportune time, but anything is possible, and if a bone gets fractured you will basically be out of commission until things resume to normal and you can visit an orthopedic doctor. If a bone is broken, you’ll need pain relievers and a place to keep it elevated. Certain vitamins like vitamin K2 will speed up the healing of a bone break or fracture, but chances are likely that our SHTF experience will end before you are healed.
It is important that you have the confidence to take on any potential injury situation as it happens. We strive to avoid all injury as we try to weather the storm, but things have a tendency of not going as planned when we need them to.
If you have children and God forbid one of them suffers an injury, they will already be in a state of considerable stress and anxiety based on the volatile situation at hand, so being able to tend to any accident that might cause them physical pain is something you should definitely plan ahead for. The same can be said for yourself if you are the leader of your family and responsible for other people’s survival.
The most important thing is that you don’t panic. If you aren’t prepared and don’t know what you’re doing, chances are you will panic. This is detrimental, and can even be the determining factor if you survive in some potential scenarios. It can even be argued that after food and water, that this could be the most important element of sustaining yourself during any type of disaster. Having your wits about you in this situation is key to your survival.
It’s advisable to have pain relievers in preparation of something like this occurring. Having different options for pain relief based on the need is a good idea too. Having a big bottle of aspirin in your preps can be helpful for more than just a headache, but it’s probably not suitable for the types of situations we’re exploring in this post. I won’t go into any further detail than that, but having something strong in case of emergency is worth considering. If you suffer from addiction to prescription medication, please don’t store anything that could potentially cause a relapse. There are considerable options available to you that won’t tempt you.
Taking Care Of Others In Trying Times
When things go haywire, accidents and injuries are unfortunately more prone to happen. Distractions will abound, and people’s minds will simultaneously be in a state of adrenaline and chaos. While the survival of yourself and any potential family members you will be hunkering down with is the most important, you might find yourself in a situation where your next door neighbor has hurt themself, or even someone you don’t know in the street in front of your house. All kinds of terrible scenarios are possible, and knowing how to handle each one is very valuable insurance policy for your survival.
Be cautious if you help someone outside of your inner circle who is suffering an injury. Bring your first aid supplies to them, do not bring them into your home. Not when things are so volatile. Bring only what is needed to treat their injury and after you’re done performing first aid be sure to excuse yourself and leave.
If at all possible, work in some conversation about how you haven’t eaten in almost 2 days and how difficult everything is for you and your family. It is good to help people in need, but you have to remember that your guard must be up at all times in times of survival. People are not operating at their typical codes of honor when they are truly desperate. If you keep these things in mind, you should be able to help others without consequence, which is a good thing to do and what I would do.
