Recently, there were major cellular outages in our area that affected AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile customers across the country.
In response, the reported cause of the outages was strong atmospheric solar flares. We also have to consider possible internal and external cyber-attacks–rogue hackers have the uncanny ability to tap into any operational system.
We have become increasingly dependent on technology–technological advances are developing rapidly every day.
Three/fourths of people living in the U.S. have no landline phone service.
There are grown, professional, independent adults who simply cannot remember one phone number of a family member or close friend.
Cell phone use has made our thinking extremely lazy.
Cell phones have become our brains, and people have been known to absolutely panic and experience extreme anxiety if they find themselves without this device.
Millions of people in the U.S. go to sleep with their smartphones and wake up with their smartphones.
Your personal information and intellectual property, continuously is extracted and parlayed to countless conglomerate business entities that absolutely exploit and attract your interest every chance they get.
urvival Mode
Most of us think that a first-aid kit has a couple of band-aid boxes, some aspirin, and alcohol–having a well-stocked first-aid kit can help save a life. The items I am listing can actually fit into a small box and will not be expensive.
These items are: non-adhesive dressings (gauze), anti-bacteria soap/ointment, medical tape, tweezers, scissors, disinfectant wipes, aloe vera gel, CPR pocket mask, electronic thermometer, eye wash, bleach, throat lozenges, hand sanitizer, glucose monitor, tampons and any medication you or a family member will need.
Medicine – If you have a prescription that you absolutely need to survive, this is your main priority–Insulin, asthma medicine (inhalant), allergy medicine, and any medicine for chronic pain or disease must always be in stock.
It is also important to keep a stock of the following over-the-counter medications in your supplies: Ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil), acetaminophen (Tylenol), acetylsalicylic (aspirin), diphenhydramine (Benadryl), ranitidine (Zantac), and hydrocortisone (Cortisone), and having antibiotics such as amoxicillin can also be helpful in case of an infection.
Ensure all family members are acutely aware of the primary uses and warnings of all medication you have stored. Remember, it will be difficult to receive proper medical attention when your geographical grid gets un-plugged and loses complete power.
PLEASE TAKE NOTE: Knowing what medications do can make a huge difference. In normal circumstances, we should use medication with professional medical advice, as medicine can become dangerous at incorrect doses, and some can trigger harmful reactions or become addictive.
Power Source
During an emergency, our power may be off for quite some time.
A portable generator, will help restore some needed power in your home; some generators run on gas and solar generators that are more efficient and quieter. Most good generators have 5-10 different output ports (depending on the model) to provide power options for 12-volt, USB, and AC.
Since solar generators don’t operate on fuel, they are usually silent because they don’t use noisy internal combustion. If you purchase a gas/fuel-operated generator, please ensure it is operable outside your home.
Also, be sure to secure your generator by chain and lock, as it may be a target for theft by the less prepared in your community. Always have a stock of batteries on hand.
Tools – There are general tools that you should have in your home at all times.
Remember, the key phrase for preparation and survival is: You would rather have it and not have to use it, rather than need it and not have it.
Even if you are not handy with tools or just someone who does not like to fix things, you should still consider having a basic hand-tool kit in your home. Your tool kit becomes an extension of your emergency kit.
A general tool kit includes a hammer, axe, saw, screwdrivers (Phillips, flat), box cutter, knives, wrenches (adjustable and open end), Hex Keys (in various sizes), wire cutter, pliers, needle-nose pliers, tape measure, needle and thread, shovel, crowbar, tactical knife, utility shut-off tool, duck -tape, electrical tape, and razor blades.
Many survival items, such as Quick Cap chafing fuel canisters (for heating food), 4-hour emergency candles, bungee cords, zip-lock ties, cotton gauzes, hydrogen peroxide spray, batteries, hand warmers, and band-aids, can be found in local stores like Dollar Tree or Dollar General.
Home Safety
The safety of your family and home is important and should always be taken very seriously.
Our homes should always remain secure.
Surveillance systems like the Slomin’s Shield, ADT, and Ring doorbell cameras will be non-operable during emergencies and grid blackouts. We must get and stay in the habit of locking all doors and windows. There have always been predators amongst us–small gestures like these help us to avoid becoming victims.
Gun Safety-Legally obtaining and learning the proper laws, responsible safety measures, and how to operate a gun makes common sense. Guns carry the power of life or death. Regardless of whether you have a lot of training or have never picked up a gun before in your life, reviewing and knowing basic gun safety rules can make the difference between safely handling guns and an accidental discharge.
Securing important family documents
If and when an emergency occurs, family documents may not be easily and readily accessible.
Therefore, be sure to have all your documents, such as property deeds, birth certificates, educational degrees, certifications, marriage certificates, business licenses, bank statements, wills, passports, registrations, insurance claims, and photos scanned and stored on flash drives. After scanning original documents, be sure to keep them in a safe place. Fireproof safes and boxes can become quite useful when storing family documents.
You can purchase document scanners at electronic stores such as Best Buy; or you can pay for the service at the FED-EX office or Staples.
SCOOP family, I hope this three-part series on emergency preparedness was informative and helpful. I am confident that the articles have motivated you to dive even deeper into the preparation and logic of staying alive and taking care of your family and close friends.
Khabyr Hadas is a teacher, author, and historian, khabyrhadas@gmail.com 267-531-8789
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