Preparedness: Preface
From Fusselman.org
Contents |
Introduction
In this series on preparedness, I’ll be exploring how to select, gather and organize equipment and supplies that I might need for a variety of “unexpected” situations. More than telling you what I’m packing, I’ll be explaining the process by which I’ve selected these particular items, to give the reader a more complete understanding of the how and why of the process..
Before we get into the actual kit planning (and the contents of my kit), let’s be clear on one thing. This information comes with no guarantees or warranty of any type. I make no promises that, even with a kit just like mine, you’ll be any more prepared for anything at all. ever. That said, hopefully, when you’re done here, you’ll have a better understanding of how I think about preparedness, and maybe be better equipped to think about how to construct your own kit. Along this same line, “stuff” is only a small part of preparedness. Knowledge is power. All the medical equipment in the world won’t stop you from bleeding, if you don’t know how to apply it properly. Yes, that sounds a lot like a disclaimer, but... better safe than sorry.
When selecting the items to go in your kit, consider the value of each item. Value is understood by the following questions: How many uses does this item have? How important are these uses in the situations I expect to encounter? Are there other items that are cheaper that will do the same thing?
Cheap vs Expensive
Cost
In this document, I’ll make use of the words cheap and expensive to discuss the “total Cost” of an item. This includes not only the pre-event acquisition cost and any costs to maintain or keep it fresh but also the in situ costs, that is the costs of space and weight to store and transport it. It also includes the costs to operate it. All other things being equal, a battery-powered flashlight is “more expensive” than one that charges via a hand crank, due to the logistical, financial and physical requirements for carrying batteries.
Probability and Versatility
Another consideration is “unintended uses” of items. A flashlight is primarily a source of light, though an aluminum Maglight is durable enough to prop up a (short) table, or to be improvised as a club. Directly related to this is the “salvage value” of your gear. If the batteries die and the bulb burns out, does your flashlight have parts that could be used for other things? The flashlight body itself could be used as a waterproof storage container... If these considerations are anything but an afterthought (After you've selected a piece of gear on its other merits), you need to apply the “Probability” rule. Sure, you /could/ boil water in the body of your all-titanium flashlight... but really... How often are you going to need to do that, assuming the flashlight fails before you actually have that (albeit unlikely) need? Lots of people get very excited about water purification. I can’t see myself being in a situation where I need more water than i can reasonably carry/store. Moreover, in my neck of the woods, there’s not a ton of surface water near the places where my situations would arise. This describes both sides of the “Versatility” principal.
Value
A further principal to consider is “good enough”. Lots of people pan “cheap junk” because it’s not as durable or long-lasting as [sometimes much] more expensive pro-grade gear. What is required here is to consider how long you expect an item to last. That directly relates to how long you expect an emergency situation to last. A flat tire requires a wrench that lasts about 5 lug nuts worth. A wrench that lasts longer is convenient, but just costs extra, with regard to the “flat tire” test. A severe laceration (cut) requires a dressing that lasts about as long as it takes to drive to the emergency room. If you’re farther from the hospital, you need a relationally better bandage. This principal is described as “Value”.
What's Next?
Now, equipped with our 4 principals: Cost, probability, versatility and value, we can get started. Before we can talk about gear, we have to talk about the situations I’m expecting to encounter.
