#4. Crisis Preparedness

I started reading Jack Spigarelli's book Crisis Preparedness Handbook: A Comprehensive Guide to Home Storage and Physical Survival last night before going to bed.  In his introduction, he discusses building a framework for preparedness, in that you have to decide what you are preparing for before you can decide what to do.  What I get from this is that you need to drill down from the nebulous to the concrete before you can start making a plan.  He also briefly touched on the need to get fit physically as one can deal with stresses and unexpected negative changes far better when one is fit (makes sense).  But he also talked about getting mentally fit.  He writes:

"Perhaps more than any other one thing, your survival may depend on your state of mind. Major crises create stress for all, but reactions differ markedly. Many react with excessive fear that quickly turns to panic and sheer terror. If not completely paralyzed by the overwhelming sense of weakness and vulnerability, they act ineffectively and even downright dangerously. Others become deeply depressed and apathetically give up. But some, although facing the same difficulties, cope with an inner strength born of being mentally prepared. With an emotional stability unknown by the rest, they function with a clear head and a calm mind. Any eventuality is less threatening to them."

I have noticed this myself.  I recall once upon a time back when I lived out in the country, I was throwing a birch log into the wood stove one morning, only to discover that it was too long.  Now normally, I'd just yank such a log back out and throw it outside into the snow to get doused and re-sized.  However, birch bark is the ultimate fire-starter, and that log's bark almost immediately caught, and flames started billowing out the stove door.  Yikes!

For just a moment, I acted really ineffectively.  I started blowing on the flames like I could just blow it out.  OMG as the kids would say.  Even as I started doing that, some sane part of my brain said, "you moron".  I ran to the coffee pot, grabbed it and the fire extinguisher, and doused the flames with my pot of Nabob.  Then I used the fire extinguisher as a back up to the coffee.  What could have been a really bad day turned into a humorous story at my expense.

I guess what you really need to do is think about how you have responded in the past to emergencies, and then think about how you could have done better.  Rehearse in your mind possible emergencies, and then think, what should I do if such-and-such happens. 

Good advice.  As I read more, I'll keep you posted.