Mexstan

Been reading a lot of stuff about survival in the event of an emergency, such as stockpiling food and meds, getting a gun(s) etc, but I am not convinced that is sufficient. Bear with me as I lay out a possible situation;

Something happens such as a hurricane, EMP attack or whatever, which effectively wipes out all electricity, phone, sewage, gas supplies and more for a long time. Lets presume that you have sufficient food and water for a week or even a month, but one of your family gets a scratch on the leg which turns septic. Normally you would take them to emergency, but due to the situation in your area, the hospital is overrun and has it's own inherent dangers, so taking them there is not an option. Within a couple of days the situation rapidly deteriorates and it looks like they may die. Now what?

Another possible scenario: Some of your stored food gave several members of your family severe diarrhea and they are now extremely sick. Again, taking them to the hospital is not an option, even IF you could get there. How would anyone know how to handle this situation? Could young kids cope if the adults are somehow incapacitated?

Take a look at the Katrina situation for a glimpse of many possible horrible situations. What can we do to avoid becoming one of those statistics. Guns will not stop illness, thirst when the fresh water dries up etc.

Hopefully without elaborating any further, you get the picture. How does one prepare for the not so obvious situations that can kill you and your family when disaster strikes? Checked on the internet, but there does not appear to be any info to address my concern, so thought I would see what you diesel junkies have to say about this.

SIXSLUG

My feeling is there will be survivors and casualties regardless of race/religion/financial strength etc.
Situational circumstances will dictate who lives and who does not.

Preparedness will certainly extend some lives, whether the stockers or those who overcome them.

Illness, weakness and general misfortune won't be choosy....casualties will mount and become a problem which survivors must deal with, not pretty.

My personal belief is those who aren't accustomed to hardship will suffer most, those who are will have an easier time with the discomfort and displacement and probably survive longer.

Just some 2 cents....

Mexstan

Have no doubt that casualties will occur very fast once electricity fails. I can survive very well without electricity, but it's the things like a virus or an infected cut that concern me for my family and how to prepare for those types of scenarios.

Scotty

After my encounter with infection, I persuaded the Dr to provide me with extra prescriptions for different spectrums of antibiotics and I stocked up with the highest grade of bandages, prep kits, antibacterial washes etc etc.
My other quest has been filtered water system, canned goods, and personal protection.

A few folks I know scoff at the idea that we'd ever need it.
I dont try and impress upon them why I'm doing this.

cougar

I could give a lecture on this subject, but if the fertilizer hits the ventilator I don't need the competition.

BC847

I figure dealing with my fellow man will be the biggest issue.

Lary Ellis (Top)

Bingo we have a winner!

It would most likely come down to those who have vs those who will want to steal what they don't have....this means water, food, medicines, guns ammo, ect.......You have to be ready to protect what little you have ESPECIALLY your loved ones.

Mexstan

I totally agree that dealing with people around me who want to steal what I have is maybe going to be a huge problem. Down here guns are not allowed, so that is another dimension that I need to get around. I fully understand all this, but it does not answer my basic question. Perhaps I was not clear enough, so let me rephrase it;

How do I prepare for sicknesses such as a scratch that would normally be nothing, but in a bad situation can become infected and kill a person? How do I recognize when that scratch needs out of the ordinary attention? Medical care will not be available, so how do I treat that person? What meds and knowledge do I need to stock up with? What if a person is cutting some wood and cuts themselves so badly that stitches are required? What needles, thread, antiseptics etc do I need? Where do I obtain the knowledge for this kind of emergency?
The scratch and cut are just two examples as there are many more health problems that can arise once the world crashes down around our ears.

BarryG

Stan:
As you have figured out medical issues could be of paramount importance on top of all the other issues. And perhaps one of the hardest to overcome.

Training and knowledge will be your friend. I think you will have to assume that supplies will be hard to get and certainly once some time passes. Antibiotics may be virtually impossible and more so the more time that goes by. Some basic first aid training would be important, the more in depth and detailed the better. A well stocked first aid kit that goes beyond just basics to include such things as stitching needles, a roll of suture material, knowing how to make splints, how to set a broken bone, and lots of antiseptic such as easy to store/long shelf life item like hydrogen peroxide. A good way to clean water whether a filter, iodine, irradiation, or even boiling. Learning the natural, homeopathic ways would be very valuable. Knowing the healing properties of various plants, how to use them, poultices etc could be very valuable information. Though you could probably spend a lifetime learning those skills. Where to get this information books and local people who still use the old ways (perhaps easier in rural Mexico than urban/suburban America). People survived thousands and thousands of years without hospitals and doctors. Modern medicine with its high tech equipment and drugs is not very old yet here we are today.

The need for prescriptions will become mute as you wont be able to get them high blood pressure medicine, diabetes medicine, heart medicine etc. I think you will just have to accept the fact that some loved ones may not survive long term regardless of your preparation, knowledge and skill. To take it further some decisions may need to be made for the greater good of the other people in the group at the expense of others. IE an infectious disease, do you try and treat and comfort, exposing yourself to the potential harm while keeping your kids away, what happens to your children if you pass on. There are too many variables to answer a question like that until/if the time comes but as I am sure you know there are no real acceptable answers to questions like that

That being said good first aid knowledge, a good first aid kit, local plant knowledge, awareness, cleanliness, safety considerations in all that is done in day to day life so as to prevent medical issues will be very important and probably the best you can do. As they say an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Mexstan

Thanks Barry for your response. It pretty well sums up what I have figured out already. Now need to do some prep work.

soulezoo

I am going to add prevention in here as well.

Something as simple as proper water purification will prevent the squirts turning into a medical emergency that you are asking about. Same with food prep.

I used the simplest to use/understand just to get you thinking.

Unfortunately, simple injuries without proper medical care can be fatal. Welcome to 1750. No one intends to get injured... but...

Antibiotics can be purchased. Many have a short shelf life though. Different ones for different things.

Women seem to need them more often. UTI's are common.

Just research.. there is an awful lot of info on the subject.

Justwannabeme

answer for my forest region:


honey is nature's antiseptic. won't go bad, easily found and stored, hea's an amazing range of internal difficulties as well. heck you can even dry it and use as a magnifying glass to start a fire.

tree sap can be used as fresh water, boiled with some cambria layers, another antiseptic or internal parasite killer. slow heat, a drawing salve with
plant base.

for the desert, rocky terrain: got to go with cacti, man. four basic plants but have to know what region to advise more.

try a search for high desert survival. any indigenous Indians around you?
try ebay for a US army manual..... a good caballero can help you too.

Mexstan

Heidi, thanks.
I do know about the honey and have used it in the past with amazing results. Did not know that it could be dried.

Cacti is good for lots of things, inside and outside the body. Fortunately around here there is an abundance of various types. You did give me an idea, so will start to research the uses of the indigenous plants around me.

Hmmmm, maybe I need to find and talk to an old Indian medicine man?

j_martin

The main defense for infection is good health to start with. If you go into a survival situation as the product of Mac and Don's supper club, the first opportunistic microorganism met will get you.

Colo_River_Ram

Stan,

Youtube is your friend, there is a lady that goes by Patriot Nurse there she has a lot of good information.

Here is the link to her channel:

https://www.youtube.com/results?sear...l&spfreload=10

My first EMT instructor told me that your imagination is your best tool as you never have a jump kit when you need it. His words have rang true many of times