Tag: mental health

Dear Friend,

Last week was so tumultuous that I couldn’t focus long enough to draft a traditional Advisory. This week hasn’t been any better. The “photo op” episode in Washington D.C. can only be described as over the top.

We are all being forced to take a look a developing a new personal emergency plan!

Throughout all this turmoil, however, I have continued to think about my neighbors and my Emergency Plan Guide friends. So my first question:

How well are you managing during these challenging times?  

I trust that you are doing some of the same deep thinking I’m doing. It’s not easy. In fact, it can be exhausting! In any case, here’s some of what’s been on my mind that I want to share with you today, thinking that some new personal emergency plans or at least some adjustments to the “old” plans are necessary.

What I’m hearing from friends and colleagues.

First, as a matter of interest, nearly all the messages I am getting from long-standing preppers are focused on protecting families. I am receiving email after email describing how to barricade your home (or make it invisible), add to your firearm or other weapon collection, and revisit your plans for bugging out. Do you get these messages, too?

Second, nearly all the messages I am getting from non-prepper friends and family are also focused inward. But they don’t (yet) include plans. Rather, they develop the theme we were working on a few weeks ago in the midst of the coronavirus shut-down, namely, “What can I do that will be useful and helpful?”

Being self-sufficient is one thing. And it’s good. But being able to lean on, get support from others and give support in return – now that makes life even more powerful.

So if you’ve asked yourself “What can I do?” here are a couple of suggestions you can consider that have to do with building a more resilient community. (This focus on community is what distinguishes Emergency Plan Guide from most of the other survival/preparedness blogs out there, in case you hadn’t noticed.)

What actions here might work as part of your own “new emergency plan?”

1. For us emergency preparedness always begins by helping take steps to improve your personal readiness. You know that we regularly suggest people find out about and take local CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) training. Question: Have you taken the CERT training? Have you taken a Red Cross class on CPR or emergency first aid? How about car-pooling to a class with a neighbor (once classes start up again)? (Next on our own list: Stop the Bleed.) These skills will serve for years!
2. The next step is sharing information with and helping neighborhoods take action for the benefit of all.  Question: What informational flyers can you download or pick up and share with neighbors? (It’s hurricane season, and fire season, and earthquakes can hit at any time! There are also new groups forming online to examine policy changes in our justice system. Lots of good info on the Internet.) Can your local HOA or scout troupe or church group help pass out or otherwise share this information? (Retirement communities often have internal TV stations that could broadcast valuable alerts.) “The more we all know, the safer we all will be.”
3. In some communities, leaders start a local Neighborhood Emergency Response Group whose volunteer members meet regularly to learn and practice new skills. Question: Would a neighborhood volunteer group help create stronger relations in your community? How much safer would your community be if more neighbors knew each other and knew what to do in case of an emergency? Can you take advantage of the current activist momentum to start or support a group? We have several workbooks just for people wanting to set up a group and keep it going.

Some final thoughts . . .

I do have to make one final comment about another group of messages that I have received. I guess I can call them “business as usual.”  Cheerful messages exhorting me to “Make it a great day!” Intense phone calls telling me “Not to miss this one-time business opportunity!” Neighbors waving and hollering out, “How you doing?” expecting “Fine!” as an answer. It’s as though these people haven’t even noticed the upheaval going on around us. Or maybe these messages fall into the automated message-delivery service category? 

Whatever, I find it impossible to pretend that what’s going on isn’t significant.  

Getting “back to normal” isn’t the right expression. We all are being faced with having to look at things we’ve taken for granted — and to make some changes. Joe and I sat late last night over our kitchen table to figure out what we will do, personally, to help our community move forward into a future that is safer and fairer.

I’d love to hear from you what your latest emergency plans are.

Virginia
Your Emergency Plan Guide team

P.S. And yes, I WILL have a “regular” Advisory out next week. It’s half finished already, and on the topic of solar-powered tools and equipment. Watch for it!