Why Safety + Survival?

Safety Is Paramount

Well, of course safety is paramount, but how does safety correlate with survival? In a nutshell, safety awareness in your life is the first step towards survival, but let’s not go down the survival road just yet, OK?

Good – as it says above, Safety Is Paramount! As a young sailor in the US Navy I heard that phrase 1,000’s of time in the 8 years I served in the Navy. It permeated every aspect of Navy life – and it didn’t matter what your job was in the Navy, you had to eat, live, sleep and breathe those three words. Needless to say I am a confirmed ‘safety nut’.

And, yes I am also considered a ‘prepper’. As I said, I’m a safety first kind of guy, but when someone finds out I love safety and survival, both, they have a lot of questions. Everyone wants to know how to become prepared, or more prepared in their life. When asked ‘how do I start prepping?’ I answer with a question, and I must say, 98% of the time it really makes them think once I ask it. And the usual response is ‘why does that matter?’. Gee, everyone has questions about this stuff, but I also have an answer.

My ‘answer’ is this question – “How many fire extinguishers do you have in your home RIGHT NOW?”. Then, I get the ‘look’ and the question ‘why does that matter?’. I then explain to them that being prepared starts with very basic things like a fire extinguishers. First Aid kits are definitely another key safety item. Smoke and Carbon Monoxide detectors, security alarms & monitoring, security cameras. Non-slip tape in bath tubs, on outdoor steps. Flashlights and candles. I think you get the idea.

As I help people become more prepared, I usually tackle the things that they will very likely experience in their lifetime vs. preparing for a doomsday scenario – and really, if your home burnt down, it would definitely be a personal doomsday for you and your family. Getting people to think small and local first is key to safety AND survival planning. That is not to say that you should ignore other events or incidents that are outside of the home – it’s clear that safety extends outside of your home, and, it follows you in your travels too.

How does my safety plan extend outside of my home, or follow me? I think you probably know, but just to be clear, or if you are a hermit, live under a rock, or something like that, I will explain.

Every time you leave your home you are potentially subject to countless other threats. Hop in your car, and that amplifies the possible number of situations that you should try to be prepared for with things like a first aid kit in your vehicle, flares, change of clothing, flashlights (multiple – at least 2), fix-a-flat as well as several other items. Once again, the key is to think of likely scenarios that typically happen to people who drive (or ride) in cars.

Some people walk to the store, or the bus stop, or just go for a walk for exercise. Apply the same analysis and logic to walking/jogging – keep it simple, have safety items on your person that address likely scenarios that might happen – small first-aid kit for scrapes and minor cuts/abrasions, possibly carry a couple of those blister bandages if you’ll be walking/jogging a longer distance that around the corner walks. Consider the time of day – if you’re walking in the dark before sunrise, or late in the evening at sundown or after, you’d probably want a small but bright LED flashlight. Communications – carry your cell phone, also carry an emergency whistle (that is a form of communication).

Ultimately, I would encourage anyone and everyone to put their minds into a “Safety Culture” mindset – make it part of your every day routine. Don’t go crazy with it, build your approach to personal and family safety over a period of time. Train – yes, you need to train on how to use the items that you have. That includes fire extinguishers – buy one or two extra extinguishers to practice with. I know it seems kind of crazy, but if you have never discharged a fire extinguisher, you really need to know what it feels like, and how they work. The time to learn that skill is not when there is a 6 foot tall set of curtains burning in front of you, or an oven fire where your loving wife was baking some Kouign-amanns and the butter in the pastry dough dripped over the edge of the muffin tin and caught fire (ya, that really happened). Oh, I have pictures! Not of the fire, but the aftermath – 1 large fire extinguisher and 2 small extinguishers later, the fire was out.

Here’s the aftermath – an extremely nasty mess to clean up and 12 ‘dusted’ Kouign-amanns – I went to Costco the next day and replaced all three extinguishers.