One Small Prep You Can Do Now
By Jeanette Vale
Have you heard of a “Jolt-Awake-Bag”? It’s totally new. It comes into existence as soon as you make it. It is a bag with shoes that are tied to your bed.
No matter how hard the house shakes in a quake, the bag stays right where you tied it and you know where some good sturdy shoes are.
There’s no fumbling with zippers. You rip –and it’s open.
Suddenly, running over broken glass is not an issue.
You may say, “Well, I forget what I put in plastic bags”. Which is how your expensive things ended up in the landfill. We get it.
So then, use a transparent trash bag, you can always see what you stored without having to open it. If you do have to rip it open to get something, it takes 3 cents to replace it with another plastic bag.
Scenarios
- Let’s assume you CAN successfully get out of the house as it rattles and shakes. What are some other items that would be great in this bag tied to your bed?
A head lamp. If it is pitch black, and there is jagged wood jutting into what was once a clear hallway, it would be nice to see it while you are running. Having both of your hands free to help your family get to safety is a must. Headlamps are great.
Protective gloves. Thick leather gloves are good if you are wrangling sharp debris, or crawling through shattered glass to find an exit.
If you are batting at flames, your mind is not aware of how much damage is being done to your hands. At least having gloves on will help a little. Not that taking on fire is something one should do, but when you are in fight mode, thinking rationally leaves the house before you do.
- You are NOT able to exit the home and you stay near your bed (and bag).
Water and Food. What if the walls have collapsed and you are stuck for several days near your bed? Putting water and food in this plastic bag wouldn’t hurt. It can extend your life until rescuers find you.
Whistle This could alert people to your whereabouts or let them know you are still alive. Sometimes blowing into a whistle is easier than trying to scream loud.
A Cell Phone It is a good habit to keep your cell phone nearby, and most of us do. One young man in the latest Turkey earthquake was buried alive. He was able to use social media to tell people what street he was on and that they lived on the second floor. The rescuers were able to find him and his family and pull them to the surface.
A Knife As a good rule of thumb, always have a knife.
Isn’t this just a 72 Hour Kit being suggested to tie to my bed?
You CAN keep your regular 72 hour kit near where you sleep and that is a great idea. But not for those who spend nine plus hours away from home each day. I resort to this simple shoe bag that is tied to my bed, because it’s simple, meanwhile…
I prefer my beefy 72 hour kit system with me, in my van. Especially today - we are in crazy apocalyptic times, I want access to my bag always! If I am at work, I have my kit. If I am at home, I have it. If the house burns down, it is safe outside. I don’t have to scramble to pull it out of a closet or the garage.
If my house collapses on me, I have my plastic-bag with shoes, water and food tied to my bed.
In Conclusion
The Jolt-Awake-Bag is your best mini-system that takes a few minutes to put in place. If you sleep naked, add some pants and a tee. All of us would love to see a nude in boots go screaming by, except Ethel. “Don’t look Ethel!” You need to hear the song by Ray Stevens to get that joke. “The streak”
We’re on a prepping streak. Come visit us.
Artist attribution
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