Just yesterday (in my 90 Day Exercise Routine Update) I mentioned that I had done something funny to my arm (and body) after messing around with my kids earlier in the week. Yeah, I know, I’m getting older and shouldn’t do stuff like that but it got me to thinking what if this were an actual emergency and I had done something much worse and broken my hand or arm instead? Obviously, I wouldn’t be messing around like that in an real disaster but injuries do happen and they can put a real damper on your ability to do things.
It goes without saying that most of have a dominant hand, but I ask you: what would you do if your broke your arm or hand (especially your dominant one) in an emergency? Granted, it doesn’t have to be an arm or hand–I think Suni commented about a broken foot–I’m not sure which would be worse during a disaster scenario, a broken hand or foot.
There are so many things that we’re accustomed to doing with a particular hand or arm that it could end up being much more than an inconvenience. I’m not even taking about simple things like writing a letter or typing up a blog post. I’m talking about things like being able to shoot a firemarm with your off-hand. Have you ever tried? I haven’t and I’m sure it would be pathetic.
And that’s not even considering the multitude of tasks that often require two hands to do, from tying knots to doing darn near anything outdoors… it would suck to be a one-armed bandit. 😉 Sure, in some cases you would just grin-and-bear it, in other cases you could get other people to do the work, and I’m sure you would do your best with your off-hand if you had no other choice. I get all that.
The point here is to try things with your off-hand and show other people how to do stuff, whatever that means to you. If you’re the only one that can (or is expected) to do something, what happens if you simply can’t do it? What if you’re the only person that starts the generator and is likely the ONLY person that can because the pull start is REALLY difficult to use? Yeah, I’m sure that eventually you would get the generator started but should it be that difficult? Likewise, what if you plan is to lug 5-gallon buckets of water in from wherever (remember that water is heavy) and now you’re out of commission and you simply can’t do it? What then?
Needless to say, it doesn’t have to be a serious break, sprains and strains are bad enough to deal with.
I’m sure that most of us are fairly resilient people and you and I will figure it out eventually but I will remind you that being prepared for emergencies means more than having some stuff and knowing how to do things. It also means having contingent plans for as much as we can honestly prepare ourselves for. In part, that includes preparing for yours (and my) inability to do things. I can see that I’ve failed to prepare myself and my family for me being “out of commission.” Yet one more thing to do. 🙂
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