Being Prepared With More Than Just A Gun!
Ask any resident of Joplin, Missouri what would have helped them during Sunday nights horrific event and not a single one would say that having a firearm would have changed things.
Let Sunday’s tornado that swept through Joplin and claimed over 116 lives be a reminder to us all that being prepared means more than having a gun. It means having a basic awareness of how to prepare for the unexpected ahead of time and how to survive in all situations.
If there is only one thing that you learn from the incident, I hope it is to PAY ATTENTION TO THE WARNING SIGNS! The residents of Joplin had 15-20 minutes of warning prior to the tornado touching down, yet I’d bet that there are plenty of people who had the mentality of, “it won’t happen to me”, and so they never bothered to seek cover in their basements or shelters.
Warning signs are all around us, and if we fail to see them because we are blinded by what others are doing or simply because we are overflowing with optimism, then missing out on reality will one day catch up to us. It might be the strange looking box on the sidewalk that everyone is walking past (possible time bomb), or the blaring tornado sirens that are trying to let you know trouble could be coming.
After you see or hear the warning signs, then it’s time to act! The quickest reaction is an instinctive one, or one that has been practiced and rehearsed prior. That’s why schools practice fire drills and why you and your family should practice tornado drills—so you can get your butts into the basement in a timely manor and with all the stuff you’re going to need to survive.
In many situations, simply being aware of warning signs can make you better prepared than the guy storing away seven AK47 rifles for a time of local war. Use your knowhow and start researching the natural events that occur where you live. Think about the following: tornadoes, flooding, earthquakes, hurricanes, nuclear fallout, massive prison break, city water poisoning, etc.
Odds are, you will never experience a major disaster in your lifetime, but I’m sure the people of Joplin never expected to be carrying away 116+ body bags full of friends, neighbors and family members. If you plan ahead, what’s the worst that could happen? If you don’t plan, then what?
Comments (1)
I thought this was a good article to write because too many people are focused on guns, self defense and just being defensive in general. Being situationally aware is a whole other avenue that people don’t consider. When you get in your car, lock the doors, when you get home, lock the door. Many people call this paranoia, but doesn’t it just make sense! – Just like if you hear a tornado siren, DO NOT Ignore It !!! — Similarly, you know there is crime in the world, so don’t just ignore it, be ready for it; with or without a firearm!