Due to the recent catastrophic storm, many of you are wondering how to be prepared. Every situation will bring a different set of circumstances, but one thing you can do is have some basic neccessities on hand.
Water, food and shelter.
Think about what could happen in your area and ask yourself if you have adequate water, food and shelter. I keep ten gallons of water in containers at all times. If I don't use it, I replace it every year. I also have a hand pump on my well as well as the electric pump. I have an abundance of canned and dried food that I make anew each year. If the electricity goes out, my frozen food will be of no help at all unless it is freezing outside, in which case, all the frozen food moves outdoors. Especially make sure you have protein food available such as canned tuna, salmon, sardines, beans (Need to eat grains with beans to get all your essential amino acids.) You will need water to soak and cook any dried beans/grains you are planning to eat. Also need a way to cook that food. (gas stove, wood stove) Dried fruit is good for calories. Nuts will provide essential fatty acids. You need to store nuts with shells on as shelled nuts go rancid quickly.
Don't forget about your animals. Since I have goats who drink a lot of water, I need to have a lot of clean water available for them. Think about how much water and food you need for animals in a power outage that could last for a week or longer.
If it is cold out, will you have shelter, how will you stay warm? Come up with a plan depending on what is available to you. I have a wood stove that I can both heat with as well as cook on.
If it is cold out, will you have shelter, how will you stay warm? Come up with a plan depending on what is available to you. I have a wood stove that I can both heat with as well as cook on.
Then we think about first aid supplies. Being an herbalist, I have a different looking kit than some folks. I won't go into detail on how I use these as that would take hours. I have listed what I like to have on hand for those of you who are herbalists and know how to use them. These are the things I use most often. They certainly do not cover everything that you might need or want. Consider what your specific needs are and what you know how to use. Taking a first aid class is useful if you want to be prepared for accidents during an emergency. If you want to learn how to use first aid herbs, seek out herbalists in your area. I teach classes in my area. Most localities have an herbalist around who can teach you how to use both prepared products as well as herbs growing outside your back door.
My first aid kit includes
Organic goldenseal powder and Tincture as styptic, antimicrobial, general astringent. I realize this has become expensive if you don't grow your own. You can use a mix of geranium powder and oregon grape 50/50 to make something similar in quality and less expensive.
Erigeron/cinnamon oil to stop internal bleeding
Bach Rescue Remedy or other similar flower remedy or Devils Club tincture for stress and anxiety
All purpose healing salve
Mucilaginous herb such as slippery elm or marshmallow as a vulneray for healing of external or internal skin and mucous membranes.
Capsaicin or cayenne salve/oil as a counter irritant as well as for continual pain or continual itching: Should only be used by folks who know how to use it.
Trauma oil or similar product – St. John’s wort, Calendula,
Ruta and Arnica for external use on bruised areas as well as tendonitis
Bug repellant made from essential oils
Eye wash
(use sterile saline or in a pinch ad 1/4 teaspoon sea salt to each cup
boiled (cooled) water.)
Eye
wash/drops to be added to sterile saline when needed for eye irritants or abrasions. These need to be sterile.
Styptic powder- yarrow, and/or goldenseal
Peppermint oil for itching
Lavender oil as an antiinflammatory and antimicrobial oil as well as for its nervine effect when inhaled.
Clay for an external drawing medium
Charcoal for internal use in case of food poisoning, or other oral poisons that can be bound with charcoal.
Calendula succus or super concentrated calendula tincture as a healing and antimicrobial spray on wounds of all kinds.
Nervine of your choice: most nervines act as antispasmodics for muscle spasms, they lower blood pressure, they alleviate stress, anxiety and assist in getting and staying asleep.
Echinacea Tincture for immune system support internally or on bites, stings and wounds externally.
St John's wort oil for bruising, burns (only after area is no longer hot), hemorrhoids, inflammation, nerve pain such as sciatica or tooth pain and internally for inflammation.
Hydrogen peroxide for puncture wounds and herpetic lesions. Do not use hydrogen peroxide on wounds other than puncture wounds.
Epson salts for any infected wound that needs debris or pus drawn out of it.
General tools
1st aid scissors
tweezers
themometer
band aids
mirror
eye cup
themometer
Sterile gauze - lots of it - some in prepared squares and lots as rolls
Safety pins
Safety razor blades
Antiseptic towelettes - lots of them
First aid tape – can make into strips for tape sutures
1st aid book
bandana
pocket knife - good and sharp
sewing kit (needle, thread,scissors)
dental floss - can be used for a lot of things where you want clean, strong thread
flash light
duct tape
