Cool and clear again, warming later. Yesterday was nice again. Crazy to get so many nice days in a row, and not be out rolling around in a meadow celebrating… or something. Today should be similar.
Which will be nice if I end up doing any of the outdoor stuff on my plate.
Friday I did my pickups, crisscrossing town, and burning time and gas. Got good stuff but still, it took longer than it should have when I missed a pickup on my big loop and had to backtrack. That cost an hour and 50 miles. I try to make a loop or to ‘clump’ errands to minimize time and gas expense. Blew it this time.
Today I’ve got a couple pickups that I couldn’t do yesterday, and one that was only available today. I am picking up several AEDs. They’ll need new batteries and pads, but that is a lot cheaper than buying the whole thing new. If you’re 20-40 minutes from help, and think you might be in line for a cardiac event, wouldn’t it be worth $1200 so your survivors could at least know they had every opportunity to help you? Or to actually help? If you have the medical history, your insurance might even foot the bill… Other than tourniquets, I can’t think of any medical prep that gives you the same bang for the buck and is so suited to its use. If you need an AED, you NEED it. It’s cheaper than a moderately nice rifle and some range ammo, and more likely to save a life.
A lot of what we do as preppers is pretty basic, and I’ll admit that having an AED in the house or car SOUNDS pretty advanced, but so did seat belts and fire extinguishers back in the day. Think seriously about getting one or more, and learn to spot them when you are out and about. I used to have the kids count fire extinguishers and AEDs when we moved through public spaces like airports or hotels. You’ll learn where they usually are, and you’ll know where one is if you need it. It’s also a good exercise in awareness. (spotting cameras and exits is good fun too.)
Stack some awareness, and some good habits. And stack some more medical preps. Everything degrades, public services lead the way. The extra minutes might make all the difference in your world…
nick