Aspies and Preparedness

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I like to read and learn about AS, and like to read about preparedness . So it seemed to me that Aspies need to be more prepared than others since they often have loss of focus , and may have other problems that makes them more at risk in emergencies .

Preparedness is not something very hard to understand . It is nothing but common sense. All it means that you think ahead of time and figure out whatever any kind of problem ( or emergency) that can happen and then prepare for that possibility. For example, if you are a college student and spend some evening time in parties or college library ..etc. then it is very wise to have a small flashlight and a small bottle of water in your backpack.

Anything can happen anywhere anytime. From a stuck elevator, to a maniac starting shooting while you are in college or shopping mall. If that happens and you find your self separated from fiends and family : do you have a cell phone to tell eveyone what is happening or that you are OK and they shouldnt be looking for you ? do you have a bit of extra cash to leave the immediate area in a bus or taxi ? Do you have names and phone numbers of friends and relatives around ? Have you taken a first aid course lately ?

It isnt about carrying a pile of gadgets, but a few things help . News have taught us that a human can find him/her self in a deep trouble faster that anyone can possibly imagine. I read about a lady driving back home from work and her car skidded in a ditch because of the slippery ice. She remianed trapped for a few days and even police suspected her husband for a while before she was found barely alive. If she had a WHISTLE , a simple whistle, she could have alerted searching teams who coulnt see her from the nearby road. Had she had a small knife, she could have cut the seat belt that locked and refused to unlock. If she had a small flashlight, maybe she could have used it at night to signal where she was.

Again, it not about having your pockets full of gear and tools ... they can help but there is no substitute for a humming brain. I once raead about a Brazilizan boy who fell in a hole in the ground. He shouted and shouted an no one listened. Off course, he cannot keep shouting all the time . He had nothing on him to help him climb out, however, he thought of something. He started throwing his clothes outside the hole ( perhaps putting some dirt in the shirt to give it some weight before throwing it up. Then a passing villager noticed the clothes around the hole and looked down.

Now tell me, what do you think about PREPAREDNESS ?

I dont move anywhere without my small bag of necessary items. A small flashlight, a small knife, a few small bills, a small notebook and pen, a small book of phone contacts ..etc. They go with me everywhere.

Also, in my office where I work, I have collected old "lab coats" that we were going to throw. If something happenes and I have to sleep in the office, then I can wear one or two and pile two more for a pillow and use another one as a "blanket". In my office desk I always keep a few water bottles and a few long-lasting foods like power bars , granola bars, crackers ..etc.

How about you ?

i have a major lack of it.
i find it really, really hard to care.
i'm fixing to work on this because the apathy can get in the way of things, though.

I have always been suprised that people trust technology as much as they do...and likewise find themselves unprepared when it malfunctions!

Electricity will go out, computers will crash, etc

I find it quite suprising how many businesses cannot function if their computers crash. Yes, they do crash, and I have been in stores more often than not that cannot make a sale because of some Microsoft windows issue.

Or even how many people don't have a plan to function if the electricity goes out...it can be as simple as having a few gas lights and flashlights around the house, a cooler, and a few ice packs ready to go, but most people don't do it, and likewise panic when the power goes out.

I am also quite suprised the people that will trust an automobile and go driving into an obscure place without even as so much as a small toolbox and spare fluids.


...cell phones do good for personal emergencies, but they have their limitations...Don't expect them to work in obscure places away from cities, or in basements and deep within buildings

...cell phones will NOT work in major emergencies. The cellular network is already over-sold, so in a critical situation when everyone is trying to use the system at the same time, it invariably will crash


You are right however, being prepared is not about having stacks of technology and stuff, but is about accessing the possiblity of a fault occuring, and having an alternative when it does occur

In addition to every item that Crispy suggested, I also carry:
• Warm hat and mitt-gloves (during the colder half of the year).
• A radio (built into my personal audio device).
• Spare AA battery for the radio.
• A sun hat.
• Earplugs.
• Eating utencils.
• A small crescent wrench.
• Leatherman tool (like 15 tools in one).
• A small roll of toilet paper.
• Daypack.
• Quick-drying clothing (gradually got rid of all my cotton over the years as I replaced it with synthetics).
• Polarized sunglasses (couldn't go outside during the day without them).

You can pin a badge on me that reads: "Mr. Preparedness."

I prepare for everything. And it's because I can lose focus. Get mentally disorganized at an inopportune time.

markaudette

That was the reason I started this thread. Being a lost minded guy myself I always find myself in situations that need a few preparations. And those preparations need to be always there no matter what

we always had hurricane kits set up when i was growing up; those pretty much take care of every type of emergency in house that one can think of. Candles, bottled water, ice packs, med kits, even milk that is good unrefridgerated until after it is opened.

now though, i keep bottled water in my car, i drink it and replace it. I always have a bit of cash on me. I need a flashlight. Don't know what happened to mine, it might be under the seat in the car. I like knives, I usually have one close, that's a safety issue.

Now what about preparedness in life? Emergencies are one thing, I find that I have to plan my schedule months in advance or I start getting stressed. I also make multiple scenarios, where I don't get as surprised if something else happens. Also if something I didn't think of happens, usually one of my scenarios is adaptable.

I carry a Pelican LED M1 flashlight in a sheath on my belt and a3 inch blade pocket knife with a clip attaching it to my pocket at the top so I don't have to dig for it. I also carry tools, an emergency blanket, class A & B rated fire extinguisher, road flares, sweatshirt and jacket, water bottles in my truck. This thread reminds me that I need to replace the lighter I used to have in my truck. Last summer I took the CPR/AED 12 hour class. I could do better.

I have kits stashed in the spare tire areas of my cars, in my office, and in my bedroom. I have several "ready to go" kits and packs in my garage, each for different occasions or scenario. Before I leave for a destination, I grab the packs and kits I might end up wanting. It is embarrasing to be a pack rat, because my family thinks it is eccentric. But, I always seem to have what we need on hand, so people love the results.

I'm very into preparedness. Things happen. There are some good sites about it.

I'm punctual as possible.

I'm also practical and prepared for many things. I planned what I would do when my kitty died for instance.. years before he was ill. So I took it better than the rest of my family.

I carry a box-ful of stuff in the boot of my car.
(Spare water, tools, extra oil, wire, strong tape, and other things that might be handy.)

When I was employed, I carried a soft briefcase with all sorts of meds, snacks, paper, pen, a map, Asthma inhaler, and so on.

When I have to use public transportation I map the route before, and stand there with exact change in my hand.

I tend to be over prepared or under prepared. I can't seem to bridge the gap so to speak.

Be prepared topic

This is a great practical thread. And always let someone else know where you are, and when you are expected to return.

Preparedness for classes etc. is something I suck at and need to address... but I never really feel the need to carry anything other than a mobile (cell) phone "in case of emergency" - I don't live near any seething wilderness, and if I crashed my car or something, it's 99% likely that I'll be in a populated area...

It sounds good in theory, but I really just won't go out of my way to prepare for something highly unlikely to happen like that. Keeping a flashlight in one's book bag, for example, seems excessive.