Prudent Prepping: Prepping Pays Off

The dust has settled and the First 72 Hours have passed. Follow along as I build a long term plan via Prudent Prepping.

I always try to live what I write: prepared to take care of myself and others, if and when necessary. I had my chance to show it last week!


Right Place And Ready

I was at work and about to punch out for lunch, when I saw a huddle around one of the tables. When I got over to where I usually sit, the reason for the crowd was obvious: one of the loaders has a pretty decent gouge on the inside of his knee. By the time I arrived, things were cleaned up and the bleeding had mostly stopped, but the attempts to cover the area were pretty poor. The closest 1st aid kit is always pretty slim on supplies, as if people take 2-3 times as much as needed.

Funny, that.

 'Tis but a scratch

As I sat down, the kid was trying to tape down a 4"x4" pad by wrapping 1/2" surgical tape around his leg. A very hairy leg. Not only wasn't the tape holding the pad in place, it wasn't sticking to his leg very well either. I got out my Trauma Pack that I talked about here and opened it up to help cover his cut...  and also to see how the contents looked, after the seal was damaged.

The contents were fine, and after grabbing the gauze roll and winding it several times over the pad, we used the included duct tape to hold the end down. There was a little more fiddling with pad placement and a re-wrap of the gauze after this picture (right) was taken before the surgical tape was applied. This fix only needed to last 3 hours, until the kid's shift ended, and I suggested buying some non-stick pads and an ace-type bandage for better hold while at work. I kept the pair of gloves and put them into another kit and gave everything else to the kid.


More Light For Less

https://amzn.to/2ZwvtNt

My friend just waved around his latest Amazon find, a $20 flashlight with most of the lumens and an adjustable focus!

Now this isn't the lightest or smallest flashlight out, but for the price of $27.99 and all these features, I think it's a screaming deal! (Anker has released a newer replacement model that doesn't focus and is 500 lumens less, which I don't consider an improvement.)

From the Amazon page:

Anker Flashlight LC90

• SUPER-BRIGHT: 900-lumen (max) Cree LED sweeps bright light over the length of about two football fields (660 ft / 200 m) and reaches nearly 1000 ft. Fully zoomable from wide to narrow beam. Features 5 adaptable settings: High / Medium / Low / Strobe / SOS.
• LONG-LASTING: Up to 6 hours (Medium-beam mode) of powerful, non-diminishing brightness from the included premium rechargeable 3350mAh battery. LEDs boast an extended 50000-hour lifespan. Recharge in just 6 hours with a 1A adapter (not included) and the included Micro USB cable.
• TOUGH & RELIABLE: IP65-rated water resistant and designed for use in heavy rain. Its durable aluminum body and shock-resistance endure rough handling.
• SMART DESIGN: A pocket-friendly compact chassis with an anti-slip finish holds fast in your hand or stands on-end as an emergency lamp.
• WHAT YOU GET: Anker Bolder LC90 Flashlight, 18650 3350mAh rechargeable battery, Micro USB cable, wrist strap, welcome guide, and our worry-free 18-month warranty and friendly customer service.

This model doesn't come with a charger, but since it includes the widely available 18650 battery, most people (including myself) already have spare batteries that fit this as well as multiple chargers.

Another downside is the 6.25 oz. weight. This is quite a bit more (almost twice) my Nightcore P12 reviewed here. The Nightcore doesn't have adjustable focus, but the Anker matches most of the other specs really well. Besides that, at 70%* of the Nightcore price, I'd not feel that bad if one disappeared or broke.

* There is a discount code shown on the Amazon that will save you even more!

Recap And Takeaway

• Having gear close by, and knowing how to use it, is a good feeling to have.
• While the Anker isn't exactly a throwaway, it certainly has quality features at a good price.
• Nothing was purchased this week, but one of my previous Trauma Paks was moved into my lunch box to replace what I used.
• I'm looking REALLY hard at at least one Anker LC90 from Amazon for $27.99 before 10% discount. Prime shipping available.

                                                                    ***

Just a reminder: if you plan on buying anything through Amazon, please consider using our referral link. When you do, a portion of the sale comes back here to help keep this site running!

If you have comments, suggestions or corrections, please post them so we all can learn. And remember, Some Is Always Better Than None!

NOTE: All items tested were purchased by me. No products have been loaned in exchange for a favorable review. Any items sent to me for T&E will be listed as such. Suck it Feds.