Paranoid is what The Unprepared call The Ready.
I know that for the “average” I am weird: I carry a knife or a multi-tool, I have at least one spare meal and 2 quarts of water for emergencies in my vehicle, a small first aid kit that goes the backpack that I carry everywhere at work (quikclot & israeli bandage included) and that does not include the big First Responder bag in the fore mentioned vehicle. Pen, notebook, fully charged cell, good flashlight and some other goodies also make the list of At Work Carry. I have been taking some sort of first aid/first responder class since age 13 and even my CPR card is current. Basically, short of major loss of limb or highly traumatic wound to head or thorax, I can assist myself or others till the Calvary Cavalry arrives.
I am not asking that everybody at work to be a certified EMT or being able to perform major surgery, but for the love of God, can you at least carry a simple box of band-aids in your frigging car? Get your own flashlight even if it is a cheap one found at the check out counter at WalMart?
Or failing that, can you come out of your mother-rucking shock and call for a rescue unit?
As I was about to leave work today, there was a somewhat nasty vehicular accident. One “crossover” T-boned a sedan and only by the grace of modern safety features, nobody got killed. Both individuals walked out of their vehicles but one (the one that got t-boned) had a cut in his head and his walk was not very stable. I did not see the accident but heard the noise. By the time I got outside, there were about a score of people watching. I went over the accident site saw the blood on the victim and asked him to lean against his vehicle so he wouldn’t fall on his ass. I turned around and saw that more people had joined the watch, but not a single one was on the phone with 911. I had to yell to Substitute Boss to get on the radio and call the company’s EMTs/Paramedics to the scene…the idea had not even crossed his mind.
Once trained professionals arrived and since I was not a witness to the event itself, I left. As I was leaving, PD arrived and the crowd suddenly pulled a disappearing act, included those who were actual witnesses. Nobody wanted to be involved, nobody wanted to help even if it was some words of comfort.
We have a Nation of Useless Cowards (with apologies to Jeff Snyder) that not only do not want to help, but have gone so into the deep end of entitlement that won’t even help themselves by the simple act of being ready.
My guess is that if something happens to them, they expect that somebody (not like them) may dial the Three Magic Numbers which will provide them with instant and free emergency medical services or other help.
May God bless them with an incident-free life.
as the only thinking man in the area, you should have instructed ONE individual to call 911(you had them radio, but only after realizing the situation was broken) most people who aren’t trained will just stand there slack jawed and bug eyed till the whole thing is over. most assume someone is already calling 911. you are trained. you are in the moment, while they are just on the scene. it sucks, but if you’re the only one thinking, you have to take control of the people not thinking.
” you should have instructed ONE individual to call 911″
Been down that road before. a) They do not want to get involved and that includes calling 911 and b) they will resent you for giving the order and even more if you force the to comply.
PS: Check your FB Other folder
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Hat Tip to Miguel
They say people will stay in an airplane filling with smoke because they are overwhelmed, and that you should take charge and direct them what to do…
My orders will be “Follow me!” 🙂
Perhaps I look at things thru a slanted view. Being a former Marine I tend to take things for granted that most sheepul are cluess about. My first thought was that no one called because they were all texting, or vidcapping the accident.
LOL… then I should be in somebody’s Facebook wall.
My on-person EDC gear is a folding pocketknife, mini-Leatherman multi-tool on keychain, full-size Leatherman multi-tool and flashlight on belt, and charged phone. My “work backpack” has a small first-aid kit, another mini-flashlight, various tools (crescent wrench and screwdrivers), small bundle of rope (about 70 lb test; it’s come in handy more than once), a few extra carabiners, cold-weather stuff (hat, scarf, gloves), extra sunglasses, earplugs, and safety goggles (which have also come in handy more than once). Plus the normal stuff you’d expect in a “work backpack” for someone who works in IT. All together it weighs less than 10 lbs and is all decent quality but inexpensive stuff I’ve “thrown in” for a while.
Every so often I’ll go through the whole thing and decide if it’s still “good enough” or if there’s something smaller/lighter/better I can substitute (replacing the 70 lb test rope with 550 paracord is on my short list, as is adding an impact- and crush-resistant water bottle).
The point is, preparedness means different things to different people, but it’s a life-style choice that does NOT require a huge change or massive investment. I can’t for the life of me figure out why society thinks I’m “weird” for doing this; even the den moms at my son’s scouting group (as in, “Be Prepared!”) give me odd looks when the backpack comes out!
In the early ’90’s my office was in the middle of a large building next door to one of those “feeding trough” buffet/steak restaurants. Right at lunchtime one day I heard a tremendous crash and walked out front to see what it was.It took a couple of minutes. Two cars had collided head-on on the road between our buildings. One woman was screaming and covered with blood from a head injury and trying get out of her car while all the gawkers from the restaurant just… stood there. Like it was on TV.
I determined that the other driver was not moving, and there was no immediate danger of fire, so I left her. The screaming driver had about a 2 inch long, one inch deep gash in her forehead from slamming into the rear view mirror. Her car was in no danger either, so I used my jacket to apply direct pressure, calmed her down and waited for the ambulance while looking at the useless mass of humanity still acting like it was on TV.
Many people are entirely useless.
“I can assist myself or others till the Calvary arrives.”
It’s CAVALRY.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cavalry
Calvary:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calvary
I can assist myself or others till the Calvary arrives.
At that point, wouldn’t that rather imply that the injured have shuffled off this mortal coil (or are about to do so) to his/her/their final reward (such as it may be)? 😉
Sorry, but I could not let such an amusing letter transposition (if unintentional) pass unremarked….
I recall reading, years ago, a review of a bad wargame that included the line, “Both sides enjoy the support of units of heavily-armed religious fanatics called ‘calvary'” 😛
I’m having trouble with the Edit feature, so let me point out that my 8:30 PM comment is not intended as a dig at religious faith.
N one taken. The edit feature only last for 5 minutes
@_@ been forever since I commented…
As the only youngin’ here (I think), I would’ve done what I felt was right.
Screaming at the 911 dispatch where the accident was, and getting the victims away from the vehicles in case things got bad.
I doubt these people would’ve ran into the crowd at the Bostom Marathon, if they can’t even deal with one nasty T-bone.
I found some squad size first aid kits at the local gun show. We added a few things like steri-strips and triple antibiotic ointment. We keep those along with blankest, shovels and other necessary items in our vehicles. Plus the phone, knife, flashlight and sidearm I carry every day, I like to think I’m reasonably well prepared. My knife has a seat-belt cutter and a window breaker in the non-business end.
So true! I’ve been an EMT/FF for over 10 years now and it simply amazes me that people can even remember to continue breathing without being told. Most people stand around until someone takes charge, then more often than not adopts a “don’t tell us what to do” attitude.
And the lack of simple preparedness is mind boggling. I’ve met people that don’t even OWN a flashlight! Are you kidding me?