Reality Check—Are You Prepared?

When I was a kid, Fantasy Land used to be a theme park where you could run around all day, riding fun rides, and there was nothing to worry about.

A Cause of Concern?

Fast forward to my life today, and there’s much to worry about; inflation, work, violent activism, health, natural disaster, and political division. In large cities like New Orleans, you can add high murder rates and long 911 response times to the list.

But here is a question, should you worry about it?

The response times from law enforcement increased along with the crime rates in big cities. Many departments can't hire qualified new officers or keep existing staff. Understaffed police departments pull officers from special details and investigations and put them in patrol. Fewer cases get solved or worked, and the officers that stick around become less effective.

When departments can't fully staff their departments, citizens have to wait for emergency services to arrive not in minutes but in 10, 20, maybe 30 minutes for serious crimes. If you have ever been in a life-threatening situation, you know every minute seems like a lifetime. Criminals don't stick around crime scenes, so by the time police get there 10 minutes later, the victims are the only ones left.

Emergency Service Response Time—

For violent crime and life-threatening emergencies, the solution must be to respond immediately, not 10 or 20 minutes later. Someone on the scene or nearby can react faster than waiting for the paramedics or police officers to arrive. For this reason, it's so important for the public to know basic first aid, CPR, and the Heimlich maneuver. Someone already on the scene or nearby will almost always beat the response time from 911, even in the best situation.

These courses from Mountain Man Medical are incredible and will equip you to provide life-saving medical aid in an emergency.

Our health is something we think about frequently because we know the impact it can have on us and our family. We get exercise; watch our weight, and seek medical attention to keep ourselves as healthy as possible. Most people spend more money on insurance than they would if they just paid for the procedures themselves. But because healthcare is so expensive, people pay thousands of dollars to medical insurance companies to shift the financial burden to someone else.

Now apply this planning and preparation to your family’s safety. Realize your safety and ultimately your family’s safety is your responsibility, and anything that threatens that makes you the first responder.

You're a First Responder—

Regardless if it takes 5 minutes or 50 minutes to get emergency services to you until they arrive, you're the first responder, and you need to have the skills and tools to keep them safe. Skills to de-escalate a violent confrontation, defend your family (unarmed as well as armed) and first aid/trauma skills increase the chances you, your family or other innocent people will survive.

Self Defense Legal Services—

Keep in mind as we talk about training in personal safety, there is the possibility of needing to defend yourself in a civil or criminal case. So, similarly to medical insurance, consider the cost of a court case and services that shift financial liability off your shoulders.

Legal services like CCW Safe may not be necessary for everyone, but you should not pass it off before considering the protections offered by various companies. Take a moment to read this post to help you determine if one of these plans is right for you. Surviving the legal aftermath of using force is important to not just your life, but the lives of your family.

We've put a lot of research into self defense legal companies, and you can see our updated comparison chart here.

A crisis can occur anywhere, anytime, and because of the weather, area of impact, or even current funding for emergency services, could delay help, which makes it more likely you must intervene. Take the time to create a plan.