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Medical preparedness is a topic that many people attempt to avoid. There are very few who spend lots of time on understanding how to be medically prepared for a disaster.
Much of this has to do with the fact that to be a doctor, you spend untold amounts of time in school and in practice.
Even then, there are things medical doctors have no answers to. So for someone to learn this in their spare time, it would be nearly impossible.
To even consider the act of achieving some semblance of medical preparedness, you are going to need to lay a foundation. That foundation will be what you fall back on as you learn more and go deeper.
To build a strong foundation for medical preparedness, you should start by doing three things.
1. Take Some Free Training
Your local CERT is going to offer you free training and you will learn so much about basic first aid.
There is only so much YouTube can teach you. You have to get out there and do things. Take advantage of this free, 8-hour certification course.
A little training and reinforcement will go a long way when the time comes for you to use your medical preparedness skills.
2. Build a Medical Preparedness Library
The time has come to start your own extensive medical library. You should buy classics like the Merck Manual but also look into books about Doomsday Medicine.
This will teach you about how to respond to things when the medical system has collapsed.
The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy
3. Start Playing with IFAKs and Trauma Kits
Finally, you need to start playing with your gear. Buy an IFAK (Individual First Aid Kit) and a Trauma kit and start playing with the items inside. This can make a huge difference.
Having the right gear is one thing but knowing how to use that gear is another thing entirely.