Prepping for disabled people

DWT - July 27, 2020

Hello,

I’ve been reading about bug out bags etc. etc. 

My situation is that I’m a power chair user so the option of walking whilst carrying a rucksack is just a happy memory.

Living in the UK with the extremely restricted firearms laws means that having firearms for home defence is out of the question too.

No before you say, “well you’re s**t out of luck”, I do have a plan.

The plan is to stock up, stay put, keep in touch with neighbours & family then tough it out.

This approach had worked thus far during this pandemic.

Any suggestions for a disabled prepper would be gratefully received. I’m especially interested in options for home defence which do not include firearms.

Thank you in advance.

Dave

16  

Three suggestions:

1. A friend of mine keeps a fireplace poker beside her bed for self defense. It’s light, strong, sharp and easy to swing.
2. Keep a canister of pepper spray in a wristband holder. (You can also buy inert practice canisters for practicing your aim.)
3. Keep a compressed-air air horn handy. The noise will certainly alert the neighbors, and it may be painfully loud enough to keep an intruder at bay until the neighbors show up.

I’ll also encourage you to continue to keep in touch with friends & family, even if it’s just a short hello. Routine communication helps everyone maintain awareness of each other’s condition, and to be alerted if something is wrong. And if Vaylon’s point resonates with you, would you be interested in offering to be a central point of contact for your friends and neighbors in the event of an emergency? This is an often overlooked but very important role, and ideally suited for someone who isn’t out and about.

Ham radio is also a great way to stay connected during an emergency and an easy hobby to get into.

– WS

 

A home defense related article went up just recently, if you haven’t seen it yet:

https://theprepared.com/homestead/guides/home-hardening-basics/

I wonder if you’d want to consider stocking any backups for your particular situation (I’m speaking from a place of ignorance, but are backup batteries or larger-format solar chargers a practical option for you, for example?).

 

Thank you for the ideas, Rich. 

 

This article is about concealed carry but has other ideas for those who are not comfortable with or cannot use firearms or lethal force. https://www.usconcealedcarry.com/blog/concealed-carry-with-disabilities/

 

Thank you, Annie. That’s a informative article.

 

I don’t think anyone here would ever say you’re out of luck. 🙂

I don’t know too much about power chairs, but do you have a backup power source if the lights go out?

 

Thanks Jay. I have a solar trickle charger for my mobility scooter. A good supply of ordinary batteries, wind up lanterns, radio. I need to look at a back up generator but that’s a big expensive job in the UK. 

 

Hi! Is this the same type of trickle charger that people use for cars, ATVs, etc?

How did you figure out the right kind to purchase so it didn’t damage your battery?

 

Hello, the plug in bit is especially for a mobility scooter. I found it on eBay from a camping specialist. It’s different from that used for a car or ATV.

 

I would say that it sounds like you’re doing it the right way already by keeping in touch with neighbors and family. Working together, all of you are better able to keep an eye out for danger and can rely on one another for help.

As someone who is himself physically disabled, I am constantly aware that others may secretly perceive me to be burdensome, so I strive to make myself as useful and helpful as possible so that others will be convinced that I am “worth” keeping around. Perhaps that line of thinking sounds a little bit unsavory — after all, shouldn’t we be compassionate to others just on general principle? — but I suspect that some people, less humane and more mercenary, might still manage to see the value in reciprocating aid with someone who is skilled or knowledgeable, especially in a field that not many others have access to.

Thus, the pandemic might be a good time to pick up some new skills or brush up on old ones. Are you good at repairing home electronics? Or do you enjoy cooking? Is there something you know a good deal about that others don’t? There’s always something to do that people will find handy.

Maybe there’s no need for me to assume the worst of other people in such a way, but I believe it’s better to be as prepared as possible. I can’t go it alone.

 

I think that you are wise to be so pragmatic.

You have said things about being of use that I have often thought about.

Being an insomniac means that I would be a very useful person to have as a night watchman.

I’m a retired Police Officer so have lots of knowledge around target hardening, planning/organising, negotiating and managing threats/risks. 

Good to think along the lines that you have suggested.

 

Three suggestions:

1. A friend of mine keeps a fireplace poker beside her bed for self defense. It’s light, strong, sharp and easy to swing.
2. Keep a canister of pepper spray in a wristband holder. (You can also buy inert practice canisters for practicing your aim.)
3. Keep a compressed-air air horn handy. The noise will certainly alert the neighbors, and it may be painfully loud enough to keep an intruder at bay until the neighbors show up.

I’ll also encourage you to continue to keep in touch with friends & family, even if it’s just a short hello. Routine communication helps everyone maintain awareness of each other’s condition, and to be alerted if something is wrong. And if Vaylon’s point resonates with you, would you be interested in offering to be a central point of contact for your friends and neighbors in the event of an emergency? This is an often overlooked but very important role, and ideally suited for someone who isn’t out and about.

Ham radio is also a great way to stay connected during an emergency and an easy hobby to get into.

– WS

 

Thank you, all great suggestions.

 

One more alternative. This evening I came across a suggestion to keep a can wasp/hornet spray as a personal defense item. The stream can shoot 20ft/6m, it foams on impact and will cause temporary blindness if it gets in the eyes. It’s probably a better choice than pepper spray indoors too.

-WS

 

That’s a really good idea, even more so because pepper spray is illegal to own in the UK.

 

Hi Dave! I am in a manual wheelchair and prepping for me is VERY different than it used to be before my motorcycle accident.

I have so many more things to think about such as fixing a flat wheelchair tire, making sure it is always in good working order, lubing up the casters, and more!

I’m in the same boat that if something really bad ever happened, I am more likely to bug-in than bug-out because I am well established at my home and mobility is a huge issue for me.

There have already been multiple good comments in this post for home defense such as a fireplace poker or wasp spray, but also think about being proactive beforehand. Make sure that you have good locks on windows and doors and use them regularly, keep valuables out of sight, have security lighting around your house, etc… Make it as hard and miserable as you can for the bad guy to get to you.

Getting a tough looking dog might be a good idea too. It can be your service dog when you are out and about so it can go with you wherever you go, and be a deterrent from people messing with you. Plus they are good friends to have too.

Another thing that I have done is contact my local police/emergency response group with the city. I said “Hey, I have this disability and this is what I require. If there was ever an emergency and you are doing evacuations, I want you to know this about me.” They said that they can maybe help me out before other more abled people. 

Let me know if you have any specific questions! I’d love to help out more if I can 🙂

 

Thank you for the ideas & suggestions, Gideon.