#Individual First Aid Kit for Emergencies

[healthandsafety79]

The Perfect Individual First Aid Kit for Emergencies

Individual First Aid Kit for Emergencies is essential for prompt and effective response during unforeseen situations. Emergencies can happen anytime, making it crucial to have a well-stocked kit ready, whether you're at home, in your car, or out on an adventure. Being prepared with a comprehensive first aid kit can make all the difference.

In this article, we’ll explore the essential components of an ideal Individual First Aid Kit, its significance, and tips for maximizing its use.

Why an Individual First Aid Kit is Essential

An Individual First Aid Kit is a vital tool designed to address minor injuries and stabilize more serious conditions until professional help arrives. Here’s why having one is indispensable:

Immediate Response: Quick access to medical supplies can prevent minor injuries from escalating.

Convenience: Its compact and portable nature makes it easy to carry anywhere.

Peace of Mind: Being prepared helps reduce anxiety during emergencies.

Essential Components of a Perfect Individual First Aid Kit

The ideal Individual First Aid Kit should include:

Bandages and Dressings:

Adhesive bandages (various sizes)

Sterile gauze pads

Adhesive tape

Elastic bandages

Antiseptics and Ointments:

Alcohol wipes

Antiseptic wipes

Antibiotic ointment

Tools and Equipment:

Tweezers

Scissors

Safety pins

Disposable gloves

Medications:

Pain relievers (e.g., acetaminophen or ibuprofen) following Health Canada guidelines

Antihistamines

Burn cream

Specialized Items:

CPR face shield

Instant cold packs

Eye wash solution

How to Use Your Individual First Aid Kit Effectively

Having a first aid kit is just the beginning; knowing how to use it is equally important. Follow these tips:

Regularly Check and Replenish: Ensure all items are within their expiration dates and replace any used or outdated supplies.

Read Instructions: Familiarize yourself with the instructions for each item.

Stay Organized: Keep your kit well-organized for quick access during emergencies.

Tailoring Your First Aid Kit to Different Scenarios

Home Use:

Store it in an easily accessible location.

Ensure all family members know its location and how to use it.

Vehicle Use:

Keep it in the glove compartment or trunk.

Include items for car-related injuries, like seatbelt cutters.

Outdoor Activities:

Use a waterproof container.

Add items such as insect repellent and sunscreen.

Training and Education

Proper tools are crucial, but knowing how to use them effectively can save lives. We offer comprehensive first aid training sessions covering:

Basic first aid skills

CPR and AED usage

Managing severe injuries and trauma

Sign Up for First Aid Training: Equip yourself to handle emergencies confidently. Enroll in our first aid training sessions to learn how to use your Individual First Aid Kit effectively. Visit FAST Rescue or contact us at info@fast-rescue.com or call (866) 706-7283 to book your training today!

Recommended Products for Workplace First Aid Kits

Enhance your preparedness with these recommended kits for your workplace:

CSA First Aid Kit Type 1

CSA Type 2 Small First Aid Kit

CSA Type 3 Small First Aid Kit

These kits are tailored to meet various needs and ensure you have the necessary supplies for effective emergency response. Purchase yours today to stay prepared!

[bisexualbaker]

Crochet Pattern for Palestine and Israel Relief

At long last, it's done!

This crochet pattern is for small cats, of a good size to make into keychains, magnets, or even hair clips! There are six PDF versions available:

- US stitch names in 12 point Atkinson Hyperlegible - US stitch names in 22 point Atkinson Hyperlegible - US stitch names in 22 point Comic Sans

- UK stitch names in 12 point Atkinson Hyperlegible - UK stitch names in 22 point Atkinson Hyperlegible - UK stitch names in 22 point Comic Sans

Between those six options, that should cover most pattern accessibility needs. If you need something else, though, let me know! I'm prepared to offer a .doc or similar file on an individual basis if you need a screenreader to access crochet patterns, and have a sheet I can use to translate things to German stitch terms (though more in-depth instructions would still be in English). The pattern is worked primarily in (US) single crochet/(UK) double crochet, with the ears in (US) double crochet/(UK) treble crochet popcorn stitches, and is bundled with similar file options of a popcorn stitch tutorial PDF (no stitch names used).

"Socchan," you say, "These cats are super cute! And you said that this pattern is for charity? How does that work exactly?"

I'm glad you asked! Simply donate a minimum of $3 or close-enough local equivalent to a related charity, then take a screencap of your receipt/proof of donation. Block out any information that could doxx you; it's nice if you trust me, but it's not impossible that my email could get hacked, and I want you to be safe! Finally, email the altered screencap to socchan (at) protonmail (dot) com.

Once I get and check the screencap, I will email you back with a link to a MediaFire folder and the password you'll need to open the PDFs. Yes, it is a bit of a pain to need a password to open these files, but this was the simplest way I could figure out how to do things without needing to upload and send a minimum of six files to every person. Download as many of the variations as you want, keep a copy of the password somewhere safe (and don't delete the email with it), and go to town!

As a bonus, if you take your donation up to at least $5 (or close-enough local equivalent), I'll throw in an additional link and password for a very cute little flower pattern!

"That sounds pretty easy," you go on to say, "but where should I donate? There are so many options to choose from!"

No problem! Here's a couple of short lists of options that can help you narrow things down:

Palestine: Palestine Children's Relief Fund - Focuses on medical aid to children in Palestine Medical Aid for Palestine - "[H]elp MAP respond to the ongoing emergency in Gaza, as well as provide medical supplies, support healthcare services and deliver long term development to healthcare in the occupied Palestinian territory and Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon." MAP reportedly has a team on the ground in Gaza, providing critical medical aid. Anera - Providing food, hygiene kits, and medical care in Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem. Palestine Red Crescent - More medical support in Palestine; the rest of the webpage is in Arabic, so be prepared if you want to click around at all. Basically the Palestinian Red Cross. Gaza Cemetery Project - "Al-Hamdulillah, a ​​5,500 square meters’ piece of land has been secured to create a public cemetery for the city and neighbouring areas." This area still needs a fence to protect the burial plots before it can be used.

Israel: Zaka - A group of first responders and people who identify bodies and prepare them for burial (sadly, sorely needed right now); they are in need of safety equipment, medical supplies, first aid kits, and more. Red Magen David - The Israeli/Jewish equivalent of the Red Cross; first responder medical support and similar. (This one has some pretty immediate upsetting text, so take care!) Hatzalah - Similar to Red Magen David, another first responder and emergency medical group. The Koby Mandell Foundation - Focuses on bereavement aid in Israel for people who have lost loved ones in traumatic circumstances; they've got support hotlines and can arrange for support visits, among other things. The Refuser Solidarity Network - Providing support for Israeli citizens who refuse government mandatory military service.

I think that's everything, aside from: Please Signal Boost! If I end up having to send out two hundred emails in the next couple of days, that still won't be too many.

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Writing Notes: Summary

Summary - a shortened version of any piece of writing in which you express in your own words and as briefly as possible the most essential information of that original piece of writing.

Your purpose in writing a summary is to “sum up” the original writing by including only the most relevant points the author makes.

You are writing an objective description of another’s writing and should not include your own personal opinions of that writing (unless your instructor specifically asks for your commentary and your opinion).

Strategies for Writing a Summary

Reading, Rereading, Highlighting, and Skimming

Read the material you plan to summarize carefully.

On a second reading, you might highlight the main ideas (literally, with a highlighter pen), make notes in the margin, or outline the writing you plan to summarize.

Before you begin to write your summary, skim over the material, noting the key ideas once more.

Finding and Using the Main Points

Assess the author’s main point and approach to writing – analysis, argument, exploration, definition, and narrative – and compose a sentence that includes who the author is and what he has written as well as his purpose in writing.

Notice how the author has organized his writing, particularly the use of paragraphing, transitions, restatements for emphasis, and other stylistic devices.

Write one or two sentences that briefly paraphrase the author’s primary support for each section or division of the original text.

Once you have written a sentence for each main idea, you have, in essence, written topic sentences for your summary.

Final Draft

Use the topic sentences you have written to organize your summary, which should be presented in the same chronological order as the original text.

Use transitions in order to make your summary cohesive and logical. Because your summary is intended to be short, you may combine sentences when you can avoid repeating information and to avoid choppiness in your writing.

When you have finished your summary, review with the following question in mind: Would someone reading your summary have a clear and accurate idea of what the original writer has written?

Example

Article: “Anatomy of a First Aid Kit”

A well-stocked first aid kit is a handy thing to have. To be prepared for emergencies, keep a first aid kit in your home and in your automobile. Carry a first aid kit with you or know where you can find one when you are hiking, biking, camping, or boating. Find out the location of first aid kits where you work. First aid kits come in many shapes and sizes. A, You can buy one from a drug store, or your local Red Cross chapter might sell them. B, You can make your own first aid kit. C, Some kits are designed for specific activities, such as hiking, camping or boating. Whether you buy a first aid kit or put one together, make sure it has all the items you may need. Include any personal items, such as medications and emergency phone numbers, or other items your physician may suggest. Check the kit regularly. Make sure the flashlight batteries work. Check expiration dates and replace any used or out-of-date contents.

SAMPLE SUMMARY

In their article “Anatomy of a First Aid Kit,” the American Red Cross advises people to have first aid kits on hand at home, when traveling, or at the work place. First aid kits can be purchased or assembled by individuals for specific activities such as outdoor recreation. The main consideration is to have everything necessary in a first aid kit, such as medications, phone numbers and other essential items. Finally, first aid kits should be kept up-to-date so that everything needed is ready for use in case of an emergency.

Source

[is-the-snake-video-cute]

Had to evacuate my building tonight due to a fire alarm and it made me appreciate that my snakes travel container had a handle. I was alone so handled both the dog and the snake, the handle made things so much easier. (Turns out some dork was smoking in the laundry room)

Everyone is fine but I wanted to ask, have you ever had to evacuate with your snakes? Either way are there any tips you’d give new snake owners for how to evacuate safely?

I've had to evacuate with my snakes a few times when I lived in garbage apartments with hair-trigger fire alarms, and thankfully I got it down to something of a science! Here's what I always recommend.

I keep large plastic bins, the kinds with locking lids. I actually prefer ones with wheels for this just in case because they're easier to move around with, but the locking lid is the only must-have.

And that bin is your designated emergency tub. Inside, keep these things:

Travel bins for all your snakes. They do not have to be big, just make sure they have latching lids. Little bit of substrate in there, one small hide, and a small water bowl. Write their names on the lids so you can avoid any confusion if you have to evacuate fast.

Another small bin with a snake first-aid kit, just in case your snake is hurt and you can't get them to the vet right away. Antiseptic, reptile shedding aid spray, gauze bandages, medical tape.

Extra heat mats - in a pinch, you can prop them up along the sides of your travel bins. You probably won't have room for thermostats in your emergency kits, but heat mats on the sides of bins are safe in a pinch.

If you have to get out fast and you don't have time to put all the snakes in their own bins, you can just put them in the main tub and sort them out once you're all safe - that's why the locking lid is a must-have! The only snakes that won't work for are ophiophagus (snake-eating) ones like kingsnakes - with them, the extra time is needed to get them in their individual bins if you can take it.

Emergency bins like this are things I hope no one reading this will ever need, but being prepared will help evacuations go much more smoothly.

[artyandink]

the art of heresy forged 1983

SUMMARY: Modern day, 2022, and you have no clue what’s going on. You knew what you went through. You knew it was real, but why were there people trying to convince you that everything that happened to you wasn’t real. Hell, you called bullshit. But you get your chance to fight back when you get a call at your door.

TW: psychological torture, trauma, mentions of sex, Ben (cause he’s an individual warning), it’s The Boys so be careful guys, really creepy shit, angst, crack

A/N - divider by @chachachannah

Song Inspo: Heaven by Julia Michaels

superglue

You’re slumped on the couch, the kind of heavy exhaustion settling in your bones that feels more like a leaden weight than simple tiredness. It’s like the room’s been spinning for hours, but you can’t quite pinpoint how long it’s been since you last felt steady. The air around you is dense and suffocating, a cruel mockery of the freedom you thought you’d found.

The front door of the safe house bursts open with an audible crack, followed by the heavy thud of boots on the floor. Ben, always a presence larger than life, storms in with a fierce scowl etched into his rugged face. His intense eyes scan the room quickly before locking onto you.

"Goddamn it, what the hell’s going on here?" Ben’s voice is a low, angry rumble. The old soldier’s tone doesn’t disguise the edge of concern that cuts through his gruff exterior.

You blink, trying to focus on his face, but the world around you remains stubbornly blurry. Your throat feels like sandpaper, and you’re struggling to summon the strength to even raise your head. Ben’s presence is a double-edged sword—comforting and overwhelming in its intensity.

"I’m—” you manage to croak out, but it’s barely a whisper, and your voice trails off into a weak, unconvincing silence.

Ben’s jaw tightens as he strides over, his big, rough hands gripping your shoulders with a firm but gentle pressure. “You’re not fine, obviously. Shit, you look like you’ve been dragged through hell.”

You want to reassure him, to tell him that it’s nothing serious, but the dizziness and weakness make coherent speech a distant dream. Ben’s face blurs again, and he kneels in front of you, his expression a mix of frustration and worry.

“Don’t you fucking dare pass out on me,” he mutters, the curse slipping out as he tries to figure out what’s wrong. “We’ve got enough problems without you going down like this.”

It’s true; the situation is already a mess. You’re both on the run from Vought, hiding out in this nondescript safe house that Ben managed to secure for you. The constant fear of being discovered, the constant movement—it’s taken its toll. But you had hoped, foolishly, that you could push through it.

Ben’s hands are surprisingly gentle as he checks your pulse, his rough fingers surprisingly tender against your skin. “Look, we can’t go to a hospital,” he says, his voice steady but laced with frustration. “They’ll find us faster than you can say ‘bad idea.’ We need to figure this out ourselves.”

You try to nod, but the effort makes the room spin harder. “Too dizzy,” you manage to say, the words coming out in a strained whisper.

Ben swears under his breath again, the sound a mix of exasperation and worry. He starts rifling through the small first aid kit that you keep hidden away for emergencies. He mutters to himself as he pulls out various items, trying to find something that might help. His movements are quick but careful, a stark contrast to his usual brash demeanor.

“You gotta hang in there, alright?” Ben’s tone is softer now, though still rough around the edges. “I’ve got some basic stuff here. It ain’t much, but it’s better than nothing.”

You want to tell him to calm down, to not worry so much, but your body feels like it’s betraying you. The dizziness is relentless, a cruel reminder of your current predicament. Ben’s hands are a blur as he works, but you catch glimpses of him preparing something—perhaps an old remedy or just basic care, you can’t tell.

“Goddamn, you better not have caught some fucking bug or something,” Ben grumbles, more to himself than to you. His concern is evident in his voice, despite his gruff exterior. “We’ve been through too much shit for you to be falling apart now.”

You hear him moving around, and it’s clear he’s trying to make do with what little he has. It’s both reassuring and unsettling to see him so focused, so determined to make things right. You feel a pang of guilt for being a burden, for dragging him into yet another mess.

“Ben,” you say, your voice barely more than a whisper. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to—”

“Shut the fuck up, sweetheart,” he interrupts, his tone softer but still firm. “I don’t want to hear it. Just focus on staying awake. We’ll figure this out. We always do.”

You try to heed his advice, focusing on the sound of his voice as a tether to reality. The room continues to spin, but Ben’s presence is a constant anchor. His hands are steady and reassuring as he applies a cool compress to your forehead, his touch gentle despite his usual roughness.

After what feels like an eternity, Ben finally sits back on his heels, his eyes never leaving your face. “Alright, this is the best I can do for now,” he says, his voice tinged with a mix of frustration and relief. “Just stay with me. We’ll get through this.”

You want to tell him that you’re fine, that you don’t need to be coddled, but the words won’t come. Instead, you nod weakly, doing your best to keep your eyes open. Ben’s expression softens slightly, though the worry still lingers.

“Fucking hell,” he mutters, running a hand through his hair. “This isn’t how I wanted this to go down.”

Despite the dire situation, there’s a strange comfort in Ben’s presence. His unwavering determination, his concern—it’s a stark contrast to the harsh world outside. It’s a small, bright spot in an otherwise dark and uncertain time.

The minutes tick by slowly, each one dragging on as you fight to stay conscious. Ben stays close, his presence a steady reassurance amidst the chaos. His occasional muttered curses and frustrated sighs become a strange lullaby, a reminder that despite everything, you’re not alone.

“You know,” Ben says after a while, his voice low and contemplative. “I always thought we’d get through this. Hell, I always figured we’d come out on top. But I never thought we’d be here, like this.”

You try to respond, to offer some form of comfort, but the dizziness and weakness make it difficult. Instead, you focus on the sound of his voice, the feeling of his hand resting lightly on your shoulder. It’s a small comfort, a reminder that even in the darkest moments, there’s a sliver of hope.

Ben’s eyes meet yours, and for a brief moment, the fierce soldier’s mask slips away, revealing a glimmer of vulnerability. “We’re gonna make it through this,” he says firmly, though the edge of doubt lingers in his voice. “We always do.”

You want to believe him, to hold onto his words like a lifeline. The room continues to spin, but Ben’s presence is a steady anchor. His determination, his refusal to give up—it's a beacon of hope in an otherwise bleak situation.

Slowly, the dizziness begins to ebb, the world around you settling into a semblance of stability. You still feel weak, but the worst of the spinning has subsided. Ben’s eyes never leave your face, his concern evident in every line of his expression.

“Feeling any better?” he asks, his voice softer now, tinged with a cautious optimism.

You manage a weak nod, the effort making you slightly lightheaded. “A little,” you croak out.

Ben’s face relaxes slightly, though the worry still lingers. “Good. That’s good,” he says, his voice filled with a mix of relief and determination. “We’ll keep an eye on you. Make sure you don’t go down again.”

As you rest there, Ben’s presence a constant comfort, you allow yourself to hope. Despite the chaos and uncertainty, there’s a sense of calm that comes from knowing that you’re not facing this alone. Ben’s unwavering determination, his refusal to give up—it’s a beacon of hope in an otherwise dark and uncertain world.

The minutes continue to tick by, each one bringing a little more stability, a little more strength. Ben remains by your side, his presence a steady reassurance amidst the turmoil. And as you start to feel a bit more like yourself, you can’t help but feel grateful for the stubborn soldier who refuses to let you go.

You were sprawled on the couch, feeling like a half-deflated balloon for what seemed like ages. Ben’s fussing and cursing were a constant backdrop to your recovery, his heavy footsteps and occasional grunts a reminder that you weren’t in this mess alone.

It took some time, but finally, the dizzying haze of whatever the hell Vought had done to you was starting to lift. Your vision cleared, and the world stopped spinning like a damn carnival ride. Ben, ever the persistent asshole, had stayed by your side through it all.

“Fucking finally,” he grumbled, tossing the medical supplies back into the first aid kit with a rough shove. “You look like a human being again.”

You shot him a tired smirk. “Glad I’m not looking like roadkill anymore. Thanks for not letting me die on your watch.”

Ben snorted. “Like I’d let you off that easy. Can’t have you croaking before we sort out our shit.” He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a cigar, the crinkling of the wrapper loud in the quiet room. “Here, take this. It’s not gonna fix you up, but it’ll take the edge off.”

You eyed the cigar with a mix of amusement and suspicion. “You know, if we weren’t on the run, I’d ask where the hell you even found a cigar. But right now, I’m just too damn tired to care.”

He tossed it to you, and you caught it with a lazy hand. “Well, consider it a gift from one fucked-up asshole to another. Light it up and relax, will ya? You’re starting to look like you’re ready to pass out again.”

You huffed a laugh, managing to sit up and fumble with the lighter. “I suppose one cigar won’t kill me. Might actually help with the goddamn stress. And lord knows, I’m tired of dealing with your ranting.”

Ben’s smirk was evident even as he watched you, his rough demeanor softening slightly. “Hey, I’m a goddamn expert at ranting. It’s a talent.”

After a few clumsy tries, you managed to light the cigar and took a long drag, savoring the brief respite it provided. The smoke curled around you, a welcome distraction from the persistent gnawing feeling of something still being off.

“Okay,” you said, exhaling a plume of smoke. “I’m feeling somewhat normal now. Thanks for the smoke break.”

Ben leaned against the wall, arms crossed, his eyes narrowing. “You still look like shit, though. What’s going on in that head of yours?”

You took another drag, the cigar’s warmth a small comfort. “It’s probably the fucking chemical Vought messed with me. I’m starting to think it’s still lingering in my system or some shit.”

Ben’s brows furrowed, and he let out a low, frustrated growl. “Seriously? They’re still fucking with your head? I thought we’d gotten rid of that crap when we made a run for it.”

You nodded, feeling the frustration mount. “I thought so too. But the way I felt earlier? It’s not just normal exhaustion or stress. There’s something else, like a goddamn residue of their mind-fucking bullshit.”

Ben’s face twisted into a scowl. “Fucking Vought. They never know when to quit. Always got to leave their goddamn mark.” He rubbed his temples as if trying to erase the anger. “So what the hell do we do now? We can’t exactly waltz into a lab and get your system cleaned out.”

You took another drag, the cigar’s taste a bit bitter but strangely satisfying. “Well, first thing’s first, we need to figure out how to deal with this shit without getting ourselves blown up or caught. And maybe stop living like fucking hermits.”

Ben snorted. “You think I don’t know that? But we’re kind of on a goddamn tightrope here. Vought’s still sniffing around, and we’re not exactly in the best position to go making noise.”

You leaned back against the couch, letting out a long, smoky breath. “Yeah, I get it. We’re stuck between a rock and a hard place. But just because we’re stuck doesn’t mean we can’t do something about it. I’m tired of being a goddamn guinea pig for Vought’s experiments.”

Ben’s expression softened slightly as he took in your frustration. “I get it. I’m fucking tired of it too. But we’ll figure this out. We always do.”

You gave him a skeptical look. “Yeah, right. Like our usual method of ‘wing it and hope for the best’ has worked out perfectly so far.”

He rolled his eyes. “Hey, we’ve survived this long, haven’t we? Not saying it’s ideal, but it’s worked. And I’ll be damned if I let Vought win this round.”

You took another drag, the cigar almost done. “Fine. I guess we keep at it. But I swear, if we end up getting fucked over because of this, I’m holding you personally responsible.”

Ben chuckled, shaking his head. “Yeah, yeah. Just make sure you don’t pass out on me again. I’m not up for another round of you looking like a goddamn zombie.”

You smirked, tossing the cigar butt into the nearby ashtray. “I’ll do my best. And maybe next time, I’ll be less of a burden.”

“Fucking hope so,” Ben said, the corner of his mouth twitching into a smile. “For both our sakes.”

You could feel the tension easing slightly, a small relief in the midst of the chaos. The cigar had helped, more than you’d care to admit, and Ben’s presence was a rough but comforting reminder that you weren’t completely alone in this mess.

“Alright,” you said, pushing yourself to your feet with some effort. “What’s next on our list of shit to do? We need to get this sorted before we’re back to running from goddamn Vought.”

Ben’s eyes sparkled with a mix of irritation and determination. “Next on the list is figuring out how to deal with your chemical hangover and making sure we don’t get our asses handed to us. But first, you’re going to sit your tired ass down and get some rest. I’ll handle the rest of the shit for now.”

You gave him a grateful nod, leaning back against the couch. “Alright, boss. You’ve earned the right to take charge for a while.”

He grinned, a rare moment of genuine warmth cutting through his usual rough exterior. “Damn right. Now, just relax and try not to get us both killed while I figure out our next move.”

You leaned against the cool tile of the bathroom wall, your hand resting on your stomach. A frown pinched your forehead as thoughts spiraled through your mind like an endless loop. It was quiet, save for the muffled sounds of the world outside. The scent of old wood and bleach filled the air, mixing with something raw and vulnerable that clung to your heart. You breathed out slowly, trying to untangle the web of emotions inside you.

You were staring blankly at your reflection, the person looking back at you a mere shadow of the confident, brash figure you usually portrayed. It was just a simple bathroom, one of many you'd encountered in your life, yet it felt like a fortress, protecting you from the outside world. Outside that door was Ben, the man you had been entangled with for longer than either of you cared to admit.

The thought of him made your stomach twist, but not in a way you were used to. It was more like a punch to the gut, a reminder of the recent past that felt heavier than any weight you had ever carried. Just a couple of weeks ago, everything had been so different. The vibrancy of life had filled your belly, but now it was an empty ache, a loss you didn't know how to confront.

The door creaked open, and you turned your head just enough to see Ben stride in, his boots thudding against the floor. He looked rugged as ever, his dark hair tousled and a five o’clock shadow gracing his jaw. His brow furrowed slightly when he caught sight of you, and your stomach churned with an unsettling mix of gratitude and annoyance.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” he asked, his voice gruff but tinged with concern.

You quickly straightened up, forcing a nonchalant shrug. “Nothing,” you lied, the word tasting bitter on your tongue.

“Don’t give me that bullshit,” he shot back, crossing his arms over his chest. “I’ve seen you look like this before. You can’t fool me.”

You turned away from him, gaze drifting back to the mirror. “It’s just… it’s been a long day,” you muttered, trying to sound casual.

“Long day?” He scoffed, stepping closer. “Since when does a long day make you look like you’ve seen a ghost?”

You clenched your jaw, unwilling to let him in. “Maybe I’m just tired, alright?”

Ben’s expression shifted, a mix of confusion and frustration clouding his features. “Tired? You look like you’re about to lose your lunch. What the fuck is really going on?”

Your heart raced, a storm of emotions bubbling beneath the surface. You knew he was only trying to help, but you didn’t want to open that door. Not now. Not ever. You turned to face him, your hands balling into fists at your sides. “I said I’m fine, dammit! Just drop it, okay?”

He let out a frustrated breath, running a hand through his hair. “You’re never fine, you know that. You’re always either ready to kick someone’s ass or…” He paused, his gaze falling to your stomach, the implication hanging in the air like a loaded gun. “What’s going on, really?”

A heaviness settled in your chest, and the weight of his scrutiny made your heart race even faster. You had been through so much together, the two of you—friends, lovers, partners in crime since the '40s. You had shared everything from laughter to battles, but this was different. This was something raw, something that threatened to tear you apart if you let it.

“I just… I don’t want to talk about it,” you finally replied, your voice softer, though it held an edge of defiance.

He sighed, frustration flickering in his eyes. “Well, you don’t have to talk about it, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to stand by and watch you crumble. We’ve been through hell together, and if something’s eating at you, then damn it, I’m going to want to know.”

The resolve in his voice made you flinch. You hated how much you respected him, how much you cared. You had spent years crafting a tough exterior, refusing to let anyone close enough to see your vulnerabilities. But Ben had a way of breaking down those walls, and it terrified you.

“I told you, I’m fine,” you insisted, though your voice lacked conviction.

“Fine? You’ve got that look on your face that says you’re about to lose your shit. And don’t try to pretend it’s just because you don’t like the smell of the bleach in here.”

A laugh escaped you, though it was devoid of humor. “Well, maybe the smell of your bullshit is just as bad.”

He took a step closer, the intensity of his gaze pinning you in place. “You think I’m letting this go? Not a chance. You know damn well that I can smell when something’s wrong. Just tell me what’s up, and I swear I’ll be out of your hair.”

You opened your mouth to argue, but the words caught in your throat. The truth hung heavy, a ghost that refused to leave you. You thought of the last time you had felt hope, the last time you had dared to believe that something beautiful was blossoming within you. It had all been ripped away, and now you were left with nothing but grief and confusion.

“Just… don’t,” you finally murmured, the defiance in your voice fading. “It’s not what you think.”

He furrowed his brow, his confusion deepening. “Then what the hell am I supposed to think? You’re acting like you’ve lost something, and I want to help.”

You turned away, your heart racing as the memories flooded back. The way you had held on to that tiny flicker of life, how you had nurtured it, and the devastating moment when everything had come crashing down. The bathroom walls felt like they were closing in on you, and you struggled to catch your breath.

“It’s just… it’s complicated,” you finally managed, your voice barely a whisper. “You wouldn’t understand.”

Ben’s expression softened, and he stepped closer, invading your space. “Try me,” he said gently. “You think I haven’t dealt with my share of complicated shit? Hell, we’ve both been through enough to fill a goddamn library. Whatever it is, I’m here for you.”

His sincerity disarmed you, the tenderness in his eyes making your chest tighten with conflicting emotions. You wanted to push him away, to keep him at arm’s length, but the truth was you were scared. Scared of losing him, scared of losing everything you had worked to build together.

“Ben, please,” you pleaded, your voice cracking slightly. “I can’t… I can’t talk about this right now.”

He nodded slowly, though his eyes were still filled with concern. “Alright. I get it. But don’t think I’m just going to forget about it. I care too much to let this go. Just remember that.”

You nodded, feeling a mixture of gratitude and frustration. You didn’t want to admit how much his words affected you, how much you needed him in that moment. Instead, you turned back to the mirror, focusing on the face that stared back at you, a mask of bravado and pain.

“You’re a stubborn pain in my ass, you know that?” you said, trying to lighten the mood, though it felt forced.

Ben chuckled, his tension easing slightly. “Yeah, but you love it.”

“Maybe,” you replied, a smirk tugging at your lips. “Or maybe I just tolerate it because I have no choice.”

“Sure you do. You could always kick me out, but then who’d listen to your bullshit?”

You shot him a glare, but it was half-hearted. “Don’t push it, soldier.”

He grinned, leaning against the wall, arms crossed. “Look, I know you’re hurting. Just promise me you’ll let me in when you’re ready. I’m not going anywhere.”

The sincerity in his tone sent a wave of warmth through you, and for a fleeting moment, you considered breaking down the walls. But the fear of vulnerability held you back, and you simply nodded, knowing that words would only complicate things further.

“I’ll think about it,” you replied, trying to sound casual, though your heart felt like it was about to burst.

“Yeah, that’s all I can ask for,” he said, pushing himself off the wall and moving toward the door. “I’ll be outside if you need me. And don’t think you can escape without me knowing. I’ve got eyes like a hawk.”

“Yeah, yeah, I’ll keep that in mind,” you said, waving him off as he stepped out, leaving you alone once more.

As the door closed behind him, the silence enveloped you. You stood in front of the mirror, your reflection a reminder of the battle you were fighting within yourself. You wanted to scream, to cry, to let it all out, but you couldn’t. Not yet.

Taking a deep breath, you placed your hand back on your stomach, feeling the emptiness there, the loss that echoed in your heart. You knew you couldn’t hide forever. Eventually, you’d have to face the truth, face Ben, and confront the reality of what you had lost.

But for now, you allowed yourself a moment of solitude, a moment to gather your strength. You weren’t ready to let him in, not yet. But when the time came, you hoped he would be there, waiting to catch you when you finally fell apart.

1983:

The opulent luxury of the hotel room was a sharp contrast to the rough and raw energy that had just unfolded within its walls. The king-sized bed, with its crisp white linens and extravagant pillows, lay rumpled and disheveled. The sheer curtains, pulled halfway open, allowed the dim glow of the city lights to seep in, casting a sultry ambiance over the room.

You lay sprawled on the bed, your body still tingling from the intense passion you had just shared. The cool air of the air conditioner brushed against your sweat-slicked skin, providing a fleeting relief. You caught your breath, the previous moments of heated fervor slowly giving way to a familiar post-coital exhaustion.

Beside you, Ben was stretched out, one arm draped casually over his eyes, his breathing uneven but steady. His dark hair was in disarray, sticking to his forehead in a way that only added to the raw, unfiltered appeal he exuded. The bed creaked softly as he shifted, his muscular frame moving with a languid grace.

You turned your head to look at him, a smirk tugging at the corner of your mouth. The man was a damn force of nature—blunt, obnoxious, and fiercely unapologetic. It was part of what made him so damn irresistible, despite the fact that both of you were more than willing to push each other’s buttons.

“You know,” you said, your voice husky and tinged with amusement, “for someone who’s always so goddamn rough, you’ve got quite the knack for taking it easy afterward.”

He snorted, his arm lowering to reveal a cocky grin. “Well, pet, it’s not like I’m gonna be a raging bull 24/7. Sometimes, even I need a break.” He shifted closer, his body heat radiating toward you. “Besides, someone’s gotta give you a chance to catch your breath.”

You laughed, though it was more of a throaty chuckle than a full-blown laugh. “Catch my breath, huh? I’d say you’re just too lazy to do more.”

“Lazy?” He raised an eyebrow, a mischievous glint in his eyes. “Let’s not pretend you’re any better. I seem to recall you screaming my name like you were calling for a rescue.”

“Hey,” you said, turning to face him, “don’t act like you’re some kind of saint. You’re just as bad as I am, if not worse.”

He laughed, a rough, gravelly sound that was both comforting and infuriating. “Guilty as charged. But you know what they say—better to burn out than fade away.”

You rolled your eyes, but the smile on your lips remained. “Always so dramatic. It’s a wonder you haven’t tried to take up acting yet.”

He shot you a mock-serious look. “Oh, please. I’d be terrible at it. I’m much better at being a reckless asshole.”

You raised an eyebrow. “And what’s that supposed to mean? You think I’m just some kind of saint?”

He chuckled, reaching out to stroke your hair. “No, not at all. You’re just as much of a wild card as I am. That’s what makes this whole thing work.”

You shifted slightly, feeling the weight of his hand and the warmth of his body. The intimacy was strangely comforting, despite the gruffness of your interactions. You had both built a fortress around yourselves, yet somehow, this unfiltered connection managed to break through.

“Yeah, well,” you said, propping yourself up on one elbow and looking down at him, “I suppose we’re both a couple of hardasses. But at least we know how to make it work.”

“Hell yeah, we do.” He grinned, his eyes twinkling with a mix of affection and mischief. “And speaking of making it work, don’t think I’ve forgotten about our little game.”

Your eyebrows knitted together in confusion. “Game? What the hell are you talking about?”

“Come on,” he said, his grin widening. “You know exactly what I mean. That little bet we had about who could go longer without…”

You rolled your eyes again, though the amusement in your gaze was clear. “Oh, right. The bet. I suppose I should have known you wouldn’t let that go.”

“Damn right,” he said with a chuckle. “But let’s be honest, neither of us was exactly keeping track.”

You smirked, leaning closer. “True enough. We’ve always been more interested in enjoying ourselves than actually playing by the rules.”

He reached out, his hand cupping your face with a rough tenderness that always seemed to surprise you. “And that’s why I love this mess we’ve got going on. It’s never boring, that’s for damn sure.”

You let out a soft sigh, leaning into his touch. “Yeah, I suppose it isn’t. Even if it does come with its share of headaches.”

He chuckled again, his thumb brushing against your cheek. “You mean like the one you had earlier?”

You gave him a sideways glance. “Don’t remind me. I’m still trying to forget that little disaster.”

“Don’t be so hard on yourself,” he said softly, his tone more serious. “We’ve all had our share of those days. But at least we’ve got each other.”

You met his gaze, feeling a rare moment of vulnerability. “Yeah, I guess so. It’s nice to have someone who gets it.”

He pulled you closer, wrapping his arms around you with a protective and surprisingly tender hold. “Damn right it is. And no matter what happens, I’m not going anywhere.”

You rested your head on his shoulder, the roughness of his skin against your cheek providing a strange comfort. “You better not. I don’t think I could handle you disappearing on me.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it,” he said, his voice low and sincere. “We’ve been through too much to let it all fall apart now.”

The silence that followed was thick with unspoken understanding. It was rare for either of you to let down your guard, but in these moments, when the raw edges of your interactions softened, it felt like you could actually breathe.

You glanced around the room, the luxury and opulence starkly contrasting with the reality of your lives. The extravagant setting seemed almost absurd in light of the gritty, rough lives you led outside these walls. But for now, it was a sanctuary—a place where you could be as blunt and unfiltered as you wanted.

“Hey,” you said, breaking the silence, “you ever think about what comes next?”

He gave a thoughtful hum, his fingers idly tracing patterns on your skin. “Sometimes. But mostly, I just focus on the here and now. We’ve got enough to worry about without adding more to the pile.”

You nodded, appreciating the simplicity of his approach. “Yeah, I guess that’s one way to look at it.”

“You know it is,” he said, his voice taking on a more playful tone. “And anyway, as long as we’ve got each other, I’m not too worried about what comes next.”

You smiled, the warmth of his presence melting away some of the hardness that had settled over you. “Yeah, I suppose we can handle whatever comes our way.”

He grinned, pulling you closer until you were nestled against him. “Damn right we can. And if anyone tries to fuck with us, they’ll have to go through me first.”

You laughed softly, your fingers tracing idle patterns on his chest. “I’d like to see them try. We’re a force to be reckoned with.”

“Hell yeah, we are,” he said, his voice filled with a rough but genuine affection. “Now, why don’t we enjoy the rest of this night before it all goes to hell?”

You sighed contentedly, letting yourself be enveloped by his presence. “Sounds like a plan. For once, I’m more than happy to let the world outside fade into the background.”

He chuckled, his arms tightening around you. “Good. Because I’ve got no intention of letting you go.”

And so, in the luxurious confines of the hotel room, amidst the remnants of passion and the comfort of shared intimacy, you both allowed yourselves a rare moment of peace. It wasn’t perfect, and it wasn’t always easy, but it was real. And for now, that was more than enough.

You woke up to the soft, muted sounds of the city filtering through the thick curtains of the luxury hotel room. The morning light crept in, casting a warm glow over the plush bedding. For a moment, you enjoyed the calm, the gentle embrace of the sheets that cocooned you. But that moment was short-lived. A tightness in your stomach sent you jolting upright, and before you could fully register what was happening, you were bolting out of bed.

You barely made it to the bathroom in time. Your stomach churned violently, and you doubled over, retching as your body expelled whatever remnants of last night’s indulgences remained. The taste of bile burned at the back of your throat as you grasped the cool porcelain of the toilet, your knuckles whitening with the pressure.

After what felt like an eternity, you finally settled back against the wall, panting and trembling. The fluorescent lights above hummed, and the stark whiteness of the bathroom felt overwhelmingly bright and sterile. You took a deep breath, the air feeling sharp and acrid. Slowly, you pulled yourself together, trying to steady your racing heart.

As you sat there, a sinking feeling settled in the pit of your stomach. This wasn’t the first time you had felt nauseous in the morning. In fact, over the past few weeks, you had noticed a series of bizarre cravings—things you’d never even considered eating. Pickles and peanut butter, raw tomatoes, and even the occasional urge for a strange concoction of ice cream and hot sauce. You had laughed it off, chalking it up to stress, or perhaps just the weirdness of being a super who had too many mental battles to contend with.

But the signs were all there, laying themselves out like a damning series of clues. You felt your heart begin to race as the realization washed over you like a cold wave, crashing against the shoreline of your thoughts.

“No. No, no, no,” you muttered under your breath, shaking your head in denial. This couldn’t be happening. You were too young, too wild, too reckless for this. The very thought of being pregnant sent a jolt of panic through your system, making your hands tremble.

You pushed yourself up from the floor, swaying slightly as the realization sank in deeper. Your fingers gripped the edge of the sink as you leaned over the mirror, staring at the reflection that looked back at you—a face filled with dread, uncertainty, and an overwhelming sense of vulnerability.

“Shit, shit, shit,” you whispered, your voice barely above a breath. “This isn’t happening.”

©️ 𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐲𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐤 / 𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐲’𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐨

𝐈 𝐝𝐨 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐲 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐞𝐝/𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝

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[lilliaace]

Live PRIDE LGBTQ Advice

This post is intended for people who are brand new to the LGBTQ Live PRIDE events. I've been to a handful of live events in person of various sizes in different USA states.

"I am nervous around large crowds!" If you are uneasy around crowded events, I strongly recommend looking up "lgbtq pride events" on Google or join local LGBTQ groups on Facebook. Meetup.com is hit or miss. You can find smaller, local LGBTQ live events that often have fairly low density crowd events (It's often just basically an outdoor artist alley/vendor with maybe 1-2 live music).

"I am worried about safety." Generally speaking, well run events have a handful of staff floating about the event, will have a handful of cops around the perimeter of the event, and/or 'worst' case scenario, approach a tent and tell them about what and/or who is making you nervous. The cops WILL NOT bother you unless you give them a reason to (throwing punches at people, being drunk and causing problems, purposefully being creepy around people, etc.).

"What about counter protestors?" If you see church related anti-LGBTQ crowds gathered, you can frankly just stay away from them. They lose their confidence when you have a crowd of people around you willing to throw hands for you. I know some people will purposefully taunt them via finding someone and kissing them right in front and similar. DO NOT physically attack them. MANY of them wear some kind of recording device so they can then turn around and sue you to get money (even though common sense says they provoked the attack).

"What do I bring to these events?" Aside from fashionable LGBTQ accessories, clothing, flags, etc. I recommend a small backpack or over the shoulder bag to bring at least....

1-2 bottles of water, snacks (food and drink tends to be more expensive at these events)

a first aid kit (wound dressing like bandaids and wraps, antiseptic wipes and/or alcohol wipes, glow sticks if it gets dark, tournaquit scissors, non-latex gloves if you don't want to buy a pre-made kits)

1-2 extra shirts and/or pants (get these cheap at a second hand store if you don't have extra shirts you're okay with getting dirty)

narcan (if possible, it's to help any overdose cases you might happen upon)

A handful of those blue single use masks in case people come up to you and ask for a mask (I've had this happen to me before)

CPR license (if you have it)

Wallet that holds all your personal ID and money (cards or physical cash)

1-2 permanent markers in case shit hits the fan to write down important phone numbers (lawyer, emergency contact, etc.)

MOST events will be relatively uneventful in regards to bad things happening, but in case something does happen, that's why I recommend these extra things (narcan, extra shirts, basic first aid kit, phone numbers of important people, etc.)

"I don't have a lot of money" That's okay! A lot of tents have free stuff you can grab (stickers, wrist bands, pins, etc.). Some tents also have "spin to win" type things. Last pride event I went to, I got a LOT of free stickers and wrist bands.

"Are they accessibility friendly?" This depends on where it is. Some events are due to low crowd density, wide sidewalks, and/or staff that's willing to help you move around. I use a walking staff to help my bad hip and haven't had an issue with getting around (wheelchair users are really dependent on the individual venue). There tends to be some sitting areas setup around the venues (benches, chairs, big lawns to sit on, etc.).

Last words - DO NOT touch and/or camera someone without their permission. This is basic respect/ethics. Many people are happy to take photos with you or video or give you a hug, BUT ASK FIRST!

[gallifreyianrosearkytiorsusan]

Yield to the Sea

Author's Note: More of Catius in Living Waters AU.

Summary: As Catius is out gathering stuff for the others in making their cave a home and to make sure they have supplies for emergencies he gets a distress call.

Warnings: Character death, self blame and survivors guilt, organ harvesting, Let me know if you need me to add anything.

Past =-= Next

Tagged: @barn-anon, @bleedingichorhearts, @c-u-c-koo-4-40k, @egrets-not-regrets, @kit-williams,

Tagged continued: @sleepyfan-blog, @whorety-k, @ms--lobotomy @bispecsual @thevoidscreams

Tagged continued: @i-am-a-dragon34, @gra93fruit-blog

Catius was swimming, glad to be out of the cave that had been where he and Ramiel had been recovering in. He loves his brothers, but sometimes they had been almost smothering in their concern and worry for him.

He understands why though, be able to show such concern, and be able to help and fuss after him and each other was something they weren't able to back when they were back Then. He is going over the list of items that they need to gather, what is most to least urgent to gather.

Since they are on Ancient Terra and none of them have a forge or the training to do so, doing more than basic upkeep on their armor isn't possible. Perhaps if they found a wandering Salamander, either as an individual or as a shoal of them they might be able to ask for trade for fixing their armor for services or good or something.

Or- Jophiel or one of the others could talk to Erriox to see if he knew what they would have to do to get some of the Warp Smiths to help fix up their armor, if it was possible to do so with the highly limited supplies that they have on Ancient Terra.

But none of them were very happy or comfortable with the idea of asking some of Erriox's Chaos Traitor Brothers for help. Especially with something as critical as armor, it just sounded like some of the dumbest and stupidest idea to even contemplate. He is shaken from his thoughts when his vox crackles to life and he hears someone call out.

"-elp," He hears, and tries to call out on his vox device- which only does static, and he curses out loud his fucking useless broken vox. "-lease -elp."

He desprately tries to send a location ping- to send a text-vox message that sends a location ping request. All hat his helmet sends back is an error message- he had been unable to send messages out. But, unfortunately, he can recieve message. Which seems unkind and almost worse thank a fully broken communication device.

"-ounded," The voice calls out- they sound ragged, wounded, hurt. Throne Curse him this sound bad. He tries to search for the person, knowing that it's likely in vain, who knows how distant the voice is- the vox communication devices can send and recieve over vast distances. And Ancient Terra is vast in it's scope, for all that it's a single planet.

By the time he finds the person, he's been callout out loudly using all three of his lungs, bellowing at the top of his voice, trying to find and call out to the person who's in his bust vox who's begging for help. Their voice growing weaker, and weaker, more desperate and sad.

He finds the person, and his hearts drop to his stomach. He recognizes that familiar blue and gold armor. This person is a fellow Ultramarine- and from the make of his armor. He's a fellow Primaris Marine. He swims as fast as possible to his brother's side and he curses loudly, as tears sting his eyes and makes it harder to see.

This brother was too still, if his hearts, both of his hearts flatlined, his Belisarian Furnace should have activated to give him one final jolt of energy to survive. That it happened spoke to several bad things having to have happened. Or it had, but Catius had been too slow to retrieve him.

This brother- from the wounds on his scales and armor- had been a member of the unfortunate company that had been lost in the warp and abandoned by Captain Sicarius. He uses what he knows of First Aid to assess the condition of his brother.

He hangs his head. Dead, he'd not made it in time. This pooor brother died again and thought he died alone- calling out for help and that no one had heard him call out for help. He allows himself to sob, wail and curse himself out for not being fast enough before smacks his cheeks and gently grabs his dead brother's body.

Catius is going to take his body to their cave. Ramiel needs to do Last Rights- and… and… Cedric needs to do Apothecary things to help his brother pass on as well. They should… they should be able to say goodby to Atlas one last time.

His hands shake and he carries the dead weight and grimly sings the funerary durges that he'd been taught by his first born brothers in the Ultramarines. The first of his fellow Primaris Marines that heard him was Claude- who'd shadow teleported to his side once he registered what it was he was singing- worry on his face, and sadness when he spots Atlas's dead bady.

"Let me help you carry him Cedric and Ramiel." Claude says softly.

Catius nods, blinking back tears. Hopefully they would be able to s-s-salvage things from Atlas, who hadn't been dead for more than an hour or so. Jophiel is the next to find them- scenting blood in the water faster than any of them could, due to his Blood Angel Lineage.

He called out to Cedric and Ramiel- who'd swum over swift as they could- and Catius told them what had happened- how he'd heard a distress call, but hadn't been able to respond on vox- and how he'd yelled as loudly as he could, desperate to try to find whoever had called for aid.

But Catius had been too late and he hadn't found Atlas in time, his voice his hoarsh, and barely a whisper, he'd nearly destroyed it trying to find someone who's already lost to him. Again. He apologizes for not being fast enough.

Cedric and Ramiel's shoulders shake, but their hands are steady as they gently take Brother Atlas from Claude and Catius, and swim off to tend to his dead body as Apothecaries and Chaplains do. Catius is glad, even in a dark sense that he'd found some intact and had independently powersourced and properly sealed properly clean jarred devices that could be used to contain certain organs.

Jophiel and Claude have wrapped their arms around Catius and he notices a keening, wailing sound, that he only just realizes comes from him as he sobs, and sobs. A few hours later, Jophiel raises his head first and Cedric and Ramiel are back. The jars are filled with the precious organs that Atlas had been able to gift them.

"You were able to get to him in time for us to save… save Progenoid, Immortis, Blecher's, Sangiun Primus Portum, Sinew Coils, Magnifcat," Cedric said, "unfortunately his Belisarian Furance was too damaged to be useful for another."

"That is good, that you were able to retrieve so much," Catius says, his voice hoarsh and shaking with emotions.

"We shall say our goodbyes and send him off into the seas to his final rest," Ramiel says quietly.

Ramiel carefully speaks the words of the ceremony, praying to the God Emperor that he'd be forgiven for overstepping his role as a Judicar. He wasn't high enough ranked to do this ceremony, technically. But he had the training for it, and he had to do is duties, for his brothers and cousins, for this living and the dead.

[burninglights]

seeing some of you getting snotty about people not having first aid kits & first aid training without advising people on what they should have/what they should know is doing my nut in. without further ado:

First Aid Kits (what should be in yours)

If you’re going to uni/moving out of home, you really ought to have a first aid kit. Small first aid kits are fairly inexpensive and come with basic first aid supplies.

Included in my first aid kit is:

1 card of paracetamol tablets

1 card of ibuprofen tablets

A length of gauze bandage

1 tube of topical antiseptic (I use Savlon or Germolene)

1 tube arnica/bruise cream

30x plasters, assorted sizes

5x long strip plasters

10x antiseptic wipes

3x individually sealed small sterile gauze pads (7cm x 7.5cm)

4 sterile small adhesive dressings (7cm x 5.3cm)

it’s a good idea to also have an emergency card in your first aid kit, with the contact details for your next of kin and any health conditions written on it. They usually come as part of first aid kits anyway, and have a little clear plastic pocket to keep them in.

Also, remember to replenish whatever you use from your kit, and to keep an eye on expiration dates of medications/ointments.

Medication management

If you’re on medication long term (antipsychotics, antidepressants, statins, anticonvulsants, immunosuppressants, insulin etc.) you should have a two week overlap period; where possible, you should order a refill of your medication two weeks before your current supply runs out, so that if there are supply issues, you’re not going to be left hanging.

I’m aware this might not be possible for Americans owing to insurance and reassessment (I’m UK based, and just have to refill by filling out a form available in my GP’s office) and for those on controlled medications (opiates, methadone treatment for addiction, ADHD meds etc).

If you have medication that only requires use in emergent circumstances (ie. an EpiPen or an asthma inhaler), keep track of the expiration dates, and order a refill of your medication ahead of time. Better to have an extra inhaler knocking about for a couple of weeks than to really need one and not have it.

First Aid for Dummies & How to Get First Aid Training

Aif you’re ‘fresh out the womb’ new to first aid, or live somewhere where medical care is inaccessible, I highly recommend Where There Is No Doctor by David Werner and Carol Thuman, which gives step by step guides from scratches, scrapes and rashes up to emergent wound care. It’s not an exaggeration to say that that book kept me and my siblings alive for the first few years of our existencewhen we lived on the edge of the Kalahari 120 miles from the nearest hospital.

few bits and pieces of first aid I’ve picked up, both from training and being the world’s clumsiest son of a bitch:

Z-wrapping for wrists and ankles, especially if you’re prone to sprains. I don’t know how to explain this in a coherent way, so I’ve linked a video of how to do it.

For deep cuts or wounds that bleed a lot, you need to apply pressure and elevate the injury above the heart. It takes a nearly comically small amount of blood loss to become life threatening (blood loss equivalent to half a coke can is considered life threatening in adults) - if the blood is bright red, spurting/gushing, and the blood loss is uncontrolled, or if you have a clotting condition like haemophilia, you need to get to an urgent care centre yesterday. Call 999/911, maintain hard pressure over the wound, and keep the person calm and talking.

If someone has been stabbed an the knife is still in situ, for the love of God do not pull out the knife, or let them pull out the knife. It’s impossible to know what’s been hit without imaging, the knife acts as a seal in the wound; haemorrhage or massive internal injury are not situations you want to be dealing with outside of an acute trauma care setting. Call 999/911 immediately, and keep the injured person calm.

Learn how to recognise the signs of overdose. I went to a Midlands uni that had a reputation as a party uni, and hearing through the grapevine about ODs on nights out wasn’t uncommon. Narcan/Naloxone is a controlled substance in the UK so can’t be bought OTC, but I know it’s available to buy OTC in some parts of America and Canada. If you can, please consider carrying naloxone. If you witness an OD, call 999/911 immediately, and try to keep the person alert. If you have it, administer Narcan.

Don’t fuck with sepsis or meningitis. These diseases move fast, and can turn you into a past participle in as little as 12 hours. Get your MenACWY vaccine, know the symptoms, and call 999/911 immediately if you have the symptoms, especially if there’s been an outbreak in your area or you’ve had close contact with someone who is infected.

If you get bitten by a wild animal, (fox, bat, dog, raccoon…whatever) flushing the wound with water and then getting to A&E needs to become your number one priority. Tetanus, rabies and capnocytophaga infection are no joke: you need boosters/antibodies and antibiotics as a matter of urgency.

Finally, don’t be a hero. You are not John Wick. If someone is injured in an actively dangerous location or situation, the only thing you ought to do is call 999.

You really and truly don’t need to be able to pull a Hawkeye Pierce; the whole point of first aid is that it’s the first line of aid, and gets you to A&E or Minor Injuries so that you can receive professional medical attention.

That said, having a first aid training is incredibly valuable, both because you never know when some fuck shit is about to happen, and because by law most workplaces are supposed to have at least one first aider on staff, so it gives your CV an edge.

In the UK, the St. John Ambulance Trust offers workplace first aid certification, annual refreshers, sports first aid training, AED use & CPR certification and mental health first aid training.

You can also get personal first aid training for adults, children and babies with the British Red Cross for the cost of £37.50, as well as certified workplace first aid certification from £165.

The British Heart Foundation offer CPR training for free via their RevivR program; it takes 15 minutes, and can be used for workplace certification.

[materialsscienceandengineering]

Laboratory Signage and Labeling

Proper labeling of hazards is crucial for good laboratory safety, as well as other labels about required PPE or prohibited substances and labels indicating safety equipment, among others. Exact labeling will vary from country to country and organization to organization for many things, but in general, pictograms are favored over text. Certain hazards are covered by the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS) created by the UN; pictograms from the GHS are shown above. For other hazards (such as biological hazards), requirements (such as laser safety glasses), or location-specific labels (such as where the first aid kit is), organizations or countries may come up with their own symbols.

Chemical labeling can again vary, but the GHS requires pictograms, signal words (e.g., "danger"), and more specific hazard statements and identifiers. It is common practice that when new chemicals are mixed or created in the lab (or otherwise in containers not from any manufacturer) that the full name of the chemical be written whenever possible (e.g., sodium hydroxide instead of NaOH) to prevent any confusion or uncertainty. In many cases, for individual laboratories, signage includes emergency contact information for the person(s) responsible for the laboratory.

Sources/Further Reading: (DuraLabel) (Lab Manager) (Oklahoma State University) (52 Lab safety symbol examples) (The GHS) (OSHA) (Chemicalsafety.com)

(Image source)

[prep4tomoro]

Couples Defense: Staying Safe Together:

Committing to help one another, as a couple, family or team of like-minded individuals to stay safe, gather supplies, plan and prepare physically and emotionally is a vital skill to learn.

Forget the chocolate and flowers! What better way to say I love you than to commit to staying safe with your partner by doing these things together: Plan Ahead Learn How to Defend Each Other Get in Shape, Stay in Shape and Eat Healthy Encourage One Another to Ditch Unhealthy and Wasteful Habits Prepare for Anything Know Basic First Aid and Build Your Prevention Medicine Cabinet Learn the Basics Together Include Pets in the Planning

[Reference Link]

RELATED RESOURCES: Why Plan for an Emergency Prepping Your Spouse for a Preparedness Lifestyle How to Prep When Your Significant Other or Family Objects The Best People to Be Friends with Before SHTF How to Find Survivalist Friends How your friends can influence your mood and behavior Helping Others Help Themselves Emergency Planning with Like-Minded Companions Why Join or Start a Survival Group? The Law of Attraction Importance of a Buddy System Personal Benefits of Volunteering Know Your Neighborhood - The Lay of the Land Emergency Prepping for Seniors and Mobility Challenged Animals for Emergency Companions and Defense Body Language: Reading Non-Verbal's and Building Trust No Sense of Community in Modern Society The Lone Wolf Prepper

[11-Cs Basic Emergency Kit] [14-Point Emergency Preps Checklist] [Immediate Steps to Take When Disaster Strikes] [Learn to be More Self-Sufficient] [The Ultimate Preparation] [P4T Main Menu]

This blog is partially funded by Affiliate Program Links and Private Donations. Thank you for your support.

[confettiswirling]

Emmeline Summers (Fireman Sam)

Emmeline Summers is a fanmade Fireman Sam character. She's a Junior First Responder, Captain of the Recess Rescue Crew, and the mayor's foster daughter. She is 10 years old and is an unofficial member of the rescue team, training under Penny Morris.

Here are her Tropes:

Acquainted with Emergency Services: Because of her advanced safety knowledge, Emmeline receives one-on-one training with Penny rather than being a Safety Cadet. She also often hangs out around the Fire Station and sometimes tags along for rescues.

Action Girl - Always on her feet and plenty athletic.

Aesop Amnesia: Emmeline always seems to forget that attempting a rescue with minimal training is dangerous.

Banker Street Regular: While she isn't an official part of the rescue team because of her age and lack of training, Emmeline sometimes performs minor rescue support at the Pontypandy Primary School.

Brains and Brawn - While she often displays both, she's for the most part the brawn to James's brain.

Children Raise You: When she is with her father, Emmeline is often the voice of reason and often needs to keep him calm in moments of panic.

Cool Bike: Emmeline's "vehicle" Trailblazer is a red mountain bike with a fire design running across it, along with a compartment for safety gear and for her cat Tracy to sit.

Cool Pet: Emmeline has a pet tuxedo cat named Tracy.

Didn't think this through: Emmeline sometimes doesn't use her best judgment, such as not realizing that not taking her narcolepsy meds would cause her to fall asleep at the worst time or that attempting a water rescue could end badly for her.

Fatal Flaw: Her ambition almost always gets the better of her. And then there's her eagerness to impress Penny.

Fire-Forged Friends: Emmeline and James start out as rivals, both believing they know safety better than the other. This changes when they need to work together to get to the mountain rescue center.

Happily Adopted: By Mayor Robert.

Heartwarming Orphan: Despite spending years without a family, she's still a wholesome individual.

Hero Worshiper: She is this towards Penny Morris.

Jumped at the Call: When Norman gets stuck on the roof in the episode "Emmeline to the rescue", Emmeline is quick to come to his rescue. But she doesn't realize that she shouldn't do rescues without training.

Kid detective: A few episodes involve her doing detective work, such as finding a (non-existent) burglar and tracking down a stolen test answer key.

Kid Hero: She is considered both a "Junior First Responder" and a "Playground Rescuer" as this is where most of her rescues take place, as well as occasionally joining Penny for rescues.

Nice Girl - While she can be uptight and sometimes tough, she is a fair individual who won't shy away from helping.

Not so above it all: Despite being the kid who knows nearly everything there is to know about health and safety, she has her moments of making unsafe decisions, such as attempting rescues she isn't trained to do or using the fire hose after Penny told her not to.

Odd place to sleep: Emmeline's narcolepsy causes her to sometimes fall asleep in strange places when she doesn't have her medication, on a cliff or a snowbank.

Only sane man - Among most of the kids, Emmeline is often the voice of reason, alongside James.

Sleepyhead - In the episode "Night Shift" Emmeline is seen frequently falling asleep at inconvenient times. This is later revealed to be caused by narcolepsy.

Spoiled sweet: While enjoying the luxuries that come with being the mayor's daughter, Emmeline is still a hard worker. In one episode, she turns down the idea of getting her dad involved in a problem because this is something for them to figure out.

The Captain: When there's an emergency on the schoolyard, Emmeline is the first to direct the others as the captain of the Recess Rescue Crew.

The Medic - Among the children, she even has a first-aid kit on her waist.

Trademark Favorite Food: Peanut butter, she even keeps a small jar of the stuff in her bag.

Uncertified Expert: Despite being too young for the rescue team, Emmeline is an expert in health and safety.

"Well done, son." Guy: She'll take any opportunity she can to make Penny proud of her.

Why Did It Have To Be Snakes?: Emmeline's reaction to realizing Trevor runs the Pontypandy Pioneers. This is due to her unexplainable fear of men.

These are the different attires she wears throughout the series:

Recess Rescue Vest

Fire Crew Outfit

Wearing a firefighter uniform

Law Enforcement Outfit

Swimsuit

Snow Gear

Forest Ranger Outfit

Mountian Rescue Outfit

Serach and Rescue Outfit

Water Rescue Outfit

Animal Rescue Outfit

Casual Clothing

Emmeline's "vehicle" is a mountian bike called "Trailblazer"

This is the longest post I've ever made lol. Be sure to eave a comment because I love responding to those.

[random-thought-depository]

Returning to the first aid discourse a bit, I think it might give an insight into how conservatism works.

I suspect that, by-in-large, the kind of people Chaumas is responding to here and here and here aren't talking from a position they reasoned themselves into. I suspect what happened is these people don't have home first aid kits and/or home fire extinguishers and/or serious wound care training because (more-or-less) nobody ever suggested to them that home first aid kits and/or home fire extinguishers and/or serious wound care training are things they should have, they spent their lives not thinking about this much, and then they encountered something they interpreted as a suggestion that their condition is shameful and they reacted by trying to defend their previously more-or-less unexamined condition. It's an example of a very common type of human behavior! It's not necessarily a bad heuristic; the world has a lot of people ready to give you some variant of "you owe me or my project your time, energy, resources, and/or obedience because [at least superficially reasonable-sounding argument] and you're a bad person if you resist my demands on you!" and resistance to that is part of a healthy memetic immune system.

I suspect this is how a lot of conservatism works.

Take opposition to ethical vegetarianism, for example. You need some pretty highfalutin cognition-intensive reasoning to invent an ideology of ethical vegetarianism. Or at least to invent a version of it that might be socially contagious; just being too empathetic toward animals and/or too squeamish to kill them might not require much intellect, but by itself that would just be an individual quirk; to make ethical vegetarianism really socially contagious you'd need an idea of morality abstract and flexible enough to do philosophy with it and a system of communication sophisticated enough to encode complex abstract ideas, and you'd need a pretty fancy brain for that. I think inventing an ideology of ethical vegetarianism would probably be beyond the cognitive capacity of chimpanzees (and even if a chimpanzee could imagine such a thing in the privacy of their own thoughts, they almost certainly could not communicate it to other chimpanzees). But chimpanzees hunt monkeys and eat them! In human ancestors, killing animals to eat them probably emerged from reinforcement learning long before their brains got big enough to invent an ideology of ethical vegetarianism:

Let's say you're building a squirrel, and you want the squirrel to know locations for finding nuts.  Individual nut trees don't last for the thousands of years required for natural selection.  You're going to have to learn using proteins.  You're going to have to build a brain. Protein computers and sensors can learn by looking, much faster than DNA can learn by mutation and selection.  And yet (until very recently) the protein learning machines only learned in narrow, specific domains.  Squirrel brains learn to find nut trees, but not to build gliders - as flying squirrel DNA is slowly learning to do.  The protein computers learned faster than DNA, but much less generally.

Our ancestors were probably catching animals, crushing their skulls with rocks, and eating that tasty fatty and protein-rich meat long before they had the cognitive capacity to imagine an ideology of ethical vegetarianism. The first human-ish entity to imagine a notion of ethical vegetarianism likely experienced it as an unpleasant novel idea that threatened to reframe an unquestioned normal activity in their life as something bad and forbidden, to take away one of their life's pleasures or make them feel bad about enjoying it. And I think that's exactly how a lot of present day humans first encounter the notion of ethical vegetarianism today, and much anti-vegetarian sentiment is a reaction to that experience!

Ethical vegetarianism probably started out as an ideology. Carnism probably didn't. There are ideologies of carnism, but they're responses to ideologies of ethical vegetarianism. It's only when the unexamined default of "meat is tasty so I like to eat it" comes under philosophical questioning and attack that counter-ideologies that attempt to make a moral case for carnivory are formulated.

And I suspect that's how a lot of conservatism works; a lot of conservative ideology is attempts to defend with reason practices that people never reasoned themselves into (neither individually nor collectively).

If there's some truth to the opinion that conservative ideas tend to be especially stupid, I think it has something to do with this. A lot of conservatism is attempts to defend with reason practices that people didn't reason themselves into (either products of evolution, as in the vegetarianism example, or products of human cognitive biases and/or game theory equilibria); a lot of what it's trying to defend is dumb and amoral in the way the Blind Idiot God is dumb and amoral, and they can't stop the fundamental stupidity and amorality from showing through the rationalizations they paper over it.

Corey Robin said that the central experience of political reaction is having power, experiencing that power being subject to questioning and attack, and attempting to defend and re-assert that power in response. I'd offer a complimentary formulation: a central experience of conservatism is doing something, thinking of it as normal, encountering a novel idea that it's somehow bad and you should feel bad about it and have an obligation to change your behavior, and scrambling for arguments to defend an aspect of your way of being that you'd previously never questioned much.

[auspexsims]

HIIII! 11, 18, 27 for you my wonderful friend 💐

HOORAY thanks sweets ❤️

11. why have you decided to tell this story? are there any messages or meanings within it?

i think all of us here have an inclination to the historical and reflecting of all the people in history who had ordinary lives and problems that we will never get to observe, and im no different. the specific catalyst was that i created my own family tree this past winter when i finally had the opportunity to see my family again after 4 years of being separated. let me tell ya, it’s a lot of poor miners! but the stories and quirks everyone remembers of their family and lives, whether endearing or heartbreaking, gave me such an appreciation for who i am and where i came from. it gave me places in history to relate to - i.e. here is where my great-great-grandmother’s husband was a spanish civil war deserter, and her daughter (my great-grandmother) opened a candy shop after world war 2. i was besotted by the idea of making my own ‘family’ that would have those connections and quirks and reference points in history too, but with stories that could actually be told instead of being snippets of memories.

i think the themes/messages that are emerging are things i spend a lot of time thinking about - the anxiety of your own wasted potential, responsibilities acting as chains, and individual dreams that get put away in an unsympathetic world.

18. choose a song that reminds you of your story

to tie in with the ‘themes’ above, overall throughout all past and future generations i’d pick stay gold - first aid kit. hopefully i can share the more spoilery songs i have for olivia in particular soon...

27. what genres would you describe your story as?

i dont think i have a solid one atm - slice of life is the closest. im working towards injecting drama and maybe some suspense if im brave enough to try :') each gen will be pushed in slightly different directions genre-wise!

[innytoes]

From the subconscious that brought you the Quiet AU, it's time for Inny's Brain Comes Up With Another 100k fic she's never going to write while she's dreaming.

Okay so it's the Post Apocalypse. The apocalypse happened a few years ago, there was a horrible plague that makes you bleed from your eyes and maybe some other things, a lot of humanity was wiped out, chaos, destruction, blabla.

We start with Our Heroes travelling on foot. Luke is telling them this area seems familiar, and Alex and Reggie realise they're near where Bobby's family had a cabin. They decide to veer off because Alex remembers where Bobby hid the emergency key. Not that they haven't done their fare share of breaking and entering, but it would be nice to, you know, not have to.

Also maybe they want to see if Bobby is there. Because even though they split with a lot of bad blood between them over some stolen songs, the apocalypse makes you miss old friends.

Julie and Willie are like: um excuse me that is not a cabin that is a Log Mansion. It's three fucking stories. (It also had the exact layout as my grandmother's old house, because this is my brain, which is funny because my grandmother's house was very much not a log cabin).

And then SHOCK AND GASP Bobby comes out. He has the Trevor Wilson Beard and Man Bun and is just... staring like he's seen three ghosts... and two random people he doesn't know, I guess.

There is a big sappy reunion and a big talk and apology and blabla of course they can stay. There's more cabins around the place and they've made themselves a little farming community. They trade with the other little the towns in the area, but they haven't heard much from the bigger city in the while.

"Um yeah, maybe... maybe don't go to the city," Luke says. Reggie is very pale. Willie mutters about how there was plenty of stuff that could still be looted (as long as you don't mind all the dead bodies is left unsaid).

They settle in at Bobby's house and become part of the community, finding jobs. Willie does indeed go with some of the more brave individuals to the city to search for supplies. The whole community has like one working truck because gas is hard to find these days.

Some traveling trader comes by and he's basically on a giant sled on wheels pulled by huskies and predictably Reggie loses his mind and gets to play with the doggies.

There comes a night when Reggie can't sleep, so he's the only one awake to hear the car. Two cars. A group of four with two cars is bound to mean trouble, so he wakes everyone up because there's a high chance there's raiders.

The people are breaking in and Reggie goes downstairs to greet/distract them, playing the clueless guy, welcoming them and being like 'oh hey are you lost do you need help? We're looking for a bartender if you need a job' and basically being in the way and these four people are just so confused because they broke into his house and he's so cheerful about it.

One of them was injured and Reggie more seriously offers the first aid kit and just when they were about to be like 'fuck it let's just murder him and raid the place', where comes Julie and Luke with the shot guns. Meanwhile Alex, Willie, and Bobby were checking out their cars and alerting the neighbours about trouble and OH SHIT ONE OF THEM IS BLEEDING FROM THE EYES HE'S INFECTED.

Cue fuzzy chaotic time jump because I woke up with a dry mouth lol.

For some reason Bobby disappeared from the dream after this so maybe poor Bobbers got shot in the show down with the raiders. Or got hit by the car of the other three fleeing, leaving behind their infected friend.

The gang stays in Bobby's house, though, and slowly, Juke and Willex drift together. When they were travelling, they usually all slept together, but now...

Reggie, who is still grieving Bobby, and maybe blaming himself because he wasn't good enough at distracting the raiders, sees the other two couples drift together and decides to stay out of their way. He can't sleep anyway, since he was the only one awake to catch the raiders in the first place.

So he starts sleeping less, and less, spending less time with his friends because he wanted them to have time together... Pining because he's secretly a little in love with all of them, but they clearly don't want him.

Until he was suuuper stoked because he found a puppy. It was so cute, and he wants to show his friends, and they're so freaked out because Reggie, there is no puppy...

Turns out Reggie was hallucinating from lack of sleep, and he's so confused because he's CLEARLY HOLDING A PUPPY WHAT DO YOU MEAN and then the whole thing kind of comes out and not only is Reggie heartbroken when the hallucination shatters and vanishes, but he also confesses how he's in love them with but they clearly chose their partners and not him.

And both Juke and Willex are like: we've missed you, doofus, we love you, we didn't want to make you chose between us, we were scared you were mad at us for both flirting with you.

And they all live as happily ever after as you can in the post-apocalypse.

[trans-axolotl]

i need to restock a bunch of the supplies in my first aid kit but i kind of just want to reorganize all my medical supplies + get a better bag to carry first aid supplies and also individually packaged wound care kits so that i could also take it with me for outreach stuff. i love the big bags we have for our harm reduction supplies and i want to try to find a smaller version of that for my personal set up.

list for me of supplies i'm almost out of:

sterile waters (addipak)

saline (addipak)

coban wrap (fun colors if i can get it)

gauze pads

medical tape

a few more gauze rolls

large and medium bandaids

butterfly bandages

gloves

antiseptic wipes

alcohol wipes

tourniquets

new scissors

emergency rescue blanket

new thermometer

[firstaidmonth]

First aid tip #9

An emergency first aid kit shall contain

individually wrapped sterile plasters of assorted sizes

sterile eye pads

individually wrapped triangular bandages, preferably sterile

safety pins

large and medium-sized sterile, individually wrapped, unmedicated wound dressings

disposable gloves

tweezers

a termomether