Are You Prepared To Value Life?

Are You Prepared To Value Life?

Fire Alarm or Firearm
Are You Prepared To Value Life?
New Jersey Second Amendment Society
New Jersey Second Amendment Society

New Jersey –-(Ammoland.com)- What is a life worth? What is YOUR life worth or that of your spouse or your child?

These are rhetorical questions because in each case the answer is always the same – “priceless”.

The value we place on the lives of our loved ones cannot be expressed in dollars.

It can be more accurately expressed in what we are willing to do to preserve those lives and that of our own. However, ask yourself the question “How many hours in a day, week, month or year do you spend thinking about what you should be doing to plan for the health, safety and welfare of your family?”

There are many reasons for this oversight. It is not that we do not care about these things. For most of us the demands of daily living lead us to concentrate on those things that produce a more immediate return on our investment of time and effort. Unfortunately, this approach is shortsighted and can lead to some rather serious consequences. Certainly, the time to learn the proper techniques necessary to deal with an emergency situation is NOT at the time that emergency presents itself.

It is pretty easy to see that by then it may very likely be too late.

So, what can we do to prepare ourselves and our families for those extraordinary events that can occasionally threaten our health, safety and welfare? The very first thing we must do is identify what those events might be and then to plan for their eventuality.

  • What should we do in the event of severe weather conditions such as a snow emergency, a flood or a hurricane?
  • What procedures should each family member follow to communicate with and mobilize other family members?
  • What about other emergencies such as a fire?

Do we have our escape routes planned out and do we run occasional drills to ensure that all our family members are actually able and willing to do what is necessary to avoid a tragedy?

Unfortunately, too often the answers to these questions are a dejected “no”. Fortunately, the good news is that there are a multitude of resources available to help you plan and prepare to survive these different kinds of tragedies. In most communities you can reach out to your local police and fire departments to obtain help in planning and practicing your response to a potentially tragic situation. Some regions even have a dedicated “Emergency Preparedness” department with personal dedicated to assisting residents in preparing for these eventualities.

There is another area of concern that requires some specialized preparation. What are you prepared to do if you and your family become the victims of a home invasion, or a burglary gone wrong? It would be comforting to believe that this is a police matter and that you would be able to count on the authorities to protect you and your loved ones. Unfortunately, that is not the case. The police cannot be everywhere and the perpetrators go out of their way to choose a time and target they believe will be most vulnerable.

It is up to each individual to make the decision whether or not they want to be prepared to protect their family and property from those who would do them deadly harm. It *IS* a decision. If you are not comfortable with the idea of confronting an armed attacker all I can do is encourage you to think carefully about what your other options might be. Perhaps in your case a “safe room” might be a preferable option. No one but you can make this kind of decision. For those of us who are willing to take a more proactive approach to family safety and security, I encourage you to get comprehensive training in the safe and responsible use of a firearm.

The purpose of this article is not to convince anyone to make the decision to purchase a firearm. The purpose is to prompt you to consider ahead of time whether or not this is a choice you wish to make. It takes time and effort to learn how to own and operate and store a firearm safely and effectively. My job is to make sure that if you do intend to become a gun owner that you do it right. Do your homework. There are a plethora of books, articles, blogs, forums and training centers dedicated to the safe and responsible exercise of your right to keep and bear arms (RKBA).

The New Jersey Second Amendment Society maintains both a website and a forum where you can obtain information and ask questions. Both the site and the forums can be reached by going to www.nj2as.com. There are many other sources such as AmmoLand Shooting Sports News (www.AmmoLand.com) and www.FireArmsTruth.org. One of the best and newest sources of excellent information on the subject is www.GunForHireRadio.com. Don’t let the name fool you. These podcasts are produced by and feature some of the best known leaders in the RKBA movement. If you are interested in the subject and haven’t yet visited these sites, I strongly encourage you to do so. There is a WEALTH of information that will help you in making your determination whether or not to become a gun owner, as well as how to decide what to buy and where to obtain training and further information.

Now is the time to think about where you stand on this issue and to act accordingly. Life is indeed valuable. At some point you may be forced into a position of having to decide whether YOUR life, or that of a family member or loved one is MORE valuable than that of an attacker who means to do you harm. I hope you never have to face that kind of a situation, but we live in a time and place where these situations are occurring with greater frequency. Whether it is due to economic conditions, moral decay or both I am not in a position to say, but I am sure that will not matter when or if you are confronted with such a decision.

I would rather see the decent, freedom loving, law-abiding citizen prepared for the eventuality and NEVER face it, than to have them face it unprepared.

Frank Jack Fiamingo is the current President of the New Jersey Second Amendment Society – a non-profit organization dedicated to the safe and responsible exercise of the fundamental human right to keep and bear arms for lawful purposes. Please visit www.nj2as.com for further information.

About:
New Jersey Second Amendment Society – Our mission is to promote the free exercise of Second Amendment rights within the community and Legislature of New Jersey, to educate the community regarding the enjoyable, safe, and responsible use of firearms, and to engender a sense of camaraderie and fellowship among the members and their families. Visit: www.nj2as.com