Washington County’s ‘are you ready guy’

Especially during a pandemic, preparedness is a value that should be held by all citizens, said Washington County Emergency Manager Tony Buthman.
 Buthman, while holding a “preparedness” oriented attitude, said he does not believe himself a “survivalist” but rather a “ready guy.” Recognizing a difference between survivalism and simply living, Buthman said he values the preparedness that bush craft skills provide and attributes the concept to redundancy.
 “In the preparedness world one is none, two is one, three is some,” said Buthman.
 Both Buthman and his wife are preparedness minded, keeping what he refers to as a “get home bag” nearby wherever he is. With chickens, a milk cow, and constantly learning new skills, the two work to remain as self-sufficient as possible. The idea of preparedness has developed into an image of an individual with a large amount of unnecessary equipment, he said, noting the difference between preparedness and paranoia.
 “Preparedness is knowing that when a pandemic hits, I don’t have to run to the grocery store and buy 44 cases of toilet paper,” said Buthman. “I already have 42 cases of toilet paper on hand.”
 He facilitates and teaches a 4-H high school class focused on survivalist tactics and the development of bush craft skills. The program will continue in the coming school year and will include a more advanced course for students. Preparedness and prepping are ever-evolving concepts and should begin small and gradually increase. Often told prepping is not within the budget of others, Buthman said it can be as simple as buying in bulk during a sale and stockpiling gradually.
 “When a store has a case-lot sale, take that extra $2 and buy a case of green beans and you’ve got some set aside,” said Buthman. “When you’re prepping, you don’t prep ‘tater chips and twinkies. You prep sustainable, hearty foods and ones that store for extended lengths of time.”
 If six months of supplies is needed, it should take approximately a year to accumulate, he said. A small amount at a time rather than all at once is the more efficient strategy. Preparedness, while truly a simple concept, takes commitment. The commitment of the process is where many individuals take issue, said Buthman.
 “That’s the key to prepping,” said Buthman. “It’s having the mindset to go ahead and do it and do it at what you can financially and physically.”
 Being aware of surroundings, thinking ahead, and brainstorming possible scenarios of trouble that could happen in an area are examples of the essence of preparedness. Buthman said he teaches the concept of “situational preparedness,” encouraging people to pay closer attention to situations around and in the area and prep for what could feasibly happen. In Washington County, preparing for exuberant amounts of snow, wildfires and floods would be considered “situational preparedness.”
 Preparing for possible situations and hazards are one of the many responsibilities of the emergency services department. Constructed plans of action in the case of possible threats such as fires, earthquakes, and more are created and available. Checklists, emergency plans, and family are all created to help the residents of Washington County be prepared. Communicating with family members to be aware of emergency plans, building a skill set, knowing how to use equipment such as firearms are examples of the many ways individuals can be prepared in everyday life.
 “I want everybody to live a normal life,” said Buthman. “I want them to be prepared, but not to be paranoid.”    
 The Washington County Emergency Management Department can be contacted at (208) 414-4744 and is located at 256 E. Court Street in Weiser.
 

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18 E. Idaho St.
Weiser, ID 83672
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FAX: (208) 549-1718
 

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