Being Prepared

In 2005 when Hurricane Katrina hit Pass Christian, Mississippi, I was living just three hours north of the Gulf Coast in a suburb of Jackson, Mississippi.  Weather forecasters knew the storm was a bad one and people were warned to get as far away as they could.  Buses were provided to take those who didn't have cars.  Surrounding states prepared for the avalanche of people that would undoubtedly come.  Yet some chose to stay, knowing how bad the storm would be.  They were, of course, devastated, and some died because of the choice they made.  The focus was shifted from the Mississippi coast where the hurricane hit, to nearby New Orleans, which suffered massive losses when the levee collapsed.

The point of saying all this is that we should be prepared when we know the chances are strong that disaster is headed our way.  There are examples of times when it didn't happen, but it just makes sense to take precautions if at all possible.  You'll never be sorry that you were prepared.  Are you ever sorry when the weather man predicts rain and you carry your umbrella to work, but it doesn't rain?  You probably feel like you had it covered, even though you didn't need that umbrella.

In 1999 on New Year's eve, many believed that "Y2K" would lock up computers and there would be pandemonium.  Luckily that didn't happen and the world continued to turn.

When you look at all the lists of food and materials for an economic crisis, they are daunting.  Most of us don't have an additional 50K to drop on camping equipment and food for a year, but we can do something.  The most important things to consider are clean drinking water, basic food, vitamins to fill in the gaps of eating all that canned and dried food, personal hygiene items like tooth paste and toilet paper, and as many tools as you can assemble to make your life easier:  can opener, clothes line, camping stove and fuel, etc.    Make sure you include a few treats for each of your family members.  You don't need to have them every day, but once in a while, a favorite kind of candy or soda or popcorn - something that you really enjoy to keep you from feeling totally deprived - will do wonders for your attitude. 

If you don't have them on hand, look for a deck of cards, some board games or other things like jump ropes and simple toys to keep the kids occupied in case there is no electricity.  It might turn out to be a family bonding time that brings us all closer.