Beans & LegumesWhat If…
In a nutshell those two words are really what emergency preparedness is all about. With so many uncertainties in life those who are serious about facing the unknown do so by asking the question, “What if…?”
What if a hurricane hits?
What if we’re hit with an earthquake?
What if there’s flooding?
What if the power goes out?
What if my culinary water’s contaminated?
What if the economy keeps getting worse?
What if I lose my job?
And the “What if’s” can go on and on. There’s a never ending number of possibilities, I mean you might have a snow blizzard in Florida (not likely). The point being that with emergency preparedness, especially when you’re getting started, you need to focus on the probability more than the possibility.
While it’s not likely that all of the above may happen to you or impact where you live there is a probability that within your lifetime something will happen that will at least temporarily turn life on its head.
There’s high probability that someone in Florida will experience multiple hurricanes, but not so much in Idaho. In California you can expect that you will experience multiple earthquakes (some more damaging than others). Those that have experienced a major disaster and have managed to come out on the other side know from first hand experience the repercussions of either having been prepared…or not.
Ironically, so many of us seem to experience memory loss as disasters pass. If you’re luck enough after a disaster to be able to get back to normalcy, time does something funny. The urgency to get ready for the next storm can fade and after months of not experiencing the next disaster we’re lulled into complacency.
We recognize the importance and the need to prepare but we put it off for one more day. Always telling ourselves that we’ll get around to it tomorrow. And at this point delaying preparation puts you in a position of gambling with the possibility that you do in fact have at least one more tomorrow to get ready. A gamble that if you lose may cost you substantially more than the cost of time, energy, education and supplies that it would have required to be ready before your “What if” becomes “It Just Did”.
Don’t put off tomorrow what you can do today, and to help you get started we’re offering an exclusive discount to the first 200 people to comment on this post.
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Risk Managers like to say it isn’t the likelihood of an event but the severity of the event that shoudl guide what if any preparation you take. For example, most people will never suffer a home-destroying event like a fire in their life time. But if it does that’s catastophic. So fire insurance is a good idea even though you may be paying premiums for decades and never make a claim.
OTOH, in terms of survival, there are people who have spent the last 30-40 years of their lives preparing for a US/USSR nuclear war that never happened. They spent countless amounts of time and money in preparation and lead their whole lives thinking it could happen tomorrow. Probably didn’t do half the things they could have done with their lives otherwise.
While each of us has to decide what scenario is realistic and which is too far fetched, exercise some critical thinking.
August 12th, 2010 at 10:01 pmYou get medical insurance before you get sick or car insurance before an accident. It makes sense to have “insurance” against all the possibilities that could stil happen. It’s like putting the bag in the trunk with extra winter wear, snacks and water, chains etc, before setting out in your car during the winter.
What if you lose your job? Will you next lose your home because you had to buy food for the kids and couldn’t make the mortgage?
While I may not be stocking up for nuclear war, it is easy to put away a little bit for safety’s sake.
August 15th, 2010 at 11:44 pmThe old expression “hope for the best, expect the worse, and settle for in-between” sadly applies more currently than in the last 30 years. I agree with the previous poster, start a little bit at a time. The book “Dare to Prepare” is an excellent source of information and starting point. They also have a webb site.
August 16th, 2010 at 12:32 amIt’s overwheming to start from scratch and consider all the possibilities and then mobilize yourself to begin preparing. It sounds More like a preparedness mentality that you incorporate into your life than just a quick prep.
August 16th, 2010 at 3:57 amI agree with the previous posters in doing a little at a time when you can. I started with preparing for 3 days in case of a snow storm, then acquired more to accommodate 7 days. I’m now up to 14 days of food supplies and have added a “mobile” kit with other non-food supplies in a wheeled duffle bag in case we need to evacuate. A little at a time is better than too little, too late.
August 16th, 2010 at 4:18 amI have always had a supply of food and emergency supplies. I rotated stock so it didn’t go bad. During the fires out in CA I was lucky enough to have a generator, so my neighbors and my family had water (we were on wells, no power=no water). Now I am exploring options that would allow me a supply of less perishable staples. I appreciate your website and it looks like I have found the best way to get better prepared for whatever happens.
August 16th, 2010 at 4:45 amLiving in Florida for over 25 yrs. from day one, mi family has bean on Ready mode. Prepare for the worst, and hope for the best. Just five yrs. ago we went through Hurricane CHARLY and it paid off. Last minute preparation for allot of people meant total unnecessary state of panic. We went through 4 days no power ,Yet, we could endure at least 3 mo. or so just because we had enough non perishables and watter, propane, grills, first aid batts. etc. We had enough to were we traded a few provisions with a neighbor in exchange for the removal of a broken down tree that fell in mi yard . Yow never know were its coming from or wen its going to hit. Who cares but wen you’re prepared, it doesn’t mater. Yow don’t have to get it all at once. Little by little worked for me. I even avoided the last minute rush, which was long lines, and frantic general population.
August 16th, 2010 at 5:07 amI have little kids so we have diapers in our storage and I found that the kids quickly grew out of the size that I had in my storage but friends told me just to add the right size and keep the smaller one in case someone else needs those sizes and we could barter them.
August 16th, 2010 at 5:26 amAlong with collection food and non-food items, it’s good to think about learning a new skill, like how to install a light switch, or repair a household appliance. As Cassidy mentioned about bartering, that could also apply to the skills we learn. Could come in very handy.
August 16th, 2010 at 5:40 amThis is a powerful post! I have in the past been one who fell into complaicency, only for this to nag at me periodically. I decided to get educated, get started with something and make a consistent effort to purchase my storage. I am happy to say that I have begun and am making great progress. I love your posts, keep them coming.
Thank you,
Deb G
August 16th, 2010 at 6:16 amHave come a long way in preparedness simply by taking advantage of all the sales and specials offered weekly by chain grocery and drug stores – my favorites are ‘buy one get one free’. The Ready Store also offers great sales, and try to take advantage of the free shipping too. Making a list of what you think you’ll need, then watching out for a good sale or discount is an affordable way to preparedness. Also when items near their expiration date, they are bagged and taken to a local food pantry where they are quickly put to use by the needy.
August 16th, 2010 at 6:32 amI think all of us think about being prepared for issues at different levels of severity according to their likelihood of them occurring. Being isolated due to a blizzard or hurricane is the most likely disaster I’ll face, and therefore the one I am most prepared for, and most willing to invest money and time in. On the next level is the possibility of an incident, terrorist or otherwise, at the near by Three Mile Island nuclear plant. Since that would be very severe, and have little or no lead time, I try to be prepared for that with grab and go kits and an evac route plan. In the even of total societal breakdown, I think I’ll have some lead time to complete preps, but I do try to augment my long term supplies as time and resources permit.
August 16th, 2010 at 6:36 amIt may be the old Boy Scout training I got as a kid, or the 9 years in the military – either way I’ve had a “be prepared” mindset for as long as I can remember. Both my truck and my wife’s car are equipped with gear in the event we must “bug out” quickly. I like the freeze dried foods the Ready Store carries since it cuts down on the weight of hauling provisions.
There are many websites dedicated to preparing for disaster, but The Ready Store has already prepared what most of us need in a convenient package. Thanks!
August 16th, 2010 at 6:41 amI was in Baton Rouge Louisiana when Katrina hit, as a guy originally from Phoenix, AZ where weather events just don’t happen (other than ridiculous heat) I was not prepared at all. We had no water, no food, and no plan. Although we didn’t really get much of the storm, the civil unrest and the city’s population doubling in a day really strained resources i.e. gas, water, etc. We ended up alright and left a few days later taking refuge at a family members house in another state. What I learned from that experience is that when SHTF, the powers that be and the system in place to aid the population are inept at best, in short “the cavalry aint comin”.
Now I make a point to be prepared and work towards a larger supply because again, in an emergency situation you and your family are on your own, or at least that is what I’ve seen. Resources are slim and the little bit of help that the government does provide is overrun by the large amount of people who need it, and from my experience this creates a potential for violence and disorder. As another said, little by little goes along way to getting you were you need to be in your emergency supply and from my experience, there is no better feeling then knowing that you can weather the storm no matter what that storm may be.
August 16th, 2010 at 6:41 amIt looks like we are in for a long recession/depression, with a progressive decline in the quality/quantity of government services. Therefore, those that are more self-reliant will be better off than those whose only “insurance policy” is government handouts for whatever happens.
Biggest things is to consistently do something, even if each action is small and seemingly insignificant. There are multiple websites with lists of things to do that can guide actions.
Save a few dollars a week and invest in tools and supplies, at a minimum. Learn about self-sufficiency in your spare time, by putting yourself on a “TV Diet”. Pray hard and take action.
August 16th, 2010 at 7:15 amIts the age old story of the grasshopper and the ant. Being prepared you have a better shot when the time comes than not. While it isn’t 100% guarantee that you’ll survive, odds are you have a better chance than those that do not.
August 16th, 2010 at 7:17 amI don’t feel people take this serious enough, maybe they feel over whelmed? It’s about being self reliant, any thing can happen at any time. Like another post said get set up for three days then a week, two weeks and on…..
August 16th, 2010 at 7:19 amWe went through Katrina in ’05 and I gotta tell ya, you can’t rely on things getting fixed fast by anyone. My family and I were prepared for the 32 days without power and communication. Don’t forget to prepare your mind also. It will get bombarded with “oh crap I didn’t think of that” moments, after the fact. Comfort foods and board,card games help out also. Most important is family love and support.
August 16th, 2010 at 7:52 amThese are all good comments. Thank You Cassidy. I never thought about keeping the smaller diapers for bartering purposes.
August 16th, 2010 at 8:11 amI live close to the coast of galveston, tx. When IKE hit- we had no power for 3.5 weeks. The stores had no milk, water, meat, bread ect.
August 16th, 2010 at 9:41 amwe had no way to cook, no air condition, no water, no food. Well, for the last couple years I have been on a mission to store things in case of an emergency, I had water, I had powdered milk, can meat, and emergency outside stove, coffee pot, ect. My family and friends thought I was crazy and nuts for storing things. Guess what, they were on my patio drinking coffee and eating oatmill, I had stored. They no longer think I’m crazy and nuts. Start small and it will add up. First, store water, You need it for everthing.
I have always wanted to be prepared. Sometimes others(family members) make fun of me but there have been several times that something has happened and I have been the one they call. I have started sending articles on preparing for emergencies to them in hopes that they will begin preparing for themselves. I like being able to provide for my family and not depending on others.
August 16th, 2010 at 9:48 amGreat, positive comments from everyone, so I hate to bring this up, but consider that being prepared for a disaster in this society is a rare thing. We have gotten so far away from rugged independence that you can count on that affecting YOUR plans. I am relatively new to this idea and have begun with water and food for a week because past there I am concerned about the social structure collapsing. At my age “bugging out” is not an option, so I am wrestling with how long to be prepared for, since beyond a point I may just become prey.
August 16th, 2010 at 10:53 amAlthough disasters are a serious need time, my experience has been a bit different. My husband was notified in early 2009 that he was on the list for forced early retirement from his company. We had not anticipated this at all and were by no means ready for it. I took advantage of the 4 month lead time and seriously beefed up our food storage. I also started educating myself in things like sprouting, canning, making preserves, and drying fruits and vegetable. I also have never been a gardener, but started learning about that whole process as well. I have not had alot of success with the garden, but the food stores that I laid in (as well as things like toilet paper, detergent, toothpaste, meds that we use all the time, vitamins, etc) have been a life saver. Yes we run out of things from time to time, but by having a stock to draw from, we can buy one as we use one and then continue to rotate. I do alot of “from scratch” cooking, esp in the winter months as that adds heat to the house. We still have a well stocked freezder and our three sets of shelves for the #10 can rotation system are full to overflowing. We eat freeze dried everyday in one way of another. I cook with pwdered eggs, love tomato powder, and have learned to incorporate TVP into our meals as well. My husband is still not working, 1 1/2 yrs later, but our larder is full and I know we will not go hungry or have needs for basic items. We have 72 hr kits for the real immediate emergencies, and I almost have to laugh when the warnings come for blizzards of hurricanes to see the panic that befalls our grocery stores. I don’t need to worry about that any more.
August 16th, 2010 at 11:08 amThe amazing thing is that I talk with the people in this area, and they have no concept of what to do should an emergency take place. One of my favorite comments was, “As long as there’s food on the shelves of the supermarket, everything is okay with me.”
I talk with my coworkers all the time about how they should prepare, just in case. Most of them think I should have my head examined. I’ve been through calamities, and have watched very rational people lose control. So it’s not just knowing what to do, and how to prepare, it’s actually going through the steps for real. How many ways can you start a fire? How may ways do you know how to purify water. How many miles a day can you walk if you had to? Do you know how to forage?
August 16th, 2010 at 11:37 amI’d rather be prepared, than have to rely on the kindness of strangers and chance…..
Without being smug, can we take a little moment of self-satisfaction?
August 16th, 2010 at 11:54 amBecause we are all here on this site, I imagine about everyone of us
are light years ahead of the general populace in preparedness.
I’m baffled by a friend of mine, who when I have presented “what if”
scenarios, shrugs them off…and we live in Florida – land of the hurricanes!
Frankly speaking, preparedness is not even really a chore or a thing to
do…it’s just plain fun and enjoyable! I love being “insured” and the fun
in planning for it. It allows one to have some semblance of grace
under pressure while everyone else is scrambling. It also allows us to
be a blessing to our neighbors like the earlier poster who shared coffee and
oatmeal on her patio.
Most people I talk to, have the thought “How bad can it get”. I tell them that it is better to be prepared then not (panic). They smile and move on with their life. I believe that only a fool doesn’t plan. Do you plan a trip or do you just go to the airport and hope for a flight? Maybe travel to the Grand Canyon by car to camp and take no supplies, and hope someone will provide for you? Being prepared (plan) is much better in my book.
August 16th, 2010 at 8:07 pmAs a survivor of Hurricane Katrina, I know firsthand that it pays to be prepared. I kept hurricane supplies on hand every year for 20 years. I probably used my supplies a half dozen times in those 20 years for some of the more serious storms. When Katrina hit, I was prepared and I thank God for that preparation, which sustained me during the times that there were no banks, grocery stores, gas stations, or restaurants open and I had to depend on what I had in my home. For a long time we couldn’t even call 911 and get a response. Most people live in denial that bad times will come, but we all know that life is cyclical. We suffer through good times and bad times. We should celebrate the good times, but be prepared for the bad times that we know will come.
August 16th, 2010 at 9:41 pmAs I keep trying to tell my wife, It’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when. We here in the North East have not had a major hurricane in a very long time. That just means we are long over due for one.
August 17th, 2010 at 5:14 amI’m a cali girl who suddenly finds herself living in the midwest. Tornadoes scare me to death and the winters here are getting worse. A couple years ago we had such a severe ice storm that it demolished trees, powerlines, waterlines – just about everything. We lost power for about a week. My son had a stomach flu when it happened and we have 2 short hair dogs. We made it thru, but it wasn’t pretty. Since then we have been doing our best to stock up and be prepared. A little at a time, but it’s more than we had that winter. Some of my friends think I’m paranoid, but I don’t mind – actually trying to prepare has made me less afraid about the “what if’s” that will find us again.
August 17th, 2010 at 11:56 amHaving lived in different parts of the United States during my life time, I have experienced hurricanes, minor floods and the threat of tornados. Even experienced a minor quake at one time. We have always had some preparations such as food, water, light and warmth put away for these things. However, with the increase of these natural disasters (and man made disasters),including the threat of terrorism, it is more incumbant upon us to be prepared for just about anything. Tornados, floods and earthquakes have been happening in places where they are rare. But even excessive rain storms, flood and earthquakes can happen anywhere and at any time. There is no safe place from these disasters. And what about wild fires or a fire at home or a loss of job or income? There are so many things that we need to prepare for. One does not need to spend a fortune. Just use common sense and have the necessities of life ready for whatever happens. As a camper, I have most of the extras on hand if I lose my home and have to leave the area. You wouldn’t have to invest in those things, but how about a tarp or two, rope, stakes, freeze dried or canned food, extra water and a basic emergency medical kit. Ordinary tools you have at home, a couple of lanterns and some kind of camp stove, chlorox or water purification tablets, hammer, saw, etc. The majority of these things most of us already have at home as part of our daily lives. Just keep them in one spot to grab should you need them.And if and when something does happen, you are ready for it and can survive just about any situation. Don’t forget your pets and set aside food, water and necessities for them too. It doesn’t take a lot of time or money, but it can save your life and make the transition easier for you and your family.
August 17th, 2010 at 1:46 pmI have for years tried to keep a little extra put back for “hard times”. We always had a big garden growing up so canning for the year ahead was just how you did things. I have recently moved and although I was able to bring some long term storage items with me I used a lot of the short term storage up before I moved or gave it to family.
August 17th, 2010 at 8:15 pmI have the new place organized and will now begin to restock. Being in a city location that is also in a hurricane area is new to me so I’m sure the items I need will be a little different. Stocking up on basics while I research the items I need specific to this area will at least keep me moving forward. This is an on going process and you need to stay flexible. In an emergency if you can be flexible and think of alternatives for the things you already know and have you will be further ahead.
WOW! I love all the great comments on here.
I live in the country in Northern California. We are a neighborhood of small farms spread out. It’s common to lose our electric service out here 1-2 weeks each winter. As prepared as I am, because I expect this, some times things still go wrong.
In January of 08 we had a wind storm come thru here with winds clocked at between 87 and 110 miles per hour. Due to damage from the storm, it was almost two weeks before they restored power to my street. I wasn’t really concerned because I was prepared! My brand new generator quit working after 4 hours. So much for being smug!
It was several weeks before the hardware store was able to replace the generator. I lost all the food in my refrigerator and freezer. All my neighbors moved into the local motel in town or stayed with relatives. I have animals and still had to go into work each day, so I stayed in my home. I used my camping equipment and brought water home from work for showers and drinking (I’m on a well). I’m a little better prepared now.
The best thing I did was develop a plan. The download on this site was excellent. I actually have 2 plans,a grab-n-go and a shelter in place. I’ve learned to expect the unexpected. I make preparing for these obstacles a fun experience and I have integrated my purchases, etc. into my everyday life so it doesn’t become an overwhelming project. If you have animals, don’t forget to include them in your plan. They are entirely reliant on you for their care.
August 17th, 2010 at 8:43 pmI really loved all of these comments – some more than others because they hit home. We have food storage and camping equipment and have had to use it several times. My wife also cooks from scratch and she can fry squash and chicken on a camp stove in a heartbeat. My real concern is being caught away from home and having nothing at all. I have car kits in both cars and have used them. My other concern is about replacing items. I say damn I just bought alcohol yesterday, where is it? I just bought this and that day before yesterday and it is gone already. With the grandkids, we are really learing about being more prepared.
August 19th, 2010 at 2:17 pmGrowing up I saw floods. I am old enough that I remember going to the grocery store with my mother ; and the store shelves were almost bare. That was the Cuba missile crisis. I lived with my in laws and had to evacuate from fires up the canyon.
August 19th, 2010 at 11:09 pmI lapsed for awhile regarding preparedness. But this last year got back into it and have encouraged my daughter in law. I live alone, but family is near. Including small children. So take all into consideration. Remember to rotate and reevaluate your needs. Like necessary medications.
Oops! Looks like I better order some extra powdered eggs. Like I said before, you never know when were going to be hit with what. Its better to prepare for the worst and hope for the best. Never a dull moment in sunny Florida. I hope everyone else has a chance to order their bunch.
August 20th, 2010 at 8:03 pm