How Prepared Are You?

Disasters always seem to be happening everywhere else but in our own neighborhood. After a while, we actually start to believe it will never happen here and in my lifetime. Case in point, have you prepared for a natural or man-made disaster or at least even thought about it? Through this article, it is my hope to at least plant a seed of urgency within your mind and help you to take that life-preserving step towards preparedness. Avoid the common responses to disaster uttered by thousands of people after it is too late, “Would have, could have, and should have, only if…”

You have no doubt read or heard about the horrific stories of thousands of shattered lives and lives cut short by the expected or unexpected earthquake and tsunami in Japan. It is common knowledge that Japan is one of the most unilaterally prepared countries for earthquake related disasters, yet there are hundreds of stories of how even this nation was taken by surprise and many were not prepared for what happened.

Within a matter of hours following a catastrophe, the results of unpreparedness emerge, with the fist being medical emergencies, immediately followed by a lack or shortage of drinking water, with hunger close behind. Panic and hoarding are people’s first survival response to disaster. Unlike the despicable behavior of many Hurricane Katrina victims, Japanese survivors worked together while sharing common resources and remaining relatively calm.

If you are a typical North American or European with a small cupboard or pantry of assorted canned goods and junk foods, don’t even think about a casual grocery shopping trip. Within a matter of one hour, grocery stores will be emptied and hardware or department store emergency supplies will be nonexistent.

You may have a freezer or refrigerator full of food, but how long will that last when the power and gas is cut or significantly reduced? What about cooking the food you do have? Oh yeah, “I should have bought a camp stove, should have bought extra gas for the barbeque, should have bought a solar sun oven, and I would not need to buy or store fuel. Should have bought a food dehydrator or dehydrated food, rice, beans, powdered eggs, canned butter, powdered milk... Is it a little late? Where is that flashlight? Oh great, the batteries are dead, where are some batteries? My cell phone, TV, laptop, Ipad and Dick Tracy watch are not working! How can I get the news or emergency broadcasting radio network? Oh yeah, guess I should have bought a crank/solar emergency radio.”

I turned on the tap and nothing came out, have only four liter bottles of water for five people. I should have stored more water or bought a hand pump-Reverse Osmosis water purifier. Where can I find water? Bridges are down, power lines are down, roads are closed, there are fires breaking out everywhere. A family member is injured and I have no first-aid kit and get to the hospital!”

Please don’t turn this scenario into a reality, don’t wait until tomorrow. Today is not even waiting for you. You have already purposed in your heart and mind to do something about becoming prepared, but are waiting until you get around to it. Should-a, Would-a, Could-a, but didn’t. Don’t let that be true for you. Act now and get started by logging on to www.ready.gov.