Are You Prepared?

Have you given any thought to what you might need to survive a disaster?

The internet is rife with websites dedicated to prepping for any event that could change life as we know it. What you should have to hand, how to protect electronics against an EMP, saving seeds to grow food, and multitudinous lists of dos and don’ts are available, most at no cost. Many preparations are simple, such as stocking up on and rotating through non-perishable food items, or keeping a large store of toilet paper in the basement. Some are a bit more involved, like purchasing or building a Faraday cage. A Faraday cage protects electronics from events that render useless anything that uses electricity (think cell phones, batteries, etc.). Prepping can be quite simple, yet most people reject the practice.

Why? Perhaps because preppers are often considered extreme. While we all may agree about the possibility of a life-changing event, our opinions vary greatly about the probability. We see regular news reports about North Korea’s missiles, Iran’s nuclear weapons program, volcanic activity, and interstellar asteroids, all potential threats. Have we become numb to potential danger, or do we live in a world where we simply cannot imagine a large-scale disaster happening to us? The difference with preppers is they admit the potential of such an event, and they prepare for it.

While I do not strongly believe in the probability, I do believe in the possibility. It’s what drives me to grow my own food. It’s what prompted me to prepare an emergency kit that I keep in my car. It’s what motivated me to create a plan with my family so we all know what to do if something bad happens. The ‘bad’ could be anything from a tornado to a flash flood to a nuclear detonation to a volcanic eruption. Whatever it is, we are at least partially prepared.

If you are interested in researching disaster preparedness, the internet is your oyster. Blogs, YouTube videos, e-books, the information is endless. Of course, without electricity there is no internet, so you could consider borrowing books from your local library and if you like them, purchase them.

The first step toward something new is always the hardest. Once you get going, momentum urges you along until you reach your destination. It may be that all you need to begin is to think about what you would do if the Yellowstone hotspot erupted.