5 Emergencies That Demand Prep
I've been cocooning this past week due to the weather, so I decided to make a list for potential disruptions to regular day-to-day life:
- Civil unrest
- Chronic sickness/pandemic
- Shipping delays and disruptions
- Loss of a job
- Natural disasters
Ironically, I've experienced all of these things, but I haven't seen civil unrest since the 60s. I also lived in a large city at that time, which tends to be a cauldron for anger and discontent.
Not to get off the subject, but there was a study done with mice in 1972 that showed there's a breakdown in social stability once the population became too large. Coincidence? Most social unrest does seem to occur in large cities, so I suspect there's a correlation.
Civil Unrest
With civil unrest the best you can do is get out of the way. You don't want to be in the way of looters or rioters.
If you see a riot forming, walk in the other direction. Don't wear anything that can be construed as inflammatory. In other words, make yourself as nondescript as possible. You don't want to draw any attention to yourself.
Arm yourself, even if it's a set of keys, in case someone blocks your escape.
Don't be out after dark. That's asking for trouble.
When I lived in Chicago, I used to have to walk home from work or art school at night. Once I had passed the lighted streets and entered the more unsavory ones, you bet I clenched a set of keys in my fist. I walked fast and didn't interact with anyone.
My poor father was mugged in the alley next to our apartment building. He got beat up for two measly dollars. Thugs travel, so don't assume you're safe even if you're a few steps from home.
Chronic Sickness/Pandemic
Never before covid did I ever think I would ever need to prep for a pandemic. How crazy does that sound? I still blame the media for the panic, but people need to take responsibility too.
Always keep at least three months of food and medicine at the ready.
By the way, of all these emergencies, the pandemic was the easiest to bear. It was actually fun to isolate. Since we live in the country, we saw more of our neighbors than we ever did before--all inside a 10 foot distance, from our fence to the road. We got to trade stories, share provisions if they were out, and got to check on each other's welfare. We were never stronger as a community. It was wonderfully therapeutic.
I learned later that wasn't the case everywhere. We were lucky.
Shipping Disruptions
During covid, China stopped shipping for months since they had quarantined their own people. I noticed this right off on Amazon. The availability of products dropped down to a trickle. This lasted nearly half a year and even when they started shipping again, it was sluggish.
It took the global economy nearly two years to get back to normal.
Whenever possible, buy local, grow your own, or do without.
Weather can cause shipping disruptions too, so be mindful of hurricanes, floods, and earthquakes in other parts of the world.
Unemployment
Whether you're out of work because of prolonged sickness, laid off, or fired, it puts tremendous strain on the entire family, even if you're not the main breadwinner.
This is where an emergency fund is mandatory. Start one now before you need it.
No matter what the reason is you're not working, this is the one calamity when you must plan ahead. Live off your emergency fund, contact mortgage holders, creditors, and utility companies about your situation and see if they can work out a payment plan until you're back on your feet.
Natural Disasters
This one I know very well. We're seasoned veterans of hurricanes, tornadoes, ice storms, and flooding. I thank God, we've not experienced earthquakes or wildfires, though one fire came very close one year.
The one thing I've learned about natural disasters is that no matter how much you prepare, it's never enough. Things happen. Life gets hard and you're forced to do without or think fast on your feet.
I don't think there's any calamity worse than a natural disaster. It's mind-boggling because it's so isolating.
During the worst event, we were without cell coverage, gasoline, power, water, and food. Even if you had supplies, many people lost nearly everything during the disaster (like us).
Our only lifeline was a lone radio tower that they managed to make operational. Every DJ in the area took turns manning that single working booth to keep residents apprised of where to find water, gas, and food. Note: If you don't already have one, get yourself a crank radio. It's a literal lifesaver.
There was a dark side too. Some soulless scumbags left their pets!! I was so angry I might've decked someone had I found the a$$es who abandoned their pets. Greg, who had returned a few days before me, had a regular line of dogs and cats waiting to be fed and watered. I married a good man.
As I write this, we're having a bitterly cold day for north Texas. It should warm up by the time this publishes, but it's a reminder that things can change from day to day.
Take care of yourselves, and look after each other.
In other news, we seemed to have made a lot of animal friends lately. Because of the extreme cold, we've been putting out extra bird seed, corn, and even cat food. (I bought a large bag of cat food that ironically, Jammy didn't like.)
Squirrels, song birds, mourning doves, crows, grackles, and deer have been dining on us. Interestingly the birds take turns. If the crows show up, every other bird disappears, only to return after they leave. I came to find out that crows will happily eat smaller birds. They're the tough guys of the bird kingdom, but keep a wary eye when the hawks fly over.
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