Why Should You Prepare? Is It Really Necessary?

Why Should You Prepare? Is It Really Necessary?
By Melody Fernandez Schafer

Many people don't think about emergency or disaster preparedness because they think a war or a pandemic could never happen. Maybe it won't happen, but there are many other reasons to prepare and have emergency supplies on hand.

Some think because they have had the same job for 20+ years that they are sitting comfortably until retirement. Many baby boomers and others can testify that one could lose a job, literally, overnight and finding a new one can be next to impossible unless one can move to another city, state or country. Could you afford to move in a week for a new job? Could you pay for rent or a new home while your lease at the present apartment runs out or until you can sell your home?

Even owning a business, especially a brick & mortar business, could go under because the city went down the tubes, or a highway redirected traffic, or construction STOPPED traffic. Thre are many reasons that a business could flop...even a long running and successful one.
If you are an entrepenur have you thought of having a few different forms of making income? If you have an online business, consider a 2nd or 3rd business that is OFF line in case power were to go out. When one busines is slow, it's nice to know you may have income coming in from a different source.

What if broke your leg or arm? Had a heart attack? Stroke? What if you had something as simple as the flu? Could you not work and not get a paycheck? Do you have enough money to get through a week without a paycheck? One month? How long could you go without a paycheck?

Start saving cash. If you have all your money in the bank, what would you do if power went out and banks were closed or ATMs did not work? If you have cash at home, and can't leave your house, at least maybe you can pay someone to bring you what you need or to help you with some emergency job that you are unable to do yourself.

Something to consider is to have items that you can barter if cash is not desired by the person you need to help you. Think about obatining silver, ammunition, extra food, or whatever else you think someone in an emergency situation would find of value.

How much food, water, medication or other personal supplies do you have at home if you were stuck at home because of a snow storm, flood, or any other number of reasons? Could you survive a week? One month? How long?

What if the water was turned off or if the power went out because of an ice storm or terrorist attack? Something as simple as an ice storm can do a LOT of damgage such as taking power lines down, caving in a roof of a house, freezing pipes, trees falling over & blocking roads or landing on your home. Do you have tarp to cover that hole in your roof to keep the snow, rain, ice out of your home until you can fix it? Can you fix it if no one can get to you for 2 weeks? What would you do?

Do you know how to purify rain, pond, or lake water? Do you have a way to cook what food you MIGHT have in the refrigerator? If you DO have a lot of food in the refrigerator or freezer, how are you going to keep it cold so it doesn't go bad until you can cook it? A generator and a grill or outdoor camping stove of some kind wouldn't be a bad idea.

If there is no food in your home and the stores are closed...do you know how to hunt if you had to? Do you have a gun, bow & arrow, trap, fishing rod or whatever it is you need to catch what you would like? If you would prefer just fruits and vegetables? Do you have a garden? If it is winter did you can the fall harvest? Do you have a book to tell you what berries, roots, or other wild plant might be safe to eat?

Do you have a book to tell you how to cure or at least alleviate whatever ailment you have if you are unable to reach a doctor right away? Don't count on the Internet for information. The Internet will be down if the power is out.

I have given you several scenarios in which you SHOULD be prpared and why it IS necessary, but these scenarios don't even begin to describe how bad a situation can get and how fast it can happen.

All you can do is your best. I recommend keeping a notebook on hand and taking notes on skills you would lik to learn or things you would like to acquire to make your life a little easier if disaster happens to strike...and it will...I hope it's something as simple as a cold and nothig more. Doing a little bit every day to get preapred will make this task, which may sound unatainable, that much easier to achieve.

Are you ready for what may come? Get ready!

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