Are You Prepared?

Every time there is a disaster somewhere in the world this question is raised.  Can you answer it honestly?  Are you prepared for a disaster? 
A disaster can be anything.  You or your spouse lose a job.  Your child becomes very sick and you don't have health insurance.  Your house catches on fire.  A tornado is coming towards your neighborhood.  You are in danger of a flash flood.  You live on a fault line and are in danger of an earthquake.  You are in the path of a hurricane.  These are the ones that most people think of.  But, most people are not prepared for. 

What can you do to be prepared?  You can have money saved for when/if you or your spouse loses a job.  Or, if your child becomes very ill.  You can have your important documents, and copies, in a firesafe box.  These are very basic and "common sense".  But, there are other ways you can be prepared.  You can pack a BOB (bug out bag).  A bug out bag is a backpack for each person in the family.  In that bag are things that you will need to survive for 48 hours.

Say your house catches on fire while you are asleep.  You wake up.  Wake up your spouse and children.  Do you have time to get dressed?  Do you want to take the time to get dressed?  Grab your family and BOBs (which should be in a very accesible place for such emergencies).  Get outside and to a safe place.  You can run to the neighbors to warn them and to call the authorities.  There you are outside and cold.  Your child is crying and worried.  They don't know what is going on, but know that it's not good.  Mommy and Daddy seem worried.  At this point you can pull out of their BOB a small toy that will hopefully distract them.  You may have packed in there an extra Lovey.  You can give them a snack or bottle of water that you packed in their BOB.  If you didn't get dressed before leaving you are probably going to start feeling a little uncomfortable right now as you watch your house burn down.  You can reach into your BOB and pull out a pair of pants or extra shirt.  Maybe just a blanket will do.  A little while later you are going to want to start thinking about where you are going to go.  What are you going to do?  Hopefully you or your spouse put some extra cash and important papers in their BOB.  Maybe an extra set of car keys.  Because you have your BOBs you will be ok for the next 48 hours.  Now think about that same scenario without the BOBs.  Your child is crying and you are trying to console them.  You maybe be able to console them, but you probably don't have anything to distract them from the ghastly sight of their home burning down right in front of their eyes.  If you didn't get dressed before leaving then you are standing there in your pajamas for the whole neighborhood to see.  Your car keys and cash are burning up inside your home.  You hope someone will open their home to you, because you can't pay for a hotel right now.

That's just one scenario where a BOB will come in handy.

Another way you can be prepared is to always have plenty of food, water, medicine... basic supplies to survive for at least three months in your home. 

Let's talk about a scenario where this would be good to have.  The major breadwinner in your family has just been laid off.  They can get unemployment, but you know that won't take care of every bill.  But, you know you will be alright, because you've been saving up enough supplies that you won't have to buy any for at least three months.  You have food.  You can cut down on water usage to lower your water bill by taking fewer/shorter baths and drinking some of the bottled water you've saved up.  Your baby drinks formula.  That stuff is expensive!  But, you've been stocking up whenever you had some extra money.  You stockpiled some gas so you don't have to worry about being able to put gas in your car in an emergency.  You can use the oil lamps and candles you bought to cut down on your electricity bill.  So because you've stocked up on all of your daily supplies you don't have to worry too much right now.  The money that you would be spending on food and household supplies can go towards other bills.  And, because you have these supplies you are able to cut your bills down.

What about after this situation is over?  You've realized the logic in cutting down on your water bill, gas for you car, and electricity.  It was nice not having to go to the grocery store as much.  Well, you can continue to not use as much water.  You can also save rain water, if it's legal in your state.  Ran water is great for your hair.  When you do leave the house you can do all your errands at the same time to cut down on the gas you use and wear and tear on your car.  You can eat by candlelight to save electricity.  You can also grow a garden.  Don't have the yard space to do it?  Use containers.  You can keep chickens, if allowed in your neighborhood, for meat and eggs. 

It's good to be prepared.  You need to keep your future in mind.  Worry about the things of today, but plan for the things of tomorrow.