As I write this, there are still folks in the northeast part of our nation suffering from the loss of services caused by the tropical storm Sandy, and the snowstorm that followed one week later. I have been meaning to start this series of videos dealing with being prepared for emergencies for quite a while now, as I have had several requests to do so. I do not consider myself an expert on the topic at all, but anyone with common sense knows that being prepared is always a good idea. I learned that in the Boy Scouts when I was just a kid.

Before we get too deeply into the topic, I want you to know that this is not about preparing for a zombie attack, nor nuclear holocaust. The former is fiction, and if the latter happens, I don’t want to be left alive. What this is about is just being ready for things that happen. Our grandparents always stocked up on food supplies, but as a nation, we have forgotten to do that. We are accustomed to stopping off on the way home from work at the grocery store or a takeout joint and buying our supper on the spot. When everything is working properly in our society, it is a convenient way to live. However, sometimes the system breaks, and for those times, it just makes good sense to have a supply of food, water, and other daily necessities on hand.

If an emergency arises, the most basic of human needs are shelter, water, and food. Here, we are looking at the latter two. If your shelter is lost, everything changes, but you still must have water and food. There are really two types of food storage; long term and short term. Everyone should keep at least a basic supply of water on hand; enough to supply your family for a few days, if services are interrupted. If you are depending upon the government, you have a lot more faith in them than I do. A week after the storm hit the northeast, people were still desperately awaiting the arrival of help from the federal government. A week is a long time to watch your children starve. Even if you live in a small apartment, you can stash a few cases of bottled water and a few candy bars under the bed. That will get you through a couple of days without services. For extended periods of time without water and food, you need to put more thought into the situation. After trouble comes is not the time to devise a plan. I encourage you to watch the accompanying video. It in no way pretends to lay out a comprehensive plan, but will show you a few things to get you started.