Let’s Be Prepared As Best We Can

By Nancy Eastman

Copyright 2011 – ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Prepared for what? For the unexpected – which could be just about anything. In today’s economy it is difficult for many people to purchase extra items to set aside as emergency rations and tools. But as much as possible, it is a very good idea to pursue.

Many years ago I went through a tough financial time as a single parent with two little kids. And I had to use the food bank a few times too. I sure learned very fast how to cook meals with just a few items – like potatoes and brick cheese if I could afford it and maybe rice. Since that time I always make sure I have much more food stocked in the house than I currently need, especially since two of us now have allergies to deal with (makes food shopping much harder). And I add to it a little bit at a time as best I can. And yes, we are going through some extremely tough financial times now too – as are many other people.

If you can afford to buy one extra bag of rice, or beans, or lentils, or dried potato flakes, or can/cans of food, or dehydrated bag of food, etc, then be sure to add that one extra item to your grocery cart. And if you do this every time you go grocery shopping you will manage to begin your backup supplies. In today’s world, and today’s economy, it is a very good idea to start planning ahead as much as you possibly can. Perhaps nothing bad or difficult or negative will happen, but if it does you will be ready. You can find emergency preparedness plans and ideas posted for free on many websites now. Look around, and print out the ones that you like the best (if you have a printer). Post them somewhere where everyone can see them. Then begin adding backup supplies to your stock as much as you possibly can. Personally, I would say work towards a backup supply that will last quite a long time if needed. Don’t just plan for a few days or for a couple of weeks. Plan for much longer periods of time than that – plan for months. You need to plan for everything: food, water, clothes, blankets, space blankets, batteries, flashlights or lanterns, possibly a hand-crank radio, medicines, etc. One place to start your information research is: http://www.ready.gov/america/publications/allpubs.html

Climate changes are occurring – which will naturally affect the food crops and the animals and the water etc. There are very large dead zones in the oceans, which naturally affect every living thing in those oceans. NASA has a Solar Storm Warning posted on their website with the date 03/15/06. Researchers predicted an upcoming solar storm; the “most intense solar maximum in fifty years.” One researcher predicted 2012 for Solar Max, and another researcher predicted 2010/2011. A huge solar storm would most likely have quite an effect on the earth. The NASA website is posting their information about the solar flares they have been observing. Greenland is losing ice very rapidly. Polar bears and other ice living creatures have to swim farther, affecting all their lives. Too many trees are being chopped down to make room for homes and trees are burned in fires, and not replaced. Way too much fertilizer is running off of the land into the streams and then down into the rivers and lakes and oceans. All of this affects everything on this planet we are living on.

Planning ahead will help everyone in your family feel a little bit better. Be sure to educate children in your family (if you have kids). Discuss everything with them. Tell them you are planning ahead just in case, so that way the whole family will be okay because you will all have backup emergency supplies. Explain to the kids that the emergency supplies you will be slowly putting together in one spot are not to be touched by them at any time. They need to know that the emergency stack of supplies is just that. Only for emergencies. Let them know that way the whole family will be okay and will make it through whatever emergency may arise. Issues such as this are usually difficult to discuss with children, but they need to be prepared ahead of time. The more knowledge they have, the less you will have to worry about them because if something happens then those kids will automatically know what to do.

Preparing ahead is a good thing for everyone to do. Starting small is definitely okay. Do it a little bit at a time and just keep adding to your supplies as much as you possibly can.

I will add a link (and related information) to an emergency supplies store when I decide on which one (or ones) to recommend.