We Prepared for This
In a crisis, what you expect from the government depends upon your political viewpoint. In 2005 as hurricane Katrina reached New Orleans, Mayor Ray Nagin directed residents to shelter at the city convention center without any provision for food, water, or medical care. Within a day, many were desperate for drinking water. After three days, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) did deliver some supplies however; provisions remained limited for the next few days. This led to widespread hunger and thirst. Conditions continued to deteriorate until the center became surrounded by trash, human feces, and corpses. Rioting erupted throughout the city. The police went door-to-door seizing the guns of law-abiding citizens.
Today many liberals insist that government should guarantee adequate healthcare, housing, food, and more. To achieve these lofty goals government should be large and institute policies and spending to solve the problems of need and equity.
Conservatives believe that the primary role of government is to guard natural (God-given) rights. Among these rights is the right to self-defense. Also, the government should protect free markets, and protect life through police, courts, and national defense. To achieve this, a limited government is necessary.
For many people, the tragedy of Katrina served as a wake-up call. In a crisis, the government may not be able to provide you with even the basics of food and water. The police may not protect you or care about your right of self-defense and leave you unarmed and at the mercy of the mob.
What can you do?
Among many, prepping conjures an image of a rightwing nut hiding in his bunker but, in its simplest form, prepping is insurance. How much you do depends on your evaluation of threats and needs. Do you live in an area prone to earthquakes or hurricanes? Have there been riots in your community? Do you have a family? As you continue to read, decide how much preparedness (insurance) you need.
People can survive about three days without water so, that is a primary concern. Bottled water is a good safe source so, keep a few days’ supply. If you know a storm is coming, use the tap and bottle your own. A rule of thumb is to have one gallon of water per person per day of possible outage. A healthy adult can survive a month without food but stocking up is easy. Peanut butter, nuts, trail mix, granola bars, dried fruits, and canned meats are all good in an emergency. Many people gradually stock up until they have a six-month supply of food.
I would never want to live in North Dakota during a blizzard and be dependent on the electric grid. For that state and much of the country, heat is a serious and often expensive, concern. I once lived in a home heated by propane. When the power failed the thermostat and fans quit, rendering the entire system useless. The same problem is often seen with natural gas heating systems. Fireplaces look nice but aren’t great heaters. However, if you have one, and a supply of wood, you won’t freeze. Woodstoves are much better for heating. I can heat most of my 2,400 square foot home with one and, the stove has a flat surface for cooking. One of my summer chores is filling the woodshed.
My youngest son bought a house with a standby generator. When the power fails the natural gas generator kicks on and powers the entire house. This is a great but expensive choice. Smaller generators are available that don’t automatically start and can’t run the entire house. That might be all you need to keep food cold, the house warm, and a few lights on. I went with a smaller, more affordable generator, but choose what is best for you.
You don’t have to be armed to the teeth to protect your home and family. Criminals tend to choose soft targets. Cameras, alarms, good locks, solid doors, and a barking dog will often deter troublemakers. However, during a power outage having a gun is a powerful deterrent to thugs. If you do purchase a firearm, learn how to care for and use it.
If you’ve done some of the things I’ve outlined above you may already be a prepper. As you continue to prepare and become more self-reliant, you’ll find yourself less dependent on a huge, tax-hungry, government.
Allow me to end with a personal story. I own a small farm on a hill in Washington State and, for several years, taught in Alaska. During one winter while two thousand miles from home, I heard of floods back home. I tried to call my wife back on the farm but, of course, the lines were down. For two days I tried to phone her while assuring myself that we had prepared for just this sort of situation.
Finally, on the third day, the phone rang and my wife answered. “Are you okay,” I asked.
“The farm is surrounded by water, but I’m fine. The woodstove is burning. I made some coffee and soup on it and Nikki, (our dog) is curled up nearby.”
As the waters gradually receded, no one from the government ever came by to check on my wife. “It didn’t matter,” she told me later. “We prepared for this.”
