Until about 10 years ago, when you heard the word “survivalist” most people thought of long-haired hippies living in the woods somewhere with food and water supplies stockpiled in an underground bunker. That is the image that most people have of survival supplies-only for the off-the-wall characters in the world.
But with all the global natural disasters in the last two years-a total of $113 billion in damage according to Swiss RE the insurance giant-more and more people are starting to think about survival supplies, disaster planning and emergency preparedness than ever before. Just in 2013 “there were 7 weather and climate disaster events with losses exceeding $1 billion each across the United States.”
Natural disasters such as floods, tornadoes and even wildfires make headlines but barely scratch the surface of the personal catastrophes they cause families that are left homeless. Even the late winter snow and ice storms of 2014 have left hundreds of thousands of people without power forcing them to rethink disaster planning and emergency preparedness for their families. “There is so much snow that floods will be a big concern once it starts to melt adding more grief to homeowners not to mention a strain on budgets for those cities and states for snow removal.”
In 2013 hurricanes were basically a nonfactor, but tornadoes and wildfires made up for it, forcing tens of thousands to flee or lose their homes.
Every year in certain parts of the country these natural disasters occur with alarming regularity. Flooding, mostly from snowmelt, affects the Mississippi River basin running down the spinal column of the country. Wildfires are beginning to be a regular occurrence with drought conditions in the western part of the country particularly Colorado and California. Tornadoes are always an annual event in “tornado alley,” that part of the Midwest that runs from North Texas up into Kansas and Dixie Alley in certain parts of the southeast including Georgia.
These natural disasters occur with such regularity that being without survival supplies is irresponsible. Emergency preparedness and disaster planning have become a way of life for hundreds of thousands of Americans.
Any head of household has, as part of his responsibility, the additional burden of disaster planning and emergency preparedness. In a natural disaster the normal support system that you could expect from your community is not there. Food and water supplies may not be available. So it is up to you to have at least a 72 hour survival kit, which should include food and water supplies for your family, first aid kit and a battery-operated radio as an absolute minimum. You should also have a plan in effect for where your family should go and how you’re going to get there for different scenarios including a forced evacuation.
Natural disasters, especially tornadoes, can strike just about anywhere anytime. It is up to you to protect your family by doing disaster planning and emergency preparedness.
This 72 Hour Survival kit has some food, water and emergency medical supplies all in a handy backpack.
This Emergency Food Supply has enough food for a family of four for a week.