You hear the warnings - blizzard coming, hurricane approaching, floods imminent, and we go out like good little preppers and get our vehicles fueled up, buy water, get some cash out of the bank, make a run to the hardware store to get supplies to batten down the hatches, and stop at the grocery store some for food supplies. 

THEN – we hunker down and wait for nature’s wrath to befall us – only to learn afterwards that it wasn’t nearly as bad as was predicted.

Soooooo …as human nature dictates, the next time nature comes calling (no not that type of nature calling) we aren’t so gung-ho about preparing like we did the time(s) before, saying to ourselves, ‘Nothing happened the last time and it was supposed to be really bad.’  Sound familiar?

We soon fall into what I call “disaster prep complacency”.  Its not that you don’t believe that a disaster could happen or even would happen, you’re just not as concerned going by your past experiences.

Ladies, just because a pair of shoes causes you to have a blister you don’t give up shoes all together right?  Same with prepping.  Just because something horrible didn’t happen doesn’t mean you stop prepping.  It’s an on-going evolving process.

Think about Katrina.  The earthquakes in Haiti and Japan.  We all have witnessed tons of hurricanes and earthquakes via our TV sets.  Nothing like that had ever happened in Louisiana.  Nothing like a 9.0 earthquake had ever happened in Japan. These events have been debilitating to those who survived it.  

Our world is restless.  We have far more people now, almost shoulder to shoulder all trying to get by in life.

We have the resources to safeguard against the fast-balls nature throws at us, but because we have all experienced them in some shape or manner and noting happened we go about our prepping in a very cavalier approach  - remember? …

‘Oh it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be.”

Every natural disaster needs to be met with the same urgency and preparation.  In fact, both natural and man-made disasters do.

Keep in mind that some of these disasters actually turn into man-made disasters afterwards, by those around us not being prepared for an emergency.  Homes are lost, the walking wounded, no drinking water, gas pipes and water mains broken, power lines down.

Just because the natural disaster didn’t cause you any harm does not mean you will come out unscathed.

I learned this the hard way before jumping on the survivalist band wagon – which most of us do – after a horrific hurricane there was no power – the gas pumps didn’t work, neither did the ATM machines nor the cash registers at the grocery stores.  I was shocked.  I mean its one thing to have toppled trees, branches and limbs and trash can lids scattered all about the neighborhood but to not be able to buy gas or get money out of the bank now that was prettying scary.

Most don’t think about these things.  They are thinking flashlights or candles for power outages.  Bottled water for drinking.  And if the truth be known, the survival food is usually comfort food like chips and candy.  But gas pumps, ATMs and registers not working?  This is where the man-made disasters start.  When people panic and start taking for themselves with the mindset of “if the cash registers don’t work – well then the food must be free for the taking.” 

Ladies, it happens.

So as you think about these things, think about putting some money away now in your emergency kit, and always make sure your gas tank is full, and for goodness sakes make sure you have enough real survival food so you won’t have to go out into the jungle.

And, yes you can pack some candy too.  Just saying.

- Survivor Jane

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Survivor Jane is not intended to be expert, legal or even medical advise - just one girl sharing with others.