Replyit is one thing to have a cave nearby where the family can all meet and stay inside during the storm or whatever... and you can have a cache of goods to hold you over for as long as you have prepared for.
days, weeks or months ....
however, most of us are not prepared to deal with three other issues.
One is the morale of the family during the aftermath of the crisis.
Two is what you are going to do with your time while you are just waiting around. Before you can return home.
And last but certainly not least ... what if there are other people just like yourself who are out there?
What do you do with them?
You can either invite them in or turn them away.
If you invite them in, then depending upon the numbers .. you have just cut your rations in half or whatever.
And it you turn them away, you risk them going without.
Now .. let's just say that you and your family are NOT alone out there.
Let's say that some of the other people around the area are not like you.
They dont share the same world view. They dont have the same values as your family does.
And they dont think you should be one of the "have's" while they happen to be a "have not".
You know the scenario from there. Armed defense. Always on the alert.
They tell us to prepare for being on our own for at least 72 hours, minimum. If a disaster strikes an urban area.
if your used to living out in the country ... far removed from daily interaction with other people ... you probably wont be disturbed very much by a disaster. Especially if you are off the power grid already.
Food, water, shelter, utilities, etc are already taken care of without the direct help from others.
However, most Americans are so dependant upon a supermarket just to have the basic necessities ... they couldnt go a week without compromising their diet.
And figure also, the kitchen usually cooks one meal a day for the family. The rest of the day there is minimal meals taken from there.
That's because most are away at work, school and other spots of interests.
We rely heavily upon "OTHER SOURCES" for most of our daily bread.
And how much of your provisional food is dry? And how much is under refrigeration? So if we think we have a weeks worth of food stored up for an emergency, we are probably really only going to have a day and a half, at best.
Cause everybody will be home for the long haul. No place to go and nothing outside the home to do ...
and without regular utilities. ... how ya gonna cook?
Ya gonna use Sterno to heat up a pot of beans in a pot? Right there in the kitchen or living room?
Then we have stress to deal with.
Also we have all categories of medical injuries to deal with too.
How comfortable are you with forraging for meds at closed down drug stores?
Or do you have on hand a suitable supply for the needs of your family. But the expected needs as well as the un-expected requirements.
I know God. Personally.
I also know my neighbors. Many of them anyway.
My wife's a nurse.
And I'm very handy with lots of things. Quite resourceful when inspired.
And we do keep a few odds and ends which would be very helpful in case of an emergency.
However ... I would be scared spitless to imagine the countless thousands of families in the area we live in if such a disaster would occur.
I would NOT want to be in theri shoes! It is frightening just to ponder what they would mentally/ emotionally go thru as day turned into night and day two progressed ever so slowly into day three.
I can shoot a deer from across the street.
We are right near rivers and shallow water wells.
We have a mild climate year round. So there's little chance of being frozen to death.
Although we may meltfrom the heat.
People in general, do NOT respond very well to "change".
And having their cable cut off as well as phones and all ... they just dont do very well when stuff like that occurs.
So the biggest factor in all of this talk is how to deal with the pending shock which most everyone will have ... once the dust begins to settle.
and that my friend, is an item you cannot purchase in some preparedness kit and keep in the trunk of your car.
good topic. I ponder this daily. have for many, many years.
