Food For Thought: Preparing for the Worst

Last week, the Northeast experienced one of the worst natural disasters of the century—Hurricane Sandy. Over two million people lost their electricity; many lost their homes and belongings…some lost their lives. whole neighborhoods were wiped out, and damage is in the billions of dollars. My heart goes out to them as they struggle, not to rebuild—that will come later, but to merely survive.

And yet, I can’t help but question why there are so many who find themselves out of food and water after barely one week. Of course, those who are homeless will be in that situation. No matter how much food and water you stock for an emergency, if the storm demolishes your home, those stores are gone as well. But what about the others?

If the story of Hurricane Katrina taught us nothing else, it should have taught us that government can never respond as promised in the aftermath of a widespread catastrophe. Those who expect white knights in FEMA trucks to show up on their doorstep with food, water, and blankets as soon as the winds die down will be gravely disappointed. Damaged infrastructure shows no favoritism. If your vehicle can’t get out, their vehicle can’t get in. And the red tape of bureaucracy strangles efficiency. The bigger it is, the slower it moves...I think that's some kind of natural law.

This week, the country has yet another practical example of the importance of personal responsibility and preparedness.

I lived almost two decades in California before moving to Minnesota. One of the natural disasters common to that state is earthquakes. The small private school at which I worked as a secretary sat less than a mile from the San Andreas Fault, and as part of our annual activities, we engaged in disaster preparedness. Students were required, as part of their school supplies, to bring in a backpack the first week of school filled with certain specific items. The school itself maintained several 50-gallon barrels filled with blankets, first aid items, food, bottled water, and other items deemed necessary to sustain students and teachers who may not be able to go home in the event of a major earthquake for several days to a week. We never had to rely on this preparation, thank God. But, as a school, we took it seriously.

Now, as a private person? Well, I didn't do too well. My family had food in the pantry, but probably not even a one-month supply. Water? Whatever came out of the faucet was pretty much it. You see, I took for granted that even in a major quake, we’d somehow manage.

That kind of mindset is common to a society whose faith in the “system” is based on an incredibly false perception that the government can efficiently step in and save the day when disaster strikes. That misplaced faith is quickly shattered by reality. We’re watching this unfold as devastated East Coasters are crying into the TV cameras, “We need food! We need water! We’re going to die!”…after only three days.

I am loathe to judge any of them, because until fairly recently, I would have been in the same spot. Minnesota doesn’t have to worry about earthquakes. We don’t have hurricanes. Occasionally we get a tornado, but damage from tornadoes (at least in our part of the country) is isolated and “manageable”—as disasters go. Sometimes we get snowed in, but around here, that doesn’t last more than a couple days at most. My sense of being prepared for a possible disaster was pretty weak.

Lately, though, I’m beginning to understand that disasters come in all flavors. New York and New Jersey were struck by a disaster they could see coming, as it were. Perhaps they never believed it could be as bad as it was. Perhaps they put too much confidence in the government. What about the disasters we don’t see coming. The world we live in is unpredictable--there are rumors of war and threats of terrorism in the news every day. Nuclear threats. EMP threats. Threats of economic upheaval. The life we know could change in an instant. Yet we live our lives as though tomorrow will always be the same as today. The technical term for this is the “Normalcy Bias.” It is normalcy bias that keeps us from preparing for the unimaginable…even when we’re warned in advance.

For various reasons, being prepared for “the worst” may never be possible. Not everybody can afford a backup power generator for their home or a year’s supply of food. But there are some things everyone—yes, even the less fortunate—can do. Here is a short list.

Keep at least two weeks of water stored (at least 2 quarts per day per person)--more if you can manage it. Anyone can do this. Bottled water (which I don’t recommend for daily use, but emergencies are different) is relatively inexpensive and can be purchased over time.
Keep at least two weeks of emergency food storage. This should be food you can eat without power (i.e. doesn’t need cooking), like tuna, canned fruits and vegetables, nut butters and crackers, nuts, dried fruit, jerky, etc. Don’t forget paper towels, wet wipes and plastic bags (for cleaning up).
Keep a first aid kit. You can get a standard first aid kit at any drug store for as little as $15 or $20.
If you rely on prescription drugs, make sure you have a one-month emergency supply—put it with your first aid kit so it’s handy.
Keep an oil lamp or two (with extra oil) or long-lasting candles & matches.
Keep a cash stash—at least $100, more if you can manage it. You may not be able to access an ATM for awhile.
If you own a car, try to keep your gas tank at least half full all the time.

A few simple precautions can make the difference between riding out a catastrophe and unbearable misery.

These days I keep my pantry stocked with food and water. I hope you do, too. We're even talking about buying a generator for the house...next year. (Normalcy bias.)

As I write this post, I think of the many folks still suffering from the devastation of Sandy, and my thoughts and prayers go out to them. But wishing them well is not going to keep them warm or fed. (James 2:14-16)

On that note, here are two of my favorite charities, both of which are involved in helping the victims of Hurricane Sandy.