This last year I have learned a lot more than I ever would have thought about emergency preparedness. The reality is that I should have been thinking about it all the time but one becomes very relaxed living the United States. We have everything available to us should we choose to be prepared. Most of us can easily access outdoor stores to purchase tents, sleeping bags, heaters, etc. Oftentimes, we have plenty of space to store additional food, clothes, and emergency items should a disaster happen, but our lives are so busy and comfortable that preparing for an emergency simply doesn’t cross our minds.

Recently, I had a friend come back from Maine on a business trip. His company is headquartered there and he visits once or twice per month. On this most recent trip, he took back some emergency food storage samples for his associates to try. The thought of having food storage for an emergency had never crossed their minds. They loved the idea of having additional food on hand but had never thought of it, even though they face terrible snowstorms almost every year. Their first reaction after having tried it was, “I want to buy some of this. Where do I get this from? How much should I have?”  For me, having lived in Utah all my days, I have been well aware of the importance of food storage and emergency preparedness. It wasn’t a new concept to me, but it was a shock that there are people unaware of food storage and the need for it.

It makes sense to most of us that we should be prepared for a time of emergency. History tells us that things happen; storms, earthquakes, tornadoes, severe storms, floods, and other natural disasters are real. Whether we believe it or not, these things can and do happen. When we watch natural disasters on the news we have a tendency to say that it will never happen to me or my family. But don’t be fooled, we are always just as likely as the next person to be faced with troubling times.

A year ago, “the storm of the century” was announced and everyone was told to get home early from work and get off the roads ASAP. A dear friend asked me if I was prepared should the power go out. In my head I thought, “sure, we have blankets and flashlights and some food.” He asked what kind of non-electric heater I had should we lose power, wanting to compare and make sure that he had what his family needed.  I realized that I wasn’t as ready as I thought and cringed at the thought of my three little girls being frozen.  I immediately went to Lowes and Home Depot bought the last indoor space heater that didn’t rely on electricity. I was amazed that there was only one left, and I was lucky enough to get it. What an idiot I had been. If my friend wouldn’t have brought it up I wouldn’t have even thought of the need of a heater should my power go out. I wondered how unprepared I was in other areas. I should have known better. I should have been more prepared.

Lucky for me, the massive storm turned out to be a few inches of snow that all melted by mid-afternoon the next day.  It’s funny how something someone says can motivate you to action in the blink of an eye. I hope that you will share this message, or even your own words, to help others and motivate them to be prepared.

Disasters are going to happen. We have the choice of whether to be prepared or unprepared. And there is no better time to prepare than when things are going well. In many instances the time right before the disaster is too late. Obtaining life’s necessities after the disaster happens is even worse.  Store shelves can be cleared out to not be filled again for days, weeks, or months. Don’t wait! Start preparing now. And make sure that you help others realize the security and peace of mind that comes from having a plan for whatever emergency situation may arise.