Why Prepare For Crisis?

[I wrote this blog post in 2011. While dated, it is still so very true, and especially important in this crisis]

When friends  ask me why I go to the length I do to prepare for most emergencies, I tell them the best advice I could give is what my Dad taught me - Hope for the best, but plan for the worst. And the Boy Scout motto of "Be Prepared" is appropriate. I explain it in terms they can understand. For example, I tell them that 40% of all Americans will encounter a personal emergency each year, whether it is a fire, flood, hurricane, personal health issue, car accident or even a hard fall. In fact, this year over a million people are expected to receive foreclosure notices on their homes. These are all "personal" emergencies.

Since it is almost certain that everyone will experience something similar in the next 3 years, everyone should be prepared for such things. Flares, energy food bars, rope or paracord, matches or lighter, space blanket jumper cables, duct tape and first aid kit should always be in your vehicle. And as I taught my daughter when she was 10, NEVER be without a sharp jackknife and a lighter on your person. When she turned 13, I added "Oh, and here's some Mace..."

More important is the fact that many people just do not realize how likely they are to encounter a greater disaster. Here are some thought-provoking statistics:

In 2011 there were 13,315 earthquakes of at least 4.0 magnitude. And a whopping 185 of those were over 6.0.

In 2011 there were 1,817 tornadoes. In fact, on April 27 there were 173 tornadoes on that single day

In 2011, there were 56 volcanic eruptions

The 2011 Atlantic hurricane season produced 20 tropical cyclones, 19 tropical storms, 7 hurricanes, and 4 major hurricanes

In 2010, fire departments responded to 384,000 home fires in the United States, which claimed the lives of 2,640 people (not including firefighters) and injured another 13,350, not including firefighters

And lest we forget - the Spanish flu of 1917-19 killed as many as 100 MILLION people worldwide

Understanding these stats will go a long way to convincing a person on the need to try and become more prepared for an emergency


Are you ready? When a catastrophe hits, will you be a survivor or a victim? That is a CHOICE you can make, if you plan early.




[Brought to you as a PSA by "The Simple Man's Guide top Real Estate Investing"] 

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