Snow and The Unprepared

Here it comes again, another winter snowstorm heading across the country sending people into a panic. I’m in a little rural area in the mountains and snow is a rarity here, but this looks to be our 2nd major snow fall this year and people are clearly panicked. I guarantee that every store in the area has already sold out of bread and milk. Now I understand some people’s concerns as an ice storm back in the 90’s paralyzed this area for weeks; no power and impassable roads. However, if you lived through something like that, wouldn’t you be better prepared next time? Some people just never seem to learn.

I didn’t cover it at the time as seemingly EVERYONE else did, but recently I-95 was shut down in VA for hours with hundreds of people stuck in their cars and of course nearly no one was prepared. No food and water, no blankets or extra clothes, many with little fuel in the tank – all at the mercy of rescuers who were not coming. It’s important to always have at least some supplies in your vehicle. Always keep at least a half tank of gas at all times, especially when travelling. I’m originally from the Chicago area and my get-home bag saved my butt a few times! No, you don’t need to be lugging around buckets of beans and barrels of water in your car, but a few basic supplies can bail you out of a jam or at least ease the pain a bit.

These are the folks that worry me. People who aren’t prepared to handle a day or two of snow without running to the store, what will they do when the stores are empty? What will they do in a real SHTF situation? Just a year ago we saw people fighting over toilet paper, what happens when there no food on the shelf? How long before they resort to violence?

If you have to run out for supplies right before a storm, news flash, you are living way too close to the edge.

Time is short, prepare now.