The nature of an emergency
... is that you cannot prepare for it after it happens. Or even when it happens. By the time it occurs, your opportunity to get ready is lost forever.
There may be a few things that you can do at the beginning of a disaster that might help a little. But in reality, not be much. If you think you can dash for the store after the news breaks, please reconsider. That will be the very, very worst place in the world to be... in a mob of panicking people desperate to grab the few items that remain.
The way our distribution of goods in this country is set up, there will be disappointingly little to grab. Decades ago, The Wall Street Journal told businesspeople to delay ordering as long as possible. 'Just-in-time ordering', they called it. They said reducing inventory would have a positive effect on retailers' bottom line, since they would not have to tie up their capital with stuff in the back of the store.
Yes, very profitable. But that means what you see on the shelves today is pretty much all there is. Jobbers from different companies stock the shelves for many products, especially foodstuffs. You can see them in the isles, people without nametags putting food on the shelves. Try going into your local Wally Mart and asking for a couple of cases of an item from the back.
And that is when things are normal. Imagine what it will be like when people suddenly discover to their horror that there just isn't enough in the stores to feed them all for more than a few hours. As I said earlier, the very worst place in the world to be in an emergency situation will be at the store.
If you can even get there.
Enough doom and gloom. It's good to take a look at that frightening and dangerous situation, so you can determine to avoid it. But there is actually very good news.
The solutions are pretty simple, and you will feel very good and relieved once you have done them. Few things put a smile on a person's face as easily as knowing you have done all you can to prepare for the emergency to come. And I guarantee, absolutely guarantee, that where you live, there will be an emergency situation one day.
I do not know if that day will be later today, or early tomorrow, or is a year or more away. But it will happen. That is the true nature of life.
What to do now
My suggestion is to take a survey of all the different categories in this site and just get a feel of what you need to do. If you've paid attention to the government's list, please take another look at what you might really need, for it is substantially different and much more than they even hint at.
Then do something now. At a minimum, get some additional food and water in the house today, even if it is just a little more... even if you are not completely sold on this disaster thing. It would help all of us so much if everyone would stock even a few days' extra supplies.
Next, maybe take a deeper look at each category. Think about the storms brewing on the horizon, and prayerfully consider how much you need to do to take care of yourself, your family and your friends. And then act without delay. There are few words sadder than 'I was going to do that', after it is too late to do it.
Much depends on your decisions. I wish you God's grace and blessings.