Storm Surge

 

 

 

"Maybe these preppers are not so wacky after all..."

 

Last year when Super Storm Sandy hit the Jersey coast, I was amazed. I was amazed not so much by the strength of the storm, rather I was amazed by the "body blow" it dealt to one of the most urbane and populated areas of our country. Today, there are still areas of New Jersey which have not returned to normal.

 

This storm amazed me for two reasons. First, we obviously have learned nothing from Hurricane Katrina. During that storm, the same questions came up. How in the world could a major American city be so paralyzed for so long by a storm in modern times? After all, the Gulf Coast puts up with hurricanes all the time. During both Katrina and Sandy, some went without utilities for months. Federal, state and local authorities seemed to trip all over themselves trying to get help to the neediest people. It was a mess.

 

The second thing about Sandy that amazed me was during prior year, the east coast had a storm which was almost Sandy's twin. The only difference between the two was the storm the year before was not quite as bad. Did we not learn anything from that close call? It does not appear so. The only thing most people remember now about government intervention after Sandy left her wrath, was the love fest on the beach between the Governor and the President.

 

That brings us to our fair city. Last weekend we had a thunderstorm. A severe storm, not a very severe thunderstorm by weatherman standards. It knocked out power to over 1/2 million people - a state record. Some people went for days without power. Some restaurants ended up throwing out thousands of pounds of spoiled food. Sections of the city were eerily dark as power was also off to street lights and traffic signals. Today, power is finally restored to everyone and most of the tree debris has been removed from streets and sidewalks.

 

My take away from Hurricane Katrina, Super Storm Sandy, as well as the Minneapolis thunderstorm is this - we are in no way prepared for a large disaster, natural or otherwise. In an major disaster, the government, which so many in our society have grown to love and depend on, will not be there to help you. It will be neighbor helping neighbor, family taking care of family, sometimes even every person for themselves.

 

What can we do? Learn from what has happened. God forbid, if a nuke ever goes off in one of our major cities, Katrina will look like a summer shower in comparison. If the government cannot take care of your most fundamental needs, who will? Most grocery stores only have a one to two day supply of food in storage. In an emergency, that will all be gone in a New York minute. When people are starving or dying of thirst, law will quickly turn into lawlessness, order into anarchy.

 

So be prepared. Have enough food and water to last for 30 days. Have some ready cash in the house if the banks are not operational. Have SOMETHING to defend your family and your domicile "just in case". If you are on meds, have some extra on hand. Have a generator with fresh gasoline available. In short, be ready to camp out in your own house if you need to.

 

There is a difference between a survivalist and a "prepper". A survivalist is all in for the end of everything. They will be "the last man standing" during Armageddon. A "prepper" on the other hand looks to get by a bump in the road - survive a short term disaster. I understand the logic for both. However, not being a "prepper" these days might be just borrowing trouble.