I’m retiring from DoD in a few days after 45 years and that coming life change got me thinking again about why families and individuals should expand on their emergency plan. Most of the time when we think of emergency preparedness plans, we are thinking of a temporary crisis that hits our areas. Those big events like hurricanes or massive snow storms, floods, or even wildfires. Many prepare with an eye to a time of national fiscal crisis, societal collapse, war, and a whole basket of traumatic events beyond our daily experience.
While all those things are legitimate reasons to prepare, many people overlook the mostly likely things that can turn their normal experience upside down. A family member losing a job or becoming ill and straining the family budget are common occurrences that can hit every one of us. These are real disruptions that are every bit as impactful to those going through it as a regional disaster can be. While we see emergencies close stores for days and weeks at a time and the hardships that brings to the unprepared, losing a pay check can have the same effect on that family having to figure out how to make ends meet.
Our emergency prep plans should always look to those things that are likely to occur as a good plan for those things can get you through many crisis situations that we did not plan for or see as likely. Every plan should include a good risk assessment for your area as a base line, but it should also include things we don’t like to think about. That lost job or having to help a family member that strains our budgets.
Something as simple as putting extra food away when it can be afforded in case a day comes when it will be needed for daily consumption; hopefully for a short time, can make a huge difference in the quality of life even in hard times.
Our lives are constantly changing and a little planning and putting things away for those rainy days can turn a tough situation into something much more manageable.
Don
RMR
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