An Ounce of Prevention

It seems that in the past several years, disasters have become more frequent and widespread. This year alone has seen more than its usual share of fires, floods, pandemics and violent storms. 

With the increasing chances of a disaster hitting close to home, we would do well to listen to Ben Franklin’s famous maxim that “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”

With disasters rearing their heads with increasing frequency, it might take a few days or longer for outside help to arrive. It is in our interests to prepare a little for that storm, so that we might be better prepared. To have food, water, shelter, and even a change of clothing will make our lives more comfortable while we wait for the electricity to come back on, or for rescue to arrive.

Even a few plans can alleviate stress and make an otherwise unbearable situation less stressful.

Have a plan. When a close friend died suddenly, leaving his poor wife without funds or any knowledge of where the important statements and documents were, she found herself in a terrible situation in addition to her grief. Shaken, my husband and I talked about where we kept our statements, valuables and documents. Ironically, we didn’t know where some things were, as one of us had stored it where the other did not realize. The same goes for any potential, sudden problem. If there’s a fire, a break-in, or a sudden evacuation, what would we take, and where could we meet if we were not both at home? What do you tell your children if there’s a sudden problem in the middle of the night? If you’re on vacation and in a hotel, where is the closest exit? It’s always good to know and to have a plan. Then if there’s a problem, you will know what to do, and it will keep the panic away.

Have some non-perishable food and water on hand. Just weeks ago in Adams County, a sudden heat wave maxed out the electrical grids. Entire towns were suddenly without power for at least three days, and in record high heat. People couldn’t cook or keep cool. Gas stations, restaurants and stores were closed due to no electricity. Some properties had non-functioning wells – they needed electricity to operate. Nearby hotels sold out quickly. It was a mess.

To keep going during those days, those who had some water and non-perishable food (canned goods, packaged foods, etc.) were able to eat and drink. Whether in summer or winter (remember the snow storm in January 1996 when the entire state of Pennsylvania was closed down for over a week?), if you have some sustenance set aside, it really comes in handy. (For those canned goods, be sure you have a non-electric, hand-operated can opener for them.)

Keep some cash on hand. Not long ago, while my husband was at a hair salon for a haircut, the electricity suddenly went out – and stayed out for hours. The employees had to tell the customers that they could only take cash for haircuts. Several people had to leave because they only had their bank cards. Luckily my husband had cash. You never know when you might need it, so have some for emergencies.

Keep some gas in your tank. You never know when you might have to evacuate and quickly (remember that train derailment carrying chemicals, near the Pennsylvania border in Ohio?). If your car needs fuel (or charging for electric vehicles), you don’t want to waste valuable time filling up or charging up before you head out of harm’s way. A good rule to follow is, don’t let your tank get below half-full. This works well for other sudden emergencies that might arise, such as a need to go to the hospital, or you were asked at the last minute to pick up a friend at the airport.

Keep some batteries around that still work. Remember Tropical Storm Isabel that hit about twenty years ago? It approached our area on the birthday of one of our children. On the night before it came, I was heading to the store to pick up a pre-ordered cake at the bakery there. My husband said, “Pick up some more AA batteries.” 

The chaos I encountered at the grocery store was not like anything I had ever seen. The lines were so long that I was glad I was only picking up a cake and could go through the express line. On the shelves there were no batteries, no bottled water, no bread. In fact, almost all the shelves were empty. It was even worse than during the Covid pandemic, where a friend told me she saw two men in a physical altercation over the last loaf of bread in the store.

If we have a few essentials kept at home, we can avoid that pandemonium. Which also leads us to the next bit of advice:

Have a backpack with some essentials. We have backpacks in our house with a change of clothes and toiletries for a sudden night away. The backpacks also contain some food and some cash in case we need it. We change the backpacks twice a year – winter clothes for cold weather and summer clothing for warm weather. We change the food out once a year – and I put it in the pantry before it expires. We also have a list clipped to the side of the refrigerator of things we don’t want to forget if we have to leave in a hurry: our documents, cash, a blanket for cold weather or a night in a shelter, a flashlight, our cell phones and chargers (including a portable battery bank), the books we might be reading at the time, and our prescription medications. If you have reading glasses, be sure to take them too. If you’re startled or in a hurry, you might forget these things. If we never need them, it’s not a problem – it’s just a list in our kitchen that no one sees.

Be sure to keep in touch with family or neighbors. If a sudden emergency arises, and you are trying to keep out of harm’s way, don’t forget, when you have a chance to think, to let a family member or neighbor know where you are. Plan ahead of time which person to contact and let them tell everyone else. Even if you are at home, let those who care about you know what’s going on and why you might not be able to contact them for some time.

Ben Franklin knew that if it could happen it usually would happen, which is why Poor Richard’s Almanac is still helpful today. We can’t depend on FEMA or the Red Cross to be immediately available anymore. Help WILL come – but if we are just a little prepared, the wait will be much less stressful, and we will be safer – and probably better able to help others.

Stay safe out there. 

Pass the word.