Are You Prepared?

Some Scenarios to Think About and Reasons to DO IT NOW:

1. Your next-door neighbors are adding on to their house. A sudden explosion caused by the new gas lines sets the house on fire. The fire department arrives and within minutes you are told that you have to gather what you need and leave your home, as there is a chance it may catch fire. You have 3-5 minutes.

2. A major earthquake has either leveled or severely damaged most of the homes in your neighborhood & surrounding community. There are many injuries, and what is left of people’s homes is unfit for shelter.

3. A sudden windstorm causes wide-spread power outages. You listen to the radio in your car, and hear that because of the number of people without power, it may take crews up to three days to restore power to your area.

4. Because of heavy rains and flooding over the past week, officials have been keeping a close eye on the dam just up river from your community. There is an announcement on the emergency broadcasting system that the dam has broken and certain areas have to be evacuated immediately. You are in an area requiring immediate evacuation. You have 1-2 minutes to get out.

5. On the way home from a weekend trip, you get a speeding ticket for over $300, more than next month’s grocery and spending money allotment, combined. If you pay your ticket, you won’t have any money for groceries or other supplies.

6. You live in an ocean side community in the south. A tropical storm has just been recently upgraded to a hurricane. You have been out shopping most of the day, and have only just returned home. You suddenly hear a loud speaker outside and go out to see a police car driving down your street announcing that you must leave your home in the next 15 minutes. The evacuation is for an indefinite period of time.

7. A particularly bad snow storm leaves you home-bound and without power, heat or running water for over a week.

8. Because of local civil unrest, extreme riots have broken out in various areas of the city in which you live. You are uneasy about your family staying in your home during this time.

9. An unexpected illness causes you to miss two weeks of work, unpaid.

10. A national trucker’s union goes on strike, causing shortages on basic necessities at most major grocery stores.