What Can the Japanese Tsunami Teach Us About Prepping for Disasters and Emergencies?

Economic Collapse Blog

The Japanese tsunami is a crystal clear example of just how unpredictable disasters and emergencies can be. Nobody ever dreamed that a tsunami in Japan could wash cars, homes and people up to 6 miles inland. But that is exactly what happened. So while it is great to make elaborate preparations for potential disasters and emergencies, it is also absolutely essential to have backup plans. After all, what good is all of that emergency food that you have stored up going to do if a massive tsunami comes along and rips your house off the foundation and deposits it into the sea? Not that all of us shouldn't be busy prepping. Of course we should be. All over Japan right now the supermarkets are being stripped bare. Don't you think that many of those people are wishing that they had stored up some food? It is those that prepare that have the best chance of surviving disasters and emergencies. No plan is foolproof, but having a plan is much better than not having a plan.

For example, there are lots of people in Japan right now that are wishing that they would have stored up at least a bit of fresh water to drink. There are homes in Japan that are still completely surrounded by saltwater from the tsunami, and if those homes do not have running water at this point then the people inside are going to get thirsty really quick.

Of course bottled water flew off store shelves all over Japan in the aftermath of the tsunami. Now it is becoming very difficult to find.

But there are thousands and thousands of homes in Japan that do not have running water right now.

So what are they supposed to do?

Thankfully there are a lot of aid agencies that are working really hard to help the Japanese out. Hopefully everyone that needs water and food will be able to get them.

Have you seen video of the empty supermarkets in Japan?

That can happen someday in America too.

In the United States, even a minor snowstorm can cause a run on the supermarkets in many areas. If a major league disaster or emergency ever hit, the food in the stores would be gone really quickly.

So do you have food stored up for you and your family?

Another huge lesson that we can learn from the Japanese tsunami is that a disaster in one area of the world can have a ripple affect across the globe.

For example, it has now become incredibly difficult to find supplies of potassium iodide anywhere in the United States.

In fact, in many areas even finding iodine or kelp has become problematic.

So what are the people that don't have these things going to do if nuclear radiation becomes a problem?

They are just going to have to suffer.

That is the way it is with disasters and emergencies. If you have not prepared ahead of time there is a good chance that you are simply going to be out of luck.

You see, millions of Americans have not become preppers just because they didn't have anything better to do.

We live in a world that is becoming increasingly unstable. Our financial system is crumbling. Our society is crumbling. The earth itself is crumbling.

Those that are not doing anything to prepare are rather foolish.

Many of those that laugh at preppers are the same people that have health insurance, car insurance, home insurance, boat insurance, motorcycle insurance, disability insurance, travel insurance and business insurance.

But they won't lift a finger to get some "food insurance" for themselves and their families because that is what "preppers" and "conspiracy theorists" do.

Well, a whole lot of people in Japan wish that they had been "preppers" just about now.

Not that preppers always come out on top either. As the tsunami is Japan, demonstrated, if a major disaster hits right where you live your home may not make it.

The truth is that all of us always need to be ready to "bug out" at any time.

If you got word that your town was about to face a major league emergency, where would you go?

That is something to think about.

It is also a good reason why we should all be encouraging our family and friends in other areas of the country to be storing up food and supplies. You never know when you might have to depend on them for help.

The truth is that none of us should ever be too proud to ask for help. Many survivalists sit back and brag about all of the guns and beans they have stored up, but if their house was swept away by a disaster what would they be forced to do?

They would be forced to turn to someone else for help.

The reality is that we all need a little assistance from time to time. Don't be too proud to give some help and don't be too proud to ask for some help.

So what are some things that all of us can be doing right now to start preparing for disasters and emergencies?

Well, in a previous article I listed a few things that can be done by most people....

#1 Become Less Dependent On Your Job

#2 Get Out Of Debt

#3 Reduce Expenses

#4 Purchase Land

#5 Learn To Grow Food

#6 Find A Reliable Source Of Water

#7 Explore Alternative Energy Sources

#8 Store Supplies

#9 Protect Your Assets With Gold And Silver

#10 Learn Self-Defense

#11 Keep Yourself Fit

#12 Make Friends

That last point is very important. It is key to have a network of friends and family around the country that you could depend upon in a pinch.

For example, whoever would have imagined that nuclear radiation from Japan could potentially be a threat to those living along the west coast of the United States?

Hopefully what the government is telling us is true. Hopefully the amount of radiation that makes it over the Pacific will not be enough to seriously harm any of us, but it just shows that someday a crisis may arise that could require people to flee to another area.

So if someday a crisis like that arises, where would you and your family go?

When it comes to preparing for the worst, flexibility is the key.

And preparing for the worst does not have to be complicated. When you go to the store, pick up a couple extra items that you see on sale and store them away. Learn to grow a garden. Read blogs about prepping. Talk with your family and friends about what they would do in an emergency.

One of the keys is for all of us to learn from each other. None of us has all the answers.

The world can be a very cold, cruel place. Millions of people in Japan are finding that out right about now.

Someday you and your family could be caught right in the middle of a major crisis. When that happens, will you have plenty of food, water and supplies stored up or will you be scrambling to survive?

As the Japanese tsunami has shown, disaster can strike anywhere and at any time. The United States is certainly not immune.

Someday it will be our turn.

Will you be ready?

Reprinted with permission from the Economic Collapse Blog.

March 21, 2011

Copyright © 2011 Economic Collapse Blog