I have a relative with a fancy house in a upscale location, 3 freezer filled with food in case of an emergency. She even has a generator. I was there visiting when a storm hit. The power went out which meant all the lights went out. She found 2 small candles. The hubby went to start the never- been-used generator. Oops - the only gas was half a gallon in the lawn mower. It took awhile to syphon some gas. He got the generator going. Oops, he can’t use it in the garage because of the fumes. It’s pouring rain outside. He opened the garage door and started the generator. He then had to find an extension cord and found none. He rolled the generator back into the garage, left the garage door open and having only 2 electric outlets plugged in only 2 refrigerators. Fumes filled the garage but what else can you do?
Someone soon said “how come the toilets aren’t flushing? With no water and no water pump you get one flush till it comes on or you go out and fill the toilet water tank with a bucket. They didn’t have any stored water so that was not an option. They had an all electric kitchen so no cooking was possible. The hubby started up the BBQ and half way cooking the rapidly defrosting fancy steaks he ran out of propane. He was drinking the beer because that’s no good warm. Just about then the generators ran out of gas and stopped. The 2 candles had burned down and went out. This really happened. I was there. It was all quiet. No electricity, 1 refrigerator, 2 big freezers getting warm, the dark house getting cold, no working toilets and bored kids demanding to watch TV. This is not a good time to start a self sufficiency program
I was there visiting in my self sufficient solar powered motorhome. I asked if they wanted to come out there but I think they were too embarrassed to do so. I put on a nice meal, watched a video and went to bed heated with an electric blanket, took a hot shower in the morning then went in to see how the socialites were doing. Hubby got in the car to go get more gas but a big tree was blocking the road. He got out with his 5 gallon gas can and walked 2 and half miles to the gas station. There was 80 people in line ahead of him. After waiting an hour they ran out of gas and he walked back to his car. Could he even have carried five gallons/45 pounds of gas back?
Unprepared people waste valuable time and are in misery trying to play catchup. The hubby also left the wife and kids vulnerable when he left for several hours. If you are prepared a “disaster” is not a big deal or even noticeable. You have everything you need all ready in place. You have a gas refrigerator, stove and heating system and plenty of backup fuel. Flashlights, candles, lanterns, water, backup water, more backup water, food, well stocked backup food pantry. You have plenty of blankets, you have solar electricity backup with batteries and low wattage appliances. Have the kids each be significantly trained to cook, clean, and help out. It’s only a disaster when you aren’t ready for it.
