Understanding Distribution Could Save Your Life

If you are new to emergency preparedness planning for yourself or for your family, you may find it hard to understand why our government instructs us to have an emergency supply of no less than three days of food. They have a good reason. It all comes down to distribution. We recently had a record breaking snowstorm in Colorado, and what was the first thing the news began to report on? Grocery store food shortages and fear buying.

You might have also been intrigued with last night's episode of "Doomsday Preppers" which showcased an American trucker who mentioned how critical the trucking industry would be if a disaster would strike. Unfortunately, National Geographic missed the opportunity to really explain what would happen if our country suffered a breakdown in the distribution of goods.

In America, the majority of distribution across our country is done by the trucking industry. In fact, the American Trucking Associations states that nearly 70% of all commodities, including food, are moved by the commercial truck trade. So what does that mean to you and me if there's an emergency in our county or even in our country? It could mean the difference between life and death if commercial trucks have no access to distribute food and supplies to local businesses.


Think about it. If you and I can't access roads, neither can truckers. If they cannot get into your community, your local stores won't be able to restock their shelves. So if you do not prepare ahead of time by having emergency food and supplies on hand now before an emergency, you will definitely put yourself or your family members in danger of going without water, food or even help for medical needs.

Maybe you think a disaster would never hit your neighborhood. Maybe you think you have enough food and water on hand right now to get by for three days. Maybe you think if something bad did happen your neighbors or family would help you. That's a lot of maybe's to count on. Even the American Trucking Associations, not just FEMA, says don't count on maybe, but instead expect that there will be shortages in the time of a crisis and that if there was a terrorist attack or pandemic the government's restriction of trucker's movement could worsen an already dire situation. In my opinion, three days is a good start, but even that might not be enough.

Need a reason to begin preparing for an emergency? Don't just take my word for it, or FEMA's word for it, listen to the truckers who deliver the supplies that our entire country uses every day. Below are some of the main points the American Truckers Associations say you should expect to happen in the event of an emergency. Then read more, go here for the entire detailing of "When Trucks Stop, America Stops."

Their report states, "The American Trucking Associations researched seven key consumer industries to quantify the potential consequences of restricting or halting truck traffic in response to a national or regional emergency." Here's what their tells us to expect:

• Significant shortages will occur in as little as three days, especially for perishable
  items following a national emergency and a ban on truck traffic. Minor
  shortages will occur within one to two days.
• Consumer fear and panic will exacerbate shortages.
• Consumer behavior during emergencies triples the rate of inventory turn-over.
• Supplies of clean drinking water will run dry in two to four weeks.
• Without truck transportation, patient care within the truck stoppage zone will be
  immediately jeopardized.
• Hospitals and nursing homes will exhaust food supplies in as little as 24 hours.
• Pharmacy stocks of prescription drugs will be depleted quickly.
• Hospitals and other diagnostic and treatment facilities will exhaust supplies of
  radiopharmaceuticals and oxygen.
• Service station fuel supplies will start to run out in just one to two days.
• Within days of a truck stoppage, Americans will be literally buried in
  garbage with serious health and environmental consequences.
• Uncollected and deteriorating waste products create rich breeding grounds
  for microorganisms, insects, and other vermin. Hazardous materials and
  medical waste will introduce toxins as well as infectious diseases into living
  environments.
• Just-in-time manufacturers will shut down assembly lines within hours.
• ATM and branch bank cash resources will be exhausted quickly.
• Regular bank functions will cease.

Their detailing of what to expect is a wake up call for all of us, but it shouldn't make us panic. That's why we need to be ready now. We cannot wait until the storm is at our back door for us to run to the store. So don't fear the worst, just prepare for the worst so you are ready now for any emergency.

Sheltering at Home's Inaugural Blog Post

Today's the day, it's time to get blogging about our life as preppers and homesteaders. It's been in the works for a few months and now that the garden has been put to bed, the cover crop on the small bit of new tillage has been planted, and our winter stores of pickled relish and jams are now all put away we can finally get to blogging!

Our goal here is sharing. We're not experts, but we're experienced at what we'll share. We won't be selling anything or doing product recommendations, that's just not what we're about. (If you see ads on our blog, they are used to supplement our income solely to add to food storage and emergency supplies, and should not be considered an endorsement. We encourage everyone to research any company thoroughly before purchasing from them.) So Instead, we're hoping that by sharing our stories and preparations with other average American's like ourselves that we will help more  people realize that it is not that hard to be prepared for an unexpected circumstance if you just learn to incorporate "preparedness" or "prepping" into your daily life.

You might be surprised to know that the Red Cross says "only about 12% of Americans are reasonably prepared for a disaster." Maybe you are like how we were a few years ago. We were part of that majority of those families and individuals lacking in knowledge and preparation. We were probably a lot like you or someone you know, you think nothing bad could ever happen to you, that if you needed help maybe unemployment insurance, FEMA or the Red Cross will lend you a hand. Or maybe you lean toward what a Red Cross spokesman described as how many "think its too daunting, they don't know where to start or they do not have the time" to prepare for an emergency. Trust me, we've felt that way before, but after my husband lost his job a few years ago, after nearly losing our home, after 9/11 and Katrina, we quickly changed our minds. Just adding a few minutes a day in preparedness plans could help you and your family survive a disaster.

Our philosophy is that we do not prepare out of fear, we prepare out of our sense of duty. First and foremost is our duty to our family's livelihood and well being, then a duty to our neighbors who may need a helping hand. Disasters of any kind, whether it be a job loss, illness, blizzards, tornados, solar storms, or a terrorist attack, none of them will discriminate and all could have a devastating impact anywhere in the country. It will not matter if we're Democrats or Republicans, black or white, Buddhist or Christian, rich or poor, we will ALL be vulnerable. But we can lessen that impact by preparing and being self sustaining through food and water storage, making evacuation plans and emergency kits, learning to grow or make our own healthy food lessening our dependence on outside resources.

It might sound daunting, but believe me when I say it's not. What would be truly daunting, no the right word is devastating, seeing your children or loved ones go without water or food. So come along with us as we share with you what we're doing to keep our family safe in case of an unexpected emergency. We're all involved, me, my husband and our two sons. Stop by and visit again as you do more research, read other prepper and homesteading blogs like ours, watch videos, or read books. We hope you'll get digging and learning with us and share with us your ideas, recipes, gardening tips and emergency plans. We'll learn together from our own experiences and be stronger and fearless for doing it.

Finally, the Red Cross had a great campaign a few years ago, it said, "Do More Than Cross Your Fingers." That's just what we're doing. No finger crossing here, we're preparing, "prepping" our shelter at home.

P.S.
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