What Kind of Emergencies Should I Prepare For? test
Note: This blog is a continuation of a prior one titled How Big Should My Emergency Fund Be?. Take a look and read that one first before diving into this one.
Most of us living in America today do not think much about preparing for contingencies because we are blessed to live in a stable, developed democracy. Although interruptions to supply chains and the electrical grid are not common, we should still prepare to provide for our families when things go south. This article builds on our prior discussion about emergency funds and expands on broader emergency preparedness.
We will discuss how Christians should prepare for disruptions in food, water, electricity, and transportation.
Food
If COVID-19 has taught us something about being prepared, it is that disasters, natural or human-made, can easily disrupt modern conveniences and ready access to food and home supplies. As a regular practice, families should implement a food buffer or food pantry that could feed their families for one to three months. A few options include dry emergency food buckets, canned goods (make sure you have an old fashion can opener that doesn’t require electricity!), dry beans, rice, quinoa, jerky. You may need an extra refrigerator and freezer for meats, fruits, and vegetables.
Such preparation will likely require substantial planning, storage space, and refrigeration to prevent food from spoiling. Nobody thought that we would go weeks with meat shortages at grocery stores or that toilet paper would be so difficult to come by! Having a stash of toiletries, hygiene products, and cleaning supplies would supplement your food reserves to ensure you will lack nothing in the event of another pandemic-like event or disaster.
Water
Clean drinking water is a resource we often take for granted, yet so essential to life that going without it even for a day can turn into a messy situation (literally and figuratively). It is advisable to have at least a week’s water supply readily available in proper containers to prevent spoiling. Should your city water be interrupted or your well water be contaminated, you can wait a few days until local authorities or service providers come to your aid and correct the situation.
Electricity
Just about everything necessary in your home needs electricity to run. If you live in an area of the country prone to hurricanes, earthquakes, or other phenomena that may affect the electrical grid, you likely have a backup generator to keep the lights on. This emergency tool is particularly important if you have a substantial part of your food stash frozen or refrigerated since food can spoil quickly. Something else worth mentioning is that modern gas stoves require electricity to operate as a safety measure, so even if you have gas cooking at home, your appliances may not work without electricity.
Our high dependency on electronic devices also requires additional preparation to ensure you can charge phones and computer equipment quickly. Having uninterruptible power supplies or power banks can make a difference if having a generator is not an option.
Transportation
People who have gas-powered lawn equipment are familiar with having a small cache of fuel handy. It may not hurt to have a few gallons of gas at the ready to refill your tank in case storms, or other disasters prevent gas stations from distributing fuel. You will likely need to maintain some fuel at hand if you have a generator anyways, so consider those two needs before determining how much to purchase.
Disclaimer: Improperly storing fuel in your home is dangerous and could lead to fires or explosions. Please follow expert advice and insurance policy guidelines before storing any combustible materials in or near your home.
Wrapping up
Preparation for life eventualities goes beyond having a cash emergency fund. By investing a small amount of money upfront and tweaking our behaviors, we can learn from others worldwide who consistently deal with these interruptions and have adapted to overcome them.
Leo Marte is a Christian financial advisor and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™. Abundant Advisors provides financial advice for Christians with convenient virtual meetings. Let’s talk if you are ready to make the next move.