Staff Writer, DL Mullan
Preparedness / Community Interest_______________________________
To be fair, preppers aren't crazy. Some are a little extreme, but as the world gets more insane, people's behavior tends to sway toward Newton's Third Law: "For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction."
So a few people push that envelope. For the rest of us on a budget, what does preparedness mean?
FEMA has a good manual online except for the duration of your stockpile. The government states a person should have enough food, water, and necessities for two weeks. It's like FEMA has never been involved with a natural catastrophe before.
Preppers prepare for years. FEMA says a fortnight. What's the real deal?
You ought to have an emergency fund equal to your minimum monthly expenses times at least three months, and preferably six months, and keep it to be stashed where you can get at least a large fraction of within one business day. It's one of the basic rules of personal finance for good reasons.
So if financial consultants say three to six months, but six is better for back up finances, then logic should suggest three to six months worth of goods should be in that equation too.
So in an emergency, you will have money for bills and necessities for stability.
Now, don't we all feel better?
Source: FEMA, The Physics Classroom,
