Have those of us who live in a city or suburb been lulled into a false sense of security that the government will take care of us, no matter what happens? I used to be. But major catastrophes like Hurricane Katrina and minor events like a recent boil-water alert in my town have taught me that if I don’t make preparations for those “What if?” days, I’m doomed.

Relying on government assistance and assuming that power will always be available and that potable water will flow through my faucets is wishful thinking. While I am definitely not in all-out survival mode, living in Florida and experiencing the loss of services because of hurricanes and just plain everyday occurrences like temporary power outages and possibly contaminated water warnings were wake-up calls that I can’t ignore.

A few years ago, three hurricanes blew through town. Power was out. Cell towers were down. I couldn’t cook, and I couldn’t even boil water. Supplies of ice never got to my neighborhood. Though it was all just an inconvenience, it was also an invaluable lesson.
With news reports of food riots around the globe and rationing of rice in some stores in the U.S., many people are starting to worry that food might be in short supply. Others, probably the majority, have seen astronomical price increases in basic commodities and have decided to stock up. Hoarding is not the way to go, but keeping a sufficient amount of non-perishables at home makes a lot of peace-of-mind and economic sense.

Each spring, Florida residents are reminded to update their hurricane preparedness kit. We are told to buy gallons of bottled water, canned and other ready-to-eat foods, flashlights, batteries, garbage bags and other items for the just-in-case days. We are supposed to stash away enough stuff to maintain our families for 2-4 weeks. For those with special needs, a power generator, fuel to run it and an ample supply of prescribed medicines are on the must-have list, too.

I’m not saying that the sky is falling. But I think we’re all at the point where it makes sense to put away some bottled water and some food staples. There are countless scenarios - computer glitches shutting down the power grid, manmade or naturally occurring disasters - that can result in an interruption of electric service and the unavailability of safe water and food.
With a track record that leaves a lot to be desired, can you count on the government when times get tough? I don’t think it’s worth the gamble.