Unprepared
Be prepared. That is the Boy-Scout motto. I grew up with that motto as my mum was a Boy Scout leader as long as I can remember. I was a Brownie then a Guide and then a Beaver Leader. I knew how to be prepared. I learned early in life how to tie knots, light a fire, camp in the winter, how to fish (and even hunt). In our log house on the lake we all learned how to go days without power or water, cooking over the open flames of the fireplace, using the outhouse in the depths of winter, wearing everything you owned to bed. This is how I grew up. I should know how to be prepared.
Prepared - I was not - I learned as soon as we had no power due to the ice storm. I could not find a flashlight that worked, I had no extra water on hand, my cell phone was nearly dead, and there was next to no gas in the car. These are the very basics that I should have been prepared for after days of warnings on 680 news. As the house was getting colder I was trying to remember something I had read on the internet about how to heat a room with candles (that didn't do me much good since I could not look it up).
I am in the suburbs so I know help from neighbours or community services are always close at hand, but I do believe that everyone should be prepared with food and water for at least 72 hours. Especially when there are others who will need the assistance of emergency shelters and services more than others. I know how to survive, but I felt a bit lost for that first little while of being without the thing we all take for granted - electric power. While we were certainly not as hard hit as many this was a bit of a wake up call.
Prepared - I was not - I learned as soon as we had no power due to the ice storm. I could not find a flashlight that worked, I had no extra water on hand, my cell phone was nearly dead, and there was next to no gas in the car. These are the very basics that I should have been prepared for after days of warnings on 680 news. As the house was getting colder I was trying to remember something I had read on the internet about how to heat a room with candles (that didn't do me much good since I could not look it up).
I am in the suburbs so I know help from neighbours or community services are always close at hand, but I do believe that everyone should be prepared with food and water for at least 72 hours. Especially when there are others who will need the assistance of emergency shelters and services more than others. I know how to survive, but I felt a bit lost for that first little while of being without the thing we all take for granted - electric power. While we were certainly not as hard hit as many this was a bit of a wake up call.
Maybe it's time to install a wood stove.
Comments