For all of you who prepared, whether for Y2K or for other reasons, who live in one of the areas that has been battered by ice storms, high snow falls or intense cold weather then NOW is the time to get out and sell the preparedness concept to your friends or neighbors who did not prepare.

Right now, when they may be feeling first hand the consequences of being caught unprepared they are more receptive to the idea than they may ever be again. If you are able and willing, the more you can help your neighbors or friends get through this period the more you'll be able to discuss with them how much better off they would have been if they had their own preparedness programs.

This is the teachable moment. Take advantage of it while it lasts to convince those around you to start thinking about what items they need to acquire and what skills they need to learn so the next time this happens (there will always be a next time) they'll be able to look out for themselves and perhaps even help someone else who is in need.

It was difficult to convince many people to prepare for Y2K because nothing like it had ever happened before and very few had any idea of what to expect. Winter storms, on the other hand, happen ever year and the effects and the methods to mitigate those effects are clear. Use the events of the moment to help lead those who did not understand before why each and every household should have at least a bare bones preparedness program in place.

Instead of just talking about the weather, they can do something about it. Don't miss your moment.

........Alan.

The Providence Cooperative - A great source of preparedness information

http://www.providenceco-op.com

-- A.T. Hagan (athagan@netscape.net), January 28, 2000

Answers

My apologies if I've offended anyone with what appeared to be an advertisement. I do, in fact, have a book that I'm advertising on that site but in the context of my original post above I intended for folks to find the Frequently Asked Question (FAQ's) files on various preparedness topics that I host there, including my own Prudent Food Storage FAQ which comprise about 85% of the site. They are free for the downloading and reading. Take a look, there's a lot there written by a lot of folks who have been many years in preparedness and survivalism. These are the FAQ's on the site, so far:

Threat Analysis (What are you preparing for?), Richard DeCastro

Prudent Food Storage FAQ, v3.5 A.T. Hagan

Water Treatment FAQ, v2.2 Patton Turner

Medical Treatment FAQ, v2.0 Craig Ellis

Emergency Water Treatment & Sanitation Handout Pages A.T. Hagan

Stored Food Pests FAQ, v1.0 Eric Richard Paulsen

Communications & Signaling FAQ, v1.12 Mike Medintz, editor

Bug-Out Bags v2.0 Mike Medintz

Metallurgy FAQ V 1.0 Drake H. Damerau

Generator FAQ V 1.0 Steve Dunlop ..........Alan.

-- A.T. Hagan (athagan@netscape.net), January 28, 2000.

we had a foot of snow since yesterday and more on the way. Most of my neighbors are snowed in and my dh has been out and about coming back home to ask if we have extra coffee, sugar, etc for so and so down the road. Of course we do. I know these folks will replace what we gave them once they can get to the store and that will be my time to suggest a storage program to them.

-- carol (glear@usa.net), January 28, 2000.

I have had an interest in preparation,(off and on at least), for over 20 years since first reading Mel Tappan's articles in Guns&Ammo. In today's newspaper here there is a cartoon of a man and his wife in their basement, trying to make it through the blizzrd. He is telling his wife that the y2k preps came in handy after all. They are surrounded by food, water, and fuel. In the 1993 blizzard here-my own preps came in quite handy, and folks in the Carolinas who have preped can attest to it's importance! He who laughs last-laughs best!

-- (Kasinefect@aol.com), January 28, 2000.