Many of our local clients know that I teach disaster preparation for local businesses and communities (MainStreetPreppers). I am also an active member of our local Community Emergency Response Team (CERT). The most popular of presentations I give is disaster prepping on a dime. Starting your disaster prep program is actually quite easy and not as daunting as you may think.

(Side note: Community Emergency Response Teams (CERTs) are local volunteer groups that are mobilized during large-scale emergencies and other community needs. Volunteers don’t need a medical background and are trained in a number of areas, included basic first aid, light search & rescue, and traffic/crowd management. The Arlington CERT volunteers spent hours manning vaccination sites and participating in events with large crowds such as the Marine Marathon. Take a moment to research your local CERT).

Ready.gov, which is managed by FEMA, is a great resource for people starting out their disaster prepping plans and supply list. The webpage recommends you have three days of supplies in case of disaster. This is because that’s about how many days it takes for government and charitable organizations to mobilize to a disaster area to provide assistance. I think three days is a great start and I recommend at least 30 days. Imagine a scenario where a disaster happens in your area. Local organizations will be on site to help, but with them will come lines. Really long lines. Plenty of unprepared people will be standing in line for water and food rations, or whatever other supplies are available. You may stand in line for hours to get rations, and they will only last you for a couple days, so you’ll soon be standing in long lines again. Imagine standing in the searing heat or freezing cold for hours upon hours just to get a few bottles of water and meal kits.

I hope this is motivation enough to start stocking up now. No need to go nuts. Start your disaster supply by purchasing a little extra each time you go to the grocery store. A couple extra boxes of pasta or canned goods will soon add up. And don’t forget the hot sauce! As I tell participants in my disaster prep presentations, just because it’s the apocalypse doesn’t mean you have to be miserable!