Ladies, have you ever put a bandaid in your purse in case you get a blister? Hmm, yeah, me too. How about making sure you had cash in your wallet even when your date insists he'll be paying for dinner? Have any of you guys ever put a $20 bill in the visor just in case.

I hate to break this to you....but, you're a Prepper. The only difference between you and "those" guys on the Doomsday shows is that they aren't afraid to take notes when someone suggests a new way to prepare.

As for me, I've been prepping to prep for my entire life. Born an Army Brat, I was fortunate to grow up in varying countries and cultures. My father has always had an attitude of Prep. In countries such as Turkey, we only had electricity or water for a limited number of hours each day. Any country we lived in had the potential for civil unrest where Americans could be targeted. We never lived in fear. We traveled and enjoyed each culture. However, we stayed aware of our surroundings and we kept plans in mind if we needed to avoid a potentially dangerous situation.
As for my mother, her sister and my grandmother, they are all nurses. Keeping a well stocked First Aid kit, and knowing how to use it, proved to just be smart. I grew up enjoying hiking and backpacking, and have finally settled in the Gulf Coast region of Texas.

Did you see the news about riots in "civilized" countries like France? That's a long way from here, though, right? How about the earthquake in Haiti?  Still - not here in the good ol' U.S. of A!

Do you realize that many people in Florida were without power for three months during the summer of 2004?

It is bad enough that so many people lost their homes in the aftermath of Katrina. It was the lack of preparing that caused many to lose their lives in the rising waters. The panic of knowing their families had no food or shelter which led to the looting. A minimal supply of 3 days worth of food, water, and an overnight bag worth of clothes packed and ready to go could have alleviated much of the chaos.

It's not enough that your neighbor, or family member has a few extra cans tucked away. It is my responsibility to provide for my family - and that responsibility does not end if an emergency happens. Then, more than any other times in their life, will my children look to me to keep them fed, clothed and protected.

The point, here, is that there are more reasons to prep than not to prep. Do your civic duty, your parental duty. Don't end up a wide-eyed bystander hoping someone will show up with a Red Cross truck. It might take them a bit.

A.G.