Emergency Preparedness

As we witness the wrath that nature can cause in the eastern United States, let us not forget our own preparations for future emergencies. These can come suddenly and often with little warning. Early preparation is the key. Do you have a 72-hour kit in a backpack ready to grab and run if there is an emergency evacuation? Do you have flashlights and batteries? Do you have food, water, and clothing to help you get through a prolonged period when food might be hard to find, or when you might be out

One of the most important reasons for being prepared with supplies of various kinds is to be able to help your neighbors. Mormons, though often ridiculed for having food storage, are often the ones able to help first when disaster strikes, somedays days before the Red Cross arrives. That was the case with Hurricane Andrew back when I lived in Georgia and was one of the thousands who participated in “Mormon Helping Hands” relief service in Homestead, Florida. Mormon experience in organizing through the Priesthood system also provides a remarkably effective way of organizing volunteers. It was a pretty amazing experience.

Be prepared, and ignore the mocking of idiots who don’t get it. Speaking of which, I find it distressing that in their zeal to be campaigners rather than journalists, MSNBC would stoop to mocking Mitt Romney for his efforts to help victims of Hurricane Sandy. There is plenty to mock in both political parties (perhaps even my third party of choice has its flaws), but mocking the efforts of a man who already gives millions to charity as “craven” and “lacking compassion”is a sad example of what political zeal does to distort the allegedly evenhanded media.

Those who object to Mormon “stockpiling” and our welfare and relief efforts also include religious opponents, some of whom have told me that it shows a lack of faith in God to prepare as we do. The rapture mentality will be deadly for those who think they will be spared from disaster and hunger in this world because they will be miraculously lifted up before trouble sets in. We’ve got trouble all over know, Trouble with a great big capital “T,” and more is blowing your way. Be prepared and be grateful for your Mormon neighbors. Rather than mock their efforts, join them and be part of the solution next time an emergency hits your neighborhood,

Author: Jeff Lindsay

9 thoughts on “Emergency Preparedness

  1. Hi Jeff, I read your blog often and find it very interesting. I must say that as I've been watching the storm in America on CNN I've gained a greater desire to be prepared, to have a bigger food and water storage and to be ready for power outages.

  2. It is interesting that years ago Mormon's were the only one's who had emergency preparedness and food storage, and over the years more and more non-Mormon's are following suit.

    People really do not realize how fast the LDS church moves, and contributes, during disasters all over the world.

    Good reminder.

  3. I would mock Romney myself. What he did was a cheap photo op. What the peop[le of the northeast need more than a can of beans and a blanket is federal assistance to clean up and rebuild, something Mr. Romney thinks is immoral, although he took federal money when he himself was governor.

  4. Anonymous,

    I missed that bit on the news where Romney said that the victims of the hurricane Sandy were immoral for accepting federal aid in this disaster. Do you have a reference because this will definitely affect my vote.

    Steve

  5. No one was "mocking Mitt Romney for his efforts to help victims of Hurricane Sandy." They were mocking him for staging such a blatant photo-op.

    When you collect food for the needy, it's charity. When you're a presidential candidate and you collect food for the needy, and you invite the TV cameras, and when you do it in a crucial swing state, it's politics.

    — Eveningsun

  6. TV cameras constantly follow Romney in the campaign, he didn't have to invite them.

    What Romney did is typical Mormonism, helping out in time of disaster. It was not a staged photo op. It's part and parcel of who and what he and other Mormons really are.

  7. After the Red Cross diverted a significant portion of our 911 donations to its general fund, I'm less inclined to give them cash. I wonder what percentage of Sandy donations will actually be spent in their relief.

    Mark Steele

  8. I loved your post! I agree we do need to be prepared now even more then ever. I heard some people who were interviewed about surviving Sandy. They said we were prepared for 3 days not a whole month. We need to have much more than a 72 hour kit. It could happen to anyone!

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