California wildfires fuel fears about how to prepare for a disaster
Not anymore.
"Back then, people weren't so concerned. Now it's in the news daily. Earthquakes, fires, shootings, global warming. The frequency of the disasters here and across the world has gotten people aware, and they are starting to act on that awareness," says Skyler, who is in his 70s and lives in
Amid escalating threats of natural disasters, and in a polarized political climate rife with discord, it can feel like danger is coming at us from all sides. Many
Sales of emergency kits have risen five-fold nationally in the aftermath of the fires, according to SOS Survival Products.
"Whenever there is a new threat, people take new precautions," says owner Saif Raniji. "The important thing is that you don't want to have regrets. You don't want to look back and think that someone died because you weren't prepared."
People have their own definition of being prepared, from those who stash away a little food and water "just in case" to those who adopt the tools of hard-core "preppers" who are ready to survive a total breakdown in social structure and services. They want to make their own safe haven.
"It can quickly spiral of out control. In a big earthquake, you also get fires. The water lines are broken. There's no power, no water, no ATM, no gas," says Karste, a disaster preparation consultant who works with
"When you say prepper, people think you're a weirdo. I'm not planning for the apocalypse. I'm not a nut job and I don't have a crossbow," says the 65-year-old
Templeton grew up in a remote part of
"I'm a detail-oriented guy," says Templeton, who has backups for his backups. "It's about risk analysis. You have to assess what could go wrong. You always need a contingency plan. That's second nature for an engineer."
Earthquakes, fires, pandemics and civil unrest are on his list of concerns. He runs three miles a day to maintain a level of fitness so he can get home from his office on foot in a disaster. He admits many folks think he's crazy, but he sees preparing as the rational thing to do in a volatile world.
"It is a bit silly to live in a world where floods, earthquakes, fires, power outages, unemployment, currency devaluation and civil unrest exist and then assume that somehow it will never happen to you," says Smith-Crowley, 28, a law student at UC Hastings who lives in
Smith-Crowley, like many progressives, says he has felt more marginalized in the era of Trump. He joined a Liberal Preppers group because he believes his civil liberties are not as safe as they once were.
Fears of civil unrest are driving business for Skyler, who specializes in durable survival kits that meet his standards for quality. At home, his supplies include water purification, dehydrated food, first aid, solar radio, flashlights and solar panels that can recharge his personal electronics for at least one week. He likes to store stuff right near the front door of his condo in case he needs to grab and go.
"Civil unrest is a big deal right now. You've got racism, you've got economic inequality and the hate groups are on the rise. It could disrupt the flow of our basic necessities." says Skyler, who has spent years refining his gear. "I've got the complete set-up."
Smith-Crowley wishes he had more survival gear but he lives in his van, which makes finding space for supplies a bigger challenge. But he does have the basics: 72 hours worth of food and water, a fire extinguisher and a trauma kit. He's also participated in Community Emergency Response Training. When he has the time and money, he plans to add extra gas tanks and water storage. He fears many millennials have no contingency plans in a crisis.
"A lot of people my age are already hanging on by a thread," he says. "So they either don't expect a disaster to change much or they don't expect to be able to make it out of a disaster."
Many people, of course, have taken the time to stash some supplies together in the garage even if they don't have an elaborate crisis plan in place. But others remain woefully unprepared for a disaster. As
"In spite of driving right by a grass fire less than ten miles from my home, I still haven't even begun to prepare for an evacuation," says Boggs, 48. "I also lack the worry gene. I simply can't get worked up over the possibility of bad things happening to me. I don't think I'm immune to the natural tragedies of life, I just don't believe that I, or any of us, have much control."
While there is no way to guarantee survival in a catastrophe, experts say knowing that you can take care of yourself in a pinch will make many people feel safer.
"It's up to you," as Skyler puts it, "This is about the survival of your family. You've got to take responsibility into your own hands."
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