Written by Bernie Carr
Now that we are in the fall season, the weather is getting cooler and the holidays are almost upon us. But instead of getting ready for Halloween and Thanksgiving soon after, people have their minds on preparing.
I was thinking it was just people in my circle, based on comments in social media. But according to an article in USA Today, people across the country are preparing for another supply disruption.
Slightly more than half of Americans in a recent poll from Sports and Leisure Research Group, Engagious and ROKK Solutions, say they already have or plan to stockpile food and other essentials. The chief reason: fears of a resurgent pandemic, which could lead to disruptions such as new restrictions on businesses. On Oct. 2, the number of COVID-19 cases in the USA was its highest in almost two months.
SOURCE: USA TODAY
Back in July, I had written about a possible second wave of COVID-19, and encouraged everyone to consider
- What supplies did you run out of quickly
- Take inventory of what you have now.
- Stock up on entertainment and comfort items
- Replenish your first aid kit.
Not only are we still in the midst of a pandemic, we are also facing the cold and flu season.
Election fears
Also the majority of people are preparing due to concerns about COVID-19, a number of people are also worried about the upcoming elections. We have already seen riots, de-funded police departments and areas being taken over by lawlessness. Truckers may not deliver to areas that have de-funded police departments which may cause supply disruptions.
Many police departments are preparing for election night unrest.
Now, with a contentious election just a month away and with a nation bitterly divided, police are again preparing for protests across the state. Agencies in at least four major cities — Austin, El Paso, San Antonio and Fort Worth — confirmed they are planning for potential unrest around the Nov. 3 election. Officials in other Texas cities declined to say whether they’re doing the same.
Source: Chron.com
Should you prepare for another supply disruption?
My readers know this blog is non-political; I share news that has the potential of having an impact on our personal circles. I would say being prepared, no matter what the circumstances is just being prudent.
It would not hurt to pick up a few extra supplies each time you go grocery shopping. Even though shelves have been restocked – I’ve been seeing more toilet paper and anti-bacterial gel – it’s hard to say if they will stay that way. We’ve already seen what happens when people start panic-buying. Back in March and April, the people I know who had been preparing did not not need to panic buy.
This year has been quite turbulent – fears and worries are at an all-time high. Being prepared will also help you cope with anxieties about what the future holds.
The final word
There is no need to panic – just be aware and mindful of what worked and what didn’t work for you during the height of the lockdowns. We don’t know what’s going to happen, all we can do is be prepared for what might happen.
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About the author:
Bernie Carr is the founder of Apartment Prepper. She has written several books including the best-selling Prepper’s Pocket Guide, Jake and Miller’s Big Adventure, The Penny-Pinching Prepper and How to Prepare for Most Emergencies on a $50 a Month Budget. Her work appears in sites such as the Allstate Blog and Clark.com, as well as print magazines such as Backwoods Survival Guide and Prepper Survival Guide. She has been featured in national publications such as Fox Business and Popular Mechanics. Learn more about Bernie here.
Here’s a link to an article (an as-yet unpublished book chapter, actually) that lists flashlights, by brand and part number, requiring just one battery — one D, one AAA, etc. Say you have a blackout. But your flashlight is dead. You do scare up some batteries from the toothbrush or the kids’ toys . . . but you don’t have a flashlight that uses the size battery that you found. This (free) article on YouTube can help solve that problem. It’s entitled “Cheap Emergency Lighting.” The listing begins at 2:18. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kv7Bx6usT-g
Having a flashlight that only needs one battery that you can “borrow” from another gadget is helpful. Thanks for the link Ron!
Hi Bernie — I really enjoy your website. It has lots of good information, and I like that it’s non-political. It would be helpful if you’d put dates on your articles when they’re published, to give them some context. For example, I don’t know if the article on possible pork shortages is recent, or dates from 6 or more months ago. Don’t want to fill the freezer with ham if it’s not in short supply! Thanks, keep up the good work.
Hi Maineiac, I am glad you like the blog! I believe everyone should be prepared, regardless of political leanings 🙂 The post about pork prices was written a few months ago, but prices have continued to rise since then. A while back COVID caused a lot of supply disruptions when people in the processing plants were getting sick. In some cases, the actual price may not rise, but the quantity in the package is much less or has a lot more fat than before.
I recently changed my theme; thanks for the suggestion, will work on that. I appreciate the comment.