Record breaking winter snow storms… they might be extreme, but should they really be crippling cities across the country?
The Drudge Report is splashed with warnings to “shelter in place,” while reporting that food is running out, and grocery stores shelves have been wiped out. The East Coast is on the brink.
But should they be?
Here is a live exercise reminder that the system can and will break down in an instant. The population is simply not ready for a major emergency. Hopefully you are; but they just aren’t.
This is just a blizzard – it may be a worst-in-history snow storm driven by media frenzy– but it IS expected to pass through after a day or two. Aside from a few power outages and street repairs, things will hopefully be back to normal. It could get worse, but that remains to be seen.
Nonetheless, if these pictures of store shelves are any evidence, society is not equipped for even the most basic crisis:
Shelves starting to empty at Giant on H St. in D.C. Water mostly gone, eggs & milk too. #snowmaggedon2016 pic.twitter.com/LYCsRywDSu — Jessica Estepa (@jmestepa) January 21, 2016
#HouseOfCarbs this weekend. #snowmaggedon2016 @washingtonian @WTOP pic.twitter.com/IOb5rmOhWY
— Kim Michael (@kstansbu) January 21, 2016
If you don’t have your food & groceries yet I feel sorry for you. #Blizzard #Jonas #Snow #snowstorm #snowstormjonas pic.twitter.com/APrRNKwoae — EzLeeInfamous (@EzLeeInfamous) January 20, 2016
This is what the 17th street Harris Teeter looks like right now. #dcsnow #PANIC. They still have eggs though! pic.twitter.com/svamxlEc3Q — Maura Judkis (@MauraJudkis) January 21, 2016
Right now, the worst panic shopping is sweeping the D.C. area, but it is evident that this could happen in any major city along the East Coast, or indeed, across the country in the right set of unfortunate circumstances. Adan Salazar of Infowars, who rounded up these photos from Twitter, reported:
Concerned shoppers worried about spending days snowed indoors have hit grocery stores hard leaving empty shelves in their wake, hours before a massive snowstorm is due for the northeastern United States. A few inches of snow have already piled up in places like Washington DC causing havoc, but forecasters predict Winter Storm Jonas could be a “historic storm” that will bring 50 to 60mph winds and more than two feet of snow.
Best of all, Salazar included this helpful tip on making the most of your fridge to keep food cold for an extended short-term period in the event of an outage.
The USDA has tips to keep your food at optimal temperatures in case your fridge breaks down:
If you’ll be affected by the #winterstorm, stay safe! Use our tips to minimize food loss & risk of illness #blizzard pic.twitter.com/rx21fSWizd — USDA Food Safety (@USDAFoodSafety) January 21, 2016
All it takes is a bad storm not only shuts down the supply chain, and empties store shelves, but it brings panic with people under-supplied and ready for almost nothing. People are already on their knees, and the situation hasn’t even counted to “3” yet.
As this Twitter use pointed out, we haven’t reached the point of the end of the world here, but some people are acting like it.
Well now this is ridiculous. Empty bread shelves? It’s only #snowmaggedon2016. Not Armageddon. pic.twitter.com/3SOeO35v3M
— Hank Silverberg (@HankSilverberg) January 21, 2016
Of course, we’re not talking about preppers who have stocked up well in advance, and made plans for such disasters. We’re talking about the short sighted, panicky general public, whose madness threats to unravel us all if things went much further than a snow storm.
How much worse would things get if a major weather event were coupled with political unrest, or riots.
Read more:
The Prepper’s Blueprint: Every thing you need to prepper in one volume
When You Lose Power this Winter, Here’s What You’ll Need
Winter Homesteading: A Must-Read Guide to Staying Ahead
10 Prepping Mistakes That Could Get You Killed (And How To Avoid Them)
What Do You Prep For: Common Personal Disasters
Prepping for the Financially Challenged: A One Month Survival Plan For Under $300
