Are You Prepared To Take On Mother Nature?

You know, I once saw a commercial with a neighborhood's meteorologist getting hammered with tomatoes by the locals. I'll admit I chuckled upon seeing everyone on the block carrying umbrellas despite the clear blue skies and the beaming sun. Apparently, the poor weatherman had forecasted a day of heavy rain and looming thunder. I sympathized with the now tomato-tainted man because it was obvious that his barometer and weather satellites had failed him. Or maybe not! As we're all aware, Mother Nature can be unpredictable and even the resources and technology of our present world can't keep her from treading on her warpath. You see, Mother Nature is the epitome of a woman...when she's beautiful, she's very beautiful and when she's ugly...oh is she ugly!

Case in point, Hurricane Katrina that devastated New Orleans Louisiana, the Tsunami that left thousands dead in India, Thailand, Indonesia, and Sri Lanka and 2004's earthquake that hit northern Sumatra with an astonishing death toll of 300,000 (minimum).

Reading that last paragraph probably gave you goose bumps. No? Well then, you're a lot braver than I! The natural disasters that result from Mother Nature's wrath are in a league all their own...some provoking us mercilessly, others taunting us...and all of them leaving behind their footprints.

Although we can't prevent natural disasters from occurring (if only!), we can prepare ourselves to safely handle them when they strike. Here are a few things you can do to begin preparation:

1- Research your area/town/city/state to see if it's vulnerable to specific disasters

2- Sit down with your family and devise a Plan of Emergency

3- Utilize your resources (i.e. informative sites such as www.survivalgearsource.com which include articles and an array of apparatus such as Survival Kits, Search & Rescue tools, etc.)