Paranoid Or Prepared?

by
posted on September 8, 2014
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
gsagi2015_fs.jpg (1)

All of the gloomy forecasts beg a serious question. Are you and your family more prepared, mentally and materially, than you were on Sept. 10, 2001?

Call it paranoid, I don’t care. However, there’s a preponderance of scientific evidence that indicates hurricanes, fires, earthquakes and floods actually claim the lives of innocent victims every year. Even a little preparation for them is smart, and most of what you do will help if those gloomy terrorism predictions happen to come true. And, it doesn’t have to break the bank.

Self-defense can become a critical component, as evidenced by Hurricane Katrina. If you’re at work when the unthinkable happens and you’ve left your carry gun at home, good luck getting back to it. And, does your family have the training to protect themselves while you’re away? I’m not talking about super-tactical, mall-ninja moves—just being able to load and run a gun safely and a firm understanding of the lawful use of a firearm in a life-threatening situation. Does your spouse have the combination to the gun safe?

Have a plan. Sheltering in place is usually the best until authorities tell you to leave. Unfortunately, tornadoes can hit town when the kids are at school and someone is at the grocery store. Cell towers go down, lose power or overload with calls, so it may be impossible to punch a signal through. Having an established rally point (like your home) makes sense and knowing your first move in emergency is a great way to ditch that helpless feeling.

Keep your gas tank as close to full as possible. You won’t be filling up if the lights are out.

Floods and evildoers can contaminate water supplies. How many days can your family survive on the supply currently in your house? Do you have enough in your vehicle to make a long walk home if the roads are blocked? Bottled water is cheap. Cleaned and repurposed two-litter soda bottles filled with tap water before an emergency even cheaper.

Dryer lint is a better fire starter than napalm. Score a free matchbook whenever you can and add it to your watertight supplies. Don’t ditch all those old-school board games. The kids will appreciate beating you at Monopoly when the power’s off. Invest in an extra propane tank for the grill. Slowly increase non-perishable food supplies your family likes and rotate as expiration dates approach.

Sept. 11, 2001, proved there are sick people out there who don’t care who they kill or how they do it. I, for one, don’t think I could stand up to a rogue band of trained terrorists bent on sending me to my grave, but I do think I’m better prepared to survive in their aftermath than I was 13 years ago. How about you?

(Image Courtesy FEMA)

Latest

.308 Win.
.308 Win.

Handloads: A Quiet .308 Win. For Large-Format Pistols

Of the many commercial .308 Winchester loads, few, if any, are designed for barrels shorter than 16". The one that follows helps address this gap while remaining simple to suppress and light on the wrists.

Court Approves Watchtower Firearms DIP Financing

Watchtower Firearms was granted final approval for debtor-in-possession (DIP) financing by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Texas in late June.

Review: Ruger LC Carbine In 10 mm Auto

Following the success of its .45 ACP-chambered LC Carbine, Ruger realized that this platform would go a long way toward making the 10 mm Auto more controllable and fun to shoot, and a new 10 mm version was released in 2024.

The Armed Citizen® July 14, 2025

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

Favorite Firearms: A Little Stevens From Chicago

"Over the next five or six years, and before I went off to college, I fired hundreds and hundreds of rounds of .22 BB Caps, CB Caps, Shorts and Longs through this rifle."

Preview: Strike Industries T-Bone Charging Handle

The T-Bone from Strike Industries is an ideal fit for suppressed applications, as it can be configured by the user to redirect gas blowback entirely to either side ...

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.