What We "Should Have" Done...

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What We "Should Have" Done...

This is not a post about how we used preparedness skills or supplies during a severe weather experience. This is a post about how we "should have" used preparedness skills and supplies. I have made an effort to begin a storage solution at home, but I left one major hole...


Christmas Eve we had a blizzard move through our area. I'm sure everything in our tiny rural town was closed, but I wouldn't know because the kids and I were holed up in our cozy house. That is, until the power went out mid-morning. Never fear; we have plenty of extra blankets, a good store of food, everything we needed to stay comfortable for a decent period of time. The heavy snowfall was entirely unheard of in our area and I knew it wouldn't last, so I wasn't the least bit worried. What I failed to properly consider was my husband. He had gone to work just as the snow began to fall that morning, and I hadn't thought beyond making sure he arrived at the office safely.

One of the hazards of living in a tiny rural town is that "the office" is 30 miles away in the nearest city, and there are only 2 routes between us and them: "the highway" and "the back way". The highway is clearly the safest way to go in the snow, as our back roads and rural routes are not known for being high on the priority list for the snowplows. It never occurred to any of us that Daddy might not make it home for Christmas Eve.

Not half a mile after getting onto the highway proper he encountered a "snag". What it turned out to be, we found out hours later when he was still sitting in exactly the same spot, was a 4 semi pileup. He spent all that night, and all of Christmas Day, and then another night, sitting in the car on that snowbound highway. It took that long for the city and the National Guard to clear the road.


I'd like to tell you that he had everything he needed in the car to make the experience...not comfortable exactly, but bearable. I'd like to tell you that, but our 3-day emergency car kit with everything possibly necessary for at least basic survival in a handy backpack was not in the car. It was conveniently stashed under my desk at the time. I'd like to tell you that he at least had a blanket in the car. I'd like to tell you that we'd even considered the possibility of being stranded somewhere other than our home. We were prepared for being housebound, but not for being carbound. He spent a miserable 48 hours out there in the snow, and not just because he was away from home and family for Christmas.

I have learned to expand our preparations for other eventualities, and I am devoting time and energy this year to building our storage and skills. Oh, and the 3-day car kit is now in the back of the car. :)

Amanda, Texas