Family Survival Planning

Now more than ever, we need to be "spiritually" prepared for the end-time crisis that looms before us.  However, in addition, our families will continue to have daily needs for fresh water, food and shelter in the months and years ahead.  The stressful aftermath of recent disasters, with more to come, remind us how important it is to be prepared for family survival when the basics like water, food and fuel are hard to obtain.  

In the last days, pandemics will spread across our planet, nuclear war and bloodshed will increase, earthquake and other natural disasters will multiply, while the bubble economies of the world will collapse. Rioting and social disorder will escalate, while supplies and transportation will be greatly compromised.  Store shelves will be emptied without notice, as fear overtakes the population.  Even if supplies are available in stores, you will not want to expose yourself or your family members to the pandemic threat by venturing into the public arena.

Below are sources of survival planning you will find invaluable. Look them over, decide on a plan that works for you, and immediately get to work on the plan.  As hard as it is to think of these things, it is appropriate to be buying supplies and making preparations (100 Items to Disappear First.pdf). We spend hundreds of dollars each year to buy life, auto, health and homeowner's insurance as a hedge against a possible future loss.  Think of your stored supplies as insurance against a possible future loss of the basics of life.  Quietly, but meticulously, collect supplies and put them in storage.  When everyone else is panicking, you will already be prepared for hard times, and ready to serve the Lord in generosity and in whatever capacity He asks of you.

So, what would happen if a series of crisis's escalates quickly? What if transportation trucks in America stopped running? What would life look like?  According to a report published by the American Trucker Associations entitled “When Trucks Stop, America Stops“, life would get “apocalyptic” quite rapidly…

A Timeline Showing the Deterioration of Major Industries Following a Truck Stoppage

The first 24 hours

• Delivery of medical supplies to the affected area will cease.
• Hospitals will run out of basic supplies such as syringes and catheters within hours. Radiopharmaceuticals will deteriorate and become unusable.
• Service stations will begin to run out of fuel.
• Manufacturers using just-in-time manufacturing will develop component shortages.
• U.S. mail and other package delivery will cease.

Within one day

• Food shortages will begin to develop.
• Automobile fuel availability and delivery will dwindle, leading to skyrocketing prices and long lines at the gas pumps.
• Without manufacturing components and trucks for product delivery,
 assembly lines will shut down, putting thousands out of work.

Within two to three days

• Food shortages will escalate, especially in the face of hoarding and consumer panic.
• Supplies of essentials—such as bottled water, powdered milk, and
 canned meat—at major retailers will disappear.
• ATMs will run out of cash and banks will be unable to process
 transactions.
• Service stations will completely run out of fuel for autos and trucks.
• Garbage will start piling up in urban and suburban areas.
• Container ships will sit idle in ports and rail transport will be disrupted, eventually coming to a standstill.

Within a week

• Automobile travel will cease due to the lack of fuel. Without autos and busses, many people will not be able to get to work, shop for groceries, or access medical care.
• Hospitals will begin to exhaust oxygen supplies.

Within two weeks

• The nation’s clean water supply will begin to run dry.

Within four weeks

• The nation will exhaust its clean water supply and water will be safe for drinking only after boiling. As a result gastrointestinal illnesses will increase, further taxing an already weakened health care system.

This timeline presents only the primary effects of a freeze on truck travel. Secondary effects must be considered as well, such as inability to maintain telecommunications service, reduced law enforcement, increased crime, increased illness and injury, higher death rates, and likely, civil unrest.

Sadly, most people have made absolutely no preparations for a major crisis of this magnitude. They just have complete and total faith that the system will always be able to take care of them. Someday when we do experience a great crisis, those people will be totally blindsided by it.