Whenever there is a natural disaster, news sources are dominated by reports, creating mass panic. For me, having moved to Florida’s Northeast coast less than two years ago, Hurricane Matthew in 2016 was a bit more personal. I have lived in the Midwest most of my life, so I was quite familiar with tornadoes. But I had never experienced — or prepared for — a hurricane.
Let’s just say that Matthew has taught me what such chaotic situations can mean to those of us who carry guns on a regular basis. You’ve probably heard the old axiom that “people pull together in tough times.” I’ll agree that for the vast majority of decent, law-abiding folks, that is absolutely true. But not for all. Natural disasters have a dark side.
Be Prepared
As Matthew demonstrated, hurricanes typically have a much longer warning time than the average tornado, from several days to a week or more. And potential effects are usually far more widespread than a tornado, including extended periods without electrical power, as well as food and fuel shortages.
Whenever there is an impending catastrophe, people everywhere seem to fall into roughly two categories: those who have prepared and those who haven’t. Most of my Palm Coast neighbors keep a ready supply of flashlights, batteries, bottled water and non-perishable food. Good precautionary measures no matter where one lives.
A fair number of people also have gas-powered generators, along with a supply of fuel. Thankfully, I took the advice of my neighbor across the street and bought one shortly after I moved in. So when the power went out and stayed out for quite a few days, I was happy we had it, plus two 5-gallon containers of (non-ethanol) gas. At least we had lights, hot coffee and the ability to use the microwave and run a portable fan.
In the Face of Disaster
But then there are those who don’t prepare. When disaster hits, they are the ones you see scrambling to buy all of the things that veterans of hurricanes already have on hand. But when supplies start to run low and all the stations have signs saying “NO GAS,” tempers can flare. Things can get ugly. It makes sense. Confrontations can occur in the best of times, but when people are panicked that they won’t have food or water, it’s even worse.
Palm Coast is an extremely “peaceful” city, but I talked to a couple of county sheriff deputies, and they said they’ve already had more than a few cases of situations becoming violent, including a stabbing over … beer.
And then there is the problem of looting. If ever there were an ugly side of humanity, stealing from people who have already had their homes destroyed or seriously damaged is particularly despicable. Thankfully, according to my law enforcement friends, in the city where I live, it has never been a problem. But looting can occur anywhere. And sometimes, the looters are armed.
From wildfires and mudslides in California to tornadoes in the Midwest to flooding in the Northeast, natural disasters are a fact of life. And for those of us who are legally armed, it pays to be even more alert and aware when they occur. We should also be particularly considerate toward others, remembering that fear and panic can make even the most civil people very dangerous.
Be prepared. Be safe.
