No more hiding under the desk

Survival has come a long ways since the 1950s when we were supposed to believe that hiding under our school desk would somehow protect us from a Russian nuclear attack.

Talk about a sturdy desk!

Survival has become big business. For example, there's a company in the Pacific Northwest called The Survival Center. It offers a huge fully-stocked submarine-type structure that it will bury on your property. It will keep a group of five safe from every outside threat imaginable for a long time.

Hope those five people get along OK.

I have no idea what the price tag may be. I suspect it's like owning a yacht: If you have to ask what the price is, you probably can't afford it.

I also see that some companies offer survival food – MREs (Meals Ready to Eat) – with a hefty price tag. Some sell in the $6.50 range per meal. Give me the 15-cent Top Ramen.

Fortunately for most of us, surviving means mostly having to get by without electricity for a relatively short period of time.

And we've all seen those lists: Water, batteries, radio, matches, etc., etc.

In spite of our urgings, our children still don't keep an adequate supply of drinking water and emergency foods on hand.

In case of a typical emergency, there's no place like home. We have about 20 gallons of drinking water. We have a camp stove with two dozen or so propane cylinders. We have rice and beans and canned goods. Also matches, batteries and all that stuff.

I have read that food in the freezer will last 48 hours or less without electricity.

That means if we lost power today, Fairy and I would have to dine on salmon, shrimp, escargot and mahi-mahi for the next two days.

I also read that municipal water systems are designed to keep water flowing for extended periods.

So, it would be hot in the summer and cold-ish in the winter. But, given the choice, I think I would prefer that to a cot in a school gym.

So that brings us back to having an escape hatch in case of the really big emergency when all services are lost and mob rule become a real danger.

I wonder if Fairy is having any luck.