Snowmageddon 2015...Kentucky Under the Gun

The snowfall began here on the homestead just after dawn.  It was an odd snow, more pellet-like than anything.  The snow continued throughout the day and night until we accumulated several inches.  As I write, the total accumulation is 6.5 inches here.  Nearby counties are reporting upwards of 13 inches and more.  According to predictions, this storm has the chance to be historical and set records.  We haven't seen the likes of this since the 1990s.  Temperatures are supposed to drop in the negatives.

Snowfall in Fayette County, KY.
Photo courtesy of Jayme G, Facebook.

While we are safe and cozy here in our home, there may be some who are not so lucky.  My heart goes out to them.  Temperatures are supposed to get as low as -14 degrees and I know there are those who are not prepared even in the best of circumstances, let alone should the power go out.  That is the reason I started this blog.  I want to give others the opportunity to be better prepared for situations before they arise.

Apple tree on the homestead

Long before this storm was forecast, we have been preparing.  We have built up a small food storage and made plans for what we would do in various scenarios.  Having recently been laid off my job, I am currently experiencing a personal disaster.  However, it is one that we have prepared for as best we could under the circumstances.  Little by little, we have purchased food ahead to last a while.  And, we garden, can, dehydrate and store.  Granted, our food supply isn't made up of luxury foods, it consists of canned vegetables, wheat, rice, etc. 

When we heard that the storm was a certainty, we discussed our options, developed a plan and put it in action.

We asked ourselves a few questions:

1.  Do we have sufficient food to carry us over for a week?  As I stated above, we have a small food storage, so we determined that we would have sufficient food, that would not have to be cooked, to last at least a week.

2.  What will we do if the power goes out?  We have oil lamps and extra oil.  We have emergency candles.  We also have a small generator that we pulled out and started it to make sure it was still running.  We took our gas jugs and stocked up on gasoline.  We had been out of town for the past year working, so gas was not available in our immediate storage.  This will be used to run a small heater to fend off the cold until power can be restored. 

Since temperatures are supposed to be in the negatives, we made sure every crack and crevice is sealed and has plastic or a blanket over it.  We needed to conserve as much heat as possible.  It is going to be cold.

3.  What happens in a illness?  We have some minor medical supplies and medications.  If something outside our control happens, we may well have to rely on emergency services to make it out.  

Roads here in Kentucky tonight.
Photo courtesy of Laurel Co. Ky Sheriff's Office.

If nothing extraordinary happens, we should be able to hunker down and stay warm.  Since I have been laid off, we don't have to be out on the roads for anything.  Most places are closing down right now anyway.  Local sheriff's office has requested we stay off the roads. As you can see by the photo to the left, that is sound advice.

The importance of being prepared for life's storms is becoming more and more obvious.  Lately, we have seen a lot of terrible storms that are overwhelming to local emergency services.  We have to learn to be more resilient and not be victims and add to the problem.  

Ambulance overturned due to slick roads in Hazard, Kentucky. 
Photo courtesy or Cindy C, Facebook.

When this week is over and we have dug out of the snow and hopefully, life goes back to normal.  I hope that we will learn that we need to be prepared for whatever storms come our way in life.  Whether they be personal storms, such being jobless or whether they are widespread, such as huge snowstorms or other natural disasters, we need to be prepared.  We can't rely on others to help us through all the time, we need to be self-sufficient.

Hopefully, we can take this journey together here and learn to navigate these storms.  Stay safe and warm. 

 ~ The Prepared Household.