I know TSCC loves 72-hour packs. About ten years ago the church craze was telling us to prep them for all family members.So here is my question:following the recent spate of earthquakes, do missionaries have to have 72-hour packs to ensure their safety in times of natural disaster? and if not, why not?

Our household does and considerable amount of preparations beyond that. I've lived through natural disasters. And bad things happening is the norm, not the exception in human history. The rationale LDS, Inc. gives for being prepared are, naturally, highly suspect. But the notion in general is just common sense.

My lame joke has been that you take your 72 hour kit when you stand in line for your FEMA payment.

I call my stuff blackout supplies--battery operated lights, radios and personal fans, canned food, portable cooking devices, etc. A blackout is about the only thing I have to worry about. We don't get earthquakes in this part of California, and we're above flood zone, and Jesus isn't coming. That 72 hour kit makes more sense than an attic full of food powders.

Actually, being prepared for a little disruption is one of the good things that I took away from my otherwise disappointing church experience.

As to your question, the missionaries in my son's mission did not have 72 hour kits. That does seem to be inconsistent.

Cheers!

Neither the missionaries, nor the church, thinks that far ahead.

During an ice storm about ten years ago our rural area was basically shut down for a week. No electricity, gas, water. My DH took our Jeep and checked on the missionaries. They were cold, and hungry. He brought them to our house to wait out the disaster. Nobody from the local ward or mission office checked on them the whole week.
They had a great time, and each gained about 10 pounds despite the fact I cooked in the fireplace, a campfire in the fire pit, and a camp stove.
I guess they would have froze to death if they had stayed in their apartment.

I would love to read a 5,000 word essay on this event, with lots of detail about what the mishies would have faced, but for your intervention.

It will be 1/3 of your final grade...

It was an ice storm in the South in Feb. 2014 that caused me to be better prepared. We were okay, though, just not enough wood to burn in the fireplace. But we had no electricity for 4 days, and no way to get anywhere or purchase anything. Now we're better prepared for that kind of thing.

And why didn't these nitwits call the mission home? Or take a bus somewhere? They sat in the cold and dark waiting for the mission home to call them?

Their own stupidity was what put them in danger of freezing.

I'm telling you, they're just kids. Kids do stupid things.

? who was 2-year pak ?


IN B4 ~ the-end-of-the-world pak

I have my own self contained water system +20 gallons of drinking water on hand always and a generator and a fifth wheel RV if I had to vacate my home. My water system was down for 12 days last fall. The 5th wheel was handy.

RB

My TBM relatives faced a disaster, their year's supply of food was destroyed. They never replaced it because the most valuable things in a disaster are family, friends, and a strong community. Ironically, Mormonism destroys families, wrecks friendships, and promotes "us against them" community values. The Boner.

I was thinking about that problem with these earthquakes. I've always had food, water, and other supplies in my basement because, in rural areas, things get disrupted. I have noted that in most disasters, its four days or so before authorities are able to get things moving. But... if a big earthquake levels your home with all the supplies in the basement... I think I need to rethink this. As for years of supplies: who wants to always be eating up old stuff?

Kind of OT, but a few years ago our stake president gave a talk in conference and told an inspiring story. They had 6 young children and one year for Christmas they assembled for each of the kids a 72 hour kit in backpacks. That was it. Nothing else. No warning. The kids came out of their rooms on Christmas morning and that is what they found. They were disappointed, but it was the right thing to do. The family isn't poor by any stretch of the imagination.

To me, that did NOT seem like the right thing to do.

If they were going to break from tradition and give their children these survival kits instead of presents they could enjoy, they should have talked to the kids in advance and included them in the decision so they wouldn't be unpleasantly surprised.

As an adult, I don't care so much about presents anymore. But I would have been crushed by that as a child. Remember, kids don't have money to spend of their own, or we didn't anyway, so the only fun things they get are what their parents get for them. I imagine the kids were more than just disappointed.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/20/2016 08:47PM by seekyr.