The “Disaster Dozen” Top Twelve Myths of Disaster Preparedness Guest post by Paul Purcell Hurricane Katrina and others in the season have given us yet another disaster preparedness wake-up call. Do we pay attention now or hit the snooze button again? Pushing past the debates over government reaction, we come to the bottom line conclusion that, “Yes, more could  have been done.” In other articles we’ll get into some of those debates, but for now, let’s look at the most important  part of a comprehensive emergency readiness plan, and that is the preparedness levels of individuals and families. We find that the biggest obstacles to comprehensive family emergency readiness education are the misconceptions surrounding the true nature of preparedness. So, to set the stage for better education, and ultimately better public safety, let’s take a look at some of these myths. 1. “If something happens all I have to do is call 911.” Help can only go so far, or be there so quickly. Security, like ch

You should always make an attempt to anticipate the unexpected in life; and it is for this reason you need an accessible emergency fund to be better prepared for an unforeseen emergency. Although this is pretty common financial advice, most people fail to follow it. Clearly, people who don't engage in openings emergency funds have a difficult time saving money, even if they know they should. Personal financial crises can take the shape of mounting and unpayable debt, the loss of a job, and snowballing medical expenses. You should never have to depend on a loan with high interest rate (such as pay day loans) or a credit card to make ends meet. Several Other Reasons To Have An Emergency Fund Stop getting into debt When an emergency comes knocking on your door, and you do not have an emergency fund on hand, the first thing that will be happen is that you will stop paying your debts. Furthermore, you will begin using your credit card to pay for the emergency, whatever it is, and conseq