I learned that if the governor warns of disaster early enough, in this case about eight days, he can precipitate the panic of the unprepared immediately, causing a run on gas stations and food stores...and that the logistics system can respond, resulting in restocking of gas and bottled water by Wednesday. This was the largest storm in the history of weather casting, and the most effectively commercially exploited in the history of marketing.

There is absolutely no way to devise an explanation satisfactory to a member of this forum of the behavior of people not members of this forum. Explain music to the deaf, rainbows to the blind, women to men, maybe: preppers to non-preppers, unthinkable.

Ditto bottled water. How were inhabitants of a country with the cleanest, cheapest water in the history of the planet convinced that they need to pay for bottled water in the first place. And to pay more, volume for volume, than they pay for gasoline? This is a marketing triumph that dwarfs the Hula Hoop. None of the communities in this area lost water service, and the community I inhabit has never lost it. I drink tap water, and store water in garbage pails lined with plastic bags.

I would not have to store gasoline if I did not wish to run my freezers. I cold easily store canned and dried food, eliminating that need, but then I would be drinking warm champagne (shudder). An investment in batteries and solar chargers might eliminate that need. I bought a generator five years ago because I like having a generator, jerry cans, and a shed for storage cuz the CFO said I could. Do I need it? Am I victim of marketing?

The barrier islands are filled with un-insurable mansions that are uninhabited most of the time. People will live near the sea, no matter how bad a choice it is.