was still something most people felt was unnecessary, at least to the extent that people like Elisa and Robert recommended.
“Two days isn’t enough,” Elisa argued. “Everyone needs to be prepared for at least two weeks.”
Elisa used her husband’s position to form a group of politicians’ wives who set up what could only be compared to a food drive, but for packages of emergency supplies that would last two weeks. Elisa’s family had not come from wealth; she understood that a big reason people did not prep long enough was because of the cost.
“We need to make it as inexpensive and easy as possible for people to prepare,” she said to Robert. “All these companies sell their products for way more than they’re worth and tack on all these fancy accessories that really aren’t necessary, so it makes it hard for most people to stockpile. It’s criminal that surviving should become wealth dependent.”
Elisa’s emergency supply drives were a massive success. Lured by the appeal of writing off charitable donations, people brought canned vegetables, fruit, meat, boxed pasta, spices, towels, first aid kits, batteries, candles, matches, winter clothes, and more to Elisa and her friends, who spent hours packaging everything together into two-week emergency supply kits. Anyone who wanted one could come and pick it up outside Elisa and Robert’s apartment. Robert’s campaign advisor suggested Elisa include a “Vote for Robert” button, but Robert wasn’t too fond of the idea.
“Politics and emergency preparation shouldn’t be tied so close together,” he explained. “A lot of the folks involved in the kits aren’t even in my party, it’s a joint effort. No, we’re not going to go there.”
The buttons were not even necessary. Everyone knew who Elisa and her husband were, and Robert easily won re-election when the time came. By then, Robert had babies on his mind, and Danny was born that same election cycle on a crisp autumn morning. They didn’t plan on having more children, but five years later, Rachel was born. Robert was elected as a Senior Region Representative and a few days after Rachel turned six, the President made history by devoting an entire speech to informing the public of abrupt climate change. The next day, Robert got a call and was informed he had been chosen to head the new Emergency Climate Aid Group.
For people like Robert, the dangers of abrupt climate change had been a well-known fact and an issue they had been digging into politically for some time, but having the President announce it to the nation and the world set it in stone. The shift was obvious. In Rachel and Danny’s schools, entire lesson plans were structured around teaching kids what foods to store, what clubs and activities would help them develop post-society skills (woodworking, archery, canning), and so on. Rachel made poster boards and Danny tried to develop better methods for emergency broadcasts. While Robert battled for green energy and allocated resources for climate-related disasters at the Capitol, Elisa fortified the homefront with a stockpile, DIY defense system, and knowledge.
This morning, Robert’s usual rituals did not soothe him. His normal radio stations were inundated with weather reports and his commute was clogged by rain and traffic. He drove the thirty minutes out of the city to ECAG’s base on the outskirts in relative silence. Robert had Rachel on his mind. The last time he talked to her she was trapped dangerously close to the coast. Unable to drive further inland and with all the hotels full, she had taken shelter with a family. It was a comfort, knowing she was with good people, but Robert knew if the situation turned, their primary concern would be their own skins and not Rachel. Elisa was more optimistic. She had to be. Her own family had always been generous and Elisa’s work with charity revealed the best in people. It had been a while since she had
“Two days isn’t enough,” Elisa argued. “Everyone needs to be prepared for at least two weeks.”
Elisa used her husband’s position to form a group of politicians’ wives who set up what could only be compared to a food drive, but for packages of emergency supplies that would last two weeks. Elisa’s family had not come from wealth; she understood that a big reason people did not prep long enough was because of the cost.
“We need to make it as inexpensive and easy as possible for people to prepare,” she said to Robert. “All these companies sell their products for way more than they’re worth and tack on all these fancy accessories that really aren’t necessary, so it makes it hard for most people to stockpile. It’s criminal that surviving should become wealth dependent.”
Elisa’s emergency supply drives were a massive success. Lured by the appeal of writing off charitable donations, people brought canned vegetables, fruit, meat, boxed pasta, spices, towels, first aid kits, batteries, candles, matches, winter clothes, and more to Elisa and her friends, who spent hours packaging everything together into two-week emergency supply kits. Anyone who wanted one could come and pick it up outside Elisa and Robert’s apartment. Robert’s campaign advisor suggested Elisa include a “Vote for Robert” button, but Robert wasn’t too fond of the idea.
“Politics and emergency preparation shouldn’t be tied so close together,” he explained. “A lot of the folks involved in the kits aren’t even in my party, it’s a joint effort. No, we’re not going to go there.”
The buttons were not even necessary. Everyone knew who Elisa and her husband were, and Robert easily won re-election when the time came. By then, Robert had babies on his mind, and Danny was born that same election cycle on a crisp autumn morning. They didn’t plan on having more children, but five years later, Rachel was born. Robert was elected as a Senior Region Representative and a few days after Rachel turned six, the President made history by devoting an entire speech to informing the public of abrupt climate change. The next day, Robert got a call and was informed he had been chosen to head the new Emergency Climate Aid Group.
For people like Robert, the dangers of abrupt climate change had been a well-known fact and an issue they had been digging into politically for some time, but having the President announce it to the nation and the world set it in stone. The shift was obvious. In Rachel and Danny’s schools, entire lesson plans were structured around teaching kids what foods to store, what clubs and activities would help them develop post-society skills (woodworking, archery, canning), and so on. Rachel made poster boards and Danny tried to develop better methods for emergency broadcasts. While Robert battled for green energy and allocated resources for climate-related disasters at the Capitol, Elisa fortified the homefront with a stockpile, DIY defense system, and knowledge.
This morning, Robert’s usual rituals did not soothe him. His normal radio stations were inundated with weather reports and his commute was clogged by rain and traffic. He drove the thirty minutes out of the city to ECAG’s base on the outskirts in relative silence. Robert had Rachel on his mind. The last time he talked to her she was trapped dangerously close to the coast. Unable to drive further inland and with all the hotels full, she had taken shelter with a family. It was a comfort, knowing she was with good people, but Robert knew if the situation turned, their primary concern would be their own skins and not Rachel. Elisa was more optimistic. She had to be. Her own family had always been generous and Elisa’s work with charity revealed the best in people. It had been a while since she had
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