Emergency ‘preppers’ feel vindicated as coronavirus concerns empty store shelves
Long before shoppers left store shelves bare because of thecoronavirus outbreak, some people were already well stocked with provisions.
It turns out so-called emergency “preppers” have been building stockpiles of food and other necessities for years.
“I call this the nonsensical hoarding phase,” Ben Hansen, the media chief for PrepperCon events, told The New York Times. “It’s when people say, ‘We’ve got a hurricane coming and the power might be out,’ so they start stocking up the essentials.”
Though doomsday-like preparations were once the subject of ridicule, some preppers say were doing the right thing all along, media outlets report.
Preparing for possible emergencies
As coronavirus spreads across the United States, officials recommend picking up essentials to prepare for possible quarantine, The News & Observer reported.
With the current situation, some preppers hope others will give their efforts more weight, according to the Associated Press.
“We’re not laughing,” Ohio resident Paul Buescher told the Associated Press. “We’re not saying, ‘I told you so,’ when people are out there fighting over toilet paper and hand sanitizers.”
For preppers, the key is being ready well before an emergency strikes, instead of responding when one happens, they told Time and other news outlets.
“Bad things make people look at the long term, at least for the short term,” Christopher Price of the Prepper’s Depot and Military Surplus told Alabama Media Group.
Price’s store, which sells items that include freeze-dried meals designed to hold up for 25 years, has had new customers amid coronavirus concerns, according to the news outlet.
In the current landscape, even preppers have had to make adjustments. As health officials recommend people keep their distance to prevent the spread of COVID-19, New York City Prepper’s Network is streaming its meetings online.
“As we all know, this Coronavirus has hit the world pretty hard with shutdowns of services & gatherings,” the group wrote on its website. “We as preppers always have a back up plan ready to go.”
This story was originally published March 19, 2020 at 4:33 PM with the headline "Emergency ‘preppers’ feel vindicated as coronavirus concerns empty store shelves."
