The Japanese tsunami is a crystal clear example of just how unpredictable disasters and emergencies can be. Nobody ever dreamed that a tsunami in Japan could wash cars, homes and people up to 6 miles inland. But that is exactly what happened. So while it is great to make elaborate preparations for potential disasters and emergencies, it is also absolutely essential to have backup plans. After all, what good is all of that emergency food that you have stored up going to do if a massive tsunami comes along and rips your house off the foundation and deposits it into the sea? Not that all of us shouldn't be busy prepping. Of course we should be. All over Japan right now the supermarkets are being stripped bare. Don't you think that many of those people are wishing that they had stored up some food? It is those that prepare that have the best chance of surviving disasters and emergencies. No plan is foolproof, but having a plan is much better than not having a plan.

For example, there are lots of people in Japan right now that are wishing that they would have stored up at least a bit of fresh water to drink. There are homes in Japan that are still completely surrounded by saltwater from the tsunami, and if those homes do not have running water at this point then the people inside are going to get thirsty really quick.

Of course bottled water flew off store shelves all over Japan in the aftermath of the tsunami. Now it is becoming very difficult to find.

But there are thousands and thousands of homes in Japan that do not have running water right now.

So what are they supposed to do?