I was planning to publish a fabulous article this week all about preparing your car for winter. As I was writing the news broke concerning the terrorist attacks in Paris.

As of this moment we know the terrorists claimed to be from ISIS. They attacked at least seven different sites a few minutes apart. As first responders gathered at one site, another was attacked, and so on. This was a well-coordinated attack, meant to kill as many as possible and to cause chaos and terror. Today the Pope declared this is the beginning of World War III.

In the past two weeks, ISIS placed a bomb on a Russian jet, killing all on board (including 25 children), detonated bombs in Lebanon, and killed and wounded many in Paris.

Before I am labeled a fear-monger let me ask you. On September 10^th 2001 would you have believed terrorists would fly planes into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and attempted an attack on the White House? As you thought about Thanksgiving on November 12^th would you have imagined a terrorist bombing in Paris of this magnitude?

Madame Curie said it best: “Nothing in life is to be feared; it is only to be understood.” Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less.

We have been warned by prophets of old and latter-day prophets that this would happen. In Howard W. Hunter's words: "Surely the Lord loves, more than anything else, an unwavering determination to obey his counsel" (October General Conference, 1982).

“We do not know when the calamities and troubles of the last days will fall upon any of us as individuals or upon bodies of the Saints. … We can rest assured that if we have done all in our power to prepare for whatever lies ahead, He will then help us with whatever else we need. … We do not say that all of the Saints will be spared and saved from the coming day of desolation. But we do say there is no promise of safety and no promise of security except for those who love the Lord and who are seeking to do all that he commands.” Bruce R. McConkie, General Conference, April 1979

I hope you are following us on the Totally Ready facebook page and preparing a few things each week. Small and steady wins the race. It is time to understand more that we may fear less.

During a time of civil unrest there will be many who will be looking for resources, food, money, shelter, and some will just want to plunder.

I have lived through a time of civil unrest in my hometown. I will tell more about that in the next article. You cannot imagine the fear if you have not lived it, and it is my prayer neither you nor any of my family will ever have to live that.

Not only during a crisis time but also at any time it is frightening to realize that someone might be following you. With a few precautions you can stay safe:

• First be sure you are really being followed. Begin by driving around the block. If you are still being followed, drive a more complicated route, turning corners often.

• Convinced you are being followed, stay calm. Don’t panic and don’t drive recklessly or you could end up having an accident or harming others.

• Take a deep breath and calm yourself so that you can think clearly. Begin focusing on finding a safe place to stop.

• Begin by locking all your car doors. If you do need to stop for a light or other reason you do not want anyone pulling your door open and jumping in while you are stopped.

• Roll up all your windows.

• Call 911. They will direct you to the nearest police station or nearest safe location.

• If you are being followed or pulled over by a police vehicle do not stop if you are not in a populated location with people around. Continue driving the speed limit and call 911. They can confirm those following you are legitimate officers and if they are not the 911 operator will send help. If you do not have a cell phone drive directly to the police station. If the police are legitimate you can also inform the 911 operator that you will drive to a well-lighted location and pull over there. They will get the message to the officer.

• Do not stop to let a car that’s following you pass. If the person following you wants to pass and there’s no traffic they may want to get around to force you to a stop by blocking your path.

• Don’t assume you are safe because the person following is well dressed, female, very young or older or because there’s a child in the car. Some up to no good may even use young children as a means to make you feel safe. Those who mean harm will do anything they can to make you believe they are not a threat.

• If you are being followed by a police car in a remote area and they attempt to pull you over, continue driving at the speed limit and call 911. The operator will be able to tell you if the police are official and to direct you to a safe location. Should they be legitimate and you still feel threatened you can advise the 911 operator that you will pull over when you get to a populated place. They will inform the officer.

• If you do not have a cell phone or do not have coverage, stay on well-traveled roads.

• Drive to a police station, fire station, hospital (emergency room entrances are the best as they are well lighted), or an all-night store with good lighting. Honk your horn and don’t get out of your car until there is someone at your car door to escort you. Don’t go anywhere where there are not a lot of people. Just keep driving until you find a place that is well lighted and has people around. Never get out of your car unless you know that you are safe.

• NEVER go straight home. You do not want a stalker, or worse a violent predator, to know where you live.

One of the people they interviewed in Paris said everyone around her just stood not believing the attack was really happening and they were frozen, wondering what to do. This is exactly why we think about the unthinkable so our brain will be programmed and we will know what to do when an emergency strikes at home.

In my next article we will examine how to stay safe in a crowd and at home during civil unrest.

Contact Carolyn at Carolyn@TotallyReady.com and follow her on facebook at:
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