3 Questions With Prepper Emily Cottam

Don’t call them preppers, but the off-the-grid community in Utah’s West Desert had me thinking of this City Cast Salt Lake interview with a Taylorsville mom on emergency preparedness. Because if you were born and raised in Utah, chances are you’ve been told once (or a hundred times) that the “big one” (earthquake) is coming.

What’s the most important thing in your emergency prep kit?

“Since I have two kids, it is entertainment. Because if you are in a shelter during a natural disaster, they don't provide entertainment. You need to have a book or some games, and that's what I put in when I had kids. Most people don't think about that.”

What kind of events are you preparing for?

“Since I've been married, I've lived in five states now, and each state has their own natural disasters. Like when we lived in Florida, we had 12 hurricanes that came through [over] four years. We were there when Katrina hit. These 72-hour kits are for if we have to leave the house, we at least have something ... that we're not going to be dehydrated or bored. We also have a 24-hour kit in each of our cars because we now live in Utah where there's snowstorms and blizzards, and you could be stuck in your car. So we have a little one in the car with a blanket to keep warm and some water and some snacks.”

Where did your prepping habit come from?

“My mom did it. Her grandmother took her to church, and they had a lesson on [emergency preparedness]. So she thought, I'm gonna go and start saving stuff. She was about 10, and she just saved a few cans here and there. Her dad actually kind of made fun of her, and they owned a grocery store and the grocery store burnt down. What got them through was they sold their food storage that she had saved. So my grandparents were like, 'OK we’re really sorry we made fun of you.'”