Some Northern California Residents Are Preparing For A Nuclear War
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) - North Korea launched its sixth and most powerful nuclear test over the weekend. Now, some people here in Northern California say it's time to stock up in case of disaster.
"Right now, I would start prepping,” said Patrick Daw. “Just to be ready. Just like I said, you never know.”
"It can't hurt,” said Dona Fox. “It can't hurt!"
Uncertain times abroad have caused a sense of uncertainty here at home. Threats of nuclear action from North Korea have driven locals to get prepared, just in case.
"It happens like almost every day,” said Melissa Brinsfield, who works as a cashier at Action Military Surplus in Sacramento. "Every day someone will come in, or we get a call about a gas mask. "
Store Owner David Blase told CBS13, in the last 10 days, more and more people have been coming in asking for supplies.
Roman Rodrigues, a sales associate at the surplus store, said customers have mainly been asking for ready-to-eat meals or MREs, ruck sacks, iodine tablets, and water filters.
“They last forever, they have a lot of energy packed inside of this,” Rodrigues said, describing the MREs. "We've had a few people that have come in for cases just to take home with them."
The store stocked up on them when the Oroville Dam Spillway was in jeopardy. And now, the meals are the store's hottest item.
But some people say stocking up on wilderness supplies now may be a little premature.
"Just cause right now, it's kind of uncertain,” said Shae-Li Villarreal, who lives in Carmichael. “You don't really know what's going to happen. I just kind of want to wait a little bit more."
"I think our president Donald Trump is going to do a good job in protecting us," said Brett Calkins, who lives in Loomis.
But Rodrigues said if you feel the need to prepare for any disaster, you should have a three-day supply of water, a portable water filter, and portable non-perishable food. And he said recommends having a network of friends in various places and travel plans in place.
"Plan, plan, plan,” Rodrigues said. “That's what you need to do.”
The store owner told CBS13 he's not surprised by the preparation he's seeing. And that it's typical any time there is a natural disaster or possible military action.