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I want to try my hand at a short story.  This story could be the type that would be made into a movie of the week.  This story, much like many movies of the week, has not been fact checked for plausibility.  It has not been vetted by any scientific minds.  The point of this story is to entertain and to cause people to think about the reactions they may be forced to take if similar events occurred.   Do not focus on whether this is possible or even probable, that is not the point.

This story described a “zombie level event”, which is the term I use to describe a major event.  When you plan for a zombie invasion you are planning for most possible disasters, whether natural or man-made.  This is just one such scenario.

It is 2010 and there is a massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico just off the shore of Louisiana.  In response to this oil spill the government has called for a 6 month suspension of all off shore drilling.  1 out of 5 workers in Louisiana are directly employed in the oil drilling business, everything from tool makers to supply boats to other goods and service based businesses.  Other states have similar jobs that are directly tied to oil drilling.  Layoffs are already occurring in response to this suspension.  The oil rigs themselves are relocating to other waters where they can drill, the jobs may not come back.

The cleanup efforts are proceeding along, the typical skim and ignite method being used to get rid of much of the oil.   Hurricane season has just begun.  This year’s weather patterns are similar to those that produced hurricane Katrina.   A hurricane is likely this year, possibly more than one, you do not have an annual hurricane season without hurricanes.

July 2010, a category 3 hurricane passes through the oil spill.  The well was still leaking oil, the relief wells were not yet finished.  The storm has made that all but impossible now.  As the hurricane picks up oil, it disperses it through the storm.

The water and oil rain down on the coast, the shores now awash with more oil due to the violent nature of the storm.  Crops and water supplies are contaminated with oil residue.  Livestock will become sick from drinking the contaminated water rendering their meat unsuitable for use.

Then it happened, reports are unclear if it was a broken power line or lightning that caused the ignition, but the hurricane became a firecane.  A column of fire that rips through the gulf coast.  The initial shockwave of the firecane’s ignition has damaged some structures causing many buildings to collapse.  Roads are blocked by the debris and people are unable to evacuate.

Homes are destroyed, office buildings incinerated.  25% of the US oil refining capacity is located in that area and the storage tanks are ignited from the firecane exploding and killing dozens of workers.

In the initial days after the firecane ripped through New Orleans and parts of Texas, people tried to help free those that were trapped.  First responders from all over the country flew in to assist in recovery and cleanup efforts.  Food and water was brought in, emergency shelters were constructed.

BP became insolvent, the $240 billion in assets they had in February 2010 were evaporated.  Some of the assets was stock value, which took a 40% hit after the spill.  Other assets were valued at a given depreciation rate, and upon liquidation they could only muster $100 billion.  Tax payers now are asked to make up the difference for the anticipated $1-2 trillion cleanup efforts.

With 25% of the oil refining capacity destroyed gas prices soar.  This causes a ripple effect in the economy.  Groceries  get to the store on trucks that run on diesel.  All prices start to rise.  Additional taxes placed on the people to pay for the cleanup and recovery of the region have an additional burden.  The unemployment numbers in the affected regions are near 100% since there are no buildings or jobs available.

Energy reform laws are quickly passed, which causes energy prices to “necessarily skyrocket”.   This causes more unemployment as businesses who were barely able to pay their bills are put out of business.

The US economy is intertwined with the EU economies.  When we took a hit from the firecane we destabilized their already fragile economy.   They started to spiral down, and in a feedback loop the lower they went, the lower the US went.  As the US went down we pulled the EU down.  Unemployment in both places soared rapidly depleting the already low coffers for unemployment and welfare funds.

The states had run out of money, the people became desperate for food and water.  It became a daily occurrence to read about someone getting mugged over food.

This is when the looting and rioting began.  Initially it was just opportunistic people looking to get a free TV, but eventually it became most people just looking for something to eat, some water to drink.  Soon the stores were empty, relying on the just in time delivery model this only took a day or two.  Knowing they would be looted again if they replaced the supplies they refused to buy any replacements until security could be established.  Large urban areas had no food available.  Energy prices coupled with unemployment made it too expensive to pay the water bill and few homes still had water service.

The police forces that have been doing budget cuts for  the last year and laying off officers are unable to respond to all the cries for help.  Nationally they are having problems with the higher fuel and energy costs associated with the recent laws and the firecane.   Their already thin budgets are now thinner, almost transparent.  Cries for the national guard to assist are made, however between deployments in Iraq and Afganistan and placement in the gulf region there just are not enough national guard to effectively police the streets.

As the looting and rioting occur unemployment goes even higher.  Spiraling downward into an abyss from which few see hope of ever getting out.  The government has run out of people it can tax so it starts to print more money devaluing the currency further, to the point that few can afford to purchase anything.

Are you ready? Are you sure?

The government recommends that you have 3 days of food and water for each person in your family.  They recommend that you have blankets, flashlights, battery powered radios, and other essential items.  For a long time I have insisted that 3 days is not enough.  Even after Katrina 3 days was not enough for the government to mobilize and provide assistance.  I think that people should have at least 2 weeks of food and water.  For those that can afford the cost and have the storage space I would suggest 6-12 months per person.

3 days of food is supposed to be enough so that you are not an immediate casualty of the situation.  If the problem is large enough, 3 days will buy you some time, but it may not be enough to wait for help.