This episode of The Changing Earth Audiodrama opens up with the family going to dinner inside the refugee camp. All that is on the menu is kidney beans and broccoli. While some of you (me included) may detest the taste of kidney beans, they are a good source of protein. In fact, many plants can provide protein, but they are an incomplete source. This means they lack one or more essential amino acids your body needs to survive.

While meat provides a complete protein or all nine essential amino acids, you may find animal protein hard to come by, depending on the survival situation you find yourself in. Plants like sprouts, beans, and even stinging nettle can help pick up the slack. Other high-protein plants include pumpkin seeds, asparagus, cauliflower, peanuts, mung beans, sprouts, almonds, spinach, broccoli, and quinoa.

Later in the adventure, Major Virgis ensures the base is prepared to weather the incoming storm. Recently, severe flooding has been commonplace during the Changing Earth weather presentation at the show’s end. With the likelihood of getting hit by a severe flood soon, it’s time to review and ensure you’re prepared.

When thinking about survival, it’s always about the rule of threes. You can survive three minutes without air, three hours in extreme weather, three days without water, and three weeks without food. The rules all have some give and take, depending on your body. In a flood, these rules still apply. Food and water are essential, and having those items in a waterproof container is not a bad idea. You should have about one gallon of water per day per adult, and it should be stored up high where you may have to shelter. Your storage kit should include a can opener, toiletries, a radio, flashlight, candles, matches, a utility knife, blankets, and a heat source, if possible. You should have contact information that is not stored in a cell phone and some extra cash. Waiting out the storm can be tedious, so include some entertainment, especially for the kids.

Flooding is more prevalent in land-locked states, so don’t think you won’t see a flood just because you aren’t on the coast. The only way to obtain flood insurance in America is through the federal flood program, NFIP. Know your area and if flooding is likely, get a policy. You should also consider having major appliances and expensive items stored on the upper floors. Watch the weather and build barriers but make sure you have a plan to evacuate. Low-lying areas will flood, so study topographical maps to ensure you know the more likely to be open roads.

If you are ever in a flash flood, get to high ground as quickly as possible. For some reason, humans like to watch the storm. Those precious seconds could mean the difference between life and death. If you have to evacuate, close and lock all of your windows and doors before you leave and turn off the electricity and gas to your home. Remember to always stay away from electricity. Electrocution is one of the significant causes of death during a flooding scenario.

One of the other major themes in the show today focuses on ethical decisions. If faced with a choice, what would you do to survive or save the lives of children? Erika is distraught; she despises the government system and sees no way of escaping life as a refugee. She and her family have the skills to survive in the wilderness but no way to get there. She sees it as a way out when she is offered a job on the rescue squad. There is no other way to gather intelligence about the world outside the walls. However, taking the position means working for the system she thinks is entirely wrong.

TJ Swenson, the show’s villain, sees things in quite a different way. He is used as a pawn to politically coerce influential leaders, but he also understands the value of leverage. As a man hungry for power, having critical information is far too valuable to pass up. He pays a visit to a powerful politician’s wife to ensure that Colonel Henderson’s plans are followed. She wrestles with her own ethics but puts them aside to save her children.

Survival ethics is a topic pondered over and over by those preparing for rainy days. Our society provides structure and laws, but would individual values and ethical behavior still exist without enforcing this structure? I would like to think so. Never before has America become a “Mad Max” society in a crisis. We have always used the American spirit to band together and protect one another. It’s up to you to decide who you want to be in the apocalypse or when you wake up tomorrow.