Laws against price gouging typically apply in times of emergencies, for example after Hurricane Katrina.
They may suffer health emergencies, for instance, or problems at work.
But these were the kinds of genuine emergencies for which the reserve was designed in the first place.
Congressional appropriators have proposed another $25 billion for defense, education and emergencies for the 2002 budget year.
For example, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts covers medical emergencies for its members when they're traveling abroad.
Some characterized the more extreme manifestations of the rivalry -- fistfights at the scenes of emergencies, for instance -- as the actions of "a few knuckleheads".
I followed with something I've kept for such emergencies for the past 25 years: Clarins Sensitive Skin Beauty Repair Concentrate (£40).
Camp life "teaches a man," says Mr MacDonell, "to use his hands skillfully in all sorts of ways, to adapt himself to circumstances, and to be ready for many emergencies for which his ordinary life does not prepare him".
Nick Guttmann, head of emergencies for Christian Aid, writing for the Independent on Sunday said that it would take 32 Sir Galahad's a day to match the amount of food Iraq was receiving before the bombing began.
"A lot of people think children can be out of school for a year and easily catch up," says Claire Mason, who advises on education in emergencies for Save the Children.
"Less than 10percentt of a firefighter's time is spent dealing with emergencies, for the other 90percentt we need to be out there gaining the public's trust," said Mr. Thomas.
