While watching the news back in October 2007, a woman was being interviewed after being evacuated from her home due to the wild fires that were burning up Southern California.  Although she was obviously concerned about what damage might be happening to her home, her concern at the moment was that she had left all of her medication in her home and did not know where to get more.  With over 500,000 people displaced by these fires, imagine the time and money you would need to spend just to obtain what you already had.

With the possibility of a fire, tornado, earthquake, or any other disaster happening at any time, it is important to add a few extra items to your 72 hour kits.  In the case of the woman from California, she would have greatly benefited from having copies of the prescriptions that she needs.  Every prescription that is filled comes with the information that is needed for a refill printed on a sheet of paper.  Once you fill your prescription just take that paper and put it in your kit.  This way you will have the name of the medication, the prescription number, the dose, the pharmacy phone number, and your doctor’s name.

Along with prescriptions you should also include copies of your driver’s license or state ID, your birth certificate, and copies of your house and car keys.  A change of clothes is ideal, especially if you have to leave your home in the middle of the night.  A pair of sweat pants and a sweat shirt works great for every member of the family.  If you have a sweet tooth, you may want to include rice crispy treats, granola bars, or any other comfort foods you might want. It is also a very good idea to include at least $100.00 in cash to purchase anything else you might come in need of.

If you have infants or toddlers you should also keep handy a bag that contains diapers, wipes, formula, and bottles if needed.  For any age children you should include some form of entertainment to distract them from the situation.  For toddlers and young children a color book works well and a deck of cards can help for the older children.

Last but not least, if you have pets you need to make sure to include enough food and water for them.  you should also include vaccination records, medications, and a list of hotels in your area that will allow pets.  If you plan on taking your pet to a shelter, make sure a pet carrier is easily accessible since some shelters will not accept pets without them.

I was driving along the interstate with my 3 kids, pregnant with my fourth, and the 2 children of a friend.  We had just spent the day at the zoo and we were all exhausted.  I could hear 3 of the 5 kids drift off to sleep while the 2 older girls talked softly.  I had the radio on, and it was a gorgeous day with the sun warm, but not hot.  The thought suddenly struck me, “What would I do if the Big One hit now?”  What if I was pregnant with 5 kids, alone and a major earthquake hit?”  We were a fairly good distance from home and the thought of walking with all those kids and the meager supplies I had in my car was overwhelming.  I decided then that I needed to keep a fairly well-stocked kit in my car.  And I am not just talking about jumper cables-I am talking about water, food, blankets, flashlights, and a first aid kit.

I can’t tell you how many times I have used my car kit.  Parched kids after soccer practice have greedily scavenged for water bottles, cold kids in the winter have searched for a blanket and even some hand warmers.  I have used my first aid kit too many times to count.  As a stay-at-home mom, I often don’t stay home.  I am in my car shuttling kids to soccer and Girl Scouts, picking up kids for a carpool, running to the grocery store, running to get a costume for a school project, or heading out to take care of some project for work.  It is probably just as likely that I would be in my car when a disaster hit than that I would be in my home.

I keep a duffle bag in the back of my car stocked with bottled water, snacks for my kids, blankets, Shake ready flashlights, a fully stocked first aid kit, and distractions for my kids like card games, bubbles, and a travel game.  This is a kit you could use whether you are stuck in traffic, involved in a car accident, or just going about your everyday routine.  By taking a few minutes to put some basic supplies in your car, you can rest assured that you have essential items when the time comes.

My sister sent me an e-mail saying that she woke up and smelled smoke.  She felt the door to her apartment and it was cool, so she knew the fire wasn’t in her hallway.  She sat awake thinking about what she would grab if she had to leave.  Luckily, the fire was a block over, but it led to the death of one and the evacuation of 40 others.

We never think that it will happen to us.  Survivors of floods, wildfires, and earthquakes are sad, but we rarely take the time to think, “What would I do if that was me?”  One of the most common things that happens in a fire is that people get out and realize someone is missing.  Maybe their escape route was blocked and they had to go out a different way.  This is why having a family meeting spot is so essential.  Recently a mother and her adult son escaped a house fire, but they couldn’t find the father.  Fearing for his father’s life, the son went back into the fire to get him out.  What they didn’t know was that the father had gotten out another way and the son died in the fire, trying to rescue his father.

Talk about where to meet and practice fire drills so that if there is any miscommunication, it is during a drill and not during the real thing.  We all need to be prepared and we all need to take steps to ensure our safety and the safety of our loved ones.

A few months ago, my husband and I were heading to a football game at a local university.  A couple miles away from the exit, we noticed one lane of the interstate was completely stopped by all the football traffic while the other 3 lanes of the interstate had slowed considerably, presumably to gawk at the stopped traffic on the interstate.  As we were sitting in the traffic, I realized that while about 65,000 people were headed to the football game, we had passed several cities whose populations greatly surpassed the number of people headed to the game.  What if there had been a local emergency and several cities were forced to evacuate?  If a football game could cause such traffic congestion, how would we fare in a mass evacuation?

Part of preparation is educating yourself.  You need to know the area you live in well.  Know the back roads, shortcuts, and other options.  We have friends who live in Texas who were part of the mass evacuation from Hurricane Rita.  Because people had so recently seen the devastation from Hurricane Katrina, people were frantic to get out.  Many cars ran out of gas sitting on interstate roads, waiting for traffic to move.  Our friends spent 5 hours in their car, only getting 3 miles before they decided to turn back and wait out the storm at home, rather than being stuck in their car.

Know what options you have for evacuating.  Contact your city, county, and state officials to find out what the evacuation routes are and what assistance may be provided by law enforcement or state department of transportation.  Ask questions now so that you will be ready with the right information should you need it.

Preparing for an emergency can be overwhelming at times.  We think about how much it will cost, how much space we will need, and how much time it will take.  I have a sister who lives in Hoboken, New Jersey, across the river from Manhattan.  I am aware that for people living in big cities, space is at a premium.  But people in big cities can also face increased risks from terrorists and they may have fewer options in the case of an attack than people who are living in the suburbs.  So, how do you prepare when you don’t have anywhere to put things?

You would be amazed at where you can find space if you just get a little creative.  My sister renovated her kitchen last year and she decided to do double cabinets all the way to the ceiling.  She was unsure of her decision at first, but she has enjoyed a bonus of additional storage space that would have otherwise been wasted.

Don’t assume that you have to have one spot for all of your emergency preparedness items.  Look for little spots all around the house.  Maybe you can declutter your kitchen and find an empty shelf to store a first aid kit, some lightsticks, a few dust masks, and a few Ready candles.

Keep a Shake Ready light on your nightstand and a Lumin plugged into the bathroom outlet.  Stack the 5 gallon stackable water containers on one side of your closet.  Stash a Ready bottle in your desk at work and throw another one in the trunk of your car or even in your purse.  Keep a 72-hour kit on a hook in your hallway closet.  Stash some boxes of MREs and freeze-dried food under your bed.  Little changes can make a huge difference, so figure out how some small changes can give you a big feeling of security and peace.

It was just a couple of days after Christmas and we were all feeling a touch of cabin fever.  It had been bitterly cold and it seemed that it had snowed nonstop for days.  I love the snow, but at times it was just too cold to be outside.  My husband was at work and I was determined to take all 4 of our kids sledding.  We searched for all the gloves, hats, snow pants, jackets, and boots which took what seemed like forever to dress everyone in.  Then it was one last potty stop before heading to the local elementary school.  A large hill slopes towards the back of the school and we thought it would be the perfect place to sled.

We took turns with the kids going 2 at a time.  They loved the snow and the cold and the reckless feeling of speeding down a hill with no sense of control.  The baby started to fuss and I knew that we were at the end of our adventure.  I told the boys they could go down the hill one more time before we headed home.  I straightened the blanket covering the baby and picked up the camera to take a couple more shots of our fun.

And then it happened.  It was so fast, but I saw it coming.  The boys were going too fast and they flew past me before I could reach them.  I screamed at them, “Roll off the sled!  Roll off the sled!”  But they were going too fast.  Zach was sitting in the front of the sled and I heard his head hit the metal side of a portable classroom before I think I even saw it.  Tyler jumped up immediately, but Zach was still down, but I heard him crying.  A thousand things flew through my head, “Does he have a skull fracture?  That was so stupid to let them go sledding that close to the school.  Should I call 911?  What was I thinking?”

I ran down to them in huge strides and scooped up Zach.  There was no blood, but his face was swollen and he cried as I ran with him to the car.  “Do we have to go to the hospital?” he sobbed as tears ran down his swollen cheeks.  I told me that we just needed to go see the doctor to make sure everything was OK.  “I don’t want to,” he cried.

I was breathless from panic and yelled at my other children to hurry and get to the car.  My oldest daughter maneuvered the stroller through the snow while I strapped Zach in his car seat and threw everything in the back of my van.  I made sure all the kids were buckled before I took off.

I drove fast.  I was aware that I needed to be careful, but I also sensed the urgency in getting Zach to a hospital fast.  As soon as we hit the interstate, I gunned it and weaved in and out of lanes to get there.  We were ushered into a pediatric room in the ER and luckily, Zach had suffered no head trauma and no broken bones.  His cheek swelled and a black eye and purple bruise that extended from his eye to his jaw covered his face.  We were so lucky, I know that.  Almost a month later, I can still see the yellow bruise outlining his cheek.

I am grateful that we have a first aid kit in our car and that we were able to apply an ice pack to Zach’s face within minutes of his accident.  I am also grateful that our kids responded the way they did.  We have talked with them about possible emergency situations from a house fire to an earthquake.  Although the situation was scary for them as well as for me, they acted quickly and followed directions, just like they were supposed to.

Tragedy and emergencies are a part of life.  They come when you have a house full of guests for a holiday party or when you are doing the mundane every day things of life like folding laundry and putting gas in your car.  Part of being prepared is having on hand the things you need, but another part is having the knowledge and peace of mind to make good decisions in difficult situations.  By taking steps to prepare ourselves and our loved ones, we can enjoy a sense of security, knowing we have done what we can to prepare.

Four years ago, Colorado had one of the biggest storms it has had in over a decade. The snow was falling in feet, not inches and that was in town, not just up in the mountains. The Hospitals were all on the plan D, Disaster Mode. Stores were shut down because people couldn’t get out of their driveways, let alone get to work. Fortunately for us, we have a year’s supply of food for just this type of situation.

When people are asked about emergency preparedness, they tend to think of “end of the world” scenarios. But it can be as simple as a snow storm or outrageous gas prices that prevent you from going to the store for the things you need. Ideally, it would be best to be prepared for short term needs as well as long term needs.

For short term needs, the best route to go is to get 72 hour kits for each member of your family. 72 hour kits are backpacks that contain enough supplies to last a person 3 days. They typically contain high calorie food bars,(with a minimum of 1200 calories per person per day) water or purification tablets, waterproof matches, a flashlight, a whistle, a space blanket, and a first aid kit. Some even have tents and hygene kits and there are a number of other items you can add. There are also adult and child specific kits. The children’s kits usually contain the same general items as the adult kits but they also have some sort of entertainment, such as coloring books or small toys.

Once you purchase your kits it is a good idea to make copies of important records, such as driver’s license, birth certificates, and copies of prescriptions that you take, to include in the kit. It is also a good idea to have spare keys for your home and vehicles and to have at least $100.00 cash. You also need to make sure that you keep handy a supply of diapers, wipes, formula, etc. that you would need for young children. Since emergencies can cause panic and anxiety, it is also helpful to make a list of items you should take with you, if you have time to grab them, so that you don’t have to try and remember everything when time is limited.

For long term needs, it is ideal to have a year’s supply of foods and essentials. MRE’s (meals ready to eat), freeze-dried food (that all you need to do is add water), and high calorie food bars are all good options. The MRE’s typically need to be rotated every 5-7 years depending on the temperature at which they are stored. The freeze-dried food comes in a 2 person serving pouch that can be stored for up to 7 years or in a 10# can that has up to a 30 year shelf life. The high calorie bars need to be changed every five years. It is also essential to have a good supply of water. You can buy water storage containers or you can even fill up empty 2 liter soda or juice bottles. Anything that is used to hold liquids. you should change the water once a year, or you can buy purification drops that will keep the water usuable for up to 20 years. It is also a good idea to have a year’s supply of items such as toilet paper, candles, matches, disposible dishes, etc.

If you are just starting to prepare your family and home, don’t be overwhelmed with the amount of things you need to buy. Start with the 72 hour kits and then buy a little bit each paycheck or each month. A disaster can happen any time, any place, so it’s best to be prepared.