Are You Prepared?   
 

If your city’s alarm system went off right now, warning you of immediate danger and requiring the evacuation of your family, would you be ready? If you haven’t thought about that, maybe it’s time that you do. In today’s world there are so many disasters that could strike in a moment’s notice. From natural disasters to a terrorist attack, we should be ready to protect our families by being prepared for these emergencies. 

In an immediate emergency, what do you need to survive? Experts tell us that we should have a “Go-bag” or “72-Hour Kit” ready for each member of our family in case of emergency. Something we can take with us right at the moment, that’s packed with essentials and ready to go. It’s a great idea to set aside a backpack for each member of your family for this purpose. 

There are many different options with regards to what to put in your go-bags. These are some of the basics. First of all, make sure each family member has an I.D. tag in their bag. You would also want to have a card listing their allergies (medication, food, stings) and copies of your insurance cards. If you have members of your family who wear glasses, try to have a back up pair in the bag. Emergency cash, in fairly small quantities is good; especially quarters for phone calls. 

Also in each bag you should include: A flashlight, extra batteries, a whistle, a pocket knife, a local map, a permanent marker and paper, a bit of twine, list of emergency phone numbers, toothbrush and toothpaste, an extra key to your home and vehicle, and some basic food and water. You can purchase food bars that have 2400-3600 calories per bar. They have a shelf-life of 5 years, and are specifically formulated to not cause thirst when eating them. A smart way to pack water easily is to purchase water pouches. They also have a 5 year shelf life, and you can pack one per meal. They are 4.227 ounces of water each, which is exactly the amount the Red Cross recommends you should drink per meal in an emergency. 

Don’t forget to put your go-bags in an easily accessible location. Do not hide them away under all the other junk in your garage. Make sure each family member knows where they are stored, and knows what is inside of them. Go over a family emergency plan. Pick a location to meet at in case you are not all together when the emergency first occurs. There are many other things you can do to prepare your family for an emergency, but this is a great start to help give you peace of mind in these turbulent times.  

Family Communications Plan

When I was a junior in high school, a natural disaster hit.  Late one spring afternoon, I was at my school at the softball field.  My softball team was having sliding practice since the field was so muddy and the weather was so overcast.  All of a sudden the wind started whipping around so fiercely that large drums that we used as garbage cans tipped over and started blowing away.  Debris stirred up everywhere and the air seemed to fill with dirt and dust.  The sky turned dark and it started to rain.  We all started running for our cars.  My mom was supposed to pick me up about an hour later, but we all just ran to cars and left as quickly as we could.  I jumped in the car with a teammate and we took off.  As we passed the school, the air pressure that had built up resulted in the windows of the school exploding.  Large tree limbs scattered the road and a horrific roaring seemed to be right on top of us.  We had no idea what was happening, we just knew we needed to get as far away as fast as we could. 

We later learned that a tornado had hit our city.  We didn’t live in an area where tornadoes occurred very frequently and we were caught by surprise.  I ended up going home with a friend, and didn’t know if my mom and sister were OK.  A few hours later, we were all reunited since the phones were only out for a short time.  Trees fell on houses and there was substantial property damage to some homes.  We were lucky.  It could have been much worse.  We didn’t have an emergency plan in place and we could have been separated for days, not knowing where our loved ones were or if they were safe. 

I have worked on an emergency plan with my family so that my kids know what to do in an emergency.  If we need to evacuate our house (think house fire or gas leak) we meet at the park across the street from our home.  If we have to evacuate our city, I am in charge of picking up our children from school and then meeting my husband at a local fast food place just off an interstate exit.  We know that whatever may occur, we have a plan in place so that our family can be together.

Doing inventory can help you use your resources more effectively when you are preparing for emergencies through emergency preparedness and food storage.  Do you buy the same things over and over while other sections of your preparation are lacking?  Do you have a dozen emergency blankets, but not a first aid kit?  Do you have a way to heat your home, but no plans for sanitation?

The best way to do an inventory is to sit down and pull everything out.  I know this may seem like a daunting task, but if you don’t know what you have, you don’t know what you need.  I did this recently with my sister and brother-in-law.  While they were pleasantly surprised by the amount of things they had in their 72-hour kits, they found they were lacking in some areas.  They had a portable potty lid and bags, but needed toilet chemicals.  They had several tools, but no matches and no 115 hour Ready candles.

Once you know what you need, you can break it down into categories such as light and communication, food storage, first aid, etc.  Then you can figure out what you need in each area and make a plan to acquire those items.  With a little time and effort, you can make sure you are ready for whatever circumstances you may encounter in an emergency situation.

Knowing what to do before you get into a situation where you will need your first aid kit is very important. Your prior knowledge of the items in your kit, and your quick thinking in certain situations, will possibly prevent emergencies…and maybe even death.

The first step in basic first aid preparation is to protect yourself and your family by getting yearly check-ups by a health professional. Determine if you have any life-threatening conditions, and prepare specifically for those if possible. Reduce any risk factors that might be dangerous to your health. If you don’t prevent now, you will not be prepared later.

Keep a list of emergency phone numbers with your first aid kit. Numbers on this list should include your family doctor, fire, police, and poison control. Make sure, if you have young children, that they know how to use a phone in case of emergency, and that they know where those numbers are. Make sure that you have a list of all the medications that your family needs, or that your family may be allergic to.

Learn about the difference between a minor situation and a life-threatening one. Not every cut needs stitches, but they may. Not every stomach ache is appendicitis, but it might be. Make sure you have a reference book handy with your first aid kit that will help you recognize the signs of these situations. It is always best to be cautious, so if in doubt, always call 9-1-1 or the local hospital.