The Best Laid Plans
Sometimes we may have a plan for evacuating or dealing with issues like the loss of utilities. But sometimes those plans are not feasible in an emergency situation. A friend lost power and heat for several hours during a major snowstorm. Her husband was trying to make it home during the inclement weather and she was at home with their 2 daughters. While she was prepared and able to care for her children, their family emergency plan was that they would stay with family in the nearby area who still had utilities if a situation like that was to occur.
The problem was that they were unable to follow the emergency plan since roads were impassable. So, what is the back-up plan? They didn’t have one as most of us don’t. Luckily, the power outage only lasted a couple of hours before the lack of heat became a real concern. Play a “what if” game and see what kind of scenarios you can come up with. What if a trucking strike meant grocery store shelves were empty and we didn’t know how long it would last? What if there was a local natural disaster and grocery stores were damaged? What if there was a power outage and gas pumps didn’t work? What if there was a chemical spill and we had to evacuate?
By planning and discussing possible scenarios, you will be better prepared to deal with the stress and complications that can occur during a disaster situation. By taking steps to prepare now, you can meet challenges before they arise.
