Emergency Preparedness Tips From Someone Who Has Been There!

Greetings,  my Friends….

Well, we have had more fires than is believable, with a few earthquakes thrown in, where I now live.

I just read and shared a post on FB about a well-known chef whose home burned down from a chimney fire. They lost everything. Absolutely everything. Even though they were home at the time, they had no time to get upstairs to their offices to save anything — computers, iPads, journals, notepads, records of any kind, or any other keepsakes or artwork that was part of their world.

With all of these disasters, by either Mother Nature, arson or malfunctioning fireplaces, stoves, furnaces and so on, I am once again on the “Be Prepared as Best as You Can” Train.

Tips For Emergency Preparedness

• Have a “To Go Bag” ready. It is recommended to have a kit in your home, your car and your office.
• Get your paperwork protected. Keep an extra copy of your paperwork in a separate location, with your lawyer or a trusted family member.
• Back up your life with thumbdrives with digital photos and other important documents. If you have precious family letters, consider having them digitized.
• Get a safety deposit box, a fireproof safe or both to store your wills, important paperwork to re-start your life if need be, photos and jewelry in the safe or box.
• At night, put your computer, iPad, extra power cords and chargers into a good computer bag with a strap,  that is easy to grab.  Set it by your bedroom door,  in case you have to run.
• Create an inventory of your belongings, especially valuables. Take a photo from every angle of every room, of jewelry, artwork, musical instruments, guns, any and all hunting fishing equipment, scan scrap books and photos, furs and expensive clothing, all vehicles including boats and toys. These will be very useful in filing your insurance claim.

There are guidelines and all kinds of information on being prepared. Research them and choose what will work for you and your family.

BUT, keep in mind…..Crap happens!!! Your plan needs a back-up plan.

What Will You Do in These Scenarios?

1. You can have all of the “To Go Bags” for every member of your family including pets, ready to grab and go, but if you are not home when disaster strikes,  what then? (Sadly,  we are often told not to leave anything in our cars,  especially at beaches, recreation sites, etc)

2. You can put together all of the survival supplies on any one of these lists,  and in the beginning, you may very well be disciplined to check it over every 3 months for any foods, liquids, batteries and so on that may have expired, but are you disciplined to continue to check your survival kits every 3 months?

3. Will you be disciplined to change out clothing as the seasons or sizes change?

4. Will you be able to keep keys, combinations, and passwords handy at all times? (it is nice to have a safety deposit box but if you cannot find the key…. What then?)

5.  Where will you store your inventory, and  how will you keep them updated, if you sell or change out anything in your inventory?

It’s not my intent to throw a wet towel on being prepared,  but I want you to really think through being prepared and not think it is a simple, quick fix like purchasing a Go bag off the internet.

Resources for Preparedness

Below is just a small list of websites to help you get started and make some extremely important preparations for surviving any kind of disaster that may come.

1.My Life in a Box, created by Laurie Ecklund Long
I am a Certified Trainer for “My Life in a Box.” Contact me today to learn how to use “My Life in a Box. ”
https://mylifeinabox.com

2. READY, from Homeland Security
https://www.ready.gov/kit

3. SKILLED SURVIVAL
https://www.skilledsurvival.com/go-bag-list/

4. RED CROSS
https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/survival-kit-supplies.html

5. INC.
Disaster Prep: The 10 Things You Should Absolutely Have In A Go Bag, by Melanie Curtin
You can put these items together for under $100. They could save your life.

What do you have to lose by not being prepared ….. Possibly Everything!!!

Stay Safe.
Hugs,

Carolyn