Are you prepared?

There have been a few natural disasters in the past few years that makes one wonder, Am I prepared?

The first year, it was a flood.  Thank goodness, we live in and on a mountain, and the water didn't come near us, but within 2 miles the river rose.  It rose to a height higher than the government had ever recorded.  The bench mark was always "Agnes".  Agnes happened in 1973 and was the flood to end all floods.

Hhhhhmmmmm.

Then we had September 2011 happen, and the flooding was worse.  The rain was bad, and people were evacuated.  People weren't prepared to be without.

How can you be hearing about a storm for days and not have water, extra batteries and some canned goods in the house?  How can people expect someone else to care for them when a natural disaster, with warning, happens?

Every person, I don't care where you live, or what your means are, should have SOME ability to have the bare necessities available.  You can have some candles, whether it's just for an emergency or for everyday.  You can keep some matches handy and dry.  If you can, purchase a decent flashlight and an extra pack or two of batteries to keep on hand.  Make sure you have any medications that you need.  Keep them in a water tight container that is handy to get at.  If you should need to leave, you are prepared to grab it and go. 

On your next grocery trip, you don't need to spend a fortune, but you can buy a jar of peanut butter, a couple can's of tuna and a box of crackers to keep on hand should you need them.  OH, and a can opener, or be sure that the tuna has a pop top.

Some people will go to the extreme and be prepared in many ways.  Or at the other end of the spectrum, you have those who think, "oh, it will never happen."  Then, they can't understand how it happened to them!

Now, I'm not saying don't use extreme caution.  If they are telling you to evacuate, EVACUATE!  You are not only putting yourself in harms way, but the people who will have to rescue you when you finally decide to CALL FOR HELP.

But, when you evacuate, you need a plan?  Are you prepared for that?

There are many places to look on line for how to prepare for an emergency.  Take the time to look at some and decide what is appropriate for you and your family.  Also, don't forget your animals.  They can't fend for themselves at home.  They may not be admitted into the shelter closest to you.  Perhaps there is someone you could stay with in a safe place, or perhaps you need to leave yourself some extra time to get farther away.  Don't wait until the last minute.

Everything you have is replaceable except your family, that includes your animals.  Be prepared to take care of them and yourself.

Some things we always have on hand and have made preparations for an emergency.

When we know we may be losing power, I fill the tub with water for flushing the toilets.  I also purchase a case of bottled water, or I put water bottles that I've filled from the tap into the refrigerator.  Plus, I keep some empty milk jugs handy and fill most of the way with water and put them into the freezer so they can freeze before the power goes out.  It does help.
Batteries in all sizes that are used in our flashlights and radios.
Stick matches - during hurricane Sandy you couldn't FIND ANY for weeks!! We have since gifted boxes of stick matches to friends who were without power for nearly 10 days.  They LOVE them!
Canned goods and a can opener - most canned goods you can eat cold, they may not be pleasant, but when you are hungry, they are better than nothing!
Extra blankets - They could be old, they could be wool, they could just be extra material
An alternate heat source - if you are staying in your home.  We heat our home with wood so we could also cook on this stove if need be.  If you have a gas stove in your kitchen, NEVER run it without cooking, it can be dangerous.  If you need to use it to heat, cook something, bake something, boil water, then turn it off.  You don't need the fumes to kill you should the flame go out unnoticed.
Cell phones may not work.  OR the battery in them could go dead.  ALWAYS have an old fashioned, non cordless phone to plug in.  You remember, the kind that you grew up with, and if you are too young, the kind at your grandparents house....  A cordless phone will not work without power.
For cooking, you could use a camp stove or your grill OUTSIDE!  DO NOT use it in the house or the garage as it is EXTREMELY dangerous.

Edited:  Something I forgot to mention was MONEY.  Make sure you have cash, perhaps enough for a week.  If there is no electricity, you can't go to the ATM, you can't use your check card or your credit card, and depending on your bank and their emergency set up, you may not even be able to go to the bank for money.

Do some research of your own to see what kinds of things you feel would make you most comfortable in a disaster situation.  Then take the time to prepare.

Perhaps, for you, it means having candles, lots of candles handy so that you aren't in the dark.

Or, maybe it means having a few good books handy, or to have your Kindle or Nook fully charged so that you could read something you have on there.

Maybe it means making your favorite hot beverage and putting it into a thermos so that it is hot or warm in the middle of the night.


I'd like to hear your ideas on what being prepared means to you.