National Preparedness Month has been observed in September since 2004 and has already reached its 10-year anniversary. The objective of this declared observance is to encourage Americans to take steps to prepare for emergencies in their homes, businesses, schools, and communities. Some of these steps include building emergency supply kits, making a family emergency plan and communications plan, staying informed on disaster information and related risks, and taking advantage of opportunities to get involved in preparedness/response efforts. There are a number of exciting things going on in the preparedness community this month which can be found at http://www.ready.gov/september
The focus of National Preparedness Month Week #3 is on building an emergency kit or “go bag.” Statistics show that approximately 83% of the U.S. population lives in an area that is vulnerable to at least one type of natural disaster yet only 16% of the American people claim they are prepared. So what about you? If you are reading this blog then you probably live in Southern California which means you definitely fall in to the 83% above. But are you inside or outside of that 16% circle? If you’re inside, great! However, there is always room for improvement when it comes to preparedness! If you’re outside, that’s ok because there is no better time than preparedness month to get started.
So, what exactly should an emergency kit or “go bag” actually contain? A brief search on the web will render a lot of different answers to this question but there are, undoubtedly, some common elements such as a backpack, food, water, flashlight, batteries, first aid kit, hygiene products, and a weather-crank radio. These are just some “basics” to help get you through the next 72 hours following a disaster and may not suffice for whatever your personal needs may be. If you recall last week’s post we discussed the importance of personalizing your preparedness. Well, this certainly applies to your emergency kit or “go bag” in that there is no “one size fits all” solution. But my recommendation to you is to begin your kit by acquiring those common/universal items mentioned above. Then, once you’ve got these items begin to think is terms of personalization and ask yourself the following questions:
1) What’s in my medicine cabinet (prescription medications, bandages, etc.)?
2) What devices help me function (glasses/contacts, hearing aids, etc.)?
3) What brings me comfort in times of distress (books, music, etc.)?
4) Who depends on me (human or pet) and what are their needs?
The answers to these questions should help you get started with personalizing your emergency kit. Then, I would recommend using three sites when seeking additional guidance on developing your kit (FEMA, Orange County Emergency Preparedness, & American Red Cross):
http://www.ready.gov/kit
http://www.readyoc.org/prepare/kit.html
http://www.redcross.org/prepare/location/home-family/get-kit
Once you have successfully built your emergency kit or “go bag” it is strongly recommended that you also create additional kits for your car and workplace. These may be the same or a modified versions of your home hit and may come a little later “down the road” in your preparedness efforts, but definitely something worth considering. Remember that preparing an emergency kit or “go bag” is similar to purchasing insurance in that you may never need it but, if you do, you will be glad you have it.
Be Smart. Take Part. Prepare.
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