After a crazy year, how prepared are you for another emergency? Do you have enough food and water on hand to survive a two-week disaster? Or toilet paper, for heaven’s sake? Do you know what you would grab if you needed to evacuate in the middle of the night?
With all that has been going on lately, you might have asked these questions. Although the best time to prepare for a disaster is last year, we’ll settle for right now.
There are many resources you can access to help you be as prepared as Mary Poppins for any emergency that might happen, but sometimes what we need are small, actionable steps that get at least one tiny part done instead of having a bunch of good intentions that never materialize. With that in mind, here are three things you can do today to be more prepared for uncertainties in the future.
Easy: Download and print this resource.
It breaks down your grab-and-go list by how much warning you have before disaster strikes. When the moment comes and the pressure’s on, it’s hard to remember everything to get or do (you’ve experienced this before while grocery shopping without a list), so even if you don’t do anything else, you’ll have a reference to help you think clearly when you have to evacuate. Put this list in a place where you would reach for some of these items.
Easy: Grab a couple of extra food items next time you shop.
Survival experts say you don’t have to go fancy with your emergency food; just get a couple of extra items you already eat and like. Eating your 72-hour food storage doesn’t have to make you feel like you’re roughing it in some desolate place; get the items that will make you feel comfortable and calm while so much is swirling around you.
Moderate: Start gathering all your important information into one place
FEMA created the Emergency Financial First Aid Kit (EFFAK) to help you put into one document your insurance information, emergency phone numbers, and bank contact info so you can easily get in touch with the right people and give them the needed information during and after a disaster. The EFFAK is easy to follow, with helpful information and easy-to-fill-out forms to assist you in completing this important task that will cut down so much time later when you really need it.
Taking these small steps will give you peace of mind and confidence in being ready for the unexpected. The WPO team is always happy to assist you with planning and organizing your emergency preparedness items, or helping you declutter so you have more storage space. Do a little bit today to be prepared for later; you’ll always be glad you did!
By Jenna Lindsay, new member of our team
