Preparation for an emergency disaster event for all of us, if we have not done so yet, needs to begin today.

  Preparation for an emergency disaster event for all of us, if we have not done so yet, needs to begin today. The onslaught of natural disasters experienced globally this year, 2017, serves as an alarm to each of us that we are not immune from them. Disasters cover a wide array of events, as simple as a wound needing medical attention to devastating events such as Hurricanes, now is the time to prepare. It is difficult to know where to begin to construct a plan of action for every type of threat we may encounter, will one plan be enough to cover all incidents or are separate plans needed for each? Alabama suffers from abundant tornadoes and Connecticut experiences snowstorms, each state and region has different and many times unique situations. Look up the most common natural disaster in your state Link.
  The place to start is FEMA, the Federal Emergency Managment Agency, their responsible for disaster response, they also are the agency responsible for administrating flood insurance.
  We should first determine which natural disaster we are most inclined to have visited us, we don't want to prepare for a blizzard in Arizona for instance. Where I was raised in Minnesota blizzards, floods, and Tornadoes are three of the main threats, while in California where I reside now threats including earthquakes, flood, wildfire and Civil unrest. There is one common companion of most disaster's of which we can prepare for first and build from there. So pick your disaster.
  Utility outages are constant companions of unexpected emergencies, we will do well to prepare for them first. Most of us have experienced "power outages", most occurrences begin and end in the span of minutes or a few hours. Some, on the other hand, last for days, weeks and rarely a month or more.

A Power Outage kit typically contains emergency lighting, matches, candles, body warmers, sleeping bags and a first aid kit, available commercially or simply build one yourself. It is a good place to start, but they normally contain no food or water, these are built for survival during short outages and assume access to food and water is possible. The knowledge and means to secure electrical boxes, gas lines and water to our houses are skills every member of the family needs to be familiar with, and able to either perform themselves or have contacts to help them. link to an example of the kits available.
  Kits are also available to support the needs of one or more people for a period of 72 hours, most government agencies suggest supplies for the initial 72 hour period. These assemblies typically have food (energy bars), lighting, water, first aid and hygienic supplies to name a few. Most of a person's needs for survival are included in the commercial kits, personal kits are not difficult to build by most people, however, we have a tendency to load too much into one kit. I am an advocate of each person having a kit made for a 7-day duration, that would be a 2 person 72-hour kit, I believe it's prudent to prepare for a week's event. Link to an example of this kit.
  After determining the type of disaster each of us are most likely to encounter, it's time to come up with a plan, it's not that hard. Templates are available through FEMA to complete a written plan, each person should have a copy available to them at all times. Information such as an out of area contact telephone number, who to call for help, what to do if you are away from home and many other informative entries are included. The advantage of using a pre-written plan template is that professional disaster response people sat down and assembled the list, with years of experience they know what is important and what is not. For instance, one issue I would never have imagined deals with our pets, the plan suggests we have a photograph of the family as a group, including the pet. The genius involved with this idea is the pet is easier to describe with a picture than words, and the animal is more recognizable when associated with a human. People may not remember what the dog or cat looks like, but most will remember a person. Another well thought out idea is to have an out of area contact number, a relative in another state for example. When a disaster occurs the first thing people may do is get on their phones to find out how their loved ones are coping. Unfortunately, the local telephone lines are jammed up with people calling 911, or relatives and friends. When a "busy" signal is received, what do we do? We disconnect and immediately redial the number, adding to the congestion, few calls get through. Not so with out of state calls, normally the lines are clear, all family members can call the number and leave a message, then call every 4 hours or so after the initial contact. In a planning template, many such tactics are listed, and if nothing else it is food for thought. Link to a planning template.
  Self-reliance is the main ingredient of planning for an emergency event, it is a change of lifestyle for many of us, and it can become all-consuming or it may be an addition to the way we live now. Either way, it is a very important part of living in a disaster-prone area, I believe most families have at one time or another had a discussion about certain disasters, I am thinking a house fire, and the question "what would you do if the house started on fire?" Very brief and informal but it is a start. An equally important ingredient making up the planning is to be sure to have everyone in the family involved in the planning, get the kids input. They look to adults for guidance during these events, to make more sense of it be certain to include in the child's own words some of their own planning entries. The child will recognize the suggestion as theirs and be more inclined to accept it when they are faced with a very terrifying situation. Involve the entire family in conversations about the plan, and practice it, even asking "what would you do if" questions during dinner will add to prepare people, making reactions to the event easier and more second nature.

This guy is all set up, he helped in the planning it's easy to tell. 

  I mention this all of the time, it doesn't,t hurt to repeat it often, one case of 24-pint water bottles will supply one person for six days if the daily adult requirements to avoid dehydration are adhered to, 1/2 gallon per day per person. That amount does not include cooking or hygienic uses. It's not out of the question to have 8 cases on hand at all times, however, that's easier said than done.
  Start your planning with FEMA, get a planning template, read a few publications they put out and begin to prepare for your local most common disaster, it's not all that difficult and you will pick up a few new lives skills.
  Thanks for reading and sharing, let the latest disasters be an alert for us to become just a little more self-reliant, and store water. If you are interested in where I live and work, watch my short introductory YouTube video. Link

jacquesandkate  emergencykitsplus.com