#16,168Note: September is National Preparedness Month. Follow this year’s campaign on Twitter by searching for the #NatlPrep #BeReady or #PrepMonth hashtags.
This month, as part of #NPM21, I’ll be rerunning some updated preparedness essays, along with some new ones.
Roughly 50 years ago, when I was in my senior year of high school, I - along with my best friend - took a 3-night American Red Cross First Aid Class, which was taught the Chief of our local fire department. The class was small, perhaps a dozen people, and we were the youngest in the room.
By today's standards, it was pretty basic. Even laughably so, as it was taught using Civil Defense film strips from the early 1950s. But it must have had an impact - because both of us eventually became EMTs, and later Paramedics.
Since that day, I've never been without a well stocked first aid kit in my home - and another in the trunk of my car - and doing so has come in handy more than a few times over the decades. Frankly, I'd feel naked without one.
Over the years I've lived aboard and cruised on two different sailboats, carved a bit of paradise out of 26 acres of Missouri backwoods, and have had my share of adventures. But every step of the way, I've prepared for `reasonable worst case scenarios'.
Since I'd been writing about pandemic preparedness for 14 years (see 2019's #NatlPrep: Personal Pandemic Preparedness) I was already well prepared when COVID emerged 18 months ago.
I already had a small stash of N95 masks and surgical masks, hand sanitizer, and yes - even toilet paper - and so I didn't have to stand in line during the shortages in early 2020. I was similarly well-prepared in 2017 when Hurricane Irma sliced up the center of the state, plunging millions of Floridians into darkness for a week or longer.
Over the years I've shared many of my preparedness efforts - and inevitable mistakes, and upgrades - in this blog. A few examples include:
Solar Power On A Budget (2008 Edition)
My New Solar Power System (Updated For 2020)
The Man In The Ironed Mask (Revisited)
Inside My New Bug Out Bag
#NatlPrep : First Aid Kits - One For The Home, And One More For The Road
I've adopted this preparedness lifestyle not because I think I know what will happen next, but because I have no idea when, where, or how bad the next disaster will be. I only know that hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, tornadoes, and yes . . even, pandemics . . . happen.
And it is always better to be prepared in advance.
Every year FEMA.Gov and READY.Gov, and many partners - including this blog - promote September as National Preparedness Month (see below). Over the next few weeks I'll be running new, or updated, preparedness essays, and I hope you'll use this time to review - and upgrade - your personal preparedness.
Each week in September, the campaign will focus on a different aspect of preparedness for individuals, families and communities.
Week 1 September 1-4: Make A Plan
Talk to your friends and family about how you will communicate before, during, and after a disaster. Make sure to update your plan based on the Centers for Disease Control recommendations due to the Coronavirus.
Week 2 September 5-11: Build A Kit
Gather supplies that will last for several days after a disaster for everyone living in your home. Don’t forget to consider the unique needs each person or pet may have in case you have to evacuate quickly. Update your kits and supplies based on recommendations by the Centers for Disease Control.
Week 3 September 12-18: Low-Cost, No-Cost Preparedness
Natural disasters don’t wait for a convenient time. Preparing for them shouldn’t wait either. Start today by signing up for alerts, safe-guarding important documents, and taking other low cost and no cost preparedness actions to lessen the impact of disasters and emergencies for you and your family.
Week 4 September 19-25: Teach Youth About Preparedness
Talk to your kids about preparing for emergencies and what to do in case you are separated. Reassure them by providing information about how they can get involved.
Even though I live in hurricane country, and that is undoubtedly my biggest threat to life and limb, I endeavor to prepare for `all hazards', not just hurricanes. And not just for major disasters, since smaller emergencies are far more common.
Most disasters boil down to unscheduled camping - for days, or sometimes weeks - in your home, in a community shelter, or possibly even in your backyard. Preparedness can not only make that process possible, it can make it less miserable as well.
- A battery operated NWS Emergency Radio to find out what was going on, and to get vital instructions from emergency officials
- A decent first-aid kit, so that you can treat injuries
- Enough non-perishable food and water on hand to feed and hydrate your family (including pets) for the duration
- A way to provide light when the grid is down.
- A way to cook safely without electricity
- A way to purify or filter water
- A way to stay cool (fans) or warm when the power is out.
- A small supply of cash to use in case credit/debit machines are not working
- An emergency plan, including meeting places, emergency out-of-state contact numbers, a disaster buddy, and in case you must evacuate, a bug-out bag
- Spare supply of essential prescription medicines that you or your family may need
- A way to entertain yourself, or your kids, during a prolonged blackout
