Are you prepared for the “Big One?”

The world is changing and if you haven’t noticed, you just might be living under a rock. Now I’m not here to debate whether you believe in global warming or not, but I’m just saying the weather has been pretty interesting lately.

I remember when my friends and I would go camping in Yosemite and we would always talk about zombie apocalypses and crazy masked murders. Now the discussions usually ended with them being upset with me. I’d repeatedly say I would leave them behind because I was a “survivor.” Now before you judge me, I always said I would return for them with help. Now because of our discussions, I randomly started buying little gadgets that I thought would help me be more prepared if an apocalypse or disaster should occur (I know it’s random).

It wasn’t until I was recently lying in bed with my baby and it began to shake. At first, I thought it was my dog scratching himself near the bed, but then I realized the room was swaying. I then knew it was an earthquake and it was the longest earthquake I’ve ever experienced. As the room continued to shake, I told myself that it was probably going to get worse, but the shaking suddenly stopped. I began calling/texting my family and friends to see if everyone was alright. Everyone was okay, but they all kept mentioning that we had two earthquakes in one week.

I thought about the few gadgets I bought for emergencies and realized those items would have not been very helpful. All of the items were scattered away along with the food and water. If this was a disastrous earthquake, I would’ve been screwed. Then it suddenly hit me that I never thought about what I would do in an emergency now that I have a baby and I didn’t even have supplies prepared for him.

According to FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency), sixty percent of families are not practicing for a disaster and forty-eight percent of Americans do NOT have emergency supplies.

It’s understandable why so many people are unprepared for an emergency situation. No one likes to think that it will happen to them, but that’s exactly how we should be thinking. Benjamin Franklin once said “ Failing to plan is planning to fail.” So with that said here are 4 tips to help you plan for an emergency.

1. Be Informed

Know what disasters and hazards could affect your area and how to get emergency alerts.

I live in California where we are mostly known for our earthquakes, but I also live near a power plant and the ocean. We aren’t known for having tsunamis, but a few years ago we received an emergency alert for a possible tsunami. I work about 30 miles away from my home and we are susceptible to wildfires, which later caused mudslides on the occasions of heavy rain.

So remember be aware of all your surroundings so you can best prepare for potential hazards.

2. Make a Plan

Think about where your local shelters are located. You should also have a back up location like an out of town relative’s home because shelters could be destroyed or overcrowded. Have an evacuation route ready and pick a meeting place for your family to gather. Make sure to show your family different evacuation routes to get to your designated meeting place.Discuss how your family will communicate after an emergency or disaster. You will probably have to call a family member out of the state because local towers may be down. Remember that you can also email or use social media to help communicate with your family. When creating these plans think about what your households specific needs and supplies are. In the event of an emergency, you need to keep in mind some factors:

•Disabilities

•Medical Needs (prescriptions, equipment)

•Age Difference (babies, children, elderly)

•Language Barriers

•Dietary Needs

•Pets

After creating your family’s plan, make sure you write it down and provide a copy for everyone. Lastly, make sure you are practicing these plans at least twice a year with your family.

3. Prepare a Kit

After an emergency/disaster, you may need to be able to survive on your own for at least 72 hours. To be prepared, you must have your own food, water and supplies. Remember when you are preparing your kit to include items tailored to your family’s needs (baby, elderly and pets).

Below is a picture of some of the basic items in my emergency bag.

•Duct Tape- Can be used to build shelter or fix things

•Gloves

•Rope

•Bungee Cords

•Goggles

•Emergency Blankets- They can be used to keep you cool when it’s hot and warm when it’s cold. They can also be used at shelter.

•Fire Starter- It also doubles as a whistle and is easy to use even if it gets wet.

•Hand Crank AM/FM Radio/ Flashlight- This device also comes with a solar powered section to charge your phone.

•Dust Mask Adults/ Kids- Dust, smoke and even chemicals can be a factor when a disaster occurs. However, make sure to read the instructions to see what your mask can help protect you against.

•Whistles- Can be used to call for help.

•Wrench- Help you turn on/off utilities

•Extra Batteries

•Lantern

•Water- Remember you need one gallon of water per person and pet for at least three days

•Diapers/Wipes

•Formula/Bottle

•First Aid Kit

•Food- At least three day supply of non perishable food

•Manual Can Opener

•Copies of Important Documents

4. Spread the word

Everyone knows that when a disaster occurs, people panic and when people begin panicking, chaos is not too far behind. By spreading the word, more families can become better prepared and prevent hostile situations.

Preparing for the worst can seem frightening, but it doesn’t take much effort at all. The next time you go shopping, you could buy extra non perishable goods and water and that would be a major improvement. Let me know what’s inside your kit or the steps you’ve taken to become better prepared below.