How prepared is your family for an emergency? While perhaps an unpleasant idea to consider, emergencies will happen, and disasters, whether natural or manmade, will strike many of us at some point. With some simple strategies, you can feel more secure knowing that when trouble looms, you have what you need to take care of your family. Here are a few simple ways you can improve your family’s level of preparedness.
Water
Water is usually the first priority considered when it comes to emergency preparedness. If access to clean and potable water is suddenly disrupted, things can go downhill fast. Experts commonly recommend preparing a gallon of water per person per day. So to prepare for an emergency that could cut off supplies for two weeks, a family of four would want to store 56 gallons of water.To begin stockpiling water, you might add an extra case of bottled water to your cart on each grocery shopping trip. To take water readiness to the next level, a family might invest in an emergency water filter and a rainwater collection system.
Surplus Groceries
There are countless reasons that access to groceries might be disrupted without warning in an emergency. Maintaining a surplus of nonperishable and shelf-stable items can ensure your family has access to nutrition and personal care needs when a crisis strikes. Rice, beans, canned goods, honey, popcorn kernels, instant coffee, jerked meat, vinegars, ghee, seasonings, pet food, and personal hygiene items, along with supplements like vitamins and electrolytes, tend to keep for long periods of time. Additionally, oils, nut butters, and grains like quinoa and oats also have significant shelf lives and can provide vital nutrients. Other products like household and paper products and needed medications should be on the list when building your reserve supply.Power
Power is commonly lost in even minor emergencies. Preparing your family for a short- and long-term loss of power is essential. Tools such as an outdoor grill and an indoor butane stove, along with other camping supplies, can make preparing food and boiling water more feasible when power is lost. Gas and solar-powered generators can assist in extending access to household power and charging smaller electronic devices. Working flashlights, lanterns, and headlamps are easy to keep on hand and likely the first tools you’d use in a power outage. Batteries, both regular and rechargeable, and emergency radios could prove essential when the unexpected occurs. Don’t forget to have a number of working lighters at the ready. Additional power-related considerations include having tools on hand that don’t require power.Planning
Lastly, make sure you develop and discuss an emergency plan with your family. What would you do if communication became an issue? How quickly could you evacuate if need be? Preparing packed bags, often called bug-out bags, with essentials and physical copies of important documents and phone numbers might be a good idea. Keep first-aid kits in each vehicle, and keep your gas tank full. Having cash on hand is also prudent.Gradually making space for and gathering what your family might need in case of emergency is a responsible step to take and can provide you with peace of mind in uncertain times. You may even find that when the going gets tough, you’re able to not only take care of your family, but offer assistance to others around you.
