Planning Four Rows Deep and Four Columns Wide

Preparing for an emergency requires all sorts of unpleasant ideas like forethought, discipline, self-control and persistence. All kidding aside, our vigilance to protect our family and our property is fundamental to building a solid foundation on which to grow our lives and happiness. When we must replace, revamp, and recapture the tools and resources we have already acquired, we are behind the curve.  Preparation can save lives, money, resources, heartache, time and momentum in our lives, both in disasters and everyday.

We've shared already about PACE planning, having a Primary, Alternate, Contingency and Emergency plan for large and small functions in your home and life.  Whether it's making a phone call, opening a can or getting out of town, you need to have more than one plan in place to stay safe and sound.  PACE means that you

What you don't know could hurt you!

As I was traveling from St. Louis to a class in Columbia, Missouri, I took this picture out the car window. Can you see the tiny structure in the distance with vapor rising from it? It's Callaway nuclear power plant. I am reminded that anytime we travel, we are exposed to new and changing risks.

Where I live, I'm not in immediate danger of radioactive contamination from a reactor. I also have little concern for tsunamis, earthquakes, hurricanes or wildfires. The tallest building near me is only a few stories, and the outdoor warning sirens are tested the first Monday of every month at 10:00 am. But...

When you or I travel even a couple of hours from home we face new risks, new procedures and new warning mechanisms. Although we may not (and likely cannot) be aware of and prepared for every risk we will pass by, we CAN be aware that we are unaware. We can keep our heads up and remain mindful of our surroundings. IF an emergency comes our way, we can be prepared to react in an informed fashion.

The Case for Bottled Water

Do you keep one case of bottled water for each person at home?  There are lots of ways to store water for an emergency, but start off easy with one case for each person.

• Bottled water is ready to go when you are - no prep, no mess, no hassle. It doesn't require additional preparation, no filter, no container, no worries.  And when it's gone, you have refillable bottles left to reuse until trouble subsides.  (Then you can recycle them.)
• A case of single serve containers are affordable ($3-6 dollars).  That's your 72 hour supply.

Titanic Tweets

The tragic sinking of the Titanic ocean liner triggered many enduring changes to the fields of safety management, disaster response, and maritime regulation.  We'll be sharing our thoughts on those subjects in the coming weeks, as we remember the 100th anniversary of the ship's calamity on April 15. In the mean time, you might enjoy exploring these two offerings from the UK's largest history publisher.

The History Press is currently telling the Titanic's story through a Twitter account, @TitanicRealTime. They will be chronicling the Titanic disaster as it occurred in real time with tweets from the captain, crew and passengers telling the story of this star-crossed voyage. (You can view the Twitter stream without an account.)

Here's a sample tweet:
TitanicVoyage ‏ @TitanicRealTime                                10 Mar

#captain Exactly a month now before Titanic’s journey begins, I cannot 

wait to see her completed and on the ocean!

The same publisher also released an iPad app on March 15, Titanic: Her Journey. According to the website, the app “collates the knowledge of the world’s foremost Titanic experts in the most interactive way to date”. It includes rare archive footage, archive photographs of its construction, detailed ship plans and survivor accounts.

Watch This!

I couldn't have said it better myself.  Thanks to the Metropolitan Emergency Managers Committee who produced this with funding support from the Kansas City Regional Homeland Security Coordinating Committee's Urban Area Security Initiative grant.  We love it, so keep it coming!

Quick Starting a Disaster Preparedness Plan for Your Family

© Darko Kovacevic | Dreamstime.com

You can take a few simple steps to be more prepared.  Really! It can be simple.  Most people don't give much thought at all to planning for emergencies.  They just do what everyone else does (like put jumper cables in the trunk and smoke detectors in their halls) and hope for the best.  Those ideas are a helpful, but you can easily do more.  Give it 10 minutes right now.  Grab a pencil and paper and let's get started.  (If you've already started a kit and a plan.  Great job!  Use this article to review, refresh and update your plan.)

Remember Mazlow's Hierarchy of Needs?

If not, I'll give you a quick briefing.  Abraham Mazlow was a psychologist from New York City that turned psychology on its ear when he published his book, Motivation and Personality, in 1954 describing what he had learned by studying famous successful citizens and the top 1% healthiest college students.  Until that point much of psychology was the study of unusual, crippled, and dysfunctional psychological cases, which Mazlow suggested produced dysfunctional psychology.

What does that mean for me? 

Pets in Disasters

This summer's news is full of disasters. Most recently tornadoes, wildfires, flooding, and hurricanes are on our minds.  Since Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in 2005, pets in disasters has been a hot topic in emergency management circles. And we've heard a lot about pet rescued from disasters already this year.  Emergency responders cannot ignore the importance of the human/animal bond.  We love our pets like a member of our family, and many evacuees have refused to leave if Fluffy and Fido can't go as well. In 2006, President Bush signed the Pets Evacuation and Transportation Act that requires state and federal emergency plans to accommodate household pets and service animals. State and federal government (as well as many local police departments, fire districts, and city administrations) are now working and preparing to keep our pets safe in emergencies, too.

Functional Friday: 10 Things to Take With You When You Volunteer

Oops!  I realize that this list has 13 things (and one of those is even what not to do), but when I finished writing, I couldn't decide which to leave out.  My volunteer experience this week involved a lot of hard work, sweat, people skills, and some on the job training.  I'll admit that I may not be the typical volunteer, but I had a fabulous time!  But even if learning new things, meeting new people, and trying new experiences aren't your thing, you still may be an important piece to someone's puzzle, and I urge you to find a place to serve your community through volunteering.  I have included some tips and some suggestions that may help you get started.  To find the right place and the right job, start by calling local places that interest you, a local church or volunteer agency (like the United Way) to see what might be available.  Try some things out, and don't stop until you have found your passion.  Whether you enjoy each task or not, rest assured you are helping people who may not be able to help themselves... yet!  And don't forget these things:

• Identification - Many volunteer groups and locations need to confirm your identity for the safety of their clients. Hospitals volunteers often work around patients and sensitive equipment, so the staff need assurances that you are the person they interviewed, 'hired', and authorized to be there.  Some positions, like those where you enter people's homes (such as volunteer firefighter or CERT responder), may require you to be badged as well.

• Jacket - Even on the warmest of days, you should take a jacket. Over-zealous air conditioning or blustery breezes could leave you chilly. While manning a booth at a community event on a warm 80 degree day, you will often feel quite cool by sundown.

• Camera - Even with just your phone's camera, take a picture of you and a co-worker doing what you do. And make sure and get that photo in an email or on Facebook. You just may encourage a friend to get involved in their community, too. Be certain to follow photography rules, especially to protect the identity or location of clients, children, and safe house locations.

• Hat, Sunglasses, and sunscreen - You'll want to protect yourself from sun and the elements, particularly if you know you'll be outside, like picking up trash in a local park. And you might include an umbrella, bug repellent, and a poncho.

• Cash - Whether you need a snack from the vending machine or you decided to grab a cup of coffee, having a few dollars in cash will come in handy. You may find yourself buying bottled water or a bag of ice for summer ball team.

• Candy and/or snacks (maybe even lunch) - Perhaps even to share, your favorite snack can provide a pick me up as you offer your time and assistance. Volunteering, although worthwhile, can be stressful and draining. Your task may be physically demanding if you are cleaning up after a storm or packing food boxes at a pantry. Make sure you observe rules for eating and sharing, especially around clients of an organization.

• Lip balm, lotion, and hand sanitizer - Volunteer work may involve substantial personal contact and a lot of hand washing, especially if you're working in a kitchen. Protecting your skin (and staying hydrated) will keep you healthy, which may help you volunteer more.

• Water - Stay hydrated! It keeps your mind sharp and your body healthy. Outside of a normal routine, volunteers often forget to drink enough water. Drinking a pint bottle (500 ml, 1/2 liter) every two hours is particularly critical when working I. The heat or if you're sweating. You'll need even more water if you're sweating in heat above 90 degrees, like you might experience directing traffic for a Fourth of July community celebration.

• First Aid Kit -Scrapes and cuts can happen anywhere. Consider beefing up your kit if you'll be isolated, such as while leading a Scout troop into the wilderness. Consider adding instant cold packs, saline rinse, larger bandages and tape (think badly skinned knees) and a variety of ointments and creams (burn, anti-itch, sting, etc.) to stretch the usefulness of your current kit. Always get expert advise and training before taking on the responsibility of leading children or offering medical care and first aid.

• Pictures - Having a few pictures of yourself or your family might help break the ice with other volunteers or clients as you volunteer. Older residents of a nursing home often love to hear about your family and to talk about their own. Avoid photos that may depict affluence (This is our yacht off the coast of Monaco.) or photos that strongly depict your residence or workplace. (Use interior shots or those without addresses or landmarks.)

• A pen - Sure, it sounds simple, but a pen from my purse has allowed many people to 'sign in to win' at a festival or to complete an application after someone took the pen on the table.

• Conservative Jewelry - OK, this is really more what not to wear. Dangling earrings and pricey jewels can be a physical hazard or a theft temptation. They may also leave some clients, like those in a shelter, feeling regret for their current situation if they aren't able to afford those items. If this may be a concern, ask the volunteer coordinator for guidance before you arrive.

• Willingness and a smile - You'll find your volunteer experience much more enjoyable if you arrive with an open heart and motivation to do whatever is needed. Be certain to remember and apply any training you receive. And while you should be willing to accept tasks outside your comfort zone (like playing games in a group home for children with autism), never attempt tasks that are outside your technical skill or safety training (like performing medical procedures or operating equipment without certification.)

Related Posts
Japan's Quake Should Shake Us Into Action
Disaster Cycle
10 Things You Can Do To Save the Earth
Case In Point... Emergency Services

What would you save?

In emergency management, there are three priorities for every incident. Listed in order, they are - life safety (victims and responders), incident stabilization (getting the problem under control), and property preservation (saving what can be saved.) As we delve into preparedness, these priorities hold true as well. But in this very moment, you have the benefit of time to spare. Until the first crisis hits, you can prioritize, plan, and organize to our heart's content. At Everyday Providence, we spend a lot of 'real estate' on life safety and incident stabilization.  Let's take a look at some steps we might take to save some important items during a disaster. 

What would you save, if you could? Old photographs? The family bible? Jewelry? Your kids 'art' collection? Your wedding dress (or Mama's)? A hope chest? Your Pez dispenser collection? Books? An antique? Power tools? Your computer? A bottle of wine? And what about information lost? How easily could you compile financial, medical, insurance and historical details? Although fire is the most common household disaster, don't forget the damage caused by flooding (flash floods can hit any area), storm and wind damage, backed up sewers, theft (looting and vandalism), or sudden evacuation.

Take a minute to consider what and how you might save important and precious items in a fire, earthquake, flood or evacuation. Keep copies of legal records in a fire safe, at a bank safety deposit box, in another location, or on a flash drive. Scan photos, albums, and scrapbooks and save them on online. Anchor large items to walls to prevent them overturning in an earthquake (or onto a mischievous child.) Prioritize antiques and irreplaceable items now, so that you aren't forced to think it through under the pressure of an evacuation. You may also consider home safety monitoring, home fire suppression (sprinklers), and a talk with your insurance agent about coverage needs.

Talk to your family (and neighbors?) about these needs and desires.  You may not be home when disaster strikes.  Your husband, children or babysitter may not value the same things you do.

Always keep safety first and never re-enter an unsafe building. Fire, earthquake, major structural damage, water, hazardous fumes and gas may all prevent you from safely entering your home.  I know a woman who, after assuring that her family was safe, returned inside her raging, burning home to rescue old photos and grandma's handmade quilt. Her house was a total loss, and these are basically all she has left. But what a terrible price she could have paid.

Functional Friday: 10 Things - Where Was Moses When the Lights Went Out?

Everyone knows he was down in the cellar eating sauerkraut. But he could have been enjoying something a bit tastier if he had planned a little.

Did the earthquake and tsunami in Japan make you take a second look at your emergency supplies? Does the thought of storing a full 90 days of food, water and household supplies seem to be too much? Start Small! Here are my top 10 picks of food to keep in your pantry. (And when the "lights go out", you won’t be forced to eat sauerkraut.)

Water. Adequate water is so important. Everyone in your household needs 1 gallon/day. Store, at a minimum, 3 days worth. When you have that, strive for 7 days, then 21, and so on. You can go a long time without food. Not so much on the water. You can buy a gallon of drinking water for about $1. So for a family of four people, for way less than $20, you can store over 3 days of water.

Nutrition Bars. Individual snack pouches of crackers are nice, but many aren’t very nutritious. Have a look at the nutritional information. Nutrition bars are portable, and yummy. My favorites are the all-natural Zone Perfect Bars.

Fortified Breakfast Cereals. These require no preparation and have a significant shelf-life. Many have protein, and are fortified with vitamins and minerals. They’re mostly portable, lightweight if nothing else, most people are accustomed to the taste. My favorite is Kashi Go Lean. Cereals are often found on sale any given week at the grocery store. Sometimes you can get a box of something substantial for less than $2. If you eat cereal regularly, then this is just planning ahead for normal use.

Peanut Butter. Unless you have an allergy in the family, peanut butter is a great shelf-stable item full of protein, fat, and flavor. It goes well with lots of other snacks you might have, or just from a spoon. My favorite is Smuckers Natural in the glass jar.

Crackers. Crackers can serve as a great substitute for bread. If you happen to have cheese and ham, make a tiny sandwich, same for peanut butter or nutella. I’m a fan of good old Ritz, and if you find them on sale, you can store a few boxes of them.

“Canned” soup. It requires minimal preparation, and feels like a homecooked meal. (crumble some crackers on top!) My pick is a carton of Trader Joe’s Red Pepper Bisque or TJ’s Latin Black Bean (spicy!).

Pouched tuna. It’s a great source of protein, the pouches require no can opener, so it’s very portable. Make yourself a little tuna sandwich out of the crackers or add tuna to your soup.

Dried Fruit. An easy, portable snack full of energy, kid friendly, and it stores well. My pick is prunes and apricots.

A treat. Whatever that means to you and your family: a 2 liter bottle of soda, big bag of M&M’s, Little Debbie Snack Cakes, Chocolate bars, Starbuck’s via instant coffee, pudding cups, chips, gummi worms. It’s going to raise your spirits to have a little indulgence when the lights go out.

Multivitamins. This should probably be part of your normal routine anyway. There are numerous studies showing that people who regularly take a multivitamin have a lower incidence of cancer and other diseases. But if you don’t eat an adequate variety of foods, a multivitamin will fill in the gaps.

Functional Friday: Evacuation and Shelters

Every local government is tasked with providing the necessary support for the residents in the midst of an emergency or disaster.  Most areas have a coordinated emergency plan that includes receiving assistance from other jurisdictions and agencies.  (If you want to know your city, county, or state's disaster plan, you need to ask them.)  One of the services that a local government may need to provide is evacuation and emergency sheltering.  When residents are in immediate or eminent danger, without some critical service or utility, or unable to occupy their own homes, the local government should be able to provide a means of transportation to a reasonable location for these residents to stay temporarily.  I am certainly not giving any legal advice, if you want to know the government's obligation to serve or someone's right to receive services (or not receive), consult an attorney.  I am however hoping to offer some tips that might help you, someone you care about, or your community, if you find that evacuation and sheltering is necessary.

Your go-bag needs to be ready for this scenario.  Have the supplies that you need to grab and go out the door in an emergency.  You'll often return home within 24 hours; pack what you'll need (at a minimum) for three days.  Pack seven days or more of critical medications and medical supplies, special dietary requirements, or other critical items.

Shelters are inconvenient - Have another plan!  Serving as a place to stay that's better than nowhere, shelters are simply not ideal.  There are lines for the bathroom.  The food can be sub-par.  The cots are often uncomfortable.  The noise can be disturbing.  Kids are restless, yours or otherwise.  Make sure you have written into your emergency plan at least one place that you and your family (including pets) can go and stay if you are forced to leave your house.


Shelters generally do not allow pets.  Make solid alternate plans for your pets in an emergency.  Local governments should be able accommodate the transportation and transfer or your pet if it's in a pet carrier and has the proper food and equipment required for it's care.  Emergency resident shelters, however, will generally not allow your pet to stay with you.  Have a plan that keeps you together or be prepared to be separated.

Don't plan on a hotel being your shelter.  Many hotels are affected by the disaster, too.  Operational hotels for miles around will often book up immediately after a disaster.  Public, private, government, media and utility workers will flood the area to assist, inspect, appraise, advise, and report.  If you get a room, great!  (Confirm that you can reserve your room for an unlimited amount of time.)  The hotel  should charge the standard rate, but several nights can add up fast and may not be covered by insurance or government assistance.  Better to know a nearby, but out-of-town, contact to stay with.

I strongly discourage you from sheltering the public yourself.  Agencies and organizations spend many hours and dollars preparing to shelter others in an emergency.  Many important details and weighty expenses are invisible to the untrained individual.  There are liabilities involved, as well.  If your company or organization is sincerely interested in sheltering those in need, contact an experienced organization and get some training.  Or invite them to include your facility as a possible shelter location.


In many states, you not required to evacuate.  Inevitably, the media interviews someone on television that's going to "ride it out."  Weather and other disasters are unpredictable and inconsistent.  You would not be asked to evacuate if the situation were not deemed to be highly unstable and potentially disastrous.  If you do stay, be prepared to go without any assistance for days.

If you have functional needs, let the shelter know immediately.  In many areas the police and/or fire and rescue will also keep an advanced registry of residents that have needs that require special accommodations.  Get your name on that list, if they have one.  Many times, necessary requests can be met with adequate notification.  (Dietary needs, medical requirements, prescription refills.)  Also, take a moment right now to consider your neighbors.  Do you know anyone you that might require special assistance during a disaster or evacuation?  An elderly lady, a single mom with latch key kids, a man in a wheel chair, an immigrant family that speaks little English, a family member on oxygen or IV medication, a couple with no car, someone with reduced mental faculties, a neighbor's daughter with diabetes, someone with religious requirements.  Is there something that you could do now or during an emergency to assist them?  (Have you considered asking?)

Support and assist the organizations that provide emergency shelters.  Sheltering can be dirty, tiring, thankless work.  But thanks to many generous organizations, we do not leave victims sleeping and living in the streets.  If helping those in desperate need and emotional upheaval is your "cup of tea", train and volunteer with an organization the feeds and shelters thousands of citizens every year.  Chances are you'll benefit from the opportunity.  The rest of us need to provide the financial support that these agencies require to continue their work.

Japan's Quake Should Shake Us Into Action

www.news.com.au

I just got an email from a friend of a friend.  John P. is stuck at the airport in Narita, Japan.  Apparently the earthquake struck just as his plane landed.  He's fine, but for over five hours he's been standing in the airport shoulder to shoulder next to thousands of others with no provisions.  Hundreds (if not thousands) of victims lost their lives today, and the aftermath of this morning's 8.9 quake and tsunami will last for days, weeks, months, and years into the future. 

Help! As members of a global community, we all have the ability and (I dare say) obligation to lend a hand to our fellow man.  (Red Cross, World Vision)  For some of us prayers are the most precious gift we are able to offer.  Certainly financial gifts will be needed to restore that region.  Some Americans will have an opportunity to travel to Japan and assist in the restoration.  Whatever your situation, I urge you to do something right now.

Learn!  I also want to remind you that most of the United States' population lives in seismically active areas.  The US Geological Survey's website offers a lot of useful information.  Check to see what the risk is in your area.  (Remember that areas you travel to for business and leisure may be affected as well.)

Prepare!  As we watch the recovery in Japan unfold, be reminded of the steps that you might take to reduce the panic, heartbreak, and devastation if this happened in your community.  Take measures to quake-proof your home.  Know (and train your family) on what to do during an earthquake.  Prepare an emergency kit - with flashlights and other supplies you may need immediately after a quake or other disaster.  Keep supplies on hand to ride out inevitable post-disaster shortages.

Plan ahead!  Finally, when you travel, keep a few supplies right with you everywhere you go.  I hope John had a bottle of water, a granola bar and a pen light in his carry on bag.  I also hope he has a designated emergency contact here in the states.  Although he was able to get some information back to the states, he may have had his only opportunity to call.  His friends and family need to know who to contact here to check on him.

Related Posts:
Functional Friday: Preparedness Project - Evacuation Bag
Preparedness at Night
Disaster Cycle
Functional Friday: Go-Bag Part I - The Need

Functional Friday: Family Emergency Plan

We're going to write your first Family Emergency Preparedness Plan.  Get a pad of paper and a pen (or pencil or computer, whatever...).  Let's go!  (You can construct a basic plan online here.)

Household Information

• Write down the address, phone, photo of residence, landlord's name and number
• Write down the names of household members at your residence, list each birthdate, identifying characteristics, medical needs, social security number, and contact information (cell number, email, work location and info, etc.)
• Now write the names, location/addresses, and above information of other family members or important people included in your plan.

Meeting Places

• Initially you should plan to meet up at home, if possible.  That is where your resources and safety will lie.  From there you can make decisions and plans.
• Establish three meeting places at your home.  1) The first is where to meet inside the house during a storm, a tornado, or other unsafe situation outside our home (Riots?).  Our "hide-out" is the red sofa in our basement rec room. 2) Next is a shelter-in-place room.  We'll talk about this room later, in detail.  But for now pick a room on the highest level of your house, few windows, and space for everyone to hang out for a few hours.   3) The last is one next to your home to meet if your own residence is not accessible, such as in a fire.  Ours is my neighbor's front porch. Make sure everyone understands to stay there until everyone is safely accounted for.
• Finally, decide another location near your home where your family could meet if your home were not accessible.  Maybe a friend's house a few blocks away, a business, a park, a landmark.

Emergency Contact

• Determine an out-of-region/out-of-state telephone contact for the whole family.  In an emergency, phone systems may allow calls out of the region when lines within the region are jammed.
• Make certain that everyone in the family knows the name, address, phone number, and possibly email for that out of town contact.  Determine if that contact's residence will also be a meeting place, as well.  (Out-of-town meeting place should be, perhaps, 50-120 miles away.  Close enough to drive easily and quickly, far enough to escape regional disaster.)  Everyone should practice calling the contact person, especially if your household contains younger children.  
• If the out-of-town contact cannot be your long distance meeting place, designate another and include it in your emergency and communication plans as well.

Other Contacts

• Make a list (name, address, phone and email) of friends, family, agencies and professionals you might need to contact in an emergency situation.
• Family, friends and neighbors
• Doctors and pediatrician, hospital and ambulance, police and fire, 
• Car dealership and/or garage, veterinarian, attorney, accountant, bank, day care and/or babysitter
• Clergy, therapist, 
  
• Local assistance organizations website, phone number, and address (Red Cross, Salvation Army, churches)
  

Records and Data (Originals or Copies)

• Driver's License, Identification cards, Social Security cards, 
• Car and house keys
• Marriage License, Divorce Decree, Adoption Certificate, other relevant court documents
• Car titles, land deeds, tax records, financial records, wills and trusts
• Prescriptions, medical information and requirements,
• Photos of family members, homes, other property, jewelry and valuables
• Copies of insurance cards, policies, and credit cards
• Pets medical and vaccination records
• Flash drive or other digital storage of photos, documents, and other data
• City and regional maps

 Emergency Resources

• Cash (Cash is critical in a disaster where power is out.  Banks, stores, and ATM will be closed.)  An actual credit card may be of use as well.
• Home disaster kit, Shelter-in-place kit, Go-bag or evacuation kit, Car kits, Work/School kit, Purse or personal kit
• Long term stock of food storage, medications, supplies
• Commodities - What will a neighborhood or community run out of and be unable to restock in an emergency?  What will people want or need but not have?  These useful (or luxury) items can be given to others in Good Samaritan fashion, as a thank you for assistance, as a bargaining tool for items you might need, or simply as additional stores for later use.
• Emergency utilities (generator, fuel powered heating and cooking, water purification, battery powered radio or tv)

 Written Plan

• Write a few paragraphs describing what your family will do in each of several disasters.  Where will you go.  Will you stay together?  Who will pick up the kids? Where will you meet?
• Power outage, family separated, kids at home but unreachable, kids at school but unreachable, kids or parent "gone out", parent/spouse out of town, phone communication down, evacuation requested/ordered, house/neighborhood inaccessible, house is damaged while occupied, house fire, flash flooding, local eminent disasters, earthquake, etc.
• Don't get too bogged down in the details, at first.  Concentrate on the basics: will we stay or go?, where?, what resources and training do we have?

Functional Friday: What disaster should I plan for? (or how disasters work in the real world)

Most emergencies last less than an hour in total: a car accident, power outage, thunderstorm, flat tire, a trip to the ER.  (The trip to the ER will inevitably take longer, but things are usually under control in an hour.)  Often many household dilemmas are short lived:  what to make for dinner, a button comes off, the light bulb blew out, we're out of tissues.  Even your local police and fire, who manage life and death incidents within a highly structured framework, deal will many issues in this short time frame. Begin planning for the disasters in your life that will last an hour or less but at an inconvenient time, you can expand the plan to cover bigger and more dramatic situations later. 

Emergency preparedness always starts at home.  Most of us don't have the knowledge, time, or resources to plan for every possible threatening scenario.  Start small and build on what you've got.  Let's take a look at several considerations that may help you focus on your needs and concerns.  (If you haven't read the post, Disaster Cycle, you might want to hit that first.) The key to your personal preparedness is to find your comfortable balance in each of these.  Each side of the equation must be considered in your emergency planning and preparation, but you must determine what resources will be devoted.

Potential Loss vs. Likelihood of Occurrence
Potential Loss asks what can I lose if this event happens.  Will I lose the contents of my fridge, my house, my life?  Likelihood of Occurrence is how probable is this to actually happen.  Is is more likely that you'll struggle to recover from a storm or a job loss?  Like investing your finances or buying insurance, you must determine what goals and what risk you are comfortable with in preparing for an emergency.  I do not specifically prepare for a plane crash near my home, even though I live near a busy airport and the crash could be devastating, it's doubtful that will happen in my lifetime.  I do prepare for power outages, although though they pose a much smaller physical risk.  In the past five years, we've had nearly ten outages that lasted more than a few seconds and three lasting more than 24 hours.  Chances are it's going to happen again.  And I can plan and prepare for it.

Mitigation vs. Preparedness
These two concepts go hand in hand, and often appear to overlap.  Mitigation is making more permanent or ongoing changes that reduce possible losses, avoiding an incident altogether.  Flood mitigation for your family might include moving.  Preparedness is making more flexible but temporary changes that increase your ability to respond to an incident.  Flood preparedness might include insurance, an evacuation plan and supplies.  Consider your resources and tolerance to change when considering these changes.  Weigh both options in light of your situation.  Don't forget to consider ongoing costs when comparing plans: generators need regular maintenance, food supplies need rotated or replaced, new team members require training.

Survival vs. Convenience
Let's be honest, the incidence of life and death situations in the US is relatively low.  We live safe comfortable lives with very few uncontrolled risks.  There are people out there who will tell you that TEOTWAWKI (The End Of The World As We Know It) is coming, and we need to be ready.  I am not one of those people.  I believe that in modern survival situations, decisions are generally made based on training, experience, and what they used to call common sense.  I'm all for it (survival), but I believe you and I can't plan for it exclusively. There are exceptions like a blanket and portable heater in your stranded car in freezing weather, or an extra supply of medication after an earthquake, or bottled water stored at home during a power outage with no running water (been there, done that).  If you can plan and implement a solution for a likely survival situation, do it.

However, I believe that most of the preparations we need to make are convenience plans and that they are important.  I would like a change of clothes and a snack if I'm stranded in my car.  Or maybe I hope to make a good impression on my son's girlfriend that he brought home unexpectedly for dinner.  How nice it is to know that Fluffy, our cat, is safe with us after the gas leak was discovered at home.  (You're right, of course, it sounds like Fluffy may have been in a life and death survival situation for a moment.)  My own disaster plan doesn't include building my own shelter, eating bugs, and using improvised tools like an episode of Survivor.  I suppose I could, but that wouldn't be very convenient would it?  I plan for beef jerky, chocolate, and ramen noodles.

Supplies vs. Training
I've emphasized the importance of keeping emergency supplies with you in your daily routine: kits at home, go-bags in the closet, a flashlight and water bottle in your purse, a change of clothes in your desk drawer, snacks on your car.  But what if you cannot get to your supplies? A flash flood, a chemical spill, or a flight delay could keep you from your well stocked emergency kit.  Knowledge is power, and there are situations where your training will take you further than any super tool or snack bar.

Hopefully you'll not have take out terrorists to save humanity, but think about your favorite action hero (MacGyver) as he improvises with a ball point pen, a stick of chewing gum, and three banana leaves to rescue the prisoner.  In the real world, that's all training, and there are people out there who can do that.  Knowledge is power.  For you, a training class in first aid with CPR is probably the place to start, but the sky's the limit for how far you take your disaster education.  (The Red Cross offers great courses.  A local CERT class may be the next step.  FEMA offers online courses for citizens.  Over 200 colleges and universities in the US offer a degree in emergency management.) 

Disasters vs. Symptoms
In personal preparedness, citizens are asked to look at an overwhelming range of possible disasters and formulate some sort of plan for themselves.  Although you must determine which disasters to prepare for.  For planning purposes, it can be helpful to list the potential symptoms of each disaster.  The disaster itself can be described, in my mind, as the initial newspaper headline. (Anyone out there still read newspapers?) What happened?

Tornado Flattens 15 Local Homes
Flooding Threatens Downtown Businesses Residents
Unemployment Levels at All Time High
Explosion Impact Leaves Residents Cut-Off for 48 Hours
Transportation Strike Expected to Continue Through Next Week
New Baby and Career Leaves Mother No Time to Juggle Her Life

Because disasters are so variable, it's a chore to create a personal plan for each event.  Symptoms of a disaster, in contrast, are what that disaster means to me or to you.  Some symptoms of disasters include the loss of basic necessities: clean air, clean water, nutritious food, safe transportation, effective communication, safe shelter, heat or cooling, cooking resources, personal safety, and the potential to restock supplies.  These symptoms overlap from disaster to disaster.  I choose to address each of these symptoms and formulate a overarching and effective plan.

In the next few weeks, we'll walk you through compiling the information, a plan and a kit that you can use to keep preparing for the best in a variety of difficult situations.

Related Posts
Family Emergency Plan

Functional Friday: Go-Bag Part V - What's Next?

Where should I keep it?
Somewhere clean, dry and convenient to get to in an emergency (Not buried in a closet.) I don't recommend a garage because of the temperature fluctuations.  The basement is fine if it's clean, dry, and easy to get to.  A hall or coat closet might work.  Some families and households have each member store their bag in their own room.  (With kids you'll probably want to oversee this concept.)

But you said I need more than one bag!
That I did.  Keep something at work.  It can certainly be smaller, if you like.  But an emergency is as likely to happen while you're at work, and you want to be ready to stay or go.  A friend of mine tells a funny story about kissing his wife good-bye and going to work knowing that impending flooding would strand him at work for the next two to three days.  When he gets to the part about wading through flood waters to get from his office to the convenience store across the street because he was hungry, I stopped laughing.  He needed a go-bag at work.

My sister called me soon after starting her son at daycare.  In the first weeks after compiling these kits, she had unexpectedly used several items from his daycare and car emergency go-bags.  She needed an extra bottle (when one broke), a jar of strained prunes (You know what that was for.), and the hoodie from the car (during an unexpected cold snap).   She replaced them all immediately, of course, but she was thrilled to be able to solve problems so conveniently.

I have frequently used the extra clothes in my office.  I try to balance the outfit I keep at work.  It needs to be dressy enough that I can get away with wearing it when I spill coffee (or mustard) down my front.  But it needs to be comfortable enough that it's worth changing into in an emergency (like bad weather).

Keep something in the car.  I highlighted a news story last December where hundreds of people were stranded in their cars on icy highways.  Your four wheel drive won't do you any good in a traffic jam.  Once you're stuck in traffic you're there, no matter what you're driving.


When is my go-bag good enough?
Remember the list of risks and likely events you made a few days ago.  If your bags (and their location) suits each one of the risks you identified, then be done,  Go-bags (like any project) can be overwhelming and grow into a monster that you want to get away from.  I constantly tweak my supplies and ideas.  That may make you crazy.  When you're done and you're happy, put it away.  Know it's there when you need it.  (But don't forget to get it out next year to check over.)

This Series' Links
Functional Friday: Go Bag Part I - The Need
Functional Friday: Go Bag Part I - The Purpose
Functional Friday: Go Bag Part I - The Bag
Functional Friday: Go Bag Part I - The Basic Stuff

Functional Friday: Go Bag Part I - What's Next?

Functional Friday: Go-Bag Part IIII - The Basic Stuff

Making a list
Hopefully by now you have a list of emergencies and scenarios that may require you to head out quickly.  Take a minute and make a list of personal items that you absolutely MUST have to stay healthy and sane in any 24 to 72 hour period.  You should consider your go-bag a comfort kit.  What items will help you physically, mentally, and emotionally if you have to act fast and get out, whatever the emergency.

Assembling your kit

Clothes
Pick a basic change of clothes.  Start with one outfit -- something comfortable and warm, maybe something you could sleep in.  Toss a pair of socks and underwear with it.  Put it in the bag.  See how easy that was?  You now have a go-bag.  Now, let's make it better.  You can pack more clothes if they'll fit, but more than three simple outfits will get bulky.  Pack layers for flexibility and warmth.  Pack familiar and comfortable clothes.  Consider a hoodie.  Hat and gloves - A summer ballcap and work gloves or a stocking cap and fleece gloves? You pick.  Flip flops for showering, maybe?

Water
Add a 1 liter bottle of water.  (I prefer this to be a new unopened bottle, not a refill.  It's going to sit there for a year.)

Food
Think of the food you might want to eat if nothing else were immediately available.  Keep in mind special dietary requirements, but don't try to get healthier than you eat everyday.  Watch the fat and sodium content.  Check the "best by" and expiration dates on food.  I try to stay within the listed date for most things, so look for food that lists a year or more before it expires.  Unless you further research food packaging, leave food closed in original wrappers.  (If you are going to store this in the garage or in the car, your choices are limited due to extreme heat and cold variations.)

Here are a few starter suggestions:

Tuna, chicken, or salmon in a pouch - easy open, no draining, low in fat and high in protein, long dated
Slim Jim-type snacks or beef jerky - saltier than pouches, but less messy and more sharable
Nuts and nut butter - I have an 8 oz. jar of peanut butter and packs of almonds in my pack

Crackers, cereal and chips - Often short dated for best taste, these foods take a little research if you want to drop them in the bag and replace them a year later.  Prepackaged flour tortillas often work.
Granola Bars and Oatmeal bars - These often contain whole grains.

Dried fruit or fruit leather - Make sure it's made of fruit, not added corn syrup.
Pudding and fruit cups - These are delicious, but they can rupture and leak. Pack carefully.
Chocolate - I include cocoa almonds and a chocolate Clif bar to get my chocolate fix.
Drink mixes - My pack has Gatorade mix (the kind WITH sugar) and artificially sweetened mixes.
Snacks - Mints, gum, and your favorite candy can be a big perk in an emergency.

You can also easily find ready-to-eat entrees (Pahd Thai by candlelight, anyone?)  And there are many just add hot water items (ramen noodles and instant potatoes), but these require the obvious - hot water! MRE's are a great option for nutrition and dating, but they can be bulky, expensive, and caloric.  I've eaten quite a few, and I've not had anything I wouldn't eat again.  I'll add lots of ideas and suggestions later.  To protect against spills and odors, seal your food in a ziplock-type plastic bag.

Personal Care and Hygiene Items
Medication - I recommend you keep at least two weeks of medication in this bag.  Most pharmacy meds have a year or more dating.  I exchange mine in September each year.

Also consider any special health care needs.  My son uses a special soap - I'd hate to deal with an outbreak of his sensitive skin issues in a disaster situation.  Put hygiene items in ziplock-type bags, as well. 

Soap
Antibacterial gel or wipes
Shampoo
Razor and shaving cream
Comb
Mirror
Tooth brush, paste, floss
Nail trimmers
First aid kit
Bug repellant, sunscreen
Kleenex, toilet paper
Cotton swabs
Deodorant
Feminine hygiene
Contact solution and case

Tools
Here's where things get a little weird for some people.  Up until now, we have included the items you might need for a trip to grandma's or the Holiday Inn.  But we're about to add a few items that may seem a bit dramatic.  Remember that you are trying to stay healthy and comfortable in an unpredictable situation.  Add what you like and leave the rest out.

Extra glasses - Put last year's prescription in your bag.
Hair ties - These are useful for more than just putting your hair up.
Pen, pencil, marker and a notebook - You may need to make notes, signs, or just doodle.
Hand towel and washcloth
Light sticks - I buy 15 bracelets for $1 and keep a pack of them in every bag. 
Air mattress - The cheap plastic swimming pool kind on clearance in August for $2.
Emergency blanket - The silvery plastic one they wrap around the hero at the end of the movie.
Extra ziplock-type bags - I always pack a few extra gallon sized bags.
Rain poncho - I buy them for under $1 at Wal-mart.  (Disney sells them for $7 every time it rains.)
Pocket knife or scissors
Chapstick with sunscreen
Small flashlight or penlight and extra batteries (stored out of the flashlight)
Extra cell phone charger
Extra set of keys
Radio with extra batteries (stored out of the radio)

Preparedness and Personal Items
A copy of your plan - with phone numbers and addresses
Cash, credit cards
Family Photos
Copies of insurance cards, bank cards, and birth certificates
Vaccination records and other important documents
Map and/or directions to safe places

Remember that this is a work in progress.  It took me literally three years to assemble an basic go-bag for all six members of my family.  Hopefully these tips and suggestions will encourage you to get started and help you know which direction to proceed.

This Series' Links
Functional Friday: Go Bag Part I - The Need
Functional Friday: Go Bag Part I - The Purpose
Functional Friday: Go Bag Part I - The Bag
Functional Friday: Go Bag Part I - The Basic Stuff

Functional Friday: Go Bag Part I - What's Next?

Functional Friday: Go-Bag Part III - The Bag

Like any project you see on Everyday Providence, a go-bag will never get done unless you start it.  Preparedness is a process.  Start something.  You can improve it later!

Now, go get a bag.  (One per person, please.)  A plastic or paper bag will not work.  It needs to close completely with a tie or zipper and should be at least big enough to hold a change of clothes, some snacks, and personal items.  I use backpacks.  Duffel bags work fine.  A piece of luggage will suffice.  That tote bag that you got from the National Association of Something at last year's conference and trade show will work too.  Don't pick something that's too big or cumbersome to carry for a short walk.  When I start a new preparedness project I prefer to use things I have around the house - less investment, less commitment, more room to tweak later.  You may prefer, however, to run to the store and buy a shiny new go-bag.  Go for it!

When you've got a bag, you're ready for next week's Functional Friday post. We'll fill it with the things you need.

This Series' Links
Functional Friday: Go Bag Part I - The Need
Functional Friday: Go Bag Part I - The Purpose
Functional Friday: Go Bag Part I - The Bag
Functional Friday: Go Bag Part I - The Basic Stuff

Functional Friday: Go Bag Part I - What's Next?

Functional Friday Go Bag Part II - The Purpose

Scenario One: The teen-ager that live a few doors down pulls out of the drive and heads by your house to go to school.  Her cell phone rings, and as she pries it out of her pocket it falls on the floor.  She reaches down to grab it, but in her distraction she rams the corner of the lawn chemical truck servicing your neighbor's house.  Thankfully, she is wearing her seat belt and her airbag goes off.   She is safe, but the truck is in the middle of the neighbor's lawn and the the tank of lawn chemicals has split open like a dropped watermelon. In a scene reminiscent of Batman, green goo is flowing down the neighbor's sloping yard across the drive and into your landscaping.  As the police arrive, they ask you to leave your house until they can assess the risk and confirm the contents of the tank.  The officer asks you to safely exit your home in the next five minutes.  They have a hazardous materials crew and containment unit on the way, and they aren't sure when you'll be able to return.  What do you grab on your way out the door?

Let's mix it up now.

Scenario Two: You plan to stay at work till 5:30 since the train was late getting you there this morning.  Your 18 month old is at the company run daycare in your building, and your 12 year old just called to say his homework is done.  Your husband is at a job site today and will try to be home in time for dinner at 6:30.  A thunderstorm rolls through about 4:30 as predicted.  Strong winds cut power to many homes and businesses, including some in your neighborhood.  Your building is fine, but the sister office across town is without power, and all calls and transactions are forwarding to your site, leaving everyone a bit flustered.  No one is answering the phone at home.  When you try your husband's cell a message plays saying all circuits are busy.  You take a ten minute break to run down and check on your daughter in daycare.  She's fine, but two workers left due to storm related emergencies and you'll need to pick her up promptly at 5:00 pm.  To make matters worse, they forgot to tell you yesterday that they are out of her baby food and are running low on diapers.  And you just found out that flash flooding has closed one of the bridges you cross to get home.

I hope I'm not frightening you.  I cannot predict these or any other scenario will happen to you, but they are events that will occur in some form, somewhere soon.  Admittedly, they are both pretty dramatic, but I hope you can see that they are plausible.  Knowing you have a plan will help you navigate both of these situations with some degree of confidence.  Preparedness planning is a support that may sustain you through a difficult situation.  Both of these situations emphasize the need for a pre-planned supply kit at home, at work, at daycare, and in the car (or your commuter bag.)  Next Friday, we'll pick a bag that suits your needs.

This Series' Links
Functional Friday: Go Bag Part I - The Need
Functional Friday: Go Bag Part I - The Purpose
Functional Friday: Go Bag Part I - The Bag
Functional Friday: Go Bag Part I - The Basic Stuff

Functional Friday: Go Bag Part I - What's Next?

Functional Friday: Go Bag Part I - The Need

Some of my best emergency and disaster training comes from watching movies.  Action movies are especially ripe with examples, suggestions, and references for anyone wanting to increase their preparedness in an emergency.  Example: This week my husband and I watched SALT (starring Angelina Jolie) after the kids went to bed.  As the action builds, she grabs a bag that contains EXACTLY what she needs and executes a plan that she has been contemplating for years.  The moment came and she was ready... with the perfect go bag.  (I'm sorry that it's difficult to see in this photo.)  Although, it's doubtful that your go bag will contain magnetic explosives like a CIA agent, I hope to help you start planning what you need to include in yours.

First, a glimpse into emergency planning.

1) Consider your likely and possible emergencies.
Your Home (fire, sewer back-up, gas leak)
Weather (tornado, thunderstorm, blizzard, drought,winds)
Natural Location (flood, tsunami, volcano, wildfire, earthquake)
Man-made (hazardous material spill, nuclear plant malfunction, crime)

2) Consider your special needs, situations, and/or circumstances.
Household members include young children, elderly, mental/emotional/physical disabled.
Very urban and very rural settings can present special challenges.
Work requires you come in during an emergency. (medical personnel, emergency service, small business owner, company management or engineers)
Resources available to you will determine your capability.  (ie Those with a Hummer will fare better during a storm.  Those with a motorcycle will fare better when there's no power to pump gas.)

3) Make a plan.  (...even a little plan.  We'll make it better later.)
Write it down and hand it out.
Your plan may dictate what you need with you.  Keys, money, tent, 50 gallons of gas?
Make sure your friends, family and emergency contacts know your plan.

4) Consider your friends, family, and neighbors in your plan.
Do you have an elderly neighbor or single parent neighbor you'll want to help?  Plan for it.
Does your grandmother live across town?  Plan for her.

Now make a basic last of the things you think you would need if you had to go right now, and you weren't sure when you'd be back (hours? days?).  Next Friday, we'll look at why and when you might need and use a go-bag.

This Series' Links
Functional Friday: Go Bag Part I - The Need
Functional Friday: Go Bag Part I - The Purpose
Functional Friday: Go Bag Part I - The Bag
Functional Friday: Go Bag Part I - The Basic Stuff
Functional Friday: Go Bag Part I - What's Next?