I'd give up my toothbrush, my pillow and clean socks for _______.

I'd give up my toothbrush, my pillow and clean socks for _______.

How would you fill in the blank? For this discussion, we'll assume you and your family are safe and sound, merely displaced or stranded temporarily from the disaster that blew past your home.  What would you crave?  What would calm you in the midst of chaos?  What yearning would grow in the hours as you wait for things to return to normal?  What one thing could "make everything bearable?"

Chewing gum?  Hot coffee? A ponytail holder? Some hand lotion? Chocolate? A deck of cards? A bible?

Now... how would the rest of your family fill in the black?

A blankie? A teddy bear? Fruit snacks? A video game? A good book? Their music? Candyland? A box of Legos?

For most of us, surviving a disaster will not be a life and death ordeal, but how we feel in uncertain times will certainly be remembered.  You can take steps today to ensure that your heart and mind stay safe after an emergency by adding a few items to your Disaster Kit that will bring hope and warmth and smiles to difficult circumstances.

An Out of Town Emergency Contact Ties It All Together

As you build your Emergency Plan, make designating an out of town emergency contact one of your first priorities.  (Do this immediately after making your detailed list of the people included in your Emergency Plan.) For some of us, the identity of out of town is a "no-brainer."  For others, it may require some thought.  Use these suggestions to help you narrow down the best out of town contact for your family.

They need to be somewhat available. Although this person probably won't need to come rescue you, they may have several people contacting them.  They need to have the time, patience, and availability to communicate with many people, even some that they might not know.

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

You don't have to go to school to learn these lessons!

As I plotted and planned with my "work group" on how we were going to save the world, I was shocked by a side-conversation with a classmate who is a local Emergency Manager. In his community, he had recently offered "FREE" disaster preparedness classes.  No one came.  For weeks he sat in his meeting room on Friday night and waited and waited and no one ever came.  He felt helpless, hopeless, and discouraged.  "People just don't care about preparing for disasters," he complained.

I disagree!

What's going to happen? How can I be ready?

I don't relish the idea of going days without power (or a shower).  Honestly, I hope to avoid it altogether, but let the record show that my home averages once a year without power or water at some point.  We are dependent on utilities, communications, and technology like never before, but still we need to function when they fail.  And we are each unique - with individual needs, certain resources and our own tolerance for mayhem.  Be certain that your own preparedness will support you and your family when our modern life caves in.  Hopefully these questions will help you begin or build your state of preparedness.

• Do you have a specific disaster kit at home that will support your family for three days without help (at least a flashlight and batteries, some food, bottled water, and a first aid kit)?

Under the Weather... Literally!

Today the temperature soared over 100 degrees again, tomorrow the forecast indicates rain... and hail, tornadoes and thunderstorms.. all in the middle of the worst drought in 50 years!  We cannot get away from the weather, but we can prepare for it.

Plan ahead to stay safe. - Whether you are facing heat, wind, water or other calamities, your emergency plan should tell you where you'll go to seek shelter.  And remember that you may not be at home when disaster strikes.

Keep supplies on hand. - Maybe the lights go out. Or perhaps your pharmacy is transported to the land of Oz, you'll need a disaster kit stocked with a flashlight, food and water, and first aid and medication to get by until things get back to normal. And a kit in the car and a work may prove as useful as your home disaster kit.

Information in: Information out - When the skies (or dams, volcanoes, and other disasters) break loose, your crisis communication plan will help you know what's going on, how to get help and what to expect next.  And your friends and family will be worried; your plan will tell them (and you) who to call for status updates. Always consider that communications are more challenging with no power.

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.

Dentition in Disasters

From the ancient Egyptians to the American pioneers, we've always had trouble with our teeth.  More recent advances in nutrition, medical practice and dental care have improved the condition and longevity of our teeth.  And our lives are better for it.  We live longer and we can still chew our food when we're 60. Yum!

Have you ever had an aching tooth?  It's agony.  You can't wait to get to the dentist.  What would happen if we had a dental emergency in the midst of another disaster or delay?

Imagine you're on a four day hike or that it's the second day after the "big storm" and no one has power yet.  You are happily munching your lunch, flashlight in hand, when "CRUNCH!"  Applesauce isn't supposed to make that sound, your filling just came out.  Oh, no! There's no way you're gonna see a dentist today.  What do you do?

Your local pharmacy or drug store probably carries just what you need.  Temporary fillings! Yep, in a pinch you can replace a filling or reset a crown with a $5 tube of dental magic.  Hopefully, it will tide you over until you find yourself relieved to be reclining in that chair, a bib on your chest and a light in your eyes! But these products can only save you the discomfort and inconvenience IF you already have a tube in your kit when you need it.

Certain Flashlights May Not Be Enough

During a conversation recently, a friend told me about the emergency flashlights in her home.  They plug in and store at an electrical outlet, recharging constantly, and when the power goes out they turn on automatically to shine on the floor providing emergency lighting.  "Are those your only emergency flashlights?" I asked. They are.

Here are my concerns:

• In an emergency, the charge may fail too soon if the flashlights come on automatically.  Let's say you leave for work Friday morning at 7:30 am, and your home loses power shortly after.  That night you go out to dinner and a movie with a friend right after work.  You arrive home at 10:00 pm to a dark house with no working flashlights because these flashlights have already been shining for 14 hours!

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 Still Teaches Us - What can you do to stay safe at sea?

Safety on the water is always a concern.  I've enjoyed three Caribbean cruises, two house boats, many passenger and car ferries, and several city tour boats without incident, but I prefer to be overly prepared in any situation.  I searched for some good "Staying Safe on a Cruise" websites and blogs, but I came up surprisingly short.  Most information provided helps you steer clear of crime (pickpockets, abductions, etc.) on larger boats or cover basic physical safety on smaller craft.  Those are paramount to be sure, but when I step onto a boat, especially a big one, I want to think of the other things that might go wrong and be prepared to avoid or endure them.

• Food and water - On both of my most recent cruises, I took some snacks and bottled water, just in case.  They mostly sat there until the last day of the cruise.  But if there was a food contamination scare or if we had drifted for days at sea with no power, I was ready.

One Day Without Shoes

On Tuesday, April 10, join others worldwide for One Day Without Shoes, an event that promotes awareness that millions of children worldwide risk injury and disease because they don't have even one pair of shoes to protect their feet.  Most of us enjoy blessings that keep more than one pair (...more than five? ... more than ten?) of shoes in a pile by our front door, in our closets, under our beds.  And you and I also have the means to bless others with our time, energy and finances.

The Facts:

• Some children are not allowed to attend school because shoes are required and they do not own a pair.

First Day of Spring as a Springboard for Preparedness

I love lists, calendars, and routines.  My crazy, busy, hectic schedule, as I'm sure many of you experience, creates the need for reminders to keep me on track.  I like to use the first day of spring as a "springboard" for my own emergency preparedness. (It falls six months before and after September, which is National Emergency Preparedness month.) It also serves as a great pivot point between cold weather and warm weather preparedness. (Not forgetting, of course, that we still have the potential

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!

Flood Safety Basics for National Flood Safety Awareness Week 2012

Photo by Val Huffman

When it rains, it pours! And when it pours, the water has to go somewhere, right? On average, flooding is the #1 cause of severe weather related deaths (more than tornadoes).  And most of those flood deaths are caused by vehicles swept away in moving waters!  Take a minute and educate your family about flood risks (especially younger drivers). 

Preparing for Troubled Times: Political Unrest and Civil Disorder

Egyptian Flag

As today marks the one year anniversary of the political revolution in Egypt, I am reminded that Everyday Providence has had little to say about political unrest and civil disorder.  I pray that you never come face to face with those harsh situations, but there are circumstances that move people to act.  The discussions surrounding man-made emergencies are more delicate and emotional.  A family that is not directly involved in unrest may still be affected by its impact on a community.

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.)

Christmas Gifts: Stadium Blanket

A fleece blanket is a must-have item for a car emergency kit.  How much more fun when it shows off a favorite color, team or design? It is an easy item to purchase for all ages, and these are super easy to make yourself (even if you're not crafty) for that personal touch.  They'll use it again and again.

Here's how we have used a blanket from the trunk of our car:

• As ground cover for an impromptu picnic in the park
• To bundle up when the driver wants the A/C a little too cool

Christmas Gifts: Backpack

A backpack (or duffel) is the critical beginning to every go-bag.  A go-bag is essentially a portable emergency kit for one person.  At my house, we each have a go-bag containing everything we might need for a week if we had to live out of a hotel room, a friend's house, a shelter, or our car.  But this kit starts with a backpack large enough to hold what we need and small enough that each can carry our own bag (smaller bags for the kids.)  Backpacks are ideal because they leave your hands free and help you carry a load more safely than other styles of bags.

Get someone on your list started on their go-bag or emergency kit with an appropriate backpack and a list of starter supplies.  Or better yet, get their kit started with a flashlight and batteries, a can of soup with a pop top, a mini first aid kit, and a few other emergency items.

Christmas Gifts: A Pocketknife

As I was leaving to go out of town for an important training seminar, I asked a friend what he thought I should add next to my emergency kit.  Without hesitation, he asked if I had a good knife in my kit.  I bought a nice pocketknife on that trip as a souvenir, all stainless with a single locking blade and a clip.  And I have used it a million times since.

When I was young (but not too young, of course), I received my first pocketknife from my dad as a gift on a camping trip.  I promptly lost it, but only because I insisted on carrying it everywhere with me and eventually misplaced it.  I still love that purple knife, and I'm certain someone on your list could love a pocketknife, too.  Here are a few ideas to get you started.

Penknife - Fitting easily in a pocket this tiny blade can handle delicate work. This knife was originally designed to sharpen a quill pen, giving its name.  A penknife is one of many styles of slipjoint knives.  Other styles have distinctive names like Barlow, Congress, and Stockman. Each having a specific number and style of blades and tools.  A slip joint allows the blade to hold open for light use, only closing with moderate pressure but containing no locking mechanism.

Multi-tool - Most styles and uses of multi-tool knives are known by their brands and/or manufacturers.  The Victorinox Swiss Army or Leatherman Super Tool are two popular brands and styles you may instantly recognize.  But there are many brands and options available.

Specialty knives -These may contain special applications for a certain hobby (like a whittler) or job (like an electrician).

Concerns - In today's security conscious environment, I'm sure that some of you are surprised that I've even suggested a pocketknife as a gift.  I say, Use common sense.  Don't give a knife to someone who shouldn't have a knife.  Don't give a knife to a child without their parent's prior approval.  Don't take a knife where security is a concern.  (For example, don't take a knife to a courthouse, any other government building, a concert, a ballgame, an airport, or a school.)  Research and know the local rules.  Sometimes blades over three inches or locking blades are restricted, but smaller blades are allowed as a tool.

Related Posts
Everyday Providence's Twelve Days of Christmas
Day 1 - Flashlights and Batteries
Day 2 - Water
Day 3 - Pocketknife
Day 4 - Smoke Detectors 
Day 5 - Generator
Day 6 - Backpack