Don't assume "they" have got it covered!

 Photo: Jeremiah Beck

When other people know that you enjoy something, it's so easy to share that thing with you.  A short list of words (bacon, wine, pirates, beer, science, pumpkins, and penguins) creates an instant picture in my mind of the faces of family and friends that go with each of those items.  I am the disaster/safety/weather person in my social circles.  So, a friend sent me this photo that they took of a fire escape.

Would you want to depend on this fire escape to save your life?  In a hurry, who knows what might happen when you hit those rickety rusted-through steps.

I love this real life reminder that we are each responsible for our own safety and for our own provision and for our neighbor's safety as well.  Sure, there are building codes, safety laws, and security personnel, and they are there to protect us.  But it only takes a few minutes to assess your own situation, to walk through a couple of safety routines, and to address any problems you discover.

Know your risks and likely hazards.  Know how to stay safe wherever you are.  And make sure you do your part, in case someone else hasn't done theirs.

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)?

Smart Phones, Smart Users?

Americans have tipped the scales.  Surveys now indicate that the number of smart phones being used exceeds that of traditional cell phone styles. 

So what?

As smart phones become integrated into our everyday lives, we need to be aware of how we can (and already do) depend on this technology.

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.

Drought + Wildfire + Heavy Rains = A Mess!

As some Colorado residents return home to sift through the remains of possessions recently consumed by wildfire, a second wave of disaster has swept though as thunderstorms douse the parched ground only days too late.  But with all of the landscape decimated by fire, the deluge flows unchecked across the land creating rivers of mud filling basements, sweeping away roadways, and burying the last remnants of the fire swept neighborhoods.

What can we learn from this?  We can't stop wildfires, thunderstorms, flash floods and mud-slides, right?

• Disasters often cascade -- One event may create other problems that lead to additional emergencies. (A power outage leaves you without food AND without a way to pay for food, if you don't have cash on hand.)
• Efforts to mitigate (prevent) one disaster may also thwart other impending difficulties. Plan to stop the far-reaching effects of a disaster early.
• Preparedness can address more than just life safety.  Your peace of mind and emotional health need  protection as well.  Imagine a priority order to what you will protect in your life and plan for those priorities.
• At our house, the family evacuation plan includes taking a small chest (located near the front door) that contains our family's most precious possessions, heirlooms and irreplaceable photographs. 

Preparing your family today with a disaster kit and an emergency plan and practicing that plan may save your life and your favorite crystal vase.



.

9-1-1 is down... Now what?

What will you do when you dial 9-1-1 and nothing happens?  Several years ago much of Illinois and St. Louis (where I live) experienced the smallest rumblings of an earthquake.  At the epicenter near the far side of Illinois there was little damage and few injuries with the jolt measuring 5.4.  At least one 9-1-1 call center in Indiana was completely overwhelmed with calls and was offline for about 15 minutes.  It's possible that people with serious medical emergencies couldn't get the help they needed because 9-1-1 operators were answering calls of, "What was that?"

About 11:00 am today, Madison County Illinois 9-1-1 was unreachable, possibly due to a cut fiber optic cable.  And with today recording the 9th straight day with triple digit temperatures and no relief in sight, emergency medical calls are inevitable with heat and respiratory related emergencies.

Part of your preparedness should include alternate local phone numbers for emergency services like fire, police, ambulance and hospitals.  Post these near a phone, an exit, or in a conspicuous place in your home so that you can easily access them if you need them. Store them in your cell phone as well.

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.

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.

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!

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.)

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? 

Texting to save your life?

Our world is extremely connected through cell phones, satellite radio, HD tv, mobile internet, instant email, podcasting, digital downloads, social networks, video conferencing and more.  Unfortunately in many disasters these services are interrupted by destroyed signal towers, power losses, and broadcast interruptions.  In the midst of trouble, texting capabilities often remain functional after other forms of communication go down.

Make certain that every member of your family knows how to text from a variety of styles of cell phones.  My children have learned to text from a traditional flip phone (push 2 once for 'a', twice for 'b', etc.) They can also use a messaging phone (traditional keyboard) and my iPhone (touchscreen).  Did you know you can text from many email and web-based programs?  Many senior adults may need help feeling comfortable using a cell phone and texting.  (My parents enjoy texting with their grandchildren, and I know it keeps them in practice.)  In an emergency we may not be thinking clearly, so practicing often helps to solidify the how-to text process in our minds.

Helping Children though Disasters

Children experience disasters from a different perspective then adults do.  Take some time to plan and prepare for their unique needs during a disaster.

Before an incident

• Teach children about the emergencies and disasters they might face before they happen.
• Use your emergency plan regularly to practice with them what they should do when various disasters strike.  Answer questions and teach them why we take certain actions, while there is time to explain.
• Prepare emergency kits with children in mind. Include appropriate snacks, activities, and equipment for them to use.
• Find out what things are most important or comforting to them, make a list of these things to take along in you are able (evacuation, emergency trip to grandma's, etc.)
• Children may have unique needs that need to be stocked up.  Your emergency kit should include items like diapers and wipes, formula and bottles, toys and extra clothes, and child dosed medications.