Be Prepared

I decided to break this into a separate post. It started out tagged onto the fatigue post below, but it should be set apart.

We can take some steps, regardless of where we live, to make sure that WE personally are prepared for the next disaster. There will be more. They will be where we don't expect, in ways we don't expect. That's what makes them disasters.

Last night the American Red Cross was handing out pamphlets at the game to encourage everyone to review their own situations. Their advice includes five actions for emergency preparedness:

1. Make a plan. Talk with your family and assign responsibilities within your family. Choose two places to meet after a disaster -- right outside your home and outside your neighborhood, in case you can't return home or are asked to evacuate.

2. Build a kit. Enough of these items for three days:
--Water (one gallon per person per day).
--Food (non-perishable, high-protein items, including energy bars, ready-to-eat soup, peanut butter, etc. Select foods that require no refrigeration,preparation or cooking , and little or no water.)

--Flashlight and extra batteries.

--First aid kit and reference guide.

--Medications.

--Battery-operated radio and extra batteries.

--Tools. Include a wrench to turn off gas, a manual can opener, a screwdriver, hammer, pliers, a knife, duct tape, plastic sheeting, garbage bags and ties.

--Clothing. A change of clothing for each person, inlcuding sturdy shoes and gloves.

--Personal items -- eyeglasses, copies of important papers including identification, insurance policies, birth certificates, passports, etc. Comfort items.

--Sanitary supplies -- toilet paper, personal hygiene items, bleach.

--Money. Have cash. ATMS and credit cards won't work when the power is out.

--Contact information. Carry a current list of family phone numbers and e-mail addresses, including someone out of the area who may be easier to reach if local phone lines are out of service.

--Pet supplies.

--A map. Consider marking an evacuation route on it out of your local area.

3. Get trained. Learn simple first-aid techniques including CPR. Contact your local American Red Cross chapter for more information.

4. Volunteer. You can find some way to help. Contact your church, civic group or American Red Cross to find out where and how you can help.

5. Give blood. You can save a life.


I also urge you all to read Frenzied Feline's blog to learn more about preparedness. She knows her stuff on this, folks, and we all need to listen to her advice.

We're in the middle of perhaps the worst disaster ever to hit our country, folks. We are vulnerable now and we need to pull together to overcome. We're also most at risk of being attacked while we're down. I'm not trying to go all doom's day freaky on y'all or anything, just saying let's use our smarts.

Be prepared. We can help lessen the impact of whatever gets thrown our way if we're ready.