Before we had an emergency checklist for our family, my husband and I were discussing how you can save worry, money and maybe your life by preparing for emergencies before they happen. We talked about the most likely challenging situations we would encounter and what our plan of attack should be.
Then we agreed to each write a ‘to-do’ list of the most important things. Later in the day, I looked over his list and burst out laughing. It was titled “Emergency Chicklist” and, sure enough, nearly every item had my name beside it. It really was a “chicklist”. In retaliation, I left him a copy of my “Emergency Hecklist” (as in “Heck, do you really want me to do that?”) On my list, nearly every item had his name beside it.
Eventually we hammered out a solid plan that looked something like this:
1. Designate a place where everyone can meet in case a fire or other occurrence destroys your home. Go over exits from your home and routes to the rendezvous point. The first time we did this, our boys got so caught up in the adventure of it all, that they had us clambering out windows, skirting chimneys and swinging from cedar branches to reach a tree fort, then leaping across to a supply shed. They even demonstrated how it could be done. The night ended in a trip to the emergency room. I swear it’s true (except maybe the emergency room. But given the number of times we’ve been there, it could have been true.)
Take into consideration the capabilities of each person in your group, how much they could carry, how far they could hike etc. Then practice your exit strategies to iron out any bugs.
2. Figure out what supplies you need to have on hand and begin gathering them in easy-to-grab containers. Prepare your 72 hour kit filled with emergency supplies and food and store it in a safe, accessible location. A warning – if your kids are anything like ours, sneak in the highly disguised food rations under cover of darkness. If our boys can see it, smell it, or even suspect it’s there, the food will be gone. We’ve considered just storing yucky-tasting vitamin pills to keep us alive, but then we’d have to eat them, too.
3. Type up a list of emergency contacts and place it in different locations so it’s easily accessible. Designate a message point, preferably out of your area, so if family members get separated they can check in with the message person and give their whereabouts.
As well as contact info for family and friends in your support network, list the numbers of different government or local agencies responsible for such things as shutting off a water main, restoring power, putting out fires, locating missing persons, heading search and rescue teams, providing emergency shelters, issuing evacuation orders etc. Unless it is absolutely necessary, don’t use the telephone after a disaster, as emergency services will need any available lines. This is one of the benefits of having a ham radio.
4. Collect a stash of coins and small bills and put them in a pouch with a map of your area, a laminated contact list, identification papers, medical information, insurance papers, essential prescriptions and bank/credit cards. There is a good chance you won’t be able to use your plastic money, but in case your disaster is localized, you will want access to the money in your accounts.
5. Try to keep your vehicle tanks filled with gas in case you can exit the disaster zone by auto. Put an emergency kit in each vehicle for times when you are stranded away from your home.
6. Educate yourself. Find out where and how to turn off water, gas and electricity coming into your house. Learn basic first aid. Become familiar with edible wild food that grows around you and how to prepare it. Scout out landmarks, water sources, main roads etc in your neighborhood.
7. Consider your pets and what they’ll need to survive a disaster.
8. Don’t worry, be happy. After you’ve done your part to prepare, don’t fret. If you do experience an emergency and live to tell the tale, it may be so interesting you can talk about it for the rest of your life. As for the hurricane that flattened our house, when school finally got back in session, the kids had new jokes about it every day. My favorites:
What did one hurricane say to the other?
Answer: I have my eye on you.
Why are hurricanes named after women?
Answer: Because they’re wet and wild and when they
leave they take your house and your car.
Why are hurricanes named after men?
Answer: Because they’re noisy, make a really big mess, and when you
look into their eyes there’s nothing there.
Whats on your emergency checklist? Let me know in the comments below.
I really like this no nonsence list. It is good see information, that isn’t all about scarying us.
Thanks