Preparing for Emergencies

Whether it's a deep cut, a sprained ankle, a power outage or a hurricane, we all face emergencies.  A little advanced preparation can help ease our minds, so we can enjoy living life.  Be sure to check out the three-part video series below.

In the first video, I talk about thinking through those natural disaster type of emergencies that require us to either stay put or evacuate.  In my town, the most likely emergency scenario is a forest fire.  We live in the largest ponderosa pine forest in North America and fire danger is always an issue, especially in the summer.  Here are some photos from the fire we had last summer that was about 15 miles from my home.

photo from knau.org

This is the smoke plume we could see 15 miles from the fire.

To be ready for an evacuation situation, we keep a list of things we would throw in the car if we had to get out quickly.  It is important to remember the Five Ps:

1.  People
2.  Pets
3.  Pictures
4.  Important Papers
5.  Prescriptions

In a situation where you have to stay put, it is important to have the necessary supplies on hand—water, nonperishable food, a way to cook, and a way to stay warm.  Flagstaff has big snow storms (one time we got five feet of snow in five days).  In that case, we would probably be able to get out in a few days, but having supplies on hand can make the event more comfortable.

In the video below, I mentioned an external battery to charge a phone or a tablet.  You can see that here: KMASHI KMAX-806 11200mAh Outdoor Flashlight Extended External Travel Battery Pack Mobile Power Charger for most Smartphones, iPad and other USB-charged devices (Black) (Affiliate link)

In the second video, I shared a printable binder from A Bowl Full of Lemons that helps you to plan for emergencies.  You can purchase the Emergency Preparedness E-Book for $10.  Get ten percent off with code RAINBOW10.  Here are the contents of this e-book.

There are many helpful resources in this book, but here are a few:

In the final video, I talk about those everyday kinds of emergencies we face, like cutting yourself with a knife, a bee sting for someone who is allergic, spraining an ankle on a hike.  It is important to have a well-stocked first aid kit at home and when out hiking or camping.  Such a kit should have bandages, gauze, rubbing alcohol, Benedryl, first aid cream, ace bandages, burn cream, etc.

I also talk about one of the most common and devastating emergencies—a home fire.  It is important to be sure appliances and electrical wiring are in good working order in your home.  Have smoke detectors and change the batteries frequently.  Have a family plan for evacuation in the event of a fire and if you live in a two-story house, have window ladders (such as the First Alert EL52-2 Two-Story 14-Foot Escape Ladder) in each bedroom and be sure family members know how to set them up.  (The above link is an affiliate link.)

Planning for emergencies isn't the most delightful topic and I address this topic not to instill fear, but rather to encourage us all to think through the possible emergencies we are likely to face so we can do some advance preparations to ease our minds.

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