The best time to get organized for an emergency is before one’s even on the horizon.
So that would be now!
But there’s somewhat confusing information out there about exactly you should have on hand.
So this post will clear that up and offer some solutions to make the entire process easier!
Family Emergency Kits
It’s recommended by the Center for Disease Control that you have on hand one gallon of water per person per day.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recommends stockpiling 10 days of water and non-perishable food per family member (plus pets) along with:
- Batteries
- Non-electric can opener
- Flashlights
- Cash
- Family Documents
Smart Items to Have Ready
Power and Light
Eliminate the need to change flashlight batteries in the dark and deal with a dead cell phone by using a LuminAid charging lantern.
There are ports to charge an iPhone or Android, plus the waterproof lantern collapses down to save space and present damage.
So smart!
Instead of Water Jugs
Stockpiling water for use in an emergency is a pain!
Once you have enough water (remember 1 gallon per person per day) accumulated, then you have to replace the water on the regular.
Otherwise the plastic from the jugs will leech into the water- ewww!
Forget all of that and get these Lifestraws instead.
They filter out all of the nasties and make water safe to drink.
First Aid
Although not specifically recommended by the Federal agencies, it’s also smart to have a first aid kit on hand to take care of small wound care that might crop up.
Prevention is the name of the game in managing an emergency!
Prep Your Phone
In case of a disaster, would you know who to call?
Would you know who to call to report a gas leak?
When there’s an emergency, time really is of the essence!
And while that is a legal term of art, it is so relevant here: you need to be able to place a phone call to get help in as little time as possible.
There’s no time to look a number up in a phone book or on the internet – you need to call now!
Or maybe you’ve lost power and you can’t look up the information online.
Getting organized before an emergency is can help make a bad situation better.
Save these Phone Numbers
Give yourself some peace of mind by taking a little bit of time today to get the following phone numbers programmed into your smart phone:
1. Your doctor(s)
2. Nearest after-hours emergency care center (and the address!)
3. Poison Control Center emergency hotline – 1-800-222-1222
4. FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) – 1-800-621-3362
5. Local locksmith
6. Non-emergency number for local police department
7. Siblings
8. Parents
9. Alarm company (if you have this service for your home)
10. Gas company
11. Electric company
12. Water company
13. Phone company
14. Spouse/partner’s work and cell numbers
15. Neighbors
16. Insurance agent or insurance companies
If you have children, having these numbers stored in your phone is a necessity:
17. Pediatrician
18. Any medical specialists
19. Numbers for school
And if you have furry household members, add these phone numbers too:
20. Vet
21. Local animal hospital
22. Emergency animal clinic
Hopefully, you’ll never have a need to call some of these numbers – hello, FEMA!
But maybe, just maybe you’ll need to call the Poison Control Center like I did when I was nursing and accidentally took too much cold medicine when I was sick.as.a.dog.
It was nice to be able to call in and find out that I could safely feed my baby.
Yep, I totally misread the label in my hazy state of mind and mistook teaspoons for tablespoons and took way too much!
Anyway…
The Ultimate Preparation
If you want to do even more to prepare for an emergency beyond stockpiling items, check out my Emergency Planner and Organizer.
The printable workbook offers a place to gather all the essential information needed in an emergency, running through the details of your life and household that you’ll need- from insurance to financial accounts and beyond.
There’s even a checklist of documents you need to secure and safeguard (plus how to do just that!), so everything will be covered!
This planner adds an additional layer of preparation in case the worst happens.
You know the saying, right?
Be prepared, not scared!
Over to You!
Any other things you’d recommend to have on hand in case of an emergency?
Tell me about them in the comments!
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