Preparing for Disaster with Small Children

Everyday we are faced with challenges, some minimal and some larger than life. It is important to know what to do should you face a challenge, such as a natural disaster.Like many American families, you may have small children at home, so it is important to take necessary precautions to prepare yourself for the worst.

Natural disasters include, but are not limited to Tornados, Hurricanes (see Preparing for a Hurricane), Earthquakes, Fires, Floods, Tsunamis, Volcanic Eruptions, Wildfire, Landslides, and even Terrorism.

To prepare yourself, the first thing you should do is create an Emergency Supply Kit. When putting your kit together, it is important to remember that in case of an evacuation, you may be away from home for a short to long while, and so you should have an adequate amount of supplies. Following is a short list of necessities:

-Drinking Water

-Food(if you are packing canned food, be sure to pack a can opener as well)

-First Aid Kit

-Clothing (keep in mind that weather conditions vary and so it is advisable to pack long-sleeve items, jackets, etc.)

-Medications (if you have a family member with a disability, handicap, or illness, be sure to pack medications and supplies accordingly.)

-Blankets

-Money

-Important papers

As part of your preparation, you should devise a Plan of Emergency, complete with details regarding escape routes, meeting places, ways of communication. If your children are in school, inquire as to whether or not the school has an Emergency Plan should an emergency arise and what this plan entails.

However, most importantly, REMAIN CALM. Your children will look to you for strength and support during a frightening situation.

Quick Tip! – Contact your local chapter of the American Red Cross to find out which hazards can possibly strike your community and what risks or effects may result from it.

What Will YOU Do…?

It is true that we are currently witnessing an economic crisis. It is true that with unemployment rates surging and business owners being forced to either raise prices or cut them to keep their doors open, we’re left wondering what our tomorrow holds and what the future will bring.

As foreclose rates rise, so does the number of home owners worried about how they will make their next mortgage payment. Many lenders are shutting their doors to the public, making obtaining credit and loans nearly impossible. Automakers sit looking out at filled car lots and consumers wait anxiously for someone to cut them a break. Some commercials, courtesy of marketing gurus, insist on having us believe that “things aren’t so bad” while the media reiterates that “this is the worst of times”.

We’ve elected a new President and we all sit with great hope that he will turn things around and provide our nation with economic stability, but we’re all also left with the realization that change will take time. But what are we to do as we wait for this great change to take place?

Amidst the economic crisis, it’s natural to ask yourself ‘What if?’ It’s natural to be concerned about the current state of affairs. You have to ask yourself, what will happen if things take a turn for the worst? Once panic and fear have settled in a person’s mind, it is easy to assume that chaos may follow.

We should always think positively, but we must also think smart. We must assume the risks that come with this downturn in the economy, but more importantly, we must prepare ourselves for the worst. Once upon a time, it was Survival of the Fittest, in today’s volatile economy it’s Survival of the Smartest…Survival of the Prepared.