Posted on: 29 January 2015Share
If you do not have anything prepared in your home for the event of a disaster, there are some steps you can take to feel more prepared. You do not need to rush out and buy every supply item for three months today, but it is a good idea to prepare yourself in case there ever is a power outage, or you become unable to leave your home for days for any reason. Here are five ways you can prepare your home or dwelling space for an emergency.
1) Store food. You can easily build up a supply of food by purchasing one or two extra cans or jars of food per week. Once you have a month's supply of extra food, be sure to rotate the food on a weekly or monthly basis, to make sure it does not spoil. You may want to build up a three month supply of food if you live in a remote area.
2) Plan and prepare a safe place in your home. Get to know your home, including where the power supply/utility panels and water shutoffs are. Be sure you and your family or roommates know where to go to in the case of an emergency. Plan for your basement or a "safe room" to gather to, where you will all hunker down if there is a disaster. It would also be a good idea to train or practice for an emergency with your family or roommates. Also consider getting first aid training to prepare for attending to wounded or injured persons.
3) Make or purchase a prepared survival kit. You can work on collecting items you need to make a survival kit, or you can purchase a kit that comes with everything you need. It would be much more convenient to purchase a kit, especially if you are a busy person and do not want to spend a lot of time on such a project, but would like to feel secure knowing that you are primed for a disaster.
Here is a list of some items you may want to gather into a big bag or box:
-flashlights and extra batteries
-a tarp or plastic sheet
-a three day supply of water
-a three day supply of easy-to-store food and a manual can opener
-pet food if you have pets
-a radio with extra batteries or a self-powered radio
-a first aid kit
4) Prepare mentally. Be ready to handle an emergency, disaster, or power outage without cracking under pressure. It's always smart to know how to relax and think clearly in the face of a catastrophe, so do all you can now to prepare for calamity. Practice deep breathing exercises, visualization, or meditation. Try to think of what would ease your worries in an adverse situation. Prepare games to play and treats to share with family or house mates.
Keep in mind that nobody wants a disaster, but everyone needs to prepare for the worst case scenario. Doing all you can today will help you get through the unexpected tomorrow or someday in the future.