Last night, Southern California experienced unexpected high winds. When the winds hit here, subsequent power outages are inevitable. As my lights were flickering, I began to frantically look for working flashlights. I had several in the past, but could now only find one. My mind then went to my bottled water supply; how much did I currently have? Running water can become contaminated or cease to flow during power outages, as well during natural disasters. I used to be so diligent about having these extra items around the house especially when we had numerous earthquakes. My emergency plan went a bit by the wayside as we’ve not had any big quakes for a long time. Other parts of the country are having high winds too. Now is a good time to re-evaluate your stock of emergency supplies before more storms or other events are upon us.
Disaster preparedness experts recommend having enough supplies to sustain yourself, your loved ones and pets for a minimum of 3 days in the event of any power disruptions, natural disasters or terrorist events. Here are some highlights of what you should have on hand:
Bottled water: 1 gallon per person per day (have extra on hand for any pets).
Flashlights: 1 per person (and extra batteries).
Food: MRE’s (“Meals Ready to Eat”) which used to be termed “sea rations” or “sea rats”. These can be obtained from military surplus stores or online with various vendors.
Medications you use on a regular basis; whether prescribed or over the counter. Have an extra supply on hand or keep them in a small case that you can take with you if you have to leave your home fast.
Emergency Generator if necessary for anyone in your home that may use medical equipment that requires a power source.
Important Legal documents should already be stored in a waterproof/fireproof container if you need to evacuate your home quickly.
Know where your water and gas shut off valves are located and learn how to do it, in the event you have leaks from broken lines. Keep any tools needed in a centrally located area in your home and make sure everyone knows where they’re at.
Pick a day every month whereby you can take an inventory of your supplies and check expiration dates and functionality. Choose a date that has meaning for you such as your birthday, the 1st or the 15th of each month.
Have an ABC fire extinguisher on hand in your kitchen and make sure everyone in your home knows how to use it.
Research tips on how to prepare for and survive particular disasters relevant to where you live such as: earthquakes, floods, tornadoes, blizzards etc. Check out the following U.S. Government websites for more information: http://emergency.cdc.gov/ and http://www.ready.gov/. These are both great resources on disaster and emergency planning for your home or business.
