Emergency Preparedness

We all live in a very precarious environment and this is the time when disaster preparations are important. Emergency situations happen when you least expect them to occur. Some of these situations include school shootings, workplace violence, natural disasters and terrorist attacks.

emergency supplies food storage

Today, a lot of business organizations provide emergency preparedness seminars to train their employees to know the signs of impending danger. Likewise, everyone should know how to be prepared in case Mother Nature brings heavy rains, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and wild fires in their location.

Emergency situations may occur anytime without warning. They could occur in the form of a human-caused event, natural disaster or an accident. When emergency situations strike, you only have few moments to prepare. Some events may occur without warning and only allow you for few seconds to get yourself into safety.

It is at these moments when you need to rely on whatever supply you have. Depending on the extent and severity of the emergency, access to supplies and services may be extremely limited. Therefore, advanced preparations are necessary for high chances of survival.

There are two things needed in order to survive an emergency: an emergency plan and supplies. Having an emergency plan eliminates confusion and panic that may arise during an emergency. The stress brought by emergency situations is not very helpful in practical thinking. Careful planning takes this into consideration and limits the potential for detrimental actions and poor judgment.

Developing an emergency plan

There are different factors to be considered when developing an emergency plan. Always keep in mind that the course of action that will be taken will depend on the existing danger. The emergency plan should be simple and easy to remember. Above all, the procedure should be easy to follow so as to facilitate quick action. In planning, here are the things that should be addressed: communication, supplies and safety.  If possible, you should develop an emergency plan for each of these potential situations: foreign or domestic terrorist attacks, an earthquake, fires and storms.


Supplies

Although the supplies that you need may vary depending on the kind of emergency you are facing, there are some items that may be gathered in advance. Having supplies on hand can eliminate the stress caused by the emergency situation.

Since there’s no way for you to know when an emergency will occur, you must have supplies stored in different places. It is strongly advised to place supplies in places where you stay most of the time. For some, supplies can be stored in the car, office and at the house. Make sure that your supplies are enough to last at least four days. Always keep in mind that you may be isolated when an emergency happens and there’s no way for you replenish your supplies or to communicate with anyone outside. Some of the items that should be included in your emergency supplies are: first aid kit, few gallons of water, canned goods, MREs (Meals Ready to Eat), water proof matches or lighters, flashlights, batteries, sleeping bag or blanket and sanitation items like soap, toothbrush, toothpaste and the like.

emergency supplies food storage