Do you have a Emergency plan?

Many consumers think that they can’t prepare for emergencies.  So with this mentality, they simply wait for the announcement of an impending disaster.

That can be a challenge as there is a rush for basic food items and hardware supplies that could have been avoided if there had been some advance planning.

What to Plan

Its important to know evacuation routes to exit your home or community in a case of emergency.  Make sure that each member of the family knows the route. One way to ensure this is to have practice drills to ensure that the way out is familiar to everyone.

Do your children know all the relevant phone numbers? Why not laminate a card with all the numbers and have it on display? Lamination will allow the card to last a long time and costs $60.00 at most local bookstores or printers.

First aid kits are often overlooked. They are simple and cheap to assemble. The kit must contain the following items: bandages, gloves, tweezers, gauze, alcohol and an antibiotic ointment.

A ready made kit can cost between $2000 – $3000.

Why not create your own kit?

Buying the items separately and placing it in a nicely decorated box, will cost up to $600.

A disaster kit, slightly varies from a first aid kit, it has all the basic things a family needs to move in a hurry and be comfortable. According to the website of the ODEPM,  (Office of Disaster Emergency Preparedness and Management) a family needs to have in its possession at all times:  water,
food,
clothing and bedding,
tools and hygiene supplies.

These items do not need to be bought, they can be taken from your current household supplies.  Tinned items can be put aside and replenished from time to time.  Check to ensure that the tinned goods have not surpassed the expiration date.

Of course, it might be easy to assume that these items do not need to be bought before the announcement of the disaster. The problem is though that some emergencies do not allow for you to get to a store. It would be a lot easier if the items you need are already stowed safewly in your home.

During and after a disaster, prices of food and other basic items might go up due to demand.  It is much better to have purchased the items when they were at their regular prices.

So are you prepared for any emergency?

Let me hear from you!

Teri Ann Renee Paisley

Gleaner online writer