Must-Do’s for National Preparedness Month

September is National Preparedness Month, which focuses on helping families prepare for disasters and emergencies.

The 2022 theme is A Lasting Legacy. Ready.gov explains, “The life you’ve built is worth protecting. Prepare for disasters to create a lasting legacy for you and your family.”

As much as we’d like to believe we’ll never face an emergency, we can’t know that for sure. That’s why it is so important to have a plan.

Often, moms put off preparing for emergencies because it seems overwhelming. It doesn’t have to be.

Make it your goal this September to cross the following must-dos for National Preparedness Month off your list.

Make a Plan

The first thing you need to do is make a plan for emergencies, such as where you go and how you’ll get there. Talk this plan through with each of your family members and practice it if you can. The American Red Cross has an excellent Family Disaster Plan template.

Stock Up on Essentials

The next thing you need to do is stock up on emergency essentials, such as:

• First aid kit

• Batteries

• Flashlights

• Weather radio (battery power or hand crank)

• Nonperishable food items

• Water

In addition to simply owning the above items, it is also important to pack a family emergency kit. This kit should include the essentials for your family in case of an emergency that is easy to grab and go in the event of an emergency.

If you want to pack your own emergency kit, see FEMA’s Emergency Supply Checklist. If you don’t have time to put one together yourself, you can purchase a pre-made emergency kit from the American Red Cross, which includes first aid supplies, emergency food, and other essentials.

Know How to Communicate

A major part of being prepared is communication. Begin by making sure you have signed up for emergency notifications on your mobile device. Find out if there is a separate alert system for where you live.

Next, make sure your kids know how to contact you in the event of an emergency and how you can reach them when they are in school or daycare.

Update Information

It’s important to keep your important personal information updated. Think of September or National Preparedness Month as the perfect time to go through your documents and make sure everything is up to date and correct.

It is also wise to invest in a fireproof and waterproof safe to store all of your family’s important documents.

Check Devices

During National Preparedness Month, go through your home and check all of your safety devices. This is the ideal time to make sure your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms are working (and change the batteries if they are not).

Pack Your Trunk

Don’t forget to be prepared for emergencies on the road. Take time to make sure your trunk has the following essentials for winter weather:

• Flashlight

• Flares

• Jumper Cables

• Blankets

• Car window breaker

• No-Spill Gas Can

• First Aid Kit

• Solar-powered cell phone charger

• Bottled water

• Nonperishable food

• Waterproof poncho

• Change of clothes

• Multi-tool

Failing to plan is planning to fail. While we hope we will never have to use these emergency plans and tools, we’ll be glad we have them should we need them.

How to Prepare Kids for Real Life Emergencies

As much as we hope we’ll never have to call 9-1-1 or rush someone we love to the emergency room, it happens.

That’s why it is so important to prepare kids for real life emergencies.

A friend of mine recently shared something that happened to her that made me think about what my kids would do in a similar situation.

My friend’s daughter swallowed a large coin. My friend has an older child who was able to call their dad from their Alexa device while the mom was handling the daughter. The older child then knew to run to the neighbor’s house as the mom rushed the daughter to the nearest urgent care center.

Would my daughters know what to know in a real life emergency like the one she described?

I wanted to make sure, so I took the time to go over the following information.

Discuss Possible Real Life Emergencies

Kids need to know what qualifies as a real emergency and what doesn’t.

A lost toy doesn’t qualify as a real emergency. I reminded my girls of the story of the boy who cried wolf to emphasize the importance of only claiming something is an emergency when it truly is.

Then, we talked about real life emergencies, such as a major cut that requires stitches, when you might need an ambulance, car accidents, fires, etc.

Teach Kids When and How to Call 9-1-1

Once kids understand what qualifies as a real emergency where first responders are needed, such as mommy being hurt and unable to move, they need to know how to call 9-1-1.

While 9-1-1 is only a three-digit number, it requires more than three steps on a mobile device.

For example, you need to teach your kids how to 9-1-1 on your phone – especially if you keep your phone locked.

Teach them how to find the emergency button that allows them to override your passcode protection and then how to dial 9-1-1.

They also need to know what to say once they call 9-1-1. They’ll need to know your address, calmly explain what has happened, and listen to the operator’s instructions.

Talk About What to Do and Where to Go

In some types of emergencies, it is more appropriate to get help from someone close by.

For example, I have told my daughters to run to our neighbor next door. We have a good relationship with our neighbors and trust that they would help my daughters.

We also talked about the types of emergencies that require you to leave the home (fires and intruders).

Explain How to Reach Others

If your kids are too young for their own phones and you don’t have a shared phone in your home, how will your kids reach others in the event of an emergency (such as dad and grandparents)?

You can teach your kids how to use Alexa or Siri to call these people, write their numbers on a dry erase board, or add identifiable emojis to their names in your phone’s contacts.

Show Kids Where to Find First Aid Supplies

It is also important to show kids where you keep your first aid supplies.

We keep our first aid kit in a pantry where they can reach it. They know where it is because they tend to need a lot of Band-aids.

It also gives peace of mind knowing I could yell at them to get it if we needed something quickly, such as wound seal for a cut that will require stitches.

Model Appropriate Behavior

Finally, I am trying to remember that how I respond in an emergency will greatly affect how my children respond. If I panic, they’ll panic. If I act scared, they’ll be scared. My goal is to try to stay calm during any real life emergencies.

What advice would you add? Tell me in the comments.

Is Your Family Prepared in Case of an Emergency?

The heartbreaking stories coming out of the Bahamas after Hurricane Dorian has got me thinking about what my family would do if we were in a similar situation. While New Yorkers typically don’t deal with hurricanes, we do face plenty of other emergency situations. Therefore, it is wise to have a family emergency plan in place.

I know it feels scary to think about, and it feels overwhelming, but taking a little bit of time today to prepare for an emergency tomorrow can make all the difference. And, for those working moms who already don’t have enough time, I am attaching links for as many pre-made tools as possible.

Sign Up for Emergency Alerts

First, be sure to sign up for emergency alerts on your cell phone. These alerts are lifesavers. You will receive notifications for any potential emergency, including tornadoes and winter weather. You can do a quick Google search for your town and the word “alerts” to find the one for your area and opt-in for alerts.

Write Out Emergency Contacts

If you are like me, you don’t have very many phone numbers memorized. With cell phones, memorizing numbers is a thing of the past! However, in case of emergency, it is helpful to have your emergency contacts written out – and it is especially helpful if you have children. I like FEMA’s Family Emergency Communication Plan form, which also has space for email and social media handles. All you need to do is write out all your important phone numbers and save it.

Have an Evacuation Plan

Next, give thought to where your family would meet and go if there was an emergency. Then, communicate this plan clearly with your family and anyone else it involves (such as evacuating to a different family member’s home). The American Red Cross has an excellent Family Disaster Plan template. Likewise, it is important to have a fire escape plan for your family. For an example and checklist, see the National Fire Protection Association’s Home Fire Escape Plan.

Store Important Documents Safely

It is also important to store your family’s important documents safely. You want to place documents such as birth certificates, marriage certificates, and passports in a fire safe and waterproof storage container. Use The Spruce’s guide to The 8 Best Fireproof Safes of 2019 to help you shop.

Prepare an Emergency Kit

Last but not least, it is wise to prepare a family emergency kit. This kit should include the essentials for your family in case of an emergency. Ideally, the items should be stored in a duffle bag or storage container that is easy to grab and go in the event of an emergency. If you want to pack your own emergency kit, see FEMA’s Emergency Supply Checklist. If you don’t have time to put one together yourself, you can purchase a pre-made emergency kit from the American Red Cross, which includes first aid supplies, emergency food, and other essentials.

Remember – a little planning today can make a huge difference tomorrow. Here’s hoping your family never has any need to use your family emergency plans.