Before I started writing the most entertaining, awesome blog in history (just agree with me), I was a gymnastics coach.  The following story took place on my very first day as a coach:

It was a cold, snowy, miserable February day, but I was excited to get to the gym. I had found a job as a gymnastics coach, and as a former gymnast myself, I couldn’t wait to start helping youngsters develop their talent in this great sport.

I was taking my boy to the gym, too. He was two at the time, which was one of the age groups I had for the morning. Not wanting to arrive late due to the snowy weather, we packed up and headed toward the gym with plenty of time to adjust for slick roads.

When we got to the gym, I had about eight armloads to carry. I had my diaper bag, my son’s blankie, a cup of milk, another bag full of toys, and my son’s hand. Right then I was merely focusing on getting inside with everything I needed to carry.

Once inside, all seemed well.

I set up for my classes, made sure my son had enough to occupy him during my first class (he was only participating in my second hour of classes), and waited for my new students to show up.

Two hours later, I was exhausted! Putting my son in a class I coached turned out to be a HUGE mistake as nothing I said could get him to listen or stay with the group.  Also, chasing a dozen kids around for two hours and trying to keep them entertained is not an easy task. I felt like I had accomplished a great feat.

On this particular day I was in a bit of a hurry to leave the gym because I had planned to go to lunch with some family members thirty minutes away. I figured I’d have just enough time to get there if I changed at the gym and drove straight to lunch.

I put myself together in a great rush, made sure my kid was presentable, and gathered the millions of things I had brought to the gym.

We finally got to the car—Yes! We were still making good time—only to find that my car keys were missing. AAAHHHH!

I always lock my car. 90% of the time my car is locked when it’s in the garage. But this day my full hands had prevented me from double checking the lock.

Although my car not being locked was a good thing at that moment, it also meant I had no proof that my keys ever even made it into the gym.

I started searching my car and belongings in and out. I had no luck there and started searching the outside perimeter of my car thinking I may have dropped my keys there. Unfortunately, it had been snowing quite heavily that morning so I couldn’t see anything. It was also very cold and I didn’t want to stay outside too long. At this point I was in “anxiety mode.” If I could find my keys in the next few minutes, I could still make lunch. But at this point they were nowhere to be found.

I made a mad dash inside the gym and—big surprise— there were no keys in any logical place. Of course, I searched the bathrooms, trash cans, lost and found, toy bin, and everywhere else I could think of, but my keys were not turning up.

By now I had missed lunch and wasted nearly an hour looking for keys. I just wanted to get home, which, apparently, was too much to ask.

I know I looked distraught at this point, and my new boss offered to let me borrow her car so I could retrieve my valet key from my house. My house is less than 10 minutes away from the gym, so that sounded okay. She even offered to let me kid play at the gym while I was gone! I thanked her profusely and took off.

I made it home without a hitch and got my valet key (FYI: a valet key is good only for starting the engine of a car. It won’t unlock anything, so this was another good reason my car was unlocked).

I started back for the gym with new hope for the day. Sure, my keys may have been lost, but at least now I had a way to get home with my car.

I got about halfway to the gym when the transmission in my boss’s car blew.

Her car was around 13 years old and she told me she’d been expecting it to die any day. Lucky for me, it decided to die this day. To make matters worse, I was on a frontage road where there aren’t many drivers….and even worse, I was in the dead center of the road.

I was now in “panic mode.”  I’d already lost my keys, chased hyper children around all morning, missed lunch, and left my own kid at the gym.  And now my boss of a mere week had let me borrow her car which was now completely ruined—and I was behind the wheel.

At this point, I was past rational thinking.  I was stuck in the middle of a frontage road in the winter. It was freezing outside and I had no control over my situation. I called my boss in a panic and told her what happened. She told me she’d call AAA (a must-have when your car is 13 years old) and try to find someone who could drive her to my location.

I hung up and sat in agony.

Quite fortunately, a couple men in a truck drove by about five minutes later. Seeing as I was in their way, they offered to push me to the side of the road. And seeing that I was actually in a great plight, they offered to give me a ride to the gym. I could tell they weren’t going to kill me, so I gladly accepted the offer.

I secured my boss’s car and went to the gym in great relief that I’d been rescued.

You know those days when you have no functional thought process and everything falls apart? Well, this was one of those days.  About halfway to the gym I realized I’d left my boss’s keys in her locked car. That’s right—I locked her keys in her car!!! Even better, I left the keys in the ignition (yes, I realize how completely stupid and insane this story makes me look).

I finally got back to the gym and had to tell my boss what I’d done now (let me remind you again — at this point I’d known this woman for less than a week).

Very -oh so very- fortunately, AAA was already on their way to her car.

I got my kid and my boss in my car, drove to her broken down car, waited 15 minutes for AAA to arrive. Once the AAA mechanic was finished retreiving her keys and putting her car on a tow ramp,  my boss and I parted.

Glad this debacle was finally over, I drove home trying not to cry.

I tell this story for a few reasons

1)      Panicking is not good in emergencies! It makes things much worse than they ever have to be.

2)      Remember your emergency contacts.  After telling this story, about 10 people reminded me that I could have called them and they would have come and helped us in the first place. 

3)      If something like this ever happens to you, learn from it. This really showed me my weaknesses in extreme pressure and gave me something to work on.

Now that I’m writing this blog and constantly thinking about emergency preparedness, I’ve remembered past events such as this that have helped me start to develop the proper mindset for mental preparation. I’m still not perfect, but I constantly realize how many minor emergencies our everyday lives bring. Getting through these and learning from them is a great way to prepare for larger things that may come our way.

And, just in case you were wondering, my boss kept me around!

In my last blog I mentioned my agreement that insurance companies can be crooks. The story of why follows here:

I was three months pregnant when my husband and I graduated from college. Before graduation, we decided to accept a graduate studies scholarship for my husband to attend the University of South Florida. 

One of my main concerns with moving was what we’d do about maternity insurance. If anything, babies are not cheap! Luckily, the college my husband was attending had a great insurance plan.  For about $8,000, we bought a full year of comprehensive medical insurance, which, they claimed, would cover any medical needs 100%. When we compared the insurance cost to the price of paying for everything that comes along with delivery, we took the less expensive deal.

We headed to Florida in mid-July, 2004 with a twinkle in our eyes. As a young married couple, my husband and I were excited to get away from home and explore the world.

Four months and a few stretch marks later (not to mention ten days late), our bundle of joy was born via Cesarean Section.

I spent the next few days in my large, private room recovering from my surgery (with my own morphine button) and eating from the hospital’s gourmet albeit still disgusting menu.

Five days after my little guy was born I got a call saying our insurance company was not going to cover the charges? WHAT??? When we signed up for the plan (and shelled out a TON of money), the insurance advisor told us we were eligible and completely covered under the plan. We’d had insurance before without any lapses, which, they told us, was enough to cover my maternity costs completely.

After my crying subsided I called the insurance company in a rage. Their answer for the denial of every claim (by the way—every doctor bills individually for deliveries, the hospital bills aside from the doctors as they are not connected to each other, and every ounce of medicine is counted and charged) was we were not previously covered under a group insurance plan, only a personal plan. Even without any coverage lapse, our non-group status gave them enough power to turn us away. Oh, and that’s right, they themselves WERE NOT a group coverage plan!!!

That story brings me to my reflection of why insurance can be a great way to fully protect yourself and your belongings in an emergency….

My grandpa always says, “You can never have too much insurance.” The more I think about that, the more I realize he is 100% right!

I realize insurance is INCREDIBLY expensive, but is there ever a way to have too much? I live in an earthquake prone area (or so they say) that’s been expecting “the big one” for quite a few years now. It has been pointed out to me that my house is on or very close to the major fault line that runs through this area. We don’t currently have earthquake insurance, but I have to admit I’m considering getting it. Even if an earthquake never hits this state in my lifetime, I’ll always have the peace of mind knowing my house and wellbeing will be financially protected if we are ever affected.

A few years ago Southern Utah experienced a major river flooding. The situation got so extreme that the river expanded to point of clearing land out from underneath houses (which caused the dwellings to either collapse, drop into the water, or break apart). Entire neighborhoods were adversely affected. Nothing like this had happened for decades, and, of course, very few households had flood insurance. I don’t think that is something most people think about when the threat is so minute or has never come to fruition in the past.

Car insurance is another avenue to explore. There are a lot of options for the kind of insurance you can get when a tragic accident results in death or hospitalization. And there are many resources out there to help when job loss, sickness, and other adverse situations occur (the Afflack duck is dancing through my mind right now).

I realize it’s not realistic for many people to add high priced insurance extras to what seem to be our ever growing costs of living. But, in the event you can afford this luxury, I’d recommend you hop on the chance. We never know what’s coming and when, and insurance as emergency preparedness is beginning to be, in my opinion, a great way to gain peace of mind.

What comes to your mind when you think about August 29^th? Maybe you have an upcoming family reunion or a long awaited vacation planned.  Maybe you have an important make-or-break deadline and feel a sense of dread when you think about that date. Or maybe it’s just another ordinary summer day.

This year, for the people of the Gulf Coast and New Orleans, August 29^th will represent the third anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.  With over 1,800 casualties and $80 billion spent in rebuilding, the Gulf Coast region is far from where it was August 27, 2005.  The Gulf is no longer drowning under the waters Katrina brought, but her effects are a lingering reminder of the fateful day she forever affected the lives of millions.

When I think about Hurricane Katrina, several images come to mind. These include people crowded into the superdome, stranded individuals crying for help from their rooftops, and houses painted with the numbers of the dead inside. I also remember the several images we were shown of bodies floating in the water and lying in the streets and walkways.  Stories of rampant disease, civil unrest, broken families, and unbearable shelter quarters are also some of the first thoughts that cross my mind.

The year before Hurricane Katrina hit I was pregnant and living in Florida. There were four hurricanes that year. Naturally, I was glued to the TV this time around. I was no longer in Florida, but the fear of the coming hurricanes I had lived through was enough to place my anxiety back where it had been the previous summer.

As news of the storm came pouring in, I remember feeling more and more frustration at the lack of proper rescue efforts. Before the storm hit, an evacuation order was given; however, a proper plan was never devised.  Much of the Gulf Coast region is impoverished—this is no secret.  And large parts of the most adversely affected areas of New Orleans were in the poorest areas where people didn’t have access to any means of transportation. Because evacuation plans were never clearly drawn up, many of us watched in awe and confusion as we saw images of empty, flooded buses lining the streets of New Orleans.  It also took the Federal Government over five days to develop a proper response plan—and even that didn’t go so well (do I have to remind you of the “Brownie” incident)? In fact, I specifically remember watching as President Bush slapped Michael Brown on the back and told him what an excellent rescue effort he’d conducted. I also remember the following months that ensued in missing and mal-distributed money, no bid government contracts, and further reparation mismanagement.

As someone who had gone through the fear of being caught in a hurricane less than a year before, my heart poured out to the people I saw. And now, almost three years later, I frequently remember this disaster.

As I’ve had time to reflect and ponder this situation, I feel there some extremely important lessons we can all learn.  Here are some them:

First, I have learned that blame is much too easy to assign. I was watching a TV show a couple years back that paralleled Hurricane Katrina with a broken beaver dam that floods a town called Beaverton. In the show, two little boys accidentally drive a boat through a beaver dam which causes Beaverton to flood. The boat burns up after the accident and everybody is scrambling to figure out what happened to cause this (there were no witnesses to the accident). There are two parts of the following dialogue that, to me, perfectly relay the blame game.

 The first example goes:

Person 1:  “That’s right; we know whose fault this is. It’s George Bush’s fault.”

 Person 2: “Yeah, George Bush doesn’t care about beavers.”

Person 3: “George Bush didn’t break that beaver dam. It was terrorists and Al Qaeda.”

Person 4: “They’ve secretly been building beaver dam WMD’s for years now.”

The second dialogue then plays out:

Son (this is the kid who has actually broken the dam):  “Mom….Dad…they’re going to help those people right?”

Mom: “I don’t know. You know, to me, it seems like the mayor of Beaverton should have done something about that dam years ago. “

Dad: “Don’t blame the mayor. What about FEMA? I think this whole thing is really their fault.”

Son: “But somebody’s going to help those people off their rooftops, right?”

Dad: “That’s not important right now, son. What’s important is figuring out whose fault this is.”

An incident can never be blamed on just one person or entity. And, I’ve found, most of the time blame comes from anger over our own inadequacies. Many of the deaths and further tragedies we were shown with Hurricane Katrina could have been avoided with some good emergency preparedness planning by individuals. Even those with little means can do small things to prepare themselves. Something seemingly insignificant like storing a bottle of water away every month would have come in handy in the days following Hurricane Katrina.

Second, it is important to know that we can really only count on ourselves when an emergency strikes. Both the state and federal governments failed to properly prepare and respond to the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. But emergency preparedness and planning should begin with us as individuals. We really can’t count on the government, our insurance agency, or our neighbors for help. We all have our own needs; it’s our responsibility to make sure those will be met in the face of devastation.

Third, I’ve learned that we need to take the past as a template for what we can and should do now. The victims of Hurricane Katrina may not have had time to prepare in the hours preceding the storm, but we all have the opportunity to prepare ourselves now for what the future might bring. It’s easy to sit around complaining about the inadequacies we saw back then, but this is now. And if you aren’t preparing yourself, you’re adding to the problem you’re complaining about.

Fourth, I’ve learned some people never learn. Being fascinated with Hurricane Katrina, I’ve seen and listened to many accounts, movies, and documentaries relating to this disaster. And although my heart breaks for those who lost everything, it isn’t my opinion that they should be automatically entitled to riches. Even now, years after the storm hit, I hear many stories of people complaining about the injustices imposed to them. Even if these people are right, they need to learn that they are in charge of themselves and, ultimately, their own recovery. Should the government be partially responsible? Probably.  But, in the end, the government can not be counted on or expected to clean up every hurricane victim’s life. Yes, the government screwed up big time. And I will agree with anyone who feels like insurance companies can be crooks (I have another story about that—not a good subject for me).  Still, emergency preparedness lies in our hands. And everyone, no matter how rich or poor they may be, can do something. For example, anyone with a 5 gallon bucket and lid has a temporary emergency lavatory. I know that doesn’t seem like the best resource, but if I was placed in a situation where there was no sanitation, hygiene, or bathroom facility, a five gallon bucket that seals off would be looking pretty great to me.

These are just a few of the lessons I’ve taken away from August 29, 2005. As I’ve written in previous posts, it seems to me that large scale disasters happen more frequently now, which should be all the more motivation for us to assess our situations and get on the emergency preparedness bandwagon.

An introduction to this post: Writing about emergency preparedness has really pushed me into not wanting to be a hypocrite. I want to say I follow the advice I dish out. One of the steps my family has taken recently is planting a garden. This experience has been great for emergency preparedness as well as saving time, gas, and money. It has also been fun to watch our plants develop and know that we have taken a step toward becoming more self reliant! Watching our garden grow has prompted me to write a post about my experience and future gardening goals.

You know those Wells Fargo commercials that say “someday a _______” (there are several versions) and then they show the image of today?  That statement reflects the feelings I have about my garden.

When I was ten my parents moved our family to Tooele, UT. We lived in a very old, downtrodden house with nothing but fields and mountains surrounding us (my back yard was literally a mountain).  In fact, we had green vinyl flooring throughout much of the house, cement stairs leading to the basement, and electric wiring that was eventually hung as a joke on the walls of Tooele’s electric company (we ended up having to replace all the wiring. The electricity guys kept is as a joke).  Our air conditioner was a swamp cooler, our garage was a hand-made car port, and since we were surrounded by fields and mountains, rodents were an everyday issue. I’m not giving you this description to complain; I just want to give an accurate picture of the environment.

Our house was a pretty substantial disaster, but we did find some good there. My dad, wanting to save money and take control of our pest problems, decided to design and grow a garden in one of the fields on our property.  He started out small, but after renting every gardening book ever written (or so it seemed), he became a quick expert.  With the exception of winter, my dad worked on our garden obsessively. He’d spend hours a day creating new rows, managing his plants, and making sure everything was correctly watered (we had no automatic sprinklers). Within a couple years we had an extraordinary garden that I still admire to this day.  

After moving out of my parent’s house I always wanted a garden just like the one my dad used to have. And now, seven years later, my husband and I have finally buckled down (I actually planted a few things a couple summers ago, but that same summer we got a dog. She ate everything I’d grown).

So far everything has turned out well. In fact, growing a basic garden has been much easier than I thought it would be. We’ve never been able to keep house plants alive, but our garden looks great! I am also very happy about the gas, money, and time we’re saving and will continue to save on not having to buy herbs and other vegetables from the store.

And now the someday part comes into play…..

I’m glad we finally got our act together and planted some herbs and vegetables. It wasn’t hard to do, but it’s still an accomplishment for us—believe me! Still, I look at what we’ve done and I know we could do more. The garden I currently have my site set on belongs to my husband’s parents.

Like me, my husband comes from a garden-growing family. His mom actually grew up on a farm in Idaho, which means she really knows her stuff.   Anyway, his parent’s garden is nothing short of spectacular. They have three levels of cement-encased garden boxes that are chalk full of fresh potting soil (see my someday picture). Their setup is remarkable and their plants continue to thrive year after year.

When I look at our garden (and the area surrounding it), cement trucks, garden boxes, and large bags of potting soil pop into my head.  I don’t expect to duplicate the garden my in-law’s have, but I’m hoping to someday construct a mini replica.  

For now, we’ll take things day by day and continue to be thankful that our garden has survived our not-so-green thumbs!

Since 2004, hurricanes, earthquakes, and tsunamis combined have killed over 680,000 people worldwide. The most recent event that added to this growing death toll was the Sichuan Province earthquake which took place on May 12^th of this year. The first time I heard the devastating news of this disaster, the death count was around 8,000. Today, that number has risen to over 67,000.

It seems to me that the last few years have delivered a higher frequency of large-scale natural disasters. Perhaps the most frustrating aspect of these events is we can’t predict their coming. And even when we have some idea of where and when they’ll strike, we can never be sure. A good example of this is hurricanes Jeanne and Ivan. I was living in Tampa, Florida the year these hurricanes hit. During the approach of both storms, we were informed that our area would be directly affected. After a lot of emotional stress and worry, we were fortunately spared from the devastation. This, of course, meant that millions of people who were told they were not anywhere near the hurricanes’ paths were stricken with the full force of these destructive forces.

Thinking about history’s recent events has prompted me to learn the best ways to prepare for the three major causes of natural disaster deaths: earthquakes, tsunamis, and hurricanes. Because earthquakes have been most prevalent in recent news, I decided to start my research there.

The beginnings of my investigation were met with a very compelling article by Doug Copp, a self-proclaimed survival expert. Contrary to most of our grade school instruction involving getting under a large piece of furniture (like a desk or table), covering our heads, and holding on, Doug Copp’s earthquake survival measures entail lying next to a large object such as a couch or bed. This, he says, will save lives because large items do not compact. Instead, they leave a triangular void around their perimeter. These areas are most commonly knows as “triangles of life.”

Copp’s article contains many persuasive yet controversial survival measures. For example, he advises his readers to get out and lie next to their cars in an earthquake. According to Copp, this increases the chance for survival because cars, being very large and heavy, create sizeable triangular voids.

While deciding to write this post, I was hoping to find a new twist on the best earthquake survival methods; this article seemed to be the perfect solution. It is fascinating and completely different from what I was taught growing up. Although I was quite excited by what I read, I decided to research Doug Copp before posting his advice list. After about 20 minutes fishing around Google, my bubble was burst. I have yet to find anything positive written about this guy. In fact, several survival groups and scientists have refuted his advice saying it’s irresponsible and not applicable to building structures and codes in the United States.

I’ve never met or spoken to Doug Copp or the organizations refuting his advice. But after reading both sides of the story, I’ve decided that sticking with the advice of FEMA and the American Red Cross will most likely yield the best survival results in an earthquake. These organizations, being dedicated to disaster prevention and recovery, are well versed in the methods of Doug Copp; they have not been persuaded by his survival techniques.

According to the American Red Cross, earthquake preparedness and recovery should entail the following:

Prepare a Home Earthquake Plan

• Choose a safe place in every room where nothing can fall on you.
• Practice DROP, COVER AND HOLD ON at least twice a year. Drop under a sturdy desk or table, hold on, and protect your eyes by pressing your face against your arm. If there’s no table or desk nearby, sit on the floor against an interior wall away from windows, bookcases, or tall furniture that could fall on you.
• Teach children to DROP, COVER, AND HOLD ON!
• Choose an out-of-town family contact.
• Consult a professional to find out additional ways you can protect your home
• Take a first aid class and keep your training current.
• Get training in how to use a fire extinguisher.
• Inform babysitters and caregivers of your plan.

Eliminate Hazards

• Bolt bookcases, china cabinets, and other tall furniture to wall studs.
• Install strong latches on cupboards.
• Strap your water heater to wall studs.

Prepare a Disaster Kit for Your Home and Car With

• A First aid kit
• Essential medications.
• Canned food and a can opener.
• At least three gallons of water per person.
• Protective clothing, rainwear, and bedding
• Sleeping bags.
• A battery-powered radio, flashlight, and extra batteries.
• Special items for infants, the elderly, and disabled family members.
• Written instructions for how to turn off the gas, electricity, and water if authorities advise you to do so.

Know What to do When the Shaking Begins

• DROP, COVER, AND HOLD ON! Move only a few steps to a nearby safe place.
• Stay indoors until the shaking stops and you’re sure it’s safe to exit.
• Stay away from windows.
• In a high-rise building, expect the fire alarms and sprinklers to go off during a quake.
• If you are in bed, hold on and stay there. Protect your head with a pillow.
• If you are outdoors, find a clear spot away from buildings, trees, and power lines. Drop to the ground.
• If you are in a car, slow down and drive to a clear place. Stay in the car until the shaking stops.

Identify What to Do After the Shaking Stops

• Check yourself for injuries. Protect yourself from further danger by putting on long pants, a long-sleeved shirt, sturdy shoes, and work gloves.
• Check others for injuries.
• Administer first aid to those with serious injuries.
• Look for and extinguish small fires. Turn off the gas if you smell gas or think it’s leaking.
• Listen to the radio for instructions.
• Expect aftershocks. Each time you feel one, DROP, COVER, AND HOLD ON!
• Inspect your home for damage. Get everyone out if your home is unsafe.
• Use the telephone only to report life-threatening emergencies.

*Information courtesy of the American National Red Cross. All rights reserved in all countries.

**For tips on hurricane and tsunami preparation, please visit http://www.shelfreliance.com/library/view/eks

Take a minute and ask yourself whether or not you feel completely comfortable dropping your child off at school,or a friend’s house,or the mall.

Although my child is only three and not yet running around town on his own, I feel a tinge of unrest every time I drop him off at school. I fear that something might happen while we are apart and he may not know what’s going on or how to deal with his surrounding circumstances. This line of thought often leads me into somewhat of a “fear tailspin” in which I start to consider never letting my child leave my sight ever.

I would love to stand over my child’s shoulder forever and protect him. Realizing this is quite impossible and somewhat creepy, I have decided to equip him with the knowledge and resources he may need in an emergency. You may be thinking “Your kid is only three what good can this possibly do now?” To which I would answer, A day seldom goes by when I am not amazed by the vast amount of knowledge young children soak up. They are pretty sponge-like in that way. Also, if I start teaching my baby about emergency preparedness while he is young, he has a much better chance of surviving a severe disaster.

Children spend approximately 25% of their time away from home. As they grow older and become more interested in their friends and less interested in you this percentage grows. So what would your child do if he/she went to the store with his/her friends and an earthquake erupted? Would your child know what was going on or where to go for safety?

Starting an emergency plan is important for all families and age groups. The younger a child is when he/she is taught about emergency planning, the better things will go in the event of a disaster. Please keep in mind that emergency planning is not exclusive to giant attacking monsters or the earth freezing over. Make sure you include minor calamities in your emergency plan such as cuts, power outages, bug bites, CPR, etc.

I realize emergency planning is an extremely broad topic and that starting an emergency plan can be very stressful. My best advice is to start small; cover the basics and work up to more critical subjects.

Read the list below for ideas on what to include in your child’s emergency plan. In the event of an emergency, make sure he/she isn’t left stranded.

• Make sure your child knows to dial 911 in an emergency
• If an emergency occurs, where will you meet if separated? Who will you trust?
• Cover topics like stranger danger, bug bites, and cuts
• Discuss what to do in major disasters like earthquakes or floods
• Provide your child with a 72-hour kit, change, and a phone card
• Make sure your child knows your contact information and consider providing him/her with an emergency cell phone with alternative contact numbers
• Pre-arrange to have an alternate care-taker who is willing to care for your child if you are not available
• Have your child keep a small emergency supply kit at school. This kit should include a flashlight, a radio, bottled water, and a poncho or mylar blanket.

Knowing your child is safe and cared for will allow you to keep a clear head so you can make responsible, intelligent decisions in a time of crisis. Prepare your child to understand what to do if you are not around. Teaching your child a broad range of emergency preparedness techniques will prepare him/her for greatest emergency of all the one he/she is forced to face alone.

Did you know the average American adult spends over 30% of his or her time at work? My first thought was, “I wish I could only work 6 hours a day!” But seriously, whether you are a full-time hero or a part-time student, emergencies have a good chance of striking while you are away from your primary emergency supply — assuming you have a primary emergency supply.

An emergency kit is not just about giant monsters wreaking havoc through the city or floods reaching your 4^th story window, they are about everyday incidents ranging from minor scrapes and bruises to a lightning storm that knocks out the power for 45 minutes. Make sure you don’t end up being the only one without a poncho in that torrential downpour or finding your way through the pitch dark halls of your building without a flashlight by taking the following steps toward emergency preparedness:

Store emergency contact information in your workspace. If something happens to you at work, your co-workers will need to know who to call. Make sure your emergency contact information is clearly written and easy to find. Keep this list in your phone as well. Many companies have an ICE (in case of emergency) section built into their phones. If your phone doesn’t have this function, create your own ICE contact.

Keep a duffel bag or backpack full of emergency supplies in your office. Don’t get caught off guard in a less-than-stellar situation. Make sure your backpack or duffel bag has plenty of water, a flashlight with extra batteries, a pocket knife, a first aid kit, and a radio. These items will keep you safer and provide you with a sense of security.

Keep an auto emergency kit. This will not only ensure your safety on the road, it will also provide a backup to your home or office emergency supplies.

Get acquainted with your company’s first aid kit and emergency supply area. Every company should have a first aid kit and a fire extinguisher. Make sure you know where these items are located and how to use them.

Research your company’s evacuation plan. Although most businesses do not hold emergency drills, every company should have an evacuation plan. Acquaint yourself with the details of this plan and discuss emergency preparedness with your supervisor and co-workers.