8 Ways to Be Proactive for Emergencies
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Last month we talked in-depthly about emergency preparedness. As they say, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” The inconvenience now of being proactive about things can save lots of headaches, pain, and maybe even worse, later on.
Here are 8 ways I’ve been thinking about to be more proactive, more prepared:
1. Store ICE contact numbers in your phone.
What would happen to you if you were hurt while away from work, home, or anyone you knew? “In case of emergency” phone numbers can be programmed into your cell phone so that if something were to happen to you, emergency personnel would know who to contact. The Happy Housewife has the details as well as info on an app for your smart phone to help you be better prepared.
2. Fill an emergency supply closet.
I’ve slowly been building my stockpile of water, but this emergency supply closet just blew me out of the water. Brilliant. We even have some storage cupboards in our garage that I could repurpose this way.
3. Get a full medical physical.
Yes, really. I know it’s a total pain. But, most of us moms don’t do this very often. And all too often, there can be little things that get overlooked. But, regular check-ups can be helpful in diagnosing issues early enough to be treated successfully. Make sure to check your skin and do monthly breast exams as well.
4. Inventory your home.
Last Spring my friend Lynn‘s home was hit by a tornado. Thankfully, they were all safe, but there was a fair degree of damage to the house and property. Lynn went through the process of recreating lists of the items that were damaged for the insurance claims adjuster.
While I may not live in tornado country anymore, we aren’t immune to fire or theft. Having a list of the big ticket items, their purchase prices, and date of purchase would be helpful later during what would surely be a stressful time.
Now, you might not think you have anything valuable. That’s what I thought, too. But, then I just thought about all my kitchen appliances! I would hate to have to replace my food processor, stand mixer, bread machine, and so on. While I can certainly live without them, I’d honestly rather not have to.
5. Pack go bags for your kids and you.
Lauren shared some great tips last month for how to pack emergency evacuation bags for your kids. Check out the post and then think about the supplies you can gather in one place to be better prepared.
6. Stock your car with a small on-the-go emergency kit.
We never know when an emergency situation will hit. So, while you’re packing go bags, make an extra one for the car filled with general supplies, like water, non-perishable food, and first aid kit.
7. Think about life insurance and then do something about it.
We think about it, but we’ve yet to do anything about it. Life insurance is really not that expensive, and it can be a good cushion for your family to land on if the worst happens.
8. Store valuables in a fireproof safe.
While most of us aren’t worried about protecting the Hope diamond, we are concerned about more important things: birth certificates, family photos, contracts, and property documents. A good way to protect these items is to store them in a fireproof safe.
This year we have purchased life insurance for my husband and myself. Next up on the list is a will! But also on our list is purchasing a fire safe. 🙂
I have been being proactive about my family’s health by cutting out processed foods and really looking at nutrition labels and at non-GMO foods. It is on my to-do list to have emergency preparedness backpacks made, though!
My kids are 4 and 6, so I’ve been teaching them about what they should do in an emergency (i.e. fire escape plans, stranger danger, etc.) Its not easy, but I know I’ll feel better knowing they know what to do if something happens.
We have extra shoes, socks and a bin of some supplies in the basement next to my grocery stockpile. We probably could use more things, but this is a start!
I just stored the ICE numbers in my phone yesterday, and insisted that my husband and parents do the same. They grumbled about it, but at least they did it. 🙂
Well-ness checks for family each year, life insurance for family. Need to repack car emergency bags (make sure the right size diapers are included as well as the correct seasonal clothing). Replacing batteries in smoke detectors is on the list for this week since we change the clocks next weekend.
I feel, food wise, we are fairly prepared for an emergency. I do a lot of home canning, and ever since a three day power outage a few years ago, I always keep tons of water on hand – it’s kinda hard to mix up powder formula without water (that was my eye opener!)! I was thinking the other day we could easily go a month, probably two without shopping. Whether it be a car breakdown, a job loss or natural disaster. Did I mention my husband is a firefighter? We are always aware of the suddeness of life. Thanks for posting this Jessica!
We’ve been working on our general emergency preparedness kit for quite some time and have an emergency kit in the car, but this last month we finally got and packed our “bug out bags.” We have life insurance and ICE # in our phones. My husband actually has an ICE button on his phone. I do not, however, have an inventory of my home. Do we need to claim specific items if we have serious damage or is it just a lump sum for household goods?
Something that I have done is the Vehicle Emergency Kit. I love it, and it has come in handy for so many small ’emergencies’.
We don’t have a safe at home, and I would love to have one for documents and our priceless pictures.
Thanks!
My family is really into emergency preparedness. We just had an extended family meeting planning what to do in case of disaster or emergency. It’s a lot to think about, but we’ll be glad we did!