People find themselves in situations every year which are considered emergencies. These can range from car problems to tornadoes and everything in between. The idea of this post is to help you take the first steps which will go a long way toward ensuring you, your loved ones and others can come through these types of situations with a good story to tell while at the party later.
The most important thing you can do in any of these situations is realize they can happen. You would be surprised how many people really do not want to even think about something bad happening, until it is past the time they can do anything effective about it. Just by acknowledging things happen you have gotten over the first obstacle. People will try to deny anything can happen, refuse to discuss it and then live in shock when something does happen. Don't allow yourself to be caught up in this loop of usless thought! You might find yourself mentally or even physically frozen in place when you least can afford to be.
Prior to something happening take some time to play "What if?" scenerios with yourself.
"What happens if my car breaks down?"
"What happens if there is a fire in the kitchen?"
"Who gets the kids from school if somthing happens?"
There are thousands of question you can ask yourself. Do not allow yourself to go to far down the rabbit hole! Stick to a few; "What is most likely to happen where we live at?" (I live in California, easy to figure that one out, fire.)
"How would we react if this situation happens right now?"
Take stock of what you would do and what you have on hand if the number one situation you could think of happens tommorrow or even right now. Do you have even the frame work of a plan in your head?
No? Then make a rough one right now. Get a peice of paper or open another screen and write down what the situation is. What would be your first reaction? Is a large storm coming and you have to leave? Where would you go? Do you have gas? Can you get there in one quick drive? We are not making a complete and detailed plan right now, we are just sketching out an idea.
You know the details of your situation better then I do. There is no way I could sit here and write in detail what you should and shouldn't have. What I am trying to do is get you to think about what you would do, what you have to work with and what you need to do to imporve your prepardness.
Take your rough idea or plan and put it away. Two days from now pull it out and look at it. Does it make sense to you after two days? Do you understand what you were writing? Adjust what you wrote to have it make sense to you now. Add anything to the plan you have thought of while it sat or has popped into your head while you read your plan. Start to flesh out your rough idea into some sort of plan. These things can be a detailed as you want them, after all this is what you plan on doing when something happens! Put the plan away for a week and then take it out again. Does it still make sense?
Now while the plan is growing don't sit around doing nothing. Buy a case of water. Pick up a map covering your route to and from work. Do something else proactive to help you is your number one situation happens right about...... wait for it...... NOW!
Stay Safe!!!
