Do This Now

We have all been watching the unfolding tragedy in Japan, and our prayers and thoughts go out to all those affected. It has also turned many of our thoughts toward our own families and emergency preparedness.  In emergencies such as fire, natural gas leak, or earthquake there may be only minutes to react. Here are some resources to help you and your loved ones become more prepared.

A disaster occurring at night can be very disorienting. The family should have an escape plan that they have practiced. Each person has been encouraged have the following items near their beds:

·         A pair of shoes that are easy to slip on to keep feet safe from broken glass and debris.

·          A glow stick or flashlight -flashlights should not be used if there is a gas leak.

·         Leather gloves -  for the same reason you need shoes.

·         A hard hat or bike helmet as protection from falling debris (both Harbor Freight and Healthy Harvest carry hard hats).

These should be placed in a plastic bag tied to the leg of the bed so they cannot be lost.

Here are some other things to consider:

·         What do I need? www.ready.gov  and http://www.redcross.org/ have emergency checklists. Local resources include: http://www.cityofvancouver.us/preparedness.asp and www.emd.wa.gov/myn/myn_resources.shtml

·         What do I have? We have been counseled that Conference (only a few weeks away!) is a good time to go through our emergency kits and replace things that have been outgrown or are perishable. Find out what you’ve got and what don’t before an emergency strikes.

·         What do I still need? Write a list of items you need to acquire and make a plan of how to get them. Many items can be purchased at local stores such as ‘big box’ stores, Harbor Freight, Healthy Harvest and Simple Safety, on the web or thrift stores (nylon clothes can be found there inexpensively -  they are lightweight, compact and dry quickly)

·         Does my family know where everything is? Do we have an emergency plan for when we are home? Do we have an emergency plan for when we are away from home (school, work, etc.)? Get the family involved. Both Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts can pass off things by getting prepared. Do Activity Day girls and YW have something similar?

The time to prepare is before there is a problem. Why not do it now?