Emergency Preparedness

Really?
Yup.

A friend of mine works in emergency preparedness for the American Red Cross here in NE Ohio. We were out to dinner last night and somehow we started talking about being prepared.

Things I never thought about (and not scare tactics but really important things to think about) and that too many of us don't think about and should:

If there is an emergency and your child's school needs to be evacuated - where do they take the kids?

Do you have a home evacuation plan in case of a fire?
No? YOU MUST!
Key thing is: practice it - especially with young children.
Have bedrooms upstairs? How are you getting out?
You need rope ladders (or something of the like) - practice with them.
Need not be scary for kids but must be serious.

If there is an emergency and you need to leave your home and your spouse is at work etc. (consider like 9/11 - phones: jammed) where do you meet? Make a plan.

What if there is something that hits us like a pandemic flu (seen the commercials they're running on t.v. recently?)
Always a good idea to have a stock pile of food/supplies.
Think about foods you don't need to cook (because potentially you can't): canned goods, boxed goods - WATER. The rule is: one gallon per person per day. Have babies? You need more for formula etc. Remember that water "expires" (due to their plastic containers) so make sure to use and re-stock.

I know no one really wants to think about these things but I suppose we must.
Just to put it out there. Seems we all get jazzed about these things after a tragedy: when we all skate through scott-free. Let's please be sure we're all appropriately prepared so we can continue the "scott-free".