With the all the potential disasters one can face, National Emergency Preparedness Month reminds us how important it is to have a family disaster plan. No one likes to think about these possibilities, but having a plan can provide some peace of mind.
Here are 10 steps to help you plan for possible life emergencies:
- Create a family plan for where you will meet in case of various events.
- Gather important papers and photos and put them in a safe place.
- Review your insurance plans annually to see what coverage you have.
- Back-up your important files and store them in "the cloud" or on a thumb drive that you keep elsewhere. That way, if the worst happens, your documents don't go up in smoke or flood.
- Pack a disaster supply kit that you could take with you at a moment's notice with essentials like medications and important documents.
- Have an emergency contact list on your refrigerator and in your phone, including the names of each family member, birthdates, blood types, allergies, medical issues, and medications. In disasters, you may not have cell phone access, so consider listing any backup information you need on paper.
- Have a "to go" bag that includes important items like a change of clothes for emergencies and an extra cell phone charger or battery pack if possible.
- Document the contents of your house. One way is to use your phone video camera while walking through the house to record all your valuables (video inventory and store safely elsewhere).
- Complete your Advanced Directives and discuss with your loved ones.
- Gather disaster supplies a little at a time, each visit to the store (smoke and carbon monoxide detector, fire extinguishers, first aid kit, flashlights, batteries, etc.).
For more ideas, there are many resources such as https://www.ready.gov/ and http://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies. Nobody wants to imagine facing disasters, but being prepared in advance is the best protection you can have for you and your family. If you are finding that this triggers anxiety or that recent events have challenged your usual coping abilities, call Work/Life Connections-EAP at 615-936-1327 and make a confidential appointment to meet with one of our counselors.
