Contributing writer Bonnie Cranmer
The weather is about to get active, as a potential hurricane is poised to arrive from the Gulf later this week. Now is a good time to review the resources, tools, equipment and connections you and your family have ready to face an emergency. It could mean a brief power outage, a disruption in water access or even a food shortage. After the recent pandemic, we’re all aware of how systems sometimes fail.
National Preparedness Month is sponsored by FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency). The 2024 theme is focused on talking about the things that could go wrong and planning ahead. Recommendations in the Ready.gov toolkit offer some suggestions about getting started. It is better to have the conversation and develop a plan before an emergency arrives. Talk about the things your family has in place and what is needed to be better prepared.
In Craig County, the Code Red alert system is in place to warn residents of weather and other emergency situations. Register on the Craig County website to receive the alerts on your phone. The system continues to provide registered users timely notice of emergency situations and how to respond.
One of the first things to consider is what is your family’s reliance on power? When the power goes out, are you ready? Do you have a gasoline or propane generator? Do you have fuel and have you tested your equipment? Are your cell phones and laptops regularly charged? Does anyone in your family have medication that needs refrigeration? Consider all the members of your family and don’t forget your pets and farm animals.
Make a list of all the important phone numbers for family contacts and emergency services. Be sure it is easy to find and everyone has the correct numbers. Plan for where to meet if an emergency happens during the work week and family members are separated by location like at school, at work or in transit.
Build a kit with things to stock for an emergency when you can stay in your home. Items to include are water, food, medicines, and a first aid kit. Does your home have public water service or is your home using a well with an electric pump? When the power is anticipated to go out, such as when high winds, tornadoes or hurricanes are predicted, filling a bathtub or bucket with water is an important resource.
Do you have a flashlight handy? Have you checked the batteries lately? Backup batteries for small appliances and solar appliances are valuable items. Pick up a few items for your kit with each visit to the store and you’ll soon have a wealth of resources for an emergency.
Insurance and other legal papers should be stored in a water safe container, with a digital copy on a flash drive or in the cloud. Paper maps seem obsolete to many but are helpful when cell service gets interrupted. Basic hand tools like hammers, screwdrivers, wrenches and garden tools come in handy and should be where they are easily found. Manual kitchen gadgets like can and bottle openers, French press style coffee makers and stovetop tea pots that can be used on an outdoor barbeque grill make life a bit easier during an emergency. Does your outdoor grill have propane, and is it ready to be the main source of food preparation should the power be out indefinitely?
One of the local resources unique to New Castle is The Emporium on Main Street. This hometown treasure is a source for many of the items needed in an emergency. The shop carries items from well-known brands, seasonal items like heirloom seeds and canning supplies, and plenty of books filled with essential information on a variety of topics. “Not your traditional bookstore, we carry history, self-reliance and reprints of older titles,” says their website.
When planning for any emergency, consider what products and tools you use on a daily basis. Don’t forget basics like personal care items such as soap, toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo and other items such as eyeglasses and hearing aids. Take an inventory and design a secure storage area for your supplies that is easily accessible and everyone knows where things are stored. This is just an introduction to getting your family prepared before an emergency happens.
Planning ahead makes the emergency less chaotic and everyone safer. Get started before the emergency arrives. Download more information directly from the ready.gov website.
Courtesy photo
