September is National Preparedness Month, which makes it the perfect time to follow through on the three important steps individuals and families should take to be ready – Red Cross Ready – when disaster strikes:
1. Get a Kit
2. Make a Plan
3. Be Informed
What do those steps actually mean, you ask?
I could go into detail here, or I could direct you to an incredibly thorough, educational, and FUN online resource created by the American Red Cross to help you navigate the at-times confusing path to preparedness.
If you’re short on time, start here and read through the overviews in the Get a Kit, Make a Plan, and Be Informed sections before jumping to the conclusion.
But if you have the time (and I strongly encourage you to MAKE the time, as this site really is both helpful and interesting), start here and stay awhile. Make sure you visit each of the three key areas I’ve outlined below.
Get a Kit: Users can review the types of supplies needed to fully-stock an emergency preparedness kit; calculate the exact quantity of each supply needed based on the number of adults, children, and pets in the family; and play an emergency preparedness game called “Prepare 4”. My family and I will be working on this section of our emergency preparedness plan this weekend, if I can pull my son away from the Prepare 4 game, that is.
Make a Plan: Users can learn where and how to begin the planning process, create a customized emergency plan (that the website will then send to you and any additional family members), and download a personalized Emergency Contact Card. Tackling this section of our emergency preparedness plan is on my family’s calendar for October, when we’ll simultaneously be working on our fire safety plan.
Be Informed: Users can learn more about the three key ways to become better educated about emergency preparedness. Understanding where important information comes from before, during, and after a disaster; knowing which weather and manmade disasters to expect in your region of the country; and knowing the basic action steps to take when a disaster strikes are all important to your overall emergency preparedness plan. Come November and December, my family and I will be reviewing these important details and adding easy printables to our emergency preparedness kit.
I’ve seen people start down the road to preparedness and simply walk away because they become so overwhelmed. That’s the beauty of the Be Red Cross Ready website – it contains a great deal of valuable information, but the information is compartmentalized and presented in a way that allows you to break it down and tackle one piece at a time, when you have the time.
So visit the site today, and consider taking even just one of the steps in an effort to better prepare yourself and your family for an emergency. If you’d like, follow the same schedule as my family and me!