Emergency Preparedness

You never know what the weather may bring. It’s easy to prepare when you have advance warning for an impending snow storm or the weather report indicates that conditions are right for a possible tornado. What shakes us to the core, are the dangerous events that are not planned, and have no warning signs, like an earthquake or a Tsunami.  The events that take place in the Midwest are usually tied to the weather; extreme heat and extreme cold. As we gear up for what may be, by some expert’s predictions, a winter filled with lots of bitter cold and snow (it will all depend on El Nino), you can never be too prepared for the unexpected emergencies.

Emergency preparedness for Kansas City

In the event of an emergency, such as a fire (fire danger  tends to increase in the winter) do you have an evacuation plan for your home? Do you have the necessary ladders to safely evacuate the 2nd floor in the event of a fire? Even though Fire Safety month is over, did you take the opportunity to talk to your family about a plan and practiced it? We all believe that it won’t happen to us, and it probably won’t. But then again, that’s what planning and preparation is for, right?  For the “what ifs” and the “just in case” situations.

Emergency First Aid Kit

In some emergencies, you lose power, in other emergencies; you may need a good First Aid Kit. The American Red Cross suggests that you keep the following in a kit at home, compress dressings, bandages, cloth tape, antiseptic wipes, aspirin, cold compress, gloves and more. For a more detailed list of what you should put into a First Aid Kit visit the Red Cross.

Propane and Equipment

In the event of bad weather or an emergency, natural gas will flow to your home as long as the pumping station is working. If you have propane, get to know your provider.  In can take 2-3 days for the delivery of propane when you need it. Propane prices are low right now. Contact your provider and write your contract for your propane now while the prices are low. The bitterly cold temperatures also can tax your furnace. Have your furnace tune up now, before winter sets in.

MRE-Meal ready to Eat

Have a stock of 3-5 days of food that you can eat in the event you have no power to cook with. MRE’s  are used by the Armed Forces (as well as retired service men and women  and campers), which are self-contained and individually packaged. If you have kids, get their input on their MRE. Although a serious matter, make it fun. What could we eat if we did not have the microwave or the stove to cook? Take them to the store and look for food stuffs that they like and could be used as an MRE. MRE’s are also available for purchase online.

Survival Supplies

In the event of an emergency in the winter, have a few survival supplies that will keep you safe and warm for at least 3-5 days. You’ll want to keep these supplies together and close at hand in the event you may need them quickly. These supplies include, blankets (one for each person), firewood (if you have a wood burning fireplace) matches, batteries, weather radio, flashlight, your MRE food, and a Propane stove or Dutch oven (if you want to cook).

Avoid the survival Supplies with a Generator

One way to avoid the survival supplies all together is to install a Genereac Generator. When power is generally not available in your area, the backup power supply of a generator will kick on automatically in the event of a power outage.

Emergency Pet Safety

Pets are an important part of the family; make sure that any emergency plan you create, includes your pets. Of course, you don’t want to put yourself in danger but a plan that includes their safety; relocating a kennel, blankets, food and water for the animals, shouldn’t be left to chance.

Preparing your Emergency response in advance of the winter can make getting through the experience with your sanity and life intact. A little planning can go a long way.  Don’t be the one that is standing in the long lines at the grocery store trying to beat the snow that you know is coming.Prepare now for an emergency later.

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