​Disaster Readiness – It’s Practical (Not Just for Preppers!)

Disaster readiness isn’t anyone’s favorite topic.

We know that “prepping” has gotten a bad rap recently. But we understand that preparation is a fundamental part of life.

Let’s face it: if you shop for groceries once a week, stock up on dog food or cat litter, or have any insurance, you’re a “prepper.” You are being prepared for what life throws at you.

We’re not here to talk about typical doom and gloom, apocalyptic, end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it type of survivalist training. We’re here to make getting “prepped” fun (or at least as fun as possible).

Whether you’re worried about Mother Nature throwing a tantrum or human-made chaos, we’ve got you covered.

Are you ready to dive into the wild and wacky world of disaster readiness?

The Many Flavors of Disasters: A Smorgasbord of Chaos

Photos by R. Lambrecht, S. Yamkasikorn, M. Orlova, & T. Fisk

We all know that daily preparation for living life differs greatly from preparing for emergencies.

In today’s world, preparing for emergencies is more than a first aid kit and a fire extinguisher.

There are many kinds of emergencies, some depending on where you live and the time of year.

• Natural disasters
  • Earthquakes
  • Hurricanes
  • Tornadoes
  • Blizzards
  • Wildfires
  • Floods
  • Solar flares
  • The list goes on and on.
• Man-made disasters:
  • Chemical spills
  • Nuclear mishaps
  • Electric grid failures
  • Bridge collapses
  • Satellite interruptions
  • Conflicts (local, national, and international)

There are economic disasters like banks failing and essential businesses closing. And long-term disasters, like years-long drought conditions.

While these are all disasters and emergencies of one form or another, we’re not here to talk about the disasters themselves.

We’re discussing how you prepare yourself and your family for weathering emergencies and disasters.

Home Sweet (Fortified) Home

If you’re like me, living in Florida, hurricanes are a fact of life. They happen, and there’s nothing short of being prepared that you can do about them. Many natural disasters are the same in terms of you not knowing when they’ll happen, but it’s best to be prepared “just in case.”

• The Basics: Water, food, and a roof that doesn’t leak.
  • Keeping a roof at all in a hurricane or tornado can be a challenge. Make sure you have a safe place to ride out the storm.
  • Having a supply of water in cases where your municipal water supply might become contaminated or entirely unavailable for some time is crucial.
  • Non-perishable food items are vital, too. Refrigeration goes out with the power, and so do most cooking appliances. Don’t open your refrigerator any more than is absolutely necessary to help keep it cool for as long as possible.
  • Use solar devices to heat water to boil for coffee or even to cook with, if the power is out.
  • Outdoor grills can be used to cook perishable food as long as it’s safe to be outdoors.
  • Keep it simple but essential.
  • REMEMBER: a body can live longer without food than without water. Ensure 1 gallon of water per day per person minimum. That does NOT include what you might need for cooking or cleaning.
• Power: Heat and A/C
  • Without a power supply, it can be difficult, but not impossible, to keep your home warm in winter or cool in summer.
  • If you have a fireplace, stock up on firewood well before winter. And when a storm is forecast, bring a good supply into the house.
  • Using a portable generator can help power space heaters or portable air conditioners. REMEMBER: gas generators must be left outside when running to avoid toxic fumes.
  • Solar generators are becoming more affordable, and the battery packs can be kept indoors to power fans, lights, or even the fridge.

Prepping for Families

• Kiddos and Elders:
  • Special gear for the little ones, like diapers and formula. Include toys or games to keep them occupied.
  • Comfort items for grandma and grandpa. Days without power can be tough for older adults. Keep supplies for hobbies available.
  • Being focused on something other than the emergency at hand can help relieve anxiety.
  • Don’t forget medications and necessary medical supplies if you need to evacuate your home.
  • Only you can decide precisely what is best for your preparation because everyone’s needs are unique.
• Pet Patrol:

Photo by Alexandra Bilham

• • Don’t forget Fido and Fluffy.
  • Pet food is an essential need, but don’t forget water.
  • If your pets require medication, that’s another thing to consider.
  • Leashes, collars, harnesses, food and water bowls, bedding, cages or crates, and toys: pets need a go-bag, too!

• Evacuations:
  • For emergencies like hurricanes, you have enough warning to evacuate the expected area of most danger.
  • Keep your vehicle’s fuel tank at least half full during storm season to avoid huge lines at gas stations when an evacuation is ordered. You can fill up after you get to a less crowded area.
  • EVs are becoming more popular: ensure a vehicle charging plan. On your emergency evacuation route, know where there are charging stations.
  • If you must evacuate separately from loved ones, know where you will meet once you have left the danger zone. Have a secondary location chosen in case the first is inaccessible.
  • Plan a way to communicate to keep in contact, whether through a person outside the evacuation area or through digital channels.

Tech Savvy Survival: Backups and Identification

So, that covers the essentials to safeguard your life and health in an emergency.

But what about everything else?

• Digital Lifeboats:
  • How do you keep your data safe when your computer decides to take a swim?
  • How can you recharge your hand-held computer (your smartphone) if the power is out?
  • Services like cloud-based backup systems can help you recover critical data if your computer gets damaged beyond repair.
  • Palm-sized solar-rechargeable batteries can be a great tool to have on hand to charge up those essentials, like flashlights and phones.
• Important Docs on Lock:
  • Do you have a safe place to stash your papers so you’re not scrambling when the lights go out? While hard copies are good, they can be hard to carry and keep track of during an emergency.
  • We invested a minor amount in a flash drive that would plug into a computer and a smartphone and put copies of our significant documents on it.
  • Important documents that you should consider having digitally for easy access during an emergency (or its aftermath) could include:
    • Wills
    • Trust documents
    • Living wills/DNR’s
    • Drivers’ licenses and passports
    • Property deeds
    • Marriage or divorce records
    • Power of Attorney documents
    • Healthcare surrogacy designation documents
    • HIPAA release forms
  • Your children should carry identification on them, including a way to contact you or another trusted adult in case you get separated.
  • Putting children’s identification in a backpack or other carried bag might not be the best option because that can also get separated from them. For toddlers or infants, consider labeling their clothing.

Business Continuity: Keeping the Lights On (Figuratively)

Photo by Alexander Suhorucov

Planning for how your family handles emergencies is one thing.

But what if you own a business? Things get exponentially more complicated.

• Have a Plan B (and maybe even a Plan C and D):
  • How will you keep business rolling, even when the world’s trying its best to stop it?
  • If you only have one location, and it’s out of commission, what do you need to have readily available to get back up and working as soon as possible?
  • If you have multiple locations, can you transfer responsibilities between locations to ensure uninterrupted customer service?
  • Here again, only you can decide exactly what you need to prepare for, as every business is unique in many ways.
• Remote Work Revolution:
  • If you have a remote team, distributing work among unaffected team members can alleviate the burden on employees who must deal with the emergency.
  • Keep in contact with team members who are affected even if the company as a whole is not.
  • Keep the team together in your planning, even when everyone’s working from a different location.
• Disaster Scams Abound:
  • Unfortunately, the criminal element thrives during and immediately after a disaster.
  • Ensure you know who your contacts are with insurance carriers and other advisors.
  • If you are not positive that the person contacting you is from the company you deal with, hang up and call the number you know is right. If that individual works for them, you will get back in touch. If not, you might have saved yourself a lot of heartache.
  • Protect your laptops and other computerized equipment (including smartphones) from unauthorized access. Use biometrics for locking devices, and ensure your anti-virus and anti-malware software is current.

Special Needs, Special Plans: Because One Size Doesn’t Fit All

You can make the planning an educational experience, if not actually fun for your kids.

After all, they are already used to fire drills, etc., at school. Have them help determine what needs to be part of an evacuation plan.

• Evacuation plans might need to be implemented when not everyone in the family is in one place.
  • How will the kids get picked up from school?
  • Where do you meet up, especially with children in different schools?
  • Are there additional family members or pets to consider in these plans?
  • Write these plans down.
  • Then practice them. Make it a routine to practice the plan often enough for it to become second nature. That way, panic doesn’t derail your efforts.
  • Get your neighbors involved, and make it a regular event to practice your emergency plans together.

For the elderly and medically challenged, everything becomes more significant.

• In an emergency, time is of the essence. Older people do not move as fast as they once did. The need to hurry also impacts individuals with medical challenges.
• Beyond the need to ensure these individuals’ safety, specialized equipment or vital medications are often needed.
• Ensuring that there will be power for the equipment and a sufficient quantity of medicine available for the duration of the emergency is critical.
• Consider getting a portable gas or solar-powered generator to power needed medical equipment.

Tailor your plan to keep everyone safe, comfortable, and panic-free.

Community Vibes: It Takes a Village

Photo by RDNE Stock project

It can be hard to think of others when dealing with a disaster. But community is essential, more so after a disaster than ever.

Hurricanes and earthquakes devastate entire communities. Tornadoes flatten one house and leave the one next door without a scratch.

Wildfires and floods threaten everyone in the vicinity.

It’s helpful to know your neighbors before a disaster strikes. That’s one way to tell whether someone coming out of their house belongs there.

Looking out for one another in your area, helping those who need extra assistance, and being a good neighbor are the backbone of a strong and resilient community.

Sharing is caring. Pooling resources, sharing tips, and practicing drills can make preparedness less intimidating—and maybe a little fun.

Prepared, Not Scared

Panic is the worst way to deal with an emergency.

Disaster readiness is about being prepared, not scared. With a plan, it’s easier to keep those panicked feelings away.

By getting a jump start on prep work, you’re securing your peace of mind and ensuring that you and your loved ones can weather any storm (literally and figuratively).

So, let’s get to it and make disaster readiness a part of our everyday lives, minus the bunker mentality.

Stay safe, stay prepared, and keep your sense of humor handy – you’ll need it!