Emergency Preparedness: Hope for the best. Pack for the worst.

Ready or not: let’s talk emergency preparedness. If the phrase “emergency preparedness” makes you picture dusty flashlights, canned beans from 2009, and a very intimidating checklist… take a breath. It doesn’t have to be that deep. #EmergencyPreparednessMonth is less about panic and more about peace of mind. Think of it like adulting with snacks: a little planning now so future you can say, “good lookin’ out.”

Because here’s the thing — emergencies aren’t always dramatic movie moments. Sometimes it’s just a power outage during dinner, a surprise snow day, or your Wi-Fi going down right before the big game (honestly, the horror). Being prepared simply means fewer headaches and faster “we’ve got this” vibes when life throws a curveball.

The good news? You don’t need a bunker or a week’s worth of freeze-dried lasagna. This month, we’re keeping it simple and practical. Our expert is Mark Lafountain. He has been in the Emergency Preparedness field for more than 30 years and serves at CCHD’s Emergency Preparedness Coordinator. He has also serves as a Volunteer Firefighter and New York State Fire Instructor. All of his work centers on training people to be able to survive emergent situations by either learning the skills to deal with the emergency at hand or becoming better prepared to “weather the storm” before it happens.

Mark, what does emergency preparedness really mean?

In a nutshell, it is planning ahead to have the necessary tools available before you need them. A phrase I try to live by… “It is better to have them and not need them than it is to need them and not have them!” Think about what you might need to survive or just get by during various emergencies and make a plan to acquire those things. I hoard all sorts of emergency stuff and hope I never have to use it (not too popular with my wife, but it’s there, if needed).

What sort of emergency situations should we be thinking of?

Emergencies can come in all forms. Think about what could affect you and your loved ones. These things can range from weather events, fires, air quality, and natural disasters to financial hardships, cyberattacks, a loss of communication, and a prolonged loss of power. How can anyone survive the loss of Netflix? In some instances, you may need to relocate to a safer spot (hit the road and find a new spot to call home for a few days). In other instances, you may be advised to shelter-in-place (stay where you are).

What are the different plans we should have in place?

There are many different types of plans for all different types of emergencies; however, for most emergencies, there are some plans that seem to cover more than one type.

An example of such would be a Communications Plan:

·         Have a list of all important contact numbers for the people and services in your life. It could be your family, friends, and neighbors, but do not forget services like utility companies, insurance companies, doctor’s offices, and schools.

·         Have copies of your important documents (like homeowner’s, health, and car insurance). You can put them in plastic baggies or watertight containers so they are safe and ready to go in an instant. You can also scan and email them or put them in the “Cloud”. This makes them readily available if you get internet access and need to email them somewhere.

·         Identify who you are going to call to let know your status, who needs to be checked on, or where you plan to go, if you need to relocate.

·         Plan for how you will take care of your pets/livestock. My cats and chickens will be very sad if we need to leave them.

·         Identify local shelters, for humans as well as pets.

·         Identify meeting places locally, as well as farther away.

·         Identify who is doing what, and when. You can assign jobs to folks so there is no miscommunication or stone left unturned.

Let’s talk about the emergency kit. What needs to be included?

An emergency kit should have basic items that you need (not want) in your everyday life. Try to aim for at least 3 days and up to 7 days of self-sufficiency. Include items like:

• Water: At least 60oz per person per day (3-20oz water bottles per person per day). That can be a LOT of water bottles! But you need it for drinking, cooking, bathing, etc.
• Food: Ready-to-eat foods for the win! You could have food rations, “Meals Ready to Eat” (MREs), or snack bars and trail mix.
• Masks: Dust masks, N-95s, etc. We can live without water for several days, without food for several weeks, but only a few minutes without air. Masks help keep the air as clean as possible.
• Light: Flashlights with LED bulbs use less power. Head lamps, pen lights, other hand-held lights work too.
• Emergency Radio: Emergency Information is crucial! Battery powered, solar powered, or even hand-cranked radios work wonders. Some can even perform multiple jobs. Make sure it can receive AM/FM frequencies, as well as the Weather Broadcasting Channel.
• Clothing: You want to stay warm and dry. Light, compact items are desirable due to how much room is in your kit; however, keep in mind what the weather is currently - swap out clothing to match the weather.
• First Aid: First aid kit contents should reflect your training and abilities. Include wound cleaning, dressing supplies, eye wash, burn treatment bandaging, as well as basic medications and enough personal prescription meds to last for a week.
• Communications: Phone networks (landlines and cell phones) may get overwhelmed and become unusable for you. Think about other things to use like walkie-talkies or satellite phones.
• Miscellaneous:
• Emergency Phone Charger (when power is back on…so are you!)
• Additional spare batteries (for all your electrical stuff)
• Small solar charger
• Multi-tool
• Waterproof tape/matches
• Loud Whistle
• Personal flashing beacon
• Pencil, notepaper, etc.
• Garbage Bags
• Documents: Copies of important documents, IDs, local maps, prescriptions, contact info, etc. Put the documents in a baggie or waterproof container as mentioned above.
• The Bag, itself: Medium-sized backpack to hold all this stuff.

Check your bag periodically to ensure nothing has expired and swap our your clothes based on the season.

Where should we store all of these things?

Put this stuff in a spot that is relatively temperature controlled, dry, and easily accessible. If you ever need to get this stuff quickly, you want to be able to.

Top 3 things to remember.

1. Think of the worst-case scenarios for where you live and have a plan before it happens.
2. A communication plan and emergency kit are musts for every household.
3. Check the contents of your kits seasonally and keep it accessible.