Joy Steele


Since the beginning of time, moms have reminded their children to put on clean underwear before venturing out into the world. It has to do with being prepared in the event of an emergency, which never made sense, because most childhood emergencies are caused by the underwear no longer being clean. The point being, it’s important to be prepared . . . just in case.


Living in the Pacific Northwest comes with its own unique emergencies. Back in 2008 and early 2009, the Kent Valley and surrounding communities were on high alert as the Green River remained at flood stage due to heavier than normal rainfall for the season. Local businesses had enacted emergency plans and systems backup in place in the event of a highly probable evacuation. For nearly a year, the area remained in a constant state of readiness.


Merriam-Webster dictionary defines ‘emergency’ as: an unforeseen combination of circumstances or the resulting state that calls for immediate action. This begs the question of how to prepare for the unforeseen. This is where preparedness becomes vital.


September is National Preparedness month and this year’s calendar has a theme set up for each week.


Week 1: Make and Practice Your Plan


You can go online and learn how to make an emergency plan. The plan should include:


• Early Warning-Have you signed up for alerts specific to your area? Hurricane alerts for Southeastern and Gulf state areas, Earthquake and tsunami alerts for Western Coastal States, Ice floe and cheese shortages in the Great Lakes Region. Okay, maybe not the cheese thing, but you get the idea.


• Family Emergency Communication-who is the point of contact for your family that lives outside the affected emergency zone?


• Medical needs-If you have to evacuate, do you have enough needed medication for 7-10 days? Is the first-aid kit fully stocked? It’s a good idea to check the first aid kit’s supply levels and expiration dates on medication at least once a year. (More frequently if you have small children prone to exploration of its contents.)


• Pets-Remember to include family pets in the emergency plan. Anticipating your pet’s need before an emergency strikes will save valuable time and avoid confusion during an evacuation.


Don’t forget to practice these things. Practicing getting the pets into and out of the car regularly, will vastly reduce their anxiety about it; and hey, it may make it easier getting them to the “v-e-t,” when their next appointment rolls around. Some may think it silly, but the best way to know you are prepared is if everyone knows their role, and is ready (as much as they can be) in the event an emergency strikes. A helpful checklist for creating your own family’s plan can be found here:


https://www.ready.gov/make-a-plan


Week 2: Learn Life-Saving Skills A columnist for a national publication recently posed the question to her followers on social media, “What’s your post-apocalyptic, skill?” Her question was tongue-in-cheek, but the underlying reality of it is clear: In the event that the power-grid goes down—gasp!—and you don’t have internet access available to watch a YouTube tutorial, what are your basic survival skills? What can you do to assist others in an emergency?


Take the time now to learn things like: Basic First Aid, CPR, how and where to turn off utilities--especially natural gas—in your home and neighboring areas. It’s less dramatic than a barb-wire wrapped baseball bat for eliminating zombies, but you’ll probably save more lives.


Check with local authorities and first responders to see if your area


has a Community Emergency Response Team. The CERT program began in 1985 as a response to the need for trained civilians to be organized and prepared in the event of a major disaster. If your community doesn’t have one, consider organizing one.


Information on CERT training can be found at: https://www.ready.gov/community-emergency-response-team


Week 3: Check Your Insurance Coverage


While not everyone appreciates this item, it really is important. A standard quip in the insurance industry is, “Needing insurance is like needing a parachute. If it isn’t there the first time, chances are you won’t be needing it again.” Discuss with your agent the need for flood insurance, earthquake coverage, and be sure to accurately document your possessions. If you don’t have proof and the proper appraisal, it will be difficult collecting on the Renoir in boudoir. Be sure your coverage is adequate for your needs, and know in advance what’s necessary to file a claim. Keep the policy numbers with the rest of your emergency document copies as well as the claims department phone number, too. FEMA has a handy guide to insurance in the event of disaster:


https://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/1459539524645-8f06105 97e25f47f56ab6e1b0a6413eb/Americas_PrepareAthon_Document_ Insure_Property_v02_508.pdf


Week 4: Emergency Finances


Keeping a small amount of cash in the home in the event of emergency evacuation is recommended. Be sure to have small bills, as it may not be possible for merchants to make change for larger bills in an emergency.


It is also recommended to have an emergency savings account. But, in today’s economy, that’s far easier said than done. The Federal Reserve asserts that over 40% of Americans don’t have $400 in savings. So how do you begin to prepare saving for the unforeseen? The same way as eating an elephant; one bite at a time. Start during Week 4, and set a small but achievable goal that you can stick with every month. For example:


• If a family of four dines out once a month, and orders water instead of soft drinks, that could reduce the meal cost by $12 a month. Put in a savings account at 3% interest will bring $775 in five years… just for making one small change. The little things add up, and over time put folks in a better position in the event of the unexpected.


Helpful information regarding financial preparedness is online: https://www.ready.gov/financial-preparedness


All of this information may seem momentarily overwhelming, and if something happened as you read this—right now—it’s doubtful that you will feel prepared. But assuming that you are reading this on just an ordinary Tuesday, here’s a suggestion: Take this article and pick ONE thing that you can do right now, and do that one thing. Check the first aid kit. Make sure that you have a spare lighting source aside from the light on your smartphone, and that it’s functional, with spare batteries available and easy to find.


Go through ‘that file that everybody has’ with their important documents and make sure everything is current. Consider storing digital copies offsite but on a secure server.


Lastly, have a go-bag. Keep it accessible, and close to—but not blocking—an exit if possible. Have a smaller version for the pets, too. Be sure your bag is something that contains emergency supplies, hygiene items and a spare change of clothing. Don’t forget the clean underwear. Your mom will be proud of you.


For more information and specifics about this year’s National Preparedness Month, visit the website at: www.ready.gov/September


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