There is nothing like tomorrow to start a good project. We have so many projects planned for all of our tomorrows that we don’t know where to start. Too many decisions or the idea of too much work causes most of our projects to fall by the wayside and never come to fruition. We have become a society of procrastinators, couch potatoes, and award-winning inventors of silly excuses. I know, I have my moments and I’m there with you. But if there is only one project that we completed this year and right now, this project is the one to do. It could save our life, that of family members or loved ones. Help me help you, America, let’s get off the couch and create our BACKUP PLAN, that is, a Personal Disaster Recovery Plan and Kit.
Why do we need a plan? Are we prepared for disaster? What would happen if the internet stopped? Or are we struck by nuclear destruction, an asteroid, or a major natural disaster? What exactly is our personal disaster recovery plan? Living in California with the “Big” happening at any moment, we always hear that we need to have enough food and supplies on hand for 72 hours. Is that really enough? Look how long it took for supplies to get to Haiti or a cap was put on the Gulf oil well. You don’t have to live in California alone to make a plan and kit—everyone, everywhere needs to be prepared.
When I drive on our highways most of the time, I get stuck in parking lot traffic traveling at a snail’s pace of less than 5 miles per hour. This slow traffic is usually because there aren’t enough roads for the volume of vehicles we have or because some idiot thinks that weaving in and out of traffic and then hitting the brakes will get them to their destination faster, maybe dead but certainly not. faster. While stuck in this massive traffic line, I often wonder and wonder, what if a devastating earthquake were to hit, how would we survive? Is our infrastructure prepared for a disaster? Our roads cannot accommodate our current traffic population on a normal day, why would it improve under disastrous conditions?
What about our hospitals, doctors, fire departments, paramedics? Is there really enough to go around if the “Big One” arrives? We often hear on the news that disaster is hitting the whole world with the earthquakes in Haiti, Chile, Indonesia, the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, the volcanoes in Iceland or the latest killer volcano Krakatoa. Should we worry about these disasters? Are these natural disasters a sign for us to put all our ducks in a row and create our own Disaster Recovery Plan right away? America, yes, I think these are all signs for us to prepare for the worst. We need to take action by ourselves and not depend solely on other people or other resources, let’s start creating our PLANS and KITS from this day forward.
We cannot just wait for FEMA, the Red Cross or someone else to solve our problems or save us. They cannot be everything to everyone. There are only so many resources and supplies to go around. We have to take personal responsibility for our own survival. How can we prepare? Well, that’s a good question. I think as an initial step we should take a hard look at our personal lifestyle and take an inventory of what it would take to move forward if all were lost. Make a list of what really matters in our lives. I think this list should be as short as possible with 10 categories or less. We need to give up our need for greed, material items, and simplify. If you have a family, sit down and have a family meeting to discuss this issue. I will create my supply kit based on a 2 week period; I’d rather have a little more than not enough. I think 72 hours is not even close. The following is my list of what I think would be necessary for me and my family to survive:
1.Food
2. Water
3. Medical supplies and medical records
If you have any life-threatening medical problems or allergies,
Have a bracelet made and list medical problems, blood type, and medications. If you have a relative with Alzheimer’s like me, make a bracelet with their name, your name, phone number, address and any other relevant information. I think our information needs to be easily visible and as a backup we need to think about chips like we do with our pets, not embedded in our skin, but perhaps information that can be stored on a magnetic strip similar to a credit or hospital card . cards Credit card makers, here’s a marketable idea for you, just remember where the idea first came from.
4. Pet Supplies and Medical Records
Keep a collar on your dog or cat with a name, phone number, or a license plate that identifies your pet.
5. Prescription drugs
6. Lantern, radio and cell phone charger
7. Computer backup stored off-site, out-of-state, or through an Internet storage site.
Create a backup of your system and store it offsite, out of state, anywhere other than your home or office. I bought a backup drive, Maxtor, for $60 at Office Depot. It is compact and can store everything that is on my computer. I’m going to send it to my relatives on the east coast.
If you have something really important, create a hard copy and save it offsite. I will also send things to myself through Yahoo so I can retrieve them through cyberspace.
What would happen if the internet really stopped? Are we ready to carry out transactions manually like in the old days? I was on a business trip in Tennessee and there was a severe electrical storm and the power went out. I was walking into a restaurant and was turned away because their computer system went down. Employees should receive training on what to do in these situations.
8. Plan for extreme weather conditions, camping supplies, sleeping bag, warm/cool clothing, comfortable shoes, backpack, tent, matches, and a Swiss Army knife.
9. Personal hygiene items
10. ATMs are likely not working or out of stock.
Try to keep items as compact and light as possible. Keep a set of items in your car and at home. Have a backpack ready for each family member who is capable of carrying one. Each backpack can be personalized with snacks and perhaps a deck of cards or a children’s book.
I found a good site that provided a detailed list of items to include in your California State University Long Beach kit, http://emergency.csulb.edu/supplykit/supplies.
Once you’ve created a kit, I think you should have a communication plan for knowing where family members are and what to do if disaster strikes.
I have mapped out what ifs and routes, who to call and phone numbers. I have told my son that if he is at school and we have an earthquake, which way to walk home or whose house to go to in case he is not around. If our local phone system fails or is busy, I have instructed my son to call relatives who are not in our city and state, but to contact out-of-state relatives to communicate his whereabouts and physical health. If he leaves his designated location, please leave a note.
I think a good thing for families to know is CPR. I want my family to take a class this summer. When researching where to take a class, it appears that the Red Cross offers classes. I’m sure there are probably several resources where you can learn CPR, just go online and search for CPR classes. I hope to fit a class in this summer. Let’s do it together. I believe that the more we educate ourselves in this area, the better our chances of survival and ability to help our family members or others, basic medical treatment may be all it takes to save a life.
As the final element of our PLAN, I believe it is important to have a valid worst-case will. Having gone through this process with various family members; It is important to explain every little detail. Some items may seem silly, but unless you tell someone, it won’t necessarily happen.
• Do you want to be buried or cremated?
• Do you have family land, if not where do you want your ashes buried or dumped?
• What type of funeral service do you want, closed casket, simple, religious, open hours, off hours, where will it be held?
• Do you want an organ donated?
• What kind of casket do you want?
• What do you want to wear?
There are many types of coffins, for example, steel, bronze, wood, and various price ranges. The price of some coffins can be alarming. My older cousin and sister showed me her preferences when my sister was faced with the sudden death of her husband. And my mom showed me what she wanted to wear when the time came. Me, I want it as simple as possible, cremated and the ashes thrown into a beautiful meadow or hillside. I like the idea of being away from nature. However, there is no ocean; It seems too restrictive to me.
But what if you don’t die and are in a coma on life support, then what?
I know this topic is morbid, but it’s better to discuss it while you’re alive than to wait for someone else to make these decisions for you, unless you don’t care. Dying can be as complicated as living.
Here are some things to think about and discuss with a lawyer or you can draft your own documents online through sites like http://www.legalzoom.com.
• Will
• Power of Attorney for Health and one for Finance, someone will make these decisions for you in case you are not competent.
• Living will (life support or none)
• Living Trust (if you have a lot of assets, property and want to avoid probate court which can tie up assets for a period of 6 months or longer if someone disputes your will)
• If you have children, who becomes guardian?
• If you have pets, where do they go?
• If you need nursing care, where do you want to be placed?
Well, I hope this information has been useful to you and you start today to make your PLAN and KIT. In closing, be a good neighbor and be aware of your elderly/disabled neighbors and family members, as they may need your help during an emergency. And as always, THANK all our HEROES of each day, our military, firefighters, police, doctors, nurses, paramedics, caregivers, etc., because one day you may need them first hand.