Preparing for Emergency: 5 Steps for Beginners

Remember the zombie craze of 2013?  You know, the year everyone was totally into watching civilization fall apart and you learned that desperate and afraid people are way scarier than a zombie gnawing on your face while you sleep?

While I'm relatively sure the zompacolypse isn't going to happen, the hours spent watching The Walking Dead and other end of the world shows did make me stop and think about real "what if" situations.  What if there were a national pandemic and my family was quarantined at home?  What if we get a massive blizzard and my family and I are trapped without power with no resolution in sight?  What if something terrible happens and my family isn't together?

Like any other anxiety ridden mother who spends her nights over thinking instead of sleeping, I hopped on the google, youtube and pinterest to find out all I could about what I could do to prepare for (a non flesh eating) emergency.  And I was immediately overwhelmed.  There is a TON of information out there.  There are government sites like FEMA, youtube channels and blogs dedicated to emergency preparedness.  And while I'm not ready to go full on prepper, I've been inspired to start a plan with my husband for some of the basics.

So if you're a suburban mom like me, where do you start?

Step One:  Research
Make a list of possible scenarios you and your family may face.  In a hurricane or earthquake zone?  Prone to extreme cold and snow like my family?  Research the risks associated with your location and read up on suggested supplies to have on hand.  The FEMA website is full of good suggestions and questions to ask yourself and your family when it comes to being prepared for a disaster.

Step Two:  Make a Plan
List situations for which you want to prepare.  My family is stating with home fire, tornadoes/severe storms, power loss, extreme cold and extreme snow.  I wouldn't be surprised if we add in pandemic or job loss down the line.  For each scenario, identify a communication plan, rally point, resources needed and potential challenges.

Step Three:   Start Small
Work with what you have on hand and prioritize things you need.  Work a purchase or two into your weekly budget and built upon it as time goes by.  I suggest starting with water, as its one of the first resources to dry up (pun intended) in an emergency.  Most resources suggest a gallon of water per person per day.  If your family of four wants enough water for two weeks, that's 14 gallons to have on hand.

Step Four:  Practice
Make sure your family knows where you keep the supplies and how to use any basic tools like flashlights or a manual can opener.  Kids aren't too young to know where to rally in the case of a fire or dial grandma's number in case of an emergency.

Step Five:  Evaluate and Keep Current
Make sure to swap out water, batteries, first aid kits and food supplies as needed.  When scary situations arise, try to take note of what worked and what would have made the situation easier.  Perfection is impossible here, the end goal is to make a bad situation more bearable.

Again, I can't recommend FEMA's website enough.  It's thorough and well thought out and a great starting point for newbies like us.