- Get your Finances in order – if you haven’t done so already, get on a budget! Know where your
money is going, and start putting a little away for a future (or on-going!) emergency. Have a plan
for what you spend on essential each month and work toward a 3-6 month emergency fund to
hold you over in the case of job loss. In the short term, start saving for a $3000 emergency fund,
figure out where you can pare back. Get on a debt repayment pan that works for you. Know
where your money goes and make sure it’s toward things that are setting you up for success in
the future!
- Stock up on Water – the CDC recommends 1 gallon per person in your household per day. You
can purchase flats of single-use bottles (not my personal favorite but a good wat to get water
stores fast – but remember these are not meant for long term storage so you need to rotate
them every year!). You can also purchase gallon jugs of water for under $1 in most grocery
stress, or the 5 gallon water cooler jugs.
- Make a First Aid and Medical Inventory – go through your first aid kit and make a list of what
you’re missing or running low on. Look at gaps in what you have like gloves, gauze and medical
tape. Inventory medication and check with your doctor to see if you can get a month ahead on
your medications. This will give you a buffer if you must shelter in place at home.
- Make a Pantry Inventory – reviewing what you keep on your shelves will give you the benefit of
ensuring you spend where it’s needed Look at the items you sue most often – how much do you
have? What gaps do you have? Do you have 5lbs of flour but no yeast or sugar? Do you need to
throw out rancid flour (and yes, even white flour can go rancid!). Do you have enough cooking
oil and is it fresh? Did you just realize you were out of cinnamon spice and need to pick some
up?
- Get your Paperwork in Order – This is an area that is so easy to overlook, but is essential not to.
Having quick access to essential identity documents in an emergency can be a life saver. While I
do think that originals need to be kept safe, copies of passports, marriage license, deeds, etc are
necessary – especially in the event you need to leave your permanent residence quickly. Having
paperwork on your major medical needs, your kids, even your pets can come in handy. If you
want to keep those documents in an encrypted file on your phone, check out Cover Me. In addition, download and print off paper copies of maps with highlighted routes for getting out of town should there be a reason to evacuate. Lots of people using their GPS could interrupt the service and having one or two routes marked and ready will get you out of dodge faster and more efficiently.
Preparing for an Emergency is about managing what we can in order to alleviate future stress and worry.
Preparedness is NOT about fear, but about confidence. If we can do our best now to set up our future
selves for success even in the middle of unexpected crises, we can be a little more at peace.
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