Family Preparation & Survival Guide

In order to reduce the stress and panic caused by an emergency situation, it’s always good to have a plan in place.  Whether for a family, or yourself, emergency planning is a sure way to stay safer.  Here are a few ideas of preventative measures you can take to avoid harm to yourself and loved ones:

~Select a meeting place; for family and friends it is wise to have a meeting place in case separation occurs and communication is not possible.

~Have an escape route; out of your house, out of an apartment building, make sure you know the best ways to get out and that you ensure they are usable. 

~Keep supplies on hand; have an emergency survival kit, or keep supplies stashed somewhere else.

In the heat of the moment, it can be tough to think about what you’ll need in case of disaster. Plan ahead, and take some time and think about what you’ll need in a kit for disaster survival. Here are some suggestions, from disastercenter.com:

• A portable, battery-powered radio or television, and extra batteries
• Flashlight and extra batteries
• First aid kit and first aid manual
• A supply of prescription medications
• Credit card and cash
• Personal identification
• An extra set of car keys
• Matches in a waterproof container
• A signal flare
• A map of the area, and phone numbers of places you can go
• Special needs (ex. Diapers, hearing aid batteries, spare glasses, etc.)
Evacuation also might be a possibility. Here are some tips in case of evacuation:
• Three gallons of drinking water per person
• Three-day supply of non-perishable food
• Kitchen supplies (such as can opener, plastic/paper dishes, re-sealable bags, etc.)
• A complete change of clothing and shoes per person
• Blankets/pillows/sleeping bags
• Tools
• Sanitation and hygiene items (soap, toothpaste, feminine products, etc.)

No natural disaster is ever easy, or relaxing. But if you’re prepared in advance, the chaos and crisis atmosphere can be avoided. Here are some tips for disaster preparation, according to the Home Safety Council:

• Put together a read-to-stay kit. Include things you will need if you have to stay in your home for several days.
• Keep extra water on hand.
• Plan to be without power; have flashlights and candles and blankets readily available.
• Make a ready-to-go kit. Include things you will need if you need to leave your house quickly.
• Make sure to have flashlights and extra batteries in both kits.
• Use strong bags to pack the kits. Mark the date they were packed, and check them often to make sure nothing has expired.
• Listen to the radio or television to determine if you should leave or stay in your home.

To me, one of the most upsetting images from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita were the pets that became separated from their people in the aftermath.  Many of these pets were left injured, sick, dying or would die in the streets, prey for larger, tougher animals also fighting for their own survival.  There are thousands of heroic volunteers still trying to match the surviving Katrina pets up with their families via the Internet. Some pets have been re-homed and adopted.  Many pets are missing and presumed dead.   Some are still roaming the Gulf coast unclaimed, and many animals believed to be strays or voluntarily surrendered by owners were, in fact, involuntarily separated from their owners.  Many surviving owners still hope to find their beloved pets alive today, three years after the fact.

The Katrina and Rita pets and their people emphasize the importance of disaster planning for every member of the family, particularly the vulnerable ones—not just the pets, but the elderly, the children, and the disabled.  We have Ebooks to not only help you and everyone in your family, including your pets, both during and after a disaster.  Our Ebooks can also provide valuable information teaching you make what you need to live without dependence on outside entities—and save your money in the process.  The best time to prepare is before a disaster happens!

Immediately after Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast and New Orleans, people all over the United States and worldwide volunteered their time and relief funds to aid the residents of the region.  This week marks the third anniversary of that disaster, reminding us all that there is a long way to go–and help and contributions are still necessary–to put the affected Gulf region back on its feet.

This anniversary also reminds us all that disaster readiness and emergency preparedness is essential for our peace of mind, potential safety and possibly our very survival, as well as the survival of our loved ones. 

The most basic disaster recovery solutions involve preparing in advance for the possibility of an emergency.  It is helpful to know alternative methods of cooking, have a supply of drinking water, learn personal protection, and be ready not to depend on outside agencies, stores, or utilities for help.

Many people have found it helpful to use the methods of daily living used by their ancestors, making what they needed to survive and take care of their families.

    Surviving natural disasters can be easy or hard.  It just depends on what you want to do & how you want to do it.  You can be calm through a natural disaster or you can be frantically running around praying for your life.  I prefer to take the easiest route through an ordeal of that nature.

    A person can prepare for every disaster imaginable and every terrorist attack concievable and can still wind up the wrong guest at a funeral.  Surviving natural disasters takes more than a few days of emergency supplies in a backpack and even more than a basement full of supplies of all kinds.  Without being able to keep calm (as much as possible) and put your knowledge of what to do & how to do it in an emergency situation to use, your chances of survival are slim to none. 

     Getting the confidence and assuredness to tackle & survive any natural disaster comes through knowledge and practice.  Knowledge is what fuels you confidence and practicing using your knowledge is what fuels your assuredness and confidence & assuredness both fuel each other.  follow the link at the first of this article to get all the information you need for your knowledge. 

    The rest is up to you, my friend.  It is hard to know what information to go by or which place to choose for information.  Our website gives you links to the the best places to get the FREE emergency preparation information.  Keep in mind this when you are reading all the free information you can find.  Did the SURVIVORS of Hurrican Katrina only have a 3 or 7 day wait until HELP arrived?  The FREE information wants you to believe all you need is a 3 or 7 day supply of emergency rations.

    Our Emergency Preparation Combo gives you enough information to survive ANY natural disaster or terrorist attack until you had all utilities on and all stores open again.  You can learn enough to live without stores & utilities all together.  Our emergency preparation information is priced at such a bargin for one reason, so you can save your hard earned money for what you really need to buy instead, emergency preparation supplies.   

Disasters can strike quickly and without warning. What would you do if basic services - water, gas, electricity or telephones were cut off? Families can cope with disaster by preparing in advance and working together as a team. Knowing what to do is your best defense and your responsibility. Follow these steps for disaster preparedness.Find out what could happen. Learn about your community’s warning signals: what they sound like and what you should do when you hear them. Ask about animal care after a disaster.

Find out how to help elderly or disabled persons, if needed. Find out about the disaster plans at your workplace, your children’s school or day care center, and other places where your family spends time.

Create a disaster plan. Meet with your family and discuss why you need to prepare for disasters. Explain the dangers of fire, severe weather, and earthquakes to children. Plan to share responsibilities and work together as a team. Pick places to meet. Ask an out-of-state friend to be your “family contact.” Disaster planning is paramount!

Cover all your ground. Post emergency telephone numbers by your telephone. Teach children how and when to call 911 or your local Emergency Medical Services number for emergency help. Show each family member how and when to turn off the water, gas, and electricity. Check if you have adequate insurance coverage. Replace stored water and food every six months.

Keep emergency supplies in your home. Assemble emergency supplies to meet your needs for at least three days. Store these supplies in sturdy, easy-to-carry containers such as backpacks, duffel bags, or covered trash containers.

Familiarize yourself with the utilities. Locate the main electric fuse box, water service main, and natural gas main. Learn how and when to turn these utilities off. Keep necessary tools near gas and water shut-off valves.

If disaster strikes, put your plan into action. Remain calm and patient and give first aid and get help for seriously injured people. Listen to your battery-powered radio and evacuate if instructed to do so.

When a disaster strikes, we look forward to getting back to our normal way of life.  But most of us have this common question in mind—how? It’s hard to put things back to the way they were used to especially if we don’t know where to begin with.

With that in mind, it is ideal to have a disaster recovery plan on hand. Having this one to guide us in every step of the way in rebuilding and starting a new life could help in achieving a speedy and effective recovery from life’s unexpected challenges.

With all kinds of disasters unfolding in different countries like the devastating earthquake in China and the recent cyclone in Myanmar both have taken so many precious lives and yet, there are still a lot of people who insists that there’s no way for them to be prepared when situations like this happens. But I believe the opposite, in any unexpected calamity it’s a very huge advantage that we know how to respond and deal with these incidents properly.

There are so many ways to equip ourselves with the right information in surviving all forms of disasters. Having the right knowledge in emergency survival information, could mean a lot of difference in saving our lives and others too.