Emergency Preparedness: Getting Started

In our previous post on the 10 BabySteps of Food Storage we listed some things to do to "get started" before you even begin to think about food storage. This post will go into more detail on these pre-BabySteps.

According to the ready.gov website, the three steps for getting prepared for an emergency are:

1. Get a Kit
2. Make a Plan
3. Get Informed

According to ProvidentLiving.org, church members are encouraged to prepare a simple emergency plan.

So what IS this plan that everyone is talking about?

When we first started working on food storage, we knew we had to make things SIMPLE or we just plain wouldn't do them. So we pieced together all of the advice given in multiple places and came up with our own version of an Emergency Preparedness Plan consisting of the following components:

1. Family Plan - This section contains information you need to discuss with your family such as emergency meeting locations, etc. It makes a great FHE activity to go over this information and even do a "fire drill" to practice. You also need a list of contact information that is easily accessible to all family members in case of an emergency. 2. Disaster Kits - Probably the most important part of your plan! You need enough food, water, and supplies for your family to last at least 72 hours in an emergency ... and it should all be portable. Sound a little daunting? Just try collecting a little at a time! And don't forget to compile, copy, and safely store all of your important documents. 3. Evacuation List - In case you have to leave your home in a hurry, you will want to consider more than just your disaster kit items. A car kit is a great safety measure for an evacuation or just if you are stranded with car trouble somewhere. You should also have a grab list of important items to grab in a hurry if you have to evacuate.

If you are ready to get started, we've come up with some tools to help you along the way. Our Emergency Preparedness Plan is available in either a customizable excel format or a downloadable pdf. Whatever your preference, download the Plan and start getting your family prepared, one BabyStep at a time!

Jodi and Julie are the authors of the blog Food Storage Made Easy where they walk you through the process of putting your food storage together in BabySteps. They started their food storage adventures less than two years ago and love sharing what they learn along the way.