10 Ways to Alleviate Stress through Emergency Preparedness
Updated September 2021
10 Ways to Alleviate Stress through Emergency Preparedness
If there was an emergency, would you be prepped to leave on a moment’s notice? It’s not about being fearful, it’s about feeling prepared and ensuring that your family would be taken care of in case of a natural disaster or an instance where we really do have to shelter at home and can’t leave at all. With Composed Living being based in California, we always have to consider the “what-ifs” when it comes to wildfire safety and earthquake safety. We know that there are equally frightening natural disasters that happen across this country and it is best to be prepared.
What you should have to be ready:
Passports, titles, deeds, any important papers - Have all your important documents in one place so you can grab them in an easy swoop if you have to leave quickly. Make sure all the adults in your home know where this is located. We recommend having them in filing box or a clearly labeled filing folder in your cabinet.
Make copies of SS cards, passports, and IDs and keep them separate from originals - Make photocopies of all of your important documents and keep them in a different area of your house in case you can’t access the originals. We also recommend having these images in a password protected folder on your phone.
Food - Have non-perishable food, dry goods, and water stored in your garage in case of emergency. It is recommended to have at least 3 days worth of food and water for each member of your home.
List of medications kept on your phone - Make a list in your notes app or in a saved email. No one carries around all of their medications, so this will ensure you always have a list of what you or your loved ones take on a daily basis in case you can’t return home or don’t have time to grab everything.
Extra refills of all necessary meds - If your pharmacy were to run out in an emergency or you had to shelter in place and could not leave, having extra medication on hand could be a saving grace! Depending on your individual needs, this could be absolutely critical to have on hand.
Go bags for each household member - To include: one outfit, one sweater, a few pairs of socks and undies, toiletries, glasses or contacts if needed, meds, portable phone chargers, and a pair of shoes. You should also keep a small first aid kit such as this one. This makes it very easy to leave the house in a hurry and ensure you have what you need for a few days. Each child and adult grabs their own bag on the way out. You could also make a mini version of this to keep in your car.
Instead of donating old clothing items you no longer wear, consider adding those to your emergency prep bag.
Pet Supplies - Have a leash, bowl, and a small food supply on hand and contained with your personal go bags. Try a compact retractable leash like this one that has a bowl and waste bags built in.
Light Source - Get creative and pack glow sticks for a great, compact light source.
Warmth & Shelter - Get a pack of very versatile mylar emergency blankets that can double as a blanket to retain body heat or to create a makeshift shelter.
Check out TEP Disaster Prep’s emergency packs - TEP has done the work for you. Their first aid kit is a perfect addition to your go bag. Their emergency go bottle is great to stash in your car - it’s small enough to fit underneath the passenger seat and will give you all the basic survival materials you’ll need for food, water, sanitation, tools, shelter, and medicine. This product is at the top of my earthquake safety checklist! These are also great to throw into a hiking backpack!
We hope this emergency preparedness list for home helps alleviate some of your stresses surrounding emergencies. Add these to your wildfire safety checklist and earthquake safety checklist! These simple procedures will allow for a calmer departure from your home should the situation ever arise. Be safe, and if you have any additional questions, we are here for you!
Originally published 4/24/2020
