The Boy Scouts were onto something when they chose “Be Prepared” as their motto. It’s good advice for the rest of us, too. After all, emergencies can arise when we least expect them. In addition to the different weather phenomena that we encounter in the Midwest, there are things that happen that we just don’t see coming.
For instance, who knew that we’d spend an entire summer a couple of years ago trying to work around smoke from Canadian wildfires? Or how about an entire town being evacuated because of a fire at a lithium battery plant?
These days, it wouldn’t be unheard of to have to deal with the effects of civil unrest. Granted, that seems to be more of a city sort of issue, but one never knows. If the COVID-19 pandemic did nothing else, it showed us how fragile our supply chain is. It also showed us how unprepared a lot of us are to handle an unforeseen crisis.
Now, I’m not suggesting that we all become full-on preppers, but taking a few steps to be ready for anything would be prudent.
That’s the point behind National Preparedness Month, which is September and through Ready.gov, which is an official website of the Department of Homeland Security.
This year’s theme is “Start a Conversation.” We all must start somewhere, right?
For a lot of us, talking about bad things that might happen isn’t an easy thing to do. We don’t want to dwell on the negative or sound like a Debby Downer. However, it’s essential that we talk about what we would do in the event of an emergency with our loved ones.
Ready.gov suggests these three simple steps: Set aside a time when everyone is calm and relaxed. Have discussions over a set period of time, so decisions aren’t rushed, and everyone feels more comfortable talking about the topic. Talk about steps you’ve taken to prepare and encourage others to ask questions about preparedness actions that might work for them.
One of the first things we can do is create a plan. Ready.gov offers 12 steps that families can take to become more prepared.
1. Sign up for alerts and warnings.
2. Make a plan.
3. Save for a rainy day.
4. Practice emergency drills.
5. Test the family communication plan.
6. Safeguard documents.
7. Plan with neighbors.
8. Make your home safer.
9. Know evacuation routes.
10. Assemble or update supplies.
11. Get involved in your community.
12. Document and insure property.
Each family’s plan should be unique. In my own case, I must make sure that my family’s plan takes into consideration the limitations of my husband, Tony, because of his Alzheimer’s disease. I also have to be sure to take his medication along with our “go bags,” which contain items we need if we are going to be away from home for a few days.
Things could be a bit trickier for us if we get separated, because Tony won’t be able to know where to meet me, and he won’t be able to call someone. So, our plan will need to address that, as well.
Ready.gov has a wealth of information about how to be ready. It even has a section with no-cost and low-cost things that we all can do. Find that here.
None of us wants bad things to happen. However, hoping that they won’t happen isn’t the best strategy to deal with them if they do arise.
During September, let’s all at least start a conversation about being prepared.
Then, let’s start to make it happen.
• Joan Oliver is the former Northwest Herald assistant news editor. She has been associated with the Northwest Herald since 1990. She can be reached at jolivercolumn@gmail.com.
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