September- Emergency Preparedness Month

September is National Preparedness Month. I'll be doing a couple of posts this month about emergency preparedness.  Many of you are already aware and ready for an emergency, which is commendable. I wish everyone was. Since this is National Preparedness Month I feel like I should at least address some of the things that might help those who are just realizing that it might not be a bad idea to be prepared and ready for an "event" that could change your life, if only for a little while. 
 Most of you know that even the government suggests you have 3 days of supplies ready and stored in case of an emergency.  The recent hurricane and flooding on the East Coast is a perfect example of why you should be prepared.  It has been a week now since some folks have had power. Many are "homebound" because of the high waters.  What would you do if you're electricity was cut off for that long?  Would you be able to cook?  Would you have enough water stored?  What about food?  Medicines?  What if you had to evacuate?
  I'll try to cover a few of these situations over the coming month.  For those of you already "in the know" thanks for your patience and your input would most certainly be appreciated.  I'm no expert here, just trying to help out as I can.

First things first here. Sit down and make a list. You should be prepared to do a couple of things.  One is to be prepared to evacuate if you find you have to.  Fire, flooding, hurricanes are just a few of the reasons you could find yourself in a situation where you might have to leave your home. Some of us "preppers" call that bugging out. Just a fancy term for evacuation really.  The other thing to be considerded is to be ready to "bug in". Which is just another way we say hunkering down at home. 
Today I'm going to go through the list of things you need to think about if you find yourself having "bug out".  Personally I think bugging out is MUCH more difficult than hunkering down and "bugging in".  Mainly because you have to take the things you will need with you.  So sit down and make a list.
Most people will tell you to have a B.O.B (72 hour evacuation kit / bug out bag) This should contain things necessary to make it for 3 days.  There are literally thousands of articles on what you should have in your 72 hour kit. It's hard to say exactly what you will have in yours.  They are a personal thing and items will vary depending on your situation.  Here is a list of the bare essentials that a B.O.B should contain.
1. A water supply.  Minimum of one gallon of water per person, per day.
2.A non-perishable food supply. This should be things you don't need to do much more with than to open a package or can to prepare.  MRE's are good as well because with many all you need to add is a small amount of water to prepare. Don't forget a can opener (non-electric).
3. A change of clothes, including shoes or boots and rain gear. Top to bottom on the clothes including socks and underwear.
4. Blankets and/or sleeping bag.
5. A good first aid kit and any medicines you are taking.  Oh and don't forget your glasses!  If you have an extra pair, toss them in the bag.
6. A battery powered radio and a flashlight.  Don't forget the batteries.  You might think about a solar powered radio and maybe a "shake" flashlight.
7. Credit card AND cash.  Not OR that reads AND.  There may not be a way to use that credit card if the power is out.
8. A list of Doctors and other emergency numbers
9. A list of important  family information.  Insurance information, Doctor's numbers, Phone numbers you could need, etc.
10. Special needs for individuals like the elderly and infants.

Remember, this is just a basic list. It is meant for a 3 day emergency away from home. Think about it a little. Tweak it to suit your own (and your family's) needs. You should have one of these for each member of your family. As I said, there are many many different thoughts on B.O.B.'s, The thing is to  just make sure you have one.
      ~~~~~~  Hey ... I'm Just Sayin' ...  ~~~~~~