Are You Ready?

Along with many of you, the people of Japan have been on my mind and in my prayers.

I've been thinking about the unimaginable things that people there are facing right now. I've watched the videos; I've seen the before and after images; I've listened to the stories that move me to tears. There really are no words.

I've been thinking about how much I loved Japan the two times I visited - once in high school with my Dad and once for a scrapbooking event a few years back. It's one of my favorite places I've traveled to and I hope to visit again.

I've also been thinking about our own disaster readiness (or lack of readiness) here at home. What we would do, in our own family, if there was an earthquake? We're not in a tsunami danger zone here (we're an hour from the coast), but we're definitely in an area they say is simply waiting for the "Big One."

I decided we need to take action. We need a family disaster kit/plan/etc. We've got a few things in our garage, but definitely not enough, and we don't have a plan.

I'm starting with the Red Cross website. I downloaded the Be Red Cross Ready (PDF) and will be getting together our plan and kits over the next couple of weeks. Here's another site to check out: www.72hours.org.

Many of you live in areas of the country and world that face natural disasters more frequently. Regardless of where you live, do you have a disaster plan in place? Do you have supplies on hand? Do your kids know what to do?

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74 thoughts

  1. Noelle says…
    03/16/2011

    I read through the list. In Ohio, we get tornados. But I have no kit setup like that. With a baby here, I really should. That said...now I have to figure out where in my condo I can put that. We have storage issues already. ALso, the lack of basement makes it diffuclt for me to figure out where is safe in the house during a storm. I think my engineer husband and I have some work to do.

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  2. Cate says…
    03/16/2011

    I'm not as prepared as I'd like to be living right on the westcoast, but my parents are as prepared as anyone could be I think. They even have had the house wired so that they can hook up their kitchen/family room to a generator and have a collection of $5 bills so they don't have to worry about change in stores.

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  3. Pam Abbott says…
    03/16/2011

    Thanks for sharing Ali! Yet another reminder that we are not ready either. I might suggest to all of us out there that we all should have a kit in our cars. You never know where you will be when disaster strikes.

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  4. Donna B says…
    03/16/2011

    Ali, thanks for sharing your thoughts about disaster preparedness and I know we are all sending our prayers to the people of Japan.

    o-girl, I also love your idea about sending a donation to the red cross and I am going to follow your ramen noodle plan so that I can make a donation as well.

    Another idea is this pre-assembled emergency backpack that is available, this one is at OSH:

    http://www.osh.com/eng/product/ready_america_grab_n_go_2_person_3_day_emergency_backpack/5925201

    Even if you plan to spend time creating a more elaborate plan, this is something you could get on hand right away, and would be great for a car, office, of small apartment. A perfect first step if anyone is feeling overwhelmed as they get started with the disaster preparedness process.

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  5. Alison Day says…
    03/16/2011

    Thanks for sharing and also the reminder that each of us should have our own plans should the worst happen. I am in the UK so will research what is advised here (I am guessing terrorism and fire are our main issues rather than adverse weather of hurricanes). It has also made me think the responsibility I have as a parent, to educate my children.

    I also have spent time in Japan and have such fond memories of the country and the people who live there. A friend of mine was unable to locate her nearest and dearest but has just found out that they have been rescued by the Japanese Self Defense force and they are hospital (but safe). I know not every-one will have similar stories to tell. My thought are with this amazing country and their people at this time...

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  6. Jennifer says…
    03/16/2011

    Here's a place to get started with an family emergency plan!

    http://www.everydayprovidence.com/2011/03/functional-friday-family-emergency-plan.html

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  7. Michele H. says…
    03/16/2011

    Thanks for posting this Ali!

    It's strange because I have done quite a few trainings on disaster preparedness for child care providers in my community, but have put off making my own plans for myself and my family. You just never think it can happen to you until something like this trajedy in Japan occurs. We have family there and it's truly a wake up call.

    Here is another wonderful link that I booked marked that may be of use to you and your readers. It's something that I know I need to do soon:

    http://www.thisandthatcreative.com/2011/02/free-emergency-book-download.html

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  8. sarah says…
    03/16/2011

    great post ali. i've been thinking A LOT about this too. thankfully, like you, i'm an hour from the coast - but i'm pretty nervous about what "the big one" might do to my 100 year old apartment buildng.

    a friend of mine (a local fire chief) posted this link: http://www.ready.gov/ on his facebook last weekend. looks like it could be another good resource.

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  9. carol in seattle :) says…
    03/16/2011

    The leaders of the LDS Church have encouraged emergency preparedness for as many years as I can remember. Not just for a natural disaster, but for things like job loss too. There's lots of information at www.providentliving.org. I think it's important for ALL of us to be ready for anything that can happen!

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  10. Laurie says…
    03/16/2011

    I'm in Houston, near enough to Galveston Bay that we were in the mandatory evacuation zones for Hurricanes Rita and Ike. I usually put together a food/water kit in June when hurricane season begins. However, I think a plan is needed, something more than food and water. Thanks for the reminder.

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  11. Megan says…
    03/16/2011

    My family all live down on the Central Coast of California, near the Diable Canyon NPP. I and my small-family, being 900 miles away, have for years been the 'designated call number' meaning that my phone number is to be used in the event of any localized emergency down there--checking in to notify other family members, etc. A good idea for anyone in many different situations.

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  12. Mandyb says…
    03/16/2011

    yes i have a kit for me and my cat....and since my country New Zealand also had a few MAJOR earthquakes recently i have just updated all the items in it!!! (in case)
    here is a link to the post i wrote last year http://captureandcreate.wordpress.com/2010/09/20/my-civil-defence-kit/

    i must do another post with more detail!!!!

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  13. Carmel Keane says…
    03/16/2011

    Yes - is the answer to all your questions Ali - We live in New Zealand and we have an emergency kit; and emergency plan and everyone is aware of it. Another important point is to update your plan as things chnage for your family - children getting older - moving schools - adults changing jobs. You may need variations on your plan too eg. for the days Anna is with you and the days she is elsewhere.

    Our emergency kit has been set up for years now (and thank God we have never used it!) The other importnat thing is to have regular days scheduled to update food and water items in kit.

    With continued prayers for the crisi in Japan and our own disaster city of Christchurch in NZ.

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  14. Jayne says…
    03/16/2011

    Hi Ali

    Having just been through the two big earthquakes in Christchurch, NZ, I am so pleased to see you promoting being ready for anything. We had an emergency kit ready, except water! When we are able we will be buying and filling 2 very large water containers for storage. We were lucky that we live far enough from the town that our water supply was not interrupted ... this time.

    I also heard about a woman who keeps a backpack for each of her children hanging at the back door. Inside are personal details, medicines, spare clothes, shoes etc, water and some snacks. I understand that she changes the supplies in the bag when needed and they are easy to grab when necessary. I think this is a good idea too.

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  15. Laney says…
    03/16/2011

    Here's another link for you. http://www.getprepared.gc.ca

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  16. Vicki says…
    03/16/2011

    Having come through the last 2 big earthquakes to hit our city of Christchurch, NZ the one thing that struck me was whilst we were prepared with our kit, we still got caught out with flat cell phones so have got a car charger now. Also you do need some cash as most of the petrol stations were only taking cash payments. We flagged the candles in favour of a battery operated light as the candles were just too dangerous in the aftershocks.

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  17. Antoinette says…
    03/16/2011

    hi ali, just wanted to say thanks for sharing this.

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  18. Karen says…
    03/16/2011

    Thank you Ali, for reminding all of us on the importance of planning for such disasters. I live in California and have been waiting for the "big one" to hit for years but never done anything about it. I am married now and with two young children so this is the time. Thank you for caring enough to share the information with all of us.

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  19. keri says…
    03/16/2011

    we were watching the news about the nuclear plant and japan last night. with mixed feelings. we're relieved that, for now, the weather seems to be in their favor and the wind will be sweeping the radiation out into the ocean. but that also means that it'll head towards us, here in HI. we're accustomed to the occasional hurricanes, earthquakes and tsunami warnings but i think a lot of us are still well underprepared for major disasters. unfortunately, that also includes my family as well. i've had ready.gov bookmarked for awhile but maybe now it's time to actually do something.

    Reply 1 Reply
    1. keri says…
      03/16/2011

      oops. that was ready.gov

  20. Teresa says…
    03/16/2011

    Ali thanks for the reminder. We went over our fire escape plan. My daughter(8) asked about her Simba I gave her when she was little. I had to tell you don't go look for anything you just get out so now she is carrying him around everywhere. Something maybe little children should be reminded of is to get straight out of the house don't worry about any belongings.

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  21. DeAnna says…
    03/16/2011

    I have been thinking the same thing. We live in coastal BC, about an hour's drive from downtown Vancouver. I'm thankful I don't work downtown anymore, but still we need to be prepared. Here in BC we have a great website that prepares us for "the big one" and I will be printing it out and getting a plan prepared. http://www.pep.bc.ca/hazard_preparedness/prepare_now/prepare.html I can't help but think it's coming, if you look at the sequence of events, there have been major earthquakes around the Pacific "Ring of Fire" from Chile, Haiti, New Zealand and now Japan in the last year. The only place it hasn't hit is the west coast of North America...

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  22. Shonie says…
    03/16/2011

    My husband and I are pretty well prepared BUT, I did pull out some information about what to do during different disaster scenarios. We have had to change a lot of what we were prepared for when we moved from California to Philadelphia. No earthquakes but lots of flooding and major storms. It always helps to keep updated on these things. What scares me is that Japan is one of the most, if not the most, prepared country in the world for disasters and yet look at the destruction.
    My prayers are with all of those suffering from this disaster.

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  23. Brooke says…
    03/16/2011

    Great post Ali. We packed up our most prized possessions before the floods here in Brisbane - and that was a learning experience in itself. There really isn't much we deem as "we can't live without". But we haven't taken it any further, keeping a kit together. We have bits of pieces to include in a kit, but they are scattered around the house. We don't have a meeting place either. If my hubby is at work and something happens with phone lines being cut we wouldn't be prepared.

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  24. Kimberly says…
    03/16/2011

    This is an excellent resource...

    http://www.citizencorps.gov/cert/

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  25. Karen in VA says…
    03/16/2011

    Very timely post Ali, thank you for linking the sites. We live outside of Wash DC and immediately after Sept 11 I ordered earthquake preparedness kits from the Red Cross in Calif but I was thinking of terrorism. The kits come with the things people have already mentioned above and also in a container that can be lined with plastic and used as a toilet. We keep extra food and water at home and each car also has supplies. Our town has also had meetings about how to evacuate. The only thing I never did and should is make copies of our important papers. We also very rarely get hurricanes that knock out power and water so the kits come in handy for that too.
    Things happen no matter where you live so get prepared but then live your life.

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