Emergency Preparation

When I moved out on my own for college, my mom helped me assemble my first emergency kit. It consisted of the normal stuff – band aids, water, canned foods, instant noodles etc. I can remember going to my parents house a few weeks later to restock my emergency food supplies. When asked about what happened to the supplies, I responded “I was hungry and didn’t have any food. It was an emergency!” Ah, the starving college student days.

Hurricanes Harvey & Irma, the 7.1 Mexico Earthquake, and now Hurricane Maria have reminded us all that a disaster can strike at any time. For those of us who live here in southern California, there’s renewed talk of the overdue “big one” and the debate around purchasing or not purchasing earthquake insurance. The latter will continue to be debated. But one thing’s for sure, we can’t afford to not be prepared.

In our practice, we spend a lot of time helping families plan for catastrophic financial risks – premature death, losing a job, car accidents, getting sued, having a stroke or long term care event, etc. Planning for a natural disaster isn’t your typical financial risk, but we still think it’s just as important to plan for.

This isn’t an exhaustive list, but here are some things that we’d strongly suggest you and your family discuss and prepare –

1. Having a family plan

• Where will you meet?
• What are your escape/evacuation routes?
• How will you contact each other? During a natural disaster, it’s likely that the phone lines will be down or jammed up. Is there an app or alternate way you can contact each other?
• Who, out of the area, will you contact or check in with to let others know that you are safe? After a disaster, you can let others know you are safe by registering on the Red Cross website.
• Are there special needs (babies, elderly, disability) that you’ll need to plan for?
• What pets will you need to plan for?

2. Maintain a First Aid kit

• Bandages and gauze
• Antiseptic wipes
• Antibacterial ointment
• Adhesive tape
• Small scissors and tweezers
• Cotton balls
• CPR breathing barrier
• Prescription drugs
• Aspirin or pain relievers
• Vitamins
• Other Sanitation Supplies
o Toothbrush and toothpaste
o Soap, shampoo, deodorant, shaving cream
o Towels
o Razor
o Mirror
o Feminine products
o Toilet paper

3. Maintain other equipment and tools

• Flashlight
• Batteries
• Candles
• Matches or lighter
• Wrench, screwdriver, hammer
• Compass
• Signal flare and whistle
• Can opener
• Knife
• Spoons and forks
• Plastic wraps and plastic bags
• Cooking stove
• Water filtration or purification
• Alternate method of cooking

4. Important documents and money

• Driver’s License
• Passport
• Marriage License
• Insurance Cards
• Medical history
• Family contact information
• Cash – smaller bills
• Living trust/will
• Credit cards

5. Have a food supply

• Water, water and water! Have at least a three day supply for each person.
• Non-perishable foods
o Ready to eat canned foods (meats, fruits and vegetables)
o Food bars (protein, granola, fruit)
o Peanut butter
o Cereals
o Nuts
o Juices
o Milk
o Special food for infants/kids
o Instant Coffee

6. Other Supplies

• Blankets
• Extra Clothes
• Sturdy Shoes
• Sunblock
• Sunglasses
• Hat
• Gloves

Don’t feel bad if you don’t already have all these items in place. If you’re like most people, you’ll probably procrastinate until something motivates you to get moving. I’m not one for using fear to motivate people. But having a plan and preparing can make all the difference when the unexpected strikes.