This past week as I’ve heard and watched stories out of the
Houston flood, I have stopped to question how prepared I would be if I was in a similar situation. Do I have bottled water on hand, or would I
be one of those forking over $100 for a case of bottled water, because I didn’t
have any on hand for such emergencies? As
I listen to reports of the fires across Montana, I ask myself that if I was
evacuated, would I be prepared enough to have gas in the car, a plan of where
to go, and what to do? Or, would I be
scrambling to find the essentials I needed to take with me?
In the last year, we’ve had fires, blizzards, flooding,
earthquakes, and tornadoes across Montana.
The saying “We don’t rise to the level of our expectations, we fall to
the level of our training,” is especially relevant as it’s only realistic to
acknowledge that in the event of a natural disaster, we will only rise to the level
we’ve prepared for.
There are numerous lists available for emergency planning,
but today I’ll share with you a few tips:
- · Keep important papers accessible – This should include copies of important documents such as insurance cards, immunization records, emergency contact information, deed/lease to your house, passports, birth certificates, insurance policies, etc. These should all be scanned so you have an electronic file, and paper copies should be easily accessible in a bag that you can grab and go with, if needed.
- · Ensure all household members know how and when to turn off water, gas, and electricity at the main switches, if needed.
- · Install an ABC type fire extinguisher in your home, and teach each household member how to use it.
- · Create a Disaster Supplies Kit that you can quickly grab if needed. Some basics that should be in the kit include:
o
One gallon of water per person per day, with a
minimum of a three-day supply. For a
family of four, this would be at least 12 gallons, thus one case of bottled
water isn’t going to do it.
o
Store at least a three-day supply of
non-perishable food per person. These should
be foods that require no refrigeration, cooking, or preparation, such as ready
to eat canned meats, fruits, and vegetables, nuts, trail mix, energy bars,
etc. Don’t forget the can opener!
o
A minimum 3-day supply of all medicines.
o
A flashlight and battery-operated radio with
extra batteries
o
A first aid kit
o
Extra cash, you don’t want to depend on debit or
credit cards in a disaster
o
Emergency blanket or sleeping bag(s)
o
Extra set of car keys and/or house keys
These are just a few ideas to get started, I encourage you
to take time now to prepare for a potential natural disaster or
evacuation.
While on the subject of fire
preparedness, archery hunters should be aware of numerous ranches and block
management areas that are currently closed due to fire danger. If you are planning to hunt, please be sure to
ask landowner permission first, as the risk of fire is simply too great in many
areas.
Remember, we don’t rise to the level of our expectations, we
fall to the level of our training and preparedness.
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