Emergency Preparedness 101

Okay, let's be direct and upfront about it: we all need to get sorted on the emergency preparedness front. Let's all stop for a minute, and be real about whether we have put our big girl pants on and actually done what needs to be done, in order to survive a significant civil or natural emergency.

Be honest, are you prepared?
Have you got what it takes to make it through a civil or natural emergency when it does occur?
Have you got a plan in place, that will help you and your loved ones ride out days without access to outside help and support?

Here in New Zealand, those who work in Civil Defence has been telling us for ages to get it sorted. We see all the ads, we get the flyers... and we can be guilty of doing little (or even frankly a big fat nothing!) towards being prepared in case of an emergency.

We quietly (and quite honestly, rather foolishly) think: It will be okay, outside help will come.

The reality is however, when disaster does strike, or a major emergency occurs that interrupts local civil services on a large scale, there is no guarantee whatsoever that what is currently taken for granted will be there at all.

None.
Let it sink in: Help will highly likely not come for some time.
It won't.
You need to be prepared, Friends.
You need to get prepared and get a household plan and emergency supplies kit per household member sorted.
NOW.
End of story.

I can confess that for a while some time back, I personally was tentatively trying to do something towards doing the right thing for our own household, and we stored some bottles of water in the deep freezer. But really and truly, that was pretty much it on our emergency preparedness front, here in my neck-of-the-woods. We are just as guilty about being inadequately prepared as many others would also honestly confess to be.

Yet, in the past weeks we have had more frequent reminders from the earth around us, here in good old New Zealand. Each tremor and unsettling shake with the re-occurring earthquake movements has reminded us, to think about having things on-hand in the form of more extensive emergency supply kits NOW.

Those earth tremors that we hear about, and the resulting damage they cause, need to motivate us. We each need to get a move on about putting together plans and actual collections of extra essential-to-life supplies set up. We need to get a move on, and get a plan and some resources sorted out NOW.

So how do we get going? How do we get even somewhat prepared from the get go?

Well, putting together a plan of action, and putting together a basic emergency kit per household member by putting aside an extra item or two each grocery shopping day, would be a good start.

There are sensible, wise people who have put up numerous blog posts and Youtube videos on what would be a good basic kit for each household member, in the event of an emergency. There are websites also with detailed information, and even products for sale, that are very easily able to purchased and collected over time.

Jennifer Morris is one New Zealand based blogger who comes to mind, who has graciously shared her household's checklists over on her blog. You can check out her blog post on the 72-hour emergency kits she put together for each member of her household for starters, and see how one local kiwi family are getting prepared.

 72-hour emergency kits

Useful things like solar powered LED torches can easily be purchased here in New Zealand off our Ebay equivalent online website, Trade Me.  There are a number of online websites specialising in long life food packs, and other particularly useful and essential items which would be perfect to tuck away in each of your emergency kits. 

Emergency staples such as long life food are good to look to include in each emergency kit. If you require Kosher or Halal friendly long life food, there are available to be purchased also. Such online websites as survive-it.co.nz, supply long life food ration packs, such as these Mainstay brand Emergency 3-Day Rations.


Such items as water purification tablets, and even water storage containers, are all things to consider putting away in an emergency kit.  There are numerous local and international online suppliers, that make it very easy to go about getting an emergency supply kit in place for each member of your family.

The recent earthquakes here in New Zealand are unsettling. They remind each of us again that there are things beyond our own control, and nature is able to literally rattle us all occasionally and turn our lives completely upside down in an instant. Getting prepared ahead of time for a civil emergency is actually relatively easy. It is wise and sensible to do so. Let's each get on with doing what is best for us and our loved ones now.


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