Preparedness is an important part of being organized

Preparedness is an important part of being organized

As the storms resulting from Hurricane Ida hit Baltimore, it brings to mind that people need to be ready for any emergency situation. Preparedness is an important part of being organized.

Hopefully, you will never be in a situation where you need to evacuated. However, it’s better to be prepared and never have that situation than to be thrust into the situation and be unprepared.

Stock your pantry

When the power first goes out you want to use the cold foods before they have a chance to go bad. At the same time, when you open the refrigerator door, you let out cold air and hasten the temperature dropping.

Always keep some bottled water on hand. It’s a good idea to have some foods that don’t need refrigeration. They can be eaten when you can’t use the refrigerator or the stove. Canned tuna, peanut butter and bread immediately come to mind. Foods like nuts, trail mix and some power bars are a good source of protein.

If you are lucky, you have gas and don’t lose the use of your stove when the power goes out. You might not want to use the stove though, especially if it’s hot outside and you don’t have AC working.

Power outages can be uncomfortable

Don’t expect your neighbors to notify BGE. Do it yourself to make sure they know you have a power outage. Call them at 1-877-778-2222. If you smell gas or see downed power lines there is an emergency number, 1-877-778-7798.

BGE has a helpful website that shows the power outages on a map. You can look for your neighborhood and see how many outages are reported in your area. BGE posts when they hope to get the power up and running again. Often times there can be delays, but the site is updated regularly.

Wireless chargers

You can buy wireless chargers that don’t need electricity to charge your device. Some can be recharged with little solar panels or in your car. Keep wireless chargers fully charged, especially if you know a storm is coming your way. Make sure mobile devices are fully charged as well. If there are major power outages, cell phones might be your only access to the outside world for a day or longer. It is important to keep your phone charged.

Medications

Before a storm, make sure you have enough medication to last for a week. Sometimes there is no advanced notice during an emergency so it’s a good idea to always have at least a week’s worth of your medications on hand. Pets who take medications should also have at least a week’s worth of medication.

A first aid kit will come in handy during an emergency. Don’t waste time running from room to room looking for items that can easily be kept in one place. Hand sanitizer and wipes will help you clean up if you don’t have access to water (although you’ll have the bottled water). Face masks, latex gloves, bandages, gauze, antibiotic ointment, scissors to cut gauze, ibuprofen and/or acetaminophen (Tylenol) should be included. If someone in your home is allergic to bee stings or peanuts, you probably have an EpiPen on hand. It’s a good idea to keep that in the first aid kit too.

In case of fire

Do you have an escape plan in case there is a fire? It sounds corny, but your family should have practice fire drills so everyone knows what to do. 

Working smoke detectors on each floor help alert you to danger. Make sure everyone in your home knows what the smoke detectors sound like and what they should do when they hear one. Have all family pets be a part of the escape plan.

Have a meeting place where everyone will go if you have to get out because of a fire. Put a communication plan in place in case you become separated in the commotion.

Conclusion

Be safe during this hurricane season. Create a first aid kit and make sure everything is updated regularly. Preparedness is an important part of being organized. If you need help getting organized, contact me. I’m here to help.

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