EMERGENCY/DISASTER PREPAREDNESS

FIrst, let’s define what an emergency really means.

According to Google, an emergency is defined as “a serious, unexpected, and often dangerous situation requiring immediate action”. 

Now, let’s define preparedness: “a state of readiness, especially for war”.

With that being said, imagine you are in a state of emergency and do not know how to handle the situation because it’s extremely stressful or dangerous. Thus, it is important to think ahead and plan for events such as a hurricane storming through the town you reside in or a power outage that lasts longer than a few hours. 

Here are some helpful tips:

1. Have an evacuation plan if the situation at hand calls for one. Here is a website to find your local shelters: https://www.aidteam.org/. Also, knowing exit routes and when to use them is a must. 

2. Have a chain of command to follow if you’re with a group of people so the situation does not escalate further. 

3. Make sure to account for everyone that is present in the event of an emergency perhaps by having an attendance list.

4. Have protective gear necessary for an emergency whether it be a back-up generator, an eye-wash station or a first aid kit. 

Here is a helpful link for emergency preparedness:

https://www.aidteam.org/toolkit/