Today I am going to tell you about my continuing efforts to be ready for emergencies. I have been doing a little bit here and there in the areas of home, car, purse, and work.
These are the things I have in place in my car now:
5 bottles of water
A tube of snack crackers
2 rolls of toilet paper
1 roll of paper towels
2 old cloth towels
2 wash cloths
1 complete set of clothes
1 pair of sturdy shoes and socks
1 package of baby wipes
A list of phone numbers
2 garbage bags and some plastic grocery bags
Flashlight with extra batteries
Gloves
Some very basic first aid supplies: (still adding to this)
Bandaids of different sizes
Gauze
Tape for bandages that tears easily
Tweezers
Antiseptic wipes
Need:
New cell phone car charger
Gallon jug of water
I already had this, but there is also a car emergency kit that contains things like jumper cables, gloves, flashlight, flat tire fixer, and more. My son gave me this a few years ago and it is very nice to have in case of a car breakdown or other problems.
I think the most important thing to have in your car for emergencies is a fully charged cell phone. I try to get in the habit of charging my phone every day at home. The car charger that I have doesn't work. That's a bad thing. I really need to take care of getting a new one.
If there is a major emergency like a car wreck, either you or somebody else, being able to call for help is the main thing that would be needed. I don't have the training to start helping somebody who is injured and wouldn't know where to begin. Visions of pulling someone out of a burning car come to mind, but lets hope and PRAY that this never happens!
We need to make sure that everything is there and in working order in case of a flat tire! My car has a bag of tools in the glove compartment that would be necessary. I don't know how to change a tire, but I need to know where everything is! I'm afraid I would be no help in this area. Luckily, there are guys who know all about this.
Keep gas in your car! Wouldn't it be terrible to have an emergency in the middle of the night and discover that you are almost out of gas. Enough said!
I also think having a pair of sturdy shoes is important. What if you had to get out of the car and walk. Those flip flops, sandals or heels wouldn't be too good for walking through the tall grass on the side of a highway.
The old towels could really come in handy in either a major emergency or just when something has been spilled or a person gets sick to their stomach. I can think of all kinds of ways that an old towel would come in handy.
I really was able to use the extra set of clothes recently! On my job, I walk back and forth to the courthouse in the small town I work in. On this particular day, the bottom fell out (southern expression for a sudden downpour of rain) and even though I had an umbrella, the blowing rain completely soaked me from the knees down. I literally would have had to go home, if I had not had the extra clothes. Now mind you, they weren't my normal work attire, but I was able to get through the rest of the day in them.
My point with all this is that a little thought and preparation can make our life easier in small and big emergencies.
The peak part of hurricane season is almost here for our area, so I need to make sure we are up to date on batteries, flashlights, candles, matches.... and all that kind of stuff.
This is a work in progress for me. I'm still adding to our emergency food, first aid supplies and more, in all areas of our life.
4 comments:
Hello Debbie...great post. I also keep emergency supplies in my truck and car. I'm on the highway a lot, since I still have an office in the city. I always keep a hat (with brim) and a umbrella. This is just in case I need to walk in our very hot summer sun. It is a killer sun here in Texas. I also keep one of those emergency radios.(batteries separate) After 9/11 I made a special bag....I check it from time to time to see if all over-the-counter drugs still have good expiration dates. It's good to be prepared.
I lost a t-shirt and some flip-flops for about a year once. I had packed them for extras in the bag with my maps and GPS on a day trip to the beach... When I returned home late I just hung that bag on the door knob in the hall where I always keep it... All through the year, I'd think of that t-shirt and shoes and I hunted all the closets and cars etc... looking... The next time I grabbed the bag with the maps and GPS I found my stuff... LOL
Great ideas! I've needed clothing at work before, but still haven't learned to keep an extra pair of scrubs in my car. I like the idea of phone numbers a lot...because I am helpless without my cell phone. And if it goes out, I'm doomed!!
what a super post! You are the most organized girl I know. You have wonderful ideas.
Thank you.
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