Developing a Group Emergency Plan

If there was an extreme emergency in your town, would you know how to rally together with neighbors, family, and friends? Imagine the difference if your home was struck by a natural disaster and you had a plan for checking with those you care about and making certain that everything is all right with those you love. In the event of a large emergency, it could be crucial to work together. A group emergency plan makes working together a lot easier. What types of groups? A group emergency plan can be made for any type of group at all. Generally … Continue reading →

Hurricane Preparedness

As long as I live, I will never forget that feeling of helplessness when Hurricane Hugo hit home. Living in Charleston, SC, it was rare that we ever had to worry about tropical storms, let alone hurricanes. However, the day had arrived and we did have to worry. The weatherman predicted strong winds, heavy rain and high surges. It was going to be bad… real bad. How bad? We never expected it to be as bad as it was. I remember walking outside the next morning thinking it looked like a bomb had landed on my street. People were walking … Continue reading →

Marily Smith: New Preparedness Blogger

I would like to introduce myself as a new preparedness blogger for families.com. I am looking forward to sharing information with you about how to be prepared for all different types of scenarios and emergencies. Being prepared for the good and bad alike gives us a piece of mind and allows us to live with hope instead of with fear and concern. Now, a little bit about myself… First, my name is Marily Smith and I have been writing for the frugal living blog at families.com for a year. I have been married for four years and my husband and … Continue reading →

Emergency Preparedness: Water

Lately we’ve had more than our share of inclement weather. We started with flooding, then a snowstorm, an incredible typhoon-worthy windstorm, another snowstorm, and now back to heavy rains. All this in a month. And I thought we were prepared. There’s nothing like a little dose of Mother-Nature-on-PMS to show you where the holes in your plan are! We’d never seriously considered being without water. Power, sure, but not water. We draw from a community well recently acquired by the county. But two pumps failed and several leaks sprung (hmmm…where does that monthly maintenance fee get spent?), leaving us dry. … Continue reading →

Five Last Minute Preparations for Winter Weather

If you have adequately prepared your home and family for winter weather you can sit back and relax while the storm howls around you. There are a few last minute preparations that you may want to make in case you lose power. Here are five easy things to do to help you adjust quickly to a power outage. 1) You should make sure that you have alternate sources of lighting easily available. You can store a flashlight in your nightstand drawer. You may want to get your emergency candles out of the cupboard and put them in a place that … Continue reading →

Preparing Your Family for Winter Weather

As winter weather descends on the United States you should be prepared to handle adverse weather in your area. Here are five areas of preparedness and planning that you may not have thought about. It is important to have a plan in place so in the event of a serious storm you will know what to do. 1) If you have children in school have you considered what you will do if school is cancelled? If you work full-time you will need to have child care arrangements available or you will need to be able to take time off of … Continue reading →

Four Main Areas of Emergency Preparedness

If you are just beginning to prepare yourself and your family to face emergencies and an uncertain future you should look at the four major areas of preparedness. Even if you already consider yourself prepared, it is important to review where you currently stand at least once a year. As your family grows, your needs will change. If you regularly review those needs you will easily be able to make adjustments. 1) Short-term emergency preparedness is the first area that you should be prepared for. This should include an emergency kit for each family member. Five-day kits are replacing the … Continue reading →

Preparing for Winter Storms

As the cold weather begins to set in for the year, it is time to prepare for winter storms. The severity and frequency of winter storms will vary from place to place. It is important to consider the area you are living in when making plans. In certain parts of the country, they will shut everything down for an inch or two of snow. In other areas it takes a foot or two to shut down. You will need to plan according to how people react in your area, because they may not have the tools necessary to make the … Continue reading →

Preparing for a Chemical Disaster

Recently there was a massive fire at hazardous waste disposal plant near my home. Fortunately my family was too far away to be in any danger from the fire, and the pollutants (mainly because it rained, and that took the chemicals out of the air. However, I do know people who were evacuated from their homes as a result of this incident. It is important to be prepared for such an event in your area. Here are four things you should do to prepare for this type of emergency. 1) First you need to find out if this could happen … Continue reading →

What Is the Role of a Guardian?

It is often suggested that you select a guardian to step in and take care of your children if something were to happen to you. You may be wondering exactly what capacity a guardian would fulfill, and how comfortable you may be in having someone else care for your child. You may also consider appointing more than one guardian, so that your child’s needs are truly being met. For many people a guardian would ideally take the children into her home, and care for them as her own. She would nurture and watch over them until they became of age. … Continue reading →