Five Ways to Prepare for Wildfires

In recent weeks and nearly every year we hear of the devastating affect of wildfires on both communities and the environment. There are areas in the country, which are more prone to these fires, but no area is immune. All it takes is a lack of rain in a normally wet area, and you have the fuel necessary to start a wildfire. Here are some tips on what to do to prepare for this occurrence. 1) You should have an emergency kit available. This is particularly important if you are requested to evacuate your area. If you are requested to … Continue reading →

Planning for Emergencies at School

It is nearly time for children to be heading back to school. There are many factors that you will need to consider when you are sending your child back to school, especially in regards to your emergency plan. If your child is attending a new school or going to school for the first time there are several factors you will need to consider. 1) You will need to provide contact information for you and your spouse. You will also be asked to provide emergency contact information. You may want to decide who that will be in advance so that you … Continue reading →

Preparing to Move 2

Moving is a stressful time, and there is a lot which you have to accomplish in a short period of time. It can be overwhelming to think of tackling everything that needs to be done. If you are fortunate enough to be able to use a moving company, you will not need to follow these instructions. Most of the work will be completed for you in a relatively short period of time. Otherwise here are a few suggestions to make it easier. 1) Pick a room in which to store packed boxes. If you do not have a rarely used … Continue reading →

Preparing for Moving 1

One event that requires a lot of preparation is moving. The amount of work, which goes into moving, can be overwhelming, even if you have a moving company come and do most of the packing. There are many different tasks, which you will need to complete when you move. These steps you can begin working on as soon as you realize that you are moving. This will make the moving day go quicker. 1) The first thing you should do is to take the time to declutter your home. It is a great opportunity to get rid of all the … Continue reading →

Preparing for Job Loss

One event that everyone should plan for is a sudden job loss. This could happen for a variety of reasons. You may or may not receive a severance package. You may or may not qualify for unemployment. The average job search takes between three to six months, but depending on your location and your field of work this may take longer. Two weeks after my husband had started a new job, the business burned to the ground. It was a small family owned business, and so they had to lay everyone off until they figured out what to do. We … Continue reading →

Is Debt Affecting Your Preparedness?

If you are trying to prepare yourself so that you can meet any situation that arises one factor that you need to take into consideration is the amount of debt that you are carrying. Debt is a hard taskmaster. If you have debt you do not have the same freedom to make choices as someone who does not have debt. It may make quitting a bad job more difficult. It may keep you from achieving the long-term goals your family has set. You should assess your financial situation and make a plan to get out of debt. You need to … Continue reading →

Planning for Your Family’s Sanitation Needs

One contingency that is important to plan for in your emergency kit is your family’s sanitation needs. I have seen several emergency lists that contain toilet paper, but no plans beyond that. You will need to take into account the different situations that you may be in and plan accordingly. After most emergencies your plumbing should still be working, though you may need to store water to flush the commode. There are times when the plumbing may not be working, such as after an earthquake, or you may be roughing it with your family. It is important to take the … Continue reading →

Protecting Important Documents

In planning for emergencies it is important that you take the time to safeguard your important family documents. These can include birth certificates, social security cards, car titles, wills, insurance information, the title to your home and your marriage certificate. You may also want to consider family pictures and journals when making this plan. For the important documents that you keep in your home you should purchase a fireproof lock box to keep the papers in. This will give minimal protection in case of a fire or another emergency. These boxes are quite heavy, but usually rather small, so you … Continue reading →

Preparing for a Sudden Death

Have you prepared for the sudden death of yourself and/or your spouse? This is a topic that most people shy away from. It is difficult to plan for something that you do not want to happen, especially when you have young children, but it important to have these plans in place. There are a few simple things that you must do in order to protect your family against this happening. 1) You need to have life insurance policy large enough to pay off your existing debt and to create a nest egg, which will provide money to live on through … Continue reading →

What Emergencies Will You Face?

One major point in preparing for emergencies is to know what emergencies are more likely to develop in your area. Every part of the United States can be hit by different type of natural disasters. There really is no “safe” place to live. I don’t say this in a negative way because many of the emergencies can be prepared for and these things are just a part of life. If you live in the Southeast, you are at an increased risk of hurricanes and flooding due to tropical storms. Another event that can hit states in the South is an … Continue reading →