In my many years as an emergency responder, I’ve found that small changes in our day-to-day lives can make such a huge difference in how resilient people and even whole communities are. It’s been interesting over the years to see how we’ve built on and used lessons learned to improve our preparedness. When I was an EMT-Paramedic many years ago, most people didn’t wear seatbelts. My coworkers and I saw a huge improvement in the number of people surviving car accidents when they started wearing seatbelts. It was a lesson learned and simple change, yet it made a big difference. That’s true for all types of preparedness.
Taking fire drills seriously, planning evacuation routes out of your workplace, your home and your neighborhood, knowing CPR—these are just a few of the things that I’ve seen contribute to personal preparedness. Be aware of the exits at large events and venues, keep an emergency go-kit in your car, and practice plans so that you can reconnect with your loved ones more quickly.
At home, my family has plans for what we’d do in an emergency, big or small. We have go-bags which include things such as personal records, extra contact lenses and glasses, clothes, medications, etc. We even have necessities for our cat. We also have a pre-determined relative who lives outside the area serving as our emergency contact person. If my family is separated, we can all check in with that relative to let them know that each of us is safe, and that person shares the information with the rest of us and the rest of our extended family. We know to meet at the pre-determined location and we’ve practiced it.
There are also ways that you can assist responders who would be trying to help you in an emergency. Make sure that the address numbers on your house or building are visible from the road, keep the entryway to your home uncluttered, and if you call 9-1-1, have someone unlock the door before responders get there. From personal experience, I can tell you that these little things will help responders reach you faster. Teach kids how and when to call 9-1-1 and what information to give so that emergency dispatchers send the right resources to help you – things like the address, the name of the person who’s injured or ill, describing what’s happened and what’s wrong, and whether the ill or injured person has a medical condition or takes medications daily, and if so where to find them for responders when they arrive.
National Preparedness Month is drawing to a close, but these and other safety recommendations should continue to be planned and exercised throughout the year. Emergencies, big and small, can happen suddenly, and even simple steps to be prepared can make all the difference in how healthy and safe you and your family are when that emergency occurs. When practiced as part of your day-to-day routine, they can contribute to a whole growing culture of preparedness and strengthen your family’s and your community’s ability to respond and recovery quickly after an emergency. Trust me, just a little time and effort will make a big difference in the event that an emergency affects you or your loved ones.
