Flirting with Disaster

I've got a new post up at Los Angeles Moms Blog. It deals with a topic most of us don't like to think about (until it's too late): disaster preparedness. 

This is a topic I don't spend a lot of time thinking about -- until Mother Nature sends me an urgent reminder. (Can you say "denial?")

I'm giving away a number of disaster preparedness kits like the one pictured here. Read on to find out more.

Apparently, when it comes to denial, I am not alone: "Statistics show that less than half of Californians have a disaster plan," says CaliforniaVolunteers.org, the agency that is spearheading a state Disaster Preparedness Initiative - the reason for last week's mom blogger gathering with Captain Stacy Gerlick of the Los Angeles Fire Department.

Captain Gerlick explained that having a plan in place is the best insurance a family can have in the event of a disaster. "It's about having people take meaningful action," she said.

"When you put together a plan, you alleviate the anxiety that comes with fear of the unknown. When you do it collectively there's a lot more cohesion and even the kids feel a sense of belonging to the decision. so it's a win-win."

Captain Gerlick, who has been with the fire department for 23 years, is a longtime instructor in the Community Emergency Response Training (CERT) unit, which trains ordinary citizens in everything you ever wanted to know about disaster response: "It gets you to become aware of what you had no clue about," she said.

"More often than not, we're going to be dealing with the earthquake issue," she said. "Fires are huge - we have them all the time. But it's the earthquake thing - we don't know when it's coming and it catches you off guard and that's the scary part."

Captain Gerlick then led us on a tour of Erin's home, pointing out all the areas that could be made more earthquake-safe.

We've got a lot of work to do:

1. Identify and fix hazards in your home. (Find out how at DareToPrepare.org )
2. Create a disaster plan. (California Volunteers has made it easy for you - click here.)
3. Create disaster supplies kit.
4. During an earthquake: Drop, cover and hold on.
5. After the earthquake: Check for injuries and damages. (Detailed information at the Earthquake Country Alliance)
6. When safe, continue to follow your disaster plan.

Fortunately, there is a wealth of information on the web: The links above are a great place to start. If you have young children, you should take a look at the special book you can customize and give them to help them understand what to do in the event of a disaster (without scaring them!)

We adults can all benefit from this comprehensive booklet issued by the Los Angeles Fire Department (which deals with preparedness for all kinds of emergencies - so it's useful for folks who live in other parts of the country, too.)

Get started NOW. The folks at California Volunteers are graciously awarding disaster prep kits like the one pictured at the top of this post to 12 readers of SoCal Mom (leave a comment at the bottom of this post - first come, first served). The kit includes a flashlight, whistle, emergency blanket, bandages and enough food and water to last one person for three days. I am keeping this kit in my car (because there is no guarantee you'll be home when disaster hits!).