A funny thing happened Wednesday. I received an email wishing me a Happy National Preparedness Month. With a hurricane bearing down on the east coast and three more perhaps directly behind it, hostage crisis at business offices, heavy rains hitting the Midwest and daily responses to everyday events such as house fires never ending I thought “What’s so *#@%* happy about it?”
So, let’s think about this. How would National Preparedness Month be happy? Well, if anyone out there has been paying attention to agencies such as the American Red Cross, Citizen Corps, FEMA, the State of WV (or any state they live in including the state of confusion), they have all the tools they need to be prepared. And being prepared can and does equal happiness when an emergency strikes. Take the person working in an office with no windows and the power goes out and the back up lights hadn’t been tested so they weren’t working. That person reached right down in her bag and pulled out a flashlight and could lead co-workers to safety. Or the young father who had taken child CPR and knew how to save his daughter’s life when she fell into a pool and nearly drowned. Or the person who, while vacationing at a resort hotel, was mandated to shelter in place for 48 hours due to a nearby chemical leak and was prepared for the unexpected extended stay with back-up personal medication.
All of these folks experienced the unexpected. The emergency couldn’t be avoided by them but they were able to soften the effect and become much less of a victim by being prepared. It only takes a little time. Make a Plan. Build a Kit. Be Informed! Talk to your family members, even those that roll their eyes at you (like my family does) whenever you ask if they are prepared with extra batteries. I’d rather be considered that crazy person that thinks the big earthquake will occur and she won’t be ready for it than to be caught without the stuff I need to survive it! That reminds me – I need to switch out my emergency food. Nothing like a little chocolate party every 6 months!
I mean, after all, I’m willing to share with you if I need to, but if you just do a little preparation now, I won’t need to share my radio with you to hear where to report to for a hot meal. So – let’s make this a happy month! Let’s everyone take this weekend to make those plans, build those kits and get informed. Check out this website for some great tips! www.redcross.org And remember to wish everyone you know a Happy National Preparedness Month!
Sharon Kesselring│ Financial Development Director
American Red Cross