Prepare in a Year - A plan to survive

Procrastinating on the trivial items in your everyday life doesn't usually jeopardize your family's chance of surviving a disaster or emergency. On the other hand, putting off emergency preparedness could have very dire consequences if you wait until the disaster arrives.

Please take a few minutes to review Washington State Emergency Management's Prepare in a Year preparedness campaign. They recommend that you set aside one hour for a disaster preparedness activity each month and follow a 12-step plan and they give you the tools to make your family as prepared as possible. To give you a little more incentive, we'll be blogging about each of these steps for the next few months. Here is a recap of the 12 steps:

1. Action Plan - Know what steps you will take if an earthquake, volcano, or chemical release hits our area.


2. Out-of-Area Contact - Have a plan if you are separated from your loved ones.


3. Water - You can't survive without it.


4. 72 Hour Comfort Kit - One for your home, car, workplace and kid's school or daycare.


5. Important Documents - Insurance paperwork, medications, birth certificates...there are many documents that you would need when you have a major disaster.


6. Extended Events - Lighting, cooking, shelter, sanitation, pets and emergency radios are just some of the areas discussed in this section.


7. Under the bed - Be ready to respond, day or night.


8. Utility Safety - Understand when and how to turn off your gas, water and electricity.


9. Drop, Cover and Hold - Earthquake safety tips.


10. Fire Safety - Plan your escape routes and know how to use a fire extinguisher.


11. Shelter in Place - Creat a "safe" room in your home.


12. Home Hazard Hunt - Identify potential home hazards.