Dear   ,    

September is National Preparedness Month - a good time to get yourself, your family and your home ready to deal with emergency situations such as floods, hurricanes, fires, or any natural or human-made disasters.  Being prepared means being organized, at least in my book, so take a little time this month to think about what you would need to survive a challenge.  See the article below for some suggestions.

And then, go out and enjoy this beautiful fall weather!  Getting organized is all about giving yourself the space and peace of mind to be able to focus on the things you want to do, so take some time for relaxation and enjoyment.  Have a great month!

- Maryann Murphy 

Getting Prepared

Who wants to think about being prepared for a disaster?  Some people organize their whole lives around this kind of preparation (ever watch "Doomsday Preppers" or "Man vs. Wild"?).  They might be good friends to have in a crisis, but what if they're not around when we need them?  Most of us don't like to think about such things happening in real life, but with a little preparation, we can all be ready to survive a disaster, at least until help arrives (usually within 72 hours). 

The four key steps to take, according to the Department of Homeland Security's Ready Campaign, are:

1. Be informed about the types of emergencies that could occur and what the appropriate responses would be (responses to a flood might be different from a terror threat or nuclear power leak).
2. Make a family emergency plan (where you would meet in the event of evacuation, back-up contacts in case you can't reach each other directly, who would take what, etc.).
3. Build an emergency supply kit (water, food, first aid supplies, supply of your critical medications, copies of any critical papers, etc.).
4. Get involved in community efforts (what are the emergency plans within your community?).

FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Association) has a toolkit with specific suggestions on preparations to take.  The City of San Francisco has a website called 72hours.org, with some great resources for preparing for a variety of type of disaster.  And of course the Red Cross has guidelines for what items to include in your family survival kit.

The important thing is to take a little time now to prepare in case of disaster later.  We all hope it won't happen to us, but why not be prepared, just in case?