The Power of Preparation

By Anne Prince, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association

No matter the time of year, everyone needs to be prepared for what nature may bring. During a prolonged outage or other emergency, this means having enough food, water, and supplies to last at least a few days.

September is National Preparedness Month. While we know not everyone can achieve a “doomsday prepper” level of preparedness, you can take steps to ensure you and your family are ready. Even basic preparation can help reduce stress, anxiety, and lessen the impact of an emergency event.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency recommends general guidelines:

• Assemble a grab-and-go disaster kit. Include items such as nonperishable food; 1 gallon of water per person, per day; diapers; batteries; flashlights; prescription medications; a first-aid kit; a battery-powered radio; and phone chargers.
• Make a communication plan with your family. Identify someone from outside the area who can act as a go-between to help share information between affected family members.
• Have extra cash available, as electronic card readers and cash machines may not work during a power outage.
• Store important documents, such as birth certificates and property deed, in a safe place away from home—for example, a bank safe deposit box.
• Keep your car’s gas tank full.
• Organize supplies so they are together in an easily accessible location that family members know about.

Caring for Vulnerable Family Members

If you have older family members or those with special needs, make sure they have enough medication and supplies for a few days. If they don’t live with you, arrange for a neighbor to check on them.

If severe weather is expected, consider having at-risk family members stay with you, if feasible. Otherwise, call them daily.

If you have an infant or young child, keep ample formula, diapers, medication, and other supplies on hand to weather an outage lasting several days or more.

Keeping Pets Safe

Having a plan in place for pets during a prolonged outage or emergency helps reduce worry and stress.

• Bring pets indoors at the first sign of a storm or other emergency. Pets can become disoriented and frightened during severe weather and may wander off.
• Microchip your pet, and ensure the contact information is up to date.
• Store pet medical records on a USB drive or in an easy-to-remember location.
• Create an emergency kit for pets. Include shelf-safe food, bottled water, medications, and other supplies.

Planning for emergencies gives you greater confidence when dealing with severe weather and potential outages in the future.