Organize to Shelter in Place

“Mom, what neat things do we have in our emergency kit?” the commercial begins. It is a reminder to families to gather supplies in case of emergency. September is Emergency preparedness month, so it is a good time to organize those items that will help us endure emergency situations.

An unexpected event may require your family to shelter in place. Be prepared to make it on your own for three days without external sources of food water or electricity. While you can include extra amenities to make you and your family comfortable, the main considerations are fresh water, food, and clean air. Remember to include and keep current daily medications such as insulin or heart medication. Consider making two kits. One to use if you stay where you are and a smaller portable version if you need to get away.

Store at least one gallon of water per person per day. Include nonperishable foods that your family enjoys along with a manual can opener and eating utensils.

Stock heavy-weight garbage bags, plastic sheeting, duct tape and scissors in your kit. Also include a flashlight, battery powered radio, extra batteries, a first aid kit, feminine hygeine products, soap and premoistened towelettes, and supplies for children and pets as needed. A whistle should be included to signal for help and a dust mask or tee shirt to help filter air.

Keep you cell phone charged and cash and identification readily available.

Plan what to do in advance of unexpected events. Develop a communication plan, organize an emergency kit and be ready to evacuate or shelter in place. For more information go to www.ready.gov

Beverly and Kristen
www.KeyTransitions.net

Organize to Evacuate in an Emergency

September is Emergency Preparedness Month. We have been vividly reminded in the last week of the importance of having our stuff ready to evacuate in case of emergency. Every news program has featured the devastation Hurricane Ike wreaked on Galveston and other cities in along the Gulf of Mexico. Stunned residents who decided to ride out the storm in their homes tell of rescues and fearful experience that make them vow to evacuate the next time a warning of this type occurs. Folks who did evacuate tell of being in situations where they were concerned about adequate food and shelter. The underlying message behind all of these sad events is be prepared to evacuate in case of emergency.The American Red Cross has a very good website at redcross.com/services that lists the various supplies that should be gathered for evacuation and disaster.

For evacuation they suggest:
Medicines and medical supplies
Bedding and clothing to include sleeping bags and pillows
Bottles of water
Battery Operated Radio and extra batteries
First Aide kit
FlashlightCar keys and maps
Documents including driver’s license, social security card, proof of residence, insurance policies, wills, deeds, birth and marriage certificates and tax records.

If you are driving, we also suggest a car emergency kit that includes emergency tire propellant and flares with the usual equipment to change tires and perform minor repairs. It is also a good idea to include rain gear in the clothing that you take along and some insect repellent.

When I read this list I had two thoughts. The first was “Can everyone put their hand on the documents suggested?” The second was, “When you put all this stuff in the car or other transport, will there be room for the folks you are trying to evacuate?” The answers to those questions are “probably not” and “there is room if you organize.”

The first step to getting ready is to gather all the important documents into one place. We suggest a watertight portable safe. If that is not a plausible solution, place the documents in leak proof plastic bags and put them in a sealed plastic container or tote box. A small tool box or cooler chest may serve the purpose. If there are just a few documents to transport, a document portfolio will work.

The second step is to organize the other supplies so that they can be easily carried. You could of course pack a suitcase, back pack or duffle bag for each family member and put it away until emergency travel was imminent. A more practical solution is to store the necessary supplies in the giant zipped seal bag available at discount stores and super markets. When time comes to take a trip just grab the bag for each family member. It has the added benefit of protecting the items from dampness. Bulky items like linens and sleeping gear can be stored in the plastic pouches that allow you to expel the air and compress the contents. That will save a lot of packing space. Also remember to place medicines and medical supplies in protective bags to prevent spillage and wetness.

Packing flashlights, radio, batteries and water in a small insulated cooler will allow you to keep cold and hot items that may be available at the evacuation sites. Taking these steps now will help you to be prepared if evacuation becomes necessary.

Beverly and Kristen
www.KeyTransitions.net

Organize a Family Communication Plan

September is Emergency Preparedness Month. Are you and your family ready to deal with emergencies that might arise? Have you talked about how you will handle the need to evacuate or shelter in place? Do you have a communication plan in case you are not together when an emergency occurs?

If you live alone, consider whom you need to contact at the time of an emergency to make them aware of your whereabouts and your condition. An out of town contact who will most likely not be affected by the same emergency is a good choice. Make sure your contact has a list of local emergency responders in case he needs to make a contact for you. Be aware of the emergency policies at your place of work or on your campus and stay informed by listening to the media at the time of an emergency.

Families should also have a plan for communicating during an emergency. Since all family members might not be together at the time of emergency the plan should have a method of contact and a meeting site that everyone knows. Select an out of town contact for all family members to e-mail or call at the time of emergency. Local landlines and wireless connections might not be accessible during emergencies and other lines may be jammed, so caution everyone to be patient and continue to attempt contact. Make sure everyone has coins or a prepaid phone card for emergency use and a copy of the designated contact number in case memory fails. Identify a meeting place where you will gather if possible. Review what you will do in various situations and talk with each other about any concerns you have regarding emergencies.

Even children can understand emergency preparedness. The web site www.ready.gov has step-by-step instructions on what families can do to be better prepared and the role kids can play. Just click on Ready Kids for age appropriate information.

A communication plan is an important part of being ready should disaster strike.

Beverly and Kristen
www.KeyTransitions.net

Staying Organized with ADD

There are a few folks blessed with a gift for staying organized. It comes naturally for them to have a place for everything and everything in its place. Then there is most of the rest of us. Organizing does not come naturally to us, but with effort and concentration and a little work we can keep things organized. A subset of that population is the adults who have Attention Deficit Disorder. While these folks have an abundance of creativity and energy, their brain activity makes it difficult to prioritize and stay on task. It is important for people with ADD to work with their strengths when developing organizing systems. Some things that work are:

• Keep a day planner that lists everyday tasks, appointments and scheduled events. Check it at least twice a day.
• Create visual cues to get tasks done. Set up a mail center close to the entryway that allows the sorting of mail including tossing junk mail and shredding identifying information. Have a landing strip for coats, shoes, and briefcase in the entryway. Post a grocery list on the refrigerator that can be updated as needed.
• Keep work surfaces uncluttered and only current activity in view.
• Store items in one layer if possible and keep items visible in plastic containers.
• Develop task lists with time frame and revise the time as you better learn how long tasks take. This allows better estimation of time available and avoids stress.
• Use reminder systems to keep on time for appointments. Alarm watches and cell phone alarms are a couple of devices that can serve the purpose.
• When undertaking a multifaceted project enlist a buddy to keep you on task.
• Use your natural energy and enthusiasm to ride a wave of excitement to task completion.
  
  We know many folks with ADD who have order in their lives. It is a matter of finding systems that work with your strengths.

Beverly & Kristen
www.KeyTransition.net

GET ORGANIZED FOR EMERGENCIES

September is National Emergency Preparedness Month. The purpose is to increase awareness of the need to prepare for emergencies of all kinds and to encourage preparation by individuals and businesses. More than 1200 national, regional, and local organizations and businesses have joined a coalition to promote emergency preparedness. Key Transitions, a company devoted to providing innovative organizing solutions to individuals and businesses, is part of the national coalition. Key Transition owners Kristen Hartman and Beverly Outlaw are available to supply materials and to speak to local groups about emergency preparedness. They can be reached at keytransitions@cox.net.

Here are the recommended items for a basic emergency supply kit:
Ÿ Water, one gallon per person per day for at least three days
Ÿ Food, at least three days supply of non-perishable food
Ÿ Battery powered or hand-cranked radio and NOAA Weather radio with enough batteries
Ÿ Flashlight and extra batteries
Ÿ First aid kit
Ÿ Whistle to signal for help
Ÿ Dust mask, plastic sheeting and duct tape
Ÿ Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation
Ÿ Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
Ÿ Can opener
Ÿ Local maps
Ÿ Unique family needs such as medication, infant formula and diapers, important documents

For more information go to www.ready.gov

Beverly & Kristen
www.KeyTransitions.net