Emergency Preparedness

Hurricane season is here. The newscasters keep reminding us, the internet blasts out headlines every time we open the web and newspapers print articles on what to gather in case of emergency. A couple of weeks ago, our local department of transportation initiated traffic snarls in an effort to practice reversing traffic direction on the interstate in case of an emergency requiring evacuation. I have decided that if that happens around here I will just put on my running shoes and travel on top of the cars that will surely be bumper to bumper on every available exit route. In the meantime, we should all heed the warnings and get our stuff ready to evacuate or sit tight and endure the aftermath of high winds and pounding rains. Andrew, Katrina and lesser storms should have jolted us all out of any complacency we might have felt about these powerful forces of nature.

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 water
Battery Operated Radio and extra batteries
First Aide kit
Flashlight
Car 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 answer 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.

Next time we will explore how to organize materials and supplies for waiting out the hurricane at home. Stay safe and get organized so you will have worked out all the bugs just in case you have to bug out.

Beverly and Kristen
www.KeyTransitions.net

An Organized Car

The local television station reported that fifty-eight million Americans will drive greater than fifty miles this Memorial Day week-end. That did not impress me much since, for many years, my round trip commute to work was greater than fifty miles. But no matter when we travel or where we go in our cars and trucks, SUVs and campers, we have ample opportunity to collect and clutter. When I was commuting seventy miles to work, one of my favorite colleagues loved candy bars and chips. I knew that whenever he picked me up, I would hear crackling sounds when I took the passenger seat. That was because his idea of cleaning the car for our road trip was to stuff all of the discarded wrappers under the seat. I gave him a car litter basket for Christmas one year and he surprised me by actually using it. He said he did not know that such a thing existed and hated trying to tack down a bag to dispose of his trash. He did not become a neat-freak but he no longer littered his front seat with wrappers.

Many of us spend a good part of our life driving to work, running errands, chauffeuring family. According to Kelly Quigley, author of Time Well Spent, The average car owner spends five hundred to one thousand hours per year behind the wheel of his car. That is a lot of time! During that time we access stuff to support our activities, we accumulate stuff as we run our errands and we discard stuff as we open and unwrap. The problem is that, in a car, we have limited space to stuff our stuff. Front seats, back seats, trunks and cargo holds can become cluttered, unsightly areas where it is hard to find what we need

This can become particularly troublesome when you embark on a road trip with a car full of family or friends. So, with summer travel just around the corner, we thought this would be a good time to share some of our favorite products for organizing your auto. There are some nifty products on the market that sell for less than twenty five dollars

To stash your trash try the Trash Stand by Case Logic. It is weighted so it won’t slide or slip, is leak proof and has a cover so you can hide the mess. With dimensions of 8"x5"x8" it fits nicely on the floor or between the seats. It even has a hidden compartment for storing valuables. The same company also makes a litter chute that hooks onto the headrest and is convenient for the back seat. It has a self-closing lid and empties from the bottom for easy trash removal. Another product is the Kids Trash Bag that hangs on the head rest, is leak proof and has an outside mesh pocket that can hold wipes and tissues.

There are also several items that will help you tame front seat clutter.

The Seat Caddy by Lewis N. Clark has an insulated cup holder, CD sleeves a zipper pocket and adjustable compartments. It closes to conceal contents and fits under the passenger seat when you want to tuck it away.

The Mobile Office sits on the seat beside you and has compartments for your cell phone, ipod, laptop, books and other paraphernalia and a hard top tray that prevents objects from rolling off and gives a surface for writing.

The Over the Seat Organizer by Creekside has compartments that hold various objects and can easily be turned to the back of the seat when you pick up a passenger.

If you fumble for your cell phone or glasses the Case Logic Catch All is a perfect size for cell phone, gas receipts and sun glasses. It has an adjustable arm that hooks into the air vent.

There are also several good back seat organizers for kids who are old enough to face forward in their car seats. These organizers also work well for older folks who want to keep things neat back there and do not need to access the items while driving.

The High Road Kid Organizer fits on the back seat and can be zipped up and carried with the attached shoulder strap. It is tall enough for kids in booster seats and has identical pockets on each side so two children can share. It buckles to the seat belt to keep it secure. The Backseat car organizer has a dozen pockets to hold small toys and games and fits over the back of the front seat to be within the child’s reach. The Car Organizer for Kids has a top sturdy enough to draw on, adjustable dividers and outside pockets.

Highroad and Case Logic both make child seat organizers for the littlest passengers. They fit securely underneath the car seat to protect from spills and mishaps and have side pockets to hold comfort items.

For the adult traveler, Lewis N. Clark Insulated Seat Back Organizer features a large insulated compartment to store hot or cold items and adjustable fasteners that double as a shoulder strap if you need to remove it from the car.

Keeping miscellaneous items stable in the trunk or cargo space is easy with a collapsible crate or tote. The Trunk/ Cargo Storage Bag measures 17"L x 10"W x 11"H and has a zip close top. This can be used for road hazard items or other necessities. The Creekside Organizer Tote opens to organize groceries or other items and folds flat when not it use and the Solutions Cargo Cooler has the additional feature of a built in water resistant cooler.

These and similar products can be found at the following web sites:
www.Solutions.com
www.ebags.com
www.DrivingComfort.com

Treat yourself to an organized automobile and enjoy the ride.

Beverly and Kristen
www.KeyTransitions.net