Prepare for the Unexpected

“You do not rise to the occasion in combat, you sink to the level of your training.” — Lt. Col. Dave Grossman

September is National Preparedness Month, started by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in 2004. They chose September because of the events of 9/11, and they encourage every American to be ready for disasters, whether natural or man-made.

In 2009, FEMA conducted a national survey on personal preparedness, and their findings were a bit staggering: “Over 60% [of surveyed Americans] expect to rely on emergency responders in the first 72 hours following a disaster.”

Seventy-seven percent of people who considered themselves “prepared” for disasters had never held a household drill.

Just 42% of respondents participated in an emergency drill at their place of employment, and alarmingly, only 14% had ever conducted a household drill.

Lt. Col. (Ret.) Dave Grossman, the author of On Combat and On Killing, reminds us that we sink to our level of training. We all like to have wishful thinking and say, “He really rose to the occasion.” But the truth is, that person who appeared to have “risen” to the occasion was most likely well-trained.

My father-in-law’s life was saved because his YMCA instructor had 30 years of CPR and first aid training.  When he collapsed with his heart attack, she snapped into combat mode and performed everything on auto-pilot, while YMCA guests stood on, frozen in shock. Were it not for her training, Mark’s dad would not be alive and back at work today.

Being prepared and trained for disasters does not have to be expensive nor is it complicated. You don’t need to be a “doomsday prepper” or have a year’s worth of canned food and water stockpiled. You just need to have an action plan.

Since I grew up in Texas, I’m familiar with the threat of tornadoes. On the first Wednesday of every month, our local tornado siren was tested, and (spurred on by yours truly) we held drills during homeschool. We would grab cushions from the couches and crouch in the bathtub until the siren stopped.

Below are some simple steps you can take to prepare your family for emergencies:

1. Always keep your gasoline tank at least half full. You never know when you might have to get the heck out of town, and you wouldn’t want to be caught with an empty tank and no way to fill up. Keeping an extra can of gasoline is another smart idea.

2. Conduct practice drills at home with your family. Jump in the bathtub or go into a basement when the tornado siren is tested. Plan and practice escape routes if there is a fire. Establish a physical meeting place for all family members. If members get separated, establish an out-of-town, reliable contact whom all parties can call to notify they are safe.

3. Take the emergency drills at work seriously. Remember: as annoying as they are, they could save your life one day, because in the chaos, you will sink to the level at which you were trained. If your place of employment does not conduct drills or hasn’t done them in a while, talk with your building manager or Human Resources department. Offer to spearhead an emergency committee and establish fire wardens for each floor or section of the building.

4. Keep a reasonable supply of non-perishable food items and water. For a more portable option, create a “bug-out bag” for each family member. I have gotten strange looks from friends when I talk about this, but it really is a useful, vital thing. Essentially, they are backpacks filled with items you would need if you had to leave home on a moment’s notice. Also keep an emergency pack in your car and at your office desk.

5. Finally, if you want to learn about emergency preparedness in more detail, sign up for a local Community Emergency Response Team class. In my hometown of Frisco, the Fire Department sponsors it for free, and I learned things like triage and how our local government and community operates in the event of a disaster. Other useful courses are Basic Disaster Life Support and Advanced Disaster Life Support, sponsored by the National Disaster Life Support Foundation.

What has your family done to prepare for the unexpected?