Author: Paul Faust

As many of you know…September is National Preparedness Month. This is a great time to think about your personal preparedness level. If you happen to be someone who has already taken many of the important steps to better preparedness…this is a great chance to help and encourage others to do the same. While the government and others in the emergency preparedness space continue to preach the message….it is often when we hear it from a family member or friend that we actually listen and take action.

If you are doing something special during National Preparedness Month or if you have helped a family member, friend or member of your community get better prepared…please share you story with us. Anyone who submits a story will receive a 20% off coupon code for anything purchased on our site 1800prepare.com.

This is also a good time to thank someone who serves in our rescue community. Take a moment to let a firefighter, EMT, police officer or other first responder know how much you appreciate what they do. They are all true heroes.

One great way to get more people to think about preparedness is to read or hear stories from people who have been through emergency situations. Sometimes we find ourselves prepared for the situation and some times we don’t. By hearing others stories we get firsthand accounts that we can learn from.

If you have a story please share it with us. It can be about an emergency or disaster that you went through. It can be about how you used a survival kit or other type of survival item to help you out of a situation. Or it can be about a time where you wish you had been better prepared.

Anyone who shares a story will be given a coupon code good for 20% off a purchase from our site at 1-800-PREPARE.com.

Together we can learn and help spread the message of preparedness.

A 3.6 magnitude earthquake rattled the Palm Springs, Calif., area early Saturday and experts say it has put pressure on two faults that run through the Inland Empire.

We are hearing more and more news reports that experts are saying that Southern California is due for a major earthquake. While nobody can really predict when or if one will strike…now would be the right time to think about your level of preparedness and how you can increase it.

Some experts recommend having food, water and supplies on hand for 72 hours while others suggest you have enough for one week. Either way…having some basic survival gear on hand is very important. It is also critically important that you take some time to review your possible evacuation routes, safe areas in your home or office that you can go if you feel an earthquake happening as well as communication plans with family members if you are separated.

As you can’t know where you will be if something happens, you should keep supplies in your home, office and car. I personally recommend starting out with a survival kit that matches the amount of people you need supplies for and then adding to it the items you may personally want. These individual items could include things such as: prescription glasses, medicines, cash, copies of important documents and some comfort items.

You should also take some time to sit with your family and discuss your plans, what supplies you have on hand and what people should do in the event of an emergency. If you have relatives nearby you should discuss with them as well. You may also want to meet and discuss with your neighbors as in most cases…neighbors will be able to help each other before emergency rescue personnel can.

Posts like these are not meant to panic anyone. They are simply meant as a reminder of the importance of preparedness. They key is to not procrastinate. Take action now and you will be better off later.

Being prepared for an earthquake is something everyone who lives in earthquake prone areas should do. Learning what to do, planning escape routes, stocking up on survival gear and emergency kits you may need, making an emergency contact list and copying important documents are just a few of the recommended steps.

If an earthquake does strike….here is an acronym to help you remember some of the important steps you should take.

S.H.A.K.E.

S – Structure: Always know where the solid structure is around you, such as heavy doorways and get to it.

H – Hold On: Hold on to whatever structure you’re sheltered under, even if it’s just a heavy table.

A – Aftershocks: Be ready for an immediate aftershock (which is really a delayed continuation of the main event)

K – Know: Know where your escape routes are and where debris or HazMat dangers might come from.

E – Evacuate: Safely evacuate the area you’re in, especially if it has sustained appreciable damage.

You can find many tips like this is our preparedness resource section on 1-800-prepare.com and in Disaster Prep 101 (A great book by one of our advisers – Paul Purcell)

According to a study released Friday Southern California is overdue for a major earthquake along the San Andreas fault.

The long-awaited study came after scientists spent years studying the geology of the Carrizo Plain area of the San Andreas, which is about 100 miles northwest of Los Angeles. It found that earthquakes along the San Andreas fault have occurred far more often than previously believed.

One researcher commented: “People should not stick their heads in the ground. There are storm clouds gathered on the horizon. Does that mean it’s definitely going to rain? No, but when you have that many clouds, you think, ‘I’m going to take my umbrella with me today.’ That’s what this research does: It gives us a chance to prepare.”

Preparing means a few things:

1. Getting the facts. Understand what can happen in your area and what affect it could have on you.

2. Learn about what resources are available in your area if a disaster should strike

3. Make a plan. Talk to your family and make a plan as to what you will do in the event of an emergency. Will you shelter in place? Will you need to evacuate? If so…where will you go and what route will you take? Have your plan include what you will do if you are apart.

4. Consider buying an earthquake kit or other emergency preparedness kit. Now is the time…don’t wait until something happens to figure out you don’t have the supplies you need.

While many studies are being done….earthquakes don’t give advance warning. They can strike at anytime. Taking some time to prepare now can pay off in dividends later.

Preparedness is something we all need to take personal responsibility for. By being prepared, we free up important resources, making it much easier for our first responders to assist those who are in the greatest need.

Personal preparedness can extend to helping neighbors and friends. It is  more likely that your friends or neighbors will reach you first, than emergency responders.

It is important to prepare now before something happens. Your family may not be together when an emergency happens and you may not have access to cell phones, gas for your vehicle, supermarkets orother things that you are used to having every day.

Make a plan, Get an emergency supply kit, Stay informed of situations in your area.

Disasters can happen at any time, so it is important for you to be prepared at places where you spend time. This includes your home, your office, and in your car. Get the right survival gear and make sure you have enough for everyone.

You should also have an understanding of local hazards and the appropriate response individuals and families should take during an emergency situation. Think about what may happen in your community.

When people think of “preparedness” they often think of being ready for major events like a hurricane, earthquake or tornado. For most of us..these are situations we will likely never have to face. However, there are things that can happen to all of us during the course of our everyday life that we can and should be better prepared for. I am certainly not talking about running around paranoid all day. I am simply suggesting that is you take a little time and do a little preparing you will face some of these “what if’s” a little better.

Some examples of things we could all face:

*A broken down car (Do you have flares, a flashlight, a flat tire fixer)

*A fire in the home or office (Do you have extinguishers, detectors, escape ladders)

*An injury at or away from home (Do you have a first aid kit or supplies)

*A blackout (So you have candles, flashlights, matches, lanterns)

*Child proofing a home

*A robbery either of our home, office or vehicle

*Someone choking or in need of CPR

*A lost child or elderly person

Preparedness is a broad topic and one we shouldn’t be afraid to think about. Having the right emergency plan, emergency kit, preparedness supplies and taking the time to think about what you might do is a great step and one that will make you feel more at ease.

Please share your story here on how being prepared helped you with a specific situation.