Emergency preparedness

A week ago I realized we need to make sure we know where our emergency supplies are, and how to use them.

LMS and I were running some errands and were done with most of them. While we were driving to the library, an emergency broadcast came on, warning of extreme wind, rain, and possible quarter-size hail. They cautioned everyone to get inside a sturdy building and to stay away from windows.

Literally a minute and a half later the rain started, followed by very high wind gusts. Visibility dropped to almost nothing, so I very carefully pulled off the 4 lane major road and into a parking lot for 10-15 minutes to wait out the storm.

I had intended to go to Joanns for buttons for the chair I'm reupholstering, but decided not to since the electricity was out.

I was concerned about the electricity being out at our house, but thankfully it wasn't.

As I drove home, I tried to remember where the flashlights and candles are, and wondered:
do we have extra batteries for the flashlights?
do I know where matches or a lighter are?
am I going to have to fix dinner on our little camp stove?
do I remember how to use our little camp stove?
we don't have water stored in containers- what would I do for water?

I haven't really worried about such things in the past- my parents had all their stuff in order, and before that we never had problems with our electricity. The area we live in now has had several storms this winter and spring that resulted in trees down and electricity out- sometimes for a week or more.

This has really got me thinking about our preparedness- or lack thereof. So I've added extra goals #4, 5, and 6- so I don't forget to make sure we're prepared, because at this point, we're not.