Are you prepared for anything? If you were hit by the big snow storm that passed through last week, did you find yourself in a mad rush to pick up groceries and essentials? Or do you routinely have a stocked pantry and barn? I think preparedness gets a bad rap sometimes. People love to make fun of zombie apocalypse “prepper” folks. But long before we lived on a homestead and adopted a much more serious and involved preparedness lifestyle, we were always prepared. In our vehicle now, at all times, we have a tote in the back with a quart of oil, rags, windshield washer fluid, power steering fluid, brake fluid, work gloves, jumper cables, window cleaner, WD-40 and a reflective vest. And we both always carry small tactical flashlights. We have actually had occasion to use the reflective vest and flashlights in an emergency situation. We witnessed a bad accident on the way to work one morning. The busy state highway was down to one lane and law enforcement did not respond for a full hour. (Don’t get me started on that!) Point is, is was still dark in the morning and people trying to help almost got hit by idiots racing through the accident scene. We were the only “dorks” out there with any kind of safety equipment, and we safely directed traffic for over an hour.

Those items are always in our car, as is a fully stocked medical bag. I’m talking a huge sports tote full of everything you can imagine – from nitrile gloves to bandaids to gauze to ice packs to feminine pads for severe bleeding. We can patch you up, cinch you down and apply pressure if needed!

Another example is when we lived in Colorado, both of our cars were stocked with emergency winter supplies come September: peanut butter, water, big fat candle, flashlights and extra batteries, small camp shovel, bag of kitty litter, boots and socks, and blankets or a sleeping bag. My commute was six miles round trip, while hubby’s was 80 miles round trip. Didn’t matter. Both vehicles were stocked because we lived in an area that always had the potential for snow.

My point is, there are a lot of simple things you can do to have your family prepared for emergencies. I like to look at it as cheap insurance.

As you know, this has been a crazy year for weather. There have been historic floods and wildfires right here in central Texas and elsewhere around the country. There have been devastating tornadoes and record snowfalls. In each of those situations, you have to decide whether to stay put (shelter in place), or get the heck out of dodge (bug out).

How do you get ready to bug out or shelter in place? Do you have supplies to get your family by for a few days? Do you know where all your important papers are? If you have to evacuate, do you know what to take with you? You are MUCH better off making decisions like these well ahead of time. Put your plans on paper. Know them. Every family member needs to know them, including the kids.

Still wondering where to start? Well I know a book that can be of tremendous help to you. It’s The Survival Savvy Family by Julie Sczerbinski. I’m sorry that I haven’t take the time to properly share this resource with you before now. On the heels of every emergency event that occurred this year, I would think to myself, this would be an excellent time to share Julie’s fantastic book. Julie helps you tackle a lot of information in a very practical manner. The book emphasizes families – so it includes lots of information and tips on how to prepare and handle emergencies with children and pets. There a tons of great questions to ask yourself and your family in addition to many great worksheets to help you organize all the necessary information. Julie covers topics like building an emergency kit, being ready in your pantry, medical emergencies, financial readiness, being ready to stay or go, natural disasters, personal safety, and SO much more. This great book is available on Amazon and I would highly recommend that you add it to your home library. It would also make a really great gift for any family.



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