Posted on: December 22nd, 2011 By: Paul Faust |
As the new year approaches and you make a list of all your resolutions…its a good time to make the commitment to get better prepared in 2012. As we saw in 2011…it doesn’t matter where you live…emergencies/disasters happen. From earthquakes to massive storms, flooding to tornadoes, blackouts to hurricanes….almost every community faced some type of event.
Being better prepared doesn’t mean panicking or changing your entire lifestyle. It can simply mean talking to your family about an emergency plan, stocking up on some basic emergencies supplies or learning basic first aid or CPR. None of these actions will take much time but they will put you on the right path. I can virtually assure you that you will feel better after you have taken one of these steps.
For myself…I happen to like being better prepared. I like that I can help myself, my family and also random people who may be in need of assistance. Whether it be an injury on the ball field, a fender bender or something worse…situations arise and if you are the first person on the scene…it is nice to be able to take action.
FEMA, The Red Cross and all other Disaster Response organizations say the same message: Get a Kit, Make a Plan, Be Informed.
Lets make that a resolution in the New Year.
Posted on: November 8th, 2011 By: Paul Faust |
With the holiday season rapidly approaching most of us are making lists or planning out who we want or need to buy gifts for. Typically these lists include games, clothing, jewelery, sporting goods, liquor and similar items. One suggestion you may want to think about is buying a friend or loved one a preparedness kit or other type safety related item. These items might not be the first things that pop into your mind but they are a unique and important present that will truly show you care.
No matter where you live…you can be affected by storms, blackouts, severe weather, accidents or worse. We all know we need to be better prepared…but to often we procrastinate getting it done. By purchasing a survival kit or product and giving it to someone….you show them you care while making them safer. And…while you are at it…might as well get one for yourself.
It can be a survival kit, a great flashlight, a first aid kit, a car emergency kit and anything else you think is important.
Sometimes thinking out of the box is a good idea.
This holiday season…be safe.
Paul
1800prepare.com
Posted on: November 4th, 2011 By: Paul Faust |
By now..most people in the Northeast have power back in their homes and have dug out from the freak storm that hit our area. Due to the time of year and the trees being full of leaves….this storm was particularly devastating. There were severe power outages due to the large number of trees and limbs that came down. This caused major breaks in power lines and a large number of transformer fires. All this adds up to a pretty terrible event and one that hopefully taught us all some lessons.
1. Emergencies can and do happen all the time. Even when we don’t expect them to.
2. These events create very dangerous scenarios: live downed power lines, falling debris, loss of power, slippery roads, fires, etc.
3. Emergency response personnel become overwhelmed and can’t get to every emergency immediately
So…this once again should teach us that we all need to be better personally prepared. We need to all learn to become our own “first responders”.
*Did you have the kits and supplies you need?
*Did you have a plan in place of where to go and what to do?
*Did you know what resources were available to you?
My true hope is that each time we face these events…we learn something and more importantly we take action. Take at least one step now towards better preparedness and I can assure you that the next emergency (and their will be one) will be just a little bit easier for you to get through.
In the meantime…be well and be safe.
Paul Faust
1800prepare.com
Posted on: September 22nd, 2011 By: Paul Faust |
With September being National Preparedness Month I have had the opportunity to spend a few hours at companies in my community talking about preparedness kits and supplies. I think it is great that more and more companies are taking preparedness seriously and holding events where their employees can learn and ask questions. Often it isn’t until we bring the topic right to them….that they consider it. When we remove any barriers it is amazing to see how many people are actually concerned and want to get some more facts.
These simple steps that companies are taking can have a profound impact on our overall readiness level in this country. If even for just a few hours people are talking about the last “event” and how they were or weren’t prepared….we have taken a step in the right direction. At the event I did on Tuesday I was amazed at how many people came by and said they have been planning to buy an emergency kit for years but just never got around to it. Now that it was right in front of them….they took action.
The question becomes…how do we encourage more of this type event if this is what it takes to change the culture in this country. The topic of disaster preparedness isn’t that scary. The more you learn, the more you understand…the better off you will be.
Thank you to the companies that are making this a topic they encourage their employees to learn about.
Posted on: September 13th, 2011 By: Paul Faust |
Can you help other people get prepared by being prepared yourself? When you take steps like getting an emergency kit, learning CPR, making a family plan….will your friends and family see what you have done and take notice? If you do take these steps…do you tell people what you have done and try to encourage them to do same?
I personally believe that if those of us who take preparedness seriously encourage others…they will at least take the next steps. We need to help them and show them that it is easy. While the government and other national organizations preach the message….it is often seeing someone else that you relate to that will get you to take action.
What are your thoughts on this? Should you keep your preparedness steps private…or try to motivate others by talking about it?
