Do You Have A Plan?

I’m trying to write my regular blog for Dawson Power. I had two topics in mind but my focus is gone and the material unimportant in the scope of what’s happened in Haiti.

Ongoing reports from Haiti stream across my RSS feeds and prayer requests push through Facebook, Twitter and forwarded emails. Reports on the radio are spotty but enough to tell us its real bad. I kept wondering about my own family if something like this happened.

Do you have a family plan if a disaster strikes? Have you laid out instructions for where to meet, who to call, what personal effects are critical? I know this has nothing to do with electricity or customer service but I’m a family member first and an employee second.

My family is strung across the U.S. Whether it’s an earthquake, a tornado, a terrorist attack; a plan of some kind needs to be drafted so we know we are all safe --- or what action must be taken to ensure our well being as a family.

Start with simple preparation. Put together a family list of cell phone numbers and email addresses. Some disasters will mean cell phone and internet service are non-existent – so then what? Make sure you put emergency contact information that includes addresses, land line phones, work place address and phone numbers, even the local Red Cross or church. Include these for each family member. In an emergency, most of us won’t be able to instantly recall phone numbers of family members – and our own cell phone where this is stored may be missing.

If all typical communication is impossible, a local ham radio operator is an amazing resource. Do you know who that is in your area? In my case it’s the Midway Amateur Radio Club in central Nebraska or ARAN (Amateur Radio Association of Nebraska). Ham radio activity is being picked up from Haiti already.

Keep a dry (sealable) storage container with batteries, flashlights, portable radio, potable water, high protein food that can’t spoil. In that dry storage container, put your plan with all your contact information. Include any medical history with prescription requirements. Hopefully, you will NEVER need this container.

If you plan to help Haiti victims financially – make sure you do so through a reputable organization.

Don't use the disaster as the drill.