With the slightly warmer weather and the increasing amount of sun, many families and organizations are moving toward spring and even summer. But within that first week of outside temperatures rising, most people realize they need to do a little spring cleaning.
CCS encourages you to take that a little bit further this year and to make sure you spring clean your emergency preparedness kit. We know that October is the month you should check the batteries in your smoke detector, and February is American Heart Month, but when was the last time you looked at the contents of your emergency response kit?
Step One
Find it. Take it out of its hiding place, dust it off and take everything out of it. Everything. Lay it all out on the conference room table so you can see everything that is inside.
Step Two
Check all expiration dates. Throw out anything that is expired. Replace them immediately. Get your fire extinguishers serviced. Don’t put this off! Make a real effort to replace expired items the same week that you toss them.
Step Three
Make sure you have everything you need. FEMA has a great list for your packing process. Print it out and double check that you have everything on it. And make sure there’s enough for everyone you serve.
Step Four
Update all personal information in your kit. You should have emergency contact information for everyone, insurance information and a copy of your emergency response plan (if you don’t have one, CCS can help!). This information should be updated more often than once a year, but start here.
Step Five
Test anything that uses batteries. Make sure there are enough of the right kind of batteries available. Make sure the emergency food rations are still sealed, and the water is still in an air-tight container.
After you’ve checked, and double-checked, everything, pack it all back up and put it in the designated place. Remind everyone where it is, make sure they know how and when to use it, and that they can reach it.
Being prepared on paper is important, but physically preparing your family or organization is crucial. Take the time this spring to make sure you are prepared for anything that may be heading your way.
If you need help developing or modifying your plan, contact us today.
