Disaster Preparedness

Watching Spike Lee's documentary reminded us that in the event of an emergency we will likely have to fend for our little black selves. Thus we encourage folks to prepare themselves and their families for potential disasters. As Mama says, "do your best, and let God do the rest."


The Red Cross recommends having 6 categories of things on hand for emergencies:
1) water - 3 day supply (1 gallon/person/day)
2) food - 3 day supply (ready to eat canned meat, fruit, vegetables, vitamins, salt, sugar, energy bars)
3) first aid supplies (include non-prescription drugs)
4) clothing/bedding (1 changes of clothes and footware per person)
5) tools and emergency supplies (see website for suggestions)
6) special items for medical conditions (prescription medications, eyeglasses, contact lens supplies)
Stored water should be replaced every six months - drink what you had in storage. Food should be replaced every 6-12 months. Batteries should be replaced as needed. Update stored clothing by season.


Target and the Red Cross partnered to create an introductory disaster preparedness kit which retails at Target for $29.99. It includes ponchos, a flashlight, a radio, first aid supplies, and more. The Red Cross also sells a variety of its own exclusive kits.


Lastly, the Red Cross recommends keeping important family documents in a waterproof portable container. These include, but are not limited to: wills, deeds, social security cards, bank account numbers, credit card numbers, insurance cards and policies, birth certificates, marriage certificates.


Check the website at www.redcross.org for more.