Gratitude – SURVIVAL kit check list

Happy MORSELICIOUS MONDAY!

Have you thought about what will you do/pack in case of an emergency?

 

Talk about GRATITUDE in its PUREST form.

For those of you not living in Southern California, here is an article about our

most recent and too close to home fires.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/14/fire-getty-center-sepulveda-pass-405-freeway_n_1885789.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000003

It was over 100 degrees here in Los Angeles and the stifled air smoldered with suffocating smoke. The Los Angeles Fire Department closed off part of our street to allow the countless fire trucks to station here, less than ¼ mile from us.

Doug rushed home from work and had to park about 3/4 miles away and walk up the hill with bags in tow.

Cars stopped. Neighbors evacuated, helicopters and

super scoopers soared overhead.

The news stations announced voluntary evacuations and encouraged residents to stand by, in case it increased to mandatory.

My heart and head sinking and swimming, as I wondered

what to do? What to pack?

Immediately, I called my elderly neighbors to make sure they were safe. Their daughter and her husband had already evacuated them. CHECK!

Our friends offered us places to stay.

More neighbors packed up, advising me to do the same.

My head kept reeling back to the note I had written on my TO DO LIST

for the past 2 weeks, that I had YET to check off:

 

****      update photos and documents for insurance/disaster kit

It was too late now. So I had to figure out what was ABSOLUTELY necessary and what was SENTIMENTALLY irreplaceable.

My parents saw the fires on the news 6 hours away from here. Thankfully, Mom had her DISASTER LIST ready to share with me and walked me through what to pack, just in case.

For someone who’s always been extra prepared, this too close –for- comfort-near emergency was a giant WAKE-UP call!

Once the super scoopers did their job dropping  nearby ocean water over the flames, we learned the fires were becoming contained and we would NOT need to evacuate. We All breathed a smoky sigh of relief.

Timing is perfect: September is National Emergency Preparedness Month, sponsored  by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Ready campaign to increase public awareness of emergency preparedness, urges four basic steps:

, be informed and get involved.”-National Safety

My list and kit are now up to date and I wanted to share with you, God forbid you’ll ever need it.

Please share with your loved ones and feel free to add anything (s) I left out.  Please post your additions so the rest of us can add to our list’s. NOTE: I don’t have pets or children, so I know there are PLENTY of items to add for people with either or both.

THANK GOD, everyone is OK!

I am FILLED with GRATITUDE!

 

 

Check on your elderly neighbors

Children, pets, people with disabilities.

 Mo’s list:

(best to keep a bag under your bed or somewhere you’ll have easy access to grab I.C.E. – in case of emergency)

First aid kit:

Water

Tweezers

Hand sanitizer

Pocket knife

Matches

Pencil

Can opener

Notebook

Pens

Bandages

Adhesive tape

Band aids

Neosporin

Aspirin/ibuprofen

Sunscreen

Safety pins

Antiseptic

Baby wipes

Emergency blanket

Flashlight

Batteries

Dust mask/washcloth

Hand crank or battery operated radio

Cell phone with charger

Cash

Clothing for a few days/nights

Toiletry bag:

Toothbrush

Toothpaste

Soap

Lotion

Contact solution (if necessary)

Ziploc bags

Eyeglasses

Sunglasses

Flash light

Walking shoes

Socks

Gloves

Jacket

Hat

Prescription medications

List of allergies

Vitamins

DOCUMENTS

 (NOTE: great idea-photo copy all of these & keep in ziploc bag in your kit) Keep originals in a safe deposit box

Family records:

Birth certificate

Marriage certificate

Death certificate of family members

Will & Trust

Insurance policies

Mortgage papers

House title

Car title

Passport

Social security card

Immunization records

List of bank accounts, credit cards

List of emergency  contact numbers

Laptop with portable hard drive, charger and USB cables

Camera with cable

Photo albums (irreplaceable sentimental value)

Book (s)

FOOD (for a few days)

Water

Reusable water bottles (wide mouthed bottles also good to shake up protein drinks and soups)

Non-perishables

Nuts

Nut butters

Easy to open canned goods

Jerky

Protein-food bars

Crackers/rice cakes

Cereal packages

Oatmeal packages

Protein powder packages

Dehydrated packaged foods

And for those of you who’d rather purchase a disaster kit, here are a couple great sites:

http://www.redcrossstore.org/shopper/prodlist.aspx?locationid=1

http://xa.yimg.com/kq/groups/20937325/141144105/name/Care%20to%20Prepare%20Fundraiser%20Product%20Page%2Epdf

 

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and visit my new health coaching site, The Morselist 

Have a MORSELICIOUSLY THANKFUL MONDAY!