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| If the Wise Man built his house on a rock...how does he get to the store? |
One of my very favorite quotes EVER is this one:
"Wise men learn from other's mistakes, fools from their own." - Unknown
How sad it is, that we have NO idea who said this. What were they going through in life? Were they the "wise man" or the "fool". Well, if they want to remain unknown, it is a big possibility they were the fool. I should be a detective...I'm so good :).
Today we have the opportunity to learn from someone else's experience - they thought they were more prepared than they were. They were honest enough to share what they did right, and what they did wrong. Let's take a closer look. I gathered this information from:
Chances are, most of us will not suffer the evacuation or effects of a hurricane (except my PR buddies who experience this once every 5 years - give or take) - but we can still glean VALUABLE information from "The Survival Mom's" evacuation experience. Please read her whole story, because these highlights will not do it justice.
What she did right:
1. Drive 4 to 5 hours away from possible devastation (if you're on a coast, go inland).
2. Consider going to a city or town you've never been, see the sights - it will give a chance for everyone to not focus on the evacuation.
3. Instead of suitcases, consider taking laundry baskets - if you are gone a few days (or more) it is easier to do laundry with a basket.
4. If you have school age children, take school work with - it will help to keep them busy.
5. Grab everyone's (even adults) favorite blanket, pillow or "lovey" - we all need something comforting.
6. Take your pets. If it isn't safe for you, it isn't safe for them. You don't know how many days you'll be gone.
7. Remember your medications - take the whole bottle so you know what kind to refill at the pharmacy.
8. Leave either very early in the morning or late at night. Few people are ready to leave quickly, or want to drive at night. Being prepared to begin with will reduce how much time you need to pack it up and leave.
What she did "wrong":
1. Any framed pictures you cannot take with you, put them in plastic garbage bags and up high. Pack what family photos you can.
2. Empty your refrigerator. You may be gone longer than a few days.
3. Empty contents of fridge in a chest freezer with if you have it. Rotten food smell is impossible to get out of the fridge!
4. If you have multiple reliable vehicles, take the one with least insurance coverage - liability insurance will not cover flood damage.
So, even if some of these tips don't usually apply to those in desert valleys, most of them do. There can be MANY ways we might have to evacuate for short or long periods of time. Here is another plug for communication, if you have a HAM radio, you will know before most people it is safe or not to return home. Newscasts over the radio often repeat the same information over and over without really giving you useful information. This was my extended family's experience during the fires in Sierra Vista a few years ago.
So, you can choose today to be the wise or foolish "Wo" man depending on if you use your agency to learn from someone elses mistakes (or what they did right). Afterall, the future is "unknown".
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO
One last thing...
I am always interested in gadgets that make life a little easier if you're using your 72 hour kit for any number of reasons. What else do you use your cell phone (or any other usb charged device) for other than calling? Tons of stuff! I happened upon a little rocket stove that creates enough electricity that you can charge your device while you cook dinner! Pretty cool huh? Many hubbies would love this for a Christmas present. Check it out - it has good reviews too which is a huge plus:
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