In the routine of the everyday, it can
be very difficult for most to think ahead to being prepared for
disasters; after all, disasters aren't guaranteed to happen, so why
detract time from real-life present day responsibilities for
hypotheticals? This type of outlook, though completely
understandable, is dangerous, and is fortified by several erroneous
evaluations we unconsciously allow ourselves to find security in.
Here are some of those false securities:
Being prepared is too hard so I
shouldn't bother trying. It can be very easy to adopt an attitude
of passive perfectionism when it comes to preparedness, with a
mindset that determines a thing should either be done well, or not
done at all. That simply isn't the case with preparing for a
disaster. To begin with, it isn't nearly as intimidating as you might
think because others have done it before you, and are willing to
share their advice. Websites like Canadian Red Cross
http://www.redcross.ca/article.asp?id=33841&tid=001
and Health Canada
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hl-vs/iyh-vsv/life-vie/emerg-urg-eng.php
offer good starting points. Furthermore, it's better that you do a
partial job than none at all: one household may have enough to eat
for three days, while the other has none. In a crisis that leaves
them stuck at home for five days, is either perfectly prepared?
No...but who would rather be?
There's always 911. While it's
true that emergency response crews will do all they can in a
situation of crisis to assist those that depend upon them, when
disaster strikes, their ability to respond will be restricted: for
one thing, you can expect that you won't be the only person relying
upon them, so there will most definitely be delays in their response
to you; for another, depending on the nature of the disaster, they
may be physically deterred or altogether prevented from access to you
if major roadways have been damaged or blocked off. This is not to
say that you should not call 911 if you have suffered serious
injuries in a widespread disaster, but in forming a plan, this should
definitely not be your only course of action.
I can just print off a checklist of
what I need to have and that will be enough. Checklists are
definitely a wonderful starting point for disaster preparedness, but
don't assume that this will suffice. You and your family are going to
have slightly varying needs from those of others. For example, if
there are certain medications that must be taken daily, make sure to
have a small backup supply in case you run out of a current round in
the middle of disaster. Monitor your family's needs over a week or
so, and make notes about what is indispensable for you. Use those
notes to augment your list, and subsequently, your kit.
Insurance will cover everything.
While insurance exists to protect you, this entails doing your part
to make sure you are covered for the sort of disasters that you could
be exposed to. Many people haphazardly purchase a plan they haven't
given much thought to, and then have unrealistic expectations about
the amount of coverage it provides. They imagine that in the
aftermath of a disaster, their life will be perfectly rebuilt top
from bottom in a matter of days to its exact state pre-disaster.
Unfortunately, the reality is a far cry from that. Insurance policies
vary greatly in what they do and do not cover, so it behooves you to
do your research. Even if you end up not opting for certain types of
disaster-related insurance, you should make sure you know
beforehand what you're covered for. This way, when you are met with
disaster that you are not covered for, your world won't fall apart a
second time when you receive the nasty surprise of learning this.
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