September is National Preparedness Month in the US. It's so very important to be prepared for an emergency before the disaster happens. Living here in Silicon Valley California there are several types of natural disasters we can typically expect even if we can't predict when they will occur. The most common ones are: earthquakes, fires resulting from earthquakes (or possibly tsunami from very big earthquakes), flooding, and wildfires. But in reality just about any type of disaster can strike at any time and often without warning. So what do you pack for your family to be ready in case of an emergency especially if you have a baby? Well first it's important to decide what type of emergency kit we are talking about. There are three main types: 72 hour kit, emergency car kit, and long term food/water supply. Two weeks ago we covered the 72 hour kit. Today we are going to focus on the Emergency Car Kit. Sometimes driving a car can be very unpredictable; you may unexpectedly need roadside assistance. There could also be inclement weather that causes an emergency situation. But an emergency car kit can be extra useful when you have a baby. There may be times when you are in a rush out the door and forget something very basic that you need like diapers or wipes (it happens to the best of us). Having a well supplied kit in your car solves this problem. Basically having an emergency car kit can help in everyday mishaps or larger scale emergencies. We keep ours in a backpack but I know some people put their kit supplies in a small plastic storage bin, a storage cube, or even a collapsible shuttle bin. Whatever you use your bin should be big enough to fit everything you need but small enough to fit in your trunk without monopolizing your trunk’s storage space. Here's some ideas about what your baby might need in your emergency car kit:
Optional:
I also found a great list on DMV.org that recommends the basics of any emergency car kit whether you have a baby or not:
I would also add that you should keep water and snacks for you and your passengers in your car. I had a friend in an accident and while she wasn’t injured very badly she was stuck at the scene for hours and wished she had some water and something to eat while she was there.
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September is National Preparedness Month in the US. It's so very important to be prepared for an emergency before the disaster happens. Living here in Silicon Valley California there are several types of natural disasters we can typically expect even if we can't predict when they will occur. The most common ones are: earthquakes, fires resulting from earthquakes (or possibly tsunami from very big earthquakes), flooding, and wildfires. But in reality just about any type of disaster can strike at any time and often without warning. For example a friend told me that there was a tornado right here in Sunnyvale about 20 years ago! So what do you pack for your family to be ready in case of an emergency especially if you have a baby? Well first it's important to decide what type of emergency kit we are talking about. There are three main types: 72 hour kit, emergency car kit and long term food/water supply. Today we're going to focus on the 72 hour kit. This is something that you have ready to go in a bag so that when a disaster strikes you can grab it and get out of danger as fast as you can but still have what you need. The first 72 hours of any disaster are the most critical in determining whether or not you (and your family!) will survive. That's kind of intense, but that's why we need to be prepared! What a baby needs:
When planning your kit it is important to consider what your baby needs now and what they might need in a few months. A typical rule of thumb is to rotate your 72 hour emergency kit once every 6 months (this ensures that your food doesn't expire and that you'll check that clothes and diapers will not be too small). With a baby I think you could rotate a kit every 3-6 months since they grow so quickly. Just put a little reminder in your phone or calendar so that you won't forget! We usually rotate our 72 hour kits in April when it starts to get really warm and October when it starts to get cold. Much of this info I'll be sharing comes from personal experience of packing 72 hour kits when each of my 3 children were babies (my youngest is currently two). Here's some ideas about what your baby might need:
Don't forget to pack a few things for yourself that you might need:
For a complete list on the basics you need during an emergency, check out ready.gov |
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