Six P's of Preparedness

Build a home emergency kit.  

It is storm season in the mid-west and experts recommend assembling an easily accessible kit that you can rely on in the event of a power outage or evacuation situation. When assembling an emergency supply kit, remember the “Six Ps”:  

• People and pets. Pack supplies for yourself and your pets, including non-perishable foods, a gallon of water per person, per day, a change of clothing and hygiene and sanitation supplies for a minimum of three days.  

• Papers, phone numbers and important documents. Prepare a folder with your critical documents, including social security cards, passports, birth certificates and deeds, among others. If possible, keep these in a waterproof/fireproof container that can easily be taken with you.  

• Prescriptions, vitamins, eyeglasses and medical devices. Include enough supply to meet your family’s needs for at least three days. Keep a first aid kit of sufficient size for your family, as well.  

• Pictures and memorabilia. Set aside items that would be irreplaceable if lost in a severe weather event. 

• Personal computers, phones, hard drives, disks and chargers. Pack these items as they may be expensive to replace and may contain data that is irreplaceable if lost.  

• Plastic (bank cards) and cash. Have both on hand – you don’t know if vendors will be able to accept credit or debit cards if a storm affects infrastructure.  

Traumatic weather events are never fun to think about, but having this type of list accessible to remind you what to do can help you maintain level headed thinking in the midst of stress!