Do you have your to go bag?

Did you know September is National Preparedness Month? It is the time of the year we should do our annual updates of Emergency Preparedness Action Plans, restock our Emergency Preparedness Kits, or Go Bags, and complete Emergency Preparedness and Response Training with our teams. Training is key, and with active shootings, building evacuations and fire plans, training is very much appreciated by staff!

The truth is we do live in a different world than 20 years ago and as we will mark the fifteen-year anniversary of 9/11 there is no doubt that that incident was a clear demarcation of the America we live in now and the America I spent my pre-teen years. September 11th prompted the war in Iraq, which contributed to creation of the world that we live in today, where people are comfortable canceling vacations to Europe for fears of a terrorist attack or fallout from the war in Syria. The two explosions we experienced in New York City on Saturday was a terrorist incident with the intent to cause harm. It’s important to always be prepared.

Here are a few items that are critical in an Go Bag for any Emergency Preparedness Kit.

Go Bag Essentials:

• Extra set of car/house keys

• Solar cell phone charger

• Cash in small bills

• Bottled water (gallon per day) and nonperishable food for 3 days

• Can opener and eating utensils

• LED flashlight

• Batteries and duck tape

• Any medications needed

• First aid kit and Fire Hood

• Toiletries

• Flares

Next time, I will share a few tips for you to keep in mind if you find yourself in the middle of an emergency while in a large crowd.