Planning the Layers: Personal Emergency Preparedness

As you plan to take care of yourself in an emergency, it is important that you think in 'layers'.  What you are doing is surrounding yourself with ever expanding protection.  Each layer is planned in consideration of the following six areas:

*Skill levels--your training, education, experience, or abilities
*Area--where you live, work, or play
*Duration--how long you might have to face an emergency or its aftermath
*Needs-- any special considerations (including medical) which you might need to plan for
*Responsibilities and Duties--to yourself, to those dependent on you, or to those relying on you
*Previous and Projected Events--emergencies which have occurred or which might occur near you

How carefully you plan your protective layers using these six areas will largely determine your success in handling emergencies.

Remember, you will constantly need to update and alter your layers--everything changes, including you!  And don't forget; your family (two-legged and four) needs their own custom built layers, too!

So what are these layers of personal emergency preparedness?  They are the organized kits or supplies designed to help you take on an emergency, no matter where you are.  The kits or supplies themselves go by many names, but here they are by each layer:

*Every Day Carry (EDC)--what you carry every day, everywhere
*Personal Emergency Kit or Go Bag--for when you must be mobile or need to relocate quickly
*Car Kit--for trouble during commutes or trips
*Work Kit--your 'office' support, including help to return home
*School Kit--specifically for children/teens waiting for parental pick up at schools
*Stay In Kit--for quarantines or other 'must stay inside' issues
*Home Storage Supply--for extended emergencies and long term recoveries

The coming posts will go into the details of these layers--including suggested lists of items to go into each kit.

Stay tuned--you can do this!