Emergency preparedness & how to be a ‘storage guest or host’!
Last night where I live, we had a tornado warning. I knew what to do; I reviewed my emergency preparedness checklist. Knew where my cat and dog were (since I have on children in the house), and had placed my ‘everyday special items’ in my ‘disaster safe place’ along side my in-home disaster kits. My pillows and blankets and other emergency preparedness necessities were there as well. The car was ready with a full tank of gas, my GPS charged in case there was need for evacuation.
One thing that struck me after finishing my per-established and practiced disaster preparedness routine was that I’m currently housing some personal belongings for a dear friend who is in transition. First and foremost I want to protect people’s privacy and then their belongings if they have entrusted cherished items with me. Fortunately since it was a tornado watch, I had some extra time and I went in to the storage area to make sure that I tried to take the things that I THOUGHT were important for safe keeping that belonged to my friend. I had to quickly complete this task and frankly I didn’t like going through someone else’s possessions. It was challenging to try to scan boxes for indications of relevancy and importance.
As I was collecting up the pictures and what I thought were important documents, there were a few other things that I knew a bit of the history on, most things I didn’t have a clue. I tried to scan my brain to remember if a particular item had seemed especially significant when I visited their home in the past. My mind was more focused on a quick in and out and NOT into was this Aunt Lucy’s cookie box! What I did know was that many of the items stored were important otherwise they would not be here for storage since there is limited space.
This morning my friend and I were on the phone and I stated what I had done last night since I had moved some items around and what items I had secured. During our conversation, I told of my experience last night and I asked if I had identified the important items that needed to be safeguarded. I was surprised at some of the answers. Some I had guessed correctly, others were not that important. The pictures and documents were the important things, Aunt Lucy's cookie box was a nice thought and gesture but could be lived without.
I also realized that if a tornado had occurred last night and I was evacuated, injured or dead and thus not available after the disaster to tell my friend where those belonging were, it would have been even more disturbing for someone I cherish as a friend to face so many additional difficulties. I don’t ever want to do something like that to a person who is important in my life.
Also since disasters are not limited to my neighborhood, and my friend is also in locations that are susceptible to disasters (as most of us are more often than not) I would not know what to do with those belongings or who to contact should God forbid something happen to my friend.
Many of us who have an extra couple of square feet in our homes have at some time or another taken in belongings for someone else. It can be anything from a package left by postal delivery service or trunks and refrigerators when someone is in the process of moving. We generally don't think of the 'what if..." I know I haven't in the past.
I am personally so appreciative that there have been some fantastic friends who have shared their storage shed and attic space with me when I was in a transition of a move. Yet so often we don’t think of what could happen and quickly in a disaster. By having written instructions and having the item(s) marked with big and easy to quickly to see identifiers as to what should be taken in an emergency can make all parties better prepared to protect special possessions. Also it is important as the ‘storage host’ to know how to deal with property left in your care should the worst happen.
If you are fortunate to be a recipient of ‘storage hospitality’ then make it as easy as possible for the ‘storage host’ by telling them what is important, who is an alternative contact person and how to get in contact with them should something occur and you are not able to be contacted immediately.
A ‘storage host’ has a lot on their mind when faced with a disaster either pending or afterwards. Help them out as much as possible; don’t expect them to care for all your belongings. Identify the one most important box (perhaps of photos, legal documents ,etc) and boldly identify that one item as a safe keeping box. If it is possible and appropriate ask if that one reasonable size box can be stored with the storage host’s emergency take and go item as well. This will make thing much easier when faced with a pending disaster and help ensure that your items of greatest importance has a better chance of being emergency secured as well.
No on likes to think of a disaster occurring to them but emergency preparedness is a year long and everyday responsibility not just in hurricane season. All it takes to realize that all sorts of disasters occur is to look at the news on the internet or TV and see what devastation has occurred to others. The only way to try avoid that sort of situation is to be as emergency prepared as best as possible. None of us are powerful enough to prevent the calamity of many natural disasters but we can do all we can in a reasonable and responsible manner to control the resulting affects of disasters in our personal lives.
COMMENTS WELCOMED!
Please share your thoughts, emergency preparedness tips and stories here on this blog.
All I ask is that everyone be respectful and sensitive of each other and that identifying information about a person who is not the author be limited to protect their privacy.
Be Safe – Be Prepared – Help Others!
Terrie
www.trainforahurricane.com
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