7 Steps to build a strong “Family Preparedness Hub”
1. 1. JUST START WHERE
YOU ARE!
Start a conversation about preparedness at your next family
gathering. Find out what “preparedness”
means to individual family members. You
may find that many of their answers reflect how optimistic or empowered they
feel about the future.
Your young family members will feel greater optimism and composure in an
uncertain world when they see Mom, Dad, or other heads of household having pro-active
conversations about financial, strategic, and spiritual preparedness.
Communicate openly and honestly about state of the world we live in, yet
re-assure them of your faith and the value of self-preparedness. Include
young family members in your safety preparedness planning activities. Visit FEMA.gov for youth resources.
2. 2. ACCOUNTABILITY
– In the recent
COVID-19 global health crises, there has been a lot of blaming going on. Ultimately,
everyone must become accountable for family and community preparedness going
forward. Make preparedness a part of your family
by-laws. Encourage one another,
immediate family and extended family, to live prepared by having sufficient
cash, water & food reserves, power & communications backup devices. We
live in a time where viral outbreaks, weather disasters, and cyberattacks on
our digital infrastructure and power grid are more and more prevalent. Be
prepared to be “on your own”, until help arrives, for 7-21 days! Include
preparations for your pets! They are family members too!
3. 3. BUDGETNG &
CASH STASH. Encourage family members to make a pledge to
budget and develop a preparedness cash stash.
You may meet resistance on this. Many people don’t want to talk about
the status of their finances. Don’t get discouraged. Set the example. The
decision to budget is one of the best decisions you will ever make. If you are living financially unprepared, you
are at-risk! Preparedness pays!
What’s the minimum cash stash you should have? We recommend $1600. Why?
At some point in life, most of
us are faced with having to pay on-the-spot for some type of unexpected
expense:
$500 for spending emergencies, for
instance, if ATMs don’t work and you need cash!
$500 Car liability deductible, car breakdown,
car repair
$600+ Health, Dental, or Vision Insurance
Deductible, which often has to be paid before your insurance company’s coverage
will pay!
$1600 = Total Minimum Preparedness Cash Stash!
When you
maintain this minimum amount, you’ll experience less stress, less reactionary decisions,
and less additional debt. If you already have this on hand, yahoo! If not, just
start where you are and set aside 10% of your net income and you’ll get there.
4. 4. COMMUNICATIONS. Use your family preparedness meeting to
establish a communications protocol in the event of an at-risk situation that
occurs locally, regionally, or nationally. Most of us have family all over the
United States! The most distressing and hopeless feeling that one can
experience is not to be able to reach or relay a message to loved ones near and
far. Be prepared in advance as to how you will all communicate.
·
Download
this guide to get the conversation started…
Be Smart, Take Part. Create Your Family
Emergency Communication Plan
Family Emergency Communications Plan
Fillable Form (PDF)
·
Next,
fortify your phone for safety and emergency communications with these
apps…
https://www.fema.gov/mobile-app
Available
on Google Play and iTunes. Sign up for instant alerts to your phone.
Wireless
Emergency Alerts (WEA)
https://www.ncdps.gov/Emergency-Management/Emergency-Communications/Emergency-Alerts-EAS-WEA
A Wireless Emergency Alert
give people a free and fast way to get key details. It gives you text-like alert messages to
your mobile device during an emergency.
Alerts to your phone from your local government
https://www.ncdps.gov/Emergency-Management/EM- Community/Directories/Counties
https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/mobile-apps.html
Available on Google
Play and iTunes. When Internet is not available this app provides a great
resource to share emergency medical information
The Beaconeer™
for Android https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=appinventor.ai_pamslisttv.Beaconeer7&hl=en_US
Available on Google
Play. $2.99. No ads. All of your phone’s communications tools are conveniently together in 1
app. Send safety and alert text messages and GPS location to Android and
iPhones.
5. 5. LEARN. Join a
preparedness organization, such as Perennial of
North Carolina, in order to learn as many preparedness skills as possible, such as
solar cooking, HAM radio, off-grid power generation, and more! You’ll discover
you’ve got a preparedness skill or two that can bless others. Share your skill
in a “Preparedness Pop-Up”. These are short conversations/activities/and PDF
downloads available online to assist others in their preparedness journey
towards greater well-being, peace of mind, and resilience.
6. 6. RELATIONSHIP
WEALTH. Build
upon the relationship wealth that is already in your family! Do some family
preparedness projects, such as canning, solar cooking, learning to generate AC power
with a bike, or attending CPR and other American Red Cross classes.
together. These activities bring family
members closer together in a common cause.
Encourage family members to
volunteer. Our connectedness to people who are not related to us is essential
to preserving our sense of common humanity, empathy and compassion. It’s easy
to be kind to those you know, but in order to please and serve God, we must be
willing to minister to those we don’t know who are in need.
Prepare to have games and
recreation for youth & family enjoyment. In event of power outages or
limited access to electricity, set a family usage limit of all electronic
devices and internet access. Engage in these oldie, but goodie games, that keep
the mind challenged or burn calories indoors.
Jacks – Yes! You can still order these at Amazon.
Supervise around young kids. Swallow hazard!
Puzzles – So
many! So much fun! Supervise around young kids, swallow hazard
Table
Tennis – If you have a table and a little side space, that’s all
you need.
Board
Games – Everyone has their favorites
7. Finally, put your trust in God into practice! Live preparedness
strong, as described in Ephesians 6:12-13.
12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the
rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present
darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore
take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the
evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.
Invest in your financial and strategic preparedness. Live by faith,
today. Plan and prepare, by faith, for tomorrow!
©Copyright 2020 Perennial
Preparedness of North Carolina www.PerennialNC.com
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