Let’s face it: a family emergency is something that all of us hope that we’ll never have to encounter. From health problems to house problems, though, we’ve all suffered from emergencies at some point. Here are some tips on how to get your life in order so you’re as prepared for an emergency as you possibly can be.
Keep Everything Up To Date
First and foremost, it’s vital that you keep everything in your home and in your life as up to date as you can. If your boiler requires annual checks, make sure that you schedule them rigorously. Likewise, you should get your car checked frequently, particularly if it’s an older and more unreliable model. Your own health should be even more of a priority than the material objects in your life. If you don’t feel well, make sure that you go to the doctor, and ensure that you get an annual physical. If you have any health problems, it’s best to treat them as early as possible to have the best possible recovery. Likewise, if any family members don’t feel well, encourage them to get medical treatment as soon as you can. Make sure you know where your nearest
urgent care center is.
Have An Escape Planned
There are plenty of emergencies that crop up from health issues to car problems to house things that need to be fixed quickly, but there are other emergencies like fires, floods and earthquakes that might mean you need to leave your home immediately. Make sure that you have your escape planned – you should know a rough area of where your pets sleep at night so you can grab them quickly, and you should ensure that your kids know exactly what to do if they smell smoke or notice something strange in your home. Keep the essentials next to your bed so you can grab them if you need to – you might need your glasses, your medication, your passport, your charged cell phone and a bank card. Even if you lose everything else to a fire or another natural disaster, having those things with you will help you make it through the next couple of days.
Help Your Kids To Be Independent
Finally, it’s important to raise your kids to be independent and resilient. If you have to be out for the evening, then you want your teenagers to be able to make dinner for themselves – or at the very least to know how to call for pizza! Help your kids to be contributing members of your household by assigning them chores to do so that if they have to take on more responsibility one day because you’re tied up elsewhere, it won’t be too much of a shock to their systems. Teach them how to use your washing machine and dishwasher, and encourage them to learn to drive as early as they can. If your kids are independent, then they’ll be able to help out as much in an emergency as they can.
