New Year's: Resolution or Action?

Happy New Year! Did you make any resolutions on January first?

Usually in Medicine for People! I give you information and trust you'll take what you need and use it as you see fit. For New Year's, however, I propose to do something different. Let me suggest that you replace any resolutions that will haunt you all year with some relatively simple action you can take today and this weekend.

Yes, Dear Reader -- this is a rare "Just Do It" newsletter.

What to Worry about this Month?

As time goes by, the media focuses its witless eye on one scare after another - anthrax, terrorism, nuclear waste, worldwide flu pandemics, hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunamis, and so on.

You can take steps today to relieve your mind by concretely preparing for whatever disaster may arrive. At its most basic, disaster preparedness involves stockpiling food, water, and other critical items so you and your family can be self-sufficient for a number of days.

If a winter storm takes out your electric power, you're ready. If the water should become contaminated or stop flowing for some period of time, you're ready. If you become quarantined because of the flu or if your house catches fire, you'll be ready. Should there be some horrible chemical disaster in Seattle that stops the trucks from stocking the supermarkets or causes your friends or family in that area to land on your doorstep seeking refuge, you'll be able to care for yourself and for them as well.

Surviving in Comfort

The emergency planning experts tell us that we as individuals are extremely unlikely to die in a disaster. While poor disaster planning in New Orleans led to unnecessary deaths, most of the afflicted people survived. What you want to do is to avoid their misery. You want to be able to take care of yourself without outside help. Most likely you will need to care for yourself in your own home, with food, water, electricity (from batteries), clothing, and medical supplies. You won't be able to depend on public services such as police, fire, or health services. These services will be very busy with much more urgent needs than yours.

Don't wait for a disaster to occur; by then the hardware stores and supermarkets are going to empty in a hurry, and the roads may be filled with others on the same delayed mission.

Here's what to do - A Simple Four-Step Plan

1. Download the Family Emergency Preparedness Plan prepared by the State of Washington.
2. Print it out.
3. Sit down and read it. This is a 27-page document, but don't be intimidated. It's easy to read and understand. Not all of it will apply to you.
4. Spend an hour doing the easy parts of the plan. If this is your first time preparing for disaster, don't get caught up on each little detail, such as the number of band-aids in the first aid kit. Concentrate on the major items. These will differ a bit for each family, so look at the plan, imagine a disaster will happen tomorrow, and get all the major things done to ease the pain of that disaster.

Whatever extra precautions you take may enable you to help your neighbors.

Once you have prepared yourself for self-sufficiency at home, you are halfway to the "extra credit" project, preparing for some emergency that requires you to vacate your home, such as a fire or more general disaster. This too is covered in the plan mentioned above.

For More Information
If you wish more information, King County has useful information at http://www.metrokc.gov/health/disaster/index.htm. The Federal Government has more information at http://www.dhhs.gov/disasters/index.shtml. Don't even look at these sites, however, until you've finished the steps above.

Just Do It!

Remember -- this is the "Just Do It" newsletter.

Ready, set, go around the house now and check off as many items as you can. Make a list of things to pick up during your everyday errands this week.

That's all for now. I've got to go work on my emergency plan.

CJK January 23, 2006