5 Tips to be Prepared to Help Others

Contrary to popular “lone survivalist” ideas, we don’t live in a vacuum.  If an emergency occurs, other families will be affected by it and you may be in a position to help.  Natural and man-made disasters, like the recent tornadoes in the southern United States, can affect large areas and many people and require weeks or months of clean up and recovery efforts.  Personal emergencies like loss of a job or early death of a spouse or family member could also qualify as emergencies affecting single families.  Preparedness isn’t about hiding out alone and disappearing from society.  What kind of life is that?  If a friend, neighbor, or neighboring town needs help, here are four tips to help you be prepared to help them.

1.  Get yourself prepared.  Remember the airline oxygen bags?  You need to put yours on first so you can help others.  Same goes with preparedness.  If you don’t have your own house in order, you may be the one needing help from those around you or waiting for emergency responders.  Preparing  your own family will reduce the strain on the system and help you be able to be of service to others.

2.  Get involved in community organizations.  Religious groups, CERT, Red Cross, and others.  They are called organizations because they can organize many individuals to work toward a common goal.  Being involved in an organization that responds to a crisis can multiply your efforts and be greater help than working alone.

3.  Learn a few allergen free meals.  The more common food allergies include wheat, nuts, and milk.  Learn to make a few meals that will be able to feed someone with food allergies.  It might come in handy just for taking a meal in to a family who has been sick or it could save someone’s life.

4.  Stock extra to share.  I know this is a sensitive topic.  How much should you be prepared to give?  And I don’t have the answer.  But if I can donate medical supplies or food or blankets to my local relief agency, I’m going to.

5.  Pack a “Go Help” bag.  In our CERT training, we put together a bag to take with us when we respond to emergency calls.  This is different than the bag you’ll be packing to care for yourself and your own family.  Think of items you may need for light search and rescue, medical assistance, or comfort.  Linda at Food Storage Moms has a great breakdown of what is in her CERT bag.

What about you?  What can you do to be better prepared to help those around you?

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