Do you have an emergency preparedness kit?
Related: I’m writing this on just under 3 hours of sleep.
I went to be after midnight (THANKS NEW MACRAME ADDICTION), and was jolted awake around 2:51 a.m. PST.
Turns out the jolted-awake situation was caused by a 4.6 quake with an epicenter about 40 miles away.
It was the rattling of my mirrored closet doors that woke me… and then as I emerged from my sleepy state I FELT it. Just a rumble. But a good rumble… and I heard the whole house rattle.
My husband is out of town (by out of town I mean MINSK) until today. I don’t sleep great when he’s away, but I knew immediately the noise wasn’t an intruder. My well trained inner-California girl took over and I hopped up and stood in my bedroom doorway, just in case…
My kids didn’t wake up. My DOG didn’t wake up. And the shaking stopped. So I went back to bed… and posted on Facebook 😉
Talk of “the big one” have been around… probably as long as I have been alive. I grew up in Central California and I have layers of earthquake memories I could unroll for you. But I won’t.
Talk of “the big one” have been a bit more at the front of news and conversations as there has been a bump in seismic activity all along the West Coast of the U.S, and with it talk of disaster & emergency preparedness.
Do you have an emergency preparedness kit?
I do not.
Have I lost sleep about it?
Actually yes.
Especially this morning. I couldn’t get back to sleep, and one big reason was because my mind started mulling over how we don’t have bottled water on hand, our flashlights are everywhere, and whatever else one should have to survive for a week or two.
So, in my sleeplessness I decided to share my story of the Seattle Quake 2019 (I have no idea what they are going to call this one), and drop a couple of resources for all y’all (and myself) so y’all can get a little emergency situation protocol refresh… and maybe at least be motivated to stock-up on some bottled water. And maybe some peanut butter. And canned beans. Maybe canned peaches for a treat that feels healthy. And a can opener?
I am not trained in disaster preparedness, but these folks are. So listen to their suggestions:
If you need something to print out and put in your pocket, click this link HERE to download a 2 Weeks Ready Build Kit PDF from the Emergency Management Division of Washington.
I know there are lots of resources out there. If you have time to dig around, do! I would love to read any tips you have in the comments… or feel free to share links to resources you love and/or find as well!
Be safe. Be prepared.
Peace and sparkles,
Jenny
