During a crisis, being organized is all about being in control. For every minute spent organizing, an hour is earned. It’s especially crucial to maintain a level head and clarity of thought when everything around you seems to be a mess.
Most people panic during a disaster or crisis and they make errors in judgement and cause more problems to themselves and others. By being organized, you’ll save yourself a lot of hassle you may even save your life or those around you.
Let’s look at what you need to do during an emergency.
* Take Stock of your Situation
First and foremost, you must be aware of what has happened. Check if people are injured and also the current situation you’re in. Is it still dangerous? If it is, you need to get yourself away from any threats. Are you able to do that? The most imminent challenge will be getting yourself away from any danger.
* Formulate Your Plan
Once you assess your situation and collect your thoughts, you need to form a plan of action. Ideally, you should write it all down. This will help to clear your mind and when you put pen to paper, you’ll be able to see things more clearly.
It’s best if you have created a plan of action prior to any emergency and kept this plan in a safe place so that you will have something handy to refer to. However, if disaster strikes and you have no such plan, just assess your surroundings and make a plan of action.
* Follow the Plan
Making a plan is not enough. You must follow it. If you’re in a group, there may be suggestions from different people. While it would be good to consider all their suggestions, once you make the plan, put it into motion without any hesitation.
Collect all your necessary survival equipment, check how much resources you have, check if everyone is accounted for, avoid danger and threats and do your best to stay safe till help arrives.
* Keep Lists
Once again, this is best done before disaster strikes. You should have a list of all the equipment in your first aid kit. You should have a list of all the food items and water rations that you have stockpiled. This will include their expiration dates too. Update the list when you consume the food and rations or when you replace them.
Have a list of emergency numbers that you can contact in times of crisis. Hotlines for emergency services such as medical or law enforcement agencies. If you have members with special health requirements, etc. it would be a good idea to have a list of all their health requirements and also their blood types just in case someone needs an emergency blood transfusion.
* Allocate a designated space
It is an excellent idea to have a specific place to store all your emergency equipment, lists, etc. In an emergency, you’ll be able to get whatever you need in one place instead of scrambling around the house looking for items.
* Keep Containers Handy
Store all your food in airtight containers. It would be a good idea to have sealable airtight plastic bags too. Keep a few extra containers so that you can always store whatever you need to on the spur of the moment.
* Label Your Supplies
Make sure you label all your supplies clearly. Salt and sugar look alike. Label them. Make sure your medications and whatever is in the first aid kit is well-labeled. Don’t end up in a situation where you mix up eye drops and ear drops. Keep a list that shows the expiration dates of all the items in the containers.
Stay organized consistently and you’ll be much more efficient during a crisis. It’s best to be prepared and organized before disaster occurs. Plan your prepping well and you’ll be ready to handle any emergency without panic or worry.
