baby steps

Week 10: Creating a Paper Trail—Why Documentation, Pet Records, and Reliable Light Matter in a Disaster

/ Kathleen Marshall / Leave a comment

Disasters don’t just threaten your safety and comfort – they can also separate you from your most essential records and the ability to prove who you are, what you own, and what you’re owed. In the wake of a wildfire, flood, earthquake, or other large-scale event, many survivors find themselves without access to insurance, medical care, or even basic supplies, not because those things are unavailable, but because the systems that connect them are overwhelmed, or they simply can’t verify their identity.

This week, we’re taking a big but manageable step toward preparing for those worst-case scenarios. You’ll gather supplies that protect critical documents, provide access to information and emergency news, and ensure that you and your pets are properly accounted for.

Hands of woman working with stack of paper document.
Woman Stock photos by Vecteezy
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Week 9: Clean Enough to Survive – Emergency Sanitation & Hygiene When the Grid Goes Down

/ Kathleen Marshall / Leave a comment

When we think of preparedness, we usually picture stockpiles of food, batteries, or emergency radios – but what happens when there’s no water to flush the toilet, trash pickup is a distant memory, and your hands haven’t touched soap in three days?

It’s not glamorous, but sanitation and hygiene can mean the difference between surviving and getting seriously sick in a disaster. Disease outbreaks often follow crises, not because of injuries, but because people couldn’t stay clean.

This week, we’re taking a critical (and slightly gritty) look at how to stay healthy when the comforts of plumbing and trash service vanish. Let’s get into it.

Hand washing clothes in a bucket
Hand Stock photos by Vecteezy
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Personal Hygiene During a Disaster: Baby Steps to Preparedness Week 5

/ Kathleen Marshall / 3 Comments

Have you given much thought to personal hygiene during a disaster situation? If you think back to the great toilet paper shortage of 2020, you may think about it more than previous generations, but there’s more to consider than just TP. After this week’s shopping list, we’ll take a more in-depth look at the topic.

Hand washing is critical for good personal hygiene during a disaster.
Hand washing is critical for good health and good hygiene during disaster (Source)
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The Importance of Water Collection: Baby Steps to Preparedness Week 3

/ Kathleen Marshall / Leave a comment

In a survival situation, water collection is one of the most crucial skills you will need. As a rule of thumb, people can go weeks without food but only a couple of days without water. This is why reliably obtaining clean water is one of the most important aspects of any survival prepper’s plan. It may seem intimidating initially, but water collection and storage are much simpler than you think.

water collection skills are critical to survival
Water collection skills are critical for survival. Source
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Hazards to Prepare For: Week 2 Baby Steps to Preparedness

/ Kathleen Marshall / Leave a comment

Welcome to week two of our Baby Steps to Preparedness series. This week, we’ll discuss some hazards to prepare for. How did you do last week? To recap, I gave you a short shopping list to start building your emergency kit. I also gave you a few action steps to take. Did you find out what hazards are common in your area? If not, I’ll give you more information to help you in this article.

Hazards to prepare for: Lightning thunderstorm flash over the night sky. Hurricane, typhoon, tornado, storm.
Lightning thunderstorm flash over the night sky. Hurricane, typhoon, tornado, storm. Free Stock photos by Vecteezy
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