September is National Preparedness Month

Did you know that September is National Preparedness Month?  It's a good reminder that no matter where you live, whether in a disaster-prone area or in a place that rarely sees any major disasters, September is the perfect time to get your preparedness plans/gear/skills together.  It isn't too hot in hot places, isn't too cold in cold places, and allows you to get ready before the winter (northern hemisphere) or summer (southern hemisphere) season begins.

Here's some ideas for this month:

• September 1:  Make your disaster plan
• September 2:  Stock up on water
• September 3:  Get your first aid kits together
• September 4:  Start stocking up on emergency food each time you go shopping
• September 5:  Put together your emergency fund (keep some of it in cash at home)
• September 6:  Gather emergency supplies (or begin buying them a little at a time)
• September 7:  Make a bug out bag for each family member
• September 8:  Plan (and practice using) alternate cooking methods during an emergency
• September 9:  Look into alternate water sources you could access during an emergency
• September 10:  Learn how to purify water for drinking during an emergency
• September 11:  Consider starting your own garden (yes, even during the fall and winter)
• September 12:  Gather all of your important documents, scan them, and put them in a safe place
• September 13:  Back up all of your computer files to a thumb drive/external drive and put the back up in a secure location
• September 14:  Plan to get out of debt ASAP  
• September 15:  Start getting healthier ASAP
• September 16:  Get your vehicle ready for winter
• September 17:  Get your home ready for winter
• September 18:  Look into alternate ways to heat your home during a disaster
• September 19:  Consider ways to improve your home's security
• September 20:  Get your cell phone ready for a disaster
• September 21:  Take classes to improve your preparedness skills (examples here, here, and here)
• September 22:  Schedule your annual physical, vaccines, dental care, vision care, etc.
• September 23:  Plan for any special needs family members (babies, elderly, ill, infirm, etc)
• September 24:  Put together a "sick kit" for the family
• September 25:  Put together an emergency entertainment kit for the family
• September 26:  Stockpile emergency supplies a little at a time (toilet paper, soap, medications, bleach, etc)
• September 27:  Specifically prepare for the most common emergencies in your area such as winter storms, wildfire season, hurricane season, tornadoes, etc
• September 28:  Learn and practice useful survival skills
• September 29:  Consider a fall camping or backpacking trip to test your gear and skills 
• September 30:  Share your preparedness skills by helping others learn to prepare