DISASTERS DO HAPPEN – ARE YOU READY?
Imagine discovering one morning that your home is destroyed. Like, burned-to-the-ground gone.
That’s what happened to me early one October morning upon hearing that my parents’ house burned down. A wildfire had ripped through their town of Santa Rosa on its way to destroying over 36,000 acres in Northern California.
Escaping to an uncle’s house, they declared (as parents do) that they were fine and didn’t need me or my siblings to do anything. And as children do, we ignored that statement and traveled to help.
Survival is always the most important priority when a horrible disaster occurs.
But…what about the next day? That next day, your house is still burned down. You’re camping out in someone else’s home (which is SUCH a wonderful gift) and you have nothing but what you grabbed running out the door (i.e. the dog). What do you do next?
Figuring that out became my purpose. It was a crash course I never wanted to take, yet I was determined to ace it. My parents were going to get every last penny they were able and entitled to, and the process for them would be as smooth and quick as possible. (Yes, I tend to set high expectations.)
Thus, my journey into Emergency Preparedness & Recovery began.
There are many lessons from that experience that became the foundation of my company, Evergreen Ally. Fortunately, there are many readiness strategies that can be applied to today’s COVID19 crisis.
So I’m sharing my Discoveries About Disasters and my constructive applications to life today on my blog. You have time now to take action… but if you want a specialist to get you prepared, let’s talk.
DISCOVERY #1 - Disaster victims don’t “get over it”.
Isn’t it shocking what some people say after an awful event? Certainly, human life is the utmost priority when escaping a disaster. Nothing could have replaced the relief and gratitude I felt when I physically hugged my parents. But then what? I’m supposed to wave and walk away from them? I don’t think so.
You may never appreciate just how important your home is to you — until it’s gone.
Basically, it’s a structure which shelters you from (some) of the elements. In reality, it’s so much more. A home is where we nest with our partners, comfort loved ones, provide hospitality, display our creativity, restore our strength and retreat when we’re weary.
Think of how wonderful it feels to return home after a trip. Can you recall looking forward to getting home after a hectic day at work? What about the joy of a spending the weekend cooking or just watching movies on the couch? Just think about dealing with this COVID-19 self-isolation if you were in a borrowed space or anonymous shelter.
Yes, a home is filled with ‘just things.’ The things your children made in school. The jewelry passed down from your grandmother. The painting you purchased on your honeymoon. And now you have nothing. That is a loss. It will always be a loss — of the physical and financial things, the memories and the sense of belonging.
Kindness goes a long way. They will continue forward, but they may never “get over it”.
We’re now forced to stay at home to stop the COVID19 spread. Surely, we’re getting fed up with being IN our homes so much. Yet I find a renewed appreciation for my little abode and the protection, comfort, and refuge it provides me.
Pandemics are one of the disaster events that I include in my emergency readiness plans. Here’s an exercise you can do as you contemplate your need for Emergency Preparedness:
Who do you live for? Who is dependent on you? Who are you dependent on? Whose well-being is critical to you?
What matters most to your well-being? What is it about your daily situation or life that’s critical to your making it through the day? (same question to those you listed in previous question)
What does your home mean to you? Look around you? Of what you see, what holds the most importance to you? Is there anything that would cause you serious stress to lose? And then the kicker
If it’s destroyed one day, how will you feel?
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Be Well. Stay Safe. ~ Beth
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