“Now” is Always the Best Time to Start Preparing

As we continue to welcome 2016, some of us may feel blindsided by the new year but hopefully we’re all excited about what the next twelve months hold. It’s always interesting to consider the unknown future, but it can also be empowering to take the reins and try to plan for it as best we can, aiming for the brightest outcome.

January is a great time to use your spirit of resolution for motivation. And hopefully this year, you resolved to get better prepared! Did you feel the 4.8 magnitude earthquake on the night of December 29th? We sure did, and the response from our customers indicates that the small shaker spurred people on to get prepared sooner rather than later this year!

Here are a few ways to get to it:

1. Go through whatever emergency kit you have and check the expiry dates on any food items. Replace whatever food needs replacing, and also test any batteries and replace whichever of those need replacing.
2. While you’re going through your kit, take note of any missing items and make a checklist, prioritizing the most necessary items before the nice-to-haves. This way, you can use your list throughout the year, and hopefully finish checking everything off before 2017! Hint: top priority, of course, is enough water and food.
3. If you don’t own a kit, and this is the first time you’ve felt motivated to prepare for emergencies, welcome! You should start by getting a piece of paper and a pen and doing a little research while making a list! A few great places to gather information are through our Total Prepare website and blog and Canada’s government website on getting prepared. Once you’ve acquainted yourself with the basics, share your knowledge with your household! Turn yourself into a team, make sure you’re all on the same page when it comes to emergency procedures and start your emergency kit! Top priorities are water, food, heat and shelter, then light, communication, first aid and sanitation.
4. It’s also the perfect time to create some new fitness goals! Being the start of January, you may already be inspired to put new effort into improving your health and strength. And being fit is important for survival, too, so now you have another reason to get going.

Whatever step you’re at in the process, there’s always room for improvement. So take some time, this January, to make some new preparedness goals. You’ll thank yourself later!

Article contributed by Sophie Wooding – Avid gardener and cyclist in Victoria, BC and Content Writer for Frontier.io