In light of Hurricane Irene causing havoc on the east coast, I feel like this topic might be a little late, but yet I also know that natural disasters occur regularly… its just big things like hurricanes that get extensive media coverage before, during and after. The reality is that disasters take many forms. Some places get dust storms, others get tornadoes. Some get earthquakes, but other events like forest fires, or even a home fire are considered a disaster though most times a house fire is a much smaller scale then a hurricane, it is still devistating to those involved.
I have seen people discussing things like emergency kits to have on hand that include food, water, blankets, flashlights, batteries, first aid supplies, some even suggest things like a tent or other form of shelter. I’ve seen others talk about making sure to have medications or other medical equipment ready to go on a moment’s notice. One thing I don’t see many people discuss though is mental health preparedness.
It’s easy to look at the basic survival needs of an individual, and say that if they are met then all will be well with them, but what about the emotional aspect. I know for myself, there are things I would include in my disaster kit that might not make sense to someone else. I use a service dog, so I would need to make sure her needs are met, but beyond that I need a way to sort out what’s happening, so for me, I would need to include a notebook and something to write with, so I could journal which is something I do as personal medicine now and is helpful when I feel like nothing is in my control and I’m being bombarded by the world around me. I would also need my medications, and maybe a book I could read to help pass the time with. Music helps me a lot, so maybe my ipod, but since it would need charged, that may not be an ideal thing.
I know Red Cross Disaster services includes mental health needs in their preparation, but it would be bare basics, so I guess I’m kind of thinking that I might want to consider having a disaster kit of my own ready that would include a few aspects of my personal medicine list that could be done no matter where I’m at. Is this something you’ve considered? if you have considered it, what if anything have you included in the way of little extras in your disaster kit?
