Is it just me or does it seem like there has been a major natural disaster every month of 2010? Sometimes it feels like I’m stuck in a Chicken Little “the sky is falling” themed movie! Fortunately, a natural disaster has not hit NYC so far. The recent floods in Nashville made me wonder if I would be prepared in case something major did happen. I’m not so sure, so that is why I learned a lot from the following video on disaster preparation that was prepared by Doctor Wendy Sue Swanson of Seattle Children’s Hospital:
Although earthquakes are not a common fear in NYC, there are other possible disasters (natural and man-made!). That is why I found the video to be very helpful. More helpful tips can be found at Wendy’s Seattle Mama Doc blog, but I wondered how to tailor the advice for us urban dwellers. I told Dr. Swanson that the majority of Mom in the City readers are urban/live in apartments or homes with small spaces. Then, I asked her if she had any specific tips for us. She responded by writing:
“In smaller urban living situations, I don’t have many different things to say as part of preparedness is universal. The only differences really are about learning where you live. Rather than learning where the gas shut off is on a house, in an apartment complex, learning escape routes, fire exits, and the “footprint” of a building can be invaluable in an emergency. Storing an emergency kit could be in a storage area (basement, usually) of a building but it would be difficult to access, I fear, in case of an emergency.
The biggest challenge of living in an apartment and making a kit is finding room to put it! When I was a teacher and then in med school I lived in tiny apartments and would have had a really hard time finding space for the kit. In that scenario, I would prioritize the items: water, communication plan, exit from building plan, then the other essentials including change of clothes, etc.”
I definitely feel better prepared. Do you?
