Emergency Kit Goof Up

I used to be Coordinator of Campus Safety in my last job. Even before that position, I was always a worse case scenario gal. Maybe I watched too many end of the world made for TV movies with my mom growing up (luv you mom ;) ). Given all of that, I've always belived in having: an emergency kit ready to go, and a fully stocked pantry.

Travis is more than supportive, and if anything, would love to have a doubly fully stocked pantry. It gives him piece of mind. A few nights ago, I got to thinking of our emergency kit. I hadn't really gone through it since moving, and I could guiltily count the times I had gone in to grab something "to be quickly replaced" that never was. The waterproof matches used to light birthday cakes, the batteries used for dead remotes and kid toys, the bandaids long since used over the fun summer. With new resolve, I decided to update ours.

After ten minutes of cussing, I finally had to interupt Travis to ask where the heck our emergency kit was (Fail #1). It apparently had been moved into a closet, under a bag of old clothes, tucked behind a suitcase. Where any emergency kit should be, right?

Now, here I justify that our emergency kit used to be a large tupperware bin. In moving to Maine, I had temporarily downgraded it to a much smaller container because I needed to larger bin in the move (Fail #2). I never got it back in shape.

Upon going through it I found: One large battery that goes to a lantern. Lantern no where to be found (Fail 3), some square batteries- that go to nothing (Fail 4). I did have a first aid kit (but no ready ice pack- used when Koda fell once- or thermometer- used when Tristen got sick and couldn't find ours- or scissors- who knows where those went), the plastic sheeting Homeland Security ordered every kit to have in the days immididately post 9/11 (yet no duct tape, hammer, nails, etc to do anything with it...so maybe a fancy see-through blanket?). How many fails am I up to? Basically, all said and done, I had supplies for, um, nothing.

Looking at our pantry, we always keep a stock of fruits and veggies, and pasta. That said, we've definately depleted our stock in recent months and have 0 bottled water.

So, my news years challenge will be getting up to date on our emergency preparedness. Would you believe I don't even have my families phone numbers actually written anywhere? They are in my cell phone. Thank goodness I don't teach others about safety now, I'm failing hard here! We'll get back up to speed just in time for the bird flu, attack, depression, or whatever calamity the latest talking head is spewing today.