September 2019 | Be Prepared - National Preparedness Month
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In this Issue: Be Prepared Beyond a Go-Bag
  • 7.5 Minutes to Evacuate - What Would You Take?
  • 1-Hour Checklist - Think about What to Do Before it Happens
  • Stories From Fire Survivors Who Lost Their Homes
As we start our official fires season in California, ask yourself "Am I prepared? Am I really prepared?"

The most important thing you can do right now is block out 1-hour in September to think through your emergency disaster plan. I've provided a checklist of what to do with that hour - you'll sleep better at night knowing you are prepared.

I recently attended an emergency disaster planning workshop. The speakers were survivors of the Santa Rosa and Paradise fires and their stories made me aware of how prepared we really need to be. Having a go-bag (emergency pack) is not enough. What you think happens when your home burns down and what actually happens are very different.

If you had only 7.5 minutes to evacuate what would you take?


Plan ahead and be safe,
Jennifer
1-Hour Checklist: Beyond the Go-Bag
Think About What to Do Before it Happens.
No one thinks they will be in a disaster. You could only have minutes to evacuate your home. Planning ahead for an emergency could make all the difference.

  • Go-Bag: Make time this month to create a go-bag (emergency pack) with things you would need immediately - important documents, clothes, pet food, leash and carrier, etc. - and keep them together for a quick exit during fire season. You can find a more detailed list of what to pack and how to prepare at redcross.org.

  • Pets: Are your pets micro-chipped? This could help you find them after a disaster.

  • Home Inventory/Make sure you are properly insured: Do you have a home inventory? If you don't you need one. Many survivors found that they lost everything but did not have enough insurance coverage. Once you create your inventory be sure to have your insurance carrier review it to make sure that you have adequate coverage.

  • Identify Heirlooms: Think about the meaningful, irreplaceable belongings you would grab in an evacuation if you safely had an extra few minutes - your wedding album, your mother's pearls, photos...
Stories From Firestorm Survivors
What you think happens when your home burns down and what actually happens are very different.
Survivor Story - 7.5 minutes to evacuate: It was 5:45 a.m. and I was awakened by the smell of smoke. I looked out the window and 4 houses down were engulfed in fire and I couldn’t see anything from there. I grabbed my keys and ran to my car. I had elderly neighbors so I drove house-to-house
honking as loudly as I could, to wake everyone up. I piled as many people in my car and drove them a mile away, drove back, and repeated until the fire was approaching at a rate of speed I couldn’t out drive.
Survivor Story - 60 minutes to evacuate: I looked outside and saw the fire, realizing I had to move fast, I ran through my house trying to make decisions on what to save - pictures, mementos, phone? After going through all the rooms in my house, realizing I had no idea what was the most valuable to me, I grabbed my emergency supply backpack, my dog and my keys. As I fumbled for the keys, my dog panicked and ran away. My time was out and I couldn’t find my dog, so I drove away alone. Everyday I checked the animal shelters, no luck. Weeks went by and sadly, no dog. Fast forward 2 months later, I made a last attempt to the shelter to discover my dog had been found and had already been adopted by another family.
Home Inventory with HomeZada
I partner with HomeZada, a powerful app than can e asily inventory your home's features and personal property with unlimited digital photos, documents, receipts and more. Compare the total value of your inventory with your insurance policy to make sure you are properly covered.
Click here for more information about HomeZada.
Overwhelmed? Short on Time?
We can help you with the home inventory process.
Efficiency Matters can help you. We'll photograph all of your valuables and belongings and load them into the HomeZada app for you. Your home inventory will be safely stored digitally for easy updates. Contact us for more information.
Being prepared and organized for a disaster,
is as important as being prepared for any other
important event in life.
Jennifer Raftis, CPO ®
Owner, Jennifer Raftis is a Certified Professional Organizer ® and member of the National Association of Productivity & Organizing Professionals. She has earned certifications in both Residential Organizing as well as Workplace Productivity.

Jennifer is also an Independent Representative for The Container Store.
Feeling overwhelmed? Don't know where to start?

Efficiency Matters partners with each of our clients to address their unique needs and help them get organized and stay organized!

Call us for a complimentary phone consultation,
and start your new organized life today!