What disaster preparedness experts have packed in their go bags
Climate change is making extreme weather events and natural hazards more frequent and intense. Here’s how to prepare before they hit.
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To learn about some of the best ways to prepare, we spoke to Benjamin Hofbauer, climate adaptation researcher at the University of Hamburg in Germany, and Nicole Errett, climate health and policy researcher at the University of Washington, about how they personally prepare for disasters.
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Why is it a good idea to plan ahead for extreme weather and natural hazards?
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Errett: The process of thinking through what you would do if something happened today is much better to do when you’re calm, and not experiencing the trauma in the moment.
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How do you think about emergency preparedness in your day-to-day life?
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Hofbauer: I spent time in a part of Florida where there was a hurricane risk. We had some preparations, a box with things from a FEMA checklist: nonperishable foods, matches that you keep in a waterproof container, a radio, a phone charger, cat food in our case… There are a lot of resources online.
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What do you always have prepared, ready to grab in case of an emergency?
Errett: If you live in an area with hazards that could result in evacuation, like hurricane or wildfire areas where you might have to leave quickly, having a go bag is important. It can have lists of medications, copies of your important documents, and you can quickly stick it in your car so you’re not running around trying to find everything when you’re under this enormous stress of needing to evacuate.
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What’s a good place to get started for anyone who wants to be more prepared in case of an emergency?
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Hofbauer: Something that might help is visualizing scenarios. Thinking, “what actually happens if we don’t have electricity for a few days?” Just bringing that into your mind, and thinking about what you would do, eases the burden of feeling overwhelmed.
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Individual preparation really makes a difference, and community building… Taking responsibility into your own hands. Making it more real by talking it through every now and then. Instead of just expecting everything will work out, it becomes something tangible you can do something about.