Prepare Yourself Mentally For An Emergency

The first part of mentally preparing yourself for a disaster or an emergency is to acknowledge that tragedy is a natural and an indelible part of existence on this planet. You must have a coherent vision of reality and what it encompasses -- never assuming for a moment that your life is impervious to disasters and terrible events. However, submerging yourself in incessant worry over a potential disaster affecting you will most probably have an inhibiting and paralyzing effect on you. Preparing yourself mentally will allow you to respond more efficiently and decisively in the event of a crisis. For starters, it is comforting to know that most emergencies/disasters are survivable provided that you are ready in all possible aspects.

A range of unpredictable emotions will engulf you as you find yourself in a novel, life-threatening situation. Therefore, it really is not possible to fully prepare yourself emotionally before any emergency. Nonetheless, just the act of being ready to experience a myriad of unpredictable emotions will help you better cope with them mentally when they happen. Possibly, the most important way to get prepared mentally is to learn to relax using well known, tried and tested meditation/relaxation techniques. Continued meditation will improve your ability for self-control, energize your awareness, and dissolve many irrational fears that you may have. Moreover, meditation gives you the power to be more alert and effective during your interactions with other people and with your surroundings. The capacity to think clearly during the early stages of a disaster and make the necessary decisions required for survival – without any hesitation – is absolutely crucial. Dithering can be costly during a disaster!

Assembling disaster kits, storing emergency supplies and writing up a emergency plan of where family members will meet should a disaster occur, or how you will contact each other should you be at diffirent location at the moment it occurs, not only assists you in getting ready mentally for an emergency, but also helps you to prepare the whole family mentally for a potential disaster in the making. The assurance of knowing that you have abundant emergency supplies – such as water, lighting, first aid kits, food, MREs, backup power, communications devices – to last throughout the duration of any emergency situation will go a long way in comforting you mentally. Practice drills using your emergency supplies should be carried out regularly to help you and your family better prepare mentally ahead of a potential crisis. In the event of a disaster, you may be scared, and in shock, but having practiced what to do in case it occurs, you are more likely to calmly respond to the situation by remembering what to do according to your predetermined script.

All major emergencies are usually accompanied by damages to infrastructure and property. Luckily, society has found ways to deal with some of the deleterious effects of disasters. In the event your property is lost or damaged, and if you have property insurance, your insurance provider will compensate you for your losses. The sense of security records (visual and written) of all your valuable possessions gives, material wealth which you and your family have worked very hard for, could also enhance your mental preparedness for an impending disaster. Multiple copies of these records should be kept securely in varying locations, including with your insurance provider. Knowing that you can easily prove ownership and the condition your possessions were in prior to a disaster will eliminate some of the stress associated with dealing these financial issues.

Finally, a person who is mentally prepared for a disaster/emergency is one that is able to tap the area of his/her brain, which he/she has purposely trained to confront the challenges such a situation calls for. Relaxation techniques that you have learned and mastered, your emergency plan, your stockpiles of emergency supplies, and a host of proactive actions taken well before hand are all factors that contribute to individual mental readiness.