Home and Office Organization Blog

Preparing for Personal Emergencies
September 14, 2009

September is National Emergency Preparedness Month, and the U. S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) states that in the likelihood of an emergency "..everyone needs to have a plan. Just like having a working smoke detector, preparing for the unexpected makes sense." Visit the DHS web site for ideas on preparing a kit for you and your family. Next, everyone with a cell phone should enter an In Case of Emergency listing. Ideally, this is someone who is authorized to make medical decisions if contacted by emergency services personnel. Once you do this, be sure to inform the ICE contact of the location of information that may need to be accessed in the event of an emergency. It will not help anyone if the person is at a loss about what to do next.

Finally, keep all important documents in a central location where you and other family members can quickly find them if needed at a moment's notice. Unfortunately, many filing systems are actually piling systems, and hours can be spent locating important information in the event of an emergency. Now in its second printing, Where Can I Find It?©, is a book designed by us to help individuals locate important information at a moment's notice. At the same time it is a valuable guide as you work on changing the piles into files. At less than $20, it is a bargain! It is available on our web site, Amazon , Google Books , and Joseph Beth Booksellers at Legacy Village in Lyndhurst.

JoEllen Salkin
(440)498-1930
joellen@organizing4u.com

National Association of Professional Organizers

Muffy Kaesberg
(216)321-6126
muffy@organizing4u.com