The risk of complacency before a disaster could be staggering. As a long-time “prepper” and Polk County CERT member, I still have a natural tendency to believe “it won’t happen to me.” After all, most disasters happen elsewhere. I try to learn from disasters as they happen all over the world. What went wrong? What went right? What can be learned from their experiences? There are many stories of heroism and people coming together to help each other in the aftermath of disasters. There are also, unfortunately, stories of many people woefully unprepared.

The recent Hurricane Helene disaster in Western North Carolina got my attention. You see, I grew up in Western North Carolina, around the Asheville area. I still think of it as home. As of the time of this article there are 93 confirmed deaths in North Carolina due to flooding caused by the slow-moving hurricane. As I write this article, Florida is still assessing the damage from Hurricane Milton which caused at least 14 deaths and millions are without power.

First Takeaway: Don’t Become Complacent

First and foremost, my takeaway is don’t become complacent. It’s easy to fall into the mindset that disasters happen elsewhere—to other people, in other places. For many, the idea of a natural disaster striking close to home feels improbable, almost surreal. But the reality is that no one is immune, and disasters often strike with little to no warning, catching entire communities off guard. We’ve seen it happen many times: people who never expected to experience a disaster find themselves cut off from emergency services, without electricity, and struggling to communicate. In Polk County, we are not exempt from this reality.

Being Prepared is Essential

At Polk County CERT, we believe that being prepared is essential, not just for our members but for everyone in our community. Complacency is a risk none of us can afford. While we hope that large-scale disasters won’t come our way, we must prepare for the possibility that they will. After all, when disaster strikes, it’s often too late to start gathering supplies or making a plan.

FEMA and Polk County Cert Preparedness Guides

FEMA ‘Food and Water in an Emergency’

So, what can you do to reduce the risk of being caught unprepared? At a minimum, in their Food and Water in an Emergency guide FEMA recommends having enough emergency food and water to last at least three days. However, experience has shown that in many severe disasters, people are left to fend for themselves for weeks or even months before basic services are restored. That’s why we urge everyone to take a proactive approach to preparedness.

Polk County CERT ‘Preparing for Disasters in Polk County, Oregon’

To help you get started, we’ve prepared a comprehensive guide ‘Preparing for Disasters in Polk County, Oregon.’ This guide provides simple, actionable steps that you and your family can take today. We understand that emergency prepping can seem overwhelming—there’s a lot to consider, and it can be hard to know where to start. But with our guide, you’ll find manageable steps that can make all the difference when disaster strikes.

Emergency Preparedness in Steps

We recommend starting with simple steps to ensure your family has emergency food and water for three days, at a minimum. Then, by following our Polk County Guide you can create ‘grab and go bags’ and learn how to store supplies in 5 gallon buckets until you have accumulated 3 week emergency supplies. It doesn’t have to be hard. It can be fun! Eventually, you may even increase to 3 months of emergency supplies.

We Didn’t Forget Preparedness for Your Pets

We didn’t forget your pets in our guide. ‘Preparing for Disasters in Polk County, Oregon.’ We provide tips for creating a grab and go kit for your pet(s) also. We urge you to prepare now so you won’t have to take unnecessary time or make agonizing decisions about your pets in the face of disaster. You will find a wealth of information about emergency prepping for pets at HumaneSociety.org/Disaster.

Follow Polk County CERT for Tips and Updates

We also invite you to follow Polk County CERT on Facebook, where we regularly post tips, updates, and important information to help keep you informed. Additionally, our website, PolkCountyCERT.org, offers a wealth of resources to help you prepare for emergencies. If you’re interested in taking your preparedness to the next level, consider getting involved with our Basic CERT training courses. These courses are free, and there is no obligation to join our team after completing the training—though we always welcome new members who want to make a difference.

Prepare to Thrive

Being informed and prepared could save your life and the lives of those you love. We encourage you to prepare to survive and even prepare to thrive in the event of a disaster. Don’t wait until it’s too late—start today!