For singlets, emergency preparedness is another yearly activity like changing the smoke detector batteries. It can be easy to develop a plan in case of a disaster when you only have yourself, your family, and your pets to worry about. What happens when you add in multiple perspectives and needs into the mix? Since emergency preparedness is one of my special interests, I wanted to take the time to help other systems develop a safety plan should an emergency happen around them. Please note that I am not a member of FEMA or any other government insitution. I am simply sharing information that we as a system use to plan ahead for emergencies.
Step 1: Research Your Area
If you are able to view such content, check out what kind of disasters are common for the area you live in. If such content triggers you, have a friend or another alter do this for you. The Red Cross has a map you can use to see which natural disasters are common for whatever portion of the United States you live in. Keep an eye on what's happening in your entire country as well, as disasters such as pandemics and economic collapse can affect more than just your local area.
Step 2: Build a Kit
Once you have identified some things you can start preparing for, it's time to build your kit. You should tailor your kit's items to what frequently happens around you. Ideally, your kit should have fourteen days worth (two weeks) of water and food. What does this look like? FEMA reccomends one gallon of water per person per day, and for one person that totals up to fourteen gallons (approx. fifty-two liters)! That looks like two and a half cases of a 40 pack of 17 fl.oz water bottles, to simplify. It's reccomended you get shelf-stable foods (such as canned goods, powdered milk, peanut butter, rice, etc) in case you need to shelter in place and/or aren't able to get to the grocery store for extended periods of time.
Other items you should consider for a regular kit include:
- A battery-powered or hand-crank radio
- Flashlight or headlamp
- First aid kit
- Spare batteries
- Spare phone charger and/or power bank
- A manual can opener
- Items for personal sanitation (menstruation products, moist towelettes, plastic bags, etc)
- Maps of your local area
- An emergency supply of prescription medications (note: you'll have to ask your doctor about this)
- Personal protective equipment (such as gloves, mask, and hand sanitizer)
- Copies of important documents (such as birth certificate, insurance info, etc)
If you have pets, consider adding more water, their food and medications, and important documents (such as vaccines, medical records, etc) in your kit. If you have littles, be sure to add comfort items and games to pass time with. Consider adding a notepad and pen to record switches, keep notes from other members, and for general system recordkeeping.
Step 3: Make a Plan
Your plan should include all members of your household, including those that reside inside of your head. For you and the other physical people in the home, sit down and have a discussion about where you'll meet up after a disaster is over. Each member should have multiple ways to get in contact with one another should one method be unusable (such as phone lines being restricted for emergency use only). Write down addresses of important places (home, school, work), member medical and/or important information, ways of contacting a doctor or vet, and places you'll be able to meet up at. Ideally, you should also practice your plan once a year. If you or a member of your household has a physical disability or other support need, check out this page by FEMA about preparing for disaster with disabilities in mind.
For those internally, things can get tricky. The host or main alter should write down or have a copy of all the above information. You should also include personal protection measures (such as dropping, covering, and holding on during an earthquake) as some alters may not know about this information. Keep these in a shared space where alters are sure to see it, such as a physical journal or in the notes app. If possible, see if a gatekeeper can hold traumatized parts or littles back from experiencing the disaster and being retraumatized. If your household members are aware you have alters, have a protector, gatekeeper, or both sit in during the household meeting to discuss what they can do for the system in the situation and to keep them informed on the plan.
Note: It's important to remain calm when disaster strikes. Your fight or flight response will certainly kick in, and you may have a panic attack once you're in a safe space. You've experienced a traumatic event and will surely need to process it a few weeks or months down the line. For the first few hours or days after disaster, your main priority should be staying calm and reconnecting with loved ones to a safe location.
- Caspian