There is a common mind set that if we go on vacation everything will be great. Get out of town, away from our jobs, walk the beach, hike…disengage from the pressures of life. I totally agree!

Relaxing is good and vacations can be wonderful, however we need to have the mind set that anything can happen on vacations and we must be prepared for whatever we might face. Without sounding pessimistic, go on your vacation but be prepared!

Our world is facing huge storms, earthquakes, tornado’s, floods and wild fires. Realize that natural disasters can happen anywhere and with a little preparation, you can totally enjoy your vacation and still be ready to deal with just about anything.

Here are a few suggestions for your next vacation.

• Know your destination’s vulnerability to natural disasters (hurricanes, storm surges, earthquakes, flooding, wild fires etc) and be alert.
• Always inform relatives or close friends where you are going and send them an itinerary.
• If your vacation includes camping or hiking, give a friend or relative the campground or ranger’s station emergency phone number in case you need to be located.
• Carry an emergency survival kit in the car. If you are flying, create your survival list and store parts of it in each family member’s suitcase. Once you arrive at your destination, build your kit and take it in the rental car with you or keep it handy in your hotel room. Check out the 4-Month Emergency Calendar as a guide. www.mylifeinabox.com/4month.pdf
• If you are staying in a hotel, give every member of the family a hotel business card to keep in their wallet or purse. That way when you leave to go sightseeing (or your teens decide to go investigating) everyone will have the name, address and phone number of the hotel to quickly access. If the hotel does not have a business card…make an ID card for every member of your family including this information.
• Whether flying or driving, pack an empty, light weight bag or backpack for each member of the family and create a “Get Away Bag” and pack it once you get to your destination. If you have to quickly leave a hotel, your 48 hour survival gear will be valuable to you. Don’t forget your meds, snacks and a toy or game for the kids.
• Take a copy of your Emergency Personal Inventory Form from My Life in a Box…a Life Organizer. Remember…that is a simple form that includes all of your legal contacts, policy numbers and 800 numbers for your credit card companies. Make sure that you do NOT include the full credit card numbers on the form…only the last 4 digits.
• For young children, make an identification card stating the family name, hotel and phone number, including your name and cell phone number. Use a safety pin to attach it to a piece of their clothing. If they wander off, someone will be able to identify them. If you have little children who don’t know your name or your cell phone number, write your cell number on their arm with a permanent marker.  You can get really creative with magic markers for short day trips.
• Do not go jogging or walking without identification and a cell phone.
• If you have babies, make sure to put your identification on their stroller, car seat, etc…
• Locate the local emergency radio station in the town(s) you are visiting.

Then go have fun!