How to Prepare for Everything Event Summary

A well-attended emergency preparedness event, 'How to Prepare for Everything,' empowered 24 community members this past Saturday, April 26th, at the Bison Room within the Natural Resources Administration Building, near Flatiron Reservoir. The training was expertly guided by Camille Millard, the experienced Preparedness and Resiliency Coordinator with the Larimer County Emergency Management Office

The training drew upon the principles outlined in Aaron Titus's book, How to Prepare for Everything: Empowering you to Face Disruption with your Community, and to Feel Good about the Future. Following introductions, participants divided into groups of four to discuss various potential disruptions—ranging from regional disasters like hurricanes and pandemics to local events such as civil unrest and floods, and personal crises like illness or job loss—and whether they had been personally affected.

Each group then focused on a specific disruption, sharing personal experiences and discussing how they would respond in the initial hours, days, weeks, and months following such an event. The diverse backgrounds of the participants, with some having experience with hurricanes, tornadoes, and

earthquakes, enriched the discussions with varied perspectives and insights.

Some interesting take aways included:

• What important documents do you have? Where are they stored?

• It's important to note that not all fireproof safes are created equal, and less expensive models may not withstand a house fire.

• What would you prioritize taking if you had days, hours, or minutes to evacuate?

• Do you have a trusted neighbor or "buddy" system for emergencies?

• Do you keep emergency supplies in your car?

• While you might have a general first aid kit, do you also have a trauma kit?

Our sincere gratitude goes to Camille Millard for her expert moderation and to the Larimer County Emergency Management Office for their generous sponsorship of refreshments."