Preparing for every emergency is essential for peace of mind. Whether you are stuck in your car in bad weather, your child or family member becomes sick, your house suddenly springs a leak in one of its pipes, or any other emergency that may crop up; the preparation you invest in now will pay you dividends!
Travel:
When traveling abroad, take a photo of your passport when traveling in case the passport gets misplaced or stolen. This will save you time and headaches at the embassy.
Fill your toiletry bag with any essential items for any ailments you may encounter.
Household Maintenance:
Five dollars worth of caulk around your window now may prevent a $500 repair bill later.
Teaching your kids how to operate a shut off valve when they clog the toilet, can avoid water damage and mess later.
Plumbing emergencies: Know where the cut off valve is in your house!
It was New Year's Eve and a cold winter day. I was coming back home for lunch from work. As I approached our house I felt something was wrong! As I approached our house there was steam coming from the chimney. I walked in the house into the kitchen, in my 3 piece blue dress suit and noticed water all over the floor. I went into the pantry and saw the hot water heater had a hole in it the size of a quarter. I tried the cut off valves and they would not budge. I quickly called a plumber we knew and trusted on my cell phone and he said he was out of town to call his brother who was also a plumber. I called his brother and he told me where the cut off valve was outside the house. I found the cut off valve outside in the front yard and was unable to shut it off as I needed a special long tool to stop it.
He said he would be right over! The plumber came over and cut off the water. I went into our linen closed and brought out several large towels to sop up the water and our mop. I'm still in my work clothes and called work and said I have a plumbing emergency to take care of. The plumber bought a new hot water heater and installed it and I continued cleaning up the mess!
Moral of this story: Know where your cut off valve is and have the right tools to cut it off! Regularly check your plumbing pipes and make sure there are no leaks. Hot water heaters last 8-12 years.
Know who to call for your emergency whether it is a plumbing expert, medical doctor, car expert or anyone else.
In houses things to remember inside and outside: Have a checklist and walk around your house and check:
- New battery in smoke/fire detector.
-Changing filters once a month or if using a 3 month filter every three months- date them.
-Know where your water cut off valves to the house are.
-Check pipes under the sink regularly to make sure they do not leak.
-Does your thermostat need new batteries?
- Check the caulking around your bathrooms around tubs, showers, sinks to see if they are developing holes and need to be caulked.
- Check around windows inside and outside to see if it is time to replace the caulk.
- After rain and storms check your roof by looking at your ceilings and outside to see if shingles, gable screens are missing or on the ground. Is siding still on your house?
For over twenty years my husband and I have had the same company clean our gutters, downspouts, check and repair gable vents, and cleaning and checking the chimney. We have built over the years a trusting relationship. When we were looking for a new pest control company we immediately called them for a recommendation. We have built many relationships in this manner over the years.
Building strong relationships with contractors, mechanics, and others.
Personal recommendations are extremely important to have your own circle of experts. Choose your friends, handyman, plumber, electrician, roofer, heating and AC specialist, doctors, trauma surgeon, lawyers, and other experts wisely! Plan for things to happen. They will when you least expect it!
Connecting with others and building strong relationships is all about helping others, finding common ground with them, and building a trusting relationship with the other person.
"To be trusted is a greater compliment than being loved." said George MacDonald, the Scottish Novelist.
Jeffrey Gitomer, King of sales says, you want to do business with a "Trusted Adviser". Someone you trust and like!
Dr. John C. Maxwell, the number 1 leadership guru in the world, one of my mentors, and coaches says, there are three questions you can ask yourself.
1) "Can I trust you?
2) "Do you care for me?"
3) "Can you help me?"
Character and trust are the glue that holds a good relationship together!
In cars things to remember:
- New battery in car every 2 to 3 years.
- New windshield wipers every year.
-In your car and in your house have an emergency kit.
-Walk around your car and check your tires.
- See if anything is leaking under your car.
- Know how to check your fluid levels
It's the little things that make a big difference between a small job and a big one.
Broken down car:
A few years back, my husband and I were driving our used red Duster in New York City where we lived and worked. The car suddenly stopped on a busy highway. We put our emergency blinkers on and tried to push the car to the side of the highway! It was a long miserable day! Imagine if it had been snowing too!
What should you do?
1) Be prepared. Have your emergency kits and lists to check on things regularly. Have your experts list updated regularly! Have your cell phone charged and keep a charger in the car.
2) Connect with others. Build strong meaningful relationships with others. Speak regularly to them and have an updated list of experts to help you.
3) Take a leisurely walk inside and outside your house to see if everything is in order or needs a little help. Walk around your car, check your tires, wind shield wipers, battery... !
4) When traveling with children and other family members have your emergency kit with you and copies of all passports if traveling overseas.
What strategies do you use to be prepared for your emergencies?
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