emergency (ĭ-mûrˈjən-sē)
n.
A serious situation or occurrence that happens unexpectedly and demands immediate action.
n.
A condition of urgent need for action or assistance: a state of emergency.
adj.
For use during emergencies: emergency food rations.
As you can see in the definition above, emergencies are considered "serious situations" or "a condition of urgent need for action or assistance". Emergencies and disasters can often be used interchangeably. We have seen many examples of disasters or emergencies recently. Whether its hurricane Harvey or Irma, winter storms or earthquakes, we have seen countless examples throughout history and more recently.
When consulting individuals, families and businesses on emergency preparedness we often get the question, "what emergencies should we prepare for"? We like to take an "All Hazards" approach, and honestly this means preparing for outages or interruptions to our normal way of life. This includes having realistic expectations of certain services.
Most emergencies involve interruptions of some sort. And thankfully many interruptions require the same materials, equipment and plans to prepare for. Think about food, water, first aid, communications, fun activities and safety. Of course it is best practices to do your research and know what risks you face in the area you live or work. However, it is possible to get a kit and develop plans that would help you deal with most disasters.
Stay safe, and be aware!