What’s in it for me? Be ready when disaster strikes
It seems like every day the news confronts us with another story of catastrophe, whether natural or man-made. From hurricanes and earthquakes to active shooters and civil unrest, disaster can strike when we least expect it. How, then, do we cope when catastrophe hits close to home?
Thriving in catastrophe requires both mental resilience and physical preparation. In this blink, we’ll outline some key principles for modern preparedness.
We’ll look at how to develop mental toughness and steady nerves. We’ll learn how to create emergency plans and protocols to help keep your family safe. And, finally, we’ll go over some essential items to keep with you every day, in case things go pear-shaped.
You don’t need a doomsday bunker to become a resilient citizen. With some basic savvy and supplies, you can turn unknown threats into manageable challenges.
Let’s get started.
Steady under pressure
When it comes to being prepared for a crisis, what’s the most important thing you need access to? What one piece of equipment will you rely on, no matter where you are or what you face?
Is it your car? Your home? Try again.
It’s your brain. Keeping your mind clear and functioning well during an emergency can often determine whether your efforts to protect yourself, and your family, succeed or fail. So to become prepared, let’s start with the brain – so you can master stress and stay in control.
Ever wonder why your heart races when you're scared? This is your sympathetic nervous system revving up for fight or flight. This half of the autonomic nervous system governs the body's response to acute stress. When a threat looms, it dumps adrenaline to mobilize energy reserves and ramp up physiological processes to maximum speed. Your pupils dilate, your lungs expand, and your blood pumps faster – prepping muscles for struggle or escape.
Its counterpart, the parasympathetic nervous system, hits the brakes. Once danger passes, it calms your frenzied sympathetic response, slowing your heart rate and respiration until your body resets to normal.
But excessive (or prolonged) stress can cause this balance between gas and brakes to falter. The sympathetic pedal gets floored, but the parasympathetic brake fails. Like an engine pushed to the redline, the system overloads.
What happens next? You freeze. Neither fighting nor fleeing, the mind shuts down even as the body remains tense. When you’re “in freeze” you can’t respond to a crisis. You can’t effectively protect yourself or those around you. Instead, you’re paralyzed, just when clear thinking and swift action are most needed.
So how do you overcome the freeze? How do you become steady in a crisis? The freeze response is, in a sense, part of every person’s biology. But with training, you can shorten this paralytic panic, recovering faster. You do this through controlled exposure. You need to expose yourself to different levels and varieties of stressors.
This means getting comfortable with being uncomfortable. Modern life cocoons us in comfort, keeping harsh realities at bay. But consistent exposure to manageable stressors can inoculate us against the debilitating effects of acute stress. It builds confidence that we can handle whatever life throws our way.
Start small. Consider a weekend camping trip without the usual amenities – no stove, no pillow, no toiletries. Get used to roughing it a bit. Or you can try exercising in extreme temperatures. Go for a winter jog in shorts or use a sauna in summer. The acute discomfort will trigger your body's fight-or-flight response. (Be sure to clear all of this with your doctor first.)
Once you start feeling anxious or uncomfortable, don't run from it – sit with the feeling. This feeling is what you will use to grow stronger.
To help yourself remain calm, you’ll use two simple techniques: breathing and self-talk. First, breathing. Take a deep inhale; pause, holding the breath in your lungs. Then take a long exhale, and pause with your lungs empty. Rinse and repeat. Then, begin speaking encouragingly to yourself. That’s right – out loud. Say, "I can handle this" or "I know what to do." It may seem silly, but it works.
Conscious breathing and positive self-talk will help you stay grounded when you’re feeling overwhelmed. By breathing purposefully and verbally affirming your capabilities, you can calm your nerves and regain focus. What feels intimidating now will feel achievable with practice. Remember: have courage … and believe in yourself.
As you develop your ability to control your stress, you should also consider this: What kinds of skills will you require in a survival situation? Practice these, too, under a variety of adverse conditions.
There’s an old saying, often quoted in the military: “We do not rise to the level of our expectations. We fall to the level of our training.” When catastrophe strikes, the fine motor skills required to save lives – like calling 911 or applying a tourniquet – abandon the untested. But by developing a resilient mindset through challenging exposure, you help to ensure that you have the dexterity and clarity needed to take life-saving action in the darkest moments.
Outpacing danger
The smell of smoke and the shriek of the fire alarm jolt you awake in the middle of the night. Your home is on fire. What do you do next?
In situations like this, having an emergency plan in place can mean the difference between life and death.
The key to responding to emergency situations like these is developing a simple, sequential plan that you practice ahead of time. In the military, this is called the PACE plan – Primary, Alternate, Contingency, Emergency. Are you ready to get serious? Let's walk through how to create your own tailor-made PACE plan for a fire in your family home.
When it comes to fire, your first priority is getting everyone to safety. A PACE plan for fire provides a logical set of backup options if your first choice for escape is blocked. Start with the most obvious escape route, or Primary plan. For most homes, this would be the front door. Come up with a simple “go” phrase like “Patrick!” that signals your family to head out that exit. Make sure your kids understand where the designated meeting spot is outside. Run practice drills using your phrase until everyone moves on autopilot.
Next, identify an Alternate option in case fire or smoke cut off the Primary exit. Typically, this would be the back door. Pick another “go” phrase and rehearse using this route as you did with the first. Empower your kids to pivot on their own if you’re not there to give the signal.
The Contingency plan anticipates more dire scenarios, like both downstairs exits being blocked. Your next best way out may involve windows and ladders. Choose a window you can safely access. Do you need an emergency ladder or ax to break glass? Make sure the tools you need are easily reachable but secure from young children. Run practice climbs with your family until the route is second nature.
Finally, the Emergency plan. This is truly the last resort – for example, a window too high to reach, leading to bushes or trees. The goal now is raw survival, where injury is preferable to mortal threat. Scout all corners of your home for creative ways out and have backup tools near every room. Mentally prepare to face cuts, falls, or burns.
To maximize safety, focus most on drilling the riskier Contingency and Emergency plans. Check that exit windows function properly and ladders/tools are in place.
If creating a PACE plan seems daunting, start simply: pick one Primary and Alternate exit and do a few basic walkthroughs. Build up your protocol over time. The key is to ingrain quick reflexive reactions, so that if disaster strikes, you all escape – quickly, efficiently, and safely.
A pre-scripted PACE plan puts logic above emotion, giving you a better chance of making it out together when every second counts. Practicing ahead of time beats panicked improvising in the moment. Prepare for the worst, and rest easier knowing you have a detailed response for the unthinkable.
Your home should be a place of comfort, not danger and worry. A fire escape plan will bring you peace of mind.
Dressed for distress – equipping yourself to survive
When an emergency strikes, we all hope that police, firefighters, and other first-responders will be there for us. Unfortunately, it’s not always guaranteed that help will arrive in time. Police response times average 10 minutes or more in major US cities, for example. When emergencies happen, we must fend for ourselves until assistance comes.
The path to feeling truly secure lies not in worrying, but in practical preparation. And that preparation includes making sure you have the right equipment on hand when you need it most.
The term “everyday carry” refers to the essential items people choose to carry on their person on a daily basis to help protect themselves in any situation. When some people hear this term, they immediately think “self-defense.” But that’s by no means the whole story. So let’s focus on what other equipment you need to stay secure.
Start by taking stock of the emergency supplies you have on hand. Then begin organizing a lightweight, slim-profile backpack or satchel that contains key supplies.
Some suggested items include a basic first aid kit that includes gauze, tape, and nitrile gloves, which allows you to treat injuries on the go. Be sure to include a tourniquet, which, used at the right time, could save a life. Tuck this safely in its own pouch. Alongside this, don’t forget to include any medications you or your family might need.
Some everyday carry items are more mundane, but no less important. Carry essential documents with you – ID, insurance cards, cash, any bus or train passes. Scan and back them up online just in case – securely, of course. Having your critical information on you reduces headaches and speeds recovery if the unexpected occurs. A spare phone charger and charged battery pack mean you’re less likely to be stranded without a connection. And, of course, don’t forget a flashlight.
Choose versatile, durable clothing that supports preparedness without screaming “tactical.” A sturdy belt offers a solid holstering point and flexible storage options. Reinforced shoes provide stability for sudden sprints or changes in terrain. And a discreet untucked shirt allows access to tools while keeping a low profile.
It’s helpful to choose gear that is both compact and multifunctional – a reflective emergency blanket, for example, can be used both to provide warmth and to signal for help.
But your everyday carry isn’t just what you store in your pockets or pack. It's also what you “carry” in your mind. Learn skills that extend your capability. Take first aid and Stop the Bleed courses. Study some basic emergency wilderness survival techniques. Knowing how to purify water, start a fire, or signal for rescue can transform truly dire situations.
Along with skills, develop situational awareness. Note exits and paths of escape in the places where you regularly spend time. Practice paying attention to your surroundings in everyday situations. Doing so can help acclimate you subconsciously to what’s normal, allowing you to trust your instincts if something seems off.
Preparing both supplies and skills cultivates resilience and readiness. While safety is never guaranteed, small steps will expand both your confidence and capacity to assist others in need during a crisis. Proper preparation can be the difference between panic and clear-eyed grace.
Final summary
While catastrophe can strike suddenly, this doesn’t mean we’re helpless in the face of turmoil. With some forethought and training, we can respond to crises with confidence and effectiveness.
We’ve seen that, by practicing getting comfortable with discomfort, you can keep hand and mind steady, ready to act decisively. Using the PACE technique, you can create contingency plans so you can react fast. And by preparing ahead of time, you can equip yourself with tools that give you the power to protect.
Life can turn on a dime. By combining level-headedness with practical resources, you can master the madness when it does.