As more information comes out about the fateful Italian cruise that ran aground last week, it is the topic of conversation around the world. The plight of the ill-prepared passengers on board begs the question, “Are we prepared (in our own lives) in the event of a disaster?”
Chatting with the other moms at K’s dance class, I thought about how naive I am in my own life about things that could happen. While I am a worrier for sure, there are many circumstances in which I just assume everything will be alright. A family cruise is case in point.
As friends discussed the possibility of taking a multi-family cruise aboard one of Disney’s ships this summer, one friend is already prepared with a game plan for getting her four-year-old daughter off of a sinking ship in an emergency. She plans to grab a tablecloth or bed sheet to create a papoose to secure her daughter as she shimmies up the banisters crawling to safety. A mental image that gave me a chuckle, but made me realize that on board several cruises I have never even considered running aground, sinking or capsizing as a possibility. On trips I tend to be more worried about forgetting something, a sunburn or getting sick. Hats off to my friend who now has me thinking that I will carry my Sleepy Wrap EVERYWHERE on board a cruise, just in case…
Disaster can take many forms, although the natural ones seem to involve either fire or water. While I live in the sunshine state, I find myself more worried (for no apparent reason) of a house fire than the very real effects of a hurricane. Of course, a fire would be awful, but Central Floridians learned in 2004 — hurricanes are a real threat even in the middle of the state.
I buy a couple flats of water (just in case) at the start of every hurricane season. Water I know that we will drink throughout the year. But major disasters like the Italian cruise ship make me wonder if I do enough to protect my family from the just-in-case scenarios that now play in my mind. Water is all fine and good, but perhaps I should also stock my pantry with emergency food from Prepare Wise.
Perhaps I am getting ahead of myself. Perhaps I should continue to live in the comfort of assuming everything will be fine… I certianly have enough to worry about already. But perhaps… perhaps we should all take another look around us to make sure we have an evacuation plan out of every environment – cruise ship, home, hotel, plane, train, automobile or otherwise… I think I will go make sure the emergency kit in my car is up to date now.
