Emergencies can happen when we least expect them, and we’re often caught short when they do strike. We often have no savings, no plan, and little hope as to what to do next, and that can make caring for your family a lot more difficult to keep up with. Emergencies can make us fall apart like nothing else, and it’s hard to keep going when your own physical and/or mental health is being impacted.
But even after you’ve been woken up in the middle of the night because someone’s been taken to hospital, or you’ve just got news that a loved one has passed on, balancing all of your responsibilities doesn’t have to be impossible. And to help you out with that, we’ve listed some tips below to keep in mind.
Stay Calm
The first thing to do when an emergency hits is to stay calm. It’s easy to feel like your thoughts are running non-stop and everything is out of control, but don’t let your body go with it. Stay in touch with yourself, take some deep breaths, make sure your family is accounted for, and put your emergency plan in place (if you’ve got one).
Stay in Touch
You need to talk to your family during emergencies, and it’s best to get on the phone as soon as you can to keep people informed. It’s easy to have this idea slip your mind when you’re this focused and feeling panicked, but make sure phoning your loved ones up is written at the top of the priority list.
If everyone is kept in the loop, it’s going to be a lot easier to assist each other. People will be on hand when you need them, and they’ll bring all kinds of supplies along that’ll help keep things calm right now. But if you can’t phone someone, make sure someone else around you is able to, such as a friend, neighbor, or your partner.
Talk to Schools
Your kids are going to need some leeway right now, and it’s best to talk to their schools about this. They could be given some time off to help them deal with an emergency of any kind, or if you’re going to have childcare troubles in the future, the school can help to keep the kids for longer when you’re not around.
As long as the school is informed of changes in you and your children’s lives, and they can pass that information down to teachers, your child is going to have some freedom in the coming months. They’ll be able to leave class if need be, as well as seek support from guidance counsellors, both of which can be very helpful at a time of upheaval.
Focus on Finances
An emergency can cause us to spend upwards of 3 months salary in the space of a week, and knowing you’ve got little to no savings left is just going to add more stress to your plate. Which is why you need to focus on your finances here, once you’ve managed to calm down and ensure everyone is OK.
You could also discuss your case with a personal injury lawyer, if you or a loved one has been involved in an accident at work, on the road, or even in the middle of a store. Having enough money behind you is key to recovering quickly at a time like this, and it’s only fair you have the chance to go after compensation. Even if you don’t think you’ve got much of a case, always look into it before writing it off.
Buy the Right Supplies
If you don’t already have an emergency kit, it’s time to put one together! That means buying the right supplies; you never know when you’ll have to deal with a situation like this in the future. Firstly, have a fully stocked first aid kit available that also comes packed with a flashlight and spare batteries.
You’re also going to want to pack some water bottles and some non-perishable food away somewhere that’s easy to access; if a flood or a storm comes your way, these will come in handy! Be sure to include some hygiene items like toothbrushes, toothpaste, and wet wipes too – you’ll miss them if you don’t have them in stock.
Your family will cope just fine in an emergency if you know what you’re doing. Use tips like those above to put a plan in place.
