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Control Journal Step #15: Emergency Numbers
Dear Friends,
Every once in a while it is just fun to sleep in. Robert left at 6:30
am and hunkered back into bed to sleep for another hour. We were
having a springtime rain shower and it was perfect sleeping weather.
NOT! You know how it is, you think that it is going to be restful
sleep, and then you end up having bad dreams. Well did I ever have a
bad dream God Breeze/Midnight editor just for you?
This bad dream is going to seem like real life to some of our members,
so listen up! It could happen to you too.
In my dream, I started to the basement with a load of dirty clothes
and it was flooded to the middle of the staircase. The lights were
still on and I knew better than to go into the water. Now here is the
scary part. I couldn't find any of my emergency phone numbers for
Robert! By this time I was too panicked to even know what to do. I
couldn't even remember how to turn off the power and the water. I was
running around with my head cut off. I didn't know whom to call
first. Then I woke up and lay there for a moment and asked myself if I
had those phone numbers listed in my control journal. I have Robert's
court numbers in my palm pilot, but I had no back up in case it was
messed up and the computer was down.
THIS IS FOR YOUR CONTROL JOURNAL! MAKE A TAB OR A SECTION FOR
EMERGENCY CONTACTS!
Now here is your lesson! Get a sheet of paper and while you are calm,
write down these emergency phone numbers that anyone would understand.
At the top of the page write clear directions to your home, in case a
babysitter is telling emergency workers how to find the house.
- Call 911 if someone is hurt or there is a fire! If you don't
have 911 in your area, then list the numbers of the Sheriff,
police, and fire Departments. Now don't say to yourself, those
are all in the front of the phone book. When was the last time
you hunted 30 minutes for your phone book!
- List the names and phone numbers of your family doctors.
- Pediatrician
- Poison Control Center
- Husband's Doctor
- Wife's Doctor
- Veterinarian
You may need them to meet you at the emergency room or
work you in for a simple stitch or two!
- Spouses Emergency numbers, including cell phone and contacts
Your Phone Emergency phone numbers too. The baby sitter could
need them when you are gone.
- Next of kin, your mother, father, sister, brother or a close
friend that lives nearby.
- Your children's school numbers.
- Your Insurance Agent's claim number.
- Next list the phone numbers for your local utilities emergency
numbers.
- Now list your favorite most dependable repairmen.
- Plumber
- Electrician
- Appliance Repairman
- Carpenter
- Next list the name of a reputable restoration company.
You know the companies that will come in and clean up
Smoke, fire, and water damage.
Now here is the tricky part!
- Do you know how to turn off your water if you needed to? Go look now,
behind the toilet for a value to shut it off and under the bathroom
sink. There is also a way to get into the plumbing for the bathtub or
shower. It us usually in a closet behind a little door, but the closet
is almost always piled to the ceiling.
- Could you turn off the water to the icemaker? There is usually a
little valve under your sink attached to the main water line. It is
not very big.
- Do you know how to turn off your hot water heater? If it is electric,
there will be a circuit breaker in the main electrical box.
- Would you know how to turn off all the power to the house? There is a
main circuit breaker in this same box. It is usually at the top of the
panel.
- Could you turn off the water to the house if you could not find valves
for each water line? We have our own well water so all I would have to
do is turn off the power to the pump in the same circuit breaker
panel. If you have city water, there is a meter at the street and it
takes a special tool to turn it off. I bet you already have one. Find
out where it is kept and how to use it. You will be glad you did. Just
knowing calms you down.
- Now if you have natural gas coming into your home, there is a valve
that cuts it off too, but I don't know how to tell you to turn it off.
I know that if you live in Earthquake prone or Hurricane area, you
need to know how to turn this off. It will take a wrench to do it.
Find someone that knows how and learn from him or her. Then put that
wrench where you can find it and paint it a special bright color so it
catches your eye.
- Now I want you to look at what you have sitting on the floor. When
there is a flood, the damage occurs from the floor to about your
knees. What do you have stored in these areas that would be ruined by
floodwaters? Is it stored in waterproof containers? Could it be
placed on a higher shelf? Think about this. The sewer could back up
into your basement, just like what happened to Kelly last year or
rising floodwaters could invade your home as many of our members have
experienced in the last few months. Take precautions now, so you will
not be sorry later.
- When was the last time you changed the batteries in your smoke
detectors and carbon monoxide detectors? If you burn fuel of any kind,
you need to have a carbon monoxide detector. If you don't have one, go
buy one now! The small amount of money you spend now is worth your
babies' lives. This could save lots of pain and suffering. You can be
very sick if your furnace is leaking carbon monoxide. It takes years
to recover. The gas is odorless and replaces oxygen cells in your
bloodstream. Please get one and follow the instructions for placement.
It is time for us to turn on our furnaces in the northern hemisphere.
It is much easier FLY when you have a Parachute.
FlyLady
P.S. Put a copy of these emergency numbers in your car glove box, in
your purse, with your husband. It never hurts to have an extra copy
within arms reach.
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