Wake up call - preparedness

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42128739/ns/world_news-asiapacific/

Recent disasters remind us how important it is to be as prepared as possible.  Read here for tips on preparedness for child care and feeding of infants and young children in emergencies.  Breastfeeding is one thing you can easily do.  Once you have established your milk supply, your baby will be able to get safe food, regardless of the water supply contamination and inability to get artificial infant food.  Tsunami, earthquake, hurricanes, floods, etc. have shown us that baby formula is always hard to come by.  If you have chosen to breastfeed your baby, and you stay with it, you have one important element of your preparedness already taken care of.  Women have even been able to establish relactation of weaned infants in such emergency situations with determination and effort.  Even in times of privation, mothers have been able to successfully feed their babies.

US Breastfeeding Committee
American Academy of Pediatrics
Survival Blog

Please get a 72 hour kit for emergency evacuation purposes and survival for a few days if necessary! Here is a PDF checklist from about.com

Summary

1. Know that  a disaster could occur in your area.  Learn evacuation routes and meeting places.  Check out http://www.ready.gov
2. Plan (on paper) the steps you should take in an emergency and share with family members.  Not talking about them can be critical.  If you never talk for fear of scaring them, you won't be in the best possible place for safety and reunion.  Know where you would go if you can't go home and have an "emergency check-in" contact person.  It's good to have someone local and someone out of state in case local lines are jammed but you can get outside.  This happened in hurricane Katrina.
3. Pack emergency supplies to meet your basic needs for three days in case you have to "grab and go" in an evacuation.  Include water (plastic soda bottles rinsed and stored with water work well and can be toted in backpacks), food, baby care items, flashlight/batteries, first-aid kit.

A few more helpful things in a kit might include:

• ID for yourself and children (birth certificates, SS cards, immigration papers, school records)
• Funds that are accessible - cash (not in huge bills), traveler's checks, credit cards and checkbook.
• Keys to house, car, safety deposit box, etc.
• Calling card, cell phone and battery (may or may not be usable).  Don't forget the number of the emergency contact person.
• Medications needed regularly

http://www.womenshealth.gov says "breastfeeding protects babies from the risks of a contaminated water supply and helps protect against respiratory illnesses and diarrhea which can be fatal in a disaster.  You can step up mother's milk even if you have been giving formula.  see http://www.llli.org

More safety information about food and water can be found here:  http://www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/foodwater