Here are 5 things every family should do to medically prepare for the unknowns ahead:

1. Create a Family Emergency Plan – and not just have a plan in place, but regularly go through and practice that plan, and amend it as needed. Ready.GOV has a thorough page on making an effective plan here. Remember your family may not be together when the emergency takes place, so the immediate priority in that plan should be instructions for establishing communication, and convening with all members of your family. However, it should also be addressed in that plan whether to shelter in place, or rendezvous at a predetermined location. Only about 40% of American households have a plan in place, be sure to count yourselves among them.

2. Keep Up-To-Date and Accurate Medical Records For All Members of The Family – this includes a list of daily medications each member is on, and other special requirements such as dietary restrictions, known allergies, conditions, disabilities or mental health needs, and any necessary treatments for those conditions. Our Jase Daily prescription supply can ensure you are never without the medications you need. Order your Jase Daily here!

3. Put Together an Emergency Kit – A comprehensive emergency kit should go beyond just having a first aid kit and a cellphone. Your emergency kit should – at a minimum – include basic things such as:

• Water
• Food
• Flashlight (with extra batteries)
• Dust/Contaminant Masks
• Soap, Hand Sanitizer, and Disinfectant Wipes
• Cash or Travelers Checks
• Copies of Important Documents
• Cell Phone and Chargers/Cables
• A thorough First Aid Kit including Over-The-Counter Drugs
• Extra Supplies of Prescriptions for all members of the Family

Emergencies are traumatic and stressful even when your family is prepared and rehearsed, but they can become deadly if you are without access to life-dependent medications.

4. Education – Learn basic first aid, CPR, symptom identification for medical conditions within the family, various survival skills, alternate methods of local travel, alternate methods of communication and staying informed on local, and national events. Follow your local news outlets and local law enforcement on social media as this will usually be the most up to the minute source of information, and instruction. Knowledge is your most powerful tool in an emergency. Having a plan and having a kit are great, but only if you know how to utilize them. Consider taking classes as a family unit. There are both local and online classes tailored to Family Preparedness that you can all complete together so no one has any knowledge gaps and everyone knows what to do, and who will do what.

5. Build A Community Beyond Your Immediate Family – there’s a reason they say there’s strength in numbers. Allocating tasks, and having additional people can help make a common goal more easily achievable. Everyone can be a resource in some capacity. Join local groups online, reach out to neighbors, attend community meetings, and have discussions. If these local meetings or groups don’t exist, create them and foster collaboration! The CDC has some great tips on building community here. If everyone works together, everyone can get through the emergency together.

Tomorrow may be too late

Emergency Preparedness is an ongoing, dynamic task of planning, organizing, training, equipping, and evaluating. It may sound daunting, but the payoff of knowing your family is ready, is well worth the price of admission. Many aspects of an emergency can be life threatening, but the only one you can assuredly combat is making sure you have access to your prescription medications. Order your Jase Case today!

One does not have to be a “doomsday prepper” or a “conspiracy theorist” to be gravely troubled by our trajectory as a society. This is why more Americans are diving into preparedness and seeking ways to fortify their situations just in case things turn for the worst in a hurry.

Below are five basic changes Americans should make immediately to increase the likelihood they can survive and even thrive near-future catastrophes.

Move Wealth and Retirement to Physical Precious Metals

The U.S. Dollar’s status as the world’s reserve currency has never been more tenuous than it is today. Many top economists are no longer wondering if the dollar is going to crash. Their asking when it’s going to happen, and unfortunately most are talking in terms of months or years, not decades.

Holding some physical precious metals at home is becoming increasingly popular. Gold and silver in particular can help in an economic downturn because they generally remain more stable or even rise in price when the dollar and other markets suffer. Precious metals have retained a level of value throughout human history and have flourished during times of financial distress.

For those who take advantage of the tax benefits of retirement accounts like IRAs or 401(k) accounts, rolling over or transferring their wealth to have it backed by gold or silver is a strong consideration. Genesis Gold Group specializes in helping Americans put the proper mix of metals into depositories while maintaining the maximum tax benefits.

Take Actions to Protect Yourself and Your Family

Even if society doesn’t collapse as a whole, many Americans are becoming more cognizant about their safety with crime rising in cities and even suburbs. Meanwhile, law enforcement is being neutered and firearm ownership is being challenged by gun control legislation.

More Americans are armed today than ever before. This is good. Now, Americans need to take further actions to get prepared. That means training members of the family to handle firearms safely and effectively. It means building up supplies of ammunition. It also means having access to firearms at all times even as many politicians move to limit when, where, and how we carry.

But perhaps the most important piece of advice for self-defense is for Americans to move to safety. It is no longer a realistic expectation in many cities across the country that we can walk down the block without risk. More Americans are moving out of cities and even out of suburbs if their circumstances allow. And while no place is completely safe, being away from the epicenters of turmoil could prove to be smart if chaos erupts.

Enact Food and Water Security Protocols

The average American household has two weeks worth of food in their homes at any given time. The vast majority of Americans would have no easy way to get potable water if the faucets no longer worked and stores ran dry. Both of these scenarios mean that in the event of a massive disaster, those who were not prepared would be stuck waiting for FEMA or other government agencies to save them.

Taking control of our own food and water security is the first preparedness step many Americans take. Water storage is paramount; we can survive weeks without food but only three days without water. Many locate themselves near rivers or lakes. Others store up potable water in containers. Combining both options is preferable.

As for food, a combination of growing and raising our own food is ideal but not practical for everyone. Purchasing “survival food” is the best option for many but there’s a big problem with that. Most would say they won’t care about quality if they’re in “survival mode,” but the reality is eating low-quality food is not only hard but can be detrimental to our health. Our partners at Prepper Beef offer the highest quality freeze dried steak that is ideal for long-term storage with a 25-year shelf life. Use promo code “JDR” for 25% off.

Establish Alternative Energy Sources

Solar power is interesting. It has yielded mixed results for power grids and electric vehicles are being exposed for their flaws on  a daily basis, but for individual households that can store their solar power it can come in very handy if the grid goes down. Unfortunately, most households that have solar panels installed aren’t properly equipped to store electricity. If you currently have solar panels, research ways to store electricity through them.

For personal energy, small solar panels that power electronics can be beneficial, but many Americans will need more power for sustained outages. Whether it’s to power medical devices, climate control, or refrigerators, the small panels just don’t generate enough juice. For this, Americans will need to look at larger solar panels or gas-powered generators.

Those with the means should consider establishing either a “bug out” location or even a primary residence that can completely power itself for extended periods of time. Living “off grid” is becoming more popular. It’s also becoming easier to do as more resources are becoming available to make the drastic move.

Make a Plan for Pharmaceutical Shortages

Millions of Americans are dependent on life-preserving drugs. If the medical supply chain were to break down, they will be in a lot of trouble. Even those who aren’t taking crucial medications will still be affected if there’s a pharmaceutical crisis.

There are two concerning factors to consider. First, the United States is reliant on China for over 90% of pharmaceutical ingredients. This is a very poor scenario when we consider that China’s ambitions for Taiwan could destroy relations between the United States and the CCP. Second, if chaos erupts in a city, state, or even across the nation, pharmacies will be the first stores to be hit.

It behooves Americans to stock up on pharmaceuticals that they need. This is very challenging for those who rely on medications that have short shelf-lives. It’s a best practice to research alternative treatments in case pharmaceuticals become scarce. For other medical supplies like antibiotics and first-aid kits, now is the time to stock up a strong supply while they’re still available. Our partners at Jase Medical can help you stock up on emergency medications. Many medications can be stored for years until they’re opened. Learn what you can about the various necessary pharmaceuticals. Even better, learn how to acquire alternatives in case things get really bad.

No Fear

There are people who think that preparedness is only for those who are fearful. The opposite is often true. We don’t prepare because we’re scared. We prepare because we do not want to live in fear of events that are already unfolding around the country and across the globe.

If things really do go south in a hurry, having the peace of mind that comes from knowing we’ve done what we can to be ready for it is worth the effort. If things turn around and society becomes safer, more prosperous, and more stable, then none of these preparations will go wasted. But if things do not turn around, then these preparations will be proven to be essential.