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Hello and welcome to another episode of the Mom-entum Podcast.  The show dedicated to inspiring, uplifting and empowering women on their journey through motherhood.  I’m your host, Tanya Valentine, and I’m so glad you are here!

Thanks for tuning in today guys.  If you are a long time listener, thank you so much for your support and if you are new to the show welcome.  And its no matter if you’ve been listening for  a while or this is your first time tuning in today.  My hope is still the same, that I deliver on my promise and that you get what you came here for.  Maybe you came here for a little escape.  Maybe you need something to listen to that isn’t screaming, crying children, or cocomelon, or maybe you even need a break from listening to your own negative self-talk.  Maybe you came here to learn something, or to get a perspective shift.  Maybe you needed a little mood boost or motivation.  Whatever it is, I hope that you find it here today, and at the very least that at the end of this episode you leave feeling better than you did when you hit “play”.

So lets get into it.  Today’s podcast was inspired by something that myself and my family experienced last week.  So i will tell you the story of what happened. So it’s about 9:30 at night and Chris and I had just passed the baton of who gets to rock Serena to sleep.  Normally I still nurse her to sleep, I know, I know, some of you might be shaking your heads at this, and that’s fine, you are allowed to have your opinion, but at this moment this is what we are doing.  Anyway, on this particular night she just would not go to sleep and whenever I would try to put her down in her crib she would wake up immediately and start screaming and crying.  And so I picked her up, all of her 23 lbs plus the weight of the weighted sleep sack she wears at night, and I sit in the rocker next to her bed, put her on my lap, and kiss her cheek, and as I do I can taste her salty tears on my lips.  And I’m rocking her back and forth and she starts to say, “Daddy, daddy”.  And at this point, I am like “Hallelujah”, yes thank you! Mommy can hopefully lay in her own bed and finally go to sleep now.  

So I call for Chris and we do the hand off, and I close the door to her room.  And now the end is in site.  I can see my bed and all i have to do is just brush my teeth and then I will get to finally lay down.  Well, no sooner does my head hit the pillow then I hear this alarm go off on my phone.  At first I almost disregarded it, because I don’t keep my phone in arms reach of my bed.  I actually have to physically get out of bed in order to reach it, and I do this on purpose because its a little hack I use to make sure that I get up when my alarm goes off in the morning, and it actually works quite well. I suggest you try it.  But anyways, something told me to get up and look at my phone and I was glad I did because it was a tornado warning.

I pulled back the curtains and looked out the windows of our room and it was so calm.  There was no rain, no wind, it was almost eerily still.  I could see the sky lighting up in the distance.  I was like is this for real?  Seriously, I was finally gonna get to go to bed and I was so tired all I wanted to do was go to sleep, the last thing I wanted to do was go hide out in the closet or in our basement.  We’ve had tornado warnings before and nothing happened.  And we had a pretty bad storm come through here the other day and we were fine.  But then there was a part of me that was like but what if this is the one time that it happens, and plus it’s not just you but you have your whole family to think about and you’ve gotta keep them safe.  

So I get the kids and then I quietly tip toe into Serena’s room and I whisper to Chris that there’s a tornado warning.  And he assures me its going to be ok and he just stays there in the rocking chair with Serena asleep on his lap.  

So, I’m not feeling very good about that, and the other 2 kids and I go to find some flashlights, meanwhile, one of my kids who shall remain nameless is panicking and I’m trying to stay calm for her.  And we go into our closet and I’m thinking like this is so stupid. And I get up to scope out the scene and I look out the window and now it is starting to rain.  Then I turn and see Chris holding Serena, who’s sleeping, in his arms, and he’s like “it’s coming”.  Now it’s at this point that I’m sort of panicking because I sense a little shakiness in Chris’ voice, which I never asked him about by the way, but I wasn’t going to ask him in this moment because I am just trying to stay calm for everyone even though I am like shivering from head to toe.  

So we gather the flash lights and we head to our basement, where I was so glad that we kept this massive sectional that I’ve been meaning to get rid of for years, and boy was I glad we kept it, because if not for that couch we would have all had to sit on the hard, cold, cement floor.  So we are all huddled on this couch and from where we are sitting we can see out these 2 sets of glass doors.  And it’s dark and the rains coming down, and you can hear the boom of the thunder.  And Lucia says to me “Mommy I’m scared” and I was like “Sweety, I can understand you are scared.  And everything is going to be ok.  You know what we are going to do?  We are all going to say our prayers right now that God will protect us, that he will keep us all safe, and that he will protect our friends, our family and our neighbors, and that he will keep all of the animals safe.  And then we are just going to have faith.  We are going to have faith that no matter what happens, we will have everything we need and it will all be ok”.  

 And then I thought to myself ok we need to do something to distract them and what better way than playing a game of “would you rather”.  So we start playing would you rather, the kids are laughing because Rocco was saying the most ridiculous things like “would you rather eat poop or pee”.  And then Lucia had a great idea to shine our flashlights on the back of the couch in front of us and make shadow puppets.  We made bunnies and alligators and dinosaurs.

And at one point I was kind of thinking out loud and said, “you know what, I know that someday, this moment right now, will be a fond memory that we all share. Someday we are going to be like “hey remember the time we had that tornado warning and we all crammed together on that dusty couch in the basement in the middle of the night and we played would you rather and we used our flashlights to make shadow puppets?”

So low and behold, we were in the basement until about midnight.   And thank goodness, nothing happened.  We were all safe and sound, and we were so blessed because unlike some of our family and friends, we didn’t even lose power!

But this little event got me thinking.  How prepared are we in case a natural disaster like this were to occur? 

So in my search to find answers to this question: I figured I would share what I found with all of you?  

And let me just preface this by saying that if you are overwhelmed at all by this, I get it.  And our lives are so busy we don’t want to add another to do to our list and we don’t need another thing that we think, “oh ya, I should do that” but then we never end up doing and then we feel guilty about.  Listen, I’m not here to overwhelm you or make you feel guilty for not having this emergency plan.  I don’t have one either!  But since this event happened last week it really got me thinking, we were so blessed to come out of that unscathed, but God forbid, if something did happen, we were not prepared.  So I have done this research and I’m just going to take things one step at a time, to getting my home and my family better prepared in case of an emergency. ….and i think that w can all agree that it is just better to be prepared, if we are prepared its gonna help ensure better outcomes, period.

So where we live the one thing that can tend to happen when we get a storm is we can lose power.  So in this case I highly recommend having multiple flashlights and plenty of batteries in the home.  I recommend keeping a flashlight in each bedroom.  I keep one in each of our nightstands.  

Another thing, which can be an expense, but is tremendously helpful when losing power is having a generator.  And in case you don’t know what a generator is, it is essentially a tool for providing backup power during outages, and they come in various types, are powered by different fuel sources, with a wide range of prices. 

The one we have we purchased one years ago from Lowes and it is gas powered.  So if you have a gas powered, portable generator then it will be equally important to make sure you have gas on hand at your home.  Also, its important to know how to use it.  Which, in my case, I’m going to be honest I don’t.  Chris does.  And I think that I’m going to have to have him show me how to use it in the event that we lose power when he’s not home.  

And I will admit, I’m a little intimidated by this because the first time we ever used it, we had an electrical fire and it caused our gas stove to light on and off.  But fear not, this shouldn’t happen if you follow the instructions clearly.  Our problem was that we didn’t turn off the breakers to the non-essential circuits.    Portable generators have a limited power output. If you try to power too many appliances or devices at once, you can overload the generator, which might cause overheating, damage to the generator, or even fires. By selectively turning off non-essential circuits, you can ensure that the generator’s power is used efficiently and safely.  Lesson learned,  so make sure to turn off all circuits in your home and only turn on the essential ones like the ones powering the refrigerator, or maybe the bathroom, or medical equipment, before connecting and turning on the generator.  There are other more expensive generators, though, where you wouldn’t have to worry about this and they just turn on automatically whenever the power goes out,  the con to these types of generators though is the expense and you have to have them professionally installed.  But if you can afford this, I would say it’s well worth it.

So next is Create and Emergency Plan:

   - Discuss with your family the different types of disasters and what to do in each case.  For example, in case of a tornado, you need to go to a small, windowless interior room on the lowest level of your home, such as a basement, storm cellar, or interior bathroom.

   - And If you don't have a basement, use a hallway or a room in the center of your house away from windows and exterior walls.

 And in case a tornado strikes you need to get low by crouching as low to the ground as possible. Because this position makes you a smaller target for flying debris and helps protect your vital organs.  And then you place your arms over your head and neck to shield them from falling or flying debris. And then you hold this position until the tornado has passed and its safe to move.

  You can also use protective items like a heavy blanket, mattress, or even a helmet to further protect your head and neck. And in our case we would have used the couch cushions, but thankfully it didn’t get to this point.

And then once the tornado has passed your gonna want to stay alert for secondary dangers like structural damage or gas leaks.  Which by the way, the way to know if there is a gas leak in your home is if 1 you will smell it. If you smell a distinct rotten egg smell. 2. You might hear a hissing sound, that would indicate a gas leak. 3. If you see visible damage to piping and gas appliances. 4.  If your home has sustained significant structural damage they say its wise to shut off the gas.

And then in case you don’t know how to turn off the gas to your home, don’t worry, I’ve got you covered:

So first, you need to find the meter.  And your gas meter is typically located outside your home. It’s important to know where it is before an emergency occurs.

Step 2, your gonna keep a wrench near your gas meter so you can quickly access it when needed.

Step 3 you are going to use the wrench to turn the valve. The gas shut-off valve is usually located near the meter. To turn off the gas, rotate the valve one-quarter turn until it is perpendicular to the pipe (a 90-degree angle). This shuts off the gas flow.

It’s also important to note that once you’ve shut off the gas, do not attempt to turn it back on yourself. Contact your gas company to inspect the system and safely restore service.

Also, it’s important to note that : If you detect a strong gas odor or hear a hissing sound, if you arent able to safely access and shut off the gas meter, then you must evacuate your home immediately and call your gas company and emergency services from a safe location.

 2. Put together an emergency kit and fill it with flashlights, batteries, first aid kit, water (1 gallon per person per day to last at least 3 days), non-perishable food, blankets, medications, and hygiene products.  I also read it’s important to pack  a multi-tool, duct tape, plastic sheeting, and a battery-powered radio.

• If like me, you are wondering what plastic sheeting is and what it’s used for, this is what I found:

So plastic sheeting is a flexible, durable material made from polyethylene that can be used for:

1. **Creating Shelter**: You can use plastic sheeting to create a temporary shelter if your home is damaged or you need to evacuate.

2. It can help cover broken windows to keep out the elements and maintain some level of insulation.

3.Plastic sheeting can protect items or areas from water damage, which is crucial during floods or heavy rains.

4.It can be used to create a clean area for medical treatment or as a ground cover to keep you and your supplies dry.

5. And you can use it to collect and contain debris or hazardous materials.

And if you were wondering, like me, where you can find plastic sheeting, well turns out you can find it anywhere; home improvement stores like Lowes or Home Depot, Hardware Stores, or even online retailers like Amazon sell plastic sheeting.

Alright moving onto the next step which is to prepare your home:

   And you can do this by securing heavy items, Bolt bookshelves to walls and secure heavy appliances.

   - Also check for and fix potential hazards like loose roof tiles or overhanging tree branches.

   - Know where to find emergency Shut-Offs:** Know how to turn off your home’s water, gas, and electricity.

Earlier we went over where to find the gas shut off valve.  You can find your water shut off valve in one of the following areas:

1. The Basement: Often near the front foundation wall, where the water line enters the house. It may be close to the water meter.

2. If your home has a crawl space, the valve could be located there, near the front of the house.

3. In homes with utility rooms, the shut-off valve might be there, often near the water heater or furnace.

4. Sometimes, the shut-off valve is located in the garage, particularly if the water line enters the house there.

5. In warmer climates, the shut-off valve may be located on an exterior wall, near the water meter.

6. And In some cases, especially in older homes, the valve could be found under the kitchen sink or in a bathroom.

And in an emergency, if you need to shut off the electricity in your home, such as in the event of an electrical fire, you should switch off the main breaker in the electrical panel.

And if you’re wondering where to find the electrical panel in your home, this can vary, but common places include:

1. on a wall in the basement.

2. in a dedicated utility room or laundry room.

3. It may be mounted on a wall in the garage.

4.it may be found in a closet, especially in newer homes where space is optimized.

5. And Occasionally, it's placed in a hallway closet or area.

If you’re having trouble finding it, check your home’s blueprint or ask a previous homeowner or landlord for guidance.

Ok so the 5th and last step is to practice and review.

 Conduct regular emergency drills with your family.  And maybe make it a fun activity that they get to be involved in.  Maybe you could even give out MVP awards for the kids who cooperated the best.

So there you have it. I learned so much about emergency preparedness and it was all inspired by that one late night tornado warning, which at the time was a mix of anxiety provoking and a bit of a nuisance because all I wanted to do was go to sleep.  But as I say that I think, wow that’s pretty ungrateful to think that way, truly we were so fortunate that nothing bad happened.  The worst thing was that we were forced to stay up late, right, so what?  I have voluntarily stayed up much later than that many times in my wilder years! 

This experience really filled me with gratitude because at the end of the day, we were together and we were safe.  But it also made me think about all of the people who are not so lucky.  The people who lose their homes, and worse their lives in the fate of a natural disaster. Natural disasters can strike without warning, but being prepared can make all the difference. And it’s my hope that this podcast reaches those who need to hear it and maybe will even serve to save lives.

Thank you so much for joining me on this episode of The Mom-entum Podcast. I hope today’s discussion has given you valuable insights and practical steps to prepare for natural disasters, ensuring your family's safety and peace of mind.

Remember, being prepared doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Start small and take it one step at a time. From having an emergency kit ready to knowing how to shut off your utilities, each step you take makes a big difference.

If you found today’s episode helpful, I encourage you to share it with a friend or family member who might also benefit from this information. And don't forget to tag me on social media @tanyavalentinecoaching to share your takeaways or any thoughts you have about today’s episode.

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Until next time, stay safe and stay empowered. Thanks again for tuning in!