Be Prepared!

Be Prepared! Such simple words but what an impact they wield! How many times have you found yourself unprepared, and mad at the world, yourself, your patients, your children, your kitchen etc.? This is one blog I’m writing not just for you, but for myself as well. Being prepared applies to so many levels of life, including the job, and the kitchen, and everyday activites.

In fact, “Be Prepared,” might be the best piece of advice you can ever give, or follow. Take those two words and insert them into almost any scenario...rearranging your living room? Be Prepared: Know the square footage of the space, furniture, and distance of the electrical outlets. Starting your shift at a busy EMS department? Be prepared: Have your lunch/snacks, resource materials, and spare uniform with you on the ambulance. Cooking a big meal? Be Prepared: Assemble your Mise en Place (literally “putting in place”) of ingredients before it’s time to cook, and your recipe will flow that much faster, and easier. Taking the baby out for a few hours? Be Prepared: Pack extra pajamas, snacks, and toys for that unexpected delay, traffic, or night out. The scenarios are unlimited, but the message is the same: Be Prepared! Whenever you leave home, bring preparations that can accommodate you for at least a few hours longer than you expect! You’ll be surprised at how often you need them unexpectedly, and how little room they take up. 

I’m writing this blog for both of us because I work at a very busy EMS department 40+ hours a week. Almost 99% percent of the time I bring several bags with my lunch, laptop, Nook, and resource guides to the Fire Station I work out of. Occasionally, I will get a call right away and forget those bags of Mise en Place. Those are usually the nights I do back to back calls, or have so many responsibilities I can’t make it back to Quarters or my supplies. It’s during those times I get hungry, angry, and resentful toward myself, and people who call 911 services, all because I wasn’t prepared! If I had my resources with me from the beginning, I would need nothing extra during my shift, and be prepared for anything the entire time! In EMS, being prepared also means checking out your ambulance, the vehicle you will be using to “save lives” and other emergencies for the duration of your shift! In the kitchen, being prepared means knowing what’s in the cabinets and how much of what ingredient needs to be chopped, measured, or braised before the cooking process begins. Being prepared is one of the most importatn lessons life has to offer! Why do you think they make such big pocketbooks for women? We come PREPARED! 

Be Prepared! For anything, anytime! You will never go wrong being prepared, but if you’re not prepared you could starve, freeze, have a whiny baby on your hands, or not know how to treat refractory hypoglycemia! BE PREPARED! 


~Niki