by Kim Gatewood
September is National Preparedness Month. FEMA’s Ready Campaign has observed National Preparedness Month since 2004 to encourage Americans to prepare for emergencies. The month is a great time to take small steps to make a big difference in being prepared. Preparedness Starts at Home is the 2025 theme, with a focus on getting back to the essentials of preparedness.
My name is Kimberly Gatewood. I work for the Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities Arkansas. This preparedness month, I wanted to share a personal story with you about why and how I stay prepared for emergencies.
I live in an older home with my uncle and another family member. In March of this year, we had a fire scare in our house. I was in my bedroom putting on my shoes, and I smelled smoke. Our air conditioning unit plug had gotten too hot, and it caused a small fire. The flames were small and went out quickly, but the whole house filled with smoke. Smoke is dangerous. I knew I had to get everyone out of the house. We all got out and were OK. My uncle raised the windows around the house to clear the air inside. I realized we were lucky. If I were not up at that time, everyone in the house would have been in the hospital or worse.
How do I stay prepared for an emergency in my house? I make sure that everyone has a backpack with some of their medications and a bottle of water, along with a copy of their identification card or drivers license, insurance card and/or Medicaid cards. I have a checklist of the important things I may need in an emergency. Other things I know I will always need are my phone, a phone charger, and some food (easy to store, carry and eat, like protein bars, peanut butter crackers or trail mix). Here are some other things you may want to gather or prepare:
- A completed emergency plan
- A list of local emergency shelter locations
- Details about your medical needs, communication needs, support needs, etc.
- A list of your doctors, therapists and your preferred hospital
- A list of your emergency contacts
- A first aid kit
- A battery-powered or hand-cranked radio
- A flashlight and extra batteries
You can find more information including emergency organization contact information, checklists, and an emergency plan workbook on this website’s Emergency Preparedness page by clicking here.
About the Author: Kimberly Gatewood is an administrative specialist for the Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities, an office of the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration, where she works to advocate for the Arkansas developmental disability community while supporting the Council’s administrative staff and its members. In her role, Kim not only aids a professional administrative staff within the office but also participates in outreach activities in communities across the state. Kim is a native Arkansan, a person with disabilities, a Self-Advocate, and a disability advocate for her grandchildren and for others. She has served on a local service provider’s advocacy committee, encouraging others to participate in self-advocacy. Kim is a current board member for the Arkansas State Independent Living Council. When not hard at work in advocacy, Kim enjoys spending time with her grandchildren, going to the movies, attending church, and singing karaoke.
