Be prepared with road-side emergency, first-aid kits

Today's cars are safer, and overall equipped to withstand accidents and keep everyone inside as safe as possible. Almost all automakers, either by local government regulations or competitive pressure, include factory-installed road emergency kits and in many world markets mandated first-aid kits. The emergency road-side kits normally include the safety items such as jumper cables, reflective safety markers and flashlights and primarily deal with accident and mechanical breakdowns.

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Incomplete emergency preparedness

The nature of automobiles has attained another, more complex role in today's society -- not only due to climatic conditions, with an increased frequency of natural disasters such as hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, snow storms and fires, but man-made emergencies as well. In today's world when a major emergency disaster happens, the car becomes the means of evacuation and personal survival. If an automobile is not equipped to deal with these emergencies, it leaves the passengers vulnerable, unequipped and in eminent danger.

What emergencies?

Every day we see and come close to natural disasters. Hurricane Katrina brought this very close to home. When the evacuation orders were given, highways were gridlocked with unprepared and emergency-unequipped cars, leading to many people reaching evacuation centers overwhelmed and exhausted.

Consider these other emergencies:

• A major highway accident closing a route for more than eight hours, leaving thousands of cars stuck with no emergency recourse.

• A snow storm keeping cars stuck for overnight in freezing temperatures, with nothing in the cars to save lives.

• Mechanical breakdowns in the wilderness with small children in the car.

• The last-minute evacuation from a fire storm -- without being evacuation-prepared and ready.

Emergency preparedness mission

Every car should carry or be equipped with a minimum of a first-aid kit. Today's car is both an evacuation and survival vehicle, so make sure yours is equipped with an Emergency Survival Evacuation Car Kit. To learn more, visit www.totalresourcesintl.com.