I live in Southern California…earthquake country. And even though we know that earthquakes can and do happen, we aren’t prepared for the “Big One”. What about you and your family? Are you prepared for natural disasters that occur in your neck of the woods? Do you have a disaster plan in place? An emergency kit and supply of food? There’s no time like the present to do it, but where do you begin? I’ve done a little research and want to share what I’ve found.
Know The Hazards, And Make A Plan
Do you know the natural disasters that occur in your hometown or the city that you work in and what to do if they occur? If you don’t you aren’t alone…and you can find out. All you have to do is go to Ready.gov and check out the various natural disasters as well as what to do before, during, and after they occur. You’ll also find other great resources like how to build a basic disaster supplies kit and how to make a family communication plan, as well as everything else you would need to prepare for a natural disaster.
Ready.gov was by far the best, most comprehensive site I found during my research.
Take An Inventory Of Your Home
You’ve got lots of “things”, right? Some might be worth money, and others not so much. But they are your possessions, and chances are that you’d miss them if they were all of the sudden gone. But do you know exactly what you have?
Now’s the time to spend a couple of hours going through each room in your house and taking pictures of what you have, as well as when they were purchased and any other information you may have about your belongings. In the pictures, don’t just include close-ups. You’ll also want to include wider views as proof that you owned the items. Use a flash drive and store it away from your home so that you can still get to it if need be.
For insurance purposes, you’ll want to include serial numbers and model names, etc. Another great idea is to take a photograph (or scan and save on a flash drive) important paperwork like the deed to the house, birth certificates, and other paperwork that you can’t live without.
Select An Emergency Contact or Two
No, I don’t mean your spouse…I mean someone in another part of the country that won’t be affected by the natural disaster. Every person in the family should know the person’s name and contact information. In case of an emergency, instruct family member’s to contact the emergency contact to say where they are.
Have an Emergency Kit
I mentioned that you’ll need to build a basic disaster supplies kit, but what should be in the kit? Some really important things to include would be water and food, extra cash, blankets and sleeping bags, a battery powered radio (and extra batteries), sanitary supplies (toilet paper, Wet Ones, tampons, diapers), a flashlight, first aid kit, tool kit, and necessary medication.
Is your family prepared for a weather related emergency?
photo source: flickr
