Unfortunately, emergencies don’t take vacations. You never reall know when a disaster might hit your home and affect the daily lives of you and your family. Not surprisingly, most homes are not adequately prepared should an emergency strike. Just getting started might be your biggest obstacle so we are giving you a dose of motivation with 3 easy steps to begin your emergency preparations.
1) Put Together an Emergency Kit
Your kit should be easy to transport and include items you need to survive for at least 3 days.
Ideally, your kit should include at least one gallon of water per person per day.
Other items include: non-perishable food (for 3 days), can opener, flashlight, battery operated radio, extra batteries, first aid kit, 7 day supply of medications, multipurpose tool, sanitation and personal hygiene items, copies of personal documents, cell phone and chargers, family and emergency contacts, extra cash, emergency blanket, and a map of the area.
Additional items may need to be added according to specific family member’s needs. This may include small games for children, baby supplies, etc.
Think about where you live and add any other items that may be appropriate.
2) Get the Apps & Alerts to Keep You Informed
Identify which services will notify you during an emergency and how you will get information. This may include local radio, TV, or NOAA Weather Radio stations and channels.
Know the different weather alerts and watches and know what to do to take action for each situation.
Weather alert and hazard apps are available to offer further alerts, information, and instruction during disasters. FEMA, The American Red Cross, and The Weather Channel are just a few of the organizations that offer helpful apps.
3) Start Your
Emergency Plan
Start by creating an emergency contact list. Include names and addresses, emergency contacts, and any allergies or other medical conditions of household members. You can create custom cards for your family here. It may also be helpful to include phone numbers for emergency services, utilities, service providers, medical providers, veterinarians, insurance companies, and other services. Be sure every family member has access to these cards and keeps them accessible. Some places might include your emergency kit, at work, in your car, in your wallet or purse, in luggage, on the refrigerator, in your cell phone, and inside children’s backpacks.
Next, start a list of what types of emergencies are most likely to happen in your home or area. Include events that are singular to your home or family like a home fire or medical emergency.
With all this information gathered, you can begin forming your family emergency plan. For detailed ideas and templates visit ready.gov and redcross.org.
Don’t wait to prepare for emergencies until it’s too late. Getting a plan in action now is the best way to keep you and your family safe and protected for what may lie ahead.
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