Do you know what to do when disaster strikes? Of course, you don’t want to imagine hurricanes, floods, and similar events sweeping through your neighborhood. We don’t want that either, but these things can and do happen. As such, emergency preparedness is a must. Here are 5 Steps to prepare for an emergency.
1. Have a plan
Where emergencies or disasters are concerned, planning is very essential. To help you Plan Better, first learn what disaster your community is prone to. Generally, plan for an alternative source of electricity like a generator or flashlights in the case of a power outage. Think about food, water, emergency shelter and contact, evacuation route. Arrange for all of these. Note down a number of ways to cope, and how to move out swiftly if the need arises.
2. Involve the whole family
… when planning and preparing for emergencies. Likewise, teach your children how to respond to crisis in your absence even if they are away from home. Let them know the emergency numbers to call like family doctors, nearby hospitals, electricity company, local police, and of course! 911. Include method of communication and meeting point for the whole family. You can discuss your plan during your next family meeting or over dinner. Keep a copy of this plan in a safe but accessible place.
3. Build an emergency supply kit
Now, this is very important. Your emergency supply will come to your rescue when there is a major adverse event. If such an event involves evacuation at a moment notice, you should be able to grab your supply kit and go.
Your emergency supply kit should contain the following:
- Personal Items: Change of clothes, blankets, shoes, toilet bag, personal hygiene products, sleeping bag, flashlight, and so on.
- Paperwork: Health records, insurance documents, financials, green card, security card, and other important documents.
- Food and water supplies: Canned food, bottled water, can opener, energy bars plus other non-perishable food items.
- Medical supplies: Medications, first aid kit, sanitizers, and essential medical items.
The content of your kit ought to be adequate for at least 3 days. It should contain the need of all members of your family including children, elderly, disabled, and pets. Update your supplies regularly and store in a durable but portable container.
4. Save for the unexpected
It is as simple as that. Keep little money aside each month for emergencies and rainy days. Additionally, keep a little stash of cash in the house for times when you can’t access the ATM or credit card readers. Include your kids in discussions about saving for a disaster.
5. Be part of your community planning
Oftentimes it takes a whole community to withstand a disaster and survive. Therefore, find out how to be part of your community emergency preparedness and disaster planning. Every community has voluntary organizations that assist during disasters. Visit https://www.nvoad.org to learn more.
Knowledge of the disaster specific to your community can help you better prepare or build an emergency supply kit. For example, if you live in an area that is susceptible to flooding, you’ll have to prepare in line with that knowledge. Remember, courage comes through preparation.
