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What would your family do if a disaster struck right now?
If you don’t have a good answer to that question, you could be putting
your loved ones in serious danger. Luckily, it’s easy to put together an
effective emergency plan with these basic tips from this article. Work Through a Plan to Protect Your Family In the event of an emergency, your first priority should be to protect
your family. To do that, you need to have your disaster plan outlined well
ahead of time. Go over important tips with members of your household and make
sure everyone is on the same page when it comes to your emergency plans. You
should give every family member an individual role in your strategy but also
make sure everyone is comfortable performing emergency tasks on their own.
You can also talk about emergency contact lists and other ways to prepare. One of the steps that should be included in any disaster plan is to assemble
a supply kit full of essentials. The basics every family needs are a battery operated
flashlight and radio, a first aid kit, and some cash. Another good item to include is
a manual can opener. Canned goods top the list of
emergency stockpile foods
you should keep stocked in your pantry, but you will definitely want an easy way to open them. Take Special Care of Older Loved Ones When you have seniors in your family, you may need to take some extra steps to help them stay prepared. For seniors who are living alone, one of the most important disaster tips is to form a support group of people living nearby who can provide assistance when an emergency happens. To help this support group assist your loved one, put together a list of supplies and medications the older adult will need if they need to leave their home. Setting up a support group is especially helpful for seniors and individuals living with a disability,
but you should take other special measures as well.
Seniors with disabilities
should make certain that they have backup mobility aids available in an area where they can be quickly accessed, and they should
keep these devices charged. Finally, an easy-to-use cellphone
is a must for any senior living on their own so they can receive emergency alerts and ask for help. Have a Strategy to Preserve Your Home People and pets should always come first in your emergency plan, but protecting your property should definitely be your next step. FEMA offers a list of emergency preparedness steps you can take for every disaster you can think of, from earthquakes to bomb attacks. One way you can protect your home is to have a security system installed. Even if your home escapes damage, break-ins and crime tend to go up when disaster strikes, but having a security system can give you some additional peace of mind when it comes to protecting your property. We don’t like to think of a flood, fire or other catastrophe striking our home. After all, home is where we like to feel safe, but if you put together a disaster plan now, you shouldn’t have anything to fear if an emergency does happen. Helpful Links:
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