How You Can Make Sure Your Home and Family Are Ready For An Emergency
Life can change very quickly, from fires to floods, power failures to burst pipes, and it is always a wise idea to be prepared. Taking the time to plan for emergencies before they occur is the most prudent thing you can do to keep your family and your home safe.
Here, we look at some tips for making sure that you are ready for an emergency.
What emergencies are likely to affect you?
How should you plan for an emergency? Begin by learning about the types of hazards that are most likely to affect your area. The American Red Cross, FEMA, and the United States Geological Survey's Natural Hazard site all provide frequency and risk information for natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes, and storms across the United States.
Once you have determined which emergencies are most likely to occur, you can begin developing an emergency response plan that addresses reasonable concerns.
Develop an emergency plan
Your plan should include an escape route out of your home, taking into consideration the possibility that normal exits could be blocked. In addition, your plan should include two safe locations where all family members can agree to meet if you become separated.
Choose a nearby meeting spot, such as a post box outside your house. In the event that your neighborhood's streets are blocked or otherwise inaccessible, find another meeting location outside of your neighborhood.
Make sure you have a phone or cell phone on hand in case of an emergency. Teach children to use their cell phone's emergency call feature to dial 911 if necessary. Keep a printed copy of your plan in a visible location in your home and go over it with your entire family at least once a year.
Have an emergency kit ready
Fill a waterproof container with enough supplies to last at least three days for your family. Include necessities such as water, food, matches, batteries, flashlights, and first aid supplies. You should also pack prescription medications, cash, copies of important documents, pet food, and warm clothing. Keep your equipment in an easily accessible location and go over the contents once a year. You might also want to make smaller packages to keep at work and in your car.
Prepare your home
If your power cuts out, it can cause some big problems, particularly if you rely on medical equipment or fridges for storing life-saving medication. Look for generators for sale as a backup power source. You should also make sure that you have at least one smoke alarm on each floor, and check them once a week, replacing batteries where necessary.
If you have a garage or a shed, it is always worth keeping a selection of sandbags, wood, and nails, in case of storms. The last thing you want is to be joining the hundreds of other people looking for resources if a storm has been announced. Advanced preparation is always a good idea.
You can’t avoid emergencies, but what you can do is take steps to make dealing with them easier.
