Making sure that you and your family are adequately prepared for natural disasters is one of the most important things you can do. While it may seem daunting at first, the steps necessary to prepare you and your family are actually quite easy. This article is going to teach you how to prepare for a natural disaster in seven simple steps.
1. Have Multiple Disaster Alert Methods
The first thing you should know when learning how to prepare for a natural disaster is that you should always have multiple disaster alert methods. The most common method people use to learn about disasters is live television. Many of you should have already experienced tests using the emergency broadcast system while watching television. During a real emergency, a similar tone would sound and a message would display with important information about the actual emergency.
However, natural disasters that strike quickly can disrupt power to your area and cut you off from television and landline phones. One great way to overcome this is to opt into emergency messaging programs for your city and state. These programs send out text message alerts to your mobile phone in the event of an emergency. The best place to look for information regarding these types of programs is your state and city official websites.
Another ideal solution is to always have an AM/FM radio that runs on batteries to receive updates about natural disasters in your area. You should also consider investing in a NOAA weather radio that is battery powered as well to receive updates for your area.
2. Prepare An Emergency Survival Kit
The next thing you know about when learning how to prepare for a natural disaster is the types of items your emergency kit should have. To start, you should always have an ample supply of water for each person in your family. Most experts recommend at least a gallon of water for each person per day for at least three days. This means that a family of four would ideally need at least 12 gallons of water in a typical survival kit.
You will also need enough non-perishable food items to last for three days as well. Some recommendations to consider include energy bars, peanut butter, canned goods, dried fruit, and cereal. You should also make sure to have an extra non-electric can opener in your emergency kit as well.
Other things to include in your kit include flashlights, battery charging packs for cell phones, charging cables, first aid kits, local maps for your area, and moist towelettes for sanitation. People who take medication for conditions like high blood pressure should also make sure to keep their medication readily accessible as well in times of emergency. To find out more about building your own emergency survival kit, visit the Ready.gov website for important tips.
3. Know Your Evacuation Routes
Another important part of learning how to prepare for a natural disaster is the location and types of evacuation routes in your area. This will vary slightly from area to area based on the types of disasters that occur. For example, in places like Florida where hurricanes are common, you will often see blue signs with a white hurricane logo that direct coastal communities to safer locations further inland.
For areas where tsunamis may occur, your best evacuation route will likely end in a location that is at a higher altitude to escape approaching water. No matter what the type of disaster is in your area, you should always have multiple evacuation routes to consider. This is particularly important in case your primary route is blocked for whatever reason.
4. Establish A Meeting Place
Now that you have an understanding of the importance of knowing your evacuation routes, you should also establish a safe meeting place for your family. The first meeting place you should create is the one located on your property for members of your family that were home during a natural disaster.
Common areas that people regularly use include street corners, community buildings like churches, and local convenience stores. For these types of meeting places, the most important thing is that they are within walking distance of your home that your family can reach quickly and easily.
You should also create a meeting place that is close to each evacuation route you selected in the previous step. These meeting places are to be used by family members that were separated during the disaster event. In the event you take separate evacuation routes, always have a contact method like texting or email via your cell phone to make sure everyone is okay.
5. Understand the Importance of Carrying Cash
The next thing to remember when learning how to prepare for a natural disaster is the importance of carrying cash. During a disaster event, it’s common for things like ATM machines to go offline. Stores and motels often lose the ability to process credit and debit card payments as well. With this in mind, you should always make sure to have some cash already pulled out to cover necessities like gas and to help pay for temporary housing.
6. Keep Your Car Fueled
Another important thing to remember is that you should always keep your car well stocked with fuel in the event of a natural disaster. Most experts recommend keeping your tank at three-quarters of a tank. It also helps if you keep a few gallons of fuel stored safely in your garage in an appropriate canister as well. Just be sure to replace this fuel approximately every three to five months to keep it fresh for emergency situations.
7. Know Your Shelter Locations
Our last and one of the most important tips to remember is that you should always familiarize yourself with the primary emergency shelter locations in your area. Common emergency shelter locations include schools, government buildings, and other reinforced structures. A great resource to check out is the Red Cross website for locations of shelters all across the United States. You should always attempt to contact a shelter in advance to make sure they still have occupancy before traveling there. It also helps to have a backup choice lined up in the event the shelter is at capacity as well.
By following the seven steps in our guide, you should be well on your way to understanding how to prepare for a natural disaster. Be sure to consult with your entire family when making your preparation plans to make sure everyone is on the same page. Once your plan is made, make sure to revisit it every six months to a year and make adjustments as needed. If you have any tips you’d like to share, feel free to post them in the comments section.