Natural disasters, such as tornadoes, earthquakes, and hurricanes, happen around the world throughout the year. Some have no initial warning signs, and others can be so devastating that families are torn apart. Protecting your family means being prepared.
Here are four tips for family disaster preparedness to make sure you’re all ready when the unthinkable strikes.
Know the Likely Disasters
You’ve seen the disaster movies where volcanoes, earthquakes, and tsunamis all hit at the same time. There are high chances that not everything will happen at the same time. Some areas will only get one or two types of disasters.
Know the type that your area is more likely to face. Are you on a fault line? Maybe you’re by the sea or in an area that suffers regularly from storms and hurricanes. Are you in an area that usually gets a lot of flooding?
By being aware, you know more about the next steps in family disaster preparedness you need to take.
Create Your Evacuation Plan
You need to have a plan in place to be prepared. This isn’t just about where you will go in the event of a natural disaster, but how you will get there. The plan may be different depending on the type of disaster that could hit or where you are at the time of the day.
Have a room in your home for everyone to get to if you are there. Think about where your family will go if they are at school or work. Make sure your children know where you will be should disaster strike. It will help them stay calm, knowing that they’ll be able to get back to you if you are separated.
Part of your evacuation plan will need to include ways of contact. There are chances that cell phone signal will be down immediately after the event, so what other option do you have? Decide on a meet-up spot so you can all be accounted for. If you do have phone and Wi-Fi signal, you could all have the Family Orbit location app to make sure you can find each other in the aftermath.
Make Sure Everyone Knows the Warnings
Some natural disasters do have warning signs. For example, radio and TV stations will set up alerts, or you can have them pinged to phones.
Make sure your kids know about the warnings and what they mean. Help them understand the difference between advisories and warnings, and when they need to get somewhere. Help them learn the signs in the skies, and directions to go if they see anything of concern.
By knowing the signs, your kids are more likely to act in enough time.
Have a Bag of Essentials Ready
Family disaster preparedness means having something ready to grab and go. You may lose everything in the disaster, so you need basics. Have bottles of water, some non-perishable food, and some clothes in a bag.
Make sure your kids know where their bag is, so they can quickly grab and go if they need to. Ensure that they know this bag is only for emergencies, and shouldn’t be touched otherwise.
You’ll only need an emergency bag. Have enough to last you around 72 hours after the event. Don’t forget a first aid kit, and make sure your kids know how to do the basics.
Don’t leave it all too late. Don’t be in a panic when a disaster does strike. Be prepared, and make sure your kids are ready. Download family safety app now so you’re ready just in case.
