E. R. Munro and Company is proud to reprint this article, written by Peter P. Duncanson and published on August 17, 2017 in Property Casualty 360 News Flash. The article is long, so we’re going to break it down into three separate blog posts. If a disaster strikes where you live, would you be ready?
Disasters can strike with little or no warning, which means that adequate preparation is often the key to making it through one unharmed.
From having the necessary supplies on hand to making sure the entire household knows what steps to take in an emergency, proper planning isn’t necessarily difficult – but it is important.
Improve your readiness with the first of these easy-to-follow tips for disaster preparation in your home.
Create a family emergency plan
The midst of a disaster is no time to try and figure out how to react. Make preparations ahead of time so that everyone in your household knows what to do.
Here are the keys to putting together an effective family emergency plan:
- Know your risks. Depending on where you live, certain disaster risks will be more prevalent than others. How you should react will vary accordingly. Your preparedness plan should include a process for evacuating your home in advance of hurricanes, wildfires and other monitored risks, as well as what you would do if you need to shelter in place, like when a tornado is fast approaching.
- Secure your home. It can be hard to remember everything your house needs to stay protected during a storm. Make a list of all the areas you should inspect and secure before evacuating or sheltering in place, including your roof, windows, power and plumbing.
- Write it out. No matter what type of disasters you need to prepare for, document your plan and provide a copy to everyone in your household. Consider displaying your emergency plan where everyone can easily see it so that preparedness is always top of mind.
- Have a meeting spot. If you need to escape home quickly or find each other in the midst of a chaotic situation, make sure everyone knows where to go. Whether it’s a friend or family member’s house or a local storm shelter, everyone in your family should know where to meet if you get separated.
- Designate an outside contact. Have one person or family member who lives outside of your immediate area designated as the single point of contact in case you do get separated from your own family. Following a disaster, it may be easier to reach someone in an unaffected area. This person can help coordinate contact among the members of your household.
- Practice. Having a plan is only as good as your ability to use it. Conduct safety drills seasonally, especially if you have children, so that everyone can swing into action when it counts.
In tomorrow’s blog post (Aug. 18), we’ll discuss the importance of keeping an emergency disaster kit.
