How to Be Prepared for Emergencies

Disasters happen every day. With the recent wildfires in California, flooding in the Southwest, and other catastrophes, everyone needs to be prepared for an emergency. So, what do you need to know to prepare your family, pets and home for the worst?

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Get an emergency supply kit. You can purchase an emergency kit through the American Red Cross or put one together yourself. The kit should include bottled water, food (such as peanut butter and protein bars), a battery-powered radio, and food for your pets (if applicable). If you are elderly, you should consider including a supply of medications, extra eyeglasses and copies of your prescriptions and insurance cards. Store the emergency kit in a location that is easy to access.

2. Make a family emergency plan. Often, family members may be separated during an emergency. Determine a family member or friend that lives in a different city to be your family's "check in" point. As your family reaches safety, they can contact this individual to give their location, phone number and condition. The check in person can then keep track of where everyone is and help to get the family back together as soon as possible.

3. Include your pets in any evacuation plans. Arrange for their care or make room for them in the car! If disaster strikes fast, cats and dogs do have great instincts and would do better running free than crated or tied up inside or outside (don't forget Hurricane Katrina!).

4. Keep important papers in a fire proof storage box or in another location entirely (such as a safety deposit box). Be sure to store insurance papers, birth certificates, banking information and other important documents to be retrieved if necessary.

5. Special note to the elderly: create a personal support network if you feel you might require special assistance during an emergency. Talk with your family, friends and neighbors to let them know what medicines you need as well as physical limitations you may have.

Tips & Warnings

• Finally, to learn about different types of emergencies (floods, earthquakes, winter storms, fires and terrorist threats), go to the Ready government website (see Resources below). You can also learn about emergency plans that your state and local governments have in place.
• For more information about emergency preparedness and to purchase an emergency kit, visit redcross.org.

Resources

• Visit Ready.gov.

[MrBB]

on 3/1/2008 These are all very good points. Other important information to keep in a safety deposit box is written phone numbers and email addresses of friends and family. If a Katrina style disaster happened in your area then you wouldn't be able to sign onto the Internet and access your address list.