How to Prepare for a Severe Weather Emergency

No matter where you live, you are likely to encounter a sever weather emergency at some point. The key to surviving and mitigating your damages is in how you prepare. To understand the basics of how to prepare for a severe weather emergency, this article will cover the generalities, not the specifics, of each particular type of emergency. If you know how to prepare for a severe weather emergency, you can have peace of mind, and be calm, in times of great stress.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. To prepare for severe weather emergency, there is nothing more important than knowledge. In particular, the knowledge of your area and what your risks might be. In preparing for severe weather emergency, nothing could possibly be more important than being forewarned. One of the best tools to warn you before an impending severe weather event is a NOAA weather radio. These radios are relatively inexpensive and can be programmed to give you warnings and watches only in your immediate area. These radios are usually equipped with an alarm that will warn you when there is information about a severe weather event. Of course, it would be even more prudent to occasionally check the news and learn what types of weather systems may be moving into your area.

2. Have a plan. In any type of emergency, confusion, or even panic could set in. The best way to avoid this is to have a plan and follow it. Again, dependent upon where you live, these plans will obviously vary. The plan for someone living in Tornado Alley will be different from somebody living in a hurricane area such as Florida. However, you still need to plan your escape routes, your safe places, your fallout shelter, and your communications. Devise your plan, write it down, and share it with your family. Perform emergency drills with your family.

3. Have an emergency kit. This could be as simple as a small plastic box with a little water, a transistor radio, and a small amount of food. All the way to evacuation kit that includes cash, blankets, identifications, and food and water for several days. In your emergency kit, do not forget about such things as prescriptions, maybe a spare pair of glasses if you need them. If you have pets, do not forget about leashes, a kennel, and food. Include in your emergency kit, basic first aid equipment. Bundle all these items together and know where they are. Do not forget to refresh your food and water items once every six months, put this on your calendar.

4. Maybe it goes back to the old Boy Scout motto; Be Prepared. There is a lot of wisdom in those two words. If you have knowledge, plan, and prepare, not only will you reduce your stress during an emergency, you will enhance your safety, and the safety of those that you love.

Resources

• F.E.M.A.

[sonni57]

on 7/29/2009 Thanks for the good advice on weather emergencies I'm in tornado country.