Disaster Planning for Your Family

With so many natural disasters hitting the news on a way to regular basis, my husband and I have started talking about a small Family Disaster Plan.

Will we be ready if we suddenly had to leave the house?
Do we know where all our paper work is?
Do we have enough food and water to sustain our family if we were stuck in the house for 72 hours?
Do our children know what to do if we were ever separated?

The answer is no! Not yet! However, we should all be looking into this at least on a minimal basis.

Planning ahead for disaster could save all of our lives.

Step 1: Have a family strategy. Everyone should know where everything is and where you will meet if you are separated.

Step 2: You need vital supplies like water, an emergency kit, food, radio, flashlights and first aid kit containing your daily medication, i.e. inhaler pumps for asthma or heart pills.

Step 4: Know your escape routes. How will you get out of your house if there is a fire. What are the shortcuts out of your town, etc.

Step 5: Have your paperwork in order. Know where your insurance coverage is and make sure it will cover your loss.

Step 6: Get a safety deposit box and use it. Keep your important documents like marriage and birth certificates, insurance policies, etc., safe guarded.

Step 7: Make a home inventory including video and photos of your belongings.

I hope and pray we never need to use the steps above but will feel so much better if these are in place.

For additional resources visit:
NY.GOV Office of Emergency Management

FEMA
Disaster Plan
Pep-C

Want someone to do the work for you? Head over to Ready, Set Go Kits.
They have kits starting at $69.99.
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