Emergency Essential Preparedness Tips

Preparing for an emergency allows you to react quickly to a situation to ensure the safety of you, others around you and your personal property. An emergency plan and supplies can aid in lessening the confusion and chaos of an emergency with solid rehearsed plans and escape routes.

Emergency Plans

• Emergency plans are an essential part of being prepared in an emergency in your home, at school or work. Plans should be in place with your family and co-workers on how to react to emergency situations such as a natural disaster, personal accident, fire or flood. It is important for all occupants to know escape routes, meeting places and areas that are the safest to stay during a hurricane or tornado. Draw diagrams and post them on a refrigerator, bulletin board or in a place where everyone can see it.

Emergency Contacts and Documents

• Natural disasters, fires and floods are all types of emergencies that can destroy important documents. Having at least one copy of important items stored away from your home or office ensures the documents safety if the original gets ruined. Safe places to store documents include a fireproof lock box or safe deposit box at a bank.

Structure preparation

• Having your house prepared for an emergency keeps you safer and saves on costly repairs from damage. Keep fire extinguishers and smoke detectors in the kitchen, bedrooms and living areas in case of a fire. For residents in hurricane prone areas, it is essential to ensure your windows, doors and roof can withstand hurricane force winds. Keep trees trimmed to prevent dead limbs from becoming projectiles during high winds. Plywood can be used to place over windows in hurricanes to prevent the windows from blowing out.

Supplies

• An emergency supply kit is the most essential preparation item you can keep in your house. Your kit should include first aid items, a supply of prescription medicine, food, water and blankets. Emergency foods items include shelf stable foods such as canned goods, dried fruits and freeze-dried hiking food. An emergency supply of clothes allows you to get dry, warm or comfortable in many emergency situations. Check your emergency supply kit several times a year and replace expired and nearly out-of-date supplies.