How to Prepare for an Emergency

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We are at the height of tornado season and this can be a very scary time for people.  Though tornados have proven their potency for destruction time and time again, you can keep your family safe and sustain some piece of mind by coming up with an emergency plan. In this article I have provided you with 5 key tips to helping you prepare for an emergency such as a tornado as well as links to other sources with even more emergency preparedness tips.

Identify a Safe Place

The first thing that you must do to develop an emergency preparedness plan is to identify the places and routes which will get you out of harm’s way quickly. During a storm, you want to find the lowest level in the building. If there is no level lower than the first, find the most interior room of the floor as far away from windows and doors as possible. Closets, hallways interior stairwells work best. Map out two escape routes from each room of your house in event of a fire and write down each of these routes. Make sure everyone in your family is aware of your emergency plans and if you have small children, it is not a bad idea to have drills so they will get familiar with the family emergency plan.

Prepare an Emergency Supply Kit

You should keep enough supplies at home to meet the needs of you and your family for at least 3 days.  This includes water, dry food, dry clothes, battery powered radio, flashlight with extra batteries and a first aid kit.  If you purchase these items in small quantities at a time and stow them away for use solely in an emergency, it need not be expensive and you need not encounter the crowds that descend upon retail stores in the days and hours before a disaster strikes. Make sure your emergency supplies include a crank radio. Even though we have a great deal of devices that work to get news during a disaster, these all are battery operated and may not last the duration of the emergency.

Establish and Communicate a “Safety Plan”

Having a plan set in place is the best way to avert disaster in times of crisis.  First, have a family meeting so everyone is on the same page.  Establish the best escape routes from your home and pick a place to meet after everyone is out of harm’s way.  If you have small children, make sure they know how to spell their last name, an adult’s contact phone number, and how to dial 9-1-1 in case they become separated.  Mark your calendars to review your plan every six months.

Draft and Maintain a Will

Though many people may find the idea of drafting and discussing their living will and testament a little uneasy, it is very important to have one to prepare for the worst case scenario. If you or your spouse perish in an emergency, having a will will make sure your family is secure after you are gone. If you do not have a will, contact a lawyer immediately to prepare drafting one.

Be Able to Adapt

We may think that if we have a set plan, then we will be ready for any emergency that comes our way. Having a plan will be EXTREMELY beneficial to you and your family during a crisis, but you must always be able to adapt during times of crises. Having a second, third or even fourth back up plan will help your family not become stagnant during a disaster and know the safest plan of action no matter the situation.

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Many of us have heard of the devastating effects of tornadoes and storms over the past few years. And though the financial damage has been devastating in the affected areas of these storms, many lives were saved due to the preparedness of the citizens of these locales.  To learn more about how you can keep your family safe during a disaster, click the following links.

http://dmh.mo.gov/docs/diroffice/disaster/30Tips.pdf

http://tlc.howstuffworks.com/home/how-to-prepare-for-a-tornado.htm

http://med.stanford.edu/somsafety/forms/EP_Home.pdf