Pack an emergency preparedness kit
Having an emergency preparedness kit on hand may help you keep your family safe during a disaster. Store supplies in a large waterproof container near a door or in your garage so you can grab it and find shelter quickly. Ready.gov recommends you have at least three days' worth of food, water and medications on hand. They also provide a list of items to include in your disaster kit:
- Drinking water (at least one gallon per person per day)
- Nonperishable food, such as canned veggies and protein bars
- Manual can opener
- Flashlights or portable lanterns and extra batteries
- First aid kit
- A crank- or battery-powered radio
- Sanitation supplies: toilet paper, moist towelettes, soap, trash bags and disinfectants
- Local maps
Depending on your situation, your kit might also include:
- Baby food, bottles and diapers
- Pet food
- Prescription medications
- Extra eyeglasses or contact lenses and solution
- Dry clothing and blankets
Create and practice a disaster plan
Your family needs a clearly outlined plan to follow that helps keep everyone safe during a natural disaster or an evacuation. According to Ready.gov, the four primary factors that your plan should account for include:
- Where to shelter
- A route for evacuation
- Getting emergency alerts and warnings
- Family communication
As you're creating your disaster plan, keep the following preparation elements in mind:
- Sign up for severe weather alerts in your area.
- Program emergency numbers into your phone.
- Decide on a meeting place for your family to gather.
- Plan escape routes from your home and neighborhood. Remember, roads could be blocked in large-scale disasters. Have at least one alternate route — or more if possible.
- Be sure all adult and teenage family members know how to shut off gas, electric and water lines if there's a leak or electrical short. Keep the necessary tools easily accessible, and make sure everyone knows where these are.
- Consider learning CPR and first aid training.
- Remember your pets. Bring dogs and cats inside during a catastrophe or make a plan for how you'll evacuate with them. Make sure they have ID tags.
Listen to local officials
Local governments have systems in place to help area residents learn about impending or occurring disasters. The timely information these entities provide can help you understand what threats are present and know when it's necessary to evacuate.
Sign up for alerts from local and national organizations to get the information you need. These may include text messages about urgent situations. You'll also see and hear written and spoken messages via cable TV and phone calls. In addition, you can tune into NOAA Weather Radio, which broadcasts weather-hazard information and safety alerts 24/7.
Remember that the groups that provide these messages are experts. Respect their warnings, and follow their guidance as closely as possible for your own safety.
Manage the details
Take note of your insurance policy numbers, and keep this information in a safe place that's easy to access. You'll want the numbers for your vehicle, home and any other relevant policies you've purchased relating to things that might get damaged during a disaster. It's also a wise idea to have your insurance company's claims department phone number on hand in case you need to start the process right away
As you're starting to prep, download your insurance company's app if it has one. These programs are convenient and let you do things like pay bills at the touch of a button. However, you can also initiate a claim and check on its status via the app. This is a convenient way to take action and move forward in the wake of a disaster.
While storing your insurance information in your phone and computer is a good start, your electronics' batteries may run down during a catastrophic event. Keep hard copies of this information in your wallet, in your glove box and even at your office or a relative's home in case you're unable to retrieve them from your own house but need to make a call.
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Create a plan with your family, figuring out what to do in the event of a disaster. Make sure everyone knows their role and the plan — then have drills, practicing so you're all comfortable with who does what.
The best-laid plans can help keep you and your family safe. And the right homeowners insurance policy can keep your residence protected after a disaster or other covered event. Contact your local Nationwide agent today to discuss coverage levels and options.
Disaster can strike at any time. And since we can’t always determine when or where an emergency will happen, you and your family must be prepared.
Unfortunately, according to FEMA, nearly 60% of American adults have not practiced what to do in a disaster and only 39% have developed an emergency plan.
It’s vital for your family to know how to respond to any situation, and a great tool is a home emergency plan. A home emergency plan can keep your family members on the same page, help you reach safety and minimize panic and chaos.
To help you get started, here are our top tips for creating a home emergency plan.
1. Consider your unique needs.
Where you live and the specific needs of your family members are major factors to consider in your home emergency plan. Know what natural disasters could occur in your area and how best to prepare for emergencies like hurricanes, severe flooding, volcanoes or tornadoes.
In addition, determine if you need to make special accommodations for certain family members, such as senior citizens, family members with disabilities, infants and young children. You should also take into account medical and dietary needs of all members of your household.
2. Make a disaster supplies kit.
A disaster supplies kit is a great way to have everything you need in one place so you can quickly evacuate. Ideally, your kit should fit in one or two easy-to-carry bags and should contain items to help you survive on your own for at least 72 hours. The Department of Homeland Security recommends that you include these items in your disaster supply kit.
Once a year, review what’s in your emergency kit. Replace expired items and update what you’re bringing along as your family’s needs change.
3. Know where to go.
Every emergency is different, so your safe space will vary by situation. First, find safe places in your home for every situation where you would need to take shelter, like an earthquake or tornado. Second, find a meeting spot right outside your home in case of a fire or other sudden emergency. Third, determine where you would go if you were asked to evacuate or could not return home, and plan the route you would take to get there.
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4. Stay connected.
Create a family communication plan. The plan should include information on how you will receive local emergency alerts (radio, TV, text, etc.), as well as information on how to keep in contact with each other.
Make sure all family members have emergency phone numbers saved in their cell phone and written on a contact card. Include numbers for each family member, the police station, a nearby hospital and an out-of-area emergency contact.
It may be easier to reach someone out of town if there is an emergency affecting your neighborhood, so it is wise to designate an out-of-area contact. Instruct all family members to keep in touch with this emergency contact to let them know that they are safe.
In addition, if there is a disaster in your area, you can mark yourself safe on Facebook or register on the American Red Cross Safe and Well website so your loved ones know that you’re okay.
5. Protect your pets.
When planning for an emergency, don’t forget about your pets! Create a list of pet-friendly hotels and animal shelters along your evacuation route. Also, remember to include items for your pet in your disaster kit.
6. Write it down and practice.
Make sure you get your emergency plan down on paper with detailed instructions for each situation. How you react to a tornado will be very different than how you react to an evacuation, so you must have a plan for each one. Plus, there are many online resources to help you document your plan, like this form from the American Red Cross.
Practice your plans twice a year. For evacuation drills, you should even grab your emergency kit and drive to your evacuation route.
7. Review your insurance.
Before a disaster strikes, it is smart to review your insurance policy with your agent to make sure you have the right coverage for risks in your area. For instance, a standard home policy typically doesn’t include protections like flood insurance or earthquake coverage. You also should make sure you know how to file a claim, if necessary, whether through your carrier’s loss reporting phone line or website, or through your agent.
While you may not know when a disaster will strike, with a home emergency plan, you can rest easy and know that your family is prepared for whatever comes your way.
This article is for informational and suggestion purposes only. To learn more about Grange’s auto, home, life and business insurance, speak with your local independent agent. If the policy coverage descriptions in this article conflict with the language in the policy, the language in the policy applies.
References:
- American Red Cross
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- Department of Homeland Security
- Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)