Posted June 18, 2008
June 1st, 2008 marked the official start of the Florida hurricane season. Thus, it’s time to review your emergency preparedness. Having a Disaster Plan and a Disaster Supply Kit ready will go a long way toward helping you and your family remain safe during any serious incident, hurricane or otherwise.
First of all, let's be relistic. Hurricanes affect Florida, in any substantial way, only very infrequently. Nonethelss, it's always better to be prepared than caught
unprepared should you ever be faced with any kind of emergency situation whether it be a hurricane, tornado, flood or whatever...
Included here are the steps you need to take to assure that your family is ready for any serious natural disaster or other incident regardless of where you live; in Florida or elsewhere.
# 1. Create and Maintain a Family Disaster Plan
A family disaster plan includes a checklist of things to do before, during and after a natural disaster if you live in a vulnerable area. It includes important skills, items, and information that will help you survive the storm in good shape.
Learn about how is your home is most vulnerable ? Think of ways you can reduce each such risk.
our standard homeowner’s insurance won't usually cover flood damage, so check your current policy and consider a separate flood policy if you live in a vulnerable area.
Even if you are not in a vulnerable area, ask your insurance company what actua llyis covered if water enters your home from a roof
or broken window.
Find nd take a Red Cross or other class on first aid, CPR, and disaster preparedness. Take members of your family with you if possible
Decide upon the safest room or area in your home. That would normally be an interior room without windows and designate this as your safe room,
where your family will go to and stay during a storm.
Choose a location outside but close to your home as a gathering place where all members of your family will meet
if you are separated during the storm.
Develop a map of an escape route from your home in case you have to evacuate -- a route to a primary emergency location and also to a secondary one. Friends or relatives that live outside your area are best as both primary and secondary locations.
Decide how you'll care for your pets if you have to evacuate. Make sure your primary and secondary escape locations will allow your pet(s) to stay with you. Your family will do much better in an emergency situation if they have their beloved pets with them for comfort.
Designate a friend or a relative who lives somewhere other than in you own area as a contact person, and plan at least two ways to contact that person.
Make up a disaster supply kit stocked with all the items you will likely need during a hurricane or other emergency situation. (See below).
If a hurricane watch is issued, make sure your disaster supply kit is well-stocked and easily accessible before or, even better, even after a storm.
Discuss all of the above with your family and make sure everyone knows what to do during an emergency situation.
# 2. Check your Disaster Supply Kit
A disaster supply kit is something you must have while hoping you never have to use it. The kit should contain items you will need if a
storm hits your area and does enough damage to cut off your electricity or temporarily isolate you and your family from the outside world. This kit is all you can count on having
available to you if the storm hits your area and you either didn't or couldn't evacuate.
It is important to make sure that everything you put into the kit stays there. Don’t be tempted to remove items from the kit and use them
for everyday life when you run short of something. It's just too easy to forget to replace items you remove from the kit during non-emergency times
Your kit should include at least the following
- At least a gallon of water member of your family per day, with enough for at least 4 days (more if possible).
- Enough food for 3 - 7 days. Canned, dehydrated, or other non-perishable food items ae preferable. Don't forget implements including a can opener, plastic utensils and paper plates.
If you want to be able to cook food, you’ll also need to include some form of grill or other cooking equipment and fuel.
- Pet care items for your pets, including food and extra water, a leash for dogs, and a cage or carrier for smaller pets.
- A good first-aid kit, toiletries, and personal care items. Add any prescription drugs you take regularly to the kit whenever a hurricane or tornado watch has been issued.
- Blankets, pillows, and clothing (including cold and wet-weather clothing).
- Battery-operated flashlights and radio, and spare batteries. Remember that things like batteries will need to be replaced periodically to assure that the ones included will work when needed.
- If you have children, include books, toys, and games to keep yourself and them occupied during the emergency.
- Copies of important documents, including insurance policies, social security & bank account numbers, wedding and birth certificates secured in a waterproof pouch.
- Samll tools (battery or hand-operated only), such as a hammer, screwdriver, pliers, hatchet, etc and if practical emergency repair items, such as sheets of heavy plastic which may allow you to do some repairs, or at least, protect your home once you return.
Once you’ve assembled the kit items, store them in water-tight bags or boxes in a secure location (preferably in your designated safe room).
Make sure your family knows what the kit is for, where it’s located, and not to remove anything from it under any circumstances.
# 3. When a Hurricane Watch is Issued
If a hurricane watch is issued, you’ll take slightly different actions depending on whether or not you need to evacuate. In either situation, your first priority will be grabbing your
disaster supply kit and gathering your family together.
Notify your designated contact person about the hurricane watch and tell them how you'll attempt to contact them if the storm actually hits.
Fill your car’s tank with gas
Get and some cash (ATMs and gas pumps will not work if the electricity is off).
Prepare your pets according to your disaster plan.
Notify the primary and secondary emergency locations you plan to go to if you are evacuated that you may be coming. Make hotel reservations now,
if that is appropriate in your case. You can almost always cancel such reservtions as late as 6 PM on the night you're expected to arrive, if the storm
doesn't strike.
# 4. If you are evacuated
If you are ordered to evacuate, be patient and do things in an orderly fashion, but its better to leave early rather than late when traffic congestion may make escape impossible.
Go to the primary destination you specified in your Disaster Plan. If that’s not possible, go to the secondary location you specified, -- hopefully a second friend or relative further away from the affected storm area.
If its affordable, your secondary location might be a hotel or motel. Dsaster shelters set up by various rescue and recovery teams are usually relativly uncomfortable for families and many will not
accept pets.
Your remaining as calm as possible will make the process much less stressful on the members of your family.
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