Emergencies and disasters strike unexpectedly and wreak chaos in your life. Though you can rarely control or prevent disasters, you can certainly plan ahead to be prepared for these emergencies. Even a small amount of preparation can help reduce your losses from disasters.
Emergency Preparedness
The University of Florida IFAS Web site provides an excellent online manual about preparing for and recovering from emergencies and disasters at ।ifas.ufl.edu/default.htm">http://disaster।ifas.ufl.edu/default.htm.
Here are some relevant tips:
- Develop an emergency plan with your family. Decide in advance what you will do, how you will communicate, and how you will find one another in the case of an emergency.
- Stock emergency supplies. Even a modest storm can cause temporary power outages and cut off power to your home. Stock important supplies, including a three-day supply of water and non-perishable food.
- Keep a first aid kit in a convenient location. Store it in a convenient place in your home (in the bathroom or kitchen) and make sure everyone knows where it is located.
- Post emergency phone numbers near all phones. Print emergency phone numbers for the police, fire department, doctor, pharmacist, hospital emergency room, and nearby relatives or neighbors. Train everyone in the family to use these numbers in case of an emergency. Remember to place your emergency numbers into your cell phone, especially if you are not able to access your land line.
- Keep an up-to-date inventory of household possessions. In order to recover from a disaster, it’s important to have a thorough household inventory, including descriptions of your possessions, serial numbers, proof of your purchases, and photos, if possible.
- Protect valuable household records. Keep your important household documents in a locked, fireproof and waterproof safe to prevent them from being destroyed in a disaster.
- Maintain adequate insurance coverage. Before you experience any loss, review your insurance policies to make sure you understand your coverage. Ideally, you want to ensure that you have enough insurance to cover the cost of rebuilding or replacing your home. Look at your policy at least once each year to ensure that your coverage goes up with any increases in your home’s value.
