HELPFUL HINTS TO STAY SAFE DURING TIMES OF DISASTER
Natural disasters typically impact the United States during summer months, but your disaster preparedness plan should be something you practice all year long. Below are a few tips to help you prepare if a disaster happens to impact your area.
10 Tips to help with Disaster Preparedness:
1. Create an emergency plan: Develop a detailed plan with your family or household members. Identify meeting points, communication methods, and evacuation routes in case of an emergency.
2. Assemble an emergency kit: Prepare a well-stocked emergency kit that includes essential supplies such as non-perishable food, water, flashlights, batteries, a first aid kit, a battery-powered radio, medications, and important documents.
3. Stay informed: Keep yourself updated about potential hazards and emergency situations in your area. Sign up for local emergency alerts and have a battery-powered radio or smartphone app to receive updates.
4. Secure your home: Identify and address potential vulnerabilities in your home. Secure heavy furniture, secure or reinforce windows and doors, and consider installing storm shutters or impact-resistant windows if you live in an area prone to hurricanes or strong winds.
5. Develop communication plans: Establish an out-of-town contact person whom family members can reach to provide updates and check on each other’s safety. Also, have a designated meeting place if you are separated during an emergency.
6. Learn basic first aid and CPR: Take a first aid and CPR course to be prepared to provide assistance in case of injuries or medical emergencies.
7. Practice evacuation drills: Regularly practice evacuation drills with your family so that everyone knows what to do and where to go in case of an evacuation.
8. Backup important data: Keep digital copies of important documents, such as identification cards, insurance policies, and medical records, and store them securely in the cloud or on a portable drive.
9. Maintain emergency supplies: Regularly check and replace expired items in your emergency kit. Also, keep a stock of necessary medications and consider rotating your food and water supplies periodically.
10. Be a good neighbor: Build strong relationships with your neighbors and community. In times of disaster, being able to rely on and support each other can make a significant difference.
Remember, preparedness is key, and these tips can help you and your loved ones be more resilient in the face of emergencies. Adapt these suggestions to suit your specific location and the types of disasters that are common in your area. Depending on the severity of the weather event, ToolBank USA may deploy our Disaster Services trailers of tools to aid in the recovery efforts. Follow our social media channels to learn more about our deployments and activity during times of disasters.
