Tips for Disaster Preparedness

by Barbara Latta

It’s that time of year when hurricane warnings dominate the news. Florence is wreaking

Tips for disaster preparedness

havoc on the Carolina coast and no one knows which way she will go from there. Thousands are without power and flooding is rampant.

Disasters happen every year in all parts of the world. Wildfires, earthquakes, tornadoes and flooding can occur anytime. Being caught unaware or unprepared can leave you and your family without the necessary provision for life.

In the event of a disaster that does not require leaving the home, we could be living for days or weeks without electricity. Pre-planning can avoid scarcity and empty shelves. If homes do not have electrical power, neither will the stores, banks, ATM’s or gas stations.

The following tips for disaster preparedness can save a lot of complications and maybe save lives:

• Store a supply of bottled water. Calculate how much is needed for the entire family, including pets, for at least one month. If there is time before the disaster strikes, fill bathtubs with water in the event water lines become contaminated. At least then there will be a supply of water for washing clothes, dishes or yourself.
• Keep vehicle as full of fuel as possible at all times. If the entire community is evacuating, gas lines require long waits. Also, if there is no power, gas pumps will not work.
• Put a first aid kit in vehicles along with flashlights, a blanket or two, and a small compressor for low tires.
• Try to keep an amount of cash on hand in a safe, but easily accessible place. If ATM’s don’t work, neither will credit card machines in stores.
• Pre-packaged food in sealed containers is available for purchase at many outlets. Buying a few month’s supply of this type of nourishment can provide what is needed in the event stores are over-run with a stampede of panicky people. These packages only require adding water and could be prepared on an outdoor grill or campfire.
• Keep fuel levels as high as possible in propane tanks for grills.
• Propane lanterns can last longer than candles and produce brighter light.
• Buy a generator.
• Refill medications as often as possible to have extra supplies available.
• Pack a container such as a large plastic foot locker and keep important papers such as passports, birth certificates and other irreplaceable or hard to replace items inside. Pack extra medications, water, food, flashlights, and medical kits. The entire container could then be picked up and taken in the event of evacuation.

We never know what awaits us in the future and proper planning can save us a lot of headaches and pain. Most of the time we do not think of having emergency items stored away until it is too late to do so.

What other tips could you share for disaster preparedness? Share your thoughts. 

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