Do you have a plan if a disaster occurs? Does your family have a crisis plan? Do you have all the supplies you need? Learn more about what you may need for your emergency kit.
September is National Preparedness Month, which is a great time to take stock of your property, emergency supplies, and contingency plans in case of a disaster.
Fires, power outages, severe weather, and natural disasters transpire across the country. Having a plan prepared with your household is the best way to lessen some of the possible devastation.
Identify Your Risks
Home Fires
Fires are one of the most common risks in your home. Fires can become deadly in two minutes, and a residence can be immersed in flames within five minutes. According to Ready.gov, asphyxiation is the leading cause of fire deaths, exceeding burns by a 3-to-1 ratio.
The safest method to battle a fire is not to allow one to start in the first place. Instead, be vigilant for potential causes, like frayed wires, portable space heaters, cooking, fireplaces, and lit candles.
Power Outages
As a society, we rely heavily on electricity to power our lives. Therefore, extended power outages may impact the whole community and the economy, including communications, water, grocery stores, and gas stations.
However, a lack of power at your home will affect your electric kitchen appliances, specifically the refrigerator and freezer. If there is no backup power generator to help keep these appliances running, keep your refrigerator and freezer closed to maintain the existing temperature and extend the life of your perishables.
Severe Weather
Severe weather occurs all over the US. Severe weather can include hazardous conditions produced by thunderstorms, such as damaging winds, tornadoes, large hail, flooding, and winter storms associated with freezing rain, sleet, snow, and strong winds. Understand the type of hazardous weather that affects you and your family where you live.
Natural Disasters
Natural disasters, like earthquakes, landslides, and wildfires, can occur suddenly and without much advance notice. Therefore, recognizing warnings and alerts for common natural disasters in your area and know what to do in each situation.
Develop a Plan
Step 1: Begin putting an emergency plan together by discussing the topics below with your family, friends, and/or household.
- How will I receive emergency alerts and warnings?
- What is my shelter-in-place strategy?
- What is my evacuation route?
- What is my family/household communication plan?
- Do I need to update my emergency preparedness kit?
- Check with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and update my emergency strategies accordingly.
Step 2: Consider your household’s unique needs.
Adapt your methods and supplies to your specific requirements and responsibilities as you prepare your plan. Discuss your needs and duties and how people in the network can assist one another with communication, children, businesses, pets, or other specific needs like operating medical equipment. When developing your plan, keep in mind some of these factors:
- Different ages of members within your household
- Responsibilities for assisting others
- Locations frequented
- Dietary needs
- Medical needs, including prescriptions and equipment
- Disabilities or access and functional needs, including devices and equipment
- Languages spoken
- Cultural and religious considerations
- Pets or service animals
- Households with school-aged children
Step 3: Fill out and practice a family emergency plan.
Take Action
Equip your household with an emergency kit that is refreshed regularly. Here are a few recommended supplies that may come in handy for many of the crises addressed:
- First aid kits
- Hand sanitizer
- Disinfecting wipes
- Generators
- Smoke/carbon monoxide detectors
- Masks/respirators
- Flashlights
- Safety glasses
- Batteries
- Leather gloves
- Blankets
What Next?
Identify risks, develop plans, get supplies, and regularly practice your plans for emergencies. Additional information to help you prepare can be found at Ready.gov, maintained by the Department of Homeland Security.
Start building your emergency kit with supplies from ISC Sales. Just visit ISC customer service or call (877) 832-4194 to place your order today!
