By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail. Infamous words from Benjamin Franklin and the rule of thumb in disaster preparedness. Having a plan, one that everyone in your household knows and understands, is one of the most important things you can do for your family.
It’s not about how simple or elaborate it is, the critical part is to simply have one. Take a tornado for example: A common occurrence in the midwest springtime it’s not unusual for a tornado to form and touch down in the middle of the night. Think about waking up to a twister coming through your neighborhood like a freight train at 3 AM — not the best time to make a plan. But it is an excellent time to execute the plan you have already made and practiced.
Here are some key points to consider when creating yours:
FEMA suggests that every household have an easy-to-carry bundle of supplies like water, food and medications to last at least three days. In addition to one in your home, you may want to keep an emergency kit in your car, because you never know when disaster might strike. Here is a list of items to include in your kit.
There are some places you absolutely should not be in the event of severe weather. For instance, If you live in a mobile home you should leave and take shelter in a sturdier building. If you happen to be driving during a disaster locate a truck stop or some other well-built structure such as a highway underpass.
Practice for the worst-case scenario. Run drills at home so you aren’t stuck figuring things out in the middle of an actual disaster.
Identify responsibilities for each member of your household and determine how you will work together as a team.
The Red Cross advises practicing evacuating your home twice a year. Grab your emergency kit, just like you will in a real emergency, then drive your planned evacuation route. Plot alternate routes on your map in case roads are impassable. Make sure you have locations and maps saved on devices, GPS units, and on paper.
Plan ahead for your pets. Keep a phone list of pet-friendly hotels/motels and animal shelters that are along your evacuation routes. Remember, if it’s not safe for you to stay home, it’s not safe for your pets either.
Eventually, after the imminent danger passes, you’ll want to assess the damage to your home and property. If you have a claim you’ll also want to contact your Snyder Insurance Representative. This is what we’re trained to do — walk you through the claim process, answer any questions, and in general be a friendly voice on the other side of the phone.
