Emergencies show up unannounced, and a small unexpected incidence of that kind can shatter your life. Oftentimes, time is of the essence, and knowing what to do in the middle of such situations can make all the difference. A bit of preparedness can help you and your family to know exactly what to do in the off chance of an emergency, making it less inconveniencing or devastating.
One proven way to safeguard your family in the event of unforeseen situation is to set up a comprehensive family emergency plan, taking care of both natural calamities and man-made tragedies.
Apparently, there is a wide range of calamities that can befall your family at any time. While this makes it hard or literally impossible to cover all your bases, there are certain basic steps you can take to minimize the impact of disaster.
Start by putting together an emergency supply kit
We can never tell when the next tragedy will hit, but we know the things we cannot survive without. Clean water, food and warmth – these things are essential for survival. As a way to prepare for a possible emergency situation, it is important that you have these essentials on hand at all times.
Fresh water and food are the most vital, be sure to store at least a gallon for each family member and food supply enough to sustain them for at least three days.
Other items that are just as essential in the event of an emergency include battery-powered radio for communication, flashlight, first aid kit, extra batteries, whistle for signaling for help, dust mask for filtering air in case of contamination, moist towelettes, pliers or wrench for turning off utilities, manual can opener for canned food, working cell phone and local maps.
These, plus a list of important secondary items should make up your emergency kit.
Learn about the various types of emergencies that you can expect
The important thing is to know how to respond. The more you know of what to expect the more accurately you can be prepared to respond. Possible emergencies may vary with your location or occupation. Ensure you are informed about common emergencies and learn all you can about appropriate responses. If you can, take part in your community emergency preparedness programs, you will have first-hand access to information and will know all that can happen where you live.
Keep your family informed about the emergency plan
Chances are that everyone won’t be at the same place at the time of the emergency. Knowing what to do in various situations, how to contact one other, and where or how to get back together can save your family some avoidable frustration. Personal injury lawyers recommend the use of sample family emergency plans such as those available at ready.gov.
Possible emergencies may vary significantly depending on where you live. Some, such as man-induced calamities may also happen where there has been no likelihood of their occurrence. Nonetheless, you can sit with your family and deliberate on how to respond to common emergencies like fire, floods, adverse weather or any common hazards in your locality. With a good plan in place, you can be sure to save property and the lives of your family in case something unexpected happens.