Thankfully emergencies and disasters are infrequent! However, making some personal preparations for yourself and family members will bring you peace of mind, as well as helping you to make the best of a difficult situation if an emergency or disaster occurs. No one wants to be frantically searching for a flashlight or important personal records in an emergency. No one wants to be uncomfortable, and there are some simple steps you can take now to ensure safety and comfort.
Get together
Meet with family or housemates and create a plan for what to do if there’s an emergency. Discuss where you will meet, where you will store emergency supplies, and how to stay in contact with each other if some household members are not at home. Travel home from work could be challenging in the event of severe weather, for instance. We all get busy, and when things are going smoothly a disaster seems like a distant improbability, but it is best to review and practice your plan at least once a year. Get to know your neighbors so you can contact and help each other. Update contact information with your extended family and friends as long distance calls are sometimes easier to make when local phone service is overwhelmed. Include your auto and home insurance company phone numbers with other important paperwork and phone contacts.
Loved Ones with Special Needs
If there are special considerations such as a disabled or elderly family member, you may need extra help in moving or transporting your family member to a shelter. Is your local shelter accessible for someone with a disability? Does your family member require equipment which is run on electricity or take medication that requires refrigeration? If you have pets, you may need to prepare additional resources to ensure supplies and care in an emergency. You may need to bring your pet with you, or be able to have someone such as a neighbor care for your pet if you are unable to get home. If you own livestock such as horses or chickens you will need to make preparations and provide emergency food supplies for them too. Gather Supplies Pack a backpack or small rolling suitcase with basic necessities which include: • A change of clothes, a towel, and toiletries (believe us, they will be much appreciated!) • A supply of any regularly prescribed medications • First aid materials • High calorie energy bars • Bottled water • Cash • Copies of important personal and financial paperwork Store the backpack or suitcase in a convenient, easily accessible location. If you have pets you can pack them an emergency supply kit with food, bottled water, medications and vaccination records. A pet carrier or an extra leash are also helpful to have on hand. Find out where you and your pets can shelter in your community in the event you need to evacuate.
Get involved
Find out what services are available in your community such as shelters and free or low cost first aid courses. Review your current homeowner’s insurance policy to see if your insurance coverage is adequate. You may wish to have emergency information texted to your phone. Sign up at http://www.nyalert.gov/ Become a volunteer in the New York State Citizen Preparedness Corps which you can find more information about on the prepare.ny.gov website.
More Resources – and free stuff!
New York State is offering free disaster training events, and one of the perks is a free disaster preparedness kit for each family that registers and attends. For training locations and registration information please visit prepare.ny.gov. A great resource to help you prepare an action plan is nyc.gov. The website has a PDF you can print out that will help keep your important information organized. There are lots of other great websites that offer detailed information and lists to help you in preparing for an emergency or natural disaster too. Disasters can be scary. But knowing you are taking action and preparing will reduce your worries, help you to feel better, and enable you to meet the challenges of an emergency or disaster should one occur! Questions about low cost homeowners or renters insurance? Don’t hesitate to call the experts at Freeway Insurance at 866-422-2308! We’ll be glad to help you.