Top 10 Ways to be Prepared during Natural Disasters

Hurricane Sandy just hit major places in the United States, and it has even caused so much flooding, and threats to the people and their properties. Who would have thought that the greatest and busiest city in the world, New York City will experience a heavy downpour of rain that result to stoppage of work, and the rest just stayed at home to keep themselves alive. It has killed more than 30 people already, and left damages in some buildings and assets. Some people who have survived and who have suffered a near death experience will never forget this kind of blow in their lives. To those who watched the news on television, seen it posted in different social networking sites online, and have heard it from their friends should have learned a lesson by merely observing and listening. You don’t need to be in their position before you make a move, and make necessary preparations whenever natural disaster occurs. It is true that you can’t control it, but you could learn on these top 10 ways to be prepared during natural disasters. You should have a disaster plan instead of leaving yourself in the middle exigency or emergency, and you find yourself helpless because you are framed to face that extreme situation.






10. Keep Yourself Informed About Latest Updates

Keep yourself updated about latest news on television, news, and by taking advantage the social media accounts where you could get first hand information. You don’t just watch news or hear current announcement from radio commentators when the disaster is already at hand. You do it in a regular manner. Include it in your daily routine just like the regular activities that you do everyday like eating, sleeping, and doing important activities; make it a habit to know about the things which are concerned about your safety and security. Hence, you don’t need to a news guardian or bearer in order to avoid frantic movements, but it will aid you and the rest of your loved ones when there are warnings that will be issued by officials in local areas and in national scope. It will serve as your guide if you need to evacuate in your place before hand, or inform a member of your family who is not living with you so they can be warned as well.

9. Secure Important Documents before Hand        

When natural disasters strike, we tend to resort in a frantic and panic mode where we don’t know what important things to secure, who to call to, and how to move. This is a common scenario of individuals and families who have not been prepared to face any catastrophic events. Based on the experiences of those people who underwent this kind of distress have wished that they have done this and that, but in reality, all were just vain words, and they cannot get back the time that they would be placed again in that situation and know what to do. Some of the important things that people cried about when these things happened are their important memories like old photographs, albums, birth certificates, and other important documents that vanished in a wink of an eye. Make sure that you have a secured storage, and not just a simple envelope. Since they are important, you have to secure them in a box which it cannot be ruined by flood, and it can be brought anywhere once that hard knock situation comes.

8. Write down Emergency Contact Numbers

Even if you have a high-end type of mobile phone, but if you cannot use it to call the right numbers to help you in times of crisis, it has not served you right, it becomes nothing to you. Of course aside from your spouse, family members, and friends who are saved in your phone book, you also need to include and set them as important numbers to call to when you need an emergency response. Aside from storing them to your mobile phone, you have to write them down in a paper and place them to a place where you can see them right away so you could get the needed assistance. It should include numbers from nearby police station, fire station, electric company, and other numbers which are detrimental to save you and your loved ones from any dangers and harms.

7. Practice an Emergency Management Plan

This could be done in community especially to family, and of course in work setting. The purpose of this is to avoid the panic mode that could alleviate the circumstances. If everyone will develop and practice an emergency management plan, no one would be carried away by emotions that he or she might be killed if he or she will not be in a hurry to save himself or herself. That is a selfish act because you may also cause harm to others because of your apprehensive behavior. In a family a father or a mother or both could lead their children on what to do. Practice with them like knowing the routes to go to when an earthquake, fire, and storm comes. They would be prepared to know what to do, and not to go on your individual ways. If every member of the family the meeting point when specific disaster occurs, everyone will be in a safe place, and it will avoid an accident and even death.

6. Write a Disaster Preparedness Checklist

You could actually avail a ready-made preparedness checklist which are specifics or generally addressed for certain disaster like earthquake, and during flood. Hence, you could make plans or counsel together as a family as to the things that you would do first when situation arrives, and what to bring, if you have a map created then include that, who would bring specific things for survival, and who to contact to so you could be safe. Parts of it are emergency kit, food storage, and other things that you can bring with you so you can survive should provisions and assistance from local areas have not arrived yet.

5. Orient and Train Kids

Everyone is important in times of emergency disaster, but the most important people that must be secured first are kids. You should include them during your disaster planning and it’s not just for adult to discuss because they also have a life to protect, and they need it more than adults need it. Teach them the things that they need to know, and do so they will be guided when they face that dilemma so they won’t feel helpless and would not feel afraid. Train them well when you do your practice drill whether it’s for earthquake or some kind of disasters.

4. Start Doing the Food Storage Program

When you buy food and other essential materials in grocery stores, include in your list the things that you would set aside for your food storage box or bag. You have to know that you don’t do it at one time; you can do it every time you go to grocery store so it won’t be too burdensome to you to save everything that you need to keep inside your food storage bag. Another tip, it’s not a family pack; it should be an individual food storage pack. Know the number of members in your family so everyone could enjoy the food and other extras when the time arrives that you have nothing to draw upon to eat because you have replenished just a pack of food storage bag which is only good for yourself. It should include water, crackers, and set of clothes, sanitation supplies, and portable gadgets like radio, flashlights, batteries, and other that you may wish to include. You have to store them not just at home, but even in your car because you don’t know when and where calamity strikes, it’s best to ready than to be sorry.

3. Undergo Basic Crisis Management Training

You could contact people or organization who provides a free or paid basic crisis management training which can be held in a community, association, and at work. You don’t need an intensive one, you just need basic knowledge so you’ll know what to do if members of the family are in danger and in need where basic emergency survival training can be applied like administration of CPR, what to do during earthquake, and other things that families and even individuals can do when assistance has not arrived yet in the place or area. This is part of the disaster risk management to avoid further concerns or problems.

2. Prepare a Survival Kit

It is also known as an emergency kit which contains basic emergency medical supplies to give first aid to victims of calamities or disasters. You could buy a ready set of it instead of collecting the things that must be included on your kit which is a hassle-free preparation for some especially to working moms and fathers. Of course, you may also have a do-it-yourself survival kit where you could list down that must be included in your pack like identifying or grouping them according to their purpose or usage, so you’ll know what to pick in case that you need to use them. Of course it should have first aid kit, repair kit, general items, and other items you wish to include in it.

1. Know Types of Disasters

There are general guidelines that apply to all kinds of disasters whether they are classified as natural or man-made. Nonetheless, you have to apply specific disaster plan for types of emergencies. There are different responses and preparations, and one could not be applied if individuals are victim of flood and earthquake. It has different approaches especially the kind of route that they have to follow. It’s wise that you prepare separate guidelines, and checklist so you’ll get to understand the things that you have to bring and to do when preparing for disaster.  You could ask people who are trained and expert to conduct a workshop for your family or group so you know exactly what to prepare and do as part of disaster awareness preparation.