Nothing says entertainment like a solid natural disaster film! But while these are packed with action, anxiety, witty banter, and even a good love story, what’s portrayed in Hollywood doesn’t compare with the real thing.
With the Earth in constant commotion, there seem to be more calamities going on than there used to be (or at least we’re more aware of them). While you may be living somewhere that seems so far unscathed; there may come a time where you move to a riskier area, or the one you’re in brings something unexpected.
You might not need to prepare for every natural disaster. However, it’s a good idea to do some research about the area you live in and put some preparations in place so if anything does happen; you’ll be ready to face it head-on.
Get started by reviewing these fundamentals.
Have a Plan
There’s nothing worse than having something go wrong and not being sure what to do. Natural disasters can be scary, especially if it causes separation from your friends and family. Make a plan that tells you what to do when chaos ensues.
If your area is prone to several different disaster types, you may even want to write up separate plans for each scenario. This should include things like whether or not you should stay put, and where everyone should try to meet up.
Include easy ways to remember how to deal with dangerous situations like being in a car during a flood. Creating rhymes or catchy tunes for the younger children will help them remember what to do if they’re not with a grown up, too.
Pre-pack a Go Bag
When you’re in the middle of something sketchy, your instinct is to get out of there as fast as you can. But while the fight-or-flight instinct can help you out at the moment, natural disasters happen on such a large scale you’ll need to have a big picture plan to make it through everything safely.
This is something to have ready at all times. It should contain basics that include a change of clothes, flashlight, first aid kit and non-perishable snacks.
It should be re-packed periodically for seasonal changes and growing children. Nothing could be worse than finding yourself in the middle of winter with only a t-shirt.
Again, depending on where you live and what you might face, it might be best to keep this somewhere other than your room at home, like in the trunk of your car.
Start Your Food Storage
There are many important ways to prepare for disasters that will take more than a few hours, and food storage is one of those. Your experience in the middle of a disaster could be you’re stuck in your home without any power for several weeks.
You’ll be able to make it through the wait for rescue if you have enough non-perishable food and water stored to keep your bodies fueled. Start out with a 72-hour kit for each person in your household.
You can also start building up a store of canned or dehydrated items you can rotate into your normal meals. This way, nothing goes expired.
Maintain Your Property
You’ll also want to keep up with the state of your property. This includes your home and any sheds, barns or storage on larger acreage.
Make the necessary repairs to these, especially their foundations, and if you need to, invest in new structures like those at https://www.dometechnology.com/ that are meant to be sturdy and protective over long periods.
You might find that you also need to provide safe structures for farm animals and other equipment.
Prevention is better than the cure. Before an emergency affects your family, it is in your interests to plan your family’s preparedness.
