How Prepared for a Disaster is your Family?
You have already sat down and written a plan, but have you prepared your home to ride out a storm, or put together a disaster kit should you evacuate? When preparing your home, you should verify your insurance coverage with your homeowner’s insurance, and remember that flood insurance is a separate policy. It is good practice to inspect the exterior of your home for any repairs that may need to be completed prior to a storm, secure any loose items around the exterior of your home, and trim any trees that have the potential to damage you or your neighbor’s home.
A well thought out disaster kit typically includes several items (in an abundance of caution the below list includes more than the FEMA recommendations):
- 10 to 14-day food supply (for each member of the family and pets)
- 1 gallon of water per day per person
- Toiletries
- Prescription medications (hard copy of all prescriptions)
- Important documents in a waterproof container
- Flashlight & Batteries
- NOAA weather radio
- Cash
- Pet care items
- First Aid Kit
- Manuel can opener
This list is not meant to be comprehensive but only a suggestion. Please visit the Ready website for additional ideas.