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Be Prepared for Natural Disasters
Jul 05, 2017

Emergencies and natural disasters can disrupt your life at any moment, putting you and your loved ones in danger. That’s why it’s important to have a plan in place if a situation arises.  

Know Your Natural Dangers

If you live in places like Louisiana or Florida, flooding due to hurricanes is more prevalent than earthquakes. If you live in place like Texas or Oklahoma, tornadoes are what you should be wary of. Heavy storms, flooding, mudslides, blizzards and more can be in Mother Nature’s playbook, so you should be prepared for what she can throw your way.

You may not need snow chains for your tires if you live in Galveston, or an inflatable raft if you live in Montana, but a disaster preparedness kit should be in every home. You should keep emergency medication (regularly replaced), storable non-perishable food, a first aid kit, extra cell phones, battery operated cell phone chargers, money, and emergency contact information in your kit, as well as, an evacuation plan that everyone knows by heart.

Think About Pets

Having an emergency plan in place can save your pets life. Finding a safe place out of reach from the wind and rain is one way to help protect your pet’s life. Make sure if you have to leave your pets behind they have food, water, and there’s a plan in place to go check on them as soon as possible. If flooding is a possibility, leave them with a path to higher grounds. Here are some tips on creating a pet emergency plan.

Stock up in Advance

Have clean water, nonperishable food, and extra clothes in a place that’s easy to get to. In case you get stuck in your home, having a second freezer full of items that can thaw ready to eat food is a good idea. Also, you should have a garage shelf stocked with bottled water, toilet paper, and personal items that sell out fast when a weather event is on the way.

Don’t Forget Your Livelihood

Preparing your business for emergencies by setting up an answering service, a VoIP number you can access from anywhere, and a plan in case of slow or delayed deliveries from vendors is a good idea. If you provide virtual services, consulting, or other digitally performed/ delivered work, have an internet hotspot plugin available that you can use on a tablet or laptop, and a powered-up battery pack to keep you in touch and online.

Planning ahead can be the difference between chaos and survival. Even if a natural disaster strikes it doesn’t have to tear your world apart. Being prepared is key.

Grace Alexander

Grace Alexander is a content strategist with ten years of experience in traditional and alternative power verticals. Her experience ranges from covering power company news across industries to promoting environmental rfiendly energy use and options. Grace currently splits her time between the southern U.S. and the southern coast of Uruguay.