How to prepare your family for natural disasters

The natural reaction to a disaster or potential disaster can be to panic, which can lead to poor decision making.

Ward off panic by preparing in advance for natural disasters you and your family could face at home.

Create a kit and go bag

An emergency kit is meant for the home and a go bag is for disasters that can force you to leave, but they contain mostly the same items. Below are some of the items you should have on hand, according to ready.gov:

• One gallon of water per person for drinking and sanitation; in a go bag, opt for less to make it easy to carry
• A three-day supply of non-perishable food; in the go bag, opt for lightweight snacks to get by
• A hand-crank or battery-powered radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert
• Flashlights and extra batteries
• A first aid kit
• A manual can opener
• Cell phone chargers and a backup solar battery supply
• Prescription and non-prescription medication, such as pain relievers and antacids
• Copies of vital documents
• A blanket or sleeping bag for each person
• A change of clothes

At the minimum, you should have a kit and a go bag in your home. However, it is recommended that you have them in other locations as well, such as your car, office and secondary or vacation properties.

Make a plan

Because things can get quite chaotic in a disaster, you need to know what to do and where to go in advance. There should be three previously designated spots where your family will gather in the event of an emergency. The first should be in your home near where the kit and go bag are kept. The next should be somewhere directly outside the home. The third should be in the vicinity of your home, but a bit farther away.

Conduct drills

Just as at your school or workplace, you should conduct safety drills at home, including:

• Fire drills, practicing from various starting points to help your family learn the ideal routes out of your home
• General evacuation drills, where each member of the family has specific roles, such as grabbing the go bag, counting heads etc.

To ensure that you are also prepared for the aftermath of any natural disaster, speak with your insurance representative.