Creating a Family Survival Plan
Keeping your family safe in the face of danger is probably one the most important things in your life. It’s hard for anyone to know what to do when disaster strikes, but to feel more comfortable and to effectively initiate a plan, you need to be prepared. According to medical experts there are five catastrophic events that every family needs to plan for:
1. Loss of shelter
2. Unavailability of necessary goods and services
3. Economic collapse
4. Civil chaos
5. Short term events
In order to successfully combat these situations you’ll want to devise a family survival plan. At least once a year, the whole family should have a meeting to discuss the current disaster plan, and if needed, update it. You’ll want to sketch a floor plan of your house that shows the exact location of doors, exits and disaster supplies. Make sure every family member or regular household guest is familiar with this picture, including babysitters.
In your plan, establish two locations where you and your family can meet during an emergency. One area should be directly outside of the home, i.e., the park across the street, and one should be slightly outside of your community, just in case you’re not allowed to return home. Again, make sure everyone is aware of these two locations.
All members of the family that are old enough should also be aware of the location of the main water valve, gas valve, tools, the garage door manual override and other utilities. Along with the location, they should know how to shut off all utilities. However, make sure everyone knows to never shut off the gas valve, unless there’s a leak.
As a family, you need to assemble a home emergency supply kit. This should include everyone’s birth certificate, passport, social security card, copies of your credit cards (front and back), bank statements, homeowner’s insurance policy, auto insurance policy, life insurance policy, immunization records, work and/or tax documents that are hard to replace, retirement statements and cash. In addition to these valuable records, you’ll also want to store multiple gallons of water (each person should have a minimum of one gallon per day), non-perishable food items, a first-aid kit, hand-held can opener, plug in telephone, blankets, radio, spare batteries, prescription and over the counter medications, flashlight, fire extinguisher, a whistle, dust masks and activity items, such as books and a deck of cards. This kit should also include contact information for a person outside of the state in which you reside, in case you need to report your location or make them aware of your condition. The kit should be stored somewhere safe and durable, preferably in a fireproof and waterproof box that is small enough to transport.
In addition to reevaluating your plan annually, you also want to go over the items in your safety kit. Replenish the emergency kits by changing batteries, replacing bottled water and making sure food has not hit its expiration date. Remember, practice makes perfect. Rehearsing your family emergency plan will help people feel less confused and disorientated, no matter the situation. Preparing your family for a disaster is likely to increase your chances for survival.
Remember to extend your emergency preparedness to your car. Keep a complete emergency kit in your vehicle at all times as well as some fresh drinking water and a blanket. Survival may include driving on short notice. Check your cheap car insurance coverage before you need it. If you are involved in an accident, you’ll still want to make a claim when the crisis has passed.
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