We have experienced many natural calamities and disasters and 2011 have been a witness to many of it. Events like the Tropical Storm Washi that hit the Philippines in December 2011 has brought about massive flooding and mudslide which killed more than 1,500 people and has caused damage to a lot of properties.
And who would forget the tragedy that happened in Japan where an 8.9 magnitude earthquake which caused the tsunami and have killed 15,000 people and vast damage to properties.
This news about calamities and natural disasters can make us realize how important it is to have a disaster preparedness plan so we will not be caught off guard and will be prepared no matter what emergency situation occurs.
It is our responsibility to be prepared when disaster strikes and here are a few tips to help make a Disaster Preparedness Plan for your family:
1. Discuss with the whole family. Set a time when the whole family can meet regularly to discuss the disaster plan until it is ready and complete. Get inputs from each member on what data needs to be included in the plan like emergency contact numbers, medical record and history, form up point in case of emergency, telephone tree to designate responsibilities of calling each family member and the like. Each family member should participate in the discussion so everybody will be made aware of the plan. Once completed, the details of the disaster recovery plan should be compiled in a binder or folder and be put in a place which is easily accessible and is known to all members of the family.
2. Prepare a Disaster Survival Kit. This kit should contain all the essentials that is needed for survival like food, water supply, first aid kit, blankets, protection like mask, flashlight, portable radio, and the like and everyone in the household should know its purpose and where it is located. Experts suggest that the kit should contain supplies that will last for at least 72 hours as it can take days before help arrives. In an event of a disaster, rescue teams will do their best but they can’t attend to the needs of all the victims all at the same time. So it is the responsibility of each individual to have a survival kit that they can use while waiting for help to arrive.
3. Make an emergency survival plan. In case of emergencies and disasters, the family should have a concrete plan of survival that every family member should know by heart. Discuss for example, escape routes at homes in case of fire, assembly point if family members are scattered after an emergency, safety procedure to avoid further damage like shutting off of water, electrical and natural gas supply and the like.
4. Learn First Aid. There should at least be someone from the family who knows how to give first aid so immediate medical attention can be given while waiting for help from rescue operators.
5. Conduct a home hazard and preventive maintenance check. Regularly conduct a preventive maintenance check to inspect the homes for any hazards that can aggregate the situation in case of natural disasters. Check for gas leaks, unsecured wall or cabinet, unsafe electric wiring and the like. Make a check list and schedule a preventive maintenance check regularly, at least every six months.
6. Review plan every six months. Conduct meetings at least every six months to review and update the disaster preparedness plan with the whole family.
We will never know when a natural disaster will happen but planning will make a world of difference. Start your disaster preparedness plan now so you will have a peace of mind that your family is ready in case of any unexpected emergencies.
Author’s Bio: This is a guest post from Abie. She is a freelance blogger and content writer and one of her current projects is for the site where you can read reviews for sold out after crisis e-book.
