We are vulnerable to a variety of natural disasters every year. Wildfires, tornadoes, floods, hurricanes and earthquakes can threaten our routines and even lives we have built.
Seventy five percent of all tornadoes occur in the U.S. There are 500,000 measured earthquakes each year, one of which is even thought to have shortened the length of earth’s day.
Summer, especially, seems to bring with it increased risk of disaster as we experience intense storms, summer wildfires and hurricanes more frequently during this period.
A disaster survival plan can help keep our lives together when everything seems like chaos. It helps reduce anxiety about incoming disaster and maintain physical and mental health after the event.
Here are a few preparedness tips to keep in mind:
- Assemble an emergency supply kit that includes flashlights, batteries, prescription medications, battery-operated radio, personal hygiene items, and a two-week supply of water and non-perishable food for your family and pets.
- Find a safe room in your home, without windows that can withstand high winds and debris.
- Have an established plan to contact or meet with family members if you must evacuate your home or neighborhood.
- Plan what to do if you must evacuate. Decide where you will go, what route you will take to get there as well as where you will stay while there. If you have pets, make sure you will be able to take them along.
Hopefully we will never have to endure the devastation that follows a catastrophic event. However, having a plan in place reduces stress, protects mental health and can prevent such a disaster from overturning our lives.
